I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The alleyway was deep and narrow at night, the dim yellow lanterns swaying in the wind, casting dappled shadows. Ye Ling walked quickly, but suddenly a chill ran down his spine, as if he were being watched by something cold. He turned around abruptly, but there was no one there, only the rustling of withered leaves in the wind. A strange unease welled up in his heart, and he subconsciously quickened his pace. In this ancient, fictional world, supernatural tales had never ceased.

Some say that monsters that suck the life force of people live in the deep mountains, some say that vengeful spirits lurk in abandoned ancient wells, and others say that headless ghosts wander the streets at midnight. Ye Ling always regarded these as nonsense and never took them to heart. He was just an ordinary commoner, busy making a living every day, and had no time to pay attention to such ethereal things.

However, the strangeness of the evening was impossible for him to ignore. That chilling feeling lingered around him, refusing to dissipate. He heard strange whispers, as if someone was murmuring something sinister and terrifying in his ear. He turned around again, but there was still no one there. The wind in the alley seemed to have picked up, swirling up the fallen leaves and making a mournful, howling sound, much like the wailing of ghosts and wolves.

Ye Ling's heart began to race, and his breathing became rapid. He shook his head violently, trying to shake off these strange feelings, but found it was no use. Fear entwined around his heart like vines, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. He couldn't understand why these bizarre things were happening tonight. Did those legendary supernatural beings really exist?

He ran frantically until he finally emerged from the narrow alley and onto a brightly lit street. The bustling crowd around him brought him a little peace, as if he had returned to the familiar real world. He gasped for breath, trying to calm his wildly beating heart.

Just then, he saw a woman in an elegant long dress standing at the crossroads not far away. The woman had a beautiful face and a gentle demeanor, like a quietly blooming lotus flower. Ye Ling recognized her as Shu Yao, the city's renowned spiritual healer. It was said she was skilled in medicine and also knew some exorcism techniques. He hesitated for a moment, then finally mustered his courage and walked over. "Miss Shu Yao..." he began, but found that Shu Yao's gaze wasn't on him, but rather fixed on the alley behind him, her eyes carrying a barely perceptible seriousness. "You...can you feel it?" Shu Yao asked softly, her voice trembling slightly. Ye Ling froze, instinctively turning around. The alley remained empty, only dim light and falling leaves. However, in the instant he turned, he clearly felt a chilling aura sweep past him, accompanied by a low sigh... "It seems there are some things I must face..." an aged voice came from behind Ye Ling.

He turned back again and saw an old man with a cane standing at the alley entrance, staring at him with deep eyes. The old man had white hair and beard, and his face was covered with wrinkles, but his eyes were unusually sharp, as if they could see through everything. The old man slowly approached Ye Ling, extending a withered finger and pointing to the depths of the alley, "There... something is waiting for you..." The old man's words made Ye Ling's heart tremble. He involuntarily took a step back, his gaze fixed on the depths of the alley. It was dark there, as if it concealed some terrible secret. Shu Yao also came over, stood beside Ye Ling, and took his hand, offering him silent comfort. "And who is this?" Ye Ling asked softly, his gaze shifting back and forth between the old man and Shu Yao.

“I am an old man,” the old man said slowly, “As for the rest, you will know in time.” With that, he turned and walked into the depths of the alley, his figure gradually disappearing into the darkness. Ye Ling and Shu Yao exchanged a glance, both seeing doubt and unease in each other's eyes. “Should we…follow them?” Ye Ling asked hesitantly.

Shu Yao nodded. "Perhaps we can find some answers." The two cautiously entered the alley. As they went deeper, the light grew dimmer, and the air became increasingly cold. Ye Ling felt that icy aura wash over him again, making him shiver. He gripped Shu Yao's hand tightly, as if only then could he find a sense of security. Deeper into the alley, Elder Ling reappeared. He stood before a dilapidated wall, holding an oil lamp. The dim light illuminated a strange pattern on the wall. The pattern looked like a bizarre talisman, covered with all sorts of strange symbols. "What is this?" Ye Ling asked curiously.

Elder Ling did not answer, but simply stretched out his finger and gently touched the pattern on the wall.

The moment his finger touched the pattern, the wall suddenly made a dull thud, then slowly moved to both sides, revealing a hidden passage.

A gust of cold wind blew out of the passage, carrying a strong, putrid stench. Ye Ling couldn't help but cover his nose, his face turning pale. "Go in," Elder Ling's voice rang out again, "The answer is inside."

Ye Ling took a deep breath, took Shu Yao's hand, and walked into the passage. The passage was pitch black; not a finger could be seen in front of one's face. Ye Ling could only barely see the path ahead by the faint light from Shu Yao's hand. After walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally reached the end of the passage.

