Sleepy Valley - Chapter 23
The skinny man glanced at Tang Wan and Sha Bo, whose eyes were also wide open, before saying in a deep voice, "It's Tan Dong!"
"You're lying!" Tang Wan shrieked. "Tan Dong wouldn't kill anyone! How could Tan Dong kill someone?"
"How do you know the murderer is Tan Dong?" Qin Ge asked, frowning. Actually, when he heard the skinny man mention Tan Dong's name, he was already convinced it was true. Tan Dong's violent tendencies were far too severe.
"Because I saw Tan Dong's secret on the cliff."
What did the skinny guy see on the cliff?
When he woke up, just as he was feeling frustrated that Tan Dong had disappeared from his sight, Tan Dong suddenly reappeared. The thin man's binoculars were at a high magnification, allowing him to clearly see Tan Dong's face. It was an absolutely indifferent face; you couldn't see any human expression on it. He sat up in bed, his back ramrod straight, his eyes open, but dull and lifeless, like the eyes of a dead fish.
The skinny man had been observing Tan Dong for some time. He couldn't say he knew Tan Dong well, but he was familiar with Tan Dong's usual expressions. Tan Dong's unusual behavior at this moment aroused his great interest, and he was so excited that his hand holding the binoculars was trembling slightly.
Tan Dong got out of bed through the window and stood straight beside the bed, as if watching Tang Wan on the bed. Tang Wan's hair was just at the bottom of the window, so the thin man could pinpoint her exact position on the bed.
Tan Dong stood by the bed for a long time, just standing there, expressionless, his dead fish-like eyes not even blinking for so long. At this moment, the skinny man knew that something was wrong, and it seemed to have exceeded his expectations.
Suddenly, a dagger appeared in the binoculars.
The skinny man on the cliff broke out in a cold sweat. He saw the dagger suddenly raised high, hover in the air for a moment, and then suddenly stab downwards, aiming precisely at the spot where Tang Wan was on the bed.
The skinny man couldn't help but gasp, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
What a horrifying scene it was. In the dead of night, inside a window, a man raised a dagger and lunged at the woman he loved. He had originally intended to protect her with his own life.
The dagger suddenly stopped. The skinny man's eyes widened as he deduced that the dagger hadn't yet pierced Tang Wan. He was so nervous he barely dared to breathe, his gaze fixed intently on the dagger.
The dagger paused for a moment, then suddenly rose again, and then fell heavily down.
The dagger stopped again.
It was raised, lowered, and stopped, repeating this five times in a short period of time.
The skinny man felt a lump in his throat, his breathing becoming rapid. A wave of immense fear washed over him. He could feel his hands and feet beginning to tremble slightly.
Through the binoculars, Tan Dong's face seemed to show an expression, a blank, empty blankness, as if even he himself didn't know why the dagger couldn't pierce through.
Finally, Tan Dong gave up on assassinating Tang Wan. The dagger in his hand fell to his sides, disappearing through the window. He then slowly turned and walked out of the thin man's sight. The way he walked was strange; his steps seemed to require great effort, but his steps were quick. As he walked, his upper body remained completely still, his hands hanging at his sides without even the slightest movement.
The skinny man on the cliff dared not move, nor could he. His body grew cold, and fear took root in his heart. He didn't know what would happen if he went back now and ran into Tan Dong.
This is what the skinny guy saw from the cliff.
"You're lying!" Tang Wan's voice was hoarse and hysterical. "How could Tan Dong want to kill me? I love him so much, and he loves me so much too. We fled all the way from our city to here, just to find a place where nobody knows us and live a peaceful life. Now we've achieved our wish, how could he want to kill me? You liar, you're lying to me!"
"Then why wasn't Tan Dong by your side last night?" the skinny man said coldly.
Tang Wan was stunned; this was the question she desperately wanted to know as well. But she absolutely could not accept this fact: Tan Dong wanted to kill her; Tan Dong had actually raised a dagger at her!
"You're lying, Tan Dong won't kill me, he absolutely won't!" She could only console herself with these desperate cries.
