Chapter 11 – I Like Men
Li Er couldn't believe it. Unconsciously, he wanted to turn around to look at the person behind him, but his head was gripped by someone and couldn't move.
Not far away, a large pit had been smashed into the mountainside. Saka's body was torn in two, slowly falling into the cliff, making a loud noise that crushed a large number of trees.
Chen Jing and the other two who had already reached the foot of the cliff looked up. Xiao Pang muttered, "So, that was Xu Tonggui."
Saka was dead, and as the mist began to gradually dissipate, Jiang Yujin finally let go of Li Er, turned, and slowly walked away, disappearing into the mist.
*
In the morning, Captain Xu, who had been helpful, had already pointed him in the direction of the station. Someone who was supposed to be waiting for a bus at the station shouldn't be here.
The farce came to an end.
Chen Jing and the others found shattered bones and remnants of arms and hair below the cliff. Wild animal fur was entwined in the hair. They stood silently for a moment before departing.
Xu Tonggui, after questioning the villagers, rushed to the foot of the cliff, found the remaining hair, collected it, and discovered a hidden cave at the edge of the village cliff. Inside, he saw only a single stalk of companion flower left and a tree branch casually inserted into the palm of the hand.
The police later rushed to Congshan Village, completely disrupting the once peaceful village, now in turmoil.
Jiang Yujin took the first bus out of Congshan Village in the morning. There were only him and the driver on the bus. The driver remembered him and glanced back, asking, "Your friend? The tall, handsome one?"
"Friend?"
Jiang Yujin took a second to react, then smiled and said, "He has something to attend to, so I'm leaving first."
As the bus headed back, fog started to form in the mountains. The person by the window blew the wind that came from the mountains, squinting slightly.
Halfway through the journey, a row of police cars approached from the opposite direction, their red and blue lights piercing through the thin fog as they passed by the bus.
The curious driver asked, "Why are there so many police cars? Did something happen in Congshan Village?"
The passengers in the back didn't respond, too tired, closing their eyes.
Jiang Yujin, once again, gloriously got motion sickness.
Last time it was because he ate too much on the bus, and this time, it was because he didn't eat anything.
When getting off the bus, the driver looked at him, gesturing as if he really wanted to come down and help.
The resilient citizen Jiang Yujin politely declined.
Finally, the resilient citizen Jiang Yujin made it home to A City and climbed into bed in the afternoon.
That was close, just one second away from a dead end.
He had spent the entire afternoon and a good part of the evening lying in bed. When he woke up again, the sky had already turned completely dark.
After getting up, taking a shower, and changing into pajamas, he opened the living room window, sat on the couch, and turned on the TV, casually flipping through channels.
The high schooler who had gone out to play returned in the middle of the night. The moment he came back, he heard a piercing scream.
The sound came from the living room. He slipped on his slippers and walked into the room, only to find that it was the TV making the noise.
As he arrived, two men and two women on the TV were fighting intensely, and one person on the side was watching them fight, bewildered. The person on the couch was engrossed, casually remarking, "The relationship between you five is really complicated."
After his remark, he took a sip of his drink. Then, turning his head, he caught sight of the high schooler standing not far away. He paused his drinking, slightly bent down to toss the empty bottles on the table into the trash, and casually asked, "Had fun with your friends?"
Chen Jing replied, "It was alright."
Liu Cheng died, the lead vanished. He almost crossed paths with Xu Tonggui; this trip couldn't exactly be called enjoyable.
Jiang Yujin shifted his gaze back to the TV, finished his drink, and casually said, "Is that so?"
Liu Cheng died, the others lost the lead. In passing, he successfully persuaded Xu Tonggui to download a game called "Xiaoxiaole"; he found this trip quite interesting.
No longer dwelling on the matters in Congshan Village, Chen Jing sighed and asked, "Have you eaten?"
Jiang Yujin immediately indicated that he hadn't.
*
In the interrogation room in B City.
Liu Cheng died, and Xu Tonggui was no longer responsible for what followed; it had to be taken over by Hu Li.
This time, there were too many people involved, including the old and young, making it somewhat complicated. There wasn't even enough room in the interrogation rooms to accommodate them all.
Li Er was one of the key persons being interrogated and was placed in a separate room for questioning.
He confessed to all the things he had done previously and explained that the gun had been passed down in the family, previously used specifically for warding off wild animals that trespassed into the village.
The interrogator asked him, "Apart from what you mentioned earlier during the sacrifice, did anything else happen?"
Suppressing the urge to touch his right wrist, still feeling the grip someone had on it here, Li Er's lips trembled for a moment before saying, "…nothing."
Hu Li stood outside the interrogation room, peering through the one-way window at the people inside. Finally, retracting his gaze, he said, "Today, we'll remove the body of the strange species."
The Special Investigation Unit was only responsible for searching for the strange species and those related to the game, handling other matters like interrogation, investigating the inside story, and sentencing was not their concern. He didn't want to add extra work to his plate.
The nearby staff glanced at his large floral shirt and nodded.
Without looking again at the situation in the interrogation room, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and hurried to the other side, starting to contact the people in his team for overtime work.
Before they could ask Liu Cheng who he had sold the Special Investigation Unit's information to, he died. Now they had to rely on manual searching and conducting individual investigations.
The Special Investigation Unit's Fifth Unit and Sixth Unit in A City were forced to wake up and work overtime.
Meanwhile, the high schooler was still doing homework.
Too much time had already been wasted going to Congshan Village. Chen Jing still needed to finish the remaining homework in the time left.
On the desk, a warm yellow desk lamp was lit. The room's window was open, allowing the night breeze to blow in, rustling the pages of books, blending with the sound of the TV in the living room.
"…"
Chen Jing paused.
Something cold and icy pressed against the back of his head, metallic in feel.
A glass of milk appeared in front of him.
Jiang Yujin, standing behind him, withdrew the iced beer in his hand, raised an eyebrow, and said, "You really don't pay attention to your surroundings when you're focused on something."
Chen Jing's tense posture instantly relaxed, and he let out a sigh.
Jiang Yujin offered the iced beer to him. "Want some?"
Only someone like him would willingly offer alcohol to an underage person still studying.
He…
Chen Jing declined.
Regretful, Jiang Yujin withdrew his hand and skillfully opened the iced beer, drinking it with satisfaction. "Then, I'll reluctantly drink it for you."
