deltrittennovels #540 - Missing Gao Mei
#540 - Missing Gao Mei
Looking at the shocking traces on the ground, Tang Yin could easily imagine the final scene. Qin Yi had experienced a fierce struggle before his death. Judging from the scattered blood and flesh, he had desperately resisted until the last moment of his life. This tenacious will to survive only made his death seem even more cruel.
The culprit behind all of this was undoubtedly the entity executing the [Contamination]. But what kind of monster could tear a vigorous young man into such a state?
The news of Qin Yi's death spread through the village square like a chilling wind. The pain of losing a loved one was beyond words. The moment Chen Xiang heard the news, she felt as if all the strength had been drained from her body, and then, as if possessed by something, she let out a heart-wrenching scream.
"My son! My son!"
She rushed towards the scene like a madwoman, her hair disheveled and her eyes bloodshot. It took several strong men to restrain her frantic actions, but she continued to cry out in a hoarse voice, as if pouring out all the maternal love of the past dozen years at this moment.
According to the village rules, Qin Yi's fragmented remains were thrown into the Godhead River Valley. Zhao Gang brought back a lock of faded hair stained with blood from the scene, the only complete relic of Qin Yi's life.
When Chen Xiang received her son's hair, she made a shocking move. Without hesitation, she stuffed the lock of hair into her mouth, sobbing and frantically chewing and swallowing. This almost insane act was perhaps the most extreme expression of maternal love—wanting to keep a part of her son within herself forever.
But no matter what she did, the fact could not be changed. Her son, that once bright and sunny teenager, had left this world forever. Watching her like that, Tang Yin felt a pain that went deep into his bones, the kind of despair that only those who have lost their flesh and blood can understand.
"...Let's start the [Banquet]," Zhao Gang's voice broke the silence. "We must find the murderer who killed Old Gao and Qin Yi no matter what."
His words were like a stone thrown into stagnant water, arousing everyone's attention. Only Chen Xiang was still squatting on the ground, sobbing softly, her eldest son silently accompanying her, head lowered, not knowing what he was thinking.
Tang Yin's brain was racing: What rules did Qin Yi violate? Why did he suffer such a cruel death? What could this senseless death bring, other than leaving a strange tuft of animal hair in his mother's mouth, other than causing her unbearable pain?
Such a tragedy would only make the survivors more fearful. If everyone acted recklessly like Qin Yi, regardless of their lives, the consequences would be unimaginable. Tang Yin's worry strangely coincided with what happened next.
"...Where's Xiao Mei?" Tong Xiaoliang's voice suddenly rang out, with a hint of unease.
Damn it! Tang Yin cursed inwardly. Why do these people always rush in the most dangerous direction? Like moths to a flame, knowing they will die, they still rush forward one after another. The village in the thick fog was becoming more and more chaotic, and this chaos seemed to be exactly what some force was expecting.
In the fog-shrouded village, four people quickly formed a search team. Wang Lina looked solemn, Tong Xiaoliang frowned, Zhao Gang's eyes were piercing, and Tang Yin was deep in thought. The person they were looking for was Gao Mei, the missing girl.
Qin Ming stayed at home to take care of his mother. Chen Xiang's emotions had not yet calmed down, sometimes sobbing, sometimes dazed, and needed someone to guard her every step of the way. Qian Jin also did not join the search team. He stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, saying with a complex expression, "At least one man must be left to guard the cafeteria." This made sense. No one could guarantee that the murderer was not lurking in the dark at this moment.
For safety's sake, the four were divided into two groups. Everyone held farm tools in their hands. Wooden shovels and sickles became the best weapons for self-defense at this time. The sharp sickle gleamed coldly in the fog, and the handle of the wooden shovel was soaked with sweat.
"Be careful," Wang Lina whispered, her voice filled with undisguised worry.
Zhao Gang nodded: "Shout to us if there is anything, the voice should be low but loud enough." His words sounded contradictory, but everyone understood what he meant—to let their companions hear them without alarming the enemy.
"Okay, please, Xiaoliang—" Tang Yin turned to look at his partner.
Tong Xiaoliang changed out of the inconvenient dress and into a slightly tight student uniform. Although his figure had long exceeded the size of the student uniform, it seemed that he only had this one change of clothes. He liked that dress very much, but at this time, practicality was the most important thing. He made the suggestion himself, showing his seriousness about this search.
