C15 A Ghost Knocking at the Door in the Middle of the Night

Wang Tao's final warning to me was clear: as soon as the dog cage opened, I should immediately tighten the leash. He cautioned that the dog had a fierce temperament and could potentially run off and bite someone, so it was crucial that I hold on tightly and not let go.

I found myself pondering what Wang Tao meant when he said no one could control us anymore. Was someone secretly pulling the strings of his fate, or were there more unknown secrets lurking behind him? In the hall, Wang Tao scattered some white powder all the way to the doorway. Curious, I approached him to inquire about the substance. Surely it wasn't glutinous rice flour? He gave me a disdainful look and explained that glutinous rice flour would scare cats away due to its ominous nature; this powder was specifically to entice whatever he was after.

Since it wasn't time yet, Wang Tao suggested we return to the surveillance room.

With time to spare, I decided to confront Wang Tao with a burning question: "Can you give me a straight answer—are you human or a ghost?" This enigma had been gnawing at me for some time.

Wang Tao, sitting by the window, slurped the instant noodles I'd prepared. "Do you really want to know what a ghost looks like?" he asked between mouthfuls.

"Is it like those three figures I saw yesterday? Lifeless and utterly horrifying?" I asked. Wang Tao explained that not all ghosts fit that description. He mentioned his past studies in physics and astronomy, inviting me to join him in gazing at the sky. "Can you spot the brightest star up there?" he asked.

Wang Tao gazed into the night sky, his tone tinged with melancholy. "The truth is, most of the stars we see have already vanished into the cosmos. We can still see them because their light, which originated billions of light-years ago, has only just reached Earth. In theory, they're dead, yet they persist. Why do you think that is?"

I couldn't help but challenge his ever-changing stories. "Wang Tao, when have you ever told the truth? One moment you're a businessman, the next you're an astrophysicist. What's next, you'll claim to be the President of Afghanistan?"

He shot me a frustrated look. "You just don't get it, do you? Didn't you ever have a sense of wonder about the world when you were a kid?" Wang Tao chided.

I remarked, "You were born in a big city. In a small place like ours, you might have struggled just to get a bite to eat as a child, let alone dare to dream or be curious."

Wang Tao believes that people need dreams. He says there's a lot science can't explain. But is it truly inexplicable? No, it's often just to keep the populace in the dark.

Shortly after, Wang Tao signaled that all was clear and told me to go ahead while he stood watch at the door. If anything happened, he would whistle.

Entering the building, a chill swept over me. Wang Tao reassured me from the hallway, saying to call out if I needed him. I didn't dwell on it too much; those two cats had caused enough harm. Without Wang Tao's help to deal with them, they might continue to be a threat. Even if they only targeted bad people, their cruelty was excessive.

It wasn't long before the red rooster I'd tied in the corner began to squawk. I rushed over and gave it a kick to silence it, hoping not to scare the cats away. But as I turned back, I froze. A man resembling Wang Tao was standing before me, his back turned.

Startled, I blurted out, "When did you sneak in here?"

Without a word, he took a couple of steps forward, still facing away, and then bent his head, saying he'd forgotten a step and needed to check on something.

"Make sure you check thoroughly," I said. "I'm not looking to have any accidents. I plan on living a bit longer."

Wang Tao grunted a response, then mentioned, "The bathroom window seems to be open. Go check it out."

A sense of unease washed over me. The hall was pitch-black, and I muttered under my breath, "Why don't you go?" Nevertheless, I switched on my flashlight and headed toward the bathroom. I circled the hall but couldn't find it. Instead, I stumbled upon a narrow path leading to a hidden room. The second floor's design was peculiar, with such a concealed bathroom. I shone my flashlight and proceeded.

To my surprise, as soon as I twisted the doorknob, I was kicked inside. By the time I realized what was happening, the door had been locked from the outside. This cramped space was no bathroom; it was clearly a storage closet. I stood up quickly and began pounding on the door, yelling, "Wang Tao, you son of a gun, what's this about? Open the door! Open up!"

No matter how much I yelled, Wang Tao seemed deaf to my cries. I couldn't help but wonder, "How long is this jerk going to keep me locked up? The spiritual staircase is supposed to close at midnight. Is he planning to burn his bridges?"

My anxiety was pointless; Wang Tao stubbornly wouldn't release me. That man is truly devious; he could win an Oscar for his trickery. Damn it, I've been duped by him yet again.

