Murder painting

Chapter 16

In this awkward and oppressive atmosphere, the three maintained a delicate relationship until those turbulent days began and the balance was broken.

Wu Jianfei, who had originally held absolute authority, suddenly lost all his status. He was imprisoned in a cowshed and became a prisoner of the young revolutionaries.

Zhang Bin and Chen Jian, who had been harboring resentment for years, finally had their chance to vent. Their childish desire for revenge and the distorted social environment temporarily turned them into monsters. They tormented Wu Jianfei in various ways, as if the resentment they had accumulated over the years was about to explode at this moment. Fortunately, Wu Yanhua and Hu Junkai were there to some extent to stop them, otherwise Wu Jianfei's situation would probably have been much more tragic.

Without Wu Jianfei's supervision, Wu Yanhua and Hu Junkai's relationship quickly heated up again. On a moonlit night, Hu Junkai took Wu Yanhua's hand and formally proposed to the woman he loved for the first time.

"Will you marry me?" he said. "I will always be good to you if you spend your life with me."

Wu Yanhua bit her lip for a long time before whispering, "I'll agree as long as my father agrees."

Hu Junkai hugged Wu Yanhua and said nothing more.

The next day, Hu Junkai went to the cowshed where Wu Jianfei was being held and asked him to let him know that he wanted to marry Wu Yanhua.

Although his status is no longer what it used to be, Wu Jianfei's character makes him remain steadfast and uncompromising even in such circumstances.

"Absolutely not." His words left no room for negotiation. "As long as I live, you will never be able to get together!"

Hu Junkai remained silent for a moment, then turned and left. As before, he did not resist for the time being, but that did not mean he had given up.

Wu Yanhua was very disappointed with her father's reply, but in her heart, her father would always be the most important person. No matter how much pain she endured, she would never go against her father's wishes, especially now, when her father was suffering greatly.

As the revolution continued, Wu Jianfei's suffering deepened. His unyielding character and refusal to yield in the face of torture and humiliation infuriated the young revolutionaries. They branded him as a "die-hard," and the frequency and intensity of his criticism sessions gradually increased. After several rounds, Wu Jianfei was emaciated, his body and mind severely damaged.

Faced with this situation, Wu Yanhua could no longer bear it; she wanted to rescue her father from his suffering. Clearly, she couldn't do this on her own, so she turned to Hu Junkai, the only person she could rely on at the moment.

Hu Junkai agreed to Wu Yanhua's request, and the two jointly devised a plan to rescue Wu Jianfei: to take advantage of Hu Junkai's shift guarding Wu Jianfei to carry out the operation.

It was a bright moonlit night when Hu Junkai led Wu Jianfei out of the cowshed. The two deliberately chose secluded and quiet paths, silently arriving at the outskirts of the city. There, Wu Jianfei and his daughter Wu Yanhua met for the last time.

This is a moment of parting. No matter how delicate the relationship between the three of them may be, they are each other's closest confidants.

After exchanging heartfelt words, Wu Jianfei and his daughter finally parted ways in tears. According to the plan, Hu Junkai would then take Wu Jianfei to hide among the mountain dwellers in the Nanming Mountain area for a while.

At this moment, Wu Yanhua seemed to still have something to say. After hesitating for a long time, she finally spoke: "Dad, there's one more thing... I want to ask you..."

"What is it?" Wu Jianfei quickly understood, seeing his daughter's hesitant expression. His gaze swept over the two of them, then he stubbornly shook his head. "I will not agree to your marriage. If you want to use this opportunity to coerce me, then you might as well send me back to the cowshed right now!"

Wu Yanhua lowered her head, tears of grievance welling up in her eyes.

"Forget it, let's put these things aside for now and talk about them when Master comes back!" Hu Junkai calmly smoothed things over, and then Wu Jianfei and his daughter said their final goodbyes in this awkward atmosphere.

