Leyenda de Ksitigarbha

Capítulo 4

12

A long, drawn-out sigh lingered deep in Lin Han's mind. He didn't hear the sigh; rather, he felt it. As the sigh faded into the distance, he felt a cool sensation on his hand, and the burning pain instantly subsided. He opened his eyes and saw a blurry white figure drifting away and disappearing into the large mirror.

Sitting on the ground, Lu Hao looked around, his bloodshot eyes stinging with fear. Seemingly realizing the danger had passed, he cautiously got up, his face full of vigilance, staring intently at Chen Yan's back, and quietly made his way to the classroom door.

The door was open, and the corridor outside wasn't dark; the shadows of trees swayed silently in the moonlight, creating a tranquil scene. Lu Hao's footsteps were light, so as not to disturb the two people who were tightly embracing. Standing in the doorway, he breathed a sigh of relief and lifted his leg to step out. Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder, a chilling sensation penetrating his heavy clothes and seeping into his very bones.

The earth-shattering scream startled Lin Han and Chen Yan. They turned their heads almost simultaneously, looking in the direction of the sound. They saw Lu Hao, as if possessed, flailing his limbs at the doorway, kicking and punching the air around him wildly. His face was contorted with fear, and his foaming mouth moved rapidly, uttering incoherent curses.

Above him, the old, rusty ceiling fan suddenly started spinning on its own, faster and faster, humming and creaking as it went. A gust of wind whipped up dust from the ground, sending it swirling and flying towards the fan like a gray dragon. Lin Han, astonished and bewildered, stared dumbfounded at this bizarre scene, feeling only the wind whistling past him.

Exhaust fan? That was the only adjective Lin Han could think of. In the distance, Lu Hao was still running around wildly, his body being pulled by the wind, staggering towards the center of the classroom. Terrified, Lin Han wanted to go forward to help, but his legs seemed nailed to the wooden floor, unable to move an inch. He wanted to shout, but no sound came out.

"Help! Help!" Lu Hao struggled desperately, trying to escape the pull of the ceiling fan. However, all his efforts were in vain. When he finally entered the eye of the hurricane, Lin Han saw his feet slowly leave the ground, his body spiraling upwards. When his head finally approached the rapidly spinning fan blades, Lin Han wanted to close his eyes to avoid the impending bloody scene, but he was powerless to do so.

A more piercing scream followed, but it contained no pain, only horror. Lin Han's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched Lu Hao's body being pulverized. There was no bloodshed, only a large cloud of black dust scattering outwards, quickly coalescing into a plume of black smoke, which was then completely absorbed by the mirror.

Lu Hao's voice faded into the distance, lingering in the mirror until it disappeared completely. The ceiling fan seemed to stop abruptly, and the wind was no longer strong. Lin Han felt he could move again. He breathed heavily, slowly turned around, and looked at Chen Yan beside him, his face pale.

Chen Yan smiled sadly: "It's all over now."

"It's over? You mean... we can leave now?" Lin Han clearly understood the meaning behind Chen Yan's words, but didn't quite grasp the reasoning. "What exactly happened?"

Chen Yan stared blankly at the mirror, then shook her head. "Let's go." This time, she took Lin Han's hand. Lin Han felt her hand was icy cold, and he couldn't help but shiver, goosebumps rising all over his body. Leading him to the large mirror, they stood side by side, and she gave him a rare smile.

"Your smile... is so beautiful." Lin Han turned his head and stared at Chen Yan's slightly upturned lips, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.

"Really?" Chen Yan asked softly, turning to face Lin Han, her smile unable to conceal the deep sorrow buried in her eyes. Lin Han tenderly pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her long, black hair. Still so gentle, her hands rested on his shoulders, and she slowly rose on tiptoe, her cool, sweet red lips brushing against his lips like a summer night breeze.

Chen Yan's actions instantly captivated Lin Han. He stared at her, dumbfounded, feeling as if he were floating. Her hands slowly slid down, stopping at his chest, as if sensing his rapid heartbeat. Suddenly, she pushed him away forcefully, causing him to stumble and fall towards the mirror. He watched in astonishment as his hands passed effortlessly through the mirror, followed by his entire body. In the darkness, he plummeted downwards, a scream choked in his throat, and beneath his feet lay what seemed like an endless abyss…

13

"Chen Yan—" Lin Han struggled to sit up abruptly, drenched in sweat, and heard a creaking sound in his ear. He finally calmed his breathing and looked around, only to find himself sitting on his bed in his dormitory. Through the mosquito net, the sun was shining brightly outside. He was immediately filled with doubt, not understanding why he, who had clearly gone to the north building to play games last night, was now lying comfortably in his dormitory.

