tkworld #537 - Weird morning
#537 - Weird morning
As the night deepened, Tang Yin dragged his exhausted body back to student dormitory room 203.
The dilapidated wooden door creaked, as if lamenting the vicissitudes of the building. The incandescent light in the room emitted a weak glow, casting mottled shadows on the walls.
Just as he was about to lie down to rest, a gentle knock came at the door.
Standing outside was Wang Lina, holding a cup of instant noodles and a pot of steaming hot water. She said gently, "We're neighbors now."
Moonlight streamed in from the window, plating Wang Lina's delicate face with a soft silver glow. She placed the food on the table, and the two chatted idly for a few moments.
As she left, her figure looked somewhat frail, disappearing into the shadows of the corridor. Tang Yin watched her departing figure, a sense of inexplicable melancholy rising in his heart—he wondered if they would meet again tomorrow.
Turning to go to the bathroom, Tang Yin was stumped by the old-fashioned gas water heater.
The mottled iron shell was covered in rust, looking at least twenty years old. He clumsily fiddled with it for a long time, almost shivering from the cold. This kind of equipment from the last century was simply an unsolvable puzzle for him, who was used to modern life.
The only comforting thing in the room was the intact power socket. Tang Yin quickly plugged in his phone to charge, and breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the battery level slowly rise. He had been careless when he left, forgetting to bring a watch, so his phone was his only reference for time, making the battery level particularly precious.
Looking around, the layout of the room was very simple: a single bed, a wardrobe, and a desk, but there was no sign of a kitchen. This discovery made Tang Yin fall into thought: other rooms should have the same configuration.
Do the people here not cook at home? Do they rely on the cafeteria for all three meals?
Thinking of this, Tang Yin's anthropological instincts were piqued. This village was not only culturally unique, but even its most basic way of life was out of sync with the outside world.
How did this unique custom form and be passed down? If he weren't caught up in this dangerous game, it would definitely be a topic worthy of in-depth study.
In the deep quiet of night, Tang Yin lay in bed, but his thoughts became clearer. What should he do now? Even if he was excluded from the [Banquet], going out at night was still full of risks.
What troubled him even more was the memory of being killed—reason told him it was just a dream, but the dream's realism made him unable to completely deny its truth.
However, this experience at least made him understand one thing: staying absolutely quiet could save his life. This discovery gave him a bold idea: should he take advantage of tonight to investigate?
Suddenly, Zhao Gang's words about arranging someone to keep watch echoed in his mind.
That man who was the [Snake], wouldn't he disregard his own safety and insist on keeping watch? Thinking of this, Tang Yin felt a pang of anxiety.
Sighing helplessly, Tang Yin felt that there was so little he could do.
Important information from the [Banquet] couldn't be fully shared, and even the most basic safety rules couldn't be conveyed smoothly. Although leaking information was indeed dangerous, the consequences of misunderstanding information could be even more terrible.
Moonlight streamed through the gap in the curtains and onto the floor. Tang Yin looked at the silver-white trace and decided to stay put. In this strange game, his position was too delicate, and it wasn't suitable to act rashly.
Tang Yin paced back and forth in the dim room, the sound of his footsteps absorbed by the thick carpet, leaving only a faint rustling sound.
He originally planned to continue searching as he had during the day, but reason told him that doing so was too risky.
The village at night was like a huge maze, and a slight mistake could lead to paying the price of his life due to misjudgment of information.
What worried him even more was the attitude of the villagers. If his actions aroused suspicion and he lost the trust of these people, the consequences would be disastrous. Tang Yin scratched his hair irritably, his brow furrowed. Was he really going to be a coward and wait in the room until the end of the banquet?
"No!" he muttered to himself, this was definitely not his style.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting mottled shadows on the floor. Tang Yin's gaze fell on the old mailbox on the door, the metal lid was already covered in rust.
He gently opened the lid and peered out through the narrow gap. A strange thick fog filled the corridor, visibility was extremely low, and he could only vaguely see the corridor railings and a few branches reaching in, swaying in the wind like ghostly fingers.
Suddenly, an unsettling thought surfaced in his mind.
His room was located at the deepest part of the second floor, this location made it impossible to see Xiaomei and Wang Lina's rooms near the stairs. In other words, by the time he could spot an intruder through the mailbox, they would already be within striking distance.
