The volunteers, mostly young people, soon started chatting with each other.
Mo Wen finally seized the opportunity and grabbed the sleeve of the volunteer next to him, urgently asking,"Do you believe in urban legends?"
The other person stopped, took off one earbud, and turned to look at him.
It was a young man with messy short hair and a thin face wearing an oddly shaped pair of glasses. His black jacket was slightly open, revealing a wrinkled T-shirt underneath. He was holding an e-cigarette between his fingers, lazily exhaling and looking at Mo Wen with curiosity.
"Urban legends?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice nonchalant and raspy,"Tell me."
Just as Mo Wen was about to speak, someone nearby scoffed,"Urban legends? More of those boring ghost stories?"
The speaker was Sima, a middle-aged man wearing leather shoes, gold-rimmed glasses, with hair meticulously styled with hair gel. His face showed obvious disdain and the habitual lecturing tone of older people.
"Young people have too much free time, making up stories online. White foxes, black shadows, what's next? Some lost civilization?"
Mo Wen frowned,"You don't believe it?"
Sima raised his chin and sneered,"Better to spend that time making more money."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hai Ying, a mother of two kids, approached with a curious expression, holding a cup of milk tea and chewing on the straw.
"Hey, hey, the white fox you're talking about, isn't it that one? I heard about a girl who disappeared in a villa three years ago. The last time she was seen, she was standing at the door, staring at a white fox."
She lowered her voice mysteriously,"Then! She suddenly smiled—a very eerie smile—and walked into the villa without looking back. No one could stop her."
She took a big sip of milk tea, making a"slurp" sound, her eyes gleaming.
"Guess what? She never came out again."
Mo Wen's fingers tightened slightly.
Seeing his expression, Hai Ying became even more excited,"So, you really saw that white fox? For real?"
Mo Wen was silent for a few seconds, then slowly nodded,"Its eyes are oil-green, sometimes even with a hint of silver."
Joe, the black caregiver, had been silent the whole time. Now, he let out a low sigh.
He was a 30-year-old man wearing a cross necklace, dressed simply but neatly, with a calm expression. He stood at the edge of the group, gently rubbing the cross on his neck, and quietly said,"There are some things in this world that should not be touched."
Hai Ying turned around and blinked,"Joe, are you preaching again?"
Joe ignored her and looked at Mo Wen with deep eyes,"Have you heard of the Book of Isaiah?"
Mo Wen frowned,"What do you mean?"
Joe's voice was calm yet carried undeniable firmness,"The Bible says,'Darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.'"
He paused, then continued,"Some entities are part of the darkness. They may disguise themselves as gentle creatures, but their true nature does not belong to this world."
He slowly tightened his grip on the cross, staring at Mo Wen,"If you saw the white fox, it means—it saw you too."
The air seemed to pause for a moment.
Mo Wen instinctively clenched his fists.
Joe whispered,"Why did it let you see it?"
Mo Wen's breath caught.
Hai Ying blinked and suddenly bit her straw, thoughtful,"Hey... if that's the case, those who saw the white fox didn't have good endings."
Sima impatiently waved his hand,"Enough, if you keep talking, this coward will start questioning his life."
Jerry, who had been listening, suddenly smirked,"Have you ever thought, what if the white fox isn't an evil spirit, but... a guide?"
Joe's eyes darkened,"What are you talking about?"
Jerry squinted, tapping his notebook with his finger, and leisurely said,"Listen, I saw a post mentioning the urban legend of 'fox shadow.' Some say the appearance of a white fox means an entrance is about to open."
He lowered his voice, excitement flickering in his eyes,"Have you heard of the 'Backrooms'?"
Joe's expression changed slightly.
Sima frowned,"What nonsense are you talking about now?"
Jerry shrugged, speaking slowly,"The Backrooms is a 21st-century urban legend about a mysterious space. It's said that some people 'slip' into it, finding themselves in an endless yellow room with moldy old carpets and buzzing fluorescent lights."
He paused, a smile tugging at his lips,"You might think you're alone, but over time, you'll sense something watching you."
Mo Wen's heartbeat quickened slightly.
Jerry continued,"Some say entering the Backrooms is related to a 'guide.' Have you considered that the white fox you encountered might not be a coincidence?"
Mo Wen suddenly paused.
Jerry blinked, his fingers tapping lightly on the seam of his pants, a half-smile playing on his lips."Maybe it's leading you somewhere," he said.
The air suddenly grew colder.
Mo Wen didn't reply, but an uneasy feeling rose in his chest. If what Jerry said was true, then had his encounter with the white fox really been a coincidence? Or had some unseen force deliberately arranged it?
Even more unsettling—if the white fox really was guiding him… where exactly was it leading him?
The young man suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes fixed straight ahead.
Mo Wen followed his gaze, and his heart sank.
The roadside barriers had somehow turned into thick metal poles and electric fences. Beneath the fences, every few dozen meters, lay the dried-out carcasses of animals.
A cold wind blew past, carrying a dense, suffocating mist like gray sludge hanging in the air. The atmosphere in the group grew more tense until Joe, the Black orderly, decided to break the silence.
"Hey, Hai Ying," Joe called out, his voice loud and casual as usual."The garbage piles you clean—aren't they cleaner than this air?"
Hai Ying rolled her eyes and handed him a tissue, glancing at the beads of sweat on his forehead."Of course," she said, raising an eyebrow."At least you can see the garbage. This smog? Open or close your eyes, it's the same."
Joe wiped his forehead with exaggerated movements and let out a long sigh."Man, if I'd known it'd be like this, I wouldn't have come. Who'd have thought I'd end up'touring' a place like this?"
"Touring?" Hai Ying snorted, her voice tinged with exasperation."And how much did the travel agency charge you for this trip?"
Joe shrugged, his usual carefree grin back in place."Didn't charge me a dime—paid me a bonus, actually."
Hai Ying didn't respond. She quietly folded the tissue into a small square and slipped it into her pocket. She knew exactly why Joe had signed up for this mission. Everyone here did it for the high-risk bonus. As for her—she hadn't had a choice. After her husband's work injury, she became the sole breadwinner for their family. The weight of her children's tuition and medical bills felt like a mountain pressing down on her. No matter how dangerous this mission was, she had to see it through.
Joe scratched his head, his grin never fading."Honestly, once I get the money, first thing I'm doing is buying a ring. The guys keep telling me it's time for a proper proposal."
Hai Ying gave a soft snort."Oh? Does your fiancée know you're buying that ring with hazard pay?"
Joe shrugged again, grinning wider."She'll only care about how much the diamond sparkles."
Up ahead, Dr. Tanaka finally turned around, unable to stay silent any longer."You two still have the energy to bicker? Impressive."
"What's wrong, Doc? You scared?" Joe teased, raising an eyebrow.
Dr. Tanaka didn't answer. His lips pressed into a tight line as his eyes lingered on the abandoned cars lining the street. Many of the car doors were left wide open, the vehicles completely empty—as if their owners had fled in a blind panic.
But the question remained… what exactly had they been running from?