Winter Returns

Chapter 12 : A Terrifying Night

Chapter 12 - A Terrifying Night

Who is it?!

Zhang Shutong's heart lurched.

A flashlight beam swept overhead, the light slowly eating away at the darkness in their vision.

A few minutes? One minute? Perhaps even less. All it would take were a few more steps from the approaching person, and their secluded spot would be completely exposed.

Countless clues suddenly connected in his mind.

...Forbidden Zone.

...A man.

...The west.

...The opposite shore.

...A recently opened wrapper.

All sorts of keywords flashed through his mind.

The pieces snapped together in an instant. But regardless of who it was, there was no time to think any further—

Should they run?

Absolutely not!

Zhang Shutong dismissed the thought at once. If it were just him, he might have chanced it, but there were too many of them to risk it. Any accident befalling any one of them would be an unbearable consequence.

So Zhang Shutong quickly waved his arm, pointed toward the reeds, and hissed in a low voice:

"Everyone, hide!"

He was normally quiet, but when he got serious, people listened. In their small group, the only ones who could take charge in a crisis were Ruoping and him.

The others exchanged uncertain glances, but Lu Qinglian was the first to move. Ruoping and Du Kang seemed to want to say something, but seeing the other two in motion, they instinctively started moving as well, quickly packing up their belongings.

The beam of light was getting closer.

Zhang Shutong scanned the area. The bikes were the biggest things and would be the easiest to spot. Luckily, they hadn't moved them and they were still tucked away in the reeds.

That left the fishing rods and stools. The stools were simple enough—you could just pick them up and leave. The rods, however, were another matter entirely. It was never just the rod; the line, bobber, and hook could easily get snagged on the surrounding weeds if you weren't careful.

He was already holding his own rod. Ruoping and Du Kang hadn't even been fishing. Only Qingyi, who had been talking with the others, still had his equipment sitting by the water's edge.

Seeing his friend about to turn back, Zhang Shutong lunged forward, grabbed his arm, and shot a meaningful glance up the path.

The two had a real understanding—or perhaps that was just the good thing about kids with eighth-grade syndrome, they could get into character in an instant.

Qingyi gave a solemn nod, then, without a moment's hesitation, simply kicked his fishing rod into the water.

The force of the kick was perfectly judged, like an asparagus spear sliding into a pot. With a nearly silent splash, it was gone. He looked back to see the others already crouched down and scrambling into the reeds.

—Zhang Shutong knew they thought it was just a cop on patrol. That's why they were all so practiced. They had played this game of cat and mouse plenty of times before and were experienced enough that he didn't need to give them any pointers.

So he didn't correct them. Under these circumstances, this convenient misunderstanding was actually to their advantage.

The footsteps drew nearer. He swept his gaze over the clearing one last time, then pushed aside the reeds. Fortunately, the bike he'd stashed earlier had already parted them slightly, otherwise he could never have slipped in so quietly.

He let go, and his vision was instantly plunged into darkness. The reeds blocked the outside world, but they also blocked his view.

The soft breathing of the others was close behind him. He glanced back and, in the dark, could only make out a few pairs of shining eyes.

Zhang Shutong recognized that look—he had been on a roller coaster before. The most breathtaking moment on a roller coaster is never the cliff-like plummet downwards; it's when you're gripping the shoulder restraints, your vocal cords tight, your body leaning back, as the cart slowly climbs that ladder-like track, ascending to its highest point!

Their expressions were identical to that moment. He could tell what they were thinking—it was a thrill, not a real threat. They were treating this as an exciting adventure. Sure, it was an awkward situation, but kids their age feared nothing. So what if they were discovered? It would just turn into a game of cat and mouse with that bear-like cop, and they might even have a good story to tell in class the next day...

Of course, he hoped it was the police, too. The police would be fine. The worst that could happen if they got caught was a lecture—no harm, no foul. Even a report to the school was a minor issue. He really didn't want to be scaring himself if he could help it. Wouldn't it be better to just go home and get some sleep? Why were they here shadowboxing?

So just relax, don't make a big deal out of it...

But Zhang Shutong was the only one who couldn't think that way.

