CH 9.1

Chapter 9 Part 1

Disclaimer: This chapter contains graphic scenes. Reader’s discretion is advised. 

Ming Huashang and Ren Yao heard the scream, looked at each other, and hurried to where the sound came from.

They didn’t bring lanterns when they came, so they could only rely on the dim light from the snow to find their way. Ren Yao was faster than Ming Huashang. She ran across the corridor, and when she looked up, she seemed to have seen something terrifying and let out a short cry. Realizing that she was screaming, she forced herself to hold back.

Ming Huashang followed closely behind. She turned the corner and first saw a touch of red.

A woman in red was hanging from the beam, her waist-length hair was loose and scattered. At this moment, a gust of wind blew, her body swayed from side to side and her hair was blown away by the wind, revealing her face underneath.

Seeing the condition of her face, Ming Huashang gasped and took a step back.

Red blood flowed out of her eye sockets and dripped down her face. The most frightening thing was that there were no eyeballs in her eye sockets, but two bloody black holes.

When Ren Yao saw the woman’s face, she could no longer remain strong, and asked in a trembling voice, “What is this? Who is playing tricks here!”

Ming Huashang saw two women who had fallen over at the other end of the corridor. The palace lantern was on the ground, candle oil dripped onto the paper, and it was already burning. Ming Huashang said, “There are two people behind there. I don’t know whether they are alive or dead. Sister Ren, let’s go and check on them together.”

Outside the corridor was a small pond, which was covered by snow, so Ming Huashang couldn’t determine if there was a hole below. She dared not tread on the ice rashly. She pressed her back against the wall, carefully avoiding the woman hanging from the beam, and walked quickly to the back.

Ren Yao’s scalp went numb when she saw Ming Huashang brushing the corpse of the woman in red. But she had already claimed that her courage was not inferior to that of a man, so how could she lose to a delicate and weak boudoir lady now? Ren Yao could only bite the bullet and walked to the back by pressing herself against the wall.

Ren Yao didn’t know how Ming Huashang walked so steadily, she didn’t even dare to look up. She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and fumbled forward. She couldn’t perceive the environment, and the few short steps seemed infinitely elongated. She felt that she had arrived, her eyes barely opened a gap, yet she saw a red hem drooping on her body. Her eyes instinctively followed along that hem and just happened to face head-on with the two black holes where the woman’s eye sockets were.

Due to extreme fright, she couldn’t even make a sound, and Ren Yao’s legs immediately went limp. Ming Huashang squatted at the end corridor, stretching out her hand to feel for the breath of the people on the ground. Fortunately, they only fainted from fright.

Judging by their clothes, they should be a young miss and her maid. The two of them were strolling outside when they happened to bump into this terrible scene. The scream just now should be from them before they fell unconscious.

Since everyone was okay, Ming Huashang was relieved. It was not suitable to stay here for too long, and it was better to call someone over quickly. Ming Huashang noticed some time had passed and Ren Yao still hadn’t come over, so she turned around only to find Ren Yao trapped halfway down the corridor, staring blankly face to face with the female corpse, as if she had been paralyzed.

Ming Huashang hurriedly called out, “Sister Ren?”

Ren Yao didn’t know what was wrong. She felt as if those empty bloody eyes had seized her. She couldn’t look away even though her mind was screaming. She vaguely heard someone calling her name, and then a pair of warm hands held her arms and pulled her forward.

Ren Yao walked woodenly for a long time, raised her eyes in a daze, and saw Ming Huashang looking at her worriedly. She finally escaped from the horror of being caught by the female ghost, her knees gave way, and she almost collapsed on the ground.

Ming Huashang quickly supported her and patted her arm lightly, “It’s okay. We’ll find someone right away.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a cluster of flames illuminated the courtyard wall, and chaotic voices came from behind the wall. With so many guests at the banquet, most likely those who were strolling at the front heard the screams, so they came together to search.

A slender crimson figure appeared first, he was holding a lantern, and the firelight reflected on his face, making his complexion more jade-like and his eyes like stars.

Seeing him, Ming Huashang unknowingly relaxed, “Second elder brother!”

The other party also saw them. He didn’t say a word, strode forward with his long legs, and reached in front of Ming Huashang within two steps. He carefully checked Ming Huashang’s whole body, then glanced at the people on the ground and the hanging corpse in front of them, and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Ming Huashang pulled Ming Huazhang and said, “Second elder brother, someone died here, and her eyes were gouged out for some reason. The two people on the ground must have fainted from fright. Go and call for the doctor.”

Ming Huazhang put the lantern in Ming Huashang’s hands, went to feel for the breath of the people on the ground first then approached to observe the female corpse hanging from the beam. Ren Yao’s body was still numb. She looked in disbelief: “What kind of life are you and your brother living at home? Are you not afraid?”

Ming Huashang was naturally afraid, but what she was afraid of was not the bloody female corpse, but the danger lurking in the darkness.

If Ming Huashang was by herself, she would not dare to stay. Fortunately, Ren Yao was with her. During the day, she saw Ren Yao’s heroic stance as she wielded her spear with her own eyes, and believed that even if they encountered hoodlums, Ren Yao would be able to subdue them, that was why Ming Huashang dared to remain. Now that Ming Huazhang was here, she was even less afraid.

Ming Huazhang looked around examining the woman’s body and finally stopped in one spot. Ming Huashang was curious, and walked over with a lamp, “Second elder brother, what’s the matter?”

It was dark before so Ming Huashang couldn’t see carefully, only now that there was light did she realize that she recognized the woman on the beam. Wasn’t she the maid who showed her the way not long ago?

However, what was even more ominous were the bloody words on the ground.

Those who see me, die.