Chapter 5
He knew that one day he would have to return: eighteen people died, so why should he be the only one to survive
The entrance to that room was clearly illuminated, yet no one responded no matter how hard he knocked. He tried dialing the room number using the hallway phone, but again, no one answered.
Chang Dong quickly turned around
He secretly drugged Liu Xi, did you see it
At the entrance of the hotel, through the glass door, I noticed that the lobby was different from two days ago: several alluringly dressed young women were sitting on the sofa chatting, seemingly discussing something amusing, as they leaned forward and backward in fits of laughter
There is some activity in this room
Chang Dong pushed the door open and entered. As he walked past the sofa with his head down, a few low-voiced exchanges reached his ears
The long-bladed straight-handled watermelon knife, its blade gleaming, reflects a cold light in the night.
Chang Dong walked to the bedside
He looks at the route he has marked out
May I come over to take a shower in the evening
Someone has drugged her; morally and logically, shouldn't we remind her about it
A cold wind blew, and Chang Dong shivered. He turned to go upstairs, took two steps, and suddenly felt a stir in his heart
Chang Dong replied: "It doesn't matter if you go to jail or lose your life, but it will delay my matters"
Chang Dong stared at her and said: "That person froze to death, it is a homicide. So many pairs of eyes saw you and him embracing each other, the police will come to you first."
Ye Liuxi picked up the watermelon knife and tapped the back of the knife on the carriage twice, producing a clanging sound.
She walked over quietly, treading lightly, leaning against the half-open car door. Her hand reached under the nearest seat, slowly drawing out a knife.
Ye Liuxi smiled: What day is it today, one after another, all coming to collide with her gun muzzle
She explained: "Since you have already paid for the overnight stay, you might as well use the shower water; it saves me the trouble of going to the public bath."
The tone was gentle, as if not caring at all, but when leaving, the door was closed, echoing throughout the entire hallway
Chang Dong was watching television, and it was hard to believe that such a big man actually enjoyed melodramatic mother-in-law and daughter-in-law dramas: the daughter-in-law was relentlessly pulling at the man, while on the other side, the mother-in-law was perched on the windowsill like a donkey, shouting at the top of her lungs: "If you don't drive her away today, I will jump down!"
Didn’t we say I would come over to take a shower at your place tonight? I parked my car in the back parking lot and came up the back stairs. I heard you calling me... Aren’t you living on the third floor?
Chang Dong instinctively reached out to catch it, but grasped at nothingness
The man struggled even more fiercely, as if he were trying to call for help, yet also seemed to fear that the newcomer would be detrimental to him
At one side of the staircase, a couple is embracing each other while going upstairs, and the woman looks quite familiar
Chang Dong remained silent, sitting cross-legged on the ground, borrowing paper and pen from the workers, and slowly sketching the route map
Ye Liuxi fell silent, yet still wore a smile on his face. After a while, he said: "Alright."
She walked towards her van, and when she was three to five steps away, she suddenly stopped in her tracks
The hot water flow in the hotel is strong and steady, whereas the water output in the public bathroom is truly like an old cow pulling a broken cart, neither to be urged nor kicked.
Tomorrow, the people over there will be the ones distributing advertisements here
That person is still rummaging for something in the car, making very slight movements, and the rustling sound resembles a mouse foraging.
Before the matter in Longcheng is resolved, I hope you will act in accordance with the rules, have some legal awareness, and not cause trouble for everyone. After it is over, you can do as you please, even if it involves killing or arson; it has nothing to do with me
It is truly hard to tell that you have a heart of a Bodhisattva
I live in my car
Chang Dong furrowed his brows and walked to the elevator to press the button: Most of the guests who take the stairs are those staying on the second floor; those on the third floor and above need to use the elevator
I saw it, probably wanting to play tricks, afraid she wouldn't be happy... That man will probably have a good time tonight
Chang Dong entered the parking lot of the hotel after winding through the stairs
Chang Dong loosened the zipper of his clothes, moved his neck a bit, took a few steps back, quickly accelerated, and with a powerful leap, stepped onto the wall. His body lifted up, arms extended to grab hold of the air conditioning unit outside, using the leverage to propel himself through the window
Chang Dong handed her the phone, and she dialed her own number. After a single ring, she hung up and returned the phone to him, saying, "Just let me know when you are ready to set off. I will be here during the day, and if you can't find me, just give me a call."
He walked past the doorway and descended to the second floor via the emergency staircase
He drew circle marks over the two characters "Dragon City" again and again
The east-west crossing of the Lop Nur can be traversed in either direction. The forward route begins at the Yumen Pass, commonly referred to in the industry as "West Out of Yumen"
Chang Dong went up to knock on the door, but there was no response. He knocked a bit harder and called out: "Ye Liuxi?"
I did not remind her, anyway she was willing, she went off with someone on her own
Indeed, there are differences between the north and the south; the south is more subtle, while the advertisements in the north are vibrant and lively
Do you know that at the current temperature, if the window is opened, a person who is undressed and exposed overnight may suffer from mild frostbite, and in severe cases, could experience hypothermia leading to death
Chang Dong met her gaze: "I have been to that guest room."
She said and did everything, it seems there was no room for negotiation. Chang Dong did not want to say much, but as he turned to leave, Ye Liu Xi called out to him again
Ye Liuxi said: "What are you looking for? I am familiar with this car, so why not tell me, and I can help you look for it."
Chang Dong made a sound of acknowledgment and casually pointed in a direction: the hotel where he was staying could be considered the best and most conspicuous in that banner town
The lobby of this hotel has a high ceiling, while the space on the second floor feels cramped. There are few rooms, all arranged in a single row, with doors facing the corridor. Several rooms do not have the occupancy light on, indicating they are unoccupied. Approximately ten rooms are occupied, and only one has a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on the doorknob
The car door is open, and a shadowy figure can be faintly seen inside the vehicle
There is a strange legend in the heart of the desert
Ye Liuxi emerged feeling satisfied after washing up, having changed into fresh clothes, and pulled a towel to dry her hair
The entire building has only that one room with the window open
Chang Dong said, "I mistook the person."
