Chapter 3: Seeking Codes through Worshiping Spirits

It is 22. I replied in a low voice, feeling a very bad premonition in my heart

To my utter astonishment, the two security guards gradually walked away, still conversing and seemingly joking with each other, yet I could not make out the content of their conversation. Strangely, their footsteps suddenly vanished, just as abruptly as they had appeared. At that moment, the water in the aluminum pot began to make noise as it was heated, which sounded particularly loud in this very quiet place, rendering it impossible to hear any distant footsteps.

The sound of footsteps belonged to two individuals, who were chatting as they descended, but I could not make out what they were saying; I only knew they were conversing. After a short while, they reached the door and appeared outside, revealing two security guards holding flashlights and batons, appearing to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, both of whom were quite robust.

I stared at the aluminum pot, and after a long while, no other fish balls floated up. Why didn't the other fish balls rise, could it really be...

Xu Guangli gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Let's go!" He started to move forward.

We walked in, perhaps finding a sense of security in the smaller space, or maybe having adapted somewhat to the environment here, I felt a bit more relaxed and less tense. What I had seen and heard before might have been mere illusions born from excessive anxiety; there are fundamentally no ghosts in this world. Even if there were ghosts, they would be intangible and invisible, so what is there to fear? The more one fears ghosts, the more frightening they become; if one does not fear ghosts, all malevolent spirits are but illusions. With this thought, my courage grew, and I became even more composed. What I had seen and heard before might have been mere illusions born from excessive anxiety; there are fundamentally no ghosts in this world. Even if there were ghosts, they would be intangible and invisible, so what is there to fear? The more one fears ghosts, the more frightening they become; if one does not fear ghosts, all malevolent spirits are but illusions. With this thought, my courage grew, and I became even more composed.

I believe those two security guards are human, thinking that we are commemorating our loved ones. They cannot manage this situation well, nor can they ignore it, so they simply pretend not to see. I can only hear the sound of their footsteps; it is not surprising that I cannot clearly hear their voices, as we are in a stairwell, which is relatively enclosed, making it difficult for sound to carry. The only sound that is clear is the sound of leather shoes hitting the ground. A ghost cannot possibly make footsteps, let alone carry a flashlight and wave it around. Xu Guangli must have been too nervous and seeing things. To take a step back, even if it were truly a ghost, it has not done anything to us, so there is no need to fear it.

A particularly cold and murky atmosphere rushed towards me, with no lights inside and the outside illumination being dim, allowing only a vague glimpse of a small room that was empty and devoid of anything significant

Ah... Xu Guangli woke up, exhaling deeply, breathing rapidly as if he had just run 8,000 meters. Trembling, he said, "It, they... have no shadows."

Xu Guangli shook his head and did not speak further. His hands trembled continuously, and when he attempted to stand up, his legs felt weak and lacked strength, forcing him to sit on the ground, gasping for breath, his face drenched in cold sweat. Perhaps it was because he had a deeper understanding of the situation here, which intensified his psychological pressure, making his level of fright greater than mine, nearly reaching the brink of collapse

I did not dare to look back, nor could I run or stop. I gritted my teeth and maintained a steady pace as I moved forward, mustering all my strength to drag Xu Guangli outside. I saw some lights and heard some sounds, and the feeling of being shadowed from behind finally became less pronounced. At that moment, my heart finally settled back into my stomach, and I realized that my whole body was drenched in cold sweat, my limbs felt weak, as if I had just gone through an extreme sport

High-rise buildings are equipped with elevators. Modern individuals would rather sweat it out at the gym than take a few extra steps, so it is not surprising that the staircases are seldom used. However, this place has a large shopping mall on the upper floor, attracting a significant flow of people. It is quite unusual that the staircases are completely deserted, and even more so that no one is willing to park their vehicles nearby.

