Chapter 1 Coming to the Forest

Emerging from the building and basking in the sunlight, Jiang Cheng's complexion finally improved. Fatty turned back to look at the slightly eerie building, his heart pounding.

The feeling was strange. He hadn't seen anything, hadn't heard anything, hadn't even detected the slightest abnormality, but he was still affected by the doctor to this extent.

He withdrew his gaze, looked at the doctor, and his lips trembled a few times. But before he could make a sound, he heard the doctor say, "Did Chen Ran and Su Xiaoxiao say where they were going?"

Fatty thought for a moment, then shook his head with certainty. "No."

"Doctor," Fatty suddenly asked, "They...they wouldn't have gone into that forest, would they?" Looking at the forest, which was clearly lush and green but also exuded an aura of death, Fatty felt an instinctive revulsion.

He had personally experienced the strangeness in the forest, the eerie mist that permeated its depths, like a quagmire that was difficult to escape once you sank into it.

He never wanted to experience anything similar again.

But the current situation was that they hadn't found Chen Ran and the other two in the building. The beach was empty, as was the cliff. The few scattered large rocks nearby didn't seem like they could hide anyone.

So...

The result was obvious. While the doctor was asleep, Chen Ran and Su Xiaoxiao had plunged headlong into the woods.

"Let's go," Jiang Cheng said, lifting his leg and walking towards the forest. "Let's take a look."

Although Fatty wanted to persuade the doctor not to approach the forest, it was clear that the forest held important secrets related to this mission, or, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was the source.

After all, all of this... only happened after that strange white stone disc was discovered.

Whether it was those "assimilated" ghost things, or the curse itself...

Moreover, Fatty was constantly thinking in his head, what exactly did this curse refer to, and what about those assimilated things in Black Rock Town? What... no, *they*!

What was *their* purpose...?

The closer he got to the forest, the stronger the ominous feeling in Fatty's heart became. It was the starting point of all the mysteries, and it also held the greatest danger in the entire mission.

Fatty stopped, as if he had thought of something. He didn't even bother to consider the doctor's reaction, and immediately said, "Doctor, if it's really that dangerous near the stone disc, how did Su Xiaoxiao...how did Su Xiaoxiao and Su An get away?"

"Don't forget, so many people in Black Rock Town have already..."

Before Fatty could finish speaking, Jiang Cheng walked into the forest. The rustling sound of his footsteps in his ears was like countless wildcats scratching.

Fatty was stunned.

What's wrong with the doctor today...?

But this thought only flashed through his mind, and then, resisting the revulsion in his heart, he firmly followed behind the doctor.

They slowly walked into the depths of the forest.

As they continued, the resistance in Fatty's heart became more and more obvious, even difficult to suppress. He stared at the doctor's back, and a strange sense of unfamiliarity suddenly welled up in his heart.

Although the doctor had always been self-willed, today he was strangely excessive.

Slowly, Fatty's face changed slightly. He suddenly had a bold guess.

Not only was it bold, but it was also quite terrifying, so much so that just thinking about it was enough to make Fatty's sausage-like legs tremble.

And more importantly, if this guess was confirmed, then... today would be his death day, and this forest... would be his burial ground!

If Su Xiaoxiao and Su An could be "assimilated," what about the doctor?

Could he have been assimilated as well?

According to Fatty's understanding of the curse, it was probably not just seeing the stone disc with your own eyes that would be affected by the curse, perhaps... there were other ways.

The missing Liang Long, the motorcycle woman, they weren't necessarily dead, they were likely "assimilated" as well, and were now entangled with the ghost things in Black Rock Town.

And... and that old woman, something was wrong with her too...

Fatty's thoughts drifted further and further away. For a time, all sorts of chaotic and complex clues piled up in his head. They intertwined with each other and spawned new speculations.

Reasoning was not his strong suit to begin with, and now his head was just a mess.

Although he thought a lot, it only took a moment in reality, and he had only followed the doctor into the forest for a few dozen meters, or even less.

But that was all.

Because... the doctor in front of him had already turned around, standing there, looking at him with a look that Fatty couldn't understand, and then his neck slowly bent to the side...

...

"Hoo--" Someone squinted, the salty sea breeze blowing on their face, the bangs on their forehead were messy in the wind, but because of their outstanding appearance, they gave people a rare, reclusive hermit vibe.

"They went in," Su Xiaoxiao's voice sounded in his ear, without emotion, and even less warmth.

She turned her head to look at Chen Ran, who was still gazing at the forest, and said indifferently, "Mr. Chen, your plan worked."

As if he had received confirmation, Chen Ran slowly withdrew his gaze, then focused on Su Xiaoxiao's delicate face. After a while, he grinned and said, "Ms. Su is joking, this is not my accomplishment alone," he paused, and continued, "You also played a part."

To this, Su Xiaoxiao remained noncommittal. Preserving herself in the nightmare was the only choice, and... her younger brother Su An was about to give out.

She was fully aware of what kind of person Chen Ran was. The risk of cooperating with him was astonishingly high. To be honest, her goodwill towards Chen Ran was even thinner than that towards the guy named Hao Shuai.

At least that one seemed more sincere.

But... views always change with a deeper understanding, especially... when Chen Ran showed her what he had found, or rather, clues.

Extremely important clues.

It was... a carved picture, carved on a broken stone pillar that they often passed by, opposite the stone door they first broke open.

There was almost nothing around the stone pillar, which made it stand out. But it was this contrast that made everyone ignore it. After all, no one expected that clues could be left in such an obvious place.

"Mr. Chen, I want to know how you noticed that carved picture?" Her eyes suppressed sharpness, not aggression, but... a strange curiosity.

After all, although the stone pillar was obvious, the method used for the carved picture was the same as the method used for carving creatures on the stone door, both were hidden patterns. You couldn't see it at all when you looked directly, you could only reveal it with water, or by throwing dust on it.

"Heh," Chen Ran tilted his head to look at her. After a long while, the corners of his mouth raised exaggeratedly to both sides. Then, he took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, pinched a corner, and waved it in front of Su Xiaoxiao.

"Ms. Su," Chen Ran smiled, "Any more questions?"