"You big apple, you're still thinking about our beautiful girl even while you're sleeping. I'm really impressed!" Without even looking, just by hearing that unique fruit-themed "greeting," Lin Han knew that the person speaking outside the mosquito net was none other than Xiao Zijie, the most nonsensical person in their dormitory.

Lin Han grabbed a sweat-smelling pillowcase, wiped the cold sweat from his face haphazardly, and said absentmindedly, "Tch! I can't be bothered with you."

"Hehehe...you big banana, you're ignoring me but I'm going to talk to you anyway." Xiao Zijie shamelessly lifted Lin Han's mosquito net. "Aren't you getting up? Something big has happened at school."

"What could be so serious?" Lin Han was still confused, his mind replaying the terrifying game from last night. "No one died, right?"

"Bingo! Correct answer, three are dead." Xiao Zijie looked gloating. "The police are currently retrieving bodies from Mirror Lake. I came back specifically to call you. Big Banana, get up, let's go watch the show."

"Someone really died? Who?" Lin Han's heart, which had just calmed down, started pounding again as he got out of bed and asked Xiao Zijie.

"One is my former dream girl—Li Leyu. Alas! What a pity, I haven't even had the chance to win her heart yet. Another is Miss Ye Chang." Xiao Zijie said to himself, "And the last one is someone who's a little bit uglier than me, Lu Hao."

"What?" Lin Han, holding a toothbrush, poked his head out of the bathroom.

"What are you yelling for, you lemon-head? Trying to scare me to death?" Xiao Zijie leaned against the bathroom wall and yelled at Lin Han, "If you scare me to death, all the handsome men in the world will become extinct."

Lin Han didn't want to argue with Xiao Zijie, so he quickly washed his face, grabbed him, and headed towards Mirror Lake in the west area of the school. On the way, without Lin Han even having to ask, the talkative Xiao Zijie recounted the entire tragedy in detail.

Last night, since it was the weekend, there weren't many people in the dormitories. Lu Hao and Li Leyu, who were dancing in the school's ballroom, got into an argument for some reason. In a fit of anger, Li Leyu slapped Lu Hao across the face in front of everyone and dragged Ye Chang out of the ballroom. Amidst the jeers of the crowd, Lu Hao's face flushed red and then turned pale. He then left the ballroom with a frosty expression.

Shortly after the three left, the speakers malfunctioned, and the dance ended early. A group of girls had just reached Li Leyu's dorm room when they saw Lu Hao rush out in a panic, his face and body covered in black smears. Because the corridor lights were dim, no one could tell what they were. Before the other girls even entered their own dorm rooms, two sharp screams rang out from Li Leyu's room. Everyone rushed over and saw that the room was splattered with blood. In the bathroom next to the door, Li Leyu lay slumped over the sink. Looking in the mirror, a clothesline was wrapped around her neck, her stiff, distorted face was bluish-purple, her tongue lolled out in front of her chest, and her lifeless eyes bulged from their sockets—she had long since died. Ye Chang, lying in a large pool of blood in front of the balcony door, had died an even more gruesome death; her head was almost smashed open. The murder weapon was clearly an overturned stool covered in flesh and hair.

Those who remained conscious immediately connected Lu Hao's panicked expression when he left with the murder. Some dialed 110 (the police emergency number), while others organized a search for Lu Hao. Soon, the teacher leading the group found Lu Hao by Mirror Lake. Seeing the approaching crowd, Lu Hao didn't say a word and plunged into the lake. People jumped in to save him, but by the time they reached the spot where Lu Hao had fallen in, the non-swimmer had already been swallowed by the icy water. Police arrived later, cordoned off the crime scene, and together with the school, worked through the night to retrieve Lu Hao's body from Mirror Lake.

A bathroom mirror? Mirror Lake? Lin Han's heart sank. The deaths of the three people all seemed to be intricately linked to mirrors. He vaguely felt that last night's vivid nightmare might not have been a dream after all. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand why he was alright. He thought of Chen Yan again; he wondered if she was safe and sound as well.

As soon as Lin Han stepped onto the path leading to Mirror Lake, he was met by Chen Yan, dressed in pure white and carrying a backpack. He stopped, opened his mouth as if to say something, but was forced back by the cold indifference emanating from her. She was as indifferent as ever to the two living people in front of her, brushing past Lin Han and the others, and drifting away into the distance.

