The rain suddenly stopped. The last few drops fell from the dark sky and hit the wet street before everything became strangely quiet. For a few seconds, no one moved. Water continued dripping from the roofs and broken wooden stalls, filling the silence with soft, uneven sounds.One by one, the affected demons collapsed or slowly regained consciousness. Some fell against walls, while others remained on the ground, breathing heavily. Their eyes slowly returned to normal, and the strange tension in their bodies disappeared.
A few demons blinked in confusion and looked around as if they had just woken from a deep sleep. None of them remembered attacking anyone. One demon slowly raised his hands and stared at them, his fingers trembling. Another looked at the broken stall beside him and took a step back. "What... happened here?" he asked weakly. No one answered him. The damage around them was enough to make everyone understand that something terrible had happened. Some demons looked frightened when they noticed the scratches on their clothes or blood on the ground.
Chen Yu quickly moved from one person to another, checking their breathing and injuries. He knelt beside an unconscious demon and placed two fingers against his neck before letting out a quiet breath. "He's alive." Nearby, Wei Han stood silently, his eyes moving from one demon to another. The sight left him uneasy. The rain had changed them somehow, but now they were acting as if nothing had happened. He watched their confused faces carefully. They don't remember anything... then what exactly happened to them? His gaze briefly settled on the red stains still covering the street. And why did the rain affect only some of them? He kept those thoughts to himself.
Xu Yang also watched the street carefully. His ears twitched at every small sound, but there was nothing except dripping water and weak breathing. He glanced toward Hei Long again. Hei Long was still unconscious where he had collapsed, his face pale and his breathing shallow. This is seriously not normal... Xu Yang kept his expression calm, but his eyes stayed on Hei Long for a moment longer. He looked completely different just now... The memory of Hei Long's empty eyes made him uneasy.
Xu Yang's chest tightened slightly. He wanted to go to him, but he waited while Chen Yu finished checking the others. "We need to make sure no one is still affected," Chen Yu said as he stood. He wiped the rainwater from his face and looked toward the demons. "Check everyone." Wei Han gave a small nod and walked toward one of the demons who had regained consciousness. As he reached for the demon's arm, he suddenly stopped. His eyes narrowed. There was something beneath the skin. A faint mark was slowly becoming visible on the demon's arm. It looked like a thin, dark-red pattern, almost like a small thread spreading beneath the skin.
Wei Han grabbed the demon's wrist and turned his arm toward the light. "This." The demon looked down and froze. "What is that?" Wei Han studied the mark closely, his expression becoming more serious. The demon rubbed his arm as if trying to remove it, but the mark did not fade. "I've never seen it before," he said. His voice became nervous. "It wasn't there before." Chen Yu heard him and quickly walked over. "Let me see." The demon held out his arm. Chen Yu examined the strange pattern, then looked at Wei Han. "It doesn't look like an ordinary wound." He touched the skin around it.
The demon flinched. "Does it hurt?" "No," the demon answered. "I didn't even know it was there." Chen Yu's brows drew together. He turned toward another affected demon. "Show me your arm." The second demon hesitated before slowly pulling up his sleeve. Chen Yu's eyes immediately widened slightly. The same strange mark appeared beneath his skin. Thin dark-red lines spread across his arm in almost the same pattern. The street suddenly felt colder. Everyone became quiet.
Yan Luo stepped closer and looked from one mark to the other. "They're the same." Qing Li's expression lost its usual teasing calm. He reached toward the mark but stopped before touching it. "Then this isn't random." Wei Han looked down at the pattern again, his eyes sharp. He did not like what he was seeing. Whatever had happened during the rain had left something behind. Xu Yang watched them in silence, his attention slowly shifting between the marked demons. His brows slowly drew together. Same mark, same rain, same strange behavior. He tried to put the pieces together, but nothing fit yet. So the rain caused the change... but why only some demons? And what exactly is this mark supposed to do? His thoughts began racing faster than he wanted. Great. Another mystery... He exhaled quietly and looked at the marks again. There has to be some connection... His eyes moved toward Hei Long, who was still unconscious. Unless... His eyes moved toward Hei Long, who was still unconscious.
