"These are all bait."
I grabbed Li Xiulan, who was about to rush over, and pointed the tip of my sword at the nearest boy, Huwa.
The birthmark on his neck is growing, and the patterns of a carved cabinet are faintly visible under his skin.
The real tiger cubs may be hiding in some corner sealed by talismans, while these empty shells are like pawns on a chessboard, weaving traps with familiar faces and voices, waiting for us to walk into their snares.
"Let's get going!"
I pulled Li Xiulan and ran back.
As soon as I stepped onto the stairs, I heard the sound of shattering glass coming from upstairs.
The second-floor window was wide open, and Li Xiulan's mother-in-law was leaning on the windowsill, her body twisted at an unnatural angle, mechanically repeating, "Five... five..."
A dark shadow suddenly emerged from behind her, turning into black mist that wrapped around my ankle.
"Go to hell!"
Li Xiulan suddenly sprang up, raising a peach wood nail to stab at the dark figure, but her wrist was caught by the black mist.
At the critical moment, I pulled out the compass from my pocket. Suddenly, the copper needle spun in reverse, burning a scorch mark on the black mist.
"Go save Tiger Cub!"
I yelled and rushed into the room.
Tiger Cub's transparent body is merging with the shadow, and the talisman has turned pitch black.
I took out the Five Emperors Coins and pressed them against his chest, but the coins began to get hot, as if they were about to burn my palm.
A childlike laugh came from the shadowy figure, and Tiger Cub's voice echoed from within the black mist: "Mommy, it hurts so much..."
Li Xiulan suddenly lunged forward and hugged Huwa, and the black mist immediately wrapped around her neck.
I swung my sword to cut through the black mist, only to find that the slime clinging to the blade was corroding it.
The shadow split into countless tentacles, which wrapped around our limbs and dragged us toward the carved cabinet.
Blood seeped from the peony pattern on the cabinet door, gradually piecing together a human face.
He is Li Xiulan's husband.
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