Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
It was time; I couldn't keep talking to Xiaojing any longer. I had to send her off immediately. I needed to find Little Farmer to discuss our plans for the evening. After a moment's thought, I turned to Xiaojing and said, "It's almost lights out. I need to check the rooms. How about I walk you back first?" Without waiting for her response, I grabbed her hand and led her outside. Xiaojing wanted to say something, but as soon as I took her hand, her face flushed, and she was pulled out of the dormitory.
Although it was late, there were still many students around the stairs. I quickly let go of Xiaojing's hand and reassured her, "Don't think about ghosts or anything like that; it's just your imagination. Go back and get some rest. If you need anything, just come find me."
Xiaojing seemed to want to say something but ultimately nodded obediently. I walked her down to the Girls' Dormitory, gave her a few parting words, and then turned to leave.
Back in the dormitory building, I checked each room and counted the number of people before heading back to Little Farmer's dormitory. Since there were still fifteen minutes left for washing up, the soldiers were busy tidying their beds. "Little Farmer," I called out in a serious tone.
"Yes?"
"Come out for a moment; we have some official business."
"Understood."
The other soldiers had no idea what we were up to and continued preparing for bed. I led Little Farmer out of the dormitory building and into an empty area behind it before stopping.
"Little Farmer, you mustn't tell anyone about this," I reiterated. The Boys' Dormitory still had several rooms with lights on, making it relatively bright. Little Farmer looked serious. "Don't worry, Company Commander; I know how to handle this."
I turned towards the Old Building and slowly said, "Little Farmer, over there—I feel like something is present. I don't know what it is or where it might be hiding, but tonight we need to find it. I have a feeling it’s connected to the deaths of several students."
"What deaths?" Little Farmer asked in surprise.
I slowly recounted the story I'd heard from Xiaojing and described the events from earlier that afternoon. Little Farmer listened quietly and took a while before responding, "If what you say is true and there really is something there, it’s likely involved."
"That's why I need you with me; I know you can see things we can't." I looked directly into Little Farmer's eyes. "By the way, has Old Zhou taught you anything about this?"
"Not much; there's still time," Little Farmer said hesitantly with a furrowed brow. "Company Commander, are you sure it's just going to be the two of us? What if something happens? I'm worried I won't be able to handle it."
"Well, just the two of us. Having more people would actually be a problem," I said after thinking for a moment. "We're not a ghost-hunting squad; we're just going to check things out." I deliberately lightened my tone, trying to ease the atmosphere.
"Company Commander," Little Farmer hesitated.
"Yes?"
"Actually, we could bring one more teammate along," Little Farmer said hesitantly.
"I already said it, didn't I? We shouldn't have too many people. Not only does it create noise, but it can also be a hindrance," I replied, a bit impatiently.
"No, Company Commander, I mean your bird," Little Farmer quickly clarified, noticing my displeasure. "The one you keep, Pudding."
I couldn't help but feel curious instead of angry. "What does that have to do with a crow?"
Little Farmer quickly explained, "I've been with my master for a while now, and he often shares stories with me during our free time. I remember there’s this saying."
"What saying?"
"My master said that crows are actually very intelligent and have distinct personalities. They are quite spiritual and can ward off evil. By the way, Company Commander, have you ever seen those crow ornaments people display at home? They serve to ward off evil spirits. In ancient times, crows were viewed as ominous objects because wherever crows appeared, disasters and death would follow. This was because crows could sense the aura of impending doom and would circle around to warn people to be cautious. In Western mythology, crows are messengers between the underworld and the human realm; they can bring back the souls of the wronged to help them seek revenge. Many Western countries see crows as symbols of bad luck; their presence signifies black magic and death. However, in these tales, while crows may not be liked, they are never associated with evil because they represent death and are guardians of order."
"Is it really that magical?" I asked curiously.
"I don't know; that's what my master said. He also mentioned that this kind of animal is generally hard for ordinary people to raise because if you’re strong, it will attach itself to you; if you raise it improperly, it will play tricks on you. This might be why people often say that keeping crows is unlucky," Little Farmer scratched his head.