As I sat on the ground, racking my brain for a solution, a sudden cat's meow snapped me to attention. I quickly stood up and pressed my ear against the door. The sound was coming from the hallway, continuous, like a couple sweetly chatting. It struck me that something was off—could it be two cats mating? Listening more closely, it sounded just like the mating calls of old cats in the countryside at night.

In the countryside, a cat's cry is considered an ill omen, and encountering two mating cats at midnight meant you should steer clear to avoid bad luck. Cats are believed to be spiritually attuned and extremely sensitive. If they sense their privacy has been invaded, they'll find ways to make trouble for the intruder.

I forced myself to stay calm, realizing that knocking again could alert the spiritual cats to my presence, which would spell disaster for me. This was their domain, and the memory of the two men and one woman's fate was all too vivid—I couldn't bear to think about it. Inwardly, I cursed Wang Tao and his entire family. It was futile, but it helped ease the resentment burning inside me.

Then, I faintly heard a knocking sound from the first floor. The noise wasn't loud, but the glass door, despite being reinforced, made the sound piercingly sharp—a security measure. I thought, "Who in their right mind would dare knock on the Ghost Building's door at this hour?" Yet, part of me hoped it was Wu Yi or Ms. Liu, because that would mean rescue was at hand.

I was uncertain of Wang Tao's intentions. Was he planning to keep me here until dawn, or did he have another agenda? If it was the former, then his strategy surely involved the spiritual staircase. The first time I missed its closing, three people were released: a little girl, a woman in white, and finally Wang Tao himself... If I miss it again, I dread to think what else might emerge.

Suddenly, a jarring screech of a cat pierced the air.

I was so startled that I almost broke out in goosebumps. After a brief moment to collect myself, I decided to try banging on the door. Just then, a series of aggressive dog barks erupted, sounding as if they were about to throttle something.

The black dog appeared to have escaped its cage and was barking furiously. I figured even the fiercest cat would fear a dog, so I hurriedly joined in the door banging. The door was solid, and despite several forceful attempts, it wouldn't budge. Outside, a cacophony of noises ensued: cat wails, dog barks, chicken squawks... It was complete chaos.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, silence fell.

At that moment, a sliver of light shone into the storage room I was in, and the door swung open.

Wang Tao!? At first, I was taken aback, then quickly filled with rage.

Wang Tao spoke first, "What are you doing here?"

I immediately grabbed his collar, fuming, "What were you thinking, locking me up in here?"

As I lunged at Wang Tao, I noticed his face was riddled with deep scratches, giving him a rather ghastly appearance. They resembled cat scratches, but oddly, there was no blood.

Wang Tao shoved me off and retorted, "What are you on about? I've been waiting for you outside this whole time. When I heard a cat cry from the hall after a long wait, I thought something was wrong. I had just rushed in when two cats attacked me. Look at my face! If I hadn't released that big black dog, I doubt I could have subdued them. We clearly underestimated the situation."

I asked, "What about the two cat spirits?"

Wang Tao, caught between laughter and tears, exclaimed, "Damn it, the black dog killed them!"

Annoyed, I shot back, "Why didn't you release the black dog sooner and save us all this trouble? Where are the bodies of the two cat spirits?"

Wang Tao replied despondently, "Well, now both cats are dead, and we've lost our chance to get the cat spirit."

I made my way to the hall and discovered a large black dog growling softly as it pinned something beneath itself. As I approached, the dog snarled at me, prompting me to hastily retreat a couple of steps. The dog then bowed its head, its mouth bristling with cat fur, and its cheeks stained a deep crimson.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Wang Tao remarked, "Well, your wish has come true, but we no longer need the cat spirit."

"Did you hear someone knocking on the door downstairs earlier?" I inquired.

Wang Tao responded with uncertainty, "No."

"Listen again now," I urged.

After a brief pause, Wang Tao suggested, "You go check it out. I'll finish cleaning up the second floor and follow right after."

"Alright," I agreed. Before departing, I questioned him, "Is the second floor completely cleared of all the filth?" Wang Tao assured me that the cat spirit had been the source of the disturbances on the second floor, and now that it had been devoured by the black dog, there was nothing left to worry about.

I scrutinized Wang Tao's stature, suddenly struck by the realization that the person who had locked me in the storage room earlier seemed quite different from him. But then, who could that person be?

Descending to the first floor, the knocking persisted, steady and deliberate. A chill ran down my spine as I hastened toward the door.