Qin Ge and Sha Bo were both stunned. After a long while, Qin Ge asked, "Then how do you know that Tan Dong is the murderer who killed the mute driver?"
“Not only the mute driver, but he also murdered that crazy woman.” The skinny man paused, then said, “As I said before, I used to be a doctor. Although I haven’t treated patients for many years, I can still tell if someone is normal. The Tan Dong I saw at night was definitely not a normal person. His demeanor and the way he walked showed that he suffered from severe schizophrenia, and the specific manifestation of this symptom, in our common terms, is sleepwalking.”
"Sleepwalking murder?" Qin Ge exclaimed in surprise.
"You're lying..." Tang Wan was still shouting desperately, but her voice had become hoarse.
The skinny man ignored her screams and continued, "When I saw that dagger, I knew he was the murderer who killed that crazy woman. The next day, the night before last, the mute driver was killed, and I became even more convinced that Tan Dong had sleepwalked and killed someone."
"You left us a note because you saw Tan Dong holding a dagger and about to stab Tang Wan."
The skinny man nodded: "Although Tan Dong's dagger didn't hit Tang Wan, sleepwalking should be an unconscious behavior. I can't guarantee that he will be able to control himself subconsciously next night."
"Did he not stab me because of his subconscious?" Qin Ge asked, puzzled.
"You are all familiar with the term 'subconscious.' Some things exist outside our consciousness, and we cannot feel them at all, but they often play a dominant role in our behavior at certain times and in certain environments."
"I think the reason he couldn't stab her with his dagger is because of his feelings for Tang Wan. And these feelings should be within the limits of what consciousness can perceive," Qin Ge asked.
"But don't forget, Tan Dong was sleepwalking at that time, in an unconscious state. So, his conscious state at that time would have a reverse effect on his unconscious state, which is the main reason why Tang Wan was able to escape unharmed."
"Moreover," the skinny man hesitated for a moment, then looked sympathetically at Tang Wan, who was already dumbfounded, "even when a person is sleepwalking and unconscious, their behavior is still related to their conscious awareness. Just like when we dream, isn't there a saying that 'what you think about during the day, you dream about at night'?"
Qin Ge and Sha Bo both understood the meaning behind his words. They both turned to look at Tang Wan, whose face was pale and whose cheeks were trembling violently, and they couldn't bear to hurt her with any more words. But the skinny man on the other side had already continued speaking.
"Tan Dong raised his knife to stab Tang Wan, which must be a manifestation of his true intentions." There was also a hint of reluctance in the skinny man's voice. "I can't figure out why he would do this, because at least on the surface, Tan Dong and Tang Wan are a couple who love each other very much. They traveled thousands of miles to this small town and held a wedding. If they weren't so deeply in love, they wouldn't have done such a thing."
Inferences and speculations require some real information as a basis, but they clearly know too little about the relationship between Tan Dong and Tang Wan. Perhaps only Tan Dong and Tang Wan themselves can explain this situation.
Tang Wan had stopped crying; tear tracks remained on her face, but it seemed as if she had cried all her tears. Her dull, lifeless eyes revealed utter despair; a poignant and helpless sorrow had seeped into her very being, into the very marrow of her bones. She seemed to have entered a state of unconsciousness, no longer perceiving anything around her.
The skinny man knew in his heart that this was a sign of an impending mental breakdown.
But no one could help her except herself.
Just then, there was another urgent knocking at the door, which startled everyone. Qin Ge went to open the door, and this time, standing outside was the innkeeper, Jiang Nan.
Qin Ge seemed to know many of Jiangnan's secrets, hence his extremely grim expression. Jiangnan appeared very anxious at this moment, and for the first time, everyone saw him lose his usual composure.
“Hurry up, the people of town are coming here looking for you,” he said.
"Why did you come to find us?" Qin Ge asked.
“Because of Tan Dong.” Jiang Nan knew he had to make them understand the seriousness of the situation. “Tan Dong killed someone, the town’s Tima. Tima is highly respected in this town, and everyone is outraged. Tan Dong has been caught. Some people say you are Tan Dong’s accomplices, and the crowd is coming this way.”
