Chapter Eleven: Skin Stripping, Ghost Face!

  This time I slept very soundly, slept for a long time, and when I woke up, my whole body was in a daze, my brain was completely blank, as if I had lost my memory. For a long time, I couldn't wake up from that state of confusion.

  I raised my right hand, wanting to rub my head, but when I saw the gauze on my right hand, I suddenly felt a shock in my heart. The next moment, memories flooded me like a tide, and the next instant, I sprang up and rushed out.

  At this moment, there is only one thought in my mind, that is to find Grandpa. But when I rushed out of the house and saw the scene outside, I was stunned.

  Outside was a vast expanse of whiteness, the entire village shrouded in thick fog.

  I remembered what grandpa told me, he said that if the rooster crows and the fog disperses, he will come back. But if he doesn't come back, then the village will never see daylight again!

  What does grandfather mean? Is it that if Grandfather doesn't come back, this thick fog will never disperse and the village will be shrouded in dense fog forever?

  Just standing at the door in a daze, I suddenly heard a cough coming from under the eaves. I turned my head to look and saw a black shadow crouching at the foot of the wall, holding a pipe gun and exhaling smoke.

  I was overjoyed and hastily shouted: Dad!

  A voice responded to me, but it wasn't Grandpa's: Your grandpa is gone!

  "Dad?" I asked in confusion.

  Uh-huh. My dad stood up, walked out of the thick fog, and came to my front. But when I saw my dad's face clearly, I couldn't help but feel a sudden tightness in my heart: Dad, what happened?

  At this time, my father's hair was half white, his face was haggard, as if he had aged ten years overnight. Moreover, he hadn't smoked for over a decade, so why did he suddenly start smoking again?

  My dad didn't answer me, but instead asked: Are you all right now?

  I shook my head and said it was nothing, then couldn't help but ask: What happened to me before? And what about my grandfather?

  Your grandfather is gone! My father said in a low voice.

  Really, gone?

  I remained silent upon hearing this, but tears couldn't help flowing out of my eyes.

  I lost my mother when I was young, and since then, I've been relying on my dad and grandfather. All these years, no matter how hard or difficult life has been, the three of us have always stuck together. Now, Grandfather is suddenly gone without a word, it's unbearable for me, and I couldn't help but kneel down and burst into tears.

  My dad sighed, then took another drag on his cigarette, which made him cough violently. I quickly wiped away a tear, stood up and patted his back, asking: "Where's grandpa?"

  My dad stopped coughing, took a deep breath and said: I don't know, your grandfather didn't want you to know either! After he finished speaking, he turned his head towards the thick fog and said faintly: Yifan, this is what your grandfather left for you.

  After my dad finished speaking, he surprisingly handed me a cigarette. I was taken aback and forgot to reach out to take it.

  This pipe has accompanied my grandfather for decades, and he always treasured it like a precious thing, never leaving his side. I remember when I was young, my father once asked my grandfather to give him this pipe, but was refused by my grandfather. My father was very angry at that time, and later quit smoking because of this matter.

  But at this time, my dad said, Grandpa left this rifle to me?

  I never smoke, and Grandpa knew it, but why did he leave his pipe with me before he passed away?

  Take it! My dad said to me in a tone that brooked no argument.

  I hastily took over the shotgun, and at this time, I heard my father sigh softly, and then said: Yifan, you've grown up, after taking over this shotgun, you have to take on the responsibilities you should bear, you're no longer a child!

  I don't understand what my dad is saying, and when I ask him, he doesn't say anything, just silently staring at the thick fog in a daze.

  After a long while, my dad said: Yifan, can you lend me your lighter for a moment?

  I looked at him in confusion, and my dad scratched his head, then said with an awkward face: I think I'll cook another pot!

  Through my dad, I knew that I had been unconscious for two days, and grandpa left on the night I fainted, leaving without saying anything, only leaving this pipe.

  It's clear that my dad is also fond of this rifle, I don't quite understand why this ordinary, even old-fashioned rifle would be so treasured by both grandpa and dad, and why grandpa would specially leave it to me like a family heirloom.

  Oh, by the way! My dad suddenly turned his head and said to me: Yesterday afternoon, Xiaoxia and Xiaohe from the public house organized the villagers together to search for bodies in the mountain.

  Did Xia Yu Xin enter the mountains?

  I hastily asked: Have they come back?

  My dad shook his head and said: No!

  I was shocked at once, I entered the mountain yesterday afternoon, and now, I haven't come back yet?

  With such a thick fog now, plus the strange Mt. Mantou all along, nothing will happen to Xia Yu Xin and them, right?

  Then, will the public continue to send people over? I asked anxiously, but my dad shook his head and said: No, the fog is too big, the visibility is too low. There is only one mountain road from the county to our village. I reckon that for a while, the mountain road won't be open!

