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墨書 Inktalez
The setting sun sank lower in the sky, casting a chilling atmosphere as eerie cries echoed all around, gradually drowning out the earlier gunfire.
The three of them were still struggling at the bottom of the pit. Jiao Ziqian, confident in his Zombie blood protection, was desperately trying to lift Song Jiu up with the help of the Young Man. Just as Song Jiu was about to reach the edge of the pit, a large, tattooed face suddenly appeared at the opening. Seeing Song Jiu attempting to climb out, it let out a strange cry and thrust a spear towards him.
Song Jiu quickly raised his arm to block it and grabbed the spear, pulling it towards him. However, the creature was cunning; sensing the force directed at Song Jiu, it released its grip and stepped back from the edge, causing Song Jiu to tumble back down into the pit. The creature then pulled out another spear and leaned over to throw it down when a gunshot rang out unexpectedly, and blood erupted from its chest as it fell backward onto the ground.
A familiar face appeared at the edge of the pit—it was Chu Guangxu.
Chu Guangxu cursed under his breath, took off his jacket, and reached into the pit. Song Jiu quickly stepped onto the shoulders of both men and grabbed onto Chu Guangxu's clothing to pull himself up. With Chu Guangxu's help, they managed to haul Jiao Ziqian up as well.
"What happened with that Taoist?" Chu Guangxu asked angrily, a gash on his handsome face bleeding profusely.
"Roundabout sent word," Song Jiu replied, frowning as he glanced at the four corpses lying near the pit. Hearing the eerie cries grow closer, he urged everyone to run toward the highway and asked urgently, "Where's Wu Wentao?"
"He scattered," Chu Guangxu said anxiously, suddenly stopping in his tracks with a suspicious look. "Where are you going?"
"Back to Roundabout for reinforcements!" Song Jiu cursed. "Why aren't you running?"
"Run? Hell no! I'm going to help Tao Ge!" Chu Guangxu spat and turned back without heeding their protests. He had barely run a short distance when someone leaped out from the bushes and knocked him to the ground.
"Idiot." Song Jiu jumped in frustration and reluctantly ran back. Peering through the rustling grass, he saw that Young Man, who had been pinned down by a spear earlier, was now on top of Chu Guangxu, roaring incessantly.
"Damn it, he's really turned!" Jiao Ziqian's face paled as he threw away his Steel Saw Blade, which narrowly missed Zombie's scalp.
Song Jiu felt a surge of dread and rushed over to pull his former companion away from Chu Guangxu. Gritting his teeth, he swung his knife into Young Man's skull and yanked Chu Guangxu up while shouting, "Don't go getting yourself killed!"
Chu Guangxu's eyes widened in anger as he prepared to retort but suddenly turned pale as he glanced behind Song Jiu, his pupils dilating in fear.
Realizing something was wrong, Song Jiu heard shouts all around him. Turning around, he saw several large shadows moving through the grass. Upon closer inspection, he realized they were several tall horses galloping towards them with Bald Tattooed Men riding on them. Their targets were clear as they flung spinning objects from a distance of a hundred meters.
"Dodge!" Song Jiu shouted as he grabbed Jiao Ziqian and turned to run. However, after a moment of shock, Chu Guangxu steadied himself with his gun and charged forward. From far away, he unleashed a volley of fire that knocked one of the charging Bald Tattooed Men off his horse. Yet the galloping horses did not stop; one let out a shrill neigh and leaped high into the air, careening directly towards Chu Guangxu in a panic.
Chu Guangxu rolled on the ground to avoid the out-of-control horses. Before he could fire again, a bald man behind him threw something at close range, which thudded against Chu Guangxu's forehead. He let out a muffled groan and collapsed to the ground.
"Idiot," Song Jiu cursed under his breath. Seeing enemies swarming from all directions, escape was no longer an option. He gritted his teeth, gripped his knife, and charged forward.
Jiao Ziqian and the Young Man followed closely behind. They had dropped their guns into a cockroach hole in their panic while fleeing, completely forgetting their life-saving weapons. Now, all they had were Steel Saw Blades in hand, facing the bizarre enemies that came at them like a tide, leaving them feeling utterly unprepared. Especially since there was no sign of Wu Wentao; those seasoned gunmen had already fallen, leaving them with little hope.
"Old Lin isn't seeing things," Jiao Ziqian said, dazed. The events of that afternoon felt like a thunderclap, shattering his already chaotic thoughts and leaving his mind completely stalled.
"We were targeted shortly after leaving the service area," Song Jiu said, his expression pale as he suddenly caught sight of a shadow darting through the grass. Without thinking, he swung his knife, the blade biting into flesh and spraying blood as someone in the grass cried out in pain and lunged forward.
Jiao Ziqian and the Young Man reacted quickly, their blades slicing toward the bald man’s face. The wind howled through the grass as another object flew out, striking Jiao Ziqian's wrist hard enough to make him drop his Steel Saw Blade into the underbrush.
