Chapter 6 Section five

That night, I was sitting cross-legged on the quilt in one of the rooms of the dormitory, and fell into hesitation. Do you want to turn off the lights on the ceiling? The fatigue from attending the wedding during the day, coupled with drinking beer with Mr. Tang Jianmu at dinner, made me dizzy now. I heard from Father Tang Jianmu that people here get up early every day.I also had to get up early, of course, in order to photograph everyone starting to work.I glanced at the dusty clock on the wall. It read eleven o'clock. Honestly, I'm tempted to turn off the lights and go to sleep right away.But since just now, I have been afraid to turn off the lights, because I feel that as soon as the lights are turned off, those things will move quietly.

— those Buddha statues. "Ninja is right..." I sighed and looked around. How many Buddha statues are there in total?Although it is not as good as the number I saw at the placement in the evening-but the psychological pressure caused by these Buddha statues in front of me is even worse. There is only a low table in the Japanese-style room surrounded by ten tatami mats, so it should be a very boring room.One of the walls has a custom-made, knee-high shelf, but nothing on it.Apart from a heater, there was no TV or radio in the room—it seemed that this was not a so-called guest room, but an empty room where no one lived.

Other than that, they are all Buddha statues. Countless Buddha statues are placed around the room.The sizes vary, and none of the Buddha statues are complete, all of them are failures.Some Buddha statues have legs that reach only to the knees, others have only one hand, or have no facial features, and some have no head at all.This peculiar shape makes each Buddha statue extraordinarily shocking, making people feel as if surrounded by countless lunatics, which can't help but generate anxiety and psychological pressure.Five or six arms were randomly thrown in the corner of the room, making one unable to help but imagine that people from that world were playing fist-guessing.Even though all the hands were tied, it would drive me crazy to look back inadvertently and see that they had already decided the winner.

These should be failed works, experimental products, or something that cannot be called a work produced by a new idea in the process of concretization. I moved my eyes slowly and looked at each Buddha statue.Although these Buddha statues have different shapes, it is obvious that these Buddha statues are all made by the same person.Moreover, I can almost conclude that that person is the master who made the Thousand-Handed Avalokitesvara in the corner of the storage place.First of all, the biggest commonality is that the chiseling method is rough and precise, which is obviously different from other Buddha statues seen in the placement.But it's not just the technical commonality.I don't know how to describe, the shock emanating from each of the Buddha statues here is of the same nature, how should I put it - it's as if the Buddha statues are alive, but not quite.It should be said that through these Buddha statues, you can feel the vitality of the creators.It's not that the producer brought life to the Buddha statue, but he integrated his own life into the Buddha statue.This is my impression of these Buddha statues.

The Buddhist statue master named Ryuzo Niusawa disappeared twenty years ago, and he must have possessed special senses and skills. This should be the room he used to live in. "Even so, it doesn't mean that anything will happen—" I said out loud on purpose. That's right.Even if I am surrounded by Buddha statues, even if these Buddha statues exert great psychological pressure on me, it does not mean that I will encounter any accidents. It just inevitably terrifies me. I sat cross-legged on the quilt for a long time, my eyes lingering between the Buddha statue and the electric lights on the ceiling, and the time passed by every minute.Then, it occurred to me that I should take pictures of these Buddha statues.When you think about it, it turns out that this is an ideal subject for a thriller.Moreover, it is difficult for ordinary people to see the unfinished Buddha statues.That's right, just do it.As long as you think they are the content of the material, there is nothing to be afraid of.

"Okay, it's decided." I rummaged through the bag next to my pillow to take a photo of the Buddha statue—— Only then did I realize that my camera was missing. Where is it? After visiting the workshop, Tang Jianmu and I walked back to the dormitory along the twilight gravel road.After taking a shower, having dinner in the restaurant, having a drink with Tang Jianmu's father--then I went back to this room to read the pocket book of Le Hu's novels.During this time, I have not used a camera. "Stay in the workshop..." This is the only possibility.After I went to the storage place to take pictures, I went to the workshop to appreciate the work of the Buddha statue master. I must have forgotten to take it on the shelf at that time.

Do you want to find it?Or wait until tomorrow? Is there anyone still in the workshop now?When I returned to the dormitory just now, I didn't meet any Buddha statue master.But when I was in the room, I heard the door open and close several times.It should be that several Buddha statue masters came back to rest one after another after their work.Is everyone back? "Let's go and have a look..." I finally stood up. Opening the sliding door of the room, I found a yellow light shining through the crack of the door directly opposite.That was the restaurant where I had dinner with Father Tang Jianmu just now.I gently pushed the door open, poking my head through the crack, and the hinges made a noise like a kitten meowing.