Apart from Kong Yang, are there others as well, embedded in the grayish-white loess mounds?
The bodies of those who die in the desert are never found, for beneath the undulating sand dunes lie invisible ghosts. They carry the bodies of the deceased, riding the fierce winds of the Gobi, wandering back and forth across the vast desert, until they are taken hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
Ye Liu walked down the stairs, cursing Chang Dong in his heart: What a lesson, what nonsense.
At this moment, Chang Dong raised the remote control and pressed a button, causing the television screen to go black
Entering the parking lot, I turned back to look at that half-open, dark window: if she were to climb through the window again to cause trouble, it would seem rather petty
It seems that pretending to be foolish is no longer an option. Ye Liuxi set the towel aside and reached out to fix her hair: "Did you let the person go?"
Ye Liuxi was drying her hair, her gaze drifting towards the television: she wanted to see whether that mother-in-law would dance or not
Chang Dong stood by the window for a while, gradually able to see clearly in the faint light from outside
Ye Liuxi
Changdong turned back
What?
Consider it your good fortune
How did Kong Yang's body end up there
The car was repaired, but it was already evening, and there were several damaged parts out of stock, requiring a wait until tomorrow for allocation. Changdong had a bowl of noodles at the restaurant next to the car dealership and walked back to the hotel
So what?
There are no lights on inside, which is not surprising, as the hotel has a low occupancy rate and many rooms are vacant
Chang Dong withdrew his hand: "What are you doing here?"
It is unusual that the window in that room is open—this town is often plagued by wind and sand, and windows are rarely opened. Even when one wishes to open a window for ventilation, it is typically done during the midday when there is no wind. Moreover, it is currently evening, and the temperature is steadily dropping.
After a while, Chang Dong bent down, grabbed the quilt that had been thrown on the ground, and casually tossed it over the man's body
After trying several times, there was still no response inside. Chang Dong lowered his head to look at the lock, and at that moment, someone suddenly spoke from behind him: "Did you call me?"
He turned his head to look at a window on the second floor
The pitch-black walls almost blend into the night, while the illuminated windows resemble enormous eyes embedded in the dark curtain. Some rooms have their curtains drawn, with shadows of people occasionally reflected on the fabric.
Upon reaching the floor, Chang Dong exited the elevator and hurried towards the room, but suddenly hesitated
While Ye Liuxi was taking a shower, Chang Dong went down to the second floor again: he always felt that something was amiss about what had just happened
Since Ye Liuxi has already found a new place tonight, it seems there is no need to go to his room to take a shower
The elevator arrived, and Chang Dong entered and pressed the floor button. There were no other passengers. The elevator doors slowly closed. In this small place, the elevator was covered with advertisements on all four sides, and even the carpet was printed with slogans from dining establishments, indicating a year-round 15% discount.
Ah, Changdong
Chang Dong frowned: "Does your home not have a bathroom?"
Chang Dong recalled Sunny's words
A few people are laughing together, while in the realm of romance and beauty, human warmth is scarce: when one is not content with their own life, they take pleasure in the misfortunes of others
It was actually Ye Liuxi, holding a bathing basket and a bag of clothes in his left hand, and a pair of slippers in his right hand, with an expression on his face even stranger than his own: "You know very well that I can't afford a hotel, so why would you knock on a guest room door and call my name?"
Changdong delivered the vehicle to the largest auto parts store in the town for pre-trip maintenance. The technician who took over, seeing the vehicle's unremarkable appearance, was initially quite indifferent. It was only when he began to tighten the exhaust system that he noticed something unusual, exclaiming in surprise, "Brother, you really know your stuff; this modification is incredible!"
The melon is still in Ye Liuxi's hands—she feigned a move, just as she let go, she caught it again with her other hand, snatching it before him, and then with a smile, placed it into his outstretched palm: "Wasn't it settled as soon as you caught it? It's settled then, the phone."
For two years, most of the time I have been trapped in that cramped backstage area of Huimin Street, which is less than a few square meters. In this confined space, apart from the curtain, there are only shadow puppets. Suddenly, it feels as if a storm has risen from the ground, scattering the dazzling colors and fragmented sounds into dust. Looking around, I still find myself in the vast Gobi Desert.
Ye Liuxi smiled: "Are you considering this for me? Afraid I might go to jail?"
Covered him with a quilt
Ye Liuxi felt that he was being deliberate, frowning as he looked at him
What are you doing
This is Ye Liuxi's own "work"; the guest's interests are presumably something she is accustomed to, and there is no need for her to meddle in others' affairs.
The ink brush traces a winding route map on the paper, with each station seemingly etched in the mind
The corridor is quiet
A fat man lay on the bed, completely naked, with his hands and feet bound, a pillowcase stuffed in his mouth, making muffled sounds in his throat as he struggled to break free, but to no avail
The parking lot is actually a semi-open area, filled with numerous vehicles, including private cars and electric tricycles, and it is not exclusively open to hotel guests. He stood in the parking lot for a while, looking up at the hotel building.
This sound... Chang Dong knew he had offended her
Ye Liuxi tapped the back of the knife against the car door frame, catching the person off guard, causing them to shiver and freeze, no longer daring to move.
Are you staying at a hotel
Yumen Pass - Sanlongsha Devil City - Peng Jiamu Disappearance Site - Hongliudun - Lop Nur Town - Center of the Lake - Yu Chunsun's Tomb - Longcheng