togophonebook #538 - New victims
#538 - New victims
Tang Yin walked in the middle of the group, occasionally glancing back at Gao Mei, who was lagging behind. At this moment, she was like a walking corpse, her head lowered, her expression hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to see what she was thinking. Was she being tormented by pure fear, or was she wary of something? This question lingered in Tang Yin's mind.
After passing through several winding hillsides, the thick fog thinned slightly, and the outline of an open square gradually became visible. Chen Xiang and Zhao Gang were waiting there anxiously. Seeing that they were safe and sound, Chen Xiang immediately greeted them: "Is everyone alright?"
Zhao Gang simply nodded silently, his brow furrowed. The appearance of the two of them added to the size of the group, but the inexplicable sense of oppression grew even heavier.
"...Is the old woman still sleeping?" Qian Jin suddenly asked, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.
Zhao Gang's expression was grave: "Granny is changing her clothes; her physical condition isn't very good." After speaking, he looked around and suddenly said with a determined look: "I'm going to find the others. Qian Jin, you come with me."
Qian Jin immediately sneered upon hearing this: "...Are you ordering me?"
Zhao Gang ignored his provocation and turned to look at Tang Yin: "We might need a man's help. Tang Yin, sorry, can you come with me?"
This was the first time Zhao Gang had asked Tang Yin for help. Tang Yin's heart sank. If even Zhao Gang, who was usually self-reliant, needed help, then the situation was probably unimaginably serious.
"--Yes, of course." Tang Yin replied, able to sense Zhao Gang's inner unease. At this moment, Zhao Gang must be worried about whether those most trusted partners had already left this world forever.
Just as the three were about to set off, Chen Xiang's worried voice came: "--Um, Qin Ming, is this a good time?"
"What's wrong, Mom?" Qin Ming turned around and asked.
"Can you go look for Qin Yi? He's not at home..." Before Chen Xiang could finish speaking, everyone's hearts sank. An ominous premonition spread through the crowd.
After a brief discussion, everyone decided to split up and search. Tang Yin, Zhao Gang, and Qian Jin were responsible for searching the bungalow area, while Qin Ming, Wang Lina, and Tong Xiaoliang went to other places to look. The crowd silently dispersed, disappearing into the thick fog, leaving only the heavy sound of footsteps echoing in the mist.
This was the first time Tang Yin had carefully observed the bungalow area. The wooden exterior walls had been dyed ink-black by the years, and the supporting wooden pillars were crumbling, as if they would collapse with a gentle push. Weeds grew wildly, almost swallowing these buildings. Enshrouded in thick fog, these dilapidated houses were like the corpses of fallen giant beasts, exuding an unspeakable sense of strangeness.
The three carefully pushed aside the knee-high weeds and moved forward.
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound in the grass, like some small animal moving quickly. Was it ordinary insects? Or frogs? Or something else? Tang Yin didn't dare to be careless and immediately adopted a fighting stance, ready to deal with any possible danger.
Passing through a weedy path, Qian Jin stopped in front of a dilapidated wooden house, saying with a complex expression: "...Hua Lu lives here."
"Ah, this little house?" Zhao Gang sized up the dilapidated building in front of him. The wooden planks on the roof were rotten, and the walls were covered in moss.
Qian Jin clenched his fists, gnashing his teeth, and said: "Damn it, why does she have to live in a place like this." His voice was full of regret and anger.
"Even you don't know, so how would I know? It must be Hua family's arrangement, right?" Zhao Gang's tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
"I only know that she voluntarily came to Misty Hidden Village, and besides, the Hua family doesn't need to do this." Qian Jin retorted, a trace of heartache flashing in his eyes.
Zhao Gang sneered: "Could it be that she came here to exorcise demons? What a waste of time."
"...Zhao Gang, I don't mind your attitude towards me, but at least show her some respect." Qian Jin's voice was low and dangerous.
"No matter what, she is from the orthodox elder family of Baifeng Manor, right?" Qian Jin emphasized, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes.
Zhao Gang curled his lips in disdain: "So what? This is Misty Hidden Village. 'Everyone will be devoured after the banquet begins,' she said that herself, right?"
Qian Jin didn't bother to argue with Zhao Gang and quickly stepped forward to knock on the door: "Tch... Hua Lu, Hua Lu! Are you okay!"
