On the vast Canglan River, as the continuous heavy snow stops and the morning sun rises, the ice on the river surface gradually disintegrates, as if it never existed.

When the ice melted, the fishermen along the river also took advantage of the rare good weather to cast nets in the river.

The fish under the big river, because of the existence of ice on the river, have been holding back in the turbid and oxygen-deficient river water for a long time.

From time to time, you can see one or two silver fish either popping up or jumping out of the water, greedily breathing the fresh air above the water.

"The eldest prince, through this reed, you will arrive at the village of Niutou. ”

In the cabin, Zhao Si's loud voice rang out.

Zhao Ting was dressed in a white robe, standing at the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back, he didn't speak, but he was thinking about other things in his heart.

According to Jiang Ruhai's letter, what happened in Niushou Village was too weird, which also deeply aroused Zhao Ting's interest.

Therefore, the weather has just improved today, so he took Zhao Si and drove all the way down the Canglan River to visit this strange village.

At this time, on the other side of the boat, the old boatman who was paddling also frowned and spoke, and his voice was hoarse: "Speaking of Niushou Village, old man, it seems that I haven't seen the fishing boats of Niushou Village appear on the river for a long time. ”

"I don't know what they eat if they haven't fished for so long?"

Zhao Ting, who said these two sentences, moved slightly in his heart, turned around and asked the gray-bearded old boatman, and said, "Uncle, I heard you say that I haven't seen the fishing boats in Niushou Village for a long time, how long has it been?"

When the old boatman saw Zhao Ting's question, he didn't dare to slack off, stopped the paddling action in his hand, thought carefully for a while, and then said: "Returning to the son, the old body crosses people on this river all the year round, and he will not rest for a day, huh...... The last time I saw a fishing boat in Niushou Village, it seemed to be a month ago. ”

"Moon ago?" Zhao Ting repeated lightly, nodding thoughtfully.

......

The fishing boat slowly stopped at a shallow wharf, and on the boundary of this wharf, there was a square cyan stone tablet with three neat black characters written on it.

"Niushou Village"!

"Zhao Gongzi, Niushou Village has arrived. The old ship's family tied the nails, and then turned into the cabin and reminded Zhao Ting.

Hearing this, Zhao Ting stood up, pushed open the curtain hanging outside the cabin and walked out.

I hid in the cabin for a while, and the sky was actually overcast, and it seemed to be able to drip water.

Less than 100 meters from the wharf, in the valley, a cluster of square buildings and earth and stone walls swells here.

Most of these earthen walls are built very low, and if they are used to prevent thieves, it is probably a bit inadequate.

Standing on the bow of the boat and observing from a distance for a moment, Zhao Ting discovered a strange phenomenon.

This strange phenomenon is that in broad daylight, this small village that can live with a hundred and ten people does not have a single sound.

On the main street of the village, there was not a single figure seen at this time, quietly, quietly and a little scary.

"What about the villagers in this village?"

Zhao Ting turned his head and asked the old boatman.

The old boat family also shook his head strangely, and said, "I don't know the old body, maybe it's too cold, so I hide in the house and sleep." ”

In broad daylight, sleeping?

That's a bit of fun!

He was thinking,

suddenly

"!" I saw that Zhao Si, who was still in the cabin just now, had walked out at some point, and was pointing to the dry well under a gray stone wall at the entrance of the village with a frightened face, and the ghost shouted, "You guys...... Did you see, a dark shadow had just flashed by the well. ”

"Shadow?" the old boatman looked in the direction he was pointing, "What's the shadow?"

"Really, that black shadow was still there just now," Zhao Si saw that the old boatman questioned him, his face immediately turned red, and he swore and promised, "Childe, you believe me, there was really a black shadow just now, which flashed past that well, and disappeared in the blink of an eye." ”

Zhao Ting glanced at him and said lightly: "Well, I believe you, you calm down first." ”

"I ......"

"Okay, Si'er," Zhao Ting smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "I'm going to go into the village to have a look, you can stay on the boat with this old man, and wait for me to come back." ”

"Oh, by the way, I may spend the night in this Niushou village, you remember, no matter what happens, you don't go into the village, just stay here and wait for me to come back. ”

Hearing Zhao Ting's words, Zhao Si suddenly became anxious and said, "Childe, this village is obviously a little weird, how can the villain let you take the risk alone?"