Was everything last night really just a dream? But why did the three people who died in the dream really die? Lin Han's eyes were filled with the melancholy in Chen Yan's eyes. He stood there, stunned, watching her back as she walked away, his mind even more confused.

"Pah, you big watermelon! What are you so arrogant about?" Xiao Zijie's angry curses further disturbed Lin Han's thoughts. Suddenly, a commotion arose by Mirror Lake. Without saying a word, Xiao Zijie grabbed Lin Han and excitedly rushed over. "They must have found a body! Hurry! There's going to be something interesting."

Lin Han and Xiao Zijie arrived at the lakeside, where a crowd of onlookers had already gathered. Finding a gap, Xiao Zijie pulled Lin Han along and squeezed through. Lu Hao's body lay flat on the concrete embankment by the lake, his chalky white skin glistening with water, covered in slippery water plants and trash from the lake.

A gust of wind whipped up dust, blinding everyone. Lin Han rubbed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was horrified to find that the waterweed covering Lu Hao's face had been blown away by the wind, and his stiff neck had somehow turned around, his wide-open eyes staring intently in their direction, a strange smile seemingly appearing on his pale lips.

The sunlight suddenly turned icy, and the faces of those around him began to look unreal. Lin Han felt dizzy; he sensed everyone was secretly glancing at him, all wearing the same smile as Lu Hao…

Ghost knocking on the door in the middle of the night

1

Cold and aloof, melancholic have become the keywords people use to talk about Chen Yan, and she always seems to be an unattainable goal in the hearts of all the boys in the school.

However, Lin Han had a vague premonition that something else would happen between him and Chen Yan. The dreamlike game from a month ago was not the end; everything was just beginning.

It is now early winter, and everywhere are bare branches reaching towards the leaden sky, withered like aged arms. The wind has become fierce and sharp, scraping against the skin with a tingling pain.

The tragic case involving three deaths was closed several days after Lu Hao's body was recovered, as the facts were quite clear. Time quickly eroded people's memories, and the campus returned to calm.

Lin Han remained as persistent as ever, clinging to his longing for Chen Yan. Many times, he tried to approach her, only to be met with her cold indifference. No matter how much he pondered, he couldn't understand why. Was that terrifying game truly just a nightmare? Already a man of few words, he became even more silent afterward, drifting further and further away from his roommates. In everyone's eyes, he became a loner, lonely and enjoying the solitude of missing Chen Yan.

Perhaps the terrifying experience wasn't real, but the memory was, especially Chen Yan's fleeting kiss. Every time he secretly watched Chen Yan, he would savor the memory endlessly, as if a faint fragrance still lingered between his lips and teeth.

Tomorrow is the weekend again. The sky has been overcast all week, neither raining nor snowing. People's moods are damp and gloomy, a sense of depression lingering. Lin Han strolled alone on campus, the twilight deepening the gloom. Just after class, he saw his dorm roommate, Zhang Yiyang, walk towards Chen Yan at the back of the classroom. They spoke to each other, and Chen Yan even slipped something to Zhang Yiyang.

Seeing Zhang Yiyang's smug face, Lin Han felt quite uncomfortable. He guessed that any boy who saw this scene would feel the same way. He made an exception for not following Chen Yan today, feeling a sour and uncomfortable feeling in his heart, and wanted to be alone for a while.

Chen Yan, what kind of girl are you really? Lin Han had asked this question in his heart more than once, but he could never give himself a clear answer. Chen Yan was aloof and mysterious; she never gave others a chance to understand her. Perhaps, she simply didn't want to be understood, didn't want anyone to get close to her. Lin Han came to this conclusion, and his heart felt even more suffocated.

Back in the dorm, no one was there. Only a faint glimmer of daylight shone through the window. Lin Han casually switched on the light; the fluorescent tube hummed and flickered a few times before lighting up. The dorm was a mess, reeking of the unpleasant smell of dirty clothes and smelly socks typical of male dorms. He frowned, tossed his backpack down, and his gaze drifted, seemingly unintentionally, towards Zhang Yiyang's bed. His backpack was on the bed; it looked like Zhang Yiyang had been back.

Another wave of jealousy tormented Lin Han mercilessly. He cursed inwardly and sat down at his desk. Opposite him was Zhang Yiyang's desk, on which lay a lone English textbook. He picked it up casually and flipped through it rapidly, feeling an urge to tear it to shreds.

