Asi Hell

Chapter 18

When Qin Ge pried open Tong Hao's hand to take out the photo, he suddenly noticed something under Tong Hao's buttocks. He reached down and touched several folded newspapers.

While Qin Ge was inspecting the scene alone, Su He was pulled aside by Zhang Song. After her initial shock, Su He had calmed down. She stared blankly at the lifeless body of Tong Hao, her eyes filled with deep sorrow and despair. That fragile, passionate young man had vanished from this world, taking all his hopes and dreams about love with him. Perhaps at this moment he had achieved the greatest liberation, reuniting with the woman he deeply loved in another world. But on the last night of his life, he had passionately told another woman, "I love you." Perhaps he didn't truly love Su He, but only because she resembled the woman he loved. However, there must have been a time when he felt hope in Su He, a renewed sense of love's favor upon him.

But at this moment, he actually left alone, abandoning the woman who was waiting for him.

Su He's tears flowed silently. She suddenly realized that perhaps she would never become the woman in her dreams. This time, she came from the dream and took away the man who loved her deeply.

But the woman in the dream was kind; how could she bear to hurt such a young man?

The Self-Defense Force members on the altar, their faces pale and exuding an eerie aura, had all left at some point. Only Takahashi and Jiao Yang remained standing at the edge of the altar, coldly watching Qin Ge inspect the scene.

Qin Ge, his eyes bloodshot, slowly walked up to them. His gaze met Gao Qiao's, and although he didn't say anything, Gao Qiao suddenly dared not meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry, this is something we didn't expect," he said in a low voice.

"The murderer," Qin Ge said emphatically, "finding the murderer is more important than saying sorry now."

He didn't blame Takahashi, nor did he show anger, because he could sense Takahashi's guilt. The murder was unrelated to him, but he had previously assured Qin Ge that nothing unexpected would happen in this town. Qin Ge knew that his assurance was merely wishful thinking, or perhaps he didn't truly understand this mysterious town at all. Now, Qin Ge knew that what he needed to do was to get his help as much as possible so that they could find the person who killed Tong Hao.

As they descended the mountain, Qin Ge and Gao Qiao led the way, followed by Su He and Zhang Song, and then Jiao Yang, carrying Tong Hao's body. Su He had completely calmed down by this point, but a sleepless night and her grief had left her looking extremely haggard. She walked unsteadily, requiring Zhang Song to constantly support her. Later, Qin Ge and Gao Qiao, who were walking ahead, suddenly heard soft singing. They turned around in surprise and discovered that the singing was coming from Su He.

Your love has faded, but your sorrow remains clear. So we wander through this city at night, lost and confused, choosing to be forgotten under the moonlight. (Lyrics: Chen Jiaming, Original Singer: Mavis Hee)

As the song played, the first ray of sunlight shone down from behind the distant mountains, falling on Su He's tear-streaked face. Her sorrow floated gently in the sunlight, quickly enveloping everyone present. Qin Ge stared at her, seemingly understanding now the fleeting, ephemeral love between her and Tong Hao, like the wind and falling leaves.

Su He's sorrow also stirred a power within Qin Ge. He realized that the murderer's killing of Tong Hao was no accident; perhaps, his target was the group that had come to Asi Town with Tong Hao. Dong'er's sleeping face floated into his mind, and he felt an uncontrollable urge. He couldn't let his beloved woman be harmed, not just Dong'er, he couldn't let the murderer hurt anyone else.

Back in town, Gao Qiao asked Zhang Song to take Su He back to Tan Guan Tang to rest, while he himself was going to take Qin Ge somewhere.

As Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 5, Chapter 76: The Mandate (2)

"Could someone there tell us who the murderer is?" Qin Ge asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know.” Takahashi frowned. “But I do know that if we want to find the murderer, we must go to that place first, otherwise we won’t have any chance at all.”

"What place are you talking about?" Qin Ge had already vaguely realized something, but he still had to ask.

"The forbidden area of Asi Town." Takahashi uttered these words heavily before striding forward.

—In the forbidden area of Asi Town, in that courtyard enclosed by high walls, lived a deathly pale and dazed self-defense force and a mysterious black-robed wizard. What connection could Tong Hao's death have with that place?

