What happened?
Why did the car stop?
"Did you bump into something?"
The bus suddenly braked sharply and stopped in the middle of the road.
Everyone in the car leaned forward, almost throwing up the leftover food they had eaten the night before.
The search team members stood up in surprise and looked out the car window repeatedly.
Clearly, they had never encountered this situation before.
"I didn't see anything?" Jiang Qiao was also puzzled.
He just felt the car shake violently; it was obvious that it had hit something.
However, despite keeping his eyes on the outside of the car, he did not see any ghosts, humans, or any other strange things.
Along this highway, only buses have been traveling alone.
Both sides were covered with dense forests.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, he saw the middle-aged man who had been sitting motionless in the middle of the vehicle stand up and walk towards the back door of the carriage, seemingly intending to get off.
Meanwhile.
The front and rear doors of the bus opened with a clang.
The driver left the driver's seat without saying a word and got out of the car through the front door as well.
He was holding a meter-long wrench in his hand, probably to check if the vehicle was damaged.
"These two inhuman creatures clearly know what happened."
Jiang Qiao sat at the back of the carriage without moving, but he opened the window, ready to jump out and escape if anything went wrong.
At this moment, the five guys in front saw the driver and the middle-aged man behind them getting out of the car one after another, and they realized that something was wrong.
"What's going on? Have you ever heard of this before?" the young man with the crossbody bag asked warily.
"No. I've taken the bus twice and never encountered this situation. I've never heard of a bus being involved in an accident before."
A teammate nearby said.
"How could you even think of that? This is a supernatural vehicle, how could there be a car accident? I think it's encountered a sudden supernatural event. When the driver got out of the car just now, I saw that his expression was very bad."
The 30-year-old woman frowned as she spoke.
So what do we do now?
"Shall we get off the bus and take a look?"
"The situation is unclear right now, so it's better to stay put. Let's observe from the car first." The young man with the satchel looked out of the car.
The driver and the middle-aged man who got out of the car had disappeared.
The already dim surroundings slowly began to steam with mist, and soon the outside world turned into a white expanse, obscuring all visibility.
And at that very moment.
The car suddenly shook again, and the engine, which was in the ignition state, suddenly shut off.
Then, click.
All the lights on the outside of the bus and the lights inside the bus were turned off.
Suddenly, darkness enveloped the surroundings.
A gust of cold wind blew in from outside, making one shiver involuntarily.
"The lights on this car have a protective function."
Jiang Qiao glanced around.
The instant the lights went out, he felt as if some kind of barrier inside the carriage had disappeared, and a sense of danger began to rise in his heart.
The Thunder Spirit still gestating within him showed signs of restlessness at this moment.
It felt as if something was constantly getting closer.
"The driver and the middle-aged man got out of the car to avoid the disaster; they knew what had happened."
Jiang Qiao's expression was slightly serious.
The car windows were open, and the front and rear doors were not closed, but getting out of the car now was not a good option.
The driver has disappeared; we don't know where he's gone.
Outside, everything was a vast expanse of white, and even with double pupils, the field of vision was extremely limited.
⑧bОok． CОm
In this situation, it's quite possible that as soon as he gets off the bus and turns around, the bus behind him disappears.
"Getting off the bus just now wasn't necessarily a good choice, since it's hard to tell whether the driver is friend or foe."
"I'm completely clueless about the situation here. If the other party shows even the slightest bit of malice, it will be a real problem."
"Fighting is not scary; what's scary is what if you can't get back on the bus after getting off, or you can't even find a bus at all."
"Once you get lost in this godforsaken place, it will be difficult to get back."
Jiang Qiao had absolutely no trust in that driver.
This bus was supposedly originally used to transport people, but because it fell out of control, many evil spirits would board it.
But if management really fails, what will happen to this driver?
Moreover, from beginning to end, Jiang Qiao could not tell whether the driver was a human or a ghost. Even the wrench that the driver took off the bus was just an ordinary tool in Jiang Qiao's eyes.
But the more it is like this, the stranger it seems.
"When it comes to paranormal events, you still have to rely on yourself."
Jiang Qiao took a deep breath.
Bolts of lightning began to coil around his arms, and sparks rose from beneath his feet.
"A sixth-tier combat power, while far from being able to walk around with impunity, is not something that just any evil spirit can mess with."
"Besides, I also have the Life Substitution Technique."
"Even a seventh-tier vengeful ghost can be fought!"
The sudden appearance of lightning and flames on the bridge immediately caught the attention of the five bewildered men in the car in front.
After all, in this situation, there is no way to conceal "stealth".
"Who goes there!"
The young man with the satchel was horrified.
He never expected that there would be an extra person in the back seat of the car out of nowhere!
The others also became alert.
moment.
All sorts of weapons appeared in their hands.
There was a black revolver with patterns.
The bayonet was rusty.
There were also sticks that were as red as blood.
Judging from the chilling aura emanating from these weapons, they are all supernatural items!
"Wow, they must be very wealthy."
Jiang Qiao was somewhat amazed.
Are all the search team members this rich?
These people are about the same strength as Li Xin, but with these supernatural items, one of them could easily take on three or five of Li Xin!
"Those who are willing to take on such a dangerous job as a search team are definitely capable."
Jiang Qiao glanced at them calmly and said:
"Don't be nervous, I'm alive too. I was just sleeping. The car broke down and the driver is missing, so I got up to check the situation."
Hearing Jiang Qiao speak, the group immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
At least, this person wasn't a vengeful ghost that suddenly appeared.
However, they did not let their guard down and remained cautiously huddled together, watching Jiang Qiao's every move.
The young man with the satchel seemed to be the leader among them.
He cautiously asked:
"Hello sir, do you know what's going on here?"
"Forgive my ignorance, but I've never encountered anything like this before when I took the bus several times..."
However.
Before he could finish his question, Jiang Qiao's expression suddenly changed.
"Shut up."
Something's up!
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Outside the car window, everything was still a white blur, and nothing could be seen clearly.
A cool breeze kept blowing into the carriage, giving everyone goosebumps.
Jiang Qiao was about to exchange a few words with the survivors of the search team.
Suddenly, he seemed to realize something, raised his head, looked past the group, and through the windshield, gazed at the road ahead, which was now shrouded in fog.
That sense of danger in my heart grew stronger and stronger.
He sensed something rapidly approaching them.
They're here!
Just a few seconds later.
Jiang Qiao saw a human-shaped silhouette appear in the fog.
Immediately afterwards, a jingling sound came, like a bicycle bell, or a bell being jingled by the wind.
"This is..."
Jiang Qiao stared intently at the end of the road.
As the figure drew closer, its shape became increasingly clear.
soon.
Ahead on the road appeared a strange woman, or rather, a strange female ghost!
This is a woman with short hair, dressed in modern clothes, who looks like a female student from more than half a century ago.
However, when Jiang Qiao saw her face, he couldn't help but gasp.
This is a face devoid of any fat; a layer of dark skin clings tightly to the skull. The eyes are sunken, leaving only eye sockets; the nose has disappeared, leaving only two small nostrils.
The most terrifying thing was that collapsed mouth, which was covered with countless stitches!
This looks exactly like a freshly unearthed mummified corpse.
"No, she wasn't a mummified corpse; she looked like something pieced together."
Jiang Qiao's gaze shifted downwards, and he saw the woman's hands peeking out from her sleeves.
Fair and tender, with delicate skin, it's hard to imagine it being associated with the dead; in fact, it's more vibrant than the hands of most living people.
"This thing is a bit strange."
The sense of danger that Jiang Qiao felt vanished the moment she appeared.
There are only two explanations for this situation.
One possibility is that the female ghost is not the source of the danger, and the real source has already left.
Another possibility is that the danger posed by this female ghost is beyond his comprehension.
It's like you've traveled to a primitive society with a pistol; the primitives wouldn't think what you have is more dangerous than the sticks they're holding.
"Oh shit!"
Jiang Qiao cursed under his breath.
To say that this woman isn't a source of danger would be unbelievable!
So it's quite obvious.
It was beyond its capabilities.
"I just felt like the car hit something, how come a female ghost is popping out from the front now?"
Jiang Qiao cursed a couple of times and secretly took a picture of the female ghost.
Then I casually sent a copy to Liu Yuanyuan.
I don't know what this woman is doing, she hasn't replied to his messages at all.
This shouldn't be happening!
at this time.
The passengers ahead of them also saw the figures in the fog.