"We have to work hard, Uncle Tang." Although Tong Xiaoliang still spoke in that nonchalant tone, Tang Yin noticed that his eyes were unusually focused, with a firm light shining inside.
The two began to search the village. Their figures appeared and disappeared in the thick fog.
"Xiao Mei!"
"Xiao Mei!"
Their shouts seemed particularly empty in the fog. Tang Yin and Tong Xiaoliang carefully searched every possible hiding place: grassy areas overgrown with weeds, dark corners under the shade of trees, and even muddy fields were not spared. But Gao Mei seemed to have evaporated from the world, and no trace of her could be found.
"...Do you have any clues?" Tang Yin stopped and turned to Tong Xiaoliang.
Tong Xiaoliang wiped the sweat from his forehead: "I don't know, is it because Old Gao died and she was scared?"
"No," Tang Yin shook his head, his eyes becoming deep, "I mean this morning, she looked very strange."
"Yeah, indeed." Tong Xiaoliang suddenly put away his frivolous expression, as if he had remembered some important details.
In the fog-shrouded village, Tang Yin's thoughts were tumbling like the thick fog. He suddenly seemed to remember something, stopped searching, and looked sharply at Tong Xiaoliang.
"Does she have a phobia of cleanliness?" Tang Yin's voice broke the silence around.
Tong Xiaoliang was wiping the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his student uniform, and was stunned when he heard this: "Cleanliness?"
"It's the kind of feeling that you really hate dirty things and behaviors. I had this feeling when I first met her." Tang Yin recalled Gao Mei's eyes that always showed vigilance, and her slender hands that always unconsciously rubbed the corners of her clothes, as if resisting the intrusion of something unclean.
Tong Xiaoliang's expression became complicated. He scratched his slightly messy black hair and looked at the hazy mist in the distance: "Ah, well, how should I put it, Xiao Mei is the most timid person in Wuyin Village. She has always been afraid of the legend of pollution, or rather, she hates being polluted."
"Is that so?" Tang Yin nodded thoughtfully. The thick fog flowed slowly around them, bringing a damp chill. This was clearly a fear caused by superstition, but why did it suddenly deteriorate to this point? What exactly happened last night that made the always cautious Gao Mei make such an unusual move?
Tong Xiaoliang suddenly spoke, interrupting Tang Yin's thoughts: "So I think even if Xiao Mei is a wolf, she can't kill people..." There was an imperceptible tremor in his voice.
"Is that what you think?" Tang Yin turned to look at him.
Tong Xiaoliang's expression became rarely serious: "No matter whether Xiao Mei is a wolf or not, she can't do it, that's what I mean."
"Very cautious, that's not your style, is it?" Tang Yin noticed the abnormality in Tong Xiaoliang's tone. The usually cynical young man showed such a cautious side at this moment.
"Because it's not my own business—" Tong Xiaoliang chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
The fog flowed between the two, bringing an uncomfortable feeling of stickiness. Tang Yin took a deep breath: "I don't mean to inquire about your privacy, but if you remember anything about Xiao Mei, can you tell me?"
"Um... I don't know what you suspect?" Tong Xiaoliang's eyes suddenly became sharp. He stopped, turned to face Tang Yin, his voice with unprecedented seriousness: "For me, Xiao Mei and Qin Ming are the most important people, you could even say that Xiao Mei is more important than Qin Ming."
After saying this, he seemed unwilling to continue the topic, and changed his tone: "Okay, I'm going to find her soon."
"...You're right," Tang Yin responded softly.
But no matter how they searched, Gao Mei's figure never appeared on this mist-shrouded land. The damp grass rustled under their feet, and the dead branches looked particularly eerie in the fog. The decaying leaves exuded a damp smell, and the air was filled with an unspeakable sense of oppression. Was she fainting in some unknown corner, or deliberately avoiding everyone's search?
A more disturbing thought suddenly flashed through Tang Yin's mind: "Is it possible that she has already left Wuyin Village?"
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This question was like a stone, hitting everyone's heart heavily. Wang Lina subconsciously rubbed her hands, her voice with a hint of uneasiness: "...It's hard to imagine."
