Chapter 6: Hunter A
This time, 922 stayed around for a while at the door after dropping the examinee off.
After the experience last time, he was very curious about what You Huo would do. However, a few seconds later he regretted this decision. You Huo came out again.
922 with a look of frustration: “What’s wrong now?”
You Huo: “I just thought of something.”
“What?”
“The rules here, are they based on the exams in reality?”
922 nodded: “Of course it is.”
You Huo: “There was a rule that wasn’t mentioned.”
922: “Which?”
“If an examinee encounters a problem, can they also find the invigilator?”
922: “………Yes.”
But we don’t want you to look for us.
To avoid trouble, 922 immediately added: “It’s the same as the exams in reality. You are forbidden to ask for the answer. We don’t and can’t help you with that.”
You Huo made a sound of recognition.
But he had always been quite little with words…….922 still felt skeptical.
“So when we encounter a problem, how do we find you?”
922 said: “Just…….Use the delegated pen and write on the answer wall——–”
He originally wanted to say ‘write the invigilators number’ but he felt resistance inside. His mouth changed and the words that came out was, “Write 001.”
You Huo looked expressionlessly at him.
922 looked at him innocently and repeated: “Yes, write 001.”
“……………”
After what felt like a century, You Huo nodded. He then turned around and closed the door on him.
922 who had managed to make a big achievement happily went back.
·
In the cabin.
The fire was still burning strongly, and everyone sat around it in clearly separated groups.
Because of the knife incident earlier, the tattooed man was left alienated. Alone, he sat at the corner of the table with a sullen face.
The others sat far from him and would deliberately walk around him.
Seeing You Huo returning, Yu Wen immediately jumped up.
“Brother! Did the invigilators do anything to you? What punishment? Are you okay?”
He waved the knife around and fired out a succession of questions.
Everyone looked over.
You Huo furrowed his brows and moved away from the blade. He said: “It’s nothing.”
“You sure?” Yu Wen didn’t believe him.
He glanced at the corner of the room and asked quietly: “That person was taken away once and he became like that. How harsh was the punishment?”
You Huo looked over at the corner of the room. The bald man who was confined earlier huddled there with yellow and turbid eyes. He swayed his body back and forth nervously as he muttered incoherently.
He seemed to have been scared mad.
You Huo saw the bald man and recalled the confinement room. He instantly felt a little sick.
“He has always been like that?”
“Yes. It has been three hours and he didn’t recover at all.” Yu Wen snorted coldly. He then whispered: “See him constantly mumbling? I even went over to listen in.”
“What did he say?”
Yu Wen shook his head and said: “I only heard something like ‘unfortunate life’. On there was also something about burning incense. I couldn’t understand the rest.”
You Huo made a sound of understanding and no longer asked.
You got punished more than him so why do you seem okay?” Yu Wen was very curious.
You Huo was lazy to explain. He answered perfunctorily: “Method is different.”
Yu Wen: “What punishment did you get?”
You Huo answered briefly: “Slept. Gifted the invigilator a bucket of blood.”
Yu Wen: “???”
“Why did you gift the invigilator blood?”
You Huo looked coldly at him: “Who knows? He likes it.”
Yu Wen keenly noted that his brother said ‘he’, not ‘they’.
“Which one? Is he a pervert?”
“You Huo: “001.”
Yu Wen: “Huh…….”
·
You Huo and that invigilator were not in good relations and he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
He glanced around, and frowned: “Were you just sitting around for the past three hours?”
“How can that be?” Yu Wen pointed at the answer wall and said: “Brother, your solution inspired me so I went and wrote a few things.”
You Huo looked at the answer wall.
On it there were densely packed scrawls made by by Yu Wen.
You Huo: “………….”
Yu Wen said: “My teacher said that we should write anything that comes to mind. Even if you don’t know, while you’re writing it down you might pick up a few points inadvertently.”
You Huo: “So, you wrote an essay?”
He tried to read the messy scrawls. He pointed at one of the lines and asked: “What is this sentence?”
Yu Wen tried to read it with even more difficulty than You Huo: “I think…….We have a total of 13 people and there are 12 tableware.”
You Huo: “……..Why are you copying the question?
Yu Wen: “………When I don’t have anything to write in an exam, in order to increase the word count, I would try to emphasise the key point in the question.”
You Huo: “………”
f.u.c.k you and the key point.
