This time I could clearly feel it; the sound was right behind me, and it felt like it was right behind my ear.
A chill ran down my spine. I stopped bending over, quietly slipped my hand into my bag, grabbed the knife, and frantically poured all my magical power into it.
At that moment, I knew without looking back that there was something behind me, something terrifying. The temperature behind me was dropping rapidly, and I felt as if my back was pressed against an iceberg.
I spat out the cigarette butt from my mouth, gritted my teeth, and was about to draw my knife and stab him in the back when I felt my grandfather's grave suddenly shake.
I stopped what I was about to do and looked at my grandfather's grave in shock. Was my grandfather trying to warn me about something?
I remembered what my grandfather had said in his letter, suppressed my urge to act, slowly loosened my grip on the knife, took a few deep breaths, and felt less tense.
Grandpa told me not to take action, but I chose to trust him. Besides, my previous experiences had already reminded me that my strength was far too weak; even a red-clothed ghost almost killed me.
Although it seemed like there was something unknown standing behind me, since I had decided not to make a move, I gritted my teeth, pretended nothing had happened, and bent down to pick up the black box.
"It smells so good..."
"I think I've smelled it before... but... it doesn't seem to be fully ripe yet..."
Just then, a strange sound rang out behind me again. Judging from the tone of the voice, I was certain that it was not something a human could make. As for what it was, what good things could appear in such an ominous place?
Moreover, the thing making the sound seemed to be right next to the back of my neck, and the sound brought a cold wind that even stirred a few strands of hair at my temples.
I shuddered, resisting the urge to turn around and look, and instead focused my gaze on the box in my hand.
The box was made of wood, about the size of a palm, and weighed over a pound. It was completely black with some strange patterns carved on it, and some yellow mud stuck to it. I couldn't figure out what the patterns were. At a time like this, it wasn't appropriate to examine it closely. I put the wooden box in my bag, bent down, picked up the hoe, and was about to fill the hole back in.
"It smells so good..."
"This time there won't be any obstacles, I'll definitely be able to have a good taste..."
"Damn it..." I was filled with anger and started cursing, but before I could finish my sentence, the ground beneath my feet shook again.
I glanced at my grandfather's grave in surprise. If the previous tremors were just my imagination, this time I definitely felt them.
When I came to my senses, my back was covered in cold sweat. I almost turned around and started fighting what was behind me.
The sound was not only eerie, but it also seemed to have a magical power, making people unable to resist turning around.
Although I don't know what I'll see when I look back, I'm certain that with my current abilities, if I rashly turn back to deal with this unknown thing, it will definitely not end well.
I shakily pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, and after calming myself down, I picked up the hoe and filled in the hole.
"Grandpa, your grandson is going back. I hope I will have the opportunity to come and pay my respects to you again."
I bowed to my grandfather's grave. As I looked down, I noticed that the three drops of blood on his tombstone were gone. But in this critical moment, I didn't think too much about it. I shouldered the hoe and slowly walked back the way I came.
I didn't dare turn around, but I could feel something following me closely. That chilling feeling lingered on my back. Not only that, I also heard a rustling sound behind me, like footsteps but not quite.
My heart was pounding in my chest. I held the hoe in one hand and gripped the knife in my bag tightly with the other, my eyes fixed on the path ahead, as I struggled to climb it step by step.
I don't know how much time had passed, but I had already climbed up the small hill. The back of my clothes was soaked with sweat, and my palms were covered in sweat. Walking on this low slope, which was less than 100 meters long, felt like carrying two bags of cement. I felt completely exhausted.
However, no matter what I heard along the way, I didn't turn around or respond.
After reaching the top of the mountain, I glanced in the direction of the village. The entire village was pitch black, with only one place lit up.
Um?
Isn't that the place with the lights on my house?
Did Fifth Grandfather get up to go to the toilet?
I looked away, exhaled softly, and started walking downhill.
Don't you want to see who I am?
"Don't you want to know how that old guy died?"
"Drip... whirr..."
The strange, inhuman voice sounded again behind me, seemingly filled with anger, yet also with a penetrating allure.
I paused, instinctively wanting to turn around and look. As I turned my head slightly, a light appeared in my vision.
The only light in the pitch-black village of Dafeng.
My heart skipped a beat, and I shook my head violently, forcibly banishing the urge to turn back.
I gritted my teeth and took a step down the mountain. Although my pace was slow, every step I took was filled with unwavering determination.
"We can't leave..."
"You can't escape..."
The voice rang out behind me again, sounding angry and resentful.
I ignored it and kept walking forward. As I walked further and further away, the sound grew weaker and weaker until I could hear nothing at all.
From the moment I started walking down the hillside, I felt the chill on my back slowly disappearing, and that unknown thing was getting further and further away from me.
My steps became lighter and lighter, and before long I had descended the hillside and arrived in the fields below.
I let out a long breath, and the creepy feeling finally disappeared. The feeling of being watched by something also disappeared, and I felt lighter.
Once I got here, I felt safe. I looked back towards Shantang'ao, but it was pitch black and I couldn't see anything.
Just as I was about to look away, I suddenly saw a strange, blood-red glint flash on the top of the hill.
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