However, they did not have "double pupils" to dispel the fog, so they could only see a rough outline and the faint sound of bells.
"Squat down."
The group of people, whose expressions changed drastically, immediately crouched down at the gesture of the young man with the satchel and quickly moved behind the car seat.
The movements were very skillful!
Jiang Qiao did not move and remained seated in his chair.
Ghosts don't see the living with their eyes; hiding is just a way for them to comfort themselves.
If you're being watched, you'll be caught even if you stay inside a wall.
The best example is when he first encountered the Skin Demon in the refugee camp during his early days using the simulator. He used his "Mason" talent to brick himself into the wall.
I originally thought I could use this to escape a disaster.
Unexpectedly, the vengeful ghost waited patiently for him. After he pried himself out of the wall, he immediately fell into the human-skinned ghost's pocket.
It was a terrible sight.
(8) Book.com
...
The clear, crisp sound of the bell grew increasingly distinct.
The strange female ghost walked step by step towards the bus. Her gait was elegant, as if she had received a good upbringing.
But this did not prevent scarlet footprints from appearing under her feet.
"This female ghost has quite a few supernatural elements about her."
Jiang Qiao observed the female ghost's actions, silently counting in his mind.
Generally speaking
Just like humans, the more supernatural elements a ghost possesses, the more terrifying it becomes.
Even though it's only a fourth-tier vengeful ghost, it could potentially reach a fifth-tier level of terror due to the presence of three or four supernatural entities!
This is somewhat similar to the difference between elite monsters and regular monsters in a game.
Same level.
You can take on three regular monsters at once, but one elite monster can take on three of you at once.
...
The female ghost walked to the left front wheel of the bus and slowly stopped.
Then.
She squatted down gracefully with her feet together, as if preparing to pick up something.
"What is it?"
Jiang Qiao did not get off the bus.
However, I had carefully checked the position of the front wheels when I looked through the window before.
After all, all the changes to the vehicle stemmed from that collision.
But he didn't see anything.
He even put down a mirror to check under the car by reflecting the light.
But it was still empty.
Therefore, he thought that the so-called collision was just a supernatural phenomenon, and that he had not actually bumped into anything.
However.
The ghost's actions now seem to prove that something was indeed hit by the vehicle at the time.
...
The female ghost didn't squat down for long; she quickly stood up again.
But in her hands, there was now a dirty rag doll.
Jiang Qiao kept a close eye on the female ghost's every move.
So the moment the female ghost got up, he noticed that a trace of clear liquid was flowing from her eyes, which were now just eye sockets.
Like...crying?
"What kind of evil thing is this rag doll? I can't see anything wrong with it."
Jiang Qiao frowned.
That doll was nothing special; it was just an ordinary doll that children play with.
You can even buy one for just a few dollars at a street stall.
If you're willing to buy more, you can negotiate with the owner for a discount that will definitely exceed your expectations.
But it shouldn't be here!
"Could this rag doll have some special meaning for the female ghost?"
"His wishes before his death?"
Jiang Qiao knew that the supernatural world was different from the real world.
Although the vengeful spirits here are not transformed from the dead in the usual sense, they are indeed transformed from living people.
Initially, after the mountain spirits killed humans, some of them would transform into human form.
The more it kills, the more it will resemble humans, and eventually it will completely transform into a human.
This is the earliest origin of vengeful ghosts.
later.
A supernatural catastrophe has broken out.
Everyone was like someone infected with a plague, slowly transforming from a vibrant, living person into a vengeful ghost.
And ultimately, this led to the entire world becoming a home for the dead.
"If some living people have too much resentment and obsession before they become vengeful ghosts, then they will repeat some of their previous behaviors after they become vengeful ghosts."
"Although they have forgotten the meaning of this behavior, they are just mechanically repeating it."
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A strange woman walking towards the road slowly picked up a dirty rag doll from the ground.
Jiang Qiao felt instinctively that something was wrong when he saw this scene.
This is very likely some kind of object that the vengeful ghost once possessed, or perhaps it was used by the vengeful ghost for a long time, and thus became tainted by its aura and magnetic field, eventually merging with the female ghost.
Jiang Qiao recalled stories about old objects that were believed to possess spirits, which he had seen before he traveled through time.
Decades ago, when the economy was less developed, "second-hand clothes" appeared at some small stalls.
These clothes look stylish and well-made, but they are very cheap.
The shop owner will usually tell you that these clothes are all purchased from various developed regions, and that the locals sold them to him because they no longer wanted them for the season.
But in reality, many of these clothes are actually imported waste from other countries!
At that time, management was not strict, and many of these clothes were simply washed and then transported to the market to be sold as second-hand clothes.
Without any disinfection work, there are not only hygiene problems such as viruses and bacteria, but there are even rumors that some clothes were taken from dead people and still have bloodstains on them!
Many strange and bizarre ghost stories have also emerged surrounding these "second-hand clothes".
These stories were ubiquitous on the early internet, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
It is said that a woman, on her way to buy groceries at the farmers' market, saw a roadside clothing stall selling some very beautiful dresses.
The boss said they all came from a fashionable metropolis.
After inquiring about the price, the woman found it to be very cheap, so she happily bought a red dress.
However.
Ever since I bought this dress, many abnormal things have started to happen.
At first, I would occasionally hear faint rustling sounds coming from the closet in the middle of the night, as if something was moving inside.
But she got up several times to check and found nothing.
So they assumed it was a mouse in the house and didn't pay much attention.
The sound didn't last long; it disappeared after only a few days.
But from then on, the woman began to have nightmares.
In her dream, she kept repeating the same scene: she climbed out of an office building window and jumped!
The dream felt incredibly real. Every time she jumped, she felt a sensation of falling, accompanied by a feeling of her heart stopping. When she woke up, she was covered in cold sweat.
This situation continued for several more days.
One night, she woke up from a nightmare and found herself in sleep paralysis, unable to move her body.
She struggled and tried to scream, but to no avail. She felt herself making a sound, but her parents in the next room heard nothing.
Just as she was struggling against her body, her eyes suddenly caught sight of a woman sitting in front of the dressing table at the foot of the bed.
The woman had her back to her and appeared to be putting on makeup in front of a mirror.
However, from the corner of the mirror that was visible, it could be seen that there was no woman's reflection in it.
But what horrified the woman the most was that the woman was wearing the same dress she had bought at the street stall!
However, the originally all-red dress has turned white, and within the white, a large area of red is stained.
At that moment, she finally understood where her nightmares had come from.
In extreme fear, she mustered all her strength and struggled violently.
I suddenly woke up from my dream again!
At this moment, sunlight streamed in through the window; it was already early morning.
The first thing she did after getting up was to take the red dress out of the closet and throw it into the trash can on the side of the road.
After that.
She never had nightmares again, nor did she ever see the woman who had her back to her.
...
There are many stories of secondhand items, even secondhand clothes, attracting the spirits of the dead.
Or perhaps, the spirits of the dead are attached to these old objects, waiting for the right time to reappear.
8B0k. Сοm
Jiang Qiao felt that what he was experiencing now was somewhat similar to the situation in the story.
This rag doll may have been an item from when the female ghost was still human, and she still carries it with her even after transforming into a ghost.
The emotions that were once placed on it have become an obsession.
She may no longer have the relevant memories, but she will instinctively "cherish" this item.
"But there is still a problem."
"If this rag doll is just an ordinary toy, how did it suddenly end up on the highway?"
This question popped into Jiang Qiao's mind.
What happened was a collision!
This means the doll suddenly appeared on the road and was at some height; otherwise, it should have been run over.
and.
Why would such an ordinary rag doll produce such a large vibration when bumped?
"The things in the supernatural world are truly incomprehensible."
Jiang Qiao kept his eyes fixed on the female ghost's movements, ready to take countermeasures at any time.
Meanwhile, the few people hiding at the front of the carriage kept a close eye on Jiang Qiao's movements, trying to gauge the situation of the strange woman outside from his expressions and gaze.
"This person doesn't seem too nervous. Is that female ghost outside not so scary after all?"
The middle-aged woman took out a small notebook and wrote softly on it.
Then show it to other people.
After the others took turns looking at it, they all shook their heads, indicating that they were unsure.
After a moment's hesitation, the young man with the satchel wrote on it:
"The female ghost outside must be incredibly terrifying, otherwise the driver wouldn't have run away. The young man in the back looks very strong; perhaps he's not afraid of the female ghost, or perhaps he's just overconfident."
"But no matter what, we should not entrust our safety to others."
