Shadows in the Forest: A Chilling Encounter on the Edge of Reality

Walking out from the Sha County snacks, Wang Xiaopan entered a dense forest north of the University Town. It was getting late, and he encountered few people on his way.

The campus news reported several cases of female students from the School of Media and Communication going missing recently, suspected of being followed. All students, especially females, are advised not to go to secluded places at night.

As the year-end approaches, transient crimes are frequent, and it's indeed necessary to be cautious. However, as a male, Wang Xiaopan was more concerned about another post regarding a supernatural event. After walking for a while, the forest became denser. A gust of wind blew, making rustling sounds that eerily resembled footsteps.

Just then, a sharp female voice rang out: "Don't come any closer! I'll scream for help if you do!"

Following the voice, Wang Xiaopan saw two figures grappling with each other from a distance. A man was attempting to kiss the woman.

"Ah, get away... Don't!"

To avoid alarming them, he cautiously approached and kicked the man in the side at the right moment. The man, clearly caught off guard, fell against a tree. The next second, Wang Xiaopan grabbed the girl and ran. She seemed too shocked to speak.

After running for a bit, she suddenly shook off Wang Xiaopan's hand, calling him a lunatic, and explained that the man was her boyfriend, "It's role-playing, do you understand?" She gesticulated wildly, "We were just acting, having fun!"

Wang Xiaopan thought to himself that city folks really knew how to play, no wonder they got followed. Still, he warned her, "It's not safe to be out late at night."

The girl retorted, "It's none of your business whether it's safe or not!"

"Do you know nothing at all?"

"Again? Why does everyone bring up the stalking incident? I'm so tired of hearing about it, let them try to stalk me, see if I'm scared!"

"No, it's about a real supernatural event. A few years ago, a family of five who owned a bun shop was tragically murdered and buried in this forest. Since then, sometimes at night, there would be people walking backward who would follow anyone alone and ask if they want buns."

"What does walking backward mean?"

"It means walking in reverse without using their eyes to see the path, because they're not human."

"Damn!" The girl instantly became scared. "Don't frighten me like that, have you actually seen it?"

"Not exactly, but as we were running here, I did see two people standing sneakily against a big tree. Why don't you go back to your boyfriend now and check if they are humans or ghosts?"

"Ow... I'm not going."

"Shh, keep it down, they seem to be coming this way, I'm out of here."

"Wait for me, don't leave me here alone!"

"Then let's hurry to the road, and you can call your boyfriend from there. My kick wasn't that hard, he'll be fine."

"My phone is dead."

"You can use mine."

"Then when we get to the road, can you wait until my boyfriend arrives before you leave?"

"Okay."

The two walked side by side in the dense forest, silently. After a few more minutes, the girl muttered, "Did we take a wrong turn? It didn’t take this long when we came."

Wang Xiaopan didn't answer. In the darkness, a cruel smile appeared on his face.