Kaleidoscope of Death

Chapter 94: Revenge

As he spoke, Ruan Nanzhu fished the phone out of his pocket, and opened up the pictures they took in the shrine. He handed it over to Lin Xingping: Look, we even took a few pictures But Lin-jie, we really did find something inside the shrine!

Experienced as she was, Lin Xingpings expression gave nothing away at Ruan Nanzhus words. After a noise of acknowledgement, she asked, oh? You found something in the shrine? What did you find?

Wasnt it dark already when we got back yesterday? I really thought I was going to die then. Ruan Nanzhu said. But we discovered that after praying at the shrine the rain water doesnt get on your body!

What? Cue Xueyis eyes went wide. Is that true?

Of course its true. Ruan Nanzhu looked up at the sky. How about, when it rains tonight, well give you a demonstration?

Sure, Lin Xingping smiled. Around what time did you get to the shrine?

Eleven or so, Ruan Nanzhu replied, a bit embarrassed. Im weak, and walk kind of slow. When we got there it was too late. We really thought we werent gonna make it.

You couldve made it, Lin Xingping lied with a smile. We made it back, didnt we?

Should we go tell everyone about this? Ruan Nanzhu asked. Tell everyone go pray, so we dont have to worry about getting rained on anymore? Then we can go look for clues on rainy days!

Not yet, Lin Xingping rushed to stop. Well go take a look today first, just to make sure you havent gotten it wrong. If youre wrong itll cost a lot of people their lives. Then she asked again, and youre sure you dont get rained on now?

Im sure, Ruan Nanzhu nodded in confirmation.

Okay. Got it, Ill go check it out immediately, Lin Xingping said.

They were clearly very interested in that shrine, though they still harbored suspicions. After Lin Xingping and Cue Xueyi left for the door, they continued to converse quietly.

Are they really telling the truth? Cue Xueyi said. If theyre lying, itll be tomorrow until they die.

Theyre probably telling the truth. Did you see the pictures on their phone? Lin Xingping said. We cant wait until tomorrow. The people who got rained on have pretty much died off. There might not be a doll tomorrow. If it continues to rain during the day tomorrow, well be trapped in the courtyard.

Cue Xueyi clearly thought this logical, so silently agreed to go check out the shrine per Lin Xingpings suggestion.

We have to go see, Lin Xingping said. That shrine, its important

But its too dangerous to go like this. What if we dont make it back before it rains? Cue Xueyi was still a bit worried about safety.

The past two days, its never rained before 5:30. As long as we get back before 5:30, well be fine. Lin Xingping was confident about this point. They got there at eleven yesterday, were sure to get there earlier If we dont manage, then itll be obvious theyre lying. Indeed, in their eyes, they were stronger than the weakling Ruan Nanzhu no matter what.

As long as we dont waste too much time there, well definitely make it back in time, was Lin Xingpings analysis. In the doors, you have to take some risks.

After hearing Lin Xingpings argument, Cue Xueyi didnt say more, clearly convinced by her logic.

It was Gu Yuansi who looked like he wanted to say something. When Lin Xingping noted this, she spoke to him, if you dont want to go, then stay. Youre not fit enough to keep up anyways, youll just end up slowing us down.

Okay okay, I wont go then. Gu Yuansi couldve begged for this; his feet stopped immediately. Hurry back.

Lin Xingping scoffed, then turned and left with Cue Xueyi.

Only after the two left the yard did Lin Qiushi stop listening in on their conversation. He saw Gu Yuansi trudge back into the yard and flash them both a terse smile.

Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi both ignored him. Clearly unwelcomed, he returned to his room.

You got the paper slips out? Lin Qiushi asked Ruan Nanzhu.

Mh, Ruan Nanzhu confirmed.

Did you give them out directly or slip them into peoples pockets? Lin Qiushi was more curious about the other peoples reactions.

Pockets, Ruan Nanzhu said. But they shouldve all seen the slips by now. Chin in hand, he cocked his head eyeing the teru teru bzu hanging in the hallway. Its about time.

Yeah. Lin Qiushi got up, stood underneath the teru teru bzu, and reached up to take it down. The doll was heavy, and through the thin white cloth, he could feel facial features. This uncomfortable sensation, plus the memory of the awful wailing this head would do at night, made Lin Qiushi quietly set it aside.

Im starting, Ruan Nanzhu said.

Lin Qiushi nodded.

Ruan Nanzhus thin lips parted, and he read out a nursery rhyme: Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu, make tomorrow a sunny day. Like the sky in my dream, if its sunny Ill give you a golden bell. Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu, make tomorrow a sunny day. If you make my wish come true, well drink lots of sweet sake. Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu, make tomorrow a sunny day. But if the clouds are still crying tomorrow, Ill cut off your head

The moment his words fell, so did the expected rainin bucketfuls. Black storm clouds instantly swaddled the sky, as pea-sized raindrops smashed onto the ground.

