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墨書 Inktalez
Tai'an, the city located at the foot of Mount Tai, is built against the mountain, creating a harmonious blend of mountain and city.
The name Tai'an is derived from Mount Tai, symbolizing peace and stability for the nation and its people.
It is a renowned cultural tourism city, with Mount Tai being a key scenic area, often referred to as the foremost of the Five Great Mountains and the number one mountain under heaven.
I do not know where this person named Gu Chen started or why he has gone to Shandong Tai'an again, but I am certain that his visit is definitely not for tourism.
It has already been decided that I will go with Zhou Zhen to find Gu Chen.
The sooner we leave, the better. However, I did not expect it to be so soon; we are leaving tomorrow.
Seeing my slight surprise, Zhou Zhen asked, "Is there a problem?"
I quickly shook my head and replied, "There isn't really a problem; it's just that I haven't informed my family yet, and I haven't resigned from my job. I plan to do that tomorrow."
Zhou Zhen responded, "That's perfect. Just call your family first thing in the morning to let them know, then go resign from your job. After that, pack up and come with me."
I nodded. Since Zhou Zhen had made this decision, there was no other option but to follow through.
Then Zhou Zhen asked Dapeng and the others if they had any issues. They all shook their heads in confusion, clearly still shaken by what had just happened.
Dapeng remained silent, lost in thought, his legs trembling slightly in front of me.
I shook him gently and called out his name. Only then did he snap back to reality and ask me what was wrong.
I said, "Are you okay? Did you get scared?"
He nodded repeatedly, "Yeah, I was terrified."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but mutter, "I thought I was going to have a lucky night, finding such a beautiful girl to... you know, and then this happened."
Since we were close enough, we all heard him. Zhou Zhen shot him a glare, and he quickly shrank back, not finishing his sentence. In truth, he was just mumbling; even if Zhou Zhen hadn't glared at him, he probably wouldn't have had the guts to continue.
At least he was still able to complain, which meant he wasn't too shaken up.
After what had just happened, everyone was nearly sober now, and it was clear that no one wanted to stay here any longer.
Zhou Zhen calmed everyone down and then warned them not to spread the events of the night. He knew very well that if they were scared, they should just avoid coming here in the future.
If word got out and something happened later on, they could only blame themselves.
His warning carried a hint of threat that made everyone shrink back in fear, nodding in agreement. Then we all went downstairs to check out and headed home.
As for me, I followed Zhou Zhen directly. Once we arrived at his place, I curiously asked him about the male ghost and the female ghost in the courtyard—what secrets they held.
Instinctively, I felt that those two ghosts were somewhat different from others. After thinking for a moment, I realized two things.
Malice and brutality.
Yes, it was malice and brutality. Although those two ghosts had frightened us quite a bit, they hadn't harmed us in any way and had remained calm throughout the encounter. They were far less vicious than other malevolent spirits we had encountered.
It was either a matter of life or death.
Moreover, I was curious about why Zhou Zhen had asked me over the phone what the name of the brothel was before. What did that have to do with the two ghosts, a man and a woman?
Seeing my puzzled expression, Zhou Zhen reluctantly explained.
He said that the man and woman were actually a couple. Back when the brothel was called Rolling Stone, the woman named Huan Huan worked there as a hostess, entertaining guests by drinking with them.
I nodded and said, "Oh, so she was a hostess."
Zhou Zhen seemed a bit angry at my words and replied, "What do you mean she was just a hostess? It was all because life forced her into it."
Noticing Zhou Zhen's irritation, I remained silent and listened as he continued. He told me that Huan Huan worked in such a place because her family's situation was dire. Her father had died early, her mother was elderly and ill, and she had a younger brother who needed to go to school.
All these burdens fell solely on her shoulders. After finishing his explanation, Zhou Zhen shot me a glare and said, "Do you think she ended up there just because life was easy for her?"
I nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt for my earlier comment. It was indeed pitiful that such a heavy burden rested on the shoulders of one frail woman.
Sometimes life is like that; it can beat people down until they are left with nothing but scars.
Zhou Zhen continued, saying that Huan Huan was actually a good girl—filial and sensible. Even while working in such a place, she maintained her principles.
Then she met that boy, and they fell in love with each other.
I curiously asked, "That's great! But why did they both end up dead?"
"Good Things"
Zhou Zhen's eyes widened, seemingly a bit angry yet also somewhat regretful as he said, "Maybe it was originally a good thing, but Boy's Parents absolutely refused. Not only did they look down on her, but they also said many insulting things about her and forbade the boy from seeing her, locking him up at home. In the end, she couldn't take it anymore and committed suicide."
