Li Wei jerked awake from a nightmare that left her panting and soaked in sweat. A crash from outside clenched her heart in fear. With shaky legs, she stood, only to see Lao Zhang equally terror-stricken, his face pale and hands trembling.
“You heard that too?” Lao Zhang’s voice was a whisper of fear.
Li Wei, barely nodding, approached the window. A foul stench and eerie whispers crept in, making her stomach churn. Outside, a shadowy figure loomed under the moonlight – the very man from their study’s haunting painting.
“No, this can’t be…” It hit her – the figure was Mr. Lin.
“What’s going on?” Lao Zhang, coming closer, recoiled as he recognized the twisted face.
As panic consumed them, Mr. Lin’s sinister smile and horrifying laughter echoed, unsettling Li Wei to her core.
With his last laugh, he vanished into the moonlight, leaving silence and a lingering dread.
“It’s impossible! He hasn’t been seen since he disappeared…” Lao Zhang’s voice trailed off as he slumped against the wall in shock.
“He’s become a vengeful spirit,” Li Wei realized, trying to steady her breath. Then, a creak from downstairs hinted at a new terror brewing.
Regaining composure, they descended the stairs, only to be met by the inn’s landlady, her presence ominous.
“You too…” Li Wei recoiled, understanding that Mr. Lin was not alone; his vengeful wife was with him.
The landlady’s menacing smile faded into the dark as she disappeared.
“She’s helping him!” Lao Zhang was distraught. “We need to leave, now!” As they prepared to flee, the forest’s unnerving growls signaled an approaching horror.
Facing each other, Li Wei and Lao Zhang saw their mutual fear. A dark, terrifying ordeal was upon them.