Sleepy Valley

Chapter 18

Shabo felt a chill run down his spine and glanced back at Qin Ge. Qin Ge gestured for him to go over, and Shabo gritted his teeth, finally deciding not to hesitate any longer, and strode towards the bridge.

If it really is a female ghost, he wants to see what she looks like.

The suspension bridge is a type of soft bridge, and you'll feel a slight sway when you step on it. Shabo took a gamble and stepped harder. The long-haired woman in white couldn't have missed it, but she didn't turn around. Moreover, when Shabo was still more than ten meters away from her, she suddenly walked down to the other side of the bridge.

Sha Bo was puzzled, but when he looked back and saw Qin Ge already on the riverbank, he felt a little braver and followed the woman eastward towards the bridge.

The woman walked as if floating on clouds, light and silent. In the blink of an eye, she had reached the east bank of the bridge, stepped onto the steps leading to the alley, and then, with a sudden descent, disappeared from Shabo's sight.

Shabo quickened his pace, and by the time he reached the top of the steps, the woman had already disappeared down the street.

Shabo was at a loss, so he waited for Qin Ge to catch up. The two of them stood on the steps for a while, but still couldn't see the woman in white.

"What do we do now?" Shabo's tone was somewhat relaxed, as if the woman's disappearance was something to be thankful for.

Qin Ge remained silent, her gaze fixed on the straight street ahead.

A white shadow flashed ahead, and the woman reappeared, now positioned in the middle of the alley.

Before Qin Ge could speak, she simply pulled Sha Bo along and ran off quickly. Sha Bo followed behind, a vague feeling creeping into his heart that the woman was leading them somewhere. If that was the case, then at least she meant no harm.

The woman continued to drift slowly forward, while Qin Ge and Sha Bo had to jog to keep up. The woman never looked back, so Qin Ge simply stopped hiding and ran forward alongside Sha Bo.

The narrow street soon came to an end. The woman in white disappeared from sight again, but soon reappeared at the entrance of another alley. Qin Ge and Sha Bo quickly followed her.

The alleyways were a maze of twists and turns, but fortunately, the woman would reappear whenever Qin Ge and Sha Bo were lost. The walls on both sides of the alley were over ten feet high, and with the wide eaves protruding, the moonlight could hardly reach this area at all, but the woman's figure in front of them was still shrouded in a hazy white light.

Even now, Sha Bo still couldn't tell if she was the madwoman He Qing, but Qin Ge was certain that she was someone else entirely. Qin Ge whispered in Sha Bo's ear, "The madwoman is dead on the iron chain bridge. Dead people don't come out."

Shabo also believed that Qin Ge's words were correct. There were no ghosts or monsters in this world, but what else could the woman shrouded in a layer of white light in his sight be but a ghost or monster?

The woman in white turned onto a mountain path and quickly led Shabo and Qin Ge away from the houses in the town. The mountain path was initially more than a meter wide, but it narrowed as they walked, until finally it was just a shallow trail. Without the woman's guidance, even if Qin Ge and Shabo had seen it in the dark, they wouldn't have recognized it as a road.

The mountain was full of tall trees and rugged, steep rocks. Sometimes the moonlight could seep through the swaying shadows of the trees, and sometimes it was completely hidden behind the tall rocks. Along the way, Qin Ge and Sha Bo stumbled along, but the woman in white in front of them seemed to know the way well and floated with extraordinary lightness.

They walked for an unknown amount of time, crossing several hills, large and small, before the woman disappeared from sight again. Qin Ge and Sha Bo weren't in a hurry this time, knowing she would reappear soon. But this time they waited a long time before the woman in white finally appeared on a protruding rock several feet away from them. She stood high above, the moon hanging directly above her. She remained motionless, the moonlight reflecting off her from behind. She slowly turned around; though her body was bathed in the pure white moonlight, her face remained completely dark. Qin Ge and Sha Bo, who were rushing towards them, simultaneously felt a chill on their faces, as if touched by the woman's gaze.

Qin Ge and Sha Bo subconsciously lowered their heads, as if trying to avoid something. When they looked up again, the woman had already disappeared from the cliff.

Qin Ge and Sha Bo ran while looking around, thinking that the woman might reappear elsewhere, but this time, she really disappeared.

