Playing the Escape Artist

In the backyard lawn, there was a dark area that became more apparent after sweeping away the surrounding snow.

Removing the covering on top revealed the entrance to a steep staircase.

There was no light below, only the stairs extending on both sides, swallowed by darkness.

The white candles stored earlier came in handy. Using the faint candlelight, the few people slowly descended.

The stairs were made of wood planks and looked like they had been there for a long time. They were stained with brown, unidentifiable solidified matter and some viscous liquid resembling fresh blood.

Stepping on them made the back of their heels feel like they were sticking, causing extreme discomfort.

The further down they went, the larger the space became. They could faintly hear dripping water, the melted snow from above falling into the bottom of the room.

They finally reached the bottom.

The three of them tread lightly. The temperature seemed to have dropped significantly, making them shiver despite their thick clothing.

A strong, cold, and decaying scent filled the air. With sticky sounds, everything around them came into view.

Damp, dark stone walls were adorned with scarlet candles on all four sides. Strangely, the candlelight was not strong, as if being devoured by the darkness, unable to illuminate.

Beneath the candles lay dozens of small figures.

Their hair was dry, their bodies so thin they were mere skeletons. Their dark eyes were slightly open and unfocused, and they were tied with thin Red Strings, hanging limply to the sides, unable to support any flesh.

They were all girls.

These were the sacrifices chosen by the village.

Sang Yu's heart sank. She recognized one of the figures.

It was the girl who Granny Wang had led them to before the Wedding Banquet, the one they had seen being casually beaten and scolded.

The three walked over and began to check their condition.

Perhaps due to prolonged exposure to the cold, several had already lost their lives. Only a scattered few were still breathing.

Sang Yu remained expressionless, but several healing potions suddenly appeared in her hand. She forcefully poured these potions into the mouths of those who could still be saved.

After confirming their recovery, she covered them with the warm blankets she had exchanged for points.

Having completed this, the three began to look around, searching for more clues.

This place must have some hidden clues; otherwise, it wouldn't be so concealed.

Thinking this, Bo Shuo's gaze swept across every corner. 007 had its own light, so Bo Shuo didn't need to rely on the faint candlelight to see the details.

In the corner directly in front of them, there were slight scratch marks.

Bo Shuo steadied himself and walked forward.

After wiping away the heavy dust nearby, a pattern was revealed.

This pattern was carved into a very hidden stone wall. It looked like it had been there for a long time, and the inscriptions were somewhat faded and unclear, with only some patterns vaguely discernible.

The two people beside them also leaned in, holding their candles closer, casting faint candlelight.

"This looks so familiar," Sang Yu frowned slightly, rubbing her temples as she tried to recall. "I think I've seen it before."

"It's not just you; we should have all seen it," Bo Shuo said in a deep voice.

"These markings are distributed in various areas of the village. At first, I thought they were just random doodles by children, but now I realize they must be escape routes marked by those who were abducted."

"They made thorough preparations, even mapping out every corner of the village. And there must have been a leader planning their escape."

The candle wicks flickered, and the scattered shadows swayed like ripples. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the darkness.

In that instant, the expressions of the three tensed up.

The sound grew closer.

Bo Shuo's body stiffened. An icy wind seemed to spread from his limbs, turning his entire body into plaster. Moving slightly felt like hearing creaks from within.

But... where was the wind coming from?

This was clearly a sealed underground space; how could there be moving air?

It was as if something was moving rapidly, creating an airflow during its movement.

Suddenly, Bo Shuo's gaze fixed on the eastern corner.

Wait, why was there no candlelight in this corner?

That area was pitch black, the darkness serving as the best camouflage. Looking from other directions, one could only see a void.

In the underground chamber, the three directions of east, south, and west were all filled with candles.

Only the east was empty.

No! Perhaps there were candles, but they were obscured by something.

Bo Shuo thought of something, tightened his grip on 007, took a deep breath, and extended 007 in that direction.

007's backside faced that area, and it covered its eyes with a small handkerchief, screaming in surprise, "Ahhhhhhh!"

Unlike other contestants, Bo Shuo could use 007's light to see his surroundings, which led him to discover something even more chilling.

He realized that the easternmost area wasn't just a patch of shadow; it was strands of damp, sticky black hair.