Ghostly Murder

After some time spent investigating, Li Lin and Ye Xiao gradually uncovered more hidden secrets in the old town. The clues from the diary made them realize that the situation was far more complex than they had initially thought. The missing person cases weren't as simple as they seemed. They knew the truth was lurking in the shadows, waiting for them to reveal it.

That evening, they decided to visit the old house once again to search for more clues. The air was heavy with an eerie atmosphere, the stars faint in the sky, and everything around them seemed unusually quiet. The old house, bathed in moonlight, appeared even more ominous, as if countless eyes in the darkness were watching their every move.

"Are you sure we should go in tonight?" Ye Xiao's voice trembled slightly, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes.

Li Lin squeezed her hand, offering reassurance. "Don't worry, I'm here. We've come this far, we can't give up now."

They both took a deep breath and stepped inside the old house. The air inside felt colder than outside, the silence around them deafening, broken only by the echo of their footsteps in the empty rooms. Li Lin switched on his phone's flashlight, the beam of light cutting through the darkness ahead of them.

"Let's head to the basement first; we might have missed something last time," Li Lin whispered.

They cautiously descended the narrow staircase. The air in the basement was even heavier, carrying a foul, decaying smell. When they reached the hidden door, Li Lin pushed it open, revealing the same decrepit basement, with its moldy walls and dust-covered floor.

But this time, they noticed something strange in the corner of the room. Li Lin gestured for Ye Xiao to stay quiet as they slowly moved closer. Suddenly, they heard the low thud of footsteps, making their hearts race.

"Did you hear that?" Ye Xiao whispered, her voice filled with fear.

Li Lin nodded, his expression serious. They crouched behind a pile of old furniture, peering toward the source of the sound.

Out of the shadows, a blurry figure appeared in their line of sight. It wasn't an ordinary person but a ghostly, translucent figure with a terrifying, distorted face and hollow, vacant eyes. The ghost moved slowly and heavily, but ahead of it was a man, clearly terrified, trying to flee.

"Who is that?!" Ye Xiao gasped, gripping Li Lin's hand tightly, her voice quaking with shock.

Li Lin was just as stunned. The man stumbled frantically, trying to escape the ghost, but the spirit moved with unnatural speed, quickly catching up to him. What happened next sent a wave of cold dread through both Li Lin and Ye Xiao. The ghost extended its hand, seizing the man by the throat and effortlessly lifting him into the air.

The man's face turned a ghastly shade of blue as his legs kicked helplessly in the air. He struggled to gasp, but within moments, his body fell limp, all signs of life extinguished. The ghost showed no mercy, coldly taking his life and discarding the body onto the floor.

Li Lin and Ye Xiao watched in horror, paralyzed by what they had just witnessed. The sheer terror of it all rendered them speechless. Ye Xiao clasped a hand over her mouth, struggling not to scream, while Li Lin felt a surge of panic and fear flood through him.

"We need to get out of here, now!" Li Lin whispered urgently, grabbing Ye Xiao's hand as they bolted for the door.

They ran as fast as they could, their footsteps hurried and frantic, hearts pounding as if they could burst at any moment. All they could think about was escaping the terrifying place. Under the moonlight, they stumbled through the yard, feeling as though the darkness itself was chasing after them.

When they finally reached the car, Li Lin hurriedly started the engine, and without another thought, they sped away from the dreadful scene. Inside the car, the air was thick with tension, and Ye Xiao, still shaken, couldn't believe what they had just witnessed.

"What was that? Did we really see that, or am I dreaming?" Ye Xiao's voice trembled as she tried to process what had happened.

"No, it wasn't a dream. It was real," Li Lin replied solemnly, his eyes fixed on the road. "We just saw a murder happen. But the killer… wasn't human."

The car raced along the road, the scenery outside blurring into a haze. They knew they had to report this, though they realized how unbelievable it sounded. No one would believe they had witnessed a paranormal event, but they had to tell the police what they knew.

They soon arrived at the nearest police station. Li Lin practically burst through the doors, breathless and desperate to speak to an officer. The officer at the front desk noticed their panic-stricken faces and quickly led them to the on-duty detective.

"Calm down and tell us what happened," the detective said seriously.

Li Lin took a deep breath and recounted everything they had witnessed as calmly as possible. As he spoke, the detective's expression shifted from confusion to grave concern.

"So, you're saying you saw a ghost kill someone?" the detective asked, his tone skeptical but unable to ignore their terror.

"Yes! We have no reason to make something like this up. Someone was killed, right in front of us!" Ye Xiao added, her voice shaking with urgency.

The detective frowned, thinking for a moment before speaking quietly. "I'll send someone to investigate the scene. But you two need to calm down and give us a full description of every detail you remember."

Li Lin and Ye Xiao sat on the benches at the police station, their hearts still racing from fear. They knew they were now deeply entangled in this paranormal mystery, with no way out. Whatever awaited them, they would have to face it—because that ghostly murder was just the beginning.