Chapter Thirteen: The Sinister Shadow of General’s Mountain

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Nightfall wrapped the tranquil town in its embrace, the dim streetlights flickering in the cold wind, casting mottled shadows that seemed to conceal countless secrets. At the town’s edge stood General’s Mountain, usually a playground for children’s adventures and laughter, its slopes steeped in the legendary tales of ancient generals who once waged battles there, lending it an aura of mystique. Yet, a terrifying event was about to turn this place into a living hell, forever shrouding the hearts of its inhabitants in dread.

The story begins with a young man named Li Qiang, notorious throughout the town as a prodigal. He spent his days idle, loitering the streets with a band of disreputable friends, gambling and drinking becoming his habitual routine. His parents, utterly disheartened, had nearly severed ties with him, their family on the verge of collapse. Li Qiang’s girlfriend, Xiao Mei, was among the few who still held a flicker of hope for him. She stayed by his side, pleading tirelessly for him to reform, to find an honest job, and build a stable life together.

That night, Li Qiang lost everything once again in a gambling game, sinking into a mountain of debts. Pale and hollow-eyed, he staggered out of the dimly lit game room, his heart filled with despair and fear. He knew the creditors would not show mercy; failure to repay soon would lead to a grim fate. As he walked the lonely streets, a wild thought flashed through his mind—a thought so dark it sent a chill through his own body. Cornered, his heart gradually succumbed to malevolence.

He arrived at the convenience store where Xiao Mei worked; it was nearly midnight, and no other customers were inside. Seeing Li Qiang’s lost and desolate appearance, Xiao Mei felt a foreboding dread. Li Qiang forced a calm facade, telling her he had found a way to make money, promising that if she helped him just once, they could clear the debt and live well. Though skeptical, Xiao Mei’s love and trust compelled her to agree.

Li Qiang led her to an abandoned cabin at the foot of General’s Mountain, a place long rumored to be haunted and shunned by all. The air was thick with a rank, damp stench. Fear gripped Xiao Mei as she clung to Li Qiang’s sleeve, her voice trembling as she asked what he intended to do. His eyes darted nervously, but he reassured her that everything would be fine.

In the moment Xiao Mei’s guard dropped, Li Qiang suddenly produced a rope he had prepared in advance and violently strangled her from behind. Her eyes widened in terror as she struggled desperately to break free, but Li Qiang, now consumed by madness, tightened his grip until she ceased moving. Collapsing beside her lifeless body, his clothes soaked with sweat, his hands trembling uncontrollably, he was gripped by both fear and a twisted sense of release.

After a long while, Li Qiang rose and began his dreadful work. He found a rusty axe inside the cabin, a cruel gleam flashing in his eyes. Under the moonlight, he raised the axe, striking repeatedly at Xiao Mei’s corpse. Each blow echoed with a chilling sound, blood splattering the walls and floor, filling the air with a nauseating metallic stench.

He dismembered her remains, packed the pieces into several black plastic bags, and under cover of darkness dragged them deep into General’s Mountain. His heartbeat thundered loudly in the silent forest, as if every tree bore witness to his crime, every whisper of wind cursed him. At a concealed ravine, he scattered the body parts, desperate to conceal his deeds before hastily fleeing.

At dawn, sunlight bathed General’s Mountain in peaceful light, as if nothing had transpired. Yet a wild dog scavenging in the woods found a foul-smelling chunk of flesh and carried it down to the town. The townspeople screamed in horror upon seeing what the dog held, and soon the dreadful discovery spread like wildfire.

The police swiftly intervened, cordoning off General’s Mountain and launching a grim search. More body parts surfaced as the investigation deepened, the gruesome scene chilling even the most seasoned officers. Forensic experts identified the victim as a young woman, cause of death mechanical asphyxiation, followed by brutal dismemberment.

The police began checking recent missing persons, quickly focusing on Xiao Mei’s disappearance. Closer scrutiny of her relationships brought Li Qiang under suspicion. His odd behavior after the crime, coupled with his close connection to Xiao Mei, made him a prime suspect.

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When the police apprehended Li Qiang, he was hiding in his home, eyes wild with terror and mind unraveling. His answers were incoherent and riddled with contradictions. After intense interrogation, Li Qiang broke down and confessed in tears, recounting how gambling had driven him to ruin and how he had mercilessly murdered and dismembered Xiao Mei. Every gruesome detail sent shivers down the spine as if the voice of hell itself had spoken.

Li Qiang was arrested and awaited the full force of justice. However, the horror of General’s Mountain was far from over.

