Chapter Three: A Frightening Encounter in the Garden

“Come on, big brother! Why don’t you play with me too?” The child continued to beckon, his eyes glinting green, the innocence on his face stark and genuine.

“Alright! I’ll play with you!” Shi Jun quickly nodded as his eyes flickered, adopting a gentle, kindly expression. He fell in step with Liu Qing, following the little boy toward the entrance of the amusement park.

As they drew closer, the “baby” placed his small hand gently on the tightly shut gate, tapping it with barely a sound, then stood quietly before it, waiting. Shi Jun seized the moment to glance at Liu Qing; her face was radiant with a gentle smile, her eyes soft, utterly absorbed in the child. He was inwardly startled.

He had wanted to secretly warn her that something was amiss, but Liu Qing, being incorporeal, hadn’t even glanced his way. Shi Jun found himself at a loss for how to discreetly signal her. Just as he was becoming anxious, the gate creaked open, leaving a narrow gap. The boy waved them over and, with his short legs, stepped inside first.

No sooner had Shi Jun entered than he heard a sound behind him. He turned to see the gate had closed automatically. Inside, apart from their own group, there was no one else. Who had closed the gate?

It was Shi Jun’s first time entering this amusement park. In his mind, a place once hailed as a paradise for children should be filled with all manner of attractions—see-saws, slides, swings, perhaps even a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, or spaceship ride. Modern children are not easily amused; without novelty and excitement, they wouldn’t come to such a remote place. The buildings should be vibrant and lively, with images of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other beloved characters.

Yet now, as he looked around, Shi Jun saw only one massive, square building in the vast park. The areas where rides and snack stalls should have been were barren, as if wiped clean, leaving only empty ground.

What startled Shi Jun most was the building itself. Its exterior was ancient and grim, the walls roughly coated in black cement, most windows lacking glass. From outside, the openings resembled the gaping maws of beasts, dark and fearsome.

At the front of the building, there was a small door, barely wide enough for a person to enter. No lights shone inside, only darkness, seemingly the sole entrance.

A strange unease flickered in Shi Jun’s mind: aside from their trio, there appeared to be no one else here. The realization sent chills crawling up his spine—this was a large amusement park, yet even if business was poor, there should be ticket sellers, gatekeepers. Shi Jun saw not a single trace of another soul.

* * *

“It’s a haunted house! This is the most fun—take me inside!” The “baby,” walking ahead, stopped and pointed at the black building, his sharp, childish voice suddenly breaking the silence and startling both Shi Jun and Liu Qing.

Shi Jun gathered his spiritual power, subtly vibrating Liu Qing’s soul field. She seemed to awaken from a dream, gazing about in confusion, then turned to Shi Jun as if to ask something. He quickly winked at her. Though puzzled, Liu Qing nodded without speaking.

Haunted house? Shi Jun scoffed inwardly: What sort of trickery is this? I’ve been to the underworld itself—what could this little haunted house offer? Even if there were real ghosts inside, I’d handle them easily, one by one.

Yet he reconsidered. If compared to humans, the ghosts of the underworld are poor at frightening people. Since his dealings with the underworld, he hadn’t found anything truly terrifying; it was during the period he watched horror films to “build a psychological fortress” that he was more disturbed by shrill screams and bloody scenes. The park was so odd, and the child deliberately led them here—there must be more to this. Perhaps real ghosts did dwell in this haunted house. Could the mass suicide be related to the owner? And what was their connection to the Six Ghost Spirits? Over a month ago, the little rascal had told him of a particularly fun amusement park—was this the one? Did she enjoy haunted houses too? Speaking of her, he wondered how she and Chi Yang were faring, and when they might return…

Lost in thought, Shi Jun followed the “baby” through the small door into a passage so dark he could not see his own hand. Liu Qing, though a ghost, was still timid and clung close to Shi Jun, not daring to stray.

After a few steps, a dull thud sounded behind them. Shi Jun shook his head with a wry smile: the door must have shut. Was this truly a case of “closing the door and releasing the hounds”? He was aware of the danger and became more alert.