Zhao Gang's face also became serious. He looked up at the increasingly thick fog: "Granny Rong said that the foggy Wuyin Village is connected to the land of the Yellow Springs. If you leave now, you will definitely get lost in the land of the Yellow Springs."
The fog flowed in the mountains, like an invisible river, wrapping the entire Wuyin Village in a mysterious veil. The humid air was filled with a decaying smell, and the withered leaves made a slight rustling sound under their feet. Tong Xiaoliang looked at the blurred mountain shadows in the distance, his voice with rare gravity: "Besides, whether it's foggy or not, the mountains are very dangerous."
Tang Yin put his hands in the pockets of his windbreaker, his deep eyes penetrated the mist, as if searching for something. His black windbreaker was wet with fog, making it even heavier. Water droplets slid down his hair and left a cold touch on his cheeks: "I understand your feelings, but I will seriously ask you a question." He paused slightly, his voice low and clear: "In this case, assuming she really left, what changes have taken place in her state of mind?"
This question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up layers of ripples. Everyone fell silent, and this possibility was obviously beyond the scope of their imagination. Wang Lina unconsciously wrung her fingers, her eyes dodging;
Zhao Gang frowned, his weathered face full of worry; even the always cheerful Tong Xiaoliang was silent, his expression solemn. Tang Yin looked at the confusion and worry on their faces, and became more and more anxious.
If Gao Mei really left the village, and they were still wasting time here, the consequences would be disastrous if an accident occurred.
Tang Yin's eyes swept over everyone present, and decided to break the deadlock. Even if it was far-fetched, he had to make them realize the seriousness of the situation: "What if, for her, this village or the people here can no longer be trusted?"
Zhao Gang frowned, his weathered face full of worry: "...What do you mean?" His voice trembled slightly.
"Maybe she saw something with her own eyes last night or this morning, or found some evidence."
Tang Yin's voice became even lower, as if telling a truth he didn't want to mention. The fog flowed slowly around him, adding a bit of mystery to his words: "...For example, someone she is very familiar with is actually a wolf who kills without a care, if she finds something, what will she do."
These words were like a thunderbolt, and the expressions of the three people instantly froze. Wang Lina's face turned pale, Zhao Gang subconsciously took a half step back, and even Tong Xiaoliang showed an incredible expression, with unbelievable light flashing in his eyes.
Tang Yin looked at their reactions and continued: "She is too young, there are many uncertain factors." His voice was filled with a trace of pity, and his eyes turned to the mountains shrouded in mist in the distance: "In the small society of Wuyin Village, once the spiritual pillar is lost, it is normal to think that you are homeless."
The humid air was filled with an unspeakable sense of oppression. The fog flowed slowly around them, bringing a bone-chilling chill. Tang Yin's voice continued to echo in the air: "Xiao Mei has such a strong personality, in this case, is it really impossible for her to leave because of a momentary thought?"
Wang Lina bit her lower lip tightly, her eyes flickering, and her fingers unconsciously grabbed the corners of her clothes: "...Very persuasive." Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum, but it was particularly clear in this silence.
Zhao Gang paced back and forth anxiously, his calloused hands kept rubbing, and his clothes were wet with fog, making them particularly heavy: "But, what should we do now, give up?" This was the most natural reaction of an ordinary person in Wuyin Village, choosing to retreat in the face of unknown danger.
But Tong Xiaoliang suddenly stood up, the young and handsome face was full of firmness, and his eyes flashed with a strange light: "I don't care if I'm polluted, I want to find Xiao Mei." Such determination was obviously not an idea that an ordinary person in Wuyin Village would have. His fists were clenched tightly, and his knuckles were white from exertion.
Tang Yin turned to Tong Xiaoliang, his eyes flashing with approval. He saw the flame burning in the boy's eyes, a determination that surpassed fear: "I'll go with you, I'm a foreigner, and I don't have any resistance to leaving now."
Wang Lina hurried forward, her slender figure looking particularly thin in the fog: "I said I would stop you, right?" Her fingers were twisted together nervously, and her exposed wrists trembled slightly with fear.
Tang Yin smiled soothingly, his eyes firm and gentle: "Don't worry, if there is any danger, we will come back immediately. She should not take the road of the Godhead River Valley, just look along the route to school." His voice was calm and powerful: "Besides, I am an adult, how can I stand by and watch a child die."