The Snake God Was Sick

"The Snake God... was sick?" Feng Yushu didn't quite understand what Gu Yunqing meant.

"Snake God... sick?" Feng Yu Shu didn't quite understand what Gu Yunqing meant.

How could a god get sick?

How could a god get sick?

"I don't know." Gu Yunqing pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand. "But supposedly, the Snake God fell ill eighteen years ago. It was a case of madness."

"I don't know." Gu Yunqing pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand. "But supposedly, the Snake God fell ill eighteen years ago. It was a kind of madness."

Ye Miaozhu chimed in. "We overheard this in a large house at the east end of the village. A few people who seemed to be servants were gossiping in private. They said that... for a few days every month, the Snake God statue in the ancestral hall, usually kind and benevolent, would become vicious and terrifying, its face twisted beyond recognition. The He family took this very seriously. Whenever the Snake God had an episode, everyone in the village would stay indoors with their doors shut, as if they were hiding from something."

Ye Miaozhu picked up where he'd left off. "We overheard this in a large house on the east side of the village. A few people who seemed to be servants were discussing it in private. They said...for a few days every month, the Snake God statue in the Ancestral Hall, usually kind and benevolent, would turn fierce and become unrecognizable. The He Family was very wary of this. Whenever the Snake God had an episode, everyone in the village would stay inside with their doors shut, as if they were hiding from something."

"No wonder we didn't see a single household with its door open on our way to the ancestral hall, and no one came to check the almanac." Xie Sining suddenly understood. "They were hiding from the mad Snake God."

"No wonder we didn't see a single house with its door open on the way here, and no one came to the Ancestral Hall to consult the Almanac," Xie Sining said, suddenly understanding. "They're hiding from the Snake God when it goes mad."

"But that doesn't make sense." Zhang Yangxu shook his head. "If the Snake God really was that dangerous during an episode—dangerous enough that the entire He family in the village was too frightened to even go outside... then why did nothing happen while we were in the ancestral hall, checking the almanac and waiting for someone to show up, or even after we left?"

"But that doesn't make sense." Zhang Yangxu shook his head. "If the Snake God is really so dangerous when it has an episode—dangerous enough to scare the entire He Family in the village into staying indoors...then why didn't anything happen while we were in the Ancestral Hall, reading the Almanac, waiting for someone to come, and then leaving?"

Zhang Yangxu's confusion was shared by everyone, but no one could explain why.

Zhang Yangxu's question was on everyone's mind, but no one could explain why.

This eerie village was still shrouded in a fog of the unknown.

The strange village remained shrouded in a fog of the unknown.

In the silence, Ning Zhe's eyes shifted. He remembered the corpse he had hidden beneath the sacrificial table, and Lin Zhiyuan, who had died inexplicably before the Snake God without even managing to scream.

In the silence, Ning Zhe's eyes shifted. He thought of the corpse he'd hidden beneath the altar table, and of Lin Zhiyuan, who had died mysteriously in front of the Snake God without even managing to scream.

Perhaps it wasn't that nothing had happened. Perhaps it had already happened.

Perhaps nothing had happened only because it had already happened.

"Whatever the truth is, we can't go back into the ancestral hall to confirm it." Ning Zhe shook his head, took out his phone, opened his photo album, and showed a picture to Gu Yunqing and Ye Miaozhu. "These are today's taboos. If you can't remember them, take a picture."

"Whatever the truth is, we can't go back into the Ancestral Hall to check." Ning Zhe shook his head, took his phone out of his pocket, opened the photo album, and showed Gu Yunqing and Ye Miaozhu a picture. "These are today's taboos. If you can't remember them, take a picture."

Ye Miaozhu beamed. "Thank you so much. This is a huge help."

Ye Miaozhu's face lit up. "Thank you so much. This is a huge help."

Zhang Yangxu watched Ye Miaozhu and Gu Yunqing take out their phones to snap pictures, then glanced at Ning Zhe, whose expression was calm and gave nothing away. He smiled wryly. "You're certainly thorough."