“I forgot to tell you, besides the Self-Defense Force members and wizards, the High Priestess As also lives in that high-walled compound.” Takahashi turned around and said coldly, “I’ve been in town for a year and have never seen what the High Priestess As looks like. But I heard from the black-robed wizard that after the sacrificial ceremony in two days, the High Priestess As will become the legendary Goddess As.”

The Asi Mountains stretch for thousands of miles. Legend has it that the mountain people who have lived in the Asi Mountains for generations were people from the surrounding areas who migrated there over several decades during the Wei and Jin Dynasties to escape the ravages of war. Among the mountain people are not only Han Chinese, but also ancestors of more than a dozen ethnic minorities, including the Yi, Dulong, Hani, Lisu, Pumi, and Nu. They live either in tribal or mixed communities in the Asi Mountains, untouched by war, practicing slash-and-burn agriculture and leading a primitive yet peaceful life.

In an unknown dynasty and year, a plague suddenly broke out in the Asi Mountains. The plague spread extremely quickly; first, some children developed persistent high fevers, and then their families also felt feverish and had difficulty breathing. The plague quickly spread from one village to another, and then news of deaths began to arrive. The shamans of various tribes burned bonfires all night to ward off evil, trying their best, but they still could not control the spread of the plague. More and more people died, the fields became barren, and the villages became deserted.

A year-long plague claimed the lives of countless mountain dwellers, leaving most of the survivors bedridden with the disease. The Asi Mountains were on the verge of becoming a death zone. The few uninfected mountain people were already planning their escape to other lands. The tribal shamans, rendered incompetent, were punished by the enraged villagers, suspended by ropes from high cliffs. Just then, someone suggested that each village should cremate the infected villagers to kill the plague and save the lives of the remaining tribes. This suggestion was accepted by the villagers. Those infected, living a life worse than death, feared infecting their families and thus willingly chose death. Among the uninfected, almost every family had a patient. Despite deep familial bonds, everyone knew that if they couldn't harden their hearts now, all the tribes would soon be wiped out. In an instant, the Asi Mountains were filled with mournful cries, everyone immersed in the grief of separation and death.

The burning firewood was piled up, and the sick mountain people had been summoned. At this critical moment, hundreds of villages thousands of miles away suddenly received messages from birds used by various tribes for communication. The messages said that a hero had been born, and Puyamini, riding on the back of an eagle, had brought weapons to subdue the plague. In an instant, everyone cheered, and people from all the tribes set off for the Puya tribe's settlement deep in the Asi Mountains.

In the Puya dialect, Puya means "god." The Puya people were originally a small tribe with a small population, but because of Puya, they suddenly became famous.

It took Puyamini nearly half a year to eradicate the plague from the various tribes. During this process of healing and saving lives, he also selected a group of followers from the villages and fortresses to teach them secret remedies for the plague and various other ailments. Like the legendary Shennong, Puyamini tasted hundreds of herbs in search of cures for all kinds of stubborn diseases. Several years later, Puyamini fell seriously ill. Before his death, he told his disciples that his body had accumulated toxins over the years, and that cremation was the only appropriate method of burial. He also told them that the plague ravaging the Asi Mountains had not actually been completely eradicated. He had tried desperately to find the source of the plague, but to no avail. After his death, all his followers were to forever guard the Asi Mountains, find the cause of the plague outbreak, and eradicate it completely.

On the night of Puyamini's death, colorful clouds suddenly appeared in the sky, and some people saw Puyamini slowly flying away in auspicious light. From then on, all the people of the tribe revered Puyamini as the great goddess As.

In the centuries that followed, the tribes of the Asi Mountains experienced many calamities, and legend has it that the great god Asi appeared in time with his power beyond heaven and earth to prevent the disasters from happening.

All the ancestors of the As Mountains were believers in the great god As. Some of them devoted their entire lives to serving As, and thus the As religion arose. Each generation of leaders was a successor of Puyamini. They practiced witchcraft and medicine, cured the sick and saved lives, performed rituals, and prayed for blessings and disaster relief. No matter where they were in the As Mountains, they were respected by all their people.

After a century of vicissitudes and the ever-changing world, the deeply ingrained Assyrian cult has finally declined in modern times.

