Chapter Eighteen: Zhang Jun's Life and Death

  At some point, the wind blew even more fiercely, rolling up the fallen leaves on the ground and scattering them towards the greyish-white sky. The sky was gloomy, as if it were about to rain. Zhang Junsheng tightened his thin clothes, grumbling discontentedly at the damned weather. He hadn't left his room for two days already, not since he saw Li Ran's strange death. He was terrified, a feeling he had never experienced before. Perhaps at some unknown time, he would mysteriously die too, so he had to leave something behind.

  He walked out of the school and headed straight for that eerie forest, at this time the sky was even more gloomy, the stifling air made it almost impossible to breathe, Zhang Junsheng's footsteps were a bit disordered on the ground covered with thick fallen leaves, wave after wave of rotten and humid smells drilled into his nostrils, he raised his hand to rub his nose, this forest was inexplicably eerie.

  "He spat a mouthful of saliva on the ground: 'I don't believe there are really ghosts in this world.'"

  In his arms, he still held a gray notebook, and as he walked, he cursed discontentedly, whether it was the weather or the gloomy forest, he cursed them all.

  The sky was drizzling with a steady patter of small rain, making the originally gloomy and terrifying forest look even more ominous.

  Zhang Junsheng raised his head to look at the sky, the messy tree branches divided the sky into countless pieces, raindrops hitting his face, icy cold: "Damn it! Even the weather is against me."

  He kicked away a branch, but the notebook in his arms accidentally fell to the ground. He hastily bent down to pick it up, nervously looking around, then he laughed, what was he nervous about? Only he would run out on such a gloomy day, and come to such a desolate place!

  Just as he was about to continue walking forward, a "rustling" sound suddenly came from behind him, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, causing him to stiffen his back and slowly turn around.

  Nothing?

  He took a deep breath, although he desperately told himself that there were no ghosts in the world, his legs still trembled uncontrollably. He smoothed out his rain-soaked hair and continued walking forward.

  He had only taken two steps when he suddenly felt as if someone had blown a mouthful of air onto the back of his neck, very cool and not at all like human breath. His heart tightened and he looked around in terror, but there was still no one there.

  "My god! I've seen a ghost!" He touched his neck and continued walking forward, wondering where to put it would be safer. He looked around, hoping to find a relatively safe place, then he saw a not-so-big tree hole, okay, let's just put it there, he smiled and ran over, completely forgetting the fear from earlier.

  He knelt down, carefully placed the gray notebook in the tree hole, and then covered it with soil. After doing all this, he stood up, stretched his waist, and smiled with a relieved smile on his face.

  "Damn it! I'd better prepare for my own funeral." He muttered to himself, the rain seemed to be coming down harder than before, and the sky was even darker. He lifted his foot and started walking back, a weight had been lifted off his mind, and his pace quickened.

  Suddenly, a bolt of lightning cut through the sky, and Zhang Junsheng was startled. The raindrops seemed to have grown much larger than before. One bolt of lightning after another tore across the sky, as if trying to tear it apart.

  What was that just now?

  Zhang Junsheng looked ahead in horror, the lightning that had just flashed illuminated the entire forest, and in that instant, he saw a pale face, as if there was no body, only a face floating in mid-air.

  Zhang Junsheng suddenly felt a warm, wet sensation in his crotch, his legs trembling uncontrollably, barely able to support his body, his heart racing violently in his chest cavity, almost jumping out of his mouth.

  His body gradually stiffened, and he felt a pair of icy hands slowly placed on his neck, slowly tightening, his two hands desperately grasping backwards, but there was nothing. The hands on his neck were getting closer and closer, his mouth wide open, trying to let air into his lungs, his lungs pained with each breath, finally, he stopped struggling, his eyes wide open, unwillingly staring into the distance.

  Su Jiner and Lin Yuan quickly ran towards the guard room with their hands covering the rain, followed by Chu Feifan and Zuo Yi who also rushed into the guard room.

  "Grandpa, can we take shelter from the rain here?" Lin Yuan happily looked at the old man who was over seventy.

  "Of course, I'm just an old man living here alone, it's quite boring. You all can keep me company." The old man smiled happily.

  They pass by here every day, but no one has ever noticed this guard room. Su Jin'er looked at the small room, which had a bed, a table and two chairs inside. On the table were newspapers and registration books, very simple decorations.

  "Old man, have you seen a very thin and haggard boy walking out around here? About an hour ago." Su Jiner asked the old man with a smile.

  "An hour ago?" The old man looked at the ceiling and muttered to himself, "An hour ago there were several boys who went out, and one of them was similar to what you said, he looked very nervous, I don't know if it's him that you're talking about."

  "Right, it's him, so did you see which direction he went?"

  "It seems like he went towards that forest, ah! I'm getting old, can't remember clearly."

  Su Jiner and they looked at each other, didn't say anything else. Even if they were anxious to find him, there was no way to go out in the heavy rain to look for him.

