深夜怪談與都市傳說

[Part 2] Scarier than ghosts is the corporate drone who has to submit files at 9 AM tomorrow. "Screech!" Ah Zhe slammed on the brakes, kicked down the stand, yanked off his helmet, and yelled furiously at the taxi: "Honk honk! What are you honking for?! It's annoying enough to be editing drafts until 2 AM, who do you think you are?!" The ghostly hands paused, and dozens of ghosts in the back seat froze simultaneously. The taxi fell into dead silence. As the old-timers said, the resentment of a corporate drone working overtime is heavier than any ghost. Ah Zhe yanked open the door of the driverless car and raged at the empty driver's clothes: "High beams right on my butt late at night, don't you know traffic rules?! And you guys in the back! Don't you know your facial modeling topology is terrible?! Why is the rotten smell turned up so high, haven't you seen real baking textures?!" A green-faced female ghost flinched and weakly wailed, "We... we're from Nanshan Cemetery..." "Is Nanshan Cemetery that impressive?!" Ah Zhe slammed the car roof and roared, "I have to submit files at 9 AM tomorrow! You're all dead, you don't have to pay rent, you don't have to be pushed around by clients, and you think it's fun to come out and scare people in the middle of the night?! If you've got the guts, kill me now so I don't have to submit my files tomorrow!" The ghosts fell completely silent. A few seconds later, the empty clothes in the driver's seat silently turned on the right turn signal. The female ghost in the back reached out a hand, timidly offering a yellowed ghost note to Ah Zhe, and whispered, "Little brother... this... is for you as a discount coupon... You're tired, go back and rest first..." The old taxi vanished into the night like a black smoke, as if fleeing for its life.

[Part 1] Midnight at Nanshan Cemetery, and a Ghost Taxi Sticking to My Butt Ah Jie is an animator on the verge of madness from taking on too many projects. After a client said, "Give it that authentic Taiwanese eerie vibe," he's been pulling all-nighters for four straight days. At 2 AM, in a daze, he was riding his old motorcycle and accidentally turned onto Zhuxi Road, which borders Nanshan Cemetery—a place rumored to be cursed, where you absolutely shouldn't whistle or call out names after dark. The night wind howled, and the tombstones on both sides looked like figures standing in the shadows. "Beep—!" Suddenly, a ghastly white headlight flashed in his rearview mirror. An old black taxi was tailgating him, less than ten centimeters from his rear tire. The air filled with the pungent smell of rotting flesh and damp earth. "AH JIE—HUANG—" A dry, raspy voice exploded right by his ear! The next second, a cold, sticky, muddy hand from behind hooked his chin. Ah Jie stole a glance at the rearview mirror. The back seat of the taxi was crammed with dozens of distorted ghost faces, their eyes missing, all silently roaring at him: "Come... home... with... us..." Any normal rider would have already crashed into a ditch out of sheer terror, bike and all. But Ah Jie, having worked 96 consecutive hours of overtime, looked at those ghost faces, and the last shred of his sanity... completely snapped.

Ah Wei excitedly ran to his Taoist friend, who could see spirits, holding the freshly developed Polaroid photos. "Master! I went ghost hunting yesterday, look at this picture. Is there a woman ghost with blood pouring from her seven orifices behind me?" The Taoist took the photo, stared at it with a grave expression for a long time, then gasped and said to him earnestly: "Ah Wei... this isn't an ordinary ghost, this is an extremely malevolent soul-snatching spirit!" Ah Wei's face turned pale with fear, and his legs went weak. "W-what should I do? Will I be cursed?" The Taoist patted his shoulder and sighed, "You won't be cursed, but her resentment is sky-high right now, and she's staring intently at you..." Ah Wei cried out in despair, "Is she mad because I disturbed her peace?" The Taoist shook his head and pointed to the corner of the photo: "No, she's mad because you made her look so fat, and you didn't even edit it or get the right angle!" Ah Wei froze. "...Huh?" The Taoist quietly added the finishing blow, "She said she was an internet celebrity in life, and this photo absolutely cannot get out, or she'd rather die again."

