It was a fresh, quiet morning.
Sunlight filtered through the window, warming the wooden table where Diluc and Bella sat across from each other, breakfast untouched for a moment.
Diluc broke the silence.
"I'm going back to Chenyu Village. There's something I need to investigate."
Bella didn't even look up from her cup.
"Ghost hunting again?"
A faint smirk played on her lips.
Diluc exhaled lightly.
"No. Not exactly. But there's something… wrong about this case."
Bella finally met his eyes.
"Please spare me. I'm not a horror-genre person, remember?"
He didn't smile this time.
"Bella… I have something important to discuss."
Diluc set his fork down.
"I think I'm going to spend tonight in Chenyu Village."
Bella stopped eating mid-bite.
"You're kidding, right… big brother?"
Her tone wasn't dramatic — just worried.
Diluc shook his head calmly.
"No. I want to see what the village is like after dark. There's something strange happening there. If I stay overnight, I might finally find something important."
Bella studied him for a second.
She knew that look.
When Diluc decided something — he didn't change his mind.
"So…" she leaned back slightly, folding her arms. "What exactly am I supposed to do tonight?"
A small, rare smirk appeared on his face.
"Party night in this house for you girls, I guess."
Bella blinked.
"For real?"
"For real."
And just like that, the tension broke.
Her serious expression melted into excitement.
Diluc stood up from the table, picking up his coat.
"But remember something."
Bella rolled her eyes before he could finish.
"I know, I know. No guys allowed."
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Now that's my intelligent sister."
She gave him a playful glare.
"And you better come back in one piece."
He didn't answer.
He just gave her that reassuring older-brother look.
Then he left
Scene Shift - Back to the village
By late afternoon, Diluc had already reached Chenyu Village.
The sky was pale.
His team was scattered across the area — notebooks open, old crime locations being investigated, locals being questioned.
But there was nothing.
No new missing people, disturbances, unusual activities, missing livestock.
No strange sounds reported overnight.
Nothing.
One of his team members approached him.
"Sir… it's like the case just went silent."
Diluc looked toward the distant silhouette of the mansion near the mountain.
Silent.
That was worse.
Because evil that makes noise wants attention.
Evil that goes quiet…
Is waiting.
The Riverside
Diluc stepped away from his team for a while.
He needed air.
He walked slowly through the narrow stone path of Chenyu Village, boots echoing softly against the ground.
As he moved further from the houses, the atmosphere changed.
Less heavy.
Less suffocating.
He passed by a small, old shrine — half-hidden beneath moss and creeping vines. Incense ashes long gone cold. A faded prayer rope swaying gently in the wind.
He paused for a moment.
Then continued walking.
Soon, the path opened toward the Chenyue riverside.
Clear water flowed quietly, reflecting the afternoon sky. Birds called from the trees. Insects hummed. Leaves rustled gently.
Life.
Normal peaceful life.
Diluc stepped closer to the water.
For the first time since arriving, his shoulders relaxed.
He exhaled slowly.
"How is it," he murmured to himself, "that the village gives me such a negative feeling… yet this place makes my heart feel at peace?"
He crouched near the riverbank, letting the sound of flowing water fill the silence.
Something about this place felt untouched.
Protected.
As if whatever darkness lingered in the village…
refused to cross this boundary.
Diluc closed his eyes.
The sound of water flowing over stone. The rustle of leaves. The distant call of birds.
He let the tension inside him dissolve.
For the first time in days, his mind felt clear.
Then—
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted through the air.
Not from the river.
Not from the forest.
Something softer.
Warmer.
Gentler.
A light touch rested on his shoulder.
Diluc's eyes opened instantly.
He turned.
Standing beside him was a young woman dressed in traditional attire — elegant, refined, untouched by modern haste. Her long sleeves swayed gently in the breeze, fabric pale like morning mist.
Her presence did not feel heavy.
It felt… serene.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," she said softly. "I was wondering why you were standing here alone."
Her voice was calm — almost melodic.
Diluc stood upright.
"This place gives off such a positive aura… I couldn't help myself."
He paused slightly before adding,
"My name is Diluc Vale. I'm an FBI agent assigned to investigate the recent disappearances and deaths in this village."
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He studied her carefully.
"And you are?"
The woman smiled.