"Damn it! There are hidden weapons!" Jiao Ziqian exclaimed in pain as he shook his hand. Picking up the object revealed it to be nothing special—just a piece of hemp rope with a rusty iron weight attached.
"Dog Stick," the Young Man said in surprise.
"What is that?" Jiao Ziqian asked.
"It's what herders use to fend off wolves." The Young Man recognized the weapon but realized it was of little use now. The howling resumed as it seemed like every patch of grass was filled with Bald Gang members; sharp winds whistled as Dog Sticks rained down toward the three of them.
"Let’s charge out!" Song Jiu had no other options left; their ten-person squad had dwindled to just three. Suddenly, a group of strange people emerged from the previously quiet sea of tall grass. Isolated and helpless, they had no choice but to fight back desperately.
" Brother Jiu, what did you mean by letting Lin Daoist and Dream Fan take that thing?" In their frantic escape, Jiao Ziqian suddenly recalled what had happened in the pit earlier. Although he could be single-minded at times, he wasn't foolish; this thought struck him as odd. "Who survived?"
"We'll talk about it if we get out alive," Song Jiu replied, too preoccupied to offer guidance. Besides, he was only speculating at this point and couldn't draw any conclusions.
Jiao Ziqian gave Brother Jiu a deep look but chose not to press further. Gripping the Dog Stick gifted by the bald men, he spun it like a windmill and saw someone leap out from the grass. He swung it around with all his might.
With a crisp crack, the iron weight smashed down like it was hitting a watermelon, caving in the bald man's skull and splattering blood and brain matter everywhere.
"Fuck, what the hell," Jiao Ziqian exclaimed in surprise as he quickly picked up another object, spinning around like a top and charging forward.
"Be careful!" Song Jiu shouted, swinging his knife to clear the annoying grass in front of him. He saw a bald man lying on the ground swinging a stick towards Jiao Ziqian's leg.
As Jiao Ziqian ran, he let out a scream and fell to the ground. Before he could get back up, the bald man lunged at him, pinning him down. Song Jiu rushed over to help, but suddenly a horse charged out from the side, Rider leaping through the air and knocking Song Jiu to the ground.
Song Jiu's Steel Saw Blade pierced through the horse, and as he pushed the body aside to get up, several figures sprang from the bushes. Shadows flickered as Dog Sticks rained down like hailstones, and within moments, he was knocked to the ground. In a panic, Young Man stabbed one of them to death, but blood covered his Steel Saw Blade, making it slippery and impossible to pull out. The other bald men swarmed over him, tearing and biting until he was subdued. After a few blows, Young Man lay still.
Song Jiu felt a thud on his forehead, darkness clouding his vision as hot liquid smeared across his eyes. The last thing he saw was a group of strange figures in skirts closing in on him, sticks raised.
The sun reluctantly sank behind the western mountains, taking with it the last traces of twilight. The forest fell into darkness, and the highway was eerily silent.
Lin Daozhang had been hiding in the toll booth until deep into the night. Cold and hunger took turns tormenting him as he tried to gather his strength against Fake Taoist, who sat with closed eyes on the dusty ground, repeatedly adjusting his breathing. Only when he felt that everything around him had fallen completely silent did he slowly open his eyes. Rolling up his sleeves to check his watch, he realized he had been hiding for three hours; his legs felt numb and there was still a sharp pain in his groin.
Old Lin controlled his breath and sighed with relief. Carefully twisting open his flashlight, he adjusted the beam to its smallest setting and pulled down his pants to inspect his injuries. Fortunately, the worst-case scenario hadn’t occurred; his ancestral treasure was still intact. The sharpened wooden spear had given him an unintentional circumcision; he had been too tense at the time to notice any serious injury. The wound was filled with tiny wooden splinters that caused excruciating pain. Leaning against the cold wall, Lin Daozhang exhaled deeply and pulled out a few splinters based on instinct before pulling up his pants and making his way out of the toll booth.
The moon hung coldly in the sky with sparse stars twinkling above. The night wind blew gently as wild grass continued to sway restlessly, seemingly no different from daytime.
Old Lin steeled himself; loading bullets into his gun with one hand while gripping Steel Saw Blade with the other, he cautiously climbed over the barrier and listened intently for any sounds around him. He jogged over to the cockroach hole and peered inside; it was pitch black below, and rustling noises sent chills down his spine.
The people inside were gone; it was unclear whether they had fled or something else had happened. Lin Daozhang didn’t have time to speculate; he grabbed a bucket of gasoline left at the edge of the pit and cautiously retraced his steps back along the path he came from. He broke into a cold sweat but managed to return safely to where his business vehicle was parked.
Old Lin poured the gasoline back into the tank and sat in the driver’s seat to steady himself. He estimated that it took less than ten minutes to return; how could a group of people just vanish into thin air during broad daylight? Remembering those bald men’s incessant screeches made Old Lin shiver involuntarily as he glanced at the grasslands under the night sky before starting the engine and slowly backing away.
