Lost in the Otherworld

A few minutes later, the five emerged from the small grove, facing the flank of Lishan Mountain, which loomed like a sleeping giant. The sky above was an oppressive shade of ashen green, and the night was poised to shroud the quiet valley.

Before them lay a dry pond, with a vegetable garden fenced in bamboo to its left, long abandoned and overrun with weeds. Beyond the pond and garden stood a small village, with a dozen or so houses scattered in a trapezoidal shape at the foot of the mountain, all dilapidated mud-brick homes.

A narrow stone path wound its way through the front yards of these houses, snaking up the slope, where at the summit sat a black-bricked, white-tiled manor—vaguely discernible as an old ancestral hall.

The five walked along the dirt path by the pond, passed through the garden, and reached the entrance to the village. Darkness had fallen completely, and the village was deserted, save for the eerie whispers of the wind, the faint chirping of insects, and other unsettling sounds impossible to describe.

Officer Wu switched on his flashlight, illuminating a cracked stone stele at his feet. The word “Ancient” engraved upon it had fractured along with the stone, giving it an eerie appearance.

“W-wait…” Fat Jun’s face turned pale, and his throat tightened. “I... I suddenly don’t feel well. Maybe I should head back to the villa basement, tie myself up, and just stay there.”

To be honest, Gao Yang also felt a bit creeped out—this was, after all, a ghost village where a massacre and a collective disappearance had taken place. But since they had come this far, and considering the sunk costs, he steeled himself to press on.

Wang Zikai, hands in his pockets and flashlight in hand, strode forward with a swagger, kicking over a bamboo basket by the roadside with no regard for fear.

Qing Ling remained expressionless, though her cautious demeanor betrayed a quiet vigilance.

“Are you really that scared?” Officer Huang asked Fat Jun.

“This place really feels cursed, Officer Huang,” Fat Jun muttered, like a startled bird, darting glances in every direction. “A fortune teller once told me that my constitution attracts unclean things, and I should avoid places with heavy yin energy. I feel a chill here... it's unsettling.”

“I’m an atheist. If you’re scared, just go back,” Officer Huang didn’t press him.

Fat Jun glanced back at the path they had come from. The night had deepened, and it seemed as though countless dangers lurked in the darkness. Still hesitating, he watched as the others began to move ahead. Left behind, Fat Jun felt the air grow even colder around him. Shivering, he hurried after them. “Wait up! Don’t leave me behind…”

The five soon climbed a small hill, arriving at the ancestral hall at the farthest end of the village.

The hall was built against a cliff, flanked by two grimacing stone lions. Its green-brick walls were covered in damp moss, and the black lacquer on the gate was peeling. Above the entrance hung a plaque, coated in dust and cobwebs, upon which the faded words "Gu Clan Ancestral Hall" could still barely be made out in traditional characters.

Officer Huang approached the large black door and lifted the lion-shaped knocker, tapping it lightly three times.

*Bang, bang, bang.* The deep, ancient sound echoed through the darkness.

“The door’s been knocked. Can we go in now?” Officer Huang turned to look at Fat Jun.

Fat Jun, his rotund body shrinking behind Gao Yang, peeked out nervously. “D-don’t ask me… how would I know?”

Officer Huang inserted a brass key into the lock. “No mistake, it’s the right one.”

He took a deep breath and turned the key. A crisp *click* rang out.

Gao Yang had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, Officer Huang grimaced. “It seems the key broke.”

“Move aside! You’re all wasting time!” Wang Zikai, already itching for action, stepped forward and kicked the door with all his might.

*Bam!* The force of his kick sent half the door crashing to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

“Alright, brats! Your grandpa’s here!” Wang Zikai charged in without hesitation.

The others exchanged glances and hurried in after him.

Inside was a square courtyard, with two-story buildings on three sides, exuding an ancient charm. Above them, a skylight allowed a dim shaft of light to fall into the center of the courtyard, directly onto a dry well.