Chapter 1, The Legend of the Mountain Goblin

This is an old-fashioned kerosene lamp, which was commonly used in rural areas without electricity during the early years of liberation and in the 1960s and 1970s. During the planned economy period, kerosene had to be purchased from supply and marketing cooperatives with coupons.

"I am exhausted. With only a few months left, I am ready to take a good rest." After a few seconds, he smiled with relief. However, his expression soon turned serious as he said in a low voice, "Uncle Ma, how was your case determined?"

Karst funnel

His voice grew quieter and quieter, until he was holding his head and trembling uncontrollably. Director Ma sighed and patted him on the shoulder before walking among the officers

After years of constant wear, it has become somewhat unclear. However, one can still vaguely discern the appearance of those days.

At the center of the base, there is a vividly carved butterfly

There are evil spirits below this...

"Prepare yourselves," he said seriously, looking at everyone. "As soon as the supplies arrive, we will immediately prepare to descend into the cave! Everyone must report to Xiao Wang; if there are no people or bodies in sight, we will not disband!"

Just like ... . ... there is something quietly watching him from the depths of darkness. It sends chills down his spine

The situation arose suddenly. Vice County Head Li, in charge of public security, is expected to be promoted. Notifications have already been given, urging all units to tighten their grip and ensure that no issues arise before the end of the year. The County Head and the Secretary are both keeping a close watch on me. As for me, Uncle Ma... I truly have no other options left

Who is he? Jiang Xiandao

Damn it! After cursing, he turned and walked to the cave wall, grabbed the rope, and let out a long sigh: "Xiao Jiang, go up and rest for a while. Our police team will set off immediately within half an hour."

It is not the black spots that outline the shape of a butterfly. Instead, it is the lines that outline the hollow shape of the butterfly, consisting of two layers

In order to unravel this deadlock, his master, grandmaster, and ancestral masters... one after another, a succession of predecessors traversed the major corners of the country, perusing various ancient texts. Yet, not a single one succeeded. They had not even encountered the same pattern.

No one knows why it appears

As soon as he saw the rope in the hole, he recoiled as if electrocuted, stammering, "There... there are ghosts... there are ghosts!"

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

This is ... ... Qin Small Seal Script

However, when he let go of all his unwillingness and prepared to face this outcome with composure, no one expected that this deadlock, which had lasted for more than two thousand years, would actually show signs of loosening here

He gently picked it up and began to examine it closely

He rubbed his forehead in pain and suddenly said: "Could it be that he remembered it wrong? There was such a heavy rain yesterday, with thunder and lightning... and this place is mostly forest. Perhaps he saw the shadow of some trees?"

"Fellow villager, do not worry," Director Ma said sincerely, "In half an hour, we will immediately commence the rescue."

He pointed to the place where the rope was frayed and said to Director Ma: "This is a brown rope, three fingers wide, which is considered very thick. Its toughness is extremely strong; even fierce beasts like tigers and wolves find it very difficult to bite through."

"Rest assured, I will accompany you," Jiang Xian pondered for a few seconds and said, "Additionally, prepare supplies for a three-day journey, totaling six days for the round trip."

However, ... ... first, according to the villagers' reports. The rope broke after several tugs. This indicates that it did not support for long, and also suggests that ... ... the creature at the other end of the rope has an astonishing biting force

Of course there are. Director Ma let out a sound: "I specifically checked, and since the 1970s, there have been continuous reports. However... Xiao Jiang, this is the Qinling branch. The towering mountains are home to many tigers, leopards, and bears. Even if a report is made, it would be impossible to find them. Moreover... this is the first time someone has gone missing!"

It is ! ''

Jiang Xian shook his head: "I haven't been to a place like this for a long time. Let me get familiar with it. Leave a gun for me. Also, call two assistants and have them familiarize themselves with the situation as well"

Secondly, take a look at this fracture

Although a heavy rain last night washed away most of the traces, some things cannot be washed away, even if the bloodstains can be removed

If I remember correctly! Just as the words left my mouth, a face marked by deep crevices emerged from the opening above. The other party seemed to still be immersed in the nightmare of the previous night, gritting their teeth and speaking in a halting Mandarin: "That is a mountain demon... a mountain demon!"

