Chapter 79: Begin The Burrial
All of the tombstone-faced villagers stared at Mohan as though he were a complete fool before calmly returning to their meal, ignoring him entirely.
Mohan stood frozen in place, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably. His carefully prepared performance had earned him nothing but silence.
A burst of laughter suddenly broke the eerie atmosphere.
Lucian covered her mouth, barely able to contain herself.
"Haha... Did you really think you were Shen Yu?" she teased mercilessly. "He’s the one monsters naturally favor. You thought you could imitate him? Impossible."
Mohan’s expression darkened instantly.
"Damn it!"
He slammed both hands onto the table.
"Taking shortcuts... relying on your face... winning over female ghosts instead of using real strength..." he muttered bitterly. "I refuse to stoop to that level."
Lucian rolled her eyes.
"You don’t refuse," she replied with a smirk. "You simply can’t do it. It’s the classic case of sour grapes."
"You..."
Before Mohan could retort, a strange creaking sound echoed across the courtyard.
Creak... Creak...
Every conversation ceased.
All eyes slowly turned toward the main hall.
The elderly couple seated at the head table rose to their feet.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Each slow step they took sent chills through everyone’s spine.
Unlike the ordinary villagers, the tombstone creatures behind the old couple had completely emerged. Towering gray figures stood silently at their backs, mimicking every movement perfectly, like grotesque shadows that had gained physical form.
The old man slowly raised both hands.
His voice was hoarse, yet carried throughout the entire courtyard.
"The auspicious hour has arrived."
"We sincerely thank everyone for attending our son’s wedding funeral."
His smile widened unnaturally.
"Begin the burial."
Clang!
Without warning, the stone figure behind him lifted an old iron shovel.
At the same time, the elderly woman’s stone servant grabbed another shovel.
Sha... Sha... Sha...
The two creatures walked toward the deep pit in the center of the courtyard.
Without hesitation, they began shoveling heavy dirt into the coffin.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Each mound of soil crashed against the crimson coffin like a death sentence.
Inside, the bride dressed in brilliant red trembled violently.
Although hidden beneath her veil, everyone could tell she was terrified.
Her body shook uncontrollably, yet she never dared resist.
Around the pit, however, the villagers became increasingly excited.
"Good!"
"Wonderful!"
"What a blessed marriage!"
Their cheers blended together into an unsettling chorus.
The white mourning lanterns swayed in the cold wind while the paper funeral decorations rustled like whispers from the dead.
The sound of dirt falling...
The villagers’ laughter...
The bride’s muffled sobs...
Everything merged into a horrifying funeral celebration.
Then it happened.
Crack...
A sharp pain shot through Shen Yu’s spine.
His entire body stiffened.
"So painful..."
Nearby, Mohan and Taishan let out muffled groans as well.
The pain intensified by the second.
Crack! Crack!
Something seemed to be forcing its way out from beneath their skin.
Shen Yu’s expression changed dramatically.
His back bulged unnaturally.
Then—
Puff!
Three narrow gray stone slabs burst from the backs of Shen Yu, Mohan, and Taishan.
The newly formed stone tablets continued growing.
They expanded upward, tearing through flesh without spilling blood, becoming enormous tombstones attached directly to their spines.
The weight was overwhelming.
Shen Yu could no longer stand upright.
His shoulders bent forward beneath the burden.
"What... what is this?"
Mohan frantically reached behind himself, desperately trying to tear the stone tablet away.
As dust crumbled from its surface, his expression turned pale.
Because a human face had begun emerging from the stone.
His own face.
It slowly pushed outward from the gray rock, wearing a twisted grin identical to his own.
"Hehehe..."
The laughter coming from that stone face sounded exactly like Mohan himself.
It was as though another version of him was trying to crawl into existence.
Cold sweat soaked his back.
"I... I already offered my flesh!"
"I followed every rule!"
"Why is this still happening?!"
Nobody answered.
Even Taishan’s usually expressionless face showed genuine fear.
Shen Yu steadied himself despite the crushing pressure.
Instead of panicking, he forced himself to observe the surroundings.
The villagers continued cheering.
More dirt filled the pit.
The crimson coffin was disappearing beneath the soil.
Soon...
It would vanish completely.
A thought suddenly flashed through Shen Yu’s mind.
His pupils contracted.
"Wait..."
"Our mutations..."
He looked toward the nearly buried coffin.
"They began the moment the burial started."
Lucian immediately looked at him.
"What are you saying?"
Shen Yu took a deep breath.
"I think our transformation is connected to the bride."
Everyone fell silent.
He continued.
"When the coffin is completely buried..."
"...our bodies will finish transforming into tombstones."
He glanced over his shoulder at the face emerging from the stone slab.
"Then whatever is inside these tombstones..."
"...will replace us."
The words sent chills through everyone.
Their true selves would disappear.
Only the stone creatures wearing their faces would remain.
Lucian’s face turned pale.
"So if the burial finishes..."
"We’re dead."
"No."
Shen Yu shook his head.
"Worse."
"We’ll become them."
The horrifying realization struck everyone simultaneously.
Without another word, Mohan roared.
"Stop them!"
He and Taishan charged toward the two stone diggers.
Lucian followed immediately.
Shen Yu was only half a step behind.
But before they could reach the pit—
Giggle... Giggle...
The tombstones on their backs suddenly moved.
Gray-white arms stretched out from the stone itself.
One pair wrapped around Mohan’s waist.
Another locked around Taishan’s shoulders.
Two more seized Shen Yu’s arms.
The enormous stone limbs tightened with incredible strength.
They could barely move.
"No!"
Shen Yu immediately understood.
"If we attack the diggers..."
"...the creatures inside our tombstones awaken faster!"
The pressure behind him increased dramatically.
The face carved into the stone laughed louder.
Its shoulders were already pushing free.
Its chest slowly emerged.
Soon, it would climb completely out.
Mohan’s face turned ashen.
"What kind of cursed dungeon is this?"
"If we let them bury the bride..."
"...we become monsters."
"If we stop the burial..."
"...our tombstones awaken immediately."
"It’s a dead end!"
For the first time since entering the village, genuine panic appeared in his eyes.
Even his precious Future Echo had failed him.
"There has to be a way..."
"There has to..."
His ears began ringing violently.
Buzz...
Buzz...
Buzz...
Ignoring the excruciating pain, Mohan activated his S-Class Talent once more.
Future Echo.
The world around him faded.
Wind rushed through his ears.
Fragments of voices echoed from an uncertain future.
Some were clear.
Others were distorted beyond recognition.
He gritted his teeth.
"If the future still exists..."
"...then we survive."
"Which means..."
"There must be an answer."
The ringing intensified until blood trickled from his ears.
Taishan immediately stepped beside him, shielding him from the grasping stone arms.
"I’ll buy you time."
Mohan nodded gratefully.
His concentration deepened.
He desperately searched through the countless fragments of possible futures.
Meanwhile, Shen Yu struggled against the heavy stone arms binding him.
His gaze never left the red coffin.
Although nearly buried, he could still see the crimson veil beneath the falling soil.
For just a brief instant...
He thought he saw the bride lift her head ever so slightly.
As if...
She were silently waiting for him to understand something.
Shen Yu narrowed his eyes.
"No..."
"This dungeon isn’t impossible."
"We’re simply looking at it the wrong way."
Somewhere within the terrifying wedding ceremony...
Hidden beneath the burial ritual...
The true path to survival still existed.
He simply had to find it before the coffin disappeared forever.
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