Chapter 33: Du Jie X Zhu Thirteen

  With a head full of questions, I left the restaurant. The boss lady said to me: "Just now, it was on purpose that I gave you my usual intestine powder to eat, knowing that it would make you almost vomit. Now, I invite you to drink pig's foot ginger and intestine powder, because the store is about to close, and after that, this alley will no longer have my delicious pig's foot ginger."

  I sat at the door and ate seriously, thanking her again and again. And she, restored to a ordinary landlady's identity, saw me off and bid farewell to me.

  This quiet alley is filled with the rich aroma of braised pork belly and the refreshing scent of rice noodles. As I was about to exit the alley, I turned back to look at the owner's food stall, where she stood at the entrance, smiling as she cleaned up dishes, telling a few female students that the shop would be closing soon, so this time it's on the house for them. The girls exclaimed, "Why are you closing? Where will we go to eat such delicious braised pork belly in the future?"

  I thought the incident in Ryūgū Village had quietly come to an end when I stepped out of the alley, but I was wrong. Even though I knew the ultimate truth, a big event still occurred, foreshadowing the revival of Ryūgū Village. That bloody Ryūgū Village didn't die, but instead came back with evil.

  I find that whenever I have worries, I come to the Long River to blow away the night wind. So, before returning to Wu Xie Manor, I came to the Long River again.

  The autumn river wind is damp and blows on my face, making my mind even clearer. I saw Dr. Ruan again, he walked over slowly.

  "Thirteen, I didn't expect to run into you again. This time it's really a coincidence that I bumped into you, not because your housekeeper Zou invited me."

  "Hmm, I know, because the Ryūjin Village incident has already passed."

  "I thought for a moment and said: 'Dr. Ruan, do you know what pica is?'"

  "In daily life, we often see some children who love to eat strange things like coal ash, wall skin, soil blocks, paper and hair. In medicine, this phenomenon is called "pica" or "eating disorder". This refers to a special preference that gradually appears in infants and young children during the feeding process, where they uncontrollably chew and swallow objects that are not supposed to be eaten."

  "In fact, as far as I know, the cause of pica is not yet fully understood, but clinical observations have found that some children with iron deficiency anemia and zinc deficiency exhibit symptoms of eating non-food items. After their anemia and zinc deficiency are corrected, the symptoms of pica also disappear. Therefore, in clinical practice, after giving those children with pica iron supplements or adding zinc to their diet, many of them no longer exhibit pica behavior. It is believed that this disease has a great relationship with iron and zinc deficiencies in children's bodies."

  After explaining about his eating habits, Ruan De Feng patted me on the shoulder and said, "You're still thinking about Liu Long Village."

  I nodded and said: "If according to your explanation of pica, you think that those people in Liu Long Village, especially Du Jie's father, are not suffering from pica."

  "Wei Feng said, 'This strange eating habit refers to the fact that they eat food that is different from ordinary people. I think they have a large proportion of psychological abnormalities. In short, the incident in Liu Long Village has passed, and the murderer has been identified, so you don't need to think about it anymore, Thirteen.'"

  After bidding farewell to Ruan DeFeng, I returned to Wu Xie Society.

  I had just entered the No Evil Society when I saw a group of bodyguards wearing black clothes and sunglasses sitting on the sofa, looking like they were waiting for me.

  Zou Guanjiadao said: "Thirteen, you're back? They are Du Jie's bodyguards and have something important to discuss with you."

  One of the bodyguards, with a very respectful attitude, said to me: "Thirteen Shao, hello, our boss has asked us to come and invite you over. He has something important to discuss with you, and he wants to give you the remaining half of the remuneration that was previously agreed upon."

  Then I got on their car.

  The car drove out of Long City and sped along the highway.

  The bodyguard said: "We are now going to our boss's villa in the suburbs."

  20 minutes later, the car drove into a villa like a palace. The grandeur of this villa was truly breathtaking and stunning. This villa was built in an orchard, with 3 floors high, next to it was a huge "8" shaped swimming pool, and on both sides of the road were rows of coconut trees that were almost uniform in size. Under the coconut trees were exquisite and unique small lamps, flower-shaped crystal lamps.

  The villa is very large, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor that are as big as those in a hotel. The glass sparkles and shines. It's almost dusk, and the warm autumn sun casts a glow on the windows, making them sparkle like a dream.

  I was escorted by bodyguards and walked in.

  The floor was covered with soft French velvet carpets, which felt very comfortable to walk on. As I entered the villa, I felt like I had walked into a five-star luxury hotel. The huge orange-yellow crystal chandelier above my head made me feel dizzy.

