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Kapitel 6

Yang Xing only took one bite of the half-pot of dog meat before dumping it all into a garbage bag.

Yang Xing said that dog meat has a foul smell, and it makes him feel extremely nauseous as soon as he puts it in his mouth. He also said that if he were to swallow dog meat, he would definitely vomit his intestines out.

Although Shabo had no interest in the pot of dog meat, he still put his nose to the garbage bag and sniffed it after listening to Yang Xing's words. All meat looks pretty much the same after cooking, so Shabo's nausea wasn't as strong as it had been at the beginning. Yang Xing had added a lot of spices and thirteen-spice powder to the pot of dog meat, so it smelled very good. There was no foul smell Yang Xing had described, so Shabo realized that Yang Xing was a patient, and patients' perceptions would definitely be different from normal people.

The three of them then sat down at the Three Gorges Restaurant.

Sha Bo asked Yang Xing and Xiao Fei how they planned to spend their holiday. The two looked at each other without saying anything, but their hands clasped together below.

Xiao Fei said, "Yang Xing is like this now, how can I bear to leave him?" Yang Xing thought for a moment and said three words: "Find something to eat." Where to find something to eat? Sha Bo thought, the key is that you don't even know what you want to eat right now. Thinking this, a chill suddenly ran through him. He realized he was facing someone who didn't want to eat anything; if he didn't want to eat anything, then what meaning did the world hold for him?

Shabo felt a chill run down his spine. Xiao Fei across from him looked completely bewildered, while Yang Xing maintained his limp and pitiful expression. Yang Xing was nearly starving; it was already the fourth day, and he could only drink a little water each day. Even then, he could only drink a tiny amount.

At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind—where could he find something to eat?

Chapter 8 Waking Up in the Blue Box

She felt a stinging pain before she even woke up. It felt as if two thin needles had been inserted into the temples on either side of her head. The pain was so subtle; it was hidden yet persistent, tormenting her relentlessly.

When she woke up, she was surrounded by blinding light, but it vanished like smoke in an instant, quickly replaced by darkness. For a moment, her mind went blank, and the darkness in her eyes gave her no clues about reality. So, she initially thought she was in a dream, but even in a dream, the darkness wouldn't be this intense.

Her head still throbbed, and her body felt incredibly heavy; even moving was extremely difficult. She struggled for a moment, but ultimately gave up on sitting up. The only thing she was certain of now was that she was lying on a slightly hard bed. This was definitely not her soft, spacious bed; besides the different texture of the sheets, she felt an extreme sense of oppression sleeping on this bed.

She had no idea where that oppression came from; in the darkness, she knew nothing about her situation. She could only lie there, staring into the darkness, breathing in the darkness, letting herself sink into it.

Fortunately, she knew she was conscious at that moment.

She could feel sweat on her forehead, but her body remained ice-cold. She felt as if she were on a sun-drenched beach, her body submerged in the seawater while her head was exposed to the blazing sun.

The icy seawater chilled her to the bone. She knew she must be frozen stiff; otherwise, why couldn't she move? Since her body was still, the only thing that could move was her mind. And she was certain she was conscious.

What are you thinking? Are you wondering if you're living in a nightmare?

The feeling of a dream is not so real, and people do not feel pain in a dream.

If I weren't dreaming, where would the darkness be so intense?

She listened quietly for a while, but all she heard was silence. She felt the silence was as thick as darkness. She could clearly hear the sounds of her swallowing and blinking.

It was so quiet that she could only listen for a short while before she couldn't stand it anymore. She wanted to shout, anything, just to make a sound.

But even this had become a luxury for her. She opened her mouth with difficulty, a few syllables lingered in her throat for a moment, then silently slipped away. This terrified her; she realized she had completely merged into that deep silence, she had become silence itself.

Unable to see or hear, thought is the only thing left to drive her.

—Where am I? How did I get here?

She suddenly felt a sense of fear. She thought that if the darkness and silence never disappeared, wouldn't she be lying here like a dead person forever?

Or is this place inherently hell?

Thinking of hell, she couldn't help but let out a low groan. After the groan, she froze, for in the silence, she clearly heard her own groan. Though faint, even the faintest sound could break the silence. As if encouraged, she impulsively let out a series of hoarse sounds from her throat; the sounds were indistinct, but they gave her a glimmer of hope.

Moreover, as she uttered those hoarse sounds, she discovered that she could also move her hands and feet slightly.

She strained with all her might, twisting and screaming...

She suddenly stopped moving, her heart pounding faster than ever. She heard another sound, one she couldn't discern as to where it came from, yet it instantly enveloped her.