"She committed suicide."
Zhou Zhen's words made me take a deep breath, feeling a mix of anger and sorrow.
"Yes, she committed suicide, and when that boy found out, he was heartbroken and felt very guilty. After hearing the news, he said he wanted to see her one last time. Boy's Parents thought that since she was already dead, they agreed. But unexpectedly, the boy went there and died right in front of her."
"He also committed suicide?" I asked with a frown.
"Yes," Zhou Zhen nodded.
I felt a surge of emotion, my eyes becoming slightly misty. They were both people who valued their feelings deeply.
In this society where many people claim to love each other fiercely every day, how many could truly follow through in life and death?
After pondering for a moment, I curiously asked, "Uncle Zhou, how do you know all this?"
He sighed and replied, "They died quite some time ago. It's not my first time dealing with them; I've visited a few times and just chatted when there's nothing else to do."
Talking to ghosts—Zhou Zhen's answer left me speechless.
I thought for a moment and said, "So that's why you didn't take action against them."
Zhou Zhen nodded and said, "Not all ghosts are wicked. They have never harmed anyone; at most, they just play tricks on some people."
"Then if they just stay there, won't it have any effect?" I asked curiously.
Zhou Zhen replied irritably, "Of course it does."
I inquired, "What kind of effect?"
Zhou Zhen chuckled, "Whoever takes over that place will be unlucky. No matter what business they run, they will never get rich; just breaking even would be a stroke of luck."
After saying this, he yawned and stood up, saying, "Alright, enough talk. You've kept me up all night; I'm exhausted and going to sleep."
"Okay," I nodded helplessly, not wanting to ask more questions. However, I understood his point: even if those two were harmless, they were still ghosts. Having something unclean lingering in that place would make it impossible for business to thrive.
But none of this was my concern, so I didn't dwell on it.
I slept until after ten the next morning when Zhou Zhen woke me up and urged me to call home to let them know and then go resign from my job.
Reluctantly, I got up. After washing up, I first called my mom to inform her that I planned to go directly to see Gu Chen.
Since I had mentioned this during dinner at home yesterday, my mom didn’t say much; she only asked why I was suddenly in such a hurry. I told her there might be something going on over there.
After notifying my family, I took a bus back to the company and submitted my resignation letter.
Actually, resigning was just a formality, a matter of principle. I hadn't been to work for quite some time, and my salary had dwindled to just a few hundred. I had no intention of claiming it anymore; whether I resigned or not was inconsequential.
So, I didn't waste any time. I submitted my resignation letter, said my goodbyes to my colleagues, and then packed up a few changes of clothes and some basic necessities before leaving with Zhou Zhen.
Zhou Zhen and I took the train, arriving in Tai'an early the next morning. There was no time to admire the majestic Mount Tai; after getting off the train and grabbing a quick breakfast, we were whisked away by Zhou Zhen to catch a bus to a small county beneath Tai'an.
By the time we reached the county, it was already noon. We found a place to eat, which finally gave us a moment to rest.
During this time, Zhou Zhen made a phone call, seemingly arranging for someone to pick us up. We waited until it was almost dark when a dark-skinned man arrived in a van to take us.
As we bounced along the road, leaving the county behind and venturing down a dirt path surrounded by desolate mountains and forests, I felt a twinge of curiosity. "Uncle Zhou, where are we headed?"
He casually replied, "Of course, I'm taking you to meet Senior Gu."
I was puzzled; it seemed strange that someone with the surname Gu would choose such a remote village as their destination.
The area was so desolate that even birds wouldn't bother to stop here.
Noticing my furrowed brow and slight displeasure, Zhou Zhen added, "Don't be upset. Since Senior Gu is here, there must be a reason. You won't regret this trip; it will definitely broaden your horizons."
At his words, I felt a jolt of surprise and couldn't help but whisper, "It wouldn't be something ghostly again, would it?"
Zhou Zhen glanced at me with a look of disbelief and said, "What are ghosts? There are far more terrifying things in this world than ghosts."
Things more frightening than ghosts.
I couldn't help but peer through the car window at the desolate mountains and wild forests outside, overgrown with weeds and devoid of any signs of life.
Could there be monsters lurking here?
Suddenly, I was startled by my own thought.
The second volume has begun, brothers and sisters, let’s charge ahead! As always, if you haven't saved it yet, please do so. Support us in any way you can; I promise the content and quality will not disappoint you. If we reach four hundred saves today, I’ll add an extra chapter; if we hit five hundred, I’ll add three chapters.
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