deltrittennovels #519 - Must escape immediately!
#519 - Must escape immediately!
The old eccentric saw the terrified expression on Tang Yin's face and suddenly grinned, the smile appearing particularly strange on his wrinkled face. His eyes twinkled with cunning, like a mischievous child who had just completed a prank.
"The wolf is coming, the wolf is coming, hee hee hee hee hee..." The old man's voice sounded like the wheezing of a broken bellows, carrying a chilling joy.
His body began to tremble, like a withered leaf swaying in the wind. It wasn't because of cold or fear, but a near-manic excitement. Before Tang Yin could react, the old man suddenly turned and staggered away, his hunched back casting a long shadow in the moonlight, like a lurking beast.
Tang Yin stood there, silent. His brain seemed frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The night wind blew, bringing a chill that made him shiver involuntarily.
Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the night. Wang Lina jogged back, her long hair gleaming softly in the moonlight, her face showing a hint of apology.
"Am I too late?" Wang Lina asked breathlessly, her voice tinged with worry.
Tang Yin snapped out of his daze and looked at her blankly. "Too late for what?"
Wang Lina saw Tang Yin's expression and seemed to understand something. She said softly, "Don't take it to heart. This grandpa likes to tease strangers like that."
Tang Yin frowned slightly and asked, "Huh? Is he your grandpa?"
Wang Lina shook her head and explained with a wry smile, "Of course not. No one knows his name. He's lived in Misty Hidden Village for a long time, always like that."
Tang Yin nodded thoughtfully. "Dementia? ...How should I put it, he's a little strange."
Wang Lina sighed softly. "Yeah, everyone in the village calls him 'Grandpa Wolf' because he always says things like 'The wolf is coming, the wolf is coming'."
Tang Yin fell into contemplation. As far as he knew, there were no wild wolves in this area anymore. The wolves here had been hunted to extinction decades ago. For people in this city now, the image of the wolf mainly came from Western mythology, rather than from a real image of culture and life.
For example, "wolf boy" originated from European fairy tales. Tang Yin couldn't help but wonder why the old man kept repeating lines from fairy tales. Besides dementia, was there any other possibility?
After thinking for a while, Tang Yin smiled and shook his head, deciding not to dwell on the issue. "Never mind, let's get back to fixing the bike," he muttered to himself.
In the moonlight, Tang Yin returned to repairing the motorcycle. He carefully removed the inner tube, finding that both tubes had been punctured by rusty iron nails. He picked up the kettle, wet the inner tube, and carefully applied the patch glue while pumping air.
"As long as there are no more bubbles, it should be good," Tang Yin murmured, focusing intently on the inner tube.
Time passed, and the moon quietly climbed to the highest point in the night sky. Finally, after who knows how long, Tang Yin breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Done," he said softly, a satisfied smile on his face.
…
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Lina stood beside him, also relieved, the tension in her shoulders finally easing.
The surrounding noise gradually dissipated, students left after school, and the onlookers also departed one after another. Only Tang Yin and Wang Lina remained in the square, the air filled with a subtle atmosphere. Tang Yin glanced at Wang Lina, thinking she must be bored, staying here with a stranger to fix a motorcycle.
"It looks like it's almost fixed," Tang Yin broke the silence, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
Hearing this, Wang Lina's eyes lit up, and she said incredulously, "Really? I thought it was beyond saving."
Tang Yin smiled slightly and pointed to the bike. "It's done. Just need to put the tire back on."
"Then you can leave?" Wang Lina asked, her tone carrying a hint of subtle, complex emotion.
Tang Yin nodded, his voice calm. "Yes, I'll leave the village as soon as possible."
"Okay, that's good," Wang Lina replied blandly, her voice devoid of any sense of attachment.
Hearing this answer, Tang Yin sighed inwardly.
Looks like there's no chance, he thought.
This mysterious girl seemed indifferent to his departure.
The night wind gently blew, bringing the faint sound of insects chirping in the distance. Wang Lina suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "You've been fixing it for several hours, right? Are you okay? Tired?"
Tang Yin looked up at her and couldn't help but complain, "Have you forgotten who stole my lunch?"
Wang Lina was slightly taken aback, then retorted, "Didn't I give you cookies?"
Tang Yin grumbled inwardly, thinking there was no way that kind of thing could satisfy a young man's appetite. But he didn't say it, just sighed. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's almost fixed. You should go back first. Everyone should know me by now."