  "Never mind, let's just wait here! Anyway, if he comes back, he will definitely pass by here." Chu Feifan said with a smile.

  Everyone nodded in agreement.

  The sky gradually darkened, but Zhang Junsheng still hadn't returned, and they began to get anxious.

  "The rain outside has stopped, why don't we go out and take a look?" Su Jiner said, looking at the sky outside.

  "It's already dark, why don't we look for him again tomorrow, no rush." Lin Yuan said, looking at the sky that had already turned dark.

  "But I always feel like something is off, as if something has happened, and my heart feels uneasy." Su Jin'er's face was a bit pale.

  "What's wrong with you? Are you sick?"

  "No, it's just that I can feel my heart beating very fiercely."

  "Then let's go and find out! Let's get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, maybe then no one else will die," Chu Feifan said.

  "I also agree, I think the murderer will kill again." Zuo Yi said.

  After everyone agreed, they bid farewell to the old man and left the guard room. They walked in the direction of the forest, although they didn't know if what the old man said was true or not, but they still held a glimmer of hope that he might have really gone there.

  "Why did he go into the woods? What secret is there?" Lin Yuan said in puzzlement.

  Du Xiaonan fainted and woke up there, and now Zhang Junsheng has also gone there. Is there really a secret in that forest?

  The forest that had just rained looked even darker and more humid, emitting a strange smell, like the stench of animal carcasses rotting after death.

  "It's so gloomy here, will he be here?" Lin Yuan looked around.

  "I don't know? Let's go find out!" Zuo Yi continued her words.

  "I feel that this forest is strange, it gives people a very uncomfortable feeling." Su Jin'er snapped a branch, the sound was particularly jarring in this quiet and eerie forest.

  "Hey! Everyone come here, I think I've found him." Su Jiner's voice came from one side, but it was shaking badly.

  "Where is he?" The three of them quickly ran over and looked in the direction that Su Jiner was staring at.

  They all took in a breath of cold air at the sight before their eyes.

  Not far away, a corpse was hanging upside down from a tree, with blood and rainwater dripping to the ground drop by drop. A knife was stuck in his neck, his eyes were wide open, and his face was full of terror, swaying gently under the tree, sending shivers down one's spine.

  "Another one."

  "Our lead has gone cold again."

  Before long, the police came over and took away the corpse from the tree. Of course, they were taken back to the police station for questioning again.

  After leaving the police station, it was already completely dark. Su Jin'er had been feeling depressed all along, just like the police's questioning. Why did they always discover someone being killed? Why didn't anyone discover it before them? Was it really that someone deliberately led them in?

  "Jin'er, what are you thinking?" Lin Yuan asked Su Jin'er, who had been silent all along.

  "I think we should go find someone!"

  "Want to go find Zhang Junsheng's police brother?" Chu Feifan said in a low voice.

  Su Jiner looked at him in surprise and said, "You also know Zhang Junsheng's older brother who is a detective?"

  "Hmm! During our military training, I thought he was very strange, so after we came back, I investigated him." Chu Feifan said seriously. "Did you also suspect Zhang Junsheng?" For some reason, Su Jiner suddenly had some doubts about Chu Feifan, it seemed like he knew a lot of things but didn't say anything, or did he have secrets or some kind of purpose?

  Seeing Su Jin'er's suspicious gaze, Chu Fei Fan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "I'm just more curious about supernatural events, and I don't have a motive to kill anyone."

  He spoke with a straight face, not showing any fear of being suspected at all. Moreover, I didn't find any evidence myself. At first, I didn't want to get involved in this matter, but now it seems that the other party has intentionally or unintentionally dragged me into it. Do I still have the right to choose?

  "I suddenly think this is quite interesting, why don't we investigate together!" Su Jin'er said with a smile, her smile was like the winter sun, warm and gentle.

  Lin Yuan nodded excitedly, although she was still very afraid in her heart, but the stimulation made her feel very exciting.

  But unexpectedly, Chu Feifan refused, he loudly said no, startling them.

  "If you're afraid, then don't participate, we won't force you."

  Chu Fei Fan looked at Su Jin Er in an unbelievable manner, he hadn't expected her to want to investigate these matters: "I'm not afraid, let the police handle it, don't you know how dangerous this is?"

  "Even if it's dangerous, I'll go and investigate." She said stubbornly, tilting her head.

  Chu Fei Fan was somewhat angry, he hadn't expected her to be so selfish: "To be honest, I'm full of curiosity about this matter, but I can't let my own curiosity put my friends in danger."

  Chu Fei Fan looked at Su Jin Er's trembling shoulders, he knew his words were too heavy, but he couldn't let her fall into danger, nor could he bear to see her harm the people around her because of her curiosity.

  "I'm tired, I'll go back first." Su Jiner said softly, but the tremble in her voice pained him.

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