Upon hearing Tan Dong's name, Tang Wan slightly raised her head, seemingly reacting, but then immediately lowered it again, appearing indifferent to everything. Qin Ge, Sha Bo, and the skinny man instantly realized the seriousness of the situation, but Qin Ge still insisted, "We have no idea that Tan Dong committed murder. We can explain to the people in town."
“If you think someone will listen to your explanation, then stay. I’m just here to give you advice; I can’t dictate your actions,” Jiang Nan said, shaking his head. “The deaths of three people in the town have ignited the anger and hatred of the townspeople. They have a very weak sense of the law. If they find you, no one can guarantee what will happen.”
"So how is Tan Dong now?" Qin Ge asked.
"According to the messenger, she's still alive, but practically dead," Jiang Nan said, glancing at Tang Wan.
Tang Wan let out a soft moan, her whole body trembling again. Sha Bo quickly sat down beside her, put his arm around her shoulder, and held her as tightly as possible.
Without further hesitation, Qin Ge turned around and said, "Let's pack our things and leave this place."
Shabo blurted out, "Go and call Yang Xing and Xiao Fei."
“They left early yesterday morning and haven’t come back yet,” Jiangnan said. “Now, no matter where they went, as long as they’re not here, they’re safe.”
Sha Bo immediately felt uneasy, but the situation was critical, and he couldn't think about it too much. He quickly packed his things with Qin Ge. The skinny man, who had been silent all along, suddenly walked up to Jiang Nan and asked, "Where can we escape to?"
Qin Ge and Sha Bo were both taken aback; this was a real problem. This small town was nestled in the mountains, over 300 kilometers from the nearest Yi ethnic town. If the townspeople couldn't find them here, they would definitely search the town itself. Escaping the Night Sleep Inn was easy, but once outside, where would be a safe place?
Jiang Nan's expression also turned serious; clearly, this was a problem he hadn't anticipated either. After a moment, his face grew even more somber, and he uttered four words, one after another:
"Sleeping Manor!"
—Sleeping Manor, a castle said to have gathered countless souls, is it going to become a sanctuary for Qin Ge and his companions?
Will the mysterious owner of the Sleeping Manor take in this group of people in distress?
Xiao Fei was startled, then suddenly woke up. Dim light shone from the ceiling, but the bulbs were very low wattage, and the room was too large, so the light seemed to blend into the gloom of twilight. Xiao Fei lay on the floor, feeling an extremely deep chill. The floor was also paved with bluestone slabs, and lying on it, the cold seemed to seep into her bones, and Xiao Fei couldn't help but shiver.
Upon waking, she remembered what had happened. At the last moment, the eerie smile of Du Chuanxiong, the owner of the Sleeping Manor, reappeared before her eyes. Xiao Fei immediately understood what had happened and was terrified.
Beside her, Yang Xing had his eyes closed, clearly still not fully awake.
Xiao Fei struggled to crawl over, shaking Yang Xing repeatedly and calling his name with a sob in her voice.
Where is this? Why is it so cold and damp? It's still summer, but here, a chilling cold permeates the air. Xiao Fei is still wearing denim shorts and a white sleeveless top, and now, all her exposed skin feels icy cold. Moreover, Xiao Fei's whole body feels weak, and it seems impossible for her to stand up. The effects of the drug in the wine probably haven't worn off yet. As Xiao Fei shakes Yang Xing, her eyes dart around, and she sees herself in a large, empty house. The house is at least 200 square meters, and the walls are completely bare, except for a half-person-high wooden wine barrel in the opposite corner. Dim light drifts through the room, and the chilling air seems to take shape, mingling with the light like thin smoke.
Where exactly is this place? Xiao Fei was terrified. She was already regretting not telling Sha Bo before coming to this haunted Sleeping Manor with Yang Xing on her own.
And then there's the manor owner, Du Chuanxiong, such a gentle and refined man, who actually has a heart as venomous as a snake.
It was so cold here that when Xiao Fei hugged Yang Xing, she felt that his body was also ice-cold. So she lay her whole body on top of Yang Xing, shook his head vigorously, and called out to him repeatedly to wake him up.
