The World Below Surface

Chapter 103

Jin Can Can crept closer to the chair, clutching the bowl of hot soup in her hands. She couldnt take her eyes off the man, his chest rising and falling faintly. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, with sharp features and dark hair that framed his pale face.

He's really handsome...

She slurped a mouthful of noodles, savouring the spicy broth and the chewy fish balls.

Hey, sis, wake up, youre drooling, her brother Jin Yuan Bao snickered and poked her in the ribs. Stop staring at him like that, hes not your prince charming.

Shut up, you jerk, Jin Can Can snapped, elbowing him back. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve, feeling her cheeks burn. You dont know anything.

Before they could start a full-fledged fight, their father Jin Fu Gui stepped in, peering at the unconscious man with a serious expression. He stroked his beard, as if trying to recall something.

Dont you all think he looks familiar?

Familiar? they echoed, tilting their heads and squinting their eyes.

Huang Li squinted his eyes, trying to recall. You know, he does look a bit like that wanted criminal we saw on the posters. Huo, what do you think?

Huo Gang nodded, his expression grim. He does bear a strong resemblance, but theres one thing that doesnt match. The criminal had a scar on his face, remember?

As soon as he said that, Jin Can Can leaned in closer, her nose almost touching the mans cheek. She traced his jawline with her eyes, admiring his smooth complexion. This guy doesnt have any scars, look at his skin, its flawless.

Youre getting so close youre almost kissing his face, Jin Yuan Bao groaned, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her away. Dad, what should we do with him?

Heres what well do, Little Gang, you take him upstairs first and tidy up a room for him, Jin Fu Gui decided, popping a meatball into his mouth. Little Fan, you go with him and help out.

Huo Gang nodded, and reached for the mans arms, ready to lift him up. But before he could, the mans eyelids fluttered, and he slowly sat up, holding his head. He looked around, confused and disoriented.

Lu Yan felt a surge of panic as he regained consciousness, finding himself surrounded by unfamiliar faces. He forced a smile onto his lips, concealing his inner turmoil. How had he allowed himself to let his guard down so easily? What had they done to him? What kind of drug had they slipped into his drink?

The panic subsided, replaced by a wave of calm. He swiftly assessed the situation, scanning the individuals standing before him. None of them appeared familiar, and there was no evidence of bloodstains on their hands.

Excuse me, who are you? He asked, his voice hoarse and low. Where am I?

Seeing the pale man sitting up, the others exchanged glances, and Jin Fu Gui explained the situation briefly.

These people... babbled and fussed over him.

"You gave us quite a scare, you know. But you're awake now, thank goodness!" Jin Can Can exclaimed, hovering over him. "How do you feel? Are you hungry? We have some food here, if you want."

Lu Yan was cautious about revealing his true self to these unfamiliar individuals.

He carefully observed their faces, searching for any hints of ill intentions or dishonesty. However, they seemed sincere, wholeheartedly enjoying their meal without any reservations. Lu Yan concluded that there was no threat of poison. Glancing at their bowls, which were brimming with piping hot noodles and fish balls, he deemed the food harmless enough. Furthermore, he was famished. With a smile, he politely inquired, "May I?"

Jin Fu Gui patted his round belly. "Don't mention it, don't mention it! We're all friends here. Nothing is forbidden."

Huo Gang brought out a clean bowl and handed it to Lu Yan. "By the way, what should we call you, young man?"

Lu Yan smiled, "My surname is Jiang, call me Jiang Bai."

"Jiang Bai? What a lovely name," Jin Can Can said, beaming. She was a bit ashamed of her own name, which her father had given her on a whim. She hoped he wouldn't laugh at it.

But her brother, Jin Yuan Bao, had no such qualms. He enjoyed teasing his sister, and embarrassing her in front of strangers. He blurted out their names, hoping to get a reaction.

Jin Can Can wanted to hit him, but Huo Gang stopped her. "Don't waste time, let's eat. The hot pot will get cold."

To her relief, Jiang Bai didn't laugh at her name.

They gathered around the table, sharing a hearty meal and a warm conversation. The wind outside was fierce, whipping the light snow into a blizzard. But inside, they felt cosy and content.

"What opera will you perform later?" Lu Yan asked.

