parasitisme veille

Chapitre 6

Everyone shared the same question, and they all stared intently at Zhang Song, their expressions tense.

Zhang Song paused for a moment, seemingly ignoring Dong'er's question, and continued, "What makes corpse shops different from other inns is that they prepare rooms specifically for corpses. These rooms are usually empty, just bare rooms. The corpses, lined up in a row, are arranged by the corpse-driver and will stand against the wall in the room. On rainy days, the corpse caravan often stays in the corpse shop for several days. Because the air is humid on rainy days, the corpse shop owner often sprinkles lime in the room to absorb moisture and prevent the corpses from rotting and smelling bad."

At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the tray of lime in the center of the table. Dong'er, who was standing close by, instinctively shrank back, almost falling off her stool due to the sudden movement. Fortunately, Qin Ge quickly caught her in time. Looking at the young woman and college-aged woman beside her, their faces were also filled with fear. The few young models on the outermost edge were huddled together, glancing around nervously, as if several corpses could walk out of the room at any moment.

Zhang Song's words were very clear: this small building is very similar to the legendary corpse shop.

Could it be that the zombie-like people we just saw were the corpses living here?

Huang Tao coughed twice: "The story of the Xiangxi corpse-driving is just a legend, and no one knows if it's true or not. Even if it were true, we've checked upstairs and downstairs just now, and there's no one there, nor anything else. So, we can rest assured and relax."

“I’ve never believed in those ghost stories. If such a thing really exists, I’d like to see it with my own eyes.” The bearded artist stood up and glared coldly at Zhang Song. “After walking such a long way, all I want to do now is go upstairs and get a good night’s sleep.”

After he finished speaking, he didn't look at anyone and walked straight towards the stairwell, quickly disappearing from everyone's sight.

Zhang Song was speechless, and everyone looked at him strangely. He looked at Qin Ge for help and murmured, "I'm just saying what I know."

Qin Ge could tell that Zhang Song was actually a bit naive. Saying such things at this time would make even him feel uneasy, let alone the young girls.

Huang Tao watched the bearded artist's figure disappear coldly, then turned back to Qin Ge and said, "His name is Lei Ming, he's a computer programmer. I spoke with him a few words upstairs just now. I think he's rather introverted, not very sociable, but he's strong-willed and decisive." He paused, then turned his gaze to Zhang Song, "People like that tend to act impulsively, so don't take him too seriously."

Zhang Song nodded stiffly, lowered his head and sat down on the stool, not uttering another word.

Huang Tao glanced at the dejected young models sitting to the side, as well as the college-aged woman who looked tired despite sitting upright, and the young woman, and whispered to Qin Ge, "We need to let them go upstairs to get some sleep. Who knows what might happen tomorrow?"

Qin Ge now had to try his best to straighten his back because Dong'er was leaning on him and her weight was getting heavier and heavier.

"Okay, let them all go and rest. I'll keep watch," Qin Ge said.

Huang Tao paused for a moment, then said calmly, "It's too lonely to keep watch alone at night. I'll keep you company."

Qin Ge smiled at him, feeling that in that instant, the distance between them had shortened even further.

Huang Tao stood up and said to the women, "You should all go upstairs and get some sleep. We might have to walk a long way tomorrow, and we need to have the energy."

The young woman and the girls had long since reached their limit; the temptation of a bed was greater than anything else at that moment. However, they persisted in sitting there because of their fear.

Huang Tao noticed everyone's worry and continued, "Don't worry, I just went upstairs to check. This whole building only has one exit, the main entrance. We'll be guarding here for a while, and we'll make sure no one can get in." He paused for a moment, then added, "If you still have any concerns, you can stay and keep watch with us tonight."

After watching the young models whisper among themselves and hesitate for a moment, Qin Ge continued, "You can go upstairs and rest. I'm a policeman. With a policeman as your bodyguard, what are you worried about?"

This time, the girls finally stood up and, led by a short-haired girl, went upstairs. As the short-haired girl passed Qin Ge and Huang Tao, she hesitated for a moment, but still managed a smile and said, "If it weren't for you, we really wouldn't know what to do. My name is Xu Juan, and I'm the leader of our modeling team."

Huang Tao remained seated, while Qin Ge smiled nonchalantly: "We're all in the same boat now. By doing this, we're helping ourselves."

Dong'er sat up straight and said, "Don't be polite with the police officers, this is how they work."

Asi's Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 2, Chapter 23: The Corpse Shop (4)

Xu Juan wanted to say something, but after thinking for a moment, she swallowed her words. She said goodnight and followed her teammates upstairs. Xu Juan looked much more dignified without makeup than with heavy makeup, and there was a cold, authoritative air about her. Being the leader of a modeling team must be no easy task. Although Qin Ge didn't know how a modeling team operated, she assumed that contacting venues and performances required the leader's involvement. Over time, the leader would inevitably differ from the other young models, which was probably the reason for her cold demeanor.

