Three people arrived, two men and a woman.
Two sky-burial masters and a Tibetan woman.
They carried the corpse from the vehicle and placed it on the Tibetan woman’s back. Then they began climbing a nearby mountain, the two sky-burial masters walking one in front of the other, both holding miner’s lamps.
“What are they doing?” Su Xue whispered softly from inside the car, unable to hide her curiosity.
Shui Miao rested his chin on his hand. “It seems they’re trying to carry the corpse of the sky-burial master to the northern side of the mountain. The north side is perpetually covered in snow, filled with a chilling yin energy. Plus, the corpse still has the Dragon-Scale Blade hidden in its clothing. I suspect they’re planning some kind of dark magic.”
“Could they be trying to create a zombie?” Su Xue felt a chill run through her.
Shui Miao asked urgently, “Do you know something?”
“Yes,” Su Xue nodded. “I know that at night, the yin energy here in Tibet is extremely heavy. If a corpse lies on the ground for a few days, it can turn into a zombie and start harming people. I’ve even seen a stray dog’s corpse transform into a zombie before. Do you know why Tibetan homes have such low doorways? It’s specifically designed to keep zombies out.”
Shui Miao had seen many Tibetan homes on his travels, each with doorways so low that one had to bow to enter. At first, he had been puzzled, but now, after hearing Su Xue’s explanation, everything made sense. It seemed this beautiful land of Tibet was also a haven for zombies.
Yet, looking around now, the yin energy didn’t seem particularly strong—just like any other place. Maybe it was just too early?
Shui Miao knew that the strongest yin energy occurred at midnight.
Seeing Shui Miao lost in thought, Su Xue continued, “Shui Miao, I think this is serious. As you said, the Dragon-Scale Blade carries a strong yin-slaying aura, and now it’s placed on the corpse of the sky-burial master. That means the corpse will likely transform into a zombie soon. If that happens, many innocent people could be harmed!”
“Don’t worry, I’m here,” Shui Miao replied, surprised to see Su Xue’s sense of justice. He nodded at her. “Don’t be afraid. Since I’m staying here, I won’t let them harm anyone. But it’s not time to stop them yet. I want to see exactly how the corpse transforms and how powerful it becomes.”
“You mean we have to stay here the whole time?”
Su Xue felt cold. She had only planned to take a short walk before heading back, but now she was caught up in this.
“Here’s the plan—I’ll take you back first. The corpse won’t transform that quickly. Then we should contact the local police to help handle this case,” Shui Miao wasn’t in a rush to intervene. He was eager to witness the transformation process and understand why it happened.
Su Xue shook her head. “Shui Miao, I think you shouldn’t contact the police. There’s too much red tape, and it might bring trouble.”
“Why do you say that? Is there something wrong with the local police?” Shui Miao trusted Su Xue’s judgment. After all, she was an experienced tour guide who had worked in Tibet for years and probably knew more about the place than the locals themselves.
“It’s like this,” Su Xue explained. “Most of the local police are from here, and locals tend to protect their own. We’re outsiders, and this is a bizarre case. Do you really think they’ll listen to us? Also, the sky-burial master died this afternoon, and both the ambulance and police were there. Now the corpse is here—don’t you think something’s off? I think we should handle this ourselves, within our own abilities.”
Shui Miao nodded. “I see what you mean.”
He started the car quietly, without turning on the headlights, and drove back in the dark.
Back at the hotel, Su Xue invited Shui Miao to her room.
Just as Shui Miao entered Su Xue’s room, the red-haired young man happened to catch a glimpse of it. He was thrilled, feeling like he had discovered a huge secret. His natural gossip-loving nature kicked in, and he rushed back to his room to share the news. But just as he was about to speak, an invisible force struck his mouth with a powerful slap! Shocked and terrified, he dared not utter another word.
Of course, that slap was just an illusion created by Shui Miao.
Under normal circumstances, a woman bringing a man into her room late at night might raise eyebrows.
But Su Xue had no reservations about Shui Miao. To her, he was like a younger brother.
Besides, if Shui Miao had any ill intentions, he could have acted on them in the car long before now.
Shui Miao entered Su Xue’s room not for any other reason, but to see the photos she had mentioned.
As a tour guide, taking photos to record beautiful scenery and memorable moments with each group was part of the job.
Since there were still several hours before midnight, Shui Miao decided to pass the time by looking at the photos.
Su Xue had stored the photos on her laptop. She opened the computer and made two cups of coffee, then began recounting her experiences as a tour guide over the years. Each photo told a story, each group had its moments of joy and frustration. Being a tour guide could be both challenging and easy, depending on the person. Su Xue was a simple, honest soul. While her fellow guides were getting rich, she remained on a basic salary, earning the least. The only regret she had was leading groups to a certain store just to get the Dragon-Scale Blade. But now, with that burden gone, she was beginning to appreciate the curved horned knife she now carried.