But Wang Lina shook her head, her long hair gleaming softly in the moonlight. "There are still two people in the village you haven't met."
Tang Yin was a little puzzled. "Really? But there's no need to meet everyone, is there?"
"Should I stay here?" Wang Lina didn't answer Tang Yin but smiled slightly. "Anyway, I came back to pass the time. It's boring even if I go back."
Tang Yin raised an eyebrow and said jokingly, "Don't you have fifty-two boyfriends?"
Wang Lina was stunned for a moment, then gave a slightly awkward smile. "Okay, actually, I came back to enjoy a life of seclusion. It's troublesome when fifty-two boyfriends send me emails together."
"Really?" Tang Yin's tone was clearly skeptical.
Wang Lina was silent for a while, then suddenly said, "Sorry, I lied."
Tang Yin was a little helpless. "Why tell such a lie!"
"How should I put it, a constraint?" Wang Lina's answer was ambiguous, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.
Tang Yin completely couldn't understand this girl.
Since she had already decided to keep her distance, why suddenly confess near the farewell?
He looked at Wang Lina's face, trying to read some information from her expression, but there was only a thin veil of mystery on that delicate face.
In the moonlight, the atmosphere between the two became more subtle. Tang Yin felt like he was touching the edge of a puzzle, but he couldn't quite see the whole picture. Wang Lina's behavior confused him, yet inexplicably attracted him.
A long, drawn-out howl of a wild animal came from the distance, breaking the silence of the night. Tang Yin involuntarily looked in the direction of the sound, where the mist swirled, as if hiding countless secrets. He suddenly realized that perhaps Wang Lina was like this Misty Hidden Village, calm on the surface, but with hidden undercurrents inside.
"You know," Tang Yin said slowly, his gaze still fixed on the distant mist, "sometimes, lies reflect a person's essence more than the truth."
Hearing this, a look of surprise flashed in Wang Lina's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. She said softly, "Then, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Tang Yin turned his head and looked directly into Wang Lina's eyes. "A person full of mysteries, just like this village."
…
Wang Lina suddenly asked, "Um, did you really break up with your girlfriend?"
Tang Yin was stunned for a moment, then replied firmly, "Yes, really."
"Um... really?" A sly look flashed in Wang Lina's eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
Tang Yin's heart stirred, and he thought to himself that since she had already said that, if he didn't take the initiative, he would be too unromantic.
He took a deep breath, pointed to his motorcycle, and said casually, "How about getting on and trying it out?"
Wang Lina blinked and asked in surprise, "Huh? Can two people ride on it?"
"Of course," Tang Yin replied with a smile, "but the spare helmet isn't dry yet."
The night wind gently blew, bringing the faint sound of insects chirping in the distance. Tang Yin suddenly became serious and looked directly into Wang Lina's eyes. "I'm leaving, Miss Wang Lina. Would you like to get on my motorcycle and leave with me?"
Wang Lina was slightly taken aback. Tang Yin pressed on, continuing, "That's right, why don't you come on a long-distance road trip with me? As long as we have time, we can go wherever we want."
As Tang Yin spoke, he exuded a wild charm, subtly extending an invitation for a date. He felt that his performance was perfect and was full of confidence.
In the moonlight, Wang Lina's face looked particularly mysterious. A hint of imperceptible depth flashed in her eyes. "...Okay, sounds like fun."
Tang Yin exclaimed excitedly, his heart racing.
"Okay, I'll go pack my luggage." Wang Lina smiled and turned to leave, walking towards the dormitory. Her long hair gleamed softly in the moonlight, her steps light as if she was dancing.
Before she had taken a few steps, she suddenly turned back, a hint of playfulness in her eyes. "Better be quick, before I change my mind."
Tang Yin quickly responded, "Okay, okay, of course."
Watching Wang Lina's departing figure, Tang Yin thought to himself, okay, just hold on a little longer. He never thought that this journey to heal his sadness would unexpectedly reap sweet fruit.
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If he traveled with her, he could definitely let go of those unbearable memories. And, maybe there would be a chance to further develop with this smart girl.
Tang Yin, while fantasizing about a bright future, continued to install the tires. The repair work proceeded without any major incidents, and the sky was slowly dyed red by the setting sun, as if the entire world was shrouded in a layer of warm light.
