fragments d'os oracle

Chapitre 21

"Mr. Jiang doesn't look like a businessman at all," Qin Ge said.

Jiangnan said "Oh," seemingly intrigued: "You journalists are so knowledgeable. From what I see, I don't look like a businessman. What do you think I do?"

"Like a scholar, a cultured person."

Jiangnan laughed and said, "Is it because I sit here with a book all day that you have this feeling?"

"No, that's not true. Cultured people have a unique temperament. Even if they abandon literature for business or other professions one day, their cultured qualities can still be seen at a glance."

“You flatter me.” Jiang Nan shook his head and smiled bitterly. “If I have any smell, it’s the smell of decay.” He paused for a moment, then continued, “Life in this small town is peaceful and tranquil, but at the same time, I’ve lost many of the joys of living. If I had to choose again, I definitely wouldn’t choose to live here.”

“Mr. Jiang must have lived a very glamorous life before,” Qin Ge said. Just then, he noticed a financial magazine on the table. The cover featured an elderly man in a suit smiling and waving at the camera. A few strands of hair were scattered around the edge of the magazine, so he couldn't help but glance at Jiang Nan's head. Jiang Nan's hair seemed slightly thinner than when he first saw him; it was almost imperceptible unless one looked very closely.

Qin Ge picked up the hair from the table and handed it to Jiang Nan: "You're losing hair, is there something on your mind that you can't let go of?"

Jiang Nan paused for a moment, then picked up a strand of hair with two fingers, held it up to his eyes, and said with a wry smile, "I've really lost a lot of hair these days. I wonder if I'm sick. Maybe I should really take some time to go to the hospital outside the mountains for a checkup."

“Boss Jiang’s hands are quite unusual,” Qin Ge said, staring at his hands.

Jiangnan's fingers are slender and fair, well-maintained, and her nails are trimmed very neatly.

Jiang Nan was taken aback again upon hearing this, and then shook his head self-deprecatingly: "In this Sleeping Valley, with nothing to do all day, my hands have become much whiter than before I came here."

"These hands are perfect for playing the piano or performing magic tricks."

"You overestimate me again. In this small inn, these hands can only do things like serving tea and water, making beds and folding blankets."

Qin Ge continued, "If I had hands like these, maybe I would become a doctor."

"To become a doctor." Jiang Nan paused for a moment. "Why do you want to become a doctor?"

"I think such hands would be very dexterous if they held a scalpel. And only dexterous hands can perform some difficult surgeries."

"Reporter Qin also has knowledge of medicine?" Jiang Nan laughed. "But for doctors to perform surgery, in addition to having flexible fingers, there is an even more important condition: their hands must be steady. Look at my hands now, let alone steady, they would tremble even if I held a book in front of me."

Qin Ge stared at him, then suddenly smiled: "Mr. Jiang reads mostly academic books, but I prefer martial arts novels. Martial arts novels often feature reclusive figures, either hiding in marshes or in the city. Some are lazy, some are unassuming, and you can't tell they're heroes at all. But, given the chance, when they have a sword in hand, they regain their former glory as great heroes."

Jiangnan listened intently: "I really wish I had such a sword."

"Perhaps, Boss Jiang's sword resides in his heart."

Jiang Nan chuckled: "I'm just an ordinary person, and I have a shameful past. Now I'm hiding in this remote town, living a muddled life until the end. What sword do I have left? Even if there were a sword in front of me, I don't think I would even have the heart to hold it."

Qin Ge also laughed: "Perhaps Boss Jiang is just keeping his sword sheathed. When it is drawn, it will surely be gleaming with a chilling light."

Jiang Nan paused again, his expression turning cold. His gentle gaze fell on Qin Ge: "Tonight, I felt something was implied in what Reporter Qin said. Forgive my ignorance, but if Reporter Qin wants to say something, please speak plainly."

Qin Ge chuckled: "I didn't mean anything by it. I just came over to chat for a bit since I had nothing else to do."

"I was just overthinking it," Jiang Nan said, his eyes fixed on Qin Ge.

Qin Ge stood up: "It's late, I should go back to my room to sleep. Boss Jiang, you should rest early too."

Jiangnan shook his head helplessly: "It's really not easy to run this small business. It's so hard to wait for you customers, but you're all night owls. I can't even sleep until you're all back."

