Vallée de l'étrange

Chapitre 3

But what could they do if they didn't go? Were they just going to sit here and watch her die? Jin Yan, impatient and anxious, was already sweating profusely from his nose and forehead. The air in the room seemed to be growing increasingly stifling, making Jin Yan feel like he was about to explode. Jin Yan truly lived up to his name, a blazing inferno. Jin Hong, on the other hand, was much gentler, like a pool of water, unfathomable yet utterly calm. Jin Yan, despite his burning anger, had nowhere to vent it, and could only angrily slam his fist against the wall. The house was somewhat old, and with that punch, dust flew down from the ceiling. Both Jin Hong and Jin Yan got dust in their eyes, rubbing them until they were red and coughing incessantly.

As the dust settled, Jin Yan seemed to hear some noise. When he opened his eyes, he only saw a figure flash by. When he chased after it, he found nothing. Undeterred, Jin Yan searched back and forth along both ends of the alley.

Now let's talk about Jin Hong. Jin Hong was quite meticulous. After the dust settled, he noticed that a wad of old cloth was faintly visible on the roof where the dust had fallen. He moved a stool over and carefully removed the cloth, unfolding it in his hands to examine it. Before he could even see it clearly, he slipped, fell to the ground, hit his head on the corner of a table, and passed out.

Jin Yan couldn't find the person he had just seen outside, so he went back inside. To his surprise, he found Jin Hong lying on the ground, but Bai Fang was nowhere to be seen.

He hurriedly woke Jin Hong up and asked, "Where is Bai Fang? Where did she go?"

Jin Hong, who had just woken up, didn't react for a moment. Bai Fang? Wasn't she lying in bed?

"Look, she's not there!" Jin Hong looked and, sure enough, Bai Fang was gone. He immediately panicked and hurriedly went out to search for her.

Jin Yan, though rough around the edges, was actually quite shrewd. He stopped him and said, "I just came back from outside and I definitely didn't see anyone go in or out!"

He then grabbed Jin Hong's hand and asked, "What are you holding in your hand?"

Jin Hongfang then realized what was happening and spread the old cloth he was holding on the table. It was a faded, yellowish color. Given the rainy, humid, and hot climate of the south, it wasn't surprising that cloth would easily change color. What was strange was that the material of the cloth was indistinguishable; it was neither cotton nor linen, nor silk, nor the synthetic fibers commonly seen today. There wasn't a single word or mark on it.

Jin Yan turned away in disappointment and said, "I'm afraid some rat took it to make a nest."

Jin Hong looked at the cloth from left to right, as if he hadn't heard Jin Yan's words at all.

Jin Yan panicked and asked, "Quickly, think of where Bai Fang went!"

Jin Hong said slowly, "How would I know! Who told you to run out like that!"

Jin Hong was even more anxious. "Who told you to make yourself dizzy over this rag?!" "I only chased after someone because I saw a figure flash by outside."

The two of them, one anxious and the other unhurried, were arguing quite enthusiastically.

But where did Bai Fang go?

Jin Yan was panting heavily, his eyes wide with rage. But facing this lukewarm water, he was utterly powerless. He could only glare hatefully at Jin Hong and turn to leave. Seeing this, Jin Hong quickly composed himself, his previous infuriating demeanor gone, and said, "Don't worry, Bai Fang's safety should be fine." Hearing this, Jin Yan was even more furious! Bai Fang had just disappeared like that, and you think she wasn't in danger?! Jin Hong retorted, "If I hadn't been so convinced she was safe, would I have been teasing you like that?"

Jin Yan thought it made sense. This uncle, younger than him, although always joking around, was reliable when it came to serious matters. Surprised and delighted, he quickly pressed, "Do you know where Bai Fang went?" Jin Hong shook his head. "If I knew, wouldn't I go look for her?"

Jin Yan deflated again. "Then what makes you so sure she'll be safe and sound?"

