Paintings of Terror

A strange heaviness weighed on everyone’s hearts.

If those people from a hundred years ago had also been entering the paintings, then when did this entire series of events begin? Would it continue endlessly and indefinitely in a cycle? rgGd3U

What would their fate be? Would they also endlessly struggle between life and death? Either dying in some painting along the way, or struggling until they were old, until they couldn’t struggle anymore, ultimately dying in exhaustion and despair.

That was just…too miserable.

Everyone returned to the car and sat quietly for a long time before Ke Xun broke the oppressive silence: “I plan to stay here a few more days to specifically investigate the bookshop that Granny’s master mentioned. Since her master’s family lived here for generations and those people sought him out for a reading, then that bookshop should be in this city.”

“What if her master followed them to another place?” Wei Dong considered all possibilities. NfvZdQ

Ke Xun shook his head: “It’s unlikely. That era was the most chaotic and disorderly time in the country. Didn’t you hear what Granny said? People could be shot in the streets. In such a chaotic era, her master, no matter how curious, wouldn’t follow them to another place. So I think that bookshop is local.”

“That makes sense,” Wei Dong nodded.

“But it won’t be easy to find, right?” Wu You worried. “A bookshop from a hundred years ago might not have survived even back then. After all the wars and chaos, not to mention so many years have passed.”

“Even if it’s hard to find, we must try. This is the only clue we have now,” Ke Xun said. “As for the gu-xiang the Granny mentioned, Wu You, you should go back and ask Granny if she has taken on any apprentices or knows anyone who’s as good as her. She can’t see clearly, then we just need to find someone whose eyesight is good to help us take a look.” 1PzmFC

Wu You wanted to give herself a bone-scraping treatment at the thought of her gu-xiang being covered in dense black patterns. She shuddered several times and nodded repeatedly.

“What about you four? What are your plans?” Ke Xun asked the others.

“Ge, I’m fine. I’d be anxious if I just stayed at home. I’ll stay here with you.” Luo Bu raised his hand.

“I’ll stay too,” Zhu Haowen said simply. Mdyx Z

“I don’t have anything else to do, I can spend the New Year here,” Fang Fei said.

Wei Dong thought for a moment and picked up his phone to call his company. After some discussion, he hung up and said, “Alright, I was planning to save my annual leave for after the New Year. My brain really short-circuited. What’s the point of annual leave if your life is at stake? I’ll take the time off now.”

“Okay, we’re all staying then,” Ke Xun said, signaling Luo Bu to start the car. “Let’s head back to the hotel, drop off our luggage, and make some plans.”

On the way to the hotel, Zhu Haowen briefly summarized what they had learned today and posted it in their group chat. Ke Xun called Mu Yiran directly, explained everything in detail, and told him about their decision to stay in City C for further investigation. rKHMoc