Qin Ge was taken aback: "We're all night owls, who hasn't come back yet this late?"

“You should ask who’s back so late,” Jiang Nan said with a smile. “All I know is that you’re the first guest to return tonight.”

When Qin Ge returned to his room, a knot formed between his brows. When he initially formed this self-guided tour group, he only intended to find a few people to travel with, but he hadn't expected that each of them would be so unusual. Lying in bed, Qin Ge was still pondering whether forming this group was a right or wrong decision. His conversation with Jiang Nan earlier seemed casual, but every word was loaded with meaning. He anticipated that Jiang Nan would understand what he was testing, which, while making Jiang Nan more vigilant, would also prompt him to take action. And only action could reveal Jiang Nan's weakness.

Qin Ge was lost in thought until Sha Bo pushed the door open and came in.

Sha Bo was feeling a bit down because he hadn't gained anything that day. He didn't feel like talking after entering the room, went to the bathroom to wash up, and then undressed and got into bed. Just as he lifted the thin blanket, a piece of paper suddenly fluttered up. Sha Bo and Qin Ge saw it at the same time. Sha Bo quickly picked up the paper, while Qin Ge sat up.

The piece of paper was clearly a page from a notebook, with light blue lines on it. There were only two words on the paper. After reading it, Sha Bo handed it to Qin Ge, his eyes already showing a lot of doubt.

Qin Ge took the note and saw the two words on it: Tang Wan.

Tang Wan. That seemingly delicate woman, her expression always carrying a hint of melancholy. She had a morbid attachment to Tan Dong, as if she couldn't live without him. Yet, at the same time, she possessed a poignant beauty. Sha Bo remembered the second day after arriving at Sleeping Valley, when she and Tan Dong, carrying their luggage, left the Night Sleep Inn. As they passed by Sha Bo, Tan Dong remained expressionless, but she, in that instant, revealed a faint smile. It was then that Sha Bo noticed the girl's dignified and captivating beauty. At that moment, Sha Bo felt a slight sense of loss, because his travel companions were missing such a girl.

Now, this mysterious note bears Tang Wan's name. Does it foreshadow something extraordinary about to happen to her, or is she currently in danger?

Who placed this note in Shabo's thin blanket? Could it be that mysterious woman in white, or perhaps the proprietress Xuemei?

"Look at this handwriting, it's very messy and hard to read. And each stroke is stretched out, it doesn't look like a woman's handwriting. Have you noticed that most people don't write this messily? But there are some people who, because of their profession, have to practice this kind of messy handwriting."

Shabo immediately understood and blurted out, "Doctor?"

Qin Ge nodded: "And look, the paper on this note was torn from a notebook. The paper is very white and feels very smooth to the touch; it's the kind of high-quality notebook paper. Women rarely use notebooks, so I guess it wasn't that woman in white. Also, the person who left the note was obviously in a hurry. If they had planned it, they would have written the note before entering our room. If they were prepared, they wouldn't have used this kind of paper."

"The person who left the note was a doctor, and it was a note left in a hurry. Who could it be?"

Qin Ge couldn't figure it out either. He said in confusion, "I do know there is a doctor here, but he would never leave us a note unless he deliberately set a trap to lure us in."

Unable to guess who left the note, their conversation turned to Tang Wan. Sha Bo clutched the note, a sudden unease creeping into his heart: "What could happen to Tang Wan? Tan Dong is with her; she should be safe." A thought struck him—the skinny man. That skinny man had appeared at the door tonight, seemingly wanting to say something. His demeanor was strange; he hesitated, then for some unknown reason turned and left. Such unusual behavior must conceal something extraordinary, and besides, the skinny man hadn't returned yet. What could he be doing in Sleeping Valley so late? Could it be related to Tang Wan? Sha Bo could no longer contain himself and got out of bed.

"What are you going to do?" Qin Ge asked.

"I'm still worried. I want to go see Tan Dong and Tang Wan."

Qin Ge thought for a moment and said, "That's fine too. We all came here together after all. If anything goes wrong, everyone will be responsible."

The two went out together. Jiang Nan was still sitting under the lamp reading a book. He seemed to have no need to sleep at all, and there was no sign of fatigue on his face. He was obviously surprised that the two of them were going out so late, but he just smiled and didn't ask anything, like an honest and upright businessman.

