Chapter 12: The Truth

Li Yin still didn't understand what was happening. As he reached the river's edge, he realized he was already over 10 meters above the ground!
Falling from this height...
But he couldn't hesitate now!
He gripped the rope tightly, stepped onto the riverbank, and jumped down!
At the same instant, the giant woman's mouth snapped shut! Her enormous head then vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.
Li Yin's body hit the ground, but fortunately, the wet grass and mud beneath cushioned his fall, and he wasn't severely injured. However, the pain was still intense.
But the sight of the giant head made him forget his pain entirely.
"Li... Li Yin..."
Ye Ke Xin had lived in the apartment for three years and had seen many bizarre phenomena, so she had become numb to them. But Li Yin was shocked, and the terrifying scene made him shiver.
"We... have to stay in this terrifying village for a month?" Li Yin's mind was blank.
Although he had anticipated various situations, the reality far exceeded his expectations!
"Ke Xin..." Li Yin was soaked, but he didn't know what to do next.
Only one-third of the month had passed. How would they survive the rest?
"I was too naive. I thought living in the apartment for a year made me experienced. But compared to Xia Yuan, I'm far from it." Li Yin felt a sense of despair.
Ke Xin sighed and said, "Forget it, Li Yin. You're alive, and that's what matters. Let's get out of here..."
"Shou Tian is dead."
Ke Xin's heart sank when she heard Li Yin's words.
"He... he died?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes. He was in the water just now."
Ke Xin's head dropped, and she felt a pang of pain.
In the past three years, many residents had died, and Ke Xin had become numb to it. The last time, she and Shou Tian had narrowly escaped death, but this time...
Ke Xin didn't cry. She had almost run out of tears after entering the apartment.
"At least you're alive, Li Yin." Ke Xin supported him and said, "We have to stick together and survive this month! We only have a bit over two weeks left, and then we can leave Yu Shui Village."
There was no safe place left.
Li Yin knew this all too well.
In Yu Shui Village, there was no place where they could safely spend a month. They would continue to encounter strange and terrifying phenomena.
"What does 'Bing Er' want? Why did she kill Shou Tian and me? Is Heng Yan still alive?" Li Yin's mind was filled with questions.
If Bing Er's goal was to avenge herself on those who had hurt her in the village, there was no reason for her to kill Li Yin too. This meant that Bing Er had become a vengeful spirit with no distinction between friend and foe.
What about Ah Xiu? Would Bing Er spare her?
This inference was possible. If Ah Xiu showed kindness to Bing Er, maybe Li Yin could escape death.
"We should go back to Ah Xiu's house." This was Li Yin's only choice now.
When they returned to Ah Xiu's house and knocked on the door, Ah Xiu asked cautiously, "Who is it?"
"We." Li Yin said weakly, "Ah Xiu, please open the door."
When Ah Xiu opened the door, Li Yin saw a person lying on the floor.
It was Liang Ren Bin. His tongue had been cut out, and he was dead.
"Ah, you've seen it," Ah Xiu said nonchalantly. "Don't mind it. I just cut out his tongue."
"Ah Xiu..." Li Yin didn't dare offend her and said, "Please stop. Can you communicate with Bing Er and ask her not to kill anymore?"
"Shut up!" Ah Xiu said coldly. "What right do you have to mention Bing Er's name?"
"You..."
"Although I don't understand why Bing Er is targeting you... if she's doing it, there must be a reason." Ah Xiu smiled coldly. "Come in. You can stay here, but don't forget to report. Otherwise, why would I shelter you?"
She's crazy...
This woman was absolutely insane!
But what could Li Yin do? She was their only hope for survival in Yu Shui Village.
The next day, the disappearance of Ren Bin and Ah Wu caused a huge stir in the village. Although people had gone missing in previous years, this year the number of disappearances was unusually high, and the village head's grandchildren were among the missing.
However, despite the growing suspicion towards Ah Xiu, no one dared to confront her.
The reason was simple. The villagers believed in the ghost rumors, and harming Ah Xiu, who was considered Bing Er's best friend, would be suicidal.
After that, whenever villagers saw Ah Xiu, they would avoid her in fear. No one dared to speak ill of her, and many even tried to curry favor with her, bringing her food and helping with her farm work.
However, the days that followed were unusually calm. No more abnormal phenomena occurred.
Perhaps Bing Er had killed enough people and wanted to take a break?
Thus, with a sense of trepidation, July 7th finally arrived.
