Five, dawn has arrived

She immediately turned the bag inside out and found several types of cookies. Su Shi selected a plain soda cracker from inside and ate two pieces. Just the fact that he ate two of her cookies made her feel incredibly happy and delighted. At this moment, Xue Chunchai and Jiang Tiantian had already packed up the tent and waved, saying, "Let's go"

Jiang Tianran smiled faintly and did not respond, "Why do you conclude that these people are all dead?" Xue Chunchai stretched lazily, "Because the police have not found any records of these individuals taking trains, cars, or planes, and to traverse the mountains and hills to the neighboring county would take at least half a month. Given the condition of the house, the owner does not seem to have planned for a fifteen-day wilderness survival. Moreover, three months is ample time for these two families to have gone and returned. We must trust our colleagues and trust science. Since there have been no sightings in Yuyuan County, and the situation in the house is so suspicious, it is reasonable to conclude that they must have already died."

This was her first time inspecting the scene, and she had not received any prior training. The scenes they were allowed to inspect had already been processed for evidence, so there was no fear of destruction. After peering around several rooms for a while, she suddenly noticed a dressing mirror on the wardrobe in the bedroom, while another mirror was also hanging on the wall.

The Wenchuan Lake has been abandoned for a long time. Jiang Tianran first climbed over the fence of a farmer's house. The farmer on the left had built a fence at the entrance of his home, where he originally raised quite a few ducks. However, the fence now has a hole drilled through it, and the ducks have all escaped through the hole to go to Wenchuan Lake. Clearly, the culprit responsible for the hole is a dog.

Su Shi said, "Cookies"

The incense ash and the image both appeared new. Huo Xing touched the dust on the table and inquired about the area near Xianhu where the trees were dense, noting that there was not much everyday dust there. However, a considerable thick layer had already settled on the table, indicating that the person had been gone for quite some time

Does that mean this family has a habit of secretly hiding tea leaves? What about the tea leaves? Have they all been consumed?" Huo Xing sniffed the paper box in Jiang Tianran's hand; the fragrance of the tea from the box was quite evident, and it was an unfamiliar yet subtle aroma that invigorated the spirit

The soil beside the Immortal Lake was particularly damp. Huo Xing, wearing sneakers, stepped into the wet and slippery mud, feeling utterly distressed. In contrast, Jiang Tianran, also in sneakers, walked as if on solid ground, managing to keep his shoes completely clean without a speck of mud. The other two individuals, however, coincidentally wore boots, which at least prevented the mud from getting into their shoes on such a slippery surface

A layer of soil in the yard has been excavated, and indeed, there are two corpses in the earth.

Su Shi sat on the rock all night, gazing at the Wenshan Lake, while Xue Chunchai and Jiang Tiannian were inside the tent playing cards and gambling. Only Huo Xing was asleep. She had undergone special training with Jiang Tiannian for most of the day and had also taken a train for an entire night, leaving her utterly exhausted. Jiang Tiannian covered her with a cashmere blanket; it was early spring and still quite chilly at night, making it very cold to sleep on the ground. For instance, Xue Chunchai couldn't sleep because it was too cold, while Huo Xing slept soundly through the night.

Jiang Tianran! She exclaimed, "Come and see what this is!"

The sun has risen, gradually shining down on the tent

Huo Xing stared at the corpse: it was the bodies of two dogs, one large dog and one small dog

Only that dog was not near the fence. Jiang Tiantian knocked on the door, but no one responded from inside. He opened the gate of the fence, and Xue Chunchai walked in gracefully, knocking on the window, "Is anyone home?"

"Follow me." Xue Chunchai beckoned with his finger, and the two of them obediently followed him to the next courtyard

The mirror faces another mirror, reflecting countless portals within the mirror, resembling an endless abyss

"What discovery?" Hawking seemed a bit hesitant, while Xue Chunchai feigned mystery and lowered his voice, "There are two corpses beneath the soil in the backyard"

Jiang Tianran walked in from the adjacent room, holding a paper box in his hand. Huo Xing turned his head and also caught a faint elegant fragrance from the paper box in his hand. Jiang Tianran looked at the small compartment on the wall for a moment and said, "This seems to be a type of tea powder"

Damn! Who would have thought that this demon, which looks like a little white rabbit, would be free from gambling, drugs, and vice? Huo Xing shot him a glance, stood up, and looked around, "Where is Su Shi?"

