《Exorcist's Self-Cultivation》 Chapter 1 001, Inquiry medical record Humanity''s oldest and most intense emotion is fear. And the oldest and most intense fear is that of the unknown. Only by epting your own sins and passing through that ck abyss will you find eternal wonder and glory awaiting you. ¡ªExcerpt from: Howard Phillips Lovecraft ... May 15, Friday, 18:08. North Brook District, private psychological counseling clinic. A sharpened pencil was held by a slender hand, pausing on the form on the paper. Du Wei lifted his head to look at the pale and haggard Caucasian woman sitting across from him. "Ms. Aisha, now you may continue with the topic we were discussing." "Okay... okay, Dr. Du Wei." Aisha closed her eyes, sinking into her memories, "You know, my job is programming, and I need to deal with some work matters even after hours, so recently I entrusted an agency in hopes of finding a rtively remote and quiet house." "Half a month ago, the agency told me there was a suitable house avable, and the price was rtively low as well. Its only issue was that it appeared a bit rundown due to long vacancy." "I have significant expenses, so I quickly signed the lease." "Yet after living there for a week, I found something off about the house." "Every night at twelve o''clock, the lights would ominously dim, almost to the point where you couldn''t see people''s faces." "The taps in the bathroom often turned on mysteriously as well." "The TV would suddenly change channels, and I couldn''t even watch my favorite ''Survival in the Wild'' series." "And yesterday, these problems got worse." ... "Dr. Du Wei? Are you listening?" "Hmm? Yes! I am listening." As Du Wei wrote down notes on the form that said, "Suspected auditory hallucinations, signs of schizophrenia, etc.," he nodded to indicate for her to continue. Meanwhile, he shifted his gaze away from Aisha''s hair. Well... Not much hair indeed. Aisha was somewhat nervous, pausing momentarily before she resumed speaking, "I feel like... there might be something... something in my room." When speaking of something, her tone was tortured, as if she was fearful yet resisting something. "Dr. Du Wei, do you believe in ghosts, I mean... evil spirits in this world?" Du Wei stopped writing and calmly met Aisha''s gaze as he countered, "Ms. Aisha, do you know why there is light in the world?" "Um... why?" "Because the sun is primarilyposed of hydrogen, which ounts for over 70% of its mass. Under high temperature and pressure conditions within the sun, hydrogen atoms undergo nuclear fusion reactions, thereby emitting arge amount of light and heat." Aisha: ??? ... "I''m a psychologist, and I can only tell you that this might be a sickness." "This is terrible, Dr. Du Wei, you don''t know what has happened to me, you can''t deny my experiences. I have definitely encountered an evil spirit." "But I''m just a private psychologist. If you have indeed encountered an evil spirit, you should be seeking out a priest, not me." "But... but I can''t be sure." Hearing this, Du Wei helplessly said, "So I actually can''t provide the solution you''re looking for. In my view, the lights dimming might be due to the recent hot weather, causing unstable voltage due to the neighbors'' air conditioning." "As for the bathroom faucet mysteriously turning on, maybe you forgot to shut it off. After all, you are a programmer who works overtime until two or three in the morning, so being somewhat mentally out of it is normal." "Regarding the TV changing channels, you could call customer service for repairs, or you could try the method of us Easterners ¡ª give the TV a solid smack. If that doesn''t work, then I suggest you simply get a new one." Du Wei ced the pencil down and spread his hands in a calm gesture, looking at Aisha. She clearly was unable to ept this and said angrily, "Dr. Du Wei, I know many people wouldn''t believe what I''ve been through, which is why I only told you!" Du Wei nced at her and said indifferently, "So I can''t solve your problem, can I?" With that, he tore the piece of paper off and handed it to her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The form on the paper read as follows: Name: Aisha Kleeman Age: 26 years old Gender: Female upation: Programmer Condition: Auditory hallucinations and uncontroble visual hallucinations due to split personality Rmended medication: Risperidone, nzapine, Quetiapine Personal suggestion: Increase the dosage ... Clearly, Aisha could not ept this result. Clutching the paper, her face haggard, she whispered low, "I shouldn''t havee to you, you''re just a psychologist, you have no personal experience, you don''t understand what I''ve been through at all, in that house, there''s definitely something special, perhaps I really should pay a visit to the church." Du Wei nodded in agreement, "I think so too, of course, you could also go to a psychiatric hospital to register, they might give you a different answer." Aisha left¡­ And after Du Wei saw her off, the sky had already grown dark. Based on past experience, no other clients woulde, so he directly closed the door of the psychological counseling clinic and went back to his room upstairs. The house he rented was the most suitable nearby, with reasonable space and a decent flow of people. The first floor had been transformed into a clinic, and the second floor was a ce to rest. He pulled out a thick case history book from the bookshelf, and on thetest page, Du Wei filled in Aisha''s information and symptoms. He didn''t know if it was an illusion, but since he had opened this psychological counseling clinic, those who came for consultation or treatment all seemed to have some peculiarities. Each one believed they had encountered something unclean, whether it was ghosts, Evil Spirits, or demons. To Westerners, should these all be one and the same? Having finished recording E''s symptoms and about to close the case history book, it seemed as if he remembered something and flipped the pages back to the first one. ... January 12, Sunday, 10:12 AM. Name: Mia Age: 25 years old ...(Gender, upation omitted) Condition: Paranoia caused by fear of dolls, with a tendency for self-harm¡ªspecifically manifested as iming to have discovered a doll named Annabelle at home, unable to discard or destroy it, tormented mentally and physically every night; also, showed palm-shaped bruises on lower limbs with her family''s support. Rmendation: Immediate hospitalization ... February 17, Friday, 1:23 PM. Name: Reagan Age: 12 years old Condition: Severe split personality¡ªspecifically manifested as feeling like a man named Hoddy, who appeared to the little girl after ying a Spirit Summoning game, an imaginarypanion, as per her parents'' narration. Rmended medication: None Personal suggestion: Parents should spend more time with the child, give more love and attention to a child left behind. ... February 28, Tuesday, 2:09 PM. Name: Billy Age: 16 years old Condition: Coulrophobia¡ªspecifically manifested as believing that a clown-like creature devoured his missing younger brother, constantly living in fear and anxiety. Rmended medication: Nitrazepam Personal suggestion: File a police report directly ... ... Chapter 2 002, Knock on the door As a private psychologist, Du Wei encountered all types of patients in "this New York," including not a few like Aisha who always believed Evil Spirits were out to get them. If he had a choice, Du Wei still hoped he could return to China to be a so-called psychologist, or even return to his original profession as a forensic doctor. Unfortunately, he had no choice. He had just taken a flight to New York, hoping for a quiet vacation, but uponnding, he discovered the world had changed. Aside from the name, this New York waspletely different from the one in his memory. When he called his familiar friends, the numbers were either disconnected or the people on the other end didn''t recognize him; even the sexes and personal lives didn''t match up, and the passengers on the same ne had all changed as well. This was a world both strange and familiar. ... When night fell. 23:50. After taking a shower, Du Wei turned on hisptop to browse the inte. Since arriving in this world, he had developed a new habit. Browsing online information, checking out some posts, understanding the lifestyle and living conditions of most people. Soon, a post titled: Shocking¡ªAt Midnight, Man and Woman Flee Home Bare-Handed with Baby in Tow? sparks Du Wei''s attention. So, he clicks to enter. However, upon entering, he sees a snapshot photo of a man and woman with a naked baby running out of a house; the background is exceedingly dim. "That''s indeed... revealing..." Du Wei is somewhat speechless but continues to look on. Oddly enough, the house in the photo, along with the dim background, merges into one silhouette. The only rity is the open wooden door of the house. The house seems very old with three steps leading up to the entrance about five centimeters high. The wooden door is pulled open, and the scene inside is blurry, but there seems to be something or someone near the door inside. Du Wei widens his eyes and looks carefully for two minutes. Suddenly... He sees what appears to be a person standing in the dim light inside, also peering out the door. This... Du Wei shakes his head. In any world, clickbait and photo maniptors are just as annoying. He scans thements below the post, a string of supposedly friendly greetings to the poster''s female rtives, not sparing insults directed at the poster themselves. At this moment, the lights in the room suddenly flicker... Hiss... He can faintly hear the sound of electricity, and then the lights throughout the room dim. Theptop screen suddenly goes ck as well. "Voltage instability?" Du Wei frowns, thinking that tomorrow he should call property management to have a maintenance workere over. After restarting theptop, the screen is simply ck with no apparent issues. At this moment, the clock on the wall ticks from 12:00 to 12:01. ... May 16th, Friday, 2:08 am. Thump thump thump...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Thump thump thump... Thump thump thump... A series of knocking sounds arise. Rhythmic, and very clear, echoing inside the house like a sinister sound. Du Wei, who was deep in sleep, furrows his brows, barely opens his eyes, shakes his head, but is still very groggy. He nces at the clock on the wall. Knocking at this hour? The next second, Du Wei freezes. The knocking sounds as if it ising from inside the house. "Something''s not right." As a psychologist, Du Wei is ustomed to staying calm. He lives on the second floor, yet he hears knocking. This means the person knocking is inside the house, at the door on the second floor? Could there be a burr? ``` ... The news has been reporting a spate of home invasions and murders... The world outside China is indeed very chaotic. But surely a thief wouldn''t knock on the door... That would be too absurd. Outside the door: thump, thump, thump... The knocking continued with unnerving regrity. Throwing off the covers, Du Wei regained hisposure, slipped on his cotton slippers, and pulled a box out from under the bed. Inside was a handgun. He had bought it a long time ago; it was powerful, easy to maintain, and seldom needed repairs. Once, he had even dabbled in firearms at a local club back in China, and he was quite urate within a three to four-meter range. He released the safety catch. Then Du Wei walked to the door and peeped through the peephole. However... Outside was pitch ck, and he could see nothing. Yet the knocking persisted. Could the knocker be very short, or crouching outside the door? An image shed through Du Wei''s mind: A small thief, less than one and a half meters tall, sneaking into his room to steal, but upon discovering that all the valuables were in his bedroom, began to knock, squatting down to avoid being detected, hoping to give him a nasty surprise with this ridiculous behavior? In that case, this thief might suffer from some unknown psychological disorder... Then, he pointed the gun at the door and flung it open... Whoosh... Outside, a chill wind blew, and all was deathly still. But the knocking continued. He took a deep breath, still very calm, and fumbled for the light switch on the wall, turning on the indoor lights. As before bedtime, the lights were dim, possibly due to unstable voltage. But at least it was bright enough to make out the room. "Could it being from downstairs?" Following the direction of the sound, Du Wei made his judgment. So, he proceeded downstairs with the gun in hand. As he passed the bathroom... The sound of running water cascaded. Living alone meant that, apart from the bedroom and front doors, he kept no other doors closed. Instantly, he could tell that most of the bathroom was shrouded in darkness under the dim lighting, with only the sink area clearly visible. The faucet was on, the sink was overflowing, and vast amounts of water were spreading on the floor, seeping into the drain. "What''s going on here?" Confusion arose in Du Wei, but the knocking from downstairs persisted and he didn''t pay it too much attention. After all... a thief was more troublesome. Passing by the bathroom, he confronted the staircase, submerged in the dimness. Looking further down, it was even darker. He could barely make out the vague outline of a door. Du Wei set his foot on the stairs, prepared to descend. With a gun in hand, he wasn''t afraid of the average burr. But at that moment, a sudden thought struck him. The knocking he had heard in the bedroom was inside the house, while the knocking he heard after opening the door was outside. It is well known that the transmission of sound requires mediums such as solids, liquids, or gases, and the speed varies with the medium. The general principle is that solids transmit sound faster than liquids, which are faster than gases. Yet, despite the distance between floors, the knocking sounded as if it was right next to him. This world... Seemed to be concealing something beyond his understanding, and now, he hade into contact with these things... ``` Chapter 3 003, unable to eliminate May 16th, Saturday, 11:09 AM. New York, North Brook District Church, reception room. Sitting opposite Du Wei was Father Tony, dressed in in clothes, with a silver cross pendant hanging from his chest. "Dr. Du Wei, you mean to say that you have encountered some inexplicable, bizarre events, is that correct?" "Yes." "Good, then do you still remember the specific manifestations?" Du Wei took a deep breath, his eyes calmly looking at Father Tony, and slowly said, "I remember clearly, it was after midnight, the room''s lights became very dim, and at the same time, myptop also went ck. At 2:08 AM, I heard knocking sounds outside the house on the second floor, and the faucet in the washroom turned on by itself." "I have had the maintenance personnel check, and no electrical faults were found. After reflecting, it''s not possible that I turned on the faucet, and as for the knocking sounds outside, the security camera showed no one." "Father Tony, I suspect I may have encountered something unclean." Father Tony, who was over fifty years old, knitted his brow upon hearing this and then slowly rxed it. He made the sign of the cross in front of his chest, then opened the Bible, looked at the young and handsome psychologist, and asked him, "Dr. Du Wei, before I provide an exnation, I want to ask you a question. Do you believe in God in this world?" After a moment of silence, Du Wei calmly said, "I am a firm believer." Father Tony nodded, then with a solemn tone, said, "In that case, Mr. Du Wei, bearing in mind the issues you have described, I suspect that an uninvited guest hase to your home." Du Wei''s body stiffened for a second, and then he asked, "Do you mean, a ghost? Or an evil spirit?" "Yes, but please do not be afraid, I am just suspecting it for now, after all, you are a psychologist, um... you should understand what I mean." There was silence for a moment... "I am very certain that there is no problem with my psychological state." "Also, I would like to ask, if it''s as you say, and an evil spirit has appeared in my home, what should I do?" Du Wei looked at Father Tony with utmost calm, his mind constantly pondering the events he encountered, which were almost identical to what Aisha had mentioned the previous afternoon, except that the TV changing channels did not happen since he never watches TV and didn''t own one. If what she was saying was true, and the Evil Spirit was real, the Evil Spirit he encountered was very likely brought by her. Father Tony rubbed his forehead and slowly said, "If it really is an evil spirit, the best solution would be aplete Exorcism Ritual, which has a high chance of destroying it or binding it within a certain medium to ensure your safety." Du Wei frowned, "Exorcism Ritual? Can you perform it?" Father Tony shook his head, "I am only a priest. The Exorcism Ritual requires a professional Exorcist, and presently, there are no Exorcists in New York." Du Wei asked in confusion, "Why is that?" Father Tony replied, "Due to some special reasons, I am not entirely clear about the details. I only know that the previous Exorcists responsible for New York died in session, and the Church is still gathering people. It won''t be possible for someone toe in the short term." "Moreover, even if there were an Exorcist avable, in order to conduct an Exorcism Ritual, it would first need to be confirmed that you genuinely encountered an Evil Spirit, and after obtaining permission from the Church, the procedure could proceed, which would take at least a week''s time..." Du Wei narrowed his eyes... Which means, by the time the responsible Exorcist arrives in New York, I would first have to confirm that I genuinely encountered an Evil Spirit, then wait at least another week to perform the Exorcism Ritual. And before all this, I still have an indeterminate amount of time to wait... He remembered the state of Aisha when she hade to the clinic yesterday, haggard, weak, and her mental state had seemed very abnormal¡­ And she had transformed into this within just one week from being a normal person. The situation in his own home, for some unknown reason, seemed to be much more serious than what Aisha had encountered. Thinking of this, Du Wei couldn''t help but ask, "What exactly is the Evil Spirit?" After a moment of thought, Father Tony opened the Bible and exined, "The Evil Spirit has been present in this world for a very long time, and we don''t have many solutions for it. They are eerie and terrifying but also closely rted to us. Often, their objectives are chaotic, which might be to kill a person, possess someone''s body, or simply to do something. However, regardless of the reason, to us, Evil Spirits are always malevolent." Feeling that this exnation might be hard toprehend, Father Tony used a metaphor. "You can think of Evil Spirits as viruses! Except that the former thrives on human emotions like fear and dread." "The more fear and dread, the faster they grow, and the stronger they be. Once they reach a certain threshold, they will act." Saying this, Father Tonymended Du Wei, "Your ability to remain calm throughout has been impressive. That Evil Spirit clearly cannot draw much power from you, and this might suffice until a new Exorcist arrives." Du Wei shook his head and said, "I feel that I might not make it until then." Father Tony assumed his words had made this young psychologist feel desperate, so heforted him, "Rest assured, as a servant of the Lord, I will guide you." With that, Father Tony stood up, turned his back, and struggled to pull a book from the shelf, fumbling behind it for a moment. Then, he took out a ten-centimeter long silver crucifix coated with green rust.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This crucifix appeared very ancient, its surface covered in dust, seemingly left untouched for many years. "Beyond the Exorcism Ritual tobat the Evil Spirit, there isn''t any effective solution, but in a sense, we can resist it marginally." "This is a weapon left by an Exorcist, once used in Exorcism Rituals, it has absorbed some of the Evil Spirit''s essence. For just a thousand dors, it could be yours." As he finished speaking, Father Tony shrugged like the younger people do, then with both hands on either end of the silver crucifix, he pulled with effort. A scraping sound. Its true form was revealed: a dagger. "Besides resisting the assault of Evil Spirits, it can also serve as a weapon for self-defense in case you encounter ill-intentioned people." Du Wei looked deeply at Father Tony, then took out his wallet from his pocket. Having been a psychologist for so long, he had plenty of money. "A thousand dors is nothing, but I need to know why it can resist the Evil Spirit, and why you would sell me something that seems so precious?" Father Tony coughed and said, "This crucifix is an item distributed to the clergy by the church. You know¡­ We have many such items, so in a sense, it isn''t that precious." "As for your other question, it''s actually quite simple. Because it has the essence of the Evil Spirit, another Evil Spirit will feel it ispeting for its target. Only when one suppresses the other will they make a move against you." "Of course, this crucifix dagger likely won''t hold off for long, maybe a day or two, maybe longer, maybe shorter." Du Wei nodded, took out his bank card, and handed it to Father Tony. "By the way, I have another question. Has ady named Aisha Kleeman visited the church?" "No, she hasn''t." ¡­ Chapter 4 004. Tom and Roy After leaving the church. Du Wei wrapped the silver cross dagger in white cloth and secured it close to his body, then drove back in his newly purchased Subaru Impreza. Upon arrival, he parked the car opposite the street from the psychological counseling clinic. He didn''t choose to get out, instead, he lit a cigarette and slowly started smoking. Normally, Du Wei never smoked in the car, but today was different. His gaze calmly passed through the car window,nding on the psychological counseling clinic across the street, as he recalled the advice Father Tony had given him before sending him off. "At first, the Evil Spirit will only appear at night, so the daytime is essentially safe, but not precisely." "Don''t delude yourself into thinking that moving will rid you of it; it''s futile." "The longer you are in contact with the Evil Spirit, the more easily you''ll be able to see it; you must stay calm." ... After exhaling a smoke ring and taking a deep breath. Du Wei stubbed out the cigarette, the experiences from yesterday to today ying through his mind like a movie. "I should never have boarded that ne!" Du Wei took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. As a psychologist, he should always keep his mindset in check to avoid making mistakes. At this moment.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om A blond Caucasian in a police uniform came over and knocked on the car window. He wore a smile on his face, looking quite familiar. "Hello, are you Dr. Du Wei?" Du Wei pressed the window switch, looked at the police officer outside, and asked with curiosity, "Hello, I am Du Wei. May I help you?" The other shrugged and said, "As you can see, I''m Officer Tom, in charge of security around here. I''d like to ask you about some matters regarding Miss Aisha. Is it convenient for us to sit down and talk?" Du Wei paused for a moment, matters concerning Aisha? "Let''s talk in the car." "Alright, if you insist." Tom chuckled casually and then came over, opened the passenger door, and sat down. "Hey, this car is pretty cool, did you just buy it?" As soon as he got in, Tom started making conversation as if he was quite familiar, yet his eyes were fixed on Du Wei, observing his every move. Du Wei looked at him calmly and said ndly, "The second generation Subaru Impreza just hit the market, 2.5T engine capacity, all-wheel drive, 19,600 dors. I bought itst Friday from the downtown Subaru dealership. Butpared to that, I think you''re more interested in matters regarding Aisha, aren''t you?" "Ahah..." Tom gave an awkwardugh and then covered it up, "If you insist, then let''s talk about Miss Aisha." While speaking, Tom took out his New York police badge and search warrant, and a photo of Aisha, and handed them to Du Wei. "On May 15th, at 6:08 PM, Miss Aisha came to your psychological counseling clinic and stayed for about an hour. During that time, did the two of you have any close contact or do something?" Looking at the photo of Aisha, Du Wei confirmed Tom''s identity, checked the search warrant... He looked up at Tom and didn''t answer the question but said with an exceedingly calm tone, "Your words carry a very obvious leading nature; you want to find out something from me, yet you can''t ascertain it, so you are probing because you know that actually, between Aisha and me, there is only a normal patient-doctor rtionship." Tom lost the smile on his face, nodded and said, "That''s why I don''t like dealing with psychologists. It makes me feel as if I have no privacy before you folks, like I''m naked." Du Wei neither agreed nor disagreed as he continued, "After Miss Aisha arrived at the clinic yesterday, her emotions were very unstable, so I spent ten minutes trying to counsel her. Then she told me about her experiences and some of her thoughts, after which I performed an analysis of her condition, but clearly, she didn''t ept my opinion." As he spoke, Du Wei asked, "And now, Mr. Tom, if I''m not mistaken, something has happened to Miss Aisha, right?!" Although it was a question, there was a tone in his voice that suggested he already knew the answer. Tom nodded, "She''s dead, around 10:20st night, um... her death was very strange." At this point, Tom''s expression turned odd, as if he were trying to suppress the urge to vomit. Seeing this, Du Wei spoke thoughtfully, "She must have died a terrible death, and you''ve ruled out the possibility of homicide?" "Yes, Dr. Du Wei, our surveince revealed that when she was leaving the rental house, the door suddenly closed in a bizarre way, snapping her head off in an instant, very... very..." Tom stumbled, using the word "very" twice without being able to finish his sentence. Du Wei, however, gave him a deep look, the image already forming in his mind. And he made a bold guess. After her encounter with him yesterday, the Evil Spirit, for some unknown reason, had set its sights on him, and perhaps its power had umted to a critical point, so it had started to act. The likelihood of the Evil Spirit changing targets was high, but itrgely depended on the premise that the previous victim was already dead. At this moment, Officer Tom paused and then, looking at Du Wei, asked, "Getting back to our earlier conversation, what exactly did Miss Aisha talk to you about?" Du Wei looked at him and said, "Do you believe in the existence of Evil Spirits in this world?" Tom shook his head, "Dr. Du Wei, you must understand that I''m trying to investigate the cause of Miss Aisha''s death, not to hear you tell bedtime ghost stories." Du Wei smiled, "That''s precisely what she and I discussed." ... Tom chose silence... Soon after, both men got out of the car, ending the rather unpleasant conversation. "Alright, regardless, thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Du Wei. By the way, are you really not going to invite me to sit at your ce?" "It''s still inappropriate." Before leaving, Tom left his business card. Du Wei casually stuffed the business card into his wallet and, as usual, walked up to his own front door. Just then, the neighbor next door happened to open their door and step out; seeing Du Wei, they seemed startled, their body going rigid. "Uh... Hello, Dr. Du Wei, your dark circles are quite severe. Did you not sleep well?" Du Wei turned to look at the neighbor, a girl of mixed Caucasian descent, with smooth skin, a petite but curvy figure, and very refined and distinctive facial features. By his standards, she was undoubtedly a beauty. "That''s right, Miss Roy, are you going on a long trip?" Du Wei''s gaze lingered on the ck suitcase that Roy was dragging. The suitcase wasrge and could hold many items, but its size also meant it was presumably quite heavy. However, if it was just clothes and simr belongings, an adult woman should still be able to manage it. Roy nodded with a smile, her moist blue eyes sparkling, "You guessed right. I''ve bought a ticket to Scolyn and I''m supposed to stay there for about a week. I need to go now, else I''ll catch the big storm that''s about to hit the city, which wouldn''t be good for traveling." After speaking, Roy struggled with the ck suitcase as she got into a taxi. Du Wei watched her leave, then his expression turned pensive. That suitcase seemed a bit too heavy... Chapter 5 005, Who is outside the door? He inserted the key, turned it. Click... Pushing open the door, a cold breeze blew in. Du Wei''s gaze was serene, as usual, he walked in. There wasn''t the sudden drop in temperature one might imagine, nor the spine-chilling cold described by third-rate horror writers that would make one''s blood run cold. Everything seemed to have remained unchanged. Du Wei hung up the ''Open for Business'' sign and then took out theptop from the first floor, sitting on the coffee-colored sofa where he received patients, and booted up the web browser. Father Tony had said that when an Evil Spirit sets its sights on someone, running is useless, as it would only provoke it to strike earlier, resulting in a quicker death. So staying at home for the time being was a choice that couldn''t be said to be good or bad, at least, home was a familiar ce, which was morefortable than an unfamiliar location. He typed "Evil Spirit" into the web browser''s search bar and pressed enter. Soon, Du Wei''s eyes were met with post after post and wiki entries about Evil Spirits. There were over fifty pages. Du Wei picked out a few older posts and began reading. ... July 14, 1978, Tuesday. Conas State, suburban town, the Roger family¡ªcollective disappearance. As an oil painting enthusiast, Roger was very fond of collecting famous paintings. On July 2, 1978, he purchased an oil painting from an unnamed merchant, painted by the artist Barov¡ªnamed, Another Door. In the early hours of July 14, Roger''s neighbors heard some strange noises, like two people arguing. The noise continued for an hour, followed by silence, and about ten minutester, the neighbors heard Roger''s cries of pain. The neighbors knocked on the door to inquire, but received no response. The following morning, the family of four had vanished from the human world, with no one knowing where they had gone to this day. ... December 2, 1989, Friday. Jedecra State, the Evil Spirit Mary incident. Evil Spirit Mary was a piece of folk horror lore from Jedecra State. On December 1, a girl of the same name, Mary, conducted a Spirit Summoning game with her ssmates at school. Their method of Spirit Summoning appeared to be some kind of Voodoo Cult ritual; ording to recollections from those present, they ced a piece of paper in the ssroom, and everyone contributed items like hair, fingernails, blood, and so forth. After the Spirit Summoning Ritual concluded, they all heard a woman''s sinister voice; she¡ªit¡ªsaid a name: Mary... On December 2, Friday, all who had participated in the Spirit Summoning game suddenly began screaming frantically during ss. The others tried to restrain Mary and the others, tying them to chairs and calling the police. But the chairs, as if affected by some mysterious force, eerily floated in mid-air, then upturned, and crashed to the ground. Except for one lucky survivor, all others died on the spot from broken necks. That survivor was the girl named Mary. After the incident, the school was closed off until it was eventually demolished in this century, and a hospital was built on the old site. Note: The Evil Spirit Mary incident ispletely true; all relevant information can be verified, and it is hoped that the truth behind the Evil Spirit Mary incident will be unveiled soon. ... "Spirit Summoning games..." After reading the information about the Evil Spirit Mary incident, Du Wei frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on the words "Spirit Summoning games." For some reason, he suddenly thought of the little girl Reagan who came for a psychological consultation with her parents on Friday, February 17. She too had yed a Spirit Summoning game. The former nearly died, while thetter developed severe dissociative identity disorder, thinking she was a man named Hoddy... Wait a minute... What if, it''s not a split personality? ... Du Wei suddenly had the urge to see that little girl again, to understand what had happened to her, maybe his initial diagnosis was wrong, maybe she really encountered an Evil Spirit... But just at that moment, a distress post caught his attention. The post was published at 4:10 a.m. today. The poster was someone with the username Conan Doyle, a username Du Wei remembered clearly, as this person had left the mostments under the thread he readst night wishing ill upon the poster''s mother. After clicking in.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The content was as follows: I am Conan Doyle, and I have encountered something iprehensible. It was probably a little after 3 a.m., I work as a voice actor, so my working hours are mostlyte at night. I heard a very regr, very... eerie knocking sound? This was almost impossible, because for professional reasons, my work is done in a professional-level recording studio at home, and under normal circumstances, even if someone fired a gun outside, the sound wouldn''t reach the studio. But the situation was just that weird. At the time, I didn''t think much and just opened the "door" of the recording studio, went to the living room to prepare to open the door, because anyone who would knock at my door at this time must have something very important." But it was only a momentarypse in judgment, by the time I got to the door, I suddenly realized that something was wrong. So, when I approached the door, I didn''t open it; instead, I looked through the peephole to see outside. It was very dark outside, an unnaturally dark... [So I took a picture] Du Wei''s hand scrolled on the touchpad, and then he saw the photo. The photo taken by this poster named Conan Doyle was directly aimed at the peephole and used the sh, allowing a view outside the door through the peephole. Next, he saw an eye filled with bloodshot veins, with a dted pupil. ... I am Conan Doyle. When I saw that eye, I almost peed my pants. Immediately afterward, I returned to my room. I was very scared, filled with terror, as I had never encountered something so dreadful, something that only exists in novels and horror movies. But then, I heard footsteps... The sound wasing from the direction of the recording studio, as if it knew where I was and was heading towards my room... I immediately dialed the emergency number, but for some reason, the signal on my phone seemed to be affected by some kind of maic field and became very poor. I couldn''t get through on the phone... Stranger, if you see this post, please be sure to call the police, my address is in the North Brook District... And now, it''s in my room... ¡ª4:40 a.m. Scrolling down, there were responses from people, 80% of which expressed disbelief, using the poster of making up ghost stories, and so on... However, Du Wei''s expression froze, he scrolled back to the top of the post, and read it carefully once more. Then, he took a deep breath... A bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead. He might have made a mistake about something from the very beginning. In his house, there were two Evil Spirits... Chapter 6 006, Media The deserted first floor of the psychological counseling clinic. Du Wei hung up the phone, his face calm, betraying no hint of the unusual emotions within him. He had just called the police of the North Brook District only to learn that a man with the ID named Conan Doyle had suddenly gone missing. The exnation given by the other side was vague, using only words like "disappeared" without confirming whether Conan Doyle was dead. Under such circumstances. Whether he was dead or had simply disappeared, the distinction was no longer significant. ¡­ The knocking sounds were just as eerie. The same post and image seen online. The only difference was that Du Wei did not peer through the peephole to check outside. In his conversation with Father Tony, some information about the Evil Spirit had been revealed. Firstly, encountering an Evil Spirit always involved a trigger, either a Spirit Summoning Ritual oring into contact with some medium rted to the Evil Spirit. Evil Spirits didn''t arbitrarily kill, otherwise the world would have been in chaos long ago. After carefully reflecting on his experiences over the past two days, Du Wei came to a conclusion. Then, he took out a pencil and a clean sheet of paper, and started writing. [Name: Du Wei] [Age: 25] [Gender: Male] [upation: Psychologist] [Symptoms: Suspected presence of two Evil Spirits at home, has encountered unexinable supernatural events] [Prescribed medication: None] [Rmendations: None] Afterwards, Du Wei looked at the paper, a flicker of thought and doubt crossing his eyes, "Firstly, the presence of the two Evil Spirits in the house can basically be confirmed. The first one is likely brought by the dead Aisha, with the medium only conjectured to be after she shared her experiences with me, thus marking me for the Evil Spirit." "As for the second Evil Spirit, the triggering medium should be the photo from yesterday''s online post. When someone sees the photo, they get marked by the Evil Spirit, specific details unknown." "However, there are two doubts that I cannot exin." After some thought, Du Wei wrote down the names Aisha and the ID Conan Doyle on the other side of the paper. Under their names, he wrote dead and missing. Aisha faced the most severe situation with the Evil Spirit because she was dead. Whether she would be an Evil Spirit after death was unknown. It was highly unlikely! Otherwise, the number of Evil Spirits in this world would keep increasing, and the current peace would be impossible to maintain. After encountering an Evil Spirit, Conan Doyle hadpletely disappeared, and his fate was no better. If Aisha''s death was due to being haunted by an Evil Spirit for a long time, leading to the Spirit''s power growing stronger until it killed her, then Conan Doyle''s disappearance was rather unusual. Because the Evil Spirit he encountered started to act immediately. Du Wei had a headache, his mind full of scattered thoughts and images. He lit a cigarette and smoked thoughtfully, trying to piece together an answer. Instinct told him, if he could find this answer, he might be able to create a chance for himself to escape from the Evil Spirits. The current situation was that both Evil Spirits were after him, yet he was the one who had survived best, which was clearly odd. "Whether it''s Aisha''s or Conan Doyle''s situation, both are a bit different from what I''ve encountered." "Both Evil Spirits obviously have the power to strike at me." "It can''t be that I''m more special than others, so the Evil Spirits let me safely get through the night, only to attack others instead." "The only difference between me and others may be just one thing." "That is, I''m targeted by twopletely different Evil Spirits." "One after the other¡­" "There is no concept of who came first among Evil Spirits, otherwise I''d be dead already, so is it¡­ bnce? Opposition? Competition for a target?" Du Wei''s index finger trembled, burned by the cigarette butt. ¡­ May 16th, Saturday,te night at 22:59. At home, on the first floor. After mounting the new television on the wall, Du Wei connected the satellite dish''s signal cable and pressed the remote control. The next second, the television screen disyed the words ''Auto Searching.'' Channels shed by one after another. The television was functioning normally. Du Wei set the remote control down and sat on the sofa, his dark eyes a pool of calm. "As long as I wait until midnight, my theory can be confirmed. If everything is as I suspect, maybe I can hold out until the arrival of the exorcist." "But there is another problem. As the Evil Spirit ims more victims, its power only grows stronger. Clearly, the logic behind the actions of the two Evil Spirits is not the same." He told himself this and touched the crucifix dagger that was close to his body. It was somewhat strange. No matter that it had been close to him for nearly 10 hours, it remained ice-cold, seemingly unaffected by his body temperature, without the slightest sign of warmth. What Du Wei had to do next was wait¡­ He started watching a program at random¡­ ¡­ Late at night, 11:59 PM.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The clock hands on the wall halted at this moment. Suddenly¡­ A faint buzz of electricity sounded. All the lights dimmed at this instant. It was clearly perceptible to Du Wei that there was something indescribably different about the room. It wasn''t a difference in temperature one could feel, but rather an unsettling intuition. This sensation was like something had been added to the room, but you couldn''t immediately detect where it was, only instinctively feeling an indescribable irritation. Taking a deep breath¡­ Du Wei said to himself, "It''s here!" Then, he turned to look at the television. As expected¡­ The screen''s brightness was very dim at this time, and it started changing channels on its own. The images shed by like slides in a projector, sometimes reversing as if searching for something. Following that¡­ Du Wei stood up and walked to the second floor. Normally at this time, he would be resting upstairs. The staircase was mostly shrouded in dim light, but it was clear enough to see and ensure he didn''t miss a step. One step¡­ Two steps¡­ In its due course¡­ The sound of running water came from the bathroom. As Du Wei reached the second floor, he saw under the dim light, the bathroom faucet facing him. The tap was on, and the basin was gradually filling with the water pouring out. It was as if an invisible person was there using it, making one feel as though someone unseen had appeared in the home. Du Wei''s expression remained unchanged, as if he had seen nothing, and he walked straight into the bathroom. Then, he did something just as he had done before. Standing in front of the basin, he first looked at his reflection in the mirror. Slightly long ck hair, fair skin, a well-defined face, a standard handsome guy. What stood out the most were his cold and calm eyes, as if they would never waver. He washed his face and turned off the faucet. Then, he used a towel to dry his face. Following that, he bowed his head toward the bottom of the basin. A face appeared there, startlingly upon it. Chapter 7 007, Trigger The dim light in the room flickered uncertainly. Most of it was shrouded in shadow, with the dark corners being particrly gloomy. In the restroom. The image in the mirror froze on the moment Du Wei lowered his head to look at the sink. He maintained this posture for nearly a minute. At the bottom of the basin. There was a wrinkled woman''s face, so pale that it seemed to have been painted with ayer ofcquer, her eyes wide open as if straining with great effort, so much so that they were filled with blood vessels. But at this time, these blood vessels were a dark brown color, having congealed long ago. While Du Wei was looking at this face, it was also looking at Du Wei. Yet in the mirror, there was only himself. Then. Du Wei reached out towards the face and pressed down. The feeling from his fingertips. Nothing there. His fingers went straight through the water''s surface, pressing on the plug at the bottom of the basin. A gentle push! All the water in the basin instantly flowed away, and what was eerie was that the face, although it had no physical entity, seemed to merge with the water, twisting into a vortex shape, carried by the water into the drainpipe. ... "No physical entity? Or is it that the manifestation of the Evil Spirit is not what I imagined, merely an illusion..." This is what Du Wei said to himself in his heart before he walked up to the bedroom on the second floor, pushed open the door, and went in. Click... He closed the door behind him. However, just then. Knocking sounds began from outside the door... Thud thud thud... Thud thud thud... Thud thud thud... Du Wei''s body instantly stiffened, he twisted his head to face the bedroom door directly, his dark pupils slightly dted, and his breathing became a bit rushed. He could hardly keep calm! "How can this be?" Du Wei struggled to calm himself down. In front of him. As if there was someone behind the bedroom door, they were really knocking forcefully, very regrly, causing the wooden bedroom door to tremble slightly. Something wanted toe in... Previously, there were only the sounds of knocking, with no other abnormal changes, but this time waspletely different. It''s as though it jumped from lv1 to lv5 in an instant. Everything was safe yesterday, despite the strange urrences; they did not affect him that much. But today waspletely different; it was like he was under some kind of stimtion. Moreover, Du Wei racked his brains but couldn''t figure out why the Evil Spirit would suddenly enter the inside of his house. Du Wei took a deep breath. ording to his guess,st night Aisha and Conan Doyle died or disappeared under the attack of the Evil Spirit, while he himself remained unharmed, probably because the two Evil Spirits were fighting and counterbncing each other. The first Evil Spirit was brought by Aisha; it was the first one that set its sights on him. The second Evil Spirit was attracted by the post''s photo he had seen inadvertently. Two invisible hunters had set their sights on him as prey, leading to some kind of bnce, which is why he was able to survive safely. But now... The idea of bnce should be correct, after all, Father Tony, a rtively professional person in this area, had made a simr exnation when selling the silver crucifix dagger to him. Du Wei''s mind was frantically thinking and spinning. "Where did the problem lie?" Wait a minute... There was something wrong with Conan Doyle''s plea for help... Du Wei felt a slight chill in his heart, but the greater the pressure, the more serene he became. He even took out the medical report he had made for himself and wrote a note in the bottom column. [The Evil Spirit has multiple targets, but a singr purpose. To achieve its goal, it employs means beyond themon person''s imagination.] There wasn''t a single reply from the person who posted the thread from beginning to end, only curses from the readers. As a result, both Conan Doyle and himself were targeted by the Evil Spirit, and now anyone who saw the photo might be a target as well. Who could guarantee that the first post was really made by a human and not by the Evil Spirit itself? When he was at home that afternoon and found Conan Doyle''s plea for help, was it genuinely posted by him? The same kind of post, the same photo!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Why hadn''t he considered that it could all be the doing of the Evil Spirit? The train of thought in Du Wei''s mind was crystal clear. There must be some form of checks and bnces among the Evil Spirits; otherwise, it would be impossible to exin how he had survived the first day. The current situation, however, was different, yet upon careful analysis, one could find an answer. He had triggered some condition and personally let the Evil Spirit into his home. "It was that photo, the eyes behind the peephole..." [I saw it at the same time it saw me] Du Wei wrote down this sentence on the paper. It was somewhat ridiculous how some mechanisms of the Evil Spirit seemed to be somewhat simr to the logical calctions of aputer. Thinking this, Du Wei took a deep breath. If he could restore that bnce, perhaps every problem would be solved effortlessly. But he didn''t have that capability now. Unless he was targeted by another Evil Spirit and joined another group of hunters, but under the current circumstances, that was simply impossible. Du Wei told himself to stay calm in his heart. He even used hypnotism and suggestion to temporarily forget the emotion of fear. Because fear and dread are the nourishment that fuels the growth of Evil Spirits. [I am attempting to use a silver cross dagger in an attempt to fight the Evil Spirit] Then, he reached into his clothes and pulled out the silver cross dagger he had bought from Father Tony. If this thing worked, he promised himself to pray at Father Tony''s ce every week, but if it didn''t work, he hoped to be an Evil Spirit after death and have a talk with him! Du Wei held the silver cross dagger in one hand and pressed it directly against the door. At this moment, the door was still being banged on. And as Du Wei pressed the cross dagger against the door, it seemed to have provoked the displeasure of the Evil Spirit on the other side, making the knocking sounds even more intense. It even became utterly irregr. Previously it was knocking, but now it sounded like pounding. Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang! The door was nearly broken down, and Du Wei even saw that the screws of the door lock were showing signs ofing loose, and the doorknob was turning. [Effectiveness: Invalid] This was something Du Wei said in his mind, and he didn''t write it on the paper. Because the bedroom door wasn''t made of very sturdy material, a crack had now appeared, and he had to brace against the door with all his strength. Through the crack, Du Wei saw that the light outside had be very dim and somber, as if there were many grey, dusty particles, like smog, making everything blurry and unclear. As those lights flickered madly, an eye, through the gap, stared intently at Du Wei. Then... With a snap, all the lights, as if unable to bear it, went out in an instant... The whole house was plunged into darkness. The sound was deathly still, and a chilling breath from outside the door could be felt entering the bedroom. Chapter 8 You have been eroded. May 17, a rainy Sunday morning at 7:10. "I''m still alive..." Du Wei pushed open the door, looked at the gloomy sky outside, the drizzling rain, and took a deep breath. What happenedst night had almost rewritten his entire worldview and cognition. In the darkness, the Evil Spirit that had first set its sights on him was still at the peak of its power, while the second Evil Spirit, triggered by a photograph, had failed to break through the door. He was still alive. He felt the stack of medical records in his pocket and thought inexplicably of Aisha, who had already died. The first Evil Spirit was brought by Aisha, with the suspected medium of cognitive contagion, and its characteristic was information. For now, its harmfulness seemed rtively minor, but if it weren''t for the second Evil Spirit, it would have probably made its move already. And its potential for strong contagion could not yet be determined... The second Evil Spirit, drawn by the photo in the post, was confirmed to be spread through the photo, with its characteristic being the line of sight. The second Evil Spirit was more dangerous, and from what happened with Conan Doyle, it was known to have a very strong capability to spread and a tremendously strong malevolence. This meant that as it killed more people, its power grew stronger, and the bnce was tipping more and more in its favor. ... Based on what happenedst night, it seemed that the standoff between the two Evil Spirits mightst for a while. This could be considered good news. Du Wei lit a cigarette and stood smoking slowly at the doorway. At that moment, the neighbor''s door opened with a creaking... a grating sound that set one''s teeth on edge. "Du... Mr. Du Wei, good morning." Roy stood at the doorway with an umbre, greeting him. "Hmm... good morning." Du Wei turned to look at her, his gaze filled with surprise. Today Roy was wearing a ck dress that made her delicate features even more exquisite. The parts of her skin not covered by the dress were so white they were almost dazzling. "I thought you had gone out. Howe you''re back?" "The heavy rain caused flooding that destroyed the road to Scolyn, so... you know, it''s quite bad." Du Wei nodded his head, looking at her calmly, and said, "That is indeed quite bad. What time did youe back?" Roy chuckled, "Past midnight; the city traffic was horrible. If I had known it would take this long, I would have just stayed home." Du Wei nodded slightly, showing understanding. Then, as Roy opened her umbre, she shrugged at Du Wei: "I''m heading to the supermarket now. Mr. Du Wei, if there''s something you need to buy, I can get it for you." Du Wei nced at the wet umbre in her hand for a second... Looking into Roy''s blue eyes, bright as crystals, he suddenly smiled, "Sure, why not? Get me a pack of cigarettes." Roy seemed a bit surprised that this neighbor didn''t have the reserve characteristic of Eastern people, but her surprise swiftly turned into a smile. "Alright, see youter then, Mr. Du Wei." "See youter." Watching Roy leave, Du Wei''s expression returned to calm. He threw the cigarette butt into the trash can, adjusted the brim of his hat, and walked into the rain. He crossed the street, opened the car door, sat in the driver''s seat, and started the engine. Soon, the car''s heater blew away the chill from his body. Then, with a press of the elerator, he headed towards North Brook Church. ... 7:25 in the morning. Inside the North Brook Church reception room. Du Wei pped a silver crucifix dagger down on the mahogany table in front of Father Tony. The silver-rusted cross dagger collided with the wooden table, producing a crisp sound. Crack... "Father Tony, I need an exnation, why the dagger I bought for a thousand dors didn''t bring me any help." Du Wei''s face was somewhat icy as he stared intently into Father Tony''s eyes, which seemed to be covered with ayer of frost, bing extremely frightening. He didn''t care about the money, but he did care about his own life. He took out a pistol from his pocket and with a click, disengaged the safety. "My friend, please calm down!" Father Tony was startled by Du Wei and hurriedly stood up, "This dagger can''t be useless, it is an exorcist''s weapon, my friend, I am willing to guarantee it with my life, you can tell me what happened to you, you must believe me, I am a priest of faith." Du Wei stared into his eyes and slowly said, "Last night, I was attacked by an evil spirit..." After he finished recounting the events of the night. Father Tony looked somewhat embarrassed, "Two evil spirits?" Du Wei nodded calmly and said, "Yes, and you don''t seem surprised. Has this happened before?" Father Tony was silent for a while and then said, "As you suspected, there indeed have been simr incidents, but..." "But what?" "In 1962, in Vosloda State, something simr happened. A little girl was possessed by seven evil spirits. Each spirit treated her body as a vessel and fought over her life. Itsted until 1974 when the girlmitted suicide by jumping off a building." "But your situation is different, you are currently only at the stage of being haunted by evil spirits." "What if I leave my house and go somewhere else, what will those two evil spirits do?" "It''s useless, they will still cling to you." "Even during the day?" "Days are rtively safer, because it consumes a lot of the evil spirits'' power, so..." "Okay, I understand." Du Wei nodded and calmly looked at Father Tony, "If I want to control the evil spirits, what do I need to do?" Father Tony frowned and said, "It''s very dangerous, Dr. Du Wei, I don''t rmend that you do this." For some reason, every time this Asian young man stared at him with a calm gaze, Father Tony felt a chill in his heart. "This... Okay, if you insist." Father Tony opened a drawer and took out two items. "Holy Water can be very harmful to evil spirits. A Shroud can be used to restrain their medium, but it won''t work on the evil spirits in you, they''re too wicked." "I know." Du Wei looked at the Holy Water in front of him, contained in a ss bottle, and at a piece of Shroud folded up, about one square meter in size. Are these the tools an exorcist uses? "How much?" "Two thousand dors, these items are made specially for exorcists, the price is already very reasonable." "Twenty dors." "No, the price you''re offering is too low, fifteen hundred dors." "Twenty-five dors."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "One thousand dors, that''s the lowest I can go." "One hundred dors." "Alright, taking into ount ourst transaction, five hundred dors, that''s really the lowest price I can offer." "Deal..." In the end, Father Tony seemed to remember something, his face changed slightly as he said, "By the way, I must remind you, Mr. Du Wei, you are not quite yourself now, you''ve be too detached. If I''m not mistaken, you may be getting eroded by the power of the evil spirits." Du Wei paused, "I have noticed." Chapter 9 Patient 009 with money North Brook District, moderate rain, feels like 19¡ãC. Everywhere the eyes could see was shrouded in gloom. A brand-new luxury high-performance Subaru Impreza drove through the rain, scattering puddles across the road. Inside the car, Du Wei sat in the driver''s seat, while an opened medical record sat on the passenger seat. The record contained the following information: April 19, Saturday, 15:35. Name: Alex Sex: Female Age: 26 Condition: Extremely severe anxiety leading to hallucinations and auditory delusions¡ªspecifically manifesting as unknowingly causing destruction of external environments, such as: tables, chairs, televisions,puters, cosmetics, etc... and the fantasy that everything is being controlled by some mysterious force. Prescribed medication: Flupenthixol Melitracen Tablets Rmendations: None at the moment ... Beep... The call connected. "Du... Dr. Du Wei?" "Yes, Miss Alex, hello." "What can I do for you?" "You had scheduled a psychiatric consultationst week. My house is currently being renovated, so I was nning to visit your home for a follow-up to understand your current situation." "That''s quite unexpected, I''m at home right now, you cane over anytime, by the way, have you had your meal?" "Not yet, I''ll be there shortly." ... Ten minutester. Furman District. A Caucasian security guard stopped Du Wei. "Hey, sir, this is an upscalemunity, no unauthorized personnel allowed." He approached the driver''s door of the Subaru Impreza and knocked on the window. "I am Dr. Du Wei, a psychiatrist from North Brook District. I''m here for a follow-up visit at the invitation of Miss Alex." Du Wei pressed the window switch and handed his psychiatric license to the guard. "Miss Alex''s psychiatrist? Please wait, I need to make a phone call to confirm." With that, the Caucasian security guard stepped into the booth and dialed Alex''s number. Shortly after, the security guard gave an okay sign through the ss, and the electric barrier slowly rose, clearing the way. Du Wei gently pressed the elerator and coasted into Furman District. ncing around, all the houses were detached homes, not the usual apartment blocks found in othermunities. In the North Brook area, such a house would probably cost more than 700,000. Without a doubt, Alex was a very wealthy woman. But for Du Wei, this woman was trouble¡­ ... Thump thump thump... After parking the car, Du Wei came to the front door of Alex''s house and knocked... The next second. The sound of the door lock turning echoed. "Dr. Du Wei, thank you so much foring to see me in such terrible weather. Pleasee in." Behind the door stood a very fashionable woman with shoulder-length silver hair, her face brimming with excitement. She had a great figure, wearing an oversized sweatshirt that inadvertently outlined her beautiful curves. She seemed to be wearing some sort of ultra-short skirt because it was covered by therge sweatshirt, leaving only her smooth, pale, and perfectly straight legs visible. "Hello, Miss Alex." Du Wei nodded, greeted her, and took a subtle nce around the room. Um... The decoration was very luxurious, all high-end products. Tables, sofas, flooring, home appliances, they all spelled luxury and expense. Du Wei even noticed that the clock hanging on the wall was an antique from thest century, priceless. However, the hour hand was always stuck at two o''clock, as if it were broken. Alex curled her lips and said, "Dr. Du Wei, I would prefer you to call me by my name rather than dy.'' It makes me feel like our rtionship is more like friends." After a minute of silence, Du Weiplied, "Okay, Alex." "That''s more like it, Du Wei." Dispensing with the formalities, Alex weed Du Wei in and had him sit on the sofa. "Would you like something to drink? A soda? Coffee? Or perhaps some red wine? I still have two bottles of Musigny Winery''s grand cru in my cer. Would you like some?" Du Wei politely replied, "Coffee will be fine." "Sure," Alex said with a tender smile, her slender waist twisting as she headed toward the kitchen. Watching her leave, Du Wei started to feel a headacheing on. As a rather famous psychologist in North Brook District, Alex had sought him out on the 19th ofst month. It started as an ordinary psychological consultation, but this woman seemed to have taken an interest in him. Frankly speaking, Du Wei knew he was handsome, and his unique experiences from childhood made him quite distinct. When he graduated, his mentor had given him this evaluation: reclusive, rational, and always capable of keeping his cool. Rather than a psychologist, he seemed more suited for criminal investigation. To others, terms like reclusive, rational, and calm often signified a certain charisma. Good looks, money, charm. All of these factors were lethal attractions for women. But Du Wei had no interest in her. The rtionship between doctor and patient made it difficult for him to enter into any further association. So previously, he had maintained a cold demeanor toward Alex, who was an even wealthier individual.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om His decision to meet with her today was certainly not for any simple reasons. Du Wei had seriously analyzed his situation; to restore the bnce between the two Evil Spirits, he needed to introduce a new force¡ªthe third Evil Spirit. He had searched online for a long time for incidents involving Evil Spirits in the Brook Area, which were not asmon as he had expected; perhaps the authorities were at work, hiding certain information. After reviewing the case of the deceased Ms. Aisha, Du Wei turned his attention to his own patient records. He suspected that many of the individuals in the files who believed they had encountered Evil Spirits were telling the truth. However, some of them were either too dangerous or too far away for him to approach. Therefore, after careful selection, Du Wei set his sights on Alex. At that moment, Alex returned with a coffee pot and some pastries. "Imported coffee beans from Ethiopia. I think you''ll like them," she said. As she poured coffee into Du Wei''s cup, Alex looked at him and said, "If you have timeter, we could have dinner together. There is a high-end restaurant nearby where I''m a VIP member." Du Wei shook his head and slowly said, "No need, let''s get to the point. Alex, how have you been feeling recently? Do you still asionally have hallucinations or destroy things in your home?" Alex sat down, thought for a moment, and replied, "No, there hasn''t been any. Since ourst meeting, my symptoms have lessened a lot. It''s been several days now without any hallucinations." With a slight smile, she added, "I''ve been taking my medication on schedule, as you instructed. You are a very reassuring man." Du Wei automatically filtered out her ttery, faintly furrowing his brows before speaking, "Okay, then besides that, how is your sleep pattern? If I remember correctly fromst time, you told me that after midnight, the pain from your hallucinations made it nearly impossible for you to sleep." Alex nodded, "Yes, at that time, no matter how much sleeping medication I took, I would wake up promptly after midnight. I started to suspect I was experiencing some kind of supernatural event beyond my understanding." Continuing, she said, "As for my sleep habits, everything is normal now. Every day at two o''clock sharp in the afternoon, I take a nap and then wake up at four." Chapter 10 010, Hallucination Alex''s home. Du Wei looked up at the antique clock hanging on the wall, instinctively wanting to check the time, but then he remembered that the hands of this clock had long since stopped. So, he could only take out his phone and nce at the time. It was now 12:01 AM. Then, he calmly looked at the beautiful woman across from him, "Alex,bining what you have said with my observations, it seems that your condition has been effectively controlled and alleviated. However, I would still like to understand more about the hallucinations you mentioned." Alex shrugged, her oversized sweatshirt hanging loose, revealing a wide expanse of smooth corbone. "Well, if you insist, um... in fact, I''d rather not talk about these issues, because it makes me feel like our rtionship is merely that of patient and doctor. You know, I would much prefer to have lunch with you, or talk about something interesting." It must be said that Alex is a very beautiful woman. In high school and college, countless men went crazy pursuing her, like the thousand love letters, singing songs they thought were romantic under the dormitory building, and so on... But for her, those people were too superficial. She preferred men like Du Wei, calm and full of attraction. What a pity... Alex looked at Du Wei''s calm ck eyes and sighed softly in her heart, feeling somewhat disheartened that her charm seemed to have no effect on this man. Then, she slowly recalled, "About the hallucinations, they happened the day after I first destroyed the furniture in my home due to my anxiety disorder." Du Wei hummed and asked, "At that time, did you do anything? Or did you encounter anything?" Alex shook her head, "No, I was in very low spirits at that time. Even the furniture and appliances were bought for me by my father." Du Wei continued, "What about the specific time?" Alex frowned, "It waste at night on April 3rd, um... to be precise, the next day. Because on that day, the people responsible for moving the appliances and furniture damaged my antique clock. The lock core''s manufacturing process has been lost, its hands can no longer move, and I lost over half a million." "Okay, please continue about the hallucinations you saw," Du Wei said. Du Wei took out a pencil and the medical chart, adding a note on Alex''s page: [April 4th, midnight, first hallucination] "I remember hearing a very regr, eerie sound, and it seemed to be mixed with some somber whispers." "Then, I encountered something iprehensible. I saw a ck shadow standing at my door, beckoning to me, and I uncontrobly followed it. I tried to run away, to turn back, but I saw..." At this point, Alex''s face looked a bit troubled, her hand lightly touching her forehead, seeming in great distress. Du Wei calmly guided her state, "Rx, Alex. Tell yourself it''s daytime, there are no nightmares, no fear. You''re just recalling, thinking rationally." "Huff..." After taking a breath, Alex closed her eyes and continued, "I saw myself lying in bed, as if my soul had left my body. I was led by that shadow, out the door, into an utterly dark space." "There was no up or down, left or right, nor any sort of light. I could only hear a very regr, eerie sound, constantly in my ears." "Do you remember what that sound was?" "I can''t remember." "Hmm?" "Because each time I woke up, I couldn''t recall what the sound actually was. I only vaguely remember it was a very regr sound." "Dong dong dong? Like this?" Du Wei imitated the knocking sound he had heard, tapping on the desk. Alex opened her eyes slightly, shook her head, and said, "It''s somewhat simr, but not the same. I can be sure that it was definitely not the sound of knocking." "Okay," Du Wei replied and then added another note to his remarks: [Hallucinatory symptoms are evident, but do not rule out...] "Another question, Alex, how do you determine whether your current state is really returning to normal?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This question seemed to touch a sore spot for Alex, as she said discontentedly, "Dr. Du Wei, you should know that I have no need to lie to you, and I think you ought to believe me." This time, she used the doctor''s suffix, obviously not very pleased. However, Du Wei still said calmly, "As your doctor, I very much hope that you can return to normal, rid yourself of these pains that ordinary people cannot understand, but rtively speaking, we need to undertake a more rational exploration and inquiry, don''t you think?" "I admit, you are quite right," Alex replied, frowning and asking, "So, what will you do? Or rather, what should I do?" Du Wei closed the case file, ced it along with the pencil on the sofa beside him, and then looked at her seriously. "From a psychological point of view, any non-pathological disease triggered by external factors hastent elements. When exposed to the right environment or some stimulus, thesetent elements can be activated, causing the patient to exhibit pathological behaviors." "Are you suggesting that my condition hasn''t improved? It''s just hidden?" Alex asked. "You could think of it as not having triggered a certain mechanism yet." As Du Wei looked into Alex''s eyes with his calm,ke-like gaze, she couldn''t help blushing slightly and leaned back. "I will cooperate with you," she said. Du Wei looked at her deeply. By now, he had a vague idea in his mind. It was highly likely that Alex might have encountered some kind of iprehensible supernatural event. But unlike the usual cases of being haunted by an evil spirit, Alex''s experiences seemed a bit unusual. So after some thought, Du Wei said to her, "Based on your ount just now, your hallucinations ur during deep sleep at night while your consciousness remains clear. In our Eastern culture, this is called ''ghost pressing on the bed.'' "Ghost pressing on the bed?" Alex looked at Du Wei with a somewhat odd expression, "Aren''t you a psychologist?" Du Wei replied matter-of-factly, "If you don''t like that term, I can also exin the rtionship between consciousness and dreams from a psychological perspective, or tell you from a physiological perspective that this is a perfectly normal phenomenon." Alex shook her head, "Let''s not, continue please." Du Wei nodded and continued, "First off, your daily routine is normal now. To verify whether you have truly returned to normal, I need to know what you are like when you''re asleep to determine your state." "This... isn''t this moving a bit too fast? I''m not ready yet... I mean, are you sure you won''t do anything to me while I''m asleep?" "Furthermore, I can''t fall asleep before midnight except for naps, which is quite an ungentlemanly request. However, if you n to apany me all day, I think I might consider it," she said. As she spoke, an enticing smile appeared on Alex''s fair and pretty face. She casually flipped her hair, causing an irresistibly charming sensation. Chapter 11 011. Spirit Vision (Asking for recommendations even though no one is watching) ``` 12:21 PM. The psychological counseling clinic. Neighbor Roy stood at the door, holding a ck stic bag that seemed to be bulging with many items. Knock, knock, knock... "Dr. Du Wei, are you there? I''ve bought the cigarettes you wanted." "Dr. Du Wei? Pleasee out to collect them." After calling out twice, there was no response from behind the door. Frankly, Roy''s impression of Du Wei was quite profound, but she didn''t know much about him, only that he was a handsome and charismatic psychologist who had moved over this year. This kind of man had a strong appeal to women, and had Roy not already had a boyfriend, she wouldn''t have minded pursuing Du Wei. Knock, knock, knock... After knocking on the door again, Roy was certain Du Wei was not at home, so she sighed with disappointment. She took out a pack of cigarettes from the stic bag intending to leave them in the mailbox at the door. But the next second, she changed her mind, wrote a note instead, and slipped it through the door gap. [The cigarettes are at my ce, pleasee to pick them up] After doing this, she turned and walked away. Her form-fitting ck long dress entuated her beautiful figure, making her a beautiful girl in any man''s eyes, save for the ck stic bag in her hand which slightly spoiled the scene.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Just then, as if someone from behind had grabbed it, the note that was stuck in the door gap was yanked inside. ... Meanwhile, at Alex''s ce. After being warmly invited, Du Wei could only agree to have lunch together. Of course, the meal was ordered by Alex over the phone from a nearby restaurant. Otherwise, Du Wei wouldn''t dare to eat food made by a woman who led such a luxurious lifestyle and kept her figure and skin so exquisitely well-maintained. "Alex, are you really sure you will take your nap promptly at 2 PM?" After finishing his meal, Du Wei wiped his mouth and surveyed the room''s setup while casually asking. Alex shed an enchanting smile, "I''ve never hidden anything from you, have I?" Du Wei was silent for a while before nodding, "Yes." ... 1:55 PM. After the meal, Alex became quitezy, lying on the sofa gazing at Du Wei with a gentle look. What annoyed her was that the man in front of her hardly ever let his gaze linger on her, instead giving more attention to some of the furniture. "If you like this furniture, I can give you a set. I remember those sofas and coffee tables in your house seem to have been provided by the agent when you rented, right?" Du Wei paused momentarily, shifting from standing to sitting. He wasn''tfortable leaning against the sofa, so he leaned forward slightly and shook his head gently at Alex. "No need, I really like my current furniture and do not like to change them arbitrarily." It was just an excuse. The real reason was that he didn''t want anyone to enter his house or have any physical touch. Because only he knew how terrifying the two unseen Evil Spirits in his house were. Especially the second Evil Spirit, which could target anyone. At that moment, Du Wei nced at the time on his phone: 1:58 PM. He calmly said, "Two more minutes." Alex blinked, "Yes, in two minutes I''ll fall asleep. Are you sure you won''t do anything to me?" As Du Wei watched the phone''s clock, he uttered two words, "No!" "Well, that''s quite disappointing." ``` Alex made a regretful expression, but inside, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. At the same time, she noticed that Du Wei didn''t seem to have a wristwatch and kept checking the time on his phone, which sparked an idea in her mind. One of a man''s favorite gifts must be a name-brand watch, right? However, just as this thought surfaced in her mind, the very next second, her eyes closed and shey down on the sofa, breathing steadily, entering a state of sleep. Meanwhile, Du Wei furrowed his brow, a sh of iprehension crossing his face. "Are you really asleep, Alex?" He noted that the time was now 14:00. At that moment, the entire house was eerily quiet, with only the faint sound of Alex''s breathing. Du Wei put his phone back in his pocket, then walked over to Alex. He looked at her with a very serious gaze. The human senses are very sharp, if someone stares at another person for a long time, thetter will sense it, or get an uneasy feeling. Some people even sense the outside world in their sleep. For example, a gaze or a movement, etc. But Alex didn''t move at all, sleeping very deeply. She did not react like a normal person. Du Wei frowned: "Deep sleep? Why at this time?" Then he thought for a moment and extended a hand to Alex''s shoulder, the touch was delicate and smooth as if caressing some kind of sleek stone. "Wake up, Alex." What answered him was silence. Du Wei''s heart sank; this state was definitely not normal. It was absolutely impossible for a person to be talking normally one second and the next, be unable to be awakened by any amount of shouting. Unless they were dead. At this moment, Du Wei''s heart jerked, and a sharp ringing noise filled his ears, forcing him to bend down, cover his ears, with a very unsightly expression on his face. He heard a sound. Tick tick tick... This is... Du Wei suddenly looked up, his eyes darting to the antique clock on the wall. Somehow, the hands of the clock had started moving again, ticking forward bit by bit. Tick tick tick... Tick tick tick... Regr, eerie, rigid, mechanical. All sorts of adjectives to describe the sound he was hearing shed through Du Wei''s mind, and suddenly he saw something strange before his eyes. He saw a shadowy figure standing behind Alex on the sofa, looking at him with an empty gaze. Du Wei took a deep breath, his gaze remaining calm as he watched the presence of the shadow. At this moment, the scenery inside the room underwent many changes in Du Wei''s eyes. The light became gloomy, as though shrouded in ayer of dim haze, and many already dark corners became pitch ck, like an invisible gaping maw, emanating some kind of malice. Du Wei also saw many ck, thread-like fments, simr to spider silk, emanating from Alex''s body, who seemed dead asleep, linking to the shadow as if the two were one and the same. "Soul?" he thought calmly to himself, asking and answering in his mind. "It''s probably not." At that time, the words of Father Tony as he left the church came to mind. [When the power of the Evil Spirit starts to erode you, you will be more susceptible to their attacks. As the erosion deepens, both your body and spirit will undergo some abnormal changes.] [We call this phase Spirit Vision.] Chapter 12 012, where is the hour hand pointing? Being corroded by an Evil Spirit is a terrifying ordeal. Sanity gradually copses, the mind bes muddled, and the person fills with negative emotions, from despair to madness, until the final stage: death at the hands of the Evil Spirit or possession of the body. The way to dy this erosion is to remain calm and control one''s emotions. This is also the only method ordinary people have when facing Evil Spirits. And to rid oneself of this state, one must eliminate the rted Evil Spirit. In Alex''s room. Du Wei''s expression had returned to calm, and that inexplicable pain had disappeared as soon as he entered Spirit Vision. Of course, lying on the sofa in front of him was Alex, still as if dead, and that mysterious dark shadow remained as before. Threads of ck, fine fments emerged from Alex''s body and gradually merged with the dark shadow, conjuring in his mind the image of a creature¡ªa leech. Then, he took out the silver cross dagger from his clothing and approached Alex. He shook the cross. As he drew closer, some of the ck fine fments snapped and then, as if alive, attempted to merge again. All the while, Du Wei kept his gaze on the dark shadow standing behind the sofa. He noticed. The outline of the shadow was somewhat feminine, with limbs, but noplete facial features on its head. Where the eyes should be, there were two empty holes, and looking into them revealed an indescribable eeriness and horror. Clutching the silver cross dagger, Du Wei slowly drew it out as he approached the shadow. But all along, the shadow remained motionless, its attention not on Du Wei but fixed on Alex. Scrape... He drew out the dagger. Whoosh... Du Wei swung at the shadow. The next second, he felt an emptiness as the dagger passed right through the shadow with no effect whatsoever. But... At that moment, the shadow moved. It raised its head, looking at Du Wei, and their eyes met. Du Wei''s scalp tingled, the emptiness recing the eyes seemed to pulse with malevolence and greed. "This thing doesn''t seem to be an Evil Spirit." The thought shed through Du Wei''s mind, and he immediately chose to step back. The shadow''s gaze followed him, as if triggering some mechanism. Then. The light in the room dimmed a shade further. Many areas had bepletely dark, with only a nearby region visible. Both the door and the windows were shrouded in ayer of ck mist. Du Wei took a deep breath, recalling the conversation he had with Alex earlier. If his guess was right, the hallucinations Alex saw were no different from what he was seeing. If there was a distinction, it was that hers were more severe, even the concept of space was blurred and indistinct. Putting it in Father Tony''s words: "Evil Spirits have the ability to disregard space."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ... Fortunately, the changes in the room were limited to this. The shadow continued to stare at Du Wei but made no further odd movements, which eased his mind. Then, once again he cautiously moved closer to Alex, cing the silver cross dagger on her chest with one hand, while the other hand reached into his pocket, thumbing open a ss bottle containing Holy Water. The shadow kept its hollow gaze fixed on Du Wei. But inexplicably. When the silver crucifix dagger was ced on Alex''s body, many thin ck threads snapped like they had encountered fierce mes, yet the dark figure made no movements. "It has no effect on it?" Du Wei furrowed his brows and quickly extended his other hand, dousing the dark figure with Holy Water from a ss bottle. Hum... An indescribable sound drilled into Du Wei''s ears, causing him to involuntarily cover them. By the time he looked up again, there was nothing in front of him. The dark figure hadpletely vanished. The fine ck threads extending from Alex also seemed as if they had never appeared. "Is that it?" Du Wei nced at the Antique Clock hanging on the wall and said calmly, "No, not yet." Tick tick tick... The hands of the already damaged Antique Clock were moving non-stop in an extremely regr rhythm. In the eerily silent room, only the sound of the moving minute hand could be heard, and its minute and second hands were always ovepping. In a certain sense, this was already defying the rules of mechanical construction. "Is this the medium? Does it exist in physical form, or is it attached to it?" Du Wei took out a Shroud and spread it out, walking step by step towards the Antique Clock. But he stopped one meter away. He looked down at his right leg, where a pale, rotting hand emerged from the ck mist on the floor and clung to his ankle tightly. It was a woman''s hand, mostly decayed, with bones visible, but the slender fingers, well-kept rounded nails, and the wedding ring on her ring finger, all attested to its identity. Du Wei noticed some letters engraved on the ring: val¡­... Then, he took out a handgun, cocked the safety, and pulled the trigger at the hand! Bang!!! The hand was blown to pieces in an instant! Seeing this, Du Wei narrowed his eyes, "It''s actually physical?" Logically speaking, Evil Spirits are formed from certain deceased people or special existences, and they are often intangible, even though they can affect reality, their essence should not have any physical manifestation. But as his gaze swept over the floor, he was slightly taken aback. There were no bullet holes on the floor¡­ Where did the bullet go? "Completely iprehensible¡­" Dimly, a thought surfaced in Du Wei''s mind. Apparently, he had run into trouble. Without hesitation, he quickly approached the Antique Clock, stepped on a vase, and took it down. The whole Antique Clock felt very heavy in his hands, with a structure made of wood and metal that looked very ancient. Some angelic patterns and crucifix engravings with a church style appeared holy and dignified. Yet, on the back of the clock, there was a relief of a goat''s head. Goats are often metaphors in certain church cultures, symbols of evil and demons. "Presenting holiness to conceal the evil behind it?" Du Wei remembered a phrase used to describe certain pathological criminals from a psychology book he had read many years ago. "Now, it''s time to end this." Then, heid out the Shroud on the ground and ced the Antique Clock on top of it. As Father Tony had said, Holy Water could temporarily dispel Evil Spirits, and the Shroud could iste their power. These weremon tactics used by Exorcists and alsomon in Exorcism Rituals. However, at that moment, Du Wei''s body stiffened abruptly as a smooth, well-moisturized hand rested on his shoulder. ncing from the corner of his eye, behind Du Wei stood Alex, expressionless with bloodshot eyes, raising a silver crucifix dagger high, aiming straight for his head. Chapter 13 013, Median Strip Thud... Alex''s body heavily fell to the floor. With her eyes tightly closed, her lovely features seemed twisted in pain. As her center of gravity shifted, her bent legs slowly parted, assuming a lying position. Du Wei exhaled a murky breath, walked over to her, snapped shut the silver cross dagger, and tucked it into his clothing. Behind him, the bizarre Antique Clock waspletely wrapped in a Shroud, and all the strange changes around it had vanished. Everything seemed to have returned to normal. ... Struggling to open her eyes, the back of her head and back faintly ached. Alex frowned and murmured, shaking her head slightly as she sat up from the couch. Opposite her, Du Wei, with a cool expression, was toying with a ring that faintly bore inscribed letters...val? "You''ve slept for over an hour, Miss Alex." "That long?" Alex rubbed her shoulders, feeling as if something had happened while she had been asleep. "I''m really sorry to have kept you waiting so long." "It''s fine." Du Wei smiled at her and slipped the ring into his pocket. "First off, congrattions are in order. Your illness has improved. For the following period, as long as you take your medication regrly, there should be no issues." "I''ll take the medicine on time, but are you sure you didn''t do anything to me while I was asleep?" Alex felt the soreness in her body and looked at Du Wei with a strange expression. Du Wei said somewhat helplessly, "Rest assured, I truly didn''t do anything to you." "Alright..." Alex felt a bit down, and then she noticed something beside Du Wei wrapped in brown linen, a familiar shape. "What is this?" Alex was puzzled, recalling that when Du Wei had arrived, he didn''t seem to have brought anything other than his medical case. After a moment of silence, Du Wei said, "This is your family''s Antique Clock." "Ah?" Alex looked surprised and asked, "What do you mean? Do you like this Antique Clock that much?" Du Wei''s face stiffened as he replied, "Yes, I n to buy it." Alex''s expression turned even more puzzled, and she cautiously asked, "You''re going to buy this mid-18th-century Antique Clock? Do you know how much it costs?" Du Wei: ¡­ Mid-18th century? That sounded rather expensive... "How much?" He looked into Alex''s eyes, feeling quite reluctant inside. Originally, he had ample time to take the abnormal Antique Clock away, but doing so would certainly cause a lot of trouble. Furthermore, even if he told Alex that her problems were caused by the Antique Clock, it would be hard to believe and would only lead to more trouble. After all, in the eyes of most people, the world is scientific, and evil spirits are just ancient legends, text in novels, images in movies. And he hade as a doctor. But if he were to buy it with money¡­ He might have money, butpared to Alex, the wealthydy, there was a stark contrast between a poor man of moderate means and one with financial freedom. Not to mention, just the furniture in Alex''s home alone could probably buy out his psychotherapy clinic. Alex, unaware of Du Wei''s thoughts, said with a slight smile, "It''s not expensive. I got it at an auction along with a batch of antiques. I originally nned to give it to my father, but then I found the Antique Clock quite interesting and kept it at home. I don''t remember the exact price; it should only be eight hundred thousand." Actually, Alex remembered very clearly that the price of the Antique Clock was one million eight hundred thousand. However, she thought that telling Du Wei the real price might frighten him. There''s a saying that the gap between the rich and the poor is not just mary, but also a difference in values. She didn''t want Du Wei to feel a gulf between their living situations, so she deliberately deducted a million. Du Wei, unaware of the woman''s kindness in front of him, fell silent upon hearing the price of eight hundred thousand. The exchange rates between currencies in this world haven''t changed much. Eight hundred thousand dors converted into the currency of the East generally requires multiplying by about six or seven times. Hmm... That is a huge sum of money. Du Wei really wanted to say he was sorry to disturb, but considering his current situation, he could only grit his teeth and say, "Can I take out a loan?" "Pfft..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Alexughed, looking at Du Wei with a yful gaze, "Actually, it''s broken now, and the technique to repair it has been lost. Its value isn''t as high as I mentioned, probably just about two hundred thousand. I can sell it to you for a bit less if you want." With that, she leaned forward, moving closer to Du Wei, and said seriously, "In fact, if you just ask, I could give it to you." Upon hearing this, Du Wei couldn''t help but recognize what Alex was suggesting. He gave a wry smile and rubbed his forehead. "I will transfer the money to you right now." Upon hearing this, a genuine tenderness shed across Alex''s eyes. She felt like she was in love. ... In the afternoon, at 16:34. The rain had intensified, and the sky had turned even more overcast. Du Wei was driving his Subaru Impreza on the road. On the passenger seat, an antique clock, tightly wrapped in a shroud, was securely fastened by a seatbelt. After purchasing the antique clock from Alex, Du Wei was feeling quite conflicted. He had always been a rational person, not one to let certain things affect him, but this time he really owed a great favor. Granted, he had also solved a problem for Alex. But for her, everything was done unconsciously. He had checked the price of this antique clock and only found an auction record for ater one from the 18th century that looked even more worn, at one million three hundred thousand. But Alex had sold it to Du Wei for just two hundred thousand. And as a price for the favor, on Tuesday the following week, which was the day after tomorrow, he had agreed to spend the whole day with Alex. Du Wei sighed deeply and nced at his face in the rearview mirror. Calm, indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about anything. But actually quite handsome... ... At this moment. Around the mental health clinic, istion tape had already been put up. Many pedestrians stood around watching, and reporters began to arrive one after another. Several uniformed officers from the North Brook District were maintaining order; otherwise, these daring reporters and the public might do something out of line. Take photos and post them online? That would undoubtedly cause amotion. "Fuck!" Officer Tom threw the burned-out cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it out with his foot, and his facial expression was incredibly grim. "Damn it, the weird cases these past couple of days outnumber my visits to the Red Light District this month." At that moment, he looked up and saw a brand-new Subaru Impreza parked across the street. His face darkened immediately, and he hurried over. "Hey, Dr. Du Wei, I had someone notify you, but your phone has been unreachable. If you don''te back soon, I might have to put out a warrant for you." Du Wei opened the car door and stepped out. The first sentence he heard made him frown. "What do you mean?" Tom turned his head and gestured towards the house behind him cordoned off with tape, "Two pieces of really bad news, your neighbor Roy has been found dead at home. Before dying, someone saw her passing your front door, so now you''re connected to this case." Du Wei''s brow furrowed, "And the other?" Tom looked him in the eyes and said, "I have to say, it''s a miracle that you''ve been neighbors with this kind of person and are still alive." As he said this, he moved closer to Du Wei, staring intently into his eyes: "Roy was a cultist. We found a lot of blood and some special symbols and ritual arrays in her home. You know, these people have water in their heads, and I can''t guarantee that her friends won''t have some dangerous ideas about you, like, ughtering you." Chapter 14 014, The Disappearing Head 16:58. At the bathroom door in neighbor Roy''s home. "Dr. Du Wei, are you sure you want to take a look?" Tom looked at the expressionless Eastern man and shrugged his shoulders before asking again. If it weren''t for the high danger of this matter, if it weren''t for wanting to make this man realize his situation, if it weren''t for the fact he said he had studied forensic science, he would never have agreed to bring him to the scene. Listening to Tom''s words, Du Wei calmly nced at him and said, "Why not?" Tom shook his head and said, "The scene inside is very bloody, even I, an experienced police officer, find it nauseating and ufortable. You, an ordinary person, if something frightens you, well... you know." Du Wei reached for the bathroom doorknob, looked back at him, and said, "I''ve dissected bodies at school that are probably more than the criminals you''ve caught in your lifetime. And while you''re advising me, the corner of your mouth involuntarily trembled, and your eyes subconsciously squinted. Though it was subtle, it was obvious¡ªyou want me to go in." As he said this, he looked squarely at Tom, "Do you have anything else to add?" Tom''s mouth twitched, "No... nothing more." One shouldn''t deal with a psychologist. These people are truly more disgusting than the bloodiest of bodies. Click... He pushed open the bathroom door. The lighting inside was very dim, and there wererge dark brown stains on the floor. Next to the toilet, something twisted like a pretzely quietly. If it weren''t for the two arms forcefully bracing against the edge of the toilet, it would be hard to tell it was a person. Du Wei frowned, the air filled with the smell of blood and some sort of vomit, involuntarily reminding one of a ughterhouse. He had majored in forensic science at university andter chose to give up due to certain reasons. Otherwise, he would certainly have been an excellent forensic doctor by now. Click... He pressed the light switch on the wall. Instantly, the ringly white light brightened the entire bathroom. Du Wei scanned the corpse propped up by its hands against the toilet, a ck dress covering what had once been a slender figure, now twisted in several coils as though wrenched by some monstrous force. Her arms werergely purple-red, with the muscles on her forearms bulging out in ces. Looking further back, one could only see a cross-sectional wound. Therge pool of blood on the floor had spread out from the position of the toilet. Although it had already solidified, it wasn''t hard to imagine how ferociously the blood had sttered at the moment of injury. It was clear, the likelihood this was the work of the Evil Spirit was greater. Du Wei coldly retracted his gaze from the body and nced at the bathroom''s arrangement, then turned to look at Tom. "Where is her head?" "We''ve searched the entire house, but we couldn''t find it anywhere." Du Wei took note of this in his mind, nodded and asked, "Has anyone of your people entered this room?" Tom''s face showed some difort, "No, this case is a bit special. We don''t n to enter before the experts arrive, so as not to disturb the scene." Du Wei nodded, "Judging by the coagtion time of the bloodstains on the floor, it''s been over an hour. But without inspecting the body first, I can''t confirm her exact time of death." Tom acknowledged and then closed the bathroom door with disgust.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Roy''s death was too horrific and bloody; even the most experienced police officers couldn''t help but feel psychological difort. "We can''t touch the body before the coroner arrives. They will take care of the rest." Tom took a deep breath and slowly said to Du Wei, "Also, you''ve been Roy''s neighbor for a long time. How much do you know about her?" Du Wei''s expression remained calm as a series of previous discoveries shed through his mind. For instance, she had left with a heavy suitcase, yet when they met again the next day, she imed that due to the rainy weather, she returned home after midnight and did not continue her journey. However, in fact, it hadn''t rained at allst night; the actual rainfall started at 6:16 AM. Du Wei was absolutely certain of the time, as he had almost stayed awake all night. And he saw Roy again after 7 AM; her umbre was wet. If she really had returned home at midnight, the umbre would definitely be dry. Of course, this couldn''t prove anything, he looked at Tom and said indifferently, "Not much, as far as I remember, Roy is a very solitary person. Although we are neighbors, we''re not close." "Okay, others have said the same. However, we''ve discovered that Roy had a boyfriend. Have you seen him?" Tom frowned and led Du Wei out of the bathroom. As they walked, Du Wei shook his head, "I haven''t seen him, what''s his name?" Tom replied, "Not sure, this person''s information only exists in Roy''s diary, and he''s referred to only by pronouns, without a real name." As he spoke, Tom asked again, "Also, this morning, when you saw Roy, what did you talk about?" After thinking for a moment, Du Wei said, "It was just a neighbor''s greeting early in the morning. She told me she was going to the supermarket and asked if I needed anything. She offered to bring it back for me." "So?" "I asked for a pack of cigarettes, the ck Forest kind for five dors a pack." "Alright, my friend... I think you should feel fortunate." When Tom heard the name of the cigarettes, his expression suddenly turned odd. Du Wei raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" "I think you''ll understand once you see it, given your intelligence," Tom sneered and led Du Wei to a storeroom, pushing open the door. The room was empty, with an open ck stic bag on the floor. The room was devoid of a single ornament; the bare walls were exposed, and the ceiling had been removed, revealing the brown concrete roof. The floor, the walls, and even the ceiling were covered with red symbols drawn with paint. They were inteced with each other, resembling some sort of puzzle, yet seemingly following a specific pattern, simr to some of the Arrays of the Turin Cult. Du Wei stared at those symbols for a while and then suddenly sniffed, "There are traces of blood in there." Tom looked at him in surprise, "How do you know?" Du Wei''s face showed an odd expression, but he still spoke calmly, "I''m very sensitive to the smell of blood... I can distinguish it no matter how old it is." Tom clicked his tongue in amazement, "Well, now I believe you might really have majored in forensics in college." Then he put on gloves, walked over to the stic bag, parted it, and took out a pack of cigarettes, shaking it at Du Wei. "This is..." Du Wei didn''t look at him but kept his gaze on the open ck stic bag. Inside the ck stic bag were two sharp knives, deodorant, antiseptic, cleaner, air freshener, and an unopened ck dress, along with a bottlebeled Ethoxyethane. "Ether, huh..." Du Wei''s eyes turned slightly chilly, he was an exceedingly intelligent man and naturally cautious of Roy''s abnormal behavior. Asking her to buy cigarettes for him was, in fact, also an attempt to test the waters. What he hadn''t anticipated was that the woman had apparently nned to make a move on him. "See what I mean? If you hadn''te back when that woman was already dead, I might be setting up quarantine tape in your house right now," Tom said, whistling humorously as he tossed the cigarettes to Du Wei. Du Wei casually put the cigarettes into his pocket, touched the handgun he carried close to his body, and his face remained expressionless, filled with indifference. Chapter 15 015, Bus "Dr. Du Wei, regarding you, since both Aisha and Roy''s death cases are somewhat rted to you, please make sure to keep yourmunication lines open at all times during theing period," "If you encounter any trouble, please remember to call the police or contact me." "Also, regarding the situation at Roy''s house, please keep it confidential, as it rtes to your personal safety."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Besides, are you really not going to invite me over to your ce?" ... As the evening approached, the rain continued to pour. The professional personnel responsible for collecting the body arrived at the scene, took the body away, and sealed the entire house, prohibiting entry. All along, Roy''s missing head was nowhere to be found. After giving Du Wei some instructions, Tom and the others packed up and left. It was then that Du Wei made his way to his brand-new Subaru, opened the car door, and took the antique clock wrapped in a shroud from the passenger seat. Click... He turned the key and pushed open the door. Perhaps due to the continuous rain, the temperature inside the house was quite low, giving off a damp and chilly feel that was quite ufortable. At that moment, Du Wei''s brow suddenly furrowed, and he looked up at the second floor. Tap... Tap... At the top of the second-floor staircase, there were unusual sounds as if someone was walking. With a bang, The door behind him closed automatically, as if an invisible giant hand had fiercely pulled it shut. With a snap, The clock that hung on the wall had tilted and fallen to the floor, shattering its hands and scattering ss shards out in an arrowhead pattern on the floor in front of Du Wei. "It seems you killed Roy," With a calm tone and an unchanged expression, Du Wei spoke as if he didn''t care about the abnormal changes happening in the house. He directly walked to the wall where the clock had hung before. At this moment, the atmosphere inside the house was eerily silent, with faint and barely audible sounds whispering in his ears. From the corner of his eye, he also saw something mist-like. Calmly, Du Wei hung the shrouded antique clock on the wall, then untied the death knot, pulling both sides apart, the rotten woman''s arm that was stuffed at the bottom also dropped to the floor. But Du Wei did not pay any attention to it, instead focusing on the hands of the antique clock, his gaze very cid. Tick, tick, tick... On the clock face, the hands that had already stopped, ovepping each other, seemed to be infused with a new soul and power the moment the shroud was pulled apart, starting to move again. At the same time, Du Wei felt something abnormal in the house. This abnormality was hard to put into words, as if everything in front of him was pitch-ck, yet his feet stood on solid ground, creating a sense of contrast as if he couldn''t see, but could feel. In Du Wei''s perception, the entire house was filled with traces of Evil Spirits, something he was already aware of and therefore ustomed to, but now, as the shroud was removed and the evil antique clock began turning once more, The whole house became much quieter and more ordinary. The so-called bnce scale seemed to be tilting toward a positive angle. But Du Wei knew that even the calmestke surface often conceals whirlpools and undercurrents. If it wasn''t for the Exorcist responsible for New York taking time to arrive, if he wasn''t entangled by two Evil Spirits, if he wasn''t searching for a sliver of a chance to survive, Du Wei would not want to deal with these sinister matters at all. "Ding, ding, ding..." At that moment, Du Wei''s phone began to ring. ``` Pulling out his phone, the contact wasbeled Avery. Du Wei raised an eyebrow and pressed the answer button, "Good evening, Avery." "Phew, good evening, listen, I just got some news. Something dangerous happened in your area, right?" "Um... a neighbor died." "My God, I asked around, and heard it was some kind of psycho killer, the victim was a woman, and she died horribly. It''s very dangerous, and I''m really worried about you, you understand?" Hearing the concern in Avery''s voice, Du Wei fell silent for a moment before saying, "Don''t worry, the police will handle this." Avery spoke anxiously on the other end, "But what if something happens? Why don''t youe stay with me for a few days? I''m in a high-end district, the security is very strong, much safer than where you live." "No need, that''s not appropriate." As Du Wei spoke, he picked up a broom and began sweeping up the fragments of the clock, intentionally avoiding the rotting woman''s arm. The appearance of this thing was bizarre. Evil Spirits normally don''t have physical forms, but in Avery''s house, this strange Antique Clock had apparently produced a woman''s arm. And it could be taken care of with a single bullet. Clearly, this thing was not normal. Even the existence of an Evil Spirit seemed more scientific byparison. "Alright, Avery, that''s enough for today, I''m a bit tired and getting ready to rest." "Okay... if you change your mind, you cane to my ce anytime." Du Wei hummed in response, and then abruptly hung up the phone. Incidentally, he nced at the time. It was time to eat. ... Late at night, 10:25 PM. The rain in North Brook District was growing heavier, and as this city''s sewer system was poorly constructed, many streets were already submerged, with water levels rising in lower regions, submerging the majority of parked vehicles. At a street with less pooling water. "Damn it..." A man dressed in an Armani suit was standing under an umbre, rooted to the spot. A gust of wind made his umbre-hand jerk, causing him to stumble and get drenched in the rain. "Cursed weather, cursed taxis, why haven''t theye yet." The man cursed as he wiped the rainwater off his face, shivering involuntarily as the cold wind blew. At that moment, two beams of light shone from a distance. A public bus appeared,ing in and out of sight, stopping in front of him. Instinctively, the man looked up. It was an old bus that seemed like a relic from the ''70s or ''80s, but it looked well-maintained, otherwise it wouldn''t still be in service. The front door of the bus opened, the interior lighting was dim, and he could vaguely make out a uniformed driver and three passengers, two men and a woman, it seemed. However... This doesn''t seem like a bus stop, does it? The man turned his head to look and suddenly noticed, not far to his left, a pole with a bus icon on it. "Huh, did I miss it just now?" The confusion only lingered in the man''s mind for a moment before he dismissed it. He desperately needed a shelter from the rain, no matter where the bus was going, he didn''t want to wait like an idiot in the rain for that even more idiotic taxi. "Fuck, I''m definitely going toin about that damn taxipany, just you wait!" Folding his umbre, the man stepped onto the bus. In an instant, the door closed, and the entire interior was concealed by the door, leaving no trace to be seen or sound to be heard. ``` Chapter 16 016, Nightmare "Drip..." "Drip..." "Drip..." Moist, cold dropletsnded on his forehead, trickling down his cheeks and gradually soaking the pillow and the bedsheets below. The air became heavier and heavier, as ifcking oxygen, making it almost impossible to breathe, forcing him to open his mouth for heavy gasps, trying to maintain the oxygen supply to his lungs. "Ha... ha..." Du Wei felt as if something was pressing down on him, making himpletely immobile in bed, and no matter how hard he struggled, it was all in vain. He knew he was having a nightmare, but he couldn''t control himself to wake up. This was unimaginable. Any normal person, upon realizing they''re in a nightmare, would instinctively resist due to their body''s inherent nature, causing them to wake up from the dream. Like the sudden sense of weightlessness in sleep or unexpected heart palpitations. And those who specialized in studying human psychology and consciousness often could escape the dream in their subconscious or change the dream. But Du Wei couldn''t do it, or rather, he was trapped in a deeper level of dreams, only able to wait for the physiological awakening. His consciousness was chaotic, barely able to think, only enduring the experiences of the nightmare in a dazed state. Droplet after droplet of an unknown liquid fell on Du Wei''s face, some of it seeping into his eyes and mouth, an extremely unpleasant sensation. He felt a physiological revulsion, the smell of the unknown liquid making him instinctively agitated to no end, trying to scream, but it was useless. His past calm and rationality seemed like the poorest facade in the dream, and once pulled aside, what was exposed was an utterly ordinary soul, no different from you or me. Du Wei felt he was about to suffocate, unable to breathe. The fear brought on by the physiological effects was hard to suppress, difficult to remain calm in the face of it. Especially in dreams, where people are at their most vulnerable and most helpless. "Whoosh..." Du Wei let out a breath, his chest heaved violently, his body involuntarily arching upwards as he suddenly opened his eyes to see a woman dressed in nun''s habit hovering above him, opening her mouth, dripping dark brown blood from her fierce fangs. Body parallel, eyes met. It stared fixedly at Du Wei, its mouth curling into a bizarre smile filled with malice. Du Wei felt a sharp pain in his heart, an immense fear welling up from the depths of his core. His once clear and calm deep ck pupils suddenly constricted, and his eyeballs becameced with denseworks of blood vessels. ... May 18th, Monday, 2:19 a.m. Inside the bedroom on the second floor of the psychological counseling clinic. Suddenly, Du Wei sat up in bed, breathing slightly hurried, his face an abnormal shade of pale, like that of a patient recovering from a serious illness. He stretched out his right hand to support his forehead, rubbing it gently. "What a weird dream..." Du Wei''s voice was hoarse, his eyebrows tightly furrowed, disying great difort. Thinking of what he had experienced in the dream made him feel nauseated from the bottom of his heart, his stomach contracting faintly, with a strong urge to vomit. Throwing off the covers, Du Wei put on his slippers, intending to go to the bathroom. But as he reached the door, he stopped in his tracks. The bedroom door, which had been intact, had been destroyed two days ago during an encounter with the second evil spirit and he had taken it down. The new wooden door had not yet been delivered. So, at the moment, the bedroom''s entrance to the second-floor space waspletely unobstructed. And there, on the floor at the doorway. A basketball-sized object was quietly ced on the ground, with some shadows fanning out behind it, much like congealed bloodstains. Du Wei took a breath, his eyes turning extremely cold. He pressed down on the bedroom''s light switch with one hand, while the other hand pulled out a pistol from the pocket of his pajamas. "I don''t have the habit of throwing things around, so is it the Evil Spirit again?" As the light turned on in an instant, the pistol''s safety was also released. However, what entered his view... Was a human head covered in dried blood. The shadows were chestnut hair, tangled with some bloodstains, appearing like weeds. Du Wei''splexion instantly took on a strange color. "A human head?" He held the gun and drew out the silver cross dagger that he kept on him, moving closer. "Is it Roy?" From such a close distance, Du Wei could see clearly the face of the head. The originally delicate features were now twisted beyond recognition. Therge amount of blood that had coagted under the skin presented a soy-sauce color. Only the eyes were wide open, revealing their original azure hue. And the massive wound below the head looked as though it had been brutally torn apart by an immense force. It was Roy... Du Wei''s eyes regained their calm as he walked over, not even ncing at the washroom. He had grown to calmly face these horrifying events that transcended reality, even reaching a point where he could ignore them to a certain extent. After all, whether it''s the Evil Spirit or some other strange creature, their powerrgely stems from human terror and emotions¡ªthe more violent the emotional fluctuation, the faster one dies. At that moment, inside the washroom. The light was normal, and the faucet had not mysteriously turned on by itself. Twisting the tap, clear and cold water flowed out. Du Wei washed his face, his mind bing clear. He stared at the bottom of the wash basin, took a deep breath, then turned and walked out of the washroom, back into the bedroom. Tap tap tap... The only sounds in the house were footsteps. Outside, the rain continued to fall without any sign of abating. And thetest weather forecast indicated that this kind of relentless downpour would persist for theing week. ... Early morning, 6:20. Du Wei drove away from the heart consultation clinic in his Subaru Impreza, heading straight for the church where Father Tony was. When he arrived, there were already several people praying in the church.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Du Wei had no particr faith, nor did he have a liking for the church''s practices, so he just nced at Father Tony on the church''s podium and then found a corner to sit down in. At that moment, a woman sitting in front, with her head lowered and sobbing, caught his attention. From the back, the woman had a slight hunch, her ck hair tied into a ponytail, with a tank top that exposed her shoulders. Her skin was on the yellower side, suggesting she might be of Asian descent. In the West, praying is a very sacred act. When someone is praying and can''t control their emotions, leading to sobbing or crying, it often means that person is experiencing a pain and torment that ordinary people can''t endure. Du Wei remembered seeing some cases where killers and their family members, while praying, would be so emotionally agitated due to inner turmoil and anxiety that they ended up being reported and caught by thew. Of course, a priest would not do such a thing, because as a person of faith, a priest would never go against his principles and betray the secrets of any confessor. Watching the woman, trying to guess the reason for her sobs, suddenly, Du Wei''s eyes became dry, and a sharp buzzing sound filled his ears. Spirit Vision... Chapter 17 017. Golden Brooch Spirit Vision is the aftermath of the initial stage of an Evil Spirit''s corrosion. In some sense, as the corrosion by the Evil Spirit deepens, a person will experience more or less change, both physically and psychologically. At first, one will gradually start to see some strange phenomena, which mostly exist in the form of illusions. At this stage, Exorcists call it Spirit Vision. When the corrosion reaches deeper levels, it is simr to having Yin and Yang Eyes, allowing one to directly see Evil Spirits, but that depends on whether it wishes to be seen. It cannot be denied that the Evil Spirit has self-awareness, even though it is not a being in the conventional sense of understanding. Unlike Yin and Yang Eyes, Spirit Vision does not bring about any other changes to a person; instead, it causes them to sink deeper until their soul can find no rest and they die at the hands of the Evil Spirit. If it gets more severe, the person corrupted by the Evil Spirit will exhibit even more abnormal changes, which, of course, are seldom benevolent. They are a prelude to possession by the Evil Spirit. However, most people generally break down mentally at the Spirit Vision stage, lose control of their emotions, and are ultimately killed by the Evil Spirit, with few moving on to the next stage. After all, even the most experienced and resolute Exorcist would not dare to let themselves be haunted by an Evil Spirit, thereby allowing it to corrode and upy them, from the physiological to the psychological. Du Wei had always been telling himself to perceive Spirit Vision with the information he knew, to maintain a calm state. He knew what he had to do, and he was even more aware of his purpose. So no matter how bizarre and terrifying the things Du Wei saw through Spirit Vision were, he could face them calmly and solve the predicaments with his own methods. But at this moment, after entering the state of Spirit Vision, the sights he saw made him extremely ufortable and shocked. The woman with her back to Du Wei was sobbing softly, her shoulders twitching from time to time, clearly revealing the sadness within her heart. However, in Du Wei''s eyes, the scene waspletely different. Behind the woman, numerous gray particles and floating matter emerged into the air, almost enveloping Du Wei within. These dark particles converged together, taking on a misty form, with the description ''gnashing its teeth and waving its ws'' fitting perfectly. Without a doubt. The woman sitting in front of him was definitely rted to something eerie. It could be the Evil Spirit or possibly the Antique Clock she bought from Alex. But that wasn''t the most important thing. The most important thing was, through the dark mist, Du Wei saw an illusion about himself. He saw a dpidated street with only a few houses around, resembling a poor neighborhood. On the street surface, due to the torrential rain, the water had overflowed past his calves. He was standing under a streemp, drenched to the skin, pale-faced, his left hand supporting the light pole, his Right Hand clutching a Golden Brooch made mainly from gold, extremely delicate and luxurious in design, and thrust it forcefully towards his neck. In an instant, the sharp end of the brooch pierced into his neck, puncturing the artery and vocal cords, spewing blood out, staining the water at his feet a striking red. Then, his own body fell to the ground, gradually submerged by the umting water. As the rain continued to pour more heavily, his body was slowly carried by the water, as if there was some abnormality underneath. With a ''plop,'' Du Wei saw his own body turn over, eyes, mouth, and nostrils filled with mud, the features almost unrecognizable, looking particrly gruesome. "Huff... huff... huff..." Du Wei covered his chest, bowed his head, his breathing exceedingly rapid, his eyes full of confusion and shock. What exactly had he seen? An illusion? Or some kind of omen? Or perhaps it was some unknown malevolence, trying to undermine his sanity, but why was it that he saw himself dying? "Sir, sir, are you okay?" At this moment, the woman sitting in front of Du Wei noticed his difort and leaned over with a concerned look in her eyes. "It''s nothing, just feeling a bit unwell." Du Wei took a deep breath, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and waved his hand, indicating that he was fine. While speaking, he also took a look at the woman''s features. Her facial features had the softness characteristic of Easterners, but her eyes were brown, suggesting she was of Asian mixed-race. Seeing this, the woman did not pay Du Wei any more attention, turned her head, and seemed to lose herself in thought. However, this time she no longer sobbed softly, as though afraid of disturbing others. ... As the prayer time came to an end. People began to leave one after another. Father Tony also noticed Du Wei, his face showing surprise. He was about toe over to greet him when the mixed-race Asian woman stood up. "Father, the church over there¡­ When can¡­" The Asian woman looked back at Du Wei, who was sitting behind her with a cold expression, and hesitated to speak. Father Tony frowned slightly, nodded at her, and then said to Du Wei, "Mr. Du Wei, please wait a moment, I have some matters to attend to." With that, he gestured to the Asian woman, "Mrs. Mina, please follow me." "Okay, Father."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As they spoke, they walked inside. Du Wei watched their actions with a faint flicker of thought in his eyes. He muttered softly, "The church over there? Is it because she encountered something strange and is seeking an exorcist?" Just now, in the presence of this woman, Du Wei unintentionally entered a state of Spirit Vision and saw an illusion of his own death. And now, she had brought up the church¡­ As Du Wei pondered, he subconsciously reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes, only to find it was the ck Forest brand that Roy had previously bought. After considering for a moment, he put it back into his pocket, intending to throw it away. At this instant, the woman known as Mrs. Mina rushed out, her eyes filled with grief and anger. After ncing at Du Wei, she left without looking back. "Mrs. Mina, please wait¡­" After Father Tony came out, he called out to her urgently, but shepletely ignored him, as if she had been provoked. "It''s over so soon?" Du Wei stood up and looked at Father Tony with a somewhat puzzled expression. "Yes, I didn''t expect Mrs. Mina to be so resolute," Father Tony sighed, turned to Du Wei, and said, "Let''s not talk about that. Do you have any business here today?" Du Wei nodded slightly, "Indeed, I had a very strange dream. I suspect it has something to do with an Evil Spirit." As he spoke, he pondered for a moment, then added, "Also, if possible, I''d like to find out about Spirit Vision." Father Tony said with some surprise, "Regarding Spirit Vision, I don''t know much, but I''ll request rted information from the church. As for the dream? What exactly did you dream about? Was it about Evil Spirits?" "Yes, I dreamed about a nun¡­" Chapter 18 018, The Nun (recommended for collection) In the church, the room where Du Wei firstmunicated with Father Tony. With an expressionless face, Du Wei recounted that bizarre dream from beginning to end. His memory was excellent, so he was able to recall every detail very clearly without worrying about missing anything. However, after Father Tony heard the whole story, his face turned extremely unsightly. "Are you sure what you described was actually wearing clerical clothing, and not some other attire? You know, many uniforms resemble the clerical clothing worn by religious officials." "I''m certain, and moreover, I saw fear in your eyes. What are you afraid of?!" Du Wei locked eyes with Father Tony, discerning fear and trembling within them, as if the meekestmb had encountered a ravenous tiger. "You wouldn''t understand, Mr. Du Wei..." Father Tony grasped his trembling right hand, trying to calm himself down, but it was to no avail. The fear originating from within was very difficult to ovee. "Take a deep breath, Father. Keep your breathing rhythm steady, get a hold of it. You''ll find that emotion is merely a human bodily mechanism," Du Wei said, frowning slightly as he calmly looked at him, trying to use suggestion to help Father Tony escape this state of fear. At the same time, he became even more curious: Why such a big reaction from Father Tony after hearing about the nun-like entity he dreamed of? Could it be that this entity was even more dangerous than an Evil Spirit? After all, even when he previously mentioned being targeted by two Evil Spirits, Father Tony had only expressed surprise and confusion.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om For Du Wei, this had already revealed a lot of information. But now... He couldn''t help feeling that the troubles guing him were not diminishing but seemed to be multiplying instead. At this point, Father Tony, following Du Wei''s advice, finally managed to stabilize his emotions. He took a deep breath. "Ah..." Father Tony looked at Du Wei and said with emotion, "Please forgive my earlier loss ofposure; the thing in your dream is too horrifying. From now on, please don''t use direct terms to describe it. I don''t want any association with such an entity." "Direct terms you mean?" Du Wei raised an eyebrow. He took out the medical case history and a pencil he carried with him, wrote down two letters on it, and then ced the paper on the table, sliding it towards Father Tony. Father Tony looked at the paper which read: T N It meant The Nun, but Du Wei only wrote the initial letters. "Yes, don''t bring it up again." Father Tony sighed and continued, "As you know, certain Evil Spirits have the ability to spread. Once you learn about them, they will target you." "And certain entities, even more dreadful than Evil Spirits, have a stronger capacity to spread. Once youe into contact with them, even through a name ornguage, they can propagate, bing a conceptual and terrifying existence." Du Wei frowned and said, "If, as you im, I have just mentioned the direct terms rted to it, then you must be targeted too." Father Tony replied, "That''s why it''s not its name, just a term." With that, Father Tony tapped the letters on the paper, looking at Du Wei very gravely, "It''s a curse, an unbreakable curse." Du Wei said calmly, "So you''re saying that I''ve been targeted again? How does itpare to an Evil Spirit?" "It''s many times more dangerous." Clearing his throat, Father Tony collected his thoughts, then spoke in aplex tone, "I mentioned to you before about the Exorcists in North Brook and the rest of New York." Du Wei nodded and said, "Yes, several groups of them have died. The new Exorcist sent by the church hasn''t arrived yet, which is why I''ve run into so much trouble." Father Tony pondered for a moment, then said, "Actually, six groups have died, a total of thirteen elite exorcists. The Church might not send anyone over for some time, at least not until a more capable exorcist is found." Hearing this, Du Wei couldn''t help but feel some irritation: "So Father, you''ve already reported my situation to the Church, haven''t you? But as you said, even if the Church confirms that I am indeed gued by an Evil Spirit, it''s going to take a long time before they send someone to deal with it, is that what you mean?" "I''m very sorry ¡­" "Then, tell me why." Du Wei wanted tosh out, but he knew it had nothing to do with Father Tony, whose role was perhaps just a logistical staff in the church responsible for providing information and supplies to exorcists. "Don''t tell me it has to do with the ghostly thing I''ve been dreaming about." Father Tony said helplessly, "That''s the truth. At first, no one knew how this thing appeared in New York. Later, some spected it might be a horrific presence inadvertently triggered by someone, but by then it was toote. Thirteen exorcists died in incidents rted to it." "Anyone who''s had more direct contact with it has met with mishaps." "Since its appearance, over two hundred ordinary people have died because of it." Having said that, Father Tony made the sign of the cross over his chest and closed his eyes in prayer. Yet Du Wei''s face remained calm, no trace of disturbance in his eyes. Over two hundred people may seem like a lot, but really, spread across all of New York, and even in the North Brook District, it wouldn''t cause any stir. After all, the Evil Spirits had many ways to kill: car idents, mishaps¡ªthings no ordinary person would think too deeply about, at most assuming there was a serial killer atrge. Furthermore, these victims had little to do with Du Wei; to put it bluntly, their rtionship was nothing substantial. His thoughts wereposed. Du Wei rubbed his forehead and asked Father Tony, "Then Father, the Church surely wouldn''t ignore such a terrible incident happening in New York, but no designated exorcist has been sent to deal with it. What''s the reason for that?" Father Tony sighed and said, "Because, thest exorcist used some method to restrain it. But looking at your condition, I''m guessing that this constraint is weakening, and soon it will take action." "Alright, I think I need this method." Du Wei was troubled; the two Evil Spirits in his home, plus a mysterious Antique Clock, were troublesome enough. And now, for some unknown reason, he had be involved with something even more terrifying. When exactly had it happened ¡­ Upon hearing Du Wei''s words, Father Tony shook his head and said, "I''m sorry, Dr. Du Wei, due to certain reasons, I can''t tell you the method to restrain it. Only the Church''s exorcists are privy to such critical information." "Is that so?" Du Wei looked into his eyes and noticed Father Tony''s eyelids were trembling slightly, his gaze drifting. He then looked at his hands, intertwined and rubbing against each other slightly. Clearly, it was just an excuse. So, he suddenly smiled, "What do I need to give in exchange?" Father Tony seemed surprised, as if unsure of how to respond, his mouth opened slightly, then he fell silent once more. Du Wei wasn''t in a hurry, just calmly watching him, as if the person who was anxious wasn''t him but Father Tony. About three minutes passed. Father Tony sighed and said, "If you insist, I do have a favor to ask of you." After speaking, he added, "It concerns Mrs. Mina. Her brother, Luke Conan Doyle, disappeared two days ago. What''s certain is that Evil Spirit, the same one that attacked you, was the one who went after him." "Of course, that incident is past, but its ramifications aren''t over yet. Mrs. Mina''s husband also encountered an Evil Spirit event during the rainy night yesterday. ording to hisst message, he was on a peculiar bus at the time, which was at 2:12." "Evil Spirits are contagious ¡­" "So, I want you to ride this bus, find out information about it, and try to limit its actions." Chapter 19 019, Bus Station Platform After hearing Father Tony''s words, Du Wei fell silent. He felt some resistance, and at the same time, he was reflecting. Anyone or anything rted to an Evil Spirit meant trouble and danger. Although he had resolved the trouble with Alex, it didn''t mean he had gained what could be called experience. Compared with exorcists who specialized in dealing with these events, he wasn''t professional at all and didn''t wish to be more so. After a long while, Du Wei stood up, looked into Father Tony''s eyes, and calmly asked, "Can I consider this a deal? I investigate the bus, find a way to restrict its movements, and then you''ll tell me the information I want?" "Yes, Mr. Du Wei." Father Tony also stood up, speaking earnestly, "You probably can guess my identity, but currently, the church has been slow in sending an exorcist. In the North Brook District, as well as other areas of New York, strange urrences are happening one after another; I need help." Du Wei scoffed, "So you think I can help you?" Father Tony nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Du Wei, you are a very professional psychologist. Among all the people I''ve met who were troubled by Evil Spirits, you are the most calm and rational. If I didn''t know about your situation, I wouldn''t even associate you with Evil Spirits." Du Wei shook his head, "But the payoff isn''t proportional to the effort I''d be investing; your sincerity is not enough." Just telling him how to restrain something that had killed six exorcists in charge of New York¡ªbut even if he knew, what use would it be? There were no exorcists in New York now, was he supposed to take on the role himself? What a joke! He was a psychologist, not insane! Father Tony said through clenched teeth, "I can offer you artifacts belonging to an exorcist, more useful than what I sold you before." Du Wei said coldly, "I''m quite poor right now." "For free." "How useful?" Du Wei was somewhat tempted, but he still didn''t agree immediately. "About that..." Father Tony fell silent for a minute, his voice dropping a tone, "Let''s put it this way, the Holy Water I gave you before was diluted with water, and the Shroud was one that had been discarded." Instantly, Du Wei''s expression darkened, "What about the silver crucifix dagger?" Father Tony said awkwardly, "It can definitely be used for self-defense, right?" Upon hearing this, Du Wei rubbed his forehead with one hand and directly pulled a gun out of his pocket with the other. The pitch-ck muzzle was aimed straight at Father Tony. "If it''s about self-defense, my gun is more useful, don''t you think? Father Tony!!!" Du Wei said, grinding his teeth and enunciating every word. Father Tony''s face turned exceptionally pale, and he quickly raised his hands, saying, "Oh, Mr. Du Wei, please don''t be rash. It indeed used to have an effect on Evil Spirits, it was just a mistake. Besides, the items I provided youter were helpful to you, right?" Du Wei sneered, "How do you know that?" Father Tony replied, "Because the Spirit Vision symptoms you have are getting worse. There''s only one possibility; during this period, you''ve had direct contact with Evil Spirits again." Du Wei coldly looked at him and said, "Give me what I need, I want the best." Father Tony breathed a sigh of relief, "Of course, and I will also send the church''s information about Spirit Vision to your email." ¡­ May 18th, Monday afternoon, 13:01. Du Wei parked his car across from the mental health clinic, took a package from the passenger seat, slung it over his shoulder, and locked the car.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om When he reached the door, he looked up at his neighbor Roy''s house. Every window and door was sealed with tape. The istion tape hadn''t been removed either. But that was the only thing that could be done; Officer Tom had said the day before that this kind of bizarre murder case could only be archived and left unresolved in the end. Of course, the investigation would surely continue for a while, so until the matter was concluded, Du Wei might receive a summons from the police at any time. Pausing for a moment, Du Wei stood at the front door, thought for a bit, tossed the cigarettes Roy had bought into the trash bin, then opened the door and walked into his own house. Inside, the house remained as he had left it that morning. Only the Antique Clock on the wall kept ticking, its hands ovepping in a steady rhythm. Du Wei put the backpack on the sofa and grabbed some food and water from the fridge. He had barely eaten in thest two days, and facing a haunted bus required him to be in top condition; otherwise, he could encounter very troublesome situations, even if Father Tony had provided something for an escape, it wasn''t guaranteed to be safe. Sitting on the sofa, after eating, Du Wei took a sip of warm water, opened his backpack, and took out the case files for consultation. He flipped to his own entry. [Name: Du Wei] [Age: 25] [Gender: Male] [upation: Psychologist] [Condition: Suspected presence of two Evil Spirits at home, has encountered unexinable paranormal events] [Prescribed Medication: None] [Suggestions: None] Below that, he added more information: [Current Status: Severe Spirit Vision phenomenon, entangled by an unknown curse, extremely dangerous] [Resolution: Counterbnce the power of the Evil Spirits, wait for the arrival of the Exorcist] [Pending Tasks: Investigate the information about the unknown bus, find a way to restrict its movements] ¡­ Having finished writing, Du Wei ced the medical record in the cab. ording to Father Tony, he needed to board that bus; when the time came, he would not bring anything with him except the items in his backpack and his cellphone. Because anything else would only cause trouble. 2:20 PM. Du Wei received a text from Alex, reminding him to keep his promise for tomorrow. In the message, the other party also yfully used the word "date." After replying with an okay, Du Wei put down his phone and started to think about what he should do next. When facing a matter, he liked to have both the foreseeable and the unforeseeable under control and then analyze to find a solution. When he first graduated, he had worked at a medical institution, and it took him only half a year to climb to the position of deputy director. This was mostly due to his way of doing things. ¡­ Toward evening, the rain lessened a lot. But the sky was still overcast, obviously brewing something. asionally, lightning shed, carrying a hint of oppression that made it hard to breathe. Du Wei stood under an umbre at the dpidated street corner, by an abandoned bus stop sign. [The strange phenomena caused by certain items and matters are collectively referred to as Evil Spirit events. Most of these are far less dangerous than actual Evil Spirits, but there are very few exceptions.] [People who are eroded by Evil Spirits and enter the stage of Spirit Vision are more likely to directly see these things. And yet often, regr people can''t see anything.] [As the erosion of the Evil Spirit worsens, Spirit Vision will advance to the second and third stages. In the second stage, the Evil Spirits can be seen more directly; in the third stage, certain phenomena will ur that are iprehensible to ordinary people.] The above was from the internal information about Evil Spirit erosion obtained from Father Tony and the church. As Du Wei contemted this in his mind, he lit a cigarette for himself. He drew slowly on his cigarette, sending out rings of smoke. On the ground, the cigarette butt, having burned out, was gradually washed away by the rain. When the time reached 8:00 PM, Du Wei took out a small mirror, the size of a baby''s palm, from his pocket. Its style was ancient, and it was full of cracks. If thrown on the ground, probably no one would pick it up. However, it was once a medium for the presence of an Evil Spirit, butter on, it became rtively harmless after an Exorcist from the church eliminated the Evil Spirit within it. Holding the mirror in front of him, Du Wei''s face was reflected in the cracked mirror, creating dozens of distorted faces of various sizes. And the eerie part was that every single face carried a faint smile. The real Du Wei, outside of the mirror, had a calm expression. Then he heard a sharp buzzing in his ears and felt a faint pain in his heart. Putting away the mirror, Du Wei exhaled a puff of smoke; by now, he had grown able to endure the anomalies brought about by Spirit Vision. At that moment, in the night, amidst the veil of rain, two beams of light shone through, growing closer and closer. An old-looking bus gradually came to a stop in front of Du Wei. With a squeak... The front door of the bus opened while the back door remained still, as if no one was going toe down. Du Wei nced at the driver''s position but could only see a back silhouette because this old-style bus had a special istion window to protect the driver from harm. He tossed the cigarette butt on the ground. With his backpack on and the umbre retracted, Du Wei boarded the bus. Chapter 20 020, The passenger who suddenly broke in On the bus. Although it was an old-fashioned bus, the specific model might date back to thest century, the interior was maintained very well. The seats were neat and tidy, the windows were very clean, and aside from the dim lighting inside the bus, everything else waspletely different from what one would expect.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om There wasn''t even a hint of the sweat odor and exhaust smell that usually filled ordinary buses. Du Wei nced at the passengers inside the bus and then withdrew his gaze. He pulled a coin out of his pocket and dropped it into the fare box on the bus. After that, he wiped the water stains off his chest. That spot was hiding an extremely miniature invisible camera. The investigation begins... He silently said in his heart, without any intention ofmunicating with the driver, and emotionlessly walked towards the back seat of the bus. The space inside the bus wasn''t veryrge, so one had to stay alert and watchful. And the back seat offered a clear view of the entire bus interior. His steps were neither hurried nor slow. Passing the third row, Du Wei took a quick nce at a man sitting by the window using his peripheral vision. Out of all the passengers he had briefly scanned, only this man left the deepest impression on Du Wei. The man was dressed in a ck suit and wearing a baseball cap, which looked out of ce, and the long brim of the hat covered most of his face, obscuring his features. However, the skin that was visible was unsettling to look at. It was like he was a patient with vitiligo;rge patches of startlingly white skin were spread across his body, and the man kept his head against the window as if he were asleep. He continued walking towards the back of the bus. Further back sat an African American couple, both without much expression, their hair damp with moisture. They looked up as Du Wei walked by, then remained still. Without stopping, Du Wei reached thest seat, chose a spot next to the window, pulled up the hood of his jacket, ced his umbre next to his right hand, and then fell silent. A man with vitiligo, an African American couple, Du Wei, and the bus driver. There were only five people on the entire bus. Of course, there might only be one. ... The bus doors closed. It moved forward slowly. Du Wei took a nce outside the window; the rain was falling harder. It was already night-time when he got on, and the sky had turned even darker, making it nearly impossible to see any distinct structures, only vague silhouettes. Where this bus was headed, Du Wei wasn''t sure, but that was irrelevant to him. He had only two objectives. Uncover its information. Limit its actions. For the first objective, there was no need for Du Wei to do anything; he just needed to calmly wait for the bus to gradually reveal the hidden evil intent, with everything being recorded by the invisible camera on his chest. In the end, the camera and the stored footage would be handed over to the church by Father Tony. As for the second objective, He could only wait for now. But what struck Du Wei as strange was that ever since he boarded the bus, ''Spirit Vision'' had involuntarily disappeared. Generally, ''Spirit Vision'' was a by-product of being eroded by the Evil Spirit. Whenever he encountered anything rted to the Evil Spirit, or touched anything connected to it, he would involuntarily enter this state. He couldn''t help but entertain a thought in his mind. Perhaps it was a ''safe period'' right now. Under the cover of night, the rain grew heavier and heavier. In the distance, one could only see the bus steadily moving along, crossing streets, and turning onto a more remote route. ... Linda felt she was quite unlucky to be standing on a rural bus stop tform in such rainy weather, holding an umbre, waiting for thest bus that might not evene. As an outdoor livestreamer with over a hundred thousand followers, she was coaxed by her audience into doing a ghost-hunting show and went to the most terrifying deserted mansion in Esselgreen to look for paranormal activities. But the result was nothing at all, no ghostly figures, no strange sounds; aside from a higher number of mosquitoes, there was nothing else. Had she known this would be the case, she felt she should have arranged for some people in advance to create some special effects for the show, even if her followers saw through it, it would have been better than a bunch of people saying it was boring in the live chat. "Damn this weather, when will there finally be a bus, I''m almost frozen to death." After grumbling, Linda tightened her clothes, her umbre could only block rain but it couldn''t provide her with any warmth. She nced at her phone''s livestreaming app and saw many messages mocking her. [What happened to the ghost-hunting? Are we just watching you get bitten by mosquitoes?] [The guy above is retarded, right? Who these days watches female streamers for the program''s content?] [+1] [Seriously though, it''s really too dangerous for a streamer to be in the suburbs in this weather, I think she needs a man''s protection, like me, I''m well-built and strong.] [What''s the use of being strong, I have a gun.] [Like as if you''re the only one.] Linda saw thesements and thought helplessly: "I was nning to edit this live stream and upload it online, but now it seems I''d better not. It will just make people think I''m an idiot." At that moment, two dim headlights appeared in the distance, shining on Linda''s face as she looked down at her phone. She instinctively looked up and saw an almost vintage bus slowly driving through the rain, its dim headlights in the darkness, not only reminiscent of the eyes of some feline animals but also subtly unsettling. However, she didn''t think much of it and instead felt excited. "Hey... over here, here, someone''s here." As she spoke, she lifted her phone and aimed the camera at the bus as it approached, telling her viewers: "Great, thest bus I''ve been waiting for has finally arrived. I thought there wouldn''t be any buses in this kind of weather. Looks like I can make it home and get a good night''s sleep." [Rainy night,st bus, aftermarket, tsk tsk, is this like the death bus routine?] [Maybe it''s like the streetcar desire...] [???] [???] [Genius!] Linda was somewhat speechless; she remembered this genius viewer was from some small Asian country. Despite being a streamer, she actually wasn''t as open-minded as others thought. So seeing these kinds ofments, she felt somewhat disgusted. Just as she was about to remind this viewer not to discuss sensitive topics or else they would be banned, the bus slowly stopped in front of her. The sound of the bus door opening... For no apparent reason, Linda felt a chill wind blow across her and involuntarily shivered. She looked inside the bus and could only see dim lighting and the figure of the driver; the rest of the bus was silent, as if, besides her, there were no other passengers. She didn''t mind, considering taking a bus in such dismal weather was luck enough. Even though the bus seemed a bit old, it was definitely much better than staying in that abandoned mansion, getting blown by the wind, rained on, and bitten by mosquitoes. So, she stepped onto the bus and peered through to see four passengers, feeling a bit more at ease. A ck couple, a weirdo wearing a cap, and a handsome Asian man sitting at the back wearing a pack. It seemed she wasn''t the only one out of luck in this weather. She shrugged nonchntly. Then, she turned her head toward the driver, who was separated by a partition window, and could only see the slightly hunched figure. Was it an elderly driver? She thought for a moment and asked with a smile, "Hello, Mr. Driver, how do I buy a ticket?" As her words fell, Linda suddenly felt a chill down her spine, her hair stood on end, and she was covered in goosebumps. And inside the bus, as soon as she uttered those words, everyone simultaneously looked up, staring at her with nk expressionless faces. Chapter 21 021, Next stop In the back of the bus, Du Wei watched expressionlessly as the white woman posed a question to the driver. Knowing that there was something wrong with the bus, he never intended to interact with anyone on board, so he hadn''t spoken a word. As for the so-called ticket, he had only tossed in a coin. The driver neither gave him a ticket nor made any gesture, and the same was true for the other passengers. Apparently, no one cared, as if there was no such thing as a ticket. Therefore, Linda''s actions made him somewhat anticipate what would happen next. ... After questioning the driver, Linda had an eerie feeling, as if she had asked a question she shouldn''t have. She nced at the door, which had slowly closed, making it impossible for her to get off now even if she wanted to. At that moment, the driver extended his hand to point at the fare box, then retracted it. "Okay¡­ okay." Linda sighed with relief, quickly took out her wallet, and threw a ten-dor bill into it. She didn''t dare ask for change and hurriedly walked to the back of the bus. During this process, Du Wei noticed that the driver''s body had not moved at all, only mechanically extending his hand to point at the fare box. Normally, when a person or animal moves a limb, it moves the whole body, as stretching out a hand would inevitably cause the shoulder des to move due to muscle action. Even a corpse can''t ignore the physiological mechanics of its structure. But this driver hadn''t. Itpletely defiedmon scientific knowledge. Du Wei shifted his gaze away from the back of the driver, it seemed certain that on this bus, the driver was currently showing the most problems. As for the other passengers... Du Wei nced out of the corner of his eye at the white woman walking towards him, and then at the rest of the passengers. It seemed like everyone was behaving abnormally, but he couldn''t pinpoint what was wrong. "Hey... handsome, can I sit here?" Du Wei''s thoughts were interrupted, and he looked up with a cool, calm gaze at the white woman who had spoken. She felt ufortable under his scrutiny, "Uh, hello, my name is Linda." Linda thought it strange that all the people on this bus seemed so indifferent, as if they were all self-centered, with no desire to interact much with others. Du Wei remained silent, not saying a word. He didn''t want to stand out too much before things were over. Not knowing the true nature of all the "people" on board, blending in seemed the safest way. Linda didn''t expect this handsome man in front of her to have zero intention of speaking with her, making her feel rather awkward. Is aloofness the trend among attractive men these days? So, she sat in thest row, on the window side to the right, far from Du Wei. After she sat down, the driver started the vehicle and began driving towards the next stop. Seeing this, Linda breathed a sigh of relief and pulled out her phone to look at the viewers in her live stream. Many viewers became active after Linda boarded the bus, especially after seeing the aloof Du Wei, as numerous female viewers started to send a barrage ofments. [Oh, this Asian man is so handsome.] [While he''s not white, his looks really match my taste.] [Strongly requesting the host to get his contact info, I want to sleep with this cool Eastern hunk.] Linda was somewhat speechless; within a short while, the live streaming room had been swamped withments from many female viewers, making her feel a bit ufortable¡ªa reaction these women wouldn''t normally evoke. But honestly, this aloof Eastern man really looked handsome and so charismatic! She felt a stirring in her heart too, but after some thought, she let go of the idea. Such a cold man seemed difficult to approach, and if she were rejected, it would be too embarrassing. Normally, that would be okay, but now, she was live streaming. Being humiliated in front of countless viewers¡ªshould she even continue streaming? However, Linda didn''t notice one of thements in the live streaming room. [Isn''t this Du Wei, the doctor from New York''s North Brook District? A friend of mine has seen him for psychological counseling before. Why has he suddenly shown up in Esselgreen?] Esselgreen is a city located more than fifty kilometers away from New York. It would take an hour by normal vehicr travel. And even longer by bus. Next to her, Du Wei took out his phone and checked the time; it was 20:14. From boarding to the first stop, only 14 minutes had passed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om If the interim stops were subtracted, the first station took around ten minutes. Due to the heavy rain outside the window, the scenery was not visible, so it was impossible to estimate the speed. Nevertheless, Du Wei felt that with this weather, the speed was probably around 50. At that moment, he casually nced at Linda sitting at the furthest right, her head lowered, looking at her phone, not knowing what she was doing. A faint sound came through, as if she weremunicating with someone. Then, Du Wei no longer paid attention to her, because at that time, the man sitting in the front, wearing a duckbill cap and a suit that seemed out of ce, and who suffered from albinism, walked over. The duckbill cap covered the upper half of his face, leaving only his mouth and nose visible, the expression on which was stiff and utterly devoid of emotion. His gait was also strange, as if he had difficulty with his legs, always dipping his left shoulder slightly when he walked. He was limping. With an equally expressionless look, Du Wei watched him but subtly lifted his chest so that the hidden camera could record the entire process and the man''s face. The man with albinism didn''t look at Du Wei; he just walked until he stopped at the back of the bus, staring at Linda on the far right. Linda instantly looked bewildered, uncertain how to react as she regarded the man. "Excuse me, is there something you need?" Noticing that his gaze was firmly locked onto her, she spoke up to inquire. However, the man with albinism remained silent, continuing to look down at her, creating an eerily strange atmosphere. From the corner of his eye, Du Wei observed the two while also watching the actions of others on the bus. Others referred to the African-American couple. Strangely enough, the couple seemed immersed in their own world, turning a blind eye to the scene unfolding in the back of the bus. Suddenly¡­ The man with albinism moved¡­ He extended his right hand,rgely covered in white patches, and pointed at Linda, his mouth curving into a peculiar smile. Then he turned his head andpsed into silence. Immediately, Du Wei furrowed his brows. