tkworld #524 - The most suspicious person
#524 - The most suspicious person
Tang Yin crouched in the pool of blood, his hands trembling slightly. He tried to recall the knowledge he had learned in anatomy class, but the scene before him was far beyond his comprehension. After all, he wasn't a professional doctor, and unless he touched it himself, he could hardly find any clues. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"I don't know what happened either. This degree of injury is beyond the norm," Tang Yin said in a low voice, with a hint of trembling. His eyes swept around, the twisted and deformed limbs and scattered internal organs, each telling a horrifying story.
It was hard to imagine that these were wounds caused by humans. Tang Yin's mind couldn't help but conjure up the bizarre figure he had seen last night. He shook his head, trying to shake off this terrible thought.
"In any case, let's call the police and let the professionals handle it," Tang Yin stood up and turned to the three people behind him. However, as soon as he finished speaking, Wang Lina, Qin Ming, and Tong Xiaoliang fell silent at the same time. The air seemed to freeze, and only the wind from afar broke the eerie silence.
Tang Yin was puzzled. Wasn't it common sense to call the police when something like this happened? Why was everyone silent? He looked at the three people in confusion, hoping to read some information from their expressions.
Wang Lina lowered her head, her long hair covering her expression. She said softly, "...Tang Yin, the police won't come."
Tang Yin was stunned, looking at Wang Lina in disbelief. "That's impossible. There's been a murder," he said, his voice full of doubt and unease.
Wang Lina raised her head, her eyes firm and sad. "They won't come," she repeated, her tone carrying an unquestionable certainty.
Tang Yin felt a sense of powerlessness wash over him. He looked around, trying to find other solutions. "Then let's take refuge," he suggested, his voice with a hint of hope.
However, Wang Lina once again shattered his illusion. "That can't be done either," she said, her voice calm but filled with deep helplessness.
Tang Yin retorted unwillingly, "Why? I have my motorcycle, and there's the reporter's van..." He was interrupted by Qin Ming before he could finish speaking.
Qin Ming interjected, "...Including Tang Yin, all the survivors have been confirmed. You guys go to the cafeteria first." His tone carried a strange decisiveness, as if announcing an immutable fact.
Tong Xiaoliang took over, "We'll take care of Gao Mei." His eyes flickered, as if hiding something.
Wang Lina nodded and said softly, "Please, Tang Yin, let's go." Her tone was tired, as if she had gone through this conversation countless times.
Tang Yin felt a surge of confusion. He couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to explain?" His voice was filled with dissatisfaction and confusion.
Wang Lina took a deep breath, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "Sorry, I'm not in the mood right now. See for yourself, interpret it however you want." Her tone became cold, and it was the first time Tang Yin had heard her speak with such weight.
Tang Yin was stunned, feeling a sense of powerlessness and anxiety. However, looking at Wang Lina's tired expression, he realized that she had more information than he did, and she must be more anxious and troubled than he was.
"...Sorry," Tang Yin said in a low voice, filled with apology and a hint of frustration.
Wang Lina didn't respond, but silently turned and left. Her back looked somewhat lonely, as if she was bearing an unspeakable burden.
With no other choice, Tang Yin had to follow her.
...
On the misty square, Tang Yin and Wang Lina walked side by side, their heavy footsteps particularly clear in the silence. Suddenly, Tang Yin stopped abruptly, his pupils contracting sharply. The scene before him instantly made him understand Wang Lina's previously incomprehensible words.
The motorcycle and the van, the two means of transportation that were supposed to carry the hope of escape, were now lying in the center of the square, shattered and broken, as if they had been ravaged by a storm. Tang Yin's eyes first fell on the van, its body covered with spiderweb-like cracks, shards of glass scattered all over the ground, reflecting a cold light in the dim sky. All four tires were spared, all of them collapsed on the ground as if they had been cut by a sharp blade.
Tang Yin's heart clenched, and his gaze involuntarily turned to his beloved motorcycle. The once-bright and beautiful motorcycle was now lying on its side, like an injured beast. The front braking system was twisted and deformed, as if it had suffered a huge impact. Near the motorcycle, a sharp-edged rock silently told of its crime.
"How could this be..." Tang Yin muttered to himself, his voice full of disbelief and regret.
However, an even more horrifying scene was waiting for him. When his gaze swept across the van's carriage, a chill ran down his spine. Inside the carriage, a—or rather, several—horrific corpses were piled up like a mountain, their flesh blurred, almost unrecognizable. Tang Yin suppressed the urge to vomit and said with difficulty, "Even the photographer, Mr. Zhou...?"
Wang Lina nodded silently, a trace of grief flashing in her eyes.
Tang Yin took a deep breath, trying to calm the shock in his heart. Two lives, plus the completely destroyed transportation, the situation was worse than he thought.
