Chapter 68.3
When Shen Yuan got angry, the consequences were serious.
He glanced at the man coldly and took out his weapon: a silver gun with black markings.
He expressionlessly shot the man.
Boom!
After the gunshot, a big black hole appeared in the manâs chest. Soon, the black hole spread to his whole body. He couldnât even scream before he disappeared completely.
The moment the man disappeared, the hideously mutated zombies fell to the ground and returned to the dust.
The fire also stopped. But most of the hospitalâs buildings were already burned to the ground, leaving only a dark, empty sh.e.l.l. In a blink of an eye, the originally bustling and lively hospital turned into ruins.
Before Xiao Tangqiu could let out a sigh, the corners of Tang Mianmianâs mouth twitched, âSo what the h.e.l.l did we try to kill the zombies for?â
It turned out that you could kill all the mobs by directly killing the boss, so why did they spend such a long time fighting mobs earlier? No! Since Shen Yuan was so powerful, he could clearly kill all the bosses in one blow, so what were they doing this entire night?!
Xiao Tangqiu couldnât help but twitch his lips, too. When he turned his head to look at Shen Yuan, he saw that Shen Yuan had the Ouroboros tattoo on his neck again.
Shen Yuanâs eyes were getting darker and darker. He seemed to be a little emotionally unstable. His tattoos began to spread from his neck to his face, and his expression gradually turned a bit vicious.
Xue Junli, Duan Hongzhen, and othersâ expressions changed and Duan Hongzhen even yelled, âThe captain is going to run away again! Quickly make him calm down!â
Run away? What would happen if Shen Yuan ran away?
Xiao Tangqiu instantly remembered the previously knocked out Duan Hongzhen and immediately rushed forward, grabbing Shen Yuanâs hand, and comfortingly said, âItâs okay! Itâs okay! Everything is over⦠Calm down, calm down!â
Shen Yuan looked into Xiao Tangqiuâs eyes and grasped Xiao Tangqiuâs hand tightly⦠After a while, he finally calmed down. His expression relaxed and the tattoo on his neck gradually disappeared.
After a few seconds, Shen Yuan calmed down completely. He buried his face in Xiao Tangqiuâs neck and said in a m.u.f.fled voice, âJiujiu, Iâm sorryâ¦â
Xiao Tangqiu replied quickly, âItâs okay, just a small injury.â
Shen Yuan gave a m.u.f.fled humph, âI already offed him.â
Xiao Tangqiu touched Shen Yuanâs head, âThank you.â
Tang Mianmian silently looked at these two and ate a lemon candy.
Duan Hongzhen cracked the lollipop in his mouth.
Xue Junli and the others wore variously unsightly expressions.
Only Kisaragi shook the Kagura Bell, and, as always, suppressed these long-trapped vengeful spirits.
After a while, Kisaragi put down the Kagura Bell, turned, and walked outside.
Xiao Tangqiu quickly but gently pushed Shen Yuan away, âItâs important to complete the mission, letâs hurry up and follow.â
Shen Yuanâs pitch-black eyes regarded Xiao Tangqiu before slowly letting go.
The group followed Kisaragi again, walking through the ruins of the hospital towards their next destination.
It was still dark.
Xiao Tangqiu looked up at the dark sky and asked Kisaragi hopelessly, âWhere are we going now? How many places need to be cleaned up?â
Kisaragi was silent for a long time. Just when everyone thought she would not answer, she suddenly slowly spoke, âThe last one.â
Xiao Tangqiu couldnât help asking, âWhere is it?â The places they had been to were each fiercer than the next. Could it be that the last place would be the fiercest of them all⦠Maybe a cemetery?
Kisaragi was silent for a long time, and finally said coldly, âKisaragi Shrine.â
âKisaragi Shrine?!â Xiao Tangqiu was shocked. The places they had been to were obviously haunted places⦠Was the Kisaragi Shrine the same?
âWhat happened to the Kisaragi Shrine?â Tang Mianmian immediately questioned.
But Kisaragi closed her mouth again and stopped answering no matter how Tang Mianmian asked.
Xiao Tangqiuâs heart sank and there was a bad feeling. He hesitated for a moment and did not voice it as usual, instead he comforted Tang Mianmian, âForget it, we will know when we get there.â
They followed Kisaragi through most of the Hundred Ghost Village. They did not see a single pedestrian on the streets, and they also did not encounter ghosts or spirits. After a while, they came to the outskirts of Hundred Ghost Village and a hill appeared.
The hill was not high and the shape was somewhat familiar.
Tang Mianmian stared at the hill for a while, then suddenly said, âWhy do I feel like this hill is more and more familiar the more I look?â
Xiao Tangqiu said solemnly, âThe Holy Mountainâ¦â
Tang Mianmian suddenly realized, âYes! Isnât this the Holy Mountain of Hundred Ghost Town?â
The mountain in front of them was the Holy Mountain they saw at Hundred Ghost Town!