Jin Hong said, "When I was replenishing her Qi just now, I discovered that her dantian was filled with incredibly deep true Qi. If, as she said, she had only read one book, then she should only know some breathing and circulation techniques. But just now, when she circulated her Qi, it seemed that the true Qi of the entire universe was circulating with her, which is why she exhibited these symptoms of qi deviation! Based on my judgment, the one who deliberately lured you away and took Bai Fang away while I wasn't paying attention was most likely that mysterious woman she mentioned! So Bai Fang shouldn't be in any danger. Perhaps she can even get help from this woman and turn danger into safety, maybe even turning misfortune into fortune! If the person who came this time hadn't been unwilling to be our enemy, I'm afraid our lives would both be hanging by a thread!"

Jin Yan was finally relieved.

Bai Fang and he had always had a good relationship, and he was extremely anxious when she went missing. He didn't think too much about it. However, Jin Hong's words were only half true! The one who took Bai Fang away was not that mysterious woman, and that mysterious woman herself was also on the verge of death. However, it was true that Bai Fang was not in immediate danger.

"So, what should we do now?" Jin Yan asked.

Jin Hong said that the fifteenth of July is fast approaching, and to avert this disaster, I think I should ask my master for advice! Also, I feel that the origin of this piece of cloth is not as simple as you say! I also want to visit a few friends along the way to find out more about it.

Jin Yan asked, "And what about me? What should I do?"

Jin Hongdao, you are a soldier, bearing the national emblem and red five-pointed star representing the country and justice. Not only can ordinary evil spirits not approach you, but even gods would have to give you some leeway. That's why they lured you away and knocked me unconscious. If you stay here, perhaps you can help Bai Fang resolve this crisis sooner!

Upon hearing this, Jin Yan realized he possessed such abilities and couldn't help but dance with pride. For a moment, he forgot his worries about Bai Fang and the imminent danger.

Jin Hong was both amused and annoyed. He stretched out his arm to pat Jin Yan's head, who was a head taller than him, and laughed, "Good nephew, stop fooling around. You keep a close eye on this place for me. If anything unusual happens, we'll contact you by phone!"

Jin Yan was extremely disappointed. Contact them by phone? Don't novels, TV shows, and movies always depict telepathy? At the very least, there's telepathy, so why are we still using a phone?

Jin Hong couldn't help but burst into laughter. "You think we're gods? Not only can we transmit voices across thousands of miles, but we can also somersault three thousand miles a day, right? Having a phone is good enough! It's enough to stay in touch and exchange information anytime. We didn't even have cell phones before. I just bought one yesterday, but it has roaming restrictions, so the phone bill is going to skyrocket!" Jin Hong said, a bitter look on his face.

Jin Yan chuckled. So, one of the main reasons this person wanted to become an immortal was because they were driven to it by these exorbitant phone bills.

Yes, we can't be like Sun Wukong, transcending the Three Realms and the Five Elements. We're human; we need to eat grains, have clothes, shelter, and transportation. How can we survive without any of those? For example, a few hundred yuan a month isn't even enough to cover phone bills!

Jin Yan laughed, "Stop complaining. Go quickly and come back soon, don't let it interfere with important matters!"

As the two left, neither noticed a tree whose roots were gradually extending into the house. A patch of ground at the corner of the house was also slightly raised due to the roots. It was fortunate they hadn't noticed; otherwise, Jin Hong wouldn't have been able to speak so casually and leave so easily. Locals are accustomed to planting many trees, especially in courtyards and along walkways. In this city, trees are increasing in number, gradually encroaching on people's living spaces, but it seems no one notices. No one is even aware of this change. Because the expansion of the trees is imperceptible, happening in the most unnoticed corners.

When Jin Hong arrived at the long-distance bus station, the huge station was nearly empty. With more than half an hour until departure, Jin Hong wandered around, taking in his surroundings. The station windows looked like they hadn't been cleaned for days, covered in a thick layer of dust. The people waiting for the bus looked blank, seemingly unaware of who they were, what they were doing, or where they were going. This station had only been built recently, less than a year old. Before, when he traveled here, he thought the environment was truly wonderful—the windows were sparkling clean, the floors spotless, even the air smelled fresh. But now, why were the windows unwashed and the floors so filthy? An ominous feeling began to creep into his heart. Something was wrong with this city. But Jin Hong couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

