(Time: Dusk on the first day of departure)

  The tune, that haunting children's song hummed by what seemed like a phantom, must have been an auditory illusion born from extreme fatigue and tension. It echoed briefly in the air, leaving a chilling resonance, then vanished completely as if it had never existed.

  The suffocating, viscous silence swallowed the surroundings once more.

  I froze, every muscle taut with excessive vigilance, like a fully drawn bow. My ears strained to catch any unusual sound, even the wind's whimper through the broken walls would be preferable to this all-consuming quiet. Outside the tent, the abandoned room—perhaps once a classroom or office—loomed like a giant, sinister beast with its mouth agape. Darkness seeped from every corner, threatening to release something unnamable at any moment.

  My palms were slick with cold sweat as I gripped the high-beam flashlight resting on my lap. A relatively sturdy wooden stick, about half a meter long, found during the site cleanup earlier, lay beside me—my only "weapon" for now.

  Time ticked by, each second stretching into an eternity. I could hear the frantic pounding of my own heart and the roaring rush of blood in my ears. Apart from these internal sounds, the outside world was utterly silent. The eerie children's song did not return.

  Perhaps... perhaps it really was just a hallucination? A product of fatigue, hunger, and this oppressive environment combined? I tried to reason with myself, but my body's instinctive reaction couldn't be fooled. That bone-chilling sensation still washed over my nerves in waves.

  I huddled in the corner of the tent, daring not to make any significant noise, even slowing my breathing deliberately. The sky darkened steadily. Through the holes in the roof and the shattered windows, the last struggling rays of daylight were being consumed by the heavy dusk. Darkness, like living ink, was staining and devouring this forgotten village, bit by bit.

  Just as the boundless silence and darkness were about to drive me mad, making me question if I was developing more severe mental issues, a sudden sound—utterly out of place here—shattered the suffocating stillness without warning.

  "Hahaha! Meiling, look! This house collapsed like building blocks! So cool!"

  It was a young man's voice, loud and energetic, tinged with excited, slightly exaggerated laughter. It sounded jarringly out of place, almost piercing, in the dead silence of the village.

  Immediately after, a clear female voice chimed in, laced with amusement and a hint of coquettishness: "Aiya, Xiao Zhang, keep it down! You scared me! But wow, this place is really exciting! Just like they said online! Quick, quick, take a picture of me here, I want to post it on Moments!"

  The voices seemed to originate just outside the building I was in, and they were getting closer.

  I froze, my mind blank for a few seconds.

  People? Living people?

  Here? At this time?

  My first reaction wasn't relief or surprise, but a stronger sense of shock and... vigilance.

  Were they... also exploring? Or... something else?

  I immediately switched off the small camping light hanging inside the tent, plunging the space into absolute darkness. Holding my breath like a startled rabbit, I pressed myself against the cold wall, peering nervously through a gap in the tent fabric towards the black maw of the doorway outside.

  The footsteps drew nearer—two people. The crunch of their steps on gravel and dry twigs was clearly audible, accompanied by their unrestrained laughter and conversation.

  "Do you really think this whole village just emptied out all at once? That's too weird, right?" the man's voice asked again, filled with morbid curiosity.

  "Who knows? That's what they say online! They also say you get trapped by ghost walls at night, and there are will-o'-the-wisps and stuff! Just thinking about it is exciting!" the female voice replied, betraying no fear, only anticipation.

  "Hehe, with me here, no ghost stands a chance! When it gets darker, let's take our flashlights and explore that legendary haunted house!"

  "Okay, okay! But... are we really the only ones here? It feels a bit... creepy," the woman's voice finally registered a hint of unease.

  "What's there to be afraid of! Maybe we'll even run into other explorers! The more the merrier!"

  Their conversation grew closer; they seemed to have reached the entrance of the very room I occupied. My heart leaped into my throat, the sweat on my palms making the flashlight casing slippery.

  The next second, two powerful flashlight beams slashed into the room, cutting blinding paths through the dusty air and illuminating much of the interior.

