Jiang Ye was extremely fast. It took him less than ten seconds to reach the first floor.
Their house had an open-plan kitchen. The moment he reached the first floor, he found Li Miaomiao sitting on the floor in the pitch-black kitchen, her face full of terror, the flashlight on her phone pointed ahead.
Jiang Ye followed the beam of light.
Li Miaomiao had opened the refrigerator.
He saw the thing that had scared Li Miaomiao into screaming—a rotting human head.
Jiang Ye’s pupils contracted. Shock rose in his heart.
The entire face of the head had rotted away. Its teeth were exposed, its lips decayed, and it was hideously ferocious. Its face was covered in black hair, and its features were already impossible to identify.
Someone had killed a person in the house, then hidden the head in the refrigerator.
Judging from the extent of decay, it had been there for at least several days. Li Miaomiao usually did not eat at home and would not use the refrigerator, so she had never noticed.
He walked over and closed the refrigerator. He was just about to say they should call the police when a sudden crash came from upstairs, as if something had fallen to the floor.
Jiang Ye reacted at once.
It was the aluminum folding ladder he had set up beneath the attic entrance in the ceiling.
Immediately after came hurried thudding footsteps, traveling down the stairs.
Someone was coming downstairs!
Could there really have been a murderer hiding in the attic?
Jiang Ye quickly pulled Li Miaomiao up and rushed toward the entryway.
Li Miaomiao lost her footing. She had only just stood up when she fell. The person upstairs was extremely fast, reaching the second floor in an instant. Jiang Ye glanced at the distance and estimated that they would not make it in time. He turned off Li Miaomiao’s phone, dragged her down, and crouched with her beneath the kitchen island.
They had only just hidden themselves when the footsteps reached the first-floor stairs.
The two of them cautiously poked their heads out and watched the stairway.
A burly figure appeared there.
It was a man, wearing a dark green shirt and black suit pants, walking down one step at a time.
Both Li Miaomiao and Jiang Ye recognized this man.
It was Li Miaomiao’s father, Li Yi’an.
Li Miaomiao had thought it was the murderer. Her heart, which had just leapt into her throat, settled back down, and she got up, wanting to call out to her dad.
But Jiang Ye felt something was wrong.
The indescribable odor from before had grown much stronger. Now it had reached the point of being nauseating. Clearly, Li Yi’an had brought it down with him.
The instant Li Miaomiao rose, Jiang Ye’s eyes and hands moved fast. He pressed her down at once and covered her mouth.
Because of this brief delay, Li Yi’an finally descended the stairs.
By the dim light available, Jiang Ye and Li Miaomiao both clearly saw what he looked like.
Their pupils shrank to pinpoints.
Above their father’s neck, there was nothing at all.
His chest was soaked with dark red blood, and he stood there burly and horrifying. His hand rested on the banister, covered in dense, long black hair.
Jiang Ye felt Li Miaomiao trembling.
He covered her mouth and shook his head at her.
Tears swirled in Li Miaomiao’s eyes. Jiang Ye slowly released her, and she clamped her own hands over her mouth, not making even the slightest sound.
The headless Li Yi’an roamed through the living room as if searching for them.
Could he hear sound even without a head?
Jiang Ye did not dare test it, much less make guesses on his own.
A female ghost. A headless body.
The things that had happened over the past two days battered his understanding of the world again and again. Since these bizarre things had already appeared, it did not seem impossible for a headless corpse to hear sound.
The most urgent thing was to leave this villa.
Jiang Ye led Li Miaomiao forward on their knees, silently creeping to the side of the wine cabinet. The headless corpse was walking beside the coffee table, with its back conveniently turned to them.
Taking the chance, Jiang Ye and Li Miaomiao quickly crossed the open area behind the sofa and reached the entryway.
Jiang Ye put his hand on the security door handle and was just about to open it when WeChat suddenly buzzed.
He lowered his head.
Candy-Loving Witch had sent him a message.
Candy-Loving Witch: Don’t open the door. There’s a ghost outside.