No shadow? I didn't notice that just now. It suddenly occurred to me that many ghost stories say that ghosts do not have shadows. Could it be that those two just now were ghosts

Xu Guangli leaned over to take a look and was overjoyed. He bowed several times, murmuring a few words that were hard to decipher, and then began to hurriedly gather his belongings

The wine, dishes, incense, and offerings are arranged neatly, creating an even more eerie atmosphere; this is indeed an invitation for the spirits to visit

I feel like laughing a little, but I haven't quite laughed out loud yet. Suddenly, a cold wind swept through the room, causing the candle flames to flicker violently, nearly extinguishing them. At the same time, three incense sticks, about an inch long, broke in half, and the steam rising from the aluminum pot drifted to the side, as if someone had run past quickly

Once on the vehicle, Xu Guangli took out two cigarettes and handed one to me. We each lit up, inhaling deeply and exhaling forcefully, trying to expel all the fear within us. After finishing an entire cigarette, Xu Guangli finally seemed to regain some spirit, his small eyes reflecting the distant lights, appearing particularly bright, and a smile spread across his face: "Is it 22?"

I wanted to pull him up, but he tightly grasped my arm. I could hardly believe he had such strength; he nearly crushed my bones. He said with some difficulty: "You, you pour the fish balls into the pot to cook. Pay close attention, the first one that floats up, scoop it out, and be sure not to make a mistake."

The fish ball had not been cooked for long, and they were all sinking at the bottom of the water. At that moment, one suddenly floated up. I couldn't afford to be scared and hurriedly scooped it up with a slotted spoon, where I could see a clear number on top: 22

I looked at Xu Guangli, and Xu Guangli looked back at me. Under the dim light, the green glow of the "Emergency Exit" flickered incessantly, casting our faces in a shifting play of light and shadow, sometimes green, sometimes black, creating a very eerie atmosphere. We both sensed each other's unease and trepidation. If we were here for an adventure, we could turn back now, but we did not come to seek thrills; we came to invoke the spirits of the malevolent, and the more sinister the place, the better. Therefore, we could not retreat. We both sensed each other's unease and trepidation. If we were here for an adventure, we could turn back now, but we did not come to seek thrills; we came to invoke the spirits of the malevolent, and the more sinister the place, the better. Therefore, we could not retreat.

I had not walked far when I became certain that someone was following me and watching me, like a thorn in my back, yet I was also certain that there was no one behind me

It is quite normal for security personnel to patrol the mall at night. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that at most I would just be scolded a few times and sent away, which is not a big deal. However, those two security guards were peculiar; they stood at the entrance, glanced inside as if they saw nothing, and then turned to leave.

I seem to have heard someone crying, my attention pulled back from the aluminum pot as I listened intently, yet I could no longer hear it. I cannot be certain whether I truly heard a cry.

I was very surprised; there were candle flames and the fire from a gas stove in the room, very obvious, and they could not possibly not see us. Why did that security guard glance over as if he were scanning a dark area, without pausing his gaze for even a moment, and without any change in expression on his face

The staircase is a turning point, and a small room has been built beneath it. Xu Guangli walked to the door, set down the bag in his right hand, and reached out to grasp the doorknob. However, before his hand could touch the knob, it retracted. After hesitating several times, he finally grasped the doorknob, turned it, and pushed the door open

We were taken aback, not expecting anyone to pass by at that moment. Our movements froze, and we did not dare to breathe, fully focused on the sound of footsteps, forgetting to extinguish the light and close the door. At that time, we were somewhat stunned, and our minds were unable to think.

I felt a sudden jolt in my heart; I am exactly 22 years old this year. This must be a coincidence, right

I immediately followed the path in the book, and after walking a few steps, it seemed that there were footsteps behind me, as if someone was watching me. A chill ran down my back, and the hairs on my neck stood on end. I knew it was not appropriate to look back in such a situation, so I forced myself not to turn around and quickened my pace to walk shoulder to shoulder with Xu Guangli. By this time, we had reached the stairway, and the gloomy, oppressive, and decayed atmosphere had intensified. In a daze, it seemed that a voice was coming from afar: "It hurts—ah, it hurts—ah..." I knew it was not appropriate to look back in such a situation, so I forced myself not to turn around and quickened my pace to walk shoulder to shoulder with Xu Guangli. By this time, we had reached the stairway, and the gloomy, oppressive, and decayed atmosphere had intensified. In a daze, it seemed that a voice was coming from afar: "It hurts—ah, it hurts—ah..."

