Ghost Stories Series 10

Chapter 13

Wu Huan steadfastly followed Yu Fu, knowing this man was her everything; he was mysterious and omnipotent. Although Wu Huan knew that humans couldn't be gods and therefore omnipotent, she didn't mind, because she had fallen deeply in love with this man. Love is all-powerful, so Yu Fu must also be omnipotent.

The two walked forward with tender hearts, and before they knew it, they had reached the outskirts of the city.

A minibus drove by, and in the fleeting image, Yu Fu and Wu Huan both saw the same face, but their exclamations were different:

"Ah! Yu Li!"

"Ah! Dang Qiang!"

They exchanged surprised glances, then simultaneously cried out:

"That's Yu Li! My daughter!"

"That's Dang Qiang! My son!"

Was the child on the bus Yu Li or Dang Qiang? That didn't matter. What mattered was that they both saw the face that belonged to the deepest part of their own hearts. Without further doubt, they immediately chased after the direction the bus had disappeared in.

First, Wu Huan discovered that his feet could leave the ground and run rapidly forward in mid-air. Yu Fu also noticed this, so they immediately floated into the air and sped forward without considering why. The car wasn't moving very fast, but they couldn't catch up, eventually driving into a large compound in the darkness. When Yu Fu and Wu Huan finally caught up, they realized that the brightly lit place was a detention center.

"You! I'm talking to you! What are you showing off with your phone for? These days even beggars have phones!"

A lewd man in a police uniform shouted, while the person behind the iron bars continued to cry out for justice. This was the first thing Yu Fu and Wu Huan heard upon arriving at the detention center, and it sounded rather unfriendly. Relatively speaking, Wu Huan wasn't surprised by this scene, as she had also lived in such a place for a period of time. Yu Fu, however, was here for the first time, and his expression of disgust and eagerness was undisguised.

Amidst the crowd, a small figure struggled, and Yu Fu and Wu Huan shouted simultaneously:

"child!!"

No one noticed anything amiss, not even the throngs of people who had just disembarked. However, Yu Fu and Wu Huan saw the child's pitiful figure vanish in a flash. Instantly, Yu Fu and Wu Huan frantically rushed into the crowd, weaving through the throng, but could no longer find the small figure.

"My child!"

Wu Huan let out a heart-wrenching wail, the kind only a mother would utter, and frantically attacked the phantoms. Yu Fu rushed forward and hugged her, stopping her. The two embraced and wept bitterly. Being a parent is never easy.

After calming down, Yu Fu realized that this place resembled a prison rather than a detention center. Through the closed door with an office sign, Yu Fu saw two policemen beating a man who looked like a student in a suit, while in another room, a policeman was sitting with a middle-aged man in handcuffs, smoking and talking. The walls around the compound were covered with electric fences, and a wolfhound was tied up in the corner, staring fiercely at Yu Fu, baring its teeth and panting heavily.

"That dog had a fierce look in its eyes."

Yu Fu tugged at Wu Huan's hand, and Wu Huan hid behind Yu Fu, looking somewhat timid.

"That vicious dog looks just like a human!"

An aged voice, seemingly responding to Yu Fu's words, came from some unknown room. The voice sounded familiar. Yu Fu, holding Wu Huan's hand, searched each room until they finally found it—it was the witch!

“Young people, this is the lowest of the low. Not everyone here is poor. There is no distinction between the noble and the lowly here. Come and see, the true face of humanity! I brought you here not to reopen old wounds, but to find answers. Open your eyes wide and see carefully!”

The witch acted like a tour guide, leading Yu Fu and Wu Huan through each room. Behind the iron fence were crowded, distorted faces; few were calm. They had no privacy from one another; every moment was real.

"Freedom? Do you even know what freedom is? Chaos is the theme of the world, and humanity, adrift in it, is like a creature in boiling oil, constantly tormented! Freedom? Look at their faces, filled with pain, confusion, and helplessness, because they don't understand why they're here! Young people, wake up! Freedom is just a legend. There is no true freedom in this world; all freedom is illusory, fleeting and elusive. Come, look into their eyes. They would rather breathe the air of any place—fields, weeds, or the sea—than this moment. They are willing to give their all, regardless of loneliness, solitude, or suffering. But is that freedom? Weary souls walking under the blazing sun would rather be locked in a shady cage! Ha, freedom—I haven't seen this thing in ages! And you, the people wandering on the fringes of society, are the weakest of the weak. They are a reality, but have you truly awakened? Freedom is not as simple as liberating the body. Freedom lurks in the corners of this vast world. Come, come, slowly search for it!"

After delivering a strange yet impassioned speech, the witch suddenly lunged at the crowd behind the iron fence and vanished without a trace.

"Then! We'll change it! Even the Sky City!"

Yu Fu shouted with all his might, and the light of his soul filled the world once again, as if it were daytime.

Beneath the high wall, the snow melted, and the vicious dog retreated to its wooden crate den at some unknown time; in the shadows, the air seemed to tremble incessantly.

There was a moment of silence in the cell as the prisoners stared wide-eyed, looking around as if they had heard something.

