Chapter 30: The Temple

Chapter 30: The Temple

As soon as Lin Qiushi entered the building, he spotted a scowling youth with flashy yellow hair stomping angrily and waving his hand around. The young male was dressed in alternative clothing, and a silver ring hung from his bottom lip. Just from his appearance, he looked like a delinquent, like one of the many unprincipled thugs regarded as the dregs of society. The feral youth growled and cursed at the crowd, but the rest of the crowd simply stared back at him indifferently and contemptuously, as if he was merely an insignificant clown in their eyes.

Upon seeing Lin Qiushi and the Xu Jin, who was accompanying him, step foot into the building, the youngster grew even more agitated. Baring his teeth like a caged animal, he pointed at them and, with false bravado, snarled, Are you fuckers with these people too? What the hell do you even want from me? You want to blackmail me? Cheat me? Get me the hell out of here or elseor elseI-Ill break your fucking necks!

Lin Qiushi was truly amused hearing the young mans bluff. Didnt you just say youll be calling the police? Yet now youre saying that youre going to kill us?

Youre courting death! The young mans face flushed deeper with wrath at Lin Qiushis words. Absolutely incensed, he roared, Keep spouting bullshit like that and Ill fucking cut you! Dont you know who I am, huh?! How dare you speak like that to me!

Paying no more heed to the youth and his threats, Lin Qiushi casually swept his eyes across the crowd.

Just one glance made his heart sink in his chest. Behind the young man, he caught sight of thirteen individuals, some just standing around and others simply sitting. And with Lin Qiushi, Xu Jin, and that youth, that brought the total up to sixteen people.

This was the first time Lin Qiushi had seen so many people gathered together. He could hardly imagine just how difficult this world was going to be.

Most of the individuals in the crowd couldnt care any less for the commotion. They merely ignored the ill-tempered youth and didnt bother reasoning with him.

After all, trying to reason with a stubborn brick wall was such a troublesome task, so why should they concern themselves with this matter? There was no need to waste words on a dead man.

There were five men and eight women within the group of thirteen. Lin Qiushi soon found his targetsa teenager standing near the front of the crowd and a woman inconspicuously sitting in the corner, her facial features hidden.

Although their appearances were unfamiliar, Lin Qiushi was still able to recognize their identity from the clothes they were wearing.

The woman was Ruan Nanzhu, and the teenager was Cheng Qianli.

Without showing any changes in expression, Lin Qiushi naturally removed his gaze immediately after finding them.

Whats with your attitude when Im speaking to you! The yellow-haired youth suddenly exploded when he saw Lin Qiushis dismissive attitude. Quickly drawing a knife from his pocket, he brandished it in the air, Youre really asking for death, you know that!

Just when he yelled this, a calm Now, now. resonated from within the room. No sooner, two hands pressed over the young mans shoulders, as if trying to pacify the man, and a light, refreshing male voice drifted from behind the youths back, Friend, youre so young, and you should be having fun at your age. Theres no need to get so angry and frown like this, yes?

Lin Qiushi followed the melodic voice and saw a handsome, masculine face. The attractive man was currently smiling soothingly at the youth, and his silky tone was ever so gentle, Now, whats the problem here? Tell it to us slowly.

No one knew what the man with the syrupy voice did, but the youth suddenly turned pale, as if all the blood drained from his face. He clenched his jaw and shakily put away his knife. Through gritted teeth, he lowly spat out, Dont try to deceive me.

The man loosened his hold on the youth and took a step forward. He then directed a lively smile at Lin Qiushi and stretched out his hand, The names Meng Yu. This is my fourth time entering the doors.

Lin Qiushi received his extended hand and shook it, Yu Linlin. This is my third time.

Still beaming brightly, he said, Why dont you sit down. We were in the middle of discussing the situation.

Lin Qiushi nodded.