He suddenly stopped writing at this point.
"Shh shh shh"
"Shh shh shh"
"Shh shh shh"
He heard the sound of footsteps on the grass coming from outside the window of the train car.
He immediately made a shushing gesture, signaling everyone to be quiet.
Then, his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the direction of the river bridge.
However, this glance made his eyes narrow, and a chill rose from the soles of his feet and shot straight to his head!
There was no time to react otherwise.
He hissed, "Get out of the car!"
"run!"
Then, he crouched low, darted out in a flash, and in two or three steps reached the back door of the carriage, where he jumped off the train with a large stride.
The other four reacted quickly as well.
Seeing the young man with the bag, without asking why, he immediately followed and rushed towards the rear door of the carriage.
However, during their escape, because they were facing the rear of the car, they subconsciously looked up at the back seat.
That one glance made all four of them change color.
"ah--"
A woman in her early twenties couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
But the next moment.
A hand appeared out of nowhere and covered her mouth.
The sound stopped abruptly!
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On the bus.
Led by the young man with the satchel, the search team survivors quickly got off the vehicle.
Even though the outside of the bus was shrouded in fog, potentially posing a great danger, they still chose to evacuate without hesitation.
Because they saw that the strange woman dressed in modern clothes had somehow ended up sitting in the last row of the carriage!
The mysterious young man who was originally in that location has disappeared without a trace.
"Damn it, when did that female ghost get on the bus? I didn't see her!"
The young man with the satchel dared not go far, standing not far from the vehicle, staring intently at the car door, his heart filled with dread.
He was just a few steps from the back door of the car.
Logically speaking, regardless of whether the other person boarded the bus from the front or the back door, it was impossible for them to avoid his line of sight and appear in the last row of seats.
However, in the supernatural world, reason is the least important thing.
It's not unusual for someone to suddenly appear in the back of a car, or even crawl out of your clothes.
Once upon a time, a powerful Awakened One was tainted by a strange curse while exploring an underground cave.
After I came back, every night when I turned off the lights, I could hear someone walking around in the house.
But when they got up to look for it, they found nothing.
The strange noise started at night, but later it could be heard coming from the corners of the house during the day as well.
Later on, even when there was no one outside, they would often hear someone knocking on the door.
The strangest thing is...
Every time he went to open the door, he would find that the door was already ajar.
It should be noted that the place where this awakened one is located is a well-established village.
Not only are there many powerful beings inside, but there are also sacrificial spirits suppressing it, so it should be impossible for something like a ghost to appear inside.
Besides, he himself is quite strong, so when he encounters a fierce ghost, he just takes it down directly.
But then he encountered this strange thing.
He tried everything he could, changing his residence and seeking help from experts.
Nothing was gained.
One day when he went out, he felt as if he was carrying something on his back. When he reached out to touch it, he found a hand on his back!
It turned out that the vengeful ghost had been inside his clothes all along.
It watched everything he did, but he didn't notice its presence.
Although it's unclear how this ghost managed to conceal itself, it ultimately succeeded in killing the veteran Awakened and taking his place.
It even used this person's identity to operate in the village for a long time.
No one discovered that the man was dead.
No one expected that the person who greeted them so warmly every day was actually a corpse!
If the man hadn't begun to rot and stink, attracting the attention of the spirits, this vengeful ghost might have continued to operate in human society under his identity.
When it was discovered, it had already quietly killed more than a dozen people.
Similarly, these deaths went unnoticed; everyone assumed they had gone out on a mission.
This vengeful ghost is truly the most terrifying lurker!
Even if the final sacrificial spirit intervened, whether it was killed remains a mystery.
Because no supernatural aura was found on the man who had turned back into a corpse, and even the eerie feeling around him had disappeared.
This incident caused quite a stir back then.
It even piqued the interest of an ancient village, which sent people to investigate.
As a member of the search team who made a living by selling information and risking his life, the young man with the satchel was naturally very familiar with this incident.
So he kept reminding himself that in the supernatural world, there is nothing that is impossible, only things that you can't imagine.
When faced with any situation, the first thing to do is not to be surprised, but to make a judgment!
To determine if I will die!
His judgment just now was that staying in the carriage would certainly mean certain death!
So he led the charge down the river.
⑻bOok. Сом
"Damn, how did that thing suddenly appear in the car? If it weren't for your sharp eyes, we would all be dead here."
The middle-aged woman patted her chest and said with lingering fear.
"Yes, thanks to Qiang. I was keeping an eye on the door, who would have thought that thing would appear behind the car."
"Wasn't there someone sitting in the back seat before? How come they're suddenly gone?"
"He's probably already dead."
The other members also got off the bus one after another, and they gathered under a big tree nearby, talking quietly.
"I feel like nothing has gone smoothly since I took on this task. Even taking the bus can lead to unexpected events."
"We don't know what we'll encounter next, so everyone should be mentally prepared."
The young man named A-Qiang, carrying a satchel, had a gloomy expression.
"I don't believe the driver would abandon the bus; perhaps the ghost will leave soon."
"Let's not go too far. Just stay around the bus stop. Otherwise, if we get lost nearby, we'll still die."
Another man said in a low voice.
"There's something hiding in the woods around here, so we'd better not stay in one place for too long," the middle-aged woman added.
After all, they make a living by working on exploration teams.
After the initial tension, they quickly calmed down and began planning their next move.
However, Ah Qiang suddenly spoke up:
Where is Ah Zhen?
...
On the bus.
As Ah-Zhen got off the bus with her companion, she subconsciously looked up at the back seat.
The next second.
A bizarre scene appeared before her eyes.
Unlike the female ghost her companions saw, she saw a completely different scene due to her own strange abilities.
The area behind the bus had disappeared, replaced by a vast, dark, empty space.
In the darkness, a narrow stone path stretched from the back of the carriage all the way to the deepest part of the darkness, its destination unknown.
Along the stone path, at regular intervals, there is a white octagonal lantern emitting a pale light.
The light from these lanterns makes it very clear that there are bottomless abysses on both sides of the stone path!
The train carriage seemed to have transformed into a gateway to an unknown, supernatural space!
A strong gust of wind blew out from the dark space, making Ah Zhen shiver involuntarily.
She felt like a small boat on a vast ocean, about to sink in the midst of a storm!
This feeling of insignificance and suffocation made her cry out.
"ah--!"
However, the moment the sound came out, her mouth was suddenly covered by a hand that reached out from the side.
The sudden turn of events made her hair stand on end, and she instinctively wanted to use her supernatural powers.
But then, she heard a young man's voice.
"Don't make a sound, don't move."
"I'll take you away."
Ah Zhen froze upon hearing this.
The voice sounded familiar, like the mysterious young man who had just been sitting in the back row.
Then.
The man behind her covered her mouth with one hand and grabbed her arm with the other, slowly pulling her back towards the driver's seat.
"Why not use the back door?"
She glanced at the car door two steps away, and a question flashed through her mind.
However, the next second...
A look of horror appeared in her eyes.
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Ah Zhen looked towards the rear door of the carriage; just a minute ago, her companion had left through this door.
But looking at it again, you can see that the car door has turned into a rusty iron gate, and the two steps to get off the car have turned into a wooden staircase leading downwards!
A few steps down the stairs, everything turned dark. I didn't know where it led, but it definitely couldn't be outside the car!
"What's going on..."
Her face was filled with terror as she looked up out the car window.
A hazy, gray mist obscured the outlines of the trees, just as it had been moments before.
At this moment, the old bus seemed to be at a crossroads, with each road leading to a different supernatural space.
If you take one wrong step, it may be difficult to turn back.
Jiang Qiao carefully retreated to the driver's seat, and then, sensing a strange change, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"The front of the car hasn't been eroded yet, so let's leave it here for now."
Jiang Qiao released Ah Zhen's mouth.
"But just now..."
Ah Zhen opened her mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted by Jiang Qiao.
"Your companions took the wrong turn and got off the bus through the back door up that staircase. I'm afraid they're probably in grave danger."
Jiang Qiao said calmly.
"Your eyes must possess some kind of supernatural ability; you should be happy about that."
"You should be more grateful that you're not mentally strong enough. Because you cried out, I was worried it would trigger some supernatural event, so I intervened and saved you."
"Otherwise, if you get off the bus with them, you probably won't even get a coffin."
After saying that, he glanced into Ah Zhen's eyes.
Those big, bright eyes had some distorted lines, which at first glance looked like bloodshot veins that appear after staying up all night.