He pointed to another pile of circles: “What’s this?”
Yu Wen: “G=mg, g=9.8N/kg……….”
You Huo: “What does this have to do with optics?”
Yu Wen: “The thing is………I don’t know what kind relationship tableware has with optics.”
You Huo: “………..”
Yu Wen was afraid of his brother going mad with anger, so he quickly added: “There are also optics here.”
You Huo no longer wanted to look at the nonsensical scrawls. He asked directly, “Where?”
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You Wen said timidly: “Here. I wrote refractive index, parallel lines, spherical surface, lens, focal length, imaging………Aren’t these words all optics related? I even drew a simple two mirror diagram.”
You Huo was expressionless. Yu Wen thought about it and then pulled his brother away from the wall. He changed the topic: “Let’s not talk about the unhappy things. Apart from answering the question, we also did something else.”
In fact, after the answer wall was updated, they turned the cabin upside down.
The question said that this was a hunter’s cabin and that he had 13 tableware but only enough food to feed 12.
But after searching through the attic, cabinets and various bottles and cans, they firstly didn’t see a hunter and, secondly, there weren’t any tableware. As for food……..They could only dream.
“We searched for two hours.” Yu Wen said dejectedly, “In such a small cabin, two hours! So you can imagine how much we’ve gone through. There really was nothing. What a s.h.i.t question.”
You Huo asked: “You definitely went through everything?”
“In fact, we didn’t.” A stick thin man wearing a hospital gown coughed a few times and interjected: “There were two places that weren’t touched.”
He raised his skinny fingers and pointed at the two locked rooms.
On the door of the rooms was the rooster and hen. Its necks were twisted, and their dark beady eyes looked out the window not moving an inch.
Perhaps it was because the chickens looked very strange and every time, they called out it was either because of a violation or because it was time to collect the answers, no one dared to touch it.
“We tried to find the key, but we couldn’t find it.”
You Huo nodded. He walked over and examined the two padlocks. He then turned around and looked at the walls.
Yu Wen was worried that his brother would take out the axe to break the door down. He quickly said: “Brother! I played these types of games more than everyone else here. For locked doors like this, it’s best not to use force.”
You Huo coolly asked back: “Do I look r.e.t.a.r.ded?”
Yu Wen shrank back. He didn’t dare speak.
After a moment he said timidly: “Then why are you looking at the wall?”
“Did anyone touch the hunting gear?” You Huo asked.
Everyone’s eyes moved to the tattooed man.
“f.u.c.k, why are you f.u.c.king looking at me for!” The tattooed man saw this and was enraged: “Earlier you wrongly accused me of hiding the knife and now what are you going to wrongly accuse me of?”
“Wrongly accuse?” You Huo frowned.
“With so many people are grouped together, who the f.u.c.k knows where that knife fell from.” The tattooed man cursed. He said irritably: “I’m done! It’s no point explaining to you fools!”
You Huo looked coldly at him.
Tattooed man: “………….”
After a moment of silence, the tattooed man said: “Forget it. You……what do you want to ask? Ask!”
You Huo pointed at the wall with his chin: “Put the hunting gear back to where it was. I want to look at its position.”
The tattooed man glared at him: “Am I crazy? Why should I put it back after taking it down?”
•
Three minutes later, the tattooed man took out a bag of hunting gear and hung them back one by one.
You Huo crossed his arms and followed behind him.
“I’m not a dog. Can you not walk around like you’re walking me?!”
The tattooed man complained dissatisfiedly but he still placed the last one back before spitting in the corner and walking away.
“Brother, what’s wrong with the hunting gear?” Yu Wen asked.
You Huo pointed at the last wall and said: “There are two empty nails.”
“So?” Yu Wen was still puzzled.”
“What happened to the thing hanging from there?”
The room went silent.
Suddenly someone said: “That’s right………it’s missing two things. Is anyone hiding something?”
Everyone shook their heads.
Old Yu: “It was like this from the beginning.”
Everyone looked at him.
“That……….Before the exam started, didn’t I go out for a bit?” Old Yu said to You Huo. “You were sleeping so I didn’t call you. Before I went out, I wanted to see if there were any umbrellas in the cabin. At that time the two nails were empty. I’m certain.”
“So, you mean that from the time we entered the cabin, two hunting gears were missing?”
