Série Histoires de Fantômes 10

Chapitre 10

Section 84: Strange Mechanisms (8)

After hearing Horse Face's inhuman, ghostly chuckles, Lü Fang and I rushed over. Horse Face's laughter was full of sarcasm and mockery, making me quite uncomfortable. I was running slower, and when I saw Lü Fang, who had gone ahead, also looking surprised, my heart sank. It seemed like this was probably not good news.

When I ran to the corner, I was also filled with despair. Apart from the horse-faced guy who was grinning quite happily, the rest of us felt like crying, especially Lü Fang. Facing the thick wall in front of me, I couldn't say a word. This shouldn't be a dead end at all. This was too illogical, too disrespectful to me.

This was quite a blow to me, and I actually muttered, "What... what happened?" Ye Min and Lü Fang didn't answer me; they didn't know how to answer me either. But the horse-faced man, like a victorious rooster, laughed loudly and said, "Can't you see? This is a dead end, hehehehehe..."

I knew what he was trying to say, but I couldn't refute him. I led the way, and this was the consequence I had to bear. I ignored him, told Ye Min to go back and guard the bridgehead, and went forward into the dead end. I refused to believe this place was just haphazardly built; it was definitely a smokescreen, like the one in the Mother-of-the-Sky Flying River before. There must be similar mechanisms. Once we found the mechanism, the walls of this dead end would change, and we could get out. In other words, finding the mechanism would prove me right. Horse-face, how could you possibly defeat me?

Lü Fang and Horse Face immediately understood what I was up to. Lü Fang joined in the search without a word, while Horse Face watched us work with a smile, his arms crossed. This reminded me of everything that happened at the company. The revolution is not yet over, comrades must continue to strive—I'm starting to understand that saying now.

After groping around for a while without any luck, I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. There was no path here, so it must be somewhere else. Let's try looking under the bridge. This idea ultimately failed at the hands of the overgrown weeds under the bridge. Upon investigation, the ground under the bridge was indeed a rough, uneven patch of ground covered with weeds. The grass was deep and I dared not venture forward. Now, I was stuck, unable to move forward or backward. Returning to the stone bridgehead, I suddenly found myself at a loss.

Seeing that I had also left there, Lü Fang became increasingly agitated and kept asking me what to do. I was already quite irritable, and his meddling only fueled my anger, making me furious: "What's the rush! Calm down!" With that shout, Lü Fang wisely shut his mouth, but I remained silent, touching the stone carvings on the bridge as I pondered deeply.

Section 85: Strange Mechanisms (9)

This is most likely an underground passage, or one of those. But unlike the tunnels we're used to imagining—narrow and congested—this place is surprisingly spacious and open. The scale of this underground passage is almost comparable to the air-raid shelters dug by the Eighth Route Army during the Anti-Japanese War. Of course, back then it was for defense against enemy air strikes, but what's the purpose of erecting an asymmetrical, strangely shaped stone arch bridge in such a large tunnel? Or is it not a bridge at all, but a mechanism for some other purpose?

I suddenly thought of those things in the middle of the bridge... and upon closer reflection, it seemed to make sense. There was a bridge here, and the bridge had mechanisms, but there was only a way in, not a way out... Should I turn back? I didn't want to see that hair again, and going back to the left side of the bridge would be a complete waste of time, and there might not even be an exit on the left. How could I possibly judge this place by common sense?

That being said, going back and taking the left path again isn't necessarily a bad idea, and it might even be a good one. The fact that the bridge on the right led us into this dead end clearly demonstrates how unwise it was to choose the right; perhaps the solution really is on the left. But I have absolutely no desire to do that. Just thinking about that horse-faced expression makes me want to go back to the riverbed. Besides, I'm not completely helpless yet. There's always a way out, and things will work themselves out. Besides, all that thinking hasn't been for nothing; Mr. Yang, I've already come up with a good solution.

So I pretended to be intrigued and said to them, "This isn't a solution. I have an idea, and we'll have to give it a try. Let's go back to the headquarters and work on it."

Having made up my mind, I shouted at everyone to head back without further ado, for time is money and speed is efficiency. The group, seemingly understanding but not quite, followed me back. Because we were completely clueless on the way there, we proceeded with extreme caution and slowness. The return trip was different; everyone knew the way well, so in no time we were back at the two circular willow wood time-carving mechanisms.

