( 13 )

On the door of the rooms was the rooster and hen. Its necks were twisted, and their dark beady eyes looked out the window not moving an inch.

Perhaps it was because the chickens looked very strange and every time, they called out it was either because of a violation or because it was time to collect the answers, no one dared to touch it.

"We tried to find the key, but we couldn't find it."

You Huo nodded. He walked over and examined the two padlocks. He then turned around and looked at the walls.

Yu Wen was worried that his brother would take out the axe to break the door down. He quickly said: "Brother! I played these types of games more than everyone else here. For locked doors like this, it's best not to use force."

You Huo coolly asked back: "Do I look retarded?"

Yu Wen shrank back. He didn't dare speak.

After a moment he said timidly: "Then why are you looking at the wall?"

"Did anyone touch the hunting gear?" You Huo asked.

Everyone's eyes moved to the tattooed man.

"Fuck, why are you fucking looking at me for!" The tattooed man saw this and was enraged: "Earlier you wrongly accused me of hiding the knife and now what are you going to wrongly accuse me of?"

"Wrongly accuse?" You Huo frowned.

"With so many people are grouped together, who the fuck knows where that knife fell from." The tattooed man cursed. He said irritably: "I'm done! It's no point explaining to you fools!"

You Huo looked coldly at him.

Tattooed man: "...."

After a moment of silence, the tattooed man said: "Forget it. You...what do you want to ask? Ask!"

You Huo pointed at the wall with his chin: "Put the hunting gear back to where it was. I want to look at its position."

The tattooed man glared at him: "Am I crazy? Why should I put it back after taking it down?"

Three minutes later, the tattooed man took out a bag of hunting gear and hung them back one by one.

You Huo crossed his arms and followed behind him.

"I'm not a dog. Can you not walk around like you're walking me?!"

The tattooed man complained dissatisfiedly but he still placed the last one back before spitting in the corner and walking away.

"Brother, what's wrong with the hunting gear?" Yu Wen asked.

You Huo pointed at the last wall and said: "There are two empty nails."

"So?" Yu Wen was still puzzled."

"What happened to the thing hanging from there?"

The room went silent.

Suddenly someone said: "That's right...…it's missing two things. Is anyone hiding something?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Old Yu: "It was like this from the beginning."

Everyone looked at him.

"That...….Before the exam started, didn't I go out for a bit?" Old Yu said to You Huo. "You were sleeping so I didn't call you. Before I went out, I wanted to see if there were any umbrellas in the cabin. At that time the two nails were empty. I'm certain."

"So, you mean that from the time we entered the cabin, two hunting gears were missing?"

"Then who has it?"

"The hunter?" Yu Wen guessed, "So...There really is a hunter and he is just not in the cabin. He probably went out hunting?"

Everyone was a little nervous: "We can't go out, he can't come in. How can we find him?"

You Huo: "Time isn't up yet, right?"

Everyone's sense of time was a bit off but You Huo had already dragged a chair over and moved to sit before the fire.

The others also sat down and went in daze as they looked at the fire.

Yu Yao supported her waist and carefully moved over. She looked at You Huo for a while. The other person's side profile was lit up by the fire making him look gentler than usual, but his eyes were still cold and indifferent.

With a look of guilt, she said: "I'm sorry."

You Huo looked over at her.

Yu Yao said in a small voice: "That ink…..Clearly I was the one who did it but you got punished instead. I have always wanted to apologise to you but you were taken away again before I could say anything."

You Huo: "....."

Yu Yao said: "I know it's useless to apologise. If there is anything next time, I'll go instead."

You Huo: "..."

He lowered his eyes and glanced at Yu Yao. He looked away and continued to warm his hands up: "No need."

Yu Yao opened her mouth wanting to say something but in the end she didn't say anything.

She sat there in daze for a while. Then she suddenly asked You Huo: "You're not afraid?"

You Huo straightened one leg. The fire stove was too warm, and he was a little sleepy.

He was quiet for a moment before saying lazily: "Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of death, afraid of violating the rules....or anything. Everyone is very curious. You are very strong. It's like you aren't afraid of anything."

"What's the point of being afraid?"

Yu Yao nodded and said quietly: "That's true. But you can't help it. I'm just very scared...."

You Huo didn't look up. He said: "You're not too timid. You even had the courage to use that unknown ink to write on the wall."

He spoke effortlessly. It was as if he didn't want to even move his lips. His voice was low and cold but, while being baked by the warm fire, there was no tone of blame.

Yu Yao lowered her head. She didn't know what to say.

She lingered for a long time before saying: "I actually...…."

But she didn't finish speaking. She saw You Huo with one leg on the edge of the chair and his arm on his knee. He seemed to have fallen asleep again.

She was surprised for a moment and she swallowed her words back. She didn't wake You Huo and just slowly moved back to the two old ladies.

"How did he fall asleep again?" The old lady whispered. "Didn't he sleep when he just came?"

Yu Wen heard this faintly and he looked at You Huo. Inside he answered: No, my brother is always sleepy even after sleeping.

Yu Yao didn't say have much to say. She leaned against the old lady and her eyes looked into the distance. She seemed to be in thought.