That was his true intention.
"…"
Chen Jing remarked, "You've had too much tonight."
Jiang Yujin waved it off. "No, not even half of my usual amount."
That night, the reliable adult man, Jiang Yujin, ended up in the hospital.
Lying on the hospital bed, the doctor examined him for a while and said, "Your stomach… is quite capable of tossing huh."
Facing Chen Jing's indifferent but icy gaze, Jiang Yujin ruffled his disheveled hair and modestly said, "It wasn't that much tossing."
It was almost like not eating for two days and having a few extra sips of alcohol upon returning.
Chen Jing scoffed.
"…"
Jiang Yujin remained silent, peacefully closing his eyes.
After he closed his eyes, the high schooler didn't leave. Instead, he placed his homework on the bedside table and continued studying.
Jiang Yujin quietly resisted the urge to play "Xiaoxiaole" on his phone.
The good news was that the high schooler went to school the next day.
The doctor said he needed to be observed in the hospital for at least a few days. With nothing to do in the morning, he went for a stroll and coincidentally met Xu Gao, who was also out for some fresh air.
They sat in the small garden. Jiang Yujin greeted Xu Gao with a nod, and Xu Gao mentioned that his hand was recovering quite well. He also asked why Jiang Yujin was dressed in hospital attire.
Jiang Yujin sighed deeply, "I made the mistake every man makes."
Xu Gao: "?"
Jiang Yujin briefly recounted, saying, "It's really because of that last bottle of alcohol last night."
It resulted in him coming to the hospital without sorting out the relationship between the five people on the TV.
Xu Gao looked even more astonished.
Jiang Yujin leaned on his chair and glanced at him, "I meant, I drank too much."
Feeling his thoughts were too impure, Xu Gao quickly changed the subject, talking about his former colleague who was still working tirelessly.
Due to someone's death, Fifth Unit and Sixth Unit had collectively worked overtime, combing through clues from start to finish, conducting surveys everywhere. The previous teams were tough, and even the clerks in Fifth Unit and Sixth Unit were also quite resilient to some extent, willing to work overtime.
Jiang Yujin expressed deep sympathy and regret for the deceased.
Just as he finished expressing his condolences, Xu Gao received a call from his superior.
His boss mentioned the current shortage of manpower and how he had been on leave for so many days. Despite missing a hand, he could still walk, so they asked him to visit a nearby location for an investigation.
After firmly stating that his hands were still intact, Xu Gao, dressed in a patient's gown, prepared for the mission, his silhouette bleak.
Thus, only Jiang Yujin remained, sitting alone on a bench, basking in the sun without the slightest hint of guilt.
Someone passed by as if brushing against him. With drooping eyelids slightly raised, Jiang Yujin leaned back to avoid collision.
He leaned away to avoid the collision, but the passerby halted and turned to look at him.
Touching porcelain?
Then he heard the passerby ask him in an incredulous tone tinged with anticipation, "Can you see me?"
Jiang Yujin replied, "Guess why I leaned back."
The person standing by the bench sat down next to him.
He seemed flamboyant and arrogant, yet oddly had a composed manner, starkly contrasting with Jiang Yujin, who lacked a conventional appearance.
"Well, it's like this…"
The passerby was named Zhou Yang. A few nights ago, he and his friends were racing on an uninhabited mountain road in the outskirts. He blinked, and suddenly, a tunnel appeared in front of him.
He was familiar with the area and knew there couldn't possibly be a tunnel there. However, the speed was too fast, and he rushed into the tunnel, losing consciousness thereafter.
When he woke up again, it was already daylight, and he had become what he was now. No one could see or hear him, and he couldn't interact with anyone. He could only witness his friends being questioned by the police, see his parents crying uncontrollably at the scene, and hear someone report that they couldn't find him, and the tunnel had disappeared without a trace. Returning from the outskirts to the city, he wandered around as if he no longer belonged to this world.
Today was the first time he encountered someone who could see him.
Zhou Yang said, "Can you help me? Just find the tunnel, capture evidence to prove that an abnormal phenomenon indeed occurred, and hand it over to the Special Investigation Unit."
The Special Investigation Unit had limited manpower, and incidents across the country far exceeded their capacity. This unit was unique, treating everyone equally, and couldn't act without evidence of abnormal phenomena.
Although it seemed odd to ask a stranger for help on their first meeting, he had no other choice.
Jiang Yujin casually tugged at his patient's gown. "For now, I'm still considered a patient."
Zhou Yang said, "As long as you agree, conditions are open."
"Is this a commission?"
"Huh?" Zhou Yang said, "Yes."
Jiang Yujin sat up straight. "I'll go back to the ward and change clothes."
When he returned, he moved so swiftly that it was hard to believe he was a patient.
Zhou Yang followed him into the room.
Jiang Yujin slowly unbuttoned the patient's gown, then suddenly spoke in a serious tone, "Do you want to see?"
He continued, "Don't judge by appearances. I actually like men."
"…"
Zhou Yang turned his head.
Jiang Yujin chuckled and continued unbuttoning, His head bowed, revealing numerous strands of white hair shimmering under the sun.
<< _ >>
**TN
Touching Porcelain – a situation where someone/something is ready to fall at the slightest touch so that the scammer can claim compensation
Chapter 12 – Human Skin Honghong (1)
In the outskirts, far from the city, where taxis were expensive, Jiang Yujin began using his electric scooter again, tearfully purchasing a new helmet.
He kept the receipt, turning to the person conscientiously seated behind him, saying, "I bought this for your commission, remember to reimburse it when the time comes."
Thankfully, the person behind only counted as half a passenger, exempt from wearing a helmet; otherwise, it would have been an extra expense.
Zhou Yang asked him, "Didn't you wear a helmet before?"
Jiang Yujin almost instantly recalled his stolen helmet.
Sitting at the rear, unable to see the expression of the person in front, Zhou Yang could sense the air around filled with a sense of sorrow.
The sorrowful electric scooter started.
To be honest, this was Zhou Yang's first time riding an electric scooter in his life. A brand-new experience, an entirely different sensation, especially when smoothly maneuvering through the heart-stopping traffic, his eyes widened.
It felt like the gateway to a new world had opened.
