Mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong no longer focus merely on shopping, as that era has passed. Many now enjoy hiking and camping along the MacLehose Trail. Over the past two decades, numerous hikers have got lost in the Sai Kung area; some emerged by themselves after disappearing for three to five days. Locals regard this region as infamous, for the legendary Sai Kung Boundary lies right here.
In 2005, an off-duty police officer who loved hiking made a bizarre call to the police, then vanished without a trace. More than 2,000 rescuers were deployed yet failed to locate him. The two phone calls he made contained inexplicable details.
This real case resembles the popular online creepypasta “The Backrooms”. It embodies an age-old human fear, known in Chinese folklore as “ghost wall loop”. You wander endlessly within a space that feels both familiar and alien, trapped in circles with no way out. Imagine rushing to a dinner engagement, parking your car and hurrying off. Returning late when all shops have closed, you find yourself alone in a vast parking lot, desperately searching for your vehicle. Every corner looks identical, and nothing can be heard except the low hum of electrical current.
Modern humanity’s fear is no longer about a monster jumping out unexpectedly — a visible threat might even be easier to bear. The true terror is endless wandering with no exit, the absence of any truly familiar place. It is the endlessly scrollable phone, the unstable job, the unfamiliar rented temporary accommodation, and the indistinguishable intimate partners. This is what feels eerie for people living today.
September 05 2026 by Hugo Arendt in Guangzhou.