Asi Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 5, Chapter 77: The Mandate (3)

First, the smoke of war filled the Asi Mountains. During the eight-year War of Resistance against Japan, a Japanese army secretly entered the Asi Mountains, wreaking havoc among the tribes like a ghost. They slaughtered lives, burned villages, and many more disappeared without a trace, never to return. The legendary God of Asi must have witnessed this disaster, but he did not use his magical powers to save the lives as in previous legends.

Many years passed, and the Japanese pirates finally withdrew from the Asu Mountains. The villages returned to their former tranquility, but by then, some had begun to doubt the existence of the Asu Goddess. Before their doubts could be confirmed, groups of young men in green military uniforms suddenly returned to the villages of the Asu Mountains. They toppled the religious altars, bound the shamans, and beat them on makeshift platforms. This disaster did not affect the ordinary mountain people, but the decline of the Asu religion was inevitable. In the decades that followed, almost no young people were willing to mention the Asu Goddess; as a legend, she gradually faded from the hearts of the villagers.

And finally, one day, the great god As will return to the As Mountains. Will he truly descend upon this town of the dead two days after the sacrificial ceremony in As Town?

Jiao Yang took Tong Hao's body back to the town center first, while Gao Qiao and Qin Ge headed straight for the high-walled compound.

The wall was built of large stone blocks, over two zhang high. Each stone block was neat and uniform, appearing indestructible. Two vermilion gates stood majestically, with two brass animal-shaped rings hanging in the center, giving it a solemn and imposing appearance.

Even Qin Ge felt a chill upon arriving here. In his mind, such sturdy walls were comparable only to those of prisons and guardhouses. What unspeakable secrets lay hidden within these high walls? The black-robed, chanting wizard, the zombie-like figures—according to Gao Qiao, they all entered these walls after arriving in As Town. What would happen after they went inside?

The sound of the beast ring knocking on the door was cold and heavy. Qin Ge noticed that Gao Qiao's hand seemed to tremble slightly as he knocked.

After a while, the door creaked open a crack, revealing a wary face. Takahashi took a step back and said in a deep voice, "I have something I want to see the leader."

The person inside sounded slightly impatient: "You know the leader doesn't see anyone. Go back now. The leader will send someone to inform you if anything comes up."

“But now a murder has occurred in town. If the murderer is not found soon, he may endanger other people’s lives. This is a matter of life and death, and I must ask the leader for advice in person.” Takahashi straightened his back, his voice firm and resolute, showing no fear whatsoever.

Qin Ge secretly admired Gao Qiao. He had seemed a little nervous when he knocked on the door, but when things actually happened, he felt no fear whatsoever. Qin Ge simply didn't understand why, if they wanted to find Tong Hao's killer, they had to come here first.

The person inside seemed to want to say something, but suddenly an old voice came from behind the door: "Let him in."

The head behind the door disappeared, followed by a whisper, and then the door creaked open. Once inside, the view suddenly opened up considerably. A neat and tidy courtyard lay before a row of single-story houses with blue bricks and black tiles, flanked by side rooms. Although spacious, the courtyard seemed disproportionate to the high walls built of large stone blocks outside. Standing within it, one would mistake it for an ordinary courtyard, finding nothing unusual about it.

Qin Ge and Gao Qiao exchanged a glance, both looking puzzled. At this moment, the person who opened the door led the way, taking them to a side room on the left to wait: "Please have a seat, one of you. Seventh Master has already gone to invite the sect leader."

The "Seventh Master" he mentioned was clearly the person who had spoken behind the door earlier, and Takahashi was already deeply moved upon hearing this name.

"Who is this Seventh Master? He seems to have a lot of authority here," Qin Ge said.

“He is a white-robed wizard of the Ascendant Cult. I heard that the black-robed wizard you met a few times was his disciple.” Takahashi lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard.

Qin Ge frowned. Every time he heard Takahashi mention the Ashoka Cult, he felt it was all very unreal. These were things that could only be seen in martial arts novels, yet they actually existed in reality. He shook his head and smiled wryly, "White-robed wizards, black-robed wizards, it's like I've stepped into the movie 'The Lord of the Rings'."

