The Midnight Search
"Yu Xiao!"
Mei Zhu's voice cracked as it echoed between the ancient trees, trembling with panic. The sound was swallowed by the forest, as if the night itself resented the intrusion.
Flashlights swept ragged beams through the dark, slicing the undergrowth into shifting shapes. Crew members fanned out, calling her name, voices growing hoarse and desperate. Only five remained at base camp, clustered close to the lone lantern, faces taut with worry.
"Senior Yu!" Zhiyu called, hands cupped around his mouth, voice raw.
"Yu Xiao!" another crew member shouted, face pale, eyes wide and uncertain.
"Yu Xiao!" the others echoed, voices overlapping and thinning, hope fraying with each unanswered call.
Ms. Wang stood behind Zhu, brows pinched together, massaging her forehead as if trying to squeeze out a solution. Her silhouette was rigid—only her hand trembled. The woods seemed to press in, absorbing every sound, returning nothing but a cold hush.
Zhu stomped the soft earth, tears burning her eyes, lips trembling as she strained to catch any response.
They pressed deeper, flashlights bobbing, boots squelching in the damp. The group grew smaller as the shadows thickened, until the dense trees opened into a patch of deeper darkness. The group gathered in a tight knot, breaths shallow and quick.
"Is everyone okay?" Team Leader Zhang Hou called, trying to sound in control, but his voice was tight.
A female crew member bent double, hands on her knees, panting. "My calves are cramping. I can't walk any farther," she gasped, voice thin and strained.
Their flashlights darted to the treeline, but the wall of blackness felt impenetrable.
"Are we still going?" another crew member whispered, voice barely holding steady, lips quivering.
Zhang Hou scanned the group, jaw clenched, eyes haunted by something he wouldn't say out loud.
Two crew members leaned in together, whispering as if afraid the trees might hear.
"Do you know what they say about this place?" one murmured, voice barely above a breath. "If Yu Xiao doesn't return… you know the stories."
The other nodded, hands shaking. "Urban legends—the hikers who vanished, the search parties that never found anything but silence."
A sudden, violent rustle in the dry leaves made everyone freeze. Zhu gasped, arms shooting around Zhiyu's arm for reassurance. Her knees buckled, and she clung to him, shivering.
A freezing wind swept through the woods, sharp as a blade. The group huddled closer, faces pale, lips pressed tight.
"No one separates from the group!" Zhang Hou barked, the edge of panic in his voice. A crew member grabbed his sleeve, shaking so hard it was visible even in the shadows.
"Team Leader Hou," she pleaded, voice cracking, tears brimming, "I can't take another step. Please, let's go back. Something's wrong here."
Zhang Hou hesitated, then his face softened. "We're heading back. Stay close. Don't show fear. Keep your flashlights up." He nodded. "Boys, here. Girls, in front." No one argued—the girls hurried ahead, heads down, flashlights trembling in their hands.
Mei Zhu seized Ms. Wang's hand, squeezing so hard her knuckles turned white. "Forgive me, Ms. Wang," she whispered, voice shaking. "I'm so scared."
Ms. Wang squeezed back, forcing a smile she didn't feel. "We'll get back. Just breathe, Zhu." Zhu nodded, but tears slipped down her cheeks.
"Let's go!" Zhang Hou ordered. They moved in tense silence, boots crunching on the leaf-littered path, every sound magnified in the night.
As they walked, the woods seemed to close in behind them, shadows shifting, the wind carrying faint whispers no one wanted to acknowledge. The cold pressed closer, and even their breath seemed to freeze in the air.
At Base Camp — Later That Night
Yu Xiao woke beneath tangled bushes, near the camp, gasping for air. Her heart hammered as she pushed herself up, eyes wide and wild. Above her, the black shape of a massive tree loomed; bushes crowded close, their leaves clammy with dew. Her left hand brushed something cold and leathery. She gripped it—it was the torn book from the shrine.
"So, I'm not dreaming," she whispered, clutching it to her chest, brow furrowed with confusion.
A sudden flash of memory slammed into her—
A banquet hall, flickering lanterns. A girl in crimson robes, hair crowned with gold, amber eyes soft and mesmerizing—then the fall, a blade, blood pouring out, the girl's desperate hands clawing at a man's ankle as the world spun.
Yu Xiao squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady her breath. "Why does this feel so connected to me?" she whispered, worry creasing her brow.
She spotted the faint glow of camp lights and stumbled toward them, clutching the book like a lifeline. The tent was empty, eerily still. She peered inside, scratching her cheek. "So quiet… where is everyone?"
