Chapter Twenty-Two: Consulting the Rat Oracle

After speaking, Lei Ren made a finger-folding gesture we couldn’t understand, then extended his right hand with the index finger pointing at the five mice. He muttered something indistinctly.

Then, he remained motionless.

During this time, the five mice, lined up and each biting its own tail, finally let go and circled around the “Three Mountains Duel” Eight-Treasure Rice before burrowing in and feasting heartily.

Watching the mice devour the rice so eagerly, everyone immediately understood that the so-called “Five Sons Moving Mountains” referred to these five mice finishing the rice.

But what would happen after they finished? None of us knew; we could only wait and see.

There were three bowls of rice, quite a lot, yet to our surprise, the five thumb-sized mice actually finished it all. Though not quickly, they truly ate every grain without leaving a trace.

Their appetite was remarkable.

After finishing the “Three Mountains Duel,” the five mice’s bodies swelled to more than twice their size. They seemed to completely disregard our presence and showed no signs of fear or hesitation.

What puzzled everyone even more was that after gorging themselves, the five plump mice did not retreat but instead curled up by the bowls to rest. Their little white whiskers twitched amusingly.

Lei Ren, watching the five contented mice, stroked his own beard and slipped his hand back into his sleeve.

From within, he pulled out two boxes, swiftly opened the lids, and poured their contents onto the table.

In an instant, the contents spilled out in a clatter, filling my old squad leader’s offering table and startling the five dazed mice.

“Look closely!” Lei Ren said, pointing at the spilled items.

We stood on tiptoe and noticed he had poured out two piles of beans—one black, one red.

The black beans were “Black-Skinned Qingren Beans,” and the red ones were “Jilin Sea Red Beans,” both quite ordinary varieties. I couldn’t discern any special meaning.

However, I did notice the mice seemed wary of the sudden appearance of these beans.

Because as Lei Ren scattered the beans across the table, the mice suddenly snapped out of their satiated stupor! They twisted their bodies, dodging the beans hopping wildly around them, yet showed no intention of fleeing from the table.

The five mice were soon surrounded by the beans covering the table.

Once done, Lei Ren pointed at the mice and said, “This is called ‘Soul Binding.’ Now, we begin the ‘Divination.’ If you have anything to ask about Haipeng, speak quickly.”

I nodded but immediately interjected, “First, have them prove they really are my old squad leader’s soul.”

“You young one! You don’t trust me!” Lei Ren scolded me, displeased.

His words mirrored my own inner thoughts. Given the unnatural situation, I was indeed skeptical.

So I argued, “This is too bizarre. At least let them prove it!”

My remark earned me a sidelong glance from Lei Ren, who then smiled confidently and said, “Fine! You don’t believe me? I’ll prove it to you.”

With that, he raised his sword-like finger again and softly commanded the five mice, “Five Sons, obey! If you are Zhao Haipeng, raise the red bean!”

No sooner had Lei Ren spoken than the five mice began murmuring amongst themselves.

They seemed to face a challenge, quickly huddling together in rapid “whispers.”

After about ten seconds of chattering, the mice appeared to reach a consensus; they twisted their plump bodies and simultaneously raised a red bean from the table.

At that moment, I had no choice but to believe.

This astonishing and bewildering scene broke the dam of emotion within Zhao Haikun, who burst into tears. With a mournful tone, he addressed the five mice, “Haipeng, why did you die? Was there something… you couldn’t bear?”

The cause of my old squad leader’s death was the question I cared about most.

There were no obvious signs before his suicide, and I knew my squad leader well—he had a positive attitude and was a good person. It was impossible for him to die without warning.

So I thought his death must have been either out of desperation or due to someone framing him.

I suspected Zhao Haikun was thinking the same.

With bated breath, everyone watched the mice’s behavior, hoping to reach a truthful conclusion.

Lei Ren repeated the question softly but more gently, as if consulting the five mice.

The five red-eyed mice listened carefully, then began another round of whispered discussion, this time lasting longer.

Finally, they stopped and turned to us, raising beans from the table again.

In our anxious and astonished gazes, the five mice raised beans in the order from left to right: black, red, black, two reds.

Their gesture of lifting the beans with their front paws looked comical, like semaphore signalers. Were it not for the solemn atmosphere, I might have been charmed into laughter.

Even without laughter, their performance eased our minds considerably, dissipating the eerie “soul-capturing” atmosphere entirely.

Relaxed, we waited silently for Lei Ren to interpret this “flag language.”

Compared to our relief, Lei Ren’s face darkened as he stared at the row of beans.

Veins bulging on his forehead, he finally said, “Haipeng says… ‘I had no choice but to die.’”

His words staggered us all.

Isn’t that obvious? Every suicide believes they had no choice. Who commits suicide without utter despair?

Helplessly, I asked, “Can they elaborate? Why did he have no choice?”

Lei Ren smiled awkwardly, “I’ll do my best.”

He muttered some unknown words, then asked the mice, “...What was the cause of death?!”

The five mice put down their beans and began whispering again, this time briefly.

Then, once more, they raised their beans—but all were black beans.

Lei Ren suddenly opened his mouth in shock, nearly dropping his jaw.

Seeing his horrified expression, I hurriedly asked, “What did they say now?”

After a long pause, Lei Ren coldly told us, “They said… ‘a great enemy was imminent! Therefore… he had no choice but to die.’”

Those words stunned me.

My old squad leader’s death… was it because he had an enemy?