Ashe Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 5, Chapter 78: Suffocation (1)

The sun was shining brightly on Asi Town. Standing at the entrance of the Tan Guan Hall, one could see the distant mountains shrouded in a layer of misty fog. The fog wasn't still; it moved with the wind, wisps and strands, and flocks of white birds flew within it. This was a sight unseen by city dwellers, but now, it was before Huang Tao and Lei Ming's eyes, yet neither of them felt any relief.

Zhang Song and Su He had returned and learned of Tong Hao's murder on the altar. Therefore, they both sensed a lingering stench of blood that morning. Tong Hao's death was more than just the loss of a life; it foreshadowed the lurking danger in Asi Town. Initially, everyone believed that the person who orchestrated all this, having gone to such lengths to bring them to Asi Town, wouldn't easily allow them to be harmed. Now, Tong Hao's death shattered that notion. In this eerie Asi Town, who knew if the killing would continue?

The six young models were clearly still asleep. Liu Qian's door had been closed since yesterday evening, but Dong'er pushed it open and came out. Qin Ge wasn't by her side, so she hadn't slept well and had been having nightmares all night. Now, the first thing she did upon opening her eyes was to go out and find Qin Ge.

“Qin Ge and Gao Qiao have gone somewhere. He told me and Su He to come back first,” Zhang Song said.

Next, Dong'er learned of Tong Hao's murder, and a sorrowful expression appeared on her face. She immediately went over and sat down next to Su He, taking her arm as if to comfort her. Su He didn't speak, but rested her head on Dong'er's shoulder. She felt very tired, but every nerve was still taut. She knew this wasn't just because of the grief over Tong Hao's death; she also had to constantly fight against the evil force deep within her. Many years had passed, and she thought she had gotten rid of it, but now she realized it still remained deep in her heart. Perhaps, she would never forget it in her entire life.

Su He's sadness at this moment seemed to have a touch of tragic grandeur.

Old Dong came out to invite everyone to eat, but no one had an appetite. They sat quietly in the outer hall, waiting for Qin Ge to return. Later, when Qin Ge and Gao Qiao walked in, everyone stood up abruptly. Subconsciously, everyone seemed to be waiting for Qin Ge to return and make a decision, but when Qin Ge actually appeared, they didn't know what to say. Only Dong'er stepped forward and hugged Qin Ge's shoulders, repeatedly saying, "It's good that you're back. You have no idea how worried I was when I couldn't see you."

Qin Ge's expression was cold and stern. He gently patted Dong'er's shoulder, asking her to sit down, but Dong'er refused and clung tightly to his arm.

"I think you all know about Tong Hao's murder. What we need to do now is to find the murderer as soon as possible to prevent similar incidents from happening again," Qin Ge said coldly.

Zhang Song hesitated for a moment and said, "I have a feeling, but I don't know if I can say it."

"At this point, what is there that can't be said?" Qin Ge said.

“This morning, when I saw Tong Hao leaning against the pillar on that altar, I had a feeling that his death might be related to some religious ritual.” Zhang Song continued, seeing that Qin Ge didn’t interrupt him. “That altar itself was a place for sacrificial activities. As far as I know, there are many records of human sacrifices to gods in Chinese history. For example, the rock paintings and altars discovered at Jiangjun Cliff in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, indicate that there was a blood sacrifice to the Earth Mother in ancient times. There was also a ritual in ancient times of hunting the heads of members of other tribes as sacrifices to the tribe’s grain god, which we call headhunting for grain sacrifice. In modern times, such customs are still followed in some remote areas. I once saw a minority tribe in Yunnan sprinkle human blood on the fields before planting every spring, believing that this would ensure a good harvest in autumn. So I was wondering if there were such human sacrifice rituals in this town of Asi.”

Zhang Song's words sent a chill down everyone's spine.

“This morning on that altar, I counted carefully, there were thirteen pillars in total. At that time, I was thinking, could the thirteen pillars symbolize thirteen people?” Zhang Song looked around carefully again, and seeing that everyone was listening attentively to him, he added heavily at the end, “Thirteen dead people like Tong Hao.”

Silence fell over the surroundings. Zhang Song's words were truly absurd, yet upon closer examination, they weren't entirely without merit. Zhang Song was a man of extreme pedantry, often uttering inappropriate remarks, but this time, his words not only instilled fear but also deeply shocked everyone.

