pdf-ebookys Chapter 154 Science? Metaphysics?
Chapter 154 Science? Metaphysics?
After patrolling the streets for only a few days, Lin Ziping was assigned a new task: to lead doctors from the prefecture and Fuchun County to various villages to distribute medicine and provide medical assistance.
After investigation, it was found that the "epidemic" in Fuchun County was indeed caused by bandits from Maomao Mountain poisoning the water sources in various villages.
Because of the drought and water shortage in the early stages, water was basically supplied from fixed points, which made it easier for bandits to carry out their activities. The poisoning spread to a wider area, and apart from villages like Xinping Village that were spared, almost all other villages had people poisoned.
After a series of "friendly" exchanges, the bandits cooperated with the county government and revealed the formula for the poison. After successful experiments, it was first used in the county town.
The situation in the county seat has largely stabilized, but the situation in other areas is far from optimistic, especially with bandits continuing their looting and creating an atmosphere of rebellion. Those villagers who could afford it fled to the county seat, while those who couldn't were left to die.
Now that Gao Chi has basically taken over all affairs in Fuchun County, upon hearing about the situation, he arranged for people to go to the village to provide assistance.
After rounds of selection, Lin Ziping "stood out" and successfully obtained the job.
Today we're going to Pingding Village. Because we need to arrange the venue and coordinate the time in advance, Lin Ziping left the city before dawn, carrying a backpack, wearing a mask, and riding a Wuling Hongguang.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, and the weather is getting colder.
Lin Ziping wore a cloak, thick gloves, earmuffs, and a hat. He was warmly dressed and not cold, but it was still dark, and although he was carrying a lantern, he could not see the road clearly, so he walked slowly.
We slowly made our way towards Pingdingshan.
Suddenly, as we passed an intersection, we heard a low sobbing sound.
Lin Ziping was jolted awake, his mind, which had been foggy from waking up early, instantly cleared.
Lin Ziping pulled the Wuling Hongguang to a stop and listened intently, but heard nothing.
Did I hear wrong?
I remember reading in a science magazine that when the wind blows across an object, it causes the air to vibrate, thus producing sound.
Lin Ziping paid no attention and continued driving the Wuling Hongguang.
The sound of horses' hooves echoed in my ears.
"Waaah—"
They hadn't gone far when they heard sobbing again.
Lin Ziping looked around. In the darkness, the surrounding trees seemed to be baring their claws, as if they were about to pounce and devour him.
It's hard to believe that in this era there was no concept of cemeteries. Some people died simply wrapped in straw mats and thrown away anywhere, ending their lives in that way.
Images of the old corpse in the mountain village and Sadako involuntarily surfaced in Lin Ziping's mind. He tightened his cloak, pulled on the reins, and quickened his pace.
The sobbing sound came again.
It felt like someone was crying right next to my ear.
Lin Ziping broke out in a cold sweat. Had he encountered some kind of mystical force today?
He stopped again, recited the oath of joining the Party, and forced himself to calm down.
Looking back on the journey, it was clear that everything was mostly normal until the unexpected happened at that fork in the road.
Looking at the sky, I figured I should be able to reach Pingding Village in time if I sped up.
Thinking of this, Lin Ziping turned around and walked back, thinking to himself: You really have to see for yourself to know about science and metaphysics.
He soon arrived at the fork in the road, and then he heard a sobbing sound again. He determined the location and rode his Wuling Hongguang to find it.
Lin Ziping cautiously surveyed his surroundings and moved forward slowly.
Suddenly, a dark, shadowy thing appeared ahead, like a giant beast lying there.
Animals are better at perceiving danger than humans, and Lin Ziping breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that there was nothing unusual about the Wuling Hongguang.
Drawing the knife from his waist, and pushing off with his legs, the Wuling Hongguang carried Lin Ziping slowly closer.
Approaching, Lin Ziping carried a lantern and drew closer; it was a carriage.
Thinking back to the case explanations of body dumping I've seen before, the suitcases were always filled with RMB or RMB (Chinese currency). Could it be the same in this carriage?
Lin Ziping figured that there were either living or dead people inside, so he stepped forward and boldly lifted the carriage curtain.
"Waaah—"
The people inside made a sound.
Lin Ziping breathed a sigh of relief again; thankfully, he was alive!
Judging from the voice, it was a woman.
He rolled off the bed and went forward to check, carrying a lantern.
Standing outside the carriage and looking inside, all I could see was a woman lying on her side on the ground; the room was completely empty.
The woman lay motionless on the ground, occasionally letting out whimpering sounds, proving that she was still alive.
Upon boarding the train and getting closer, he discovered that the woman's legs were bent and her hands were tied behind her back.
Lin Ziping quickly cut the rope, untied the person's hands and feet, and helped them up.
Upon closer inspection with the lantern, it turned out to be Hu Rongrong!
Her mouth was still tied with a strip of cloth, so Lin Ziping put down the lantern and quickly untied it.
"Cough-cough-"
Hu Rongrong coughed violently.
Lin Ziping took the water bladder out of his backpack and handed it to her.
Hu Rongrong's hands trembled as she tried to take it, but she couldn't hold it properly.
Lin Ziping quickly took the water pouch, untied it, and brought it to her lips, saying, "Drink."
Hu Rongrong paused, but still opened her mouth and drank it in big gulps.
"Eat slowly, there are still some buns here." Lin Ziping took a bun out of his backpack and stuffed it into Hu Rongrong's hand. It was originally prepared for lunch, but it doesn't matter if she eats one less.
After finishing her water, Hu Rongrong picked up a steamed bun and started taking big bites.
Lin Ziping didn't say anything, but helped her lean against the carriage wall and then walked out.
He climbed on and rode away on his Wuling Hongguang.
"Wait a minute." Hu Rongrong lifted the carriage curtain, and probably because her hands and feet had been tied for too long, she fell to the ground.
孽 孽!
Lin Ziping quickly stepped forward to help him up and asked, "Are you alright?"
Unexpectedly, Hu Rongrong burst into tears.
To be honest, I haven't seen a scene like this in many years. People around me used to rarely cry in public. In this era, the crying I see is mostly silent sobbing. This kind of loud wailing is really rare. The last time this happened... well, it was the last time.
Lin Ziping was a little flustered. He quickly pulled a handkerchief out of his backpack and handed it to her, asking gently, "Why are you crying? Did you hurt yourself somewhere? Don't cry!"
To everyone's surprise, Hu Rongrong cried even harder, wiping away her tears with one hand and clutching Lin Ziping's sleeve tightly with the other.
"Why...it's you again, how...it's you who saw it again?" Hu Rongrong sobbed and spoke intermittently.
Lin Ziping didn't quite hear clearly, thinking it was because he had seen her fall flat on her face and felt embarrassed.
He quickly assured her, "I didn't see anything, I didn't see you fall!"
Hu Rongrong paused, then cried even harder: "Waaah, you don't know anything, waaaah..."
Lin Ziping was speechless. "Big sister, you know I don't know anything, so just let it go!"
Seeing Hu Rongrong's tears flow like a burst dam, Lin Ziping couldn't break free from her hand, nor could he stop her from crying, nor could he find any words to comfort her. He could only anxiously scratch his head and cheeks.