Chapter 125 The Fourth Day Was Utterly Ineffective
For a moment, you almost forgot to breathe.
You lower your head, pretending to tidy up your belongings, but your mind is racing:
The mark. How could it be her?
You can be almost certain that Max did not do anything unusual again, and Carlos seemed to be doing nothing wrong.
You saved Mina, and you didn't miss any interactions with her.
After Dora reached a consensus with you that both Max and Carlos had problems, she definitely knows better than you how to stay away from the abnormal.
—How did Tony get infected?
As you initially envisioned, the connection between Carlos and Max was one-on-one, requiring some kind of contact you weren't yet aware of, before the next person with the mark would appear.
You look down at your fingers and notice that they are trembling slightly.
Your carefully constructed "abnormal model" suddenly collapsed.
This entire framework of clues has now been patched with an inexplicable new mark.
When exactly was she "chosen"?
Or is it—
There was no such thing as being "selected" at all.
As you stare at the rings of water on the top of the tent, you feel the cold rising inch by inch from the soles of your feet.
Maybe you were wrong from the start.
Perhaps this so-called "propagation" has no logic, no cause and effect, and no trigger point that can be recorded.
Perhaps, that's just a fantasy you use to protect yourself.
You begin to doubt whether you have truly "stopped" anything.
Never mind.
Thinking about these things all by yourself makes you feel like your brain is about to explode.
The main problem is that the origin is nowhere to be found; there are only vague patterns, which have now been broken.
While it's still early, go and talk to Dora. Maybe she'll find a clue that's been puzzling you.
You crawl out of the tent and look up to see a gray-blue sky.
Tony is absolutely right, you did get up early today, even Freddy is still slowly waking up and feeling sleepy.
The professor, as always, was full of energy and had already started reading the literature. After you greeted her, you saw that Dora had also gotten up. She was sitting on a tree root at the edge of the camp, with her back to you, holding a small wooden carving in her hand.
You walk over naturally, she glances at you, and makes room for you.
You sat down.
"So, have you found any clues?" you asked.
“I had a dream,” Dora whispered, her dark eyes slightly narrowed. “I dreamt that he was sitting by the fire, motionless. He was wrapped in vines, his skin looked like it had been soaked in mud, and his lips were cracked, yet he kept talking.”
"Who is he?" You looked at Dora's face and suddenly felt a chill.
"Carlos."
You try to remain calm: "So what did he say?"
“I can’t hear clearly,” she said. “It’s like it’s imitating someone’s voice.”
You felt a jolt, but tried to keep your voice steady: "So you've figured out the meaning of these things? Those marks, those strange reactions?"
She nodded and placed the wooden carving on her lap. It was a small wooden animal, resembling both a lynx and a bristle pig, covered with spiral patterns.
“I looked it up,” she said. “My mother is from Rio. When I was little, she told me some legends about the ‘Old Forest’—you know what that means?”
You shake your head.
She whispered, “In the old forest, all rule-breaking is punished, not as retribution, but as ‘recycling.’ It’s not about punishing you, but about taking back what it has lost.”
You look at her.
Her skin tone was a shade darker than Carlos's tanned wheat, but lighter than that of their guide, Ramon. She blended perfectly into the fading light of the jungle, with only her bright red lips and sparkling eyes identifying her.
For a moment, you felt a little reluctant to listen to her continue.
But her story has already begun.
Her voice carried a masked tremor.
“I asked Ramon last night. He was reluctant to tell me at first, but he eventually gave in and told me that the place where Carlos fell was near a puddle covered with bone vines—it’s not just the non-exploration zone that Professor Shia mentioned, it’s a forbidden zone that even the locals don’t want to go near.”
You frowned: "Why?"
Dora's fingers slowly traced the wood carving: "Many people have died there, and many people have spoken too much there and lost their shadows. We believe that it is the place where the 'Old Forest' and people exchanged languages, shadows, and bones—it heard too much and remembered you, and then... became you."
You swallowed hard.
"But why didn't Ramon say anything?" you point out the suspicious point.
"He doesn't want to lose the money for the guide, it's that simple," Dora said irritably. "If someone respected the rainforest, they wouldn't let a bunch of noisy idiots like us into the rainforest so easily."
Although you were also criticized, you forgot to refute it for a moment.
She continued, "After Carlos was injured that day, did you feel that the scar on his leg... looked like something had come out from the inside?"
You didn't share this with Dora because you didn't yet know the extent to which Dora perceived the "abnormality".
"Did you dream about these things?" You didn't answer, but just kept asking her.
She acquiesced.
“When I see that, I know everything.” Dora stretched out her hand and gestured to you. “My mother has told me many, many bedtime stories: If someone is left with traces by the ‘Old Forest,’ it will go looking for bones, blood, shadows, words, and names on its own.”
