Der Weg der zu Unrecht behandelten Geister, Teil 1Der Weg der zu Unrecht behandelten Geister

Kapitel 16

"But we need to figure out how we got here, what kind of place this is, and you all say that only the dead can get here, but we clearly feel like we're still alive and well. How did we become dead without even realizing it?" Qin Ge shouted.

Old Dong's face showed a hint of helplessness and sympathy: "Everyone in the world knows the fear of death, and they all say it's better to live a miserable life than to die. But do you know that there are some people in this world who would rather die than live another day? As Town is such a place. It shelters the souls of those who yearn for death. Here, you can live without desires or worries. Here, you can forget all the troubles of living in this world. So, at this point, what meaning does living or dying have?"

"But we're not the kind of people who want to die, so how did we end up here?" Qin Ge asked.

Old Man Dong slowly shook his head: "This is not a question that I, an old man, can answer. Since you have come here, there must be a reason for it. You will naturally know the reason in the future."

"Now, I have another question for you: do you believe you are really dead?"

This time, Old Man Dong fell silent. After a long while, he slowly shook his head: "Now that we've come to Asi Town, what difference is there between being alive and being dead? I'd rather believe I'm already dead."

"Are you afraid of something? And who exactly is that man in black robes?" Qin Ge asked again.

Old Dong shook his head: "Ash Town is a mysterious place. As long as the people living here are content with the status quo, they will not be in any danger. In that case, you have nothing to fear. However, there are indeed many things in Ash Town that you cannot touch, such as that courtyard in the southeast corner, and this black-robed wizard."

"A wizard." Qin Ge's brows furrowed deeply. "What is the connection between this wizard and the goddess As that Takahashi mentioned?"

"The wizard conveys and executes the will of the god As, and he has supreme power in the town of As. If you dare to offend this power, then you will become a walking corpse like the one behind him."

"Since we're all already dead, how can we become walking corpses?" Qin Ge realized he had hit the nail on the head. His expression sharpened, and he continued, "If we really are all dead, and the dead can't die again, then what do we have to fear?"

Dong Zhihua stared at Qin Ge with pity and shook his head, saying, "Have you forgotten that hell still exists in this world?"

Qin Ge choked up for a moment, speechless.

As the drumbeats faded, the black-robed wizard's desolate song still faintly echoed in everyone's ears. Although they couldn't understand what he was singing, everyone could still clearly feel the eeriness in the song.

Dong Zhihua glanced at everyone in the room, sighed again, and turned to leave without a word. Everyone heard him humming softly in the corridor outside; the tune was exactly the same as the one sung by the black-robed wizard, but they could clearly hear the lyrics:

Your body may die, but your soul will not; your breath may cease, but your voice will not; your body cannot come, but your soul can; your breath cannot reach, but your voice will.

The singing faded, and Old Man Dong had disappeared down the corridor. The people in the room looked at each other, speechless. After a long while, Zhang Song, his face ashen, said in a trembling voice, "Aximeri."

Everyone stared at him in bewilderment, and he became even more timid: "I don't know how to say it, but just now, I suddenly thought of the word 'Axi Moli.' Axi Moli is the legendary ancestral land of the Dulong people who live in the Gaoligong Mountains and Dulong River Valley of Yunnan. The Dulong people believe that the soul also dies, and they also believe that there are two souls: the soul of life called Bula, and the soul of death called Axi. Bula disappears with the death of a person, and at this time, the soul of the deceased will appear and return to the ancestral land of Axi Moli to live a new life. Everything in Axi Moli is no different from the mortal world. For every year a person lives in the world, their soul Axi lives in Axi Moli for that same number of years. When the time is up, Axi will transform into a butterfly and fly back to the human world."

Asi's Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 4, Chapter 67: Love (3)

Xu Juan took it and said, "Does this mean we'll all turn into butterflies?"

"Don't talk nonsense," Qin Ge scolded in a low voice. "We can't become butterflies no matter what we transform into." He paused for a moment, then said irritably, "Only Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai transformed into butterflies."

Dong'er chuckled, then covered her mouth with her hand, a look of worry appearing on her face.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Qin Ge turned to Zhang Song and said, "I'm really confused right now. Do you want us to live or die?"

