The two of them returned to their respective lodgings.
Inside the room, Qian Cangyi briefly considered asking Shi Xi about Shi Hai Min's childhood, or telling her what Shi Jingfu had said in order to pressure her into revealing something about the previous Death Rite. But after careful thought, he abandoned both ideas.
The reason was simple. The first question could be brought up casually in idle conversation, but asking it deliberately would immediately raise suspicion. As for the second idea, Shi Jingfu's words alone were far from enough to force Shi Xi into saying anything related to the Death Rite.
Unless he brought up what had happened the previous night.
But once that incident was exposed, Qian Cangyi had no idea how things would develop afterward. The situation would become completely uncontrollable. If last night's events were revealed, the impact on Yuxi Village would be no less than a bomb exploding.
And so, another day passed.
Though both of them had gained something, they were still no closer to uncovering the truth behind the Death Rite.
That night, Qian Cangyi dreamed again—many dreams this time. Unlike before, they were ordinary and continuous. In the dreams, he was browsing online forums, stumbling upon countless interesting threads. The posts reposted by the forum moderators were all explosive, headline-worthy news.
At dawn, he was woken once more—but not by noise. This time, it was Hawk-Eye knocking on the door.
"Shi Hai Min, are you there?" Hawk-Eye's voice was urgent.
"I'm here!" Qian Cangyi replied.
"Get up. I'll wait outside."
Hawk-Eye didn't say what had happened, but Qian Cangyi understood the implication immediately. Shi Xi was still inside the house. Yesterday, Shi Wenwei had instructed him to keep Shi Xi in the dark about the deaths of Shi Mengtao and Shi Le'an. Shi Xi hadn't suspected anything so far—but if Hawk-Eye burst in saying something terrible has happened, it would undoubtedly arouse her curiosity.
"Alright!" Qian Cangyi sprang out of bed.
After greeting Shi Xi briefly, he went outside, where Hawk-Eye was already waiting.
"We'll talk as we walk," Hawk-Eye said, his gaze passing over Qian Cangyi and into the house behind him.
"Mm." Qian Cangyi didn't waste words.
For the two of them, no one else was trustworthy.
After reaching a safe distance, Hawk-Eye spoke.
"Two more people are dead."
He didn't wait for a response and continued, "Shi Jingfu and Shi Xuezhen. Their bodies were found in Shi Jingfu's house. Completely naked. Shi Wenwei is furious—and has suppressed the matter with an extremely hardline approach."
"This…" The news was so shocking that Qian Cangyi didn't know how to respond at first.
"They too…?" He shook his head slowly. "Alright. I'm finding it harder and harder to comprehend the darkness of this village. Just how chaotic has Yuxi Village become? I only got closer to Shi Jingfu yesterday—and today this happens. There must be even more horrifying secrets hidden here. What does all this have to do with the Death Rite?"
Hawk-Eye didn't answer the question. He continued describing the deaths.
"The expressions on their faces were extremely terrified—identical to the expressions on Shi Le'an and Shi Mengtao when they died. Oh, and about the police: yesterday, after I suggested it, Shi Wenwei did send someone out. But that person returned late at night saying that no matter how he walked, he couldn't leave Yuxi Village. He wandered in the mountains the entire afternoon and still couldn't get out. That route has been sealed off as well. It seems we're on our own now."
"In that case, things are even more confusing," Qian Cangyi said, looking at Hawk-Eye expectantly. "What should we do?"
Despite performing well in this film so far, Qian Cangyi was still a newcomer. Many techniques and instincts were unfamiliar to him. Hawk-Eye was different—he had at least participated in one film before and already had some experience.
"My intuition tells me that the Death Rite has begun affecting the villagers," Hawk-Eye said after a moment of thought. "It's possible that those who died weren't acting of their own will. They're dead now—there's no way for them to speak for themselves. As for why the Death Rite has this kind of influence, I don't have a clue yet."
He paused, then added, "By the way—are you going to see Shi Jingfu? After all, you're playing Shi Hai Min. If his close friend dies and he doesn't even show up, that would look strange from any perspective."
"Didn't you say Shi Wenwei suppressed the matter completely?" Qian Cangyi countered. "If news like this spreads within Yuxi Village, the consequences would be disastrous."
"Not including you," Hawk-Eye replied curtly.
A light breeze brushed past Qian Cangyi's fingertips. The sun hung high in the sky, but Hawk-Eye's words sent a chill straight through him.
That sentence clearly wasn't Hawk-Eye's own opinion. As actors, there was no need for them to emphasize this point. Which meant someone else had said it.
Combined with what Hawk-Eye had said earlier, the answer was obvious.
It was the village chief.
Shi Wenwei cared far too much about Shi Hai Min—the character Qian Cangyi was playing.
Qian Cangyi knew that Shi Wenwei had a deeper relationship with Shi Xi, but even taking that into account, the concern still felt excessive. It was as though Shi Hai Min's relationship with Shi Wenwei went beyond what it appeared to be—something deeper, something closer.
The answer was almost calling out to him.
"Hawk-Eye," Qian Cangyi said slowly, his expression strange, "do you think it's possible that Shi Hai Min is… Shi Wenwei's son?"
Even though he was merely an actor, being immersed in the role still affected him. Just viewing this relationship from the outside was enough to stir complex emotions. If Shi Hai Min himself were to learn the truth, Qian Cangyi wouldn't find it surprising if he completely broke down.
Hawk-Eye raised his eyebrows, clearly taken aback. He didn't answer right away, thinking for a moment.
"It's possible," he said at last, tapping his left palm with his right fist. "Whether that's true or not, the fact remains that Shi Wenwei treats you very well. You might be able to make use of that."
"Make use of it?" Qian Cangyi shook his head. "I already asked him about the Death Rite once, and he didn't answer. I think this concern is just him wanting me to follow the path he's laid out. It's not genuine care—just… psychological consolation."
"You mean compensation?" Hawk-Eye mused. "That's certainly possible."
As they spoke, the two arrived at Shi Jingfu's house. Unlike the previous day, there were hardly any villagers gathered outside.
"So he really can cover the sky with one hand," Qian Cangyi thought. "Even something like this can be buried."
Just as they reached the entrance, they were stopped.
It was Shi Hongye.