I don't believe in ghosts today

A group of people left the school through the back door, and there was a dark forest in front of them, with only a stone-paved path winding down the mountain.It was already very dark, and the path was submerged in darkness, making it hard to see clearly.

Zou Hao took out his mobile phone and was about to turn on the flashlight, but was stopped by Li Yifan: "The light will reveal our whereabouts, so let's go in the dark."

Zou Hao had no choice but to feel the tree trunks on both sides, and walked slowly in the darkness.

Zhang Jing hugged the child and followed Zou Hao, seeming to have recovered a lot from her fear: "Who the hell are you? Why did you come to save me? And the ghost you mentioned, what's going on..."

Zou Hao sighed. "It's a long story. My friend was in trouble and was killed by a man named Ah Cheng. We came here to find clues about Ah Cheng."

"A Sheng?" Xia Jie and Zhang Jing repeated in unison.

"Why, do you know him?" Zou Hao asked hurriedly.

"He was the last butcher. He killed me and my family with his own hands." Xia Jie spoke slowly, his immature voice full of pain.

"So, you are the youngest son of the Xia family, the child who was killed last year?" Zhang Jing was shocked, and suddenly stood still, bowing deeply to the darkness. "Thank you for saving us regardless of past suspicions."

Xia Jie walked straight down the mountain as if he didn't hear it at all.

"You just said that Ah Cheng was a former butcher? What's going on with this ceremony?" Zou Hao still didn't understand.

"This is a custom that has been passed down since a long time ago. Every year, we use living people as sacrifices to the ghosts and gods in the mountains to pray for peace." Zhang Jing said slowly. "On the day of the ceremony, everyone except the butcher will be covered with a black cloth. It is said that as long as this is done, the dead will not be able to see our faces, and will become evil spirits in the future, and will not come back for revenge."

"The butcher became the target of revenge?"

"Everyone who becomes a butcher will die after a few years, like an inescapable curse. However, the butcher has a high status in this county and is the bravest person in everyone's mind. So there will always be Young people are flocking to it, and even draw lots to determine the final candidate.”

As Zhang Jing explained, she became sad again. "I used to think that the murderer was just the butcher who did it. Today, when I was pushed onto the stage, I suddenly realized that everyone standing in the audience is a murderer."

The atmosphere was a bit heavy, everyone was silent for a while, only the footsteps of Zou Hao and Zhang Jing rustled in the darkness.After a long while, Zou Hao tried to change the topic: "How did Ah Cheng die?"

"He was burned to death by the fire. Everyone said that Xia's family went to take revenge. I heard that his fiancée was just pregnant at that time." Zhang Jing said.

Ah Cheng's fiancée is Qin Yan, Zou Hao silently recorded this clue in his heart.

Xia Jie stopped in front. 200 meters away, flashing car lights appeared faintly, which seemed to be a road.

"Xia Jie, you killed Ah Sheng, right?" Li Yifan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said.

"Yeah." Xia Jie nodded obediently.A truck drives by, its headlights piercing the darkness and illuminating the forest path. "I have accumulated the strength for a long time. After he fell asleep, I turned on the gas, knocked over the liquor in his house, and lit the fire."

"Brother, brother," the child in Zhang Jing's arms suddenly stretched out his hands to Xia Jie, "Let's play together."

Zhang Jing was so frightened that she hugged the child tightly. "Baby, don't go."

Xia Jie glanced at them indifferently, then turned to Zou Hao. "I'll take you here. Go to the road by yourselves."

"Thank you." Zou Hao thanked the kid.

"Since Ah Cheng is dead, why are you still here? Do you have any unfulfilled wishes?" Li Yifan asked.

"I thought that if Ah Cheng died, no one else would be killed." Xia Jie's eyes showed deep disappointment. "But Ah Cheng is dead, and there is a new butcher. It will never end."

"Can you promise me that if I can end this ceremony, you will go to reincarnate and stop wandering in the world." Li Yifan said.

"Can you really do it?" Xia Jie was dubious.

Zou Hao nodded for Li Yifan. "He is very powerful, and he can definitely do it."

"Then, let's pull the hook." Xia Jie stretched out his tiny fingers.

"Okay." Zou Hao knelt down and gently hooked the little ghost's cold hand.

"Hang yourself on the hook, 100 years, don't change it. If it changes, it's a puppy!" The child's voice echoed in the dark forest.

Xia Jie smiled for the first time.He let go of Zou Hao's fingers, stepped back a few steps, and his figure disappeared into the darkness.

"Who was he talking to just now?" Zhang Jing couldn't hear Li Yifan's voice, only heard the kid talking to himself, a little frightened.

"It's nothing, let's continue walking." Zou Hao shook his head.It is too troublesome to explain this matter.

They walked along the path to the side of the road, saw Zhang Jing holding the child, and soon a car stopped and promised to take them for a ride.

Sitting in the car, Zhang Jing still looked out the window nervously, fearing that those people wearing black cloths would appear again.

"Don't worry," Zou Hao comforted her, "It's all right now."

Only then did Zhang Jing relax a little, turned to Zou Hao, and bowed. "You are really a great benefactor to our mother and son."

"I'm not the only one helping you, they've done more than me. You're welcome."

Li Yifan coughed fiercely between the two of them.

It was late at night when we returned to the town, and the child was already sleeping soundly on Zhang Jing's shoulder.Zou Hao climbed the stone steps and knocked on the door of the sorceress hot pot.

When Goddess Duan saw Zhang Jing behind Zou Hao, she let out a long sigh. "I told you not to save the world, why can't you stop muttering?"

"I'm a security guard." Zou Hao scratched his head, "How can I refuse to help?"

Goddess Duan cooked a pot of glutinous rice noodles for them and helped the mother and son settle down.

After the long day finally came to an end, Zou Hao took a shower with not-so-hot hot water, lay down on the bed, and fell into a dream almost immediately.

"Zou Hao." Li Yifan's voice rang in his ears.

Zou Hao reluctantly responded, "En."

"Do you remember what you said in the woods today?"

"What did you say?" Zou Hao was so sleepy that he couldn't open his eyes, and his voice became sticky.

"You said, a friend of yours was framed... I am that friend?" Li Yifan sounded a little unhappy.

"yes……"

"Zou Hao, think again, did you miss a word?" Li Yifan's voice was getting closer.

Zou Hao bit his lip and thought for a long time. "Okay, good friend?"

His waist was pinched severely. "Zou Hao, you're done."