Zhang Song's face flushed red, and he looked around nervously, as if seeking sympathy: "I just suddenly thought of it and blurted it out. I—I didn't mean anything by it." He paused again, and then carefully said, "The lyrics the shopkeeper sang earlier sounded familiar, and now I remember, they are actually funeral songs sung by the Dulong people during funeral ceremonies."

Qin Ge remained silent for a long time, realizing that she had wronged Zhang Song.

The drumbeats and singing had vanished, as if they had never existed. Six young female models huddled on the bed, like timid schoolchildren in a classroom, barely daring to breathe. Zhang Song looked uneasy, as if he had committed a grave error. His taciturnity and pedantry often left people feeling helpless, but like Lei Ming, he was someone you could trust. The one acting strangely tonight was Huang Tao. He remained silent throughout, as if burdened by a heavy secret. From the bus ride through the valley to this town of Asi, Huang Tao's decisiveness and composure had always impressed Qin Ge, but his silence tonight was a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. And then there was the young woman, Liu Qian. Her complexion was noticeably better than before. Although she was sitting there, her mind seemed elsewhere, as if she wasn't listening to anyone in the room. Moreover, she never looked at Qin Ge. Qin Ge could sense her hostility towards him. He was a complete stranger; where did her hostility come from?

Qin Ge thought once again that perhaps the people traveling with him were not as simple as he thought.

When it was time for dinner, Dong Zhihua had prepared food in the dining room and was waiting for everyone. "The food is still made by this old man. Whether you like it or not, you have no choice," the old man said with a smile, as if he had already forgotten what had just happened. "Young people have good appetites, so eat as much as you can wherever you are. As the saying goes, a full stomach makes you forget about home. When you get to Asi Town, just treat this Tanguan Hall as your home."

The old man had a kind face and looked like Maitreya Buddha at first glance; you couldn't treat him like an outsider.

Young and carefree, Xu Juan was slightly more composed, but the young models and Dong'er, with their jobs secured, had most of their worries gone. Qin Ge, however, suddenly remembered something from the past year; it was so late, and Lei Ming, Tong Hao, and Su He still hadn't returned.

This was their first day in Ast Town, and it was also their first time venturing out in the afternoon. Logically, they shouldn't have stayed out so long. Furthermore, that mysterious black-robed wizard had just led eight zombie-like men into Ast Town. If Lei Ming and the others encountered them on their way back, it would be a very worrying situation.

Qin Ge looked at the silent Huang Tao and the blank-faced Zhang Song, and felt a deep sense of helplessness.

"Why haven't Tong Hao and the others returned yet?"

Qin Ge's spirits lifted when he saw that the speaker was Zhang Song. He clearly remembered what had just happened, so there was still a hint of fear in his eyes as he looked at Qin Ge.

"It's so late, what if something happens to them?" he asked hesitantly.

"What do you want?" Qin Ge asked tentatively.

“I think—I think we should go out and look for them,” Zhang Song said hesitantly. “They’re unfamiliar with this town of Asi. What place could have kept them here for so long?”

Qin Ge breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile appeared in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Song again. He turned to look at Huang Tao, but Huang Tao didn't even look up, as if he hadn't heard their conversation.

Qin Ge frowned, having already decided to ignore Huang Tao tonight.

Qin Ge and Zhang Song had been out for almost half an hour, looking for Lei Ming, Tong Hao, and Su He who hadn't returned. Old Man Dong from Tan Guan Tang had advised them not to worry: "As long as they're still in this town, I guarantee they won't have any accidents, unless they want to leave."

Lei Ming and the others wouldn't leave without saying goodbye; when they departed in the afternoon, no one expressed any intention to leave. However, Qin Ge and Zhang Song were still uneasy; the eerie town gave them the creeps. Moreover, Qin Ge wanted to go out and patrol Asi Town at night; perhaps under the cover of darkness, Asi Town would reveal some of its true nature.

Qin Ge and Zhang Song left, while Huang Tao and the young woman named Liu Qian returned to their room early, keeping the door tightly closed, seemingly not wanting to be disturbed. Dong'er was worried about Qin Ge, so she sat alone in the outer hall. Xu Juan and several other young models came over to keep her company, chatting to pass the time.