Shui Miao clicked on a folder labeled “Gore” and opened it. The first photo that appeared was of a dog—bloody and mutilated, its teeth bared, clearly visible with white maggots crawling on its body. It looked like a rotting corpse, yet it was still alive!
“This is the zombie dog I told you about.”
Su Xue turned her head away. Every time she saw this photo, she wanted to delete it, but she knew it was unique. Once gone, it would be impossible to find again. So she forced herself to endure the nausea and kept it.
Shui Miao felt a chill run through his scalp. He clicked to the next photo and saw images of sky burials.
He flipped through quickly until the last photo, which was just a plain snowy mountain.
“This one seems out of place,” Shui Miao remarked. “It’s just a normal snow-capped mountain.”
Su Xue looked out the window, too afraid to glance at the screen. She took a deep breath. “That photo is actually the scariest. Look closely—see what’s in the snow?”
“Really?”
Shui Miao stared intently. As he looked, he noticed a figure resembling the ghost from the movie “Ringu”!
“Haha, what’s scary about that? It’s just a snowscape. You’re overthinking,” Shui Miao said casually. But then, just beneath the figure, he noticed a skeleton with blood-red eye sockets.
“Su Xue, where was this photo taken? Was it a prank?” Shui Miao’s tone grew serious. Judging from the mountain in the background, it must be a very tall snow-covered peak.
“It’s Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, on the slopes of the Himalayas,” Su Xue replied, clearly frightened. Without turning her head, she quickly asked, “Did you close it?”
Shui Miao quickly closed the photo, the folder, and shut down the laptop.
Then Su Xue turned around. “That photo is real. I took two shots. The second one was blank. That’s why I believe in ghosts. I was so scared that I only took the Lhasa route afterward. Later, the company assigned the Himalayan route to a male colleague of mine, but he didn’t last long—he died.”
“Died? Was it at that same location?”
Su Xue nodded. “The first time he went, he saw exactly what I saw. I privately warned him not to go back, but he insisted for the higher pay. Then he died there, in a very strange way…”
“How exactly?”
Shui Miao’s curiosity deepened.
“He was walking normally, his shoelace suddenly came undone. He bent down to tie it, and then his upper body plunged into the snow—he died instantly,” Su Xue sighed deeply, shaking her hands. “Let’s not talk about him anymore. Just thinking about it makes my heart race. Let’s talk about you instead—why are you here alone?”
“Me?”
Shui Miao smiled faintly. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I’ll keep it to myself.”
“How do you know I won’t believe you? On the contrary, I might believe you more than anyone else,” Su Xue, now intrigued, leaned in.
Shui Miao, who disliked lying, checked his phone for the time. “Anyway, you should rest early. If people see us in the same room, they might start talking.”
“No way! You’re not leaving until you answer my question!” Su Xue stood up, blocking his path.
Shui Miao joked, “Wait a minute—are you trying to seduce me?”
“You’re such a bad guy!”
Su Xue blushed and playfully punched him.
Shui Miao dodged quickly, moving like a mouse, and “whooshed” out the door before Su Xue could react.
Left alone, Su Xue touched her burning cheeks, thinking to herself. This man wasn’t the least bit lustful—playful, kind, responsible, wealthy, and mysterious. She was falling for him—no, she already had.
※※※
Back in his room next door, Shui Miao thought about how kind and genuine Su Xue was. Someone like her shouldn’t be caught up in yin energy. He had helped her this time, but who would help her next time?
“Wait, I’ve got an idea!”
Shui Miao suddenly thought of a solution. He channeled his yang-based spiritual energy into his curved horned knife, planning to find an opportunity to give it to her later to ward off evil and misfortune.
Goodness is born from a single thought.
And naturally, that single thought carries intention.
Shui Miao acted on his intentions, doing what felt right, and felt peaceful and free doing it.
As midnight approached, Shui Miao opened his door and hurried out of the hotel.
Stepping outside, he walked toward the parking lot and immediately saw Su Xue, wrapped in thick clothing, waiting by her Hummer in the cold night air.
Seeing him, she wiped her nose. “Hmph! You finally showed up. You’re stuck with me now—you have to take me with you.”
Three people arrived, two men and one woman.
Two sky burial masters and one Tibetan woman.
They lifted the corpse from the vehicle, and the Tibetan woman carried it on her back as they began climbing a nearby mountain. The two sky burial masters walked ahead and behind, both holding miner’s lamps.
“What are they doing?”
Inside the car, Su Xue lowered her voice, unable to contain her curiosity.