Song Jiu felt as if his head would split open; his muddled consciousness sank into an abyss of darkness where distant flickers of light seemed to ignite deep within. Accompanied by dancing flames, his senses gradually began to awaken amidst buzzing noises filling his ears. After a moment of ringing subsided, he faintly heard thunderous laughter from women echoing nearby.
Song Jiu didn’t rush to open his eyes; instead, he allowed himself to linger in darkness while following sensory cues to slowly awaken. Pain surged through him like maggots gnawing at bone from every part of his body, crashing against his recently revived mind. He felt suspended in mid-air with wind rushing past him; unable to move hands or feet due to tight bindings. The sounds around him gradually returned to normal—definitely women's laughter—many voices mingling chaotically along with shouts and curses that made it feel like he was in a noisy environment.
Someone approached him amidst splashes of water followed by clothes being torn away from his body as icy water splashed onto his face.
"He's dead," a woman's voice said.
"No way, he's still breathing," another woman replied.
"Get the hell off him!" This was a man's voice.
Song Jiu frowned, coldness and pain stirring his brain into action. That voice—oh, it was Ziqian.
"How about we mess with your mother? You'll be next, don't rush," the two women teased, their laughter echoing as if they were in a large, enclosed space.
Song Jiu felt someone wiping his forehead. In his memory, it felt like a heavy iron block had struck him there, causing sharp pain that made him involuntarily gasp.
"Hey, he's alive," one woman said.
"Wake up, stop playing dead," the other woman said, giving Song Jiu's face a light slap.
Slowly, Song Jiu opened his eyes. Light flooded into his pupils, painfully bright.
"Wow, not bad-looking," one woman remarked as she wiped the blood from his face, her surprise evident. "We'll have some fun with him later."
"What good is being good-looking if he looks half-dead?" the other woman scoffed, splashing more water on Song Jiu's face.
He woke up fully after the first splash of water. He could hear the distant laughter of women and the teasing remarks nearby along with Ziqian's angry shouts. As he opened his eyes wider, he saw two women standing before him. Their long hair was tied up, their faces painted with various colors of makeup. They wore large bone necklaces around their necks and draped themselves in furry animal skins. Beneath the skins, they were bare-skinned, adorned with intricate designs that could have been either body paint or tattoos.
" Brother Jiu! Brother Jiu! How are you?"
Ziqian's anxious voice reached his ears. Song Jiu turned his stiff neck to look beside him; Ziqian was tied to a wooden frame like Jesus on the cross, completely naked and covered in bruises, looking at him with worry etched on his face. Song Jiu gently shook his head. Without needing to say anything, he knew he must be in the same predicament; no wonder his wrists and ankles hurt so much.
"Oh look, he's a guy," the woman on the left with a bright red peony painted on her chest smirked. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled out a pair of scissors from beneath her animal skin and began snipping away at his clothes with a playful glint in her eyes that suddenly shifted as she focused on Song Jiu's slightly gaunt figure.
Jiao Ziqian was also stunned, staring speechlessly at the completely naked Brother Jiu, unable to utter a word for a long time. Having followed Song Jiu for two years, he had never seen Song Jiu without a shirt. He had always thought it was no big deal and often teased him for being like a young girl. Little did he expect that beneath those thin clothes lay such a sight.
Song Jiu's physique was not particularly robust; although he was thin, he had muscles. He wasn't as exaggerated as a bodybuilder, but he was certainly not lacking either. His abdominal muscles were well-defined and quite eye-catching.
Of course, what left the three of them frozen in place was not the muscles but the horrifying scars crisscrossing his chest and back.
It was unimaginable where such scars came from; they looked as if a complete piece of flesh had been torn into countless fragments and then sewn back together with poor technique. The scars were dense and ghastly, varying in thickness without any pattern—some resembled knife wounds, while others looked like whip marks, grotesquely intertwined like centipedes crawling all over him, truly terrifying.
"Do you think it's beautiful?" A flash of fierce light crossed Song Jiu's eyes, but it was only for an instant before it quickly turned weak and he smiled mockingly.
"What are you so proud of?" Big Peony withdrew her astonished gaze, spat, and scooped a ladle of water from the nearby water tank to splash on Song Jiu. She instructed the short girl beside her, "Clean him up. This kind of trash probably won't be wanted by anyone; give him to those newcomers."
The petite woman had a well-proportioned figure beneath her animal skin attire and seemed to still be in her blooming years. She responded with an acknowledgment and waved her hand, summoning several Bald Tattooed Men who were out of Song Jiu's sight. They approached timidly, looking anxious and fearful.
"Hey." Song Jiu took a deep breath to steady himself and called out to Big Peony, who was about to leave. "Please send my regards to Red Mother."
Big Peony suddenly turned around, her face painted with an expression of intense surprise.
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