freenovelworld #555 - Tang Yin must think
#555 - Tang Yin must think
Tang Yin's heart pounded as his eyes remained fixed on the wooden door that continued to emit eerie sounds. Could it be Hua Lu opening the door? Just as the thought flashed through his mind, the door burst open.
Sunlight spilled through the roughly twenty-centimeter-wide crack in the door, but it seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, the inside remaining pitch black. Just then, a blood-stained face suddenly appeared in the doorway—
“Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ahhhhh!”
Hua Lu's face was twisted beyond recognition, and the sound she made was chilling to the bone. Her figure vanished into the darkness like a ghost, replaced by a spine-tingling moan, a mix of beastly and human wails.
Suddenly, a pale hand shot out from the darkness, lightning-fast, and grabbed Tang Yin's neck!
Wang Lina and Qian Jin were so startled by this sudden turn of events that they screamed, but Tang Yin couldn't worry about them. The hand's grip was incredibly strong, compressing his trachea and carotid arteries simultaneously, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Even more terrifying, the hand emitted a low moan as it dragged him towards the cabin. The sunlight illuminated the hand, and the blood-stained cuff clearly belonged to the floral dress Hua Lu often wore!
“—Save… me—!!” Tang Yin managed to squeeze out the words, his brain beginning to spin from lack of oxygen. Where did this inhuman strength come from? It was definitely Hua Lu's hand, but how could an ordinary girl possess such power?
“Help me, quickly!!” Tang Yin roared at the two who were still frozen in place.
Finally, Wang Lina and Qian Jin snapped out of their terror. They rushed forward, grabbing the wrist tightly, trying to pry open the iron-like fingers. Fear and the intense pressure on his neck blurred Tang Yin's vision, and his consciousness began to fade.
“I’m… done for…” Tang Yin felt himself suffocating.
“Let go! Let… go!!” Wang Lina's voice was tearful as she used every ounce of strength to pry the hand away.
“Re-lease… your… grip…!” Qian Jin's forehead was covered in beads of sweat, his voice hoarse from exertion.
After a few seconds of stalemate, the strange hand suddenly released its grip! Wang Lina reacted quickly, stepping forward and kicking the door shut with a heavy thud.
“Is there anything we can use to block the door?!!” Wang Lina looked around anxiously.
“Where… where are we going to find anything!” Qian Jin spun around in a panic, completely losing his composure.
“Never mind, give me the axe!!” Wang Lina snatched the wood-chopping axe leaning against the wall.
Tang Yin collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, his neck bearing a shocking red mark. His vision was blurred, his ears were ringing, and his brain was still reeling from oxygen deprivation.
From inside the door came waves of piercing screams and low moans, as if some inhuman creature was roaring within. Tang Yin forced himself to calm down, trying to sort out his thoughts: they had tried to open the door, or rather, break it down, but were attacked by the "thing" inside.
The question now was: what exactly was making those screams and moans in that dark room? Was it still the Hua Lu they knew?
Sunlight filtered through the mist, enveloping the mountain village, and Wang Lina's voice was particularly clear in the sky.
“—Qian Jin! You hold the door! I'll go get everyone!” She turned to Tang Yin, who was still gasping on the ground, “—Tang Yin, are you okay!? Can you stand up!?”
Tang Yin tried to even out his breathing, his throat burning: “—Ah, yeah—”
Now was not the time to hesitate; they had to act immediately. Tang Yin leaned against the wall, forcing himself to stand up, the marks on his neck still throbbing.
In less than ten minutes, Wang Lina returned with the village's able-bodied men. They carried planks of wood and tools, frantically starting to reinforce the terrifying cabin. Amidst heavy breathing, nails were hammered into the wood one after another, and heavy cabinets were pushed in front of the windows.
Sweat soaked everyone's clothes as the house was gradually transformed into a “prison.” When everyone collapsed to the ground, exhausted, someone asked in an almost inaudible voice: “—What do we do now?”
Eerie moans emanated from the cabin from time to time, accompanied by the sound of furniture being smashed, as if some beast was rampaging inside. No one dared to answer the question, but everyone knew—they couldn't let the “thing” inside come out, no matter what.
What exactly had happened to Hua Lu?