Hu Junkai led Wu Jianfei into the deep mountains. At that time, the mountain roads had not yet been repaired, and the villages in the mountains were almost completely isolated from the outside world. Hu Junkai had worked as a porter for a period of time when he was a wanderer in his early years, so he was quite familiar with the terrain and other related conditions in the mountains.

The mountain road was rugged and difficult to traverse, and Wu Jianfei was in a very weak state. Although Hu Junkai helped him half-carry and half-support him along the way, after an hour or two, he was clearly unable to hold on any longer and asked to rest for a while, panting heavily.

"Let's hang in there a little longer!" Hu Junkai pointed to the distance. "There's a platform on the mountainside ahead. We'll rest properly when we get there."

Wu Jianfei nodded, gritted his teeth, and climbed another sixty or seventy meters until he finally reached the platform Hu Junkai had mentioned. By then, he was exhausted and collapsed to the ground, no longer wanting to move.

At this moment, the mountain is quiet and secluded, the moonlight is hazy, and a gentle breeze occasionally blows, making the shadows of the trees rustle, creating a unique charm.

After Wu Jianfei's breathing gradually calmed down, he was captivated by the serene and elegant atmosphere. He stood up, walked to the edge of the cliff, and looked down into the distance. He saw that the valley was lush and verdant, with dense vines and a vibrant scene of life.

"Do you know what's down there?" Wu Jianfei asked with interest. "The scenery is quite nice; we can come here to take some photos sometime."

Hu Junkai was silent for a moment, then said in a calm voice, "That place is called 'Death Valley'."

“Death Valley?” Wu Jianfei frowned, not understanding why this seemingly vibrant place would have such a terrifying name.

Seemingly affected by the eerie place name, Wu Jianfei suddenly felt uneasy, a chill running down his spine. He turned around, intending to retreat back to the platform.

Hu Junkai had silently crept up behind him without him noticing, looking at him with a strange gaze. Caught off guard, Wu Jianfei was almost face to face with him. Hu Junkai was breathing rapidly, his eyes wide open, veins bulging on his forehead. In the silent night, he looked down at the short Wu Jianfei, sending chills down his spine.

"What's wrong with you?" Wu Jianfei asked anxiously.

Hu Junkai did not answer, but took another step forward, forcing Wu Jianfei to the edge of the cliff.

Wu Jianfei was startled and realized something was wrong. He turned to the side, trying to get past Hu Junkai and escape the dangerous situation.

Suddenly, Hu Junkai reached out and forcefully pushed Wu Jianfei towards the cliff edge. Wu Jianfei lost his balance and stepped off the edge. Startled, he instinctively reached out and grabbed Hu Junkai's arm. Hu Junkai stumbled and fell over the cliff edge, while Wu Jianfei lost all support and was hanging precariously over the edge, clinging only to Hu Junkai's arm.

"What are you doing!" The panic and fear that welled up in Wu Jianfei's heart had completely transformed into anger. He glared at Hu Junkai's eyes and shouted hoarsely. He never imagined that Hu Junkai, one of the closest people in his life, would do such a cruel thing to him!

Hu Junkai avoided the other person's gaze and frantically pried Wu Jianfei's fingers off his other arm with his free hand.

"If you live, Yanhua and I will never be together... If you live, Yanhua and I will never be together..." He repeated these two sentences over and over in a terrifying voice that sounded like both a sob and a howl. These two sentences sustained his current actions. Everything else, all the kindness between the master and disciple, seemed to have vanished at this moment.

In that instant, Wu Jianfei understood everything. The disappointment, pain, and anger in his heart far outweighed his fear of death. After a bitter smile, he let go of his hand.

Hu Junkai looked up blankly, watching Wu Jianfei's body plummet like a leaf into the Valley of Death, teeming with malevolent life. That moment, Wu Jianfei's gaze was forever etched into his mind; that surging anger pierced his heart like a cold, sharp sword. Even 20 years later, whenever he recalled that look, he felt as if his entire body was engulfed in flames.

