Chapter Five, The Two Me

However, this time the text message failed to send. I have tried several times, but it still does not work

Wait, he must know something

A stormy sea surged within my heart; something was amiss. My experiences with Ma Jialiang were clearly contradictory. Although I had long been mentally prepared, it still left me feeling dazed.

At that moment, the phone suddenly vibrated, startling me to the point that I almost dropped it

By the late hours of the night, I finally succumbed to the invasion of drowsiness and fell into a hazy sleep

I swallowed and made an excuse, saying: "Well, I had a bit to drink yesterday and forgot."

Regardless of whether the elder is right or wrong, at least the black tiger is a living creature

Wait a moment

When will it be back?

I gathered a bunch of bamboo leaves and went to reach for my lighter, but when I touched my pocket, I found it was missing, and I had no idea where it had fallen. However, my phone was still there, not taken by the spirits.

If it is Ma Jialiang who is lying, then how can the return of that car, which came back inexplicably, be explained

I touched the key, which was hanging on my pants; this is the only key

I am unwilling to accept this, so I sent another message, asking: Did you save me?

I felt turmoil within, yet I maintained a facade of calmness on my face as I asked him what was wrong

If I am dreaming, how can I explain the tightness on my hands and feet

"Chun'er, what happened?" At that moment, my mother knocked on my bedroom door, probably having heard the call.

That ghost number

Who drove the car back?

I am shocked

I shouted at it; this dog, a local breed raised by my father, is about six or seven months old

Isn't it the rival of Gao Mingchang? Didn't Ma Jialiang say that someone doesn't want Gao Mingchang to rise to power?

Moreover, who exactly untied the rope for me in the bamboo grove? Why do they not reveal themselves?

Who exactly is he

Having a mobile phone is good, at least there is light

It is it

My calves are trembling, I clearly added it to the blacklist, so why am I still receiving its messages

I was taken aback; Hong Qingsheng's wife had not closed her eyes. This incident frightened the entire village, causing everyone to avoid the Hong family. What help could he possibly provide there

With a sense of confusion, I went to Hong Qingsheng's home. From a distance, I noticed that there were many people by the ancient well, mostly those who had been helping out here before. Everyone was having breakfast.

Fire, fire!

The elderly explained that the essence of being haunted by a ghost is essentially a person being confused by the ghost, continuously walking in circles. As long as one walks in the right straight line, they will be able to escape

... ...

You child, are you so hungry that you have lost your senses? You don't even know what time it is when you come back? My mother gave me a reproachful glance, stood up, and served me a bowl of rice.

Moreover, reflecting on the text message he sent the day before yesterday, it is evident that he was hinting at the impending misfortune of Hong Qingsheng's wife, suggesting that the child she is carrying will not be able to be saved. He had clearly known beforehand that something would happen to the Hong family

I gradually calmed down as I saw that there was nothing unusual about it

"You child, you haven't come out since you got back yesterday afternoon. Are you hungry? Come out and eat now," my mother said again.

I sent again, saying: Who are you? Do you know that something is going to happen to the Hong family?

Who else can ride it back except for me

The black tiger can now provide a modicum of security

In this case, how should a three-wheeled motorcycle be explained

"Alright, I'll be right there." I replied, glancing at the clock; it was already twelve noon.

Ah!

I am sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.

It actually sent me a text message again, the content is: Walk straight, no matter what you hear, do not look back

However, I am not in the mood to concern myself with these matters anymore; what I need most right now is someone to guide me, even if it is just an unclear text message

I shouted in anger, filled with excitement, finally having escaped. Without a second thought, I ran towards the direction of the lights, and soon I saw the dirt road leading back to the village. I sprinted along the dirt road for about twenty minutes and finally returned to the village

Wang

Upon arriving at Ma Jialiang's home, his grandmother said that he had gone to Hong Qingsheng's house to help out

The black tiger called out to me, wagging its tail as it ran over to nuzzle against my leg, displaying a very affectionate demeanor

I just returned from the hospital, am I still driving? Despite being mentally prepared, hearing those words from Ma Jialiang still made my heart skip a beat

Wasn't it thrown at the hospital entrance

I was so frightened that I let out a loud scream and jumped up from the bed, only to realize that it was just a dream

I let out a sigh of relief, as the elders say that black dogs are protective creatures. As long as they are present, evil spirits dare not approach, and even if they do, the black dog can serve as a warning.

In my dreams, I feel very unsettled; I constantly hear a voice questioning me, asking why I did not catch the child. The voice becomes increasingly clear, and as I listen, it starts to feel very familiar. Then, suddenly, the bloodied face of Hong Qingsheng's wife appears.

He said something happened in the village. He is concerned about me; what exactly is it that makes him so apprehensive? Is it the thing from the village that frightens him? Could it be the vengeful spirit of Hong Qingsheng's wife?

I stopped, not knowing what to do, my mind buzzing, and the shocks I have experienced over the past twenty years are far less than those of today

Put down the phone, my head is even more dizzy. If it weren't for him saving me, then how did he know I was trapped in a ghost wall? Who is the person that saved me? Could it be his accomplice?