Huh? What's that? As the pages of the book were turned quickly, a white slip of paper floated down. Lin Han reached out and caught the slip of paper, unfolding it in front of him. A faint, pleasant fragrance filled his olfactory cells, and the neat handwriting in black pen came into view. He stared in surprise, his mouth immediately going dry.

Tomorrow night at 11:44 PM, in the living room on the first floor of the haunted house.

The slightly slanted, distinctive handwriting, coupled with that familiar scent, made Lin Han instantly realize it must have been Chen Yan's handwriting. 11:44 again? A series of terrifying memories flashed through his mind, like a silent film. Finally, the scene settled on that sweet, light kiss. He couldn't help but lick his lips, seemingly feeling the coldness of her red lips again.

The haunted house, a two-story abandoned bungalow standing alone deep in a dark alley, is located right next to the outer wall of the north gate. Although not on campus, it's quite infamous within the school. It's said that over ten years ago, a family of five living there was brutally murdered overnight. The killer was extremely cruel, not only killing and dismembering the four adults but also not sparing the five-year-old girl. However, what's puzzling is that despite extensive police investigations, the family had no known enemies, and no valuables were missing. With no leads found, the case became a cold case over time.

After the murder, rumors circulated that neighbors often heard screams coming from the house late at night, and that people returning home at night saw the five dead family members, their bloodstained remains wandering the alley. Soon, unable to bear the fear, the neighbors moved away, and the already sparsely populated alley became deserted. From then on, the house where the murder occurred was dubbed the "ghost house," becoming a haunted dwelling that no one dared to enter.

2

It was that same eerie place again, at the same time. Was Chen Yan going to play that terrifying ghost-summoning game again? Lin Han felt a chill run down his spine. He slowly turned his head to look out the window. It was completely dark, and his face was reflected in the windowpane, deathly pale, devoid of any color. He twitched the corner of his mouth, trying to smile to ease the growing fear in his heart, but he found that his reflection in the glass had a blank stare, and the upturned corner of his mouth formed an eerie expression.

Lin Han quickly looked away, unconsciously stuffing the note in his hand into his pocket, and casually turned on the computer on the table. His stomach was empty and he felt a little uncomfortable; he then realized he hadn't eaten dinner yet. Looking at the time, he was too lazy to go to the cafeteria, so he bent down and pulled out a packet of instant noodles to make. The steaming aroma of the instant noodles filled the chilly dormitory room, dispelling the cold and whetting his appetite. He turned on the computer's music player, and a melodious tune drifted from the speakers.

Yesterday Once More—a classic English song by The Carpenters, and one of Lin Han's favorites. He took a sip of noodles, and Chen Yan's melancholy eyes reappeared before his eyes. Yes, melancholy. He remembered her gentle kiss; at that moment, he was almost melted by the melancholy in her eyes.

Tomorrow night. Lin Han thought dreamily. In an instant, he made up his mind; he would go to the haunted house tomorrow night too. That kiss, though cold, was sweet and intoxicating. He cast aside all his fear, his mind filled with Chen Yan's perfect face and alluring figure. Even instant noodles, which usually tasted bland, now seemed like a rare delicacy.

A day and a night passed in anticipation. Zhang Yiyang didn't notice the note was missing; he had already memorized its contents. Although it was late and the location strange, he didn't care, only waiting with a restless mind. However, what he didn't know was that Lin Han was also silently sharing his secret, feeling the same trepidation as he awaited the arrival of night.

A biting north wind howled, hastening the departure of daylight. The night sky was thick with clouds, painted a somber gray-blue by the obscured moonlight. As is customary, student dormitories don't turn off their lights on weekends. It was nearly eleven o'clock, and many dorm rooms were still glaringly bright, their lights reflecting off the floor; the usual tranquility of the campus was gone.

Anxiously waiting for this moment, Zhang Yiyang jumped out of bed, went to the dormitory mirror, and changed into his favorite outfit: a white Adidas casual cotton jacket, Lee ink-blue jeans, and Nick sneakers. Although they were all knock-offs of designer brands, they still added to his handsomeness. He cheerfully hummed Jay Chou's "Nunchucks," tidied his messy hair, and with a flourish, snapped his fingers: "Come on baby! Goodnight, everyone, I'm outta here."

Zhou Mo, lying on the upper bunk, merely glanced indifferently at the door before continuing to read. Xiao Zijie snorted and nudged Lin Han beside him with his elbow: "Hey, you big watermelon, lemon-head, guess which little girl is about to get a wolf kiss?"