Shaped like a gourd, it is narrow in the middle and thick at both ends, with the lampshade covered in cracks, clearly indicating that the situation was critical at that time. The second daredevil was forcefully held back and had no hands left to grab the kerosene lamp. This lamp slipped from his grasp and struck the stone wall, yet it remained undamaged

However, it has become very rare now. The kerosene lamp in Jiang Xian's hand, which originally belonged to Er Gan Zi, is an old-fashioned kerosene lamp

Second. Jiang Xian raised his second finger: "This should be a karst funnel-shaped landform"

He has also made efforts. He does not want to resign to fate. He has been to the best hospitals in the whole of Huaguo, and even traveled multiple times to Yunnan, Jianzhou, and Tibet in search of clues However

"What is it?" Director Ma asked in confusion

There, it is pitch black, unfathomably deep

"Is it still half an hour?" the man said in despair. "The report of the case was at eight o'clock last night! It's been over ten hours now! I already said, it's a mountain demon, a mountain demon! You can just go into the cave with your guns! It's not difficult at all! What does it mean for you to be here gossiping?"

He lowered his head and quickly unzipped his camouflage jacket. Right on his chest, there was a patch that was identical to the butterfly mark, strikingly clear

Firstly, there must be an internal space here, at least around 20 to 30 meters. It is also very likely to be over a hundred meters. At the same time, it is highly probable that there are other exits. Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain the living space issue of such a gigantic carnivorous beast

He presented the broken end of the rope to Director Ma: "It is very smooth, with a slight curvature. This is completely different from ferocious beasts like tigers and wolves. This indicates that the opponent has incisors. In biology, there is only one type of organism that leaves such bite marks."

The man was approximately fifty years old, with a square face and thick eyebrows and large eyes. Before Jiang Xian could speak, he immediately said: "You know, if it weren't for the case being so peculiar, I would absolutely not trouble you!"

He once thought that this was the end for him

Jiang Xian's expression was extremely solemn: "Uncle Ma, this cave... is not simple."

Jiang Xian's gaze swept across the ground. He nodded slightly: "Sheep like to eat clover, so it's not surprising they come down here... Has there been no report filed before?"

"Whether it is from the Qin or the Han dynasty, the value is quite good..." He turned the entire lamp over with great interest, revealing the bottom of the lampstand. However, before he could finish his sentence, his voice suddenly halted. He then looked at the base in disbelief.

"Uncle Ma, there is no need to say these things," Jiang Xian shook his head and said, "In our lineage, we must die at the age of twenty-five. I don't even know what my father looks like. You have been caring for me all these years out of the friendship you had with my father during his time at the Open University, so we don't need to say so much."

Jiang Xian gazed deeply at the opening above. He remained silent for a long time

The first 24 hours of a disappearance are the golden hours for rescue, and they must race against time

Hmm? Just as his hand touched the lamp holder, his brow suddenly furrowed.

The surroundings of the cave are rugged and uneven, with a narrow winding path leading down from the entrance, flanked by clover. A broken rope hangs down like a dead snake, with part of it coiled on the ground, and a shattered oil lamp is buried among the clover.

Around him, a man holding the rank of second-level police inspector was intently watching his every move, smoking silently. As Jiang Xian just put down the rope, he immediately anxiously extinguished his cigarette and asked: "Xiao Jiang, how is the situation?"

Every few years, it will crawl up, hungry, and eat people

Director Ma exclaimed, "Do we really need to go this far?"

One of the reporters. Director Ma let out a sigh of relief and continued, "This pit is called Wowo Pit, where 'wowo' means cotton shoes in this region. It is named so because the mouth of the pit resembles a cotton shoe. According to local legend, Wowo Pit is also known as Tiger's Mouth or Hungry Ghost's Mouth. This is because... there have been multiple incidents of livestock going missing here. All of them occurred around Wowo Pit. The villagers here have been taught since childhood not to go near the pit."

He suddenly chuckled: "A few years ago, I thought I was extraordinary and wanted to take a chance, but..."

Faint sounds of voices and footsteps came from the cave entrance, making the area below the cave exceptionally quiet. Director Ma, with his hands clasped behind his back, paced quickly, gritting his teeth as he said: "All incidents of wild animal attacks must have detailed reports. This is the fundamental reason why I cannot report it upwards. For now, it is merely a case of disappearance! There are no injuries to verify, no bodies; if I were to report a wild animal attack now, it would be a dereliction of duty!"

He understood Jiang Xian's meaning; what the police station in Foping County was facing was an underground maze of unknown size—possibly with extremely complex terrain! Moreover, there was an unknown gigantic carnivorous beast lurking within this maze... And they were responsible for bringing out either a living person or a corpse from inside...! The difficulty of this task was simply enough to make one's scalp tingle at the thought!

Director Ma's expression finally turned unpleasant

If gorillas and monkeys were large enough, it would not be impossible. Their incisors are more adept at biting through such ropes than the interlocking canines of tigers and wolves. Jiang Xian furrowed his brow slightly, looking at the opening above and said: "According to the villagers' reports, the creature they saw is said to be covered in silver fur—this is similar to under-evolved primates. Let us not discuss whether such a fur color exists. Based on the villagers' descriptions, the creature's body length is at least over 3 meters. To my knowledge, no primate can grow this large, especially... it also resides in caves.

