Asi Hell

Chapter 2

Those who were secretly observing the situation immediately felt a bit suspicious. They couldn't understand what kind of relationship Ah Lang, who was always silent and aloof, had with those two men and one woman. As they thought this, they felt a little jealous. They had a vague idea that Ah Lang would undergo some changes because of the arrival of these two men and one woman.

The children quickly searched the entire town but couldn't find Ah Lang. Some of them even went together to Black Eagle Cliff, where Ah Lang often went, but still couldn't find him. When they reported back to Seventh Master, he remained expressionless, but the two men and one woman showed signs of great anxiety.

Where exactly did Ah Lang go?

—Ah Lang is in the cave.

Ah Lang sat on Black Eagle Cliff for a long time that day. The gray sky was filled with gloom, foreshadowing an impending downpour. Every year at this time, there would be heavy rains lasting about half a month. Ah Lang was worried that the rain would wash away his mother's grave, so he moved several large stones to surround it and dug two shallow ditches around the grave to drain the water.

He discovered the cave entrance while moving a large rock. It was underneath the rock, and after the rock was lifted, the entrance was revealed. The entrance was only about the size of a bowl on the ground, and it was dark inside, its depth unknown. After moving the rock, Alang returned to take another look. He gestured to the opening, and it was too small to even fit one of his feet. He quickly lost interest, looked up at the overcast sky, and decided he should get down the mountain as soon as possible.

Just then, the sand beneath his feet suddenly moved. Alang was startled and stood frozen, as if trying to determine if it was just his imagination. But when he was truly certain that the sand beneath his feet was moving, his feet suddenly cracked open, and he fell downwards with the falling sand.

Ah Lang fell into a hole that suddenly appeared in the ground.

At that moment, Ah Lang felt his soul leave his body. He flailed his arms, trying to grab onto something, but the walls were smooth and offered no resistance to his descent. A chill ran through him; an aura of death rapidly spread throughout his body. He thought perhaps his mother was right—that Black Eagle Cliff truly possessed mysterious, soul-snatching powers. Now, those powers had finally found him; he was doomed.

Fortunately, he landed at the bottom of the cave moments later. A sharp pain shot through his right foot, and he even heard the sound of his leg bone breaking. He couldn't help but let out a low groan, and the sudden pain also brought him to his senses. He stared wide-eyed into the darkness before him. The faint light filtering down from the cave ceiling only allowed him to see a very narrow area around him, but he could sense the emptiness of the cave and a somewhat eerie atmosphere emanating from the darkness.

Ah Lang suddenly calmed down, and he sensed the power accumulating within him once again.

Many times before, when he stood alone on Black Hawk Cliff, this feeling would overwhelm him. He knew he had to do something, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. Now, as he stood in the dark cave, that feeling grew even stronger. He wondered, could something related to him be hidden in this cave?

He slowly stood up, supporting himself against the cave wall. He first looked up at the tiny patch of sky above, then staggered forward. Darkness enveloped him, and the fear in his heart miraculously vanished in the darkness. Eventually, he straightened his back, no longer feeling any fear.

The cave was really big. It took Alang a long time to see the faint, shimmering light in the darkness ahead. He dragged his injured leg and hurried over. Soon the shimmering light was right in front of him.

Although the light was very faint, Ah Lang could still make out the skeleton standing in front of him—the skeleton of a dead man.

Ah Lang was certainly not afraid of a dead man's skeleton. As he faced the skeleton, he seemed to feel a kind of calling from the depths of the universe.

Meanwhile, in the small town below Black Eagle Cliff, many children were searching for him. They ran back to Eagle Eye Seven and said in unison that Ah Lang had disappeared.

Eagle Eyes Seven frowned, his gaze unconsciously glancing towards Black Eagle Cliff.

The sky was overcast, and the Black Eagle Cliff, which protruded like an eagle's beak, was shrouded in shadow. That day, Seventh Master Eagle Eye said nothing. He even ignored the respectful stranger and went home dejectedly.

That night, lightning flashed and thunder roared over the Asi Mountains, as if a sleeping giant had suddenly awoke to prove its existence with its divine power. Seventh Master Eagle Eye sat alone in the main room, meditating like an old monk, sensing the power of heaven and earth.

On Black Hawk Cliff, a figure slowly crawled out from underground.

Amidst the lightning and thunder, the figure let out a desperate shout towards the town below the cliff. That night, many in the town heard that shout amidst the wind and rain, and an ominous premonition arose in their hearts. At that time, no one would have associated that shout with Ah Lang.