In the dead of night, the silence was like that of a graveyard; everyone was silent, and the disc looked menacing.

3 out of control

The atmosphere was eerie.

I stared at the disc, hesitating for a moment. Lu Fang, unable to contain himself any longer, urged, "Shall we...begin?" As he spoke, Ye Min also held her breath, watching me intently. I just didn't understand; why did it seem like I was the one insisting on doing everything myself? But in reality…

Section 86: Strange Mechanisms (10)

"This mechanism might not be as simple as it seems. If there's no way forward, we're bound to be here." That was my opinion. After that, I handed the left-hand circular engraving plate to Lü Fang, while I took the right one. "Everyone be careful," I said, also telling Lü Fang: It's starting. With that, I exerted force, gritted my teeth, and thought, "Man proposes, God disposes!"

The creaking and clanging sounds entered my ears again. The half-person-high circular dial began to spin under our force, slowly and stiffly, round and round. Listening to the sound, I could even imagine arrows flying from all directions, so I simply closed my eyes. Just as I was trembling, a sudden pain shot through my back. Oh no, I'd been hit by an arrow! Had I miscalculated? But there was no reason for it. Oh well… I tried my best… I'm sorry, Grandpa… Your son is unfilial… I'll be filial in the next life…

"President Yang! President Yang!" Just as I was lost in thought, a hurried shout came from a very, very far place. That voice... was it Lü Fang? I suddenly opened my eyes and realized that it was this kid calling my name while patting my back.

"W-what are you doing?" I shouted, my cheeks flushed, like a child caught stealing.

Lu Fang looked anxious and impatient. He seemed speechless, first pointing to the circular engraving plate he was responsible for, then to behind me, and finally to his feet. After completing this series of movements with practiced ease, he, as usual, leaped onto the railing of the bridge behind him without another word. After a quick glance at what he was responsible for on the left, I understood what he meant.

The circular disc on the left no longer needed external force; it was on its own track and was now spinning rapidly on its own! I immediately sensed something was wrong; this was beyond my control, and letting it continue spinning like this might not be a good thing. Just as I was about to call for Lü to put it down and help me hold it, I suddenly felt a chill on the sole of my foot. Instinctively, I pulled my foot back and looked down—

The black water that was originally staying neatly in the potholes on the bridge surface has now overflowed a lot due to the activity of the disc, almost reaching the soles of the shoes.

So disgusting was I that I didn't even have time to vomit. I flipped myself up onto the railing behind me with lightning speed, leaving the others who were already on top completely stunned. I ignored them and started kicking my shoes the moment I was sitting up.

Section 87: Strange Mechanisms (11)

I don't like taking showers, but that doesn't mean I can accept this kind of thing.

As I felt nauseous, something bad happened. Because of this, I loosened my grip on the engraving plate, and the "unbridled" circular plate, due to inertia, continued to spin forward for a moment, then began to move in the opposite direction. It was very slow and stiff, but it also started to spin on its own. And the direction of its movement was completely opposite to the direction of Lü Fang's engraving plate on the left.

The left dial rotates counterclockwise backward, while the right dial moves clockwise forward. Have we fallen into a giant's watch?

I quickly glanced at the rotation frequency of the two circular dials and found that neither was very fast. So I climbed onto the bridge railing and hurriedly called out to Lü Fang, "Try to stop them using all available resources. They're going to spin, but it's too unsafe to let them spin like this." After saying that, I used my foot to hook the dial, trying to use the resistance to stop it. Lü Fang followed suit and hooked his dial.

Just as Lü Fang and I were busy, everyone suddenly heard a very strange "gurgling" sound. The sound seemed to be coming from the darkness under the stone bridge. I leaned over the railing, stuck my head out and shone my flashlight down, and was so scared that I almost fell down!

The ground at the bottom of the stone bridge, which was originally overgrown with weeds, is now bubbling out like a spring, and that stuff is the viscous black water under our feet!

Looking at the bubbling black water, I panicked. Before, I noticed the bridge railings had holes, so I wasn't worried the black water gushing from the holes in the bridge surface would "mercilessly swallow" my thighs. But now it was different: no matter how we moved the two willow discs, they wouldn't stop, and the black water in the holes in the bridge surface was overflowing; the black water under the bridge was also rising relentlessly. If this continued, not only would my thighs be submerged, but it would eventually fill the bridge and this underground ghost passage. At that point, even water wouldn't save us, let alone this stuff, which was far more terrifying than water!

