The Two Figures That Vanished in the Forest: An Unexplained Night on Qilai Mountain

Mt. Qilai North Peak, known as the "Black Qilai," is regarded as one of Taiwan's most mysterious mountains.

---

A strange encounter in Taiwan's Qilai Mountain that remains unexplained.

I pushed myself to walk faster, no matter how exhausted I was or how heavily I was breathing.

This was the final two kilometers of the journey back to the trailhead. Unlike the usual gentle descent at the end of a hike, this section was actually a continuous uphill climb. We were returning from a journey through Mt. Qilai North Peak and Mt. Qilai Main Peak, passing through the beautiful grassy ridgeline known as "Little Qilai."

Yet as clouds and mist began to roll in and darkness approached, the once vibrant green landscape gradually became covered by a mysterious veil, transforming into something unfamiliar and profound.

It was 2014, when I was still a university student participating in a mountaineering trip. At that time, I was only one of the members of the group. However, the organizers had overestimated everyone's physical condition, causing our return schedule to fall far behind.

During the long journey back, I kept increasing my pace, gradually passing many of my teammates. My only thoughts were to reach the trailhead before nightfall and return to a place where I could finally rest.

After a short burst of effort, I eventually reached the highest point of the Little Qilai grassy ridge alone. The night had already covered the trail ahead. Before me was a dense forest — the final few kilometers before reaching the end of the journey.

I entered the forest.

I kept walking without stopping, as if my legs no longer belonged to me. Even though I was tired, I had no desire to rest. I did not even consider taking off my backpack or pulling out my headlamp. The faint moonlight filtering through the trees was still enough to reveal the path.

"Whatever," I told myself and kept walking.

The forest was strangely quiet. There were no calls of Formosan serows. No haunting sounds from owls. No sharp cries from flying squirrels. And certainly, there were no voices from other people. If I could see another person, perhaps I would have felt a small sense of relief — the same feeling as discovering an island while lost in a vast ocean.

"Whatever," I told myself and kept walking.

As every minute passed, the trail through the forest seemed to become longer and longer. The winding path felt endless, stretching forward through one turn after another. A sense of anxiety slowly began to rise within me. Then, suddenly, I saw someone ahead. Another person was walking along the trail.

At that moment, I immediately felt relieved. However, I did not say anything. We simply exchanged glances, and I quickly passed him, continuing forward without looking back, completely absorbed in my own rhythm.

"Whatever," I told myself and kept walking.

I do not know how much time had passed. Perhaps an hour. I was still surrounded by this deep forest, yet I was confident that I would soon reach the trailhead. But then, as I continued forward, the scene ahead gradually became darker.

Wait... Something was wrong.

I suddenly realized that I had taken the wrong route. Without noticing, I had drifted toward the left side of the trail. I immediately turned around and pulled myself back toward the brighter, correct path.

"Whatever," I told myself and kept walking.

I did not think too much about getting lost. But the anxiety that had accumulated throughout the journey had already begun to affect me. Then, I saw two people walking ahead. One was wearing red, and the other was wearing a yellow jacket. They were walking side by side, about thirty meters ahead of me.

At that moment, I could no longer hold back. I was about to call out and greet them.

But just as I was about to speak, they disappeared right in front of my eyes. It was not like they turned away or walked behind something. They simply vanished, like an image slowly fading away.

"Whatever," I told myself... and kept walking.

I was absolutely certain that I had not imagined it. Under the moonlight, I could clearly see them. I didn't scream, and I didn't stop to figure out what had just happened. I simply took a deep breath, held onto the protective charm hanging inside my jacket, and continued forward without hesitation.

When I reached the place where "they" had disappeared, I stopped briefly to confirm that nothing was there. Then my feet began moving faster.

I ran.

I pushed myself forward, running all the way back to the trailhead beside Hehuanshan Ski Lodge.

There, I was greeted by the instructor who had been waiting at the trailhead. Seeing me return safely, she happily gave me a hug.

I didn't tell her what had just happened. I only smiled quietly, dragged my exhausted body onto the bus, and after all the team members had returned, I fell asleep during the long journey home that lasted several hours.

---

Afterword:

In 2017, I shared this experience at a community college lecture in Taichung. Coincidentally, one of the audience members was also a mountain hiker who had experienced something similar. At almost the same location, he encountered two people wearing the same colors — one in yellow and one in red.

According to his story, the two figures even turned their heads to look at him, and he was able to confirm that they were women. Also, he noticed that they seemed to have taken the wrong route, so he followed them in an attempt to warn them. However, this caused him to nearly fall off a cliff.

Because of this remarkably similar experience, it seemed that there might truly be something mysterious surrounding that section of the mountain — the forest between Songsyue Lodge and Little Qilai.

Of course, whether one believes in spirits or not, proper preparation, physical training, and respect for the mountains are always essential before entering the wilderness. A mountain journey should always be approached with caution and humility. With respect for the mountains, every journey has the possibility of becoming a safe and unforgettable experience.