Jin Can Can answered with enthusiasm, "We'll sing 'The Emperor's Sacrifice' and the 'Eight Sacrificial Songs'."

"The Eight Sacrificial Songs?" Lu Yan repeated, unfamiliar with the term.

"Yes, this song has been passed down for generations," Jin Can Can explained, holding up her fingers one by one, "First, we sacrifice to the heavens; second, we sacrifice to the earth; third, we sacrifice to all living beings; fourth, we sacrifice to the wind; fifth, we sacrifice to the water; sixth, we sacrifice to thunder and fire; seventh, we sacrifice to wood; and finally, we sacrifice to the ancestors."

Jin Yuan Bao grabbed a piece of hot bean curd with his chopsticks, dipped it in sauce, blew on it, and popped it into his mouth. He spoke with his mouth full, "I can sing those songs too. They're so long; I used to get spanked all the time for forgetting the words."

Jin Fu Gui, who had been frowning all day, scolded him, "You rascal, I made you learn them for your own good."

"Can you tell me about 'The Emperor's Sacrifice'?" Lu Yan requested.

"Of course!" Jin Can Can agreed, pushing her bowl aside to concentrate on telling the story.

"The Emperor's Sacrifice" was an ancient play, shrouded in mystery and legend. Its name sounded traditional, but its plot was fantastical and bizarre.

It was about a "god" and a "king."

This story, however, was different from the ones Lu Yan had seen painted on the walls of old tombs.

The "king," obsessed with immortality, chased after the "god," causing the ruin of his realm and his kin. Before he died, he finally met the "god," only to discover that the "god" was not a divine being at all, but merely an object.

An object with incredible powers.

The "king" lost his mind in the end. He refused to accept that the "god" he had sought so fervently all his life was nothing but an object. He convinced himself that there must be other objects in the world with similar amazing abilities. He spent the rest of his days in poverty, searching for them, until he died in a small village.

In a remote mountain village, there was a place shrouded in mystery and magic. It was said to be a portal between the worlds of the living and the dead, a threshold between two realms. There, time could bend and twist, and those who lingered there could cheat death and live forever.

"This story is so old, no one knows who wrote it," Jin Can Can said, pouring herself a cup of tea. "But I think it's fascinating."

"Indeed... very fascinating." Lu Yan nodded, pretending to be interested.

But deep down, he felt a chilling dread. This story was all too familiar to him. He had encountered it before, both in a picture book he had stumbled upon in the library, and in an ancient tomb. It was the exact same story, word for word.

And it hinted at a terrible truth.

"God" was not a god, but an object.

An object with unimaginable power.

Who said "god" had to have a mind?

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"Enough talk, let's eat, everyone enjoy your meal and drink!"

Lu Yan took a sip of his soup, trying to calm his nerves.

If "god" was an object... then what was he?

Was he a real person? Or was he just an object that thought it was human?

After dinner, he asked Jin Fu Gui to talk to him in private.

Jin Fu Gui seemed to know something.

Jin Can Can and Jin Yuan Bao watched as their father left with Lu Yan. They exchanged a knowing glance and made the decision to leave as well.

"What are you guys doing so late at night?" Xie Lin (: a grateful beauty or a thankful gem), a girl who shared the dorm with Jin Can Can, asked them.

Jin Can Can: "Shh we're going to catch fireflies, do you want to come?"

"Fireflies? Where are they?" Xie Lin's eyes lit up.

Another girl named Zhang Su Mei (:an open-minded and simple beauty or a generous and plain pretty) chimed in: "I'll come too!"

Huang Li was clearing the dishes, but when he saw Jin Can Can and the others heading out, he glanced around nervously and quickly made an excuse. "Brother Huo, you wash the dishes tonight, I'll do them tomorrow. I'm going out with Can Can and the others."

Before Huo Gang could say anything, Huang Li ran after them.

Lu Yan spoke in a calm voice, masking his curiosity and wariness. "Mr. Jin, I would like to inquire about the Emperor's Festival. You should know the origins of 'The Emperor's Sacrifice', right?"

He had seized the opportunity to probe for some information, since he was already near the cultural festival square.

He missed the fierce ghost that used to lurk in his eyes, a double-edged sword that could intimidate or protect him. Now that the ghost had departed, he had to tread more carefully.