Xue Chunchai whistled and said, "Being young is truly wonderful. Today's girls are so generous. Why doesn't she come and hold my hand?" Jiang Tiannai smiled and asked, "What do you think has happened in these two houses?" Xue Chunchai gazed at the backs of Huo Xing and Su Shi and replied, "As for me... I believe that the people in these two houses are undoubtedly dead; it's just that we don't know where the bodies are hidden for now." Jiang Tiannai responded with a sound of agreement, "What about the two middle school students?" Xue Chunchai continued, "According to the local police investigation, although someone reported seeing two middle school students go up the mountain and never come back down, there has been no large-scale search by the students' parents, nor any disturbances. This is quite strange, and there hasn't even been any contact from the school or police reporting missing students." He watched as Huo Xing and Su Shi walked further away, "Do you think that kid, being so short, could pass for a middle school student if he changed his clothes?"

"Still outside," Xue Chunchai said, breaking off a piece of chocolate with a crisp sound and popping it into his mouth, chewing it noisily. "It's quite cold tonight. Sitting outside in wet clothes, and he won't come in even when called. Young people really have strong bodies." Huo Xing glared at him angrily, "Why didn't you call him in?" With that, she rushed out.

Jiang Tianran handed her a wet towel, which he had just wrung out after boiling water from the Wuxian Lake. Huo Xing took it and wiped her face, twisting her neck left and right, "You all haven't slept?" Jiang Tianran shook his head, "We are gambling."

No one responded in the room

Su Shi was still sitting on the stone, his clothes had already dried, but it was evident that his body was as cold as ice. Huo Xing picked up the boiled water that Jiang Tianran had prepared to brush his teeth, washed his face again, and then turned his head to ask, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Where should I start searching?" Huo Xing jumped up. Although Su Shi made her excited, the act of "searching" also thrilled her immensely

"Where did the tea leaves go..." Jiang Tianran carefully put the paper box and the tea powder from the wall into a clean bag, "It's a question. Perhaps someone took them away, perhaps they were finished, perhaps..." He paused slightly, and Huo Xing continued, "Stolen?" Jiang Tianran nodded.

She is truly a kind and innocent person, she thought, looking as if she were about to cry

Before coming here, she had never considered what had actually happened; everything seemed like a farce, not much different from a game. However, from various strange signs, it appeared that the "water monster" incident had indeed occurred. Six people had once lived in these two houses, and all six had vanished, along with two middle school students who had gone hiking. Eight lives hung in the balance, uncertain of their fate. Should she adopt a more serious and upright mindset, believing that what she was doing was solemn and meaningful? Jiang Tianran followed her into the house, quickly put on gloves, and began to examine some simple items. She also took gloves from her pocket and put them on her hands.

Could it be that two mirrors were hung so that one could see behind when looking forward? Huo Xing tried in front of the mirror; when she looked into the dressing mirror, the mirror behind her was completely blocked, at most she could only see her side, unable to see behind. She reached out and took down the mirror from the wall, revealing a rough grid on the wall, which was empty. Huo Xing leaned in for a closer look, and as she got closer, she caught a faint, elegant fragrance. Then she discovered some dark green powder in the brick-made grid. She reached out and took down the mirror from the wall, revealing a rough grid on the wall, which was empty. Huo Xing leaned in for a closer look, and as she got closer, she caught a faint, elegant fragrance. Then she discovered some dark green powder in the brick-made grid.

Su Shi stood beside two corpses, her large eyes filled with a watery light. She looked at him: his gaze appeared melancholic at that moment, as if he felt a deep sorrow for the death of these two dogs

"A corpse?" Huo Xing was truly startled, "Is there really a corpse?" Even Jiang Tianran was somewhat surprised, "A corpse?" He did not expect to find a corpse so easily.

