The Soul-Eroding Desolate Village

"What the hell kind of place is this? Why did the navigation lead us here?" Ah Hui was both angry and anxious as he slapped the car's dashboard hard. The old navigation device first let out a "滋滋" sound, and a few snowflakes flashed across the screen. Then, with a "snap", it went completely black. Only the annoying hissing of the electric current remained, like a sharp mockery piercing straight into their hearts, making everyone even more irritated and uneasy.

"Stop messing with it. The village should be not far ahead. Let's go in and ask for directions." Ya Qin frowned and looked out of the car window with a feeling of unease. The sky grew darker and darker, and the thick, ink-like dark clouds hung heavily, as if one could touch them with a stretch of the hand. The mountains all around rose and fell in a continuous stretch. Under the shroud of the twilight, they resembled ferocious beasts lying in wait, slowly opening their gaping jaws, bit by bit devouring the last rays of the setting sun.

The car slowly drove into the desolate village. The wheels rolled over the gravel, and the "creaking" sound was especially harsh in this deathly silence, making one's spine tingle just to hear it. The dilapidated houses were scattered in disarray, teetering on the verge of collapse. The walls were covered with dark green moss, which at first glance looked exactly like a series of eerie grimaces staring straight at them in the darkness, with an eerie aura hitting them head-on. The windowpanes were broken to pieces, and the empty window frames were like huge eyes, deep and hollow, quietly exuding a bone-chilling chill.

"There's an indescribable eeriness about this village. I don't think it's a good sign." Yu Ge tightly gripped the steering wheel with both hands. His knuckles turned pale from the force, and beads of cold sweat broke out densely on his forehead, rolling down one by one.

"Don't scare yourself. Let's quickly find someone to ask for directions and leave as soon as possible." Xiao Xuan forced herself to appear calm, but her slightly trembling voice still betrayed the fear hidden in her heart, like a secret that couldn't be concealed.

As soon as they got out of the car, a pungent smell of a mixture of putridity and dampness rushed straight into their nostrils, making them almost suffocate and their stomachs churn. They walked forward along the winding path. The flagstones under their feet were loose and broken, and with each step, there was a dull echoing sound. The sound was dull and oppressive, as if it were the sighs coming from the depths of the earth, telling tragic stories that were unknown to others.

"Listen, what's that sound?" Ya Qin suddenly stopped in her tracks, and her face instantly turned as pale as paper.

Everyone held their breath and listened attentively. Vaguely, there was the sound of chanting coming from the depths of the village. The sound was low and eerie, and although the rhythm was slow, it carried an inexplicable sense of urgency, as if it were the whispers of demons coming from the abyss of hell, constantly swirling and echoing in the darkness, making their hearts pound with fear.

"Should we go back to the car and stay there for the night, and leave at dawn?" Xiao Xuan suggested, her eyes filled with fear and pleading, like a frightened fawn.

"We've already come this far. Let's go in and take a look. Maybe we can find a way out." Ah Hui said bravely, but his legs involuntarily went weak, and there was a trace of unquenchable tremor in his voice, revealing his inner fear.

They walked towards the direction of the sound. Each step was like stepping on their own heartbeats, making them so nervous that they could barely breathe. Finally, a slightly taller building appeared in front of them. The door was half-open, and a faint red light seeped out, like a single eye peeking at its prey, exuding a dangerous and eerie aura.

Ah Hui took a deep breath, trying to calm his wildly pounding heart, and slowly reached out his hand to gently push the door open. "Creak—" The harsh sound of the door hinge echoed wantonly in the silent space. The sound was sharp and prolonged, as if it had opened the passage to hell, and danger was approaching step by step.

Inside the house, a group of people dressed in black robes were gathered around a huge blood-red altar. On the altar was placed a twisted black statue. The features of the statue were blurred, but it exuded an extremely nauseating smell, as if it were condensed from countless sins and decay. The faces of the people in black robes were covered with black cloth, and only their eyes, which sparkled with a fanatical light, were revealed. The light in their eyes was filled with a morbid obsession and madness, making one's hair stand on end.

"Who are you? Why did you barge into this sacred place?" A tall man in a black robe stood up. His voice was low and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against rough rocks, and also like it was coming from a deep and secluded tomb, carrying a thick, eerie aura that made people feel uncomfortable all over.

"We got lost and accidentally came here. We want you to show us the way." Yu Ge explained with an ingratiating smile, but there was a trace of vigilance in his eyes, always on guard.

The man in the black robe looked them up and down and let out a sinister laugh. The laugh echoed continuously in the empty room, like the wailing of ghosts, making their scalps tingle: "Lost? This is the guidance of the Demon God. You are destined to be a part of tonight's sacrificial ceremony."

"Sacrificial ceremony? We don't want to participate. Let us go." Xiao Xuan pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes, and her voice was tinged with sobs, full of helplessness.