The college-aged woman and the young married woman remained seated, motionless. Qin Ge glanced over and suddenly felt something was amiss; there seemed to be something in the young married woman's gaze that made him wary. He couldn't help but look at the young married woman a few more times, but after their eyes met, she quickly shifted her gaze to Huang Tao.

Qin Ge was silent for a moment, then heard Huang Tao say, "You guys should go get some sleep too."

Qin Ge actually heard something gentle in Huang Tao's voice. He looked at Huang Tao again, puzzled. His mind raced, but he didn't know any of the people, so he couldn't figure out what was going on for the time being.

Qin Ge said to Dong'er, "Why don't you go and take a nap with them?"

Dong'er shook her head: "I want to be with you."

Qin Ge whispered in her ear, "Listen to me, if you don't get some sleep tonight, you won't have the energy to walk tomorrow. You can't expect me to carry you up the mountain path, can you?"

Dong'er pouted, looking unhappy. Dong'er was very expressive; any emotion could be revealed on her face. Qin Ge used to tease her a lot when he was at home. They had been together for over three years, but whenever Dong'er showed her childlike innocence, Qin Ge felt a slight pang in his heart.

The taste of love is the feeling of heartache—this is a sentence Qin Ge saw in a book.

Now, the heartache returned, and Qin Ge felt an urge to hold his wife tightly in his arms. But at this moment, he knew that what he needed to do was let Dong'er go upstairs to get some sleep.

The young woman, who looked like a college student, and the married woman had already stood up. The young man, who looked like he had just broken up with his girlfriend, seemed to have only eyes for the college student for the entire time. When she stood up, he stood up as well. Everyone seemed to be able to guess what he was thinking. Now, Qin Ge was only worried that once they got upstairs, he might follow her into her room.

As the female college student walked past him, he suddenly smiled and stopped her: "If it's convenient, I'd like to ask you to take care of my wife for me."

Even though Dong'er was unwilling, after hearing Qin Ge's words, she could only stand up and greet the female college student: "Actually, you don't need to take care of me. He just wanted to find an excuse to get rid of me."

The female college student smiled and said, "He's just showing concern for you."

“I know, that’s why I listened to him and went upstairs to sleep.” Dong’er walked over and stood next to the female college student. “I guess you’re not older than me, so it seems I should take care of you.”

The female college student smiled naturally this time: "My name is Su He, and I'm twenty-three years old."

"Suhe," Dong'er muttered twice, "This name sounds nice, nicer than mine. You know, back in school, my classmates nicknamed me Winter Melon, and now if anyone orders Winter Melon at a restaurant, I'll get mad at them."

Su He and the heartbroken young man both laughed, and even Huang Tao had a slight smile on his lips.

"Alright, we should go up now. The night watch will be handled by these two gentlemen." As Dong'er spoke, she linked arms with Su He, looking like two old friends. She turned to the heartbroken young man and the young woman and said, "And you two, let's go up together."

The young woman, whose face remained frosty, immediately stepped forward upon hearing this, passing Qin Ge and Huang Tao without glancing at them, as if they had vanished. Qin Ge frowned, recalling his earlier unintentional alertness, and now felt even more the young woman's hostility towards him.

He and the young woman were complete strangers; where did her hostility come from? Could it be because he was a policeman?

Zhang Song was clearly still frustrated by what had just happened. He silently followed the young woman upstairs.

The heartbroken young man followed closely behind Su He. As he passed Qin Ge and Huang Tao, he clearly wanted to say something, but not wanting to fall too far behind Su He, he quickly greeted him and hurried past.

He walked past, then turned back, gave a hurried smile, and said, "My name is Tong Hao."

Tong Hao was the only one in the group who didn't seem tired after the journey. That must be because of Su He. Love at first sight happens all the time, even on a bus in a remote valley. Qin Ge understood love, so he could understand the young man's feelings. Moreover, he noticed that Tong Hao's smile had particularly soft lines, a special kind of approachability. He thought to himself, "A young man like that should smile more often."

"Transferring emotions is indeed the best way to heal a broken heart," Huang Tao whispered after they left.

"You can also tell that this young man looks like he's just gone through a breakup?" Qin Ge asked.

“Young people’s thoughts are written all over their faces. I’m at least twenty years older than him. Do you think I can’t tell that?” Huang Tao smiled wryly. “Don’t forget, everyone has been young, and love isn’t just a young person’s thing.”

