C23 The Ghost Tiptoed

At that moment, Third Uncle, Liang Yue, and I, along with the flashlights we carried, converged on the person who had leapt from the building. The beams crisscrossed, revealing the individual's face. It was then I noticed the person was standing with their back to us, but shockingly, a face was projected on top of their head. In other words, their head had been twisted a full 180 degrees.

The scene was so startling that we were frozen in shock. Before we could even react, the body plummeted to the ground below. Third Uncle, who had been leading the charge, came to an abrupt halt and could only watch as the eerie figure vanished from the rooftop.

Out of breath, I approached Third Uncle and asked, "Third Uncle, did you... did you see that person's face?" He nodded gravely, his expression serious, yet he remained silent.

By then, Liang Yue had caught up to us, looking even more stricken than I felt, her face ashen and beaded with cold sweat. I couldn't help but chide her, "I warned you not to come. Scared now, aren't you?"

She dismissed my comment with a wave, "No, it's not that. I... I recognize that person... but he..." Third Uncle interjected with a question, "Who is it?"

"He's a property owner here in the mall, a dealer for a major sports brand. His name is Chen Wanli, but he... but he..." she trailed off, prompting me to press her, "What happened? You're so frightened you can't even finish a sentence?"

Liang Yue shot me a glare before continuing, "But he's been dead for a month..." "What?" Third Uncle and I exclaimed in unison, turning our full attention to Liang Yue.

She steadied herself and confirmed with a nod, "I'm certain, I didn't mistake him. It was his face. He's definitely dead. He was the one who jumped from this building before."

I gestured toward the spot from where the person had jumped, "But how is this possible? What's the point of jumping twice?" Liang Yue replied, her patience wearing thin, "How should I know? That's a question for you. Oh, could it be that the one who just jumped... wasn't actually a person, but Chen Wanli's..."

She hesitated to say the word "ghost," revealing a rare glimpse of fear in the usually intrepid Liang Yue. I turned to Third Uncle and asked, "Another jump. Should we call the police?"

Third Uncle waved his hand dismissively, "Jumping from such a high building without a sound? It can't be real..."

While talking, he toyed with the compass in his hand. The needle continued to spin, failing to settle on a clear direction.

I leaned in and asked, "Third Uncle, does this thing really work?"

"Absolutely," Third Uncle affirmed. "It was specially crafted by my master. I've used it countless times, and it's never let me down. Ghosts can alter a place's magnetic field. Based on that principle, the compass needle should point to where the ghosts are most concentrated, which is also the area with the strongest Yin Qi."

"So why has it been spinning all day?"

Third Uncle shook his head. "There are two possibilities. As I mentioned, the red paint on this building tends to attract wandering ghosts. One possibility is that now, ghosts are all around us..."

At this point, Liang Yue and I shivered, instinctively glancing left and right.

When our eyes locked, we glared at each other before quickly looking away.

Third Uncle went on with his theory, "The other possibility is that the compass is flat, and so is the needle's orientation. That means if the ghosts are located above or below the compass, it won't be effective."

I questioned, "But that doesn't make sense, Third Uncle. The needle was spinning on the first floor, and it's still spinning here on the top floor."

"And in the elevator," Third Uncle interjected, "I noticed the needle never stopped moving."

I mused aloud, "That's odd. Could the ghost be in the sky or underground?"

My words sparked a realization in Third Uncle, who quickly turned to Liang Yue, "Assistant Liang, does this building have a basement?"

Liang Yue nodded, "Yes, there's an underground parking lot and some merchants' storage rooms. But ever since the incident, the basement has been sealed off."

"Why is the basement involved? Why seal it?" Third Uncle inquired.

After a moment's thought, Liang Yue explained, "Following the incident, we consulted a mage. He claimed there was a heavy malevolent energy underground that needed to be sealed to prevent it from surging upward and causing more problems. Besides, most of the storage rooms were already unused, and with business being slow, there weren't many cars coming in. So, we decided to seal the basement."

As I was speaking, I suddenly recalled the sensation I experienced while standing in the lobby on the first floor.

I quickly turned to Third Uncle and said, "When I was on the first floor, it felt like there was a chill rising from beneath the ground. I wasn't certain, so I didn't mention it to you."

Third Uncle nodded, about to respond, when the flute music that had ceased moments before started up again.

The melody was as mournful and plaintive as before, evoking tears and a profound sense of sorrow. The tune seemed to convey a myriad of emotions: a longing for home, a sense of helplessness with reality, a deep affection for a loved one, and an anticipation for a reunion with family...

