The photos clearly depicted a remote and desolate mountain forest, with somber gray scenery and ancient buildings that seemed to date back to the Qing Dynasty. These old structures, nestled deep within the wilderness, exuded an eerie and foreboding aura, as though each empty house whispered a terrifying tale of its own.
Amid these photos, there were pictures of Xiao Xiang, seemingly taken in one of the mysterious corners of this ancient site. From the images alone, it was impossible to discern whether she was alive or dead.
My heart leaped to my throat. I desperately wanted to drag Moxu out and question her about where this place was. If Xiao Xiang appeared in these pictures, it meant Moxu had seen her and might know whether she was still alive.
"Hey, isn't that your girl?" Dead Lass exclaimed in surprise.
Her comment only made me more anxious. Though I had decided to move on from Xiao Xiang, her shadow lingered in my heart. Now, knowing she might be in danger sent waves of turmoil through my mind. I couldn't ignore this; I had to find her, alive or dead. Otherwise, I'd never find peace for the rest of my life.
But Moxu's current condition made it impossible to get answers from her. Then I thought of her classmates who had gone with her. I asked the landlady for their addresses, hoping to learn where they had gone. Though my intention was partly a ruse, I was determined to heal Moxu before leaving, no matter what it took.
The landlady mentioned a classmate named Mu Fenghua, who had visited Moxu a few times after they returned from Henan. However, she hadn't come back after being frightened once.
As I headed to Mu Fenghua's house, Dead Lass spoke up. "I've been thinking—Moxu probably lost one of her three souls and seven spirits. Coupled with the spirit creature possessing her, it's left her in this semi-conscious state. The creature's timid nature has resulted in this peculiar situation."
"And where is this missing soul?" I asked.
"Isn't it obvious? It must be back at that cursed place. You'll need to go there to retrieve it."
"Perfect! I was planning to go there anyway to find Xiao Xiang. But what about the spirit creature? How do we deal with it?"
"Spirit creatures are easy to deal with. The real issue is the danger of going to that place. If you go alone and something happens, there'll be no one to help you. You might die there without anyone knowing. Besides, Xiao Xiang is probably dead. Is it worth risking your life for her?" Dead Lass's reasoning was sound, but I had made up my mind.
"I don't care. I need to find Xiao Xiang, dead or alive. And I can't just leave Moxu like this. Her mother has suffered enough."
"You're such a bleeding heart. You'll regret this someday," Dead Lass grumbled. "By the way, have you thought about how you'll even afford the travel? Do you have money for the ticket?"
Her words hit my sore spot, but they reminded me of something she said earlier. My anger flared. "Didn't you claim good fortune would come knocking on its own? Is this what you meant by good fortune? I think you've been sleeping too much—you've turned into a pig-headed ghost with nonsense predictions!"
Bang! My head smacked into a utility pole.
"I wasn't talking about this mess! If you don't understand, don't whine. Do you want me to turn you into a real pighead right now?"
I believed her. She could turn me into the most "charming" pig in seconds. So I swallowed my pride and held my tongue.
When I found Mu Fenghua at her house, she was alone. Her style was similar to Moxu's—quirky and alternative. She wore a tiny tank top tied at the front, baring her midriff and revealing just enough to be provocative. Her appearance made me, with my conservative upbringing, feel awkward and uncomfortable.
She, however, was quite casual, addressing me as "Uncle" repeatedly. Uncle?! I was still young—what about me looked like an uncle? I explained that I was Moxu's neighbor and came to ask about their trip to Henan and why Moxu ended up in her current state.
At the mention of Moxu and that place, Mu Fenghua's face turned pale. After a long pause, she reluctantly said, "It was a place called Desolate Village. Everyone says it's mysterious and thrilling, so we decided to visit during our summer break. But who could've guessed…" She trailed off, her expression filled with terror.
The name alone sent chills down my spine. Where I come from, "desolate" is a term for families without descendants, often associated with death or tragedy.
I urged her to take her time and assured her there was no danger now. Gradually, she calmed down and recounted their horrifying experience in Desolate Village.
The idea had originated from Moxu, who had learned online about two infamous abandoned villages in Henan: Fengmen Village and Desolate Village. The latter was said to be more mysterious and sinister, capturing the imagination of reckless teens. The six of them—three boys and three girls—pooled their resources, with one affluent boy footing most of the bill, and secretly traveled to Henan.
Following directions shared by netizens, they hiked through the wilderness for a day and a night before finding the ancient and enigmatic village. It was a ghost town, long abandoned, with ancient architecture steeped in cultural value and surrounded by scenic mountain beauty.
But night fell before they could explore, so they decided to camp outside and wait until morning to enter.
That night, the nightmare began.
First, they heard the cries of women and children in the dead of night. Then two of the boys began sleepwalking, wandering aimlessly. The remaining four were petrified. Where could the cries come from in a deserted village? And the boys, who had never sleepwalked before, were shouting eerie phrases: "Give me back my child! Give me back my child!"
Terrified, the four decided to flee, leaving the sleepwalking boys behind. As they ran, a sudden downpour disoriented them. They eventually slid down a muddy slope, getting separated in the chaos.
Mu Fenghua found herself with one of the boys. As they wandered, they realized they had entered Desolate Village. Fear gripped them, but just as they were about to leave, they heard a woman calling to them. In a daze, they followed the voice into an empty house.
Inside was an ancient rocking chair. Sitting in it was a woman in white, her hair covering her face, holding a baby. The baby's face was purplish-black, with bulging blood-red eyes that made it look utterly horrifying.
Mu Fenghua fainted on the spot.
When she woke up, it was daylight. The rocking chair was still there, but the woman and the baby were gone. She and the boy fled in terror.
Outside the village, they regrouped with the others, but Moxu was missing. After a frantic search, they found her clinging to a withered tree. She was dazed and unresponsive. They managed to pull her away and carry her out of the mountains.
Moxu seemed to recover slightly after returning but became increasingly timid. They thought she was simply traumatized, not realizing she had been possessed.