Just then, the bus arrived. Jin Hong boarded and found himself the only passenger. The driver, wearing a baseball cap pulled low, obscured his features. Even the ticket seller wasn't on the bus. Jin Hong wasn't particularly worried; after all, he had put in considerable effort to ascertain the information Bai Fang had brought and to keep Jin Yan calm. Deep down, he wasn't as carefree as he had appeared to Jin Yan. The seriousness of the situation far exceeded his expectations. What he had thought was merely a mythical tale had actually happened, and might soon repeat itself. Jin Hong felt a heavy weight on his heart, but also a sense of pride. After all, not everyone gets the chance to turn the tide! How many people had deeply regretted not being born in a chaotic era, thus missing the opportunity to achieve great deeds and make a name for themselves! "Heroes emerge from our generation," a surge of heroic ambition welled up within Jin Hong, vowing to do everything in his power in this calamity, even at the cost of his life!

Just as Jin Hong was feeling excited, he suddenly felt the car jolt. Opening his eyes, he saw that the car had left the station and, after a period of rapid travel, had arrived at a place he had been before! The driver in the baseball cap had vanished. Looking out the window again, he was filled with dread! The car was stopped on the edge of a cliff! Even more dangerous was the fact that the door was right next to the precipice; if Jin Hong stepped out, he would plunge into the abyss! As far as Jin Hong knew, there were no mountains, let alone cliffs, within hundreds of miles. Had this car, and this driver, possessed some kind of legendary earth-shrinking technique, bringing him here? In this predicament, neither up nor down, even the usually composed Jin Hong lost his composure. He tried to call for help, but discovered there was no signal in this remote mountain wilderness! Just as Jin Hong was becoming extremely anxious, the car suddenly started bouncing and jolting violently, making him feel as if his internal organs were being turned inside out. The door opened, and Jin Hong, who was sitting near it, gripped the seat tightly, his face pale and his fingers trembling. Then, the car shook even more violently, and Jin Hong lost his grip on the handrail, letting out a cry as he plummeted towards the bottomless abyss!

At this moment, Jin Yan was also feeling extremely uncomfortable at home. He felt inexplicably hot all over. He turned on the electric fan, but the air blowing out felt hot. He turned on the air conditioner, but the temperature didn't seem to drop. He even took ice cubes from the refrigerator, but they felt too hot to handle! Jin Yan was usually a bold and outspoken man, relying on his upright character and never fearing anything, but faced with this situation, his mind seemed to be clouded by the smoke, and he couldn't think straight anymore. Just then, the phone rang, and he suddenly became much more alert. He answered the phone and it was a comrade-in-arms from the army calling to ask how his vacation was and to send his regards to his parents.

After calming down, Jin Yan decided to call Jin Hong to ask what was going on. However, after making call after call, he kept hearing, "Sorry, the user you dialed is not in service." Jin Yan became anxious. Didn't the advertisements say that cell phones could be used even in a primeval forest? How could there be places with no signal in this relatively developed area?

Annoyed as he was, Bai Fang was missing, and Jin Hong was out too. He couldn't just sit here and wait. He decided to go back to the room where Bai Fang had been lying and search for any clues. In the rush earlier, he hadn't had time to check if any clues had been left in the room.

Upon entering the room, Jin Yan suddenly felt a blast of cold air hit him, as if his entire body had been plunged into an ice cellar, a chill running through him. Every hair on his body stood on end; if anyone were present, they would surely say that Jin Yan looked like a rooster with its mane bristling in anger.

A blast of cold air made Jin Yan shiver all over. After shivering a few times, he felt that the situation was getting worse!

While circulating her inner energy (Xiao Zhou Tian) through her body, Bai Fang felt her true energy surge like a giant fireball. Upon reaching Baihui (GV20), it spiraled out of control, her entire body feeling as if it were about to explode, especially her fingertips, which felt surging as if the energy was bursting outwards. A powerful surge of energy, like a wild horse, rushed straight to her head. With a loud bang, her consciousness vanished. When she awoke, she found herself in a dark place, unable to see anything. She tried to move her limbs, but found them bound by something unknown, unable to break free. Bai Fang tried circulating her true energy again. First, she focused on her dantian, finding no difficulty in gathering the energy. She then circulated it throughout her body without any obstruction, overjoyed. But where was she? Bai Fang was completely baffled. Where were Jin Yan and Jin Hong? Why had they left her here to play? Then she thought, Jin Yan was a very loyal friend; he would never do such a thing. Could it be that some serious trouble had occurred outside, or had something happened to them? Even with Bai Fang's exceptional intelligence, she couldn't have imagined that it was herself who had disappeared. However, she also guessed correctly that there was a huge problem outside, and Jin Hong's fate was still unknown!