Walking down the street, Sha Bo said, "The more I look at Jiangnan, the stranger it seems."

Qin Ge nodded in agreement. He had much to say, but it wasn't the right time to tell Sha Bo yet. The small street was deserted; the shops on both sides were completely dark, with only the bluestone pavement reflecting the cold moonlight. Both Sha Bo and Qin Ge felt a chill.

Just then, they simultaneously heard hurried footsteps ahead, and a dark figure emerged from the darkness. The figure stumbled and staggered as if someone was chasing it. Qin Ge and Sha Bo tensed up; before Sha Bo could react, Qin Ge had already rushed forward to meet him.

The dark figure drew closer and closer, until Qin Ge and Sha Bo could clearly see her features, and they were both startled. The dark figure was none other than Tang Wan, the woman they were looking for. Tang Wan's hair was disheveled, she was still wearing pajamas, and her face was unusually pale; her features were distorted with fear.

While Qin Ge was slightly taken aback, Sha Bo had already run ahead of him.

As Tang Wan ran, she saw Sha Bo and Qin Ge ahead. She frantically reached out, as if desperately trying to grab something, and at the same time, her body went limp. Just as she was about to fall, Sha Bo stepped forward and caught her.

Tang Wan's body was as cold as ice, and her entire weight rested on Sha Bo's arms. Sha Bo was overwhelmed with pity. At this moment, Qin Ge also arrived. The two of them examined Tang Wan in the moonlight. They saw that her eyes were tightly closed, her lips were pale, and she was still trembling. She had obviously fainted from excessive fear.

Sha Bo picked up Tang Wan without saying a word and hurried back to the Night Sleep Inn.

Jiang Nan was slightly surprised to see Sha Bo and Qin Ge return so quickly, carrying someone in their arms. He only had time to glance at Tang Wan, whose face was pale, before Sha Bo and Qin Ge rushed back to their room.

Tang Wan lay on Sha Bo's bed, covered with a thin blanket, her eyes still closed, her brows furrowed. Even in her unconscious state, she couldn't shake off the deep-seated fear that had seeped into her bones. Sha Bo sat by the bed, gazing at her with pity, remaining silent for a long time.

Qin Ge also stood by the bed, and what he was thinking at that moment was: Where did Tan Dong go?

Tang Wan suddenly groaned, her arm reaching out and groping around. Sha Bo grasped her hand without hesitation. Tang Wan held his hand so tightly, as if holding his hand meant holding onto a reliable source of strength.

Qin Ge sighed softly and sat down on her bedside.

No one can know what happened to this girl based on mere inference or speculation. Everything will only become clear when Tang Wan wakes up.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Qin Ge saw that Sha Bo was watching over Tang Wan without moving, so she got up and went to open the door. Jiang Nan stood outside the door and said calmly, "I've come to see if there's anything I can do to help."

Qin Ge stared at him and slowly said, "We have a patient here, and what we need is a doctor."

Jiang Nan smiled, somewhat awkwardly, but he walked straight into the room. "I'm not a doctor, but I used to be one," he said.

Qin Ge was stunned and stood frozen by the door for a long time without moving.

Jiang Nan walked to the bedside and calmly gestured for Sha Bo to move aside. Sha Bo looked at him strangely, but still moved aside. Jiang Nan observed Tang Wan for a moment, then took out a small aluminum box from his pocket, opened it, and inside was a syringe, several syringes, and some cotton balls: "She's just overly frightened. Give her a sedative injection, and she'll be fine after a good rest."

Qin Ge then stood behind Jiang Nan, his expression becoming unusually grave.

Jiang Nan skillfully drew the medicine into the syringe, wiped Tang Wan's arm with an alcohol swab, and then slowly pushed the medicine in the syringe into the vein.

Jiang Nan smiled faintly: "Now she just needs to rest." He saw the look of surprise in Sha Bo's eyes, smiled again, and held up the empty syringe in his hand, "Lumina, the most common sedative."

He stood up, said nothing more, asked no more questions, and turned to leave.

After closing the door, Qin Ge sat on the bed, looking bewildered and lost in deep thought. It was as if something major had happened, and he was unprepared for it. Therefore, he looked anxious and fearful.

What could possibly frighten the rational and decisive Qin Ge?

