Human-Skin Parchment

Fang Jing had indeed not left.

But he had also lost his sense of direction. Although he had escaped that place with Zhou Zheng's help, he was still trapped here.

And while trying to avoid the old man, he had panicked and run into a small grove.

These were just landscaping trees, and the area was not large at all.

Yet beneath the shroud of darkness, these few dozen trees had become like an endless primeval forest, trapping Fang Jing inside. No matter which direction they went, they remained in the woods and could never get out.

"Damn it, why? Why? Why is that old ghost still following me? Shouldn't that thing be going after Yang Jian?" Cold sweat streamed down Fang Jing's terrified face. "Yang Jian must be dead. He's dead, so that old ghost chose me as its target. That has to be it."

"The future changed, so now I've become that old ghost's target in Yang Jian's place."

"But I'm not Yang Jian. How am I supposed to know how to survive that old ghost?"

Fang Jing regretted everything immensely. If he had known this would happen, he should have played nice with Yang Jian and let him charge ahead while he hid in the back and laid low.

He had been too hasty. He had forgotten that Yang Jian was not the biggest enemy at this moment—the old man was the truly terrifying existence.

"F-Fang Jing, listen... those footsteps are coming again." Suddenly, someone beside him spoke in terror, their voice trembling.

"How can it be so fast? One person should be able to hold off a vicious ghost for several minutes." Fang Jing abruptly raised his head, then gritted his teeth and looked over the people beside him.

The remaining few avoided Fang Jing as though he were an evil ghost himself.

Ever since Fang Jing had pushed Yang Jian into the restroom, he had left Zhao Qiang behind, left Wan Feng behind, and left He Qiuyan behind along the way.

Some had refused to let Fang Jing control them and chosen to flee. In the end, they vanished into the darkness and were never seen again.

Only five or six classmates remained by his side now.

It was not that they did not want to run, but that they did not dare. At least they had survived until now by following Fang Jing. Those who had left earlier might already be dead.

Relying on the little he knew, Fang Jing had practically become the tyrant of this group, making everyone fear him.

"Damn it, these people have gotten smarter. They won't let me leave them behind to cover the rear again. If I force someone else to stay behind, they'll probably choose to run immediately." Fang Jing sensed the others' vigilance and hostility and cursed inwardly.

"Move!"

He no longer tried to force anyone to stay behind. Instead, he called out and continued fleeing through the dim, lightless grove.

But just then, Fang Jing's phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID showed Zhang Wei.

Fang Jing hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose to answer.

Zhang Wei and the others had gotten separated earlier. Perhaps they had made some progress and were calling to inform him.

"Fang Jing, it's me, Yang Jian." Yang Jian's voice came from the other end of the line.

"Ah!"

Fang Jing was so frightened that he nearly jumped. He almost flung his phone away.

"Y-You're not already dead? What are you? A person or a ghost?"

"Thanks to you, I'm not dead yet." Yang Jian's voice was cold over the phone.

Fang Jing's expression shifted uncertainly. He had personally shoved Yang Jian into that haunted restroom, yet he had not died. No ordinary person could possibly have survived that. How had he done it?

"Why are you calling me now?" He forced himself to calm down and asked.

Yang Jian said, "Do you want to live? Do you want to leave the school alive?"

"You have a way?" Fang Jing was instantly overjoyed.

"I became a Ghost Tamer. What do you think?" Yang Jian said.

Fang Jing said, "That's great. Hurry and get me out of here."

"Heh heh."

Yang Jian's laughter carried a hint of mockery.

"I didn't do what happened earlier on purpose. I was just trying to survive. We're classmates—what misunderstanding can't be resolved? As long as you get me out of here, I'll do whatever you want. At worst, I'll let you beat me up for free." Fang Jing gripped the phone and hurriedly said.

Yang Jian said, "Don't waste your breath. If you want me to take you out, then you'd better give me something that satisfies me. Otherwise, get ready to die trapped in there."

"T-Then what do you want?"

"I met Zhou Zheng earlier. He said there was something strange about you, and I want to know what it is. Also, back in the classroom, someone said you knew the future. Is that true?" Yang Jian said.

"Yes, that's right. I do know the future. I have information from the future, and I know everything that will happen."

Fang Jing said, "Get me out of here, and I'll tell you everything that will happen in the future. You became a Ghost Tamer, but you won't live long. I have a way to let you survive. As long as you follow my method, you'll not only possess the power of vicious ghosts, but you also won't have to worry about your body being taken over by them.

This is a method developed by the International Research Center. It is currently still in the confidential experimental stage and will not be spread publicly for another three months."

"With my information, you can get ahead of other Ghost Tamers and achieve even more in the future."

"You're lying to me. Zhou Zheng said no one can come back from the future. He also mentioned that the research institute had conducted similar experiments. So-called time travelers simply do not exist." Yang Jian continued.

When Fang Jing heard the footsteps drawing ever closer behind him, his heart clenched. He ran faster and panted heavily. "I don't have memories of the future. The information I know about the future all comes from a Human-Skin Parchment. The future me sent it over by some method. The information is recorded on that parchment, and its contents were written by me ten years from now. Yang Jian, save me! If I die, you won't get any information at all."

A parchment recording information from the future?

Yang Jian, who was on the phone, stirred.

If people could not return from the future to the present, objects might still be able to.

It was possible that such a thing existed.

"I want that Human-Skin Parchment." Yang Jian immediately said.

"No, I can't give you that. It's mine." Fang Jing refused with a firm attitude.

"You have no choice. That thing behind you is very close now. You won't live much longer. So what if you know the future? If you die, then knowing more is useless." Yang Jian said.

Fang Jing fell into hesitation.

But his current situation did not give him time to think, because the footsteps behind him were getting closer and closer.

"I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you."

Fang Jing was panting and simply could not run anymore. The surroundings were pitch-dark. His phone illuminated the area around him, and he found that he was still in the grove.

He could never get out.

He did not want to die, so he could only compromise.

"But, Yang Jian, I can give you the thing, but how can I trust that you're capable of saving me?" Fang Jing feared death, but he still kept his guard up.

Yang Jian said, "I can teach you how to shake off the ghost following you, but you only get one chance. If you keep playing tricks when the time comes, I'll refuse this deal without hesitation."

"Fine. Then what do you need me to do?" Fang Jing said.

"Go left." Yang Jian said.

Fang Jing gritted his teeth, immediately changed direction, and ran left.

"Now go right." Yang Jian continued.

Fang Jing did as he was told, and then wild joy surged in his heart.

The footsteps behind him gradually faded away. He was getting farther from that ghost.

It worked.

This Yang Jian really was capable of saving him.

"Hand it over." Yang Jian said.

Fang Jing's gaze flickered. "What if I give it to you now and you don't save me? Get me out of here. Once I'm out, I'll give it to you immediately."

"So the deal has failed? Then be careful. That thing is catching up again." Yang Jian said.

Beep, beep. The call disconnected.

At the same time, footsteps rang out behind Fang Jing once more, making his whole body tremble.

He looked around to either side.

At some point, the classmates beside him had all disappeared. He was alone here.