Zhang Yangxu watched Ye Miaozhu and Gu Yunqing take out their phones to snap pictures, then glanced at Ning Zhe, whose expression was calm and gave nothing away. A curious smile appeared on his face. "You're certainly thorough."

Perhaps a little too thorough.

Perhaps a little too thorough.

Today's auspicious and inauspicious activities:

Today's Fortune:

[Suitable:]

[Avoid: traveling, burials, funerals, worship]

"Now everyone knows today's taboos." After taking the picture, Ning Zhe put his phone away and continued, "Burials, funerals, and worship are all things you'd have to deliberately do to break the rules. And we've already confirmed that the taboo against 'traveling' doesn't mean we can't leave the house. We can move around the village as usual. But we don't know whether leaving the village counts as breaking the taboo, or whether it's dangerous."

"Now everyone knows today's taboos." After they'd taken their pictures, Ning Zhe put his phone away and continued. "Burying the dead, holding a funeral, and making offerings are all taboos that you'd only violate by deliberately doing those things. And we've also confirmed that the taboo against 'going out' doesn't mean we can't leave our homes. We can move around normally within the village. But we don't know whether leaving the village would break the taboo, or whether it would be dangerous."

"So as long as we don't leave the village, today is basically a day without any taboos."

"In other words, as long as we stay in the village, today is more or less a day when nothing is forbidden."

Ning Zhe took a deep breath and looked at everyone without a hint of fear. "We've already shared what we know. Everyone here entered through a 'door,' so I'll venture a guess: the exit from this ghostly place might be hidden behind one of the 'doors' in the village. If we find it, we can return to the real world."

Ning Zhe took a deep breath and looked at everyone without showing any fear. "We've already exchanged information. Everyone here came through a 'door,' so I'll venture a guess: the way out of this hellhole might be one of the 'doors' hidden in the village. If we find it, we can return to the real world."

"That's a reasonable guess." Zhang Yangxu nodded. "I think I know what you're getting at."

"A reasonable guess." Zhang Yangxu nodded. "I think I understand what you're getting at."

"If we're going to explore Hejia Village, today, when there are no taboos, is our best chance. The Snake God may be having an episode today, but how do we know tomorrow's taboos won't be even more dangerous? We can't be sure tomorrow won't include something like 'avoid breathing,' or something else. Rather than sit around and wait for death, we should look for a way out—and the sooner, the better."

"If we're going to explore He Family Village, today, when nothing is forbidden, is the best opportunity. Even if today is the day the Snake God goes mad, how do we know tomorrow's taboos won't be even more dangerous? No one can be sure that one of tomorrow's taboos won't be 'no breathing,' or something like that. Rather than sit here and wait for death, we should look for a way out. The sooner, the better," Ning Zhe continued.

"Agreed." Zhang Yangxu nodded.

"I agree." Zhang Yangxu nodded.

"I don't think we can just sit around and wait, either." Ye Miaozhu voiced her agreement.

"I agree that we can't just sit here and wait for death," Ye Miaozhu said.

After they voted, everyone agreed with Ning Zhe. Only Feng Yushu seemed reluctant to go along, her face pale with fear.

After they voted, everyone agreed with Ning Zhe. Only Feng Yushu seemed reluctant to go along, her face pale with fear.

"Then let's agree on a time first."

"Then let's set a time."

Gu Yunqing spoke as she checked her luminous wristwatch.

Gu Yunqing spoke and glanced at his luminous wristwatch.

"It's 12:27 a.m. We'll use this ancestral hall as our starting point and split up in three minutes. We'll explore Hejia Village in pairs and look for clues about how to leave.

"It's 12:27 a.m. We'll start from this Ancestral Hall and set off in three minutes. We'll split into pairs and explore He Family Village, looking for clues about how to get out.

"An hour and a half later, at 2:00 a.m. sharp, we'll meet at the entrance to the ancestral hall and share what we've learned."

An hour and a half later, at 2:00 a.m., everyone will meet at the Ancestral Hall entrance on time and share what they've found."

"Sounds good." Xie Sining was the first to agree.

