When Old Li jumped down, his foot landed on a dry branch with a sharp crack. Section Chief Wang, who had been wildly flailing about, instantly froze, those eyes, rendered utterly monstrous in the moonlight, locked directly onto Old Li.

I have seen countless kinds of eyes, but the look in those eyes was unlike anything I had ever encountered. They were entirely black—no whites at all; the entirety of both eyes was nothing but pure, absolute black.

The moment I saw those eyes, I couldn't even manage to move a muscle. I don't know how Old Li felt, but just the mere presence of those eyes, even though they weren't looking at me, caused the hair on my entire body to stand on end once more. Just then, Old Li softly whispered, "Run!" Chief Wang's gaze immediately tracked his movement, and only then did I manage to regain some semblance of control. By the time Chief Wang had sprinted about ten meters away, I abruptly dropped from the tree and rushed toward the campfire, which had nearly died down.

Perhaps it was the roar Chief Wang had emitted that startled the others awake, because as I ran over, I saw several figures shifting within their bedrolls. Without overthinking it, I jumped straight to the campfire and threw all the dry grass I was carrying right into the embers.

The already fading fire hissed down as the dry grass smothered it, seeming as if it would extinguish instantly. I crouched low, just about to blow two deep breaths to coax the flames back to life, when suddenly, that beast-like roar from Chief Wang—the one that chilled me to the bone—erupted again from behind me. Before I could react, a powerful shove hit my back, nearly pitching me headfirst into the fire pit.

In that moment, I completely forgot my fear. Using the force of the push, I lunged forward, rolling over in the same motion, and found myself face-to-face with the person who had pushed me.

To my utter surprise, the one who had shoved me was none other than Chief Wang’s quiet colleague, Officer Liu! His eyes were wide open now, utterly devoid of any white. Seeing that he failed to knock me into the flames, he immediately let out another roar and lunged again.

Seeing that his appearance was just as horrifying, panic seized me, and my reaction was a beat too slow. He managed to grab my left hand!

Officer Liu wasn't physically strong—during the day’s march, he was the first to flag—but his grip now was like an iron clamp. Even using every ounce of strength I possessed, I couldn't wrench free. I couldn't fathom where Officer Liu had gained such immense power to forcefully drag someone much bigger than himself right in front of him.

In my frenzy, I snatched a wooden stick I had intended for firewood and swung it wildly at his head. Unexpectedly, although Officer Liu’s strength had increased, his reflexes had dulled. The blow landed solidly; he failed to dodge it and took the full impact.

It was fortunate that I was pinned to the ground then, possessing strength with no outlet. Hitting Officer Liu with the club only made him stagger briefly, his head tilting slightly to the side. However, at that same instant, the grip on my hand slackened just enough for me to yank my arm free. A dark, ugly bruise immediately stood out on my left hand. Before I could even catch my breath, the sound of approaching footsteps and that familiar, terrifying roar echoed again.

My heart plummeted. If dealing with one Officer Liu like this was already beyond me, facing another one meant I would surely perish here today!

Even though I understood escape was likely impossible, a cornered beast still fights. This unprecedented predicament triggered a savage instinct buried deep within me. I desperately swung the wooden club horizontally with all my might. If they were still human, this blow should have shattered one of their legs.

But to my astonishment, the strike that should have been a sure hit connected with nothing. The person behind me had, at some unknown point, collapsed onto the ground, emitting a faint snore. I turned to look: Officer Liu was in the same state, both men seemingly asleep for some inexplicable reason.

Were they sleepwalking the whole time?

I couldn't afford to ponder it. Seeing the immediate danger pass, I lay on the ground, gasping for air in sheer terror. In the heat of the moment, I hadn't noticed my own pain. Now that things were quiet, the spot the bear had swiped from the day before, combined with injuries sustained during the fall from the tree, made every bone in my body scream as if it had been crushed. The sharp agony washed over me in waves, nearly making me pass out.

After resting briefly and feeling some strength return, I worried about Old Li, who had drawn Chief Wang away, unsure if he was alive or dead. I struggled to my feet.

It was then that I caught the faint, medicinal scent in the air. The dry grass I had thrown onto the fire was finally beginning to burn, emitting wisps of smoke.

The strangest sight was two figures lying prone near the campfire, one slightly behind the other, both snoring in a deeply unsettling manner. I staggered toward them. One was Officer Liu, who muttered softly as if dreaming. I carefully used my finger to pry open his eye. Under the bright moonlight, I could see clearly now: that terrifying appearance was gone. He looked completely normal, just like any other person.

The air was thick with the peculiar aroma of burning herbs. Old Li hadn't returned, and the Lion was nowhere in sight. Alone by the campfire, my mind was a complete mess. I tried to sort through the events, yet I constantly felt I was overlooking something crucial.

The whole day, I’d had the unnerving sense that something was profoundly wrong. I felt I had grasped a vital thread of the mystery, but every time I tried to focus on it, the clue would slip away. Both Chief Wang and Old Li, my companion for so long, presented an inscrutable enigma, not to mention the suddenly vanished deserter and the herbs burning in the fire.

Lost in thought, I drifted into a heavy sleep, waking only the next morning to a cacophony of noise.

Even in winter, the Tibetan sky brightens remarkably early. I looked up; it was already broad daylight. I quickly oriented myself, hearing Old Li arguing fiercely with Chief Wang. It seemed Old Li was trying to stop them from pursuing the deserter, while Chief Wang insisted they must find the man at all costs.

As soon as I moved, a wave of sharp pain shot through me, and I couldn't help but moan softly. Yet, the others seemed utterly deaf to my sound. Only Old Li glanced in the direction where I had been sleeping.

The other men continued to dispute with Old Li as if I were invisible. Seeing their behavior, I hesitated to connect their current demeanor with their terrifying appearance the night before. The incident was now riddled with too many inconsistencies, forcing a deep sense of caution upon me.

After struggling for a moment, I managed to sit up and walk toward them. It appeared Old Li had yielded; Chief Wang and the others stopped pressing him and began packing their gear nearby.

Old Li’s expression was grim. No one would look cheerful facing such events. As I approached, he lowered his head while packing and murmured softly, "Whatever happened last night, you must never mention it to them."

I knew that without him telling me. Seeing my nod, Old Li seemed marginally relieved. I had a hundred questions burning inside, but didn't know how to start. Old Li seemed to sense my uncertainty, hesitated, started to speak, then stopped, ultimately withholding the answers I desperately sought.

Finally, just as he finished strapping down his pack, he paused and said quietly, "I don't know what to say, and I can't explain it clearly. Technician Luo, you'll understand everything once we find that thing. I promise I will tell you everything I know then, truly."

It was then I realized Old Li definitely knew something, but being deliberately excluded from this secret, for whatever reason, stirred in me for the first time a genuine desire to turn back.

"Let's go back. It’s not our concern anyway," I said.

When I spoke those words, Old Li flinched. I couldn't see his face, but I heard him let out two bitter chuckles.

"It's too late now. If we had refused yesterday, we would all be fine. But last night... you saw..." Old Li said helplessly.

Of course, I saw—Chief Wang and the others in their grotesque states. I nearly fell victim to them. Thinking about last night still made my scalp prickle; I truly didn't know how to articulate it. Old Li sighed and continued, "This has happened before. It was five years ago... Never mind, I won't discuss it now. When we reach the location, I will tell you everything I know."

"Why not tell me now?" I asked coldly. "What exactly do you know?"

Old Li shouldered his bedroll, turned to glance at the others who were still packing, shook his head again, and then stated, "Technician Luo, do you believe in ghosts?"