“Huangquan person…”
Granny Rong's hoarse voice broke the silence. She was the oldest resident in the village, and her wrinkled face looked particularly pale in the sunlight.
“Granny Rong, what do you mean!?” Gao Mei, a young girl with a ponytail, asked in terror.
Granny Rong's cloudy eyes stared straight ahead: “An unclean person from the road to the Yellow Springs… It must be a Huangquan person…”
“No, that's not right!” Gao Mei interrupted excitedly, “Huangquan people are wolves, right!? They are resurrected because of their resentment towards humans…”
“You're wrong, Xiao Mei…” Granny Rong slowly shook her head, her voice filled with indescribable weariness, “Whether in the past or now, Mist Hidden Village has never escaped the threat of Huangquan people.”
She paused and continued, “Humans who are contaminated will also become Huangquan people. I don't know what taboo Hua Lu-daren violated.”
Qian Jin, who had been standing by the door, trembled when he heard this: “I-I-Impossible!! Isn't it the Spider House's mission to guard the taboos and control purification!?”
“That's why she was contaminated and devoured!” Granny Rong's voice suddenly rose a few notches.
“Th-This kind of thing…” Qian Jin's face was pale, finding it hard to accept this fact.
Granny Rong sighed deeply: “In that case, Hua Lu-daren moved to Mist Hidden Village to stop the spread of Huangquan contamination…”
A gust of wind blew, bringing a chill. The sounds of crashing inside the cabin grew more violent, as if to confirm this terrible truth. Everyone was silent, staring at the sealed house, their hearts filled with fear of the unknown.
The afternoon sun was filtered by the thick fog, enveloping the mountain village. Granny Rong's hunched figure looked even older in the gray-white light, and her cloudy eyes flickered with unease.
“…From now on, there will definitely be more and more Huangquan people…” Her voice trembled, as if predicting a terrible future.
The old woman took a deep breath and continued, “Zhao Gang was a good boy… Leaving before seeing hell… Maybe it's a good thing after all…”
Speaking of this, tears welled up in the corners of Granny Rong's eyes. She put her hands together and began to chant softly: “Namo Senmyo Daigongen, Namo Senmyo Daigongen…”
The old scriptures drifted in the damp air, and her hunched body trembled, as if enduring unspeakable pain. On the muddy ground in front of her, drops of tears fell silently.
Qian Jin stood aside, his face as pale as paper: “…Wait, what about Hua Lu…”
Granny Rong was silent for a moment, then she raised her head, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes: “…We must hang the Huangquan person.”
Wait—
Tang Yin's brain raced, trying to make sense of this absurd situation. According to the rules he had learned earlier, [violation of the rules leads to contamination], and [contamination = unnatural death]. But how exactly is contamination achieved? Will Hua Lu die from contamination? These questions were shrouded in mist, and no one could provide answers.
The development of the situation completely exceeded common sense, and everyone's behavior became increasingly strange. In this way, they all seemed to be heading towards the abyss of death without realizing it.
This strange situation, this illogical development,
…This is like a supernatural phenomenon.
“…” Chen Xiang stood at the edge of the crowd and suddenly broke the silence. Her long hair was wet with the damp air and stuck to her cheeks, making her face look particularly tired.
“…Is everyone going to eat?” she asked softly, “I've calmed down, and let's wait until everyone else has calmed down before doing the rest.”
This suggestion was like a ray of sunshine shining into everyone's chaotic thoughts. Everyone nodded silently and turned to walk towards the cafeteria. But Hua Lu's shrill moans lingered behind them, like a vengeful ghost demanding their lives, impossible to shake off.
An oppressive atmosphere permeated the cafeteria. The old ceiling fan turned laboriously, making a creaking sound. No one spoke, only the rhythmic chopping sounds from the kitchen, “chop, chop,” like some kind of eerie metronome.
Granny Rong was still chanting scriptures in the corner, her hoarse voice intertwined with the chopping sounds, forming a bizarre lullaby. In the gray-white light, everyone seemed to have lost their ability to think, staring blankly into space. Even Tang Yin, an outsider, was infected by this strange atmosphere and fell into chaotic thoughts.