"--excuse me." There are two rectangular tables on the wooden floor, and a fat old woman is walking back and forth busily.After checking that the soy sauce and salt and pepper shakers on the table were empty, she wiped the table with a rag.I don't know if she was too involved, or her ears were bad, and she didn't look back at me.She is a helper who lives here and is responsible for the three meals here. She also prepared the dinner just now for me.Tang Jianmu's father called her "Aunt Yi Po", but he didn't know if her surname was Yi Duan or Yi Yuan. "Uh, Aunt Yipo."

I followed suit, and she finally looked up at me. "I'm going to the workshop, I forgot something there." "Please, you don't need to tell me specifically." Compared with dinner, her tone became very cold.Could it be that she is exhausted because the day's work is coming to an end? "You can't see your fingers outside, can you lend me a flashlight?" "It's just above the shoe cabinet in the entrance." "Thank you." I bowed and turned to leave. Aunt Yi Po said behind her back: "I'm going back to my room to rest. If you're thirsty in the middle of the night, there's tea in the refrigerator. Please take it yourself."

I turned and left the restaurant and walked down the dimly lit hallway.The pajamas are too thin, and the shoulders are a bit chilly. The wooden dormitory on the second floor is quite large. I haven’t visited the second floor yet. On the first floor, there is a long corridor starting from the entrance, and at the end is the toilet and bathroom.There are three rooms on both sides of the corridor. The room I stayed in is at the right end, and the left end is the dining room. As I walked, I looked around.The sliding doors of each room were tightly closed, and it was completely unknown whether the lights were turned on in the room.The whole building fell silent except for the sound of my stomping on the floorboards creaking in the dark.Walking on the floor here will make a sound, which does not match the majestic appearance.

