Han Li paced in circles for a while longer before finally coming to a halt.
“Whether to make this trade or not—I’ll decide later if I truly can’t detoxify myself,” he concluded helplessly.
Then he glanced at the giant outside and, recalling the cryptic words at the end of the suicide note, felt a flicker of curiosity. He decided to try the method described to control the giant.
Han Li crouched down and rummaged through the pile of items until he found a small bell made of brass. It wasn’t large—just the right size to be held in one hand—but it was exquisitely crafted with harmonious proportions, clearly the work of a highly skilled artisan. The only unusual feature was a few faint bloodstains faintly visible on its surface, making it stand out.
Han Li examined this magical tool, called the “Soul-Guiding Bell,” carefully but couldn’t discern any extraordinary qualities. According to the letter, this object could actually subdue such a terrifying monster as the giant—it was truly unbelievable!
Holding the bell in his left hand and picking up a dagger with his right, Han Li cautiously stepped out of the stone door and slowly approached the giant.
He stopped about two zhang away, unwilling to get any closer to avoid any unforeseen danger.
The giant stood with his back to Han Li, rigid and unmoving.
“Ding!” A crisp chime rang out from the bell as Han Li lightly struck it with the dagger.
Han Li frowned. The sound didn’t seem any different from that of an ordinary bell. Could this really subdue the giant?
Doubt crept into his mind, and he crouched slightly, ready to flee back to the stone room at the first sign of trouble.
Hearing the chime, the giant’s shoulders twitched slightly, as if reacting. Delighted, Han Li quickly struck the bell repeatedly.
“Ding! Ding!…” The chimes rang out one after another, and the giant’s body began to tremble. Soon, his steps became unsteady, and he could no longer maintain his balance. Finally, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
The impact of the giant’s massive body against the dry ground kicked up a cloud of dust, catching Han Li off guard and causing him to sneeze repeatedly, leaving him in a rather sorry state.
But Han Li paid no mind to such trivial matters. He quickly rushed to the giant’s side, reached out, and pulled off the hood covering his head, revealing a swollen face that sent a chill down Han Li’s spine at first glance.
Suppressing his discomfort, Han Li didn’t dare to look too closely. He hastily used the dagger to make a light cut on his wrist, allowing blood to flow freely onto the giant’s face. Only after the entire face was thoroughly smeared did Han Li press on the wound, swiftly find a clean cloth strip from his belongings, and bind it tightly to stop the bleeding. Then, he calmly stepped back and watched for the giant’s reaction.
Something strange happened: all the blood slowly seeped into the giant’s skin, not a single drop remaining. Han Li stared in astonishment, so absorbed that he didn’t even notice his own fingers pressing too hard on the wound, causing blood to seep through the cloth again.
Once the blood was fully absorbed, the giant opened his eyes and slowly stood up. His expression was wooden, his eyes vacant, devoid of any emotion.
But when the giant turned his head and his gaze met Han Li’s, Han Li felt a sudden “buzz” in his mind. A strange emotion, both unfamiliar and familiar, arose in his heart, as if something foreign had suddenly taken root deep within him. This presence clung to Han Li like a loyal pet, circling him with unwavering attachment.
Startled at first, Han Li quickly composed himself when he saw the giant’s previously rigid face now filled with obedience. He felt an extraordinary sense of control over the giant’s life and death.
Suppressing his excitement, Han Li issued a test command in a low voice: “Go and break down that stone door.”
Without a word, the giant took a few large strides to the stone door, raised his clenched fists high like a sledgehammer, and smashed it to pieces in three or five blows. Then, he swiftly returned to Han Li’s side like a whirlwind, awaiting his next command.
Even Han Li, who usually avoided extreme emotions, couldn’t help but grin with delight. With such a powerful enforcer at his beck and call, ordinary dangers would no longer be a concern.
As he excitedly envisioned his future life, Han Li couldn’t stop casting eager glances at the giant’s entire figure.
The more he looked at the giant, the more satisfied he felt. The face he once found hideous now seemed rather pleasing, even increasingly familiar.
“Familiar?” Han Li was startled by this thought. How could he feel familiarity with a face he had never seen before?
Puzzled, Han Li began carefully examining the giant’s eyes and nose, trying to find an explanation.
Gradually, he realized that if he mentally restored the giant’s swollen features to their original form, scaled them down slightly, and pieced them together, the face wasn’t ugly at all. In fact, it was quite honest and simple—a face Han Li knew extremely well.
Han Li’s face paled, and he remained silent for a long time before slowly raising both hands to gently stroke the giant’s face.
“Brother Zhang, is it really you?” he asked in a very low, calm voice.
The reassembled features bore an uncanny resemblance to his long-lost friend “Zhang Tie.” Coupled with the cryptic words left by Doctor Mo, Han Li was almost certain that the giant was deeply connected to Zhang Tie. Could it be, as the letter suggested, that the giant was merely Zhang Tie’s hollowed-out shell, his soul long gone? But why had his body grown so large and terrifying?
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