Chapter 2, The Mysterious Parcel

After some hesitation, I decided to take a compromise approach, opening the door a crack and propping it with my foot, peering outside through the gap.

In addition to the money, there was also a letter of introduction inside. I opened it and read that it was to introduce two comrades to serve as intern teachers at a school in a remote mountainous area, to teach physical education to the children

If I previously thought that this package was delivered to the wrong address, that assumption has now been completely dismissed. The person on the television is clearly speaking to both me and Panzi, advising us on something.

I guessed correctly, but I never expected that he would have packed so much. When I opened the door and saw no less than three travel bags on the floor, I was almost stunned on the spot

Pan Zi knew what I was thinking. He smiled shyly and said that if this mission went poorly, it would be difficult to return alive. It would be good for him to enjoy some comforts before he dies.

What Panzi said is absolutely not an exaggeration, and it deeply pierced my heart. Some people now regard living as a form of depression, but for the two of us, living is truly a damn luxury

I can sense that this is certainly not what he most wants to say to us; it is just that for some reason, he has not expressed his true feelings.

After I received the envelope and the ticket, I glanced at Panzi. At that moment, Panzi's complexion was very poor, almost resembling that of a corpse. I knew that if this continued, he might faint, and I certainly did not want to exert myself to carry him out, so I urged him to hurry and leave

This does not mean that I encountered a ghost; I am very clear in my mind that it is the pressure I am under that is too great

Just as the two of us were busy, the front door was knocked on. For most households, a knock on the door usually indicates a friend has arrived, and one wouldn't be overly sensitive about it. However, upon hearing that sound, I felt a pang of anxiety in my heart

He deliberately spoke in a strained voice, "Gentlemen! Remember to bring the bell, and be careful on the way!"

When Panzi and I returned home, we did not speak a word along the way, and after arriving home, we each went to our own rooms. In fact, it would not be long before dawn, and I really wanted to fall asleep immediately, but I could not sleep soundly at all, as if someone were standing beside me. Every time I was about to fall asleep, he would deliberately disrupt me and wake me up.

Not long after I finished packing my belongings, I went to take a look at Panzi's room. Previously, his room had been filled with the sounds of clattering, and I guessed he was also tidying up.

Connecting the gruesome female corpse seen in the early morning with that strange bell, I suddenly felt a headache coming on, and even experienced a sense of fear. I wondered what was really going on with this mission and what kind of secrets were being hidden.

The delivery person is quite old, probably in his fifties. He doesn't care how wide the door is open; as soon as he sees someone, he hands over the package and urges me to sign.

At this point, I was already somewhat prepared in my heart, thinking that since the bell was so strange, the content on this disc might not be simple either

Panzi, holding a hammer, leaned against the wall next to the door and gestured to me. I cautiously stood in front of the door and looked outside through the peephole

The person outside is very close to the peephole, and I cannot see his features clearly; I only see that he is wearing a hat with the words "Zhongtong" written on it

I understand that this is a way for Li Feng to provide us with identities, facilitating the gathering of clues

I have always been accustomed to staying in the city, and suddenly going to the mountains will surely be uncomfortable for me. I intend to bring along as many portable daily necessities as possible, as a way to make my experience a bit more bearable.

I glanced at Panzi, who nodded slightly and gripped the hammer, moving closer to the door. In fact, even now we cannot be certain whether this delivery is genuine; I truly fear that at the moment I open the door, he might pull out a gun or a sharp dagger from the package.

I looked at the parcel, which had nothing written on it except for the recipient's address. At that moment, Panzi coughed softly beside me and shook his head.

I casually picked up a screwdriver, while Panzi grabbed a hammer. Do not underestimate the screwdriver; if this thing were to be thrust into someone's abdomen, it would surely create a gaping hole.

I found that this delivery person also has some "skills"; he actually sensed that someone was inside the door, then knocked hard on the door and shouted loudly that there was a package.

