Chapter 18 The Death of Zhang Junsheng

I don't know when, but the wind grew fiercer, sweeping up fallen leaves from the ground and scattering them into the gray-white sky. The sky was gloomy, as if it was about to rain. Zhang Junsheng tightened his thin clothes and cursed the wretched weather under his breath. He hadn't left his dorm room for two days—not since witnessing Li Ran's bizarre death. Fear gripped him like never before. At any moment, he might die inexplicably, so he had to leave something behind.

He left the school and headed straight for that eerie forest. The sky grew even darker, the air so heavy it was almost suffocating. Zhang Junsheng's footsteps were unsteady as he trudged through the thick layers of damp, rotting leaves, the musty stench filling his nostrils. He rubbed his nose with his hand—this forest was unnerving in ways he couldn't explain.

He spat fiercely onto the ground. "I refuse to believe ghosts actually exist in this world."

Clutched in his arms was a gray notebook. As he walked, he muttered curses—at the weather, at the sinister forest, at everything.

A light drizzle began to fall, making the already gloomy woods even more terrifying.

Zhang Junsheng looked up at the sky. The tangled branches split it into countless fragments, and the raindrops hitting his face were icy cold. "Damn it! Even the weather's against me."

He kicked aside a branch, but the notebook in his arms slipped and fell. He bent down in a panic to pick it up, nervously scanning his surroundings. Then he laughed at himself—what was he so afraid of? In this kind of weather, who else would be out here, let alone in a place like this?

Just as he was about to move forward, a rustling sound came from behind him. A chill shot up from his feet to the top of his head. His back stiffened as he slowly turned around.

There was nothing there.

He sucked in a sharp breath. Though he kept telling himself ghosts weren't real, his legs still trembled uncontrollably. He brushed his rain-dampened hair aside and kept walking.

After a few steps, he suddenly felt someone—or something—blow cold air onto the back of his neck. It was icy, nothing like the breath of a living person. His heart clenched in fear as he whipped around, but again, there was no one there.

"Damn it! Am I seeing ghosts?" He rubbed his neck and continued forward. Where would be a safe place to leave it? He looked around, searching for a secure spot. Then he spotted a small tree hollow. Perfect—he'd hide it there.

Grinning, he ran over, momentarily forgetting his earlier fright. He knelt down, carefully placing the gray notebook inside the hollow, then sealing it with dirt. Once done, he stood up, stretched, and smiled with relief.

"Damn, it's like I'm preparing for my own funeral," he muttered. The rain was falling harder now, the sky even darker. He turned to leave, his steps lighter now that the weight on his mind had lifted.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning split the sky. Zhang Junsheng jumped in fright. The raindrops grew heavier, and lightning flashed one after another, as if trying to tear the heavens apart.

What was that just now?

Zhang Junsheng froze in terror. For a split second, the lightning had illuminated the entire forest—and in that moment, he had seen a pale face floating in midair, seemingly without a body.

His legs trembled violently, barely able to support him. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.

His body stiffened as he felt a pair of icy hands slowly close around his neck, tightening bit by bit. He clawed desperately behind him, but there was nothing there. The grip around his throat tightened. His mouth gaped open, struggling for air, his lungs burning with pain.

Then, his struggles ceased. His eyes remained wide open, staring into the distance with unwillingness.

Su Jin'er and Lin Yuan ran toward the security booth, shielding themselves from the rain. Soon after, Chu Feifan and Zuo Yi also stumbled inside, drenched.

"Grandpa, can we take shelter here for a while?" Lin Yuan asked cheerfully, looking at the elderly man in his seventies.

"Of course! This old man gets lonely here. It's nice to have some company," the old man replied with a smile.

They passed by this security booth every day, but none of them had ever paid it much attention before. Su Jin'er glanced around the small room—a bed, a table, two chairs, and some newspapers and registration books on the desk. Simple and unassuming.

"Grandpa, did you see a very thin, very haggard-looking guy leave about an hour ago?" Su Jin'er asked with a smile.

"An hour ago?" The old man looked up at the ceiling, muttering to himself. "A few boys left around then. One of them did match your description—he looked very nervous. Not sure if it's the one you're talking about."

"Yes, that's him! Did you see which direction he went?"

