Chapter 044: The Terrifying Therapy Clinic in the Desolate Village

After transferring from the bus to a passenger van and enduring two hours of jolting travel, Yang Tianshu finally arrived at Tin Cedar Town.

By the time the van pulled to a stop, night had fallen completely. The town was sparsely lit, with few pedestrians about. It seemed that the only people lively at this hour had all gathered near the van. These men, each astride a motorcycle taxi, were clad in darkness, nearly melting into the surrounding night. Their eyes, illuminated by the van’s headlights, shone brightly like wild wolves gathering on the steppe.

In this remote township, there were no taxis, not even the tiniest three-wheelers—only these motorcycle taxi drivers. Yang Tianshu picked out a driver who looked honest and trustworthy, climbed onto his grimy motorcycle, and wrapped his arms around the man’s slightly greasy jacket.

The driver gunned the engine, the motorcycle roaring to life with a fierce sound. “Young fellow, where are you headed?”

“I want to go to Third Lady Temple Village, Section Two, to the Wu’s Therapy Clinic!”

“What clinic? What did you say?”

“It’s a therapy clinic run by Master Wu Liangjin, the one that helps people grow taller.” Yang Tianshu listened closely, struggling to decipher the driver’s dialect.

“Oh, so you’re looking for Wu ‘Big Tongue’, aren’t you?” The driver sounded surprised.

His speech was thick with a local accent and somewhat indistinct, leaving Yang Tianshu uncertain whether “Big Tongue” was a misheard name or something else entirely.

“I... I don’t know about Big Tongue. I’m looking for Wu Liangjin. I want to meet Master Wu.”

“Ah, that’s what I said, it’s just Big Tongue. Let’s go!”

Seeing the driver insist, Yang Tianshu didn’t argue further.

With a swift kick, the driver set off. The motorcycle sped forth, its bright headlight slicing a narrow path through the darkness.

Yang Tianshu clung tightly to the driver’s waist. Although the night wasn’t cold, once the motorcycle picked up speed, the wind lashed fiercely, like two sharp blades scraping his cheeks.

The motorcycle raced on, and despite the wind whistling past his ears, Yang Tianshu found the excitement oddly exhilarating.

Soon after leaving the town, they entered the village road. Third Lady Temple Village had two stone factories, and the heavy trucks passing through had gouged deep ruts in the road. It was rough and uneven—dusty on dry days, muddy when it rained. The town repaired the village road every few years, but nothing could withstand the endless grinding of those trucks.

Luckily, the driver was intimately familiar with these roads, having ridden them countless times. He sped along, skillfully avoiding most of the larger potholes. Still, they hit a couple of unavoidable dips, jolting violently and nearly throwing Yang Tianshu off.

The night was dark and the wind high; Yang Tianshu’s heart was uneasy.

He regretted not being more cautious. If the driver had taken him somewhere desolate to extort him, he’d have no way out. Though young and bold, Yang Tianshu rode on with anxiety.

Fortunately, the driver was honest and meant no harm. Before long, they reached Third Lady Temple Village.

The houses here were spaced far apart, and for miles, not a single home could be seen. Even the closest neighbors were separated by five or six hundred meters.

After weaving through a stretch of rice fields, the motorcycle twisted and turned until it stopped in front of a small, secluded house at the foot of the mountain. The driver asked, “Kid, here’s Big Tongue’s place. How long are you staying?”

Yang Tianshu glanced at the pitch-black surroundings, hesitated, then asked, “Sir, I’ll probably be here for about half an hour. Can you wait for me?”

The driver pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and said, “Alright, but let me warn you—you better not listen to Big Tongue’s nonsense. Look at him, always gambling, wasted everything he had, and now he’s tricking folks for money! Don’t let him fool you—it’s not reliable…”

Yang Tianshu nodded slightly, his doubts lingering, but he didn’t respond. He turned and walked toward the small house at the foot of the mountain.

The house was made of earth and had weathered years of storms. Judging by its appearance, it was at least thirty or fifty years old. Thick wooden beams propped up the side walls, just barely preventing collapse, but the window frames were nearly broken, and the glass was coated with layers of dark grime.

Dim yellow light struggled through the dirty glass, casting faint illumination over a collapsed fence.

The small yard around the house was abandoned, full of mud. In the stifling summer heat, the croak of toads sounded now and then.

Yang Tianshu felt uneasy—coming alone to such a deserted place was risky.

Yet, he was fond of horror adventure games and managed to suppress his fear. Using his phone’s flashlight, he followed the muddy path to the house.

He arrived at the door, glanced up at the incongruous red sign above the old house:

“Wu’s Therapy Clinic.”

Yang Tianshu stood at the entrance, ready to knock, noticing that the people inside seemed to be eating.

Through the door, he could hear the sound of noodles being slurped, and the air was thick with a strange mixture of fishy stench and instant noodle aroma, enough to turn one’s stomach.

After a moment’s hesitation, Yang Tianshu knocked on the door.

“Excuse me, is Master Wu here?” he asked.

He thought, in the manner of horror games, that this mysterious Master Wu would ignore Li Tianque after several knocks, then ask him bizarre questions.

But to his surprise, as soon as he knocked, someone inside sprang up, rummaged around, and promptly opened the door with enthusiasm.

The door creaked open, and out stepped Master Wu, a man in his thirties. He wore a long-unwashed tank top and denim shorts, his whole body oily and unkempt.

Strangely, his face was covered with an enormous mask, shaped almost like a pair of briefs, enveloping his chin and protruding outward. He spoke indistinctly from behind it:

“Come in, kid, come in!”

Yang Tianshu felt a pang of disappointment. He had imagined that, since this Master Wu claimed to have a method for rapid growth, he must be tall and imposing himself.

But this man was only a little over one meter seventy.

How could such a master, who was short himself, help others grow taller? It was no different from those fitness coaches, overweight yet shamelessly selling classes.

“Ah… Master Wu, hello… I was sent by Chen Feng,” Yang Tianshu said awkwardly.

Master Wu scratched his head, peered out the door, then frowned and said, “Oh, I know him… He’s been here before… But…” Master Wu craned his neck, looked around for a while, then asked curiously, “Huh? You came alone? Your parents didn’t come with you?”

Yang Tianshu swallowed and replied, “Master, my parents are too busy. I came first to check things out. If you really can help me grow taller, I’ll pay you myself. My parents don’t need to come—I can pay!”

Master Wu’s shifty eyes scanned Yang Tianshu, then he smiled, “Haha, price is no problem, no problem. Come in and have a seat…”

Master Wu invited him in. Yang Tianshu saw the room was piled with garbage and dirty clothes, and after searching around, managed to squeeze himself into a spot.

“Master, what method did you use to help my friend grow so much taller in such a short time? Is it injections or medicine?”

Master Wu scratched his head. He had intended to mystify and ramble, but seeing the child’s candid, direct approach, he dropped the act and said, “You seem pretty straightforward, so I’ll be honest. You came to me—not guaranteeing anything else—but if you want to grow tall quickly, that’s absolutely possible.

I’m not some quack doctor with secret remedies, nor a charlatan con artist. My trade has been passed down from my father’s generation—we have a specialized name: ‘Mountain Tasters’!”

“Mountain Tasters? Why such a strange name? And… what does that have to do with growing taller?” Yang Tianshu asked in astonishment.

Master Wu smiled mysteriously, glanced outside, then placed his hands on the edges of his mask and slowly removed it.

As the black mask was peeled away, Yang Tianshu’s eyes widened, his hair stood on end, and he nearly bolted in terror.

Because, as the mask came off, an impossibly long, blood-red tongue was revealed!

(End of chapter)