Chapter 006: Recording

Is it Wang Yue? I said

The more she spoke, the more mysterious it became. I shook my head and said, "She is Wang Yue, not Zhuge Liang. If she really had such great abilities..." I hesitated for a moment and added, "How could that be possible..."

Li Damin opened the applications on his phone one by one. When he opened the voice recorder, there were several audio files inside. He casually tapped on the first one, and a rustling sound came through. After a moment, a girl's voice followed: "Lin Cong, hello"

Look! I suddenly saw something and pointed it out to him

Li Damin looked at me without saying a word

I rubbed my eyes and looked closely, discovering an unusual detail. The deep blackness inside the coffin was not caused by dim lighting, but rather shrouded in a layer of black mist. This black mist was extremely strange, only swirling around the person lying there, neither spilling out of the coffin nor dissipating, resembling gaseous carbon dioxide of a deep black color

What exactly does she want to do? I am extremely annoyed: What is the purpose of all this nonsense? Does she think I would be bored enough to play along with her?

I glared at him

"And you?" he asked

"What is it that you want to tell me? You have no business here to begin with." I stated with precision.

I shook my head: "Wang Yue's initial arrangement was made for me, and I have come to understand that even if I do not investigate, I am afraid I cannot escape. The future may hold dangers, and I do not wish to drag you down with me"

I was originally going to call the police, but who would have thought that I would receive your call? If it weren't for you showing up out of nowhere, the ones accompanying me to inspect the scene right now would be the police

Then I was scared and ran away like a character in a picture book, running and running, the more I ran, the more graves surrounded me, the darker the sky became. Suddenly, I tripped and fell to the ground. I sat on the ground to look, and it turned out that what tripped me was a brick used for building a grave, just sitting there all alone in the middle of the road

That day, when I arrived at my father's grave and was crying, I suddenly saw a snake emerging from a hole in the grave, very white, exceptionally white

The information recorded in the communication log only documents the conversation between Wang Yue and me from this evening, and there is nothing from earlier; I wonder if she has deleted everything.

I was particularly afraid, yet I did not run away, because that snake had burrowed into my father's grave, and I felt certain it would desecrate his remains

"Will Wang Yue also include me in her calculations?" Li Damin said

Li Damin and I sat cross-legged on the ground, with the phone placed in the middle, allowing it to rest slowly

The coffin is deep black, and in the brightness, I can clearly see a person lying inside. Just as I was about to take action, Li Damin held me back, signaling to observe a little longer

I was listening intently when Li Damin widened his eyes and pointed at the coffin behind him, saying, "Lin Cong, quickly look, something is wrong!"

Li Damin and I exchanged glances in bewilderment, in the darkness, only the flickering flame of the eternal lamp danced softly. Our throats were both making a gurgling sound

What do I ask

I felt all the hairs on my body stand on end: "It's Wang Yue!"

I felt a bit taken aback by his gaze: "I speak bluntly, so don't take it to heart."

Li Damin patted me and said: "Rest assured. I am an autonomous adult, fully aware of what to do and how to do it. I will not hold you responsible... you scumbag."

Li Damin exclaimed: "We are colleagues in the same company, and I have known Wang Yue for quite a long time. I really didn't expect that such an ordinary and unremarkable girl could be hiding such an astonishing secret."

Li Damin smiled and said, "Yes, yes. Lin Cong, rest assured, this matter is known to you, me, heaven, and earth; I will not speak of it outside. Such an interesting thing, how could I possibly go around talking about it indiscriminately"

"Lin Cong, I am truly sorry." Wang Yue's voice was low, and her speech was very slow: "I have my reasons for all of this. The fact that you can hear this recording means you have successfully opened the coffin lid and seen the scene inside. Indeed, the person lying in the coffin is me. I hope, at this moment, you are the only one here. It is not that I am afraid of revealing secrets, but if there are outsiders, you may not be able to stop them from disturbing my physical body. Remember, you must not move my physical body at all; just let me lie in the coffin in this position. Otherwise, I will die!"

Li Damin said: "Lin Cong, did you hear that? Fortunately, we didn't rush to call the police. If those officers had arrived, they would have turned this place upside down, and by then, it would be too late to regret it"

The mask is extremely rough, with only two eye holes and a mouth, three circular openings in total. When placed on that person's face, it is difficult to discern who they are at first glance

I found him to be quite charming despite having limited interactions in the past; he possesses courage and a sense of responsibility, and he has a bit of a sense of humor. It is good that he wants to stay, as it provides someone to discuss matters with.

