Chapter 1 The Curse of Blocked

When receiving the inside call from the editor-in-chief, Rongzi was sorting out an interview draft at hand.

The content is about some gender controversy caused by the decline in birth rate year by year. Although Rongzi has been restrained from letting himself mix his opinions from a woman's standpoint, he still has not been able to write a manuscript that makes him reluctantly admit objective.

This cannot be entirely blamed. After all, as a 31-year-old professional woman, many of the criticisms from the elderly interviewed directly targeted her

High education, high income, independent, self-reliant, no interest in giving birth to offspring, and stay away from marriage. The male companions around them are all pure physical relationships, satisfying each other's physical and psychological needs. Perhaps one day she will think of getting married when she is tired, but she does not regard giving birth as the duty and obligation claimed by some people

With the awakening and development of female concepts, more and more women are like her.

In addition, the pressure of work is too great and the decline in men's health has finally caused the current situation of rapid decline in the population growth rate of the entire society.

The issues that have been debated on a small scale have been put on the stage in recent years, including men and women, elderly and young people, fighting on their respective media platforms as the battlefield.

But having a child is not something you mortals can do whatever you want. After rubbing the swelling and painful forehead, Rongzi threw the messy manuscript aside and answered the editor-in-chief's inside line.

Ah? Editor-in-chief, the feminist special topic I have not completed yet, so will I give you a new interview?

She pulled her collar in dissatisfaction. Only at this time did she feel that it was not a good thing to be too strong in many cases. The result of everything being able to do is to give you everything.

What? Is Mr. Sakamoto’s request? Hearing the familiar name, a warm current suddenly surged in Eiko’s heart

Being able to work in this famous newspaper also got the help of the teacher indirectly. The editor-in-chief was a classmate of the teacher in the past, so he naturally took care of her, a proud disciple.

Two years ago, she often visited the teacher's home, but later the teacher moved to City Z and rarely contacted him.

Then she remembered that the social colleagues seemed to be rumored two days ago that City Z was secretly blocked, but interviews were banned, so it was difficult to know the situation inside. Is the teacher’s request related to this?

The editor-in-chief said that the teacher asked the senior executives' old friends to notify him to help. The phone number left here can only be opened after entering the Z city. It seems that the secret blockade is mostly true.

Her curiosity immediately reached its highest point

While agreeing, she was collecting the relevant situation in City Z in her mind

This is not difficult, because she has always longed for the emerging modern city, with young immigrants with trendy concepts as the absolute main force. The entire city is full of the vitality and enthusiasm of young people, and the challenges to traditional rules are the most direct and simple.

Rongzi often wonders if she works there, wouldn't she be irritated by boring people behind her back?

I haven't been able to actually go there, this time it seems to be a great opportunity

The teacher’s request is to arrive as soon as possible, the faster the better

The teacher who has always been calm is rarely so impatient, which shows that there is indeed something urgently needed for her help.

While thinking about what help she could provide, she prepared the necessary equipment for the interview, filled out the outing form, and quickly walked out of the towering and hard building.

After all, he is a teacher I haven't met for a long time and is also the one I have had a crush on. After getting in the car, Rongzi, who had pulled the seat belt, did not rush into the key, but looked carefully at the rearview mirror if there was any rudeness in his makeup.

I usually think that professional light makeup is enough, but today I feel that there are some shortcomings no matter how I look at it, so I have to open the bag and repair it in the car.

When she put away the powder and lipstick, she couldn't help but think that maybe she could only feel this nervous when she went to see Mr. Sakamoto. She got used to dating and pleasing each other with a completely equal relationship with men. She really met the protagonist who recalled her childhood memories, but she felt at a loss.

She is indeed an eye-catching woman with confidence and capital. She has a tall figure and slender legs that are not commonly seen in Japanese women. Although her breasts are still a distance from plumpness, they are very suitable for her capable suit.

Over the past few years, the soft lines of facial features have been mixed in a bit hard and hard way, making young men feel deterred. However, once the distance is closer, it is still an outstanding appearance that can make men feel moved.

If the teacher’s wife is not here, why not try to seduce him? It can be considered as the dream of having a leftover tail until now when I was in college.

She thought jokingly, started the car and rushed towards her destination

It's yours, no problem

I called my colleague from the Social Version and asked me how to enter the city if the blockade was blocked there. I got such a strange answer

She had no choice but to guess that it must be Mr. Sakamoto who said hello in advance

When Rongzi felt extremely proud when he thought of the hidden stories that the other media were not able to touch.