Around 8:30, the first person to return was Su He.

Su He rushed in from outside, her face filled with panic. Everyone saw that her hair was disheveled, and her face was covered in a mixture of sweat and dirt. Dong'er's heart sank; she had a bad feeling.

Asi Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 4, Chapter 68: Love (4)

"Has Tong Hao come back? Tell me, has he come back?" Su He was bent over, panting, her face deathly pale. After her gaze swept around the room, she found the answer herself. Desperately, she grabbed Dong'er's hand. "He hasn't come back, has he? Go tell Qin Ge quickly, Tong Hao is missing!"

Dong'er and Xu Juan went over to help her sit down, and then asked her what had happened.

"In the afternoon, Tong Hao and I were chatting in a bar. We talked about the past, and it got a little late. Later, when it got dark, I said to Tong Hao, 'Let's go home.' Just then, we heard the sound of drums..."

As the drumbeats pounded against their hearts, the long-haired bartender was gone, leaving only Su He and Tong Hao in the bar. While they hesitated, they suddenly saw the mysterious black-robed wizard and the eight zombie-like men behind him through the glass window facing the street.

Fear inevitably descended upon Su He and Tong Hao. In that instant, their blood seemed to freeze, and they were completely unable to move. It was an extremely eerie scene. The dimly lit bar gave you the feeling of being in a city, but on the streets outside, there seemed to be ghosts, as if they did not belong to this world, slowly walking by.

Later, as the black-robed wizard walked past the bar, one of the zombie-like men behind him suddenly glared at the bar's glass window facing the street—perhaps he didn't really glare, just glanced at it—that empty gaze pierced Su He's heart like a sharp sword. Su He let out a low scream, her body suddenly pulled to the side by some force. It turned out that Tong Hao had gotten up from his seat and moved to her side, putting his arm around her shoulder and leading her away from the glass window.

The two stood pressed against the wall by the window. Su He was held in Tong Hao's not-so-strong arms, and suddenly felt a surge of emotion. Perhaps when those zombie-like men stormed into the bar, Tong Hao couldn't truly protect her, but this single gesture had already revealed his inner desires. The outcome here was irrelevant; Su He only knew that in this young man's arms, she had experienced a moment of profound emotion.

The black-robed wizard faded into the distance with his song, and the zombie-like man disappeared into the night, his silhouette vanishing completely. The night fell silent once more. The early autumn night was already a bit chilly, but the bar was warm, making Su He's palms sweat. Perhaps the warmth was simply the embrace of their bodies. Being held in someone's arms felt really good; Su He vaguely remembered not having felt this way before. The last time, in someone else's warm embrace, the sunlight was exceptionally bright, obscuring the woman's face, yet she felt her body warmed by her body heat. That woman later disappeared from her life; the only memory left was of a little girl with pigtails sitting every day under an old locust tree at the alley entrance, watching the bustling crowd outside—what was she hoping for?

Time seemed to stand still, the silence lingering in the bar. Tong Hao remained tightly embracing Su He in the shadows of the corner. His gaze was filled with sorrow; holding the woman before him, he seemed to be embracing the joyful moments that had vanished. The woman in the black dress who had smiled at him in the spring sunshine, her lips slightly upturned, seemed, in Tong Hao's memory, to have a hint of mockery. But what did it matter? The important thing was that she understood Tong Hao's feelings at that moment. "Do you like me?" she asked.

Tong Hao felt tears welling up in his heart again. If God could give him another chance, he would not cry, he would not run away, he would go up to that woman and hug her, just like he was now, and tell her that he loved her.

The woman's scent tickled his neck. He lowered his head, and even in the shadows, he could make out that familiar face. That night, waking up on the bus in the valley, he discovered a woman on board with a face that haunted his dreams. He knew perfectly well that it wasn't her; she was dead, gone forever. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy and hope—could it be that Heaven had taken pity on him and was sending another woman, exactly like her, to his side?