I naively thought that fiddling with those two round wheels might reveal a big hole somewhere, or that the thick wall in front would open up—something like that. Now it's backfired! I just don't understand. Isn't that how it works in Tomb Raider? How come it's going wrong for me?!

Section 88: Strange Mechanisms (12)

I suppressed my racing heartbeat, desperately trying to think of a solution. What time was it? If we kept wasting time like this, we'd all be doomed. I wasn't going to sit and wait to die. The bridge ahead was completely blackened by the overflowing black water; there was no way to cross. Even if we could, what would we do there? Maybe we could all turn back… Before I could speak, a series of continuous sounds came from the darkness to the left of the bridge. It sounded like a dam being opened, but I wasn't sure. Accompanying those sounds was an even louder "plop."

Something fell from somewhere that was locked into the black water below the bridge.

This judgment sent chills down my spine. The others were also deathly pale, either staring at me or into the darkness below the bridge. I remembered what I'd thought of when my hair was hanging down, and my mind went completely blank… The creaking willow wood disc spun even faster now. Busy getting reincarnated… I glanced desperately at the other side. Ye Min and Lü Fang hadn't cried? Just then…

As the mechanism accelerated, we were even more surprised to find that not only did the flow of black water in the circular pit increase, but something else actually emerged from it: cylindrical objects resembling scorpion tails emerged from the pit at a slightly tilted angle! The size of these cylindrical objects perfectly matched the area of the circular pit on the bridge surface, indicating that the connection between them was the two willow wood discs on either side of the bridge railing—truly a unique mechanism.

Many years ago, I watched an animated film, the name of which I can't remember anymore. It was something like good guys looking for bad guys, the bad guys kidnapping one of the good guys' friends, threatening to capture the good guys, and then the good guys unleash their inner power and kill the bad guys. I won't comment on how bad the plot was, but what I remember most vividly is the device the bad guys used to imprison the good guys: a water-powered trap.

The water dungeon was outrageous. Because it was dug underground, it had dark walls on all four sides. The door was on the north side, accessible by stairs. The small room was filled with water, with only a cage in the center where the good guys were imprisoned. The water dungeon had mechanisms that controlled the rise and fall of the water. To create the conditions for a hero's emergence and to increase the audience's hatred for the villains, the villains would often fiddle with the switches, causing the water to rise and fall erratically, driving the good guys crazy. Later, one villain, oblivious to the danger, casually flirted with the good guy's woman (basically, just hugging her and licking her face). The good guy was enraged, instantly erupting, kicking the cage away, summoning a burrowing black dragon from the ground, and calling out several giant spectacled caimans from the sewage in the dungeon, thoroughly humiliating the villain. Now that I think about it, hmm… were those two guys really worth it for a woman?

Section 89: The Site of the Broken Stake (1)

Getting back to the point... Sigh, our current situation is just like something out of an animated film.

Just as we were all in a state of panic and confusion, some strange noises came from under the bridge, making my whole body tremble. I didn't know what had fallen into the water, and I didn't want to think about it. It couldn't possibly be something I had summoned. Just thinking about that bloody cartoon made me... If I didn't come up with a solution soon, I might not even be able to keep my body intact. Whatever use these "black bamboo shoots" were, that was the only option now!

Chapter Twelve: The Site of the Piling

"Wh...what's wrong?" I was startled by her unusual behavior and hurriedly shook her shoulders. I couldn't believe I had said anything wrong, could I? After a long moment of panic, Ye Min finally told me, still suspicious—

"Have you noticed... that we've been in those underground tunnels for so long and haven't seen a single rat or anything?" She made no attempt to hide the fear overflowing in her eyes.

1. A narrow escape from death

Two more twists and turns

Chapter Twelve: The Site of the Piling

1. A narrow escape from death

Catching our breath, before we could even get a good look at them, countless dark, scorpion-tail-like piles rose up before us with the force of a raging storm, crowding together and looming over the bridge. The previously uneven bridge surface suddenly resembled the spine of a hedgehog, a truly magnificent sight. But magnificent as it was, the bridge itself was narrow, making it even harder for us to stand. Because of the crowding, a moment's carelessness could send us tumbling off the bridge.

