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Chapter 46: The Experiment
Li Xingyuan glanced at the severed leg lying on the ground, then back at the middle-aged man glaring daggers at him. He muttered under his breath:
"Sorry."
"Sorry?" The man’s voice dripped with venom as he locked eyes with Li Xingyuan. "I’m going to kill you, you—"
"I’m not apologizing for what just happened," Li Xingyuan interrupted, brushing his right index finger thoughtfully. The skeletal key still hummed with an insatiable desire to unlock, its counterpart responding eagerly in kind. "I’m apologizing for what’s about to happen."
He had always been curious about the meaning of the locks embedded in human bodies. This was his first time testing this ability against an enemy. A simple experiment—a single twist of the key—and a limb had been dislodged without so much as a scratch or drop of blood at the break.
The lock in the joint controlled its opening and closing. Li Xingyuan studied the man sprawled before him, pondering the purpose of the other locks scattered across his body.
As if sensing his thoughts, the urge to unlock grew even more intense, almost palpable.
Li Xingyuan approached the man, who seemed oblivious to his predicament. Perhaps the dislocation of joints through this method caused no pain.
The man continued to curse loudly, but Li Xingyuan silenced him by pointing his finger toward his throat. He decided to start with the most logical locks—the ones that corresponded to bodily functions. Did the throat control vocal cords? If sound emerged from this gateway, then sealing it should halt its production. As his finger delved into the lock, he felt it give way—brittle, like rubber or cartilage.
His hypothesis proved correct.
The man could no longer speak, though his eyes burned with a mix of rage and terror. Still, he struggled feebly. Li Xingyuan had little choice but to disable his remaining joints one by one. It wasn’t difficult.
"Sorry," he repeated, his tone flat yet sincere.
The experiment concluded quickly. Human locks were relatively few compared to other entities’, and many were interconnected. Unlocking one often caused two or three others to vanish simultaneously. He couldn’t test them all; some locks were intuitive, corresponding directly to organs, while others defied logic entirely. Tampering with those led to unpredictable—and often grotesque—results.
Li Xingyuan didn’t want to dwell on those outcomes. Witnessing such transformations in his own kind felt unnatural, even nauseating. But at least now he knew which locks must never be opened—not ever.
When Li Xingyuan emerged from the forest, the eclipse was ending. The pale sun gradually regained its fullness, casting a weak glow over the landscape. He headed toward the mine. There was no time to seek help from the police station; he needed to act immediately to rescue Old Liu and the others. But how? Between the enigmatic “Senior Acolyte” and the frenzied townsfolk, the odds were stacked heavily against him.
Without Lin Song, Old Liu, or reinforcements, Li Xingyuan would have to face this alone.
If only he could unlock targets from afar. If only he could open multiple locks at once—
The moment the thought crossed his mind, the light within his skull stirred restlessly, coursing through his brain like a silent incitement.
Li Xingyuan slapped the side of his head, shaking off the intrusive notion.
The entrance to the old mine wasn’t far from the new one. Initially, he worried about blending into the crowd unnoticed, but soon realized there was no need. The perimeter lacked guards, and the villagers remained gathered near the entrance of the new mine, their chatter growing louder by the minute.
Li Xingyuan stayed hidden behind piles of unprocessed ore. These rocks should have been sent for refining long ago, yet here they lay, abandoned and forgotten.
The villagers buzzed with excitement. Though Li Xingyuan kept his distance, he couldn’t make out most of their words. On the circular plaza at the mine’s entrance, a platform had been erected. Three figures were bound there—Old Liu and the others, presumably. His heart clenched. Were they dead? No, faint glimmers of light emanated from their locks. Relieved, Li Xingyuan noted that his recent experiments had sharpened his ability to discern active locks from inactive ones.
Dead bodies retained locks too, though previously indistinguishable to him. Now, clarity came easier.
Crouching behind the ore, Li Xingyuan waited for the crowd to loosen. Surely, they wouldn’t stay here all day? He scanned the painted-mask figures mimicking theatrical performances. Their numbers hadn’t dwindled—in fact, they’d grown. From five or six earlier, there were now seven or eight.
Could these things spread like an infection?
"Fellow citizens of Fengyuan Town!" A voice boomed across the square. Li Xingyuan turned to see Mine Director Shi standing on the platform, gesticulating wildly as he addressed the crowd. "Those outsiders who fled into the mine have been devoured by Lady Di Mu! She is pleased with our offering! In return, she will grant us her milk!"
Milk.
Images of the eerie black liquid flooded Li Xingyuan’s mind, sending a shiver down his spine. How could the people of Fengyuan regard such a substance as divine blessing?
Yet, their fervor was undeniable.
They stood united, chanting praises to Di Mu. This wasn’t a disciplined religious sect—the majority had been ordinary townsfolk mere months ago—but their devotion bordered on fanaticism. Hands stretched toward the mine, yearning for Di Mu’s nourishment. Even Mine Director Shi’s amplified voice was drowned out by their zealous cries.
Shi appeared displeased, likely aspiring to position himself as a true leader—anointed spokesperson of Di Mu—but clearly struggling to assert authority.
How had he foreseen the arrival of Di Mu’s milk? With such insight, achieving his ambitions was only a matter of time.
As the crowd roared like a tidal wave, the earth trembled beneath their feet. The mine responded with a deep, resonant hum. Something within stirred violently—
In the next instant, the “milk” surged forth, rushing toward the throng.
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