"What the hell! Is that really true?" I never expected Pudding could serve as a talisman against evil; I might as well listen to him and believe it.
Suddenly, I remembered that I hadn't seen Pudding for several days. Where had he gone?
"Damn it! He disappears at such a critical time!" I stomped my foot in frustration. Regardless of whether Pudding would be effective or not, as Little Farmer said, bringing him along couldn’t hurt. Honestly, thinking back to what happened in the afternoon still sent chills down my spine.
"I need to go find that Foodie," I mused, just as my phone buzzed again. I pulled it out to check, and realized it was almost lights out time. Perfect timing! I turned and ran toward the front of the building, with Little Farmer closely following behind.
Why do I say this? Because as I mentioned earlier, Pudding is indeed something special. It has clearly taken on the role of a member of our Unit. Ever since settling down in the barracks, every evening during Roll Call, when it hears the Assembly Whistle, it shows up. Once dismissed, it disappears on its own.
After blowing the whistle a few times, I didn’t care about the noise anymore. If Pudding was on campus and heard the whistle, it would definitely come to check things out.
With my plan set, I arrived at the dormitory entrance and began to blow the whistle forcefully. Normally, I would blow three short bursts followed by a final signal for lights out. This time, however, I kept an eye on the surroundings and blew the whistle seven or eight times without seeing Pudding's shadow. Instead, several boys poked their heads out of the windows to see what was going on. With no other choice, I shouted loudly, "Sharp Blade Company, lights out!"
At that moment, Little Farmer walked out from inside the building. "Company Commander," he said, "you don’t need to blow the whistle for so long. We’re not going to look for Pudding anymore."
I shrugged my shoulders. "Where are we supposed to look for it at this hour? Just wait; I've done what I needed to do. If it comes, it comes; if not, there's nothing I can do."
Little Farmer could only stand aside as we both stared blankly at the sky, waiting for that Foodie to appear.
Minutes passed without any sign of Pudding. Instead, perhaps due to my loud shouting, the lights in the boys' dormitory began to turn off one by one. Before long, only a few rooms in the Boys' Dormitory were still lit.
"Let's go; we shouldn't linger too long," I said as I pulled Little Farmer along with me toward the back of the building.
Just then, a shadow suddenly swooped down from above and pounced toward me.
I jumped in surprise but quickly realized it was none other than Pudding.
It flapped its wings and landed on my right shoulder, tilting its head to look at me and then at Little Farmer. It squawked twice as if confused about why only the two of us were standing outside.
Ignoring its bewilderment, my heart settled with relief. I clenched my fist and said to Pudding, "Pudding, it's your time to shine now. We're going to complete a mission together; I hope you can cooperate actively." Before I could finish speaking, Little Farmer burst into laughter. I shot him a glare.
He quickly explained, "Company Commander, it's not a soldier; you don't need to mobilize before war!"
I gently touched Pudding and said, "It’s our little soldier." Pudding let out a soft sound, as if in agreement with my words.
"Let’s go." I said no more, leading Pudding and Little Farmer directly through the First Floor Lobby to the stone stairs at the back of the building.
"It’s too obvious to go down from the girls' side, especially since it’s locked. After what happened this afternoon, security has tightened. There’s no need for the school to know what we’re up to, so we’ll climb over from here." I pointed at the iron bars blocking the stairs.
The iron bars were not locked; it was a whole panel embedded in the stone stairs, blocking the way up. The top was pointed, probably to prevent people from climbing over, but there were some patterns in the middle, making it not just an ordinary railing. It was still possible to climb over, though it was a bit dangerous.
For us, however, this wasn’t a big issue. Before long, Little Farmer and I had climbed over the gate and landed on the stairs. Pudding faced the old building again, which loomed like a monster waiting for its prey, quietly crouched in the darkness. Perhaps it was instinctive; ever since we passed the iron bars, Pudding stopped its low whines and began to alertly turn its head around, which eased my mind a little.
Little Farmer rushed ahead and started climbing up, while I closely followed behind. The two of us slowly ascended the stone steps until we reached the front door of the Old Building.
To be continued; tomorrow will be even more exciting.
Comment 0 Comment Count