Suddenly, Seventh Master Eagle Eye rushed into the courtyard. He knelt down facing Black Eagle Cliff, chanting incantations. A sudden downpour began, and Seventh Master, still dressed in white, stood in the rain, his gaze fixed on Black Eagle Cliff, as if he had finally witnessed the power he had longed for reappear in the world.

Seventh Master was worshipping the figure on Black Eagle Cliff. At that time, he did not know that the figure was Ah Lang.

Asi's Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 1, Chapter 6: Rainy Night (1)

In the pitch-black rainy night, two beams of light stretched softly forward, gradually dissipating a short distance away. The beams emanated from the headlights of a luxury bus, piercing the straight curtain of rain, seemingly the only light in the world. The bus stood in the darkness, enveloped by the rain and its sound.

Darkness enveloped the world, yet within it lingered pale shadows—the outlines of the mountains flanking the road. Even through the rain, the steepness and ruggedness of the two mountains were still faintly discernible. The bus stood in the valley between the two mountains, on a roughly two-lane dirt road that sloped at about twenty degrees from front to back. The water on the ground was accumulating, a mixture of rainwater from the sky and water flowing down from the higher slope ahead. The bus's chassis was now completely submerged.

The bus was quiet. A flash of lightning cleaved through the darkness, revealing that the carriage was actually full of people.

Everyone was motionless, as if asleep. They were either lying on their backs or prone, each in a different position, but all their faces were unusually pale, making them look eerie and terrifying.

There was no one in the driver's seat of the bus, so who brought all the people on the bus into the valley?

The rain intensified, and the curtain of rain merged with the sky. The pale shadows of the mountains gradually faded into the rain, and a deeper darkness enveloped the valley.

Suddenly, someone on the bus stirred; it was a man around thirty years old. His hand twitched first, then his eyes snapped open. For a moment, he remained frozen, blinking, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. Then, his head moved from side to side, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. A few beams of light from the headlights fell into the carriage, not very clearly, but he could still see so many people sleeping soundly. His gaze then fell out the window; the pouring rain and the smell of the wilderness brought a look of panic to his face.

He quickly hugged a woman next to him and called her name loudly.

The woman beside him remained motionless, her eyes tightly shut no matter how he shook her. The man's cries were filled with more panic. He abandoned the woman beside him, stood up, and began shaking the other people on the bus one by one, screaming loudly.

Still, no one woke up.

Everyone looked as if they were dead, the sudden flash of lightning making their faces appear even paler. The man stared wide-eyed in terror, looking around, feeling a surge of power rising to his throat. He tried desperately to suppress it, but couldn't stop his body from trembling slightly.

He staggered to the car door, which opened a crack. He easily opened it, and raindrops instantly rushed in. He shuddered again, peeked outside, and then hurried back to the woman. This time, his voice trembled slightly.

"Dong'er! Dong'er!"

He gripped the woman's shoulders tightly with both hands, shaking her more and more violently. Finally, a look of pain appeared on the woman's face. She slowly opened her eyes and let out a soft "ouch".

The man was both surprised and delighted, and he held the woman tightly in his arms.

The woman opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the deep darkness outside the window and the raindrops falling on the car window.

"Where are we?" the woman asked in confusion. Then, she saw the people sleeping unconscious in the car, and her face immediately showed a look of horror. "What happened to them? Where are we?"

The man, of course, couldn't answer her, and besides, he had to hide his fear in front of the woman. He held her, wanting to comfort her, but he really didn't know what to say.

At that moment, a woman in the seat in front of them moved her arm and then opened her eyes.

A scream suddenly rang out in the carriage, like a sharp arrow echoing through the space. More people opened their eyes, their faces invariably showing terror. Some screamed, some jumped up, and looked around the carriage. After a moment, those who realized their situation panicked even more, rushing around the carriage like a pack of trapped beasts, uttering incoherent screams.

The first man to wake up was still holding the woman tightly, his hand on her back to keep her from panicking like the others. Although he had calmed down, a great deal of doubt still lingered in his mind.

Why is the car parked here?

The passengers on the bus were all unfamiliar faces, not the familiar travelers I remembered. Why were all these people on the same bus?

Of course, no one could give him an answer. All he could see were the shadows of panicked people moving about, clearly just as bewildered as he was by what was happening. His gaze passed through the train window, fixed on the boundless darkness outside. He knew he had to face a reality, and he also had a responsibility to lead the passengers on this train through the various dangers that might come next.