"Look there," Wang Lina's voice interrupted Tang Yin's thoughts. She pointed her slender finger at a wooden telephone pole not far away. Tang Yin followed her finger and saw that one of the wires had been cut off cleanly, hanging weakly in mid-air.
Wang Lina explained in a low voice, "The other wires are fine, but the telephone line to the cafeteria has been cut. Now there's no way to contact the outside."
Tang Yin subconsciously took out his phone, and the words "No Signal" on the screen ruthlessly confirmed Wang Lina's words. He smiled wryly and stuffed the phone back into his pocket.
"Look at this," Wang Lina said again, taking a few steps forward. Tang Yin followed her footsteps, his eyes falling on a towering standing rock. The rock was about the height of a roof, and its surface was painted with a strange pattern.
The red and black graffiti stood out on the gray-white rock. Tang Yin stared at the twisted lines, trying to decipher their meaning. Diamond and vortex patterns appeared repeatedly, like some kind of mysterious symbol. Although he couldn't understand the specific meaning, Tang Yin instinctively felt that this was by no means random graffiti, but some kind of deliberately left message.
"Like the graffiti that people in the underground society draw on street corners," Tang Yin thought, "this is some kind of code for information."
Even more disturbing was that the patterns seemed to be drawn with blood. The dark red liquid had solidified on the surface of the rock, emitting a nauseating stench. However, more than the bloody material, the twisted and deformed patterns were even more creepy.
Wang Lina's voice suddenly became low and serious: "There are two wolves—we must fight."
Tang Yin turned his head sharply to look at Wang Lina, and saw that her face was filled with solemnity and determination. At this moment, Tang Yin could finally confirm one thing: Mist Hidden Village was being invaded by some kind of malicious intelligent creature. Moreover, all the tools for rescue and departure had been systematically destroyed.
Tang Yin's brain was racing, trying to sort out the current situation. Although the situation seemed hopeless, he was not prepared to sit still and wait for death. After all, this wasn't an isolated island in the ocean. In addition to climbing down the cliff and returning the way he came, he could also walk directly to Baifeng Village.
Thinking of this, a glimmer of hope flashed in Tang Yin's eyes. He decided to find an opportunity to ask Wang Lina properly to see if she knew more information. But now, the most important thing was to stay calm, observe the surrounding environment, and look for possible survival opportunities.
"Wang Lina," Tang Yin called softly, "what should we do next?"
Wang Lina looked at Tang Yin deeply, as if evaluating his reliability. Finally, she sighed softly and said, "Let's go back to the cafeteria first. We need to discuss countermeasures with the others."
The sky above Mist Hidden Village seemed to be shrouded in a heavy gray curtain, and even the air was filled with a sense of oppression. Tang Yin and Wang Lina walked along the winding path to the cafeteria, silence following them like a shadow. Suddenly, Wang Lina stopped and turned to face Tang Yin, her eyes flashing with complex emotions.
"Sorry," Wang Lina said softly, her voice with a hint of apology.
Tang Yin was slightly stunned, "Huh?"
Wang Lina took a deep breath and continued, "I lost my temper just now. Sorry, Tang Yin, you must be very uneasy."
Tang Yin's eyes softened, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "It's nothing, don't mind it. Anyway, I'm a foreigner."
Wang Lina frowned slightly, "...I didn't mean that."
Realizing Wang Lina's misunderstanding, Tang Yin quickly explained, "Um, ah, don't get me wrong. I mean, as a foreigner, I don't understand the rules here, so it's better to wait and see." His tone became serious, "No matter how tired you are, you have to hold on and don't do anything unnecessary."
Tang Yin's eyes swept across the gloomy village in the distance, and he added softly, "Moreover, the elders here are already full of murderous intent."
Wang Lina looked at Tang Yin in surprise, as if she was seeing him for the first time, "...Tang Yin, are you really just a graduate student?"
Tang Yin was a little confused, "That, is there a problem?"
A trace of doubt and admiration flashed in Wang Lina's eyes, "Why are you so calm? It's like you're used to this kind of thing."
Tang Yin showed a slightly awkward smile, "It's probably because my nerve reflex arc is longer."
The two continued to walk towards the cafeteria, a faint sense of tension permeating the air.
Pushing open the door of the cafeteria, a wave of stuffiness and tension hit them. The small space was filled with villagers, and low voices of discussion rose and fell. Tang Yin's appearance instantly attracted everyone's attention, as if he was a wolf suddenly breaking into a flock of sheep.
Gao Zhijie, a burly middle-aged man, looked at Tang Yin coldly, "Are you still alive?" His tone carried a hint of sarcasm and suspicion.
Tang Yin pretended to be nonchalant and replied with a smile, "Good morning, what happened?"
