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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Eryong slammed on the brakes, coming to a sudden stop in the alley. He swallowed hard and glanced back at the rear seat.
Hiss... There was clearly nothing there...
But he had seen it distinctly just moments ago, and he recognized that face. It belonged to the girl he had sold to Zhou Degui not long ago. Zhou Degui had recently acquired new stock from him, and he had no idea whether that girl was alive or dead...
"Just seeing things..."
Liu Eryong rubbed his eyes vigorously, convincing himself that he must have stayed up too late playing cards last night, causing his vision to blur. Just as he reassured himself, a sudden intense itch erupted in his right hand. Liu Eryong instinctively scratched at it, only to discover two large welts on his arm from mosquito bites.
"Damn! Those pesky mosquitoes!"
He cursed under his breath and quickly rolled up the car window, squinting to examine his arm closely. To his horror, he realized there were more than just those two welts; new pus-filled bumps were rising from beneath his skin, rapidly merging into a patch that itched unbearably.
Unable to resist, Liu Eryong scratched at them relentlessly until several of the bumps burst open, releasing streams of yellowish-white pus that emitted a foul stench.
"What the hell is this...?!"
Now, Liu Eryong couldn't care less about any "prey." The bumps on his body multiplied rapidly, making it nearly impossible for him to grip the steering wheel as he cursed loudly while speeding toward the hospital.
In the emergency room, the attending physician frowned as he examined Liu Eryong's skin. The festering sores had begun to spread from his arms to various parts of his body, releasing waves of putrid odor.
"You need to be hospitalized," the doctor said, pushing up his glasses and leaning back slightly. "Your condition is too severe, and we can't be sure if it's contagious." He hesitated before continuing, "To be honest, in all my years of practice, I've never seen symptoms like this. It doesn't seem like an allergy or infection; rather, it resembles..."
The doctor trailed off, leaving the thought unspoken. Liu Eryong knew what he was implying; in a sense, he was already dead—just with a longer and more painful process than others might experience.
I sat beside the doctor, admiring the pained expression on Liu Eryong's face. Suddenly, I remembered the first time he sold me to Zhou Degui. When I was dragged out of the car, I fought back with all my strength, and Liu Eryong kicked me hard. That kick nearly knocked the breath out of me. He had shouted, "Little slut! If you scream again, I'll cut out your tongue!"
Now that I think about it, cutting off a tongue? That idea isn't half bad.
The day after I was hospitalized, Liu Eryong was transferred from a regular ward to an isolation room. The sores on his body had spread from his arm to his chest and then throughout his entire body. The rotting flesh made him look like a corpse that hadn't yet breathed its last.
Dozens of specialists from various hospitals in the city were called in for consultations, but none had ever seen such a bizarre illness. The hospital could only attempt to control Liu Eryong's condition with expensive medications, administering large amounts of imported drugs. Just two days later, he had to sell his van and the old house to cover the exorbitant medical fees.
Liu Eryong writhed in pain and itchiness, wanting to scratch but too afraid to do so, twisting on the bed like a large insect. It was both disgusting and amusing. However, I felt a bit sorry for the nurses at the station who had to endure such a foul stench.
"Sister Li, have we run out of disinfectant today? The smell from the patient in Room 404 is unbearable... I can smell it even with an N95 mask on; it's terrifying."
"Wait a bit before you go in; I've sent someone to get more disinfectant. We used up three whole bottles yesterday, and we've kept the windows open all day, but that smell just won't go away..."
Another day passed like this. By then, Liu Eryong could no longer speak; his throat, vocal cords, and tongue had begun to rot. That night, the nurse extracted his completely decayed tongue directly from his mouth.
I patiently waited until all the nurses finished their tasks and left after turning off the lights before revealing myself in front of Liu Eryong. His swollen eyes could only open a narrow slit as he emitted constant "gurgling" sounds from his throat.
I knew he recognized me.
I leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "Surprised, aren't you? In the end, the one who had their tongue cut out is you."
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