Zhao Yan had not misjudged; the coffin had indeed moved a few times.
As she walked closer to the coffin, Village Chief Liuxi grabbed her elbow. "Master Zhao, it's time to eat."
Zhao Yan was seated at another table, on a long bench. The brothers Bai Guangnian and Bai Guangyue were also arranged at this table.
"Miss Zhao, you noticed it too?" Bai Guangnian asked Zhao Yan in a low voice.
"Noticed what?"
Bai Guangnian pursed his lips, and following the direction of his pursed lips, it clearly pointed towards the large red coffin.
"Yes, I noticed. That coffin moved a few times quite obviously," Zhao Yan said.
"Could the person inside be alive?" Bai Guangyue whispered.
Just as Zhao Yan was about to speak, the words still on her lips, a series of clanging sounds echoed.
Three children, about six or seven years old, approached. They had strange patterns tattooed on them, on every visible part of their skin.
The three children first circled the large red coffin twice, then immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times in quick succession.
They pressed the backs of their hands together, their middle fingers tightly intertwined, and their thumbs pressing against each other, forming strange hand seals. They murmured incomprehensible incantations.
Bai Guangnian pulled Village Chief Liuxi. "Village Chief, have a drink."
Liuxi sat down. Bai Guangnian picked up a bowl, poured some white wine, and offered it to Liuxi. "Village Chief, what kind of event is your village holding? Is it a funeral or a celebration?"
If it were a funeral, every household would be hanging red lanterns, as if celebrating the New Year.
But if it were a celebration, a large red coffin was placed in the living room.
Liuxi did not explain, instead giving a vague answer. "It's not a funeral, nor is it a celebration. It's a cultural characteristic of our village."
After saying this, Liuxi was unwilling to say more and stood up, heading towards the main hall.
"Brother! Brother! The coffin moved again," Bai Guangyue said, patting Bai Guangnian's shoulder.
Bai Guangnian lowered his voice. "Stop chattering. I can see it."
"This might be a live sacrifice."
Zhao Yan looked around, but could not see Liu Tan's soul.
"As righteous individuals, how can we stand by and watch them commit such heinous acts?" Guan An said sternly.
"We know this live sacrifice is wrong, but there are only five of us here, and one of them is a complete idiot. If we try to stop them, we'll likely be beaten to death," Bai Guangnian said.
He was worried that Guan An, being young and hot-blooded, might do something detrimental.
The large red coffin was soon carried away by four strong men.
Zhao Yan looked further and saw Wang Chuchu and the others, including Liu Tan's soul. They were all following behind the large red coffin.
Quite a few ghosts were also following behind the large red coffin.
"Brother Bai, quickly look behind the large red coffin," Zhao Yan reminded him.
Bai Guangnian looked carefully behind the large red coffin, then looked at Zhao Yan with confusion.
"Miss Zhao, what do you want me to look at?" Bai Guangnian asked in a low voice.
Zhao Yan paused. "There are quite a few ghosts following behind them. Can't you see?"
Bai Guangnian looked again in the direction Zhao Yan indicated. Bai Guangyue also looked, and both brothers shook their heads, saying they didn't see anything.
Guan An also peered intently in that direction, then looked at Zhao Yan, suspecting, "Miss Zhao, did you really see something?"
Zhao Yan said, "Yes, I saw it. There are quite a few ghosts following behind the large red coffin."
"Oh?" Guan An chuckled and shook his head.
Zhao Yan couldn't understand why he was laughing.
"Take these three talismans for protection," Zhao Yan said softly.
She took three talismans from her backpack and handed them to Bai Guangnian and the others.
Bai Guangnian and Bai Guangyue accepted the talismans and immediately thanked Zhao Yan.
Guan An took one and examined it closely. "I don't need it."
Zhao Yan rolled her eyes. If he didn't need it, why take it? She was saving him some money.
A single talisman could sell for a thousand yuan outside; she was glad he didn't want it, saving her some.
Zhao Yan ate while keeping an eye on the surrounding movements. The people who had carried the large red coffin out had returned.
Seeing fewer and fewer people eating, Zhao Yan decided to pretend to go back and then follow them to the direction of the large red coffin.
She shared this idea, which was met with approval from the Bai Guangnian brothers.
After finishing their meal, Zhao Yan told Liuxi she was going back to her room.
Halfway back, the four of them quickly skirted around the back of the house, climbed a small hill from behind, and descended along a small path to the left.
After about half a minute, they reached a path about a meter wide.
Bamboo stakes were planted along the edge of the path, with white paper money tied to them. As the wind blew, the paper money on the stakes swayed back and forth, making rustling sounds.
The further they walked along the path, the colder Zhao Yan felt.
About a hundred meters away from Liushui Village, she finally took out her phone and turned on the flashlight.
"They've placed the large red coffin quite far away. We can't find where it's been put," Bai Guangyue said softly.
The area illuminated by Zhao Yan's flashlight had reached the end of the bamboo stakes. She said softly, "It should be just ahead."
As she spoke, she quickened her pace, seeing two red candles placed ahead.
Zhao Yan squatted down and pushed aside the weeds behind the red candles.
Behind the weeds was a wooden door, with two talismans pasted on it.
Strange patterns were also drawn on the wooden door.
As she looked closer, she immediately understood. These patterns had appeared on the corpse's back before.
However, the patterns on the door were more numerous than those on the corpse's back.
As for the function of these two talismans, Zhao Yan was not very clear. She had seen many talismans, but she had never encountered these two.
"This is it," Zhao Yan said softly.
Guan An raised his hand, about to tear off the talismans.
Zhao Yan spoke up. "Don't tear them yet. Let me study the meaning of these two talismans."
"There's no time for you to study. We need to hurry to avoid the villagers coming back a second time," Guan An said.
Seeing his right hand held by Zhao Yan, Guan An raised his left hand, quickly tore off the two talismans, and forcefully pushed open the wooden door.
The moment the wooden door was pushed open, a cold, eerie wind blew out from within.
Bai Guangnian and Bai Guangyue shivered involuntarily. "It's so cold."
Guan An took the lead and walked in. Zhao Yan glanced at him helplessly.
Collaborating with disciples of the Daoist sect was quite troublesome, especially those who thought they were very skilled and could handle everything themselves.
It was precisely those who were overconfident in their abilities that often met a bad end.
Zhao Yan said softly, "Still too young. They'll always get a slap from society."
Being with such a teammate, Zhao Yan couldn't help but step back a couple of paces, positioning herself behind them.
She also took out three talismans for speed, essential for making a quick escape.