Riding the electric scooter all the way to the mountain roads in the outskirts, this side of the mountain roads had always been deserted. After the disappearance incident, even fewer people frequented the area. The police searched nearby for a few days after the incident but left when they couldn't find the missing person, leaving the place completely deserted.
The electric scooter could traverse these mountain roads. Jiang Yujin circled halfway around the mountain, returning to this spot. Zhou Yang, with eyes wide open, finally spoke as they passed a particular spot, saying, "It's here."
Jiang Yujin stopped the electric scooter, removed his helmet, and got off.
It was a big curve with tire marks on the road, likely left by Zhou Yang and his group. The road and the guardrail on one side were intact, the trees were still standing, the sunlight was bright, and everything appeared normal, with no apparent anomalies.
Jiang Yujin squatted next to Zhou Yang on the roadside and asked the ghost beside him, "Did anything unusual happen on the day of your incident?"
Unusual?
Zhou Yang lowered his head, pondering for a while. He instinctively tried to pluck a blade of grass from the roadside, only to see his hand pass through the leaves, freezing momentarily before retracting his hand.
After a brief silence, he seemed to suddenly remember something, turning to say, "Does eating an extra meal in the morning count?"
Jiang Yujin quickly came to a conclusion: 'This ghost looks okay, but it seems like his mind doesn't quite match.' He said, "Probably doesn't count."
Perhaps it was because he noticed a hint of inexplicability in Jiang Yujin's calm demeanor that Zhou Yang's mind began to brainstorm again, and he said, "I bought a bracelet at the foot of the mountain that day. Does that count?"
Jiang Yujin set aside the soda he had just prepared to open and said, "Continue."
Zhou Yang said that on that day, he arrived the earliest and while waiting in the car for his friends, a child knocked on his car door, holding a bracelet and looking at him, hoping he would buy one.
He said, "The child had a lot of wounds on her hands and arms, looked quite pitiful, so I bought it."
The child's service was surprisingly considerate; she even stood on tiptoes to help Zhou Yang put on the bracelet. It clearly didn't match the watch in his hand, but it was a heartfelt gesture from the child, so he didn't take it off.
As Zhou Yang spoke, his voice gradually faded, and his eyes widened.
He finally realized something was wrong. How could a place where barely anyone passed by have a child selling things?
Jiang Yujin gave a brief comment, "You're too kind."
Zhou Yang, who was squatting on the side, finally grasped what was happening, and his heart sank.
He had stayed here for a few days after the incident, but hadn't seen that child again. Perhaps the other 'person' would never appear again, or perhaps they might.
Jiang Yujin stood up and said, "Let's go down."
Zhou Yang asked him what they were going to do down there.
"To where you encountered the child selling bracelets," Jiang Yujin yawned and said, "Maybe she'll appear tonight, who knows."
They returned to the foot of the mountain.
The waiting process was lengthy, Xiaoxiaole was entertaining, but energy in the game was easy to exhaust.
As the energy finally depleted, Jiang Yujin turned to Zhou Yang and asked, "If I recharge energy now, would you reimburse me?"
Zhou Yang: "…"
Zhou Yang agreed to reimburse, and Jiang Yujin immersed himself in the game until his phone almost shut down before reluctantly putting it aside.
By the time he set the phone down, it was nearing dusk. The orange sun was slowly setting behind the opposite mountain pass, casting everything in sight into a fiery red hue.
The child selling bracelets didn't appear, but instead, several sports cars arrived.
The sound of the cars echoed along the empty road, audible from a considerable distance away.
Zhou Yang, who was squatting nearby, stood up to glance over, then his eyes shifted slightly as he said, "It's my friends."
They were the group, including Zhang Si, who had raced with Zhou Yang a few days ago. They had waited at home for news for a few days, found nothing, and decided to come back here, hoping to uncover any clues.
The cars slowly parked by the roadside, and the first thing they noticed was the electric scooter parked there. Their gaze shifted, and they noticed the inconspicuous figure sitting by the roadside.
Adhering to his principle of politeness, Jiang Yujin raised his hand in greeting.
Zhang Si reflexively responded and then, realizing, asked, "Who are you?"
Jiang Yujin glanced at Zhou Yang beside him and casually replied, "Passing by, taking a break here."
Zhang Si and the others nodded and continued up the mountain.
As expected, they found nothing. When darkness enveloped the surroundings, they descended the mountain and left.
The electric scooter parked by the roadside was nowhere in sight as they descended. They glanced at the spot before continuing their journey back.
Zhou Yang, standing not far from the roadside, watched as the car lights gradually disappeared from view, then turned to the person beside him.
Jiang Yujin checked the time, pocketed his phone as it was nearly time, and began walking slowly under the roadside lamps. As he walked, he lifted his hand to fuss with his hair, grabbing a few strands and securing them with a clip from his jacket pocket, previously used to seal a bag of chips.
When he stepped into the light, Zhou Yang's pupils quivered.
It was the first time he noticed that this person was actually quite good-looking, with distinct facial features that gave off an inexplicable sense of sharpness.
Jiang Yujin hastily secured his hair and, as he withdrew his hand, took a quick sniff.
Hmm, a hint of citrus.
Once he withdrew his hand, his eyelids drooped again, the sense of sharpness instantly dissipated. Noticing that Zhou Yang hadn't followed, he raised his hand in a beckoning motion.
The light shone into his light-colored pupils. When he looked over, his expression was mild, as if he could see directly into the depths of a person's soul.
Zhou Yang ran over and crouched down with him, patting his chest as if nothing had happened, then shifted his gaze aside, asking, "What are you doing?"
Jiang Yujin paused briefly, finding it somewhat difficult to explain, so he chose to remain silent.
Considering what Zhou Yang mentioned about the tunnel and the child selling bracelets, he probably already knew what had occurred.
Honghong, the mid-level dungeon mini-boss, enjoyed collecting "skins" she fancied. In the game, she had her own territory – an abandoned tunnel converted into a laboratory accessible only with a pass. She usually found ways to give the pass to those she chose, and the bracelet given to Zhou Yang was likely that pass.
In that laboratory, she processed various skins she acquired, piecing them together to create the most aesthetically pleasing set of skins in the world. Whether it was a player or an NPC, if she set her sights on a skin, she would obtain it without relenting.
