Xi Yong'an leaned close to my ear and whispered:
-"Aren't you going to tell them about the mistress's crying?"
-"Perhaps now is not the time..." I replied softly.
Looking at the uneasy faces of the group, I understood that if I added that information now, the panic would spiral out of control. It was best to wait for a more suitable moment.
Afterward, we moved to Li Junjie and Hoang Nhat Tan's room to survey the layout. Fortunately, the window in this room still functioned smoothly and wasn't jammed. We decided not to lock it tight but left it slightly ajar, leaving them a lifeline if they were ever cornered.
Together with the others, I exerted my strength to push the two beds against the wall. This was so they could quickly pull the beds out to barricade the door if the monster appeared. I turned to instruct Junjie and Nhat Tan:
-"To be safe, the two of you should share one bed. Use the other bed to block the main door. It will be safer that way."
-"I understand... Thank you." Junjie replied, his voice trembling with obvious anxiety, yet he still managed a grateful smile.
The sun shone faintly, and the ancient trees cast cool shadows that lessened the harsh heat. We decided to split into three groups to scout the situation. My group consisted of Yashu, Xi Yong'an, and me, tasked with surveying the garden area.
Just as we stepped out of the main entrance, the figure of Butler Li stood there like a monolith. He leaned on his cane, his face as stern as a stone statue. Yashu skillfully spoke up to break the silence:
-"Hello, Butler Li. We're planning to take a short walk around. The scenery here is truly beautiful."
Butler Li narrowed his eyes at us, his gaze deep as if trying to see through our very souls. After a moment of high-pressure silence, he finally agreed hoarsely, but not without leaving an ominous reminder:
-"But please remember to return in time for lunch. I wish you all a pleasant walk."
The moment I stepped outside, the cool breath of nature helped ease some of my tension. Before us lay a garden of vibrant red roses, exuding a charming yet sharp beauty amidst the gloomy wilderness. While I was preoccupied with observing the flowers, Yashu suddenly pointed ahead, her voice filled with surprise:
-"Look, there's an apple tree over there. It looks like a commercial red apple variety, doesn't it?"
Xi Yong'an frowned and added:
-"That's strange. In a primary forest like this, there are usually only wild apples, yet here, a single exotic apple tree is growing right next to the villa. Perhaps..."
-"Yes, perhaps it's a clue." I interrupted, my intuition telling me this was no coincidence.
We cautiously approached. Yashu wondered as she walked:
-"When we first arrived, I didn't notice an apple tree here at all. Maybe it was because of the heavy rain?"
-"Possibly. It is hidden behind the wild hedge, anyway. Everyone was scrambling for shelter back then; it's normal not to have seen it." I replied quietly, my eyes never leaving the tree trunk.
I moved closer and touched the gnarled bark. The trunk was old and decaying, but if one looked closely, between the cracks was a faint inscription:
Xue Xue and Yan Yan
Beside the two names was a tiny heart. The scribbled, unsteady handwriting was clearly the work of a child. Were they sisters, friends, or someone else? A series of questions surfaced in my mind.
Yashu also approached, circling the base of the tree and meticulously examining everything from the branches to the ripe red apples, but there seemed to be no other traces. Right then, Xi Yong'an suddenly cried out:
-"Look at this!"
Yashu and I rushed over. Beneath a root protruding from the ground, there was an 'X' carved quite small but sharply.
-"Hm... It looks like a marker. Should we try digging it up?" she suggested, her eyes reflecting curiosity mixed with excitement.
I pressed my fingers down, intending to peel away the topsoil, but the ground was as hard as stone:
-"It's no good. The soil here is very tightly packed. Give me a hand, you two."
The three of us labored together, our fingernails becoming caked with pitch-black mud. The process was much harder than we had imagined. Yashu panted:
-"How strange. It poured all night yesterday, yet the ground here isn't damp at all; it's still rock hard. Someone must have intentionally packed it down to hide something..."
After a period of frantic digging, my fingertips suddenly brushed against a stiff cord. Not daring to risk pulling hard, the three of us patiently dug wider to retrieve the entire object.
It was an old cassette tape. Beside it was a small portable cassette player.
Xi Yong'an gave a slight nod, unable to hide his smugness, and whispered:
-"See how good I am? I found an actual recording!"
I didn't respond, quickly turning my head back toward the villa. Butler Li was still standing there, like a towering ghost in the far distance. At this range, he likely couldn't hear us, but his presence still sent a chill down my spine.
I examined the tape in my hand; the label was blurred by mold, but looking at the two small holes on either side, I guessed it was an old Type I tape. This type usually didn't have a high volume, making it perfect for eavesdropping right now.
Waiting for a strong gust of wind to shake the forest canopy, I took the risk and pressed play. The three of us huddled close together, holding our breath in anticipation. But contrary to our expectations of a conversation or a deathbed confession, what played out was only a series of gruesome sounds:
"Schlick... schlick..." - The sound of something heavy being dragged across a tiled floor. Next was a dry "Clack," as if something had been forcefully tossed into a narrow space. And finally, a decisive "Thud," like the sound of a door closing.
The tape ended in a terrifying silence. Yashu shuddered slightly, her face turning pale as she looked at us:
-"It sounds just like... the sound of a killer disposing of a body. It's truly revolting."