Chapter 2: The Hell Show

When the traffic thins out late at night, the wide roads reveal some truths of their own—those scars that are hidden beneath the chaos of the day.Though I'm a third-rate detective, I respect this profession, and I always give my all for every case I take on.The simplest way to determine whether the girl is lying is to visit the Lightless Road at the right time and search for the Hell Show advertised there.I opened my computer and searched online, and sure enough, Lightless Road in Jiangcheng does exist.Old-timers in Jiangcheng refer to it by another, rather peculiar name— "Screw-Topped Hill.""Screw-Topped Hill" actually means "Piling Corpses to the Top." During the war, this was Jiangcheng's largest slaughterhouse. Corpses were stacked on top of each other, layer by layer, until they reached the roof. Locals say that streetlights can't be installed here because they always burn out the next day. They either go out by themselves or are mysteriously extinguished.The lamp bulbs are taken down perfectly intact, but the tungsten filament inside is always broken. No one dares to install new lightbulbs anymore. Even flashlights go out inexplicably when used in the alley. Any electric device won't work in the alleys at night—motorcycles and electric bikes need to be pushed.The nearby residents don't venture out at night. So, if you encounter someone on "Screw-Topped Hill" at night, that person may not even be human."A company operating in such a place truly lives up to its Hell Show name," I muttered. To be honest, I'm a staunch atheist who values logic above all, and after an afternoon of gathering information, I was more convinced than ever that this was just a poorly executed prank."Well, I'll find out the truth tonight," I said to myself as I changed into casual clothes, slipped the ad and an electric shock anti-rape device into my pockets, and rode toward the destination.Lightless Road is in the old city, and by the time I arrived, night had fallen, and light rain was falling from the sky."Just my luck." In rainy weather, the electric shock device is easy to use improperly, and if I encounter a thug, it would be embarrassing.I wandered through the winding alleys, flanked by old buildings. The locals weren't friendly toward me, an outsider. When I asked about Lightless Road, they hurriedly waved their hands and walked away.With no guidance, I wandered aimlessly, and by 10 p.m., I still hadn't found the fabled Lightless Road.The rain started to pick up, and a mist hung in the air. I looked around for shelter, but there were no decent shops in sight.The only businesses I passed were funeral parlors selling paper houses, spirit horses, and funeral clothing—clearly catering to the business of the dead.As the rain intensified, I reluctantly ducked into a funeral clothing store. But to my surprise, as soon as the clock struck 11, the shopkeeper turned off all the lights, lit two white candles, handed me a black umbrella typically used for tomb visits, and urged me to leave."These people are so strange," I muttered, holding the black umbrella. Standing in the rain, I realized there was not a single light in sight."Lightless Road?" I shivered inexplicably. I walked alone for another 20 minutes, losing my way. Just as I was about to call the police, I saw an old lady across the street waving at me."Why is she out here in the rain at night? Where is her family?" I wondered.The rain soaked her clothes, and the old woman seemed far more miserable than I. She frantically waved at me, and I hurried over to offer her the umbrella."Grandma, you..." I began.A flash of lightning struck, and as I looked down, I saw the old woman raise her face—pale, with wrinkles crawling out like folded bean skins, covering her entire aging face."I lost something. Please help me find it," her voice trembled, as if it were the last request of a dying person.I forced myself to stay calm. "What did you lose?"Her cloudy eyes flickered as she looked to the side. "I lost my grandson. He's somewhere in this alley."She pointed toward the dark road and limped toward it like a madwoman."Grandson? Alive?" I couldn't help but think of the online rumors about Lightless Road. Watching the old lady's back, a chill ran down my spine."Impossible. Ghosts and gods are just products of fear. My current reaction is simply a natural human instinct triggered by an uncertain situation." I told myself."The locals' strange behavior, combined with the online rumors and this old lady's actions, all seemed like they were deliberately trying to create a terrifying atmosphere." I didn't believe in the supernatural, and thought this was a well-executed prank. After all, many realities TV shows these days are made with over-the-top, disturbing content for higher ratings. Perhaps there were cameras filming me right now, just out of sight.Thinking this way, I felt less afraid. I opened the umbrella and followed the old lady deeper into the alley.After a while, I'd long lost my way and had given up. But then the old woman suddenly stopped."Little grandson, don't run off next time...""Did you find him?" I was surprised. I followed her gaze and widened my eyes.On the cold, rain-soaked steps lay a ragged, waterlogged doll.The old woman tenderly picked up the doll, not at all bothered by the mud and water, cradling it like a newborn baby."She's crazy!" I couldn't believe I had been running around in the rain with this mad old lady for over an hour."Oh, oh, little doll, don't be mad. I shouldn't have thrown you on the ground earlier. I made your new clothes dirty, and your face is covered in mud. You must be hurting, I'm sorry! I'll fix your clothes, wash your face, and rub your pain away. From now on, we'll never be apart."Singing to the doll, the old woman disappeared into the rainy night. I could only smile bitterly, feeling some sympathy for her. At over seventy years old, the only thing she had by her side was a tattered doll.With this thought, I rushed after her and handed her the umbrella. "It's raining hard, take this and go home quickly."The old lady took the umbrella and froze for a moment."Be careful on your way. See you later." I stood under the rain, taking shelter on the steps where the doll had been found. It was a three-story building with an old rain shelter at the entrance."For seventy yuan, I've really been through a lot." I muttered. With no leads on the case, I crouched down and instinctively reached for a cigarette. But just as I flicked the lighter, my eyes caught the house number on the building's exterior— "Lightless Road No. 44."The flame flickered and went out. I pulled out the business card and double-checked the address. "What are the chances?"When all hope seemed lost, I had finally found the place I had been looking for."The address from the ad really exists. This is getting more interesting." I pressed the button on the electric shock device, ready to enter the building, but just then, something tugged at my clothes."Who's there?"I spun around, pulling out the device. The electric arc crackled sharply in the dark."Grandma?" The old lady, holding the doll, had somehow appeared behind me without my noticing."Young man doesn't wander around at night," she said, blocking the doll from my view. Seemingly casually, she slid a handkerchief from her sleeve."Little mouse, up the lamp post, stealing oil, can't get down. Meow meow meow, the cat's here, roll down..."Singing the nursery rhyme to the doll, she disappeared into the rainy night.I picked up the handkerchief she left behind—pure white, like the cloth used for hanging. When I examined it closely, I noticed a poem written in delicate, ancient characters:There is no money in the family, not even enough to part with paintings.

All matters at home come from the distant imperial capital.

Ghosts need land to inherit blessings.

Indoor, the ghostly realm has no road, and the heart is lost.

I read it twice, and a cold sweat ran down my back. To my horror, I realized this was an acrostic poem. If you take the first word from each line, it spells—"There all ghosts indoor!""Is she really crazy?" I thought. Given her words earlier, her message was clear, though subtle. Logically speaking, it made sense."Are there really ghosts in the world?" I wondered, staring at the pitch-black entrance. I hesitated for a moment but walked in anyway.For a detective, it's never the result that matters, but the process of uncovering the unknown.My eyes adjusted to the dark as I felt my way along the rough wall, heading toward the basement."Lightless Road No. 44, Basement 4, Room 444..."