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Translator's note: This book is just getting more and more thrilling. Those settings, I mean the forms of the Specters and all those rules, are so fascinating.
When everyone heard what the two Cheng Xinyuans said, they were all shocked. None of them had thought of that before.
They were scared after realizing it. Just as the saying goes, "Ignorance is bliss."
If someone or their double had been as smart as Cheng Xinyuan, they would've been trapped there, too.
Fang Xiu calmly watched what was happening and then ordered, "Let's go up the mountain."
The Cheng Xinyuan in alive state was shocked and begged, "Fang Xiu, save me! Help me control him!"
Cheng Xinyuan in dead state also panicked and threatened, "Fang Xiu, if you try to help, I'll kill myself, and he'll be trapped here forever!"
"You're both useless," Fang Xiu said. "I told you, if anyone causes trouble, I won't save them. Smart people often make things harder for themselves, and now we all know that's true."
Then, Fang Xiu ignored them and led the others up the stone steps to the mountain.
The group looked at Fang Xiu leaving, then at Cheng Xinyuan in the cemetery. They shook their heads helplessly and followed Fang Xiu.
The Cheng Xinyuan in alive state was angry and shouted, "Fang Xiu! This is betrayal! If I get out alive, I won't let you go!"
The Cheng Xinyuan in dead state laughed coldly. "You can't blame others. It's your own fault for being selfish."
"It's your fault for being selfish, not mine! If it weren't for you, I would have left by now!"
"Ha, I am you, and you are me. You hate me as much as you hate yourself. You're so selfish that you can't even stand yourself."
"Everyone, only step on odd-numbered steps. Don't step on even ones," Fang Xiu instructed.
Even though they didn't understand why, they all followed his instructions.
The steps were large and spaced far apart—some people with shorter legs, like Liu Shuai and Zhao Hao, had to jump. For people like Fang Xiu, they just needed to take bigger steps.
After a while, Liu Shuai, who was hopping along, asked, "Xiu, why can we only walk on odd-numbered steps?"
Everyone listened closely. They had wanted to ask this too but were too intimidated by Fang Xiu's cold demeanor to speak up.
Fang Xiu answered calmly, "These steps are like the Specter's tongue, and the red door at the top is like its mouth. If you step on an even number, it will trigger its killing moves. It will come to life, wrap everyone up with its tongue, and eat them."
Hearing Fang Xiu's words, everyone felt a chill run down their spine. They looked carefully at each step they took, afraid to mistakenly step on an even number and awaken the Specter.
Fang Xiu had managed to say something terrifying in the calmest way possible.
Liu Shuai turned pale and felt his legs go weak. He almost stepped on an even-numbered step but teleported to an odd-numbered one just in time.
"Whew, that was close. Lucky I can teleport," Liu Shuai said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
The others were angry at him.
"Liu Shuai, be careful! Do you know you almost got us all killed?" they scolded.
Liu Shuai shrank back, not daring to say anything.
After that, everyone was even more careful about where they stepped. They were also glad that Fang Xiu was leading them. Without him, they didn't know how they would survive through all the dangerous places like the Head Lantern, the amusement park, the cemetery, and now the Specter's tongue.
Finally, they reached the top of the mountain, passed through the red gate, and entered Putuo Temple. The path was paved with blue bricks, and the silence was eerie, with fog surrounding the area.
Dry leaves covered the bricks, making a crunching sound as they walked on it.
After about five minutes, they came to a moon gate, which looked like a giant eye without the eyeball. Fang Xiu stepped through first, and the others followed, feeling a sense of security in his presence.
Once inside, they smelled a sweet, fruity scent.
"Is that the smell of peaches?" someone wondered aloud.
The fog inside seemed to clear slightly, revealing a short peach tree full of fruit.
"Could there be something strange about this peach tree? It's not even the season for peaches," they murmured.
Suddenly, a sharp, playful laugh echoed around them.
Everyone tensed up, ready for anything.
"That laugh sounded like it came from the peach tree!" someone exclaimed.
"What? Is the peach tree a Specter?" they questioned as the laughter continued.
The laughter grew louder, as if countless people were laughing together, causing annoyance and confusion among the group. Then, a cold wind blew, dispersing the thick fog around the peach tree, revealing the lush, tempting peaches.
To their horror, they saw that the peaches had human faces on them!
Each face was different; there were men and women, old and young, but all shared the same eerie smile, staring directly at the group.
"Come eat me!" laughed a peach with a child's face.
"Eat me, I'm the tastiest!" said another with an old man's face, chuckling.
"Quick, eat me, I'm the juiciest," chimed a peach with a young girl's face, giggling.
As their laughter continued, the air became filled with an even stronger fruity scent, almost intoxicating.
Seeing this, the group became very serious, ready to act. But gradually, their expressions relaxed, and a look of greed appeared on their faces.
"It smells so good, I want to try one."
"Yeah, I'm suddenly so hungry. I really want to eat a peach."
Even Fang Xiu felt a strong desire deep within him, a craving for the Peachface. It was like he hadn't eaten for days, and suddenly, seeing a peach in front of him awakened an almost irresistible primal urge.
However, Fang Xiu was a man who had survived by controlling his instincts. Despite the strong cravings, his expression remained calm.
The others weren't doing very well; their greed was almost tangible, and some even began to step toward the Peachface tree, drawn by the overwhelming desire.