With the door closed, the faint light vanished, plunging the corridor into pitch blackness. The silence was overwhelming; Shi Jun’s own breathing and footsteps sounded harsh, and nothing else could be heard.

“Shi Jun, are you still there?” Liu Qing, lacking a physical form, would have grabbed Shi Jun tightly if she could. Her voice trembled in panic.

“Of course, Sister Liu—I’m right in front of you.” Shi Jun, sweating himself, forced calm into his tone: “Don’t worry, we’re just playing a game.”

A strange, faint laughter suddenly echoed behind Shi Jun, followed by a gust of wind at his ear. The laughter shifted to the front. Shi Jun felt a chill race up his spine, instinctively wanting to turn, but he resisted, knowing it would be unwise. At the same time, Liu Qing shrieked. He quickly asked, “What’s wrong, Sister Liu?”

---

“I—I’m alright…” Liu Qing stammered, “Did you hear that? That laughter was terrifying!”

Shi Jun chuckled, feigning bravado: “What are you afraid of, Sister Liu? Are you scared of people or ghosts?” Liu Qing suddenly realized: Yes, I’m already dead, a ghost myself—so what is there to fear? The thought steadied her. She called softly, “Baby? Where are you?”

Shi Jun said gravely, “No need to look for him. Let’s just keep moving forward. Since he wants us to play this game with him, he’ll show himself when the time comes.” Yet a shadow of worry crossed his mind—the haunted house was obviously a trap. When that figure darted past, Shi Jun sensed a powerful, fluid spiritual force, suggesting they were from the underworld, whether or not connected to the Six Ghost Spirits. What did they want?

* * *

As they moved forward, two green lights suddenly appeared ahead, like the eyes of a beast opening in the darkness, then vanished. A moment later, two muffled sounds were heard, and torches flared overhead. Before Shi Jun’s eyes could adjust, a small figure slid out from the shadows—the same pale-faced, frail child called “baby.”

Now, “baby” wore an entirely different outfit: a gray robe tied with a black sash, hair knotted atop his head—a servant boy from ancient times. His hands hung at his sides, eyes barely open, expression blank and cold, as lifeless as a puppet.

The boy stood silently for a moment, then spoke in a flat, emotionless voice: “Welcome to the House of Horrors. Please follow me.” He turned and entered a side corridor.

Shi Jun was momentarily perplexed: Was this child real, or a mechanical puppet meant to attract customers? He seemed to glide along, feet barely touching the ground. Nevertheless, Shi Jun followed him, determined to uncover the truth. After several turns, they arrived beside a small boat.

Despite the haunted house’s modest appearance, it was more complex inside. Shi Jun and the others had descended to the basement level, though the winding, gently sloping path and dim lighting had concealed this. Before them flowed a small river, and the child stood beside the boat, gesturing for them to board. Liu Qing, unable to contain her astonishment, let out a soft gasp and quickened her pace.

She whispered to Shi Jun, “This place is so strange… Maybe we shouldn’t get on the boat.”

Shi Jun was equally surprised by the sudden scene, but he was determined to get to the bottom of things. No matter what happened, he wouldn’t turn back. He reassured her: “Don’t be afraid, Sister Liu. Even if evil spirits lurk here, I believe we can handle them. Besides, if we leave now, we’ll lose the thread of the mass suicide case. Even if the owner is unrelated, I can’t just stand by.”

“But all along, I’ve felt like someone is watching us. And for some reason, I feel an overwhelming fear, like—like…” Liu Qing hesitated, unable to finish.

Shi Jun, quick-witted, guessed her meaning: “Is it similar to how you felt when you first met Chi Shang?” He knew Liu Qing, having befriended Chi Shang and learned many cultivation techniques from him, didn’t wish to revisit old anxieties.

“A bit… but I’m not sure. Still, the atmosphere here is really unsettling.” Liu Qing looked at Shi Jun with a pleading gaze.

Shi Jun, respectful of her timid nature, felt a pang of sympathy, but he was unwilling to give up. After a moment’s thought, he said, “How about this, Sister Liu: you go back, and I’ll proceed alone. The gate is closed, but since you have no physical form, it shouldn’t be a problem for you.” Seeing she was about to argue, he quickly added, “I promise I’ll be extra careful!” With that, he strode ahead.

