That night, I saw uniformed men arrive to handle the scene. Rachel Lan was silent all evening, as if she was troubled by something. I didn’t ask her.
The next morning, Howard came back, looking radiant and humming a tune, while I had barely slept, my mind replaying last night’s events.
I also seemed to understand why John Chou said people from the Nether Syndicate were ruthless.
"Ethan, I asked you to come with me last night, but you wouldn’t. Look at you, all mopey—are you just bottling it up?"
I didn’t tell Howard about last night. After handling the discharge paperwork, we returned to the villa. Howard packed for a while, we ate, and at 1:30, we set off.
It was seven or eight hundred kilometers to our destination. As soon as we hit the road, Howard started bragging about his escapades from last night. I was feeling drowsy and planned to nap for a bit.
After sleeping for a while, Howard shook me awake.
I was groggy, and the car had stopped on the road. It was raining outside, and it looked like there was a traffic jam ahead. I didn’t know what was going on.
After waiting for half an hour, we saw a bunch of people getting out of their cars and walking up ahead.
"Ethan, hop out and take a look."
It wasn’t raining hard. As we walked over, we realized there’d been an accident up ahead. As soon as Howard heard ‘accident,’ he hurried off.
"Let’s not go, Howard."
"What’s there to be afraid of? We’ve seen ghosts—what’s so scary about dead people?"
We’d only walked a short way when we saw a crowd up ahead. We squeezed through, and suddenly I felt uneasy. Blood was everywhere—a huge truck had smashed a bus clear through the guardrail, and a red sedan was totally mangled in front of the truck, blood all over the ground.
A bunch of good-hearted folks were climbing over the guardrail, carrying out the injured. Everyone was pitching in, and we joined too.
As soon as we got there, I saw that the middle of the bus had caved in, and the guardrail was bent outwards.
"Look, Ethan, what a mess."
I looked where Howard was pointing, and my heart skipped a beat. I backed away a few steps.
"Don’t look, Howard."
The truck driver’s head was slumped over the steering wheel, the cab completely crushed. He’d been pinned alive, already dead, blood everywhere.
The scene below was even more gruesome. Howard was about to climb over the guardrail, but I grabbed him.
"Ethan, what are you afraid of? Let’s go help too!"
Helpless, I followed my cousin down. After a short walk, I felt something poke my foot. Looking down, I saw a beautiful red bracelet somehow tangled in my shoe. I bent down and pulled it out.
As I got close to the bus, I nearly threw up. Someone was trapped beneath it, their neck twisted, eyes wide open, blood mixing with rainwater.
I couldn’t look any longer and hurried back to the road. I wasn’t like Howard—he enjoyed this kind of thrill.
A flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a thunderclap. I turned my head to a burst of white light and stared at the truck. The driver’s head, which had been slumped over, was now turned to the side, eyes wide open as if unwilling to die.
I jumped in fright and quickly looked away.
Traffic police and several ambulances arrived. Howard seemed satisfied with the spectacle. I saw him holding a blood-stained photo of a beautiful girl.
“What a shame—so beautiful, and now she’s gone.”
My cousin said this as he wiped the blood off with some tissue and put the photo away.
"What are you doing, Howard?"
“Collecting, of course. I like to collect photos of beautiful women.”
I sucked in a cold breath.
"Howard, don’t do that. What if…"
"What if what? Ghosts have ranks, you know. Master Thomas Zhou told me a bit about it. People who just died are fine—they probably already reported to the Underworld. Besides, I’m wearing a Buddhist Amulet!"
Later, as we walked back to the car, we heard bits and pieces about the accident. Apparently, the truck was overloaded, the road was slick from rain, and the bus didn’t want to follow the truck, so it tried to pass. Just as it was overtaking, the truck skidded.
Soon, we were back on the road.
All day, I felt uneasy. After driving over three hundred kilometers, it was already past six in the evening. We stopped at a roadside service station and found a small shop to eat.
There was a place to stay here. I figured, since it would be late and my cousin was tired from driving, we might as well rest for the night and leave in the morning.
But my cousin was smiling, his eyes fixed on something in the distance. I looked over.
It was a woman in a red skirt suit, black stockings, high heels, and curly hair—quite pretty.
She had just gotten out of a red sedan. My cousin immediately went over to chat her up, and before long, he brought her over to sit with us.
“Miss, help yourself.”
The woman didn’t hold back, digging in as she flirted with my cousin, her almond-shaped eyes teasing him.
She had just gotten out of a red sedan. Howard immediately went over to chat her up, and before long, he brought her over to sit with us.