In the silent darkness, the phone’s vibration was extremely obvious.
Jiang Ye froze.
How did she know what was happening over here?
And what was outside the door?
At the same time, an even bigger question surfaced in his mind.
Could the headless corpse hear sound or not?
He and Li Miaomiao turned back at the same time, just in time to see the headless corpse standing against the light at the entryway.
Even though it had no head, Jiang Ye still felt a vicious malice from it. That thick, intense stench rushed toward him, and Jiang Ye almost vomited.
Candy-Loving Witch: Go to the second floor. Climb out the east window.
Jiang Ye struck first. He rushed out and kicked the headless corpse in the chest while shouting, “Go to the second floor! Climb out through Dad and Mom’s bedroom window!”
Li Miaomiao clutched her head and darted past the headless corpse.
The headless corpse grabbed Jiang Ye’s leg and swung him out like a hammer.
Jiang Ye flew through the air and was smashed straight into the kitchen island. He protected the back of his head with both hands, but his back slammed hard against the marble countertop.
It felt like his back was about to split open.
But Jiang Ye did not dare delay. He quickly got back up.
Li Miaomiao looked back from the stairs, her face full of anxiety.
The headless corpse charged toward Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye picked up a kitchen knife and flung it out.
The knife lodged in the headless corpse’s chest but did not slow him down in the slightest.
Jiang Ye picked up a sushi knife next and threw it diagonally at his knee.
The sushi knife struck his lower leg, and the headless corpse dropped to one knee at once.
Taking the opportunity, Jiang Ye dashed toward the stairs in a few long strides.
Li Miaomiao was ahead of him. The two of them quickly entered Dad and Mom’s room and shut the door.
They had only just entered when the door began booming as if struck by cannonballs. The entire wall trembled and shed dust.
Li Miaomiao pushed open the window and climbed out.
The Li family villa was designed in the most overdone, commonplace European-style small-house fashion. The exterior wall was built with red brick and carved with nonsensical reliefs. Around the window was a ring of protruding decorative marblework, just barely enough to use as a foothold.
The headless corpse pulled the kitchen knife out of his chest and began chopping at the door with heavy thuds. His strength was enormous. In his hand, the kitchen knife was like an axe, and he soon smashed open a large hole.
Li Miaomiao was frantic. Her toes balanced on the marblework as she shifted little by little to the right.
The phone vibrated again.
Jiang Ye lowered his head to read the message.
Candy-Loving Witch: From the second floor, move toward the garage. Take the Mustang.
“Move toward the garage,” Jiang Ye told Li Miaomiao.
He also climbed out the window and stepped onto the marblework behind Li Miaomiao.
They were about to pass over the porch when they saw that, at some unknown point, many headless corpses had gathered in the corridor below.
All of them looked exactly like Li Yi’an.
A chill went through Jiang Ye.
If he had opened the door just now, they would have been caught.
When Li Miaomiao saw the headless corpses below, her legs kept going weak.
Jiang Ye said quietly, “Try not to make any sound.”
Li Miaomiao nodded. She took a deep breath, held it, and shifted forward.
She moved with extreme care, passing soundlessly above those headless corpses.
Jiang Ye followed close behind her.
The two of them reached the area above the garage.
Jiang Ye hugged a pillar and slid down first. Li Miaomiao followed right after.
Jiang Ye manually started the garage’s rolling shutter door, and the door rose with a clattering rumble. The sound was too loud. Both of them were on edge, and sure enough, a moment later, they heard footsteps rising one after another.
The rolling shutter door had not fully opened, but the two of them had already ducked into the garage and were sprinting down the ramp.
Their garage was a small parking lot filled with Li Yi’an’s treasured cars. Every month, professionals came over to maintain them. There were ten cars in total, lined up on both sides and polished until they gleamed.
Li Miaomiao used to love showing off her dad’s cars.
Now she secretly hated her dad for buying so many cars when he had nothing better to do.
“Where’s Dad’s Mustang?” Jiang Ye asked.
He noticed the elevator light was on. The indicator showed that the elevator was descending.