Su Shi walked up behind Xue Chuncha and forcefully pulled open the door, "The door is not locked"

The sky gradually brightened

Surrounding me are nothing but mud and weeds, and further away lies a forest. The chirping of the birds occasionally gives one the illusion of having wandered into a time long past, or perhaps transcended the mundane world. A chilly breeze blows across the water's surface, and there is a profound silence devoid of any human sound, with only a few white ducks swimming on the water, yet it lacks any poetic charm

With a snap of her fingers, Xue Chunchai expressed her satisfaction, saying, "Bingo! If there is a killer of dogs, perhaps the water monster in the water does not actually exist." Su Shi suddenly interjected, "But I saw..." Huo Xing also chimed in, "I saw a large shadow as well." Jiang Tiantian stood up, took off his gloves, and said, "To prove that the water monster does not exist, we need to find the eight missing people and also retrieve that strange shadow from the water to see what it really is." Xue Chunchai looked at the two bags he was holding and asked, "What is that?"

It was unexpectedly difficult to walk from Wenshan Lake to the other side. The four of them took a full two hours to reach the front of those two houses. Xue Chunchai wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a long sigh, "How could anyone like living in such a godforsaken place? Besides, isn't it prohibited to raise ducks in Wenshan Lake?"

Hello! Have you discovered anything?" A leisurely voice from Xue Chunchai came from the doorway, as a long leg stepped inside. Leaning against the door, they pointed towards the next door, saying, "There is an astonishing discovery next door, in a secluded corner of the backyard.

She let out a sigh of relief and smiled, "What would you like to eat? I have compressed biscuits, orange juice, and bread."

Su Shi looked at her for a moment, took the cup of water, and took a sip

Huo Xing suddenly sat up, and the sound of Xue Chunchai imitating a rooster was so unpleasant that it could rival the sound of a pig squealing. It startled her awake from a beautiful dream, causing her to completely forget what she had been dreaming about. Blinking her eyes, she asked, "Is it dawn?"

"Jesus Christ! I have called out!" Xue Chunchai broke off another piece of chocolate and tossed it to Jiang Tiantian, "The wheels of love roll forward, unstoppable." Jiang Tiantian wrapped the chocolate in a clean tissue and placed it in her travel bag, "It's dawn, I don't want to stay here too long, so let's get up and investigate quickly."

Jiang Tianran has begun to busy himself beside the scattered dog corpses, and after some inspection, he remarked, "These two dogs are likely poisoned; the number of maggots on them is significantly fewer than what would be expected under normal circumstances"

Xue Chunchai held a shovel and stood on the ground, "There is no doubt that these two did not die of natural causes. If we ask whether the jellyfish-like monsters in Xianhu would eat people and leave no bones, then why did they eat dogs and even leave bones behind, and even buried them? Clearly, these two dogs were not killed by the monsters. Given the extremely low possibility of suicide, they must have been killed by someone." Huo Xing came back to his senses, "Could it not have been an accident?" Xue Chunchai said leisurely, "It could also be an accident, but I believe the likelihood of being killed is greater than that of an accident." Clearly, these two dogs were not killed by the monsters. Given the extremely low possibility of suicide, they must have been killed by someone." Huo Xing came back to his senses, "Could it not have been an accident?" Xue Chunchai said leisurely, "It could also be an accident, but I believe the likelihood of being killed is greater than that of an accident."

Damn! It's been over three years since I started writing letters, and we haven't even discussed such matters. Is it really the case that a man writes a letter saying, 'How are you?' and the woman replies, 'I am fine,' and that's the end of it? Huo Xing looked at Su Shi's melancholic eyes and generously reached out his hand, saying, 'Let's go find the tea trees. If we can prove that this is the origin of the "Jade Bodhi," it is very likely that Li Jia is not dead, nor in danger; she may have just been kidnapped to make tea, so you don't have to worry too much.' To her surprise, Su Shi did not respond, but she did not pull away either. She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the forest.

"A box for storing tea leaves." Jiang Tiantian slightly pursed the corners of her eyes, revealing a pure smile, "I think it must be something very special." Xue Chunchai took the bag and sniffed it, "Wow! It really smells good." Jiang Tiantian said, "I remember there was a national tea conference not long ago, where a special type of tea won a gold medal, it seems to be called 'Jade Bodhi'. I heard that the fragrance of the tea remains unchanged over time, and when brewed in water, its color resembles that of jade. Moreover, in places where this tea is stored, flies and mosquitoes do not come. After winning the gold medal, the price of the tea skyrocketed to over 600,000 RMB for 500 grams."

