ID No. 019 - Chapter 11.2

Chen Yang took out the white card and looked at his reflection on it, feeling a chill after staring at it for a little while. He flipped the card over to reveal the number 019.

“That night when you ran into me at the intersection, I had just come out of the Ninth Rehabilitation Center. It hadn’t even been a full day.” He put the white card back into his coat pocket, close to his heart, and looked at the sky through the swaying branches of the trees. “I was in a coma for over two years in the rehabilitation center, and after waking, I spent another half year in treatment. It was pretty boring. Here, I always feel on edge, my mind filled with thoughts—clearing up one thing only for another to arise. I’m always on alert and get seriously scared, but at least I can feel things now. It’s not boring anymore.

“I don’t agree with what Zhao Yuan said. Even if we finish our task and return to the real world, not knowing when the next task will come, I still don’t think life would become unlivable. It’s just a different way of living.

“One way or another, we have to get through it.

“No matter how many tasks lie ahead, I will keep moving forward.

“So this time, I won’t give up until the very last moment. We’ll be fine. I still want to take you out for a meal.

“By the way, I still don’t know your name.”

On a moment of impulse, Chen Yang one-sidedly poured his heart out, which left his mouth feeling dry. He took out the drink he had kept until now and offered it to the man, who had opened his eyes at some point and was staring blankly into space. “Do you want a drink?”

The man didn’t respond.

Just as Chen Yang was about to retract his hand, he heard the man’s voice accompanied by a cough.

“I can’t finish it,” he said.

A hint of surprise flashed on Chen Yang’s face. He thought to himself, I didn’t plan to let you drink it all anyway. He smiled and said, “It’s fine. I’ll drink the rest.”

The young man fell silent again.

Chen Yang had a bit of a headache. The monotonous life of rehabilitation had stripped many things from him. He had long forgotten how to make people laugh. His ability to read another’s expression, which he had developed in the facility, was ineffective on this man.

While Chen Yang was lost in thought, a bony hand reached over and took the drink he was holding.

The young man silently twisted off the cap and tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he drank.

He stopped only when half the bottle was gone.

Chen Yang took the half-empty bottle the man held out to him and drank a few sips without hesitation.

Suddenly, the young man picked up his crutches. “Help me up.”

Chen Yang noticed the man’s eyes were slightly red, which showed that he was still burning up from the fever, and asked, “It’s still safe here, don’t you want to rest a bit longer?”

The man replied, “Let’s go to the cave.”

As the young man steadied himself on one leg and slowly rose with both hands on his crutches, Chen Yang instinctively reached out to help and asked in confusion, “Didn’t we already go there this morning? We didn’t find any clues and it’s far from here. The terrain isn’t good either. If we’re discovered, we won’t be able to escape.”

The man simply said, “Let’s go again.”

Chen Yang didn’t press further. If the young man wanted to go, so be it. They would just take it slow and if it really came down to it, he would carry the man.

If those monsters chased after them, he would have to find a way to deal with them. As long as they weren’t ghosts, it would be fine.

After Chen Yang steadied the young man, he bent down to grab his backpack, when he suddenly heard the man softly mutter, “Chao Jian.”

“What?” Chen Yang, lost in thought, was slightly distracted.

The man didn’t look at him. “It’s my name.”

Chen Yang replied, “Oh.”

After two days, he finally revealed his name. It looked like opening up had its rewards.

Chao Jian stayed still and Chen Yang didn’t leave either.

Thinking that a monster was coming, he reached for the wire in his pocket, but then the man tilted his head towards him and said, “Chao (朝) meaning ‘to face (朝) a direction,’ and Jian (简) as in ‘simple (简单).’”

Chen Yang was momentarily stunned, then let go of the wire in his pocket and smiled. “Nice name.”

Chao Jian’s deep dark eyes fixed on Chen Yang.

Chen Yang had a look of bewilderment on his face.

Chao Jian frowned and clutched his bangs, then silently leaned on his cane as he walked away, his tall figure exuding a chilling sense of distance.

Chen Yang was confused, wondering why the young man was in a bad mood.

“Chao Jian,” Chen Yang repeated the name to himself, keeping in mind to treat him to a meal when they got back. He didn’t know how much younger the other person was, but figured he could think of the man as a younger brother.

Not long after, Chen Yang encountered several monsters, which were not acting alone but attacking in groups.

Chao Jian knocked one out with his cane.

Chen Yang strangled them to death with the wire.

A green liquid, the colour of plant sap, spilled out from the split in their necks, though it emitted a foul stench.

Chen Yang glanced at the man who stood a short distance away, feeling that the only reason he knocked the monsters unconscious instead of inflicting any wounds was because he didn’t want to get this liquid on his crutches.

“What’s going on here?” Chen Yang tugged on a leaf and wiped the wire clean. “Did the curse get strengthened?”

Chao Jian pointed with his cane, “You go dig around inside its mouth.”

Chen Yang looked over, speechless.

It was a young lad. Chen Yang had even spoken to him on his first day on the island. Now, his torso had been turned into thick green liquid, leaving only a head.

Chen Yang was repulsed. His throat dried up and his stomach churned. “Can I not…”

Chao Jian was like a strict parent forcing his child to grow up. He said in a chilly tone, “Hurry up.”

That phrase again, Chen Yang thought. When he recalled the fallen corpse in the utility room that night, his back tingled with a cold chill. He took a few deep breaths before laying a broad leaf each on both lips, then pried the mouth open.

He could smell fertilizer!

Numbed by the smell, Chen Yang was about to let go, but then caught the scent of blood.

He leaned closer for a look and found a red chunk of meat on its teeth, its origins unknown.

Chen Yang’s feet went cold and he plopped down to the ground. “What… what’s this meat from?”

Chao Jian suddenly limped over to a patch of undergrowth before using his crutch to push aside the closely woven branches.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Yang struggled to move his hands and feet, attempting to get up several times before finally managing to do so. With a pale face, he walked over to the young man and followed his gaze to the foot of the mountain. He couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

The weather during spring was clear and sunny.

Dozens of mutated fishermen emerged from the house, eyes devoid of luster and mouths stretched into a painfully wide grin. They happily smiled as they walked toward a small pit, stepping into it one at a time, before tilting their heads to face the sun.

They all stood still with their backs straight, as if soaking up the sun would make them grow taller.

Chen Yang’s hair stood on end. Just then, Old Madam Qi suddenly looked in his direction.

Despite the distance, Old Madam Qi let out a strange smile as if she could see the fear in his eyes.

Then those ‘people’ all turned to look at him in unison, their bodies remaining still while their necks twisted a full 180 degrees.