Li Yin and Ye Ke Xin were slightly more relaxed, but they were certain that something extremely terrifying would happen before midnight.
"You're leaving at midnight?" Ah Xiu asked during dinner, seemingly surprised. "Well, make sure to report well. If you don't... you know the consequences."
Li Yin knew the consequences, but he had no intention of reporting.
As long as they could escape back to the apartment, they would be safe.
The apartment might be terrifying, but it was the safest haven. Xia Yuan had repeatedly assured him that no ghost could enter the apartment.
After dinner, Li Yin and Ke Xin packed their belongings and prepared to leave.
"You're leaving so soon?" Ah Xiu asked, still clearing the table. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"We have urgent business and need to leave tonight..."
"But crossing the Black Crow Mountain will take a lot of time. And there's no bus down the mountain at this hour. How will you leave?"
"Our car is parked at the foot of the mountain. It should be fine."
"Oh, suit yourselves."
The two of them left in a hurry.
For the past month, Li Yin and Ke Xin had been extremely friendly towards Ah Xiu, helping her with household chores and trying not to trouble her. If Bing Er and Ah Xiu were indeed close, maybe this would make Bing Er spare their lives.
Of course, if it were that simple, the fourth blood letter instruction wouldn't be so challenging. Li Yin didn't believe it would be that easy.
Li Yin and Ke Xin reached the edge of the village and stopped, sitting down.
Both of them looked at their watches.
To avoid any time discrepancies, they had bought Swiss brand watches, despite the high price. This was a necessary investment, as a mistake in timing would be disastrous.
"Li Yin..." Ke Xin was extremely tense, her heart racing. They were finally leaving the village!
"Listen, Ke Xin," Li Yin said gravely. "The mountain path is treacherous, and our journey will be difficult. Even if everything goes smoothly, it'll take us at least three hours to reach the foot of the mountain. Then, it'll take around two hours to drive to K City, and another hour to reach the apartment."
Six hours!
Six hours would determine their fate!
If they could enter the apartment within six hours, they would survive!
"Xia Yuan told me..." Li Yin continued. "Although the apartment is cruel, and many situations seem hopeless, there's still a chance for some people to survive. So... we mustn't give up!"
Ke Xin nodded.
She knew this all too well after three years.
Although six hours seemed like a long time, ghosts couldn't attack them all the time. Otherwise, how could Xia Yuan and Ke Xin have survived until now?
Time ticked by, and midnight was approaching.
In Ah Xiu's house, the kitchen water jar lid had been opened.
"The village head's family is now in despair... Ha ha, it's so funny," Ah Xiu's face was twisted, her eyes gleaming with malice. She held a pair of scissors in her hand. "Bing Er, you've done a great job killing them all! Ah, yes, and Ah Wu and Su Yue's mother should die too because she spoke ill of you. Yes, kill her tomorrow, and I'll cut out her tongue. Ha ha, that's perfect... ah, ah?"
A hand suddenly emerged from the water jar!
A twisted body slowly rose from the jar, like it had no bones.
The floating hair, pale face, and meaningless swinging arms...
She towered over Ah Xiu, her body reaching the ceiling.
"Bing Er..." Ah Xiu shouted excitedly. "You've finally come to see me!"
Meanwhile, at the village edge, Li Yin checked his watch again... There were less than five minutes left before they could leave the village!
"We're almost there..." Li Yin was still on high alert, suddenly noticing a figure approaching.
"Who..." Li Yin shouted, terrified. "Who are you!"
He shone his flashlight towards the figure, revealing a young woman around 24 or 25 years old, dressed in city clothes, carrying a suitcase.
"You?" Li Yin looked at the woman, seemingly a normal person.
"Who are you?" the woman asked, surprised. "Did the village head send someone to pick me up? No, I didn't tell him I was coming today."
"I..." Li Yin was confused and asked, "Do you know the village head?"
"Yes, your clothes... don't look like villagers. Who are you?"
"We're here to experience rural life..."
"Oh?" The woman smiled. "That's interesting. But why are you here at this hour?"
"Well..."
"Never mind. I'll go into the village to take a look. I haven't been back in years..."
"Ma'am, did you used to live in the village?" Li Yin asked.
"Ah..." She smiled. "Yes, I left the village years ago. Two months ago, I wrote to the village head, saying I'd invest in the village to help them get out of poverty."
"What? You're..."
"Ah, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is... Li Bing."