Qin Ge sighed, "If we were in a different place, I would definitely have a good talk about love with you tonight. It's just a pity that our current situation is a bit special, so I think we must have some other topics to discuss tonight."

Huang Tao frowned and nodded: "You're not that old, but you're quite thoughtful. If anyone can lead us out of this predicament, I think that person will be you."

"Don't flatter me. I know my own limitations." Qin Ge sighed. "I've carried out some dangerous missions before, and I've had a few extremely perilous and bizarre experiences, but I've never been this worried as I am now. You know, I used to be alone, but this time, I have my wife with me."

Huang Tao paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "I understand."

There was a moment of silence between them. Only two or three hours had passed since the incident, and they had a general understanding of the situation of the people in the car. Huang Tao was only half right; if this group of people trapped in the remote valley wanted to escape their predicament, they could only rely on Qin Ge and the two of them.

With such a heavy burden on their shoulders, their hearts were filled with immense weight.

As Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 2, Chapter 24: The Windowsill (1)

In Suhe's dream, there was a photograph of a woman who was incredibly beautiful, a beauty that defied description even with the most exquisite words. Suhe was captivated by her at first sight, and from then on, she frequently appeared in his dreams.

Because it was a dream, the woman came alive. She was still half-hidden in the golden photo frame, but she could smile, and her eyes could tell Suhe that she too could become a woman as beautiful as her. Suhe loved this feeling. Every time she met that woman in her dreams, even though they never said anything to each other, the woman's beauty made her dizzy. Just being able to stand face to face with that woman, she could feel the joy emanating from her body, and the overwhelming impulse and passion surging within her, like a seed sprouting in spring.

Su He later firmly believed that it was that woman who completely changed her life.

She couldn't remember when it started, but Su He frequently found herself in perilous dreams. Before that woman appeared, her most frequent dream was of a windowsill. Windowsills were ubiquitous in the city; no matter where you stood, they seemed like eyes, silently watching you. The windowsills in Su He's dreams were old-fashioned, unadorned, only a few centimeters wide, their backgrounds either clean glass or ornate curtains. Inside and outside the window were two different worlds, and Su He was clearly in the world outside. And, crucially, she was always sitting on the windowsill.

What's worse is that the windowsill is on a towering skyscraper, and she could almost reach out and grab the clouds floating in the sky.

Suhe saw her body pressed tightly against the glass, her hands gripping the edge of the windowsill tightly, or futilely pounding on the glass. Suhe knew that she desperately wanted someone to appear inside the window, so that perhaps that person would open it and let her in.

However, on only two occasions, she saw figures moving inside the window, but no matter how much she pounded on the glass or let out a hoarse, piercing scream, the figures inside remained unmoved, as if they had no idea she was there. She could only continue to sob on the windowsill.

The windowsill was far too narrow; there was no way anyone could sit on it. A gust of wind blew in, and Su He felt her body swaying. Each time, she thought she would fall off the windowsill, and that falling would mean entering a silent, unrecoverable world.

In fact, Su He always sat steadily and never fell off.

But at the same time, each time, she knew that she was going to fall. The fear of falling followed her from her dreams into her real life, filling it with the feeling of impending doom.

That wasn't a dream; it was her destiny, a fate she couldn't escape.

Su He still remembers it was a windy early autumn evening. She was wearing a long, flowing white cotton dress, walking down the street in the wind. A sudden autumn breeze picked up, carrying a hint of coolness. The setting sun in the west seemed to shrink back in the chill, letting the day's glow gradually fade. The city evening is languid; after a busy day, people slow their pace. The flow of people and vehicles moves gently. Being there, you realize that the meaning of life lies in that moment of relaxation after a busy day.

Suhe enjoys strolling the streets at dusk, waiting for the city lights to gradually illuminate the streets. At that moment, the shop windows magically become dazzling, allowing you to truly feel the refined life of a city. There are also so many leisurely pedestrians, pausing on the street, their warmth spreading around you. That real, tangible atmosphere of people makes Suhe feel incredibly nostalgic.

That evening, she spent over half an hour in a music store, buying a new album by her favorite band, Shui Mu Nian Hua. Every song by Shui Mu Nian Hua was imprinted with the marks of youth and school life, and she hoped that such songs could accompany her during her school years. Afterward, she ate at a Chinese fast-food restaurant, and by the time she left, it was completely dark. Around nine o'clock, she decided to head back to school. Then, as she tried to find her way along the roadside, she suddenly realized how unfamiliar the streets were.

The city is so big, do you ever get lost sometimes?

Su He disliked the feeling of being lost. In an instant, the cool autumn wind blew into her heart, and she subconsciously looked up at the towering buildings lining the street and the windowsills covering them. It was a weekend, and most of the windowsills were backed by dark windows. The darkness here seemed to imply something. Su He stared at them coldly and hatefully, a fear of falling filling her chest.

