Winter Time Rendering

Chapter 39: Chapter 12: A Frightening Night (3)

After saying this, Ruoping laughed, relieved:

"You really think I’m gonna fight you over a frog?!"

As her voice rose in pitch, the frog in Du Kang’s pocket seemed to awaken from hibernation and let out a RIBBIT.

Du Kang quickly changed the subject:

"Let’s head home, then. Isn’t your show about to start..."

"Don’t take this lightly," Zhang Shutong warned. "Since we all know something’s wrong, you guys need to be careful for a while. You all have your phones, right? Remember to call the police. Don’t try to be a hero."

Du Kang put his hands on his head. "No problem, no problem. By the way, you’re suddenly talking a lot today."

Zhang Shutong ignored his teasing:

"Also, if we ever run into a situation like this again, you follow my lead. If I can’t give orders, you run, then call the police. Got it?"

His gaze swept over their faces. Seeing them all nod in agreement, Zhang Shutong breathed a small sigh of relief, then turned to Lu Qinglian:

"That includes you. It’s best if you don’t deviate from your usual routine."

Although she theoretically wasn’t in any danger, tonight’s encounter made Zhang Shutong realize one thing: theory was just theory.

In his original life, for example, Lu Qinglian wouldn’t have come fishing with them tonight. Du Kang wouldn’t have run back for a stool, and he certainly wouldn’t have seen that man—the suspected murderer—while carrying it.

’Since so much of the past has already changed, even if it’s still manageable, who’s to say a bigger accident won’t happen?’

’Besides, Lu Qinglian has no car and no phone. If she really runs into danger, she can’t outrun it or call for help. She’s even worse off than the rest of us.’

Fortunately, Lu Qinglian nodded at his words. She was still expressionless, and it was truly just a single nod, but that was enough.

Zhang Shutong spoke again:

"You guys go ahead and pack up. I have something to do."

"’You guys’?" Ruoping asked. "What are you going off to do now?"

"I have to return a call. My mom just bugged me."

Saying this, Zhang Shutong flashed his phone, then walked his bike up the dirt slope.

But that wasn’t it at all. He was preparing to call the police.

’This isn’t a game where I can save and reload anytime. The opportunity is right in front of me. If I miss it, it’s gone for good.’

’Besides, my "rewind" ability is gone. I don’t have endless chances to try, fail, and gather information like before. I’ve finally found a clue about the killer, and he’s very likely nearby. Of course I have to press the advantage.’

That was why Zhang Shutong had no intention of going home tonight.

He just had to come up with an excuse to trick them into going home safely first.

’There’s strength in numbers, sure, but I don’t want to drag my best friends into this because of it.’

He fumbled his way to the dirt road in the dark. Zhang Shutong glanced at his screen and immediately frowned.

’Still no signal?’

’Can’t believe it failed me at the most critical moment.’

He walked a few more steps in the other direction, but the call still wouldn’t go through. Zhang Shutong put his phone away, frustrated.

’Guess I’ll have to ride there, then.’

’The patrolling officer can’t have gone far. If I chase after them now and call them back, I should still be able to make it in time.’

He had no choice but to shout down to the others:

"You guys head out together! My mom’s pissed, so I’m heading back first. Ruoping, I’m leaving them with you. Watch them, and everyone call me when you get home."

Their homes were in different directions anyway, so the excuse was solid.

Without waiting for their barrage of questions, he hopped on his bike and took off.

...

"Hey, Zhang Shutong!" Feng Ruoping yelled, only to find the boy had already pedaled far away without a second glance.

The girl grumbled in annoyance, "Jeez, what’s with him?"

’Great, now it’s all on me. I suddenly feel like a worried old mother... No, scratch that, that’s too old. More like a zookeeper.’

But she was used to it. Just as she was about to tell the others to pack up, Qingyi suddenly asked:

"Don’t you think Shutong was a little strange today?"

"Not really. He’s always like this, a lone wolf..."

"Do you remember what he said when he came back tonight?"

"What?"

"His mom asked him to go deliver something."

"Oh, right. I think that’s what he said."

"And just now, he said his mom messaged him to hurry up." Qingyi pulled his fishing rod out of the water and wiped it down. "Have you noticed the problem?"

"Ugh, I told you not to keep me in suspense."

"The two stories contradict each other," Meng Qingyi said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Look, we all know his parents work at the research institute and aren’t usually home, right?"

"So?"

"So here’s the problem. If his mom was on vacation and happened to be home today, why would she make him deliver something? And if his mom wasn’t home today, how would she know he wasn’t home either?"

Feng Ruoping froze. "You’re right... Then Shutong..."

"He probably went after the man Du Kang told us about."

The girl grew anxious. "No way! Who knows how dangerous it is? What if something happens to him going off on his own..."

Before she could finish, she saw Qingyi rubbing his hands together eagerly:

"Some friend Shutong is, ditching us like this. Let’s go too."

"Oh, give me a break!" Ruoping shot him a glare. "I’m calling him right now to drag him back. Honestly, you guys are such a handful..."

However, the voice on the other end of the line informed her that the user was out of the service area.

Feng Ruoping stomped her foot.

"Then we’ll go find him together."

With that, she called over Du Kang and Lu Qinglian. She didn’t have much to say to Du Kang, but she did apologize to Lu Qinglian:

"Qinglian, why don’t you wait here for a bit? We’ll come back for you after we find Shutong."

They definitely couldn’t let her go back up the mountain alone this late, but they were already short-handed, and they had no idea what was happening with Shutong. Feng Ruoping wasn’t very willing to spare someone to escort her.

But it wasn’t right to make her search with them either, so her only option was to ask the girl to wait there for them to return.

But Lu Qinglian shook her head. "Let’s go together."

The group had just agreed and was about to leave when another set of footsteps sounded from above them.

Du Kang was the first to complain:

"What the hell? Give me a break! Not again..."

Before he could finish, Meng Qingyi clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shut up. Didn’t you notice..."

The boy’s voice dropped to a bare whisper:

"He doesn’t have a flashlight."