"Think of something!" The commotion under the bridge grew louder and louder. Even Horse Face, who I thought might have been scared to death, started yelling. Damn it, I'm the one who has to take care of things in this critical moment.

I cursed inwardly as I scrambled to Ye Min's side, my hands trembling as I reached out to touch the tail stumps that had sprung up beside her. Disgusting things... I'll bear with it for now. I noticed that the tail stumps, as thick as a thigh, had many, many grooves, each half the width of a hand, and black water was dripping from them... Okay, I've got a solution, but it's not a great one. It's more like trying anything as a last resort.

The black water rose higher and higher with a "splashing" sound. I only dared to think this way based on my intuition, and dared not stick my head out to shine a flashlight. I had already seen too many animals that could fly out of the water to hunt in "Animal World." Speaking of animals, I should mention that it's not just aquatic creatures that are terrifying; there's a type of hunting spider on land that's even more frightening. They weave webs at the tips of their hind legs and then actively use the webs to trap prey passing by on the ground…

Section 90: The Site of the Broken Stake (2)

The thought of the spider's cunning eyes sends shivers down my spine. Whether my guess is right or wrong, what we're about to face is something beyond human capability. Rather than wait to die, we might as well fight. And right now, this is the only way; we have to go for it, whether we want to or not!

I called to everyone, and we held onto the slowly rising tail stakes, retreating along the railings on both sides of the stone bridge towards the Qilin and Peacock Bridge. The further we went, the larger the tail stakes became, corresponding to the area of the pit; the larger the tail stakes, the more advantageous it would be for us. The railings on both sides of the bridge were no longer carved with stone, and weren't too narrow. People with good balance could easily cross them, especially with things to hold onto. Relying on the idea that danger could unleash their potential, everyone moved quite steadily and quickly. Before long, the "black bamboo shoots" that were originally as thick as thighs were now thick enough to carry oxen, which surprised me quite a bit. Seeing that we were almost there, I turned around and lifted Ye Min onto one of the tail stakes, yelling at her, "Climb!" Then I leaped onto the slowly rising "Nine Serpent Scorpion Tail Stake" myself.

My hands and feet really do shake.

Lü Fang and Ma Lian followed suit, finding their respective tail posts and leaping up. Once I was on top, I truly realized how easy it was to navigate the grooves on the tail posts, whose direction was unclear. We climbed quite nimbly, although there was some strange-smelling, black, sticky substance on them that made me uneasy.

The circular dial was still spinning non-stop, and the "Nine Serpent Scorpion Tail Stake" we were leaning against was still rising. The more it did this, the happier I became. We were underground, and at this rate of ascent, wouldn't we be able to see the light of day again in no time? I was overjoyed. I looked up, and although it was still pitch black above, I felt as if I could see a sky full of stars.

Just as I was overjoyed, a few posts away, I saw Horse Face and Lü Fang recklessly leaping towards the top of the tail post. I ignored Horse Face and yelled at Lü Fang, "What are you doing? Lie down there and hold your ground, just wait for the wheel to lift you up!" If they fell in, they'd not only scramble twice, but then plunge into a large patch of viscous, black water. Even if there was nothing in the water, it would be disgusting, let alone what was inside. Although it wasn't my own death that mattered much, the gruesome process and outcome of the deaths of those around me was still very unsettling. What was that word again? Ah, right, a sense of crisis.

Section 91: The Site of the Broken Stake (3)

There used to be many car accidents on the old bridge in my hometown. I remember one that happened right next to the bridge, close to the pedestrian crossing. It was a six-wheeled pickup truck, a Pingshan Wang, that instantly killed a woman on a motorcycle. The scene was truly horrific… I still feel terrified whenever I think about it. But that's not what I'm talking about. That accident happened very close to the pedestrian crossing, practically right next to it. It was around six or seven in the afternoon, the time when elderly people usually take their walks. At the time of the accident, an elderly woman was walking on the pedestrian crossing. Although only one person was hit, two people died. It's understandable. Imagine someone being smashed to pieces, their brains splattered, less than a meter away from you—how would you feel? Especially since it was an elderly woman; she was simply terrified to death.

