He leaned over and picked it up. The mask was real.
"She was left here to guide me?"
Lu Tan pondered. He thought for a while and opened his mouth.
"Good luck brings you good luck, good luck brings joy and love..."
In this silent world, Lu Tan sang "Good Luck Comes".
This festive song echoed between the torii gates and resounded throughout this quiet land.
While Lu Tan was singing, he looked around. He felt as if the stars around him were all bright.
As he was singing, Lu Tan suddenly saw a face approaching him on the dark road.
He stopped singing.
"...what are you singing?"
Hong Ye was holding a lantern, with a slightly embarrassed expression on his face, as if he was considering whether to leave Lu Tan alone and go to the shrine.
"This is a song that brings good luck in my hometown. Do you want to learn it?"
Lu Tan asked enthusiastically.
"No......"
Hongye lifted the lantern, illuminated Lu Jian's body, and checked it again before feeling relieved.
"I said, don't fall into the shadows. The torii on this road is not only a decoration, but also a kind of enchantment, used to imprison monsters."
"I just saw a miko on the road."
Lu Tan said immediately.
"Miko?"
Hong Ye was thoughtful, and motioned for Lu Tan to follow her. When she saw him walking behind her, she pulled him up again and stood shoulder to shoulder with her, arms touching each other.
"Each shrine is actually a cage. Using torii gates, spells, and barriers, we will collect the filth near the island. Every New Year, Lord Shenzi will take action to remove all these filth.
Purify.”
Hongye explained that her clothes were attached to Lu Kanzaki's exposed arms. The texture of the silk was very subtle. Their arms came into contact through the clothes from time to time, confirming each other's presence.
"In other words, those dirty things have to be suppressed in the shrine for a whole year?"
Lu Tan couldn't help but ask.
"Then what if something goes wrong along the way and someone escapes?"
"The Son of God's purifying fire cannot be extinguished, so each purification will cause a certain area to be permanently abandoned and cannot be used for a long time. As for the leakage problem, aren't we investigating it now?"
Hongye raised his eyebrows.
"Since the side effects of purifying fire are so great, why do we still use this to ward off evil spirits? Aren't other methods possible?"
Lu Tran had no time to feel Hongye's arms that were softer than expected, so he only asked curiously.
"...At least, the pure fire can prevent mankind from being destroyed later."
There was a hint of helplessness in Hongye's tone.
"The Son of God is amazing. She has endured a burden that ordinary people cannot bear. The reason why I want to become the Son of God is not for fame and power. When I was young, the village encountered filth. It was the pure fire of the Son of God that saved me.
Come out, and from then on, I will make it my mission to become that person."
"But you failed to become the Son of God."
Lu Tan said subconsciously.
"...That's because I don't have the ability. The current Son of God, she used to be a good friend of mine. I know very well that she is gentle, strong, and has the power to overcome all difficulties. She is indeed the best candidate to become the Son of God.
."
Hong Ye sighed with emotion, climbed up the stairs, and grabbed Lu Tiao's wrist.
The calluses on her lips and fingertips rubbed against Lu Jiao's skin, which was different from ordinary girls, and had a different feeling.
"Maybe you just lack luck. How about I teach you to sing the song just now? It can really bring good luck."
Lu Tan said persistently.
"...No need."
The red leaves passed through the last step and passed through the tunnel formed by the long torii gate. In front of it was the dark Wajima Shrine.
"By the way, I saw on the island before that some people could recover even if they were fatally injured. Is this also a type of pollution?"
Lu Tan looked at the magnificent building and asked casually.
"Is this what you think it is?"
Hong Ye let go of Lu Tan's hand.
The fog on the mountain seems to be thinner, and more stars can be seen, and it is brighter.
"In my eyes?"
Lu Tiao didn't know why.
"The form of pollution is not just about causing people to lose their sanity and fall into madness, but more about cognitive changes or self-alienation."
Hong Ye briefly explained two sentences.
"Those polluted things are actually no longer in human form. Just like the person you saw who was knocked down by a rickshaw during the day, he is essentially just a ball of dirty flesh and blood."
"...In other words, in my eyes he is a human being, but in fact he is not?"
Lu Tiao inhaled slightly.
"That's right, we call this kind of thing a barrier. It's the same as invisibility and change. The more you understand the world, the harder it is to be hindered by barriers. It seems like you know more than you show.
."
Red leaves walk towards the shrine.
"We just walked in like that?"
Lu Tan followed her.
"What did I just say to you?"
Hongye stopped for a moment, turned his head and asked.
"Good luck coming?"
Lu Tan replied immediately.
"barrier."
Red leaves are helpless.
"I'm using the barrier technique now. Normal witches can't see us, as long as you're close enough, like just now."
"I see!"
Lu Tiao felt that this ability seemed very convenient.
If you could master this ability, wouldn't it be possible to ride unlimited roller coasters without queuing?
He couldn't help but look forward to it.
Lu Tan and Hongye held hands and walked towards the worship hall.
There was indeed no one at the shrine at night, and the lone money box was empty. Hongye came to the front of the shrine and looked around.
"It's strange, even at night, there should be some shrine devotees staying at the shrine."
The tall and majestic building was like a monster at the moment, with its teeth and claws bared, and the shadow it cast was heart-stopping.
Behind the pillar, under the ropes, and behind the ema, there seemed to be something spying on the two of them, waiting for an opportunity.
"It seems like no one has been here for a long time."
Lu Tan reached out and gently touched the top of the money box. He had just taken a look and found that there was indeed no money in it.
There was dust on my fingertips, very thick, and it didn't look like someone had cleaned it.
"You just said, how long ago was Utashima invaded by fog?"
"A month ago..."
Hong Ye seemed to have thought of something and dragged Lu Tiao towards the main hall quickly.
Then, Hongye and Lu Jian saw the desperate scene.
The shrine maidens in white robes and scarlet hakama were sitting on the side of the road, lined up and facing each other.
They all wore social masks and remained motionless.
Behind the witch, stood a man in white hunting clothes, the same mask covering his face, the same motionless figure.
These people seemed to be holding some grand and important ceremony, with a solemn feeling.
At the end of the road, on a platform, sat a miko.
The witch didn't wear a mask, her face was revealed.
It was a face that was pale and black, and seemed lifeless.
She remained sitting upright and just died on it.
Lu Tan also knew very well at this moment that all the people here were dead.
They have been dead for a month.
From the very beginning, when the uncertain fog invaded, everyone in Utashima Shrine was wiped out.
No one even moved or disposed of their bodies, they were just displayed here.
"So......"
Lu Tiao thought.
"When we went to the island, who was the agent who checked us?"