The man in the black robe turned a deaf ear. With a wave of his hand, several men in black robes quickly surrounded them. Their movements were uniform and coordinated, just like mechanical puppets without the slightest bit of emotion. These men in black robes grabbed the four of them, Ah Hui and Yu Ge, tightly. Ah Hui and Yu Ge struggled desperately, but they found that the strength of the other side was surprisingly great, and their struggles were nothing but futile efforts, like fish trapped in a net that couldn't break free no matter how hard they tried.

"Those who resist will suffer the most painful torture. Take them to the sacrifice preparation room, clean their bodies, and wait for the sacrificial ceremony to begin." The tall man in the black robe gave the order coldly, without a trace of mercy in his tone.

The four of them were dragged into a dark and damp room. The room was filled with a pungent smell of medicine, which was mixed with the smell of putridity and blood, making people want to vomit just from the smell. All kinds of torture instruments were hung on the walls, stained with bloodstains. Under the dim light, they glistened with a strange luster, as if wordlessly telling the terrifying stories of the past, making people dare not think about them in detail.

"What are they going to do to us? I'm so scared." Ya Qin shivered and hugged Xiao Xuan tightly, her body twitching constantly, and fear engulfed her like a tide.

"Don't be afraid. We will definitely find a way to escape." Xiao Xuan comforted Ya Qin, but her own voice was also filled with fear and uncertainty, and even she didn't quite believe these words.

Ah Hui and Yu Ge tried to break free from their bonds, but the ropes were tied too tightly, digging deeply into their skin and leaving a series of bloodstains. Each struggle brought excruciating pain, and sweat and blood mixed together, trickling down their arms.

At this moment, a man in a black robe walked in, carrying a basin of steaming black liquid. There was a strange smile on his face, a smile like that of an owl at night, making one's blood run cold: "This is the holy water dedicated to the Demon God. Wash clean, and you will become the sacred sacrifices."

"No, we won't wash it!" Ah Hui roared, his eyes burning with anger and unwillingness, like a lion driven to fury.

The man in the black robe ignored their refusal and poured the black liquid over them. The moment the liquid touched their skin, a sharp pain shot through them, as if thousands of ants were biting them, or as if countless needles were piercing their skin simultaneously, making them cry out in pain.

"Ah! What is this thing?" Yu Ge screamed in pain, his body twisting violently as he tried to get rid of this terrible torture, but the liquid clung to them like a persistent leech and couldn't be shaken off.

The man in the black robe left with a smile, leaving them struggling in pain. The black liquid seemed to have a life of its own, constantly eroding their skin and emitting a pungent stench, making them wish they could peel off their own skin.

As time passed, the chanting sound of the sacrificial ceremony grew louder and louder, as if it were the war song of the demons, announcing the coming of death. Suddenly, the door was slammed open, and several men in black robes, like ferocious demons, dragged them to the altar.

At this time, a raging fire was burning on the altar. The flames were an eerie green color, emitting a suffocating heat. The green flames danced, as if they were a pair of evil eyes, staring at the upcoming sacrifices with boundless malice. The tall man in the black robe stood on the altar, holding a long knife dripping with blood, and muttering incantations: "Great Demon God, tonight we offer up pure souls, praying that you will descend to the mortal world and bestow upon us infinite power..."

"Let us go, you lunatics!" Ah Hui struggled desperately but was firmly held down by the men in black robes. His eyes were filled with anger and despair, as if making a final resistance.

Just as the long knife was about to fall, there came a deafening roar from outside. The entire village began to shake violently, as if the earth itself was trembling. The roof tiles fell one after another, smashing to the ground with a clear shattering sound, like the countdown to death.

"No good, the seal has been broken!" A man in a black robe shouted in a panic, his voice full of fear and despair, and the scream was shrill and ear-piercing.

It turned out that this desolate village had once been a place where ancient evil spirits were sealed. The annual sacrificial ceremony was originally a ritual to maintain the seal, but their intrusion had disrupted the ceremony, and a crack had appeared in the seal.

In an instant, a black mist filled the village, and there were faintly ferocious figures shuttling through the mist. The evil spirits let out ear-piercing screams, and the sound pierced through everyone's eardrums, like sharp nails scratching across glass, as if it were going to shatter their very souls. The evil spirits pounced on the men in black robes like hungry wolves. The men in black robes were thrown into chaos and fled in all directions. Some were torn to pieces by the evil spirits, and blood spattered all over the entire altar. Pieces of flesh and internal organs were scattered everywhere, and the scene was extremely bloody; some were possessed by the evil spirits and mutilated themselves frantically, slashing at their own bodies with the weapons in their hands, emitting one painful scream after another. Blood flowed continuously down the blades, a horrifying sight.

"Now's our chance. Let's run!" Yu Ge shouted. His voice became hoarse due to nervousness and fear, as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper.

The four of them took the opportunity to break free from their bonds and ran towards the outside of the village. However, the surrounding mist grew thicker and thicker, like thick ink, tightly enveloping them. They lost their way in the mist and couldn't tell east from west, north from south, running around in a frenzy like headless flies.

"I can't see the way. What should we do?" Xiao Xuan cried out, her voice echoing in the mist, sounding especially desolate and filled with boundless fear.