As informants, we must not be too curious; the more we know, the quicker we meet our demise. I have no interest in probing further, so I simply forced a smile and responded.

This person stands in a dimly lit area, making it impossible to see their face. They are also wearing an oversized garment, further obscuring their physical characteristics

Panzi took a look and, realizing it was not a bomb, felt relieved. He couldn't help but laugh and said to me, "Whose wedding rings and wedding DVDs are these?"

The next day after getting up, I did not rush to go out; instead, I wandered around my room, packing my luggage. This time, I was heading to a remote mountainous area. In my impression, despite the many years of reform and opening up, remote mountainous areas still suffer greatly, with harsh conditions, and it is quite normal for them to lack water and electricity.

What is contained here is not a ring, but a pair of peculiar bells. These bells are about the size of a thumb, round and hollow, with some strange patterns carved on the outside

I understand him, but from a practical standpoint, it is impossible for us to carry so many "burdens." I also do not hold back; I walk over, open the travel bag, and take out those items that I deem unnecessary.

I ultimately signed my name, sent off the courier, and brought the package inside to weigh it. I found that the package was very light, and I truly had no idea what was inside. I had a suspicion; could it be that this package was just a coincidence, and someone had accidentally filled in the wrong address?

I understand what Panzi means; he is afraid that there is a bomb in this package. However, I think that neither of us nor the library is of any significant importance. If someone truly wanted to harm us, it wouldn't be worth the high cost of using a bomb.

Neither of us has many friends. After completing each task, we always change locations, fearing that enemies might come looking for us. The sudden knock on the door immediately brings to mind the notion of danger

Both Panzi and I have become particularly sensitive, quietly stepping out of the bedroom. Opposite the door, there is a small cabinet containing tools such as screwdrivers and pliers

At this moment, Officer Li's expression was quite conflicted, his brows furrowed together. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Take care on the road!"

I became increasingly confused, but I did not delve deeper and redirected my energy towards the DVD disc

During this time, Panzi also opened another gift box. Similarly, it contained a pair of bells. Panzi took out the bells and played with them for a while, arriving at a conclusion: "This item should be worn on the ears; look here, there are also ear pins."

I was not frightened by the strange shape of this bell; rather, I was continually amazed by its quality and material. Its white lacquered color, along with a texture that resembles jade yet is not quite jade, and the waves of a fishy and acrid smell emanating from it, led me to believe that it must be made from the bones of some animal. However, I could not discern exactly which animal it was.

I was not in a hurry to respond to him and casually picked up a gift box to open it

During this period, I also took out the envelope and the train ticket to have a look. The envelope contained five thousand yuan, which is the so-called funding for this task from www.hetushu.com. To be honest, this amount is not much and feels quite tight to use. However, there is no other way; the higher-ups have always been so stingy when it comes to dealing with informants.

I pondered to myself, could it be that this is a delivery? However, we haven't purchased anything online recently, so where could this package have come from

The disc had been playing for half a minute, yet the television screen remained unresponsive. I waited patiently for a while longer, just as I was about to lose my patience, a sudden piercing screech erupted from the television, reminiscent of someone sawing through a metal plate with a saw.

Both Panzi and I frowned, and Panzi, feeling even more uncomfortable, covered his ears and began to curse. Before he could finish his curse, a person suddenly appeared on the television.

Inside, there are two small black gift boxes that, at first glance, resemble ring boxes, along with a DVD disc

Li Feng did not intend to keep us, as he bent down to pick up the white cloth on the ground, hoping to cover the three female corpses again during this time. However, just as we were about to step out, he called out again, as if he had something to say. I thought he had forgotten something, so I quickly turned my head to look at him

There happens to be an old DVD player in the living room, left by the landlord, which is now coming in handy. I called Panzi to squat beside the television, and I pushed the disc into the player

It is generally considered unethical to pry into others' belongings, but at this moment, I set aside such concerns. With a screwdriver in hand, I made a quick incision along the seam and opened it.