I nodded slightly, picked up the fish balls he had marked, and poured them into the pot. He turned and knelt on the ground, his hands clasped in front of his chest, murmuring softly. His voice was very low and trembled continuously; I could only vaguely hear some phrases, roughly meaning that the spirits wandering here, with great power and influence, I, of a certain surname and name, request to inquire about the special lottery number for a certain type of lottery on a certain date. If willing to guide, let the fish balls corresponding to that number float in the pot. ... After winning, there will be a grand sacrifice of three livestock: pigs, cattle, and sheep, to express gratitude with offerings such as villas in the underworld, luxury cars, yachts, and coins ... requesting to inquire about the special lottery number for a certain type of lottery on a certain date. If willing to guide, let the fish balls corresponding to that number float in the pot. ... After winning, there will be a grand sacrifice of three livestock: pigs, cattle, and sheep, to express gratitude with offerings such as villas in the underworld, luxury cars, yachts, and coins ...

We are faced with a significant contradiction: if there are ghosts, we will be afraid; if there are no ghosts, our wishes will not come true. Therefore, I truly do not know whether it is better to believe in the existence of ghosts or to believe in their non-existence. As a result, I have never debated this topic with Xu Guangli.

Since it is not a person, then it is ... ...

After packing up, Xu Guangli could hardly move. I supported him with one arm and dragged him outside. In fact, the car could have driven directly into the underground parking lot. I didn't understand why he hadn't done so before, but now I realize that if we had walked back and opened the car door to find someone already sitting inside, it would have been terrifying. It is still more reassuring to walk out. Xu Guangli had clearly planned this meticulously, calculating every step.

Xu Guangli took out a lighter to light the candle, his hands trembling incessantly. After several attempts, he still could not get it to ignite. I took his candle, lit it, and helped him take out the offerings, arranging them neatly on a paper plate. I poured a bottle of red wine into five small cups, then took out three incense sticks, lit them, and placed them in a small jar filled with rice.

Xu Guangli gestured for me to take out the camping gas stove and ignite it. He placed the aluminum pot on top and began pouring bottles of mineral water into the pot. We remained silent, as if afraid of disturbing someone. The water in the pot had not yet begun to boil, so it was still very quiet. At that moment, footsteps suddenly echoed from outside, as someone was descending the stairs.

It was truly bizarre. I swallowed hard, my throat dry, and looked at Xu Guangli. I saw his mouth wide open, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out of their sockets, and he was inhaling without exhaling. He had originally been squatting on the ground, but at that moment, he had collapsed onto the floor.

"You must be seeing things, they are definitely human, there are footsteps!" I said with certainty, but in reality, I was not so sure; I only said that to alleviate the fear in my heart

I paused, concentrating intently, and at that moment, Xu Guangli also stopped in his tracks, creating an unusual stillness. However, there were no howling sounds, nor any footsteps. Perhaps I was too tense, leading to auditory hallucinations, but why did Xu Guangli also stop at the same time? I felt my throat dry up; I wanted to speak but dared not make a sound, for it was truly too quiet here

I was taken aback; this is a closed stairwell, and outside is an underground parking lot that is not well-ventilated. The candle flame had not flickered at all before, so how could a gust of wind suddenly arise? Moreover, the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped suddenly, causing me to involuntarily shiver twice, and my skin broke out in goosebumps. This time, it was definitely not fear stemming from my psychological state, but rather a clear change in the atmosphere and temperature.

Are you alright? I gave him a gentle push