Although she had grown up here, she was still not accustomed to its desolation.
When she was young, this was an undeveloped mountain range with towering ancient trees.
Snakes and insects were dense, and even large tigers and leopards occasionally appeared. The people in their village had lived in the ancient dense forest for generations, with almost no contact with the outside world.
But since the opening up, this place gradually had human presence, and because of its beautiful scenery and the unique Bitter Feelings Lake, it was gradually favored by the country and developed into a medium-sized tourist city. Their village was gradually pushed to the edge of the city from the dense forest of ancient trees.
Moxiaoji quite liked these changes, but her grandmother and village uncles gradually became worried. They hated the strangers curious about their village and their ancient way of life exposed to public view.
The sky grew darker, and Moxiaoji’s pace quickened. She didn’t want to remain in this spine-chilling dense forest before it was completely dark.
Every time she was in this forest, Moxiaoji felt like someone was following her. This bone-chilling feeling was something many people must have experienced, especially in some eerie places like a hospital at night, or a dormitory with rumors of strange incidents.
Footsteps were so light they were almost inaudible, yet undeniably present.
This feeling was clearer than the previous times. She seemed to smell a faint, indescribable fragrance in the damp forest air – sweet yet slightly bitter, like the musty smell emanating from an old piece of equipment.
“Why are you following me? Come out, I see you!”
Eerie Footsteps
Mo Xiaoji’s questioning voice hung in the air, drifting into the dense forest, creating a slight echo. Within her own echo, she heard a subtle response matching her voice, followed by a light mocking laugh.
Mo Xiaoji’s nerves tightened again, and she closed her mouth, determined not to call out a second time.
As a child, she occasionally felt followed, but never with such a definite sense of someone’s presence. Perhaps it wasn’t human, or maybe… a ghost. A spirit of someone who died unjustly in this forest, teasing this timid young girl to pass the long journey of reincarnation.
Mo Xiaoji’s hair stood on end from her own imagination.