However, upon closer inspection, these lines will appear to resemble certain symbols.
Needless to say.
This woman's abilities are related to her eyes.
That's how she discovered the secret in the back of the car and subsequently figured out what was going on with the back door.
"I..."
Ah Zhen spoke again, seemingly wanting to say something.
But Jiang Qiao interrupted him again.
"I'm not a teacher, and I have no interest in answering your questions. If you want to live, follow me."
"But I won't protect you specifically, so whether you live or die depends on your own fate."
Do you understand?
Seeing Ah Zhen nod with a look of fear on her face, Jiang Qiao stopped talking.
This woman looked like a rookie, completely different from the other search team members; she seemed like a newcomer.
But that's okay. The newer someone is, the easier it is for them to ask for information.
He was somewhat interested in Wild Dog Ridge.
Although these people haven't even broken through the outer perimeter, the things they encounter along the way can still provide them with some reference.
"Let's get through this first, and talk about other things when we're safe."
He looked out the car window.
Ah Zhen's abilities were ultimately insufficient, and she didn't see many things completely.
But his gray gaze was different.
Although "double pupils" are only at the third level, they possess terrifying supernatural effects comparable to the fifth or even sixth level!
Within his line of sight.
Everything outside appeared distorted, as if countless insects were writhing, sending chills down one's spine.
"The paranormal influence is getting more and more serious."
"However, this car is indeed quite special; the driver's cab remained unharmed even under such supernatural interference."
Although the driver's location was cramped, it seemed to be protected by some kind of invisible barrier.
This reminded Jiang Qiao of the buses before the time travel, which were equipped with glass doors and guardrails next to the driver's seat to protect the driver's safety.
"But the driver still got out of the car."
Jiang Qiao felt no joy, but rather a sense of solemnity.
Seeing Jiang Qiao's expression, Ah Zhen dared not make a sound and stood silently to the side, anxiously looking around.
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Fortunately, she is petite, so it doesn't look crowded.
...
"It seems like Ah Zhen was the last one to leave. Did she not get off the bus?"
The middle-aged woman said with a frown.
"I heard her scream. Could she have been attacked by a supernatural force?"
"I heard it too, and her voice stopped as soon as she called out, as if she was forcibly interrupted."
The other two also spoke up.
Ah Qiang stared at the bus, its outline barely visible in the thick fog, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. But what came to mind was a giant coffin.
"Why--"
After a long while, he let out a long sigh.
In such a dangerous environment, he couldn't possibly go back to find Ah Zhen.
Moreover, the female ghost was sitting in the back of the carriage, and Ah Zhen didn't get off the train; instead, she screamed.
It's probably a bad omen for them.
"More than twenty people died in less than two days. Although a few of us survived, we also suffered heavy losses. The culprit behind all this was Ye Peng."
"If he gets back alive, he must compensate us for our losses."
Ah Qiang adjusted his satchel and said with a gloomy expression.
"But Ye Peng is already dead," another young man asked, puzzled.
Although Ye Peng was the team's convener and nominal captain, he was now dead, and no one took him seriously anymore.
Moreover, in their eyes, it was Ye Peng's reckless acceptance of missions that led to the team's annihilation.
She hated him to the core!
"I heard that he has been in the supernatural world for seven or eight years, and that he has gotten married and had children."
The middle-aged woman said in a sinister tone.
"It doesn't matter that he's dead, but I don't believe he didn't leave something for his family."
"We live a life of constant danger, never knowing when tomorrow will come. Yet he chose to get married and have children. Isn't he afraid that after he dies, his whole family will perish with him?"
"He started in this line of work earlier than any of us, so he understands this principle better than any of us."
"So he must have left something for his family to save their lives!"
The woman's words made everyone nod in agreement.
"Once we get out, besides avoiding the village's accountability, everyone should find out where Ye Peng has settled his family."
"We'll go to their door together and demand an explanation!"
Amidst their chatter, the group devised a plan to go out and demand their belongings from Ye Peng's family.
Nobody thought there was anything wrong with it.
Awakened individuals are prone to extreme personalities due to corruption, especially in a supernatural world.
In addition, the work they do is risky, so there's really no room for sentimentality.
For the sake of profit, even the best relationships can be betrayed.
Many so-called search teams, when they don't have any missions to take on, often end up acting as bandits or something similar.
It's not uncommon for people to kill each other over things.
In fact.
Let's not talk about the supernatural world.
Even among ordinary people in the real world, aren't there plenty of ruthless and self-serving individuals like this?
The idea that even thieves have their code of honor is just a romantic notion coined by writers.
Only when there is meat to eat can one have true morality!
So when your boss talks about loyalty to you, you'd better be careful.
...
Just as the group was discussing it...
Sudden.
Strange noises began to emanate from the once deathly still fog.
The sound was very close to them, like someone running around barefoot nearby, the sound muffled and urgent.
They sounded very anxious.
However, when the group looked around, they didn't see a single person.
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The sudden noise in the otherwise silent environment immediately put everyone on alert.
"There can't possibly be any living people here; it must be a vengeful ghost. But there was no movement before, and now it's suddenly appeared. It's very likely that it was attracted here by us."
"Let's leave here first, otherwise we could be attacked at any time."
Ah Qiang said to his companion in a low voice.
The middle-aged woman chimed in, "That's right, let's move around the car and find a new spot. Whether they're coming for us or not, it's better to be safe than sorry."
"But what if we didn't attract it? What if our movement attracts its attention instead?"
A man standing nearby did not quite agree with their views.
"Tao Jun's words make sense. Although there was some noise, we were not attacked immediately while we were standing here, so it is very likely that the ghost did not target us."
"I also think that in the current situation, it's better to stay put than to take any action."
The remaining survivor also disagreed with leaving.
This made Ah Qiang frown.
Such situations do indeed exist in paranormal events.
If the vengeful ghost doesn't attack you immediately, you just need to stay in your current state and not act recklessly, and there's a high probability you won't be attacked later.
However, this usually happens when the vengeful ghost has already locked onto another target and is just passing by you.
In this perilous environment, it's not just a matter of one ghost.
Therefore, he believes that moving to a different location is a better option!
"Tao Jun, Zhang Ruilin, what you said does make sense, but I've decided to go somewhere else. If you're not willing, we can go our separate ways."
A-Qiang didn't offer much explanation and directly presented the multiple-choice questions.
Moreover, as soon as he finished speaking, he immediately turned and walked away in the opposite direction of the footsteps, giving the two of them no time to think.
The group, who were discussing their action plan just moments before, suddenly split up.
But everyone tacitly refrained from saying anything unnecessary.
The woman, who looked to be around thirty, glanced at the two of them and followed closely behind Ah Qiang as they left.
In a life-or-death situation, once a decision is made, it must be executed immediately.
Why bother with what others do?
Tao Jun and Zhang Ruilin stood there, watching the two figures disappear into the mist, without following them.
What should we do now?
Zhang Ruilin looked at Tao Jun.
"The root of it all is this bus. Didn't you see that even the driver ran away? There's absolutely no chance of survival if you stay in this area."
Tao Jun said coldly.
"What we need to do is stay away from buses, and the danger will naturally be reduced."
After saying that, he actually walked into the woods behind him, showing no intention of staying in the same place.
"You want to go into the woods? This forest isn't necessarily safe."
Zhang Ruilin followed behind him, cautiously looking around.
After walking a few steps, the surrounding mist began to thin out, as if this forest could keep out the supernatural forces from the outside world!
Or perhaps, the supernatural event caused by the bus didn't actually have such a large impact range.
"The woods are definitely dangerous, so we don't need to go too far; we just need to avoid the fog."
Tao Jun pointed to the road ahead.
"Keep your eyes on the road so you don't get lost."
"We just need to walk a little further ahead, and when the bus starts moving, we'll be on the road that it has to pass through."
He looked confident, as if he had already come up with a plan.
"What's the use of being on the only route? Once the bus starts moving, it won't stop until it reaches the stop."
Zhang Ruilin frowned.
"Who said that?"
Tao Jun chuckled, his expression suddenly turning strange:
Have you ever heard of ghosts blocking a carriage?
After saying that.
A round copper coin with a square interior and a bright luster appeared in his hand.
If Jiang Qiao were here, he would recognize it at a glance as a ghost money coin!
Moreover, judging from its appearance, the material quality is not low!
"This is..."
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Zhang Ruilin was stunned.
"Don't worry, the bus won't run away. As long as it keeps going down this road, we'll definitely be able to get on."
