Chapter Fifty-One: The Forest of Vines

Huang Wenyang shuddered violently. In the past, he hadn’t believed in ghosts and dared to go inside; now, after everything that had happened, he was utterly terrified.
“No way! If there really is a ghost, I’m done for! I was foolish before, but now, thinking back, I really can’t go in!” he said in a panic.
“Quit your whining! With me here, do you really think I’d let a ghost eat you?”
Old Ma’s words were hardly reassuring. After all, Huang Gaoyuan had been torn to pieces by those living dead cats right in front of us, his body mangled and bloodied in a horrific way.
But Old Ma would not be contradicted. He grabbed Huang Wenyang and forced him to lead the way, so Huang Wenyang, trembling all over, had no choice but to go ahead and guide us.
I drew close to Old Ma and asked, “Why are we going there? Do you think the person left on their own?”
He glanced at me, “With all these eyes watching, what kind of monster or ghost could snatch someone away without a sound? It must be that kid leaving on his own! I told you before, that boy’s business is always messy—who knows what trick he’s up to now!”
He spoke openly, right in front of Su Feiyong.
“Then why did you ask Huang Wenyang those questions, and have him lead us to that place?” I pressed.
Old Ma didn’t answer directly. “The kid almost certainly went there!”
The farther Huang Wenyang walked, the more his legs trembled. The living dead cats around us gradually became fewer—not because they left, but as we advanced, they seemed to encounter some barrier, unable to move forward.
The dead cat from Huang Wenyang’s house, its belly stitched up, still followed us persistently. Sometimes it paused, but soon it caught up again.
The forest grew deeper, the surroundings denser. Whether there were ghosts, I didn’t know, but there were assuredly wild beasts—especially back in the days of Huang Wenyang’s childhood.
Ahead, a mass of vines appeared, sprawling in all sizes, tangled and chaotic, forming a formidable natural barrier! With a flashlight shining on it, the barrier looked immense, stretching so far that you couldn’t see its end!
Huang Wenyang stopped, pointing at the imposing barrier, “That’s it. It was like this last time I came in. The elders said these vines are the gate that keeps out ghosts. Are we really going in?”
I swept my flashlight back and forth, examining the gate of vines. They were so thick and connected into such a vast wall, it was unlikely they grew naturally—probably planted deliberately, and many years ago at that.
I suddenly asked, “Does anyone ever go in here?”

“Occasionally, since people are afraid of poachers.”
“Has anyone been inside recently?”
“These past couple weeks, with all that’s happened, nobody dares come near. Not many did, anyway,” Huang Wenyang replied.
“But it seems someone comes often.” I aimed my flashlight toward a certain spot. In a barely noticeable corner, there appeared to be an opening.
We approached the opening. The vine barrier was so dense we couldn’t go straight through, but this gap was clearly used frequently; the nearby vines hadn’t grown over it. The opening wasn’t big—no bigger than a dog hole—but once pushed aside, it was wide enough for a child to pass.
I studied the opening, fiddling with the vines. There were signs of them being pried apart, even torn, suggesting someone larger had gone through—a direct and forceful person, given how cleanly the vines were ripped.
The breaks were fresh; perhaps it really was that Wei boy. Had he gone inside? Why?
I straightened up, stepped aside, and respectfully gestured for Old Ma to go first.
Old Ma cast me a disdainful look, then pushed aside the vines and crawled through.
Huang Wenyang hesitated, reluctant to enter. I urged him—otherwise he’d have to stay out here alone!
He glanced at the fat cat with the stitched belly, shuddered, and squeezed inside.
Then it was my turn, with Su Feiyong bringing up the rear.
Inside, a sudden burst of sharp sounds startled me. I shone my flashlight and saw a large bird flapping its wings among the branches. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The trees here were not as dense as I’d imagined—sparser than outside, in fact. That was peculiar; you’d expect the vegetation to grow more wildly in a place long untouched. Maybe the vines outside were so thick they blocked the sunlight, suppressing the growth within?
There were indeed an absurd number of vines inside, tangled everywhere. Looking around, thick twisted tendrils snaked in strange shapes, wrapping all the plants in a kind of outer layer.
The eerie dead cat hadn’t followed us in—a relief, though the mystery deepened. Thinking back, the living dead cats dwindled as we drew closer; now even the last one was kept outside.
Old Ma led the way. I shone my flashlight around. The trees were sparse, but the tangled vines made the going difficult.

A shrill, piercing cry suddenly rang out.
My heart leapt, and I shone my flashlight toward the sound. There was a rustling among the branches as several birds fluttered out.
“Look at you, scared out of your wits! If Zhuang were here, he’d mock you for sure,” Old Ma sneered.
I didn’t answer, but wondered if there were too many birds inside—it was late, yet so noisy.
As if to confirm my suspicion, another nocturnal bird called out.
I asked Huang Wenyang, “Are there lots of birds in here?”
He didn’t respond.
Had he been frightened speechless? I looked at him and found, instead of trembling, he was now utterly calm, striding forward with unwavering steps.
“What’s wrong with you?” Something felt off.
A thick vine lay across the path. Huang Wenyang, as if oblivious, walked straight ahead and got tripped, falling to the ground.
He was unnervingly calm—even after falling, he didn’t react, just lay there motionless.
Increasingly uneasy, I asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
I shook him, but he seemed to have fainted, showing not the slightest reaction.
Old Ma came over to check, flipping Huang Wenyang onto his back. His eyes rolled white, his face drained, his whole body limp—he had lost consciousness.
It was all so sudden—just moments ago he was fine, and now, his face looked as if he’d abruptly reached the final stage of cancer!