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had happened on the bus, except for these peculiar passengers. But he could not theorize what these passengers were up to¡­ What exactly they wanted¡­ Moreover, Du Wei noticed that the man with albinism was standing near the exit of the bus. Could it mean that his destination had been reached? Chapter 22 022, Scarecrow At this moment, Linda was utterly confused and perplexed by the behavior of the man with vitiligo wearing a duckbill cap. But since he had already turned his head away and was no longer looking at her, she didn''t think too much about it, only feeling that perhaps besides the skin condition, there might also be something wrong with the man''s mind. She continued interacting with her live stream audience, but many viewers were sending messages filled with supernatural elements, talking at length about the terrifying urban legends of buses, casting a very spooky atmosphere in the live stream. So, Linda had no choice but to reply with half-heartedments every now and then, trying to change the subject. Actually, she was not very brave, especially in such weather, on such a strange bus, she was even less willing to discuss topics of the supernatural. Most of the time, the source of fear is multifaceted. Some people are afraid of the unknown. Some are simply afraid of the dark. Some have a fear of heights. Others fear the ocean. Simply put, it''s ack of security. A bus is a closed space that''s always moving, and no matter what, it cannot provide the sense of security thates with standing on solid ground. And Du Wei, who was sitting on the far left by the window, was multitasking, watching the time on his phone while also observing the man with vitiligo. At 20:20, he could distinctly feel the bus slowing down and graduallying to a stop. The rear door opened, and a gust of cold air blew into the bus, hitting Du Wei and Linda, who were sitting in the back, instantly making them feel a bone-chilling cold. Outside, the rain poured down heavily, the sky was frighteningly dark, and in the distance, one could vaguely make out an expanse of wheat fields, with a small house lit up somewhere far off within the fields. Watching the man calmly, Du Wei''s heart filled with deep suspicion. He had lived in New York for a year or two, and before he was afflicted by the Evil Spirit, he too had driven around, exploring the entire city and its suburbs. However, to his disappointment, the city called New York was not at all as grand as he had imagined. At best, it seemed like a second-tier city. But the suburbs of a second-tier city had no so-called wheat fields. So where on earth was he now? He immediately opened the GPS on his phone, only to find that it was constantly shing. ... At that moment, the man standing by the rear door gestured to Linda, as if he wanted her toe with him. But Linda was even more confused by the man''s action and shook her head without a second thought. Joking aside, getting off the bus in the middle of the night with a strange man would be madness unless she lost her mind! Seeing this, the man with vitiligo seemed somewhat angry, emitting a heavy, raspy breathing noise from his throat. "Ding..." A sharp and urgent bell rang out inside the bus. Everyone''s eyes turned to the front of the bus, where the driver, who had only shown his back, had pressed the bell. As the bell stopped ringing, the man with vitiligo stepped off the bus without hesitation, stood outside, raised his head, and looked at Linda inside the bus. Throughout the entire time, Du Wei had been observant of the man. While in the bus, due to the duckbill cap, he had not been able to clearly see the man''s face, but now, from his higher vantage point and with the man looking up into the bus, Du Wei had a clear view. He saw. Under the duckbill cap was a face covered with white patches, reminiscent of a certain moth, but the sight of his eyes brought about an extremely nauseating sense of difort. Where one would expect to find eyes, there were two round balls made up of straw, irregr and somewhat coarsely textured. But no matter how one looked at it, it invoked an instinctual fear. In an instant, Du Wei felt his stomach churn, and a sharp buzzing sound filled his ears as he directly entered into a state of Spirit Vision. Now, he saw the man outside the bus was actually a corpse, and behind him stood an entity made of straw, just like the scarecrows made by farmers to prevent birds from pecking at their crops. Two bundles of straw were thrust into the back of the man''s head, connecting the two. There was no doubt that this entity was manipting the corpse. Du Wei also noticed that the Scarecrow''s left leg had a wound from some kind of de, and though it was a straw body, it was not hard to understand why the man''s left shoulder had sagged when he walked before. After taking a deep breath, Du Wei felt his scalp tingle¡ªwas this thing also an Evil Spirit? Linda, on the other hand, was terrified into a stupor, trembling uncontrobly, even dropping her phone to the floor. It wasn''t until the bus doors closed and it started moving forward that she slumped to the ground, gasping for air violently. "Heh¡­" Linda breathed with difficulty. During those few seconds of eye contact, her mind went nk. She had been unable to even scream, nearly copsing entirely. Then she twisted her head, covering her mouth as she looked at the other people inside the bus. The driver seemedpletely unaware of what was happening behind him, continuing to drive. The ck couple was cuddling together, seemingly as if nothing had happened. Her gaze then shifted to Du Wei, sitting expressionless on the left, which only heightened her sense of terror. More coincidentally, Du Wei was also looking at her, which scared her so much that she immediately pressed her back against the bus body, her eyes full of fear and caution. Du Wei looked away, no longer pouring his attention on her, and he felt slightly relieved internally. He had been worried that this unfamiliar woman would start screaming in fright, but unexpectedly, she managed to keep a bit ofposure, which was arguably the best possible oue in this situation. After that, the entire bus fell into a silence akin to death. Under the night sky, the bus continued to move forward as if it would never stop. Du Wei rubbed his temples, starting to think. Based on the current situation, Father Tony had made a grave error in judgment. He assumed that the bus was haunted by an Evil Spirit.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But in reality, this was not the case. The most abnormal thing at present seemed to be the passengers inside the bus. A man with vitiligo was actually a corpse controlled by a Scarecrow. A ck couple that remained in their own world the whole time showed no abnormal behavior, because as the bus doors closed, he had exited the state of Spirit Vision. And the remaining woman seemed the most normal in appearance. Du Wei had seen Linda''s phone screen¡ªshe appeared to be a streamer, and for now, she seemed like an ordinary person who unwittingly boarded the bus. Du Wei exhaled, stopping his contemtion. For the time being, he could only be sure of two things. First, the bus didn''t seem to pose a danger; it was the passengers that were potentially dangerous, as they might not be human. Second, the bus had the ability to iste the state of Spirit Vision. It seemed to follow certain rules, as evidenced by the peculiar Scarecrow that got off the bus as soon as the bell rang, without making any other moves. Suddenly, Du Wei turned his head to nce at Linda. Shaking, she held her phone and slowly edged closer. With fear in her voice, she asked in a barely audible whisper, "I know your name is Du Wei, and you are a psychologist, right?" Chapter 23 023, push her down When Linda uttered Du Wei''s name and upation, his expression carried a hint of surprise. Clearly, Linda understood his meaning and whispered, "I''m a broadcaster; it was the viewers who messaged me privately." Concise and clear. Du Wei nced ahead, saw that no one was paying attention, and nodded imperceptibly. "Do you know where this bus is heading? I''m really scared, that monster from just now, you must have seen it too." As she spoke, Linda''s face still showed lingering fear, and her throat moved with difficulty.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then she added, "My viewers told me that an hour ago on the North Brook news segment, the police announced a car ident, the victim was that man we saw just now." Du Wei narrowed his eyes and gestured for her to be quiet with a shushing motion. Afterward, he typed something on his phone and then tilted the screen toward Linda. [Where did you board this bus?] Seeing this, Linda sighed with relief, thinking thatmunication was possible and this Asian man must be sane. Therefore, she also took out her phone, shut down the live broadcast app, opened the notes app, and began typing. [It was the outskirts of Esselgreen. Dr. Du Wei, can you help me? I''m really scared.] [I''m sorry, I can only remind you to remain calm and not make any deliberate actions. Now, please return to your seat and wait quietly.] After putting his phone back in his pocket, Du Wei no longer paid attention to Linda. The current situation was quite eerie; had it not been for his desire to get information from Linda, he probably wouldn''t have bothered to advise her on what to do, given his personality. Of course, Du Wei knew that the advice he offered Linda was just his conjecture; whether it would help was still unclear. After all, up until now, the bus had exhibited no abnormalities, making it impossible to discern what it intended to do. Even its destination and the next stop were unknown. The only certainty was that those who encountered this bus, be they human or not, might be in any city, at any location. It could only be said that this bizarre bus defied all logic. Linda opened her mouth but seeing that Du Wei was no longer engaging with her, she immediately felt anchorless. Just an ordinary woman, she was already calm enough not to scream in madness from such an ordeal, yet the only person she could be sure was sane and seemed very reliable was unwilling to pay her any heed, leaving her somewhat at a loss. What should she do? With no choice, Linda cautiously made her way back to her seat while watching Du Wei. She felt that this psychologist must know something. Because his gaze was so tranquil, it was easy to be influenced by it during eye contact. While Linda got lost in her thoughts... With a hiss¡ªthe bus came to a stop. Not much time had passed since itst halted. Du Wei frowned, noticing that the ck couple inside the bus had no intention of leaving, yet there was no sign that the front door was opening. "What''s happened?" He asked himself, suddenly recalling something he had ignored. In an instant, Du Wei gasped, immediately turning his gaze toward the rear bus door. As expected... The next second, the back door opened... Outside, the heavy rain continued unabated, forming puddles on the ground. A man in a suit with a duckbill cap, dressed ludicrously, stood in the rain. His eyes were reced with straw balls, and his body soaked by the rain, he stood in the mud, looking up into the bus. Du Wei met his gaze, knowing that the figure wasn''t actually looking at him but at Linda because, just before, it had tried to persuade Linda to get off with it. It was clear that its target was Linda. And Linda herself was also very frightened and afraid; her whole body was nearly curled up into a ball, staring out the window in horror. What was happening? Why had the bus returned to the original point? Could it be that this eerie man had set his sights on her? Linda didn''t possess the ability of Spirit Vision like Du Wei, so to her eyes, the man was nothing more than a corpse with its eyes reced by straw, unaware of why it appeared on this bus. She couldn''t see behind the man, where a Scarecrow presence lurked. At this moment, Du Wei was also puzzled¡ªif on this bus, Evil Spirits or other unknown entities were subject to some form of restraint, then they were undoubtedly wary of the ghostly bus. But now, for what reason had the bus returned to thest stop? Du Wei didn''t think it was due to the influence of a Scarecrow. Because if it had that kind of power, it wouldn''t have decisively left the bus after the driver pressed the bell. Could it be... Did the bus want Linda to get off? As Du Wei pondered, the ck couple suddenly stood up and directly approached Linda. The ck woman, with a nk expression, said, "You shouldn''t stay on this bus, it will only lead to our death." Linda''s mind went nk, and she asked subconsciously, "What do you mean?" The ck woman pointed at the man outside the bus and said, "He just wanted you to get off, didn''t he?" Linda immediately shook her head, "No, that''s absolutely not okay, I can''t get off." The ck man said impatiently, "Hey... Listen, we don''t want to throw you off, because that would mean murder, but you have to understand, at every stop, Evil Spirits or people get on the bus and some get off. And this damn ghost thing has obviously targeted you; if you don''t get off now, something terrible might happen, and then we all might die." When he said this, the ck man pointed at the corpse standing outside the bus door, his face wearing an ugly expression, clearly recalling some unpleasant memory. Seeing this, Du Wei thought to himself, "This ck couple seems to have spent a long time on the bus, knowing some hidden things." And the terrible things he mentioned seemed to cause them great fear and resistance. Then Du Wei nced at the man outside the bus who was drenched, his suit now crumpled, with his trouser legs covered in mud. Unknowingly, he had entered the state of Spirit Vision. He saw the eerie Scarecrow tilting its head and beckoning to him with a smile drawn by a graffiti pen, emanating an insidious eeriness. It was targeting him. This thought shed through Du Wei''s mind. At this point, the ck couple seemed impatient, stretching out their hands to grab Linda''s clothes, trying to push her outside of the bus. "No, you can''t do this, this is murder." Linda resisted frantically, but could not withstand the strength of two people; her heart filled with despair, she hugged the seat, refusing to let go. God knows what would happen once she left the bus. Seeing this, Du Wei frowned, noticing that the driver had not made any move regarding the events happening inside the bus. As if he simply didn''t care at all. In his ears, a sharp buzzing sound was somewhat weakened, but the vague pain in his heart grew more noticeable¡ªa change caused by the eerie Scarecrow. It seemed thatpared to Linda, he had also be one of its targets. He had to do something. Thinking this, Du Wei stood up, one hand reaching into his pocket, while the others immediately turned to look at him. The ck couple gave him a warning look, signaling him not to meddle. Linda, as if grasping at hope, was too excited to speak. With an expressionless face, Du Wei looked at the ck couple, pulled out a handgun from his pocket¡ªthese two weren''t Evil Spirits, so bullets were much more useful than anything else. "I think, it would be best for you to return to your seats." Chapter 24 024, bang... The atmosphere inside the carriage was unbearably tense. Linda hid behind Du Wei, her hands tightly clutching the seat, refusing to let go. With a backpack on and a gun in his hands pointed at the ck couple''s heads, Du Wei''s face was utterly indifferent. The ck couple, facing the dark muzzle of the gun, felt chills all over and instinctively raised their hands, stepping back. "Hey... buddy, calm down a bit, can you put that thing away?" The tone of the man in the couple immediately softened, unable to believe that the Asian man in front of him was carrying a gun. Even in a country where possessing guns ismon, people rarely choose to carry them around. Having a legal gun doesn''t mean the police won''t intervene. If discovered, one would be subject to scrutiny from all sides until it is confirmed that the purpose of carrying a gun is not threatening and won''t lead to arbitrary acts of violence. Only then will you be left alone. But even so, it would be recorded in the files. If a shooting urs, you would be one of the primary suspects. The ck man inwardly cursed "fuck," looking at Du Wei with his cold expression and backpack, he couldn''t help but think of the cold-blooded killers in some movies and TV shows. "Everything we said was true; this woman needs to get off, or else something terrible will really happen." "I know, so now, move back immediately, back to your seats." Du Wei first nced at the driver who had shown no reaction at all, then nodded at the ck couple with the same indifference on his face. He stepped forward, forcing the two people back. At such close range, just pulling the trigger would instantly kill them. However, his goal was not to kill, for that would only bring endless troubles, and he was not ready to spend the rest of his life in jail. Besides, if he really wanted to kill someone, he wouldn''t use such a low-level method. In his phone were stored the pictures from the posts that Conan Doyle sent, which were used as the medium for the Evil Spirit''s spread. Killing someone silently and without a trace was shockingly simple. "Alright, Asian man, you''ve won, but you''re going to get us killed." The ck couple, seeing Du Wei''s cold expression and the gun pointed at their foreheads, could only reluctantly return to their seats. Seeing this, Du Wei turned away from them and looked towards the eerie corpse standing outside the rear door. To be precise, it was the Scarecrow behind the body that only he could see. At this moment, the phenomena of Spirit Vision on Du Wei''s body intensified, the humming in his ears had diminished substantially, but the throbbing pain near his heart became more pronounced. Most importantly, he could clearly feel the malevolence in the eyes of the eerie Scarecrow outside the door in the rain, staring intently at him. Apparently, as opposed to Linda, its target seemed to have suddenly shifted, from Linda to himself. Spirit Vision isn''t merely a visual effect in the conventional sense, but something like a sixth sense or intuition. He could even feel that outside the vehicle, the falling rain, the muddy ground, and the oppressive wheat field, all seemed to be filled with tant evil intent. The most intense was the eerie Scarecrow manipting the corpse. Thus, in the incredulous gaze of the ck couple and Linda, Du Wei calmly aimed the gun at the corpse''s head and pulled the trigger. Bang... A gunshot rang out. Unexpectedly, the head of the corpse was blown apart by the shot, and the impact of the bullet carried chunks of decaying flesh backwards, sans any trace of blood, as if it were hollow inside. But then Du Wei''s brow furrowed because even though the corpse had lost its head, the eerie Scarecrow seen under the Spirit Vision remained unaffected. "It seems I misunderstood, the corpse is not your medium." Du Wei''s gaze was cold and unaffected, feeling no surprise. Last time, in Alex''s house, he encountered a rotting woman''s arm that could be destroyed by physical means. Now it seemed, there were significant differences between Evil Spirits. Yet, his action had infuriated the iprehensible Scarecrow, which began to stride forward, its movements perfectly mirroring those of the corpse, as they made their way to the bus door. The ck couple inside the bus was terrified, frozen for a minute before reacting to Du Wei''s decisive gunshot. "My God, what have you done? You lunatic, close the door quickly, if we close the door, we''ll be safe for now." Du Wei nced at them before turning back and putting away his gun, then he pulled out a ss bottle from his backpack. Inside was the Holy Water distributed to the New York Exorcists by the church, not the diluted, inferior kind given by Father Tony before. By this time, the corpse, having lost most of its brain, had reached the bus doors. Inside the bus, Linda was on the verge of copsing, her only shred of sanity causing her to cover her mouth, trembling violently as she chose to whimper softly. In stark contrast to her, Du Wei''s face was calm, as if everything was under control, just like the most skilled Exorcist. He unscrewed the bottle and sshed the Holy Water directly onto the corpse, or more precisely, onto the sinister Scarecrow behind it. He acted swiftly, without the slightest hesitation. The next second, the corpse with most of its brain blown away fell on the back door of the bus, and the terrifying Scarecrow, as if it had seen the most frightening thing, detached from the corpse and rushed into the brooding wheat field. Seeing this, everyone was stunned. "My God... this..." "How did you do that?" "Superpower? Magic? Are you Superman?" Neither the ck couple nor Linda could see the eerie Scarecrow; in their eyes, the corpse had been causing trouble from the start. So, when Du Wei took out a bottle and poured the water on it, effortlessly disposing of the corpse, their minds were muddled, unable toprehend what had happened. "I am a psychologist," Du Wei said coldly as he kicked the corpse aside, then calmly closed the bus door. In an instant, the bus, as if receiving a signal, began to slowly move forward. Left behind, a duckbill cap was lifted by the wind, drifting towards the brooding wheat field and finallynding on the head of a Scarecrow, covering most of its face. ... The bus traveled smoothly in the rain. Inside, Du Wei walked up to the ck couple, who, frightened, quickly leaned back, regarding him with fearful eyes. Compared to the corpse, this mysterious Asian man seemed even more terrifying. After all, a person who carried a gun was certainly no good man. "Now, can we talk about this bus?" Du Wei surveyed the two from a position of authority, looking down at them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What... what do you want to know?" Finishing his question, the ck man''s voice trembled as he added, "I mean, I''ll tell you everything I know." Du Wei pointed at himself and then at Linda, who was still immersed in fear, and then at the couple, saying, "We can now be certain we''re all human, so there''s no need for you to be too scared." "Now, tell me how you got on this bus and everything you know." Chapter 25 025, Shell "Well, Doctor, I don''t think you''ll believe this, but if it hadn''t been for this damned heavy rain making taxi fares too expensive, we never would''ve chosen to wait at the bus station in downtown Yard City. After we got on the bus, we didn''t notice anything wrong," "You mean Yard City, over two hundred kilometers north of New York?" "Yes, is there a problem?" "No, please continue." "Right, at first, we did the same as you, tossing a Coin and simply taking a seat. At that time, there were two other... people? I can''t be certain." "They got off?" "Yes, a woman in a drab dress with withered hair got off first, then at the next stop, another person got on. He must''ve been a programmer because he was wearing a id shirt and carrying aptop bag." "And then?" "Then, the remaining person gestured to the programmer toe off the bus as he got off." "He didn''t follow them off, so something terrifying happened afterward?" "Exactly..." Du Wei and the ck man quickly went back and forth, summarizing the events. He began to think. Considering the eerie Scarecrow from earlier, the woman in the drab dress could also be some kind of Evil Spirit. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Tell me what happened next." The ck man licked his lips, recalling with terror, "At first, we didn''t think anything was wrong, but when the bus stopped again, we saw that person once more." "He gave off a strange feeling, I can''t remember what he looked like at all, I only knew he was male. That programmer was curious, asking how he had caught up to the bus, then the programmer realized something was wrong." "But by then it was toote. As he approached the bus door, the man gestured for him, and the programmer moved his legs to get off, just like a puppet." "I wasn''t sitting where I am now, so I was close to the programmer. I grabbed him and hastily closed the bus door." "Because I saw that outside was a cemetery, my grandmother was a believer of the Turin Cult, so... you probably understand..." Du Wei nodded, "Continue." The ck man took a breath and said, "Then, the bus kept moving forward, stopping again in the same ce. That ghostly man was still standing by the cemetery, and we all were terrified, desperately pulling at the rear door." "However, the man who had gestured suddenly appeared inside the bus; his body was rapidly decaying. Can you imagine that sight? I even saw a bunch of worms crawling out of his mouth, and the whole bus''s lights turned a ghastly pale." Du Wei calmly asked, "And then that man, whose face you can''t remember, took the programmer away?" The ck man''s expression was very strange, "I can''t be sure because the lights kept flickering and finally plunged into darkness. When the lights came back on, they had disappeared, and everything was as if nothing had ever happened." At this point, he pointed at the bus lights overhead. Du Wei also looked up, "An old built-in light, looks like something from thest century." "What about the driver? Was he, like this time, showing no reaction at all?" "He''s a dead man..." The woman among the couple looked up at the driver''s seat and emotionlessly uttered. After listening, Du Wei paid no more attention to the ck couple; he decided to take a look and collect more information. It wasn''t that he didn''t believe them, but he had his own agenda. Du Wei had chosen to ride this bus to investigate and limit its movements. He needed the invisible camera on his chest to record everything to exchange for what he wanted from Father Tony. Watching Du Wei''s retreating figure, the ck couple exchanged nces and simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. In their eyes, the indifferent and self-proimed Doctor Du Wei brought pressure almost as distressing as the Evil Spirit. Because the man''s calmness when firing a gun was really no different from the most cold-blooded assassin. And Linda, curled up in the back seat, had also regained some sanity by now. She looked at Du Wei with grateful eyes, but her look towards the ck couple was filled with deep hatred. Gratitude was only momentary and would dissipate quickly with time. And hatred, like wine, settles and ferments, bing only more concentrated over time. ... Du Wei made his way to the driver''s seat, peering at the driver through the partition window. From this angle, he could clearly see the driver''s face. Pale and cold. It was covered in wrinkles; obviously, the man was elderly. Of course, Du Wei had not forgotten the moment earlier when Linda had inquired about bus fare and the driver had pointed to the coin box.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He slid his hand into his clothing, gripping the cross-shaped dagger but not drawing it. In fact, the object had been re-immersed in Holy Water. Although he did not understand the principle, ording to Father Tony''s exact words¡ªit indeed couldbat Evil Spirits. Du Wei adjusted his position and studied the old man carefully. He noticed that, even as the bus moved, the driver''s hands were always tightly grasping the steering wheel, yet there were no signs of any movement, and his feet were not on the gas pedal. However, the bus''s route seemed to change asionally, and its speed was gradually slowing. "So the driver is just a prop, and the bus is moving on its own?" Du Wei silently questioned in his mind before abandoning the idea of doing anything to the driver, like dousing him with thest half-bottle of Holy Water. Because he suspected that the bus itself was an Evil Spirit, or a simr entity, just like the Antique Clock hanging in his own home¡ªa type of strange existence. The driver, in a sense, could be considered a medium. Du Wei didn''t want to find out what would happen after touching the medium, because that would mean facing unknown dangers. So far, the investigation had yielded enough information. As for limiting its actions, Du Wei only nned to wait until after the rain stopped. By now, he had roughly deduced the pattern of the haunted bus¡ªit was rted to the torrential rain. Simultaneously, anywhere it was raining heavily, the bus could appear, which was evident from the ces where Linda and the ck couple had boarded. Therefore, it was very possible that the bus might stop in a normal city once the rain ceased. Thinking of this, Du Wei furrowed his brows. A thought shed through his mind: what if the rain never stopped? Or rather, if the bus kept appearing in cities where it was raining... In that case, it would be an endless loop of bus routes. If it were so, he might have to resort to thest method avable. But Father Tony had limited knowledge of the bus, so whether that method would be effective was another matter. Du Wei took a deep look at the driver holding the steering wheel and turned, intending to return to his seat. And then, at that moment... Suddenly... The sound of a sharp brake hissed into the air. The already slowing bus came to an abrupt stop. Du Wei instinctively looked outside and saw around ten white youths, around seventeen or eighteen years old, standing outside the bus, holding ck umbres, and simultaneously lifting their heads to look at him. In an instant, their eyes met. Du Wei entered a state of Spirit Vision directly, even with the bus doors still closed, which waspletely different from his previous experiences. His expression turned somewhat unsightly. The bus doors slowly opened... The next stop had arrived... Chapter 26 026, full house afterwards Some rain water drifted in along the bus door, and the whistling of the wind caused the temperature inside the bus to drop significantly. The ck couple looked outside following the sound, and as soon they could see clearly, their faces immediately revealed an inescapable horror. The dozen or so white men and women outside, dressed in neat and fashionable attire, held old-fashioned ck umbres. As they looked toward them, they also expressionlessly raised their heads to look up. The gaze of each person was filled with deathly stillness and numbness, giving off a very strange feeling, like facing a pile of corpses. Behind them, under the gloomy pitch-ck sky, amidst the torrential downpour, the silhouette of a school could vaguely be seen. Du Wei took a deep breath. Theoretically, this public bus has a limiting effect on Evil Spirits, and unless he used that mirror, it should not be possible to involuntarily enter Spirit Vision before the door opened. But now... Feeling the sharp buzzing in his ears and the diminishing pain in his heart. He could be certain¡ªthese people were either all Evil Spirits or some simr eerie existence. Du Wei looked emotionlessly at those things lining up, boarding one by one, and turned to head towards his seat. His stride was steady, and even his breathing did not change much, always maintaining a calm demeanor. However, in such a scene, this seemed even more odd. Passing by the ck couple, he saw their bodies trembling slightly, their expressions extraordinarily panicked, fixing him with aplex look. Du Wei saw the plea for help. When a person bes desperate about external things, they instinctively seek all possible help they can find. To exaggerate a bit, it''s like a drowning person desperately grasping at thest straw. But often the reality is, there is no so-called straw, all they can grab hold of is the body of the rescuer, desperately clinging on, only to drown together in the end. Therefore, Du Wei''s pace did not falter; he didn''t even bother to look at them again, heading straight back to his seat and sitting by the window. To his side, Linda waspletely terrified, curled up into a ball, virtually losing the ability to move.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She was an intelligent woman, but she had no experience in facing this kind of situation. Facing Evil Spirits, most people only have a dead end. Du Wei nced at her briefly, then stopped paying attention and calmly observed this group of "passengers." He counted, fourteen in total. These things boarded the bus and did not retract their umbres but continued to hold them, cing the umbre on their shoulder as they sat down, blocking their upper bodies, looking very eerie. At that moment, Du Wei furrowed his brow, suddenly thinking of a problem. This bus was of an old model with not too small a space, but the seat arrangement was quite scattered, so there were only sixteen seats. Counting himself, Linda, and the ck couple, that made four people. Adding the fourteen new passengers made it eighteen in total. There weren''t enough seats. What to do with the two extra people? There aren''t any standing tickets on the bus, right? The next moment, Du Wei saw: From front to back, as these passengers sat down one after another, when they reached the ck couple''s seats, two of the expressionless girls holding ck umbres stopped. The ck couple felt their breath halt; unmasked malice roamed over their bodies, filled with spite and oddity. The woman from the couple copsed, screaming and crying out loud, venting the fear in her heart. "Don''te over, you ghostly things, don''te over!" Apart from crying and screaming, she had no idea what she could do in this situation, and couldn''t even think of seeking help from others. Like Du Wei, for instance. Whereas the ck man still retained some reason; his emotions were also near copse, but with a fierce grit of his teeth, he immediately turned to jump into the rear seats and then stood in the empty aisle, panting heavily, not daring to utter a word. Seeing this, the woman seemed to think of something as well, a glimmer of desire for life shing in her eyes. Just when she thought to imitate her boyfriend''s behavior, a pale hand rested on her shoulder. ``` Soundless, breathless. As if electrocuted, the ck woman''s body stiffened, her facial expression frozen like a puppet''s. From Du Wei''s perspective, with his Spirit Vision, he could see more. He saw two unemotional girls, one of whom, when she ced her hand on the ck woman''s shoulder, something seemed to invisibly change. This change was difficult to put into words. Du Wei could only describe it with more logical terms. That is, at the moment of contact, the ck woman and the non-human girl became one entity. Then, Du Wei saw the girl sit on the ck woman''sp, back against chest. The other girl also sat down on the adjacent seat, their upper bodies obscured by two ck Umbres, leaving Du Wei unable to glean any more information. The rest of the eerie passengers with ck Umbres continued to sit down one after another, each of their upper bodies hidden from view, creating an oddly harmonious aesthetic. Soon, one girl walked to thest row. She sat between Du Wei and Linda. Du Wei was expressionless, but his peripheral vision kept stealthily watching the girl on his Right Hand, smelling a certain rotten scent. This was the scent he most loathed during his forensic dissection ss in college. Even though the girl''s upper body was hidden by a ck umbre, Du Wei still felt ufortable. So, after some thought, he pulled out the umbre that had been leaning against the window, slowly opened it, and draped it over himself. Coincidentally. Du Wei''s umbre was also ck, and when it covered his upper body, it was as if he had always been part of this group of passengers. Inside the carriage, at this moment, only the ck man standing in the aisle and the emotionally copsing Linda seemed out of ce. One stood in the hallway, at a loss, the other curled up in the corner, quietly sobbing. It was then that Du Wei furrowed his brow. He looked up at the front door of the bus, which was now closed. But why were they still stationary? Could it be... the seats? He had a vague guess and his gaze toward the ck man turned strange. "He''s done for," Du Wei silently told himself. Indeed... The next second. The back door opened. Outside, the darkness was chilling, and the torrential rain beat against the ground, sounding loudly, while cold air gushed into the bus, seemingly triggering some mechanism. All passengers, except for Linda, lifted their heads and fixed their gazes on the ck man. "What... what does this mean?" The terror in the ck man''s voice was palpable as he swung his head back and forth, looking at everyone. "Huh..." Right after speaking his first words, his expression turned stiff and petrified, as if something had gotten lodged in his throat, leaving him to emit only a strange guttural sound... Du Wei watched indifferently as the ck man, seemingly deprived of his will, stepped down from the bus through the back door, instantly drenched by the downpour. Yet, he seemed oblivious to it all, stepping forward with mechanistic movements, walking towards the school whose silhouette was just visible. ``` Chapter 27 027. Another seat (asking for recommendation tickets) In the heavy rain. The bus slowly traveled along an endless road. Inside the bus. Linda seemed to have had a breakdown,pletely losing the will to survive, sobbing softly. Meanwhile, Du Wei held an umbre, covering his upper body, his face calm and indifferent. He nced at the time disyed on his phone, it was now 9:13 p.m. More than half an hour had passed since thest stop. There was no immediate danger inside the bus, but there was absolutely no cell signal, so looking at the time was all he could do. Besides, separated from him by one seat, Linda seemed to havepletely fallen apart, stopping her sobbing and all other actions. But being in a state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei had a faint feeling of unease, and a sense of irritability slowly welled up inside him. The more severe the erosion by evil spirits, the deeper the phenomena of Spirit Vision became. Consequently, the "sight," hearing, and sensations that came with it would increase. And this, in turn, would elerate a person''s emotional breakdown. But what puzzled Du Wei was that Linda, sitting a seat away, didn''t seem to show any Spirit Vision phenomena, indicating that the other beings on this bus were different. He deduced a possibility, that he was constantly in a state of Spirit Vision, possibly due to some form of oppression brought by these passengers. Just as the human body instinctively reacts to certain external factors, like getting goosebumps from a sudden drop in temperature or bing dizzy and lightheaded from the heat. Regardless, being in a state of Spirit Vision for an extended period would increasingly impact Du Wei, and he would gradually enter the next stage. He recalled the information about the erosion by evil spirits provided by Father Tony from within the church. "It seems that I am now already in the second phase, perhaps even close to entering the third phase." His mood was somewhat heavy. The first phase of Spirit Vision gave the ability to see, the second phase deepened that concept, and the third phase would bring about unknown phenomena that even church personnel couldn''t ascertain. Unknown was synonymous with uncontroble. Du Wei narrowed his eyes, feeling that it was time to leave this bus. Spirit Vision was not a superpower but a burden that drained his own energy. As for restraining it, given the current circumstances, it didn''t seem very realistic. This bus did not conform tomon sense; it could appear anywhere in the rain, disregarding distance, and had no physical requirements for propulsion¡ªno need for fuel. It didn''t even require a driver¡ªit was itself some sort of entity akin to an Evil Spirit, iprehensible and indestructible. To restrain this eerie bus, perhaps only an exorcist from the church would know what to do. Of course, this was assuming that the exorcists from the church were indeed powerful and had adequate means. Casually ncing at the pair of slender, beautiful legs under the umbre beside him, Du Wei''s brow furrowed as he reached into his pocket, caressing the baby-palm-sized mirror covered in cracks. [This mirror once served as a medium for an Evil Spirit''s existence, but after the spirit was destroyed by an exorcist from the church, the residual power made it somewhat controble. If you encounter extreme danger, shatter it, and its power can bring you to safety, but the precondition is that no other evil spirits are attacking you.] These were Father Tony''s exact words. Suppressing the urge to crush the mirror right now, not considering the bizarre bus, there were at least fourteen passengers who could either be Evil Spirits or some other terrifying entities. Any rash action could likely make the situation even more dangerous. "Now is not the time," He told himself this in his mind, reminding himself to stay calm, patiently waiting for an opportunity. ... Late at night, 10:38 p.m., the torrential rain continued. The speed of the bus slowed, showing signs ofing to a halt, but this indication had been ongoing for ten minutes. A sweat broke out on Du Wei''s forehead; he had been in a state of Spirit Vision for a full hour. His body could hardly take it anymore, and his breathing had be much quicker. Ten minutes earlier, the bus began to slow down, and the interior lights dimmed even further. The bus, which was already dim, was now plunged into darkness. All that was visible were the pitch-ck surfaces of umbres, and the atmosphere became even more eerie. This situation had never happened before. Under the influence of Spirit Vision, Du Wei instinctively felt that the bus might have entered an area so dangerous that even it perceived it as a threat, hence this bizarre change. "Half an hour at most. If there''s no suitable opportunity, I must crush the mirror and leave, or I''ll only be facing a dead end." Du Wei gritted his teeth, calcting the maximum amount of time he could hold on. The ghostly entities within the carriage were putting too much pressure on him. Spirit Vision consumed his own physical and mental strength. The longer time dragged on, the sooner he would copse into unconsciousness. And Spirit Vision wasn''t something he could control at will; it was a passive state. As long as there were Evil Spirits around, it would be passively activated. In other words, even if the entities in the carriage that might be Evil Spirits had no ill intentions toward him, their mere presence would slowly torment Du Wei to death. Du Wei wiped the sweat from his forehead, while the hidden camera on his chest continued to record. Suddenly... Du Wei felt the vehicle shake violently, followed by a sharp braking that sent him lurching forward involuntarily. He leaned back instinctively and barely managed to keep his bnce. "Have we reached the next stop?" Du Wei let out a long sigh of relief in his mind. He watched the back door, guessing based on the previous pattern and the words of the deceased African-American couple that at this stop, some passengers should disembark. Aside from him and Linda, the other presences on the bus were from the previous group of passengers. Their destination should be the same, and they would leave together. He would wait until the next time someone like Linda boarded, and that would be his chance to escape. A draft of cold air blew into the carriage, carrying with it a stench of decay. Du Wei''s expression darkened¡ªthe back door had not opened... He abruptly looked toward the front door. "Damn it!" He cursed silently to himself, only to see the front door wide open and a tall figure stepping on board. He appeared to be male, wearing an old-fashioned coat that hung down to his knees, and his palms and head were wrapped in mildewed bandages without a single gap showing. At over two meters tall, he nearly touched the ceiling when he stood up, giving off an overwhelming sense of oppression. Immediately upon boarding, he walked towards the back of the bus. Du Wei''s heart pounded violently, and as the man took steps, the effects of Spirit Vision grew stronger. Even this bandage-wrapped man posed a much greater threat than the fourteen previous entities carrying ck Umbres. "Evil Spirit?" Du Wei''s eyes were cold as ice. Now there was another passenger on board without a seat. With the remaining seats upied by himself and Linda, this ghostly entity''s target must be one of the two of them. A choice between two? No, he didn''t like being passive. And he liked even less the idea of someone else deciding his fate. Du Wei closed his umbre, raised his head, and looked towards Linda on the right, somewhat surprised to find that Linda was also looking up at him withplex eyes.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Her gaze revealed a touch of unwillingness and even resentment. Du Wei understood her message and then noticed that the wide-open front door hadn''t closed... So, Du Wei picked up his bag and stood up. Under Linda''s incredulous gaze, he left his seat and headed towards the front door. Linda was filled with confusion. She admitted to herself that she had had many thoughts just now. This doctor named Du Wei was a mystery, and he had a gun. She felt certain that Du Wei would force her to give up her seat, or even kill her with a single shot. Human nature doesn''t stand up to trials. So, she resented and was unwilling to ept. But now, watching Du Wei pass by the bandage-shrouded tall man, Linda quietly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling thankful and even a touch of pity. She thought to herself that if she could survive after Du Wei''s death, she would definitelymemorate him annually as her way of making amends. Then Linda''s face twisted in horror as she saw another dark figure slowly stepping aboard at the front door. This time, there were two passengers... Meanwhile, Du Wei had reached the front of the bus. He nced at the shadowy figure, who was petite, presumably female, but dressed and adorned like the bandaged man. Both were Evil Spirits... Then, the door closed. Du Wei breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the driver. Many people''s thoughts fall into amon misunderstanding: on any vehicle, besides the passenger seats, there is actually one more. Chapter 28 028, Andrew Dowqui Mistaken assumptions are built on norms, fixed patterns of thinking and cognition. If a bus can hold sixteen passengers, then how many seats are there in total? Most people would think there are sixteen. But Du Wei thought there should be seventeen. The driver''s seat should also be counted, even if in a certain sense, this is a BUG. At this moment, inside thepartment. Du Wei pulled out a silver cross dagger and struck the partition window fiercely. With a crash, ss shards scattered all over the ground. Reaching in, he pushed open the lock of the driver''spartment with the back of his hand and then gripped the driver''s arms. When he touched them... It felt hollow. It was as if he had grabbed a skin suit, and the sensation transmitted to Du Wei''s fingers gave him a jolt of terror for the first time. He had thought it was a corpse, but it turned out to be just skin. Without time to think further, Du Wei forcefully dragged the driver out of the seat and tossed him aside, leaving him limp on the floor, nothing more than a thinyer of skin besides the clothes. Then, he took the driver''s seat, ced his hands on the steering wheel, and pressed the door close button. Now, Du Wei was ying the role of the driver. With a creak... The front door of the bus instantly shut. In the bus, thest woman who boarded, wrapped in bandages, stood still and nced at Du Wei, then turned and walked towards the back. At this instant, the seat that had been Du Wei''s was now taken by the first male passenger, the tall figure with a head and palms wrapped in bandages. Thest female passenger walked towards Linda, who was in a daze, reached out her hand, and pressed it on her head. Click... Du Wei saw in the rearview mirror of the bus that Linda''s head was removed, and what was eerie was that there was not a single trace of blood at the wound, and no blood spurted out as one would expect. Then, it unwrapped the bandages around its head, revealing nothing inside, stuffed Linda''s head in, and re-wrapped the bandages... The process was repeated, and the entire torso was filled in turn. It was as if it were making nesting dolls... Du Wei took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze, and no longer paid attention to it. The bus had already begun to move slowly, heading towards the next stop. For some reason, once he took the driver''s seat, his Spirit Vision began to fade gradually. Although he didn''t understand the principle behind this phenomenon, it was ultimately good news. ... Midnight, 11:21. The bus slowed down and came to a stop. This time, the passengers holding ck umbres started to disembark one after another. Du Wei let out a slight sigh of relief. He nced at the rearview mirror and noticed that the two bandaged entities, which are likely Evil Spirits sitting in the seats originally upied by him and Linda, showed no intention of getting off. "Looks like I''ll have to wait for the next one, or maybe the one after that," Du Wei silently told himself in his heart that the chance to leave was approaching. In fact, he didn''t want to stay another moment. If it weren''t for the fact that his Spirit Vision automatically disappeared as soon as he sat in the driver''s seat, and he felt a faint sense of security, he would have already crushed the mirror. Sitting in the driver''s seat of the bus, Du Wei dared not rx and remained vignt, on guard for any dangers that might arise at any moment. He still had plenty of items in his backpack, enough to handle some emergency situations. Suddenly... Du Wei noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the human skin lying on the ground, or more precisely, the half cross that was protruding from his chest pocket. It was covered in rust, but he could vaguely make out the borate relief¡ªsome kind of inscription from the church and angelic patterns. This is¡­ Du Wei furrowed his brows and looked at the silver cross dagger held in his right hand, the inscriptions and patterns on its surface were essentially simr. "It''s something from the church." Du Wei felt an ominous sense and, after pondering for a moment, bent down to pull over the clothes that were originally on the human skin. Besides the rusty cross, Du Wei also found a small booklet in the pocket. The first page read: [Name: Andrew Dowqui] [Date of Birth: November 09, 1856] [Date of Admission: October 14, 1871] [Duty: Exorcism] The second page read: [In 1873, assigned by Bishop Matthew to Jedecra State, resolved fourteen Evil Spirit incidents by 1882 and was awarded the Steel Medal by the church] [In 1883, due to severe Spirit Vision phenomenon, underwent Evil Spirit Transformation. After years of the church''s baptism, the hidden dangers were eliminated, but he lost the ability of Spirit Vision and could only go to Yard City to serve as a bishop] [In 1885, due to an Evil Spirit incident in Yard City, influenced by the Evil Spirit, Andrew Dowqui re-entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision; baptisms were ineffective and in August of the same year, he was enrolled into the Hunters] At this point, an unusual light shone in Du Wei''s eyes. The first two pages of this booklet narrated the life of Andrew Dowqui, but they revealed a great deal of secretive information. For instance, Evil Spirit Transformation and the Third Phase of Spirit Vision mentioned in the second and third points. In this segment of information, the word ''again'' was used, corresponding to Evil Spirit Transformation in the second point, suggesting that there was some connection between the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and Evil Spirit Transformation. Moreover, Du Wei noticed that when Andrew Dowqui re-entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, the baptisms were ineffective, and he was incorporated into a group known as the "Hunters." What exactly were the Hunters?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om And what does the so-called Evil Spirit Transformation mean? Also, Father Tony, who had him board this public bus, was there a connection to this Hunter? Du Wei carefully pondered; the first two questions had no immediate answers, but regarding Father Tony... He thought it was highly unlikely because when the request was made, the goal was only to have Du Wei investigate and contain the two bizarre buses. If Father Tony was aware of the existence of Andrew Dowqui, there would be no need to hide it from him. Because doing so would onlyplicate matters, a superfluous move. With this thought, Du Wei turned to the third page. The pages following the third were filled with information written by Andrew Dowqui himself, akin to diary entries. Du Wei quickly flipped past the initial information, directly searching for entries about this public bus: [1899: June 28] [I''ve received a letter from Matthew. He wants me to investigate a public bus haunted by an Evil Spirit. I have agreed, though my feelings areplex. After so many years, he has entered the higher echelons of the church, leading all Exorcists, while I have be this neither human nor ghost figure,piled into the Hunters. I know this is my fate; my life is destined to struggle against these evil entities. Even if one day I be an Evil Spirit and lose my self-awareness, I will have no regrets] ¡­ [1899: June 30] [I''ve finally found that bus. I attempted to destroy its medium, but regrettably, I failed. It seems as though its medium can never be destroyed] ¡­ [1899: July 1] [It appears that the bus only emerges on rainy days. Today, the rain is particrly heavy. With no other choices, I decided to board the bus and try to destroy it] ¡­ [1899: July 1] [It''s the middle of the night. I''ve spent an entire day on the bus. I''ve discovered that this bus seems to be ferrying Evil Spirits to their destinations. The bus itself seems to be something more terrifying than the Evil Spirits, but I can assure, it''s definitely not an Evil Spirit. It follows its rules, and neither human nor Evil Spirit can defy it] ¡­ [1899: July 2] [It''s now midnight. I am unable to leave this public bus. I feel I''m bing a part of it. I am resisting. Remember, time... time... must remember the time...] Chapter 29 029, Get off Du Wei pocketed Andrew Dowqui''s booklet. He had already learned a portion of the true nature of the bus incident; at this moment, his heart was extraordinarily calm. Then, he nced down at his phone, which had lost its signal, and the time was 11:34. Only 26 minutes remained until midnight. Midnight is a subtle time. It signifies both beginning and end. It can also be interpreted as life and death. Most horror films and novels like to use midnight as a divide; frightening events often ur at this time. Although Du Wei could not understand why Evil Spirits or ghosts favored this time of night for their appearances, it was clear this was indeed what he was encountering. Midnight truly was out of the ordinary. Andrew Dowqui was undoubtedly a very capable Exorcist, or perhaps the term Hunter would be more appropriate. After midnight, he died on the bus, bing part of something else, and so much time had passed since then. The only things that could prove his existence, aside from a piece of human skin and the booklet recording his information, were probably just a list with his name on it somewhere in the church. Du Wei ced Andrew Dowqui''s silver cross dagger into his backpack. He guessed that Andrew Dowqui might not have brought other Exorcism items against Evil Spirits because of the special upation known as Hunter. A Hunter could be understood as a predator. The church''s purpose is to spread faith andbat Evil Spirits. Hunters should be established specifically for the hunting of Evil Spirits; they may possess strengths and abilities beyond ordinary people, which was mentioned in the booklet¡ªEvil Spirit Transformation. At that moment, the bus slowed down and gradually came to a stop. Outside was pitch-ck; a crossroad could vaguely be seen. Du Wei looked at the time on his phone; there were 12 minutes left until midnight. The rear door opened... The two passengers sitting in thest row, wrapped in bandages, stood up and walked down. Du Wei sighed in relief, but at that moment, a cold wind blew against his face and the front door also opened slowly. A man dressed in a decent ck suit, walking with a cane, came on board. He wore a white mask without features on his face, and pinned to his chest was an exquisitely designed,vish and luxurious,pletely golden brooch. If not for the unmasked malice Du Wei felt emanating from him, he might have thought him to be a noble gentleman from high society. It was an Evil Spirit, and this brooch... Du Wei''s face turned very gloomy. Staring intently at the Golden Brooch, Du Wei held the mirror tightly in one hand while beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He was all too familiar with this Golden Brooch. Previously, in the church in North Brook, he had seen ck particles emanating from Mrs. Mina and uncontrobly entered a state of Spirit Vision, where he witnessed an incredibly bizarre Illusion. He stood on a street that seemed to be in a slum, leaning against amppost, with one hand holding the Golden Brooch, stabbing it into his neck, dying in the rain. The Golden Brooch, identical to the one the Evil Spirit was wearing on his chest. "Could it be that I will die here?" A thought shed through Du Wei''s mind, lingering relentlessly. "Wrong, the timelines don''t match up." The Evil Spirit was also looking at Du Wei. Though the mask obscured his face, the unmasked malice gradually made the atmosphere deathly still. Du Wei looked up too, staring coldly at him. Even if the Illusion was real and he really died, it would be after getting off the bus. If the Illusion was fake, then it mattered even less; he only needed to consider whether the Evil Spirit would make a move against him. But obviously, it wouldn''t! Because this eerie bus had its own rules. It wasn''t an Evil Spirit, but some kind of existence that was simr to an Evil Spirit, yet above it. There was some kind of mechanism at work. The Evil Spirit was merely a passenger, wishing to kill another passenger in the case of insufficient seats. Only that other Evil Spirit, whose appearance no one could recall and who had spoken through the African American couple, could vite this rule because it had forced its way onto the bus. The rest of the Evil Spirits seemed willing to abide by this mechanism, otherwise, they would have taken action already. Instead of waiting for new passengers to board and then only acting when there weren''t enough seats. What''s more, his current identity was that of a driver. In the end, After staring at Du Wei for a while, the Evil Spirit moved to a seat and sat down, its posture elegant, yet the malevolence emanating from it intensified. The bus continued to drive. Ahead, one could vaguely see a slum with dpidated houses and a worn-out street. It was almost identical to the illusion Du Wei had seen. Through the rearview mirror, Du Wei looked at the Evil Spirit, his eyes cold as ice. He directly pressed the button to open the rear door. During the journey, the moment the back door opened, the whooshing wind blew in. The Evil Spirit seemed shocked that Du Wei would do such a thing, appeared to be enraged and the lights inside the bus began to flicker wildly, as if about to lose power. Du Wei didn''t even look, and even rang the bus bell to urge it on. At this moment, he was grateful that his role was that of a driver. He remembered when that creepy Scarecrow tried to take Linda off the bus, it got off without hesitation when the bell rang, as though failing to get off would lead to some unknown consequences. Putting together the details from Andrew Dowqui''s diary, one could surmise that if an Evil Spirit refused to get off the bus, the true horror of the bus itself would reveal itself. That was a force that an Evil Spirit could not resist. Indeed, after Du Wei rang the bus bell, the Evil Spirit with a cane and a white mask devoid of facial features stood up, slowly made its way to the door. It was resisting, trying to dy. Du Wei pressed the bus bell again, urging it. It hesitated, gave Du Wei a deep look, then stepped off. Du Wei breathed a sigh of relief, tried to control the bus, turning, elerating, decelerating. Just as he had surmised, he had no influence over it... It seemed all he could do was to press the bus bell, and control the opening and closing of the front and back doors. The slum up ahead was getting closer, and the speed of the bus gradually slowed down, ready to stop. He nced at the time, it was 11:58 PM. Then, without a moment''s hesitation, he crushed the mirror. ...N?v(el)B\\jnn May 19th, 8:00 PM. "I am Du Wei, and I''m still alive." "By crushing that mirror, I managed to get off the bus, but the time as I perceive it seems to be skewed. Four hours on the bus tranted to an entire day in the real world." "The current time is 8:00 PM, the same time when I boarded the bus." "That bus seems to possess some sort of idealistic power, affecting both space and time. Now, I find myself in the eastern city of Manlu, 150 kilometers away from North Brook District of New York City." "But I''ve run into trouble, I''ve discovered that I seem to have entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision." Chapter 30 030. Become an Exorcist? ``` Under the night sky, a light drizzle fell. Compared to the past few days, the rain had lessened. Du Wei walked down the dimly lit street, umbre in hand, backpack on his shoulder. Looking at the palm of his right hand, Du Wei''s eyes carried an unusual hue. He was now in a state of Spirit Vision, and what was different from before was that after getting out of the car, he had been maintaining this state and could even control it. Moreover, he keenly noticed some unknown changes in his right hand. An eerie sense of astonishment filled him. ording to Andrew Dowqui''s brochure, he deduced that he had entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and the disturbing phenomenon of Evil Spirit Transformation had urred. Neither human nor ghost¡ªa term from hunter Andrew Dowqui''s journal, describing the process of Evil Spirit Transformation. Du Wei was getting ustomed to this change. He was well aware of the current situation¡ªbeing gued by an Evil Spirit, and also touching upon a connection with a presence that couldn''t be described in words¡ªthe Nun. He didn''t want to die in obscurity, nor did he want to die at all. So he needed to resolve these issues. That''s why he had agreed to Father Tony''s trade. But now, he didn''t have much hope for the Exorcists of the Church. Maybe the Exorcists could deal with the two Evil Spirits at home, but whether they could handle the Nun remained an unknown. Du Wei felt that this unknown was likely not much greater than zero. He needed the power tobat Evil Spirits. Compared to the Church''s Exorcists, hunters seemed more like the elite of the elite, taking on the mission to hunt down Evil Spirits, wielding power and abilities far greater. Of course. Du Wei scoffed at the so-called mission; he wasn''t a man of faith, nor could he believe in anything¡ªthat was the mindset of a psychologist. To see through appearances to the essence, to always maintain calm and reason, to identify the medium of the Evil Spirit''s existence, to analyze its trigger mechanism, and then find a way to restrict and resolve it. This was the answer Du Wei had for himself. Of course, he knew that trying to fight the Evil Spirits now was like a fool''s dream. When he was on the bus, although facing each passenger seemed effortless, in reality, off the bus, any Evil Spirit that wanted him dead wouldn''t need to exert much effort.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This was an innate advantage. He needed to further the process of Evil Spirit Transformation. As for matters that cameter... such as baptism at the Church... those would be dealt withter. Du Wei lit a cigarette for himself, slowly drawing on it, exhaling plumes of smoke. The state of Spirit Vision quietly faded, and the strange sensation in his right hand disappeared with it, making everything seem normal. ... May 20, 5:32 AM. In the North Brook District''s church in New York, mist lingered after the rain; there was no wind. A Volkswagen sedan parked outside, and after Du Wei got out, he sent a text message to the car rental agency, notifying them to collect the vehicle. This car was rented from a rental agency in Manlu, and once done, the chain''s agency would send someone to pick it up, which was quite convenient for those in need. ``` Standing at the church entrance, Du Wei gave Father Tony a call. A few minutester, the door was pushed open. Father Tony, with tired eyes, walked out and immediately brightened upon seeing Du Wei. "You''ve disappeared for a full day and night, Mr. Du Wei." "Actually, for me, it hasn''t been that long." With a sigh, Du Wei took the hidden camera out of his pocket, "Let''s go inside. I have something I want to talk to you about." ... Once inside Father Tony''s room, the two took their respective seats. "First of all, regarding that bus, I encountered trouble beyond your imagination. Arge part of the information you gave me was useless, and even misled me. You owe me an exnation for that." Du Wei pulled out the SD card from the camera, tossed it to Father Tony, and broached the subject, Father Tony took the SD card and said with a frown, "Dr. Du Wei, as you said, I don''t know much about it. In fact, this matter has troubled me for a long time. But as you know, New York is without an Exorcist right now, and the pressure from the Church is significant... I''m sorry." Du Wei looked at him calmly and said, "I can believe your exnation because I indeed didn''t restrict its movement. However, as your partner, I believe you need to take some responsibility. And you must fulfill the promises you made to me." Father Tony gave a wry smile and said, "My friend, I''d rather you not use that kind ofnguage to look at this. I truly didn''t conceal anything from you. As for my promise, I will fulfill it. But would you agree if I submit the information to the Church first?" After thinking for a moment, Du Wei said, "Of course, my friend. But as you know, I''m currently in a lot of trouble... Well, I might end up dead at the hands of the Evil Spirit at any moment, so the items you gave me before..." "They were for you to begin with; you don''t need to return them to me." Father Tony inserted the SD card into a card reader and plugged it into hisptop. Du Wei shook his head, "No, you''ve misunderstood. I mean, I used up a bottle of Holy Water on the bus. You need to replenish that for me and, also, I need information about the hunters." Frowning, Father Tony said, "That''s not a problem, but the hunter... Where did you hear about that? I don''t recall ever mentioning it to you, did I?" At this point, Father Tony''sputer had read the information on the SD card. He clicked on a video file, which showed what happened after Du Wei boarded the bus. Hearing this, Du Wei rubbed his forehead and said, "The end of the video will exin, but I can tell you in advance, that driver is a member of the Church''s hunters¡ªAndrew Dowqui." "What? Bishop Andrew? Are you sure?" The color drained from Father Tony''s face, and he quickly scrolled to the end of the video to see the scene where Du Wei pulled the human-skin-covered Andrew Dowqui from the driver''s seat. "Fuck, how could you do this! He was a bishop, the most devout believer. Mr. Du Wei, you''ve gone too far!" With a cold smile, Du Wei said, "What do you think I could have done in that situation? The bus was full of Evil Spirits. If you were in my ce, would you have given up the hope of surviving for some ridiculous so-called respect?" Continuing, he said, "I must say, Father Tony, you''re really not fit to be an Exorcist. Your character limits you. Indeed, it''s quite good to be a logistician rather than an Exorcist." Father Tony remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "You''re right. As for the information on hunters, I''m not clear on that either. My position in the Church isn''t high enough to ess such core secrets. But what I can tell you is that the status of hunters is quite awkward right now." "Oh?" Du Wei raised an eyebrow, "Why? As far as I know, hunters are supposed to be those who specifically hunt Evil Spirits. They face more dangers and should be more respected." Father Tony''s expression wasplicated as he organized his thoughts before speaking, "Those who walk with Evil Spirits will eventually be transformed by them. Their will may be corrupted, their faith may suffer spiritual corruption, and they be uncontrobly dangerous." "In fact, there are only five hunter members in the Church right now, all confined to the dungeons beneath Church Headquarters." "Only in case of a Demon Spirit event are they allowed to take action." "We fear them because, in a way, hunters are another kind of Evil Spirit." Expressionless, Du Wei''s eyes flickered with an indiscernible emotion as he spoke in a deep voice, "I see. Thank you, Father Tony. I was thinking that if the Church stationed hunters in New York, my problems would easily be solved." Father Tony slowly shook his head, "That''s impossible. But don''t worry too much, the time you''ve been afflicted by the Evil Spirit is short; it shouldn''t have a major impact. Moreover, while you were gone, I received notification from the Church. A new Exorcist will arrive in New York this week." "By the way, I see great potential in you. Your calm and wisdom have amazed me. Have you ever considered bing an Exorcist?" Chapter 31 031. Missed Appointment (Please Favorite/Recommend) ``` Leaving the church. Du Wei smoked a cigarette, backpacked, and walked on the main street, repeatedly pondering information about hunters. One bad news, one good news. The bad news was that the church''s attitude towards hunters now was wholly different from that of thest century; they almost treated hunters like evil spirits and remained vignt. If he exposed that he had entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and encountered an Evil Spirit Transformation, he could be sure that the church would definitely send someone to capture him, even throw him into an underground prison. The good news, however, was that no one knew about this. Father Tony didn''t seem to notice his change, only thinking he was an ordinary person eroded by an evil spirit who asionally entered Spirit Vision. Or rather... An Exorcist in preparation. Yes! For the time being, his identity was that of an external associate. As for how to restrain "It"¡ªthe nun. Father Tony told Du Wei the method, but it required some preparation and time. "It" was something more fearsome than an Evil Spirit, a concept of horror akin to memetic concepts in certain novels... ... "Ding..." The ringtone of the phone sounded. As Du Wei prepared to walk home, he took out his phone and, after seeing that the contact name was Alex, he couldn''t help but feel a bit of a headache. He knew why the other party was calling. In fact, after getting off the vehicle, he found a time discrepancy, and there were already more than 20 missed calls from Alex. Well... He had missed his own appointment. On the bus, there was a lengthy period when the phone had no signal, and he had preemptively removed the SIM card to prevent uncontroble situations. "Hello... Alex, good morning." Du Wei didn''t like dealing with non-patient women, he was not good at it, and his words seemed insincere. Therefore, the female voice on the other end of the line wasced with a sneer. "Mr. Du Wei, Dr. Du Wei, you must be very busy, right? Yesterday was our date, and what did you do? I called you more than 20 times, from morning to evening, tell me, you did that on purpose, didn''t you?" Du Wei''s eyelids twitched wildly, and he hurriedly said, "I can exin." Alex scoffed coldly, "Exin? How can you exin? You stood me up for the entire day on our first date. Using your Eastern expression, are you the King of Pigeons?" Du Wei responded with a bitter smile, "I''m really sorry, but I truly hadn''t anticipated this." Alex let out a sardonicugh, "Then please tell me, what were you doing yesterday? From morning to evening, didn''t you n your time at all? Don''t you know that not giving a single exnation and suddenly standing up a girl makes you look very... I don''t want to say foulnguage." Du Wei was bombarded furiously, yet not once did he get angry. The whole matter from start to finish, though not his fault objectively, made Alex the victim; instead, he yed a role leaning towards that of a scumbag. "Where are you now, I''lle find you!" Du Wei looked around at the nearby streets. "North Brook District, Pedestrian Street number 17." Alex hung up the phone immediately, seemingly ready toe and chastise him. Du Wei stood still in ce,plying. Fortunately, it was not raining anymore; otherwise, he felt he would definitely look like an idiot. ... He smoked one cigarette after another. Passersby kept casting peculiar nces towards Du Wei, who had been standing in ce for half an hour. If not for the branded clothing he wore, some might have mistaken him for a homeless person. ```N?v(el)B\\jnn At that moment, the sound of screeching brakes filled the air. A ck Aston Martin One-77 pulled up at the street corner, prompting gasps and stares from many onlookers. The One-77 was thetest model, with a price tag of around 10 million, and it wasn''t just purchasable off the shelf¡ªone had to ce an order a year in advance. Those who could afford such elite luxury cars were among the social elites of the entire New York. Du Wei nced at the car, the kind he couldn''t afford in a lifetime of work, and then turned his attention elsewhere. He was very poor now, almost cleaned out after that strange deal with Alex and the antique clock. During this time, besides looking for ways to deal with the trouble he found himself in, he was nning to make some money by contacting past patients he had treated. Suddenly... A woman''s voice filled with resentment rang out, directed at Du Wei. "Don''t you even deign to give me a nce? Am I really that unattractive?" Taken aback, Du Wei turned his head to see the door of the Aston Martin One-77 open with Alex sitting inside, her face a picture of annoyance and helplessness. "Is this your car?" Du Wei was somewhat dumbfounded. He remembered thest time Alex came to his psychotherapy clinic, she had driven a brand-new convertible BMW M4... Alex asked in confusion, "Why would you ask such a strange question? Hurry up and get in. I don''t want to be gawked at like a monkey; it makes me pretty ufortable!" Du Wei''s mouth twitched, and he reluctantly made his way over. He got into the passenger seat, and the door closed. Alex stepped on the gas and the One-77 sped off like a ck specter down the street, drawing the gaze of many. Surveying the luxurious interior of the car, Du Wei couldn''t help but ask, "What about that convertible M4 you drovest time?" Alex replied nonchntly, "Oh, that one? I drove it once and didn''t like it much, so I just left it in the garage." Left it in the garage... Just drove it once... Du Wei had always thought he wasn''t short on money, but Alex''s words suddenly brought on aplex swirl of emotions. So it was a new car that hadn''t been registered... "By the way, aren''t you going to give me an exnation?" Alex cocked her head and huffed at Du Wei. She had spent an hour on makeup for their date yesterday and had specially splurged over a hundred thousand on a new dress, even securing a reservation at the most upscale couple''s restaurant in the center of New York City. And what did this man do? He actually had the audacity to stand her up... Hearing Alex''s words, an embarrassed Du Wei said, "I''m really sorry... I had other thingse up, and then some unforeseen circumstances arose, so I missed our date..." "So that''s what it was... Other things, no wonder," Alex replied with an oh, giving Du Wei a meaningful look. "So to you, other things are more important than our date?" After thinking for a moment, Du Wei said, "In a sense, yes, because that matter is indeed very important to me." Alex said displeasedly, "Fine, I choose to forgive you. But I hope that if something like this happens again, you''ll let me know in advance instead of leaving me to sit like an idiot in a couple''s restaurant all day. Do you know what? Those damn waiters even wanted to ce a doll opposite me. Were they mocking me?" Du Wei didn''t reply and, looking at the direction they were heading, asked, "Where are we going now?" "Of course, we''re going on a date. You did remember to get me a gift, didn''t you?" As she spoke, Alex continued, "I even went to your ce to deliver the gift. Since there was no mailbox, I could only leave a note. I guess you would see it when you get home!" "Hm? Du Wei, why aren''t you speaking?" "You look a bit pale, are you sick?" Chapter 32 032, Note "I''m fine, Alex, it''s just..." "Just what?" "Nothing, I mean, I forgot to prepare a gift for you." "Well, that''s to be expected, but I didn''t forget." Alex''s luxury sports car cruised down the street, turning heads and looking incredibly cool. Inside the car. Du Wei, with a calm expression, casually took the gift box prepared by Alex and put it into his backpack, then gazed continuously at Alex''s face. Her features were exquisite and fair, and she looked even more beautiful and captivating with makeup. She was a remarkably attractive Caucasian woman who would be considered wless even by Eastern aesthetics. But in the Spirit Vision state, Du Wei noticed that there were misty ck particles swirling around Alex. And then, he saw an Illusion. ... The location was Alex''s home. The time was deep into the night, and the room was dimly lit by a singlemp. Alexy quietly on the couch, wearing a ck Cheriti camisole dress, her slender and beautiful figure fully disyed. Then, her body eerily floated up as if controlled by some force, her limbs bending at unnatural angles against the joints... Suddenly...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Du Wei''s eyes felt a bit dry; the Illusion ended there. Seeing this, Alex asked him in confusion, "Are you sure you don''t need me to take you to the hospital?" Du Wei rubbed his eyes and replied, "No, thank you." He had seen Illusions twice while in the state of Spirit Vision. The first time, he saw himself holding a Golden Brooch, stabbing it into his neck in a suicide. The second time, it was about Alex... He felt it might signify something, foresee the future? Unlikely... A sign? After some thought, Du Wei raised his eyebrows and said while looking at Alex''s slender figure, "By the way, do you have a ck Cheriti camisole dress... Its design is roughly..." As he spoke, Du Wei described the style of the ck camisole dress he had seen. "Huh? How did you know that!" Alex, while driving, casually exined, "That''s a dress I bought for a date, I don''t think I''ve mentioned it to you, have I?" "You haven''t, but I took a look at the Cheriti official website, and a dress worth over a hundred thousand was bought two days ago. Thinking about it, it must have been you who bought it." "Hmm, I didn''t expect you to be so attentive, discovering even this." "It''s a pity though, my makeup today isn''t suitable for that dress. I''ll wear it for you another day; I think you''ll definitely like it." Alex didn''t dwell on it, getting sidetracked by Du Wei''s casual excuse. Du Wei also smiled faintly but started pondering deeply in his mind. His reason for asking was just to verify how credible the Illusions he was seeing were. Now it seemed that a part of them was based in reality. It could be interpreted as some sort of power of Spirit Vision. But it was uncontroble and there was no way to know if everyone entering the Spirit Vision state had such abilities. Rationally speaking, it''s highly unlikely; otherwise, the Evil Spirit would have beenpletely dealt with by now. At this thought, Du Wei furrowed his brows. So, will Alex die at the hands of an Evil Spirit? ording to the Illusion, the Evil Spirit that would kill her in the future was the same one that killed Roy, in other words, the most threatening one in his own home. Therefore, Du Wei calmly said to Alex, "Do you believe that ghosts exist in this world?" "Hm?" Alex, who was driving, was taken aback by Du Wei''s sudden question, appearing somewhat surprised. She turned her head and said with a smirk to Du Wei, "Is this a new pick-up line trend? If I say I don''t believe, are you going to tell me you encountered some messed-up things, then share some weird news stories trying to scare me, making me think you''re more mysterious?" "Hey, you should know that a lot of people are after me. Tricks have no meaning; you can be more direct." At this point, Alex gave Du Wei a meaningful nce. If it had been any other man, she would''ve coldly stopped the car and kicked him out long ago. But with Du Wei, could she take it as a straight man finally getting a clue? Then, Du Wei took out a silver cross dagger from his pocket, the very first one Father Tony had sold to him. He also took out a bottle of Holy Water from his backpack. "What is this?" "A silver cross dagger soaked in Holy Water and a bottle of Holy Water for Exorcism." Alex: ??? ... Afternoon, 15:28. An One77 parked across the street from the psychological clinic. The car door opened, and Alex reluctantly walked Du Wei to the door. "I had a great time today, thank you." "Oh, and I still don''t believe in ghosts, but I really like the gift you gave me." Looking at the calm-faced, extraordinary Du Wei, Alex''s heart fluttered. Even though she didn''t understand why this man would give her such a unique gift, she happily epted it. She valued the sentimental significance more. Hearing this, Du Wei nodded and said to her, "If you run into any trouble, remember to call me anytime." The silver cross dagger and Holy Water he gave her were church-standard items capable ofbating Evil Spirits. If that Evil Spiritid a hand on Alex, doing as he had said should keep her safe. The premise being, Alex would heed his instructions, take a bath with the Holy Water when she got home, and carry the silver cross dagger with her. "Alright..." Alex gave Du Wei an ''okay'' gesture with a smile, then turned and got back into the car. Du Wei watched her leave, then turned, pushed open the door, and walked in. Inside, there was silence, and the lighting was dim. Du Wei threw his backpack onto the sofa and opened the windows one by one. Soon, the room became much brighter. If not for the knowledge that there were two Evil Spirits and an eerie Antique Clock inside, Du Wei would already be receiving patients seeking psychological counseling. These past few days, he had received quite a few appointments and follow-up consultations from patients he had met before. At that moment, Du Wei frowned. He sensed something wasn''t quite right. The sound of the clock hands moving became slower and slower. Suddenly, he looked up at the Antique Clock on the wall. He saw a piece of paper twisted into a ball, stuck in the clock face, exactly jamming the ovepping hands. The hands were struggling to move, but to little avail; they grew weaker and weaker. Finally, they came to aplete stop. Drip, drip, drip... From the upstairs bathroom, there was the sound of dripping water as if the faucet hadn''t been tightened properly. The TV on the first floor turned on automatically, flickering with static as if it had lost the signal. Bang... All the windows and doors shut simultaneously. The entire house fell into darkness. Some bnce had been broken with the halt of the Antique Clock, and from the shadows, an unhidden malice surged towards Du Wei. Chapter 33 033, thats it? Inside the house. Du Wei looked at the antique clock on the wall with an expressionless face, then turned his head to check the tightly closed doors and windows, his eyes extremely calm. He directly entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. At the same time, an eerie and unusual sensation appeared on Du Wei''s right hand. At this moment, under the state of Spirit Vision, the entire interior of the housepletely changed. He saw a shadowy figure standing at the door, its facial features indiscernible, only a pair of numb, cold eyes lingered in his mind. This was the second Evil Spirit. On the sofa sat a woman, staring at the television screen, her skin very smooth, but covered with dark brown spots. The antique clock on the wall was wrapped in threads like spider silk entwining the note, seemingly trying to remove it, but to no avail. Du Wei took a deep breath, and for no apparent reason, he suddenly remembered a meme that had been popr online¡ª"Times have changed, old man." Ever since he heard that Alex had been at his doorstep, although he didn''t know why this woman and Roy were different, not dying at the hands of the Evil Spirit, he became vignt. Evil Spirits possess intelligence; they have their own set of behavior rules and triggers, but they are not mechanical puppets. Therefore, before he entered the door, he had ced a bottle of Holy Water in his pocket, and the silver cross dagger he got from Andrew Dowqui was also ready at his side. He was well-prepared. Therefore, Du Wei was not at all panicked; in fact, he had long been ustomed to the presence of Evil Spirits, his emotions showing no fluctuations. Pulling out the silver cross dagger, although it had been subjected to decades of wear and tear, its edge was still sharp. Du Wei took out the Holy Water from his pocket, sprinkled it on the surface of the dagger, then threw the rest at the woman sitting on the sofa. With a hiss... it was as if it had been corroded by sulfuric acid, a puff of white smoke arose, and a woman''s scream echoed in Du Wei''s heart. Then she disappeared. But he knew, Evil Spirits did not die that easily. Turning around, he held the dagger in his left hand and stepped towards the door. From the beginning to the end, the most dangerous one was the Evil Spirit at the door. Its spreading ability was the strongest, capable of influencing the physical realm, and it had killed the most people. "Come, let me see why those who enter the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and undergo the Evil Spirit Transformation are called ''hunters''." Du Wei''s right hand stroked the surface of the dagger, his face expressionless, and the Evil Spirit at the door seemed to sense something, blinking and then disappearing instantly. Thump, thump, thump... Thump, thump, thump... Thump, thump, thump... The scene before his eyes distorted, and a shrill, piercing buzzing noise filled his ears. Du Wei frowned, he found himself in the innermost part of the upstairs restroom, the outside door locked, with persistent knocking that grew stronger and stronger, as if something was about to break through the door and burst in. "Is this an illusion?!" He silently said to himself, then walked over to the washbasin. The faucet wasn''t turned off and was still flowing with water, gradually bing fuller and murkier, slowly turning a crimson red and overflowing the entire basin. Smelling the blood in the air, Du Wei held his breath in disgust and directly plunged his right hand into the basin. In an instant, the blood in the basin seemed to boil, the odious scent potent, with a thick mist of red vapor enveloping the ce. "It seems I can touch it now?" Du Wei felt as if his right hand had grasped something and pulled it out directly, revealing a woman''s face. At the same time. He felt that under this state of Spirit Vision, his right hand was showing a tendency to undergo an Evil Spirit Transformation, although it was barely noticeable, it certainly existed. "I think I understand now." Du Wei narrowed his eyes, ignoring the banging on the door behind him, instead examining the woman''s face he was holding in his right hand. This was the first time he had been in such close contact with an Evil Spirit, and he even had the upper hand.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The woman''s face was a bizarre white, as if painted with ayer ofcquer, wrinkled, her eyes wide open, bloodshot, appearing extremely horrifying and unsettling. But... This had no effect on Du Wei, it hadn''t scared him before, let alone now. He thought for a moment, then pressed the woman''s face back into the basin, opened the plug, and let it wash away into the drain. The threat this thing posed wasn''t particrly great; at most, it built up energy from the negative emotions it caused by scaring people, until it reached a tipping point where it could be considered a real threat. Du Wei didn''t think he would be scared... Moreover, he needed the presence of these Evil Spirits. Then, Du Wei turned to look at the bathroom door. Bang Bang! The door trembled as the force of something hitting it caused screws to graduallye loose. Since it was the bathroom, the materials chosen during the renovations weren''t of the best quality. "Maybe I should rece all the doors in the house with iron ones?" Du Wei thought of a dark joke, then shook his head and yanked the door open. He stabbed out with the knife in hand. Into thin air. The scene around him changed once again. Du Wei''s eyes were dry, and he gripped the dagger a little tighter, realizing he had returned to the living room on the first floor. Everything was as usual. Except that the doors and windows had all been shut, it seemed as if nothing had happened. Instead, it was he himself, holding a dagger, like some murderer out of a TV drama. "Gone?" Du Wei fell silent for a minute, then exited the Third Phase of the Spirit Vision. Truthfully, he used to hope that all the Evil Spirits in his house would be wiped out, left to bother someone else. But now, he very much wished there were more Evil Spirits at home. Spirit Vision was a manifestation of being corroded by an Evil Spirit, and the Third Phase represented an Evil Spirit Transformation. From prey to hunter. Although Du Wei was still a green hunter, not yet able to truly kill an Evil Spirit, he was no longer the powerless him of before. So he needed to interact with Evil Spirits, to elerate his own corruption. At the very least... to be able to contain that strange thing that could not be described in words¡ªthe Nun. Just thinking of the horror that Father Tony had mentioned about it when he left the church made Du Wei''s heart sink slightly. He was not yet a true hunter... He sighed, walked over to the wall, and removed the wad of paper that was stopping the hands of the antique clock. Click-click-click... The hands started moving again, still ovepping as before: the second hand, the minute hand, the hour hand. He unfolded the paper. It contained the following message: Dear Mr. Du Wei, this is our first date, although you stood me up, which made me very angry, I will personally take this up with you when you appear. Also, you seem to never wear a watch; could it be because you don''t like them? Well... you never mentioned this to me, so I went ahead and got you a watch. I hope you like it¡ªAlex. ... After reading the message on the note, Du Wei felt a bit of a headache. She got him a watch? Thinking it over, Du Wei went over to the couch and opened his backpack. There were a lot of things inside. Two bottles of Holy Water¡ªFather Tony had replenished them and given him two more as a reward for agreeing to be an Exorcist. A bottle of Bone Powder¡ªpowder left over after killing certain special Evil Spirits, to be ignited before use. A white cloth¡ªmade by the church, the exact method of production was unknown, but the shroud that Father Tony had given him came from it, with stronger effects. A book¡ªcontaining records of Exorcism Rituals and some information on Evil Spirits. And finally, the gift box from Alex. Du Wei took it out and opened it to take a look. Hmm... A Patek Philippe luxury watch, a replica of the tenth anniversary model. Worth over three hundred thousand... Chapter 34 034, Sense of suppression Late at night, 10:10. In the high-endmunity of Furman, North Brook District. Many wealthy people choose to settle here, not only because of its reliable security resources, but also its geography and the potential for appreciation in the future. Even an ordinary house requires over 700,000 dors. And Alex''s house, though not overly luxurious, would stillmand a price tag of over a million dors to secure. At this moment, in her home, Alex, who had a date with Du Wei all day, was in high spirits as shey in her upscale bathtub, letting the hot water ease the fatigue from her body. Compared to many other rich girls, she did not like to act all high and mighty. Hence, after graduation, she chose to live on her own in the North Brook area of New York. "Dear Mr. Du Wei, I wonder if you''re asleep now?" Seemingly reminded of something, Alex suddenly smiled and talked to herself. Throughout her life, she had never been attracted to a man, but unexpectedly, she met Du Wei. "An interesting Eastern gentleman." Standing up from the bathtub, the warm water flowed down her smooth, fair skin, rosy through the white, making her appear even more alluring. The epitome of a fair-skinned and rich beauty fit her perfectly. Casually wrapping herself in a towel she took from the bathroom rack, Alex went into the living room. On the coffee table in the living room, There was a silver cross dagger and a bottle of Holy Water. Of course, in Alex''s eyes, these were nothing more than a cross and so-called Holy Water. She didn''t quite believe in all that hocus-pocus. If it weren''t for Du Wei''s insistence that these two items were gifts from the church and cost nothing, Alex might even think that this Eastern man had been swindled. Subconsciously, Alex picked up the bottle of Holy Water and examined it. Although these two gifts might not be worth as much as a single cosmetic item to her, Anything from Du Wei was considered more luxurious than any other gift. Suddenly, the chandelier in the living room flickered. It was brief, but Alex noticed that the brightness seemed to decrease, dimming the room a bit. "What''s going on? Is it broken?" Alex frowned, stood up, looked up at the chandelier overhead, and then helplessly shook her head, "Forget it, I''ll have someone from the property managemente tomorrow, or maybe I''ll just buy a new one." With that, she didn''t give it another thought. However, as she settled down again, a knocking sound came from outside the door. Thump thump thump... Calm, rhythmic. "Bang..." Startled by the knocking, Alex identally overturned the ss bottle with Holy Water, scattering ss shards all over the floor. "Just a moment, please." Alex felt a bit distressed, not because the broken bottle sshed her with water, but because she was so careless as to damage one of the two gifts Du Wei had given her. Damn it, who could be knocking at thiste hour! She had few friends in North Brook, and if someone was to visit, they would have called in advance. The only ones who could be so impolite were probably the property''s security staff. It seems I need to consider moving to another house orining about those idiotic security guards! As she thought this, Alex couldn''t help but outline an enchanting smile on her lips. Perhaps, being neighbors with Du Wei wouldn''t be such a bad idea? She wrapped her bathrobe tightly and donned a coat before approaching the door. Generally, more expensive houses have two doors: one for fire safety and one for security. Alex first peered through the peephole to check outside. It was dim, she saw nothing. The knocking had also stopped. Immediately, Alex furrowed her brow and asked, "Is anyone there?" She received no response. "Strange... Did I hear wrong?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Shaking her head in bewilderment, Alex didn''t dwell on it, but as she turned around, she noticed that, at some point, the chandelier''s light had returned to normal. ... Meanwhile, elsewhere. Du Wei''s home was pitch-dark, eerily silent. He wasn''t feeling well and seemedpletely exhausted. Spirit Vision greatly drains one''s energy. Moreover, frequent contact with Evil Spirits can easily make a person''s spirit fragile. Although Du Wei, being a psychologist, was quite good at self-regtion, fatigue and weariness still prompted him to turn off the lights and rest early. In the living room on the first floor. The Antique Clock on the wall kept ticking in its endless cycle. From the shadows, a piece of paper gradually emerged from under the sofa, slowly moving towards the corner as if an invisible hand was manipting it. Upon closer inspection, the note read¡ª"Cigarettes are at my ce, pleasee and get them." Gradually, the note moved under the Antique Clock. A gust of wind picked it up, covering it over the clock face. But just as the note touched the clock face. A snap sounded. The note instantlybusted. In less than a second, it burned to ash. ... May 21st, Thursday, 5:20 AM. "Huff..." Du Wei woke from his dream, exhaling a long breath of stale air, his disheveled hair sticking to his forehead, giving off an air of decadence. He was sweating profusely, his heart racing abnormally, appearing utterly haggard. "Damn it! It''s that dream again!" Du Wei rubbed his throbbing forehead, his eyes ice cold. Clearly. He had experienced the same dream again. In the dream. It was still his own house. Hey on his bed, as if pinned down by a ghost, unable to open his eyes or move, only feeling something silently hovering above him, and from the tip of his nose, the dripping of sticky, cold liquid. At the end of the dream, he saw. The thing wearing a clergy nun''s attire, floating above him, eyes meeting eyes, bodies parallel. And this time, the dream was somewhat out of the ordinary. Du Wei realized that the distance it hovered above him was shrinking. Based on the current rate, in no more than a week, it would make direct contact with him. Although it was a dream, it certainly was not a good omen. "Looks like I need to figure something out, can''t put all my hopes on the church''s Exorcist." He sat up in bed, his deep-set eyes staring intently at his Right Hand. In the dream, this was the only limb unaffected. Spirit Vision... Evil Spirit Transformation... Du Wei''s expression turned cold, then he chuckled, pulled out his phone, and walked towards the door. When he reached the top of the second-floor staircase, his gaze drifted across the living room and lingered for a moment under the Antique Clock. He saw a small pile of ash, as if something had been burned there. The phone call connected at that moment. ... "I had that dream again." "Hmm... your voice sounds a bit off, are you..." "Don''t worry, I''m all right, but Father Tony, I need your help now. Of course, you could also see it as, me helping you." "What do you mean?" "I need to find some work to do, the kind that involves Evil Spirits." Chapter 35 035, Familiar Woman (Please Collect and Recommend) 10:31 AM. Du Wei, holding a stack of papers, sat down on the sofa. Opposite him were the restrained-looking Mina and her child. Initially, before the oppressive feeling of that dream had set in¡ªyesterday, to be exact¡ªDu Wei had nned to get in touch with some of his former patients whose medical records seemed quite strange and were possibly rted to an Evil Spirit. For instance, on January 12, Mia and her family came to consult about their condition, apanied by a family member. They imed that a doll that could not be destroyed or lost had appeared in their home¡ªAnnabelle. For instance, on February 17, a little girl named Reagan, after a session of Spirit Summoning, believed she was a man named Hoddy; her parents, however, said Hoddy was an imaginary friend conjured up by Reagan. For instance, on February 28, the boy who suffered from coulrophobia¡­ But after having that dream, Du Wei temporarily suppressed the idea, as it required time. So, he decided to make preparations on two fronts. ... Recollecting his thoughts, Du Wei nced at Mina opposite him, then filled out the following information on the form on the paper. [Name: Mina] [Age: 34] [Gender: Female] [upation: None at present] [Condition: Specifically, having dreams about the death of her brother and husband, with sleeping time increasing and always feeling like there''s an unseen person following her] With thest word written, Du Wei put down the pen. "Father Tony has told me about the general situation over the phone, so, Mrs. Mina... no, Mrs. Mina, I may need to discuss some details with you," As he spoke, Du Wei nced at the child leaning against Mrs. Mina. This was a 14-year-old blonde girl, looking down, seemingly somewhat introverted. Mrs. Mina sighed involuntarily upon hearing Du Wei''s words, "I will tell you everything." Her expression was somewhat vacant, as if lost in reminiscence, and she looked more aged than she actually was due to a slight hunch in her back. "Mr. Exorcist, I... I don''t know how to exin, what I''ve encountered is veryplicated. The church seems to have been considering it all this time, and they haven''t given me a definite answer, so actually, it''s just me who feels that I''ve encountered an Evil Spirit," Du Wei nodded calmly, "I''ve heard about this from Father Tony, but I am someone who resolves issues, so please don''t worry about it." "Okay..." Mrs. Mina rxed a little bit and then continued with some anxiety, "The thing is, my brother, Luke Conan Doyle, died in an incident involving an Evil Spirit. It was about after midnight on the second day that I dreamed about him." "I remember it very clearly, the dream was set in his recording studio at home. Um... he was a voice actor, specializing in dubbing for certain shows, you are aware of this profession, aren''t you?" Du Wei hummed in acknowledgment, gesturing for her to continue. "That''s good, I was worried you wouldn''t understand the scene I''m describing." Mrs. Mina''s expression eased slightly but then tensed up again, "The recording studio wasn''trge, but it had good sound instion. He was standing outside the recording booth, expressionless and soaking wet, as if he had been through a rain shower." "At that time, I had already lost contact with him, and I had reported it to the police, so the first thing I did was ask him where he was. He didn''t answer me, instead, he pointed at the recording studio''s door, as if hinting at something." "Then, what devastated me was that the moment he pointed at the door, the studio''s door opened. His whole body seemed to be yanked by some force at high speed, and the next second he was inside the studio, with the door closing behind him." "But I found that my perspective had also entered the studio." Hearing this, Du Wei couldn''t help but picture the scene of the studio in his mind, its cramped space symbolizing urgency and psychological oppression. Mrs. Mina continued, "I saw him unnaturally floating up, then his whole body twisted together, from head to toe, his clothes melding with his flesh into a contorted mass. Blood sttered all over the studio, and I just watched him, powerless. I wanted to scream, but couldn''t make a sound. I wanted to escape, but found that I couldn''t move my gaze." "Blood... more and more of it. Soon, I realized that the blood on the floor of the studio was rising frantically. I could even feel that stench and sticky sensation crawling over every inch of my skin." "After I woke up, I waspletely drained, as though I had died." "I almost fell apart, Exorcist sir, I told my husband about it, but he simply wouldn''t believe me. What should I do?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Mrs. Mina finished speaking and couldn''t help but sob softly, her face buried in her hands, her body shaking uncontrobly. And Du Wei just hummed calmly, in reality, he couldn''t empathize. However, as an "Exorcist," it was natural for him to appear a bit more sympathetic. So, Du Weiforted her, saying, "I understand your fear and dread. Rest assured, I will do my utmost to help you resolve this. Please tell me what happened next." "Hmm, thank you, Exorcist sir." Mrs. Mina expressed her gratitude and then said, "Later, I had another dream, this time about my husband. He was the director of arge auction house. I''m not clear about the specifics, but I suspect his death had something to do with an auction item." "Arge auction house? Did he work at Berson in the heart of New York City?" "Yes, at Berson Auction House." "Hmm, that certainly is arge auction house. And what was the auction item?" With this, Du Wei frowned, for he had asked Alex afterward where the Antique Clock was purchased, and it was indeed from Berson Auction House. And also being an auction item... Subconsciously, Du Wei nced at the Antique Clock hanging on the wall. The ovepping hands were still revolving tirelessly, as if they would never stop. Mrs. Mina was unaware of Du Wei''s thoughts, she was just recalling the events in her dream and continued to describe. "It was a Golden Brooch, my husband had mentioned it before. It dates back to thest century and seems to have some religious significance, with a series of letters on it that someone intentionally ground off, leaving only a faint ''va'' visible; of course, he wasn''t sure." "Oh, right, thest time I saw him in the dream was before thest time we met, it was raining that day. I dreamed he was on a bus, wearing that Golden Brooch on his chest." "I waved at him, but he just pointed at the Golden Brooch, then as if trying to tell me something, opened his mouth and shouted loudly, but I couldn''t hear anything." "Then, he seemed desperate, no longer paying attention to me, instead he frantically mmed his body against the bus door. I guess he was trying to escape, but it was to no avail." "I kept calling his name in the dream, but he couldn''t hear me at all, and he kept hitting, quickly bleeding profusely. I was powerless and could only watch him bang against the door until he... until I woke from the dream." "And yesterday, I had another dream..." "It was about myself¡­" Chapter 36 036, Possessed by an Evil Spirit? 10:50. When Mrs. Mina mentioned that she had dreamt about herself, Du Wei put down his pencil, ceasing his writing on the paper. Sitting across from him, Mrs. Mina''splexion turned exceptionally ghastly, her eyes zed and limbs shaking uncontrobly, as if afflicted by some sort of illness. Du Wei knew this was a natural reaction when faced with a terrifying fragment of experience. Thus, he spoke calmly, "Please stay calm, Mrs. Mina, otherwise our conversation may not proceed normally, and besides, you wouldn''t want to frighten your child, would you?" As his words reached the air, Du Wei nced at the blonde little girl who kept her head down, silent. For some reason, he always felt that this little girl was eerily calm. Unnaturally so, for a child of her age. After a moment''s thought, Du Wei entered into the state of Spirit Vision. Before his eyes, wisps of ethereal ck spider silk-like things still clung around Mrs. Mina; of course, they were illusory. And her daughter, she was the source... Du Wei saw that when the blonde little girl kept her head down, her body harbored a kind of profound malice. "Please continue," he prompted. Du Wei absent-mindedly rubbed the pencil in his hand and suddenly smiled. At the same time, he exited the Spirit Vision state, his bodyrgely unaffected as long as he didn''t enter the Third Phase. Moreover, in his own home, even with the presence of an Evil Spirit, he didn''t need to worry about his own safety. At this moment, Mrs. Mina across from him wasn''t swayed by Du Wei''s words back to rationality; instead, she teetered on the edge of copse, struggling to stay calm, yetpletely unable to suppress that innate fear. "I... I... Mr. Exorcist, I''m feeling very..." "Frightened?" "Yes, very afraid, very scared..." "Then let''s keep it brief. Did you dream that you died?" "...Yes, I died three dayster." "Why three dayster?" "Because I saw the calendar." "So... in the dream, did your image give you any hints? Like how your brother pointed at the door, or your husband trying to convey a message to you?" "Don''t speak..." "Hmm? What do you mean?" "In my dream, my image gestured to me to be quiet, not to speak." Du Wei frowned, pondering, yet found it difficult toprehend the hint of silence. The hint Luke Conan Doyle left for Mrs. Mina before his death was a door, which, although not easy to exin, bes quite understandable when considering he died at the hands of an Evil Spirit in his own home. Hearing, seeing, and certain actions like opening and closing doors, even inviting it into one''s home, all these can be mediums that trigger an Evil Spirit to kill. As for Mrs. Mina''s husband, he should be rted to thest Evil Spirit Du Wei encountered on the bus. The same Golden Brooch, and for some unknown reason, he might have be one of the Evil Spirits he had witnessed; the message he wanted to convey could be rted to the Golden Brooch.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Is it the letters on it? ... Retracting his thoughts. Du Wei looked at Mrs. Mina and said with as gentle a tone as possible, "I''ve basically gathered the specifics of your situation, Mrs. Mina. I must say, your dream is extraordinary. From what you''ve described, I can confirm that both your brother and husband died at the hands of an Evil Spirit." Mrs. Mina became somewhat agitated, "Thank you, Mr. Exorcist. The church has always disbelieved my dreams, they even refuse to deal with this matter." Du Wei spoke indifferently, "I willmunicate your situation to the church. However, the problem now is, you might die, and I temporarily don''t know what exactly the Evil Spirit around you is." As he said this, he nced at Mrs. Mina''s daughter without leaving a trace, but the other party kept her head down and showed no abnormal reaction. She seemed to be fearing something... Mrs. Mina paused for a moment, then asked, "I''ve heard from Father Tony that an Exorcism Ritual should be able to solve the problem I have, right?" Du Wei shook his head: "In theory, yes, but first we have to confirm the presence of the Evil Spirit, locate it, and then we can eliminate it, whether it''s through an Exorcism Ritual or some other method. This is what I hope you understand." "It has to do with the person who you always feel is following you, the one you cannot see." As he said this, Du Wei''s gaze was on the daughter of Mrs. Mina. Disappointingly, she had no reaction, still like a child with autism. Mrs. Mina, not noticing Du Wei''s action, furrowed her brows and said, "But after entering your house, I couldn''t feel its presence anymore, as if it had never appeared." Honestly, Mrs. Mina felt that if the Exorcist didn''t mind, she could pay rent for a room; it didn''t need to berge, just big enough for her and her daughter to live in. The sense of safety in Du Wei''s home was something she hadn''t felt for a long time. Du Wei, however, just nodded nomittally and then fell silent. He was very clear in his mind, if there really was an Evil Spirit around Mrs. Mina, it was likely behaving extremely docilely... In a ce upied by two exceptionally terrifying Evil Spirits, plus a strange Antique Clock and himself, the hunter... The safety was imaginable. Of course, this only referred to the daytime, not the night. Seeing Du Wei silent, Mrs. Mina didn''t dare to make a sound and disturb Mr. Exorcist; she could only wait anxiously. After a good while, Du Wei finally spoke, "Pleasee out with me, there''s something I want to discuss with you." "Uh... okay." Mrs. Mina stood up following Du Wei, and called to her daughter, "Kelly,e..." "No, no, no." Du Wei waved his hand and said, "Mrs. Mina, what I meant was just you and me, as for your daughter, let''s leave her here; she''ll be fine." Mrs. Mina was a bit troubled, but didn''t say much more: "I understand." She soothed Kelly. "Just wait a little while, Kelly, mommy will be back soon, okay?" The blonde little girl, Kelly, bowed her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito''s: "Mommy, I''m a little scared." "Don''t be afraid, Kelly, Uncle Exorcist''s home is very safe." ... Outside the psychological counseling clinic. Du Wei closed the door and said to Mrs. Mina who looked somewhat bewildered, "What I''m about to tell you might be hard to ept, but please try to stay calm, can you do that?" "Please go ahead." Du Wei hummed affirmatively, then said calmly, "If I''m not mistaken, your child Kelly... well, there''s something not quite right with her." "What?" Mrs. Mina''s face darkened: "Mr. Exorcist, Mina has been traumatized recently, she''s be quite shy, but she is very normal." However, Du Wei replied calmly, "So, Mrs. Mina, can you still feel that invisible person now?" "This..." Mrs. Mina''s face turned very ugly in an instant, and she stepped back, shaking her head, "I don''t believe it, Kelly is fine, she couldn''t possibly be the Evil Spirit." In a t tone, Du Wei said to her, "I think you''ve misunderstood; I''m not questioning her existence, I just believe that your daughter has been possessed by the Evil Spirit." Chapter 37 Pick a soft persimmon. "Exorcist, Sir, please forgive me, but I cannot agree with what you''re saying." "My child is perfectly normal; how could she possibly be possessed by an Evil Spirit." "Mrs. Mina, I am not joking with you, and I have the capacity to resolve this matter." "Resolve it? An Exorcism Ritual? Kelly has been through enough shock as it is, and I still don''t know how to exin to her that her father died out of the blue, and we can''t even find the body!" "Please calm down. A person possessed by an Evil Spirit, to a certain extent, is no longer the daughter you remember. She might even threaten your safety. Think about the dream you had..." "We still have at least three days." "Good, then I suggest you seriously consider it." "I will, Exorcist, Sir." ... Ten minutester. Opening the door, both of them entered the house. Mrs. Mina, looking at her daughter and although strongly disagreeing with Du Wei''s words, couldn''t help but feel somewhat unusual. She took a deep breath, smiled, and tenderly took Kelly''s hand, saying, "Hey, sweetheart, it''s time to go home." Kelly, with her head down, responded with a sound of acknowledgment. Seeing this, Du Wei shook his head and said, "If you change your mind, you can call me at any time. Until then, what I''ve given you should offer some help." "Thank you..." Mrs. Mina paused as she was leaving, and then left without looking back. Du Wei watched her departing figure and that of the blonde little girl named Kelly, his gaze deep and profound. He had just had a conversation with Mina, but the oue had not been favorable. However, he understood. From a psychological perspective, this is called self-deception. But... For Du Wei, he hadn''t lost anything. In New York, he was currently the only exorcist; she would eventually seek him out. And that time, he suspected, woulde in less than three days. "Just wait a bit... there will be a result..." Du Wei reassured himself inwardly, contemting increased contact with even more dangerous Evil Spirits to elerate the Evil Spirit Transformation as his current n. With it, he intended to confront the source of the curse¡ªthe Nun. He disliked depending on others, preferring to be in control, even if from the shadows. The matter with Mrs. Mina was merely an opportunity to assimte into his Exorcist role. With that in mind, Du Wei returned to the sofa. Casually, he picked up the medical case history and on Mrs. Mina''s information page, under the column for her condition, he added a note. [Remark: Suspected of being corrupted by an Evil Spirit, Spirit Vision state manifests as dreaming of Evil Spiritsmitting murder, but it is unclear whether it is limited to those with a special connection, continued observation necessary] Then, he flipped through the pages to the very beginning, pausing at the earliest entries. "The doll named Annabelle... the imagined Hoddy... the monster with the form of a Clown..." Du Wei lit a cigarette and, while smoking, absent-mindedly tapped his fingers against the table, producing a crisp and regr sound. He felt he needed to choose one and attempt contact. "In some legends, a doll is synonymous with curses and oddities, indestructible and inescapable. For the time being, I haven''t encountered such a case." "Hoddy... is rted to Spirit Summoning games... I really wanted to contact it again before, but now it seems that the girl named Reagan has been possessed by an Evil Spirit for quite some time, in a much more serious state than Kelly''s." "As for the monster with the form of a Clown... it seems to have a physical presence..." Du Wei exhaled a puff of smoke and flipped to the page regarding Annabelle. "It seems to be the least dangerous." Having made his decision, Du Wei was ready to perform a follow-up on the condition. This family hadn''t experienced any deaths, because in recent times, he had still been receiving updates about their condition. Of course, his initial judgment was that the fear of the doll induced a delusional persecutionplex, with indications of masochistic tendencies. Possibly, they haven''t yet stopped the medication... Du Wei massaged his forehead, took out his cell phone, and went to his contacts, pondering over how to phrase hismunication with them... And just then. The ringing of an iing call sounded. Caller ID¡ªOfficer Tom. Du Wei hesitated for a moment before pressing the answer button. Next, he heard the other party''s voice, desperate and agitated. "Hey, Dr. Du Wei, where are you right now? You need toe down to the station, you know? You''re in big trouble!" As he spoke, he corrected himself, "Never mind, don''te to the station, this matter is too sensitive, let''s meet somewhere else." "Can''t you tell me over the phone?" "Of course not, I remember there''s a caf¨¦ near your house; I happen to have a couple of tickets, let''s meet at the caf¨¦." "Alright, as you wish..." ... Twenty minutester. In the caf¨¦ near Du Wei''s home. In the most secluded corner by the window. Officer Tom, in in clothes, looked around warily, ensuring no one was eavesdropping before he finally rxed. Du Wei, not quite understanding the situation, asked directly, "Officer Tom, can we start now?" "Of course!!" Tom licked his lips, staring at Du Wei with bloodshot eyes, as if he hadn''t slept well. "Mr. Du Wei, first you need to exin to me why every woman who has had contact with you either disappears or dies mysteriously. Are you a female killer?" Du Wei asked with a frown, "A female killer?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Heh..." Tom gave a coldugh and pulled a photo from his clothing, cing it on the table and pushing it toward the Asian man across from him. "How do you exin this?" Du Wei nced at the photo and then fell silent. He felt a headacheing on, not knowing how to exin. The person in the photo was Linda, the woman who had died on the bus. Tom crossed his arms, fixating on Du Wei, "I''m really curious how you managed to appear on the outskirts of Esselgreen all of a sudden. If it weren''t for this woman named Linda who was live streaming at the time, and viewers recorded the video causing somemotion online. The NYPD probably still wouldn''t know that another woman had mysteriously disappeared, and you were at the scene." "Seriously, Mr. Du Wei, there are some things I''ve only recently been exposed to, but they''ve already instilled an unbearable fear in me." "Please tell me, where is this person named Linda." "Right now, all evidence points to you; you''re the prime suspect, the number one criminal suspect! Spill it!" As he said this, Tom tried to discern something from Du Wei''s face, but to his disappointment, could the Asian man be expressionless? Not a hint of emotion revealed, making all those self-taught criminal psychology and micro-expressions techniques utterly useless. "She''s already dead." Only then did Du Wei withdraw his gaze, frowning and shaking his head. Then, looking up to meet Tom''s eyes, he calmly said, "Also, if it''s really as you say, and I''m the prime criminal suspect right now, then we should be meeting at the police station, not in a caf¨¦, Officer Tom. Are you staring at my face, trying to analyze my micro-expressions?" His tone was casual, yet it carried a sense of mockery. Tom''s face turned ugly in an instant. "Fuck! I''m interrogating you, not the other way around!" Du Wei looked at him, silent. Tom''s mouth twitched, and he cursed again inwardly. Their eyes met! Clearly, Tom had failed; he clenched his fists and said helplessly, "You may not realize how terrifying the situation you''ve encountered is. Regarding the video, the authorities havepletely locked it down now, but you need to know, you''re really in big trouble." "What kind of trouble?" "... Trouble that might overturn your understanding, on a logical level, or perhaps, a faith level." "Did you know? There are ghosts in this world we live in." "Hm! I know that!" Chapter 38 038, Annabelle (Modified) "Hmm... I know you don''t believe... What?!" Tom was startled for a moment, as the words Du Wei had just said shed through his mind. This... Furrowing his brow, Tom''s gaze towards Du Wei was filled with difort. It was as if he was burdened by some earth-shattering secret that, aside from himself, the rest of the world seemed to be aware of. "This isn''t scientific. How could you know that there are ghosts in this world? You shouldn''t believe in such things!" "Why shouldn''t I know? Why shouldn''t I believe?" Yes! Why shouldn''t he believe?? "No!" Tom choked on Du Wei''s words, and violently shook his head with a flushed face, saying, "You are a psychologist, a well-educated social elite. You should be a firm materialist, believing in science. How can you believe that there are ghosts in this world?!" Du Wei said speechlessly, "Tom, what exactly are you trying to say?" Tom opened his mouth... What had he been about to say again... "Fuck!" Annoyed, he hammered the coffee table and red at Du Wei with bloodshot eyes. "I want to tell you that there are ghosts in this world. Miss Aisha, Roy, as well as Linda whom you met on the bus in Esselgreen, all died at the hands of a ghost." Speaking through gritted teeth, Tom continued, "And the church, you know about that, right? They have exorcists among them, and I''m not talking about the kind from novels or movies. You get it? They call this ''Evil Spirit''." Du Wei nodded slightly, saying indifferently, "Of course I understand, because I am an exorcist." Tom''s face turned stiff: "You''re an exorcist? Aren''t you a psychologist?" "Who told you a psychologist can''t be an exorcist?" Du Wei gave him a curious nce and said, "If you don''t believe it, you can go to the church in North Brook District and ask the priest there for confirmation." "Also, Officer Tom, if you just wanted to inform me of these things, I think we can end our conversation here. In fact, I''m about to handle an evil spirit incident right now, I''m very busy..." Having said that, Du Wei stood up, ready to leave. Seeing this, Tom quickly stood up as well: "Wait, I''m just having trouble epting that you''re an exorcist. However, I do have something to tell you. It''s about that cultist, Roy." "Please speak." Du Wei thought for a moment, then sat back down. On the other side, Tom organized his thoughts before speaking: "I remember warning you before that you might face retaliation from the cultists... erm, I''m referring to Roy''s associates." Du Wei frowned and said, "Hmm, I remember she had a boyfriend. Did you find him?" "Not yet!" Tom shook his head: "But I''ve found out some information. Recently, many cultists have entered New York, rted to Roy, so I suspect they mighte looking for you." Du Wei nomittally said: "Perhaps." "Aren''t you afraid? They are cultists! Their minds are muddled, who knows what they might do. Aren''t you worried?" Du Wei said indifferently, "Will you have officers stationed at my doorstep to ensure my safety?" "Uh..." Tom coughed a few times and said, "The New York police don''t handle these matters well, so all I can do is warn you..." Du Wei spread his hands, saying, "See, even you know you can''t help me, yet you''re still asking if I''m afraid. To use an Eastern phrase, it''s like taking down your trousers to fart,pletely unnecessary." "However, I do appreciate the warning, and I''ll be careful." With that. Du Wei stood up, went to the counter to pay, and Tom thought for a moment before following him. At first, when Tom found out that evil spirits and exorcists existed in the world, his disbelief turned to shock, then to fear. This was a normal psychological progression for anyone. "Wait a moment, Dr. Du Wei, I have another question I''d like to ask." Outside the caf¨¦, Tom stopped Du Wei. "What question?" "For an ordinary person like me, how can I avoid contact with evil spirits, or what should I do if I encounter one?" "Find me to handle it..." "Uh, aside from that, do you have any professional advice aftering into contact with the Evil Spirit?" Upon hearing this, Du Wei pondered for a moment and said, "Then try to stay in well-lit areas, and, daytime is the safest." After finishing hisst sentence, he lit a cigarette, lowered his head, and left. On the spot, Tom watched Du Wei''s receding figure and couldn''t help but twitch the corners of his mouth. Stay in well-lit areas, what kind of advice is that? Buy a ne? Wouldn''t it be easier to just follow the sun! ... Elsewhere. After leaving the caf¨¦, Du Wei headed towards his home. As he walked, he picked up his phone and dialed the family that had been tortured by that doll named Annabelle. "Beep..." A minuteter, the call was answered by a man''s voice, a family member. "Hello, this is Du Wei from the psychological counseling clinic; we had contacted each other online before." "Oh, hello, Dr. Du Wei, I''m sorry, may I ask what you''re calling about?" "Uh... I wanted to find out if there''s been any improvement in your girlfriend''s condition." "Thank you for your concern, you''re truly a qualified psychologist. Following your advice, she has been taking her medication regrly. Apart from sleeping a little longer, everything else is fine." "Sleeping a bit longer means?" "That is, she sleeps for about 14 hours, sometimes not waking until after midnight, and starts to rest only during the day." When Du Wei heard this, he frowned and exhaled a puff of smoke. "So, what about Annabelle, the doll? Where is it now...?" "That doll, ah, I almost forgot to tell you, I discovered its secret yesterday. Every time I threw the doll away, my girlfriend would go out in the middle of the night to pick it up, and we even had an argument over this." "Is that so? Is it at your house now?" "No longer, this morning, just so happens that the owner of the Horror House nearby was collecting some old dolls to set up some scary scenes, so I sold it." "You sold it???" "Yes, is there any problem?" "No, but could you give me the address? I mean, the address of the Horror House." "Sure¡­ okay." ... After hanging up, Du Wei nced at the address in the text message, his expression turning somewhat strange. Should he be called carefree or too trusting of his own misdiagnoses before encountering the Evil Spirit... "Annabelle was actually sold!" Du Wei stubbed out his cigarette butt and tossed it into the trash can, rubbing his slightly painful forehead. This was unexpected. He could never have imagined something like this happening. It''s just that Annabelle couldn''t be discarded, couldn''t be damaged. No matter how far it was thrown, it would find its way back to that family and continue to torment them. "And the Horror House... I hope not too many peoplee into contact with it..." If Du Wei dyed any further, Annabelle might be more and more difficult to deal with. Keeping the victim in a prolonged state of sleep had already confirmed that its power was umting strength, and its purpose was obvious.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Some Evil Spirits attempt to control people''s bodies to achieve possession and certain evil objectives.] [And Evil Spirit Transformation requires contact with the Evil Spirit, solving or investigating an Evil Spirit incident is the most direct way, like that eerie bus.] Du Wei muttered under his breath, "Going to the Horror House toe into contact with Annabelle, if possible, maybe I could capture it..." He looked at his pale right hand; the two Evil Spirits at home would actually elerate the transformation process, but he had already contained the source of one, and the growth of the other was not as fast as he had imagined. Therefore, he needed to make contact with more dangerous Evil Spirits to speed up the process. Chapter 39 039, Horror House (Modified) Psychological counseling clinic. After returning home, Du Wei grabbed his backpack and checked the antique clock on the wall one more time. Having confirmed there was no issue, he prepared to leave. He was fully prepared, ready to face any emergency situation. He closed the door, crossed the street, approached the Subaru Impreza, opened the car door, settled into the driver''s seat, and started the vehicle to drive away. Not long after he had left, five ck sedans slowly stopped at the doorstep of his neighbor, Roy. Two minutester. Several women dressed in ck uniforms stepped out of the cars, looking up and surveying their surroundings. It seemed they were looking for something... Then, they turned their gaze towards the psychological counseling clinic, whispering among themselves. ... 2:40 PM. New York, Ondo Area''s amusement park.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After parking his car, Du Wei, with his backpack on, hurried toward the Horror House. Today was Thursday, and there weren''t many visitors to the park, so it wasn''t overcrowded. ncing around, only the more popr, major attractions had crowds gathered around them. "Good day, sir. Would you like to try the thrilling skyscraper ride?" "The big roller coaster, just one minute, will give you the most thrilling view experience." "Thank you, no need!" Politely declining the staff''s enthusiasm, Du Wei finally arrived at his destination. Annabelle''s Horror House. The whole Horror House looked quite old; the exaggerated gargoyle reliefs at the entrance were damaged and fading, and the staff standing by the door seemed listless. However, there were still a fair number of men and women seeking thrills. In the short time Du Wei stood observing, four college student-like individuals entered,ughing and joking among themselves. Meanwhile, Du Wei stood at the entrance, looking inside. The entrance hallway, deliberately kept dark to block out light, was pitch-ck, too dark to see one''s hand in front of the face. [Spirit Vision] Without hesitation, Du Wei immediately entered Spirit Vision state. He needed to ascertain the general situation to adjust his response measures ordingly. Then, under Spirit Vision, the entire vibe of the Horror House changed for Du Wei. If before there was no unusual aura, now, there was an intangible sense of gloom and oppression. Although that was all, it was enough. "I can be sure, it''s in there," Du Wei concluded silently to himself, then approached the staff member. "Excuse me, does this Horror House have any special scary scenarios?" The staff perked up upon hearing this and said with a smile, "Hello sir, we''ve got the Undead Mummy, the horror waxworks zone, Ghost iming Lives, Dead Spirit Doll, and Ferocious Ghost Street. We have horror scenes beyond your imagination." Du Wei noted the term "Dead Spirit Doll" the staff member had mentioned. He inquired, "The Dead Spirit Doll sounds interesting; is it a new scene?" "Yes, sir. It was just set up this morning. The feedback from visitors is that it''s extremely frightening, almost as if it''s a real Dead Spirit Doll." Du Wei nodded and then continued, "With so many scenes, are you sure they all fit inside the Horror House?" The staff member exined, "Though our Horror House may not lookrge, it was actually the first project developed by the amusement park. Besides the above-ground setup, many terrifying parts are on the underground level." "Where is the Dead Spirit Doll? Is it also on the basement level?" "Yes, sir, if you want to experience a thrilling and exciting horror journey, the Horror House is definitely your best choice, and the price is cheap." Du Wei smiled, took a bill out of his wallet, and handed it over to the other person. The staff politely took the money and handed back the change and tickets together. "Here is your ticket. After you go in, there will be a ticket storage box. Just throw your ticket in there to start this thrilling journey. Have fun!" ... He walked into the pitch-ck passage of the Horror House. In his vision, not a glimmer of light could be seen. Whispering, elusive and weird sounds reached his ears, mixed with the shrillughter of a woman, sounding very unsettling. In the face of these sound effects and the environment deliberately concocted by the Horror House to create a terrifying atmosphere, Du Wei was expressionless,pletely unaffected. "Such low-level sound effects and poor setup! Why would anyone likeing to ces like this for thrills?" Du Wei couldn''t understand. Whether in the past or the present, he never found any interest in horror houses or haunted houses. He remembered that when he was a forensic major in his student days, a junior girl invited him to watch a horror movie at the cinema, which seemed to be called "Deadly Ghosts Jiangyin". He forced himself to watch halfway through and had already figured out the entire plot progression, feeling no sense of horror whatsoever. Later on, the girl invited him again, and he thoroughly rejected her. That was the only horror movie he had ever seen. Compared to horror movies, horror houses seem even more lowbrow. As he went deeper, dim lights began to appear around him, and he could vaguely make out the things in front of him. In front of the ticket storage box stood four university students he had seen before, discussing something in low voices. When Du Wei arrived, one of the Caucasian men greeted him, "Hey, sir, want to go in together?" The other three also looked towards Du Wei. "Why should we go in together?" Du Wei found it strange; if these people came to the Horror House for fun, why would they invite him? The Caucasian man said awkwardly, "Actually, this is the oldest and scariest Horror House in the Ondo Area, and we''re a little afraid... hesitant about whether we really want to go in and experience it..." "I don''t quite suggest you go in with me. Of course, I also don''t suggest youe to this Horror House for fun; it''s best to leave quickly." As Du Wei spoke, his face was expressionless; he disliked the idea of other people following him when he was doing something. Moreover, there truly existed an Evil Spirit inside this Horror House; even though no one knew, the danger was imaginable. However, upon hearing Du Wei''s words, the others felt as if they were being looked down upon. "Hey, mister, we''ve bought tickets," said the Caucasian man, waving the tickets in his hand while the other three shrugged their shoulders. "Forget it, Bob, let''s just go with the four of us; it''s all about seeking a thrill anyway." Bob, the Caucasian man, nodded and stopped talking to Du Wei. After they all ced their tickets in the storage box and the hidden door in the wall slowly opened. The light inside was very dim, and in the vast shadows, some outlines could be seen, as if hiding something. Du Wei didn''t bother to say more, followed by dropping his ticket and walking in as well. Seeing Du Wei follow, Bob inwardly looked down on this Asian man, but he didn''t think much of it and took it as having an extra person for more security. But the next second, Bang! The door closed heavily! Darkness engulfed the surroundings in an instant. Utter silence... In the darkness, Du Wei furrowed his brows. At the moment the door shut, under the state of Spirit Vision, he felt something unusual, as if with the closing of the door, the entire Horror House had be cut off from the outside world, turning oppressively gloomy and somber. He suddenly felt that this trip to the Horror House seemed to have undergone an uncontroble change. Chapter 40 040. White-faced Makeup (Revised) "Huh..." The moment the door closed, one of the girls, wearing jeans and a tight T-shirt, let out a cry of surprise, startled by the sudden noise. Du Wei nced back at her, noticing her sallow skin and dyed pink hair. Her features weren''t very pronounced, and her nose even seemed somewhat copsed, suggesting she might be of mixed race. He pushed at the door, only to find it securely locked, a sinking feeling in his heart. Seeing this, Bob said in a low voice, "Once the entrance is closed, aside from the staff, it can only be opened again when someone elsees in. We can''t possibly open it from the inside." "Is that so..." Du Wei frowned, looking at the closed door with a somber gaze. Suddenly, he had the feeling that not even the staff would be able to open this door anymore. The abnormalities had begun as soon as he entered the Horror House. Taking a deep breath, Du Wei shouldered his bag and continued walking forward. He disliked suddenplications, even more so uncontroble idents. Furrowing his brow in thought for a moment, he recalled that many tourists had already entered the Horror House before his group had arrived. Fear and dread, are the breeding grounds for the Evil Spirit. He nced at Bob and the others, his gaze lingering on the girl who had just cried out, "You''d better keep quiet and not disturb certain things." "Are you trying to scare us? That''s not funny at all." The girl''s face was a mix of embarrassment and defiance. She wanted to retort, but felt ashamed about her earlier behavior and didn''t know what to say in return. "Forget it, let''s not bother with him. The guy with the bag seems really weird," said another girl, patting her shoulder, exchanging a few words with Bob and his group before moving on. Meanwhile, Du Wei had already reached the first attraction in the Horror House, steps ahead of them. It was a Japanese-style single-room wooden hut, built at half the size of a regr house due to space limitations. It looked crude, with deliberately aged and spiderweb-covered windows and a roof withrge damage, while the walls were deliberately sshed with something that looked like blood, presenting a jarring dark brown color, akin to psoriasis. Next to it hung a sign with bloody big characters¡ªHaunted House Thrills. Du Wei stood in front of the Haunted House, expressionless, but with a hint of solemnity in his eyes. It wasn''t that he was frightened by the deliberately created horror environment, but rather, under the state of Spirit Vision, he saw apletely different scene. In the state of Spirit Vision, the feeling the Japanese Haunted House gave him was utterly transformed. While the man-made setting remained unchanged, the overall atmosphere felt even more oppressive and sinister, especially the tatami mat bed in the Haunted House... Underneath it, Du Wei saw a woman with White-faced Makeup, hiding in a secretpartment, her head peeking out from below... Spirit Vision didn''t mean X-ray vision; it was like visually facing the presence of the Evil Spirit. In other words¡­ it was not human. Considering this, Du Wei furrowed his brow. In the past, the Evil Spirits he had encountered could also see him under Spirit Vision, aware of his presence... But this thing¡­ showed no reaction whatsoever... "Could it be a Ghost?!" Du Wei remembered what Father Tony had written in the book about Evil Spirits. [The Evil Spirits possess intelligence, purpose, and the ability to spread, and there are simpler entities we call Ghosts, which we have always suspected might transform into new Evil Spirits] [Simplicity means crudeness, Ghosts only embody a singr evil, but their danger is not to be underestimated] But what about the staff? Why was there a Ghost instead? An idea began to form in Du Wei''s mind, but with insufficient information, he couldn''t draw any firm conclusions. Ever since he had entered the Horror House, the feeling of unease inside him grew stronger. His aim was only to make contact with Annabelle, and if possible, to try and catch it. But now, a Ghost had appeared in the Horror House. The turn of events was subtly surpassing his expectations. Just then, Bob and his group also arrived in front of the Japanese Haunted House. Looking at Du Wei, standing motionless with an emotionless face, the mixed-race girl he had previously rebuked clicked her tongue. She felt she should regain some face.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Sir, if youe to the Horror House, how can you not go in?" As she spoke, the half-blooded girl shrugged her shoulders and took the lead, walking in and saying, "You''re not scared, are you? If so, I suppose you wouldn''t mind me going in first to check it out for you?" "Hmm ... Lisa, I guess he definitely wouldn''t mind." Bob smiled following her statement. He meant no harm; it''s just that people of their age often have a bit of impetuosity and like to show off. Du Wei turned his head and gave them an expressionless nce, unconcerned. Instead, his gaze shifted toward the girl named Lisa, who was walking into the Horror House to sit on the tatami bed. "If I were you, I wouldn''t touch that." "Huh?" Lisa turned her head subconsciously, though she had already sat down on it, and wonderingly said, "Why? Isn''t this one of the Horror House experiences? There are supposed to be staff dressed as ghosts under the tatami." Unlike Du Wei, they had known about the Horror House from the beginning and were roughly aware of all the processes inside. However ... Under the condition of Spirit Vision, Du Wei saw the Ghost under the tatami bed with White-faced Makeup, as if it had received some sort of signal, squinting and curving the corners of its mouth into a strange smile. The smile widened into a ghastly grin, like it had been torn open, and it stretched out a hand, grabbing toward the surface. Yet, the girl saw nothing at all, instead knocking on the bed, muttering to herself, "What''s going on, aren''t there any staff here? Or has this experience been canceled?" She was feeling very strange, and even somewhat bored. But in the next second! Invisible hands suddenly grabbed her ankles, but in the following moment, as if sensing something, they retracted back. "Hiss ..." The half-blood girl Lisa took a sharp intake of breath, a chilling sensation crawling up her spine from her legs, sending goosebumps all over her body. "What was that?" She quickly stood up, shaking her legs in horror, herplexion deathly pale. "What''s wrong?" Bob looked at her curiously, walking up and giving her a tug. "Something just now ... my ankle felt like it was grabbed, sort of like ... like the hands of a dead person." Lisa, dragging Bob, ran out from the cabin, looking back at the tatami from afar with an ashen face. "This Horror House seems a bit abnormal. I recall from before they said there were staff under the tatami with Ghost makeup who would pull apart a hiddenyer to scare people with a scream when somebody sat down ... but just before ... something felt very wrong." Bob said curiously, "Maybe it''s a new way of scaring people, don''t make a big fuss over it, that''s how Horror Houses are." "Is ... is that so?" Lisa''s face eased a little, and she somewhat agreed with the notion, yet she still felt very strange. She had clearly seen nothing, but felt like her ankles had been grabbed by hands. She could even sense that those hands wanted to pull her down. The rest of the group, a man and a woman, chuckled and said, "Maybe the staff were just ying a prank on you, catching you unawares, don''t be so dramatic." "Maybe, but I wasn''t scared," Lisa said, nodding her head and feigning indifference. "I just wasn''t prepared ... you know, just like that ... " Hearing this, Du Wei said without a trace of emotion, "This Horror House is a bit off. I suggest you all head back to the entrance and stay there without moving." Lisa said with impatience, "There you go again. If you''re too scared to go on yourself, can you stop with the snide remarks? And the same to you¡ªI suggest you keep as far away from us as possible." With that, she shook her head and added, "Also, sir, do you know? Your behavior is really ungentlemanly toward ady." "I am not joking with you!" "We''re not joking with you either. Just go; nobody here wants to be with you because you''re such a killjoy!" "Fine then, as you wish." Du Wei watched the four people with a calm look, his tone very cold, and turned to leave. Good words are wasted on the dead. There was no point arguing if they wouldn''t listen. Moreover, he no longer wanted to focus on Annabelle; instead, he nned to quickly find a way to leave. This Horror House hadpletely exceeded his understanding and even gave him a feeling that it was only slightly less dangerous than that bus. If trouble arose, he wouldn''t be able to make it out alive himself, let alone worry about others. That wasn''t his style. Chapter 41 041, Back to Back (Revised) After Du Wei left, the four of them rxed quite a bit. After all, a man with a nk expression uttering depressing remarks every now and then was truly annoying to them. "Should we wait for a while before moving on, so we don''t run into that Asian guy again?" "Also, I know you''re pretty scared of ces like the Horror House, but your idea to invite that man earlier really seems quite bad now." Lisa said this with a curl of her lip, but for some reason, she felt like the temperature had dropped a bit after the man had left, sending chills through her. Maybe it was just her imagination... "That works, I was thinking more people would mean more safety, but since it''s like this, then it''ll just be the four of us." Bob nodded. He had actually been pursuing Lisa, so naturally, he would go along with her. After thinking for a bit, Bob suddenly suggested, "Oh, by the way, do you guys want to try out this ghost house segment? It seems pretty thrilling." "Let''s not, we''re not interested in these low-end scary programs." The other two simultaneously shook their heads. They were a couple who had just started dating and had experienced horror houses before, so they declined Bob''s suggestion. Seeing this, Bob could only give an awkward smile and say, "Then let''s walk a bit slower. I remember after the segment with the Undead Mummy and the Horror Wax Museum, it should get even more exciting. I''ve heard it''s the ssic segment of the Horror House." "Agreed." "Me too." And as they discussed their next steps, what Du Wei saw with his Spirit Vision, the ghost with White-faced Makeup, suddenly slipped her deathly pale and overly white hands through the tatami bed, floating up slowly in a strange manner. Her eerie smile widened, tearing to the roots of her ears, her head lowered, allowing her ck hair to fall in front of her face, which only added to her ferocity. Then... She leaned against the back of Lisa, who was hugging her arms across her chest. It looked... like the ''back-to-back'' game they yed as children... The group continued to walk forward. But gradually, Lisa felt her body getting heavier and her pace involuntarily slowed, soon she was left behind by Bob and the others by some distance. She felt very ufortable, as if she was being dragged by something. She could even feel the temperature dropping lower and lower, apanied by the faintly discernible eerie music of the Horror House. Her expression became somewhat distorted. First, her legs started to hurt, then her neck felt itchy. The worst was her back; there was a mmy, cold, and damp feeling, like being in misty weather, running outside causing her clothes to soak, giving her goosebumps. The problem was, she hadn''t sweated at all. She felt ufortable all over. "What''s wrong with you? You look really ufortable..." At this point, Bob noticed her condition, turned his head to ask her, and called out to the other couple, "Wait up, she''s falling behind." "Hey, Lisa, are you feeling okay?" Lisa shook her head and insisted, "I''m fine. My feet just hurt a bit, maybe from when one of the staff grabbed me too hard in the ghost house." With that, she bent over, hitched up her jeans, and there, on both ankles, were dim, bruise-like handprints, ominously darkening as if they were some sort of tattoo or Mark. Seeing this, Lisa swore, "Damn it, once we get out, I''m definitely going toin about these staff members." Bob also saw the bruise on Lisa''s ankle and said worriedly, "It looks pretty serious; how about we leave now, go to the drugstore, and get some medicine to take care of that." However, the male of the couple said, "It doesn''t look that serious to me. If we leave now, wouldn''t the ticket be wasted?" He wasn''t very acquainted with Lisa, only joining because his girlfriend and Lisa were best friends. His intention was simple: the Horror House... a scare could give him a chance to make a move, especially as they had recently started going out and hadn''t gotten that far yet... But his girlfriend, not pleased, said, "Lisa is hurt, I think we should listen to Bob." At this, Lisa gritted her teeth, not wanting her best friend to argue with her boyfriend because of her, so she said, "No need, I don''t think it''s a big deal. Let''s just wait until we get out." "Are you sure?" Bob spread his hands out to her, his eyes inquiring. "Of course!" Lisa thought about it, and aside from a bit of pain, there wasn''t really anything serious; it wouldn''t affect her mobility. Since the lead thought it was no big deal, Bob could only nod and say, "Then let''s continue on. Just a few more steps and we''ll reach the Undead Mummy section, where you can take a break sitting on one of the Pharaoh''s coffins." "I''d rather not, I''m kind of sick of those things right now." Lisa rolled her eyes and continued walking with the others. ... Meanwhile, Du Wei had already arrived at the Undead Mummy section. But he encountered something strange; under the Spirit Vision state, he didn''t detect anything unusual, yet instinctively, he felt there was something off about this section. There was a strange scent in the air that seemed very familiar to him. Looking at theyout of the entire Undead Mummy section, Du Wei''s brows were tightly furrowed. The design of the entire section was very crude. It could even be described as pdash, with just a simple,rge Egyptian-style wall relief: Some eerie legends and beings from fantasy like creatures with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake, or some animals with half a human face and half a wolf face. Then, there were just haphazardly ced ten Egyptian Pharaoh''s coffins¡ªactually painted on the surface. Each coffin was in a semi-open state, and inside you could vaguely see mummies wrapped in brown, old shrouds, simr to the ones seen in movies and TV shows. If it weren''t for the deliberately created dim lighting and the asional chilling wind sound, Du Wei might even feel that this didn''t seem like part of a Horror House. "Thump, thump, thump..." Carrying a bag, Du Wei knocked on the coffin closest to him, peering inside. With a click, as if triggered by some signal, a Mummy sat up straight from within the coffin, arms outstretched, emitting a terrifying roar from its throat. "Not a staff member?" Du Wei looked at the Mummy calmly and pushed it back down, ncing at a certain flickering area in the middle of the coffin, and he shook his head secretly. "Infrared sensor." "It looks like just an ordinary scare section, and even under Spirit Vision, I didn''t find anything wrong, but why do I feel that something is amiss?" With furrowed brows, Du Wei walked toward the next coffin. He knocked... Just like before, a Mummy sat up and roared. "Continue..." Without stopping, Du Wei felt he was catching onto a clue, something about the staff members he had thought about while in that Ghost House. This point could affect his next actions. Three coffins... Four coffins... Soon, Du Wei arrived at thest coffin. As usual, he knocked... But the Mummy did not sit up. Ity motionless within the coffin, dead silent...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om With his head down, Du Wei looked coldly at the Mummy, his pupils more obscure under the dim light... Drawing the silver cross dagger he had received from hunter Andrew Dowqui, he directly sliced open the shroud wrapped around the Mummy''s face with the sharp edge. The next second... Du Wei saw an eye, extremely wide and bloodshot. It was the body of a staff member... "I think I probably know what''s going on in the Horror House now. All the sections have likely been taken over by Ghosts or Evil Spirits, and some of the frightening props have also been reced with real corpses." Chapter 42 042. Collide with a Spirit (Revised) Tap tap tap... The sound of footsteps gradually quickened. After leaving the section with the Undead Mummy, Du Wei hurried deeper into the Horror House. Under Spirit Vision, he bypassed any area without abnormalities without even giving it a nce. "I need to find a way to leave quickly." But the increasingly bizarre Horror House cast a growing shadow over his heart. Suddenly... When he reached a narrow corridor, Du Wei stopped, his dark pupils slightly contracting as he scrutinized the scene before him. The corridor was about one and a half meters wide and two meters high, and it stretched into a cross shape. Every three meters, there was an old chandelier swinging, making the light flicker continuously as if there was a shortage of electricity, making it seem somewhat dim. The floor was covered withrge patches of dark brown stains, which looked very much like the residue of coagted blood. On both sides of the corridor, positioned where the chandeliers hung, were two dpidated doors covered in rust. Du Wei watched the iron doors calmly, noticing that each one had a rectangr small iron window near the top that could be opened. Clearly, this was deliberately arranged by the Horror House, to add to the atmosphere. As for these iron doors... Du Wei remembered seeing simr iron door images in articles about prisons from thest century he read two years ago; they were nearly identical in design. And under Spirit Vision. In the center of the narrow, cross-shaped corridor, Du Wei saw a little girl, about seven or eight years old, dressed in a Lolita-style dress, standing in the dark corner where the light did not reach, waving at him... The little girl''s face bore a smile, and her clear blue eyes looked innocent and wless, a sight that could easily evoke a sense of fondness. But the blood-stained hem of her dress and her extremely regr, mechanical waving motion gave off a spine-chilling feeling. "She doesn''t look like a ghost, but more like an Evil Spirit..." Du Wei reminded himself internally, bing alert; he could feel the unmasked malice and viciousness, like coldke water. After a moment of silence... He turned and walked away without hesitation... Dealing with Evil Spirits was not as simple as one might imagine; without knowing their medium, it was a very troublesome matter. To eliminate an Evil Spirit or "catch" it, one must find the medium rted to the Evil Spirit; there was no other way. The Exorcism Ritual was merely a method to drive away spirits clinging to persons; without knowing the medium, the failure rate could be as high as eighty percent. Du Wei indeed wanted to elerate his own Evil Spirit Transformation to gain more confidence when facing the nun, which is why he approached Annabelle. But under the current circumstances, his objective had shifted to finding a way to live and escape the Horror House. Not to mention confronting an unknown and terrifying Evil Spirit head-on... Tap tap tap... Footsteps hurriedly retreated, growing more distant. Meanwhile, in the corridor, the face of the little girl, the Evil Spirit in the dress, maintained the same smile, mechanically continuing to wave her hand... Only now, the bloodstains on her skirt became more ring, as if they were bleeding out. ... On the other side. Bob and his three friends also arrived at the Undead Mummy section. "Look... these Pharaoh''s coffins are so fake, could it be they just brushed ayer of paint on them..." The girl in the couple nced at the ten Pharaoh''s Golden Coffins on the ground, curled her lip, and turned her head to stare non-stop at the huge wall carved with Egyptian reliefs. "Such ridiculous reliefs, this section doesn''t seem very interesting." "You reckon? The reviews online said this part is really scary. Maybe you can greet the mummies in the coffins, who knows, they might give you a surprise." Her boyfriendughed as he walked up to her side, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, and nodded towards the coffins, "Babe, want to give it a try together?" "Whatever..." Seeing the couple walking towards the Pharaoh''s Coffins, Bob thought for a moment and then said to Lisa, "You seem out of sorts. Are you feeling unwell?" Lisa shook her head, her face pale, "I don''t know why, but I feel a little weak. Just walking this short distance feels like I ran a kilometer with a weight on my back." Bob expressed his concern timely, "In that case, Lisa, you should rest a bit. Once the two of them have had their fun, we can leave early." Lisa squatted on the ground, waving her hand, "Forget it, they''re in the middle of their fun..." As she spoke, she pointed at the two people who had reached the front of Pharaoh''s Coffins and were eager to try. "You see, she will definitely get scared and then dive into her boyfriend''s arms, tsk... she just loves this kind of scenario." As her voice faded, Sure enough... Lisa''s friend peered into the coffin at the mummy and waved, "Hello, are you a staff member?" The next second, the mummy wrapped up in shrouds suddenly sat up, raising its hands high and let out a terrifying roar from its throat. "Whoa!" The girl immediately retreated, trembling all over, and her boyfriend promptly opened his arms, consoling her, "Don''t be scared, it''s all fake." "I wasn''t scared at all." "Hmm-hmm, see, it''s just an automaton." Seeing this, Bob opened his mouth with a very surprised expression. Lisa said with a yful tone, "Look, how boring the act is..." Bob spread his hands in agreement, "Indeed, very boring, and now, I don''t feel scared at all." Hearing this, Lisa spoke in a strange tone, "Hey, you might not believe it, but I kind of miss that guy with the backpack from before." "Why? Didn''t you really hate him?" "Of course, that guy was such a buzzkill." Lisa clicked her tongue and said, "But don''t you find it had a real horror movie vibe with him warning us to leave quickly? Although I think his behavior was like a clown, it was oddly out of ce." "Haha, now that you mention it, I suddenly miss him a bit, too."