Provoking Fire [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 48

The dry, warm sensation in her palm felt familiar, just like every time before. Whenever she was scared, Su Yan would always grip her hand tightly. Chu Xiyue’s earlier emptiness now felt slightly grounded. She turned to look at Su Yan, who offered her a reassuring smile.

Don’t be afraid, the smile seemed to say.

This was a variety show filming location, and even if Chu Xiyue felt reluctant about the upcoming itinerary, she couldn’t simply turn around and leave. Fortunately, Su Yan’s comforting presence gave her a bit of courage to face what lay ahead.

Chu Xiyue wasn’t particularly timid, but whenever she recalled that memory from years ago, a complex mix of rejection and disgust would stir within her.

A rustling sound echoed from the pitch-black, shadowy forest, as if some unknown creature were crawling through the undergrowth. Even her heartbeat quickened involuntarily. Chu Xiyue tightened her grip on Su Yan’s hand and moved forward cautiously, careful not to rush.

Along the way, they saw numerous eerie, pale bones, crafted with such realism that they seemed to pull them into the terrifying illusion of a thousand years past. Occasionally, blurry images flickered into view, offering glimpses of how the souls of those ancient people had been drained away. It appeared they had fallen into a dream from which they would never awaken. The scenes were hazy, like a watercolor painting unfolding before their eyes, yet disturbingly vivid, making them feel trapped in the moment, as if they could never escape.

Though this stretch of forest wasn’t particularly long, their journey felt endless. By the time they emerged, the lingering resentment seemed to have clung to their bodies, with some even breaking into a cold sweat.

Yet, just ahead, Chu Xiyue spotted a dilapidated temple. Weathered by countless years of wind and rain, its roof tiles were uneven, yet it still stood defiantly beneath the canopy of ancient trees, easily overlooked if one wasn’t paying close attention.

“This must be the temple the Land God mentioned earlier!” Zhang Xin’an rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Let’s hurry inside. We might uncover the truth about this place right away.”

Having endured the dense forest, the group was eager to finish this part of their journey. They continued forward in silence. Even after emerging from the woods, Chu Xiyue held tightly to Su Yan’s hand, refusing to let go. As they reached the temple entrance, they noticed a wooden plaque stuck in the ground, covered in dense writing.

Zhang Xin’an hissed, “Why is it still in traditional Chinese? Just looking at these characters gives me a headache. Can anyone translate? I can’t bear to read any more.”

Bei Yaoyao volunteered, stepping forward to examine the plaque. “Entry to the temple requires an even number of people, and we must pay homage to some kind of spirit. Since there are only four of us, there’s no need to split into two groups. Let’s just go in together.”

“But what if we all get wiped out once we’re inside? Who knows what’s lurking in there? What if the Land God was lying?”

Zhang Xin’an suddenly became more animated, though his words weren’t entirely unreasonable. Chu Xiyue considered his suggestion.

“Then how about we split into two groups, each reporting what we see separately?”

No one objected, but since it was an individual competition, Zhang Xin’an proposed a change: he and Chu Xiyue would form one group, while Su Yan and Bei Yaoyao would form the other, to prevent any potential concealment of information. The implication was clear—Su Yan would never do such a thing, but Zhang Xin’an was clearly worried she might withhold something. Chu Xiyue couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him before they all entered together.

Chu Xiyue had expected to find traps or mechanisms inside the temple, but the interior was surprisingly peaceful. The furnishings were similar to those of a typical temple, just slightly older. Before the shrine stood a memorial tablet and several prayer cushions. Recalling the inscription outside, Chu Xiyue knelt decisively and performed three kowtows without hesitation.

“Young friends, your arrival here must be due to fate…”

After a lengthy, mystical introduction explaining the background, the voice suddenly shifted tone, now tinged with horror and disbelief:

“How strange! I’ve detected demonic energy among your group. Could it be the lingering soul of that Demon Spirit causing mischief? Before I left, I placed Clear Heart Lamps in every corner of this town. Under their light, the Demon Spirit will inevitably reveal its true form!”

“The passages leading out of this town are now sealed. You must be travelers from another world. If you can identify the Demonic Entity hiding among you within the allotted time, I will grant you the opportunity to return to your world.”

“But if you fail…”

The ancient voice sighed, leaving the unspoken consequences hanging heavy in the air. As Chu Xiyue and Zhang Xin’an rose to leave, they exchanged uneasy glances. Another group entered after them, only to emerge minutes later with the same grim conclusion.