Bones, shadows...
Doesn't this perfectly correspond to Carlos, who has broken his bone, and Max, who has lost his shadow?
Dora sighed, kicking a pebble away in frustration: "Carlos, that complete brainless idiot, he's the first. He went into this damn place, and the forest started taking back what it owed him."
"But the others didn't do anything wrong..."
Dora shook her head: "On this land, one person's mistake is everyone's debt."
You suddenly think of the wild boar attack yesterday.
The professor also said that wild boars don't appear alone during special periods, so this lone beast just popping up like that really gives the feeling that it's being deliberately retaliated against by the forest.
If you hadn't saved Mina—would she have been the one to "bleed"?
But now it's Tony, and according to Dora, what is she?
ah.
It was just a glance, so it didn't form a memory in your mind, but now you suddenly remember it.
You did see a newly opened box of sanitary napkins next to Tony's sleeping bag.
This girl, who doesn't seem to care much about personal hygiene, was changing clothes early this morning, probably because of this.
She got her period.
You immediately told Dora about it.
"So it really is the curse of the 'Old Forest'." Dora put the wooden figure away, looking quite troubled. "You should know that when we come to this kind of place for scientific research, we all take birth control pills beforehand to avoid menstruation. But she was still led astray..."
You paused, feeling both that the logic was impeccable and that it was perhaps too... reasonable.
You stand up, and the wind blows through the trees, carrying moisture onto your face.
Looking at Dora again, she remained calm, slowly wrapping the wooden carving with her fingers and putting it into her bag.
"Are you really sure?" you ask.
She countered with, "Do you have any other explanation?"
You opened your mouth, but couldn't answer.
Everything fits together, everything can be explained, everything has a source; it can be said to be much more natural and coherent than your own reasoning system.
But you reacted with a kind of rebellion.
A story that is too complete is usually not true.
The instance sends you a Dora, fine, but would it really hand over the truth to you so easily?
However, that's not necessarily true.
If the original plan of "Old Forest" was to make Mina the chosen "blood," then the boar's attack was at least reasonable; but making Tony, who had taken precautions, go against his own hormones and menstruate was like cheating.
This clearly tells you that sooner or later He will still choose one to kill, and this uncertainty balances out the sense of security that comes from having the answer written out in plain sight.
"Then, can the mark on Tony's body be removed?" You decide to follow Dora a few more steps to see.
She looked up and said softly, "Those two idiots are probably beyond saving, but since Tony only got the mark today, maybe we can give it a try."
Dora only said she needed three things: redwood ash that had been burned once, seeds of rainforest plants that "have shells but don't bloom", and soil that had been burned but hadn't cracked.
"How do I find it?" you ask.
Dora smiled mysteriously and took out a small bottle.
It contained redwood ash and soil.
By the way, you did go to the wildfire area to collect samples!
"We're only missing that seed, but that's easy. We already have a good road to travel today, so we won't have trouble finding it." You thought about today's itinerary.
Yes, you are moving your camp today.
The vegetation and geological conditions in this area have been largely investigated. Next, we will go to the southern edge of the plateau, where the vegetation is completely different from here. It is said that there is a stone flat area that the local indigenous people used for sacrificial rites. The terrain is open and suitable for subsequent surveying work.
Everyone gradually got up, and you and Dora made a plan to hurry back and join the packing party.
I sat in the off-road truck, leaned against the window, and watched the shadows of the trees rush past me.
After what happened yesterday, Mina wanted to sit next to you, but Dora had already sat down first. You could only smile apologetically at Mina, and of course, she didn't say anything.
Dora held a notebook in her hands, her fingernails tracing the crack in the cover. She didn't speak, but you knew she was thinking of Tony too.
—You feel like you've become a human surveillance camera after entering the US instance, watching different people every day.
Tony's performance today was just like Max's and even Carlos's; they seemed to have completely washed away all the negative effects since entering the rainforest. Tony also no longer felt the humiliation he had felt after being suppressed by you.
Something flashes through your mind, but you can't quite grasp it, so you just blink and try to think about something else.
The car reached a rough bend where a short section of a broken bridge required manual crossing. The professor instructed the convoy to pull over and wait for repairs, while everyone took a break.
Dora seized the opportunity to turn to the professor and shout, "My stomach isn't feeling well, I need to find a good tree to relieve myself."
The professor frowned, then waved his hand with an expression that said, "Stop talking nonsense and come back quickly."
You should do everything with someone in your life, so you went with Dora.
You quickly distanced yourselves after disappearing into the bushes, and Dora looked down to search.
"Ah! Found it!"
She knelt down, carefully picked up the thing, brushed off the mud, and presented it to you.