Suddenly, a spacious underground space appeared before them.

In the center of the space stood an ancient altar, its surface covered in mysterious runes. Just then, Ye Ling suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He whirled around, but saw nothing. However, he was certain that something was watching him intently from behind. Back home, Ye Ling was still shaken.

He lit the oil lamp and looked around, noticing something amiss in the room. The teacups on the table had been moved, and the chairs were overturned, as if someone had been there. He cautiously picked up a broom and carefully examined every corner of the room. Suddenly, he heard a slight noise coming from under the bed. He jerked the broom towards the bed, holding his breath, his heart pounding. "Who…who's there?"

Ye Ling trembled with fear, gripping the broom tightly. The darkness under the bed felt like the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, as if something terrifying might spew out at any moment. He regretted not listening to Shu Yao and going home sooner. At this moment, he desperately craved Shu Yao's gentle company and her reassuring smile. He imagined Shu Yao beside him, softly holding his hand, telling him everything would be alright. This brought him some peace, but fear still clung to his heart like a venomous snake. "Come out!" Ye Ling mustered his courage and shouted towards the space under the bed, his voice trembling with terror. There was no response from under the bed, only deathly silence.

The silence was all the more chilling, pushing Ye Ling's fear to its peak. He felt his breathing become increasingly rapid, and sweat soaked his clothes. Just as Ye Ling was at a loss, he suddenly felt a strange power surge within him, like a warm current flowing through his entire body. At the same time, a faint shadow appeared before his eyes, like a swirling, twisted mist, slowly rotating in the air.

Ye Ling instinctively focused his attention on the shadow before him. As his mental energy concentrated, the mist gradually solidified, eventually transforming into a card. The front of the card depicted a ferocious ghost face, while the back featured strange runes.

Ye Ling was stunned; he had never seen anything like it before. He reached out, his hand trembling, and took the card in his grasp. The card was icy cold to the touch, emanating a faint aura of yin energy. He examined the card carefully, suddenly realizing that this might be the "answer" Elder Ling had spoken of. He remembered Elder Ling's words: "A power lies hidden within you; you need to find it and learn how to use it." Could this be the power within me? Ye Ling was filled with doubt, but even more so with joy. He gripped the card tightly, an unprecedented sense of power surging through him. He felt no longer the weakling manipulated by supernatural beings, but a controller of power. He looked under the bed again; the fear had largely dissipated.

He took a deep breath, pointed the card at the bottom of the bed, and whispered, "Come out!" This time, his voice was full of confidence and power. There was still no movement from under the bed.

Ye Ling hesitated for a moment, then abruptly pulled back the bedsheet. There was nothing under the bed. Ye Ling breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed he had been too nervous. He put the card away and prepared to get a glass of water to calm his nerves. Just then, heavy footsteps suddenly came from outside the door… Ye Ling gripped the card tightly, his fingertips feeling the cold touch of the card's surface and the slight stinging sensation from the strange runes on the back. The fear gradually subsided, replaced by a strange sense of excitement. He had never imagined that he possessed such power, capable of turning those terrifying things hidden in the darkness into objects in his grasp.

A sense of control welled up within him; he was no longer a weakling manipulated by supernatural beings, but a powerful controller. He looked around, and the darkness that had once chilled him to the bone now seemed to have lost some of its terror, instead appearing like a veil, waiting for him to unveil the secrets hidden behind it. He recalled the Spirit Elder's meaningful words: "When you see it, you will understand." Could this card be the "it" the Spirit Elder spoke of?

Ye Ling carefully examined the card in his hand. On the front, the grotesque ghost face seemed clearer, even faintly revealing a hint of pain and struggle. The strange runes on the back writhed slightly, emitting a faint, eerie glow. He felt a weak energy flow from the card into his body, sending a tingling sensation through him. Ye Ling took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew this was just the beginning. He needed to learn how to use this power to explore this unknown and dangerous supernatural world. He thought of Shu Yao, that gentle and kind girl—had she also experienced something similar?

He decided that he must go to Shu Yao tomorrow and tell her everything that had happened tonight. Perhaps she could help him understand everything. Just then, a series of heavy footsteps suddenly came from outside the door, breaking the silence inside the room. The footsteps were slow and heavy, as if something huge was approaching.

Ye Ling's heart sank, his previous excitement and joy instantly replaced by fear. He looked warily towards the door, gripping the card tightly in his hand, his muscles tense, ready to deal with any danger at any moment.

He held his breath, listening intently to the sounds outside the door. The footsteps grew closer and clearer, as if they were lingering right outside. Ye Ling felt his heart pounding faster and faster, almost leaping out of his chest. He tried to stay calm, telling himself not to panic.

He slowly approached the doorway and peered through the crack...