We introduced ourselves. Her name was Sun Tian, and she was also headed to Putian Temple.
“Miss, it’s getting late. The moment I saw you, you felt so familiar. How about we chat tonight? I’m a Buddhist too—let’s discuss it together. I’ll go book two rooms.”
I listened from the side, feeling helpless. My cousin hadn’t changed at all—whenever he saw someone pretty and easy to talk to, he’d try to get a room with her that same day.
"Hey, miss, why are you traveling so far alone? I’ll tell you, my brother and I are heading to Universal Temple to offer incense."
We introduced ourselves. Her name was Sophie Sun, and she was also headed to Universal Temple.
My cousin eagerly agreed, but then I noticed Sun Tian wearing a red bracelet—the same one I’d found at the accident scene. I studied her closely.
I listened from the side, feeling helpless. Howard hadn’t changed at all—whenever he saw someone pretty and easy to talk to, he’d try to get a room with her that same day.
“Boss, did you see the woman who just ate with us?”
Sophie Sun giggled.
“You ordered too much and couldn’t finish—wasteful.”
My cousin eagerly agreed, but then I noticed Sophie Sun wearing a red bracelet—the same one I’d found at the accident scene. I studied her closely.
My cousin drove after her. I quickly told him about my suspicions, but he said I was being paranoid. It’s not that easy to run into ghosts, he said, and besides, Sun Tian had just eaten with us. How could a ghost eat with people?
My cousin was excited, his eyes glued to the red sedan ahead.
"Let’s go." Seeing Sophie Sun start her car, Howard didn’t hesitate—he pulled me along and left.
“Come on, Qingyuan, it’s my last night—let me enjoy it. Don’t worry, nothing will happen. Even on Ghost Festival night, I was with two women and nothing happened.”
Howard drove after her. I quickly told him about my suspicions, but he said I was being paranoid. It’s not that easy to run into ghosts, he said, and besides, Sophie Sun had just eaten with us. How could a ghost eat with people?
After about an hour, the red car ahead signaled right but pulled to the left. My cousin slowed down and followed.
Howard was excited, his eyes glued to the red sedan ahead.
"Howard, you’re about to become a monk. How can you do that with such a restless mind?"
"Come on, Ethan, it’s my last night—let me enjoy it. Don’t worry, nothing will happen. Even on Ghost Festival night, I was with two women and nothing happened."
“Don’t go in, cousin. Something feels wrong.”
But my cousin was already thinking with his lower half and ignored me completely.
I braced myself and went in. The innkeeper was an old woman with gray hair. As soon as we entered, she gave us a strange look.
There were three sofas in the lobby and a glass coffee table. The interior wasn’t bad.
“Young men, what brings you here?”
“Boss, two rooms—the best you’ve got.”
The old woman glanced at my cousin.
“We’re full, young man. Try somewhere else.”
Sophie Sun went over and managed to get a room, which annoyed Howard.
“Call out the guests—if anyone’s willing, I’ll pay ten times the price for their room.”
“Go elsewhere, young man.” The old woman still refused. I was getting nervous and tried to pull my cousin away, but he wouldn’t give up.
My cousin was overjoyed, grabbed Sophie Sun by the waist, and tried to go in. The old woman shook her head.
My cousin was overjoyed, grabbed Sun Tian by the waist, and tried to go in. The old woman shook her head.
“Young man, you can stay, but at your own risk.”
I grew more suspicious. My cousin ran over.
Howard, you wait here on the sofa for a bit. I’ll go in and chat with her first. If she’s willing later, I’ll let you come in—then the three of us can talk together.
My cousin wouldn’t listen to reason; I could see the lust burning in his eyes.
The old woman went into a back room. The lobby was empty except for me. I was getting scared, my nerves on edge.
I heard footsteps and saw a man in his forties, wearing a white shirt and smoking a cigarette, walk out. He sat next to me, looking troubled.
“Hey, young man, what are you doing here so late?”
I smiled.
He asked if I smoked. I shook my head. We started talking, but when I learned he was a truck driver, I was startled.
“There was an accident up ahead today—did you know?”
I asked tentatively.
Suddenly, the truck driver stood up.
“It’s getting late, young man. I have to go.”
He said this and headed for the door.
I followed, puzzled. Where was he going so late at night?
At the door, I saw a big truck. I hadn’t noticed it when we arrived, but the more I looked, the more familiar it seemed—just like the one from today’s accident.
The truck driver walked over and, before getting in, turned to look at me. I was so scared my face went pale and I collapsed to the ground. His face was covered in blood, his white shirt stained red, and he gave me a cold, chilling smile.