“Then who has it?”
“The hunter?” Yu Wen guessed, “So……There really is a hunter and he is just not in the cabin. He probably went out hunting?”
Everyone was a little nervous: “We can’t go out, he can’t come in. How can we find him?”
You Huo: “Time isn’t up yet, right?”
·
Everyone’s sense of time was a bit off but You Huo had already dragged a chair over and moved to sit before the fire.
The others also sat down and went in daze as they looked at the fire.
Yu Yao supported her waist and carefully moved over. She looked at You Huo for a while. The other person’s side profile was lit up by the fire making him look gentler than usual, but his eyes were still cold and indifferent.
With a look of guilt, she said: “I’m sorry.”
You Huo looked over at her.
Yu Yao said in a small voice: “That ink…..Clearly I was the one who did it but you got punished instead. I have always wanted to apologise to you but you were taken away again before I could say anything.”
You Huo: “…………..”
Yu Yao said: “I know it’s useless to apologise. If there is anything next time, I’ll go instead.”
You Huo: “…………”
He lowered his eyes and glanced at Yu Yao. He looked away and continued to warm his hands up: “No need.”
Yu Yao opened her mouth wanting to say something but in the end she didn’t say anything.
She sat there in daze for a while. Then she suddenly asked You Huo: “You’re not afraid?”
You Huo straightened one leg. The fire stove was too warm, and he was a little sleepy.
He was quiet for a moment before saying lazily: “Afraid of what?”
“Afraid of death, afraid of violating the rules…….or anything. Everyone is very curious. You are very strong. It’s like you aren’t afraid of anything.”
“What’s the point of being afraid?”
Yu Yao nodded and said quietly: “That’s true. But you can’t help it. I’m just very scared…….”
You Huo didn’t look up. He said: “You’re not too timid. You even had the courage to use that unknown ink to write on the wall.”
He spoke effortlessly. It was as if he didn’t want to even move his lips. His voice was low and cold but, while being baked by the warm fire, there was no tone of blame.
Yu Yao lowered her head. She didn’t know what to say.
She lingered for a long time before saying: “I actually……….”
But she didn’t finish speaking. She saw You Huo with one leg on the edge of the chair and his arm on his knee. He seemed to have fallen asleep again.
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She was surprised for a moment and she swallowed her words back. She didn’t wake You Huo and just slowly moved back to the two old ladies.
“How did he fall asleep again?” The old lady whispered. “Didn’t he sleep when he just came?”
Yu Wen heard this faintly and he looked at You Huo. Inside he answered: No, my brother is always sleepy even after sleeping.
Yu Yao didn’t say have much to say. She leaned against the old lady and her eyes looked into the distance. She seemed to be in thought.
·
An unknown amount of time pa.s.sed and the clock above the cabinet changed.
Beijing time, four o’clock in the morning.
The sudden cry from the rooster frightened everyone.
They quickly sat up and looked at each other before realising that they had fallen asleep.
Yu Wen slapped himself a few times to wake himself up.
When he lowered his hands, he heard a strange sound.
“Shh———”
He gestured and asked quietly: “Do you hear something?”
“What?” Old Yu looked at his son thinking that he was speaking nonsense.
“Don’t you hear it?” Yu Wen asked, “That……crunching sound.”
The room fell silent. No one dared to move.
Everyone had a wary expression as they listened for movement.
Sure enough, after a few seconds the crunching sound was heard again. This time everyone heard it.
It was like……something heavy being dragged in the snow.
The stick thin man in the hospital gown gestured out the window and mouthed: “Here.”
Before his mouth could close, the door opened with a creak.
A black shadow was cast in from outside the door.
Following that, a pale faced man holding a bundle of rope entered the cabin.
His figure was large, but he wasn’t very tall. His face looked like over exposed paper and his eyes were also very strange. The iris looked a little too large for his eyes and the white sclera only occupied a very small amount.
He bent down to roll the rope up. On his waist hung a wide knife and a small bell rang with his movements.
No one in the room spoke. Everyone watched him drag a sack into the house and then closing the door.
At this moment, he finally looked around at the fire stove. His dark eyes blinked a few times: “Ah…….That’s good, there are guests.”
Everyone: “…………..”
·
The one who came was the hunter that they had been waiting for.
He squeezed his hand and said: “Snow had blocked off the roads for the past few days so I knew that foo……I mean, guests would come.”
