"Then how do we count as having survived?" Qian Cangyi asked as he saw the villagers ahead come to a stop, all gathered in front of a farmhouse.
"Do you remember that bus?" Hawkeye replied. "If it appears in front of us, that means we've survived. Before we get on that bus, nothing can truly confirm that we're alive. Oh, one more thing—dying in the film is real death. Death here is defined as 'scripted death.' In some films, actors may have two lives: after the first death they revive, but if they die again, that's real death. That's scripted death—elimination." By the time Hawkeye finished speaking, the two of them had already reached the spot where the villagers were standing.
Perhaps out of tacit understanding, both of them withdrew their attention from the conversation at the same time.
One or two villagers turned back to glance at them. After making eye contact, they quickly looked away.
"Fortunately, the Shi Haimin I'm playing is someone who returned from outside the village," Qian Cangyi thought to himself. "Otherwise, chatting so familiarly with Zhang Zian, whom Hawkeye is playing, would definitely arouse suspicion."
They stood outside the door for two minutes. Then the village chief, Shi Wenwei, and his eldest son, Shi Hongye, walked out from inside. Their expressions were extremely grave. Shi Wenwei raised his hand and beckoned a sturdy middle-aged man over. The man looked deeply distressed, as if he had been struck by sudden calamity.
Shi Wenwei whispered a few words into the man's ear. The man gave a bitter smile, nodded, pushed past the villagers crowding the doorway, and headed toward his own home.
After that villager left, Shi Wenwei waved another person over—a young man. The expressions on this young man's face were even more complex than the previous one's: anger, grief, humiliation, regret. It was as if every emotion a young man could possibly display was written across his face.
Shi Wenwei again whispered a few words into the young man's ear. The young man's reaction was the same as the middle-aged man's—another bitter smile.
"The middle-aged man just now should be Shi Le'an's father," Qian Cangyi reasoned internally. "And that young man is likely Shi Mengtao's son. Shi Wenwei is mediating between the two families. Indeed, this is undoubtedly the wisest course of action. A village isn't like a city—neighbors in a city might never interact for a lifetime, but in the countryside it's different. The whole village is this small. With something like this happening, rumors would spread everywhere. If the resentment in the hearts of both families isn't resolved, there might be bloodshed between them before the case is even solved." Qian Cangyi was very certain of Shi Wenwei's approach.
Next, Shi Wenwei dispersed the villagers, including the young man and his own son, Shi Hongye.
Only three people remained: Shi Wenwei himself, Zhang Zian played by Hawkeye, and Shi Haimin played by Qian Cangyi.
"Zhang Zian, played by Hawkeye, can't possibly be kept in the dark," Qian Cangyi analyzed silently. "He's here for geological surveying. As an outsider, Shi Wenwei has to give him an explanation—that makes sense. But why did I, as Shi Haimin, also get left behind? Is it because of my strangely close relationship with Zhang Zian? Or because Shi Haimin worked outside the village before and understands the importance of calling the police? Or… are these two deaths connected to the Death Rite?"
"I kept you two here because I want you to give me some advice," Shi Wenwei said, his words full of helplessness. "You're different from them—you've seen the world."
Qian Cangyi and Hawkeye exchanged a glance. Then Hawkeye spoke.
"Village Chief Shi, let's talk after I've taken a look," Hawkeye said. Notably, he used "I," not "we."
"Come in," Shi Wenwei replied, understanding Hawkeye's meaning.
Qian Cangyi didn't say anything, but he followed Hawkeye into the crime scene.
On the bed inside lay a man and a woman, the man pressed on top of the woman. If they were alive, this scene would have been nothing more than an ordinary case of catching lovers in the act. But under Shi Wenwei's lead, the two of them approached the bedside—and then they saw that the faces of the couple frozen mid-act were filled with terror. It was an expression that only appeared when a person could no longer endure anything at all. If the two had heart conditions, the moment such an expression appeared on their faces would practically mark the announcement of death.
Shi Le'an's face was pale, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. His mouth was stretched wide open—wide enough to stuff an apple inside. The same expression appeared on Shi Mengtao's face as she lay on the bed.
"This should be… death by fright?" Shi Wenwei stroked his goatee. "I've been village chief for so many years, and I've never seen anyone die like this."
"Who found them first?" Hawkeye asked.
"Shi Mengtao's son. What a tragedy… truly sinful," Shi Wenwei sighed.
Hearing that sigh, Qian Cangyi glanced at him again. "If not for what happened last night, I might not have paid attention. But now, I can't tell whether that sigh was for their deaths, or simply because their affair was exposed—or perhaps both."
"Village Chief," Hawkeye shifted his gaze from the bodies to Shi Wenwei. "What do you think? Could it be… related to the Death Rite?"
Although Hawkeye's tone was calm, his words were deeply shocking to Shi Wenwei.
Shi Wenwei avoided Hawkeye's gaze, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
"In my opinion, we should call the police," Hawkeye added when Shi Wenwei didn't answer.
"Well… this…" Shi Wenwei looked extremely troubled.
"I'm not a professional," Hawkeye shrugged. "I can't see much."
"Alright. I'll have someone call the police right away," Shi Wenwei finally chose to compromise.
Then Shi Wenwei looked at Shi Haimin—played by Qian Cangyi—and then at Zhang Zian—played by Hawkeye. "Mr. Zhang, I have a few words I'd like to say to Haimin. Could you…"
"Mm." Hawkeye nodded and turned to leave the room.
After Hawkeye left, Shi Wenwei spoke again. "Haimin, have you noticed anything?"
"No," Qian Cangyi shook his head, though inwardly he thought, "This kind of question doesn't seem like a big deal. Why send Zhang Zian away? There's no need to talk to me alone."
"Then… do you know how I pacified the families of the two deceased? And do you know how I intend to calm the villagers of Yuxi Village? Are you interested in these things?" Shi Wenwei abruptly changed the subject, catching Qian Cangyi completely off guard.
Faced with Shi Wenwei's sudden questions, Qian Cangyi hesitated for a moment. "No wonder… So he wants Shi Haimin to become the village chief? Does that mean none of his three sons satisfy him? That seems unlikely. If he wanted someone steady, Shi Hongye would be the obvious choice. If he wanted someone clever, his second son would do. Even if he wanted to avoid a power struggle between the brothers, he could pass it to the weak and timid third son. Why choose Shi Haimin?"
In such a short time, Qian Cangyi had no idea how to answer correctly—so he chose to play dumb.