Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

An old man had somehow appeared beside the car. His face was a web of wrinkles, his eyelids drooped, and his cloudy eyes looked unsettlingly eerie. The sudden appearance of someone in this remote village was frightening, to say the least.

Gu Moning let out an involuntary gasp, her face turned pale. Zhao Dong's heart also skipped a beat.

Zhao Dong sized up the old man before finally asking in a deep voice, "Old Sir, what brings you here?"

The old man's cloudy eyes glanced at the people in the car as a strange, eerie smile slowly spread across his gaunt face. "Young man, what brings you folks here?"

Zhao Dong glanced at Gu Moning in the rearview mirror. Gu Moning bit her lip and said, "Old Sir, my family is from here. My grandfather was Gu Jianyuan."

"Gu Jianyuan? Oh... I remember now. He's passed away, hasn't he?" A contemplative expression appeared on the old man's face. He reckoned he was about the same age as her grandfather. After all, Gu Jianyuan had only moved to the city after making his fortune; he had lived in the village for many years before that and knew everyone here.

Gu Moning nodded. "Yes, Sir. I'm his granddaughter. I'm back to see the Gu Family's ancestral home."

"Ah, so you've come to see the ancestral home. Go on, then. But be careful; it's getting late."

Gu Moning was taken aback. "Careful of what, Sir?"

The old man's smile remained unsettling, enough to send a shiver down the spine. "Nothing much," he said. "Just a reminder to watch your step in the dark."

With that, the old man's head turned slowly, almost mechanically. He stared straight ahead before turning and slowly walking away.

Once the old man had left, Gu Moning patted her chest and let out a long breath. "Xiaoran, why do I feel like something isn't right with this village? That old man was so creepy."

Li Xiaoran flashed a lovely smile. "Moning, you just haven't been back in a long time. It's nothing. The old folks in the village are all very friendly."

Gu Moning nodded silently as the car slowly drove down the village path.

There weren't many houses on either side of the path. Some yards were choked with weeds, looking utterly desolate. The only light came from the dim, yellow glow of a few oil lamps. The entire village was unnervingly quiet, steeped in a deathly stillness. There were no voices, only the strange, unsettling calls of unknown birds.

Gu Moning unconsciously tightened her grip, a chill running down her spine as she began to regret her decision. I should have come during the day. The evening glow in the distance had already faded, and night was slowly descending.

Under the cover of darkness, the desolate village, nestled deep in the mountains, gave off an indescribable sense of cold loneliness.

Soon, a massive estate appeared before them. This was the Gu Family's ancestral home.

Gu Moning asked Zhao Dong to park on the roadside, and they got out.

Li Xiaoran smiled at Gu Moning. "Moning, why don't you two go on in? I'll come by and have a look later."

Gu Moning hesitated. "Xiaoran, you're not coming in with us? Why are you going home now?"

"I still have to feed the chickens and ducks, so I need to get back."

Li Xiaoran chuckled. "You guys go ahead. My house is right next door anyway. Just give me a shout if you need anything."

"Oh... Okay!"

Li Xiaoran gave a slight smile, then turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Zhao Dong and Gu Moning stood before the massive estate, staring at the imposing wooden gates. Zhao Dong smacked his lips. "Your Gu Family sure is impressive. Where's the key?"

Gu Moning took the key from her pocket and handed it to Zhao Dong, then quickly stood behind him.

Zhao Dong asked, confused, "What's wrong?"

"I... I'm a little scared." Clearly embarrassed, her palms were slick with sweat.

Zhao Dong gave a wry smile and shook his head without further comment. He used the key to open the estate's large gates.

As the gates swung open, a musty smell wafted out. The courtyard was vast, complete with pavilions and gazebos. The layout was elegant and grand, like the residence of an ancient noble. However, because it was deserted, the grounds were overgrown with weeds, exuding a heavy, deathly stillness.

Biting her lip, Gu Moning asked nervously, "Zhao Dong, you said there was a problem with my family's ancestral home. What is it, exactly?"

Zhao Dong's expression was grim. His eyes swept across the courtyard, his brow furrowing ever deeper.

Just then, a cold wind gusted through, and the large gates swung shut with a sudden CREAK!

Gu Moning gasped, her face draining of color as her whole body trembled.

Zhao Dong reassured her, "It's nothing. Just a gust of wind."

Her face ashen, Gu Moning's voice trembled. "Zhao Dong, I feel like something is seriously wrong here tonight. My skin is crawling."

"Was it like this the last time you came?"

"No. I came during the day last time, and I didn't feel this way at all."

At this point, Gu Moning felt like she was about to cry. Night had completely fallen, and it was pitch-dark. She and Zhao Dong could only navigate the courtyard by the limited light of their cellphone flashlights.

Looking at the main building within the courtyard, Zhao Dong said, "Unlock the door and turn on the lights."

Gu Moning nodded. She walked with Zhao Dong to the building's entrance, took out the key, and unlocked the door.

The moment the door swung open, a gust of frigid air blasted out!

Zhao Dong's expression changed in an instant, and he yanked Gu Moning back!

A dark shadow shot out from inside the building!

An eerie, piercing scream ripped through the air