Finding himself brimming with inner energy, yet unable to move, Bai Fang silently circulated his power, carefully recalling the events since meeting the woman that day. Bai Fang intuitively felt that the woman was deeply connected to him, and, moreover, a crucial factor in the entire crisis!

After concentrating her mind, Bai Fang's mind became completely empty, with all her senses and thoughts revolving around yesterday's events. In this state, if another accident were to occur and no one were there to rescue her, it would be extremely dangerous. However, Bai Fang was naturally adventurous and had a strong desire to succeed in this matter, so she once again disregarded the danger and entered the dream world.

After returning to her dream, Bai Fang first felt a throbbing pain in her head, like a machine that couldn't bear the weight and was humming. Then, everything from that day was clearly shown to Bai Fang.

Liu Hong grabbed Bai Fang by the neck. Just as Bai Fang was about to succumb and die, the woman appeared, a golden light bursting from her body, a red thread pointing directly at Liu Hong. Liu Hong couldn't withstand the red thread and vanished in a puff of white smoke. Seeing Bai Fang unharmed, the woman smiled sadly and slumped to the ground, looking utterly exhausted. Bai Fang carefully examined her and noticed a resemblance to herself, confirming that she was the woman he had seen in his childhood! At this moment, the woman's lips moved slightly, and she spoke to the unconscious Bai Fang, "I don't know whether to resent you or love you! You are you, and I am I, yet you are also me, and I am also you! In recent years, Bai Ma's power has grown stronger, and I can hardly control him anymore! Only with the two seals I added years ago and the continuous blood sacrifices over the years have I been able to temporarily imprison him. The fifteenth of July is approaching; how can the two of us withstand his attack!" The Heavenly Court has learned of what has happened here and has sent down the Five Elements Lords—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—to help you vanquish the demon! However, after their reincarnation, wood has lost its way and is now aiding and abetting evil! Metal is still trapped in the mortal world, and water has been ensnared by the White Horse's trickery. Only earth has yet to appear; even I cannot find its location. Therefore, this calamity seems irreversible! Seeing the sorrow on his face, Bai Fang felt a pang of sadness herself. She asked again, "Who exactly are you? Why are you me, and I am you?"

The woman said, "There's no need to mention these things anymore! It's my fault for dragging you down. If I hadn't visited you when you were young, and if you hadn't had this scar on your chin, you would have already returned to Heaven safely, instead of enduring this ordeal. After you turned five, I thought your third eye had closed, but I never imagined you could still see me, causing your mother to fall ill for nearly twenty years! It's all my fault for being too impatient." At this point, she seemed to run out of strength, and her figure gradually faded. The woman continued, "My power has been exhausted; I can no longer linger in your dreams. If you know me, hurry and meet me before the fifteenth of July!"

Bai Fang hurriedly tried to ask where she was and how to meet up with her, and also wanted to ask which elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—were represented. However, when she reached out, she grasped at empty air. Bai Fang woke from her dream, feeling extremely unwell, as if she could still sense the woman's sorrow. She didn't quite understand what the woman had said. Now, she needed to figure out how to get out first.

Bai Fang struggled desperately, trying to break free from the restraints binding her hands and feet. In the darkness, she couldn't see clearly, only that they felt cool and slippery.

Before she could even exert any effort, a sinister laugh came from beside her, followed by that shrill voice, "I'll...go...to...accompany...you..." Then, a pale, gleaming face with disheveled long hair appeared before Bai Fang. Bai Fang jumped in fright. Just that one face, floating in front of her. Bai Fang mustered her courage and looked closely, only to find that the face had no features! She didn't know where that eerie voice came from! Terrified, she quickly closed her eyes. The voice continued, "Are you afraid?" Bai Fang said, "What am I afraid of?" and opened her eyes again. Now, suddenly, the face had features. Just as she was about to look closely, suddenly, with a whoosh, red blood flowed from the corners of her eyes! Bai Fang was utterly shocked, wishing she had just fainted! The voice still wouldn't let her go, saying, "Would fainting have helped? In your dreams, you'll see even more—hahahahaha," and burst into wild laughter. Bai Fang asked, "Who are you? What do you want with me here?"