Suddenly, a huge evil spirit appeared in front of them. It was as tall as a mountain, blotting out the sky and the sun. Its eyes sparkled with a blood-red light, like two burning flames, exuding a fierce killing intent. It opened its huge mouth and spat out a stream of black flames. Wherever the flames passed, the air was ignited, making a "whooshing" sound, and the intense heat made their skin ache.

Ah Hui pushed Xiao Xuan away with all his might, but he was hit by the flames himself and instantly turned into a charred corpse, leaving only the smell of burning in the air. Xiao Xuan watched helplessly as Ah Hui turned to ashes in front of her. Overwhelmed with grief, she let out a heart-wrenching scream: "Ah Hui!"

Before they could recover from their grief, more evil spirits surrounded them. These evil spirits had various forms. Some were like ferocious ghosts, brandishing their claws, with long and sharp nails cutting through the air, leaving streaks of cold light; some were like huge reptiles, crawling rapidly on the ground, and the scales on their bodies glistened with a strange light, leaving behind a trail of sticky marks wherever they went. Yu Ge and Ya Qin were also attacked by the evil spirits and fell to the ground screaming. Their bodies were torn to pieces by the evil spirits, blood spurted everywhere, and limbs were scattered on the ground, a scene of utter horror.

Xiao Xuan collapsed to the ground in despair. Watching her friends die one by one in front of her eyes, her heart was filled with fear and helplessness. Her spirit was on the verge of collapse, her eyes were blurred with tears, and her throat became hoarse from excessive shouting, only able to emit faint sobs.

Just then, the tall man in the black robe somehow emerged from nowhere. He was covered in blood, his clothes were tattered and torn, and his eyes were wild and desperate: "It's all because of you. Everything is ruined! The Demon God won't spare us. Then let's all die together!"

As he spoke, he raised the long knife and slashed towards Xiao Xuan. Xiao Xuan closed her eyes, waiting for the arrival of death. Her heart was filled with endless despair and sorrow, as if she had been completely swallowed up by the darkness.

However, the long knife did not strike her. Xiao Xuan slowly opened her eyes and found that the man in the black robe was tightly entangled by an evil spirit, which was nibbling at his body bit by bit. The man in the black robe's screams of pain were unceasing. His body was bitten to a bloody pulp by the evil spirit, and his bones were exposed. Blood gushed out continuously, pooling on the ground into a dark red puddle of blood.

Xiao Xuan took the opportunity to get up and continued to run blindly in the mist. Her legs were weak, and her steps were unsteady. Each step was filled with difficulty and pain, as if she were dragging a heavy shackle weighing a thousand catties. She didn't know how long she had been running when she saw a glimmer of light ahead.

"It's the exit. I want to get out!" Xiao Xuan ignited a glimmer of hope and ran towards the light with all her might. There was only one thought in her mind, which was to escape from this terrifying place and get away from this endless fear.

When she reached the place where the light was, she found that it was a huge pool of blood. The blood in the pool was like boiling magma, constantly churning and emitting a nauseating smell, with a pungent fishy odor rushing straight into her nostrils. In the center of the blood pool was a stone platform, on which sat a twisted monster. The body of the monster was pieced together from countless pieces of flesh and bones. It was smiling a ferocious smile at Xiao Xuan, a smile that seemed to be able to see through Xiao Xuan's soul, making her shudder with fear.

"No..." Xiao Xuan let out a despairing scream. The sound echoed in the empty space, filled with helplessness and fear, like the mournful cry of a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

The monster stretched out its huge tentacles, like thick pythons, and quickly dragged Xiao Xuan into the blood pool. Xiao Xuan struggled desperately in the blood pool, but the power of the blood pool was too great. Her body was gradually submerged by the blood and slowly melted in the blood pool, leaving only a shrill scream echoing in the desolate village. Finally, she was completely engulfed by the endless darkness, as if she had never existed. Only this desolate village remained, still filled with a terrifying and chilling aura.

I don't know how much time had passed. The desolate village was still deathly silent. Occasionally, the cries of owls could be heard, adding a bit more eeriness to the darkness. Beneath the blood pool, Xiao Xuan's remnant soul seemed to still be struggling in pain, and the evil spirits whose seal had been broken might be hiding in the darkness, waiting for the next group of intruders to continue this endless horror and despair. At the entrance of the village, the dilapidated car was still parked there quietly, like a silent witness, recording this terrifying disaster. The car body was already covered with a thick layer of dust. Under the illumination of the moonlight, it cast a long and eerie shadow, as if it were the lament of the departed souls. The mountains all around still rose and fell in a continuous stretch, like silent beasts lying in wait in the darkness. The thick mist lingered and refused to disperse, tightly enveloping the entire desolate village, just like a death prison isolated from the world, locking away all the secrets and fears. Occasionally, a gentle breeze blew, causing the tattered cloth on the dilapidated houses to flutter in the wind, making a "rustling" sound, as if it were the whispers of the dead, lingering in this cursed land.