After kicking down the crooked-neck tree, Yang Cheng and the others continued forward.
Not knowing whether his action had worked, they walked several more li before finally no longer seeing that crooked-neck tree.
"See? What did I tell you? What ghostly maze? We just took the wrong path earlier. That's why people shouldn't scare themselves."
The others hurriedly chimed in with flattery. "Brother Cheng, you're amazing. Even if there really were ghosts, they'd be scared away by how powerful you are."
"Exactly. So what if ghosts came? We've sold so many people, but we've never tried selling a ghost."
"We're bursting with yang energy. Those demons and ghosts wouldn't dare come near us."
The others burst out laughing and traded a few jokes, dispelling the tense atmosphere and making it relaxed again.
"About another ten minutes, and we should be able to get down the mountain."
Yang Cheng wore a smug smile, just as the atmosphere grew peaceful and everyone's hearts filled with hope.
The lively group suddenly fell into a deathly silence, as if someone had clamped a hand around their throats. Not a single person could make a sound.
The scene abruptly grew quiet. Yang Cheng was still somewhat unaccustomed to it and could not help asking, "What's wrong with you?"
"B-Brother Cheng, y-you look ahead. What is that?"
The speaker's voice trembled violently, and his face was as pale as paper, as if he had seen something terrifying.
"Judging by that expression, don't tell me you've seen a ghost."
Yang Cheng glanced over carelessly. In an instant, his eyes bulged, and all the color drained from his face.
Because what they had actually seen was even more terrifying than a ghost—a perfectly intact crooked-neck tree!
"M-Maybe it just looks a little similar. It's not the same tree Brother Cheng kicked down earlier."
The others had still held on to a faint hope that it merely looked similar, but then they saw the strips of cloth fluttering from its branches.
Everyone was nearly driven mad!
This was the very tree Yang Cheng had kicked down earlier!
Yet now it was standing perfectly intact before them again. The fluttering strips of cloth seemed to be silently mocking their naïveté.
Yang Cheng's eyes widened, bloodshot to the point of glowing red. Terror nearly spilled from his expression. It was not only him—everyone else looked much the same.
"This place is far too sinister."
"There really aren't ghosts, are there?"
"Brother Cheng clearly knocked this tree over just now. How did it show up again?"
The unchanging scenery around them, and the crooked-neck tree that followed them like a ghost, like a shadow they could never shake off—despite being kicked down by Yang Cheng, it had appeared intact before them again.
They could not find a way out, no matter what they did.
One bizarre incident after another pressed down on them like a gigantic boulder, leaving them nearly unable to breathe.
The group was almost driven insane.
The more timid ones in the group had already begun to cry.
They had thought they saw hope, only to plunge once more into the abyss of despair, as if an invisible pair of hands were wantonly manipulating everything and savoring the despairing faces of these human traffickers.
"What do we do, Brother Cheng? We really ran into a ghost this time."
Yang Cheng pretended to remain calm. "There are no ghosts. What era is this? Don't be superstitious."
If one ignored his pallid face and trembling final note, those words might have sounded somewhat convincing.
Everyone fell into a panic. Only Hu Xiaocao remained the calmest. There was even a hint of anticipation on her face, forming a stark contrast with Yang Cheng and the others.
Several adults were actually inferior to a child.
Unfortunately, the panicked group failed to notice anything strange about Hu Xiaocao. Even if they had noticed, they would not have taken it seriously.
The mountain wind wailed without end. Pale moonlight fell across their faces, while thick fog shrouded their surroundings, making it impossible to see the road clearly. They seemed to have fallen into some bizarre encirclement.
Cold wind poured in from the backs of their necks, as if someone were constantly blowing chilly air behind them. Countless goosebumps rose across their exposed skin.
"Move. Keep going forward."
When Yang Cheng said this, even his teeth were chattering.
The group advanced in trembling fear, huddled together like frightened quails, warily scanning their surroundings.
They were terrified that something would suddenly emerge from the boundless white fog.
The group proceeded cautiously. Perhaps it was only an illusion, but the surrounding fog seemed to have thinned considerably. At least they could now see their shadows on the ground.
For them, this counted as good news.
A blessing in disguise.
The thinning fog meant they could see the road clearly and would soon be able to leave this cursed place.
Yang Cheng took out the compass again, hoping to determine their direction and location, but the compass did not move at all.
"Damn it. It has to fail at the crucial moment."
Yang Cheng cursed and smashed the compass onto the ground.
The compass instantly shattered into pieces.
They could barely see the road beneath their feet now, but most of the surrounding landscape remained shrouded in mist.
They could no longer determine their direction, and after all that running around earlier, they had no idea where they were.
Although the fog showed signs of dispersing, it would probably take some time to vanish completely. The group could not possibly remain where they were.
Besides, after what had just happened, they did not dare linger any longer.
Ma Tian stared at the compass on the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to see something. "One, two..."
"What are you counting at a time like this?"
Yang Cheng impatiently cut him off. He was already flustered, and the counting sounded like a countdown to death.
Ma Tian pointed at the ground, his hand trembling like that of someone with Parkinson's disease. His face was as pale as a ghost's.
"Why? There are clearly only five of us, so why is there an extra shadow on the ground?"
The moment his voice fell, the entire scene descended into deathly silence.
Yang Cheng rubbed his eyes. His features had twisted from sheer terror.
There were four of them plus Hu Xiaocao. Yang Cheng walked at the front, Ma Tian at the rear, and Liu Siming ahead of him. By all rights, there should have been no one behind him.
Yet now, there was an extra shadow behind him!
At that moment, Ma Tian's heart turned icy-cold. It was like being doused with a basin of cold water in the dead of winter, his blood instantly freezing into ice.
That sixth person was right behind him!
Everyone's faces filled with horror. Their group of five had truly gained another person!
Who was the sixth person?
When had he appeared? How had no one noticed anything?
Ma Tian could not help swallowing. His throat felt as if it were lined with razor blades, cutting him with excruciating pain. Yet that so-called sixth person was right behind him.
Holding his flashlight, he slowly turned his head. He had never felt time pass so slowly.
"Crack—crack—"
Ma Tian seemed to hear his own teeth chattering, but he quickly realized something was wrong. That sound was coming from the sixth person!
It was enough to make one's teeth ache, like the sound of countless bones and joints rubbing against each other!
Finally, when his head turned with his shoulders, he saw the scene behind him. But the sight that entered his eyes was something Ma Tian would never forget.
A pair of pitch-black, hollow eyes was staring at him. In an instant, a bone-deep chill surged through his entire heart!
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