"Who knew?"
The old guard gave a bitter smile and drained the remaining wine from his flask in one gulp.
"Back then, we grabbed our blades and searched all around the caravan. We even checked beneath the wagons, but there was nothing.
The escort chief said that since that thing could sneak in disguised as Li Lao San, maybe it had already hidden itself away—or perhaps... it had already left."
The moment he finished speaking, the wind outside suddenly changed its tune. Amid the mournful howling, there seemed to be faint, indistinct muttering mixed in,
Strangely similar to the sounds he had described outside the temple gates that night.
The Main Hall fell deathly silent, with only the crackling of firewood breaking the stillness.
Even those who had been drowsy were now completely awake,
Instinctively wrapping their clothes tighter, as though something might come crunching through the snow out of the darkness at any moment.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, heavy knocking erupted from the door! It was not a gentle knock, but someone—or something—smashing against it with fists or a hard object!
"Ahhh—!" Several timid children screamed in fright,
Their terrified gazes snapping toward the wooden door, which trembled faintly under the blows!
It was here! The thing from the story was here?! The thought flashed through everyone's minds, making their scalps tingle!
"Who is it?! Who's out there?!" a slightly braver servant shouted sharply.
There was no reply from outside, only faster, harder bang bang sounds battering the door.
"Heh... hehehe... Everyone's here... Go to sleep... Sleep forever..."
"The snow will bury you... Once you're buried, everything will be clean..."
"Light a lamp... and you summon ghosts... Don't light a lamp... and the ghosts will still come..."
This eerie song made everyone's hearts sink even deeper!
Even Chen Zhiyuan's