Chapter 9: The Ghost Building
When Guan Hai saw the caller ID was Wang Qing, he looked at Yang Haoran, seeking his opinion.
Yang Haoran took a drag from his cigarette and said, "Answer it. Just say we're still on the way back to the countryside and definitely won't be back tonight."
Although Guan Hai was very reluctant, he still answered the call. Immediately, Wang Qing's alluring voice rang out from the other end.
"Brother Guan, have you arrived?"
"No, not yet. Brother Yang's hometown is a bit out of the way, it'll take some more time to get there. Have you already left the bar? " Guan Hai said with a smile, his tone sounding perfectly natural.
"How did you know? Brother Guan, you're amazing! Did your server tell you?"
"I can hear cars passing by on your end. My little bar isn't really suitable for riding horses or driving cars inside," Guan Hai chuckled.
"Oh, Brother Guan, you're so annoying! I love it. How about I go grab some more late-night snacks? I'll bring some back for you. Just hurry back after you've sent that one home, and I'll wait for you to eat slowly~" Wang Qing's words carried a hidden meaning, and how could a 'Love Saint' like Guan Hai not understand the implication? He instantly grew a little excited.
However, seeing Yang Haoran gently shake his head, his heart sank with impatience. After a moment of hesitation, he ultimately chose to trust Yang Haoran.
From the other end of the line came a seductive laugh. Wang Qing replied, "Alright then, I'll be waiting for your call anytime, Brother Guan. Just don't stand me up, okay?"
After hanging up, Guan Hai's face was etched with disappointment, as if a piece of his own flesh had been torn away. Just by looking at his expression, Yang Haoran could feel a pang of sympathetic pain.
"Haizi, I don't know how to explain it to you, but I just feel that woman isn't right. And I truly sensed that chilling coldness emanating from her. I can confirm it was coming from her, so. . ."
Yang Haoran hadn't finished speaking when Guan Hai interrupted him with a raised hand. "Brother Yang," he said, "I believe you. We're brothers. I can feel your sincerity; I know you're genuinely worried something might happen to me. So you don't need to explain. Even if you've misjudged her, it doesn't matter. At least I haven't misjudged you."
Guan Hai's words made Yang Haoran feel a bit embarrassed. In truth, his feeling that Wang Qing was problematic was merely intuition, without any concrete evidence. Precisely because of this, he wanted to explain clearly to Guan Hai but didn't know how.
"Brother Yang, you just said she had a chilling aura about her. According to what you're saying, is she. . . a ghost? Can you really see ghosts? " Guan Hai asked, his face full of curiosity.
Guan Hai's question left Yang Haoran even more at a loss for how to explain. He waved a hand and said helplessly, "You should hurry back and rest. I'll explain properly when I have time. For now, just remember my words: it's best to have less contact with her, or no contact at all."
Having said that, Yang Haoran lit another cigarette and walked off into the distance alone. Seeing this, Guan Hai quickly called out, "Where are you going?"
"To go home and sleep, of course. You think I'm going to the crematorium? " Yang Haoran replied testily, without looking back.
"Even if you're going home, you should call a taxi! Are you planning to walk all the way back? " Guan Hai's voice sounded from behind him.
"It's not that far. Walking back will clear my head and sober me up."
Under the crisp moonlight, Yang Haoran tightened his clothes, his figure gradually disappearing from Guan Hai's sight.
After Yang Haoran's figure had completely vanished, Guan Hai took out his phone and scrolled through his contacts, his gaze lingering on Wang Qing's number.
Indeed, this 'Love Saint' hadn't given up yet; his heart was utterly restless. However, after a long hesitation, he glanced towards the spot where Yang Haoran had disappeared. In the end, he still didn't dial that number, instead slipping his phone into his pocket and walking into the residential complex.
Walking home alone, Yang Haoran's mind was a chaotic mess. One reason was the excessive alcohol he'd consumed, and the other, naturally, was Wang Qing.
There was definitely something wrong with Wang Qing; he was certain of that. The reason for his certainty was the peculiar chilling aura emanating from her.
It was currently winter, and past midnight. The weather outside was undeniably cold, but Yang Haoran was dressed warmly and didn't feel much chill.
However, the coldness emanating from Wang Qing was different. It seemed unaffected by her clothes, a chill that penetrated directly to one's bones, fundamentally distinct from the cold brought by the weather.
Based on what Yang Haoran knew and had learned, the chilling aura emanating from Wang Qing should have been Yin Qi, or one could even call it Ghost Qi. What he usually referred to as 'Sense Yin' was precisely sensing this very thing. However, he couldn't be certain if this so-called Yin Qi or Ghost Qi was truly related to ghosts; after all, he was just a charlatan, and besides, who could tell truth from falsehood on the internet?
Nonetheless, he still felt it was right to keep Guan Hai away from this woman. Regardless of whether the energy emanating from Wang Qing was Ghost Qi or something else, being close to her would surely lead to no good. He certainly didn't want to one day be doing business for Guan Hai – that would truly be 'splendid'.