…
However, as time went on, Tang Yin's mood began to become complicated.
It was getting dark, and he definitely wouldn't be able to leave today. Tang Yin wondered if Wang Lina would change her mind, thinking that his life was really full of ups and downs.
The square, which had been bustling with people just a moment ago, was now deserted without him realizing it.
The sound of the wind, the croaking of frogs, and the creaking of the motorcycle being repaired were the only sounds, making it feel like an uninhabited space. This sudden silence made Tang Yin feel a little uneasy.
As night deepened, the surrounding scenery began to blur. The distant forest looked like a black beast, quietly overlooking this lonely repairman. Tang Yin's hands began to tremble slightly, and sweat dripped from his forehead.
Suddenly, a strange thought entered his mind:
"I have to run away immediately. If I don't escape now, I'll never be able to escape again!"
This inexplicable feeling made Tang Yin's heart tighten.
He stopped working, cautiously looking around.
The square was empty, with only the rustling of leaves in the breeze.
What's with this damn sixth sense? Could there be a monster here?
He shook his head, trying to dispel these absurd thoughts. "Don't overthink it," Tang Yin muttered to himself. "It's just an ordinary village."
But that feeling of unease lingered.
Tang Yin took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus on repairing the motorcycle. Most of the motorcycle's tire was already installed, and only needed a little more adjustment.
However, every time he lowered his head to focus on repairing the bike, he always felt like something was watching him from behind. Tang Yin couldn't help but look back again and again, but each time he could only see the empty square and the blurry shadows of the distant trees.
"Calm down, Tang Yin," he said to himself. "You're just too tired and hallucinating."
But deep down, a faint voice kept reminding him: something is wrong here. Wang Lina's mysterious attitude, the villagers' strange behavior, and this suddenly deserted square... everything made him feel uneasy.
Tang Yin's hands unconsciously sped up, hoping to repair the motorcycle as soon as possible. For some reason, he felt that as long as he could ride this bike, he could escape this place that made him feel uneasy.
…
Suddenly, a faint sound came from the distance, breaking the silence of the night.
It was singing.
A girl's singing.
Soft and ethereal, as if from another world.
Tang Yin subconsciously stopped his hands, put down his tools, and looked in the direction of the sound. An inexplicable attraction pulled him, as if invisible threads were calling him.
Was he attracted by the scent of humans? Or did he discover some kind of fatal incongruity, or a sense of crisis? Tang Yin's heart was alarmed, but his feet moved forward uncontrollably.
He walked through the dense grass, down the winding mountain road. The singing became clearer and clearer, as if guiding him to an unknown destination. Tang Yin's heart beat faster, his breathing became rapid, but he couldn't stop.
Finally, after passing through the last patch of bushes, a spectacle came into view.
"Guardian Beast of the Gods."
This was a wasteland submerged in weeds, with countless standing rocks emerging from the gaps between the weeds. Unlike the standing rocks scattered throughout Misty Hidden Village, the standing rocks here were only about half a person tall, standing silently in the wilderness like tombstones.
"Whale holds fish flesh, looking east and west."
Looking out, this graveyard-like wasteland stretched endlessly towards the horizon dyed red by the setting sun, until it was cut off by a cliff. Below the cliff was the lowest level of Misty Hidden Village, the boundary line known as the Divine River. There was a large pine tree by the cliff, standing alone between heaven and earth.
"Salt gatherers, returning from the raging waves."
In the light of the setting sun, the shadows of the standing rocks and pine trees swayed with the weeds, forming an eerie and beautiful scene. Tang Yin felt a trance, as if he were in another world.
Just then, a little girl ran towards Tang Yin. Her steps were faltering, as if fleeing from something terrifying. In that instant, this space became another world. Like a painting, it formed a perfect otherworldly spectacle.
Tang Yin suddenly had a feeling that this was a very special place.
This was a sanctuary forbidden to outsiders, or rather, a demonic realm.
The girl fell, and Tang Yin quickly stepped forward, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"
He decisively approached the little girl, reaching out his hand to help her up. It was then that Tang Yin clearly saw the girl's appearance.
She was a purple-haired little loli, about seven or eight years old. She had a head of soft, purple hair, with slightly curled ends, shimmering with a soft luster in the afterglow of the setting sun.
The little girl raised her head, looked at Tang Yin with her watery eyes, and said softly, "Baa?"