Chapter 0057: Key Clues to Retrieving Corpses
I continued to talk to the man and gained a better understanding of his identity.
The man's name is Zhang Jianming, and he is from Shengli Township. Although he was admitted to university after graduating from high school, he gave up the opportunity to attend university because his family was too poor and entered the society early.
He started out moving bricks at a construction site, and later was spotted by a boss and became a contractor. After a few years he earned a lot of money and wanted to make a contribution to his hometown.
So, there came the matter of the reservoir later.
"Little brother, making money is important, but life is more important. I advise you to leave as soon as possible. It would be a pity if you fall into the water at such a young age."
Zhang Jianming persuaded me and seemed like a good person.
"Brother, I'm well prepared." I showed him my weird outfit. "But you, brother, aren't you afraid to come here alone at night?"
"What do I have to be afraid of? In the past three years, I have often visited my wife and nothing has ever happened. Maybe she is protecting me." Zhang Jianming smiled sadly.
"I came here at night specifically because I hope to see her. Some people say they saw a woman in wedding dress here... I know it's unlikely, but I still have a thought in my mind, maybe we can meet again."
Zhang Jianming looked at the dark water with a sad expression.
The river breeze blew, and ripples appeared on the dark water surface, but he still didn't see the person he wanted to see.
I didn't expect he was so infatuated.
I have one more question to clarify.
"Brother Zhang, I want to ask something that I shouldn't ask. After the reservoir was built, has only one bride fallen into it?"
I have never really understood what the real bride means in the live broadcast mission.
Could it be that there was more than one bride who fell into the water?
Zhang Jianming paused, frowned, turned his head and looked at me unhappily: "It's enough for me to suffer retribution alone, do you want more people to fall into the water?"
"That's not what I meant, Brother Zhang, you misunderstood. I am moved by your loyalty and just want to help. Maybe I can really let you two meet again." I explained.
"What?" Zhang Jianming looked at me in shock, his eyes full of disbelief. "You, what can you do?"
"Pull up my sister-in-law's body from the bottom of the water."
"How is this possible? Anyone who falls into the reservoir will be lost without a trace of body. No matter how good a corpse retriever is, he won't be able to find it. How can a well-educated man like you do it?" Zhang Jianming still didn't believe it.
"Maybe there's little hope, but how do you know if you don't try?" I smiled and said, "My equipment is just right for diving. I'll go in and take a look."
Since there is only one bride, I have no reason to hesitate. It's just a favor. If I can reunite the couple, it will be a good thing.
Zhang Jianming was stunned for a moment, and looked at me suspiciously: "Little brother, I don't even know you, why are you risking your life to help me?"
"I like to help others." I evaded the question and tried to divert his attention: "Brother Zhang, tell me what my sister-in-law was wearing and what she looked like on the day she fell into the water, so I can find her in the water."
"You..." Zhang Jianming looked at me with a serious face, not seeming to be joking, and didn't know what to say for a moment.
He was a little nervous and a little excited. Suddenly, he waved his hands and said seriously, "No, even the most experienced corpse-recoverers dare not go into the water at night. I can't kill you!"
"Brother Zhang, I'm just trying it. If it doesn't work, I'll swim up right away. Don't worry, I won't joke with my life."
Zhang Jianming walked back and forth in the pavilion, looked at me from time to time, then looked at the water, and finally stomped his feet, gritted his teeth, and made up his mind.
"Okay, little brother, I'll leave it to you then!"
He held my hand tightly.
"On the day my wife fell into the water, she was wearing a red wedding dress and a pair of gold bracelets on her hands. Her features...it's been three years, I'm sure you won't recognize her."
"Wedding dress, gold bracelet." I remembered these two key features. "Brother, I'm going to try it in the water. Keep an eye on the safety rope. If you see it move three times, pull me up immediately."
"Okay, I will watch carefully! Little brother, don't force yourself. Come up quickly if you encounter danger." Zhang Jianming warned repeatedly.
Nodding to him, I put on my diving equipment again, tidied myself up, and jumped into the dark water.
The cold river water surrounded me and I slowly sank in the darkness.
It was quiet and deep, and the darkness ahead seemed to have no end in sight.
With only a headlamp to illuminate me, I felt like a tiny firefly in the darkness, small and fragile.
Strange shadows kept floating around, and no sound could be heard. Underwater and on shore were completely two different worlds.
Although I knew that what I saw before were all hallucinations, I still inevitably felt nervous.
Holding the multi-function knife in hand, I sank carefully, paying close attention to the movements around me.
I don’t know how many meters I descended, but the pressure on my body was getting heavier, my limbs were feeling numb, and my ears were buzzing.
I tried my best to endure the discomfort of my body and went down, down again and again.
In the cold white light, five stiff figures suddenly appeared in front.
It’s fake, it’s all fake!
My body shook, but I calmed myself down, shook off the influence of the strange figure, and continued to sink.
Not far below, in the sight blurred by the waves, the shadows of swaying water plants could already be seen.
It’s almost there, hold on!
I gritted my teeth, waved my somewhat stiff limbs, and continued swimming towards the bottom of the water.
Reaching the bottom of the water is just the beginning. The reservoir is so large that it is still unclear where the bodies are.
I finally reached the bottom.
The bottom of the water was full of mud and sand. Near the bottom of the dam, it was covered with long strips of water plants that swayed with the waves, like clumps of human hair.
Turning around to look around, under the faint light of the headlamp, some objects half-buried in the mud and sand revealed strange outlines.
I looked carefully.
Suddenly, a pale and hideous face came into my sight.
I was startled and leaned back instinctively.
After finally calming myself down, I saw an extremely horrifying scene.
Although I know this scene is not real, I still feel my scalp tingling.
The five pale corpses stood in a row at the bottom of the water, like a train, with the people behind leaning on the shoulders of those in front, one after another.
At the front of the line was a girl with straight hair and a swollen and distorted face. She stretched out her long hands forward and walked towards me stiffly with the four people behind her.
The open mouth seemed to be questioning.
Why don't you save me?
Save your mother's head!
It’s none of my business!
I bit the tip of my tongue with all my might, and pain and a fishy sweetness filled my mouth at the same time.
When the five lingering people came closer, I took off my oxygen mask and spat out a mouthful of blood.