The female ghost said, "Look closely, what kind of place is this!"

Looking more closely, Bai Fang saw a figure in the darkness, seemingly transparent, easily seen through! The figure grinned at Bai Fang, then its head fell off, blood gushing out. The head continued to stare at Bai Fang, slowly moving closer. Even with Bai Fang's nerves as strong as steel, they snapped with a snap, and she fainted without uttering a sound.

When Bai Fang opened her eyes again, all the strange phenomena from before had vanished, and she was still surrounded by black mist. The cool, binding sensation on her hands and feet was still there, but she could move freely now. Bai Fang looked around, but there was no one in sight. When she tried to sit up and walk out, she found that there was nowhere to put her feet except where she had been lying! As soon as Bai Fang stepped down, she found that she had stepped into thin air, lost her balance, and almost fell. Bai Fang then noticed that what she was lying on was like a small boat, floating in the air. This strange sight made Bai Fang wonder if her environment was real or an illusion. For a moment, she dared not move. Bai Fang calmed herself down and thought about everything that had just happened. What happened while she was unconscious was unknown; now, the most important thing was to figure out where she was! But in her current state, figuring out where she was would not be an easy task. Just as Bai Fang was about to concentrate and try to use her mind to put herself on the ground, a voice came: "Don't bother!" Then the whole place seemed to light up, but it was still shrouded in a hazy fog, making it impossible to see clearly who was speaking to her. She also sensed a large group of people behind that person! Bai Fang remained silent, focusing intently on the person and what lay behind him. Upon closer inspection, she gasped in horror! Blood was gushing from the person's chest, and the people behind him were missing limbs, half-dead heads, bloodied holes in their eyes, and others had ruptured stomachs with their intestines hanging out. They all grinned sinisterly at her. The air seemed to be filled with the stench of blood and excrement, and faint, mournful cries could be heard. Bai Fang felt a chill run down her spine, her heart pounding with fear. Another shiver ran through her as she realized she was in the White Horse Temple! The group of people she had just seen were the wounded soldiers and corpses who had been lying in the temple! Their cries and groans sounded like the howls of wolves and ghosts from the depths of hell. Turning around again, she found herself on a battlefield engulfed in gunfire! In a small boat, the boatman was rowing desperately forward! It was the surging Yangtze River! Shells rained down on the river and into the boat. A stray bullet struck, piercing the boatman's right eye and exiting through the back of his head. Before he could even utter a sound, he collapsed to the ground. A shell exploded behind Bai Fang's head. Bai Fang felt a burning sensation at the back of her head; she reached up and touched it—it was sticky blood! Bai Fang saw a piece of her skull had been shaved off, revealing white brain matter! She felt no pain, only a gradual fading of consciousness. Just as she felt she was about to die, Bai Fang jolted awake. "I haven't been to the battlefield! I'm not dead!" A shudder ran through her body, and she found herself falling off a cliff, her hands gripping a vine tightly! Above her was a roaring tiger with its jaws wide open, frantically digging at the earth, sending sand and gravel tumbling down. Beside her, a giant python swam towards her, seemingly about to let her fall. Below was a river, and below it, a ferocious crocodile! Bai Fang was in despair. Just then, the giant python tightly coiled around her, wrapping itself around her again and again. Bai Fang felt like she couldn't breathe; her chest ached from the constriction, and she could smell the foul stench of the python's mouth! Bai Fang lamented, not wanting to be devoured by the snake today! Oh, this is terrible! Bai Fang frantically cried out, "Amitabha! God bless me!" Although she didn't usually have any faith, she had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure! Surprisingly, after a few cries, the constricting sensation disappeared. Looking around, she was still lying in the same spot. It was all an illusion! Bai Fang was horrified. How could an illusion be so real! Bai Fang clutched her chest, repeatedly expressing her relief! The man looked at Bai Fang, even showing a hint of admiration. Bai Fang was the first person he had ever seen escape from such an illusion. His gaze fell on Bai Fang's hands, and Bai Fang felt a jolt in him. The man stared at Bai Fang's fingers, leaving Bai Fang utterly bewildered. She looked at her own hands; only the joints of her little fingers were swollen from being spanked so many times by her teacher when she was a child. Bai Fang's hands were originally long and beautiful, definitely the hands of an artist. They could easily be used for things like shooting hand cream commercials, playing the piano, or sculpting. Why would she have to come to this strange place to be a teacher! Thinking about her job, Bai Fang panicked again. Oh no! She didn't know how long she'd been stuck here. She hadn't asked for leave from the school, and she'd probably have her salary and bonuses docked. Worse still, she might be criticized without being named at meetings! In this big school, everyone knows who's who. In her despair, Bai Fang even forgot about her dangerous situation. That's part of Bai Fang's charm. If someone else were in this situation, they'd probably be screaming and wishing they had more legs, not caring about anything else. The man kept looking at Bai Fang's hands. Bai Fang smiled, "Look, aren't my hands beautiful?" She shook her hands.