  The beams swept rapidly across the walls, broken furniture, and scattered debris on the floor, finally settling, inevitably, on the orange tent tucked in the corner.

  "Huh?!" "Holy crap! A tent?!"

  Two exclamations erupted simultaneously, laced with extreme surprise and a hint of... wariness?

  Outside the tent, two young figures appeared silhouetted in the doorway's light and shadow.

  Taking a deep breath, I knew I couldn't hide any longer. I unzipped the tent and slowly emerged under their wary and curious gazes.

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  "Who... who are you?!" the young man demanded, instantly pointing his flashlight beam at me, his voice tight with nerves. He instinctively shielded his companion with one arm.

  "Don't worry, I mean no harm," I said, raising my hands to show I wasn't a threat, trying to keep my voice calm despite my racing heart. "I'm... also here... surveying." I temporarily concealed my identity as a journalist.

  By the light of their flashlights, I got a clear look at these uninvited guests.

  The guy looked to be in his early twenties, quite tall, wearing a brightly colored, trendy windbreaker (which seemed more for show than professional outdoor gear), ripped jeans, and a pair of limited-edition sneakers, now caked with mud. His hair was dyed a fashionable flaxen color, and his face held a roguish handsomeness, though his eyes were currently filled with surprise and caution.

  The girl beside him appeared younger, perhaps around twenty. She was pretty, wearing meticulous makeup, a pink cropped down jacket, tight athletic pants, and equally expensive white sneakers. She held a fluffy selfie stick, her expression a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and a barely concealed thrill.

  Their attire clashed dramatically with the gloomy, dilapidated, weed-choked surroundings, as if they'd been instantly transported from a bustling shopping street onto the set of a horror movie.

  Seeing me emerge from the tent—a seemingly harmless lone woman—their tension seemed to ease slightly.

  "Surveying? By yourself?" the guy called Xiao Zhang asked quizzically, lowering his flashlight beam slightly so it wasn't directly in my eyes.

  "Wow! Miss, you're so brave! Coming to a place like this alone!" the girl, Meiling, exclaimed, looking at me with admiration (or perhaps gossip), her big eyes blinking. "Did you come here after reading the guides online too? Isn't it super exciting?"

  I managed a wry smile, unsure how to answer her naive question. Exciting? Perhaps. But more than that, it was suffocatingly oppressive and genuinely terrifying.

  "I... suppose so," I answered vaguely. "What about you two? How did you find your way here?"

  "We came specifically for this!" Xiao Zhang immediately piped up, excited. "Meiling and I love exploring! Especially places rumored to be haunted! The internet makes Fengmen Village sound so legendary, China's number one ghost village, we've been wanting to check it out forever! We happened to be free today, so we drove over!"

  Drove over? I paused, then figured they must have parked farther away than "Wild Boar Ridge" and hiked in. Judging by their gear and condition, they clearly hadn't endured the arduous trek I had.

  "Just... the two of you?" I couldn't help asking, a flicker of concern in my heart.

  "Yeah! It's romantic with just two!" Meiling said, smiling as she linked her arm through Xiao Zhang's, her voice saccharine. "Besides, it's more exciting with fewer people! By the way, miss, what's your name? Should we call you..."

  "My surname is Li. You can call me Li Xue," I interrupted, giving my name.

  "Li Xue? Nice name!" Xiao Zhang chuckled heartily. "I'm Zhang Wei, and she's Wang Meiling. Xue-jie, how long have you been here? Have you encountered anything... weird?" He deliberately lowered his voice, his eyes glinting with excitement, as if eager for a ghost story.

  I looked at their excited, fearless faces, then thought about my own difficult journey, the chilling, oppressive atmosphere I'd felt, and that bizarre children's song from moments ago. Mixed feelings churned within me. On one hand, encountering two living people in such an isolated environment offered a faint glimmer of comfort, a sense that I wasn't utterly alone. On the other hand, their carelessness, noise, and utter obliviousness to potential dangers filled me with deep worry, even a touch of... irritation.

