I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

"Thump...thump...thump..."

The heavy footsteps grew closer.

Jiang Gundao and Er Lengzi hid behind the pile of steel pipes, not daring to breathe.

The two were pressed tightly against the cold steel pipe, and Jiang Gundao could clearly hear his heart pounding wildly.

He cautiously peeked out half his head and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

In the darkness, two figures emerged from the depths of the warehouse.

They were two "workers" dressed in security guard uniforms.

Jiang Gundao breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"That scared the hell out of me! It was just security guards on patrol..."

He was about to stand up when he suddenly realized something was wrong.

The way these two security guards walk... is a bit strange.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized, like an army parade, with each step perfectly aligned.

Moreover, although the footsteps were heavy, no dust was raised on the ground.

Even more bizarrely—

They walked without making a sound!

Jiang Gundao rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things.

But the next second, what he saw made his scalp tingle.

One of the "security guards" picked up an I-beam from the ground with one hand.

That thing must weigh at least several hundred kilograms!

But he handled it as easily as if it were a stick, then casually tossed it to his companion.

Another "security guard" caught it steadily and threw it back.

The two of them started playing "relay race" in the dark!

"This...this is something a human being could do?"

Jiang Gundao's throat went dry, and cold sweat streamed down his face.

He remembered the "red-eyed monsters" he had seen at the construction site last time.

"No way... there can't really be a ghost..."

Just then.

The "security guard" who was playing with the I-beam suddenly stopped.

Its body remained motionless, as if it had been paused.

Then--

"Snap!"

A crisp mechanical sound rang out.

The "security guard's" head was rotated 180 degrees backward at an angle that completely violated human anatomy!

Face backward, body forward!

Those eyes glowed with an eerie red light in the darkness, like two small light bulbs, staring intently at the pile of steel pipes where Jiang Gundao was hiding.

"A mouse has been found."

A emotionless electronic voice rang out in the silent night.

"Quantity: 2. Threat level: Very low. Activate deterrence mode."

Jiang Gundao's blood seemed to freeze.

He covered his mouth tightly, afraid of making a sound.

But something even more terrifying was yet to come.

In order to get a better view, the "security guard" actually reached out and grabbed his own head.

Then--

"Snap! Snap!"

It twisted its own head off its neck!

Just like tightening a screw!

The severed head was held in its hand, its red electronic eyes still rotating, scanning the surroundings.

"Target locked. Distance: 12 meters. Recommendation: Destroy immediately."

The head's mouth was still moving, making mechanical sounds.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a battery being changed before?"

"ah--!!!"

Er Lengzi could no longer hold back and let out a heart-wrenching scream.

His eyes rolled back, and he fell straight to the ground, fainting on the spot.

Jiang Gundao felt a heat in his crotch.

A warm liquid flowed down his trouser leg.

He peed.

But at this moment, he couldn't care less about any of that.

His survival instinct caused him to unleash the fastest speed he had ever experienced.

"Oh my god!"

Jiang Gundao flipped over and sprang out from behind the pile of steel pipes, tumbling and crawling towards the wall.

His legs were so weak that running felt like walking on cotton.

"A ghost! A headless ghost!"

Jiang Gundao ran and shouted, his voice distorted.

Behind them, the T-800 robot holding the head tilted its head in its hand.

"Deterrence successful. Target has escaped. Proceed?"

The other robot shook its head.

"The supervisor's instructions: Only scare him, don't arrest him. Let him escape."

"Roger that. Continue patrolling."

The two robots turned around and continued their nighttime patrol.

The robot holding the head then casually twisted the head back onto its neck.

With a "click," it fit perfectly.

Jiang Gundao ran to the wall and climbed up using both his hands and feet.

His fingernails dug into the cracks in the wall, completely ignoring the pain.

"Go up! Go up!"

He gritted his teeth and finally climbed over the wall.

With a "thump," he fell onto the dirt road outside.

Ignoring the pain, Jiang Gundao got up and ran.

He had lost one shoe at some point, and with only one foot, he limped wildly toward the village entrance.

"A ghost! There's a ghost in the factory!"

"You can still talk even after your head is cut off!"

Jiang Gundao's shouts echoed in the night sky.

Several dogs were awakened by his barking and followed him, barking wildly.

But Jiang Gundao didn't dare to look back; he only knew to run forward as fast as he could.

As he ran, he suddenly remembered something.

"You idiot!"

Jiang Gundao stopped and looked back in the direction of the factory.

It was pitch black; I couldn't see anything.

"Never mind, saving your life is the most important thing!"

Jiang Gundao gritted his teeth, turned around, and continued running.

"You good luck, you simpleton!"

He ran wildly all the way and finally reached the big locust tree at the entrance of the village.

Jiang Gundao leaned against the tree trunk, panting heavily.

His legs were trembling, his pants were soaked, and his body was covered in mud and sweat.