After everything returned to silence, Hu Junkai returned to the platform, his emotions surging like waves, entangled in a complex feeling that was difficult to describe:

Confusion, fear, guilt, and even a little bit of excitement...

After calming himself down, Hu Junkai began to think about his next plan. In fact, he had already made arrangements, which would be a perfect plan, and so far, everything was going smoothly.

At dawn the next day, Hu Junkai arrived at Lindong Village in the mountains and hired a porter who was similar in age and build to Wu Jianfei. He paid the porter three months' wages and then took him to Huangjia Village, deeper in the mountains. There, Hu Junkai found the honest and kind Huang Deming and his wife, entrusting his "master" to them and asking them to provide him with food, lodging, and care. Hu Junkai paid the couple three months' living expenses in one lump sum, with the remaining amount to be settled by the "master" on a regular basis.

For a porter, there couldn't be a better job. He had food and lodging, and didn't have to worry about anything. According to his agreement with Hu Junkai, his work would end when the three-month period was almost over. He only needed to secretly pack his bags and leave Huangjia Village.

After arranging everything, Hu Junkai returned to Longzhou City. Faced with the suspicions and questioning of the young revolutionaries, he remained silent, as if his mouth had been welded shut. Wu Yanhua firmly believed that her father was safe, and seeing how much Hu Junkai had suffered for this, her gratitude and affection for him deepened day by day. Finally, one day, the two made a vow to each other that no matter what happened in the future, they would never be separated again.

After that period of time passed, Hu Junkai and Wu Yanhua began to discuss marriage. Wu Yanhua took the initiative to suggest getting married first and then bringing her father back. Hu Junkai knew that doing so would be pointless, but since Wu Yanhua was so willing, he readily agreed.

After their marriage, the couple went to Huangjia Village and found Huang Deming and his wife. Just as Hu Junkai had planned, the simple couple told them that their "master" had left alone a long time ago and his whereabouts were unknown.

Although Wu Yanhua was disappointed, she didn't think much of it, and the truth seemed to be hidden away. But what Hu Junkai didn't expect was that Wu Jianfei, who fell into the "Valley of Death," did not die, while the porter unexpectedly died in the pit in Huang Deming's house.

After listening to Zhou Ping's report on the results of the peripheral investigation, Luo Fei closed his eyes and pondered. It had been almost a whole day since he was rescued from the mountain, and he was lying in a hospital bed. Although he had just had a long, drowsy sleep, he still looked very weak.

Zhou Ping sat quietly to the side. Although he was full of questions about what was happening on the mountain, he also knew that it was best not to interrupt Luo Fei's train of thought.

After a while, Luo Fei opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Ping with a smile: "Your investigation results are very detailed and valuable. Many things that I couldn't understand when I was on the mountain have now been resolved. I think I can now connect the whole story to explain everything that happened before and after."

"Is that so?" Zhou Ping smiled, then leaned back in his chair with a hint of smugness. "I'm all ears, but I wonder where you're going to begin?"

"Let's continue from the end of your story, starting from when Wu Jianfei fell into 'Death Valley'."

“Yes.” Zhou Ping nodded. “Wu Jianfei is not dead. He came to Kumu Temple and became a monk, with the Dharma name ‘Kongwang’. I already know this.”

“It was Master Zhengming of Kumu Temple who saved him,” Luo Fei added, then changed the subject, “You grew up in the local mountains, I wonder if you’ve ever heard of the legends about ‘Death Valley’?”

"Of course I know that. This legend is known to everyone in the mountains. Although 'Death Valley' is rich in resources, the villagers never dare to approach it. When I was a child, I was disobedient, and the adults often used this to scare me, saying that if I kept causing trouble, they would send the demons from 'Death Valley' to take me away." Zhou Ping chuckled at this point. "Back then, I was scared. Now that I think about it, what 'Death Valley'? It's just a place with treacherous terrain, difficult to reach, which is why these mysterious rumors exist. Wu Jianfei came from 'Death Valley,' and he's lived well for over 20 years, hasn't he?"

