"My foot, my foot..." I screamed, clutching my foot with both hands. It had already turned to stone—from the sole up to the lower calf, it was completely petrified.
I cried out in terror, and to my horror, my foot was slowly turning to stone, accompanied by an eerie creaking sound. The transformation was agonizingly slow, each moment thick with supernatural dread.
Desperate, I tried to channel my yang energy—my vital life force—into my leg, but felt nothing. The supernatural petrification was impervious to my efforts. Stunned, I looked around, and a sudden buzzing filled my mind.
They were people—these stones were all people. Looking closely, the shattered stones, if pieced together, formed a person who had turned to stone. I glanced again at the stone table, where the fragrant food was laid out. There was even more to eat now—a roast lamb leg sat on a large platter.
My stomach rumbled again with a loud growl. As if possessed, I crawled to the table, staring at the roast lamb leg sprinkled with pepper, chili, and other spices. Its golden color and tempting aroma made me swallow repeatedly, drool dripping from my mouth.
Clutching my stomach, I muttered to myself.
"Just one small bite, just a little..."
I opened my mouth wide and tore into it. The crisp lamb skin and velvety meat, bursting with savory spices, exploded in my mouth, overwhelming my senses with a rush of flavor and temptation.
"Just one more bite, just one..."
I glanced at my right foot—the stone had already crept up to my knee, cold and merciless. Yet the roast lamb leg before me was so irresistible, I could not tear myself away, the supernatural hunger gnawing at my sanity.
A sweet aroma wafted over. I turned my head and saw a golden, crispy pastry beside me, its scent overwhelmingly tempting. My gaze shifted toward it. The chili heat from the lamb leg still lingered in my mouth—I desperately needed something sweet to ease it.
Looking at the pastry, with its enticing black sesame seeds, I couldn't help but reach out and grab a piece. It was still warm. My legs felt heavier—I glanced down and cried out. The petrification had reached my thigh.
But my mouth was still burning—I urgently needed a piece of pastry to soothe the fiery sensation.
"Just one, just one..." I kept muttering, opened my mouth, and took a bite.
"So delicious..."
The sweetness and saltiness were perfectly balanced, and the crispness was just right. As I chewed, the aroma of sesame mixed with the crisp, sweet flavor—I finished the whole piece quickly.
But now my throat felt dry. A fragrant aroma drifted over—it was a cup of tea, with a delicate scent and a hint of bitterness. The tea leaves were emerald green. I quickly reached out and grabbed the bowl of tea in front of me, but with a bang, the bowl almost slipped from my hand.
A scream of agony tore from my throat—my entire right leg was now nothing but cold, lifeless stone, the supernatural curse suffocating my flesh.
More and more dishes appeared on the stone table before me, each with its own enticing aroma, stirring my desires.
With a bang, I smashed the bowl of tea to the ground and cursed loudly.
"Damn it, do they want me dead already..."
I turned my head, struggling to prop myself up, and stood shakily. Jamming two fingers down my throat, I gagged and vomited everything out. Again and again, I forced myself to retch until my stomach cramped in agony before I finally stopped.
Turning back, I saw that all the dishes on the stone table had turned to stone. My right foot felt lighter, but when I looked down, everything below my thigh was still petrified stone.
Straightening up, I stared at the mess I’d just vomited—all of it was bits of shattered stone. A wave of nausea hit me. Some pieces, still wrapped in stomach acid, were undigested scraps of grass.
My stomach rumbled again. Hobbling on my right leg, I left the pile of stones behind and trudged forward. Even after walking for a while, I could still see the field of rubble behind me. I collapsed under a tree.
I checked my leg again—the petrification was gone. I let out a shaky breath, relief mixing with lingering dread.
My stomach was still painfully empty, my mouth parched, but here, there was nothing I could eat.
Suddenly, the aroma of food drifted over from the field of stones again. I looked over—it was the stone table. The foods that had turned to stone were now real again, their scents thick and tempting.
I cursed loudly, then got up and dragged my right leg, forcing myself to keep moving forward. Only when the scent and sight of food finally faded did I stop.
I stared up at the blue sky, my mood sinking. Exhausted, hungry, and desperately thirsty—at this rate, I wouldn’t last thirty days. I’d be lucky to survive three.
My head was spinning, sleep tugging at my eyelids. I fought to keep my eyes open, knowing that now more than ever, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. If I fell asleep, I feared I’d wake to an even worse fate.
I was close to my limit. Drowsiness overtook me, and everything went black as I closed my eyes.
My lips tingled. I forced my tired eyes open, and nearly screamed—a wolf was right in front of me. Was it going to eat me?
I stared at it in terror, raising a trembling hand.
"Hey, what are you doing here, brother?"
A voice came from the pitch-black wolf in front of me. I stared, mouth agape in shock.
"Hey, look closely, brother. I’m not a wolf—I’m a dog. Just a wolfdog, that’s all."
My mouth hung open in fear, unable to close. This big black dog looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite remember where I’d seen it before.
"Hold on, brother. I’ll get you some water."
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