At the foot of that rocky outcrop, Qin Ge and Sha Bo stopped. Sha Bo looked around blankly, somewhat at a loss, but Qin Ge did not hesitate and pointed to the protruding rock, whispering, "Let's go up."

Above the rocky outcrop, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a flat clearing of about several hundred square meters. The moonlight shone brightly on the clearing, making the undulating mounds exceptionally clear in Qin Ge and Sha Bo's vision.

Qin Ge and Sha Bo froze, a chill running through them at the same time.

Those semi-circular mounds were immediately recognizable as graves. These graves were densely packed, completely occupying the open space. Some graves had tombstones in front of them, while others had bamboo poles with white paper banners hanging from them. When the wind blew, the banners fluttered gently in the breeze.

The woman in white led Qin Ge and Sha Bo into the graveyard.

Qin Ge and Sha Bo looked at each other, neither of them able to utter a word for a moment.

Chapter 19: The Song That Came on the Wind

The skinny man didn't believe the legends about the Yaksha at all. When he went up the mountain alone at night, he secretly hoped to run into the murderer who killed the madwoman. He didn't even consider whether he would be in danger if he encountered the murderer. If he did meet him, he wanted to ask the murderer why he killed people. He also wanted to tell him that life is the most precious thing in the world, and destruction should be done with art, not like a butcher. Otherwise, it is a trampling on life.

The skinny man slowly circled the mountain, like a leisurely stroller. But what stroller would go for a walk alone in the dead of night on a deserted mountain? He walked at a leisurely pace, passing through the dark forest and moonlit rocks, his mood surprisingly cheerful, even humming a soft song as he walked. In the moonlight, the sharp lines on his face gradually softened, his gait became less stiff, and he even hopped across small pebbles and gullies like a child.

He seemed like a completely different person; the eerie aura emanating from him vanished into the darkness.

The skinny man was certain he was alone on the mountain. Being alone was a great way to relax, and besides, the mountain had trees and grass, a mountain breeze, a bright moon, the sound of flowing water, a deep blue night sky, and twinkling stars. He suddenly realized that coming to the mountain alone at night was truly a delightful experience.

Thinking about what he had to do later, the skinny man felt a little happier.

Around eleven o'clock, the skinny man reached the summit. He sat there for a while, hugging his knees, checked the time, and decided not to linger. From the top, he could clearly see the entire Sleeping Valley below, the river that divided the town in two, and the suspension bridge spanning the river. Because of the expansive view, he quickly determined his direction and began walking towards his destination.

The skinny man had something to do on the mountain, of course. After several days of scouting, he had chosen an excellent spot, so tonight he carried a satchel containing a long hemp rope and the binoculars he had bought that evening. The rope, though not very thick, was enough to support his weight, and the binoculars gave him peace of mind; they would allow him to see everything he wanted to see clearly.

The skinny man headed down toward the town, but not along the path leading up the mountain. He trudged through the overgrown weeds, leaping from one rock to another, until he reached a precipice. Below the precipice, starlight shone; the town lay nestled beneath.

Without hesitation, the skinny man took out a rope from his bag, tied it to a thick tree on the cliff, and then slowly slid down the cliff along the rope.

The cliff didn't plunge straight down; about halfway down, there was a gentler angle, like one large rock pressing down on another. The skinny man stopped on that slightly protruding rock. The rock was actually concave, just enough for him to sit comfortably.

The skinny man was somewhat smug; everything was going according to plan, including the execution itself, without any unexpected incidents. Now, he only needed to observe quietly and savor the moment. What could be more pleasant than this? The skinny man chuckled softly and took the binoculars from his bag.

Below the cliff, a row of houses nestled against the mountainside, their gray tiles forming a dense, fish-scale-like pattern. The town's houses were built very high, at only a small angle to the mountainside behind them, so the thin man had to descend to the middle of the cliff. At this moment, the houses below were silent, with only a single, solitary window lit up.

It is enough to have only one window lit.

The skinny man aimed the binoculars at the window with satisfaction, slowly adjusting the focus. The window went from blurry to clear, and inside, a man was leaning against the bed, smoking.

That man was, of course, Tan Dong.

What the skinny man really wanted to see was Tang Wan, but Tang Wan was already asleep, lying flat on the bed, her body blocked by the bottom of the window. Only some of her black hair could be vaguely seen.