She hurried to the set.
Five crew members sat slumped around a lantern, faces drawn, eyes hollow. One sprang up, jaw slack. Another slowly tugged out his earphones, staring like a ghost had appeared.
The rest stared, unmoving, as if caught in a spell.
Yu Xiao frowned, hands on hips. "What's wrong with you? Why are you all staring?"
They exchanged looks, then one found his voice. "Where is everyone?" she repeated, voice sharper.
The producer forced a smile, but his face was pale. "Ms. Yu… they're searching for you. The whole crew went into the woods. Ms. Wang too."
Yu Xiao's hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide. "Seriously?" She raked her hair back, guilt and fear warring inside her. "Director Han, the woods are creepy. No signal. Can I use the radio? Tell them I'm safe."
Director Han nodded, voice calm but eyes worried. "Of course." He grabbed the walkie-talkie, static crackling. After a tense minute, he smiled faintly. "They're coming back now."
Yu Xiao exhaled, shoulders slumping. "Finally." She sat down, worry still flickering in her gaze. "Thank you," she said, voice soft.
The editor, production designer, and sound mixer watched her, wary and curious.
She turned, raising an eyebrow. "Seniors? You all right?"
Editor Gao Muchen managed a weak smile. "We're fine, Yu Xiao."
She pointed at their feet. "You're not tired of standing?"
They shared surprised glances. Director Han leaned over to DP Chao Yang, whispering, "What's with her today? She's… different."
DP Yang smirked. "Maybe the woods changed her."
Footsteps and flashlight beams approached, echoing through the camp.
Yu Xiao stood, smoothing her jacket.
Mei Zhu was the first to see her, freezing in her tracks before dropping Ms. Wang's hand and sprinting across the clearing.
Yu Xiao opened her arms as Zhu crashed into her, hugging fiercely, sobbing.
"Yu Xiao!" Zhu cried, voice breaking. "You scared me half to death! Where did you go?"
Yu Xiao hugged her back, rubbing her hair gently. "What's wrong?" she asked softly.
Zhu pulled back, tears on her cheeks, sulking. "Don't ever do that again, or I'll haunt you forever."
The crew poured in behind them, voices a mix of relief and frustration.
"There you are!" a crew member called, breathless.
"We were terrified!" another snapped, hands on hips. "Where were you, Senior?"
Yu Xiao stepped forward, face suddenly stern. "My apologies for worrying everyone," she said, voice cool. "But you're under Team Leader Hou, not me. Ask politely next time. No need to yell." Her gaze narrowed. "Respect matters."
The girl flushed, looking down.
Zhiyu hurried up, face etched with worry. "Senior… are you hurt?"
Yu Xiao shook her head, eyes softening. "I'm fine."
She turned to Ms. Wang. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. She faced the group. "All of you, I'm sorry for making you worry. It wasn't intentional."
They nodded, silent but relieved.
"Team Leader Hou, thank you for your hard work. Sorry for disrupting the shoot."
He smiled tiredly, stepping closer. "We're a team. It happens." He leaned in, whispered, "She didn't know who you really are."
Yu Xiao's lips twitched. "Next time, she'll learn." She turned away. "I'm going to rest."
Zhu and Zhiyu followed instantly.
Later, Inside the Tent
Zhu set down two steaming cups of noodles. "No energy to cook. Just eat."
"Thank you," Yu Xiao murmured, taking one.
Zhiyu was already snoring softly, curled up, his brow furrowed even in sleep.
Yu Xiao tilted her head, watching him for a moment. "Thought you hated snoring," she teased.
Zhu smiled, a little weakly. "He's exhausted. I'll let it slide tonight."
Yu Xiao paused mid-sip, her gaze lingering on Zhu.
"This was the most terrifying night of my life," Zhu whispered, voice thin. "Even together, the fear was… crushing. But you… you're never scared of the dark, are you?"
Yu Xiao didn't answer, just ate in silence.
Zhu's gaze flicked to the book under Yu Xiao's quilt. "Is that… a book?"
Yu Xiao shifted, tucking it farther away. "Nothing important."
Zhu frowned, concern creasing her face. "It looks… familiar."
Yu Xiao managed a faint smile. "You're overthinking. Sleep."
Zhu nodded, lying down, her breathing slowing as she drifted off.
When the tent was quiet, Yu Xiao finished her noodles, drank some water, and finally pulled the book out. Her fingers traced its battered cover, her eyes thoughtful and a little haunted.
"From now on," she whispered to the darkness, "I'm keeping you close."