You know, this is an incident where all the arrogant male colleagues are completely helpless

However, the lockdown is so serious, something big should have happened in City Z.

While driving, she was guessing various possibilities

It's definitely not an epidemic, otherwise Mr. Sakamoto wouldn't have asked her to go and told her to take any protective measures.

It shouldn't be a riot. City Z's administration has always been very stable. Even the gatherings of homosexuals at the beginning of the year did not cause too much controversy. They tolerate various ideas and manage the bottom line very strictly.

What would that be?

A major crime occurred?

But even if it is a serial killing, the blockade should be just a channel to go out, and it will not restrict others from entering.

Until she saw the crossing guarded by groups of policemen, she didn't think of what was going on.

Fortunately, she will know soon

To her surprise, the police did not check too much, but just looked at her car and trunk, and did not even verify her identity or her press card. They just put her in so generously

Why do colleagues in the Social Version complain that they cannot enter at all?

Isn't this easy?

Rongzi thought strangely and drove into the boundary of City Z.

When she drove to a place where she could see the block, she stopped the car, took out her cell phone and called the editor-in-chief. Sure enough, the prompt sound repeatedly told her that it could not be connected. When she called the number left by Sakamoto, who was originally unable to connect, a beeping prompt came.

It seems... it's really blocked

No one answered the phone, so she had to hang up

She tried to connect to the network and found that the channel from the outside world was also cut off.

Why do we make it seem like we are doing some terrible human experiments? Can we never let the news leak out?

Rongzi frowned and couldn't help but straighten his back to relieve some of his anxiety.

But the faint chill slowly climbed onto the back of her neck, making her shiver.

She took out the address provided by the teacher and started the car again

The streets were unexpectedly deserted, and I don’t know if it was on the edge of the city. However, the pedestrians I saw were all very enviable couples. The young man hugged the girl beside him tightly, as if his girlfriend would disappear if he was not careful.

It seems that there is no need to worry about not being able to find a boyfriend here. Rongzi smiled self-deprecatingly and focused on searching for the buildings on both sides.

Ah... It's here. I stuffed the note into my pocket. Rongzi parked the car and picked up a big bag. While complaining in his heart that he wouldn't give her an assistant this time, he hurriedly ran to the house.

With Mr. Sakamoto's income, she must have a loan to buy a second-story house with a yard. It must be very hard. Looking at the surrounding environment, she rang the doorbell.

A man lay in the distant corner, motionless, and seemed to be drunk

She frowned and was about to go over and wake the guy up, but the walkie-talkie was turned on.

Hello, who is it?

She quickly cleared her throat and replied respectfully: I am Eiko Natsume, Teacher Sakamoto, Hello

A sigh of relief came from inside. It's great that you can come. Come in quickly.

She glanced at the man, and there was a man lying down beside your house, probably because he was drunk. Do you want me to wake him up?

Don't worry about him coming in, you can't wake him up even if you go

Alas? There seemed to be other meanings in these words, but she didn't have time to think about it because the door lock was already open.

The room was not tidy, even... a little messy. One of the leather shoes in the entrance hall was across the door, and the other one was flying there.

I didn't see the second person's shoes, and there was only one pair missing on the shelf of the slippers.

Is the lady not at home?

Rongzi frowned. She remembered that the plump middle-aged woman would always clean her home. Judging from the current situation, at least she didn't go home to spend the night last night.

Could it be that the teacher and the wife had something unhappy?

But this kind of family dispute cannot be interfered with by reporters like her.

Teacher? Teacher Sakamoto? Where are you? She changed into slippers and shouted

Second floor, come up on the study on the second floor. Mr. Sakamoto's voice was listless. I don't know if he was sick or just woke up. It sounded like he was dejected.

After confirming that there was no problem with her makeup in front of the mirror in the corridor, she walked to the study on the second floor

The door was open, and she walked straight in, Sakamoto's teacher turned his back to her, sitting in front of the computer and watching something

Hearing her in, he immediately turned the seat and stared at her.

The sight made her a little uncomfortable, which was completely different from the previous teacher's restrained and honest style. He looked at her lower limbs at first glance, as if confirming something, and looked at her skirt carefully

Rongzi sorted out his skirt with some confusion. It was a very common professional outfit. It just happened to be a one-step skirt on his knees. The iron gray is not a charming color. I don’t understand why the teacher looked at her skirt and showed a saved look.

Teacher Sakamoto, you specifically informed me that there is something important that I need to expose to you in the media, right? I'm ready, you can start talking. She sat opposite the teacher, skillfully took out the shorthand and recording equipment from her bag, turned her pen holder with her fingers, and looked directly at the other person.

