Paintings of Terror

Chapter 186: The Cave

Although everyone’s mood was heavy, with the situation so urgent, they could delay nothing.

Zhao Yanbao found a clue from Xiao Qinxian’s mouth: the words are on her forehead.

“Is this really a clue? How can Xiao Qinxian know?” Many people wondered.

“Xiao Qinxian has a special status. She was insane when she said those words, so it’s hard to say who those words came from.” Zhao Yanbao thought for a while, and finally forced herself to go against science. “That kind of madness may be the product of two souls competing for one body. It could even be considered as a collision between someone who belongs to the city and one who isn’t.”

No matter what, this logic was not groundless.

“The words are on her forehead,” this phrase reminded them of the woman riding the crimson beast in “The Revelation of St. John, the Divine.” She too had words written on her forehead.

This sentence wasn’t so much a clue as it was an accentuated reiteration.

“However, the three words Yu Beiguo can’t be on a person’s forehead!” Wei Dong blinked his red and swollen eyes as he thought out loud. “So many people in this city had seen these three words. It’s impossible for these same people to have seen these words on someone’s forehead, unless he’s the Major of Heart City…”

Zhu Haowen said, “Maybe it’s an abstract expression, such as on a sculpture of a person or a beast with an inscription on its forehead.”

“Even so, this sculpture must be iconic. Otherwise, it would be impossible for so many people to have seen it.” Qin Ci looked at the map in his hand, but despite having looked at it for so long, he couldn’t even read the small prints written on it.

“Everyone can calm down for a bit and rest their eyes,” Mu Yiran said. “I’ll read out the names of places on the map. Each time I read one, I’ll circle the names and then have Ke Xun read. The only thing I can think of is to change the perspective. If you can’t see something, you might be able to hear it.”

With no better alternative, they all closed their eyes and listened as Mu Yiran read the names on the map.

“Glorious Mansion, Heart Lake Park, Bici Street, Admiration Hotel, Hovering Stand…” Mu Yiran read slowly, drawing circles with a pencil as he read.

This moment was probably the quietest, slowest time everyone had experienced since entering the painting. Qin Ci closed his eyes and felt like he was listening to an afternoon announcement on the radio.

More than half an hour later, it was Ke Xun’s turn to read. The sudden change of voice awoke everyone from their near-drowsy state, infusing them with a regained sense of energy.

Ke Xun was reading when he suddenly heard his companions called out for him to stop.

“Read the name of that place again,” Zhu Haowen said.

Ke Xun himself was a little sleepy, and so he looked down at the circle he’d just drawn. “Honey Island.”

“Not that one. The one before it!” Zhao Yanbao said.

Ke Xun focused his eyes on the words and said, “Goose Mountain.”

Everyone stopped talking and simply looked at Ke Xun.

“Goose Mountain. This is a mountain on the outskirts of Heart City. Is there a problem?” Ke Xun was confused.

Zhu Haowen directly wrote two words on a paper. “Are these the two words?”

Seeing these two words, Ke Xun finally understood. Zhu Haowen had written “Forehead Mountain.”

Ke Xun slowly shook his head. “The word is goose, like a big, white goose.”

Mu Yiran came over and took the map from Ke Xun. He carefully looked at the description of scenic spots about Goose Mountain on the side of the map. “Goose Mountain was originally called Forehead Mountain because the whole shape of the mountain resembles the forehead of a beauty, hence the name. It then later became known as Goose Mountain.”

No one could stand still, and so Wei Dong came over to take a look as well. “This mountain is in the southern suburbs! Let’s go now!”

“We don’t need to take any tools with us?” Qin Ci stood up, not knowing what to bring.

“It’s almost 6 right now. We don’t have time to go rock climbing or digging. We’ll have to return to our residence before night falls.” Mu Yiran was calmer. “Let’s hurry and go.”

So they went outside, stopped two taxis, and went straight toward Goose Mountain.

An hour later, they arrived at the foot of Goose Mountain.

This mountain wasn’t high, but it was solitary and its shape did indeed resemble a forehead.

It was almost dusk, but the sky was still bright. They looked up at the mountain, not knowing where to start.

“I asked the driver just now and he said that the most famous cave in Good Mountain is Glabella Cave. He also said that it contained a wonderful sight.” Ke Xun had already found the location of the cave at the bottom of the mountain.

Everyone walked along the mountain road and soon arrived at the cave. There was a plaque outside the entrance that read Glabella Cave.

“How come there are stone doors on this cave? How do we get in there? Can such heavy stone doors be pushed open?” Wei Dong looked at the pair of stone doors in front of the cave and felt as if it was a scene straight out of Journey to the West.

There was a stone tablet next to the cave, on which was engraved the introduction of the mountain. Everyone read it word by word.

“This monument was actually built by people from inside the city and those from outside the city.” Zhao Yanbao felt that this was a little strange and she continued to read the contents that followed. “So it turns out to be like this. There’s a mechanism that will allow entrance into the cave, and this was even praised as a distinguished feature of Goose Mountain’s best scenic area…”

Based on the introduction on the stone tablet, everyone finally located a large cobblestone a little bit uphill toward the back of the mountain that could only be stepped on by one person.

“I’ll try it.” Qin Ci put his feet together and stood on the big cobblestone.

A loud bang sounded and Wei Dong, who had been watching at the cave entrance, rushed over to report that the stone door had slowly opened.

