I was about to turn around when her voice sliced through the darkness like a knife: "Don't look back. Seeing me would screw us both. Just do as I say."
"Who the hell are you?" I blurted out, my fear getting the better of me. The chaos of the past few hours had left me a complete mess, shaking like a leaf.
"Answers later," she brushed me off, her voice as cold as ice. "If you wanna get back the years you've lost, find Yang Yu in Chengdu's Shiling District. He's the only one who can help you."
Before I could argue, she snapped, "Run! Now!"
A bone-chilling scream came from the villa—raw, agonized, like the night itself was being ripped apart. The shadows seemed to twist and writhe unnaturally.
I bolted to the right as she said, diving into a thicket that came up to my waist. The rotting plants squished under my shoes, releasing a stench that made me gag. I kept running, my lungs on fire, until I collapsed at a deserted crossroads. The place was dead silent—no cars, no people, just the eerie quiet of abandonment.
Miraculously, headlights cut through the gloom. I frantically waved down the taxi, my hand shaking like crazy.
The cold hit me like a slap in the face when I got in. "Why's it so damn cold?" I stammered, my breath visible in the freezing air.
"AC's on overdrive," the driver chuckled, turning it off. But his eyes kept darting to the rearview mirror, looking uneasy.
"Why do you keep checking?" I snapped, my voice sharper than I meant it to be.
"Just... it's weird seeing someone so freaked out around here," he dodged, his tone evasive. "You get robbed or something?"
"Almost," I lied, scrambling to come up with a believable story.
"Smart move saving your girl first," he nodded, sounding impressed. "Last week some coward ditched his—left her crying. Still bugs me."
"My... 'girl'?" I asked, my voice shaky.
"The girl in the backseat," he gestured. "She signaled me to stop. Brave of you, letting her escape while you..." His words trailed off as he glanced again. "Weird. She was hugging your head a second ago. Now she's gone."
Ice ran through my veins. 'Something' had gotten in with me—clinging, invisible. Niú Shísān's warnings about ghosts came rushing back, sending a chill down my spine. "Check the mirror again!"
The driver went pale, his face drained of color. "N-no..." He floored it, his knuckles white on the wheel as the taxi lurched forward.
We sped through the darkness until we reached my apartment. Both doors flew open at the same time—the driver and I bolted in opposite directions, his abandoned taxi still idling, the engine humming ominously.
Inside, I emptied a stash of cash—over a million yuan, dirty money from my shady past—into a travel bag. Let hell take its share; I needed every penny to survive.
At dawn, I dumped the blood money at a bank, the teller's smirk hinting at services beyond banking. Next, I hit up an internet café to book the earliest flight to Chengdu, my fingers trembling as I typed.
On the plane, I kept expecting ghosts to pop up, my eyes darting around the cabin. Only when we landed did I relax—two hours in the air had to be enough to outrun them.
"To Shiling," I told the next taxi driver, trying to keep my voice steady despite my pounding heart.
"Visiting family?" he asked, sounding friendly.
"Looking for Yang Yu."
The cab swerved hard, the driver's face twisting in fear. "'Brother Menstrual'? Get out! Now!"
"Wait—I'll triple the fare!" I begged, desperation creeping into my voice.
"Get OUT!" He grabbed a tire iron, his eyes wild with panic.
Stranded on a deserted highway, it hit me: Yang Yu was someone people were terrified of. The driver's nickname for him—"Brother Menstrual"—hinted at some gruesome stories. But this outcast was my only hope.
Shivering, I trudged toward the distant neon lights—the first signs of Chengdu's sprawl. Somewhere in its depths, a man named after blood was waiting, his presence as ominous as the night itself.
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The Lowdown on Spooky Stuff
Yin Embracing Yang (阴抱阳)
- What the cabbie said about "passenger hugging head":
- Big red flag for a ghost's takeover move; wrapping around someone's head means they're trying to snatch your soul.
- In ghost-speak, it's like creating a creepy energy loop, turning the person into a walking soul battery.
- Dead giveaway: You'll feel a constant chill on your neck, plus that "something's not right" vibe.
Soul Chariot (惊魂车)
- The hero's haunted ride:
- Signs to watch for: Weirdly cold AC, odometer going backward, and ghostly faces in the mirror.
- Folks call it the "Yin Chariot," and it mostly shows up between 11 PM and 1 AM—prime ghost time.
- If the driver's acting all jittery, it's probably a puppet corpse controlled by evil spirits.
Ablution Purification (洗浴净身)
- Why the bathhouse matters:
- Water spots can wash off some ghostly gunk, giving you a breather from spooky attacks.
- Busy lobbies are like human shields, keeping the ghosts at bay.
- Think of it as the modern version of those old fire rituals—cuts off ghostly chasers and brings balance back.
Blood Currency Ward (血钱镇灵)
- The secret power of cash:
- Handled bills create a "coin shield" that blocks ghostly intruders.
- Certain number combos (like AB/CD) act like ghost-busting symbols, making the shield stronger.
- The "wealth vibe" messes with ghost vision, making you invisible to them.
Shiling Exclusion Zone (十陵禁地)
- Chengdu's ghost hotspot:
- Home to ancient royal tombs with ghost armies guarding old secrets.
- Modern construction messed up the feng shui, creating ghost magnets called "Yin-Yang cracks."
- Weird electromagnetic fields make cabbies avoid the area—cars break down, and people get lost.
Brother Menstruum (月经哥)
- How Yang Yu got his nickname:
- His power dips monthly due to blood sacrifice training, needing special tricks to recharge.
- His unique body needs menstrual blood for upkeep—a rare source of Yang energy.
- Earned the title after stopping street hauntings with blood-drawn talismans, proving his ghost-fighting chops.
Taboo Fare (拒载煞)
- Why drivers refuse certain rides:
- Name curses make people avoid you, making it hard to catch a ride.
- Cars carrying Yang Yu pick up ghostly baggage, attracting unwanted attention.
- The taxi world's "Three No's" rule: No nameless, faceless, or shadowless passengers—it's how they dodge ghost encounters.
Celestial Net Peril (天罗网)
- The hidden dangers of flying:
- Cruising altitude is right in the ghost zone, a thin line between our world and theirs.
- Pressurized cabins can turn into ghost nurseries, perfect for spirits trying to manifest.
- Jet fuel burns at frequencies that attract shadow creatures, making air travel risky for the spiritually sensitive.
The Big Picture
This glossary peels back the curtain on the ghostly world hiding in plain sight. Everyday places become battlegrounds for ancient forces—laundromats as purification spots, cash as ghost shields, taxi meters as soul trackers. It's a hidden war fought through the fabric of daily life, showing how the seen and unseen worlds collide. This guide helps you navigate the spooky side of modern life, offering tips on staying safe and spotting the signs of ghostly trouble.
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