  Their arrival had broken the dead silence, but it might also... disturb things that shouldn't be disturbed.

  "I just arrived not long ago," I said, evading his question about "weird things," my tone calm. "The environment here is complex, the paths are difficult, and it's getting dark. It's very dangerous in the mountains at night, you two..."

  "Aiya, Xue-jie, don't worry!" Meiling waved her hand dismissively. "We brought high-beam flashlights, power banks, and plenty of food and water! Plus, we're both really brave! We just want to experience spending a night in a ghost village!" She punctuated her words by excitedly shaking her selfie stick. "I was even going to live stream! I already thought of the title—'Couple Explores China's #1 Ghost Village at Night: Human or Ghost?' It would definitely go viral!"

  Live stream? My brow furrowed instantly. Live streaming in a place like this? Were they trying to advertise their presence?

  "I strongly advise against it," my tone turned serious involuntarily. "There's no signal here; live streaming is impossible. Besides, the situation in the mountains at night is unknown and genuinely dangerous, it's no joke."

  "No signal?" Both Zhang Wei and Meiling looked taken aback, pulling out their phones. Sure enough, the top-left corner of their screens displayed a large "No Service".

  "Damn! Seriously no signal!" Zhang Wei cursed in annoyance. "Does that mean my drone won't fly either?"

  "Well, if we can't stream, we can't stream," Meiling pouted, but her excitement quickly returned. "We'll just record it ourselves and edit it later! It'll still be popular! Xue-jie, this spot you found for a base camp is pretty good, looks quite sturdy. Can we set up our tent here too? We could keep each other company, be safer that way."

  I looked at them, hesitating. Letting them stay meant more noise and movement, potentially attracting unwanted attention. But letting these two reckless individuals wander around outside... what if something genuinely happened to them?

  "It's... not very spacious here," I said diplomatically. "And I'm used to working alone quietly."

  "Oh... okay then." Disappointment flickered across Meiling's face, but she didn't press further. Zhang Wei just shrugged, looking indifferent. "Alright then, we'll go look elsewhere. This village is huge, there must be other places to stay. Xue-jie, we'll head off then! Keep in touch... oh right, no signal. Well... see you around if fate allows! Good luck!"

  He took Meiling's hand and turned to leave.

  "Wait!" I called out.

  They turned back, puzzled.

  I took out two compressed biscuits and a small bottle of mineral water from my backpack and handed them over. "Take these. It gets cold in the mountains at night, replenish your energy. Also, try not to get separated, and be careful. If you encounter anything strange, shout loudly, or... head back towards me."

  Despite my frustration with their recklessness, they were fellow humans encountered in this eerie place; I couldn't completely ignore their plight.

  Zhang Wei and Meiling both blinked, seemingly surprised by my gesture. Zhang Wei accepted the food and water, a grateful smile touching his lips. "Thanks, Xue-jie! You're really nice! Don't worry, we're smart, we'll be fine!"

  Meiling also gave me a sweet smile. "Thanks, Xue-jie! You be careful too!"

  With that, they switched on their flashlights and walked out of the dilapidated building, chatting and laughing, their voices and lights quickly swallowed by the heavy dusk and crumbling ruins outside.

  I stood rooted to the spot, listening as their footsteps and chatter faded away, until the boundless silence consumed everything once more.

  In the room, only I remained, along with the bright orange, solitary tent.

  Their arrival was like a stone tossed onto the surface of this dead lake, creating brief ripples. But when the ripples subsided and the surface calmed, the silence seemed deeper, more unsettling than before.

  I didn't know if their appearance was ultimately good or bad for me. Did it offer a potential source of support, or... did it introduce more variables and dangers?

  Sighing, I zipped up the tent, enclosing myself once again in that small, fragile bubble of safety. Outside, the sky had turned completely dark; true night had fallen. I clutched the wooden stick tightly, listening intently to the boundless darkness and silence beyond the canvas walls, waiting for the unknown to arrive