It appeared as though Meng Yu had taken up the role of leading the team. The other had a very friendly and optimistic personality, and his smiles were extremely gentle and comforting. Unsurprisingly, he possessed a strong, influential aura, one that convinced others that he was a natural born leader.

Ruan Nanzhu, who normally took up the role of the leader, was awfully silent at this time. Pretending to have randomly taken as seat beside him, Lin Qiushi glanced over at him, only to discover that Ruan Nanzhu was looking faint and unwell.

Are you okay, miss? Lin Qiushi worriedly asked. Are you feeling ill?

Ruan Nanzhu shook his head slightly, then smiled weakly, Its nothing. My body has always been weak since I was a child. Thank you for your concern though.

Lin Qiushi introduced himself, Im Yu Linlin.

Ruan Nanzhu greeted him back, Im Zhu Meng.

Nice to meet you. Afterwards, Lin Qiushi faced forward, looking away, as if minding his own business.

The Ruan Nanzhu in this world was incredibly different from how he was in the previous two worlds. His height seemed a bit shorter and he looked very weak, as if he could topple over with the slightest breeze. Although his face was still as beautiful as ever, right now, he gave off the impression of a sickly beauty.

Lin Qiushi suspected that this change was because Ruan Nanzhu had entered the door even though his body hadnt recovered completely.

Did you all see the woman outside? Amidst the group, Meng Yu broke down the basics of the circumstances. A while ago, I asked her what was going on, and she said that she was just a tour guide helping our group. That being said, it seems that we are all tourists who have come here on our travels.

This was the general setting of the story.

Tourists? A girl in the crowd exclaimed in confusion. How long are we going to travel for?

She didnt say. She just said that well be visiting all of the designated sites and local attractions. Meng Yu added, There should be time constraints, but its not entirely clear as of this moment.

What about a place to stay? Cheng Qianli suddenly asked. Where would we live and sleep?

Meng Yu strode over to the window and pointed at the row of small bamboo huts located deep in the jungle, There.

The bamboo huts were closely and neatly arranged together, built around dense thickets and lush greenery. Some exotic decorative plants, as well as some small eye-catching flowers, dotted the surrounding area. They enriched the scenery, but Lin Qiushi couldnt identify what species these plants were.

Lets split up the rooms and decide whos sharing with whom. Meng Yu announced. All of us certainly cannot live together.

Why cant we all live together? The first-timer, Xu Jin, anxiously wondered. Wouldnt it be safer if all of us stuck with each other?

Wed all end up falling asleep unknowingly if we all stayed together. Lin Qiushi answered. So, it isnt any safer.

Oh Although Xu Jin still couldnt wrap her mind around this inconceivable situation, she stopped trying to get to the crux of the matter, ultimately deciding to remain passive. Her response was far better than that yellow-haired youths, who had unwittingly become an eyesore by threatening others while demanding for answers; at least Xu Jin knew not to offend anyone, even if she wanted to know more of what was going on.

Although we dont have much information now, we will probably have more by tomorrow morning. Meng Yu said. Anyways, its getting late. We should all go to bed.

And so, everyone departed for the small bamboo huts at once.

Sixteen people certainly wasnt a small number. So, even though the skies were dark and the atmosphere, mysteriously spooky, no one was afraid since they were all walking together.

Lin Qiushi made his way toward the bamboo residences, then quickly surveyed them, briefly analyzing the structure of the houses.

Each residence contained three beds located on the second floor, one by the window and two by the wall. Because the weather was rather hot and humid, there was no need for heavy covers, so there was only a thin, flimsy bed sheet placed atop the beds.

With sixteen people in their group, how the beds and residences were to be divided became a major issue.

Meng Yu hadnt even opened his mouth, before several girls came flocking to his side, ardently proposing that they live together.

Its too embarrassing, dont you think? Meng Yu said with a helpless smile. If this is the case, how about men and women live separately?

Whats there to be embarrassed of when were about to die? One girl frankly expressed her thoughts. She coquettishly purred, Brother Meng, I really want to live with you, cant I? Fluttering her lashes, she leaned towards the other and wrapped her hands around his arm, deliberately pressing it to her plump chest.