Shui Miao rested his chin on his hand. “It looks like they’re trying to carry the sky burial master’s corpse to the north side of the mountain. The north side is perpetually covered in snow, and the Yin energy is overwhelming. What’s more, the sky burial master’s corpse has that Dragon Scale Knife hidden in its clothes. I suspect they’re up to some kind of dark ritual.”
“Could they be trying to create a zombie?” Su Xue felt a chill run down her spine.
Shui Miao quickly asked, “Do you know something about this?”
“Yes!” Su Xue nodded. “I know that the Yin energy here in Tibet is extremely strong at night. If a corpse is left on the ground, it won’t take more than a few days for it to turn into a zombie and harm people. I once saw the corpse of a stray dog transform into a zombie. Do you know why the doors of Tibetan homes are so low? It’s actually a deliberate design to keep zombies out.”
Shui Miao had seen many Tibetan homes along the way, and each required bending down to enter. At first, he had been puzzled, but after Su Xue’s explanation, it all made sense. It turned out that this beautiful land of Tibet was also a fertile ground for zombies!
But now, the surrounding Yin energy didn’t seem particularly strong. It felt no different from other places. Was it just not the right time yet?
Shui Miao knew that the period with the strongest Yin energy was around midnight.
Seeing that Shui Miao remained silent, Su Xue added, “Shui Miao, this seems serious. If what you say is true, and the Dragon Scale Knife carries Yin energy, and it’s now placed on the sky burial master’s corpse, then he will likely turn into a zombie very soon. Once that ferocious zombie emerges and harms people, won’t many innocent lives be lost?”
“Don’t worry, I’m here.” Shui Miao hadn’t expected Su Xue to have such a chivalrous heart. He nodded to her reassuringly. “Rest assured, since I’m staying here, I won’t let them harm anyone. But now is not the time to stop them. I want to see how the corpse transforms and how powerful it becomes.”
“You mean we have to stay here the whole time?”
Su Xue felt a bit cold. She had originally planned to just take a stroll and return, but now she found herself caught up in this situation.
“How about this? I’ll take you back first. Even if the corpse turns into a zombie, it won’t happen that quickly. It would be best if we also contact the local police to assist with this case.” Shui Miao wasn’t in a hurry to resolve the matter. He was very curious about why a corpse would transform and what the entire process entailed.
Su Xue nodded. “Shui Miao, I think it’s better if you don’t involve the police. There’s too much bureaucracy, and it might even bring trouble.”
“Why do you say that? Are the police here unreliable?” Shui Miao trusted Su Xue’s judgment completely. As a tour guide who had been working the Tibet route for years, she likely knew the place even better than the locals.
“How should I put it? Most of the police here are locals, and you know how it is—locals stick together. We’re outsiders, and this is such a bizarre case. Do you think they’ll readily listen to us? Besides, the sky burial master died this afternoon. The police and an ambulance were both here at the time. Now, the corpse has ended up here. Don’t you think there’s something fishy about that?” Su Xue sighed softly. “Shui Miao, let’s not report this to the police. Let’s just do what we can within our capabilities.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Shui Miao nodded, quietly started the car, and without turning on the headlights, drove back in the dark.
When they returned to the hotel, Su Xue specifically invited Shui Miao to her room for a visit.
Just as Shui Miao entered Su Xue’s room, the red-haired young man happened to catch a glimpse of them. Overjoyed, he felt as though he had stumbled upon a sensational secret. His innate gossipy nature got the better of him, and he hurried back to his room, eager to share his discovery. But just as he was about to speak, an invisible hand slapped him hard across the mouth! The slap stunned him, and he didn’t dare utter another word.
Of course, the slap was merely an illusion created by Shui Miao.
Logically speaking, a woman bringing a man into her room late at night might seem inappropriate.
But Su Xue had absolutely no reservations about Shui Miao. She felt as though he were her younger brother.
Besides, if Shui Miao had ill intentions toward her, he would have acted on them earlier in the car. There was no need to wait until now.
Shui Miao entered Su Xue’s room for one reason only: to see the photos she had mentioned.
As a tour guide, taking photos to capture beautiful scenery and memorable moments of each tour group was essential.
Since there were still several hours until midnight, Shui Miao thought it would be a good way to pass the time.
Su Xue stored her photos on her laptop. She opened the computer, made two cups of coffee, and began recounting her experiences as a tour guide over the years. Each photo told a story, and each tour group had its joys and frustrations. Being a tour guide could be both challenging and easy. Su Xue was an innocent and genuine person. While her colleagues had grown wealthy, she had always relied on her basic salary, earning the least among them. The only regret in her life was frequently bringing tour groups to that particular store to obtain the Dragon Scale Knife.
But now, her guilt was gone, and she had gradually grown fond of the ox-horn curved knife in her hand.
Shui Miao clicked on a folder titled “Hardcore” and opened the photos inside. Suddenly, a picture of a dog appeared on the screen. The dog was covered in blood and flesh, baring its teeth. White maggots were clearly visible on its body, as though it were a decaying corpse, yet it was somehow still alive!
