Chapter 3: Carnage

  There are many places in this world that you would fantasize about before going, but after actually going there, you'd think it's nothing special. However, the Nyainqentanglha Mountains are absolutely a place that stands out from the rest. It was because of the legend of the Nyainqentanglha Mountains and Namtso Lake that Qi Nian gradually began to like this place closest to the sky.

  But this time she's not here to play, although she also wants to have a good time with the Moon Goddess, but thinking of her father's strange eyes before leaving, she wants to finish her business quickly and hurry back. When did Father's eyes become so watery? Don't think she didn't see it.

  "Grandma, Moon Grandma, I'm here! I brought rice for you!" She called out several times but no one came to answer the door. For some reason, she felt that this place was eerie and gloomy. Before coming, Ah San had also quietly reminded her that this Moon Grandma was very eccentric, saying that she used to be a sorceress from the Liangnan Miao village. Indeed, it seemed suspicious. Since no one was home, she thought about putting down the things and leaving quickly. But life doesn't always go as planned. As soon as she turned around, she was met with a big bear hug: "Haha QiQi, that old man Liu Yi finally let you come see me!" QiQi almost suffocated in her arms. It seemed like this was her first time visiting Moon Grandma's place. The grandma looked very enthusiastic.

  It seems that there is no one else in this place, except for the people from Heishui Village, who are probably the only ones who come to visit her. However, it's strange that she can call out her own nickname so easily. Moon Granny doesn't look like an ordinary old person, with a head full of white hair and a frail appearance, but time hasn't left too many marks on her body. Is there some kind of secret recipe in the Miao family that allows them to stay young forever? The granny looks very happy, although Qiuxi knows it's not very human-like to bid farewell at this time, but who can blame her for still thinking about that strange old father: "Granny, I have to go back, it's late and the road is not good, Father will worry."

  "Since it's hard to come, why don't you stay a few more days? Just keep me company." When Qi Xi was about to leave, Lian Yue's expression also became unnatural.

  "But my dad, before I left, my dad's expression was not quite right, I'm afraid it's because of those things I brought back that will get him into trouble." In fact, Qi Xi had also figured it out in her heart, Dad's abnormal behavior was probably also because of the things she had rescued, at this time even if she couldn't help much, being able to accompany him was still a comfort, no mistake, she Qi Xi was timid and greedy, but she still had some sense of justice.

  "This lifetime, I owe your father a favor, but unfortunately he never asked me for anything. But today, he handed you over to me and gave you your mother's hairpin. It seems that the Black Water Village will surely encounter great changes. He handed you over to me, so I won't let you go back just like that. From now on, you must stay by my side at all times. You should have heard of me before Seven came, I know you're full of tricks, but I have to remind you, those little bugs aren't easy to deal with." Moon Granny was almost threatening and tempting to keep Seven tied down, but hearing her say this, Seven's heart returned to her like an arrow, and it seemed that the old lady hadn't scolded her wrongly, she really was a clever thing.

  The moon is dark and the wind is strong, it's a night for killing. The earthen castle in the desert is filled with a thick smell of blood that can't be dispersed. And under the Tanggula Mountains, Qi Xie was also sleepless all night. Although the doors and windows were tightly locked, it wasn't difficult to sneak out. Breaking out? Too much noise. Digging a tunnel? Too much trouble. Flying out from the rooftop? She didn't have the world's best lightness skill, nor was she Spiderman. The seemingly perfect defense couldn't trap her, Qi Xie's heart was like an arrow returning home.

  When she first arrived, she had hired a cattle cart to send her back to Heishui Village. How could she walk back? Not to mention how to cross the heavy mountains, even the small paths in the mountains would make her dizzy and unable to find her way north. Suddenly, outside the fence, a horse neighed, and Qī Lǐ was overjoyed and hurriedly whispered "shh" as she rushed towards the horse. Could God hear my inner voice? Please let me win 5 million, thank you! Stupid, where did welfare lottery come from in this era?

  "Cough, cough!" Originally puzzled by the two horses outside the fence, they saw Moon Granny walking out from behind the horses. Qi Xi also had a face full of black lines: "Cough, Granny, how did you come out? The wind is strong at night."

  "Ghost girl, do you think this horse is flying? Get on the horse, we're going back to Heishui Village." Qi Mei had never dreamed that her mother-in-law not only didn't stop her but also wanted to go with her, and was completely different from the mother-in-law of the daytime, but this was good.

  On a moonlit night, after leaving the Tanggula Mountains, the endless desert stretches out before one's eyes. The four seasons are not distinct here, but the temperature difference between day and night is great. Strong winds rise from the flat ground, whipping up sand grains as they howl in. Horses are not suitable for walking in the desert, but where can camels be found at this time? The seven reins on the horse's back couldn't help but tremble, unsure whether it was feeling cold or a subtle unease.

  In the dark of night, the desert seemed like a white ocean, and that earthen castle stood alone in the center, as if it had sensed something. The horse under me suddenly let out a loud whinny and began to gallop wildly again. Fortunately, I had learned horse riding in my past life; otherwise, I would have been thrown off by this crazy horse at least several times on this journey so far.

  Qī Xiǎo knew the people in Heishui Village all too well. This was a city that never slept, where bandits and gangsters indulged in wine and pleasure day and night without distinction. So why was it so quiet today? No, not quiet - it was more like a dead city. The unease in her heart slowly grew, and Yuè Pópó dismounted first, walking forward to investigate. Qī Xiǎo followed closely behind but was stopped by Yuè Pópó: "Girl, you stay here."

  She's not a fool, although the moonlight is obscured by dark clouds and everything in front of her appears blurry, but the bloody smell lingering in the air is so intense: "Dad... old dad..." Qī Xiǎo shouted loudly, even though she knew that maybe her father couldn't hear her at all, but people are like this, when the fear accumulated in their hearts reaches a certain level, shouting out loud can actually make them feel better.

  The old woman stood at the city gate like a statue, her expression unclear in the dim light. Suddenly, Qi felt as if his feet were bound to the ground by something and couldn't move: Ah! He struggled desperately to break free, and the old woman came back to her senses, rushing to his side and drawing out her dagger. But Qi caught sight of the ring, a gold-inlaid jade ring.

  "Dad, Dad..."

  Liu Yi sat on his horse for a long time, staring at the earthen city. His severed left arm was still throbbing in pain. It was he who had brought the wolf into the house, it was he who had harmed so many innocent brothers. He should have gone to the Yellow Springs with them, but even if he only had one breath left, he would avenge his brothers.

  Qī xiàng bù zhī diē diě níng wàng de yǎn shén lǐ dōu xiě mǎn le shén me, suī rán zhī dào hēi shuǐ zhài de xiōng dì men yě xǔ zāo yù le bù cè, dàn yī yǎn wàng qù bì jìng méi zài chéng nèi fā xiàn tāmen de shī shǒu, tā yě nǔ lì xún zhe diē diě mù guāng wàng qù, ér yuè pó pó què qīng qīng jiāng tā de tóu zhuǎn guò: "Háizi, zhè xiē dōng xī bù gāi nǐ kàn."

  Legend has it that beneath the yellow sand lies a treasure trove of precious jewels, with countless gold treasures left behind by our ancestors. But what this young lady's eyes saw was only maimed limbs. Although you turned Qiuxi's head away, Qiuxi still saw it.