Uncanny Valley

Chapter 39

"Can you forgive my people?" Xu Xiaowen looked at Li Yanhui with her big, dark eyes. "You have already done the revenge you wanted. I just want to ask you to help me keep that secret from my people."

"Keep that secret?" Li Yanhui suddenly chuckled. "But what's the point of doing so now? For the Hamo people, the sacred object is lost, their leader is dead, and the glory of the 'holy war' has vanished... If I'm not mistaken, your people are immersed in grief, despair, and fear. How can they regain their pride and dignity? How can they rebuild their faith?"

Xu Xiaowen froze, her eyes filled with confusion: Yes, even if Li Yanhui kept his mouth shut, how was she supposed to face these problems that had already occurred?

Li Yanhui took a letter out of his pocket and handed it to Xu Xiaowen: "Take it, but don't read it yet." Then he turned to Luo Fei and said, "Officer Luo, what do you think?"

"What do you mean?" Luo Fei was a little stunned by his nonsensical question.

“I’ve killed many people…and you’re a policeman,” Li Yanhui paused slightly, “What do you plan to do with me?”

“They may all have reasons to be killed,” Luo Fei pondered. “But you are not the law; you have no right to take their lives.”

"So, you're going to arrest me and let the law judge me?"

Luo Fei remained silent, which was clearly a tacit agreement.

Li Yanhui suddenly revealed a strange smile: "I have a better idea."

"What?" Luo Fei had just uttered those two words when Li Yanhui suddenly sprang up, and with a swift swing of his right hand, a flash of blade light hurtled toward Luo Fei's head!

The sudden turn of events caught Luo Fei completely off guard. He felt a sharp pain in his forehead and collapsed onto the cold, wet ground.

Xu Xiaowen exclaimed in surprise, rushing in front of Luo Fei and standing between the two men, while demanding, "What are you doing?"

Upon hearing the Holy Maiden's cry, Shui Yidi, who was guarding the cave entrance, immediately rushed into the cave. Li Yanhui chuckled, no longer bothering with Xu and Luo, and brandished his sharp blade, aiming directly at Shui Yidi.

Shui Yidi immediately raised his sword to meet the attack. Li Yanhui's chest was wide open, seemingly without any defense. In just one exchange, Shui Yidi's curved blade had already pierced his heart.

Li Yanhui's body swayed twice, then he collapsed softly to the ground.

Luo Fei struggled to get up. He touched his still throbbing forehead, but there was no blood flowing out. It turned out that the other party's slash had only struck with the back of the blade.

Luo Fei stared in astonishment at what had just happened. Shui Yidi stood there in a daze as well. When he and Li Yanhui were on good terms, they had sparred several times. Their skills were evenly matched, but this time, why had he managed to strike Li Yanhui's vitals so easily?

The answer lies in the letter Li Yanhui left for Xu Xiaowen.

The letter was brief, but its meaning was clear enough:

"After I die, recast the blood vials with my blood. The one who kills me can become the new leader, the new hero."

'I will definitely return the blood vial. The saints' centuries of suffering cannot be in vain, and the lie of kindness must continue.' These were my words to Yakuma, and I did not break my promise; I ultimately fulfilled it."

Of course, Shui Yidi would never know the answer. Even two days later, when his jubilant tribesmen tossed him high into the air, a hint of confusion still lingered between his brows. However, this confusion was quickly washed away by the pride of becoming the tribe's leader, and he raised his head, filled with pride and confidence.

Luo Fei, standing by the sacrificial site, watched this scene with a helpless, bitter smile.

Yakuma died, Anmi died, Bai Jian'e died, Li Yanhui died, it seems that everyone related to this story has died, but the story has not come to an end.

At this moment, Luo Fei couldn't help but recall the words that High Priest Sotulan had said to him outside the cave.

"Luo, death does not mean the end. On the contrary, it is the beginning of another cycle."

Chapter Thirty-Four: Case Closed

The Hamo people's fervent celebrations lasted for days. They celebrated the death of the demon, the reforging of the blood vials, and the birth of a hero—they were celebrating yet another great victory in the holy war. Luo Fei couldn't join in the joyous atmosphere; a deep sadness lingered in his heart.