It was gentle.
Unforced.
But something about it made his heartbeat feel lighter.
"My name is Miu," she said. "I am the priestess of the shrine nearby."
The wind shifted.
For a brief moment, the river's sound seemed quieter.
Almost… listening.
Diluc glanced toward the direction of the trees.
"Yes… I thought I saw a shrine when I walked here. But it looked…"
He hesitated.
Miu tilted her head slightly.
"…In rough condition?" she finished gently. "I know. I'm doing all I can to maintain it. But there are some things I cannot manage alone."
There was no bitterness in her voice.
Just quiet acceptance.
Diluc straightened.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to question your work."
Miu smiled again — soft, understanding.
"Don't worry. I know you didn't."
The wind brushed past them, carrying that same faint sweetness.
Diluc shifted the conversation.
"Miss Miu… have you noticed anything strange recently? Anything unusual at night? If you've seen or heard something, please tell me. It could help me and my team with this investigation."
For the first time—
Miu didn't answer immediately.
Her eyes drifted toward the river.
Then toward the distant village.
The peaceful expression on her face dimmed — just slightly.
"Strange things…" she repeated softly.
Her fingers tightened around the wooden prayer beads in her hand.
"At night, the river sometimes grows silent."
Diluc's gaze sharpened.
"No insects. No frogs. No wind."
She looked back at him.
"And when the river goes silent… someone always disappears the next day."
The wildlife sounds around them suddenly felt louder.
Almost defensive.
Diluc felt the calm inside him fracture.
"Diluc!"
Beth's voice cut through the riverside air.
He turned toward the path as she approached with another teammate.
"Sir, we've checked the eastern side. No new leads. It's like the whole place is dead quiet."
Diluc nodded once.
"I see."
He turned back toward the river—
Toward where Miu had been standing just seconds ago.
But she wasn't there.
No footsteps. No shifting leaves. No retreating silhouette.
Just flowing water. Birdsong. The same peaceful atmosphere.
Untouched.
Diluc's eyes narrowed slightly.
Interesting.
If she left, she left without sound.
Or—
She was never there in the way he understood.
"Sir?" Beth asked. "You were saying something?"
Diluc's expression returned to neutral instantly.
"Nothing important."
He stepped past them calmly.
"Gather the team. We'll observe the village perimeter tonight."
Beth nodded.
As they walked back toward the houses, Diluc glanced once more at the small shrine hidden between trees.
The sweet fragrance lingered faintly in the air.
He said nothing.
But in his mind—
He replayed every word she spoke.
When the river goes silent… someone disappears.
His jaw tightened.
Tonight, he would stay.
And he would see it for himself.
Evening descended slowly over the village.
The sky dimmed into muted violet. The wind grew colder.
Diluc stood on the overgrown lawn of the abandoned mansion.
The structure loomed ahead — tall, aging, windows dark like empty eye sockets.
Beth walked beside him, scanning the second-floor balconies.
"Sir… we've investigated every corner of this village."
Her voice was steady — but quieter than usual.
She exhaled slowly.
"But this mansion… it's giving me the worst feeling possible."
She placed a hand over her chest unconsciously.
"It feels like we're constantly being watched. My heart feels heavy. I'm on edge… even though there's no visible threat."
Another teammate swallowed.
"She's right, sir. My instincts are screaming. But there's nothing. No movement. No heat signatures. Nothing."
The lawn grass shifted softly in the wind.
Or perhaps—
Not the wind.
Diluc kept his expression calm.
But he felt it too.
That pressure.
Not from outside.
From above.
From within the walls.
Like something observing.
Measuring.
Waiting.
He turned toward his team.
"I know."
His voice was firm.
"But we must not acknowledge it."
They looked at him.
He continued:
"Whatever is causing this wants us to react. It feeds on fear. On awareness."
He scanned the mansion windows again.
"So we do the opposite."
A pause.
"We stay sharp. We stay logical. We do not give it what it wants."
The air felt heavier after he said that.
Almost irritated.
Like something inside the mansion didn't appreciate being ignored.
A faint sound echoed from somewhere within the structure.
Not loud enough to confirm.
Not quiet enough to dismiss.
Beth slowly raised her flashlight toward the second floor.
"Sir…"
One of the upper windows—
Very slightly—
Shifted.
