18th (9) Mutual probing

  I was taken aback, opened my mouth, and then dryly laughed a few times. I said, do you think I look like someone who takes drugs? Besides, in this desolate wilderness, where would there be any narcotics? Do you have some here?

  The dwarf stared at me for half a day, and I met his gaze without flinching.

  Maybe he thought I was too confident, his eyes shifted to the side, then he said, "Your body is so weak, don't think about these things, drugs are not something to be trifled with, they're deadly."

  I'm saying, yeah, whoever touches will die, I'm just a coder, it's not bad to mix up a warm meal. Don't worry, I don't dare make trouble in your hotel.

  The dwarf smiled and said, "You're a clever person, take care of yourself. This inn isn't very safe right now."

  The dwarf repeatedly urged me not to stay downstairs, I was curious in my heart, but I wasn't a reckless person who joked with his own life. I turned around and went upstairs to change into my last clean set of clothes, then turned back to Xia Ai's room, only to suddenly discover that there was an extra person in her room.

  It's windy and moonlit.

  Fengyue saw me coming in, stood up, smiled and said, "Are you okay? I heard that you had a fever."

  I said, my body is too weak, and I can't take it if it rains a bit.

  Fengyue said, "You're such a big and capable man, how can your body be so weak?"

  I felt a bit embarrassed, after all, no one has ever described me as "old master" before, and it's from the mouth of such a beautiful woman. I asked Fengyue if she was okay, if she had been frightened.

  Fengyue said, I'm fine, it was indeed quite scary, but now it seems nothing is wrong.

  I said, is everything okay now?

  Fengyue said, "Aiyu is dead, what else can happen?" Sihua said Aiyu had an accomplice, but that's just grasping at straws. I think even if there was an accomplice, there's no reason to continue, right? Anyway, Aiyu is already dead.

  I say, what you said is also right. But why did Ai Ya die?

  Fengyue said, you ask like this, obviously still thinking that there must be a reasonable explanation for everything. But honestly, I think it's not necessary to find a reasonable explanation here. How can we explain being possessed by ghosts? The ionic storm in the air disturbing people's minds? I think trying to find a rational explanation for everything is actually irrational behavior.

  I said, do you really think there are ghosts in this world?

  Fengyue said, this world originally had ghosts, they were just hidden in people's hearts. Who doesn't have some untouchable secrets? Some despicable thoughts? These past and thoughts were stimulated by something, that is the ghost.

  I said, hypnosis? Suggestion? Is this what you mean?

  Fengyue smiled and said, "You see, you still want to find a reasonable explanation. I think this village really has ghosts, that's my explanation."

  I have endless good feelings towards Fengyue. This woman seems to possess everything that men desire, not only beauty but also righteousness and bravery. I believe she is rational as well.

  There aren't many people in this hotel that I can talk to. I said, assuming there's a reasonable explanation for all of this, what do you think it would be?

  The wind and moon sighed, thought for a moment, then said, I think we will die here.

  I said, why?

  Fengyue said, because the real murderer is still among us.

  I say, Ai Ya's murder is clear for everyone to see, isn't it?

  Fengyue said, assuming I am Hou Mingyu and you are the lovesick servant girl who is in love with me, what's greater, the possibility of you killing for me or the possibility of me killing for you?

  I said, why can't I be Hou Mingyu and you be Ai Ya?

  Fengyue said, you don't have that charm.

  Xiao Ai suddenly coughed, and Feng Yue and I exchanged an awkward glance. Feng Yue said, "Answer my previous question."

  I say that Ai Ya's love for Hou Mingyu is blind, and she would be willing to do anything for him. However, Hou Mingyu is a scumbag who only plays with Ai Ya's body.

  Fengyue nodded and said, perhaps Hou Mingyu was the real murderer.

  Fengyue is right, emotions can indeed make a person pay the full price, give up everything, and make a person go all out to do something for another person, even if it's an extreme thing.

  But that requires a person with true feelings, just like Wang Aiyu, who is willing to become a lowly woman for Hou Mingyu, but Hou Mingyu only plays with her and deceives her, and will absolutely not do anything that harms his own interests for her.

  If one of them would kill for the other, it would only be Wang Aiyu for Hou Mingyu.

  I said, you suspect him?

  Feng Yue shook her head and said, "I don't doubt him. He's suffered enough already. If it were really him, there would be no need for him to cut off his own ears."

  I said, maybe this will make others have the same idea as you, so he becomes a victim and pushes everything to Ai Ya. Isn't it?

  I hesitated for a moment, thought for a while, if Hou Mingyu is the real murderer, it's not all bad news for us. From his current behavior, he seems to want to shift everything onto Aiyu. Indeed, there is one more murderer among us and one more wrongly accused woman, but at this moment, the law doesn't work here. What's most important is being able to survive in this place.

