Chapter 009: Locking

Li Damin chuckled lightly, "I have said it before, I am an adult and can take responsibility for my own actions. I do not need you to do what is good for me." He paused and continued, "I will not do anything behind your back, and I hope you will not do anything behind mine either. It is best that we discuss how to resolve this matter together."

Outside, there are two individuals standing; one of them is Li Damin, and behind him stands a peculiar-looking middle-aged man

My parents work in the exploration team at the North China Geological Research Institute, enduring hardships outside for many years. I often see them only a few times a year. Despite this, our family of three remains harmonious and joyful.

I am feeling distressed and realize that being negative is not a solution to the problem. I cannot just let Wang Yue lie in the coffin like that. Over time, by summer, the body will start to smell, and when the police arrive, I will definitely be a prime suspect. All the evidence, including text messages and other things, points to me

At this moment, I was already able to open my eyes, my whole body ached, and it seemed as if all my strength had been drained away, leaving me feeling lethargic. With great effort, I got out of bed, but my legs were surprisingly weak, causing my body to sway. I shook my head to clear my mind; the room was empty and desolate, with hardly anyone around. I must have been dreaming just now

I don't know what is wrong, perhaps it is due to not having slept well, I feel uncomfortable all over, similar to the feeling after recovering from a serious illness.

"I rushed back from afar, taking a late-night flight, and this is your attitude?" Li Damin was truly furious

I find it somewhat amusing: "Li Damin, let me reiterate, I did not ask you to do anything; it was your own decision to rush back for the flight. I had already told you earlier not to get involved in this matter; have I not said this before?"

My parents are very open-minded individuals, and my childhood was filled with carefree moments. They did not concern themselves with my exam scores, providing me with ample space to grow. Moreover, every time they returned home, they would bring back interesting items, which helped to expand the boundaries of my world from an early age

It may seem a bit convoluted, but it is actually quite possible

Is this ultimately a fallacy or should it be believed

In my view, I am somewhat skeptical, with a greater percentage of doubt and disbelief. I do not know what to do next, and I do not believe that my very soul has been taken by Wang Yue to the so-called underworld

That night, I walked home slowly, reflecting on the entire process along the way, savoring it repeatedly. After much contemplation, I arrived at a core issue, which is also the fundamental point of all the events.

If I really have to go find some Uncle Zhong, I feel it's troublesome. All this talk about the underworld, about Meng Po, is just nonsense. I simply do not believe in such matters

My ears buzzed from being called, and I felt a bit angry: "What does it matter to you whether I go or not? Li Damin, on what basis do you demand that I do anything?"

I stood by the bed, looking at my mother, and for a moment, I could not control my tears as they fell like rain

After that person finished, he suddenly yanked, and it seemed as if he had pulled something off me. The thing that was pulled away was truly indescribable in its state, suspended in mid-air, following that person as he walked out of the room. I felt very uncomfortable inside, instinctively sensing that my most important possession seemed to have been taken away. I wanted to retrieve it, but my body was unable to move, not even a little finger could I stir.

"Damin, I am doing this for your own good," I advised him

Only when that person completely disappeared did my body begin to feel gradually relaxed. At that moment, the front door outside was suddenly banged on, "bang bang bang," someone was knocking on the door

The matter was handled quite smoothly, and they all stayed in Fujian to have fun, while I was the only one who hurried back. He spoke quickly: "Did you find Uncle Zhong?"

To my surprise, Li Damin reacted strongly, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Lin Cong, you must not tell me that you didn't go to find Uncle Zhong at all!"

I neither opposed nor nodded, watching him drive away. I declined his offer to give me a ride, as I wanted to be alone for a while.

I did not expect Li Damin to get involved in this matter as well

A man's voice came from inside: "Lin Cong, I am back"

At that moment, I vaguely felt that the person suddenly threw the chain in their hand over, and it was tightening around my neck. I was taken aback, as if I could feel the coldness of the iron chain. Could it be a dream? Dreams aren't usually this vivid.

I was at a loss for words; in fact, I have been avoiding this matter and did not wish to participate. To speak candidly, if it were not for Li Damin's presence, I would certainly have quietly pretended that this issue did not exist.

There are instances of apparent death, where individuals who have returned to life describe various miraculous experiences. However, this situation is also subject to doubt. After all, being in a state of apparent death is not true death; the underworld they claim to have seen may not be the actual underworld, but merely an illusion of the underworld as they perceive it.

