Atavismo

Capítulo 46

(This week's featured votes were pitifully few, only a mere 7. I'll see if I get a few more next week and add more for everyone.)

()

Chapter Seventy-Nine of Volume Four: Mental Power

Across a pile of miscellaneous items, a heap of white paper money was burning. Zhen Ren lay prostrate on the ground, with a strangely shaped white bottle in front of him. In front of the bottle, under the dim yellow light of the fire, a dark hole was clearly visible. What was strange was not the scene itself, but the fact that a hazy, eerie white gas was gathering at the bottle's opening from the hole. Upon seeing this, one could almost immediately realize that what they were encountering was a bizarre ritual beyond the reach of ordinary people!

Zhen Ren's ashen face, flickering in the firelight, turned to them, who looked utterly bewildered. To Gu Feng's astonishment, he showed no surprise whatsoever. Had he already realized they were following him, or did he simply disregard them, convinced that this day next year would be their death anniversary?

Zhen Ren's seemingly calm eyes were like sharp swords, lingering on the two of them for a moment, which made them feel cold sweat and an indescribable sense of crisis surge in their hearts. The cold basement air almost made them suffocate!

Zhen Ren suddenly gave them a toothy grin. Gu Feng initially didn't think much of it, but then he noticed that the eerie gas was no longer flowing from the pit, and the pile of joss paper had extinguished itself. The space was plunged into complete darkness. Gu Feng had gained night vision through a fortuitous encounter in the General's Tomb, but Zhen Ren's strange laugh, the sudden halt of the ritual, and the abrupt extinguishing of the fire caught him off guard for a few seconds. However, the intense sense of crisis made him instinctively grab Shi Xin's hand without hesitation. At this moment, the girl's safety was more important than anything else!

The two remained frozen in place, awaiting the unexpected attack. If there were a light on, their tense and frozen movements in the empty basement would seem somewhat ridiculous. After more than ten seconds, they realized this themselves. Gu Feng's eyes began to adapt to the darkness and played an extraordinary role. Where was the person?

Although the basement was filled with a lot of junk, Gu Feng's eyes scanned it and he was certain that there were no other living beings in the basement besides himself and Shi Xin!

Given the situation just now, Zhen Ren was fully capable of launching a fatal attack before I could even adjust, or of killing me with his seemingly supernatural magic. So why did he "run away" without even giving me a heads-up?

Gu Feng was completely baffled. Only then did he remember that Shi Xin was still in a tense state of mind, and he comforted her, "Shi Xin, don't be so nervous. I don't know why, but he... ran away."

Shi Xin gradually loosened her grip on his hand: "You ran away?"

Gu Feng found it strange. From the moment he entered until Zhen Ren disappeared, Zhen Ren hadn't said a word or made any excessive movements. How could he have plunged the two of them into such a deep sense of crisis? Or... was this what made him so terrifying? He had long heard of a strange, mysterious power within the human body, whose life-threatening effects were almost incomprehensible to ordinary people and defied scientific explanation. Everyone possessed this mysterious power, but those with a strength sufficient to manifest it in daily life were extremely rare. The public generally called such people superpowered individuals. A more accurate term for this power would be "mental power." It was usually used to move through brainwaves invisible to the naked eye, but those with immense mental power could completely captivate the soul, replace one's thoughts, and control one's physical body!

Based on what happened between the two of them just now, could Zhen Ren be such a person?

If that's true, unless one's mental strength is equal to his, the only outcome of opposing him is defeat. How can someone who has already given their thoughts to their opponent discuss success or failure?

Another question arose in his mind: Who exactly was he? Was he friend or foe? So far, none of his actions seemed to be deliberately aimed at him. However, after thinking about his extremely disliked demeanor, Gu Feng still thought it was more likely that he was a bad person!

mental strength

Gu Yuehan, September 1st, 18:11

————————————————————

It's been a whole month since I last wrote. All I can say is sorry, and more sorry. I don't need to go into the details, right? Sigh, it's all work's fault. Anyway, enough rambling. I only slept until 4 PM today and wrote this little bit in a daze. I have to go to work again tonight... Sigh, I really hate this job that leaves no time for anyone...

()

Volume 4, Chapter 80: Don't Look Back

Gu Feng nodded: "Mm."

Shixin asked curiously, "We discovered his plot, so why did he let us go so easily?"

Gu Feng suddenly froze, as if Shi Xin's words had suddenly given him a flash of inspiration... "A conspiracy!"

What was Zhen Ren doing with that strange movement just now? His gaze then turned to the eerie cave entrance. If he wasn't mistaken, this must be the place the victim had hastily dug up to bury the body after committing the crime. Although a long time had passed, the cave entrance still faintly exuded a cold, eerie aura. The last time he came here for a "vacation," even the second floor had "automatic air conditioning," so the eerie aura there must have been much stronger than it is now.

