Chapter 10

At that moment, a sudden blow struck the back of the head.

A person of medium build, wearing a wool coat, oversized shoes, a hat with a brim, a wool scarf, and a mask, must have encountered significant snowfall outside, as snowflakes were still falling from his body as he walked by

In hindsight, he also regretted it, feeling that he should have acted more prudently, such as calling the police first. However, at that moment, the long-held desire of over twenty years suddenly loomed before him, and the rush of blood to his head made him disregard everything else

Mukai, you need to be careful

At around 1:00 AM, she got out of bed, draped herself in a garment, and went downstairs. She checked all the doors and windows, and on several occasions, she even reached out to shake them.

Li Tan had a strong intuition that the person was in Xiaoshanghe. He settled in a hotel in the town and wandered around Xiaoshanghe every day. Dust storms often occurred here, making headscarves and masks essential attire. There were many men of medium build, and when that person arrived, he truly resembled a grain of sand mixed into a pile of sand, leaving people at a loss.

Which pair of eyes is watching him with ulterior motives?

In this world, only he and the perpetrator know that before the fire broke out, the dolls in the room were once connected by fishing lines

Li Tan's heart raced intensely. Over the years, although he is not a professional, he has read several books related to crime. What left a deep impression on him is that some psychologically disturbed criminals return to the crime scene on anniversaries to relive the scenes and feelings of that time

The only different one is the courtyard-style house in Dibaozhai, which was previously the residence of wealthy gentry. Those who can afford to live there now are certainly not ordinary people—Li Tan's curiosity was piqued, and he secretly took a look; in the courtyard was parked a black Hummer H2

Mukai took a bottle of foreign liquor and a tall glass from the bar, walked to a corner by the window in the bar, and sat down. Although there were no lights, it was not dark; a few steps away on the street, there was a neon sign that never went dark, and the water in the canal shimmered with a faint glow, while the water plants below formed clusters of deep black shadows

Later, Li Tan saw the car on the street once. At that time, he did not see the driver. The rear window was half open, revealing the face of a young woman. She slightly tilted her head, her eyes red, as if she was troubled by something sad.

The person paused for a moment at Li Yaqing's doorstep before walking in slowly

Footsteps passed by, and Li Tan mumbled, forcing his eyes open a little

He stood on tiptoe, peering through the small window from above with a heart pounding wildly. Indeed, they were simmering soup inside, using the old earthen stove from before. The soup was already boiling, and the steam caused the wooden lid to rise and fall rhythmically. The fire in the stove was blazing, casting eerie shadows on the wall

But doesn't everyone have their own sorrows? Just like myself, with white hair already grown, my career has not continued, and I am still alone to this day. Now I am traveling thousands of miles, for what purpose?

After being dismissed from his job, Li Tan opened a small supermarket, but his mind was never on the business; it was merely a means to make ends meet

When I woke up, it was in the sandy slope outside of Xiaoshanghe, the night still dark, and in the distance, a corner of Xiaoshanghe was ablaze with firelight

However, with a one in ten thousand chance of hope, he still went to Beijing, nervously stepping into an office decorated in dark tones, understatedly luxurious, with bookshelves filled with finely bound foreign language editions.

Of course, he also has his own selfish motives: if he were to report to the police, and if that person were caught, would it not be too lenient for that individual to only face legal consequences

He wrestled and rolled with the man in the line, knocking over the corpse, tumbling in the pool of blood, toppling the pot, smashing the dishes, as the fire spread from the stove. He finally pinned the bastard to the ground, one hand gripping his neck while the other reached to pull off his mask

Countless times, he struck his own head with great force, thinking how wonderful it would be if he could remember the face of that accomplice

The age seems to be about what was expected

After several days, the person has not been found, but I have gained a clear understanding of the distribution of residences in Xiaoshanghe.

Li Tan visited Li Yaqing's home. The other households were all empty, but her home still had furniture and other belongings. This was likely because the entire family had suddenly left, and no one was left to attend to these material possessions

Mushidai slowly poured herself a drink. She had no particular preferences when it came to alcohol, unlike Wan San, who treated it with great care, mixing it with ice and considering the optimal duration for chilling, following a whole set of rituals.

The houses here are mostly flat-roofed structures made of rammed earth. The use of rammed earth is due to the local scarcity of stone materials, necessitating the use of locally sourced soil. Additionally, the heavy earthen walls are advantageous for resisting strong winds and sandstorms. As for the flat roofs, the region experiences little rainfall throughout the year, making sloped roofs unnecessary.

It's all good, everything is very secure

Therefore, it was burned to death

However, once a glass of wine is consumed

If he is indeed a suspect, he must be very wary of those who are still investigating this matter. Cen Chunjiao is speaking falsehoods, but there is a part of it that is very real. Could Cen Chunjiao be a bait, intended to lure us fish?

In the blink of an eye, twenty years have passed, and the old building is now uninhabited. The gray, dusty cement walls contrast with the gray sky, which is filled with drifting snowflakes, creating an infinitely desolate scene.

A person stands rigidly, arms raised high as if to strike something, yet swaying unsteadily. A line connected to the arm is being pulled and positioned by another person. The shadow of the line is cast on the wall, trembling gently, resembling the string of a bow.

During the journey, there were several transfers, and fortunately, I managed to catch each connection. However, I ultimately lost track completely in Yinchuan, at the Xiaoshanghe station

No, it seems there is still... a lingering smell of blood

Fishing line

The fire destroyed everything, he has no evidence, and he is very likely to be regarded as the sole suspect.