She listened intently, and the sound continued. It sounded as if someone was drumming not far from her, the drumbeats unusually muffled.

She still couldn't discern the direction of the sound, but before long, another sound came, and before she could even think, a beam of light rushed in.

The light was so intense, it was as if a gap had been torn open in the sky, and waves of light poured down. Although she closed her eyes in time, she still felt as if her eyes had been instantly stung, and her skin on her face felt a burning pain.

Some shadows drifted in through the light. She closed her eyes for a while, and only after she felt her eyes had adjusted to the light did she slowly open them.

The light wasn't as strong as she'd imagined. She immediately realized that a shadow was blocking much of it. The shadow was now directly in her line of sight, and she quickly discerned its shape as a person.

All the nerves in her body tensed up suddenly, and a wave of fear washed over her.

She finally saw clearly: the shadow before her had a deathly pale face, and a thin body wrapped in a black shirt. Only the top button of the black shirt was undone, and the cuffs were buttoned up tightly. The shadow's face gradually became clearer; his chin was as sharp as a cone, his cheeks were deeply sunken, making his nose appear particularly prominent, and the glasses perched on his nose looked exceptionally large.

She finally remembered seeing this man before, in the company elevator.

All the lost memories came rushing back at that moment. She couldn't help but let out another long groan, and then her mind went completely blank.

She fainted again.

He stared at the girl lying in the box, his face still expressionless, but a subconscious sense of pleasure was creeping into his heart. The box resembled a coffin, but it was much more spacious, taking up almost half the room. Made of nanmu wood, it was extremely sturdy, and the inside had been reinforced with high-quality soundproofing materials to ensure that any sound the girl made inside wouldn't travel outside.

This box was made more than three years ago, and now the seventh girl is lying inside.

He had already found her ID card in the girl's bag and knew her name was Yuan Li. He murmured the name Yuan Li, finding it as ordinary as the girl in the box.

Now this ordinary girl had become his prey, and he was thinking of ways to teach her a lesson. He stared at Yuan Li's face; her face should have had neat makeup, but now it was smudged, the black eyeshadow drooping down, hanging under her eyes like a long piece of eye boogers. And because of sweat, several streaks of foundation were clearly visible on her face.

He went to find a towel, soaked it in water, wrung it out, and came over to wipe Yuan Li's face.

He doesn't like being around a slovenly woman.

Now that Yuan Li's face was clean, he leaned down to examine it closely. It turned out the girl's skin was quite fair; so why was she wearing such tacky makeup? He thought about it for a moment, then quickly understood. He was now convinced she was an extremely shallow girl; otherwise, why would she have so brazenly mocked a stranger in the elevator?

Thinking about the girl's words and actions in the elevator, he immediately became angry.

He will teach this girl a lesson. He will let her know that thin people also have self-respect, and that no one should easily trample on the self-respect of a thin person.

But he hadn't figured out how to teach her a lesson yet. After thinking for a while, he decided to have a good discussion with Yuan Li about this issue.

Yuan Li had been sedated and had been unconscious for a whole day. He had just heard a noise from inside the box and opened the lid. He could tell Yuan Li was terrified from the expression on her face before she fainted again.

Why was she so terrified? Wasn't she quite arrogant in the elevator?

He felt a malicious pleasure. After checking Yuan Li and confirming that she was alright, he moved a chair and sat down next to the box, waiting for the girl inside to wake up.

About fifteen minutes later, Yuan Li's cheek muscles twitched. He quickly moved the chair back to make sure Yuan Li couldn't see him when she opened her eyes, otherwise, she might faint again.

After a while, he was certain that Yuan Li had woken up, so he slowly walked to the box. When Yuan Li saw him, she struggled violently, her face filled with uncontrollable panic. She opened her mouth wide and let out some indistinct, hoarse cries. The cries were extremely weak, yet they seemed to come from within her very being, causing him to frown deeply.

"Why are you so afraid?" he asked. His voice was deep and resonant, with a strong magnetic quality, and his Mandarin was standard, unlike many people in this city whose Mandarin was mixed with dialect.

“Why be afraid?” he repeated. “I think we should talk calmly. It will be better for both of us.” Yuan Li stopped writhing; his words had clearly moved her. However, the fear in her eyes remained, as if she were facing a monster she deeply loathed.

He was somewhat angry inside, but outwardly appeared calmer. He said, "None of us wanted to be in this situation, but we are now, so neither of us has a choice." Yuan Li stared blankly at him, as if trying to figure out his thoughts and what he was trying to do. But she quickly grasped the situation, and although she hadn't spoken yet, she nodded slightly.