Thinking about this, I have to say that people are still just people, and their capacity to bear things is limited. Witnessing someone else's death firsthand is a huge shock, and the fear is profound; it might even leave a lasting shadow, like it did for me. Their power often overwhelms everything. So, your safety is my safety; your happiness is my happiness—a very simple principle of balancing "profit."

I thought Lü Fang would understand what I meant and listen to my advice. But instead of stopping himself, he shouted at Ye Min and me, "Hurry up and climb! That wheel is about to stop!" Was that what he said?

We hadn't run too far from the structure. I clung to the wet grooves, turned my head, and looked down—and sure enough, it was true. The two large circular dials, which had been spinning rapidly just minutes before, had slowed down due to the rising water level. The dials were slower, but the black water below the bridge wasn't so happy. Using the light from the flashlight hanging upside down on my waist, I could easily see how high the water level had risen. And what I saw! Good heavens! The rising water was no less powerful than the 2821-meter rise at the Wangjiaba hydrological station on the main stream of the Huai River!

I didn't even bother to turn my head back; I just kept watching the changes below, echoing Lü Fang's words and shouting to Ye Min, who was hesitant on the tail post, "Climb! Climb up quickly!" I shouted this repeatedly, not daring to delay, and surged upwards without stopping, the water rushing at a speed almost matching the tail post's ascent. Just at this critical moment, a muffled sound suddenly came from the ground above us. The sound was quite loud, and it abruptly stopped us in our panic. We looked up to see what was going on.

Section 92: The Site of the Broken Stake (4)

My neck was aching from looking up, and it wasn't until the warm moonlight slanted across my face that I snapped out of it. Excitedly, I freed one hand and pointed at what everyone else could see, yelling, "Hole! Hole! Hole!"

"Can't you speak properly? If you can't, then shut up." Horse Face suddenly launched another sneak attack, instantly ruining my initial excitement. It felt like the stock market crash in 2008. "Shut the fuck up, or you'll fall and die!" I retorted without hesitation.

Ye Min practically begged us through tears, "Can you two at least start arguing upstairs?!" Lü Fang was also muttering something, but I couldn't hear him clearly because his voice was too soft.

"Did you hear me?!" I stared at the horse's face, refusing to back down.

Why does he act like a child?

"Why am I acting like a child? Why are you acting like a child too?"

Horse Face chuckled twice, then ignored me and continued climbing the stakes with a strange laugh. His chuckles sent chills down my spine. How could I have so impulsively forgotten about that crazy person thing? Oh dear! Is he having an episode, deliberately trying to provoke me? What...?

My mind was in turmoil, and I ignored Ye Min and the others, continuing to climb. This was mostly due to the mechanism; the ground above us was now cracked open like a skylight, with many small gaps, seemingly serving the "Nine-Snake Scorpion Tail Stakes" we were clinging to. I just wondered if these "black bamboo shoots" would also pierce through the ground above us like they had pierced through the bridge. If that happened... it would be extremely troublesome for us to keep lying on the edge like this.

Only now, leaning against these "black bamboo shoots," have I had a moment to examine them closely. Calling them "Nine-Snake Scorpion Tail Stakes" isn't an exaggeration: the bridgehead already features a relief of nine snakes carved into the floor, and these stakes emerging from the bridge resemble pythons, all made of stone. However, having been immersed in that substance for years, the type of stone is unrecognizable. Touching them feels incredibly slippery and bone-chillingly cold—millennia-old cold iron? Unverifiable. The python-shaped stakes have many deep holes, presumably patterns and textures that are now unrecognizable. The tops of the tail stakes aren't cone-shaped but oval, roughly resembling the stinger of a scorpion's tail, but without the hook. Thank goodness there's no hook! This is what they call "after the mountains and rivers seem to block the way, a new village appears amidst the willows and flowers!"

Section 93: The Site of the Breaking Stake (5)

I didn't stop, shouting upwards, "Everyone climb to the top, quick!" This time everyone understood what I meant. Surrounded by uncertain darkness, I looked at Ye Min, and Ye Min looked back at me. That was all I could do. The fissure in the ground above us was more than enough to let us pass through, but we could only pray that the outcome would be as I hoped, that we could use the "black bamboo shoot" propelled by the mechanism to soar into the sky. Otherwise…

The flow and force of the black water beneath our feet are increasing. If the mechanism stops moving, we'll be stuck in this predicament, waiting for the black water to rise and we'll all meet Lin Pang. That's the best-case scenario. If the mechanism stops and then restarts, the consequences will be unimaginable, and we'll suffer an unthinkable catastrophe.