Jin Fu Gui shook his head, his expression weary and resigned. "Honestly, this tune has been passed down for generations. If you're asking me when it started and where it came from, I have no clue."

Lu Yan's frown deepened. His ability to gather intelligence was not to be underestimated, and yet he had never heard of this tune before. "But how come it's so obscure? Why don't ordinary people know about it?"

Jin Fu Gui lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard. "It's not that I'm hiding anything from you, it's just... 'The Emperor's Sacrifice' and the 'Eight Sacrificial Songs' are a pair. These two tunes are sinister, sung for the dead, not for the living. If the living listen to them, it will invite disaster. If someone only listens to one of them, it will lure their soul away, so ordinary people have never heard of them."

Lu Yan felt a chill run down his spine. He gazed intently at the other man, trying to read his thoughts. "Since ordinary people haven't heard of them..." he said slowly, "then, Mr. Jin, where did you hear it from? Where did you learn it from?"

Jin Fu Gui looked nervous, but he still answered. "It's passed down from my ancestors."

Ancestors?

Lu Yan didn't buy it, but he had no way of verifying it. He wanted to try hypnosis, but he had just woken up from a drug-induced slumber, and his body was still sluggish. Using hypnosis recklessly might backfire, so he had to give up.

Jin Fu Gui changed the subject. "By the way, what's your relationship with those people? Why did they send you here?"

Lu Yan sighed and hung his head. "They thought I resembled the guy on the wanted poster and got scared, so they decided to get rid of me."

Jin Fu Gui took a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Funny enough, you do look like him. I heard that guy has been setting off bombs around here lately, so it's understandable that everyone is on edge. But well..." he patted Lu Yan's shoulder, "as long as you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear."

"Yeah."

He flicked his cigarette butt away, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, damn! Where are those two rascals?" He realised that his two mischievous kids were nowhere to be seen.

Huo Gang was washing dishes and heard the boss's loud question, so he stuck his head out from the kitchen. "They said they went to catch fireflies."

"Catch fireflies my ass! Running around in the dark!" Jin Fu Gui exploded, "Gang, finish up and go fetch them back!"

Huo Gang: "Boss, relax, it's only eight o'clock."

"What do you know? You can't be running around here at night!" Jin Fu Gui was so anxious that his belly was trembling. He hurriedly dialled Jin Can Can's number, but unfortunately, she was out of the service area. He then called Jin Yuan Bao, but encountered the same situation.

"Come on, come on! We need more people, they can't just run off. We'll search together and be back soon, it shouldn't be too hard."

He said that, and then turned his eyes to Jiang Bai: "Young man, would you do me a favour... and join us?"

Lu Yan agreed.

He was curious about the rest of the secrets that this group of performers hid. He sensed that there was more to their stories than mere fiction.

Jin Fu Gui led the way, taking a handful of people with him. He had a clear memory of where he had spotted the flickering lights that resembled fireflies during the day. He headed towards the playground, where the old swings and slides stood in the dark.

The two male students who followed them were visibly nervous. They clutched their flashlights and whispered to each other. They didn't like the idea of wandering around the school on a snowy night, especially after recent bombings.

The third male student, however, was more daring.

"You know, this playground used to be a graveyard," he said, his voice soft and creepy. "They dug up the bones and flattened the land to build the school. But some of the spirits never left. Some of the students have seen them, heard them, felt them." His name was Li Ming Xuan (: a bright pavilion of plums or a clear and lofty plum tree), and he had dull eyes and an eerie smile.

"Shut up, you moron," one of the frightened students hissed. "You're making things worse. Stop spouting nonsense." He and his friend tried to keep away from Li Ming Xuan, who seemed to relish their discomfort.

Li Ming Xuan just laughed. He was about to say something else, when the other male student, who had been quiet until then, spoke up.

"It's not nonsense. It's true. I've seen them myself. One night... I was late for evening self-study and I had to go back to the dorm. My mum called me, saying she had a terrible stomach ache and she needed me to go with her to the hospital.