Tang Yin silently observed the conversation between the two. Zhao Gang harbored a deeply ingrained animosity towards the Hua family—no, towards the entire four elder families. This animosity was so strong that he couldn't even hide his disgust.
Recalling the attitude of the other villagers towards Hua Lu, although they weren't as close as Qian Jin, they all maintained a strange distance, as if treating her as an anomaly. This alienation wasn't difficult to understand. After all, Misty Hidden Village had always been ostracized by Baifeng Manor, so how could the resentment between the two sides be easily resolved?
A few minutes later, the wooden door creaked open. Hua Lu slowly walked out, still wearing that gorgeous outfit that was out of place with the surroundings. The black dress, which reached her ankles, was embroidered with intricate gold thread patterns, making her increasingly pale face appear somewhat morbidly beautiful.
"...We must find Xiao Mie." Hua Lu said, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting together, obviously very anxious.
The group continued forward and arrived at the next small house. This house was even more dilapidated than Hua Lu's residence. The door frame was crooked, and the glass in the windows had long since disappeared.
"...Xiao Mie, it's dawn!" Tang Yin shouted while knocking hard on the door. He glanced at his companions. Hua Lu's soft voice obviously couldn't wake anyone up, and Zhao Gang and Qian Jin didn't seem to want to help.
The sound of knocking echoed in the silent fog. After a few minutes, the door finally opened. Xiao Mie appeared at the door, rubbing her sleepy eyes, her messy short hair still bearing the marks of being pressed down during sleep. She had obviously just been woken up.
Xiao Mie stood at the door, blinking her sleepy eyes, her messy short hair still bearing the marks of the pillow. She yawned and made a lazy sound: "...Mie."
"Xiao Mie, that's great!" Hua Lu's voice carried obvious relief, and her slender fingers gently rested on Xiao Mie's shoulder. A trace of gentle light flashed in her dark eyes, and the gold thread on her long dress shimmered faintly in the morning light.
Zhao Gang frowned as he looked at the gradually brightening sky and said to Qian Jin: "Qian Jin, take them to the cafeteria." His tone carried a hint of imperceptible anxiety.
"Hua Lu, come with me, watch your step," Qian Jin said gently, his eyes never leaving Hua Lu's pale face. He noticed that there were several loose stones scattered on the ground and reached out to help Hua Lu.
Hua Lu was about to take a step, but suddenly stopped: "Um... that." She turned to Tang Yin, her voice so soft that it almost dissipated in the morning mist. Her slender hands twisted together unconsciously, as if hesitating about something.
Tang Yin raised his head in confusion, the morning dew wetting his hair: "Um?"
"I'm very sorry." Hua Lu lowered her head, the hem of her black dress swaying gently in the morning breeze. Her voice carried a hint of imperceptible choking, as if feeling guilty for what was about to happen.
This sudden apology left Tang Yin at a loss for words, and he stupidly said "Um?" again. Before he could figure out the meaning behind these words, Qian Jin had already led Hua Lu and Xiao Mie into the thick fog. Their figures were gradually swallowed by the gray-white mist, leaving only the sound of receding footsteps.
"...Is it really okay to let Qian Jin go first?" Tang Yin asked softly, watching their departing figures. His voice carried a hint of unease, as if he was foreseeing something bad about to happen.
Zhao Gang sneered, a mocking expression on his face: "Even if he stayed here, it wouldn't be of any use. I was thinking that if the Hua family's young miss died, he could help me clean up the body."
"However, I already know who died." Zhao Gang's tone suddenly became serious, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes.
"We can't rule out the possibility of Grandpa Wolf, right?" Tang Yin asked tentatively, but he had already vaguely guessed the answer in his heart.
"Don't say it!" Zhao Gang suddenly became agitated, his voice carrying suppressed anger, "Old Man Gao gets up earlier than anyone else. If he were still alive, he would have patrolled Misty Hidden Village three times by now."
The latest⊥novel⊥is⊥at⊥six⊥9⊥⊥book⊥⊥bar⊥⊥first⊥published!
Zhao Gang's voice trembled slightly: "Sorry, Old Man Gao's house is just ahead." He pointed to a low wooden house not far away, where the fog seemed particularly thick.