Xu Yang's expression changed, and he immediately took a step toward him. "Wait." Everyone turned toward him. Xu Yang looked at Hei Long and immediately moved closer to him and knelt beside him. He checked his arms, shoulders, and neck, but there was no strange mark anywhere on his skin. Chen Yu checked him as well before quietly shaking his head. "Nothing." Xu Yang looked down at Hei Long's pale face. His breathing was steady now, but he still had not woken up. "Then why did he lose control?" Yan Luo asked quietly. Xu Yang remembered Hei Long's empty eyes and the strength behind his attacks. His hand slowly tightened into a fist.
Later, Hei Long's eyes opened slowly, and for a moment, he simply stared at the wooden ceiling. His body felt weak, and his throat was dry. He tried to sit up, but his muscles ached, forcing him to pause. Then a quick flash crossed his mind. Rain poured over the town. Water rushed along the streets. He remembered coming back inside the inn and seeing Xu Yang, Yan Luo, Qing Li, and the others. Then everything suddenly became empty. Hei Long frowned and pressed a hand against his forehead. Why couldn't he remember what happened after that?...
The door opened, pulling him from his thoughts. Xu Yang stepped inside and noticed that he was awake. "Hei Long?" He quickly walked over and knelt beside the bed. "Are you okay?! How are you feeling?" Hei Long looked at him, still trying to focus. Before he could answer, Yan Luo, Qing Li, and Chen Yu entered behind Xu Yang. The worried expressions on their faces made Hei Long's heart sink. "I'm...fine," he said, though his voice was weak. Chen Yu quickly handed him a cup of water. "Drink slowly." Hei Long took it with both hands and drank. The water eased his dry throat, but the strange feeling in his chest remained.
Everyone was looking at him as if they were afraid something might happen again. Xu Yang waited until Hei Long put the cup down. His expression was gentle, but there was hesitation in his eyes. He studied Hei Long for a moment before speaking. "Hei Long... do you remember anything?" Hei Long blinked at him. "What?" Xu Yang leaned forward slightly. "Anything about what happened before you passed out?" Hei Long frowned and tried to think. Before he could answer, Yan Luo stepped closer. His expression was serious. "You really don't remember what you did?" Hei Long looked at him in confusion. "What I did?" Lin Chen stared at Hei Long for a moment, then glanced at Xu Yang. He seemed unsure how to say it. Finally, he spoke quietly. "You just attacked Xu Yang."
Hei Long froze. His eyes widened as he looked at Xu Yang. "I attacked you?" Xu Yang nodded. Hei Long looked down at his hands. They seemed completely normal, yet the thought of them hurting Xu Yang made his chest tighten. He immediately looked back at Xu Yang, checking him from head to toe. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. Xu Yang shook his head. "I'm okay." Hei Long lowered his gaze, guilt settling heavily in his chest. His fingers curled against the blanket. "I'm sorry." He looked away, unable to meet Xu Yang's eyes. "I don't know why I would..." His voice faded.
Xu Yang placed a hand on his shoulder. "You weren't yourself." Hei Long remained silent for a moment, struggling to find the missing piece in his memory. He slowly raised his head, his expression troubled. "I don't remember."
Xu Yang put his hand on Hei Long's shoulder. "It's okay. I don't blame you." Hei Long looked at him, but the guilt in his eyes did not disappear. "But I could have hurt you." His voice was low. Xu Yang gave him a small shake of his head. "You didn't choose to do it. You weren't yourself." He paused, then added quietly, "If something takes control of you, that doesn't mean your heart wanted it." Hei Long's fingers slowly loosened against the blanket. He looked down, still troubled. Xu Yang gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "So don't carry all of this alone, okay? We'll figure out what happened." Hei Long looked back at him. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The simple words eased some of the tension in Hei Long's face. "Thank you!" he said quietly. Xu Yang gave him a small smile. "You don't need to thank me for that."
Before Hei Long could reply, Chen Yu suddenly looked at his arm. "Wait." Chen Yu stepped closer. His eyes settled on Hei Long's wrist. There was a faint mark. Hei Long followed his gaze and pulled his sleeve back. The thin, dark-red pattern seemed to sit just under the surface. "What is that?" he asked, confusion crossing his face. He rubbed the area lightly, but the mark did not disappear. "I've never seen this before." Xu Yang's eyes narrowed. He remembered seeing Hei Long's arms earlier, before the rain began. There had been nothing there. Wei Han moved closer and studied it without touching. His expression became serious. He then looked toward the other affected demons. "It's the same."