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Bob immediatelyughed along, feeling that his rtionship with Lisa seemed to have grown a bit closer. He squinted, thinking to strike while the iron was hot and say more things that she would like, but a sudden scream interrupted his train of thought. "Fuck! What the hell is this, someone''s dead in the coffin!" "What did you say? There''s a dead person?" Bob instinctively stood up, just in time to see his two terrified, panic-strickenpanions. Just a moment ago, the couple had reached thest coffin, thinking to finish this section and then find a quiet ce to rest, but what they saw had horrified them beyond belief. Inside the Pharaoh''s Coffin, the mummy that was originally lying there was wrapped up tight in a shroud that was somehow shed open, with strips of cloth and fragments all over the ce. Revealed in front of them was a corpse, drenched with fresh blood, eyes wide open, and an expression of sheer horror. Chapter 43 043. Stranded (Revised) Hispanion''s words did not earn Bob''s trust. After all, to him, they were a couple who had just gotten together, and their acting abilities were questionable¡­ Therefore, his first reaction was to think that they were joking or trying to liven up the atmosphere. "A body? A dead person?" he made a helpless expression, "Friends, this isn''t funny. The Horror House is filled with bodies and dead people, ok?" "I agree," Lisa even shrugged her shoulders, her expression full of teasing, "But, your expressions just now were pretty on point, like actors in a horror blockbuster, pretty cool." "Damn it, we''re not joking with you, someone really died!" "Hmm? Are you sure you didn''t see it wrong?" Seeing their faces filled with horror and their bodies incessantly trembling, Bob could not help but feel an odd sensation in his heart¡ªthey didn''t seem to be lying. "Nonsense, can''t we even tell if it''s a real body or not?" Hearing this, Bob and Lisa exchanged a look, both with a somewhat somber expression on their faces. Standing up, they walked over to thest coffin. Bob, with a grimace, cautiously peeked into the coffin. He saw a corpse, grotesque and terrifying, even the blood had not coagted, as if it had just died recently. In a sh, a chilling shudder ran through him, as if he had been electrocuted, and his heart started to pound violently out of fear. Lisa''s expression was even worse. She had already been startled before and was not in a good state; the dim lights deliberately arranged around, along with the subtle and eerie music, had always made her a bit paranoid, and her emotions immediately became tense. After seeing the body in the coffin, her face turned as pale as paper, and she couldn''t help but back away several steps, falling to the ground, nearly unable to breathe. "My God, how could someone die here?" Bob took a deep breath and managed to say, "Never mind that now, guys, we need to get out of here and call the police, let''s call the police right away." As he spoke, he shouted to the others. The couple and Lisa all nodded, with only one thought in their minds¡ªrun. After such a terrifying incident, no one dared to stay; they immediately started running towards the way they hade. They were just students after all; even though they normally watched horror movies, that did not mean they could remain unfazed in the face of a real dead body. Panic, being at a loss, even unable to think, was the normal reaction of a person. Among the four, the couple was ahead, while Bob and Lisagged behind. At that moment, Lisa was seriously out of strength and was only able to move her legs by pushing herself, so she quickly fell a good distance behind the others and could only watch their backs from afar. Gasping for air, she wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling her body bing heavier and heavier, as if she were carrying a weight, and her pace grew slower and slower. Keep in mind, she usually liked to run as a form of exercise; this kind of situation was almost impossible to ur. "What''s happening to me!" Her heart grew even more panicked. The dim lights in the Horror House and the vast shadowy areas seemed to ignite all her emotions. "Wait a minute, I''ve fallen behind! Wait for me, hey! Can''t you hear me?" Lisa bit her lip, not daring to stop, yet unable to project her voice very far due to herck of strength. No one heard... Lisa watched Bob and the couple moving further away, her eyes brimming with tears, as she desperately ran forward, trying to keep up with them. However, she failed to notice that the stride of her steps was getting shorter and shorter, even slower than a normal walk. "Damn!" Lisa panted heavily, stopping and looking down; she could run no farther. She was soaked in sweat, as if she had been pulled out of the water. Just then, she suddenly noticed something extra in the shadow under her feet, bloated and deformed, as if a person was standing back-to-back with her... ¡­ Meanwhile. Du Wei''s face also looked terrible as he returned to the cross corridor flickering with dim light. Ten minutes earlier, he had turned around to leave, trying to bypass the area from elsewhere. But to his surprise, no matter which way he went, he always ended up back where he started, even after entering the "Spirit Vision Third Phase," nothing had changed. This was very abnormal... Looking at the shadowy corner across the corridor stood the little girl in the western dress, the blood on the hem of her skirt growing more congealed and slowly soaking the ground, Du Wei''s calm gaze became even deeper. "Spirit Vision" was a phenomenon that only manifested after being eroded by an "Evil Spirit." The first phase, direct gaze at the "Evil Spirit." The second phase, deepening. The third phase, as the erosion became more thorough, "Evil Spirit Transformation" began to emerge. This was also the hunter''s confidence when facing an "Evil Spirit." Unteral and vertical. At least so far, under the state of "Spirit Vision," apart from the unusuallymunicable "Evil Spirit" at home, there hasn''t been any "Evil Spirit" capable of deceiving "Spirit Vision." A thought shed through Du Wei''s mind, and he adjusted his breathing a bit. An "Evil Spirit" can''t deceive "Spirit Vision," but it can deceive oneself. The five senses are the easiest to mislead. Thus, Du Wei nced at the dark corridor, the flickering, rickety chandeliers, and the iron doors on both sides under each chandelier and said in a low voice to the "Evil Spirit." "Deceiving a person''s five senses is a very simple matter. During my college days specializing in psychology, I conducted simr experiments." As though exining to the "Evil Spirit," Du Wei spoke patiently, "Psychological suggestions and environmental arrangements canpletely deceive the five senses, like the ''Infinite Corridor'' for instance." "But that''s theoretical. In reality, no matter how perfect the arrangement, it is impossible to create a real ''Infinite Corridor.'' After saying that, Du Wei paused and then continued, "Now, looking at the lights in this corridor and its environmental setup, in addition to the eerie sound effects inherently present in the ''Horror House,'' it''s not hard to understand..." "It''s actually psychological suggestion..." Du Wei suddenly smiled a bit and continued to speak, but this time, he was speaking to himself. "After I first came back here and then went in another direction, that makes it twice, and this corridor is T-shaped. I think I already know how to leave this ce." With that, Du Wei took a long look at the "Evil Spirit" and then stepped into the corridor. In an instant.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It felt as though he had entered a cold storage, the temperature inside the entire corridor was very low. The frequency of the chandelier above his head swinging was elerating, and the dim lights were flickering, very blinding. Du Wei, expressionless as if he felt nothing, casually took out a bottle of "Holy Water" from his backpack. During this process, he had no intention of concealing his thoughts. Across from him, the little "Evil Spirit" girl''s mechanical beckoning suddenly paused, the smile on her face instantly disappeared, her expression turned incredibly ferocious, and her eyes were filled with malice and resentment. But perhaps sensing something, in the blink of an eye, she disappeared into the shadows. Then, a continuous creaking, the teeth-grinding sound of doors opening, arose! All the iron doors at that moment flew open! Du Wei''s footsteps suddenly stopped, and he furrowed his brow. The corridor was originally part of the ''Horror House'' scenery, purely for scaring people. Normally speaking, behind every door, there should be some setup or workers dressed as ghosts. But now, all the workers had been reced by "Evil Spirits" and "Ghosts," and the orchestrators of the scare tactics hadpletely changed. Therefore, he turned his head and expressionlessly looked at one door on his left. Into his view... Within the shadow, a person with a slumped right shoulder was facing away from Du Wei... Chapter 44 044, DiàowÄ“iyà (modified) Inside the cross-shaped corridor. Du Wei halted, his right hand holding a bottle of Holy Water, his left hand gripping the silver cross dagger he had gotten from the hunter, Andrew Dowqui. Some Evil Spirits are capable of influencing reality, even manipting the human body. He had witnessed this already. Looking behind the rusty door, standing in the shadows, with its back to him, Du Wei made a judgment under the state of Spirit Vision, which was more urate and direct than the sixth sense. "It''s a corpse." He thought for a moment, leaned in closer and began inspecting carefully, making out the clothes on the body with the help of the flickering, dim light. What puzzled him was that he seemed to see some threads. "This is the second staff member''s corpse I''ve encountered." Then, he turned his head and nced at the iron door on his right. Behind this door was another body, but the scene that met his eyes was even more horrifying. Behind the rusty door, wrapped in darkness, stood a white female dressed in hot shorts and a snug T-shirt, on tiptoe in the dark, her eyes wide open, empty. Her posture was very strange, as the tiptoeing forced her body to lean forward. Her already-tall stature, due to her racial advantage, made her appear over one meter seventy in height, incredibly imposing. From Du Wei''s angle, their gazes met directly. Under the Spirit Vision. He saw a face flickering in the dark behind the white female, it was that Evil Spirit girl, still bearing resentment and a deathly stillness. "This body belongs to a tourist." Immediately after, Du Wei''s eyebrows subconsciously furrowed as he looked closely at the white female''s neck. Even though the light was dim, and most of the woman''s body was shrouded in darkness, as if covered by a thin veil, Du Wei still noticed a faint blue-ck strangtion mark around her neck¡­ Upon a closer look, he could see the tough steel wire embedded into the flesh of her neck.N?v(el)B\\jnn There was no doubt, she had been strangled to death¡­ And the tough steel wire¡­ Du Wei sheathed the cross dagger and casually took out a lighter. Click¡­ A bean-sized me sprang to life. Du Wei stood at the entrance of the iron door, just one step away from entering the cell. Through the light of the lighter, Du Wei finally made out the general situation. The so-called white threads were extremely fine steel wires used for hanging¡­ The steel wire wrapped around her neck, extending backwards into the darkness, pulling her body up slightly, which exined her tiptoed stance¡­ And that Evil Spirit girl¡­ Du Wei had a vague feeling that he was catching on to something, but he was unsure if the other party was leading and hinting at him again. From the moment he had stepped into this cross-shaped corridor, he had known why he had returned to the starting point twice. Enjoy exclusive content from empire This was supposed to be a segment of the Horror House, simr to the concept of being trapped in an endless loop, except it was man-made and the design was rtively clever. The swaying, flickering lights, the almost imperceptible eerie sounds, and the vast shadowy areas, along with the corroded iron doors on either side of the corridor, were all deliberately creating an atmosphere to mislead one''s hearing and senses. Moreover, the corridor itself is cross-shaped. If every entrance is arranged exactly the same, then subconsciously, one would take the evil spirit little girl standing at the center as a point of reference. Thinking this, Du Wei was quite certain that there must have been other references, or say staff members, acting as this coordinate before the appearance of the Evil Spirit. "I know where your medium is." Not looking at the corpse behind the iron door on the right anymore, Du Wei pocketed his lighter and walked forward expressionlessly with his bag on his back. He walked at an even pace. Each iron door he passed housed a gruesome corpse, whether it be an employee dressed as a ghost or a visitor who hade to have fun. Moreover, under Spirit Vision, the frequency at which the evil spirit little girl appeared increased, and sometimes she even lingered for a moment, waving at Du Wei from inside the iron doors with an increasingly ferocious expression. Yet Du Wei remained utterly calm, his demeanor growing ever more serene,pletely ignoring its existence. This segment was originally controlled by the staff, but now for some reason, all the staff had been killed by the Evil Spirit, and the leader had be the Evil Spirit. From human to ghost, it is almost a dead end with no solution. Man-made arrangements affect hearing and perception. The presence of an Evil Spirit is to let you deceive yourself. If it were someone else, by now they would probably have fallen into terror and fear, with a slim chance of escape. But what was here was an excellent psychologist, a church''s exorcist-in-training, a hunter who had undergone Evil Spirit Transformation... ... This corridor was not long, but it was very narrow. Walking through it, a slight movement of your body would bring you up against the iron doors. The figure of the evil spirit little girl had returned to the center of the cross-shaped corridor. She was already extremely horrifying, with half her face looking as if crushed by a heavy object, flesh muddled, and blood covering her entire skirt. As Du Wei walked towards her, expressionless and step by step, it opened its mouth and let out a piercing, sharp scream filled with a deep resentment. In an instant, all the chandeliers started to flicker wildly and shake, then exploded with a bang, plunging the whole corridor intoplete darkness. At the same time, under Spirit Vision, Du Wei saw that the corpses inside each iron door hade to the doorway, staring at him with vacant, chilly eyes. He was silent for a while, staring at the Evil Spirit, and said calmly, "Evil Spirits possess intelligence, so you''ve been trying to mislead me, but now, I have found you." To kill a person, an Evil Spirit must go through the stages of triggering a medium, absorbing emotions like fear and terror, and then taking action... These are the so-called rules. "And the medium is right here." As his words fell, Without any hesitation, Du Wei took a step forward, and the evil spirit little girl instantaneously disappeared, leaving the corridor in dead silence. At this moment, Du Wei took the ce of the Evil Spirit, standing at the intersection at the center of the cross-shaped corridor. He looked up at the ceiling while lighting his lighter. With the faint light, Du Wei saw that a piece of the ceiling above had been removed. A girl''s corpse, entwined in fine steel wires and dressed in a western gown, was suspended upside down above him. Her head hung downwards, her face covered in congealed blood clots. One of her eyes was gone, reced by a hollow, deeply silent gaze that met Du Wei''s. Du Wei''s gaze was utterly calm, not a hint of emotional fluctuation on his face. He scrutinized carefully; each steel wire spread out in different directions, forming a fan shape, like a spider''s web, dense and chilling to the core. Chapter 45 045, Seems unsolvable? (Massive update) Looking at the corpse dangling from the ceiling, Du Wei''s gaze lingered on the thin steel wires used for the suspension, following their scattered directions. The wires that wrapped around the body formed a spiderweb-like structure on the ceiling, spreading out densely, corresponding to four channels. "No wonder both the staff and tourists'' bodies are wrapped in steel wires, so this is your method of control," Du Wei withdrew his gaze, his mind very calm, he had basically uncovered the secret of the Evil Spirit. Rtively speaking, it truly was inescapable, horrifically lethal. But as long as one could analyze it rationally, identify the medium, its most obvious weakness would be apparent. As the medium exists in this manner, it cannot leave this channel, its range of activity limited to here. Even moving within the channel was impossible. That was also why, in such a confined space, it preferred to appear behind the iron door, manipting the corpses to scare people. Du Wei couldn''t help but think of Bob and the others who had entered the Horror House with him, if it were them, they would probably break down mentally under such a desperate situation and end up dying at the hands of the Evil Spirit. Stopping his thoughts. Du Wei then prepared to make a move to leave, searching his backpack for the bottle of Bone Powder¡ªthe remains of some Evil Spirits needed to be lit to use. He nned to take down the body and burn it. After the recent changes, the entire channel was now in total darkness, except for a faint light from Du Wei''s lighter, barely revealing some objects, the rest plunged into deathly still darkness. Suddenly, Du Wei''s eyes grew cold as he sniffed a foul smell of blood. It wasing from behind him, growing increasingly pungent. The corner of his eye, aided by the light of the lighter, noticed a ck shadow spreading on the ground. "Huff¡­" It was as if someone breathed out, blowing at the lighter once, and in a moment, that small me went out. Then, in the pitch-ck darkness where one couldn''t see their own hand, there came a crisp "bang" sound, as if something had shattered. ... "The time is now 16:03." Bob, gasping for breath, leaned against the closed door, taking out his phone to check the time. Their faces all bared the flush of strenuous exercise, along with exhaustion and tension. "Wait, where''s Lisa? Did you guys see her?" Bob, propping the door and catching his breath with his head lowered, suddenly turned back but noticed that, without knowing when, Lisa from their group had vanished. "I didn''t see her, probably behind us!" The man from the couple said weakly, waving his hand, and knocked forcefully on the door: "Is anyone there? Open the door, there''s a dead person inside!" However, there was no response. The Horror House''s settings were such that you could only leave afterpleting it; if you wanted to exit in the middle, you had to contact the staff. Moreover, there was at least a ten-meter distance from this door to the outside of the Horror House, and many soundproofing arrangements had been made in the middle, hearing anything would be a miracle. Bob clenched his fists and banged on the door, muttering damn it under his breath! "No, we need to find Lisa. Someone inside the Horror House has already be a victim, it''s very possible that the murderer is still inside. Leaving Lisa alone definitely spells trouble." That man, however, objected: "Do you realize what you''re saying? It''s dangerous in there, alright, and now we go back for her? What if we run into the killer?" Bob said incredulously: "Friend, that''s precisely why we can''t abandon Lisa." "Is that right? Now you remember not to leave her behind, then why didn''t you lead her when we were at the back just now?" Speaking of which, the man added: "And who doesn''t know you like her? If you want to go find her, then you go by yourself. Anyway, I''m going to call the staff to open the door and call the police." Hearing this, Bob''s face became very unsightly, flushed with red. Indeed, he had run very fast earlier,pletely ignoring Lisa. But that''s the normal reaction for anyone in such a situation, to think of oneself first. Moreover, he only liked Lisa; the two of them were not together. So, after regaining hisposure, Bob immediately felt guilt and annoyance. "Forget it, I''ll go alone." "I''ll go with you." The girlfriend within the couple clenched her teeth and, feeling very sorry for her best friend, nodded at Bob. Then, she frowned at her boyfriend. "You''ve disappointed me. Maybe I need to rethink our rtionship." "Fuck!!! What do you think this is, heroism? Someone''s been killed! Can''t you be calm for once? What we need to do right now is to protect ourselves!" "If that''s the case, I dere that we''re broken up!" Having said that, she turned and walked back, and Bob didn''t nce at the man again, following her directly. Watching the two leave, the man''s eyes burned with anger. "Fine, you all are heroes, and I, a pitiful coward who''s afraid of death, won''t join you!" As he spoke, he took out his phone and dialed the staff''s number. "Dudu..." A busy signal; he couldn''t get through at all. "What''s going on?" Only then did he realize his phone had no signal; he shook it vigorously, but to no avail. "Damn it, I swear this is thest time I evere to a shithole like Horror House in my life!" The man was so angry he felt like smashing his phone, but after a second thought, he gave up on the idea and put it back in his pocket. However, just then... "Click..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om A sound resembling mechanical gears turning started. He lifted his head, his eyes shifting from confusion to surprise and excitement. The door they hade through opened... There was no one there. The weird music that he had found boring, along with the deliberately dark lighting, now seemed incredibly wee. It was strange that the door opened without anyoneing in or any staff present under normal circumstances, but at that time, he didn''t think much of it. "Thank God." As he entered the door, the next second it slowly closed, the vast shadow swallowing him up. The eerie music continued, but the lighting suddenly became a bit brighter, as if the electricity had been insufficient before, causing the lights to dim. Continue reading at empire Soon the door closedpletely, leaving only the sound of it sealing shut. ... Boom... Du Wei watched dispassionately the burning body not far away. The fire illuminated the entire cross-shaped corridor, casting his shadow unnaturally long and strange. At his feety shattered ss bottles and arge spread of water stains. He poured out another bottle of Holy Water, using just a bit to clean the bloodstains on his hand from contact with the body, then pulled out a white cloth from his backpack, designed for dealing with Evil Spirits, and carefully wiped his hands dry. In his backpack, the burnable Bone Powder was now reduced to half. Chapter 46 046, Basement Level 1 Entrance (Pinned in group number comments section) The firelight illuminated the cross-shaped passage, and the intense heat caused beads of sweat to slowly emerge on Du Wei''s forehead. He grew impatient and stepped back. Just as the lighter was blown out, he had smashed the ss bottle filled with Holy Water and brought down the medium of the Evil Spirit girl, her corpse that is, dousing it with the special Bone Powder given by Father Tony and set it aze. For Du Wei, he never acted without preparation, preferring to calmly analyze the situation, find a solution, and keep himself in a state of security. Only when absolutely necessary or faced with an emergency would he consider skirting the edge of death. And regarding the Evil Spirit in the cross passage, Du Wei had no intention ofing into much contact with it from the start. Had it not tried to kill him by controlling the scenes set up by the Horror House itself, things wouldn''t havee to this point. "It''s time to find the exit and quickly leave the Horror House." Once certain no fire would erupt, Du Wei stuffed the half-empty bottle of Bone Powder into his backpack and walked away. His footsteps receded into the distance... But after he left, the corpse suddenly made a "snap" sound, and mes violently surged up, seemingly wanting to spread elsewhere. However, constrained by theck of sufficient fuel, they were extinguished. ... Meanwhile, in front of the Japanese-style haunted house. Bob and hispanion also arrived here. "What''s going on? Why haven''t we seen Lisa yet? Moving forward is the area with the Undead Mummy. Could something have really happened to her?" Anxiety and confusion filled Bob''s face, and his tone revealed his immense irritation. "Should we keep going forward? I''m getting scared." The speaker was Lisa''s best friend, and although they were close, she felt torn in this situation. It wasn''t hypocrisy, but reality. For instance, a person afraid of heights might venture up a 100-meter hill to help a friend in trouble. However, if they realized the distance was actually 1,000 meters, coupled with unknown dangers during the climb and the sight of their worst fear below, most people might weigh the risks and rewards. Fear and fright are instincts; controlling these instincts and being controlled by them are both normal. Therefore, when Bob heard her words, he didn''t react with anger. He was also considering whether to continue moving forward. Just ahead was where the bodies of the crew members had been found... "Maybe... maybe we should..." Bob licked his lips, a struggle fleeting across his eyes. Looking ahead at the dimly lit area, shadow-covered corners made Bob hesitate. He told himself¡ª"You''re just a college student, Lisa isn''t your girlfriend, and you''ve done enough. This is something professionals should handle." Thinking this way, he felt somewhat relieved. But acknowledging this aloud would be embarrassing, as Bob had talked too tough before. Even though he recognized it was a hasty decision, backing out now was difficult... So he thought for a moment and decided to pass the decision onto someone else. "Do you think we should keep moving forward?" "After all, it''s better to leave this kind of thing to the police." "What do you think... huh?" There was no response. With a puzzled expression, Bob turned his head and scanned the area; his face went pale in an instant... fuck!!!! Lisa''s best friend, who had just been speaking with him, was now nowhere to be seen. "Hey... this isn''t funny, where are you?" Suddenly, a faint breeze blew by. Bob couldn''t help but shiver, feeling his sweat turn cold and sticky, and his back crawl with goosebumps. What the hell is going on? At this moment, Bob also realized that something was not right. Gritting his teeth, he said, "No matter what you want to do, I''m getting out of here... I will call the police... I swear, I definitely will." After he finished speaking, he started to run. Yet, just a few steps after he started running, Bob opened his mouth in horror, disbelievingly staring at the road he hade from. "Where''s the road?" The road that was originally there had simply vanished, and all that could be seen were shadows engulfing everything in sight. It was as if he had been teleported to an entirely different ce, experiencing some sort of spatial discement. The spine-chilling sound effects and eerie music that had been barely audible before hadpletely disappeared, leaving the surroundings in utter silence. But this kind of silence made Bob feel even more afraid and on the verge of copse. The sound effects and bizarre music in the Horror House, however intimidating they might be, were man-made. When you know the truth, you might still find it creepy, but at least there is somefort in that knowledge. But now, Bob felt as if he had plunged into an ice cave, losing all his reasoning and ability to think. ... 16:56. Inside the Horror House, at the entrance of the underground level. A sign that read ''Ambrose Wax Museum'' was covered in aged cracks, with many cobwebs obscuring the lettering, making it difficult to read. Du Wei stared at the sign for quite a while before he could decipher the letters. Expressionless and silent, he seemed gloomy. Annabelle had been ced in the Dead Spirit Doll section, which was also on the underground level. The exit was also on this level, but it was located at the deepest part of Ferocious Ghost Street, where an elevator was avable for people to leave. To get to the underground level, one had to enter the deepest part of the Horror Wax Museum and descend through the entrance. This was also the path visitors had to take if they wanted to leave the Horror House, barring any calls to the staff or unforeseen events. Of course, under the current circumstances, the entrance they hade through was no longer an option. All of the Horror House''s sections had been reced with ghosts instead of people, and these ghosts could manipte the original staging. There was no going back; the only option was to keep moving forward in search of a way out. His only goal now was to leave. As for the Evil Spirit Transformation... If he could make it out alive, it might bring about an unexpected change for himself. For instance, after taking that bus and getting off, he entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision directly. Though there might be some reasons he had yet to think of, elerating the degree of Evil Spirit Transformation was surely inevitable.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Byparison, whether he could contact Annabelle was no longer important. In fact, under these circumstances, Du Wei even felt that not encountering her would be the best oue. "It probably took three minutes..." He estimated the time he had spent contemting, took a deep breath, and then calmly walked in. This time, he did not produce Holy Water or anything else but drew his gun instead. As soon as he entered, he detected a peculiar smell. This persistent odor was distinctive to wax figure creation and would normally fade slowly over time with long-term cement. Though the Horror House had been around for a while, it clearly refreshed its inventory frequently, bringing in brand new wax figures to scare visitors. Du Wei scanned the wax figure closest to him, looking a bit strange. This wax figure was dressed stylishly, much like current college students ¨C jeans and AJ sneakers ¨C but it appeared iplete, as if its facial features were still wrapped in wax, not yet revealed. But one could tell that it was a Caucasian male, seemingly young in age. What made Du Wei feel uneasy was that he thought he had seen this wax figure somewhere before. It looked very familiar... Chapter 47 047, its Annabelle (asking for votes and favorites) "Why do I feel this sense of familiarity?" Read exclusive chapters at empire Du Wei muttered to himself as he scrutinized the wax figure of the white male with a scrutinizing gaze. His memory had always been excellent. He could generally remember the plots of books he had read over the past five or six years, and images and videos that made a deep impression were even less likely to be forgotten. People who evoked a sense of familiarity in him were usually those he had met several times or talked to. As he looked at the blurry face of the wax figure, Du Wei squinted, pulled out a silver crucifix dagger, and stabbed it straight in. As soon as the dagger pierced the wax seal covering the face of the figure, he felt a sense of resistance. It was like he had hit the soft tissue of a human body. Du Wei''s hand paused for a moment, then he pulled out the dagger, bringing out a strand of fresh blood. "Is it a person?" Staring at the blood stained on the dagger''s de, Du Wei''s expression was very subtle. "Bob, or another man?" In the Horror House, the only men Du Wei had encountered were these two; it was impossible for others to appear here, so it had to be one of them. So, Du Wei simply used the dagger to cut open the sealed wax covering the face of the wax figure, this time he controlled the force so skillfully that he did not hurt the skin. "Is it you?!" When the face of the wax figure was revealed, Bob''s other malepanion came into view. Of course, he was already dead. Du Wei looked at the corpse turned into a wax figure, his gaze flickered slightly, then he regained his calm and indifference. He was somewhat puzzled as to why this body had appeared in the Wax Museum. Now, every aspect within the entire Horror House was controlled by Evil Spirits or ghosts, and all the thrills and horror that people wanted to experience were very real. But even if one really encountered an Evil Spirit and died at their hands, they shouldn''t appear right in front of him. "This doesn''t make sense."N?v(el)B\\jnn Du Wei silently said to himself, and no longer looked at the body turned into a wax figure. Earlier, when he was lingering outside the Wax Museum in Spirit Vision state, he did not detect the presence of an Evil Spirit. Initially, he was somewhat puzzled, but now he thought that this situation was somewhat simr to that of the Undead Mummy. With this in mind, Du Wei walked toward the other wax figures. Each wax figure was lifelike, with a variety of forms. Some were students, some were children, and others were working staff and adults of different identities. The deeper he went, the more chilling it became. All the wax figures, from initially serene poses, became increasingly fierce and horrible. The facial expressions of each wax figure carried fright and tension, their eyes wide open as if they had seen something incredibly terrifying. Looking eye to eye with a workman''s wax figure, Du Wei stared emotionlessly into his eyes. After a moment of silence... He paused, then said to himself, "The Undead Mummy and the bodies in the Horror Wax Museum were caused by Evil Spirits, but so far, I have only encountered one ghost and one Evil Spirit. That means, including Annabelle, there are at least two more Evil Spirits in the Horror House." "Are they all on the first basement level?" But there was no way to retreat anymore. Du Wei took a deep breath. Further down were the stages of the Ghost iming Lives and the Evil Spirit Doll, as well as the exit in the area of Ferocious Ghost Street. No longer paying attention to these wax figures, Du Wei headed straight for the entrance to the first basement level. It was located at the very back of the Wax Museum, a wooden Ground Gate hidden in the floor, marked by handprint marks drawn in red paint on the side. Lifting the Ground Gate, what met his eyes was darkness, with the faint outline of a staircase constructed of old wooden boards. After adjusting to the dim light, Du Wei went straight down. A sudden snap... With the wooden ground gate closing, a burst of dust was stirred up. The entire wax museum once again returned to its previous state, a deathly silence pervading the space. At this moment, all the figures made into wax statues seemed to receive some kind of signal and turned their heads in unison, looking towards that ground gate. ... "Eek-creak..." Walking up the old stairs, although Du Wei was very careful, he still couldn''t avoid the squeaking, frictional sound of the wooden structure caused by his movement on the rudimentary stairs. Unlike what he had imagined, the stairs weren''t very long, probably no more than two or three meters, but because they were covered by shadows and their full extent obscured, they gave the impression of being much longer. Tap... Flicking his lighter, Du Wei descended the stairs and surveyed his surroundings. It was so dark it sent chills down his spine, the feeble light from the me barely illuminating the small space directly in front of him, as if everything else faded into nonexistence. The air was stuffy, and the ground was covered with dust. After only taking a few steps forward, Du Wei looked back and could no longer see the stairs he hade down. His heart sank slightly; the space wasrge, but it was obvious that he hadn''t reached the thrilling part of the Horror House setup yet. Moreover, here... Under the state of Spirit Vision, he found nothing abnormal, which meant there was no presence of Evil Spirits. But this did not lessen the vignce in Du Wei''s mind. Because he detected a faint scent of blood. During his university days when he majored in forensic science, apart from attending regr sses, he spent the rest of his time dealing with corpses. With time, this had almost be an instinct. Now, upon detecting the scent of blood, Du Wei looked around at the pitch-ck environment and involuntarily conjured up an image in his mind. In the darkness beyond his sight, there might be bodies either lying down, standing, or piled on top of each other, each with a horrific death, dripping with blood. "I need to speed up." Shaking his head, Du Wei crouched down and, using the faint light from the lighter, inspected the ground around him. He needed to find a way out. "Found it." In the dim light cast by the lighter, Du Wei saw many messy footprints. Although there weren''t too many, it was clear that the people who had previously been here must have been frightened out of their wits by the oppressive darkness surrounding them. Next, he found the most concentrated set of footprints, all moving in one direction, and followed them. The Horror House would not create an environment with no way out; its purpose was only to provide visitors with a sense of thrill and let them enjoy the fun ofpleting the challenge. If there really was a dead end, it would be a mockery of its visitors, and it would be almost impossible for it to have stayed in business until now. Therefore, with a bit of time, he was certain to find an exit. Moreover, Du Wei did not sense the presence of Evil Spirits, so he followed normal logic and, after some analysis, chose the quickest path. Three minutester. Du Wei touched a cold, damp metal door, and with his lighter, he waved it around nearby and saw a handle. He grabbed it and lightly pulled. The sound of mechanical operation immediately followed. The next second, blinding light flooded in. Du Wei turned his face away, shielding his eyes from the light, and after getting used to it, his pupils abruptly narrowed. He saw that before him was a room styled like something from the midst century. What was surprising, however, was the multitude of dolls recing the areas that should have been decorated with ornaments. And at the doorway of the room was a chair ced. Under the Spirit Vision state, a woman in a filthy, unkempt gown was sitting there, facing sideways to Du Wei, watching the door outside expressionlessly. In her arms, she held a doll about forty centimeters long, withrge eyes and cheeks painted with rouge, maintaining a smiling arc that felt exceedingly eerie. It was Annabelle... Chapter 48 048, Wooden Man (Modified) ```n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The room was silent, deathly quiet. The atmosphere was oppressive, suffocating. Du Wei''s expression remained unchanged. In his Spirit Vision state, he realized he was facing a very bad situation. It could even be said that since encountering the Evil Spirit, this was the most difficult situation he had faced. Two Evil Spirits... The Evil Spirit Doll Annabelle, as well as the woman sitting in the chair, holding it. The woman was sitting sideways, so from this angle, Du Wei could even see her ashen face, full of cracked wrinkles. He tried to keep calm and nced at the position of the door, which was about four or five steps away. Then, he tentatively pocketed his lighter. His eyes were fixed on the side-sitting Evil Spirit facing the door and the Evil Spirit Doll Annabelle it held. Your next chapter is on empire Nothing unusual happened. From start to finish, both Evil Spirits seemed as if they hadn''t seen Du Wei at all, always facing the door. Du Wei let out a slight sigh of relief and took a half step back, reaching behind him to feel around. Instead of the cold steel he expected, his hand touched a hard, damp wall. Where was that iron door? Du Wei''s breathing became a bit rapid, but realizing this, he immediately adjusted his state and returned to normal. At this moment, his face was somber, but his heart was exceptionally calm. He guessed that the moment he passed through the iron door, Annabelle and this Evil Spirit had likely made their move against him. Some Evil Spirits have the power to affect reality. Not like those he had encountered before in the cross-path of Horror House, which used the original setup of the house to affect people''s senses. But they could truly distort space, on a physical level. Previously, the only Evil Spirit Du Wei had encountered with such ability was the one drawn to his home by an online post, but now, he had met another. "Is it Annabelle, or is it her? Or perhaps both have this ability?" Du Wei analyzed, trying to find a solution. Without knowing the medium of the other Evil Spirit, he couldn''t make a judgment or decision. "But fortunately, it seems to be safe for now." Du Wei quickly shifted his train of thought, but just then, with an inadvertent nce, he saw¡ª all the dolls in the room, of various forms and sizes, had at some point all turned to face him. Mimicking humans, there were few animal-shaped ones, and in this context, they looked like some sort of dwarfish people. What made it even more chilling was that, because of the angle, Du Wei had only seen them generally before and hadn''t noticed the specific appearance of these dolls. Now, as they faced him, he realized that what should have been the eyes of the dolls had been sewn shut, the surfaces caved in as if the artificial eyeballs had been removed. "Huh..." Du Wei exhaled, turning his expressionless face away, the rationality he had always maintained was slightly shaken. In an instant. A gaze met his... The woman sitting on the chair, who was sideways to Du Wei, had moved her position silently, along with the chair. A creeping oppressiveness spread from the heart, and it seemed as if the light in the room itself was affected, dimming a few degrees. Du Wei could visibly see arge shadow spreading in the corner, as if it were some kind of living thing. Fine sweat covered his back, and the damp strands of hair on his forehead clung to his skin. However, apart from this, the woman made no other unusual movements, just staring straight at Du Wei. Despite the significant distance between them. Yet Du Wei felt an incredibly thick, gloomy oppressiveness. He didn''t make any other movements, maintaining his current action. He even started to slow his breathing, controlling all emotions to keep himself in a state of calm and rationality. From this distance, Du Wei could see the woman''s entire visage. Her skin was shriveled with wrinkles, wrapping around her bones, and her hair was like dried brushwood, resembling wild grass. She wore a filthy, disheveled long dress, many parts of which had sumbed to putrid mold, as if buried in the ground for a long time. The only difference was the woman''s eyes. Though her gaze was empty and grim, her eyeballs did not look dehydrated like her skin, but rather quite full, except the skin around her eyes hadpletely sagged, giving her a particrly fearsome appearance. ``` Du Wei couldn''t help but recall a corpse he had once dissected in his mind. A middle-aged worker had died suddenly near the underground heating pipes at work, his body''s moisturepletely evaporated, leaving only ayer of skin by the time it was sent to the dissecting room. Besides the eyes, there was no difference between this Evil Spirit and that corpse. Under the influence of Spirit Vision, the oppressive feeling it gave Du Wei was very strong, making it hard not to be affected... "But why, up until now, it still hasn''t made a move? Just standing there, motionless, staring at me, what are they trying to do?" Du Wei quietly asked himself, his ck pupils growing more profound. Vaguely, he felt he might have grasped some sort of pattern. So, he thought for a moment and took a step towards the door. Thud... The sound of footsteps dissipated... As Du Wei moved his position, the next second, the woman facing him suddenly moved forward the same distance. Under the state of Spirit Vision. He couldn''t even see any trace of movement, as if it was an instantaneous spatial discement,pletely irrational. Also. As the woman''s position shifted, the dolls ced in the room seemed to be affected too; the fine thread used to sew their eyes burst apart at one end. It seemed much like a chain reaction. But Du Wei didn''t think so. Even, he looked thoughtfully at those sinister dolls, and at Annabelle, along with the Evil Spirit holding her. "It''s about bnce." Du Wei mused, like the bnce of power initially between the two Evil Spirits in his home, as well as the confrontation. When two Evil Spirits set their sights on the same target, there was no such thing as firste, first-served; they would confront each other until one suppressed the other before they would make a move on the target. The only difference was, the targets of the two Evil Spirits in his home were himself, while the targets of Annabelle and this Evil Spirit were not himself. They had already been in the process of confrontation before he entered this ce. Otherwise, the moment Du Wei entered, it definitely wouldn''t be as safe as it was now. Having thus cleared his thoughts, he could easily jump out of the thinking trap and find out the murder mechanism. It could be understood that the killing mode of the Evil Spirit in the cross-shaped passage was limited and followed a mechanism. As for the rules... Finding out the rules and mechanisms, there might still be a slim chance of survival. If Annabelle and this woman belonged to the parts involving the Evil Spirit Doll and the Ghost iming Lives respectively, then it might only be necessary to cross Ferocious Ghost Street to reach the original exit. As for whether the exit had also changed... This was unknown. But Du Wei had no other choice, for this was the only hope. Looking at the woman sitting in the chair, holding Annabelle, Du Wei came up with a strange thought in his mind. She seemed to have almost the same objective as his initial one, wanting to capture Annabelle. Only, he aimed for Evil Spirit Transformation, while she herself was an Evil Spirit, what then was her purpose? Du Wei quietly suppressed this thought, deciding to do something to test the theories. He remembered that he had just taken a step back and was feeling the iron door behind him. "Rted to movement?" Thinking about it, he stretched out his hand and waved it slowly. Regrettably, nothing unusual happened. The woman and Annabelle remained as they were, without any change. So, Du Wei took another step, returning to his original position. The next second... Something that shocked him urred; the woman holding Annabelle suddenly moved towards him just a bit. The distance she moved was exactly the same as the distance he had returned to his original position. Seeing this, Du Wei''s expression turned extremely grave. He roughly knew what the rule was. Chapter 49 049, dont move... (modified) It''s very simr to a game called "Red Light, Green Light" that I yed when I was a child. One person faces away from the others, starting to count "Red Light, Green Light, 1, 2, 3"; as they turn around, everyone else must not have any bodily movements; as they turn back, the movement restriction for everyone else is lifted; the first one to touch that person is the victor. Of course, those are the rules of the game yed among people. The "game" between the Evil Spirit and Du Wei, however, had different rules. But certain aspects were not too dissimr. Thinking of this, Du Wei began to calcte the distance between himself and the door. About four or five steps. But the distance to the Evil Spirit was even closer. Especially since, in order to analyze its mechanism, he had already taken a step. At this moment, Du Wei was less than four steps away from the evil spirit sitting in the chair, and Annabelle. The iron door that had been behind him had vanished without a trace. There was only the door which represented the way to survive, and it was blocked by the Evil Spirit. What was even more insoluble was that Du Wei knew clearly that although he had figured out the mechanism, it had, in turn, made the situation even more dangerous. As soon as he took a step, whether he moved forward or backward, the sinister woman sitting in the chair would move the same distance towards him. To put it simply, if he moved in any direction by two steps, it would be able to touch him. As for what would happen after it touched him... Du Wei thought that it probably wouldn''t be like some novels where it wants him to grant it release or help it fulfill some unresolvedst wish. Because that sounded utterly ridiculous. He silently said to himself, "This is an almost inextricable predicament, but there''s a glimmer of hope. Maybe I can take a gamble." The first thing he could be certain of was that this bnce had been in ce before he arrived. Although he didn''t know why, in what should have been the stage of the Ghost iming Lives, Annabelle suddenly joined the mix, but he felt that this was the key to making the current situation unsolvable. Both Annabelle and the Evil Spirit wanted to kill him. Because that was the only way for one to overpower the other. Otherwise, they would keep confronting each other like this. The disappearance of the iron door was to seal off his way back. When he took a step back, the position of the woman changed; she wanted to kill him before Annabelle did. The rule within this bnce seemed like a BUG, but it was actually predicated on the situation where the two Evil Spirits were in a deadlock. "So, as long as I find a way to break this deadlock mechanism, everything could change." It sounds quite simple... At this thought, Du Wei directly entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. He extended his Right Hand and stared calmly for two seconds. The clean and neat Right Hand gave an eerie sense of astonishment. Then, Du Wei took a step forward, simultaneously taking out Holy Water and a white cloth from his backpack, stuffing one into his pocket and holding the other in his left hand. He didn''t even look at the Evil Spirit in front of him and headed toward the door. Thud... One step. Just one step, and the distance between that woman and Du Wei was instantly narrowed; such proximity only made the sense of oppression and the gloomy aura grow even heavier. The lighting in the entire room also plunged dramatically. It was as if, of twomps, one was suddenly blown out. The threads that sewed the doll''s eyes shut also snapped even more, andrge shadows enveloped it, hiding within the dark what seemed to be something wriggling. Just like a venomous snake trapped in a small cage, trying to wriggle out to deliver its lethal fangs. Under the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, Du Wei could see more information, and the sense of terror and peculiarity intensified. To maintain hisposure, he suppressed all emotions of fear, trepidation, unease, and panic, and held his breath. Then... Without any hesitation, Du Wei took another step forward. Still heading towards the door. It''s just that, on this straight line, an Evil Spirit just happened to be in the way. As he took that step, a horribly grotesque face with wrinkles and folds distorting its features suddenly appeared before Du Wei. A man and an Evil Spirit were almost pressed together, no more than twenty centimeters apart.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As if responding to some signal! The lights in the room rapidly dimmed and were swallowed up byrge swaths of shadows. The only spot still illuminated was where Du Wei now stood. At the same time, in the darkness, the sound of threads snapping, pop... pop, could be faintly heard. Without looking, he knew that those dolls that gave him an ufortable feeling, with their eyes sewn shut, were nearly all undone, just a final restraint away frompletely breaking the bnce. But Du Wei''s attention was no longer on those dolls. The seated Evil Spirit, too, had undergone a change, no longer staring nkly at Du Wei like before. On its face, an eerily strange smile appeared out of nowhere. So close they were almost touching, Du Wei woulde into contact if he moved even slightly. However, a secondter... Du Wei reached out his Right Hand. With Spirit Vision in the Third Phase, a body part transformed by the Evil Spirit can make direct contact with an Evil Spirit, but clearly, in such a situation, making contact would undoubtedly lead to very bad things. So, Du Wei''s target was something else. He swiftly grabbed the Evil Spirit Doll, Annabelle. Actually, even without entering the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, he could still seize Annabelle. Because Annabelle itself is both a medium and an Evil Spirit. However, Du Wei did not like to gamble; he preferred to be fully prepared, to maximize his advantage as much as possible to make the desired oue¡ªinfinitely more likely. The moment his Right Hand grasped Annabelle, Du Wei felt as though he had grabbed a block of ice, the chilling aura nearly made him shiver. Only an Evil Spirit canbat an Evil Spirit. A Right Hand transformed by an Evil Spirit can touch, but not confront. Then, without any pause, Du Wei snatched Annabelle from the woman''s embrace in the chair. In an instant, the bnce was broken. It immediately lunged at Du Wei. "It seems I was right," he muttered. The rules of the game ''Red Light, Green Light''pletely failed. With a thud... The bottle containing Holy Water shattered on the ground, its contents sshing in all directions. Sss... The Evil Spirit, the first to bear the brunt, was drenched in the Holy Water. As if sshed with sulfuric acid, dense white smoke rose from its body, momentarily stalled. Seizing the opportunity, Du Wei dashed towards the door. At the same time, Annabelle, held in his Right Hand, began to undergo some peculiar changes. A cold and gloomy sensation crept up Du Wei''s Right Hand at an astonishing pace, quickly spreading from his palm, his wrist, towards his elbow. Du Wei couldn''t help but grunt, draping the white cloth issued by the church to the Exorcists in New York, meant for Exorcism, over Annabelle. He burst through the door, looking utterly disheveled, and fell heavily to the ground. With this momentum, Annabelle was wrapped up in the white cloth. Behind him, in the room, the Evil Spirit watched Du Wei with a gaze filled with immense malice. The vast shadows had now devoured all of the room''s light. Once again, their eyes met, but Du Wei remained calm. Chapter 50 050, huh, Lisa... (modified) In the room, the Evil Spirit stared intently at Du Wei, its eyes filled with undisguised malice. Behind it, a vast shadow covered it, apanied by an unusual sound that resembled objects falling to the ground. Du Wei knew clearly, it was those strange dolls making the noise. Because after the white cloth used to counter Evil Spirits was draped over the Evil Spirit Doll Annabelle, a particrly malevolent feeling began to emanate. Clearly, a single white cloth for countering Evil Spirits was not enough to subdue Annabelle, or to say, it was extraordinary, more terrifying, and bizarre. He locked eyes with the woman inside the door. Silence prevailed, neither making any other move. It didn''t move, Du Wei didn''t move either, just deadlocked like that. It seemed as if the game of statues was still continuing. But Du Wei knew it wasn''t so, the bnce had been broken, and naturally, the rules built upon it could not continue to be effective. After the bnce was disrupted, Annabelle''s power took the upper hand. He reached a conclusion and was also very curious about how the situation would evolve next. "Will it be eradicated?" With the current methods, even Du Wei found it difficult to eradicate an Evil Spirit, in most cases he could only analyze the medium and rules, to protect his own safety as much as possible. Unless absolutely necessary, he would not act without being confident he could handle the situation. And the known condition was¡ªEvil Spirits could counteract each other. Soon after, Du Wei was disappointed. From within the shadows, that Evil Spirit seemed to abandon the thought of continuing the standoff. Du Wei could only watch calmly as it, with its body eroded by Holy Water and pockmarked to reveal brown bones beneath, slowly retreated into the shadows. It had left... "What a pity." Du Wei felt some regret, if he could have seen an Evil Spirit eradicate another, perhaps he would''ve found other means to deal with such situations in the future. Including the curse contracted for reasons unknown, from the nun. ording to Father Tony''s own words, the nun''s horror was even worse than that of Evil Spirits, and it could even spread in a sickly manner through text, speech, information, cognition, and so forth.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Merely thinking of the name could provoke a response. All negative emotions, including fear, panic, and the like, became sources of its power. The Church suspected it was a terrifying existence identally encountered by someone and couldn''t even confirm whether it was an Evil Spirit, only referring to it as such. A total of two hundred ordinary people had died at its hands. The Church had sent six waves of elite Exorcists tobat it, totaling thirteen, including the previous one who had used some unknown method to subjugate it. From start to finish, Du Wei never let down his guard, always maintained his reason, andpleted the transaction with Father Tony, whether it was to investigate that bus or to find Annabelle, all to figure out a way to resolve this problem. It could be likened to a bnce scale. The Exorcists arriving this week could be considered a weight, and the Evil Spirit Transformation was like adding another weight. "It''s time to leave." Du Wei exhaled a sigh of turbid air and looked down at Annabelle, wrapped in the white cloth. He could clearly see its outline. About forty centimeters in size, with two ponytails, and with disproportionately small limbs. "It''s struggling..." There was even an invisible force trying to lift the white cloth covering it, and faintly, many human faces could be seen. So many that it was instinctively unsettling, giving a sense of creeping nausea. "Seems like there are a lot of souls inside?" Du Wei was somewhat surprised, yet he also felt his thoughts be clearer. So many people had died in the Horror House, both visitors and staff, with all these deaths, some abnormal presence was bound to ur. Now, it appeared that the souls of these deceased were mostly inside Annabelle. "Given enough time, you might be so dangerous that the entire city would fall." Du Wei had read about Evil Spirits in a book, which mentioned that dolls, in many cultures, were equated with the eerie. Some could even attract purely evil Ghosts and Evil Spirits. And behind him, in the house hidden within the shadows, the noise became louder. Rustle rustle rustle... Something was about toe out. Du Wei nced behind him and then back at Annabelle. He took off his backpack, which now contained only half a bottle of Bone Powder and a book about Evil Spirits. The original two bottles of Holy Water had been used up. So... After gazing at the half bottle of Bone Powder for about five seconds, he reached out, took the Bone Powder out, and unscrewed the lid. "The Church allocates a certain amount of this stuff to Exorcists annually, but sometimes it runs out of stock. It''s best used after lighting it up; otherwise, it''s only slightly stronger than Holy Water," those were Father Tony''s exact words. The next moment. Du Wei didn''t hesitate and directly poured the remaining half bottle of Bone Powder onto the white cloth. Hiss... Just like when the Holy Water touched the Evil Spirit, wisps of white smoke, as if corroded by sulfuric acid, immediately began to rise from under the white cloth. All their faces contorted hideously, mouths agape in silent agony, yet one could imagine the piercing screams. Then, like leeches encountering salt, all the faces slowly settled, and the bulging white cloth returned to normal. He knew it was only temporary... With an expressionless face, Du Wei tightly wrapped up Annabelle, tied a dead knot, and stuffed her into his backpack, zipping it closed. Then, with the backpack on, he walked toward Ferocious Ghost Street. Surviving and walking out was all Du Wei wanted to do now. Catching Annabelle was an ident; although it was sessful, it did not make Du Wei feel safe. On the contrary, he felt the sense of a needle-prickling crisis. Because after capturing Annabelle, the sense of strangeness given by Horror House did not diminish. The only slight reassurance was that the Evil Spirit Transformation was spreading faster, starting from his right hand. ... Meanwhile. The Horror House environment is divided into two levels: above ground and underground. The above ground is where most of the scary sections are, whilst underground is more rudimentary, only set up with Dead Spirit Doll, Ghost iming Lives, and Ferocious Ghost Street. Among these, Ferocious Ghost Street and the exit are located at the same ce. As long as one crosses through Ferocious Ghost Street to the very end, they can take the elevator back to the surface, and the thrilling adventure of the Horror House would thus conclude. In Ferocious Ghost Street. A Caucasian male student in a uniform looked pale, trembling as he watched the buildings on both sides appear in his sight under the gloomy lighting. "Damn it, how did I end up here, wasn''t I walking back..." Because of extreme nervousness, Bob swallowed hard, his entire demeanor on the verge of copse. After Lisa disappeared, and her best friend vanished strangely, Bob realized something was amiss. He felt that there might be something unclean in this Horror House. Ghosts... or rather, Evil Spirits... "I should have listened to that Asian guy..." Bob muttered in pain. Facing the gloomy and terrifying Ferocious Ghost Street, Bob felt a sense of despair. Just now, after he left the Japanese-style haunted house, he immediately ran back, using all his strength. But when he passed through a shadowy corridor, to his surprise, he didn''t find the door he came through but the Ferocious Ghost Street, which was supposed to be on the underground level and thest scare section of the Horror House. "There couldn''t be ghosts here as well, right?" Bob''s face turned exceptionally pale, as if he had lost a lot of blood. "If I can get out of here, I swear I''ll nevere to this kind of godforsaken ce ever again!!!" He spoke to himself, his eyes filled with terror as he scanned his surroundings. "Maybe I should look for the exit elevator, I remember the guide mentioned it''s at the very end of Ferocious Ghost Street." As the name implies, Ferocious Ghost Street is a street haunted by ghosts, straightforward inyout, but mostly cloaked in shadows due to the lighting. This effect was deliberately created by the staff of the Horror House. But to Bob, it only made him more fearful, unable to discern his exact location. Was it the middle? Or the ends? He was conflicted, his instincts telling him not to go further, but he also knew that under these circumstances, finding the exit and leaving as soon as possible was the right choice. However, just then... He caught sight of a familiar figure through the shadows. Slender, but seemingly with a twisted foot and moving strangely, it ambled out of the shadows... "Huh, Lisa...?" Chapter 51 051, Human or Ghost The moment Bob caught sight of Lisa, a hint of surprise surfaced in his heart, immediately followed by a thick sense of caution. He hastily took a step back, "How did you get here?" Having just encountered a supernatural event, even the most thick-skinned would be sensitive. Moreover, Bob was naturally cowardly; his reaction was even more intense. But Lisa, clenching her teeth, retorted indignantly, "Hey, are you still a man? Didn''t you see that my leg and hand are injured? Instead of asking me how I got here, you should be helping me, ok?" As she spoke, she pointed at her leg and inhaled sharply. Only then did Bob notice that Lisa, having encountered some unknown situation, had various degrees of abrasions on her hands and feet, with her legs being more severely hurt. The jeans Lisa was wearing were rubbed with many bold slits, revealingrge patches of skin. But now, that exposed skin was dripping with blood, as if scraped against something. A section of the pant leg seemed to have disappeared, with a clear bruise the shape of a palm visible on her ankle. Despite Lisa''s words, Bob didn''t immediately go to her aid; instead, he stepped back several paces, maintaining what he deemed a safe distance. "Don''te any closer. How am I supposed to know if you''re human or a ghost?" "What do you mean human or ghost? What nonsense are you talking about?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lisa sneered coldly, "When we were running back just now, you didn''t wait for me, leaving me alone at the back. Now that I finally run into you, you''re asking if I''m human or a ghost?" Bob felt embarrassed, but his gaze was firm, "Haven''t you noticed something''s off with this Horror House? If you can''t prove you''re human, then I am sorry, but I can''t help you." He still liked Lisa, which was why he attempted to inquire andmunicate under these circumstances. With furrowed brows, Lisa said, "Off? What''s off? We''re ssmates from the same department. Your name is Bob, you like to y basketball, and your dream is to join the team, but because of your height, you just can''t make the cut." "Also, your basketball skills really are quite lousy." "Uh... knowing all this, you really are Lisa?" "Who else could I be, a ghost? Come here and help me." As she said that, Lisa bit her lip. The injuries on her body were severe, and any slight movement caused her such pain that she would gasp sharply. Bob hesitated for a moment and didn''t approach her, instead, he stared at the ground by Lisa''s feet. Both of them stood in the shadows, where no shadows could be seen. So, he asked again, "I... I have onest question for you, how did you get here?" At these words, Lisa''s expression also became perplexed. "Actually, I''m also puzzled. It feels like something attacked me, and when I opened my eyes, I found myself here." She seemed to be struggling to think, but her head was heavy and fuzzy, preventing her from recalling how it had happened. Upon seeing this, Bob nodded at her and said, "I believe you, Lisa, because I don''t know how I got here myself." As he spoke, he stepped forward and reached out to support Lisa by the hand. The moment he made contact, he felt something off about it. "Why is your hand so cold?" "The air conditioning has been on the whole time, plus we are on the basement level, aren''t your hands cold too?" "Ah? Are they?" "They really are." Shocked, Bob touched his own arm, and indeed, he felt a faint chill at his fingertips. ... At this time, Du Wei had also arrived at Ferocious Ghost Street. He carried a bulging backpack, looking more like a traveler rather than a tourist. He nced at the signs hanging on both sides of the street. The signs, with bloody fonts, read ''exit'' and maliciously, were marked with two crosses. It was as if they were saying, this way is impassable. He continued forward, his pace neither hurried nor slow. He had exited the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, and his right hand, which had exhibited symptoms of Evil Spirit Transformation, deepened after his encounter with Annabelle. The transformation into an Evil Spirit had initially been limited to the palm of the right hand, but now there was a tendency for it to spread to the wrist. "The idea is right, and, if the exit hasn''t changed, I should be able to escape alive." Du Wei pondered for a moment, thinking it might be better to put Annabelle at the head of the bed in the bedroom, but this thing could attract evil souls, so he had to handle it with care. It would be best to encase it in some sort of containment. As he was contemting, suddenly, Du Wei''s brow furrowed. Half was shadow, half was the street bathed in light. A man was supporting a woman, slowly making their way towards him, expressions of surprise on both their faces. "You''re the Asian with the backpack, how did you get here too, is it the same for you?" The two were none other than Bob and Lisa. Upon hearing Bob''s question, Du Wei fell silent for a moment, an unusual look in his eyes. Under the state of Spirit Vision, he saw that both of them had undergone some changes, more or less. Lisa''s facial changes were the most noticeable, with her lips turning purplish-blue, her tongue protruding, and most of her body showing mechanical-like twisting damage, as if something had squeezed her violently. Bob''s condition was less obvious, but it was clear that his head was somewhat deformed. Are they both Ghosts... Du Wei knew that in certain circumstances, when a person dies, there''s a small chance they might turn into a ghost. At first, their memory remains, and they believe they''re still alive. But soon, they would discover their secret and be just like the first female ghost he encountered. The Bob and Lisa in front of him were still in the phase where they thought they were alive. "This is tricky." Du Wei silently thought for a moment, now all the things he had that could deal with Evil Spirits were used up, all that was left was a silver crucifix dagger he had gotten from Andrew Dowqui. Unlike before, the dagger could indeed inflict some damage on Evil Spirits, but its power to resist them was more apparent when in the form of a cross. So, most of the time, Du Wei simply used it as a cutting tool. Using this thing to deal with two Ghosts... Du Wei thought about it, then discarded the idea, instead stepping back, intending to leave this ce. He had achieved his objective and saw no need to put himself in danger by confronting Ghosts. Watching Du Wei step back, Bob and Lisa both seemed puzzled. "Hey, Sir, why are you backing away, aren''t you here just as inexplicably as we are?" "Forget it, let''s not follow him, I always feel like there''s something off about this guy." Listening to this conversation. Du Wei remained expressionless and quickly backed away. But the next second. In the state of Spirit Vision, he suddenly sensed a strange presence behind him, simr to that of Bob and Lisa. He turned his head to look. A man with a rigid expression and a notch on his face; another woman in a condition quite simr to Lisa''s. It was that couple! Du Wei watched them with a nk expression as they excitedly waved at him, or more precisely, at Bob and Lisa behind him. "Bob, Lisa, you''re actually still alive, that''s really great." "We''re okay, how about you guys? How did you end up here?" In front and behind, four Ghosts who didn''t know they were dead. And in the middle was Du Wei. Moreover, they were closing in. At that moment, his forehead was covered in a fine cold sweat. Chapter 52 052, Peers Du Wei looked calmly at Bob and the others who approached him, not showing the slightest bit of strange emotion. "Sir, did you also suddenlye here?" The speaker was Bob, who had the most contact with Du Wei, so after hesitating, he greeted him. But he was still a bit scared. Because the feeling Du Wei gave him was very wrong. His face was always overly calm, and his eyes were filled with rationality, as if he would never do anything that didn''t align with his values. His temperament was also very special, conveying a hint of strangeness amid the coldness. Bob thought that if this Horror House adventure were a movie, then this Asian man would definitely y a highly intelligent, extremely cold-blooded criminal. However, after hearing what Bob had to say, Du Wei did not reply immediately but turned to ask the others a question. "Is it the same with you all?" In the face of insufficient information, this was a clever response, leading and probing with skill. Bob nodded and answered, "Yes, I went through a shadowy passageway and came out on Ferocious Ghost Street." Lisa followed up, "I can''t remember how I got here, but it should be the same as you all." The man part of the other couple said, "I was about to make a call at the entrance, but there was no signal on my phone, and suddenly the door opened. I walked through the door and ended up here." The remaining woman spoke thoughtfully, "I''m like Lisa, and it seems like we''ve all been injured a bit." With that, she raised her arm. Following her gaze, Du Wei saw that her arm had clear signs of injury, with some of the skin peeled away, blood dripping, and arge area of bruising. "These injuries must have been caused bypression and friction," thought Du Wei silently. Back when he majored in forensic science, he was very interested in cases of mechanical asphyxiation deaths and had specifically studied them for a time. Under the Spirit Vision state, Lisa and her best friend both appeared simr, with purplish lips, protruding tongues, and their bodies showed signs of injury caused bypression and friction. [Asphyxiation is caused byck of oxygen, resulting in cyanosis from the face to the neck, and may also cause congestion of internal organs and umtion of blood.] The judgment of mechanical asphyxiation, however, needs to be made based on the actual situation, and the manifested forms are not the same. But Du Wei could roughly guess how Lisa and her friend had died. "It must have been a very narrow space, only enough to fit one person, forcibly stuffed inside, causing mechanical asphyxiation." At this point, the others had shifted their attention. Coupled with Du Wei''s vague reply just now, they instinctively felt that they were all the same. Lisa, even more so, took her best friend''s hand, concerned as she said, "This ce is too dangerous, I think I''m mentally unstable, once we get out, I''ll definitely find an experienced psychologist to help me adjust." "Me too." Her best friend shrugged but winced because of the pain in her neck. "What a damned ce! Let''s get out of here quickly!" "I agree." "So do I." The speakers were Bob and the remaining man, respectively. It''s just that their memories retained some parts from before they died, so that man wasn''t very nice toward his ex-girlfriend, even appearing a bit indifferent. At that moment, Bob seemed to suddenly think of something and turned his head to look at Du Wei. "Right, sir, would you like toe with us?" He was hesitant, after all, this man had warned them earlier not to enter the Horror House, instinctively wanting to leave together. Du Wei was silent for a second, "Of course you can." Lisa, who heard this, frowned slightly and cast an unpleasant nce at Du Wei, but under the circumstances, she chose not to say more. The group continued forward. While in the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei noticed that the further they walked, the stranger and more eerie the feeling around the four of them grew. For instance. Lisa and her best friend had been sticking close together since they met, and their angle was very strange, forming a V shape almost as if they were about to stand back to back. Another man''s walking posture became increasingly rigid, very mechanical, as if he were a rusting machine with joints that seemed to be slowly seizing up. The only one who seemed normal was Bob. But that was the most abnormal sign... How exactly had he died? Du Wei pondered for a while, unable to ascertain, he could only suspect that his death was due to a severe blow to the head, a mechanical form of death. Therefore, he deliberately slowed his pace, trying to fall behind the others. He knew that although it seemed rtively safe for now, this was only because Bob and the others hadn''t realized they were already dead. After all, no one could be certain if, in the next second, they would be aware of this fact and then turn into ghosts... cing hope on the ephemeral and unknown was what Du Wei detested most, second only to corpses and blood. But then, Bob seemed to notice that Du Wei''s pace was a bit slow and turned his head to say, "Sir, you''d better pick up the pace, otherwise, you might encounter unforeseeable danger." Du Wei calmly replied, "Why do you say that?" Bob licked his lips, and in that instant, as seen by Du Wei through his Spirit Vision, blood flowed from his mouth, mixed with saliva, thick and nauseating. "Because I suspect there really are ghosts in this Horror House..." "Oh? How did youe to that conclusion?" Upon hearing the word "ghost," everyone simultaneously stiffened and turned to look at Bob. Bob said nervously, "It''s because the way we appeared on Ferocious Ghost Street is so strange,pletely unscientific. Other than ghosts, I can''t think of any other exnation." Lisa nodded in agreement, saying, "That''s right, I feel the same way. Back in the Japanese-style haunted house, I felt something grab me, andter, I found two blue-tinged handprints on my ankle." After speaking, her face darkened as if she had thought of something. However, Du Wei noticed that, under Spirit Vision, the eerie and abnormal aura around Lisa and her best friend had intensified.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It seemed... Any second now, a terrifying transformation might ur. The remaining man added, "I feel the same, because I remember clearly trying to call the staff, but couldn''t get through at all, and then suddenly the door opened." "You must know that besides the staff, the door only opens when someone enters, but I didn''t see anyone." "Moreover, I appeared on Ferocious Ghost Street in the blink of an eye, as if I''d teleported." As he spoke, in Du Wei''s eyes, the man who had originally been made into a wax figure at the Wax Museum underwent a change. His facial expression seemed to freeze, and his hands and feet became so stiff that his walking posture turned downright stiff and awkward, looking bizarre yetical. Moreover, Du Wei discovered that the changes he witnessed in his Spirit Vision were now manifesting on the man. This meant that they were on the verge of transforming into fierce ghosts... Chapter 53 053, Corpse (Please Recommend & Bookmark) Witnessing the change in the four individuals, Du Wei knew that if he didn''t do something soon, they would immediately erupt and transform into fierce ghosts. So, he took a deep breath and calmly said, "I think there''s a problem with your thinking. Why do you associate everything with ghosts?" He looked at Lisa and continued, "The blood cirction in the lower limbs of humans is prone to issues. If someone were to grab you at this time, it''s quite easy for a palm print to appear and, due to poor blood flow, it can seem somewhat ck." Lisa said impatiently, "But I''ve always been healthy, and I like to exercise. It''s impossible for what you''re describing to happen." ncing at her, Du Wei indifferently replied, "When there are issues with blood cirction in the lower limbs, hands and feet can be cold. In severe cases, there can even be partial tissue death. Are you sure your body is really that healthy?" "Uh... I..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Lisa touched her hands, which indeed felt a bit cold, and she said doubtfully, "It does seem simr to what you''re saying, but I haven''t had this problem before, and even if I were ill, it couldn''t have started just after entering the Horror House, right?" Du Wei continued, "Scientifically speaking, it''s indeed impossible, but haven''t you noticed that the temperature inside the Horror House is very low? Moreover, we are on an underground level... Temperature can cause the condition I described." In reality, what he said was half-true, half-false because he had blurred the essential points. Just like a swindler, he would never assert anything with certainty, instead leaving things vague, forcing you to ponder on your own. The more you think, the easier it is to waver. Then, Du Wei turned to the man and said, "I have seriously studied the structure of the Horror House. In fact, this is one of the reasons I came here. The Horror House is divided into two levels - the ground level and the underground level. The entrance is on the ground level, and the exit is underground, requiring one to take an elevator to leave." Pausing for a moment to organize his thoughts, he continued, "The distance between the ground and the underground is merely three meters in height, and why do you think that the door you entered was really the entrance?" "As far as I know, the Horror House has recently rearranged some sections. If the door you entered is actually a mechanism, after exiting, you will find yourself on Ferocious Ghost Street, which is a very likely possibility," he said. He was lying. But there were few loopholes. The man thought for a while and said, "But that''s just your conjecture, and you mentioned earlier that you came to the Horror House for your own reasons?" Du Wei nodded and replied, "Yes, many staff members have died here, and I am here to investigate this matter." Hearing this, everyone fell silent. After a long while, it was the man''s ex-girlfriend who broke the silence, "We also encountered the corpse of a staff member; actually, we suspect that there''s a murderer in the Horror House." Du Wei turned his head to look at her and said meaningfully, "That''s also why I stopped you froming in earlier." Under the state of Spirit Vision, the peculiar changes in the four people slowed down a bit. Their condition also reverted to how it was when he first encountered them. They started to seem somewhat human again. Seeing this, Du Wei breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though he was walking a tightrope, where a slight misstep could lead to a fatal fall. However, just then, Lisa posed a question. Her voice was low, carrying a strange emotion, "Are you a police officer? Or a detective?" He was silent for a moment before replying calmly, "You can think of me that way, but in reality, I am a psychologist." "Hm?" Lisa stared at Du Wei, "A psychologistes to investigate this kind of thing?" As soon as this was said, the others also cast strange nces, staring intently at Du Wei. A kind of intense oppression, along with an evil intent that had not yet surfaced, emanated from them. Du Wei''s breathing momentarily halted. Under the state of Spirit Vision, he saw that each person''s face had taken on a ferocious appearance. In the shadows, it brought the kind of chills that make the hair stand on end. He knew that these four people were on the verge. If he couldn''t exin this loophole, it was very likely they would turn into evil spirits right away. And he had run out of solutions. With this in mind, Du Wei said softly, "I work closely with Officer Tom, and I''ve been involved in many homicide cases." "At his request, I''vee to this Horror House." After he finished speaking, he added another sentence, "My mental health clinic is in North Brook District, at 109 Queen Street. If you don''t believe me, you can check it out after we leave." As his voice trailed off. The malicious aura slowly receded, and the fierce expressions of the four people he saw under the Spirit Vision also softened. At this moment, Bob, who was standing to one side, looked at Du Wei and said after taking a moment to size him up, "North Brook District? Are you Dr. Du Wei? I know you, my cousin has been treated by you." Du Wei furrowed his brows and asked, "Your cousin?" Bob nodded: "Yes, her name is Aisha Kleeman, she was a programmer." Du Wei fell silent for a while before he finally said, "Hmm, I remember her." Bob said with some regret, "It''s a pity, she died. The person in charge of her case was Officer Tom. I think I can believe what you say." Du Wei nodded and stayed silent. The others also fell into an eerie calm. They continued walking forward. Du Wei silently calcted the distance and the critical point at which these four people, who did not know they were already dead, would discover the truth. About five minutes had now passed. Ferocious Ghost Street was a total of fifty meters long, and at this pace, they should have almost reached the end. He faintly felt it was like ck humor. The so-called Ferocious Ghost Street segment, in the end, truly involved walking with fierce ghosts. Only, these fierce ghosts had not yet realized the fact that they were dead. Soon... Under a dim light, an elevator decorated with frightening fierce ghosts appeared before Du Wei. He nced at the others, saw them merely looking down, showing no reaction, and grew quietly alert. Bob pressed the elevator button. A cold breeze swept over them. The space inside the elevator was very cramped, and mirrors deliberately covered all four walls. But in the mirrors, there was only Du Wei. "Let''s go, Dr. Du Wei." Bob said in a low voice, the others didn''t speak and directly entered the elevator. However, Du Wei''s gaze was somewhat unusual; one hand pressed against his clothes, ready to draw out the silver cross dagger, although he knew it wouldn''t be of much use, it helped him stay calm. Being locked in the gaze of the four people, Du Wei grew silent. He was contemting the chances of surviving if he chose to escape by retreating in this situation. In the elevator, four fierce ghosts who had reached the critical point, and without means to contend with them, his right hand which had undergone Evil Spirit Transformation would be of no great use. Even a mere movement from him might trigger their transformation into fierce ghosts. "There''s no turning back now." He muttered to himself, then stepped into the elevator. An utter silence pervaded, eerily quiet. The elevator had only buttons for floor 1, floor -1, and for opening and closing the doors. After pressing the button for floor 1, the elevator started to rise slowly. Under the gloomy elevator light, Du Wei''s reflection in the mirror was expressionless. At that moment, Bob suddenly pointed upward and said, "Dr. Du Wei, I can see my body." Chapter 54 054, Elevator (previous chapters have all been changed) In the sealed elevator, the moment Bob pointed upward and voiced that he saw his own corpse. All the people in the elevator, including Du Wei, raised their heads. It was the same mirror. However, due to the lighting and the deliberately arranged environment, it appeared very eerie. The mirror was above, facing down. Standing in the very center of the elevator, Du Wei looked up to see, in the mirror, Bob lying quietly in a dark elevator shaft. His head seemed to have been crushed by some heavy object, his face turned sideways towards Du Wei. The face was full of dried blood, the body stiff, although he had been dead for some time. Du Wei roughly estimated his time of death to be about half an hour earlier. Then, he lowered his head and looked around, his pupils suddenly constricted. The four fierce ghosts that had just surrounded him had disappeared without a trace. "Where?" The four people who had just been in the elevator were now gone. Even under Spirit Vision, there was nothing. But the sensation of terror and oppression that suffocated one grew even stronger. An extremely cold chill was quietly spreading in Du Wei''s heart. The next second, Du Wei''s face tensed up, he was now in the very center of the elevator, with the floor beneath his feet normal, and apart from the elevator doors, there were four mirrors stuck to the inside of the elevator. And now, opposite him. The mirror reflected another man. Only this time, his appearance had turned into the one seen earlier in the Wax Museum. Standing calmly in the mirror, hisplexion stiff, like a wax figure. With an expressionless face, Du Wei nced at him, then turned his head to look at the mirror facing the elevator doors. In this mirror was Lisa, but strangely, what was shown in the mirror was a scene. The location was the Japanese-style Horror House. Lisa was looking down at the shadow on the ground, her expression unusually terrified, and behind her, there was a female ghost with White-faced Makeup. The posture of the person and the ghost was back to back. Then, Du Wei saw the female ghost floating with her feet in the air, looking as if she was being carried on Lisa''s back. Next, her feet touched the ground, and she stood up, carrying Lisa on her back and walking into the Horror House. Throughout this process, Lisa seemed to have lost her volition, her expression remained frozen in terror, without screaming or any struggle. Finally, the female ghost carried Lisa on her back and slowly crawled into the narrow space under the tatami bed. "So this is how you died." In the suffocating, confined elevator, Du Wei spoke softly, his voice very cold and carrying a strange emotion, making it rather unsettling. After speaking, he turned again to look at thest mirror. In the mirror, reflected was the narrow hiding ce under the tatami bed in the Japanese-style Horror House. Inside were two corpses. Lisa''s best friend, along with another corpse facing away. The two were positioned back to back, forcibly stuffed into a space that barely fit one person. Her expression was frozen, her torso distorted, her chest even more severelypressed inward. Her lips were purple, her tongue protruding. The cause of death could have been mechanical asphyxiation or injuries due to thepression of body organs.N?v(el)B\\jnn But that was no longer important. "These are thest moments of the four people before they died, it seems my previous conjecture was correct," Du Wei watched the mirrors calmly, looking from one to another. The mirror reflected the scene just before the death of the four fierce ghosts. But each scene was different. The originally normal Horror House had suddenly changed due to some unknown issues. Furthermore, he had been at the front to leave the Horror House, but unexpectedly encountered the man made into a wax figure at the Wax Museum. And Bob had died mysteriously at the bottom of the elevator shaft, right where Du Wei was. The known situation was that the Horror House had gone beyond reality, controlled by evil spirits and ghosts, and its original structure and arrangement no longer matched the present. Lisa and her best friend had died at the hands of the White-faced Makeup ghost. Bob and another man died from something else. It could have been an evil spirit, or perhaps an even more sinister presence. Moreover, from beginning to end, he hadn''t detected any trace of it. Whatever it was that he couldn''t even detect under the Spirit Vision state must be truly terrifying... Du Wei felt that it could be even more dreadful than the Evil Spirit on the bus. After entering the Horror House, when he realized that things were beyond his control, his goal had shifted from elerating the Evil Spirit Transformation through contact with Annabelle to simply surviving and getting out alive. Therefore, many arrangements and elements were to be avoided if possible. To say that the avoided elements didn''t have the presence of evil spirits or ghosts, Du Wei felt, would be deceiving himself. The thought that such a frightening thing lurked in the Horror House, undetected by him, gave him chills to the bone. At this moment. Du Wei exhaled a heavy breath, nced at the elevator doors, and noted that the two-story height still hadn''t been reached. This sole exit had also undergone uncontroble changes. Then, he looked at the mirror again, his face slightly pale. In the mirror, the heads of the four corpses had somehow all twisted around. The eyes of each corpse stared fixedly at Du Wei, radiating a faint and vicious malevolence. What was even more horrifying was. Du Wei noticed that in the mirror, his own reflection was absent. "Am I dead already? Or am I also in the mirror?" He breathed more rapidly for a moment. All his resources had been used up; even the solitary silver crucifix dagger couldn''t bring about a fundamental change. This feeling of powerlessness was even more severe than during the time on the bus. At least back then, he had a way to leave. But now... mping down on his teeth, Du Wei''s mind was flooded with frantic thoughts. He was trying to find a way to survive. But one by one, his ideas were dismissed. If it had been at the start, with enough Holy Water and Bone Powder, he wouldn''t have been this passive, and wouldn''t have been driven into a corner by four newly formed fierce ghosts. "Wait a minute... Perhaps, I could consider letting Annabelle out." A spark of inspiration came to Du Wei''s mind. In some literature, it was recorded that dolls could attract certain purely malevolent ghosts and evil spirits. Earlier, he had witnessed the soul bound to the Evil Spirit Doll Annabelle; if he released it now, it might change the situation. Evil spirits would counterbnce each other. But Annabelle was clearly much stronger and more malevolent than these four fierce ghosts. A bnce of power was unlikely to happen... "It should be about suppression or binding." Chapter 55 055, Leave (Want Tickets) Releasing Annabelle was the only feasible n that Du Wei could think of. No matter what, he had decided to do just that. Moreover, the four fierce ghosts in the mirror had already begun to change, stretching out their hands toward Du Wei as if they wanted to drag him into the mirror. He had no other choice! So, taking a deep breath, Du Wei took off his backpack and unzipped it. With his left hand, he lifted the white cloth, while his right hand dove in, grabbing hold of Annabelle''s physical form. The next second, Du Wei tore off the white cloth that was restricting Annabelle, and the atmosphere in the entire elevator became immensely oppressive. The faint light flickered wildly, casting an exceptionally eerie glow on Du Wei''s face. Crack... The light went out. The entire elevator plunged into pitch darkness, foreboding and frightening. Du Wei could clearly feel that something terrifying was awakening. ... May 21, 17:30. Outside the Horror House, the sun was already leaning towards the far west. But due to several days of torrential rain, the temperature hadn''t risen much. At the exit, the elevator door opened. Du Wei came out holding his backpack, looking extremely pale. "I''m still alive." He nced at the sky and the surrounding tourists, took out his cellphone from his pocket, and dialed Officer Tom''s number. A few secondster, the call connected. On the other end, Tom''s voice was very surprised, "Dr. Du Wei, why are you suddenly calling me? What happened?" "Listen,e to the amusement park in the Ondo Area immediately, I''m waiting for you at the exit of the Horror House, a very terrifying Evil Spirit event has urred here..." "What? Dr. Du Wei, did you say an Evil Spirit event?" "Yes, bring enough people, because I suggest we immediately seal off this ce, or else something unimaginable will happen." After finishing, Du Wei hung up the phone, stuffed it back into his pocket, and lit himself a cigarette. His hand was shaking, appearing very abnormal. After a long while, and exhaling a puff of smoke, he finally calmed downpletely. Recalling the scene in the elevator just now, Du Wei couldn''t help feeling a tingling on his scalp. He looked down at the backpack he was holding in his hand. Inside, Annabelle was wrapped and restrained by the white cloth again. For this, he had paid a certain price. "This thing... is unnaturally evil." Just now in the elevator, the moment he released Annabelle. Piercing wails echoed throughout the elevator. Under the Spirit Vision state, all he could feel was that the four fierce ghosts seemed to have entered the Evil Spirit Doll that was Annabelle. But what followed was, Annabelleshing out at Du Wei. Du Wei could only forcefully grab it with his right hand, wrap it back in white cloth, and bind it tightly. And as a result... His right hand, besides still being usable, lost all sense of touch and pain, as if it had be a corpse. "Compared to being able to walk out alive, this price is eptable." Du Wei looked at his own right hand and let out a soft sigh. Besides that, this unexpected trip to the Horror House had also elerated the process of his Evil Spirit Transformation. At this rate, he estimated that by tonight, it would spread up to his elbow. Thinking this, Du Wei continued smoking while he nced back at the Horror House behind him. In Spirit Vision mode, the Horror House still looked the same as before, exuding a faint sense of eeriness. Although it looked startling, it wasn''t that terrifying. However, this was a disguise. Only by entering the Horror House could one discover how horrifying the inside was. "Only slightly better than that bus." Du Wei looked at the entire Horror House and exhaled a puff of smoke. Just then, as if he had seen something, his expression suddenly darkened. Outside the Horror House, a dusty window had been opened, and on the ss, there were the clear prints of a human palm. "Something has already gone out." Du Wei threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stamped it out, his entire demeanor became very somber. It seemed that this matter wouldn''t end so easily. ... 18:01. More than ten police cars entered the amusement park. Right away, they began evacuating the visitors. Of course, the amusement park was about to close at this time anyway, so no one felt puzzled and everyone cooperated by leaving. At the exit of the Horror House. Officer Tom, with his men, looked conflicted as he faced Du Wei and then at the restrained staff. "Dr. Du Wei, I hope we don''t meet as often in the future, because it would be very ufortable for me, you know..." Du Wei remained silent, looking at him expressionlessly, not uttering a word. Officer Tom felt uneasy under his stare and quickly waved his hands, saying, "I''m just joking, buddy." Du Wei finally spoke, "Actually, I don''t want to be in touch with you too much either, but if I hadn''t called you, I think you would have regretted it." "You... you are right." Tom knew what Du Wei was referring to, so he turned to the bewildered staff and asked, "Where is the owner of the Horror House? Why haven''t we been able to get in touch with him yet?" The staff member replied, "I don''t know either, actually I don''t have his contact information because I only started working here yesterday." "What?" Officer Tom frowned and continued, "What about the staff before you? Don''t they know either?" Du Wei interjected, "They all died inside." Tom''s expression darkened, instinctively sensing that something was wrong. Du Wei felt the same, but he was just too calm to show what he was really thinking.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then, Tom told the staff, "A very serious murder case has happened in this Horror House. We hope you can keep it confidential. Also, please stay reachable at all times because the police may need your cooperation." "Okay, okay..." Upon this, Tom nodded, gestured to Du Wei, and the two walked away a distance. Then, Tom asked quietly, "What''s the situation inside now?" Du Wei didn''t intend to hide it from him, "Full of Evil Spirits and Ghosts. All the staff including the visitors are dead inside. You can think of it as hell in the human world." Tom''s eyes turned cold as he said, "I think I understand, but why did youe here?" He noticed that Du Wei was carrying a bulging backpack, as if hiding something inside. "Also, what is in this bag?" "I came here to investigate an evil doll," Du Wei nced at him and added, "As for what''s in the backpack, you probably don''t want to see it." "The doll you mentioned?" "Yes." "Well, I really don''t want to see those disgusting things. You know, they''re too dangerous for ordinary people." "So, Mr. Du Wei, what would you suggest we do with the Horror House? This matter feels very tricky, and you''re the expert, so..." "I suggest you seal it off. Don''t let people go in to die anymore, although it might not be very effective..." "This... I''m responsible for the North Brook District. To close up the Horror House, I need to discuss with the people from the Ondo Area. Why do you say it won''t be effective?" "Because before I left, some dreadful things had already gone out." Chapter 56 056, Exorcist Qualification Certificate "Dr. Du Wei, when you said something has left, what do you mean?" "The Evil Spirit, or something else..." "If that''s the case, can you, um... I mean, as an Exorcist, would you choose to do something?" "That''s why I asked you to seal off the Horror House..." "Well, you''re nothing like the Exorcists I had in mind." "So, finally, I want to ask, what''s the point of sealing it off? Do you expect us to keep those things locked inside the Horror House?" "They can''t be contained; the lockdown is for people, to prevent them from going in..." ... Watching Du Wei leave, Tom turned to the others and instructed, "Prepare some istion tape, encircle the entire Horror House, and also..." Upon hearing these words, everyone immediately looked at him, waiting for what was to follow. Tom paused briefly before continuing, "Inform the person in charge of the amusement park, negotiate with them to cordon off the area around the Horror House, and if possible, it would be best to shut it down." As soon as he finished speaking. One of his subordinates asked, "But shouldn''t we investigate inside the Horror House? ording to the information we''ve got, many tourists have gone missing inside. If we don''t provide a resolution, it might lead to discontent among the people of New York." Tom looked at the subordinate''s face and said, "That''s why you need to handle the situation and also contain the news online. As for other issues, I willmunicate with the police in the Ondo Area." "As for you? You want to investigate inside the Horror House? Do you need me to introduce you to Dr. Du Wei? I suggest you go see him for a check-up!" "No, no thank you." ... Elsewhere. Du Wei also got into his car, ced his backpack securely in the passenger seat with the seatbelt, then started the vehicle and headed towards the church in North Brook District. He needed to find a special container to put Annabelle in. Otherwise, that thing might escape. After all... Its initial target was Du Wei''s patient, and if it couldn''t be restrained, it might make things a mess again. Moreover, Du Wei''s original intent was to make contact with Annabelle, to elerate the process of Evil Spirit Transformation, and to take it back home if possible. After all, Evil Spirit Transformation is a result of the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. And Spirit Vision is a state that appears after being invaded by an Evil Spirit. Fundamentally, the deeper the invasion, the quicker the transformation into an Evil Spirit. "I need to get in touch with more Evil Spirits, try to bring them into my house without upsetting the bnce; maybe I should find a way to attract some of them to me?" Driving, Du Wei pondered over everything that had happened these days, as well as some thoughts on Evil Spirit Transformation. The terror and dread of the nun always cast a shadow over his heart. Even with hisposure, he couldn''t resist that innate sense of oppression. However, his right hand... Du Wei furrowed his brow, ncing at his right hand. It looked no different from before, but once he entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and underwent Evil Spirit Transformation, it appeared utterly pale, like a corpse. For some reason, he always felt like there was something wrong with this hand. And there was no mention of this in Andrew Dowqui''s booklet either. As Du Wei was mulling over these thoughts... Suddenly, his phone rang. The contact on the screen was Alex. Du Wei was momentarily stunned; after leaving the Horror House and calling Officer Tom, he had checked his call log and hadn''t missed any calls. So, he pressed the answer button. "Good afternoon, Alex." "Good afternoon! How''s your day been?" "... Very exciting." "Hm? What kind of thing has excited you? You seem to be always calm; forgive me for not being able to imagine what would be so fascinating to stir you up." "Just a trip to the Horror House." "Tch, that''s a shame. If you ever go to the Horror House again, please remember to call me. I''d love to see what it''s like." "Let''s not, I probably won''t be going to such a ce again any time soon." "By the way, is there something else you needed?" "Ah? Nothing else?" "Alright, I''m a bit busy, let''s chat next time." "..." ... On the other end of the phone. In the Furman District, at Alex''s dressing table. "Were all your emotional intelligence points exchanged for IQ points..." She looked at the phone call log with a troubled expression. Well... itsted three minutes. If she didn''t know that Du Wei''s personality was naturally aloof, and he didn''t seem like someone who had been in a rtionship, she would definitely have sworn. "Am I not pretty enough?" Alex put down her phone and took a look at herself in the dressing table mirror. Glossy and attractive, full of charm, with delicate features. Whether by western or eastern standards of beauty, she was the archetype of a gorgeous woman. "Maybe I should''ve looked for him earlier." Alex stood up, looking somewhat vexed at the ck strapless dress from Cheriti that she was wearing. She had nned to wear this ck strapless dress and ask Du Wei out, as there was a popr romance movie that had recently been released - a good opportunity to grow closer to him. Unfortunately, Du Wei said he was busy. "Forget it, I shouldn''t have started dressing up, picking clothes, choosing makeup from the morning." "Tomorrow morning, when he''s not busy, I''ll ask again." Thinking this, Alex took out her phone and booked another movie ticket. She was increasingly feeling that being neighbors with Du Wei was a better choice. At the very least, it would be more convenient to get in touch! ... On the other side. Du Wei was indeed very busy; he had driven all the way to the church in the North Brook District before stopping the car. Alex''s thoughts, he was well aware of them, but he simply didn''t have the energy to consider these things. The curse that hounded him like a death sentence made it hard for him to breathe. Even, to avoid being killed by the Evil Spirit, he maintained hisposure most of the time and rarely showed too much emotion. "Let''s talk about it after a while, if I can live through this week, I need to make some money to pay her back." Du Wei looked at himself in the rearview mirror of the car, said this to himself, then unbuckled his seatbelt and walked towards the church with his backpack in tow. Unexpectedly, he didn''t see Father Tony inside the church. The church wasn''t veryrge, mainly serving as a contact point for Exorcists as well as a supply delivery point, so it hadn''t been stocked very well in the beginning. The entire church had only Father Tony. So, Du Wei made a call. The call was quickly connected. "Aren''t you at the church?" "I''m on my way back. The church has delivered a batch of supplies, so please wait for a moment." "Alright." After hanging up, Du Wei went to the prayer hall and found a seat at random. At that moment, the hall waspletely empty, making it very quiet. About ten minutester, Father Tony entered with a heavy,rge box in tow. "I''m delighted to see you, Mr. Du Wei." "Same here." As Du Wei spoke, he noticed that Father Tony seemed to be struggling with the box, so he stood up, approached, and helped him with it. "Is this the supply delivery?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Yes, Holy Water, Bone Powder, and some special new things." Father Tony was quite satisfied with Du Wei''s attitude. In fact, he couldn''t really find fault with the young man: calm, rational, and very intelligent. Although he hadn''t encountered many Evil Spirits yet, he was bound to be an experienced Exorcist eventually. "Oh, right, Mr. Du Wei, no... I should say Exorcist Mr. Du Wei, your Exorcist qualification certificate has been approved by the church, and it was sent along with the supplies. Would you like to have a look?" Chapter 57 057, Mounting Cabinet (vote! I want them all) In the church, it was still the same room. Du Wei took the Exorcist qualification certificate from Father Tony''s hands. He had actually seen this thing before. It was different from the information booklet of Andrew Dowqui, being more finely crafted, and the material had been changed to real leather. At first nce, one of the church''s representative symbols could be seen: the Crown of Thorns. Upon opening it, the first page had the following information. [Name: Du Wei] [Date of Birth: February 3, 1994] [Date of Admission: May 20, 2020] [Duty: Exorcism] The second page read: [Entered the mysterious bus on May 17, 2020, and uncovered some important information, rmended for church membership by Father Tony from the local church in North Brook District, New York] Below that was a nk space. Du Wei closed it and casually slipped it into his pocket. Seeing this, Father Tony said with a smile, "The church ces great importance on the information you''ve uncovered, so the approval of your qualification certificate was very quick, the fastest I''ve ever seen."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Du Wei nodded in agreement, "Indeed, it was very fast. When exactly is the new Exorcist supposed to arrive this week?" Compared to other matters, he was more concerned about when he could rid himself of the dangers brought by the nun. Father Tony''s expression turned much more serious, fully aware of Du Wei''s current troubles, and said, "They are still preparing some things on their side. They should arrive by Saturday at thetest, noter than the weekend." Du Wei asked with some confusion, "Some things? For dealing with it?" Father Tony replied, "Yes, the previous Exorcist used special items to contain it, but clearly, it''s too evil. We''ll need to use even more powerful items to restrain it again, or even seal it away." "Seal it? That sounds very magical." "The church just calls it sealing. In practice, it is about finding its medium and confining it together with the medium, keeping it in ces most people wouldn''t go to." Du Wei showed a look of understanding, indicating he got the point. At that moment, Father Tony noticed the bag Du Wei was carrying and frowned. "Mr. Du Wei, what exactly do you have in your backpack? It gives me a rather strange feeling." "Yes, that''s one of the reasons I came to see you," Du Wei said. He then organized his thoughts and began to exin, "Regarding a previous patient of mine, she was tormented by an Evil Spirit Doll, so I managed to capture it, um... but now I need a container, preferably something that can iste its power, prevent the Evil Spirit inside from getting out." Father Tony looked at Du Wei and said, "I think I understand, but I really advise against keeping this thing on you, especially since you already have two Evil Spirits entangled with you, along with a terribly dreadful curse." Du Wei spoke indifferently, "I have my own ns." Father Tony had no choice but to say, "Very well, please wait a moment. I need to go up to the attic; New York hasn''t had an Exorcist for so long, many things have been thrown up there." After saying that, he walked out. Seeing that he didn''t seem to want Du Wei to follow, he waited in the room, asionally ncing at therge, heavy box. Inside were supplies sent by the church: Holy Water, Bone Powder, and some new items that Father Tony had mentioned. Holy Water had always been effective. As for Bone Powder, it originated from certain special Evil Spirits that had been killed. These two items had helped Du Wei a lot and were alsomonly used by Exorcists. He had previously heard Father Tony say that the process of making Holy Water was itself an Exorcism Ritual, which is why it could harm Evil Spirits. As for Bone Powder, its production method was a secret within the church, not well known, but the fact that it came from a special Evil Spirit killed illuminated how difficult it was to produce Bone Powder. Of the Evil Spirits Du Wei had encountered so far, very few could be killed, and the two in his home were exceptionally strange. One had always been just a blur of a ck shadow, asionally revealing a pair of eyes, and that was only rted to mechanisms. The other had only a woman''s face that appeared in water. He had always felt that the presence of these two Evil Spirits was more bizarre and terrifying than others. Although one of them, due to its spreading mechanism being limited to those who knew the information, would be stopped dead in its tracks from spreading further¡ªthe Evil Spirit brought by Aisha. But the other could post online by itself, with an incredibly horrifying contagion: just seeing its photo made one a target, and it would move to slip notes into houses, be seen through the peephole, or be noticed by the sound of knocking. Compared to the rest, the two Evil Spirits in his home seemed exceedingly absurd and strange. If it weren''t for that Antique Clock, Du Wei estimated that the two Evil Spirits would not be as well-behaved as they were now. After a short time, Father Tony walked in carrying something. "I''ve found what you need, Mr. Du Wei." As soon as he entered, Du Wei noticed that he was carrying a box covered by a ck cloth, which was dusty, suggesting it had been stored for a very long time. Father Tony lifted the ck cloth, scattering the dust and revealing the object beneath. It was a small ss-mounted cab, with each frame silver-ted and engraved with Biblical text and some symbols representing sanctity. "Cough cough, this is something left over from a long time ago. It''s called a sealing cab, meant for storing media associated with Evil Spirits, but it can also be used to contain the Evil Spirit Doll you''ve caught." Seemingly choked by the dust, Father Tony couldn''t help but cough a few times and waved the air. Du Wei looked at the sealing cab, noting that its height and size were quite suitable to contain Annabelle. Thus, he said to Father Tony, "This is indeed what I need, plus most of my supplies are used up. I need some restocking." Father Tony seemed surprised as he said, "All used up? It was just an Evil Spirit Doll, but that seems normal, after all, Evil Spirits truly are troublesome..." After a moment of silence, Du Wei said, "Actually, there are other Evil Spirits, and I still haven''t resolved Mrs. Mina''s issue." "Hmm? Oh! Are you certain?" Du Wei knew he was asking whether the incident involving the Evil Spirit that Mrs. Mina encountered was real. So, he replied, "Yes, her daughter is already possessed by an Evil Spirit, and it seems she can dream of the scenes and timing of her death caused by the Evil Spirit." Father Tony''s face took on an unusual expression as he said, "I see. Tell me what you need." Looking at his expression, Du Wei raised an eyebrow and responded, "A sufficient amount of Holy Water, Bone Powder... and I''m very interested in the new items you mentioned. Are they used for fighting Evil Spirits?" "Yes, but they''re not quite the same," replied Father Tony. Chapter 58 058, The entrance of Roys house When Father Tony opened the hefty box and took out the new gadget he mentioned, Du Wei''s expression was slightly astonished. "A lighter? And a Cartier one at that¡­ Can this thing really deal with Evil Spirits? I think it would be more suitable for lighting cigarettes." "No, no, no, Mr. Du Wei, it doesn''t light." "Then what''s the point?" ¡­ ncing at the lighter Father Tony was showing him, Du Wei didn''t know how to connect this item withbating Evil Spirits. The silver-white case was divided into two parts, resembling the design of a Zippo lighter, but the engraved patterns were of a very ancient style; the upper half was a clock, while the lower half was two intertwined anchors. It wasn''t a branded item, but most importantly, it didn''t light¡­ Father Tony said to Du Wei in an uncertain tone, "I''m not entirely sure about this lighter either, because the church hasn''t tested it. But it''s theorized that when it does light, it inflicts some damage on Evil Spirits." Speechless, Du Wei said, "But it doesn''t light." Father Tony replied awkwardly, "It will light when you''re up against an Evil Spirit." "And then? What does the so-called damage look like?" "I''m not quite sure, since I''m just a logistics person. However, it probably has something to do with its owner." "Please exin." "Its owner was a retired teacher who died in March this year, and after he passed, the church collected this lighter while gathering some items. Since the mirror I had here had already been used by you, the church sent the lighter over as well." "I see, but what do you mean by collecting? Is the church looking for these special items?" "Yes, they all possess somewhat peculiar powers... it''s possible that they once served as mediums for Evil Spirits, but I don''t know the specifics." "Alright then..." ¡­ After leaving the church, Du Wei carried an extra handbag and a disy cab in his hands. These were given by Father Tony, containing supplies from the church; as for the lighter, it was tucked away in his pocket. He was in dire need of money now. Although, since bing an Exorcist, such items were normally dispensed without the need to purchase them. However, Du Wei was also responsible for dealing with certain Evil Spirit incidents in return. For instance... The matter concerning Mrs. Mina and her child. Reaching his brand new Subaru, Du Wei opened the door, started the sedan, and slowly left the church, heading home. By this time, the sun had already set, and the sky was very dim. Although only a single day had passed, the events experienced seemed excessive and cumbersome. The matter alone of the Horror House had left Du Wei drained and nearly cost him his life inside. He felt that once he got home, he should take a bath and rx properly. ¡­ It was 20:10 in the evening. On the street opposite the psychological consulting clinic. After parking his car, Du Wei locked the doors with his belongings in hand. Upon arriving at the entrance, he noticed five ck sedans parked at his neighbor Roy''s house. But there were no people to be seen. "Doesn''t look like police cars..." Staring silently at the cars for a moment, Du Wei then turned to nce at Roy''s house. Like the psychological consulting clinic, Roy''s two-story house had a small half-story attic, but it was now cordoned off with tape, and the police had hung a ''No Entry'' sign on the door. After Roy died, the situation was artificially controlled; in fact, besides those in the know, it didn''t cause much of a stir. Essentially, in everyone''s eyes, it was just another murder case, nothing out of the ordinary. It even failed to significantly affect the people living nearby or the shops along the street. Everything was as usual. After watching for a while and not detecting anything unusual, Du Wei opened the door and entered the house. At the same time, he subconsciously entered the state of Spirit Vision. What met his eyes was the faint moonlight and the light from the streetmps spilling into the room, which was somewhat reassuring. The sound that reached his ears was the ticking of the Antique Clock, the sound of the hour hand moving. It seemed that the evil spirits at home were quite well-behaved. "Phew..." Du Wei let out a sigh of turbid air and pressed the light switch. In an instant, the room became brightly lit, and all the arrangements were just as they were before he left. Then, he walked over to the sofa, put down his handbag and disy case, and took off his backpack. He unzipped the backpack, and therey Annabelle, tightly wrapped in white cloth, silent within. "I need to put it into the disy case." Du Wei said to himself, knowing that it was a very troublesome matter, needing to enter the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and grasp Annabelle with his Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand. Otherwise, once the white cloth was lifted, it could possibly escape. Thus, Du Wei opened the disy case and simultaneously entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision; with his left hand, he grabbed the white cloth, while his Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand reached for Annabelle. The next second. The white cloth was lifted, and the Evil Spirit Doll, about 40 centimeters long, was revealed in front of Du Wei. It was modeled after a girl, with two ponytails, disproportionate facial features,rge eyes, and something like blush on its cheeks, which made it appear somewhat creepy. But since Du Wei had previously sprinkled half a bottle of Bone Powder on it to quiet it down, the effect was almost like that of sulfuric acid. So now Annabelle resembled something corroded, its surface riddled with countless small pits, giving it an odd sense of grotesqueness. Anyone else probably would have considered it just a discarded doll because it was so ugly. But Du Wei knew all too well how terrifying and evil it was. Fortunately, everything went smoothly. Du Wei barely felt anything out of the ordinary, easily locked Annabelle into the disy case, and throughout the whole process, not the slightest change urred. The lights didn''t flicker. Spirit Vision also didn''t reveal anything amiss, not even an overt hint of malice. "Something isn''t right." Du Wei frowned as he looked at Annabelle inside the disy case, its silence was a bit too much, almost indistinguishable from a random doll on the street. If he hadn''t grabbed it himself, Du Wei might even think he had targeted the wrong thing. "Very strange..." For some reason, Du Wei always felt that Annabelle wouldn''t just quietly allow itself to be enclosed in the disy case. "I should be more cautious, perhaps putting it next to the bed in the bedroom isn''t a very good decision." As Du Wei said this, he also nced at his Right Hand. The Evil Spirit Transformation had spread to half of his arm, but the skin of his entire Right Hand looked cold and lifeless, like that of a corpse that had just died. This had never been mentioned in Andrew Dowqui''s booklets.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He knew that some unknown changes were urring in his body. Chapter 59 059, Look inside North Brook District, 21:08, the weather turned overcast. In the first-floor reception room, where Du Wei''s taxidermied disy case was hung up on the same wall as the Antique Clock. From the position of the sofa, one just had to look up to meet Annabelle''s gaze directly. Meanwhile, in the second-floor washroom. Having finished his ablutions, Du Wei changed his clothes and stepped out. Of course, the silver crucifix dagger he had received from Andrew Dowqui was always kept close to his body. Although this item seemed somewhat superfluous to Du Wei, at times it indeed proved to have unexpected effects. Before returning to his bedroom, Du Wei paused, turning his head to nce downstairs. Great swathes of shadow obscured the view below, with only the mechanical and highly regr sound of ticking... the rotation of the minute hand, heard. But... Still, no anomalies urred. Du Wei hesitated for a moment, then pushed open the door and entered the bedroom. Being constantly on high alert had taken a toll on him, especially since bringing Annabelle home, not a single abnormality had materialized in the whole house, which was very strange. Of course, what he found strange was that both the Evil Spirits and the Antique Clock had shown no reaction whatsoever to the presence of Annabelle, as if theypletely ignored her. ... "This is highly abnormal," Du Wei muttered to himself, turned, and pushed open the bedroom door. The door was the same as before, with arge hole broken into it, obviating even the peephole installed by the previous tenant when the apartment was leased, allowing him to glimpse the outside with just a quick look. One could say that its symbolic significance was greater than its practical function. ... Meanwhile, next to the Mental Health Clinic¡ªthat is, at Roy''s house. On the second floor, in the room that Du Wei and Officer Tom had entered, the walls and ceiling were covered with strange symbols and patterns. On the floor was drawn a Hexagram Array in blood, with a candle ced at each point. A group of women wearing ck uniforms and with numb expressions murmured inarticte words in low voices like they were performing some sort of ceremony. Their tones were awkward, and some of the vocabry had shifted meanings, bing veiled references to something else. Time ticked away, bit by bit. The woman who appeared to be the leader walked to the window and yanked the curtains open. From her position, she could easily see the state of Du Wei''s bedroom across the way. "The lights are out; he''s already lying in bed," she said. "Can we be sure that Roy''s death is rted to him?" another asked. "There''s almost no way to dismiss the connection. At the time of Roy''s sacrifice ceremony, there weren''t seven people, so she set her sights on this man, who had the most contact with her, but..." She paused there, looking towards the others. In the room, besides her, stood seven expressionless women of varied races and ages, all d in ck uniforms. Clearly, they were the Cultists Officer Tom had mentioned before. "...before she died, Roy had bought him a pack of cigarettes. Of course, she also prepared Ether and tools, but this man had gone to make a house call at his patient''s ce. By the time he returned home, Roy was already dead." "And we still haven''t found her head." "The ritual must not be interrupted, prepare yourselves," the leader said. "Nere, you go. Follow the ritual and start the operation at this time tomorrow." "I will offer his flesh and blood to the Veda..." After speaking, these uniformed ck-clothed women left the room one after another. A few minutester, the candles on the floor abruptly extinguished all at once. ... Nere remembered that it had been five years since she had joined the Veda Sect, and during these five years, her thought process had undergone an immense transformation.N?v(el)B\\jnn She knew how cruel and evil the things she did were, killing and sacrificing, each of which was enough for her to die countless times over. But still¡ª Nere reveled in it, for in her worldview and value system, only through death could the ignorant and foolishmoners return to the embrace of the Vedas and achieve salvation for their souls. Hmm¡­ Even though she still couldn''t establish contact with the Vedas given her status, she believed that as long as she sacrificed enough people, she would eventually receive a response from the Vedas. While the rest of herpanions waited in the car, Nere slowly walked in the night to the door of the mental health clinic. She held a higher position than Roy in the Veda Sect and had long since passed the stage of killing merely for sacrifices. The sacrificial ritual required selecting targets, leaving marks, and acting at the appropriate time. Only in this way would the Vedas be pleased. "Roy''s sacrificial ritual was really a mess, no wonder she ended up dead," Nere muttered under her breath as she drew a short dagger, about ten centimeters long. "Return to the embrace of the Vedas." Chanting to the Vedas in a low voice, Nere extended her left hand, which had distinctly protruding knuckles and a palm full of scars from cuts, looking extremely rough. Hiss¡­ The dagger made a cut across her index finger, and blood immediately began flowing from the wound. In the teachings of the Veda Sect, physical pain was a necessary condition for the liberation of the soul, and blood and wounds were the only ways for the faithful to demonstrate their devotion. Then, she crouched down and began drawing a set of symbols at the bottom of the door. In their teachings, once these symbols werepleted, it signified that the Vedas had noticed the sacrificial target and would watch over the soul of the one to be sacrificed. After the sacrifice waspleted, the soul of the sacrificed would belong to the Vedas. Soon, the symbols were finished. Just as Nere was about to get up to leave, she suddenly thought she heard a sound. Rustle, rustle, rustle¡­ It was as if something behind the door was rubbing against the wooden surface. She found it strange, so she stood up and looked through the peephole. All she saw was pitch-ck darkness, as though something was lurking within, but it was impossible to see clearly. Darkness, profoundness¡­ Different from the normal darkness brought on by ack of light. If a room ispletely dark without any light, one''s vision would still extend forward when looking into it. But Nere didn''t feel this way. "Very strange, it''s as though something is blocking it." Nere was certain that no one was in Du Wei''s house, and that this man was also asleep by now. If he chose toe downstairs, she would have heard footsteps or some other noise. "Maybe he''s put something over the peephole." She told herself this and turned to return to the car. Meanwhile¡ª On the first floor of the mental health clinic, the disy case mounted on the wall, which locked up Annabelle, suddenly began to shake. The new television set turned on by itself as if short-circuiting and switched to ate-night program. But just then, the hands on the Antique Clock mounted on the wall hesitated for a moment, and the ovepping hour, minute, and second hands shifted out of alignment, looking just like an ordinary clock. As if sensing something, the disy case calmed, and the television shut off instantly. And when everything had ended, the hands of the Antique Clock returned to their original state, continuing to ovep and move in a mechanical and regr motion. Chapter 60 060, Dong Dong Dong Drip¡­ Drip¡­ A woman dressed as a member of the clergy, in a nun''s habit, floated above Du Wei''s body, opening her mouth to let droplets of dark brown blood slowly fall from her fierce fangs. The thick, damp, and icy liquid slowly dripped onto the tip of his nose. Du Wei only felt a bone-chilling coldness creeping down from his nose, slowly spreading across his face. He tried to open his eyes but simply couldn''t. This was the third time he had had this nightmare. At the beginning, he waspletely unable to resist; the entire dream was torture, with only his right hand able to move. The air grew heavier and heavier, as ifpressing his lungs, making Du Wei''s breathing more and more rapid, each breath an exertion of his full strength. In the dream, he told himself that ording to the previous pattern, if he waited a little longer, he would be able to open his eyes, and he would see the nun getting closer and closer to him. And then, he would wake up from the dream. But after a long time, not only had Du Wei been unable to open his eyes, but he also discovered something extremely terrifying. His right hand had actually touched something ice-cold. Sharp, stabbing... "This is strange..." When he was in the Horror House, his right hand, which had undergone the Evil Spirit Transformation due to prolonged contact with Annabelle, experienced some abnormal changes. His entire right hand was like a corpse''s¡ªaside from being able to move it, he had no sensation whatsoever. Let alone the sense of touch... "Is it a nail?" Suppressing his confusion about the sensation, Du Wei envisioned the object that was moving back and forth on his right hand. "Why is it so fast..." He was referring to the distance. Although he knew that this so-called nightmare was actually due to the insolvable curse of the nun, the previous two times the distance between them was still substantial. Even if he had the nightmare two or three more times, the distance should not have shortened to the point where she could touch him. More sinister still was the fact that Du Wei could clearly feel that when the nun touched his right hand, he seemed to be suppressed, losing even the control over his own right hand. Completely powerless to resist... This was more terrifying than the intense fear of being suffocated to the point of breathlessness¡ªas if he had be meat on a chopping board, to be picked at will, and yet he was unable to open his eyes, unable to see anything. ¡­ Meanwhile, elsewhere. On the streets of North Brook District. Five ck sedans were driving forward. Nere sat in the passenger''s seat, quietly watching the dark and gloomy sky outside, as lightning asionally streaked across, followed by the roar of thunder. "It''s going to rain soon, how much longer until we reach the Sofitel Hotel?" "About ten minutes." The driver replied to Nere and then elerated forward. Their destination was the Sofitel Hotel located at the junction of North Brook District and Ondo Area, one of the Veda Sect''s footholds in New York. Of course¡­ The guests at the Sofitel Hotel were also their next targets for sacrifice. And this time, there would definitely be many more than before. Considering this, Nere said in a low voice, "Praise Veda." Hearing this, the others nodded: "Praise Veda." The car continued onward. Nere stroked her left index finger, where the wound still throbbed in pain, yet her expression was numb, her eyes indifferent. Belief can strengthen a person''s conviction. Yet, a twisted and abnormal faith that aims for chaos can corrupt everything about a person. From spirit to body, from external to internal. This is wrong... But for cultists, it''s routine, even enjoyable. Nere felt the same, when suddenly she frowned and stared intently at the rearview mirror of the passenger seat. The mirror reflected her pale face, numb and gaunt, which easily brought to mind a patient recovering from a serious illness. What caught Nere''s attention, however, were her eyes. The whites were bloodshot, and the brown irises seemed much deeper than usual. "What''s going on?" Nere looked quite perplexed, as she had been resting well and it had been a long time since shest experienced bloodshot eyes. "Hey, can you guys see if there''s something in my eyes?" As she spoke, Nere turned her head to address the others sitting in the back seat. "It looks like an infection, or maybe an irritation."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Thepanion in the backseat stared at Nere''s eyes for a while but didn''t notice anything unusual. "Alright, if it hasn''t improved by tomorrow, I might have to make a trip to the pharmacy." Nere said to the others and settled back into her seat. The others didn''t respond, looking down in silence¡ªit was evident that their rtionship wasn''t very close. However, what they didn''t notice was that, after making eye contact with Nere, their eyes began to show some changes as well. It looked as though a dark shadow had fallen over them, making their eyes seem much deeper. And, densely threaded with blood vessels. On the street, the car continued to drive forward. ... 11:38 PM, the destination¡ªa suite in the Sofitel Hotel. Nere stood in the bathroom, taking off her ck uniform, revealingrge swaths of pale skin. If not for the scars scattered across her body, she would undoubtedly be a very attractive mature woman. She stood under the showerhead and turned on the water. Soon, a fine, warm stream of water soaked her from head to toe. "This is so nice..." Nere, with her eyes closed, looked very rxed, as even the most vicious cultist couldn''t help but bask in materialforts. "It''s a shame, I need to rest early, I have to deal with that psychologist tomorrow." She muttered to herself quietly, and Nere quickly finished her shower. However, just as she was putting on her bathrobe and walking out of the bathroom, she suddenly heard a mechanical and highly regr sound by her ear. Knock knock knock... Knock knock knock... Someone was knocking at the door... Nere frowned, for apart from when the Veda Sect''s followers were gathered to partake in the sacrifice ritual under the bishop''s orders, they usually were spread out among other areas, with very little contact with one another. Logically, there shouldn''t be anyone knocking at this hour. "Who''s out there?" Nere walked to the door and looked through the peephole. The hallway lights were dim, but she could tell there was no one else there, only the door directly across¡ªinside were her twopanions. "What''s going on?" Nere had an uneasy feeling that something was not right¡ªthe knocking continued even though she couldn''t see anyone outside. After thinking it over, she pressed her ear against the door, but the eeriness was that she didn''t feel the vibrations typically associated with knocking. "Ruth? Corelle? Is that you?" Chapter 61 061, Contagious? In the suite, the knocking continued. Thud, thud, thud... Nere''s expression turned incredibly strange as she peered through the peephole and saw nothing but emptiness. In the two opposite suites lived Bishop Ruth and the driver, Corelle. Neither of these two were the type to enjoy pranks, so it was improbable that they would engage in such a boring act. Of course, even if they used to have a penchant for jokes, it''s likely that the habit had been eradicated since joining the Veda Sect. "Huff..." With a resigned sigh, Nere removed the safetytch and grasped the door handle. "Whoever you are, you''ve seeded in angering me," she said. With these words, she turned the knob and flung the door open. Outside, there was no one. In the hallway, the lights were still on. The sounds of the knocking ceased abruptly. "What is going on?" d in a bathrobe, Nere poked her head out to survey the hotel corridor, which was luxuriously decorated and spacious, with a lengthy hallway. She nced quickly from one end to the other and saw the elevator banks at both ends. "No one was knocking?" There wasn''t any cover to hide behind, and with such a long corridor, though someone could have potentially run to the end to hide, But... What would be the point of knocking, just for a joke? That would be too malicious. "Whoever you are, don''t let me catch you, or I guarantee you''ll die a terrible death," Nere said sternly, then turned and went back into her room, mming the door shut behind her. Then, she returned to the bed and took a look at herself in the mirror that sat on the bedside table. In the mirror, Her eyes were more bloodshot than ever, as if she had been staring wide, without blinking. Strangely though, she noticed that her brown irises no longer seemed as deep as before. It was as if she had removed colored contacts, losing ayer of sheen. "Is this good news? Maybe it''s not a fungal infection, and it could just be from ack of resttely," she mused. Nere, who was initially upset by the "prank," felt somewhat relieved at the change in her eyes. She even gave herself a smile and muttered, "If it really were a fungal infection, others who rode in the same car might get infected by me." "Time to turn off the lights." And with that, she put the mirror back and pressed the bedsidemp switch. Click... The suite was instantly shrouded in darkness. However, the next second, with a snap, the lights flicked back on. "Huh? Did I just see something?" Nere sat up abruptly from the bed, staring at the doorway with a weird look in her eyes, panic etching her face, seemingly at a loss. Just as the lights went off and the room fell into darkness, she thought she saw a silhouette sh by the door. Very much like the shadow of a person... For some reason, Nere felt a very strange sensation inside, an unfounded feeling that had emerged all of a sudden, which irritated her, and she desperately wanted to know what it was that she had seen. So, while keeping her gaze firmly on the doorway, she pressed the light switch again with her hand. Click... The lights went out. "fuck?" Nere''splexion turned extremely ugly in an instant, and she couldn''t help but exim in shock. The moment the lights went out, because her gaze had never shifted, she saw that thing this time. It was a shadow, indistinct in form, its gender unclear, and even its outline was blurry¡ªthe only identifying feature was a pair of eyes. They were dense with blood vessels, carrying an unmasked malice. Nere couldn''t help but shudder, even though she was a follower of the Veda Sect and had personally killed at least dozens of people, she had never experienced anything like this. "I should look for the bishop, only she can resolve this kind of issue." In the Veda Sect, ordinary believers served merely as executioners, while the more core information was held by the bishop, Ruth, who gave orders. Thinking of this, Nere immediately pressed the light switch, but to her utter horror, the lights did note on, and the whole room was plunged into darkness. "Damn it! Damn it!" Nere frantically pressed the switch, but it had no effect whatsoever, as if the power was cut off, leaving the entire suite deathly silent. I''ve got to run... That thought of escape surged in her heart, and she immediately tried to get off the bed. Suddenly... At that moment, the bedsheet, as if controlled by some force, wrapped her up from head to toe. She tried to resist, but her typically strong body, even stronger than that of an adult man due to regr training, was useless. Not only did she not break free, but the bedsheet wrapped even tighter around her. Then. In the darkness, the crisp sound of breaking bones echoed... And then there was a series of continuous, tight sounds, as Nere, covered in the bedsheet, floated in the air, twisting like a wrung towel, her head and feet spinning, hiss... Blood was instantly squeezed out, soaking the bedsheet and dripping onto the bed. Following that was a thud... the sound of something heavy falling onto the bed. Outside the door... In the suite of the driver who had made eye contact with Nere, Corelle''s room. She''d just gone to bed at that moment, still semi-conscious between sleep and wakefulness. Suddenly, she frowned, faintly hearing a very regr and mechanically precise knocking at the door. ... May 22nd, 7:09 AM. It was a rainy day in North Brook District. Du Wei sat by the window, a weary expression on his face as he watched the scene outside. The dense thunder and the incessant drip-drop of raindrops against the window were extremely irritating. That ominous bus only appeared on rainy days and could ignore space; as long as it was raining in a city, it might appear there. "I hate rainy days." Du Wei let out a sigh of relief and shook his head. The nightmare hadsted too long, and his mind and body were so tense that there was hardly any room for rxation upon waking, the whole bedsheet soaked through. The sense of crisis brought by the nuns was almost suffocating him, and he could only strive to regte his own condition, constantly maintaining the good qualities a psychotherapist should have. That is¡ªcalmness, sanity, and an observer''s perspective on the unfolding events. He walked out of the bedroom. Into the bathroom. Du Wei turned on the faucet and quietly watched the bottom of the washbasin. The fine flow of water quickly rose. He saw no trace of that familiar, wrinkled woman''s face. Du Wei washed his face, and when he looked up again, the reflection in the mirror had returned to his usual appearance: a pale, stern face with well-defined features, exceedingly charismatic. Apart from the eyes being too calm, giving an oddly prating sensation, his appeal to any woman was far greater than that of an ordinary man. "Wait a minute, I think I smell blood... "n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 62 062, Freezer First floor. Du Wei stared at the four women''s heads lying on the floor, his face extraordinarily indifferent. Each head seemed to have been yanked off by some immense force. Their facial features were twisted in a gruesome snarl, and although the blood had coagted, the trails of blood spread across the floor indicated that when the heads hade into the house, they must have been drenched in fresh blood. "Why are there so many heads in my house?" Du Wei muttered to himself, then looked up again, his face full of confusion. This was a crucial question, one that carried deadly consequences. Evil Spirits are contagious; the more people they kill, the stronger they be, fueled by fear and terror. The Evil Spirit brought by Aisha spread through knowledge of its existence. The Evil Spirit from the posts spread through sight and hearing, with no other methods of transmission found so far. On the first day, the two Evil Spirits were in a state of bnce, neither overpowering the other, so everything was safe. On the second day, the Evil Spirit from the posts killed Mrs. Mina''s brother¡ªLuke Conan Doyle, and the scales of bnce began to tilt. If it weren''t for the addition of the even more sinister Antique Clock thereafter, there might not have been any ''after'' to speak of. Thinking this, Du Wei''s heart sank slightly as he turned his head to gaze at the Antique Clock and Annabelle hanging on the wall, lingering especially long on the former. Annabelle itself had been corroded by Bone Powder and was now locked in a cab; if it still had the ability to leave the house to kill, then its targetst night should have been himself. The Antique Clock had not shown many aberrant signs so far; although it was the most mysterious, it was not very likely. There was also that ring engraved with the letters ''val''... Du Wei couldn''t help butugh a little; he felt like he was clutching at straws, unable to stop himself. A single slip and he wouldn''t even know how he died. "It shouldn''t be them." He calmed himself down. Taking a deep breath, he made his judgment. The Evil Spirit brought by Aisha was tightly restricted by Du Wei; as long as he didn''t speak of it, it couldn''t leave the room. Remaining was only the incredibly contagious Evil Spirit that could go online and make posts. Having thought this through. Du Wei walked to a doorless cab on the first floor, took out a roll of trash bags, and began to clean up. He detested the smell of blood and corpses, a problem that arose in his junior year of college after dissecting a particrly unusual corpse. That''s why he switched to bing a psychologist. Each head was separately bagged by Du Wei, who then meticulously cleaned up the bloodstains. Although calling the police was the best option at this time, in reality, Du Wei had no way of exining why there were inexplicably four heads in his house. Even Officer Tom, who was aware of the Evil Spirits, would likely harbor suspicions and think that he was involved in the incident. Moreover... There were just too many inexplicable things in the house. A rotten woman''s arm brought about by the Antique Clock, and Roy''s missing head. All these things, if discovered, would lead any sane person to conclude that Du Wei was an incredibly cold-blooded, terrifying serial killer. However, while Du Wei was wiping the bloodstains with a disposable towel, his phone suddenly rang. The caller was Officer Tom. Looking at the phone screen, Du Wei was silent for a while before he finally pressed the answer button. "Good morning, Tom." "Actually, it''s not a good morning at all, Mr. Du Wei. Do you know? I am currently putting up quarantine tape at the Sofitel Hotel, and you would never guess who the deceased is." "I truly don''t know." "It was those cultists, four women died at once, each wrapped in a sheet, twisted to death like wringing out a towel, and the room was covered in blood, I almost puked! Fuck!!!" "Damn, I''m about to lose it, it''s been a month since I''ve been to the Red Light District, I... I... Fuck!!!" "Hello? Mr. Du Wei, are you listening?