"We've entered that forest more than once, but haven't found anything that shows any sign of a signature," Shao Ling said. "That forest is too vast. Even if we search non-stop, we probably won't be able to search the entire forest before the seven days are up. I think we need to narrow down the search area. This aimless search is time-consuming, energy-draining, and not even guaranteed to be effective."
Everyone pondered this. The clues had all been analyzed, but the final step remained difficult. Searching for a signature in such a vast forest, where its location and form were unknown, was like finding a needle in a haystack.
"Speaking of the issues this painting aims to reveal," Zhu Haowen began, "environmental pollution, ecological destruction, and the spread of plague—of these three, the most devastating is the spread of plague.
And indeed, our companions have all perished because of this. So I wonder, of these three major problems damaging the earth, did the artist focus more on the issue of the spread of plague? In other words, was he more concerned with the direct harm that environmental destruction poses to humanity itself?"
"Yi Ran said he might be a humanist thinker, so perhaps, beneath his fierce and extreme satirical criticism lies a heart full of compassion for humanity's fate of "if you don't do stupid things, you won't die"?
"If that's the case, then perhaps we can be more 'human-centered' when we look for the signature." Shao Ling nodded in agreement with Zhu Haowen's statement. "Maybe we can find some clues related to the forest in these houses, pointing to the signature?"
"It's not impossible." Ke Xun glanced at Qin Ci, who was lying motionless in the distance. "Without further ado, let's split into two groups. One group will stay here and continue searching for relevant clues in the houses, while the other group will go to the forest to find the signature!"
Everyone quickly split into two groups. Ke Xun, Mu Yi Ran, Wei Dong, Luo Yi, and Fang Fei, who were in better physical condition, went to the forest, while the rest stayed behind. Qin Ci also got up and joined the others in searching for clues in the residential area. The two groups agreed to return to the same spot at noon.
Before the forest team set off, Mu Yiran instructed, "Put on thick clothes and cover your heads and faces. We might have been lucky to avoid mosquito bites the last few times we entered the forest, but now we have to guard against the power of the painting, using mosquito bites to conduct another round of death selection. Remember, this is, after all, a world within a painting, not reality. Supernatural forces are always the culprits that will ultimately kill us."
Hearing this, the four quickly began to dress. Ke Xun and Wei Dong even went to the house to collect hats, scarves, masks, gloves, and even sunglasses, fully arming everyone.
This primeval forest was as deep and lush as it had been on their first day in the painting. No matter how many generations of human life and death have passed, these ancient creatures have always stood silently and tenaciously on Earth.
Humans, who consider themselves at the top of the food chain, are actually pitifully small and fragile in the face of nature.
The five people frantically traversed and searched through the forest.
Some were responsible for observing what was above them, some for observing the tree trunks, and some for observing what was under their feet.
But they were only five people, five pairs of eyes, and their all-out search was like trying to pick up dirt with a needle or move mountains with bare hands.
The morning passed in the blink of an eye.
Exhausted, the five returned to the residential area, bringing back water-soaked vines for their companions to quench their thirst.
The residential area team also found nothing.
Qin Ci had developed a high fever, accompanied by severe headaches. He was pale and extremely weak, sitting on the porch of a house, breathing heavily, swaying as if about to collapse.
"He hasn't slept much for over two days, and his food and water intake have been minimal, causing him to reach a more serious stage of illness than Xiao Kaitian and Yang," Shao Ling frowned. "We don't have time to rest. Drink some water, then continue." "
Let me switch with you," Wu You said to Fang Fei. "I spent the morning searching the houses almost as much as resting, and I still have some energy. I'll switch with you."
"Okay." Fang Fei didn't stand on ceremony. She was indeed nearing her physical limit; haste makes waste, and pushing herself would only make things worse.
"Then we'll switch groups this afternoon," Shao Ling said. "Dr. Qin is probably… having a harder time. Four of you stay, and the last one will come with us into the forest again."
"I'll go," Ke Xun said. "I still have the energy."
But in reality, everyone, including him, was at their lowest point. They really didn't have any time left.
After replenishing their water, they prepared to split up again.
"We'll be back before dark," Shao Ling instructed.
A tense silence fell over the group. They glanced at Qin Ci, but couldn't bear to look any longer, and quickly looked away.
If they hadn't found the signature by dark, it would be too late.
Ke Xun led the well-equipped Shao Ling and the others back into the forest.
This time, they headed towards an area they had never been to before, endlessly traversing, searching, looking, anxious, and disappointed.
"A painting wouldn't make the process of finding the signature a dead end..." Ke Xun muttered to himself, licking his chapped lips. "If the signature is really in this endless forest, it shouldn't be in an inconspicuous form; that's no different from a dead end... So, the signature should be conspicuous... Even if we can't recognize it at a glance, it must still be conspicuous... Conspicuous... How do we find something conspicuous? Everywhere is green, everywhere are trees... A conspicuous green?"
