Hospital 444
Chapter 271 - 7 The Murderer

Chapter 271: Chapter 7 The Murderer

The snow was slightly lighter than it had been during the day.

Dai Wei followed closely behind his father.

At a little past eight in the evening, almost no pedestrians could be seen on the streets of Nanmian Village.

"Dad, the porcelain dolls, if they were completely used up... That doesn’t really happen, does it?"

"Theoretically, it generally doesn’t. And since it’s your first time on patrol, the others will take care of you to some extent. The key is to be vigilant at all times, as the mist could drift in your direction unexpectedly. You must never let the mist touch you, even if it’s just a small tip of your finger that comes into contact with it, that would be the end."

Hearing this, Dai Wei couldn’t help but shiver.

"Dad, you’ve been on patrol many times. What do you think is really inside that White Mist?"

At this, his father stopped in his tracks.

"The villagers all say there is some kind of monster inside the White Mist. But all this time, it seems no one has ever seen what kind of monster it is."

"I don’t know either."

Dai Wei faintly felt that his father seemed to be hiding something from him.

"Uncle Lei... Lei San once said something to me. He thought that inside the White Mist, there might be... is..."

Just then, a snowflake coincidentally landed on Dai Wei’s nose, making him feel as though his entire nose was about to freeze.

Therefore, he didn’t manage to say that word.

But even though he didn’t say it, Dai Wei’s father knew what he wanted to say.

"Don’t let your imagination run wild," Dai Wei’s father patted his head and said, "Just follow Captain Lin Tai and the others closely. Remember to keep an eye on the White Mist, and never enter it because no one would be able to save you then."

Dai Wei’s home was not very far from the eastern edge of the White Mist Area of the village.

The closer one got to the White Mist, the more deserted fields and houses there were. Consequently, fewer people were living in this area.

The villagers didn’t dare to live here, fearing that the White Mist might spread here one day. Although the White Mist had been stable for over ten years, no one dared to gamble with their lives.

"All this land has fallen barren." Dai Wei’s father looked at the abandoned wasteland with a look of regret. For him, who had been accustomed to toiling soil and facing the hard life since childhood, good land going to waste was truly a pity.

At this moment, Dai Wei saw a house not far away with lights on.

Looking at its location, Dai Wei gave a cold glance and suddenly spat.

"Pah!"

Knowing who would live so close to the White Mist Area, only two people came to mind—He Yun and Su Wenxin!

"What are you doing?" Dai Wei’s father pulled on his arm, saying, "Don’t do anything unnecessary."

"He Yun is a murderer!"

"Don’t talk nonsense without evidence."

"Fine..."

Dai Wei’s response was extremely perfunctory, clearly not taking his father’s words to heart.

Five years ago, the son of Dai Wei’s father’s good friend, Shen Lisheng, was lost forever in that thick fog during a patrol.

Most of the villagers had always believed that the murderer was He Yun, who was on patrol with Shen Lisheng at the time, especially Ge Niancheng, the village chief’s son.

As children, Ge Niancheng, Shen Lisheng, and Su Wenxin had grown up together, with only a year or two difference in their ages. Su Wenxin had always been the bell of Nanmian Village, beautiful from a young age and always dreaming of making it big in the city.

Shen Lisheng was the handsomest young man in the village, and Dai Wei always thought they were a perfect match, a handsome boy and a beautiful girl. But no one in the village had anticipated... what Su Wenxin would do later on.

"I just wish one day they die during patrol!" Dai Wei muttered in a voice too low for his father to hear.

"Old Dai!"

At this point, Dai Wei had already noticed several members of the patrolling team approaching in the distance.

Lin Tai took the initiative to walk up to the father and son, saying, "You guys are quite early."

It was not yet eight-thirty.

"It’s better to come early." Dai Wei’s father pushed Dai Wei forward towards Lin Tai, saying, "Captain Lin, I entrust this kid of mine to you. Please... take good care of him."

"Alright, consider it done! I’ll definitely bring your son back to you safe and sound."

Dai Wei also gave Lin Tai a deep bow, "Captain Lin, I’m looking forward to learning from you!"

"Learning what? We’re not Japanese!" Lin Tai, clearly a forthright character, gave Dai Wei a pat on the back and said, "Alright, get ready and follow me. I’ll take you through the formation."

"I’ll go ahead then, Dai Wei," following his father’s departing figure, Dai Wei couldn’t help but recall Zhu Ziqing’s "Retreating Figure."

Unknowingly, his father’s hair had also become so pale.

Lin Tai patted Dai Wei on the shoulder and said, "Dai Wei, remember one thing. Don’t bow and scrape to others so easily. A person must take control of their own fate!"

Dai Wei nodded, but in his heart, he thought differently. Others come to seek your favor because you’re the village chief’s brother-in-law; there’s no need to curry favor with anyone else, and it’s easy to control your own fate.

Afterward, Lin Tai introduced Dai Wei to the other members of the team, "Alright, there are still two members who haven’t arrived. Once they’re here, we’ll practice the formations in advance."

"Okay!"

"All right!"

"Before that, let me explain," Lin Tai pushed Dai Wei forward and said, "This is Dai Wei’s first time on patrol, so I’m thinking of putting him in the middle of the team. Please, everyone, take good care of him. Alright?"

Everyone looked at each other, and eventually, they all nodded.

Though Lin Tai was asking for their opinions, he was the captain and the village chief’s brother-in-law; who would dare to upset him?

"Okay, Dai Wei, you’ll be in the middle of our team. Don’t worry too much, just notify everyone immediately if you notice any movement in the White Mist," Lin Tai instructed.

"Captain Lin," a female team member spoke up, "I have a question. The snow is getting heavier and the sky is very dark. As you know, next to the White Mist, neither flashlights nor matches are effective. In that darkness, we might not notice the White Mist spreading over. And if the ground is so slippery that we accidentally slide into the White Mist Area..."

The concerns of the female team member indeed echoed the worries in most people’s hearts.

"Can we spread some salt? To melt the snow?" One team member had an idea.

"That’s impossible. Where can we get so much salt? The distribution of food has always been strictly rationed," came the response.

"Then..."

Everyone was filled with anxiety. In the pitch-dark snowstorm, they had to move within a two-meter range of the White Mist. No matter how careful they were, a single slip could lead to unimaginable consequences.

"Everyone will just have to tread as lightly as possible. The ice is slippery, but being careful can help us avoid falls," Lin Tai had anticipated the question, "And it won’t be that dark at night."

"This..."

"Alright, there’s always some risk involved with patrol. Just pay more attention, that’s all."

At that moment, the other two team members arrived.

Now nine of them took up their bamboo poles.

"Alright, let’s practice the formation," directed Lin Tai, pointing to a deserted piece of farmland, "Let’s pretend this is the White Mist, let’s walk through it once. The ground here is also quite frozen."

"Okay."

"Alright."

So, the nine of them lined up, and gripping their bamboo poles tightly, they started to walk around the edge of the barren field.

The ground was icy, so they all proceeded with extra caution.

"Alright, time is short. Everyone get ready and let’s go!" urged Lin Tai.

With limited time at their disposal, they didn’t spend long on the formation practice and under Lin Tai’s lead, moved toward the White Mist Area.

As they drew closer to the White Mist Area, Dai Wei felt increasingly nervous.

Moreover, he had a feeling that the closer they got to the White Mist, the darker the surroundings seemed to become.

Finally...

Ahead, across a vast expanse of deserted farmland, a billowing field of White Mist appeared.

Dai Wei swallowed reflexively.

This was the fog that had ensnared them all for ten years!

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