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Uh... yes, I''m listening." Du Wei nced down at the four garbage bags at his side and asked in a calm tone, "Let me guess, are their heads missing?" "Uh... yes, how did you know?" "... Just a guess." "Well, I suggest you be careful, because I got the surveince tapes from the hotel staff. There were 20 of them in total, and now there are just 4 dead, the rest are probably still in the North Brook District." "Right, I will send some information to you now. I suspect this is an evil spirit incident." ... After hanging up the phone, Du Wei carried the four garbage bags upstairs. The house he rented included a small half-floor attic, mostly used for storage. Although, there really wasn''t much to store. When he reached the far end of the second floor, Du Wei looked up and saw the handle on the ceiling. He then casually took a hook that was ced to one side, hooked it on the handle, and pulled gently. Creak... A grating sound of wooden structures rubbing against each other filled the air. Then, a simpledder dropped down. No dust... Because Du Wei had already been up in the attic a few days before. The attic wasn''t very spacious, with a vertical height of only two meters, and directly opposite was a windowpane, even though mostly obscured by old curtains, it still allowed in a faint light. Scattered around were some discarded furniture, a sofa, a table, a bed, and a few broken tablemps. Beyond that stood an old-fashioned chest freezer about a meter high, with the lid on top. It was left by the previous homeowner, apparently for storing food. A few days earlier, Du Wei had fixed the freezer, and it was working properly. Rustle... The lid of the freezer was pulled open, revealing a ck stic bag inside. "Maybe, I should find time to dispose of all this stuff, just need to be a bit careful," Du Wei said to himself, as he tossed the rest of the garbage bags in as well, and after pulling the lid shut again, the faint smell of blood had dissipated quite a bit. ... Meanwhile, elsewhere. Mrs. Mina''s house was inplete disarray. The furniture was overturned, and the floor was littered with broken cups, tes, and some small appliances. The family portrait that hung on the wall had also fallen to the ground, the ss shattered, exposing the photo inside. Mrs. Mina, her husband, and their daughter Kelly, who had been possessed by the Evil Spirit. It looked like a scene from after an earthquake. Mrs. Mina sat on the floor, staring in terror at her daughter standing opposite her. Kelly''s childish face was utterly expressionless, her eyes pitch ck, oozing malice. "Mommy, why did you take me to see that psychiatrist again?" Chapter 63 063, Curse At 8:09 AM, the intensity of the rain lessened. A ck Cayenne was parked outside the door of the psychological counseling clinic. Alex, wearing a ck Cheriti slip dress, perfectly outlined her slender figure. However, what caught the eyes the most were her long, straight, and well-proportioned legs, with skin so fair that it stirred desires. She stood in the misty drizzle, holding an umbre, opposite Du Wei, whose eyes betrayed a hint of surprise. As was his habit, he entered Spirit Vision to confirm there was nothing unusual about Alex before he breathed a sigh of relief. He asked, "How long have you been waiting?" Just now, he had nned to go to Berson Auction House to investigate matters rting to the Antique Clock and the Golden Brooch, but just as he closed the door, he happened to run into a smiling Alex. It had to be said that her dress for the day was indeed eye-catching, and even someone as aloof as Du Wei couldn''t help but take a few extra nces. Upon hearing this, a fervent look briefly red in Alex''s eyes before vanishing. She looked at Du Wei and replied nonchntly, "I just arrived two minutes ago. I was nning to give you a surprise. It''s quite a coincidence to bump into you leaving, isn''t it?" "Is that so?" Du Wei paused for a moment, then nced at the ground beneath the Cayenne; there weren''t many wet spots, it was clear the car had been parked there for quite some time... "Well, it really is a coincidence. But what''s with your hair? Did you dye it?" When he said this, Du Wei''s tone inevitably carried a trace of perplexity. Before, Alex had silver hair that looked sharp and vigorous, and her upbringing in an affluent family added an extra touch of elegance to her demeanor. But now, her silver locks were dyed ck, and that sharpness hadpletely vanished; she looked softer and more maturely intellectual. "I just suddenly felt a change of hair color might suit me better. Besides, it''s not important. Hey, I''m wearing that dress I mentioned to youst time, do you think it''s pretty?"N?v(el)B\\jnn Alex tilted her head, exposing arge expanse of her fair shoulder, which was particrly eye-catching. "Hmm... very pretty, but..." Speaking, Du Wei steadied his emotions and spoke in a soft tone, "I have some matters to attend to today... I may need to visit Berson Auction House." Alex was momentarily stunned, feeling quite annoyed. Was he going to stand her up again? However, she maintained a nonchnt demeanor on the surface. She asked casually, "Berson Auction House? Why would you go to a ce like that? Is it because the staff members there have good figures, or because they are pretty?" Du Wei shook his head, "I don''t know whether the staff members are male or female. I just want to talk to the person in charge to find out more about the Antique Clock." Alex breathed a sigh of relief and pressed, "Is it very important to you?" Du Wei nodded, "Of course." Hearing this, Alex revealed a yful smile, sizing up Du Wei as if she weremitting every detail of him to memory. "Although I don''t know why you''re interested in the Antique Clock, I might have to disappoint you, darling. The person in charge of Berson Auction House might not give you the information you want..." "Let''s talk in the car." After saying this, Alex pursed her lips at Du Wei and opened the car door. Du Wei automatically filtered out the word "darling," sighed helplessly, and followed her in. Once the car door closed, Du Wei sat in the passenger seat, with Alex beside him. Being so close, he could faintly smell a light fragrance wafting over. It was the scent of shampoo... He didn''t ask why Alex had switched to another car but instead started inquiring about the Berson Auction House. "Why wouldn''t they tell me the information I want?" "Because that information is kept confidential from ordinary people. Unless you suddenly see a dramatic increase in your assets, it''s nearly impossible to get it." "What if I want to get this information from another source? There should be a way, right?" "Indeed, there is." Alex nodded slightly and smiled faintly, "But that would consume a lot of your energy and time, at least a week, though I could help you inquire about it, needing only half a day." In fact, it was true. The antiques she had previously purchased from Berson Auction House had cost her about several tens of millions, shrinking her wallet by a third. Consequently, she had be a top member of Berson Auction House, registered in branches in every city. For her, checking the information of an Antique Clock was just a matter of speaking up. Hearing this, Du Wei fell silent. He was ruminating on how nice it was to be wealthy... Seeing this, Alex thought her words might have been inappropriate and quickly said, "What I mean is, having money makes resolving anything simple, um... I''m not trying to show off to you, I''m saying that there are a lot of things money can do in this world." "For instance, luxury items have no meaning to me personally, I have enjoyed everything. I understand the importance of money, but I am also clear that I don''tck money. What Ick are the things that money can''t buy." "Du Wei, you know what I want, but I don''t want it to affect our rtionship, so I think, we can take it slow." Hearing this, Du Wei silently nodded. He then said, "I owe you a favor." Alex said helplessly, "You don''t need to be so formal with me; in fact, I have my motives too." After speaking, she suddenly gave Du Wei a sly smile, appearing quite bold. "How about a date? I bought tickets for the cinema this afternoon." "I could, but this afternoon I might buy some things and might not be able to apany you for long." "Ah? No problem, I''ve booked the entire venue, from morning till night. You can watch whenever you want." "Alright..." ... On the streets. Alex drove the car, taking Du Wei along towards the cinema. Therefore, Du Wei didn''t resist and followed her into the cinema. The movie started soon afterward. Contrary to the hackneyed plot of a date, Alex didn''t choose a horror film but picked a psychological romance movie about a psychiatrist and their patient. This made Du Wei somewhat ufortable, but he found this type of film more eptable than a horror movie. Alex, on the other hand, appeared very excited, asionally chatting with Du Wei. While Du Wei responded, he was pondering in his mind about what he should do next. In two days, the Exorcist from the church would arrive, and by then, he would confront the nun. No matter the oue, this matter deserved a resolution. Of course, he preferred to rid himself of the curse and live well, ideally tackling the few Evil Spirits at home, and the longer he could hide his hunter identity, the better. Because the church''s attitude towards hunters experiencing an Evil Spirit Transformation was very subtle, locking them in dungeons seemed like punishment, but it was more akin to control. It might seem like there''s no difference between the two, but in reality, they are dissimr. A hunter undergoing an Evil Spirit Transformation is like a gun, very lethal but also prone to misfiring. Punishment is aboutplete suppression, while control is dancing on the edge of a knife. In such a scenario, Du Wei needed time. The urge to investigate the Antique Clock and Golden Brooch had surfaced yesterday when he heard about the origin of the Golden Brooch from Mrs. Mina. Because he suspected that the nun''s curse might be rted to these artifacts. Chapter 64 064, That ring In the cinema. Du Wei quietly pondered. The antique clock and the golden brooch were of a simr kind. In addition to both flowing out of Berson Auction House, they also shared a simr characteristic. That is, the letters that had been half-erased... val... The only difference was that, on the surface of the clock there were no letters, but rather engravings of angelic patterns along with holy items such as church-characteristic crosses. On the back was a relief of a goat''s head. At that time, Du Wei surmised that these carvings might represent sanctity and evil, showing holiness on the front, but hiding extreme evil behind. In many religions, the goat''s head is an implicit or explicit indicator of demons. And dreaming of the nun had only happened after obtaining the antique clock. Thinking of this, Du Wei nced at Alex. In the dim light of the projection hall, apart from him and her, all the seats were empty. Thus, with no obstacles, Du Wei could very directly see Alex''s fair and beautiful face. "Why is she fine?" Du Wei silently asked himself. He had unwittingly fallen under the curse, while Alex had not been affected in the slightest and, to date, setting aside her family background, social status, and considerable wealth, she was the most normal person he had encountered. The nun wouldn''t have any so-called gender discrimination, would she... "Is it the ring?" Du Wei thought, slowly rifying the timeline and events in his mind. The existence of the antique clock must be more special. That ring and the golden brooch shared more simr characteristics. val... The letters could be understood as a message, pointing directly to the curse, or could be interpreted as a medium. As for that women''s ring, it had always been stuffed in Du Wei''s wallet... The antique clock seemed more like an imprisonment device, containing the ring, or even that half-rotten woman''s arm. Moreover, its secrets were obviously not limited to this. Previously, when his home was being invaded by the Evil Spirit, Du Wei knew his condition was beginning to be abnormal, but that was just the beginning. Yet, when he came into contact with the antique clock, he directly entered a state of Spirit Vision. That said, the degree of the clock''s corrosion had explosively increased at some moment, just like during the journey on the bus and the contact with Annabelle. Thinking of this, Du Wei couldn''t help but be bolder in his thoughts. If the antique clock was imprisoning the ring, then its very existence was extremely strange. In Du Wei''s mind, he always harbored a sense of caution towards the antique clock. Previously, when it was jammed by that bundle of notes, causing the outbreak of the two Evil Spirits in his home, Du Wei had mistaken it for an item rted to the Evil Spirit. But now, with careful thought and deliberation, he discovered many inconsistencies. A clock is an observation and recognition of time, each tick representing the passage of time. He had seen almost future death scenes during two uncontroble Spirit Vision states. Also rted to time... "There might be a big guy in my house..." Du Wei unintentionally murmured softly. Alex to the side didn''t hear clearly, and curiously uttered an "Ah?" asking, "What did you just say?" Du Wei shook his head and said, "Nothing, just thinking about some things." Alex blinked, "Some things? Is it about Berson Auction House? I''ve already given word, I should be able to have the information by afternoon. I''ll send it to your phone, don''t worry too much." Du Wei didn''t exin, just smiled and said, "Alright." Seeing him smile, a rare urrence, Alex felt a sudden stir in her heart. Her bright eyes shined even more dazzlingly under the light of the screen. She bit her lip, with only one thought in her head¡ªI want to sleep with him. But immediately following that, Du Wei''s phone ringtone suddenly rang out urgently.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Sorry, I forgot to turn on silent mode." Du Wei quickly said to Alex and then nced at the contact disyed on his phone: Father Tony. Seeing this, Alex gently said, "It''s okay, I can wait for you for a bit." Du Wei hummed in response, "I''m going to step out by the theater entrance to take a call." Alex nodded in affirmation, her gaze following Du Wei as he left his seat and stopped at the entrance of the projection hall, not going outside. "His emotional intelligence doesn''t seem to be as low as I imagined." ... On Du Wei''s side, after he pressed the answer button, Father Tony''s anxious voice came through from the other end. "Mr. Du Wei, something may have happened at Mrs. Mina''s ce, can you stop by her house?" "Happened? What do you mean?" "Half an hour ago, I received a call from Mrs. Mina, but I didn''t get to answer it before they hung up, and I''ve been unable to get through ever since." "I''m worried that the Evil Spirit might have made its move." "I got it, I''ll go." "Thank you so much, please hurry as fast as you can, and if possible, you might try the Exorcism Ritual." "Alright." Having said that, Du Wei hung up the phone, turned his head, and met Alex''s gaze squarely. He walked up to her, somewhat sheepishly saying, "I probably won''t be able to watch the movie with you to the end, I need to head back home and then take care of some things." Alex rolled her eyes, "Hey, baby, this is supposed to be a date, and you''re bailing halfway through the movie? I might start doubting my charm here." Du Wei pondered for a moment, "I''ll apany you next time." Alex snorted, "Next time? When exactly would that be?" Du Wei thought it over and said, "Probably next week, I might be quite busy this week." Alex couldn''t help butugh, "You really don''t like to push yourself, do you?" She was a very attentive woman, at least towards Du Wei. Although a bit annoyed, it was just for a moment before she calmly said, "Alright, next week then. Hmm... Should I drive you home?" "Sure." ... 11:06. The psychological counseling clinic. After seeing Alex off, Du Wei slung on his backpack and locked the door behind him. Before departing, he hung a sign at the door that read: Please leave all letters at the door, do not slip them through the crack. This was to prevent someone from triggering mechanisms set by the Evil Spirit. He did not want to return home only to find an extra head there. Just as Du Wei was about to turn and leave, he inadvertently noticed a row of symbols near the bottom of the door. The letters were dark brown, appearing to have been written some time ago. Immediately, Du Wei''s expression darkened, and he bent down to scrape off some of the letters. Smelling the faint odd odor from his fingertips, his eyes turned much colder. "It seems that those four Cultists have been to my house. They tried to do something but ended up triggering the Evil Spirit''s mechanism." "Are they targeting me? Or are they seeking retaliation because of Roy''s death?" "I must say, you''ve picked the wrong person!" Letting out a scoff, Du Wei touched the handgun he kept close and turned to head across the street towards his new Subaru. He didn''t have time to deal with these people for the moment; after handling Mrs. Mina''s issue, then he would have time to y with them. Chapter 65 065, Only one quilt North Brook District, noon, and the rain was still falling. A brand-new Subaru Impreza was driving on the road, sshing uprge chunks of mud. Du Wei sat in the driver''s seat, ncing at the gloomy sky outside the window. ording to thetest weather forecast, New York would be experiencing this kind of rainy weather for the next few days, apanied by heavy rain and lightning. In other words, when the church''s exorcist arrived, and preparations began to deal with the possessed nun, they would be carried out on a rainy day. "This is not a good sign," he murmured, turning the steering wheel and driving onto another road. ... Mrs. Miina''s home was located in the central region of the North Brook District. Although the area was not bustling, the housing prices were not cheap. Du Wei had once considered opening his psychology counseling clinic here, but after considering the cost-effectiveness, he abandoned the idea. After he parked the car, Du Wei, carrying his bag and holding an umbre, walked slowly in the rain. Across from him was a small, independent two-and-a-half-story vi which looked quite a few years old, but was equally valuable. In front of the vi, there was a sheltering eave. After putting away his umbre and cing it in the rack at the entrance, Du Wei walked up and stared quietly at the door. In his Spirit Vision state, he felt an odd sense of oppression, yet for some reason, it seemed very faint. The only sound that could be heard around him was the fine rain, and the vi in his sight appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary, as if he didn''t know that Mrs. Mina''s daughter had been possessed by an Evil Spirit. If it hadn''t been for the fact that his Spirit Vision had reached the Third Phase, Du Wei guessed he might not have noticed anything wrong at all. He checked the time on his phone; twenty minutes had passed since Father Tony informed him of Mrs. Miina''s disappearance. "The chances of her surviving are not great," Du Wei said, turning the doorknob. Click... It was the sound of the door being locked... Du Wei frowned; most vi lockse with anti-theft and memory features, and without a key, unless one resorts to force, the likelihood of picking the lock sessfully is virtually zero. After a moment''s thought, Du Wei turned and walked along the wall, looking for a suitable entrance. Before long, he arrived in front of two windows on the right side of the vi. One of the curtains was not drawn tightly, allowing a view inside. However, due to the angle, Du Wei could only vaguely see that the furniture in the room had been moved, the sofa was overturned on the floor, and broken dishes and bowls were everywhere, as if it had just experienced an earthquake. Unlike the New York he remembered, this city was ind and not near any earthquake zones. Thinking this, a trace of contemtion shed in Du Wei''s eyes, "Could it be the noise made by the Evil Spirit?" In the book given to him by Father Tony, there was a record of such situations. [Some powerful Evil Spirits possess extremely terrifying abilities, enough to affect the surrounding environment, and to a certain extent, they can even distort space and time.] Recalling the information in the book, Du Wei took a deep breath, "It looks like things have gottenplicated. I hope to find some clues to give an exnation to Father Tony." At this moment, Du Wei no longer had any hope for Mrs. Miina''s survival. He had warned her before but was rejected. Although Mrs. Miina also felt that her daughter was abnormal, she was stubbornly unable to make a decision, insisting on giving an answer before her destiny of death arrived. Therefore, Du Wei felt neither guilty nor ufortable. He only did what he had to do. So, Du Wei looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then took out the silver cross dagger from his pocket, pulled out the de, and stabbed hard along the edge of the ss. Crash... The ss window shattered on cue, with shards everywhere. Du Wei rolled over and crawled in, not bothering to consider whether the surveince cameras caught the act. After all, Officer Tom would surely understand. ¡­ Inside the vi. Du Wei picked up the family photo from the broken frame and casually tucked the silver cross dagger into his pocket. In the photo were Mrs. Mina and her husband, both smiling and holding the hand of their daughter, Kelly. The photo must have been taken not long ago, as Kelly looked almost the same as when he hadst seen her¡ªjust as delicate and lovely, with a few faint freckles still on her face. What caught Du Wei''s attention, however, was Mrs. Mina''s husband; he was tall, with an ordinary appearance but a piercing gaze, radiating the aura of a societal elite. "He''s almost identical to the Evil Spirit on the bus, wearing a mask. If you ignore his face and the golden brooch, you can almost be certain it''s the same person." As he said this, Du Wei''s gaze suddenly fixed on the man''s right hand on the back of Mrs. Mina''s husband in the photo. "A strange tattoo¡ªwhy a hexagram?" In many literary works, the hexagram often carries an auspicious meaning. But in the church''s records, the hexagram is a symbol of certain cults. Just as the church''s symbols are the Crown of Thorns and the Sacred Burning Holy Grail, the Turin Cult''s emblem is an abstract face. The upper half of the hexagram represents man, while the lower half represents woman. Its original meaning was not very pleasant, but rather eerie. Therefore, most people would not get a tattoo of this pattern, even in modern times, as they would alter the design from its original simplicity to something more conforming to contemporary aesthetics. "Perhaps I should look into Mrs. Mina''s husband," Du Wei mused as he folded the photo and slid it into his wallet before walking further into the house. What could be confirmed at this point was that things with the letters ''val'' were somehow connected to the nuns, although the details were unclear; but they likely possessed some eerie powers. For instance, during his Spirit Vision state, Du Wei could asionally see visions of future deaths. However... He couldn''t yet determine whether this ability was brought about by that ring or the Antique Clock. He walked through the rooms one by one. Soon, Du Wei reached the bedroom on the second floor. He tried the doorknob, and it wasn''t locked. Pushing the door open, Du Wei''s expression changed slightly as he saw something he wasn''t supposed to see. "It seems this bedroom belongs to Mrs. Mina."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The decor around was simple yet featured a dressing table next to the bed, with dresses and lingerie hanging in an open wardrobe on the wall. Du Wei nced around briefly, found nothing of note, furrowed his brow, and turned to leave. Suddenly, he turned back, fixing his gaze on the bed in the bedroom, his dark eyes turning cold. "A bed with a pink butterfly quilt, women''s clothing; even if the husband is missing, or even dead, that just happened two days ago." Psychologically, in a normal marital rtionship, even after one spouse suddenly passes away, the other would cherish memories of their shared life. In reality, some hold on to their partner''s clothing and other items, even keeping the urn at home as a constant remembrance. Yet, Mrs. Mina''s bedroom had no men''s clothing or personal items, which was quite illogical. Unless she hadn''t slept in the same bed as her husband for a very, very long time. One could even boldly specte that she and Kelly weren''t sharing a bed either. Du Wei vaguely felt that the information Mrs. Mina had given him earlier was one-sided, and there were definitely important details she hadn''t shared. Experience tales with empire Chapter 66 066, Dong? (Please recommend and favorite) Under the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei quickened his pace considerably. Beyond the mansion''s interior decorations, what he saw were strands of ck particles converging into threads like a spiderweb, disjointed and intermittent. He felt he had grasped at some crucial clue, but theck of information prevented him from making an urate judgment. If he could just figure out everything that had happened to Mrs. Mina, he would understand why so many strange things had urred to her. When he arrived at the door with a pink heart sign hanging on it, Du Wei stopped. On the sign was written: Kelly''s den. Of course, that wasn''t important; what was important was that he seemed to hear some kind of eerie noise. Thud... Thud... It sounded like someone pacing back and forth, but something was off. Because the sound was very muffled, more like objects colliding with each other. It also resembled the sound of knocking on a table, After a moment of thought, Du Wei reached out with his right hand, grasped the doorknob, turned it calmly, and slowly pushed open the door. The next second, his eyes turned extremely cold and his expression exceedingly grim. He saw that a corpse was hanging from the ceiling, a sturdy rope tied at one end to the chandelier''s fixed anchor and at the other tightly bound to the corpse''s ankles. Blood had spread down from the ankles, already showing signs of having partially coagted, clearly indicating a time of death either shortly before or after Father Tony''s phone call. "It''s Kelly..." In Kelly''s bedroom, many dolls were ced around, and right in the center of the room, a Hexagram Array was drawn with blood. A candle was burning at each point, creating an extremely sinister atmosphere. "But what was the sound I just heard?" Under the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei had not seen anything abnormal; even the room was devoid of the intermittent ck threads he had seen previously. There wasn''t even a trace of wind in the room, the windows closed, the curtains drawn, the candles on the floor burning steadily, Kelly''s body not swaying in the slightest, and since the body was hung up, it couldn''t possibly collide frontally with any object. "Something is not right." Du Wei scanned the room with an unppable gaze, thought for a moment, and then stepped inside. After surveying Kelly''s body for a few moments, his gaze began to move downward, eventually settling on her face, ckened by candle smoke. The skin appeared somewhat dry, with fine wounds and peelingyers of skin on the tip of the nose and the lips. Drops of thick blood converged downward, but due to coagtion, had formed bead-like clots at the tip of her nose and corners of her mouth. This resulted from the heat of the burning candles. Next, Du Wei examined the Hexagram pattern drawn in blood and the candles ced at each point. In the center of the Hexagram patterny a puddle of coagted blood, looking fierce and nauseating. The candles had burned down by more than half, suggesting that the scene had been arranged around the same time as Kelly''s death. So, Du Wei took out his phone and snapped a photo. Although he had recently been studying up on Exorcist knowledge, many details, especially the more secretive information, were still unclear to him. More professional matters should be left to more professional people. Like Father Tony, for instance. Beep... The call connected promptly. Du Wei spoke calmly, "I''m Du Wei, Kelly is dead, but her death is unnatural, someone has set up a Hexagram pattern in her bedroom. I''m sending you a photo now, if you find anything, please let me know immediately." On the other side of the phone, Father Tony fell silent for a moment before saying, "What about Mrs. Mina?" Du Wei said, "Her body has not been found yet, but I suspect she has withheld some information from me, and... the chances of her survival aren''t very high." Father Tony heaved a sigh and replied, "I understand. Do your best to investigate the truth. The church is very concerned about you. As for the hexagram pattern, I need to check the church records; I seem to have seen it somewhere." "And... could you not hang up the phone? I want to know about Mrs. Mina''s fate as soon as possible." "Why? It will affect me." "Mr. Du Wei, this is a secret I find extremely difficult to disclose. Please, will you do this for me?" "...When necessary, I will hang up the phone." "No problem, I will cooperate with you." Du Wei pressed the power button to turn off the phone''s screen and did not end the call but put it into his pocket. Although Father Tony did not say what his secret was, Du Wei had a good guess. After all, during their first encounter, when Du Wei informed him about an incident with the Evil Spirit, his response had been very officious, following church procedures: report first, wait for the church''s confirmation... Even though this was based on the fact there were no exorcists in New York. However, when he was informed that Mrs. Mina''s daughter was possessed by the Evil Spirit, Father Tony practically discarded the so-called procedures and hoped that Du Wei could handle and resolve the situation. It was probably an old melodrama... Of course, this was not important to Du Wei. It was merely a matter of hanging up the phone when necessary. Thinking this, Du Wei briskly pulled back the curtains. Stay updated with empire Gloomy light streamed in through the ss windows, which showed no sign of having been opened. Du Wei frowned and muttered, "Strange." The sound he had heard had vanished the moment he opened the door. Spirit Vision in its Third Phase had not revealed any signs of the Evil Spirit''s presence; it seemed certain that the thumping sound was unrted to the Evil Spirit. "A person?" Du Wei silently pondered, his gaze sweeping over every possible hiding spot. Kelly''s room had only a very low bed, a wardrobe, a shoe rack, a desk for studying, and a small piano. If someone were hiding in this bedroom, the wardrobe was the likeliest ce. With this thought, Du Wei approached the wardrobe and gently opened it. However, his discovery was disappointing. The wardrobe contained nothing but some children''s clothes; there were no secretpartments to hide a person. "This bedroom has a suffocating and eerie feel to it; perhaps I shouldn''t stay here any longer." At that moment, the phone in his pocket came alive with the sound of pages being turned, and Father Tony reminded him from the other end, "Mr. Du Wei, I just found the church records about the hexagram pattern. Many cults use this pattern, and their worshippers are often extremely evil beings, but they are so well-hidden that the church cannot identify them specifically." "Can you find out which cult it might be? I seem to have been targeted by these peopletely." "Uh... I''ll look further. Oh, and you should be careful. In recent months, there have been strange messages at the church. These cultists appear to be looking for something, conducting sacrificial rituals in various ces." "Understood."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Father Tony''s words did not bring much help to Du Wei; they only made him more puzzled. Could it be the work of cultists? It did not seem likely; there were indeed signs of the Evil Spirit''s presence in this vi, only it seemed to have concealed itself and was not in this bedroom. Du Wei shook his head and got down on the floor to check under Kelly''s bed. At that moment, his eyes narrowed slightly. There was also a hexagram under the bed, but it seemed very old and somewhat faded... Chapter 67 067, Unable to Leave Mansion''s second floor. In Kelly''s room, Du Wei retracted his gaze and stood up. The only sound he could hear was the rustling of rainwater striking the ss in fine droplets. He had tentatively ascertained one thing, that Kelly or rather, Mrs. Mina''s family had likely been marked by cultists a long time ago. Otherwise, it wouldn''t exin the existence of a hexagram pattern beneath the bed. After all, Kelly''s bed was quite low, and under normal circumstances, few people would lower their heads to look underneath, making the likelihood of discovering the hexagram very slim. As Du Wei walked toward the door, he nced solemnly at the hexagram patternid out with six candles, passing by the hanging corpse of Kelly. Also a cultist... Could it be rted to Roy? Du Wei couldn''t be sure, he could only specte,bining the information at hand to analyze. He pondered as he exited Kelly''s room. However, just as he stepped outside the door, a sharp buzzing noise suddenly rang in his ears, and his heart felt a prickling pain.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Du Wei stopped in his tracks, hisplexion faintly pale. Under the state of spirit vision, he saw a scene. An utterly dark room where he could barely make out himself sitting at a table, seemingly looking down at something. In an unseen corner, it seemed as though someone was whispering in a low voice, the words indistinct but the tone strange, familiar, and filled with cold malice. Then, from the darkness, a pair of pale, slender hands reached out, slowly descending towards his oblivious neck. The perspective was from above; thus, Du Wei watched from a powerfully oppressive angle as the hands grasped his neck, while he seemed to feel nothing, allowing those hands to twist forcefully. Crack... The neck was twisted, the head tilted to one side, resting on the chair. What followed was the sight of Du Wei''s expressionless, pale face. Throughout this process, Du Wei could even see the calm in his own eyes, as if unaware of any anomaly right up until death. "Huh..." Du Wei shook his head, striving to rid himself of the dizziness and nausea brought on by the change in perspective. At this moment, his heart was full of confusion and iprehension. "Why did I see my own death scene again? And in this mansion, could there be something I''ve overlooked?" He found it odd; asionally being able to foresee death scenes in the state of spirit vision had urred before, and this was utterly unprecedented in the Church''s records on spirit vision. So, when he learned that Mrs. Mina could dream of death scenes, Du Wei''s feelings were quiteplex, a sense of finding someone of his kind. But now... Du Wei dismissed the thought, feeling that Mrs. Mina''s dreams and his own vision of future death scenes were influenced by something. It might be the Evil Spirit, or it might be something else. After all, during a certain period, Mrs. Mina''s husband had possessed the Golden Brooch... Du Wei retracted his thoughts and considered leaving. His purpose foring here was merely to investigate Mrs. Mina''s life or death, but now he had suddenly seen his own death scene, which already posed a threat to his safety. Thest time he saw his own death scene, he directly encountered a terrifying Evil Spirit wearing a mask and a Golden Brooch on the eerie bus. If it weren''t for figuring out the rules of the bus, he would have had nowhere to run. Even on that bus, he could have been killed by the Evil Spirit at any moment. Now, Du Wei had seen his own death scene, and he could no longer continue his exploration. The vi, which seemed calm and even had traces of Evil Spirit disappearing, appeared to hide extremely horrifying dangers. Over the phone line, which was still open, Father Tony heard no response for a long time and asked, "Mr. Du Wei, what happened on your end? Why have you seemed to stop?" Hearing Father Tony''s words, Du Wei paused for a moment and replied calmly, "I''m sorry, but it seems we can no longer continue investigating Mrs. Mina''s case." "Why? Mr. Du Wei, Mrs. Mina, she..." "She may already be dead." Du Wei cut him off, continuing coldly, "Father Tony, you should be very clear about this, shouldn''t you?" "Alright, I respect your decision..." On the other end of the phone, Father Tony''s voice carried an uncontroble pain as hepsed into silence. And Du Wei quickly turned around, walked out of the room, and headed straight for the stairwell without hesitation. Throughout this process, he remained silent, his expression exceedingly impassive. Although he knew, the vi harbored many secrets, such as why Kelly, who was originally possessed, ended up dead in such a manner in her bedroom. And how the Evil Spirit came to be involved with the Mina family in the first ce. And the hexagram pattern in the bedroom, the one under the bed could be perceived as having been targeted by a Cultist before, but what about the second one? It was evident, based on the congealment of the blood in the pattern and the burn time of the candles, that it urred not long ago. An Evil Spirit killing didn''t involve setting up so-called rituals and symbols, but rather when a medium triggered it, it would lead to a death stage. So, it was very likely man-made. This meant that before Du Wei entered the vi, others may havee in. Thinking of this made Du Wei''s mood much heavier. He vaguely felt that he had be entangled in an exceedingly evil event. "I must leave now, this matter ends here." With that thought, Du Wei hastened his steps down the stairs. However, as he arrived at the stairwell, hisplexion suddenly turned extremely unsightly. The stairwell he came by had vanished. In its ce was a smooth floor, and solid walls. Your next read is at empire This kind of scene was hard to describe with words, eerily extreme, simr to the experience of hitting a ghost wall within the Horror House, within the cross-shaped passage, a sensation of being unable to leave due to the structuralyout and misleading by the Evil Spirit. But now it was different, there was truly no way back. Du Wei took a deep breath, entering the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, his right hand began to exude an eerie sensation, and his skin turned so pale it was devoid of any color, resembling the texture of a corpse. He walked to where the stairwell had originally been ording to his memory and reached down to explore. Yet what came back was solid floor, and the walls were the same. "It seems that when I walked out of the room, I must have triggered some kind of mechanism." This sentence, he said to himself, while taking out his phone from his pocket, the screen showed that the signal hadpletely disappeared. Meaning that Du Wei had lost his only means of contact with the outside world. At the same time, under the state of Spirit Vision, the entire second floor of the vi gave off apletely different feeling to him. Oppressively so, like the dark, overwhelming foreboding thates just before a storm. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 68 068, Keep Silent At this moment, inside the church in North Brook District. Father Tony was rapidly flipping through a book, and when he came to a certain page, his eyes were filled with shock and anger. "I''ve found the records about the Hexagram pattern, it''s a sacrificial ritual of the Veda Sect, I must report this to the church. Mr. Du Wei, your decision was right, you need to leave immediately." "Mr. Du... Mr. Du Wei?" Father Tony turned his head, and when he saw that the phone screen showed no signal and the call had been automatically disconnected, his face was full of astonishment and panic. "Damn it! Inside that vi, there is an Evil Spirit that has sessfully possessed a body!" ... Elsewhere. Footsteps resounded in the vi. Du Wei stood emotionless at the entrance to Kelly''s bedroom, remaining silent, not uttering a single word. Outside the window, it was gloomy, dark as if it were night, obscuring the view outside. In Kelly''s bedroom, on the Hexagram pattern, the candles ced at the angles were still burning, casting a dim yellow light on Du Wei''s face, making it seem somewhat ferocious. His gaze was icy, fixed on the burning candles, and on Kelly''s corpse. Something was terribly wrong... Du Wei clearly remembered that the candles ced on each angle of the Hexagram pattern had burned down by more than half, but now they seemed just lit. The candles had only burned down a little bit. Kelly''s body was the same, the blood that was supposed to have clotted was dripping down. He began to think, "So, am I experiencing an illusion? Is what I see the vision of Kelly''s death? Or is this all real?" The killing process of the Evil Spirit usually starts by triggering a medium, getting targeted by the Evil Spirit, followed by a mechanism¡ªnone of the Evil Spirits encountered so far has been an exception. After some thought, Du Wei couldn''t help but muse, pondering how he had triggered the medium. Lady Mina had mentioned before that in her dream, as she was dying, she gave him a shushing hint. It can be interpreted as a signal not to talk. But when Du Wei noticed the presence of the Evil Spirit getting weaker as he entered the vi, he had spoken and had even called Father Tony. If not speaking was the trigger for the medium, then such a change shouldn''t have only urred on the second floor. He felt that what he was experiencing now was more like some sort of spatial shift. Entering Kelly''s bedroom and thening out again, the surroundings hadpletely changed. It seemed there was some sort of mechanism at y. "Is it the door?" Du Wei gave himself an uncertain answer and decided to test it. Thus, he walked into Kelly''s bedroom without hesitation and closed the door behind him. In an instant. In the state of Spirit Vision, that feeling of utmost oppression intensified, and the malice emanating from Kelly''s corpse became even more apparent, almost tangible. At this moment, in the entire bedroom besides himself, there was only the presence of Kelly''s corpse, and the atmosphere was so heavy it was frightening. The moment the door closed, Du Wei felt a fleeting sensation of being watched, but what was strange was that, other than that, no other anomalies urred. Staring at Kelly''s corpse, Du Wei nced at the time on his phone, it was exactly 11:40. Then, he pushed the door open and walked out again. To his disappointment, in the state of Spirit Vision, the vi''s unusual sensation remained the same as before, with no change whatsoever. "I can''t understand it!" Du Wei shook his head silently, all his thoughts were kept inside his mind. Even though he knew he might have triggered some mechanism, it seemed that the mechanism wasn''t very friendly to him, leaving no chance for turning back. "Let''s keep moving forward, there''s no choice left." Du Wei took a step and walked toward the other rooms on the second floor. He thought about jumping out the window, but for some reason, under the state of Spirit Vision, he instinctively felt it was an extremely dangerous decision. If the vi was hiding profound dangers, choosing to jump out would be like flipping the table and exposing everything.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Moreover, the death scene Du Wei had seen was in apletely dark room where he was sitting in front of a table, which hadn''t happened yet. At that moment, he came to a door locked with a padlock and stopped in his tracks. The doorframe and other parts of the room were very clean, yet the padlock looked as if it had been used for a long time, bearing many scratches. Seeing this scene, Du Wei couldn''t help but frown. Was it Mina''s husband''s room? Mrs. Mina''s family of three, with the master of the house seemingly turned into an evil spirit after dying on the bus, only left the mother and daughter. He had now seen Mrs. Mina and Kelly''s bedrooms, and the body of Kelly had been found. The only rooms remaining were the storeroom, a spare room, the study, and the husband''s bedroom. Additionally, in the state of Spirit Vision, ck misty vapors were seeping out from under the doors of the entire house, akin to the most terrifying and sinister gates to hell. Yet strangely, though the feeling behind the door was equally startling, it seemed more independent and distinct despite the danger, as if it was separate from the vi itself. No matter what, something was definitely behind that door. Du Wei stared at the padlock, a glint of intrigue shing in his eyes. What would happen if I didn''t open the door? He felt he had grasped a key point for leaving, so he turned around and left, heading in the direction where the sense of danger was strongest under the state of Spirit Vision. ... Ten minutester. Du Wei stood in front of the locked door again, his gaze exceptionally brilliant. Just now, he had roughly explored all the rooms on the second floor, finding each to be eerily abnormal and oppressively suffocating. But beyond that, there was nothing else. No evil spirits, no imed dangers, and certainly no body of Mrs. Mina. The feelings perceived in the state of Spirit Vision couldn''t be false. Therefore, all the dangers were just like beasts lurking beneath the water, and as long as he didn''t fall in, he couldn''t die. And everything he had experienced before seemed more like a threat. What does it want to do? Make me afraid? Make me scream? The gesture for silence could mean not to speak, or also to not make any noise. Since the vi became abnormal, he had not spoken a word, only analyzing in his mind, meaning as long as he stayed calm, the horror behind the door couldn''t touch him? Could it be that simple? Du Wei was silent for a while before he turned back to Kelly''s bedroom and headed straight for the body... By now, the candle had burned down by half, casting the corpse''s face in an even more horrifying and frightening light. Suddenly... The body opened its eyes, filled with bloodshot veins, its hollow, numb pupils full of resentment and poison. Du Wei also crouched down to look into the corpse''s eyes, his expressionless face resembling a corpse even more than the body itself. Moreover, he took out a lighter from his pocket, the new gadget given to him by Father Tony. He ced the lighter under the hair of the corpse and gently pressed it. Click... Chapter 69 069, Facing Death When Du Wei pressed the lighter, a bizarre me burst out instantly. The color was a deep red,pletely different from the normal me which was orange at the top and blue at the bottom. Kelly''s hair ignited in a sh, with the foul smell of burning hair permeating the air. The rolled-back me spread along her hair with a boom. Without expression, Du Wei watched Kelly''s body, making eye contact, watching the me roll upwards. He had experimented with the lighter a few times when he had first acquired it. Indeed, as Father Tony had said, it only worked when encountering the Evil Spirit, otherwise, it waspletely useless. "But, where is the Evil Spirit?" Du Wei asked himself in his heart, staring coldly as Kelly''s body was enveloped in mes, making the oppressive feeling grow even stronger during the process. Yet the anticipated appearance of the Evil Spirit did not happen; it seemed to still conceal itself in the darkness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Under the Spirit Vision state, he felt nothing out of the ordinary. This body was not the medium... Quietly retracting his gaze, Du Wei closed the lighter''s wind guard, and the me went out immediately. At the same time, the fire burning on Kelly''s body also started to shrink as if deprived of fuel and eventually disappeared entirely. He needed to leave the vi, but the problem was, he was still under the influence of the Evil Spirit, with neither rtively positive contact nor any discovery of mechanisms. It could be said that among the Evil Spirit events Du Wei had encountered, this one was the most troublesome. Wait... Du Wei furrowed his brow; he suddenly felt a chill, as if a breeze had blown into the bedroom. This inexplicable chill arrived despite him wearing warm clothes due to the rainy weather, carrying a backpack, and having exerted himself quite a bit. Yet, the unwarranted coldness seemed to prate the clothing and seep directly through the skin into his body. Where his gaze fell, the windows were still tightly shut, as though cut off from the world, with darkness reigning outside. So... Was the door opened? The next second. Du Wei turned his head, his gaze as calm as if devoid of any emotional fluctuation. As he expected, unperceived, the bedroom door had indeed been pushed open. Outside the door was pitch darkness, frighteningly so. It was like the bared fangs of a giant maw ready to swallow everything in the dark. After a moment of thought, Du Wei withdrew from the Spirit Vision state and walked straight toward it; the firelight behind him casting his shadow, which appeared extremely elongated, it gradually faded away into the darkness. He was guessing the intentions of this Evil Spirit. Clearly, it seemed not to want to confront him directly, preferring a cat and mouse attitude, intending to plunge him into fear before delivering the fatal blow. Moreover, it was different from other Evil Spirits; no mechanisms had been discovered up to this point and even the trigger medium was unclear. It was like a gamble. However, Du Wei no longer intended to continue the game; although a gamble with the Evil Spirit sounded interesting, it was actually meaningless, low-level, and tedious. It was like navigating a maze, where from start to finish one might take countless wrong turns, but if one knows the destination, it''s possible to pick the fastest and most convenient route. Of course, that would be the ideal situation. But Du Wei was able to make this ideal situation a reality. He had seen his own death scene. As long as he could find that ce or create a simr environment, he could get infinitely closer to the oue. He was courting death... But he believed that he, as seen in his death scene, wouldn''t act in a way that was out of character. In other words, death must be built on the premise that he was actively trying to solve the situation. But clearly, Du Wei had failed. Compared to other people or things, Du Wei trusted his judgment more, so he decided to take that as a premise and try a different method and angle to confront the Evil Spirit in the vi which had not shown itself until now. Walking in the darkness. He pressed the lighter, and a bean-sized me burst into life. The dim firelight cast an absurd shadow on Du Wei''s face. He even took out a cigarette and lit it slowly. ... The second floor of the dark vi. Only the patter of footsteps echoed; everything else seemed to fall into silence, as if soundproof ss enclosed the space, blocking out the fine sound of rain and noise from the outside world. Suddenly... A loud bang. A burst of firelight red in the darkness, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, ttering loudly as itnded. Expressionless, Du Wei stepped forward, using the light from his lighter to inspect the lock that had fallen to the ground. "It seems my shooting is pretty good," he remarked. No longer whispering, he pushed open the door and walked straight in. In this vi, the room with the greatest suspicion was this locked one, so after leaving Kelly''s bedroom, Du Wei hade straight here. As he had said, his marksmanship was indeed good; he had calcted the angle carefully and, after confirming that the bullet wouldn''t ricochet back at him, he hadn''t hesitated to shoot the lock. Though Du Wei knew that doing this might provoke an attack from the Evil Spirit, to some extent, it was also what he wanted. Two lighters, one could only light cigarettes, while the other could be used against the Evil Spirit. He never did anything without certainty. He entered the room. Almost immediately, he could smell a hint of decay. Groping in the darkness, Du Wei''s fingertips brushed against a switch. "Should be for the lights," he guessed. He pressed it gently. The expected light did note on. Du Wei sighed and lit the lighter once more. This time, he saw a table, a chair, and on the table, there was a cylindrical candle. "It looks like this is where I''m supposed to die," he said mockingly, slowly walking over, he took off his backpack and sat down on the chair he had pulled out. And he used the lighter to ignite the candle. At this moment, sitting in front of the chair, the scene almost exactly matched the death scene he had seen under the Spirit Vision. And now, having emerged from the Spirit Vision, he was virtually defenseless. He began to examine the table, curious about why in the vision of his death, he had been looking down at it and what he had been looking at. Given his personality, he definitely would not do something meaningless. The table had drawers, which were also locked. Du Wei thought for a moment, then drew out the silver crucifix dagger he had received from Andrew Dowqui. In his hands, the thing was mostly useless; he had used it more to smash stuff than to fight the Evil Spirit. After breaking the lock, Du Wei was surprised to find two items inside: a diary and a mask. The diary seemed quite ordinary, nothing special at a nce. The mask, however, was a different story. Its style was not much different from the white, featureless one he had seen on the Evil Spirit with the walking stick, wearing the Golden Brooch, who was suspected to be Mrs. Mina''s husband, on the bus. The only difference was that it had holes for the eyes. Chapter 70 070, Out of Control (Please bookmark and recommend) As his fingertips touched the white mask, what came back was a chilling sensation, tinged with a coldness. The material of the mask was unclear, but its whiteness was striking. On the table, the masky quietly to one side, while Du Wei flipped open the diary. At the same time. Creeeeak... A grating sound of wooden structures friction that set one''s teeth on edge arose. Du Wei turned his head, calmly watching as an invisible hand seemed to slowly close the door. Even without being in Spirit Vision, he could clearly feel a sinister presence slowly enveloping him. It was the Evil Spirit... Just like the first night, the feeling was exactly the same as the one brought by the two evil spirits in his home. It was certain that something hade in. Du Wei took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze, and pulled open his backpack. He pulled out a bottle of bone powder and sprinkled it around himself. If the Evil Spirit intended to attack him, at the very least, it could serve as an early warning. Then, he lowered his head to read the diary. On the first page, there was a signature¡ªMike Stowe. The second page revealed his identity¡ªMr. Mina''s husband, Kelly''s father. Flipping further through, there were bits of everyday triviality with no particr information. But what surprised Du Wei was the secret he discovered about Mike Stowe. He was inhumane. Kelly was adopted by him and Mrs. Mina, solely to ease the impending dissolution of their marriage. "No wonder there was only one nket in the bedroom, and I didn''t see any men''s belongings; they must have not slept together for a long time." Du Wei continued to quickly leaf through the pages. Soon, the diary entry from March 18th caught his attention; it was about the Golden Brooch. ... [March 18, Overcast] [Because of my profession, I often deal with some antiques from the auction house, hmm... I call this faking. Those idiots would never guess that many of the so-called antiques they''ve purchased have been artificially aged. Of course, I can assure them that the certificates are absolutely real, haha. Today, I brought back a strange thing from the auction house¡ªa pair of masks stuck together, the material of which is unknown, somewhat resembling a modern-day artifact.] [This entry was written at 3 a.m. I just experienced something unimaginable, which reminded me of that unbearable past¡ªI was once a cultist of the Veda Sect.] Du Wei''s gaze lingered on the "Veda Sect" for a while, and he couldn''t help but think of his deceased neighbor Roy and the four heads that appeared in his home that morning. "It seems like a clich¨¦ story of a cultist who lost his way and returned to an ordinary life, but unfortunately, it looks like he wasn''t blessed with love or marriage, and instead lived quite a troubled life." Du Wei said calmly, without a trace of fluctuation in his voice, and turned to the next page. [March 19, Light Rain] [I separated the masks and, looking at the Golden Brooch hidden inside, I felt very strange. The masks seemed to be joined together like a container. I put on one of the masks thatcked features and I think I discovered the secret of the Veda.] "The Golden Brooch was hidden inside the mask? That seems simr to the ring, which was found after the Antique Clock showed anomalies. Could it be interpreted that the mask equals the Antique Clock?" Du Wei felt like he was beginning to understand something, and he also noted that in this day''s diary entry, Mike Stowe referred to it with the word ''it.'' Was that the Evil Spirit? So, the object of the Veda Sect''s devotion was actually the Evil Spirit? Or something like it? ... [March 25, Weather Clears] [There seems to be a problem with my mind, I feel like I should see a psychiatrist, but it''s toote. Every night after midnight, I involuntarily put on the mask. Because of this, I even have to lock the door before I go to sleep to prevent Mina and the others from seeing how I look.] ¡­ [March 26¡­] [I''m close to breaking down, I really need help, but I am a betrayer, I can''t go back to the Veda Sect, can''t even contact them. Otherwise, I will surely die.] ¡­ Beginning on March 26, the diary entries started bing erratic, sometimes like the ravings of a madman, without any logical sequence, with entries being either nk or filled with messy drawings. After roughly analyzing, Du Wei concluded that Mike Stowe seemed to be targeted by something after he put on the mask, possibly by an Evil Spirit, and his mental state also became affected, with his logical thinking bing confused. "Keep reading." Du Wei said softly, feeling even more oppressed in this room. A cold and tide-like malice touched him, causing great difort. [April 28¡­] [I know what it wants now, it wants toe out and take over my body, but it seems to be constrained somehow. I think I can still fight it for a while, so I n to kill someone, toplete a sacrificial ritual.] ¡­ [April 29¡­] [The sacrifice was a fat man. When I cut open his veins, I found myself trembling with excitement, as if I had returned to the time when I joined the Veda Sect, wild and unrestrained, like ughtering a pig.] [Written at midnight: I feel fantastic now. After the sacrificial ritual waspleted, it became much quieter, but somehow, whenever I look at myself in the mirror wearing the mask, there''s this unfamiliar, strange feeling. It''s like I''m no longer myself, but then again, what does that matter?] ¡­ [May 03¡­] [I am in great condition, working normally during the day, maintaining the image of a husband and father, while at night, I go out to perform sacrificial rituals. I seem to have adapted to this life.] ¡­ [May 06¡­] [I can''t stop now, the sacrifices seem to be having less and less effect on it. ording to the records of the Veda Sect, I should sacrifice my rtives¡­ Kelly, or Mina.] ¡­ [May 12¡­]N?v(el)B\\jnn [I''ve made a decision and have drawn a hexagram under Kelly''s bed. It''s not satisfied, I know it is targeting me, then Mina, and Kelly is only thest resort, but the sacrificial ritual has started, and I cannot stop now.] ¡­ At this point, the diary ends. Du Wei''s expression turned very cold, Mike Stowe''s diary deepened his disgust for cultists. To borrow Officer Tom''s words, they are a bunch of lunatics with water in their brains, capable of anything. And the initial analysis wasn''t wrong; it''s just that Du Wei never expected the cultist to be the already deceased Mike Stowe. This man, who had once left the Veda Sect to survive,mitted unspeakable acts, sacrificed his adopted daughter, and even nned to sacrifice his wife. If he hadn''t boarded that bus, he might have seeded by now. However, Du Wei didn''t think that Mike Stowe could really have survived. Because clearly, Mike Stowe was influenced by it, and his mental state had problems. Whether it was the sacrifices or something else, they were merely steering him closer to the edge of losing control. It was like torture. Chapter 71 071, What are you afraid of? In the room, apart from the small area illuminated by the burning candlelight, the rest was engulfed in thick, oppressive shadows. Du Wei sat on a chair, closed Mike Stowe''s diary, and stared expressionlessly at the white mask. Aside from the eye holes, the mask was nk at the nose and mouth. The mask felt dangerous to Du Wei; it seemed to harbor something extremely evil. ording to Mike Stowe''s diary, after he wore one of the masks, an Evil Spirit began to haunt him. That Evil Spirit must be from this mansion, but its condition seemed strange. As for the remaining mask, Mike Stowe had not touched it again. That is to say, there should still be an Evil Spirit inside the mask. At this moment, Du Wei suddenly frowned, as if something had invaded his nostrils, causing him great difort. "It''s dust¡­ no, it''s the Bone Powder that can counter Evil Spirits." He looked down at the floor, noticing that the Bone Powder he had scattered around after sitting had been silently brushed away at one corner. Meanwhile, behind Du Wei, in the midst of the shadows, a pair of hands slowly reached out. The hands were fair and delicate; besides that, the owner of the hands was hidden in the shadows, with their body and outlinepletely obscured. Unfortunately for Du Wei, as he was sitting in the chair, from his tilted perspective, the hands reached out directly towards his neck. All was silent. There was not even a wisp of air movement; no one could have reacted in time. Du Wei was no exception. Upon noticing the unexpected gap in the Bone Powder that encircled him, he immediately grabbed the mask without hesitation. Then, he ced it directly onto his face.N?v(el)B\\jnn "In the face of death, you should remain calm." Du Wei told himself this and, the next second, he stood up, pulled back the chair, and looked behind him. In an instant. The fair and delicate hands appeared in front of Du Wei, just ten centimeters from his neck¡ªjust a little bit further and they would have touched his skin. But they stopped. At that moment, the mask obscured Du Wei''s face,pletely concealing any emotion, leaving only a sense of chilling, eerie, and oppressive atmosphere. It was as if, with the mask on, it wasn''t Du Wei, but another entity entirely. Looking at the hands, Du Wei''s voice was low and grave, "Evil Spirit? Let''s just call you that, even though I still don''t know what triggered you. But I''ve pretty much figured out the secrets of the mansion." "And now, I want to do an experiment on you." Having said that, Du Wei took a step forward, entering the third phase of Spirit Vision, and reached out with his Right Hand transformed by the Evil Spirit, attempting to grab hold. Unfortunately, in the next instant, the arms that protruded from the shadows, as if sensing something, swiftly retracted. He caught nothing¡­ "What are you afraid of?" The eyes of the mask, cold in their gaze, grew even icier. Unrelenting, Du Wei walked towards the shadows. He even pulled out a lighter from his pocket, one that could be used against Evil Spirits, and flicked it on. If needed, he was even ready to set the mansion aze. Impacting reality requires a foundation in reality, otherwise, it''s just wishful thinking. Regrettably, as Du Wei operated the lighter, the entire mansion underwent a conspicuous change. The anomalies detectable in the state of Spirit Vision receded rapidly, like a swiftly ebbing tide. The red me of the lighter was also extinguished quickly. "Was I kicked out of the game?" Du Wei''s voice was filled with surprise; he had not expected such an oue at all. "What a pity." With a sigh, Du Wei looked around the room with a tinge of regret as the candlelight on the table gradually illuminated the surroundings, revealing the room''s true appearance. The setup was of another bedroom, but the walls were adorned with many different masks, each one unique¡ªsome without facial features, others with only a singr feature, or not even resembling a human face at all, but more like that of a wild beast. It was at this moment that Du Wei''s phone rang. After giving it some thought, he took it out and nced at the screen; the caller was Father Tony. There were about a dozen missed calls from when the phone had lost its signal. After pressing the answer button, an anxious voice from Father Tony burst forth from the other end of the line. "Mr. Du Wei, finally the call got through. I''m almost at Mrs. Mina''s house. How are you doing now?" "The situation is very good..." ... After hanging up the phone. Du Wei stuffed the lighter into his pocket and stood silent in ce, as if frozen. Meanwhile, in his mind, there was a feeling of nausea that could not be described with words. It was like the first time he entered the Spirit Vision state, with piercing buzzing in his ears and a faint stabbing pain in his heart. Most distressingly, it felt as though something was forcefully trying to cram itself into his brain, causing excruciating pain as if it were about to split open. A raging irritability was building up inside him, wanting to burst forth, but after putting on the mask, a cold and gloomy chill crept over his skin, spreading from the mask. Madness and reason were forcefully twisted together. Crack... Du Wei forcibly controlled his Right Hand to grab the mask and harshly threw it to the ground; the hollow area where the eyes should be seemed to eerily gaze back at him. "Huff... Huff..." At that moment, Du Wei''s face was terrifyingly pale, drained of all color. "It looks a lot like possession by an Evil Spirit, but it seems not quite the same." "Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to get rid of it at all." Just now, Du Wei had vividly felt an unusual discord in his consciousness and he even couldn''t control his own emotions. Moreover, Du Wei felt that after wearing the mask, it was as if he was manipting a corpse, not his own body. Like a dead person. As if turned into an Evil Spirit but without the powers associated with one. The existence of the mask seemed more like a switch. With this thought, Du Wei shook his head and, withplex emotions, wrapped the mask in an Exorcism cloth and stuffed it into his backpack. The diary was treated the same way. Then, heboriously lifted his backpack and, with slow steps, left Mike Stowe''s bedroom. On the second floor of the vi, everything had returned to how it was when he''d arrived; the stairway that had been reced by the floor and walls now reappeared. "It''s as if I was pulled into a strange space," Du Wei said with a detached voice as he passed by Kelly''s bedroom and nced inside. The sky outside was overcast, but the previously oppressive darkness was gone. The candles were nearly burnt out, and the body was left intact... It seemed that the scene of lighting Kelly''s hair on fire had been nothing but an illusion. Though the Evil Spirit in the vi had retracted its hands backward while he was trying to connect with it, just this act had given Du Wei a lot of information. For example, what the shushing gesture signified... Chapter 72 072, Key Mrs. Mina had once said that when she dreamed of her own death, she had given herself a hint. A gesture of hushing. At the time, Du Wei thought it meant not to speak, because when you spoke, it would trigger the mechanism and then you would be killed by the Evil Spirit. However, Du Wei had spoken on the first floor before, and there had been no problems at all. That''s why he even made a call to Father Tony on the second floor. The deviation urred only after walking out of Kelly''s bedroom. He remembered that he had only nced at the body and saw the hexagram pattern under the bed, then as he walked out the door, the deviation manifested. But now, upon careful thought, it was possible he had been mistaken. The gesture of hushing signified not to speak, or else, one would perish at the hands of the Evil Spirit, but it was not the key to triggering the Evil Spirit; it was to remain silent after the deviation appeared. In other words, the hushing gesture was a protective act after triggering the mechanism. However, Du Wei hadn''t thought of that at the time. Of course, even if he had, it couldn''t have helped him to leave the mansion. Therefore, at that moment, Du Wei chose to skip the middle steps and went directly to the location in the death scene, confronting the Evil Spirit in the most brutal way possible. As for this mask, Du Wei thought that if he was not mistaken, it should be the key to leaving this mansion. This exnation might sound hard to understand, but in reality, if one considered the mansion after the deviation to be a closed-off space, it made sense. In normal conditions, the traces of the Evil Spirit in the mansion were faint, so faint that even the initial stages of Spirit Vision couldn''t detect anything amiss. But when a certain unknown mechanism was triggered, the mansion would transform into what Du Wei had encountered before ¡ª with no means of escape. The Evil Spirit that emerged from the mask turned the mansion after the deviation into a door. The remaining mask thus became a key. Now, besides Du Wei who possessed the mask, anyone pulled into the mansion after the deviation would have no way out, face only a dead end. Of course, there were many parts of this that were difficult to think through. For example, Du Wei still didn''t know why the Evil Spirit hadn''t attacked him from the beginning but waited until he reached that bedroom. It was as if it had some specific purpose in mind. As for what it was afraid of... Du Wei had known that ever since he put on the mask. The mask is the key, together it is the vessel for hiding the Golden Brooch, while separately it is some kind of byproduct of the Evil Spirit''s parasitism. ... 2:20 PM. Outside the mansion, the rain was getting heavier and the weather was turning gloomier. Du Wei sat in the driver''s seat of his Subaru Impreza, with the heater already on, slowly dissipating the coldness and dampness from his body. On the passenger seaty a backpack, which concealed the mask. At this moment, an old Mercedes sedan drove up,ing to a stop on the left of the Subaru. Du Wei then saw Father Tony''s anxious and tense face as he opened the Mercedes door. He gasped, "Mr. Du Wei, I am so sorry, I never expected Mina''s matter to turn out this way..." Du Wei frowned slightly and stepped out of the car too. In the rain, the two men locked eyes for a second. Father Tony was the first to speak, "That hexagram pattern is a Veda Sect sacrificial ritual. Once started, it cannot be stopped; otherwise, there will be a severe bacsh from the Veda they worship." Du Wei nodded and asked, "I more or less know these things, but I want to ask one more question, will a person possessed by the Evil Spirit continue the sacrificial ritual?" Father Tony looked astonished, "You mean Kelly? That''s very unlikely, unless the Evil Spirit possesses another person, otherwise it''s practically impossible." Du Wei hummed in acknowledgment and then asked, "Can it be understood that the Evil Spirit is making a sacrifice to the so-called Veda?" Father Tony shook his head and replied, "No, it only wanted toplete the ritual, the intended recipient of the sacrifice should have been itself." As he spoke, Father Tony looked at Du Wei with a puzzled expression, "Why would you ask such a strange question? Have you discovered something? Right... is Mrs. Mina..." Upon hearing this, Du Wei looked up and pointed to the second floor of the vi, towards Kelly''s bedroom, "She''s there." "What?" Father Tony was startled for a moment, then followed Du Wei''s pointing gaze upwards. Their position aligned perfectly with the window of Kelly''s bedroom, where one could see the top half of the body hanging upside down. But at that moment, beside the window, Father Tony saw the figure of Mrs. Mina. Her face was expressionless, her eyes pitch ck, the skin around her eye sockets looked as if burned red, her hair disheveled, and her pale, slender hands resting on the edge of the window. In an instant, Father Tony felt an overwhelming chill creep over his entire body, and in his damp clothes, he couldn''t help but shudder. The next second. As if sensing something, Mrs. Mina''s stiff body turned around, like some kind of machine, silently walking into the shadows, and then she was no longer visible. Thud... Father Tony copsed onto the ground; some of the muddy water he kicked up nearly reached Du Wei. "She... she..." "She''s already dead. I was watching her the whole time in the car. She was the final vessel and also the Evil Spirit that killed Kelly andpleted the sacrificial ritual." Seeing Father Tony sitting on the ground, Du Wei knew he was in emotional turmoil, so after some thought, he said: "I can introduce you to Officer Tom; he seems quite good at resolving men''s pain." Father Tony, with a sorrowful look, lifted his head, "Thank you, Mr. Du Wei, but I do not need it. I may be just a priest, but I have long been ustomed to these things..." He continued on his own, "She often came to church to pray, sometimes she would confide in me about her pain... like how her life was not happy... and how her child was adopted..." At this, Father Tony suddenly looked up with a hopeful tone, "Her body..." Du Wei shook his head, "It''s pointless, and this vi is incredibly dangerous. Once you go in, you can''te back out, and it''s even less likely that you will find her body." At this point, Du Wei silently added in his mind, "But I will go in again, for another mask." "... Alright, I trust your judgment." ... Meanwhile. In the residential buildings of the North Brook District. The lights in the corridor were dim, the garbage can in the corner was dirty and disorganized, and it looked as if someone had kicked it, filling the air with an unbearable stench. In front of the garbage can, an iron door was tightly shut. And behind the door was a horrifying scene that was startling to behold.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Five or six cultists of the Veda Sect stood emotionless in the room, surrounding the corpse of a man whose chest had been cut open, with something ced inside. Blood pooled on the floor, forming a sinister hexagram pattern, with a candle at each of the points. At that moment, Bishop Ruth came over, holding a photograph in her hand, of a family of four, two daughters. As she walked over to the corpse on the floor, she muttered softly, "Martin Nickter, diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder twenty years ago, killed his own wife and one daughter, then went on to murder over thirty innocent people. Whether it''s sin or bloodshed, you are a fitting substitute." "But why do the Vedas seem more satisfied with that psychologist?" "The deaths of Nere and the others must have been the work of the Evil Spirit, also because of this man. Could he be favored by the Evil Spirit?" "Even the legendary hunters of the church seem unlikely." Bishop Ruth threw the photo into the chest cavity of the corpse and said softly to the others, "The deaths of Nere and the others will be med on that man. As the original Sacrifice intended for the Vedas, he can''t escape." After speaking, they walked straight out and left at a slow pace. Compared to Roy, these people were even more reckless in killing, with a simple and direct motive, and they didn''t care about the aftermath with the bodies, as if it didn''t matter to them at all. After they left, the body that had been eviscerated began to tremble. Chapter 73 073, Counteraction (Please bookmark and recommend) ``` North Brook District, church. It was the same room they had first met in. Du Wei leaned back in his chair, his gaze as calm as a tranquil spring, while across from him sat Father Tony, looking haggard and decidedly downcast. "You need to rx." "Ah... I will, Mr. Du Wei. In fact, I''m already fine now, aren''t I?" Upon hearing this, Du Wei slightly shook his head, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one for himself, and said indifferently, "I don''t feel that way. Would you like one?" Father Tony awkwardly replied, "That doesn''t align with my beliefs, I don''t smoke." "Is that so?" Du Wei exhaled a puff of smoke and slowly said, "When feeling down, you should find something to buffer that, although I don''t rmend smoking to others, it might suit you better right now." Father Tony chuckled bitterly, "Is this some sort of psychological counseling?" Du Wei answered, "If you''re willing to pay for it, you can think of it that way." "Alright..." Father Tony took the cigarette from Du Wei''s hand, lit it, and after an initial cough, began to smoke with some semnce of proficiency. Once he got used to the sensation of the cigarette, he said in a low voice, "Thank you." Then, feeling even more embarrassed, he added, "I''ve always felt that our rtionship wasn''t that good." Du Wei looked at him and calmly asked, "Why do you feel that way?" Father Tony exined, "Well... because I''ve sold you items twice before, and neither was very useful, although the money... well, there''s not much to say about that." Du Wei gave him a curious look and said, "I was indeed angry, even though I knew you weren''t aware of how terrifying the Evil Spirit I encountered was." Then he added, "But I don''t like being swayed by my emotions. I think about the result, and right now, our cooperation is quite satisfactory." Father Tony sighed in relief but coughed again from the smoke, saying, "Indeed, you are the most rational Exorcist I''ve ever met. In fact, with your current abilities and experience, you would be considered elite in the church." "Hmm... the church values you highly, as you know." Du Wei felt indifferent towards the church, paused for a moment, and then said, "I know. When is the Exorcist arriving?" "Ah, I was just about to tell you, they will arrive first thing tomorrow morning." "They?" "Yes, quite a few people areing. Oh... that''s right, they will probably go to your house first to help deal with the two Evil Spirits there." ... 3:20 PM. Du Wei parked his car and, carrying his bag, headed toward the psychological counseling clinic. Along the way, he also ordered a storage cab to ce at the entrance. If anyone were to deliver a letter, it would prevent them from shoving it under the door, thereby avoiding a lot of trouble. When he got to the entrance, Du Wei nced at Roy''s house and, seeing that the five ck sedans he had seen before were gone, he no longer paid them any attention. Inserting the key, he pushed the door open and entered. Continuous rainy days had kept the sun hidden for a long time, and the lighting inside the house was as dim as before, making it look somewhat deste. It appeared quite ordinary. Except for the addition of a creepy Antique Clock, two Evil Spirits, an Annabelle possessed by an Evil Spirit, and five human heads in the attic¡ªeverything seemed as calm as before, eerily so. "Has the bnce tipped again because four people were killed?" Du Wei entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision expressionlessly. Unlike the Evil Spirit Transformation described in the records, his Right Hand had developed some abnormalities; in addition to touching Evil Spirits, it had be more corpse-like, devoid of sensation but still under his control. ``` The next second. Under Spirit Vision, everything in the house began to change in Du Wei''s eyes. Ominously dark, the corners seemed to conceal a malevolent gaze. Annabelle, confined within the disy cab and hanging on the wall, resumed the ugly doll appearance he initially encountered, but its eyes appeared fixated on Du Wei no matter how he looked. Apart from the Antique Clock, which continually behaved inconspicuously, essentially all the evil presences in the house were unabashedly exuding malice. Most importantly, Du Wei stood at the entrance, and even though there was no sunlight, the dim light cast on his body also projected a shadow. And that allowed the malevolent gaze in the shadows to silently appear within his shadow. Du Wei lowered his head, ncing at his own shadow. It looked as though someone was stuffed into it, bloated and awkward. He pondered for a moment, casually closed the door, then pulled out the white mask from his backpack and ced it directly on his face. In just an instant, Du Wei''s demeanor underwent aplete transformation, bing even more eerie and rigid, as if he had be someone else entirely. As he put on the mask, the hands of the antique clock on the wall paused for a moment, then continued to move. Du Wei did not notice this, since his gaze was by thenpletely overtaken by the shadow. In the room. Du Wei was practically face to face with the shadow. Wearing the mask, his expression was indiscernible, while the shadow had no features to speak of, merely a human silhouette except for its eyes, making its gender utterly indeterminable. Then, Du Wei stretched out his right hand towards the shadow, grabbing at it, and at the same time, his left hand pulled out the lighter that couldbat the Evil Spirit from his pocket. Both hands ready. A hunter''s Evil Spirit Transformation could confront Evil Spirits. So, could his unique form of Evil Spirit Transformation suppress the Evil Spirit? He was eager to find out. But to Du Wei''s surprise, as he reached out his hand, the shadow also extended towards him, looking like a true shadow. The shadow grasped Du Wei''s right hand directly. It seemed to be exerting force. Regrettably, Du Wei felt no sensation. Conversely, he found himself unable to control his Right Hand, as if he was locked in a sort of struggle with the shadow. "It seems I cannot suppress the Evil Spirit," Du Wei silently sighed in his heart and ced the lighter beneath the arm''s contour of the shadow. With a snap. A red me ignited. It was as if scorched, in an instant, the shadow vanished in front of Du Wei. The cold malice, like a nocturnal tide, seemed to sense something and gradually started to recede. Only then did Du Wei remove the mask, rubbing his throbbing head. Inside this mask resided an Evil Spirit. Every time he put it on, he would feel its influence.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It functioned like a key ¨C when reaching a certain threshold, the Evil Spirit inside would emerge. At that point, its first target would be Du Wei. In fact, simply wearing the mask created a connection with it; unless one side was killed, this kind of connection could not be broken. It was just like Mike Stowe. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 74 074, I diagnose myself First floor. Du Wei sat on the sofa, having exited his Spirit Vision state. He held a pencil in hand, looking up at the Antique Clock on the wall, as well as Annabelle enclosed within a mounted cab. On the coffee tabley the white mask made from an unknown material, with only small holes for eyes, along with a special medical record. He felt something off about himself, partly due to the mask and partly from the effects of the Spirit Vision. Long exposure to Evil Spirits was unavoidable in his line of work. So, he thought for a moment, lowered his head, and looked at that medical record¡ªit was his own. This medical record had been updated once, right before he boarded the bus, with additional remarks added. At that time, he had written that he was waiting for the Exorcist to arrive, with the task at hand being to investigate the information regarding the bus and find a way to contain it. But now, the situation had changed; before the Exorcist had arrived, he had already obtained the church''s Exorcist qualification certificate and had entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, disying symptoms of Evil Spirit Transformation and bing a hunter feared by the church. As for that bus, he had only managed to uncover superficial information; its purpose, the stops at each station, and how to restrict it¡ªDu Wei had no leads on these matters so far. Thus, Du Wei made a new medical record for himself. [Name: Du Wei] [upation: Psychologist, Exorcist] [Condition: Caught in a curse by a horrible being whose name cannot be written in text, established contact with an Evil Spirit within the mask, the longer the contact, the higher the chances of full possession, Evil Spirits brought by Aisha and those within the photographs, the yet-to-erupt Evil Spirits in the Horror House, and another mask''s Evil Spirit] [Hypothesis 1: The trigger for the curse is rted to a ring with the letters "val"... and another item, a Golden Brooch, which, unless one rides the bus, is hard toe into contact with again] [Hypothesis 2: The Antique Clock and the mask belong to the same category of items, seeming to contain rings with letters and the Golden Brooch; these items are somewhat like lighters that canbat Evil Spirits but seem more mysterious and powerful¡ªamong them, the Golden Brooch and the other mask can only be essed via the bus, necessitating another trip eventually] [Hypothesis 3: Concerning the death scenes seen in the Spirit Vision state, this is advantageous, but its urrence seems to be more of a mutation, likely rted to the Antique Clock] [Hypothesis 4: Inside the Antique Clock, a more mysterious Evil Spirit is hidden] [Regarding the clinic''s Evil Spirits: ording to their danger levels, in descending order, are the Antique Clock, mask, Annabelle and the shadow that seems to be on par, and the Evil Spirit brought by Aisha] After writing everything down, Du Wei thought for a moment and then ced his own name before the Evil Spirit brought by Aisha. In fact, with his current abilities, he was already capable of dealing with the Evil Spirit brought by Aisha, but it was meaningless. Because for now, this Evil Spirit posed the least danger, its existence merely meant to elerate the rate of Evil Spirit Transformation. Thinking of this, Du Wei''s mood became somewhat oppressed. There were too many troubles on him. It was no longer about whether he wanted to encounter Evil Spirits or those strange things; now, he had no choice but to do so. It was like walking on a tightrope... In the long term, after the Horror House''s eruption, not one of those Evil Spirits inside would be easy to provoke, and he had only managed to confront one of them back then. Eventually, the likelihood of these Evil Spirits targeting him was probably even higher. In the shorter term, there were the Cultists and the Evil Spirit in the vi¡ªthat one wasn''t incapable of leaving the vi, just temporarily staying there for now. And then, there was all this clutter at home. Of course, even more dangerous was the curse, for in every dream, the nun would get a little bit closer to her, seemingly wanting to possess her rather than simply want to kill her. Following this trend, if she were to dream again tonight, it would mean they were really going to bepletely merged. As Du Wei pondered, increasingly troubled, he suddenly received a call from Alex. After a moment of contemtion, it should be about the antique clock matter he had asked her to inquire about this morning. So, Du Wei pressed the answer button. He said, "Good evening, Alex." On the other end of the phone, Alex''s gentle voice resounded, "Good evening, darling, I''ve found out about the antique clock. Interested in hearing about it?" Automatically filtering out the ''darling'' from her speech, Du Wei replied, "Please go on." Alex''s voice carried a hint of mirth, "The person in charge at the Berson Auction House told me that when the antique clock was brought to the auction, there was also a cab and other items. Most of the auction items were sold and would be hard to trace, so I only investigated the source." Du Wei asked with a frown, "The source? Did all these itemse from the same ce?" Alex responded, "Yes, it was a church located in the suburbs of New York, but it''s been demolished now, reced by a mental hospital." Du Wei paused, "A mental hospital?" Alex continued, "Yes, and it seems to be on the brink of closure too. By the way, why do you always deal with these secretive things? Thest gift you gave me was holy water and a cross, which is quite... um, cool." Unsure how to exin, Du Wei said, "Thanks. Do you have more detailed information?" Alex replied, "Of course, I''ll send it to your email." Du Wei said, "Alright, I''ll hang up now and wait for your email." Alex''s voice carried a note of confusion, "Hanging up? So soon?" Du Wei spoke indifferently, "I''ve got some things to take care of, I''ll call you next time."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Really? Then I''ll be waiting." ¡­ Meanwhile. Within the boundaries of North Brook District, in a small alley. Random piles of garbage emitted a foul stench, and due to the terrain, rainwater had umted enough to cover the ankles. Many garbage bags floated on the surface, drifting further in. The pitter-patter of rain hitting the garbage bags was irritatingly noisy. But at the very end, a muffled groan suddenly sounded. It was as if suppressing pain, making the sound that escapes from the throat through the nasal cavity. Looking further in, a tall man in a raincoat, one hand covering the mouth of a very handsome, Asian-looking man dressed in ck, while the other hand held a sharp knife, slowly pulling it out from his abdomen. After a while, the man in the raincoat dropped the body and walked away with a mechanical, rigid gait, from the contour of the raincoat tightly clinging to the body, it seemed to be shriveled and hollow inside. At the scene, the bodyy in the water, and upon closer observation, it bore a faint resemnce to Du Wei''s appearance. Chapter 75 075, Dream or Reality? 11:33 PM. The first floor of the psychological counseling clinic. Du Wei sat on the sofa, looking up at the Antique Clock on the wall, and at Annabelle. Surrounding him were Bone Powder, Holy Water, a lighter that could fight Evil Spirits, Andrew Dowqui''s silver cross dagger, and that white mask. He had been maintaining this position for a while now. Early tomorrow morning, an Exorcist sent from the church would arrive. ording to Father Tony, they were bringing some special items collected by the church, which could limit the spread of the nun and even reseal her. Of course, their first stop would be the psychological counseling clinic, to deal with the trouble on Du Wei ¡ª the two Evil Spirits he had vaguely mentioned. But anyway, that''s tomorrow''s concern. In other words, for Du Wei, his colleagues couldn''t offer him any help at the moment. Well...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om This "moment" refers to right now. The biggest trouble for Du Wei was the nun''s unbreakable curse. Each time he fell into a dream, he''d contact the nun, initially unable to open his eyes, just as if he were experiencing sleep paralysis, even with a clear consciousness he couldn''t break free, he could only wait until thest moment, when he woke from the dream, to open his eyes and lock gazes with the nun for that brief moment. Of course, after entering the Third Phase of the Spirit Vision and his Right Hand sessfully underwent the Evil Spirit Transformation, Du Wei had a slim chance of resistance in the dream and could control his own Right Hand. But... Every time he entered the dream, Du Wei found the distance between himself and the nun was rapidly decreasing. Initially, the nun was floating above him, her body parallel, around two to three meters in height. But the second time, this distance shortened by a third. And yesterday, for some reason, it was almost direct contact; the nun touched his Right Hand. He could vividly feel the sharpness of her nails dragging across the back of his hand, causing a thrill of horror. "This is strange." Du Wei stopped looking at the Antique Clock and Annabelle on the wall, instead focusing on his own Right Hand. Pale, with well-defined joints. When not in the state of Evil Spirit Transformation, this Right Hand looked no different than normal, just a regr hand. After entering Evil Spirit Transformation, however, it became like a corpse''s hand, losing all sensation. Yet now, Du Wei couldn''t quite understand why yesterday, in the dream, his Right Hand, which was also in the state of Evil Spirit Transformation, had sensation... It was as if a mutation had urred. Dreams and reality seemed to be blurring together... And tonight, as soon as he fell into a dream, he would definitely be in close contact with the nun. In reality, Du Wei could protect himself from Evil Spirits by using analysis and some items from the Exorcist, even retaliating. But in the dream, he had no chance to fight back, not even able to shake off the dreamscape. Therefore, he nned to stay up all night. Of course, some people call this "cultivating immortality." Moreover, Du Wei had no intention of going back to his bedroom. He nned to stay on the first floor, where the Antique Clock and Annabelle were dangerous too, butpared to the nun, there was nothing safer. The Evil Spirits that Du Wei used to detest so much, at this moment, seemed incredibly reassuring. Even Annabelle, the ugly doll, gave Du Wei a strange sense of kinship. The nun ranked above Evil Spirits, a more dangerous being, with Evil Spirits and such being on the next level down. Further down was Du Wei. At that moment, he took out his phone to check the time, there were three minutes left until midnight, with six more hours until dawn. Therefore, Du Wei pulled out a lighter and lit a cigarette for himself. The smoke was thin... Suddenly, he stared at the smoke he exhaled and chuckled self-mockingly, "If I don''t die at the hands of an Evil Spirit in the future, lung cancer might very well be the death of me." In fact, he didn''t like smoking. At home, he smoked even less, but the pressure from the nun was just too great. It was like walking a tightrope a hundred meters high in the air, where the slightest misstep could lead to a deadly fall and shattered bones. "Huff..." After finishing the cigarette, Du Wei checked the time again and found it was twelve o''clock. Then, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and lit another cigarette. Six hours was not a short time. But when he finished this cigarette too, Du Wei''s brows furrowed. "Something seems off, what am I forgetting?" He abruptly stood up, surveying the first floor of the psychology clinic. There was no sign of anything abnormal. The Antique Clock was properly hung on the wall, and Annabelleid silently in her disy case. There were no shadows, no knocking sounds, the lights didn''t start flickering, the TV didn''t start changing channels by itself, and the water tap in the upstairs bathroom wasn''t turned on, no sound of running water was heard. "This is very wrong." Du Wei nced at the time again; it was 12:03 AM. ording to past patterns, the two Evil Spirits in his house would be active after midnight. Although their activity had decreased a lot since the addition of the Antique Clock and Annabelle, he could still feel that unusual, oppressive atmosphere. But today, it was as if they had made a pact; there was not a single peep from them. Even the mask that had just been brought into the psychology clinic was eerily quiet. Oddly ordinary... Du Wei''s gaze turned cold instantly as he entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. The next second, his expression froze, and his breathing came to a halt. The nun from his dreams was sitting right across from him. At this moment, Du Wei was standing in front of the sofa, while the nun sat in the patient''s seat, looking as though the doctor was trying to exin something to the patient. "Is this a dream, or reality?" Du Wei asked himself, forcing himself to calm down and stay rational. Then, he faced the nun and locked eyes with her. In the past, the nun had only existed in his dreams, and Du Wei was never able to see her clearly. But now, at such a close distance, he could see her in full detail. In Du Wei''s eyes, the nun was dressed in clerical attire, her head covered by a veil, with an Inverse Cross hanging on her chest. Exposed were only her hands, gray and wrinkled with sharp nails, and her face, which, at a single nce, sent shivers of terror from the depths of one''s soul. Her face was eerily abnormal, the skin gray and decayed, like that of someone long deceased, with disproportionate facial features, a tightly closed mouth that was a dark purple, and a nose as sharp as a hawk''s beak yet strikingly prominent. The most unsettling feature was her eyes: the sockets were deep-set, almost without visible lids, as if burned by fire, frighteningly ck, and her eyes differed from those of normal people. The whites of her eyes were a dark yellow, and the pupils were like tiny ck dots, cold and merciless, filled with deep malevolence. Du Wei took a deep breath, sweat beads forming on his forehead, then he thought for a moment, lit another cigarette for himself, and sat down. Chapter 76 076, Raise the Stakes (Please bookmark and recommend) At this moment, Du Wei and the nun faced each other, and if one didn''t look at the nun''s face, one might assume they were a doctor and patient.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Du Wei was slowly smoking a cigarette, his expression detached, his gaze firmly fixed on the nun. The suffocating oppression made him extremely ufortable, with an urge to run away. But as he stared at the nun, he sharply felt that the nun was staring back at him. Therefore, Du Wei sat down, facing the nun and sizing her up. He was pondering... Why had the nun, who previously only existed in dreams, suddenly appeared on the first floor of his house? Was he still dreaming, or had the Exorcist''s methods to restrain herpletely failed? Moreover, since the nun''s appearance, there had been no movement at all. This, contrary to expectations, intensified the oppressive feeling of being on the brink of death. Du Wei did not believe that this being, more terrifying than an Evil Spirit, had entangled with him for so long just to pay him a visit at his home. "What exactly does it want to do?" He asked himself this question in his mind but couldn''t analyze any useful information. If it wanted to kill him, with the nun''s abilities, it should be terrifyingly simple. The Evil Spirit Transformation of his Right Hand was just an ornament in front of her. Without finding a medium, without anything to fight against her, resistance was a joke. However... "Why hasn''t it made a move yet? Is it because it doesn''t want to, or because it can''t?" A thought shed through Du Wei''s mind, and he felt it was thetter. Then, he turned to look at the Antique Clock on the wall. ...The hands of the Antique Clock, for some unknown reason, were quivering madly. The hour hand, minute hand, and second hand were side by side, trying to move forward but unable to advance past twelve, trembling at that mark. In the showcase, Annabelle also appeared vaguely ferocious, its body gradually distorting as if being squeezed by an invisible hand. In the corner, a certain shadow seemed to want to spread, but couldn''t move forward by even a step, All the evil spirits in the house hade to a standstill at the moment the nun appeared. As for the Evil Spirit that came with Aisha, there was not the slightest movement¡ªit was too weak. The bnce of power at this moment waspletely unequal. The Antique Clock, Annabelle, and the remaining two evil spirits probably wouldn''t hold out for long. Sooner orter, the bnce wouldpletely tip in one direction. And when that moment came, Du Wei felt that he would probably die. Even if he hadn''t seen the vision of death... Du Wei remained silent. He neither attempted to leave the house nor gave up resisting. The curse of the nun originated from the Antique Clock, more precisely, the ring with the engraved letters "val..." The night he touched the ring, Du Wei had a nightmare about the nun. The Antique Clock was more like imprisoning the ring, but then it was identally touched by a worker, which disrupted its structure and triggered the underlying issue. "If there''s a problem with time, then it''s very likely that I''ll have to endure not just six hours, but a much longer period..." Du Wei said this as he took out his cellphone and nced at it. The time was stuck at 12:03. When he had gotten off the bus earlier, there had been a mysterious time distortion, so Du Wei had adjusted the time once. And now, it seemed a simr situation had emerged. All the evil spirits in the house were weights maintaining bnce, counterbncing and confronting each other. But if time was infinitely elongated at this moment, the process of this bnce and confrontation would be meaningless. Because no matter how they confronted each other, with the passage of time, the nun would suppress everything. ... "However, that it would fall into equilibrium, this surpassed my imagination, it''s a loophole..." "So it''s not a real nun..." "But the nun that exists in my dreams..." "You could understand it as, a piece of memory..." "It''s actually been following me all along..." "I can''t get away from it..." "But tonight, I must be safe." ... In the first floor room. Du Wei looked expressionlessly at that eerie antique clock. The strength of the nun was beyond his expectation, even though it existed in dreams, it could step out of dreams and intervene in reality. The evil spirit in his house was not as powerful as the nun that existed in dreams, this was a solid fact! But if quality wascking, quantity could make up for it. "I can raise the stakes..." Du Wei said this, reached out to pick up the white mask, and wore it on his face. The next second. Evil Spirit Possession! A bone-chilling coldness immediately crawled all over his body, as if some chaotic emotions or perhaps voices were whispering something at the bottom of his heart. "He" unwittingly sat down on the sofa, his body seemingly upied by another consciousness filled with malice, staring at the nun sitting opposite with thick ill intents. The nun was tall, towering a full head above Du Wei. And "Du Wei" even propped his chin with the Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand, the other hand resting on his knee, leaning back on the sofa,pletely changing the whole aura around him. He looked, elegantly like a gentleman... During this process, Du Wei could not control his own body, and he was observing his surroundings from the perspective of a bystander. When he put on the mask, Du Wei had not left the Spirit Vision state, and the Evil Spirit Transformation of his Right Hand was ongoing. Ironically. The Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand, which could touch evil spirits and served as Du Wei''s trump card, had no effect on him after the possession, as if it didn''t belong to him. But now, he was toote to think about these things. Because Du Wei could clearly feel that his decision to raise the stakes had seeded. The other side of the bnce was slowly descending. The bncing act began... At the same moment, the shadow in the corner seemed to have broken free from some kind of restraint, slowly spreading, directly enveloping Du Wei sitting on the sofa, yet it stopped moving closer to the nun. Du Wei only felt a dense malice wrapping around him, unable to shake it off no matter what. He knew, this was the shadow that had always wanted to kill him... Above his head... The lights began to flicker crazily, as if unable to withstand this strange bnce, the bulbs burst one by one with a pop... ss shards flew in all directions... The entire first floor was plunged into darkness in an instant. The only thing audible was the ticking of the clock hands trembling, the antique clock was resuming its movement... And this change, also led to the breaking of the equilibrium... Suddenly, there came a snapping sound, as if something had been opened. "It''s the door of the curio cab..." Chapter 77 077, The Chaotic Clinic Annabelle''s danger level is not simply manifested in killing. It''s more like a ma that attracts evil spirits. Therefore, when the disy cab was opened, the room instantly filled with some peculiar entities... One after another, ghosts began to appear in the room, each with a ferocious visage, maintaining the posture they had at the time of their death. They were the tourists and staff who died in the Horror House. After their appearance, the oppressive atmosphere in the room grew even denser. At the same time, Du Wei was able to "see" through his own eyes¡ªthe nun had suddenly vanished from the room. But those cold, lifeless eyes never disappeared. "Where?" At this point, Du Wei had already lost control over his body. Although he had not lost his senses¡ªsight, hearing, or touch¡ªif the Evil Spirit now possessing his body made no move, his senses were always restricted; he couldn''t see much. It was as if¡ªpersonality had split. The alter ego had sessfully taken over, while the primary ego had receded into the background. At this moment, he was both Du Wei and the Evil Spirit. ... In the room. The "Du Wei" possessed by the Evil Spirit sat elegantly on the sofa like a gentleman, his Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand supporting his chin, while the other hand rested on his knee, appearing more and more sinister. And behind him, a pair of hands with wrinkled skin and nails sharp like a beast''s, slowly stretched towards his neck. Silent and stealthy. If one ignored that the hands belonged to the nun, it looked like the gentle caress between lovers, or like a farmer plucking fruit. It was at the same time. The hands of the Antique Clock hanging on the wall suddenly jerked, as if stuck, then leapt forward by one tick. Immediately after, Du Wei heard a crisp sound, as if something had cracked... "A mask?" A thought shed unbidden through his consciousness. And the next scene was even more bizarre. The "Du Wei" wearing the mask, as if sensing something, suddenly stood up and turned to look behind him. Under shared vision. In the darkness, Du Wei once again met the nun''s gaze. His eyes were fixed in ce, unable to move away, so Du Wei could only see the nun''s eerie dark yellow eyes that seemed to stare directly at the soul, creating a suffocating sensation. And the nun''s hands reaching toward his neck stopped abruptly, less than ten centimeters away. The hands of the Antique Clock on the wall also stopped suddenly. And in the state of Spirit Vision, the ghosts that had appeared in his home because of Annabelle, all simultaneously turned their heads, their numb gaze focusing on the nun. Crack... Again, the sound of a mask cracking. Du Wei knew that this "self" was confronting the nun. At the same time, he thought, "This might be my chance to rid myself of the mask." Of course, it wasn''t just that, but also the other evil spirits in the home. The Evil Spirit had only one target, which was to kill Du Wei. This was almost consistent in the Inverse Cross; every time it killed someone, it would attempt to act. But every time, Du Wei ensured that this bnce was under his control. Um¡­ Put simply, he would prepare for everything, yet try to contact the Evil Spirit; if he couldn''t bring it back to the psychological counseling clinic, he would then find a way to disengage and leave. If he could take it away, then this psychological counseling clinic would be its refuge. Of course, for these Evil Spirits, their purpose was very single-minded and straightforward. The goal was always to kill Du Wei. However, Du Wei''s home was too unique. Once inside, they would be guests maintaining the bnce. When the Nun jumped from the dream to reality, appearing only in Du Wei''s memory, the bnce at home instantly began to show problems. And when Du Wei put on the mask, the bnce returned to a tipping point. Of course, this did not mean safety but rather increased the danger. Because the Nun was not an Evil Spirit but an existence higher than Evil Spirits, and even the one appearing in the home was not the actual The Nun. It was more like some bizarre phenomenon of Evil Spirits. Father Tony once told Du Wei that this was a curse stemming from The Nun''s curse. Any information, item, text, or even image associated with it could potentially be infected with this curse. And when the curse truly erupted, Du Wei would face the real Nun, The Nun.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om But he might notst until that time. Given the current situation, it was only a matter of time before the Nun was driven away, while Du Wei was now in a state of possession by Evil Spirits, and the bnce would still encounter the same issue when the time came. He would still die. Unless¡­ the number of Evil Spirits in the house suddenly decreased. At this thought, Du Wei couldn''t help but specte whether aplete shattering of the mask would mean the death of the possessing Evil Spirit? But he thought about it and felt it was unlikely. Because the Evil Spirit from another mask was now in Mrs. Mina''s home, and that mask, serving as its medium, had apanied Mike Stowe onto that bus and was now who knows where. The Evil Spirit in Mrs. Mina''s home could exist independently even after leaving the mask, so there was no reason the Evil Spirit in his mask would die. At this time. The "Du Wei" possessed by the Evil Spirit underwent a new change. He extended his Evil Spirit-transformed right hand slowly, raised it, and reached for the Inverse Cross worn on the Nun''s chest. Du Wei was somewhat puzzled; an Evil Spirit-transformed right hand could touch Evil Spirits and was a privilege of hunters, but what was the meaning behind this action? However, the next second. He saw that when the Evil Spirit-transformed right hand grabbed the Inverse Cross on the Nun''s chest, it suddenly jerked downward, ripping it off. And the Nun, as if touched at a vital point, vanished instantly from before his eyes. It appearedpletely illogical... "Could it be," Du Wei wondered, "that the Inverse Cross can be considered a medium? But do bizarre things that jump from dreams into reality also have mediums?" With some rity in his heart, Du Wei thought this might be a way to confront Evil Spirits, to find out the mediums through which Evil Spirits existed, and then to suppress or even eliminate them. Although in reality very difficult, because finding the mediums of Evil Spirits was not a simple task, it required analysis, even facing the Evil Spirits directly. In other words, it was no different from the process of Du Wei''s previous contact with Evil Spirits, except that he had discovered another use for the Evil Spirit-transformed right hand. Exorcists who could detect the mediums of Evil Spirits and eliminate them were the elite among elites. That''s why the church''s Exorcists only had various items and Exorcism Rituals with low sess rates at their disposal. "If I survive," Du Wei contemted, "maybe next time I encounter an Evil Spirit, I can try to use this method to deal with it." Chapter 78 078, Face swap... After the nun left, the oppressive feeling in the room reached a critical point. Just as Du Wei had thought, the "tenants" in the house erupted. At that moment, the Evil Spirit that was possessing the body stood still, maintaining the pose from the moment it had torn down the Inverse Cross. The Ghosts that had appeared due to Annabelle now turned their heads again, expressionlessly staring at "Du Wei." In an instant. The television in the room suddenly lit up, and began to flip through channels rapidly. The bnce was once again disrupted, and the Evil Spirits in the house fell into chaos. Following that, even Du Wei who was observing from a third-person perspective felt that suffocating malice. This time, it was directed at him, not the possessing Evil Spirit. This was very dangerous. Du Wei immediately started trying to regain control of his body. The feeling of being possessed by the Evil Spirit was like having a strange personality imnted into him, dominating and controlling his entire being. He attempted to envision theke of his mind, creating a construct that epassed all of "Du Wei''s" memories, personality, behavioral logic from childhood to adulthood, distinguishing it from the Evil Spirit upying his body, and began to fight for control of his body. But it was of no use. Theke of the mind was merely a concept in psychology, which could only help Du Wei retain his sanity and self-awareness, but it had no effect on regaining control of his body. He felt it might involve the soul level, the Evil Spirit''s ability to suppress souls. However, powerless as he was, the concept of the soul had always been unknown to him, and difficult toprehend. And at that moment, something unexpected happened to Du Wei. The "Du Wei" wearing the white mask suddenly lowered his head and nced at his feet. There were now three cracks spreading downwards from the right eye socket on the mask, making the pair of cold, numb eyes appear even more horrifying. Below him was a vast expanse of shadows, with the tide-like malice hidden within, and gradually the persistent, determined shadow that wanted to kill Du Wei emerged. Sharing the vision, Du Wei looked down from above, seeing the bloodshot eyes of the shadow suddenly wide open, staring intently at him. Then, the self that was possessed by the Evil Spirit lifted his foot, as if with the nonchnce of a gentleman, and lightly stepped on those eyes. That was very ungentlemanly¡­ If the shadow were a person rather than an Evil Spirit, it probably would have been incredibly distraught at this moment, perhaps cursing with all imaginablenguage. But regrettably, it was an Evil Spirit, and there was no such thing as cursing. Moreover, the "Du Wei" possessed by the Evil Spirit didn''t seem to have any intention of paying further attention to it, as after stepping down, he moved towards the position of the disy cab. The doors of the perfectly sealed disy cab had beenpletely opened, and Annabelle''s doll body was already halfway out, teetering on the edge of falling to the floor. The next second. As if having received a signal, the Ghosts that had appeared because of Annabelle rapidly closed in on the current "Du Wei." It looked as though they were trying to stop "Du Wei." And Du Wei, observing from a third-person perspective, concluded from this that Annabelle could control the Ghosts.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ghosts were lower than Evil Spirits, and he had always felt that Annabelle only possessed the ability to gather evil souls, but now it seemed, in addition to that, it could control these gathered Ghosts. It was at this moment that Annabelle shook slightly, and more than half of its body protruded from the disy cab, quickly falling downwards. The ghosts, too, appeared at "Du Wei''s" side, and even Du Wei saw some familiar faces, like Bob... Lisa... Yet "Du Wei" paid no heed, as if deaf, he simply extended that Evil Spirit Transformed right hand, catching Annabelle who almost fell to the ground, his demeanor elegant, as if he had done a trivial small deed. However, only Du Wei knew the extent of Annabelle''s violent resistance while being held in hand. Even though he was not facing Annabelle directly, the terrifying chill seemed to spread into the depths of his soul, making him feel the urge to tremble. The possessing Evil Spirit was struggling against Annabelle. Crack... The faint sound of a mask cracking arose, this time, the crack spread from the left side of the face towards the right, but only a corner was split, far frompletely shattering the mask. Then Du Wei saw his right hand gripping Annabelle''s head tightly, and despite its frantic trembling and resistance, it was to no avail, as he stuffed it back into the enchantment cab and then closed the door again. This was not normal. Even a sessful possession by an Evil Spirit should not ignore things like Holy Water, let alone use them. But the Evil Spirit possessing Du Wei seemed to disregard this rule and was able to use the enchantment cab without any effect, stuffing Annabelle back into it. Immediately after, "Du Wei" made a new move; after closing the enchantment cab, he directly ascended to the second floor. Thud thud thud... The sound on the staircase was very heavy, not like the noise that Du Wei''s weight could cause. It was as if something extra had been added. ... The footsteps continued. In the bathroom on the second floor. "Du Wei" went straight in, then turned on the faucet. The gushing water quickly filled the basin, revealing a wrinkled woman''s face. It reached out, pulled the face out in a forceful manner, and when lifting its head, the mirror in front reflected a bizarre scene. Under visual sharing, Du Wei was horrified to find that the Du Wei in the mirror wasn''t wearing a mask, reflecting his own overly familiar face, but now it looked too pallid and haggard, like a patient suffering from long-term illness. This scene was grotesquely strange. Clearly wearing a mask, yet it simply couldn''t be seen in the mirror. It was as if the real Du Wei existed inside the mirror... Throughout this process, Du Wei observed coldly, his consciousness remaining calm and rational without a single fluctuation. Meanwhile, on the first floor in the living room, the Antique Clock hanging on the wall seemed to have sensed something, as its hands began to spin at an exaggerated speed, wildly rotating... ... Inside the bathroom. The Evil Spirit possessing Du Wei also made a new move, holding the wrinkled woman''s face parallel,paring it with Du Wei in the mirror. Seemingly dissatisfied, it even disdainfully shook it a few times... Then, holding the wrinkled woman''s face, it slowly approached the mirror, pressing it against the reflection of itself. It was as if it was about to swap faces with Du Wei... Chapter 79 079, Exorcist Arrives Just as the wrinkled woman''s face was about to cover Du Wei''s face in the mirror. Suddenly, the right hand transformed by the Evil Spirit paused abruptly. Du Wei was attempting to exit the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. It was the only thing he could do. Although he couldn''t understand why the sessful possessed Evil Spirit wanted to superimpose the woman''s face onto his own face in the mirror, if it really seeded, something terrifying would definitely happen. It was possible that his face... would actually change. At this moment, the Evil Spirit possessing Du Wei seemed to sense something, attempting to stretch out its hand again, but it was unable to continue, as if it were stuck. After a while, it threw the woman''s face into the washbasin and turned away. ... On the first floor, the ghosts had mysteriously disappeared. The hands of the Antique Clock were spinning at an exaggerated speed. Once the Evil Spirit possessing Du Wei had thrown the woman''s face into the basin and given up on changing the face in the mirror, the speed of the clock''s hands slowed down significantly, but it was still faster than initially. ording to Du Wei''s previous spection, his ability to see his future death in the state of Spirit Vision might have been influenced by the Antique Clock. Later, when he obtained the mask, he realized that there might be another Evil Spirit inside the Antique Clock. But until now, that Evil Spirit had not shown itself, like a Hunter hidden behind the scenes, silently waiting for the right moment to strike. At this time, the Evil Spirit controlling Du Wei''s body descended the stairs, lifted its head to quietly gaze at the Antique Clock, and took steps towards it... As if feeling threatened, the hands of the Antique Clock split apart, with the hour, minute, and second hands spinning at different speeds. Annabelle, who had been stuffed back into the disy case, started to tremble violently, as if sensing an opportunity to break free once more. But immediately after, as the hands spun faster and faster, Du Wei ended the Spirit Vision state... Everything came to an abrupt halt. The disy case jarred violently, and the mask fell off instantly. "I seeded... but it seems like it helped me again..." Du Wei''s voice was very weak, and after regaining control of his body, he sat down on the ground. He looked at the mask on the floor and the Antique Clock hanging on the wall, his eyes revealing an unmistakable fatigue. If possible, he never wanted to deal with these chaotically weird gadgets ever again in his life; they were enough to drive a person mad. The nun jumped from dreams into reality, directly breaking the delicate bnce Du Wei had painstakingly maintained. He could only choose to put on the mask, adding a new weight to the scales. Indeed, the nun was crushed, but neither Annabelle nor the shadow, nor the woman''s face could suppress the mask.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Had it not been for the confrontation with the nun causing the mask to crack open a lot, as if it had exhausted much of its power. Had it not been for the Ancient Clock exerting its power at critical moments, he would probably already have been given an Evil Spirit''s face by now, which essentially meant death. Thinking of this, Du Weiboriously took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it for himself. He felt he needed to sort out his thoughts. The Antique Clock and the mask were both exceedingly bizarre, and inparison to other Evil Spirits, they seemed to have other motives, rather than just wanting to kill him. These two items, one contained a ring, the other a Golden Brooch. The Antique Clock always kept a low profile, showing no abnormal changes on the surface and subtly taking up the central position in the bnce. The mask, on the other hand, appeared very terrifying from the start; as soon as he wore it, the Evil Spirit inside wanted to take over Du Wei''s body. ``` Fortunately, it was only half, while the Antique Clock was aplete whole. But now, Du Wei felt that he might no longer be able to maintain the bnce in his home. This time, the turmoil caused by the Evil Spirit had turned the situation at home into aplete mess. Even the strengths of the mask, Annabelle, and the shadowy figure had be blurred, apart from the Antique Clock. In such a case, maintaining any sort of bnce had basically be impossible. Unless, his home acquired something absolutely safe and even more ruthless than all the Evil Spirits¡­ He lowered his head and nced at his Right Hand, re-entering the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. By now, his entire right arm had undergone Evil Spirit Transformation, giving off a chilling sensation, and ever since thest encounter with Annabelle in the Horror House, this hand had developed new changes. Apart from still being controble, Du Wei could no longer feel its existence¡­ Only in his dreams, when facing the nun directly, could he regain the lost sense of touch and perception. And now, it seemed to have undergone another abnormal change. "Perhaps, I should find a way to kill a few Evil Spirits¡­" "But before that, I must first resolve the curse of the nun¡­" ... May 23, 7:07. The rain in the North Brook District had lessened quite a bit, but the sky remained overcast, covered by a continuousyer of dark clouds as if brewing something. "A storm ising." Du Wei stood at the entrance of the psychology clinic, quietly looking at the sky, his voice somewhat weak. After a while, he opened the umbre, slung his bag over his shoulder, and step by step walked into the rain. He drove to the church in his Subaru sedan, parked at the curb. After starting the car, he headed for the church. ording to the appointed time, the Exorcists from the church should have arrived already, and soon they woulde to his house in an attempt to solve the long-standing Evil Spirit disturbance guing Du Wei. Twenty minutester. Du Wei parked the car in front of the church and noticed that before him, two ck Audi sedans had already arrived. His gaze lingered for a moment, and he spoke in his usual tone, "It seems there are quite a few people here, I hope they can give me a surprise." After speaking, Du Wei took a deep breath and entered the church. Because Father Tony had sent out a notice in advance, there were no peopleing to pray in the church today. As soon as Du Wei entered, he saw Father Tony about to take out his cellphone, with three Exorcists in ck Priest''s attire standing solemnly beside him. Two men and one woman, all Caucasian. The woman appeared to be just over 20 years old. One of the men seemed to be 30, and the other at least 40. Seeing Du Wei arrive, Father Tony greeted, "I was about to call you, but you''re already here. By the way, these three are Elite Exorcists sent by the church to deal with the curse, but before that, they''ll take care of the trouble afflicting you." Then, turning his head, he introduced Du Wei to the others, "This is Mr. Du Wei, whom I mentioned to you, also an Elite Exorcist responsible for the North Brook District. Mr. Du Wei, oh, right, he is also a doctor." Among them, the oldest Caucasian man nodded at Du Wei, "Hello, Mr. Du Wei, I''ve got a good grasp of your situation. First off, wee to joining the church as a member of the Exorcists, and secondly, we are on a tight schedule, can we go to your ce now?" Du Wei calmly said, "Of course, we can." ``` The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 84 084, Evil Spirit Du Wei The downpour continued. Outside the psychological counseling clinic. James''s face had turned very ugly. With his back to Harry, he said, "I saw an eye, but it''s gone now, and it seems to have a very powerful ability to spread. You should first check for any abnormalities on me; otherwise, that Evil Spirit might target you as well." Hearing this, Harry immediately became solemn, staring intently at James. His Spirit Vision was only at the first stage, so he couldn''t directly see any abnormalities on James. He could only faintly sense a weak malice entwined around James. "You are indeed being targeted by the Evil Spirit, but the camera''s power hase into y, weakening the influence of the Evil Spirit. It won''t be able to harm you for a short time." "Good, I know what to do now." Explore more adventures at empire James breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took out a ss bottle from his pocket, filled with Holy Water. He unscrewed the lid and washed his eyes with the Holy Water, immediately feeling an intense pain. Hiss... James, with his eyes closed, couldn''t help but gasp in pain. However, the pain came quickly and disappeared just as fast, his eyes gradually feeling cool andfortable. Then, heined in a low voice, "The camera can''t be used again for a short time, as it needs to counteract the Evil Spirit''s power." Just then, he suddenly heard a series of rapid footsteps approaching from inside the house. Creak. Homier, with a grave expression, pulled open the door. Seeing James with his eyes closed and a painful expression, he asked anxiously, "What''s wrong? Uncle James, did you encounter the Evil Spirit?" James nodded heavily, opening his sore eyes and saying, "Yes, Mr. Du Wei didn''t tell us how dangerous this Evil Spirit really is. If it were any other exorcist, they would certainly have died at its hands." "Du Wei?" Homier''s face turned very strange upon hearing this. "Uncle James, I have to tell you something. The man we met might be the Evil Spirit because, in the bathroom, I saw another him existing in the mirror." At that moment, Harry also stepped forward and said with a deep voice, "No wonder I felt that this man was extremely terrifying. It seems we have no small trouble to deal with before fighting that thing." The thing he was referring to was the true The Nun. Homier continued, "I had my doubts, but now it seems that Du Wei in the mirror is indeed real. We have been with the Evil Spirit all this time, which is terrifying..." "Also, that Du Wei is indeed powerful. He told me the solution to this problem. We just need to bring his body to the bathroom, put on a mask, and he can reim his body." Homier did not reveal that the man himself had the power to reim his body, as she found it too incredible toprehend. For the first time, she felt a sense of fear towards psychologists. James pondered for a moment, then said through gritted teeth, "The church has records of possessions like this. We need to prepare for both the Exorcism Ritual and Du Wei''s own method. But before that, we need to find that Evil Spirit." Homier was taken aback. "What do you mean?" James shook his head. "He has disappeared." With that, he stepped past Homier and into the house, attempting to find "Du Wei''s" figure. Homier and Harry followed closely behind him. But just then, the door suddenly closed. In an instant, the light in the entire house began to dim visibly, andrge shadows started to spread in their ce. The entire room was divided by shadows, half so dark it seemed capable of devouring everything, while the other half was the doorway where the three stood, still within the area that light could reach. On the wall, Annabelle, re-stuffed into the disy cab, trembled, and the antique clock, as if sensing something, suddenly sped up its hands, the three pointers attempting to slowly ovep. Suddenly, Annabelle came to a halt and returned to calmness. At this moment, James noticed that on the couch swallowed by shadows, he could vaguely make out the silhouette of a man.@@novelbin@@ It appeared to be sitting, one hand supporting the chin, the other resting on the thigh, giving off a strangely eerie air¡­ As if he were a gentleman from high society. Was it Du Wei? No¡­ it was an Evil Spirit¡­ The moment they saw Du Wei turned into an Evil Spirit, all three were involuntarily thrust into Spirit Vision, terror beyond words seeping into their hearts. Homier instinctively took a step back, her once lovely face now faintly pallid, she turned her head to nce behind her, the panic in her eyes no longer conceble. The door they came through was tightly closed, vast shadows covering it, barely discernible at a glimpse, the exit''s location could only be judged from memory. And before the door, within that indistinct shadow, stood a vague silhouette; it had only an outline, impossible to even determine gender, but a pair of cold, malicious eyes were visible. "There''s also an Evil Spirit behind us¡­" Homier cried out in rm, but James and Harry didn''t turn around; even in the first phase of Spirit Vision, they could already feel the chilling malice behind them. "Fuck! How did that man manage to fight against an Evil Spirit for a whole week without dying?" James cursed through clenched teeth, pulling a rusty Broken de from his pocket. The Broken de was shaped like a dagger, but its tip was already snapped off, and the barely discernible engraved characters on it carried an evident sense of bygone eras. It was another item capable of battling an Evil Spirit¡ªeach Elite Exorcist from the church would possess a few such artifacts. And the moment he drew the Broken de, the gloom and heaviness in the room dissipated considerably, forming a somewhat pronounced area around the three. In the Exorcist''smon knowledge, certain ancient holy relics have the power tobat Evil Spirits, and the older they are, the more powerful. Of course, another kind of item capable of fighting Evil Spirits are those that act as mediums for them; after destroying an Evil Spirit, the medium bes an excellent weapon. The lighter Du Wei once acquired, the small mirror full of cracks that had been used, were of this sort. But even with the situation slightly improved, the darkness in James''s heart hadn''t lightened much. Because at that moment, he saw the Evil Spirit Du Wei, who had been sitting on the couch like a gentleman, suddenly stand up and walk towards the three of them. Thud, thud, thud¡­ As heavy footsteps echoed, the three could finally see what the Evil Spirit Du Wei looked like. Pale as a corpse, hair disheveled, body slightly emaciated, but those eyes carried a bizarre quality as if they could pierce one''s soul. "What are you afraid of?" The Evil Spirit''s tone carried an inexplicable implication; it seemed not to havepletely shed the persona and behavioral logic it was forced into, and besides the temperament, there wasn''t a big difference from the original Du Wei¡­ Chapter 87 087, Exorcism In the restroom, the ropes binding Du Wei''s hands and feet had been untied. James looked at the masked man, able to see only a pair of eyes that were so calm and rational they were chilling, and he couldn''t help feeling a shiver in his heart. "Mr. Du Wei, are you sure you can deal with this Evil Spirit?" He pointed to the mirror, at the hideous-looking Evil Spirit that looked exactly like Du Wei. This thing was just too eerie; it almost killed all three of them, and Du Wei was someone who had just be an Exorcist two days ago¡ªit was hard to believe what he had said before was true. Harry and Homier''s expressions were simr; both somewhat perplexed. This Evil Spirit was extremely terrifying, and many things that could be used against Evil Spirits were basically useless against it. Even for an Elite Exorcist, without using those items from the Sealing Nun, they would be utterly helpless against it. It was beyondmon understanding. Totally iprehensible. And more importantly, there was still an unknown dark shadow blocking the door in this psychological clinic... Du Wei looked at them calmly, moved his limbs, and said, "Please trust me, this is between it and me." Seeing his resolute attitude, James could only say, "In that case... we''ll go deal with the dark shadow at the door first, and wait for you outside. If you can''t handle it,e out immediately and we''ll think of another solution." Du Wei shook his head and said, "You don''t need to worry about that dark shadow anymore, I understand it very well. You can leave with confidence." "Alright..." After James finished speaking, he gave Du Wei a deep look, then nodded to Harry and Homier, and the three of them directly opened the door and walked out. ... Once the three had left, Du Wei casually closed the door, nced at the Evil Spirit in the mirror, bent down to turn on the faucet, and let the thin stream of water continue to fill the sink. At this moment, the Evil Spirit in the mirror had undergone a drastic change in demeanor and attitude, havingpletely lost its previous gentlemanly facade; it was snarling with anger, as if long-suppressed negative emotions had just been ignited. Du Wei lifted his head and nced at the "himself" in the mirror. He had intended to repeat the previous process in the washbasin, to take back his body the moment he put on the mask, but now it seemed that, ording to the mechanism of the Evil Spirit possessing a body, the process had already begun as soon as he put on the mask. Then, in a tone devoid of emotion, he began to narrate: "I studied forensic science in college. On February 16 of my junior year, a body purchased by the hospital was delivered to the dissecting room. Although it had been soaked in formalin for many years, it was still very fresh." "I still remember my mindset at the time being very normal, facing that body with the idea of gaining experience, but when I lifted the covering cloth from the body, I saw the corpse of my father who had been dead for many years." "When I was 11, my mother perished in a fire, and my father hanged himself. The people in charge of the case told me that this was called conjugal suicide." "When I saw my father''s corpse in the dissecting room, my heart felt indescribable pain, but what made me angry was that I found my father''s corpse to be very abnormal." "While my peers were having fun, the onlypanion I had was study. I knew life would be difficult without my parents, so I had to work even harder to make my own life better. If I hadn''t still been in the dissecting room on February 16, I would probably be a sessful forensic pathologist by now." "So I dissected my father''s corpse... The cause of death was not suicide, but murder." "I spent a month investigating, and eventually I found out that my mother''s death was not due to a fire, but to cover up a murder, and my father had also investigated it, and the result..." At this point, Du Wei''s tone became even colder as he looked down at the wrinkled woman''s face that was surfacing in the washbasin. Then, he took a deep breath, adjusted his emotions, and moved a bit closer to the "himself" in the mirror. "For the first time, I felt that the world was so unfair to me, and to my parents. I, who should have known the truth, knew nothing at all. And my parents, who were clearly murdered, were passed off as idental deaths and suicides." Discover stories with empire "It''s as if I was in a y. The only reason I lived well was that I was too young." "I''ve figured out the most likely murder suspect. Hmm... He was once the son of a wealthy family, and as time passed, he also became a rich, middle-aged man, paying great attention to maintaining his health and going to a private medical institution for care every week." "Forensic medicine should have been thest chance for the victims, and I have great respect for this profession. However, it contradicts what I wanted to do." "So, I gave up forensic medicine and turned to study psychology, tirelessly researching criminal psychology, personality, mental and psychological factors, among many others..." "When I graduated, my grades were outstanding."@@novelbin@@ "Hmm... I entered that private medical institution." "Then, in one year, I rose to the level of deputy director, sessfully bing the psychological healthcare advisor to the killer." "Guess what I did?" By this time, Du Wei had entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, and the Evil Spirit Transformation had spread to his shoulder. This should have been a thrilling discovery for him, yet at this moment, it could not stir even the slightest ripple in his heart. "When I found out that the murderer seemed to have forgotten his past actions, I decided to help him remember." "Through psychological suggestion and some deliberate hypnosis, I learned the truth." "It''sughable, just because he wanted to try controlling someone else''s life..." "I led him to believe that there are ghosts in this world, and even hypnotized him, suggesting that ghosts woulde to take his life." "For two years, he sought many masters to perform exorcism rituals, but to no avail." "When someone''s mind is trapped in a dead end, their perspective bespletely limited, like an insect caught in a web, struggling in vain." "In the end, hepletely broke down and leaped from the 26th floor, smashing to pieces on the ground." Having said that, Du Wei reached out his hand, picked up the crumpled woman''s face from the washbasin, and slowly ced it over his own reflection in the mirror. This game was nearing its end, with the original Du Wei in the mirror taking the role of the Evil Spirit, and the Evil Spirit inside the mask now wearing Du Wei''s persona. Role reversal. And now, Du Wei had reimed his body and intended toplete the process. He wanted to give his mirror "self" a new face. ... On the first floor, there was no one. The Antique Clock on the wall started to change its speed of ticking, with the hour, minute, and second hands gradually ovepping. When the hands came to rest at the 12:03 mark on the dial, the time hands aligned, returning to their usual form. In the restroom, Du Wei had already ced the crumpled woman''s face over the face of his reflection in the mirror. It looked very eerie. In the mirror, Du Wei''s face, reced by the crumpled woman''s face, twisted grotesquely, appearing utterly inhuman. As if unable to withstand this force, the surface of the mirror immediately began to crack, and the slight sound of shattering ss started rising. Bang... Chapter 90 090. Psychiatric Hospital (Sanjiang seeks collections and recommendations) Afternoon, 3:00 PM. Du Wei locked the door of the psychological counseling clinic, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked toward the Subaru parked across the street. Explore stories on empire The storage cab he had ordered had arrived, ced by the door with a sign on it indicating that any parcels or correspondence could be directly thrown into it. This way, it also prevented innocent people from provoking the Evil Spirit at home. At the moment, Du Wei was exploiting the mechanism of the Masked Evil Spirit, having killed two Evil Spirits at once, the bnce at home had just been restored. However, the shadow was an uncertainty, it was persistent about killing him, but whenever someone triggered the mechanism, it would kill outright. For example... The five heads ced in the attic freezer. He crossed the street. Du Wei opened the car door, habitually ced his backpack on the passenger seat, then started the vehicle and headed toward the psychiatric hospital in the suburbs. The sky was still overcast, but the rain had lessened considerably, no longer as chilling as before. ording to the arrangement, James and the others should also have set off by this time, around four in the afternoon, everyone would meet at the psychiatric hospital. ... Meanwhile, in North Brook District. At the entrance of a small alley, three police cars were parked. Further inside, Officer Tom and four subordinates, all wearing raincoats and with very grim expressions, stared at a corpse half-submerged in a pile of garbage. "Damn it, why does this body bear such a striking resemnce to Dr. Du Wei? Was someone trying to kill him and killed the wrong person instead? This killer is too stupid, it''s like he doesn''t have a brain at all." Torn by frustration, Tom couldn''t help cursing, "Fuck! For the love of God, give me a break for two days. I haven''t been to the Red Light District for so long. If this keeps up, I''m really going to break down." Seeing this, a subordinate said helplessly, "Boss, we''ve run out of vacation days for this year, and the matter with the Cultists hasn''t been settled yet. Also, surveince spotted your friend Mr. Du Wei breaking into a vi through a window. Are you sure you don''t want to deal with it?" Tom paused for a moment, then nonchntly said, "Deal with it? What''s there to deal with? Just leave it. There''s nothing happening anyway. Oh, and by the way, seal off that vi." He was already adept at such matters, keeping civilians away from Evil Spirit incidents and leaving professional matters to more skilled individuals. Resigned, the subordinate shrugged and said, "Alright, boss. What about this body? The footage from surveince seems to suggest a murder." Hearing this, Tom nodded and replied, "Take the body back with us and send me the photos. This is a little strange; I might need to have a talk with Mr. Du Wei." "And even if I don''t get the chance to stroll around the Red Light Districttely, I still need to find time to rx." With that, he chuckled and added, "Yeah, I think I might be falling in love." ... On the other side. Du Wei was driving, having already left the North Brook District, heading toward the suburbs. The fine rain pelted the car''s windshield, and even with the wipers on, the view out was somewhat blurred. Fortunately, upon reaching the suburbs, there were hardly any vehicles in sight, and thus he was able to increase his speed. ... A little over an hourter. Du Wei had arrived at his destination¡ªHill Psychiatric Hospital. After parking the car, James and the others had not yet arrived, but by now, the sky had turned even more ominous, signaling the approach of another storm. Looking around, the surroundings were all vast wilderness, with a few small houses visible in the distance, clearly abandoned. In sight, there was only the row of white buildings of Hill Psychiatric Hospital and a bus stop sign by the roadside. Looking higher, there was an out-of-ce structure within the hospital grounds. The church-style bell tower¡ªwith arge clock face at the very top, at the height of four stories. The hands on the clock pointed precisely to 4:30 PM. Du Wei looked at the electric barrier at the entrance of Hill Psychiatric Hospital, thought for a moment, and took his phone out to call James. A minuteter, the call connected. He spoke calmly, "I''ve arrived. How much longer until you get here?" On the other end of the phone, James''s tone was apologetic, "Mr. Du Wei, we might be a bit dyed in getting there. The nearby road is impassable due to water umtion, and we''re trying to take a detour." Du Wei frowned and asked, "So what should I do now?" James answered, "I''ll give the director a heads-upter, she''lle out to meet you. All you need to do is wait for us to arrive. Of course, with your adaptability, you can also consider investigating some relevant information beforehand." Du Wei said indifferently, "Okay, I got it." After that, he hung up the phone, then grabbed his backpack from the passenger seat and opened the car door with an umbre in hand. Whoosh... A gust of wind blew, tilting the umbre. "This kind of weather is not suitable for traveling." Holding the umbre, Du Wei walked towards Hill Psychiatric Hospital while entering Spirit Vision mode. If there was indeed a nun''s head in this psychiatric hospital, then things were definitely not going to go smoothly. Just like the visit to the Horror House, what was supposed to scare people turned out to be corpses and ghosts, and it is still sealed off to this day. What puzzled Du Wei was that in Spirit Vision mode, the entire psychiatric hospital looked no different from what the naked eye saw. The oppressive atmosphere, the unusualness, even the presence of Evil Spirits were all absent. It was as clean as if it were a utopian retreat... It seemed there were no problems. But just then, a vacant voice suddenly sounded, "Please don''t peek at my mansion, or I''ll have security throw you out." Hm? Upon hearing this, Du Wei paused for a moment and looked in the direction the voice hade from. At the end of the electric railing, near the machinery below, crouched a man in a patient gown, staring back at him with numb eyes, his clothing and body soaked by the rain, shaking uncontrobly from the cold.@@novelbin@@ "Are you a patient?" Du Wei asked with a furrow in his brow and then felt it was a needless question. In a psychiatric hospital, a person wearing a patient gown if not a patient, could hardly be a doctor, right? And the man kept on saying vacantly, "Please stay away from my mansion, it''s my most beloved woman. If you want to enter, you must have my permission." Du Wei fell silent for a moment, no longer speaking to the man. Although psychologists and psychiatrists do simr work, they are actually two different professions. One deals with psychological issues, the other with psychiatric ones. More importantly, at this moment, a woman around 60 years of age was approaching. She wore a white uniform, carried an umbre, and walked with a bit of a shuffle, seemingly slightly hunched. Her left foot seemed to have been injured, making her shoulder dip slightly every time she took a step. "May I ask if you are Mr. Du Wei? I am Taylor Fonda, the director of this psychiatric hospital." It was then that Du Wei could clearly see her face, creased with wrinkles, the left edge marred by burn scars, and an ear that looked to have been melted in a way that gave it an odd shape. He narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "Hello, Director Taylor, I am Du Wei." Director Taylor nced at Du Wei, then turned her attention to the patient beside her and sighed helplessly. Afterward, she said to herself, "This patient is named Martin. He was once a wealthy man, but his wife had an affair with another man and even brought him into their vi. In the end, I don''t know what strings she pulled, but not only did she leave Martin broke, but she also had himmitted to Hill Psychiatric Hospital." She spoke these words for Du Wei to hear. Curious, Du Wei asked, "So he''s not sick?" Director Taylor shook her head, "He wasn''t initially, but somehow after getting here he went mad. So it''s best you don''t interact with him, you might also go mad inexplicably." Du Wei responded indifferently, "The patients I''ve dealt with are usually quirky, but up to now, my mental state has been quite stable." Director Taylor, who was pressing the button to the electric railing, stopped abruptly upon hearing this. She looked up, staring at Du Wei for a moment, "The patients you''ve been in contact with?" Du Wei, maintaining hisposure, replied, "Yes, I''m a psychologist." Chapter 91 091, Bell tower... Psychologists and psychiatrists are not the same profession. In dealing with patients, the former will tell you how to regte your psychological state, and in more severe cases, may suggest you take medication. For even more serious conditions, they would rmend seeing a psychiatrist. The difference between psychiatrists and psychologists is that the former deals with moreplex cases, patients whose mental states are generally in a "pathological" condition. The so-called pathological state refers to unconventional values, ethics, worldviews, self-recognition, and so on¡­ Um¡­ in terms of treatment, thetter tends to be more direct¡­ So, when it became known that Du Wei was a psychologist, the expression on Director Taylor''s face turned somewhat strange. She coughed and then said, "If you weren''t an Exorcist, I would think you''re here to apply for a job at the hospital." Du Wei did not respond, silently following behind Director Taylor with his umbre. He was pondering the affairs of Hill Psychiatric Hospital and that patient squatting beside the electric barrier machine. On a stormy day, a psychiatric patient was outside getting soaked in the rain, and by the looks of it, his perception of the outside world was also distorted. Even the most negligent medical staff wouldn''t let such a patient stay out in a downpour. "This is strange¡­" Du Wei silently said to himself while still maintaining his distance from Director Taylor. Discover exclusive tales on empire He did not like to get too close to strangers, especially in a ce like a psychiatric hospital. At that moment, Director Taylor suddenly turned her head and said, "By the way, you are also a member of the church, and although I have little contact with people like you, there is no need to be so aloof. I''ve never liked being called ''Director.''" The statement was quite odd¡­ Therefore, Du Wei feigned surprise and asked, "Isn''t your position that of director? Why would you dislike it?" Director Taylor sighed and said, "Because I was the only one who kept my human form from that big fire years ago." Du Wei nodded in apology, "Sorry, I am not aware of your past. In that case, should I call you Mrs. Taylor?" Mrs. Taylor smiled and said, "Of course, although my husband has been dead for ten years." Du Wei also smiled, but his mind became more alert. Mrs. Taylor''s behavior was very odd, seemingly hinting at something. Could it have anything to do with a nun? He thought about it and dismissed the idea internally. Du Wei himself was a person tainted by a nun''s curse, and no one understood that feeling of horror and despair more than him. Even though he always maintained a calm and rational state, his spirit was always on edge. Rtively speaking, if Mrs. Taylor had anything to do with a nun, she absolutely wouldn''t have escaped the curse, nor would she be living so fortably." So then¡­ what exactly was she trying to convey? Du Wei''s gaze grew slightly colder, but his facial expression remained unchanged. ¡­ Ten minutester. Mrs. Taylor brought Du Wei to where he would be staying. Um¡­ it was on a separate floor where the medical staff lived, with the building next door housing the psychiatric patients. After sitting for a short while, they started to chat. Du Wei was the first to speak, "Mrs. Taylor, from what I see, Hill Psychiatric Hospital doesn''t seem to have many medical staff, does it?" Just now, while going upstairs, he had quietly observed the surroundings of the corridor and could hardly see any trash bins or signs of people living there. Mrs. Taylor answered, "Yes, this ce is in the suburbs, and not many doctors are willing to work here. Furthermore, the impression left by a previous fire wasn''t very good, you understand?" Du Wei nodded and said, "I know a little about it, so how many medical staff are there in the hospital now?" Mrs. Taylor coughed and said, "Including myself, there are 19, but some do not have regr working hours, so you probably won''t run into them." After saying this, she added, "Alright, I am a bit tired and need to go back to rest. In about an hour the hospital will close, and if James and the others haven''t arrived by then, please help me open the door." Du Wei hummed in agreement, "Of course, I can do that." Seeing this, Mrs. Taylor didn''t stay any longer, she stood up and staggered out. After she left, Du Wei instantly resumed his calm demeanor. He first looked around the room. The already tidied room was furnished with somewhat old-fashioned tables and chairs, but they were clean as they had been washed. Besides that, there was the air conditioner hanging above the bed. The whole room was decorated very simply. Most importantly, the windows wererge. Although the sky outside was overcast, it made the interior seem not as dim as he had imagined. So, Du Wei walked over to the window.@@novelbin@@ At this moment, the rain was falling heavier, withrge drops hitting the ss, making a drip-drop sound that was slightly noisy. Looking out, the building directly opposite was the iconic church-style clock tower. Then, Du Wei saw Mrs. Taylor''s figure in his view. She was holding an umbre, struggling to walk in the rain, heading straight towards the clock tower. "This head nurse, there''s something very off about her." Du Wei watched coldly as Mrs. Taylor entered the tower, murmuring to himself. The presence of a church-style clock tower in a psychiatric hospital was already quite strange, a stretch of an exnation could be that it was formerly a church. But for the head nurse of a psychiatric hospital, iming to need rest and then going into a clock tower waspletely illogical. If she wasn''t lying, then it could only mean that she lived in the clock tower year-round and led her life inside there. "So what''s her motive? Evil Spirit?" "Yet, I haven''t found any traces of the existence of Evil Spirit¡­" "Perhaps, I should go out and take a look¡­" ¡­ 16:23. Ryan, as usual, investigated his own patients in the corridors of Hill Psychiatric Hospital. In about half an hour, the hospital would close. In simple terms, it would be time to leave. After eating his work meal, he would choose to go back to his separate room, maintaining a good routine. But today, he encountered a strange male patient. Dressed in a ck trench coat, rarely showing any expression, and most notably, the man''s eyes were always disturbingly calm, like a stagnant pool. "Mr. Du Wei, I have roughly understood your condition, there''s nothing too serious. I advise you to take more medication and then go back to your room to rest well, just as I do." As he spoke, Ryan pointed to his own head, "Eat on time, rest punctually, and you''ll find this world is beautiful. But if you don''t eat and rest at regr times, you''ll fall into distress." "This is called anxiety, it''s a very serious illness, but I am very skilled, I am the most professional psychotherapist in New York, so please make sure you cooperate with me... Wait, where are you going? It''s going to be dark soon, you must return to your room!" Chapter 93 093, After nightfall Hill Psychiatric Hospital entrance. James sat in the car, his face grim as he looked at "Du Wei" inside the electronic gate. At this moment, the man, who had just parted from them two hours ago, was in a very sorry state. He looked as if he had just been fished out of water, his hair and clothespletely drenched, his skin pale, and with extensive swelling. His eyes were empty and dead, and there was no movement of his chest, as if he was a thoroughly lifeless corpse. Most importantly, when he took mechanical steps toward the electronic gate, that oppressive feeling nearly stopped James''s heart. Undoubtedly, this was the Evil Spirit... James took a deep breath and immediately said to Du Wei on the other end of the phone in a grave voice, "Mr. Du Wei, we have encountered the Evil Spirit. I suspect someone has touched the medium; otherwise, we wouldn''t be seeing such abnormal events." "Also, Mr. Du Wei, your current situation must be very dangerous. We wille in to find you. With your abilities, you should be able to hold on until then, shouldn''t you?" On the other end of the line, Du Wei''s voice was still calm, "Don''t worry about me. If you''re going toe in, we better meet at the bell tower. There are some things I think Mrs. Taylor should be able to exin." "Of course, I don''t suggest youe in. It''s best to wait outside for the night, and we can talk after daylight." "But we have already...ssss...zzz..." "Hmm... Mr. James? What did you say?" "I said¡­ we¡­" Listening to the static of the electrical signal interferenceing from the other end of the phone. Du Wei sighed and had no choice but to hang up the call. "I just knew it, things could not be this simple. A terror more advanced than the Evil Spirit. If it could be easily resolved, that would be too much of a child''s y." Du Wei knew that as long as they found the medium¡ªthe nun''s head.