Guests: “…………”
“It’s really cold outside.” He said slowly: “The snow is too heavy. Everything was hidden so I couldn’t find a prey. I spent a long, long time to finally dig out one.”
He kicked the sack and smiled at everyone. His lips looked like they almost reached his ears: “You’re really lucky to be able to join me.”
He sighed again and explained: “I can’t help it. There aren’t many things on the snow mountain, and it would always be a long time until I come across a group. I have to tighten my belly to survive so I only have two meals a day.
“Once in the morning at 4am and then in the afternoon at 4pm. There aren’t many chances to have a wonderful meal with me.” He looked at the clock above the cabinet and said: “Ah, it’s just the right time. You must’ve waited long and must be hungry. I can hear your stomachs growling. Can’t wait?”
Guests: “……….”
“How many of you are there?” He held out his finger and counted them one by one, “Old woman, sick man, thug, alcoholic, alcoholic’s son…….”
None of the names were nice but when he pointed at them, their faces all turned green.
When he reached You Huo, he paused and wasn’t happy: “Why is there one still asleep.”
“Forget it.” Hunter A was no longer interested. He looked at the answer well and said: “Looks like there are a total of 13 people but I don’t have enough food. Only enough for 12. What a pity.”
As he said that, he licked his lips: “I’m really hungry, but you’ll have to wait a little longer. I have to prepare. It’s my first time having so many guests.”
Yu Wen: “………..”
It’s also my first time seen such a girly hunter.
Hunter A bent over and picked up the sack.
The sack looked particularly heavy. They didn’t know what it contained and they also didn’t want to know……
He dragged the sack over to the corner of the room and stopped before the room with the hen hanging from the door.
The keys clanked and Hunter A picked one out. Using it, he opened the door to the room.
A rotten smell spread out.
It was a smell that was hard to describe. It was like rotten meat, dust and decaying wood all mixed together.
·
Everyone had thought that the room with the hen hanging from the door was the bedroom.
Now they realised that it was actually a kitchen.
Inside was a long counter. It was no problem for someone to lie on it.
On the other side was a tall red wooden cabinet. Numerous locks hung from there.
Hunter A smiled at the people in the room and then made a small bow: “Please wait. It’ll be done soon.”
He then closed the door.
·
The people by the fire stove was silent for a long time. One of them said with fear: “I don’t want to eat, I want to go home.”
“Who doesn’t want to go home!” The tattooed man had at some unknown point in time joined the crowd. He was probably afraid of Hunter A, “Can we go back? If you have the ability, go and rush out through that door!”
Everyone fell silent again.
After a moment, Old Yu swallowed: “That hunter’s mouth was so big. It wouldn’t be a problem to swallow a human head. I have a feeling he eats humans……..”
Yu Yao muttered: “What’s in that sack?”
Putting those two sentences together, it was extremely terrifying.
Everyone’s eyes moved out the window.
The snowstorm outside still had not stopped. Before the exam, Old Yu went out to investigate and said that everything was covered in snow. There weren’t any people or houses within a hundred miles from here……..
Where did the prey come from?
What’s more, Hunter A said that the food was dug out.
When they arrived here in the afternoon, there was a man who didn’t listen to the radio and his body was soon buried under the snow…….
Everyone recalled that moment in unison. Deep fear formed on their faces.
Yu Wen was even about to vomit.
“If you want to vomit, turn around.” You Huo’s cold voice rang out, “Don’t get it on me again.”
“Brother you’re awake?!” Yu Wen cried out in pleasant surprise.
“What are you shouting for! Can’t you be a little quieter?!” The tattooed man shouted.
You Huo glanced at the tattooed man and said: “I wasn’t sleeping.”
Yu Wen: “Oh——— Then why do you always close your eyes?”
“Eyes are uncomfortable.”
Yu Wen remembered now that his father seemed to have mentioned that You Huo has had surgery done on his eyes and that would be tired and uncomfortable after looking at bright things for a long time. However, because he had never heard You Huo mention it, he didn’t remember it himself.
“Brother, did you hear everything Hunter A said?” Yu Wen asked.
You Huo hummed in acknowledgment.
Yu Wen: “What do we do?”
You Huo said lazily: “I’m a little hungry. Wait for dinner.”
Yu Wen: “………..”
Who are you trying to scare?