Tang Yin shook his head with a wry smile. Strangely, he found that his concern for his own safety was less than his curiosity about the intruder's identity. Perhaps the bizarre dream had given him the illusion that even death could be restarted.
"I'll wait until late at night," he muttered to himself, rubbing his temples. There were too many things to think about now.
Unknowingly, fatigue invaded his consciousness.
...
When he woke up again, a sharp pain came from his forehead, it turned out that he had directly bumped into the door handle.
"Hiss——" He gasped, realizing that he had fallen asleep leaning against the door.
The bones all over his body were protesting this twisted sleeping position. Tang Yin fumbled for his phone. The fully charged screen was particularly dazzling in the darkness, the time showed six o'clock.
The morning light had already begun to seep into the room through the gap in the curtains, casting a faint golden halo on the wall.
Although his eyelids were drooping with sleepiness, Tang Yin was more concerned about the subsequent developments of the [Banquet] than a wonderful nap.
...
Tang Yin splashed cold water on his tired face, slightly reducing his sleepiness. After putting on his shoes, he walked to the door again as if possessed, habitually opening the metal lid of the mailbox.
In an instant, his pupils contracted sharply—Wang Lina was holding a sharp kitchen knife, standing quietly outside his door! In the morning light, the blade gleamed with a cold light, reflecting her slightly pale face.
Tang Yin shuddered and involuntarily retreated, stumbling and falling to the floor.
Cold sweat ran down his back, his heart pounding like a drum. This scene was like something out of a horror movie, sending chills down his spine.
His brain raced, various possibilities flashing through his mind: could Wang Lina be the wolf lurking in the crowd? Why was she standing outside his door in the early morning with a weapon?
Just as he was in a state of confusion, a rapid knock suddenly sounded, startling him into crying out.
"Tang Yin, Tang Yin, are you awake?" Wang Lina's voice came through the door, gentle with a hint of anxiety.
Tang Yin's Adam's apple bobbed, staring fixedly at the door. Was she going to kill him?
"Tang Yin, get up quickly! Let's go see how everyone else is!" Wang Lina shouted again, her voice full of concern.
Tang Yin was speechless for a moment, cold sweat soaking the clothes on his back.
Seeming to sense his fear, Wang Lina quickly explained, "The kitchen knife in my hand is for self-defense, don't worry."
"You scared me to death!" Tang Yin finally found his voice, his tense nerves slightly relaxed.
"Ah, are you up..." Wang Lina's tone was apologetic, "Don't worry, don't worry, look, I've already put the kitchen knife on the ground!"
Tang Yin carefully opened the mailbox again and looked out. He saw Wang Lina gently placing the kitchen knife on the floor of the corridor, waving friendly to him, the morning sun adding a soft outline to her.
After the two met, they immediately went to check on the other three students.
Fortunately, everyone was safe and sound, which relieved Tang Yin's worries a little. After confirming, they decided to go to the nearest Qian's Group.
The mist-shrouded Mist Hidden Village was enveloped in an eerie silence. Grayish-white fog spread through the streets, dyeing all the scenery with a layer of hazy veil.
As in yesterday morning, they were cautious with every step, for fear of disturbing something that should not be disturbed.
If they encountered that monster, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Tang Yin held Wang Lina's hand and walked in front, the warmth from her palm giving him a trace of courage. He secretly vowed in his heart that even if he was attacked by a monster, he would create an opportunity for Wang Lina to fight back or escape. His hand unconsciously tightened a little, as if this would protect her behind him.
Just as the two were carefully advancing, a wary voice suddenly came from the fog: "Who's there?" The voice sounded particularly hollow in the fog, with a bit of unease and vigilance.
Tang Yin immediately recognized the owner of the voice and quickly responded, "Are you Qian Jin? We are Tang Yin and Wang Lina."
"Where—is it there?" Qian Jin's voice went from far to near, a haggard face gradually emerging from the white fog.
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His eyes were surrounded by heavy dark circles, obviously he hadn't slept all night. His suit was also slightly disheveled, completely different from his usual refined image.
Wang Lina showed a gentle smile, trying to ease the tense atmosphere: "Oh, good morning!"