"I don't know," Lin Han replied absentmindedly, then stood up. "I have to go out too."

Staring dumbfounded as Lin Han's figure disappeared into the darkness outside the door, Xiao Zijie scratched the back of his head and muttered to himself, "What's wrong with Lin Han lately? He's acting so strangely."

When Lin Han reached the dormitory entrance, Zhang Yiyang had already turned the corner not far away. A cold wind whistled, swirling up the fallen leaves. Lin Han hunched his shoulders, turned up the collar of his cotton coat, and followed. Knowing where they were going, he didn't follow too closely; Zhang Yiyang's white cotton coat remained partially visible about twenty meters ahead of him.

After walking for more than ten minutes through winding turns, the north gate of the school came into view in the distance. To the right of the gate was a large garden, built in the style of ancient Chinese gardens, with pavilions, towers, bridges, and flowing water. In the center of the lotus pond stood several craggy artificial rocks. The water lilies in the pond had long since withered and died, and the artificial rocks looked eerie in the winter night, like lurking beasts poised to pounce.

On a warm night, the garden would surely be a paradise for couples. But tonight, there wasn't a soul in sight. The north wind rustled the sparse trees, creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

"The haunted house must be just outside that wall behind the garden, right?" Lin Han silently counted his steps, mentally estimating its location. Stepping out of the school gate, Zhang Yiyang turned right without hesitation, his back obscured by the wall. Lin Han slowed his pace. He knew that alley was deserted, and if he continued following, Zhang Yiyang would easily spot him. He was now unsure whether Chen Yan had invited several people like last time, or had only invited Zhang Yiyang alone.

A sour feeling welled up again. Lin Han rubbed his nose, which was numb from the cold, and stopped by the school gate. There was a street lamp there, its dim yellow light shivering in the wind. Something was moving in his pocket, not very loudly, but persistently. He thought it was his phone vibrating, so he reached into his pocket, only to find Chen Yan's small note.

Was it moving? Lin Han was taken aback. He took out the paper, but could no longer feel any vibration. He suddenly remembered the paper from last time, and his hands trembled as he unfolded it. Almost instantly, the writing on the paper dissolved, as if water droplets had been applied. The ink blot continued to spread towards the edges of the paper, quickly fading until it disappeared completely.

3

Like shaking off a burning ember, Lin Han took a large step back, his eyes trembling as he watched the note swirl and flutter in the cold wind. Both times it had been so eerie; at this moment, he finally believed that his previous terrifying experience wasn't a dream. But what would happen this time, he had no idea.

Only after the blank note vanished into the darkness did Lin Han take a deep breath of the cold air to calm himself. Judging that Zhang Yiyang had already gone far away, he left the school gate and peered into the dark alleyway.

The alleyway was dark, deep, and seemingly endless. Against the backdrop of a sky tinged with a bluish-gray light, a dilapidated two-story building stood silhouetted against the cold wind in the distance, with a faint yellow light flickering on and off.

A long, mournful meow echoed from the depths of the alley, mingling with the howling wind like the wailing of a vengeful ghost. The north wind instantly pierced through his heavy clothes, seeping into Lin Han's heart. He felt his teeth chatter uncontrollably, but the thought of Zhang Yiyang and Chen Yan possibly alone in the room fueled his courage through jealousy. He stopped thinking and plunged headlong into the darkness.

The hurried footsteps echoed in the narrow alley, as if countless feet were following closely behind. Lin Han was panting heavily, walking faster and faster. With a dull thud, he bumped his head against a wall in the darkness. Stars flashed before his eyes, and he clutched his throbbing forehead, vaguely realizing that he had arrived outside the courtyard wall of the "ghost house."

A tall, withered tree in the courtyard struggled in the wind, emitting a mournful wail. The rusty, ornate iron gate let in the dim, steady light from inside the house. The cat's meow sounded again, coming from behind him. Lin Han turned around in alarm, then walked to the iron gate. He raised his hand and knocked, when suddenly he felt a tug on the hem of his clothes, as if something was pulling at his garment.

Looking down in surprise, Lin Han saw a little girl, about four or five years old, wearing a white princess dress, tugging at the hem of his clothes and looking up at him. He didn't think much of how he could see the little girl so clearly in the darkness; he was just puzzled as to why the little girl was dressed in summer clothes in winter. Why would her family allow her to run alone into such a terrifying alley on this cold night?