Episode 13 recap: Chang Dong burned Dui Yuan's body.
Chang Dong had no choice but to dispose of the bodies. He gathered Kong Yang's and his teammates' bodies together and set them on fire. He remembered the days they spent together and the moment he proposed to Kong Yang. Ye Liu Xi stayed in the room while Chang Dong worked on carving shadow puppets.
Chang Dong had no way to keep the bodies. He concentrated Kong Yang's and his teammates' bodies in one place, removed the jewelry from each person, placed them in sealed bags, and placed a camellia flower on each of them. Chang Dong recalled the days they spent together and the moment he proposed to Kong Yang. Chang Dong set them on fire, burning them all.
Fei Tang and the others discussed what to do next. They felt that it was dangerous to stay there and couldn't continue in that place. They debated whether to continue heading toward Guanli or find an exit. However, they were unsure if leaving the pass would be dangerous. Ye Liu Xi approached and asked Fei Tang to bring Chang Dong's shadow puppet box to him without revealing that it was her request.
When Fei Tang returned, he asked Ye Liu Xi how she knew about it. Chang Dong started carving the shadow puppets as Ye Liu Xi remained in the room. Fei Tang felt that it was not good for Chang Dong to stay alone in the room and wanted to persuade him. However, Ye Liu Xi advised them not to talk to Chang Dong and said that when he got hungry and wanted to come out, he would naturally do so. Ding Liu mentioned a novel he had read, where the male protagonist had a former girlfriend who tried hard to win his love, resulting in a heart-wrenching story. Fei Tang realized that there was no point in competing with a dead person and quickly stopped talking when he saw Ye Liu Xi's reaction.
Ye Liu Xi called Lao Qian and the others aside individually. While sharpening his knife, he talked to them and asked them to reveal everything in the vicinity. Whatever he asked, they had to answer, and if he asked an extra question, he would deduct points from them. The three of them were separated and couldn't communicate with each other, so they had no choice but to answer Ye Liu Xi's questions. Lao Qian and the others were afraid of Ye Liu Xi and had no other option but to answer his questions.
Lao Qian explained the origin of the Sand Man. Originally, there was Ding Liu around this area. Ding Liu was greedy, cruel, and loved to consume the salt that seeped out of the Yadan. Every few decades or even centuries, Ding Liu would awaken, but the timing of his awakening was unpredictable. After each awakening, nearby villages would suffer.
Ding Liu was skilled at imitation and could transform into the appearance of anyone he saw. He disguised himself as an outsider entering the village, and gradually, the villagers would disappear without a trace. After being outside for a period of time, Ding Liu would return to sleep inside the Yadan. While Ding Liu was dormant, the sand, plants, and trees outside would transform into Ding Liu's guardians. People without any ability would never be able to pass through. Those who were transformed by the golden ant sand inside the Yadan became the Sand People.
Ye Liu Xi found it strange. If that was the case, the Yadan shouldn't move, and there shouldn't be any more Sand People unless someone fed Ding Liu. Lao Qian admitted that their knowledge was limited, but if Ye Liu Xi wanted to know more, he could go to the marketplace. The marketplace was protected by Blackstone City, which was similar to the frontier. Inside the marketplace, one could trade goods for goods.
Chang Dong had been staying in the house for three days. He dreamed of driving with Ding Liu, who said that Chang Dong must have forgotten about him. Chang Dong was carving shadow puppets here and actually understood Ye Liu Xi's intentions. Fei Tang and the others didn't dare to talk to him, as Ye Liu Xi must have instructed them. Ye Liu Xi wanted to see what Chang Dong would become and whether it was worth his assistance. The two of them sat outside together, looking at the sky, and both smiled.
Chang Dong went to rest in the cellar. Ye Liu Xi said that when Chang Dong woke up, it would be about time, and he wouldn't give him any more special treatment. When Chang Dong woke up, Ye Liu Xi deliberately messed up the neatly folded blanket, but this time, Chang Dong didn't say anything.
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