Chapter 50: The Unexpected Sixth Person

After kicking and breaking that crooked-neck tree, Yang Cheng and the others continued forward.

I don't know if his action had any effect, but after walking several more li forward, they finally no longer saw that crooked-neck tree.

"You see, I said earlier, what ghost wall, we just took a wrong turn just now, so people shouldn't scare themselves."

The others quickly chimed in with praise, "Brother Cheng is awesome, even if there really were ghosts, seeing how formidable Brother Cheng is, they'd have been scared off."

"That's right, even if ghosts came, what could they do? We've sold so many people, we've never tried selling ghosts."

"Our yang energy is abundant, those demons and monsters wouldn't dare approach us."

The remaining few burst into laughter, joking a few times, the originally tense atmosphere was dispelled, becoming relaxed again.

"If we walk another ten or so minutes, we should be able to get down the mountain."

Yang Cheng revealed a smug smile, just as the atmosphere was harmonious and everyone was full of hope.

The originally lively squad suddenly fell into dead silence, as if someone had choked their throats, and nobody could make a sound.

The scene suddenly became quiet; Yang Cheng still felt a bit unadjusted and couldn't help asking, "What's wrong with you all?"

"Cheng, Brother Cheng, you, look ahead, what is that?"

The speaker's voice trembled badly, his face ashen as paper, as if he had seen something terrifying.

"With that expression, could you possibly be seeing ghosts?"

Yang Cheng glanced over casually, and in an instant his eyes bulged, all color draining from his face.

Because what they saw was actually more terrifying than a ghost—a perfectly intact crooked-neck tree appeared before their eyes!

"Well, maybe it just looks a bit similar; it's not the one Brother Cheng kicked earlier."

Originally everyone still harbored a faint hope, thinking it merely looked somewhat alike, but after seeing the strips of cloth fluttering on the tree,

everyone was about to go crazy!

This tree is exactly the one Yang Cheng kicked over earlier!

Yet now it stands upright before them again, its drifting strips of cloth seeming to silently mock their naivety.

Yang Cheng stared wide-eyed, his eyes bloodshot, fear almost spilling from his expression—not just him, the others wore similar looks.

"This place is really too evil."

"There can't really be ghosts, can there?"

"Just now Brother Cheng clearly kicked this tree over, how could it pop up again."

The unchanging surroundings, plus the crooked-neck tree that is ghost‑like, ever‑present, impossible to shake off—even after Yang Cheng kicked it over, it ends up intact before them again.

No matter what, they cannot find a way out.

One strange occurrence after another, like a huge boulder, presses on them until they can barely breathe.

Everyone is almost driven mad.

The timid ones in the group have already burst into tears.

Having thought they saw hope, they instead plunged again into the depths of despair, as if a pair of invisible hands were arbitrarily manipulating everything, enjoying the desperate faces of these human traffickers.

"What do we do, Brother Cheng? We've really run into a ghost this time."

Yang Cheng feigned calm, "There are no ghosts; what era is this, still clinging to feudal superstition?"

If one overlooks his ashen face and trembling tone, his words still sound somewhat convincing.

Everyone fell into panic, only Hu Xiaocao remained the most composed, his expression even holding a hint of anticipation, forming a stark contrast with Yang Cheng and the others.

Several adults were even less composed than a child.

It's a pity that those caught in panic didn't notice Hu Xiaocao's abnormality, and even if they had, they wouldn't have thought much of it.

The mountain wind wailed incessantly, pallid moonlight fell on their faces, thick mist surrounded them, making the road invisible, as if they were trapped in some strange encirclement.

Cold wind whooshed in from behind their necks, as if someone kept blowing chilly air on their backs, exposing skin that broke out in countless goosebumps.

"Go, keep moving forward."

When Yang Cheng said this, his teeth were chattering.

Everyone trembled like frightened quail, huddling together, warily scanning their surroundings.

Afraid that something might suddenly appear in the vast white fog.

They proceeded cautiously, unsure if it was an illusion, feeling that the surrounding mist had thinned considerably, at least now they could see shadows on the ground.

For them, this counts as good news.

A blessing in misfortune.

The thinning mist indicates they can see the road clearly and will soon be able to leave this ghostly place.

Yang Cheng produced the compass again, wanting to determine direction and position, but the compass wouldn't budge at all.

"Damn, the chain dropped at the crucial moment."

Yang Cheng spat out a curse and threw the compass to the ground.

The compass instantly shattered into pieces.

Now the path underfoot can barely be made out, but most of the surrounding area remains a hazy blur.

Now they cannot tell direction, and after all that random wandering earlier, they don't even know where they are.

Although the mist shows a tendency to disperse, it will likely take a while to clear completely, and they cannot afford to stay put.

Moreover, after what just happened, they dare not linger any longer.

Ma Tian glanced at the compass on the ground, his peripheral vision catching something, "One, two..."

"What are you counting at a time like this!"

Yang Cheng impatiently cut him off; already anxious and flustered, the counting sounded like a death countdown,

Ma Tian pointed at the ground, his hand shaking like a Parkinson's patient, his face as white as a specter.

"Why, we clearly only have five people, yet there's an extra shadow on the ground?"

The instant the words hit the floor, the whole venue fell dead silent.

Yang Cheng rubbed his eyes; so terrified were his features that they became somewhat distorted.

With the four of them plus Hu Xiaocao, Yang Cheng led the way, Ma Tian brought up the rear, Liu Siming was ahead, and logically there should be no one behind him.

But now a shadow has appeared behind him!

At that moment, Ma Tian's heart turned icy cold, like deep winter, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, and the blood in his body instantly congealed into ice.

That sixth person is right behind him!

Everyone's faces showed shock; the five‑person team truly had gained an extra member!

Who could that sixth person be?

When did he appear, and yet no one noticed at all?

Ma Tian couldn't help swallowing; his throat felt like it had blades, cutting him painfully, while that so‑called sixth person stood right behind him.

He held his flashlight and slowly turned his head, feeling time stretch longer than ever before.

"Click—click—"

Ma Tian seemed to hear his own teeth clacking, but quickly realized it wasn't his—it was the sound made by that sixth person!

It was grating beyond bearing, as if countless bones and joints were rubbing together to produce that noise.

Finally, as his head turned with his shoulders and he cleared the view behind him, the scene that met his eyes would haunt Ma Tian for the rest of his life.

A pair of hollow black eyes stared at him; a sudden chill surged through his heart.

(End of chapter)