'Wutiao Port' (Five Rivers Port), encompassing historical areas like Xingangqian Port, Fudou Port, Nanshi Port, Tiao Port, and Anping Port, was once the most historically significant region in Tainan's old city. With the advancement of urban planning during the Japanese colonial era and post-war periods, the once bustling waterways were gradually filled in and covered by underground channels, sealed beneath modern streets. Because these waterways never truly disappeared but merely 'vanished underground,' numerous supernatural legends and ghost stories have emerged among the local populace and older residents concerning Wutiao Port: 1. Underground Water Sounds and 'Oar Chanting' Wutiao Port was historically a hub for merchants and coolies (dockworkers). It's rumored that on quiet nights in the old streets (like Shennong Street, Xinmei Street, Heping Street area), if you press your ear close to an old drain cover or the ground of an old house, you might occasionally hear the sound of 'splashing water' and faint wooden oar strokes from beneath the channel, and even faint Minnanese work chants. Locals believe these are the lingering spirits of coolies who drowned in accidents while working on the water, endlessly repeating their labor in the dark, old waterways. 2. The 'Sunless' Coolie Ghosts and Old Well Taboo In the past, dock fights were frequent, and the waters of Wutiao Port were murky with strong currents, leading to many nameless bodies or victims of altercations being sunk directly into the waterways. As the waterways were filled and houses were built over them, many old houses still retain 'sealed old wells' or water pressure regulation holes in their backyards or courtyards that connect directly to the former underground channels. Old Tainan residents have a taboo regarding these:

On the first day back to work after the long holiday, I dragged my weary, sleepy self into the office building. The joy of the break still lingered in my heart, and I was filled with annoyance, feeling like this was just another endless stretch of workdays. The building's hallway was pale and dim, the air conditioning too cold, sending shivers down my neck. I lazily raised my hand to tap the time clock. "Clock-in successful." The mechanical voice was unremarkable, yet it sounded unnervingly close, like someone whispering right by my ear. The moment I pushed open the office door, all sound instantly ceased. No colleagues chatting, no keyboard typing, not even the sound of breathing. All my colleagues were seated upright at their desks, everyone's fingers hovering over the same key on their keyboards, frozen in place. Every computer screen, every cursor position, was identical down to the last detail. The daylight outside was bright, slanting across the entire office area. The floor was impossibly clean—in the entire office, only I had a shadow. My spine instantly went cold, and I couldn't move. The computers automatically powered on, and dozens of files popped up on the desktop. The years stacked backward, all saved at the exact same time, on the exact same second, on the first day back to work after each consecutive holiday. This wasn't a bug. Just then, the entrance sensor beeped again. "Clock-in successful~ Welcome back." This time, the voice wasn't cold. It was gentle, familiar, and sounded exactly like my own voice. I turned around in terror and saw another version of myself, looking utterly fed up, stepping through the doorway. They were looking down, complaining about the post-holiday blues, completely oblivious to the bizarre scene before them. And my body was slowly becoming transparent, lighter, losing its weight. I frantically braced myself on the desk, trying to escape, and looked up to see the reflection on the computer screen.

On July 30, 2011, a team of four hikers embarked on 'Xiluan Mountain' in Nantou, standing at an elevation of 3,081 meters. This famous Baiyue peak, known for its steep bamboo forests and long drops, experienced a bizarre phenomenon that afternoon. After the team reached the summit, the mountain was suddenly engulfed by an impenetrable fog, accompanied by extremely abnormal, deafening insect chirps and a storm with thunder and lightning. In the ensuing panic, a hiker took out a camera to record, unintentionally capturing the most terrifying 'Mao Shen Zi' footage in Taiwanese mountaineering history. Around the two-minute mark of the video, a mysterious black figure suddenly appeared in the distant forest shrouded by the mist. It moved without the limb movements of human walking or running, instead traversing the forest at an astonishing speed, horizontally drifting in a manner that defied physics, before vanishing deep into the trees. This extremely clear yet inexplicable footage subsequently caused a sensation online and on paranormal shows. Veteran hikers and folklore experts generally believe this to be the 'Mao Shen Zi' or 'Shan Kui' from local legends, creatures that specifically trick and lure hikers into getting lost. They are said to appear most frequently when the magnetic field is chaotic just before a heavy rain. Although later scientific viewpoints countered that the black shadow was merely a residual image of insects like cicadas flying past the lens, or perhaps birds or an off-road runner who happened to pass by, the black figure that moved at inhuman speeds through the rain and fog remains Xiluan Mountain's most chilling unsolved mystery to this day.

