To all readers who have walked with us through Meixi Town
To all the readers who have walked with us through Meixi Town: When the last wisp of "black fog" dissipates, here are all the words we want to say
Dear Reader,
Show your confidence.
As I typed the words "The Final Manuscript of 'Seven Men Exploring a Ghost Town,'" the sky outside the window was just the right color, a stark resemblance to the story of Meixi Town, where the fog finally dissipates and the morning light reveals itself. I sat at my computer, flipping through all the documents from the first draft to the final chapter. I watched the copper box in Su Nian's hand transform from "filled with crimson sun fire" to "holding warm ashes," and saw the determination in Lin Ye's eyes as he took the compass from Chen Yan. Suddenly, I remembered the night I first conceived this story—I worried that a story with a "thriller" exterior might scare you. But later, I discovered that you understood the core of this story better than I thought: what lies behind the "ghost town" and the "evil spirits" is never fear, but the protection between people, the "flame" passed down from generation to generation.
Remember? When we first entered Meixi Town, the black juice beneath the locust tree stakes shone coldly, the scars of the black-robed figures harbored corpse insects, and the footsteps of the vine corpse ghosts echoed in the mist. Back then, you were probably like me, nervously following Su Nian, Chen Yan, and the others—worried about whether Chen Yan's compass would suddenly malfunction, whether Su Mo could evade the corpse insects' attacks, and whether that tiny bit of Red Sun Fire would last until the fog dissipated. But what happened next? We watched "Chen Yan" spit out black blood and secretly licked the corner of his mouth and said "it's a bit sweet" (yes, it was prop blood made from mulberry juice), watched the "Teng Shigui" hook the vines of "Su Nian"'s clothes and the two of them tried to hold back their laughter, watched the second-generation ghost hunters soak orange peels in water to pretend to be "Chiyanghuo", watched everyone gathered around the iron pot to eat hot pot when funds were running out... It turns out that those "thrilling moments" that make us worried, have so many heartwarming little episodes behind them; it turns out that the "ghost hunters" we care about are not only heroes fighting for protection in the story, but also ordinary people on the set who can laugh, stand on tiptoe to play "evil wizards", and pass hand warmers to each other.
I know you've cried bitterly over the "sacrifices" in these stories. When Su Nian held Chen Yan's cold hand, when Lin Ye's companions embraced Hei Teng to ignite the final Red Sun Talisman, when Chen Xi's Yang Gu penetrated the sinister crevice of the rocks to draw the earth's yang energy—perhaps you, in front of the screen or beside the pages of this book, quietly wiped away tears, even wondering, "Can they all be safe?" In fact, I hesitated countless times while writing those scenes. But then I realized that true "courage" is never without a price, just as the fog in Meixi Town didn't dissipate all at once, and protection is never a one-person job. Those who "left" haven't truly gone far: Chen Yan's compass still guides the way, old Gu Master Chen's Yang Gu techniques are still passed down, and even the final incineration of the evil witch tells us that "darkness can never defeat light." And you, along with us, have come to understand all of this.
I've saved every single one of your comments. Someone said, "Every time I see the Red Sun Talisman light up, my heart warms." Someone said, "After reading the extra chapters, I realized the 'Evil Stone' is actually a modified stone, and it suddenly seems even more endearing." Someone said, "I wish there were a group of people like this in real life, supporting each other through the 'Red Sun Fire.'" Someone even noticed that the first generation of ghost hunters had Chen Yan's favorite rice wine, and the second generation of ghost hunters had candles prepared in advance by Lin Ye—these small details you've captured, like tiny stars, have illuminated my storytelling journey. It turns out that a good story is never the work of the author alone. It's your genuine interest in reading, your weeping and laughing with the characters, that imbues every inch of Meixi Town and every prop with real warmth.
Now, the story ends. Someone asked, "Will there still be fog in Meixi Town?" I think, perhaps—but it won't be the terrifying black fog, but rather the morning mist with the fresh fragrance of grass and trees, the light mist kicked up by children chasing each other under the old locust tree at the town entrance, the tender memories that spring up in people's hearts years later when they recall "Seven Men Exploring the Ghost Town." As the story goes, "Some light, even a tiny bit, can penetrate the deepest fog," and your companionship is the brightest part of that light.
Many readers say they "can't bear to see it end," and I'm the same way. I can't bear to see Su Nian standing at the town entrance, I can't bear to see Lin Ye and Chen Xi jumping around to deliver new candles, and I can't bear to see the time I spent waiting to discuss the plot with you after each update. But the story always comes to an end, just like the fog in Meixi Town always dissipates - but the end is not the end, it is another beginning. Perhaps in the future, you will think of the "golden light when the red sun fire meets the yang energy of the earth veins" one morning, and you will think of the "brain-opening special effects" on the set when you see orange peels. When you and your friends protect each other, you will think of a person or a sentence in "Seven People Exploring Ghost Town". If this is true, then this story will never be "over". It will become a small seed, planted in your heart, quietly sprouting when you need courage and warmth.
Finally, I want to say thank you. Thank you for taking the time to accompany seven ghost hunters on that foggy journey. Thank you for tolerating the imperfections in my story and encouraging me along the way, from the awkward first draft to the perfect final chapter. Thank you for teaching me that the greatest joy in storytelling isn't completing a brilliant plot, but resonating with a group of lovely people through words—we've never met, but because of the story of Meixi Town, we've become companions in our journey through ghost towns.
In the future, I may write new stories and explore new "towns," but I will always remember the first time I stood with you at the entrance of Meixi Town, watching those seven figures walk into the fog. I also hope that in your future lives, you will be surrounded by people who have passed on the "Red Yang Talisman," and that you will have the courage to "not be afraid of the black fog." No matter what "difficult roads" you encounter, you can, like Su Nian, Lin Ye, and the others, resolutely walk towards the light—because one day, the fog will dissipate, the light will emerge, and all your protection will not be in vain.
Finally, I want to make a small promise with you: if you pass by an old locust tree in the future and see someone sprinkling rice wine under the tree, or see someone holding a small "Red Sun Talisman", you might as well stop and smile - maybe a "ghost hunter" has returned, or maybe our story is gently meeting the world in another way.
May we all be our own “ghost hunters” and others’ “red sun fire” in our respective lives.
Next time we meet again, I hope we can all say with a smile: "Long time no see, look, the sun is so bright today."
The author who has always been with you
October 20, 2025
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