Although the snowstorm had stopped, the cold in the air still stung the little girl's cheeks red. She bounced and skipped, trying to drive away the chill.
"I'm starving! Why aren't Dad and the others back yet?"
The aroma of roast chicken drifting through the air made the little girl swallow hungrily. I watched Tony Tang, who hovered above the bridge railing, smiling at the girl. He still had half a chicken in his hand, and with a gentle push—
With a sharp snap, the little girl jumped, nearly petrified with fright. She glanced around nervously, but the roast chicken wrapped in brown paper before her sent up fragrant steam. She didn’t think too much, grabbed it, and devoured the remaining half with greedy bites.
Tony Tang laughed heartily at her side, though the little girl couldn’t see him. I was puzzled, looking around at the scene—many of the roadside buildings had stood for more than thirty years.
After a while, the little girl finished eating, clasped her hands in thanks, her face full of satisfaction. Though she was still a bit scared, unsure how roast chicken could fall from the sky, she decided maybe it was a gift from the Mountain God, and her smile returned.
Soon, the little girl left, and Tony Tang didn’t mind. He quietly took out a comb, observing it on the bridge, his eyes filled with endless longing. I was surprised—Jerry Li and Allen Zhang had said this guy was trouble, but he didn’t seem that way now.
Near noon, the little girl returned, carrying a small basket filled with wildflowers, many only found in winter. She placed them at the bridge, hands pressed together, murmuring prayers. Tony Tang watched, a mischievous smile on his face, and with a tap of his finger, touched the girl's cheek.
The girl cried out in surprise, but when she looked, the flowers were gone. Tony Tang already held them in his hand. Once a ghost takes something, shrouded in yin energy, people can't see it. The girl thought the Mountain God had heard her prayers, and thanked him desperately.
The scene shifted. I quietly watched memories flicker by. Her parents and older sister had gone to Exile Town to sell dried goods, but the heavy snow kept them from returning—the road ahead was blocked. This little girl was June Wu, left alone at home. Thankfully, neighbors made sure she got a few good meals.
That morning was the day her parents were supposed to return. The dried food they'd left was gone, and there was no rice left in the house. June Wu braved the cold, running several kilometers to the bridge to wait for them. She wasn’t familiar with the road ahead—it was narrow, and she didn’t dare cross, just as her parents had warned her.
Still, every day June Wu came to the bridge, whispering her hopes. Tony Tang listened, smiling faintly, sometimes teasing the little girl. At first, he truly frightened her, but gradually June Wu lost her fear. Stories of ghosts and gods persisted in these times, called superstition by some, but still passed through fields and villages. June Wu knew a little of such things.
"Mountain God, please don't scare me anymore. When I grow up, I'll bring you good food and drinks every day. Please, keep my parents and sister safe and bring them home."
Tony Tang, for reasons unknown, drifted away and headed for Exile Town. The road, buried under days of snow, had collapsed and was still blocked. June Wu’s parents were trapped there, frantic with worry—she was only eight, alone at home, and they couldn’t rest easy.
Once Tony Tang understood everything, he used his power to clear the rubble and snow from the road in an instant. To the people of that era, it was a bizarre sight—but no one dared speak of it.
The next morning, as June Wu left the neighbor’s house and headed for the bridge, her parents had returned. She was stunned—she’d made her wish just yesterday, and today they were back, bringing her plenty of treats.
June Wu ate happily, but didn’t forget to go to the bridge and offer thanks to the Mountain God in her heart.
Tony Tang delightedly took the food June Wu offered. When she returned home and told her parents about the Mountain God, they dismissed it—there were no ghosts or gods, they said; modern people shouldn’t believe such things.
But June Wu’s story spread. Many in the town believed—after all, clearing the collapsed road should have taken a month, with explosives and hard labor, but it was fixed in a single day. The miracle left people astonished.
Curious, many townsfolk came to the bridge at night to pray and make offerings, voicing their wishes. Tony Tang would laugh to himself, but soon, with nothing better to do, he truly began playing the role of the Mountain God.
For a time, some wishes came true, though only in small ways—a little luck here, a small favor there. Word spread from the town to nearby villages, even to Exile Town: this bridge was home to the Mountain God. People flocked to it in droves, worshipping as if on pilgrimage.