Because he is a policeman, from the day he put on the police uniform, he knew the responsibilities that this profession would entail.

Now, he needs some time to calm the panicked people down, and at the same time, he needs to think carefully about how all of this happened.

Asi's Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 1, Chapter 7: Rainy Night (2)

Qin Ge had absolutely no interest in tourism. These days, all tourist attractions are commercialized. Where there are mountains, temples and Buddha statues are built; where there's water, bridges and pavilions are constructed. Although they try their best to create an antique atmosphere, history cannot be replicated. The modern buildings with their ornate beams and painted pillars become incongruous clowns; you simply can't integrate them with the natural scenery. Even in some protected ancient cities and towns, where you can't just destroy things, the crowds are overwhelming, making it feel like a bustling market—there's no enjoyment to be had. Besides the tourist attractions, the process of traveling itself is quite a headache. Flying is too expensive, and traveling by train or bus is too tiring, especially during the two Golden Week holidays a year. It seems like everyone in China doesn't want to stay home and is scrambling to squeeze into the crowds. In Qin Ge's mind, traveling is the same as paying to suffer. If it were up to him, he'd rather stay home and surf the internet than go out.

But this time, things seemed to be out of his control. When he handed out the invitations to his colleagues and friends, his closer buddies patted him on the shoulder and almost all of them asked, "Where are you planning to go for your honeymoon?"

Who says you have to go on a honeymoon after getting married? Staying home is better than anything else. Qin Ge thought to himself, but he couldn't say it out loud because he knew his girlfriend Dong'er really wanted to go. Getting married wasn't easy, and she definitely didn't want to miss such a legitimate opportunity to travel.

If Dong'er insists, what other choice does Qin Ge have besides going out with her for a stroll?

His girlfriend, the girl who was about to become his wife, he couldn't even remember when they started dating. The first time he saw her was when he and a friend were running errands. Since they had to wait about two hours, his friend suggested they go for a walk. When they came to a shopping mall, his friend greeted a girl and introduced her to them. At that time, Qin Ge didn't remember the girl's name at all, nor did he ever imagine that he and this girl would have any connection.

Life is unpredictable. Qin Ge couldn't remember the exact time or place when he ran into the girl again. Perhaps it was while waiting for a bus, or maybe at a restaurant. Such scenes are etched in our memories, but as time passes and more fragmented memories accumulate, it becomes impossible to pinpoint the exact moment. That time, Qin Ge greeted the girl and they exchanged contact information. The little piece of paper she left him had a unique number on it; Qin Ge asked his colleagues and learned it was her QQ number.

Qin Ge started his online journey by chatting with girls.

The girl's online name was Dong'er, and even after she became Qin Ge's girlfriend and married him, Qin Ge continued to call her that.

Now, sometimes when Qin Ge and Dong'er reminisce about the past, they both try to recall exactly which day they confirmed their relationship. So many memories pile up; they only remember a period of intense, passionate chatting. Later, they started seeing each other more frequently in real life, mostly at friends' dinners where Qin Ge would bring Dong'er along. Back then, friends would joke about Qin Ge and Dong'er, but Qin Ge would always solemnly reply behind their backs, "Don't get the wrong idea. That girl and I are as innocent as two budding flowers." Later, after who knows how long, when friends brought it up again, Qin Ge remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "I think that girl is quite nice."

The encounter was probably around that time, but Qin Ge and Dong'er still couldn't recall who had first expressed this desire. That was no longer important; they were about to get married that summer, and Dong'er, in her wedding dress, would become Qin Ge's bride. It turns out that not all love stories are as dramatic as those in movies, and even romance can be a dispensable element in love. As long as two people love each other and, deep down, consider each other the most important part of their lives, then such love can surely last forever.

Getting married is a hectic affair; buying a house, decorating, and furnishing—everything requires meticulous attention. Qin Ge and Dong'er spent the entire spring working on their new house, exhausting themselves. But because of their beautiful dreams for the future, smiles adorned their faces despite their fatigue. In the near future, they would have their own home in this city, where they would live happily—how wonderful that would be! For that day, they would be willing to work even harder.

Summer arrived in the blink of an eye. Before the wedding, they went shopping at the mall one last time, planning to buy some clothes and decorations for their home. They had taken the day off specifically for this occasion, allowing them a whole day to wander around the mall. Dong'er had a gentle personality; she lacked the typical spoiled nature of city girls and possessed a childlike innocence that didn't fade with age. Qin Ge loved watching her smile—so innocent and unpretentious, like a child who hadn't grown up. Even in the mall, she clung tightly to Qin Ge's arm, as if letting go would cause her to get lost.

