Chapter 054
Duanmuh Shannchyuan
Chioujen showed a half-disbelievable look on his face when he heard Shannchyuan's words. His eyebrows were raised so high. Shannchyuan could see an obvious frown on Chioujen's forehead.
"When did it happen?"
"This morning. The kidnappers also called our house. They said they would call again tonight at ten."
"Then why is Beaushu hanging around this station now?"
"This kidnapping incident most likely has something to do with Songfei's matter. The police asked for the things that were in Songfei's bag. Since the police have already taken care of this case, like it or not, we have to hand these things over to them. There are some important matters such as writings or photographs. We all agreed that we should have copies of those things. So I am here to copy those writings and photographs."
Chioujen nodded. "I agree. We should have copies of the things we currently have in our hands."
"I know you must be thinking the same thing."
"So, there are already police in our house?"
"There are no police in our house. They were worried that the kidnappers were watching our house, so they chose to keep watch somewhere else close to our house."
"Alright! I understand. Beaushu, just go home now, please." Chioujen let out those words at a fast tempo. "I'll still be here for a while. Later, at a little less than ten, I'll be heading back home!"
"I have more to say." Shannchyuan reached into his shirt pocket. He gave a business card to Chioujen.
"Linqhwu Ueideng." Chioujen read the name written on the business card. "Isn't this person one of Songfei's friends?"
"Right. Just like us, he is not in the detective and mystery club. I don't know if that fact is related or not, but Songfei believes in this person."
"Like he believed us?"
"Yes! Songfei also left things to him."
"When did Beaushu meet this person?"
Shannchyuan then recounted his meeting with Linqhwu Ueideng, which happened two days ago. Chioujen listened attentively.
"Beaushu wants me to contact this person to find out more?"
"No. He doesn't know much more than we do. So now I'm just asking for your opinion."
"I disagree. The things that Mr. Linqhwu knows consciously, maybe as much as we do. However, he may know something else, but he doesn't know that he knows."
"Ah! That information is hidden in his subconscious?"
Chioujen nodded. "We can't possibly rule out such a possibility."
"So, you think we really need to call him?"
"Yes, but not now. I think, for now, our focus is on getting Shiowge home safely. Of course, we can't deny that Songfei's matter is also important, but we must have priorities. At least until we find out exactly what Shiowge's captors really want."
"I think you're right." Shannchyuan nodded. "We'll see how this problem develops." After looking at his watch, Shannchyuan got up from the chair. "Regarding your early arrival, do you intend to tell our friends about it?"
"What do you think, Beaushu? What should I do?"
"It's up to you! Songfei asked you to keep this a secret. I think he also has some reasons."
"Okay. I'll stick to the original plan. I'll tell the others that I just arrived in this city today."
"You said earlier that there were things you wanted to talk about. I think, apart from the package from Songfei, there are other things you want to discuss. What is it?"
"It will take a long time to tell what happened to me. I'll tell you another time."
"Are the things you want to tell me not urgent?"
Chioujen was silent for a while. "I think they are crucial matters. But now Beaushu have to hurry home. I'll tell you when I get home."
"Well, I'll just go along if you think it's better." Shannchyuan cupped his palms in front of his lips.
"When Beaushu left the house, wasn't Beaushu afraid that the kidnappers would follow Beaushu and snatch the things Beaushu was carrying? Isn't it most likely that they are after those things?"
"I didn't leave the house through the front door."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind! I'll tell you later. Right now, I want to go home first." Shannchyuan was ready to leave the place. "How about you? Have you packed yet?"
"I've been packing since. That's the only thing I brought." Chioujen pointed to a backpack and a medium-sized plastic bag lying not far from where he was sitting.
Shannchyuan looked at the watch he was wearing. He still had a little time, but maybe it wasn't enough. He sighed. "Later, before going home, can you get something for me?"
"I will do it. What stuff do Beaushu mean?"
"There is a photo that I re-photographs. It takes a while to print the photo. But I think, at a little less than ten o'clock, they will finish the photo printing. So, I want you to take the results of the re-photo process." Shannchyuan held out a piece of receipt paper.
