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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 4: Fateful Path (Part Two)
Feeling something cold dripping on me, on my face, and on my hands, I instinctively thought to myself that this was a dream.
I raised my hand to look at the rain falling into my palm, sensing that it wouldn’t be rain. It reminded me of the time I saw Han Lan running helplessly in the rain, a scene that felt real yet devoid of tears.
But there were too many unexpected things. Just as I lifted my hand to look, my eyes froze in shock; my palm was drenched in blood red, as if I had killed someone, my hands covered in blood.
This sight terrified me. I looked up again and realized the rain was red.
Blood rain is an omen of great misfortune.
It doesn’t rain blood in reality, but my grandfather once spoke to me about it. He had a strange dream after a major earthquake long ago, something about the Tangshan earthquake. In his dream, it rained blood, and he sensed that something was wrong with the signs.
However, the journey was far, and at that time, my grandfather was being watched and paraded around wearing a pointed hat, so he didn’t investigate further. Later, when the earthquake occurred and many people died, he and my brothers finally had a chance to visit the area. They encountered Yin Soldiers along the way and saw trucks carrying loads of severed heads disappearing into the thick fog.
Now that I dreamt of blood rain, I naturally felt uneasy.
Despite my unease, I didn’t wake up immediately; it felt as if something was enchanting me, preventing me from waking up. It was like what people call a nightmare—half awake, half asleep. At some point, I saw a figure in the crimson rain.
A person dressed in a black long robe stood before an Altar adorned with various talismans and symbols. He chanted incantations while holding an iron sword pointed towards the sky, wearing a sinister smile with malicious eyes as if performing hypnosis.
He saw me as I saw him. Suddenly he grinned ferociously and vanished without a sound. Where did he go? I widened my eyes to look but felt something icy dripping down my face. A chill jolted me awake to find Qin Jian pouring iced red tea on me.
"What are you doing?" I exclaimed as I scrambled up angrily.
"You're awake, finally! I thought you were coming down with a bad cold, your face was so red. I called your name several times, but you wouldn't wake up. Your heart was racing, so in a panic, I splashed some iced tea on your face."
"What the hell!" I exclaimed, feeling my cold and sticky face. I've never liked iced tea; I prefer light tea. After his little stunt, it really felt like I had turned into a blood-faced monster.
Qin Jian handed me a piece of paper. "We still have three hours to go. If you're going to sleep, at least eat something first."
"What time is it? We're not there yet!" I felt a surge of anxiety as I wiped my face haphazardly. The vivid memories of that man in black flooded back to me. I suddenly had a bad feeling; this search for someone seemed to have angered someone important.
And this person was elusive; I still didn't know who they were, but it seemed they had already set their sights on me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had that nightmare just now. It was the same rain—pouring rain, blood rain. Those two nightmares really took a toll on me.
I went with Qin Jian to the rest area and had a hodgepodge meal that cost us fifty yuan and eight cents.
After refueling the car and taking a short break, Qin Jian said, "You slept for so long earlier; it's your turn to drive now."
I hesitated. Even though I'd slept for a while, it wasn't restful sleep at all; those damn nightmares had consumed my time. Still, considering Qin Jian had driven for several hours, he should take a break too—that's just common sense. I nodded in agreement and said, "Alright, no problem."
He taught me how to drive; he joked about how I picked it up without any formal training. In reality, he taught me quite a bit because of our relationship, which spared me the hassle of paying for driving school and allowed me to go straight to the driving test.
It goes without saying that my driving skills weren't as good as Qin Jian's.
As we sat in the car, Qin Jian tried to take my previous sleeping spot, but I stopped him. "No way! You should sit in the passenger seat. Even though the road ahead isn't particularly winding or difficult, having you there makes me feel more at ease."
"You're such a pain..."
Qin Jian was reluctant but had no choice; safety first. He could easily doze off in the passenger seat.
As we left the mountains, the steep cliffs disappeared, and the view opened up, stretching far into the distance. The flat land was comfortable, and the recent years of reforestation made the scenery pleasant. Unfortunately, the sky remained overcast, casting a gloomy shadow over everything; otherwise, the view could have been even more beautiful.
I didn’t tell Qin Jian about the blood rain; I wanted him to sleep peacefully.
The car continued on its way, merging onto the highway, and as we sped up, the long-awaited rain finally arrived.
The fine rain fell like threads, swirling around us. At the toll booth on the highway, Qin Jian's credentials allowed us to pass without any hindrance since he was on official duty. After this stretch of highway, we would take the freight road leading directly to the bypass around City A.
We were headed for the second ring road straight into the city center.
The rain seemed to be getting heavier. For some reason, I suddenly felt uneasy, glancing left and right, afraid that if we slowed down, someone might overtake us.
I distinctly remembered there were several cars behind us and a few in front, but now there were none—no cars in sight at all. It felt as if the entire road had been opened just for us. In my confusion, I continued driving and asked Qin Jian, “What’s going on?”
After I spoke, no one responded. Instinctively, I turned to look back and was startled to see that Qin Jian was gone. I slammed on the brakes in shock; all that remained in his place was his jacket draped over the seat.
The jacket lay there loosely piled as if he had just gotten out of the car and carelessly tossed it aside.
This was eerie!
Before I could collect my thoughts, something hit the windshield with a loud smack. Then that object began to ooze a red color as it mixed with the rainwater. This sight terrified me; I hadn’t even parked yet and hurriedly got out to investigate.
A palm-sized piece of red cloth lay on the windshield, its color resembling blood, and it faded when wet. What on earth was this? On the highway, with no one in sight, how did this thing end up here?
I curiously picked up the red cloth, held it in my hand, and sniffed it. Examining it closely, I couldn't find anything unusual. I tossed it aside by the road and got back into the car to continue driving.
The two-lane highway was eerily empty, devoid of any vehicles or people, which felt unsettling at first glance.
When did rain become something that could evoke fear? Well, right now, seeing the rain made me inexplicably anxious.
The drizzle turned into a heavy downpour, creating a deafening sound that resonated with the nightmares I had experienced before. My heart raced with unease. Where had Qin Jian gone? Was I dreaming again? I looked around suspiciously; indeed, I was the only car and person on the entire road.
I reached into the pile of clothes in the passenger seat and could still feel a hint of warmth. How strange.
Just as I was lost in thought, a loud crash startled me. Someone seemed to have crossed the road and collided with my car. The windshield shattered into a spray of blood-like foam. At that moment, it felt as if a thousand horses were charging at me, their iron hooves trampling everything in their path, leaving behind a mire that felt like the contents of my own mind spilling out.
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