Chapter Fifty-Three: Danger

I sprang to my feet and ran backward, heedless of the tangled vines around me. Gripping my flashlight, I frantically shoved aside the thick foliage, desperate to reach the direction where Su Feiyong and the others were. The birds in the forest, startled, burst from the treetops, filling the air with the rustle of leaves and the frantic beating of wings—a scene of utter chaos.

I didn't dare look back, only charged ahead mindlessly.

Suddenly, a sharp sound erupted beside me. Startled, I instinctively turned my head, and at that moment, my foot caught on something. My balance broke, and I pitched forward violently!

I crashed hard onto the ground, striking a protruding stone—pain layered upon pain.

When luck turns against you, even a simple drink of water can get stuck between your teeth!

The vines here were truly excessive. With just one fall, I felt as if I had tumbled into a ball of threads. In my panic, I tried to get up, but the more I struggled, the tighter the vines clung to me! My anxiety increased; I pulled at them with all my strength, cursing inwardly—were these vines possessed?

A faint rustling sound began beside me, subtle yet continuous.

I stopped struggling, holding my breath and listening. The vines around me quivered gently, as if alive. My scalp tingled, and chills ran down my spine. They truly were alive!

Looking closely at the vines binding me, I saw them slowly writhing, tightening their grip.

Another rustling sound came, and I shuddered, shining my flashlight toward it—illuminating a gaunt, eerie face!

A small figure emerged from the grass ahead. I sucked in a cold breath—the little ghost had come from in front of me; I’d never had a chance to escape!

Were these vines under its control as well? Eating hearts, forbidden to the living, commanding dead cats—what kind of spirit was this Forbidden Ghost? Was a person possessed by it still human?

The dark, gaunt face twisted into a strange expression, lips moving as it spoke: "You... you help... help..."

I painstakingly unraveled the vines from my body, scrambled to my feet, and fled to the side.

"Don't... don't..." the little ghost’s voice echoed behind me.

I pushed my mind and legs forward, determined to escape, even if I couldn't break free from its grasp—I would not sit and wait for death!

The rustling grew denser, the vines around me trembling violently, as if poised to strike at any moment.

The air seemed to cool, goosebumps prickled my skin, muscles tensed, cold sweat beading on my forehead—a bone-chilling terror.

I soon realized it wasn’t the weather, but a strange, pervasive coldness seeping through the forest. The further I ran, the heavier it grew, making every hair stand on end, my heart pounding faster.

The vines’ trembling intensified, becoming a full-fledged shiver.

I slowed, shining my flashlight around, but saw no sign of Ze Yi, the little ghost. The birds had vanished, their cries and the beat of wings replaced by the relentless shuddering of the vines.

A sense of dread thickened. Without thinking, I turned to flee back the way I’d come! But after only a few steps, my foot caught again, sending me crashing to the ground. As I tried desperately to rise, my ankle was suddenly seized and yanked with tremendous force, dragging me backward!

I realized what was happening and tried to grab at the surrounding vegetation to stop myself, but my wrists were gripped tight—I couldn’t move. The vines, those sinister things, were binding me!

Their bizarre writhing spread across my body, wrapping tighter and tighter. My horror peaked—these vines truly were alive!

Though they looked flimsy, together they were astonishingly strong. I twisted and fought with all my might, but it did no good.

Where were they taking me? I clung to my flashlight, refusing to let go. If I fell into darkness, it would be the end!

Gradually, the vines engulfed my body, dragging me far from where I started. The coldness grew more intense, chilling me to the bone.

Closer—whatever it was, I was getting closer!

My chest thundered, spine chilled, muscles taut—a bodily instinct sensing imminent danger. Bound so tightly, I strained and struggled, but nothing changed.

The dragging at my ankle suddenly intensified, bumping and jolting me through the undergrowth, my vision spinning in confusion. I gripped my flashlight even harder.

The thicket grew denser, the vines more numerous. Just as I thought it would never end, the bumps stopped abruptly, and the space around me opened into a strange clearing.

With a rough jolt, I was dumped into a shallow pit, and the dragging ceased.

My heart pounded, breath rapid, fear lingering.

The vines continued to crawl across me, tightening and spreading, wrapping around my hands, my head.

"Help—mmph..." I tried to shout, but my mouth was bound by the vines, silencing me completely.

Alarmed, I struggled with everything I had; but what I couldn’t escape before was now even worse—each movement only made the vines constrict tighter. What did Ze Yi, that little ghost, want? What kind of place was this?

I managed to shift my head, scanning the area with my flashlight. This clearing was not naturally formed. The vegetation around it had withered in a wide patch, for reasons unknown. At the center of this dead ground was a raised mound, elongated and rounded, draped in withered vines.

The coldness here was overwhelming, chilling every hair on my body and filling me with dread. It emanated from the mound itself. My heart thudded with mounting apprehension—this spot was unnaturally placed, as if deliberately built—like a grave mound!

Suddenly, a strange rattling sound echoed, making me shudder. I looked toward the mound—it came from within! The sound pulsed, as if something inside was struggling, desperate to break free. It wasn’t loud, but in the tense atmosphere, it stabbed sharply into my nerves!

The vines and dead leaves atop the mound quivered in response. Something truly seemed to be struggling inside!

I stared, unmoving, as the feeling of impending doom intensified. My instincts screamed that I needed to flee—far, far away!

Desperate, I twisted with all my strength, emitting muffled cries.

The strange rattling grew more rapid and violent. This was it—I was finished! Ever since the Mid-Autumn Festival, my luck had been abysmal. First, my lifespan was reduced to only a month. Just when hope appeared, Old Ma died suddenly. Now I was trapped in some unknown danger!

What could be inside that mound!

The rattling noise grew fiercer, the entire mound shaking violently, the dead grass and leaves trembling along with it. Even I could feel a faint tremor!