After a moment, Takahashi coughed softly and said in a less-than-firm tone, "There is indeed a cult called the Aso Cult in this town of Aso, but I know almost nothing about its affairs, so I can't be sure if the Aso Cult has such a ritual of human sacrifice. However, Qin Ge and I just met with the cult leader, and he assured us that Tong Hao's death had nothing to do with the Aso Cult. He also authorized Qin Ge to investigate Tong Hao's murder. I think a cult leader like him wouldn't lie to us, and he gave Qin Ge a lot of authority, allowing him to enter and leave all parts of Aso and call upon all personnel in the town center, including the Self-Defense Forces."

Ashe Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 5, Chapter 79: Suffocation (2)

"Wait a minute." Qin Ge waved his hand, interrupting Gao Qiao. "Zhang Song's words reminded me of something the leader mentioned earlier. He said that the fourteen of us are different from the others in town. He brought us here because our identities cannot be taken away during the sacrificial ceremony in two days. I was a little nervous at the time and almost ignored what he said. Now, thinking back, I'm actually a bit worried. What does the fourteen of us have to do with the sacrificial ceremony in two days? Why can't our identities be taken away? Are we fourteen just tools in the ceremony?"

“There are thirteen pillars on the altar, but there are fourteen of us,” Zhang Song said, puzzled.

“Perhaps only one of us can leave Asi Town alive.” This time it was Lei Ming who spoke.

Qin Ge looked up at him, recalling the murderous aura he had sensed from him before. Moreover, on one occasion, he felt that the murderous aura was directed at Tong Hao. Now, Tong Hao was dead, and Qin Ge could no longer sense that murderous aura from him. In fact, beneath his feigned calm exterior, there was a hint of panic.

Could Tong Hao's death be related to Lei Ming?

Yesterday at noon, everyone went out for a stroll in town, except for Lei Ming, who went out alone. Tong Hao disappeared that evening, and after Su He returned to the Tanguan Hall, Lei Ming and Zhang Song returned one after the other. Judging from the timing, he had ample opportunity to commit the crime.

Qin Ge lowered his head, his mood growing increasingly heavy. He truly didn't want the murderer to be connected to these people in the Tan Guan Tang. They had all been on the bus together in the rainy valley, sharing the journey together. Especially Lei Ming; although his actions were strange, he was the person Qin Ge valued most.

“Right now, our top priority is to find the murderer. As for the sacrificial ceremony, I will find an opportunity to question the two shamans in the cult. If the situation is really as everyone suspects, then I…” Takahashi stopped there, unable to continue. He realized that he couldn’t actually give anyone any assurances; what the Ascendant Cult was about to do was beyond his ability to stop.

Everyone present naturally understood his meaning, and for a moment, everyone fell silent, their hearts heavy.

"Let's find the murderer first, then investigate the Astray Cult." Qin Ge looked around at everyone. "With so many of us here, I don't believe they can force us to do something we don't want to do."

No one spoke; in truth, everyone knew that Qin Ge's words were merely self-comfort. Since the person who orchestrated all of this was able to bring everyone from different places to Asi Town, their abilities were clearly extraordinary. If they truly wanted to deal with these people, they feared they wouldn't have any room to maneuver.

Qin Ge said to Dong'er beside her, "Go and wake up Liu Qian and Xu Juan. There are some things I think it would be better to clarify in front of everyone."

Dong'er agreed and headed towards the corridor. Just then, the innermost door opened, and Xu Juan and two other young models came out. Dong'er whispered a few words to Xu Juan, who immediately went to knock on another door. A moment later, all six young models were standing in the outer hall.

Now, Dong'er is knocking on Liu Qian's door.

From the night she arrived in Asi Town, Liu Qian lived alone in a room. Among the women, she was considered rather eccentric. Not only did she never initiate conversations with others, but she also always had an arrogant demeanor. No one would like a woman like that anywhere, and no one would want to share a room with her.

Dong'er knocked gently at first, then her knocks became firmer. She even called Liu Qian's name through the door, but there was no response from inside. Even the soundest sleeper would have been awakened by the noise. When Dong'er returned to Qin Ge's side, a look of confusion appeared on her face.

Could it be that Liu Qian wasn't in the room at all? Or had something else happened to her?

