At 10 p.m., that area in the western suburbs of the city was desolate enough during the day, but at night it was as if the whole world had forgotten it.
Streetlights?
There are some, but they're barely brighter than a firefly's bottom, and they're spaced far apart, flickering like they're about to die.
The wind howled like a ghost's wail as it blew through the tall weeds, making a rustling sound that sent chills down one's spine.
Zhang Shaozhong wished he could shrink himself into a ball right now.
He gripped the powerful flashlight tightly in one hand—it was probably his only source of mental support at that moment—while his other hand was clutching Ling Qingxue's sleeve.
Why not arrest Nightshade?
Even if he had ten lives, he wouldn't dare. That old lady was clearly no pushover. He was afraid he'd be beaten to a pulp before he even found his soul.
He trudged along the uneven dirt road, his heart pounding so hard he could hear it more clearly than a drumbeat.
"How...how much further is it, ancestor?"
His voice trembled, and his legs felt as weak as noodles.
Ling Qingxue, this "fairy" who looked completely out of place in the dilapidated environment around her, had no expression on her face and was as cold and aloof as moonlight.
She raised her hand and pointed to a silhouette submerged in darkness ahead: "Not far from here, that's where the yin energy is strongest."
His speech carries a classical charm, and is concise and to the point.
Ye Meier, standing next to her, was a completely different story.
Far from being afraid, she seemed unusually excited, looking around and taking a deep breath, her face full of ecstasy: "Hmm~ that's the smell! No doubt about it! Decay, despair, and mixed with a trace of... weak resentment! Tsk tsk, standard poor man's den setup, nothing new."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Shaozhong's legs went weak and he almost knelt down: "Big sister! Dear sister! Can you please not describe it in such a vivid way? I...I'm about to pee!"
After walking for another ten minutes, a dilapidated building finally came into view.
The rusty iron gate was crooked and had a chain lock as thick as a child's arm hanging on it, but the lock itself was also rusted to the point of being like mud.
Several sections of the wall had collapsed, and inside, several dark buildings stood tall, most of their windows missing glass, like lifeless, dark eyes staring at the uninvited guests.
There were still some ashes from burnt paper money scattered on the ground at the entrance, which swirled in the wind, probably left behind by some reckless young adventurers who came to "explore" earlier.
"This...this is it?"
Zhang Shaozhong swallowed hard and shone his flashlight toward the hospital's main building.
Under the pale beams of light, the building resembled a colossal beast lurking in the darkness, its gaping, dark maw waiting for them to walk right into its trap.
"If you're scared, it's not too late to go back now."
Ling Qingxue's tone was calm, but if you looked closely, her hands were slightly clenched.
The place gave her a very bad feeling. The mixed yin energy in the air made her already slow spiritual energy circulation even more sluggish.
"Who...who's afraid!"
Zhang Shaozhong braced himself, mainly because the 100,000 yuan prize money was like a small flame burning in his heart.
"Since I'm already here! 100,000 yuan! That's enough for me to live on for a long time!"
Night Enchantress couldn't wait any longer. She walked a few steps to the iron gate, glanced at the rusty chain, curled her lip, and reached out her seemingly slender hand to grab the chain and tug gently...
With a crisp "crack!", the seemingly intimidating chain snapped as easily as a dry twig!
"Holy crap!" Zhang Shaozhong's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"Big sister,... are your hands made of hydraulic shears?"
"Stop talking nonsense! Stop dawdling!"
Ye Meier snorted in dissatisfaction, pushed open the creaking iron door that looked like it might fall apart at any moment, and was the first to step inside.
As soon as the door opened, an indescribable odor wafted out.
It was a mixture of musty smell, dusty smell, and a chilling, bone-deep stench.
Zhang Shaozhong was so choked that he couldn't help but sneeze loudly. "Achoo!" It sounded especially loud in the dead silence, startling him.
The weeds in the yard were taller than a person, and broken stones and tiles were scattered everywhere.
The main building's main entrance was also ajar, and the inside was pitch black. When a flashlight shone in, dust swirled in the beam, and all that could be seen was a mess on the floor.
Overturned wheelchairs, broken glass bottles, and some oddly shaped discarded medical devices that were unrecognizable were all covered with a thick layer of dust.
"Where did that 'Bold Guy' get into trouble, according to the internet?" Ling Qingxue looked around and asked in a low voice.
Zhang Shaozhong quickly pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling as he swiped the screen: "Wait, let me look... The online post says... it seems to be on the third floor, near the operating room..."
"Walk!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Meier got excited and took the lead, rushing towards the main building.
"Wait a minute!"
Ling Qingxue grabbed her arm, her brows furrowing slightly, her expression even more serious than before.
"The atmosphere here is off. There are traces of a formation, though it's badly damaged, it's definitely not naturally formed. We must be careful."
"Formation?"
Ye Meier narrowed her alluring eyes and carefully sensed it.
"Hey, you know what, there really is... It feels like the remnants of some kind of crude Yin-gathering and soul-locking array? The setup is too rough, full of loopholes."
It seems the haunting of this place isn't entirely baseless; someone has tampered with it.
Zhang Shaozhong had just recovered a little when he heard the word "formation" and his scalp tingled again:
"There's...there's another formation? Then...aren't we just walking into a trap? Should we still go in?"
"We're already here! Who cares about this broken formation!"
Ye Meier shook off Ling Qingxue's hand, her face full of disdain, "The guy who set up the formation might have turned to ashes by now! What's there to be afraid of!"
As she spoke, she stepped into the main building without hesitation.
Ling Qingxue sighed softly, knowing she couldn't stop her, and could only hurry to catch up.
Once Zhang Shaozhong saw that the two "bodyguards" had gone inside, he dared not stay outside alone. He quickly sandwiched himself between them, never leaving their side, wishing he could become an accessory to them.
The building was even colder inside than outside; it was a chill that could penetrate clothing and seep straight into the bones.
The flashlight beam swayed, illuminating the mottled stains and messy, creepy graffiti on the wall. Out of the corner of my eye, I felt like there was a shadow flashing by in the corner, but when I looked closely, there was nothing there.
Is there...is there something?
Zhang Shaozhong's voice was trembling uncontrollably.
"A few brainless little wanderers,"
Night Enchantress waved her hand dismissively.
"They were drawn here by the yin energy of this place, and they're in a daze. They can't hurt anyone, so don't scare yourself."
She was even a little disappointed.
"Is that all? That's far from enough. What a waste of my trip."
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