Li Tan specifically withdrew some money, brought along simple luggage, and wandered around the bus station for three days, finally waiting for him again

In the quiet night that rendered one dazed, Mu Dai raised his wine glass and drank it all in one go

By some strange twist of fate, Li Tan avoided into the neighboring room and opened the door slightly to look outside.

The Tengger Desert is situated between the Helan Mountains and the Yabulai Mountains, with an elevation of approximately 1,200 to 1,400 meters. Unlike the typical image of arid deserts, the Tengger Desert is home to hundreds of pristine lakes that have existed for millions of years. The vast and desolate desert contrasts with the gentle and graceful lakes, which coexist and depend on each other, creating a rare landscape. Inhabitants naturally settle along the lakes, living in close proximity to the water.

The person sitting behind the desk, who is said to hold the GPST-IH International Hypnotherapist Certification, politely gestured to him and said, "Please take a seat"

This point served as a reminder to Li Tan that outsiders will eventually leave. Luoma Lake is not large, and there is only one passenger station. Since they have lost track, they might as well wait at the passenger station for a chance encounter.

He hesitated for a long time at the entrance of the police station, which was only half the size of a small convenience store in Xiaoshanghe, and eventually left quietly

The bloodstains on the ground have long since faded, while the holes in the wall, made by nails, appear ominous, resembling a multitude of peering eyes.

Li Tanping held his breath, stealthily following that person down the stairs, clearly seeing the gray hair that peeked out from under the person's hat

That day, he closed the door early and went to the old building where Li Yaqing had once lived. Halfway there, it started to snow in the sky

The weather was dry, and the fire took advantage of the wind, nearly burning down half the alley. When the fire was extinguished, the entire family was scorched like dry firewood.

Li Tan collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, as the face of a man before him grew increasingly blurred

What she originally thought was: If you want to come, then come; draw your knife, show your moves, and let’s see who is tougher than whom

He stumbled to his feet and rushed in the direction the person had left. This place is unlike the city; as soon as night falls, it becomes pitch dark. Li Tan wandered aimlessly, looking around left and right on the street, and then slowly made his way into a low alley.

However, if we trace back to the origins, we must start from the incident at Luoma Lake more than two years ago

He got into the car with that person, trying several times to catch a glimpse of that person's face from the side, but the brim of the hat was pulled low, and the mask was never removed from beginning to end

From this angle, he saw a pair of large-headed leather shoes, a hand wearing a black leather glove, and a bundle of fishing line held in the hand

That night, Mudi was unable to sleep

Is she a fool for thinking that 13,000 is a small amount? Can this wine really be genuine

Hypnosis? It sounds like a gimmick often played with in foreign countries or in movies and television shows. In daily life, this sort of thing is not taken seriously. In the entire Luoma Lake area, there probably isn't even a single psychologist, let alone a hypnotist.

Xiaoshanghe is such a place, not large in scale, with a relatively simple way of life, yet it is not lacking in liveliness

Li Tan felt a sense of tightness in his chest while staying indoors. He went to the hallway to smoke a cigarette. Just as he was about to light it after putting it in his mouth, he suddenly heard hollow footsteps coming from the stairs

Only one household had its lights on, and the aroma of mutton soup, even with its gamey scent, wafted out from the crack of the door. As he passed by, Li Tan sniffed once, then sniffed again.

Although one cannot dismiss it entirely, it is at least quite significant to appear here on this day

Li Tan remembered very clearly that day marked the twentieth anniversary of the Luoma Lake case. It was a cloudy day, with gray clouds gathering at the horizon. The elderly all said that it was likely to snow.

After receiving the message from Li Tan, she immediately called him. Li Tan said that the incident occurred near the small Shanghe River in Yinchuan

Later, he heard that the family was selling spicy lamb, and in the middle of the night, while cooking lamb soup, a fire accidentally flared up from the stove.

When Li Tan received the call from Mu Zhi, he was sitting on the steps of the Fountain Square, gazing at the pen-drawn portrait. Surrounding him were various passersby, each with a face, and on every face, there were a pair of eyes.

The effects of alcohol surged, and Li Tan wearily closed his eyes. After a while, he suddenly opened them wide; the several bottles of cold liquor he had consumed turned into cold sweat pouring out.

Li Tan felt heavy-headed and light-footed; after taking a few steps, he slid down and sat against the trash can by the street.

When mentioning Xiaoshanghe, one cannot overlook China's fourth largest desert, the Tengger Desert

Li Tan said: "I woke up on the sandy slope outside of Xiaoshanghe, it must have been that person who threw me there. I have a wallet on me, and there is an ID card in the wallet. He must have known all about me long ago."

Li Tan shouted loudly, kicked open the door, and rushed in

Wan Fenghuo suggested to him that he could try hypnosis

That night, Li Tan was drinking heavily at a small restaurant by the street, shouting that he wanted to draw with a fountain pen. Suddenly, he began to cry, holding his face and sobbing. As it approached midnight, the owner of the restaurant, half-pushing and half-shoving, forced him out.

However, that person was more alert than he had anticipated. After walking through a few alleys, Li Tan lost track of him. He inquired with the residents in the alleys, and an elderly man who made barrels recalled that the person had been asking about the case of the Li Yaqing family all along, and his accent indicated that he was not a local.