Mo Wen felt his body growing heavier, as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on him. His chest felt like it was being crushed by a giant stone, making it harder to breathe. He could faintly smell something burnt and bitter, like locust tree seeds scorched by fire. Instinctively, he wanted to get up and open the window for some air, but as soon as he tried, he realized his limbs were stiff, as if bound by invisible chains, unable to move even a finger.
He heard faint, low whispers mixed with eerie hissing sounds, like countless ghosts whispering in the dark, sending chills down his spine. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw blurry shadows slowly moving in the dark corners of the room, sometimes gathering, sometimes twisting, like sinister, grim faces appearing and disappearing in the darkness.
Fear, like a cold snake, slithered up his spine and into his heart. The shadows seemed to be drawn by his awareness, gradually approaching, their faces becoming clearer, with rotting flesh, lifeless eyes, and black blood flowing from their open mouths. They were not mere illusions but some lurking presence in the darkness, hungrily watching him.
Mo Wen's heart raced, and his breathing became more difficult, as if his entire body was being swallowed bit by bit by an invisible giant mouth. Outside the window, a pale moonbeam shone through the window lattice, casting a light on his stiff face. He still had his eyes closed, but a strange smile appeared on his face.
Suddenly, his consciousness jolted.
He saw himself.
He was floating in mid-air, looking down at himself on the bed. His body was stiff, his face pale, his brows furrowed, and his lips slightly moving, as if silently screaming. His soul... had it left his body?
He suddenly realized that his body was being consumed by some black seed, those strange, tattered things covering his face, leaving only his nostrils struggling to breathe. If his nostrils were sealed, his body would lose all life, and his soul... would never return.
"I can't die! I must live!"
Mo Wen struggled desperately, trying to re-enter his body, but no matter how hard he tried, he was bound by invisible chains, unable to get even a little closer to his body.
Outside the door, a white fox seemed to sense Mo Wen's plight. It jumped out from the shadows, its white fur stained with a large patch of blood, yet it agilely leaped into the villa's door.
Just as his consciousness was about to completely sink, an ancient Buddhist scripture suddenly appeared in his mind. The obscure scriptures flowed like water, finally condensing into Great Bright Mantra—
"Om Mani Padme Hum…"
The low murmuring sound arose, as if hundreds of monks were chanting in your ears. It started faintly, like the buzzing of mosquitoes, but then layer upon layer, it surged like a torrent, growing louder and more impactful.
"Om Mani Padme Hum…"
A golden light rose from within, dispelling the dark shadows, and a warm current surged through his body. His fingertips regained sensation, and his body gradually escaped the heavy restraints. Just before the black seeds completely consumed him, he suddenly opened his eyes, shouting as he rolled off the bed.
"Hu—ha—"
He panted heavily, his chest heaving, cold sweat soaking through his clothes. The joy of surviving the ordeal hadn't fully washed over him when he suddenly sensed something unusual in the room.
Outside the window, dawn was beginning to break, but the room was still enveloped in an indescribable chill.
A slender figure quietly crouched at the doorway.
It was a white fox.
Its fur was pure white, smooth as frost, and glinting with a cold sheen. Its eyes were deep and sharp, like sharp blades piercing the heart, yet they carried a hint of human-like exhaustion. Even more unsettling was the trace of crimson blood at the corner of its mouth, like an uncleaned bloody smile.
Mo Wen's heart pounded, and he held his breath, unsure whether to step back or speak up.
He didn't know if this was a night demon finally revealing itself, or his savior arriving.
At that moment, a weak female voice whispered into his mind—
"Be careful... it's a demon... don't go near it!"
Mo Wen's whole body shook, and his fingertips grew cold.
The white fox remained motionless, staring at him with eyes that seemed to pierce through his soul.
Mo Wen cautiously faced the white fox, and the voice came again from behind him.
"It wants to kill you! It's a demon!"
Mo Wen looked around but couldn't find the source of the voice. He swallowed hard, his throat tight,"Who is talking?"
The white fox narrowed its eyes, its body leaning slightly forward, its ears twitching, and its movements becoming more tense. It even bared its fangs, letting out a low, threatening growl.
Mo Wen's hand reached for the broken bed leg beside him and held it in front of his chest.
"What do you want?"
"It will confuse your mind..." The woman's voice sounded again, this time from outside the door, with a hint of fear."Now that you've just broken free from its control, quickly kill it! Otherwise, it will deceive you again!"
"Confuse?" Mo Wen gripped the wooden stick tightly, recalling the old tales elders told him as a child: White foxes are best at enchanting minds, leading people into an endless abyss.
He slowly raised the stick, taking a stance to attack, shouting loudly, though he really just wanted to scare the beast away.
"You are all demons and monsters, but I'm just an ordinary person who accidentally intruded on your territory. Do you really have to kill me?" Mo Wen cried out in his heart.
But the white fox continued to watch him calmly, its eyes showing a hint of disdain and indifference.
Mo Wen cautiously approached the white fox, or rather, he was trying to get closer to the door, still fearing the fox might enchant him again or cast a spell to control his body.
"Great demon, as long as you don't harm me, I won't harm you!" Mo Wen pointed the stick at the white fox as he approached it.
Mo Wen's voice echoed in the empty room, but the white fox had already turned gracefully and disappeared behind the door.
Mo Wen was stunned, blinking furiously as the fox vanished before his eyes. He quickly pulled open the door, revealing the long, dark corridor.
Before he could think further, the white figure reappeared in the hallway, sitting leisurely on the ground, licking its paws, and casting a contemptuous glance at him with its narrow eyes.
Mo Wen didn't dare go in that direction, so he chose another path, moving sideways, staying cautious, and passing through the dim corridor. The woman's voice appeared again, this time from the end of the hallway ahead of him,"You are going the wrong way! You must rush through to survive!"
Mo Wen turned back, confused,"Great deity, please stop playing with me!"
But the woman's voice that had been helping him sounded anxious,"Hurry up, if you don't act now, you'll be trapped here forever!"
Mo Wen thought for a moment, clenched his teeth, and charged at the white fox.
He swung the wooden stick wildly, hoping to scare away the beast.
"This damned creature wants to kill me. Let's see how strong you really are!"
Mo Wen quickly realized that the white fox wouldn't give way, but its combat abilities seemed weak, only scratching with its claws. Soon, Mo Wen's arms were marked with shallow scratches, but his confidence grew,"If this white fox fights head-on, it's not that formidable!"
After a few rounds, Mo Wen became more adept at fighting, but the white fox seemed increasingly impatient. It suddenly turned, raised its paw, and an electric arc struck, knocking the stick from Mo Wen's hand, charring it.
Mo Wen turned and ran, the white fox closely pursuing him. To make matters worse, the white fox seemed more intent on humiliating him, leaving several scratches on his backside.
With nowhere else to go, Mo Wen stopped at an old wooden door. He grabbed the handle, ready to open it and continue his escape, but a hurried, unfamiliar voice came from behind him,
"Don't open the door!"
The voice sounded like it came from a throat that had been slashed but quickly returned to the woman's voice,
"It's forcing you to go through that door...
If you go out, you'll be lost in this villa forever!"