Aunt Yi Po was right, there was a small flashlight on the shoe cabinet in the entrance.I picked up the flashlight, borrowed my slippers and walked out of the house. "Wow……" so dark.This is my first impression.There was no light at all, it was pitch black. On the vast land in the deep mountains, it seems that a lot of ink has been poured into it, and it is hidden in the thick darkness.You can't even see the gravel road outside the entrance, and you can't even distinguish the outline of the trees that Tang Jianmu is so proud of.The sky was overcast with clouds, hiding the light of the moon and stars.Is it going to rain? In Tokyo where I live, even where there are no street lights, the sky is somewhat bright, and I have never seen such complete darkness.I turned on the flashlight in my hand with curiosity - at this moment... I suddenly felt scared. For the first time when I turned on the lights, I felt the horror of the darkness.This statement is indeed a bit strange, but it is an indisputable fact.As the flashlight's halo shone on the rocks beneath my feet, I suddenly realized that the rest of the world was completely obscured. I can't help but cringe a little.The spot of light shining on his feet is very small, almost the size of a small jade watermelon.Those strange Buddha statues in the room just now appeared in my mind for no reason.I hate myself for forgetting to bring my camera back. "This is also impossible..." I tried my best to encourage myself, put the flashlight on my chest, and walked forward slowly.I walked straight on the gravel road that divided the entire Ruixiang House into two halves.It was a cold night in the mountains, and my toes in slippers were almost numb.There was silence all around, only the sound of my own footsteps on the gravel road.I suddenly remembered how it was like walking in the deep sea without light. Although I couldn't see it with my naked eyes, all kinds of strange and big and small creatures slowly passed by my left, right and behind me. There is a sense of foreboding—— Just when I had this thought. ... Hum... I was so scared that I stopped. It was a deep man's voice.Whose voice is it?Where did it come from?It seems to be moaning, and it seems to be pouring out. I listened intently with bated breath.There was no sound, nothing around. The small stone in front made an "answer" sound. "snake……" The flashlight shines on the gravel road ahead, and a snake is crawling.It was a big black snake.Quietly wriggling its long body forward, the shiny snake skin glowing white with its movements—— "How can there be snakes this season..." I swallowed a mouthful of saliva, stretched out my upper body, and brought my face closer to the snake's body.A branch of a maple tree fell in front of the black snake, with a few maple leaves on it.The snakes slipped leisurely under the branches and disappeared outside the gravel road. After that, the sound just now was not heard again. Terrible memories flashed through my mind. Ten months ago, at the end of winter, I heard the voices of the dead in the mountains of Fukushima Prefecture.Only I heard the voice of the dead boy.And the photos, those four photos with eyes on people's backs, and the teenagers who were brutally murdered... "How could that happen again?" I shook my head, pushing the crumbs of the memory out of my head. I walked quickly.Although I almost fell several times, I still took big steps and walked straight on the central gravel road of Ruixiang House. The wooden door of the workshop was closed tightly. I held the handle and pulled it several times, but the door didn't move. It should be locked. "It's really nerve-wracking..." I went around to the back door and looked at the wooden door behind the storage room. That door was not locked.I pushed open the wooden door and stuck my flashlight through the gap.Numerous Buddha statues emerged in the light of the flashlight.Calm eyes, angry expression, quiet composure, and a threatening posture that seems to rush over at any time.The thought of having to go through here to get to the workshop made my stomach feel sick. I walked among the Buddha statues, trying not to look around.There was still the smell of candles lit by the abbot of Ci'an in the room. I gently opened the wooden door inside and walked into the workshop.In the evening, I saw the tutu bag placed in the corner next to it. It seems that the abbot of Ci'an has finished consecrating these small amulets. I immediately found what I was looking for, reached out to pick up the camera on the scaffolding of the working props, turned around and left the workshop quickly, and returned to the storage place again.I walked cautiously among the Buddha statues, and when I was about to reach the wooden door—— I heard breathing. I literally heard the breathing of whoever—what—was. I think I hear you. I turned my head, shaking the light of the flashlight in my hand from side to side.buddha statue.buddha statue.buddha statue. All I could hear was my own rapid breathing. "what is the problem……?" Something is wrong.The sound of a man weeping; the snake that should not appear in this season; and the sudden sound of breathing. Hurry back to your room—— I turned toward the exit again, the flashlight arcing to the left.In this momentary movement, I saw something.Something ominous, scary—incongruous—something. what is that--? What did I see? "Just now was—" I pointed the flashlight in the direction just now, and followed the light with my eyes.The light is stilled, and the sight is focused on the center of the light.I knew what I saw, the face of the Thousand-Handed Avalokitesvara.I saw the last Buddha statue carved by Takashi Niasawa, who disappeared twenty years ago. "why……?" The Buddha statue is actually smiling? The Buddha statue's mouth is wide open and its eyes are wide open, which is far from the feeling of "Buddha's smile", which is the expression of laughing at the other party.I couldn't speak, and the right hand holding the flashlight couldn't help shaking. At this time—— In the circular light, the Buddha's face moved.The face that opened its mouth and laughed—the cheeks twitched slightly. "Ah... ah..." I turned around immediately, rushed towards the wooden door, and left the scene quickly.The Buddha's face—a carved wooden face—had just moved.Like something soft, like a human face with muscles and skin.I really wanted to run at full speed, but my flashlight didn't have enough light to see clearly ahead, or even where I was going.Something chased after me silently, and the head of the Thousand-Handed Avalokitesvara who was laughing silently seemed to appear behind my head.I stopped, turned around, and shone the flashlight backwards.Nothing, no one.I walked forward again, but again I felt something chasing me.Something strange, something unidentified was chasing me.I don't know how long I walked, and I don't know where I went. At this time, I found a maple leaf branch on the gravel road.So, here is where the black snake was seen just now. I stopped, held my breath, and looked at the darkness to my left and right. Just now, it was here that I heard a low voice that looked like a man.What the hell is going on?I strained my ears, searching for the voice in the silence.result-- "Again—" I heard it again.Indeed, I heard the same man's voice as before. The voice was sad and urgent, but I couldn't make out what it was saying. My hairs stood on end, and I turned my head to the right.The sound should come from that direction. I left the gravel road and walked towards the grass.what am i doingWhere am I going?With a blank mind, I walked slowly on the neatly manicured turf, as if someone took turns pulling my two feet forward.There was a patch of weeds about as tall as me with thick stems in front, and behind the weeds—— ... Li... there's noise. ...Jasmine...Jasmine... I couldn't make out what the muffled voice was saying, but he kept repeating the same words, as if asking for help. I held the flashlight in my right hand, pushed the weeds away with my left hand, stepped on the weeds with my slippers, and continued to move forward.When I stepped out of the weeds— The sound just now suddenly disappeared. "here it is--?" The sight under the circular light made my eyes widen. Why is there a temple here?What is that Buddha statue?What is the white mist covering the Buddha statue? I took a few steps forward and stood in front of the temple.It was a small temple built of wood, almost as high as my chest.A Buddha statue was placed in the temple, and the Buddha stared forward with a terrible expression on his face.In addition to the eyes, there is one eye on the forehead.The four hands held a sword, a halberd, a rope, and a long and thin stick.The halo of flames behind it seemed to be burning blazingly.There is a tree next to the temple, its branches and leaves cover the roof, as if protecting the temple.This tree gives me a creepy feeling, because on the bare trunk, there are many strange burrs that look like human faces—— "damn it--" The light in my flashlight started to flicker on and off, and I was running out of batteries.As I looked down, the flickering became faster and faster, and finally went out completely.Complete darkness—Endless darkness enveloped the surroundings.I hurriedly shook the flashlight and patted the side.After a while, the light bulb came on again, but it was much dimmer than before, and it should go out soon. Let's go back to the dormitory quickly. I finally shined the flashlight in front of me again, looking at the Buddha statue.At this moment, one could barely see a human-shaped thing standing there, and the white mist that had just covered the Buddha statue's body was no longer clearly recognizable. "Photograph--" I completely forgot that I had a camera with me.I looked into the viewfinder and saw nothing but darkness.I hold the camera to my chest and press the shutter.The strong light of the flash suddenly illuminated everything in front of him.

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