The fog outside the window grew thicker and thicker, as if to swallow the entire Mist Hidden Village. The food on the table gradually cooled, and no one touched it. In this cursed daylight, fear and despair, like invisible poisonous gas, quietly infiltrated everyone's souls. And in that sealed cabin, a new horror would be born at any moment.
The cafeteria was filled with a faint smell of mildew, mixed with the smell of cooking oil from the kitchen. Tang Yin sat on the old wooden chair, his knuckles tapping rhythmically on the table. Although fatigue swept through him, he knew that now was not the time to relax.
He had to think.
Reorganizing his scattered thoughts, putting aside those complicated cause-and-effect relationships, he had to at least clarify the current situation.
Zhao Gang was dead. Tang Yin closed his eyes and counted the remaining people in his mind: himself, Wang Lina, Chen Xiang and her son, Qian Jin, Granny Rong, Xiao Mie, Hua Lu, Gao Mei, a total of nine people.
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Thinking of Hua Lu, Tang Yin frowned slightly. She had become a Huangquan person… Although this sounded very inhumane, her current state was indeed terribly abnormal and she could not attend today's banquet at all.
In a normal society, she should be sent to the hospital immediately. Tang Yin shook his head with a wry smile, but obviously this was not a normal society. According to the current situation, she was likely to be executed today. Let's confirm the specific situation after the banquet.
Excluding himself and Hua Lu, there were still seven participants in the banquet.
Gao Mei's examination results had disappeared forever with Zhao Gang's death. Currently, the only people whose identities could be confirmed were the human Qian Jin and the talking ape Xiao Mie. If Wang Lina was to be believed, at least these three could be ruled out as suspects.
As for the other four people…
Tang Yin rubbed his temples, wondering if Wang Lina could understand the current situation. He had to find an opportunity to communicate with her in detail.
Just then, Xiao Mie's timid voice interrupted his thoughts: “Mie, where's Sister?”
Her round eyes were filled with innocent confusion, obviously unaware of the commotion that had occurred this morning.
Tang Yin forced a smile: “Sister is not feeling well and is resting at home.”
“Um, can I go outside to play?” Xiao Mie grabbed the edge of the chair and gently shook her legs.
“It's dangerous outside.” Qian Jin immediately spoke up to stop her, his face filled with worry.
Wang Lina stood up and said softly: “I'll take care of her. As long as she doesn't run around, it should be fine.”
Their footsteps gradually faded away, and the cafeteria returned to silence.
“Qin Ming, is this a good time?” Chen Xiang suddenly spoke, her voice a little nervous.
“What's wrong?”
“Can you help me find something?”
“...I'm going to the bathroom.” Qian Jin hurriedly got up.
An indescribable sense of anxiety permeated the air, and everyone seemed to be sitting on a red-hot iron plate, making various excuses to leave their seats. Only Granny Rong was still chanting scriptures in the corner, as if she was detached from the world and completely immersed in her own world.
Now there was only left in the cafeteria—
Gao Mei sat opposite him, fidgeting uneasily, as if avoiding some invisible gaze. Her fingers kept fiddling with the napkin, her face frighteningly pale.
“I'm sorry for what happened to Zhao Gang.” Tang Yin broke the silence and spoke tentatively.
“…Yeah, Sister Lina has always been very dependent on him.” Gao Mei lowered her head, her voice as thin as a mosquito.
“What about Hua Lu?”
“I don't like her… She's so disgusting.” Gao Mei's tone suddenly became sharp, and a clear look of disgust appeared on her face.
“Wang Lina doesn't seem to be too opposed to her.”
“That's because Sister Lina is very strong.” Gao Mei's tone was somewhat admiring.
“When… when did Hua Lu move here?” Tang Yin continued to press, his eyes fixed on Gao Mei's facial expressions.
The fog outside the window seemed to have thickened again, enveloping the entire cafeteria in a haze. The chopping sounds still echoed in the kitchen, intertwined with Granny Rong's chanting, forming a bizarre piece of music.
Gao Mei thought for a while and replied: “…Two or three years ago, something that happened a long time ago.”
Tang Yin thought to himself: It's been two or three years, and she still can't accept her?
…However, the people of Mist Hidden Village have been oppressed by the Elder family for generations, and accepting the Elder family's participation is not such a simple matter.
Tang Yin: “She's an Elder, right? But what kind of family is the Hua family?”