[Double Ten National Day] "Senior, they're setting off fireworks outside! This year's National Day celebration is really lively!" The rookie junior excitedly propped himself up by the guard post window, watching the brilliant fireworks bloom in the night sky and the tens of thousands of cheering people waving national flags in front of the government plaza. I smiled, rubbed my neck, grabbed two cans of beer, and handed him one: "You've worked hard all year, so enjoy this liveliness tonight. May our country advance for a hundred years, and may the nation be prosperous and the people live in peace!" "Happy birthday to our country!" The junior happily pulled down his mask and clinked his beer can against mine. The sound was crisp and clear. We both took two big gulps, and the festive atmosphere warmed the cold night. At this moment, the junior looked at the cheering crowd outside the window and suddenly sighed thoughtfully: "It's so nice... everyone is living so vibrantly. Senior, don't you think it's really worth it that we can watch everyone celebrating so happily like this every year?" I smiled and nodded, then finished my beer and patted his shoulder. "Of course, it's worth it. Let's go, the finale fireworks are about to start. We should return to our respective 'photos' and cheer along with everyone else." The junior smiled, nodded, and turned to walk towards the row of framed historical National Day photos on the wall, stepping lightly into one. A "boom" echoed as the largest and brightest golden firework exploded, illuminating the smiling, youthful faces in military uniforms within the frame with a brilliant glow.

The iron gate creaked open with a teeth-grinding groan. Aje's heart pounded against his ribs, his only weapon a metal utility knife. He stared intently at the gap in the door, cold sweat trickling down his forehead and stinging his eyes. A tall figure paused in the shadows outside the door. "Aje? Are you okay? I've been calling you for ages." The light illuminated the face of the person outside – it was his old senior, wearing a delivery uniform and carrying two large bags of piping hot Taiwanese fried chicken and bubble tea, who had come all the way. Aje's body instantly went limp, and he collapsed back into his chair, gasping for breath. "S-Senior?! How do you have the key? Didn't you retire last month? And… that person in the 1965 suit on the security camera earlier…" The senior chuckled and walked straight into the control room, placing the fried chicken on the desk and patting Aje's shoulder. "Silly kid, I just got the key from the downstairs manager. Said he wanted to treat you for your night shift. As for the camera…" The senior raised an eyebrow and pressed Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R on the console. The 'Cam-04' on the screen flickered, and a familiar software interface popped up – 'National Day Night Security Advanced Software Simulation Test 2026 Edition'. The man in the suit with black eyes then dissolved into a 3D skeleton model, with a line of red text appearing next to him: [Simulation Intrusion Test: Failed] Test subject overreacted, failed to complete three-way signal cross-verification within 3 minutes. "This… is a simulation test?" Aje stared, dumbfounded.

It was 9 PM on the first night of the National Day holiday, and the office building on Minsheng East Road was already dead silent. Jie rubbed his dry eyes, his fingertips tapping rapidly on the keyboard. As the night shift watchman for the City Government Event Preparations Office, his job was simple: monitor the real-time surveillance cameras across the entire area for the Double Tenth National Day ceremony tomorrow, October 10th, ensuring everything was flawless on the eve of the event. On the screen, the giant red, white, and blue national flags in front of the Presidential Office Plaza fluttered slightly in the night breeze. To prepare for tomorrow's grand military parade and performances, the entire plaza had been under strict security control. It was pitch black, with only a few high-mounted floodlights casting a pale glow. Suddenly, camera feed number 04 (the central walkway directly in front of the Presidential Office) flickered. Jie paused, his coffee halfway to his lips. A figure appeared on the screen – a silhouette. It was a man in an old-fashioned dark suit, thin and gaunt, walking step by step towards the reviewing stand. "How is this possible? The entire area was cleared an hour ago, not even a cat could get in!" A chill ran down Jie's spine. He quickly picked up the internal phone to contact the military police stationed on-site: "Captain, there's an intruder on camera 04! He's heading towards the reviewing stand through the central walkway!" Static crackled on the other end of the intercom, followed by the calm yet urgent voice of the MP captain: "Received. We are patrolling on both sides of the reviewing stand. We'll box him in immediately!" Jie stared intently at the screen. Through camera 04, he saw the man in the suit ascend the reviewing stand steps and stop directly behind the presidential podium.

[Lost Item] "Honey, Mr. Lin who just moved in next door is really strange. He wears a mask all day and always stares intently at our house." I hugged my wife and patted her back to comfort her. "Don't overthink it, maybe he's just a bit of a loner." The next night, I woke up thirsty and went to the kitchen for some water. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past the window. When I turned my head, I was horrified to see Mr. Lin from next door pressed against my kitchen window, giving me a sinister smile. He slowly took off his mask—— On the other side of the glass was a face identical to mine. I stumbled back in terror, my heart pounding. Just then, I heard my wife's gentle footsteps behind me. She came to my side, took my hand softly, looked at the person outside the window who looked exactly like me, and turned to me with a slight smile: "See, honey? I told you he'd find his way here." She reached out and adjusted my collar, her voice incredibly affectionate. "But don't worry. This house, this identity, and me... Since you successfully took me from him back then, I will absolutely not give you back to him."