The night was cold and dark, and I hurried through the playground, just like I'm doing now. The forest that surrounded it was a black wall of shadows, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as I crossed it. My phone rang again, and I saw it was my mum. This time she said: Sweetie, you don't have to come. I asked her why and... she said... she said..." He paused in his storytelling, allowing an eerie stillness to settle upon them, interrupted only by the crisp crunch of the frosty snow beneath their boots.

"What did she say?"

"He's back, darling. He's back... Who's back..? Your dad, honey. Your dad is back... I stared at the phone, unable to process what she had just said. My dad? But he had been dead for years. How could he be back? As I spoke on the phone I looked up, and my blood froze. In front of me, crawling out of the forest towards me, was a white shape. It had long limbs, a twisted torso, and a face that was barely recognizable as human. It had my dad's eyes..."

"Ahhhh, stop it, stop it, stop it!" The two timid boys who were listening to the story screamed, covering their ears.

The storyteller, Liu Zhi Wei (: a great ambition to destroy or a mighty will to kill), grinned wickedly, enjoying the effect of his tale on his audience.

They were walking along the edge of the playground, trying to get to the other side. The night was snowy and dark, and the wind howled in their ears. The moon and the stars were hidden by thick clouds, and the only light they had was from their flashlights. The storyteller was the bravest of them, and he led the way.

A high-pitched ringtone suddenly broke the silence, causing him to startle. He quickly fished out his phone from his pocket, without bothering to check the caller ID.

Pressing the green button, he brought the phone up to his ear. "Hmm?"

"Little Wei, where are you?" A familiar voice, strained with pain, greeted him. "Mum's stomach is killing her today... Please, can you come home? I need you to take me to the hospital."

Under normal circumstances, he would have rushed back home without a second thought. But now..

He felt a chill run down his spine as beads of sweat formed on his brow. He had just finished telling a ghost story, a story that matched this scenario too well.

Was this some kind of sick coincidence?

"Little Wei? Are you there?" His mum sounded worried. He could hear her laboured breathing.

Liu Zhi Wei opened his mouth, but no words came out. He stood frozen, clutching the phone.

His friends, who had been listening to his story with rapt attention, also heard the voice on the phone. They stared at him with wide eyes, their faces pale.

What the hell... was happening?

"Little Wei? Hello?" His mum tried again. "Is the signal bad? I can't hear you." She sighed and hung up.

The phone went silent. Liu Zhi Wei snapped out of his trance and lowered it slowly, feeling numb.

Did it really... happen?

He didn't mean it, he was just joking!

Would his mum call again? And, would the white ghost he had made up... show up?

"Maybe it's nothing. Just a random coincidence. Your mom should be fine, you know. Why don't you go back and see for yourself?" Some of his friends tried to soothe him, their voices laced with uncertainty.

Liu Zhi Wei was about to reply, when his phone buzzed again in his pocket. He felt a surge of dread as he pulled it out and saw the familiar number on the screen. His face twisted into a mask of horror.

"Oh God, oh God, it's happening again... What do I do?" He looked around desperately, seeking help from the adults nearby.

Jin Fu Gui snatched the phone from his hand and hurled it as far as he could, his eyes flashing with anger. "Don't pick it up, just forget about it."

"Really?" Liu Zhi Wei whispered, his voice trembling.

Could it be that simple?

But... fate had other plans.

The phone, flying through the air, didn't shatter on impact as they hoped. Instead, it landed softly on a patch of snow, where it hit something and activated the call function.

And that wasn't all. It also switched on the speaker mode.

Suddenly, everyone could hear the voice coming from the other side.

It sounded like a normal woman's voice.

"Wei, you don't have to come, your dad is back, he'll stay with me... You just focus on your studies at school." And then, the call was cut off.

"No!!" Liu Zhi Wei screamed, his eyes wide with disbelief. He yelled at the phone, still lying in the distance, "Shut up! You're lying, you're lying! I don't have a dad!" He tried to say more, but two of his classmates grabbed him and dragged him away, muffling his mouth with their hands.

Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

They had always dismissed the stories of ghosts haunting the school as nothing but urban legends, meant to scare the gullible and the bored. But now, they had no choice but to face the reality that they were not alone in the dark playground. Something else was there, something that defied logic and reason.

They felt a cold shiver run down their spines as they imagined what would happen if a ghost woman suddenly materialised in front of them

Without realising it, they stopped moving. They stood there, frozen in fear, clutching each others hands.