Everyone went silent. Chen Yu looked toward the demons outside, then back at Hei Long. The affected demons all had a similar version of the mark. Xu Yang stared at the mark on Hei Long's arm. For a brief moment, the room faded from his thoughts, replaced by a quick flash of the fight. Hei Long's hand around his neck. The force in his grip and faint movement beneath the skin of his arm, almost like something shifting inside it. Then the image was gone. Xu Yang blinked and looked at the mark again. So I didn't imagine it... His expression became serious. It wasn't just the rain... He looked at Hei Long again with worry. What exactly had entered his body? And why was the mark only appearing now?... Wei Han noticed Xu Yang's expression but did not interrupt him.
Xu Yang turned toward the dark window. The rain had stopped completely, but water still dripped from the roof outside. The street was empty now. Broken stalls, scattered wood, and large puddles were the only signs of what had happened. Xu Yang watched the street for a moment, then stepped closer to the window and looked down. At first, he saw nothing unusual. Then his eyes stopped on a single red footprint near the edge of the street. Xu Yang's brows tightened. He leaned closer to the window. "Did anyone see that?" The others turned toward him. "See what?" Chen Yu asked. Xu Yang pointed toward the street. "There." Yan Luo stepped beside him and looked down. His expression changed slightly. "That wasn't there before." Qing Li moved closer to the window. "Is that blood?" Wei Han shook his head after a careful look. "No. Look at the shape."
Xu Yang's eyes narrowed. The footprint was too long and narrow to be human. What kind of creature made this?... He opened the window a little and leaned closer. Yan Luo stepped beside him, while Qing Li looked over his shoulder. Wei Han's hand moved toward his ring. Lin Chen came closer, his face becoming tense as he noticed the strange red mark. Su Yuan stayed behind them, staring at the empty street. "What is that?" he asked quietly. Before anyone could answer, a thin red line slowly spread across the wet ground beside the first footprint. It moved through the puddle as if something invisible was stepping forward.
Everyone went still. Another part of the footprint appeared, slowly pressing into the water. There was no sign of a foot. Only the red shape formed on its own. Xu Yang's eyes widened. "It just appeared..." Chen Yu whispered. Lin Chen took a slow step back. "But there's nothing there." Su Yuan's breathing became uneven as he looked toward the dark street. Yan Luo gripped his sword, while Qing Li's eyes scanned the rooftops. Wei Han said nothing, but his gaze stayed fixed on the empty space above the footprints.
Xu Yang kept watching the ground. Whatever is making these... it doesn't want us to see it... His expression became serious. He said nothing. The others slowly turned toward the window. The red footprint became clearer on the ground.Xu Yang immediately turned away from the window. "Everyone stays inside." Yan Luo closed the window and checked the lock. Qing Li moved away from the wall and looked toward the door. Hei Long slowly tried to get up from the bed. His legs shook, and Xu Yang quickly reached out and caught his arm. "Don't." Hei Long steadied himself against the bed. "I can help." "You're still weak," Xu Yang said. "Rest."
Hei Long looked like he wanted to argue, but when he saw Xu Yang's serious face, he stopped. He slowly sat back down. Wei Han was still looking through the window. His eyes suddenly narrowed. "The footprints." Everyone looked toward the street. The red footprints were no longer near the edge of the road. They were closer to the inn. "They're moving." Wei Han said.
Another red footprint slowly appeared on the wet ground. Then another. Each one formed a little closer to the inn. No footsteps could be heard. No one was there. Only the red marks appeared one after another, as if something invisible was walking toward them. Lin Chen took a small step back. Su Yuan's face turned pale. He watched the footprints without blinking. "Is it coming here?" he asked quietly. Nobody answered. The footprints suddenly stopped. They were now only a short distance from the inn door.
Chen Yu raised his hand and green energy gathered around his fingers and spread across the floor. The light moved through the doorway and into the street.Chen Yu closed his eyes and slowly searched the area.He checked the road, the rooftops, and the spaces between the old houses. A few seconds passed. He opened his eyes. "Nothing." Qing Li looked at him. "Nothing?" Chen Yu shook his head. Yan Luo looked at the red footprints.He raised one hand and his flame sword appeared with a flash of light. "Then let the sword check." He moved his fingers, and the sword flew out through the doorway.
