Chapter 313: Failed Adventure
I vigilantly watched for a while, confirming that the Black Silk Monster had no intention of coming out. The entire cemetery was silent. As the sun was setting, the chaotic burial ground, messily overturned, looked eerie and terrifying in the twilight.
Jayad was treating Sebastian. After a while, Detective Mister finally managed to stand up. He patted Claire’s head. “I’m fine. Didn’t I tell you to go back to the village if anything happens?”
His reasoning was sound. Returning to the village would at least put them under the villagers’ watch. Whether it was ghouls or the Black Silk Monster, they probably wouldn’t dare to make a move in broad daylight.
After all, ghouls had lived in the village before. If they wanted to fight, they would have already fought the Black Silk Monster. Since the villagers hadn’t mentioned anything about a Black Silk Monster, it meant that a stalemate had been maintained at least through mutual observation.
“Because, because I was really worried about you. Suddenly, a monster like a rotten mud ball burrowed in, and the tombstone sealed up immediately. I couldn’t push it open no matter what,” Claire said with a crying voice.
Sebastian felt gratified. “Good child, I know you’re worried about me, but you must ensure your own safety and stay somewhere safe to think about how to save us.”
“Just like when we were trapped below, you couldn’t push open the tombstone. If you were attacked here, you wouldn’t be able to help us at all. When we came out, we could only watch you get hurt and be sad. But if you went back to the village to call for help, there’s a chance we could have pushed the tombstone open together.”
“Remember, worrying for nothing is useless. First, protect yourself before you can protect those important to you. When something happens, listen to arrangements first, then think about what actions would be helpful to the situation.”
Sebastian’s educational method was very interesting. From a detective’s perspective, he analyzed the pros and cons, teaching Claire to think rationally in a way that was more beneficial to the situation.
These words were also helpful to Jayad and me.
Although Claire’s tear streaks were still visible at the corners of her eyes, she nodded obediently. “Yes, I understand.”
“By the way, Claire, did you see a black-red light shoot out from underground?” I asked.
“No,” Claire shook her head.
“Really? It didn’t shoot out?” I fell into contemplation.
“What’s wrong? Miss Parul, why are you asking this question?” Sebastian said.
“When I was under the grave, I fired a powerful spell at the Black Silk Monster’s head, aiming towards the sky. Theoretically, the earth and stone slabs couldn’t block my magic,” I said.
“In other words, if it didn’t shoot out, it’s possible because this tomb has a seal of protection. That’s also why the Black Silk Monster couldn’t get out from inside,” I analyzed.
“Claire, when you were above just now, didn’t you feel any intense fighting or vibrations below?” Sebastian also realized something and asked Claire.
“No, there was no movement from below at all. I thought you had already met with misfortune,” Claire said softly.
“As expected, even if there was a huge battle inside, it had nothing to do with the outside. The tomb was reinforced with a seal, and it might even be in another dimension. We might have done something bad,” I said.
“What do you mean?” Jayad asked, confused. When I first started discussing these complex technical matters with Sebastian, his small head couldn’t quite keep up.
“When we pried open the tomb earlier, we must have broken the seal, which is why the Black Silk Monster could approach us. The tomb was buried under the slope not to hide from us, but to hide from the Black Silk Monster,” I said.
I was too impulsive at the start. Back then, I thought the ghoul was lurking behind us, spying on me. I didn’t expect there to be someone else behind them.
“This is also my responsibility. I was the one who opened the grave first. If only we had observed more carefully back then,” Sebastian said.
“It’s useless to say so much now. Let’s go back to the village first. We also need to tell that girl named Sherris about this,” Jayad said. Indeed, the sun was already setting, and staying in the cemetery after dark wasn’t a good idea.
“Alright, let’s go,” I nodded and led the horse back. This adventure into the grave could be considered a complete failure. We found nothing, were used as pawns by the Black Silk Monster, and even lost the grave of the Oliver family.
Not only did we cause the ghouls to die, but we also fled the grave in a hurry under their protection. The problems weren’t solved, and many more mysteries had arisen.
For example, what exactly was that Black Silk Monster? Why did it follow us into the tomb? What was it fighting the ghouls for? I couldn’t figure it out at all.
Also, why was this Lorna’s and Madam Shirley’s joint tomb, and why were her remains actually there? I was only one step away from her remains, yet I couldn’t bring them out.
Too many unknowns made my head spin. I could only look at the intelligence I had in hand. I took out a handful of black silk, or rather, black mud, from my pocket. I brought one out so that I could conveniently research its characteristics and weaknesses later.
Even now, this black silk maintained a certain level of activity. It wriggled slowly in my hand, but as if it had been separated from its main body, it didn’t show any aggression.
I looked at it for a long time but couldn’t figure out what it was. I could only put it away for now and find someone to ask later, or conduct research and analysis.
Furthermore, after this ordeal, I saw too many bizarre things and cast spells quite a few times. I already felt my thoughts becoming increasingly chaotic, and my rationality was at its limit.
To prevent the mutation from worsening, I drank the last bottle of sedative, and only then did I feel much better.
At this time, we had already led the horses to the village entrance. A villager saw us and immediately exclaimed excitedly, “Wah! Several adults actually returned from the cemetery. Didn’t you encounter anything… like, ghosts?”
We all looked rather awkward. As a matter of fact, we had encountered them. But we could only say, “We didn’t encounter anything special. By the way, is there a girl named Sherris in your village?”
“Yes, she lives in a small house in the west of the village, that one. Her family are the gravekeepers of the village, and no one usually dares to approach them.” When the villager mentioned her, they seemed to feel a sense of misfortune.
“Thank you,” I smiled. Ghouls as gravekeepers? Embezzlement?
So we walked towards the west of the village. On the way, Jayad told me that there were two places in the village with concentrated evil auras. One was in the west of the village, and the other was where we had gone to find that Outsider before. Moreover, the auras in the two places were different.
Evil detection was so useful. I should have asked Jayad to activate it earlier. And if the Black Silk Monster wasn’t from outside the village, it was likely inseparable from that person.