He smiled. His smile softened the lines of his face, and the gaze behind his glasses became gentle, seemingly without any threat. This emboldened Yuan Li considerably.

Yuan Li thought that perhaps he didn't want to hurt her; he just wanted to find an opportunity to curry favor with her.

He really looked like he was trying to win her over.

He walked to the box and said softly, "I think we should try to create an atmosphere of equal conversation, so if you don't mind, I'd like to help you out of this box." Yuan Li was taken aback, as if she couldn't believe such gentle words came from the man in front of her, but seeing the smile on his face and the expectation in his eyes, she had no choice but to believe him. So she thought, perhaps this man wasn't as scary as she had imagined.

He bent down, gently lifted her body, and helped her sit up. She had regained some strength, but clearly couldn't fully support herself, so he finally picked her up and placed her on a chair.

Only then could Yuan Li see the room clearly. The room was less than twenty square meters, with snow-white walls. On the west side sat the suitcase she had just left. The rectangular suitcase was painted a deep blue, the color of the ocean in her imagination. Opposite the suitcase were two chairs and a table. The chairs were placed on either side of the table, and now the two of them were sitting in them. The table in the middle was small and exquisite, with two glasses filled with water on it. The glasses were the simplest kind, yet they appeared particularly slender, and the water inside was clearly purified water, not some other beverage.

The room was simple, clean, and tidy, which made Yuan Li wary again.

No one's house would be decorated like this, especially that big box, which, although painted dark blue, still looks like a coffin.

“I think you must have some misunderstandings about me, so I really want to give you a chance to get to know me.” The lean man spoke, his voice still gentle, as if he were speaking to a long-time friend.

Yuan Li remained silent. She had a bellyful of questions, but she managed to refrain from asking. Years of wandering alone had given her some ability to handle unexpected events.

“My approach was a bit abrupt and may have startled you. I apologize now.” “Who are you?” Yuan Li finally spoke, her voice still hoarse, but speaking was no longer difficult. “How did I get here? What do you want?” The lean man smiled, his features softening.

“I’ll introduce myself and tell you how I got here, so don’t be nervous or afraid. Otherwise, I’ll feel uneasy.” “Then tell me first, who are you?” “Have you forgotten? We met before, in the elevator. You and another girl were standing next to me. You must remember what you said in the elevator.” Yuan Li certainly remembered, and she immediately became nervous again: “I was just joking with my colleague. It has nothing to do with you.” “I also hope it has nothing to do with me, so I wouldn’t have invited you here.” The lean man in black shook his head slightly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. “But there were only three of us in the elevator at the time, and I’m really thin. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t hear what you said.” “If my words hurt you, then I apologize.” “No need.” The lean man in black shook his head. “You don’t need to apologize because I can tell you seem to really dislike me, and a person doesn’t need to apologize for expressing their true feelings.” Yuan Li was speechless. She now didn’t know what had gotten into her when she said those two things in the elevator. She wanted to explain herself, to tell him that she hadn't said those things with any ulterior motive, that she was just being straightforward and blurting things out. But she didn't, because she knew that such explanations would be pointless. If this skinny man had brought her here because of what she'd said, he would definitely resent her words and wouldn't listen to her explanations at all.

However, the lean man in black seemed quite magnanimous, completely disregarding Yuan Li's words in the elevator. He said, "I invited you here simply to have a chance to talk to you, to let you understand that being thin doesn't mean someone is unpleasant." Yuan Li paused, then immediately nodded, "I know, I know I shouldn't have made fun of you like that." The man in black smiled again, seemingly quite pleased. He said, "You've slept for so long, you must be hungry. I'll go prepare some food; have some water first." Yuan Li wanted to say no, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. At that moment, the man in black possessed a commanding presence, and she felt involuntarily drawn to his will. She didn't want to do anything against his wishes, lest she anger him. Moreover, after what the man in black said, she truly felt both hungry and thirsty.

As the man in black stood up, Yuan Li eagerly picked up the glass on the table and drank the water in one gulp.

The lean man in black walked to the door, then suddenly turned around, smiled, and said, "I'll be back soon, with food. I think you'll be waiting for me here." He paused, then continued, "I like obedient girls." Yuan Li understood the implication in the man's words, and she abandoned her plan to escape after he left. Since the man in black had said that, he must have a way to deal with her. She couldn't escape.

The door closed, and Yuan Li sat there quietly, her eyes darting around. She had no idea where she was, and her legs were still heavy, making movement impossible—which was probably why the man in black had left her there. Yuan Li secretly wondered why the man in black had abducted her here. A single man, imprisoning a young and beautiful girl—what did he want?