The body had been removed, but the yin energy remained incredibly potent. The deceased's resentment was so strong that this luxurious mansion had truly become a "ghost house!" However, hundreds of such murders occur every day around the world, yet nothing seems to happen elsewhere. Why then has this place become a ghost house? This question was naturally beyond Gu Feng's ability to answer, but in this light, Zhen Ren's motives became clear. But why was he collecting yin energy and resentment for no reason? Gu Feng suddenly recalled the despicable actions of villains in horror movies. Could it be that he wanted to lure out some evil spirit?

Although Gu Feng thought it was highly unlikely that Zhen Ren, who had no grudge against him, would do such a thing, the thought of it being connected to that vengeful ghost... sent another chill down his spine.

Shi Xin saw that Gu Feng looked confused, and occasionally revealed a faint, barely perceptible fear. She didn't know what he was thinking, but it must be something very scary.

"No, to be on the safe side, we need to find Zhen Ren. Shi Xin, let's go."

Gu Feng called out and rushed out the door, leaving Shi Xin no time to hesitate. She had no choice but to follow him. What was Gu Feng thinking?

Looking at the empty road, Gu Feng covered his head and made a dizzy gesture. It's at least ten kilometers to get into the city from here, right?

He looked at Shixin with a wry smile. Shixin smiled back, but then took the lead and started walking.

In early winter, the trees lining the road were already half bare, and the leaves that occasionally drifted down turned the road in this neighborhood, where even flies wouldn't linger, into a golden carpet. Remembering that they still had a long way to go, the two of them weren't in a hurry at all, taking a leisurely stroll...

Shi Xin suddenly asked, "Gu Feng, what were you thinking about in the basement just now? Why do you look so scared?"

Gu Feng had hoped to temporarily forget his heavy mental burden by taking advantage of this trip and the scenery, but Shi Xin's words pulled him back into the foggy reality: "I'm afraid that the actions of the man surnamed Zhen might have some connection with that vengeful ghost."

Shih-hsin: "How could that be? Wasn't he just transferred back from another city? He might not even know about that big ghost."

Gu Feng: "I hope so, wait..."

Shixin was startled: "What's wrong?"

Gu Feng stared in fear behind him. Shi Xin was about to turn around to see what was going on when Gu Feng suddenly said, "Don't turn around, we might have fallen for it again."

Don't look back

()

Volume 4, Chapter 81: The Enchanted Realm

Shi Xin was startled: "The middle way?"

Gu Feng didn't answer, staring blankly behind her. Shi Xin finally couldn't help but turn around and take a look. This time, it was terrible. The road that had just been covered with golden leaves was now covered with thick blood? Blood reflected in the setting sun, and the cold wind was biting. This scene was indescribably terrifying!

Shi Xin looked ahead again, but where had Gu Feng gone? He had been staring blankly at her back just moments before, but in the few seconds it took her to turn around, he had vanished without a trace. Shi Xin looked around, but those few trees couldn't possibly hide anyone. Where was Gu Feng?

She started to feel nauseous. She didn't know why it had taken so long for her to smell the blood, but the pungent smell made her want to vomit. She also felt the sense of crisis she had in the basement. Her body instinctively urged her to run forward as fast as she could until she got out of there!

However, Shi Xin did not give in to this instinct. At this moment, what worried her more was not her own safety, but Gu Feng's situation! She thought to herself, even if she had to escape, she had to find Gu Feng first!

She gazed at the dark house, its walls glowing red whether from the setting sun or from the blood on the ground, and resolutely ran back.

Blood stained her clothes, but she couldn't care less. Blood seeped into her shoes, but she couldn't care less either.

A bizarre situation...

A woman, her face contorted with anxiety and panic, her head, face, and body covered in shocking, bright red blood, was running frantically down a "blood-soaked" road... If anyone had witnessed this, they would never have agreed that this woman wasn't insane!

When you came out, you just casually closed the iron gate without actually closing it.

Shi Xin stared at the door that she couldn't push open, puzzled. Without hesitation, she kicked it from behind, but the ground was slippery and she slipped and fell to the ground in a sorry state. This made her even more covered in blood, practically turning her into a blood-soaked figure!

Shixin wiped the blood from the corner of her eye, then couldn't control herself and started vomiting. However, after dry heaving for a long time, she found nothing but white saliva, as she hadn't eaten anything that day.

She stood up again, suddenly noticed something, then laughed foolishly, cursing herself for being so stupid. She reached through the crack in the iron gate and opened it with a click…

The blood on the ground was gushing out of the house, but once inside, everything was exactly the same; there was no "blood flow" at all. Shi Xin stared blankly at this perplexing scene, then headed towards the basement, calling out, "Gu Feng, are you there? Gu Feng, where are you?"

The basement remained dark, and Shixin was filled with despair…

He slumped down on the stairs, looking at the somewhat familiar yet extremely unfamiliar surroundings, and for the second time in his life he felt utterly alone and helpless!