“This is the zombie dog I told you about.”
Su Xue turned away. Every time she saw this photo, she wanted to delete it, but it was one of a kind. Once deleted, it would be gone forever. So, she had no choice but to endure the disgust and keep it.
Shui Miao felt a chill run down his spine. He clicked to the next page and saw photos of sky burials!
Shui Miao quickly flipped through the pages. The last photo was simply of a snow-capped mountain, an ordinary-looking scene.
“Did you misfile this snow mountain photo?” Shui Miao asked casually.
Su Xue, who was looking out the window, too afraid to glance at the computer, took a deep breath. “This photo is actually the most terrifying one. Look closely and tell me what you see in the snow.”
“Really?”
Shui Miao scrutinized the photo meticulously. As he studied it, he discerned a pattern that bore a striking resemblance to the character “贞” (zhēn).
“Haha, what’s so scary about this? It’s just a snow scene. You’re overthinking it.” Shui Miao spoke dismissively, but suddenly, he spotted a skeletal figure below the pattern, with blood-red eye sockets!
“Su Xue, where was this photo taken? Is it someone’s prank?” Shui Miao grew slightly serious. The mountain in the background of the photo appeared to be an enormous snow-capped peak.
“On the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, halfway up the Himalayas.” Su Xue seemed terrified of this photo and refused to turn around. “Have you closed it yet?”
Shui Miao quickly closed the photo, the folder, and shut down the computer.
At this point, Su Xue turned around and said, “This photo is real. I took two of them. The second one had nothing in it, so I firmly believe that ghosts truly exist. Because of my fear, I only take the Lhasa route. Later, the company assigned the Himalayas route to a male colleague of mine. But he didn’t make more than two trips before something happened to him.”
“Something happened? Was it at the same spot as in the photo?” Shui Miao grew even more curious.
Su Xue nodded. “On his first trip, he saw exactly what I saw in the same location. I privately advised him not to go again, but he insisted for the higher pay. In the end, he died there, and his death was very strange…”
“How was it strange?”
Shui Miao’s curiosity intensified.
“He was walking normally when his shoelace suddenly came undone. He bent down to tie it, and then the upper half of his body plunged into the snow and he died.” Su Xue let out a long sigh and waved her hand dismissively. “Let’s not talk about him. Whenever I mention him, my heart races. Let’s talk about you instead. Why did you come here alone?”
“Me?”
Shui Miao smiled faintly. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you, so I’d better not say.”
“How do you know I won’t believe you if you don’t tell me? On the contrary, I might just believe whatever you say.” Su Xue was intrigued by Shui Miao’s evasiveness and grew more interested in him.
Not one to lie, Shui Miao checked the time on his phone. “Forget it, you should get some rest early. If someone sees us in the same room, there might be gossip.”
“You’re not allowed to leave, and don’t change the subject. Answer my question first.” Su Xue puffed out her chest, blocking Shui Miao’s path.
With quick wit, Shui Miao joked, “Wow, are you trying to seduce me?!”
“You naughty guy, you’re so bad!”
Su Xue’s face flushed red, and she swung her delicate fist at Shui Miao.
Shui Miao dodged with the speed of a mouse, “whooshing” to the door. By the time Su Xue regained her composure, he had already opened the door and left.
Su Xue stood there alone, covering her burning face, lost in thought. This man wasn’t lustful at all—he was playful, adorable, responsible, wealthy, and mysterious. She was almost captivated by him… no, it seemed she was already captivated by him!
※※※
Back in his own room next door, Shui Miao pondered. Su Xue was simple-minded and kind-hearted. Such a good person shouldn’t be plagued by Yin energy. He had helped her this time, but who would help her next time?
“Wait, I have an idea!”
Shui Miao suddenly thought of a solution. He channeled Yang energy into his ox-horn curved knife, planning to find an opportunity to gift it to her later to help ward off evil and disaster.
Kindness lies in a single thought.
Nature is the intention behind that single thought.
Shui Miao followed his heart to do the right thing, acting naturally and freely, feeling very at ease and comfortable.
As midnight approached, Shui Miao opened his door and hurriedly left the hotel.
Stepping out of the hotel entrance and into the parking lot, Shui Miao immediately spotted Su Xue, bundled in thick clothing, waiting for him beside his Hummer in the cold, dark night.
Seeing Shui Miao appear, Su Xue wiped her nose and said, “Ha, you finally came. You’ve gotten yourself involved with me, so you have to take me with you.”
“Could this be another peach blossom calamity?!”
With a flutter in his heart, Shui Miao knew he had once again encountered a fateful romance.
Shui Miao sensed it immediately—his fate had once again entangled him in a romantic entanglement.
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