Meanwhile, Shabo remained seated on the edge of the bed, holding Tang Wan's hand. His gaze never left her. Tang Wan's face was much calmer now, but her complexion was still pale, and her lips trembled slightly involuntarily. Shabo felt a pang of heartache again.

He wondered what exactly had happened to Tang Wan.

In her dream, Tang Wan ran endlessly, pursued by the enormous black shadow. She ran into the dead end again, and the shadow slowly approached, eventually enveloping her entirely. The shadow was so intense it seemed to have taken shape; she couldn't breathe, she couldn't catch her breath. She groaned softly and woke up from the dream.

Darkness. She opened her eyes and was plunged into darkness.

It was night, and the night was dark. It's normal for people to turn off the lights when they sleep. Tang Wan was still immersed in the terror of her dream. Every time she woke from a nightmare, she felt both relieved and bewildered. Relieved that she had been dreaming, and that dreams always end; bewildered that the shadowy figure had followed her like a shadow for so many years, and she didn't know if she could ever truly escape it. Therefore, the darkness before her could not disturb Tang Wan for the time being.

The darkness was so quiet that Tang Wan first felt uncomfortable because of the silence. Then, she suddenly felt a chill because the bed, which was not large to begin with, now seemed much more spacious.

She remained motionless, seemingly unable to confirm her guess, but suddenly, she reached out and touched nothing.

—Tan Dong is no longer in bed!

Tan Dong is used to staying up late at night. He might go out to do other things at night, but he never turns off the lights.

Where did this darkness come from? Tan Dong would never leave her alone in the dark.

Fear swept over her again, and Tang Wan clutched the corner of the blanket in terror, curling her body into a small ball.

Then, she sensed something even more terrifying.

There was someone breathing in the room, but it was definitely not Tan Dong's breathing. Tan Dong's breathing was heavy, especially at night, while the breathing in the room was extremely slow, as if it were being suppressed.

Tang Wan closed her eyes in terror, her whole body trembling uncontrollably as she huddled under the covers. Her trembling lips kept murmuring Tan Dong's name. At this moment, only Tan Dong could save her; only Tan Dong could drive away the demons that plagued her.

But Tan Dong was nowhere to be seen, and the demon was right next to him.

Tang Wan gripped the corner of the blanket tightly and bit her lip hard. The pain told her she wasn't dreaming. The demon had truly come chasing her from the dream world.

Time passed, and nothing happened. Tang Wan trembled as she slowly pulled the blanket down a little, revealing a pair of terrified eyes.

She saw the shadow standing beside her bed, and in her surprise, she felt a hand gently caress her cheek. The hand was gentle, yet it sent a shiver down her spine.

She suddenly screamed in agony, throwing the blanket off her hands with all her might. The blanket landed on the dark figure, and she, with an unknown strength, flipped over and leaped off the bed, jumped to the door, and ran out. She was like a drowning person who had been in the water for too long, or a bowstring taut with fear; it was the power of collapse that allowed her to break free.

Later, she ran through the dark alley, her mind and consciousness gone.

The shadowy figure followed her silently. His steps were slow, but each stride covered a much greater distance than a normal person's, making him surprisingly fast. He watched as Tang Wan's stumbling figure finally disappeared into the darkness ahead, and even his lean frame trembled uncontrollably.

He knew he had lost his best, and perhaps only, chance.

But why would he do this? He had followed her all the way from his city, just to wait for a chance to face Tang Wan alone. When he silently entered Tang Wan's room, the light was still on, and Tang Wan was fast asleep on the bed. He stood by the bed, a handkerchief soaked in ether already in his hand. All he had to do was cover her mouth with the handkerchief, and he could abduct Tang Wan just like he had abducted Yuan Li.

At that moment, he was filled with the thrill of success. He could almost see Tang Wan crying and begging in front of him, but he remained unmoved. This woman had once mocked him, and he vowed never to let anyone who had ever mocked him get away with it.

But he couldn't put down his handkerchief for a long time.

This was something he still couldn't understand long afterward. At that time, Tang Wanping lay in bed, her brows furrowed, as if enduring immense torment in her sleep. At first, he found it fascinating; being able to silently observe another person's inner world seemed to give him a different kind of pleasure. What was this girl afraid of? Could she sense that he would come to her that night?

He quickly dismissed the idea.