"But Ah Qiang and the other two..."
Tao Jun gave a cold laugh as he finished speaking.
Clearly, although they worked together, their relationship wasn't very good.
The previous harmony was largely an act.
...
Ah-Qiang and the woman dared not approach the car.
They kept their eyes glued to the outline of the bus to make sure they didn't lose their way, as they moved toward the front of the bus.
The eerie footsteps didn't follow, so it seemed they hadn't attracted them after all.
"Tao Jun has some issues."
The woman spoke.
"We're all too busy taking care of ourselves right now, who cares what his motives or ideas are?"
Ah Qiang waved his hand.
Seeing this, the woman said nothing more.
The two continued walking and soon arrived at a drainage ditch by the roadside, just a few meters away from the front of the bus.
Because of the heavy fog, I could only barely see the open car door and the rearview mirror.
"Let's do it here."
Standing on the stone slab beside the drainage ditch, A-Qiang glanced at his surroundings and frowned deeply.
The fog before him made everything he saw seem unreal, like a mirage.
"The influence of this supernatural force is too great; even our senses are being misled. We can't go any further; if we stray too far, we'll be in trouble if we can't find a bus."
Ah Qiang murmured.
In such an environment, the chances of encountering a vengeful ghost are extremely high.
But to this day, he still doesn't know how much longer he has to stay before he can get back on the bus and leave.
If this goes on for too long, I could really die here!
"Qiang, I feel something's off about our surroundings. We probably need to prepare to fight the evil spirits."
The middle-aged woman next to him, holding a thick red stick, suddenly lowered her voice and said.
Just as she finished speaking...
A series of hurried footsteps appeared on the road to the left rear, as if a barefoot person was hurrying along.
"A vengeful ghost is chasing after us... no, not the one from before!"
Ah Qiang was taken aback, then his expression changed drastically.
He initially thought it was the owner of the footsteps from before who had caught up with him.
But as the sound drew closer, he noticed something different.
The footsteps earlier sounded like those of a child.
This dish, however, is clearly made for adults!
"There are so many vengeful ghosts here."
The middle-aged woman's face turned very pale.
If two similar paranormal phenomena occur simultaneously, then there are most likely more than two!
Is this some kind of haunted house?
Just two seconds.
The footsteps appeared behind them.
At the same time, they also turned around and looked over.
immediately.
Their expressions changed drastically.
They saw a naked man with pale skin and gouged eyes running quickly out of the mist!
Not only that.
Behind the man, a large, mysterious shadow appeared.
It seems something is chasing it!
"There's a ghost!"
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A naked man with deathly pale skin suddenly emerged from the eerie mist.
The man's eyes looked as if they had been gouged out; two lines of congealed blood slid down from his eye sockets and down to the corners of his mouth.
Cold, foul-smelling, icy...
This man is clearly not alive!
However, when he reached Ah Qiang and the woman, he suddenly stopped and opened his mouth, shouting at them:
There's a ghost!
The voice was hoarse and strange, as if someone was choking it.
Not only that.
Behind the man, a large black shadow was spreading out, with many twisted figures moving within it, seemingly chasing after it!
"What is this?!"
Ah Qiang was shocked and instinctively wanted to back away.
But the man was faster and suddenly reached out to grab him!
There's a ghost!
"Help me!"
"Help me!"
The sound was shrill and filled with despair, but its expression was numb, as if the sound did not come from its mouth.
"Get out of my way!"
The woman next to her shouted angrily and slammed her scarlet stick down!
Bang!
With a muffled thud, the strange man's hand, which was grabbing at A-Qiang, was instantly cracked like a spider web, and then it shattered completely.
The man then fell forward and to the ground.
"Dead?"
Ah Qiang frowned as he looked at the corpse lying on the ground.
This was somewhat unexpected for him.
He had assumed the man would get back up and continue his attack.
"It doesn't seem like a vengeful ghost."
The woman squatted down, fiddled with it for a few moments, and said in a deep voice:
"They look somewhat like ordinary people who have been possessed by the supernatural."
"Because they retain some memories from their previous life, they continue to repeat these behaviors even after death."
She poked the corpse with the red stick.
There was no response.
Tap tap tap—
Tap tap tap—
Just then.
From the dark shadows not far away, the twisted figures suddenly made a series of chaotic footsteps, as if many people were running and rushing towards them.
soon.
The distorted figures suddenly became clear.
He was completely naked, his body was deathly pale with bluish-purple patches, and his eyes looked like they had been gouged out, leaving only bloody holes!
This scene made the two of them shrink their eyes.
"Damn, how come there are so many?"
The woman exclaimed.
one.
two.
Three.
Four.
...
Soon, the road was filled with a dense array of eerie figures—children, men, women, and the elderly.
They looked almost exactly like the man who had been knocked down on the ground.
Ah-Qiang and the woman were like a small boat in front of a giant wave, stunned and frozen in place by the oncoming vengeful ghost.
"Walk!"
Ah Qiang let out a low shout and turned to run away.
Suddenly.
A pale arm emerged from the nearby ditch, and a strange woman crawled out and grabbed his ankle.
But the next moment, it quickly retracted.
Ah Qiang was completely unaware of the vengeful ghost. After being captured, he was terrified and immediately raised his gun to shoot!
Click!
A wisp of green smoke rose up.
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What shot out of the gun barrel wasn't a bullet, but half a blackened tooth!
The tooth struck the strange woman at his feet in the chest instantly.
"ah--!"
A chilling scream rang out.
A huge gash was instantly torn open in the woman's body.
The wound was irregularly shaped, as if it had been torn apart by some kind of animal.
Then, like the strange man from before, the woman fell to the ground and stopped moving.
"Quickly, get out of here."
Ah Qiang and the woman quickly turned and ran.
They no longer cared whether they would lose their way after running into the fog and getting away from the bus.
At this point, even survival became uncertain.
We can only take it one step at a time!
However, no matter how they ran, the footsteps nearby became more and more frequent and denser.
At first, I was just chasing after them.
But gradually, human figures began to appear around them.
at the same time.
A bone-chilling cold aura began to blow in from all directions, clinging to them like maggots, gradually enveloping their bodies.
Ah-Qiang felt that the ankle where the female ghost had just grabbed him was starting to hurt more and more, and it was affecting his mobility.
He looked down and saw a dark handprint on the spot where he had been grabbed; it was now rotting and swollen.
Even inside the wound, there seemed to be something like worms wriggling!
How are you?
The woman seemed very concerned about Ah Qiang and quickly supported him.
Sudden.
From the mist beside her, a strange, pale hand reached out and grabbed the woman's arm.
But the next second...
A green light flashed across the woman's body.
The hand seemed to have been burned, and it quickly withdrew.
However, before she could react...
Several more hands reached out from behind her and touched her back.
Similarly, a flash of green light appeared.
All the hands retracted, and there was even a burnt smell about them.
However, this time a faint handprint was left on the woman's back, suggesting that she had not been able to intercept all the supernatural attacks.
Or perhaps, the owner of this handprint is more terrifying than other vengeful ghosts.
The woman gritted her teeth.
Suddenly, she seemed like a lamp that had been lit, emitting a faint green glow. She knew that if she didn't use her strange power now, she might never have the chance again.
"My energy is being depleted too much, and I can't hold on for long. We must leave immediately."
She grabbed Ah Qiang's arm, swung the red stick at the nearby ghosts, and ran forward, trying to fight her way out!
But.
No matter how they ran, more and more people appeared nearby, almost blocking the entire highway at a glance.
It looks terrifying.
"Am I going to die here?"
Finally, the woman stopped, because there was nowhere left to go.
They were surrounded by eerie figures, completely sealed off from all sides, making it impossible to count how many vengeful ghosts there were.
"It's over——"
The woman gave a desperate, bitter smile.
There is absolutely no chance of turning the situation around.
Even powerful figures who are a level above them in strength will be overwhelmed by vengeful spirits.
Is there any way to break this deadlock?
A-Qiang stared blankly at the figures that were constantly gathering around him. He wanted to use his supernatural powers, but ultimately gave up.
Because his ability is extremely lethal to a single target, but he cannot deal area damage.
It won't help the current situation at all.
The eerie figures kept approaching them, and the surrounding space became smaller and smaller.
The green light emanating from the woman began to dim, like a candle flickering in the wind, about to be extinguished at any moment.
suddenly.
Ah Qiang seemed to have seen something, and his expression changed.
