Chapter 13: The Parchment
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Jing found himself lost, though paradoxically he had not physically moved from his location. Earlier that day, he had managed to evade capture within the confines of the school building with assistance from someone he knew as Right. However, this evasion did not equate to an escape from the haunting predicament that had him in its ominous grip.
In his desperate attempt to elude an eerie old man, Jing’s panic had driven him into a modest grove consisting only of a small cluster of landscaping trees. However, under the blanket of the inky night sky, the grove morphed into what felt like an infinite, prehistoric forest with its mere few dozen of trees. No matter which direction they attempted to venture in, Jing and his comrades found themselves ensnared within the tree-filled maze, incapable of finding a way out.
“Damn it,” Jing muttered, a string of hushed curses slipping from his lips. Fear painted his face a ghastly white while cold sweat trickled down his sides. “Why is that creepy old man pursuing me? His target should be Miles, not me,” Jing pondered aloud. His mind was a flurry of desperate thoughts, “Miles must be dead by now. That’s why the old ghost has singled me out. That’s the only logical explanation.”
“The future is unpredictable, it seems. I have somehow taken Miles’s place as the object of the old ghost’s attention,” Jing ruminated, filled with a heavy sense of regret. He wished he had used his cunning to manipulate Miles into being the front man while he himself could have remained safely in the background.
Jing realized his folly – he had been hasty, overlooking the fact that Miles was not his most dangerous adversary. The real enemy was, in fact, the old man.
“Jing… Jing, listen. Those footsteps are back,” a voice by his side quivered, interrupting his thoughts with a terrified warning.
“How is that even possible?” Jing’s head shot up in alarm. He quickly scanned the small group of people who were left by his side. All of them now seemingly distanced themselves from him as if he was a harbinger of bad luck.
From the moment he had first taken the lead by shoving Miles into the restroom, Jing had left behind several peers – Qiang, Feng, Qiuyan, among others. Some had made the choice to break free from Jing’s oppressive leadership, disappearing into the shadowy abyss, never to be seen again.
Now, only a handful of students, five or six at most, remained in his company. They were reluctant to make a break for it, fearing that those who had left earlier may have met a terrible fate. Despite their growing trepidation, they believed that sticking with Jing was their best shot at survival.
“Cowards,” Jing murmured to himself, picking up on the hostile vibe radiating from the group. “They’ve all learned to maintain their distance from me. If I were to ask anyone to cover our escape, they would likely abandon me.”
This time, Jing refrained from commanding anyone to stay behind. Instead, he insisted that they all rush through the shadow-dappled grove. Just as he was directing his companions, his phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was from William.
After a moment’s hesitation, Jing decided to take the call. He considered the possibility that William and the others, who had been separated from them earlier, might have some important information to relay.
“Jing, this is Miles,” came the voice from the other end of the call, ringing sharply into Jing’s ear.
“Aah!” Jing recoiled, almost fumbling his phone in surprise.
“Are you not dead? Are you human or have you become a ghost?” Jing managed to sputter out, his voice laced with confusion and fear.
“Thanks to you, I’m still alive,” Miles responded, his tone marked by a chilling indifference.
Jing’s face morphed through a rapid succession of emotions. He had personally thrust Miles into the infamously haunted restroom, yet somehow, Miles had survived. The average person would have undoubtedly succumbed to such a terrifying ordeal. What could possibly explain Miles’s survival?
“What’s the purpose of your call?” Jing asked, striving to steady his voice and calm his racing mind.
“Do you want to make it out alive? Do you want to escape from this accursed school?” Miles posed the question, a subtle challenge in his words.
“Do you have a way out?” Jing’s voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and nascent hope.
“Guess what? I’ve become a ghost tamer, what do you think about that?” Miles replied, a taunting undertone lacing his words.
“That’s… that’s fantastic, please, you need to get me out of here,” Jing implored, a note of desperation creeping into his voice.
Miles’s response was a chuckle, a laugh tinged with a palpable hint of scorn and derision.
