The Dormitory's Phantom Guard

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the university campus. The students of the dormitory, weary from a long day of classes, began to settle into their rooms. Among them was a young man named Xiao Ming, who had just moved into the dormitory. He had heard whispers about the Phantom Guard, a legend that had been whispered among the students for years. But little did he know, his life was about to intersect with this eerie legend in a way he never imagined.

Xiao Ming had been in his room for less than an hour when he heard a faint, rhythmic knocking on the door. He rose from his bed, his heart pounding with a mix of curiosity and fear. The knocking grew louder, almost like the tapping of fingers against a window pane. He hesitated for a moment, then approached the door, his eyes wide with a mix of apprehension and determination.

He turned the handle and opened the door to find a shadowy figure standing there. The figure was tall and cloaked in darkness, with only a pair of glowing eyes visible. Xiao Ming gasped, his heart leaping into his throat. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice trembling.

The figure did not respond with words but instead raised a hand, and a cold wind seemed to envelop Xiao Ming. He felt a chill run down his spine as the figure began to speak, though there was no sound. It was as if the words were written in the air itself. "I am the Phantom Guard," the words whispered. "I protect this place."

Xiao Ming's eyes widened in shock. "Protect? From what?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The past," the figure replied. "This dormitory has a history, a story that you must uncover. It is a story of love, loss, and betrayal."

The next morning, Xiao Ming found himself drawn to the dormitory's library, where he began to research the dormitory's history. He discovered that the dormitory had been built on the site of an old mansion, a mansion that had been the home of a wealthy family. The family had been notorious for their cruelty and greed, and as Xiao Ming delved deeper, he learned about a love story that had unfolded within its walls.

The story of Xiao Ming's research led him to a young woman named Li, who had been a member of the wealthy family. Li had fallen in love with a man from the servant class, a forbidden love that had led to her banishment from the mansion. Before leaving, Li had whispered a secret into the wind, a secret that would have changed everything if it had ever been revealed.

As Xiao Ming pieced together the story, he realized that the Phantom Guard was none other than Li, trapped in the dormitory by her own curse. She had been unable to rest until her secret was made known, her love acknowledged, and her betrayal avenged.

Determined to help Li, Xiao Ming set out to uncover the truth behind the family's downfall. He discovered that the mansion had been torn apart by a fire, and with the help of an old servant who had witnessed the events, he learned that the fire had been set by the very family who had wronged Li.

Xiao Ming's investigation led him to a hidden room in the dormitory, where he found evidence that the fire had been started by a member of the family in a fit of rage. He also found a journal that detailed the events leading up to the fire, revealing that the member had been driven to madness by the family's greed and cruelty.

With the evidence in hand, Xiao Ming confronted the head of the family, who was now the current dormitory administrator. The administrator was initially resistant, but as Xiao Ming presented the evidence, the administrator's face turned pale with fear. He realized that his family's legacy was built on lies and deceit.

The administrator confessed to Xiao Ming, and together they set out to reveal the truth to the students. As the story was shared, the dormitory was filled with a sense of relief and redemption. The students realized that the dormitory was not just a place to sleep, but a place with a history, a place where love and betrayal had once unfolded.

In the aftermath, Xiao Ming and the students were able to free Li from her curse. She thanked Xiao Ming and the students, her eyes brimming with tears. With her secret now known, Li was able to find peace, her love finally acknowledged.

Xiao Ming returned to his room, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment. He had uncovered the truth, and in doing so, he had brought peace to the dormitory. But as he closed his eyes, he could still see the shadowy figure of the Phantom Guard, watching over the dormitory, a silent guardian of its history.

The Dormitory's Phantom Guard was not just a story of a haunting, but a story of love, betrayal, and redemption. It was a story that would be whispered among the students for generations, a reminder that history is always watching, and that sometimes, the past can reach out and touch the present.