You are still the same as before. Once you are idle, you will turn your pen around. Teacher Sakamoto said this in a nostalgic tone, and then said sincerely in a sigh-like tone, "I'm sorry, I don't want to call you, but... The teacher is really clumsy. Except for your own wife and you, I can't find another trustworthy opposite sex. I'm sorry, I specially called you here. I'm sorry.

The teacher actually said sorry three times in a row, which surprised Rongzi a little

Mr. Sakamoto's wife cannot have children, and he has no idea of ​​having a descendant, so once he has lost his partner, the rest will appear extremely lonely.

But this should not be the reason why the teacher asked her to come over rush. That teacher, will your sudden apology make me very troubled?

His eyes turned to one side, avoiding Rongzi's gaze, holding his hands together, rubbing his index fingers back and forth

After being silent for about two minutes, he finally spoke, saying something Rongzi had never expected.

Sorry, Rongzi, you...can't leave this city anymore

Alas? Rongzi's body trembled, and the pen flexibly turned between his fingers fell to the ground. Teacher, I don't understand what you mean, I came in easily.

Sakamoto nodded, then shook his head, I know, but the city's blockade allows only women over fourteen to enter, and only women under fourteen to leave

Why? How could there be such a strange way of blocking? Rongzi looked at the teacher in confusion and bent down to pick up the pen on the ground

The middle-aged man opposite sighed long, and his haggard but still handsome face appeared with a lonely and apologetic look. Didn’t you notice something strange on the way you came? Due to his years of career, his question seemed to be a question in class.

Rongzi was infected by that tone and unconsciously straightened her back, but she came too hastily and didn't have time to pay attention to the changes around her. Moreover... she really didn't feel anything obvious. If she insisted on saying it, it seemed that there was a very strange atmosphere, wandering around those couples... couples?

She was stunned for a moment and blurted out, why... no one went out on the street alone?

Only then did she realize that this unusual place. No matter when or in which city, there would be no situation where there would be no one who was left alone. But she carefully searched her memory and had not seen a single passerby since she entered this city.

There are most of them, and there are two men and one woman, and three men and one woman. The common point is that there will be a woman among them.

The abnormality that I didn't notice appeared as the key points were captured. Traffic police, vendors, and even young people who sent flyers on the street had at least one woman by their side. Even the homeless man under the overpass hugged the same ragged opposite sex tightly.

Sakamoto looked at her expression change and sighed again. You should have noticed that not only no one will go out alone, but all those who go out must also bring a female companion by his side. He held his forehead in pain and whispered in a hoarse voice, Natsume, this city has been cursed. All the men in this city have been cursed. The men outside are not drunk at all. He died, his curse has occurred, but he can't find a woman, so he died.

Sakamoto seemed to have reached the verge of collapse. He held his head and grabbed his hair with his fingers. Do you know, if I don’t ask you to come, I will die, just like the man at the door, just fell down, his heartbeat stopped, and his breathing interrupted. I called. It took two hours for the police to take over his body. I was wondering, if I die, will no one care after it rots and smells? I don’t want to die... I really don’t want to die Natsume, save me...

Her mouth was a little dry, Rongzi realized that she seemed to be trapped in an amazing vortex. She picked up the cup and drank a sip of water, moistening her throat, and yelled at the question of asking for answers. Teacher, I'm here to help you, but you always have to let me know what's going on, right? Believe me, as long as I can do it, I will never let the teacher die in front of me, right, where is the madam? Why is she not there?

Sakamoto shivered in pain and whispered: She disappeared. Yesterday I had a very strong fever. She didn't listen to my advice and insisted on going out to buy medicine. Then... she never came back.

Rongzi looked at him in surprise, then why didn’t you call the police? She was likely kidnapped or attacked!

Sakamoto shook his head and looked at his knees in frustration. Useless. Now, the case has been overwhelmed to the point where it cannot be handled. The order of the city has reached the verge of collapse. If my wife's body is here, I may be accepted if I report the case. It's just that a woman is missing. No one will help you investigate such a case. Hundreds of cases will happen every day. I have to remind you that from now on, don't go out casually. Even if you go out, you must not get out before reaching the crowded area in the city center. This is a suburb. The police can't take care of this place at all. Otherwise, I don't know where you will be held hostage by which man.

This...what is wrong? Rongzi held the pen in his hand in surprise, unable to accept that the city he longed for would become the current situation.

Sakamoto lowered his head in pain and said word by word: What I said is true, this city has been cursed, and all men have been cursed!