As he walked, Yang Haoran's thoughts drifted aimlessly. Suddenly, he felt a sharp chill on his back, a cold sensation instantly spreading from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. A shiver ran through him, his body stiffening on the spot, his hair practically standing on end.
A familiar—a very familiar feeling. . .
Yang Haoran had felt this chilling sensation when he was close to Wang Qing. Not much time had passed since then, so he naturally wouldn't forget it.
However, the chilling cold he felt now was much more intense than the feeling Wang Qing had given him; the two were simply not on the same level.
The fear in his heart kept him from daring to glance back. It felt as if something was standing directly behind him at that very moment, staring at him with a chilling intensity, regarding him as prey.
His stiff body trembled slightly. It was then that Yang Haoran suddenly realized he had, without noticing, arrived in front of a dilapidated Ghost Building.
Under the moonlight, the dilapidated Ghost Building stood like a malevolent specter baring its fangs and claws. It seemed to struggle out of hell, its gaping maw ready to swallow him whole.
Yang Haoran's heart turned cold, and he cursed himself for having walked here. He still didn't dare to look back. His stiff body, imbued with some unknown strength, broke into a full hundred-meter sprint, as if fleeing for his life, desperate to rush out of this narrow path.
The path wasn't long. Yang Haoran ran with all his might, and after about two minutes, he finally escaped it.
As he burst out of the path, the chilling aura vanished. He stopped, panting heavily, his legs trembling slightly, his heart pounding. He was exhausted, and he was terrified.
He glanced back. Under the moonlight, he could still vaguely make out the Ghost Building. In the crisp moonlight, the building looked exceedingly eerie. Even a distant glance made him shiver involuntarily.
Yang Haoran, of course, knew this Ghost Building. If one passed through the small path in front of it, they wouldn't be far from his street. During the day, not many people or vehicles passed by this path. Only two types of people ignored the Ghost Building beside the path and resolutely chose to take this shortcut to his street.
These two types of people were, first, outsiders who didn't know the Ghost Building's spooky stories; ignorance made them fearless. The second type were the brave ones. They had, of course, heard about the supernatural occurrences related to this Ghost Building, but being bold and disbelieving in ghosts and spirits, they dared to pass along the path in front of it.
However, this was strictly limited to daytime. Once night fell, not only did the Ghost Building become even more sinister and terrifying, but even the small path outside it grew dense with Ghost Qi. Ordinary people, needless to say, certainly wouldn't dare pass along this path. Even those two types of people just mentioned, if they had walked this path at night even once, would absolutely not dare a second time. This was because anyone who passed along this path would feel a chilling fear originating from the depths of their soul. No matter how brave they were, no matter if they disbelieved in ghosts and gods, they would be profoundly startled by the environment and that chilling cold.
Over time, once night fell, no one would pass along the path in front of the Ghost Building, with the exception of a very few passing outsiders.
Yang Haoran wouldn't usually pass along this path. Even during the day, he'd rather take a detour than go this way. As for night, there was even less to say; he wouldn't want to go near here even if it meant death.
Tonight, because he had drunk too much and was burdened by worries, he had unwittingly found himself here. If not for that sudden, bone-deep coldness that startled him awake, he wouldn't even have noticed he had arrived at such a hellish place.
The reason this place was so sinister and terrifying naturally had much to do with its chilling stories. However, at this moment, Yang Haoran hardly dared to recall the various rumors about this Ghost Building, nor the spooky tales about this small path. First, he had been startled by the chilling aura from Wang Qing; now, here, he was startled again. He wasn't an exorcist, nor a ghost-hunting master; he was just a charlatan with no real abilities. To encounter two inexplicable events consecutively in one night, it was certain he would be terrified.
Taking several deep, ragged breaths, Yang Haoran dared not linger. As he shakily pulled a cigarette from his pocket, he quickened his pace toward his convenience store. The sounds of his footsteps, his heavy breathing, and the clicks of his lighter echoed hollowly in the street.
His trembling hands clicked the lighter more than a dozen times, but it failed to light the cigarette. Yang Haoran felt a mix of nervousness and irritation. Just then, a black shadow suddenly darted out in front of him, startling him into a scream—
"Ah!"
Yang Haoran's body gave a violent jolt, and he reflexively leaped backward, utterly oblivious to the cigarette falling from his mouth. His gaze, full of dread, darted towards the black shadow.
Under the streetlamp, the black shadow that had suddenly shot past him was, surprisingly, a large, plump black cat!
As if sensing Yang Haoran's gaze, the large black cat stopped, looked at him, and let out a 'meow'.
Yang Haoran was seething with anger, nearly scared to death by the creature. In a fit of pique, he flung the lighter in his hand, throwing it at the black cat.
"What the hell are you meowing for? ! You scared the crap out of me!"
The lighter exploded upon hitting the ground. The black cat, startled, meowed repeatedly and vanished in an instant.
Just then, a window in the residential building above where the black cat had been suddenly flew open. A middle-aged woman, heavily made up, began to curse loudly in Yang Haoran's direction: "What the hell are you yelling for in the middle of the night? ! Aren't people supposed to get some sleep and run their businesses? ! You damned drunkard, throwing a drunken fit! Watch out, a car might just run you over!"
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