The both of them enter the town, not expecting anything as both don't look at each other or talk about the mission, what they don't expect is the town to be so gloomy. So many people are crying, families huddling together mourning. An older looking man is comforting the families, he seems to have aged from all the stress.
He gets a took at them in their cultivation robes. He looks at them hopefully, he straightens and his hunching shoulders go back. He rushes towards them. "Cultivators!" He shouts unnecessarily loud. No one pays attention though to busy mourning.
"What's going on?" Mo Ran and Chu Wanning ask at the same time. They take a moment to look at each other. Wanning turns away from Mo Ran first, focusing on the older man again. Ears burning.
"Please. There is a ghost that haunts a small shed on the edge of town, every night it come out and slaughter the people. We'll pay you both very well." he says desperately, about ready to get on his knees and beg them.
"Hah!" The three turn to a group of suspicious looking characters. Wearing brown cultivation robes. Unclean robes. Mo Ran and Wanning stare, trying to figure out which sect they are from. Whose colors are brown? Is there one? "Why pay them? When we can do it too?" One of them says.
"You can't trust... them." The other says eyes zero in on Wanning. Wanning raises an eyebrow. What are they implying? Mo Ran bristle,how dare they.
"I don't care, as long as the ghost gets taken care of." the older man says, looking at both groups.
The group of three men look at each other then smile. "The ghost is in the shed correct?" One asks.
"Yes." The man says but before he can say anything else the three men run off. Mo Ran and Wanning get a bad feeling about them. But it's not time to deal with them. Wanning turns to the older man.
"Does the ghost come out every night?" Wanning asks.
"Yes and no. Once it starts the ghost goes on until it stops for a while. When that happen the first time we thought it was done but it started again. This time worse." he looks down to the ground, face glum.
"At the same time?" Wanning says.
The man looks at Wanning, expression confused. "I... I... can not... say. I've tried to get everyone to stay away from the shed and stay inside for the night. Once the sun starts to set." he says.
"Who lived in the shed?" Mo Ran asks, attention on him now.
"No one. The shed use to belong to the local farmers but he pass away before he can truly settle down. Then his house burned down during a forest fire a decade ago. Only the shed has been left. The greenery has just been growing." the man says with a shrug.
"You do not know the ghost?" Wanning asks. The man shakes his head. "I see. Thank you for your time." Wanning gives him a bow. He gives one back. He gives one to Mo Ran. Then turns, going back to the mourning families. Wanning turns to Mo Ran. "This is your mission, what's the plan?" he asks.
"It's still early so we can eat before going to the shed." Mo Ran says. Wanning looks over to see they've got a few hours before the sun starts setting.
"Alright." Wanning nods.
They go to a small restaurant, and it is full. Mo Ran and Wanning have to wait for a seat. Once at a seat the two are quiet as they order and wait. Mo Ran wants to desperately bring up what was said but not able to. The timing doesn't seem right. They should focus on their mission not personal drama. They take their time, compared to the others who gobble their food and hurry to leave.
Having finished the two leave.
Mo Ran lights a candle, the streets dark, hard to tell what's in front of them. They walk to the shed. It's run down with weeds growing around it, vines growing up the side. They enter it, finding it a rather tight squeeze. With a look around it's obviously been abandoned but not as long as it should be. A couple jars, some still fully intact and a couple shattered lay across the floor. There's a pot and pans, odd to find in an abandoned shed, along with some old and torn blankets.
Wanning gets down on his knees in the middle. He can't see clearly since the shed has no window but this spot is very easily seen and different. Wanning rubs his hand across the dirt. Playing with it in his fingers. It's heavily charred. A small fire pit. To keep warm and cook.
"Someone obviously lived here." Mo Ran says, memories from his childhood flashing through his mind. "Did that old man lie to us?" he asks with a frown. He turns to spot Wanning not there. He looks down to see Wanning squatting on the floor, back facing him. "Just like Butterfly town." he remembers, can never forget the incident, more so, can never forget the aftermath.
