Apartment From Hell - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – The Malicious Spirit in the Water

At this moment, the extent of Li Yin’s shock far exceeds that of any other time!

“What, what’s going on?” Li Bing looks uncomprehendingly at Li Yin and Kexin’s dumbfounded expressions before she seems to understand something and says, “Oh, I get it. The villagers told you guys that I am dead, right? That year I truly wanted to jump off the waterfall. I even went so far as to take off my shoes. But when I was about to jump… I felt unreconciled dying just like this. So I left the village, intending to look for my father first… ”

Li Yin carefully recalls all that has happened. No one in the village actually said Li Bing’s corpse was found. They only said that she killed herself by jumping off the waterfall and the only evidence for this deduction were the shoes that she left behind.

Since the water currents are so rapid, it is entirely logical that no corpse would be found. It is thus no wonder that the villagers would mistakenly assume that Li Bing has died. “You… You just said that you wrote a letter to the Elder two months ago?” Li Yin suddenly asks, “Then why didn’t the Elder tell everyone?”

“Ah… I asked him to keep this confidential. After leaving the village, although I did not find my father, I depended on my job in the city, established my business and eventually opened a small restaurant. I never thought that the restaurant will end up developing into a chain restaurant after a few years. I founded a company and became the CEO… After earning so much money, the first thing that I considered was this village. Although I carried such painful memories, this village was where my parents, Ah Xiu, Suyue and the rest are… These are all unforgettable memories. So I decided to return here to invest so the village can prosper. But I want to give Ah Xiu a surprise. I will personally show up in front of her and tell her that I am still alive. Ah, Ah Xiu is…  ”

“I know,” Li Yin interrupts her. “Ah Xiu misses you a lot.”

“Is that so… Is she alright?”

Right now, can Ah Xiu count as being alright?

“I also told the Elder that I might first send a few managers from the company to inspect the village so they can draw up detailed investment plans. But in order to avoid unnecessary rumours, the managers will claim that they are here to experience the farm life. And I also asked the elder to keep this a secret and treat the managers nicely. In addition, even in front of the Elder, they won’t mention me so they really be seen as people who are here to experience the farm life… But afterwards, I still decided to come here on my own.”

So it is like this!

The Elder assumed that Li Yin’s group were the people sent by Bing Er! And the boss he mentioned is obviously Bing Er! No wonder he was so obsequious, even asking them to explore the village and look around…

Then, a question surfaces…

That gigantic woman who killed Hengyan and Shoutian…

Who?

Who is she?

At this time, Ah Xiu is still standing in front of that gigantic woman, treating her as “Sister Bing Er”.

“Sister Bing Er…” Ah Xiu almost breaks into tears from joy. She walks slowly towards that gigantic woman. But… in an instant, that huge woman grabs onto her body tightly before dragging her entire body into the water tank!

Even at the moment of her death, Ah Xiu still does not understand why “Sister Bing Er” wants to kill her.

“We need to escape quickly…” A shiver abruptly passes over Li Yin’s body!

Li Bing is still alive, so… That female ghost, no matter who she is, will definitely not show them mercy because of Ah Xiu.

At this moment, the hands of his watch finally overlap on 12!

Twelve o’clock midnight!

“Run! Kexin!”

Li Bing, who is standing at the side, jumps in fright when Li Yin’s roar resounds like a clap of thunder. Then Li Yin and Kexin begin to sprint forward desperately with large strides.

During their time living in the apartment, they dedicated a large amount of their body-building time to training their running skills. To be honest, if a ghost really wants to kill someone, he will not stay alive even if he can run as fast as Liu Xiang. But ultimately, fast runners generally have better chances of survival.

Li Bing is a little nonplussed but right now, her desire to see Ah Xiu as soon as possible is overwhelming. Otherwise she will not have rushed here to arrive in the village at this time. Just when she first stepped foot the village, she suddenly feels a translucent figure brush past her shoulder!

“What… What was that?”

Li Bing suddenly feels an icy chill course through her entire body…

“Kexin, you have to be careful of water. Don’t get close to places containing water!”

Li Yin holds Kexin’s hand tightly. The two of them walk side by side on the mountain road. As of now, they are not running but rather simply trying to take larger steps. After all, there is still a long distance to go and if they start sprinting now, there is no way that they can keep walking for the rest of the journey.

This mountain trail is indeed very difficult to navigate. Li Yin constantly pays vigilant attention to their surroundings. Although there are currently no movement, he knows well that even a slight moment of carelessness could lead to death.

Stay alive!

Must stay alive!

Right now, Kexin is also like a bird startled by a bowstring, turning her head to check behind her every two steps. She alternates between looking upwards and downloads, afraid that the ghost might come from a random place.

After all, over the past three years, there have been quite a number of times where she only narrowly escaped the Yellow Springs. She remembers that the most perilous time once was within a haunted house. She was already hanging from a rope dangling from a ceiling beam. At the instant when she was about to die from suffocation, Xia Yuan found her just in time and saved her by cutting the cope. At that time, she had completely given up all hope, thinking that she would really meet her end.

Having lived through that kind of experience only reinforces her will to live!

When there are still no signs of any ghosts after walking for about twenty minutes, she finally calms her heart while hurrying along the road. But Li Yin continues to be on guard.

Xia Yuan once mentioned to him that there were actually quite a number of people who endured the span of the bloody mission safely, but died on their way back to the apartment. In fact, many people even perished right in front of the apartment’s door.

Just then, from the corner of his eyes, Li Yin suddenly glances a white figure flash past rapidly in between two trees before him!

