Pure Darkness

Chapter 107

The rain fell softly and without sound. This was an ancient stone road; even during the day, not a single person was in sight. On both sides of the street stood a dilapidated gray building with no signs of life. On some walls, yellowed and torn pages of pictorial images are still plastered, and one could vaguely see slogans like ‘The productivity of the land depends on the courage of the people’ and ‘Life Proletarian Cultural Revolution!’.

Oi! I am an article!

Most of the buildings had been unused again, and it looked as if no one had stayed in them for a long time. Every now and then, a fleeting figure was seen in one or two buildings, like a ghost. Jian Yao almost thought that she was dreaming as she walked on such a path while supporting Bo Jinyan. He could never in a million years imagine that they would be stranded in such a strange place.

Bo Jinyan listened to him describe the scenery along the route, but her expression remained calm and serene. “The world is so big, full of amazing things. Moreover, the organization of the Buddha Hand is hiding here, so maybe all we see is just an illusion.”

Oi! I am an article!

Those words caused the coldness in Jian Yao's heart to increase.

However, they ended up seeing a living and breathing person.

In the corner, a small shop had just opened for business. Lights lit up, and shelves filled with cheap candy, cigarettes, noodles, toilet paper, and other similar items.

Jian Yao squeezed Bo Jinyan's hand, then walked forward and asked, “Is anyone there?”

Oi! I am an article!

The sound of footsteps came from within. Jian Yao quickly scanned the surroundings. It seems to be a simple shop, there is a bowl behind the table where someone has just finished eating, and a red plastic stool. In that half-closed wooden door, someone had used colored markers to write, roughly and obliquely, English numbers and letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and so on, H, I, J . . as well as some rudimentary Chinese characters. It seems like a child is learning to write.

A girl walks out.

It is not clear if he is 15 to 16, or 18 to 19. She was not tall and her pretty face was rather childish. However, she dressed very mature – dakron blouses that were popular in the 70s and 80s, black sports pants, a pair of cloth shoes. She really looks like a young girl wearing old lady clothes, but what she is wearing fits perfectly into the surroundings, with the atmosphere of many years being out of date. However, his eyes shone with intelligence and vitality. He looked at them and asked, “Where are you from?”

In this short interval, Jian Yao had already swiftly appraised it. Her hair was combed back with ponytails, nothing strange with her hands, her skin was a healthy light brown, a sign of someone who had spent time in the sun. There were mud stains around both of his ankles, as well as minor scars, most likely from long-term manual labor in the fields. Nothing seems extraordinary about him. So, he smiled and said, “Halo, we were doing outdoor activities when the ship we were riding on had an accident and sank. We got lost and wandered into this city. Can you tell us where we are? ”

The girl blinked and said, “This is Zhizi Zhou .”

What he said was consistent with Ah Hong's words.

The girl then looked at Bo Jinyan, who was behind Jian Yao. He asked, “What's wrong with him?”

Jian Yao's gaze also fell on Bo Jinyan's blood-stained trousers legs. In the small-scale landslides they faced earlier, they managed to avoid disaster thanks to their quick response. Moreover, he only sustained a few minor injuries. However, Bo Jinyan's injury was more serious – one of her ankles was severely swollen, and her legs were bruised and badly injured. Although he did not say a word along the way, his face was horrifying to see, which clearly showed that his injuries caused him pain. He was also very afraid that his wound would get worse or inflamed. Therefore, he continued to smile as he said, “He was slightly injured. Miss, do you have a cell phone or a landline here? I want to call a friend. ”

The girl leaned against the door, but shook her head and said, “We don't have a landline here, nor do we have what you call a cell phone; I've never even seen a cell phone before. My mother said, it's because there's no signal in the sky.” He pointed to the cloudy sky.

Jian Yao had never imagined this outcome, and became a fool. From behind him, Bo Jinyan squeezed his hand, indicating that he should not be anxious. The action was witnessed by the girl who put out ‘wah’, and said, “You two must be lovers. I think your relationship is very good.”

His words were innocent and unaffected. Jian Yao forced herself to smile, calmed down and asked, “What's your name?”

“I Qiu Sijin, same ‘sijin’ as in fanhua sijin .”*

*T/N (fan hua si jin) – full bloom, bright/like ( ⁇ ) brocade ( ⁇ ).

“Then, Sijin, I want to ask, is there a doctor here who can treat the wound?”

This question seemed to be more accepted by Qiu Sijin than the first one. He jumped out of the door and said, “We have a doctor here, only one. Just like you, he's not from here. He's a very, very good doctor; I'll take you to him.”

——

They had walked about halfway before finally meeting some people. They were all dressed like the local villagers, and they looked just as outdated as Qiu Sijin. They also saw someone crossing the street carrying two buckets of water. According to Qiu Sijin, there was no running water in this city. Anyone who needs water should take water from some well outside the city. The water is very clean and can be drunk immediately.