In fact, just as I had guessed, these tail stakes were supposed to rise to a considerable distance above the ground. But as fate would have it, just as our group was lying on top of the scorpion tail stakes, eagerly waiting to "fly from the heavens," they stopped... they actually stopped!

I give up! I'm truly convinced! After pausing for a few seconds, the "Nine Serpent Scorpion Tail Stake" beneath us began to descend at an unbelievable speed. My brows furrowed in despair; all was lost! Su Yan, let's meet again on the road to the underworld!

I don't know why, but at a moment like this, this name comes to mind.

Two more twists and turns

The sudden change horrified us, and the remaining few began to wail and scream.

I leaned against the top of the tail stake, my face filled with despair. I should have just bitten my tongue at the iron gate in front of the river; it would have been a hundred times better than this... Just as I was in despair, the tail stake under my belly suddenly sent a powerful upward thrust. Before I could even shout "Huh?", with this enormous force, we were both thrown upwards, the stake and I. With a "boom," we were sent flying into the sky. I was thrown more than half a meter high by the inertia, and then I crashed onto the moonlit ground with a "thud," my face bruised and swollen, screaming.

Despite the pain and my dizziness, I glanced at the scene of the accident. Almost simultaneously, the sharp, nine-scorpion-tailed stakes had risen several meters high from the ground, their dark forms reaching towards the sky, seemingly determined to "pierce the moon palace." At the junction of the stakes and the ground, countless streams of black water gushed out, staining the already dark ground even blacker. Due to the "surging black currents and shifting earth," the ground trembled slightly. I lay on the ground, the rumbling sounds from underground filling my ears. The bridge must be completely submerged. It seems this is a common occurrence; no wonder the bridge structure, including its patterns and stone carvings, are all black and white.

Section 94: The Site of the Broken Stake (6)

Unexpectedly, the flow of these black, viscous substances could generate such a tremendous impact, supporting so many stone structures with equal force. Thanks to this black water, we were able to escape death. But these things were definitely not created to allow people to experience the feeling of flying from the heavens... What exactly are they?

As I pondered, I realized we were all lying in a rather large area. Black water was spilling across the ground, which was disgusting enough, but if we were to get completely soaked... I endured the excruciating pain and limped to my feet to pull Ye Min, who was lying not far from me.

Are you alright?

"It's...it's alright."

I saw that her forehead was bleeding from the bump, and I felt sorry for her so I used my sleeve to wipe it away. At this moment, Ye Min became a little emotional, grabbing me with tears welling up in her eyes. I touched her forehead and comforted her with a pounding heart, "It's okay, it's okay."

When I pulled Lü Fang up, he was stained beyond recognition by the overflowing black water. I looked at him with great sympathy: "Are you alright?" Lü Fang's most notable characteristic was that he couldn't speak. Seeing that he was alright, I turned my gaze to the horse-faced leader, who was also submerged in the sewage.

Hey, this kid probably fainted from the fall because of his unbearable weight. We're small, so a half-meter throw is no problem for us. At worst, we might break a bone. But it's different for him. Nervousness can cause rapid breathing, and rapid breathing is a bit much for a slightly overweight middle-aged man. Not to mention, with a fall like that, it would be strange if his heart and lungs didn't get completely disoriented.

Actually, my history with him goes back quite a while. I was young and impetuous, while he was shrewd and calculating. I couldn't stand his hypocritical facade; he also disliked my lack of manners and discipline. We were never on the same page, and forcing us together inevitably led to clashes. Besides, we both have bad tempers—he's stubborn, and I'm impulsive—which sometimes resulted in us going head-to-head at work. When the company was first established, he ran into some financial problems and couldn't manage cash flow. Instead of trying to find a solution, he used my future as leverage to borrow money from my father. Coincidentally, my father was short of money at the time. Although the matter was eventually dropped, what did his financial problems have to do with me? It really infuriated me. There were many similar incidents. Our polite interactions were just a facade. But it doesn't matter anymore; there's no need for that now. A complete falling out is only a matter of time.

Section 95: The Site of the Broken Stake (7)