Even as someone with no musical expertise, I found the piece so moving that I almost cried.

As I listened, I became entranced and began to search for the source of the music.

It appeared to be emanating from the ground, so I turned and made my way toward the edge of the building.

Out of nowhere, Third Uncle's palm struck my head, causing a loud buzz, and I snapped back to reality. It was a close call. If not for Third Uncle, I might have...

The thought of what could have happened was too dreadful to entertain. While I was dazed, I noticed Liang Yue silently walking towards the edge of the building. Her body was rigid, without any sway, her feet moving alternately in a steady progression.

Stranger still, I observed that Liang Yue was walking on tiptoe.

That is to say, her heels were lifted, and she was moving solely on the balls of her feet.

Liang Yue's pace was slow. Seeing the danger, Third Uncle dashed over once more and, with all his might, struck the top of her head, right at the Baihui acupoint.

The tactic proved effective; Liang Yue's body jolted, and her heels dropped to the floor.

By then, she was less than two meters from the edge of the building.

Liang Yue seemed to awaken from a trance, looking at Third Uncle with a bewildered expression.

Liang Yue looked like she had become a completely different person, and she appeared to have no recollection of what had just transpired, much like the feeling I had experienced moments before.

I glanced at Third Uncle, who gestured dismissively and said, "You were just like Assistant Liang a moment ago."

I pointed at Liang Yue's feet and asked, "Why are you walking on tiptoe?"

Third Uncle replied, "They say that's how ghosts walk. See how it looks like two people standing very close, with the front person's heels on the back person's toes? When they move, the one in front appears to be on tiptoe."

"Ah? So, you're saying there was someone behind Liang Yue and me... We were stepping on their toes as we walked forward?"

I startled myself with my own theory. There was no one behind us. Could it have been a ghost? Were we unwittingly stepping on a ghost's feet, or were we being guided step by step by a ghost?

Were the people who jumped from the building experiencing the same thing as us?

Liang Yue was still confused, so I briefly recounted the recent events. She listened with an expression of utter disbelief.

Third Uncle gestured dismissively, "Enough with the speculation. The flute music hasn't stopped; let's head to the basement."

The melancholic flute music then took on a more unrestrained quality, reminiscent of a thunderous cavalry or the majestic flow of the Yellow River.

Under different circumstances, I would have applauded vigorously out of respect.

But at that moment, the music only heightened my fear, offering no solace. The melody was like a toxin. Liang Yue and I had both been affected, albeit to varying degrees. Without Third Uncle's presence, we might have been in serious trouble.

After sharing the ordeal with Liang Yue, her face mirrored my shock.

Third Uncle led us away from the rooftop access, saying, "This flute music must be the root cause."

Liang Yue chimed in, "I've never heard of our area having any connection to flute music. How could such a sinister sound emerge out of nowhere? Could Uncle Hsiao be behind it?"

The sound of the flute weighed heavily on our spirits, and we couldn't help but grow paranoid, suspecting that anyone but us might be responsible for its haunting notes.

Third Uncle led the way with his flashlight, and Liang Yue followed closely behind with a shuffling gait.

After descending from the rooftop, we made our way down the stairs. By the time we reached the 11th floor, we were just a short distance from the elevator entrance.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Liang Yue was right behind me. Amused, I didn't bother to look back and instead said softly, "What's the matter? Assistant Liang, have you finally become afraid?"

There was no reply.

I went on, "Are you petrified? If you're scared, why don't you walk in front of me? Did you know your palms are ice-cold?"

Mid-sentence, Liang Yue came up on my right, giving me a look of contempt. "What are you muttering about to yourself?"

"I..." I jumped, startled. Liang Yue was on my right, and both her hands were at her sides. So whose hand was on my shoulder?

Recalling that my shoulder was lacking Yang Fire, which Third Uncle had said made it vulnerable to ghosts, a chill ran down my spine, and I broke out in goosebumps.

I dared not make any sudden moves, merely tilting my head slightly to the left and stealing a glance at my left shoulder from the corner of my eye.

To my horror, I saw a pale, ashen hand resting on my shoulder. It couldn't belong to a living person; the color was completely bloodless, the skin far from normal.

Overwhelmed by fear, I couldn't hold back any longer. I reached out with my right hand, forcefully brushing the hand off my shoulder, and let out a scream.

"Ah... Ghost... Ghost... Ah..." My cries echoed down the hallway.