The moonlight was like water tonight. Later, when Tong Hao and Su He walked under the moonlight, their hands were tightly clasped together. Su He noticed that Tong Hao's expression was much calmer now, but his eyes still revealed a deep sense of confusion and sorrow. His sorrow infected Su He, and she couldn't help but feel sad for the woman who had passed away. That woman had also appeared in her dreams, telling her with her smile and eyes—you too can become a woman as beautiful as me. Su He liked this feeling, and the beauty of the woman in her dreams made her dizzy. Every time she faced her, she could feel the joy emanating from within her, and the boundless impulse and passion surging within her like a seed sprouting in spring.

Now that woman has disappeared from this world, will she ever come back to her dreams again?

Sorrowful and lost, Su He suddenly felt her eyes welling up with tears. A sorrowful young man, sorrowful in a strange town, a town far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world, and from all the love and hatred of this world. Perhaps, living here forever would be a blessing.

Asi Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 4, Chapter 69: Love (5)

And there's this pitiful boy beside her. Now, he sees Su He as the woman who has passed away, and Su He is willing to become that woman, after all, becoming that woman has been Su He's biggest dream for so many years.

Under the gentle night sky, the flowing emotions dispel fear and unease. In their world together, besides the sorrow of the past, are new hopes and dreams still blossoming?

Strolling under the silent starry sky is a very pleasant thing. Suddenly, a song came to Su He's mind, and the song really flowed from her lips into the starry sky, merging with the moonlight:

Your love has faded, but your sorrow remains clear. So we wander through this city at night, lost and confused, choosing to be forgotten under the moonlight. (Lyrics: Chen Jiaming, Original Singer: Mavis Hee)

The song drifted gently into Tong Hao's heart. He turned to gaze at the woman beside him; her face seemed to radiate a dazzling light under the starlight. Tong Hao was mesmerized, forgetting to walk. Su He walked ahead of him, then turned back, a smile suddenly welling up in her moist eyes.

"You like me?" she said.

Tears welled up uncontrollably, and Tong Hao shouted with all his might, "I love you!"

The two embraced again, the moonlight gently caressing them. Their bodies began to dance lightly in the night, as if they were about to sink forever into the bottomless abyss of the night.

No one knows how much time has passed, but a thousand years have gone by in an instant. Su He lifted his head from Tong Hao's embrace and whispered in his ear, "I am Su He."

Tong Hao paused for a moment, and Su He could clearly feel her body stiffen instantly, but then he held her even tighter. She heard him say in a low voice, "I know, I know you're not her. She's dead. If she could see us like this, she would be happy for us." He paused, then continued, "She was a kind woman."

Su He knew that Tong Hao had returned to reality from the illusion, and he clearly understood what he was doing. Su He felt a strange sense of joy because of this, and she felt that the woman's shadow was gradually fading away from her.

“But I will never forget her. She is the woman I will never forget in my life,” Tong Hao said.

Who could forget her, such a perfect woman? Su He took the photograph out of her pocket, letting the starlight and moonlight fall on her face. She was incredibly beautiful; she was smiling at Su He again, telling her that she too could become a woman as beautiful as her.

Tong Hao suddenly released his grip and then began fumbling with his clothes. Su He stared at him blankly, wondering what he had lost.

"I left the photos at that bar. Wait for me here, I'll be right back."

As Tong Hao turned and ran into the night, he smiled at Su He once more. Although Su He could still see the sadness in that smile, her heart felt warm and filled with tenderness. They hadn't gone far from the bar, and Tong Hao would soon be back by her side. Though sadness still lingered in Tong Hao's eyes, the sorrowful boy made her heart flutter even more. Perhaps one day, he would grieve for me like this. This feeling captivated Su He, and at that moment, she knew clearly that she had truly fallen in love with this man.

Although he was three years younger than me, what did it matter?

No one can set the rules for love.

As Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 5, Chapter 70: The Disappearance (1)

Tong Hao went to that bar to pick up the photos, but he never came back.