Yue Dongbei was quite excited. The events of the past few days had greatly enriched his research material. He meticulously recorded the events leading up to and following, adding his own speculations and analyses. Of course, all of this work was being carried out according to his own line of thinking.

Zhou Liwei, meanwhile, had already begun packing his bags.

“I think we should go,” he said to his two companions. “What happened here is no longer our concern. The murderer is dead, and we don’t need to worry about our safety anymore. What I need to do now is get back to Longzhou as soon as possible and bring these plants back to the lab for analysis.”

The plants Zhou Liwei mentioned were "blood of the dead" that they had collected from the ancient cemetery. They were soaked in a little water, and although several days had passed, the dark red flowers still shone with an eerie glow and showed no signs of decay.

Luo Fei looked at Zhou Liwei, then at the flowers. He didn't speak, seemingly lost in thought.

At this moment, Yue Dongbei chuckled twice: "Officer Luo, are you still reluctant to leave?"

Luo Fei turned his head: "What do you mean?"

“That girl, Xu Xiaowen.” Yue Dongbei maintained his outspoken style and said bluntly, “Although I don’t know the relationship between you two, I noticed when she first appeared that this girl is different from everyone else in your eyes.”

“Yes,” Zhou Liwei echoed with a smile. “Your behavior at the sacrificial site that day was somewhat out of control. I mean, you lost your usual composure and calmness, and seemed a bit flustered, which is something I’ve never seen before.”

Luo Fei looked somewhat embarrassed, unsure how to respond.

"Hahaha..." Yue Dongbei looked at Luo Fei and laughed smugly, "Officer Luo, I didn't expect you to be stumped by our questions... Actually, this is perfectly normal. The feelings between men and women are mysterious, and you can never explain them with your kind of logic."

“Xu Xiaowen…” Zhou Liwei rolled his eyes, recalling their meeting in Kunming three weeks ago. Then he shook his head and said with a sigh, “She is now the holy maiden of the Hamo tribe. The world changes so much, it’s hard to predict.”

Luo Fei felt a pang of pain in his heart. Yes, from the moment Xu Xiaowen opened the letter of suffering, her fate was destined to take a different turn.

"The ways of the world?" Yue Dongbei curled his lip in disdain. "It's all up to people! Officer Luo, if you think that girl is really good, then take her away. What clan rules, what a saintess, once she leaves this Hamo village, they're all bullshit! Xu Xiaowen is Xu Xiaowen. Hehe, if that's really the case, I can add another exciting love story to my book."

Luo Fei was initially listening attentively, but the other person's last sentence clearly annoyed him. He frowned: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. You all get ready, we're leaving tomorrow."

After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the house alone.

Yue Dongbei swallowed hard, then changed the subject, asking, "Where...where are you going now?"

"I have some things to take care of." Luo Fei regained his calm and authoritative demeanor. "None of you should follow me."

After leaving the house, Luo Fei bypassed the village center and headed towards the Valley of Terror via a secluded path. This time, his destination was no longer the cave, but the ancient cemetery nestled in the hillside.

Due to the special acidic soil, tall trees cannot grow on the cemetery, and the "blood of the dead" that was growing vigorously a few days ago could not withstand the ravages of the flash flood. Now it is scattered and ruined.

Where exactly does that mysterious power originate?

Luo Fei lingered on the ancient cemetery for a long time before finally arriving at its outer edge. There stood a sturdy yew tree, its branches and leaves dense and lush, its vibrant life untouched even by the devastating flash floods.

Beneath the cedar tree, near its roots, lay two unassuming mounds of earth. Luo Fei stood before them, filled with reverence and solemnity—according to Li Yanhui's dying words, this was where Li Dingguo and Yakuma's remains were finally buried.

This is a high point relative to the entire cemetery. Li Dingguo will rest here from now on, with the spirits of thousands of martyrs accompanying him at his feet.

"We would rather die in the wilderness than surrender!"

His life ended in death in the wilderness, leaving behind only the sorrow of unfulfilled ambitions.