You peek out, but you're stunned.
Isn't this just a nut seed?
“This is a Brazil nut, with a hard shell, but its flowers are very inconspicuous,” Dora explained.
"Are you sure?" You looked at Dora, somewhat skeptical of her professionalism.
A hint of guilt flashed across Dora's face, but it was a guilt that made you feel somewhat at ease.
Your logic is simple: you've developed a paranoia in the game, believing that the more certain something is, the more suspicious it is, and the more unreliable something is, the more likely it is to have some truth to it.
You happily hold hands with Dora and return to the group.
The terrain was rugged, and it took them all morning to reach the new campsite. Everyone was still setting up tents and laying out tarpaulins. You pulled Dora aside and whispered, "This place is so open; where are we going to take her?"
She looked around and said, "Let's just do it on that stone slab. The more conspicuous it is, the less suspicious it will be. We'll just say we're going over to clean it up."
You glanced at everyone who was busy and overwhelmed, and thought the suggestion was alright.
Dora went first and began to set up the formation with mud and wood ash.
You look at Tony—she's checking her lunch supplies, her back to you completely unguarded, complaining that the professor isn't giving her a nap.
You walk over and gently pat her shoulder: "Come with me to get the camera batteries from the day before yesterday. Yours seems to be from the same set as mine."
Although Tony has some issues, she's generally not one to refuse requests from others. Even if she complains about the hassle, she'll still get up and follow you.
You lead her around the main tent, through the hedgerow, and quickly to the spot you and Dora had chosen beforehand.
Tony realized something was wrong halfway there: "What are you doing? There's no equipment here—"
You grab her wrist with one hand, and instantly wrap your other arm around her back.
She struggled violently and kicked you in the knee: "What's wrong with you?!"
She's huge! In terms of strength, neither you nor Dora could beat her!
If we let her cause any more trouble, it will become too conspicuous.
You gritted your teeth, closed your eyes, and said, "What do you mean by that!"
A moment later, you, burdened by your lost memories and lingering shame, pulled the dazed and obedient Tony to Dora's side.
Dora has already lit a smoke bomb next to you and is cracking nuts with a large rock in her hand.
Her movements were fluid, but her expression was tense.
The smoke made Tony's expression even more sluggish.
"Is everything alright?" It was Dora who asked you that question.
"What do you think?" You looked at her, then pointed at Tony.
"Okay. I can do it!" Dora yelled. You nervously glanced towards the camp, thankfully without attracting the attention of anyone there.
Dora jumped up and pressed the mixed mud and ash onto the mark on Tony's abdomen.
The mark throbbed violently, as if it had been ripped from his skin. Tony let out a suppressed cry of pain, his entire body tensing like a bowstring.
"It works!" Dora exclaimed happily.
Then she began to murmur in some language you couldn't understand, whether it was Xi language or some other indigenous language. The rhythm was extremely fast, like raindrops beating a drum, dense and numerous.
Her hand traced lines on the mark, the mud and ash mixed with nuts trailing into threads at her fingertips, resembling some kind of living, brownish vine veins in the sunlight.
Tony's lips began to turn pale.
suddenly--
The mark shifted slightly.
Like a clump of fungus filled with water vapor, it relaxed an inch with a "poof".
Its edges gradually faded, the color changing from red to gray, from gray to white, and finally becoming a normal piece of skin.
Tony passed out completely.
You and Dora exchanged a glance.
Your eyes met, and then you both laughed.
You couldn't help but hug Dora tightly, your voice still trembling: "We did it...we really did it..."
She didn't hold back any longer and hugged you.
You two were covered in mud, sweat, and the smell of blood that seemed to emanate from somewhere, lying there on that rocky outcrop at the edge of the rainforest.
But after resting for a moment, Dora let out a long sigh and said, "It's gone. But to be honest, I don't know if it will ever come back."
You didn't ask her why. But you also didn't expect this ritual to completely eradicate it.
"Is there anything else we need to do next?" You haven't forgotten these questions.
The "Old Forest" will not forget the other curses just because it has already set one curse.
"Prevention is definitely the priority. Hmm, I don't think the 'blood' part will make a comeback for the time being, but we need to be careful about other parts," she said. "Listen carefully."
Dora hugs your head, very close.
Feeling a little awkward and unsure where to look, you simply stare at her mouth.
She said, "We must not respond to any voices that are not from our companions."
As soon as you finished speaking, a gentle breeze, the first one in so many days, blew from the open air, making you shiver.
You nodded, your heart pounding again.
Just as a promise is a promise, everything was fine at first during the afternoon's itinerary, but later, the sounds in the woods began to change.
This happened when you were working in groups.
At first you thought it was the sound of cicadas.