Qin Ge and Gao Qiao exchanged a glance, then strode to the door. The others, curious, followed. Qin Ge pounded on the door, startling even Old Man Dong, who had been deliberately avoiding it, but there was no sound from inside. At this point, Qin Ge didn't hesitate any longer. He stepped back, gesturing for the people around him to move aside, then suddenly kicked the door open.

The curtains were drawn, making the room dimly lit. Liu Qian could be vaguely seen still lying flat on the bed, covered with a blanket. Qin Ge peeked inside, unable to determine if Liu Qian was truly asleep, and gestured for Dong'er to come in and check. Dong'er hesitated, taking two steps forward before instinctively stopping. At that moment, Xu Juan stepped forward, took Dong'er's arm, and the two of them accompanied her into the room.

Upon touching Liu Qian's cold body, Dong'er immediately let out a series of screams. Xu Juan, who was beside her, was unaware of what was happening, but she followed Dong'er out of the room.

A commotion arose outside the door, and Qin Ge quickly waved for everyone to be quiet. At this point, he had no more reservations. He whispered to Gao Qiao to stand guard at the door and not let anyone in, while he himself tiptoed into the room. He placed his finger under Liu Qian's nose and could no longer feel her breath; he then grasped her wrist and felt no pulse whatsoever.

By this time, he had no more doubts; Liu Qian on the bed was already dead.

The murderer who killed Tong Hao has not yet been found. Now, another murder has occurred right under everyone's noses. Is the murderer of them the same person?

There were no signs of a struggle in Liu Qian's room, and due to limitations, footprints and fingerprints could not be collected at the scene. An examination of the body easily revealed bruises on Liu Qian's neck, indicating strangulation, and pinpoint hemorrhages in her corneas. Based on this, Qin Ge concluded that Liu Qian died from mechanical asphyxiation caused by external force applied to her neck—meaning she was strangled to death. Later, traces of urine were found on the bedsheet beneath Liu Qian, further corroborating the cause of death, as people who die from asphyxiation often experience bladder incontinence.

Asi Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 5, Chapter 80: Suffocation (3)

According to Huang Tao, who last saw Liu Qian yesterday, Liu Qian felt unwell in the evening, and he also felt somewhat tired, so they both went back to their rooms to rest and didn't come out for dinner. Because of her eccentricities, and the subsequent disappearance of Tong Hao, no one remembered her.

When Liu Qian returned to her room, she briefly met Old Man Dong, the owner of the Tanguan Hall. Although they did not speak, Old Man Dong confirmed that Liu Qian had indeed entered the room alone and had not been seen coming out since.

Thus, Liu Qian's time of death was determined to be after yesterday evening.

Although Qin Ge wasn't a forensic doctor, based on the degree of rigor mortis and the lividity on the deceased's back, he estimated Liu Qian's time of death to be between 9 PM and midnight the previous night. Only Gao Qiao was with him during the examination. Seeing Gao Qiao's puzzled expression, Qin Ge explained, "Normally, after death, the muscles quickly become soft, and the joints can be bent at will; this is called muscle relaxation. After muscle relaxation, the muscles contract and harden, the joints become fixed, and they can no longer be bent at will; this is called rigor mortis. Rigor mortis usually appears 1-3 hours after death, reaches the whole body after 12 hours, and then takes another 6 hours for it to begin to subside, and the body softens again. Now, Liu Qian's body..." Almost all joints showed signs of rigor mortis, indicating she had been dead for at least ten hours. Lividity typically appears within 4-10 hours of death and can last a long time. It occurs because blood circulation ceases after death, causing blood to pool at the base of the body due to gravity, resulting in purplish-red patches on the skin. If the deceased died in a supine position, livor mortis would always appear on the back. The livor mortis on Liu Qian's back was very pronounced, which is consistent with her level of rigor mortis, meaning she had been dead for at least ten hours.

Takahashi glanced at his watch; it was a little past ten in the morning.

Qin Ge felt heavy-hearted. Liu Qian's death seemed to confirm his suspicions, which was the outcome he least wanted to see. If the suspect in Tong Hao's murder was still uncertain, Liu Qian's death directly pointed to the people in the Tan Guan Tang (a government office).