The man shook his head and asked, "Where are you from? Who are your parents?"

Bai Fang feigned nonchalance and asked, "Hmm? Do ghosts check household registrations too?" "I'm not telling you!"

The man seemed impatient, but he suppressed his displeasure and said, "Tell me the truth quickly, or you know the consequences!" Without the man making any move, Bai Fang only saw four pale, bloody hands reaching up from below, seemingly about to touch Bai Fang's legs!

Bai Fang immediately lost her composure and stood up, saying, "Quickly put these things away, I'll tell you right away!"

Bai Fang then recounted her hometown and her parents' names. The man muttered to himself, "Wait a minute? How could she be from there? And why isn't her surname Hu?"

Bai Fang asked, "Are you looking for someone? Maybe I know them."

The man said, "Stretch out your hand again so I can see it!"

Bai Fang didn't want to reach out, but fearing he might create something frightening, she reluctantly extended her hand. The man didn't move, only sticking his head out. Suddenly, Bai Fang saw a long neck approaching, with a head hanging on it, two small eyes blinking. A chill ran down her spine again. She forced a smile at those eyes and said, "What? Do you want me to shoot an advertisement?"

Those eyes gave her a cold look and said, "I'll be glad I don't send you to meet the King of Hell! But that's only a matter of time!" Bai Fang didn't care and just smiled, "Then why are you looking at my hands?"

A hint of doubt seemed to flash in those eyes as they looked at Bai Fang, filled with surprise and uncertainty.

At this point, the man asked again, "Your parents really don't have the surname Hu?" Bai Fang replied, "Neither of them have the surname Hu." Suddenly remembering, she added, "My mother was adopted, and I don't know what her original surname was." The man then asked, "Do you have any relatives with the surname Hu?" Bai Fang suddenly remembered and said, "When I was very young, my mother took me to Huangqiao to visit an elderly couple and told me to call them 'Grandpa' and 'Grandma.' I found it strange at the time. Why did I have to call them 'Grandpa' and 'Grandma'? I have grandparents!" She didn't know what their surname was.

"In Huangqiao?" The man's suspicion deepened. He asked again, "What did he look like?" Bai Fang described him, but she was too young to remember clearly. She only knew that her grandmother was very tall, her grandfather was very thin, and his face was long with small eyes. He was a little hunched over. The man shook his head, revealing a new face, and asked, "Is it like this?" Bai Fang shook her head and said, "No." Another face appeared, but it was still wrong. The man grew impatient and asked, "What did he look like?" Bai Fang said, "When he spoke, it sounded like his voice was coming from deep in his throat, and he seemed a little breathless."

Upon hearing this, the man actually shed tears. Bai Fang was astonished. "Can ghosts cry?" she wondered. The man then said, "Tell me about his family situation."