Black Tiger

Upon taking a closer look, it was a text message, and my heart immediately reached its peak.

I nervously opened my phone, turned on the flashlight, and shone it to the side, but found nothing.

He clearly returned in the early hours of the morning

As soon as Ma Jialiang saw me, he got up from the dining table and said to me, "Chun Ge, are you alright? You really startled me yesterday."

To my surprise, the text message was actually sent successfully, and I received a quick reply from the other side, consisting of just two words: not.

As I calmed down, I realized something was amiss. That ghostly number, how did it know that I was experiencing a wall of ghosts at that moment? Was it nearby, watching me?

Could it be that he is Gao Mingchang? But that doesn't make sense. If Gao Mingchang really wanted to harm Hong Qingsheng's child, why would he tell me? Furthermore, he has already been taken away by the county police for investigation; it doesn't make sense that he was just in the bamboo forest.

I was so frightened that I fell directly off the stool

I was just about to ask again when I caught sight of a three-wheeled motorcycle parked outside the door

I glanced at the time, it was a quarter past midnight, and I dialed the ghost number.

There is no way, I am truly afraid

This is a lifeline; it is better to heed it than to do nothing at all

When did I come back in the afternoon?

I was startled and hurriedly opened the door, only to find my parents sitting in the living room, preparing to eat. I sat down and asked my mother: "Mom, did I come back yesterday in the afternoon?"

I honestly ate a bit at the dining table, fearing that my parents would become suspicious. If they were to find out about my ordeal, they would surely explode with anger

Ma Jialiang said: "When you returned from the hospital yesterday, you didn't say a word. I spoke to you, but you ignored me and just focused on driving. It really scared me.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and said, "Mom, I'm fine, just having a nightmare"

I am eating, but my mind is completely blank. I clearly returned home in the early hours of yesterday, and I walked back, not riding a bike at all. The car keys are also with me. My dad doesn't know how to ride a tricycle, so I didn't give him the keys either

Ma Jialiang said I would return in the afternoon? I clearly returned in the late night, why did he say that?

My head feels like it's about to explode; everything here seems to be interconnected, yet I cannot make sense of anything. I have a vague feeling that I have fallen into some kind of conspiracy, as if an invisible net is closing in on me.

Jialiang said you came back yesterday afternoon, but you just locked yourself in your room and didn't come out, not even for dinner," my father said to me

What disappoints me is that after dialing several times, the voice prompt still indicates that the number dialed does not exist

After taking a shower, I lay down on the bed, tying the black tiger in the room. I didn't dare to turn off the lights, and the doors and windows were tightly shut. This day was quite terrifying, and I didn't dare to sleep, just staring with my eyes wide open, thinking I would sleep again when the dawn came and the rooster crowed.

I had been lost in thought for a long time, with no clue at all. At that moment, I caught a whiff of my own odor, so I went to take a shower. Even while showering, I didn't dare to be alone, so I tied up the black tiger with an iron chain and brought it into the bathroom.

The more I think about it, the more terrifying it becomes, with layers of doubt that lead me to question whether he is truly human or a ghost

I felt a tumult of emotions, a tangled mess that was impossible to unravel. At that moment, I recalled Wong Tai Sin; why did he want to burn me to death

I ran away without a second thought, disregarding any sounds behind me, resolutely refusing to look back, running as fast as I could.

This matter is either something that happened in the bamboo forest which I am dreaming about, or it is Ma Jialiang who is lying

Ma Jialiang nodded and said, "Yes, and also, as soon as you got home, you went into your room, and when I knocked on the door, you ignored me."

Not right

After finishing my meal, I immediately went out to find Ma Jialiang, as he is the key to unraveling the mystery. Before leaving, I checked the car and found that the lock was original, with no signs of being pried or damaged in any way

Ma Jialiang said that I will be back in the afternoon, will I be dazzled by the sights

I picked up my phone; at this moment, the Wong Tai Sin is not present, and no one else could possibly know. The only clue that might reveal the ins and outs of the situation lies within my phone.

I have heard about the phenomenon known as "ghost wall" from the elders in the village. They say that if one encounters such a situation, one should find something that can be set on fire, and light it in piles without turning back. By continuing to burn until reaching the exit, one can break free from it

My parents were startled and hurriedly helped me up. My mother asked me what was wrong and why I looked so unwell. I didn't dare to show any signs of abnormality, so I could only say that I had drunk too much and felt a bit dizzy

My mother scolded me a few times after hearing this, advising me to drink less alcohol in the future, and I did not think much of it

Without any delay, I went straight home and found that my parents had already gone to bed. Only the black dog we keep at home barked at me a couple of times, seemingly welcoming me back home

As I reached out my hand, I noticed that the marks on my wrist, although faded, were still clearly visible, indicating that what happened in the bamboo forest was real, and that the Yellow Emperor had indeed kidnapped me

While running, I suddenly noticed that the edge of the bamboo forest had come closer, and I quickly dashed out.

... ...