Meng Yu chuckled, Alright.

This was the first time Lin Qiushi had come across such a scene, but come to think of it, it wasnt all that surprising. Sticking close to someone who had quite a bit of experience would increase ones probability of surviving this world.

Hello. If possible, can I live with you? Ruan Nanzhu softly called out. He slowly walked over to Lin Qiushi side; his small face was pale, and his body looked as though it was on the verge of collapse. Im a bit scared.

Fortunately, the elder woman did not insist any longer. She bowed her head and continued focusing on grinding.

Lin Qiushi brought the apples back to the house. When he made his way back, he caught sight of the woman who was standing at the village entrance yesterday. The woman was wearing a safari hat and holding a red flag in her hand; she truly resembled a model tour guide.

Rise and shine, my explorers! Today, I will be taking everyone to sightsee a temple. The woman enthusiastically announced. This temple is considered one of the most magnificent buildings in this area, and I am positive that everyone here will be so entranced by this temples elegance and glory once everyone lays their eyes on it. Now, without further ado, lets set off!

After saying this, she waved the flag in the air and signaled for the crowd to keep up with her.

Everyone glanced at each other, then heaved themselves up off their chairs and followed the woman out the door.

While walking towards their destination, the woman introduced the culture and traditional here. She said that the locals worshiped a particular religion in which they believed that the dead could resurrect; because they tended to stay true to this faith, there were quite some eccentric and unusual customs in this area.

Such as? wondered Meng Yu.

The woman revealed a mysterious smile, You will know when you arrive at the temple.

She led everyone down a secluded road. The winding path extended far into the depths of the jungle.

The tall trees flanking both sides of the path grew odder the further they trudged down the trail; innumerable colorful strips were tied to the branches of these trees. The woman mentioned that this was one of the many sacrificial practices of the village, and that the multicolored strips allegedly acted as a beacon to help the dead spirits return home.

The trees surrounding the pathway were extremely dense. The thick leaves shrouded nearly all of the sunlight, leaving only speckled areas of light on the ground.

Lin Qiushi listened to the womans presentation; however, his mind was wandering elsewhere, recalling the song he heard.

After walking for about twenty minutes, the group was physically exhausted. Xu Jin was frightened and thought that the environment was awfully strange, but she couldnt hold back any longer. Opening her mouth, she wearily asked, How much longer will it take?

The woman stated, Were almost there.

Not too long after she said this, a mystifying tune echoed from afar. Lin Qiushi had never heard such sounds in his life. The pitch was similar to that created by a traditional flute; yet, it was more refreshing and more pleasant to the ears than the tunes made by those flutes. The melody was strangely haunting, evoking the image of a vulture hovering in the sky, engraving ones soul with the indelible vision of death.

The clear sound caused the crowd to quiet down.

The tour guide beamed at the group and said, Im assuming everyone has heard that sound. This tune can only be played by a special instrument unique to this place. Such a beautiful sound can only be heard here. Everyone must listen carefully and appreciate this moment.

They soon continued onwards. At long last, Lin Qiushi spotted a secreted building through the small gaps between the dense woods.

A glorious temple towered before their eyes. Huge stones piled to the sky, forming the structure of the building, and green vines snaked around the temple; the style was rather primitive, as simple as can be, and fairly desolate.

To add, countless colored flags stood tall beside the temple.

The flags waved to and fro with the crisp breeze, as though responding to that eerie melody.

Ruan Nanzhu suddenly approached Lin Qiushi and lowered his voice, whispering, Keep away from those flags.

Huh? blurted Lin Qiushi, slightly taken aback.

Ruan Nanzhu replied, Theres something off about those flags.

