Chapter 1: The Mysterious Female Passenger

Xiao Luo Village is a rural area on the outskirts of the city. Xiao Fei had been there before; it is nearly twenty li away from here. The village is not large, so why is this woman going to Xiao Luo Village so late? Xiao Fei couldn't help but murmur to himself.

Furiously opening the car door, Xiao Fei covered his forehead and quickly walked a few steps to the front of the woman in red. Before he could clearly see her appearance, he couldn't help but angrily question her: "Have you lost your mind? Even if you want to stop the car, you shouldn't run to the front of it. What if I can't stop in time? Who would be to blame if something happens? This is ridiculous."

Xiao Fei truly wanted to give himself a slap on the face, as this was completely out of context. He awkwardly smiled, his old face involuntarily turning red, and dryly laughed, saying: "I didn't mean it that way; I was merely reminding you to pay attention to safety out of goodwill"

Xiao Fei was taken aback. Did this woman want to cling to him? He had clearly told her that he was not leaving, yet she still seemed persistent. Hmph, looking at the woman's unwavering gaze, Xiao Fei couldn't help but shake his head. It seemed this woman truly had some issues. Well, he might as well accept his misfortune; after all, it was his predicament. Turning around, he sighed inwardly. It was late at night, and if he were to leave this woman here unattended, he would indeed feel a bit guilty. At this hour, wanting to find a vehicle like this was akin to dreaming. Almost no one would be out at this time.

With a hint of sarcasm, Xiao Fei did not hold back and, without much thought, blurted out: "Miss, it would be best if you avoid taking a taxi alone in the middle of the night. Do you not know that recently a female passenger was assaulted and murdered by a malicious taxi driver on the way? It is very dangerous at this hour, you—"

Opening the car door, Xiao Fei sat back in the car with a thud, casually closing the door behind him. His forehead still throbbed faintly with pain. Xiao Fei turned his head and glared at the woman, letting out a soft huff: "Miss, I apologize, but I need to go back and rest. You might as well wait for the next vehicle; I am not going anywhere."

Although it was said to be a request for opinions, the matter had already been brought to a head. This statement was clearly an afterthought. In the rearview mirror, the woman's gaze evidently held a hint of mockery, which made Xiao Fei feel somewhat uncomfortable, yet he was too lazy to pay it any mind. Mei Mei took a deep drag, and the earlier awkwardness, along with the previous tension, vanished without a trace. Just as Xiao Fei exhaled, an unexpected incident occurred: all the lights of the taxi suddenly went out at the same moment, plunging everything into darkness. Instinctively, Xiao Fei slammed on the brakes.

"Do you dare?" The woman caught Xiao Fei's gaze in the rearview mirror, displaying a hint of provocation. She directly interrupted Xiao Fei's words, her expression devoid of any fear, clearly somewhat chilling: "I am not afraid, as long as you have the guts."

"Why are you going to Xiao Luo Village alone at such a late hour?" Xiao Fei asked with a hint of melancholy. Sometimes, speaking can help one escape the shadows in their heart, at least preventing them from overthinking.

Although Xiao Fei thought this way, the desolate world still imposed great psychological pressure on him. In the vast, empty countryside, surrounded by endless darkness, and especially being with a woman who had some mental issues, no matter how bold he was, Xiao Fei could not remain indifferent. Deep down, he still harbored some unspeakable concerns.

In that moment of awakening, he saw a woman in a red dress standing not far in front of the car, perhaps only two meters away. The car had already approached. When did this woman run in front of the car? However, there was no time to consider such questions. Instinctively, he slammed on the brakes. Unprepared, Xiao Fei lurched forward, and without a seatbelt, his forehead struck the windshield hard. He only felt a buzzing sound, and the sky was filled with little stars. But there was no time to think about these issues; instinctively, he slammed on the brakes. Unprepared, Xiao Fei lurched forward, and without a seatbelt, his forehead struck the windshield hard. He only felt a buzzing sound, and the sky was filled with little stars.

Then, without waiting for Xiao Fei to refuse, she opened the car door and sat inside. It was only at this moment that Xiao Fei awakened from his earlier shock, cursing himself inwardly. What was he afraid of from a woman? Yet, the image of her pale face and eerie eyes flashed through his mind again, sending a shiver down his spine. What was happening to him? Xiao Fei furrowed his brows, wondering why he felt a hint of fear towards this woman. This was not like him; his friends always called him bold.

Through the rearview mirror, Xiao Fei cautiously observed the woman, feeling a hint of unease in his heart. In the dead of night, in the desolate outskirts, it was already somewhat frightening to be out here, and now he had to be with a woman who seemed to have some mental issues. Even for the usually bold Xiao Fei, he felt a bit uncomfortable, as if the cabin had grown a little cold. Perhaps it was the demons of his mind at play, he thought to himself with a wry smile; if there was anyone to be afraid of, it should be this woman, not himself.

Looking out at the dim streetlights and the empty intersection, Xiao Fei couldn't help but yawn again. Suddenly, he turned the steering wheel sharply, and the car slowly made its way toward home. After not going far, he took a left turn and entered Dongfeng Road

Xiao Fei remembered a news article he had seen in the newspaper some time ago, which reported that a taxi driver, while driving a woman out of the city late at night, had malicious intentions and assaulted her in the suburbs. This news caused widespread panic, and many people were afraid to take a taxi to the suburbs at night. However, he himself encountered someone who was quite bold.