He said urgently to the woman next to him:
"Aunt Yang, I need your help!"
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Nothing strange has appeared yet, and the female ghost has disappeared. Did she go into that stone path?"
Jiang Qiao was unaware of what happened to the search team members after they got out of the vehicle, and he wasn't particularly interested in it.
Since we're all going to die anyway, how we die doesn't matter.
What particularly intrigued him was that the bus now connected three different places like a three-way intersection.
If you get off at the front door, you should be on the normal road.
However, the highway is now shrouded in fog, and once you get out of the car, not only is it easy to get lost, but the risk of encountering a paranormal attack will also become extremely high.
If you get off at the back door, you will step onto a very old-looking wooden ladder.
It stretches downwards, its destination unknown.
However, judging from the pitch-black environment, it's definitely not a safe area; there's a high probability that a large group of adorable vengeful ghosts are waiting for you below.
Certainly.
What Jiang Qiao feared most was the large hole that appeared in the back of the bus.
The octagonal white lanterns on that stone path looked very familiar; I remembered seeing them several times before.
One of the most recent times I encountered this was in front of the Earth God Temple in the underworld!
"These lanterns always appear in some very scary ghostly spaces, which seems to be more than just for lighting. After all, vengeful ghosts can move without light."
He counted them carefully; there were a total of eighteen lanterns within his field of vision.
This is not a good number.
In this eerie space, one can't help but think of the legendary eighteen levels of hell.
"Who knows where this road leads? And what lies hidden beneath the abysses on either side?"
An impulse welled up in Jiang Qiao's mind.
They wanted to disregard everything and enter this supernatural space to find out what was going on.
It's like some people standing on the edge of a cliff and looking out, having a strange urge to jump off.
But this is just wishful thinking.
He knew very well that once he stepped into such a terrifying place, he might discover many secrets, but in the end he would definitely die there.
Whatever he discovers will be discarded along with his body in some haunted corner.
Like those adventurers who went to climb Mount Everest but unfortunately fell into the abyss of the glacier, or the crew members of ocean-going ships that sank and plunged thousands of meters into the ocean depths.
Their remains will probably never be seen by the world again.
"call--"
I adjusted my emotions.
Jiang Qiao found that the passageways were relatively quiet, and at least for the time being, no evil spirits had appeared.
So he turned to look at Ah Zhen and said:
"It's safe for now. This bus is quite unusual; the driver's cab seems to be a separate space that could provide us with a refuge."
"My name is Jiang Qiao. What's your name?"
Jiang Qiao planned to take advantage of the current lack of danger to inquire about the group's experiences at Wild Dog Ridge.
"My name is Ah Zhen."
The girl said timidly in a low voice.
"I think you're quite timid. This kind of personality isn't suitable for joining the exploration team. What are you thinking?"
Jiang Qiao frowned when he saw her appearance.
The women I've met before, whether it's Liu Yuanyuan or Xue Lan, are all very capable and decisive.
Only Liu Qian is somewhat inferior.
However, Liu Qian is a newcomer after all, lacking in skills, knowledge, and experience.
The girl in front of me, Ah Zhen, is about as strong as Li Xin, but her personality seems to be even worse than Liu Qian's.
But she happens to be a member of the exploration team!
The exploration team is always doing dangerous work!
"I'm not a member of the exploration team; A-Qiang asked me to come temporarily because my eyes can see many dangers that are not normally visible."
Ah Zhen's voice was soft.
"You know him?"
Jiang Qiao asked.
"Yes. I'm from the same village as A-Qiang, and we were in the same batch of survivors who entered the supernatural world. However, he left the village after reaching level two, while I've been following some veterans from the village to do missions."
"I've worked with A-Qiang a few times before, and there haven't been any major dangers. The missions they take on are usually not too difficult, and there are very few cases of people dying."
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"I never expected that more than half of the casualties would be killed or injured on the very first day."
Ah Zhen's tone carried a hint of regret and frustration.
Jiang Qiao listened and nodded.
He understood.
Ah Zhen's current strength is entirely due to her eyes.
Danger is visible!
This ability would be highly valued in any paranormal team!
There was absolutely no need for her to complete the task herself.
In any mission she participates in, she is always the one who receives priority protection!
This explains why she acted like a complete novice.
What did you encounter in Wild Dog Ridge? Why did you almost get wiped out in just one day?
Following Ah Zhen's words, Jiang Qiao continued to ask.
Upon hearing this, Ah Zhen seemed to have thought of something terrifying, and her expression changed.
My subconscious urge was to refuse to answer.
But when she saw Jiang Qiao's serious gaze, the refusal that was on the tip of her tongue was swallowed back.
She understood that she was incapable of surviving in such a perilous environment.
Perhaps she can see many dangers.
However, just because you can see it doesn't mean you can solve it, much less that you can avoid it!
Whether she survives or not depends entirely on the attitude of the young man in front of her.
In fact, she had already secretly observed Jiang Qiao using her abilities when he first appeared in the back seat.
What she saw, however, left her feeling somewhat incredulous.
He saw that Jiang Qiao's whole being appeared unreal.
In this illusion, eerie shadows kept flashing by.
There was a face that emitted electric light.
There are human skeletons burning with raging flames.
There were also thorny vines wrapped around rotting corpses; just looking at them made my eyes sting.
These are all the other party's innate abilities.
This shocked her greatly!
Because she had never heard of anyone possessing so many talents!
That's absolutely impossible!
So she even suspected that there was a mistake in her own abilities!
Of all these abilities, what terrified her the most were Jiang Qiao's eyes.
Deep and dark, like two black holes.
It's as if one glance would draw you in, trapping you forever, unable to escape!
She instinctively wanted to observe more closely.
However, the strange talent she called "the Yin Eye" shut down on its own at this moment!
Not only that.
When she instinctively tried to open it again in her shock, she felt a chilling sensation from the depths of her soul.
A kind of telepathic intuition told her that it was the "shadow eye" that was afraid!
This is something that has never happened before.
You need to know.
She once used her "yin eye" to observe a strange object that seemed to have been left behind by a god. Not only was it unharmed, but she even discovered a secret.
"What kind of supernatural power can make someone with the Yin Eye feel fear?"
She murmured to herself.
"alright."
Jiang Qiao waved his hand impatiently.
"Tell me everything you encountered at Wild Dog Ridge."
"Or I'll throw you out of the car."
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Which village allowed you in?"
What are their goals?
"Tell me everything you went through inside: what dangers you encountered, what evil spirits you met, what secrets you discovered."
Jiang Qiao stared into Ah Zhen's eyes and said, word by word.
The reason he kept Ah Zhen around was that he wanted to learn the secrets of Wild Dog Ridge through her.
The supernatural world is full of terrifying areas, and untouched places are everywhere. But not all places will pique the interest of the ancient village.
These villages have a long history and profound cultural heritage.
What they have seen, experienced, and fought against is incomparable to what later generations can do.
If even they are interested in a place, then there must be enormous profits involved. No one gets up early for nothing; the ancient village isn't reckless and won't do anything that's purely risky and offers no benefit.
Jiang Qiao was very curious about this and wanted to know what secrets were hidden in Wild Dog Ridge.
Although Ah Zhen and his group were almost wiped out before they could even break through the outer perimeter, they at least personally experienced various events along the way, which could provide him with some reference.
Jiang Qiao's impatient attitude started led Ah Zhen.
Afraid of being thrown off the car, she quickly replied:
"I heard Ye Peng and A Qiang say before that the task was arranged by the people of Caomiao Village."
"The task requires finding a safe route to the deepest part of the area, recording the dangers along the way, and then drawing them into a map and handing it over to them."
"But they didn't tell us what they wanted to do inside."
"For similar exploration missions, the issuer will not tell the mission recipient the real purpose; they will usually just make some requests."
Ah Zhen spoke very quickly, blurting out what she knew.
"Caomiao Village?"
"You mean Village No. 49?"
Jiang Qiao frowned slightly.
He had heard Liu Yuanyuan mention this village before, and Liu Yuanyuan even claimed to know a master from there.
However, according to Liu Yuanyuan's words, although this village is the survivor of the first fifty villages, the first batch of villagers have actually all died.
The people in the village today are either descendants of those people from back then or outsiders.
Therefore, at most it can be called a village with heritage, but it does not qualify as an ancient village.
"Yes, yes, Village No. 49."
Ah Zhen nodded repeatedly.
"This is my first time meeting people from this ancient village. They rarely contact the outside world, but they are incredibly powerful and are said to possess forbidden items."