When they entered the dungeon previously, Jiang Yujin recalled Honghong expressing interest in acquiring his face. Considering her persistence, she probably hadn't abandoned the idea by now.
Hence, he decided to show her his face, allowing her to have a good look at it.
As the time for the child's appearance approached, Jiang Yujin, bored, counted the number of mosquitoes buzzing around the base of the streetlight. Zhou Yang looked around cautiously.
After what felt like a long time, or perhaps just a moment, beyond the reach of the streetlight, a child gradually walked onto the road.
She wore a red cloak, had big eyes, and her face bore dark brown smudges, but it didn't detract from her apparent cuteness.
When he looked over and met the dark, lifeless eyes, Zhou Yang couldn't help but shudder involuntarily, goosebumps crawling all over him in an instant.
The little girl seemed to notice him but paid no attention, diverting her gaze and heading straight toward Jiang Yujin who was crouching. She took out the bracelet, her eyes pleading, and said:
"Please, buy one. If I sell this one, I can go home."
The same exact words as before, without any alteration.
She had numerous wounds on the hand holding the bracelet, almost like scars from stitching that seemed poorly done.
Noticing her constant gaze fixed on his face, Jiang Yujin remained expressionless and said, "I don't have any money."
In an instant, Honghong changed her tactic from selling to giving. She raised her hand, attempting to fasten the bracelet onto Jiang Yujin's wrist.
Having a red string already on his wrist, Jiang Yujin smoothly swapped hands before she could touch the string.
Zhou Yang watched as the child handed the bracelet to the person beside him and then watched her leave until she disappeared from view.
After she left, Jiang Yujin lifted the electric scooter from the bushes, saying, "Let's go."
With the bracelet obtained, it felt uncomfortable to wear the helmet with something on his head. Jiang Yujin directly removed the clip, wearing the helmet comfortably.
He didn't head towards the mountain path but chose a flat and easy route to leisurely ride along.
Zhou Yang noticed they were heading in the wrong direction but didn't dare say anything given the circumstances.
The electric scooter smoothly rode along the road, adhering strictly to the speed limits, abiding by the law.
Something flashed brightly, making it instinctive for one to close their eyes.
Upon opening his eyes, what was once a flat road suddenly turned into a deep and mysterious tunnel.
It appeared out of nowhere, eerie and enigmatic.
While the electric scooter moved slowly, the distance to the tunnel closed in at an inexplicable speed.
It wasn't the vehicle heading towards the tunnel; it was the tunnel rapidly closing in on the vehicle.
Jiang Yujin said, "As long as the bracelet is in your possession, no matter where you run, the tunnel will find you."
Hence, right from the start, the condition of taking a photo of the tunnel and submitting it to the Special Investigation Unit couldn't stand, as encountering this entity meant one had to enter and walk around inside.
Zhou Yang asked, "How do you know?"
Jiang Yujin replied, "I guessed."
He was skilled at brushing people off.
While speaking, he parked the electric scooter in a safe spot and removed his helmet.
No matter what, the safety of the electric scooter came first.
Once the helmet was off, he returned to his disheveled state, his hair even messier than before.
The tunnel was only a few meters away now.
Slowly rolling up his sleeves, Jiang Yujin looked to his companion and said, "Remember to double the commission when we get back."
He emphasized, "And reimburse for the helmet and Xiaoxiaole too."
Chapter 13 – Human Skin Honghong (2)
Although he didn't quite understand why reimbursements had to double, Zhou Yang still nodded. Later, surprised, he asked, "Are you going in?"
The answer was obvious, so Jiang Yujin chose not to answer.
The tunnel was right in front of them, not entering would have seemed very impolite.
As they reached the mouth of the tunnel, it appeared even larger. Looking up, one could barely see the top. Jiang Yujin averted his gaze and stepped inside.
Zhou Yang followed suit. The crimson laboratory rejected anyone who hadn't been invited, but right now, he didn't qualify as a person.
This was his first sober look at the inside of the tunnel.
The ashen walls had bits of plaster falling off, revealing a mosaic of stones inside. Dim light, seemingly from nowhere, illuminated the ground, showcasing various items strewn across the floor. Footsteps echoed in the cavernous tunnel, evoking an eerie sensation for no apparent reason.
Continuing forward, they finally encountered incandescent lamps that illuminated the tunnel's interior.
This place might no longer be aptly termed a 'tunnel.' Some sections of the walls were dilapidated, lacking support, and people had piled up assorted items to act as makeshift walls. Upon closer inspection, Zhou Yang noticed something amidst the items, causing him to pause and lean in for a closer look.
…It was black hair, covered in dust but still identifiable as human.
Zhou Yang's eyes widened, his feet seemingly rooted to the spot, unable to move.
Jiang Yujin also saw it, but only glanced briefly before averting his gaze, offering no comment. It wasn't until Zhou Yang finally snapped out of his trance that he continued walking forward.
Air circulated through the tunnel. Incandescent lights hung from chains swayed, their light shifting and illuminating the trash heaps on the ground, mountainous in size.
One side of the garbage heap left a narrow path just wide enough for one person to pass. Jiang Yujin took this route, and although Zhou Yang could have traversed the garbage heap directly, he chose to take a detour, similarly using the narrow path.
He glanced at the garbage heap as he walked.
These black, colossal mounds of trash contained various clothing, toys, and even protruding, decaying hands, faintly revealing white bones.
He could tell what these were.
This was the first time in Zhou Yang's life that he had seen such things. Though he couldn't smell anything, he could only imagine the putrid stench of decay that must lingered here.
Walking this path, his beliefs were teetering on the brink of collapse.
Growing up in a civilized society, he was taught and surrounded by the belief that every individual was unique, entitled to basic human rights. Yet here, these people seemed discarded like trash, rotting alongside other nauseating things, devoid of any semblance of dignity or humanity.
Jiang Yujin turned to look at the person whose arms were already trembling faintly and said, "If you can't bear to look, you don't have to."
He hadn't spoken much since entering the tunnel; this was the first time he'd spoken since they arrived.
This was just a microcosm of the game. More brutalities, perhaps incomprehensible to most people, were all left within the game. Those living in the real world needn't understand or come into contact with such things.
Jiang Yujin spoke, and Zhou Yang dared not look, forcing himself to focus entirely on the person ahead.