All the villagers stopped in surprise to see Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao. It was clear that very few outsiders had come here. Jian Yao could only put on a brave face and continued walking, holding Bo Jinyan's hand. Qiu Sijin continued bouncing while greeting everyone they met along the way, an image of a simple and brained girl scattered.

But, are the members of the Buddha Hand really hiding in this small town?

There was a small building in front of them with the door open. There were several potted plants on the door, and a faded red cross flag hung on the window. Although the building is old, it does not prevent it to stay bright and clean* and full of greenery. This was probably the most lively house Jian Yao had ever seen since she set foot in this city.

*T/N (chuang ming ji jing) – on.clean the window and clean the table

And this is the doctor's house.

Qiu Sijin took the lead by stepping first, and shouted, “Doctor! Dr Wen! There are patients here!”

Jian Yao supported Bo Jinyan as the two of them stepped slowly.

A man stood inside the room, nearly 1.8m tall, with a thin figure. He was wearing a white lab coat* and had a clean and incorruptible aura. He looked up after hearing their voices come in. With a warm smile on his face, he said, “Sijin, you are here to bother me again. .” He froze when he saw Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan.

*(da cave) – Chinese style long striped clothes (unisex), which can be used as a coat.

Even standing in this simple and simple place was unable to hide its warmth and bright and cheerful aura.

Suddenly, he remembered Fu Ziyu. Although Fu Ziyu and this doctor did not look the same, they had the same manner. Jian Yao's throat suddenly dried up, and a thought surfaced in her mind — it was a blessing that Bo Jinyan could not see. At this time, Dr Wen said, “You two . . . ?”

Jian Yao silently averted her gaze from the doctor's face and replied, “We are backpackers passing through this area. Our boat capsized and we arrived on this island by accident. My husband's leg is hurt. Can you check it out, doctor? ”

“Sure.” Dr Wen immediately crouched down in front of Bo Jinyan as Jian Yao helped her sit down, while Qiu Sijin looked curiously from the side. Jian Yao observed that Dr Wen's techniques were skilled and professional, so she felt comfortable.

“How can he come up with these injuries?” ask Dr. Wen.

Jian Yao replied with the fact, “We experienced a landslide.”

Dr Wen nodded, instructing Qiu Sijin to take him some medical supplies and began to treat Bo Jinyan's wounds. Bo Jinyan did not say a word; no one knew what she was thinking.

The good thing is that no bones are affected. Dr Wen handled Bo Jinyan's wounds and bandaged them, then made a list of some things to watch out for before prescribing the medicine. Finally, he smilingly said, “It looks like the two of you should stay here longer to let the wound heal before you leave.”

During the conversation, Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan had discovered that the doctor's full name was Wen Rong, a very scientific name. He previously worked as a doctor in a big city, with a high salary and a busy schedule. Like many young people fleeing Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, he was tired of a fast-paced life. An unexpected opportunity has led him to come to this small town. After he arrived, he was so interested and touched by the way time stopped here that he stayed behind and even opened a clinic. Although the population in the city was small, so he spent most of his days in idleness, he earned enough money to support himself. Jian Yao had met quite a few people like this in countless old cities, so she could understand them.

However, Jian Yao did not ask for the existence of the Buddha Hand organization. Wen Rong did not mention it either.

Phone and WiFi networks? Wen Rong also sounded a little regretful, but this mountainous region did not have both.

When they left Wen Rong clinic, it was getting dark. As Jian Yao propped up Bo Jinyan's arm, she subconsciously turned around and saw that Wen Rong had taken off his lab coat. With a white shirt and black trousers and with his hands in his pants pocket, he stood by the door, smiling faintly as he watched them leave. Besides, Qiu Sijin leaned against him, holding his arm, very sticky.

Jian Yao felt something strange and inexplicable in her heart. However, their top priority was to find a place to stay for the night. Then, to find a way to escape from this small town or to contact the headquarters.

This small town is full of abandoned buildings. Without much effort, they found the one-story building relatively clean. The house was complete with tables, chairs, beds, and cabinets, although they were all rather old-fashioned. There was even a small courtyard at the door, filled with tangles of old trees and grasses overgrown with weeds. As they walked past the intersection, Jian Yao saw a restaurant with a very small shop front, so she walked over there to order two boxes of food and rice to take home. The owner of the restaurant asked, shyly and curiously, “Are you two injured backpackers?” It seemed that this small town was indeed very small; the news of their arrival had already spread. It remains to be seen if this is a blessing or a curse.

It was completely dark, and raindrops splattered lightly on the window frame. Bo Jinyan was lying on a simple wooden bed. Jian Yao had found an old blanket in the closet and had beaten it for a long time before forcibly covering it with that blanket. Bo Jinyan did not look too good, perhaps because her injuries were aching, or because this situation was too dire. Jian Yao was also confused. Ever since they started investigating cases together, they had never had such experience, being in such trouble in such a faraway place.