In Ah Xiu's house, the tall woman in white slowly reached out her hand towards Ah Xiu... Her eyes, devoid of pupils, revealed an eerie and terrifying aura!
Meta AI Response: Chapter 12: The Truth Li Yin still didn't understand what was happening. As he reached the river's edge, he realized he was already over 10 meters above the ground! Falling from this height... But he couldn't hesitate now! He gripped the rope tightly, stepped onto the riverbank, and jumped down! At the same instant, the giant woman's mouth snapped shut! Her enormous head then vanished into thin air, leaving no trace. Li Yin's body hit the ground, but fortunately, the wet grass and mud beneath cushioned his fall, and he wasn't severely injured. However, the pain was still intense. But the sight of the giant head made him forget his pain entirely. "Li... Li Yin..." Ye Ke Xin had lived in the apartment for three years and had seen many bizarre phenomena, so she had become numb to them. But Li Yin was shocked, and the terrifying scene made him shiver. "We... have to stay in this terrifying village for a month?" Li Yin's mind was blank. Although he had anticipated various situations, the reality far exceeded his expectations! "Ke Xin..." Li Yin was soaked, but he didn't know what to do next. Only one-third of the month had passed. How would they survive the rest? "I was too naive. I thought living in the apartment for a year made me experienced. But compared to Xia Yuan, I'm far from it." Li Yin felt a sense of despair. Ke Xin sighed and said, "Forget it, Li Yin. You're alive, and that's what matters. Let's get out of here..." "Shou Tian is dead." Ke Xin's heart sank when she heard Li Yin's words. "He... he died?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes. He was in the water just now." Ke Xin's head dropped, and she felt a pang of pain. In the past three years, many residents had died, and Ke Xin had become numb to it. The last time, she and Shou Tian had narrowly escaped death, but this time... Ke Xin didn't cry. She had almost run out of tears after entering the apartment. "At least you're alive, Li Yin." Ke Xin supported him and said, "We have to stick together and survive this month! We only have a bit over two weeks left, and then we can leave Yu Shui Village." There was no safe place left. Li Yin knew this all too well. In Yu Shui Village, there was no place where they could safely spend a month. They would continue to encounter strange and terrifying phenomena. "What does 'Bing Er' want? Why did she kill Shou Tian and me? Is Heng Yan still alive?" Li Yin's mind was filled with questions. If Bing Er's goal was to avenge herself on those who had hurt her in the village, there was no reason for her to kill Li Yin too. This meant that Bing Er had become a vengeful spirit with no distinction between friend and foe. What about Ah Xiu? Would Bing Er spare her? This inference was possible. If Ah Xiu showed kindness to Bing Er, maybe Li Yin could escape death. "We should go back to Ah Xiu's house." This was Li Yin's only choice now. When they returned to Ah Xiu's house and knocked on the door, Ah Xiu asked cautiously, "Who is it?" "We." Li Yin said weakly, "Ah Xiu, please open the door." When Ah Xiu opened the door, Li Yin saw a person lying on the floor. It was Liang Ren Bin. His tongue had been cut out, and he was dead. "Ah, you've seen it," Ah Xiu said nonchalantly. "Don't mind it. I just cut out his tongue." "Ah Xiu..." Li Yin didn't dare offend her and said, "Please stop. Can you communicate with Bing Er and ask her not to kill anymore?" "Shut up!" Ah Xiu said coldly. "What right do you have to mention Bing Er's name?" "You..." "Although I don't understand why Bing Er is targeting you... if she's doing it, there must be a reason." Ah Xiu smiled coldly. "Come in. You can stay here, but don't forget to report. Otherwise, why would I shelter you?" She's crazy... This woman was absolutely insane! But what could Li Yin do? She was their only hope for survival in Yu Shui Village. The next day, the disappearance of Ren Bin and Ah Wu caused a huge stir in the village. Although people had gone missing in previous years, this year the number of disappearances was unusually high, and the village head's grandchildren were among the missing. However, despite the growing suspicion towards Ah Xiu, no one dared to confront her. The reason was simple. The villagers believed in the ghost rumors, and harming Ah Xiu, who was considered Bing Er's best friend, would be suicidal. After that, whenever villagers saw Ah Xiu, they would avoid her in fear. No one dared to speak ill of her, and many even tried to curry favor with her, bringing her food and helping with her farm work. However, the days that followed were unusually calm. No more abnormal phenomena occurred. Perhaps Bing Er had killed enough people and wanted to take a break? Thus, with a sense of trepidation, July 7th