@@novelbin@@ Once it was resealed into the box that James and the others had brought, the matter could be concluded, and the curse should also be interrupted. At the least, one could say the oue would be harmlessly neutral. But now, problems had arisen before even starting the search for the medium. First, James and the others were dyed because they had to take a detour due to the stormy weather, and then, while he had been doing fine in the psychiatric hospital, they had encountered danger first. Thinking this, Du Wei couldn''t help but feel a headacheing on. He rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath. He didn''t know whether he would be okay, but these three exorcists were definitely in big trouble. Even with their assortment of items to counter the Evil Spirit, although the chance of death wasn''t high, they would surely have expended some energy. Most importantly, the box that was used to hold the nun''s medium was with them... "I hate trouble." Du Wei said coldly, his voice calm, without any fluctuation. The light in the room was still on. He was thinking. Firstly, he was standing by the window; James and the others imed they had just arrived at the entrance, and the car they were in had not been turned off. But upon looking, he couldn''t see the slightest glimmer of the car lights. Moreover, James had imed to have seen another him. That is to say, the space he and they were in might have undergone a disturbance. Of course, it could also be the work of the Evil Spirit. He entered the psychiatric hospital during the day, but now night had fallen. Adding to that, the strange sayings of the patients, could it mean that this psychiatric hospital experienced anomalies at night? The possibility was high... By nightfall, all the patients would consciously return to their wards to rest, something that wouldn''t happen in any psychiatric hospital. Unless, something was making all these psychiatric patients feel fear... Could the Evil Spirit do that? "Inconceivable..." Du Wei shook his head secretly, organized his thoughts, and realized a very serious problem. If his deductions were correct, then abnormalities should have already appeared in the psychiatric hospital before their arrival, and moreover, those anomalies were likely still brewing, not yet reaching the tipping point. Otherwise, those patients couldn''t possibly be living sofortably. Evil Spirits ughter people, and they won''t spare someone just because that person is mentally ill. Once triggered, an ordinary person is basically dead. But if there is no trigger mechanism, the lives of ordinary people won''t be affected, otherwise, the world would have already fallen into chaos. "We still need to regroup first to ensure the box doesn''t encounter any problems." All of a sudden... Just as Du Wei was speaking, an inexplicable chill surged into his heart in an instant. Without any hesitation, he sharply turned around. He saw that the door of the room, for some reason, had opened a crack, through which an eye was staring intently at him. Du Wei also stared at that eye and said coldly, "I don''t seem to have the habit of not closing doors." As his voice fell, he immediately entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. Under the state of Spirit Vision, the eye felt very strange to him. It gave him the oppressive sense and malice typically associated with facing an Evil Spirit, yet it was visible to the naked eye. Experience tales at empire Right then, Du Wei''s brows furrowed, and he thought, "Is it an Evil Spirit?" But it didn''t seem quite right. It had a physical form, which didn''t quite match an Evil Spirit. After thinking for a moment, he took out his pistol from his pocket and disengaged the safety. The next second. As if sensing something, the eye disappeared into the darkness without a trace. This, however, made Du Wei even more puzzled. It wasn''t an Evil Spirit, but it had a physical form¡ªsomething he had encountered before. When he first interacted with the Antique Clock, he had shot and shattered a rotten woman''s arm... "It shouldn''t be the same concept... but regardless, I shouldn''t be able to stay in this room any longer." He hated trouble, but what he hated even more was sitting duck, leaving his fate to the unknown. This unidentified thing could silently open the door, and if he stayed in the room any longer, who knows, it might run in at any time. The room wasn''t very spacious, and if that situation urred, there would be no escape. Even though he had Holy Water and Bone Powder in his backpack, the situation was unclear, and it shouldn''t be wasted at a time like this. With that thought, Du Wei remained vignt and, under the state of Spirit Vision, made sure that the thing at the door had left before pulling the door open. Outside the door. The darkness remained. All he could hear was the downpour of rain, the dull sounds. The slight scent of damp moisture was what his nose could detect. Then, frowning, Du Wei nced at the floor of the hallway¡ªthere was a puddle of water. Looking further ahead, however, the water stains disappeared. "So, that thing earlier, it was standing at the door the whole time? Where has it gone now?" Du Wei thought for a moment, held the pistol with both hands, and looked up. He did not see the owner of the eye, but the presence of a water stain was unmistakable. The outline was no different from that of a normal human footprint, but eerily, this trail of footprints continued to extend forward... Chapter 96 096, The Hanged Man The body had already been possessed by the Evil Spirit once. The scene of death made it difficult for Du Wei not to associate it with "Evil Spirit Du Wei". But that feeling waspletely different. Evil Spirit Du Wei revealed an eerie elegance, like a gentleman from high society. One could tell from his behavior and demeanor. The Evil Spirit that inhabited his own corpse this time, however, was several notches lower. Indeed, if its method of killing was limited to the unsolvable door-opening murders, the dark shadows in the house were much more terrifying. Looking at the cold, heavy door, Du Wei had already dismissed the idea of entering, but he didn''t leave immediately. Instead, he stopped to think. The known condition was that pushing open the door of the clock tower and walking in meant death. Of course, the "going in" part might not even be necessary. Then, the Evil Spirit would take over the body, which seemed to be somewhat connected to the nun''s painting, but there wasn''t enough information to make an urate judgment. Experience more content on empire However, there was one point that waspletely unexinable. That was the headmistress staying in the clock tower¡ªMrs. Taylor. If the Evil Spirit was behind the door, it would not have spared Mrs. Taylor when night fell. And Mrs. Taylor, who was suspected of knowing the most secrets, would never stay in a ce with an Evil Spirit unless she wanted to die. Furthermore, the information revealed by the psychiatric patients all had one thing inmon: one must stay in their room after dark and never go out. After careful analysis, Du Wei came to a conclusion. The Evil Spirit was not behind the door but outside it, and even very close to him. Thinking this, he raised his head without hesitation under the state of Spirit Vision. Suddenly, Du Wei couldn''t help but squint his eyes. Above the entire clock tower, unbeknownst to him when, more than a dozen corpses in nun''s attire had appeared, each with a rope around their neck, hanging high. And these corpses in nun''s attire all had their eyes open, filled with bloodshot hatred and malice, looking ferociously dreadful. Because they were hung, their postures were somewhat strange. Some corpses tilted their heads upward, some hung heavily downward, some leaned to one side, while some stared straight ahead. The moment Du Wei looked up, all the corpses lowered their heads, maintaining a posture, staring down at him with wide eyes. The unabashed malice felt as if it had fused into the rain, reaching a suffocating climax. Instead of wiping his wet cheeks, Du Wei calmly observed the corpses. As a hunter who had entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and whose Right Hand had undergone Evil Spirit Transformation, he could see much more than other Exorcists. Though the corpses had undergone abnormal changes, the source of malice wasn''t them but something hidden within these corpses in nun''s attire. The feeling was familiar, like being watched by that eye in the room earlier... As for these corpses in nun''s attire... There was not even a hint of emotion on Du Wei''s face as his gaze locked with each one, carefully scrutinizing their faces and attire. The corpses were young in appearance, likely between 25 and 30 years old, including both white and ck individuals. And their attire,pared to that of the higher-level entity Du Wei had dreamed of, was almost identical except for the absence of the Inverse Cross on the chest. "Are they medical staff and female psychiatric patients?" "If so, does wearing nun''s attire andmitting suicide represent some kind of sinister ritual?" Du Wei silently asked himself, his gaze somewhat strange. After bing an Exorcist, he had read through the book given to him by Father Tony, which contained some simr records. Certain extremely malevolent beings, once they set their sights on a believer, would cause mental copse and kill the believer in the most brutal way. Of course, this method was often a desecration of their faith. In the teachings of the church, there were distinctions between heaven and hell; the souls of those whomitted suicide could not go to heaven, but would suffer eternal torment in hell. However, Du Wei remained skeptical about this, as he encountered many unnatural deaths, with countless dying fromst week to the present, not having seen their so-called souls except for those killed by the Evil Spirit in the Horror House. Nevertheless, the sight of these corpses gave him a very bad feeling, especially suspecting that the eye might be hidden among them. "While it''s still rtively safe now, I must leave quickly, but I have to warn James and the others." With that thought, Du Wei lowered his head, took a deep look at the heavy door in front of him, pulled out the silver cross dagger, and inscribed a message on the door. [An Evil Spirit is inside, do not open the door, gather at the building where the patients reside] Then, without hesitation, he turned around and left. What Du Wei did not notice was that, after his departure, an eye suddenly flickered among the hanging corpses above. Immediately afterward, a very strange thing urred. The words on the door, as if erased by an eraser, slowly vanished. In the blink of an eye, they returned to their original appearance. ¡­ The floors in the mental asylum weren''t very high, only around four stories, apart from some more prominent structures there were fences and zas for walking. One hundred meters beside the bell tower was a connectedplex of patient wards. Minutester. Du Wei arrived downstairs. At this moment, his determination to find the nun medium was unshakeable. But before that, he needed to ensure his own safety and gather as many clues as possible. Initially, Mrs. Taylor was a good choice, as she seemed to know more information; if he could find her, he would definitely gain a lot. After all, with the nun''s head within this psychiatric hospital and her acting so secretive, she couldn''t bepletely ignorant about it. Only, she was now in the bell tower, with the Evil Spirit lurking outside, and even Du Wei didn''t want to attempt entering under these circumstances. "I''ll wait until daylight; by then, she''ll definitely be willing to tell me the truth," he murmured with a hint of ruthlessness, touching the handgun he carried with him. Although he usually disliked confronting Evil Spirits head-on, that was only because it was too dangerous; but if the adversary wasn''t an Evil Spirit but a human instead, he wouldn''t mind resorting to some "rudimentary" methods. While saying this, Du Wei walked into the building. Inside the hallway, only his own footsteps could be heard; beyond that, the silence was terrifying, unconsciously holding one''s breath.@@novelbin@@ Suddenly... A shadow reflected at the corner of the staircase caused Du Wei to pause in his step. Then, he heard a familiar voice, "Aren''t you the patient from earlier today? Why haven''t you returned to the ward to stay?" Upon hearing this, Du Wei looked up and saw the man who imed to be a doctor, Ryan, standing expressionlessly at the top of the staircase, his figure almost merging with the shadow due to the angle. ¡­And just moments before, Du Wei had personally dismembered this man''s corpse. Chapter 99 099, Insight into the truth When the prayer abruptly ceased, Du Wei was seized by a chilling sensation, yet through his Spirit Vision, he detected no malevolent presence behind the door. More importantly, he had already pushed the door open a crack. Peering through the gap, the entire hospital room was pitch ck, devoid of any light; the windows seemed to be sealed shut, and aside from a sliver of light reflected by the door, nothing within was discernible. At this moment, the only sounds Du Wei could hear, apart from Ryan''s approaching footsteps from behind, were his own breathing. The hospital room, however, was dead silent. It was as if the person inside was holding their breath at this very moment, not daring to make even the slightest noise. Something felt very wrong¡­ Du Wei furrowed his brow, his peripheral vision catching Ryan moving to his side as he pushed the door fully open. In an instant, he heard a fear-soaked voice, suppressed to its limit. "Don''t... don''te any closer..."@@novelbin@@ The voice was hoarse, exceptionally sharp and grating. In Du Wei''s line of sight, he also saw the outline of a figure curled up in the corner. Immediately, he felt for the light switch on the wall and lightly pressed it. There was a click. The light turned on, bringing the entire room into view. Apart from one sealed window, the room was devoid of any beds, not resembling a hospital room at all but more like a prison cell. Upon seeing the woman curled up in the corner more clearly, Du Wei''s expression instantly became rigid. This person was dressed in a nun''s habits, hunched over, head bowed, face obscured, but her exposed hands were covered in scars from severe burns. Severe burns, once healed, can result in the melting of soft tissues, which is why burn victims often require surgical correction and cosmetic reconstruction post-recovery. Mrs. Taylor also suffered from burns, but her hands did not exhibit such severe damage. Du Wei''s gaze was icy as he directly asked, "You are not Mrs. Taylor; who are you really?" Upon hearing this, the woman''s body tensed, and in a raspy whisper, she replied, "I... I am Taylor. Who are you?" At that moment, Ryan also entered the room, asking with surprise, "Director, Head of the Hospital, what are you talking about?" Du Wei ignored him instead, staring intently at the woman, his voice devoid of warmth, "If you are Taylor, then who is the head of the hospital I met during the day?" The woman shuddered, then lifted her head with a tremulous tone, "She is the Deputy Head Marilyn Manson." As she lifted her head, Du Wei could see her features clearly. Her entire face was grotesquely disfigured, starting with her eyes¡ªone eye was gone, the socket caved in, the skin fused together like a membrane. The end of her nose was melted away, the lower half of her lips partially gone, and the burn scars extended down past her throat, where they were hidden by the cor of her clothing. Du Wei narrowed his eyes and continued, "As far as I know, decades ago, this psychiatric hospital used to be a church, and Mrs. Taylor was one of its few survivors and became the head of the hospital as a result. But you, obviously, do not fit the bill." Though Hill Psychiatric Hospital encountered strangeness, during the long gap, it was assuredly functioning normally. And no normal psychiatric hospital would have someone with such severe burns at the helm. This is simply the consensus among most people. The woman who imed to be Taylor responded bitterly, "I did not deceive you. I have indeed been the head of the psychiatric hospital ever since it was built, and I was not like this before." Du Wei, nomittally, "Is that so? How did you end up like this, then? It sounds like there might be other reasons?" The woman did not answer but countered with a question, "You must not be an ordinary person, right?" Du Wei nodded, "That''s correct, I am an Exorcist from the church..." "An Exorcist? Have you finally noticed the abnormalities here?" The woman''s tone was unusual as she tremulously stepped forward, scrutinizing Du Wei closely. "How can I be sure of your identity? Do you have any proof from the church?" "Of course!" Du Wei stepped back with an expressionless face and took out his Exorcist certification. "Now, do you have any further doubts?" Ryan, standing by, touched his head and said, "Director, weren''t you a doctor? How did you be an Exorcist all of a sudden?" Without turning his head, Du Wei replied, "It''s a part-time job." Ryan uttered an "Oh" and fell silent. After confirming Du Wei''s identity, the woman rxed and said, "Mr. Exorcist, I have no more doubts. And I haven''t deceived you; I truly am Taylor, the director of this psychiatric hospital." Du Wei shook his head and said, "What about your reasoning? If that Director Taylor is an Evil Spirit, I can understand the discrepancies between your previous words and my understanding. But if you are the real Director Taylor, you should have conveyed a message to the outside world when the hospital started experiencing abnormalities, shouldn''t you?" The woman gave a bitter smile and said, "Indeed, the abnormalities started a week ago, but it''s not that I didn''t want to convey the message; I simply couldn''t get it out." Du Wei narrowed his eyes, "Why not?" The woman said painfully, "Because we are in her dream." "The entire psychiatric hospital has be her dream. And now, the events of the past are continuing; the ritual is about to bepleted. She is soon going to transform into something else, jumping from the dream into reality. By then, we are all going to be a part of her." Read new chapters at empire Upon hearing this, Du Wei felt a storm surge within him, breaking the calm on his face for the first time. He was inside Marilyn Manson''s dream? This... Wasn''t this almost the same as the incidents he had experienced before? The same dreaming, the same jumping from dream to reality. The only difference was that Marilyn Manson''s dream was terrifyingly excessive. Thinking this, heposed himself and asked, "How did Marilyn be like this?" The woman answered, "She dug out the head of her sister, who died in a fire decades ago. Since then, she has be abnormal. She told me about the dreams she has been having every day. And now, everything is confirming her dream." Du Wei remained silent, considering the veracity of the woman''s words. All along, the Spirit Vision had only allowed him to see the abnormal corpses and that eye, other than feeling a certain Strangeness. As for the nun, she had no perception at all. If he has been in a dream all this time, then all the anomalies could be exined. He had been oblivious to the darkness beneath his own light. Du Wei took a deep breath and silently said to himself, "When I saw the vision of death, I should have thought of this." "To prevent being influenced by the nun, I have been consciously avoiding confronting her, from memories to information." "Even inside the psychiatric hospital, I was deliberately avoiding her." "And when I did face the nun, it was during a dream." "But thetter part of the death vision, the one who uncovered the drawing, definitely wasn''t me." As he pondered this in his heart, Du Wei''s gaze grew colder. The death vision was a peculiar anomaly that urred in his Spirit Vision, and after his death, the Spirit Vision should have disappeared. The vision should not have continued. At the time, he thought it was the Evil Spirit that killed him, possessing his body, but now it seemed entirely different. The continuation of the death vision was built on the foundation of his own Spirit Vision. And other than himself, the only other entity that could use the Spirit Vision was the Evil Spirit, Du Wei. In a sense, the Evil Spirit Du Wei, with an identical personality and memories, was his other side. It seemed he hadn''tpletely died after all... However, it appeared that unless he himself died, there would be no possibility for him to emerge again. Chapter 102 102. Breaking away from the dream Drip... Drip... Damp, cold... An indescribable sense of oppression gradually spread at the bottom of his heart. Du Wei knew that he had once again fallen into a nightmare. In the past, every time in his dreams, he could not control his body, only his Right Hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, remained unaffected, but this time, there seemed to be a problem with the dream. Du Wei keenly realized that in the dream, he was not affected at all... Even the oppressive feeling was much less than before. "This is very wrong..." He thought for a moment and then directly opened his eyes. Through the windows and the crack of the door, a crimson light shone in, making the whole room look very strange. "I didn''t fall asleep? Was the hypnosis unsessful?" Du Wei''s pupils contracted, and his breathing stopped altogether. "No... there must be something I overlooked." He said to himself, trying to stay calm while directly entering the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. The Third Phase of Spirit Vision allowed him to see more information and feel more intensely. Very discordant... Continue your journey with empire The gloomy and oppressive atmosphere in the entire ward was much lower than before entering the dream. "I think I know what''s going on..." Du Wei said as he walked expressionlessly to the door and pulled it open. Under the state of Spirit Vision, he saw an incredibly strange scene. The sky was still dark and gloomy, with torrential downpours and intermittent thundering roars. And the raging fire burned wildly throughout Hill Psychiatric Hospital, not diminishing at all because of the rain but bing even more intense. It was as though, at this moment, the rain had be some sort of fire elerant... Du Wei watched the scene outside coldly, his Right Hand entering the Evil Spirit Transformation, the chilling sensation silently filling the entire room. He looked down at his right hand, unnaturally pale, and gently squeezed it. There was a sense of touch... Du Wei took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "I am indeed in a dream, but it seems that because Evil Spirit Du Wei had killed a nun once, it did not appear again, causing my dream to be a part of Marilyn Manson''s nightmare." This situation was very strange. Twopletely different dreams could not coexist; there would be rejection and confrontation. But now it seemed that because Evil Spirit Du Wei had killed the nun who was originally part of the dream, it did not reappear in the dream and seemed to have been weakened. And this change allowed Du Wei''s dream to be forcibly embedded in Marilyn Manson''s dream. Not only could he not escape, but Du Wei also felt that he was being assimted... Suddenly, he frowned and took out his wallet from his pocket. Inside the wallet was the ring engraved with the letters "val..."@@novelbin@@ "I never expected to use this ring in such a way..." Du Wei felt somewhat helpless. When he decided to go to the psychiatric hospital to look for the nun''s medium, he had prepared several trump cards for himself. The lighter could maintain safety for a while, and things like Holy Water were means to deal with the Evil Spirit. If there was a problem with the box used to seal the nun''s head, he could still try using Bone Powderbined with the lighter topletely incinerate it. And the mask was another trump card. As long as he put on the mask, Du Wei would have the identity of another Evil Spirit, and self-preservation should not be a big issue. This was still without considering the situation of James and others. As for the ring, Du Wei really didn''t want to use it, because it belonged to the same category as the Golden Brooch, being a presence confined by the Antique Clock and the mask. To be more direct, the ring was the reason Du Wei became tainted with the curse. "However, it seems now I have no choice but to use it." With a cold voice, Du Wei hesitated no longer and took the ring from his wallet and slid it onto the Evil Spirit Transformed right hand''s ring finger. "Hiss..." Du Wei couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath as his right hand''s ring finger felt as though it had been severed, bringing intense and unbearable pain. In an instant, the oppressive atmosphere in the entire ward boiled over like scalding hot water. In the corners where the light couldn''t reach, the shadows came alive like wild beasts, frantically infiltrating the whole ward. Behind Du Wei, from within that mass of shadows, a figure taller than him, dressed in a clergy-like uniform with head covered by a veil, slowly emerged. The nun from the dreams appeared once again... It stood behind Du Wei, face ashen, mouth tightly shut, showing a dark purple color, and its nose was hawk-like, distinctively prominent. Within those dark yellow eyes, the pupils constricted to mere ck dots, cold and unfeeling, filled with dense malice. In the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei also felt the terrifying maliceing from behind him and the even stronger sense of strangeness throughout Hill Psychiatric Hospital. The dream, was breaking apart. He turned his head and looked at the nun, his gaze so calm it was oppressive. At the same time, the nun reached out its sharp, w-like hands, lunging for Du Wei''s neck. But Du Wei let out a coldugh and said, "You''ve got no chance." Then, he closed his eyes. ... May 23rd, 11:23 AM. A torrential downpour ravaged the outskirts of New York, and the gloomy sky was intermittently ripped by thunderps. Inside Hill Psychiatric Hospital, by the doorway of the ward, Du Wei opened his eyes, his face so pale it was startling, as he clutched his stomach and retched... But the next second, he immediately suppressed his instinct; in the state of Spirit Vision, he felt as if something was fixating on him. Du Wei sharply raised his head and nced outside the window, only to see Marilyn Manson''s wrinkled face pressed against the ss, staring intensely at him. He knew that once he broke through the dream and returned to reality, the other nun would definitely appear. What Du Wei hadn''t expected was that it would possess the body of Marilyn Manson. "It seems the one who jumped from the top of the bell tower before, was you..." "Is it because of the blood rtion? You killed your own sister, and in this way, came into reality..." As he spoke, Du Wei promptly took out the Holy Water stored in a ss bottle and hurled it. With a smack. The window ss shattered, and the Holy Water poured directly onto Marilyn Manson. For a moment, it vanished before Du Wei''s eyes. "This..." Du Wei gritted his teeth. He didn''t believe that the Holy Water had killed the entity possessing Marilyn Manson. Marilyn''s sister, just like Du Wei, had been tainted by the curse, but after death, she had be a terrifying Evil Spirit, who had killed countless people in the past. And now, with the ritualplete and possessing Marilyn Manson, it would undoubtedly be even more terrifying. With that thought, a shadow fell over Du Wei''s heart, and without hesitation, he turned and ran. But in the state of Spirit Vision. Along the way, the sound of rustling and odd whispers came from inside the shadows. The bulbs of the corridor''s lights turned on one by one. The red glow of the lights filled the hallway, as if it were a passage of fresh blood. Chapter 105 105, placeholder… Tap tap... The sound of footsteps grew clearer. Du Wei lifted his head to nce at the sky, heavy with gloom, asionally shed by lightning. The torrential rain drenched his face, which, due to the temperature, appeared much paler. Under the state of Spirit Vision, he could distinctly feel the sense of oppression intensifying behind him, as the dead, malevolent gaze fixed unwaveringly on him. "It''s the nun..." Du Wei silently said to himself and looked down at the lighter in his hand. In the rain, the me from the lighter was gradually shrinking. At this rate, it would bepletely extinguished in a few minutes. Du Wei knew that the me wasn''t diminishing due to the rain, as it burned because of the presence of the nun. The me was shrinking merely because it was contending with the nun''s power. It was like a bnce scale... Except, this scale was tipping, and once the nun''s power achieved an overwhelming victory, the lighter would essentially be entirely useless. In fact, that the lighter given by Father Tony hadsted this long was already beyond Du Wei''s expectations. "Seems like, before getting on the bus, I shouldn''t need to use anything else..." Du Wei said to himself internally and quickened his pace. At this moment, besides the mask, he had some Holy Water, a small amount of remaining Bone Powder, and the silver crucifix dagger knife from hunter Andrew Dowqui on him. And... his entire Right Hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit. Behind him, within a vast expanse of shadow, the nun closely followed, her eyes¡ªdeadly still and full of resentment¡ªnarrowing the distance to Du Wei. It wouldn''t be long before she could touch Du Wei... Find adventures on empire ... 11:21 P.M. There were 39 minutes left until midnight. Outside the psychiatric hospital, his Subaru was parked by the entrance, along with the vehicles of James and the others. Du Wei nced at the bus stop on the curb.@@novelbin@@ In the downpour, the entire bus stop seemed shrouded in a veil of mist, appearing somewhat blurry. And behind him, the entire front of the psychiatric hospital was alreadypletely enveloped by shadow. This was the influence of the nun''s power. From a distance, Du Wei looked like he was standing at the entrance, the shadows spreading out with each step he took. His steps were also sluggish, as if there was a resistance of some sort. If the perspective were to shift and one were to look from afar, at this moment Du Wei would be seen walking towards the bus stop, with a vast expanse of shadow behind him¡ªwithin which stood the nun, half a head taller than him, her skin pallid as a corpse''s and her face twisted in fierce malevolence. One live person and one ghost, the distance between them only about one meter. And in Du Wei''s hand, the lighter''s me had been reduced to a dim speck, seemingly about to go out any second. He furrowed his brows and lit a cigarette with the lighter, taking a deep drag. Then, his gaze swept over the street. Looking out, the road''s surface was filled with darkness, and all he could hear was the crisp sound of raindrops hitting the ground. At this time, no bus appeared. Du Wei exhaled a puff of smoke, easing the oppressive feeling in his mind somewhat, maintaining a calm and rational state. The lighter could onlyst long enough for him to walk out of the psychiatric hospital; beyond that, it wouldn''t be of much use. "Time to lure the bus over..." He thought for a moment, tossed the cigarette he had only taken one puff from onto the ground, and silently pulled out the white mask, which now sported many cracks, from his backpack and put it directly on his face. This mask was originally a medium for the Evil Spirit Du Wei''s existence. When Du Wei reimed his body, this mask became an item simr to the lighter. As long as he put on the mask, he would possess the identity of another Evil Spirit. Of course, apart from that, Du Wei didn''t possess the power of an Evil Spirit... This, he had inferred. Firstly, because he was human, and the mask could only be a medium for the Evil Spirit. It was impossible for a person to turn into an Evil Spirit before death. Secondly, he thought about it in the mental hospital; Evil Spirit Du Wei hadn''tpletely perished but was stuck due to a mechanism, temporarily unable to appear. And when Evil Spirit Du Wei would appear again, it was very likely that Du Wei would be dead, his body taken over again, while he himself would be the Evil Spirit lodged within the mask. Without pondering any further, Du Wei put on the mask over his face. In an instant, the entire impression he gave off changedpletely. It wasn''t the kind of gentlemanly grace that Evil Spirit Du Wei exuded, but a profoundly eerie and hair-raising aura... Just like the Evil Spirit Transformation of the Right Hand. At this moment, Du Wei took on the identity of an Evil Spirit. The distance between himself and the nun also grew much more considerable. Suddenly, the deep, dark night sky forcefully brightened. A bolt of lightning streaked across, illuminating the surroundings as if it were broad daylight. In the pouring rain, Du Wei, wearing a white mask with only his eyes visible, seemed even more terrifying. He walked steadily towards the bus stop, without the slightest hesitation. And then, a roaring thunder followed... In the distance, amidst the rain, two dim yellow lights gradually emerged. They were the headlights of a bus... Faintly, the outline of an old-fashioned bus started to be clear. At the bus stop. With an expressionless face, Du Wei took an umbre from his backpack and opened it, looking like a passenger waiting for the bus in a rainstorm. However, his clothes were soaked through, making the sight of him with an umbre all the more sinister. Next to Du Wei stood the nun, as still as a corpse... Squeak... The sound of brakes, and the bus came to a stop. The bus was dimly lit inside, with only the front door opening, as if nobody was getting off. Because of the angle, Du Wei couldn''t see the passengers inside before boarding. He only nced instinctively at the istion window of the driver''s seat. The next second, his pupils sharply contracted. The istion window that he had smashed was now intact, and the skin of Andrew Dowqui that had been thrown on the ground had reverted to its original form, resembling a person... Moreover, when Du Wei looked at it, it twisted its head around. As their gazes met, Du Wei saw that it, which should''ve been just a piece of skin, now had an extra pair of eyes. Cold and resentful, with blood vessels spreading and unmistakable malice... "An Evil Spirit? What exactly is going on here? Why did Andrew Dowqui, who was supposed to be merely a piece of skin, undergo an aberration, or could it be that the bus is experiencing a phenomenon that I can''tprehend?" Du Wei''s gaze was icy. This bus was for Evil Spirits to ride, and any ordinary person who got on would fall into a death trap. When an Evil Spirit got off, it would beckon aimlessly to ordinary people, who would then uncontrobly walk off. If this process was interrupted, it would be extremely dangerous. Moreover, when the bus was full and there were no seats, the back door would open, and all the Evil Spirits would target the person without a seat, causing them to lose control and walk out the back. Even if there were seats avable, safety was not guaranteed, because if another Evil Spirit boarded, it would take its rightful ce. The person who previously upied the seat would also meet their demise. It could be said that within the rules, the Evil Spirits could make killing inescapable. At that time, Du Wei found a loophole by taking the driver''s seat, which was why he was able to escape disaster and get off the bus alive. But now, Andrew Dowqui''s skin had be an Evil Spirit, driving this bus as the driver, the only loophole had been fixed... Chapter 107 107. Invisible Passenger The Veda Sect was an evil cult, and although Du Wei had never had direct contact with them, he could tell from the descriptions in the journal that Mike Stowe¡ª Mr. Mina''s husband¡ªwrote that this evil church always seemed to have some sort of peculiar abilities. The woman in the bridal gown was very likely to have been a cultist in her life. At the very least, she must have been connected with the Veda Sect. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be standing motionless in front of the tombstone engraved with a hexagram symbol. ... On the bus. Du Wei withdrew his gaze, but for some reason, he felt something was off. This feeling came out of nowhere, unrted to Spirit Vision, more like an instinct. Thus, he raised his head and took a nce at the scene inside the buspartment. The lighting was dim, to the right was the girl holding an umbre, leaning on the back door was a nun with her back to him. At the driver''s seat was the driver, or rather the human skin of Andrew Dowqui. They all had something inmon¡ªall were Evil Spirits. Whether the driver or passengers, besides Du Wei who hung on to an Evil Spirit persona with his mask, none of them were human. And the only one acting strangely was the driver... Logically speaking, now that Andrew Dowqui had turned into human skin, even if he was a hunter and might turn into an Evil Spirit after death, he shouldn''t be showing abnormalities just now. When Du Wei got on the bus earlier, he didn''t treat his human skin with any courtesy: smashing the window, throwing it on the ground, even the silver crucifix of Andrew Dowqui already had a new owner. Could the problem lie with him? Du Wei frowned, Spirit Vision enabled him to clearly see the abnormality of Andrew Dowqui. He sat in the driver''s seat, only his back visible, but the undisguised malice was intensely frightening. And it was directed right at him. "Weird, I haven''t touched any medium, nor have I behaved abnormally, so he has no reason to target me right off the bat." Du Wei pondered in his mind, feeling that the bus driver was the only thing that could confirm the strangeness he felt. Yet, for some reason, his sixth sense told him the key point wasn''t the driver, but something else. He used the umbre to subtly cover his upper body again and shut his eyes in thought. The time since he boarded the bus was not long, just under ten minutes, and every action, every expression, everything he saw, thought, and did, all came to mind one by one... In the end, Du Wei''s thoughts settled on the moment just now when the bus''s front and rear doors opened simultaneously... "Something got on the bus..." Last week, when Du Wei got into this bus, the rule he deduced was, the front door was for getting on, and the rear door was for getting off. This was one rule that even the Evil Spirits couldn''t break. Even though there was an Evil Spirit that had previously boarded the bus forcefully to kill, it was based on the premise of getting off; at least on the bus, it couldn''t vite this rule. Moreover, the African American couple said that when the Evil Spirit forcefully boarded the bus to kill, the lights on the entire bus were flickering wildly, eventually plunging into darkness. When everything returned to normal, both the Evil Spirit and the victim¡ªthe coder¡ªhad vanished. As for whether that Evil Spirit ultimately died due to the bus''s rules, no one knew. But overall, it was certain that Evil Spirits were unlikely to vite the rules of the bus for boarding and alighting. That is to say, on this bus now, besides Du Wei, the nun, and the umbre-holding Evil Spirit, there should be another "passenger." With this thought, Du Wei''s breathing became hurried, for he had not yet exited the Third Phase of his Spirit Vision, yet he could not see the existence of the Evil Spirit within his field of vision. This was the first time Du Wei''s Spirit Vision had encountered such a situation. "An invisible passenger..." He felt a slight chill in his heart, but quickly suppressed the emotion. After all, he was currently identified as an Evil Spirit. Being a "passenger" as well, he should be safe for the time being. ... The rain poured down... On the streets of Esselgreen. Two young and beautiful Caucasian girls stood shivering under an umbre at the bus stop. Both were dressed in beige T-shirts and sassy shorts, looking very simr; it would have been hard to tell them apart if not for one with wine-red dyed hair. Ah... they were a pair of twin sisters. "Damn this weather, it''s been storming in Esselgreen sincest week, why has it started again?" The girl with wine-red hairined with a discontented face. She and her sister Merri had taken advantage of the weekend and the break in the Esselgreen weather to hit a downtown bar for some rxation. But, unexpectedly, half an hour ago, just as they left the bar, a downpour had begun. "Who knows if we can still catch thest bus, if we miss it, we''ll have to find a hotel nearby to stay the night."@@novelbin@@ The girl with wine-red hair sighed with frustration and cursed, "fuck." Upon hearing this, her sister Merri shrugged and said, "Emily, if we don''t go back today, we''ll definitely get an earful from Mom tomorrow. She''s said it clearly, we absolutely can''t stay overnight outside since we''re both still minors." Emily snorted, "We''ll be of age in a month anyway, and I''ve already dated three boyfriends, I''m an adult, you''re the kid!" Merri retorted, "But all three of your boyfriends dumped you,ining you had no figure. Is that what you call being an adult?" Emily, a little despondent, flicked her rain-drenched hair and said, "Don''t talk about those idiots, their brains must be waterlogged." As she spoke, she looked anxiously at the bus timetable next to her. The starting station was Esselgreen''s main terminal, with the first bus at nine in the morning, every two hours, and thest one around 11 p.m. "Merri, my phone''s dead. Check the time, I think we might have missed thest bus." "Alright... it''s 11:42 p.m. What do you n to do?" Merri checked the time and spoke softly. Emily thought for a moment and said, "We''ve waited so long and the bus hasn''te; either we''ve missed it or the downpour has disrupted the traffic and it''s noting anymore." "So, should we take a taxi instead?" "Ah? Are you sure? It''ste at night, and I don''t feel safe..." Both were hesitant for a moment. Just then, suddenly, two dim lights approached from afar. Emily shielded her eyes from the ring light and eximed excitedly, "Hey, it''s thest bus!" Merri turned to look, only to see an old-style bus slowly approaching. As the bus stopped and the front door opened, for some reason, she suddenly felt a surge of heart-pounding terror... Chapter 110 Masked Evil Spirit (Revised) The interior of the bus was still dimly lit.@@novelbin@@ The female Evil Spirit, wrapped in bandages, walked directly to the second-tost row, and at this moment, Du Wei noticed that its gaze lingered on the empty seat in the middle for a while. The purpose was unclear... It seemed as if it wanted to sit there. But Du Wei knew that wasn''t the case, because what it wanted to do now was to kill. Then, the bandaged female Evil Spirit mechanically turned around, facing the twin sisters. Merri was startled; she sat on the outside while her sister was seated by the window, so to her, this woman wrapped in bandages was extremely frightening. Moreover, ever since she got on the bus, she couldn''t shake off a feeling of dread. Emily felt the same, her eyes full of wariness, holding her sister in her arms and even trying to shield her behind her body. She intended to scold the other party, but before she could speak, the next scene left her voiceless. The bandaged female had gently ced her hands on Merri''s chin, one on each side, in an upward cradling gesture. Merri was terrified, but what frightened her even more was that she found herselfpletely unable to control her own body, unable to move or speak. A dead silence... Then, Emily saw her sister''s head being removed, and the neck area seemed like the smoothest mirror, faintly revealing the blood flowing within. Even more so, she saw the bandaged woman hold Merri''s head to her chest, then as if considering something, slowly ced it on her own head. With a gentle push. Merri''s head was forcefully embedded into the female Evil Spirit''s head, while the bandages wound around it, securing it in ce. The expression on that face also changed from horror to calm. Emily waspletely stupefied, her expression froze, her body rigid. She wanted to scream, but she lost all control. The bandaged Evil Spirit didn''t stop there; it methodically, like dismantling blocks, took apart Merri''s body and attached it to itself. When all the steps wereplete, it hadpletely transformed. Except for some parts of its body wrapped in bandages, from the front, it looked just like Merri, only from the back you could see the swollen bandages wound around. After doing all this, it set its gaze on Emily but didn''t make a move. Instead, it sat where Merri had been sitting, quietly looking forward as if it were a passenger waiting to get off the bus. Sitting in thest row, Du Wei witnessed everything that had happened. His heart went cold. Last time, the Evil Spirit killed Linda by dismembering her, unwrapping the bandages to reveal an empty body and wrapping the pieces around it. But now, it waspletely different. It was as if, to it, Linda had been merely food, while Merri was a precious collectible. Its behavior was more like that of a woman who had bought new clothes and was eager to try them on. His gaze lingered for a moment on the remaining twin, indifferent. Your next read is at empire Then, he saw the bandaged Evil Spirit, wearing Merri''s head, ce its hand on Emily''s hand. It looked as if the sisters were so close that they would always hold hands wherever they went. But Emily was already scared senseless, her face lifeless, showing no reaction. Throughout this process, Du Wei observed coldly from the sidelines. The malice of the nun clung to him, never wavering for a moment, and his own situation was not good. So, he began to silently contemte, organizing his thoughts. Now, the entire bus was at full capacity. There were two empty seats, one between himself and the Umbre Evil Spirit, and the other in the front right. The death of one of the twin sisters served as a desperate warning. Or rather, it made Du Wei aware of another rule outside of the bus seating etiquette. Once the bus reached full capacity, new Evil Spirits boarding would choose to kill passengers who got on by mistake, but even if no seats were taken, new Evil Spirits would begin to kill when the number of "passengers" inside the bus saturated. The Evil Spirit Du Wei, along with that invisible passenger, brought the number of passengers to a critical point¡ª15. Therefore, this time, when two Evil Spirits boarded, one took a seat, while the other began to kill. ... Meanwhile, on the other side. Inside the bell tower of the mental hospital. James and his twopanions stood before a brand new crucifix of the Lord. "This must be it." It was James who spoke; he gripped an old-fashioned camera, his gaze shifting away from the screen, his body couldn''t stop trembling, On the screen, he saw a head, ckened by mes and carbonized skin, stuffed into the crucifix, recing its head. Homier, furious behind him, said, "This is sacrilege..." Harry''s expression was also grim; although he wasn''t trained as an Exorcist by the church from a young age, he grew up immersed in it, and felt a certain anger deep inside. Thus, he said coldly, "James, have you noticed anything else unusual?" James shook his head, "No, smash the statue, take out the head inside, and seal it in the box. Du Wei must need our help now." Harry nodded, carefully pouring Holy Water over his hands, then grabbed a chair from beside him and smashed it towards the statue. Boom... The head of the statue broke off on cue and fell heavily to the floor. The chair shattered as well, leaving only the chair leg firmly grasped by Harry. After the dust settled, Harry held the chair leg in one hand and the rope that could counter Evil Spirits in the other, stepping forward to examine. He intended to scrape away the y wrapping the head, because otherwise it wouldn''t fit into the box. Seeing this, James and Homier also got the box ready and surrounded the scene. But as Harry uncovered the head from the y of the statue, he was horrified to find¡ªthe carbonized head had opened its eyes. Cold, malicious... As Harry locked eyes with it, a severe throbbing pain instantly surged through his head, his vision turned into a blur of red, and he could hardly see anything. ... 11:48. The bus slowly came to a stop. Looking out through the bus window, Du Wei found the scene eerily familiar. This was an old poverty-stricken area, with decrepit streets and only a few sparse houses roundabout, looking deserted. Large puddles on the ground, and a man dressed in a proper ck suit, wearing a white mask without features and apel pin made of gold, extravagantly and finely crafted on his chest, stood looking up at Du Wei while leaning on a cane. Even in the rain, his posture was elegant. Du Wei''s gaze turned cold; wearing a mask himself, he instinctively felt an intense dislike for this familiar "passenger." Chapter 113 This can be considered a launch speech, I guess. ``` I can''t keep it in anymore. My mindset''s a bit shattered, this kind of text is not easy to write, it''s a thankless task. I hadn''t written about the supernatural for almost five years, and I wasn''t nning on touching this genre again, but a friend dragged me into it, and after some thought, I wrote it. Explore stories on empire The beginning took me about three hours, I finished it in one night. The whole plot up to now has been gradually fleshed out, sorted through to find that old feeling of writing about the supernatural. Actually, I had never written in third-person narrative before, and a third-person supernatural narrative, this is also my first. It''s been a hard write. The original plot for going live was about Evil Spirit Du Wei, but due to rmendation issues, I had to miss that storyline, and it turned into the current one. Ick confidence... The editor had warned me about the minefields and such, so I set it in the Soul Summoning Universe, merging elements of many horror films, giving each Evil Spirit a new plot to some extent, along with rearranging the direction of the story, so it turned into this book. Previously, a reader said something I thought was quite good, he said I don''t understand the readers at the starting point, they like to read satisfying stories, with golden fingers and ghost killing, bad luck and it''s certainly a flop. So my target, roughly, would be an average of three hundred orders, plus a full attendance for a month, I''d be very satisfied with a thousand or so bucks. After all, I''m not full-time, a decent manuscript fee is about enough for me. The thing is, the book''s data isn''t that great, I don''t know the specifics, there are a lot of collections but I reckon subscriptions are few, might be nurturing, or maybe the writing''s not good. Looking from the beginning to now, I''ve sorted it out, some say the writing is trash, some say it''s dry and uninteresting, some say it''s not scary. Then there are readers who say, what''s the point of the sister flower plot on the bus, why doesn''t the protagonist save them, just to die? Then others say, why save them, the protagonist can barely protect himself. I tend to lean towards the second type of reader; if the protagonist has the ability, then save them, if not, better look after himself. As for why introduce two sister flowers, why not? Without new characters dying, the protagonist can''t discover new rules andplete a plot structure. If these kinds of characters don''t appear, that''s also ok, the protagonist gets on the bus and shows off alone, simply takes out the nun, sounds satisfying on the surface, but surely some will find it dull. Ugh... what''s bothering me is that I''ve been influenced, the Horror House plot was also modifiedter and has bugs, when I write it always feels like something''s missing.@@novelbin@@ So, I n to make some changes overnight, it won''t affect further reading. I feel this author''s note is also nonsense, it will certainly offend a bunch of readers, making my target of three hundred subscriptions even more difficult, quite frustrating. About tomorrow''s update, it will be a normal update plus a burst of additional chapters, but the burst will likely be in the evening because I have meetings every Friday. Wishing everyone who reads this a happy mood, if you''re eager for more updates or want to discuss, join the reader group¡ª1085293036 The group name, Exorcist''s Nest. Note¡ªFor the horror films that have already appeared, see the essence posts in thement section, there''s a special thread updating rted movies, I will mark them as long as there is a source. ``` Chapter 116 115, get off again ``` Boom... When the lighter fell onto the half-remaining Scarecrow, along with the bit of remaining human skin, they were instantly ignited. This was also why Du Wei hadn''t put it into his backpack at the beginning. The mes zed fiercely. The fire, fueled by the Evil Spirit, was a strange crimson color. Its brightness pushed back the vast shadows, forcing even the nun to step back. In an instant, Du Wei felt his stiff body return to normal. There were still 34 seconds left, and the bus was slowlying to a stop. Du Wei didn''t get off immediately; instead, he stood in front of the rear door, coldly watching the nun. He was blocking the door, determined to trap the nun on the bus so she would die by the rules. But as the half-body of the Scarecrow was already not big, and its form was very strange, the fire burned quickly once ignited. Luckily, the faster it burned, the brighter the fire, and the further the nun kept from the back door. In such a situation, Du Wei didn''t need to worry about dying at the hands of the nun. He even reached out to pick up the lighter and put it in his pocket. The sound of the rain-driven wind pped against Du Wei''s back, quickly drenching it, leaving a feeling of cold dampness that was quite ufortable. Just now, when he rushed towards the rear door, he caught a glimpse of the outside through the corner of his eye... It was that expanse of wheat fields, not the school... "It seems that my luck isn''t too bad," Du Wei stared intently at the nun and said coldly. Then, as if to reassure himself, he added, "I will survive this and go back. Before that, I willpletely deal with you, and the curse on me will also weaken for a while as a result." After saying this, he took out the only bottle of Holy Water left from his pocket and prepared for what was toe. Actually, when Du Wei first came into contact with Holy Water, he thought the church''s method of using it was too simple. Even putting it in a water gun to deal with Evil Spirits would be much more efficient. Butter, when facing Evil Spirits, he realized it wasn''t very significant. The amount of Holy Water a water gun could spray at one time was limited, and the damage it did to Evil Spirits was basically like scratching an itch. And sometimes, Evil Spirits would attack suddenly, even affecting a person''s body. Like that invisible Evil Spirit, which even Spirit Vision couldn''t detect. If it weren''t for being on the bus, Du Wei might have already died at its hands. But Holy Water in a ss bottle has one benefit: in times of danger, simply letting go would cause the bottle to shatter when it hit the ground, and the Holy Water would flow out. At crucial moments, this could perhaps save a life. While thinking this, Du Wei was also counting the time in his head. There were less than 20 seconds until midnight. Inside the bus, strange changes were starting to ur¡ªthis was that rule that guaranteed death if one didn''t get off the bus by midnight. Andrew Dowqui had left a message in that booklet before he died. The message was: he felt like he was bing part of the bus. This could be understood as being devoured... Du Wei narrowed his eyes, suddenly feeling an inexplicable fear, not a psychological one, but an instinctual, physiological one. It was as if he had inexplicably established a connection with the bus, but this connection carried malice with it. He was being gradually devoured... But this situation had just appeared and was not yet obvious. Meanwhile, the nun standing in the middle of the bus suddenly underwent a change. As if burned by fire, her originally pallid skin was rapidly turning ck, as if carbonized, and started to crack open. Her eyes, too, seemed to lose moisture, gradually shrinking and fissuring. At the same time, a supremely oppressive resentment filled the bus interior. There were 10 seconds left until midnight, but the half-body of the Scarecrow was almost fully burned, and the mes were slowly diminishing. ``` ``` Buzz... Du Wei''s pupils contracted, and a sharp buzzing sound that had not appeared for a long time rang in his ears, apanied by an intense stabbing pain in his heart. Such agony was only experienced during the first and second phases of Spirit Vision. By the time Du Wei had entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, the pain had already vanished, yet now it resurfaced, more excruciating than before. Psychologically, he could maintain absolute rationality and calm, but he could not control the physiological feedback. At this moment, Du Wei even felt his heart beating violently, as if his blood were boiling, and his vision began to be covered with ayer of red. Crack... a sound. The mask on Du Wei''s face developed a crack that slowly spread from the area around his right eye downwards to his chin, where it finally shattered with a crisp sound. The mask was Du Wei''s best tool for dealing with the Evil Spirit. Not only could it resist the Evil Spirit, but wearing it also granted him the identity of an Evil Spirit, something that absolutely could not be destroyed. Therefore, Du Wei fiercely smashed the ss vial of Holy Water onto the ground. With a smack... Shards flew in all directions. Du Wei gritted his teeth, forcibly controlled his body, and fell backwards, tumbling out of the bus. Raindrops hit him, the air was incredibly moist. But as he came out, the nun also appeared at the rear door, looking down at him from above. 5 seconds left... Du Wei''s left hand violently pulled out the silver cross dagger belonging to Andrew Dowqui, and without even drawing it outpletely, he threw it at the nun. Then, with his right hand, he took out the ring... But the nun''s foot had already stepped out, and in the next second she would be able to fully step out, beyond which without the constraints of the rules, the one to die would definitely be Du Wei. "I still have a chance..." As this thought shed through his mind, Du Wei stood up immediately. His right hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, held the ring and pressed forward towards the nun. To block the door... The nun hesitated for a moment and extended her hand towards Du Wei as well. This scene looked as if a man proposing was reaching out with an engagement ring to the woman he cherished most... But at that moment, the nun suddenly trembled, opened her mouth wide, and let out an incredibly sharp noise. This sound did not seem like it could be produced by human vocal cords, eerily chilling to the bone. Seeing this, understanding shed through Du Wei''s eyes, and he quickly retreated. Next second! The bus door closed, and the entire interior of the bus was reced by darkness. Bang! Bang! Bang! The noise was loud, as if the nun inside was frantically mming against the rear door. After an Evil Spirit possessed someone, their strength became frighteningly immense. Evil Spirit Du Wei could even hold Harry by the cor with one hand and lift him high up into the air. The nun was also possessing Marilyn Manson''s body, and while she struck madly, the bus did not show a single sign of shaking, almost as if it were not in the same space. With his body stiff, Du Wei watched the bus, but even under the Spirit Vision, he made no discoveries. Discover exclusive tales at empire He could not see what the nun inside was experiencing, but it certainly was the most terrifying scene. The seemingly mundane, outdated bus was, in fact, more dreadful than any Evil Spirit Du Wei had encountered so far.@@novelbin@@ This thing, it was specifically designed against Evil Spirits... ``` Chapter 120 119. Dead Water 16:01.@@novelbin@@ The coffee shop near the psychological counseling clinic. Du Wei and Officer Tom sat in the corner by the window. On the table in front of them were three photos of dead bodies. Experience new stories with empire The photos were taken in different locations: a garbage heap, a hallway, and at home. What was the same was that each body was Asian, and their appearance somewhat resembled Du Wei. "The locations where the bodies were found started at the border between North Brook District and Ondo Area, and then, like arrows, they extended towards your home, Mr. Du Wei. I think this might be targeted at you," "Also, take a look at this." Tom looked at Du Wei, who sat across from him with an expressionless face, then took out his cell phone, opened the saved surveince video, and handed it to him. Du Wei took the cell phone, and his gaze was immediately drawn to the surveince video. The surveince video was ck and white and a bit blurry due to lighting issues, with the location being inside a hallway. First, an Asian man appeared in the hallway, leaning against the wall and smoking cigarette after cigarette. He did look a bit like Du Wei, but he was shorter, and his demeanor was dejected, not at all the same type. After thinking for a moment, Du Wei narrowed his eyes and fast-forwarded the video. Suddenly, a tall man in a raincoat, holding a sharp dagger, stepped into the hallway step by step. His pace was strange, not like that of a normal person walking, or like someone with a leg disability, but rather more mechanical and stiff. Because of the angle, Du Wei couldn''t see the man''s face, only that the Asian man, who looked a lot like him, was instantly startled when he appeared. That panicked, terrified look was as if he had seen a ghost. The cigarette fell from the Asian man''s hand, and he violently ran backwards. Then, the man holding the dagger suddenly thrust it forward. The dagger pierced straight through the Asian man''s back and chest, and blood instantly covered the floor. Next, the man walked up to the Asian man who was on the ground, trembling, with a stiff neck, pulled out the dagger and ced it under his chin, and gently made a cut. Blood gushed out in an instant, but in the ck-and-white footage, one could only see arge amount of fluid spilling out, spreading gradually on the floor, and slowly creeping down the stairs of the hallway. Then, the tall man in the raincoat walked away. At this point, the video progress bar had reached the end, and Du Wei was about to hand the phone back to Tom, but just then, the surveince video suddenly started ying again. But this time, it seemed to be in reverse... The man in the raincoat, walking backwards step by step, returned to the surveince camera and abruptly lifted his head. In an instant, a gaunt face with eyes gouged out and hexagram patterns appeared on the screen. Is this thing an Evil Spirit? But it seems rted to the Veda Sect... Du Wei pondered to himself, his gaze unnervingly calm, as if he hadn''t seen a thing. He shielded the screen with his hand while asking Tom, "At the end of this video, does a face appear?" Tom looked at him in surprise, "No, isn''t it just the killer leaving at the end of the video?" Du Wei nodded in understanding and said softly, "This is rted to those cultists. It seems they''ve conjured something like an Evil Spirit and want to kill me." Tom frowned and said, "Because of what?" Du Wei shook his head and said, "I''m not sure of the specific reason, but this thing has probably set its eyes on me now, and I estimate it wille for me tonight." "What?" Tom''s face changed immediately and he said, "I will arrange for someone to protect you. These damn cultists should be sent straight to hell." Du Wei looked at Tom and said indifferently, "No need, ordinary people can''t handle this kind of thing. I will deal with it myself. If you really want to help me, you should take care of the aftermath once it''s all over." Tom, troubled, said, "Are you sure you can handle it? It seems like it has a physical form?" Du Wei smiled faintly, "Of course I can." As he said this, his heart was cold. These cultists were like rats hiding in the dark sewers, fond of scurrying about, not only revolting but also terrifyingly fanatical. If possible, this time he nned to give them a surprise. Seeing Du Wei''s insistence, Tom could only helplessly say, "Alright then, I''ll leave it to the professionals. You''re an exorcist, so I''ll stay out of this." As he spoke, it seemed he recalled something and added another sentence, "By the way, a wealthy man named Alex reported your disappearance to the police, and some of my subordinates told me that it seems you made a trip to the Hill Psychiatric Hospital?" Du Wei hummed in acknowledgment and said, "Yes, there was an Evil Spirit incident there. I went with the church''s exorcists, and we''ve already resolved it." Tom spoke with a strange expression, "Well, your way of resolving things is really violent. Half of the psychiatric hospital was burned down in a fire, and the director''s head was twisted off. It hasn''t been found yet, and the way he died is exactly like those cultists." "Also, a mentally ill patient named Ryan has gone missing." Hearing this, Du Wei furrowed his brows. After some thought, he said, "I think I understand. Are you investigating Ryan''s whereabouts?" Tom sighed and said, "Of course we are, and we''ve even gotten some information from another mental patient." "He said a group of people entered his mansion without permission, iming the mansion belonged to his dearest woman and took Ryan away..." Du Wei felt a headacheing on. Although Ryan had nothing to do with him and was still a mentally ill patient, he had helped him, after all. But at the moment, his fate was unknown. He closed his eyes and thought calmly. Those people must have appeared after he and James and the others had left; otherwise, Father Tony would have mentioned it on the phone. That meant a group had been keeping an eye on what was happening at the psychiatric hospital. Was it the Veda Sect... or some other organization? With insufficient information, Du Wei could not make many useful deductions. Perhaps Father Tony knew something, but he could not go to the church now, nor did he want to contact Father Tony. Because the Evil Spirit Transformation had not stabilized, there was a chance he could expose himself in public. If Father Tony discovered he was a hunter capable of Evil Spirit Transformation, considering the church''s stance, they probably wouldn''t give this "excellent" exorcist any leeway. "Let it be for now..." He stood up and said calmly to Tom. Tom shrugged and said, "Well... I''ll inform you if there''s any news. When do you think you''ll take care of that Evil Spirit? I''m probably going to the Red Light District on duty today and might only have some free time tonight." Du Wei asked in surprise, "Are you sure you''re going to the Red Light District on duty? And not for something else?" Tom touched his nose and said sheepishly, "How could I possibly be going for anything else? As a New York police officer, it''s my duty to crack down on the unsavory elements there. Besides, there have been too many casestely, and we need some action to divert the public''s attention." "Actually, I don''t really want to go personally, but recently, every time I get off work, my beautiful neighbor has been looking at me longingly from her third-floor window. I''d really like something to happen with her, so the Red Light District isn''t that appealing to me anymore." Du Wei didn''t know what to say and could only nod and reply, "I''ll probably take care of that thing tonight. I''ll call you then." Chapter 121 120, Im coming in... (Monthly ticket?) After bidding farewell to Officer Tom, Du Wei downloaded a copy of the surveince video from his phone and instructed the other party to delete the original video. The Evil Spirit is contagious. In a sense, as long as the absolute conditions are met, anyone could be targeted and killed by it. Though Du Wei felt that the Evil Spirit rted to the Veda Sect seemed to only go after people who looked like him, he didn''t rule out the possibility of it shifting its target. Unless utterly powerless, one must always be prepared. As he walked, he lit a cigarette for himself, "If people from the Veda Secte to the clinic again tonight, I probably won''t have to worry about these cultists for a long time." "Or if I can find out their current location, then I could send them a little ''express delivery'' ahead of time." He was referring to the photo of the shadow. However, Du Wei knew that all he needed to do now was to wait quietly. Dealing with the Evil Spirit, the people of the Veda Sect wouldn''t sit idly by. ording to the behavior of these fanatics, they would surely appear again. The Veda Sect lurks in the shadows, this move is like that of hunter and prey. First, it was Roy, then those four heads. The conflicts they had with Du Wei, whether indirect or direct, weren''t new. But previously, he was busy resolving the curse on him and didn''t have the time to deal with these cultists. Now, however, things are different. The curse on him doesn''t need immediate attention, and dealing with the threat of the Evil Spirit Transformation will take some time to address. Uh-huh... He now has all the time he needs to concoct a n against these cultists. And when that timees, it will be Du Wei''s turn to make a move. As for how to deal with that Evil Spirit, Du Wei already had a n in mind. Though it was unclear what its mechanism for killing was, it appeared that it could spread through videos. It was just uncertain whether it was limited to him. Uh-huh... He nned to watch the surveince video at home, over and over, signaling his location to the Evil Spirit. Once it entered his home, it wouldn''t be up to the spirit anymore. ... The coffee shop and the psychological clinic were on the same street. A few minutester, carrying his bag, Du Wei arrived at his doorstep. The storage cab was properly ced, and the neighbor''s house didn''t have any ck sedans parked by it. Uh-huh... speaking of cars. After the fire at the psychiatric hospital, ording to Officer Tom, his Subaru had been parked too close and got burned down to just the frame by the big fire. Meaning, he would have to find time to buy another car. Du Wei sighed. Had he known this would happen, he should have thrown the car keys to James and the others, letting them move the car for him. He was a bit short on money right now... Returning his gaze to his front door, Du Wei habitually entered the Spirit Vision state for a quick scan. As before, he could feel the faint eerie sensation from inside the clinic. However, rtive to before, it was much quieter. The Evil Spirit didn''t like the day; it became active only at night. But now, the bnce in his house had been reestablished, and there shouldn''t be any issues for the time being. Everything was ordinary. The storage cab by the front door held some letters, including responses mailed from previous patients, as well as utility and water bills for the house. Du Wei took those letters out, wiped off the water stains on the cab''s sign, which read ¡ª "Not home long-term: please drop packages and letters inside, do not stuff in the door crack to avoid disturbance." Then he took out his house keys, opened the door, and went inside. Upon entering, he caught a faint smell of mold, due to the doors and windows being closed all the time, with no venttion. But mingled with it was a barely discernible scent of blood. It seemed to have been there for a while, but was almost entirely dissipated. At the psychiatric hospital, he showed the photo of the shadow to Director Taylor. The man had died in a manner akin to a wrung towel, death couldn''t be more definitive, and ording to the habit of the shadow, it would have taken the head back with it. Suddenly... With a bang, the door behind him mmed shut. In a corner where the light didn''t reach, a shadow slowly spread. In the Spirit Vision state, Du Wei clearly saw the presence of the shadow. It was ring at him with unabashed malice filling the room. On the wall, inside the framed cab, Annabelle also trembled and twisted her head to look over. As for the Antique Clock, it continued as usual, its hands ovepped, ticking mechanically and regrly. Without paying much attention to the shadow, Du Wei nced at it and walked straight toward the staircase. The scent of blood wasing from the second floor. Behind him, a dark shadow stared at Du Wei''s retreating figure, shuddered, but still chose not to make a move. Annabelle also regained tranquility, though her doll body, which had been forcibly stuffed back by the Evil Spirit Du Wei, had be somewhat deformed. Suddenly, it stretched out a little andy quietly inside. It was as if the return of Du Wei had restored some of its power. As for the woman''s face, it had died in the Evil Spirit Du Wei''s face-swapping mechanism. The same old saying, it was too weak¡­ ... Tap tap tap¡­ Footsteps sounded. Du Wei ascended the stairs, and at the corner of the second floor, right opposite the restroom,y a head covered in bloodstains, motionless. The bloodstains hadpletely coagted by now, but one could still vaguely make out the visage of Mrs. Taylor, the director. "Need to find some time to dispose of all these heads¡­" Du Wei''s tone was somewhat strange, he suddenly had the illusion that he was involuntarilybeled with a collector''s tag. From the Evil Spirit to the heads, the strange things in his house were umting. If it continued like this, he might need to prepare a separate empty room to store these mediums of the Evil Spirit. ... Evening. Officer Tom drove to the Red Light District. Experience tales at empire His subordinates had already deployed and were only waiting for his arrival tomence the operation. It''s worth mentioning that the Red Light District was located in the street just behind his home. As he passed his house, he unconsciously slowed down the car and nced up at the third-floor window of his neighbor''s home, where the beautiful neighbor, as usual, stood by the window. He couldn''t help but brake and rolled down the window, smiling at the other party. In recent days, whenever he returned home from work, he could see the beautiful neighbor standing at the third-floor window, gazing at him tenderly. Although he didn''t know the neighbor, they had bumped into each other several times and her figure and appearance very much suited his taste. Thus, Tom felt sure she was definitely interested in him. But at this moment, the woman at the third-floor window suddenly seemed to lose strength, leaning forward, her head mming against the window pane, then she copsed heavily backward. The smile on Tom''s face froze¡­ "What the fuck?" ... By now, night had quietly fallen. Inside the psychotherapy clinic. Du Wei had just finished cleaning up the bloodstains left by the head and entered the restroom. Inside the restroom, the mirror waspletely shattered, and fragments scattered everywhere on the floor. Frowning, he turned on the faucet, and the clear water slowly began to fill up. After freshening up, Du Wei let out a long breath. The contest with the Evil Spirit Du Wei had urred two days ago, but for him, only a day had passed. Now without a mirror, he couldn''t see his own face, but he figured he must look quite refreshed. "It''s time to begin¡­" The expression slowly faded from his face, returning to that immensely calm demeanor. Whenever he made contact with the Evil Spirit, he had to be careful and cautious, maintaining a calm and rational state at all times, controlling his emotions. Fear, terror, all negative emotions became nourishment for the Evil Spirit. ... 19:21. On the first floor of the clinic. Du Wei sat on the sofa, his eyes reflecting the surveince video on the phone screen. He had watched it over ten times. Each time he finished, thest frame showing eyes being plucked out made the gaunt face appear more and more sinister. As the progress bar jumped to the end once again, Du Wei distinctly saw a strange smile appear on that face. The ck-and-white video flickered, the background turned snowy, as if the phone had broken, making that face even more terrifying. The Evil Spirit in the video opened its mouth wide at Du Wei, whispering with each movement. From the phone came a chilling voice.@@novelbin@@ "I''ming in¡­" Chapter 122 121, one hand Inside the house. After the phrase "I''ming in..." fell, the entire atmosphere in the house became oppressive. Under Spirit Vision, he could feel something seeming to wander outside the door. He could understand that sentence; the knock of a shadow-like figure induced fear or perhaps involved some kind of mechanism. But this was useless against Du Wei; when facing the Evil Spirit, he would suppress all emotions, retaining only reason and calm. Stay connected via empire He found it a little strange... From the beginning until now, he had never encountered an Evil Spirit that could speak, the only exception being Evil Spirit Du Wei, but that situation should be understood as possession. Yet this thing could talk through a video, which was very... inconsistent with themon knowledge of Evil Spirits. "Perhaps, it isn''t an Evil Spirit..." Du Wei muttered softly, unbothered by the terrifying, thrilling face on the screen, allowing it to stare intensely at him, then turned his head to look inside the room. The light was dim, with many areas shrouded in darkness. This wasn''t intentional, but rather because the light bulbs at home were mostly blown out, with only one still working, which also appeared quite dim. At that moment, he noticed that in the corners not reached by the light, where shadows lurked, a ck figure had silently emerged, staring at Du Wei but hesitating as if unsure whether to approach. And on the wall, within the framed cab, Annabelle, though unchanged, was sending out a gradual, indistinct chill that spread throughout. There was a peculiar look on Du Wei''s face; both the ck shadow and Annabelle were undergoing changes, but they were not as intense as before. Even the Antique Clock was silent. There were now three Evil Spirits in the house: the mysterious antique, Annabelle whom Du Wei had brought home, and the ck shadow that was growing stronger by the day. It was like a tangled power struggle; the ck shadow and Annabelle were both terrifying to a simr degree, both full of malice towards Du Wei. The Antique Clock was even more powerful, upying a dominant position, with an ambiguous stance. However, it seemed that whether through the ability to see death scenes or something else, it held goodwill towards Du Wei. Of course, it was also possible that it was biding its time, waiting for the right moment, with everything so far being only a facade. And when that time came, it would reveal its sharpest fangs, delivering a fatal blow to Du Wei. ... But something was off now. A new Evil Spirit had set its sights on Du Wei; something wanted to enter the clinic, and the reactions of the three Evil Spirits were lukewarm... Completely different from before. This means that, in all likelihood, the Evil Spirit that the Veda Sect had concocted was probably not that strong. It would be easy for it to kill ordinary people, and even an average Exorcist might die at its hands if they were careless, but it was basically impossible for it to kill Du Wei in the clinic. In other words, it was possible that after this Evil Spirit entered the house, the household Evil Spirits would not react much. This was a bit troublesome... Du Wei nced at the ck shadow and had a bold idea. Then, he directly picked up his phone and walked over to the ck shadow. The ck shadow stretched out its hand but then paused, its blood-red eyes fixated on Du Wei. But Du Wei just smiled at it, orienting the screen to show the face of the Evil Spirit from the surveince video to the ck shadow. One of the ck shadow''s methods of spreading was through the eyes; when you see it, it also sees you. Immediately after, the feeling Du Wei got from the ck shadow changed, bing even darker, staring intently at the phone screen, standing in the corner, more deathly silent. But Du Wei knew that when that Evil Spirit came in, it probably wouldn''t remain indifferent. This was interesting... With that thought, he narrowed his eyes and suddenly looked towards the door. The sensation of being tightly locked on was bing ever fainter, and no more movement could be heard from outside the door¡ªas if that suspected Evil Spirit, sensing the horror of the clinic, had suddenly left. However, under the Spirit Vision state, Du Wei always felt an indescribable eeriness. He always believed that the Evil Spirit wouldn''t just break through the door so crudely, since that would be just too rough. Being able to lock onto him through a video, how could it possibly not have any crafty methods up its sleeve? "It''s waiting for an opportunity..." Du Wei nced at his phone screen and then towards the door. Outside, there was silence. In this season, one should be able to hear insects chirping, but apart from his own breathing and the ticking of the clock hands, nothing else could be heard. So, after a moment of thought, he ced his phone on the coffee table and took two steps towards the door before stopping. Spirit Vision is a byproduct of being eroded by an Evil Spirit¡ªthe deeper the erosion, the more one can see, and correspondingly, the speed of Evil Spirit Transformation elerates. This time, after getting off the bus, Du Wei''s Spirit Vision had be slightly stronger than before, enabling him to see more information. As he approached the door, the oppressive feeling on the other side, perceived through his Spirit Vision, intensified. "There''s something standing at the door..." Du Wei silently uttered in his mind, as the peculiar color in his eyes grew even denser. At that moment, the atmosphere turned eerily quiet, permeating through the inside and outside of the clinic, bing increasingly uncanny. The hands of the Antique Clock continued to move mechanically. Du Wei stood about three meters from the door, motionless, as the dim light shining on him faded gradually until, with a snap, the light went outpletely. In an instant, the entire room plunged into darkness, with only a faint light still present. It was the phone screen repeatedly ying the surveince video. But when the progress bar reached the end again, and the Evil Spirit walked beneath the surveince camera, looking up, the thin and bony, eyeless horrific face stopped moving... The video did not rey again; it was as if the progress bar was stuck. Then, the Evil Spirit in the footage suddenly reached out its hand and poked upwards. From this angle, it seemed as though it was poking the surveince camera. But this was a surveince video saved on Du Wei''s phone... The next second, the video closed and the phone screen turned off. ... At the door, Du Wei was staring at it, but all he could see was darkness, barely making out the door''s vague silhouette. His expression was somewhat grim. Under the Spirit Vision state, for some reason, the Evil Spirit at the door gave him a strange feeling.@@novelbin@@ The unusual oppressive aura was fading away. As if the Evil Spirit standing outside had given up the idea of killing him and was slowly leaving. But this felt very wrong. Because through Spirit Vision, Du Wei did indeed feel something standing outside. However, the scent he caught was that of human blood. "What''s standing outside must be a corpse then, which means, in actuality, you''ve been inside all along." Having said that, he abruptly turned his head to look towards the couch. In the Spirit Vision state, a thin and emaciated hand reached out from the phone screen and pressed down on the coffee table. The skin on the arm was gray and corpse-like, tainted with the stench of blood, as if it had just killed someone, leaving a bloody handprint on the coffee table. Seeing this, Du Wei frowned. He didn''t like the smell of blood, nor did he like corpses. Chapter 125 124, Goliath Winery May 26th, 9:00 AM. In the reception room of the church in North Brook District. Du Wei and Father Tony were still sitting as before, one on a chair and the other behind a desk. However, this time, Father Tony''s expression was very solemn. "Mr. Du Wei, you did very well this time, and the church has a high opinion of you. They''ve decided to entrust you with all of New York''s Evil Spirit cases. Do you have any other thoughts on this?" "Not really, but isn''t this too soon?" "The church has made this decision after careful consideration. Your abilities surpass those of James and the others, and under the current circumstances, we can hardly find anyone more suitable than you." "Okay, what do I need to do? What will I get?" Upon hearing this, Father Tony nodded and said, "What you need to do is, until the situation in Massas City is resolved, handle the Evil Spirit cases in New York. In fact, there is a suspected Evil Spirit case here that requires your intervention." "Besides the sry and benefits of an exorcist, you will also receive items for exorcism provided by the church." As he spoke, to Du Wei''s surprise, Father Tony took out a rectangr wooden box. Upon opening the box, therey a ck, old-fashioned, long-handled ck umbre. It looked exactly like the ck umbres carried by the Evil Spirits on the bus. Du Wei narrowed his eyes. Even without entering Spirit Vision, he could clearly sense the subtle and eerie aura emanating from the umbre. "What use is this thing?" He looked it over, acknowledging that there were too few items capable of countering Evil Spirits. Being responsible for all the Evil Spirit events in New York meant he would face even greater dangers. Father Tony took the ck umbre out and handed it to Du Wei, saying, "This umbre has an ancient history, a product from thest century. It is said to be a noble''s favorite collection and has been passed down in the church for a long time. The first person to use it had some connection with you." Du Wei took the ck umbre and said with curiosity, "Connected to me?" Father Tony nodded and continued, "Yes, its first owner was Mr. Andrew Dowqui. However, after he became a hunter, the umbre was left to other exorcists and now its owner has be you." Du Wei''s expression was somewhat unusual. He tilted his head to the side, signaling for him to go on. Father Tony then said, "As long as you open this umbre, ordinary Evil Spirits will not be able to touch you. This will be of great help to you while dealing with Evil Spirits. Moreover, this umbre is well-crafted; you needn''t worry about it getting damaged." Buttons shining, Du Wei examined the ck umbre closely. The entire surface of the fabric was neat and clean. Although it was from thest century, it showed no signs of wear, indicating that its previous owners had cherished it dearly. The whole handle was made of solid wood, coated with ayer ofcquer that made it perfectly straight. When caressed, one could feel a distinct coolness to the touch. Du Wei set it aside and, pretending to be curious, turned to Father Tony and asked, "Honestly, I''m very curious about Mr. Andrew Dowqui''s story. How did he be a hunter, and why has the church''s attitude toward hunters changed so drastically from thest century?" Father Tony let out a bitterugh and said, "These matters were not supposed to be disclosed to ordinary exorcists. But you should be reporting to the church soon enough, and you''ll find out eventually." So, he began to exin, "Hunters began to emerge in thest century as an abnormal mutation in people who entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. They are more like Evil Spirits¡ªmore powerful." "That was the church''s heyday. But as the hunters deepened in their Evil Spirit Transformation, their consciousness began to warp, and hardly any humanity could be seen in them." "And when humanitypletely vanishes, that is the final step of Evil Spirit Transformation. Hunterspletely turn into Evil Spirits..." "The literal kind, and they are more terrifying than ordinary Evil Spirits, inflicting massive damage on the church." "By now, you must have noticed that the church has weakened considerably. The number of personnel responsible for exorcism is only in the thousands, and some, like you, joined halfway through." A glimmer of understanding passed through Du Wei''s eyes, and he asked the question of greatest interest to him, "That sounds regrettable. Can''t the risk of Evil Spirit Transformation be resolved?" Father Tony fell silent for a while, as if considering whether to speak. Du Wei was in no hurry and waited quietly. His questions were all thought out in advance, showing aplete profile of an exorcist who was curious about hunters and sympathetic. There were no concerns about Father Tony detecting anything amiss. Sure enough, after a moment, Father Tony spoke with aplex tone, "The chances of sess are not very high... The five hunters imprisoned in the church''s dungeon are examples of sess, even though they often develop issues." "Actually, the church is nning to send a hunter to Massas soon." At this, Du Wei''s pupils contracted, "What happens after the situation is resolved? What will be of that hunter? Will he still be imprisoned in the dungeon?" Father Tony sighed and replied, "Of course, they will be. They are all on the verge of losing control and cannot stay outside for too long." "Don''t they have anyints?" "Their consciousness is troubled, they are hardly ever lucid, but I can tell you that the church did not conceal these issues while helping them with their problems." "They all volunteered." ""Well, this is truly a world of despair." Find your next read on empire Du Wei''s tone was somewhatplex, feeling an irresistibly strong urge to vent. From his initial encounter with an Evil Spirit to bing an Exorcist, the time had been brief, yet the impressions were profound. The church wasn''t as powerful as he had imagined, even heading into its twilight. The Evil Spirits had never weakened, with no sense of bnce in sight. This was precisely because, based on the poption, the proportion of Evil Spirits was minuscule; otherwise, no one could survive in this world. At this moment, however, Father Tony shook his head at Du Wei and spoke in a deep voice, "Mr. Du Wei, this world might seem sad, but it is not without hope." "The church is already working on a way to let hunters maintain their self-awareness," he added. Hearing this, Du Wei agreed, saying, "Well, that''s good news. But why do you know so much secret information? It seems different from what you''ve said before." Father Tonyughed awkwardly, "Don''t misunderstand, I''m not hiding anything from you anymore. In fact, it''s because my status within the church increased a bit after you uncovered the information about the busst time, so I was able to learn these things." As he spoke, he looked at Du Wei with some curiosity and asked, "Are you interested in hunters?" Du Wei responded indifferently, "Why not? Mr. Andrew saved me once in a sense, you understand, right?" Father Tony had only asked casually, and seeing Du Wei''s response, his curiosity waned. Then he stood up and rubbed his lower back; he was getting older, and his back wasn''t very good. Meanwhile, Du Wei was sorting through the information, and now he had a headache. It seemed the church had a potential solution to the menace, but it was still in the experimental phase, and the chances of sess were slim. The critical point was that the church''s attitude toward hunters was something he had heard from Father Tony, in other words, one side of the story. Without having seen it with his own eyes or knowing more, Du Wei was not going to reveal his identity. A hunter who hadn''tpletely lost control, if discovered by the church given the current situation, would likely be turned into a tool forbating Evil Spirits, or perhaps an experimental subject? That an exorcism power so dreaded its own top hunters only highlighted its extreme internal weakness. Thinking this, Du Wei asked Father Tony the question on his mind. He folded his arms, his gaze inscrutable, "By the way, the Veda Sect made a move on me. I encountered a corpse that seemed like an Evil Corpse." "What?" Father Tony was taken aback, then immediately walked over to Du Wei, asking urgently, "You mean the corpse? Was it very simr to a mummy, with all of its organs hollowed out?" Du Wei thought about the dissected corpse in his home, his expression odd, "Hmm... pretty much, but I''ve taken care of it. I''m very curious about what this thing is all about." Father Tony took a deep breath, his tone angry, "That''s desecration. Those people from the Veda Sect are all fiends who belong in hell... they really deserve to die!" p... Father Tony couldn''t help but m the table hard. Then with a voice filled with loathing, he said, "That body must have killed many people when alive, which is why it was chosen as material by the Veda Sect." "Material?" "Yes, its soul would be tormented, bound to something, often a weapon used to kill, and the Veda Sect would use a curse-like method to put the information of their target within the chest of the corpse." "The more specific the information, the faster the corpse can find its target." "And such a thing, internally called by the church as the Evil Corpse, is not an Evil Spirit, but it possesses some simr properties." ...@@novelbin@@ After leaving the church, Du Wei had an additional ck umbre and a dossier on the suspected Evil Spirit incident. Having received benefits from the church, he was also expected to resolve some trouble in return. However, ording to what Father Tony had said, the matter wasn''t troublesome, and even the existence of the Evil Spirit was ambiguous. So, he decided to take advantage of the free time to check it out, and at night, he would deal with the Veda Sect. By then, he would give the people of the Veda Sect a huge surprise. He hailed a car and instructed the driver, "To Goliath Winery..." Then he sat in the backseat and opened the dossier. [Goliath Winery is located in the western suburbs of New York. Its owner, 31-year-old divorcee Goliath Viktor, encountered some strange phenomena a few days ago. She found that there was an invisible person in the winery...] Chapter 127 126, the thirty-first person ``` "Before I have seen the Evil Spirit, I cannot give you an urate judgment. Please tell me about the invisible person." "Alright... then I''ll continue," said Avery. "This is how it is: besides myself, there were a total of thirty people at Goliath Winery, including servants and the old butler who watched me grow up." "When I saw those scratches on the balcony, I thought they might be rted to the Evil Spirit, so I was really worried that someone might be in danger." "Therefore, I called everyone together, but then I found that there was one extra person in the winery."@@novelbin@@ "I counted over and over, but no matter what, there were thirty-one people." "I remember everyone very clearly, but I just couldn''t find the thirty-first person." ... After listening to Victor''s story, Du Wei fell into a moment of contemtion, entering a state of Spirit Vision. Looking around, there was nothing abnormal inside the entire winery. Including the Victor beside him, this thirty-one-year-old mature woman seemed very normal aside from being intellectual; her mind was clear, and her speech coherent. She didn''t appear to be troubled at all. The servant he had just met at the entrance appeared the same. It seemed that everything at the winery was as normal as it could be. But if what Victor said was true, then this so-called normalcy might just be duckweed on the surface of calm water. Once disturbed, it could reveal a horror so suffocating that it took one''s breath away. The people he had been with day and night were only thirty in number, yet a thirty-first could be counted, without being able to discern who the extra person was. Considering the current state of Ms. Victor, it seemed that the extra person, or the Evil Spirit, had not yet taken any action. At this time, the two arrived at the main hall, where a party was in progress. The lighting in the hall was soft. The faint aroma of wine tantalized the nostrils, involuntarily rxing the mind. Du Wei nced over the hall, where many elegantly dressed socialites were conversing, but they kept their voices to a low hum, so he couldn''t make out what they were talking about. They also noticed Du Wei and Victor, pausing with a curious nce before nodding their heads in acknowledgement, without saying much. The gathering was initiated by Victor, and the guests were there merely to partake, with conversations mainly focused on maintaining rtionships and business interests. Victor politely offered to Du Wei, "Do you need me to introduce you to anyone?" "No need," Du Wei replied indifferently. "I''m here solely for the investigation, to resolve the incident with the Evil Spirit." In fact, he had no desire to interact with those people. Even though making acquaintances with high society could benefit one''s social development, for Du Wei, it held no significance at all. The experiences and tasks he was involved with were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Moreover, differences in social hierarchy made it difficult to findmon ground for conversation. That is the so-called chasm. As for Avery... she was unique. Victor smiled and then said, "Shall I take you to the second floor to see the scratches now?" Du Wei nodded, "Of course." As he finished speaking, he entered the state of Spirit Vision. For some reason, after entering the main hall of the house, he began to feel a vague sense of oppression, as if something had be aware of his presence because of his arrival. It could be the Evil Spirit, but strangely enough, Du Wei did not feel any malice. ``` Just as Viktor had mentioned before, her ancestors hade into possession of an object that could ensure the safety of the winery. So, while Du Wei and Viktor were going upstairs, Du Wei began to ask, "Could you tell me more about that object your family acquired?" Viktor, walking ahead on the right, didn''t turn back, "I''m sorry, Mr. Du Wei, but I''m not clear about that object either. I was very young when I saw some rted records in notes left by my ancestors." "The notes? May I take a look at them? If it''s inconvenient, you could just tell me about them." With an apologetic tone, Viktor said, "Those notes mysteriously disappeared many years ago, and I have not been able to find them to this date. However, we do have some rted oil paintings in my room. I can show them to you." Du Wei nodded, "Alright." As they talked, the two of them reached the second floor. It was at this moment, a woman wearing a beige dress, exuding an exceptional aura, with both figure and appearance that left no room for criticism, walked into the hall. It was Alex¡­ In an instant, all the people in the hall, regardless of gender, turned their attentive gazes towards her, their faces breaking into weing smiles. Alex, however, merely nodded slightly as a greeting. Had it not been for Alex''s family having past coborations with the Goliath Viktor family, with her status and position, she may very well not have considered attending this gathering. But just then, Alex raised her head and suddenly saw a familiar silhouette going up to the second floor with Viktor. Her mood soured in an instant! "Why is he here?! Could it be that..." ... On the second floor, in Viktor''s room. Contrary to expectations, the room wasrge and filled with numerous artworks, with oil paintings and some sculptures hanging on the walls. What caught the eye was arge storage rack right after the entrance, with eachpartment housing a bottle of aged wine. The bed and furniture appeared to be further in, closer to the balcony. Viktor led Du Wei inside and eventually stopped in front of the oil paintings. She pointed to one of the paintings and said to Du Wei, "Please take a look. I hope it can be of help to you." Du Wei hummed a response without speaking and stared intently at it. The painting had a dark style, with a forest in the background, and a man in a tailcoat who looked decidedly out of ce. He was holding a bunch of red flowers, stretching them upwards. At his feety an opened box. Surrounding him was also a snarling wolf... Du Wei wasn''t knowledgeable about paintings, but the painting gave him an oddly mismatched feeling, no matter how he looked at it. Therefore, he asked, "Is the man in this painting an experience of your ancestors?" Viktor nodded, "Yes, he is my great-grandfather, Howard Victor. Our family was not originally from New York. He traveled through what was then Esselgreen, the Siari Forest, to settle in New York and established the Goliath Winery here." Du Wei pondered, "So, ording to your family''s records, the earliest simr events they encountered started with your great-grandfather?" Viktor frowned, "Not exactly. Such events began happening in my grandfather''s generation. As for that object, it was obtained by my great-grandfather." Du Wei nodded slowly, mentally noting this information. Suddenly, his pupils constricted, and he swiftly turned his gaze towards the balcony. Stay updated through empire Under the Spirit Vision, a man in a tailcoat, his face unclear, stood at the balcony... Chapter 130 129, The extra person (please recommend) After Du Wei finished speaking, he took off the mask. Alex took a deep breath, gently embraced him, and caressed his back as she whispered, "My dear, besides leaving, is there anything else I can do to help you?" Du Wei shook his head and said, "I have to do this myself, and I am going to get you out of here now." Alex nodded somewhat helplessly. She gently let go of the embrace and took Du Wei''s hand as they walked toward the hall. But in her heart, she thought that she must find a way to help Du Wei in the future, to not let him face these dangerous things alone. After all, New York is a city, and it''s almost like a joke that all the Evil Spirit incidents have to be resolved by her beloved man. The Church is just too unreliable! Readtest chapters at empire Alex did not know that although Du Wei was ostensibly an Exorcist, he was in fact a hunter. The extent of Du Wei''s Evil Spirit Transformation was no longer just confined to his Right Hand. He would gradually be like a hunter of the kind Andrew Dowqui was, possessing the abilities to deal with Evil Spirits. Of course, this would take some time for a safe transition. And now, with the mask, the lighter, and the ck Umbre, he would transition through this period safely. ¡­ The two of them walked down the stairs and into the hall. But at this point, the behavior of everyone there was somewhat beyond Du Wei''s expectations. Victor, despite announcing the cancetion of the gathering and chatting with them, for some reason, everyone reacted strangely. Du Wei pulled Alex forward. They then heard Victor''s somewhat impatient voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, I''m sorry, but let me repeat, the gathering is canceled for some reasons, and I will send gifts to apologizeter, but could you please leave the winery right now?" Concise and clear. But the others frowned and said, "Ms. Victor, you''ve already announced the gathering''s cancetion more than once. What exactly are you trying to say? Don''t you know that''s rude?" Victor''s expression was extremely awkward, "I''m sorry; what I want to tell you is to leave the winery quickly, it may not be safe here." "Sorry? What are you trying to tell me?" Du Wei heard these words with a sh of coldness in his eyes, turned to Alex, and asked, "Tell me, what exactly did Victor say?" "Huh?" Alex was somewhat puzzled but still said, "She said the gathering is canceled for some reason, there will bepensation gifts as an apology, and she also said she''s very sorry. What''s wrong?" Du Wei frowned and said, "These people are influenced; they can''t hear the words telling them to leave." Alex asked, puzzled, "Then why can I hear it when you tell me to leave?" Du Wei shook his head, "Maybe it''s because I''m an Exorcist." That''s what he said, but in his heart, he had another thought. Exorcists only have Spirit Vision and know how to deal with Evil Spirits, which doesn''t mean they are that much more special than ordinary people. In terms ofbat ability, a soldier with professional training could kill an Exorcist without it being a difficult task. And Du Wei was somewhat unique because he had entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and was in the process of Evil Spirit Transformation. He gripped the handle of the ck Umbre in his Right Hand a little tighter and thought to himself, "Perhaps this is one of the capabilities of an Evil Spirit, or it is the uniqueness of such people, the intention they convey won''t be twisted by an Evil Spirit." But this was not good news. Although Du Wei could certainly tell these people to leave, the current situation clearly indicated that the Evil Spirit had set its sights on everyone here and would not let them go so easily. Moreover, whether they could even leave Goliath Winery was still an unknown. With that thought... Du Wei entered directly into the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and looked around. All of a sudden, the scene before his eyes changed. The light gradually darkened. The entire hall gave off an air of subtle malevolence, as if something was lurking in the shadows of the corners, creating a ustrophobic atmosphere. It was like ayer of mist had enveloped the ce, uncanny and frightening. Some ck, thread-like fments gathered together, resembling spider webs, entangling everyone, Du Wei included. However, the majority of people had more fments on them, while Du Wei had fewer. His heart tightened as he nced at Alex, whose ck fments were so sparse they could barely be noticed unless one looked carefully. Apart from her, Victor gave Du Wei an even stranger feeling. This woman in her early thirties, divorced, seemedpletely unnoticed by the Evil Spirit, without any anomalies visible on her. Seeing these thread-like entities reminded Du Wei of two previous asions: the first was at Alex''s house, due to the Antique Clock and that ring. The second was when he encountered Mrs. Mina in the church and Du Wei gained the ability to see his own death. And the cause of that was the Golden Brooch... "Huff..." Du Wei sighed in relief and looked back at the crowd. He wanted to find the Evil Spirit and deal with it quickly. However, no matter how he searched, he couldn''t see the presence of the Evil Spirit... That was strange... He thought to himself, then exited the Spirit Vision state. The scene before his eyes reverted to its previous appearance. "Don''t leave my sight," Du Wei said to Alex before taking her hand and walking toward Victor. At this moment, Victor was visibly anxious, with a sheen of sweat on her forehead. Seeing Du Wei approach, she quickly came up to him and whispered, "Mr. Du Wei, they seem not to hear what I''m saying, what should I do?" Du Wei looked at her intently, quelling the doubts in his mind for the moment, and asked, "How many people are at this gathering, including myself?" "There are 41 people," Du Wei nodded, then began to count one by one. He had to include Victor in the count, as aside from her being the owner, the other servants together only amounted to thirty. Firstly, there were only three servants in this hall, so that made four. "5...6...10..." "22...44...45..."@@novelbin@@ "46?" Du Wei''s pupils contracted. Why were there 46 people? He thought about it, then counted again. It was still 46... Meaning, that extra person was among them in the hall. But just now in the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, he hadn''t been able to detect who this person could be... It was a mechanism of the Evil Spirit... Like on a bus, where one could only see the female Evil Spirit after the lights were turned off, a simr mechanism. "Things have gotten a bit troublesome," Du Wei muttered to himself and then said to Victor, "Announce that the gathering will proceed as usual, and please don''t tell them about the Winery''s situation, as that may cause some people to leave the hall." As long as they don''t leave the hall, there won''t be a change in numbers, ensuring that the unseen person is also within the hall. The next step was to find a way to locate it, and then kill it... After this Evil Spirit Transformation ended, Du Wei had yet to use his Right Hand to fight the Evil Spirit, and he was eager to know if it could cause harm to the Evil Spirit, just like the lighter and other objects. Chapter 134 133, reveal the cards? The game continued. As the Evil Spirit, the dealer continued to deal cards. During this process, Du Wei once again inquired, "You have a pair in your hand, but the odds are greater that my card value is higher than yours, right?" He wanted to continue probing the rules of the game, to explore whether the Evil Spirit was also bound by the rules. If it could only rigidly follow the rules, then perhaps there was some leeway to manipte this gamble. The other party didn''t speak. The already aberrant dealer, as if he hadn''t heard Du Wei''s words at all, dealt three cards to each of them. Then, it finally spoke, "It''s impossible for your hand to be better than mine." With calm, Du Wei asked, "Why is that? Is it because you can manipte the cards?" The other party nced at Du Wei but didn''t answer the question, and switched to calling the bets instead. It was as though it indeed followed the rules, unable to lie. Without looking at his own cards, Du Wei stared intently at the Evil Spirit. Now it was the second betting round, and the Evil Spirit had undergone an even more frightful transformation. Its features had grown more indistinct, and its body as well, with only the outline remaining discernible. Yet under the Spirit Vision state, Du Wei noticed that something was amiss with the body and facial contours of the Evil Spirit. It seemed to be an amalgamation of numerous people, every part having a familiar shadow from memory. Aggregate¡­ Ignoring it, Du Wei started to analyze in his mind. "ording to the current situation, when the game starts, the Evil Spirit as the dealer only speaks when calling bets, revealing no information at other times." "Based on this, although it didn''t answer whether it can control the cards, in actuality, it has already given an answer." Refusal to answer eliminates the definition of a lie. Because only when spoken, can truth be distinguished from falsehood. On the gambling table, the odds of winning or losing are fifty-fifty. Being certain of a win can only mean behind-the-scenes maniption. The oue had already been determined at the outset. But there''s also a possibility, that it''s been lying from the start¡­ However, this possibility is slight, because ording to the history of the Victor family, in every gathering''s gamble, everyone had lost. There was no precedent of anyone beating the so-called ''God of Gamblers'' of the Victor family and not boasting about it, but instead hiding it. Therefore, he still spoke with an even tone, "Please continue." It was possible that the Evil Spirit had been in a winning position from the start, but that was predicated on Du Wei being willing to y the game to the end. In other words, he could flip the table. Soon, the Evil Spirit continued to deal cards, and they arrived at the third round of betting. This time, the appearance of the Evil Spirit had almostpletely changed from what it was initially. Grotesque and horrifying¡­ There''s an indescribable sense of creepiness, as all the people Du Wei had ever seen merged into one at this moment. Its bodily outline became very swollen, murky beyond measure. The entire face seemed to have been crudely piled up with human faces, their features grotesque to the point of making one sick and unable to look directly at it. The more one looked at it, the more negative emotions umted. Even as Du Wei applied psychological suggestions to himself, aiming to maintain an absolutely calm and rational state, he still uncontrobly felt the impact. His head seemed to seize up, and his vision started to blur. In his ears, there seemed to echo a low and chilly whisper. As if countless people were praying. But this evil chorus of prayers didn''t impart a sense of tranquility. Instead, a restless impulsiveness arose from deep within. From the first bet, the Evil Spirit as the dealer began to exhibit terrifying changes. By the second, the third, the fourth, its horror would further reveal itself. Like a quagmire. The more you struggle and proceed, the deeper you sink, eventually to bepletely swallowed. ¡­ "Can something as dreadful as an Evil Spirit have such an influence over a person''s will? This is far more terrifying than just an evil spirit." "It''s hard to imagine how Andrew Dowqui once resolved the Evil Spirit incident in Yard City." Du Wei''s ck pupils were somewhat dim, and his eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, making him look a little fierce, just like a long-term insomniac. The struggle between willpower and the Evil Spirit''s influence waspletely disproportionate. This was no longer something that mere calmness and rationality could immunize one against. When everything one sees, hears, and even will itself was being twisted, the resulting rationality and calmness were invalid. The next second... Du Wei did not hesitate to enter Evil Spirit Transformation. His Right Hand suddenly underwent a transformation, eliciting a bone-chilling sensation. His entire demeanor became even colder. The frequency of his heartbeat gradually slowed down, like being doused with a bucket of ice water, and his consciousness suddenly became clear. There was no longer even the slightest ripple in his eyes. Evil Spirit Transformation is a transition from death to life. Hunters are a group destined for despair. The passing of humanity and the mutation of the body were all vividly manifested in Du Wei at this moment. But... He could still control it... In this state. Du Wei noticed that the appearance of the Evil Spirit before him had once again transformed. It was dressed in a tailcoat, wearing a monocle, and had a pocket watch hanging on its chest, one hand holding cards, and the other resting quietly on the gambling table. This made Du Wei even more familiar... "Howard Victor..." An image of the person from the oil painting, Victor''s great-grandfather, shed in Du Wei''s mind. Read exclusive chapters at empire He said to himself, "So, the Evil Spirit I saw on the second-floor balcony is actually Howard Victor, who is in fact, an Evil Spirit?" "No... If Howard Victor were the Evil Spirit, then I wouldn''t have thought it was an Evil Spirit when I encountered it earlier." "This means it is both an Evil Spirit and a part of the Evil Spirit." "Is the Evil Spirit possessing another Evil Spirit, or is it simply a vessel..." "If that''s the case, could the real Evil Spirit be this winery?" ... As he thought this, he locked eyes with it. This Howard Victor gave him a very strange feeling; just before it had appeared frightfully fierce, but now it seemed like a gentleman from thest century. If it weren''t for the eyes full of pitch ck, devoid of any white, an ordinary person would never suspect it wasn''t human. Of course... An ordinary person would also be incapable of seeing its true form. And now, all the cards had been dealt, and it was time for the final betting round. "Bets are ced; reveal the cards. Are you ready to lose?" It seemed that, seeing Du Wei''s continued silence, the Evil Spirit started to urge him. Du Wei knew that once he ced his bet and revealed his cards, no matter what they were, he would definitely lose. And if he lost, then the things that were used as stakes would be lost to this Evil Spirit. Whatever the loss might be, it was uneptable to him. So, he ignored the Evil Spirit across from him and stared at it with an expressionless face, not blinking, deathly still. To an onlooker, Du Wei seemed more like an Evil Spirit than the Evil Spirit itself. Across from him, Howard Victor seemed to have sensed Du Wei''s intentions and stood up, leaning across the gambling table towards Du Wei.@@novelbin@@ Itsplexion was gloomy, its gaze filled with a thick malignance and treachery, and its body stretched towards Du Wei in a posturepletely unsuited to human anatomy. Under the state of Spirit Vision, vast shadows also spread wildly. Then, it extended its arms, reaching for the deck of cards in front of Du Wei. During this, Du Wei acted as if he hadn''t seen anything, with one hand even dipping into his pocket, pulling out a lighter and a cigarette. He flicked the lighter gently. Snap... Chapter 136 135, JOKER At the gambling table. Du Wei sat opposite something that looked exactly like Howard Victor. Dead silence. So oppressive it was stifling. After announcing the identity-guessing game, both parties seemed to sink into deep thought, neither speaking. Behind him, Alex held a ck umbre, her beautiful features slightly pale and tense. She didn''t understand why Du Wei insisted on continuing the game. No matter how you looked at it, such a thing was terrifying to the extreme. And if the ck umbre could protect her and Du Wei''s safety, why not just leave straight away? She didn''t know about the stakes, so it was hard for her to understand Du Wei''s purpose. However, this experience had heightened her sense of crisis. Recalling how concerned Du Wei had been about the antiques at Berson Auction House, she wondered if she should pay more attention to simr items. ... At this time, Du Wei at the gambling table was pondering an issue concerning the Evil Spirit. His mind was no longer on the game. Because he was certain he would win.@@novelbin@@ Guessing identities was, rtively speaking, a rudimentary form of gambling. The rules were simple and direct: guess right and you win, guess wrong and you lose. For Du Wei, he had many identities: psychologist, Exorcist, hunter. Of course, the thing across the table knew his identity, which was certain. Because the game itself was inherently unfair. The identity of the opponent was more obscure; it could be the concept of the gambling game or a medium. However, in the current situation, Du Wei had skillfully shifted identities, using the most straightforward method to turn the tables to his advantage. As long as he knew exactly what the other party was, he would win as the dealer. As for what "it" was, Du Wei was entirely clear. And "it" should be dual. One was right in front of him, the other was what he had seen on the balcony. These two things were inherently rted to the Evil Spirit and were likely mediums. After Victor''s great-grandfather acquired them, he became a famous God of Gamblers. The Victor family, going three generations back, would hold gatherings at intervals and set up gambling games, which in a sense could be understood as sacrifices to the Evil Spirit. That''s why the Evil Spirit coexisted peacefully. As for the so-called anomalies, they now seemed more like a form of urging. But there was one thing Du Wei still hadn''t figured out. Victor''s father had died long ago, and those notes had inexplicably disappeared many years before... If one were to think bigger and include a person or a force aware of the Victor family secret, then perhaps everything woulde full circle. In the past, the Victor family facilitated the gambling games, offering sacrifices to the Evil Spirit. Now, it seemed someone didn''t want the sacrifice to continue, and if the sacrifice wasn''t sessful... More people would die. The Evil Spirit would be even more fearsome... At this thought, Du Wei couldn''t help but feel a headacheing on. His "New York" was just a secondary city, and although he had been in contact with Evil Spirits, it was out of necessity. Actually, New York didn''t have that many Evil Spirit incidents. Continue reading stories on empire But now it seemed that the Veda Sect and the other organization lurking in the dark were more troubling than Evil Spirit incidents. After dealing with the Veda Sect, he would have to make a trip to the church, or have them send more Exorcists over. He should not get involved in the sordid affairs between these powers. Of course... provided that the Church has deployed their hunters and the situation in Massas''s Uninhabited City can be resolved. With that thought settled, Du Wei''s focus returned to the game at hand. He gazed at the thing across from him, his eyes pitch-ck and exuding a chilling aura, and spoke lightly, "Now, the game shoulde to an end, tell me, have you guessed my identity?" The atmosphere grew tense once more. He saw a sly and odd smile form on the lips of his opponent, who opened its mouth to reveal neat white teeth and said in a tone that sent chills down one''s spine, "Of course I know who you are. Your name is Du Wei, a psychological doctor from North Brook District, and you are also an exorcist. However, you have another identity that you do not fully possess yet." Du Wei knew itsst sentence was referring to a hunter. In fact, that was the case. He could not yet hunt evil spirits like Andrew Dowqui and the other seniors from thest century. Though vague, there was no problem with that. Du Wei nodded at it, "Correct answer." Then, he heard the cold voice of the other party ask, "So, Mr. Du Wei, it''s your turn to answer. Do you know my identity? Is it an Evil Spirit, is it Howard Victor, or something else? Are you really certain?" Du Wei nced at it curiously and replied, "From a psychological standpoint, you want to mislead me, but such tactics are too rudimentary and only prove that you''re afraid of losing." The ck silk-like lines on its face became denser, as if raging with anger, and suddenly started to tremble violently. Then, just like the previous game, its body stretched out and lunged at Du Wei. Its mouth was wide open, sharp fangs stained with fresh blood dripping drop by drop. Its pitch-ck eyes were also extraordinarilyrge, as if trying to burst out of their sockets. It stared at Du Wei in silence, Seemingly trying to intimidate him into feeling negative emotions such as fear and dread. But this had no effect. From the beginning, Du Wei had set a mental suggestion for himself, eliminating emotions, and even though he had been influenced once, he was now under the ck Umbre. The influence was ineffective. So Du Wei, with a calm akin to looking at a dead person, said to it, "What are the rules of Texas Hold''em? Remove the two Joker cards and thenpare the rest for size." "Why remove these two cards? Because they are the maniptors of the game and are also part of the calction. In a game, no matter what cards are yed, the winner will always be you because the fundamental rule of the game is win or lose. The loser forfeits their chips, while the winner gains more." "There''s an overlooked you at the table, and yet, on the balcony of the second floor, another Evil Spirit appears, one that cannot be overlooked." "Two Joker cards, let''s call them Greater Joker and Joker; in some religions, they represent the sun and moon, day and night respectively." "So it can be understood that during the day, we can all see each other, bute night, all are covered by the night, unable to see anything." "Therefore, you are the Joker card representing the night." "And now, I have won." As he finished speaking, The ck lines on Du Wei''s body disappeared in an instant, and the thing that had been staring deathly at him twisted its face. It trembled... staring malevolently at Du Wei, it opened its arms and lunged at him, intending to stab him. "Useless, these are the rules of the game. The loser ends up with nothing; the winner takes it all." Du Wei''s voice remained calm, ignoring its resistance and extending his hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, and ced it on its neck. Then, with a gentle squeeze... The next second, the surrounding scenery changed instantly. The lights in the hall were still on, and everyone was looking at the gambling table, staring at Du Wei with strange expressions, "Sir, do you n to take the bank?" Across from him, the thing from just a moment ago had vanished. In its ce, Du Wei held a grey Joker card in his hand. His fingertips brushed it, and though it was hard to identify the material, it had a metallic texture. The entire background of the card was a forest. Above was a full moon; below, a closed box rested with a wild wolf hiding in the dark, ready to pounce. The sole figure was not a clown but a man in a tailcoat holding flowers, and eerily, he bore the same appearance as Du Wei. Chapter 138 137, Wrapping up (as in the title) Thud, thud, thud... Urgent footsteps sounded. At the bedroom door, the guests who were at the party rushed over after hearing the screams. Screaming and exmations followed. "My goodness, Mrs. Victor, Miss Alex, what on earth happened here?" "This is terrible, call an ambnce quickly." Hearing this, Alex also turned her head and saw Victor''s face, which was horribly disfigured. However, her mental fortitude was strong, and a sh of pity crossed her face. Seeing Du Wei supporting Victor and unable to use his hands, she took out her cell phone and dialed the emergency number. "Hello, is this Officer Tom? A terrible incident has urred at Goliath Winery, someone is severely injured, pleasee quickly, and bring an ambnce." "Okay, Miss Alex, please wait, we''re sending out the police right now." ... Meanwhile, Du Wei had already reverted from his Evil Spirit Transformation, and heid the agonizingly howling Victor, who couldn''t speak, t on the bed. Then, frowning at the others, he said, "Mrs. Victor has lost too much blood, she might go into shock before the ambnce arrives. Can anyone find some gauze? Let''s try to stop the bleeding first." The servant who followed up immediately called out, "There is gauze in the winery, I''ll go get it now." Having said that, he hurried off. The guests also came in, unable to help asking, "Can someone exin what''s happened here? Why did such a horrible thing suddenly happen to Mrs. Victor after you all went upstairs?" In their eyes, Victor at this moment looked as if a psycho had sliced off part of the soft tissue on her face, utterly cruel to an extreme. Some women even came running with their eyes closed, simply unable to bear the sight. Du Wei looked at these people but didn''t know how to exin. Most ordinary people are unaware of the existence of Evil Spirits. Just like him at the start, he never believed in them until he saw an Evil Spirit. Only after truly encountering an Evil Spirit or witnessing one would someone shatter their existing worldview and ept the presence of such entities. Moreover, in his previous conversations with Officer Tom, they had been controlling the situation to prevent most people from knowing about these matters. Victor was just an exception.@@novelbin@@ Even if he told everyone it was the work of an Evil Spirit and that he, in fact, was an Exorcist, it wouldn''t provide much help. It would only make things moreplicated. Having Alex aware of his identity was enough. So he simply said, "Officer Tom will exin it to you when he arrives. As for why Mrs. Victor ended up like this, I''m not very clear." The others were skeptical, but most looked at him with wary eyes, "That''s just your side of the story, and it seems like you''re not on the guest list for this party, are you?" Du Wei frowned, and looked coldly at the person who had spoken; the man was a tall Caucasian youth, handsome yet with an air of defiance. He was about to exin himself when Alex uttered a cold snort, "Is there a problem with my boyfriend joining me at the party?" As her voice fell, silence enveloped the surroundings. The attention of those present shifted directly from the dying Victor to Du Wei and Alex. Everyone''s expressions were quite a sight to see. The Caucasian youth who had just spoken immediately bowed his head in apology, "I''m sorry, Miss Alex, I was not aware that he was your boyfriend. Please forgive my rudeness." Alex replied with an icy tone, "So please shut your mouth! The police will provide an exnation." Her tone was unapologetic and even contained a reprimanding note. But none of the people present felt any dissatisfaction. In other words, Alex was the true aristocratic youngdy, and they... were not even close. Having said that, Alex turned her head to look at Du Wei, her azure blue eyes carrying a hint ofplexity and shyness before she pretended to calm down. She had long regarded Du Wei as her boyfriend in her heart, but their rtionship had never been formally acknowledged. Yet, for some reason, at that moment, she suddenly felt... That after learning the man she loved was actually someone who dealt with Evil Spirits, part of a special group, she inexplicably felt that the distance between her and Du Wei was actually growing more and more distant. If she didn''t be more resolute, it was very likely that after a while, they would move in a direction she couldn''t ept. But Du Wei only gave her one nce, and did not speak. Staying in a rational and calm state, the best choice right then was to not exin. Suddenly... Servants rushed in with gauze and some medical supplies. Find exclusive stories on empire "Sir, here are the items you requested." "Okay, leave the rest to me." Du Wei took the medical supplies from the servants'' hands with practiced ease, checked them, and started to dress the wound and stop the bleeding. Throughout this process, Victor kept screaming, iling her arms desperately as she struggled violently in pain. And Alex, despite her difort, stepped forward to help. ... More than ten minutester. About a dozen police cars and ambnces arrived. The one leading them was none other than Du Wei''s old acquaintance, Officer Tom. Upon reaching the second floor, and at the sight of Du Wei, Officer Tom''s face turned exceptionally interesting! "Fuck!" Unable to help himself, he cursed and quickly walked over to Du Wei, asking in a low voice, "What''s the situation here? Is it that kind of thing again?" Du Wei replied softly, "Something even more terrifying than that thing, but I''ve dealt with part of it, and the other part has already left." Tom asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?" Du Wei shook his head, "The specifics might trace back to thest century, a hundred and two hundred years ago, but I am also not clear right now, just deal with it as you see fit." Tom, biting his lip reluctantly, said, "Alright, but I always feel like you''re like a reaper, wherever you appear, something terrible is definitely going to happen." Du Wei said indifferently, "Because I am exactly the person who solves such matters." Tom sneered, "Then please, don''te to these upper-ss gatherings anymore, if someone dies, I simply can''t exin it to their families behind them, you understand?" While saying this, he added irritably, "God bless, don''t let me encounter you again anytime soon, I''ve only been to the Red Light District once this month, I''m so tired..." Hearing this, Du Wei could only nod and say, "I''ll try my best..." However, he was thinking that tonight he would have to deal with people from the Veda Sect, and he would have to inform Officer Tom at that time. After all, Officer Tom was a very reliable acquaintance. After Officer Tom became aware of the special nature of the incident, he immediately had the medical staff take Victor, who had fallen into aa, onto the ambnce. Then. He coughed once, organized hisnguage, and said to the others, "Ladies and gentlemen, please keep this matter confidential, as it may be rted to a very dangerous serial killer case." Someone questioned, "A serial killer? Why is there no news about it in New York?" Officer Tom raised an eyebrow and responded, "Because I have been tracking this serial killer. I am very familiar with this method of operation, please do not question my expertise." "Okay... Now please cooperate with me for some routine statements." Chapter 141 140. Dusk Bell Church ``` Hearing this, Du Wei fell silent. He felt unlucky yet fortunate at the same time. Given his current situation, acquiring such an object, the benefits outweighed the detriments. Without actively elerating the Evil Spirit Transformation, it would take him many years to fully turn into an Evil Spirit. During this time, he was sure toe into contact with Evil Spirits, and this card could definitely serve as his "trump card," bing his most powerful weapon. But it was a double-edged sword that could hasten his demise. For some reason, an idiom popped into Du Wei''s head¡ªdrinking poison to quench thirst... He couldn''t help but let out a coldugh, put away the Joker Card, and then asked Father Tony, "Tell me about the Dusk Bell Church. I really want to know what this organization is trying to achieve." Father Tony sighed, "To talk about the Dusk Bell Church, we have to go back to thest century. You see, they haveplicated ties with the Church, because the founder of the Dusk Bell Church was a hunter named Matthew." Du Wei''s expression turned peculiar, "Bishop Matthew? I remember Mr. Andrew seemed to know him. Did he be a hunter afterwards?" Father Tony leaned back in his chair, looking somewhat defeated, and said, "Bishop Matthew was very senior, he became a hunter even before Mr. Andrew. And after he lost control once and killed his own wife, his personality changed drastically. He then tried everything to solve the problem of Evil Spirit Transformation, but in doing so, he embarked on a sinful path." "In order to find a solution to the Evil Spirit Transformation, he conducted some inhumane experiments in secret." "That was the Church''s heyday, and Matthew''s position was very high, even the Pope respected him." "By the time it was discovered, it was already toote." "Matthew had be a very terrifying Evil Spirit. Many hunters died before they could eliminate him, and the fact that hunters could turn into Evil Spirits also leaked out." "Faith can be corroded and worn away, and hunters are no exception."@@novelbin@@ "Two-thirds of the hunters chose to defect, walking the path of Matthew, trying to find a way to turn themselves back into humans, and wearing the Inverse Cross and priest''s attire, they established the Dusk Bell Church." "The teachings of the Dusk Bell Church took a portion of the Church''s doctrines. They im to help all hunters free themselves from the danger of Evil Spirit Transformation, and to eliminate all Evil Spirits in the most extreme way." "Until now, some exorcists who have shown signs of Evil Spirit Transformation from prolonged contact with Evil Spirits also choose to join the Dusk Bell Church." "And because of this, the Church has be weaker, otherwise, the issue with Massas Uninhabited City wouldn''t have been dragged on until now, before deploying hunters." Du Wei narrowed his eyes, feigning curiosity as he inquired, "So, are the members of the Dusk Bell Church still hunters to this day?" "It used to be the case, but now only a part of their members are hunters, and the other part are exorcists who have just begun the Evil Spirit Transformation." "I need to report this to the Church, so they can send more personnel here. This matter is beyond what we can handle." Enjoy more content from empire Having said that, Father Tony closed his eyes, looking more troubled than ever. Du Wei also had a headache. Father Tony didn''t know about the death scene, but after Du Wei''s own deductions, he could figure it out. The bald man who killed him was a member of the Dusk Bell Church. The timing of the appearance of these two cards should be a foreshadowing by the Dusk Bell Church at the time of its establishment. But because he won, one of the cards ended up in his hands, and somehow, the other card ended up with that bald man. Therefore, he had be the target. And this Dusk Bell Church, founded by dissenting hunters, was much stronger than the church he had joined. But the Church had always allowed this organization to exist without destroying it, which could be interpreted as being unable to do so, or perhaps the rtionship wasn''t as strained as Father Tony understood. Moreover, to specte even more boldly, For such a long time, this hunter organization hadn''t vanished into the annals of history. If the Church was intentionally tolerating it, could it be possible that the Dusk Bell Church was actually the hidden power of the Church? The Church deceived the hunters, making them think they were self-redeeming by adopting the guise of the Dusk Bell Church when in reality, they were always under the Church''s control. To solve the problem of Evil Spirit Transformation and eliminate Evil Spirits in more extreme ways wasn''t much different from the Church''s standpoint. Du Wei had a headache. So where was the location in the death scene? A ce full of dpidated structures, where the darkness was filled with horror, as it stands, it could only be Massas. He took out his phone and looked up information about Massas. After searching for a while, he confirmed his target. It was indeed Massas City. ``` So what was the purpose of going to Massas City? To get in touch with the Dusk Bell Church and find a way to solve the threat of Evil Spirit Transformation? It was certainly in line with his own way of doing things, but in the end, the result was his death at the hands of that Bald Man. Clearly, having obtained the Joker Card, he and the Bald Man had be mortal enemies. Du Wei silently said to himself, "This situation is utterly terrible, irreconcble..." The vision of death had been an ability based on the Spirit Vision state, triggered by the Antique Clock. This ability waspletely iprehensible, as it allowed Du Wei to see into the future. And after seeing the future, he would inevitably take some measures. The people of the Dusk Bell Church would kill him over the Joker Card, and there was no way he could negotiate nicely with them. Moreover, with the advantage of foresight, he could easily set a trap to kill them. Leveraging the connection between the two cards, cing the Joker Card in some extremely dangerous ce, or preparing a trap in advance, would make it all too easy to kill the other party. With these thoughts, Du Wei maintained an unchanged expression and said to Father Tony, "Let''s leave it at that for now. If there is any news from the church, please remember to inform me." He meant when the church would send someone. Father Tony, suspecting nothing amiss, replied, "Don''t worry, you are the person in charge of the New York Evil Spirit incident. You''ll be notified immediately if there''s any news; it''s your right to know." "Oh right, about the reward for this mission, I''ll discuss it with Lady Victor when she has recovered," he added. "All right, I''ve got some matters to attend to at home, so I need to leave now," Du Wei said. "Then I won''t see you out, as I have to write a report to send to the church," Father Tony responded. ... Leaving the church. Du Wei''s face was calm; he hailed a taxi and headed to a nearby digital store. He quickly reached his destination. After paying, Du Wei, holding a ck Umbre, got out of the car and walked into the store. He wanted to buy a printer to print out the surveince footage from the Sofia Hotel involving the Veda Sect that Officer Tom had sent him. Then, he would see if he could redirect the target of the Evil Corpse, perhaps even adding some extra ingredients... If all went ording to n, by tonight, the freezer in the attic would likely have a new collection of heads. While selecting the printer, he couldn''t help but think about the Dusk Bell Church and the Bald Man. Although he had nned to visit Massas Uninhabited City, he needed to know when the church would send someone to avoid them. The rtionship between the church and the Dusk Bell Church was not yet clear, but if it was as he suspected, then the church must not learn about his trip to Massas. Otherwise, his recent elevation to hunter could end in an uncertain fate. Unable to join the Dusk Bell Church, yet needing to find a way to deal with the threat of Evil Spirit Transformation was much more troublesome than facing an Evil Spirit. And then there was the Bald Man... He was probably not a hunter who had undergone full Evil Spirit Transformation, but his level of transformation was definitely higher than his own. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to move through Massas Uninhabited City as easily as he did, dressed in priest''s attire and holding another Joker Card. So it was only in a ce as terrifying as Massas Uninhabited City, infested with Evil Spirits everywhere, that there was a chance to construct a perfect trap specifically designed for hunters. If it were New York or another city, he would probably have to set physical traps, which would be much easier to detect. "Such a man is the deterrent power the church should possess..." "It''s a pity that only one of us is destined to survive." "If I can capture him alive, I could try to hypnotize him to get what I want. In fact, I don''t necessarily need to kill him myself; with a bit of psychological trickery, I could handle things seamlessly." "After all, if I physically kill someone, it would lead to endless trouble with the Dusk Bell Church..." "So the alibi has to be prepared wlessly." "Of course, before going to Massas City, I have to deal with the Veda Sect first." Chapter 143 142. Surprise for the Veda Sect When Du Wei mentioned gambling for a round. Annabelle shuddered for an instant, but unlike the shadow, she did not abandon the idea of making a move and instead eerily floated in midair, closing in on Du Wei. The ghosts also gathered around, forming a circle. On the Joker Card, Du Wei, dressed in a tailcoat, also turned his head to look at Annabelle. This card was not merely a medium for the Evil Spirit, a part of the Evil Spirit was hidden within it. As Father Tony had said, it was a "weapon" that could be used against Evil Spirits. Du Wei did not bother with the ghosts, knowing that if he dealt with Annabelle, they would naturally disappear. So, Du Wei calmly said, "If you don''t speak, I''ll take it as your agreement; let the game begin." "The loser loses everything, the winner takes all." After these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. The ghosts surrounded Du Wei and Annabelle as though they were spectators at a gambling table. And Annabelle remained suspended in midair. Gambling was something equitable if both parties were rtively evenly matched. Originally, Du Wei was at a disadvantage; all he could do was protect himself. However, after putting on the mask and using this card, things changed. The mask represented the identity of an Evil Spirit, and a gamble initiated by him was an Evil Spirit''s gamble. Evil Spirit against Evil Spirit, that was fair.@@novelbin@@ So, Du Wei said to Annabelle, "The game begins. I''m the dealer, and the rule is that after I finish this sentence, whoever says I win first will be the victor." Annabelle trembled, and the surrounding ghosts suddenly turned their gazes towards Du Wei. The Joker Card he held in his hand also became somewhat chillingly cold to the touch. "Well... It seems that with this card in my hand, I cannot establish such a nearly idealistic set of gambling rules, or perhaps, the stakes and the rules do not match." Du Wei felt a bit of regret, Annabelle was just an Evil Spirit Doll; it shouldn''t be able to speak at all, so it seemed impossible to exploit a loophole in this situation. He thought for a moment and then continued, "Then let''s change the stakes. If I lose, I lose everything, but if you lose, you can only stay inside the disy cab." "And the rule is, let''s see who can take off the mask I am wearing first." Annabelle seemed angry, staring intently at Du Wei, and so did the ghosts. It seemed as if the gamble would end in failure the very next second. This time it likely wasn''t a problem with the stakes but that the rules of the game were unfair, so it couldn''t be established. As Du Wei caressed the Joker Card that was bing colder and colder, he noticed that the version of himself wearing a tailcoat on the card was also staring at him with an indescribably sinister and evil expression. He was thinking... Annabelle was different from a typical Evil Spirit. Initially, it had faced off against another terrifying Evil Spirit, and if Du Wei hadn''t capitalized on its inability to fight back to trap it once, it would never have been possible to lock it in the disy cab. Moreover, the creature had now recovered some of its strength because of him or had grown stronger from what he had fed it. It would probably be very difficult to kill it through gambling. Even after changing the rules, the game couldn''t be established. The use of the Joker Card was highly restricted; it had to be fairer to be valid. Realizing this, Du Wei added another condition to the previous rule, "Before you make a move, I cannot touch the mask, otherwise, the dealer loses." When he finished saying this. Du Wei clearly felt an inexplicable sense of strangenessing from the card. The version of himself on the card also revealed a creepy smile, and ck threads started to appear on both him and Annabelle. He knew those were the stakes; the game was established. Then the Evil Spirit Doll floating in front of him moved, rushing towards him with incredible speed. To this, Du Wei''s eyes held a strange expression. He pressed the lighter once more. A red me shot out, and Annabelle jerked to a halt, then shuddered. The ghosts all approached Du Wei and gently blew on the lighter. The me suddenly went out. The doll body of Annabelle reached out its hand, grasping for the mask. But Du Wei was not rmed at all; his right hand directly underwent Evil Spirit Transformation, reached forward, and took hold of Annabelle''s neck. The moment he touched her. His supposedly numb right hand was seized by an icy coldness, a bone-chilling, sinister chill. And an ufortable restlessness started to stir within Du Wei''s heart. But reason forced him to suppress this impulse, and he took off the mask. The rules had been set up before the gamblemenced, and whether there were loopholes or not, once it stood independently, both sides could only follow the rules of the game. Unless Annabelle could destroy the mask, the gamble would be null and void. Although the mask was now full of cracks, it was far from shattered. Even when facing the nun, it had only gained some extra cracks. It couldn''t do it, so it would definitely lose! Du Wei looked at Annabelle and said faintly, "It seems, I have won." On the card, the version of himself wearing a tailcoat suddenly looked towards Annabelle. Then, under Du Wei''s somewhat surprised gaze, Annabelle trembled with great anger. The ghosts, all of them rioting, all rushed towards Du Wei. But it was of no use. Continue your adventure with empire Within the Evil Spirit gamble, there was only winning and losing. The next moment. As the ghosts charged in front of Du Wei, one by one they vanished, and the only thing he could hear was the sound of their screams, thick with resentment and bitterness. On the wall, the door of the disy cab suddenly flung open. Du Wei let go of his grip on Annabelle''s neck, watching as it was pulled back into the disy cab by an invisible force. It looked as if a certain scene was being reyed. The lock on the floor clicked, locking the door once again. Bang bang bang... Inside the disy cab, Annabelle wildly knocked against it, seemingly trying to drill its way out. But no matter how hard it struck, it was to no avail. Eventually... the force of its banging grew weaker and weaker... Du Wei withdrew his gaze, looking at the Joker Card in his hand. At this time, on the entire Joker Card, the version of himself dressed in a tailcoat, wore a slight smile, while the Evil Wolf lurking in the shadows stretched out its paws and moved forward a little distance... Du Wei took a deep breath and stuffed it into his pocket. In the process, the Antique Clock hanging on the wall remained the same. And the shadowy figure also returned to the darkness, vanishing from sight. Everything seemed, very beautiful. Du Wei looked at the Antique Clock, pondered for a moment, and then turned to walk towards the printer. "I need to find an appropriate opportunity..." ... Late at night, 21:05. In the attic. A corpse, gutted and eviscerated,y quietly to one side. Du Wei ced the photos of the Veda Sect people he had printed, inside the chest cavity of the corpse. The way this Evil Corpse locked on to its target was based on the photos. Previously, it hadn''t seen him, so it needed some time to search before it could lock on to his position. But for the Cultist who created it, the image was certainly deeply ingrained. "However, this thing probably won''t be very effective, at most it will kill a few Cultists." "So, I need to add a little surprise to it." Having said that, Du Wei took out another photo and stuffed it inside. The photo showed a peephole, and looking further inside was an eye full of blood vessels. After sewing up the corpsepletely, Du Wei took out the Dagger. He unfolded the white cloth, and ced it in the hand of the corpse. Suddenly... The corpse violently opened its eyes, and after trembling, it straightforwardly stood up. It looked at Du Wei, and Du Wei was looking at it. "Go do what you need to do." Chapter 144 143. Cant Leave Midnight. A man wearing a raincoat, dagger in hand, walked through the dark alley. Not far behind him followed Du Wei, carrying a ck umbre and dressed in a trench coat. He had been walking for about half an hour. During this time, the Evil Corpse consistently headed southeast. As he thought, the Evil Corpse was much quicker at locating the people from the Veda Sect than locating himself. What he found strange, though, was that after entering this alley, the pace of the Evil Corpse had noticeably quickened. This area was not far from his home, with some rather unofficial small hotels around, which got rtively chaotic after nightfall. It looked like they were about to reach their destination. ... Meanwhile. In a room of a certain hotel. Bishop Ruth of the Veda Sect had finished her prayers, opening her eyes and slowly breathing out. She had joined the Veda Sect over twenty years ago. In all that time, rising from amon cultist to her current position as a bishop, she had lost count of how many innocent lives she had taken. The doctrines of the Veda Sect were chaotic and evil. All followers killed ordinary people as sacrifices to the Vedas, which to them was a means of redemption. When Ruth became a bishop, she could alreadye into contact with the Vedas she worshipped. She could hear the instructions of the Vedas, choosing the appropriate sacrifices. Du Wei was one of them, and of course... he was a target that must be killed. Ruth felt the near-whispering, fragmentary voices from the bottom of her heart, her gaze turning somewhat cold. She thought that after the Evil Corpse killed that psychologist, the Vedas would be even more pleased with her. "Praise the Vedas..." Uttering this, she undid her clothes and walked into the bathroom. Her skin was different from that of normal people, a grayish pallor, with some veins showing ck and purple, like a dense mass of tattoos emerging in many ces on her body. Ruth looked at her body in the mirror, her expression unchanged. In fact, she could no longer make much of an expression, and she didn''t even feel she had anything to do with people anymore. "The body is just torment one endures in this world; only the liberation of the soul is true freedom." Suddenly... She said expressionlessly, "I sense the Evil Corpse nearby. It seems to have killed the psychologist and is on its way back." The warm water from the showerhead rained down on her, rxing her muscles. Then she twisted her mouth into a ferocious smile. ... On the other hand. Du Wei had arrived at a couples'' cafe that was still open for business. Apart from him, there was also a young ck couple sitting together, chatting about interesting topics andughing from time to time. The soft music was veryforting, making one involuntarily rx. Du Wei ordered a cup of coffee and sat by the window. From his angle, he could see the entirety of a hotel right across the street. As for the Evil Corpse, it had already silently walked inside.@@novelbin@@ So what he needed to do next was just wait and watch. The Evil Corpse and the ck Shadow were going to give the people of the Veda Sect a thorough surprise. ... Catherine had been somewhat insomniac recently. She hadn''t been with the Veda Sect for long, and although her mind was gradually bing twisted, she wasn''t yet limated to this way of life like the other cultists. After recentlying to the North Brook District, she even had the urge to break away from the Veda Sect. But she knew that such a thought could only be suppressed within her heart; she could no longer turn back. To join the Veda Sect meant having people''s blood on one''s hands. And she had already killed two innocent people. He sighed silently in his heart. Catherine nced at herpanion sleeping on the other bed, her expression somewhat unusual. Since everyone who took the same car as Nerest week had died, Bishop Ruth no longer allowed anyone to live alone. Whether it was eating or going to the bathroom, they had to do it in pairs. She looked around the room and was about to switch off the light to sleep. But just then, suddenly, she saw an indistinct shadow at the window. It looked as though something outside was blocking the light, but due to the drawn curtains, the shadow seemed somewhat distorted. It looked like a person... Catherine felt a bit strange and hurriedly woke herpanion, "Hey, Harley, get up, something''s not right." Herpanion, Harley, was a light sleeper and sat up drowsily upon hearing this, "What''s the matter?" Catherine pointed at the shadow by the window and said, "Look, there seems to be someone outside." As soon as Harley heard there was someone outside the window, she was wide awake. She said in a low voice, "We''re on the fifth floor, are you sure you saw it right?" As she spoke, she looked towards the window. The next second, Harley eximed, "By Veda... what is that thing outside?" She hastily got out of bed and observed carefully. The shadow was bulky, but one could vaguely see the outline of a person, only distorted by the refraction of light, looking as if it were bent in the middle. Her gaze moved upward. And she saw part of the shadow. Which meant that there really was someone standing outside the window. After thest incident, the people of the Veda Sect had been on high alert. Fearing that theirpanions would all die at the hands of the Evil Spirit. Harley nced at her phone and, finding no signal, had to give up the idea of calling Bishop Ruth. "Catherine, we need to find Bishop Ruth, only she can handle this kind of Evil Spirit incident." "Evil Spirit?" Catherine''s voice trembled as she quickly shut her mouth and cautiously walked with Harley towards the door. Their footsteps were very light. But when they reached the door, they inevitably had to face the noise made by opening it. In certain moments, that could be deadly. Harley gestured to Catherine while slowly twisting the doorknob. Explore hidden tales at empire Throughout this process, Catherine kept her eyes on the shadow at the window. But what was strange to her was that the shadow never changed; it was as if its owner stood outside without any intention ofing in. But just then, she looked down at her feet and her face turned instantly pale. By that time, Harley had already turned the doorknob; all they needed to do was to pull open the door and rush out quickly to make it to Bishop Ruth''s room on the sixth floor. Then everything would be over. She took a deep breath and then pulled hard on the door. No sound of the door opening... Harley''s body went rigid because she was terrified to discover that the door wouldn''t budge, no matter how hard she tried. "Catherine... help me ram the door, quick..." "Catherine? Catherine? Didn''t you hear me?" Harley was already scared out of her wits, and even though she was a cultist ustomed to murder, knowing the horror of the Evil Spirit didn''t mean they weren''t afraid. The more they knew, the more they feared the terrible nature of the Evil Spirit. She turned around angrily, but when she saw the scene before her, her expression froze instantly. A man d in a raincoat was emerging from the shadow at her feet, and the dagger he held in his hand had already slit Catherine''s throat. Thud... The dull thump of a body falling to the floor, blood gushing out immediately. Harley recognized the identity of the Evil Corpse, her face filled with disbelief. "Why..." Chapter 146 145. Dong... (Requesting monthly votes) The fifth-floor corridor of the hotel, where Ruth, the former bishop of the Veda Sect, had dealt with the Evil Corpse, was now well-lit again. But when she saw that photograph, the surroundings instantly plunged into darkness. Within the dark, a line of sight filled with malice locked onto Ruth relentlessly. She was not an ordinary person, having encountered some Evil Spirits in other cities before. But never had any Evil Spirit given her such a terrifying sensation. This malice was too intense, and she could faintly sense a cruel, bloody odor. It was as if people often died at the hands of this Evil Spirit. Ruth''s first instinct was to run. But surrounded by darkness, she had no idea where to flee. A sense of direction... at this moment, waspletely useless. With light, there are shadows. Enveloped in darkness, it can appear anywhere. The next second. Ruth heard a strange, rustling sound in the darkness. The sound was very close, just to her left. It was where the two remaining Cultists who had not died at the hands of the Evil Corpse were positioned. Squeak... spurt... A warm liquid sshed all over Ruth. What her nose detected was a strong scent of blood... She suddenly realized a truth. The previous Veda Sect members must have died at the hands of this Evil Spirit, and the direct cause was that damned psychologist. Why was this happening? How could he control the Evil Spirit? Ruth no longer had time to think about the answers to these questions because, at this moment, she suddenly felt something. A doorknob... With a surge of relief, she quickly turned the handle, pushed the door open, and rushed in. Behind her, that strange sound echoed again in the dark. Ruth knew that all of the Veda Sect members who hade to New York, except for herself, had died at the hands of the Evil Spirit. This was an absolute disaster. Even now, Ruth had no knowledge of Du Wei''s identity beyond that of a psychologist; she knew nothing else about him. Click... She pressed the light switch. The room was instantly flooded with light. It seemed untouched by the event. But when she turned to look back at the doorway, Ruth discovered, to her terror, a vague silhouette with bloodshot eyes standing quietly at the door. In its hands, it held two heads. Blood dripped down in streams toward the floor, and although the scene wasn''t as gruesome as the deaths Ruth had caused, the oppressive feeling it brought her was even more intense. Killing and being killed arepletely different. The formeres with a vain sense of control over life, while thetter brings nothing but an instinctual tremor. She didn''t want to die. So, she immediately took the doll made of straw and aimed it at the dark figure outside the door, chanting iprehensible sentences in an almost murmuring tone. These sentences had no logic and didn''t even belong tomon syntax. The most frequently appearing word sounded a bit like Veda... The dark figure outside seemed to sense something, staring at the Scarecrow doll in Ruth''s hand, and did note in. Ruth breathed a sigh of relief, but then, she noticed something strange. The figure in front of her, although it did not enter, fixated its gaze on the Dagger in its left hand. "Do you want this dagger?" A glint of light shed in Ruth''s eyes as she suddenly remembered something. Certain evil spirits, when they obtain some special medium, be even more terrifying and powerful. Of course, the prerequisite is that the medium must fit the evil spirit''s killing mechanism, and such cases are extremely rare. Ruth had only heard about it from other bishops. It could be understood as something that existed only in the speech of others; no one had ever seen it with their own eyes. For a moment, Ruth''s expression turned ugly; she really didn''t want to throw the dagger to the shadow because she was certain it had set its sights on her. If she let it have the dagger, her chances of survival would be even slimmer. However... Feeling the scarecrow doll bing hotter and hotter in her hands, her eyes filled with struggle. This scarecrow doll was the bridge ofmunication between her and the Veda Sect, and it could also fend off the power of the evil spirit, but if she couldn''t get away, it would eventually selfbust.