As she said this, she glanced at Jiang Qiao discreetly.
He suspected that this person was also a master from the ancient village, otherwise how could he have such great strength at such a young age?
Especially his numerous talents, which are simply unheard of!
In the supernatural world, apart from the ancient village tradition, he couldn't imagine any other place where such a powerful and mind-blowing individual could be born.
"Not necessarily."
"Perhaps he is a native expert. I've heard that some native villages are even more eerie than ancient villages."
Ah Zhen silently guessed what was going on in her heart.
But she dared not say it aloud, because in the supernatural world, inquiring about origins is a very taboo thing.
Unless you are stronger than your opponent, you are very likely to bring about your own death!
"Forbidden items...do you know what those are?"
Jiang Qiao raised an eyebrow.
Ah Zhen paused for a moment, then said somewhat blankly:
"Uh, you're joking, brother."
"This is the biggest secret of the ancient village, how would I know..."
Jiang Qiao nodded.
He was just checking.
Judging from the knowledge of Caomiao Village alone, Ah Zhen and her teammates are not of a high level.
Although they were an exploration team, their knowledge was very limited.
In comparison, Liu Yuanyuan's social circle is clearly more upscale, and the definition of an ancient village is much stricter.
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"The so-called forbidden items are probably the village's trump cards or something."
Jiang Qiao memorized the word and sent it to Liu Yuanyuan again.
What on earth is this woman doing?
I still haven't replied to his message.
"Go on."
"Didn't you gather any intelligence before entering Wild Dog Ridge? You almost got wiped out in just one day."
"Also, how did you get in?"
Jiang Qiao asked.
"Wild Dog Ridge has always been a remote place, and most people only know that there is a bus stop there, but very few people go in."
"Qiang and his team had gathered some intelligence before, but not much."
"We only found that two teams had entered Wild Dog Ridge to carry out missions. One team was unharmed, while the other was completely wiped out."
"The team that escaped unscathed provided information that the area is full of abandoned graves and forests, but they did not see any vengeful ghosts."
"And the leader of the team, Ye Peng, said that he took on this mission because he obtained a map through a secret channel that leads directly to the deepest part of the area."
"This time, we're only here to verify if this road exists. If something's not right, we'll leave immediately."
Ah Zhen said as she recalled.
"A map obtained through clandestine channels?"
"Judging from your tone, he didn't show you this map?"
Jiang Qiao said.
"No."
Ah Zhen shook her head.
"Within the industry, to prevent others from turning their backs on you after getting the information, people who have key information rarely disclose it in advance. They usually only share it when they are near the destination."
"These are the rules. If you can't accept them, you can choose not to join."
"Ye Peng has convened several missions before, and there have never been any problems, so no one has taken it too seriously."
"As a result, we encountered a vengeful ghost as soon as we reached the outer perimeter, and Ye Peng died in the first wave of attacks."
Ah Zhen replied.
His tone carried a hint of frustration.
She glanced at Jiang Qiao, thinking to herself that this young man didn't seem to know much about the exploration team's stuff.
Could it really be a young man from an ancient village who has gone out to gain experience?
But they shouldn't lack even basic common sense!
Was he testing me?
She knew that some people liked to ask questions they already knew the answer to, such as about someone's gender.
This isn't asking for an answer, it's asking for an attitude!
Ah Zhen silently reminded herself that she must maintain the correct attitude.
Poor girl.
She could never have imagined that Jiang Qiao was just a newbie who had only been in the supernatural world for a little over ten days.
Although he possessed a great deal of advanced knowledge and had incredible strength.
However, they are completely ignorant about some basic common sense!
"That Ye Peng is really unlucky."
Jiang Qiao's expression was somewhat strange.
The information this guy has is most likely true, otherwise it wouldn't have given an experienced adventurer such confidence.
However, there is a high possibility that key information is missing.
The crucial point is that he was unaware of this deficiency.
As a result, he excitedly ran to Wild Dog Ridge, slid up, and immediately gave away his life.
"Go on, tell me what you encountered."
Jiang Qiao gestured.
Then, Ah Zhen began to recount their experience entering Wild Dog Ridge.
8bσoК． Сοм
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An old wooden boat silently sails on a small river.
A light rain was falling from the gloomy sky, and the river was shrouded in mist, making everything appear hazy.
The ship is very large and its shape resembles a crescent moon.
However, the boat was very rudimentary, without even a awning to protect them from the rain. As a result, the more than twenty passengers not only had to get wet in the rain, but also had to scoop out the water that had accumulated in the boat at any time.
Ye Peng, short and stout, glanced at the lantern at the bow of the boat. The eerie green light inside had not been extinguished by the rain, and he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
It was also his first time riding in this strange wooden boat, so he was quite uneasy.
Fortunately, the intelligence he received was accurate.
As long as this light remains lit, the ship will be very safe and will not be subject to any supernatural attacks.
"Brother Peng, how much longer until we reach Wild Dog Ridge?"
A young man with a shoulder bag and a buzz cut asked.
"We're almost there. Under normal circumstances, we should reach Wild Dog Ridge in two or three hours at most. Look, the mountains are already starting to appear on both sides of the river."
Ye Peng replied, showing great politeness to the young man.
Although the young man in front of them was young, he was a seasoned adventurer, and they had already cooperated several times.
Moreover, this time, the opposing team even brought in a foreign player.
Thinking of this, he looked at the girl who was holding an umbrella and sitting in the middle of the boat.
It is said that this girl has a pair of ghost eyes, which can see hidden evil spirits and dangers, and she has escaped from near-death situations many times.
With detailed intelligence and the assistance of such a master, this time everything should be foolproof.
Ye Peng glanced at the riverbank.
The riverbank was overgrown with tangled weeds, and there was no sign of any life activity, not even a trace of any evil spirits along the way.
But he knew very well.
These shores harbor immense terror.
It's just that they were floating in the river and didn't trigger any supernatural phenomena.
"Brother Peng, I thought this mission would involve taking that old bus, but it turns out we'll be traveling by boat."
"That ferry crossing looks like it's been abandoned for a long time, how did you manage to find it!"
A young man came over and said with a grin.
Ye Peng shook his head after hearing this and said:
"That bus does indeed pass through Wild Dog Ridge, but the bus stops are strange, and the route is too long, so it's hard for us to figure out when we can get to Wild Dog Ridge."
"If you're lucky, you might arrive in a few hours, but if you're unlucky, you might be stuck on the train for a month or two."
"That's such a waste of time."
"So before I left, I gathered information everywhere and eventually bought the information about this ferry crossing at a high price. If everything goes smoothly, I can reach my destination in half a day."
Even if things don't go smoothly, it will only delay things by two or three days at most.
"It's not a big problem."
Ye Peng spoke with certainty.
Clearly, he was very confident in the intelligence he possessed.
...
While Ye Peng and the others were talking.
Ah Zhen, sitting in the middle of the wooden boat, was looking at the river with a serious expression.
Because of her special status and importance, she was given the safest position and was not involved in handling rainwater.
Everyone understands the importance of her "evil eyes"!
at this time.
The river surface was completely black, and nothing could be seen hidden beneath the water.
Even the lantern at the bow of the boat, its light disappears silently when it touches the river's surface, as if swallowed up.
Not even the faintest glimmer of light will remain.
(8) Book.com
A curious Ah Zhen took out a slightly yellowed piece of white paper from her bag, on which were written some distorted characters.
The piece of paper quickly transformed into a paper boat in her hands.
This paper boat looks very strange, somewhat like the gold ingots offered in front of a grave, but it also has the shape of a boat. There is even a faint blue light emanating from the bottom of the boat.
It looks like a supernatural item!
He raised his hand and placed the paper boat on the river, wanting to see what was hidden in the water.
However.
The paper boat sank instantly less than a second after it hit the water!
"This river is indeed strange; even the paper boat can't float."
Ah Zhen's expression froze.
She dared not use the "shadow eye" to investigate, for fear of seeing something.
Many paranormal events actually originate from "seeing"!
Therefore, in the supernatural world, an experienced person needs to maintain curiosity, but not be too curious.
If you lose control of this balance, you will die without a burial place!
"This river reminds me of the legendary River of Oblivion, but I wonder if there is a Bridge of Helplessness."
Just then, A-Qiang came to her side and spoke.
"Many place names in the supernatural world are related to some legends we have heard before."
"For example, I once heard that after a person dies, they go to the underworld and pass through many places along the way. The first stop is the local earth god temple, and then they pass through the gates of hell."