Everyone watched as the sword moved slowly above the wet street. Its flames lit up the red footprints. It passed over them, then moved farther down the road. Yan Luo kept his eyes on it from inside. The sword turned toward the rooftops. It checked one house, then another. Nothing moved. It slowly returned toward the street. Suddenly, the flame on the sword flickered. Yan Luo's eyes sharpened. The sword stopped in the air. Its flames bent to one side, as if something had moved past it. "There." Yan Luo said quietly. Qing Li immediately looked toward the same place. "What is it?" "I don't know."
Yan Luo moved his hand. The sword swung toward the empty street and sent a wave of fire across the ground. The flames spread for a short distance, but nothing appeared. Then the sword suddenly shook and its flames became weak for a moment before returning to normal.Yan Luo's face tightened. "Something touched it." Xu Yang looked at the empty road. "But there's nothing there." "I know." Yan Luo pulled his fingers back. The sword quickly flew into the inn and returned to his hand. He looked at it for a moment before lowering it. Nobody spoke.
The street outside was completely still. The red footprints remained on the wet ground. Hei Long looked toward the door from the bed.He could not see anything, but he felt as if something was standing just outside. Su Yuan quietly moved closer to Lin Chen. Lin Chen glanced at him but said nothing. Xu Yang stepped toward the door. He watched it carefully. "Nobody opens it." Everyone became still. Then a soft sound came from the other side. Knock. Knock. Knock.
The door suddenly opened by itself. The wooden door moved inward with a long creak. Everyone froze.Lin Chen took a quick step back, his face turning pale.Su Yuan caught his sleeve without taking his eyes off the doorway.Yan Luo raised his flame sword, and the fire along the blade flickered in the cold air.Qing Li's expression became serious as he moved slightly closer to the others.Wei Han's fingers rested near his ring, while Chen Yu quietly gathered green energy around his hand.
Xu Yang stared at the open doorway, his eyes narrowing.Nobody spoke for a few seconds.Then a figure slowly appeared in the darkness outside.It stood very still, almost like it had been standing there for a long time. Its clothes were completely wet and hung loosely from its thin body. Long, wet hair covered its face and reached almost to its waist. Its skin could barely be seen through the strands of hair. Water dripped slowly from its clothes and made small sounds on the ground. But the water falling from its hands was dark red. It ran down its fingers like blood before dripping onto the floor. A drop landed near the doorway. Then another.
Lin Chen's breath caught. "Red..." Su Yuan stared at the figure, his voice barely audible. Chen Yu watched the drops carefully. Yan Luo's grip tightened around his sword. "Something about it feels wrong." Qing Li glanced at him. "I feel it too." The figure remained completely still. It did not react to the weapons or the energy surrounding the room. Its head hung low, and its hair hid its face completely. For a moment, only the sound of water dripping from its body could be heard. Then Hei Long suddenly stiffened on the bed. His hand went to his arm where the strange mark had appeared. His fingers tightened around his sleeve.
Xu Yang immediately noticed. "Hei Long?" Hei Long's breathing became uneven. "Something's happening." The mark slowly became darker and thin lines turned a deeper red, spreading slightly beneath his skin. Hei Long pressed his hand against his arm. "It feels strange..." Xu Yang moved closer and looked at the mark. "It's darker." Chen Yu also noticed the change. "It wasn't like that before." Wei Han's eyes shifted from the mark to the figure outside. "They're connected somehow."
Hei Long looked toward the doorway again. His face had become pale. "I can feel it." Xu Yang looked at him. "What do you feel?" Hei Long swallowed. "I don't know. It's like..." He stopped, unable to find the words. "Like I've seen it before." The figure slowly raised its head. Everyone went silent again. Its wet hair moved away from its face a little. A pale part of its face appeared between the strands. Its skin looked almost white. One eye slowly became visible through the wet hair. Then the other. Both eyes were fixed directly on Hei Long. Xu Yang noticed immediately. "It's looking at you."
