After dinner, I returned to my room. Suddenly, my eyes widened—the thick volume of Horror Stories I had just placed back on the shelf was missing. I searched everywhere, and after a long while, finally found it.
At first I was startled, thinking something was wrong—afraid it might be connected to ghosts again. But as far as I could remember, I never lent this book to anyone else. I opened it.
The first story: The Lost Village. The introduction described three men and two women arriving at an abandoned village, experiencing seven days and nights of bone-chilling events.
I chuckled and began flipping through it. But then, my eyes widened again—why was there only content on the first page, while the rest was blank? Nothing at all.
When I reached the last page.
"Do you believe there are ghosts in this world? Whether you do or not, ghosts are always around you. (Just kidding)"
"Damn." I cursed out loud, immediately wanting to throw the book away. Then I carelessly tossed it back onto the shelf—someone must be playing a prank. But who?
A gust of wind blew in. I rushed to close the window. With a smack, the book fell to the floor. After shutting the window, I put the book back.
Then I laughed.
"Ghosts... At this point, I'm not afraid anymore."
Afterward, my father and I started chatting, reminiscing about when I was a child, about the courtyard we used to live in, and the strange disappearances of children.
"Qingyuan, not long ago, those missing children's bodies were found. Ever since that incident, hardly anyone goes near there. A homeless man discovered them by accident, and now the police have started investigating."
"Did they find the culprit?"
My dad shook his head.
"Sigh, it's been more than ten years. There's no way to find the culprit now. Back then, after the neighbors claimed their children's bodies, there was a huge commotion. Only recently did things finally quiet down."
I checked the time—it was just past nine o'clock—and stood up.
"Dad, I'm going out for a bit to look up some old friends."
"Come back early, Qingyuan. You just got here, you should rest first. Go out tomorrow or the day after."
"Dad, I've already made plans with my friends."
Then I left home. As I closed the door behind me, I clenched my fist. I hadn't actually made plans with anyone—I just knew that my old place was at most a forty-minute walk away.
There was an unresolved matter from the past, and I had to deal with it myself. It was the only way to find closure.
As soon as I got downstairs, I dashed through the familiar streets, flagged down a cab, and headed toward my old neighborhood.
"Hey, buddy, what are you doing going to a place like that so late at night?"
The taxi driver asked.
"Oh, it's been ages since I came back. I'm meeting some friends over there!"
"North Harmony Road is fine, but whatever you do, don't go to Wisteria Estates. That place is haunted. No one goes there anymore."
I smiled.
"Who says so?"
"You don't sound like a local, do you?"
"That's right, but it's just been a long time since I was here."
"At night over there, you can hear children crying. More than ten years ago, the bodies of those missing kids were found. Ever since then, people passing by say you can hear the crying of children!"
"Hurry up, driver, I'm in a rush."
After more than twenty minutes, the car stopped on North Harmony Road. As expected, aside from the streetlights, there were barely any people around, though a few shops were still open.
The driver reminded me again not to go to Wisteria Estates.
I nodded, got out of the car, and walked over.
My mouth was a bit dry, so I went into a small shop. Inside was a woman smoking and watching TV, looking listless.
"Boss, give me a bottle of water."
The woman handed me a bottle of water.
"Young man, what are you doing here so late at night?"
I smiled.
"I'm supposed to meet up with some friends."
"I'm telling you, don't take it lightly. If you young people are thinking of going to Wisteria Estates for fun, you better not. Recently, a lot of young folks have gone in groups at night after hearing about the hauntings. Some have been scared senseless, and there have even been disappearances."
I let out a sound of surprise.
"Here, if you're going in, take this for a hundred yuan. It might come in handy."
The woman said this as she took out a yellow talisman from the counter and handed it to me.
I smiled and waved my hand.
Under the woman's strange gaze, I left the shop.
I arrived at the entrance of Wisteria Estates. There were eight apartment buildings inside, and I could still see some lights on, so apparently some people still lived there.
"Young man, really, don't go in there. There are ghosts."
The shop woman actually chased after me and grabbed my arm.
I shook my head.
"It's fine. I'm just meeting a friend inside."