Zhu Haowen, who had been quietly listening to his mutterings while searching, suddenly interjected, "There are many kinds of green: dark green, light green, turquoise, mint green, olive green, etc. Could the so-called conspicuous green be the kind that can be distinguished at a glance even when mixed among many different shades of green?" "
What kind of green would that be?" Ke Xun scratched his hat, his hair underneath already soaked with sweat as if he had just washed it. "Could it be—fluorescent green?"
"..." Zhu Haowen was once again impressed by his unconventional thought process. "Where are there fluorescent green plants?"
"Yes," Gu Qingqing answered, meeting the slightly surprised looks from Ke Xun and Zhu Haowen. She nervously recited, as if reciting a memorized text, "There's a plant called *Celtis sinensis*, which has a naturally fluorescent blue-green luster. It grows mostly in the south, but can also be grown in pots in the north. It's a plant unique to China."
"Whether it's this plant or not, finding it will probably be just as difficult," Shao Ling said pessimistically. "There are too many plants in the forest, and our time… is running out."
Ke Xun pursed his lips tightly, thinking for a moment before saying, "What if it really is a fluorescent plant? Would it become more noticeable after dark? Xiao Kai and the other two all died after nine o'clock at night. If we can find it before nine, Brother Qin still has hope."
"But we have to get back into the house after dark," Shao Ling said. "If we don't go inside, we might all be in danger."
"Mr. Shao, you've got the priorities backwards," Ke Xun said. "Our goal is to find the autograph, not to avoid danger, nor is it just to save Brother Qin. If we can really see fluorescent green plants after dark, and that fluorescent green is indeed the autograph, then we all have to touch it before we can leave the painting. What's the point of you going back into the house and hiding?"
"..." Shao Ling choked, rubbing his temples. "My brain isn't working properly... You're right, but what if we're wrong? What if there's no fluorescent green plant at all, or it has nothing to do with it? Wouldn't we all die tonight? It's a gamble, all or nothing. Do we really dare to take that risk?" "
..." Ke Xun also choked, rubbing his temples. "Not sleeping is a bit of a problem... My brain is completely numb. And actually, I don't quite understand why this Emerald Cloud Grass could be the key symbol for the signature... Miss Qing, does this Emerald Cloud Grass have any special properties? Or any attributes that could be related to ecology, humans, diseases, etc."
Gu Qingqing thought for a long time, then finally shook her head: "It seems... it's just an ornamental plant, maybe it has some medicinal value, but I don't think it's related to Ebola or anything like that..."
"I don't think the signature has anything to do with it," Ke Xun said. "Fluorescent green is just a backup option for now, but I think we can't let go of any possibility. How about this, you guys keep looking, and I'll go back to the residential area to bring Dongzi
. He's an art major, so he should be more sensitive to color than us. Maybe he can spot the unique green." When Ke Xun returned to the residential area and saw the work the remaining team was doing, he almost vomited.
Several people were using shovels and even kitchen knives they had found to scrape away the blood and blood-covered lumps stuck to the walls and ceiling of the house, trying to check if there were any clues on the walls covered by these things.
From the lumps that had fallen to the ground and had already been scraped off, it was clear that what was wrapped in this thick blood were indeed rotting human skin, bones, and internal organs, and among these things were… um… flies.
The painting was probably set not too long after the "blood disaster," so these things hadn't completely decayed, remaining in that most disgusting state between "intact" and "rotten." As for the relatively intact dead faces that everyone saw at night, that was likely the result of "artistic manipulation" by the forces behind the painting.
Wei Dong, who was resting for a few seconds after shoveling until his arm ached, heard a sound behind him. He turned around and saw Ke Xun standing in the doorway, and exclaimed in surprise, "What time is it and you still have the mind to stand there making faces?!"
Ke Xun: "...I almost threw up and I'm holding it in!
Where's Yi Ran?!" "Next door." Wei Dong pointed to the side.
Ke Xun turned and went next door, seeing his man also there mixed with those disgusting things. He was so heartbroken that he wanted to burn the house down. He quickly strode over to his side and snatched the shovel from his hand: "Yi Ran, I'll shovel this. You take Dongzi to the forest to find Shao Ling and the others."
"What did you find?" Mu Yi Ran rubbed his head.
Ke Xun recounted their unreliable speculations from the forest, concluding, "Regardless, let's try it first. What if it's true? So, let Dongzi go check it out, and you stay behind."
Mu Yiran seemed thoughtful upon hearing this, saying, "Fluorescent green plants are unlikely, but I'm more concerned about your previous speculation."
"Tell me about it," Ke Xun said, leaning against the iron handle, using the iron shovel for support.
The dim light of the day filtered softly through the window, casting a hazy glow on their intertwined yet harmonious figures.