Hei Long's breathing became faster. He could not look away. Yan Luo's expression tightened, but he did not move. Qing Li glanced between Hei Long and the figure. Xu Yang stayed beside Hei Long, watching his face carefully."The mark is reacting again." Hei Long suddenly grabbed his arm harder. "Ah..." Xu Yang's expression changed."Does it hurt?" Hei Long nodded faintly. "A little." The figure did not attack. It only continued staring directly at him. Its wet hair slowly moved with the cold wind, but its eyes never left Hei Long.
Then Hei Long suddenly heard a strange whisper inside his head. His body went completely still. His eyes widened. Xu Yang noticed the sudden change in his expression. "Hei Long?" Hei Long could not answer. The room around him began to blur. The voices of the others faded until he could no longer hear them.For a moment, everything became dark. Then he saw the red rain. It fell heavily over the town, covering the streets in red water. Demons moved through the rain, some running, some attacking others. The same dark marks appeared beneath their skin. The scene suddenly changed. Hei Long stood in a dark place with no sky and no light. Red footprints covered the ground in every direction. Hundreds of them stretched deep into the darkness. Hei Long stared at them, confused and unable to understand where he was. Then he saw several demons standing farther ahead. They were completely still. Each one had the same dark-red mark beneath their skin. The marks seemed to pulse faintly. Hei Long tried to move toward them, but his body would not move. One of the demons slowly raised its head. The whisper became louder. Hei Long's eyes widened. "Who are you...?"
The vision suddenly broke apart. The dark place disappeared. The red footprints vanished and rain was gone. Hei Long was back inside the inn, but his breathing had become heavy. His hand was still gripping his marked arm.Xu Yang saw his face change. "Hei Long?" Hei Long did not respond. His knees suddenly weakened. Xu Yang quickly reached for him. Hei Long suddenly fell to one knee. Xu Yang caught him. "Hei Long, what happened?!what did you see?"
Hei Long struggled to breathe normally. Xu Yang kept one hand on his shoulder and helped him stay upright. "Take your time. Tell us what you remember." Hei Long closed his eyes for a moment. "There were many demons," he said slowly. "They were all standing together." Chen Yu looked at him. "Were they attacking anyone?" "No. They weren't moving." Hei Long opened his eyes and looked toward the doorway. "They were just standing there. All of them had the same mark." His fingers tightened around his arm. Qing Li looked at him. "What happened after that?" Hei Long's expression became tense. "Something was standing behind them."
Xu Yang's eyes narrowed. "You couldn't see it?" "Not clearly. The demons were blocking it." Hei Long swallowed. "But I knew something was there." Su Yuan frowned. "Did it look like a demon?" Hei Long shook his head. "I don't know." Xu Yang watched him carefully. "Try to remember. Anything about it could help." Hei Long went silent for a moment. He lowered his eyes and tried to recall the image. "I can't remember its face." He paused. "I only remember two bright eyes."
Chen Yu's expression changed. "Eyes?" Hei Long nodded. "They were behind the demons. Just watching them." Wei Han looked at the mark on Hei Long's arm. "Then the marks may not be the cause." Everyone looked at him. Xu Yang asked, "What do you mean?" Wei Han spoke calmly. "The marks could be a connection. If the same mark appeared on all those demons and they were standing in the same place, the mark may be linking them to something else." Chen Yu thought about it for a moment. "So whatever affected them might be somewhere else." "That's possible," Wei Han said.
Yan Luo glanced toward the doorway. "And that thing could be the one controlling the marks." Xu Yang looked back at Hei Long. "Then the red rain may only be part of it." Hei Long slowly nodded. "Maybe."For a moment, the room remained quiet. Xu Yang was still beside him, his hand on Hei Long's shoulder. Wei Han continued looking at the mark on Hei Long's arm, while the others stayed focused on what they had just learned. Then a loud laugh suddenly came from the doorway. "Hahahahahaha..."
The figure's body slowly shook as it laughed. Its long, wet hair covered its face, but a small part of its mouth could be seen between the strands. Its mouth was stretched into a strange smile. Red water dripped from its hands and fell onto the floor, one drop after another. "Hahahahahaha..." The laugh grew louder. Its head slowly tilted to one side, but its body did not move. The hair stayed over its face as the strange laugh filled the room.