There was no electricity in the building, but he found a kerosene lamp. This made Bo Jinyan smile as she asked, “Are you Doraemon*?” Jian Yao gave him a small smile and said, “Do you now know the advantages of taking me with you?” He got into bed and curled up to her.

*T/N (bai bian xiao ding dang) – Doraemon, the eponymous character in the Japanese manga series (later adapted into an anime series and several films). Doraemon is a 22nd century earless robot cat sent back in time to help a boy, Nobita, who is unhappy at school. Doraemon has a fourth dimensional pocket from which he acquires various gadgets, food and other items from the future. Read more here.

Flickering, the hazy light gave the room an atmosphere of a fantasy land. The surroundings were extremely quiet, so silent as if they were in a remote abyss. It was as if the ‘’ survivors left in this small town were all asleep as the sky darkened, adding to the strangeness of this place.

Bo Jinyan hugged him with one hand while her reader was affixed to the other, allowing him to read the valuable information Captain Zhu Tao had given them. The light in the room was extremely dim, and Jian Yao could not see the words on the paper. The reader works as efficiently as usual, reading out words clearly, line by line. Only occasionally did a soft Zhizhi sound .

After one hour, Bo Jinyan has ‘read’ the whole document. The information is focused on recording the latest transactions of the Buddha Hand organization, the internal operating structure, and the relationship of cooperation and alliances. However, there was no mention of the core personnel structure, and the location of the gang stronghold.

“Show . .” Bo Jinyan said, “that the person who gave Zhu Tao this information had limited knowledge. Or . . . the information is incomplete.”

Jian Yao nodded and placed the note and the reader back into the bag, then handed the medicine Wen Rong prescribed to Bo Jinyan. But, Bo Jinyan said, “Are we not carrying anti-inflammatory drugs in our bags? I want to take ours. ” Jian Yao surprised. “Why?” she asked.

Bo Jinyan said, “If this place really is a Buddhist Hand fort, can you really be sure that none of the four people we met today were one of those masked killers? Buddhist Hand gang members may not recognize us, but the masked killer will definitely recognize him.”

Worried, Jian Yao threw the medicine that Wen Rong had prescribed into a corner and took their own anti-inflammatory medicine from the bag.

When Bo Jinyan finished taking the medicine, she picked up the wooden stick standing by the bed, got up and said, “I'll be on guard tonight,”

However, Bo Jinyan pulled him back to bed in a quick motion and said, “No need. The most important thing in dealing with an enemy is to assess the situation and figure out how to get the most out of it with minimal effort. Tonight, we have to sleep well and replenish our strength. If they are unsure of our identity, they will definitely not act blindly tonight. If they know who we are, then you and I are like turtles in a big jar* and they must have made a move. Will they allow us to take care of our wounds, have dinner, and go for a walk? So, Mrs Bo, just like we are at home, we are not in danger tonight and can sleep well.”

*T/N (weng zhong de bie) – lit. turtles in containers/jars; figs.easy prey

Jian Yao did not know whether to laugh or cry after hearing his words. However, he saw the truth behind the statement the more he thought about it. They were already in the enemy fortress and thus faced a battle pitting one against one hundred*. Being more alert will not help them. Better to go to bed. So, he placed the stick on the floor next to the bed, listened to Bo Jinyan's suggestion, and lay on the bed once more.

*T/N (yi yi di bai) – on. one against one hundred. It may refer to a game show of the same name where the prize money the challenger wins varies according to how many of the other 100 contestants answered incorrectly to the question he got correctly. Read more about the American version of the game show here. (Versions played in other countries may vary slightly in bonus counting)

It was even quieter in the middle of the night. Jian Yao's hands and feet were extremely cold despite being under the covers. Bo Jinyan held her hand between her palms and placed her foot on her warm thigh. Jian Yao refused to follow this and said, depressed, “You will be cold like this.” Bo Jinyan laughed and said, “Oh, as if you didn't put your feet comfortably in this exact position every night in the previous winter.” Jian Yao smiled as she replied, “But, you are injured now.” Bo Jinyan replied, “But, for you, my temperature is constant.”

Jian Yao leaned against his arm with a smile floating on her lips. He fell asleep very quickly, probably due to exhaustion from the events of the day. Initially, Bo Jinyan's breathing was calm and stable. After a while, he noticed Jian Yao's deep breath, indicating that he was sound asleep. He then slowly opened his eyes in the darkness, listened to the sound of rain outside the window, and did not close them for a long time.

At midnight, the rain stopped.

The courtyard was filled with wet mud, and at night, water dripped from the leaves.

A pair of used military boots treading mud. The man, wearing a black jacket, lowered his head to light a cigarette, then slowly exhaled. Behind him, in the shadows, stood a few people.

The man smokes his cigarette. Although he had half a cigarette left, he dropped it on the ground, stepped on it to extinguish it and rubbed it into the mud a few times before saying, “There is something fishy about the arrival of the two of them. Ah Yue's boat was intercepted and dropped by police outside the perimeter. They are most likely police. Tomorrow, report this to the boss, then get rid of them. ”