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墨書 Inktalez
Living Funeral
But just a second later, Fatty Zhang's smile faded away.
There was something off about Fatty Zhang; he looked strange. But then again, who among these people was normal?
Li Qiang and Fatty Zhang were both facing the prospect of old age and death, and Zhang Xun was certainly not an ordinary person either. The events that had transpired at the funeral home were enough to label these individuals as peculiar.
Around eight o'clock in the evening, we got into Fatty Zhang's car. Zhang Xun and I sat in the back, but Fatty Zhang turned to me and said, "Chen Fei, come sit in the front. I need to talk to you about something."
I replied to Fatty Zhang that the space in the car was limited, so he could just tell me whatever it was back here.
Fatty Zhang insisted, "Come up here! I have something good for you."
I cursed inwardly at what kind of trick Fatty Zhang was up to this time. I got out of the car and moved to the front seat. Fatty Zhang grinned at me, and I said, "What good thing do you have for me? Just give it to me."
Fatty Zhang handed me a cigarette and said, "This is my special stash; I'm giving you one. Since Zhang Xun doesn’t smoke, I’m worried you might get a craving later and end up making him inhale secondhand smoke."
After hearing this from Fatty Zhang, I thought there was some sense to it. But could Fatty Zhang really be so kind-hearted? I couldn't guess what he was planning, so I decided not to think too much about it. He gave me a cigarette, and I lit it up.
Fatty Zhang drove towards the funeral home. It had been quite a while since I'd been there; the road felt somewhat unfamiliar.
He played a lively song on the radio, but I found the atmosphere in the car a bit awkward. No one spoke; Fatty Zhang drove while nodding his head along with the music. After about forty minutes, we arrived at the funeral home.
At that moment, the funeral home was eerily quiet as Fatty Zhang parked the car.
I glanced at the funeral home and still felt that this place was somewhat oppressive. Just then, my phone rang. I looked at the number and declined the call; it was from Du Feng at the funeral home.
Fatty Zhang asked me, "Why didn’t you answer?"
I asked, "Why did you call me here?"
Zhang said, "Of course, it's for something good."
"What good thing?" Zhang Xun interjected.
Zhang glanced at Zhang Xun and replied, "You'll find out soon."
In this funeral home, there wasn't much besides the fake corpse impersonating Uncle Gao Ling. Of course, there might be something deeper hidden within the funeral home, but I had no idea what it could be.
Zhang suggested, "Let's go upstairs and reminisce."
I was taken aback. "Can we not waste time?"
Suddenly, Zhang lowered his voice and said to me, "Chen Fei, aren't you curious about how we died and then came back to life?"
His words successfully captured my attention. Indeed, I had personally checked Zhang and confirmed that he was dead. Yet somehow, he came back to life later. That was the strange part of it all.
I nodded in response, and Zhang said, "Then let's go up." We quickly made our way to the dormitory upstairs.
When we reached the room where Zhang and I had previously slept, the door was unlocked, and with a gentle push, it swung open.
The three of us stood at the doorway for a moment before entering. This place had become a shadowy area for me; I had been terrified when I discovered Zhang's lifeless body. I turned to Zhang and said something.
Zhang replied, "The secret is actually inside." With that, we stepped inside. I reached for the switch and turned on the lights.
The light turned on, and everything in the bedroom was illuminated. Zhang Xun had also entered.
I hadn't lived in this dormitory for long, but I was well aware of its layout. I just wanted to know what secrets it held.
Zhang Xun walked toward a bed—the one where I slept. As I watched Zhang Xun pass by me, I thought he might have discovered something, so I kept my eyes on him. However, I had only glanced for a moment.
Suddenly, a chubby guy grabbed my wrist without warning. I looked at him for just a second before he pulled me outside.
Zhang Xun quickly reacted, asking, "What are you doing?"
After the chubby guy dragged me out the door, I asked him the same question: "What are you doing?" My emotions were starting to stir.
At that moment, Zhang Xun rushed forward, but just as he did, the chubby guy kicked him. Zhang Xun was caught off guard and stumbled backward. I tried to break free from the chubby guy's grip, but he shouted, "Do you think you can impersonate Zhang Xun?"
I was momentarily stunned while the chubby guy swiftly locked the door.
Impersonate? Isn't he Zhang Xun? At that moment, Zhang Xun yelled from inside, "Who’s impersonating? You better be clear about this." He was trapped inside.
Once I regained my senses, I asked, "Is he an impersonator?"
The chubby guy replied, "Is there any doubt? Look at my hand." He rolled up his sleeve and then said to me, "Now look at his hand."
I understood what the chubby guy meant; Zhang Xun's hands showed no signs of aging, leading him to suspect that Zhang Xun wasn't the real Zhang Xun.
From inside, Zhang Xun knocked on the door and urged me to open it. He said to me, "Chen Fei, don't let him deceive you."
The chubby guy angrily shouted, "Who are you? Why are you impersonating Zhang Xun?"
"I am Zhang Xun, why would I impersonate him?"
"Stop pretending. Out of the five of us, only Aged won't age, while the rest of us will face problems at a certain stage. Do you think you're Aged?" Zhang, the chubby one, said with a face full of anger. "If you don't stop this, I'll kill you today."
Inside the room, Zhang Xun's skin indeed showed no signs of aging. I asked, "Is he really a fake?"
Zhang replied, "Chen Fei, don't let him deceive you."
At that moment, I still felt uncertain. Zhang Xun said, "Do you think my skin hasn't aged? Chubby, are you stupid? Everyone ages differently; does it have to show on the hands? Look at my feet."
With that, Zhang Xun extended one foot. However, the moment he did, I felt he wasn't Zhang Xun.
Given Zhang Xun's personality, he wouldn't bother explaining himself.
I stared at the Zhang Xun in the room, but Zhang quickly became confused because the skin on the legs of the Zhang Xun inside was indeed aged.
Zhang said, "Could it be that you really are Zhang Xun?"
Zhang Xun grew angry and replied, "Of course! Is there any doubt? Open the door for me." Zhang froze for a moment and then laughed, "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! I'll open the door right away." But just as Zhang was about to speak again, I stopped him.
Zhang looked at me in confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"
I told Zhang to wait. At that moment, Zhang Xun said to me, "Chen Fei, what do you mean by this?" His voice had turned a few shades darker.
I replied to Zhang Xun, "You are not Zhang Xun."
The Zhang Xun in the room fell silent for a few seconds before asking, "Do you doubt me?"
Just then, my phone rang again. Damn it, I thought, it must be that bastard Du Feng calling again. But when I glanced at the caller ID, I froze. I looked at the person in the room, Zhang Xun, and asked, "Who exactly are you?"
Zhang, the chubby guy, urged me to answer the call. This call could prove that the person in the room wasn't Zhang Xun because it was Zhang Xun who was calling me.
I pressed the answer button, and Zhang Xun's voice came through. "Chen Fei, are you at the funeral home right now?"
I responded with a slight "uh-huh."
The next second, Zhang Xun said urgently, "Leave now, immediately."
I asked why.
Zhang Xun replied that there was no time to explain. The chubby guy added, "Chen Fei, how can you be sure that isn't Zhang Xun inside? Look at his skin; it's aging."
At that moment, I took another look inside. The expression on the other Zhang Xun's face had darkened. I called out to the chubby guy, "Come here; I need to talk to you." I felt that this Fake Zhang Xun might cause some trouble.
"What is it?" he asked.
We moved to a spot where Fake Zhang Xun couldn't see us. The chubby guy looked curious. I took a deep breath and said, "Hurry up and follow me."
"Where are we going?" he asked. The atmosphere had grown tense.
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