"Ah?!"
Upon hearing the driver's words, Xiao He, sitting in the back with Bai Ye, gasped in alarm.
Bai Ye furrowed his brow slightly and glanced at Xiao He.
Seeing Bai Ye's questioning gaze, Xiao He's face paled, and she waved her hands frantically. "Mr. Bai, I don't know about this, I truly don't know..."
She quickly turned to the driver, "Haunted? Dead people? Master, is this true? I'm the property manager for Lone Star Villa, and I've never seen this information you're talking about!?"
The driver, while operating the vehicle, glanced at Xiao He through the rearview mirror. "You only became the property manager within the last year, haven't you?"
Xiao He nodded in confusion.
The driver assumed a knowing expression and then slowed down the car, speaking in a low voice. "That villa was built by a wealthy tycoon seven or eight years ago for his retirement, costing hundreds of millions, or so I heard. Later, the tycoon and his wife enjoyed their lives there for about two years! But three years ago, one night, the wealthy couple and five or six servants suddenly disappeared, as if they had evaporated from the face of the earth, leaving no trace whatsoever.
The police were alerted and deployed, searching the entire villa inside and out, reviewing surveillance footage, collecting fingerprints, footprints, and employing all sorts of investigative methods. Yet, they found no clues. It was as if they had never existed! The police also conducted several searches in the Weiwu Mountain range but found nothing. To this day, the wealthy couple and their servants remain unfound."
Xiao He was already nervously clenching her fists and whispered fearfully, "But that doesn't mean they're dead, does it? And it doesn't prove that there are ghosts there!"
The driver, hearing her still speak like this, said with a hint of apprehension, "It's true that their fate is still uncertain, but ever since that incident, the area around Weiwu Mountain has become eerie. Wild boars, deer, and many animals that weren't there before have gradually appeared and become very fierce, attacking anyone they see. That's not the strangest part."
"For the past three years, several families have moved into that villa. But each family fled after a day or two, claiming they saw terrifying things there."
"Terrifying things? What were they?"
Xiao He swallowed nervously.
Seeing the driver speak so mysteriously, Bai Ye pondered.
"Some said they saw monsters with red fur gazing at them from the treetops at night; some said many white shadows drifted through the woods at night; some said they heard strange cries for help..."
"Ah!"
Saleswoman Xiao He was completely terrified, her hairs standing on end.
"Do you still want to go?"
The driver looked at them in the rearview mirror and asked. The car had already left the city center. If they decided not to go, he would return some of the money, but not all of it.
Xiao He looked at Bai Ye, her voice trembling slightly with fear, "Why don't we go back and look at other villas?"
Bai Ye, however, shook his head. "Master driver, it's the 21st century now, a society of science. You still believe in these hearsay ghost stories? What ghosts are there in this world? Only little kids believe such things! Let's go, proceed."
He was genuinely interested in Lone Star Villa, and giving up so easily felt unwilling, as he doubted he could find anything similar again. As for the driver's words, he was only half-convinced. If any ghosts were to appear and try to snatch the house, he figured a good fire would scare them off.
The driver, seeing Bai Ye, who wore a mask, listening to him with a calm expression, even joking with him, couldn't help but knit his brows. What he had said, while perhaps exaggerated in some parts, was generally true according to whispers in the area!
"Young man, I'm not trying to trick you. You still want to go?"
Bai Ye nodded without hesitation. "We've come this far, let's take a look!"
Xiao He was frightened, but with Bai Ye's insistence and the thought of the 800,000 commission, she ultimately remained silent.
The driver nodded. "Alright! But let's agree on this first: you must be back by seven thirty in the evening, before it gets dark! Otherwise, I'm leaving!"
"Okay!"
The driver accelerated, quickly exiting the suburbs and turning from a highway onto a two-lane asphalt road. Initially, they could still see a few villages and farmlands, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, exuding a rustic charm. However, after advancing a few more kilometers, the vegetation on both sides of the road became denser, and not a single village or farmland was visible.
Given the driver's previous eerie remarks, Bai Ye and Xiao He had expected to arrive at a bleak and terrifying place. But the reality was the opposite. As they entered the hilly terrain, the flowers were vibrant and dew-kissed, the trees were lush and green, and many birds flew among the branches, singing cheerful melodies. Bees and butterflies swarmed around the flowers, busy collecting nectar. Bai Ye even spotted the shadows of rabbits and foxes. It was truly a paradise.