All he could think of was the person who had murdered Gu Qiumian eight years ago, and the dagger that had pierced his own neck eight years from now. That night had been just like this one—limbs cold, the wind biting.

The wind was getting stronger... He pulled out his phone, dimmed the screen to its lowest setting, and began typing a note, which he then passed to the person behind him.

—Baton! In the frame bag! No matter what happens, just run!!!

That was the message on the screen. He had added five exclamation points in a row, hoping they would understand the gravity of the situation. In theory, they were five against one; they had a chance to take the killer down right here.

But Zhang Shutong knew there were generally two types of murderers. One was the accidental kind, like a petty thief who only wanted to steal a wallet but might do something desperate if cornered. And the other kind...

...Was the kind that was straight-up out for blood.

This person was the latter.

Zhang Shutong didn't dare to take that chance.

Besides, everything was happening too fast for them to make a plan. For example, he had wanted to add "and then call the police," but he knew someone would inevitably ask, "Wait, aren't the police the ones trying to catch us? Why would we call them?”

At a time like this, the less said, the better. Fortunately, a baton-like object was quickly placed in his hand. Zhang Shutong gripped it tightly and held his breath, waiting.

He listened to the footsteps, now just a stone's throw away, and braced himself for the worst. They drew nearer, almost directly overhead, like a wolf standing above a molehill, leaving the moles inside to do nothing but tremble.

Then, the wolf peered into the den.

As the flashlight beam swept down, his nerves were stretched taut. A few seconds, maybe more than ten—his heart hammered in his chest, and he lost all track of time until, suddenly, the light moved away.

The sound of someone muttering in a thick accent reached his ears.

"Strange. I could've sworn I heard someone. Guess those kids aren't here?"

……

A long breath escaped his chest.

Of course, they didn't all burst out at once. The group waited patiently for the footsteps to recede, until even the beam of the flashlight was nearly gone. Then, the silence was broken by a crisp laugh from behind him.

It was Ruoping.

"Shutong, look at you! You were so scared just now, you were all hunched over. And with a baton, no less..."

Du Kang chimed in from the side.

"Holy crap, man. The cop didn't scare me, but you sure did. I thought you were about to attack him."

Zhang Shutong ignored them both. He let out a breath and shone his flashlight behind him. Everyone's faces were flushed with post-adrenaline excitement, as if they were still hungry for more. He didn't know what to say, but one thing made him pause—

The person right behind him was actually Lu Qinglian.

When did she get here?

Shouldn't it be Qingyi? I remember the two of us were the last ones in.

Only then did he remember that the hand that had passed him the baton had been very cold.

She still had that same detached expression. He had expected her to frown and ask what was happening, but she was her usual self, without any visible change in emotion.

Only when the flashlight beam accidentally caught her face would she instinctively squint and turn away, like a cat.

Whatever. As long as everyone is okay.

Although it had been a false alarm in the end, this was undoubtedly the best possible outcome.

Thinking of this, he retracted the baton and smiled to himself.

"So what if I'm a coward?"

"Tch. Even I, a girl, wasn't as scared as you. And look at Qinglian! I was right behind her the whole time, and her breathing didn't even hitch."

"Right, right. You're the brave one. From now on, we'll all listen to you..."

He was just about to tell everyone to hurry up and leave when Qingyi said thoughtfully:

"Shutong wasn't wrong, actually. We didn't know it was a cop before he got here. It could have been someone else. I think we should have been careful, too.”

Finally, someone's on my side.

In a way, Qingyi had guessed right.

"Are you talking about that guy Du Kang just mentioned?" Ruoping asked.

"Yeah. Isn't it strange?" Meng Qingyi then asked Du Kang, "Did you notice any of his distinguishing features?"

"Uh, I didn't get a good look. He was wearing a baseball cap, and I think he had one of those big plastic-weave sacks slung over his shoulder. And he was carrying... something... in his other hand? That's all I remember."

"And that's precisely why it's so strange."

"Stop trying to build suspense and just spit it out. What, he couldn't have just been fishing, too?" Ruoping prompted. Everyone knew Qingyi was a huge mystery buff.