Upon hearing the others warning, Lin Qiushi inspected the flags, only to realize that there was, indeed, something quite abnormal about those flags. The material was awfully thick; it didnt resemble any cloths or rags, but it was still elastic and soft An idea suddenly flashed through his mind. A cold limp settled in the pit of his stomach; he swallowed hard, his Adams apple bobbed up and down.

Could it possibly be what I think it is? Lin Qiushi thought back on the chilling context behind the song.

Perhaps Ruan Nanzhus tone was uncertain, leaving room for doubts and speculations.

The tour guide led everyone to the temple gates, then stopped. She then spread out her palm in the direction of the temple, The next step is for everyone to explore this temple freely for a while. She then raised her arm and looked at the time on her watch. Before dusk, I will come again to take everyone back to the village. Please enjoy the tour and relish the exotic view. Furthermore, be mindful of your actions, folks; do not run around irresponsibly.

With that, the tour guide swiveled on her heels and marched out the area, leaving behind more than a dozen individuals looking at each other in dismay.

That lady is really weird and annoying. The irascible blond youth from yesterday began grumbling. He crabbily spat, We might as well take this opportunity to run away

Where do you think youre going? The man next to him impatiently growled. Weve already told you several times that this isnt a normal world. Would you just stop saying stupid things and listen for once?

The young man also seemed a tad nonplussed by his surroundings. Nevertheless, he forced a sneer and snorted disdainfully, Not normal, my ass. You know what I think? I think youre just too scared, you coward.

The others no longer paid any attention to him after hearing his snarky remark. They simply turned around and entered the temple. It was evident that everyone was now focused on searching for any clues on where the key could be hidden.

Lets head inside, too. Lin Qiushi eyed the temple before him, then turned around, looking back to face Ruan Nanzhu and Xu Jin, who were standing behind him.

The temple looks so scary. Xu Jins lips quivered, and her body shuddered in trepidation. Do you think therell be monsters inside

Ruan Nanzhu softly coughed a few times, before proposing, Well, since you seem quite afraid, how about we go in by ourselves, and you just stay outside by yourself?

Nononono, Ill stick with you guys. Xu Jin frantically refused. Im more afraid to stay outside by myself.

Come on. Lin Qushi gradually climbed the tall steps made of stone, advancing inside.

Ruan Nanzhu and Xu Jin followed closely behind Lin Qiushi. Together, they entered the temple, joining everyone else.

The inside of the temple was relatively dim. There were no windows, just a couple of flickering oil lamps placed around the area, giving off a faint glow.

As soon as Lin Qiushi walked in, he was struck with a sense of incongruity and peculiarity. Pricked by this inexplicably odd feeling, he said, The sound of the instrument came from the second floor, right?

Ruan Nanzhu responded, Seemed like it.

Lets go upstairs and have a look, suggested Lin Qiushi.

Ruan Nanzhu nodded in accord.

However, no matter how many times they circled the temple, painstakingly looking through each and every crevice and inconspicuous location, they simply couldnt find any stairs that would lead them upstairs.

Lin Qiushi suddenly felt that something was wrong, horribly wrong. His keen hearing told him a dreadful fact, one so harrowing that he could no longer turn a blind eye to it That music, it definitely wasnt coming from the second floor. No, as a matter of fact, it was coming from the ceiling. That pitch-black ceiling above their heads that seemed to extend endlessly towards the heavens, that very abyss-like ceiling where the light couldnt reach

Just what exactly was up there? Just how exactly could music be playing from up there?

Having detected Lin Qiushis stiff expression, Ruan Nanzhu quirked a brow and questioned, Whats the matter?

Cringing slightly, Lin Qiushis face twisted as he slowly bared his teeth. He smiled wryly and let out a hollow laugh, before grimly pointed upwards. It seems that something is above our heads

Authors Comment:

(Outside the door worlds) Lin Qiushi: Ruan Ge, youre truly a good man.

(Inside the door worlds)Ruan Nanzhu: Lin Qiushi, youre truly a good man.

Theyre the type of CP that always compliments and praises each other, constantly saying the other is a truly a good person~