Eight Nights of Strange Tales

Author: Deng Rui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: For 18 years, Xia Hui has always been an unwavering realist. "Things like ghosts and gods don't exist; they are merely distortions of reality caused by people's fear of the unknown!" Whenever someone told a ghost story, he would inevitably attack them with this line. Over time, titles like "stubborn," "lacking imagination," and "boring person" stuck to him, but they had no effect on Xia Hui. His friends eventually gave up trying to change him. However, when Xia Hui decided to apply to the Byakuya Academy, though he knew it was a waste of time, someone still warned him, "Be careful, that school is haunted. They say people often see ghosts there." Because Byakuya Academy was simply too famous—a renowned higher education institution and a notorious haunted center. Byakuya Academy is an old school with a 70-year history. Originally just a university, it has now expanded to include high school, middle school, and elementary school, becoming a massive institution. It has been expanded five times, now covering nearly 20,000 mu in area, with 37 teaching buildings, 86 dormitories, and 33 other buildings. It has over 30,000 students, 8,000 teachers, and more than 4,000 other employees. Such a huge school would be odd if it weren't for a few urban legends. The ghost stories about Byakuya are quite numerous. However, Byakuya is still a top-tier, prestigious university, and most students are eager to attend. Xia Hui's grades weren't bad, but they certainly weren't outstanding. Getting into Byakuya was like a dream come true for him. On September 2, the day before school started, Xia Hui arrived at the school with a backpack. His other luggage had already been sent to the dorm. Byakuya's dormitory area was enormous and divided into two types: collective dorms and student apartments. Xia Hui had registered for a student apartment in Block 18, Room 502 of the B District. The B District is located to the west of the central teaching area, consisting of very old six-story public housing. The walls were undecorated, just plain gray cement. Over the years, they were almost completely covered in ivy. The entire dormitory area was well-vegetated, with the buildings surrounded by flowerbeds. The wind rustled the leaves, and the sunlight of September filtered through the treetops, casting colorful patterns on the ground. It was so quiet that you could almost hear your own heartbeat, but for some reason, this pleasant environment made Xia Hui feel uneasy. Something was wrong, but Xia Hui didn't know what was off. He couldn't explain his sudden unease. Block 18 was deep in the residential area, and the buildings all looked identical, as if they were molded from the same template. However, standing in front of the building, Xia Hui couldn't suppress his unease. It was like a venomous snake, coiling in his heart, persistent and inescapable.
Suddenly, a soft meow broke the silence. Xia Hui looked around nervously, trying to find the source of the sound, and then he saw a black cat walking out of the grass in the flowerbed. Xia Hui had always liked cats, though he had never had one due to his father's allergy. He still loved cats and had collected a lot of information about them—but he had never seen such a beautiful black cat. The cat was well-proportioned, with shiny fur and graceful movements. Though not a purebred, it was harmonious and beautiful. And its eyes—gold. Cats' pupils do narrow in bright light, making their eyes look golden, but this was different. That clear, icy golden hue was something no ordinary cat possessed.
"What are you doing here?" Xia Hui crouched by the flowerbed, and the black cat cautiously backed away. "Are you a stray? Or someone's pet?" Xia Hui smiled, perhaps cats didn't understand human language, but a friendly atmosphere could reduce their hostility.