The basement was so cluttered with debris that there wasn't a straight path from the inner room to the outer room. Tang Tianyu tripped over the debris several times and practically stumbled back to the door.
Fang Yuan was still at the door.
She squatted on the ground, her back against the open iron door, her arms folded, trembling, staring into the basement in horror.
Seeing Fang Yuan was alright, Tang Tianyu breathed a sigh of relief. He followed her gaze and scanned it with his flashlight, but found nothing.
"Fang Yuan, what's wrong?"
Fang Yuan seemed terrified, her head swaying from side to side, nearly crying.
Fang Yuan's expression pained Tang Tianyu, and his voice softened. "Fang Yuan, it's okay. Don't be afraid. What did you see?"
Tang Tianyu gently approached and helped Fang Yuan up.
Fang Yuan finally sobbed, seemingly suppressing it for a long time before finally releasing it.
For a long time, the intervals between her sobs grew longer and quieter, finally stopping after a few minutes.
During this time, Tang Tianyu didn't press her. He believed she could face this with strength.
Sure enough, Fang Yuan's mood quickly stabilized, and she became the confident, independent, and somewhat stubborn girl she once was.
Just now, she was alone at the dark and silent iron gate, feeling an indescribable loneliness and fear.
As social animals, humans, from birth, strive to escape their innate loneliness, even lamenting that loneliness is shameful. But who can truly say they aren't lonely? In this world, is there anyone who can truly understand you, care for you, and accompany you to dispel the pervasive loneliness? Love? Friendship? Or family?
No one!
No emotion can replace loneliness, nor can any emotion dispel it.
It might temporarily hide, allowing you to enjoy yourself, but in the stillness of night, when the hustle and bustle fades, it will quietly permeate and fill your entire soul.
At least, that's how it is in Fang Yuan's world.
She isn't afraid of loneliness; she fears the helplessness of loneliness!
When she's hurt, in pain, and in need of help and care, there's no one to turn to!
Just now, she stood alone at the iron gate, the deep darkness enveloping her tightly. An endless feeling of loneliness and helplessness swept over her with overwhelming force. She felt her inner weakness, as if her body were bound by something invisible, unable to struggle, unable to breathe.
She thought of the night Xu Yan committed suicide.
That night, at the same time, in the same place, the scenes seemed to have just happened, and now she was simply replaying them.
Replaying death!
She couldn't forget the smile Xu Yan gave her as she died.
Xu Yan's smile seemed to mock her. What was she mocking?
When humans think, God laughs. Was she laughing at her own foolishness and ignorance?
Or had she experienced the beauty of that other world? Laughing at her own foolish attachment to this one?
Buddhism even uses the word "liberation" to describe death.
—But, no! No! Not like that!
Humanity has always feared death, fearing that unknown fate, if there even is such a thing.
No one knows what happens after death.
The fear of death originated with religion.
Religious belief can bring peace to the soul.
Although humans continue to commit suicide, even en masse, the vast majority choose to face it with strength, to face the cruelty and suffering of this world with strength.
In the silent darkness, Fang Yuan kept comforting herself.
But suddenly, a cold wind blew, and a figure flashed in the wind, as if it had bumped into her. With a "ding" sound, something fell.
Her heart was already in her throat, and with the sudden shock, she couldn't help but scream.
After her scream, she looked again, but the figure was gone.
Her hand touched something cold and slender. She lifted it to her face and saw it was a girl's hairpin.
But this hairpin—this hairpin, she remembered it clearly—was the one Xu Yan had worn when she committed suicide!
Fang Yuan recounted the story to Tang Tianyu.
Tang Tianyu shone his flashlight around, finding nothing. He asked, "Did you really see clearly that it was a figure?"
Fang Yuan's tone was vague, "Yes."
Logically, if it was a person, they should be nearby, but the two of them couldn't find them.
Tang Tianyu asked again, "Did he bump into you?"
"Yeah."
"What did it feel like?"
Fang Yuan thought for a moment. "Like an empty bag, it deflated and then disappeared."
"Strange." Tang Tianyu couldn't figure it out, and he didn't dare leave Fang Yuan alone here any longer. "How about we go back first?"
"No!" Fang Yuan's attitude surprised him.
"Then what should we do? I'm worried if I leave you here. If we go in together, I'm afraid someone might lock the iron door." Tang Tianyu left something unsaid. He suspected Li Rong had lured Fang Yuan here with ill intentions.
Fang Yuan glanced at the basement, lowered her head, and thought for a moment before coming up with an idea. "You stay here. Give me the flashlight, I'll go in and take a look."
"You?!" Tang Tianyu was incredulous.
"Uh, I'll go in, and you stay here. What's wrong? Are you scared?" Fang Yuan said confidently.
Tang Tianyu was at a loss for words. He was scared? Even if Li Rong really appeared before him with a knife, he wouldn't be afraid.
"I'm worried about you..."
"Don't worry, it's okay. I have a flashlight, and I've been in the basement all night, so I'm familiar with the environment. Keep an eye on my flashlight. As long as it's still lit, I'm fine."
Tang Tianyu was still worried: "Why don't we go back first and come back here after daybreak?"
Fang Yuan was adamant: "No, just do as I say! Going back now won't be the same tomorrow. I have to get to the bottom of this matter, or I won't be able to sleep when I get back."
With that, Fang Yuan snatched the flashlight from Tang Tianyu's hand and strode inside.
Tang Tianyu smiled bitterly and let her do what she wanted. He stood guard at the iron gate, staring intently at the flashlight.
As long as the flashlight was still lit, she was fine. This thought made Tang Tianyu feel more at ease.
After Fang Yuan had only taken a few steps inside, she regretted her decision. Yes, she had spent a night here, but what she experienced that night nearly broke her. How could she not be afraid?
She secretly turned her head to look at Tang Tianyu, but it was pitch black over there, and she couldn't see anything clearly.
Will he be there, watching over her?
If he left, would she still have the courage to keep going?
Yes, he would be watching over her. Even if he left, she would keep going.
No one can have everything they want, but they must have a clear conscience!
Fang Yuan pulled herself back from her thoughts and focused her attention on the basement.
The air in the basement was still as murky and stinking as ever, and the chaotic jumble of items piled up in a chaotic manner constantly blocked her path.
Fang Yuan silently warned herself to stay calm, to stay composed, and not to scream, even if she saw a mummified specimen.
Fang Yuan knew Tang Tianyu was watching her from behind the iron gate. She couldn't panic and let him look down on her.
The outer room of the basement was filled with only common teaching equipment and desks and chairs, so Fang Yuan didn't get too frightened along the way.
Fang Yuan arrived at the inner room of the basement.
This was where she had last seen the mummy specimen.
Fang Yuan gently pushed open the dusty wooden door. This time, she was mentally prepared; even if she saw something terrifying, she wouldn't scream.
But she was wrong.
She didn't scream, because she couldn't.
True fear isn't about screaming, but about being unable to scream even when you want to.
The flashlight suddenly felt incredibly heavy, and she couldn't lift it anymore. It slipped from her hand with a clang.
The flashlight's light went out.
The basement was plunged into deep darkness again.
Fang Yuan's mouth dropped open, and she forgot even to breathe. She froze there.
She saw Li Rong. Li Rong lay facedown on the ground, wearing his white jacket, blood splattered all over the floor, motionless.
Seeing Li Rong like this, Fang Yuan could only think of one word: corpse!
Li Rong, he's dead?!
Only then did she realize that the stench of decay in the air was so thick that she hadn't noticed the scent of blood.
What on earth was going on?