Liu Qing, glimpsing Shi Jun’s determined expression in the weak, scattered light, knew he was resolute. She sighed and watched him pass.

* * *

Were it an ordinary person, the conversation would have tested patience, but the little boy remained motionless, arm raised, standing rigidly by the boat, seemingly tireless.

Shi Jun noticed this but didn’t mind. He boarded the boat and let it drift downstream. The narrow waterway carried them smoothly, and after several bends, they reached a wider section.

Now, the banks receded, growing from arm’s reach to several meters away. Small points of light appeared along the shore, still dim—no electric bulbs, only lanterns and candles flickering in the breeze.

---

Ahead, within a circle of candles, Shi Jun saw two figures—one standing, one sitting. The standing figure seemed to be arranging the other’s hair. Oddly, both were small and slender, apparently children, yet their backs were to the boat, making it impossible to gauge their age. Their concentration was intense, but the activity seemed incongruous for their supposed age.

Shi Jun felt the situation was deeply strange. Even his boat, floating steadily without guidance after leaving the waterway’s current, indicated this amusement park was no ordinary place. The earlier oddities, the child’s half-human, half-puppet demeanor, were not feats of contemporary technology. Who would expend so much effort to haunt a place meant for crowds, and why? Suspicion grew in his mind, and he watched the shore intently.

The two figures on shore seemed to hear the sound of the boat moving through water and turned to look. Shi Jun saw their faces and was amazed: they were ordinary female faces, but on the bodies of children—two adults’ faces on child-sized bodies!

* * *

“Dwarfs!” flashed through Shi Jun’s mind—the faces were so expressive that no known technology could create such lifelike expressions on a puppet or android. Yet the mismatch between face and body suggested nothing but dwarfism.

But the next moment contradicted his assumption completely.

As soon as they saw Shi Jun’s boat approaching, the two dropped their tasks and waved, laughing in delight. The standing girl was especially excited, swaying her body and opening her mouth wide. Whether from excessive movement or something else, her jaw suddenly detached from her lower lip with a snap, hanging only by thin skin at the sides, preventing it from falling outright.

Yet she seemed oblivious, the dangling jaw trembling as she continued to laugh and sway.

Shi Jun felt his scalp prickling, a chill racing from his feet to his head, then sweating coldly across his brow. He’d seen plenty of strange things before, but this was beyond belief. Any ordinary person, no matter how brave, would faint at such a sight.

But Shi Jun’s mind snapped back quickly; after a moment’s panic, he regained composure and turned away, unwilling to look at the grotesque face any longer, instead focusing on where the boat was headed.

* * *

Ahead was still utter darkness; the river’s surface, dotted with candle reflections, stretched on, seemingly into the depths of night, shrouded by a black curtain and tinged with mystery.

Shi Jun, his eyes fatigued from the darkness, withdrew his gaze and studied the boy sitting quietly at the bow.

The child sat cross-legged opposite him, eyes tightly shut as if unconscious. Shi Jun hesitated, then reached out and felt the boy’s small body—cold and stiff, utterly lifeless. He checked for breath and found none; the boy seemed long dead.

Shi Jun, startled, tried to lift the boy for a closer look. As he gripped the arm and applied pressure, the limb detached, its flesh shriveling instantly and turning to powder, slipping through Shi Jun’s fingers.

The boy’s once plump, pale face collapsed, his body shrank, clothes decayed into scraps, and in a blink he became a small skeleton. Only in the two eye sockets, where his eyes had been, did green light still flicker.

From afar came a shrill, cackling laughter, growing louder as it circled above Shi Jun, then fading into the distance. As the laughter faded, the skeleton’s glowing eyes dimmed, and the bones crumbled into dust, scattering into the phosphorescent river.

Shi Jun no longer felt fear—only a surge of furious rage. He stood firmly at the bow, his lips curling in a cold smile, as the boat carried him deeper into the darkness.