No one could hide their excitement.

Wei Dong pulled Qin Ci and said, “Let’s go! Let’s enter the cave and take a look. Maybe the signature is inside!”

A loud noise sounded, as if the stone door slowly closed.

“No, someone has to step on the cobblestone all the time.”

Ke Xun visually measured the distance from the cobblestone to Glabella Cave. It would be almost impossible to run from the back of the mountain to the entrance of the cave before the stone door closed shut.

“Let’s go back and call someone. Or we can stop a passerby on the side of the road and ask them to help step on the cobblestone,” Zhu Haowen said.

Qin Ci looked up at the night sky. “I don’t think we’ll encounter any passers-by at this time. Don’t bother, I’ll step on it.”

“This distance is something that even Ke’er can’t run.” Wei Dong gave Qin Ci a little self-knowledge.

Qin Ci smiled. “I don’t want to leave. It’s okay to stay here.”

Everyone was stunned. No one thought that Qin Ci would give such an answer.

Wei Dong patted Qin Ci’s shoulder. “Old Qin, wake up! Brother Qin, this is a painting! We’re looking for the artist’s signature. We must leave the painting!”

Qin Ci let out a bitter smile. “It’s better to find a painting that I like the most and live a peaceful life.”

Mu Yiran obviously didn’t expect this. He looked at Qin Ci with a cold gaze. “Our efforts these days are to be able to go out and live a peaceful life. You think so too.”

“I’ve actually been thinking about it for a long time. The reason why I have worked so hard these days is so you all could go out,” Qin Ci said with a smile.

“Don’t be a bastard,” Zhu Haowen said suddenly. “You’ll only die in the painting. What about your parents? How can they live without you?”

Qin Ci didn’t say anything. It was unknown whether he disagreed or if he simply didn’t want to think too much about it.

Ke Xun stepped forward and picked off the leaf that was blown onto Qin Ci’s head. “Brother Qin, we’ve braved through fire and water together, and we’ve even just lost one of ours. Luo Wei had already left us, and we promised him that we would take care of his mother. In the next painting, I don’t know who will continue to walk with us and how many of us will be left. But no matter how many, the living are always the ones carrying the weight of these deaths on their shoulders. Now that you suddenly want to stop, don’t you think it’s like throwing your sworn brothers away at the half-way mark?”

Qin Ci looked at Ke Xun, his eyes slightly red.

“It’s actually quite simple. Why are you making it like someone has to sacrifice their life?” Zhao Yanbao, who was standing outside the circumference of the crowd, said. The mountain wind had blown her short hair into disarray, revealing an unusual beauty. “If we all want to leave, we’ll just need to go down the mountain. It won’t be easy to find someone, but we can stop a taxi and pay for the driver to help us. Even if we can’t find anyone, we can also try to find a big rock and put it on cobblestone.”

No one spoke. The matter wasn’t as simple as she thought. The ball seemed to be on Qin Ci’s court.

Zhao Yanbao smiled. “I think that, as long as you still have a trace of concern in the outside world, it’s better not to stay here. It’s boring having to live a life inside a painting.”

These words were for Qin Ci. Qin Ci lowered his head and said nothing.

Zhao Yanbao continued. “You and I are considered friends in adversity, so I can’t talk about how deep our friendship is and I will never sacrifice myself for any of you. So, my following decision will have nothing to do with you. You all mustn’t put this hat on me, because I can’t afford to wear a hat of sacrificing oneself for justice.

Everyone seemed to guess what Zhao Yanbao was going to say. With a gesture, she interrupted Wei Dong, who was about to speak. She said, “I really have nothing noteworthy in the world outside the painting. I only have one Chi Lei, who is here, and I want to be with her. If we all succeeded in leaving the painting, I would have to experience Chi Lei’s death again in our world, and I can’t stand it. I really can’t stand it.”

.

When Qin Ci tried to speak, Zhao Yanbao interrupted, “You still have parents and friends, but I only have a pair of parents who only wanted money and never contacted me. I don’t want to pay attention to them. I am by no means being impulsive. I have thought about it since Chi Lei died and even in these past two nights, I was hoping that the beast would come out of my body and kill me. But this did not happen.”

No one knew what to say or whether they should say something.

Zhao Yanbao’s long, slim-fitting shirt made her look like a developing young boy, a boy with a pure smile. “I’m not afraid of the night here, and if I die, I will be with Chi Lei. If I live, I will go outside the city to find Chi Lei and our companions’ beasts, and I will ask someone to put these beasts at peace. Look, I still have so many things to do here.”

Wei Dong had cried so many times today that his swollen eyes could barely open.

Zhao Yanbao smiled and looked at every person in front of her. Then she finally walked over to her former roommate, Zhu Haowen. Before he could react, she stepped forward and gave him a hug, whispering, “Life is too short. Just do whatever you want.”

Zhu Haowen smiled a rare smile.

She then walked to the large cobblestone. “Get your phones’ flashlight ready. It’s dark in the cave and you won’t find the signature otherwise!”

She walked like a primary school student on her first spring outing.

Hearing the sound of the cave door opening, Zhao Yanbao turned around slowly on the cobblestone, only to see Mu Yiran still standing not far from her. She said, “If you don’t leave, your boyfriend will run away with Haowen’er.”

Mu Yiran looked at Zhao Yanbao and said word by word, “I just want to ask you, what is the name of that scumbag psychologist who went abroad?”