"After the Gates of Hell comes the Road to the Underworld... When we reach the sixth stop, it's called Evil Dog Ridge."
"Rumor has it that packs of vicious dogs roam this place, with fierce eyes and teeth full of steel, and they will rush over to tear apart the souls of the dead who pass by."
"Some of the dead had their legs bitten off, and some had their hands torn off. If you don't prepare a dog-beating stick or some dry food when you bury them, it's hard to get out of this mess unscathed."
"I feel like this Evil Dog Ridge has some kind of connection to Wild Dog Ridge, which we're going to."
Ah Qiang started telling folk tales he had heard before, which immediately attracted the attention of the others.
"Yes, I've heard that story too. And there are indeed some ruins of local shrines in the supernatural world. I've even heard that some people have encountered people claiming to be local deities in certain places."
Someone spoke up.
"I've heard about it too. Apparently, they sent him on an old bus to deliver a message somewhere, but he never came back."
"I know this matter caused quite a stir before, because a big shot said that the bus didn't actually have that stop, so some people suspected that he was bewitched by a vengeful ghost and got off the bus midway to go to some haunted area."
"Regarding this, I don't necessarily think it's fake, because I've heard that some people have indeed found supernatural items in local temples. At least it proves that these places once had some kind of mysterious presence."
The others crowded around, chattering amongst themselves.
"Brother Ye, you're a veteran in this industry, do you really believe that local deities exist?"
Ah Qiang, who was sitting next to Ah Zhen, suddenly looked at Ye Peng at the bow of the boat and asked a question.
Upon hearing this, the others also stopped their discussion and looked at Ye Peng.
Ye Peng looked at A-Qiang, his eyes flickered a few times, and then he smiled faintly:
"I don't believe that there really are the kind of earth gods we know in this world."
"But it cannot be denied that there are indeed some bizarre and evil spirits. For example, as everyone knows, there is a lake at the end of the wasteland."
"And that strange giant hand that appeared in the sky."
At this point, he suddenly lowered his voice.
"I heard… the people of the ancient village call these things gods."
"There's probably some reason behind it."
Just as he finished speaking...
Suddenly, a noise came from the water ahead.
"thump--"
It looks like something has fallen into the water.
(8) BOOK.COM
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"You mean you got to Wild Dog Ridge by taking an old wooden boat?"
Where is the ferry crossing?
Jiang Qiao asked.
"Its location...is approximately 100 kilometers northwest of village number 200, near the mountains."
Ah Zhen replied.
"There are some ancient ruins in that area, so many people go there to explore. But none of us expected that there was an abandoned ferry crossing hidden there, and that an unmanned wooden boat would appear at night."
"According to Ye Peng, this ferry crossing has existed for hundreds of years, but it was suddenly abandoned more than ten years ago."
Ah Zhen continued.
"It's Village 200 again, and it's in the Northwest again..."
Jiang Qiao frowned slightly.
He recalled that Liu Yuanyuan had said in Gujing Village that the original owner of the General's Tomb had entered Changyang Mountain in the Northwest region and eventually died there.
During the simulation, he once mistakenly entered Changyang Mountain with his eighth-level strength and discovered an abandoned temple there.
However, when the fire pit in the temple was lit, strange phenomena occurred.
The sky split open, revealing a gigantic eyeball!
Given his strength at the time, he was wiped out without any power to resist.
Are there many people in this village number 200? How much do the people there know about this ferry crossing?
Jiang Qiao continued to ask.
"Village No. 200…this village is actually a transit point."
"Many supernatural items have been found in the ruins to the northwest, so many people come here to resupply."
"As for whether the villagers know about the ferry crossing, I don't know."
"Those people are quite mysterious."
"However, I think since Ye Peng knows about it, the fact that the ferry crossing is nearby shouldn't be a secret. It's just that we outsiders don't know much about the area, so we don't know."
Ah Zhen's words puzzled Jiang Qiao.
The supernatural world is vast, so it's understandable that people in different areas don't know much about each other.
Even if they were an exploration team that gathered intelligence from all over the world, it was impossible for them to know everything.
But the problem is...
They even felt it was a waste of time to take the old bus, so how did they get to this so-called Village No. 200?
Judging from her tone, this place is quite far away as well.
We need to find out the answer.
After all, he plans to go and see it in the future.
"How did you get to Village 200? By car?"
Jiang Qiao's words surprised Ah Zhen.
Jiang Qiao looked at him with some doubt, as the question asked by the other party seemed strange.
Then, she said cautiously, "There are trains connecting many villages, which is the most important achievement of mankind in the supernatural world over the years."
What?
"train?"
You mean the ghost train?
Now it was Jiang Qiao's turn to be stunned, and his first thought was of that strange train.
"No, it's not a ghost train…" Ah Zhen waved her hands repeatedly, her face filled with terror.
"Not many people dare to ride the ghost train; it's too dangerous on board."
"However, many established villages use the Ghost Train's tracks to operate simple trains. But this is limited to villages through which the Ghost Train's tracks pass."
Holy crap!
Jiang Qiao immediately understood.
Isn't this just exploiting the ghost train?
Operating your own trains on someone else's railway tracks is quite audacious.
"Aren't the tracks of this ghost train dangerous?"
"And what about those villages where there are no railway tracks? Haven't they thought about building some means of transportation?"
8ВοоK． сом
Jiang Qiao asked.
He knew that the supernatural world and the real world were not completely isolated.
A small number of human organizations are able to connect the two worlds.
For example, the new humans already had a passageway that allowed them to move between the two sides and even transport supplies.
In this situation.
There's nothing strange about getting a few cars or something.
He thought that the makeshift trains Ah Zhen mentioned were probably brought in from the real world.
"Early humans attempted to lay tracks and even considered using car-like transportation. However, they were unable to solve the dangers on the roads."
"Driving them is even more likely to result in attacks from vengeful spirits than traveling on foot."
"Only by using the tracks of the ghost train can safety be guaranteed most of the time."
Jiang Qiao nodded, indicating that he understood what was going on.
Ghost trains are obviously terrifying supernatural objects, and the tracks are integrated with the train.
Therefore, it is not surprising that railway tracks have the effect of warding off evil spirits.
but.
"You said it's safe most of the time, which means there are still ghostly attacks on the train?"
He continued to ask for details.
"It wasn't an attack."
Ah Zhen shook her head.
"There are some terrifying ghosts and strange tales that mistake human trains for ghost trains and force their way on. But once on board, they will attack humans."
"In addition, ghost trains sometimes appear suddenly without any warning."
"If we can put up a fight against the vengeful ghosts that force their way onto the train, then once the ghost train appears, the entire train will be completely destroyed. Everyone on board, regardless of their strength, will die."
"I see." After hearing Ah Zhen's explanation, Jiang Qiao recalled his experience riding the ghost train.
Whenever the train arrives at a station, the evil spirits on board attack humans. But while the train is in motion, they are suppressed by the train and remain obediently seated.
Jiang Qiao had previously guessed that the reason they were not protected might be because they hadn't bought tickets.
Regardless of whether this speculation is correct or not.
At least after the train started moving, the ghosts and tales were suppressed. Or rather, these ghostly things were made to follow some kind of rule.
However, trains made by humans themselves are counterfeit and inferior products.
The vengeful ghost definitely won't buy it!
This principle is not difficult to understand.
As for the ghost train's sudden appearance, he guessed it might have just happened to be traveling to that location.
The train that was hit was the unlucky one!
If it were a targeted attack by a ghost train, then there would be no way a train could be running on the tracks.
After resolving some of his doubts, Jiang Qiao returned to the question.
"Then continue, tell me what you encountered on the river."
"What fell into the water?"
Upon hearing this, Ah Zhen recounted that experience once again.
...
What was that sound?
"It looks like something has fallen into the water."
"Ye Peng just said we're almost at our destination, we can't afford to have a problem at the last minute, can we?"
"It's hard to say, after all, very few people have been to Wild Dog Ridge, but since the ancient village is interested, there must be some big secret behind it."
"It's normal for the road to be unsettled."
"Well said."
Upon hearing the commotion, the group of people cautiously picked up their weapons while chattering amongst themselves.
They were all adventurers who had experienced many paranormal events, and instead of panicking, they calmly prepared for battle.
"Ah Zhen, can you see what it is?"
Ye Peng squinted at a spot near the shore ahead, where the water was rippling.
⑧вοо＋． Сοm
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