The three finally reached the entrance of the cave. However, Zhang Nu found that it appeared surprisingly ordinary—nothing as terrifying as Lin Xiao had described.
For a moment, he doubted Lin Xiao’s warning. But then he recalled all the previous times Lin Xiao had sensed danger before anyone else, and his concerns turned out to be correct. This time, Zhang Nu wouldn’t dismiss his intuition so easily.
"This cave doesn’t seem as frightening as you said, Lin Xiao. Could it really be hiding a powerful YaoGuai?" Zhang Nu mused aloud.
Although he hadn’t expected much of a response, both Liu Hai and Lin Xiao took his words seriously. Especially Lin Xiao—he remembered the oppressive feeling from before and was now certain that something sinister lurked within.
"There’s a high chance that a dangerous creature is hiding inside," Lin Xiao said grimly， "Everyone, be careful. If anything feels off, we need to retreat immediately."
Zhang Nu and Liu Hai nodded. They trusted Lin Xiao’s instincts now, knowing he would never lead them astray. With that, the three ventured into the cave.
The moment they stepped inside, the stark contrast between the interior and the peaceful exterior became painfully obvious. Outside, the cave had looked calm and unassuming. Inside, however, the air was thick with darkness. Shadows stretched unnaturally long, and a chilling wind howled through the narrow passages. A suffocating atmosphere pressed down on them as they moved forward.
Despite the eerie surroundings, they pressed on until they reached the deepest part of the cave—only to find... nothing. The cave was empty.
"What's going on?" Zhang Nu frowned, "There’s nothing here. No YaoGuais, no creatures—nothing."
Lin Xiao's expression darkened.
"It’s not that the cave is empty," he said in a low voice. "The YaoGuai is simply hiding."
A shiver ran down Zhang Nu’s spine. He instinctively tightened his grip on his weapon, glancing around, half-expecting something to lunge at them from the darkness. As they debated whether to leave an ominous black mist suddenly surged toward them.
Immediately, the three assumed battle stances.
"We’ve been tricked," Zhang Nu muttered, "They set us up. We’re trapped."
Liu Hai and Lin Xiao nodded grimly. There was no easy way out.
A deep, echoing voice reverberated through the cave, "You think you can just come and go as you please?"
"You've walked right into my lair," the voice sneered, "Now, you belong to me. Consider yourselves honored to become my nourishment."
Zhang Nu clenched his jaw, eyes burning with fury.
"Who the hell would feel honored to be your meal?" he snapped.
Then Lin Xiao suddenly stiffened.
"Wait… the aura of this thing—" He narrowed his eyes, studying the swirling mist, "It feels the same as the mutated villagers."
Zhang Nu and Liu Hai turned to him in shock. Now that they were paying attention, they realized Lin Xiao was right. The eerie energy surrounding the mist bore an uncanny resemblance to the twisted villagers.
"Could this thing be the one controlling them?" Liu Hai asked, his voice low.
The black mist let out a deep, rumbling laugh, "You finally figured it out?"
"Yes," it said, its voice thick with amusement, "I was the one who granted them power."
"They sought immortality, and I simply gave them what they desired. They should be thanking me."
Zhang Nu’s grip on his weapon tightened. The rage bubbling inside him was barely contained.
"Thanking you!?" he scoffed, "You took away their free will and forced them to kill each other!"
"How is that something to be grateful for? You should be the one to die!"
The black mist paused as if genuinely perplexed by Zhang Nu’s anger.
"Why do you blame me?" it asked, "They came to me."
"They were the ones who asked for power. I simply… fulfilled their wishes. It was their own greed that led them here."
Zhang Nu froze. Because… the Yaoguai wasn't wrong. It was the truth. The villagers had allowed their greed to consume them.
And now, Apricot Spring Town was paying the price.