Chapter 116: The Mute Speaks

"Thump, thump, thump!" The knocking echoed through the hollow corridor. In the dim and dilapidated hallway, the person knocking looked from afar like a hunched ghoul. It was Shi Can, the attendant of the Fog Inn, who was rapping anxiously on Luo Hanyai’s door, seemingly desperate to relay some urgent news.

Shi Can knocked for a while, but there was no response from within. He pressed his ear against the door to listen for a moment, then stopped. The room was deathly silent and hollow, devoid of any sound, as if it were completely unoccupied.

Shi Can was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in front of the door for a long time. His face was slightly contorted, making him appear even more grotesque, as if he had some critical matter to discuss with Luo Hanyai.

After a long while, Shi Can seemed to have made up his mind. He glanced around like a thief, took a deep breath, and opened his hideous mouth to whisper toward the door.

"Sir, wake up and eat!"
"Sir, are you still there?"
"Sir? Where are you?"

It was strange and eerie. Luo Hanyai, who was returning from the third floor, suddenly heard Shi Can’s voice. Although it was faint, it resonated deep within his soul, as if it were telepathic communication.

Luo Hanyai stopped in the maze-like depths of the corridor, looking around vigilantly, searching for the source of the sound. Naturally, he could find nothing. He stood still for a moment, trying to discern its origin, and was startled by his own deduction—the voice seemed to be coming from inside his own body. Often, the most implausible hypothesis is the one closest to the truth.

"Sir? Where are you? It is I, Shi Can. I have something urgent to tell you; I am right at your door."

The voice was muffled and clear, yet carried a tone of urgency. Luo Hanyai had no time to deliberate. His eyes flashed, and he strode toward his room.

"Sir, hurry, time is running out. You must know that as well; it is almost time..."

Luo Hanyai’s brows furrowed tightly. He was naturally anxious, and he knew well how much help Shi Can was to him at this moment; any source of strength was precious.

...

"Hoo, hoo." Luo Hanyai reached his door, breathless. However, the sight of the empty space before him left him bewildered. Never mind a person of Shi Can’s size—there wasn't even a ghost in sight! Luo Hanyai swallowed hard, taking deep breaths to steady his chaotic rhythm. He looked left and right repeatedly, but couldn't find a shadow of Shi Can.

Luo Hanyai’s heart sank immediately. "Could I be too late? Did something happen to Shi Can? Or has it already begun?"

"Sir, come inside. It is not safe out there." A voice interrupted Luo Hanyai’s grim speculations at the perfect moment.

Luo Hanyai continued to take deep breaths until his breathing stabilized, then walked into the room as if nothing were amiss.

That familiar and terrifying face was waiting inside by the door. He stood motionless, like a phantom.

"Shi Can, tell me what it is quickly. Time is tight," Luo Hanyai said, closing the door behind him. He didn't care why Shi Can could speak or how he managed long-distance telepathy; he went straight to the point, asking anxiously.

"Sir, it is too late. You returned a step too late. What was meant to come has finally arrived," Shi Can said, staring at the door in terror, as if he saw something extremely horrific.

Luo Hanyai followed Shi Can’s gaze and spun around to see the door, which was about to close, being propped open by a hand. Someone was trying to enter.

"What is that?" Luo Hanyai’s pupils contracted, and he instinctively reached to slam the door shut.

"Don't close it, don't close it. Relax, it’s just me, Heather," a lazy voice drawled from behind the door.

"Heather?" Shi Can sighed in relief, seemingly familiar with the newcomer.

"Why are you here?" Luo Hanyai looked at Heather in confusion.

"The final hour is approaching, so naturally I had to come. Otherwise, I wouldn't have a chance to witness this grand event," Heather said with a relaxed smile. He was still carrying a bottle of wine, swaying into the room. His tone suggested he was a complete outsider, indifferent to the final outcome.

Luo Hanyai stared at Heather, watching his expressions, while thinking to himself: "He doesn't seem to be faking it. Could he be the outsider? If he is, then what about Macarius?"

"Of the six, only one is an outsider. Who is it? Is it Heather or Macarius?" Luo Hanyai felt slightly agitated and scratched his head, not even considering Shui Yue in his list of suspects.

...

"But aren't you a mute? How can you suddenly speak?" Heather looked at Shi Can with curiosity, licked his lips, and clapped his hands like a child. "Ha! I understand! You must have secretly learned ventriloquism."

Shi Can hesitated for a moment, then chose to nod. Ignoring Heather, he said in a muffled voice, "Actually, I came to tell you something, sir."

"What is it?" Luo Hanyai looked at Shi Can, waiting for what was to come.

"I am here to warn you: do not touch anything Manluo gives you today." Shi Can looked into Luo Hanyai’s eyes earnestly. Seeming worried, he emphasized, "Whatever it is, do not touch it!"

"Ah?" Luo Hanyai frowned, not fully understanding what Manluo meant, but he nodded firmly. "No problem. I won't touch anything he gives me."

"And also..." Shi Can paused, glancing nervously at Heather, who was sipping wine by the door.

"Haha, I’ll excuse myself. I’ll excuse myself." Heather caught on immediately and stepped out of the room, intentionally slamming the door shut with a loud "bang," as if to reassure Luo Hanyai and Shi Can.

"This thing." As if performing a magic trick, Shi Can produced a small, delicate jade stone from his pocket. It shimmered with a blood-red luster, the exact color of the bloodstains on the clothes wrapped around Luo Hanyai’s hand. After bringing it out, Shi Can’s expression became grave, and his ugly, terrifying face actually took on a touch of sanctity.

Shi Can leaned close to Luo Hanyai’s ear and whispered, "Sir, you must keep this safe. Do not use it until the final moment. Remember! This can only be used at the very end! You must not use it too soon!"

"What exactly is this..."

"This is called a Heart-Blood Crystal. It is forged from heart’s blood, clarifying the soul and solidifying essence."

"A Heart-Blood Crystal?"

"Sir, remember, you must not use it too early. Until the final moment, never use this. It can only be the last resort..."