The first time was in the Taekwondo club office, when I was trapped by that terrifying substance and couldn't move. That time, Gu Feng gave me hope for life again. But what about this time?

what do I do?

"Come with me!" A voice so mesmerizing it was almost inaudible rang in Shixin's ears.

"Who?" She stood up nervously.

She spotted someone beside the pit—a woman, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Her face was very pale, deathly pale, but it couldn't hide her captivating beauty; that type… well, you could call it "alluring." Shixin didn't know much about such terms… Wait, how could I see her? The basement is so dark, and I'm still about ten meters away from her…

Yes, the woman was radiating a light, a mesmerizing, firefly-like glow. A Buddha's light, warm and comforting. A will-o'-the-wisp, cold and chilling. Even if Shi Xin didn't have a head, she should know she wasn't human, especially since she was quite intelligent.

The woman spoke again, her voice still glazed over: "Come with me~~"

Shixin swallowed hard and said, "Are you kidding me? You're a ghost! Where would I go with you?"

"Are you feeling helpless? Confused about where to go? Come on, I'll take you away from this complicated place. Once we get there, you'll be very grateful to me."

This wasn't Shixin's first time dealing with ghosts, but she had never tried talking to them before. For some reason, she wasn't nervous at all: "It's my own business, you don't need to worry about it."

"Young lady, don't be so stubborn, or you'll never get married."

"If I become a ghost with you, do I still have to get married? I'm so dizzy! Go back to where you came from!"

The female ghost wasn't angry at all; she just gave a strange smile: "Really not leaving?"

"I'm not leaving."

The female ghost laughed even harder: "You'll regret this..."

Mysterious Realm 1

Gu Yuehan, September 13, 9:07 AM

()

Volume 4, Chapter 82: The Enchanted Realm 2

Shixin thought to herself, "I'll only regret it if I go with you."

Suddenly, the female ghost vanished without a trace. Shi Xin was still puzzled when a deafening roar filled her ears, and she felt the pressure around her increase tenfold. She quickly stood up and retreated. The ten or so steps should have taken less than three or four seconds, but Shi Xin felt incredibly weak. She had to exert tremendous effort to move even a single step. Her body was inexplicably exhausted, and then she witnessed a scene that felt like death itself… The basement door was slowly closing…

Shi Xin stared at the gushing blood bubbling from the pit, then reached out towards the nearly closed iron gate five or six meters away, screaming hysterically, "No...no..."

The door, as always, closed shut mercilessly.

Shixin's mind went completely blank for a moment... It's over...

It’s over!

...

You can't see anything in the ancient style.

No, he should say he saw nothing at all. A casual glance back revealed nothing but a straight road stretching to the sky behind him. It was as if he were standing in the Sahara Desert, completely empty and devoid of any living creature. The enchanting scenery in the woods and the villa complex had vanished into thin air. He quickly thought of Zhen Ren, who possessed a captivating ability. Unless it was him who had done it, it was simply impossible for him to turn this place into a deathly desert in an instant, completely silently!

It seemed that Shixin hadn't noticed anything amiss and was about to turn around to look. Gu Feng quickly said, "Don't turn around, we might have fallen into their trap again."

Shixin asked curiously, "The Middle Way?"

Gu Feng suddenly froze. Two figures suddenly appeared about ten meters behind Shi Xin. Who else could they be but his parents, his closest relatives?

At this moment, perhaps a part of his mind was still reminding him that this might be a hallucination, but, after being separated from his loved ones for so long, Gu Feng had been unable to sleep for the past few nights. His family, whom he had been longing for day and night, were standing before him. Recalling every little detail of the past, his heart was filled with joy, tinged with a touch of bittersweetness, yet he simply did not want to doubt it…

Forget everything else, Gu Feng reached out to his parents and said, "Dad, Mom, do you know how much I've missed you?"

Gu Zhengtian gave a very peaceful smile: "I knew you missed us, so I came to see you."

Gu Feng smiled and walked towards them, completely unaware that Shi Xin, for some reason, stumbled and ran forward with a look of horror on her face…

Gu Feng felt his vision blurring; his parents began to blur before his eyes—no, everything in the world blurred. He rubbed his eyes a couple of times, but it didn't help. He rubbed his acupoints at the temples, but still no effect. Puzzled, he heard his father say unhappily, "We finally meet here, why aren't you coming over yet?"

Ancient Style: "Coming right now, but strange, I feel a little dizzy..."

"Son, do you have a cold? Come here quickly, let Mom take a look," Zhao Ningbi called out anxiously.

Gu Feng smiled and said, "It's nothing."

It seemed that his parents were already within reach, but why did it feel like they were retreating as he moved forward? Why could he keep not reaching them? Gu Feng thought it was because he was dizzy and his vision was blurry, so he continued to walk towards them tirelessly.

"My dear son, it's only a short distance. You can get there by running a few steps, right?"