Chapter 40: Nightfall!

Chapter 40: Nightfall!

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation

“Stop! Don’t touch that rice – it’s an offering for the deceased!”

In a state of panic, Gao Ming dashed towards Wan Qiu, intent on stopping him. However, displaying a surprising strength, Xuan Wen grabbed Gao Ming, effectively restraining him from moving further.

Wan Qiu, his lips smeared with a haunting shade of red, shifted uneasily, agony etched across his face. His neck spasmed violently as a horrifying mixture of blood and half-chewed rice spilled from his mouth. “You... you all...” he stammered, his voice barely more than a garbled whisper, his expression a constantly shifting tableau of pain and confusion.

The room was charged with a palpable eeriness. Heavy curtains billowed in the cold, intrusive wind while scraps of ceremonial joss paper drifted to the floor. The walls and ceiling bore the marks of age and neglect, cracked and peeling, giving the impression of insects scuttling in the shadows.

Amidst this chilling ambiance, Wan Qiu spoke again, his voice quivering with emotion, reminiscent of an elderly person overcome with sorrow, “Ahead, a tiger awaits; behind, a ghost lurks. Neither the heavens answer, nor the earth offers its blessings...” His words seemed to carry a deeper, more ominous message as if something within the room was attempting to communicate through him to Gao Ming and Xuan Wen.

“Ghosts prey on humans, humans consume flesh, and flesh in turn devours ghosts,” Wan Qiu rambled incoherently, his mouth a gruesome sight, his lips torn and bloodied. Despite the horrific injury, he continued to speak in nonsensical phrases. This eerie scene escalated as the round table in the room began to shake violently, culminating in bowls of pristine white rice crashing to the floor in disarray.

“In consuming, you might yet live...” These cryptic words were the last Wan Qiu uttered before collapsing. Gao Ming, no longer held back, rushed to his side to assist him.

In the meantime, Xuan Wen, curiosity piqued, ventured into an adjoining room, which had been converted into a makeshift shrine. There, memorial tablets and portraits of eight individuals, presumably deceased, were arranged with solemn respect. In their black-and-white photographs, their eyes appeared unnervingly open, as if fixated on the chaotic scene at the table.

“These must be the victims of that horrific mass family murder,” Xuan Wen observed, noting the still-burning incense sticks. “Has someone been continuously honoring them?”

The sound of the shattering rice bowls echoed ominously, prompting Gao Ming to worry that it might attract unwanted attention. He hoisted Wan Qiu up, intent on making a swift exit.

As they pushed open the door to leave, the metal entrance door unexpectedly swung open, colliding with an approaching figure.

“Don’t be alarmed! It’s not what you think!” exclaimed Wu Bo, oddly overdressed for the warm weather, with worn talismans peeling off his clothes.

“Why are you here?” Gao Ming questioned, taken aback by the sudden appearance.

“There’s no time to explain – we need to get out of here, now!” Wu Bo urged them, hastily leading the way through the dimly lit corridor of the fifth floor, skillfully navigating a gap in the railing to make their escape to Building B.

Catching his breath, Wu Bo collapsed to the floor, “You’re braver than I thought. Are you aware of the number of murders that have taken place in Building A on Sishui Street? That place is haunted!”

Gao Ming, crouching beside Wu Bo, countered, “But you’re always in and out of there. Those memorial portraits – you’re the one who’s been keeping up the rites for them, aren’t you? What’s your connection to the victims of that family massacre?”

“Purchase these protective talismans from me, and I’ll share what I know,” Wu Bo offered after a brief pause, a hint of business-like seriousness in his tone. “It’s like buying a safeguard against disasters. You can trust my services.”

“We need to get out of the apartment for now,” Gao Ming decided.

Outside, the evening was growing tense as police cars patrolled the area, setting up barricades for the impending operation.

Gao Ming joined forces with Zhu Miao Miao and Yan Hua from the restaurant and secured a private room to discuss their next steps. He quickly briefed them on the eerie occurrences inside the apartment complex.

“This paranormal event is definitely at a Level 4, if not higher, and it’s far from ordinary. The building is swarming with an array of spirits in a highly complex environment.” Gao Ming’s voice betrayed his anxiety, “Last time, I survived a Level 3 event because the ghosts were not hostile towards me. This time, our safety is far from guaranteed.”

He looked around the room, weighing his words carefully before continuing, “Think very carefully before you answer my next question.”

“Go ahead,” Xuan Wen urged, her tone suggesting she had already anticipated his question and resolved her decision.

“The likelihood of us not surviving this event is over 90%. If you’re willing to face these odds with me, stay. Anyone who prefers not to take this risk can head back to the Bureau. I won’t hold it against you.” Gao Ming’s expression softened slightly after laying out the stark reality.

To everyone’s surprise, Zhu Miao Miao was the first to respond, “I’ll stay. I’m an investigator with the Bureau. It’s my duty to confront these anomalies.”

As the group processed her decision, Xuan Wen tapped the table for attention, “Count me in too. Someone has to keep an eye on you both.”

With a frown betraying his resolve, Yan Hua cut to the chase, “Enough talk. What’s our move tonight?” His commitment was clear; the thought of leaving had never crossed his mind.

Gao Ming, concerned, pressed them, “Are you sure about this? We’re walking into a Level 4 paranormal event without proper armament, facing an unknown number of powerful entities. It’s almost like marching to our doom.”

“I’m joining too,” interjected Wan Qiu, now regaining his clarity. He grabbed Gao Ming’s wrist with a sense of urgency, “There are eight souls... they are waiting for me...” His words added another layer of solemnity to their mission.

With a unanimous decision from the group, Gao Ming finally solidified their plan, “Alright, as night falls, we’ll bypass the Bureau’s main operation and make our way in from a different side.”

In the hours leading up to their covert mission, they dedicated their time to meticulously studying every known murder case connected to Sishui Street, committing to memory the locations of all the reportedly haunted houses. Their preparation was thorough, leaving nothing to chance as they awaited the cover of darkness.

Meanwhile, the relentless downpour that had drenched the city for days was showing signs of subsiding. The skies, however, remained a brooding canvas of heavy clouds, foretelling more than just a meteorological storm.

A light drizzle gently dotted the fleet of black cars parked along the street. The area around the apartments had been completely sealed off by the authorities; people could enter, but no one was allowed to leave.

The scene was a hive of activity, with investigators dressed in the distinctive black uniforms of the Hanhai Investigation Bureau scurrying around. These were the elite operatives, specially called in for this critical operation.

While most of the city’s inhabitants were breathing a sigh of relief at the prospect of the rain’s end, yearning for clear skies, the group of investigators, hidden from the public eye, were silently converging on their target: Building A of the Sishui Apartments. The ominous building stood as a silent testament to the mysteries and horrors they were about to confront.