Miss Truth
Chapter 180 - 115: Ruan Lang Lost (1)

Chapter 180: Chapter 115: Ruan Lang Lost (1)

Ge Lan tugged at Ran Yan’s sleeve and grasped her wrist, writing in her palm, "The melody is ’The Bewitched Scholar’."

’The Bewitched Scholar’ is a song from the music academy, generally about two men who mistakenly enter a paradise and, captivated by its beauty, forget to return. This was the information Ran Yan had obtained from the original host’s memories; she knew no more details than that.

However, there was no rush for this. Since Ge Lan knew the name of the song, she likely knew the details as well. They could have her write it down once they returned.

"Shall we check it tomorrow? I need to burn incense to inform my mother and ask for her forgiveness first," Huan Kong said urgently.

Traditionally, one must not casually disturb human remains, so Huan Kong’s statement wasn’t unusual. However, Ran Yan felt slightly dissatisfied. There must be something amiss beneath the grave; it wasn’t possible for someone buried six or seven years to still emit such a scent.

After thinking it over, since there was such a strong scent of blood, it likely couldn’t be moved overnight. She calmed the eagerness in her heart and stood up, saying, "Then let’s do it tomorrow."

No sooner had she spoken than Ge Lan urgently tugged at Ran Yan’s sleeve, making a gesture to look around.

Following her gesture, Ran Yan looked around. The moon shone sparsely through the stars, and the shadows of trees were heavy. All around, silence reigned, with just the four of them... four! But now there were only three! Wan Lu, who had just been standing by her side, had disappeared!

"Did none of you notice where Wan Lu went?" Ran Yan steadied her voice as she spoke. She knew in her heart that Wan Lu couldn’t have left quietly on her own.

Huan Kong’s face was stricken with panic. She felt that Wan Lu had just been standing by her side, and trembling, she said, "I only heard her make a ’squeak’ sound, and then I was talking to you, and she vanished!"

Huan Kong often came here at night when she was upset to talk to her mother, firmly believing in her own spiritual roots and that Buddha would protect her. As it was her mother buried here, she had never felt afraid until now, her whole body trembling fiercely.

Ran Yan shouted Wan Lu’s name loudly and said to Huan Kong, "Quick, go inform the Temple Master!"

Huan Kong responded and ran towards the side door. While holding onto Ge Lan tightly, Ran Yan looked into the surrounding bushes, feeling that searching alone was very dangerous. Just as she was about to go get help, she heard Huan Kong sobbing loudly.

Ran Yan turned to look; Huan Kong was clinging to the door, scratching and bumping around like a small cat. The side door seemed to have been locked from inside. The events that had just transpired had frightened Huan Kong so much that her body went limp, and aside from crying and calling for her master, she didn’t know what else to do.

The side door didn’t look very sturdy. With Ran Yan’s weak black belt in Taekwondo, she might be able to kick it open. She had just stepped forward, still holding onto Ge Lan’s wrist, when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her hand gripping Ge Lan’s wrist, which made her involuntarily loosen her grip, allowing Ge Lan’s arm to slip away.

Ran Yan suddenly turned her head and saw Ge Lan covering her neck, being quickly dragged into the bushes. She disregarded everything else, lunged forward and grabbed hold of Ge Lan’s wrist, which resulted in her also being dragged into the bushes.

With this person’s strength, being dragged in could very likely mean death! Ran Yan thought this but didn’t release her grip. In a split second, she remembered that Xiao Song had just brought her up the mountain not long ago and likely hadn’t gone far, so she bellowed his name.

The mountain wasn’t high; usually, Ran Yan could hear the sound of a qin coming from Yuncong Temple. With such a loud voice, as long as Xiao Song had not left the vicinity of Yuncong Temple, he would certainly hear her. Even if he couldn’t, surely someone else would.

She continued to call Xiao Song’s name, occasionally interspersing it with cries for help.

Ge Lan was desperately kicking at Ran Yan, seemingly trying to make her stop pulling.