While shopping, Qin Ge would occasionally turn to glance at the girl. Dong'er could immediately sense this, and she would turn back playfully, glaring at him, but her eyes would be full of smiles. She was already enveloped in happiness; Qin Ge's appreciative gaze warmed her heart. She could feel the satisfaction and contentment in his eyes, which moved her involuntarily. Perhaps she couldn't find romantic, whimsical memories for their love, but the ordinary was the most authentic form of life. As long as it was ordinary, their love would be like wine, growing more mellow and fragrant with time.

They themselves lost count of how much they bought that day; their four hands were laden with bags and packages, as if carrying the heavy weight of life itself. The last shopping mall they visited had recently opened and was having a promotional event, offering prizes for purchases. Qin Ge and Dong'er bought several small but expensive accessories there.

Down in the lobby, Qin Ge's phone suddenly rang. He put all the paper bags he was carrying at Dong'er's feet and went to answer the call. Dong'er, on the other end, held several prize redemption tickets in her hand, her gaze fixed on the prize redemption counter not far away. Next to the counter was a large display board covered with colorful pictures. Because of the distance, Dong'er couldn't see them clearly, but they didn't look like product advertisements; the pictures seemed to depict landscapes with mountains and rivers.

Asi's Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 1, Chapter 8: Rainy Night (3)

After Qin Ge finished her phone call and returned, the two went to the prize redemption counter. Qin Ge handed the prize ticket to the smiling staff member. Dong'er subconsciously walked to the display board and saw that it was promoting a tourist attraction in Sichuan Province. Dong'er glanced at the exact location but didn't pay much attention. The pictures on the display board were stunning, and Dong'er stared at them, somewhat lost in thought.

At that moment, she had no idea that there would be such a display board in the lobby of a shopping mall.

Qin Ge quickly came over from the prize redemption counter. Dong'er didn't even ask about the prize redemption; she had never even won a consolation prize in her life. Qin Ge also didn't take the prize redemption seriously; he only showed a slight hint of doubt when he and Dong'er left.

"I've seen plenty of prize redemptions in shopping malls, and they're always drawn on-site. I've never seen anyone register personal information just to redeem a prize like this." He smiled nonchalantly. "I've heard that some websites now sell the personal user data registered on their sites, and they can make a lot of money selling it to as many companies as they want."

"So you filled out forms just now too?"

“Our materials aren’t worth much, mainly because we don’t have any money. If he wants to sell us something, fine, we can try it out, but we won’t buy it. We’ll make sure he’s completely surprised.”

Dong'er chuckled and changed the subject.

Qin Ge and Dong'er forgot about the prize as soon as they left the mall; they had a lot to do to prepare for their upcoming wedding. Three days later, while Qin Ge and Dong'er were busy in their new home, they suddenly received a phone call. A woman's voice, sweet as cotton candy, answered. After confirming Qin Ge's identity, the voice congratulated him on winning the grand prize in an exaggeratedly exaggerated tone.

Qin Ge didn't react for a moment, but then his face lit up with joy. In that short time, he realized that he hadn't bought any appliances for his home yet. The best prizes would be a color TV, refrigerator, and air conditioner. Even if those weren't the best, a stove, range hood, and disinfection cabinet would still be useful.

The woman on the phone told him to bring his ID to the mall to claim his prize soon. Qin Ge happily said "thank you" three times, and immediately told Dong'er the good news after hanging up. Dong'er was also immediately excited.

"So what's our prize?" she asked.

Qin Ge paused for a moment, then shook his head: "I didn't ask." He chuckled and said, "What do you care about the prize? We won the grand prize anyway. It's such a big shopping mall, I think it's only been open for a few days. Even if they're stingy, they can't just give us a few lamb skewers. Let's just say we picked it up in the middle of the night, be content."

The next day, Qin Ge and Dong'er went to the mall early in the morning. They were greeted by a short, thin man. The man looked like a cartoon character and had a blank expression. Dong'er whispered in Qin Ge's ear that he looked like Snoopy if he took off his glasses. Qin Ge couldn't help but chuckle, and the man stared at them strangely.

Getting back to the main point, Snoopy told Qin Ge that their grand prize was a seven-day all-inclusive trip to southern Xinjiang for two people, with round-trip flights.