Hammering. The piercing shower engulfed Lin Qiushis hearing. The two didnt speak, just silently waited.

A few minutes later, two haggard and soaked figures appeared in the doorway of the courtyard. When he saw the two return, Lin Qiushi quickly hung the doll back up.

Once the teru teru bzu was back up in the hallway, the sky instantly cleared. The transition between the two weather events was practically seamless.

Fuck, fuck, fuck Drenched from head to toe in rainwater, Cue Xueyi looked like a drowned rat stumbling back to the courtyard, trying to get himself dry. Why, why did it suddenly rain

As he said this, he just happened to see Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi standing in the hall, and grew vicious. Was it you two? Did you two do this Fear seemed to have gotten to his head, as he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to make a move on Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu.

Like Lin Qiushi would let him. As he moved forward to intercept however, Lin Qiushi heard Ruan Nanzhu say, with tears in his voice, Cue-ge, hurry to the shrine with Lin-jiemaybe you can still be saved! It also suddenly rained on our first day here, I didnt think itd happen today as well!!

Both Cue Xueyi and Lin Xingpings faces, gone whiter than paper, smoothed a bit at Ruan Nanzhus words. Just barely, Lin Xingping managed a smile. Y-yeah Maybe, we still, have hope.

Cue Xueyi was shaking all over, both angry and afraid. He glared viciously at Ruan Nanzhu, and said, you better not be lying to me, or Ill kill you when I get back tonight. Come on Xingping, were going to the shrine. He seemed overly frantic, to have called out Lin Xingpings true name right there inside the door.

But Lin Xingping didnt notice this either, leaving the room in a rush with Cue Xueyi.

Ruan Nanzhu watched their figures disappear out the door, and lightly tskd: Is that all they got?

Lin Qiushi replied, its not that they dont got enough, youre just too good. Lin Xingping was a pretty clever person; even if she believed there was a shrine deep in the forest, she would never risk going all the way. But no matter how cautious she was, she couldnt have predicted this flash shower.

Now, the two had likely put their last hopes in the shrine at the end of the woods.

Without any unexpected incidents, the two were bound for death. Wu Qi and Wu Qis girlfriends deaths were avenged. But Lin Qiushi just couldnt make himself cheer up.

He remembered the sight of Wu Qi before him, tutting about watching his health and resigning soonerand let out a light sigh, wanting to release the knot of pent-up breath in his chest.

This rain shower came suddenly, and also went suddenlybut because of the paper slips from Ruan Nanzhu earlier, the others in the group didnt go out. Though theyd had their doubts, they watched in the courtyard when the storm came. This rain washed away their suspicions and confirmed the truth of the slips.

Though the sky cleared up right after, nobody dared to walk outside, instead choosing to stay in the hall to see what would happen.

Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu began to discuss the matter of the shrine.

Why dont we go see the shrine on a rainy day, Ruan Nanzhu said.

Sure, Lin Qiushi replied. But after seeing that statue, I was reminded of the teru teru bzu origin story you mentioned.

From that statues clothing, it looked like a monk. Could it be the monk that was beheaded in the story?

Mh Ruan Nanzhu said. I had that hypothesis as well. Chin in hand, he watched the sky outside. Its still a low-level doorthe death conditions are still pretty stringent. We dont have to rush. Plus, theyd been provided with a useful propthough of course, whether or not they couldve found the prop was entirely a matter of skill.

Lin Qiushi nodded.

As the two were speaking, that Xiao Cha, whod argued with Lin Xingping before, approached. The first words out of her mouth were, I saw you two take down and open the doll.

Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi turned to look at her.

And I thought you two were the ones getting screwed over, Xiao Cha laughed with self-awareness. But still waters run deep, huh?

Xiao Yu doesnt understand what youre saying at all.[1] Ruan Nanzhu had returned to his disgust-and-conquer routine, leaning into Lin Qiushis arms and whining in a goosebumps-inducing tone of voice, sweetie, this persons saying some really strange stuff~

Xiao Cha, cant you talk like a normal person?

Ruan Nanzhu, this is how Xiao Yu usually talks.

Xiao Cha, what kind of normal person talks like that??

Ruan Nanzhu began to whine.

Lin Qiushi listened to him whine as he watched the cherry blossom tree in the yard, and a random verse came to mind: Beside the lake, beneath the trees / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. / Continuous as the stars that whine[2]

Xiao Cha was put off enough to choke, but managed to stifle her desire to simply turn and walk away. She said, how many hints have you guys found? If you really find the door, mind letting me know ahead of time? I have a hint about the key!