"I'm telling you, don't take it lightly. My family used to live there. My son disappeared over ten years ago, and not long ago, I claimed his remains at the police station. But the police never gave a clear explanation. I know it was the ghosts."
I looked in surprise at the woman behind me. Memories from the past flashed through my mind, and I smiled.
"Sorry," I said to the woman behind me. She looked at me in confusion, and at that moment, my feelings were complicated.
If only I could have warned them sooner when I was a child, maybe many families wouldn't have lost their children.
As soon as I stepped into the estates, I felt a chill in the air. There was definitely something wrong here. I clenched my fist.
Withered vines twisted around the small pavilion in the yard. I remembered playing here with many children back in the day. Most of the trees were dead, and the ground was littered with trash and fallen leaves.
Just then, I saw someone rummaging through a trash bin. I stared in surprise.
"You're back here, aren't you?" Suddenly, the person rummaging through the trash turned to look at me. I was startled to see it was the same aunt who had warned me during the Route 146 bus incident and whom I'd seen again at the hospital on Ghost Festival night.
"Auntie, what are you doing here?"
"Go on, the one you're looking to deal with is inside. Be careful." The aunt said, then gradually disappeared.
I smiled and nodded.
"Thank you."
A cold wind blew in my face, and suddenly, the sound of children crying echoed all around. I stayed calm, clenched my fist, and walked slowly forward. The farther I went inside, the clearer the crying and even some laughter became.
"Come out! I'm back!" I shouted angrily, glaring at my surroundings.
A cold, mocking laugh echoed. I swung my fist but wasn't sure where to aim. Then I headed toward the first building, where only one apartment had its lights on.
The hallway was pitch black. I kept climbing. When I reached the third floor and was about to step onto the fourth, a door behind me creaked open.
I instantly gathered killing energy in my hand and turned around.
"Who's there? Come out. Stop lurking in the shadows."
A cold laugh came from inside. I rushed over.
The room was empty except for some leftover trash and dust on the floor, and a musty smell hung in the air.
Bang! The door behind me slammed shut.
Killing energy kept pouring out of my body as I quietly observed my surroundings. Then I saw a picture frame on the living room floor, illuminated by moonlight. I walked over.
I picked up the frame. It was a black-and-white memorial photo, smiling.
"You're the one causing trouble, aren't you? Come out—I have something to ask you."
It was eerily silent. I stared at the picture frame. Suddenly, the eyes of the forty-something person in the photo moved, and then, blood began to drip from the black-and-white image, trickling onto the floor and my hand.
Bang! I threw the frame to the ground, clenched my fist, and punched it. A scream burst out—from inside the photo.
"Come out, or I'll kill you."
As I spoke, the killing energy around my fist intensified.
Whoosh—the door swung open, and a wave of cold air swept in from behind me. I jumped to my feet and turned to see a ghost with cracked, gray-blue skin and outstretched hands lunging at me, mouth wide open.
"Damn." I raised my fist and punched its face, sending the ghost flying with a shriek.
Thumping sounds echoed as windows and doors swung open and shut. It seemed there was more than one ghost—there were many.
"All of you, come out!" I shouted, raising my hand. A sword of killing energy formed. With a stomp, I smashed the picture frame and glared fiercely around as an unnatural wind howled through the windows.
Bang—the door slammed shut again, and then everything went quiet. Suddenly, the room was filled with ghosts, all kinds, whimpering as they stared at me.
"Hmph, so it's a human. Kill him." One ghost, bleeding from seven orifices, rushed at me. I swung my sword and sliced off its hands.
The ghost screamed. I grabbed its head with one hand.
"Tell me—where's the ghost that killed those children?"
I demanded harshly. Suddenly, ghosts grabbed my back and feet.
I let go of the screaming ghost, spun around, and swung my sword, slicing off another ghost's head. It whimpered for a moment before turning to dust.
"Let go of me!" I roared, killing energy surging from my body. The ghosts around me cowered and tried to hide in the walls.
"Damn." I shouted, trying to grab one of the fleeing ghosts.
But all the ghosts vanished into the walls.
Then I quickly picked up the memorial photo from the floor, raising my sword of killing energy.
"Either you come out now, or I'll destroy you right here."
"Spare me! I won't dare anymore, we won't dare! Spare us..."
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