"Wait... why... why haven't we reached the tunnel yet? No way... no way..." The man began to tremble. "No way... no way..."
He kept repeating himself and brought the car to a stop.
The air conditioner was blowing cold air, yet he was soaked through with sweat.
He carefully checked his watch, then the fuel gauge on the dashboard, and finally pulled out his phone to check the time.
Slowly, his expression grew worse and worse.
"No... This can't be happening. If this keeps up, then I..." The man let out a wail, then slammed his fists against the steering wheel again and kicked at the seat in a fit of rage.
After a long while, he finally let out a breath and slumped back in his seat.
"What the hell... How could this... Ah! Ahhh—" The man roared, gasping for breath, then sat dazed for a long time.
I watched him, unsure what he was going to do next. Clearly, like Zheng Motian, he was a man with strong convictions. I hadn't received his memories; I'd only seen a little of what he remembered about the legends surrounding Guangyuan Highway when he was frightened.
The supernatural tales in his memories involved earthquakes, a logging camp, and the tunnel. They differed somewhat from the versions I'd found in online rumors. He feared the shadows cast by the mountains, but wasn't as afraid of the road itself. Yet when he couldn't reach the tunnel or get closer to the mountains, fear began to take hold of him too.
"I refuse to believe this!" the man gritted his teeth, settled back into his seat, and started the car.
Driven by sheer stubbornness, he continued down the seemingly endless road. He didn't tire or give up. Gradually, he grew numb.
I felt my