As if a curtain moved.
But there were no curtains inside.
The metal lock snapped with a sharp crack.
The mansion door creaked open slowly—
And a gust of wind burst outward.
Cold.
Stale.
Like air that had been trapped for decades.
Beth instinctively stepped back.
"Sir… is this really the right time to do this? We could return in the morning."
Diluc didn't hesitate.
"This," he said calmly, stepping forward, "is exactly the right moment."
The team exchanged uneasy glances but followed.
Flashlights flicked on.
Beams cut through floating dust particles.
The interior looked exactly as expected.
Broken furniture. Torn wallpaper. Wooden floors layered in dust. Spider webs clinging to ceiling corners.
No signs of struggle. No recent footprints. No disturbance.
Just abandonment.
They moved carefully through the main hall.
Every step echoed more than it should.
One teammate whispered, "Feels staged…"
Beth glanced around.
"Yeah… it's too normal."
Diluc paused at the base of the staircase.
The oppressive feeling from outside—
Was gone.
Completely gone.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Interesting.
Outside, the mansion felt alive.
Inside…
It felt empty.
Not peaceful.
Not dark.
Just hollow.
He ran a finger across a dusty table.
Thick layer.
Undisturbed.
"No recent activity," Beth confirmed quietly after scanning with her device. "No heat traces. No movement."
A wooden door at the end of the hallway slowly shifted.
The team froze.
All flashlights snapped toward it.
Silence.
The door creaked another inch—
Then stopped.
Diluc walked toward it steadily.
He pushed it open fully.
Inside?
A small study room.
Nothing unusual.
Bookshelves. Collapsed chair. Broken desk.
The window was slightly open.
Wind.
That was all.
One teammate exhaled shakily.
"So that's it? This place just… messes with your head?"
Diluc stood still for a moment.
No.
Something was wrong.
Not because something was here—
But because something wasn't.
The mansion felt like a stage prop.
A shell.
Like whatever presence had been here—
Had already moved.
Or…
Had never been inside to begin with.
And then—
From somewhere outside—
The river sounds stopped.
Completely.
No insects. No frogs. No wind.
Beth slowly turned toward the window.
"Sir…"
Diluc's expression hardened.
When the river goes silent… someone disappears.
He didn't speak.
He just moved.
Fast.
"Everyone outside. Now."
The team was halfway toward the exit—
When—
THUD.
A deep, heavy impact echoed from the upper floor.
Not a light crash.
Not wood shifting.
Something dense.
Something with weight.
Beth's head snapped upward.
"What was that!?"
One teammate swallowed.
"Maybe… a book fell?"
Diluc didn't respond immediately.
Instead—
He slowly drew his handgun.
The metallic click of readiness cut through the air.
"No," he said quietly.
"A book doesn't make that kind of sound."
His eyes lifted toward the staircase.
"That was heavy."
The air inside the mansion shifted again.
Not wind.
Pressure.
Like something had changed position above them.
Diluc raised his hand slightly.
"Formation."
Flashlights angled upward.
Weapons ready.
The hallway lights flickered—
And suddenly—
A wooden block came hurtling through the air.
Fast.
Direct.
Diluc reacted instantly.
He stepped aside—
The block missed him—
But—
CRACK.
It smashed into one of the team members' heads.
He dropped instantly.
Beth shouted, "Ravi!"
Blood trickled down the side of his forehead.
He was breathing—but unconscious.
Diluc's voice turned sharp and commanding.
"Two of you—stay with him. Stabilize and get him outside."
No panic.
No hesitation.
The rest—move with me."
Another wooden frame came flying from the end of the corridor—
Slamming against the wall beside them.
Not random.
Targeted.
Diluc's eyes locked on the dark end of the hallway.
"Move."
He sprinted forward.
Footsteps heavy against wood.
The air grew colder with every step.
The hallway seemed longer than it should have been.
Then—
From the darkness ahead—
A voice echoed.
Soft.
Mocking.
Playful.
"Hehe… come… come…"
It wasn't loud.
But it felt close.
Too close.
Beth ran beside Diluc, weapon raised.
"Sir… that's not human."
The voice laughed again.
Not demonic.
Not monstrous.
Almost amused.
Like a child challenging someone to a game.
Diluc didn't slow down.