I was listening intently when suddenly Li Damin clapped his hands, startling me

Li Damin shook his head and remained silent, reaching into the coffin to grasp the mobile phone inside, slowly pulling it out with both hands

We observed for a moment, and seeing no changes, we dared to approach. Li Damin carefully shone his flashlight on the person in the coffin, the light refracting as it traversed through the dark mist. This person was dressed in a yellow robe-like garment, adorned with many intricate patterns that were difficult to describe, resembling ancient swirling clouds

This is a flagship phone from a certain brand, and I recognized it at a glance; it indeed belongs to Wang Yue. There is no lock screen, and one can directly access the interface. This phone seems to have been flashed, as it does not have excessive software; the entire interface only features simple functions such as a voice recorder, photo album, and WeChat. Li Damin opened WeChat, and there was only one friend and communication record, which is me

If I hadn't come to find you and you had already called the police, then all the traps designed by Wang Yue would have been meaningless. But now that you are already caught in her scheme, it indicates that her plan has succeeded. Li Damin said: "I am a variable. I had no idea about what was happening here; I only called because I have a business trip tomorrow and wanted to help you before I leave. Could it be that all of this was also part of her calculations?"

To be honest, you shouldn't stay here any longer. I said, "Wang Yue's recording is meant for me alone."

The flashlight pierced through the layer of black mist, revealing the people inside, yet their identities remained uncertain, as the individuals in the coffin were wearing masks

We continue to listen as Wang Yue's recording slowly states: "Lin Cong, seeing everything before you, you may feel afraid, or you may find it very strange. Since I have chosen you, I must speak without reservation. Let me first tell you about my identity. I am not an ordinary person; I was chosen by Meng Po to become a medium when I was very young, and as I grew up, I became a yin official walking in the human world. What you see as my home should actually be called a yin temple; this is a place of practice for Meng Po in the underworld." I am not an ordinary person; I was chosen by Meng Po to become a medium when I was very young, and as I grew up, I became a yin official walking in the human world. What you see as my home should actually be called a yin temple; this is a place of practice for Meng Po in the underworld.

This scene is deeply etched in my mind, and later I even dared not watch "Calabash Brothers" because it also features the beautiful snake spirit... This moment left me with a significant shadow.

At first glance, the person in the coffin appears to be floating amidst the black clouds. An indescribable sense of ethereality

Li Damin waved his hand and said, "No, no, I am not angry with you, but your words just now suddenly reminded me of a question."

I am a bit unhappy: "Do you find it interesting? Let me tell you, as long as we find Wang Yueli, we can call the police. This place is strange and bizarre, I cannot continue to play along with her like this."

Li Damin made a gesture, signaling not to speak, but to listen

Li Damin pondered: "Wang Yue has meticulously plotted against you to this point, with every step falling within her expectations. I believe there should be no hidden dangers that could harm you; otherwise, why would she go to such lengths to create such a complex scheme? It seems she wants to convey something to us"

I let out a laugh and cursed, "To hell with you."

The person in the coffin has his hands crossed over his abdomen, holding a mobile phone between them. Li Damin reached in to take it, but I stopped him and said softly, "Be careful"

I said seriously: "Li Damin, I have a feeling that if you stop at this moment, you still have room to turn back. However, if you really delve deeper into this matter, I fear that there will be no turning back then"

The entire incident can be traced back to the year 2005, when I was just over ten years old. At that time, I lived in a rural area in the mountains, in a small fishing village called Longshan Township, located near a tributary of the Yangtze River. The back mountain had once been home to bandits before the liberation, and later gradually turned into a graveyard. My father was buried there when he passed away. My father died in an accident, and during that time, I cried every day. It was only after the funeral that I learned his remains were buried in the back mountain. I often went to visit my father's grave alone whenever I had free time. My childhood was very difficult; my mother left with another man when I was very young, and my father raised me alone, being both my father and mother. He worked hard to take care of me, and since his passing, my tears have never dried up. " Wang Yue recounted in the recording.

Lin Cong, have you ever seen a snake smile? Yes, I have seen it. The expression of that snake was particularly human-like, and it resembled a woman; it was squinting its eyes while smiling

You are now playing with her again, Li Damin reiterated

"Sigh," I said. Li Damin was unhappy: "Aren't you just kicking the chef out after you've had your fill? I may not have any merit, but I have put in some effort. Besides, Wang Yue also said, as long as you don't touch her physical body, she isn't afraid of secrets being leaked..." He clicked his tongue: "Physical body. Why does that term sound so awkward?"

Li Damin shook his phone: "It is evident that this is the clue left for you by Wang Yue, the key to guiding the next step."

I mustered the courage to pick up a long stick and struck at the white snake. The snake suddenly lunged towards me, and in that instant, I saw its face

I blinked my eyes: "What does it mean?"