We originally planned to take the train, but Little Fox didn't have an ID card, so we had to take an unlicensed bus instead. Taking a demon out is really quite troublesome. Fortunately, her human form was convincing enough that people just thought she was cosplaying. Otherwise, I would have had to make her transform back into a fox and hide in my backpack.
After a bumpy ride, we arrived at 8 pm. Shili Gully was extremely remote - the roads weren't even properly paved, and we were exhausted from the trek.
The moment we entered the village, we could see Dead Man's Gully. Above it stood a dilapidated old temple - this had to be the Fox Fairy Temple Stein mentioned.
Stein wasn't wrong. In the darkness, Dead Man's Gully was indeed oozing something. Looking down, we saw greenish wisps floating about - will-o'-the-wisps. The ditch contained little water but plenty of rotting sludge, emitting a putrid stench that made you want to vomit.
However scary Dead Man's Gully might be, it wasn't our concern. We were here for the Fox Fairy Temple, not to bother with the gully. Thankfully, the will-o'-the-wisps stayed within the ditch, never floating up.
Stella was so focused on hunting the three-tailed fox that she didn't even glance at Dead Man's Gully, heading straight for the temple door.
The door was closed but unlocked, so worn and covered in dust that it looked like it might collapse at the slightest push.
Stein wiped away some dust and remarked, "No one's set foot in this temple for at least ten years, right? The dust is practically a carpet."
Without hesitation, Stella kicked the door open. It slammed sideways with a loud bang but didn't completely fall, remaining half-propped up.
"Pretty sturdy door," I joked, tapping it.
Inside was pitch black until we turned on our phone flashlights, brightening the space considerably.
The interior was even dustier but less run-down - at least the roof was intact. Dozens of rats scurried about, startled by our presence, squeaking as they fled.
At the center of the temple stood a statue of a woman dressed in ancient white robes with a long, cold face and a shapely figure. Nine white tails extended behind her.
"Is this the Fox Fairy?" I asked, frowning.
Unlike us, Little Fox immediately knelt upon seeing the statue and began kowtowing repeatedly. For her, this was the deity of the fox clan - no harm in showing extra reverence.
Stella showed no interest in any of this. She kept sniffing around but eventually looked disappointed. When I asked what was wrong, she shook her head. "No demonic aura. The three-tailed fox never came here."
Damn it - wrong lead. The three-tailed fox wasn't hiding here after all!
"Let's go back then!" I checked the time - we could still catch the last few buses.
"No, I'll wait here overnight," Stella insisted, refusing to give up.
Well, since we'd come all this way, we might as well stay one night. Maybe we'd discover something.
But seriously - spending the night in this temple was insane!
The place was shabby, ancient, covered in dust, and crawling with rats. How was anyone supposed to sleep here?
Stella didn't care. She jumped onto the Fox Fairy's altar platform, wiped it down with paper towels, and announced she'd just lean against the statue to rest.
Little Fox, being a demon, cared even less. Not only did she chase the mice for fun, she rolled around on the floor until her clothes were filthy with grime.
Stein and I had it rough. We pushed some tables together and spent considerable effort cleaning them, but there still wasn't enough space for both of us to sleep properly. I ended up holding Stein as he slept on top of me. Thankfully no one else was around to see - they'd have accused us of public indecency and thrown us in jail.
Even Stein seemed uncomfortable, sleeping with his rear end covered like he expected me to try something.
Exhausted from traveling, we all eventually fell into deep sleep - even Little Fox, who dozed off curled against a pillar after tiring herself out playing.
Around midnight, a cold wind picked up, strong enough to wake me with its chill. Stein, half-asleep, misunderstood my shivering and mumbled, "Little Boss... just this once, okay? No more next time... Hah... tough making a living when you gotta put out for everything..."
I nearly hit him but restrained myself. First, I needed to close that half-collapsed door - the temple had grown freezing in the night.
As I moved to shut it, I spotted what looked like will-o'-the-wisps floating up from Dead Man's Gully. They vanished moments later, followed by dark shapes crawling along the ground. When I rubbed my eyes for a better look, everything had disappeared.
Was I seeing things in my drowsy state? I shook my head, dismissing it. This temple was built to suppress the spirits beneath Dead Man's Gully. Even if ghosts were watching us, they wouldn't dare enter - this was the Fox Fairy Temple, after all.
I managed to close the damaged door. Small cracks remained, but it was better than leaving it wide open to that bone-chilling wind.
Yawning, I returned to sleep curled around Stein. But less than thirty minutes later, he suddenly shoved me awake. "What are you doing?" I grumbled. "It's the middle of the night - you're not actually expecting me to do something with you, are you?"
"Stein said no and told me to listen at the door as if someone were there.
Someone? Don't be ridiculous. I checked the time - 2:00 a.m. Who could possibly be here at this hour?
But when I strained to listen, I actually heard footsteps outside, like someone pacing before our door.
Impossible. This Dead Man's Gully was cursed territory. No one would come here at midnight - even the Fox Fairy Temple wouldn't dare. Could it be... a ghost?
At the mention of ghosts, Stein turned pale with fear and urged me to wake Stella.
I told him not to panic yet - we didn't know if it was truly a ghost. Even if it were, we should leave it be. It wouldn't dare enter the Fox Fairy Temple. Let it wander outside!
Then suddenly - knock, knock, knock - the outsider was... rapping on our door.
'They're knocking! They're knocking! What do we do?' Stein trembled violently.
I quickly drew my Copper Coin Sword. 'Don't be afraid,' I said. 'If a ghost enters, I'll cut it down.'
'Who's there?' I called toward the door without opening it.
'May I borrow something?' replied the outsider. The voice sounded like a middle-aged man's.
Borrow something? Human or ghost? Would a ghost ask so politely? Would any man appear here at midnight to borrow things?
'Borrow what?' Stein asked warily.
'Needle and thread - have you any?' the man outside inquired.
Needle and thread? What could anyone want with needle and thread at this hour? What kind of madness...
Suddenly curious, I wanted to go out and see what manner of being stood there - man or specter."