Before it got dark, we had a simple meal, and Yangyang, Shen Feng, Jun Di, and Chen Pu prepared for their night watch.
I wasn't thrilled about this arrangement, not because I was being biased, but because the cold and freezing temperatures would be tough on them, especially since their physical condition wasn't great, except for Shen Feng.
I wanted to discuss this with Suo Tian, but Shen Feng and the others wouldn't let me, insisting they wanted to contribute.
I had to admire their dedication and sense of responsibility.
After all, we had made it this far under their team's protection, so standing watch was the least they could do.
Since it was freezing, after the night shift change, I took the initiative to start a fire outside with the others.
The black-clad guards who were keeping watch with Yangyang and the others also abandoned their vehicles and gathered around the fire, sitting on the ground.
With the sun almost set, we didn't have to worry about the smoke being seen by the walker.
Moreover, the fire wasn't likely to be noticed by any walker that were far away.
Before long, Shen Xue arrived with Rongrong and Yiyi in tow.
Xu Shu had already gone to bed early, as she was on guard duty in the afternoon and took her responsibilities very seriously.
Unlike us, who criticized Yangyang and Chen Pu for dozing off while on watch, only to get drowsy ourselves when it was our turn.
Shen Xue and the others asked me about what I saw when I followed them in the afternoon.
Before I could respond, Suo Tian emerged from the courtyard and stood at the entrance.
When he saw us all gathered around the fire, he paused and raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on the black-clad guards.
"Whose idea was this?" he asked.
The guards' expressions changed, and they all turned to look at me in unison.
I felt my face darken - they were quick to shift the blame, despite having joined me by the fire.
Suo Tian's gaze settled on me, his face unreadable.
I forced a smile and tried to sound casual: "Come join us and warm up... it's really cold."
I felt a bit uneasy, unsure if there were any potential dangers I hadn't considered.
Suo Tian's question had caught me off guard, and I no longer felt as confident about our safety.
Suo Tian stared at me for a few seconds, and I maintained my awkward smile.
Just when I was starting to feel uncomfortable, he nodded slightly and continued walking towards us.
The black-clad guards tried to stand up, but Suo Tian waved his hand, signaling them to stay seated: "No need to get up, stay seated."
The guards quickly sat back down and pretended to scan their surroundings, looking vigilant.
I thought to myself, "Cowards!"
They didn't seem to have the same sense of camaraderie as before, when we were all discussing hunting and cooking together.
Shen Xue made room for Suo Tian, and he sat down next to me.
I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the situation might not escalate further.
If Suo Tian had been displeased, he would have likely extinguished the fire without hesitation.
The snow on the ground had been cleared, and the fire was burning well.
After Suo Tian sat down, we started chatting freely, except for the guards.
Our familiarity with him from living together in the past seemed to override the current dynamics of our group.
Before long, Rongrong started yawning, and Shen Xue took her back to the house.
During this time, I turned to Suo Tian and asked in a low voice, "I heard the white-haired old man mention something about taking action at Zi hour. Do you think they're planning something for tonight?"
Suo Tian seemed lost in thought, staring at the fire.
I thought he might not have heard me, but just as I was about to repeat the question, he replied, "Probably."
"Did you see the pit today?" I asked him, keeping my voice down.
"Yes," Suo Tian replied, nodding as he turned to me.
"The pit with red walls, dug into an elliptical shape, with seven fires burning in front of it, is a formation."
I was taken aback by Suo Tian's words, feeling a bit bewildered.
"Pit?" I thought to myself, "He's calling that dilapidated kiln a pit?"
I recalled the shape of the pit, and indeed, it was elliptical.
But the fires in front of it were just burning paper money, weren't they?
And what about this "formation" he mentioned?
I'd only come across that term in mystery novels.
"Suo Tian, were you a fortune teller in a past life?" I joked, imagining the stereotypical image of an old man fortune-telling on the street.
