Chapter 107: The Little Man on the Nail Tree

As dusk approached, I sat alone on the tree planter by the back gate, listlessly watching the students coming and going. Ever since a short while ago, Second Master Wei’s phone had been ringing incessantly; he stood far off in a corner to take the calls. As for Tu’e, he had been dragged off to the nearby court by a group of vibrant, youthful girls to play volleyball, leaving me completely ignored.

The sound of blowing horns and rhythmic drumming drifted from afar; I wasn’t sure who might be performing a funeral rite on the nearby hillside. This campus was simply too remote; aside from a few storefronts by the back gate, the surroundings were nothing but hills and paddy fields.

Zhang Haozi was handing out flyers just outside the gate. This guy seemed particularly desperate for money; it was rumored he often took on part-time jobs, doing anything as long as it paid. That was likely how he had gotten himself into that mess with the bald man earlier.

"Rat, working another side gig? How much have you made? Lend me a bit," two boys said as they walked past.

They were his classmates, living in the room right next to Zhang Haozi’s dorm.

"I really don’t have any money; I can’t lend you any," Zhang Haozi replied timidly, trying to brush them off.

The two ignored his plea entirely, even mocking him: "Didn't you have a rich woman keeping you? How could you be broke? Her husband even caused a scene at the school; the whole campus knows! Didn't realize you were so capable, ha-ha!"

The two laughed while rifling through his pockets. Zhang Haozi’s face turned bright red with rage, but he dared not speak up.

They looked down on him purely because they found him easy to bully. The reason they were so arrogant was largely due to Zhang Haozi himself; he was spineless and dared not resist, yet he wasn't the type to be a loner. He liked to pester girls and those around him, which made him quite detestable.

"You clearly have money and say you don't. Just lend me enough for two packs of cigarettes!" The pair fished several bills out of Zhang Haozi’s pants pocket.

Zhang Haozi said timidly, "No, that’s for my daily necessities later..."

The other man waved a hand dismissively and said, "Aren't you working a part-time job? Just buy them after you get paid later."

"I can’t! That money is for my food expenses."

I couldn't watch anymore. It wasn't just the two bullies; Zhang Haozi’s reaction was equally repulsive. With a personality like his, it was no wonder people gave him trouble. I stood up, intending to walk toward the back gate.

Gao Sheng beat me to it. He strode over, snatched the money from their hands, and returned it to Zhang Haozi. "Keep your own money. If you don't want to lend it, then don't!"

The two men glanced at Gao Sheng and walked away, looking bored.

Zhang Haozi offered his thanks in a cowardly, cringing manner.

Gao Sheng ignored him and walked through the gate, coming up to me.

"I advise you not to get too close to that man surnamed Wei, or you won't even know how you died," he said bluntly.

"Oh, thanks," I replied.

He frowned at me, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

The kid had some backbone, which reminded me a bit of Second Master Wei’s entourage. Was it because his father was one of Wei’s men, and he had been influenced to some degree?

As the sky grew darker, Second Master Wei’s phone still hadn't stopped ringing. I never heard him say a word; he just listened. Tu’e had switched from volleyball to badminton, transitioning from a complete novice to quite a skilled player. The girls were tirelessly enthusiastic, and the crowd seemed to be growing.

I figured I should remind them that it was getting late. I stood up and noticed that Zhang Haozi was nowhere to be found.

I hadn't seen him go through the school gate. Had he slipped into one of the shops outside?

I pondered this, glanced at the blissfully occupied Tu’e, and headed out the back gate.

There weren't many shops outside. A quick glance revealed the layout, and there was no sign of Zhang Haozi. Where had that guy gone?

I peered around, puzzled, and caught a glimpse of a figure heading toward the hill by the paddy fields. It was Zhang Haozi. Had he finished handing out his flyers? Why was he going into the hills?

After a moment's thought, I quietly followed him.

The paddy fields offered no place to hide, so I waited until he had entered the woods before quickly crossing the fields to trail him.

He was heading in the direction of the music and drumming from earlier. Surely, the kid couldn't be going to watch someone’s funeral ritual.

The deeper I went into the hills, the higher the elevation. As night fell, the woods grew increasingly dim. My confusion deepened, and a certain suspicion in my heart intensified.

Suddenly, Zhang Haozi stopped ahead. I immediately crouched down, hiding behind a thicket. He turned his head to look back, as if he had sensed something. I held my breath, not daring to move, and watched him through the foliage.

He looked for a moment before turning and continuing on his way. I didn't rush to follow, staying put in case it was a trap.

After waiting for quite a while, I guessed it was safe enough and prepared to move. But then, I saw Zhang Haozi walking back. I quickly ducked behind the thicket and retreated further into the brush.

Zhang Haozi didn't notice me; he walked right past my position and headed back down the hill the way he came.

Once he was far enough away, I stepped out and followed the path he had been taking.

The deeper I ventured into the forest, the darker it became. Even in the dead of winter, I could hear the buzzing of mountain mosquitoes.

There was nothing here—nothing but trees as far as the eye could see. Even a grave mound would have felt more appropriate to the atmosphere. What was that guy doing up here? He couldn't have just come to take a leak!

I was filled with doubt, swatting at mosquitoes while looking around. Was I being too sensitive? Had he really just come up here to relieve himself?

Suddenly, I noticed something on a tree not far away. I walked toward it, and as I got closer, I realized there was something nailed to it—quite a lot of things, actually!

It was too dark to see clearly, so I turned on my phone’s flashlight. When I saw what was nailed to the trunk, a chill ran down my spine.

Those things nailed to the trees were small dolls made of gauze and paper!

The dolls were identical, each one pinned to a tree trunk by a rusty nail driven through its chest—one to a tree, no more, no less!

I was horrified and dared not touch them. I counted them: there were fourteen in total. Including Ah Hua from yesterday, that was exactly the number of people who had suddenly fallen ill!

What were these dolls for? The people who had fallen ill must be linked to them! I had to notify Second Master Wei and the others immediately!

I turned to leave when a small red paper doll suddenly flew toward my face. Startled, I dodged, but the thing swerved and kept coming.

I quickly grabbed a tree branch and swiped hard at the paper doll. It was torn by the branch and fluttered to the ground.

So, destroying them made them ineffective!

Suddenly, a sensation of being tightly bound gripped my arms. My heart skipped a beat, and I looked down to see two small red paper dolls stuck firmly to my arms!