Today's Title

After asking everything they needed to, Gu Mian and the others bid farewell to the old man. They then visited residents near the plastic factory and learned that it was indeed a textile factory in the past.

Yuwen Hao organized the information he had gathered:

"The Mingliang Plastic Factory was originally wasteland. In 1978, the reform and opening-up sparked a wave of factory construction, and the Shenghong Textile Factory was established.

Then, in 1990, state-owned enterprise reform led to a nationwide wave of layoffs. Many factories couldn't survive and declared bankruptcy.

The Shenghong Textile Factory couldn't make it either; it went bankrupt in 1991.

A year later, in '92, this place was bought by someone else. They leveled the already small textile factory and built a plastic factory, which is the current Mingliang Plastic Factory.

The Mingliang Plastic Factory was completed that year and immediately began operations. However, within three years, a fire broke out. You know, the fire that burned Yu Hai to death."

Gu Mian nodded. They already knew what happened next.

In 1995, a fire broke out at the Mingliang Plastic Factory. Yu Hai was burned to death in that row of offices. Later, that row of offices was demolished and rebuilt into workshops. Zhao Wen and Zhou Guanglei worked in these newly built workshops.

It's believed that the deceased Yu Hai has been lingering in that area, and thus attached himself to Zhao Wen and Zhou Guohai.

Yuwen Hao continued, looking at the papers in his hand: "I found out that the original Shenghong Textile Factory also seemed to have a fire, and a woman died in it."

He hadn't found out the specific details because it had happened over a decade ago. The residents in this area had changed many times, and no one knew anything about what happened back then.

"I heard that the textile factory built a dormitory building back then, nearby. If that dormitory building is still there, we might be able to find some old employees from the textile factory," Yuwen Hao said, shrinking his neck a little uncomfortably.

The sun was high in the sky, yet he felt a chill all over his body. That feeling of being watched hadn't disappeared; instead, it had intensified.

Qing Huan also kept looking back, feeling like something was clinging to his back.

Huang Yu was doing alright because he hadn't dared to go near the phone, so he hadn't received any terrifying calls during the day.

Gu Mian looked at the two with pale faces: "Why are you guys reacting so strongly today?"

Their complexions hadn't been this pale yesterday.

Yuwen Hao shook his head slightly: "I'm a little scared. Although I can't see where it is, I feel like it's very close now. It feels like if I just close my eyes and open them again, it'll be right in my face."

Qing Huan also spoke slowly: "I feel the same way... I don't know why, but I feel like the thing behind us has sped up today..."

As he spoke, he looked back uneasily again, but there was nothing behind him, nothing he could see.

Seeing this, Gu Mian stroked his chin: "It's probably because we're close to finding the source."

It seemed that finding the source of the curse was indeed useful; otherwise, the ghost following them wouldn't have sped up.

"Let's find that dormitory building quickly," Gu Mian said, looking up at the high sun. "Otherwise, at this rate, you'll all be wiped out tonight."

Yuwen Hao quickly pulled out a piece of paper: "No one knows where the dormitory building is. One of the nearby residents remembered a little bit and drew me a map from memory. You guys take a look."

Gu Mian looked up at the map in his hand.

He had to admit, the map was too crude. It was full of boxes, which probably represented buildings.

A line snaked between the gaps of the boxes, with a small cross at the end of the line.

Gu Mian had drawn maps like this when he was in elementary school.

He pointed to the largest box on the map: "This should be the plastic factory. The line starts from here, let me see, this direction is... heading west first."

By now, the sun in the sky had begun to set in the west. The group didn't delay and quickly headed west.

Along the way, Huang Yu still spoke with concern: "If we find the source of the curse, what do we need to do?"

How could they stop the fierce ghost's pursuit?

Yuwen Hao replied uncertainly: "I don't know either. Maybe we need to offer sacrifices to the source, or fulfill its dying wish?"

It seemed Yuwen Hao had been deeply influenced by modern ghost stories.

The ghost stories Gu Mian had read often followed this pattern: a ghost kills people, the protagonist survives, the protagonist investigates and discovers the ghost's grievances, and then, under the ghost's pursuit, helps the ghost achieve justice. The ghost is moved and reincarnates.

These were all very positive ghost stories. The less positive ones were usually mysteriously censored.

Gu Mian felt that these positive ghost stories were very unreliable and didn't reflect reality.

If a ghost really wanted to kill him, he would absolutely not try to vindicate its grievances. Instead, he would do everything in his power to chop off the ghost's head.

I don't care what terrible grievances you had in life. Since you want to kill an innocent me, then I certainly won't let you go either—this was Gu Mian's thought.

The group followed the map for nearly half an hour, stopping and starting, repeatedly confirming the turns. Finally, they stopped in front of a large building.

Yuwen Hao looked up at the building before them: "This should be it."

It was a very old building, yellow, with a faint pink stripe around the roof. A sign hung in front of the main entrance, reading "Hong Sheng Apartment."

It looked familiar. Yes, this was where Gu Mian lived.

Qing Huan was also stunned. He had come here with Gu Mian and naturally knew that Gu Mian lived here.

Yuwen Hao looked at the two with abnormal expressions, somewhat strangely: "What's wrong with you two?"

Gu Mian glanced at him: "I live here."

Yuwen Hao was clearly taken aback by his words. He said in disbelief: "You live here?"

"That's right, I live here."

As Gu Mian spoke, he walked into the building's hallway. He had visited the landlord's place just yesterday, so he knew the way now.

When the landlord, with her snow-white hair, saw Gu Mian again, she was somewhat surprised: "Xiao Gu, why are you here again? And you've brought so many people with you..."