Zhou Ping had assumed that Luo Fei would undoubtedly support his point of view, but what the other party said next greatly surprised him.

“I believe the legend of ‘Death Valley’ is true. Although Wu Jianfei walked out of ‘Death Valley’ alive, the demon in the valley possessed him and came to the Drywood Temple with him.”

Zhou Ping stared wide-eyed at Luo Fei, seemingly not understanding what he was saying.

Luo Fei smiled slightly and asked Zhou Ping, "You didn't come up with the rescue team, but you should already know about the situation on the mountain, right?"

"I know," Zhou Ping scratched his head. "I heard that a lot of you guys were crammed into one room, and there was some kind of stench in the room that was really awful."

Luo Fei bowed slightly and said in a mysterious low voice, "Those who were in the house at the time were all possessed by demons."

Zhou Ping paused for a moment, then a glint of light flashed in his eyes, as if he understood something: "The demon you're talking about, could it be..."

"What else could this demon be, capable of killing an entire village without a sound?"

Zhou Ping's expression suddenly dawned on him: "So, that legend really is true. But since this demon has already found you, how did you ultimately escape unscathed?"

"The answer is simple for me to say now. But I went through a lot of danger and only found it at the last moment when my life was hanging by a thread." Luo Fei stroked his chin, recalling the thrilling situation at the time, feeling both fear and a little pride in escaping death.

Zhou Ping's interest was piqued by Luo Fei's words, and he waved his hand, saying, "Then don't tell me yet. Tell me everything that happened on the mountain from the beginning, little by little, and see if I can guess the outcome."

Luo Fei nodded: "That's exactly what I meant. You'll definitely find a lot of fun in this exploration process."

For the next two hours, Luo Fei recounted his arrival at Kumu Temple, detailing the strange and unpredictable events that had occurred over the following two days. Throughout this, Zhou Ping played the role of a dutiful listener. He was sometimes tense, sometimes surprised, completely immersed in the atmosphere.

Luo Fei's story ended abruptly as the monks prepared to cremate the corpse. He then turned to Zhou Ping and said, "That's all I can tell you for now. So, have you figured anything out?"

Zhou Ping replied, "I can't think of too much for now, but it's pretty certain that Hu Junkai killed Chen Jian and Wu Jianfei."

Luo Fei frowned, seemingly surprised, but he quickly understood and smiled, saying, "You only thought of these two points, which means your line of thinking is completely different from mine. That's understandable, since you first learned a lot about the peripheral background, making it easy to draw your conclusions. Although we don't yet know the specific content of that 'cursed painting,' we can be certain that Chen Jian and Hu Junkai learned 'Kong Wang's' true identity from it. After the shock, the two..."

They discussed their plan at the cliff's edge. Chen Jian, unaware of the hidden story, felt guilty about the past and was eager to reunite with his master. Hu Junkai couldn't dissuade him and pushed him off the cliff. Afterwards, while the monks went down the mountain to rescue people, he secretly sneaked back to the temple, strangled Kong Wang, and staged it as a suicide by hanging. Is this your current conclusion?

Zhou Ping nodded in agreement.

“But at the time, I knew nothing about the relationship between Kong Wang and Hu Junkai, so naturally I couldn’t have thought of these things,” Luo Fei continued. “I was able to reach the same conclusion as you by working backward from what happened later. Let’s take Hu Junkai’s murder of Chen Jian as a dividing point. What you investigated was the cause of this incident, while what I learned on the mountain was the result derived from this incident. Because the directions of deduction are different, the result I reached in the last step became your starting point, which is why I found it a bit strange just now.”

"You've deduced that Hu Junkai killed Chen Jian and Kong Wang based solely on what happened on the mountain?" Zhou Ping thought seriously for a moment, then shook his head helplessly. "I really have absolutely no clue..."