finally arrived. Li Yin and Ye Ke Xin were slightly more relaxed, but they were certain that something extremely terrifying would happen before midnight. "You're leaving at midnight?" Ah Xiu asked during dinner, seemingly surprised. "Well, make sure to report well. If you don't... you know the consequences." Li Yin knew the consequences, but he had no intention of reporting. As long as they could escape back to the apartment, they would be safe. The apartment might be terrifying, but it was the safest haven. Xia Yuan had repeatedly assured him that no ghost could enter the apartment. After dinner, Li Yin and Ke Xin packed their belongings and prepared to leave. "You're leaving so soon?" Ah Xiu asked, still clearing the table. "Why are you in such a hurry?" "We have urgent business and need to leave tonight..." "But crossing the Black Crow Mountain will take a lot of time. And there's no bus down the mountain at this hour. How will you leave?" "Our car is parked at the foot of the mountain. It should be fine." "Oh, suit yourselves." The two of them left in a hurry. For the past month, Li Yin and Ke Xin had been extremely friendly towards Ah Xiu, helping her with household chores and trying not to trouble her. If Bing Er and Ah Xiu were indeed close, maybe this would make Bing Er spare their lives. Of course, if it were that simple, the fourth blood letter instruction wouldn't be so challenging. Li Yin didn't believe it would be that easy. Li Yin and Ke Xin reached the edge of the village and stopped, sitting down. Both of them looked at their watches. To avoid any time discrepancies, they had bought Swiss brand watches, despite the high price. This was a necessary investment, as a mistake in timing would be disastrous. "Li Yin..." Ke Xin was extremely tense, her heart racing. They were finally leaving the village! "Listen, Ke Xin," Li Yin said gravely. "The mountain path is treacherous, and our journey will be difficult. Even if everything goes smoothly, it'll take us at least three hours to reach the foot of the mountain. Then, it'll take around two hours to drive to K City, and another hour to reach the apartment." Six hours! Six hours would determine their fate! If they could enter the apartment within six hours, they would survive! "Xia Yuan told me..." Li Yin continued. "Although the apartment is cruel, and many situations seem hopeless, there's still a chance for some people to survive. So... we mustn't give up!" Ke Xin nodded. She knew this all too well after three years. Although six hours seemed like a long time, ghosts couldn't attack them all the time. Otherwise, how could Xia Yuan and Ke Xin have survived until now? Time ticked by, and midnight was approaching. In Ah Xiu's house, the kitchen water jar lid had been opened. "The village head's family is now in despair... Ha ha, it's so funny," Ah Xiu's face was twisted, her eyes gleaming with malice. She held a pair of scissors in her hand. "Bing Er, you've done a great job killing them all! Ah, yes, and Ah Wu and Su Yue's mother should die too because she spoke ill of you. Yes, kill her tomorrow, and I'll cut out her tongue. Ha ha, that's perfect... ah, ah?" A hand suddenly emerged from the water jar! A twisted body slowly rose from the jar, like it had no bones. The floating hair, pale face, and meaningless swinging arms... She towered over Ah Xiu, her body reaching the ceiling. "Bing Er..." Ah Xiu shouted excitedly. "You've finally come to see me!" Meanwhile, at the village edge, Li Yin checked his watch again... There were less than five minutes left before they could leave the village! "We're almost there..." Li Yin was still on high alert, suddenly noticing a figure approaching. "Who..." Li Yin shouted, terrified. "Who are you!" He shone his flashlight towards the figure, revealing a young woman around 24 or 25 years old, dressed in city clothes, carrying a suitcase. "You?" Li Yin looked at the woman, seemingly a normal person. "Who are you?" the woman asked, surprised. "Did the village head send someone to pick me up? No, I didn't tell him I was coming today." "I..." Li Yin was confused and asked, "Do you know the village head?" "Yes, your clothes... don't look like villagers. Who are you?" "We're here to experience rural life..." "Oh?" The woman smiled. "That's interesting. But why are you here at this hour?" "Well..." "Never mind. I'll go into the village to take a look. I haven't been back in years..." "Ma'am, did you used to live in the village?" Li Yin asked. "Ah..." She smiled. "Yes, I left the village years ago. Two months ago, I wrote to the village head, saying I'd invest in the village to help them get out of poverty." "What? You're..." "Ah, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is... Li Bing." In Ah Xiu's house, the tall woman in white slowly reached out her hand towards Ah Xiu... Her eyes, devoid of pupils, revealed an eerie and terrifying aura!