"Obedient," Zhao Ting's tone became a little heavier, and his face became serious, "Wait for me to come back." ”

So saying, he put away the corners of his robe, jumped lightly, and stepped on the shore.

After going ashore, Zhao Ting turned around, smiled and waved at Zhao Si and the old boatman, then clenched the dragon teeth in his sleeve and walked slowly towards the entrance of the village.

......

The reason why he didn't bring Zhao Si into the village together, Zhao Ting naturally had his reasons.

First, he didn't know what he was facing when he entered the village this time, he had dragon teeth to defend himself, but Zhao Si didn't.

The second is that Zhao Si's courage is too small, just a black shadow that is empty can make him lose his temper, not to mention that if he is allowed to see something with his own eyes that he shouldn't see, then wouldn't he collapse on the spot? With him, it is tantamount to carrying an oil bottle, and it is a fatal "oil bottle" at a critical moment.

While thinking about it, Zhao Ting had already stepped into Niushou Village from the entrance of the village.

In this village, the doors of every house are closed at this time.

In broad daylight, it looks like a thief.

Walking past the two families at the entrance of the village, Zhao Ting stopped in front of the third house.

The two black gates made of tung oil wood were tightly closed, and a dark red rattan fishing net was left in front of the door, and the net had a hole the size of a bowl, and it seemed that it was useless.

Zhao Ting leaned over, picked up the tattered fishing net, and shook off the ice ballast piled up in the fishing net.

Judging from the ice ballast that has been connected together, it is clear that the time that this fishing net was left unattended here is not short.

However, the net had been in front of the house for so long that there was not even a single footprint on it.

This made Zhao Ting think of a question, where did the villagers living in this house go?

You can't hide in the house all winter and never come out, right?

Things are getting more and more confusing.

Just as Zhao Ting was racking his brains and thinking, in the alley behind him, a black shadow suddenly flashed.

Zhao Ting turned his head abruptly and looked around, but found nothing, which made him frown.

Just as he entered the village, he had a feeling that he was on his back, as if someone had been hiding in the dark to spy on him.

He thought it was a delusion and didn't care. Now it seems that he is really being targeted by something.

"Like to play voyeurism?" Zhao Ting smiled slightly, and strode into the alley behind him.

......

in the alleys.

Under a low wall of earthy yellow.

"It's not night, and those 'things' shouldn't have woken up yet. Under the earthen wall, a middle-aged man who looked more depressed than a beggar was squatting there and whispering to himself, the man's thin face was black, and there was an indescribable stench all over his body.

"Hmm...... I'll pretend to be a "ghost" a few more times, hoping to scare away this young man who rushed into the village," said the middle-aged man's expression became a little sad, "It's already like this anyway, it's boring to live, and it's one life that can be saved." ”

He was muttering to himself, when suddenly, his shoulder sank slightly, as if a hand had been placed on his shoulder.

After reacting, the middle-aged man's face suddenly turned pale, the hairs on his body stood up, and his teeth were chattering irregularly, with an extremely frightened look.

Just as the middle-aged man of the "beggar" closed his eyes tightly and was thinking nonsense in his mind, a clear voice sounded behind him.

"Hello, I want to ask, are you a villager in this Niushou Village?"

“......”

As this voice sounded, the middle-aged man's originally tense face collapsed little by little.

He turned his head and saw a young man standing behind him, looking at him with a smile.

This boy wears a jade crown on his head, a white robe is better than snow, and his appearance is dignified, rich and handsome, and the middle-aged man who looks at it can't help but be stunned for a moment.

After a while, the middle-aged man remembered his original purpose, stood up, lowered his voice and said eagerly: "Young man, you really shouldn't come here, hurry up and leave the village." ”

"It's too late...... Fast. ”

Saying that, the middle-aged man glanced up at the sky, the look on his face became a little more anxious, and said, "Come with me, I'll take you out of the village." ”

Zhao Ting carefully observed the middle-aged man for a moment, and after confirming that he was indeed a normal person, he put his mind at ease and said: "Uncle, Xiaosheng is from the capital of Linshan County, and he passed by Guibao Land today, and saw that it was getting late, and it was inconvenient to sail, so he wanted to spend the night here." ”

"Why is Uncle in a hurry to drive people away? Don't worry, I won't lose a cent of the money I should give. ”

When the middle-aged man heard that he was going to "stay overnight", he suddenly became more anxious, and while pushing him out, he said: "It's not a matter of money or not, hurry up, you are not welcome here......"