Thinking this way, Yuan Li seemed to feel a little relieved. If the man in black only needed a woman, then she wouldn't have put herself in such a dangerous situation. Or, she could take the initiative to try and leave this dangerous place as soon as possible.

About twenty minutes later, the lean man in black returned, carrying a plate with four stir-fried dishes and a bottle of red wine. He placed the dishes on the table in front of Yuan Li, who tried to act nonchalant, but the aroma made her stomach rumble twice.

The man in black smiled and handed her a pair of chopsticks: "I made all these dishes. Try them and see if they suit your taste." Yuan Li stared blankly at the man in black, thought for a moment, and finally took the chopsticks.

She didn't know how long it had been since she'd eaten, but this time, she ate with an unstoppable gusto. The man in black opposite her smiled and shook his head, pouring red wine into her glass. He gazed at her and said, "It's been a long time since I've eaten with a beautiful girl." Yuan Li paused, then picked up her glass. The man in black smiled even more gently, clinked glasses with her, took a small sip, and said, "It seems you're an obedient girl. That will save us a lot of unnecessary trouble." Yuan Li boldly met his gaze: "What do you want to do? I'll do whatever you say." As she said this, a sense of tragic heroism welled up inside her, but the man in black's reaction surprised her.

The man in black smiled. "I'm very interested in you. I want to know some things about you." "My things?" Yuan Li was puzzled. She hadn't expected the man in black's request to be so simple. "I'm a simple person. Nothing would interest you." "You're wrong. Even if your experiences are mundane, because I'm interested in you as a person, I'm sure I'll be interested in your simple experiences as well." Yuan Li paused for a moment, mentally choosing what she could tell the man in black.

“I was born in a small county in Guizhou. My parents were very ordinary workers; the farthest they ever went was Guiyang, the provincial capital. My only motivation for studying back then was to leave that small county, and I did. Four years of university only strengthened my resolve not to go back. Then, I came to this city and found my current job.” The man in black listened intently: “You’re a really simple girl.” “In this city, I have no relatives, no friends, and I have to rely on myself for everything. So, to protect myself, I act tough and shrewd in front of others. But when I’m home, alone…” Lying in bed, I feel incredibly exhausted. Many times, I wish someone could help me, give me some support. But even though I've been in this city for over three years, I still can't see it for what it is. Every man who comes into your life has an ulterior motive. They might offer you small favors at first, but if you accept them, they'll demand double the return. What you have to give might be everything you have. I know this, but I still cling to hope—that's my biggest contradiction.” Yuan Li said, her voice tinged with sadness. She thought that if a man had taken her home that night, she wouldn't be in this situation now.

Her sadness was noticed by the man in black, who shook his head and sighed softly, gently stroking Yuan Li's hand that rested on the table. Yuan Li's hand trembled slightly, but she did not refuse.

The man in black said, "It's really hard for a woman to live alone in this city." "When I call my parents back home, what they care about most isn't how much money I make each month, whether I've found a boyfriend, or even whether I'm eating and dressing well. What they care about most is my safety. In their hearts, their daughter's safety is their greatest comfort." The man in black was clearly moved by Yuan Li's words. He sighed softly, "The purest concern in the world is that of parents for their children. Parents' hearts are always full of love and worry." He gazed at Yuan Li again: "Remember your parents' concern for you. Be careful to protect yourself and stay safe." He paused, then added, "Do you remember what I told you that night: don't come home late at night?" The memory of that night surfaced, and Yuan Li felt a jolt of fear, but then nodded firmly. The man in black seemed quite sad, his eyes softly fixed on her, full of pity. Yuan Li felt much calmer; she even felt a little sorry for the man before her.

“Alright, you’ve said so much, I think I should tell you about my own affairs as well. I just don’t know if you’re interested in this.” Yuan Li nodded hurriedly; she was genuinely curious about the man in front of her.

"I'm a doctor. I graduated from a prestigious medical school in Beijing and then worked at a large hospital in this city. I wouldn't dare say how skilled I am, but I work diligently and treat every patient like family. Two years later, I became the deputy director of my department, and everyone thought I had a bright future ahead of me. At that time, I met a girl. I liked her, and she liked me too. We dated for a year and a half and were planning to get married that autumn. My life seemed perfect; I couldn't imagine anything changing that could alter everything." The man in black paused, stared into Yuan Li's eyes, and sighed softly. His thin face was now filled with a sense of weariness.