The person in front seemed unchanged, but compared to playing puzzle games, there seemed to be a slight absence of that comforting ease.
Jiang Yujin simply despised the smell here.
This place was probably a fragment preserved from the game's collapse, retaining the game's nauseating essence.
Beyond the colossal trash heap was a seemingly endless passage, pitch black with no visible end.
After walking a considerable distance, light finally emerged ahead.
A fluorescent lamp swayed in mid-air, illuminating a distinct area. A metallic door separated what lay inside and outside, as if dividing two different worlds.
Jiang Yujin gently pressed down on the door handle; it was locked and wouldn't budge.
Zhou Yang had assumed he couldn't enter, mentally preparing to use his body's current conveniences to phase through the wall. Unexpectedly, as he lifted his foot, it collided directly with the wall.
He couldn't get in.
Frustrated by the failed attempt, he turned to look at the other person and saw him pull out a small clip he had briefly used before.
He watched as Jiang Yujin straightened the clip, squinting slightly at the keyhole.
Zhou Yang: "?"
Jiang Yujin, effortlessly attempting to pick the lock, managed to glance at the ghost standing beside him. He said, "I've done lock picking before."
Zhou Yang: "...?"
Click.
Under Zhou Yang's watchful gaze, Jiang Yujin tinkered away. With just two clicks, the metal door cracked open a sliver.
Tucking away the hairpin and making an effort to restore its original state, he pushed the door and stepped inside. Zhou Yang hesitated for a moment before following suit.
The room was lit, but unlike the outside, it emitted a serene blue light from various three-dimensional tubes standing within the room.
These tubes connected to the ceiling and housed motionless figures submerged in an unidentifiable liquid, gently swaying with its flow. The foremost tube remained empty, as if deliberately reserved for someone.
Or perhaps not just someone, but also peculiar creatures Zhou Yang had never encountered in his memory.
These were evidently Honghong's collection—some looked used while others appeared untouched.
The room wasn't small, at least not smaller than the trash heap they'd encountered earlier. Tubes neatly lined the space, overwhelming Zhou Yang. He quickly averted his gaze, instinctively edging closer to Jiang Yujin, "Are all these people the recently missing ones?"
Jiang Yujin responded, "I'm not sure. I'm just a patient."
Though some of the missing individuals might be here, not all of them were. Most were from the game or were exotic beings, occasionally recognizable faces.
The other person had remained too composed throughout the journey. Zhou Yang momentarily forgot that this person was a patient he had brought out from the hospital. He nodded, "Right."
Jiang Yujin surveyed the array of tubes for a while, then lifted his foot, stepping among the tubes, passing by the people within. Eventually, he halted in front of a specific tube.
Zhou Yang, trailing behind, also stopped and, as he looked up—
He saw himself.
Immersed in the liquid, eyes closed peacefully, displaying none of the fear from when he entered.
His transparent hand reached through the thickened glass, and involuntarily, he tried to touch his own body.
The instant the transparent hand met the real one, the illusory figure vanished. The person within the unidentified liquid opened his eyes, reflexively attempting to speak but instead swallowing a mouthful of liquid. Eyes widened, he struggled within the tube.
Jiang Yujin glanced down at the two buttons—one red, one green—on the tube. After half a second's hesitation, he pressed the green button.
It thoughtfully replenished the liquid that Zhou Yang consumed in his mouth.
Muttering an apology, Jiang Yujin pressed the other button.
This time seemed to be the right press. After pushing the button, the liquid within the tube vanished, and the thick glass slowly descended.
Observing the young man, still half-kneeling and clutching his chest as he struggled to catch his breath, Jiang Yujin's expression held a hint of surprise, restrained as though he was politely acknowledging the situation.
It was just as he had speculated.
This person seemed to have had a stroke of bad luck; encountering Honghong as soon as he came and was quickly dealt with.
Honghong had a penchant for collecting soulless bodies, deeming them the most natural and pure collectibles. Skilled in separating body and soul, Honghong left Zhou Yang's body while discarding his soul like garbage, allowing it to wander the world until it forgot its own existence and eventually faded away.
Whenever the soul touched the body, it automatically returned. Clearly, Honghong had noticed this detail, hence the construction of this room with materials preventing both tangible and intangible entry.
Yet, the most sophisticated security often had the simplest loopholes.
Cough, cough!
Having swallowed several mouthfuls of liquid in a short span, Zhou Yang held his throat, breathing in agony. As his body tilted, he tumbled out of the open tube.
He didn't hit the ground; someone caught him. The warmth transmitted through the contact, unmistakably human, caused a twinge in his nose.
Jiang Yujin caught the falling person, intending to quickly release him. However, this tall guy, over six feet, didn't loosen his grip, hugging tighter, seemingly unaware of his own weight.
Jiang Yujin's brows twitched.
Before he could use a karate chop to force the person off him, the clinging person finally let go.
Initially intending to capture the tunnel's appearance for the Special Investigation Unit, Zhou Yang hadn't anticipated a direct return. Although the hold released, Zhou Yang's enthusiasm remained intact. He excitedly examined his fingers, now free to move at will.
Footsteps echoed outside the room.
They were light but audible in the quiet tunnel.
The footsteps drew closer until stopping at the door.
A child's head peeked into the doorway, wide eyes scanning the room, then stepping in, asking, "Are there two bad mice in here?"
She glanced at the two individuals in the corner — her face still stained with wet blood looked up — smiling innocently and carefree.
Jiang Yujin glanced at the child by the door, then at the befuddled person beside him. Finally, he patted Zhou Yang's shoulder, "Close your eyes."
Though unsure of his intentions, Zhou Yang obediently complied.
—And then he was knocked unconscious by a karate chop.
In the split second before passing out completely, he saw someone firmly standing between him and the child at the door, then lost consciousness.
After clearing away the irrelevant person, Jiang Yujin shook his hand slowly, focusing on the small figure by the door, politely greeting, "Long time no see."
Chapter 14 – Human Skin Honghong (3)
The polite demeanor of Jiang Yujin was finally responded to. Slowly, with a tightening grip on the surgical knife, Honghong said, "Long time no see, trickster 001."
The exemplary citizen Jiang Yujin didn't acknowledge the title of trickster.
