Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Secret in the Mountains
Yu Huannian’s breath hitched as he stared at the scene before him. Liu Quan Gui’s mouth was full of blood, his lips twitching as if pleading for help. His eyes were bloodshot, and every time his body moved, a look of agonized torment twisted his face.
Before Yu Huannian even stepped inside, his eyes scanned the room. He went in, closed the window, and then latched the door on his way out.
Watching Yu Huannian leave, Liu Quan Gui rolled his eyes back in despair and passed out.
After coming out, Yu Huannian frowned in confusion. ’Where would Jiang Li go?’
Suddenly, he noticed that the only hoe at Liu Quan Gui’s house was missing. His pupils constricted in shock.
’This is bad! Don’t tell me Jiang Li went up the mountain!’
Yu Huannian hurriedly ran toward the mountain. If Jiang Li found out, everything would be ruined!
Jiang Li carried the hoe to the mountain Liu Quan Gui had mentioned. Seeing the sea of flowers, identical to the one in her dream, the hoe in her hand fell to the ground with a CLANG.
She remembered this place... it was a mass grave.
Yu Huannian sprinted all the way up the mountain, arriving just in time to see Jiang Li’s back, frozen in place.
Yu Huannian tightened his grip on the machete in his hand. He knew his mom treated this Jiang Li very well.
But his mom had been planning this for nine years. He absolutely would not let Jiang Li ruin everything!
Yu Huannian gripped the machete tightly and swung it decisively at Jiang Li.
A flash of light reflected off the blade. Jiang Li swiftly dodged it and kicked Yu Huannian’s hand.
The machete fell from Yu Huannian’s hand, but he immediately attacked Jiang Li again.
But Jiang Li’s attacks were more vicious than he had imagined, each strike aimed at his vital points.
Yu Huannian stopped, took two steps back, and watched her warily. "Jiang Li, why the hell did you come back!"
Jiang Li looked at Yu Huannian and the sea of flowers behind him. She could hear an eager, competitive buzzing coming from the blossoms.
"I originally came back just to get you all out of here. But now, I’ve suddenly changed my mind."
Yu Huannian clutched his numb arm, the one she’d hit, and thought of Liu Quan Gui’s miserable state. "Liu Quan Gui... was that you?"
"Yes."
"How... how did you know?"
"Liu Deceng’s diary."
As she spoke, Jiang Li took two steps forward. The scenes from her dream replayed in her mind: bloodsucking bees, man-eating butterflies. ’The people Liu Quan Gui said had vanished... they must have died here.’
"Don’t go there," Yu Huannian stopped her. "Do you know why the flowers here bloom so vibrantly?"
Jiang Li glanced over. "I do. You use dead bodies as fertilizer."
Yu Huannian choked on his words, shocked that Jiang Li had figured it out. He studied her, suspicious. "What on earth did you study in college?"
A hint of awkwardness crossed Jiang Li’s face. "You wouldn’t know even if I told you."
"Are you a cop?" Yu Huannian watched Jiang Li cautiously. He couldn’t think of any other way she could have guessed.
"No." Jiang Li glanced back and changed the subject. "It’s getting late. We should head back, or Aunt Yu will worry."
Jiang Li tossed the hoe she was holding onto the ground and turned to walk down the mountain.
Completely baffled, Yu Huannian followed behind her. He had no idea what Jiang Li was planning, but he felt as if a knife was hanging over his head.
When they reached the house, Yu Huannian knocked three times. A moment later, there was a sound from inside, and then Yu Shuzhen opened the door.
Seeing the unharmed Jiang Li behind him, Yu Shuzhen quickly ushered her inside.
"Xiao Li, where have you been?"
"I was bored, so I just took a walk around the area." Jiang Li smiled at Yu Shuzhen.
After dinner, Jiang Li poured Yu Shuzhen a glass of water. "Aunt Yu, drink this and get some sleep."
"Alright." Yu Shuzhen took the water from her, took a sip, and then lay down to sleep.
