Chương 4: Chapter 4: The Closed Factory
Opening the post, the author got straight to the point:
"Guys, I'm from Fengmen Town, and I want to tell you all that the rumors online are true. The site of the old Factory No. 2 really is cursed. As soon as it gets dark, the older generation avoids that place. Two years ago, a Supernatural Explorer Blogger who didn't believe in curses sneaked in over the wall at night, and guess what happened? When they found him the next day, he had been scared into a stupor, clinging to a crooked tree, biting anyone who came close. It took several people to pull him off, and he spent several days in the hospital. After he came to, he stopped live streaming altogether. Heard he's practicing both Buddhism and Christianity now, even worships Jesus!"
"Don't try to fool me into believing in Jesus, Thread Starter. I'm a chosen man. My teacher says I'm joining the team next month."
"Hold up a second, team member above. I haven't even spoken, and I'm a fearless materialist!"
"We brothers who often kill get it, Thread Starter is full of nonsense."
...
Although it was an old post, the inside was still bustling, filled with the merciless criticism of modern materialists against all kinds of spiritual beings and deities. Yang Xiao continued to read on.
"Oh right, the creepiest part was that after the blogger came to his senses, he said he had filmed videos all night, and he was sure he had captured something. But when the police checked his camera, they found nothing had been recorded!"
"Almost the entire footage was pitch black, with only some trees and the outlines of nearby remaining buildings vaguely visible. Judging from the filming angle, the blogger was just spinning around in the same spot. The video was shaking badly. Have you seen those pseudo-documentaries? It was like that."
"Even though nothing was filmed, when they turned up the volume of the video, they discovered a problem in the background noise. If you listen carefully, you could faintly hear a woman's singing voice and the laughter of children."
"Don't disbelieve me; I'm telling the truth. We welcome you to visit our town, but don't you dare go to the old site of Factory No. 2. That blogger last time was too stubborn with his fate. It's said that before, there were also young people in the town who didn't believe in curses and wanted to sneak into the abandoned factory to steal stuff to sell. Three of them went, two went in in the middle of the night, while one kept watch at the foot of the wall outside. The two who went inside just vanished without a trace, and they still haven't been found to this day."
"Forget it, I've said enough already. Just listen to this, but don't go spreading it around. I really don't want any trouble; this matter is a bit complicated."
"Here's what happened: many years ago, something strange happened in the factory, and quite a few people died. It stirred up panic. The factory was abandoned after that incident."
"I heard it from my grandfather. Back in the last century, there was a group of people from the city who came to work in the factory. One night, as one of the workers was on the job, he suddenly threw down his tools, struck a pose with his fingers, and oddly enough, started to chant opera lyrics."
"The singing was mournfully eerie, which terrified everyone. The man singing was a male, but the voice in his singing was clearly a female's. Moreover, this man was a stiff and reticent engineer; he barely spoke and definitely didn't know opera."
"What happened next wasn't told by my grandfather, and I guess he might not have known either. But later that night, a huge fire broke out at Factory No. 2. It was so fierce that it killed dozens of people, including the security guards."
"My grandfather lived nearby, and when the fire started, he was one of the first to rush in to help. In the fire, he saw something he'd never forget for as long as he lived: a disheveled man on stage with a torch, striking poses and singing opera like a woman, while the rest of the people in the factory sat quietly below, listening. Even as the fire burned their bodies, they didn't react, some already scorched to the bone."
"The blaze was too fierce; nobody could get close, and not a single person was saved. My grandfather felt guilty about this for a while. However, later on, he met a Barefooted Monk who was begging and after talking to him, he came to terms with it."
"After hearing what my grandfather had to say, the monk joined his palms together, softly chanted a Buddhist mantra, and then explained that those people had been bewitched by ghosts and couldn't be saved. If my grandfather had rushed in that night, he would have only lost his own life as well."
"Later, I heard that monk spoke to the town's authorities, and I'm not sure what was discussed. Back in those days, some matters weren't suitable for public discussion. Some say the monk buried a Buddha statue he worshipped at the base of Factory No. 2's wall to suppress the fierce ghost's resentment. Others say that he chanted sutras all night, burnt paper offerings, and reached some sort of agreement with the fierce ghost."
"There are tons of speculations, but one thing I can confirm as true is that since then, no one has ever touched the old site of Factory No. 2 again. They sealed the gates, and even though the land is in a good location, it has remained untouched and abandoned for decades."
That's where the Thread Starter's story ended. The rest of the comments were a mix of analysis, with a variety of theories. Of course, some people didn't believe in these things at all, thinking all this was made up by the Thread Starter for attention, for a haunting tale.
But the post had a profound impact on Yang Xiao, Fengmen Town, ghost plays, a woman—these three points all matched up with his own experiences.
And the script for the "Fengmen Ghost Play" was sent precisely from the old flour factory site where the supernatural incidents occurred.
Combining the stories from the post with his own encounters, Yang Xiao was certain that the flour factory was the source of the paranormal events.
Waiting passively was not in Yang Xiao's character. Plus, he understood that once the supernatural events had started, they wouldn't stop unless he addressed the root of the problem. Thus, he decided to visit Fengmen Town himself.
He intended to set off early the next morning; such matters were better addressed sooner rather than later. For now, he needed to collect as much information about the flour factory as possible. It would be ideal to contact someone in the know. He sent a private message to the Thread Starter and also left a comment under the post, emphasizing that there was a reward.
After completing these tasks, he waited while browsing through other posts related to the supernatural events of Fengmen Town. Although the claims varied widely, all traces eventually pointed to the flour factory abandoned decades ago.
As the night deepened and the streets outside quieted down, the constant mental strain began to take its toll on Yang Xiao. He leaned back in his chair, exhaled slowly, and clicked on the avatar of the Thread Starter who had initiated the post.
After a double click, there was no response from the page. He double-clicked again, and the screen darkened—the old computer had shut down on its own.
Reflected in the turned-off screen, Yang Xiao saw someone standing on the sofa behind him.
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