"Brother Qin." Lin Fan's voice was very soft.
"Mm?"
Lin Fan quickly kissed Qin Feng on the neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"Fool."
Lin Fan hugged his neck, feeling very guilty. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come back. Nothing would have happened if I hadn't."
"Why did you come back?"
"I dreamed I was going to die, you holding my body and wiping the blood from my mouth, but I was clearly dead. I was so scared. I just wanted to come back and see you, and I didn't expect to find Ouyang Yu here." Lin Fan got angry when she mentioned Ouyang Yu. "Do you know why Ouyang Yu always targets me? This body of mine was originally a stillbirth. Ouyang Yu tricked me into coming here, letting me live in this body. Actually, I'm just a vessel. He wants to revive his lover. I nurture this body until the right moment, and then he'll kill me to let her in."
Qin Feng thought about the earlier issue. It wasn't Lin Fan dreaming; it was a real occurrence. As for the latter issue, he hoped Lin Fan would never know that the person Ouyang wanted to revive was herself. To Qin Feng, who Lin Fan was didn't matter; what mattered was that she was alive.
"I originally didn't want you to come back," Qin Feng said, his voice hoarse. "But now that things have turned out this way, there's no use in blaming yourself."
Lin Fan felt distressed and said, "Put me down."
"No."
"I'm quite heavy."
"Who's carrying whom? I don't find you heavy."
Lin Fan lay on Qin Feng's solid back, still feeling guilty. It was her insistence to come back. She didn't expect to encounter Ouyang Yu, nor that Ouyang Yu would be waiting here to really kill her. "Qin Feng?"
"Mm."
"I'm sorry."
Qin Feng sighed. Lin Fan had always been a strong-willed child, and Qin Feng had no right to interfere with her decisions. The human trafficking case was significant, involving a life, and he had his job, unable to be with Lin Fan 24/7.
Ouyang Yu was a hidden threat, but Qin Feng was powerless.
Qin Feng didn't speak, and Lin Fan didn't dare say more, fearing he'd get angrier.
Beyond the forest was endless darkness, catching Lin Fan off guard. She was very surprised. Qin Feng put Lin Fan down and held her hand. "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
Lin Fan shook her head. The two walked forward in the dark, Lin Fan's curiosity getting the better of her. "Why didn't I pass through here when I came?"
"It wasn't here when I came either. Don't talk." Qin Feng held Lin Fan close, holding his sword. "This could be Ghost City. I've heard Mr. Chen mention it."
Ghosts became denser on the road. They walked with their heads down, seemingly aimless. After about half an hour, the street became clearer, vaguely showing an ancient city. Qin Feng held Lin Fan's shoulder, afraid she'd get lost, knowing he wouldn't be able to find her if she did.
Suddenly, there was commotion ahead, and within minutes, intense fighting broke out. Qin Feng tried to protect Lin Fan and move around, but severed limbs fell from the sky, blocking their path. A few ghosts surrounded them, baring their fangs.
Qin Feng drew his sword and slashed, turning ghosts into dust.
Lin Fan drew her short sword and stood back to back with Qin Feng. "So many? More and more." Outnumbered, they were at a disadvantage.
Qin Feng assessed the direction. "When the fight starts, run southwest."
"Which way is southwest?"
Qin Feng pointed. Ghosts lunged, and he slashed through them. Here, there were no laws, no rules. Survival of the fittest, killing was the only theme.
Lin Fan once said that vengeful ghosts wander, unable to die, unable to reincarnate. But with so many wrongful deaths, few lingered in the world of the living. Where did they go? Probably here. Vicious ghosts dominated, the weak became food.
Lin Fan slashed across, a ghost wailing and falling. She saw the direction and charged, not wanting to drag Qin Feng down. Suddenly, a woman in the crowd grabbed Lin Fan and ran, immensely strong. Lin Fan stumbled, calling back, "Qin Feng!"
Qin Feng cut through the ghosts in front of him and chased after Lin Fan.
The battle behind them didn't stop. Victorious ghosts fed on the dead, savagely. Like hell on earth, Lin Fan was pulled forward by the woman, constantly looking back for Qin Feng. Fortunately, Qin Feng quickly caught up, grabbing Lin Fan's hand. He didn't know who the woman was.