This case is not as simple as it seems. He crouched down, picked up the end of the rope, and waved it towards Director Ma, saying: I have reviewed the case file. The missing person, Liu Dazhu, also known as Erganzai, is a villager from Mendao Niu Village. He went missing around 8:30 PM last night at this location. According to the case file, there should be a large amount of blood at the scene.

The cave fell silent as two officers were lowering themselves down the rope. Jiang Xian carefully surveyed the pit once more, confirming that there were no other findings. His gaze finally settled on the kerosene lamp that lay toppled in the grass.

No matter which hospital one goes to, they are informed that there is not a trace of abnormality in their body. ... However ... ! ... On the day of turning twenty-five, those who bear this mark are doomed to die without a doubt

That pit ... gives one a feeling of unease

The curse of the Black Death Butterfly... He only felt a heat in his throat; this moment came too suddenly, and he even felt his mind go blank for an instant

Director Ma shook his head in disbelief and said, "Are you saying that... that a gorilla or a monkey bit through this rope? This... this is impossible, right?"

On the ground, the isolation zone had been established early on. The area covered was extensive, and outside the isolation zone, the villagers stood sparsely. Only two villagers were standing inside the isolation zone

Jiang Xian nodded: "It is correct not to report rashly"

A rope that even tigers and wolves find difficult to bite through, was bitten through by a gorilla or a monkey

This name, akin to a maggot in the bone, has accompanied their lineage for thousands of years. Accompanying the curse of the Black Death Butterfly is the terrifying condition of hyperthymesia. In every generation, inexplicable patches of the Black Death Butterfly appear on the chest, without exception, for over two thousand years

This is ... ... '' A buzzing sound echoed in his mind, and he could only feel his lips becoming dry

He is already 24 years old

December 18 is his 25th birthday. He has only a little over five months left to live

Useless

Seeing Director Ma emerge from the pit, he trembled as he raised his head and stammered, "Leader, how is it?"

There are ghosts ... ... There are ghosts below ... ... " A middle-aged man dressed in a short coat stared blankly at the cave entrance, murmuring to himself: "People are going to die ... ... the evil spirits are coming out ... ... they are coming out again ... ... "

Director Ma gritted his teeth and said: "It should be a case of a wild animal attacking a person. The family of the missing person claims they want to see their loved one alive or, if dead, to see the body. However... I simply cannot report this up the chain!"

He smiled and shook his head, not continuing to speak

No one can unravel its mystery

The lamp holder was not smooth, but rather covered with tiny protrusions. As he looked closely, he was astonished to discover that these protrusions were actually individual characters

Where does this ... ... lead to?" He was astonished as he set down the kerosene lamp and gazed blankly at the passage.

Jiang Xian shook his head: "Uncle Ma, prepare for a comprehensive search. Has the authorization for the use of firearms been received? The 24 hours since the disappearance is the golden period for rescue. The time you have left... is running out."

Director Ma nodded slightly, and soon he was pulled up by the ropes. When the sunlight bathed over him again, he couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh

"Damn it!" Uncle Ma muttered under his breath, pulling out a cigarette and biting it between his teeth. However, he did not light it, nearly crushing the filter with his teeth, and said in a low voice, "Is there anything else I need to pay attention to? This case feels strange from top to bottom, and I always have a sense of unease."

Jiang Xian's eyes narrowed slightly: "Primate."

He unexpectedly looked at the lamp in his hand; Qin Xiaozhuan was the official script of the Qin Dynasty, highly distinctive and easily recognizable. ... However ...! ... He never imagined that in a nearly secluded small mountain village, the base of an old kerosene lamp would actually be engraved with Qin Xiaozhuan!

"This is a sinkhole." Seeing his confused expression, Jiang Xian shook his head and said, "Uncle Ma, your expertise does not lie in this area; you do not understand the wonders of this type of landform. Do not underestimate any sinkhole. The fact that funnel-shaped landforms can form indicates that... perhaps this area was once a site of intense volcanic eruptions... perhaps there used to be an underground river beneath. Regardless of which possibility it is, it suggests that the space inside could be quite vast... Perhaps this area was once a site of intense volcanic eruptions... perhaps there used to be an underground river beneath. Regardless of which possibility it is, it suggests that the space inside could be quite vast... Of course, this is just a possibility. Most sinkholes are not large inside; we just need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario."

He is approximately twenty-four years old, very handsome, and does not belong to the category of East Asian beauty. Instead, he embodies a masculine vigor. His facial features are sharp, with eyebrows that arch like swords and a nose that resembles a hanging gallbladder. He gently rolls a die in his hand, a cube-shaped die, neither made of metal nor jade, about one inch in size