Since the incident, the mountain took on an eerie, sinister air. At night, mournful cries often echoed across the slopes, as if the restless spirit of Xiao Mei wailed her grievance. Some claimed to have seen a bloodied figure wandering the woods under the moonlight—bearing Xiao Mei’s face but eyes rife with hatred and fury. Others swore they heard faint sounds of axe strikes and agonized moans near the abandoned cabin, chilling the soul.

A group of skeptical youths, intrigued by the legends, decided one moonless, windy night to explore the mountain and unmask the secrets, determined to prove the rumors mere superstition. Equipped with flashlights and cameras, they nervously ventured up the mountain.

At first, the atmosphere seemed normal—save for the eerie silence that enveloped the night forest, broken only by their footsteps and breath. But as they drew nearer to the cabin, strange occurrences began. Their flashlights flickered erratically, as though unseen forces interfered. The temperature plummeted sharply, their breath condensing into white mist.

Upon reaching the cabin, an overwhelming chill swept over them. The door hung ajar, creaking in the wind like a spectral hand beckoning. One braver youth pushed it open; the hinges screamed sharply, the sound reverberating through the still woods.

Inside, a putrid stench assaulted their senses. The flashlight’s beam revealed walls stained dark red, a macabre tableau. Scattered footprints marred the floor—too irregular to be human, resembling tracks of some unknown evil.

Just as panic surged and they prepared to flee, an ominous, sinister laughter echoed outside, surrounding them from all directions. They flashed their lights wildly, but saw nothing. Suddenly, a blood-soaked figure burst from the trees, charging at them. The distorted face was unmistakably Xiao Mei’s, eyes blazing with vengeful fury, hands outstretched as if to seize the intruders.

Terrified beyond measure, the youths fled down the mountain, stumbling and rising in desperate flight. Back in town, several suffered severe psychological trauma and were hospitalized. The footage they captured played back as pure static and noise, as if some mysterious force blocked the truth’s revelation.

From then on, General’s Mountain was declared off-limits after dark. The townsfolk lived in fear, haunted by faint cries and eerie sounds from the mountain each night—Xiao Mei’s restless curse eternally lingering. The gruesome dismemberment case became a permanent scar in the town’s history, a chilling tale passed down to warn against being blinded by evil and desire lest one face hell’s retribution.

Though Li Qiang faced legal punishment, the mountain’s dark legends only grew. A mysterious old man arrived in town, reputed to be knowledgeable in the supernatural. Hearing the tales, he resolved to explore the mountain and unravel its mysteries, hoping to restore peace.

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By day, the old man ascended General’s Mountain, carrying special tools. Upon reaching the abandoned cabin, he sensed a powerful, malevolent energy. Examining the surroundings, he discovered strange symbols—remnants of an ancient curse ritual. Drawing on his experience, he surmised that an evil sacrifice had once taken place here, and Li Qiang’s crime had awakened dark forces hidden within the mountain, binding Xiao Mei’s restless spirit and triggering the horrors.

Determined to break the curse, the old man set up a ritual altar before the cabin, chanting mysterious incantations while burning talismans. Suddenly, violent winds surged, sand and leaves swirling, trees shaken as if grasped by invisible hands, emitting terrifying noises. The bloodied apparition of Xiao Mei reappeared, her power seemingly stronger, her vengeful gaze chilling to the bone.

Undeterred, the old man continued his chant, wielding a peachwood sword with fierce energy, battling the spirit’s might. After a fierce struggle, Xiao Mei’s spectral form gradually blurred and finally vanished into the forest. Exhausted, the old man collapsed.

Upon awakening, he found the mountain’s atmosphere significantly calmer, the oppressive terror markedly diminished. He knew he had only temporarily suppressed the evil, and more clues and methods would be needed to eradicate it fully.

Descending the mountain, the old man encountered a ragged old woman, her eyes vacant, muttering incomprehensible phrases. Approaching, he discerned her repeated words: “Blood of sin must be redeemed with true heart...” The old man felt a revelation stir within.

Back in town, he learned the woman was Li Qiang’s mother. He shared his findings and theories with her. Overcome with tears, she resolved to atone for her son’s sins.

Guided by the old man, Li Qiang’s mother returned to General’s Mountain and, before the abandoned cabin, earnestly confessed and begged for Xiao Mei’s forgiveness. She vowed to dedicate her life to good deeds to redeem her son’s crimes. Perhaps moved by her sincerity, from that day on, the mountain ceased to echo with eerie cries and strange noises, gradually returning to its former tranquility.

Yet the townspeople remained reverent, wary of General’s Mountain. Whenever the dark chapter was recalled, they reminded themselves and others to cherish life, uphold kindness and justice, and resist the corrupting grip of evil desires—lest the nightmare of General’s Mountain return again.