  Du Jie's thin figure appeared in front of me, his face with a faint smile, without any sorrow for the loss of his father. No wonder he didn't feel sad, his own father had done such an outrageous and inhumane thing, as a son, he could only feel heartbroken.

  "Thirteen, sit down." He motioned for me to take a seat, then he turned to the group of bodyguards and said, "All of you get out. Without my orders, no one is allowed in."

  The bodyguards who were only looking at Ma's horseback were very obedient and lined up in a row, walked out, and closed the gate.

  "I'm extremely grateful that you uncovered the secret of Yonglong Village," Du Jie said. "If it wasn't for you going to Yonglong Village, I wouldn't have known that my father was such a person. It turns out that the reason I saw an old lady's photo in my stomach is because I experienced something so terrifying when I was young. However, even though the truth has been revealed now, I still can't remember this experience."

  "I said, 'Boss Du, these are all things of the past. Since you chose not to remember this matter, why force yourself to recall it? The matter in Liu Long Village has already come to an end.'"

  Du Jie's emotions became unstable, and he gritted his teeth: "Yes, it's indeed in the past. I was able to achieve today's glory because I have a strong point - I know how to forget and not dwell on past events. However, my life was ruined by my father. I hate him, even though he's dead now, I still hate him very much. What happened when I was young, I don't remember, but I know that in 1982, I couldn't choose my own will, he must have forced me to do something I couldn't accept."

  "If I had a choice back then, I would absolutely not go and eat human flesh."

  Du Jie's thin body kept trembling, like a thin dry leaf flying in the wind. He covered his face and began to sob like a child, with crystal clear tears flowing from his emaciated fingertips. He squatted down and started crying loudly.

  A billionaire who once dominated the business world with an iron fist, Du Jie now stood before me, crying like a little boy who had been deeply wronged.

  I didn't know how to comfort him, so I just walked over and stood beside him, patting his shoulder, saying: "Things, things may not be as you think they are..."

  I hadn't finished speaking when Du Jie suddenly attacked me. I was completely unprepared and never thought that the frail-looking Du Jie would suddenly attack me, and it turned out that he had astonishing strength, despite looking like he could be blown down by a gust of wind.

  He was like a fierce beast, suddenly pouncing on me and throwing himself onto my body. In his palm was a white handkerchief, which tightly covered my face. From watching TV, I knew that the handkerchief had been soaked in an anaesthetic that could knock someone out.

  So, my eyelids gradually became very heavy, my brain became like a paste, and my consciousness began to disperse.

  I fainted.

  When I came to again, I found myself bound to a crystal chair with thick ropes.

  Du Jie stood in front of me, his eyes cold and gloomy.

  History is repeating itself, just like the cycle of reincarnation. I've encountered a situation similar to what happened in Xianren Cave at Liu Long Village - could Du Jie also be a member of the cannibal tribe?

  In 1982, at the age of 6, he had no choice and was forced to become a member of the cannibal tribe. But what about now? Is he one too?

  "Boss Du, you——"

  Du Jie didn't say a word, he ignored me and slowly turned to walk to a crystal table beside him. On the crystal table was a light yellow square box. He slowly opened the box and from inside pulled out a deep red sharp tooth set.

  Those red fangs that appeared outside the house when I lived in Du Huangniu's home, the denture that Du Jie wore on his face, now eerily appeared in Du Jie's hand.

  Du Jie held the red tooth sleeve in his palm with a slight tremble, as if holding an invaluable treasure, his face full of devout expression.

  He walked in front of me and said, "Thirteen, to be honest, after the incident at Liu Long Village, I went back to my hometown. At the funeral home, I saw his old body. He seemed so lonely and desolate, yet still unyielding. Although he was poisoned by Du Huang Niu, but I think the biggest culprit is you, the leader of this Wuxia Society."

  "I said, 'Indeed it is, the matter originated from me, but at first it was you who asked Dr. Ruan to let us investigate. To pursue the matter, actually the one who started it all is you. You can't blame your father's death on me.'"

  Du Jie burst into a loud scolding, and with one slap, he slapped me in the face, saying: "You know nothing, you don't know anything. I didn't say he was innocent or that he deserved it. In fact, he really is psychologically abnormal, having eaten so many people, he should have been torn to pieces long ago. But when I stood in front of his corpse and looked carefully at his cold face, I suddenly realized that even though I had hated him for so many years, I was still his son."

  I have decided not to speak French because under current circumstances I am still not very clear about what Du Jie's intentions are.

  The only thing I can clearly realize now is that the WeChat ID appearing 100 meters away from me, Liu Long Village, is actually Du Jie.