  I fell silent upon hearing the words, but as soon as I thought that Xia Yu Xin might be in trouble, my heart panicked. I immediately got up and was about to enter the mountain, but my dad stopped me. Do you have to go into the mountain?

  I nodded, my dad saw the situation and didn't say a word, but turned around and went into the house. After a while, I saw him come out with a small cloth bag in his left hand and two packages in his right hand, saying: Yifan, you take this, don't open it unless absolutely necessary!

  I took the small cloth bag, feeling heavy inside, shaking it, and still hearing the metallic collision sound inside, I couldn't help but ask: Is this also left to me by Grandpa?

  My dad didn't answer, he just handed me a bun and said: Eat it on the road!

  I nodded and immediately tucked the small cloth bag into my body, stuffing a bun into my mouth as I ran towards Mantou Mountain.

  On the road, I couldn't help but turn back and take a glance at my dad, only to see him standing still at the doorway, staring at me steadily.

  But at that time, I still didn't know that this separation would be followed by a reunion three years later!

  There are two roads to Jinmi Hill, one of which goes through the construction site and then climbs up along Chaoyang Slope. However, Chaoyang Slope is very steep and few people take it. I only took this road a few times when I was a kid and snuck up the mountain with Dan to play.

  Another road had to go around Mantou Mountain, climbing up from the back slope of the mountain, which was relatively easier to walk on, but it would take some detours. At this time, I was worried about Xia Yu Xin and the villagers, and didn't care about the steepness anymore, so I ran directly towards the sunny slope.

  As I passed by the construction site, I saw that big coffin again.

  It still lies quietly there, shrouded in mist, its coffin emitting an eerie glow that appears and disappears from time to time, looking somewhat terrifying.

  But after experiencing so many things in these days, I seem to have become somewhat immune to this coffin. Without thinking, I glanced at it and immediately rushed up the slope towards the top of Mantou Mountain.

  Chaoyang Slope is very steep, with more sand and gravel, but few trees and grass, looking very desolate.

  Mantou Mountain has too many legends in our village, and few people dare to climb the mountain. At this time, Mantou Mountain is shrouded in mist, and the peak of Mantou Mountain appears and disappears in the mist, adding a touch of mystery to it.

  Xia Yu Xin, you guys must be careful not to get into trouble!

  I muttered a sound in my heart and then climbed vigorously towards the top of the mountain.

  I fainted for two days, my body was a bit weak, at first I could still rely on a burst of energy to support myself climbing up quickly, but after climbing for a while, I felt a bit physically exhausted, my whole body was sweating, and the fog was thick and humid, it didn't take long before my whole body was soaked through, and when the cold wind hit me, my whole body couldn't help but shiver.

  I gritted my teeth and crawled up the mountain with all fours, occasionally shouting at the top of my lungs, but the only response was my own voice echoing in the desolate mountainside.

  I don't know how long I crawled, but the steep trend finally eased a bit. I let out a breath and looked around to find that not far from me, there was actually a very sturdy big tree growing.

  There are few trees on the sunny slope, and even if there are any, most of them have withered to death. However, this big tree in front of us is lush and green, which is rarely seen on this sunny slope.

  But at this moment, I suddenly felt something was wrong, because in the unintentional glance just now, it seemed that there was something hanging on this big tree.

  I walked closer to the big tree, looked carefully, but the fog was too thick, I could only barely see a dark shadow, and nothing else could be seen.

  However, just at this moment, a strong wind suddenly rose and blew the fog into a rolling mass. As the fog rolled, I finally saw what that black shadow was.

  I was stunned on the spot, and I felt like my scalp had been electrocuted, numb all of a sudden.

  What was hanging from the big tree turned out to be a corpse. And this person I knew, it was actually from our village!

  I swallowed a mouthful of saliva. This person should have entered the mountain with Xia Yu Xin, how could he be hanged here?

  A strong gust of wind blew, causing the corpse to sway back and forth, while the branches also started to tremble.

  But when the branches shook and exposed what was hidden underneath, I immediately widened my eyes in horror.

  Under the lush branches, dozens of corpses were hidden, some had severely rotted, seemingly dead for a long time, while others had long been desiccated.

  But what's even more terrifying is that these corpses, they've all been flayed, their blood-red muscles exposed to the air, their empty eye sockets staring wide, as if silently recounting the agony they suffered before death.

  Just as I was stunned and at a loss, I suddenly heard the rustling sound beside me. Turning my head, I saw a black shadow rushing out of the thick fog, and then a terrifying face instantly stuck to mine.

  His eyes were wide open, with an evil look inside, and his face was a blur of flesh and blood, looking both ferocious and terrifying!

  Hehehe!

  He curled up the corners of his mouth and gave me a ferocious smile.

  I was startled and let out a loud "ah", subconsciously taking a step back, but as I did, I suddenly felt my feet lighten, followed by my body lightening, and in an instant, I plummeted downwards.