"A family." Wanning says as he gets up. "Four at least." Wanning says turning to Mo Ran, who blinks.
"Where'd you get that number?" He asks, taking a look around trying to see if he can piece it together himself.
"There are four rice bowls." Wanning says pointing to the floor next to the old and torn blanket, lay four dirty and chipped rice bowls. There wouldn't be four unless there were four people here, someone tight on money wouldn't uselessly spent.
"Ah." Mo Ran says getting down to bring the light to it. "Mom, dad and two kids?" he guesses.
"Possibly." Wanning says thinking the same. The question now is what happen to them? There's something in the back of his mind that's bothering him. He can't remember what it is.
"That old man is going to get questioned. How can a family live here and no one notice?" Mo Ran stands up, frowning. "Shizun what are you doing?"
"Where's the ghost?" Wanning says stomping his foot on the ground, turning every which way. Kicking a blanket from its spot. Mo Ran raising an eyebrow. It look as if Wanning was throwing a tantrum, it look adorable. Then Wanning kicks the side roughly, the sound echoing in the silence. This time both of them look around. Expecting something to happen. Nothing does. Wanning frowns, in that cute way he does that looks like a cute pout. Wanning lets out a gasp, he remembers now. "Where are those cultivators?" He wonders out loud as he rushes out the shed. He turns both ways, thinking about where'd they go? If they did encounter the ghost they'd run towards town for safety or help. Wouldn't that be like leading a fox to a rabbits burrow?
"Shizun!" Mo Ran shouts after seeing the other just run. Mo Ran chases after only to stop with a loud bang. Mo Ran groans, his forehead hitting the frame of the door. The shed is very small. He tilts his head to the side, bending his back to get out. When he looks he sees white further away. Mo Ran jerks forward, remembering his urgency. He needs to go after Wanning.
The two come to a stop as they hear a scream. Wanning rushes forward, running towards the scream, golden light emitting from his hand.
"AAAHHH!" Wanning hears as he gets closer. "Please no! Stop!" Wanning squints to see someone leaning against a tree, a small green glowing monster before him. Wanning whips forward Tianwen, stopping the green monster from continuing its attack. Wanning hurries in front of the man. He looks down at the monster ready to attack again but the thing is looking up. Staring at Wanning not moving. It looks like a mix of a wolf head with a muscular monkey body. Is this the ghost?
"Shizun!" Mo Ran shouts, worried. Attention on him. Before Wanning can answer the little monster runs towards Mo Ran.
"Watch out!" Wanning shouts.
Mo Ran looks down to see a green glowing monster rush to him on all fours. "Shit!" Mo Ran shouts rushing towards a different direction. Away from Wanning and the injured man. Red glowing from his hand, that doesn't seem to frighten the thing, if anything it draws it in. "What the fuck?" Mo Ran shouts seeing it dodge his attack. He knows he's not as experienced as Wanning when it comes to using his willow vine but he's not bad. This thing shouldn't be so fast and smart. What is this thing?
Mo Ran shutters, a chill going down his spine. He turns to see something thin and tall covered in black so close. He dodges easily, thanks to his training. Then the tall one shrieks, ringing Mo Ran ears. He takes a double step back. He feels a small pain in his arm, turning he finds another one. It had nicked him in the arm. Nothing dangerous. This one is up to his waist, covered in black and thin too. How many are there?
He jumps back in time to dodge another attack from another one similar to the third one. Identical to it. So there's a tall one, two medium sized ones and small one. That's four.
Four.
A parent and three kids.
Mo Ran dodges, sprinting in a random direction. Away from town. It's a bit hard, four versus one and all four seem to be rather powerful ghosts.
Mo Ran takes a break, having been running for what feels like hours now. He's not any closer to defeating them. All are fast and nimble. He doesn't even know if they will stay down once he's gotten one. Are they connected? Does he need to take them down at once? Or can he get them one by one?
"Mo Weiyu!" Mo Ran turns towards Wanning voice, seeing something black and sharp coming towards him. Black hair and white clothes step in front of him. Mo Ran eyes widen.
No!