Stella and Ashton stood quietly by the side, only speaking when her sobs had subsided,
"Let’s take him home first."
Now that they had found the corpse, it was time to "return" it.
Fayella realized this too, and suppressed her sorrow as she stood up, looking at the corpse that remained seated, nodding with a sob,
"Yes, we have to take him home. Uncle and Aunt are still waiting for him."
Fayella took out a satellite phone she had prepared in advance, intending to call for help.
But just as she was about to move, she was stopped by Stella who raised her hand,
"No need, leave it to me."
Stella stepped forward, taking several small bottles out of the backpack she carried and arranged them on the ground.
She opened one of the bottles, pouring three cups of liquor,
"Today, I’ve found the sole son of the Dixon Family, Declan, and am guiding him home."
Holding up the first cup, she tilted it, letting the clear wine spill,
"This cup is for the sky."
She held up the second cup,
"This cup is for the earth."
With the last cup raised,
"This cup is for the Mountain Deity."
After completing these rituals, Stella bowed towards the surrounding mountains opposite the cliff basin.
She then turned and opened another porcelain bottle, pouring out the brown oily substance inside, recognized by Ashton as corpse oil. He zoomed in the camera for a closer look, eager to capture the rare scene.
Stella ignored him, taking out a special brush, dipped it in the corpse oil mixed with vermillion, and made a mark on Declan’s forehead.
She then swiftly drew a rune on Declan’s face with the brush.
The rune extended downward from his chin to his neck, eventually disappearing into his chest.
Fayella watched wide-eyed, curious about what this was for, only to see Stella chanting a mantra with one hand. As the runes on the brush were completed, she gently exhaled a breath onto Declan’s body.
She quietly spoke, calling,
"Declan, it’s time to go home."
Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Fayella saw the once rigidly seated body pop and crack its joints, and in the next second, with eyes closed, it stood up straight at her words.
...
Mr. and Mrs. Dixon had been waiting at the mountain’s base for two days.
They placed all their hopes on the Gibson Family, ignoring all the speculations circulating online.
Today, all they wanted was to bring their son’s body home intact.
They eagerly waited for the third day.
On this day, Mrs. Dixon woke up early, even though it was still dawn with morning mist outside, her heart was inexplicably restless.
Almost as if by a natural intuition, she quickly headed outside as soon as she sat up.
Mr. Dixon, puzzled, hurriedly grabbed some clothes to chase after her.
The two of them arrived at the foot of the mountain where Stella and her group had previously ascended. Mr. Dixon draped a coat over Mrs. Dixon, just about to say something to comfort her, but then he saw her staring blankly at the mountain forest ahead.
Although the sun had not yet peeked out, the sky was already half-illuminated.
In the forest, still shrouded in morning mist, they could vaguely see figures moving in the depths of the woods.
The figures slowly emerged from the mist.
One, two, three, ...
Four.
Mr. and Mrs. Dixon stared intently at that spot.

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