Chapter 008: The Bobcat Calls
Subsequently, it began to circulate among the elders that Mizongheng had four ghostly marks on the back of his neck, which were left by a cat ghost
You haven't said anything yet, how do you know I won't believe you
I encountered a person on the mountain
You wouldn't believe it even if I told you
Old Mi held a blanket in his hand, hung it on the clothesline outside the balcony, and then turned around and went downstairs again
"It's fine, he is deaf and can't hear what we are saying, so let's continue"
I returned to No. 29 Courtyard after buying a few buns in the old alley, feeling restless.
Old Zhao is truly well-suited to be a detective. He pays attention to details that we usually overlook. How should I put it? He is someone who is adept at discovering clues, enjoys thinking outside the box, and maintains a skeptical attitude towards everything. He never takes appearances at face value and is a person who sticks to his principles and is quite serious.
Ah, just came down
Well, it is somewhat strange. Can you guess what I saw this morning
The old man smiled at me as he noticed my curious gaze... That smile is something I will never forget for the rest of my life
Two elderly women stood behind Mi Zongheng watching him play cards, and inadvertently noticed the four claw marks on the back of his neck changing from red to purple, then from purple to black
After the incident, everyone said that the sounds that night were truly terrifying, and no one dared to go outside to see what was happening. Some people were even afraid to turn on the lights, as the sounds were simply heart-wrenching and distressing
What the old ladies refer to as ghost marks
It can be calculated that the fire must have come suddenly and left just as quickly. However, it is difficult for everyone to understand: after the fire on the first floor, several unconnected rooms turned into a charred ruin, yet why did such a large fire not spread to the upper floors? The cardboard boxes and drying clothes piled on the second-floor balcony were completely unharmed! This is considered quite incredible by the police and is incomprehensible to anyone.
What does it mean? Do you, Brother Guo, also think that is not a cat's meow? Do you think that is a person calling out?
I have never heard such strange and terrifying sounds emanating from a person's throat... Horror, misery, and soul-stirring, it sends chills down one's spine and instills a sense of dread.
Tell me about what you saw on the mountain, what do you consider unusual things
Indeed. But I cannot be certain whether that is a ghostly mark. Four dark claw prints embedded in the flesh, as if they had grown from within
I have lived in the Mi Family Courtyard for nearly a year. How could it be possible for Mi Zongheng, whose mouth was already devoid of teeth, to grow a sharp tooth again?
Perhaps what I encountered was truly a ghost
Perhaps it is for this reason that the lives of all the residents upstairs were saved; it may also be for this reason that the fire claimed the lives of the homeowner and their family of six
Did you hear that? Are you sure that was a cat meowing?
Encountering a person is not remarkable; encountering a ghost is what is truly extraordinary
As a result, people began to discuss and speculate that the tragedy might have been orchestrated by the eccentric Mi Zongheng.
What was that cry about, and where were you at the time? Were you with Old Man Mi?
On the second day, after dawn, when Lao Zhao from next door and I mustered the courage to go downstairs, all we saw was a scene of unbearable devastation, accompanied by a pungent stench. The charred corpses were twisted and deformed, making it nearly impossible to recognize them as human remains
It is somewhat interesting, and I must admit I find it hard to believe
Have you heard any unusual noises, such as a cat meowing or something similar
Did you just go up the mountain
Moreover, I believe that the sound of the cat's meow has an inexplicable connection with Mi Zongheng. At least, that is my opinion. Because at that time, there was indeed only Mi Zongheng who went up the mountain. His behavior that day was truly strange and unusual, which inevitably raises suspicions.
Just as I reached the first turn, I heard a series of cat calls behind me... This is what I thought. Some people said that what they heard was not a cat's meow, but rather a human voice imitating a cat's call. However, even though it was a human voice, it sounded very much like a cat, very real, and quite loud
Old Zhao is just Old Zhao; in my lifetime, apart from myself, I only admire him.
Mizong Heng grinned, saliva beginning to trickle down from the corner of his mouth; the sharp fang on the left side resembled that of a wild animal, something I had never seen grow in a human mouth; even more strangely, Mizong Heng had several horizontal whiskers growing out...