The surgical knife slipped a bit from her hand, seeing the other person's seemingly honest face. The smile on Honghong's face gradually faded. "You actually don't remember."
This person, who now appears innocent, lied to her in the game, saying that he'd give her his face if she gave him a surgical knife. Instead, he used that surgical knife to kill most of the strange species in the instance and left without returning.
She waited year after year until the world collapsed, the game beaten, yet she never saw this trickster again.
Jiang Yujin raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is that so?"
The smile completely vanished from Honghong's face. Under the faint blue light, numerous surgical knives appeared, all their tips aimed in one direction, their sharp glint dazzling.
Jiang Yujin frowned in disapproval. "How can a child play with such dangerous things?"
The surgical knife instantly thrust toward him, seemingly trying considerately to avoid his face.
The surgical knife was too perilous, so he chose to help destroy it, leaving only one held in his own hand.
Honghong just watched as her knife turned into a heap of debris in the air, her once innocent eyes instantly turning pitch black.
Her body's stitched seams at every joint gradually elongated, strained, then ruptured. Her figure stretched, her jagged back reaching the ceiling, her body stooped forward. Her hands elongated, fingers merging, elongating further, eventually taking on a shape akin to a knife.
Jiang Yujin lifted his head, looking at the face now elongated beyond recognition, and the surgical knife spun in his hand. He squatted, leaped, and forcefully thrust the knife into Honghong's neck, then spun it around from front to back.
The massive, grotesque head smoothly fell off, just before dropping completely, slender stitches extended from the neck, reattaching the head.
The knife blade formed from merged fingers swung forth. Jiang Yujin skillfully evaded, then once more sliced through the stitched seams across Honghong's body, cutting through flesh, swiftly severing the slender threads hidden within the bones.
The surgical knife couldn't withstand such rapid wear and force, breaking into two pieces, hitting the ground with consecutive clanks.
Honghong, or rather the 'contorted and stooped monster' description fitting better, its joints unsupported, collapsed as the surgical knife fell.
The seams began to emerge from the incisions, but slowly. Jiang Yujin approached steadily, took a glance, then kicked the grotesque head far away.
The stitches emerged but remained too distant, never reaching each other. The face on the head gradually turned pale, a pair of purely black eyes fixated on the person towering above it. It seemed like it wanted to speak, but its vocal cords were disconnected from its head, rendering it voiceless.
Jiang Yujin understood what it wanted to say.
[Give me your face.]
Even at this stage, still fixated on her creation, this child was strangely persistent.
After such a long time away from her own body, as the face began to decay and the viscous blood slowly flowed out, the eyes on the head ceased movement entirely, coming to a complete stop.
In the quiet room, the only sound was the slow trickle of liquid from the tubular object accidentally attacked, with glass shards scattered all around.
Jiang Yujin bent down, ready to pick up the comfortably laid-out Zhou Yang on the floor, as if noticing something, hesitated.
After a brief thought, he turned and walked toward the body lying near the room's entrance, gripping the dismantled knife-like hand, gestured twice towards himself, then decisively struck his shoulder without any hesitation.
Letting dark red blood stain his clothes, he scanned the room, finally finding a clean spot without shattered glass, and lay down.
*
Zhang Si and the others left the mountain road after finding no clues, heading back to the city. Halfway there, they remembered the encounter at the foot of the mountain and found it increasingly peculiar, deciding to return.
As they headed back, not quite reaching the mountain's base, they spotted something suddenly appearing in the distance. They stopped the car and upon closer inspection, discovered a colossal tunnel that seemingly materialized out of thin air.
Although unsure if this unexpected tunnel was related to Zhou Yang's disappearance, they recorded a video and handed it over to the Special Investigation Unit for Strange Species. The unit quickly dispatched someone nearby to investigate.
A tall, unexpectedly handsome man with grey eyes arrived at the scene. He was not talkative.
Before his arrival, the tunnel vanished. Zhang Si's group had been contemplating how to explain the existence of the tunnel in the distance. However, the man didn't question the authenticity of their video. He instructed them to stay put and not approach, while he walked toward where the tunnel had appeared. Along the way, he glanced at the parked electric scooter before diverting his gaze.
As he approached, the vanished tunnel reappeared. Unlike the pitch-black appearance in the video, it was now visible as long as there was light.
Xu Tonggui stepped in, passing by a mound of garbage, glancing past fur and dismembered parts, then traversing a lengthy corridor, finally arriving at a partially open door.
The overhead incandescent light flickered as he pushed the door.
There seemed to be something obstructing the door, requiring a bit of effort to move it aside.
Blocking the door was a broken and grotesque corpse of an unusual species, blood staining the floor.
At the far end of the shattered tubular object lay two individuals. One was soaked but physically intact, seemingly unconscious.
The other was extremely familiar, lying quietly. Blood oozed from a wound on his shoulder, staining most of his upper garment, spreading onto the ground.
"…"
The ambulance, police cars, and other members of the Special Investigation Unit rushed to the scene. Due to the immense workload, the road, usually dark and quiet at night, remained bustling with constant incoming vehicles and various flashing lights.
The members of the Special Investigation Unit were the first to venture into the tunnel and found a place resembling a laboratory after the room with unusual features.
In the laboratory, they discovered the body of a young woman who had gone missing a long time ago and had recently died. The skin above her collarbone had been removed.
After eliminating all potential dangers, the members of the Special Investigation Unit stayed on-site to transport the strange species stored in a cylindrical container. Others were responsible for the people inside and the remaining limbs in the pile of garbage.
Xu Tonggui, who initially entered the tunnel, did not stay behind. Instead, he went to the hospital with the individuals rescued from the tunnel.
Zhou Yang was merely rendered unconscious by someone or something; there were no apparent injuries to the body. Friends accompanied him, and his parents were on their way after receiving the notification.
Jiang Yujin emerged from the operating room, still asleep. He only had one adopted son on paper who was still in high school. There was no one the hospital could notify. Eventually, only Xu Tonggui and Hu Li, who was still wearing a floral shirt, stood outside the ward.
Xu Tonggui looked through the ward's window at the person lying inside, while Hu Li glanced at the large bloodstains on Xu Tonggui's body and asked, "Are you hurt?"
The tone didn't sound concerned but rather almost gleeful, as if surprised that someone like him could get injured one day.