We havent found that. Ruan Nanzhu batted his eyes and continued messing with the poor girl. The door is scary, Xiao Yu doesnt want to find it.

Xiao Cha got pissed, and brought out the truth: the slip of papers from you, right?

Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu put on perfectly innocent faces.

In the end Xiao Cha really couldnt take it anymore, getting up to storm off.

It was only then that Ruan Nanzhu said: well let you know ahead of time. If we do find it.

Thanks. Xiao Cha wasnt dumb either, and knew that Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi possessed skills beyond the ordinary, even though neither were especially pleasing to look at. Lin Qiushi in particular counted among the offensively uglyto tell the truth, without the need to, shed really rather not speak to Lin Qiushi.

Seems the Miss doesnt care for you at all, Ruan Nanzhu was quipping on in Lin Qiushis arms. She wouldnt spare you a single glance

Lin Qiushi, Ruan Nanzhu, I caution you be kind

Because of this sudden shower, nobody dared to leave the house all day.

In order to not seem the mavericks, Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi didnt run about on their own either.

Around five in the afternoon, the weather began to darken. The timing was about as Lin Xingping predicted; the sky went once again from sunny to cloudy, preparing to rain.

But when raindrops began hitting the earth, Lin Xingping and Cue Xueyi had still not returned. This wasnt baffling. Theyd already been rained on in the daytime after all, one more time didnt seem to make much of a difference. Plus, if the two didnt find a solution by tonight, the heads hanging in the hallway tomorrow were likely to be theirs.

Around eight in the evening, Lin Qiushi finally heard rushed footsteps coming from the courtyard door. They were interspersed with harsh panting, like that person had encountered something extremely terrifying.

Lin Qiushi pulled the door open a crack, and saw Lin Xingping standing at the door, face pale as a bloated corpse. Cue Xueyi, who was always beside her, was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes fell on the crack in Lin Qiushis door, and met Lin Qiushis squarely.

Lin Qiushi very calmly pretended not to see, and quietly closed the door. He glanced toward Ruan Nanzhu. Shes back.

Oh, Ruan Nanzhu said. Block the door. Dont let her in.

Lin Qiushi nodded.

Moments later, thumps came from outside the door. Lin Xingpings voice was rough, sounding coal-charred. She banged on the door as she shouted, Xiao Xiaoyu, get your ass out here! How dare you, how dare you lie to me. Say it. Say it! Youre the ones who did it, arent you!

Ruan Nanzhu spoke neither sharply nor plainly: Lin-jie, what are you saying? How did we lie to you? Was there no shrine at the end of the grove?

So what if theres a shrine? Lin Xingping snapped. I prayed there, but the rain still fell on me!

Well I dont know then, Ruan Nanzhu said. Since we didnt get wet when we went there. You two had already gotten rained on by the time you went, I didnt know what would happen. Why dont you tell me?

Lin Xingping began to loudly curse them out, damning them in rough words, repeating that Ruan Nanzhu lied to her.

How did I lie to you? Ruan Nanzhu said. Youre the ones who told us about the shrine. We only went to check it out like you told us too, Lin-jie. I mean, theres no way you didnt know there was a shrine deep in the woods, right?

By this point, Lin Xingping would have to be stupid to not realize that Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Xingping were wolves in sheeps clothing. She shouted for a while still, with Ruan Nanzhu ignoring her. In the end she collapsed right outside their door, and began to weep loudly.

Had it been anybody else crying so pathetically, Lin Qiushi might have developed some pity. But against Lin Xingping, he had no sympathy at all.

This group of people never had any decency from start to finish. They had countless lives on their handsonly when the same things fell upon their heads did they know what the feeling was like.

Lin Qiushi said quietly, I want to ask her a few questions.

Go for it, Ruan Nanzhu said. If you dont ask now, there wont be a chance later.

Do you know He Shuangya? Lin Qiushi spoke at Lin Xingping through the door.

The moment Lin Xingping heard that name, her sobbing stopped, and she sank into a queer silence.

You know her, right? Lin Qiushi said. Not only do you know He Shuangya, but you also know Wu Qi. Lin Xingping, do you still feel that your death is unjust?

It took Lin Xingping a while to speak again, like shed been muzzled by Lin Qiushis question. In the end, she forced out of her throat: Thats because she was stupid. She deserved to die!

Yeah, Ruan Nanzhu picked up, smiling. So youre stupid, you also deserve to die.