"What do you think, Shutong?" To his surprise, Qingyi tossed the question to him. "What does it suggest?"

"It means he came from nearby," Zhang Shutong said after a moment's thought. "And he wasn't fishing."

"Why?"

"If Du Kang saw correctly and the man was carrying one of those sacks, that means two things. First, whatever was inside was heavy, since a normal bag would have torn. So it couldn't have been fishing tackle."

"Maybe that's the only kind of bag he has at home. My grandma likes to use old fertilizer sacks to go grocery shopping," Ruoping said with a pout.

"Your grandma is used to being frugal. But someone who can afford a full set of fishing gear isn't going to be short on a bag," Qingyi interjected.

"Then what's the second thing?" Ruoping asked, turning to look at him.

"Second, we're a long way from the main town. Since he was carrying something heavy, he couldn't have walked all the way from there. But Du Kang saw him on foot, which means he must have a base nearby—maybe a car, maybe something else."

"So what was he here for, then?"

"That much is unclear. But think about it—normal people don't wear hats in the middle of the night. That's why I'm saying Shutong was right to be careful."

"Fine, you've convinced me," Ruoping conceded readily. Then she smacked Du Kang.

"And look at you," she said disdainfully. "You're the one who saw him first. How come none of this occurred to you?"

Du Kang grimaced. "Hey, you were just on my side a second ago..."

"Hmph."

"Alright, let's get going. We can talk about it in the group chat when we get back," Zhang Shutong said, urging them on while lighting the path with his flashlight.

"Let's go, then. It's already 7:40. If we hadn't been waiting for you, Shutong, I'd be home binge-watching my show by now. I'm going to miss it..." Ruoping nodded.

It was perfectly normal for a girl to like watching TV dramas.

"Same here. I've got a book to finish at home." Qingyi got ready to go fish his rod out of the water.

Besides reading, he didn't do much else.

"Right, right, I have to go check on my frog, too.”

Hearing this, the group fell silent.

"Wh-What is it?" Du Kang asked, cautiously putting a hand in his pocket.

Even Zhang Shutong had a whole list of sarcastic remarks he wanted to make.

Luckily, Ruoping beat him to it.

"What do you think is wrong?" she asked, imitating their deductive tone from before.

"First, did you actually bring a frog back with you? Second, Classmate Du Kang, would you mind not sticking your hand in your pocket?"

With that, Ruoping laughed in relief.

"Did you think! Someone! Was going to steal! Your frog!"

As her voice escalated, the frog in Du Kang's pocket seemed to stir from hibernation and let out a ribbit.

Du Kang quickly changed the subject.

"Let's hurry home, then. Isn't your show starting..."

"Don't just brush this off," Zhang Shutong warned.

"Now that we know something's wrong, all of you need to be careful these next few days. You have your phones with you, right? Remember to call the police. Absolutely do not try to play the hero."

Du Kang clutched his head. "Got it, got it. By the way, you're suddenly talking a lot today."

Zhang Shutong ignored his comment.

"And another thing. If a situation like this happens again, you listen to my commands. If I'm not in a position to give commands, you run, and then you call the police. Can you remember that?"

His gaze swept across their faces. Seeing them all nod in confirmation, Zhang Shutong relaxed a little, then looked toward Lu Qinglian.

"That goes for you too. It would be best not to stray from your daily routine."

Although she wasn't theoretically in danger, tonight's events had taught him that theory is just theory.

In his original timeline, Lu Qinglian would not have come fishing tonight. Du Kang would not have gone back for a stool, and he certainly wouldn't have seen the man who was likely the murderer on his way to do so—

Since the past had already been altered, who was to say that a bigger accident wouldn't happen, even if things seemed manageable for now?

Besides, Lu Qinglian had no bike and no phone. If she ran into trouble, she couldn't run away or call for help, making her even more vulnerable than the boys.

Fortunately, Lu Qinglian nodded at his words. Even though her expression didn't change, and even though it was just a single, small nod, it was enough.

Zhang Shutong spoke again.

"You guys pack up first. I have something else to do."

"'You guys'?" Ruoping asked. "What are you up to now?"