Chen Xiang, a kind-faced middle-aged woman beside him, said somewhat awkwardly, "...Sorry, there aren't enough teacups." Her eyes were filled with apology and a hint of unease.
Tang Yin responded politely, "It's nothing, don't mind it."
At this moment, a young man with a pompadour and a black T-shirt suddenly stood up, pointed at Tang Yin, and questioned loudly, "Did you do it, huh?" The young man named Qin Yi's eyes were full of hostility and suspicion.
Tang Yin remained calm and replied softly, "No, of course not... Why do you suspect me?"
Qin Yi obviously didn't believe Tang Yin's words, and his tone became more agitated, "Annoying, what are you doing here!"
Zhao Gang, who was beside him, sternly stopped him: "Xiao Yi, don't be unreasonable!"
Qin Yi refused to be outdone and turned to Zhao Gang to retort, "Huh? Brother Gang, didn't you say he was suspicious?"
Tang Yin thought to himself that things were not good. It seemed that his situation was worse than he thought. He quietly observed the expressions of the people around him, trying to find a trace of friendliness.
Zhao Gang's eyes became sharper, his tone with a hint of threat, "It's not your turn to speak, little brat. Don't cause trouble for everyone, right, Sister Chen Xiang?"
Chen Xiang obviously didn't want to get involved in this dispute, and she said somewhat nervously, "That... anyway, everyone calm down and be gentle..."
Zhao Gang didn't care, "Don't worry, I know what to do!" His gaze fell on Tang Yin again, as if he wanted to see through him.
Tang Yin's eyes swept over everyone in the cafeteria, trying to read more information from their expressions. Gao Zhijie's vigilance, Chen Xiang's worry, Qin Yi's anger, Zhao Gang's calmness...
In this village shrouded in mist, everyone could be a friend or an enemy.
The air in the cafeteria seemed to freeze, and the tense atmosphere was like an invisible net, enveloping everyone. At this moment, Gao Zhijie's voice broke the silence, his deep voice with a hint of impatience:
"Stop arguing. By the way, where's the key to the village assembly hall?"
Granny Rong, an old woman with white hair and a kind face, slowly opened her mouth, her voice with a hint of hesitation: "...I gave it to Lord Honglu a few days ago, for the resting altar..."
Hearing this, Gao Zhijie turned his gaze to a white-haired girl standing in the corner, his tone with a hint of command: "Little girl, the key."
The white-haired girl slowly raised her head, revealing a pair of eyes as deep as a pool. Her voice was as clear as a mountain stream: "I'll get it."
Tang Yin suddenly realized that this white-haired girl was not an illusion. He recalled Granny Rong calling her "Lord Honglu" just now, and a trace of doubt could not help but arise in his heart. What kind of identity could allow a seemingly young girl to receive such respect?
At the moment when Honglu brushed past him, Tang Yin made eye contact with her. At that moment, time seemed to stand still, and Tang Yin saw a sense of vicissitudes and wisdom beyond her age in those eyes. This mysterious girl seemed to be hiding an unknown secret.
Suddenly, a childish voice broke the brief silence: "Meh, meh, wait!"
Tang Yin followed the sound and saw a purple-haired loli eagerly trying to keep up with Honglu. Her big eyes were full of attachment and reluctance.
Chen Xiang quickly stepped forward and softly persuaded, "Xiao Meh, stay here for a while." Her voice was gentle, but with an unquestionable firmness.
At this moment, Tang Yin's eyes swept across the cafeteria and suddenly noticed two incompatible figures.
Deep within the cafeteria, a middle-aged man in a suit was sitting anxiously. Tang Yin recognized him as Qian Jin from Qian's Group. His face, usually full of confidence, was now filled with anxiety and unease, as if he were experiencing some kind of inner torment.
In a distant corner, Tang Yin spotted another familiar figure—Grandpa Wolf. The village elder was sitting there blankly, his eyes empty and his expression dull, as if completely disconnected from the world.
Strangely, in the entire noisy cafeteria, only Qian Jin and Grandpa Wolf were seated.
Just as Tang Yin was lost in thought, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the door:
"Mom, everyone, we're back."
Tang Yin recognized Qin Ming's voice. Immediately afterward, Tong Xiaoliang pushed the door open and walked in, followed by a tearful girl—Gao Mei. Her eyes were red and swollen, obviously having just gone through a painful cry.
Tang Yin's gaze swept across the crowd, and he suddenly realized an unsettling fact: two reporters were dead, and in this isolated village, besides himself, the only remaining outsider was that girl of unknown origin.
Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, Tang Yin could feel the villagers' suspicion and hostility towards him. Their eyes were full of vigilance and distrust, as if saying: You are the culprit who disrupted our peaceful life.
Tang Yin took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. He knew that in this mysterious village shrouded in mist, every step could lead into unknown danger. And he, as an outsider, seemed to have become the object of everyone's suspicion.