Even so, the skinny guy was already quite satisfied.

The telescope was incredibly effective; he could even see the cigarette burning down to the part with the cigarette label on it. He was a strange man; he never slept at night. A few nights ago, the skinny man had watched that window from the mountaintop, the light inside burning all night. That's what sparked his desire to understand the person inside. Peeping is truly thrilling; you're like a wisp of air, a gentle breeze, penetrating into someone's most authentic life without them even realizing it.

There are always moments when people are truly alone, or in places they consider safe.

The man named Tan Dong had already smoked five cigarettes in a row, making the skinny man on the cliff feel a bitter taste in his mouth. Tan Dong looked extremely tired; his eyes were bloodshot, and his hand holding the cigarette to his mouth often forgot to move, only to suddenly realize when ash fell on him and then bring the cigarette back to his mouth.

Tan Dong's movements were minimal; sometimes he wouldn't move for half a day, but the thin man on the cliff watched with great interest. He was an extremely exhausted man, yet unwilling to sleep. He was clearly struggling against the drowsiness that kept trying to disturb him. It was a very arduous task, and Tan Dong had been worn down to an extremely haggard appearance.

There must be a hidden secret behind something unusual.

What could Tan Dong's secret be?

Suddenly, the skinny man felt an urgent desire. He just hoped that Tan Dong in the window was asleep, so that he might be able to discover his secret.

Time passed, and Tan Dong inside the window continued smoking, still leaning against the headboard. The thin man on the cliff, however, felt weary. The groove in the cliff was small, just enough to accommodate his reclining body, but after sitting for so long, his limbs ached and numb, and even his neck was stiff. The only position he could change was to turn to his side, curling his legs up and lying flat on his back.

Not long after shifting his position, the skinny man was suddenly overcome by drowsiness, and the lit window gradually became blurry. He told himself, "How can I sleep now? I still need to monitor that man, I still need to uncover his secrets..."

The skinny man suddenly opened his eyes, unaware of how much time had passed. The moon, which had been hanging overhead, had already set in the west, its bright light turning a pale yellow. The skinny man's body stiffened even more. He glanced at his watch; it was past three in the morning. He realized he had indeed fallen asleep, and had slept for over an hour.

His gaze drifted down the cliff, and the light in the window remained on, which reassured him somewhat and lessened his self-reproach for his negligence. He picked up his binoculars again, only to find that Tan Dong was no longer in that window.

The skinny man sat up, his hand holding the binoculars trembling slightly.

There are only two possibilities for Tan Dong not being at the window: either he's fallen asleep and gone to bed, or he's gotten out of bed. Both possibilities are 50/50. The skinny man grew anxious; where had Tan Dong gone?

Suddenly, the skinny man's eyes widened, and he rubbed them vigorously with his other hand. Because in that instant, Tan Dong reappeared in the binoculars' view.

Tan Dong rolled over and sat up in bed.

The skinny man struggled to steady his trembling hands and focused his gaze on Tan Dong's face.

In that instant, the skinny man tensed up, his blood boiling, his heart leaping into his throat. And in shock, his mouth gaped open, unable to close for a long time.

The wind blew from the opposite mountain, and the skinny man shivered, feeling a sense of fear deep in his heart.

The woman with long hair and white clothes really disappeared from the cemetery, or perhaps she originally came from this cemetery and has now returned to where she belongs.

Not to mention Sha Bo, even Qin Ge felt a chill run down his spine at this point.

"Why did she bring us here? Is there some secret hidden in this cemetery?" Qin Ge muttered to himself.

Shabo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as he thought of the legendary Yaksha with long hair and beard.

If Yaksha has truly been resurrected, then he will surely have his own lair, like the headless horseman in the American film *Sleepy Hollow*. The woman in white led the two here; could it be that she intends to use them to eliminate Yaksha?

Sha Bo shared his idea, and Qin Ge remained silent. The idea was utterly absurd, but in this situation, what absurdity couldn't become reality?

"Regardless, since that woman brought us here, she must have her reasons. Let's go down and take a look; maybe we can find some clues in this cemetery," Qin Ge said.

Sha Bowei was a little scared, but thinking that everything that had happened was because of him, he straightened his back and followed Qin Ge down into the cemetery.