  I looked at Fengyue, a bit cautious, I don't know if Fengyue is as calm as I am right now. After all, women are more emotional, and many things for them have clear boundaries between right and wrong. If I express my thoughts at this moment, will she think I'm a weak man?

  My life is not long, the cursed ticking sound is always echoing in my mind. I'm actually not afraid of death, or rather, deep down inside me, I've already believed in that curse, believing that I will die here. I even believe in that time, I believe I still have eighteen days to live.

  But others' lives are not on countdown, there are too many people among us who shouldn't have died, so being able to get one person out alive is our victory.

  Isn't it?

  I said, if Hou Mingyu intends to stop here and push everything onto Ai Ya, then for us it's not a bad thing either. We're not the police, nor are we judges, as long as we can guarantee he won't kill again, guarantee our own lives, that's enough, isn't it?

  Fengyue looked at me, seemingly carefully guessing my thoughts. I didn't like to show myself too weak in front of the two goddesses.

  I redundantly explained, assuming Hou Mingyu was the real culprit, I said it was an assumption. Now, people in the hotel are on edge, and I believe other rooms probably think I'm a murderer too. If he really is, since he's pushed everything out, even cutting off his own ear to hide that he's the real culprit, it means he's killed enough. Maybe he only wanted to kill Da Peng and that fat girl. Then he killed Ai Ya to silence her and framed her for everything. Since he's killed enough, next he'll definitely pretend to be a victim and escape with us. As long as we don't expose him and let him get desperate, we're temporarily safe. Once we get out, rest assured, I'll definitely turn him in to the police station.

  Xiao Ai hummed and interrupted, "Look at you, don't know how to behave anymore? How about a Thomas full spin?"

  I saw Feng Yue's face turn red, and now Xiao Ai always speaks with a few points of sourness. I felt a bit awkward and didn't know how to explain or say anything else, so I just stood there, not daring to speak.

  Fengyue coughed and said with a bitter smile, "I'm not familiar with them either. This time I really shouldn't have come. Originally wanted to come out and clear my mind, but now it's not just that my mood hasn't improved, I almost lost my life. You say this isn't me being at odds with myself?"

  I say, since we're here, survival is most important.

  Feng Yue nodded and said, "You just said that too, it's all hypothetical. Hou Mingyu saying nothing is also a victim. I think the Mei Xue they often mention must be hiding something. If we can uncover this hidden truth, maybe we can find the real murderer."

  I said, there must be an inside story, but it may not have anything to do with us. As you said, who doesn't have a past that can't be touched? That's the ghost hiding in people's hearts. Did you guys discuss it at noon?

  Fengyue said, at that time you were not there, they had a bad relationship with the inn, without you as the peacemaker, no one spoke up.

  I say, I actually call myself a troublemaker.

  The wind and moon smiled, put their hands on their nose, flew a flirtatious smile at me, and said, disgusting, dirty to death.

  Xiao Ai coughed again and then said, "Do you want me to go out for a walk?"

  Embarrassed, Feng Yue got up and said, let's talk about it at dinner tonight, you guys rest first.

  I hastily sent Fengyue away and came back to see Xia'ai staring at me, glaring at me fiercely, then said, "Why are you so obedient?"

  I said, how did I listen?

  Xiao Ai said, you just listen to her, you just listen to her. Go out, go out.

  I hastily waved my hand and said, no, I really didn't.

  Xiao Ai pushed me out without saying a word, I stood at the door feeling embarrassed, not wanting to knock on the door or beg, so I could only stand there for a few minutes before returning to the room.

  My head has been feeling dull and uncomfortable all over, my eyes are a bit heavy, I lay in bed for a while, heard shouting and footsteps outside, but not chaotic, so I knew it was time to eat dinner.

  When I went down, everyone was waiting for me and gave me a send-off with their eyes.

  It was the first time I felt so valued by others, and it's true that even a stirring stick can have its spring.

  I sat down and the dishes on the table were very simple. I took a bite and furrowed my brow, it was extremely bland.

  The students all looked unwell after taking a bite, but no one made a sound. Ma Tiancheng sat down and said, "We lost a bag of salt, there's nothing left in stock." I said, classmates, what can you do with a bag of salt? We don't even know how many days we'll be stuck here, hurry up and return it to me, okay?

  I saw the dwarf standing on one side of Ma Tiancheng, sizing up everyone's expression as he spoke. His eyes swept over to me and I stared back at him, smiling slightly.

  The dwarf nodded expressionlessly at me and continued to scan the attitudes of everyone, that expression seemed to be that if he found the person who took the bag of salt, he would kill him immediately.

  I feel a bit cold and shrug my shoulders while sitting there.