It really was Feng Lan's body we dug up, and that black, shriveled finger was her right pinky. As I kept digging with trembling hands, her entire corpse gradually came into view.
She was indeed wearing a bright red dress. Despite being buried underground for over a year, the dress hadn't faded at all—it was still as vividly red as fresh blood, eerily so! Moreover, the body was astonishingly intact. Normally, with the moisture in the soil, a body would have long since decomposed. Yet, Feng Lan's corpse looked like it had been air-dried, curled into a bent position with her knees pressed against her face, obscuring her features. Her hands and ankles, which were exposed, were shriveled and black, resembling an ancient mummy.
I noticed a faint scent of white liquor emanating from the body—it must have come from the glutinous rice wine that seeped in. Feng Lan's disheveled hair covered her chest and abdomen, the most crucial area. I figured the ghostly fetus must still be inside her belly.
As I stared at the scene before me, my legs grew weak, and my heart threatened to burst out of my chest. However, aside from the horrifying sight of the corpse, nothing more terrifying seemed to be happening, and my nerves began to calm slightly.
Just then, a faint hissing sound came from the corpse. The disheveled hair over her body suddenly quivered slightly, and a small black head slowly peeked out from within!
Holy crap! The head was only about the size of a fist, covered with black fuzz, and its face was purplish-brown, dotted with dense patches of red bristles. Its eyes were barely open, as if it was slowly waking, like a demon rising from the depths of hell!
The most horrifying part was its blood-red snout. The nostrils on either side flared with its breaths, producing the eerie hissing sound. My entire body felt like it was frozen solid, every hair standing on end, and a single thought filled my mind: This thing is definitely not of this world!
"Quick, grab the red string net, cover it, and tighten it to trap it!" yelled the ghost girl urgently.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded and tried to steady my shaking hands as I crouched down to grab the red string net. However, just as I was about to move, I saw the little creature extend a pair of purple-red chicken-like claws and scratch its own face. The sight was so horrifying I collapsed onto the ground in sheer panic.
"You coward! Stand up now! If it absorbs enough spiritual energy from its surroundings, you'll never be able to contain it!" the ghost girl scolded, her tone filled with anxiety.
After several deep breaths, I forced myself to suppress the fear coursing through me, got up, and shakily grabbed the red string net. My clumsy movements, however, knocked over the candles in the south, west, and north directions, extinguishing their flames. Only one candle remained, its flickering light casting eerie shadows and amplifying the sinister atmosphere.
"Hurry! Stop dawdling!" the ghost girl urged again.
Clenching my teeth, I forced myself to step forward and tossed the red string net over the pit. It landed perfectly, covering the little creature's head.
"Eeeek!" The creature let out a piercing screech, like a blade scraping against glass—sharp and grating. Its face twisted into an expression that defied description, a sight that chilled me to the bone. My legs buckled again, and I grabbed a nearby tree for support, my heart pounding like a drum.
"Idiot! Grab the string and tighten it!" The ghost girl's shout grew even more frantic.
Just as I was about to comply, the ghost girl suddenly let out a puzzled "Huh?" She whispered, "Someone's coming."
Startled, I turned to look toward the edge of the woods. Sure enough, a few dark silhouettes were slowly approaching. Their movements were strangely unnatural, as if they weren't walking but gliding forward.
"It's that bastard Wu Long!" the ghost girl spat venomously.
"What do we do now?" I asked, cold sweat dripping down my forehead.
"What else? Run! If you stay, he'll kill you too!" Her words filled me with relief—I had no intention of staying in this hellish place any longer.
I let go of the red string net and turned to dash deeper into the woods. But after just a few steps, I heard a blood-curdling scream from behind. Unable to resist, I glanced back and saw a nightmare-inducing sight I would never forget.
The red string net had been torn open, and the little creature was clawing its way out. Its eyes were now fully open, glowing with an intense, sinister blood-red light. Its gaze locked onto me, as if trying to suck the very soul out of my body!
"Ahhh!" I screamed, turning to run again. In my panic, I failed to notice a tree in my path and smashed headfirst into it.
Thud! My head rang with pain, and stars danced before my eyes. The ghost girl's voice dripped with exasperation as she muttered, "Do you have eyes on your backside?"
"Shut up!" I snapped back, clutching my head. Just as I prepared to flee again, a cacophony of voices erupted nearby.
"Hold your positions! Don't move!" a low voice ordered—it sounded like Wu Long.
In the dim light of flashlights, I could make out several figures deeper in the forest. Among them were a few girls crouched on the ground, clutching their heads and screaming loudly, while the boys scurried around like headless chickens.
In the faint light, I barely managed to recognize the girls—Xiao Ying, the fierce tomboy, Liu Yan, and Xiao Xiang! What were they doing here?
Before I could make sense of it, the little creature had fully emerged from the pit. Its target was the girls crouching on the ground!