“Doll…”

No one had expected the doll in the clue to be hidden right beside them, in the form of the so-called special patient.

And it seemed the monster was looking for it.

“Act… give me…”

Tang Qisheng and Zhu Jie shivered simultaneously. They faintly heard a strange sound, and both subconsciously looked towards the door.

Strangely, the sound didn't come from the door. It was very soft, and very close, exceptionally close.

Tang Qisheng grabbed the enamel mug from the bedside as a weapon and began searching the room. Under the bed, in the closet, behind the curtains… he searched every possible hiding place, even though he had already done so when he first entered the ward.

Just as Tang Qisheng lowered a corner of the curtain, he suddenly heard Zhu Jie's short exclamation. Turning around, he saw Zhu Jie had jumped away from the bed, looking at it with a terrified expression.

The phone lay on the bed, screen facing up, the image still frozen on that moment.

In the next second, Tang Qisheng's breath hitched. He saw the phone screen begin to flicker. The image trembled frame by frame, as if an invisible hand was dragging the progress bar.

“Eyes… give me… I want eyes!”

Countless resentful voices mingled together, vaguely transmitted from the phone, the voices of the children who had sewn the monster.

…

Chijie Temple.

It was late at night. Jiang Cheng and Fatty had woken up not long ago. This time there was no panic; everything was as before.

Jiang Cheng's left hand had been neglected for too long, and his injury had begun to worsen, swelling up entirely. It looked incredibly painful.

“Doctor, your hand…”

“It’s nothing.” Jiang Cheng picked up the package on the table with one hand and tossed it to Fatty. “There’s dry food inside. Eat a bite quickly, then we’ll take care of business.”

He found two sewing needles in the room, repeatedly heated the tips over the candlelight, then pierced the swollen area on his wrist, squeezing out some of the stagnant blood.

Although Jiang Cheng’s face didn’t show much expression, Fatty knew it must be very painful. After Jiang Cheng finished and rewrapped his hand with cloth, Fatty immediately handed him a piece of dry food.

After a simple meal and drink, the two carefully extinguished the candle, closed the door, and left the room, walking quietly towards the west wing.

This had been agreed upon with Ye Qiutang and Song Tianming. The two groups would meet in the west wing. After all, Jiang Cheng’s side only had two people, making them a smaller target and less likely to be noticed by the monks in the temple.

Of course, there was an even more important point: Ye Qiutang’s group also had a hidden second-generation Shen Hong. Jiang Cheng was worried that they would make trouble along the way.

Before they even reached the courtyard, they were discovered. A figure jumped down from a crooked-neck tree not far from the courtyard gate. “Hurry, we’ve been waiting for you. Something’s happened.” The man with a saber at his waist lowered his voice, turned around, and led the way.

Arriving at the west wing, there were no lights lit, but the faint light from outside allowed them to barely make out the situation inside.

Ye Qiutang and Song Tianming were sitting together, their faces very unpleasant. Seeing Jiang Cheng and the others arrive, they immediately stood up. “Little friend Jiang, you’ve finally arrived. If we hadn’t had an agreement, we would have gone looking for you.”

Sensing that the atmosphere was off, Jiang Cheng glanced around, suddenly frowning. “I remember you were also with a young child. Where is he?”

The simply dressed old woman, whether out of fear or deep affection for the child, actually started to cry, wiping away tears. “Huanxi went out to relieve himself. He’s timid and wouldn't dare go far, but who knew…”

“Have you searched everywhere?” Jiang Cheng looked directly at Song Tianming. In his opinion, this old man was the most reliable.

Song Tianming nodded. “We’ve searched everywhere, but couldn’t find him. But we found traces of him relieving himself by the back courtyard wall.”

“Also, Commander Zhao is skilled. He found traces of footprints on the trees near the courtyard wall, as well as broken branches.” Song Tianming added.

Looking at the current situation, it was already very clear: the child had been abducted by the monks of Chijie Temple.

“These monk scum are really strange. They were able to abduct a living person so close, and I didn't even notice.” Zhao, the commander holding the saber, couldn't understand.

“This temple is very strange; everything cannot be judged by common sense.” Jiang Cheng offered a few words of comfort, but he had another idea in his mind. What if this child wasn't abducted, but was the hidden second-generation Shen Hong? His departure now was part of his own plan, just like the woman who had died before.

At this moment, Song Tianming noticed the injury on Jiang Cheng’s hand. He took out a cloth package from his arms. Inside the package was a row of silver needles of varying sizes. After using the silver needles to drain the stagnant blood from his wrist, he also helped to reset the dislocated bones. “This will have to do for now. Don't exert yourself,” Song Tianming reminded.

After thanking him, Jiang Cheng was just about to discuss with Song Tianming what to do tonight when he suddenly saw Commander Zhao raise his hand, making a gesture to be silent.

A few seconds later, a very slight sound came from outside, like the wind blowing through the leaves.

“*Xī xī sū sū*…”

“Someone’s there.” Commander Zhao mouthed to everyone, then slowly drew his saber.

He signaled everyone not to move, and he tiptoed to the back window, pushed it open, swayed, and flipped out.

About half a minute later, a cry of surprise suddenly rang out outside, but it lasted less than a second before abruptly stopping.

The people in the room couldn’t help but be surprised because the voice just now… was a woman.

Soon, the door was pushed open, and a staggering woman was pushed in first. The woman was wearing a monk's robe, her hands were tied in front of her, and a piece of cloth was stuffed in her mouth.

After seeing the woman’s face clearly, everyone present was taken aback. “Huiqing!” Fatty never expected it to be the monk Huiqing.

Jiang Cheng stepped forward to take a closer look. Huiqing kept shaking her head, looking at Jiang Cheng with a very anxious expression.

Taking the cloth out of Huiqing’s mouth, Huiqing’s hurried voice immediately rang out, “Everyone… benefactors, I’m here to deliver a message. The young benefactor who came with you has been kidnapped by the monks in the temple. They said they’re going to kill him! You must save him!”

“Heh.” Song Tianming sneered. “Little Master Huiqing, if I remember correctly, you’re with those evil monks. Why would you be here to inform us now?”

Hearing this, Huiqing’s eyes immediately turned red, her face showing a complex expression of humiliation and resentment. “I… I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I actually… actually did those things. But just now, when I was reading the Buddhist scriptures, I suddenly woke up. You might not believe it, but I… I actually heard the voice of Grandmaster Fuji. His words completely awakened me, and he asked me to come find you!”

After saying this, Huiqing seemed a little guilty, biting her lip with a complicated expression. “I know you definitely don’t believe my words. Grandmaster Fuji has been in seclusion all along, how could he come to find me? But everything I’m saying is true, please believe me!”