Chapter 20: The Ace in the Hole (I)

Zhang Maolin was abruptly awakened by the persistent cracking of firecrackers outside the window.

Brilliant sunlight had already pierced the egg-yellow window curtains, spilling across the greater part of the room. Zhang Maolin blinked, a sudden wave of scorching soreness compelling him to rub his swollen and aching eye sockets forcefully with both hands again and again.

It was not until the discomfort subsided slightly that Zhang Maolin turned onto his side, picked up the mineral water bottle on the nightstand, and gulped the water down ravenously.

Zhang Maolin saw a cluster of grayish-white smoke seemingly drift past the window, instantly catching the pungent scent of sulfur. At that moment, he began to realize that his mind and body were rapidly reviving, seemingly triggered by the concussive sound of the recent firecrackers.

Right then, Zhang Maolin did not rush to get out of bed; instead, he propped himself up with both arms against the soft mattress, half-reclining amidst the bedding.

He began to survey this brightly lit yet completely unfamiliar room. His gaze finally came to rest upon the brownish-red clothes rack in front of the dressing mirror—

His padded leather jacket was neatly hung there. A camel-colored woolen sweater and black thermal trousers were folded orderly on the ironing board, and even his socks were stacked together in a precise, tidy pile.

His watch, cell phone, and hand clutch were lined up in strict order on one side of the writing desk.

Without needing to think twice, Zhang Maolin easily deduced that everything before him was the handiwork of a conscientious room attendant.

Zhang Maolin needed to urinate.

He swung his right leg out from under the covers and nimbly stepped down from the soft bed.

The very instant his body straightened, Zhang Maolin suddenly felt the blood in his brain drain away as if the bottom of a bucket had fallen out. The colorful radiance before his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by an extreme gloom brought on by a sudden bout of dizziness. This unbearable darkness seemed accompanied by numerous rolling black waves sweeping across his forehead, making his mind buzz and filling his field of vision with a sudden, gushing burst of flashing stars!

Zhang Maolin staggered forward a few steps, instinctively stretching out his hands to grope blindly. When he realized his hands had pressed down upon a stable surface, the sensation of toppling over somewhat abated.

Indeed, Zhang Maolin’s hands were pressing heavily against the countertop in front of the dressing mirror. He opened his aching eyes and stared at the wide mirror close at hand.

Zhang Maolin was utterly astounded! In the mirror, he unexpectedly saw an entirely unfamiliar, almost "ghoulish" face:

Scarlet-red eyeballs, sallow skin, and slightly sunken cheeks.

Zhang Maolin’s gaze drifted slightly downward, and he clearly saw an oval, pale red mark faintly visible on the right side of his neck. Reaching out to touch it, he was met with a lingering sensation of pain!

Zhang Maolin’s heart leaped wildly, and his cheeks instantly flushed with a rush of blood. At that moment, his previously urgent need to urinate inexplicably faded away. He suddenly spun around and rushed headlong toward the bed.

Zhang Maolin violently ripped back the quilt, scanning every single corner of the double bed—

Everything seemed normal. Nothing, he was certain!

Zhang Maolin’s gaze finally locked onto a few strands of long hair resting by the pillow. He slowly pinched them between his fingers and inspected them closely against the sunlight; the color of those dark strands seemed to have changed—red, yellow, or perhaps pink.

Suddenly, Zhang Maolin’s limbs stiffened abruptly. The whole man seemed on the verge of collapsing into a convulsion...

Zhang Maolin violently flung the hairs away, as if forcibly shaking off the intrusion of several venomous snakes.

Trembling with fear, Zhang Maolin sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, rubbing his hands vigorously.

He took a deep breath, trying his utmost to calm himself down. He began to slowly recall every single detail of what he had experienced the previous night. By now, he realized that the nervous system throughout his entire body must have suffered some incredible malfunction, leaving him with nothing but a complete blank after racking his brains, save for a severe headache brought on by the exertion.

Hesitantly, Zhang Maolin picked up the telephone, intending to dial Room 818.

The receiver lingered quietly in his hand for a moment before being softly and listlessly put back down.

Hesitantly, Zhang Maolin walked into the bathroom.