"I fight for the people of the world, yet not a single person in the world helps me."

Although more than three hundred years have passed, the hero's lament before his death still seems to linger in the Valley of Terror.

This is the tragedy of being born at the wrong time. Even with unparalleled bravery and unpredictable strategies, brothers are suspicious of each other, allies fail to offer assistance, and in the end, one is betrayed by one's own trusted general... The fate of the world is sealed, how can one person's strength hold up the tree?

Yakuma's death, however, is a different kind of tragedy. Sometimes, upholding a lie requires greater sacrifice and courage than telling the truth. Anmi once suspected that Yakuma and Li Yanhui had an affair, and this suspicion cannot be said to be wrong. However, this affair has nothing to do with men and women; it is an affair between two families, which transcends the river of time and the chasm between life and death.

Luo Fei spent a long time mourning the dead under the cedar tree, while also considering other issues.

When he returned to Hamo village, it was nearly dusk. The celebrating villagers gradually dispersed, and smoke from the chimneys of their evening meals began to rise from the houses.

Luo Fei didn't return to his own residence; instead, he headed towards the Saintess's cabin. Before leaving, he insisted on meeting Xu Xiaowen alone; there were some things he needed to say.

This was a very peculiar feeling, one that Luo Fei had rarely experienced before. He was still quite lost, unsure of what to do or what the outcome of this meeting would be.

...

A week later, Luo Fei and his two companions returned to Kunming.

The thrilling experiences in the jungle are still vivid in my mind. Looking around at the bustling city now, I can't help but feel as if I've been transported to another world.

The three found a hotel to rest in and then booked their flights to Longzhou for the next day. The long trek through the mountains had left everyone exhausted. After taking a hot shower, Zhou Liwei and Yue Dongbei lay down and fell fast asleep. Luo Fei, however, had no free time; he went straight to the mental hospital to unravel some mysteries in his mind.

When Dr. Liu received Luo Fei and they talked about Li Yanhui's recovery, he looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Strictly speaking, this was a medical malpractice case, so when the patient asked us about it later, we had to be vague. Because what cured his illness was not the medicine we doctors prescribed."

Luo Fei already knew about what Dr. Liu had said, and that was also his concern: "So where did the medicine come from?"

“I can’t explain it clearly either,” Dr. Liu shook his head. “The situation is like this: our hospital’s patients take medication every day to stabilize their mood and treat their symptoms. These medications are prescribed by doctors, and then nurses pick them up from the pharmacy and deliver them to the patients. Usually, they get about a week’s worth of medication each time. After the medication is finished, the doctor prescribes a new prescription based on the treatment effect. That time, after two or three days of taking the medication, the nurse reported that the young man suddenly showed signs of improvement. I was very surprised, so I went to the ward to check, and found that there was a bottle of medicine that was not on my prescription, and that bottle of medicine had no label and could not have been taken from the hospital pharmacy.”

"So, it's possible that the nurse who dispensed the medication tampered with it?"

Dr. Liu shrugged helplessly: "Who knows? The situation is complicated for that young man. Delivering the medication required three nurses: two strong men to hold the agitated patient down, and a female nurse to administer the medicine. If anyone tampered with it, all three could have been involved. So we can't hold anyone accountable. Fortunately, the medication's benefits outweigh the risks. In the end, we could only explain to the patient that the medication wasn't prescribed by a doctor, it can treat the illness, but it also has side effects. Whether to continue taking it is up to him."

"Hmm." Luo Fei hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'd like to meet the nurse who picked up the medicine."

The young nurse, Zhao Ying, spoke bitterly about the incident: "I had just started working and it was my first time delivering medicine to a patient. I never expected to be framed like this. Me, tampering with medicine? How could I possibly have that ability? If I could concoct medicine to cure diseases, why would I be a nurse?"

Luo Fei smiled and said, "I know that medicine isn't yours, but I have a question—there's no label on the bottle. Don't you find that strange? At least the doctor should have specified the dosage or something, right?"

