“After all that talk about serial killers, what do you think? Do I look like one?” Ming Tao’s voice dropped low and cold, his eyes gleaming eerily behind his bangs.
The car cabin fell into complete silence.
After a moment, Gu Tiancheng was the first to laugh, unable to contain his amusement as he turned back to focus on driving. You Mingxu laughed too, sharing his sentiment, and crossed her legs casually. Gu Tiancheng said softly, “Give me five.” You Mingxu hesitated, somehow reluctant to get closer to him, and didn’t extend her hand. Instead, she just murmured with a smile, “Stop fooling around.”
Gu Tiancheng glanced at her, his eyes still twinkling with mirth, but said nothing.
Ming-Tao, realizing he’d been played by the two of them, slowly let his exaggerated expression fade as no one appreciated his performance. However, after sitting quietly for a while, he grew restless again and directed You Mingxu, “Change the channel, let’s listen to the news. Maybe there is a report about a serial killer.”
You Mingxu complied and switched stations, but the local news was reporting on today’s heavy rainfall, road collapses, and mudslides. Large numbers of police had been dispatched for flood control and disaster relief. Ming-Tao clicked his tongue, “This makes it even harder to catch the killer. Though I suppose this weather isn’t good for killing either, ah…”
You Mingxu let out a soft scoff, while Gu Tiancheng continued to ignore him.
“Look, there are houses over there!” Ming-Tao suddenly called out excitedly.
You Mingxu looked up and indeed saw several buildings at the foot of the mountain in the distance, with orange lights glowing. They were a bit far from the road, but that didn’t matter anymore.
“Should we check it out?” You Mingxu asked.
“Sure,” Gu Tiancheng replied.
As they drove closer, the headlights revealed the buildings more clearly—they were low mud houses built from yellow earth, as dilapidated as could be, with one house only half-standing. Two people were peering out from the windows of two different rooms—both young women.
The three of them got out of the car. The two women didn’t come out, both wearing outdoor jackets, appearing to be hiking enthusiasts. Upon seeing the appearance and attire of the three newcomers, the women’s expressions relaxed somewhat.
You Mingxu looked around and noticed two bicycles parked beside the houses—these two were also cycling travelers. Suddenly, someone touched her arm—it was Gu Tiancheng beside her saying, “Go say hello.” Presumably thinking it would be easier coming from another woman.
“I know,” You Mingxu replied softly, with a hint of reproach.
Gu Tiancheng smiled, hands in his pockets, standing behind her and waiting. Ming-Tao swayed left and right, affecting an air of having everything under control. After swaying for a while, probably finding nothing actually to control, he ended up standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Gu Tiancheng.
Together they watched You Mingxu standing outside the small house, smiling and talking with the two women. Even in her loose outdoor jacket and sports pants, her figure remained graceful, her legs appearing long.
Gu Tiancheng watched for a while, then leaned against the car and lowered his head to light a cigarette. Ming-Tao sighed, “Three young women—if a serial killer were here, it would be quite a feast.”
Gu Tiancheng coldly replied, “Keep talking nonsense, and I’ll throw you out.”
Ming-Tao let out a light snort but fell silent.
The two women were about the same age as You Mingxu, both urban white-collar workers. They’d been outdoor enthusiasts for several years and had traveled the Tibet route twice, so they weren’t afraid of two women traveling together. One was called Song Lan, and the other was Zou Furong. Song Lan was tall, with a lean face showing hints of stubbornness, single eyelids, and a clean, elegant appearance. She was capable and opinionated. Zou Furong lived up to her name, with an oval face and sweet demeanor. Even on such a night, in such a decrepit house, she wore a red dress under her outdoor jacket and light makeup. She leaned on a windowsill, chatting with You Mingxu while sizing up the two men behind her, maintaining an air of self-assured beauty regardless of whether anyone appreciated it.
Now that they’d gotten to know each other, the two women soon came out of their rooms, and the two men walked over, everyone introducing themselves.
Song Lan said, “Few people come on this road. We’re staying here because we want to watch the sunrise over the lake behind the mountain tomorrow morning. What brings you here?”
Ming-Tao raised his hand first: “I got lost and couldn’t ride anymore, so I hitched a ride with them.”
You Mingxu said, “I wanted to see the scenery around here.”
Gu Tiancheng said, “I was just driving around, no particular destination.” Tall and handsome, speaking in a deep, gentle voice, he drew an “Oh” and a smile from Song Lan.
Zou Furong asked softly, “So the three of you just met?”
“Yes,” Gu Tiancheng answered.
Song Lan said, “This must have been some kind of small camp before, now abandoned. We found it by chance. The rooms are very small and there’s no bedding, so we’re sleeping in tents inside the rooms, take a look.”
The three followed Song Lan to peek into both rooms—the space was indeed extremely cramped, with Song Lan’s tent taking up almost all the available space when set up. Zou Furong’s room was the same.
Song Lan looked at You Mingxu: “Would you like to share with me? It’ll be a bit cramped though.”
You Mingxu said, “No need, we brought tents, we’ll sleep outside. Let’s just keep each other company tonight.”
Ming-Tao finally revealed a redeeming quality—he was quick and skilled at setting up tents, while You Mingxu and Gu Tiancheng appeared more clumsy, basically just helping him.
Soon, three single-person tents were erected. Ming-Tao dusted off his hands and said mockingly, “Are you two outdoor enthusiasts? You’re painfully slow at setting up even the simplest tents.”
You Mingxu was quiet for a moment, then said to Gu Tiancheng, “I’ve never been good at these things, clumsy with my hands. What’s your excuse?”
Gu Tiancheng answered, “I bring tents just as a backup, usually stay in hotels or guesthouses. I’ll learn properly next time.”
They both laughed.
After his mockery, Ming Tao turned around to see the handsome man and beautiful woman standing between the tents, sharing a smile in the dim light. Somehow, Ming Tao suddenly felt a bit dull and lonely. After a moment of silence, he muttered to himself, “Such fake pleasantries, how boring, no wonder he likes to kill people.”
This dark world stretched boundless and vast. The sky was black, the mountains were black, and the earth was black. The wind blew continuously, rustling loudly, its hollow sound reminding you just how far you were from modern society in this unknown corner of the world.
However, with the gathering of these five strangers, this small abandoned camp suddenly became lively and warm.
Ming-Tao crawled into his sleeping bag, sitting in his tent two meters away from the women in the house, bragging away. Song Lan listened with silent amusement, while Zou Furong wore an ambiguous smile.