In the middle of the night, Jiang Li got up, fumbled in the dark to find the flute on Yu Shuzhen’s person, and took it with her as she headed for the mountain.
She took out a backup phone. The signal bars were flickering.
Jiang Li turned it off, tucked it into her pocket, and looked at the bamboo flute in her hand. She had arrived at the sea of flowers from earlier in the day.
Jiang Li brought the flute to her lips, recalling the memory from her dream. Just as she was about to play, the flute was snatched from her hand.
She whipped her head around and met Yu Shuzhen’s sunken eyes, startled. "Aunt Yu, weren’t you..."
"What are you doing here!" Yu Shuzhen was agitated, gripping her wrist tightly. ’How did she find out about this, too?
And this flute... even Xiao Nian doesn’t know how to use it. How could she...’
’As for the drug I gave her... she’s had it so many times. How could she possibly have detected it?’
"Aunt Yu, I know what you’re planning. I..."
Yu Shuzhen gripped her hand and started pulling her aside. "Who told you? Xiao Nian?
Go! You’re leaving tonight!"
Still holding Jiang Li’s hand, Yu Shuzhen took a rope from Yu Huannian and tied her up, her own hands trembling uncontrollably.
’I must be crazy. What is she trying to do? Help me?
I don’t need it!’
"Aunt Yu!" Jiang Li called out to Yu Shuzhen again and again.
Seeing the stubborn Jiang Li, a look of pity appeared in Yu Shuzhen’s eyes. "Xiao Li, be good. Listen to me. You’ve already left this place once. What happens here has nothing to do with you.
Don’t you know Little Rou’s family? When the time comes, I’ll have to trouble you to contact them for her. As for Xiao Nian, don’t worry about him. I’ve already told him to go find work at a construction site. He won’t starve.
Anywhere is better than this man-eating place."
Tears filling her eyes, Jiang Li looked at her. "Aunt Yu, we can leave together."
’Even if they’ve killed someone, it doesn’t matter. She could hide them. Just like she said, anywhere would be better than this man-eating village.’
Yu Shuzhen let out a long, helpless sigh and looked at her. "Xiao Li, it’s too late. Since you already know, I won’t hide it from you anymore.
My field of study is entomology. Years ago, I went into the mountains with my colleagues. We got lost, but we managed to catch a few killer bees.
At that time, a villager passed by and invited us to his home to rest, promising to lead us out the next day.
But I never expected that once we went in, we would never be able to leave." Of the four of them, she was the only one who survived.
Yu Shuzhen closed her eyes in pain, unwilling to speak of that unbearable past. She pointed to the sea of flowers behind her.
"Zhang Daqiang’s death was an accident. He broke the container where I kept the killer bees and was stung to death. It just took him a long time to die.
After that, I focused all my attention on the killer bees. I thought, wouldn’t it be better if, one day, the killer bees could be faster?
I secretly began to raise the killer bees and studied them extensively. Eventually, I succeeded. Their venom became more and more potent. Later, I also bred carrion-eating butterflies.
I was afraid of losing control of them, so I started training them with this flute."
Yu Shuzhen looked at Jiang Li. "Now, can you leave?"
"Aunt Yu, you did the right thing. It was their fault. They got what they deserved. I’m not leaving. I can help you."
Jiang Li struggled, looking at Yu Huannian. "Xiao Nian, what are you standing there for? Untie me! You know that I..."
"What nonsense are you spouting? I was the one who cut off Liu Quan Gui’s limbs and stuffed him in that urn. I couldn’t stand the sight of him for a long time," Yu Huannian said, looking at Jiang Li without expression.
"Aunt Yu, I’m begging you, please come with me. I’ll get you out of here." Listening to the two of them play off each other, the fear in Jiang Li’s heart grew and grew.
Yu Shuzhen lowered her head with a gratified smile, took a jade pendant from her pocket, and placed it around Jiang Li’s neck. "I’m not going. I lost my chance to leave long ago. Zhang Daqiang isn’t the only one buried here."
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