"I waited for him on the street for a long time, keeping telling myself that if I just waited a little longer, he would come back to me. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer, so I ran towards the bar, hoping to meet him halfway there. After turning a corner, I could already see the bar's neon lights, but the street was deserted. I comforted myself, thinking that maybe Tong Hao was still in the bar looking for the photo; the light was too dim, and he probably didn't know where he had lost it. I quickly ran to the bar, pushed open the door, and saw the long-haired bartender alone behind the counter, but Tong Hao wasn't there. I asked the bartender, 'Where's the man who came with me?' The bartender said, 'Are you asking about the young man who came with you this afternoon? He came back to get a photo and left a long time ago.'"

Su He choked up, grabbing Dong'er's hand: "I don't know where Tong Hao went. He wouldn't leave me alone. Something must have happened to him." She hesitated for a moment, then fear flashed in her eyes. "That man in the black robe, and those zombies behind him. They must have taken Tong Hao away. It must have been them."

“Then you are wrong. I assure you, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with wizards.”

Everyone looked over at the sound and saw Old Man Dong appear at the side of the passageway again. He seemed to be keeping an eye on the people in the Tan Guan Hall at all times. He probably realized this himself, coughed, and forced a smile: "Don't blame me for being nosy, I just don't want anything to happen to you young people in town."

"How can you be so sure this has nothing to do with that black-robed wizard?" Dong'er asked eagerly.

"How could a wizard commit such a thing as kidnapping people in his own town?" Old Dong retorted. "Wouldn't you do bad things in your own home?"

Dong'er was speechless for a moment and couldn't say a word.

“But those people who look like zombies, were they born that way?” Xu Juan said.

Old Dong pondered for a moment: "Those people left Asi Town without permission. They didn't know that their soul roots were already tied to Asi Town. How could they go far? The wizard just used his power to bring them back. If they had stayed in the town obediently like you, no one would have harmed them."

"What will the black-robed wizard do to them after he takes them back?" Dong'er asked.

“The wizard won’t let them be scattered, but they must atone for their sins.” Old Dong hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Every world has its own order, and As Town is no exception. Although I’ve been here for a year and haven’t heard of any crimes, As Town still needs a force to maintain its normal order. So, these souls that have been brought back will be incorporated into As Town’s self-defense force. This is their way of contributing to the town.”

"Self-Defense Forces," Dong'er muttered, "This word sounds so familiar."

“After World War II, as a defeated nation, Japan was forced to accept the constitution drafted by the United States, which stipulated that Japan could not have an army, only a Self-Defense Force.” Su He blurted out, “I don’t care about the Self-Defense Force now, I just want to know where Tong Hao is.”

Old Dong shook his head dejectedly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he sighed and quietly left.

"Let's wait for Qin Ge and Zhang Song to come back before deciding what to do. Tong Hao is definitely still in this town. Old Man Dong just said that as long as he doesn't plan to leave, nothing unexpected will happen," Dong'er comforted Su He.

Seeing Su He's anxious expression, not only Dong'er, but even the other carefree model girls could tell that something must have happened between her and Tong Hao in the past half-day. Everyone was already used to this kind of thing, and besides, wasn't this the kind of ending everyone wanted to see?

Su He wasn't one to panic in the face of trouble, but being caught up in the situation made him lose his composure. Now, after listening to what Old Man Dong and Dong'er said, he knew that there was nothing he could do by being anxious, so he could only sit there patiently and wait for Qin Ge to return.

"Qin Ge and Zhang Song went out to look for you, and it's been quite a while. I believe they'll be back soon," Dong'er said.

About ten minutes later, Qin Ge and Lei Ming returned one after the other, only a few minutes apart. After leaving, Qin Ge and Zhang Song split up to search. He searched the streets extensively but found no one, guessing it was because the black-robed wizard had appeared. The black-robed wizard possessed an evil power; even without doing anything, his mere presence inspired fear. Upon returning and hearing Su He's account, he was also greatly puzzled. Lei Ming, who returned later, was expressionless, as if Lei Hao's life or death were completely unrelated to him. Everyone was preoccupied with Tong Hao's situation, so no one paid attention to his attitude.

"What should we do now? Tong Hao couldn't have disappeared for no reason. Something must have gone wrong." Even Qin Ge was at a loss. Su He looked completely helpless again. She said anxiously, "It's getting late. If we can't find Tong Hao soon, I'm afraid something bad will happen."