At that moment, she stopped outside a shop window in a shopping mall, where soft lighting illuminated the interior. Su He stared at her reflection in the glass, seeing many things she deeply loathed reflected in her own face.

She suddenly wanted to escape this unfamiliar street as soon as possible.

As Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 2, Chapter 25: The Windowsill (2)

That day, many people on the street saw a young girl running away at top speed. She was holding her skirt in her hand, her long hair was in a mess, and there was a look of despair on her fair face, which made many people speculate about the misfortune that had befallen the girl.

Su He, panting, bent over and hesitated, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Stray hairs clung to her pale face, making her appear sickly and frail. Some passersby stared at her in surprise, so she lowered her head and quickly retreated to the side of the road, turning her face towards the shop window, thinking that perhaps no one would notice her anymore.

Just then, she saw the woman who would change her life.

The woman's photograph was in the shop window in front of her, framed in a golden hue, easily half her height. Staring at it, Su He's expression gradually became blank; she could hardly believe the woman's beauty was real. The woman's beauty was beyond words, and even through the window, Su He felt a dizzying sensation. She was convinced it was the woman's beauty that made her dizzy. Facing her was like facing a group of exquisitely alluring women, moving in a dazzling display of light, and in the end, she would undoubtedly be the centerpiece, surrounded by admirers. Would you feel the same dizziness as Su He when facing such a woman?

She was a mature woman with lightly dyed pale yellow hair that cascaded naturally and gracefully over her shoulders. Her slightly upturned eyebrows gave her an ethereal air; her eyes shimmered with a gentle, watery light. When you gazed into her eyes, you were enveloped in a misty aura, like the gentle glow of the Mid-Autumn Festival moon, cool yet alluringly captivating. Her entire face, too, resembled the moon's reflection in the water, radiating an unreal yet tangible glow.

Su He didn't know how long she stood facing the shop window. She remembered laughing and crying, experiencing a moment of bone-chilling cold, and finally being bathed in the warm spring sunshine.

Such beauty seemed to be hidden in the deepest corner of her heart, and she firmly believed that it should not appear in this mortal world. She was like a beauty from the deep palace of ancient times, or a celestial being floating in the sky, arriving gracefully with an aura that made people dare not look up at her presumptuously, and finally entering Suhe's life.

Su He later entered the shop, where a young lady in a light green uniform smiled and led her to a seat.

This is a photo studio, Su He thought. The woman in the window must have been a customer here. Perhaps, guided by this woman, she ended up sitting in the seat she was currently in. This feeling deeply tempted her, but she knew she didn't have the courage to take any photos in this studio.

She hated her appearance; when she saw herself in her dreams, she wished she could tear her face apart.

"A beautiful lady like you would really regret not having some beautiful memories," the lady in the green uniform said with a smile.

Su He knew she was beautiful; she had heard such compliments from many people. But it was a beauty she hated. Compared to the women in shop windows, her beauty was base, and the more beautiful she was, the more it revealed the dirty blood flowing through her body.

Her face was as cold as frost. If it weren't for that woman, she would have already stormed off.

Because she had a very strong purpose in mind, she knew what she had to do. Besides her beauty, her intelligence was her only solace.

"I want to have a photoshoot next weekend. I want to be as beautiful as the woman in the shop window." She felt a little guilty saying this; such beauty was something an ordinary person could never possess.

The woman in the green uniform smiled even more broadly, expertly introducing each of the various packages before gazing expectantly at Su He. Su He casually chose one of the packages, which was quite expensive. The woman in the green uniform's smile now bordered on obsequious, and she became even more enthusiastic in processing Su He's appointment.

Su He knew that a deposit was required for reservations. She sat upright, maintaining her aloof composure.

"I have one last request, which is to get a picture of the woman in the shop window outside." Su He skillfully concealed her anxiety. She doubted any customer in the photo studio had ever made such a request before. Would the woman in the green uniform refuse her? It was just a picture; why was she so nervous about asking for it?

The young woman in the green uniform paused, clearly unprepared for Su He's request. But seeing Su He's resolute gaze, she agreed almost without hesitation, smiling, without even asking why he wanted the photos.

“That lady had her photos taken here last month, and because she was beautiful, we kept some as sample photos. If you book your package with me now, I'll go to the art studio to find one for you right now.”

Su He paid a 100 yuan deposit for the photo. As she left the photo studio, she brushed past a trendy-looking boy. The boy seemed nervous and almost bumped into her. After leaving the studio, she gazed at the woman in the shop window for a while before finally hailing a taxi to go home.