Eventually, the authorities grew dissatisfied. Under orders from above, the bridge was to be demolished and rebuilt—it was too old, at risk of collapse. A ban was issued: no one was to spread stories about the place.
"What's going on lately? Why has no one come to worship?"
Tony Tang stared at the deserted bridge, puzzled. The townspeople no longer came—they took the mountain road instead, or braved the rickety wooden bridge downstream.
"Boss Tang, this is a strange place. Should we move to the city instead?"
Some of Tony Tang’s ghosts thought about heading to Exile Town for a bit of fun, but Tony Tang just shook his head.
"What’s the point of going there? If too many ghosts gather, it’ll cause all kinds of trouble. Isn’t it better to stay here?"
Many ghosts wore bitter expressions, some nearly desperate. In these poor, remote places, most ghosts were starving—there were fewer rituals, less food for them. And Tony Tang had forbidden them from causing trouble.
The wind and snow grew fiercer over the next few days. Most people stayed home, waiting for the New Year to pass. The order to demolish the bridge had already come down. Some workers had heard stories about the bridge and were afraid, but in the end, they decided to blow it up before the holiday and start rebuilding in spring.
For reasons he couldn’t explain, Tony Tang couldn’t let go of that little girl. He waited at the bridge every day, but he dared not enter the town—if he did, misfortune would follow. Even if he suppressed his ghostly aura, the chill of his presence would spread wherever he went.
The day to blow up the bridge drew closer. June Wu was restless, wanting to go to the bridge, but her parents forbade it. She wanted to warn the Mountain God about the demolition, to urge him to leave quickly.
One night, June Wu finally found a chance to sneak out, running several kilometers before reaching the bridge. She shouted, telling the Mountain God the bridge was about to be destroyed, begging him to escape.
But under that moonlit sky, Tony Tang was nowhere to be found. Instead, many vengeful ghosts gathered—they lived not far from here.
Some of the vengeful ghosts eyed the delicate little girl hungrily, wanting to devour her, but their fear of Tony Tang held them back. None dared act, but June Wu refused to leave. She stayed by the bridge, determined to wait for the Mountain God's reply until dawn.
Gradually, more ghosts gathered. Some couldn’t hold back any longer—they seized June Wu. She never knew what happened, simply fell asleep. Some ghosts carried her toward Exile Town, desperate to escape this place. They envied ghosts like the Green Wraith, who never needed to eat. But they starved if they went without food.
They didn’t dare eat June Wu so close to the bridge—a hint of death would alert Tony Tang. Their plan was to take her to the town and find a place to devour her.
"Little girl, why are you alone in a place like this?"
June Wu woke up, stunned. She looked around in terror. Before her stood an old man. I stared at him in surprise—wasn’t this Master Zachary Wu?
Now June Wu was in Exile Town, surrounded by darkness. The vengeful ghosts lurking nearby dared not approach Master Zachary Wu—they could see the faint golden glow surrounding his body.
"Leave."
I watched in surprise as the vengeful ghosts retreated. Master Zachary Wu asked June Wu where her home was. Crying, she told him, and he simply smiled and said he’d take her back.
Master Zachary Wu knew that a missing child would cause chaos by morning. He had to get the little girl home.
He carried June Wu, who was still quietly sobbing. Soon, she fell asleep, and Master Zachary Wu quickened his pace, marching forward.
The moonlight gleamed on the snow as they reached the bridge. A crowd of vengeful ghosts had gathered, surrounding Master Zachary Wu, waiting for their leader, Tony Tang.
"Old Taoist, this is our territory. What are you doing here?"
One of the vengeful ghosts asked. Master Zachary Wu just chuckled.
"The world is vast, and every path is underfoot. Let’s keep things convenient for everyone, shall we?"
As Master Zachary Wu spoke, many vengeful ghosts looked ready to attack. Suddenly, a flash of green light appeared—a Green Wraith landed before Master Zachary Wu.
"All of you, step aside. Let me deal with this Taoist. Since you’re already here, don’t think you can leave. Taoist, we ghosts have plenty of reasons to hate your kind."