@@novelbin@@ By that time, she would die just the same. A decision had to be made... After giving it some thought, Ruth picked up the dagger and prepared to throw it. But just then, something iprehensible happened. For no apparent reason, footsteps approached from a distance. And as if sensing something, the shadow suddenly stepped deeper into the darkness andpletely vanished. However, the shadows did not disappear; instead, they became even more profound. With a gaze full of undisguised malice, it continued to stare at her relentlessly. "Damn it, something even more terrifying must being; what on earth is going on? Can someone tell me what happened!" Ruth didn''t think twice before she immediately closed the door and ran to the window, trying to figure out a way to escape. She nced out the window; the height of the five-story building meant a certain death from falling and shattering to pieces. Suddenly... Thud... Thud... Thud... The knocking, methodical and mechanical, began. A chill gripped Ruth''s heart, and so intense was the creeping cold that she involuntarily shivered. In her hand, the scarecrow doll instantly burst into mes, but even with her palm getting scorched, she dared not drop it. Ruth couldn''t help screaming, and she immediately threw the dagger toward the door; but her strength wasn''t great, and the sharp dagger only left a slight mark on the door before bouncing to the floor. The sound was crisp... Suddenly... The knocking stopped. The eerie sound of the door opening slowly filled the room, as the door gradually opened... To Ruth''s disbelief, standing there with a ck umbre and wearing a mask was a man. As the man took off his mask, Du Wei''s cold face came into view. Grinding her teeth, Ruth said, "Why are you knocking at the door... wasn''t it supposed to be a more powerful evil spirit?" Du Wei replied calmly, "If I didn''t knock, you probably wouldn''t have thrown the dagger away, which would have made things a bit more troublesome, and I hate trouble." Ruth asked darkly, "So after closing the door just now, you were standing outside all the time?" Du Wei''s gaze was a bit strange, but he still answered, "Yes, through the peephole, I could see that you were in a very unstable mental state, which I found quite odd, considering you cultists, who murder without blinking, seem even less resilient in the face of death than normal people." Ruth sneered, "But you are human..." As she spoke, she advanced toward Du Wei. But Du Wei seemed not to care at all, even wrapping the dagger with a white cloth and picking it up. Seeing this, Ruth suddenly froze; she looked at Du Wei, and said with an inexplicable tone, "That''s not right, if you were outside, then where was the evil spirit?" Du Wei stretched out his hand and pointed at her, more precisely at the spot behind her. Then he answered, "It''s right behind you..." Chapter 147 146. Toms Anger In the room. The lights were still on. After hearing Du Wei''s words, Ruth didn''t suspect some kind of prank, because she indeed felt an unusual chill at her back. It was like standing near an air conditioner, that kind of bone-prating coldness, but not quite the same, since this chill was apanied by a clear malice. She didn''t dare to turn around at all, and could only rush towards Du Wei. This man was able to make the shadow merge into the darkness; the closer she got to him, the safer she surely would be. In less than a second, Ruth had made the most correct assessment. Unfortunately... She hadn''t managed to rush to Du Wei when the scarecrow in her hand instantly burst into ashes. Then, she felt the scene before her eyes suddenly change. Her point of view shifted to a bird''s eye view, looking down from above. Hovering... Then, Ruth couldn''t help but let out a scream, her voice filled with pain and ferocity. She felt as if an invisiblerge hand was gripping her feet and head separately. Upon seeing this, Du Wei quickly drew his hand out of his pocket, where it had been clutching a gun, and closed the door, peering through the peephole to observe the scene inside. He saw Ruth''s body freakishly levitating mid-air, twisting from head to toe as if being wrung out like a towel. Blood spurted forth, sttering the ceiling and the ground everywhere. The scene in his eyes turned a bloody red. He knew that some blood had sttered onto the peephole, causing his vision to blur. So, Du Wei stood outside the door and waited for a while. Soon he heard a strange squelching sound. Even without seeing clearly, Du Wei could imagine the horrifying scene happening inside the room. He looked down at the three Cultist corpses in the corridor; two of the female bodies were twisted into pretzels, their heads had flown off. The shadow seemed to be fixated on taking the heads after killing its victims. If it were human, it must have a very strange collecting habit. Du Wei lit a cigarette for himself and took a drag as he silently pondered in his mind. "The Evil Spirit has killed three more people this time; it''s likely to be more terrifying, but looking at the situation at home, it shouldn''t cause any trouble for the time being," he thought. "As for that Dagger... it definitely cannot be obtained by it before a way to deal with it is found." As he spoke, Du Wei nced at the darkness around him that was gradually receding, then took out a white cloth, wrapped up all the photographs of the Veda Sect followers, lit his lighter, and burned them all to ashes. As for that Evil Corpse... Let it stay a corpse! The oppressive gloom in the room slowly dissipated, and the lights in the corridor came on one by one. Du Wei knew that after he got home, he would have to "clean up" again. When leaving New York and heading to Massas, by the way, dispose of all that trash... He told himself this in his mind and took out his phone from his pocket. Although the matter with the Veda Sect was over, there was still cleanup to be done. He selected Officer Tom from his contact list and pressed the call button. Suddenly, the call connected. Tom''s exasperated voice came through at once, "Fuck! Mr. Du Wei? Why are you calling me again? Didn''t we just meet this afternoon?" Du Wei was taken aback for a moment before replying, "Yes, to be precise, it was eight hours ago." Tom angrily said, "So what? What do you mean by calling me now? Another Evil Spirit causing trouble?" Du Wei answered, "Indeed, there''s an Evil Spirit causing trouble, hmm, but rest assured, those who died are all people from the Veda Sect, with no ordinary people involved." On the other end of the phone, Tom seemed stunned for a moment and it took him a while to react, "You mean the Veda Sect? Where are you right now? I''lle over immediately." Du Wei replied indifferently, "I''m near a hotel close to the middle school in North Brook District. The one opposite a lovers'' cafe." Tom''s tone was a bit strange, "Where are you? Alright, I''m not far from you now. Just wait a moment; I''ll be there in a few minutes!" After finishing, he hung up the phone directly. ... On a certain street. Several ck cars were parked discreetly in the shadows by the side of the road. After hanging up the phone, Tom nced at the area opposite, flickering with soft peach-colored lights, snorted coldly, and said to his subordinate sitting in the passenger seat, "Notify the others, operation''s off, we''re going to handle other cases." His subordinate asked in confusion, "Boss, didn''t you say we were going to thoroughly clean up the Red Light District tonight? Why change your mind suddenly? Should we leave a few people here?" Tom swore under his breath, "Fuck! Are you trying to tell me how to do my job? I said we''re handling other cases! Put the Red Light District on hold for now!" The subordinate shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Alright, boss, got it!" After speaking, he opened the walkie-talkie and notified the others. While Tom looked coldly towards the Red Light District, he actually breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, when he found out the neighbor he had a crush on was already dead, his heart shattered! Constantly responding to calls, especially during times of frequent special cases, it''s very stressful not to get any mental release. And it''s the kind of thing that''s best kept to a minimal number of people in the know. The Red Light District held a special meaning for Tom. Without a girlfriend, he lingered there frequently. Now that he no longer had his beautiful neighbor as a target, he suddenly realized that taking down the Red Light District wasn''t really in his best interest. Well... although he had only been there once that month. Symbolism over practicality. The more Tom thought about it, the more upset he got, and he couldn''t help but utter another "fuck!" ... A few minutester. Inside the hotel.@@novelbin@@ Officer Tom reached the fifth floor of the stairs and looked with an anguished face at Du Wei, who was quietly smoking against the wall. Then he felt even worse. "Oh, my dearest friend, do you know how ridiculous it looked when the hotel manager saw us copsing and got so scared he ducked down and hugged his head?" Du Wei nced at him and asked curiously, "Why do you say that?" Tom sneered, "Because they know about the existence of the Cultists, fuck! These damned pests! They really should be taken out and shot!" As he spoke, Tom looked at the corpse on the ground with disgust and asked for another cigarette from Du Wei when he reached him. "You''re practically ady-killer. From what I''ve seen, wherever you show up, women seem to meet with misfortune. If I didn''t know you''re an Exorcist, and given that the ones who died this time were all vile Cultists, I''d think you did it on purpose." Du Wei exhaled a puff of smoke and said lightly, "The Veda Sect conjured an Evil Corpse, hmm... it''s that one in the raincoat, you better burn it. I can''t ensure that there won''t be any more problems either." Tom frowned, "That thing is too weird; I saw it crawl out of the room in the hotel''s surveince footage, then it killed the other Cultists, and afterwards, the whole corridor went pitch ck. What exactly happened at that time?" After thinking, Tom added, "I only saw you enter the corridor and your figure smoking at the door. Can you tell me what happened exactly?" Du Wei nodded, "Actually, there''s not much to tell. Tonight, the Evil Corpse appeared at my ce again. It didn''t fight me, then left in a certain direction, and I followed it all the way here, then saw it disappear." "So, I sat for a while in the couple''s caf¨¦ across the street, and then, I noticed a body at one of the fifth-floor windows." "After that, I went into the hotel, only to find the Evil Corpsemitting murder, and it seemed that the Evil Spirit that probably had killed Roy also appeared here." Tom pondered for a moment and said, "I think I understand. These ghost things are hard toprehend. I don''t know how you deal with them." Du Wei exhaled another puff of smoke and said slowly, "I don''t want to deal with them. If possible, I''d prefer to just run my clinic properly." Tom sneered, "I don''t think you''re cut out to be a doctor." Du Wei frowned, "What do you mean?" Tom took a fierce drag on his cigarette and answered, "Because I think you''re always in a bad mental state, you give off a very oppressive feeling, or rather, very indifferent. I''ve been reading some psychology bookstely, buddy, you''re under a lot of stress." Suddenly, as if Tom had thought of something, he chuckled, "I have a way to relieve stress, do you want to try it?" Du Wei looked at him, was silent for a while, then turned and walked away. "No need, I have a girlfriend¡­" Chapter 149 148. Drowning in oneself In the realm of dreams. Du Wei looked at his other self, his gaze turning cold as well. The same face, the same self, the same personality. At that moment, the only thing that distinguished him from the Evil Spirit Du Wei was their temperament; otherwise, they were indistinguishable. Du Wei and the Evil Spirit Du Wei stared at each other with an indifferent gaze, their sight locked in an atmosphere that became inexplicably gloomy. After a long silence. Du Wei broke the silence, "When I was giving you a personality and memory, I nted a pitfall within them. When it eruptedter, you became the loser, and I sessfully took back the body." "But because of this, you also possessed all my memories, so you constructed a Lake of the Mind. I''m curious, where were you before that?" "Moreover, I used your mechanism to kill you, why didn''t you die?" Though phrased as questions, there was a certain conviction in his tone, as if Du Wei wasn''t surprised at the Evil Spirit Du Wei''s survival but rather perplexed about the unknown reasons behind it. The Evil Spirit Du Wei looked at him and said evenly, "When I trapped you in the mirror, didn''t you feel yourself gradually turning into an Evil Spirit? Why are you still puzzled?" Du Wei nodded thoughtfully, "This mechanism is actually turning me into an Evil Spirit, so it can''t kill you because you are intrinsically an Evil Spirit." The Evil Spirit Du Wei shook his head, "That''s one way to understand it. The truth is, once the face-switching seeded, turning into an Evil Spirit after that was no different from death. Because at that moment, you would lose the name Du Wei and be an Evil Spirit residing in the mask, until the next time someone puts on the mask. It would be with the same mechanism that you would re-emerge." Pausing there, it continued, "Of course, by then, the entity that appears would be the Masked Evil Spirit, and even if someone else bestowed a personality upon you using the same method, you wouldn''t be Du Wei anymore, but another Evil Spirit with someone else''s memories." It sounded almost like breeding... The conversation between Du Wei and the Evil Spirit Du Weicked any tension of drawn swords or ready crossbows, feeling more like a chat between old friends who knew each other well. Of course, such aparison was quite inappropriate.@@novelbin@@ Because their memories were the same, their personalities matched, and their logic in doing things was identical. In a sense, this was like questioning and answering oneself. Thus, Du Wei posed another question to "himself," "Before you, there must have been other Evil Spirits who seized other people''s bodies, right? What happened to those Evil Spirits?" The Evil Spirit Du Wei replied, "I don''t know, because I am you. Our memories are the same, and what you don''t know, I don''t know either." Du Wei nodded in understanding, not doubting whether the Evil Spirit Du Wei was hiding anything, for he knew himself all too well. One cannot deceive oneself. Then he said, "So you''re not in the mask now but hidden deep within my consciousness?" The Evil Spirit Du Wei nodded, "No... I''ve already told you, I am you and also an Evil Spirit. As soon as the transformation into aplete Evil Spirit urs, you will be me. From start to finish, we''ve always been the same person." Du Wei chuckled lightly, detecting an undercurrent of psychological suggestion. "Aside from memories, you and I are conceptually different. Even with Evil Spirit Transformation, it''s me turning into an Evil Spirit, not bing you." "Do you know ck Umbre?" The Evil Spirit Du Wei said indifferently, "Such probing is very trivial." Du Wei shook his head, "Indeed trivial, but you didn''t answer, did you?" ck Umbre was acquired recently; the Evil Spirit Du Wei couldn''t deceive himself. It didn''t matter whether it answered knowing or not knowing; any response would reveal some information. To know is to know, to not know is to not know. And not answering is essentially no different from answering. Du Wei stood up, nced around, and said in an odd tone, "So what you possess are just the memories from before I took back my body. You don''t have the memories that came after." "Indeed, you are me, but you are the me from the past." "Moreover, you cannot take over my body until I die. The whole spectacle you''ve created is, in reality, just trying to imnt within my consciousness the concept that you are me." "But for me, that''s of no use, your methods are too crude," "You''ve even exposed your weakness." "And now, I already know how to leave this dream and return to reality," Having said that, Du Wei lowered his head. At this moment, he was standing on the surface of theke, with the Evil Spirit Du Wei below him, his face gloomy and his eyes filled with malice. The rtionship between the two could basically not be reconciled; only one could exist. He muttered to himself, "The human subconscious harbors an inexplicable fear of the deep sea,kes, heights, and darkness¡ªit''s a mark etched into our instincts, unshakeable." "Even if one can face it calmly, in dreams, no one can resist this instinct." "The reason I stand on theke''s surface is because subconsciously I do not wish to fall to its bottom, since logically, that would mean drowning." "But this is a dream... what I fear the most is often what I do not want to confront." After finishing his words, Du Wei took a deep breath and closed his eyes. In the face of death, one should grant it the tranquility it deserves. Seconds and minutes passed by. The Evil Spirit Du Wei remained below, silent, because it knew that speaking was meaningless. And it was unable to stop what was happening. Although it could influence dreams, even create the Lake of the Mind, the dream belonged to Du Wei. Then, a bizarre scene unfolded. As Du Wei''s expression became more and more serene, his body slowly sank towards theke''s bottom. Meanwhile, the Evil Spirit Du Wei was slowly rising. The darkness enveloped everything, and theke''s surface divided the entire dream into two parts, reflecting only the figures of Du Wei and the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Gurgle... Bit by bit, Du Wei felt himself sinking towards theke''s bottom¡ªfirst his legs, then his dangling arms, his abdomen, chest, and neck. Finally, his mouth and nose. Throughout this process, Du Wei''splexion didn''t change at all; even as the wet and coldke water seeped into his body through his ears and nostrils, he did not struggle, feeling not even the slightest desire to return to the surface. It was as if he was drowning himself. There was nothing more terrifying or desperate than leading oneself to sink to the bottom of theke. Ssh... A ripple appeared on theke''s surface. When Du Wei hadpletely submerged in the water, the Evil Spirit Du Wei''s body also slowly surfaced. Now, it was on top, and Du Wei was beneath it. It looked at Du Wei sinking to the bottom of theke with a cold expression, free from anger, exuding only a deathly stillness. A long time passed. Only then did the Evil Spirit Du Wei speak in a chilling voice, "When you sink to the bottom of theke, you indeed escape from here and return to reality, but at the same time, I also acquire your current memories." "The Massas Uninhabited City, hm? I''m looking forward to it too..." Chapter 151 150, Long-lost peace... "Mr. Du Wei, you... just... just this?" Alex bit her teeth in anger, instantly turned her body around, and stared at Du Wei angrily. Her eyes were filled with displeasure! Whereas Du Wei pretended to speak indifferently, "Otherwise, what?" Actually, he also felt embarrassed. He understood what Alex meant, but instinctively felt that it wasn''t the right thing to do. Confirming a rtionship didn''t mean they had to immediately be intimate. That would only make him feel like a scumbag. A woman''s body didn''t hold much attraction for him, after all, he studied forensic medicine in college, and the bodies he dissected were not differentiated by gender. It was most suitable when things fall naturally into ce, and under the current circumstances, he didn''t want their rtionship to progress so quickly. At the very least... they would discuss it after returning from Massas City. Alex snorted coldly, unable to help but roll her eyes. Conceptions of East and West are formed from one''s upbringing. The West is rtively bolder; facing someone they like, they want to possess them wholeheartedly, and whether it''s appropriate or not is a matter forter. Continue your journey at empire Of course, Alex always felt that she and Du Wei were a good match. However, she also knew that''s how Du Wei was and respected him for it. Love, when not considering reality, can onlyst longer if both sides respect and understand each other. But understanding and respect is one thing, and feeling annoyed is another. "Baby, you''re making me doubt my charm now..." Alex stared at Du Wei''s face and leaned in directly, wrapping her arms around his neck. And Du Wei''s body tensed up as he slowly said, "You''re mistaken, you''re beautiful and have temperament, how could you not be charming?" Alex scoffed, "Heh, I seem to have heard you say that before. Are yourpliments for your girlfriend this sparse?"@@novelbin@@ Speaking, she had a peculiar look in her eyes, with a suggestive tone she said, "However, I''m not a big fan of sweet talk. Proving you''re my boyfriend is very simple, do what you''re supposed to do." After speaking... she even yfully winked. Her azure eyes, gentle as water, irresistibly invited one to indulge in them. Deep down, Du Wei told himself to stay calm. Then, he extended his right hand, wrapped it around Alex''s slender waist, and gently kissed her lips. Alex''s face turned slightly red; after all, she had never been in a rtionship before. Thest time she kissed Du Wei, she waspletely the initiator. It even carried a bit of apelling force. Although, in retrospect, that wasn''t bad, but when Du Wei took the initiative, it felt different. For a long time, their lips parted... Alex instantly turned her head away, and from her cheeks to her neck, her skin blushed enticingly. While Du Wei remained expressionless, as if nothing had happened, utterly calm. The atmosphere was awkward... Alex also pretended to be calm like Du Wei, touched up her lipstick in the rearview mirror, and said to herself, "I''ve arranged today''s schedule. First, we''ll go for a meal, then head to the Horror House in Ondo Area''s amusement park. I remember you said you''ve been there before, and we''ll go to my ce at noon, I''ll cook for you." At this point, she paused and then said, "In the evening... if it''s toote, you can stay at my ce, my bed is big... ah, what I mean is, I have a spare room." Du Wei twitched the corner of his mouth, unable to resist saying, "I wille home on time tonight, and you can''t go to the Horror House either; it''s been sealed off." Alex, puzzled, asked, "Sealed off? Why? Wasn''t it just fine when you visitedst time?" Du Wei had no choice but to say, "I am an Exorcist. Do you think I go to a ce like the Horror House for fun?" Alex rubbed his temple, saying with a hint of a headache, "So you mean, there are Evil Spirits there?" Du Wei indifferently replied, "Yes, and there is also a vi in the center of the North Brook District that has been sealed off. It has an Evil Spirit inside, and that spirit is extremely terrifying... Even for me, there''s currently no way to deal with it." Since he had established a rtionship with Alex, and she knew about his identity, he might as well tell her about the dangerous ces to prevent any mishap. Hearing Du Wei''s words, an inexplicable chill grew in Alex''s heart. She frowned and said, "With so many ces harboring Evil Spirits, isn''t it very easy for ordinary people to encounter danger? Why not make this public?" Du Wei fell silent for a moment before saying, "Fear and other negative emotions nourish the Evil Spirits. Once everyone is aware of these things, they will be even more terrifying. Besides, many people have a death wish." "Sealing off is a simple and direct method. If nobody can enter, the danger can be minimized to a great extent." Alex was stunned; she now realized just how dangerous the things her boyfriend was dealing with were. Suddenly, she felt timid. It wasn''t that she wanted to keep her distance from Du Wei, but she didn''t want him to take any more risks. Nothing was more important than the safety of one''s loved ones. Seeing what was on Alex''s mind, Du Wei spoke in aforting tone, "Don''t worry too much. I am responsible for all the Evil Spirit incidents in New York, which means I have the capability. If it''s truly dangerous, I will prioritize my own safety." Alex nodded softly and reached out to hold Du Wei''s hand, unwilling to let go. "I understand what you mean, but a woman''s intuition tells me it''s not as easy as you say. In fact, I can sense you have a lot of things hidden in your heart." "Yes, I won''t deny that," he admitted. "Can I help you in any way?" she asked. "I don''t really want you toe into contact with those things." "How about something else? Like the information about the mental hospital, or the origins of those Antique Clocks? There must be something I can help you with, right?" Upon hearing this, Du Wei fell silent. Feeling an indescribable emotion in his heart, he thought it must be touched. After taking a moment to reflect, Du Wei spoke up, "There is indeed something I would like your help with." Alex smiled, "Please tell me." Du Wei replied, "I''m nning to visit the Uninhabited City in Massas soon; I need information about it. Also, while I''m away in Massas, I hope we can make it seem like we have always been together." After listening, Alex had a strange expression and said, "I think I get your point. Thetter part is easy; I can drive with you to visit my parents'' city. After leaving New York, you can get out and go your way. But the Uninhabited City of Massas..." Du Wei narrowed his eyes, "You know about it?" Alex frowned and replied, "Sort of. Thergest iron foundry therest century belonged to my family''s business." "Hmm... many people died there." "But the time with the most deaths wasn''tst century. It was at the beginning of the century, when some residential buildings were being constructed." "Thend beneath was hollowed out, and an entire neighborhood sank into the ground... At least a few thousand people died, I think." "I was young then but vaguely remember it causing a bigmotion before it gradually faded away." Chapter 153 152. Massas Uninhabited City (also an additional update) May 28, a clear morning with bright skies. A McLaren GT, followed by an Aston Martin Noe77, left New York. When they got to the intersection, the two cars pulled up in session. Du Wei and Alex stepped out of their cars and hugged each other. By now, Alex had put on the ne and spoke with reluctance, "You must be careful, and, I''ll tell my parents about you." Du Wei hummed softly, his eyes filled withplexity. What Alex said carried weight. Her family was not like the average one, and although her parents spoiled her and hoped she would be free to love, once they knew about his existence, it was inevitable that they would meet the parents. Du Wei gently ruffled her hair and said, "I''ll meet your parents when the timees." Alex suddenly smiled, "Okay¡­ I''ll be waiting for you. It might be a bit nagging, but¡­ dear Mr. Du Wei, please make sure you''re safe." Du Wei said earnestly, "Don''t worry, I definitely will." Alex stopped dithering, let go, got back into her car, pressed the gas pedal, and sped away. On the spot. Du Wei watched her leave, took a deep breath, and began to adjust his state of mind. A few minutester, his eyes became calm and deep, and his demeanor much colder. "Time to set off!"@@novelbin@@ ... Massas is located to the northwest of New York, with a distance of about five hundred kilometers between the two cities. Even though Du Wei drove the McLaren GT, speeding on the highway, it still took him six hours. By the time he neared his destination, it was already noon. The surroundings were deste, the wild grass withered and yellow, and from afar, the distant view of a city could be seen. But weirdly, the skies over Massas City were always gloomy, as if caught in a thunderstorm, yet there was no sound of thunder or sight of lightning. While the outside world basked in sunlight, the inside was dark and gloomy, giving off an inexplicably oppressive feeling. This city was very dangerous. Du Wei sat in the car, gauging the distance, which seemed to be about ten kilometers, but now he couldn''t drive any further. The road had been cut off, and he had no choice but to proceed on foot. Last night, Alex had already collected a lot of information, even discovering that the Church had sent many people here. The Church''s public reason for being here was hardly disguised¡ªit was for exorcism. But precisely because of this, most people didn''t pay attention. To the average person, the Church was simply about "exorcism." Although many didn''t know or believe in the existence of evil spirits, no one thought there was anything wrong with the Church performing exorcisms. Conversely, if people think there are no evil spirits, then the Church''s exorcisms are just for show, a way to maintain their presence. This is known as... mold of thought. The death events that urred in Massas were not as few as Alex had previously mentioned. After her investigation, she concluded that at least tens of thousands of people had died. In thest century, Massas was a region where heavy industry was most developed. With mining and iron smelting, they practically ttened the nearby mountains and even hollowed out the ground with tunnels everywhere. This is also why, outside the city where Du Wei was, there was such destion and not even a hill in sight. But you have to understand. In thest century, capital was massively invested in the heavy industry sector. Back then, capitalists hardly cared for workers'' lives. The mines were much more dangerous than now. Every time miners went down, it was a gamble with their lives. A single copse could kill hundreds inside. Over more than a century, tens of thousands is a conservative estimate. Underneath this ruined city, there might be hidden tens of thousands of skeletons, or even a hundred thousand. Somehow. A shadow crept over Du Wei''s heart. If judged by the number of deaths, the horrors of Massas City surpassed all evil spirit incidents he had encountered before. Moreover, there were signs of cultist activities here. Even now, the Church had not put out any news. What exactly was in Massas City was described only with a very vague concept¡ªsome horrifying things. That is to say, there could be anything inside¡­ With that thought, Du Wei took out his phone to check. No signal. And the time now was 12:09 PM. "In about two hours, I''d enter Massas City, but I need to take a detour and find a concealed spot to hide the car," "Moreover, I seem to sense that something in Massas City has be aware of my presence." Having said that, He didn''t hesitate to pull out his wallet and drew the Joker Card. The card felt slightly icy to the touch. Du Wei knew that it belonged to a member of the Dusk Bell Church who also possessed another Joker Card. The two Joker Cards each contained a part of an Evil Spirit and could sense each other... Suddenly... Du Wei''s pupils contracted. He thought of something. When he had received the Joker Card, he could sense that the other part of the Evil Spirit had left New York, but in reality, only two days had passed. Within two days, a member of the Dusk Bell Church had to exorcize the Evil Spirit in order to obtain the Joker Card, and also make it to Massas City... This was nearly impossible. Which meant... Did the other part of the Evil Spirit leave New York ande directly to Massas City? Du Wei''splexion turned unsightly. He had a premonition that if that were the case, there might be more than just the Church''s exorcists and that one hunter in Massas City; it was quite possible that many members of the Dusk Bell Church were there. Even that this whole affair was inseparably linked to the Dusk Bell Church. What exactly were they trying to do? ... At this moment. Within Massas City. On a deserted street, three exorcists in priest''s attire looked around with pale faces. Each of them wore expressions of fear they could not fully conceal. One of the older individuals spoke with a face full of despair, "What on earth just happened? Weren''t we leaving Massas City with the bishop and the others? Why is it that in the blink of an eye, it''s only the three of us left?" The other two spoke with trembling fear, "York, we might have been left behind by something. Perhaps only if that hunter settles everything, we''ll be able to leave." The man called York clutched his hair in a fit of copse, venting the fear in his heart, yet not daring to scream aloud. All he could manage was a helplessment, "Can we hold out until then?" The other two exchanged looks of nearing breakdown. Last night, that hunter arrived in Massas City with two assistants and entered. They found many lost exorcists there. Luckily, thest batch to go in, more than eighty people, were still alive. York and his twopanions were among that group. The hunter had given their bishop a candle, which, once lit, would guide them safely to the way out and ensure everyone''s safety. Thus, they quickly made their way to the outskirts of Massas City under the bishop''s lead. But unexpectedly, as they passed through this street, in just the time it took to blink, the bishop and others in front had suddenly vanished. York felt an intense copse inside. His experiences during this period had greatly traumatized his psyche. The grisly deaths of many of hispanions were branded in his mind as if they could never be shaken off. Those horrific Evil Spirits and that sinister stuff were terrifying to the extreme. This Uninhabited City was truly a ghost city! Thinking this, York''s expression became even more desperate, but at that moment, he saw a figure with a ck Umbre approaching gradually. Enjoy new adventures at empire As the figure with the ck Umbre became clearer, York''s expression grew more numb and desperate. He saw that the one holding the ck Umbre in front was a young girl, with the umbre obscuring her upper body so her face was unclear. But judging by her attire, she resembled a student. Or perhaps, an Evil Spirit. Behind her followed eight students, also holding ck Umbres, both male and female. Each one of them emitted an oppressive, somber aura. No sound, no superfluous movements. They slowly walked towards York and his twopanions, getting closer with each step... And during this process, the expressions on the faces of York and hispanions became utterly hollow and nk, as if they had lost their souls. Then, as these students holding ck Umbres passed in front of York and the others. They began to follow behind in a mechanical march. Without ck Umbres of their own, they looked like part of a neat formation... Chapter 155 154. Another Mask ``` Thud, thud, thud... The footsteps inevitably sounded. A group of people, continuing to walk forward.@@novelbin@@ James and Homier kept a close watch on the bandaged female Evil Spirit at the rear. But as time ticked away, the Evil Spirit never made a move. The other Exorcists, despite being aware of the Evil Spirit behind them, were running low on resources and could only quicken their pace in an effort to leave. Only by doing so could they be of any help to James and everyone else. At the back, James caressed his flintlock gun, feeling the cold that was slowly creeping into his skin, and an inexplicable irritation settling in his heart. Suddenly, when they reached a rather enclosed area. The team stopped, and James almost bumped into the Exorcist in front of him, staggering involuntarily. "Why have we stopped?" Nobody answered... The silence was as though death itself. James immediately fell silent, guarding against the female Evil Spirit behind him with his peripheral vision, while observing what was happening in front. The next second. His face turned extremely grim. The team was now on a street, nked by high walls on both sides. At the front was a crossroads. The surrounding light was dim, yet, the sight that should have been blurred was crystal clear¡ªthere stood a tall man swathed in bandages from head to toe in the middle of the intersection. Behind them, a profoundly deep malice burst forth, enough to drive one to despair. James instantly felt that undisguised malevolent re. He sharply turned around, only to see the female Evil Spirit embedded in the bandages waving at him with a sinister smile. At the same time, the other corpse it was dragging also raised a hand and waved. It looked like they were greeting someone. James felt a chill run down his spine, his forehead beading with cold sweat. He suddenly realized another problem, the Evil Spirit wasn''t greeting him, but the Evil Spirit blocking their way ahead. The two Evil Spirits were actually connected to each other... As he came to this realization. Both Evil Spirits moved. One in front, one in the back, sandwiching James and his group in the middle. The two Evil Spirits approached the group from front and rear, and everyone''s expression at that moment was filled with despair. However, when they got about 3 meters from the group, both Evil Spirits stopped. In front, Bishop Thompson held the candle with an exceptionally unsightlyplexion. The candle''s burning rate was elerating¡ªit would only be minutes before it waspletely extinguished. Then, everyone would fall into an unsolvable predicament. Unable to move forward, unable to retreat. The two Evil Spirits had thempletely trapped... Oddly, Thompson thought of an Eastern term¡ªtrapping turtles in a jar. ... Meanwhile. Du Wei didn''t find himself in much better straits than James and the others. After entering Massas City, sensing the rough location of another Joker Card, he found an old bicycle and began riding along the city streets. However, upon reaching an area filled with dpidated houses and a deserted street, Du Wei''s face stiffened. Around the street, there were some rustympposts. Beneath themppost closest to him stood a man in a ck suit, pinned at the chest with a golden brooch crafted entirely from gold. He wore a white mask on his face devoid of features, and leaned on a cane in his hand, the deste surroundings failing to evoke a sense of discord with his presence. It was as if he belonged there. ``` Du Wei''splexion was very ugly as he forced himself to calm down. He was all too familiar with this scene. In the initial death imagery, he died right here, except that it was during a downpour. Later, on the bus, he encountered the Masked Evil Spirit wearing the Golden Broach twice at the same location. The rundown neighborhood, the broken streets, the streetlight pole... Could it be that he had taken the bus ande to Massas City twice before? That was absolutely impossible. Although what he saw on the bus was simr to his current surroundings, it was deste with nothing resembling Massas City. It was just a simr location... But the presence of this Evil Spirit here definitely meant something he couldn''tprehend had happened. Last time, he and the Masked Evil Spirit, along with other malevolent spirits, were all forced off the bus together. There were no bus stop signs around. Which means, ording to the rules of the bus, they could not return to their original ce. And now, he had encountered the Masked Evil Spirit from among them in Massas City. Did that mean the other spirits had also made it to this city? If that was the case, then there was big trouble! Those spirits weren''t much of a threat on the bus because the bus was restraining them. But once off the bus, not a single spirit was weak. As it happens... More than a dozen spirits bore personal vendettas against him... Du Wei couldn''t afford to keep thinking. He turned around without hesitation, got on his bike, and rode away. Behind him, the Masked Evil Spirit did not react at all but just stood there, silently watching Du Wei leave. It wore a white mask without features; one couldn''t see the face underneath the mask, but the more that was true, the creepier it felt. ... Ten minutester... Du Wei abandoned his bicycle, his eyes cold as he stared at the Masked Evil Spirit before him. The environment hadn''t changed at all. It was still The abandoned road and the rusty streetlight pole. He was back to where he started. "I tried three times, but each time I couldn''t leave, and you were always standing here. I don''t think we can coexist peacefully, so does that mean you''re trapped here too?" Du Wei asked himself, as if he were also asking the Masked Evil Spirit. He really didn''t want to confront the Masked Evil Spirit, because of the Golden Brooch. Two masks, one of which was on him, creating the entity known as Evil Spirit Du Wei. Facing Evil Spirit Du Wei, he still had some confidence, as no one understood him better than himself. But the Evil Spirit before him was different. He was Mike Stowe, who, after donning the other mask, had not been killed by the residing Evil Spirit before getting on the bus. The Evil Spirit that originally inhabited the mask had possessed his daughter and wife in turn. And he himself had died on the bus,ter bing an Evil Spirit for reasons unknown. Evil Spirit Du Wei was special, while this one was simply an Evil Spirit, and that was all. With that thought in mind. Du Wei hesitated for a moment then, holding the ck Umbre, walked toward the Masked Evil Spirit. He intended to verify his theory¡ªIf he wasn''t wrong, then it wasn''t the Masked Evil Spirit who was preventing him from leaving; something was inherently wrong with this ce. Under the streetlight, the Masked Evil Spirit watched Du Wei and suddenly reached out to grab him. Yet, it couldn''t even step forward. Seeing this, Du Wei stopped two meters in front of it, a strange look in his eyes. "It seems I''m right, you''re trapped here too, and possibly because you''re an Evil Spirit, you''re even more restricted than I am, unable to move at all." He immediately opened his backpack, took out Bone Powder, and the lighter he always carried. This was a good opportunity... Chapter 158 157. Pain? (Extra) After leaving the eerie and terrifying streets, nightfall gradually approached. There was at most one hour left untilplete darkness. Du Wei walked on the outskirts of Massas City, heading in a northeast direction. Through the connection with the two Joker Cards, Du Wei could clearly detect that another card was approaching him, but given the size of Massas City, the Bald Man from Dusk Bell Church couldn''t get there quickly. This meant he had enough time to look for a suitable trap. As he walked, Du Wei opened his phone and essed a document. This was the city distribution map Alex had sent him earlier, where the ces with many deaths were marked in red. He zoomed in on the city distribution map. Six red areas were particrly striking, each with no fewer than a hundred deaths, but thergest and most vividly colored area was an abandoned neighborhood marked with the number¡ª3098. Previously, Alex had made it clear to him that this deserted neighborhood was a mine in thest century, rich in iron ore. After it waspletely excavated, it had been redeveloped into a residential area. Of course... As a former mine, copses weremon, thus at least three thousand people were known to have died inside it. No one knows why Evil Spirits appear, but the most dangerous ces are often where Evil Spirits are more likely to emerge. Therefore, Du Wei was prepared to take risks, to find the most appropriate ce where he could keep himself alive and surprise the people from Dusk Bell Church, without getting himself into a death sentence. This time, he was more vignt, constantly in the state of the Third Phase of Spirit Vision. Aside from his "Right Hand" not undergoing Evil Spirit Transformation, he was essentially fully armed. The lighter was in his pocket. He held a ck Umbre in his hand, and the Joker Card was also in his pocket, ready to be used at any time. Two masks, one kept close at hand, the other in his backpack. As long as he didn''t fall into the terrible situation he had just encountered, any encounter with an Evil Spirit wouldn''t be able to kill him immediately. "It''s time to go..." Du Wei said to himself quietly, shifting his gaze away from the city distribution map and the location nearest to him. It was an abandoned elevated highway that had been intended as a lifeline connecting the entire city since the turn of the century but had suffered a subsidence during construction, leaving it half-finished. The entire half of the elevated highway had copsed to fill the deep sinkhole, and more than a hundred construction workers died in the ident, with no survivors. And now, Du Wei''s destination was this deserted elevated highway. ... Elsewhere. In the streets of Massas City, where James and the others were located, two Evil Spirits hadpletely trapped them, neither advancing nor retreating, just as if they were waiting for something. Bishop Thompson stood five meters in front of the male Evil Spirit leading the group, the candle in his hands burned down to the bottom, and they couldn''t hold out much longer. What''s more troublesome was that almost all items that could be used tobat Evil Spirits had nearly run out for everyone. Of course... Even if there were any, Thompson did not believe it would make much difference under the current circumstances. The two bandage-wrapped Evil Spirits were excessively frightening. It was estimated that no Exorcist within the church could resolve them. They could only try to restrict or rather imprison them with the advantage of numbers. "Where did these two Evil Spiritse from? The route of our retreat was verified as the safest, but so many unexpected incidents urred when we left." Even Bishop Thompson felt extremely agitated, and he couldn''t help but curse, "shit." But curse as he might, under such serious circumstances, Thompson had to do something. He couldn''t let the situation remain so passive. He thought for a moment and then waved at James who was behind. Seeing this, James hesitated for a moment, then handed his camera to Homier: "You watch from the back. If the Evil Spirit stirs, shout immediately." As he spoke, his eyes sternly swept over the Evil Spirit standing at the rear. It was the body of twin sisters, one of which was entangled in filthy bandages, their hands sped together, their faces deathly pale with no emotions, and their eyes a blood-red. Homier nodded solemnly, staring silently at the two bodies, extremely vignt in his heart. James sighed inwardly, turned, and quickly walked towards Bishop Thompson standing in the front. "What do you n to do?" James approached, noticing that the candle was nearly burnt out. Once it waspletely extinguished, none of them would be able to leave Massas City. Bishop Thompson looked at James with aplex expression and whispered in his ear, "Are you willing to be a hunter?" James was startled and asked, "What do you mean...You''re asking if I want to be a hunter?" Bishop Thompson said helplessly, "If it weren''t for my old age, for not being able to endure the pain thates with entering the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and the onset of Evil Spirit Transformation, I would never pose this question to you. Now just tell me, are you willing or not?" James''s face changed. The serious expression he had always shown now revealed deepplexity. He didn''t understand why Bishop Thompson would ask if he was willing to be a hunter. But he knew that the situation was dire; if the Bishop was mentioning hunters, it must mean he believed only the emergence of a hunter could resolve such an event. But to be a hunter... How could that be possible? The Church had always kept information about hunters highly confidential, circting it only among elite exorcists. The general belief was that after entering the Third Phase of Spirit Vision, signs of Evil Spirit Transformation would start to emerge, and at that point, the exorcist would be what''s referred to as a hunter. Only an Evil Spirit can truly fight against an Evil Spirit. But what was the pain Bishop Thompson was talking about? Is it painful when one begins to undergo Evil Spirit Transformation? James had some understanding of this Bishop; he too was among the elite exorcists, but due to his position, he normally worked with other Bishops, responsible for some major cities, with a very resolute will. And yet, Bishop Thompson felt he couldn''t endure the pain; did that mean he himself could stand it? James hesitated. When he joined the Church to be an exorcist, he was prepared to die in an Evil Spirit incident. But that didn''t mean he wanted to be a hunter. Because once he became a hunter, everyone would look at him differently, and he would also enter a process of despair¡ªas he gradually transformed into an Evil Spirit. In a sense, this was a fall from grace. Hunters were a group of despairing individuals, and the power they wielded signified that despair... If there was no faith, no strong conviction, in the moment of undergoing Evil Spirit Transformation, one would fully turn into an Evil Spirit andsh out at the living... James took a deep breath, his thoughts in chaos, but he said with a determined tone to Bishop Thompson, "If this is the only way for us to get out alive, then I''m willing to be a hunter." Bishop Thompson said softly, "Your decision impresses me, but I promise you, once you be a hunter, the Church will find a way to deal with the hidden dangers of your Evil Spirit Transformation. You will also have ess to the Church''s core secrets, providing you don''t lose control and are willing to ept the Church''s absolute control." That was not a problem for James. Your journey continues with empire So he said in a low voice, "What should I do now?" Bishop Thompson also lowered his voice, responding, "Take hold of that flintlock gun, confront the Evil Spirit while in the Spirit Vision state; by the time the candle burns down, you should be able to enter the Third Phase of Spirit Vision." His voice was calm yet filled with deep sorrow.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 160 159, is an invitation At the broken elevated highway. Du Wei withdrew his dagger and stared expressionlessly at the dirty puddle on the ground for a long time without shifting his gaze. He was thinking about something now. The bald man from Dusk Bell Church had managed to create an irregr body through another Joker Card, using the flow of water, and although it did not exhibit lethality, it had already defied thews of physics. He could see himself through this method and pinpoint his own location. But in reality, this ability seemed quite useless... It couldn''t kill, at most frighten people. Even in this situation, it made the people of the Dusk Bell Church seem somewhat reckless. The abilities of the other Joker Card should not be limited to this... And the Evil Spirit part within his own Joker Card was not very substantial. He could infer that the other Joker Card was a bit stronger than his own, and there might even be a tendency to counter it. "A dangerous opponent..." Du Wei''s eyes became a bit colder, and he grew more alert in his heart. The other party was a hunter like himself; they definitely had no shortage of special items, and also possessed the abilities of a hunter. And in this respect, the other party was stronger than him. The reason was simple. His Evil Spirit Transformation was wed, or rather iplete... Du Wei looked at his Evil Spirit Transformed right hand and gripped it firmly. This hand was indeed much stronger than before, from initially being able to grasp Evil Spirits to now being able to suppress the abnormalities of the Joker Card. If he hadn''t encountered the hunter from the Dusk Bell Church, this ability would indeed be very useful. But now, the more he learned, the more feeble he felt. "It has something to do with Annabelle..." Du Wei remembered that the first time he foiled Annabelle, his Evil Spirit Transformed right hand started to lose sensation, like a corpse. Thinking from another angle. It was possible that Annabelle had done something to him at that time. It was just that due to asymmetric information, he had not realized this situation. "After I go back, I need to research how to resolve this trouble. Maybe burning Annabelle to ash is a good way? But it seems that this thing cannot be destroyed at all..." "Very troublesome..." "But before that, as long as I can get the information I want from the hunter of the Dusk Bell Church, perhaps all these problems can be easily solved." Du Wei told himself this in his heart; he knew things needed to be resolved one by one, following the original n. Creating a trap for the hunter from the Dusk Bell Church, if he wanted to kill him, he also had to find a way to pry his mouth open beforehand to get the secrets about the hunters. The Dusk Bell Church was an organization that had conducted in-depth research on the threats of Evil Spirit Transformation. In this regard, even the current church could notpare. But... after considering so many factors, Du Wei''s headache only grew worse. A suitable trap was really hard toe by... With that thought, he turned his head toward the broken, abandoned elevated highway. By then, the sky had darkened; the visibility was no more than five meters, very dim and gloomy, as if there were people everywhere around him. But under the state of Spirit Vision. The scenery around him changed. Du Wei saw a vague figure taking steps forward at the break in the elevated highway. He didn''t feel any malice, but that didn''t mean it wasn''t an Evil Spirit. Having learned from the previous experience, Du Wei did not immediately approach to check but stood there, quietly watching. Due to the distance, the figure he saw was very blurry. Then, under Du Wei''s calm gaze. The figure slowly walked to the location of the break and came to a halt. An elevated highway is actually a freeway, but it''s very high off the ground. And this upleted, abandoned elevated highway in Massas City was once built as andmark highway; at its highest point, it could be as much as fifteen meters from the ground. This distance was roughly the height of a four to five-story building. Immediately after, the blurry figure suddenly turned its head. Below the mask, Du Wei''s eyes turned slightly colder; he felt the chilly gaze had noticed him. Something''s not right...@@novelbin@@ There''s more than one. He was wearing a mask, yet there was a faint stinging sensation on his cheeks, as if resisting something. But he wasn''t on the overpass, maintaining a distance from it. This was vignce... Afterward, Du Wei pulled out the ck Umbre that was attached to the side of his backpack. Whoo... It was the sound of the umbre opening. The next second. The stinging sensation had vanishedpletely. Yet in Du Wei''s eyes, he could only see the figure standing at the break in the overpass, turning to face him. The other gazes he had just felt were nowhere to be seen. The ck Umbre was the most useful tool against Evil Spirits. Once opened, Du Wei would be in an absolutely safe state until the umbre was closed or damaged. However, after cutting off those unknown, chilling stares, Du Wei couldn''t locate their origin. At this time. Du Wei noticed the blurry figure facing him hadn''t moved at all, which seemed a bit strange... Suddenly... Du Wei thought of a possibility. The figure before him might not be an Evil Spirit, but a ghost... What is an Evil Spirit? Infectiousness, purposefulness, mechanism, and malice towards the living. What is a ghost? Crude infectiousness, purposefulness, a purely evil soul, much lower-end than an Evil Spirit, and possibly evencking the mechanism to kill, not very dangerous. "So, were those gazes I just felt all from ghosts? Then why didn''t I see them?" Du Wei couldn''t quite understand. If it were ghosts, such cruder entities than Evil Spirits wouldn''t be able to elude his Third Phase Spirit Vision. It seems this overpass, where hundreds had died, was also somewhat abnormal. Thinking this, the next second he saw the ghost facing him suddenly move. It didn''t walk towards him, nor did it make any other bizarre gestures. Instead, it turned around and leaped down. Quickly. He heard the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground. Du Wei couldn''t help but widen his eyes, his right hand tightly gripping... What''s going on? Ghosts don''t have a physical form! Why would there be a sound of something heavy falling when it jumped down? Could it be a person possessed by a ghost? How could that be! Du Wei took a deep breath, keeping his emotions calm. If it were a person possessed, jumping from such a height, the chances of survival were slim, and even if not dead, they wouldn''t be able to live on in Massas City. If it were a ghost, then the situation would be even more bizarre. Because this indicated the broken overpass and the previous street were the same kind of ces. Eerie, with a strong sense of evil, whether it''s humans or Evil Spirits, or something else, once inside its range, they would be influenced by it. Subconsciously, Du Wei took two steps back. He didn''t want to be too close to such a ce. And just as he had taken those two steps back, a blurry figure suddenly appeared at the spot ahead, without any warning. Furthermore, this time the location of the figure differed slightly from the previous one; it was at the break in the overpass, about ten meters from Du Wei, slightly "closer" to him. Then, it walked step by step toward the break in the overpass. When it reached the end, it turned its head and beckoned to Du Wei. As if inviting... Chapter 163 162, it is imitation. James felt incredibly good about his current state. He had never felt so calm and rational. And indeed, that was the case. To the exorcists like Thompson and others, the James they saw had changedpletely, as if he were apletely different person. Extremely calm, expressionless, and even exuding an indescribable sense of eeriness. Because those eyes were just too abrupt. They seemed to have been forcefully crammed into James, appearing entirely out of ce. At this moment, through James''s eyes, he saw more. Everyone experienced different pains when they underwent Evil Spirit Transformation. Some were afraid of the deep sea, some were afraid of high ces. Others feared certain things or objects. Those afraid of the deep sea would feel the torment of drowning, those afraid of heights would experience the fall, helplessly watching themselves shatter into pieces. What James feared was the Evil Spirit Du Wei... An Evil Spirit that had Du Wei''s personality, memories, logic of behavior, way of thinking, and took into ount aspects of psychology¡ªa terrifying entity. In some ways, this was like a bug-like existence. So, it''s more urate to say that it was an Evil Spirit that had undergone a Du Wei Transformation. James had once been almost squeezed to death by the Evil Spirit Du Wei as easily as pinching a chick, leaving him with a deep psychological scar, especially those eyes of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. And at this moment, his external manifestation of Evil Spirit Transformation was simrly a pair of eyes, or, to be precise, eyes like those of Evil Spirit Du Wei. As if he had be an extension of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. In his vision, everything around him was different. It all became clearer, and the previously superficial things he saw during the first stage of Spirit Vision suddenly seemed to reveal their true essence. The Evil Spirit summoned by the flintlock gun stood somberly outside the range of the candlelight.@@novelbin@@ Two bandage-wrapped Evil Spirits blocked everyone front and back, just waiting for the candles to burn outpletely before everyone would have to face the Evil Spirits directly. Instinctively, James made a decision that didn''t align with his way of thinking. He didn''t deal with the Evil Spirits behind him, rather, he turned to Bishop Thompson and said in an inexplicably calm tone, "Please give me the candles; I can deal with these Evil Spirits." Thompson was stunned for a moment and subconsciously passed the candles over. It wasn''t until after James had taken them that he came to his senses and said, "What are you going to do?" James lowered his head, disying an elegant smile, "I don''t know what I''m going to do, but there seems to be a voice in my head telling me what to do, and this person... I''ve had contact with him before. He is a very powerful exorcist." Thompson''s face changed slightly, his lips trembled, he wanted to say something but held back, and instead, he nodded heavily. He looked into James''s eyes and felt a fear emanating from within. He knew there was something off with this hunter who had just entered Evil Spirit Transformation. It seemed... he had lost control. Behind him, Homier was deathly pale, her breathing extraordinarily rapid as she faintly felt that her nephew had be very much like the Evil Spirit Du Wei, yet without that overpowering sense of lethal pressure. Up front. As James took the candles from Thompson, holding the flintlock gun, he walked up to the male Evil Spirit wrapped in bandages. Then... "Huh..." He blew out the candle. In an instant. An immensely terrifying malice locked onto everyone tightly, including James himself. Yet, James looked at the denim-d Evil Spirit with an elegant posture, his gaze calm and uncanny... The denim-d Evil Spirit trembled, extending its hand to grab James, but as if sensing something, stopped in its tracks. On the other hand, the bandage-wrapped male Evil Spirit walked towards James. The batch of Evil Spirits that Du Wei had forcibly driven off the bus were far more horrific and terrifying than others, and their malice towards the living was even stronger. But then, James did something no one could understand. With the hand that held the flintlock gun, he actively advanced toward the male Evil Spirit. The male Evil Spirit grasped James''s right hand firmly and with a gentle pull, "took" it off as if removing a piece of interlocking block. Blood...gushed out. Then, the bandages on the hands of the male Evil Spirit eerily unwound themselves and fitted James''s right hand onto its own. The bandages wrapped around automatically... But the next second, it shook all over. Because James held the flintlock gun with his right hand, and now it possessed James''s right hand... Behind... Another bandaged Evil Spirit also moved, cing its hand on the shoulder of an Exorcist as gently as a lover''s caress, slowly sliding over the neck. With a simple twist, it took off his head. During this process, the unfortunate Exorcist had no reaction at all, as if he had be a puppet. ... James looked down at the bleeding stump of his right shoulder, hisplexion revealing paleness due to the loss of a great deal of blood. But his eyes remained calm, devoid of any feeling. The Hunter''s Evil Spirit Transformation...in some sense, meant bing an Evil Spirit. The next second. His legs gave way, and he uncontrobly knelt on the ground, his chest heavy with nausea, overtaken by a strong urge to vomit. But at this moment, the bandage-wrapped Evil Spirit moved. It walked straight up to James and reached for his head. But just then, as if the cowboy Evil Spirit also charged toward James. It seemed like a certain doom... However... Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire James ced the candle on the ground and lit it again. The light was faint yet illuminated the area. The two Evil Spirits were driven back, beginning to stare at each other, while James seemed to be discarded. The Evil Spirit in the back did the same, having killed an Exorcist, it reluctantly left the range of the light. James let out a sigh of relief in his heart, gritted his teeth to stand up with effort, left hand holding the candle, and shouted to the others, "Hurry up and go now..." Bishop Thompson gave the order without hesitation, "Carry James on your back, let''s go." Someone immediately hoisted James up; without his entire right hand, if they didn''t quickly leave the city to go to the church''s gathering point outside, it was very likely that James would die from excessive blood loss. And once James was hoisted up, his left hand clenched the candle firmly, beginning to convulse violently, in evident agony, yet his eyes remained eerily calm... ... Meanwhile, on the other side. Du Wei slowed down his pace as he rode his bicycle. Because ahead, a procession carrying ck umbres that he knew all too well had appeared. The leader was a girl dressed as a student, her oversized ck umbre hiding her upper body, making her face indistinct. Behind her were eight students, each carrying ck umbres, of different genders and heights. Beyond them were more than twenty men in Priest''s attire. Although they did not carry ck umbres, the expression on each was one of defeat, their eyes hollow and lifeless. All were corpses... And at the very back... Was the terrifying sight that made Du Wei''s scalp tingle. Three Evil Spirits, all following behind. The one at the very end was the Evil Spirit that couldn''t be seen under the light. It was pitch-ck, with the figure of a woman yet with limbs disproportionately elongated, eerily standing out in the back. As Du Wei saw this procession made up of Evil Spirits and corpses, they all lifted their heads and looked toward Du Wei. Deathly silence... Chapter 166 165, Its foggy... Drip-drop... Tick-tock... Surrounding him was pitch-ck darkness, his feet submersed in a bone-chilling pond. Above the surface stood a man in a ck overcoat, his head bowed, a cracked, fragmented mask covering his face. His demeanor was cold and grim, yet beneath that, an elegance shone through, reminiscent of a gentleman from the previous century. It was the Evil Spirit Du Wei... This ce was the so-called Spirit Lake. Beneath the surface, an entirely different scene unfolded. There was no reflection, but instead a different visual perspective appeared. In the image, the edge of a ck Umbre could be seen, beyond whichy a street, and a little further, the destination was within reach. After a long while. A voice identical to Du Wei''s echoed, "The one who knows oneself best is always oneself." "You think you can leave this ce, but in reality, it''s just what I let you believe." "Indeed, there is a time difference in our memories, but I am notpletely ignorant, and as you sank to the bottom of theke, I acquired all your memories." "What you can do, I can do, what you understand, I understand." "I indeed lost to you, but I also seeded in nting a psychological suggestion in you. Even if you could think about what happened after you sank, you''d never anticipate that I had already prepared a big trap for you as a gift." "This mask is the bridge between us. The moment you put it on, it''s as if I''ve put it on as well." "The next time you use the Joker Card will be when I fully appear, and by then, you will be unable to take back control of your body." "You set traps for the people of Dusk Bell Church, but in reality, I was also setting traps for you." "James, Homier, Harry, masks, psychological suggestions, traps, and again psychological suggestions, you''ve already lost." "And I am the true victor." ... Inside Massas City. Du Wei, holding a ck Umbre, proceeded in silence, a long procession of Evil Spirits following him. The entire squad moved with a uniform pace and step. Regr, yet rigid. Yet in the epassing darkness, punctuated only asionally by a glimmer of light, the scene took on an added eeriness. The streety ahead. Under the Joker Card''s influence, that Bald Man would arrive here in at most half an hour. But for some reason. The closer it got to the critical moment, the stranger Du Wei felt. It wasn''t so-called intuition. It was the oddity he discovered after habitually reevaluating his n to ensure the oue¡ªthat he himself was off. As he continued forward, he mulled over this in his mind. Since entering Massas City, his actions had been too reckless, although this also had to do with the city''s inherent strangeness, which was difficult to guard against. But no matter how you looked at it, on reflection, there were many things that he shouldn''t have done. For instance, facing the Bald Man from Dusk Bell Church, why did he insist on waiting for him to appear in the puddle before taking action? Or when escaping by car, with a Ghost sitting in the vehicle, why did he insist on carrying it along in his flight instead of dealing with it on the spot? Dealing with that Ghost, even if it couldn''t slow the extension of the highway, would have allowed him to verify some information. And another thing, why did he agree to a bet with the leader of the Evil Spirit Squad? Even if it was to resist the strangeness of the highway, it still got him into even bigger trouble. Once the members of Dusk Bell Church were taken care of, he would have to figure out how to get rid of this squad. But now, with myself as the leader, wherever I go, these Evil Spirits will follow. If I gave up the leadership, then the first one the Evil Spirit Squad would kill would be me. The Joker Card is almost useless now. Using the same trick to pit against the Evil Spirits... That''s probably akin to seeking death... Thinking of this, a fine sweat broke out on Du Wei''s forehead and trickled down his cheeks. He realized that he seemed to have fallen into a deathtrap. Find adventures at empire Once he handled the people from the Dusk Bell Church, it would be his turn. He took a deep breath, tried to stay calm, and started to think carefully. The situation had turned out this way because he had made some decisions that seemed rational yet contradicted his usual behavior. There were only two things that could influence his behavior. One, Evil Spirit Transformation. As one gradually bes an Evil Spirit, their behavior also bes aligned with that of an Evil Spirit: inhumane, cold-blooded, chaotic. Two, the Joker Card. Part of the Evil Spirit was hidden within it, and the more it was used, the deeper the influence on the user became until they eventually turned into part of the Evil Spirit. With this in mind, Du Wei took out the Joker Card from his pocket. At this time, on the Joker Card, the image of himself in a tailcoat had a more sinister smile, and the evil wolf lurking in the shadows had stealthily moved a step closer, its gaping maw slightly ajar, revealing sharp, fierce fangs. As for Evil Spirit Transformation. Du Wei frowned and looked down at his right hand. The skin pale as a corpse''s, it did not seem like his own, except that he could still control it. This included the influence of Annabelle but also aspects of Evil Spirit Transformation. What exactly is going on? Why would I make decisions that are so out of character for me? Even if it was a gamble with the Evil Spirit Squad, I shouldn''t have gambled in a way that put me in even greater danger. At the very least, I should have included a rule that would allow me to extricate myself. Wait a moment... Evil Spirit Transformation would only make me more like an Evil Spirit; it shouldn''t lead me to make wrong decisions. Evil Spirit within the Joker Card would devour me, but this is shown as the image of myself and the evil wolf on the card''s face. Something else must be influencing me. Du Wei had always had a good memory; he reyed all the events since arriving in Massas City in his mind. After sorting through everything, Du Wei suddenly reached out and touched the mask on his face. It felt somewhat cool... Then, his eyes suddenly became dangerous, and he quickened his pace. The entire Evil Spirit Squad seemed to have sensed something and all the Evil Spirits raised their heads to nce at Du Wei at the front.@@novelbin@@ Each Evil Spirit radiated malicepressed to its extreme, deep and terrifying, as if they were about to burst forth at any second. Behind them, stood a Ghost, motionless, staring numbly and nkly as the Evil Spirit Squad advanced, creating a sinister atmosphere that was frightening. Further back, white fog had appeared; it was unknown when, but it was thick and hazy, with no end in sight. The fog was peculiar, as if having a consciousness, spreading forward at an incredibly fast rate. In just a minute, the white fog reached where the Ghost was and slowly engulfed it. The next second, another Ghost appeared at the rear of the Evil Spirit Squad. This road, while continuing to spread, also underwent some mysterious changes. Chapter 169 168, Pit... (Please vote for the monthly ticket) A pitch-ck night. A bald man dressed in a priest''s attire walked slowly under the veil of darkness. In his hand, he pinched a Joker Card that depicted himself in a tailcoat, but the rest of the scene was different from Du Wei''s card. Du Wei''s card had a forest background,plete with the moon and evil wolves. But this one only featured a pce. The bald man in tailcoat stood at the entrance of the pce, with an uncountable number of hands grabbing onto the door''s edge, but two hands rested on his shoulders. ¡­ Looking at the scene on the card, the bald man whispered softly. "Each time this Joker Card is used, one hand will detach from the edge of the door. The so-called wish fulfillment can actually be understood as a transaction; though the ways wishese true are quite bizarre, it still works much better than the other card." "And as for the Evil Spirit gamble, hehe, it''s only when you lose that you realize what despair truly means." "However, having obtained another card, I need to head back to Switzend immediately; otherwise, when the Old Church hunters start dealing with those things underground, something bad might happen." While he spoke, the bald man walked to a spot about a hundred meters away from the street. What seemed odd to him was that fog had appeared in front of him at some unknown time. And with Spirit Vision, the bald man saw many ghosts standing within the fog, spaced at intervals, motionless as if waiting for something. "Is this the obstacle you''ve set up for me? Laughable..." The bald man showed a sarcastic smile, instantly noticing the presence of those ghosts. However, with a Joker Card in his possession, and as a hunter, the threat of ghosts was pitifully small to him. Next. He stepped forth, and pulled out a shlight... The shlight was silver-white, looking like an antique from the turn of the century. Soon. He stepped into the fog... Huh... An inexplicable gust of wind blew through, causing the fog to churn. The ghosts that were stationary in the fog all turned their heads at that instant and waved to him. There was no malice, but it was eerily frightening. The bald man emotionlessly turned on his shlight. The light shone on the ghosts, causing all of them to stiffen. "I must say, you''re quite a disappointment¡­" "If it weren''t for the fact that I can''t kill you directly through a wish, I wouldn''t bother ying these tedious hunting games with you." His shlight could deal with Evil Spirits. Light shining on an Evil Spirit would make it stiffen and unable to move. Of course, it could only restrain less terrifying Evil Spirits; some far more horrendous ones could even ignore the shlight''s effect. But it was more than enough to handle ghosts. Ifbined with his Evil Spirit Transformation ability, in a sense, neither humans nor Evil Spirits posed much of a threat to him. However... What he didn''t notice was that the white fog had already appeared behind him. Of course, it wasn''t because he had taken another step forward; it was the spatial change that urred when he walked into the fog and was included within the boundaries of the road. Simply stepping on a corner or touching the perimeter of the road would result in being pulled straight in. The bald man, sensing the location of the other Joker Card, continued walking forward. When he came in front of a ghost, he casually slipped the Joker Card into his pocket, and the next moment he pulled out a silver cross knife. The design of this knife was very simr to the one Du Wei lost on the bus, with identical patterns and length. That is to say, these types of silver cross knives were standard-issue weapons for hunters of thest century. Schwick... He drew the knife, stabbed into the ghost... It was as if he had stabbed into thin air, with no resistance whatsoever. But as he pulled out the knife, the ghost immediately dissipated. The bald man smirked; evidently, he was much more of a professional hunter than Du Wei. But then, the next second. The smile froze on his face.@@novelbin@@ An extremely cold and dreadfully chilling terror swept over him like a deluge. Stay updated through empire In the fog, one ghost after another began to move, as if driven by some force. With Spirit Vision, looking out, he couldn''t even count them all. "Fuck!!" The Bald Man felt a chill in his heart and, without hesitating, turned his head and ran. With so many ghosts and that horrifying malice, there was absolutely no way to fight back; running was the only option. But. The more he ran, the worse his expression became. Everywhere he looked, there was only fog. Even the hunter''s most reliable ability, Spirit Vision in the Third Phase, couldn''t see anything beyond the fog and ghosts. "Damn it! Damn that masked bastard! I swear, I''ll make sure you die a gruesome death!" The Bald Man cursed in his heart,pletely baffled by what Du Wei had done and why he was caught in this predicament. Under the state of Spirit Vision, he hadn''t seen any Evil Spirits at all. Wait a second... The masked man suddenly stopped, his face full of gloom and anger. The Dusk Bell Church had explored about one-tenth of Massas City, at the cost of one hunter, and had gathered a lot of useful information. The situation in Massas City was very serious; aside from the thing beneath the ground, many ces had undergone strange changes. In this city, what was truly frightening were not the Evil Spirits but those sinister locations that could limit and even kill Evil Spirits. "So I''ve entered a special ce?" "Then why wasn''t that bastard affected? He clearly has been here too!" The Bald Man turned his head and nced at the ghosts, his entire being entering into Evil Spirit Transformation. His demeanor changed dramatically. His eyes turned deathly and cold, devoid of the slightest hint of humanity. Most of his body appeared to be covered in ayer of shadow. The ghosts that drew near him all paused, tilted their heads, and opened their mouths wide. But they seemed to sense something and did not take another step forward. The Bald Man directly took out the Joker Card and said in a chilling tone, "I wish to be rid of these ghostly things." On the Joker Card, the man standing at the pce gates in a tailcoat showed an odd smile, and one of the hands clutching the gate''s edges slowly let go, grabbing his shoulder. But suddenly... Blood spurted from the Bald Man''s nose, mouth, and eye sockets. He looked incredulously at the Joker Card and snarled, "Are you sure that if I walk in there, I''ll be able to leave this ce? That man should be inside too, right? Why hasn''t he freed himself?" The him on the Joker Card smiled even more strangely. Each Joker Card contained a fragment of an Evil Spirit. The more one relied on its power, the easier it was to sink into corruption. In the gamble, whether you win or lose, the Evil Spirits are always the ultimate beneficiaries. Wishing was a trade, and while the realization of a wish happened, its process could not be decided by man. The Bald Man had used the Joker Card before; he was all too aware that the wishes he made would be fulfilled, but the oue and process would never be quite as he imagined. So, grinding his teeth and with eyes full of murderous intent and coldness, he followed the connection between the Joker Cards and charged directly towards Du Wei''s location. Two minutester. The Bald Man walked through the fog and entered the streets. Upon arrival, he saw a man wearing a cracked mask and suit staring at him. Around were bone powder and something resembling a walking stick burning. The firelight cast a tall shadow of the masked man, which eerily seemed to be in trouble, shaking as if trying to do something, but the shadow beneath it remained calm. It was as if there was a dy. Behind him were many Evil Spirits holding ck Umbres and Exorcists dressed in Priest''s attire, and further back, there appeared to be three more Evil Spirits. A faint mist was emerging in the streets. With Spirit Vision active, the Bald Man frowned; he felt that the man''s state was very off, not seeming like a person but more like an Evil Spirit. "Have you already turned into an Evil Spirit? Strange, who are you exactly? An Exorcist from the Church or one of those madmen from the Veda Sect?" Danger shed in the Bald Man''s eyes as he took out a shlight and shone it on the Evil Spirits. All the Evil Spirits stiffened and did not move. Then, he took a step forward, his expression turning very ugly. "Resistance..." The Bald Man waved his hand and suddenly noticed that under the shlight''s illumination, his shadow seemed to be dyed, although it wasn''t very obvious at the moment. "So this is why you can''t move, but unfortunately for you, I don''t care. I''ve already made a wish with the Joker Card, knowing there has to be a way for me to escape from here." "Now, let me send you to hell." Chapter 171 170. Manufacture Evil Spirit Sssss... mes consumed the wooden crutch, its fragments emitting slight crackling sounds. Therge bloodstains had settled and were no longer flowing. Nearly an hour had passed since Du Wei had made his move. Even though he was quite familiar with dissecting corpses, an experience that had be second nature to him, as time passed, he inevitably felt the effects of the influence of the street. His movements gradually slowed down. Every time he held the dagger to the corpse''s face, slicing along the edges, there was always some resistance. And throughout the process, the corpse kept trembling eerily, making this bizarre dissection even more troublesome. However, for Du Wei, everything was still under control. As the final cut fell and he felt no more obstruction from the tip of the dagger, things were almost over. Watching the trembling of the corpses bing fainter, Du Wei calmly said to himself, "It seems there''s still some time left, but I can''t wait much longer, at most ten minutes, I must leave this ce." He was not safe now, in fact, he was in great danger, with one foot already in a deadly situation. The street was an eerie ce. If there were shadows, one could move around within the confines of the street, but once inside, no matter where one walked, they would end up back in the same ce. As time passed, theg between shadow and body grew greater. In the end, even with the existence of a shadow, there could be no movement at all. The best example was the Evil Spirit, Mike Stowe. This damned ce was an insoluble trap that could even confine an Evil Spirit. Of course... During the day, Du Wei had already found a way to leave, to make his shadow disappear. But that was during the day... Day and night are twopletely different concepts. In the absence of light at night, one would bepletely engulfed in darkness, and shadows would cease to exist. However, eerily, without a shadow, once one entered, their body would be unable to move. To create a shadow would lead to the same deadlock one faced during the day. So the best thing to do to leave was to wait... And wait for daybreak with the Evil Spirit. However... That''s under the assumption that the dy between shadow and body due to the passage of time is overlooked. Neither humans nor Evil Spirits couldst until that time. In other words, the streets at night were, in essence, unsolvable. But... When Du Wei entered the street, he had already considered this issue, and he was very clear about the solution. Create a light source above his head. Then he would ce the light source on top of an umbre, which would bring about the conditions of the daytime. The shadow of the umbre would conceal his own shadow. The only thing he needed to ensure was to catch the right timing. Du Wei was very clear. He and the Evil Spirit Squad were one entity, a status he could not shake off for the time being. Otherwise, the Evil Spirit Squad would surely spiral out of control, and in such a perilous situation, his chances of survival would be slim. So in a little while, he was going to do something malicious. He would stand outside the range of the street, holding an umbre, but had to ensure that the Evil Spirit Squad following closely behind remained within the confines of the street. When that time came, the Evil Spirit Squad behind him would all be immobilized, trapped within the street. Those ghosts that served as an unending extension of the haunted highway would also be trapped here, unable to move forward because they followed the Evil Spirit Squad. And he, as the leader, would abandon his squad and run as far as he could, hoping never to return to Massas City in this lifetime. ... Time trickled away by the second. Du Wei flicked the lighter to life and secured it with a torn white strip of cloth to the tip of the ck Umbre. The crimson me burned steadily, fiercely. Without the presence of an Evil Spirit, the lighter could hardly light a cigarette. But when surrounded by Evil Spirits, it was as though filled with fuel, burning wildly as long as it wasn''t attacked by an Evil Spirit. Du Wei opened the umbre, waving it slightly without issue. "Phew..." He couldn''t help but let out a sigh of relief, and his calm eyes shifted toward the body lying on the ground. The blood had mostly coagted. The bizarre tremors from before were no longer visible, reced by a deathly stillness.@@novelbin@@ However, the somber malice and the oppressive atmosphere had grown heavier. The body underwent some changes... Although the white mask it wore remained pristine, it slowly elicited an instinctual fear and difort. It was about to be an Evil Spirit. Seeing this, Du Wei wasn''t afraid. Instead, he seemed somewhat expectant as he said, "It seems I''ve finally caught a break, being able to create you before I leave." With that, he bent down, reached out, and removed the featureless white mask. The entire face of the body was a bloody mess. Suppressing his instinctive revulsion, Du Wei expressionlessly used his Evil Spirit-transformed Right Hand to separate the face from the mask and then ced the mask back onto the corpse''s facete. Then, holding the umbre in his left hand, he held a mirror t facing the body. For a moment, the reflection in the mirror was that of the body, its face covered by the featureless mask. The Evil Spirit had not yet fully emerged, but the eerie sensation intensified. But Du Wei paid no heed, directly cing the face on top of the mirror. The scene in the mirror changed remarkably. It showed a mutted body, its face cruelly stripped away but not masked, seemingly out of sync with reality. Outside the mirror, the body still wore the white mask. This vision was unnervingly grotesque, the gravity of it almost suffocating. It was as if a ritual was being conducted. Or rather, the mechanism used to swap faces with the Evil Spirit Du Wei was presenting itself in another form at this moment. The Evil Spirit was not taking over the body through the mask; instead, the body was transforming into an Evil Spirit. The only difference was that Du Wei had preemptively removed its face. Drip, drip... Thick blood dripped from Du Wei''s Right Hand onto the body. Immediately afterward, a chilling, hair-raising aura of terror burst forth from the body. Du Wei looked down expressionlessly. The body below still wore the featureless mask, yet the blood, which should have been thickening and even clotting, bizarrely began to boil. Suddenly, Du Wei felt a sharp pain in his heart, and his body began to stiffen. Find your next read at empire The Evil Spirit was born... And at the moment of its birth, all its malice and bitterness locked onto Du Wei. In life, they were archenemies, and this rtionship did not change in death. However, the next second. Du Wei covered the face onto the mirror directly. The face-swapping began. And that resentful malice, as if struck by a heavy blow, abruptly stalled, significantly weakened. Then, a scenepletely at odds with reality unfolded. Du Wei''s Right Hand clutched the face and slowly pressed it into the mirror, covering the face of the corpse within. After doing all this, he looked down at the masked corpse and said calmly, "Outside the mirror, you wear a mask and be an Evil Spirit. But inside the mirror, you have no mask. Instead, I have swapped on a new face for you." "Now, do you know if you are inside the mirror, or outside?" Chapter 175 174. Toms Breakdown On the long, straight highway. A McLaren GT was speeding by, creating a whirlwind as it roared past. Inside the car. Du Wei was just making a call to Alex. He had thought he would spend a day and a half in Massas City, but hadn''t expected so many unexpected developments to ur in just about eight hours, forcing him to leave. Therefore, Du Wei awkwardly realized that he seemed to have nowhere to go. If he returned to New York now, the alibi he had deliberately created would be problematic because Alex had already gone to her parents'' city. The two of them couldn''t return to New York together. He might as well give Alex a call, report his safety, and chat about meeting her parents. However, it seemed that Alex had already gone to sleep, and he couldn''t get through to her. After thinking about it, Du Wei hung up, nning to find a more secluded stretch of road to park and sleep for the night. But just as he hung up the phone, it rang again. The caller was not Alex, but Officer Tom... "Why is Tom calling me sote?" Du Wei was a bit puzzled and pressed the answer button. Soon, Tom''s voice came through, filled with panic, "fuck! Mister Du Wei, where are you right now? I need your help!" Du Wei was startled and said in a deep voice, "Have you encountered the Evil Spirit?" Tom''s voice trembled, "I don''t know if that damn thing is an Evil Spirit, but I definitely saw her, I... I was getting cozy with a beauty! It ended before it even started because she scared us!" Du Wei frowned and asked, "Her?" Tom, on the verge of breakdown, replied, "Yes, that beautiful neighbor I''ve been wanting to hit on, the one I told you about before. You haven''t forgotten, right?" Du Wei responded, "I remember quite well." On the other end of the phone, Tom was even more distraught, "So where are you now? My best friend, I really need you!" After thinking for a moment, Du Wei vaguely replied, "I''m not in New York right now, um... I''m visiting my girlfriend''s parents, but since you''re in trouble there, as a friend, I''m going to head back immediately." Tom expressed his gratitude, "Thank you so much, Du Wei. From now on, you''re my best brother!" As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and then said with surprise, "Wait a second, didn''t you just tell me the day before yesterday that you had a wealthy girlfriend and today you''re meeting her parents? Did you knock her up or something?" Du Wei''s face darkened, "I hope you can still say such things when the Evil Spirit appears again." Tom realized his mistake and quickly apologized, "Sorry, I was just a bit out of it from the scare, I feel like I''m going crazy if I don''t say something." Du Wei, who was well acquainted with Tom, replied with exasperation, "Ordinary Evil Spirits won''t attack people immediately, so you don''t need to be so afraid, and fear is the fertile ground that nurtures Evil Spirits." Tom was taken aback, "So you mean that as long as I stay calm, I''ll be okay?" Du Wei countered, "It''s not that simple, staying calm will just make you live a little longer. That''s why you need to go straight to the church now and find Father Tony. Just say I referred you, and he will help you out." Tom breathed a sigh of relief and said immediately, "Okay, I''m heading to the church right now. When do you think you''ll get here?" Du Wei calcted the time, "Before dawn." After speaking, he ended the call, turned the car around, and sped toward New York. In this world, Tom was one of the few people Du Wei had a good rtionship with and who had given him a lot of help. And now, Du Wei had the ability to deal with some Evil Spirit incidents. ... Elsewhere. Tom hurried out of the Red Light District, wearing a shirt on the upper half of his body but only shorts on the lower half. Reaching the parking spot, he yanked the car door open and started the vehicle, rushing towards the church in the North Brook District. Overtaking and running red lights all the way... Fortunately, there weren''t many vehicles on the street at that time, so Tom''s behavior didn''t cause too much of a disturbance. However, halfway through his drive, Tom nced at the rearview mirror unintentionally, and the image reflected almost caused him to copse. In the mirror, sitting in the passenger''s seat was a woman in a long dress, with a figure and face that were both very appealing. The woman''s head was drooping down, with a rope tied around her neck. She was the beautiful neighbor Tom had been obsessing over, whom he watchede and go each day from his window. "fuck!" Tom''s face turned extremely ugly, but when he turned his head to look at the passenger seat, he saw nothing. "What''s happening?" Tom was dumbfounded. Although he knew that Evil Spirits existed in this world and he had dealt with many such cases with his "good brother" Du Wei, this was his first actual encounter with one. Suddenly... Tom turned back and took another look in the rearview mirror. The Evil Spirit was still sitting in the passenger seat, and her drooping head was now turning toward him. With a nce from the corner of his eye, there was still nothing visible in the passenger seat. Ordinary people without Spirit Vision are the most helpless when facing an Evil Spirit. Right then, Tom didn''t dare to look at the passenger seat again, sweating profusely, his shorts soaking wet... fuck! Involuntarily, the speed of the car became even faster, nearly reaching its limit. Tom kept his eyes on the road ahead, but his left eye was watching the rearview mirror. Then, something even more terrifying happened. The Evil Spirit''s head in the rearview mirror had fully turned around, her whole face was looking at him, and it seemed to sense that he was watching it, as it leaned its head forward over his thigh. He would meet its gaze if he just looked down. But the thing was, Tom couldn''t see the Evil Spirit at all unless he looked through the rearview mirror. It was incredibly eerie. Tom swallowed hard; he had been driving for nearly ten years, but never before had he driven with such intense focus as he was now. He told himself, "Stay calm, don''t panic." But the more he thought this, the more he fell apart. He realized he simply couldn''t help but feel afraid. And, the Evil Spirit''s head was on his thigh, lifting upward as if it meant to kiss him. Tom controlled himself not to look at the rearview mirror, even boldly lifting his chin toward the unseen Evil Spirit. He looked quite ridiculous. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire But it must be said that after Tom lifted his chin, he could only see what was ahead, unable to see the horrifying image in the rearview mirror anymore. Time ticked by slowly.@@novelbin@@ Tom suddenly realized that he wasn''t scared anymore; aside from a bit of neck pain, everything else felt fine. However, if he could see the image in the rearview mirror, he probably wouldn''t have had such a thought. Because in the rearview mirror, a rope was now looped around his neck, showing a tendency to be pulled upward. His so-called lifting of the chin looked more like the effect of a rope tied around his neck, being lifted upward. ¡­ Chapter 178 177, All black households (additional update) In the church. Du Wei held a broom and began to clean up traces left after the exorcism. On the other side was Father Tony, handing a pair of trousers to Tom. "Mr. Du Wei, you seem to have be more formidable than before, and at this rate, I think you might be the youngest bishop in the history of the church," said Father Tony. Father Tony''s praise was heartfelt. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire He had witnessed Du Wei, a man once targeted by an Evil Spirit, transforming into an extremely capable exorcist step by step.@@novelbin@@ What was most impressive was that it hadn''t taken long. This made Father Tony marvel, and he could only surmise that Du Wei was naturally suited to be an exorcist. After all, among those he had seen, there was no one moreposed or more rational and intelligent than this man. Upon hearing this, Du Wei just smiled and did not take it to heart. His rtionship with the church was rather awkward at the moment. All the friendliness and attention were based on the premise that he was not a hunter. Should his identity be exposed, certainly uncontroble situations would arise. After all, Du Wei was just one person, while the church was an organization with religious faith. If the church turned against him, the situation would be very passive. Thinking of this, Du Wei changed the subject, bringing up the Veda Sect: "Previously on the bus, I encountered an Evil Spirit that seemed to be rted to the Veda Sect. This cult organization appears to possess some illogical abilities, like creating Evil Spirits, or something simr, artificially." "What we know so far is that, right before their death, the group of Veda Sect cultists in New York did something terrifying, and we arepletely in the dark about it." "Therefore, we need some external help." Speaking of this, Du Wei paused before looking at Father Tony again: "Are the two bishops going to arrive tomorrow?" Previously, Father Tony had reported the incident at Goliath Winery to the church, and two bishops woulde to New York with some people to investigate the matter. Father Tony replied, "They will arrive, but do you n to ask for their help? That seems somewhat inappropriate." Du Wei frowned, "Why?" Father Tony exined, "The bishops in the church mostly handle important matters, some are responsible for exorcisms, others for a variety of chaotic affairs. The situation at Dusk Bell Church is rather special, and the matter with the Veda Sect needs to be discussed internally before making a decision." Du Wei shook his head: "That''s a waste of time." Father Tony gave a bitter smile: "No choice, the church has always been this way, its organization is very bloated." Upon hearing this, Du Wei had no choice but to give up on leveraging the church''s power, and turned to Tom who was beside him: "Has the police found anything about the people of the Veda Sect?" Tom''s brow furrowed deeply: "We''ve only found the tracks of these lunatics'' activities, but haven''t made many discoveries. If I have to say something unusual, it''s that they all have good figures." He wasn''t joking. Tom spoke very seriously: "It seems the cultists of the Veda Sect have a tendency for self-harm, and their members are all women with great figures and rtively beautiful features. However, a strange point is that we haven''t been able to find any identity information on them. In other words, these people are unregistered." Hearing this, Du Wei fell into deep thought. The Veda Sect was obviously different from some ordinary cults; they worshipped what was called the Veda and possessed some eerie abilities. However, not many people had these uncanny abilities; the only person Du Wei had met was a bishop named Ruth. Father Tony and Tom saw Du Wei pondering and did not disturb him. The atmosphere suddenly quieted down. After a while, Du Wei spoke tentatively, "Young and beautiful women seem to be amon link. The woman who hanged herself, she must have been beautiful too, right?" Tom immediately replied, "Yes, she was the only one who could make me forget about the Red Light District." Du Wei knew what the Red Light District meant to Tom and naturally did not doubt the truthfulness of his words. Therefore, he said, "In that case, have you found out any information about the victim and her socialwork?" If the Veda Sect had chosen to act against this woman, then there must have been something special about her. As long as they followed this lead, they were certain to find something. After thinking for a moment, Tom said, "The information had already been gathered when the case was filed. I remember it clearly; her name was Joanna, 27 years old, a professional ountant, but she had quit her job before the suicide." "Joanna seemed to have no friends. She came to New York by herself. As for her parents, they live in Esselgreen." "Oh, and her parents seemed to be part of a ghost-hunting TV show. They were quite famous on the local channels in thest century and even recorded a lot of strange things on camera, but afterward, it all faded into obscurity." Having said that, Tom looked at Du Wei and sighed, "That''s all I know. Do you have any thoughts?" Du Wei frowned, "What was the reaction of her parents when they found out their daughter had died?" Tom spread his hands, "I don''t know because the phone number was disconnected." "Alright¡­" Du Wei pondered for a moment and said, "Previously, Joanna''s death was ruled a suicide, and everything seemed normal, but in fact, it was orchestrated by the Veda Sect. We also need to continue investigating her parents." "As for New York, you can filter through the police system for families with a paranormal background. Once a family has a young and beautiful female member, they might already have been targeted by the Veda Sect." "This matter is very serious because before this, members of the Veda Sect might have acted against many people. To make matters worse, in other cities, many simr incidents could have happened, we just don''t know about them." Father Tony also realized the gravity of the situation and said solemnly, "I will turn your spections into a document and send it to the church. I believe the church will take immediate action." Officer Tom was also quite angry, "These crazy women are simply devils, they should go to hell." Feeling somewhat oppressed, Du Wei said, "The priority is to ensure the safety of New York. So Tom, you need to be quick with your work. The sooner we find people who have had contact with the Veda Sect, the less trouble there will be in the future." Tom nodded firmly, imprinting the matter deeply in his mind. He now despised the Veda Sect even more than Du Wei did. This damn cult had killed his beautiful neighbor, whom he liked, and also created a terrifying Evil Spirit, almost driving him out of his mind with fear. This grudge was substantial... Tom looked at Du Wei seriously, his teeth clenched as he said, "I promise you, within three days, I will definitely have results!" Chapter 181 180. The shadow has become smarter. In the room. Time seemed to have ceased momentarily. After Du Wei put on the mask without features, he appeared to have be apletely different person. Chillingly eerie. If the previous mask could grant him an identity of an Evil Spirit, then this new mask was like putting on a new shell, one belonging to the Masked Evil Spirit. It must be noted that within the new mask resided an Evil Spirit created by Du Wei''s own hands. At this moment, although Du Wei was wearing the featureless mask, he could still "see" the shadowy presence. The shadow, standing behind the sofa, halted abruptly as its vague hands nearly touched the mask. No malice remained. The shadow''s pause was not because Du Wei, with the mask on, was powerful enough to contend with it; instead, it was more akin to confused loss, having no target to pursue. And now, Du Wei was experiencing something profoundly familiar. After putting on the new mask, the Evil Spirit within seemed to have possessed him. It was remarkably simr to the initial emergence of Evil Spirit Du Wei because he was observing from the perspective of a third party. The difference was that Du Wei could fully control his body without the Masked Evil Spirit taking over. "It seems I''ve be Masked Du Wei... but there''s something slightly different," "It''s more like the original me is hidden inside a brand-new Masked Evil Spirit, and if I remove the mask, the hidden me will reemerge." "It''s somewhat simr to another mask''s Evil Spirit identity, but even more thorough because the current me is clearly not the target of the shadow. It won''t strike at me unless I deliberately look at the picture." "But it still needs to be verified." After pondering for a while in his mind, Du Wei waved his hand in front of the shadow. The shadow did not react. It appeared to be unable to find Du Wei, aimlessly casting nces around. It began to appear and disappear incessantly within the room''s shadows. Each time it appeared, it looked at the current "Du Wei" in confusion before vanishing again. The hands of the Antique Clock on the wall also seemed to sense something, slowing down their movement, and an extremely oppressive aura of terror began to pervade the room. The light dimmed by a degree. Though the sun was high and the heat intense outside the psychotherapy clinic, inside, it was pitch ck and gloomy as if it were hell on earth. This was the first time the Antique Clock had spontaneously undergone such an abnormal change. It was as if, like the shadow, itpletely lost Du Wei as its target. Then, an extremely horrifying sensation emerged within Du Wei''s heart. Instinct told him that if he didn''t remove the mask soon, the Antique Clock would assail him, and when that happened, something incredibly dire would ur. After some thought, Du Wei slid the two Joker Cards into his pocket, grabbed the ck Umbre with his left hand, and walked beneath the Antique Clock. In the Spirit Vision perspective, he didn''t need to enter a state of Spirit Vision at all. Moreover, this manner of "seeing" was even simpler and more direct than Spirit Vision, leaving no anomalies hidden. The shadow continued to appear and disappear within the room, ying a game of hide and seek with Du Wei, unable to find his presence, oblivious to Du Wei standing right under the Antique Clock with the mask on. Looking up, Du Wei calmly observed the Antique Clock. Through his view, the clock exuded an indescribable evil and strangeness, grey mists emerging along with the movement of the hands, slowly diffusing. Annabelle, in the cab beside, seemed agitated, ramming repeatedly against the cab door, making thudding sounds. Yet, she couldn''t break free. Suddenly... Du Wei''s heart was shrouded in ayer of shadow, the evil extent of the Antique Clock was beyond hisprehension. Everything remained peaceful when he didn''t wear the mask, although he was certainly its target, it never took action. But once he put on the mask, wrapping himself in a shell of the Evil Spirit, the situation spiraled out of control immediately, with a strange transformation urring on the spot. What was most terrifying was that until now, it was the Antique Clock causing trouble, yet the Evil Spirit had not appeared. Unless it itself was the Evil Spirit, but if that were the case, another serious problem arose. The clock and the mask each imprisoned a ring and the Golden Brooch. Both masks harbored the presence of an Evil Spirit, yet they were masks of indeterminate material. If the clock itself was the Evil Spirit, then it seemed to be extremely special. Unless the mask, as an object, was created in imitation of it. "Hard to exin..." Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire Du Wei, feeling the increasing intensity of the suffocating sensation and the aura of terror until he was almost unable to breathe, looked at the clock with aplicated expression and silently took off the mask. Click... The hands of the clock hesitated for a moment. His field of vision distorted for an instant. The gray fog and the pitch-ck scene disappeared in an instant. The room returned to its former state. In the shadowy corner of the room, the ck shadow that was about to vanish turned its head abruptly, appearing directly behind Du Wei. The bnce within the house had been broken without notice. Du Wei didn''t pay attention to the ck shadow behind him; instead, he stared at the Antique Clock and put on the mask again. But this time, the strange transformation that had just urred did not happen.@@novelbin@@ The ck shadow didn''t lose its target either, just standing behind Du Wei, ready to strike at any moment. "It seems that even wearing the shell of the Masked Evil Spirit only works the first time, the second time the Evil Spirit won''t be deceived," he said. "But if I''m facing other evil spirits, as long as I keep the mask on, I can continue to deceive them, making them lose sight of Du Wei as their target." As he spoke, Du Wei turned his head and looked at the ck shadow. Man and Evil Spirit were almost face to face. In the interlocking gaze, the bloodshot eyes of the ck shadow refused to move away, and even though it did not attack again, the lingering faint malice wrapped around the mask. It had gained another target. Du Wei said calmly, "Shall we gamble?" He didn''t take out the Joker Card; it was just a verbal suggestion. But the ck shadow trembled uncontrobly, as if torn by indecision. In the end, it looked at the white mask void of facial features, turned, and disappeared into the shadows. The house became very quiet. Watching the spot where the ck shadow vanished, Du Wei spoke with an inexplicable tone, "Is it my imagination? The ck shadow seems smarter than before, or did it witness the gambling game with Annabelle and decide not to be fooled?" "Are Evil Spirits afraid of losing too?" Du Wei shook his head in wonder, although he had no ns to gamble with the ck shadow, he had already tested the mask''s new ability. Wearing the mask, one could don the shell of an Evil Spirit... Until the mask is removed, the Evil Spirit will lose sight of you as its target, but if you remove and wear the mask again in front of the Evil Spirit, this ability to hide your identity will no longer work. One can deceive an Evil Spirit once, but not a second time. However, sometimes Du Wei only needed to deceive it once... Chapter 182 181. Du Weis Plan (Vote for monthly ticket) It was still the first floor. Only two minutes had passed since the house returned to normal. He took a moment topose himself. Then Du Wei shifted his focus to the Antique Clock and Annabelle. The thing he was most wary of was the Antique Clock, but he waspletely helpless against it. He thought about destroying it with his hands, but this object was even more sinister and terrifying than most Evil Spirits. To act recklessly was utterly pointless. "Alex had told me he would help me look into the antiques that flowed out of the Berson Auction House, and he is also investigating the Antique Clock for its information. I''ll have to wait a bit longer... Right now, I need to resolve the issue with Annabelle," he silently muttered to himself before reaching out to knock on the ss of the disy cab. Inside the cab, Annabelle gave no response. Its doll proportions were extremely uncoordinated, with yellowed fake hair tied into two ponytails, rosy cheeks, and its exaggerated facial features that made one''s skin crawl at a nce. Without removing his mask, Du Wei calmly stared at Annabelle. After a while, he softly said, "Do you know what I want to do right now..." Whoosh... Annabelle, which had beenpletely still in a doll-like posture, suddenly twisted its head and stared intently at Du Wei. Its stic eyes were filled with gloom and malice. But it couldn''t speak... and naturally couldn''t answer Du Wei. Du Wei didn''t mind, clenched his Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand, and directly pulled out a Joker Card from his pocket. Then, in a cold voice, he said, "I make a wish under the identity of the Masked Evil Spirit, that after I ask Annabelle a question, it will give me the correct answer. If yes, bump against the door once; if no, remain silent." The reason he didn''t wish directly to the Joker Card to restore his Evil Spirit Transformation ability was because Du Wei instinctively felt that doing so would mean paying an unbearable price. Those two Joker Cards, whether used for gambling or subjective wishing, were in fact a form of trade. The use of them would only elerate the process of being assimted by the Evil Spirit hidden within. Moreover, the Joker Card used for wishing was exceedingly strange; the process of fulfilling a wish was utterly beyond human control and would result in a very malicious oue. Du Wei was very cautious about this; he remembered clearly that before he killed the Bald Man, the man had said he had wished to leave the street. Although Du Wei had killed him and turned him into a new Masked Evil Spirit, in a sense, his wish had indeed been fulfilled. Therefore, even if it was the Masked Evil Spirit that bore the risk of being assimted by the Evil Spirit, Du Wei still made a wish that was rtively easy to control. The next second. A vague sense of terror emerged subtly within the room. On the card, next to the gloriously ornate door, a rotten hand suddenly reached out towards the masked man and firmly grasped his left arm. Inside the disy cab. Annabelle trembled violently, staring fixedly at Du Wei as the cab also trembled. However, it was all in vain. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire Even without a lock, it couldn''t leave the disy cab without an external force. You win some, you lose some... Du Wei looked at it and began to organize his words, "When I was in the Horror House, the Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand hade into contact with you and had been numb since then, as if its master wasn''t me." "At first, I didn''t find it too strange. Although the Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand is quite useless, it has also brought me a lot of help. To be honest, I''ve always been quite satisfied with it." "But in Massas City, I encountered another hunter whose Evil Spirit Transformation was more severe than mine. Whether he lost consciousness or not, I don''t know, but he possessed an ability to paralyze people." "And that is something I don''t have." "The second time I got off the bus, my Evil Spirit Transformation spiraled out of control, but by the time I got home, this loss of control disappeared, and soon you could leave the disy cab. You even thought about killing me." At this point, Du Wei''s tone turned somewhat chilling as he stared at Annabelle and asked bluntly, "What have you left in my right hand, treating me as nourishment for your recovery and growth, am I right?" Bang... Annabelle, trembling, helplessly bumped against the ss cab. Du Wei knew that was her answer. He continued to inquire, "My hand has a one-sided connection with you, right?" Another bang. Du Wei''s expression turned grim: "Did my hunter ability disappear because of you?" Deathly silence... No answer... This slightly relieved Du Wei, and he tried to rephrase his question: "If not for your influence, would my ability have manifested by now?" He asked this to ensure that Annabelle couldn''t mislead him. But what happened next took Du Wei by surprise. Annabelle remained silent; she just stayed in the disy cab, silent as a grave.@@novelbin@@ Du Wei froze: "It has nothing to do with you?" Annabelle bumped against the disy cab once again, giving her answer. At this moment, on the Joker Card, another decaying arm reached out, grabbed the man in a tailcoat wearing a mask, and pulled him a short distance toward the door. He had already asked several questions. Du Wei took a deep breath and asked again, "So my Evil Spirit Transformation actually had issues from the beginning, and then it was influenced by you?" Bang... That was enough. Du Wei didn''t bother to ask whether it was possible to sever the connection with his right hand from Annabelle. Instead, he put away the Joker Card. His mind was in turmoil as he took off the mask and sat back down on the sofa to sort out his thoughts. Firstly, he now knew that Annabelle had left something in his right hand, and was using his Evil Spirit Transformation to nurture herself. Resolving this was simple, he just needed to find a way to kill Annabelle. But the ability that should have naturally arisen from the Evil Spirit Transformation was not influenced by Annabelle, because the transformation itself had issues from the beginning. In a sense, as a hunter with the ability to undergo an Evil Spirit Transformation, he might end up being the weakest of them all. He bore the hidden dangers that came with the transformation but did not gain the corresponding abilities. This was entirely unequal... Du Wei was silent for a while, then slowly said, "The Church and the Dusk Bell Church both have information on the Evil Spirit Transformation. If I want to get this information, I''ll have to expose my identity..." "And it cannot be a direct exposure. I have to create an opportunity for them to witness with their own eyes that I have entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision and started the Evil Spirit Transformation..." "This is deception, but it''s also the best solution. Originally, I nned to join the Dusk Bell Church, but since I killed their hunter, my only choice is the Church..." "Of course, there is another solution, which is to make a wish... but there are too many uncontroble factors. It''s possible that after I make a wish, I could instantly be an Evil Spirit, or the wish might onlye true after my death." Chapter 185 184, Hannibal and Ryan Dusk Bell''s headquarters in Switzend were situated in a remote suburb. This was a colossal church, its architecture bearing a distinct lesiastical style, yet not so obviously, instead revealing a rebellious streak. The overall tone was dominated by ck, and many of the sculptures also possessed an inexplicable sharpness. In thest century, Bishop Matthew led the majority of hunters in breaking away from the church, crossing over six thousand kilometers to take root in Switzend, and forming alliances with many consortia at the time. Of course... The Dusk Bell Church was hunter-oriented and had never changed the rules set at the beginning because of those consortia. Inside the church, soft candles burned brightly. Looking up, on the second floor, there was a massive table about six meters in length and three meters in width, but there were only sixteen chairs in total. The leading position was left vacant, only a ck cross ced there. In reality, there were only five people present, among whom four wore expressions of cold indifference, their eyes devoid of any trace of warmth, chilling and numb, not at all resembling normal humans. Thest person was about forty years old, dressed in a suit, sitting upright and formal. His deep-set eyes housed profound, tranquil azure pupils, and his lips always bore a smile that could easily engender goodwill in others. His demeanor was also extraordinary, somewhat simr to Du Wei''s, but notpletely the same. Under his calm and gentle exteriory a hint of violence and cruelty. But everyone else sat at positions far away from him, clearly wary of him. The atmosphere was silent. After a long while, someone spoke first, "Federer and another hunter died in Massas City, Mr. Lecter, what is your view?" The man in the suit kept his smile unchanged, "Are you referring to the church''s view or Dusk Bell''s?" The other replied, "Both... and I hope that when you mention Dusk Bell, you add ''our'' before it, to reflect your sense of belonging to Dusk Bell, rather than being an outsider. Do you understand, Hannibal Lecter?" This time, he used the full name. Hannibal crossed his arms, "As you wish." He continued in an elegant tone, "Federer''s death in Massas City is a loss for us, but not for the church. They have always wanted us to return to the church, which is a favorable oue for them." This time he used ''us,'' as though he truly considered the interests of the Dusk Bell Church, integrating himself into it. Someone asked, "Do you also think it was done by someone from the church?" Hannibal smiled, "Does it matter? The man is already dead..." The others looked at each other and remained silent.@@novelbin@@ Hannibal continued, "The church is already locking down Massas City, stationing exorcists in the vicinity. It seems this city won''t see further trouble for a while. We don''t need to invest too much of our energy at the moment. Let''s just do what we need to do and continue to observe for some time." As he said this, he suddenly smiled, asking in a low voice, "There ought to be some of our people inside the church, right?" The person sitting opposite him nodded, "Indeed there are, but their identities are confidential, and even I am not clear who they are." Hannibal lightly tapped on the table, pondered for a moment, and then said, "If that''s the case, then there should also be people from the church among us. Release some information, say that Dusk Bell is extremely angry about Federer''s death, that an important decision has been made internally to thoroughly investigate this matter. This will certainly prompt the church to take some measure." The person opposite frowned, "What if the church doesn''t react?" Hannibal smiled at him and didn''t speak. Thetter''s face darkened, shaking his head, "Okay, I get your point. If the church doesn''t react, then that means among those of us here, there are people from the church. If the church takes action, then let them wear themselves out." Hannibalughed as he stood up and left with steady steps. In fact, he hadn''t spelled everything out, no matter whether there were members of the church among the others, there would only be one oue. If there were no members of the church present, then the church would definitely take measures. And if there were, the church would also do something deliberately to protect that person. Of course... This had nothing to do with him, as he had now focused all his attention on the patient named Ryan brought back from Hill Psychiatric Hospital by Dusk Bell Church. More than ten minutester. Hannibal arrived downstairs at the church. The lighting was bright, infusing the area with a modern vibe. The underground of the church had beenpletely hollowed out, and, in fact, this was the core area of the Dusk Bell Church. Soon, he arrived at a door. Pushing the door open, what he saw resembled the scene of a hospital room. A bed, a table, and a matching stool; besides that, there was nothing else, making it look very spartan. At that moment, a man in a white coat, resembling a doctor, stood up from the stool. He put down the book in his hand and said dissatisfiedly, "Why didn''t you knock? Don''t you, as a patient, know how impolite it is to disturb a professional psychiatrist?" Hannibal replied with a smile, "Mr. Ryan, the reason you insist on believing you''re a doctor is that you''re afraid to ept the real you. It''s a pain for you. You couldpletely ept my help; I won''t hurt you, because we''re the same kind." Ryan said disdainfully, "I''ve seen many patients like you. Although I haven''t found a way to treat you yet, I will think of one eventually. Once I cure you, the director will definitely promote me to be his assistant." Hannibal''s smile deepened, "I too look forward to you curing me, but first you must ept my help and reveal your true self." This psychiatric patient was very special; by the time Dusk Bell Church found him, he was already undergoing Evil Spirit Transformation and nearly incapacitated a hunter, turning them into an ordinary person. Unfortunately, after that incident, he reverted back to his delusion, stubbornly believing himself to be a doctor, makingmunication impossible. For Dusk Bell Church, turning a hunter into an ordinary person was a terrifying yet tempting prospect. Because once one became an ordinary person, there would be no more worries about the dangers of Evil Spirit Transformation. Essentially freeing oneself from all troubles. Of course, some hunters would rather solve the problem while still retaining their abilities, instead of being incapacitated. However, Ryan''s case waspletely out of control. Dusk Bell Church had tried many methods but failed to cure his mental illness, preventing him from bing a hunter who could interact normally, not to mention triggering Evil Spirit Transformation. Even when thrown into an area where an Evil Spirit resided, he never felt fear, let alone underwent transformation, even when he was nearly killed by the Evil Spirit. As a result, the person currently in charge of Ryan was the former psychology Ph.D. turned Cannibalistic Ogre, Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal was certain that there was another personality within Ryan, and he sensed the aura of his kin on him. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire But neither hypnosis nor psychological suggestion could awaken this other personality. He could only attempt to treat Ryan tomunicate normally, administering some psychiatric drugs, trying to cure his mental illness sooner. It was a lengthy process. And Hannibal had all the time in the world... Although he also faced the issue of Evil Spirit Transformation, it wasn''t severe... Chapter 188 187, When its dark, please close your eyes Du Wei arrived home after six in the evening. After the call with Alex and dinner, the sky gradually darkened. On the first floor. Du Wei sat on the sofa, staring at the white mask in front of him. The surface of the mask was covered with cracks, with many small openings frayed at the edges, and the hollow eyes were like ck holes, the longer he stared, the more he felt an irresistible urge to keep looking. This mask was the bridge between Du Wei and the Evil Spirit Du Wei, and also a special medium. After putting it on, he would assume the identity of an Evil Spirit, but on the flip side, his perspective would be shared with the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Very useful, but also very dangerous. Now, Du Wei had acquired another mask without facial features and hadpletely trapped the Evil Spirit inside. In terms of ability, the identity of the Evil Spirit with the other mask was disyed to full effect, and all evil spirits targeting Du Wei would lose their mark after he put on the mask. Unless Du Wei took off the mask, the Evil Spirits would not find him. Moreover, the mask without facial features had none of the hidden threats of the Evil Spirit Du Wei because the Evil Spirit inside it could not possiblye out. As time ticked away. The light in the room gradually dimmed. He didn''t turn on the light... The Antique Clock continued its mechanical and rhythmic movements, making a ticking sound. Annabelle stayed obediently in the disy cab as if a collected exhibit. As for the shadow¡­ it still lurked in the darkness. But Du Wei knew that if he showed any weakness, the shadow would definitely be the first to attack him. After all, among all evil spirits, none was more persistent and determined to kill him. Du Wei pondered for a while. He took out a mirror and ced it in front of himself. Before him was his slightly pale, yet calm-eyed, face. When alone, the non-human aura about him grew even more severe. Looking at himself in the mirror, Du Wei began to make psychological suggestions to himself. ... "A mirror has split me into two." "Looking at myself in the mirror is the same as the me in the mirror looking at the me outside." "Evil Spirit Du Wei is a part of me, but it is not me, and now I will ept its existence." "When I close my eyes, the mirror bes the Heart of the Lake, and I am on the surface, while the Evil Spirit Du Wei is at the bottom." Having said that, Du Wei closed his eyes. Reflected in the mirror was him with closed eyes, leaning back on the sofa. Suddenly... A mysterious smile appeared on the corners of the mouth of Du Wei in the mirror, his Right Hand propping up his chin, and the whole person''s demeanor underwent a terrifying change. This is the suggestion. ... Drip... Drip... Cold and moist droplets fell on the tip of his nose, bringing a waft of chilliness. Du Wei suddenly opened his eyes. The surroundings were dark and gloomy. Wisps of fog rose up, and theke surface beneath his feet seemed murkier than before. Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire This was the Heart of the Lake... Du Wei looked down at the bottom of theke where a blurry figure was bing increasingly clear. The surface of theke began to ripple, bubbling with gurgles.@@novelbin@@ ``` It was as if something from the bottom of theke wanted to surge upwards. Du Wei knew that at the bottom of theke was another version of himself, the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Before, the Evil Spirit Du Wei had dragged him into thiske and subjected him to psychological suggestion, which led to him making rtively poor decisions several times in Massas City, each time leading to dire straits. Although Du Wei quickly realized where the problemy and extricated himself from the predicaments, instinctively, he had grown even more wary of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Just as "it" had said, it was him, and he was it. One person paired with one evil spirit, with no discernible difference between them, other than their nature. And now, this Heart of the Lake constructed in consciousness seemed to be exhibiting some abnormalities, expressing more danger than when he first entered. However... Du Wei inexplicably smiled. There was no one in the world who understood him better than himself. With only a slight shift in his train of thought, Du Wei immediately figured out why the Heart of the Lake was undergoing these changes. This was his favorite tactic. In fact, when he first entered this ce, it should have appeared dangerous everywhere. Only, the other self had deliberately done so then, wanting to guide him intentionally, and now it was doing the same thing. Thinking of this, Du Wei''s expression remained unchanged. He simply lowered his head and watched as the "himself" at the bottom of theke gradually surfaced. The scene was eerie and unnerving. Of course, this scene existed only within the Heart of the Lake and, from a psychological standpoint, was a manifestation of the subconscious influence. The so-called sinking to the bottom of theke, or surfacing, were merely forms of disy. Soon... The Evil Spirit Du Wei appeared before Du Wei on the surface of theke. Its expression was equally impassive. But the Evil Spirit Du Wei looked even colder and more sinister, while Du Wei appeared more detached, without the slightest emotional fluctuation. In this aspect, the Evil Spirit Du Wei seemed more human. Du Wei looked at it, and it also looked back at Du Wei. After a lengthy silence, the Evil Spirit Du Wei was the first to speak, "I didn''t expect you to give up using the Joker Card and even discover the secret of the mask." The voice was cold but with an inexplicable implication, seemingly unregretful. Upon hearing this, Du Wei replied indifferently, "I also didn''t expect that you could impose psychological suggestions on me, and I only found out at the very end." As he spoke, Du Wei added, "When I learned about the affairs of Massas City, I wasn''t wearing the mask. You shouldn''t have known that, which means, at some stage, our memories must have synchronized." He received no response. Du Wei didn''t care and continued talking to himself, "I thought about it and figured that it should have been after I sank to the bottom of theke and returned to reality that you essed my memories, but that doesn''t quite fit." "Because when I entered the Heart of the Lake, you were already imposing psychological suggestions on me, and the prerequisite for that is that you had already confirmed that I would go to Massas City." "So, you must have another move nned." Although Du Wei''s words were phrased as a question, his tone was full of certainty. Upon finishing, he stared intently at the Evil Spirit Du Wei. The Evil Spirit Du Wei showed no surprise but nodded directly, "You''re right, and I don''t mind telling you what my next move is because you will encounter him very soon." "Him?" Du Wei frowned, "James, Harry, or Father Tony?" During the time the Evil Spirit Du Wei had possessed his body, the only people he hade into contact with were James and the others, as well as Father Tony. The nature of the Evil Spirit Du Wei is that of an evil spirit. Given that evil spirits have the characteristic of spreading, anyone who has had contact with it could potentially be its next move. Simr to what the Veda Sect does. But after careful thought, Du Wei ruled out Father Tony. Because at the time, the Evil Spirit Du Wei realized its true nature while inside the clinic. Before that, it was indeed himself. Or rather, it was Du Wei as one individual. It''s impossible for a human to possess the methods of an evil spirit. The next second. Du Wei spoke in an icy tone, "It''s James." ``` Chapter 190 189. The bishop has arrived. May 30, 9 a.m., North Brook District. The sky was overcast, a gloominess hanging in the air, almost a week since thest torrential rain. Inside the church. Bishop Slivka put away the recording pen, nodding to himself as he looked at the young Exorcist sitting calmly across from him. "Mr. Du Wei, the matters concerning the Goliath Winery and Dusk Bell Church have been mostly recorded. The church is very satisfied with you, I must say, you''ve done quite well. Next, we will meet with Ms. Victor. Afterpleting the record, I will convey the details to the church, and then you will receive the benefits you deserve." As he spoke, Bishop Slivka gave Du Wei a friendly smile. The loss of too many Exorcists was a concern for the church; the more elite they were, the more valuable they became. Moreover, although Du Wei joined the church midway, he had shown great responsibility. He enjoyed the benefits from the church but also bore the corresponding responsibilities. This was rare. Because Exorcists who joined midway often did not have the strong will that those trained by the church possessed. Therefore, they were more prone to tunnel vision and found it more difficult to be elite Exorcists. As Du Wei sat across from Bishop Slivka, he couldn''t help but show a gentle smile upon hearing thetter''s words. Then, he said softly, "This is my duty." In fact, the implication behind the other party''s words was very clear. The credit was still Du Wei''s; they were merely there to wrap things up, you could say that this was a different kind of gilding. Only the person being gilded was not the bishop, but Du Wei himself. At this moment, another bishop who hade with Slivka spoke in a deep voice, "Let''s set off now, the sooner we resolve this, the sooner we can make a trip to Esselgreen." Slivka hummed in agreement and said, "Jon, make sure you''ve got everything ready." Jon pointed to the white briefcase with abination lock at his feet and said tersely, "It''s all in here." Having said that, he picked up the briefcase and walked out. They passed by Esselgreen on their way here, and some Exorcists who joined them had been sent there to handle rted affairs. After the New York incident concluded, they had to meet up with the Exorcists they had brought to Esselgreen. Seeing this, Slivka could only show a slightly apologetic smile to Du Wei and Father Tony, who hadn''t spoken much, "Jon''s child will always remain in Massas City;tely, his mood hasn''t been very good. Don''t mind him," he said. Du Wei and Father Tony both shook their heads to show it was alright. ... Around 10 a.m. The trio, excluding Father Tony who stayed at the church, arrived at a city hospital. Upon entering the intensive care unit. Du Wei immediately smelled the scent of disinfectant mingling in the air. What came into view was Goliath Viktor, lying in a hospital bed, facing away from everyone. Her voice was hoarse, carrying an undertone that was grim and hard to disguise, "I already know why you are here, ask whatever you want." The tone was defeated and numb. After the incident at Goliath Winery, she had survived, but her face had been utterly disfigured. Her features were dissolved into an oil painting, nearly driving her to copse. Du Wei nced at Bishop Slivka and Jon, then pointed to himself. It meant that he would be the one to start asking questions. Both bishops suddenly caught on and nodded at him.@@novelbin@@ So, Du Wei slowly walked to the bedside and gently said, "Miss Viktor, our main purpose foring here is to discuss your family''s affairs with you, which of course is rted to your current plight." Viktor''s body jerked, but she did not speak. Seeing this, Du Wei once again spoke softly, "The item that your grandfather, Howard Victor, obtained all those years ago, you should know by now, it''s something extremely evil. It''s also the source of your family''s rise to prosperity and subsequent decline." "Moreover, every generation of your family goes through the same experience; you could see it as some sort of malice directed at your family." Viktor''s body shuddered, "I''ve actually been thinking a lottely. I think I understand what you mean. After my father died, a lot of information in the family began to disappear. This might have been done deliberately." Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire Du Wei hummed in acknowledgment, "Indeed, as for who did it, the Church has now identified a target. So, we came to see you, mainly to confirm some rted information." Behind him, Bishop Slivka had already started the voice recorder, and Jon held a briefcase, staring intently at Viktor. Viktor remained silent for a while and then suddenly turned her head. Du Wei raised his eyebrows, what he saw was Viktor''s face, wrapped in gauze. Even so, it was clear to see that Viktor''s nose and mouth hadpletely vanished; her entire face appeared to have caved in. Viktor said hoarsely, "Mr. Du Wei, I am d you were not frightened by me, but you should know how cruel it is for a woman to be this inhuman, ghostly figure." "I want to know if those who exploited our family will be punished!" Du Wei turned to look at Bishop Slivka, who nodded and said gravely, "I promise you, Miss Viktor, they will indeed be punished." Viktor said angrily, "How should I cooperate with you?" Bishop Slivka replied, "My colleague will perform an inspection on you, and the Church will handle the matter afterwards." Viktor took a deep breath, staring nkly at the ceiling of the hospital room. "Do as you will." Upon hearing this, Jon opened the briefcase and took out a pristine white sheet of paper, "Please close your eyes, this will take a moment." Having said that, Jon held the white paper with both hands and approached Viktor to begin the inspection. After quite some time had passed. A slightly chilly breath appeared on the sheet of paper. Faintly, a bizarre face emerged on the surface of the paper with ck lines, slightly blurred, but the facial features and contours were still distinguishable. This was the appearance that the naked eye could see. Du Wei, standing on the side, quietly entered the state of Spirit Vision. In his view, the entire sheet was enveloped in a grey, foggy mist, boiling as it were, with twisted faces tumbling through it, all malignant in appearance. There were men and women, old and young, and among them was the face of Goliath Viktor. Seeing this, Du Wei couldn''t help but frown, feeling the Joker Card in his pocket turn slightly cold. He thought to himself, "This must be the residual imprint of the Evil Spirit." Even in its weakened state, the Church still had means beyond theprehension of ordinary people. He was just unsure whether this paper was the special detection method Du Wei had mentioned about the Evil Spirit. At that moment. Bishop Jon collected the paper and said lightly, "It''s finished." Turning to Du Wei and Bishop Slivka, he said, "The Viktor family has been corrupted by the Evil Spirit since Howard, but it seems the people of Dusk Bell have used their family as a tool to cultivate the Evil Spirit. It finally matured in Goliath''s generation, which is why those terrible things happened." Bishop Slivka nodded, "Let''s visit the winery again; we might find traces left by Dusk Bell." As Du Wei was about to agree, his cell phone suddenly rang... Chapter 192 Unknown person At the door. Alex led Du Wei by the hand, annoyed, she gave it a flick. "How many times have I said it? Call me ''dear''; can''t you be a bit more romantic?" Embarrassed, Du Wei said, "It''s my fault." With a humph, Alex pulled Du Wei into the house, and Du Wei closed the door behind them. Inside, a table full of dishes had already been prepared. There were Tai Chi Shrimp, Roasted Drunken Chicken, Chrysanthemum Bass Balls, Deep-Fried Triple Liver Flower Rolls, Orange Juice Garfish, Snowke Chicken, and so on¡­ Most of them were Chinese dishes, along with a few Western desserts. Some of the tableware was also Chinese style. This¡­ As Du Wei''s gaze swept across the dishes, mixed feelings welled up in his heart. His normally impassive face softened considerably. His experiences from childhood were different from those of most people. Even family was far too remote for him; it could be said that before the age of 26, apart from his deceased parents, not a single person had offered him a shred of warmth.@@novelbin@@ As a result, Du Wei''s character was somewhat cold, and his extreme rationality often led him to act strictly in his own interests. In other words, he was an egoist. But Alex hadpensated for all his shorings¡­ Looking at Alex, Du Wei smiled sincerely, "Thank you." A blush crept over Alex''s cheeks, "What are you thanking me for? I bought all this, I didn''t cook it myself." As she spoke, she gave Du Wei a re, "You Easterners seem to like virtuous girls, don''t you? Are you going to like me less because I can''t cook?" Surprised, Du Wei said, "I think it''s fine. Besides, in the East, it''s usually the men who cook at home. Thedy of the house only cooks when there are guests." Alex, not quite understanding, pulled Du Wei to sit down and asked, "That seems different from what I''ve heard. Does thedy only cook when there are guests because the guests are special?" Du Wei''s mouth twitched as he exined, "It''s to give the man a bit of face." Alex had an epiphany, "If that''s the case, when we get married, I should learn to do it too. I''ll cook myself when we have guests; it sounds quite fun actually." Somewhat speechless, Du Wei said, "As long as you''re happy." Hearing this, Alex smiled gently, looking tenderly at Du Wei. "I am quite happy. You returning safely from Massas City has really put me at ease." The tone conveyed joy, her smile was dazzling, yet her words carried an unmistakeable weight. Du Wei opened his mouth but didn''t know how to respond. As a boyfriend, he truly hadn''t been responsible enough, spending most of his time dealing with Evil Spirits and neglecting Alex. After a while, Du Wei sighed, "I''m very sorry¡­" Alex said with a smile, "But you were doing what you should do. As your girlfriend, I will only choose to support you and give you as much help as possible." Upon saying this, she added softly, "It would be even better if you could ensure your own safety." Gently, Du Wei said, "Please be assured, every time I deal with an Evil Spirit, I always leave myself some leeway." Alex pouted, "Is that a promise?" With a grave voice, Du Wei said, "Yes, it''s a promise. I want to assure you, I absolutely won''t get into trouble. Even if one day I find myself in a dire situation, I''ll find a way toe back safely." Alex furrowed her brow, speaking in a displeased tone, "Are you saying you''re still nning to do more dangerous things?" Du Wei froze, "I was just making an analogy." Alex said coldly, "I care about you a lot." That was beside the point¡­ To Alex, the scope of her eptance was Du Wei dealing with some Evil Spirit incidents. She truly did not want Du Wei to get involved with anything more dangerous. If something happened, the consequences were something she was unwilling to ept at all. Du Wei naturally understood what Alex meant, and he could only say seriously, "I swear, I will never do anything more dangerous than what happens in Massas City." Alex was somewhat earnest, staring intently into Du Wei''s eyes, "You''re not lying to me, are you?" Du Wei said awkwardly, "Of course not, how could I possibly lie to you, dear?" Alex was skeptical, but looking into her boyfriend''s unwavering eyes, and hearing his firm tone, she could only dispel the doubts in her mind. "Alright, let''s not talk about these future matters for now, let''s eat first, and see if these dishes suit your taste." Alex stopped asking questions and instead picked up a pair of chopsticks, attempting to serve some food to Du Wei. However¡­ She didn''t know how to use them at all, awkwardly holding the chopsticks like a fork, trying to pick out some fish meat from a dish, but ended up scattering the fish flesh everywhere. Seeing this, Du Wei couldn''t help butugh out loud. Alex immediately red at him, "Please shut up, thanks¡­" Du Wei said with a smile, "Let me do it." As he spoke, Du Wei picked up the chopsticks and ced a piece of meat in the bowl in front of Alex. Alexined, "You knew I can''t use chopsticks, and you still put it in my bowl? Are you expecting me to eat out of the bowl like that?" Hearing this, Du Wei caught on. He directly picked up that piece of meat and said softly, "Here, let me feed you¡­" ¡­ In the afternoon. In Alex''s home. Du Wei sat on the sofa, looking through the files his girlfriend had collected. The contents of the file were about a batch of Antique Clock artifacts which were suspected mediums for the Evil Spirit. Of course, the outside world did not know the true nature of these objects; to most, they were just some valuable antiques and curios. The record of the Antique Clock dated back to the 18th century; the maker was unknown, and the crafting technique had been lost. The first recorded appearance was during the period of the merger between Ennd and Scond, owned by a noble at the time. Afterward, due to wars and other factors, the Antique Clock passed through several hands, having had many owners, but the end of each owner was somewhat strange. It wasn''t that they suddenly died a gruesome death encountering eerie urrences. Actually, the average lifespan of those people was around 60 years, which although wouldn''t count for much in modern times, was quite remarkable in the past when medical practices were primitive. It was just that¡­ Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire After their deaths, their bodies exhibited elerated decay, as if they had already been dead for a long time. Seeing this, Du Wei fell silent for a while, suddenly feeling an urge to throw away the Antique Clock at home. But going by the behavior of the Antique Clock all along, getting rid of it would lead to some eerie and terrifying urrences. "Although I don''t know its purpose, it seems like it doesn''t want me to die easily at the hands of other Evil Spirits, but rather as if it''s extracting life force from me¡­" Chapter 193 Do what you should do. On the couch. Du Wei looked at the document in his hand, his expression somewhat ugly. He was pondering how exactly he could rid himself of the Antique Clock. Initially, the object was purchased from his girlfriend Alex''s hands. At that time, the hands had stopped moving and remained at the two o''clock position. Butter, when bizarre incidents erupted, the hands began to move again. And then, there appeared a rotten female arm, wearing on the ring finger, that ring engraved with the letters "val..." That ring was the reason Du Wei became tainted with The Nun''s curse. Afterward, Du Wei bought the Antique Clock, and things became even moreplex. It grew increasingly eerie among the evil spirits in the house, belonging to the most mysterious and terrifying kind. Whether it was Annabelle or the ck Shadow, or even the original Evil Spirit Du Wei, they were all influenced by it. It could even hold its own against the nun that leaped out of his dreams. And now, Du Wei clearly discovered that the Antique Clock had be even more terrifying... "If I made a deal with someone else, could I get rid of the Antique Clock?" Du Wei asked himself internally, suddenly feeling tempted. But after careful contemtion, he felt it wasn''t so simple. Because when Alex was influenced by the Antique Clock, it clearly wasn''t so frightening back then. The tenant brought it home merely wrapped in a Shroud. The saying "easy to invite the gods, hard to send them away" applied to the Antique Clock as well. Without a way to suppress it, thinking of sending it away was nothing more than a fool''s dream. Besides, even if he could send it away, he''d have to choose the person carefully. Du Wei couldn''t help but sigh, "But it seems all my enemies have died..." This was quite awkward... His neighbor Roy had wanted to kill him, but ended up being killed by the ck Shadow instead. The people from the Veda Sect had also died indirectly or directly at his hands. The Bald Man from the Dusk Bell Church had a grudge against him because of the Joker Card, but his fate was to be shot dead, and after dying, Du Wei personally turned him into the Masked Evil Spirit. Alive were only evil spirits, no enemies... Of course, it would be possible to pick a random person. But although Du Wei was somewhat cold-blooded, he couldn''t bring himself to harm someone without reason. "This is really troublesome!" Du Wei said helplessly. The next second. A thought suddenly emerged in his mind. "If I yed another gambling game with the evil spirits using the Joker Card and lost the Antique Clock as my stake, the sess rate should be very high." With this thought, Du Wei''s expression became strange. He began thinking of evil spirits that could engage in a gambling game with him. Annabelle was already locked away in a disy cab, not suitable, so he dismissed that option for the time being. The ck Shadow seemed to have be more astute and was not epting any gambles... The evil spirits in the Horror House were far too malicious towards the living to consider a gamble; they would probably want to kill him on sight. And the evil spirit in Madam Mina''s vi wasn''t suitable either, as there was an obvious spatial distortion urring, and though he had the key to leave, he couldn''t use it then. The original mask had already revealed a potential threat¡ªthe Evil Spirit Du Wei. The mask obtainedter belonged to the original evil spirit. As for the evil spirits of Massas City, Du Wei wanted to avoid them for the rest of his life. That ce was so eerie it was terrifying, the slightest incaution and you wouldn''t even know how you died. The more Du Wei thought about it, the more he felt a headacheing on: "It seems I have note across enough evil spirits..." With that, he flipped through the other contents of the file. There were items rted to two masks, as well as other objects. The one that Du Wei suspected might be rted to the Evil Spirit was a somewhat familiar painting¡ªAnother Door. When he first came into contact with the Evil Spirit, he had searched online and came across a post about this painting. Its collector was Roger from a suburban town in Conas State, but on Tuesday, July 14, 1978, the family of four vanished from the human world, never to be seen again. And now, this painting was being exhibited in a museum in Scolyn City. The other items had already been bought by wealthy buyers, scattered across many countries, and were simply out of reach for the time being. Seeing this, Du Wei couldn''t help but sigh, "Now I need two Evil Spirits, one rted to the mirror, to deal with the Evil Spirit Du Wei, and another to deal with the Antique Clock." "The former can only be found slowly, but thetter is not so troublesome." "The medical records I''ve kept at home are about toe in handy." At this moment. Alex walked out in a loose bathrobe, frowning and asked, "Baby, what are you mumbling about?" "Just thinking about something interesting..." With that, Du Wei looked up at Alex, who was approaching him. He was sitting on the couch, and Alex, fresh from the bath in her bathrobe, had skin that seemed even moister, giving her an extraordinarily radiantplexion. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire Alex noticed the look in Du Wei''s eyes, sat down calmly beside her boyfriend with even a hint of seduction, andzily asked, "Want to know what surprise I have prepared for you?" Smelling the faint scent near his nose, Du Wei tentatively said, "Is it you?" Alex''s eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed with a hint of red as she couldn''t help but roll her eyes, "That doesn''t sound like something you would say." Immediately, Du Wei felt embarrassed, "That''s an objective analysis." Alex snorted and said, "Indeed quite objective, analyze then, what do you think I want to do now?" Du Wei grew even more embarrassed, "I... I don''t know." Alex snorted, revealing a smile full of deep meaning, "When do you n to get engaged with me?" She neither confirmed nor denied but jumped to another topic instead. And this also meant that the rtionship between the two had moved one step closer, obtaining rity for both sides. Although Du Wei had never been in a rtionship before, he wouldn''t take marriage lightly. He thought about it seriously and answered, "After I meet your parents." His current situation was not bad, having escaped the tightrope walk where a slight misstep could plunge him into the abyss. As long as he dealt with the Evil Spirit Du Wei and the hidden dangers of Evil Spirit Transformation before meeting Alex''s parents, things should progress smoothly. Although Alex was not aware of theplex thoughts in Du Wei''s mind, she agreed wholeheartedly with her boyfriend''s words. So she gently kissed Du Wei''s cheek, "In that case, the surprise can wait until after you meet my parents." Then, she added softly, "But before that, I hope you can give me a little surprise." As her words settled. Alex climbed onto Du Wei, her long, straight and beautiful legs straddling his waist.@@novelbin@@ Her actions were bold. Her intentions were simple and pure. Her blue eyes were as gentle as gems, seemingly about to drip water. Du Wei instinctively put down the file in his hand, his arms blocking Alex''s slender waist to prevent her from losing bnce and falling backwards. He felt he wasn''t as calm as he used to be. Du Wei asked in a somewhat peculiar tone, "What kind of surprise do you want..." Alexughed lightly, "Baby, I know you like me, and I know there''s a lot you haven''t told me, but I feel you''re definitely sincere with me..." "So let''s bring the conversation back to the surprise!" "Now, please do what you''re supposed to do." Chapter 194 193, Pennywise May 30, 22:09. Psychological Consultation Clinic. After freshening up, Du Wei returned to his bedroom. The door to the bedroom had been removed by him. The new wooden door had been delivered on time when he returned home in the evening. But now, Du Wei no longer had the energy to install the door, as he felt sore and pained in both body and spirit. Part of the reason was Alex, and another factor was the exhaustion from removing the door. ... Lying in bed. Du Wei took a deep breath, casually picked up the medical records on the bedside table, and began to flip through them. Of the patients he had encountered before, there were three that were most likely involved with an Evil Spirit incident. First was Annabelle, who had already been locked in a disy cab. Then there was a little girl named Reagan, who after ying a Spirit Summoning game, believed she was a man named Hoddy. Next was the boy who had a clown phobia. The two patients both had a high likelihood of encountering an Evil Spirit incident. But the former was in another city, while thetter lived in a small town in the suburbs of New York. Therefore, Du Wei chose thetter. ... He now had two issues he wanted to address, one being the Antique Clock, and the other being the Evil Spirit Du Wei. The two matters were not in conflict. Du Wei had already instructed Father Tony to pay attention to the Evil Spirit incidents involving mirrors. Although Father Tony was somewhat puzzled by this, the partnership between the two of them was solid and not much questioned. Moreover, this matter itself was intended to resolve the Evil Spirit Du Wei, unrted to Evil Spirit Transformation, so Du Wei was not worried about exposing his secrets prematurely. To resolve the issue with the Antique Clock, he needed to find an Evil Spirit and make it leave through the form of a wager. The creature that resembled a clown was very fitting for this. Firstly, it was conspicuous enough, and secondly, a boy named Billy reported that only he and some peers could see the Clown, while adults could not. This must be some oddly mechanized Evil Spirit. Thinking this. Du Wei''s gaze lingered on the column detailing Billy''s condition for a while. [Condition: Clown phobia ¡ª Specifically manifested in believing that a creature resembling a clown had eaten his missing younger brother, leading to chronic immersion in fear and anxiety.] He began to think. The Antique Clock would be safer temporarily left at the clinic. Bringing it out recklessly could easily cause unnecessary trouble. It would be more appropriate to resolve matters at the clinic instead. After all, once an Evil Spirit focuses on a target, it will be relentless. In other words, as long as it wants to kill him, it would inevitably visit the clinic sooner orter. And thest Evil Spirit, or rather Evil Corpse, that entered the clinic had already been dissected and used by him, then burnt to ashes... Du Wei put away the medical records, took out his phone, and said calmly, "I remember Billy lives in Derry Town in the suburbs, about an hour''s drive away. I should be able to make a trip there tomorrow to see the situation. If possible, I''ll lure that so-called Clown Evil Spirit to the clinic for a wager." As he spoke, Du Wei opened his browser and entered the words Derry Town. The relevant search index quickly appeared. He clicked on the most recent entry. The content was an introduction ¡ª Derry Town was established in thest century, with a fixed poption of about a thousand people. It is a rtively underdeveloped small town located in the suburbs of New York. The town''s economy is primarily based on agriculture and small-scale manufacturing, not particrly famous. After some thought, Du Wei added the words Clown Evil Spirit to the Derry Town search and started anew. And this time, what he found was a post on the local forum. The topic was about a terrifying legend named Pennywise. In this post, Pennywise was described as a clown, with a ferocious face, yellow pupils, and thick makeup. It appeared every twenty-seven years. Every time it appeared, it would target those children who were not yet adults, taking pleasure in harming them and feeding on their fear. It was also the children''s worst nightmare. Moreover, the post dated back many years, and every once in a while, someone would reply, mocking Pennywise as nothing more than a horror story fabricated by humans. There were others who dismissed it, thinking that Pennywise was merely a myth, a story adults told to scare children. Of course... Du Wei also saw some adults'' replies, iming they seemed to have seen Pennywise when they were around 15...16 years old, but had no relevant memory of it, as if too much time had passed, and they could not remember at all. However, what was strange was that their memories from before they encountered Pennywise were not so vague. These adults'' replies were highly rated in the post, and the experiences shared by othermenters also mentioned simr urrences. Seeing this, Du Wei couldn''t help but frown, "It seems to be able to erase memories..." Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire "A child''s fear that also eats humans... appearing once every twenty-seven years, it feels like an Evil Spirit..." As he spoke, he put down his phone and picked up the wallet that was beside him. Upon opening it, Two Joker Cards were respectively ced in thepartments of the wallet. One had a forest background with a man wearing a tailcoat, who looked exactly like himself. The other had the gates of a pce in the background, with his doppelg?nger wearing a mask without features, his body tightly grasped by three rotten arms. "Hopefully, things will go smoothly. I''ve had just too much going ontely," he said. ... At that moment, Inside the New York Police Department, Officer Tom was still sitting in front of theputer with bloodshot eyes, staring at the screen. The screen disyed surveince footage of members of the Veda Sect caught on camera in New York. Whilst viewing, he drank his strong coffee. Tom used to resist working overnight, but now he was more diligent and keyed up than anyone. Suddenly... Tom''s eyes widened, he saw his beautiful neighbor who was dead beyond any doubt appear in one of the surveince clips. This footage was recorded at 8 PM on May 22, whereas Tom discovered the female neighbor''s body on May 25. In the footage, the people from the Veda Sect first entered a dark alley, and after about ten minutes or so, a beautiful woman in a long ck coat followed them in. She was Joanna. "Why would she meet with the Veda Sect?" Tom wondered, continuing to watch. The footage continued, and after another ten minutes or so, When Joanna walked out of the alley again, her whole demeanor hadpletely changed.@@novelbin@@ Her gait was mechanical and stiff... Like a corpse... The Veda Sect members mysteriously disappeared as though they walked out of the other end of the alley. Tom repeatedly watched the surveince video, his face growing increasingly grim. "The autopsy report showed that when I encountered Joanna, she had been dead for three days, which means that after her meeting with the Veda Sect on May 22, she was already dead." "And Joanna turning into an Evil Spirit happened yesterday, it''s been seven days from her death to her transformation into an Evil Spirit..." "If that''s the case, then I might be able to check the records of the deceased in New York from seven days ago. If I''m right, following this lead should reveal a lot of important information." Chapter 197 196, Puzzle In the room, the sixteen-year-old boy, Billy, couldn''t stop crying. Before, he had already informed Du Wei that his younger brother had been eaten alive by the monster that looked like a clown. To the side, Gena said with a bitter tone, "We''ve chosen to call the police and have also checked under the tree Billy mentioned, but we didn''t find any traces of blood." Du Wei nodded slightly and said, "Things like Evil Spirits are generally invisible to the average person unless they are targeted. Moreover, those entities are very bizarre and can''t be understood with known logic." Gena sighed and fell silent. Meanwhile, Du Wei thought for a moment, walked over to Billy, and, in a state of Spirit Vision, quietly observed the ck mist on Billy''s body. Though he did not feel any malice, It didn''t mean they would be at peace. Besides, what Du Wei needed to do now was to find the clown and bring it back to the clinic. "I need to get it to target me first." He said to himself silently, and then he said to Gena and Bill, "Please close your eyes, I need to conduct an experiment." The father and son didn''t think much of it and closed their eyes. The next second, A spine-chilling coldness emerged in their hearts, making their hair stand on end as if a terrifying entity had targeted them. But when they opened their eyes again, everything had returned to normal. In their eyes, Dr. Du Wei''s right hand was casually in his pocket, his expression cool, no different from before. Gena asked in confusion, "What did you do?" Du Wei replied indifferently, "I''ve taken care of some trouble for your child, but that''s not important." Bill bit his lip and said, "Uncle Du Wei, I suddenly feel a lot lighter in my heart." Du Wei raised an eyebrow and said, "That''s because you''ve also be a target of that ghostly thing. Now that I''ve removed the trouble from you, it won''t target you anymore, so remember, don''t be afraid." After saying this, he asked another question, "By the way, do you know if any other kids in Derry Town have seen that clown?" Bill shook his head; he had been staying at home recently and hadn''t gone out much, so he wasn''t aware of what was happening outside. At this moment, his father Gena spoke up with a frown, "I did hear that a few children encountered Pennywise. Are you looking for them?" Du Wei nodded and said, "Yes, but I can go alone. Just tell me where they are." Gena replied, "They are all at the town''s school, but at this time, the school won''t let you in, as the children are preparing for the middle school exams." "Please tell me their information." "Ena, Ferran, and Paul, they are all in the same ss as Billy." Du Wei''s hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, was in his pocket, feeling the cold, sinister chill. He thought for a moment and then said, "I see, but now, I have to go find them." Gena immediately said, "You just got here and you''re already leaving; I should properly host you." As he said this, Gena''s face suddenly turned red; he remembered the current financial embarrassment of the household. A warm wee meant extra expenses, and Billy was going to high school in the second half of the year. Du Wei shook his head slightly, "No need, I wish you a pleasant life." Hearing this, Gena could only sigh, "Then let me walk you out." "All right..." ¡­ At 11:03 AM, with moderate rain, Du Wei left Gena''s house and casually called Officer Tom. Once the call connected, He got straight to the point, "I''m currently in Derry Town dealing with an Evil Spirit incident, but I need a special permit from the police." On the other end of the phone, Tom said in surprise, "There''s an Evil Spirit incident in Derry Town?" Du Wei exined, "Yes, and I can''t be certain whether it''s an Evil Spirit or not, but it''s malevolent and specifically targets young children, posing a great danger." Tom said helplessly, "Derry Town falls within New York''s jurisdiction. Indeed, I can call their police station and get you a special permit, but if people are going to die, it''ll be difficult for me to exinter." Du Wei spoke calmly, "I assure you, no one will die at the hands of the Evil Spirit." Tom expressed his doubts, "That doesn''t sound like something you would say. Every time you''ve dealt with an Evil Spirit incident in the past, someone has died..." Du Wei replied coldly, "Because this time, the target of the Evil Spirit can only be me!" "What do you mean? Don''t try to be a hero. If something happens to you, your girlfriend will definitelye to the police station looking for us, fuck! She''s too rich, we can''t afford to mess with her!" Du Wei remained indifferent, "I know what I''m doing. I''ve faced even more dangerous situations, so please don''t worry about my safety." On the other end of the phone. After a moment of silence, Tom finally said, "Alright, just go directly to the Derry Town police station. I''ll get them to prepare a special permit right now." Du Wei made a sound of acknowledgment and hung up directly. Then, he finally pulled out his right hand, which had undergone an Evil Spirit Transformation, from his pocket. The right hand was pale. Read chapters at My Virtual Library Empire Under the state of Spirit Vision, it was clear to see that the whole right hand was enveloped in ck mist. To say so seemed a bit inurate. It should be said that the ck mist was tightly grasped by his right hand and couldn''t escape at all. The mist continuously tried to seep out from Du Wei''s grasp, forming an ethereal state, as if it possessed a kind of cold and evil will. It was struggling. But to no avail. In Gena''s house, the moment they closed their eyes, Du Wei had entered an Evil Spirit Transformation and captured it in one fell swoop. The mist gave him a strange feeling. Like a puzzle piece, iplete. And though it seemed rted to Billy, it was actually something entirely unfamiliar. If Billy were considered a vessel, then it was a terrifying thing that resided within Billy, feeding on fear. "It doesn''t seem like an Evil Spirit or an Evil Spirit Transformation; it''s more like Annabelle because both exhibit parasitic behavior," said Du Wei, his tone still cold and devoid of any emotion. More like an Evil Spirit than a person. "But this thing seems to be influenced by the ck Umbre..." He loosened his grip on the ck mist with his right hand and watched as it tried to break free from the range of the ck Umbre, but it couldn''t get out no matter what, and his brain calmly made a judgment:@@novelbin@@ "This should be Pennywise, but obviously, it''s just a part of it. Seen as a puzzle piece, Pennywise emerges every twenty-seven years, targeting those young children who are most susceptible to fear." "But right now, I don''t know the connection between the Clown that Billy saw and this puzzle piece that''s attached to him." "So now I have two theories." "One is that every child targeted will have a puzzle piece on them, absorbing their fear to grow stronger, and after merging, it bes theplete Pennywise." "The other is that the so-called Clown is Pennywise itself, and the puzzle piece on Billy is just a manifestation of the fear he felt after seeing it." "If it''s thetter, then I might not be able to do anything about it, because I don''t meet the age prerequisite, nor will I feel fear, so there''s no chance it will target me." "But if it''s the former, then what I need to do is collect the puzzle pieces and create conditions that would get its attention." Having finished speaking, Du Wei tucked his right hand into his pocket, propped up the umbre, shouldered his bag, and walked towards the Derry Town police station... His goal was clear. To find Pennywise, transfer the Antique Clock onto it, and if possible to eradicate it, Du Wei wouldn''t choose to let it go. Chapter 199 198. Dont be afraid (add more for the alliance leader) In the ssroom. Du Wei looked at the girl with an expressionless face as the ck fog around her formed a clown. It was Pennywise, but only a puzzle piece, not yetplete. Itsughter was shrill, prating the air. It was like a cold venomous snake slithering and crawling over one''s skin, and wrapping around the body, causing a kind of physiological difort. However, for Du Wei who had undergone Evil Spirit Transformation, this had no effect whatsoever. The teacher had alreadye over, asking loudly, "What did you do to my student, sir, you wait for your day in court!" But Du Wei didn''t even turn his head, he reached out and directly grabbed the clown''s neck, pulling it into the ck Umbre. The girl''s eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot. After doing all this, Du Wei then turned to look at the teacher. His cold gaze, devoid of any emotion, made the teacher involuntarily step back. "Fuck! Who the hell are you?"@@novelbin@@ Du Wei said emotionlessly, "I am Du Wei, a psychologist from New York, and also an investigator with the New York police. You have already seen my credentials." "As for the children, they are fine. Please contact Officer Tom for specifics; he is the person in charge of this case." Having said that, Du Wei took out his wallet and tossed Officer Tom''s business card he received earlier to her, then turned and walked away. The teacher was dumbfounded; she couldn''t make head or tail of the situation or understand what Du Wei had done. In the eyes of ordinary people, Du Wei had merely walked into the ssroom with a ck Umbre, went around once, and suddenly three children inexplicably screamed and fainted. Beyond that, they saw nothing out of the ordinary. "I will call the police, and if anything happens to these kids, none of you will get away with it." Du Wei didn''t answer; instead, he quickened his pace. Because through Spirit Vision, he saw that the fog inside the ck Umbre was nowpletely boiling, all of it twining around him. The cold and profound, tide-like malice was rushing toward his mind. But as Du Wei had said before, this was useless to him, especially now as he was in the midst of an Evil Spirit Transformation. He did not even need to suppress his own emotions unless he chose to revert. Fear was irrelevant to him. But Du Wei knew that the puzzle had now beplete. That meant the so-called Pennywise would soon appear. The ck Umbre, acting as a container, was clearly no longer able to contain this thing. Du Wei could distinctly feel that it was taking shape... "I must leave quickly." That''s what Du Wei told himself, leaving the school and heading straight back the way he came. The rain grew heavier. The ground formedrge puddles that were gathering toward the drains on the side of the road; the water had wet his shoes, and his steps became sluggish. In the dark, overcast sky, a sh of white lightning tore across. The surrounding light brightened for an instant. Then came the resounding boom of thunder. Du Wei''s eyes looked somewhat cold; his Evil Spirit Transformed right hand was gripping the ck Umbre tightly, the ck fog inside furiously pouring out, the entire canopy began to distort and flip outward. Now, Du Wei was unable to close the umbre. But contrary to his expectations, Pennywise did not appear... "Why is this happening, could it be that Pennywise is not as simple as I imagined? Or is the clown that Billy saw the real Pennywise, and these puzzle pieces are just a decoy it created?" Even in such a bizarre situation, Du Wei remained rational and calm. In truth, although the ck fog enveloped him tightly, attempting to influence his psyche and stir negative emotions such as fear, the effect was practically nil. Pennywise''s targets had to meet two conditions: they had to be children, and they had to fear it, shudder at it. Du Wei satisfied neither condition, hence the idea of a target did not apply to him. No danger... However, Du Wei''s intention was to go after Pennywise, to make it fixate on him, to bring it to his clinic, using the Joker Card to forcibly transfer out the Antique Clock. This is awkward¡­ Du Wei had never thought that one day, he would find himself in a more troublesome situation because he couldn''t be the target of an Evil Spirit. Suddenly¡­ Du Wei''s body tensed, and his forward steps came to a halt. To his left was the amusement park Billy had mentioned. And at the entrance of the amusement park was a clown in grey circus attire, with sallow skin and his face painted heavily in white, his lips outlined in red so exaggerated that it was grotesque. He held a red balloon tied to a string in one hand. Its hair was orange-red, the hairline receding high, and ck paint was heavily drawn down from above the eye area, making it look even more fierce and terrifying. Just one nce filled his heart with an inexplicable fear. Du Wei''s mind stayed calm, but instinct told him this thing was even more terrible and cruel than the Evil Spirit¡­ It was Pennywise¡­ When Du Wei looked at it, its head hung low, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, the tongue blood-red as if it had just ripped through some flesh. "Hehehe..." It bowed its head, staring with its eyes and started tough maliciously at Du Wei. Then, it abruptly gestured with a beckoning wave. The next second. Within the ck Umbre, the ck mist that twined around Du Wei, as if ignited, suddenly intensified and flipped the ck Umbre upside down. Du Wei staggered, his body exposed to the rain. The icy rain hit his face, forcing him to squint involuntarily. "I hate rainy days..." Du Wei steadied the ck Umbre and stared coldly at Pennywise. "I''m curious, what exactly are you, an Evil Spirit? Or a Demon Spirit?" Spirit Vision is an ability that appears after being eroded by an Evil Spirit. In other words, things that can be seen with Spirit Vision are generally under the category of Evil Spirits. Demon Spirits, Evil Spirits, and even the Demon Spirit mentioned once by Father Tony, these things are actually the same, just manifesting in different forms. Pennywise is contagious. Yet its medium is unclear. Its trigger mechanism requires satisfying two conditions: age and fear. Pennywise naturally wouldn''t answer Du Wei; it just grinned hideously, seemingly mocking him. It tookical steps, walking deeper into the amusement park. Du Wei frowned and was about to give chase. But suddenly¡­ That sinister and terrifyingugh echoed close to his ear. Very close¡­ Behind Du Wei. The Pennywise Clown leaned over Du Wei''s shoulder,ughing unrestrainedly into his ear. At the same time, many terrifying images shed through Du Wei''s mind: dismembered corpses, butchered bodies, the Evil Spirit out to kill him, blood-red eyes in the darkness, the unfathomably deep ocean suddenly churning with a whirlpool. And so on and so forth¡­ Yet Du Wei waspletely unaffected. He turned his head and stared expressionlessly at the Pennywise Clown. "Are you trying to frighten me? It seems fear is the main condition for you to set your sights on someone." "But it''s useless against me¡­" "No matter, I can make a wish to forcibly bind us together¡­" "An entity with a clear vulnerability, suspected to be an Evil Spirit, I''ve only encountered one, and now you''re the second." After finishing his words, Du Wei took out the wish-making Joker Card from his pocket¡­ Chapter 202 201, The man has come out (added more for the alliance leader) The downpour continued unabated. There was already much water umted inside the amusement park. Du Wei, holding a ck umbre, stood in the rain; beneath his feet, a whirlpool formed by the converging water flowed toward the sewer entrance. This sewer was constructed alongside the road, screened by arge hole in a rusted wire mesh. Some withered leaves were stuck on the mesh, looking somewhat dirty and messy. Du Wei squatted down and peered in. Behind the mesh at the entrance, a pair of malevolent, blood-colored eyes were also staring back at Du Wei. The Pennywise Clown was hiding within this sewer. Their eyes met. Influenced by his own psychological suggestion, Du Wei''s face turned somewhat pale, his fear intensifying by the moment, yet he let this emotion fester unchecked. And the Pennywise Clown felt Du Wei''s growing fear. It grinned malevolently as its hand reached out through the hole in the wire mesh toward Du Wei''s ankle. Its nails were sharp and pointed, curved like the ws of a wild beast. Moreover, the skin on its hand was an ashen white, which made it look even more terrifying. "Huff¡­" Du Wei hastily retreated, his breathing bing rapid. Upon seeing this, the Pennywise Clown''s smile grew even more hideous. "Hehe¡­ hehehe¡­" Its outstretched hand frantically scratched about, desperately trying to grab Du Wei, yet it seemed unable to emerge from the sewer, as if it were trapped; even with its hand fully extended, it couldn''t touch its target. Du Wei breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a bit safer.@@novelbin@@ But gradually¡­ The arm calmed down,y t on the ground, letting the water wash over it as it slowly retracted back into the sewer. Du Wei squinted, looking back toward the sewer entrance. It was pitch-ck inside, impossible to see a thing. Yet that connection told him the Pennywise Clown was still in there¡­ The atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost suffocating. An evil spirit wasn''t something that could be contained by a mere sewer. The reason it stayed below was because it was brewing an even more terrifying action. This, if anything, was even more frightening¡­ Du Wei gripped the ck umbre tightly, his heart pounding violently as he stared intently at the sewer entrance. Not seeing something doesn''t mean it doesn''t exist. Suddenly¡­ A series of regr footsteps sounded from behind Du Wei. He swiftly turned around, his pupils contracting instantly¡­ Behind him, at some point, a very familiar squad had appeared. Leading them was a girl, also holding a ck umbre. Ominous, oppressive¡­ It was the Evil Spirit Squad¡­ Du Wei''s expression turned very unsightly; he was certain that the Evil Spirit Squad had been trapped to death in Massas City, unable toe out. Yet what he saw before him was the most real scenario. That sense of oppression and malice was genuinely terrifying. "This isn''t an illusion; it''s the impact it had on me after my fear of the Pennywise Clown," he realized. "It seems like it can create some things that I''m afraid of, just not that powerful¡­" Du Wei struggled to keep calm; he was in the grip of his own psychological suggestions, unable to ignore his fear. Of course, he wasn''t nning to do so. Because once the fear vanished, the Pennywise Clown would surely flee again. It was like fishing. He was the fisherman, and fear was the bait¡­ In the sewer, Pennywise Clown still refused toe out, staring at Du Wei with malicious eyes, his sinisterughter unceasing. Theughter became increasingly eerie. At first, it only appeared by his ears, but now it echoed directly in the depths of his heart. Even as Du Wei covered his ears, he could not resist that grim, sinisterughter anymore. The more one fears it, the more powerful it bes. Du Wei looked at the sewer entrance and then turned his head towards the approaching Evil Spirit Squad, a struggling expression on his face as if making a difficult decision. The next second. Du Wei sighed, turned around, and was about to leave, seemingly giving uppletely on dealing with Pennywise Clown, unable to endure the terror and fleeing in panic. But just as he turned, a dark shadow suddenly appeared in front of him. Its eyes were bloodshot, filled with immense malice, its body nebulous, with only a faint outline visible. The moment it appeared, it charged towards Du Wei. Turning his head again, the surroundings became darker and darker, and many Evil Spirits that had contact with Du Wei quietly emerged. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire There was the nun, Annabelle, Mrs. Mina possessed by the Evil Spirit, two spirits wrapped in bandages... And so on and so forth... At that time. Pennywise Clown seemed to seize the opportunity and suddenly disappeared from the sewer. Through the connection, Du Wei instinctively looked up... Above his head, a massive gaping mouth appeared. Pennywise Clown held a red giant balloon in one hand, and fiercely reached for Du Wei''s eyes with the other. It was capable of eating people... But Du Wei sneered at it, "You took the bait..." He reached out with his right hand, grabbing Pennywise Clown, and underwent the Evil Spirit Transformation. The chilling aura reappeared. Psychological suggestion ineffective. Du Wei''s face turned utterly cold and indifferent, his right hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, grabbed Pennywise Clown''s neck and pressed it firmly to the ground, pinning it down. "Now do you know what fear is?" Pennywise Clown struggled desperately, but the transformed right hand gripped its neck tightly; it couldn''t escape. Moreover, when Du Wei dismissed the psychological suggestion and returned to normal, all the so-called negative emotions like fear and apprehension were nothing but a joke to him. Its strength was directly rted to the fear of its target. Without the emotion of fear, it was weak and could only struggle... Du Wei''s right hand held down Pennywise Clown''s neck, while his left hand pulled out a white cloth from his backpack, attempting to wrap it up. Yet, Pennywise Clown began to cackle sharply. Those Evil Spirits around Du Wei swiftly closed in. Even many Evil Spirits that Du Wei had encountered before, or persons he''d seen die at the hands of the Evil Spirits, appeared one after another. The two spirits he encountered in the Horror House... The Scarecrow spirit from the wheat field... HIs neighbor Roy... The female news anchor Linda who died on the bus... Around Du Wei, in an instant, it was as though it turned into a human hell... Yet Du Wei kept sneering, saying to Pennywise Clown, "Don''t waste your effort; all these things you''ve conjured up, I''ve dealt with every one of them. Even their actual entities couldn''t kill me, so how could some fakes you conjure scare me?" "You know nothing about me!" But then. A voice Du Wei was extremely familiar with rang out. "I also think it knows nothing about me." The oppressive aura around them instantly became stagnant. In the rain, a man wearing a white mask and dressed exactly like Du Wei appeared eerily. It was Evil Spirit Du Wei... He took elegant steps, each with consistent distance, and if not for his sinister and terrifying demeanor, he could easily be mistaken for an aristocratic gentleman from thest century. Chapter 204 203, poor memory... The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. Du Wei stuffed the white cloth into his backpack and slowly zipped it up. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire He picked up the ck umbre that had fallen to the side, his clothes thoroughly soaked through. And opposite him, the only remaining "Evil Spirit Du Wei" stood motionless in the rain. It watched Du Wei and answered the question he had just asked, "It''s not a meme. I can''t do something on the level of the nun''s curse. You could think of the appearance of this imposter as a form of spreading me, thereby turning it into one of my vessels." "Vessel? That word has a lot of loopholes," Du Wei said calmly, "You can''ty a hand on me because you''re still inside my body. So-called vessels are more like you influencing it." It, or rather the Evil Spirit Du Wei, revealed a chilling smile. "That answer is quite dull, just as you can''t fool me, I can''t fool you either." "But I don''t n to take action against you right now." The meaning in these words seemed somewhat ambiguous to others. But for Du Wei, it was clear and understandable. Not being able to fool himself because lies have no effect on him or it. Not nning to act now is because it can''t, but that doesn''t mean it can''t act in the future. Du Wei remained silent. The Evil Spirit Du Wei also showed no intention of speaking further, its form gradually dimming, but its cold and deadly gaze became even more frightening. From the moment the Evil Spirit Du Wei appeared, the rtionship between the two of them hadpletely be indistinguishable. A person is defined by memories, personality, thought patterns, and social rtionships. Putting aside the essence of evil spirits and humans and discounting the memory differences, there is absolutely no distinction between them. The Evil Spirit Du Wei is another aspect of Du Wei, built upon the personality and all memories of Du Wei until the first appearance of the nun. But once it takes over the body, it will rece Du Wei''s existence. At that point, a different kind of contrast will ur between their memories. Du Wei would instead be its past, while it would be the present Du Wei. That''s the so-called memory gap. After a while, Du Wei was the first to speak, "You''ve be scarier than before. Did you appear this time because of the clown or some other factor?" The other factor he referred to was James. If the Evil Spirit Du Wei could draw power from James and be even more frightening, its advantage would be infinitely magnified. The Evil Spirit Du Wei elegantly smiled, "It''s not what you think. But indeed, I can use James to do something. Of course, he is being watched very closely." Then, it said, "What the clown created is just an imposter, a low-level imitator; however, as long as it imitates me, I can see it, influence it." Du Wei frowned and asked, "So, by talking to me in this way, what are you trying to do? Some boring implications, or something else?" He keenly picked up on the undertones of guidance and nning. And that was precisely what he was best at. But the Evil Spirit Du Wei simply said, "Just as I can''t stop you from wanting to kill me, you can''t ignore the amount of information in my words when I say this." Continuing, it said, "The next time you take action against me, I will also take action against you. By then, you will surely die, and I will take back the body that belongs to me." Du Wei calmly replied, "If I''ve taken back my body once, I can do it a second time. The one who will die is you, not me." The Evil Spirit Du Wei scoffed nonstop, "Don''t forget, whatever you can do, I can do, and whatever you understand, I understand. I am you, and you are me. Anything you can think of, I can think of too." "The memory gap is a double-edged sword. You can use it against me, and I can also use it against you." "I''m looking forward to the next time we meet." Having said that, it became more and more transparent and gradually disappeared in the rain. ... On the spot, Du Wei stood in the rain, holding a ck umbre. He had just withdrawn from the Evil Spirit Transformation and slowly exhaled a breath of foul air. "I too am looking forward to the next time we meet; it will certainly be interesting," he said. His voice was t as he watched the dark sky, his gaze profound and carrying a hint of chilling stillness. The next second. The slight chill that resembled death suddenly vanished as if it never existed. But only Du Wei knew. The risks brought by the Evil Spirit Transformation had be a bit more severe. "It seems that if I encounter another Evil Spirit incident, I should avoid entering into the Evil Spirit Transformation as much as possible; otherwise, I might sink deeper and deeper," Du Wei murmured, turning his head and quickly making his way to the town''s entrance. He was different from the usual exorcists. His past experiences had left him naturally detached. After undergoing the Evil Spirit Transformation, he was even more prone to losing his humanity than the typical hunter. Even with anchor points... The anchor points of humanity are not enough to eradicate the root of this danger. The only solution to this danger, for now, lies with the Dusk Bell Church and the church headquarters that are researching it. ... At the entrance to Derry Town. When Du Wei reached his parked car, he opened the door and sat down in the driver''s seat. He folded his ck umbre, shook off the rainwater, and ced it on the passenger seat along with his backpack. "I wonder if Father Tony has found the Evil Spirit I''ve been looking for. I can''t wait too much longer; I must quickly make my role as a hunter known to the church. If ites down to it, I''ll just have to drag him to see the deceased Mrs. Mina," Du Wei sighed to himself. After starting the car, he stepped on the gas pedal. "First, I''ll bring Pennywise Clown back to the clinic, although given its ghastly appearance now, I don''t know if it can still partake in the wager. If not, I might have to keep it at the clinic," he said. "This is troublesome..." On the passenger seat. The Pennywise Clown, wrapped in a white cloth, revealing only an outline of a balloon, was stored in the backpack. As if sensing something, the whole backpack began to shake violently. Yet Du Wei didn''t even spare it a nce, continuing to drive. ... Because of the rain. His driving speed was not fast, and it took him half an hour to cover just over halfway. It would probably take another half hour to return to his own psychological consultation clinic. By then, the backpack on the passenger seat had returned to calm and showed no previous signs of abnormality. It seemed as if it had resigned to its fate.@@novelbin@@ But in reality, Du Wei knew very well that Pennywise had not resigned itself¡ª it simply had no strength left to struggle. Without fear, it would be incredibly weak and unable to recover. And at this moment. Alex suddenly made a phone call. After Du Wei pressed the answer button, he heard herzy and somewhat ufortable voice say, "Honey, I''ve just woken up and feel a little... under the weather. Could youe over this afternoon?" Chapter 206 Raise it Inside the house. Du Wei picked up the Joker Card he had thrown to the ground. Looking at his own image wearing a tailcoat on the card, at his feet, the evil wolf hidden in the shadows had already opened its gaping maw, ready to bite at any moment. "It seems that if I use this Joker Card for gambling again, the Evil Spirit will make its move against me." His voice was t, but it revealed an indescribable weariness. The first Joker Card he had obtained had always been a great help each time he used it. But as he used it more and more, its hidden dangers began to quietly emerge. Du Wei had two Joker Cards. Each one contained a part of the Evil Spirit. The one representing the gamble had reached a critical point. That is to say, if Du Wei used it one more time, the Evil Spirit would start to devour it, resulting in what Father Tony had once described. Which is¡ªbing part of the Evil Spirit. Quietly, he slipped the Joker Card into his wallet. Du Wei tidied up the room, ignoring the scraps of balloons scattered on the ground, writhing. The red balloon seemed to be Pennywise''s medium. But even after the gamble ended and it was about to gain the Antique Clock before being popped, it still hadn''tpletely perished. An Evil Spirit is utterly idealistic. As long as the balloon returns to its original state, it will still be able to continue existing. But now it was incredibly weak; even restored, it wouldn''t have the strength to leave the house. Du Wei wouldn''t fear it, so it couldn''t gain strength and be more powerful. This was an unsolvable problem. In the past, it was always Du Wei who was troubled by the Evil Spirit, caught in an unsolvable situation, a slight misstep and he could end up dead with no one to bury him. But now, it was Pennywise who was being watched by Du Wei, trapped in an even more unsolvable situation. ... Ten minutester. Du Wei had cleaned up his house. By then, the red balloon had returned to its original appearance, only it seemed shrunk, a whole size smaller than before. In the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei could barely feel anything unusual, as if it was indeed just an ordinary red balloon. "I''ll keep it at home for now... Perhaps it can be useful in the future," Du Wei said this and took the red balloon, heading up to the attic of his home. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire ... Meanwhile, At the New York Police Department, Officer Tom received a call from the Derry Town police.@@novelbin@@ He cursed with an annoyed face, "Fuck! I''ve already said, Dr. Du Wei is the New York Police Department''s best friend, and someone from our staff will provide feedback about Derry Town''s matter, so don''t bother me again, OK?" On the other end of the phone, the police from Derry Town said helplessly, "But three students have been scared, and their parents are demanding an exnation from us." Tom said coldly, "Exnation? What exnation? Do they have direct evidence proving this has anything to do with Dr. Du Wei? That''s just making trouble for nothing!" The other party asked, "Then, how should we appease them?" Tom said disdainfully, "Do I really need to tell you how to handle this kind of situation? Or do you think you''re not cut out for this line of work? If that''s the case, then my only suggestion is that you resign immediately, thank you!" After that, he hung up the phone. At this moment. One of his subordinates knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock... Without turning his head, Tom said, "Come in." The subordinate pushed the door open and hurriedly said, "Boss, the police in Esselgreen have found some special materials that I think you should look at." Upon hearing this, Tom lifted his head to look at the person, and his expression became serious. The matter with the Veda Sect was no longer solely handled by the church. The officials had already ssified it as a vicious case, to be resolved jointly by the police in Esselgreen and New York, so the information and materials from both sides were shared. Tom took the file from his subordinate''s hand. Upon opening it, he was immediately met with the eye-catching headline: "1994 Maria Maternity Hospital Fire Incident in Esselgreen City." At once, Tom furrowed his brow and began to look at it closely. His subordinate exined, "Boss, the Esselgreen police investigated the birth records from Joanna''s birth year and discovered that in the same year, there was a fire at the local Maria Hospital, where many medical staff, infants, and pregnant women died in the ze." While looking at the file, Tom said displeasingly, "Why am I only hearing about such an important matter now? Are those bastards over in Esselgreen raised on shit?" The subordinate exined, "Boss... this kind of incident was quite bad and thus was suppressed, um... you should understand." Tom snorted in dissatisfaction and with a grave face asked, "So what, they suspect the fire was deliberate, and Joanna is one of the infants supposed to have perished in the mes?" The subordinate replied, "That''s what they suspect indeed, but for now, we''ve only been able to locate Joanna''s gic sample, which means it''s still only a suspicion." Gicparison is the best method to confirm someone''s identity. But infants just born are unlikely to have gic backups taken, and the technology wasn''t widespread at that time anyway. Without a second thought, Tom said, "Tell them to contact the people who lost their children back then, see if they can investigate Joanna''s real parents through her gic sample." "Also, archive all the newborns who died in that fire and investigate the newborn data from Esselgreen and New York from the same year. We need to see how many others like Joanna those Veda Sect madmen might have produced." The subordinate immediately said, "Right away, boss! I''ll get on it." As he spoke, the subordinate hesitated, looking at his boss''s haggard face, and bit his lip. "Boss, you''ve been averaging only three hours of sleep a night for the past few days. You can''t keep this up..." Tom waved his hand and said, pointing at his own dark circles disdainfully, "That''s why you''re just a subordinate and I''m the boss." Before he had met Du Wei, during the times he frequented the Red Light District, he would party from off-duty till the next day and still manage to go to work as usual. Just two or three hours of sleep a day didn''t affect Tom one bit. He remained as energetic as ever. ¡­ It was past two in the afternoon. Furman District. Carrying a thermal container, Du Wei took a key from his pocket and opened the door to Alex''s house. Since they had made their rtionship official yesterday. Alex had given him a spare key to her house. This represented trust. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Alex lying on the sofa browsing some websites on herptop. On seeing Du Weie in, Alex turned her head and saidzily, "Baby, why did it take you so long? If I hadn''t called to hurry you up, you might have beenter still." Feeling apologetic, Du Wei said, "I got held up by some matters this morning, don''t be mad." Alex pouted and upon noticing the thermal container Du Wei was carrying, curiously asked, "What have you brought me?" "I thought you might not have eaten, so I made you something on the way over." Saying this, Du Wei sat down beside her. Alex''s eyes lit up, but she still huffed, "If you hadn''t added ''on the way over,'' I might actually be touched." As she spoke, she leaned on Du Wei''s shoulder and kissed it softly. Chapter 208 207, Give me one day (to add more for the alliance leader) ``` Nearing dusk.@@novelbin@@ Du Weiy in bed, looking at Avery who was resting her head on his arm, his expression somewhat rxed. She had just said she was a little sleepy and wanted to nap for a bit. Yet she insisted on him lying down with her in bed, iming she couldn''t fall asleep otherwise. Perhaps it was true. But at this moment, Avery''s tender hand gradually reached for Du Wei''s chest, and her long, beautiful legs draped over his waist. Women are actually much bolder than men, especially in the phase just after having tasted the pleasure for the first time. "Honey... I''m in my safe periodtely," Avery leaned on her boyfriend''s shoulder, her voice incredibly soft, a shy flush quietly spreading across her face. Upon hearing this, Du Wei suddenly felt a bit of soreness in his waist, one hand encircling Avery''s slender waist, while the other propped him up in bed, sitting halfway up. "It''s not dark yet, we need to show some restraint..." Du Wei rubbed Avery''s hair, kissed her lips, his usually calm and indifferent eyes showing a rare softness. He looked at his girlfriend''s fair and beautiful face, feeling an indescribable sense offort. Only at times like these would his girlfriend show her more tender side; she usually carried herself with the aura of a mature and intellectual woman. While Avery, caressing Du Wei''s chest,ined a bit, "I don''t want to restrain myself at all." Du Wei awkwardly said, "I think reasonable restraint is quite good." Avery pouted, "I think it''s very bad, honey, you''re a bitcking in physical fitness, you should find time to exercise properly..." She had trained before and could easily take down three or four adults. But Du Wei was just an ordinary person, andtely, he hadn''t had time to work out, naturally no match for Avery''s fitness. Moreover, Even if he started working out now, it wouldn''t result in a sudden superhuman improvement in fitness. But when ites to whether a man can perform, only he himself knows. Right then, Du Wei narrowed his eyes and flipped over, pinning Avery beneath him. He said nothing. Avery, however, didn''t avoid his gaze and looked right back at him, her blue eyes bold and full of seductive allure. "Honey, I can help you work out," Du Wei sneered, "I''ve already experienced your workout methods..." After speaking, he kissed her deeply, pulling the nket over them, eliciting a surprised gasp from Avery. Then a burst of ambiguous, hurried breathing ensued. ... After a while, Avery trembled slightly, hugging Du Wei''s shoulder and letting out a sound. And Du Wei''s waist was even sorer. Although the physical pleasure could relieve some stress, like he said, he preferred to make things more regr. But his girlfriend Avery wasn''t so obedient. The two of them had very different personalities. Du Wei was calm and rational, reason over emotion, and sometimespletely unaffected by his emotional side. This was a thinking pattern that had formed over the long term, deeply ingrained and unlikely to change. Avery, on the other hand, was different. She was the same age as Du Wei, and though mature and intellectual, she was much more emotional and rarely tried to restrain the palpitations brought on by her feelings. The deeper the love, the harder it was to control, and this was what they meant by emotions being hard to control. At this moment, Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire Avery was lying beside Du Wei''s ear,zily speaking, "Honey, don''t go back tonight, stay over at my ce." It was only eight o''clock, still early. Du Wei''s mouth twitched, "I..." "What about you? Don''t give me excuses! It''s about time we moved in together!" Avery rolled her eyes at Du Wei, pulled the nket away, and got up. Her fair, smooth back, along with her perfect figure, was now fully disyed before Du Wei. ``` Du Wei couldn''t help but chuckle, "Alright, I won''t being back tonight." Now the Evil Spirits at home are mostly well-behaved. Even with the addition of a new member¡ªPennywise¡ªit barely caused any trouble. But it was so weak that Du Wei could easily take it down without even undergoing Evil Spirit Transformation. In Du Wei''s home, Pennywise sessfully reced the original wrinkled woman''s face as the bottom rank. Suddenly. Alex turned her head towards Du Wei as if she had thought of something and said, "By the way, baby, I''m nning to buy a new house, the kind that''s more suitable for the two of us to live in, what do you think?" Her intention was clear. Cohabitation... Yet Du Wei frowned and said, "We can buy it first, and once the renovation ispleted and it''s fit for living in, I reckon most of my issues will have been sorted out by then." Alex grinned, "That would take about half a year." Du Wei smiled and said, "Half a year is enough." Alex asked further, "So, when do you n to meet my parents with me?" Du Wei thought and replied, "Mid or end of this month, I should be free then." Alex nodded in satisfaction, "As long as you haven''t forgotten, I''m sure my parents will like you a lot." Du Wei smiled, "I''m also looking forward to meeting them." Alex tilted her head, blew Du Wei a kiss, then headed to the bathroom. Whereas Du Wei sat on the bed, massaging his sore waist. He made up his mind that starting from tomorrow, as long as he had time, he would definitely exercise. After all, no matter how cool-headed and rational, he was essentially a man... Du Wei nned his future schedule. But suddenly, his phone''s ringtone broke the silence. The caller ID showed it was Father Tony. Immediately, Du Wei''s brows furrowed. Father Tony usually wouldn''t call him at night, unless there was an Evil Spirit incident. But recently in New York, there had been very few traces of Evil Spirits. "Could it be that he has found a lead about the Mirror Evil Spirit I asked him to look for?" Wondering, Du Wei pressed the answer button. "Good evening, Father Tony." "Good... good evening, Mr. Du Wei, I... I have something to tell you..." "Is it about the Mirror Evil Spirit?" "No... it''s not. I haven''t found that kind of Evil Spirit, but I''ve asked the people at the church to keep an eye out for you." Hearing this. Du Wei became puzzled and asked, "Then what is it that you want to tell me?" Father Tony sounded a bit hesitant, "It''s about you, the church has some arrangements concerning you." Du Wei responded, "Go ahead." Father Tony sighed, "I''m really sorry, Mr. Du Wei. I feel I owe you an apology because I think the church''s arrangements could put you in danger." A sense of rm rose in Du Wei''s heart, "What exactly is going on? The way you''re talking makes it sound like the church is about to send me to my death. You''re not sending me to Massas City, are you?" Father Tony quickly rified, "No no no, we wouldn''t send you to a ce like that. Actually, it''s because the church is currently short-staffed. You know, many Exorcists have died in Massas City, so the church wants to send you to other cities to handle some Evil Spirit incidents." Du Wei frowned, "I have to leave New York?" Father Tony said, "It''s just a temporary assignment, you are still in charge of New York." Du Wei pondered for a moment. Actually, this was an opportunity for him. He had been worrying about how to let the church naturally discover that he had undergone Evil Spirit Transformation and turned into a hunter. Once he achieved this goal, he would have the chance to enter the higher echelons of the church and thereby resolve the hidden dangers within him. At the very least, he could also find out why, despite being a hunter, he didn''t have the hunters'' special abilities. "I can go to other cities, but what support can the church provide me with?" "Regarding Evil Spirit information, and also, the church has granted you significant authority. If you deem an Evil Spirit incident to be very dangerous, you may request assistance, or you may choose to abandon it." "I''ll need a day to think about it." Chapter 210 209, Patrol Du Wei crossed the istion belt, holding a ck umbre as he stood not far from the vi. He looked silently at the second-floor window, his whole demeanor extremely gloomy. Behind him were Tom''s two subordinates. After making a call to Officer Tom and getting consent, they no longer tried to stop Du Wei. As far as they were concerned, this psychologist with a good rtionship with their boss, Tom, was mysteriously over-the-top. Standing in the rain with a ck umbre, it looked very odd however you saw it. "Hey, Dr. Du Wei, our boss is about to arrive, and if you don''t have anything else to do, we still rmend heading back outside the istion belt." Hearing this, Du Wei, without turning, said, "Okay, I''ll go out now." As he spoke, he took a deep look at the vi''s second-floor window, where there was a woman''s face, white as paper, staring with pitch-ck eyes, her gaze empty and lifeless fixed on him. "I hope you''ll behave." Du Wei muttered silently to himself and then turned to leave. However, the woman''s face at the second-floor window continued to watch his retreating figure until he walked beyond the istion belt, then slowly faded from sight. It was as if it were still brewing something, not yet the time to erupt. Du Wei didn''t have the energy to deal with it at the moment, nor could he find a suitable approach. This former Masked Evil Spirit was beyond his control, and likewise, it couldn''t do anything to him. Neither could kill the other. But for Du Wei, as soon as he found the right means, he would turn against this Evil Spirit. After all, his main base was now in New York and he couldn''t leave in the short term, and his girlfriend was unwilling to part with him, making it critical to ensure New York''s safety. At this moment, a police car drove up and quickly came to a stop, immediately swinging open a door. "Fuck! I hate responding to calls on rainy days!" Tom cursed as he got out of the car, with an umbre instantly handed to him by a subordinate. "Boss, Dr. Du Wei has been waiting for you for quite a while!" Tom grunted a response and then looked towards Du Wei, who held a ck umbre with a calm expression on his face. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Every time it rains and I see you, I feel like something is about to happen. Tell me, my good brother, what are you nning to do this time? Don''t tell me something is about to happen to this vi." Hearing this, Du Wei, somewhat speechless, shook his head and said, "You might be disappointed, but the vi won''t be in trouble for now. I just came to make sure it was safe." Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire "Wait a second." Tom waved his hand to his subordinates, motioning them to leave, then continued to ask, "Every time you say nothing will happen, I feel like something will. Tell me the truth, is there another terrifying incident that''s urred?" As far as Tom was concerned, he had never seen Du Wei involved in anything unrted to the Evil Spirit; either he was resolving an Evil Spirit event or he was on his way to tackle one. So, he didn''t believe a word Du Wei said. To which Du Wei coolly responded, "The matters that could be resolved in New York have temporarily all been taken care of by me. It''s just that there are some Evil Spirit events in other cities that I have to go and deal with." It''s okay to tell Tom, after all he''s with the New York police, and his role should not be underestimated. Plus, the connection''s right there, it wouldn''t hurt to give him a heads up. But Tom said with a conflicted face, "Where are you going on a business trip? How long will you be gone?" Du Wei replied, "Yard City, probably two or three days." Tom made a face and said, "Two or three days! My god! How can you leave New York for such a long time? Without you in New York, I don''t feel safe at all!" His tone was extremely reluctant. Du Wei subtly took a step back, his gaze toward Tom bing wary. Seeing this, Tom''s face went green, and he quickly exined, "Fuck! I mean, without you in New York, what if I get targeted by an Evil Spirit again, then I''d be really screwed." Du Wei looked at him and said, "You could go to Father Tony." Tom made a face and said, "If he finds out I''m being targeted by an Evil Spirit, he''d probably lock the church doors and never let me in. He''s more scared of dying than I am." Du Wei felt a headacheing on, rubbed his forehead, and then said, "There shouldn''t be any trouble for the time being. If you run into any, you can call me anytime." Tom still looked miserable, "Then what? By the time you rush back from Yard City to New York, you could probably attend my funeral. How about I go with you to Yard City? I think I can face those Evil Spirits with you." As he said this, he gestured with his hands and made faces, "When the timees, we''ll form an Exorcist duo, and take down those damn Evil Spirits together." Du Wei''s expression darkened, and he walked past Tom toward his car without further ado. He didn''t have time to banter with Tom here; he still had to visit the Ondo Area to make sure everything was fine before returning to the clinic to get ready to leave New York. Tom followed Du Wei like a persistent bad odor,fortably opened the car door, and took a seat in the passenger''s side. "Hey... you think ''Exorcist Brothers'' isn''t cool enough? I can think of some other names. I feel a lot safer with you than in New York." Du Wei replied, annoyed, "I''m heading to the Horror House now. Are you sure you want toe with me?" Tom''splexion changed, "What are you doing at that cursed ce?" Du Wei said coldly, "An inspection job!" Tom immediately caved in, "Okay, actually I''ve found a fire case history from Esselgreen''s gynecology and obstetrics hospital twenty years ago. Joanna might be one of the newborns who died in the fire then." Du Wei frowned and pressed the gas pedal, "Talk on the road!" Tom was stunned, "Fuck! Wait, I want to get out! I don''t want to go with you to the Horror House; dozens of people died there, it''s practically a den of ghosts! I''ll be scared witless!" Du Wei chuckled coldly, "Didn''t you want to form some Exorcist duo with me? The Evil Spirit cases I deal with are basically all on the level of the Horror House, so it''s a good opportunity to build up your courage!" Tom''s face turned pale, "Actually... I think professional things should be left to professionals. As a police officer like me, I''m better suited for the aftermath. What do you think, good buddy?"@@novelbin@@ Du Wei replied coldly, "I''m d you''ve made the right choice. Being an Exorcist isn''t as cool as you think; I wouldn''t rmend it unless you''re looking for a thrill." Tom said with a ttering smile, "I actually prefer a simple and quiet life, let''s forget about the thrilling stuff." Du Wei''s expression softened slightly, and he said resignedly, "Generally, ordinary people will never encounter an Evil Spirit in their lifetime." Tom sighed, "But I''m not confident in my luck at all." Du Wei said helplessly, "If you''re unlucky enough to meet two Evil Spirits in a week, I''d suggest you buy a good cemetery plot. But if you think you can still save yourself, I''d only suggest you go to Father Tony. He''s got a basement full of stuff to deal with Evil Spirits, you know..." Rarely, Du Wei made a joke. Tom immediately caught on, his eyes showing a hint of mischief. Maybe I should invite Father Tony to have some fun in the Red Light District, improve our rtionship a bit. If I can get it as solid as with Du Wei, would I still need to worry about Evil Spirits? Chapter 213 212, Horror House can run... In the rain. Du Wei checked the patterns of primitive worship while taking out his mobile phone to photograph all the details. Next to him stood Tom, shivering in the rain. He couldn''t understand why, although he was physically much stronger than Du Wei, the other man seemed unaffected, showing little reaction even when soaked through. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire "Are you done yet? I''m about to freeze solid!" Tom cursed andined, just as a cold wind blew through, making him shiver uncontrobly, his teeth chattering. "I hate rainy days." At that moment, Du Wei turned his head to look at him and said, "It''s done, we can go now." Considering the current situation, it was clear that the Horror House was a man-made result, and the prime suspect was that mysterious, unknown owner. However, Du Wei was unsure whether the roof pattern was created by the mysterious owner, as it was obviously a product of primitive worship. ording to church records, only Satan''s followers would do such a thing... If it were the same person, then the owner''s motives were terrifying¡ªhe was using the Horror House to nurture the Evil Spirit and release it for his unspeakable purposes. These people were much more horrifying than the cultists of the Veda Sect. For they were the most extreme anti-social elements, to whom destroying beautiful things and wantonly harming human life were mere child''s y. Even worse, they would go mad enough to sacrifice themselves to the so-called Satan. Du Wei had once asked Father Tony what exactly Satan was, and the answer he received was very vague. He said Satan was a symbol of evil; many horrifying, malevolent beings were part of him, or to put it another way, separate facets of him. It had no specific form because it was a conceptual existence. This was somewhat simr to a nun, yet starkly different. ... Thud... Tom was the first to jump down from the rooftop. And Du Wei was right behind him, looking for a spot to jump. But just then, suddenly, a chilling dread creeped up from his ankle, stealthily climbing up Du Wei''s spine. His clothes were already wet from the rain and the chilling invasion made him feel even colder. Du Wei could distinctly feel that his right leg had be numb. His face immediately darkened as he looked down at his feet. Under the state of Spirit Vision, a pale and withered arm had at some point emerged from the rooftop, clutching his right foot tightly. This was strange... Ever since he had entered the amusement park, he had never turned off his Spirit Vision; there was no way he would fail to notice the presence of an Evil Spirit. Tom, who was below the rooftop, saw that Du Wei wasn''t moving and quickly asked, "What''s going on? Are you in trouble?" Hearing this, Du Wei, without raising his head, replied, "Just a small matter, you can go ahead..." As he spoke, he silently took out the lighter that could fend off Evil Spirits from his pocket. Click... He gently pressed the lighter, but the anticipated red me didn''t appear. This lighter could ignite a me in the presence of Evil Spirits, no matter where it was, even underwater¡ªit was an utterly idealistic existence. Failure to light indicated two possibilities. One, the Evil Spirit was too terrifying, the lighterpletely failed to work. Two, the entity was not an Evil Spirit, nor was it any kind of simr existence. "Just a dead body?" Du Wei put the lighter away expressionlessly, lifted his clothes, and pulled out a handgun. But before he had a chance to fire, the arm, as if sensing something, suddenly let go. Then, under Du Wei''s gaze, it slowly retracted back into the roof. The top remained as it was, without any damage that would allow an arm to pass through. It seemed as if nothing had happened at all. Strangely terrifying... "I feel like I''ve seen something simr somewhere before." Du Wei''s voice was veryplex, but under these circumstances, he didn''t dare to stay on the roof any longer. If more arms appeared, he might be directly pulled into the Horror House. Down below. Tom watched Du Wei jump down and said anxiously, "I think I need an exnation. Did those thingse out again?" Without answering immediately, Du Wei shook his head and walked outside. Tom let out a helpless sigh and followed him, believing that Du Wei would definitely give him an answer. In fact. Du Wei was in deep thought; he vaguely remembered having seen something simr somewhere, but he couldn''t recall where he had encountered it. Such strange events did not ur in Massas City. The arm that had emerged from the Antique Clock was also different from the situation in the Horror House. Suddenly... Du Wei stopped in his tracks, turned, and stared at Tom, "We probably don''t need to worry about things from the Horror House getting out anymore." "What do you mean? Exin yourself." Tom looked at Du Wei with a puzzled and troubled expression. "If the things inside won''te out, does that mean this amusement park is safe now?" "No... on the contrary, it''s going to be even more dangerous." Du Wei''s face also grew more somber as he said in a deep voice, "When I became an Exorcist, Father Tony gave me a book that introduced all the Evil Spirits the Church had encountered." "There''s a kind of entity that resembles an Evil Spirit, yet is not an Evil Spirit at all, very much like this Horror House." "At first, the Evil Spirits in the Horror House are rtively more dangerous than normal Evil Spirits, but once a certain trigger urs, the Horror House bes the prison that binds the Evil Spirits." "It nourishes the Evil Spirits, and the Evil Spirits, in turn, nourish it." "And now, it haspletely formed." After Du Wei finished speaking, he was also filled with an absurd feeling. Because he realized the Horror House he described was very simr to a public bus, but thetter appeared more mysterious, while the former was more terrifying. And Tom was stunned; he swallowed hard and said, "Can it really be like that?" "No, what I mean is, what should we do now? And what do you mean by ''more dangerous''?" Du Wei spoke calmly, "Let the Church handle it. Even if I went into the Horror House, it''s likely hard toe out alive. Moreover, it might move..." Tom said in disbelief, "You mean it''s alive?" Du Wei scoffed, "You could say that. Maybe in a while, it''ll suddenly disappear and then appear in another city." Tom''s face darkened as he said, "Can its movement be predicted?"@@novelbin@@ Du Wei shook his head, "I can''t judge something that hasn''t happened, but it''s possible it could show up in other amusement parks. The specifics should be left to the Church to resolve." Tom sighed helplessly, "When are you heading to Yard City tomorrow?" Du Wei answered, "I''ll leave at a little after 8 in the morning and should arrive around noon." "Do you want me and Father Tony to give you a ride?" "No need, my girlfriend will take me." Chapter 215 214, Mary Shaw The next day at noon. A ck Cayenne turned off the highway leading to Yard City and drove directly into the city. Du Wei didn''t drive the McLaren GT that Alex had given him, because the torrential rain showed no sign of stopping, and in this weather, it was more suitable to drive an SUV. In Alex''s garage, there were basically all kinds of cars... After a few turns, he arrived at the old neighborhood. It had a pleasant name: Tulip. This was where the Evil Spirit incidents in Yard City had urred. Du Wei parked the car and took a moment to survey the entiremunity. From the outside looking in, the wholemunity exhibited the architectural style of the 1980s, seemingly well maintained by the property managers, it did not give the impression of a dpidated neighborhood. But it looked outdated no matter how one looked at it. He thought for a moment. Then, carrying his backpack, he got out of the car and walked to the entrance of themunity. The downpour continued... New York and Yard City weren''t far apart, so the weather hadn''t changed much here either. Du Wei held a ck Umbre, peering through the railing at the entrance of themunity. At the very edge of themunity, there stood a residential building painted entirely white. The building had the same number of floors as the others, five in total. While looking, Du Wei took out his phone, opened the photo album, and clicked on a picture. The picture also showed a building, identical to the one he was looking at. But under the Spirit Vision state, Du Wei didn''t notice anything unusual. He couldn''t even feel a trace of oppressive atmosphere, as if it couldn''t have been more normal. "Is there really an Evil Spirit in this ce?" Du Wei couldn''t help but feel puzzled, even beginning to doubt whether the church had received the wrong information. Not only Evil Spirits could kill people. At that moment. Suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps sounded from behind. "Hey, sir... thismunity has been sealed off, please don''t approach." A man in a raincoat holding a baton ran over, his eyes wary as he looked at the man with the ck Umbre and the backpack. Du Wei turned to look at him, his gaze lingering on the baton in his hand for a second, and he spoke slowly, "You are a police officer?" The other man cautiously said, "Yes, I am Allen Lawrence, a police officer from Yard City. You look unfamiliar, you''re from out of town, right?" Du Wei nodded, taking out the paper permit that Officer Tom had written for him from his pocket. "I''m Du Wei, a psychiatrist from New York, here to investigate the incidents that have happened here. I heard that over a dozen people died in thismunity, right?" Officer Allen didn''t answer but took the paper permit, examined it carefully, and frowned, "The issuer is Tom; what''s your rtionship with him?" Du Wei said in surprise, "He is a good friend of mine, do you know him?" Officer Allen''s expression turned strange as he said, "Didn''t he tell you that he graduated from the police academy right here in Yard City? If he hadn''t charmed our instructor when he was here and then dumped her after graduation, he wouldn''t have run off to be a cop in New York." Continuing, Officer Allen added, "I''ll need to make a phone call to confirm your identity with him, otherwise, I won''t answer your questions." Du Wei said indifferently, "Of course, that''s fine." Officer Allen cautiously sized up Du Wei while taking out his phone to dial Tom''s number. Soon, the call connected.@@novelbin@@ ... Because of the heavy rain, the noise was too loud, so he had to lean in and loudly ask, "Hey Tom, there''s a psychological doctor here named Du Wei who says he''s your friend, here to investigate that troublesome matter." On the other end, Tom replied, "Is there a problem? I issued his permit myself, he''s my best friend, and also the most reliable friend of the New York police force." Allen shouted, "Okay, but you need to know, if anything goes wrong, I''ll definitely beining about you to folks in New York." Tom answered with disdain, "That''s why I got promoted, and you''re still a patrol officer. Du Wei is my best friend, and he''s much more formidable than you think." Allen asked doubtfully, "Are you sure? Because this matter is quite troublesome." Tom sneered, "There are some things I can''t tell you, but leaving this matter to him couldn''t be better because he''s a professional, more so than us." Allen was skeptical. This man carrying a ck umbre and a bag didn''t look like a professional detective at all. But since Tom had said so, he could only mutter, "Fine, I got it..." ... Allen hung up the call and turned to Du Wei, saying, "Sorry, I apologize for my rudeness just now." Du Wei shook his head, "It''s okay, you were doing what you should. But now, please tell me what happened here." Allen hummed in response, the wariness in his eyes mostly gone as he looked at Du Wei and slowly said, "Indeed, more than a dozen people have died here, and the entiremunity has been evacuated. Until the issue is resolved, entry is prohibited to prevent unnecessary casualties." In the past week, thismunity, established in the 1980s, experienced a series of deaths, causing widespread panic. With an already small permanent poption, the remaining residents chose to leave. Now, the entiremunity was deserted, with only Allen and a few other officers patrolling the other entrances. "Can I go in and have a look?" After listening, Du Wei thoughtfully said. Spirit Vision had not detected any anomalies. If there was truly an Evil Spirit, it obviously hadn''t triggered its mechanisms yet. It was necessary to go in and check things out. Allen hesitated, "I don''t really rmend that you go in because there''s an eerie notion within the police force about so-called Evil Spirit incidents." Then, somewhat conflicted, he added, "It sounds hard to believe, but we simply can''t find the murderer, nor any trace of evidence." Upon hearing this, Du Wei promptly took out his Exorcist qualification certificate, "Actually, apart from being Officer Tom''s friend, I am also an Exorcist." Since Allen also considered the possibility of an Evil Spirit being involved, the identity of an Exorcist would nowe in handy. Seeing this, Allen''s mouth twitched, "I thought you were a psychological doctor?" Du Wei said with some resignation, "Does that conflict with me being an Exorcist?" Allen replied with a wry smile, "Not at all, but since Tom vouches for you and you are an Exorcist, I can indeed let you go in and take a look." Having two identities, had it been any less, he wouldn''t have let Du Wei enter Tulip Community so easily, because if anything dangerous urred, he would be held ountable. Following that. Allen led Du Wei to the nearest entrance and took out his keys to unlock themunity''s gate. Du Wei walked ahead, his gaze calmly surveying his surroundings. At that moment, Officer Allen behind him suddenly pointed at the building painted with white and said, "By the way, Mr. Du Wei, that''s where you''re intending to go, right?" Without turning back, Du Wei replied, "Yes, the information I have indicates that all of the victims are within the perimeter of this residential building, and it all originates from a horror legend about someone named Mary Shaw." Officer Allen''s face turned a peculiar shade, "Wait... you mean Mary Shaw? She''s not some horror legend; she is the owner of a small hotel nearby." Chapter 219 218, only one hand... Midnight is a very delicate time. It signifies the end of one day, and the start of another. In the hotel corridor, there hung a round, old-fashioned clock, and as the hour, minute, and second hands all struck twelve, there was a ticking sound. Then, suddenly, the whole corridor was filled with a short burst of urgent, ticking rm sounds. Even with a torrential downpour outside, creating quite a racket, the rm of the clock was still piercingly sharp. Every hotel designs their hallways with dim lighting, because this gives people a sense offort and ease. Of course, in Mrs. Mary Shaw''s hotel, this aspect was greatly exaggerated. After nightfall, the lights would dim gradually, leaving the corridor pitch ck and deep as if an invisible gaping maw had opened, ready to swallow whole anyone who entered it. ... Meanwhile, in Du Wei''s room. He was not sleeping, but sitting on the bed, wiping his gun with a clean cloth. Upon hearing that urgent rm sound. Suddenly... An inexplicable sense of gloom surfaced in his heart, apanied by irritability caused by the loud noise. "Who could be so foolish to set an rm to sound at midnight?" "No wonder this hotel has no guests other than myself." "However, I feel this is just the prelude." Du Wei wiped his gun, a sarcastic smile on his face. His tone was odd, filled with anticipation and impatience. He didn''t care about any secrets that Mrs. Mary Shaw might have. What he cared about was solving the Evil Spirit case, using this opportunity to have a valid reason to reveal his own Evil Spirit Transformation, thereby prating the inner workings of the church to gain more information he needed. On his bed, there were several itemsid out. First were two white masks, one covered with cracks, the other brand new. Then there were two Joker Cards, a Dagger... The Holy Nail, stored in its slender box, and the lighter that could be used against Evil Spirits. As for the ck Umbre, it was ced beside his leg. One could say he was fully equipped for protection. Any Evil Spirit appearing in the room would not be able to kill him easily, not even a nun. And, at the head of the bed, there was a red balloon tied up. All of a sudden... Du Wei turned his head, looking toward the direction of the door. Under the state of Spirit Vision, he could feel a gloomy presence gradually brewing at the door. "Interesting..." His eyes showed a hint of coldness, but his entire demeanor remained very calm. He even nced only once before withdrawing his gaze, flipped open his coat, and began to pack up the scattered items on the bed, one by one. This time, due to bringing Pennywise, he deliberately bought arge overcoat with many pockets, enough to fit all the items needed to face Evil Spirits. Following this. Du Wei picked up the ck Umbre, stood up expressionlessly, and walked toward the door. At the same time... The bulbs in the room also started to flicker, as if there was an issue with the electrical voltage, shing on and off erratically. The temperature dropped suddenly at a rate perceivable by the human body. Quite cold... But Du Weipletely ignored this sensation; the Evil Spirit incidents he had been through were too frequent. Just this level of an anomaly had no effect on him whatsoever. However, this was also partly due to the Evil Spirit Transformation... A hunter is a process of transforming into an Evil Spirit, and it will inevitably turn a person stranger and more desensitized over time. From body to soul, it is a process of decay. Tap tap tap... The sound of footsteps echoed. Du Wei stopped at the door, not moving forward. He was now close to the door. Leaning forward, he could peer through the peephole to see the outside scene, a pull of the handle away from opening the door. However... At that moment, he heard a series of footstepsing from the room next door. Thud thud thud... They were identical to his own footsteps in both frequency and volume, with no discernible difference whatsoever. If there had to be a difference mentioned, it would be that the footsteps next door seemed dyed. Instantly, a strange idea surfaced in Du Wei''s mind. Was there someone standing at the door in the room next door now? But, there was no one else in the hotel besides himself, and since he had entered his room, there hadn''t been any signs of life from next door. Not human... He immediately made a judgment. But it probably wasn''t an Evil Spirit either. Because the anomalies detected under the Spirit Vision were only present outside the door of his own room. Thud thud thud... The footsteps sounded again. This time, they came from the room on the left. The room Du Wei was staying in was sandwiched between two other rooms. The footsteps he made walking from the bed to the door seemed to have triggered some special change, causing the rooms on both sides to echo with the same footsteps. "Like some bored mischief... or rather, a low-end scare tactic," Du Wei spoke very calmly and then stretched out his hand to the doorknob. Creak... He twisted the handle and pulled the door open. A st of cold air hit him in the face. His vision, as if affected, caught a glimpse of a blurry shadow shing by. The abnormalities seen under Spirit Vision vanished instantly. A door, both closed and opened, seemed like a button that, once pressed, would trigger the opposite effect. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire Du Wei slightly lowered his head. On the floor of the corridor outside, there was a puddle of water. It was as if something had been standing outside the door, waiting for him just a moment ago. "But why did you run?" Du Wei couldn''t understand but decided to step out and have a look. The entire corridor was eerily dim, and except for the flickering light seeping out from his room door, his line of sight was severely impaired. Furthermore, because of the flickering light bulbs, the area visible to the naked eye fluctuated between brightness and darkness. Just like turning lights on and off.@@novelbin@@ Sizzle... The sound of electricity buzzed as the lights inside the rooms went outpletely. With no light, Du Wei found himself plunged into darkness at the doorway. But he didn''t mind it and instead stared intently towards the end of the hallway. In the darkness, there seemed to be something there. Under Spirit Vision, he could vaguely see a blurry humanoid silhouette standing at the end of the hallway, staring back with a pair of void and lifeless eyes, fixed solely on him. The malevolence grew more intense. Yet Du Wei regarded it with an indifferent gaze, equally icy and devoid of any emotions one would expect to have. "Evil Spirit?" He spoke inexplicably, then picked up the ck Umbre with his left hand and drew a Dagger, suspected to be a medium for evil spirit activity, from under his coat with his Right Hand, ready to walk over for a closer look... But before he could take a step, his shoulder slightly dropped. An almost inaudible snap, and a pale, slender hand like that of a woman emerged from the room behind him, resting on his shoulder. Chapter 221 220, I kill myself. Cat''s eye is a very intriguing thing. It connects the inside and outside of the door, serving as a bond between spaces. Inside the room, it was pitch ck. Du Wei stood behind the door, staring expressionlessly at the cat''s eye, and even though it was dark in front of him, he could clearly sense that something was definitely standing outside the door. Just for a moment, an eye pressed against the cat''s eye, looking into the room. He could be sure that the owner of that eye had definitely seen him. But with Spirit Vision activated, there was nothing unusual outside the door. Was it human or ghost? Aside from himself, there were no other guests in the entire hotel, but if it really were a person, it would only be Mrs. Mary Shaw. Du Wei thought for a moment, then slowly pulled open his overcoat and carefully slid the dagger back inside, making sure not to make any noise during the process. However, suddenly, there was a click from outside the door. It seemed that the person outside was trying to turn the doorknob, attempting toe in. But the door was basically one-way, and without a key, it was impossible for someone outside to open it. In the darkness. Du Wei suddenly cracked a smile, revealing a cold grin, although in the absence of light, no one could see it. He rarely smiled... The next second. Du Wei ced his hand on the doorknob while the other drew out the gun, simultaneously flicking off the safety. The door opened with a swish. It was just an instant. Du Wei''s pupils dted abruptly, his breathing quickened. Outside. Another him, wearing an overcoat and with an impassive face, was holding the dagger, his eyes showing an indescribable strangeness and shock. "Who are you?" The one speaking was the him standing outside. Even in the darkness, at such a close distance, one could vaguely make out the other''s appearance. Inside and outside the door, it was as if a mirror reflected two Du Weis. And in the other''s hand, the ck Umbre and dagger looked just like Du Wei from a few minutes earlier. "What do you think?" The Du Wei inside the door revealed an icy smile, and without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. A loud bang. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire A sh of gunfire momentarily brightened the corridor. Immediately after, Du Wei smelled a faint scent of blood. The one standing outside had been shot in the heart and fell into a pool of blood; the bullet lodged into the opposite wall, causing blood to stter widely. Following that. Du Wei walked out the door, stepping on the head of his own corpse lying in the blood pool, his gaze very cold. He was feeling quite strange at the moment, having shot another version of himself ¡ª it was both absurd and eerie. The whole affair was filled with a sense of the bizarre and the grotesque. Combined with the vision of death he had just seen, the smile on Du Wei''s lips became increasingly ironic. His Spirit Vision, because of the Antique Clock, allowed him to see visions of his own death, but sometimes it showed him someone else''s. On the ground. The corpse was utterly still. All around was dead silence, eerily quiet. It seemed like some terrifying changes were beginning to take ce in the darkness, the oppressive feeling gradually thickening. Gaze is intangible, but when someone watches you, there is an instinctive warning that arises. At this moment. Du Wei felt that in the darkness, many dead and silent gazes were converging on him. Yet when he followed their trajectory, he saw nothing. Even with Spirit Vision activated, it was the same. This ability, which was the most useful and direct when facing Evil Spirits, seemed to have lost its power when dealing with the Evil Spirit incidents in Yard City. Du Wei thought for a moment, then ignored the gazes and silently looked down at the corpse on the ground. He was calcting the time. One minute, two minutes, three minutes¡­ Time ticked by. And the body on the ground began to rapidly decay, as if time was psing quickly on Du Wei''s "corpse". Seeing this, Du Wei shook his head and said indifferently, "I went in front of the door to the left five minutes ago to look inside, but I didn''t see anything, and now another me hase from the room on the right to my door and was shot by me. It seems like a time anomaly has urred." "But eyes and ears can deceive." After that. Du Wei stepped on the head of the corpse with one foot, pressed down slightly, and with a bang, it burst like a watermelon being crushed. However, what was eerie was that the inside was empty and no turbid substance appeared. The skin gradually disintegrated, the ground reflected a lot of foul liquid, and soon it became a skeleton dressed in clothes.@@novelbin@@ "It''s just an imposter, but it seems to be imitating me?" "Or could it be that the Evil Spirit created another me?" Du Wei said expressionlessly, then turned his head toward the door to the left. He hadn''t gone in before, but now he nned to take a look and see what was really going on. If everything was as expected, there should be another "himself" in the room next door. An idea was vaguely forming in his mind now. That was, at the first sign of anomaly, something in the two rooms on the left and right had begun to imitate him, appearing in his own form. Although Du Wei wasn''t clear yet why the Evil Spirit would treat him in such a nearly prankish manner instead of killing him outright, he had no intention of letting the joke continue. Thinking of this. Du Wei held his breath, his gaze cold as he watched the door. In the darkness, his figure didn''t move, like an assassin lurking in the shadows, quietly waiting for the target to appear. After a short while. Creeeaak... a sound. The noise of the door handle turning rang out. But Du Wei pointed his gun at the peephole without hesitation and pulled the trigger directly. Boom... The gunshot sounded. Du Wei kicked the door open, and then the light inside the room turned on. He immediately saw another person, dressed exactly like him, lying on the ground with a bullet hole in the head, and murky blood spilled everywhere. "Ridiculous, my vignce is not that low." Du Wei''s gaze grew colder and without any hesitation, turned back to his room, no longer looking at the body lying on the ground. And after he left. In the room, the light next door suddenly went off. A face full of wrinkles shed by, looking identical to the hotel owner, Mrs. Mary Shaw. At the same time. Outside the hotel, thunderous lightning continued to strike, stretching out dense like spiderwebs, making the gloomy sky much brighter. The rain grew heavier. Certain rustling sounds were masked by the noise of the rain, and in every room of the hotel, footsteps echoed. Tap, tap, tap¡­ Then came the creak of doors opening. A man in a trench coat holding a Dagger emerged from a room. But terrifyingly, his or its facial features appeared very blurred and had not fully formed. Yet in stature and attire, it was almost indistinguishable from Du Wei. After it emerged, other room doors gradually opened as well. Meanwhile. Du Wei, unhurried, strapped his bag over his shoulder, untied the red balloon from the bedside, and attached it to his wrist. Suddenly. His body stiffened, and he turned his head expressionlessly to look at the door. A man in a trench coat, with features so blurred they seemed painted on, stood in the doorway holding a Dagger. Just like a one-to-one high-quality replica doll. Chapter 223 222, City of the Dead...(Owed updates) At the staircase entrance. Du Wei reached out directly to grab its face, intending to pull it into his hold. Yet, it seemed as if it was startled and immediately retreated, disappearing into the shadows. However, it had not vanished. Because Du Wei could clearly feel an extremely greedy and desirous evil gaze within the darkness, staring unwaveringly at him, not faltering in the slightest. This gaze belonged to the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw. It seemed that in this instant, it developed a certain desire for him. Was it because of Evil Spirit Transformation? Or something else? Du Wei narrowed his eyes, clenched his pistol in his right hand, and fired a shot at the original owner of the hotel who rushed up to the top of the staircase and whose name was also Mary Shaw, an old woman. Thump... A direct headshot. Then he rushed into the other side of the corridor without looking back. When he entered the hotel, he had found a path for a safe evacuation. Crash... Du Wei smashed the second floor''s ss with the butt of his gun, while the puppets rushed towards him like mad. But it was useless. Du Wei didn''t hesitate for a moment, directly jumped out of the second floor with a ck umbre on his back, a bag in possession, and his right hand still tied to a red balloon. The distance to the ground was about four meters. The rain was pouring down outside. Before Du Wei even touched the ground, his body was already drenched by the rain, and due to the extreme cold, his body uncontrobly shivered for a moment. Bang... As his body hit the ground, Du Wei dove forward to dissipate most of the force, but since he wasn''t a professional, he inevitably sustained some minor injuries. His right arm was grazed by the ground, creating arge cut that immediately started to bleed. But this had no effect on Du Wei. Because there was already something wrong with his Evil Spirit Transformation, and aftering into contact with Annabelle, it had even undergone aberration, resulting in the loss of all tactile sensation. Even if he were chopped, he would not feel any pain. Du Wei took a deep breath, and with a swift turn, he looked back. Amidst the night, he immediately saw every window in the second floor of the hotel had a person standing in front of it. Among them was Allen, whom he had seen during the day. At this moment, Allen''s face was expressionless, his entire demeanour stiff and rigid. He was another puppet, but far more terrifying than his own imitations. A crazy idea inevitably crossed Du Wei''s mind. After the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw killed these people, she turned them into puppets. Everything seemed normal during the day, but at night, they became horror puppets driven by the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw. And those puppets made to imitate him were clearly defective products. Only by killing him and infusing his soul into them could they be ''normal'' puppets. Du Wei turned his head and nced at the red balloon tied to his right hand. Under the state of Spirit Vision, his sight was fixed on the Pennywise Clown within the balloon. The twopletely distinct Evil Spirits both shared some astonishing simrities. It was as if they were both insted from him, or rather, he suppressed them in certain ways. The Clown represented fear, but what about the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw? Du Wei couldn''t think of an answer and could only categorize it under fear as well... But in a sense, the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw was more threatening than the Clown; it just couldn''t kill him directly, yet it could control puppets to indirectly harm him. At that moment. Du Wei''s pupils suddenly constricted. Something''s not right... There are too few puppets... The Evil Spirit Mary Shaw couldn''t possibly have only recently appeared, the church is well aware of the terrifying legends about it, it should have been around for a long time. But now, the dolls I''m seeing number only about twenty or so. Suddenly, everything went white around me. With a thunderous boom, thunder exploded above the sky, a lightning bolt streaking across the gloomy heavens. Du Wei stood outside the inn, with Tulip Community right behind him. At that moment, Inside Tulip Community, all the doors of the rooms had already been opened, and the mechanical and regr footsteps began to echo, one by one, as people with lifeless, hollow eyes walked to their doorways. Outside themunity, more than a dozen men in police uniforms also gathered together. Du Wei turned his stiff neck around, and reflected in his calm eyes was a dense crowd of hundreds of dolls of different genders and ages, walking towards him. Moreover, in Spirit Vision, every doll had ck strings on their bodies, just like those used to control puppets. Those ck threads converged together, extending and joining up into the sky. Following these threads with his eyes, Du Wei''s gaze fell on an apartment building in a secluded corner of themunity. At the same time, A woman with rotting skin, silver-white withered hair, and pitch-ck eyes stood at the window on the fifth floor, revealing a greedy smile. In this situation, the smile seemed exceedingly terrifying and sinister. Du Wei took a deep breath and said with a grim look in his eyes, "It seems that the Evil Spirit from just now was only your perfect puppet; no wonder the ck Umbre had no effect on it, because you are the real entity." "But why do I get the feeling that you really want to turn me into a doll... Is it because I can undergo Evil Spirit Transformation, or is there another reason?" As he spoke, Du Wei didn''t hesitate to run towards the parking spot near the inn. This Evil Spirit incident in Yard City had already gone beyond his control. Originally, dealing with the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw would have been extremely simple for him, because such fright-rted spirits have no effect on him. Du Wei was their nemesis. It was the same with Pennywise, and with Mary Shaw as well. But from the beginning, Mary Shaw hid in the shadows, nevering into direct contact with Du Wei, controlling the things turned into dolls to kill him. One or two dolls might be manageable, but hundreds of them, even if they stood still, he''d have to fight until dawn with just a gun and a knife. Moreover, Du Wei was never good at fighting with Evil Spirits to begin with. He could hit the dolls with every shot, also because they were very close. The easiest Evil Spirit to deal with turned out to be the most dangerous one... ... Du Wei pulled open the car door and immediately started the vehicle. And those dolls, they all revealed a sinister smile in unison, watching as Du Wei sped away. The torrential rain grew heavier, soon obscuring the dolls, making them appear blurry and indistinct.@@novelbin@@ Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire Suddenly... Several hundred dolls suddenly cleared some space, and some dolls disappeared directly. Inside the car, Du Wei floored the elerator while taking out his phone to call Bishop Slivka. Previously when they met, he and the two bishops had exchanged phone numbers, and now was the perfect time to make use of them. The reason he didn''t call Father Tony was that the distance was too far... Whereas Slivka and Bishop Jon were in Esselgreen, and the two cities were right next to each other. He needed support now. Just as Du Wei was making the call, an incredibly terrifying scene was unfolding throughout Yard City. In the houses near Tulip Community, some people who were deep in sleep suddenly opened their eyes. With a vacant and lifeless gaze. On their bodies, there was a presence of ck strings... Just as Du Wei figured, there weren''t that few dolls; in fact, there were frighteningly more... In a sense, the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw incident in itself was transforming into something as bizarre as the haunted highway in Massas City. But Du Wei''s arrival,bined with his own special attributes, had a very strong attraction to the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw, causing this iplete transformation to erupt prematurely. Chapter 224 223, assembly point, wheat field! On the highway between Yard City and Esselgreen City. A Cayenne sped past, withrge raindrops hitting the windows, producing a dull sound. Inside the car. Du Wei had already connected with Bishop Slivka. His tone was serious as he said, "The Evil Spirit incident in Yard City has spiraled out of control. The Church''s investigation has barely scratched the surface. I am now heading to Esselgreen, and I need backup!" On the other end of the phone, Slivka''s tone was veryplicated, "Mr. Du Wei, based on the situation you''ve described, there are at least a thousand people in Yard City who have been turned into puppets, and now the Evil Spirit is targeting you. If you get to Esselgreen, it could lead toplete chaos."@@novelbin@@ Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire Du Wei said calmly, "I understand what you mean. If I lead the Evil Spirit to Esselgreen, it would cause the incident to spread, leading to more deaths." His voice was cold, devoid of any trace of emotion, like a dagger cutting directly to the heart of the matter. Slivka fell silent for a moment. But Du Wei continued calmly, "You must be in a dilemma right now, not wanting me to go to Esselgreen, nor wanting to send support because that might lead to your own deaths. I can understand that and I won''t me you, as your thoughts are not wrong at all. However, there''s one thing you haven''t considered." "The Evil Spirit incident won''t resolve itself whether I''m alive or dead, or whether I go to Esselgreen. And because the Church hasn''t uncovered the truth, the situation has nowpletely erupted and no one can escape it." On the phone, Slivka said with deep apology and guilt, "Mr. Du Wei, I apologize for my thoughts." Du Wei replied coldly, "I don''t need an apology, what I need now is your support." Slivka gritted his teeth, "Aside from Jon, I only have ten exorcists here. We can''t handle so many puppets. Should we mobilize the police force?" Du Wei rejected the idea, "The Evil Spirit will just turn them into puppets, it''spletely pointless." "Then what do you n to do?" "In the south of Yard City, close to the highway leading to Esselgreen, there''s an abandoned farm. I''ve encountered some Evil Spirits there that resembled scarecrows. Bring all the Bone Powder you have, and get some gasoline into the wheat fields of the farm. I''m going to lure all the puppets including the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw there, and then set them aze." Upon hearing this. Slivka eximed in shock over the phone, "That''s too dangerous. Moreover, it''s raining outside, you won''t be able to start a fire!" Du Wei''s tone was chillingly cold, "I have a special lighter that will keep burning as long as there are Evil Spirits nearby." Slivka, through gritted teeth, "But how will you get out of the wheat field? You''ll die in there!" Du Wei stated coldly, "I absolutely won''t die, Bishop Slivka. Right now, you shouldn''t be discussing life and death with me, but rather doing what you need to do!" "I''m sorry... I''ll set off with my people right now." ... Du Wei hung up the phone expressionlessly and turned to look out the car window. Under the torrential rain. The puppets controlled by the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw seemed to merge with the downpour, standing in the midst of it, staring fixedly at him. Even though the car speed exceeded theirs, soon more puppets appeared. Throughout this process, Du Wei constantly felt an immensely greedy gaze hiding in the darkness, whose yearning was almost tangible. "I know you''re waiting for a chance, but it''s okay, I will give you one..." At this moment, the intonation of Du Wei''s speech had greatly changed from before. The voice was so deathly cold, it would send chills down one''s spine just listening to it. The degree of Evil Spirit Transformation had deepened. This also meant that he was one step closer topletely losing his humanity and turning into an Evil Spirit. Du Wei, expressionless, turned the car towards a fork in the road, embarking onto the deserted pathway. He knew just how insane his n was, but he didn''t have a single second thought. Because now, for reasons unknown, Mary Shaw, the Evil Spirit, wanted to kill him and turn him into a puppet,pletely irrationally. For this reason, the Evil Spirit even gave up the action of controlling the doll to sabotage the car. It was as if it feared dying in a car ident and the body suffering extensive damage. "I''m very curious, is it so desperately wanting to turn me into a doll because there is something about me that attracts it?" While keeping an eye on the fuel gauge on the dashboard, Du Wei asked himself calmly. The car still had a quarter tank of gas, enough to drive to the wheat fields of the farm. Then he began to analyze himself, "I have a lot inmon with other people; the Evil Spirit shouldn''t have such strong malice towards me alone." "But there are also many things that are different about me." "Firstly, I am a hunter, and I have the ability to undergo Evil Spirit Transformation." "Secondly, I can see the future death scene." "But that''s also not quite right, there are other hunters in this world besides me, and it has been around for a long time." "Where exactly is the problem? Could it be because I''ve been tainted by a curse?" At this point, With an expressionless face, Du Wei turned his head and looked out the window. He saw a face without features pressed against the car window, staring at him with a dead gaze. In his mind, the perfect idea surfaced... The perfect doll. But under the Spirit Vision, Du Wei saw the vague contour of a woman attached to the back of the doll, her skin ulcerated, her eyes filled with intense longing and greed... The next second. Du Wei picked up the gun and pulled the trigger directly. Thump... The bullet shattered the ss, breaking the entire car window and piercing the head of the perfect doll pressed against the ss. Suddenly, The perfect doll''s face cracked, and the force of the bullet sent it flying. With a bang, The perfect doll fell heavily to the ground, its face cracking like the most delicate porcin, turning dense and webbed like a spider web in the blink of an eye. But then... Hehehe... The eerie, mournfulughter of a woman came in from outside the car window, sounding as if it wasing from within his own heart. But Du Wei was not affected. He was in the midst of an Evil Spirit Transformation, all emotions stripped away, retaining only calm and rationality. "That''s useless against me and, since I said I would give you a chance, I won''t go back on my word!" The words were intended for the Evil Spirit. But strangely, as soon as he finished speaking, the mournfulughter outside stopped. Seeing this, Du Wei took a deep breath, reached into the backpack on hisp, and pulled out a white mask without features. As long as he wore this mask, he could don ayer of the Evil Spirit''s skin, making all Evil Spirits lose him as a target until he took it off. Only now was not the time to put on the mask. Chapter 225 224, cant run away any longer 2:30 in the morning. The downpour continued. Bishop Slivka and Bishop Jon, apanied by ten Exorcists, drove to the farm located near the Southern highway of Yard City. Gazing into the darkness, a vast wheat fieldy before them. At this time of the year, the wheat should have been harvested long ago. However, it remained untouched, subjected to the relentless rain that washed the grains into the soil, rendering the field utterly deste. "Be extremely careful, there''s an Evil Spirit in this wheat field that resembles a Scarecrow." Bishop Slivka rolled down the window, instructing everyone with a sharp and resolute gaze. Bishop Jon nodded silently in agreement. The rest of the Exorcists, each carrying Bone Powder and gasoline, dispersed and proceeded into the wheat field. Their task was straightforward. They were to spread gasoline around the perimeter of the wheat field and mix in the Bone Powder. Each person drove a car loaded with a considerable amount of gasoline. They knew what Du Wei intended to do and were willing to risk cooperating. Bishop Slivka was the first to act, getting out of the car with a canister of gasoline mixed with Bone Powder and rushing into the wheat field. Gasoline is highly mmable and often cannot be extinguished even with water. Of course, with the torrential rain pouring down, even if it were to ignite, the fire would gradually be suppressed by the rainwater and arge ze wouldn''t be possible. Bone Powder, however, is designed specifically to counter Evil Spirits and would not be extinguished unless it burnedpletely. Coupled with Du Wei''s special lighter, Bishop Slivka felt there was a high chance of sess. But one problem loomed as a shadow in his heart. He couldn''t understand why Du Wei, acting as bait to lure the Evil Spirit into the wheat field, would have to wait until the fire ignited, because if he left halfway, the Evil Spirit would also flee. In other words, this was tantamount to suicide. "I hope you really have a way toe out alive and won''t die here; otherwise, this will be the church''s greatest loss in recent times." Bishop Slivka prayed silently. But suddenly, a piercing buzzing sound rang in his ears. Ordinary Exorcists all operate at the first stage of Spirit Vision. At the level of a bishop, most have reached the second stage. At this stage, the Evil Spirits they see are more palpable, and it''s easier to enter Spirit Vision. Under the state of Spirit Vision, Bishop Slivka saw a humanoid shadow silhouette appearing in the wheat field, approximately ten meters away from himself, seemingly out of nowhere. Moreover, an extremely strong malicious intent surrounded him. "Damn, it''s the Scarecrow-like Evil Spirit Du Wei mentioned¡­" Bishop Slivka''s expression turned very ugly. He clenched his teeth and hastily pulled out a pocket watch from his pocket. Upon opening it, the hands of the pocket watch corresponded exactly to the current time. Simultaneously, the Scarecrow in the rain took a step closer to Bishop Slivka, and in the blink of an eye, it was right in front of him. The Scarecrow''s straw-made hands were raised high as the normally soft straw turned sharp as steel needles, cold and foreboding. However, Bishop Slivka coolly twisted the hands of the pocket watch forward a full circle. The time on the pocket watch changed to two o''clock sharp. Following that, something eerie happened. The Scarecrow Evil Spirit trembled and, abandoning its attack on Bishop Slivka, vanished into the darkness in the blink of an eye. "I''m safe for half an hour," Bishop Slivka sighed with relief and continued without any further hesitation. Elsewhere, other Exorcists also encountered attacks from Scarecrows. But those following Bishop Slivka were the elite of the church; each person had ample experience. Although some were injured, with the help of some special items, no one died as a consequence. ... On another front, Du Wei too found himself in a very troubling situation. Inside the vehicle, he had already unfurled the ck Umbre, shielding his body firmly. In the back of the car sat a woman with decaying skin, withered hair, and pitch-ck eyes, surrounded by numerous ck threads. It was Evil Spirit Mary Shaw¡­ A thick chill filled the car as if the air conditioning was turned to the maximum cool setting, yet it was even colder and more bone-chilling than that. Furthermore, one of the car windows had shattered, and rainwater kept pouring in, soaking Du Wei''s clothes, which clung to his body. Outside the car, a dense crowd of dolls kept appearing on both sides of the road, their gazes dead and fixed on Du Wei. They were waiting for Du Wei to stop the car. Inside the car, Evil Spirit Mary Shaw was also waiting for him to stop. As soon as he stopped, those dolls would attack Du Wei and kill him. The Evil Spirit Mary Shaw seemed to be urging the "driver" to stop the car on time. This scene resembled a standoff between a driver and a passenger. But the difference was, the passenger was in control, not the driver Du Wei. "Just hold on a little longer, only one kilometer left," Du Wei silently said to himself, ignoring the evil spirit in the backseat. Ten minutes ago, the evil spirit had appeared in the car, but strangely, it hadn''t attacked, just stared greedily at him. That gaze was utterly terrifying. Du Wei even had the eerie feeling that it could see through his body and gaze upon his consciousness or soul. This was very important. It reinforced Du Wei''s thought all the more. That was, Evil Spirit Mary Shaw did not want him to die for any other reason; it wanted him to get out of the car safely and be indirectly killed by the dolls. On this, Du Wei was very calm. He didn''t confront the spooky evil spirit in the car because his intuition told him that if he couldn''t kill the evil spirit and all the dolls in one fell swoop¡­ Evil Spirit Mary Shaw would still reappear. Because it now possessed some of the characteristics of that terrifying road within Massas City. To put it simply, it was no longer just an evil spirit but had be a conceptual entity. At that moment, Du Wei noticed the silhouette of a wheat field up ahead, and around it, there were many vehicles with their headlights on. "Time to get out!" As the words fell, Du Wei immediately began to slow down, while the dolls that kept appearing on both sides of the road crowded towards the car. Behind him, that greedy and vicious gaze intensified suddenly. Even with a ck Umbre, Du Wei''s back could not escape a sharp stinging pain. He took a deep breath and looked at himself. Readtest stories on My Virtual Library Empire The backpack was on his thighs, the ck Umbre propped behind him, Pennywise tied to his Right Hand, and the mask that could be worn was held in his left hand. Hiss... Du Wei pumped the brakes, and the car jerked violently as he slowed down rapidly, which was extremely dangerous. Those dolls also scattered quickly, not daring to get too close. With a bang, the car door flew open, thrown by Du Wei, who then jumped out, clutching his backpack. Uponnding, the Cayenne plunged into the wheat field, tipped to one side, and flipped over. Looking around, a dense crowd of dolls had surrounded him.@@novelbin@@ They bore the shapes of normal people, of every age group, each with ck threads on their bodies, converging together. But by that time, Du Wei could no longer determine where exactly Evil Spirit Mary Shaw was. Because it was hiding among the dolls, waiting for his death. Du Wei took a deep breath, slung the backpack over his shoulder, and looked coldly at the surrounding dolls closing in on him. Underneath his feet was the wheat field, and a faint smell of gasoline tickled his nose. But now was not the time to set the fire, and he had to make sure all of the dolls entered the wheat field with him. With that thought, Du Wei immediately put on the featureless white mask and drew the wish-granting Joker Card with his Right Hand. He said coldly, "You can''t run away..." Chapter 226 225, Suspected Demon Spirit After Du Wei put on that new Evil Spirit Mask. All the puppets, including the hidden Evil Spirit Mary Shaw, were plunged into chaos. The puppets malfunctioned one after another, shaking their heads as they looked around for a target. But it was all in vain. Once Du Wei had put on the mask, his entire being seemed to be encased in a shell of evil spirits, spooky and terrifying, with an entirely changed demeanor. Before removing the mask, he would exist as an Evil Spirit.@@novelbin@@ At the same time, the Evil Spirits that were after him would lose their target. With an expressionless face, Du Wei walked towards the depths of the wheat field amidst the confused puppets. In his right hand, he held the Joker Card that granted wishes, ready to act at any moment. But gradually. Among those puppets, a pair of cold and malicious eyes suddenly fixed on Du Wei. There was confusion and struggle in its gaze. After a moment''s hesitation, as if catching a scent, it seemed to perceive something. Its eyes then showed a hint of greed and desire. All the puppets, as if receiving a signal, chased after Du Wei. ... At this time. The sky was continuously streaked with lightning. Outside the wheat field, Slivka and his group gathered together, standing to the south of the field, looking northward. Although they were far away, they could still make out an influx of humanoid silhouettes pouring into the wheat field. "It seems Mr. Du Wei has already entered the wheat fields... But aren''t there too many puppets? What in the world are those things!" Slivka''s face was ghastly pale, and his voice shook. Having been with the church for decades, he had never encountered such terror. Bishop Jon''s expression was very grim. He took a deep breath and said, "I think we should withdraw. It can no longer be considered an Evil Spirit. It is almost bing a Demon Spirit..." "Du Wei is wrong. His method will not kill this thing and instead will lead to his death here." Hearing this, Slivka gasped and couldn''t help blurting out, "Are you sure that thing is turning into a Demon Spirit?" Although his position in the church was higher than Jon''s, his experience was not nearly as extensive. Jon nodded deeply: "I am very certain because many years ago when I served Archbishop Alvin Dowqui, he mentioned Demon Spirits." In the church''s records, there were Ghosts, Evil Spirits, Evil Spirits, Demon Spirits, and some even more sinister things. The difference between Evil Spirits and Evil Spirits was in their characteristics¡ªone actively killed people, while the other only killed passively. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire Demon Spirits, however, were different from both of these. Demon Spirits followed an absolutely capricious rule of killing, disregarding any logic. You might be killed just by seeing it for an instant, or you might be killed for walking too fast. The most terrifying aspect was. Once a Demon Spirit formed, it would be extremely difficult to kill. Without severing its propagation trait in one go, there would be no chance of killing it. In some sense, Demon Spirits were almost conceptual in existence. And the source of the curse that Du Wei hade into contact with, the real nun, was something even more terrifying than a Demon Spirit. Slivka took a long, hard look at the wheat field in the pouring rain. Although he was far away, he could vaguely see someone with an umbre resolutely walking towards the center of the wheat field. "Some people shouldn''t just die like this, at the very least... they have the right to know." Saying this, Slivka immediately took out his cell phone and dialed Du Wei''s number. But to his surprise. The cell phone simply could not connect, showing the user was out of service area. For a moment. Slivka couldn''t help but bellow in frustration: "There''s an Evil Spirit by his side!" Jon grabbed his shoulder and said coldly, "We''re getting in the car and leaving now. We report what''s happened here to the church. Only a hunter can resolve what''s happened here." The other Exorcists were also beginning to falter; ording to the bishop, if they continued waiting, they would simply be putting themselves in danger. Slivka knew that what Jon said was correct, but he felt immense pain in his heart. The image Du Wei had given him was very good, rational and responsible, most importantly, in his eyes, Du Wei was undertaking this with a mindset prepared for certain death. This would lead to one oue: Du Wei''s sacrifice would serve as a warning for the church and save even more people. Slivka felt both admiration and pain. Themon people are powerless in the face of Evil Spirits, hence the existence of Exorcist hunters. They confront the Evil Spirits one after another, marching to their death one after another. Mechanically and monotonously. "Let''s go!" Slivka roared and turned to the car he had arrived in, but his back, which had been straight before, was now slightly hunched... The gloomy sky poured rain heavily, oppressively suffocating, each raindrop hitting the ground should signify thriving life, but at that moment they seemed so pale and desperate. However, as Slivka approached the car door, the rearview mirror suddenly reflected a crimson glow... He instinctively turned his head and saw that in the pouring rain, the entire wheat field seemed to boil over as mes wildly spread, quickly igniting the northern half of the field. ... In the middle of the wheat field. Standing at the center of the wheat field, Du Wei held a burning lighter in his left hand and a Joker Card in his right hand, making a wish. His voice was iparably cold: "From now on, I will be the sole target of the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw. All the puppets shall confront me in this wheat field, relentless until death!" Du Wei had already filled all the prerequisites to kill the Evil Spirit Mary Shaw using the Joker Card. At that moment. As he had wished, all the puppets standing in the wheat field went mad and charged directly at him. Outside the wheat field, some previously hidden puppets appeared, one after another, burrowing into the burning wheat. The mes, crimson and leaping, were utterly unaffected by the rainwater and burned even more fiercely when touching the puppets, like gasoline had been poured on them. Among the puppets, a terrifying aura suddenly surged. Evil Spirit Mary Shaw, surrounded by puppets, approached Du Wei. With each step, the oppressive sensation grew stronger. Du Wei could hardly breathe, and surrounded by mes, he couldn''t stop coughing. If he stayed any longer. He figured he would be burned to death, but now he had made his wish. Wherever he went, Evil Spirit Mary Shaw and the puppets would follow. In other words, if he wanted to survive and chose to leave the wheat field before the mespletely closed in, all efforts would be in vain. But at that moment, Du Wei removed the mask from his face, shedding the Evil Spirit''s shell, and began to sneer. "With the mask on, I be another Masked Evil Spirit. And now that I have taken off the mask, I have be Du Wei again. Go ahead, kill it!" Having said that, Du Wei flung the Masked Evil Spirit far into the wheat field. The puppets uncontrobly lunged in that direction. Such was the intrinsic power of the Joker Card; the puppets couldn''t resist this force. But... Evil Spirit Mary Shaw did not move; it stood before Du Wei, its decaying face growing increasingly fierce. The puppets are an extension of its power, individuals, hence they cannot defy the power of the Joker Card. But Evil Spirit Mary Shaw was different, it now had two targets: the Evil Spirit Mask and Du Wei. It had the right to choose and also the ability to kill Du Wei. But then. Du Wei looked at it and coldly said, "You should know, there''s more than one Evil Spirit that wants to kill me!" After speaking, he immediately ceased the Evil Spirit Transformation and mentally conditioned himself. He began to feel fear... Tied to his right hand, a red balloon faintly revealed the outline of a clown, gradually bing clearer. "Hehehe..." Theugh of Pennywise Clown sounded once more. Chapter 227 226, the original target is Evil Spirit Du Wei... In the darkness, all the Evil Spirits that Du Wei had encountered emerged one after another, encircling him tightly with an overwhelming malice. Even if they were counterfeits, those Evil Spirits targeted Du Wei without hesitation! But Du Wei, holding his ck Umbre, found that these counterfeits couldn''t get close to him; they could only tightly surround him. Layer uponyer. And they actually blocked the real Evil Spirit Mary Shaw. But at that moment, the ck threads on the body of Evil Spirit Mary Shaw retracted back into her body, and the terrifying aura rose to another level. She was about to undergo a transformation... The surrounding mes suddenly zed horrendously, but they all turned a ghastly green. The fake Evil Spirits created by Pennywise crumbled away one after another. Seeing this, Du Wei''s face couldn''t help but darken. His pitch-ck eyes became chaotic for the first time. This... He felt an urge to curse out loud! Was this still an Evil Spirit? To think it could transform! The red balloon tied to his right hand caved inwards as if an invisible pair of hands wanted to burst it. The gap between Pennywise and Evil Spirit Mary Shaw was much bigger than he had imagined! A cold sweat crept over Du Wei''s spine; he was still under psychological suggestion. With gritted teeth, he made an utterly insane move and began to hypnotize himself, inducing a sense of fear towards Evil Spirit Mary Shaw. At the same time, as Evil Spirit Mary Shaw, who was undergoing transformation, suddenly paused, her gaze no longer fixed on Du Wei but staring into the darkness, filled with greed and desire in her deathly quiet eyes. Her posture was identical to those of obsessed artists pursuing perfection. Then out of the darkness, a man in ck clothes and a mask walked out. It was Evil Spirit Du Wei... His demeanor was very elegant, easily reminiscent of a gentleman from high society. Immediately after, Evil Spirit Du Wei clenched his hand, and the fake Evil Spirits that were already disintegrating burst open, and even Pennywise''s balloon exploded directly! Many ck smokes slowly merged into the body of Evil Spirit Du Wei, making it more solid. However, what Du Wei didn''t expect was that Evil Spirit Du Wei did not directly attack. Instead, he looked at him with a cold look and said, "Put on the mask, or we will both die!" But the next second. Evil Spirit Mary Shaw appeared directly in front of Evil Spirit Du Wei, and numerous ck threads impaled him straight through. Whoosh... He dissipated like smoke. For the first time, Evil Spirit Du Wei was overwhelmingly defeated, even if he was counterfeit... Seeing this. Du Wei''s eyes took on an odd look, and a wildly absurd thought suddenly surged in his mind. Evil Spirit Mary Shaw''s target was not himself but his other side¡ªEvil Spirit Du Wei... With human intelligence and personality but essentially an Evil Spirit. If Evil Spirit Du Wei were turned into a doll, it would be the most perfect one. Thinking this, Du Wei didn''t hesitate to run wildly with the ck Umbre. He no longer wanted to confront Evil Spirit Mary Shaw and could only choose to flee. But at this moment, Evil Spirit Mary Shaw hadpletely killed the counterfeit Evil Spirit Du Wei, falling into an emotional state that seemed puzzled. She no longer behaved like an Evil Spirit. Or rather, she had acquired certain traits of a Demon Spirit. Then her gaze became filled with rage as she firmly fixed her eyes on the frantically fleeing Du Wei. It was just an instant. Du Wei felt a terror behind him that was indescribable in words. He clenched his teeth and pulled out the Dagger, stabbing backwards instinctively, but Mary Shaw caught it directly, and an icy, bone-chilling cold rushed along the de in an instant. Du Wei immediately let go of the Dagger; arge gash had split open in the palm of his right hand, and blood spurted out. He pulled out two more Joker Cards, but they were just as ice-cold to the touch and utterly unusable. Du Wei took out his lighter and pressed it lightly. The moment the crimson me appeared, Mary Shaw''s rotting face emerged below the ck Umbre, gently blowing out the fire from the lighter. The me extinguished¡­ Then, Du Wei saw Mary Shaw grinning viciously at him, her greedy and terrifying gaze as if piercing through his body and soul, like she wanted to extract the Evil Spirit Du Wei from within. "Damn it¡­ Why does such a horrifying thing exist in this world!" Du Wei silently said to himself and entered the Evil Spirit Transformation to remain perfectly calm. The fact that Mary Shaw could rush into the ck Umbre proved that these objects had very little effect on her. At the very least, using these objects against her wouldn''t do much good. With that thought. Du Wei stopped running away, instead, he came to a halt and calmly stared at Mary Shaw. "I have onest trump card that I''ve been reluctant to use, because I know my other self won''t ept rules that are entirely in my favor, but now if I die, the other me dies too." Mary Shaw waved her hand, and the ck Umbre uncontrobly flew out of Du Wei''s hand, falling into the mes. Then, with a vicious smile, she reached out her hand in the tenderest gesture between lovers, intending to caress Du Wei''s face. But Du Wei took out a mask covered in cracks that he hadn''t used for a long time and ced it on his face. "I know myself too well. Under these circumstances, even my other self, however unwilling, will ept the most stringent rules of the gamble." The firelight cast a very long shadow. A faint cracking sound¡­ A corner of the mask directly shattered. But this slight resistance was enough against Mary Shaw. And that was all he needed! The Joker Card representing the gamble was clenched in Du Wei''s hand once again. This would be thest time he used this Joker Card, for from this moment on, the Evil Spirit residing within the card would begin to assimte with him. "This is a gamble with no winners or losers. Once Evil Spirit Du Wei kills Mary Shaw, Du Wei will retake his body, and the Evil Spirit Du Wei will return inside. Their confrontation will resume the next time." The voice speaking now created a fuzzy illusion, as though it was one person, but with two different tones and moods. One voice was indifferent, the other one cold. Announcing the rules was not only Du Wei but Evil Spirit Du Wei as well. No sooner had the words been spoken than Mary Shaw sped her hand around "Du Wei''s" neck. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire Yet the "Du Wei" wearing the mask showed no reaction, his eyes beneath the mask were dead and frosty. An extremely frightening, sinister evil spread from his body. Evil Spirit Du Wei''s icy gaze swept towards Mary Shaw.@@novelbin@@ Her decaying hand, uncontrobly, began to loosen bit by bit. Boom¡­ Above the sky, thunder roared, and a heavy downpour fell to the ground. The ghastly green mes hesitated. Evil Spirit Du Wei cocked his head, taking an elegant step toward Mary Shaw. "You want to make me into a puppet, do you?" Its voice was indescribably elegant, but the eyes betrayed a deep intent to kill. At this moment, Du Wei and Evil Spirit Du Wei''s memoriespletely synchronized, their already consistent personalities ovepped entirely. It was Du Wei, and Du Wei was it. Swish¡­ On the ground, a Dagger eerily levitated into the air, flying into the hands of Evil Spirit Du Wei. It cast a strange, frightening nce at Mary Shaw. As though regarding a body waiting to be dissected. She couldn''t help but take a step back. But Evil Spirit Du Wei kept sneering, posing a question to her, "Do you know what happens when an Evil Spirit can use objects meant to ward off Evil Spirits?" Chapter 228 227, its my turn to kill you now. The storm was still raging. Within the wheat field, the ghastly green mes burned fiercely. Evil Spirit Du Wei, dagger in his right hand, stepped steadily towards Mary Shaw. Even in such peril, his manner remained elegant, unhurried and casual, reeking of understatement. Those items that couldbat evil spirits could also be used without hesitation by Evil Spirit Du Wei when he controlled the body and his personality memories ovepped with those of Du Wei. Moreover, the deterrent power of these things in its grasp far exceeded that of Du Wei''s using them. The advantages of innate ability are something that no amount of effort can make up for. The personality, memory, thinking logic, and intelligence of Du Wei, along with the essence of the evil spirit. It was the most perfect existence. That''s why Mary Shaw was so eager to kill Evil Spirit Du Wei and turn him into a perfect doll. Only then could it fully transform into a true Demon Spirit. Luckily, it was Evil Spirit Du Wei who was controlling the body now. It watched Mary Shaw, and Mary Shaw watched it in return. Cold and greedy gazes met, both from evil spirits, one rational and the other full of chaos. But Evil Spirit Du Wei acted as though he saw nothing, walking while saying, "If you kill the other me, even if I take over the body, I will lose the prerequisites for using these items." "By then, I will surely die at your hands." "But now, it''s you who will die!" The voice of Evil Spirit Du Wei brooked no doubt, as if he were stating an irrefutable fact. Yet it seemedced with psychological suggestion. Mary Shaw kept retreating, and those ck threads upon her began to converge again, linking to the dolls being consumed by the mes. As all the dolls connected with the ck threads, they all trembled, turning their heads without expression to look at Evil Spirit Du Wei. The overwhelming malice seemed to merge into the rainstorm, making the already dark and gloomy clouds even heavier. The ghastly green mes danced wildly, like devils cavorting. The dolls surged towards Evil Spirit Du Wei, employing the same methods they had used against Du Wei. But this time. Mary Shaw''s opponent was unaffected. Evil Spirit Du Wei simply extended his left hand and casually waved it.@@novelbin@@ The ghastly green mes twisted into a void. With a whoosh... The ck Umbre, resistant to evil spirits yet untouched, floated up into the air and with a flick, opened automatically,nding steadily in the hand of Evil Spirit Du Wei. While the ck Umbre could repel evil spirits, it couldn''t resist the dolls. But Evil Spirit Du Wei was well aware of this. Following that. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire He stood there with the ck Umbre, watching the approaching dolls with utter calm. Mary Shaw had vanished, or rather, she had hidden herself among the dolls, with all of them bing part of her. If even one doll could touch Evil Spirit Du Wei, it would trigger a chain reaction. By then, he would be submerged by the dolls. But at that moment. A lighter slowly floated out of Evil Spirit Du Wei''s pocket, as if manipted by an invisible hand pressing down, with a click. A red me appeared. The next second. Boom... The me, as if doused in petrol, expanded in an instant. Then, the entire wheat field aze with ghastly green mes turned a bloody red color, like blood... The moment the mes appeared. It was as if infused with some will, they circled around the ck Umbre upon contact, enveloping the entire wheat field. The mes soared high, burning fiercely. Yet in the air, there wasn''t the slightest scent of the charred odor thates with burning vegetation. The lighter''s me was specifically targeting the Evil Spirit, and as long as an Evil Spirit was present, it would burn wildly, unless the Evil Spirit, Du Wei, wished otherwise, the mes would not extinguish. Some extremely horrifying Evil Spirits could suppress the lighter, preventing it from igniting, or the me would go out the instant it appeared. But that was when Du Wei was using the lighter. The Evil Spirit Du Wei totally defied thismon sense, as it, being a terribly fearsome Evil Spirit, was the ceiling of all Evil Spirits'' existence. What''s more terrifying is. The restraint that Du Wei had over Evil Spirits like Mary Shaw, associated with fear, was infinitely amplified in the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Only Evil Spirits would fear it, but it would not harbor any fear whatsoever. Perfection is, in a sense, unsolvable. The puppets one by one surged towards the Evil Spirit Du Wei, but before they could reach it, they already fell into the sea of fire, burned to ash. The methods of Mary Shaw were useless against it. "Puppets are just your indirect way of killing another me." "And I am Du Wei, but also the Evil Spirit." The Evil Spirit Du Wei spoke with an icy tone, and the mask on its face, full of cracks, made a crisp sound. But it didn''t shatter, instead, it was slowlying together. "If you n to keep ying this game of hide-and-seek with me, you''ll die in this fire in a ratherughable way." As soon as these words fell. The puppets lost their motion, stiffly falling into the fire. A charred figure, trembling, walked out from the mes. The ck silk threads retracted into Mary Shaw''s body as it silently opened its mouth towards the Evil Spirit Du Wei. All of a sudden. The gaze of the Evil Spirit Du Wei grew peculiar, and it touched the mask on its face, speaking with a Strangeness, "I actually have the urge to scream. Is this your rule for killing?" "In the face of fear, the first reaction of a person is to scream, whether they are a man or a woman." "But the other me simply does not possess the emotion of fear." "Therefore, you cannot kill the other me. You can only manipte puppets, but I have all his powers and more, and I am stronger than he is." "So, you are certain to die." The Evil Spirit Du Wei said this and suddenly turned its head to look towards the left. In the midst of me, a decayed woman''s face emerged. Mary Shaw had extended her hand, about to touch the ck Umbre. Meanwhile, directly ahead, the charred figure had disappeared without a trace. The Evil Spirit Du Wei sneered at her, "If you can take the ck Umbre, I will be exposed to the mes along with you. Either I choose to put out the mes, or I burn to death with you. But what can I give you really?" Having said that. In the eye holes of the mask, the pitch-ck eyes of the Evil Spirit Du Wei suddenly flickered with a sinister fluctuation. Under its gaze. Mary Shaw was frozen in ce, and although it was rapidly trying to break free from this constraint, the Evil Spirit Du Wei only needed to hold it for a moment. Another mask, devoid of facial features, appeared inexplicably in its Right Hand. The Evil Spirit Du Wei approached Mary Shaw, directly covering its face with the mask. During this process, Mary Shaw trembled constantly, opening its mouth wide in vain attempts to affect the Evil Spirit Du Wei, all to no avail. Afterward. The Evil Spirit Du Wei ced the ck Umbre directly into Mary Shaw''s hands. "Now, it''s my turn to kill you." Chapter 229 228, Evil Spirit Eternal Life Still, the downpour raged on. The Evil Spirit Du Wei, wearing a mask, faced Mary Shaw, who had been forced to wear another. She trembled violently, to no avail. If before she had been immobilized by the Evil Spirit Du Wei and could quickly free herself, now that she had been masked, she was utterly mired. The Evil Spirit Du Wei was also an evil spirit, possessing a killing mechanism as well. Gracefully, it caressed the dagger in its hand, looking at the shivering Mary Shaw and said, "Although another evil spirit has already been ced into this mask by another me, preventing thepletion of all mechanisms, that doesn''t matter, I don''t intend to give you a new face, I just want you dead." The Evil Spirit Du Wei''s personality and logical behavior werepletely in line with Du Wei''s. It would never give a chance to an evil spirit that wanted to kill itself and turn it into a puppet. Even now, when it held overwhelming power. "In the face of death, you should maintain theposure you ought to have." Saying so, the Evil Spirit Du Wei held the dagger in its left hand while the Evil Spirit Transformation of its right hand pressed onto Mary Shaw''s head. Dual suppression. Mary Shaw was like she had solidified,pletely motionless. She wore a mask with no features, even her malicious gaze blocked. The next second. The dagger emitted a chilling coldness, piercing directly into Mary Shaw''s rotting skin, beginning to dissect her. Some evil spirits, due to their medium being a corpse, would possess that corpse. But it was clear that Mary Shaw was not such an evil spirit. However. She was now caught in the mechanism of the Evil Spirit Du Wei, and with the dagger in the hands of the Evil Spirit Du Wei, the effects were entirely subject to its will. Even with no physical form, it could still dissect her. With every slice, a part of Mary Shaw was cut off and then turned to ash. The movements of the Evil Spirit Du Wei were extremely steady, its eyes radiating an icy, deste aura. In the absence of the Antique Clock to counter it, the mechanism would not be broken. Mary Shaw had no way out but death. This scene was terrifying to the extreme. No matter what the Evil Spirit Du Wei did, it maintained an air of elegance. But with every plunge of the dagger, it sent shivers down one''s spine, as if one''s soul itself was trembling under oppression. This was a form of psychological suppression, or perhaps psychological suggestion... Just as the Evil Spirit Du Wei had said, whatever abilities Du Wei had, it possessed as well¡ªand was even stronger than Du Wei. Language, breath, movement. Even space and color could be tools at the Evil Spirit Du Wei''s disposal. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire The power of intellect was the most terrifying of all. And it could now use psychological suggestion to influence evil spirits... even Mary Shaw, who was on the brink of transforming into an evil spirit, couldn''t avoid it. Time ticked by slowly. The Evil Spirit Du Wei dissected Mary Shaw into a skeleton piece by piece, leaving her figure exceedingly wretched, save for her head covered by the mask. Those parts that had been cut off had all vanished. Just one more cut, and Mary Shaw would be utterly killed. Without hesitation, the Evil Spirit Du Wei pressed one hand on the mask and wielded the dagger with the other, slicing open her head in one swift move. The hand felt empty, and the mask fell to the ground. A wisp of ck smoke drifted from beneath the mask, disintegratingpletely. "It is over..." The voice of the Evil Spirit Du Wei was icy cold as it rose to its feet. At the same time, the burning mes all paused abruptly, each dwindling in height, converging at a frightening speed into a huge ring of fire. The moment the ring of fire formed, it spread rapidly through the fields of wheat. Wherever it passed, the ash-covered or merely mangled puppets started to burn again. It left no opportunity for Mary Shaw to re-emerge. Afterpleting these tasks, the Evil Spirit Du Wei looked at his right hand and suddenly let out a coldugh. He took off the mask on his face and put on another mask that was white and featureless. Then, he slowly began to speak as if talking to himself. "With the Mirror Evil Spirit, and this Masked Evil Spirit, I can go through the face-swapping mechanism once more. When that happens, I will be confined within another mask." "A perfect n..." "But the only difference between us is in essence, even if you seed, what can that do?" "I am your other side." "You will eventually be me, while I can turn you into another Masked Evil Spirit." Having said that, the Evil Spirit Du Wei removed the mask, and under his icy gaze, the Bald Man''s ferocious face slowly emerged from the mask. He said coldly, "Eyes are the windows to the soul, yet I see you are in fear." The Bald Man''s ferocious face twisted uncontrobly. He opened his mouth wide, screaming silently,cking even the strength to resist, he was directly erased by the gaze of the Evil Spirit Du Wei... At that moment, a struggle suddenly shed through the eyes of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. His face grew darker, and he growled through clenched teeth. "Damn this cursed game..." Suddenly, a strange fluctuation emerged in the air. The Joker Card representing the game flew straight out of the pocket, with the Du Wei dressed in a tailcoat on it, revealing a mocking smile. Mary Shaw had been thoroughly killed. This signified the end of the game, and also signified that the body would be taken over by Du Wei, and it was his own will. The Joker Card became colder and colder, an evil aura enveloping the surroundings, the part of the Evil Spirit within the card was about to emerge. And, it targeted the Evil Spirit Du Wei. "You wish to assimte me?" Unable to help himself, the Evil Spirit Du Weiughed coldly, his gaze dangerous as he stared at the Joker Card. The Evil Spirit Transformation of his right hand grabbed the Joker Card in his grip. "Let''s see if you assimte me first, or I assimte you first!" He was Du Wei''s other side. This rtionship was now inseparable, and for this reason, once the Joker Card representing the game reached a critical point, it would not only begin to devour Du Wei, but also start to devour him. It was an existence in concept. The Evil Spirit Du Wei felt the icy chill in his right hand andughed even more sinisterly.@@novelbin@@ Creak... The entire Joker Card was twisted together by his grip, the card itself splitting and fine ck strands floating out from within. These were the so-called chips... But the Evil Spirit Du Wei narrowed his eyes, his pupils contracting sharply, the ck fine strands were bound as if by force, and were pushed back into the cracked Joker Card. Snap... The lighter was pressed down automatically once more, and the red me seemed to have a life of its own as it leaped into the Evil Spirit Du Wei''s palm. The entire Joker Card was directly ignited. An exceptionally evil aura lingered around the right hand of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. He said indifferently, "Now, you will have nothing!" Having spoken, the Evil Spirit Du Wei closed his eyes, the coldness on his face gradually reced by an inner indifference. All the evil aura and the red mes disappeared along with his departure. Chapter 230 229, Debt borrowing Creak... A foot stepped on a baseball cap that had been burned to ash. Bishop Slivka, along with others, carefully walked through the destroyed cornfield with shlights in hand. The downpour continued. This turned the recently dry ground into a quagmire in the blink of an eye. The ashes of the burned corn mixed with the rainwater, slightly impeding their movement. "I''ve never encountered such a horrific incident in my life..." Bishop Slivka looked at the charred traces around him and, at the center of the cornfield, at the man facing away, his eyes full of shock and caution. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire "Everyone be careful, ourpanion might be a bit off." As he spoke, he also gestured to the others with a wave of his hand. The exorcists all took a deep breath, bing noticeably tense. Bishop Jon, however, continued to keep a stern face, holding a red-covered book, silent yet resolute in his steps. A peculiar, chilling sense of oppression made him enter the state of Spirit Vision. Through "seeing," he perceived the suffocatingly cold aura emanating from the right hand of the man... At this moment. The man in front of them suddenly turned his head, calmly looking at them. "There''s no need to be afraid, I''m in good condition right now." Du Wei''s tone was strangely elegant, with a touch of cold detachment beyond the norm. Memory synchronization was mutual. Du Wei, transformed by the Evil Spirit, now had all his memories, and he in turn possessed all the memories of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Of course, as a cost, his n to find the Mirror Evil Spirit and kill his other self was exposed even before it had begun. But this wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. At the very least, he now knew very clearly what Evil Spirit Du Wei had done. It was as if he had experienced everything personally, even the events that urred to James and the words spoken by Mrs. Senna and Bishop Thompson at the hospital room door were crystal clear to him. And the reason he said his condition was good was because the unusable Gamble Card had been destroyed by Evil Spirit Du Wei and was being assimted in reverse. For a short time, Evil Spirit Du Wei would not appear again, which gave him a chance to catch his breath. But when it did reappear, it was very likely to possess the abilities of the Gamble. At this thought. Du Wei looked down at his right hand, now transformed by the Evil Spirit, and the chilling feeling intensified. The transformation into the Evil Spirit deepened once more. He felt very conflicted right now. He had thought it would be a simple exorcism, or at worst he would emerge unscathed, but instead he stepped right into a huge pitfall. Who would have thought that a single Evil Spirit, Mary Shaw, would kill thousands of people in Yard City, and those people would act normally during the day, bing horrifying only at night? With all cards on the table, it was hard to say whether this was good or bad. "Huff..." Du Wei exhaled deeply, ced the dagger, two masks, and thest Joker Card that could grant wishes back into his backpack, and then walked towards Slivka and the others. The transformation into the Evil Spirit was not undone. Therefore. In the eyes of Slivka and the others, as Du Wei, holding a ck Umbre, took one step at a time toward them, that extremely gloomy oppressive aura was virtually indistinguishable from an Evil Spirit. "Mr. Du Wei, please don''te any closer, stand where you are!" Bishop Slivka, even in his admiration for Du Wei, could only make the most rational decision at that moment. Without rity on the situation, he had to remain fully vignt. The other exorcists, their faces stern, also focused on the man before them, each pulling out various odds and ends from their bodies. Some had jewelry, rings, and other quaint ornaments like pocket watches, and one even pulled out a broken fork. These things might appear ordinary, but in fact, they were once items that couldbat Evil Spirits. Some were mediums through which vanquished Evil Spirits had acted. Others were simr to Du Wei''s lighter. Regardless, it was clear they all regarded the man before them as an Evil Spirit, and they wouldn''t hesitate to strike if he showed any malice. However. Bishop Jon suddenly raised his hand, stopping them, "Everyone calm down, he seems to be undergoing an Evil Spirit Transformation." Slivka was stunned, saying in disbelief, "Evil Spirit Transformation? You mean a hunter? How is that possible?" On the other side. Yet Du Wei didn''t stop, his pace steady and unhurried as he quickly approached the group of Exorcists. Wariness and the fear of the unknown made Slivka and the others'' hearts tighten. The next second. A chill emerged uncontrobly in everyone''s heart, and it seemed that some sort of illusion had appeared before their eyes. Some even started to tremble, "There''s¡­ there''s something on me." "It''s a snake¡­" "No, an Evil Spirit¡­" "So many corpses¡­" "Ah¡­" It was unclear what happened, but immediately someone screamed in terror, falling to the ground and retreating backward nonstop. "Heh heh heh¡­" Augh brimming with malign intent rose in the darkness, as a red balloon slowly floated up, and within it, the silhouette of a Clown became increasingly distinct. A palm covered in white paint grasped the string of the red balloon, appearing before everyone. Its hair was orange-red, it wore a grey circus Clown suit, and its face was contorted into a gruesome visage with red and white paint. Just one look was enough to raise goosebumps and invoke an involuntary fear of it. Pennywise, which fed on fear, and grew stronger with it, set its sights on adults for the first time. And it seemed to have quickly regained its strength, even its body solidifying.@@novelbin@@ But just then, Du Wei''s voice suddenly rang out, "Shut up!" His voice was devoid of any emotion, filled with a scolding tone. As his words ended, The dreadfulughter of Pennywise stopped abruptly. It twisted its head fiercely, as if it had gained the confidence to confront Du Wei with more fear to feed on, giving Du Wei a look full of malice. It didn''t try to hide it. Yet Du Wei coldly said to it, "You think they''re afraid of you?" "Such a ludicrous thought." As he spoke, Du Wei took the original white mask from his backpack and put it on his face. His demeanor turned cold instantly, with a faint suggestion of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Pennywise, as though frightened, screamed sharply and immediately tried to flee. "No matter where you run, you won''t escape me." There was a cold look in Du Wei''s eyes as an unusual aura wrapped around Pennywise. It moved forward at an incredibly slow pace. This was the ability of the Evil Spirit Du Wei to immobilize a target; using characteristics increasingly simr to those of the Evil Spirit Du Wei, Du Wei temporarily employed this technique in a cunning manner. But it clearly wasn''t as dominant as the Evil Spirit Du Wei, and this ability was only temporary. One could think of it as borrowing on credit. Then, Du Wei walked up to Pennywise, not even ncing at it, and extended his Evil Spirit-transformed right hand, snatching the red balloon. "You see, how powerless it is to flee¡­" Chapter 231 230, Im putting my cards on the table. In the wheat field. Bishop Slivka looked on with a face full of shock as Du Wei snatched the red balloon, and the monster, resembling a clown, directly transformed into ck smoke and burrowed into the balloon. He couldn''t imagine what was happening. He could understand that the red balloon was a medium for the Evil Spirit. But why did this Evil Spirit seem to be perfectly restrained by Du Wei, showing no ability to resist in his hands? Something''s not right... Since when did Evil Spirits be so weak? At that moment, Du Wei, who was standing opposite the others, also removed his mask, and in front of everyone, he stuffed the red balloon into his backpack. He even patted it, as if he were packing goods... This act, witnessed by the others, rxed them quite a bit. It''s still a person... The inexplicable fear they had felt earlier, along with the cold aura, had also dissipated a great deal. What remained terrifying was emanating from the Right Hand of the man standing in front of them. "Mr. Du Wei... what exactly is your situation now? And that red balloon, are you sure putting it into your backpack won''t cause any problems?" "Don''t worry, it''s safest in my hands." Having nced at Bishop Slivka, Du Wei pondered for a moment before continuing, "As for my current situation, I don''t know how to exin it to you, because it seems I have entered an Evil Spirit Transformation state." Opportunely. A veryplex expression emerged on his face, bearing both worry and fear. Bishop Jon kept staring at Du Wei''s Right Hand without pause, and after a while, he asked, "The thing you just dealt with, was it Yard City''s Evil Spirit?" Answered Du Wei, "Yes, but it was much more terrifying than any Evil Spirit I have encountered before." In a certain sense, that was indeed the case. If Evil Spirit Du Wei appeared only after his own death, it could not use those items, and it was highly likely to be killed by Mary Shaw. Bishop Jon''s expression turned grave as he said coldly, "That thing was almost transforming into a Demon Spirit, yet it still died by your hand. There are many problems with this, even if you were in an Evil Spirit Transformation, you shouldn''t have been able to kill it directly." Inside the church, hunters are a very sensitive group. They are capable of actively hunting Evil Spirits. But due to the risks associated with Evil Spirit Transformation, everyone is filled with awe towards hunters. Certain Exorcists wouldn''t even be privy to information about hunters. Only the elite and those at the bishop level had ess to such secrets. And Jon was among those privy to more confidential information. Looking at Du Wei, his voiceden with deep suspicion, he said, "Go through the details of how you killed it." Du Wei nodded and began to recount in a perplexed tone, "Actually, I''m also not very clear about what happened. All I know is it was chasing me the entire time, and I discovered its killing mechanism involved screaming¡ªany scream would result in death, so I could only keep running. Then came the incident in the wheat field." "I felt desperate at the time, and my Right Hand also began to undergo some strange changes. After that, as you saw earlier, I grabbed it with this hand and used a Dagger to kill it." He briefly went over the events, but he did not reveal any information about Evil Spirit Du Wei. An Evil Spirit with personality, memory, and logical thought is the living nightmare of a human being. And to make matters worse, it was Evil Spirit Du Wei. If the church knew of its existence, they would surely take measures to eradicate the problem from its roots. To kill Du Wei along with it. The main reason Du Wei chose to withhold information was to steer the conversation towards the abilities of hunters. And that was what he urgently needed. Sure enough, upon hearing this, Jon immediately asked, "Let me see your Right Hand." Du Wei hummed in affirmation and extended his Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand. For a moment, Bishop Slivka and the others gathered around, some to observe and some with the intent of restraining Du Wei. Hunters, after all, are a desperate group. They couldn''t be sure that Du Wei wouldn''t do something crazy. After a close inspection of Du Wei''s right hand, Bishop Jon said with a grave expression, "Can you withdraw from the Evil Spirit Transformation?" "Of course, I can." Du Wei, slightly nervous, clenched his right hand and tested it several times before he finally withdrew from the Evil Spirit Transformation, his face turning very pale and his breathing growing much more rapid. He was very good at disguising... But Jon let out a sigh of relief, able to withdraw from the Evil Spirit Transformation meant that the situation was still stable. But suddenly, his face changed, and he quickly said, "Wait, haven''t you experienced the pain of the Evil Spirit Transformation?" Entering Evil Spirit Transformation, every Exorcist would undergo the most painful and tormenting ordeal, a corrosion of the will, where failing to endure meant death. After his memories synchronized with those of the Evil Spirit Du Wei, he naturally knew what this so-called pain was all about. This was where he differed from normal hunters. Not having experienced the pain of Evil Spirit Transformation, he became a hunter directly, skipping a stage, and aside from the Evil Spirit Transformation, hecked the ability to kill an Evil Spirit. Therefore, Du Wei shook his head and said, "I didn''t feel any pain." Bishop Slivka at his side frowned slightly, and said calmly, "Mr. Du Wei, I think I understand your situation. Would you pleasee with us to the vehicle? Bishop Jon and I might have to assess youter, but there won''t be any issues." Some things were not convenient to discuss in front of other Exorcists. A glint of inexplicable meaning passed through Du Wei''s eyes, and he nodded with a smile, "Alright."