"It's all paid?" Chioujen took the paper from Shannchyuan's hand. A piece of paper that he will have to show when taking the photo.
Shannchyuan laughed. "Don't worry. I've paid for it. All you have to do is take the printed photo."
Chioujen smiled. "Then, no problem." He looked at the paper in his hand. He raised his eyebrows when he realized the shape of the paper.
"It's a strange shape, isn't it? A regular hexagon," said Shannchyuan.
"Very unique," Chioujen nodded. "What do you think, the philosophy behind this unusual shape?"
Shannchyuan shrugged. "Later, you can ask the shopkeeper about it."
Chioujen laughed. "I'm sure he doesn't know either."
Shannchyuan nodded. "Could be. Or maybe we are thinking too far. It is quite possible that there is no philosophy behind this choice of paper form."
"Yes. Perhaps the shop owner just wanted to show their uniqueness."
Shannchyuan looked at his watch again. "Why don't you come with me to the mall? I'll show you the shop you have to go to."
The two came out of the room and immediately rushed out of the simple inn. Shannchyuan and Chioujen walked so fast that in no time, they almost arrived at the shop where they were going.
"That's the shop!" Shannchyuan pointed to a kiosk that served document copying and photo printing.
"Okay! I'll be there right before leaving this place." Chioujen nodded.
Suddenly Shannchyuan shuffled quickly and entered a shop beside them. Chioujen followed Shannchyuan's footsteps right away.
"What is it, Beaushu?"
"That's our neighbor over there." Shannchyuan pointed at the stall he was pointing at. In front of the stall, two people were talking while standing. Shannchyuan was surprised as he turned to Chioujen. The friend gasped as his eyes fell on the two of them.
What is this? Does Chioujen recognize them?
"Which one is our neighbor?" Chioujen's eyes remained glued to the two people.
"The one on the left is our neighbor," Shannchyuan answered in such a low volume.
"The one in that dark green coat?"
"Right!"
"Who's he?"
"His name is Horngshi Gauchyh. I don't know what he does."
"Then why is Beaushu afraid to meet him?"
"I'm not afraid. I just don't want to meet him. He really likes to talk. Every time he meets us, he will definitely ask you to have a long chat. Under the current circumstances, such an activity would obviously be a waste of time. What's more, I came out here in secret. That person seemed to have a sharp gaze. This kind of make-up, most likely, won't make him not recognize me." Shannchyuan explained the reason. "And after that, he will definitely ask why I wear clothes like this."
Luckily, the two people they were avoiding didn't stand for long in front of the stall that Shannchyuan and Chioujen were aiming for. From the movement of their hands, Shannchyuan guessed it looked like they were looking for food. After the two people left, Shannchyuan and Chioujen came out of the shop they were hiding in.
"Okay! At ten o'clock, I will enter the shop," said Chioujen.
"I'm going home now," said Shannchyuan. "You don't need to accompany me any further."
Chioujen looked deeply at Shannchyuan. He started to open his mouth. With a slow tempo, the words left his lips. "Did Beaushu go here through the underground passage?"
Shannchyuan was very surprised to hear Chioujen's question.
How did he know about the underground passage? We hadn't even told him about the dungeon we found under the backyard a few months ago.
Chioujen grabbed Shannchyuan's shoulder. He continued his speech. "Beaushu have to hurry back. Don't delay. That our new neighbor most likely also knows about the underground passage. Right now, he is indeed walking around the mall. However, we can't say for sure how long he will be at the mall. Don't let him catch Beaushu in that underground passage!"
How did Chioujen know that someone else also learned about the underground passage that we even discovered just yesterday? What really happened?
A thousand and one questions raced through Shannchyuan's mind. Shannchyuan just stood still. Chioujen looked impatient.
"Okay! I'll explain a little while walking Beaushu towards the secret passage entrance." Right after finishing his sentence, Chioujen walked quickly.
Shannchyuan instantly followed Chioujen's steps.
Chioujen, who lives in another city, found out what's going on here! This must be something big!
"Beaushu's neighbor has been keeping an eye on our house and all its occupants for the past five months or so. That person is definitely not just a curious old man. I don't know who that person is, but Beaushu must be very careful."
