Chapter Five: Questions

After the man let go of me, he took off his hat and said, “Do you remember who taught you that trick of reversing the grip on your knife? And who gave you your Swiss Army knife?”
“Damn!” I looked up abruptly, taking in the man’s handsome features, and blurted out, “…You’re Wang Hou!”
“Hahaha!” The two of us, to the astonishment of everyone else, let bygones be bygones and embraced each other tightly.
“Wang Hou! You’re still alive, you bastard!” I shouted from the depths of my heart.
“Tian Buer! Are you still cooking?” He replied with equal enthusiasm.
Then, turning around, I patted Wang Hou on the shoulder and called out to Ye Xiaohong, who was on duty, “Xiaohong, it’s a misunderstanding. This is Wang Hou, my comrade-in-arms. Don’t worry about us, we’re going to have a good drink…”
After that, I sat down with Wang Hou and his friends at a big table, ready to eat and drink to our hearts’ content.
Wang Hou was my comrade, and also from my hometown.
When I enlisted, he was one of the nine from our village who took the same train to the barracks with me. He had better luck than me; because of his excellent physical condition, after basic training he was assigned to the most elite mechanized infantry regiment in our division. Later, I heard that after multiple rounds of selection, he joined the reconnaissance company—the best of the best. Supposedly, he even took second place in the all-military competition, and was being groomed for promotion; he was about to become an officer.
Later, I left the army and returned home. For nearly a year, I heard nothing of him or the other eight comrades.
I never imagined fate would play such tricks; just when I was at my lowest point, I ran into a comrade from the barracks again—how could I not be overjoyed?
That night, I acted as host for once, opened a bottle of beer for each of them, and while joking around, asked Wang Hou about his recent life.
He told me his past year had been far more turbulent and painful than mine.
At first, he was a favorite of the command and was on the verge of being promoted. But the day before the promotion order came, an order for military downsizing arrived.
As a soldier, you have to obey the greater circumstances. The promotion fell through due to the reorganization of the division.
After that, his reconnaissance company was disbanded. Only a few technical personnel were transferred to the army aviation unit; all the combat troops, whether conscripts or volunteers, were discharged early.
In just half a month, Wang Hou went from reserve officer to volunteer, then to veteran. The abrupt change left him disoriented at first.
But that’s the life of a soldier. Orders are everything. There’s no need for explanation; whether you like it or not, you have to obey.
Fortunately, Wang Hou was a man who could let go.
After returning to his hometown, he quickly shook off his gloom and pulled himself together. He joined a few old friends and started a vegetable transport business, determined to make a name for himself locally with the energy he’d shown in the army.
“A soldier must live with a clear conscience, wherever he goes! We must honor the uniform we once wore, and become men worthy of respect!” Wang Hou said, raising his glass to me.

I was deeply moved by his spirited words. Without hesitation, I drained my beer in one gulp, wiped my mouth, and stood up to head for the kitchen.
“Where are you going?” Wang Hou asked, surprised at my sudden departure.
Rolling up my sleeves, I pointed at the kitchen door. “I’m going to cook you guys a few dishes—let you relive the taste of army life! Name whatever you want, don’t hold back! I’m the host!”
“Then we won’t hold back!” Wang Hou shouted, his face flushed. “My friends just got back from out of town tonight, and we’re all starving! We’re going to order, so don’t say I’m taking advantage of you later!”
I waved him off and asked Ye Xiaohong to take their order, humming a tune as I went back to the kitchen.
Honestly, I was in such a good mood that night; otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered cooking up something special so late.
As soon as I entered the kitchen, I fired up the stove and started preparing the ingredients, thinking how lucky Wang Hou was to have run into me at this hour. Otherwise, even if he smashed up the whole restaurant, he’d be left eating the cold night air outside.
When I’d finished prepping the seasonings, Xiaohong brought me the menu for Wang Hou and his three friends.
“Wang Hou ordered these dishes? Such poor taste!” I teased as I read from the portable order machine: “Roast chicken, braised duck, roast goose, pork in rice wine, marinated pork knuckle…”
As I went down the list, my smile froze.
When I finished reading the menu, I could hardly believe my eyes.
“Eight dishes… Roast goose, braised duck, roast chicken, pork in rice wine, marinated pork knuckle, ox tongue, steamed carp, and… baby bok choy?!”
A cold sweat broke out across my forehead. The joy of reuniting with an old comrade was completely replaced by terror.
Xiaohong, seeing my reaction, thought I was joking and chimed in, “Almost all meat dishes—your comrade must be a reincarnated hungry ghost! No taste at all.”
A chill ran through me. “No taste, sure, but of all things, these eight dishes… This menu is truly bizarre!”
There was something wrong with the menu. Every dish Wang Hou and his friends ordered was suspicious. If these eight dishes were served together… the consequences would be unthinkable!
At last, I handed the menu back to Xiaohong, my voice trembling. “Xiaohong, these eight dishes… Wang Hou ordered all of them?”
“No,” Xiaohong answered, puzzled. “It was his friends! The three men in suits.”
What? My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of dread washed over me.
“Eight dishes… Men in suits. Could it be they’ve already…” I tried to recall what Wang Hou’s friends looked like.
Earlier, I’d been so caught up with Wang Hou that I’d hardly noticed his friends. Now that I thought back, all three were dressed almost identically in immaculate black suits with crisp white shirts—so stiff and formal for a casual setting.
And strangest of all, they’d barely spoken a word since entering.

When I put all the pieces together, a terrifying thought struck me.
The idea hammered at my heart like an alarm bell, making me shiver and break out in cold sweat.
Xiaohong, noticing my odd behavior, asked in a soft voice, “Brother Tian… What’s wrong?”
Her gentle voice snapped me out of it.
“Me? Nothing!” I forced a calm smile. “Xiaohong, let me handle things here. Bring my comrades a few more bottles of beer—cold ones—and then head back to the dorm and get some sleep. When my friends leave, I’ll take care of the bill.”
Xiaohong didn’t really understand, but she was obedient enough. She nodded, grabbed a case of cold beer, and brought it out to Wang Hou and his friends.
I didn’t start cooking right away. Instead, I quietly cracked open the kitchen door and peered towards Wang Hou’s table.
In the chilly night breeze, I saw Wang Hou and his three friends gathered around the square table.
Of the four, only Wang Hou wore sportswear; the others were all in black suits, their faces ashen and lifeless, as if coated in wax.
With a pounding heart, I widened the door crack a bit more and caught a glimpse of one friend’s lower body.
His trouser legs hung empty—no shoes, no feet.
At that instant, everything became clear.
But rather than lose my composure, a strange calm descended once I confirmed my suspicion.
I knew there was much to prepare, and I needed to wait for the right moment if I hoped to save Wang Hou.
Suppressing my fear and anxiety, I peered out again; only when I saw Xiaohong lock up and head to the dorm did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.
At least Xiaohong was safe. Now, all that remained was to save that fool Wang Hou!
I hurriedly prepared a dish of braised duck, then turned around to watch Wang Hou and his companions closely.
I was waiting—waiting for something to happen to Wang Hou.