Chapter 2, Liwan Mortuary
Later, Guangjian Group went bankrupt, and a Hong Kong businessman took over to restart the project. The businessman specifically invited the abbot of the Liu Rong Temple in Guangzhou to assess the feng shui. The abbot stated that this site was the exit of the ghost gate in Guangzhou and advised against disturbing the ground, refusing to perform any rituals for him. Unwilling to give up, the Hong Kong businessman sought a shaman from Malaysia to perform rituals, and the project officially commenced. On the first day of construction, workers discovered that the piles could not be driven into the ground and unearthed a Tai Sui (this was indeed disturbing the Tai Sui). The next day, they found eight empty coffins at the construction site. Despite these omens, the Hong Kong businessman persisted and continued with the project. However, within a month, his wife in mainland China, his mistress, and the two sons born to the mistress, along with the shaman he had brought from Malaysia, all met untimely deaths.
Xu Guangli noticed my hesitation and patted my shoulder: "We are two strong men, full of vigor, what is there to be afraid of? A person cannot become wealthy without taking risks, and a horse cannot grow fat without night grass. Earning two to three thousand yuan a month from a job means you will never be able to afford a house even if you don't eat or drink for a lifetime. Do you really want to live your life in such a cowardly manner? I will tell you the truth, this method does not harm others, is not illegal, and does not compromise conscience or morality. Do you have a better and faster way to get rich? If you are too afraid to go, then forget it, but don't say in the future that I had an opportunity and didn't bring you along."
The official lottery has a maximum of thirty-seven numbers, while the privately played "guess the zodiac" has forty-nine numbers. I couldn't help but ask: "Isn't this a sports lottery?"
Xu Guangli turned his head to take a glance, furrowing his brow, and quickly said: "Don't talk nonsense, you must be seeing things!"
My cup was suddenly frozen at my lips; anyone who has spent some time in Guangzhou and has an interest in ghost stories would know about this place
Am I one of those who are unfortunate? I find that my heart is beating faster, as if a heavy stone is pressing on my chest, making it particularly difficult to breathe
It is said that the earliest developer of Liyuan Square was the Guanghe Publishing Group. In 1993, in order to carry out demolition, there was a great uproar, and they even resorted to the despicable tactic of setting fire to residents' houses, resulting in the deaths of more than twenty people. The person in charge was imprisoned as a consequence, and thereafter, various cries could often be heard at midnight. After the second person in charge took over, accidents frequently occurred at the construction site. This individual embezzled compensation funds and delayed workers' wages. Later, this person and his mistress mysteriously died at the headquarters of the construction site, in a horrific manner, reportedly being torn apart by a creature with sharp fangs, with blood splattered everywhere. The third person in charge finally completed all the demolition work, but shortly thereafter, he met with an accident and fell to his death. The fourth person in charge, suspecting that someone was sabotaging the construction site, brought several thugs to lay in ambush at night. Unexpectedly, the old man watching the site was unaware of the leader's arrival and unleashed dogs that savagely attacked the leader, leaving him in a pitiful state. The seven or eight accompanying individuals called for emergency services, but for a full half hour, no one answered. In the end, the leader died from the pain, and it is said that his cries of agony can still be heard at midnight.
After leaving the Hunan restaurant, Xu Guangli took me to a large supermarket, where we bought some fruits, pastries, chocolates, and the like. Then we purchased a large aluminum pot, a gasoline stove, a big slotted spoon, three pounds of fish balls, and ten bottles of mineral water. This seems to be the preparation for camping, and I began to wonder why we needed to bring all these items since Liyuan Square is located in the city. The supermarket was crowded, so I refrained from asking too many questions. We continued to buy a considerable amount of items, quickly filling up the shopping cart. This seems to be the preparation for camping, and I began to wonder why we needed to bring all these items since Liyuan Square is located in the city. The supermarket was crowded, so I refrained from asking too many questions. We continued to buy a considerable amount of items, quickly filling up the shopping cart.
My understanding of Liwan Square comes primarily from the legends shared among friends and colleagues, as well as occasional media reports of people jumping from the building. ... At its busiest, there was a record of two jumps in one day; in the past two to three years, at least a dozen people have jumped from the building, and there was even an incident where four security guards died inside.