Oh, what happened
I looked around; it was still early, and there were very few people coming up the mountain. Near the Nine Dragons Wall at the summit, it was just me and Mi Zongheng. I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.
I was startled by the old man's eerie smile. At that moment, there was no one else on the mountain, so I ran down the main path. Just as I reached the first bend, I heard a strange cry behind me. I didn't catch the first sound clearly, but I recognized the subsequent ones as cat calls. Even the people down the mountain heard it; this was truly bizarre
I nodded with a smile at Chong Mizongheng, then took two steps at a time to leave the Nine Dragon Wall and ran down the mountain along the main road
Those who were walking halfway up the mountain all heard the sound of a cat meowing, and some even felt that the goosebumps on their skin had been startled out.
Because everyone knows that Old Mi is a mute, unable to speak and unable to hear what others say, they have become accustomed to ignoring him. I walked straight past him and went directly upstairs
On the morning before my summer vacation to Shaanxi, I woke up early as usual to practice on the mountain. As I climbed to the top of Yuelu Mountain and reached the Nine-Dragon Wall, I was about to do push-ups when, through the hazy morning mist, I saw the nearly eighty-year-old Mi Zongheng jogging towards the Nine-Dragon Wall from a distance.
I was quite astonished: the old man Mi, who usually struggles to catch his breath after just a few steps, how could he possibly be jogging up the mountain today? Indeed, I saw clearly that it was Mi Zongheng; he was indeed running up the mountain!
Old Mi ran up the mountain at a brisk pace, do you believe it
What?
This is it. However, I noticed the four black marks on the back of his neck
It is worth noting that Lao Zhao and I have climbed Yuelu Mountain countless times, and we have never taken the main road. The first reason is that it takes a longer route, wasting time; the second reason is that the path is flat, lacking the joy of climbing. Each time, we would venture through the woods and ascend steep slopes. However, this time, I truly lack the courage; I wish I could sprout wings and fly down the mountain immediately.
Just as I reached the door of the room, Old Zhao waved at me from inside the window, looking very mysterious
At that time, I naturally did not believe those baseless claims. I would rather believe that the mark on the old man's neck was caused by some kind of allergy. However, I soon began to waver.
Mi Zongheng Yi rushed to the Nine Dragon Wall, quickly took off his vest, wrung it into a ball to wipe off his sweat, and then threw the vest down the slope with a vigorous motion. As Mi Zongheng Yi turned around, I finally saw the four ghostly marks that the old women had mentioned. The longest mark was over three inches, while the shortest and shallowest mark was also two inches. The four prominent black marks appeared as if they were growing out from within the flesh; on the surface, they seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, the black marks appeared to be embedded within the flesh. I finally saw the four ghostly marks that the old women had mentioned. The longest mark was over three inches, while the shortest and shallowest mark was also two inches. The four prominent black marks appeared as if they were growing out from within the flesh; on the surface, they seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, the black marks appeared to be embedded within the flesh.
Therefore, I say that if Old Zhao does not become a criminal police officer in this lifetime, it would be a life lived in vain
Two elderly women mentioned that they had once seen four scratch marks resembling cat claws on the back of Mi Zongheng's neck. Initially, while playing cards with them, Old Mi would often reach back to scratch his neck. They all thought he was just scratching an itch and did not pay much attention to it
No one can clearly say when the great fire started or when it was extinguished
I saw Old Mi on the mountain... A strong smell of dry tobacco wafted over, and when I turned around, Old Mi was standing right behind me. I felt as if I had been electrocuted, and I suddenly shivered.
I am a young man in my twenties, climbing mountains every day without interruption; despite this, when I run down from the mountain, my front and back are already soaked, and steam is still rising from my head... My heart is pounding fiercely—yet, Mi Zongheng remains calm, not even breathing heavily, sitting leisurely at the stairway, contentedly puffing on his smoke.
However, I still believe that it is just a cat's meow
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I was surprised to see Mi Zongheng sitting at the foot of the stairs, puffing on a pipe; the vest he was wearing was actually the one he had thrown off the cliff...