What should we do next? We really need to come up with a good strategy

With a "click," Li Damin said nothing and hung up the phone. This fellow really has a stubborn temperament

After work in the evening, I went to the hospital to visit my mother. She is in a special care ward at the central hospital. Upon entering the ward, I found her quietly lying on the hospital bed, showing no signs of waking up. She was sleeping very peacefully, and the small beauty mark at the lower right corner of her mouth gently moved with her breathing

After a long and arduous period, I finally reached a conclusion. I was truly exhausted, both physically and mentally, and it was just in time for the weekend, so I planned to rest well. The next morning, while I was sleeping soundly, the phone suddenly rang. I groggily fumbled for the phone and said, "Hello".

The next day, I went to work as usual, and my mental state improved somewhat. The company secured a large order, and all departments needed to coordinate their operations. I am considered a key player in my department, and I was extremely busy, working overtime for three consecutive days.

I was in a daze, unable to control myself, and fell asleep again. This sleep was very painful; I wanted to wake up but couldn't, and when I slept, I couldn't find peace. I felt dizzy and my neck hurt. Just when I was in a state of confusion, I suddenly sensed that there was an extra person in the room. This person was strange, moving around the room, seemingly dragging something behind them, which was making a heavy sound as it scraped along the floor, producing a "clattering" noise.

On that day, after receiving the call, when I arrived, the leader of the exploration team said to me, "Xiao Cong, you need to be mentally prepared; your parents have had an accident"

Li Damin and I came out from Wang Yue's house, and Li Damin was sullen, with no further communication between us. After leaving the community, he said: "This matter will not just end like this"

Our family will be together

I sat up immediately; it was Li Damin. "Aren't you supposed to be gone for a week?" I asked

I clearly remember that day when I received a call from my parents' workplace, asking me to come over

This person has an extremely aged appearance, with a face full of wrinkles. He is tall and thin, dressed in a thin black silk robe, as if he has traversed from the Republic of China era. His hair is very long, he wears slippers, and around his neck hangs a string of deep black beads. He also holds a string in his hand, looking like a person of great wisdom and enlightenment

In Wang Yue's room, I was momentarily bewildered by the atmosphere and did not think deeply at the time. Now, walking in the night breeze, my mind is much clearer, and I can't help but ponder what felt off.

I only left the hospital very late, and each time I come, my mood is extremely heavy. Looking at the dimly lit night, it has been two years, over seven hundred days and nights, and I let out a deep sigh

The door continued to be knocked upon, and I was in great pain. Gritting my teeth, I made my way to the entrance and opened the door. As soon as the door opened, I was taken aback.

After returning home, I hardly slept all night. The next day at work, I was in a daze, barely accomplishing anything. I spent the entire day searching online for topics related to the underworld, but it was all chaotic and lacked structure. However, it is true that one can only go to that ghostly place after death, and the dead cannot speak, so they obviously cannot inform the living about what the situation is like there.

I helped my mother clean her body and then talked with the doctor for a long time. He told me that my mother's current condition is very stable and her physiological state is also good, but she is unable to wake up. I did not ask him how long this state of being in a coma would last; for someone with faith in their heart, no duration is too long.

I feel unwell all over, and I do not know why my heart is beating so violently; I can feel it thumping as if it is about to leap out of my throat. I want to open my eyes, but my eyelids seem to be glued shut, and I cannot open them at all

In these past two years, I have felt as if each day lasted a year. Every time I think about it, I feel that all of this is a lie, not real. My mother's medical expenses are astronomical for an ordinary family; fortunately, her workplace reimbursed a significant portion of the costs, which has helped us get by. I sit by the bedside, holding my mother's hand tightly, unable to stop my sobbing. In my heart, I have always held onto a belief, a firm belief, that my mother will wake up, that she will be healthy, and that she will tell me what really happened during that mission, and I will also be able to find my missing father.

I vaguely sensed that this person was present, yet I could not open my eyes to take a closer look. This person was pacing around the room, making one circle, two circles, three circles, and when he reached the fourth circle, he arrived at the head of my bed, seemingly staring directly at me

I rubbed my temples and said, "Do you believe in this nonsense superstition about the underworld?"

That is: Can we really believe in what Wang Yue said about the underworld saving one's father, as well as the words related to Meng Po? Regarding the existence of the underworld, various ethnic histories have descriptions. China's system of eighteen layers of hell, Japan's depictions of hell, and the most famous Western work, the "Divine Comedy," all discuss that place

It seems that what is being dragged is a chain

During an exploration mission, my father went missing, and my mother became a vegetative state... Two years have passed in the blink of an eye