The recent experience left me with a feeling of having narrowly escaped death.
Fortunately, it was all over.
I had pulled through again, feeling both happy and sorrowful.
When Brother Chen asked, I forced a wry smile and replied,
“Brother Chen, you were possessed just now and nearly killed me.”
My voice was filled with lingering terror and fear.
Brother Chen struggled to sit up.
Seeing us sitting on the road, covered in blood, with a large gash on my palm,
and shards of glass embedded in the wound, he too looked surprised and confused.
He frowned, trying hard to recall.
After a while, he vaguely remembered:
“I remember, I remember standing by the park entrance smoking.
A large yellow chicken ran past me.
It looked familiar, so I went to take a look.
Then someone slapped me on the back.
As soon as I turned, everything went black.
I don't remember what happened next…”
Brother Chen pressed his head, recalling with difficulty.
I took a few deep breaths and recounted what I had experienced to Brother Chen.
When Brother Chen heard that I was nearly killed by him while possessed,
and that I had escaped by quickly reciting the "Heart Sutra" (Bore Bore Boluo Mimi Duoxin Jing), he was greatly shocked.
Wiping the blood from his nostrils, he said with regret,
“Damn it, I was careless, so careless.
Little Qin! I'm sorry.
I overestimated my own abilities.
And underestimated the power of this vile thing.
It seems this thing has likely formed a malevolent spirit (Cheng Sha).”
“Cheng Sha?”
I asked in surprise.
Brother Chen nodded:
“It means a ghost that can directly harm people.
Tonight, it already made a move against you.
And it suffered a loss.
It definitely won’t stop now, it will likely escalate, becoming even more ferocious.
I can no longer deal with this kind of vile thing.
I almost lost myself tonight.
Little Qin, I probably can’t help you anymore…”
Hearing this, my heart sank again.
If Brother Chen gave up, wouldn't I be doomed?
“Brother, Brother Chen, if you don't save me, I'll really die.
Is there truly no way to save me?”
I'm just an ordinary person, working on an assembly line at a car factory, tightening screws.
I just wanted to earn a few thousand yuan a month, buy my grandmother a couple of new clothes for the New Year when I go home, build a house in my village later, and then find a wife to settle down with.
Suddenly, I was facing a ghost that wanted to claim my life, about to die.
I truly couldn't accept it, and I was very frightened.
Brother Chen didn't answer immediately but, gasping for breath, pulled out two cigarettes.
He offered me one and
gestured for us to sit on a public bench nearby.
Brother Chen had lost a lot of blood after being possessed by the ghost.
His body was very weak; he panted after just a few steps, and his body trembled.
Sitting on the bench, his hands trembled uncontrollably.
I quickly took out a lighter and lit his cigarette.
Brother Chen took a deep drag, and his expression eased somewhat:
“I can't deal with this thing, but that doesn't mean others can't.
I'll show you a way, find a true master to help you.”
Hearing "true master," I nodded repeatedly:
“Brother Chen, Brother Chen, where is this master?”
Brother Chen exhaled a puff of smoke and said solemnly,
“Go to the Yellow Springs Road…”
“Yellow, Yellow Springs Road?”
My face instantly turned pale.
Isn't the Yellow Springs Road the path people take after death to the underworld?
Brother Chen wants me to go to the Yellow Springs Road…
Seeing my frightened expression, Brother Chen
smiled slightly and patted my shoulder:
“Don't be so nervous. This Yellow Springs Road isn't the one you're thinking of.
There's a famous hot spring in the east of the city. Because the mountain it's on is called Old Yellow Mountain,
people there call that hot spring ‘Huangquan’ (Yellow Springs).
There's a road at the foot of the mountain called Yellow Springs Road…”
After Brother Chen's explanation, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing me relax, Brother Chen continued:
“When you get to Yellow Springs Road, look for a geomancy shop called Wanfu Tang.
The master there is surnamed Gu.
If you find him, he can definitely save you…”
With Brother Chen's guidance, I memorized it carefully.
However, at this moment, I decided to take Brother Chen to the hospital first.
He had bled so much from his nose, and he had such a large gash on his hand.
With glass fragments embedded in the wound, it could get infected and necrotic if not removed.
So, after we finished our cigarettes, I called for a ride-hailing car.
Supporting the blood-covered Brother Chen, I took him directly to the nearest hospital.
We got out of the car at the hospital's back entrance.
Since it was already around three in the morning, the area outside the hospital was deserted.
The entire road was dark and empty, with no one around except for illegally parked cars.
I supported the dizzy and panting Brother Chen and walked towards the hospital.
But as we approached the back entrance, I heard a ringing sound from behind us.
“Ring, ring, ring, ring…”
It was very late, and hearing such a clear bell sound suddenly,
I curiously looked back. It was pitch black, and I saw nothing.
But the bell sound was exceptionally clear and loud.
So, I said to Brother Chen, while supporting him:
“It’s so late, who is ringing a bell outside the hospital, and so loudly.”
I just made a casual remark.
After all, hospitals are for sick people.
Ringing a bell so late at night, and so loudly, wouldn't that disturb the patients?
But Brother Chen, whom I was supporting, suddenly changed his expression and glanced back:
“Bell sound? What bell sound? I didn’t hear anything?”
I was puzzled.
Such a loud and clear bell sound, and Brother Chen couldn't hear it?
“The bell sound, it’s coming from behind.”
As I spoke, I pointed behind me.
But the next moment, Brother Chen suddenly took a deep breath and grabbed my hand.
He said, very panicked:
“Don't point, quickly get to the wall.”
After saying that, the weak Brother Chen suddenly mustered some strength.
He pulled me and pressed me directly against the wall.
Brother Chen's sudden action left me bewildered.
What was going on now?
Before I could ask,
I saw seven or eight patients, dressed in hospital gowns but with very pale faces, walking out of the hospital entrance one after another.
They all lowered their heads, their eyes obscured.
They walked out of the security check silently, one after another, forming a neat line and walking towards us.
Brother Chen, standing beside me, suddenly covered my eyes.
Lowering his voice, he said urgently and sternly:
“What are you looking at? If you don't want to die, close your eyes quickly…”