"Returning a call. My mom just called."

With that, Zhang Shutong held up his phone, shouldered his bike, and started up the dirt slope.

But that wasn't the truth at all. He was preparing to call the police.

This wasn't a video game where he could just save and reload. The opportunity was right here, right now. If he let it slip by, it would be gone forever.

Besides, his ‘Rewind’ power was gone. Unlike before, he didn't have infinite opportunities for trial and error or information gathering. He had finally managed to grasp a clue about the murderer, and with the suspect likely still in the vicinity, he had to act now.

That was why Zhang Shutong had no intention of going back tonight.

He just needed an excuse to trick the others into getting home safely first.

There was strength in numbers, true, but he didn't want to drag his friends into this.

He made his way to the dirt path in the dark and glanced at his screen, his brow immediately furrowing.

Still no signal?

To think it would fail at such a critical moment.

He walked a few more steps in the other direction, but the call still wouldn't go through. Zhang Shutong put away his phone, helpless.

He'd just have to go by bike, then.

The officer couldn't have gone far. If he chased after him now, he should still be able to catch up and call him back.

He had no choice but to shout down to the group.

"You guys all head back together! My mom's angry, I have to go first. I'm leaving them in your hands, Ruoping. Make sure they're okay. And all of you, call me when you get home."

In any case, they didn't all live in the same direction, so the excuse was solid.

With that, he ignored their inevitable questions, got on his bike, and rode away.

……

"Hey, Zhang Shutong!" Feng Ruoping shouted, only to find that the boy had already pedaled off into the distance on his own.

The girl grumbled, displeased. "Honestly, what's gotten into him?"

Great, now it was all her responsibility. She suddenly felt like a fussy old mother…

No, that's too old. More like a zookeeper.

But she was used to it. Just as she was about to tell everyone to gather their things, Qingyi spoke up unexpectedly.

"Don't you think Shutong's been a little weird today?"

"Not really. Isn't he always like this? A lone wolf..."

"Do you remember what he said when he came back tonight?"

"What?"

"That his mom called him over to deliver something."

"Oh, I think that's right."

"And just now, he said his mom was messaging him to hurry back." Qingyi pulled his fishing rod from the water and wiped it down.

"Don't you see the problem?"

"Aiya, I told you, stop being so dramatic."

"The two excuses contradict each other," Meng Qingyi said thoughtfully, stroking his chin.

"Think about it. We all know his parents work at the institute and are rarely home, right?"

"So?"

"That's the problem. If his mom was off today and happened to be home, why would she need him to deliver something for her? And if she wasn't home, then how would she know that he wasn't home yet?"

Feng Ruoping froze. "That's right... Then Shutong is…”

"He probably went after that man Du Kang was talking about."

The girl grew anxious. "He can't do that! We don't know if it's dangerous. What if something happens to him all by himself..."

Before she could finish, she saw Qingyi rubbing his palms together eagerly.

"It's not fair of Shutong to go alone. Let's go too."

"Give me a break!" Ruoping shot him a sideways glance.

"I'm calling him right now and telling him to come back. Honestly, you're all such a handful..."

However, the voice on the other end of the line said the user was out of the service area.

Feng Ruoping stomped her foot.

"Then we'll go look for him together."

With that, she gathered Du Kang and Lu Qinglian. Du Kang didn't have much to add, but he did apologize to Lu Qinglian.

"Qinglian, maybe you should wait here. Once we find Shutong, we can all head back together?"

They certainly couldn't let her return to the mountain alone at this hour. But they were short on people as it was, and they still had no idea what Shutong's situation was. Feng Ruoping wasn't keen on splitting up their group to send someone with her.

But it also didn't feel right to ask her to come along on the search, so the only option was to have the girl wait there for them to return.

But Lu Qinglian shook her head. "Let's go together."

The group had just agreed and were about to leave when another set of footsteps sounded from up on the path.

Du Kang was the first to complain.

"What the hell? Is this ever going to end? Another one..."

Before he could finish, Meng Qingyi clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shut up. Didn't you notice..."

The boy's voice dropped to a barely audible whisper.

"He doesn't have a flashlight.”