Tang Yin was speechless and could only silently follow behind Zhao Gang. The heavy sound of footsteps in the morning mist was particularly harsh, each step like stepping on their taut nerves.
The wooden door was ajar, not locked. As the door panel creaked open, a strong, fishy stench hit them in the face—the smell of fresh corpse. The pungent smell choked Tang Yin, causing his stomach to churn.
"...Damn it, damn it..., damn it..." Zhao Gang turned around, his angry roar echoing in the empty room. His fists were clenched tightly, his knuckles white from the force.
Tang Yin took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Since Zhao Gang had lost his composure, then he could only investigate the scene. That was the meaning of him standing here; he had to convince himself of that.
With trembling hands, Tang Yin squatted down and began to examine the body. Compared to yesterday's victims, the damage to this body was much less severe.
But what was even more disturbing was that just yesterday, this person was alive and talking to them, discussing the trivial matters of the village. This strong contrast made Tang Yin feel dizzy.
Gao Zhijie's body lay flat on the ground, his strong physique still impressive even in death. His proud muscles were still clearly visible, and every groove on his skin told of his former strength. He wore a faded gray work vest, the fabric covered in dark red bloodstains.
But the most shocking thing was his head—the entire head was completely unrecognizable, as if it had been repeatedly crushed by some heavy object. Fragments of the broken skull mixed with brain tissue, forming a hideous pattern on the wooden floor. The viscous dark red liquid spread around, reflecting a nauseating light in the morning light. A few strands of gray-white hair stuck in the pool of blood, silently witnessing this brutal murder.
In stark contrast to the tragic state of his head, his body was almost intact. The pair of rough hands, covered in calluses, were still clenched into fists, as if he was still putting up a tenacious resistance in the last moments of his life.
"Should we clean up?" Tang Yin's voice seemed particularly heavy in the silent room. His gaze remained on the remains, trying to find more clues.
"Of course..." Zhao Gang gritted his teeth, his voice filled with helplessness and pain. His hand was on the door frame, as if only that could support his faltering body.
Tang Yin took a deep breath, forcing himself to look directly at the bloody scene in front of him: "Can you give me a little time?"
"What do you want to do?" Zhao Gang frowned, looking at Tang Yin in confusion. The morning light came in from the window, casting a shadow in his deep-set eye sockets.
"I want to investigate the scene again." Tang Yin's voice carried a hint of undeniable firmness.
Although he knew that this violated the principles of scene protection, in this isolated village, they obviously had their own way of handling things. Looking at the miserable corpse, Tang Yin knew that they couldn't let it rot here like this. As an outsider, he had no right to interfere with the village's rules, but at least he could collect as much information as possible within his limited ability.
He squatted down, carefully observing Gao Zhijie's injuries. Unlike yesterday's two bodies, which were almost torn to pieces, the wounds on this body were mainly concentrated on the head. Tang Yin's gaze lingered on those hideous wounds, his brain racing.
The completely shattered state of the skull, coupled with the dense cracks on the surface of the skin, but without obvious cutting wounds—this was clearly damage caused by a blunt object. The murderer repeatedly struck the head, until the victim's head was completely destroyed. This highly targeted attack method suggests that the murderer may have harbored a strong hatred for the deceased.
"Not manslaughter." Tang Yin muttered to himself, "This is premeditated murder."
The difference in killing methods plunged Tang Yin into deep confusion. If Xia Hui and Zhou Zhengxiong were killed by "pollution," then Gao Zhijie's death seemed more consistent with the modus operandi of a "wolf." He recalled the strange figure he saw in the fog last night—was it just a simple wolf, or the legendary werewolf?
But if the "pollution" was also the work of a werewolf, this would contradict the local legends. According to the villagers, pollution is the punishment of Qianming God—that is, the mountain god. Why would the wolf god, who is opposed to the mountain god, be carrying out the pollution?
Tang Yin rubbed his temples, these scattered clues were like a jumbled mess, each pointing in a different direction. He stood up, his gaze sweeping over every corner of the room, hoping to find more details that could corroborate his findings. The sunlight gradually became brighter, illuminating the mottled bloodstains on the floor, and also illuminating this mysterious crime scene.