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墨書 Inktalez
Ziya furrowed her brows, her tightly pressed lips accentuating the dimples on her cheeks. Drops of blood appeared intermittently, hidden among the grass and bushes, stretching towards the direction of the Yellow Crane Tower. The three of them felt a surge of fear; if that were true, then the rumors about the Ghost Baby at the Yellow Crane Tower must be real.
Zhiqing pondered whether to inform their teacher about this matter. It was a serious issue, and if she didn’t report it and someone got hurt later, she would be plagued by guilt for not speaking up.
Sun Meng thought it would be better not to investigate further. Such eerie occurrences could provoke something far worse than a curse, potentially endangering not just themselves but also their families.
Ziya considered the implications of a real Ghost Baby existing; that would indeed be terrifying. Perhaps it had already gained some form of intelligence. It was better to clarify things sooner rather than later, and with that thought, her tightly knit brows relaxed.
“We should continue our investigation to find the exact spots where these blood drops lead, then inform our teacher and see how the school decides to handle this situation.”
“Uh… you guys check it out; I…” Sun Meng looked up at the overcast sky, hesitating about whether to continue with them. Just then, An Jian quickly darted past from the Huangguoshu corridor. He must have seen Ziya and the others here, sneaking away toward the corridor. Sun Meng had a sudden realization: if she told them not to investigate, it would make her seem cowardly. But if she suggested they confront An Jian instead, perhaps they wouldn’t think less of her and might even support her plan.
“An Jian! You guys keep investigating; I saw that guy running toward the classroom. I’m going to deal with this traitor.”
“Go ahead! Just don’t make too much noise.” Sun Meng understood her intentions well and knew her struggles. She nodded in agreement with a sly smile.
Sun Meng hurried off, leaving Ziya and Zhiqing focused on searching for blood traces on the ground. The closer they got to the Yellow Crane Tower, the fainter the bloodstains became. When the Yellow Crane Tower finally came into view, it was Ziya’s first time seeing it up close during the day. At first glance, its dilapidated and lonely structure exuded an eerie desolation.
Ziya and Zhiqing stood rigidly, an inexplicable chill creeping into their hearts as they gazed at the Yellow Crane Tower. The unfairness of time seemed palpable; it was unclear whether time had forgotten it or if it had forgotten time itself. Thick wooden pillars painted red still stood tall, and within their line of sight, they could clearly see many inconspicuous white specks atop the pillars.
“It’s termite damage,” Ziya said as she peeled away a layer of wood shavings from one of the pillar tops, revealing fine sawdust left by insects gnawing at it.
“Yeah, no one comes here anymore. People used to visit but would come back home with fevers and ramblings. Eventually, they locked this place up and prohibited entry. Still, a few brave souls dared to come back over the year, but they all ended up terrified and ran away. After that, no one dared to return.”
"You say this Yellow Crane Tower is useless, and no one comes to take care of it. What's the point of it being here?" Ziya felt something was off about the place. It was not only cold but also had an eerie atmosphere that made her uneasy. Even the sky above seemed to grow darker, and looking up at the towering structure felt like something out of a horror movie.
"These are adult matters. We, at eleven or twelve years old, wouldn't understand, and we certainly wouldn't dare to ask."
As she stepped down the stairs of the Yellow Crane Tower, Ziya turned away from it and asked, "Is that story you told me about Teacher Mao related to this Yellow Crane Tower?" Zhi Qing spoke as they walked towards Pomelo Grove. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that a cold gaze was following her from the direction of the yellow crane window frame. Suddenly turning around, she saw nothing and thought to herself: If Sun Meng were here, he might see something strange!
"It is related, but Teacher Mao's descendants have all moved to the county town. There are still whispers about their family legend. I originally wanted you to see the secrets behind the hospital's back door, but unexpected events unfolded instead. Let's see what Sun Meng finds out when he deals with that kid later."
"Secrets of the hospital?" Ziya furrowed her brow slightly and shrugged as a gentle breeze blew by, causing a few pale yellow Huangguoshu leaves to spiral down. They entered the shade of Huangguoshu trees, feeling a sudden chill, instinctively wrapping their arms around themselves as they headed towards their classroom. Class was about to start, and they all hurried off in different directions, with Ziya and Zhi Qing joining the crowd.
Looking up at the sky, it appeared colorless and chaotic, a gray expanse devoid of any hue, like an expressionless face. It made one wonder if rain was coming, yet there were no signs—no gusts of wind or rolling clouds. Ziya pondered this while listening attentively for Zhi Qing's response.
"Yes, there are all sorts of patients in the hospital. As society develops, some unhealthy cultural ideas seep in."
"Like what?" Ziya felt that compared to Zhi Qing, she seemed like a little adult; his every gesture exuded a maturity that belied his age.
"Uh... that's hard to say. It's just that the hospital throws some bad things in the trash bins, attracting unsavory elements to scavenge. That Gravel Road has always been dirty. It's fine during the day, but at night... Otherwise, how could the owner of that Western Pants workshop go mad for no reason? They were the only ones living there until they built new houses on land they bought by the roadside after experimenting with rural settlements. But that owner couldn't bear to leave his old house behind. People say he was possessed by a ghost and ended up eating that crazy woman."
"Ew! Doesn't the hospital have a proper waste disposal area? That's disgusting! Why would you bring up that lunatic's story?" Ziya's face twisted in disgust as she quickly left Zhi Qing behind and ran towards her classroom.
Zhi Qing watched her run off in frustration and muttered to himself: You want to know but are afraid to find out? What’s going on? Did I say something wrong? Seriously...
"An Jian, you're not being fair." Sun Meng entered and went straight to An Jian's side, casting a disdainful look at him as he spoke.
"I... didn't do anything. My mom wouldn't let me go out last night, so..."
"So you sold us out, right?"
"No, Sun Meng, don't pressure me like this. I'm a victim too, okay!"
"Hmph! Coward, a victim? Should I tell our classmates how you betrayed your allies last night?" Sun Meng lowered her voice slightly, a hint of threat in her tone, her eyes darting around as she contemplated how to tease this guy.
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