Lin Xingping went silent. Then the hitching cries began outside once more, as she said, Im begging you, please save me. I dont want to die, I dont want to die

Who wants to die? Lin Qiushis tone was very calm. Before she died, maybe He Shuangya thought the same thing. Lets just call this recompense, hm?

But, however much rationale they gave, it was all extraneous to a person doomed to death.

Lin Xingpings crying continued to midnight, until it was gradually swallowed up by the showering rain. Lin Qiushi sat by the door not sleeping. By the time he heard the childrens rhyme coming from outside, Lin Xingpings figure had disappeared from their doorway.

Lin Qiushi lightly pulled the door open a crack, until he could see in the courtyard the children from where the noises came. There were some headless bodies amid them.

The children held each others hands, encircling Lin Xingping, who kneeled in the middle. They asked the final question of the rhyme: who is behind you now?

Whatever Lin Xingping answered, Lin Qiushi did not hear. He only saw Lin Xingpings neck go sideways, then her head falling with a thunk. It rolled around the floor in a couple of circles before going motionless.

The teru teru bzu hung in the hallway yesterday once again began to scream. The entire yard was full of an uncanny atmosphere that was difficult to describe.

It was only after he confirmed Lin Xingpings death that Lin Qiushi returned to bed.

He stared at the ceiling, expression momentarily dazed, until Ruan Nanzhu burrowed into his arms.

What is it? Ruan Nanzhu asked him.

I didnt think Wu Qi would get involved in this. Lin Qiushi thought that there was no need to hide from Ruan Nanzhu what was on his mind. He was a good person. Cheerful and kind, or he wouldnt have befriended someone whos so slow to warm.

Mh. Ruan Nanzhu listened quietly, knowing Lin Qiushi didnt need him to speak.

I dont think I was a good friend, Lin Qiushi said. When something happened to me, I didnt think to tell him. When something happened to him, I didnt think to ask.

Its not your fault, Ruan Nanzhu said. You cant protect everyone.

Lin Qiushi looked over at Ruan Nanzhu. How about you? Can you protect everyone?

Me? Ruan Nanzhu went quiet for a while. I cant protect them either. His gaze dipped, and his voice dropped low as well. I went in my tenth door with a friend. I came out. He didnt.

Lin Qiushi remembered what Ruan Nanzhu had been like when hed first came out of his tenth doorlike hed been utterly gutted. Even after a few months of hospitalization, even after leaving the hospitalhe didnt return to normal for a long while.

Youve already done so well, Lin Qiushi said. Without you, I might not have even passed my first door.

Ruan Nanzhu, exasperated, arent I comforting you? How come youre the one comforting me now.

Lin Qiushi couldnt help but laugh.

Like they were ever this emotional normally; this was just a fortuitous divulgence. After they get a nights sleep, they had to get up the next day filled with the energy to deal with the matters inside the door.

The two lied in the bedding, this one speaking, then the other. And just like that, they trailed off to sleep.

The next day was nice and sunny. The teru teru bzu in the hallway once again got a new look.

To be certain, Ruan Nanzhu took down the teru teru bzu, opened it, and looked at the head wrapped inside.

It was indeed Lin Xingping, whod died last night. Her head was separated from her body, with her eyes still open, looking unsatisfied unto death.

It was just a shame she didnt know how that rain shower happened even after she died, not to mention what Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu did, so had no opportunity of becoming a vengeful ghost, and could only die so discontented.

He Shuangya likely experienced exactly what she did; shed known someone was robbing her of her door, but didnt know where shed fallen into the trap.

Lets go to the shrine today, Ruan Nanzhu said. While its raining.

Okay. Lin Qiushi nodded his agreement.

Ruan Nanzhu wrapped Lin Xingpings head back in the white cloth, and once again recited that lengthy childrens rhyme.

After the rhyme, it began pouring again. Ruan Nanzhu fetched the oil-paper umbrella from his bag, opened it, and handed it to Lin Qiushi, smiling. Lets go.

Lin Qiushi took the umbrella, and began walking with Ruan Nanzhu toward the bamboo grove.

Authors Note:

Saw a comment yesterday that said they read while they were pooping, and were so scared the poop wouldnt come out. Cackling.jpg

Translators Note:

1. The third-person self-referent RNZ uses isnt actually him saying his own name (or his pseudonym in this case). He says which has very uwu vibes.
2. Okay I went a bit tits out with this transposition, because the original included a) RNZs whining being transliterated as ying ying ying, and b) a pun from a phrase based off of that, or luo ying bin fen, a poetic phrase meaning a lush fall of cherry blossoms, since ying in another character is cherry blossom. In lieu of all that, I went with, less concisely, lines from Wordsworths I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and a pun on shine/whine. ITS FAR FROM PERFECT. Send suggestions