When had the power come back?
Sure enough, was this the work of those headless corpses?
Cold sweat poured down Li Miaomiao’s face. “Mustang? What Mustang? Dad doesn’t keep horses!”
Jiang Ye’s mind spun fast. “Find the Ford. Ford Mustang!”
The two of them split up and began searching.
The elevator showed that it had reached the second floor.
Li Miaomiao used the flashlight to shine over the cars’ license plates.
Audi, Bentley...
No Ford.
The elevator reached B1, and footsteps also sounded outside the garage.
Jiang Ye found his stepfather’s “Mustang.”
It was a 1969 Ford, with an extended hood and a silver-gray body. Its lines were sleek like a sword drawn from its sheath. A typical muscle car. Driving it looked as if it meant going out to fight with one’s life on the line.
He called Li Miaomiao over and opened the car door.
Jiang Ye sat in the driver’s seat. The car key was already inserted in the ignition, as if someone had prepared this car for their escape long ago.
Li Miaomiao got into the passenger seat on her own and buckled her seat belt.
Outside came the sound of the elevator doors opening.
Jiang Ye had no time to think about who had arranged this car. He turned the key. The headlights snapped on like blazing torches, illuminating the terrifying headless figure inside the elevator.
“Dad...” Li Miaomiao sounded like she was about to cry.
The headless corpse sprinted toward them like an arrow.
Jiang Ye floored the gas pedal. The engine let out a beastlike roar. Fierce power drove the four wheels, and the sleeping Mustang awakened, slamming straight into the headless corpse.
The headless corpse’s cannonball-like body smashed against the windshield, and spiderweb cracks spread across the glass.
The headless corpse rolled off the hood. The Mustang nearly failed to brake in time and almost hit the Audi in front of it. Jiang Ye turned the steering wheel, swung the tail, drifted onto the ramp.
Dense clusters of headless corpses blocked the garage entrance.
Jiang Ye gritted his teeth and floored the gas again.
“Brother, when did you learn to drive?” Li Miaomiao gripped the overhead handle with all her strength.
Jiang Ye answered, “I didn’t.”
Li Miaomiao was stunned. “What—”
The Mustang plunged into the crowd of corpses, smashing out a bloody path. Many headless corpses were crushed under the car and dragged long trails of blood beneath the tires. The remaining headless corpses dodged out of the way. The Mustang charged left and right, scraping past several roadside trees before sliding in an S-shaped arc onto the main road and disappearing into the vast night.
Only after they reached the bridge over the river did they dare slow down.
Jiang Ye looked at the road behind them through the rearview mirror.
No pursuers.
Li Miaomiao kept calling Jiang Ye’s mother, but no one answered.
Jiang Ye called Candy-Loving Witch on WeChat.
No one picked up.
Argos: Who the hell are you? How do you know what’s happening at my house? What are those things in my house?
Candy-Loving Witch: You still haven’t told me whether you liked the photo I sent you last time.
Argos: Answer me.
Candy-Loving Witch: Did you like it?
Li Miaomiao said, “Brother, my phone’s out of battery.”
Jiang Ye exited WeChat and tossed his phone to Li Miaomiao, telling her to call the police.
“Say there are corpses and murderers in our house. Tell them to bring more people. Don’t mention the headless corpses.”
If they bluntly talked about headless corpses, probably no one would believe them. They might even think they were making a false report.
Li Miaomiao held back her tears and nodded, then dialed 110.
“Hello, I want to report a crime. There’s been a murder at No. 144, Tianlu Mansion, Maluan Mountain Avenue!”
The person on the other end asked, “Student, please don’t panic. We’ve already dispatched police forces to Tianlu Mansion. Where are you now?”
Li Miaomiao was just about to answer when Jiang Ye frowned and gestured for her not to speak.
“Only one person made the call. Why did you say ‘you’?” Jiang Ye asked.
The other side fell silent for an instant, then said, “Student, don’t be afraid. Tell me where you are. We will help you.”
