Feng Tian scrambled out of the car window, his boots just hitting the hood, and immediately saw Kuang Feifan standing rigidly ahead, staring downward as if frozen. Though a space had cleared in front of him, while he was stunned, more paper figures had swarmed in from the sides.

“What is it?” Feng Tian shouted.

Hearing his voice, Kuang Feifan finally turned, his face a mask of indecision, and asked, “Are you absolutely sure it’s flat ground down there?”

Feng Tian sprinted forward a few steps and looked, finally grasping his meaning. Although the surroundings were dyed a ghastly green, and this faint light was just enough to make out the immediate vicinity, it illuminated only parts of the area—including the two of them and the car below. Beyond that, the space remained an endless black void, creating the illusion that the car, viewed from the front of the hood, was suspended in empty darkness.

“Jump, we can’t worry about it anymore,” Feng Tian raised his voice. Despite the absolute stillness of the air, the tattered robes on the paper figures flapped and whipped about, making a rustling noise; only by speaking loudly could they overcome this irritating cacophony.

Kuang Feifan raised his hand, unleashing another jet of flame that incinerated several approaching figures, before steeling his resolve and leaping off the edge of the hood.

In truth, Feng Tian had no idea if the surrounding darkness was empty space or solid ground. Just in case, he instinctively gripped the rope fastened at his waist, fearing Kuang Feifan’s jump might be into sheer nothingness.

Luckily, Kuang Feifan landed directly in front of the car. It seemed that despite the impenetrable gloom, at least there was solid footing below.

Frankly, they had one more thing to be grateful for: whatever this spectral domain was, the air was still breathable.

Even though paper figures were being reduced to ash beneath the gas canister in Kuang Feifan’s grip, these things clearly knew no fear. As Kuang Feifan jumped down, they shifted their focus, abandoning their circling of the car to drift toward him standing at the front.

Seeing the paper figures change their target, Feng Tian’s heart tightened. He quickly followed, jumping off the vehicle. At this moment, discerning any direction was impossible; the only viable option was to carve out an escape route.

Kuang Feifan turned to see Feng Tian had followed. Knowing this was the critical moment, and having no time for discussion, they reacted purely on instinct, sprinting toward the gap at the front of the car where the paper figures had yet to fully converge.

Connected by the rope at their waists, they fixed on a direction and ran blindly, for ahead was nothing but pitch-blackness, obscuring all sense of orientation. Behind them, a string of paper figures, their eyes glowing green, drifted in pursuit.

Just then, Kuang Feifan suddenly slowed his pace and called back to Feng Tian without turning around, “You take the lead, I’ll cover the rear.”

Feng Tian didn't question it, channeling his strength to pull ahead of Kuang Feifan.

Kuang Feifan spun around sharply, the canister in his hand unleashing another violent blaze, engulfing the two closest paper figures. He then immediately increased his pace, putting distance between themselves and the two figures consumed by fire.

In reality, both Kuang Feifan and Feng Tian had noticed an issue: despite the bizarre appearance of this horde, their actual threat level was merely average; they weren't as formidable as imagined.

The speed at which the two of them pumped their legs and bolted forward was far beyond what the shambling paper figures could match. Soon, pairs of glowing green eyes were diminishing in their wake.

But the next problem immediately surfaced: they were once again enveloped in boundless darkness. Not only could they not see their surroundings, but if they separated by as much as an arm’s length, they couldn't make out each other's features. If not for the connecting rope at their waists, they likely would have been separated in moments.

Kuang Feifan had lost his flashlight at the bottom of the lake, but thankfully, Feng Tian had packed one. At least they weren't forced to rely on the flammable gas in the canister for light. Relatively speaking, Kuang Feifan considered the canister in his hand the best defensive weapon currently available.

The brilliant white beam of the high-powered flashlight managed to slice an opening in the surrounding gloom, but it could only illuminate a limited area around them; beyond the light, nothing could be seen.

“What now?” Kuang Feifan asked, constantly scanning their surroundings. It was impossible now to judge direction, nor could they be certain if the paper figures were still chasing them from behind.

Feng Tian also didn't know the way out. Furthermore, his knowledge of the so-called "Ghost Domain" was purely hearsay, never experienced. Whether this was indeed a “Ghost Domain” was merely his speculation.

Kuang Feifan didn't fully grasp the concept of a "Ghost Domain"; he hadn't paid attention to the term before, focusing instead on how to escape the car.

Now, with the ground beneath their feet as their only certainty, they were adrift—no sky above, no anchor ahead or behind. Rather than stumbling blindly, it was better to search the rumors for any faint clue.

Feng Tian frowned and shook his head, uncertain about the suggestion. After all, it was just a legend. However, he felt he had nothing to hide. The so-called “Ghost Domain,” he explained, was supposedly situated between the worlds of Yin and Yang, existing in its own isolated space. Those wandering within were said to be malevolent ghosts and wicked spirits, though no one knew their true appearance, because anyone entering the “Ghost Domain” seemed to have no other path than becoming one of its inhabitants.

Kuang Feifan rolled his eyes. Indeed, the rumor was flawed. If anyone who entered the “Ghost Domain” could never leave, then who would be left to spread the rumor, and how could an exit ever be known?

Feng Tian understood the logic, of course, but faced with this empty, dark expanse, and having never seen those green-eyed paper figures before, it was that rumor that prompted him.

A sudden flicker of insight crossed Kuang Feifan’s mind, recalling an incident he’d shared with Bai Ru not long ago. He asked, “Could we be on the Path of Yin and Yang?”

Feng Tian hesitated, then shook his head. “No, this isn't the Path of Yin and Yang. But whatever this is, there must be one or several points where Yin and Yang intersect—that’s the exit we need to find.”

Kuang Feifan tentatively nodded in agreement. Feng Tian held the flashlight in one hand and pulled out a compass with the other. According to his theory, any point or plane where Yin and Yang met should emit energy signatures different from the surroundings.

To test this theory, Feng Tian turned slowly in a circle, holding the compass out, hoping to detect any anomaly in a specific direction.

Kuang Feifan, meanwhile, was pondering something else: the root cause of their predicament was Ji Ping. If not for him, Feng Tian wouldn't have taken that turn. But one question stubbornly remained: if they hadn't been intent on finding out about the person in charge at the gas station surnamed Lu, they wouldn't have brought up the brigade Ji Ping worked for, nor would they have veered onto that road.

In other words, if they hadn't decided to pursue information about that manager, would their current situation be vastly different?

Before Kuang Feifan could resolve this thought, faint, rustling sounds echoed from the darkness around them—like something crawling. Soon, he detected the stench of rotting flesh wafting into his nostrils.

Before Kuang Feifan could warn him, Feng Tian suddenly cried out in alarm nearby, “Mother of—this is bad…”