They navigated the complex Ghost City, soon reaching an open area where buildings disappeared. The woman took off her hat, and Lin Fan was shocked. "It's you?"
The woman who carried cotton on the bus, who gave her a shriveled apple.
"Follow this road straight, and you'll be out."
She saw Qin Feng's face and her expression changed instantly, seeming terrified. She stepped back and bowed. "Miss, you helped me before. Today, I repay your kindness."
"You’re too polite."
Qin Feng scrutinized her, then looked around at the endless darkness.
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"This is the edge. Cross this black desert, and you'll see the exit," she continued. "The life gate opens at midnight. This place is not safe for long. Take care."
"Thank you."
The woman quickly disappeared, and Qin Feng led Lin Fan forward.
"Was the way you came like this?"
"No, it's different for everyone," Qin Feng said. "Who was that person?"
Lin Fan recounted meeting her to Qin Feng. "Is she a human or a ghost? So strange."
"Don't know." Qin Feng only found her recent look at him strange, seeming terrified, yet he didn't know her.
Lin Fan said, "If the path is correct, she must be a good person."
The journey was long, so long that Lin Fan almost thought they would walk here forever. Finally, the path cleared. The entrance was very calm, with two doors. Qin Feng led Lin Fan to the door on the right, a long spear thrusting toward them. Qin Feng pulled Lin Fan aside and drew his sword, engaging in battle.
Qin Feng felt different here, though he couldn't say exactly how. The environment was too bizarre, and he had to get Lin Fan out.
He saw the opponent's attire clearly, resembling a warrior. The spear thrust, and he blocked with his sword. The opponent suddenly stopped. Qin Feng stood holding his sword, unable to see his face. The warrior suddenly knelt. "General!"
Qin Feng protected Lin Fan behind him, cautiously watching. "Who are you?"
The man raised his head, his face a skull, still unrecognizable. "General, did you enter here in person?"
Qin Feng remembered Lin Fan's strange dream about past and present lives, half-believing, half-doubting. "My wife mistakenly entered here. I'm taking her back."
The man was silent. Qin Feng readied his sword for battle.
"Returning to the human world?"
"Yes."
"You've taken the wrong path," the man put away his long spear and strode in the other direction. "This is the life gate."
Qin Feng and Lin Fan were not well-versed in these matters. They exchanged glances before saying, "Thank you for guiding us."
"No need to thank me," the man said. "In hundreds of years, this is the first time I've seen a living person enter here. In hundreds of years, no one has ever passed through this life gate. Take care."
Qin Feng sheathed his sword. "Do we know each other?"
The man then scrutinized Qin Feng's clothes, realizing that after hundreds of years, who knew what changes had occurred in the mortal world.
"Forget it, just forget it. Who knows how much the mortal world has changed now."
Qin Feng felt a sense of familiarity but couldn't recall where from. He cupped his hands, "Take care."
Taking a gamble, he led Lin Fan into the life gate.
Suddenly, there was a burst of white light, and Qin Feng's hand was empty. His feet had already landed on solid ground. He quickly turned around; behind him was a wall. There was nothing, no path he had walked. Qin Feng clenched his fists, "Lin Fan?"
Lin Fan did not respond. His scalp tingled as he shouted again, "Lin Fan!"
The phone rang, and Qin Feng answered it.
"Captain Qin, where did you go? We found results from investigating Zhao Village yesterday."
"What day is it today?"
"Huh?" Officer Wang was confused. "What do you mean what day?"
Qin Feng looked at the phone and saw the date had returned to normal. Only one day had passed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Where had Lin Fan gone? Could she still be alive? The entrance was in Lin Fan's hometown, a plan suggested by Mr. Chen. But where was this exit? Qin Feng found the door, opened it, and the outside was a corridor, cold air rushing in.
"No problem, I'll contact you again soon." Qin Feng was eager to find Lin Fan.
"Huh?"
Qin Feng hung up the phone and rushed downstairs to the courtyard to see where he was. It was an old building on Zhongming Road. He quickly called Mr. Chen, who soon answered, "Mr. Qin."
"She's gone."
"Where are you?" Mr. Chen's voice was as steady as ever.
"Jiang City, Zhongming Road."
"You are human, she is a ghost. It's normal you can't see her. I'm in Ying County. Her body is here with me. Come over. Her soul should be beside you, but you can't see it."