Bai Fang said, "I don't remember either. I only remember my mother taking me there, and then saying that I was very naughty back then, always teasing him, but he never got angry. The most classic thing was that I would call out 'Grandpa!' and then he would answer, and Bai Fang would say, 'Who called you? I was calling a big yellow dog in the south!' Grandpa didn't get angry, he just chuckled. After a while, he would call again." Bai Fang remembered that she couldn't help but laugh when her mother told her about it, realizing how naughty she had been as a child! Also, her mother said that her great-uncle, her grandfather's younger brother, had died in the war, and during the most difficult times, the government provided subsidies for the families of martyrs. Bai Fang was lost in her memories, talking animatedly, when she looked up again and found that the person was gone, and the surroundings were bright. Bai Fang found herself in an open space, with no end in sight, surrounded by layers of white fog, like the thick fog often seen in southern autumn. Bai Fang didn't dare to move for a moment, but suddenly felt the biting chill begin to dissipate.

Where was this place? Why was she floating in the air, with no end in sight? People have weight; if she were floating like this, wouldn't others be terrified and mistake her for a ghost? While she was lost in thought, she suddenly felt as if she were in a solid place. When she reached out to touch it, she could actually feel that she was lying on the same straw mat as Jin Hong's house! Overjoyed, Bai Fang thought that since she was lying on that straw mat, she was probably still at Jin's house, because if someone wanted to deal with her, they wouldn't have to go through the trouble of moving the straw mat there as well.

Sure enough, when she sat up and stretched her legs, she felt her feet touching solid ground. Before her lay a vast, white road. Bai Fang thought, "Wait a minute, this isn't Jin Hong's house." So she ran along the road.

There was nothing on the road except for that long, white avenue. There were no people, no trees, no houses, not even a blade of grass!

Bai Fang kept running forward, thinking only that she might be scolded for not asking for leave, and also that if the legendary white horse was indeed going to cause trouble, the fifteenth of July was not far away. She was extremely anxious, but no matter how hard she ran, she couldn't see the end. A vast expanse of white road, nothing at all. Bai Fang looked up at the sky again, but she couldn't see the sky either.

Bai Fang was sweating profusely with anxiety, but she still couldn't reach the end. Had she gone the wrong way? But there was only one road; if she ran back, she would end up back where she started. Bai Fang was at her wits' end. Completely exhausted, Bai Fang impulsively decided to sit down and rest for a while.

After sitting for a while, I felt sleepy and tired, and gradually began to doze off. As I dozed off, I couldn't control myself. My head started to fall backward. Unexpectedly, as I fell, I bumped into something. I felt something soft and warm, and was startled awake. When I opened my eyes again, I found that the scenery in front of me had completely changed.

He was still in Jin Hong's quiet room! The thing he bumped on the head was Jin Yan's leg, who had come in looking for clues!

Meanwhile, Jin Yan, feeling the bone-chilling cold of the room, was somewhat surprised. He searched around but found nothing. Just as he stood down by the stool, something bumped into his leg, startling him greatly. Looking down, he saw it was Bai Fang!

The two were overjoyed to see each other. Jin Yan asked, "How did you get here!" Bai Fang also asked at the same time, "How did I get here!"

It turned out that Bai Fang had been lying in bed the whole time! After she stood up, she just kept pacing around the room. Bai Fang thought of the legendary "ghost wall" phenomenon and wondered if this was what she was experiencing.

How could something like this happen when you're just lying in a house and everything is fine?

Jin Yan was even more surprised. He had always been an atheist, and as a soldier and a member of the Communist Party of China, he could not believe that this was actually happening before his eyes.

The two looked at each other, momentarily stunned.

It was already dark when Jin Yan's parents came home from get off work. When they saw Bai Fang there, they stopped her and asked her all sorts of questions. They even exchanged a wink. Bai Fang was both amused and exasperated, thinking to herself, "Don't tell me they've mistaken me for Jin Yan's girlfriend."

At Jin Yan's parents' warm invitation, Bai Fang had dinner at the Jin family's house. It was a very sumptuous meal. After dinner, Bai Fang was about to leave. Jin Yan came out to see her off. He seemed to hear Jin Yan's parents talking behind him and couldn't help but smile and say, "Your parents are really interesting."

The Jin family lived very close to the square. Just a few turns through the alleyways led them to the square. This square had a lovely name: Moon City Square. Because it was summer, people were staying up late, and many were sitting around the fountain chatting, watching television programs on the large screen outside the shopping mall, and some were even taking pictures in front of the fountain.