I raised a glass to Xu Guangli: "Cousin, I have no problem accompanying you, but is this method really effective and related to books? Is there really a ghost?"
Since he already has a plan and is confident of victory, I will not say more. I know that this type of lottery is illegal, but just like everyone running a red light together, people of all ages and genders, both inside and outside the city, are buying it. I do not think there is anything wrong with purchasing this.
Ah... I exclaimed, taking a step back and nearly sitting back inside the car
Later, a Taiwanese businessman took over the project and finally completed the construction of Liwan Plaza. However, the supernatural events did not come to an end. Every year, many people perform "Flying Man" acts here, along with some accidental deaths. It is said that those with bad luck, when passing by at night, will see the four characters "Li Yuan Guang Chang" transform into "Li Yuan Shi Chang". In fact, the character "Guang" can also resemble the character "Shi" about eighty percent of the time during the day, and it looks even more like it in insufficient light. Because of the numerous supernatural events that have occurred, the name Li Yuan Plaza has spread far and wide, earning it the title of the most sinister place in Guangzhou. It is said that those with bad luck, when passing by at night, will see the four characters "Li Yuan Guang Chang" transform into "Li Yuan Shi Chang". In fact, the character "Guang" can also resemble the character "Shi" about eighty percent of the time during the day, and it looks even more like it in insufficient light. Because of the numerous supernatural events that have occurred, the name Li Yuan Plaza has spread far and wide, earning it the title of the most sinister place in Guangzhou
Xu Guangli's eyes flickered slightly: "They must not want to live anymore, seeking a famous place to stir up some excitement, living in obscurity and wanting to make a grand exit when they die... You need not worry, we won't go to the sixth floor; the underground parking lot will suffice. I have also procured a talisman, carrying it ensures absolute safety. Here, take this, keep it safe and do not take it out unless absolutely necessary. We are going to invite it, not to scare it."
Although I am bold, I feel a bit uneasy about going to this first haunted place "Please Ghost". I have heard various legends that I can choose not to believe, but the series of suicide incidents that have occurred there are undeniable facts. That place is truly sinister.
We arrived at the parking lot carrying large and small bags. Items such as pots, bowls, and pans were placed in Xu Guangli's car trunk, while he took fish balls, ink, bamboo skewers, and other items into the car. After closing the car door, he opened the packaging of the fish balls and used a bamboo skewer dipped in ink to write Arabic numerals on them, the characters deeply embedded in the fish balls
Blood! I pointed ahead and said in terror
The underground parking lot is quite empty, with only a few cars parked here for the night. It is even quieter, as if the whole world has been reduced to just the two of us. The enclosed underground space carries a unique sense of oppression; anyone who has come to retrieve their car from the underground parking lot in the middle of the night knows this, not to mention this particular place. To be honest, I would rather spend a night at a chaotic graveyard in the countryside than take a stroll around here.
Liwan Square is located in the most bustling area of Guangzhou, covering a vast area with thousands of shops. I have never been inside; I have only passed by on a bus and seen it. It is a group of very peculiar buildings, with a large circular ring in the center, flanked by four high-rise buildings on each side. The six floors below are connected and serve as a shopping mall, while the upper part consists of luxurious residences, resembling neither a tower nor a building.
Xu Guangli was overjoyed, repeatedly urging me to eat. He placed the two unopened bottles of beer on the table down on the floor and replaced them with beverages, clearly indicating that action was to be taken tonight and that we could not afford to get drunk
After eating for a while, I felt somewhat uneasy and asked Xu Guangli, "Cousin, why are so many people jumping off buildings over there"
I gathered my spirits and took the initiative to grab two large bags, following him forward. After walking for a while, I realized that the place we were heading to was the entrance to the underground parking lot. The lights in the underground passage were already dim, and some were broken. Looking ahead, it was dark and eerie, utterly silent; our footsteps sounded particularly loud and hollow.
