Chapter Two, Thirteen People
Ah? The student girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes
As the distance to the small village decreased, the scene before me became increasingly clear. In the thick, dark night fog, a cluster of dilapidated houses made of mud and grass walls gradually came into view
Is it true or not... Wei Dong was in a daze, "How could a person possibly enter a painting... I don't believe it..."
At the outskirts of the village, seven or eight people are standing
Ke Xun squinted his eyes and looked, his voice filled with more joy: "It is a person"
What on earth is going on here
He is a man in his thirties, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, constantly keeping his head down, with the light from the phone screen illuminating his face, giving him a very numb and eerie appearance
This person noticed Ke Xun's gaze, briefly glanced over, and then turned away without any ripple of emotion, looking towards the distant scenery that was blurred.
Student Mei nodded and said: "As soon as I entered that dark exhibition hall, the power went out, then a light turned on, and then I... inexplicably ended up here..." Saying this, she began to cry again
Two people grew up wearing the same pair of open-crotch pants, sharing an extraordinary understanding; with just a glance, they could comprehend each other's thoughts.
Of the three who came later, two refused to follow and stayed behind, shouting loudly. However, the pancake vendor quickly caught up, grabbed one of the leading group, and, glaring, shouted: "Don't go! You need to clarify this matter! What on earth is going on?"
Fear arises from the uncertainty of whether that group of people is truly human or merely "human"
Someone! Wei Dong called out, his voice filled with surprise, fear, and joy
Student Mei nodded and said, "I only went in to avoid the rain. Had I known it would turn out like this, I would have just gotten wet and gone back!"
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This is even more bizarre – although the clothes have changed, the items that were previously on my person remain, including my phone, a house key, and half a pack of chewing gum
"Nine, ten." The little braid counted and glanced back at the others, "We still need three more, we have to wait."
Putting the phone away, Ke Xun glanced around, and his gaze involuntarily fell upon the tallest person among them
Student Mei's face turned pale: "I don't know... I just arrived... They didn't tell me... What should I do... I'm scared... I'm scared..." As she spoke, she began to sob.
Ke Xun's eyesight has always been excellent, yet the distant small village still appears as a blur, with only a general outline visible, resembling a low-resolution photograph or an ancient painting
Two individuals cautiously made their way towards the small village
Ke Xun gave Wei Dong a glance
Even if he wears coarse linen garments, while others appear to be in mourning attire, he carries himself like a carefree cloud or a wild crane, embodying the elegance of the Wei and Jin dynasties
What kind of people are these
"Did you enter an art museum? Did you go into an exhibition hall? Is there a painting glowing in the exhibition hall? Right after that, did you come to this place?" The little girl with braids asked impatiently in a rapid succession of questions.
Where are you going? Where is this? The pancake vendor grabbed his arm firmly
The two individuals tried to tread lightly, as every sound seemed particularly loud in the stillness of the night. In the surrounding dark and indistinct areas, it felt as though something suppressed, whether a presence or a sound, was on the verge of emerging.
It seems as if one has long been accustomed to it, or has understood the reasons behind it.
It is simply the usual trope of a melodramatic film—when one needs to call the police or contact someone, the phone always has no signal; when one needs to drive away, the car never starts; and when one needs to open a door to seek refuge, one can never find the right key in the first instance
I do not believe it! The last three people shouted, "How is this possible! Where is this? Who are you? What do you all want to do?"
Isn't that the exhibition hall for the Spring Palace Secret Play Pictures? " Wei Dong asked again
Ke Xun counted and found that there were a total of 13 people
Ke Xun scrutinized these individuals
Everyone has arrived. The previously greasy little braid ignored the inquiries from the three newcomers and turned to look at the others, saying, "You may enter now"
Ke Xun used fingerprint unlock and found that the phone screen finally lit up, however, the top displayed "No Signal"
Ke Xun also felt around his own body and found his mobile phone in his pants pocket
... ... rely.
Ke Xun and Wei Dong, who were eavesdropping nearby, exchanged glances with each other
After waiting for more than forty minutes, in the depths of the desolate countryside with withered grass, three more people arrived one after another. One of them looked somewhat familiar to Ke Xun. After thinking for a moment, he recalled that this person was the owner of the pancake stall across from the art museum
Is it the Starry Sky Art Museum? Wei Dong pressed for an answer
The words "terrifying" seemed to be too daunting to utter, and she began to cry again
Smartphone users truly are the most carefree beings in the world, checking their phones while driving, looking at their phones while attending to their children, gazing at their phones while crossing the street, and even after being struck by a vehicle, the first thing they do upon landing is to check their phones
Everyone, without exception, was dressed in peculiar garments made of burlap
"Hey, what on earth is going on? Does anyone know?" Wei Dong eagerly asked one of the young men who had been watching the two of them.
Weidong saw that the girl was crying and quickly patted her shoulder, saying, "Hey, hey, don't cry. There are so many people here, it's okay, it's okay. In a little while, we will all find our way back together, so don't be afraid, don't be afraid."
In such a bizarre environment, one still looks at their phone
The girl with the braid glanced at Wei Dong, then at Ke Xun, her face showing little expression: "Just wait, three more people need to come, and then we can talk."
