Chapter 50: Stopping a Car in the Dead of Night

After he finished speaking, he noticed the driver’s face had turned rather pale. The driver slammed his foot on the gas, showing no intention of stopping the car.

“Hey, driver, aren’t you interested in making two hundred?” Zhang Xiaofan teased.

The driver said nothing, his face ashen as he sped down the road. Zhang Xiaofan shook his head, but then a sudden realization struck him—how could someone be flagging down cars at this hour? Could it be...

When he first saw the shadowy figure, he hadn’t thought much of it, nor did he know if it was a person or a ghost. But now, reflecting on the driver's reaction, did the driver sense something amiss?

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Zhang Xiaofan glanced at the rearview mirror. The figure flagging them down was a woman, her features striking and beautiful, dressed in a bright red dress. Her gaze followed their departing car, but she uttered not a word.

A cold chill settled in Zhang Xiaofan’s heart. This was bad—she was definitely a ghost.

He said, “Driver, you’re impressive. You saw right away that she was a ghost.”

The driver shot Zhang Xiaofan a fierce glare. “What nonsense are you spouting? There was no one flagging the car in the middle of the night!”

A low mechanical hum filled the car.

Zhang Xiaofan was stunned. He had forgotten—if a ghost doesn’t want to be seen, ordinary people can’t see her. Only he, because of his special eyes, could see spirits.

The driver’s expression grew uglier. “I’m telling you, there’s something off about you. If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll throw you out.” He glanced into the rearview mirror out of habit, and as he did, his lips twitched. There was someone in the back seat.

In an instant, the driver’s scalp prickled with fear. There had been no one there before, and now a woman had suddenly appeared. He stomped on the gas, and the car shot forward.

Zhang Xiaofan felt the acceleration; he stole a glance at the driver and asked Liu Yu, “Looks like the driver just saw a ghost.”

“This is bad. That ghost isn’t ordinary. A woman in red is the most dangerous kind—she’s as powerful as I am,” Liu Yu replied.

“You can’t handle her either?” Zhang Xiaofan asked anxiously. “Aren’t you a fierce ghost too?”

“I was injured by Jiang Jianhao’s yellow talisman powder last time. I can’t muster much strength, and it’s hard to show myself. If she discovers me, she may try to devour me,” Liu Yu said urgently.

“This is a real mess,” Zhang Xiaofan muttered. He looked ahead and his face changed dramatically. At some point, the woman in red had appeared again, now standing in front of the car, waving.

He glanced at the driver, who had clearly seen her too. The driver stared straight at the woman, cursed under his breath, then made a sharp turn into a small grove, killed the engine, and hissed at Zhang Xiaofan, “Don’t make a sound, damn it!”

He pulled out a string of prayer beads and began to mutter, “Spirits above, hear me, Supreme Lord Lao, show your power…”

“It’s useless,” Liu Yu said.

Zhang Xiaofan replied, “Let him have his psychological comfort.”

After about ten minutes, the driver glanced back and breathed a sigh of relief. “In our line of work, you have to know a few incantations. Looks like the ghost is gone now. What a cursed night—never seen this before. Why did it have to happen tonight?” He looked at Zhang Xiaofan and asked, “Could the ghost have been drawn by your scent?”

Zhang Xiaofan felt speechless. “I’m a decent person. Why would a ghost come after me?” But inside, he was uneasy. Liu Yu had told him before that ghosts are drawn to people with spiritual energy. Could it really be after him?

Soon, the driver reversed out and drove on. There was no one around. After a few more miles, still no one.

At last, the car stopped in front of a small house. Zhang Xiaofan frowned, “Why are we stopping here?”

The driver smiled, got out, came around to Zhang Xiaofan’s side, yanked the door open and, suddenly with a twisted look, pulled out a small knife, threatening, “Get out.”

Zhang Xiaofan weighed his options. They were too close together—if he tried anything rash, he’d be in real danger. So he said, “Driver, are you trying to rob me?”

“Hmph. You really have forgotten everything. Let me show you something.” He dragged Zhang Xiaofan out and led him to the door.

Zhang Xiaofan was bewildered—what did the man mean? Did they know each other?

As soon as he stepped inside, a chill seeped into his bones. He saw the scene in the room and his pupils contracted violently—five coffins, all neatly aligned.

On top of one coffin was the very photo of the woman in red—a perfect likeness.

What was happening?

Zhang Xiaofan was dumbstruck.

“My daughter, I’ve brought you the murderer!” the driver exclaimed with a laugh. He dragged Zhang Xiaofan inside. “You murderer, have you forgotten everything you did?”

“Brother, what are you talking about?” Zhang Xiaofan resisted the urge to fight back, his voice urgent.

“A year ago, you had an episode. It was you who drew those evil spirits here. Our entire village was slaughtered by ghosts because of you—you even got my whole family killed. Zhang Xiaofan, have you forgotten it all?”

A buzzing sound filled Zhang Xiaofan’s mind. The man knew him.

What on earth was going on?

Suddenly, a flash of red appeared by the window. The driver laughed wildly, “Daughter, watch your father avenge you!”

The woman in red materialized in an instant. She blew a chill wind; the driver collapsed unconscious. Zhang Xiaofan retreated warily. “Why did you knock him out?”

“My father has suffered enough. I don’t want him to keep living like this,” the ghost said softly.

“So you’re his daughter. Why did you try to flag us down earlier?” Zhang Xiaofan asked.

“I’ve always watched over my father on the road. But tonight, I saw you, Zhang Xiaofan.” The ghost’s gaze was fixed on him. “You really have forgotten.”

“What happened?”

“Your eyes—they’re different now, aren’t they?”

“What do you mean? My grandfather just said I was hurt. I got better and went back to school.”

“Your grandfather? He died a year ago,” the ghost replied.

“What?”

“A year ago, after the school holiday, you were injured. Your grandfather carried you home. That night, a hundred ghosts invaded. Our entire village was wiped out. Only my father survived, because he was out driving late. And the root of it all—was you.”

Her eyes were cold as she spoke.

“How can that be?”

“Hmph. Tell me, how long since you’ve been home?”

Zhang Xiaofan thought back. It had been more than a year since he’d returned, and even during his last break, his grandfather had him stay in the city and work.

“You haven’t been home, have you? Because everyone is dead. Your grandfather didn’t let you return,” the ghost said icily.

“How could this happen? And why haven’t you all moved on?”

“Because our deaths were too unnatural. We can’t reincarnate. Everyone is doomed to wander the world…”