Uh? Since five months ago? This means that since he moved into the house next door! There's a possibility that he's deliberately occupied the place just to monitor us.
"How did you know?" Shannchyuan couldn't hold back those words.
"I found out by chance. Last night I saw him having a conversation with his friend. Not the person we just saw earlier. The friend I previously saw was much older than the person we just saw. They talked about many things, one of which was that our neighbor is working on a project related to the people who currently live in our house. He knows who lives in our house. The old man knows where we come from. He knows when Beaushu dan others have lost their jobs. He knows Beaushu is very picky at work. And, he also knows what the habits of our householders are. In other words, he's been keeping a close eye on Beaushu and our friends!"
All this time, Shannchyuan had been a little suspicious of the person who suddenly became their neighbor about five months ago. But he never thought that this person was deliberately and systematically monitoring their house and all its inhabitants. Even so, he still wasn't sure that the person had bad intentions.
I have a hunch that the person has some reasons he couldn't just say.
Chioujen was taller than Shannchyuan, so the stride was longer. Right now, he was walking at high speed. Shannchyuan had to struggle to keep up with Chioujen's steps. In no time, they arrived in front of the Shindongchaang gate.
Chioujen knew so much! This is absolutely amazing!
"So you already know the entrance to the underground passage from this mall?"
"Yes. Near the quietest toilet on this floor, there is a fork in the hall. The entrance is from there."
Shannchyuan was speechless. It seemed that Chioujen was much more mysterious than three months ago when they had last seen each other. Shannchyuan began to understand why Songfei chose to ask Chioujen for help over others. Chioujen's habit of saying far less than he knows was his principal asset. An advantage that might be extremely valuable in Songfei's eyes.
"Who was Beaushu coming with?"
"Iren and Yihshyong. But Iren and I were the only ones out of the passage and into the mall. Yihshyong remained in the secret passage. He had to be on guard in there. Before I went to meet you, I told Iren to go into the underground passage first. I told him to give Yihshyong a photocopy of the documents so that Yihshyong could bring the items home immediately. Iren then replaced Yihshyong on guard in that place."
"Why should anyone be on guard in the passage?"
"There's a part of the passage where I don't know how to open it from the outside. So one of us has to stand guard there so we can open it from the inside in case the door suddenly closes on its own."
"Which part?"
"Inside, there is a passageway where if we want to open it from the inside, we have to tilt a candle holder mounted on the hallway wall."
"Oh! Beaushu, you mean that passage door near an ancient dressing table?"
This time Shannchyuan was not too surprised. After hearing Chioujen's story earlier, he already guessed that Chioujen had already entered the underground passage.
"Do you know how to open the hallway door next to the dresser? I mean, how to open the door from the outside?"
"Of course. The way to open it is in one drawer on the dresser." Chioujen answered quickly.
"Ah! I thought so. But we haven't had time to check the dresser carefully because yesterday we didn't have time."
"Do Beaushu want me to show you how to open it?"
"No need. You can go back now. I have to hurry. If you come into the passage, I'm afraid when you come back here, you will meet our neighbors who will use this underground passage to go home. Besides, I don't know how to explain your presence to Iren."
"Ah! I forgot about that." Chioujen laughed.
Shannchyuan also laughed.
Chioujen stopped walking. They had arrived at a forked passage. One branch led to the remote public restroom, and the other branch led to the underground path leading to the dungeon in their backyard.
"When I get home, our friends will tell me everything that happened. At that time, I will act like I know nothing yet. So, Beaushu, please also support me."
"I see. Don't worry."
"That includes the existence of this secret passage. I know absolutely nothing."
"Okay!" Shannchyuan smiled.
Chioujen is indeed a cautious person. But I'm not sure that he can play well. Not saying something is not the same as pretending not to know.
"But you also have to act a bit. If you weren't at all surprised when you heard our story, of course, the rest of our friends would be suspicious."
"I'll try my best, Beaushu."
"See you later," Shannchyuan said.
"Be careful, Beaushu!"
Shannchyuan took out his flashlight. He began walking down the underground passage, guided by the bright light emitting from the tip of his flashlight.
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