Xu Tonggui lowered his eyes to the dried bloodstains on his arm and said, "This isn't mine." It belonged to the person in the ward.
Hu Li clicked his tongue in regret and also looked toward the ward, saying, "The doctor mentioned that his wounds were deep and would require a long period of rest."
He arrived late and didn't see the injuries, but he heard from the doctor that whoever did it showed no mercy.
The doctor wasn't aware that the patient's injuries were caused by a strange species, nor did he disclose it. He came here right after hearing about it.
Hu Li said, "According to the rough estimate based on the residual energy, the level of the anomaly inside the tunnel is approximately around S."
The scene was chaotic, but there were minimal signs of a struggle, nowhere near the level expected from an S-class strange species. If it wasn't due to the restricted space, then it was likely that someone with even greater strength had suppressed the situation, preventing it from escalating.
From the situation at that time, apart from the two surviving victims, there should have been a third person present who could easily kill an S-class strange species.
It unexpectedly resembled the situation previously at the Hongsheng Building.
Xu Tonggui acknowledged with a 'Mm'.
Hu Li, feeling bored, had come over only upon hearing about Xu Tonggui having blood on him, seeking some excitement. Finding nothing much happening, he glanced at the ward and then left leisurely.
As Hu Li departed, the person inside the ward moved slightly. Xu Tonggui opened the door and stepped into the room.
Jiang Yujin woke up, and the first thing he did upon opening his eyes was to yawn, inadvertently causing pain in his shoulder wound. He took a breath, and his vision instantly cleared.
He saw Xu Tonggui standing by the side.
As if entirely unsurprised by this person's appearance, he casually extended his uninjured hand and, in a natural tone, hoarsely said, "My phone is dead."
He looked at the person by the bedside, who looked back at him.
"…"
After a brief gaze, Xu Tonggui took out his phone from his pocket and handed it over.
Taking the phone with delight, Jiang Yujin opened Xiaoxiaole and, with politeness, thanked Xu Tonggui before asking, "How did you come here?"
Apart from the bandages still wrapped around him and a paler-than-usual face, his spirit, evident from playing the game, seemed much better than an average person.
"I'm in charge of the tunnel incident."
While eliminating little virtual animals on the phone, Jiang Yujin heard the person beside him inquire about what exactly happened in the tunnel.
He selectively recounted the truth, mentioning, "After Zhou Yang was knocked out, I was hit too, and I don't remember anything after that."
He said it seriously, nodding as if affirming his words, then added, "It's terrifying, really."
Fiddling with the game, he spoke like this without a trace of fear.
Xu Tonggui remained silent, and the room was filled only with the sound of the game being played.
Silently passing a few levels, Jiang Yujin lay comfortably in the ward, feeling as if he were in a five-star hotel. His gaze never left the phone screen, and he skillfully extended his hand, "Xu Tonggui, water."
Chapter 15 – Being a Hostage (Excited)
Jiang Yujin finally got his hands on the game, and next door, Zhou Yang also finally woke up.
Memories lingered on the scene before fainting. When he opened his eyes, he shuddered instinctively, almost letting out a scream. It wasn't until he saw the people gathered around his bed that he gradually realized he had been rescued.
Upon regaining consciousness, his immediate reaction was to search for the person who had been in front of him before he fainted.
Zhang Si said, "He's upstairs, heard he got pretty badly injured."
Zhou Yang struggled to go find the person, others couldn't stop him and could only watch him run upstairs in a crooked hospital gown.
It wasn't until he entered the ward that he noticed besides the person lying in the hospital bed, there was someone sitting by the bed with grey eyes, smoothly muscled arms, objectively speaking, a rather handsome person.
Zhou Yang almost instantly recalled the words the person in the bed had said before, "I like men."
Before thoughts that shouldn't exist in his innocent mind surfaced, he was informed that the person sitting by the bed was from the Special Investigation Unit that had rescued them that day.
He silently breathed a sigh of relief, directly taking the initiative to pull over a small stool and sit by the bed.
Jiang Yujin on the bed held a cup of steaming water in his hand, with a phone on the blanket still displaying the game interface, life seeming surprisingly comfortable.
Zhou Yang blushed, saying, "Before, I wanted to thank…"
"You're here!"
Jiang Yujin handed the water cup to Xu Tonggui, switched the game on the phone to a calculator, grabbed the paper and pen from the bedside table, and lifted his eyes, "It's perfect timing to calculate the commission fee."
Eyes that hadn't opened much when entering the tunnel were now completely open, light-colored pupils seeming to shimmer in the light.
Zhou Yang: "…"
Zhou Yang nodded, "Okay."
Jiang Yujin happily calculated the commission fee, then happily doubled it. When he showed the final number to Zhou Yang, joy of a bountiful harvest exuded from head to toe.
He actually doubled the money for the game and the helmet, and even added the hospitalization fee.
Zhou Yang nodded in confirmation of the amount, then suggested exchanging contact information.
The commission fee was entirely legal, so Xu Tonggui sat to the side, watching Jiang Yujin swiftly jot down a series of numbers and hand them to Zhou Yang.
…
After school, the high schooler arrived at the hospital in the evening, carrying nutritious congee, only to be told the patient had been moved to a different room.
Although not aware of what had occurred, Chen Jing could guess it wasn't something good, causing an immediate furrow of his brow.
Carrying the congee, he reached the door of the newly assigned room. Initially ready to push the door directly, he paused upon glimpsing through the glass window at the two inexplicably unfamiliar strangers inside, even though he could recognize one from just their back.
He hadn't expected Xu Tonggui to be here.
But they didn't stay long in the room. Once the phone was charged enough to power on, the commission fee negotiated, Jiang Yujin mercilessly ushered both Xu Tonggui and Zhou Yang out.
Watching them leave, Chen Jing then stepped into the room.
The person playing the game on the bed waved at him, "You're here."
Glancing at the bandages peeking out from under the hospital gown, Chen Jing put down the congee and glanced through the diagnosis report at the bedside.
"…"
He deeply sighed, wondering what this person had done in just one day. How had he shifted from the gastroenterology department to surgery with such a prolonged hospital stay in such a short span?
Unable to figure it out, he pulled a chair, sat down calmly, and looked at the still fervently playing person.
That night, Jiang Yujin received a lecture from the high schooler and later faced mockery from the owner of the barbershop who arrived at the hospital.