Suo Tian snorted, a hint of amusement in his voice. "It's just a saying. I didn't expect people to still be so foolish, trying to use this formation to suppress the walker. If it were that easy, would things have turned out like this?"
"Are there really powerful formations that can change the world?" I asked, curious.
If Suo Tian nodded, my worldview would undergo another significant shift.
But Suo Tian shook his head. "Feng shui has its own basis, but formations... maybe they exist, maybe they don't. No one can prove or disprove their existence."
"You still haven't answered my question. Do you know what they'll do tonight?" I asked.
"If I'm not mistaken, they'll sacrifice the child from this morning to the pit," Suo Tian replied.
I felt a jolt of shock. "What does 'sacrificing to the pit' mean? Like in the movies, where they rip out the person's heart or drain their blood?"
"Probably something like that. Or maybe they'll bury him alive. But given that the pit is just a hole, it's more likely they'll feed him to the walker," Suo Tian said.
It all clicked into place now.
The aunt's sudden desperation, her distraught behavior, and her wailing... it all made sense.
The white-haired old man must be in charge of this ritual or formation, and today's conversation with the aunt was likely about using her child as a sacrifice.
I thought back to the old couple who fed people to their walker child.
Compared to these villagers, they seemed almost normal.
I realized that the villagers' actions were far more sinister and inhumane.
"If that's the case, why didn't Aunt Zhang resist? All she did was cry. And what about Zhang Hongsheng, the child's brother? Why didn't he say anything? Using a life as a sacrifice... are they out of their minds?" My voice rose in frustration and anger.
"I think it's ridiculous to use lives to appease ghosts and gods that are just a product of imagination," a male voice chimed in from behind me.
Suo Tian had already turned around to look at the speaker, and I followed his gaze.
To my surprise, it was Zhang Hongsheng standing not far behind me.
The black-clad guards stood up, looking wary, but Suo Tian waved them off, returning to his seat and picking up a stick to poke at the fire.
At first, I felt embarrassed that Zhang Hongsheng had overheard my criticism, but then I realized what he had said, and my mind started racing.
What was he doing here so late at night, and what did he mean by his comment?
"Come sit down," Shen Feng beckoned to Zhang Hongsheng.
Zhang Hongsheng didn't hesitate and walked over to join us by the fire.
"What brings you here so late?" I asked.
Zhang Hongsheng scanned all of us before his gaze settled on me, but ultimately, his eyes landed on Suo Tian, who was poking at the fire with a stick.
It seemed he was determined to talk to Suo Tian.
I tugged on Suo Tian's clothes, signaling him to look at Zhang Hongsheng.
Suo Tian raised an eyebrow slightly but put down the stick and turned to Zhang Hongsheng, saying, "Your village's problems are beyond our help. We can't do anything about it."
I was taken aback and quickly tugged on Suo Tian's clothes again, thinking that he had jumped to conclusions about Zhang Hongsheng's intentions.
Suo Tian grasped my hand, still looking at Zhang Hongsheng.
Zhang Hongsheng didn't react much to Suo Tian's response, just smiled and said, "You might think differently in a bit. You might be able to help."
Suo Tian didn't respond, so I asked, "What's going on in your village?"
Although Zhang Hongsheng might have already suspected that I knew something, I couldn't let on that I had been following them.
I had to play dumb and ask questions without revealing my knowledge.
Zhang Hongsheng glanced at me, smiling, and said, "You've been following us all day, so you should have a pretty good idea what's going on. You don't seem like a foolish person, so I'm guessing you've figured it out?"
I was taken aback, and then I laughed awkwardly, trying to play it cool.
"Tell us more, it seems like you want to discuss this with us."
It turned out that he had indeed spotted me following them earlier.
Zhang Hongsheng's expression turned serious.
"I've run out of options, which is why I'm here talking to you at this late hour. As the village's party secretary, I'm supposed to be in charge, but the real authority lies with Old Bai, the white-haired man you saw today. You should remember him, the one with completely white hair."
He paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing.
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