If the elevator wasn't repaired, the only way out of the building would be through this fire door. Although it was secured by a rolling shutter, breaking one down wasn't too difficult. So, had Aunt Li broken the shutter door and still been unable to tamper with the anti-theft lock?
No, that wasn't the only possibility. Maybe Aunt Li had left, and the signs on the lock had been left behind by someone else.
Ike's expression returned to its previous calm, and he extended his hand to push the locked iron gate open slightly, enough for him to peer inside and assess the situation. However, his hand trembled uncontrollably, sending chills down his spine.
"Boom!" Ike finally managed to push the gate open slightly.
"It stinks!" A noxious odor filled the air, like the foul, viscous liquid in a sewer splashing onto their noses. Tom nearly gagged from the smell, but they were prepared, each wearing a mask. Regus, too, had one on as he quickly opened a nearby ventilation window, letting in the cold wind that diluted the putrid stench somewhat.
"Be careful about infection,"Regus cautioned.
Tom, having donned his mask, noticed that Ike was still maskless and called out, "Ike, put on a mask!" Ike, however, didn't immediately respond. Instead, he turned away, one hand gripping the guardrail as if seeking support. His face scrunched up as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the emotional turmoil evident. After a moment, he opened his eyes, which had turned red, but no tears fell.
Tom and Regus exchanged glances, sensing something was amiss, but they didn't intrude further.
After a brief pause, Ike stood upright, lifted his head, and moistened his lips before finally putting on the mask. He turned back toward the room, his composure restored.
"Break it open," Ike instructed, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Alright," Regus responded, and Ike and Tom made way for him. Regus raised the axe high and brought it down on the damaged lock, striking it more than twenty times until it broke.
With the lock removed, the three of them took out towels from their backpacks and wrapped them around their masks, ensuring an extra layer of protection. They opened the door and ventilated the room for ten minutes before cautiously entering.
Inside, they found that the floor was surprisingly clean and orderly, unlike what Ike had expected. The beige tile floor reflected a white light, the rolling shutter door was open, and the elevator door had been forcefully pried open. There were tools strewn about the door, and faint dried blood stains marked the elevator floor.
However, everything outside appeared normal. The abnormality was confined to the interior, where awindow facing the street had been shattered. The strong wind outside rattled the remaining window frames, but the base of the broken window was remarkably clean, save for some water stains. There was no sign of glass shards, as if the window had been meticulously cleaned.
The stench was coming from inside the room, but upon peering through the two glass doors, they saw that the floor, desks, and even the reception counter in the front were spotless, devoid of dirt and debris.
The smell intensified as they entered the room, despite wearing masks and towels. It was a putrid odor, unmistakably the scent of a decomposing body.
Tom couldn't bear it any longer and let out a groan. "Ike, I don't think the people from our neighborhood across the street will easily give up on this place. The environment here is better, and there are no apparent threats. Perhaps we should consider moving here."
Regus nodded in agreement, "That's a good idea. Should we open all the windows and let some fresh air in?"
Ike shook his head. "We can't open the windows suddenly. There may be people in neighboring buildings, and we don't want
to draw any unnecessary attention."
Regus's eyes sparkled with admiration. "You're right, Ike. You've thought of everything, even this small detail."
Still, Regus had concerns. "Although there's no one here at the moment, the anti-theft locks on the fifth and sixth floors have been tampered with. It suggests that someone else has considered this place as well."
Ike countered, "There's no one else."
Regus was puzzled. "But there are signs of damage on the fifth and sixth floors."
As Ike and Regus conversed, Tom pointed to the elevator and drew their attention to the bloody fingerprints on the edge of the elevator floor.
A realization dawned on them. Ike confirmed, "It was Aunt Li. She must have climbed up from the elevator shaft to the fifth and sixth floors but was unable to break the anti-theft lock outside."
They needed to take extreme caution and seal off the office, as Aunt Li's body had decayed beyond recognition, posing a significant health risk. Moving her was out of the question. Ike suggested that they seal the door with glass glue to prevent the spread of germs.
With their belongings hidden strategically within the studio, Ike knew that this place was their safest option. However, Aunt Li's poignant presence still lingered, as reflected by the delicate paper stars and cranes she had crafted, adorning the studio with her beautiful creations.
As they left the office, their purpose clear, Tom couldn't hold back his tears any longer. This situation was unlike anything he had ever encountered before, and his emotions overwhelmed him.
Leaving the building where Yingli works, they visited the hardware store where they bought things last time again and exchanged three bags of biscuits, two bags of jelly, and a pack of cigarettes for a large number of wires, pliers, and saws. Cookies and jellies are unpalatable, but fortunately, cigarettes are more valuable, and men who smoke will not refuse. Hardware stores are not the target of robbery, and the shops generally have complete knives and tools, so normal people are not stupid enough to rob them. However, the boss is only willing to change unimportant hardware, knives, or tools that can hurt people. Ike and others are not willing to change their mouths.
Fortunately, they are not very short of weapons. There is a kitchen knife, a knife, a hammer, an axe, a steel pipe, and even a watermelon knife at home. There are at least three knives hidden on the three men who go out. They are either short of weapons or have no guns. None of the three families have guns.
Carrying the wire back to the street where I live, I saw the old woman crying at the top of her voice in the distance, but today it is a little different that Jin and two other men are persuading her. The women onlookers have disappeared.
"Regus, you are finally back!" When Jin saw the three people returning from the storm, it seemed as if the tadpole had finally found his mother. "She insisted on coming to your house to cry, but I really couldn't persuade her, which affected the rest of the neighborhood!"
Rest? Even without this woman crying here, can anyone sleep peacefully now? Regus is a little annoyed with him. Even the cockroach knows that he is acting, but he still pretends not to know that he is devoted to it.
However, Regus knew that his mouth was stupid, but he couldn't talk to others, and he was afraid of being dug by the other side. He had to say with a straight face: "That's hard for you." Jin is choking again. Why does he always feel that Regus is bothering him?
"Ha ha ... no words." Jin ha ha smiled, then stepped back and showed the two people behind him toRegus and Ike. "Let me introduce you, this is Sack and this is Condi."
With that, Condi touched his bald head and stepped forward. He smiled politely and kindly and held out his hand to shake hands with Regus. I didn't expect Tom to come forward suddenly, put out his right hand, and smiled and said, "I just touched a corpse that has been rotten for dozens of days, if you don't mind …" He was still wearing disposable gloves with unknown black stains on them. The bald Condi heard that his face changed, and the cat bounced back to his right hand like a snake. He cried in disgust, "Dead body?" Or a corpse that has rotted for dozens of days? I have long heard that this family has two sets of launching tools, and they often go to the vegetable market to touch things. How come the vegetable market has been touched, and even the bodies have not been spared? What can be felt in the body? Can viscera and the like be used as food? This can't be! The bald Condi's smooth and shiny head is twisted. Tom shrugged. Baldy Lee's reaction was a little exaggerated, but it was completely expected.
However, the "Sack" seemed very calm and maybe a little difficult.
Jin turned to Ike: "Did you go out to touch the body today?" Obviously, he also found that among the three people, Ike should have the higher right to speak.Regus is a bodyguard.