The woman seemed reluctant to continue the topic, as it was evidently a sensitive issue for her. For a moment, there was silence; she did not wish to speak further, and Xiao Fei found himself at a loss for words. This silence undoubtedly made Xiao Fei feel quite awkward. He forced a wry smile, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and placed one between his lips. At that moment, smoking a cigarette was clearly the best choice for Xiao Fei. Firstly, it would alleviate the awkwardness, and secondly, it would provide him with a sense of reassurance. He glanced at the woman in the rearview mirror; her pale face appeared somewhat unsettling. After a brief silence, Xiao Fei quietly said, "Miss, excuse me, I’m going to smoke a cigarette."

Rubbing his slightly swollen eyes, he shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off the drowsiness. However, he felt his eyelids growing heavier. In the dim light, it seemed as if a red shadow flickered under a nearby streetlamp, as if something had suddenly appeared. Xiao Fei was startled and, upon focusing his gaze, saw a woman in a red dress gently waving her hand.

The taxi slowly drove out of the city, the asphalt road growing darker, the lights becoming fewer, distancing itself from the vibrant colors of the city. A not overly wide country road appeared, devoid of streetlights, with patches of woods lining both sides, as if the entire world had fallen silent. In the darkness, there were no other sounds, only the faint hum of the engine.

If it were not for the fact that she was a woman, Xiao Fei would undoubtedly have cursed loudly. However, as his gaze fell upon her face, he found himself unable to continue speaking. The dim light cast upon the woman's face revealed an unusually pale complexion, and her eerie eyes made her originally beautiful features appear somewhat alarming, causing Xiao Fei to shudder suddenly and momentarily freeze in place.

Moreover, a woman staying here late at night, especially with the recent decline in public safety, if anything were to happen, it would weigh heavily on my conscience. I might as well be the one to have bad luck this time. Xiao Fei let out a faint bitter smile, glanced at the woman in the rearview mirror, and, feeling somewhat irritated, said: "You'd better sit tight. Since it's late at night, I'll give you a ride this once."

Xiao Fei was already quite tired, and he felt a subtle sense of aversion towards the woman who had startled him. Therefore, he was not inclined to take on this job, regardless of how much money he could earn; it would be better to go back to sleep. Moreover, this woman appeared to be quite unusual, and Xiao Fei did not want to invite trouble for himself. What if she were a lunatic or had violent tendencies? Although he had some skills from his time in the military, it was still better to avoid unnecessary trouble. However, the woman seemed not to have understood Xiao Fei's words, as she continued to gaze at him coldly, repeating the same phrase: "I want to go to Xiao Luo Village, hurry up, I am in a hurry."

With a turn of the steering wheel, the car surged forward, gradually disappearing into the night. The dim lights and silent streets suggested that the entire city seemed to have fallen into slumber, with only a few glimmers of light visible. In the darkness, an unspoken sense of oppression lingered.

I was truly bewildered; the light was dim, and the woman in red was hiding beside the streetlamp. If it weren't for that fleeting glimpse just now, Xiao Fei would have found it difficult to notice her. The woman was gently waving her hand, her movements so delicate. Although she was right in front of him, the dim light seemed to prevent Xiao Fei from seeing her features clearly.

Unable to resist, he yawned again, and with a shake of his head, Xiao Fei thought to himself that it would be better not to solicit any more customers. His eyes were almost unable to open. In that instinctive moment of slowing down, he told himself this. His eyelids were about to close, hanging heavily down. If possible, Xiao Fei truly wished he could just fall asleep at once, but he still made an effort to shake his head vigorously, trying to drive away the drowsiness as much as he could.

However, that woman seemed not to have heard Xiao Fei's words, still staring straight ahead. In her cold gaze, there was a hint of anxiety, and her expression was somewhat unpredictable, as if she were lost in thought. Yet, she completely ignored Xiao Fei, which made him feel quite awkward as he awaited a response.

Uncertain how much time had passed, Xiao Fei gradually regained consciousness. Rubbing his head, the pain in his forehead reminded him of what had just occurred. His dazed gaze focused on the woman in red ahead of the car, and a surge of anger suddenly welled up from the depths of his heart, nearly compelling him to curse out loud. If it weren't for the fact that the person in front of him was a woman, Xiao Fei would have already unleashed his wrath, thinking that if she wanted to die, she need not drag someone else down with her.

The woman seemed not to have heard Xiao Fei's questioning, and lightly walked to the side of the car door, her gaze directed at Xiao Fei, her voice somewhat subdued: "I am going to Xiao Luo Village"

Xiao Fei glanced at the watch on his wrist; it was almost 1:00. He yawned, feeling his eyelids heavy and difficult to keep open. After a whole day of driving, his body ached all over, and his eyelids were in a constant battle. It was time to go back and rest, yet he was calculating the day's earnings in his mind. After deducting expenses, he should be able to make over 300, which is quite good.

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of thoughts of the woman. However, he couldn't help but ponder in his heart whether this woman might be mentally unstable. She didn't seem to be in good spirits; could she have been affected by some kind of stimulus? In the dead of night, how did he end up entangled in such a situation