Free Web NovelChapter 757: Chapter 573: Here It Comes
A horrifying image abruptly invaded Yang Xiao’s mind, a completely subconscious reaction, as he flipped the table over and pulled out the Human Bone Staff with his backhand.
Clearly startled by Yang Xiao’s actions, Nolan Shuo stumbled backward several steps before stabilizing himself, "Little Yang, what’s wrong with you?" freёweɓnovel.com
Staring at the Director’s face, Yang Xiao barely restrained himself from striking with the staff, remaining silent as he lifted the Ghost Lantern in his hand. As the green light spread, illuminating Nolan Shuo’s face and body, an eerie scene occurred; there was not the slightest change on him.
Director Nalan was not a ghost, he was human.
Trying again yielded the same result, leaving Yang Xiao confused. He was certain that what he had just seen was no illusion.
By this time, Nolan Shuo had also calmed down, offering Yang Xiao a pair of eyes that brought comfort. He knew Yang Xiao wasn’t impulsive without reason; he must have discovered something. After a moment, Nolan Shuo asked in a calm tone, "Little Yang, did you just discover something?"
Slowly setting down the Human Bone Staff, Yang Xiao gasped for air, his chest heaving violently; the scene he had just witnessed had been shockingly intense, and his forehead was still covered in cold sweat that had yet to subside, "Director, just now... I saw you transform into a ghost, with rotting legs."
Upon hearing this, Nolan Shuo’s complexion turned ugly too. Such an incident at this time was not a good omen.
After catching his breath, Yang Xiao immediately picked up the Ghost Lantern and made a round of inspection in the room, under the bed, in the bathroom, behind the tightly drawn curtains, and even the ceiling – he left no corner unchecked. Only after confirming there were no issues did he stop. He held a speculation he dared not voice, for fear of frightening Nolan Shuo. He suspected that the decomposing legs he’d seen did not belong to a ghost but to Director Nalan himself, and that it was Nolan Shuo, who would be gruesomely killed in a task not long after.
Using this time, Nolan Shuo tidied up the flipped table and the spilled instant noodles. After such an incident, no one had the appetite to eat. Yang Xiao asked Nolan Shuo to recall the content of the Ghost Script, but alas, the clues were sparse and unhelpful.
As tension fermented, Yang Xiao advised Nolan Shuo to rest, while he armed himself fully, even without removing his Drama Robe. The Ghost Lantern and Human Bone Staff were placed at his side as he propped up pillows and leaned against the headboard, prepared to stay awake through the night. He had a premonition that something was bound to happen tonight.
As time ticked by, Nolan Shuo, sleeping on another bed not far away, began to breathe steadily, apparently entering deep sleep.
With the night growing darker, drowsiness invaded Yang Xiao’s mind as well. It was a strange and terrifying sensation. Yang Xiao struggled against the sleepiness, but to no avail. His limbs felt restrained as he could only sense his eyelids drooping bit by bit until the world before him plunged into complete darkness.
Yang Xiao had a dream. In it, he was dressed in red, trudging alone on a muddy mountain road flanked by endless forests, silent as death.
There was no purpose, no end, not even a direction, but none of these were the most terrifying part. The most terrifying thing was the feeling that someone was following him. Despite looking back several times, he could not locate whoever was tailing him. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
A dangerous and unfamiliar presence loomed closer and closer, nipping at his heels like a relentless maggot, drawing nearer and nearer. Yang Xiao was compelled to speed up, running on the muddy mountain road, yet he could not shake off that malice.
After running for an indeterminate period, Yang Xiao eventually could run no more. He steadied himself against a tree, recalling a saying that one might see things invisible to the naked eye by looking back through one’s legs while bending over. With no other recourse, he decided to give it a try.
Taking a deep breath, he bent over and looked back through his legs, and this time, he saw it. Right behind him was... Nolan Shuo!
They were merely 3 to 4 meters apart. At this moment, Nolan Shuo’s eyes were lifeless, trailing behind him like a walking corpse, his body soaked and dripping water as if he had just been fished out of a river, emanating a foul stench of decay.
In the next second, before Yang Xiao could take a closer look, suddenly, the listless eyes of Nolan Shuo started twitching, rolling downwards. At that moment, Yang Xiao realized he had made a grave mistake. Looking back through the legs may offer an easy encounter with a ghost, but the drawback was that seeing a ghost this way was mutual; at the same time, the ghost would take notice of him. Before he could react, Nolan Shuo, who had already become a decaying corpse, lunged at him fiercely.
"Huh—"
"Huh—"
Yang Xiao woke from his dream with a start, the scene of Nolan Shuo lunging at him still vivid in his mind. He remained propped against the pillow, just as he was before falling asleep, and outside it was still dark, the ceiling lamp above dimly lit with a yellow glow.
Everything was as before. Yang Xiao was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of Director Nalan in the neighboring bed, turned to face him, eyes open.
In the instant their eyes met, Yang Xiao saw panic in Nolan Shuo’s wide stare. The next second, Nolan Shuo slowly, very slowly, moved his arm, extending his right hand out from under the covers. To Yang Xiao’s shock, he pointed his index finger to his lips, and with his mouth, made a shushing gesture.
Following Nolan Shuo’s gaze, Yang Xiao realized he was indicating the direction of the bathroom. Simultaneously holding his breath, after a few seconds, he indeed heard a strange "rustling" sound coming from the direction of the bathroom.
