Train Ticket

"Doctor." Fatty's voice was strained, his face pale as he looked towards the stairs, clearly having heard the knocking.

The knocking was unhurried, as if the visitor was very patient. Yet, the longer it went on, the more an indescribable stiffness permeated the air. It felt as though the one knocking wasn't human, but a gaunt, dried corpse.

"Huai Yi." Jiang Cheng whispered into his phone, "The door downstairs is ringing too."

"What?"

"Don't panic, listen to me." Jiang Cheng instructed, "I'm going to open the door downstairs. Don't hang up the phone, and don't move around. Wait for my news."

"Okay, okay, Brother Jiang, be careful yourself." Huai Yi sounded terrified, huddled on the bed and trembling. His mind was almost frozen; as long as he didn't have to open the door, he'd do anything.

Jiang Cheng turned and glanced at Fatty. "You stay upstairs. Don't come down unless I call you." He paused, then continued, "If there's no movement downstairs in one minute, jump out the window and go. Follow the path I took you on last time to find Lin Wan'er."

Just as he was about to give a few more instructions, Fatty stepped forward first, then walked down the stairs towards the door.

Jiang Cheng followed behind Fatty. They both arrived behind the door. Fatty's expression was resolute. He nodded at Jiang Cheng, signaling he was ready.

Without further hesitation, Jiang Cheng yanked the door open.

The space outside was empty. Only two small pieces of paper, spinning in the air, drifted down to the ground. It was as if a hand had been holding them just a second before.

"Are these... bus tickets?" Fatty asked softly, staring at the slips of paper Jiang Cheng picked up.

Jiang Cheng examined the paper in his hand. It