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墨書 Inktalez
"Where are they now? Can you find them? If not, can you remember where you got separated?" After learning that Hu Aiguo might regain his memory, I immediately asked the question that was weighing heavily on my mind.
The response was silence. I couldn't tell if he was unwilling to answer or if his memory hadn't fully returned.
I nudged Zhao Squad Leader. "You ask him."
Zhao Squad Leader didn't repeat my words but directly addressed Hu Aiguo. "Comrade Hu Aiguo, I command you to answer the previous question."
Once again, silence filled the air.
I suspected he might not have fully regained his memory, so I softened my tone. "Hu, don't be nervous. Take your time and think about it. Remember as much as you can. This is important for us."
Then, I pulled out a lighter and flicked it open with a snap. The flame from the zippo lighter was steady, though not as dazzling as a torch; it illuminated the faces of the four of us clearly as we leaned in close.
A complex expression reappeared on Hu Aiguo's face, as if he were seriously and painfully trying to recall something. I felt anxious about his state. Typically, this expression indicated he was grappling with memories of something extremely significant. In most cases, such events leave a deep impression on individuals, imprinting like film in their minds—so much so that even if they wanted to forget, they couldn't.
His current condition resembled another scenario: when a person experiences extreme trauma, their brain may protect itself by burying those memories deep within. This allows the mind to avoid further harm. The manifestation of this state is that the individual can sense an event hidden in their mind, but bringing it to the surface seems nearly impossible by their own efforts.
This posed a dire situation for us; we could completely lose our leads. Urging him wouldn't help at all. From his earlier fragmented words, I could deduce that he or they had encountered something extremely dangerous.
I decided to sidestep this issue and ask some less pointed questions. "Did you leave any markers along the way?"
"I did." Hu Aiguo's expression immediately relaxed and even showed a hint of excitement. "I made a lot of markers. Every time I passed an intersection, I would mark it. Later, when I ran out of fire, I just kept walking along one side and marked it too."
I lowered my head and remained silent for a moment. The markings he made were essentially in vain; following one direction would lead us in circles around a hexagonal corridor. He hadn’t realized this, and neither had Xiao Guolin or Cao Mingzhe. At least, they hadn’t been aware of the problem before they got separated. The good news was that he had left markers; as long as we could find them, we would likely be able to locate Xiao Guolin and Cao Mingzhe.
He had no food left on him, but he did have a full jug of water. Coupled with the fact that he was soaked when we found him, I deduced that the water source couldn’t be far from us. Perhaps if we followed his markings, we wouldn’t have to walk long before discovering it. Where there was water, there was a possibility of life and food. I looked at Hu Aiguo as if I had seen a glimmer of hope: “The markers you made are crucial for us. We need to set off immediately to search for them. You’re currently unable to move well, so we will take turns carrying you. I hope you can remember something about the starting point. Even a fragment of memory would be helpful.”
“I…” As soon as I mentioned recalling what had happened before, Hu Aiguo’s face contorted in pain. “I’ll try my best, but I don’t know what’s wrong. Whenever I attempt to remember that lost experience, it feels like my head is going to explode with pain.”
His response made it impossible for us to pressure him further. In truth, I had already given up hope of extracting valuable information from him; I understood the condition of amnesiac patients better than anyone. Since we couldn’t get more useful information from Hu Aiguo, finding the markers he left behind became our urgent priority and only hope.
With a clear goal in mind, we set off quickly. If all went well, we would soon come across Hu Aiguo’s markings at the next intersection.
The first to carry Hu Aiguo forward was his squad leader. Zhao Squad Leader took on this responsibility willingly and stated plainly: “As long as I can carry him, you don’t need to help.”
This gesture moved us deeply, especially me. Liu Squad Leader’s shoulder injury prevented him from carrying much weight; Hu Aiguo’s over one hundred pounds definitely fell into that category. Thus, it would have to be me and Zhao Squad Leader who carried Hu Aiguo. His declaration seemed almost directed at me. In our current situation, where even moving without any load was difficult, Zhao Squad Leader’s statement felt like a lifeline to me. Instantly, his image grew larger in my mind; a protagonist aura shone brightly around him, and even in the pitch-black darkness, I could see a golden halo above his head. It was as if God had descended upon Earth; yes, at that moment, I felt he was my savior.
I led the way while Zhao Squad Leader carried Hu Aiguo in the middle and Liu Squad Leader protected us from behind. This was our formation as we continued forward through the darkness. Finding Hu Aiguo hadn’t brought us any tangible benefits; in fact, it made our situation even more dire. As we moved along, I prayed that our streak of bad luck would come to an end.
We soon reached the branch point where Zhao Squad Leader was nearly exhausted. After setting Hu Aiguo down, he sat on the ground gasping for breath. I quickly lit a torch and began searching carefully for any markings left by Hu Aiguo. After making a full circle, I found nothing; the rough cave wall bore no new traces.
I walked up to Hu Aiguo and asked him, “Are you sure you marked every spot along the way?”
Hu Aiguo’s eyes widened in earnestness as he replied confidently, “I swear I left a mark at every intersection; why would I lie about something like this?”
“I believe you.” After thinking for a moment, I added, “Do you remember how you made the last mark? Were your clothes wet then? Did you feel like you were about to freeze?”
"I certainly remember," Hu Aiguo blurted out. "The temperature there wasn't low at all; I was even sweating. How could my clothes be wet? Even if they were, it was just sweat."
After hearing this, I felt deflated. This intersection couldn't be the last one in his memory. After that, he encountered real danger and fought to escape. It was only later that he experienced hypothermia, and in that state, he wouldn't have been conscious enough to leave markers along the way. Finding the last intersection where he left a mark, while not as difficult as searching for a needle in a haystack, was still beyond our capabilities.
I shared my judgment first and then turned to Zhao Squad Leader. "I'll explore a passage on my own. If we can't find any markers in this direction, I suggest we stick to the original plan." Then I looked at Liu Squad Leader and Hu Aiguo and asked, "Do you have any suggestions?"
They exchanged glances and shook their heads simultaneously.
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