The clock on the office wall had stopped ticking, tea stalks floated upright in the water, and steam rose like flames from the rim of the cup.

Police officers and prisoners alike exchanged bewildered glances, all sensing this inhuman force, as if a single tooth of a giant wheel had been propelled. Something had awakened in the darkness, quietly spreading among the crowd like ripples on water, instantly reaching every corner of the city.

"Awake! Awake!"

"He's been found!"

"Oh, the time is almost up."

A cacophony of sounds rose from the sky. Yu Fu and Wu Huan looked up simultaneously. The dark green clouds began to shatter, and light poured down, bathing the earth in a golden glow. People, houses, trees, and mountains dissolved into the light, as if erased with a single stroke. Yu Fu gripped Wu Huan's hand tightly, shielding her in front of him, while Wu Huan clung tightly to Yu Fu's waist, pressing her body against his back to protect him from any danger. But nothing happened; only light remained. This space was breathless, like returning to one's mother's womb, a place where one could sleep soundly, free from worry.

The world was bright and dazzling, which made Yu Fu feel like he was dreaming.

Where am I...?

"Qinghe Shelter Station".

When Yu Fu opened his eyes again, Wu Huan was dressed in a glamorous outfit, heavily made up, and sitting motionless, smoking a cigarette with obvious impatience. Yu Fu found himself with his head resting on Wu Huan's lap, feeling drowsy for what seemed like a long time. There was a suspicious odor around him, a sour, nauseating stench emanating from himself. Startled, Yu Fu immediately sat up.

"What's going on? Wu Huan, what's wrong with me?"

"Huh? You... how do you know my name?"

Yu Fu was somewhat confused, but when he stood up, he found that his hand and Wu Huan's hand were still tightly linked, so he was certain that he hadn't forgotten anything. Therefore, it must be that Wu Huan had forgotten him.

“It’s me, Yu Fu, the one you love! I know your profession, you’re a prostitute.”

"Smack!!"

A resounding slap echoed across the face. Wu Huan stood tall before Yu Fu, staring directly at him, his eyes now filled with humiliation and anger, a struggle between life and death.

"you!"

"I... I didn't mean that."

"That's what you mean! I kindly saved you and even let you rest your head on my lap..."

"I truly love you."

"I don't even know you, so who cares!"

"How could you not remember? Even though it was only two days, you shouldn't have forgotten me!"

"Who do I know you! You're down on your luck, and you're still a womanizer! Men are all the same! Let me tell you, I'm..."

Yu Fu offered no further explanation. He pulled Wu Huan into a tight embrace, saying nothing more. Her heart pounded. That pure, desireless embrace reminded Wu Huan of something. The stiffness slowly faded, and they held each other tightly, as if it would last forever.

"It seems they won't forget each other."

"People are saved!"

"Starting from here, returning from there, the time has come!"

"Awaken! The creatures of the earth have awakened!"

Some joyful sounds came from the depths of the sky. The clock struck twelve, and at that moment, Yu Fu and Wu Huan were once again surrounded by dazzling light, losing sight of each other.

<Thirteen> Castle in the Sky

(1)

"I have extended my thoughts to infinity, yet I have not come close to the boundless existence. Faust lamented this, and now I see it the same way: we are in the midst of truth, yet we have not come close, but merely wander in vain."

A copy of Faust sat on the windowsill, but the window was wide open, and the curtains fluttered in the cold wind. The book's title page was also gently turned by the breeze.

These words leap out, gleaming with the light of wisdom. They are the handwriting of Yu Fu's deceased wife.

The room was quiet, and so was the view outside the window. It was Monday morning, yet it felt like an eternity. The clock on the wall ticked tirelessly, like a wise sage. The lush green aloe vera plants stretched out their branches freely, seemingly unconcerned about the cold.

Perhaps that's not right; aloe vera is sensitive to cold, but the room's owner is nowhere to be found.

Only waiting, a silent waiting. (2)

The city is shrouded in a thin mist in the early morning. If you sniff carefully, you can smell the salty scent of the sea breeze. The faint fragrance of the mist invigorates you without you even realizing it.

This day was no different from any other; everyone was going about their own business. The No. 7 bus creaked and groaned as it descended the hill, driver Lao Zhao skillfully shifting gears and applying the brakes. Driving in such snowy weather was far from pleasant, especially on a steep downhill road. As Mr. Zhao focused intently on the road ahead, he suddenly experienced a moment of disorientation. The scenery rushed past him, like the sensation of a heart attack. He couldn't see anything; it was as if he were trapped in a white, indistinct world. He struggled to feel his hands and feet, reaching out to the nerve endings in his extremities, until he felt the shape of the steering wheel. He gripped it tightly and then slammed on the brakes.

The booming sound in Mr. Zhao's ears gradually subsided. When he was fully awake, he found that the bus had stopped at the platform, but his hands were still tightly gripping the steering wheel. The conductor was calling out, "Bus No. 7 has arrived at Wenhua Road Station. Passengers, please take your belongings with you. The roads are slippery due to snow, please be careful..." Mr. Zhao closed his eyes, panting, took out his medicine bottle, unscrewed it, poured out a pill, and swallowed it.