“That summer when we decided to get married, the province organized a medical team to provide humanitarian aid in South Africa. The medical environment in South Africa was extremely poor, and life was very difficult. Our hospital had two openings, but no one was willing to sign up. Later, the hospital leaders approached me. I was young and impetuous at the time, and coupled with the promises the hospital leaders made about my return from South Africa, I finally decided to join the medical team.” The man in black paused for a moment, then continued, “Everything changed from that point on.” “In South Africa, both work and life were very tough, but I won’t go into details. About six months after I arrived in South Africa, an epidemic broke out in our area, and our medical team immediately rushed to the affected area to carry out rescue operations. Unfortunately, I was also infected with the virus during the rescue efforts and was in critical condition. As a result, I returned to China early, where the medical equipment could have saved my life.” Yuan Li was already unconsciously immersed in the man in black’s story.

"I didn't die, but when I came out of the hospital, almost no one recognized me." The man in black laughed self-deprecatingly. "I used to be 1.8 meters tall and weigh over 150 kilograms. After being discharged from the hospital, my height didn't change, but my weight dropped to just over 70 kilograms. In the eyes of the people around me, I became a monster." Yuan Li could hear the grief and indignation in the man in black's tone.

“I’m a monster because I’m so thin. Not only did my girlfriend leave me, but even the patients at the hospital wouldn’t let me treat them. The hospital’s promises about my return from South Africa also seemed increasingly distant. No patients came to my clinic, no colleagues wanted to associate with me, and my friends gradually distanced themselves from me. Later, the hospital wanted to transfer me to the logistics department, which meant I was even stripped of my right to be a doctor. In a fit of anger, I resigned and left that place I couldn’t bear to look back on.” The man in black’s hand trembled a few times as he touched Yuan Li’s hand, and then Yuan Li felt the pressure on her hand increase. She looked at the thin man in front of her with pity, thinking that he was also a pitiful person, and that she really shouldn’t have mocked him in the elevator that day.

The man in black's grief and indignation vanished instantly. He gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Now you know why I'm so thin. If we meet again in that elevator, will you still mock me?" "I'm sorry," Yuan Li sincerely apologized to the man in black. "I regret it now. I shouldn't have laughed at you. Instead, I should have respected you." "Respect?" The man in black clearly hadn't expected Yuan Li to choose that word. He hesitated for a moment, then suddenly laughed. His laugh was peculiar, like raindrops falling into a pool, ripples spreading outwards. First, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, then the muscles in his cheeks began to tremble slightly, and finally, his entire head began to shake.

Yuan Li watched in astonishment as the man in black changed instantly. He first wore a slightly mocking smile, then burst into laughter, the sound growing louder and louder until it became a raucous roar. His expression also became ferocious.

A smile can make a person look sinister; it's a strange feeling, and thus, the fear that had been gradually fading returned to Yuan Li's heart. She didn't know how a simple word could elicit such a strong reaction from the man in black.

The man in black, however, couldn't stop laughing. He stood up, his whole body trembling with hysterical laughter. Yuan Li sensed danger in his laughter.

The man in black then overturned the table and kicked over the chairs. Before Yuan Li could react, he grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Yuan Li was still weak and hadn't even regained the strength to stand, but the man in black was stronger than she had imagined. Her entire weight was supported by the man's arm, and her arm, which was being held, felt like it was about to be twisted off.

"What are you trying to do!" Yuan Li's voice was already trembling with tears.

"What am I going to do!" The man in black repeated Yuan Li's words, his eyes glaring sharply at the weak girl in his hands. Then he burst into several loud laughs, the laughter wild and unrestrained, like a torrent that had been blocked finding a breach and rushing down. That surging torrent, with the force of thunder, could easily destroy the homes that people had painstakingly built.

"What can I do? You said you should respect me, but you mocked me. You mocked someone you should respect!" The man in black's face became increasingly ferocious. His cheeks trembled, and his cheekbones seemed to pierce through the flesh. You could even see the pale white bones through the flesh.

"I've already apologized, what more do you want from me!" Yuan Li struggled and shouted.

"I don't want your apology! Can an apology change what has already happened? You insulted me, so you have to pay the price! No one can change things, and no one can help you. You have to take responsibility for what you did!" "What exactly do you want from me?" Yuan Li's voice became hoarse.

The man in black froze instantly, and Yuan Li also stopped moving in his hands. This silence lasted for nearly two minutes, and then the man in black seemed to have regained his composure. He gently placed Yuan Li on the chair, his face serious, as if he were pondering something troubling him.

Yuan Li's face was deathly pale; the sudden turn of events had completely shattered her will. Just moments before, the man in black had been so refined and gentle that Yuan Li had almost believed he was a harmless man. But in an instant, everything had reversed; the terrifying man in black had reappeared, this time clearly placing the danger before Yuan Li.

Yuan Li trembled uncontrollably as the man in black pondered, because she couldn't imagine what method he would use to punish her.