"You wanted us to react," he muttered under his breath.
"Well… here I am."
The corridor ended at a balcony overlooking the main hall below.
Empty.
Dust unmoved.
But—
From the staircase—
Footsteps.
Light.
Quick.
Running downward.
"He's moving!" one teammate shouted.
Diluc vaulted over the railing instead of using the stairs.
He landed hard on the ground floor.
Rolled.
Recovered.
Gun raised.
Silence.
Then—
Right behind him—
The voice again.
Closer.
"Hehe… you're fun…"
Diluc spun around—
No one there.
But this time—
The temperature drop was extreme.
His breath became faintly visible.
The oppressive heaviness returned.
Stronger than before.
Not outside.
Not upstairs.
Right here.
Watching him.
Testing him.
Beth's voice trembled slightly.
"Sir… it's separating us."
The mansion felt wrong.
Not just haunted.
Warped.
Beth's voice came from somewhere behind him.
"Sir… it's separating us."
Diluc didn't look panicked.
He didn't even look surprised.
"I know, Beth," he said calmly. "It wants us alone."
His voice sharpened slightly.
"Everyone group together. No one moves independently."
"Got it."
They tightened formation instantly.
Backs nearly touching.
Weapons raised outward in all directions.
Diluc slowly scanned the darkness.
Then—
A ghastly silhouette passed beside him.
Close.
Too close.
A blur of pale distortion in the air.
He snapped his handgun toward it.
Nothing.
Empty space.
Then—
Another one.
This time right behind him.
He spun instantly—
Again.
Nothing.
No footsteps.
No air displacement.
No shadow.
Just dust floating quietly.
Beth whispered, "Sir… it's phasing."
Diluc exhaled softly.
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"So… you want to play, huh?"
His eyes hardened.
"Then let's play."
He reached to his belt and pressed a small concealed button.
Click.
Instantly—
LED strips embedded along his belt flared to life.
Four beams shot outward in a cross formation.
Not normal light.
Cold white with a faint blue hue.
Ultraviolet.
Infra-spectrum blend.
The beams extended across walls, ceiling, and floor.
Dust shimmered in the artificial glow.
Silence.
No distortion. No crawling entity.
Then—
Diluc's eyes shifted.
Up the staircase.
And his breath paused for half a second.
She was standing there.
The girl.
The same one.
Long dark hair falling over her shoulders.
Bare feet on the wooden steps.
Head slightly tilted.
Eyes locked directly onto him.
Not blurry. Not transparent.
Real.
Diluc's voice was low.
"So… it wasn't just a mere dream after all."
The girl's lips curved upward.
"Hee… hee… hee…"
It wasn't loud.
But it echoed unnaturally through the hall.
Beth slowly raised her weapon.
"Sir… who is that?"
Diluc didn't answer.
Because he knew.
This wasn't random.
She didn't look at the others.
She was staring only at him.
As if they didn't exist.
As if this entire night—
Was arranged for him.
The air pressure dropped again.
The mansion groaned softly.
Then—
From outside—
A new sound.
Distant at first.
Then growing.
Footsteps.
Many.
Beth turned toward the broken entrance.
"Sir… what is that?"
The team moved toward the doorway cautiously.
And what they saw—
Was wrong.
From the direction of the village—
A large group of people were walking toward the mansion.
Dozens.
Villagers.
Holding fire torches.
But their movement—
Was unnatural.
Too synchronized.
Too stiff.
Their heads slightly lowered.
Walking in slow, unified rhythm.
No talking. No shouting.
Just marching.
Toward the mansion.
Toward them.
Diluc's jaw tightened.
He looked back at the staircase—
The girl was gone.
Completely.
Like she had never been there.
But the faint echo of her giggle lingered in the air.
"Hee… hee… hee…"
The torches outside flickered violently in the wind.
The villagers were now close enough to see their faces.
Blank expressions.
Unblinking.
Beth's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Sir… what do we do?"
Diluc didn't respond immediately.
His eyes moved between the staircase—
And the approaching crowd.
This wasn't an attack.
This was positioning.
A trap.
And for the first time tonight—
Diluc felt something unfamiliar.
Not fear.
But realization.
The nightmare wasn't warning him.
It was inviting him.
END OF THE CHAPTER