Qin Feng looked around, unable to discern anything. "Alright, I'll come right away."
He hung up and looked forward. "Lin Fan? Are you here? Make some noise to let me know you're here. Can you hear me? Can you see me?"
A breeze blew past, a very light breeze. The surrounding air was calm, but here it stirred. Qin Feng sighed and rubbed his face, "Follow me and don't wander off."
Another breeze blew, and Qin Feng took it as a sign she understood.
Lin Fan hopped around, shouting at Qin Feng, "Qin Feng, look at me? Qin Feng, don't talk to the air."
Qin Feng couldn't hear her, and Lin Fan finally gave up.
He strode outside, and Lin Fan quickly followed. Qin Feng went to the station's parking lot, got his car, and drove straight to Ying County. He arrived at one in the morning and called Mr. Chen.
He gave a village location, very remote. When Qin Feng found it, it was already 3:30 AM. He knocked, and a young man soon opened the door, yawning, "Mr. Qin?"
"Yes, I'm here to see Mr. Chen."
"Come in."
Qin Feng entered the courtyard, and the house was brightly lit. Mr. Chen was writing in the living room. At 3 AM, a blind man writing in the living room was quite eerie.
"Sir," Qin Feng called.
"Please sit, the girl can sit too."
Lin Fan sat beside Qin Feng, looking around. "Sir, can you see me?"
"I can sense you. I'm blind."
Qin Feng paused. Mr. Chen said, "I was talking to her."
Qin Feng looked beside him, not knowing if it was her.
"She's on your right," Mr. Chen reminded.
Qin Feng turned to Lin Fan and said, "What now?"
"Extracting a soul is easy, but returning it is hard," Mr. Chen stood and found his cane. "Follow me, both of you."
They followed Mr. Chen to a room in the back. Qin Feng saw Lin Fan on the bed, covered in talismans. His heart skipped a beat, and he stepped forward. "Can she live?"
Mr. Chen sat down, facing the bed, "Not difficult, but it might be hard for you." He looked at Qin Feng. "I told you being with her would shorten your life, remember?"
"I know." Qin Feng nodded, holding the cold hand of the person on the bed.
"No children in this life."
Qin Feng continued nodding, "Mm."
"Then it's settled." Mr. Chen placed a white dish in front of Qin Feng. "Take some of your blood, cut your finger."
Qin Feng's keychain had a small knife. He opened the dish but it suddenly flipped. He looked at Mr. Chen. "What's going on?"
"She's throwing a tantrum," Mr. Chen said.
Qin Feng looked at the air. "Don't fuss, listen."
Lin Fan knocked the dish to the ground, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want him to extend my life. I don't want it! Sir, please tell him, I don't want him to give me life. I just want him to live well. I'm a wandering soul, meeting him was enough."
Qin Feng said, "Continue, she doesn't understand."
Lin Fan was furious. Her soul had drifted for a century.
Mr. Chen got a new dish, and Lin Fan suddenly hated him. Forcing Qin Feng to give his life, she wanted to kill Mr. Chen. She drew her short sword and held it to his neck. "I don't agree!"
Mr. Chen smiled. "Take the blood."
Qin Feng took blood from his fingertip, put down the knife, and pressed the wound. "What next?"
Lin Fan despaired, looking at Qin Feng's face. Shortened life, no children. How could he have children with her?
"Just stay here and watch her."
Mr. Chen used Qin Feng's blood to draw talismans on Lin Fan's body. Her clothes were removed, and Qin Feng wanted to stop him but realized Mr. Chen was blind and couldn't see. After that, Mr. Chen deftly cut Lin Fan's finger. Qin Feng wanted to stop, standing abruptly. Strangely, although she had been dead for a day, her finger bled.
"You also undress and lie down," Mr. Chen said.
Qin Feng didn't know what he intended but trusted him. He undressed and lay down, immediately losing consciousness. When he awoke, it was daylight. He blinked and quickly realized where he was, sitting up and pulling another person with him. He hurriedly untied their bound hands.
Her fingers moved, and Qin Feng looked up quickly. Lin Fan's eyelids twitched. He held his breath, watching silently, afraid to scare her. Lin Fan opened her eyes, then quickly closed them again.