I have gained some understanding; it seems that the purpose is not to go camping, but rather to use this for some sort of dark magic. However, I still cannot fathom the specifics of how it is to be done. In any case, everything is under Xu Guangli's control, and my task is merely to follow him and bolster his confidence, so I will not ask too many questions. It took me more than half an hour to write the numbers 1 to 49 on top of forty-nine fish balls.
Xu Guangli hetushu.com .com parked the car near Liyuan Square. When I got out of the car and looked up, in the dim light, the four large characters above the entrance clearly read "Liyuan Mortuary," and there were large stains of blood on the wall
Xu Guangli's small eyes widened: "Of course it is useful. As long as it is a sufficiently mysterious place, it will definitely be effective. After achieving success, just buy more offerings and joss paper to express gratitude. There is a place that is just right, not far from my shop, do you know Liwan Square?"
Go, of course go! I poured another glass of beer down my throat and slammed the cup heavily on the table. I knew that his visit today was premeditated; he wouldn't dare come without me. But I could not resist this temptation; I needed money, I needed change, and I wanted to prove my worth to those who despised me and let me down
"Don't just stand there, quickly grab your things and come with me," Xu Guangli said as he began to gather his bags.
The Hong Kong businessman was in a state of panic and sought guidance from a wandering monk at Nanhua Temple. The monk advised him to bury eight empty coffins and conduct a ritual, stating that the businessman would need to sacrifice ten years of his life to resolve the issue. However, the businessman, blinded by his obsession, rejected the monk's advice and attempted to smuggle the eight empty coffins made of golden silk nanmu wood abroad. As a result, he was arrested, several of his relatives were imprisoned, his company went bankrupt, and ultimately, he met a mysterious death in prison.
Xu Guangli jumped out of the car and asked, "What happened?"
I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but I could no longer see the bloodstains, only the shadows cast by the distant neon lights. Yet, what I had clearly seen just moments ago was blood. Moreover, the character "广" looks the same from every angle; I still cannot distinguish whether it is the character for "broad" or "corpse".
Around 12:20 AM, we turned onto Dexing Road. This road is quite narrow, barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass. The trees on both sides are tall and dense, their branches and leaves almost completely obscuring the sky, and also blocking the single row of streetlights, making the entire road appear very dim. At this time, all the shops were closed, and there were almost no pedestrians on the road, with only a few vehicles passing by. Coupled with the dim light and the slight swaying of the tree shadows, a chilling atmosphere enveloped me, and I felt my heart rate quicken.
I felt a chill running through my body, and my heart was pounding wildly, as if it were about to leap out of my chest. My breathing had unconsciously become rapid. Xu Guangli's footsteps began to slow down, aligning with mine, and then he fell slightly behind. I heard his breathing was also hurried. When I turned to look, his face was very pale, and his small eyes were blinking incessantly.
Unknowingly, it has already reached midnight, and our slight intoxication has long faded. The traffic police on the road have also finished their shifts, and Xu Guangli drives his car straight to Liyuan Square
Is this where we do it? I turned to Xu Guangli, but he was looking at the staircase leading upstairs, indicating that we should go that way. I noticed there were no cars nearby, the ground was covered with thick dust, and the walls appeared stained and mottled, possibly due to water leakage, with some white plaster peeling off. The words "Emergency Exit" flickered incessantly, creating a feeling of darkness that seemed more pronounced than in other places, imbued with an air of decay and malevolence.
As he spoke, he handed me a small red paper package. I took it, unfolded it, and inside was a piece of yellow paper folded into a triangle, adorned with orange-red lines; it was indeed a talisman. I carefully repackaged it and placed it in my pants pocket, secretly admiring my cousin. He truly was a successful individual, rich in experience from the world, meticulous in his thoughts, and would not undertake anything without assurance. I could rest easy following him.
Xu Guangli squinted his eyes and said: "The Sports Lottery and the Welfare Lottery are new things, with complex combinations that differ from what the secret manual states. I am afraid it won't work. 'Guessing the Zodiac' is the method closest to what is in the secret manual, and it is based on the official winning numbers from Hong Kong, ensuring absolute fairness and justice, with no falsification... You don't need to ask too many questions; just trust me and follow along."