Chapter 2: Post Office Messenger
Gentle sunlight sprinkled on the window, and a breeze carrying the fresh scent of the plant blew into the corridor.
“Looks like going this way will let us leave.” Zhang Qian reached out to feel the warm sunlight; it didn’t seem like an illusion. “Too bad I don’t want to leave yet.”
He wasn’t an ungrateful wretch; at the very least, he had to save Senior Liu Ren. Plus, with his divine skill just mastered, didn’t he need a target to test his strength?
“Bang—bang—bang—”
Just as Zhang Qian was hesitating about where to find someone, a dull thudding sound came from the pitch black corridor, as if someone was repeatedly slamming into the walls.
Zhang Qian had no intention of indulging it. He strode toward the sound. Though the surroundings grew gradually darker, he found that gathering true qi in his eyes allowed him to easily see through it.
The layout around him hadn’t changed much, but some objects had become worn, covered in rust and unknown black stains. The walls also had mottled mold spots, with patches of peeling wall plaster here and there.
Most of the ward doors were already open, and though the insides were messy, there were no signs of anyone.
Following the sound, Zhang Qian arrived at a door with the three blood-red characters “Office” written on it. The knocking sounds from just now had come from inside.
He felt no fear in his heart. The more tricks, the weaker this little demon must be. Why would a true stronger one need all these fancy things?
Sure enough, as his footsteps drew near, the previously vigorous knocking suddenly stopped.
“Knock knock knock.”
Zhang Qian politely knocked on the door, then without waiting for a response from inside, gathered true qi, drew back, and kicked it with all his might.
The main entrance directly detached from the door frame and flew backward, crashing to the ground with a clang while accompanied by someone’s scream.
“Hello, anyone there?” Zhang Qian walked into the room and looked around, noticing a nameplate on the office table.
【Qian Deshun】
【Flower Market Third Mental Hospital Psychosomatic Disorders Expert】
“Cough cough cough, almost gone.” A hand reached out from behind the door, pushing the door panel as it struggled to stand up.
Zhang Qian looked him up and down, seeing his clothes disheveled and eyeballs bloodshot. “Oh, it’s Doctor Wang. I knocked earlier but got no response, so I just pushed the door open and came in. You’re not mad, right?”
“My surname is Qian… How did you get out? Where are the other doctors and nurses?” The doctor patted the dust off his clothes and walked toward the doorway.
Zhang Qian slightly sidestepped, neatly dodging Doctor Wang’s grabbing hand. “Got it, Doctor Wang. I’m looking for others too. Want to come along?”
……
In the pitch black corridor.
Zhang Qian suddenly stopped and asked out of the blue, “Do you think you’re very funny?”
“What?”
“You’ve been laughing the whole way. Don’t you think you’re funny?” Zhang Qian pointed at Doctor Wang’s mouth, which was grinning to his ears, with the split wound constantly drooling saliva.
“You can actually see it!” The doctor hurriedly wiped the saliva from his mouth. “I just thought of something happy.”
However, Zhang Qian slapped him backhanded, making his head do a full 360-degree spin. Seeing he wasn’t dead, he infused true qi and slapped again.
“First, I’m cultivating immortality, so night vision is normal. Second, this body really is Doctor Wang’s; the nameplate is still hanging there.”
The doctor thudded to the ground, his head rolling into the darkness. The corpse, which had looked fresh just moments ago, suddenly rotted, sending a foul smell straight to Zhang Qian’s forehead.
Zhang Qian had felt something off since kicking the door open. What normal person repeatedly bashes their head against the wall, and can stand up casually after taking his kick?
“I was hoping to get some information from you, but who knew you were a fool.” Zhang Qian disgustedly wiped his hand. “You laughing is one thing, but rubbing against me—what’s that about?”
The surrounding environment didn’t return to normal after Doctor Wang’s death. Zhang Qian thoughtfully kicked him again to confirm he wasn’t faking it. “This is just a puppet; I must find the real one.”
He no longer hesitated and violently kicked open door after door, finally discovering something unusual in an office.
“Hey, you still alive? If not dead, make a sound.” Zhang Qian knocked on the door, shouting at the trembling figure under the office table.
Seeing no reaction, Zhang Qian walked in and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Why aren’t you talking?”
“Ah! Don’t kill me!” The guy slammed into the underside of the office table with a bang, then clutched his head and curled up, trembling for a while before joyfully realizing he wasn’t dead.
“Eh? You’re not a ghost.”
“Nonsense, what’s your name? Do you know where Senior Liu Ren is?”
“I’m Wang Shang, I don’t know where Teacher Liu is either…” Wang Shang stammered a couple sentences, then couldn’t help hugging Zhang Qian’s leg and crying. “Who are you? Can you save me?”
“If you don’t know, forget it. You hide here first; I’ll go find Senior.” Zhang Qian disgustedly pried his hand off and prepared to head deeper in.
But Wang Shang wouldn’t let Zhang Qian leave, tugging his trouser legs and dragging him under the table. “Don’t go, there are ghosts outside, lots and lots of ghosts!”
Zhang Qian had to stop, protecting his pants. “So you’ve seen ghosts? Then why aren’t you dead?”
“I don’t know; those ghosts rushed in and I was scared stupid…” Wang Shang huddled in the corner, seemingly recalling that hellish scene again. “Teachers, patients—all turned into ghosts… Li Ang, Xu Jing, Zhang Lei… all dead!”
Zhang Qian checked his neck again, confirming he was still alive for now. “So running gets you killed, but staying still is fine?”
“I don’t know…” Wang Shang said with lingering fear; he didn’t know what had happened either.
“This morning I was doing after-class homework with classmates when the lights suddenly dimmed. Then many doctors and patients surged into the office, laughing and calling our names.”
“Those classmates couldn’t take it and tried to run, but got grabbed by ghosts and taken who knows where. I fainted from fear and ended up safe, hiding under the office table until now.”
Running gets you killed, but staying still is fine…
Zhang Qian stroked his chin and said, “Interesting. Any way to tell this info to others?”
Zhang Qian’s calm demeanor steadied Wang Shang a bit. He took out his mobile phone but found it wouldn’t turn on, so he shook his head. “No way; calls won’t go through, and I can’t find the broadcast station…”
“Then stay put honestly; I’ll go deal with the source.” Zhang Qian interrupted Wang Shang, then moved the table to the corner and used the wall to block the gap behind it. “Don’t run around; you’ve survived this long, holding out a bit more shouldn’t be a problem.”
Zhang Qian left the office and looked toward the deep darkness. “Must hurry…”
Deep in another corridor.
Five people traveled together, groping forward in the pitch black corridor.
“Old Wang, we’re counting on you this time; you have to lead us out alive!” In the darkness, the glasses guy complained in a trembling voice. “This post office is too weird; why send us to a ghostly place like this?”
Old Wang clutched a yellow envelope and reassured them, “Relax, we’re all first-floor messengers; the task won’t be too hard.”
“Yeah, Liu Bing, just relax. Brother Wang is a veteran who’s completed two tasks; he’ll surely lead us newcomers no problem.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Exactly.”
“I think so too.”
“Then I’m relieved.” Liu Bing breathed a sigh of relief. “We just need to deliver the envelope and…”
Liu Bing wanted to ask for details but bumped headfirst into Brother Wang. He strangely tugged at Brother Wang’s clothes. “Old Wang?”
“Shh—did you all notice that just now, more than five people were talking?”