Passengers got on and off the bus, no one noticing the driver's unusual behavior in that life-or-death moment. It was cold, and people's attention was somewhat distracted. Moments later, the No. 7 bus set off again, heading towards the white expanse ahead. That was the future for many, whether bright or bleak.

The bus had already driven far away. A man stood by the roadside, looking back blankly at the other end of the road. He seemed to understand something, yet also seemed to understand something. He turned around in a circle, but no one noticed him, and he couldn't find his target. The man sighed and walked across the road. Behind him, the figure of a little girl flashed by, turning into a ball of green light, skimming up the tree trunk at high speed, and disappearing in the blink of an eye. (3)

On the other side of the city, in a rented room, a woman wakes up from a dream. She sits up abruptly, a name almost escaping her lips, but she doesn't call it out; her heart pounds uncontrollably.

"Awake?"

A man's voice rang out. The woman turned around and saw a stranger.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The man smiled slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the naked woman, lingering on her curves.

"I've been asking myself that same question. You're not thinking of raising the price, are you?"

"oh?"

The woman was somewhat strange, and what was even stranger was that she herself did not feel unfamiliar with it, nor did she feel that she should cover her body.

"Don't do this, I'm almost falling in love with you."

The man moved his body, pulled the woman into his arms, hugged her, patted her smooth back, then got out of bed, put on his clothes, left two hundred yuan on the bedding, smiled at the woman again, straightened his collar, and left.

The woman was still in a daze, feeling lost and confused. Her memories were jumbled; she recalled things she didn't want to remember, and then other things came to mind, yet they felt unreal, like a dream. She closed her eyes and lay back down. The air smelled of desire. She tried to recall, but couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion. Yet the feelings in her memories were so intense, as if they could still affect her body.

The alarm clock ticked away, and the woman began to feel a little sensitive, like a little girl. She secretly slipped her hand under the covers, gently stroking her skin, imagining the man's tenderness, and silently calling his name.

The woman blushed, grabbed the blanket and covered her head, like a shy virgin.

Two hundred yuan fell silently, as if in slow motion. (4)

Darkness is everywhere, compassion is dead. Is light just a legend? Or were we born in the wrong era? Or is this hell on earth, not our paradise? What has become of our city?

...

A dialogue played on the TV. Community security guard Xiao Song stood up, pouted, switched back to the surveillance channel—everything seemed normal. His night shift ended in an hour, and Xiao Song started planning where to get breakfast. The "Tian Tian Shi Dang" stall at the intersection was offering free samples of breakfast, but it was time-limited and would close after 7:30. He'd heard that a new restaurant called "Shi Wei Tian" had just opened on Xiangdong Road, just like in the TV show. The owner was a pretty woman, and the braised pork meatballs were authentic. Maybe he should invite a few friends to try it.

Xiao Song's gaze swept across the monitors and suddenly noticed something amiss: a group of young beggars had slipped in, while the security guard, Xiao Wang, was still dozing. Xiao Song immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and called out. The guard woke up, understood the situation, and immediately gave chase.

On the monitor, the little beggars ran towards the garbage dump, hoping to collect some recyclable items before the trash was taken away. Once they left the community gates, these things would no longer be available to them.

The gatekeeper, Xiao Wang, grabbed his plastic baton and rushed over. The children scattered in all directions, and Xiao Wang was a little stunned, unsure which one to chase. Nevertheless, he managed to catch one, a dirty little girl. Xiao Wang finally managed to subdue her, but the little beggars who had just run away all came back, tearing and biting at Xiao Wang, leaving him in a very sorry state.

Seeing this on the monitor, Xiao Song couldn't help but laugh. He woke up Xiao Zhang, who was still fast asleep nearby, to watch together. Xiao Wang yelled into the walkie-talkie, "What do we do? These kids are like wolves!" As he spoke, the little beggars snatched their companions back and ran towards the gate. Xiao Wang, picking up a hat and a baton, chased after them. The walkie-talkie could be heard with the sounds of clothes rustling and occasional panting. Xiao Song said to Xiao Zhang, "The walkie-talkie's broken again. Let's see what he says when he gets back."

"Hey kid, don't run away, I'm not going to hit you!"

Xiao Wang bent down at the door and called out to the little beggars. The little beggars, who had just made a triumphant escape, stopped and looked on triumphantly from across the street.

"You're lying! The security guards beat people up!"

"I won't fight. From now on, all the trash is yours. Just don't run around!"

The little beggars were tempted, yet hesitant. Xiao Wang straightened up, hands on his hips, and beckoned them over.

"Damn it, why would I lie to you? If you were going to fight, you would have done it already!"

Xiao Song told Xiao Zhang that he really didn't see it coming; Xiao Wang was really ruthless, not even sparing a few children. But on the surveillance footage, Xiao Wang dragged a pile of cardboard boxes out of the house, shouting, "These are yours!"