“Answer me. How do you know there’s more than one person here?” Jiang Ye pressed.
“Student, tell me your location.”
“Student, tell me your location.”
“Student, tell me your location.”
The other side coldly repeated that one sentence. The tone was flat like an AI.
Li Miaomiao was so scared she nearly wet herself.
Jiang Ye hung up. The other side kept calling Li Miaomiao’s phone back, so Jiang Ye simply turned it off.
“I swear I didn’t dial the wrong number!” Li Miaomiao said.
“Guess one: they intercepted our communications. Guess two: they have an inside man among the police,” Jiang Ye said. “So the route to the police station is blocked for now.”
“What the hell are they?” Li Miaomiao asked, her voice shaking.
Jiang Ye was silent.
He did not know what those things were either.
“Brother, is Mom still alive?” Li Miaomiao’s face was as pale as paper.
Jiang Ye looked at the open road outside the car. The light from the streetlamps swept again and again across his grave face.
He did not know how to answer, because he did not know the answer either.
They could not go to the police station.
Although they could report the case in person at a station, and even if there was an inside man in the police, it was impossible for every single person to be one.
But the tricky part was that to reach the police station, they had to pass through the central road. There were surveillance cameras everywhere. They had no way to hide their tracks, and they would very likely be intercepted before they reached the station.
Jiang Ye could only avoid the danger for now and find somewhere to spend the night first.
He specifically took old streets. Those places had no surveillance cameras, so they could avoid the police station’s traffic surveillance system.
The old streets were muddy, and Li Miaomiao was nearly jolted into vomiting along the way. It was not easy for Jiang Ye to drive the car back behind the old apartment. The road was extremely narrow, and he scraped several utility poles in a row. The Ford Mustang was covered in scratches, and the hood had a large dent in it.
If his stepfather still had a head, he might have cut ties with him.
They had no relatives in Shenzhen and no one they could turn to.
The most dangerous place was the safest place. That gang of monsters probably would not expect them to dare return near the apartment.
Still, to be safe, they had better not go back inside the apartment.
He drove the car into a demolition site in the shantytown area. There was no one here at night, so it was relatively safe, and they could leave this wrecked car here.
Staying at a hotel required ID registration, and they might be found through that. However, Jiang Ye had a middle school classmate whose family ran a hotel nearby. They could stay there.
Li Miaomiao, who was usually noisy, was unusually quiet. She had been staring blankly the whole time.
Jiang Ye did not know whether she had been frightened senseless or was too heartbroken. Her face was deathly pale, and she looked dazed, like a person made of paper.
Jiang Ye parked the car in a secluded, dark spot, then dragged the soulless Li Miaomiao to find a phone booth. He kept dialing his mother’s number.
The voice that came through the receiver was always the same.
“The number you have dialed is not answering.”
After more than twenty calls, Jiang Ye finally gave up.
“Brother,” Li Miaomiao suddenly said, “do you really hate me?”
Jiang Ye frowned. “Why would you think that?”
She began to sob. “Mom is always biased toward me. Dad is my real dad, and he likes me more too. You must really hate me.”
She had been scared senseless earlier, and now it seemed she had finally come back to herself. Her tears poured out like a floodgate had opened.
“I’m sorry.” She desperately wiped her tears. “Whenever I get scared, I want to cry, and I want to talk. I’m not smart either. Don’t hate me.”
Jiang Ye slowly understood what she was afraid of.
Her stepfather was gone. Mom’s whereabouts were unknown.
She was afraid he would abandon her.
“Li Miaomiao,” he said. “Don’t be scared. I’m here.”
She looked into his eyes, tears flowing soundlessly.
He had a pair of dark, deep eyes. Whenever he focused on someone, he always made that person feel at ease.
She slowly calmed down, stopped crying, and nodded hard.
They returned to the sedan together.
Just as they approached, a sudden thud came from the trunk.
Li Miaomiao was like a startled bird. She sprang up and quickly hid behind Jiang Ye.
Two more thuds followed.
In the silent night, they sounded especially abrupt.
There was something in the trunk.