“I didn’t intend for any of this to happen, I was merely trying to survive as well. As classmates, shouldn’t we be able to settle any misunderstanding? If you assist me in escaping, I’ll do whatever you want, even let you pummel me without resistance,” Jing’s grip tightened around his phone as he spoke, his desperation apparent in his voice.
“Enough with the nonsense. If you want my help, you need to make it worthwhile for me. Otherwise, prepare yourself to meet your end here,” Miles retorted bluntly.
“What do you need from me then?” Jing inquired, curiosity and fear both evident in his tone.
“I crossed paths with Right earlier. He mentioned that you’ve been behaving oddly. Someone in the classroom also suggested that you might have knowledge of the future. Is that true?” Miles probed.
“Yes, it is. I have knowledge about future events. I know everything that is going to unfold,” Jing confirmed.
“If you assist me in escaping, I’ll share everything I know about the future with you. As a ghost tamer, your life span is bound to be short. But I possess a method that can help you survive. Not only will you retain the power of the malicious ghost, but you won’t have to fear the risk of possession either. This method has been developed by an international research center and remains confidential. It will only be disclosed to the public three months from now,” Jing proposed, the urgency in his voice underlining his desperate attempt at bargaining.
“Imagine the advantage you’ll have over other ghost tamers if you have access to my information beforehand.”
“Stop lying. Right made it clear that time travel is impossible. He also mentioned that the research institute conducted experiments on this matter, and these so-called time travelers simply do not exist,” Miles countered skeptically.
At that moment, the sound of encroaching footsteps from behind Jing intensified, compelling him to quicken his pace. Gasping for breath, he hastily explained, “I don’t possess memories from the future. The knowledge I have about the future comes from a parchment I received, sent to me by my future self through some unexplained method. The parchment was penned by me, but a decade into the future. Miles, you need to save me quickly. If I perish, all the information I have will go with me.”
A parchment imbued with knowledge about the future?
This proposition intrigued Miles. If humans couldn’t journey back from the future, maybe inanimate objects could.
“I want that parchment,” Miles demanded without hesitation.
“No, that’s not possible. The parchment is mine,” Jing protested defiantly.
“You’re in no position to negotiate,” Miles retorted, “Whatever is stalking you is getting closer. You won’t be alive much longer. What good is knowledge about the future if you’re no longer around to use it?”
Jing was torn between his desire to keep the parchment and his desperate need for survival.
However, his immediate predicament left him no room for deliberation as the footsteps menacingly advanced from behind him.
“Alright, I’ll hand it over to you,” Jing finally conceded, panting heavily, his stamina depleted. Activating the flashlight on his phone, he cast a feeble light onto his surroundings, revealing that he was still trapped in the forest. No exit was in sight.
His desire to live was so potent that he felt he had no choice but to relent.
“But, Miles, I can surrender the object, but how can I be certain that you’ll actually save me?” Despite the terror gripping him, Jing’s inherent cautiousness had not deserted him.
“I have the capability to distract the ghost pursuing you, but you’ll get just one opportunity. If you attempt any trickery, I won’t think twice about reneging on this agreement,” Miles cautioned sternly.
“Alright, what’s my next move?” Jing queried.
“Veer left,” Miles directed.
Summoning his last reserves of strength, Jing instantly altered his path, breaking into a sprint towards the left.
“Now, swerve right,” Miles continued.
As Jing complied, a sense of exhilaration washed over him.
The footsteps that had been ominously trailing him were gradually growing fainter; he was gaining distance from the ghostly pursuer. Miles’s instructions were proving to be effective. He could actually save him.
“Hand over the parchment,” Miles demanded bluntly.
Caught in a dilemma, Jing responded, “If I relinquish it now and you fail to rescue me, what then? Ensure my safe exit first, and I’ll immediately give you the parchment.”
“Is that a refusal? Beware, your ghostly hunter is closing in once again,” Miles remarked coldly, disconnecting the call.
Simultaneously, the echoing sound of footsteps recommenced from behind Jing, sending a wave of icy dread coursing down his spine.
A hasty glance around revealed a chilling realization – he was utterly alone. His classmates, who had been present just moments ago, had vanished without a trace.