“That… That is…” Kexin also saw that white figure. She instantly collapses, feeling as though her legs have become jelly.

Li Yin drags her up immediately. They expand their steps and dash forward wildly! Of course, even while Li Yin is sprinting, his sight will not leave the compass in his hand. If they misread their direction, then that would really be a cause for tearless grief.

After they have run continuously for about five or six minutes, Li Yin feels fatigue wearing down his body. Kexin is not any better than him. Both of them begin to run out of breath.

“Li… Li Yin…” Kexin speaks between gasps, “She… didn’t catch up right?”

“Don’t, don’t know…” At this point, Li Yin is also checking his surroundings. He looks up and down, left and right, front and back but there are only rows of trees and mountain rocks surrounding him in an ominous silence.

“It seems like she didn’t…”

Both of their hearts are palpitating vigorously. They understand very well that even relaxing slightly could cause them to lose their lives.  

In that instant, Li Yin abruptly sees that white figure appear behind Kexin’s back!

“Ke… Ke, Kexin… B-Behind you…”

Li Yin’s words almost shock Kexin to the extent that her heart stops! She quickly swivels around and looks, but there is nothing there. “You! What are you doing! Li Yin, do you want to scare me to death?!”

But just now, that white figure truly appeared behind Kexin.

This quiet forest seems to have become a horrible existence which threatens to engulf both of them. And they have to spend their three hours like this? They should first worry about suffering a mental breakdown before they even reach the apartment.

But they have to keep moving forward. Stopping here will be even more dangerous!

“Let’s go! Kexin!” Li Yin grits his teeth tightly and continues walking forward with Kexin.

They cannot die!

They absolutely cannot die!

At this moment, every step they take feels as if they are walking on thin ice.

Luckily, for the large majority of the remaining time span, nothing unusual happens. This peaceful and quiet time continues on for about two more hours. They have already reached the area outside the mountain. If everything goes smoothly, they should arrive at the foot of mountain soon.

But as long as they are not in the apartment, there is nowhere in the world can be considered safe so they still cannot relax their wound-up nerves.

“Kexin…”

“What’s the matter? Li Yin?”

Li Yin takes a deep breath and says, “If you can return alive… go confess to Xia Yuan. At least, don’t live your life with any regrets. Your feelings towards him are actually very deep, right?”

Kexin’s face instantly turns red.

“Alright… I, I will consider it.”

Finally, when they walk down to the foot of the mountain without any further complications. Li Yin sees their car. He initially worried that the car might have disappeared but now it seems like he was just overthinking.

After opening the car door, Li Yin retrieves his car key and inserts it into the car. Only when the car door open do both he and Kexin finally breathe a sigh of relief. Settling into the seat, Li Yin turns the ignition switch.

Kexin shuts the doors before buckling her seat belt.

The car starts up smoothly, causing Li Yin to feel somewhat surprised. He assumed that something would interrupt this process.

But… both of them did not notice that… on the back seat, a huge puddle of water has actually accumulated!

“So, you’re here as well?”

City K, inside of the apartment.

At this moment, two people have gathered in the lobby on the first floor. They are surgeon Tang Lanxuan and the always gloomy Tang Wenshan.

In reality, according to their timing calculations, Li Yin and the other three will not return so soon. But Tang Lanxuan worries about them so much that he has difficulty sleeping. After waking up, he decided to just put on his clothes and come down to the ground floor to wait for them.

Tang Lanxuan is actually a bit surprised that Tang Wenshan is there as well.

But seeing that Tang Wenshan retains that gloomy expression as cold as frost, Tang Lanxuan does not anything and merely sits down on the sofa.  

“Who knows… how many of them can return here?”

As worried thoughts run through Tang Wenxuan’s mind, the elevator doors suddenly open and two more people walk out. They are the couple, Hua Liancheng and Yi Wang.

“Ah, Liancheng, Yi Wang!” Tang Lanxuan stands up immediately and says, “You also couldn’t fall asleep and come down to wait for Li Yin and the rest?”

Hua Liancheng nods his head before Yi Wang says, “I am truly worried about the four of them… Especially Li Yin and Kexin. I hope at least both of them can return alive…”

These two people also sit down on the sofa so that the three of them can at least chat a little bit. Otherwise, the ambience is simply too depressing.

“Xia Yuan will probably also come down early to wait down here,” Tang Lanxuan looks at the clock hanging on the wall of the lobby and says, “The residential representative cares a lot about us.”

Although everyone says a few sentences, the depression in their hearts makes it difficult for them to continue talking about any topic. After a short while, the conversation will sink into silence. “They can definitely return alive,” Yi Wang says resolutely. “Definitely!”

Li Yin’s car will enter the city after passing just one more toll stand.

Driving along this road, Li Yin’s heart is on tenterhooks.

Don’t come out… at least, don’t come out right now…

And at this same time, five pale fingers begin to extend from that puddle of water on the backseat! But Li Yin and Kexin remain blissfully unaware.

Following this, an entire hand has already reached out. And then, another hand…

A hideous face filled with grudging hatred starts to float out of the water before that puddle of water starts to contract and form into the appearance of that female ghost.

But Li Yin and Kexin still do not notice.

Because her figure is not reflected in the rearview mirror of the car at all!

Contrary to normal ghost stories where the rearview mirror of the car usually serves to “remind” the drivers that there is a ghost behind them, in this case it blinds them instead.

Then… her hand covered fully in water reaches towards Kexin who is concentrated only at looking towards the front…