"That's understandable, after all, you didn't experience those things firsthand. Many of the situations and atmosphere at the time are difficult to accurately grasp based on my description alone, and some very important inspirations and ideas often burst forth in a flash. It's really asking you to sit there and daydream now."

Luo Fei's words only fueled Zhou Ping's curiosity. He chuckled and said, "Alright then, stop trying to hold me back and just tell me straight!"

“Alright then, I’ll tell you all about these things exactly as I thought back then. Maybe you’ll gradually get into it.” Luo Fei said, stroking his chin where a thick layer of stubble had grown. At the same time, his thoughts drifted back to that morning six days ago…

"After I went up the mountain, the first thing I learned about was Chen Jian's fall from the cliff. But like you, I only heard some side accounts of this incident, the most detailed part of which was what you relayed from Zhang Bin. Later, I investigated the hut where Chen Jian and the others stayed. Shunde told me about his experience of seeing a 'headless ghost' in the hut, which sounded so absurd at the time, but in fact, it had a very important significance."

"Really? Is all of this true?" Zhou Ping scratched his head, looking puzzled.

"I can only say that those phenomena are real," Luo Fei replied ambiguously. "You probably don't understand what that means now, and I was completely clueless about it back then too."

"So what exactly is this 'headless ghost'?"

Luo Fei smiled and said, "I can't tell you right now. Let me continue. Later, I followed the clue of the 'murderous painting' and found the monk Kongwang, but by then he had already become a corpse. By the way, have you seen that corpse?"

Zhou Ping shook his head: "No, all those bodies have been quarantined."

"Yes, yes, that's right." Luo Fei tapped his head with his fingers. "I told the rescuers this when I was on the mountain. Look, I forgot it all while I was sleeping."

Zhou Ping smiled understandingly: "But don't worry, they haven't forgotten what you told them. That 'demon' has been brought under control, and the relevant written report will be out soon."

“Very good.” Luo Fei leaned back against the headboard with a smile and continued, “However, it is a pity that you did not see Kong Wang’s body. You can find a lot from that body. First, it is easy to see that he suffered a serious injury before his death, which caused his severe acquired hunchback disability; second, there is a strong, strange smell on his body.”

"What exactly is this smell?" Zhou Ping asked impatiently. From Luo Fei's account of the whole incident, he noticed that this smell was mentioned repeatedly, clearly playing an extraordinary role.

“At the time, I didn’t know either, and it didn’t even attract my attention enough. But when Hu Junkai died mysteriously, I smelled the same scent on him, and that’s when I realized something was amiss. Even so, after Hu Junkai’s death, I still couldn’t figure out the whole incident. And then, Shunping added to the chaos: he used Kong Wang’s corpse to scare Shunde to death.”

Zhou Ping had already heard Luo Fei recount Shunping's actions. He continued, "Shunping was able to come up with such a thing..."

His method of committing the crime was certainly clever. He cleverly utilized the ghost stories associated with the temple and left almost no trace at the scene. At the time, that would have been somewhat misleading, wouldn't it?

Luo Fei nodded: "His original purpose was to stir up trouble and fish in troubled waters. Later, when he told the legend of 'Death Valley,' it was also for this purpose. His plan almost succeeded. I have to admit that after Shunde's bizarre death, it was the most confusing time for me. Everything seemed so strange and inexplicable."

"But in the end, man proposes, God disposes; the heavy snow failed to cover his footprints. He reaped what he sowed, and it was a fitting punishment for his sins."

"You're reaping what you sowed? So, you already know the cause of Shunping's death?"

Zhou Ping curled his lip, as if Luo Fei's question was unnecessary: "He was in contact with Kong Wang's corpse for so long, so naturally he would be possessed by the 'demon'."

"Yes, that's your current line of thinking. But back then, I didn't have a clear understanding of 'demons.' You might as well imagine yourself in my situation at that time and think about this again; you'll gain a greater understanding from that."