"Seemed like he was heading toward that forest. Ah, my memory's not what it used to be."

Su Jin'er exchanged glances with the others. Even if they were anxious to find him, they couldn't exactly rush out into the downpour.

"Let's just wait here. If he comes back, he'll have to pass through here anyway," Chu Feifan suggested.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

As night fell, Zhang Junsheng still hadn't returned. Their unease grew.

"The rain's stopped. Should we go look for him?" Su Jin'er peered out at the darkening sky.

"It's already getting dark. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow?" Lin Yuan hesitated.

"But something feels off. I have this terrible feeling, like something's wrong." Su Jin'er's face was pale.

"Are you okay? Are you sick?"

"No, it's just… my heart's racing."

"Then let's go look. The sooner we figure this out, the fewer people might die," Chu Feifan said firmly.

"I agree. I think the killer will strike again," Zuo Yi added.

With everyone in agreement, they bid the old man farewell and left the security booth, heading toward the forest. They didn't know if the old man's memory was accurate, but they had to try.

"Why would he go into the woods? What's the secret there?" Lin Yuan wondered aloud.

Du Xiaonan had woken up there after fainting, and now Zhang Junsheng had gone there too. Was there really something hidden in that forest?

The woods were even darker and damper after the rain, filled with a strange, rotting stench—like the smell of dead animals.

"It's so dark here. Would he really be in here?" Lin Yuan looked around nervously.

"Who knows? Let's search," Zuo Yi said.

"This place feels… wrong. It gives me a bad feeling," Su Jin'er said as she stepped on a branch. The loud snap echoed eerily in the silent woods.

"Hey, guys! Over here—I think I found him!" Su Jin'er's voice trembled as she called out.

"Where?" The other three rushed over, following her gaze.

What they saw made their blood run cold.

A body hung upside down from a tree, blood mixing with rainwater as it dripped onto the ground. A knife was embedded in the neck, the eyes wide open in terror. The corpse swayed slightly in the wind, sending chills down their spines.

"Another one."

"Our lead is gone again."

Soon, the police arrived and took the body away. Once again, they were brought to the station for questioning.

By the time they left the police station, it was completely dark. Su Jin'er felt a deep unease. Like the police had insinuated—why were they always the ones to discover the bodies? Why hadn't anyone else found them first? Was someone deliberately dragging them into this?

"Jin'er, what are you thinking about?" Lin Yuan asked, noticing her silence.

"I think we need to find someone."

"You want to look for Zhang Junsheng's detective cousin?" Chu Feifan said gravely.

Su Jin'er looked at him in surprise. "You know about him too?"

"Yeah. During military training, I thought Zhang Junsheng was acting strange, so I looked into him afterward."

"You suspected him too?" For some reason, Su Jin'er suddenly felt suspicious of Chu Feifan. He seemed to know a lot but never shared anything. Did he have his own secrets? Or an agenda?

Seeing the doubt in her eyes, Chu Feifan paused, then smiled. "I'm just curious about supernatural stuff. And I don't have a motive for murder."

He spoke confidently, unfazed by her suspicion. And truthfully, she had no evidence. At first, she hadn't wanted to get involved, but now it seemed like someone was pulling her in whether she liked it or not. Did she even have a choice anymore?

"Suddenly, this whole thing seems… interesting. Let's investigate together!" Su Jin'er smiled. Her smile was like winter sunlight—warm and gentle.

Lin Yuan nodded excitedly. Though fear still gnawed at her, the thrill of it all was intoxicating.

But to everyone's surprise, Chu Feifan refused. "No!" he said sharply, startling them.

"If you're scared, you don't have to join. We won't force you."

Chu Feifan stared at Su Jin'er in disbelief. He hadn't expected her to want to investigate this. "I'm not scared. But this is dangerous. Shouldn't we leave it to the police?"

"Even if it's dangerous, I need to know the truth." She turned away stubbornly.

Chu Feifan grew angry. He hadn't thought she could be so reckless. "I'll be honest—I'm curious too. But I won't let my friends risk their lives for my curiosity."

Seeing Su Jin'er's trembling shoulders, he knew he'd been too harsh. But he couldn't let her walk into danger, or let her curiosity harm those around her.

"I'm tired. I'm going back." Her voice was soft but shaky.

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