What if what if there really is a ghost? What do we do?

Its all your fault, you know that? You and your big mouth, spouting off ghost stories like a fool! another one snapped, his voice trembling. You had to jinx us, didnt you?

Liu Zhi Wei felt a surge of guilt and regret. He wished he could take back his words, but it was too late. He felt tears sting his eyes. How was I supposed to know? I didnt think it was true. I swear, I didnt.

Shut up, both of you. This is not the time to argue. We need to get out of here. Now. a third one said, trying to sound calm and rational. Maybe we should go back the way we came?

Lu Yan said nothing. He was the quietest of the group, but also the most observant. He scanned the area, looking for any signs of movement or danger. He was ready to bolt at the slightest hint of trouble.

Jin Fu Gui was worried sick. No, we cant go back. My kids are still out there. I have to find them.

Your kids can take care of themselves. We have to save ourselves first. Come on, lets go! Liu Zhi Wei urged, turning around and pulling the arm of his friend.

Hey, wait a minute. Give us back our flashlight. We need it! Fan Min protested, reaching out to grab the device from a couple of students who had it.

Why should we? We cant see anything without it, either! they retorted, holding on to it tightly.

In the scuffle, the flashlight slipped from their grasp and fell to the ground, rolling a few times.

It stopped when it hit something.

Something white.

Something that moved.

Something that twisted its body and slowly crawled towards them.

It was a pale, shapeless thing, crawling on the ground with its long hair covering its face. Its arms stretched out, reaching for them with a hunger that made their blood run cold.

A shrill scream pierced the air. "Oh God, it's real! It's a fucking ghost!"

"Ah! There really is a ghost!"

"Quick, run!"

"Move! Move! Move!" Fan Min shouted, grabbing the flashlight and sprinting away. The others followed him, their feet pounding on the ground.

Behind him, he could hear the scraping and thumping of the white figure that pursued them. It moved like a broken puppet, jerking and twisting, reaching out with its pale, limp arms, its face hidden by a curtain of matted hair. It seemed slow at first, but soon it gained speed, closing the gap between them.

"God, help us!" Jin Fu Gui cried out, struggling to keep up. He was older and heavier than the rest, and his lungs burned with every breath. Huo Gang and Fan Min tugged at his arms, trying to drag him along. "What the hell is that thing? How do we get rid of it?"

"It's all because of you, Liu Zhi Wei! You and your stupid stories!" One of the boys yelled, glancing back at the ghost. He screamed louder and ran faster.

Lu Yan, who was running next to him, turned to Liu Zhi Wei. "You're the one who started this mess, Liu Zhi Wei. Why don't you change the ending?"

Liu Zhi Wei felt a surge of fear and guilt. He had only wanted to scare his friends a little, not unleash a real ghost on them. He racked his brain for a solution, hoping for a miracle.

He blurted out, "How about... when the white ghost is chasing everyone, a lightning bolt strikes from the sky and kills it? Lightning can kill anything, right?"

He looked up at the sky, but it was dark and cloudy, with no sign of a storm. No thunder, no lightning, no rain. Just snow.

The ghost didn't stop; it kept crawling after them, relentless and unstoppable.

They felt a wave of coldness wash over them, as if they had entered a freezer. They smelled a rotten, musty odour, as if they had opened a coffin.

Liu Zhi Wei sobbed, his voice breaking. "Please, someone, anyone, help us. Make this white ghost go away. I'll do anything, anything at all."

But no one heard him. No one could help him.

Ghosts and spirits were not real. They were only products of the imagination. But once they took shape in the mind, they became unstoppable. Except for rules, they could not be killed or banished by any means. They would haunt their creators until the end of time. No one knew how to make them disappear.

There was no hope, no salvation, no escape.

There were no gods in this world.

Only monsters.

A pale hand clamped around the ankle of a young man.

He was the same boy who had always been afraid of ghost stories, a shy and timid lad. He shrieked and tried to shake off the hand that held him, but it was too strong.

"Ahhhh" He fell to the ground with a thud.

And then he was gone.

The white ghost dragged him into oblivion, along with itself. They disappeared without a trace. The others who were running for their lives stopped and looked back, frozen in horror.