Yang Xing groaned, then hugged Xiao Fei tightly for a while before slowly opening his eyes.
"Where is this?" These were the first words Yang Xing uttered upon waking up.
Xiao Fei didn't speak, but clung to him and sobbed softly. Yang Xing struggled to look around and immediately realized he was in danger. But he still didn't understand how he and Xiao Fei had gotten here.
"It was that Du Chuanxiong who put the drug in the drink."
Yang Xing was stunned, then hugged Xiao Fei even tighter: "It's my fault for dragging you into this."
Xiao Fei said angrily, "At this point, you're still saying these useless things. We need to think about how to get out of here."
Yang Xing continued apologetically, "If it weren't for curing my illness, you wouldn't have come to Sleeping Manor."
Xiao Fei paused for a moment: "This is my own choice. If anyone is to blame, it's myself. It has nothing to do with you. If you don't want me to hate you, then hurry up and come with me to figure out a way to leave here."
Yang Xing stared at Xiao Fei and finally nodded.
The two struggled to their feet and, supporting each other, walked towards the door. The door was exceptionally sturdy; they pushed it together, but couldn't budge it an inch. They then examined the walls and found they were all made of stone. The two looked at each other, speechless for a moment.
It would be virtually impossible to escape from such a stone house on one's own.
Yang Xing's gaze finally landed on the wine barrel in the corner of the room. Xiao Fei understood, and the two immediately helped each other over. It was the same kind of wine barrel that Du Chuanxiong had shown them at the distillery before they lost consciousness. On top of the barrel, there were even two cups, as if they had been specially prepared for Yang Xing and Xiao Fei.
"He imprisoned us here, but left us a barrel of wine and two cups. What is he trying to do?" Yang Xing asked, puzzled.
Xiao Fei couldn't figure it out either. She squatted down, holding onto the wine barrel, and saw a small tap at the bottom. She turned on the tap, and some dark red liquid flowed out, carrying a hint of wine aroma.
As Xiaofei turned off the tap, she suddenly noticed something behind the wine barrel and reached out to retrieve it. In her hand was a knife over a foot long.
Yang Xing took the knife and could already feel its sharpness from its gleaming blade.
This knife couldn't have been left here, yet it was placed in the shadows behind the wine barrel. Why leave it there intentionally, without wanting them to discover it immediately?
A barrel of wine, a cup, and a knife—these were the three things Du Chuanxiong left them. Yang Xing and Xiao Fei then sat embracing in front of the barrel, deep in thought. Time passed, and Yang Xing suddenly felt something was wrong with his body; Xiao Fei clearly felt the same. Their stomachs growled simultaneously.
Hunger surged up like a flood, but where could they find food at that moment?
Xiao Fei was a little better off, but Yang Xing was so hungry he became restless. Xiao Fei remembered that time at the town doctor's, when Yang Xing drank that bottle of wine and had a huge appetite, eating all day long on the street. She immediately understood how Yang Xing was feeling.
But at this moment, what is there to eat? Besides that barrel of wine.
Xiao Fei suddenly realized that thirst is caused by a lack of a certain amino acid in the body. Therefore, when people are hungry, eating a few pieces of chocolate or candy can temporarily suppress their hunger. And wine must contain sugar.
But they passed out after drinking the wine, so could there be something strange in this barrel of wine?
As she was thinking this, Yang Xing had already stood up. Xiao Fei stared at him strangely, seeing that he had already picked up a wine glass, turned on the tap, and poured himself a glass of wine.
"Yang Xing." Xiao Fei suddenly tensed up. She felt a strange sense of fear creeping over her, but she didn't know where that fear came from.
Yang Xing smiled sadly: "Du Chuanxiong left this barrel of wine for us, obviously so that we could drink it. At this point, he wouldn't need to go through so much trouble to do anything to us, so there must be nothing wrong with this barrel of wine."
Xiao Fei was speechless as she watched Yang Xing drink the entire glass of wine.
A sense of bewilderment washed over her, replaced by a nameless fear. She closed her eyes, hoping it was all just a nightmare.
Chapter 23: Ascending the Heavenly Ladder