Chapter 4, Sudden Change
Not only was Yao Hongwei frightened, but even Zhao Shugang, who was beside him, was stunned. His mouth, which had just been speaking, froze before he could close it. He opened his mouth wide but could not utter a sound, his face pale as a sheet, with disbelief reflected in his eyes. His raised hand moved aimlessly in the air, not knowing what it was doing.
Feeling as if I had encountered something, the corpse suddenly turned its head. As its neck twisted, it emitted a creaking sound, a result of having been dead for some time and the stiffness of the body. It slowly lowered its head to look at me; although I could only see the back of its head, the corpse recognized me. In that moment, the fierce look in its eyes vanished, replaced by a somewhat complex expression. A low, muffled groan escaped its lips, ultimately filled with disappointment, as it could not produce any sound. With a slight effort, after a moment, it gently pushed me away. Although I could only see the back of its head, the corpse recognized me. In that moment, the fierce look in its eyes vanished, replaced by a somewhat complex expression. A low, muffled groan escaped its lips, ultimately filled with disappointment, as it could not produce any sound. With a slight effort, after a moment, it gently pushed me away.
At that moment, I was completely in an unconscious state, being slowly pushed aside by the corpse. Although it was very slow and did not exert much force, I lost my balance due to my lack of awareness and stumbled back two steps, landing heavily on the ground. My head struck the nearby bench with a dull thud, causing it to make a clattering sound.
The dim light cast a pallid glow on the face, while a cool breeze outside stirred, causing the wooden door of the vigil room to creak. Despite it being a summer night, I felt an icy chill enveloping my entire body. My mind was in disarray, and I could not recall what I should do, nor what I could do. I merely trembled, unable to even shift my gaze. My body remained hunched over, locked in a stare with the corpse, unblinking, even though my eyes were beginning to feel sore and swollen. My mind was in disarray, and I could not recall what I should do, nor what I could do. I merely trembled, unable to even shift my gaze. My body remained hunched over, locked in a stare with the corpse, unblinking, even though my eyes were beginning to feel sore and swollen
The sound of the bench echoed in the vigil room, startling the stunned Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei, who each let out a sharp scream of "Ah!". Yao Hongwei, whose mind had cleared, was the first to bolt towards the exit. With a loud "Bang!", he crashed through the slightly ajar wooden door, disregarding the pain in his body as he rushed outside. He accidentally tripped and fell to the ground, rolling over without caring whether he got covered in dust, and immediately got back up, running non-stop towards the entrance of the funeral home. The speed he exhibited at that moment was truly unimaginable.
A little further away, the two duty staff members at the funeral home were also paralyzed with fear, already in a state of confusion. In the silent night, one could even hear the sound of their teeth chattering, the "clattering" echoing. Under the dim light, it created a somewhat terrifying atmosphere.
The main gate is very close, just a few dozen steps away. When they chased out, they saw me and Li's father, along with Li's mother and Li Hongling, standing rigidly at the entrance. Not far away, right beside the road, that corpse had already pinned Zhao Shugang to the ground
Perhaps the next step will be like a zombie in a movie, biting my neck right in front of him. However, due to my terror, I am already in a state of collapse and confusion, completely unable to react, let alone move. Therefore, when the corpse rises, it is as if it is cradling my head in its arms, a position that perfectly allows the corpse to take a bite.
This must be an illusion, I tell myself in my mind, yet my body trembles uncontrollably. I want to look away, but I do not know if it is due to excessive tension or overwhelming fear; I simply cannot divert my gaze. I am locked in a fearful stare with the corpse of Li Congying, and at this moment, I feel absurd. Staring into the eyes of a corpse, I, Liu Gang, who have always considered myself a materialist, cannot believe what is before me. Yet I cannot look away, locked in a fearful gaze with the corpse of Li Congying, and at this moment, I feel absurd. Staring into the eyes of a corpse, I, Liu Gang, who have always considered myself a materialist, cannot believe what is before me.
"Gangzi, what is wrong with you?" Zhao Shugang's voice trembled, feeling an underlying sense of unease, yet he could not pinpoint exactly what was amiss
Gently, I closed Li Congying's eyes with my hand. At that moment, I felt my back was already soaked with sweat, but I ultimately let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was just my own illusion a moment ago. However, just as I had not yet finished exhaling, Li Congying's eyes, which had just been closed, suddenly opened again, still gazing at me, her expression as gentle as ever
Hearing the screams from outside, I finally snapped out of my fear. My body was already soaked with cold sweat, drenched all over, with my clothes sticking to me, making it indescribably uncomfortable. I felt utterly weak, wanting to make some sound, but my upper and lower teeth merely clacked together, while my body remained instinctively gripped by fear.
With Yao Hongwei's escape, the corpse was also stirred. Its stiff legs stepped down from the spirit bed, then stood there, its eyes fixed on Zhao Shugang. As the corpse rose, it emitted a rigid sound, and a ghostly cold light shone from its eyes.