The cemetery was surprisingly neatly arranged, with each grave occupying a uniform area and the distance between them all measured in a consistent manner. Shabo followed Qin Ge closely, his heart pounding as his gaze lingered on the graves. Qin Ge said softly, "This cemetery is clearly well-planned, but why would anyone plan a cemetery in this remote town?"

Shabo also found it strange, but he had no time to think about it at the moment.

The graves were all semi-circular mounds, each with a stone tablet of the same size in front of it. The inscriptions on the tablets were vigorous and powerful, clearly written by the same person. Apart from this, there was nothing else unusual about the graves and tombstones.

Qin Ge and Sha Bo stopped in the center of the cemetery. After thinking for a moment, Qin Ge said, "If there is anything strange about this cemetery, it must be on one of the graves. Let's split up and check carefully, and don't miss the inscriptions on the tombstones."

Having circled the cemetery without finding anything amiss, Shabo's courage grew considerably. He and Qin Ge then split up to examine the tombstones. The inscriptions on the tombstones were largely the same, identical except for the names of the deceased and the person who erected the tombstone. Shabo was almost at the edge of the cemetery when he suddenly heard Qin Ge calling him from the other side. He rushed over and saw Qin Ge standing blankly in front of a tombstone, clearly having discovered something.

"Come and see, isn't this the same design as the invitation?"

The tombstone in front of the grave was no different from the others, except for some shallow marks on the top. The marks were clearly newly carved, the cuts still fresh. Shabo leaned over to examine it closely, his heart pounding, a chill running down his spine.

What he saw was the same thick cross pattern he had seen three times before.

The woman in white led him here, perhaps to show him this thick cross pattern? But what does this pattern actually mean?

“Look here,” Qin Ge said, pointing to the front of the tombstone.

Shabo was somewhat at a loss. He took a step back as instructed and saw that the inscription on the tombstone was not unusual, but the name gave him a vague sense of déjà vu.

The deceased's name was Yan Xueping.

Just then, the singing started again.

Qin Ge and Sha Bo looked around blankly, all was silent except for the white banner in front of the grave rustling in the wind. The wind seemed to suddenly pick up, the leaves on the surrounding mountains swayed neatly, dark clouds rolled in, the moonlight vanished, and the earth was completely shrouded in darkness.

The song was ethereal and elusive, as if it came on the wind, or perhaps it was lost in the wind. Qin Ge and Sha Bo couldn't tell which direction it was coming from, but at this moment the song was so clear that it seemed to be singing right next to their ears.

At this moment, not only Shabo, but even Qin Ge's face changed color.

The wind tore the white banner, and some scraps of paper floated lightly past Qin Ge and Sha Bo, flying into the darkness-shrouded depths of the forest.

Qin Ge suddenly grabbed Sha Bo: "Does this singing sound familiar?"

Sha Bo was filled with fear and had no time to listen to whether the melody of the song was familiar. But after Qin Ge reminded him, he also felt that the melody of the song seemed familiar. In his memory, there was a time when this song was sung in shops all over the street.

Shabo thought hard and finally remembered that the song was called "Forget-Me-Not," and a Hong Kong singer surnamed Zhou had sung it all over China.

Forget-me-not. Forget-me-not. Shabo murmured the name, and suddenly the song no longer seemed frightening. He looked around again and suddenly shouted, "Forget-me-not! Forget-me-not! Is that you? Answer me if it is!"

The sound echoed through the empty mountain forest, but then the singing suddenly disappeared.

“Forget-Me-Not, I know it’s you. What do you want to tell me?” Shabo shouted again.

The only sounds were the wind blowing through the woods and the chirping of various wild insects.

Qin Ge stared at the tombstone, his brows furrowed. He suddenly tugged at Shabo again, his voice becoming unusually low. He said, "Perhaps the person in this grave is the forget-me-not you are looking for."

Shabo was startled, and then fear swept over him like a tidal wave.

"No way, how could Forget-Me-Not be a dead person? We were chatting online just ten days ago; on the way to Sleepy Valley, in that provincial capital, I even received an email from her. How could she be dead?"

Qin Ge looked at Sha Bo with sympathy. In his mind, he had basically figured out what had happened. He knew that reality was cruel, but Sha Bo had to face it, so he also had to harden his heart.

"Whether or not the herb buried in this grave is the forget-me-not, you can ask someone," Qin Ge said.