She had barely screamed three or four times when half of her body was already being dragged in, when suddenly her ankle tightened, gripped firmly by someone.

Ran Yan’s heart skipped a beat, but then she heard from behind the loud wailing of Huan Kong, calling for his master one moment and for his mother the next, tears plopping down onto Ran Yan’s ankle, soaking through her stockings to her skin. It seemed the person gripping her was Huan Kong, and Ran Yan’s heart relaxed slightly.

But then she suddenly thought, Huan Kong’s cries were loud, so why hadn’t anyone in the temple heard them? A chill of horror ran through Ran Yan, realizing that the murderer might have already knocked out everyone in Yingmei Temple. This incident must have been premeditated! Were Lady Xing and the others still alright?

Many questions flashed rapidly through Ran Yan’s mind as her entire body was pulled into the bushes. Huan Kong’s fingertips slipped, and with a scream, he only managed to grasp Ran Yan’s silk shoes, sobbing even more violently.

With the dragging force gone, Ran Yan felt lighter at the back, her body rapidly pulled forward, with Ge Lan forcefully kicking at Ran Yan’s legs.

At first, Ran Yan thought Ge Lan was afraid she would be dragged in too. But after they were in the bushes, Ge Lan continued kicking. The image of Ge Lan being dragged into the bushes shot through Ran Yan’s mind. She covered her neck, possibly something had looped around it. Ran Yan immediately let go, watching helplessly as Ge Lan was swiftly pulled away.

The rustling noise disappeared in an instant, and the surroundings returned to a deathly silence.

Ran Yan pulled out a short dagger from her sleeve, holding her breath as she followed the path from which Ge Lan had been dragged. Bloodstains occasionally appeared on the ground, striking fear into anyone who saw them. Ran Yan had thought her actions irrational, but upon seeing the bloodstains, she suddenly felt she had to risk everything. Otherwise, by the time help arrived, they might only find the bodies of Wan Lu and Ge Lan.

No! That couldn’t happen! She would rather die together than face such a scene again!

Having made up her mind, Ran Yan gripped the dagger tighter. Hearing rustling noises behind her, her back tensed suddenly, but then she heard the choked and cautious voice of Huan Kong from behind, "Wife Ran, you, you should come in quickly too."

Ran Yan turned her head and saw Huan Kong’s pale little face peeking out from a clump of shrubs, tear stains glistening faintly in the moonlight. The shrubs couldn’t completely cover her body, revealing her buttocks and back.

It looked ridiculous, like an ostrich that thinks burying its head means nobody can see it. But to Ran Yan it was heartbreaking because only those who feel extremely insecure would use such seemingly ludicrous self-soothing in the face of danger or when alone.

"Get in there," Ran Yan pointed to a larger clump of bushes nearby. In such a situation, hiding might not be a bad idea, and she felt that as the target, as long as Huan Kong hid well, she might not be in too much danger.

Seeing Ran Yan’s calm demeanor, Huan Kong trusted her. She crawled out shakily and scurried into the clump Ran Yan had pointed to, poking her bald head out to ask softly, "Aren’t you coming in?"

Keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings, Ran Yan lowered her voice and said, "Curl in there, and no matter what happens, don’t move, don’t make a sound, and don’t cry. That way, the bad person won’t find you, understand?"

Ran Yan’s voice wasn’t tender but was steady and reassuring, convincing even to an ordinary person, let alone a child like Huan Kong who believed that just hiding her body could ensure safety. Obediently, Huan Kong curled up and then stayed still.

Knowing she was watching, Ran Yan slightly curled her lips towards the direction of the shrubs, then continued forward with the dagger in her hand.

The blood ahead became more plentiful, and Ran Yan’s heart grew increasingly unsettled, her steps hastening as she pursued.

After walking about ten paces or more, she saw something resembling a piece of clothing behind some bushes and hurried forward. Just as she was about to crouch down, a sharp blowing sound with a piercing whistle suddenly struck from behind her head. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.