But it was okay because he earned a commission fee that could buy several dishwashers.
…
The next morning, Jiang Yujin, sleeping soundly, was unearthed from under the covers by the doctor for a medication change. After the medication was changed, he floated back to bed, slept until noon, and absentmindedly turned on the midday news while having lunch.
The news was indeed fresh. What happened last night was already on TV today, artistically presented, mentioning only the two missing persons found, one dead and one injured. Not a word about the discovery of the rest of the people or the strange species, choosing instead to stay silent and conceal it.
What actually happened, what he fabricated, and what the news reported were three separate things, each with no relation to the others.
After another careful glance, today's news wasn't as explosive. Jiang Yujin regretfully turned off the TV, bowing his head to focus on eating.
On the first day of his hospitalization, the ordinary citizen Jiang behaved obediently.
By the first week, the bored citizen Jiang began wandering around the hospital and its vicinity, buying a hat in passing.
By the second week, the freedom-craving citizen Jiang swapped his hospital gown, hopped on the electric scooter brought by the Special Investigation Unit, and left the hospital.
After leaving the hospital, he took a detour on the road, weaving through the congested traffic before finally returning to the street where his home was situated, walking into the barbershop.
It was past the peak hours for haircuts, and the shop was empty except for the owner smoking while cleaning the tables. Hearing movement, he glanced at Jiang Yujin.
Jiang Yujin exercised his subjective initiative and took a seat, beckoning with a smile.
Realizing what he wanted, the owner, annoyed, stubbed out his cigarette and wiped his hands with a towel.
As he approached, Jiang Yujin took off his hat.
With the hat off, a messy mop of hair appeared, where previously only a few strands of white hair had been visible.
No wonder he wore the hat.
Jiang Yujin succinctly stated his request: "Dye it black, don't cut it short. Thank you."
"Not cutting it short?"
Jiang Yujin shook his head, "No."
The owner slowly set down the razor he had picked up.
Jiang Yujin chuckled softly.
Quiet for a few hours, happy for several months, Citizen Jiang, who walked out of the store, held his head higher. Playing Xiaoxiaole became more enjoyable.
Riding the electric scooter back to the hospital, he stayed calm for a few more days, until finally being discharged upon completing his sentence.
On the day of discharge, the high schooler took half a day off to pack things and send him home. Zhou Yang, his former employer, appeared at the door, handing him a bunch of bright yellow flowers, a touching moment.
Walking home with the flowers, Jiang Yujin turned to the high schooler and asked, "How much do you think these flowers would sell for?"
The high schooler chose not to answer.
Back home, following the routine, he lazed around for two days before his physical abilities declined. Jiang Yujin chose a weekend with decent weather to take his dear high schooler to the mall to buy a new dishwasher.
New traffic rules in the city prohibited two people from riding on an electric scooter, so he regretfully took the bus.
The sunlight outside the window flickered. Chen Jing turned to look at him and said, "Your grey hair is gone."
Jiang Yujin nodded, "I plucked them out of boredom in the hospital."
He continued, "Do you think I'm more handsome now?"
Chen Jing chose to turn away without answering, leaving Jiang Yujin sighing sadly.
Getting off the bus and entering the mall, even before reaching the appliance store, the composed adult rewarded himself with an ice cream sundae, though he hadn't done anything worth rewarding yet.
Holding the cold ice cream sundae, Jiang Yujin asked the high schooler beside him, "Would you like some?"
The high schooler declined.
So, Chen Jing took charge of reading the layout map and leading the way, while the adult followed, enjoying the sundae and unintentionally making sounds from the cold.
Entering the appliance section, the salesperson instantly surrounded them. Initially attacking Jiang Yujin, then realizing who was actually choosing, shifted focus to Chen Jing.
The high schooler was earnestly comparing performance and value for money while Jiang Yujin wasn't particularly interested in home appliances. After a quick round of browsing, he leaned against the mall railing, bored, gazing down at the mall's activities.
Then, he noticed a man in black clothing and an unusual woolen hat for the season hopping over the railing and swiftly scaling upward.
Jiang Yujin thought the person ran strangely fast and took a closer look, just in time to see another person, also dressed in black, following behind.
Unable to resist the urge to watch the commotion, Jiang Yujin moved his ice cream sundae to get a better view. He shifted to another spot after going downstairs and continued observing the chase from the other side of the mall.
The mall was crowded, and as the three passed by, unsuspecting customers in the lower floor were startled, emitting short bursts of surprise.
Jiang Yujin continued eating his sundae while observing their chase. Several people around him were also watching intently.
Gradually, they shifted from being bystanders to being part of the scene.
The person who had been running upstairs suddenly changed direction, leaping into the air and using a giant advertising banner to land on the same level as them, right in front of them.
The person chasing him seemed undecided about following suit or using the stairs. For a moment, they hesitated.
Taking advantage of the pause, one of them swiftly pulled out a gun and aimed it at the crowd, threatening, "Don't move!"
No one dared to move.
Jiang Yujin lowered his head and took a bite of his quickly melting sundae.
The person with the gun immediately noticed him and began approaching while holding the gun, closing the distance rapidly. If he moved, Jiang Yujin moved. In the process, the sundae nearly slipped out of his hand.
Jiang Yujin chose to stop.
When they were close enough, the man in the woolen hat discarded the toy gun and brandished a rusty-looking utility knife near Jiang Yujin's neck, warning him not to move. Then, he turned and cautioned the two approaching individuals not to make any sudden movements either.
Jiang Yujin indeed didn't move, except for eating the sundae. He apologized while eating, "Sorry, let me finish the last two bites before I become your hostage."
He oddly had a hostage spirit.
The man in the black woolen hat urged him in a low voice, "Hurry up and eat."
Jiang Yujin finished at his own pace, casually threw the trash into the bin for recycling, and stood back.
"…"
Amidst the noise from outside, Chen Jing, who was upstairs looking at dishwashers with the salesperson, said, "Wait a moment." Then, he walked out of the store to see what was happening.
As if sensing something, he glanced down and spotted the man threatening with a knife—and Jiang Yujin, who was being threatened by him. The man noticed Chen Jing, gave a slight wave, and a red rope dangled in his wrist.
Chen Jing: "…"
Some people just never seem to stay calm.