"Could they have found a place to hide?" Jiang Tianran still could not let it go, "Is it to keep their tea secret?" Xue Chunchai tossed the bag containing the tea box back and forth, "There are many, many doubts about this matter, the strangest being that guy's appearance. What was he doing submerged in Wenchian Lake? Was he really there to find his girlfriend?" Jiang Tianran said, "His expression was very sincere, and Xiaoxing really likes him." Xue Chunchai scratched his head, "That guy looked like he was about to cry, which is quite pitiful. Let's see how it goes. First, let's find out where the body is." "There are many, many doubts about this matter, the strangest being that guy's appearance. What was he doing submerged in Wenchian Lake? Was he really there to find his girlfriend?" Jiang Tianran said, "His expression was very sincere, and Xiaoxing really likes him." Xue Chunchai scratched his head, "That guy looked like he was about to cry, which is quite pitiful. Let's see how it goes. First, let's find out where the body is"

In the early morning, the mist over Wenshan Lake swirled gently, and the dense white fog concealed the desolate weeds on the ground, gradually revealing an ethereal aura. Xue Chunchai and his companions, burdened with heavy travel bags, slowly made their way towards the two houses opposite Wenshan Lake. Su Shi mentioned that he had been there yesterday and found nothing.

The door was indeed unlocked. As soon as it was opened, the scene inside the room was laid bare. The room contained tables, chairs, a television, a coffee table, and so on, all of which were quite worn. Everyone entered the room and began to observe carefully. The items in the room were generally still organized, but daily necessities such as toothbrushes and towels were missing. The kitchen still had rice, oil, and salt, and even the one thousand yuan hidden under the bed slats was still there. Everyone entered the room and began to observe carefully. The items in the room were generally still organized, but daily necessities such as toothbrushes and towels were missing. The kitchen still had rice, oil, and salt, and even the one thousand yuan hidden under the bed slats was still there

"Tea powder?" She said inexplicably, pointing at the wall, "Is this hole dug just to hide tea leaves?"

Ah! I lost over 500!" Xue Chunchai threw the playing cards onto the ground, "I’m not playing anymore! Jiang Tiannai, the Star Baby was right, you are a devil, a devil, a devil~~~ a money-sucking devil~~~" Jiang Tiannai said seriously, "I can pay you back." Xue Chunchai shook his head vigorously, "Not only did you insult my gambling skills, but you also want to insult my gambling integrity. I, as a person of honor, acknowledge my losses and will not default on my debts. You don’t need to pay me back; how about a 30% discount?" Jiang Tiannai smiled slightly, "Alright." Thus, the honorable Xue Chunchai paid back 30% of the gambling debt, stretched lazily, "Is it dawn? Oh oh oh—oh oh oh—"

"Wait for dawn." Su Shi's gaze was sharp as if to prove that she was not like a woman, glaring fiercely. However, she found this fierce look quite endearing, and she offered him a glass of water, "Are you cold? I believe we will soon find out what happened here, so don't worry too much; perhaps nothing has happened at all."

"Jade Bodhi?" Huo Xing clicked his tongue, "I have never heard of it. Is that type of tea produced here?" Jiang Tianran pondered for a moment, "If that is the case, then there should be tea trees in the surrounding mountains and forests that emit a similar fragrance, at least some plants." Xue Chunchai crossed his arms and glanced at Su Shi, "Has your girlfriend Li Jia ever told you that her family is in the tea business?" Su Shi shook his head, still standing next to the dog's corpse, "No"

Jiang Tianran raised the paper box in his hand, "The adjacent room also has such a simple hidden compartment, and what is placed inside is this."

It is as if the owner of the house has only taken a small amount of luggage and left for a few days, but for some unknown reason, they have not returned. Huo Xing climbed into the neighbor's yard, which is almost identical to this one. If there is any difference, it is that a new image of a monster resembling a black dragon has been pasted inside the house, with incense burning in front of the image