Chapter 10, The Strange Events of the Subway
Wang Jingzhe stroked his chin and said, "Is something missing?"
Wang Qing immediately clutched his pants and asked in a low voice: "Did I not already pay? Sir, you cannot possibly want something else, can you? This is unacceptable!"
As it approached eleven o'clock, Wang Qing anxiously stared at the time on his phone. The last subway train was now completely empty, and the safety officer on the platform began to inspect the carriages to see if there were any passengers left behind. At that moment, Wang Jingzhe suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed Wang Qing, and they both hid under the seat
After Wang Qing finished sharing his story with Wang Jingzhe, he wiped his tears and said in a state of panic: "I have searched online for many methods, but none of them worked. I don't know anyone who understands the Dao, so I have been waiting here every day, hoping to encounter someone knowledgeable to help me. I never expected to meet you, Master... This is fate"
Wang Jingzhe said coldly: "Isn't it time to eat?"
Wang Jingzhe glanced at the clock; it was just past 7 o'clock. He then said, "I will go down with you tonight to see what is going on. Your issue should not be difficult; it is merely that you have been entangled by a vengeful spirit in the books, right"
The capital has always had two places rumored to be the most eerie locations for supernatural events; one is the Forbidden City, and the other is the subway stations of the capital. There was a popular online novel titled "The Legend of the Ancient Well" that vividly depicted the supernatural occurrences in the Forbidden City, which can be regarded as a masterpiece of its time
After consuming several bottles of wine, Wang Jingzhe's face began to flush slightly, and the image of him biting on a cigarette butt while holding a wine glass made Wang Qing's heart race. In the end, he could only comfort himself with the phrase, "Those who are accomplished in their endeavors are always profound and inscrutable."
After a while, Wang Qing felt a bit uneasy under his gaze, which seemed to convey a multitude of meanings: it was aggressive, inquisitive, and contained a hint of desire
"There are vegetables but no wine, what a waste," Wang Jingzhe said with restraint
To be honest, at this moment, Wang Qing was somewhat having second thoughts, as he felt that this master seemed a bit unreliable. They were about to catch a ghost, yet he was still drinking alcohol and even drinking more than usual.
At the restaurant next to the subway station, Wang Jingzhe and Wang Qing ordered several dishes. Perhaps in an effort to please this gentleman, hoping that he would be lenient, Wang Qing ordered relatively hearty dishes, all meat-based, along with a soup.
Wang Qing immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly grabbed his arm, saying: "Thank you, thank you very much"
I will take a nap for a while, we will take this train together, right? It goes back and forth, doesn't it? At eleven o'clock, you must wake me up. Wang Jingzhe briefly explained to Wang Qing without waiting for a response, and then leaned against the railing with his arms crossed and dozed off.
The village chief at that time was Wang Qing's grandfather. In August of 1945, the Japanese left, and by the end of the year, that credit knife master came to collect money. Wang Qing had heard stories about the credit knife man more than once during his childhood, so he was well aware that there existed such a type of person in society, who could read fortunes and predict outcomes with uncanny accuracy. He never expected that in his moment of greatest helplessness, he would encounter a legendary credit knife master.
Let's just get a dozen, to avoid the trouble of ordering again later
Hmm..." Wang Jingzhe cast a sidelong glance at the other party
At 10 o'clock, Wang Jingzhe greeted Wang Qing with a hiccup from the alcohol he had consumed. He left his bag at the restaurant and informed the owner that he would come back to retrieve it the next day. After the two of them exited the library, they headed straight to the subway station. After passing through the security check, they boarded the subway directly, and by this time, there were already significantly fewer people in the carriage.
Wang Qing was instantly bewildered, and in a state of collapse, he asked: "Sir, are you not afraid of drinking too much, and then..."
Uh!
As the subway doors closed with a "ding," the train began to move, and two individuals emerged from beneath the seats
What is lacking?
The appearance of Wang Jingzhe made Wang Qing feel as if he had grasped a lifeline. He was from Liaoyang, and during the time of the Japanese invasion, a debt-collecting knife salesman had come to their village. The village chief asked the salesman when the Japanese would be driven away, and he lent the village chief a kitchen knife, telling him that he would return to collect the payment five years later when the Japanese had left.
Time passed gradually, and the number of people in the carriage also decreased. After this subway train passes, the return trip will be the last one.
This is the mystery of the last train of the Beijing subway. It is said that during the construction of the subway, many lines faced difficulties; there were accidents involving workers or engineering hazards that often could not be resolved. Those involved in the construction claimed that while digging the subway lines underground, they unearthed bones or encountered ancient tombs. Others said that the project disturbed the dragon veins beneath the capital. In any case, there are many theories, but the outcome is singular: after 11 PM, the Beijing subway is said to be haunted, with various supernatural events frequently occurring. Those involved in the construction claimed that while digging the subway lines underground, they unearthed bones or encountered ancient tombs. Others said that the project disturbed the dragon veins beneath the capital. In any case, there are many theories, but the outcome is singular: after 11 PM, the Beijing subway is said to be haunted, with various supernatural events frequently occurring.
"It seems to make some sense?" Wang Qing pondered for a moment and said in confusion, "But I only had that accident because I was drunk that day"
Later, it was said that a Taoist priest and a sorcerer were invited to take a look, and then a rule was established that after midnight, the subway train would run empty to transport the wandering souls and spirits from the underground. The official explanation given was that the line needed to be tested after a day's operation
Wang Jingzhe said with a serious expression: "That drink is still not enough..."
In fact, Wang Jingzhe's earlier remarks were all nonsense; he simply felt that it was still early before 11 o'clock and thought they should have a drink to pass the time. Otherwise, sitting face to face, wouldn't it be awkward for both of them
The subway started with a "clang, clang" sound, not at all hindering Wang Jingzhe's nature of sleeping. Wang Qing sat beside him with a dazed expression, his heart racing. Perhaps due to psychological effects, he felt himself breaking out in a cold sweat as soon as he entered the subway.
Wang Jingzhe nodded in satisfaction, but showed no intention of picking up his chopsticks. Across from him, Wang Qing cautiously asked, "Sir, if it doesn't suit your taste, shall I order two more? Please let me know what else you would like to eat"
"It's nothing, it's nothing, just have a drink to warm up and bolster your courage," Wang Jingzhe waved his hand and said nonchalantly. "You all might not quite understand, have you ever heard the saying that alcohol emboldens the timid? In fact, you can also interpret this saying as, after drinking, your courage increases and your vitality becomes stronger, so you might not necessarily be afraid when you see a ghost. To put it this way, ghosts are actually like bullies; they fear the strong and take advantage of the weak, much like people do. When you are tougher than their temperament, it might just be them who gets scared. Do you understand?"
From now on, all subway stations will close at 11:00 PM, and passengers will no longer be allowed to enter. That day, Wang Qing entered early and ended up sleeping in the restroom. The staff did not notice him, which allowed him to catch the last train.
Two bottles of beer on the table
In addition to the Forbidden City, the subway station is also a notable place. The most talked-about rumor is that after eleven o'clock, the subway in the capital must run its last train, with the purpose of transporting the wandering souls and spirits underground. During this time, ordinary people are not allowed to enter the subway station, as doing so may result in being haunted by ghosts