"I thought I had lost the dosage form." Knowing Luo Fei's identity as a police officer beforehand, Zhao Ying didn't dare to hide anything and answered honestly, "Because I was afraid of being criticized, I didn't dare to see a doctor again. When I gave the patient the medicine, I tried to use less. I thought that the patient hadn't been cured for half a year, so taking less medicine wouldn't cause any problems."

Dr. Liu listened from the side, shaking his head and sighing. Luo Fei, however, wouldn't let any doubts go unaddressed and continued to press, "The dosage form is lost? Didn't you even consider that there might be an extra bottle of medicine?"

“Because not only was the prescription missing for that bottle of medicine, but the prescriptions for several other bottles of medicine were also lost,” Zhao Ying said softly, her head lowered. “It’s like this, the first time I delivered the medicine, as soon as I opened the door, the patient started screaming in a really scary way. My hand slipped, and I spilled all the medicine and prescriptions on the tray… Some of the medicine and prescriptions ended up in the ward. Later, although I managed to retrieve all the medicine bottles, the patient tore quite a few of the prescriptions to shreds…”

"Is that so!" Luo Fei's heart skipped a beat: "When was the first time you delivered medicine?"

"My first day at work..." Zhao Ying thought for a moment, "That should be August 14th."

"It was the day you arrived," Dr. Liu added.

"That's right, that's right! So that's how it is!" Luo Fei clapped his hands lightly, his expression full of emotion.

Dr. Liu became even more puzzled: "What's right? What exactly happened?"

"That bottle of medicine belongs to Zhou Liwei."

"Professor Zhou?" Dr. Liu said thoughtfully. "Yes, he did say he had developed a treatment. Could it be that he secretly put the drug in? No way, his professional ethics are very strict."

“He didn’t do it on purpose; he just put the medicine in this pocket.” Luo Fei patted his chest. “Do you remember? The patient grabbed him right here, and it took us a lot of effort to separate them.”

"Oh." Dr. Liu recalled the situation and finally understood, "The medicine fell out at that time and rolled into the ward."

Luo Fei nodded: "That should be it. Later, Nurse Zhao picked up the spilled medicine bottles and also picked up the medicine. By a twist of fate, the patient was cured."

Knowing that it wasn't someone from inside the hospital who was behind it, Dr. Liu felt much better and couldn't help but laugh: "Haha, if that's the case, then it really is fate."

"Fate?" Luo Fei sighed inwardly. The cause and effect of good and evil in the dark could only be attributed to fate; it was truly difficult to explain.

On the plane back to Longzhou, Luo Fei told Zhou Liwei the details of how the bottle of medicine had been lost. The latter listened, stunned for a long while, before finally letting out a dry laugh and shaking his head, saying, "How could this be... such a coincidence?"

“Yes, what a coincidence…” Luo Fei said, taking the bottle of leftover medicine out of his pocket and examining it carefully for a moment. “Professor Zhou, your talent in psychiatry is truly admirable… but fate just had to play such a cruel joke on you. Your meticulously planned scheme was thorough and your research was going very smoothly, but who would have thought that it would be ruined by this little bottle of medicine?”

"A plan?" Zhou Liwei looked at Luo Fei calmly. "What plan are you talking about?"

Luo Fei didn't answer the other person's question, but continued to express his feelings: "Without this medicine, Li Yanhui would still be locked up in the mental hospital in Kunming; without this medicine, Mr. Yue and I would also be victims of that phobia now; without this medicine, your plan would have gone much more smoothly... However, this medicine itself is part of your plan. Using your own spear to attack your own shield, this philosophical proposition left by the ancients still puzzles people to this day."

Zhou Liwei's expression changed slightly.

At first, Yue Dongbei was a little confused, but now he finally started to understand. He stared at the bottle of medicine with wide eyes and said, "Officer Luo, are you saying that this medicine cured us when we had terrifying hallucinations in Qingfengkou?"

Luo Fei nodded: "I will tell you more details about this later."

Yue Dongbei turned his head and glared at Zhou Liwei: "So what role did you play in this matter?"

“You still have to ask Officer Luo,” Zhou Liwei said, using a Tai Chi-like technique, “to see how he’s going to arrange things for me.”