Kisaragi suddenly spoke, âYears ago, Hundred Ghost Village was not called Hundred Ghost Village, but Hundred Ghost Town. The former Hundred Ghost Town was very prosperous and rich, and the people lived and worked in peaceâ¦â
Duan Hongzhen snorted, âDonât lie, the Hundred Ghost Town we went to was obviously poor and backward. They couldnât even afford to eat.â
Kisaragi was silent and did not answer, but Duan Hongzhen was already familiar with her att.i.tude so he crossed his arms and continued, âWere you going to say⦠Then there was a big natural disaster and Hundred Ghost Town was cursed and started to become poor and backward?â
Kisaragi was silent for a long time before slowly speaking, âIt wasnât a natural disaster, it was a man-made disaster.â
âOh? What kind of man-made disaster?â Duan Hongzhen raised an eyebrow.
Kisaragi stopped answering again, turned, and walked up the hill.
Everyone traded looks and quickly followed.
Although it was unknown how many years had pa.s.sed since Hundred Ghost Town became Hundred Ghost Village, the Holy Mountain did not seem to have changed much despite all its experiences. Soon, they followed Kisaragi to the top of the hill.
Unexpectedly, the top of the Holy Mountain was barren and overgrown with weeds and there was no trace of the shrine at all, not even ruins were left behind.
Standing on the highest point of the hill, Kisaragi looked down at the entire Hundred Ghost Village condescendingly and indifferently.
âWhere is the shrine?â Tang Mianmian asked Xiao Tangqiu quietly.
Xiao Tangqiu, âYou ask me, but who do I ask?â
Tang Mianmian looked at the deserted hilltop and couldnât help muttering, âThis time, itâs my turn to have a bad feelingâ¦â
As soon as he finished speaking, Kisaragi suddenly moved.
She walked slowly into a clump of weeds and stretched out her hand to remove a layer of weeds. After a while, a mottled and discolored wooden plaque that was obviously aged appeared in front of them with the words âKisaragi Shrineâ written impressively on it.
Other places in Hundred Ghost Village had turned into ruins after worldly disasters and changes, but there were still ruins left. The Kisaragi Shrine had nothing left, as if it disappeared into thin air. Only this old wooden plaque that was probably used as a marker remained.
Kisaragi stared at the old wooden plaque for a long time. After a while, she took out the longsword and the Kagura Bell and walked straight forward.
Xiao Tangqiu tensed and quickly followed.
Kisaragi didnât walk fast, and was even a little slow. She took one step at a time and the surrounding environment gradually began to change. In her first step, the weeds around her disappeared. In her second step, flowers and greens grew out of the earth. In her third step, the flowers were in full bloom and green leaves covered the trees⦠When her footsteps stopped, a tall red Torii appeared before everyone.
Behind the Torii was a ceremonial and solemn shrine.
Kisaragi walked ahead towards the Torii and Xiao Tangqiu immediately followed. When he stepped under Torii, he clearly felt the changes in the surrounding environment. When he looked up, he saw that the originally deserted shrine had suddenly become lively. There was a whole sea of people.
Countless people were walking into the shrine, which looked
permeated with incense
.
Tang Mianmian who followed up was also very surprised, âWhy are there so many people?â
There were so many people in the shrine, itâs almost as if the missing residents of Hundred Ghost Village all went to this shrine to pray at the same time.
Xiao Tangqiu looked at the clothes and accessories of these people, and guessed, âMaybe itâs a festival.â
Tang Mianmian, âI seeâ¦â
Kisaragi didnât move after she walked into the shrine. She stood motionless in front of a wolf-shaped stone statue. She seemed to be thinking but her face remained indifferent.
The leading NPC didnât move so Xiao Tangqiu could only look around himself. The Kisaragi Shrine looked filled with incense, but the most interesting thing was that there were many wolf-shaped stone statues inside the shrine. He roughly counted a few dozens of them. They reminded him of the wolf on the Holy Mountain that the old lady Chiyo called the messenger of the mountain G.o.d.
After all of the turns and changes of life, were the residents of Hundred Ghost Village still wors.h.i.+pping the mountain G.o.d?
Duan Hongzhen casually reached out and touched the wolf-shaped stone statue that Kisaragi was looking at, âWhat is this?â
Kisaragi stared at the statue, her eyes still and pious, âThe Mountain G.o.d.â
Duan Hongzhen sneered, âA mountain G.o.d that can eat people, is it a good mountain G.o.d or a bad mountain G.o.d?â
Kisaragi was silent for a long time, and then slowly replied, âThe mountain G.o.d was not always like thisâ¦â
Xiao Tangqiu suddenly heard the excited discussion of the two girls next to him.
âLet me tell you! Making a wish to the mountain G.o.d really works! I came here to repay my wish today!â
âReally? When did this Kisaragi Shrine appear? Why have I never heard of it before?â
âWho knows! In the past few years, the incense has grown inexplicably⦠But making a wish to the mountain G.o.d really does work!â
âThen I have to try it, too!â