Manual for Survival in a Strange World

At 1:21 PM, Ning Zhe finished his statement and exited the police station.

In a single day, Gubei Town had witnessed three accidental deaths: Ye Miaozhu, Gu Yunqing, and Xie Sining… If Ning Zhe hadn’t hidden Zhang Yangxu’s body and assumed his identity, it would have been four deaths in one day.

What made the situation even more bizarre was that all three had died under identical circumstances—no external or internal injuries, no signs of poisoning—yet their bodies were found nearly five kilometers apart.

These mysterious, seemingly accidental deaths with no traceable leads would be enough to drive any forensic pathologist to distraction.

“If nothing unusual happens, the speculation and conspiracy theories about these bizarre cases will probably flood forums, message boards, and short video platforms before tonight’s news even comes out,” Ning Zhe thought to himself.

He had confidence in the online community’s eagerness for gossip.

But then, he reconsidered, “However, if by tomorrow, there’s still no discussion about these three deaths online, or even offline… that would be interesting.”

It would suggest that someone was actively covering up the news.

With still some time before 7 PM, Ning Zhe used the opportunity to gather some information about the land development situation in Gubei Town:

Gubei Town was small, lacking industries to support the local economy and no large enterprises to drive employment.

Heavy industries like coal and steel, or advanced sectors such as automobiles and digital tech, were far beyond this impoverished area.

Although Qinzhou had rich rare earth mineral deposits, they had been off-limits for development for nearly half a century. Anyone caught illegally mining could face a 15-year sentence at the minimum.

After some back-and-forth, the town’s only advantage was its unspoiled natural environment and stunning landscapes, which made it ideal for tourism.

Locals hoped to create a large tourist area centered around the ‘Xuanhu Waterfall’(Hanging Kettle waterfall) to stimulate the sluggish economy. The large-scale funding attracted several major real estate developers, including Zhang Yangxu’s “New World” Group and the “New Homeland” Group led by Bai Fugui, the husband of Feng Yushu.

Among all the bidding companies, the capital of Zhang Yangxu’s New World Group and Bai Fugui’s New Homeland Group stood out, making them the two most likely to win the bid.

In terms of business scope and size, New Homeland was actually larger than New World, offering more attractive proposals.

However, Zhang Yangxu was from Qinzhou, while Bai Fugui was from Yongzhou. Locals were inclined to give the major contract to a homegrown company from Qinzhou, as it would create more jobs, which was why Zhang Yangxu had the leverage to compete with Bai Fugui.

…On the surface, this was the case, but as the saying went, “Old friends meet, and tears fill their eyes.”

Personal connections were one thing, but business was another. If Zhang Yangxu didn’t make certain concessions or offer some bargaining chips, it would be difficult for the decision-maker to make concessions just because he was from Qinzhou.

After all, companies from Yongzhou could still hire people from Qinzhou to work.

The bidding conference was scheduled for 3 PM the day after tomorrow, and Zhang Yangxu’s main agenda today was to inspect the geographical conditions around Xuanhu Waterfall and to meet with the key stakeholders.

“Zhang Yangxu is an interesting man. With his status, he’s still willing to personally inspect the site,” Ning Zhe thought, somewhat surprised.

But in a way, it worked out for him, as he was troubled about how to handle Zhang Yangxu’s body.

The temperature in the southern region in June was high, and after a few hours, a dead body would start emitting an unpleasant odor. It would take a lot of air freshener to suppress the smell temporarily.

By the afternoon, accompanied by the driver and several locals, Ning Zhe visited several of Gubei Town’s landmark spots. Many of New World Group’s employees had arrived earlier than Zhang Yangxu, and Ning Zhe only needed to review the reports they submitted.

By the time all the sites were inspected, it was already 5:47 PM.

Ning Zhe dismissed the driver and told him to go to the pre-booked hotel for dinner and accommodation. He, on the other hand, claimed he wanted to explore more of the scenic area and drove alone up the mountain along the winding road.

Though he was a senior high school student and didn’t have a driver’s license, Zhang Yangxu did. He had been driving for nearly two decades.

Thanks to Zhang Yangxu’s skilled driving, Ning Zhe safely arrived at the heart of the future tourist area—Xuanhu Waterfall.

“Xuanhu,” or more precisely, “Xuanhu Lake,” was a high-altitude reservoir about ten meters above the ground in a valley on the western side of Gubei Town. The fast-flowing water cascaded down a gap, resembling someone pouring tea from a teapot high in the sky. From a distance, it was a stunning sight.

Ning Zhe parked his car about ten meters away from the edge of the mountain path, confirming there was no one around. He opened the trunk, slung Zhang Yangxu’s body over his shoulder, and took a small path into the mountain.

Having grown up in this area, Ning Zhe knew the geography around Xuanhu like the back of his hand. It didn’t take long before he found his destination:

A deep cave surrounded by thorny wire fencing, with ferns growing all around it. The sound of flowing water echoed from within, and a warning sign reading “WARNING!!!” was stuck in front.

The mountains around Gubei Town were mainly composed of red earth and limestone, eroded by water over the years, creating what’s known as karst terrain. Underground rivers flowed through dark, unlit caves, and the fissures in the rock were thousands of meters deep.

“If I dump Zhang Yangxu’s body here, no one will ever find it,” Ning Zhe thought, as he effortlessly scaled the fence and tossed the body into the cave. Seven seconds later, a splash echoed from within.

After disposing of the body, Ning Zhe returned to the car and drove down the mountain.

With three murders having occurred in Gubei Town in one day, holding a lavish welcome banquet at the hotel didn’t seem appropriate. Even if one were held, the people who should attend wouldn’t want to show up.

Ning Zhe returned to his hotel, had a simple dinner, and then entered his room, quietly waiting with patience.

Gubei Town was small, and even the best hotel in the town wasn’t much to write home about. If not for business, someone like Zhang Yangxu would never stay in a place like this.

At 7:24 PM, the sun sank into the west, shrouding the town in a veil of darkness.

A buzzing sound came from Ning Zhe’s pocket, and a call came through. Interestingly, it wasn’t Zhang Yangxu’s phone vibrating but Ning Zhe’s own.

Ning Zhe glanced at the caller ID and sat on the edge of the bed in his room before answering.

Before he could speak, an impatient voice immediately came from the speaker: “Ning Zhe, are you okay?”

“Thanks for your concern. I’m fine,” Ning Zhe chuckled. “Congratulations, Auntie. It seems like you came back alive from there.”

On the other end of the line, hurried breathing could be heard, and Feng Yushu’s voice sounded both excited and restrained: “Thank you, Ning Zhe. If it weren’t for you, I… I wouldn’t have made it back alive. I really appreciate it…”

“If you really want to thank me, give me something valuable. What’s the point of just saying it?” Ning Zhe replied nonchalantly. “How about we meet up? I need to understand some things about your daughter Bai Zhi.”

For example, why has she dreamt multiple times of scenes from Hejia Village?