He witnessed a person inside fiddling with a mobile phone
I just came in to take a look at a painting, how did it end up like this... The student girl wiped her tears and sobbed, "My mom told me to come back early, if it weren't for the rain, I wouldn't have come in to seek shelter, how did I end up encountering such..."
The first observation is of the person who was just seen playing with their phone
This person is in their twenties, wearing a loose-fitting garment made of yellow and white linen. Their hair is similar to that of Ke Xunwei Dong, still maintaining its original state, with the sides shaved short and a particularly greasy little braid tied at the back of the head
With this thought, I took a few steps to catch up with the person from earlier, walking alongside him. I turned my face slightly towards him, my voice gentle and my expression agreeable: "Buddy, you see, this is the first time we have encountered such a situation, so it's natural for us to ask a few more questions. Could you please explain to us in detail what exactly is going on and how we can leave this place?"
Weidong looked at Ke Xun and said, "What should we do? Should we follow them or..."
Ke Xun was actually feeling quite anxious inside
These individuals exhibit strange behavior, and following their words, it is uncertain whether it is a blessing or a curse
Weidong turned to look at Ke Xun and said, "So everyone has come this way."
"Buddy, could you explain it?" Wei Dong pressed for an answer
"What painting?" The pancake vendor was completely baffled.
"What do you call this..." Wei Dong stammered as he walked alongside, using conversation to alleviate the fear in his heart, constantly glancing to the sides. "Is this really not a dream? Has the Earth been invaded by aliens, do you think? Damn it, I don't want to die yet! The family legacy of athlete's foot from the Wei family cannot end with my generation..."
Weidong could hardly contain himself, glancing around before sidling up to the student girl who was about sixteen or seventeen years old, and quietly asked her, "Miss, do you know what is going on here?"
This person cast a faint glance at him, then shifted his gaze back to the front, his voice still filled with a chilling detachment: "If you want to leave, there is only one way: survive and find the signature"
The pancake vendor wanted to continue questioning him, but he pinched his wrist, causing the vendor to wince in pain and reluctantly release his hand
From what this person just said, it seems that this group is quite familiar with this strange and bizarre situation, and they also know the way to return to the original world. Ke Xun feels that in order for himself and Wei Dong to leave this place, they must find a way to establish a good relationship with these people
The student continued to nod.
The person stopped in their tracks and glanced at him with a faint expression: "This is indeed in the painting. As for why a person would be in the painting, I am not sure about that either. However, if you wish to return to the original world, it is best to follow us."
His voice is just like him, extremely cold.
The little braid glanced at him, her face still showing little expression, yet her voice sounded somewhat eerie: "In the painting."
Fair skin, elegant brows and eyes, a stern expression, a calm demeanor; no matter how many people are around, he can be noticed at first glance.
Weidong is clearly in a state of panic, and the two of them cannot both lose their composure; at least one must remain calm—at least on the surface, they must appear calm
Weidong glanced at Ke Xun, who gave him a look: wait and observe the changes.
Two individuals quickened their pace and ran towards those people
I just went into the art museum to find a restroom to relieve myself, how did I end up here?! The pancake stall owner looked at everyone with a face full of confusion and suspicion
Uh, no, it's that dark exhibition hall, there are no windows, and all the paintings look like they've been smeared with feces, making them impossible to see clearly
But you must also admit that wherever there are mobile phone users, everything tends to seem very ...? ... indifferent?
Weidong closed his mouth and stood silently beside Ke Xun, deliberately or inadvertently maintaining a certain distance from these people
Ke Xun looked around and gritted his teeth: "Let's follow them."
Taking advantage of the inexplicable wait, Ke Xun observed in secret
No one paid attention, and those who were ahead simply continued walking towards the village
"It is... it is, yes, what happened? That painting is quite strange..." The pancake vendor vaguely sensed something.
The one he is holding onto is that young man who stands out from the crowd like a crane among chickens
Why does it have to be a horror movie? Can't it be a little adult film? Wei Dong dared not speak any louder and lowered his voice.
There are both men and women, both old and young, including middle-aged men with beer bellies and a wealth of experience, as well as anxious and inexperienced students around sixteen or seventeen years old.
This group did not pay attention to whether the subsequent few individuals kept up, as if they had previously waited for more than 40 minutes just to gather enough people
"Close your mouth for a moment," Ke Xun lowered his voice, "The more unclear the situation becomes, the calmer you need to be; otherwise, you might as well have wasted your time watching a horror movie"
If everyone arrived at this bizarre place in the same manner, they would likely be as flustered and bewildered as Wei Dong and himself. Even if they could suppress their panic, they would still, like Wei Dong, be asking questions in all directions, seeking a reasonable explanation. However, it should not be like the present situation, where most people are remarkably calm and composed, as if...
"Are you going to see the paintings?" Wei Dong asked eagerly.
This person truly stands out from the crowd, not only in terms of height but also in appearance
Ke Xun raised his eyes and looked at the people in front of him; these individuals were rather peculiar
It is as if only the style and texture of the clothing have changed, while everything else remains the same
The current situation has come too suddenly and bizarrely, leaving anyone in this position bewildered
You are now in that painting! The girl with the little braid shook it off and took big strides to follow the others who had already started to set off, walking towards the village