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624words2026-01-26 09:04

Three days ago,someone reported that all the people in a village near our county town had mysteriously disappeared.After three days of searching,we found these people in a tunnel.However,now these people were all decapitated,and their heads and bodies were neatly arranged in the tunnel.
After three days of searching,we finally found the missing villagers in a hidden secret passage in the village.However,the living people in the past had now become more than twenty decapitated corpses.
Looking at these familiar corpses in the tunnel,my hands were trembling.

Others would only feel terrified when seeing these corpses,but I was filled with anger,because I used to be a part of this village.
This village wasn't very big,but there used to be quite a few households.However,as time passed,the people in the village gradually left.Originally,there were more than a hundred people,but now there were only more than twenty elderly people left.
I left here just after graduating from primary school more than ten years ago,right after my grandfather passed away.I really didn't expect that when I came back again,I would see such a scene.
This tunnel was built by the village in the past to prevent Japanese invaders from entering.Not to mention people outside the village,even among the villagers,only a few elderly people knew about it.
When I was a child,I accidentally broke into here while playing with my village friends.At first,I just had a hunch,so I brought my colleagues to take a look.As a result,I didn't expect that the people in the village were really here,but they were corpses instead of living people.
A puff of smoke blew past me.Just as I was in a trance,a hand slapped on my shoulder.

"This case is now entrusted to you.I think no one is more suitable for this case than you.This case can only be kept secret for three days at most.If we can't find the murderer within three days,this matter will surely arouse public opinion and cause panic."
The person speaking was my master in the criminal police team.The meaning of his words was very clear.He wanted me to seize this opportunity.If I could solve this case,I would definitely be credited and promoted.
And to be honest,no one wanted to catch the murderer more than I did.
"Okay."

I nodded with a heavy heart.
The person assisting me in handling this case was also a female colleague named Lily Thompson.She was a top graduate in criminal investigation.Many unsolved cases in the bureau were solved by her.
"Captain,according to my observation,these corpses are neatly arranged.It's obvious that they are arranged according to some rule.I suspect that the murderer this time should be arranging the corpses according to some kind of ceremony."
Lily Thompson told us her findings.The captain just smiled faintly and said,"I'm not in charge of this case.It's Mr.Chen who is in charge.If you have anything,talk to him."
Upon hearing this,Lily Thompson immediately looked at me,and I just scratched my head and smiled bitterly.
"Michael Chen,I heard that you are from this village.Do you know if there are any things like human sacrifices in this village?"
Lily Thompson didn't care that I was in charge of the case and asked seriously.
"No.Although the people in the village are a bit superstitious,there are no such things as sacrificing corpses or living people."
I shook my head and replied.
Their village was just an ordinary village.There were no such things as the sacrifices described on TV or in books.
If we talked about superstition,the most superstitious thing might be the rumor in the village that every year on the Ghost Festival,the deceased relatives would come back home.Every family had to prepare a meal in the middle of the night and must use the best food in the house to make this"homecoming meal".