"Sounds good," Xie Sining said, the first to agree.

Zhang Yangxu and Ye Miaozhu had no objections, either. Gu Yunqing didn't specify how the pairs should be formed, but there was no need to. In an unfamiliar place, it was instinctive to stick with someone you knew better.

Zhang Yangxu and Ye Miaozhu had no objections, either. Gu Yunqing hadn't said exactly how they should pair up, but there was no need to. In an unfamiliar place, it was human nature to team up with someone you knew better.

"Oh, before we leave, let's exchange phone numbers."

"Oh, before we set off, let's exchange phone numbers."

Ye Miaozhu suggested, "You've probably all tried calling or texting people outside. This place is unusual. The signal seems to be blocked, so neither calls nor messages can get through."

Ye Miaozhu suggested, "You've probably all tried calling or texting people outside. This place is unusual. It seems to block the signal, so neither calls nor messages can get through."

"But even though we can't contact anyone outside, it seems those of us in the village can contact each other." As she spoke, Ye Miaozhu took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Still, although we can't contact the outside world, it seems those of us in the village can communicate with each other." As she spoke, Ye Miaozhu took out her phone and dialed a number.

A few seconds later, Gu Yunqing's phone began to vibrate and ring.

A few seconds later, Gu Yunqing's phone began to vibrate and ring.

"See? It went through. People in the village can call each other, and texting should work too." Ye Miaozhu waved her phone. "So before we split up, let's exchange numbers. That way, we can keep each other informed if anything happens."

"Look, it went through. People in the village can call each other, and texting should work, too." Ye Miaozhu waved her phone. "So before we split up, let's exchange numbers. That way, we can let each other know if anything comes up."

"I see. Thanks for letting me know." Ning Zhe thanked her as they exchanged phone numbers.

"So that's how it works. Thanks for letting me know." Ning Zhe thanked her as they exchanged numbers.

In fact, he had already tested whether people in the village could contact each other using Lin Zhiyuan's phone. Still, Ning Zhe acted genuinely surprised by Ye Miaozhu's reminder.

He'd actually already tested whether people in the village could communicate using Lin Zhiyuan's phone, but Ning Zhe still acted very surprised by Ye Miaozhu's reminder.

After all, he had come to Hejia Village alone. He shouldn't have had any way of knowing.

After all, he had come to He Family Village alone. He shouldn't have had any way to know.

Three minutes later, after everyone had exchanged numbers and tested their phones by calling one another, they prepared to set out.

Three minutes later, everyone had exchanged numbers and tested their calls. Then they prepared to set out.

Zhang Yangxu and Xie Sining, and Gu Yunqing and Ye Miaozhu, left the entrance to the ancestral hall in two pairs, without needing to discuss it, and headed down different alleys.

Zhang Yangxu and Xie Sining, and Gu Yunqing and Ye Miaozhu, each left the Ancestral Hall entrance without needing to discuss it, heading down different side streets.

"It's nice to have someone you know around. Even in a place like this, you've got someone to watch your back." Ning Zhe shook his head with a bitter smile, then turned to Feng Yushu, who was still standing at the alley's entrance. "Looks like we're a team, Auntie. Let's go."

"It's nice to have someone you know around. Even in a hellhole like this, you can look out for each other." Ning Zhe shook his head with a wry smile, then turned to Feng Yushu, who was still standing at the alley entrance. "That makes us a pair, Auntie. Let's go."

"...All right." Feng Yushu worked up her courage, came over, and walked with Ning Zhe into the depths of the alley.

"...Okay." Feng Yushu steeled herself and came forward, walking with Ning Zhe into the depths of the alley.

It had rained earlier that night. The sky was overcast, and the streets without streetlights were dim. The little alleyways along the roadside were so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

It had rained earlier that night, and the sky was overcast. The streets, with no streetlights, were dark, and the little alleys were pitch-black.

Feng Yushu took out her phone to turn on the flashlight, but Ning Zhe stopped her.

Feng Yushu took out her phone, intending to turn on the flashlight, but Ning Zhe stopped her.