At this moment, Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei, who finally sensed something was amiss, looked at me anxiously. They had not moved for quite some time, maintaining that strange posture. What on earth is wrong with this guy
Yao Hongwei had just lifted one foot, and it suddenly froze in mid-air. A loud explosion echoed in his mind, leaving him dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing without uttering a word, only producing a sound akin to "he he he." His entire body was stiffened there, the color drained from his face in an instant, and his eyes were fixed on the corpse, the eyeballs nearly popping out.
Not only did the eyes open, but what was even more terrifying was that pale and somewhat cracked mouth, which actually moved slightly, staring at me without blinking. The gaze shifted, and those eyes that had originally resembled dead fish suddenly came to life, reflecting my own face, filled with such terror. At that moment, my face was as white as the lifeless face of Li Congying, equally devoid of color.
After a long while, I finally took a deep breath, suppressing my fear, and extended my trembling hand to gently close Li Congying's eyes. I kept telling myself that this was all an illusion, a natural reaction of the corpse. Some say that when a person dies with grievances, they cannot close their eyes. Perhaps Li Congying felt that her death was unjust, which is why she was unwilling to close her eyes.
At this moment, I remained seated in the vigil room, my face still pale, my body trembling uncontrollably. The scene that had just unfolded before my eyes was truly a shock to my beliefs. Li Congying's corpse had come back to life. As for the illogical aspects of it all, I could hardly pay attention to them at this moment. My mind was a blur, and my mouth continued to make sounds.
The pain brought me back to consciousness, and I finally let out a scream that echoed far and wide in the silent night, reverberating in the mourning room. Once I reacted, I kicked the ground forcefully with my feet, retreating vigorously into the distance, my eyes filled with fear as I looked at the corpse that had already sat up. My hands instinctively flailed about, hoping to grasp something, but it was all in vain.
It was with this thought in mind that I stepped out of the vigil room, one step at a time, unable to run at all. As I emerged, I saw Li Congying's parents collapsed on the ground, while Li Congying's younger sister stood beside them, her eyes blankly staring in the direction of the door, unable to believe the scene she had just witnessed. As for the bride, she had already fainted at the entrance of the lounge. A thought inexplicably arose in my mind: how wonderful it would be if I could also faint, at least I wouldn't have to feel so scared as I do now.
At my call, Father Li was the first to regain his senses. After all, as a man, his capacity to endure such matters was considerably stronger. He followed me out, eager to see what was happening. My mind was still in a state of chaos; how could my son's corpse be chasing after Zhao Shugang? Was it a resurrection or a return of the soul? The old man recalled the legends he had heard and couldn't help but shiver.
Yao Hongwei, who was standing nearby, also got up, preparing to walk over to me to take a look. However, at that moment, an unexpected change occurred. The body of Li Congying, covered with a white cloth, which should have remained motionless, suddenly turned its head, glaring fiercely at Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang. One could even hear the creaking sound of the corpse's neck as it turned.
When I chased after Li's father, Li Hongling was also supporting her mother, rushing towards the main entrance. She was equally concerned about her recently deceased relative. It was precisely because they were her family that, despite their fear, they were able to persevere. As they ran past the two staff members, those staff members surprisingly got up and ran out with them. They did not dare to stay behind alone, as the fewer people there were, the more fear they felt. After all, they faced corpses all day and recovered quickly, but human nature still made them feel fear. This was the first time encountering such a situation, where the dead seemed to rise again. Yet they managed to hold on. As they ran past the two staff members, those staff members surprisingly got up and ran out with them. They did not dare to stay behind alone, as the fewer people there were, the more fear they felt. After all, they faced corpses all day and recovered quickly, but human nature still made them feel fear. This was the first time encountering such a situation, where the dead seemed to rise again.
Li Congying's corpse gazed at Zhao and Yao, with eyes bursting with hatred and fury. Then, it twisted its neck, while the body gradually sat up. The white cloth slipped off, revealing the funeral garment underneath, a black shroud contrasting sharply with the corpse's pale face. The corpse's hands did not support it; it simply sat up using the movement of its waist.
Finally, I managed to get up from the ground, slowly standing up while leaning against the bench. My body was still trembling, but my mind had completely recovered. I gritted my teeth, trying to calm myself as much as possible. Taking a deep breath, I dragged my weak legs and walked outside. What exactly had happened out there? What were the corpses doing? Why were they chasing Zhao Shugang? I deeply wanted to know, while constantly reminding myself that Congying was my brother and would never harm his own brother. Taking a deep breath, I dragged my weak legs and walked outside. What exactly had happened out there? What were the corpses doing? Why were they chasing Zhao Shugang? I deeply wanted to know, while constantly reminding myself that Congying was my brother and would never harm his own brother.
I approached Li Congying's parents, observing that they had already fainted from fear. I reached out and pinched their philtrums to awaken them from their unconscious state. Although this action seemed somewhat cruel, I felt helpless; he needed someone to be with him. This included Li Congying's younger sister, Li Hongling, who was also awakened by Xiao Fei. As for the bride, Ren Meier, I shook my head and decided to leave her be; it was better for her to remain in her fainted state.
Ah! With another scream, Zhao Shugang also reacted, frantically running outside while screaming, completely startling the family of Li Congying, who was resting nearby, as well as the two duty staff members from the funeral home. However, when they rushed out of the room, they saw Li Congying's corpse chasing after Zhao Shugang.