"Ahem......" The two were pulling, and an old cough suddenly came from outside the alley, and then, a cold voice sounded, "Niu Tie, you are a guest from afar, how can there be a reason to drive the guests out?"

"It's over......" Hearing this voice, the middle-aged man's face was immediately as white as paper, and even the left hand that was pulling Zhao Ting couldn't help but tremble.

Zhao Ting also heard the sound and saw a thin, short goatee old man standing at the entrance of the alley, he was wearing a gray robe, and there was a stiff smile on his dark yellow old face full of folds and corpse spots.

Those cloudy old eyes were staring at Zhao Ting tightly at this time, with a strange desire in their eyes, as if they were looking at their own food.

Zhao Ting was about to speak, but the old man with the goatee said: "Old Li Huai is the village leader of Niushou Village." ”

"I heard from my son that I want to spend one night in the village, no problem, no problem at all. ”

"Uh......" Zhao Ting blinked suspiciously, and said, "Is it really possible?"

The old man with the goatee grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Of course, Childe must not listen to this person's nonsense. ”

"This person's name is Niu Tie, and he suddenly went crazy for some reason a month ago! Now he has been reduced to the point that he doesn't even know his own parents, which is quite pitiful. ”

"Oh," Zhao Ting suddenly realized, "I see! ”

After the old man with the goatee stiffly pulled out a smile, he suddenly took advantage of Zhao Ting's lack of attention, turned his head and glared fiercely at the crazy man named "Niu Tie", and at that moment, the vicious color revealed in his muddy old eyes was so rich that it couldn't be dissolved.

Niu Tie was glared at by the gazes of these people who wanted to eat people, and suddenly trembled with fear, and closed his lips with a pale face.

"Childe, please come with the old man, there are two first-class wings in the old man's house, which are all arranged in advance, specially to welcome distinguished guests. ”

The old man with the goatee stared at Zhao Ting tightly, his expression was earnest, his slightly pale lips moved one by one, and he sent an invitation to Zhao Ting.

"Okay, thank you for that......"

Before Zhao Ting finished speaking, Niu Tie stood up suddenly, with a look of death on his face. He pushed the old man with the goatee fiercely, as if he burst out with all his strength, and pushed the old man with the goatee into the earthen wall by the alley, and at the same time cried hoarsely: "you, Lao Tzu will fight with you, young baby, run......

"Run......

The voice was sharp and sad, tearing through the silence of the small village.

"This ......" Zhao Ting scratched his head, as if he was a little puzzled by Niu Tie's sudden "outburst", "Li Cunzheng, what is the situation?"

The old man with the goatee was unprepared against Niu Tie, and he was suddenly attacked by him, so he was accidentally hit.

After reacting, he patted his clothes casually and stood up straight, completely unable to see the feeling of weakness that an old man who was about to die.

"Don't get in the way, don't get in the way, cough, cough ......," the old man with a goatee waved his hand and coughed twice, "It must be that this "Niu Tie" is crazy again. ”

"Niu Youde, why don't you take your son back and discipline him well, how can he be so rude in front of the guests?"

As soon as he said this, an old man in a gray-blue cloth jacket suddenly popped out from the corner of the alley, and this old man was younger than the old man with a goatee in terms of appearance.

It's just that his eyes are blank, his movements are extremely stiff when he walks, and the whole person doesn't look a little angry! If he hadn't moved so suddenly, Zhao Ting really didn't notice that there was a person hiding in the corner.

Niu Youde, who looked like a "puppet", walked over with stiff and slow steps, stretched out two thin arms and hugged Niu Tie violently.

These two arms seem to be thin, but the strength contained in them is extremely amazing, even if the middle-aged man Niu Tie struggles with all his might, he can't get out of the shackles of these arms.

"Ghost thing, let go of me, you, you're numb......" Niu Tie scolded while being dragged farther and farther away by the "Niu Youde", "You ghosts, where did you hide my father and mother?"

The voice faded in.

"This Niu Tie has a problem with his brain, don't believe a word of what he says. The old man with the goatee smirked and explained to Zhao Ting.

"Please, Childe!"