No one dared to go near the place where the boy had vanished. They backed away slowly, their eyes wide and their mouths dry. For a long time, no one spoke.

The silence was oppressive, weighing on their minds like a heavy blanket. Fan Min broke it with a shaky voice. "Now, what do we do?"

His question echoed in the air, unanswered. Liu Zhi Wei collapsed into a fit of tears, hitting himself in the face as he sobbed, "It's all my fault... It's all my fault! I should have kept my mouth shut! It's me..."

"Stop it! Stop blaming yourself!" His friend embraced him, and they wept together, clinging to each other. "This school was always cursed, it's not your fault."

"This school is really cursed..." Jin Fu Gui whispered to himself.

Lu Yan said nothing, his eyes still staring into the distance.

Where the boy had fallen, there was a shadow.

A shadow he recognized.

Jin Fu Gui took a deep breath, composing himself. He walked towards the other male students, who were huddled together in fear. He bent down and handed them a flashlight. "I'm terribly sorry, it was my daughter and my bastard rascal who dragged you into this mess." He spoke with a strained voice. "If you want to go back, then go back now. We'll keep searching."

The male students exchanged glances, unsure what to do, before taking the flashlight.

"We're sorry, we hope you find them soon."

"We'll go back now, be careful."

Out of the four male students who went looking, only three came back.

But...

Lu Yan noticed something odd about the shadows cast by their flashlights. There were four of them, but only three students. He glanced at Jin Fu Gui, who had a grim expression on his face. He must have seen it too. Thats why he had hurried them to leave.

When they were alone, Fan Min whispered to Jin Fu Gui, "Boss, do we really have to keep looking?"

Jin Fu Gui nodded, his voice firm but shaky. Yes, we have to. We can't have nobody performing... We have to find them and get them back to perform."

"Alright, let's be careful," Huo Gang said, pulling Lu Yan to his side. "Jiang Bai, come on. Watch your step."

Lu Yan agreed, following them closely.

Soon, they saw a faint green light ahead of them. It was not natural, not like fireflies or glowworms. It was something else.

Lu Yan had seen it before, in an ancient tomb.

"Stay away from the green light, don't touch it," he warned.

They didn't ask him how he knew. They just nodded, trusting him.

"Can Can? Can Can, where are you?" Jin Fu Gui shouted, hoping for a reply.

The others joined him, calling out their names.

"Yuan Bao, for God's sake, get your ass back here!"

"Where the hell is Huang Li? Old Huang, you better show yourself right now!"

They were surrounded by tiny green sparks, like a swarm of angry fireflies. They clung to their skin, their clothes, their hair, as if trying to burrow inside them.

Lu Yan ripped off his coat and flung it to brush off the sparks away from him. The other three followed his example, tossing their jackets and sweaters.

"Can? Can?!"

A faint cry reached their ears, followed by a rustle of leaves. "Dad?"

Then, a girl burst out of the snow covered bushes, her face and body illuminated by the green sparks. She was smiling, oblivious to the danger. "Dad, I'm here!" she called out, holding up her hands. "Look! I caught many fireflies!"

Huang Li appeared behind her, his face also glowing like a radioactive pumpkin. He gave a sheepish grin to the others, as if to apologise for his daughter's recklessness.

Jin Yuan Bao trailed behind them, his eyes glued to his phone. He was playing some game, barely paying attention to his surroundings. He had the fewest sparks on him.

104

"You... You..." Jin Fu Gui's fingers twitched as he pointed at them, his mouth gaping. He couldn't find the words to curse them.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Jin Can Can urged, reaching for the handsome man's arm. But Lu Yan jerked away from her touch, his face cold and distant.

Behind them, two girls stumbled out of the woods, their faces and hair glowing with a sickly green light.

Lu Yan turned his back on Jin Can Can's pleading eyes. "Mr. Jin, if you value your life, you'll keep your distance from these things." He gestured at the eerie green swirls that surrounded them.

"What's wrong with these things?" Jin Can Can whimpered, feeling a surge of unease come upon her.

Lu Yan looked at her with a pitiless stare, as if she were already dead. "Just wait and see," he said.

Wait and see?

Jin Can Can felt a pang of doubt, and lifted her hand to her face.

She gasped as she