Qin Ge and Dong'er remained silent for a while. The contents of the grand prize were somewhat unexpected. Qin Ge would have preferred the prize to be something he could take home, but Dong'er quickly became excited after receiving the itinerary for the Southern Xinjiang tour and the introduction to the attractions along the way from the Snoopy man.

The southern Xinjiang they were going to was clearly the same place they had seen on the display board in the mall's lobby that day. The Snoopy man explained that it was an event their mall was running in collaboration with a travel agency, and yesterday was the deadline. After strict supervision by the notary office, the grand prize went to Qin Ge.

Qin Ge was still tilting his head, wondering whether he should go or not. According to the rules, if the grand prize winner gave up the trip, he could receive a cash prize. But this was no longer up to him; Dong'er beside him was already urging him to go forward and sign the papers.

"Then let's go out for a walk. Don't many friends say that you have to go on a trip when you get married?" Qin Ge stared at Dong'er's beaming face and thought that if this could make her happy, she should just do as she wished.

When he left the mall that day, a large crowd had gathered in the middle of the street, and long lines of cars stretched out on both sides. Traffic police were maintaining order, and some uniformed officers were busy with tape measures and cameras. Without even going over, Qin Ge knew there had been a car accident; he wondered who was unlucky enough to lose their life while shopping. He wanted to go and check, but Dong'er quickly pulled him away.

No girl would be interested in those bloody scenes, and Dong'er was no exception.

As arranged by the shopping mall and travel agency, Qin Ge and Dong'er boarded a plane to southern Xinjiang on the fourth day after their marriage. It was Dong'er's first time on a plane. Qin Ge tilted his head and looked at her overflowing excitement and happiness, feeling a warm feeling in his heart and an impulse to hold his wife in his arms.

He fell in love with Dong'er, which actually began with his love for her innocence.

Asi's Hell: 773 Horror Series 12, Part 1, Chapter 9: Rainy Night (4)

This dark valley was clearly not on the travel itinerary.

Time seemed to stand still, and the passengers showed no sign of quieting down. Many continued to pace back and forth inside the bus, as if that might provide the answers. The rain outside continued to fall relentlessly, and the headlights seemed to dim considerably, their beams quickly fading and being crushed by the raindrops. Qin Ge pressed his face against the window several times; the outlines of the mountains outside were now just blurry silhouettes, but the sense of vast emptiness grew stronger. You didn't even need to consciously perceive it to know that you were in a valley far removed from the city; it exuded a wild, untamed quality that instilled a sense of unease in you involuntarily.

What could this place be?

How did we end up here?

Qin Ge remembered that she had indeed been on a bus, but clearly not the one she was on now. That bus was full of fellow travelers, and they had become quite familiar with each other over the past few days. Those travelers were definitely not the strangers she was seeing now. The bus traveled smoothly and quickly on the highway. After several days of sightseeing, everyone was a little tired, and the return journey was much quieter in the bus than on the way there. The pretty tour guide was playing cards with a few young people. Her face was flushed and had a healthy bronze hue, clearly due to being away from home for a long time. At this moment, she didn't seem tired at all, but rather had a relaxed air that others didn't have. The bus's destination was a provincial capital city. After spending one night there, everyone would take a flight the next day to completely end the trip. At that time, she would have a few days of vacation, and perhaps even earn a considerable sum of money.

Dong'er was leaning against Qin Ge. Having never been far from home before, she had been in a state of excitement for the past few days. Now, she quietly nestled against Qin Ge, not saying a word, her eyes wide open, seemingly lost in thought.

Qin Ge remembered that the car had been traveling for more than four hours, and dusk was gradually creeping into the carriage.

Dong'er had fallen asleep sometime earlier, and was even snoring softly from exhaustion. Qin Ge stared at her for a while, then gently pinched her nose. Dong'er moved her head slightly, making indistinct sounds. Qin Ge smiled and closed her eyes.

Sometimes he wondered if, ten or twenty years from now, Dong'er would still be like this, forever a child who never grew up. With Dong'er, he fully felt a man's responsibility; if he could make Dong'er happy, then he himself would be happy. Dong'er was a very simple person; he only needed to put in a little effort to make her happy. Therefore, he was very fortunate to have found such a girl to be his wife. He thought, perhaps their future life would always be this ordinary, perhaps Dong'er would always live this carefree life, but undoubtedly they would be happy, and their greatest wish was to live this simple and happy life forever.