The high frequency and intermittent sound is like someone repeatedly reciting a syllable, but not accurately, as if practicing vocalization.
Then a second sound came out—
“Hey… Becca…”
You suddenly look up.
That voice wasn't human.
It drifted out from the dense forest to your left, intermittent, with a delayed, jumbled rhythm, like a poorly imitated recording.
The sound was like scraping a stone through the air—very light, yet so sharp it gave you goosebumps.
"Dora... Dooorrrrra..."
You turn to look at her.
She had closed her eyes, her hands clasped tightly on her knees.
You heard her say in a very soft voice, "Don't look at it, don't respond."
That's not a person.
That's a bird.
Dora told you when she picked up the nut that where there is this nut, there are birds that live nearby that feed on it.
Parrots in the rainforest can also mimic human voices.
Generally, they rarely appear in areas frequented by humans, only inhabiting areas deviating from human routes. However, that is the general situation.
And while their calls can almost perfectly replicate human voices, importantly, like any domesticated parrot, they can only mimic names and phrases they have heard.
And now, it starts calling your names one by one.
“Mina… Max… Dora…”
Each sound comes from a different direction, and the more you listen, the more realistic the birds' voices become.
With each call, you not only heard these familiar names, but soon you felt as if you were hearing the owners of those names calling you, as if the dense forest was beckoning you with the voices of all the creatures that had entered its embrace.
I'm eagerly waiting for your reply.
You close your eyes, your heart pounding, but you control your breathing and remain still.
Dora slowly took a bone whistle out of her pocket, put it to her lips, and blew it almost imperceptibly.
You feel a little more awake.
“It’s doing the final screening,” she whispered. “The people whose ‘names’ will actually be eaten are the ones who will accept their own names.”
You understand.
You remain completely still.
But just then—
"Hmm?" Someone responded softly from behind you.
You turn your head sharply—it's Tony again.
But Tony wasn't in your group at all. Wasn't she with Mina and the others? How did she suddenly appear here?
She was adjusting her fanny pack and seemed unaware that she had responded.
A bird appeared out of nowhere.
On the branch directly above her head, there were black feathers and eyes like stone.
It clucked and said, "Yes."
Tony then stopped what he was doing, looked up, and smiled unconsciously, as if recognizing something amusing: "Wow, it's mimicking me?"
You immediately stood up, interrupting her reaction: "We have to hurry, the professor said we need to get to the other side before dark."
Your voice was so urgent, it was almost trembling.
You thought you had helped Tony escape this predicament!
You thought you could get through this!
Tony, however, remained unconvinced: "You're being way too nervous."
Dora stood up, bent down and blew a whistle, grabbed you, shook her head, and sprinkled some redwood ash on her and your shoulders.
She pulled you aside and whispered, "Don't talk to her, wait for it to leave."
You silently changed direction, ignoring her, and walked forward.
The sounds of the rainforest gradually subsided, and the birdsong began to return to a normal rhythm of chirping.
The moment you step out of the dense forest, you almost want to collapse to the ground.
You glanced back and saw Tony still wandering around in the same spot, seemingly unaffected.
You only feel a sense of frustration.
In the evening, around the campfire, the professor had everyone sit in a circle to do a "summary of the day".
You looked down as you organized your notes. Dora sat to your right without saying a word.
Tony was talking about a strange bird she photographed today, saying it looked like a myna but was a different color. She said the bird kept circling around her and making strange noises.
Nobody took it seriously; some even egged it on: "Next time, let it call you 'Professor,' and see if it dares!"
You forced yourself to smile.
But you caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of your eye—
As Tony bent down to tie the bag, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if silently repeating, "Yes."
Your intuition tells you that Tony is beyond saving.
Even though you and Dora helped her get rid of those things, she still couldn't escape them in the end.
But what you're more worried about is being called by name or something, like what happened today, which at least you can avoid.
But the next person chosen as the "blood" seems to be someone who cannot be avoided.
The Old Forest has already proven that it can use its magical powers to make Tony a part of the "blood," so it can also make any other person the one who bleeds at will.
If you don't want to be that "lucky one"...
Unless, unless someone bleeds first.
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Author's Note: In the previous chapter, after "you" realized Dora might be trustworthy, you actively guided her to look at the strange parts of Max. Originally, I planned for Dora to discover the anomaly in this chapter. Initially, I thought "you" would cautiously avoid directly showing Dora the anomaly, waiting for her to discover it herself. However, after reconsidering today, I feel that the original plot design is very disjointed, would be cumbersome in this chapter, and doesn't make sense. It feels more natural that after finally finding someone trustworthy, one would immediately want to confirm their trust and quickly establish an alliance. There's no need for you to read it again; the changes are minor. ^^
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