Tomb Raider: I Am Hu Bayi's Cousin

Chapter 162

On the way back, the three of them were in good spirits, chatting and laughing all the way.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from the road ahead.

"Mingzi, something's not right. Could it be that another group of people came to this ancient city ruin with us?"

Hu Bayi's expression immediately turned serious, and he lowered his voice to speak warily.

In the dead of night, the sudden sound of hurried, rapid footsteps echoed through the deserted ancient ruins. How could anyone not be startled?
"It's not human... Look over there!"

Hu Ming's ears trembled slightly, his eyes narrowed, and he gripped the hilt of the dragon-patterned cloud-shaped sword at his waist with one hand. He opened his golden pupils again and looked warily at the footsteps coming from ahead.

There, under the bright moonlight, many hideous shadows suddenly appeared.

Upon closer inspection, most of them resemble human figures, as well as the shapes of some ferocious beasts unique to the western Xinjiang region.

A mournful wind howled across the desolate plateau. A thick, dark cloud suddenly drifted in from the sky, obscuring the moonlight, and the sky darkened abruptly.

"Damn! Can I really be that unlucky?"

Hu Ming's lips twitched, and his face darkened. Damn it, should we say their three birth charts were incredibly auspicious, or that they were just incredibly lucky?
This is infuriating! Could it really be because they frequently use guns when they're in tombs?
From Hu Ming's perspective, the road ahead was shrouded in a dense, surging black mist, even darker than the darkest hour before dawn.

Inside, creatures of various shapes floated about.

Fortunately, those things seemed to have lost all reason, simply drifting and sinking with the flow of the black mist.

Hu Ming looked around and saw that the roads and streets nearby were filled with this ominous black aura.

These black wisps emerged from the ground in every corner of the city, converging on roads large and small, flowing forward like rivers.

It is only by chance that we were able to witness this terrifying scene, because it is midnight, the time of day when the yin energy is at its heaviest.

At this moment, Hu Bayi and Fatty, who were standing next to Hu Ming, were already soaked in cold sweat...

Since they were both mortals, they naturally couldn't see what Hu Ming was seeing.

However, dark clouds loomed overhead, and all was quiet. Strange, menacing reflections appeared eerily on the road before them, yet no living creatures could be seen.

Hu Bayi and Fatty were now willing to swear on their past lives that these ever-moving shadows were the most terrifying things they had ever seen. Fatty's mouth opened, and he couldn't help but gasp.

"Shh!!!" Hu Ming quickly covered the fat man's mouth, and also covered the mouth of the panicked Hu Bayi, pulling the two of them back carefully and hiding in a corner.

"Don't make a sound, whatever you do, don't disturb them! There are so many of them! Thousands upon thousands, densely packed together. If they notice us, we'll be in real danger!"

At this moment, in the darkness, there seemed to be a faint glimmer in Hu Ming's eyes.

A full half hour later, midnight finally passed, the dark clouds in the sky dispersed, and the moonlight shone on the earth once again.

"Mingzi, what exactly are those shadows?"

At this moment, Hu Bayi looked at the ancient city that had returned to normal and couldn't help but swallow hard. He asked Hu Ming with a look of surprise and uncertainty, "...I don't know the specifics, but I can guess that when this ancient city was destroyed, all the people and animals in the city died."

"The resentment soars to the heavens, and has not dissipated for hundreds of years. Countless wronged souls of humans and animals are bound in this ancient city, and they emerge at midnight when the yin energy is at its heaviest, instinctively wandering through the empty city... This is a true ghost city!"

Hu Ming pondered for a moment, organized his thoughts, took out his cigarette case, handed one to each of them, lit it, and took a deep drag.

To be honest, even Hu Ming couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine after what he just witnessed.

Although Hu Ming was covered in protective treasures, the vengeful spirits were in extremely pitiful forms. Missing limbs were considered mild compared to their tragic appearances. They were practically showing Hu Ming the various ways people died in ancient times.

Fortunately, perhaps due to the passage of time, these wronged souls have lost their spirituality and are now in a daze, simply wandering the ancient city instinctively.

Or perhaps, these strange things are insignificant to begin with, and as long as they are left undisturbed, all will be well.

In short, Hu Ming and his two companions passed through midnight without any major incidents.

"Phew..." Hu Bayi and Fatty also exhaled a long puff of smoke, still shaken.

Tonight was absolutely amazing, so amazing that they almost couldn't help but curse.

Although they didn't have Hu Ming's special bloodline, those shadows that appeared "out of thin air" were still frightening enough, and they really tested one's courage.

"Mingzi, did you just see something?"

At this moment, Hu Bayi pondered for a moment and looked curiously into Hu Ming's eyes.

I don't know if it was just my imagination, but Hu Bayi thought he saw a glint in Hu Ming's eyes just now?
But how could the human eye possibly emit light?
It's probably just my imagination...

"...Yes, I saw the real bodies of those shadows on the ground."

"A river formed by dense yin energy, with countless figures of people and animals floating and sinking in it. For half an hour, the city was almost transformed into a hell."

Hu Ming nodded, looked up at the bright full moon in the sky, and said softly.

Who could have imagined that such a beautiful night scene could have been like hell on earth just moments before?
"You saw that?" Hu Bayi and Fatty were taken aback and subconsciously looked into Hu Ming's eyes.

Yes, as bright and sparkling as ever, but Hu Ming's eyes occasionally flashed with golden light, and his pupils had turned golden.

"Uh... I'm like that Ah Xiang, my eyes can also see things that ordinary people can't."

Hu Ming didn't hide it; this couldn't be kept secret, especially since their goal was the Devil's Ruins.

Besides, the brothers are together every day, so they'll find out eventually.

“No, Mingzi, I’ve never heard you say you can see these things since you were little,” Hu Bayi said, frowning.

"Uh... neither the old man nor you asked!" Hu Ming stood up, dusted off his backside, and casually shrugged.

(End of this chapter)