Seeing the natural beauty outside, Xiao He's fearful mood gradually calmed down. "Does it really have the supernatural elements the driver mentioned? Why does it feel like a fairyland to me?"
As if sensing their thoughts, the driver, while cautiously observing their surroundings, said, "Don't be fooled by its vibrant appearance now. Once it gets dark, everything will immediately become desolate and quiet, and very strange!"
The driver's words immediately stopped Xiao He's smile. Bai Ye, on the other hand, gazed out at the forest, a flicker of interest in his eyes.
About ten minutes later, the car climbed to the crest of a small hill, and a grand villa appeared in their sight.
"This is it!"
The Chinese-style courtyard gate, with its iron doors weathered by rain, looked somewhat ancient, yet it was rust-free, indicating the quality of the materials.
"I won't go in. I'll wait for you here! Remember, seven thirty, before the sun disappears, you must be back! Otherwise, I'm leaving!"
The driver was reluctant to even get out of the car.
Bai Ye opened the door and got out, looking around. The surrounding environment was indeed as described in the brochure from Noble Garden Real Estate. The landscape was beautiful, with lush trees, like a secluded paradise. To the north, one could vaguely see the skyscrapers of Shanghai's suburbs. To the east, beyond a few hills, lay a vast expanse of open ocean. To the north, west, and south of Lone Star Villa, the terrain was characterized by rolling hills and dense vegetation, with the calls of animals audible from afar. Everything was so natural and serene! Just being there for a moment made one feel a sense of peace. It was completely unlike what the driver had described.
Bai Ye liked it more and more, and Xiao He's expression also relaxed.
"Open the door, let's go inside and take a look."
"Uh-huh! Okay."
Opening the gate, they entered a driveway lined with large gardens. However, they had been neglected for a long time, and weeds had grown taller than the flowering plants.
"Actually, we send people here to take care of it periodically," Xiao He explained awkwardly.
Continuing forward, there was a large expanse of green lawn, with an open-air swimming pool in the center, though the water had been drained. Ahead stood the main villa building, only two stories high, situated in the middle of the spacious grounds. It was surrounded by small gardens, a vegetable patch, and a parking area. The grand villa was designed with a blend of Chinese and Western styles. The entrance on the first floor led to the living room, which featured floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for excellent natural light. There was also a luxurious Western-style bar, a kitchen, and a living area. The basement housed a study and a small gym. The second floor contained three bedrooms, each with an open-air balcony.
Bai Ye and the saleswoman Xiao He toured the villa multiple times. Having heard about mysterious disappearances and various eerie occurrences, she was trembling throughout the process, especially when they entered the basement, where she stayed close to Bai Ye, refusing to leave his side. If it weren't for her sense of propriety, she would have clung to Bai Ye's arm.
While inspecting the house and grounds, Bai Ye also paid attention to his surroundings. However, he found nothing unusual; it was simply a mountain villa perfect for seclusion and enjoying a pastoral life. Bai Ye was quite satisfied with the overall condition of the villa.
It was seven in the evening.
Bai Ye and Xiao He emerged from the villa. Only a short while later, the sunlight quickly vanished, and as the sky turned dark, everything around them suddenly fell silent, abruptly so! The chirping of birds, the sounds of squirrels, and even the chirping of crickets ceased almost simultaneously. The entire forest seemed to have lost its vitality.
"Hurry up! If you don't come, I'm leaving!"
Seeing Bai Ye and Xiao He emerge, the driver shouted. He was already restless, constantly looking around. Xiao He, walking beside Bai Ye, also looked flustered. Everything had changed too quickly! Before entering the villa, and now upon exiting, it was like two different worlds. One was vibrant and full of life, the other desolate and lifeless.
Bai Ye was secretly surprised. He scanned the surroundings several times, paying particular attention to the dark forest behind the villa, but found nothing out of the ordinary. There were no signs of red-furred monsters or white shadows.
The two of them got into the car, and the driver immediately slammed on the accelerator, eager to leave this "haunted" place. As they descended the mountain and entered the asphalt road surrounded by trees, the light became even dimmer, and the silence more profound. It seemed as if only the three of them and their car remained in this mountain range.
The driver's expression was tense. The darkness had fallen much faster tonight than he had anticipated.
"There really must be something in this forest!" Bai Ye surmised.
Suddenly, as the car rounded a bend at the foot of a mountain, there was a rustling in the trees by the roadside, and a massive dark silhouette darted out.
"Ah!!!"
Saleswoman Xiao He screamed in terror.