The atmosphere among the participants had soured. Bei Yaoyao was torn between suspicion and fear, unwilling to act alone. Though she knew it was all staged, being personally involved felt entirely different.

Moreover, her character in In Character was the Nightmare Demon—a villain and accomplice to the calamity, ultimately executed on the spot, her soul scattered into nothingness.

Bei Yaoyao trembled violently.

“What now? Do you want to split up or stick together?” Chu Xiyue asked.

“Maybe we should stick together until we find the others, then form teams as we see fit?” Zhang Xin’an suggested.

Bei Yaoyao and Zhang Xin’an hesitated. They had uncovered only the broad strokes of the story, lacking any real clues. Yet staying together meant constantly suspecting each other of being spies.

Clang-clang—

The intermittent bell chime echoed across the desolate wasteland, finally lifting its veil of mystery. As the sound rang out, a dark figure suddenly darted from a corner and sprinted toward them.

“Aaaah!”

Bei Yaoyao let out a short, piercing scream, abandoning all pretense of sticking together. She turned and fled in terror. With her flight, the hastily formed alliance shattered instantly. Chu Xiyue instinctively bolted to the side, but Su Yan’s hand clamped tightly onto hers, refusing to let go.

“Over there! There’s a cave we can hide in!”

Only after they had outrun the others, following Chu Xiyue through a maze of twists and turns, did Su Yan finally speak up. It turned out she had memorized the surrounding routes on their way here. Chu Xiyue, already familiar with Su Yan’s astonishing memory, didn’t comment, but Su Yan’s long legs moved with the speed of the wind, making it nearly impossible for ordinary people to keep up.

“Su Yan!” Chu Xiyue called out, falling several steps behind, her voice carrying a hint of playful pleading. “Wait for me!”

The title “Teacher” had become increasingly common, but Chu Xiyue preferred not to use it when they were alone. Calling Su Yan by her name felt more intimate, shedding the formality of their usual interactions.

Hearing her name, Su Yan slowed down. The cold wind whipped their long hair into a swirling dance, intertwining strands like brushstrokes on a canvas. Against the pitch-black night, the scene unfolded like an exquisite painting, slowly unfurling.

After carefully evading their pursuers, the two finally reached the mountain cave, finding a place to rest and catch their breath. Chu Xiyue immediately squatted down, her posture completely undignified, and leaned against the stone wall to rest. In a daze, she felt as if she had returned to that torrential downpour, but now there was a newfound familiarity and unspoken understanding between them.

A short while later, the sound of their pursuers drew closer. Even from inside the cave, they could hear the steady footsteps approaching. Chu Xiyue, being young and physically fit, quickly recovered after a brief rest.

“Split up?” she suggested.

“Where?” Su Yan replied tersely, wasting no words.

However, the small exchange seemed to have alerted their pursuers, who began closing in on the cave.

Seeing they were running out of time, Chu Xiyue gritted her teeth and darted out like the wind. Her pale blue figure stood out starkly against the dark night.

She soon felt footsteps closing in behind her. To stay in character, Chu Xiyue was still wearing soft-soled embroidered shoes, which weren’t nearly as suitable for running as sneakers. Just as she rounded a corner, she spotted another figure sprinting toward her. Chu Xiyue slammed on the brakes to avoid colliding with the person.

“Chuchu?”

The person on the other side quickly stopped.

Seeing who it was, Chi Yao’s eyes and brows lit up with a smile. Before Chu Xiyue could react, she grabbed her wrist and pulled her away. The two barely evaded their pursuers, hiding in the tall grass, their hair disheveled and their appearance utterly disheveled.

“We rescued a child who was being chased. She told us about a temple. After praying there, she suddenly changed like this. What about you?”

“Same here,” Chu Xiyue replied.

“Did you find any hidden clues?” Chu Xiyue asked. “I picked up a bundle on the way here. It feels like there’s something inside. Do you have a lantern? Let’s take a look.”

Fortunately, Chu Xiyue had been holding the lotus lantern while fleeing. She pulled it out and dimmed it to its lowest setting to avoid attracting attention. Chi Yao quickly unwrapped the bundle and found a small note inside. It contained only one line:

Demonic entities favor inhabiting superior vessels, requiring both physical form and appearance.

The two fell silent as they examined the note.

After a moment, Chu Xiyue scratched her head and suddenly realized:

“Wait, could this be the clue about the undercover agent?”

But wasn’t “superior vessel” too vague?

Most celebrities have decent looks. This clue seemed to point to almost everyone, excluding only Zhang Xin’an.