Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The bodies showed no signs of damage, which was inaccurate. In fact, among these corpses, some had wounds, and some had multiple injuries. Each body had different locations of damage; some had many wounds, while others had fewer. The nature of these injuries was difficult to describe, resembling skin that had rotted away, leaving pockmarked holes.
Could it be the Plague?
I shook my head, dismissing the unreliable thought from my mind. Who had ever seen a person dying from the Plague suffocate? Moreover, how could so many people die at once?
As I pondered this, I unfastened the clothing of a child's corpse. The exposed skin on the child's chest startled me.
This child must have been very unfortunate, as his body was severely damaged. Not only did he have several wounds, but there was also a large patch of something golden stuck to his chest. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the golden object bore the crooked characters "Centenary." It turned out to be a Longevity Lock, seemingly dissolved by strong acid, transformed into a puddle of metal embedded in the flesh, causing blisters around it.
These wounds, this Longevity Lock, and the suffocated dead—oh my God, the Detective found himself in a horror movie-like predicament.
"Liuying, the rain has stopped. Let's go to the county," Nie Qiuyuan said as he stood behind me. There was a hint of admiration in his gaze that made me feel I was doing the right thing.
Indeed, the sound of raindrops on the umbrella had ceased at some point, and the sky brightened.
We gathered some essential items in the Village and confirmed its location on the map before setting off with Hongxi.
Not only were all the villagers dead, but even the livestock had perished; in short, all living creatures were gone. Even sparrows lay scattered on the ground, further enhancing the eerie atmosphere of the Village. As a result, we couldn't even find a horse that could be used.
The three of us walked out of the village and headed northwest toward Lantian County's city.
There was no way to go wrong with direction; I had survival training, and Nie Qiuyuan seemed even more experienced. However, I carried a more advanced weapon with me: the Ren Ping Sheng Compass! Although it was made by a notorious villain, technology is innocent; as long as it is useful, it deserves to be kept—that is an advanced mindset.
By dusk, we finally exited the mountainous area and found another more prosperous village. In this Village, we hired a carriage and traveled through the night until we reached Lantian County Office just before midnight.
Upon arriving at the county office, Nie Qiuyuan asked the doorman to report that a major incident had occurred in a certain village and requested an immediate meeting with the Chief Constable. The officials of Lantian County were quite efficient; without even announcing our identities, Captain Hu quickly appeared in disheveled clothing with sleepy eyes.
We were led into the hall, where Nie Qiuyuan pointed at the map, clearly and succinctly explaining everything he had seen in the Village to Captain Hu. Hongxi sat beside him, staring blankly with his eyelids lowered. I quietly listened to Nie Qiuyuan's account, watching Captain Hu's expression grow increasingly serious.
I found it a bit strange. The last time we were in Feng County, Nie Qiuyuan had directly revealed our identities to Captain Hu. It proved to be quite convenient, as the other party immediately granted us sufficient assistance and trust, which was beneficial for the investigation. However, this time, he not only refrained from mentioning our identities but also fabricated a story.
"We are merchants from Luoyang, here in Chang'an to check on our shop. Passing through Your County, we encountered heavy rain and, in a panic, my sibling and I got separated from our caravan and lost our way, accidentally entering that village. Who would have thought we would witness such a tragic disaster?"
His words were sincere and powerful, making it psychologically impossible to doubt him. If I were a stranger, I would have an excellent impression of this "young merchant," thinking he was clear-headed and composed, surely a skilled businessman; no wonder he could remain calm even after encountering a village full of corpses.
"Thank you for coming here overnight to inform us!" Captain Hu stood up and cupped his hands in gratitude. "We will send someone immediately to investigate. It’s late; may I ask where you will be staying?"
Nie Qiuyuan also stood up and politely bowed. "No need for your concern, my sibling and I will find lodging nearby. However, I hope Your County can arrange a proper place for this young man."
Captain Hu glanced at the absent-minded Hongxi and replied, "Of course. This young man is a citizen of Lantian County; given the disaster at home, it is only right that Lantian County takes care of him. You can rest assured."
We then bid farewell to Captain Hu and went out to find accommodation. Before leaving, I held Hongxi's hand tightly, offering him comforting words. Seeing his still bewildered expression made my heart ache as well. I wondered if I should find an opportunity to check on him before we left.
Moreover, what exactly was going on with this case? Were we really just going to walk away like this? Was Nie Qiuyuan planning to leave this case entirely to Lantian County?
Such a horrific and bizarre incident seemed not to concern Nie Qiuyuan much at all. Throughout our journey together, he hardly asked Hongxi anything about the case; perhaps it was because he was kind-hearted and recognized that Hongxi had just experienced the pain of losing family. He only asked some unrelated questions like, "What is your surname?"
Hongxi paused for a moment, probably surprised that this question had anything to do with the case. After hesitating briefly, he replied, "My surname is Rong."
That was indeed a rare surname. But what could a surname have to do with the case? So I quickly dismissed it from my mind.
Instead of staying at an Inn as usual, Nie Qiuyuan took me to a guesthouse.
"I need two adjacent rooms," he said decisively as he handed a large silver ingot to the Boss. The Boss's initial displeasure at being woken in the middle of the night vanished instantly as he broke into a wide smile and replied cheerfully, "Alright!"
The Boss called for two attendants to tidy up our room again. Since it was late at night, he didn't want to disturb us with tea, fearing it might affect our sleep. Instead, he kindly brought us two bowls of hot rice porridge.
"Young Master Sister, once you settle down, you should rest early. Just remember one thing: make sure the window is securely locked and don't go out again," the Boss offered a thoughtful reminder.
"Why is that?" Nie Qiuyuan asked.
"The young master isn't from around here, so he probably doesn't know. In the past two months, there have been reports of a Vampire Demon in Lantian County. These Yokai operate at night, and if one falls into their hands, they will be drained of blood until nothing remains but an empty shell! In just over a month, more than ten lives have been claimed by these Yokai in the city!"
No wonder we hadn't encountered any pedestrians on our way here.
Oh my gosh, what kind of cursed county is this? A village where people die mysteriously, and there's an even more terrifying bloodsucking monster in the county? I couldn't help but feel a chill run down my spine.
Nie Qiuyuan seemed to ponder this but said nothing more. He walked me to the door and simply instructed, "Don't go out alone. If anything happens, call for me. Don't be afraid; I'm right next door, and I'll know everything."
He meant to reassure me, but I still felt a bit scared. This wasn't just a murderer; it was a Yokai—a landmine in my nervous system! But what could I do? I couldn't cling to Nie Qiuyuan; after all, there were boundaries between us.
Reluctantly, I entered the room, washed up, and lay down. Despite feeling cold, frightened, and exhausted, the hot rice porridge worked its calming magic, and I soon fell asleep. However, falling asleep quickly did not spare me from the fate of having nightmares.
I just didn't understand why I dreamt of him again.
Comment 0 Comment Count