Tang Yin looked around, the simple Western-style building was looming in the morning mist, but it seemed particularly intact: "This Western-style building seems to be fine."
Hearing this, Qian Jin immediately straightened his back, his tone with a bit of arrogance: "That's for sure, although it's a bit old, the security system of this Western-style building is very complete, how could it be invaded by monsters."
"Is that so?" Wang Lina's eyes lit up, "Then let everyone come here to take refuge!"
Qian Jin's expression instantly turned cold, pursing his lips and saying: "That's the problem of Mist Hidden Village, it has nothing to do with me."
Hearing this, Wang Lina's smile did not diminish: "Is that so? I understand, then we will take the first step to solve the problem of Mist Hidden Village." Saying that, she turned to leave.
"Wait, wait!" Qian Jin hurriedly shouted, his voice with undisguised panic, "Acting alone is very dangerous!"
Tang Yin shook his head secretly in his heart, it seemed that Qian Jin was indeed a verbally strong king.
This kind of person often has a strong sense of self-esteem and vanity, is stubborn, and has no contribution to the [Banquet].
His neurotic performance just exposed the fear in his heart. This man was just bluffing, probably never really understood Mist Hidden Village, let alone the strangeness of Bai Feng Manor.
The three walked down the winding mountain road, and soon joined the three students waiting at the foot of the mountain. The humid mist swirled around them, shrouding the world in a haze.
Qin Ming folded his arms and sighed in a low voice: "...Even the road I'm used to has become so gloomy."
His eyes shifted uneasily around, as if something terrible would jump out of the fog at any moment.
"Yeah, the fog is really incredible." Wang Lina echoed softly, her tone with a hint of worry.
Tong Xiaoliang suddenly made an inappropriate joke: "Even if I was completely naked now, no one would see me!"
He looked expectantly at Gao Mei, obviously waiting for her usual venomous retort.
"..." Gao Mei remained silent unusually.
Qian Jin frowned and glared at Tong Xiaoliang disgustedly: "Shut up, you idiot."
Everyone's eyes turned to Gao Mei in unison.
Her condition was obviously not right, the girl who was usually lively and smiling was bowing her head at the moment, her body constantly trembling slightly, and her pale face was clearly visible even in the thick fog. She was like a frightened bird, ready to collapse at any moment.
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
Although everyone noticed Gao Mei's abnormal state, they seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding and chose to remain silent.
The spark of suspicion was burning silently in everyone's heart.
Gao Mei's abnormal performance made Tang Yin couldn't help but think of a terrible possibility—could she be the wolf lurking in the crowd? Did those innocent people die at her hands last night?
Just as this thought was swirling in his mind, Gao Mei suddenly softened, like a puppet with a broken string.
Her slender figure swayed in the thick fog, as if she would fall at any moment.
"Are you okay, Xiaomei?" Qin Ming reached out with concern, wanting to help her.
"...Don't touch me!!"
Gao Mei shouted sharply, her voice hoarse and unlike herself, with a hint of hysteria. She curled up like a frightened beast and dodged Qin Ming's hand.
"Xiaomei...?" Qin Ming was stunned in place, his hand awkwardly suspended in mid-air.
"...Brother, I..." Gao Mei's voice trembled, as if she was trying her best to suppress something.
Qin Ming was silent for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
"Sorry, but...I now..." Gao Mei's words were fragmented, like glass that would shatter at any moment.
"...It's okay, I understand your feelings, don't be nervous, watch your step." Qin Ming retracted his hand and comforted her softly.
The team continued to move forward, but the speed was obviously slowed down.
Gao Mei walked alone at the end, refusing everyone's support. She lowered her head, as if she was overwhelmed by an invisible burden.
The thick fog surged around them, with miscellaneous trees and huge standing rocks appearing and disappearing. The whole world seemed to be covered with a layer of frosted glass, all the scenery was distorted and deformed in the fog.
The mountain forest tunnel was deep and unpredictable, the field path was winding and tortuous, the standing rock terrace stood tall and majestic, and the mottled concrete steps extended upwards, disappearing into the white fog.
Looking at this strange scene, a thought suddenly flashed through Tang Yin's mind—could this be the entrance to another world? This idea made his back cold, but he inexplicably felt that it was reasonable.