Bai Fang and Jin Yan sat in the square for a while. They hadn't had a chance to chat during the day, but now they finally had some free time. Jin Yan told him about Jin Hong going out to find his master, and Bai Fang nodded thoughtfully.

After chatting for a while, seeing that it was completely dark, Bai Fang wanted to go back to her dormitory. Jin Yan offered to take her back, but Bai Fang said that it wasn't far and she could just take a tricycle. Jin Yan thought that made sense, and just then, a tricycle rode by. Bai Fang got on, waved goodbye to Jin Yan, and then went home.

The tricycle driver turned around, smiled at Bai Fang, and asked, "Where are you going?"

Bai Fang said she went to the fourth vocational high school.

The tricycle driver said, "Sit tight," and then pulled the tricycle back to start riding.

He took a rather unusual route, walking along the tree-lined path by the river. Most people would go around the river first and then take the main road. Bai Fang was a little surprised by his choice, but she didn't say anything, since both paths led to her school, were about the same distance, and cost the same fare. Bai Fang usually liked walking along this tree-lined path; it offered views of the river and provided shade. Moreover, the path was lined with her favorite camphor trees, whose fragrant aroma was intoxicating.

When she left, the four o'clock flowers on both sides of the road were in full bloom, emitting a delicate fragrance. However, the fragrance of the four o'clock flowers was quite strong, quite different from the light scent of camphor trees. The wild roses by the roadside also swayed gracefully in the night. Bai Fang sat in the tricycle with her eyes closed, thinking how wonderful it was to be in this city. She especially loved riding in a tricycle, slowly navigating through the city, and returning to her dormitory in the twilight.

Just as Bai Fang closed her eyes to enjoy the moment, she sensed something was amiss. Opening her eyes, she was horrified! The tricycle driver was still focused on riding forward, but behind him, a face was still grinning at Bai Fang! Bai Fang cried out in alarm and tumbled off the tricycle. At that moment, the wild roses, four o'clocks, and even the camphor trees on both sides of the road seemed to come alive, attacking Bai Fang. The normally beautiful petals of the wild roses rained down on her, causing her waves of pain. The four o'clocks' trumpet-like leaves drew her in with tremendous force, making it difficult for her to move. The camphor tree leaves struck her head and body like blades. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her hand; her middle finger had been cut by a leaf. Cold sweat broke out on Bai Fang's face from the pain, and she couldn't scream. Strangely, as soon as the blood flowed, her surroundings immediately quieted down, and a beautiful scene of chirping insects and a gentle breeze returned. Bai Fang was covered in a cold sweat and dared not linger. Fortunately, she was not far from the dormitory, so she hurried forward. In her haste, Bai Fang did not see the tricycle driver stomp his foot in frustration, then disappear into a tree.

Upon arriving at the dormitory, Bai Fang felt a chill in the air, but she had no choice but to go in. Once inside, Bai Fang lay down, wanting to catch her breath. The fright she had experienced on the journey was extraordinary, and the intense tension of the past few days had left her completely exhausted.

As soon as she lay down, Bai Fang felt as if the bed was spinning, and the table, chairs, and everything else were turning on their own!

After Jin Hong fell off the cliff that day, he only heard the wind whistling past his ears. Panicked, he didn't even have time to think about what had happened before he landed hard on the water. It turned out there was a fast-flowing river below! Although he fell into the water, the impact of the fall from such a height was so strong that he felt a sweet taste in his mouth, blood gushed out, and he immediately lost consciousness. The current rushed downstream, and suddenly the river turned a corner. Jin Hong's body, like a log, crashed against the bank, still unconscious.

After some time, a group of boys came playing by the river, along with a little white dog that was running happily on its short legs. The weather was still unusually hot and humid, but the river water was icy cold, which was why they had come to the riverbank to play and enjoy the comfortable coolness. Suddenly, the dog barked loudly at the opposite bank. The boys looked and cried out, "Oh no! There's someone on the other side! What should we do? The river is so strong, we can't swim to the other side!"

They were so anxious they were scratching their heads, but they just couldn't think of a solution.

One of the boys said, "Why don't we go back and find Brother Hui? He's the best swimmer!" Another boy chimed in, "Yes, if we keep going like this, we won't be able to save him!"

A tall, dark-skinned, thin little boy said, "I'll go back to find him."