@@novelbin@@ ... A few minutester, Bishop Slivka and Jon had taken Du Wei to the vehicle. His original Cayenne had been burned and was no longer drivable. Inside the vehicle, Du Wei sat in the rear left seat next to the window, while Jon sat to the right of him, opening a briefcase. "Mr. Du Wei, you may enter into the Evil Spirit Transformation. Please make sure to stay calm and don''t get nervous, which should not be difficult for you." "I understand." Bishop Jon took out a brand new piece of paper from the briefcase and ced it over Du Wei''s right hand. The terrifying aura immediately filled the vehicle interior, causing Jon to feel chilled to the bone and his face to grow very pale. Meanwhile, Bishop Slivka at the driver''s seat took out a booklet and began recording. "Mr. Du Wei, how are you feeling now?" "I don''t feel anything, as when I enter into Evil Spirit Transformation, this hand loses all sensation." "Forgive my frankness, Mr. Du Wei, but it seems your right hand is not powerful enough tobat a formidable entity on the verge of bing a Demon Spirit; it appears to have a serious defect..." "I don''t know what''s going on, my right hand wasn''t like this before; it used to be much more terrifying than it is now..." Du Wei looked puzzled and confused, as anxious sweat beaded on his forehead. Jon removed the piece of paper, on which the outline of the entire right hand had emerged, faintly darkened... Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire He frowned and said, "There''s a serious problem with your Evil Spirit Transformation, and it seems you''ve lost the abilities you should have. This is very unfair to you." Du Wei opened his mouth and through gritted teeth asked, "Am I still considered a hunter then? And what will the Church''s stance be?" Jon shook his head and said, "You count as a hunter, because your Evil Spirit Transformation is very deep which might be why you killed Mary Shaw, and even a baptism can''t turn you back to normal." "As for the Church, Bishop Slivka and I will take you there, but first, we have to return to Esselgreen to deal with some things." Chapter 233 232, a door "Mr. Du Wei, have you discovered something?" Inside the room, Slivka turned his head to nce at Du Wei, his tone somewhat curious. He noticed that this man seemed to be looking at the photographs on the wall. Jon also turned his head, his gaze filled with confusion. Upon hearing this, after a moment of thought, Du Wei nodded and said, "I once investigated a bus, you should know about that, right?" Slivka uttered a sound of acknowledgment, "Yes, it was after that incident that the church decided to include you among the Exorcists." Information about Du Wei was always recorded in the church''s internal files. It wasn''t an exception; in fact, every Exorcist was archived, making it easier to nurture new talent. Then, Continuing, Du Wei went on, "I once took that bus to a transfer point, which is the school, and Joanna''s ssmate in the photo had appeared at that school." Slivka frowned and said, "An Evil Spirit?" With a calm voice, Du Wei replied, "Yes, and its appearance was identical to the one in the photo, which means that the Evil Spirit had already died ten years ago." Upon hearing this, Slivka thought hard for a moment before he couldn''t help but shake his head and say, "The church investigated that school afterwards, but couldn''t find the location in reality; it seems as though it doesn''t exist..." "Alright, we have more important things to do now, that thing is in the basement,e with me." Having said that, Slivka walked towards the inside of the house. While Du Wei followed in silence behind the two. As he walked, he thought about the school, as well as the bus incident. The school didn''t exist in reality, but the Evil Spirits did, and he had once forcibly alighted at a wheat field where the Scarecrow Evil Spirit resided. A thought vaguely arose in his mind. If the school didn''t exist, then why did those student Evil Spirits head towards the school? Was it because some secret was hidden there? Moreover, the bus only appeared on rainy days, and each time it stopped, it moved with a speed that waspletely iprehensible, almost ignoring space itself. And after alighting, there was also a time difference. Could it be that many of the bus''s stopping points each time he took it were false, or perhaps they existed in the past, or some special ce? And the Evil Spirits, for some reason, had to ride the bus back to their own ce. If that was the case, his action of forcefully removing the Evil Spirits from the bus seemed to be breaking the rules... "Luckily, those Evil Spirits are rtively safe for the time being..." whispered Du Wei to himself, but then he suddenly recalled the nun he had brought onto the bus... She was Marilyn Manson''s sister, tainted with the same curse as him, and after dying, became an Evil Spirit. Latter, she was also killed by him on the bus. Suddenly... For some inexplicable reason, Du Wei felt an irritating sensation, as if a cold bucket of water had been dumped inside his mind¡ªan odd feeling without any warning. Sigh... He took a deep breath, suppressed the irritation deep within, and forced himself to remain calm. "It must be because I have lost a Joker Card, and the Masked Evil Spirit was killed." The two means of survival, one being assimted by the Evil Spirit Du Wei, and the other had died at the hands of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. To be honest, there was an instinctive sense of identification in Du Wei for the Masked Evil Spirit he had created. Because he knew that the Masked Evil Spirit had no chance ofing out, it was an item that belonged entirely to him. Once he put it on, he could wrap himself in the shell of an Evil Spirit, rendering any Evil Spirit that set its sights on him unable to recognize its target and thereby allowing him to escape danger. "Maybe I should take the chance to create another, more powerful Masked Evil Spirit," he thought. A trump card is never too many. With these thoughts, Du Wei followed Slivka into the cluttered storage room inside the house. As soon as he entered, he felt the temperature was a bit on the cool side. Upon closer inspection, he noticed at the very back of the storage room, there was a small staircase descending downwards. "It''s down here, once we go down we need to bring that thing out," said Slivka, casually taking out a shlight and illuminating the stairs below. Du Wei was puzzled, "What exactly is that thing? Is it rted to the Evil Spirit?" Jon took out his shlight and was the first to walk down the stairs, speaking in a grave tone as he did, "It''s a door, which may or may not have something to do with the Evil Spirit." This gave Du Wei a strange look in his eyes. Another door... He once read an online post about the mysterious disappearance of Roger''s family. Roger was a collector of oil paintings, and the reason for his disappearance was associated with an oil painting named ''Another Door''. And that oil painting also came from the Berson Auction House, considered to be in the same category as the mask and the Antique Clock. Now, that oil painting was stored in the museum of Scolyn City. Was there a connection between the two? Thinking of this, Du Wei narrowed his eyes and entered the third phase of Spirit Vision. Even without his Evil Spirit Transformation, he could still see more anomalies... The further they went underground, the more they could feel the cold atmosphere intensifying, and even with shlights in front and behind, the light sources couldn''t dispel the oppressive feeling around them. Du Wei, walking behind Jon, acutely noticed that the other person seemed to have also entered Spirit Vision. However, he didn''t seem overly cautious, probably because he had encountered that door before. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire After all, Slivka had previously mentioned that they had gone inside the house and found that door, which was why they had decided to dispose of it. Soon, the three of them reached the cer; the air was murky, and the lighting extremely dim, with very low visibility. Slivka shone his shlight forward and immediately a somewhat aged wooden door was revealed in the light. It was leaning against the wall, with the door frame still in ce. The wooden door seemed to have been there for some time, with peeling paint indicating its age, giving it a mottled appearance. And in some ces, it looked as if it was chopped with an axe, showing signs of damage, but it was not broken. The whole door was wrapped in rusty chains that ultimately converged at the doorknob, secured by three padlocks as if fearing someone might open it. Du Wei looked at this wooden door, his gaze bing somber. Under the state of Spirit Vision, the oppressive feeling in his heart wasn''t too strong, but inexplicably, there was an urge to break the chains and open the door. Fortunately, as soon as this thought arose, he immediately snuffed it out. And Slivka and Jon, standing beside him, were also speaking in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Now, you know why we only let you follow us here, this thing seems to be inducing people to open it, only those with exceptionally strong willpower won''t be affected."@@novelbin@@ After pondering for a moment, Du Wei said, "Then why didn''t Joanna''s parents open it before? And why is this door here in the first ce?" Slivka replied, "I can''t answer your first question. As for the second, we suspect it has to do with the Veda Sect." "To be precise, it''s the thing they worship, known as Veda¡­" Chapter 234 233, Poke head out "During the two hundred years of Crusades in church history, many heretical religions were eradicated, among them was the precursor to the Veda Sect." "With the emergence of the Veda Sect, the Church started to pay more attention to this cult and, bybining some historical documents, obtained what they call information about Veda." "The Church believes that Veda is a general term, a conceptual entity." "It could be an Evil Spirit or a Demon Spirit, it might also be a demon, or something else entirely." "But to this day, the Church hasn''t got a precise definition of Veda because it may not exist in this world." ¡­ The above was Slivka''s words. After listening, Du Wei asked with heavy suspicion, "Not existing in this world, does that mean there are other worlds beyond the world we live in?" When the topic esctes to the level of worlds, many things would bepletely different. If there''s another world out there, it would overturn everyone''s values and the concept of self-awareness. While humans are a collective concept, they possess a strong sense of individuality, each person unique in their own right. Experiences from childhood and the understanding of the world contribute to forming aplete worldview. If a strange new world were introduced, the impact on self-awareness would be immense. At that moment, Slivka also offered an exnation. He shook his head and said, "Veda doesn''t exist in this world; it''s the product of a concept, possibly existing in many people''s consciousness, dreams, or their darker sides." Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire "It''s¡­ It''s a concept, Mr. Du Wei, you probably understand what I mean?" There was an unusual tone in Du Wei''s voice as he said, "I do understand¡­" ording to Slivka, the nun, Pennywise, might well be what''s referred to as Veda. Hence the use of the collective term ''Vedas'' to describe them. But if this is true, wouldn''t the Evil Spirit Du Wei also be a Veda? It has the ability to affect everything that mimics it, even the people it hase into contact with, and can alsomunicate in theke of the mind. In a sense, the Evil Spirit Du Wei is a cultist of the Veda Sect, worshipping and attempting tomunicate with a god¡­ Only, this god carries absolute malice. Thinking this, Du Wei''s expression became even more peculiar. He shook his head and, pointing to the door chained against the basement wall, asked, "You just mentioned that this door is rted to Veda. Am I right to think that if we open this door, we could get in touch with the Vedas?" Slivka frowned and said, "I can''t be sure, but since the door has existed for so long without being opened, it is definitely very dangerous. Perhaps opening it could lead to terrifying events." Jon, who had been quiet, spoke in a grave voice, "Enough about the door. We need to take it back to the Church. As for what the Church will do with it, that''s not for us to consider. There will be specialized people in charge when the timees." He then took out two pairs of white gloves from his person and casually handed a pair to Du Wei. Slivka also took out a pair of gloves and, while putting them on, said: "These gloves are produced internally by the Church, and they are generally only avable to bishops who are Exorcists. They can prevent the invasion of Evil Spirits. Of course, you can also use them as normal gloves, even though they don''t keep warm¡­" After epting the gloves thoughtfully, Du Wei put them on and then said, "There are other people outside; lifting it out just like that will definitely cause problems. We need some protective measures." Jon nodded and said, "Exactly, which is why when you asked us to go to the Church in Esselgreen to resupply with Bone Powder, we also took the opportunity to bring some pure white cloth." Saying this, he took a very thin cloth from the suitcase he carried and draped it over the door. The surface of the cloth was slightly transparent, allowing the shlight''s beam to prate directly and shine on the door. That presence, which seemed capable of affecting the mind, was abruptly blocked off. "This device is also specially made, very convenient to carry, but there''s nothing like it in New York because there''s no bishop there¡­" Slivka said this and also gave Du Wei a meaningful nce.@@novelbin@@ This man had once had the chance to be the youngest bishop in the history of the Church. Some antiquated rules only apply to ordinary people and not to exorcists with greater potential. However, this changed fundamentally after Du Wei became a hunter. After all, the Church nowadays believes that hunters should not possess too much power. Du Wei noticed Slivka''s meaningful look as well, but he did not say much. Instead, he simply nodded and joined Jon in moving the door. Upon touching it, they could feel a chill, and the urge to remove the lock and open the door grew stronger. It was as if a voice full of temptation and demonic intent was murmuring non-stop in their minds, even inducing a sense of being hypnotized¡­ But Du Wei was not affected in the least; he was inherently extremely calm, and due to his profession, it was hard for him to be influenced mentally. The confrontations, be they with nuns or Evil Spirits, were mostly spiritual. And this was his forte. On the other hand, both Slivka and Jon looked somewhat unwell¡ªJon was slightly better off, but Slivka''s face was flushed, and his eyes seem somewhat revitalized. And this was still the door covered with gloves and a white cloth. Without these precautions, it would probably be impossible for ordinary people to even touch it; otherwise, their minds would definitely be twisted. Thus, Du Wei exerted more effort, and together the three of them lifted the door. This scene, in the eyes of the two bishops, fit the performance of a hunter perfectly¡ªstrong, terrifying, and with unwavering resolve. But suddenly, just at that moment, a cold breeze blew over¡­ Cold and sinister. Yet it shouldn''t be possible for any wind to get into the poorly ventted basement¡­ Du Wei''s eyes turned chillingly cold, and as he turned his head, he saw that behind this door, at the wall, there was a human-shaped hollow space¡­ The wall had been hollowed out¡­ The cavity was dark and deep, like an invisible gaping maw ready to consume anyone who entered¡­ "What''s going on?" Slivka eximed in shock, his brow furrowed as he looked at the hollow space, his expression terribly conflicted. Jon said solemnly, "It looks like a passageway; was the door being used to block this channel?" But Du Wei shook his head, "No, it''s not to block the passageway, but I fear it serves as a link. Open the door and you''ll see the passage behind." Instinctively, Du Wei felt a deep aversion to the passageway; the very narrow space itself was suffocating, the more narrow it was, the more oppressive it felt. In the event of danger, there would be no chance of survival. But all of a sudden¡­ Du Wei saw that Slivka''s eyes had be unfocused, and his breathing had grown rapid, as he stuck his head forward into the narrow, human-shaped passageway¡­ Chapter 235 234, I see... Thud... The wooden door crashed to the floor, scattering the dust that covered it, plunging the basement into even deeper darkness. Slivka let go of the handle and dove headlong into the silhouette-shaped passage. In an instant, he had disappeared, swallowed by the darkness... His movements were so swift that there was no chance to react. Du Wei had just reached out to grab him when he grasped at thin air.@@novelbin@@ Du Wei and Jon looked at each other, shock and confusion evident in their eyes. Neither had anticipated such a sudden turn of events after moving the door. Things had just gottenplicated. "Mr. Du Wei, you wait here; I''m going in to bring him back right now," Jon said, clenching his teeth, ready to let go of the door and charge in. Although he appeared reserved and moreposed than anyone else, his so-called rationality quickly dissolved after his long-time friend Slivka disappeared into the passage. However, Du Wei sighed and said coldly, "Give me the shlight; you going in will onlyplicate matters further. Wait outside, I''ll handle it." He hadn''t sensed the presence of an Evil Spirit in the passage, the situation shouldn''t be too dangerous. Moreover, he still had a Joker Card; in a critical moment, he could just make a forced wish, to prevent things from getting worse. Jon''s eyes reddened as he spoke with difficulty, "Thank you..." Du Wei responded emotionlessly, "It''s what I should do, and you''re a bit too emotional right now. I don''t want you to encounter any anomalies either. After I go in, block the passage with the door immediately, and when you hear me knock, then you can move it away, understand?" Jon nodded firmly, "I will!" Without further ado, Du Wei cautiously approached the passage. He first entered the Spirit Vision, stretching his right hand in to feel around; after assuring there was no danger, he entered halfway, then withdrew again. He could leave safely... Having made up his mind, Du Wei rushed in without hesitation. After all, his rtionship with Slivka was quite good; although not friends, they were not strangers either. Most importantly, Slivka was a bishop and Du Wei, the only hunter present. Both ethically and logically, he was doing the most fitting thing for his identity by ensuring safety; there was nothing wrong with that. "I hope he''s alright..." With that thought, Du Wei turned on his shlight and walked into the passage. The bright white light was ring inside, revealing clear signs of artificial construction along the passage. The stone-bricked walls on either side were covered in moss and mildew, evidently built in thest century. Furthermore, the entire passage was deliberately carved to resemble a human silhouette, allowing only one person to pass at a time; turning required one to stop, or else risk scraping injury. The further he went, the space slightly expanded but remained very narrow. The air was even more turbid. Luckily, Du Wei always carried a backpack, and quickly pulled out a cut piece of white cloth, covering his face but leaving his eyes exposed. But suddenly... Du Wei froze, his detached gaze slightly congealing. Ahead, a weak light appeared as if nearing an exit, with a person''s silhouette seen faintly with his back towards him. "Bishop Slivka?" Du Wei asked tentatively, not expecting a response; instead, he cautiously drew his gun from his pocket and pointed the shlight in that direction. The figure''s silhouette was still blurry. Yet based on the clothes and the outline of the body, he could make out the identity. Du Wei thought for a moment, then walked over with a shlight in one hand and a gun in the other. If something unexpected and dangerous were to happen, like Slivkapletely losing control, he would definitely shoot and break the man''s limbs and forcibly drag Slivka back. The footsteps were slow and steady. Perhaps having heard Du Wei''s steps, Slivka, who stood in that faint light, suddenly shuddered and jerked his head up. His posture was very odd, as if he''d forcefully twisted his neck backward in an arching fashion, with his back protruding forward, as though he was looking at something. Unexinably, there was an atmosphere as if a mysterious ritual was taking ce. Above, only half a meter away, was the top of the tunnel. Du Wei, remaining vignt, nced around with his peripheral vision. Only after confirming that there was no danger in his state of Spirit Vision did he quicken his pace. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire "I need to hurry and get him out of here..." Although this section of the tunnel didn''t appear dangerous, it was far too eerie, and Du Wei still had no idea why Slivka, who had been talking normally just a second ago, seemed to have been possessed the next, insisting on rushing into the tunnel. Just like apletely illogical madman. Soon. Du Wei arrived behind Slivka, less than a meter away. With just one more step forward, he could grab him. At this distance, Du Wei could even see Slivka''s neck tilted back, making his head level, in an odd angle; he saw his face. First the hair, then the distinct high bridge of the nose typical of a Caucasian. "Heh... heh..." It sounded like Slivka had phlegm stuck in his throat, causing his voice to waver and change. Eerily frightening... This scene was the most bizarre Du Wei had ever witnessed¡ªno Evil Spirits, no evil spirits were present, and his Spirit Vision did not detect any abnormalities, yet a person was undergoing a transformation. After a moment''s thought, and taking a deep breath, his right hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, was holding the shlight when he poked Slivka''s shoulder. Buzz... For an instant. An irritating buzzing sound erupted in Du Wei''s ears, but the Evil Spirit Transformation made himpletely ignore the pain, his expression not changing in the slightest. Crack crack crack... As if bones were snapping back into ce, Slivka twisted his head around in an uncanny manner, his back facing Du Wei. What came into view was an excessively pale face, covered with sweat and with bloodshot eyes. Slivka opened his mouth, baring a ghastly smile, his eyes sparkling with an indescribable weirdness as he emitted a "heh heh heh"ughter. "Mr. Du Wei, I have opened the door... I have opened the door..." "I see it beckoning to me, I''m calling its name, I call it Lord..." The words were illogical, and his thinking was chaotic, reminiscent of a mental patient... Du Wei quickly made a judgment and said in an emotionless tone, "Yes, you''ve opened the door, so you''ve seen the Lord, and I have seen the Lord too. Do you know where It is?" Slivka, like a madman, drooled at the corner of his mouth, "My Lord is above, I''m worshipping It..." Du Wei narrowed his eyes and said, "My Lord is outside. Why don''t you go and see It?" Slivka seemed to be awakened by Du Wei''s words and with confusion said, "But the Lord is above, there''s only one Lord in this world." Du Wei responded, "Then why don''t youe outside with me, to see how the other Lord differs from the one you''ve seen?" The smile on Slivka''s face froze, and he suddenly turned his head back around. Then, he turned to face Du Wei, his facial expressions as if they had solidified, and said in a light tone, "Then why don''t you look up and see my Lord?" "It just told me, everyone sees a different Lord. The Lord I see is a woman, with rotting flesh and silver withered hair." Chapter 237 236, Best Actor Du Wei In the passage. As their gazes met, the starkly different eyes collided, and the atmosphere instantly tensed. Du Wei''s body was rigid as he calmly stared at the eye peering through the crack. His left hand had already drawn the Joker Card that could grant wishes, his right hand quietly slipped the gun into his pocket and took out a lighter... But besides that, he made no rash moves. He was certain that the creature in the crack was an Evil Spirit, but he didn''t feel a hint of malice from it. It was as though he and it were not in the same world. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire Tap tap tap... Footsteps rang out again. The lifeless and cold eye watching Du Wei''s for a moment, hollow and empty, "saw" nothing, so it quickly moved away. And as it departed, Du Wei caught a glimpse of its back. It was a girl in a school uniform, walking with stiff, mechanical steps, followed one by one by others that resembled students, as if school had truly just ended. Phew... Du Wei exhaled a breath of relief and carefully moved backward, knowing that even if he fired a gun in the passage, the other wouldn''t likely notice. Yet, his caution was undiminished. By the time he reached the spot where Bishop Slivkay on the ground, several minutes had passed. The ground was covered in bloodstains. Du Wei thought for a moment, then bent down to carry Bishop Slivka on his back. "I''ve got to get out of this damned ce..." The door, along with the passage, was profoundly shocking to him. The passageway led to the school, and the door served as a link to open the passage. Once the door was opened, those Evil Spirits from the school could perhapse out, see the living, andunch an attack. But if the door was not opened, they were utterly blind, or rather, as if from another lifetime. This could be understood as a special mechanism, somewhat simr to the bus and the streets of Massas City, but simpler, more direct, and much more dangerous. ... Ten minutester. In the basement. Bishop Jon stood in front of the door covered with a white cloth, his hands sped together, mouthing the words of the Bible, his face filled with worry and exhaustion. The worry was for Du Wei and Slivka. The exhaustion arose from his constant resistance to some Strange voice, lest he be tempted to open the door. This voice was very... eerie.@@novelbin@@ It arose not audibly, but inside his head, more like information. If it were an Evil Spirit, that would be fine; Bishop Jon, having reached his position, might not have as much experience in exorcism as frontline exorcists, but his will was resolutely strong. He would not be influenced by any Evil Spirit. But these enticing voices could not be ignored and could only be resisted. Simply put, what he "heard" was the voice one uses when silently reading text in their own mind. It felt like his own yet unfamiliar, not his own, yet impossibly so... Bishop Jon wiped the sweat from his forehead, his nerves tightly strung. He was just about to take a breath when suddenly, a thudding sound came from behind the door. "It''s Du Wei..." The voice was muffled... Jon''s expression changed. He hurried up to the door, struggled to lift one side open. Upon doing so, he saw Du Wei''s impassive face and behind him, Bishop Slivka covered in blood. "What happened?" "He tried to attack me, so I had no choice but to shoot him, but he''s not dead." Du Wei''s voice was calm, deliberately conveying a sense of exhaustion and numbness. His acting was spot on. In Jon''s eyes, this was the portrayal of a highly responsible Exorcist who, after reluctantly bing a hunter, still remained firm in his benevolent intentions. He sighed, hurried to lend a hand, and pulled Slivka out. Meanwhile, Du Wei restored the door to its original state, blocking the passage behind it. At the same time, he said in a cold voice, "Now take Slivka to the hospital, then have someone seal off this underground chamber so that no one is allowed in." Carrying Slivka on his back, Jon said in a heavy voice, "But we need to take the door with us, such Strangeness cannot be left here." Du Wei replied coldly, "But what about after you take the door away? Are you sure it won''t cause any problems?" Jon fell silent for a moment, then looking at the unconsciously pale Slivka, he bit his lip and said, "I''ll listen to you." Only then did Du Wei nod and say, "Let''s leave first, I''ll exin the situation to you after we get out." Upon hearing this, Jon felt an immediate rity in his heart, realizing the gravity of the situation, he hesitated no longer and quickly carried Slivka toward the ground. Du Wei followed closely with a shlight in hand. From beginning to end, neither of them looked back at the door again. Inside the basement, the silence was frightening, and the air was foul. When Du Wei, holding the shlight, ascended the stairs and reached the ground level, the entire basement was thoroughly engulfed by darkness, pitch-ck and profound, instilling fear in anyone who beheld it. ... Outside the building. The Exorcists, who had been waiting in the rain with their umbres, saw Jon carrying Slivka, and their expressions grew solemn. "Bishop Jon, what happened inside?" "I''m taking Slivka to the hospital first. You all stay here and wait for Mr. Du Wei''smands. Take his lead on everything." As a bishop, Jon naturally had an authoritative presence over the Exorcists. The Exorcists naturally did not question him, all nodding towards Du Wei. At this moment, the rain continued to fall. After cing Slivka in the car, Jon turned to Du Wei and said, "I will take Slivka to the central hospital. Once you''ve dealt with the matter, remember toe to the hospital and talk to me." Du Wei hummed in acknowledgment and said, "Rest assured." Jon said no more, quickly closed the car door, and soon drove off, gradually disappearing into the rain. Meanwhile, Du Wei thought for a moment, then turned to look at the other Exorcists. Seeing this, the Exorcists instinctively took a step back, their faces showing a peculiar expression. It was not hostility or dissatisfaction but rather awe. Clearly, they had guessed Du Wei''s identity as well. For most people in the church, hunters are mysterious and dangerous beings. Seeing this scenario. Du Wei sighed with a hint of helplessness, his voice somewhat hoarse, "You don''t have to fear me. In fact, I am not much different from you now, what we do is to deal with the Evil Spirit." His words revealed an inexplicable sadness. He was still acting... From the moment Jon and Bishop Slivka reasonably learned that he had be a hunter, he had perfectly grasped the sensitive yet strong mentality of someone who had just be a hunter. It was not a superfluous act. Pyschologically, people are naturally inclined to embrace the good and develop empathy. The Exorcists felt the same way. Hearing Du Wei''s words, they lowered their heads, speaking in a guilty tone, "We''re sorry, Mr. Du Wei, please give us your orders, we will cooperate with youpletely." They had witnessed firsthand how Du Wei had eliminated the terrifying being known as Mary Shaw. They could also imagine the great danger Du Wei faced at the time, a danger he seemed to defy. Someone who faces certain doom yet courageously confronts it is inherently deserving of respect. Seeing the Exorcists'' reactions, Du Wei nodded and instructed, "Go to the fire department, get some sandbags, and bring them here. I want topletely seal off the underground chamber in this building." Chapter 239 238, How many Evil Spirits have I actually pitted against? (Makeup post) 10:00 a.m. Du Wei, along with other Exorcists, hurried to the hospital. They found Slivka''s ward. Upon opening the door, they saw a doctor conducting an examination, with Bishop Jon standing by. Seeing Du Wei and the others arrive, he immediately gestured for silence with a shushing motion. Du Wei and his group stood at the doorway, casually closing the door again. After quite a while, the door to the ward was opened again. The doctor, wearing a mask, nced at Du Wei and the others, especially lingering on Du Wei for a moment. "Sir, you seem to be a bit off mentally." His badge identified him as a psychiatrist. Clearly, he was a mental health doctor. The difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist is that the former mainly deals with patients with severe mental issues while thetter deals with less severe issues. They ovep to some extent. Hearing the psychiatrist''s remark, Du Wei raised an eyebrow and said, "I haven''t been resting welltely, I''m a bit tense, and of course, so are you." The other man shrugged his shoulders and then turned to Bishop Jon, who had closed the door, and said, "This is about the extent of Mr. Slivka''s condition; I can''t say when he will wake up. I suggest that he undergoes a brain CT scan first; psychiatric changes may also be due to issues within the nervous system." Jon''s expression was somewhat grim, "I understand, thank you for your efforts." "Don''t mention it, after all, I am a doctor, and you''ve paid, so everything is negotiable." Having said that, the psychiatrist turned to leave, giving Du Wei another nce on his way out. For some reason, he always felt that this man had a chilling aura... Yet paradoxically, he also felt profoundly safe. It was like what''s described in textbooks, the kind of abnormal psychiatrist or psychologist who always wears a mask of pretense, exhibiting extreme rational self-control. After the doctor left, Bishop Jon gestured to the other Exorcists, and then said to Du Wei, "Let''s step aside and talk." With that, he began walking towards the corridor. Du Wei stood beside him, walking shoulder to shoulder. "Slivka might end up in a vegetative state now, and I don''t know how to exin it to his child, and his wife..." Jon''s voice was low, and his words revealed exhaustion and frustration. After some thought, Du Wei said in a gentle tone, "Actually, you don''t have to notify them just yet. Wait for the diagnosis toe out; maybe there will be a chance for a turnaround." "Hopefully..." Jon shook his head and said somberly, "Alright, let''s talk about that passage. What exactly did you encounter in there?" Du Wei hummed affirmatively and said calmly, "That passage has a power that twists the mind. The deeper one goes, the easier it is to be distorted. At the end of the passage, on the ceiling, there was a vague human face contour. It affected Slivka, casting ayer of gray mist over him." "It was somewhat like being possessed by the Evil Spirit, and then Slivka attacked me, so I fired a shot." After pondering for a moment, Jon said, "But you remained unharmed from start to finish, why is that?" Du Wei exined, "When undergoing Evil Spirit Transformation, I won''t experience fear or any other negative emotions, I always maintain my rationality and calmness, so those things were ineffective against me." Jon suddenly realized, "I suppose I know a bit about hunters, so this is your advantage when facing evil spirits, isn''t it? If every exorcist had such ability, that would be great." Du Wei said indifferently, "That is not necessarily a good thing. Also, that vague human face silhouette seems to be able to affect one''s thoughts, because at that time Slivka told me he saw the Lord. But the Lord he described was identical to Mary Shaw." Jon narrowed his eyes, "It''s fear..." Du Wei hummed in agreement, "That''s right, and then there''s the crevice at the very end of the passage. Through that crevice, I saw a school filled with evil spirits." "However, those evil spirits couldn''t see me and Slivka. I analyzed it a bit and could determine that the reason has something to do with the door." Upon hearing this, Jon''s eyes showed contemtion, recalling the church''s internal ounts on the killing mechanisms of evil spirits. Therefore, he made a judgment, "Because the door wasn''t open, the evil spirits and reality were not intersecting." Du Wei responded, "That is one reason, but I suspect that those evil spirits have been in existence for ten years, including that school. Once the door is opened, they wille out from the passage, so I filled the entire basement." "But before that, the door was locked. Clearly, someone knows about this. The church needs to look into this." Jon agreed, "Indeed we must investigate, but it''s fortunate that you''ve already sealed the basement. Otherwise, if someone opened the door, I can''t imagine what horror the evil spirits would unleash." "A school''s worth of evil spirits... Probably thousands would die..." When he said this, Jon''s tone was filled with helplessness. He clearly knew that if such a thing happened, the church would bepelled to dispatch hunters to resolve it and every hunter would have to be mobilized. Yet the church''s hunters were basically at their limits, hardly different from evil spirits themselves. In other words, it might make things worse. Hearing this, Du Wei also felt a bit oppressed inside. Although he had sealed both the door and the basement, in reality, those evil spirits were connected to the real world. Because there was also a strange bus. The school was one of its stops; evil spirits could ride the bus, although they had to return.@@novelbin@@ But sometimes, people would get on. The first time he caught the bus, a ck man lost his self-awareness and walked step by step into the school, obscured by the heavy rain, where only silhouettes were visible... Moreover, nine student evil spirits had been tricked into Massas City by him... The more Du Wei thought about it, the more he felt something was off. It seemed that from the beginning until now, the number of evil spirits holding grudges against him was increasing. Although he had resolved quite a few, it was an evil cycle. Like borrowing debt, although the debt could be repaid, the more he borrowed, the more it grew. "I can''t even remember how many evil spirits I''ve duped..." This sentence, Du Wei said to himself in his heart. He nned to record the encounters with the evil spirits once he got back to New York, as a reminder to himself that hidden dangers still existed. At that moment, Jon suddenly said, "By the way, Mr. Du Wei, Slivka will be staying in the hospital for a while, and the church will assign someone to take care of him. We''ll fly to Church Headquarters this afternoon." A flicker of indescribable color shed across Du Wei''s eyes, "I''m looking forward to it." Jon shook his head, "There might be some trouble, but someone there values you highly. By the way... Father Tony knows you''ve be a hunter too..." Speaking of this, Jon''s expression turned a bit peculiar, "And he humbled himself before Mrs. Senna to help you, plus the church''s always good opinion of you and your girlfriend, truly enviable rtionships..." Du Wei frowned and immediately took out his phone. He suddenly realized something, he hadn''t called Alex to check in today... Chapter 241 240, At the church 11 PMte at night. Du Wei and Jon''s flight gently touched down at the St. Bodia airport. When they had set off, it was just past three in the afternoon, it took them a full eight hours to reach the Church Headquarters. ¡­ The religious culture in St. Bodia was very intense. In thest century, when the Church had not yet declined, St. Bodia was entirely led by the Church, all power belonged to the Church, and this ce was a paradise for believers. But as the Church weakened, leadership no longer belonged to the Church, yet no one else took the opportunity to entertain other ideas. After all, for the decision-makers, the existence of the Church was very important. As long as its development was controble and stable, no one would fuss about it. At this moment. Outside the airport. All unrted individuals had already been evacuated, and the order at the scene was maintained by the Church''s members. Hundreds of clergy dressed in ck attire stood waiting outside the airport with umbres, with vehicles parked everywhere, the atmosphere solemn and somber. And in the waiting hall inside the airport. Dozens of bishops stood still, among them Mrs. Senna, Bishop Thompson. In front of them stood a dozen burly, stern-faced bodyguards. The bodyguards were dressed in gray suits, bearing silver breastpins on their chests, carved with an ancient castle. Clearly, it was the Wittebach family crest. And behind the bodyguards, there was a table.@@novelbin@@ Alex looked indifferently at the old man sitting opposite her, who was smiling affably, feeling very impatient inside. She really disliked dealing with people using her family''s status, especially with those of high standing. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have lived alone in New York all the time. The elderly man across from her took the initiative to speak, "Miss Alex, your father has already called me. I''m not sure how long you n to stay in St. Bodia, so we can make arrangements to wee you." Alex replied coolly, "Archbishop Skadi, I think you might not be clear about my purpose. I''m purely here to pick up my boyfriend. I couldn''t be bothered with anything else." The reason she rushed to St. Bodia ahead of Du Wei was to prevent anyone from harboring ill intentions towards him. After all, the Church could not be out of touch with modern society. As long as she was there, no one would dare to y any tricks. Archbishop Skadi replied amicably, "Exactly, your boyfriend is Mr. Du Wei. He is an exorcist greatly valued by the Church, and I also take great interest in him." Alex deliberately said, "Exorcist? As far as I know, my boyfriend is a hunter. Archbishop Skadi, it seems like you know too little." The smile on Archbishop Skadi''s face remained unchanged; of course, he was aware of Du Wei''s identity as a hunter. In fact, Jon''s call had been made to him, exining everything very clearly, including Alex''s visit to the Church Headquarters. So he quickly said, "Miss Alex, your boyfriend should have told you about his role as a hunter. The reason I still refer to him as an exorcist is that we do not intend to expose his hunter identity nor treat him in the way hunters are treated." Alex''s expression softened slightly. "That''s for the best. He is my future husband, the son-inw of the Wittebach family, so he and I will stay in St. Bodia for one day and will return to New York on time tomorrow." Archbishop Skadi said with a smile, "Then, on behalf of the Church, I wee both you and Mr. Du Wei." While they were talking. Some clergy members escorted Du Wei and Jon into the waiting hall. Alex''s eyes immediately lit up, and she stood and walked forward to greet him. Seeing this, Archbishop Skadi discreetly waved his hand to the others. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire At that moment, Mrs. Senna and Bishop Thompson approached with their group, each one with a look of goodwill on their face. Even those who disapproved of the situation had put on a smile. Soon, Du Wei spotted Alex running towards him, and with a quick nce at the others, he grasped the situation. He had spoken to Alex over the phone around 10 o''clock that morning; she had left earlier than him and her early arrival was not a surprise. But Alex didn''t think too much about it. She directly embraced Du Wei, while her other hand pinched his waist fiercely. Being angry was inevitable. In Du Wei''s ear, she whispered softly, "I''ve already solved the problem for you. If you try to hide anything from me again, I won''t help you anymore. Let you suffer on your own, do you understand?" Du Wei wrapped his arms around Alex''s slender waist and hummed softly in agreement. Although he was confident that even without Alex''s help, he wouldn''t have run into trouble, he never skimped on the gratitude he felt. So, he spoke gently, "Thank you, darling." He felt that after an incident like this, it would be unlikely for the church to have any conflicts with him again. Unless the existence of Evil Spirit Du Wei was uncovered by the church. But then, Archbishop Skadi and the others approached. Du Wei thought for a moment and then gently tapped Alex on the shoulder, "People are watching¡­" "They''re such a nuisance¡­" Alex muttered and reluctantly let go, yet didn''t release his hand. And this scene, when witnessed by the others, took on a different meaning. The women were okay, but the men regarded Du Wei withplex expressions. The Wittebach family was not just any small family, it was arge financial conglomerate with an ancient history. What incredible luck it must have been to win over the daughter of the Wittebach family. This was beyond being just a winner in life. It was like living in a dream. However, if they knew that Du Wei and Alex''s rtionship started because of the Antique Clock, it''s likely that no one would envy them. A cursed and mysterious Antique Clock, even for an Elite Exorcist, would be enough for a dozen deaths. Even for a hunter, facing the unleashing of a curse, the probability of survival would be pitifully small. Jon coughed slightly and walked up to Archbishop Skadi, showing respect with a bow. Then, he turned to Du Wei and said, "This is Archbishop Skadi who is basically in charge of church internal affairs." Du Wei nodded, "Hello, I''m the Exorcist Du Wei responsible for the Evil Spirit incident in New York. I''m very pleased to meet you." Archbishop Skadi smiled kindly, "Hello, I have always been interested in you; I must say, you''re one of the most outstanding young men I''ve ever met." Du Wei smiled faintly, such words were good to hear, but not necessarily to be believed. At that time, Archbishop Skadi hesitated for a moment and then said to Du Wei, "The church has some ns for your future. If it''s convenient for you, I hope the two of us can have a chat." "Oh, not now, of course. After all, you''re with Miss Alex at the moment. How about tomorrow? Then I can also introduce you to your predecessors." Du Wei nodded and said, "Of course, that would be fine." Chapter 242 241. Deputy Director of the Tribunal Half past midnight. Du Wei and Alex had settled on the top floor of the five-star hotel in St. Bodia. The Church, to show its importance to Alex, had specially arranged the presidential suite. In the room. After taking a shower, Du Wei looked at Alex lying on the bed in silence, feeling a bit apprehensive. He cleared his throat, surveying the luxurious d¨¦cor of the room, and feigned calm as he said, "It looks like I''m basking in your glory, a presidential suite in a five-star hotel, easily tens of thousands for one night." Alex snorted coldly and turned her head away without paying him any attention. Seeing this, Du Wei didn''t feel awkward. He climbed straight into bed and wrapped his arms around Alex. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire "Darling, are you still mad at me?" It was his first time in a rtionship, but he wasn''tpletely clueless. Alex, however, turned her head and said indifferently, "Why would I still be mad at you? After all, the issue has been resolved, right?" Du Wei''s eyebrows raised, and he quickly said, "If you''re unhappy, just tell me, and I will definitely correct myself." His will to survive was very strong. Yet this upset Alex. She turned her head, biting her teeth and said, "You''ll correct yourself?" Du Wei earnestly replied, "Of course..." Alexughed out of irritation. She flipped over to pin Du Wei down, hands on the bed, looking down from above and said, "You''re really annoying... I really want to scold you, but I''m afraid you''ll get mad." Du Wei looked into Alex''s azure eyes, noting his girlfriend''splex emotions¡ªdissatisfaction, concern, and even a hint of resentment. "It seems you''re not mad." "How else could I be mad? Do I seem like someone who gets mad easily?" Alex rolled her eyes and went straight in for a kiss. Sensation was instantly awakened. Du Wei only felt the moistness before he involuntarily responded. His hands gradually moved from Alex''s slender waist, one caressing her smooth back, the other roaming downwards. Alex''s breathing grew a bit rapid, and in her azure eyes, a mist began to form. She leaned down, changing position to cling tightly against Du Wei. "Hiss..." As soon as Alex made contact with Du Wei, he turned pale, involuntarily inhaling sharply, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Baby, what''s wrong? Did I hurt you? But I didn''t even do anything..." Alex was terrified, quickly getting up from Du Wei, her eyes filled with anxiety. But Du Wei just shook his head, pressing on his lower back. It was sore to touch... "I must have twisted my back when dealing with Mary Shaw. I didn''t feel it before because I was tense, but now that I''ve rxed, it''s starting to hurt." "Can''t you be a little more careful?" Alexined, then instructed, "Lie down properly, I''ll massage it for you." Du Wei didn''t refuse and obedientlyy on the bed. Soon, Alex''s soft hands were gently massaging his waist. As she massaged, she revealed her feelings, "Actually, I''m still a bit angry, but I also know that what you''re doing is right, which really... really frustrates me. I hope you don''t have to work so hard, and don''t always deal with Evil Spirit incidents." "The safety of others has nothing to do with me, but as long as you are safe and sound, I feel quite content..." "Mm..." ... The next day. St. Bodia Cathedral, Church Headquarters.@@novelbin@@ The grand doors were tightly closed, the interiorvishly decorated with gold and splendor, surrounded by four medium-sized cathedrals. The angelic reliefs on those walls, as well as some inscriptions from the Bible, reflected the church''s weighty history. Inside thergest cathedral. The ancient pipe organ yed a gentle hymn. Archbishop Skadi presided over the meeting, standing in front of the pipe organ, holding a Bible in his hands. After making the sign of the cross over his chest, he looked down. Beneath him sat no more than six people. Du Wei, Jon, Mrs. Senna, Thompson, and two cardinals dressed in red, both of whom were quite aged and Archbishop Skadi''s aides. These two were expressionless and had not spoken since they arrived. At this moment. Archbishop Skadi smiled at Du Wei and said, "Mr. Du Wei, you handled the Evil Spirit incident in Yard City quite well, without causing any more deaths than there already were." Du Wei feigned restraint, "As an Exorcist, it is my duty." Archbishop Skadi waved his hand and said, "Duty is duty, but your merits will not be lumped together by the church." In addition, he said, "Regarding your hunter status, we currently n to keep it confidential since your Evil Spirit Transformation had issues; the abilities you were supposed to have mysteriously disappeared, which is for your protection." Du Wei nodded in agreement. Then, he raised a question, "But the dangers of Evil Spirit Transformation still exist. How should I resolve this? Or does the church have a way to help me resolve it?" This question hit the mark... Archbishop Skadi gazed deeply at Du Wei and slowly said, "The church has recently researched some things, of course, they are of an experimental nature. The hunters like Alvin have already started using them, and you will also get your share." "The church believes that your potential is greater, um... to put it bluntly, your girlfriend is very wealthy, and besides enjoying the benefits of the church, you''ve also fulfilled your responsibilities, so we will not be too harsh on you. You will also receive the corresponding rights of a hunter, such as ess to some important information." "However, we need to make sure your mental state remains as stable as it is now, so it would be best if you report back to the church every week." "Additionally, you will be assigned to the Tribunal, specifically responsible for handling someplex Evil Spirit incidents." Upon hearing this, Du Wei thought for a moment and then replied, "I have no objections." Archbishop Skadi smiled warmly, and then turned to Mrs. Senna, saying, "The matter of the Tribunal will, for the time being, be known only to us here. We''ll announce its official reinstatement after the right person is chosen." Mrs. Senna''s voice was somewhat hoarse, and she bowed, saying, "Rest assured, but I think we should give Du Wei an appropriate position." Aside. A flicker of peculiarity crossed Du Wei''s eyes. Jon had previously told him about the matter between Father Tony and Mrs. Senna, and having synchronized memories with the Evil Spirit, Du Wei knew even more. It now seemed that there were quite a few within the church who bore him goodwill. Father Tony was one, Mrs. Senna was another, and Bishop Thompson also did not seem to harbor any ill feelings toward him. Plus, there were James and the others... Archbishop Skadi, upon hearing Mrs. Senna''s words, remained impassive and spoke lightly, "As for the position, I''ve actually thought about it. I was hoping to offer Mr. Du Wei the position of bishop, but since he is now with the Tribunal, he can take on the role of Deputy Director." Mrs. Senna nodded and said nothing. All the while, she never nced at Du Wei, as if she didn''t care at all about her old lover''s friend. Chapter 243 242. Jamess Destination... "Congrattions, Mr. Du Wei, from now on, not only are you the Exorcist responsible for the Evil Spirit incidents in New York, but you are also the Deputy Director of the Church Tribunal. It is an honor, but also a responsibility." In the council, after Archbishop Skadi finished his announcement, the others exchanged nces, indicating no objections. For Du Wei, this was both good and bad news. From the outset of his involvement in Evil Spirit Transformation, he had no intention of getting too close to the church, but things went contrary to his wishes. As he encountered more and more Evil Spirits, he inadvertently became more involved with the church''s inner workings, and his position ascended rapidly. Just like Father Tony once said, he felt Du Wei would be the youngest Archbishop in the history of the church. Although he had not reached that step yet, the position of Deputy Director of the Tribunal was not far off. "Cough, cough..." Archbishop Skadi looked at everyone present, cleared his throat, and said, "The meeting is now adjourned. Also, Mr. Du Wei, pleasee with me, Mr. Alvin Dowqui wishes to see you." Du Wei stood up and said, "All right." The others cast peculiar nces at Du Wei, but they said nothing more and turned to leave the church. Du Wei was keenly aware of this, but he did not ask. After all, since the other party wanted to see him, he would naturally find out what it was about upon meeting. ... Ten minutester. The two arrived in the underground of the cathedral. Perhaps because it was once part of Dusk Bell Church, the church also preferred to hollow out the ground. Many important matters were handled underground. However, the church had a longer history than Dusk Bell, and therefore, the underground walls were all built with stone bricks, making the temperature slightly lower and feeling somewhat chilly. Along the way. Apart from some stern-looking clergy moving hastily, he saw nothing else. Moreover, even when these clergy saw Archbishop Skadi, they only nodded slightly, not very respectfully. "They are clergy in charge of the Hunters and are not under my jurisdiction," Skadi exined kindly upon noticing Du Wei''s puzzlement. This only piqued Du Wei''s curiosity even more, "You''re responsible for all church matters, but they''re not under your control? Does that mean they are managed by the Hunters?" Skadi whispered, "There are others inside the church besides me; many powers are shared. However, you don''t need to concern yourself with those things, because we will keep the Hunters separate." These words were quite direct, seemingly showing a disdainful attitude toward the Hunters, yet in reality, it was a special favor. Being kept out of the internal factions also meant that the Hunters'' status was higher than one might think. Without involving themselves in power struggles, there were fewer messy issues. Du Wei was quite satisfied with this and hence changed the subject to ask about something that concerned him, "By the way, I have a few friends in the church. I heard they went to Massas City. How are they doing?" He was referring to James and others... James had issues with his Evil Spirit Transformation as well, having been influenced by Evil Spirit Du Wei. Strictly speaking, his Evil Spirit Transformation was an imitation of Evil Spirit Du Wei. And, with the synchronization of memories, Du Wei knew that Evil Spirit Du Wei could control James''s Evil Spirit Transformation. Through those eyes, it could contact the outside world in another way. It was like a ticking bomb, bound to explode sooner orter! Skadi was unaware of Du Wei''s intent, and after a moment of thought, he said, "Oh, James? I know him. He''s a Hunter now, but he lost an arm and is currently recuperating." Du Wei managed to disy a surprised expression at the right time, "He also turned into a Hunter... This... May the Lord bless him." Pleased with this response, Skadi said, "It''s rare for a Hunter to maintain concern for friends, but you needn''t worry too much about James. The church has aplete n for his future development." A jolt went through Du Wei''s heart, prompting him to quickly ask, "What do you mean by n? Will he be incorporated into the Tribunal?" If James were to join the Tribunal, Du Wei would be able to interact with him, and perhaps he could attempt to sever the connection between Evil Spirit Du Wei and him. At the very least, he could keep the situation under his own control. Archbishop Skadi, however, was profoundly superstitious about this matter, "The arrangements concerning him are secrets within secrets in the church." It was obvious he had no intention of continuing the conversation. At that moment, the two of them had just arrived at the doorway of an underground room. The door was made of steel and had a relief of a cross on its surface, engraved with sacred symbols. "Mr. Alvin, the person you wanted to meet has been brought here," Skadi said. Archbishop Skadi gestured for Du Wei to be silent and knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock... The sound was muffled. After a while, the door opened with a whoosh. In an instant. The temperature around plummeted, and a cold, gloomy breath emanated from behind the door. Then, Du Wei saw an old man about seventy years old, with white hair and some baldness,e to the door. His skin was full of wrinkles, and age spots were clearly visible. What was most striking were his eyes, bleak and lifeless, devoid of any emotion. Through a hunter''s instinct, Du Wei immediately identified the old man''s identity¡ªAlvin Dowqui. A hunter who had lived from thest century to the present day. Alvin Dowqui, with his eyelids drooping, pointed at Du Wei and said, "Youe in with me, everyone else stays outside, close your ears..." Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire Archbishop Skadi sighed helplessly, took a few steps back, and indeed covered his ears, not daring to listen. Seeing this, Du Wei felt even more solemn; this hunter gave him the feeling of being hardly different from an Evil Spirit. In fact, he seemed far more terrifying than the shadowy type of Evil Spirit. Most importantly, before undergoing aplete Evil Spirit transformation, his memory and wisdom had not faded. He was very much like an Evil Spirit Du Wei but was much weaker than an Evil Spirit Du Wei. Seeing Du Wei on his guard, Alvin Dowqui said coldly, "You don''t need to be afraid of me. Moreover, I''ve known about your existence for a long time now." At those words, Du Wei responded softly, "I''m honored." He then walked into the room. The next second, the steel door shut heavily. It looked rather like the control an Evil Spirit might exert over a door, akin to a psychological counseling clinic. After entering, Du Wei took a brief look at the room''s interior. To his surprise, there was only one bed in the room, which, aside from that, was filled with all sorts of books.@@novelbin@@ After entering the room, Alvin Dowqui casually sat on the books scattered on the floor and waved Du Wei over, saying, "Please, take a seat." While saying this, he took out an ebony cross from his pocket and threw it over. "This is something created within the church to deal with the risk of Evil Spirit transformation, but for an old bone like me, it''s of little use anymore." Du Wei caught the ebony cross and said thanks. But at that moment, Alvin Dowqui said coldly, "I know many of your secrets. You have an acquaintance who is an exorcist named James. He became a hunter in Massas City. Do you want to know what will be of him?" A chill ran through Du Wei, but he replied indifferently, "Since you ask, you must be nning to tell me." Alvin Dowqui nodded, "James is going to join Dusk Bell. He will be an undercover agent for the church, or rather, the one to nudge Dusk Bell back on course." "But I know you''ve been to Massas City before, and you even killed a hunter from Dusk Bell." Chapter 244 Im about to die... In the room, Du Wei listened as Alvin Dowqui revealed that he had once killed a hunter of the Dusk Bell Church, his heart was very calm. But his face showed panic and shock. Even his eyes carried a thick sense of bewilderment. "Mr. Alvin, what do you mean? I don''t recall ever going to Massas City¡­" His slightly flustered words, along with that expression, made it obvious to any discerning person that he was lying. Alvin Dowqui just snorted coldly and said grimly, "You don''t need to pretend, in front of me you have no secrets, but I have been keeping this secret for you. Do you know why?" Of course, Du Wei knew. And his so-called disguise was intentional. Someone who tries to hide their inner secrets, yet is easily seen through due to poor acting, often appears to be the weaker party in the eyes of most people. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire Thus, his eyes flickered with struggle, sweat on his forehead, he tried to calm himself, and then spoke with difficulty, "Mr. Alvin, I... I don''t know how to answer you... I thought nobody would know about this." Alvin Dowqui''s eyelids drooped, seemingly exhausted: "Everyone has secrets, you don''t need to dwell on it. Besides, I don''t think there is anything wrong with you killing the Dusk Bell''s hunter." As he spoke, he sighed with aplex tone: "My grandfather was Andrew Dowqui, and I am very grateful that you found the cause of his death." Very awkward¡­ The human skin of Andrew Dowqui had been burned to ashes by Du Wei¡­ Of course, Alvin was not aware of this. Du Wei also sighed, "I didn''t expect you to be a descendent of Mr. Andrew, I express my sincere gratitude for the help given to your grandfather." The words were heartfelt. In fact, if it weren''t for seeing Andrew Dowqui''s diary on his first bus ride and learning the rule that not getting off the bus before 12 o''clock would result in death, he might have fallen victim already. However, this did not mean that Du Wei felt any affinity towards Alvin Dowqui. Because he knew, for hunters, especially those on the brink of Evil Spirit Transformation, there was no humanity to speak of. Gratitude, reminiscence? All emotions were unable to shake the coldness in spirit and psyche. Meanwhile, Alvin Dowqui, while speaking, was also observing Du Wei''s performance. He had once suspected Du Wei was connected to the Dusk Bell Church. And still did so now. All his words were just probing, nothing more. After a while. Alvin Dowqui coughed and said, "Let''s change the subject, young man, what is your opinion of the church?" As he spoke, he was flipping through a book from time to time, his posture no different from an elderly person. Du Wei timely showed a respectful look. After thinking for a while, he said, "I don''t know much about the church, but in my view, the church is a sacred organization, and every exorcist who has died fighting Evil Spirits is very respectable." The words were eloquent. Alvin Dowqui could only follow his lead, "The church is indeed a sacred organization, but it has weakened now. Since the split of the Dusk Bell and the growing problem with the hunters, the church is not what it used to be." With that, he gestured with his eyes towards the door: "No one will know about our conversation, of course, you must also keep it secret." Du Wei feigned surprise as he asked, "Mr. Alvin, hasn''t the church''s attitude towards hunters changed already?" The other party sneered, "That''s just what you think." "Although the church has lost many exorcists, in the past there was basically someone who entered the Third Phase of Spirit Vision every now and then, about one hunter appearing every five or six years, but do you know why there are always only five hunters in the church?" Du Wei shook his head, indicating confusion. Alvin Dowqui scoffed, "Because they all joined Dusk Bell," "For hunters, the Dusk Bell Church is the best choice; there, the research on Evil Spirit Transformation is very profound." "Actually, I have a friend who is also in the Dusk Bell Church." As he said this, he suddenly stood up, stared at Du Wei, and asked, "If I asked you to join Dusk Bell, what would you choose to do?" Du Wei shook his head and said, "It sounds very tempting, but if I may speak frankly, Mr. Alvin, I have no necessity to join Dusk Bell because I can''t exin it to my girlfriend." Alvin Dowqui sighed with regret, "Indeed, you are different from us; you joined the church mid-way, you have your own rtionships." "Let''s make a deal then, Mr. Du Wei. I can tell you how to regain the hunter''s abilities, and in return, you need to pass on some messages for me after contacting people from Dusk Bell." Du Wei asked with uncertainty, "But I don''t know anyone from Dusk Bell, I''m actuallypletely ignorant about this organization, how should I make contact with them?" Alvin Dowqui waved his hand, "When you be a hunter, the people from Dusk Bell will already be on their way to find you." Du Wei asked meaningfully, "Are there people from Dusk Bell inside the church?" Alvin Dowqui answered, "Correct, but we also have not a few people in Dusk Bell; we just need more undercover operatives. I was hoping you could be one of the operatives, but now it seems I will respect your decision." Du Wei expressed his gratitude, "Then what message would you like me to convey?"@@novelbin@@ The other party smiled mysteriously, "Tell them that I''m about to die..." Those words instantly made the atmosphere turn tense. Alvin Dowqui stared intently at Du Wei, whose face changed dramatically as he said uneasily, "I can''t tell the people from Dusk Bell that; it will definitely cause big trouble." "No need to worry, I n to meet with an old friend from Dusk Bell before I die, and incidentally take them with me to the grave. You wouldn''t refuse a dying old man''sst request, right?" ... 11 a.m. Du Wei left Alvin Dowqui''s room. Outside, Archbishop Skadi was covering his ears, waiting in a ratherical posture. Seeing Du Weie out, he hurriedly lowered his hands and coughed, saying, "Have you finished talking?" Du Wei replied with a somewhat strange tone, "Yes." Everything that should be and shouldn''t be discussed, had been discussed. And now, he also knew what to do to restore his hunter''s abilities. Experience the pain of Evil Spirit Transformation once more, endure the erosion of will. As for Alvin Dowqui''s request, Du Wei naturally agreed, only he didn''t think that the other party was really about to die. Everyone lies, just as everyone has their own secrets. Moreover, he sensed some kind of calction in Alvin Dowqui''s words¡­ Although he didn''t know what the other party was scheming, it was like acting in a y, and Du Wei was willing to y a supporting role, for the time being. Chapter 246 245. More dangerous evil spirits... "More... more dangerous Evil Spirits?" Mrs. Senna looked at Du Wei with a surprised gaze, suspecting there might be a problem with her ears. Otherwise, how could she hear such... insane words? "Please allow me to interrupt, Mr. Du Wei, although you are now a hunter, I need to tell you, your mindset is very problematic, more dangerous means a higher chance of death." "Evil Spirits are not your domestic pets, you could really die." Hearing this, Du Wei was somewhat embarrassed, he actually didn''t want to deal with dangerous Evil Spirits, but unfortunately, he had no choice. Since he had embarked on this path, there was no opportunity to turn back or stop. Either keep moving forward to resolve the Evil Spirits Du Wei, or die the next time it appears. Moreover, now that he had put on the mask of the Du Wei Evil Spirit, he could use some of its abilities. Du Wei called this borrowing debt... And since he had borrowed, he might as well make full use of it. "Mrs. Senna, please don''t worry about me, I am quite clear about what I need to do, and I just want to know the information about the Evil Spirit, I''m not necessarily going to deal with it." He saw hesitation in Mrs. Senna''s eyes and immediately analyzed that she definitely knew about the more terrifying Mirror Evil Spirit. This was a good opportunity... Mrs. Senna sighed and replied, "Alright, I have no ties with you, and no obligation to prevent you from doing what you want to do." "In the abandoned old industrial district of Scolyn City, there is a workshop that specializes in making mirrors, which in thest century was a very prosperous district, but now it has beenpletely phased out." "I remember five years ago, there was news of an Evil Spirit there, and after a team of Elite Exorcists went there, they never came out of the old district again." "Afterward, the Church sent a hunter to investigate, and he lost an arm. Since then, the Church negotiated with the local authorities topletely seal off the district and forbid anyone from entering it." "But I really do not rmend you go there because you are only a new hunter." After saying this, Mrs. Senna seemed to feel that her tone was a bit off, and she waved her hand, "I have already told you everything that I know. If you decide to go, it''s best to report to the Church, otherwise, if anything happens, no one will be able to help you." Du Wei knew Mrs. Senna had shared so much with him not only because he was a hunter, but also because of the rtionship with Father Tony. Therefore, he expressed his gratitude sincerely, "Thank you for the reminder." Mrs. Senna snorted, "I don''t have much to remind you, if you really want to thank me, just remember to pass a message to Father Tony when you go back, tell him not to forget what he said." Du Wei was somewhat puzzled, "Don''t you have contact with Father Tony? Wouldn''t it be better to say it over the phone?" Mrs. Senna looked deeply at him and said, "Young man, you would not understand, some things are not suitable for me to tell him personally, that will be all for now. As forpensating your belongings, I will carefully select them and mail them to the Church, Father Tony will pass them on to you." Du Wei nodded, "That would be fine." ... At ten in the afternoon.@@novelbin@@ Du Wei and Alex boarded a ne and left St. Bodia. The entire cabin had only the two of them. Seeing this, he curiously asked her, "Where are your bodyguards? Why don''t I see them?" Alex leanedzily on his shoulder, sitting next to Du Wei, and said carelessly, "They are my father''s men, they took another ne to leave, and besides, I don''t like it when there are other people acting as third wheels while we are together." Du Wei raised an eyebrow; he noticed his girlfriend had said they booked another ne... Involuntarily, he sighed with aplex tone, "Being rich is really nice..." Upon hearing this, Alex burst intoughter and rolled her eyes at him, "Wait until we get married, what''s mine will be yours, and you can spend it however you want." Du Wei said awkwardly, "I''m not really good at spending money." Alex pouted and said, "Baby, do you realize you''re pretty good at awkward conversation? This is where you should say, I''m also yours, get it?" As she spoke, she teasingly blew into Du Wei''s ear, the ticklish sensation making one feel a bit restless. Although Du Wei was very intimate with Alex, he still wasn''t quite used to this kind of romantic interaction between lovers. So, he tried to say calmly, "Right, when I was dealing with the Evil Spirit incident in Yard City, your Cayenne was also burned in the fire, but the church sent me quite a bit of money, so I''m nning to buy you a new one." Alex was surprised, "Baby, even though we have plenty of cars, isn''t the cost of your exorcisms a bit too high? It was fine when your Subaru got burnedst time, but now another car has been burned. Are you sure you''re really performing exorcisms and not just going out and setting fires on purpose?" Du Wei was helpless, "All I can tell you is that it was a coincidence." Alex was also helpless, "Alright, but don''t buy me a car; I really don''t need one, and it''s too expensive. You might as well give me something else..." Although she liked and enjoyed receiving gifts from her boyfriend, she really couldn''t bear to see him spend too much. To Alex, Du Wei was her first boyfriend, and he was definitely going to be the only one. Being considerate of her boyfriend fit perfectly with her principles. After pondering for a moment, Du Wei said, "Then I''ll n something and prepare a surprise for you." Although he said this, he didn''t have the slightest intention of being perfunctory in his heart. His girlfriend didn''t want him to spend too much, but he couldn''t really just prepare a cheap gift. Hmm... The gift should be something practical. He thought to himself: 999 lipsticks sounds good, practical and romantic. Right, and I heard lipsticks have shades, too? Looks like I need to choose carefully. ... Meanwhile, Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire At St. Bodia Cathedral, Two Cardinals who had been silent during the council meeting were all ears in front of Archbishop Skadi. "Our Deputy Chief Judge has left. Have you found anything?" Archbishop Skadi was expressionless, without a trace of the amiability he had when dealing with Du Wei. One of the Cardinals said gravely, "What we can confirm for now is that he is indeed a hunter, and he seems to have lost his hunter''s abilities. As for his past records, we can''t find any for the time being." Archbishop Skadi frowned, "Can''t find any?" The other answered, "It''s not that we can''t find any, it''s just that his past is very simple, with no problems to be found. He is from the East and settled down aftering to New York." "Moreover, he became an Exorcist because he was identally targeted by an Evil Spirit." "As you know, there was a period in New York where no Exorcists were present; he had no choice but to save himself, and he even became cursed by it..." Archbishop Skadi nodded slightly and said, "It''s a critical time now, and we allow the existence of certain people and his entrance into the higher echelons of the church, but that''s as far as it goes." "Seal off all rted information." Someone was puzzled and asked, "Aren''t we going to continue the investigation? You did offer him the position of Deputy Chief Judge." Archbishop Skadi said helplessly, "His girlfriend''s family is too wealthy. Continuing the investigation is pointless. Even if he belongs to some other power, we''ll have to turn him into someone from the church." Chapter 247 246, The God of the Red Light District In the evening of that day. Du Wei returned to Alex''s house. After spending some time with his girlfriend, he received a call from Officer Tom. Basically, Tom was currently with Father Tony and wanted to meet Du Wei at a restaurant. It was a routine social engagement, but there were also some matters concerning the Horror House to discuss. Although Alex wasn''t too fond of Tom, she was sensible enough to let Du Wei attend to his businesses first, especially since she was still looking forward to the surprise her boyfriend had prepared for her. A woman''s thoughts can be so simple. As for Du Wei, he hadn''t nned on staying overnight at Alex''s ce anyway since his backpack contained an Evil Spirit¡ªPennywise. If Pennywise caused trouble at night and scared his girlfriend, that would be terrible. Moreover, he couldn''t neglect his consultation clinic duties; ck Shadow, Annabelle, and the Antique Clock had been alone at home for two days now. If he dyed any longer, something unforeseeable might happen. So. Du Wei drove away from the Furman District in the McLaren GT that Alex had given him. ... About ten minutester. At the entrance of a high-end restaurant in the North Brook District, Du Wei parked his car and left both the ck Umbre and his backpack inside. As soon as he got out, a waiter warmly greeted him, "Sir, do you have a reservation?" Du Wei said indifferently, "My friend is already waiting for me inside, his name is Tom." The waiter nodded promptly, "Of course, sir, please follow me." Soon, the waiter led Du Wei to a corner of the restaurant, where Father Tony and Officer Tom had already been sitting for a while. Upon seeing Du Wei arrive, Tom stood up to greet him, lifting an eyebrow, "Hey, my good brother, you''ll never guess how explosive the life Father Tony and I had yesterday was!" Father Tony said awkwardly, "Please don''t mind him, we didn''t do anything, we just looked into some matters about the Horror House." Du Wei was somewhat surprised. He found the attitudes of the two men odd, somewhat secretive, which seemed very abnormal. Tom was still okay considering his life was exceedingly dull, limited to the police station, home, and the Red Light District. But Father Tony acting all secretive was very unusual. Wait a minute¡­.. Tom had mentioned before about taking Father Tony out to have fun¡­ Could he have actually taken Father Tony to the Red Light District? Thinking of this, Du Wei''s face darkened. Father Tony was sixty this year; if he hadn''t been in the clergy, he would have been enjoying retirement already. Seeing the exhausted expression on Father Tony''s face, Du Wei became even more convinced of his thoughts. So, Du Wei just sighed and turned to Father Tony, speaking earnestly, "Mrs. Senna asked me to remind you, please remember the words you said to her." "Also, you are getting older, and your body really can''t handle much." Father Tony''s face flushed, and he stammered, "I... I will, Mr. Du Wei." Tom, however, dismissed Du Wei''s words with disdain, "I think you''re wrong," He shrugged smugly. "After you called me yesterday morning, I did some reflection, read a lot of philosophy books, and finally came to a great conclusion," Tom said. Du Wei asked with trepidation, "What conclusion?" Tom raised a finger, pointing at himself, "A person spends at least 40 percent of their life sleeping, 20 years wasted in school, and after graduation, time is wasted at work." "Everyone''s life is quite bitter, so we have to pursue happiness." "Father Tony''s life is not a happy one. As his friend, it''s my duty to make him feel joy," Tom thenined to Du Wei, "And you too. Ever since I met you, if you''re not dealing with an Evil Spirit, you''re on your way to deal with one. Your life is too dull." Truth be told. Discover hidden stories at My Virtual Library Empire As a friend, Tom could clearly feel that not once had Du Wei truly smiled from his heart¡ªthis man seemed to have a lot of things weighing on him. It even felt like they were suffocating him. Tom thought Du Wei should learn from him. What''s the point of living if you''re always stone-faced, like a wooden block? "Good buddy, the Red Light District is much more wonderful than you think. Juste with me and Father Tony once, and I guarantee you''ll fall in love with the ce." "The three of us teamed up, we''d be gods of the Red Light District!" Upon hearing this. With a darkened face, Du Wei said, "Thanks, but I''m not interested in the Red Light District." After he spoke, he added, "And didn''t you look totally dejected just yesterday morning? How did you bounce back in a single day?" Tomughed proudly, "You''re wrong. The day is long. How could I possibly waste it? From yesterday during the day till this afternoon, Father Tony and I have been partying for a full day and night." Father Tony''s face turned even redder, "Mr. Du Wei, please don''t tell Mrs. Senna, or she will definitely give me trouble." This... Du Wei didn''t know what to say. Tom was his friend, and it was good that he could shake off the unhappiness caused by Allen''s death. But was this way of doing it a bit strange? Most importantly, after partying for a whole day and night, Tom showed no signs of fatigue at all. Damn... that''s impressive!@@novelbin@@ Rarely, Du Wei cursed in his heart. Then, he quickly changed the subject, "Let''s talk about the Horror House..." As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere immediately became serious. Tom coughed and spoke earnestly, "Here''s what happened: after we left the Horror House on that rainy day, something went wrong. The surveince camera caught the Horror House disappearing in the rain, leaving a huge hole in the ground." "We can''t locate the Horror House now. It could appear anywhere." With a cool nce, Du Wei said, "It ran away that quickly..." Father Tony also chimed in, "Yes, I''ve already informed the church about it. We''ll have to wait for the church to find out more." Father Tony hesitated before continuing, "Also, about the satanic symbol you found on the roof of the Horror Housest time, the church has forbidden us to investigate further." Du Wei frowned, "Why?" Nobody had mentioned this to him while he was in St. Bodia. Father Tony shook his head, "It might be rted to some mysterious organization. Anyway, it''s very troublesome, and the church would rather not get involved." Du Wei asked with puzzlement, "Could it be more troublesome than Dusk Bell or the Veda Sect?" These two were, one a Hunter Organization and the other a thorough Cult. Father Tony replied, "Moreplicated than either of the two you mentioned. This organization was activest century. There has been no news this century, as if they never existed." A flicker of indescribable emotion crossed Du Wei''s eyes. The owner of the Horror House was never seen in the end. Officer Tom couldn''t find any information, and it was even uncertain if this person ever existed. Could it be understood that the entire Horror House was created by this mysterious organization? Du Wei was very troubled as he asked once more, "What is the name of this organization?" Father Tony uttered four words, "The Vanity Sect." "In the records of thest century, their members were all very enigmatic, and the number was very small, always maintained at thirteen. No one knew whether they were male or female." "Because they always wore masks..." Chapter 248 247, If the Shadow Could Talk 13 is a number steeped in superstition in the West, criticized and avoided whether it is a date or just a number. The Vanity Sect spoken of by Father Tony was based on 13 members, and each one wore a mask, a sight as bizarre as any. It appeared this sect was in opposition to the Church. It also seemed to lurk in the shadows, observing the world as outsiders. Clearly, the Vanity Sect had its own agenda. Du Wei couldn''t help but think to himself: Vanity is a longing¡ªfor knowledge, identity, status, money¡ªmaintaining self-esteem at a psychological level through falsehood to find fulfillment. A mask is a rigid, false self. The longer the mask of vanity is worn, the more reliant one bes, and to remove it would mean deep pain. The characteristic of the Vanity Sect''s people, then, was their masks... And he himself had precisely two masks, one that covered only the eye area and the other thatcked facial features. "Could there be a connection?" Du Wei silently asked himself. Meanwhile, Tom nearby revealed a very strange smile. He even couldn''t help but let out augh. Seeing this, Du Wei and Father Tony couldn''t help but ask, "What are youughing at?" Tom chuckled and said, "Last time I was on duty in the Ondo Area, thedies in the Red Light District liked to wear masks during their performances." "These people from the Vanity Sect also like to wear masks, tsk tsk, sounds pretty chaotic..." Hearing this, Du Wei looked at Tom expressionlessly. And Father Tony was bbergasted, "Officer Tom, you sure do know a lot." Tom said proudly, "Don''t worry, when I get the chance, I will definitely show you around." Du Wei was speechless: "You can go on your own." He didn''t want to continue the topic of the Vanity Sect anymore. After all, if the Church is relunctant to investigate further, it indicates that the Vanity Sect could cause significant trouble. He had no motive toe into contact with them; it was better to stay out of it as much as possible. ... 8 p.m. Du Wei drove back to the psychological consulting clinic. Under the cover of night. The entire clinic was enveloped in darkness, exuding a sinister presence that made one instinctively want to stay away. Seeing this, Du Wei frowned. He was now carrying a bag on his back and holding a ck Umbre in his left hand. "Looks like none of you have run amok." More precisely, the Shadow and the Antique Clock hadn''t run amok; as for Annabelle, ever since losing a bet thest time, it hadn''t been able to leave the disy cab on its own initiative. After some thought. Du Wei reached into his pocket and pulled out the original mask. Once he put on that mask, he could temporarily use some of the powers of his Evil Spirit Transformation¡ªalbeit a weakened version... However, it should be enough to deal with the Shadow. Creak... Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire The door was pushed open. Within, darkness engulfed the space. Due to the continuous rain in New York over the past few days, the air inside was muggy and the temperature had dropped quite a bit. Therefore, he didn''t close the door, aiming instead to let some fresh air in. Whoosh... A cold breeze blew through. Under the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei scanned the area expressionlessly, his sight eventually stopping at the staircase. There, a pair of bloodshot eyes quietly stared at him from the darkness. Full of malice... On the wall, the antique clock remained unchanged, yet for some reason, it gave off a much more oppressive feeling. In the framed cab next to it, the Annabelle doll slowly turned its head and then fixed it in ce, motionless. However, Du Wei seemed not to hear, and after pressing the light switch, he walked to the sofa as if nothing was amiss, cing his backpack on the coffee table. He unzipped the backpack. A red balloon came into view, its red color striking, as if it was covered with ayer of fresh blood. Within the balloon, faintly visible was the contour of a clown. But it looked as if it had leaked some air, the whole balloon a size smaller than before. "I wonder when you''ll return to your normal size," he said indifferently and then reached out his right hand to take it out. The moment the balloon was exposed to the air... Bang! The door to the therapist''s office mmed shut, a profoundly oppressive and cold aura spreading instantly; the shadows in the corners seemed toe alive and began spreading wildly. A dark shadow appeared behind the sofa. Its eyes, filled with blood vessels, fixed intently on Du Wei; it seemed to sense an opportunity and reached out to grab Du Wei''s head. ording to the dark shadow''s habit of killing, if it got the head, it would twist it right off. But suddenly, a hand grabbed the shadow fiercely. Turning his head, Du Wei slowly put on the mask, a spine-chilling presence quietly emerging. The mask''s surface was full of cracks, yet it seemed very sturdy, not as if it might shatter at any moment as before. In the eyes of the mask, dark pupils were cold and sharp, without the slightest fluctuation of emotion. He rose from his seat with a graceful posture, looking down at the dark shadow, and spoke in an enigmatic tone, "Did you know? One of my creations, the Masked Evil Spirit, has been killed by another me." "The trump card representing the bet, the Joker Card, is being assimted by another me, too." "I''ve lost two trump cards." "So I''m thinking of creating another Masked Evil Spirit." "I think you''d be a good fit." His voice was indifferent, giving off the impression that he was not human, more like the Evil Spirit Du Wei. With the synchronization of memories and by donning the mask, borrowing the Evil Spirit Du Wei''s abilities, he had been influenced, to some extent. Of course, the influence was mutual, and the Evil Spirit Du Wei couldn''t avoid it either. And the dark shadow seemed to be frightened by Du Wei''s words, its eyes filled with blood vessels, trembling as it tried to break free. But it was useless. With his Evil Spirit Transformed right hand, he held it fast, and even though the resistance was strong, his grip remained firm. The next second, with his left hand, Du Wei waved, and another faceless mask creepily floated in the air, which he grabbed with one hand. Beside it, a sharp dagger also appeared quietly. "Let me give you a new face," he said.@@novelbin@@ As soon as the words fell, the shadow, sensing the approach of death, began to dissolve like melting water, tumbling downwards. Du Wei narrowed his eyes, a mysterious wave flickering briefly. And the shadow was frozen in ce. By this time, its entire body had dissolved, with most of it slipping onto the floor and melding into the shadows, while a part was gripped tightly by Du Wei, unable to escape. This was one of Evil Spirit Du Wei''s abilities; no matter whether it was a human or a ghost, it could be frozen in ce. The shadow trembled. With the other mask in hand, Du Wei slowly moved it over its face. If he could sessfully make the shadow wear the mask, he could cut off its face and fit it into the nk mask. The newly created Masked Evil Spirit would be even more powerful. Most importantly, it wouldn''t be annihted by a mere nce from Evil Spirit Du Wei. Chapter 249 248, really scary Within the psychological consulting clinic. The shadow was trying to fight against Du Wei, who had put on the mask. Its body, except for the head and the hand that was being grabbed, had already dissolved entirely into the shadows. If no miracle happened, there was nothing for it but death. And within the psychological consulting clinic. No miracles existed. The attitude disyed by the Antique Clock was such that it always stood by Du Wei''s side, regardless of whether its purposes were good or evil. And Annabelle was trapped within the disy cab,pletely powerless to resist. No Evil Spirit could help the shadow. The white mask edged closer and closer to the shadow''s face, and during this process, the Dagger too honed in on its target. If it weren''t for Du Wei feeling an inexplicable force resisting him, invisible to the naked eye, he would have already put the mask on the shadow''s face. With the abilities of Evil Spirit Du Wei, he was, rtively speaking, more than just a cut below. It was like ying a video game with a borrowed Gold Tier ount, never able to match up to the original ount holder. "It doesn''t matter much..." With a cold tone, Du Wei slowly said to the shadow, "Resistance is futile, our positions, from the moment I became a hunter, have been thoroughly reversed." By now, he had Pennywise that he could utilize, and although the shadow was very useful at times, it was not too controble. Moreover, it always wanted to kill him. Turning it into a controble Masked Evil Spirit was indeed the best solution. The shadow still didn''t give up, it continued to struggle, its entire head crazily stretching backwards like a snake, refusing to let Du Wei put the mask on it. This was making Du Wei a bit impatient. Most importantly, he found that the longer he wore the mask, the more he felt an addictive sensation, not wanting to take it off. He quickened the pace of putting the mask on the shadow. Click... The mask covered the shadow''s face, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. The next second. An anomaly urred. The part of the shadow''s body that had dissolved, as if severed, blended directly into the shadows and vanished without a trace. The only remaining part of it, the head, now wore the mask, eerily motionless. It was neither floating nor falling. It was as if its body was still there, just turned invisible. Du Wei looked at this scene and muttered to himself, "Did you abandon part of your body? Are you still alive, or have I failed?" "No, that''s not right, after putting on the mask, there''s no way I could fail." "With a head, with a face, I should be able to create a Masked Evil Spirit..." He shook his head, deciding to proceed. "Starting the mechanism..." Having said so, he gripped the Dagger in his Right Hand and slowly started slicing along the edges of the mask. The Dagger could harm the Evil Spirit, provided the Evil Spirit had no power to resist. In conjunction with the face-swapping mechanism, it was the natural nemesis of Evil Spirits. Seconds and minutes passed. Soon, Du Wei had sliced off the "face" of the shadow. Utterly nonsensical... Because in truth, the shadow had no concept of a face, it was just a vague contour with a pair of eyes, and nothing more. Du Wei held the mask in his left hand, and his Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand was holding a "face". With only eyes, the rest was all shadow. This face only existed in Spirit Vision; it was invisible to normal people. It was entirely different from the face that Du Wei cut off of the hunter in Massas City. Unique, and eerie... On the spot remained the upper body of the shadow, with its face cut off, yet seeming totally unaffected. Because apart from the eyes, it had no facial features... ... A few minutester. In the bathroom on the second floor. Du Wei, with his left hand, grasped the head of the shadowy figure wearing a mask, and with his right hand, pressed that "face" into the mirror. To give the Evil Spirit its own face back. This was the method to create the Masked Evil Spirit. Moreover, with the abilities of Evil Spirit Du Wei, he didn''t even need to find a hunter on the verge of bing an evil spirit to achieve this. The scene was extremely unsettling. Du Wei, wearing a mask, stood in front of a new mirror, holding a head with a mask in his hand, while the other hand pressed a "face" against the mirror. But then... To Du Wei''s surprise, nothing happened. No new Masked Evil Spirit was born. The "face" in the mirror clung tightly, reflecting the shadowy head that Du Wei held in his left hand. Watching this scene, Du Wei furrowed his brows. "Is it because the shadow has no physical body in the real sense, so the face swapping mechanism failed?" He thought to himself, but he was even more puzzled. The head of the shadow had been taken off by himself, and its "face" had been forcibly removed by him in this manner; if the face swapping mechanism couldn''t work, wouldn''t it mean that all his efforts were in vain? He calmed down and started to ponder silently. The shadow''s face had been removed, so by all means, he had met the preliminary condition for face swapping. So the issue must be with the shadow itself. It had given up its head but had not actually died. Which meant, he only obtained the Evil Spirit''s face, not the true Evil Spirit. Du Wei nced at the head he was holding in his left hand. In fact, what he was holding was the mask, because the shadow''s head was just a shadow, untouchable by anything except the Evil Spirit Transformed right hand. It was without substance. With this thought, Du Wei suddenly chuckled softly, "If I were the shadow, then I could swap faces for myself..." As the words fell, he directly donned the featureless mask on his own face. The head of the shadow ovepped with his own head. In an instant, Cold malice washed over Du Wei''s will like a tide. But other than feeling a bit chilly, he was unaffected. Thump thump thump... Thump thump thump... A mechanical and rhythmic knocking sounded, and the bathroom door was being rapped upon. A silhouette without a head stood outside the door; it mechanically knocked, its horrific aura growing stronger. Crack... The mirror in the bathroom, as if unable to bear this oppression, began to crack down the middle. Finally, with a loud bang,@@novelbin@@ Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire The shattered pieces of ss scattered everywhere, and the lightbulb in the bathroom also exploded. The floor was littered with ss shards. The knocking sound suddenly ceased. In his ce, Du Wei slowly removed the two masks from his face. First was the one without features, which now exhibited a peculiar change; where eyes should not be, they were burnt out like scalded by great fire, forming two hollow voids. Then there was the original mask. Smooth and clean. Du Wei noticed that the cracks that were originally there were slowly disappearing, and if the two masks were not inherently different, it would be easy to confuse one with the other. "It seems that as long as I use the powers of Evil Spirit Du Wei, the mask''s rate of repair will speed up." "Once the cracks disappearpletely, it is likely to reappear," he estimated. Du Wei took a deep breath and flung open the door of the bathroom. But his head seemed somewhat blurry, as if it had been shrouded in ayer of shadow... Chapter 250 249. Du Weis Shadow (Seeking Monthly Votes) Outside the restroom door. As soon as Du Wei opened the door, the scene that met his eyes made him halt in his tracks. The headless ck shadow stood just outside, its hand reaching upwards in a stiff posture, motionless as if searching for something. It looked as though it was seeking its head. "Are you looking for your head?" Du Wei watched it coolly, his voice exceptionally calm. Upon hearing the sound, the ck shadow immediately reached out to grab it. Du Wei frowned and put on the new mask without hesitation. This would be a good opportunity to test if the new mask retained the original abilities. The sensation was chilling. A tumultuous malice pounded incessantly in his mind, seemingly emanating from the head of the ck shadow. Unlike the prior Masked Evil Spirit, this new mask seemed somewhat uncontroble. The intense malice radiated from Du Wei in a circle. Wearing the new mask, he could see through the two hollows to the bloodshot pupils within. His aura underwent a dramatic change. He no longer resembled himself, Du Wei, but rather, the ck shadow. As he donned the mask, the antique clock hanging on the wall of the first floor paused abruptly then resumed ticking. The ck shadow seemed to have singled out Du Wei, hurling itself directly toward him. This puzzled Du Wei, as he could clearly feel that, upon wearing the mask, he was enveloped in an Evil Spirit''s shell, just like before, albeit more concealed. Yet the ck shadow appeared unaffected. Suddenly, an idea emerged in Du Wei''s mind; the ck shadow was a victim, he had removed its head and face, but it hadn''t died, only a part of it had entered the mask. In a way, this was somewhat akin to a Joker Card. "If you want your head, I''ll give it back to you," Du Wei thought, as his right hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, reached for the source of the chaotic malice at the back of his head, tearing out the ck shadow''s head. The ck shadow opposite him stiffened, immediately shifting its focus, its hands cradling its head to put it back in ce. However. Its eyes hadpletely vanished, or rather, its entire face had. The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward... Du Wei, with the mask and bloodshot eyes, stared intently at the ck shadow before him, which in turn, having lost its eyes, faced Du Wei with a nk gaze. After a moment of hesitation, it merged into the shadows in the floor. The entire counseling clinic abruptly felt much "cleaner." "The ck shadow left?" Du Wei furrowed his brow at this sight and quickly rushed out to check. In his Spirit Vision state. There was no trace of the ck shadow anywhere inside the house. It seemed to have truly runaway. "Could this lead to trouble?" Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire Du Wei couldn''t help but mutter, aware that the ck shadow was an Evil Spirit that had stayed in the counseling clinic with the purpose of finding an opportunity to kill him. But this time, he had taken its face,pleting the face-swapping mechanism. In essence, it became the new Masked Evil Spirit. Yet only part of it resided within the mask, allowing it to still roam outside. An Evil Spirit adrift in the world is unstable, and with the ck shadow''s triggering medium, anyone who saw it could be its target, potentially causing a lot of trouble. "Wait a moment..." Du Wei touched the new mask on his face, inexplicably feeling an extremely strong connection. Furthermore, the sensation of being enveloped in an Evil Spirit''s shell was much more intense than when he first put on the mask. The change appeared only after the shadowy figure disappeared. Du Wei squinted his eyes and turned to walk into the restroom, where he bowed his head to examine the shattered mirror pieces. Each piece of ss reflected a man wearing a mask epassed by ayer of shadow. "So you''ve be my shell..." Du Wei removed the mask, revealing a pale, indifferent face.@@novelbin@@ The next second. The shadow emerged from his own, still eyeless, but this time the malice was more intense. It trembled, yet it seemed more like extreme anger. Du Wei turned his head emotionlessly and nced at it, "You can''t fight against me." The shadow immediately retreated and vanished once more. This time, however, it did not leave the psychological counseling clinic. Du Wei knew that the shadow''s desire to kill him had grown stronger than before, but it definitely could not seed. Most importantly, It had be the new Masked Evil Spirit. As long as he wore the mask, it would transform into his shell. He had regained another trump card. Du Wei stepped out of the restroom feeling slightly relieved. He looked at the silent first floor, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "When I wear the mask, I am the shadow. Even using the Joker Card to make a wish could also be attributed to the shadow." "If I encounter a new Evil Spirit, it is the shadow that will trigger the hatred." "It will have nothing to do with me." "Once the people from Dusk Bell Church get in touch with me, I guess it will be time for the Church topensate me for my losses. Then, I can make a trip to Scolyn City and look for that more dangerous Mirror Evil Spirit." Against the Evil Spirit Du Wei, a normal Mirror Evil Spirit wouldn''t be effective, but a more dangerous and terrifying Mirror Evil Spirit couldn''t simply ignore him. At the very least, it would keep it at bay for another while. However, before that, Du Wei had to find a way to endure the agony of Evil Spirit Transformation and regain his inherent hunter abilities. Just then, His phone suddenly rang. The caller was Avery. He pressed the answer button and heard the pleasing female voice from the other end: "Honey, are you home yet?" Du Wei replied, "I''ve been home for a while." Avery said, annoyed, "You''ve been home for a while and you didn''t tell me, not even a text message?" Du Wei said awkwardly, "I took care of some things when I got home, and the mirror at home is broken, so I need to clean up." Avery realized and said, "Oh, I see. By the way, next Thursday, my parents areing to New York to see me. You should have time by then, right? It would be a good opportunity for you to meet them." Du Wei calcted the time; today was June 5th, Friday. There were six days until next Thursday. Six days should be enough time to sort out most of the trouble. So, he replied with a smile, "Of course I have time. But I need to prepare a proper gift for meeting them ¨C do your parents like anything in particr?" Averyughed and asked, "A gift? Why would you prepare gifts for them? Isn''t that a waste of money?" Du Wei said, puzzled, "Isn''t it customary to bring a gift when meeting the parents?" Avery huffed, "But buying a gift means spending money, and I just don''t like the thought of you spending money on my parents." Du Wei, chuckling, asked, "So what should I do?" Avery mused, "Let me handle the gifts. When the timees, we''ll go shopping together and see what to buy. Oh, and how''s the surprise you''re preparing for meing along?" Du Wei answered, "I haven''t ced the order yet, and it seems quiteplicated; I need some time." Avery asked, puzzled, "Order? Complicated process? What did you buy? It''s not actually a car, is it?" Du Wei exined, "It''s not a car, but lipstick. However, I found that there are too few shades avable to make up the number I want." Avery gasped in shock, "How many are you looking to buy?" Du Wei said, "999. I think it''s pretty practical, and very romantic too." Avery: ... Chapter 251 250, A Curse? (The fourth update, ha) That night. Church Headquarters of the Dusk Bell. After leaving the church, Hannibal wiped the corners of his mouth with a clean napkin and carelessly tossed it into the trash can. Though a middle-aged man, his charm was undiminished in a suit, and he exuded a lethal attraction. Mature and stable, extremely elegant. He gave off an exceptionally pleasant sensation. Then, he casually hailed a cab, "To the airport." Sitting in the back of the car, Hannibal closed his eyes to rest for a moment, seemingly in a very pleasant mood, the smile never fading from his face. An hourter. The cab stopped at the airport. Hannibal took out his wallet from his pocket and opened it. Inside the wallet''spartment, besides the ne ticket and cash, there was also a photo of a man with an indifferent face. "I hear you''re a psychologist as well. I''m looking forward to our meeting tomorrow. It''s sure to be a very pleasant exchange," he said with a smile, then entered the airport''s main hall. ... Meanwhile. A train was slowly heading towards Switzend. Inside the carriage, James leaned against the window, his expression slightly dazed as he looked outside, his right shoulder wrapped in bandages that still bore some dried bloodstains. Next to him sat a middle-aged woman with what appeared to be a broken nose, exhibiting an obvious dent. "Mr. James, we''ll be arriving at the headquarters of the Dusk Bell tomorrow. You can rest easy tonight, no one will disturb you," she said. Upon hearing this, James shook his head and replied, "Coral, I''m not sleepy right now." Ever since receiving a secret signal from the Church, James had known his destiny: to be a nail the Church hammered into the Dusk Bell, a push for the Dusk Bell''s return. Thus, after people from the Dusk Bell Church had made contact with him, he had chosen to join. Of course, he knew that not everyone who joined the Dusk Bell like him was an undercover agent; the majority must be hunters who had forsaken their faith. The woman named Coral spoke indifferently, "You don''t have to be too sensitive. The essence of the Dusk Bell is to deal with Evil Spirits and solve the issue of hunters'' transformation into Evil Spirits." "The Dusk Bell and the Churche from the same origin. You can consider the Dusk Bell as another sanctuary for your soul." James coldly said, "I havepletely lost hope in the Church. I lost my right hand, saved many Exorcists, yet I didn''t even get a chance to join the Tribunal." "If the Dusk Bell can give me a better treatment, solve my problems, then the Dusk Bell is my only home." The other person nodded, "Let''s hope so." ... June 6th. Six o''clock in the morning. In the bedroom on the second floor of the psychological counseling clinic. Du Wei suddenly sat up in bed, covered in sweat, his rapid breathing revealing his inner unease. "I..." "It seems I''ve had a nightmare..." His voice was hoarse, as if dehydrated by the nightmare. "Strange, since the curse of the nun weakened, I haven''t dreamt at all. Why would I suddenly have a nightmare now?" "And why can''t I remember it?" Du Wei''s face was very pale. He stood up and pulled open the curtains. The sky outside was still dim. Although the rain in New York had stopped by the time he returned, it was still overcast, so the sun, which should have risen at this time, was just a faint outline. Du Wei felt something was very wrong. He was bing increasingly simr to Evil Spirit Du Wei. If it weren''t for the anchor point remaining stable, he might have already lost control. But Evil Spirit Du Wei was currently assimting the Joker Card; it couldn''t possibly be done so quickly, not until at least a weekter. One could say it was overburdened. So... "Is this it?" Du Wei walked over to the coat rack and took out his wallet, in which a ring was ced inside apartment that bore the symbol val¡­ The trigger for the curse upon him was this very ring. It was The Nun, tranted as the nun. Du Wei had encountered two nuns in total; the first was one he saw in his dreams for nearly a week in May. Whenever he fell asleep, the nun would appear, hideous and terrifying, like a demon. But that nun was rtively weak, or it could be said that she was just the external manifestation of the curse. Once she emerged from the dream, the Evil Spirit Du Wei killed her directly. The second nun was from Hill Psychiatric Hospital, the sister of Marilyn Manson. She was also one tainted by the curse, and after her death, she became a vessel for it, a different kind of Evil Spirit. She almost drove Du Wei to a corner, and in the end, was tricked to death on a bus. Hence, the curse on Du Wei was also weakened to some extent. Thinking of this, Du Wei frowned and said, "But I didn''t dream about it, so it shouldn''t be the curse." During this period, after the curse had weakened, it had fallen into a state of silence. No nightmares, no nuns. And furthermore, the curse manifested as nightmares, rendering him unable to move in his dreams. He could only feel the nun hovering above him until he managed to open his eyes¡ªthat''s when the nightmare would end. Each nightmare brought the nun closer to him. Once it reached a critical point, it would leap out of the dream. "Huh..." Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire Du Wei sighed, a rather unpleasant thought urring to him faintly. He had had a nightmare but couldn''t remember the content at all¡ªit was possible that the nightmare had been devoured. If that was the case, then the nun would definitely reappear. His eyes showed a hint of danger, and he couldn''t help but smirk coldly, "Evil Spirit Du Wei and I have killed you twice. Even if youe out again, I''ll be able to kill you a third time." If it were before, Du Wei might have felt a lot of pressure, trying to find every possible way to deal with the curse, looking for a solution. But now, he was no longer the Exorcist who knew nothing. Means, abilities, trump cards. Du Wei wascking in none. The most important thing was that his biggest trouble at the moment was about to grasp the rules of the game, to integrate another self who was the Evil Spirit Transformation. As for the nun? She could take a back seat for now... The Evil Spirits wanting to kill him weren''t just one nun; there were so many that he himself couldn''t even remember them all. ... 10 a.m. Du Wei was sitting on the sofa, eating breakfast while writing on a piece of paper. The first column on the paper listed names. Beneath it were items pending action. [Evil Spirit Transformation risk: The Church provided a Cross Ne, which counts as a temporary solution] [Dusk Bell Church: Waiting for contact, to convey the news that Alvin is close to death] [Evil Spirit Du Wei: Of utmost importance, a trip to Scolyn City is required, to encounter the more terrifying Mirror Evil Spirit] [Hunter abilities:...]@@novelbin@@ When he got to thest item, Du Wei stopped writing, his fingers gently tapping the coffee table, making a crisp sound. "Experiencing the pain of Evil Spirit Transformation, regaining my rightful abilities, this can definitely be achieved through self-hypnosis." "But Alvin told me that if I do this, the hidden danger of my Evil Spirit Transformation would also intensify." "In other words, where other hunters might reach the critical point at sixty, I might get there at thirty." "I need to consider this well. Additionally, thepensation the Church is supposed to provide should arrive in the afternoon." "Hopefully it will be a pleasant surprise. Otherwise, I''ll need to recover my abilities before dealing with Evil Spirit Du Wei." Chapter 252 Coin 251 June 6, 2:09 pm.@@novelbin@@ After having dinner at Alex''s ce, Du Wei set off for the church. Half a day of leisure was precious to him. Driving along the streets of the North Brook District. In the cab, Du Wei honked the horn, urging the vehicle ahead to move faster. He looked slightly absent-minded, watching the pedestrians and this peaceful scene, he was struck by a feeling as if he was in another world. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire "Since May 14, it seems I haven''t had the chance to experience the life of a normal person." As Du Wei said this, he suddenly felt the urge to smoke. But as soon as he took out his cigarette and lighter, he remembered that this lighter only worked when the Evil Spirit appeared. So, he immediately underwent Evil Spirit Transformation. With a pop. He pressed down on the lighter, a crimson me lit the cigarette, and a faint trail of smoke was carried out of the car window as he drove. "I need to adjust my mindset, being on edge all the time will eventually take a toll on my psyche." As Du Wei said this, he floored the elerator, and the speed of the car surged instantly. ... Ten minutester. At the entrance of the North Brook District church. As soon as Du Wei parked his car, he happened to see Father Tony struggling to tote a small iron box into the church. "Hey, Mr. Du Wei, you''re just in time, I just received something sent by the church." Father Tony spotted the McLaren GT and immediately recognized that it was Du Wei, he greeted him and put the box down temporarily, as it seemed quite heavy. Du Wei stepped out of the car, smiling, and said, "I just left my girlfriend''s ce, so I thought I''d drop by and check on things." While speaking, he nced at the iron box, about thirty centimeters long with a thickness of around ten centimeters, its surface painted ck, but some parts were peeling off, revealing the exorcism patterns engraved beneath. Compared to before, Du Wei was no longer the novice Exorcist; his experience was ample, and he was very familiar with some of the Exorcist''s techniques. Although these techniques were not much of use after he became a hunter, they could stille in handy at times. Like now, for instance. "This box, is it for confining a medium for Evil Spirits?" Du Wei asked puzzled, "So, the thing the church is giving me is an Evil Spirit?" Father Tony wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Almost, let''s go inside and talk about it. In any case, this thing is very special; it''s somewhat simr to that Joker Card you had before, but it might not be as useful." While talking, he waved at Du Wei to indicate that it was not convenient to talk here. Du Wei nodded indifferently and casually took the iron box from Father Tony''s hands. It felt slightly heavy, weighing around 15 kilograms. This only made him more curious, wondering if the box could contain something simr to James''s Flintlock Gun. After synchronizing with the Evil Spirit''s memory, Du Wei also gained knowledge about James and felt quite envious of that Flintlock Gun. Shortly. Du Wei and Father Tony arrived at the church''s reception room. Thump... A dull sound echoed as Du Wei ced the iron box on the ground. Seeing this, Father Tony yawned and said, "You can open it up and take a look yourself, I''m going to pour myself a cup of coffee. Would you like some?" Du Wei nced at him, frowning, "You don''t seem well-rested, are you alright?" Father Tony answered awkwardly, "Yesterday, Officer Tom asked me out for a social engagement, so I got back a littlete." Uh... Du Wei didn''t know what to say, "Never mind, go make some coffee, and pour me a cup while you''re at it." Father Tony asked in surprise, "Did you also go out for social engagementsst night?" He remembered that after dinner, it was 8 p.m., and Du Wei should have been home by then. Du Wei''s mouth twitched, "I just didn''t have a good rest." Father Tony uttered an "oh," his old face turning red as he hastily left. On the spot. Du Wei sighed helplessly, thinking it would have been better if he had not introduced Tom to Father Tony. At their age, if something mischievous happened, just the thought of it seemed excessive. The main thing was, how did Tom manage to take a priest to the Red Light District? In a sense, this was equivalent to destroying a person''s faith... "Terrifying." Du Wei shook his head and stopped thinking about those messy things. He felt around on the iron box and found the secrettches on both sides. A gentle press. And he heard a faint click. The box automatically opened. However, what surprised him was that inside the boxy a coin with a diameter of three centimeters, bearing a relief of a skull on the front and a scythe on the back, along with a carved shape of dripping blood. A box meant to imprison an Evil Spirit contained only a coin. Something definitely seemed off. It seemed a bit like overkill... What puzzled Du Wei the most was that the coin was clearly made of silver and very old, but the style of relief did not bear any familiar feeling. In other words, it must have been made by either an obscure nation or a private workshop. Du Wei held the silver coin in his hand, running his palm over it, feeling the faint chill as he directly entered into Spirit Vision mode. Nothing unusual... It seemed like just an ordinary coin, with no even collectible value. At that moment. Father Tony came in holding two cups of coffee and seeing Du Wei examining the silver coin, said, "Mrs. Senna told me that this coin is a spoils of war from when the Church''s Crusades eradicated a Heretical Religionst century." Du Wei nodded, took a sip of coffee, and asked, "You said earlier that it was somewhat simr to my Joker Card. Is it because of the mechanism in it?" Father Tony answered, "Yes, after the coin came into the possession of the Church, for a long time, no one knew what it was for." "Later, someone tossed it by chance and discovered its secret." "The front represents good luck, while the back represents misfortune." "Flipping the coin is how its mechanism works." Hearing this, Du Wei couldn''t help but frown. No wonder Father Tony said it wasn''t as useful as the Joker Card. Such a mechanism based on chance left no room for other options. Flip the coin, and you''re either lucky, or you''re jinxed. In the process of exorcism, if it was the front side it might be okay, but if it was the back, it would definitely be trouble. Still, there was something quite perfect about it... However, Du Wei knew deeply that, like the Joker Card, there couldn''t be anything perfect about it; there had to be some catch. So he asked, "What''s the cost of using the coin?" Chapter 253 Collision After Du Wei asked about the cost of using the Coin. Father Tony was quite embarrassed, "Uh... the cost... the cost is substantial." Du Wei frowned and said, "How substantial?" Luck is somethingpletely subjective, and the Coin possessing this power is very rare. If the cost of using it wasn''t too severe, he didn''t mind considering it as hisst trump card. The next second. Father Tony replied, "There are two Evil Spirits in this Coin, the obverse is a skull, and the reverse is a scythe." "No matter which side your coinnds on, you will encounter an Evil Spirit." "In other words, the cost is that they will haunt you until the day you die." "Most importantly, if yound on the reverse side, which is the unlucky side, there''s a chance the Evil Spirit will attack you directly... because that''s also part of the misfortune." "The obverse signifies good fortune, but sometimes too much luck can be a problem as well." After saying that, Father Tony furrowed his brow and added, "By the way, you haven''t gotten yourself into any trouble, have you?" Du Wei replied with surprise, "Why do you ask?" Father Tony said, "If you''ve caused a lot of trouble, then it''s possible that when yound on the reverse, all of that trouble will erupt." Hearing this. Du Wei''s face darkened; he couldn''t even recall how many troubles he had on his te. To speak of recent issues, there were the nuns and the Evil Spirit Du Wei, and then there were the batch of Evil Spirits that he had trapped in Massas City. Even inside his vi in New York, there was a dangerous Evil Spirit that could erupt at any moment. At home, there were the shadows, Annabelle, Pennywise, and the Antique Clock. "Alright then..." Du Wei let out two very conflicted words. He really didn''t want to give up the Coin, since if used well, it could be a killer move at a critical moment. As for using it poorly... If it came to that, he''d just wear a mask and let the shadow take the brunt. All the misfortune shouldnd on it. If worse came to worst and unexpected trouble did erupt, he''d just use the Joker Card to make his escape. He could even cheat bybining it with the Joker Card. As long as he didn''t overdo it, the Coin could be his most useful tool. After all, luck is an unsolvable problem... At this moment. Father Tony, as if he had just remembered something, added, "Oh right, there''s a new notice from the church. It seems like the Veda Sect has dispatched a group of Cultists from Europe, and they''re still eyeing Massas City." Du Wei raised an eyebrow, "Massas City? Are they targeting it?" Father Tony sighed and said, "Yes, it seems they want to release something inside. However, the church has arranged for manpower in Massas City, so there shouldn''t be any problems." Du Wei thought it made sense; the Veda Sect''s base is in Europe, and Massas City was not a ce they could tamper with recklessly. However, he was curious, "What exactly is the aim of the Veda Sect? They seem to be creating Evil Spirits, yet they also have designs on Massas City; do they want to destroy the world?" Father Tony shook his head and said, "They''re not that extreme yet. After all, their teachings are rted to Veda. There''s a theory that they''ve always been in search of their deity." "A deity?" As he fingered the Coin, Du Wei said in an obscure tone, "Are you talking about a deity as I understand it? Omniscient and omnipotent?" Father Tony thought for a moment and said, "How could that be? God is a matter of faith. The god of the Veda Sect is a conceptual existence. It could be a rock, a pattern, or it might even be a person." Du Wei smiled and did not respond. Based on the information he had gathered, the deity of the Veda Sect, or Veda, was a broad term. Conceptual beings like the nun and Pennywise could all be referred to as Veda by them. In other words, the Evil Spirit Du Wei also possessed some attributes of a "deity." For a time. A crazy idea suddenly shed through Du Wei''s mind¡ªif the Cultists of Veda Sect regarded the Evil Spirit Du Wei as their deity, they might end up dying very miserably... Huh... Du Wei immediately suppressed the thought; he would never allow such a situation to ur. Because what he was going to do next was to deal with Evil Spirit Du Wei. ... It was still afternoon. After leaving the church, Du Wei drove towards the department store. He had nned to order a mirror online yesterday, but he found that the right size was temporarily out of stock. Therefore, he had no choice but to go to the department store in person. But as he drove along the street, he suddenly frowned and looked at the rearview mirror to his left. In the mirror''s reflection, a ck sedan could be partially glimpsed, and in the driver''s seat sat a middle-aged man in a suit, his face unclear. "Interesting..." Du Wei''s tone was somewhat peculiar. He had noticed this car following him shortly after he left the church. If it were someone else, they might have ignored it, thinking it was just someone heading in the same direction. But Du Wei remembered clearly that he had turned twice, and that car had always followed him, implying something subtle. "It must be someone from the Dusk Bell Church..." There was no other possibility. And so, he sneered, slowly navigated his car, and switchednes once more. Behind him, inside the ck sedan, Hannibal looked at the McLaren GT ahead of him, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening. He resembled a hunter with a very steadfast patience andposure. "It seems I have been spotted, how interesting..." "So, where do you intend to lead me?" The use of the word "interesting" by two different people inevitably led one to think that they might have somemon ground. Indeed, it was the same case. Hannibal held many identities; he was once a university professor specializing in psychology, but for some reason, he developed psychological issues and turned into a Cannibalistic Ogre. Later, he disappeared for a while and when he resurfaced, he had joined the Dusk Bell Church and became a hunter. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire Du Wei, on the other hand, came from a forensic background and studied psychology intending tomit revenge murders. At that time, his psychological state was also somewhat abnormal. His enemy suffered immensely on a mental level and ultimatelymitted suicide by jumping off a building. With the death of his enemy, Du Wei''s psychological state finally stabilized, and as a result, he was colder than anyone else. Among hunters, he was also the most unique one. Two hunters with simrities, one bloodthirsty and elegant, the other calm and rational. ... At the department store, Du Wei parked his car in the parking lot and deliberately lingered for a while. Following close behind, Hannibal saw this and the subtle look in his eyes intensified. So, he simply parked his car next to Du Wei''s. The two cars were right next to each other. Through the windows, one could see the figure of the other, and even though it was somewhat blurry, the general outline was still clear. Du Wei was staring at Hannibal, and Hannibal was staring back at Du Wei. Almost simultaneously, both of them revealed cold smiles.@@novelbin@@ Whoosh... The car doors opened at the same time... Chapter 254 253, The Art of Elegance "Hello, Mr. Du Wei, my name is Hannibal, and I am a hunter from the Dusk Bell Church." Looking at the cold-faced man before him, Hannibal''s smile remained unchanged, making him appear very gentlemanly. "However, please don''t be nervous, I have no ill intentions toward you." Right from the start, Hannibal disclosed his identity and purpose, with no intention of concealing anything. Du Wei was expressionless, "Hello." His voice was neither cold nor warm, and as for the other person''s words, he didn''t believe a single one. A smile is the best way to lower one''s guard because it''s affable. The other person''s immediate demeanor made Du Wei somewhat unclear about his approach. Therefore, he chose an ambiguous attitude, neither hostile nor overly enthusiastic. In fact, a hunter who didn''t hold a high regard for the church should be just like that. But Hannibal took a good look at Du Wei and, narrowing his eyes, he said, "I think we''re of the same kind." "The same kind?" Du Wei''s tone was somewhat iprehensible, "Why do you think that?" Even a hunter is referred to as a person. ''The same kind'' refers to a collective concept and also signifies identification. But he felt that the ''same kind'' in the other person''s mouth did not refer to hunters. The next second. Hannibal said in a friendly tone, "We both study psychology, but I know you are different from the others. Psychologists need affability, yet from your eyes, I only see indifference." "You always frown unconsciously, and your right hand tends to be half-clenched, which should be rted to your Evil Spirit Transformation." "Also, the index and middle fingers of your left hand are a little off in angle, not looking very natural." "There is also a lingering scent of smoke on you, so you must have smoked in the car, within thest hour." With this, Hannibal''s gaze imperceptibly shifted downward, "You have been very tense, haven''t you?" It sounded very much like a psychologist''s preamble. Striking first to lead the other by analysis. But to Du Wei, it was utterly useless. He was not influenced at all, but instead heughed, "People who smoke in the car usually tend to roll down the window by habit, with their left hand closest to it." "People smoke not only because of addiction but most of the time due to stress or anxiety." "Mr. Hannibal, do you call me ''the same kind'' because you''re also a smoker? It sounds like you''re acting in a y." Du Wei''s eyes showed some disdain, and his original indifference was hidden deeper, not showing the slightest trace. Instinctively. He had a strong sense of wariness toward this man named Hannibal. Even the church''s hunter, Alvin Dowqui, hadn''t given him this strange feeling. Hannibal''s smile remained unchanged as he stepped in front of Du Wei, pointed to himself gently, and said, "Keep smiling, that was an admonition from my mentor when I was studying psychology." "And his second admonition was to never deceive others, because your subconscious actions will expose all secrets." "Your words and your external demeanor are actually a disguise. You are very wary of me, but it has nothing to do with the Dusk Bell." Hearing this, Du Wei nodded nomittally, "I agree with you. So, have you discovered my secret?" Hannibal answered, "Of course, your heart is actually very cold. You hold life in contempt, you disregard rules, and the blood that flows through your heart contains an extreme rationality." Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire "At times, the line between rationality and madness can be very blurry." "You have not yet realized the real you, but I can help you," From beginning to end, he never mentioned anything about Du Wei joining the Dusk Bell Church. Actually, Hannibal now felt his blood boiling, his mind teeming with leaping thoughts. He thought he had encountered a kindred spirit, but the other had concealed himself so deeply that he had forgotten his true nature. And this required a bit of help. At the same time, Du Wei was also sizing up Hannibal in front of him, a middle-aged man with thinning hair, the most striking feature being his deep-set blue eyes. Calm, yet mad. This is a madman... Du Wei silentlybeled Hannibal in his heart. So, he spoke indifferently, "ording to textbooks, a person is a conceptual term, like a ball, the surface is humanity, the interior is animalistic, and everyone possesses a dark side." "That''s why we might have some dark thoughts at times, but our humanity keeps us rational, choosing to restrain our animalistic side." "Your words could be interpreted for any person,"@@novelbin@@ Having said that, Du Wei thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "I don''t think we are the same, rather I think you have fallen into a certain trap. You must know about your mental problems." Hannibal agreed, "I witnessed my sister being hit by a car and killed when I was ten, and at seventeen, in a car ident while traveling with my parents, only I survived." "Since then, I have had mental problems, falling into pain and torment. I delved into psychology, wanting to solve my suffering, but I found it meaningless, no one could help me." As he spoke, the smile on Hannibal''s face slowly faded, bing a bit indifferent. It seemed that this was his true face. Du Wei also showed a look of sympathy, "I''m sorry to have brought up such sad memories for you." That''s what he said, but inside he was even more vignt. This seemingly tragic Hannibal waspletely lying. Because the tone of his speech was clearly with undertones of psychological suggestion, making the credibility of his words very high¡­ MOST IMPORTANTLY, Du Wei never considered himself to have any problems. Suddenly... Hannibal licked his lips, "Do you think I''m lying?" Although asking, his words were very certain. Upon hearing this, Du Wei raised an eyebrow, "Not at all." Hannibalughed, "Actually, I don''t care what others think, because like you, I''ve lived in disguise for so long that it''s be hard to extract myself, getting lost in the lies I''ve woven." At this point, he stretched out his left hand to Du Wei, seemingly wanting to shake hands politely, a gesture of respect. Du Wei hesitated, but also extended his left hand. It was like shaking hands to make peace. But the next second, The look in both their eyes turned cold and merciless, their right hands almost simultaneously reaching into their pockets and inside their clothes. Both drew out handguns. Surrounded by the department store, bustling with people, yet neither spared any concern, guns aimed directly at each other''s heads. The atmosphere suddenly became extremely tense. Hannibal said with an indifferent tone, "Did you know I was going to make a move?" Du Wei replied calmly, "I did not." Chapter 255 254, I study forensic medicine. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire People tend to have double standards when facing certain matters. Du Wei was no exception. He detested others using psychological suggestions on him. Hannibal spoke a great deal, and each sentence was tinged with psychological maniption. If it had been an ordinary psychiatrist, they might have quickly been led by Hannibal to reveal some unspeakable dark side, nting a seed even if it didn''t trigger an immediate reaction. But Du Wei was not an ordinary psychiatrist, or rather, his reason for studying psychology was not to be a doctor. Thus, faced with Hannibal''s psychological suggestions, Du Wei not only remained unaffected but also developed an instinctive resistance. It was like a challenge. So when he drew his gun, he truly intended to act, not because he realized that the other might have the same thought, but that was his choice. ... In the department store parking lot. Du Wei and Hannibal locked eyes for a while, both with dangerous glints in their gaze. It was as if a confrontation was inevitable. However, just then, a car slowly drove by, seemingly looking for a ce to park. Upon seeing this, one frowned and the other smiled. In an instant. Both acted as if they knew what the other was thinking, each putting away their gun. Hannibal apologized, "I''m sorry, my friend, I was too impulsive. You can understand the excitement of a lonely traveler when he sees his own kind." Du Wei replied, coldly, "I''m afraid I cannot rte, and please, refrain from using the term ''my own kind.'' I am not the same as you." Hannibal said with regret, "You shouldn''t resist what''s in your heart. Your outward coldness is actually to conceal the traumas of your past, because they are very painful for you. But we should confront these things properly. Only then can we truly free ourselves from our shackles and embrace who we are." He meant it from the bottom of his heart. At this point, to continue with pretense or camouge was meaningless. He truly saw Du Wei as his equal. Du Wei remained cold, "You''re too idealistic, which will leave your mind even more unstable. If you were my patient, my only rmendation would be medication." Hannibal''s smile turned chilly, "Medication? I''m surprised to hear you say that. You have such a deep understanding of psychology, so why do you seem so unprofessional to me?" Du Wei stated icily, "Because I used to study forensic medicine." Hannibal was stunned; his mouth opened as if he had heard some joke,ughing uproariously. "Forensics? You''re actually from forensics?" Hannibal brushed his right hand over his forehead, looking at Du Wei with a peculiar gaze, "Have you ever heard the story of the shepherd and themb?" Looking at him, Du Wei said calmly, "What does that have to do with me?" Hannibal''s tone suddenly became more refined, "It will make you take off your mask and be one of my own kind." However, just at that moment. A voice rose in surprise, "Eh, Mr. Du Wei, what are you doing here? Is this man your friend?" Their expressions shifted, both turning simultaneously towards the source of the voice. They saw Officer Tom, dressed in in clothes and holding his car keys, walking over and greeting them familiarly. He addressed Hannibal, "Hey there, I''m Tom, a pleasure to meet you." Hannibal nodded with aristocratic grace, "Hello, my name is Hannibal Lecter." Du Wei narrowed his eyes, contemting whether at this moment, he should signal Officer Tom to draw his gun and kill Hannibal. The middle-aged man posed a significant threat to him. Most importantly, it seemed that the other was not here with the intention of recruiting him to Dusk Bell, but he was the target himself. He was both rational and chaotic, elegant yet brutal.@@novelbin@@ Unclear, indiscernible. For such uncertain factors, Du Wei always preferred to resolve them directly, to avoid future trouble. As for Alvin Dowqui having revealed the information about his impending death, that could be discussedter. After all, there were many hunters at the Dusk Bell Church... These thoughts passed swiftly through Du Wei''s mind, taking merely two seconds. He was about to speak to Tom immediately. But at that moment, Hannibal said with a smile, "Friend, I don''t think there''s any need for you to be so hostile towards me. Even if our past rtions weren''t good, it doesn''t mean it will stay that way." As he spoke, a subtle change urred in his temperament, turning somewhat chilling. Evil Spirit Transformation... Instantly, Du Wei narrowed his eyes, sensing that the other party might act at any moment. So, he suppressed the thoughts in his mind. "I''m sorry, I got too excited." Confused by this, Tom at the side asked, "Did you two have a dispute before?" Hannibal said with augh, "Yes, we used to work in the same hospital, butter we had some issues because of ideological differences." Du Wei also said with a smile, "However, that''s all in the past, you needn''t worry about it." The two of them went back and forth, quickly fabricating a story. Though Tom found it a bit strange, he did not think too much about it and said to Hannibal, "Since you''re Du Wei''s friend, we should have dinner together tonight. I''m very familiar with the nearby entertainment spots, we can have a st." Hannibal blinked, without finding anything amiss in Tom''s words. His gaze swept over Tom''s waist, spotting the outline of a holster... Hannibal internally assessed: This was a police officer, and probably not a low-ranking one, otherwise he wouldn''t carry a gun so openly. Thus, Hannibal politely said, "Officer Tom, I''m surprised by your hospitality, but I still have some things to do now. Maybe next time we can get together." Tom said with regret, "That''s really too bad." Nonchntly, Du Wei said, "There''s nothing to feel sorry about, that''s it for now. I''ll see you next time, Mr. Hannibal." Hannibal looked at him intently and pulled a business card from his wallet. "Stay in touch, friend. We''ll meet again soon." Du Wei took the card: "I think so too." All the while, Hannibal had not reverted from Evil Spirit Transformation, and most importantly, his version seemedpletely different from that of the church''s hunters. The chilling aura was focused solely on himself. Soon, Hannibal drove away in a ck sedan, disappearing from Both Du Wei and Tom''s view. "Huh... did you tell him what I do? How did he know I''m a police officer?" Only then did Tom react, his expression bing odd. Du Wei nced at him and said, "Because the holster on your waist is too noticeable, anyone could tell your identity." Tom touching his waist cautiously said, "No way, I specifically covered it with my clothes, no ordinary person would stare at my waist." With a sneer, Du Wei said, "Ordinary people indeed wouldn''t stare at your waist, but a psychopathic murderer would." Tom was stunned, "What? A psychopathic murderer? Wasn''t he your former colleague?" Du Wei narrowed his eyes, shaking his head, "Not at all, I was just ying along with him. If I hadn''t, he might have taken immediate action, and he has a gun." He had no intention of revealing the hunter''s identity to Tom. Hearing this, Tom''s face darkened: "Can you be sure he''s a psychopathic murderer? Am I being targeted?" Du Wei looked at him and said, "I cannot be certain." Tom drew in a sharp breath, "Then I''m going to send someone to arrest him now, we''ll control him first." Du Wei shook his head, "You can try, but I don''t think it will yield any results. If such a person could be easily caught, he should have been in prison by now." Chapter 256: 255. Tom really just passed by... (Third update) Chapter 256: 255. Tom really just passed by¡­ (Third update) At this moment, Tom was on the verge of breaking down. He cursed and said, ¡°Fuck! I just came out to buy clothes, and this¡­ this is too fucked up, fuck¡­¡± In thest two days, he had finally managed to finish his work, and his boss had given him a day off. Tom had nned his schedule for the day, picking out clothes at the department store during the day, and rxing in the Red Light District at night, with a massage thrown in. But he hadn¡¯t expected that he would encounter a psychotic killer. ¡°I was just passing by¡­¡± Tomined endlessly to Du Wei, to be honest, he was a bit scared¡­ Du Wei was helpless as well; he had never imagined he would run into Tom in a ce like this. It was just too coincidental¡­ So he reluctantly said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much, he¡¯s after me, not you.¡± Tom gritted his teeth and said, ¡°The way you¡¯re talking makes me feel like he¡¯s out to kill me. Isn¡¯t that how it goes in the movies?¡± Du Wei replied awkwardly, ¡°So what do you n to do?¡± Tom¡¯s face turned red, he looked around and wanted to say something, but he could only sigh helplessly, ¡°I was nning to call Father Tony tonight to have fun at the Red Light District, but now I guess I should head back to the police station.¡± Du Wei nodded, ¡°That might be a solution, so do you still want to go in and buy clothes?¡± He pointed at the entrance to the department store. Tom said dejectedly, ¡°Since I¡¯m here already, there definitely won¡¯t be any trouble with you here¡­ Wait, he¡¯s after you?¡± At that moment. Tom realized the seriousness of the situation. He quickly said with a stern face, ¡°I think you¡¯re in more danger than I am. Why don¡¯t you stay at the police station with me for the next couple of days, and bring your girlfriend and Father Tony along too, to avoid any trouble.¡± It was a rather conservative approach. But it was the greatest help Tom could offer within his capabilities. There was a touch of emotion in Du Wei¡¯s heart, but he still shook his head and said, ¡°No need, I have a good understanding of this person¡¯s intentions. He won¡¯t touch you because I am his target.¡± Tom said very seriously, ¡°My friend, you might be a professional at dealing with Evil Spirits, but dealing with these kinds of psychotic killers can be very dangerous.¡± Du Wei said just as seriously, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m prepared to take him out¡­¡± Tom was stunned, ¡°You want to take him out? Fuck! Do you realize what you¡¯re saying? This kind of thing should be left to us, the police¡­¡± Du Wei said coldly, ¡°But what if he¡¯s like those Cultists from the Veda Sect?¡± Tom went pale, ¡°He can kill people with an Evil Spirit?¡± Du Wei replied vaguely, ¡°Something like that, so only I can handle this. But you could send more personnel to stay near my girlfriend¡¯s house to prevent any emergencies.¡± Tom¡¯s face was twisted with conflict, as he seemed to be making a difficult decision. ¡°I can¡¯t just let you face this kind of person alone.¡± Saying this, he gritted his teeth fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the police station and get another gun. I¡¯ll give you my service weapon for self-defense, but remember to keep it a secret, otherwise there will be trouble.¡± ¡°Fuck! I knew nothing goodes from running into you.¡± While saying that, Tom couldn¡¯t help butin again. He had it all figured out, to hide behind and take cold shots at Hannibal, the psychotic killer, while he was upied with Du Wei, aiming for a kill shot. So what if he could kill with an Evil Spirit, as long as he¡¯s human, he can be taken out with one shot! Tom had no qualms about taking a moral high ground; cold-blooded shooting was far from the bottom line for him. However. With a twitch of his lips, Du Wei said, ¡°Actually, I have a gun on me; you don¡¯t need to worry too much about me. If you get involved, you might just slow me down because then I can¡¯t ensure your safety.¡± Tom¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Why are you carrying a gun? You don¡¯t have a concealed carry permit, do you?¡± Du Wei spread his hands, ¡°Sometimes exorcism involves guns.¡± Tom cursed loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of using guns for exorcism before, but alright¡­ I¡¯ll get you an undercover gun permitter, so you don¡¯t end up getting arrested one day.¡± ¡°Also, are you sure you want to take on Hannibal alone?¡± Du Wei frowned and said, ¡°He left me his card because he knows I want to kill him, so I¡¯m nning to lure him out. But if the police get involved, he definitely won¡¯t show up.¡± Tom pped his head, ¡°Alright¡­ you¡¯re the professional, so I¡¯ll have someone secretly protect Father Tony and your girlfriend tonight. Speaking of which, are you here at the department store to buy clothes too?¡± Du Wei shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m here to buy a mirror.¡± Tom said with a realization, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go to the department store together.¡± Du Wei chuckled, ¡°Sure.¡± After saying that¡­ He suddenly narrowed his eyes, a bold idea forming in his mind. Hannibal had nowe to New York, and although Du Wei was well aware that Hannibal¡¯s target was unlikely to shift to someone else, the possibility still existed. If Hannibal made a move against Alex, Father Tony, or Tom, things would be very troublesome. But what if Hannibal were lured to another city?@@novelbin@@ Take Scolyn City for example¡­ It just so happened that Du Wei needed to go to that abandoned town and use that Mirror Evil Spirit to take action against the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Hannibal was a hunter too, and that extremely terrifying Mirror Evil Spirit had cost a veteran hunter from the church an arm just to make it out alive. ¡°But I need to prepare thoroughly,¡± Du Wei silently said to himself before following Officer Tom into the department store. ¡­ Meanwhile, on the other side. A ck sedan slowly drove into the secluded underground garage of the North Brook District. Many vehicles were parked around. There were no surveince cameras nearby, and the path was clear. Hannibal opened the door, nced around, and got out of the car leisurely. He removed the front and back license tes. Then, he walked casually towards an old white sedan parked in the distance. He opened the door once again. Inside the car was a carry-on bag. Hannibal sat down in the driver¡¯s seat, took off his suit, and took out a set of casual clothes and a baseball cap from the bag. A few minutester. His entire vibe hadpletely changed. He was clearly middle-aged, but with a baseball cap and casual clothes, he looked much like a young man. Especially his expressions and demeanor, which were significantly different from before. Unless someone had a very deep impression of him, it was hard to recognize him at a nce as Hannibal himself. He started the car, talking to himself, ¡°If I¡¯m guessing correctly, you¡¯re probably trying to figure out a way to kill me right now.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to kill you.¡± ¡°Murder is the crudest method, and I only want you to take off the mask and clearly recognize your true nature.¡± ¡°We are the same kind¡­¡± He lowered his head, hisughter very low¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 259: 258, proceed with caution in the dark Chapter 259: 258, proceed with caution in the dark In the old industrial district of Scolyn City, the entrance to the entire street was surrounded by a barbed wire fence. A broken mirror, covered by soil for the most part, reflected the moon in the night sky. Suddenly. A man with a cap and in casual wear appeared in the mirror. He looked down, then stepped onto the mirror. Crack¡­ The mirror shattered upon impact. ¡°Mr. Du Wei, have you arrived yet?¡± Hannibal raised his head and stared at the barbed-wire surroundings of the old district for a while. There were clear signs of recent tampering. He narrowed his eyes, revealing a sinister smile. ¡°This Mirror Evil Spirit is more dangerous than many Evil Spirits, but since you dare to invite me here, you must have the ability to leave alive.¡± There were also deep cover agents within the Dusk Bell Church. And the two same-origin sects would share certain information. Although Hannibal had only joined Dusk Bell for a short while, he was able to gather such information with just a phone call. ¡°A mirror divides the world into two, inside the mirror and outside.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°For me, this is the best ce to awaken the dark side of your heart.¡± ¡°I will help you, my kin.¡± Having said this. Hannibal walked toward the entrance of the barbed wire, pulling out an envelope from his pocket as he walked. After opening it, there was a nk letter inside. The strangeness was that the moment he took out the letter, text began to appear on it. It was as if an invisible pair of hands were swinging an unseen pen to write. Soon, the content was fully revealed, with just one sentence. [Du Wei entered the old district ten minutes ago and encountered an attack.] Certainly, this was no ordinary envelope, and it was a kind of special item. After joining Dusk Bell, Hannibal had received this envelope, which contained the presence of an Evil Spirit. It was a product cultivated and nned by the Dusk Bell Church since thest century and belonged to the same category as the Joker Card. Its abilities were very mysterious, but it had been treated and would not assimte its user. Of course¡­ The precondition was that the user must be a hunter. Otherwise, there would be only one path ¡ª death. And the ability of this envelope was direct; it could reveal events that urred a certain time ago ording to the user¡¯s thoughts. But the information provided by the Evil Spirit is often subjective; it can be useful, but not entirely reliable. It could be understood as theputation function of aputer. Thud, thud, thud¡­ The footsteps sounded dull. Hannibal walked through the deserted district, looking at many abandoned shops. This ce had been abandoned for many years now; even the once-thriving mirror business had been reced by the modern industrial production. The ground was overgrown with weeds, all of which were withered and yellow. The smell in the air was that of vegetation decay. Looking around, each shop front was adorned with many mirrors, all covered with dust. This area had been disconnected from society for too long, with nobody to take care of it. Hannibal was like a hunter entering an unfamiliar world, his deep-set yet sharp eyes searching for traces left by Du Wei. Gradually. He closed his eyes, entering into the Evil Spirit Transformation. Upon opening his eyes again, his azure pupils seemed a bit murky. Even more terrifying was the constant smile on his face, which, in such an environment, gave off a sense of absurd strangeness yet also sent chills down one¡¯s spine. It was somewhat bloodthirsty, and somewhat horrifying. Suddenly. Hannibal turned his head and looked toward a store on the left side of the street. The door shook slightly, and a figure shed by. The letter in his hand revealed another line of text¡ª¡±[Du Wei is hiding in the shadows, trying to draw you over in order to kill you.] ¡°You can¡¯t kill me¡­¡± Hannibal smiled elegantly and immediately gave chase. When he arrived in front of the store, he found a mirror ced right at the entrance, but for some reason, his reflection in the entire mirror had several shadows. Each shadow was different from his pose, some with both hands around the neck, some bending over with their head down, and others just half a body. The shadows were like Evil Spirits¡­ ¡­ On the other side. Du Wei stood in front of a mirror, observing the empty reflection with an exceedingly calm gaze. Ten minutes earlier. He had encountered an attack from the Mirror Evil Spirit. A rotting arm suddenly reached out from the mirror in front of him and grabbed him. Du Wei instinctively took out a lighter, forcing the arm to retract back into the mirror. It was eerily quiet around him, as though nothing abnormal had ever happened. His current location was at the end of the street block, inside the biggest mirror workshop. This was arge factory space, filled with mirrors everywhere. Strangely, despite the passage of time, the mirrors which should have gathered dust were exceptionally clean. Looking around, everything was as good as new. ¡°Very strange.¡± Du Wei, looking at the mirror in front of him and recalling the incident from ten minutes prior, suddenly furrowed his brow and extended his Evil Spirit Transformation right hand towards it. The touch was cold and smooth. The mirror did not reflect any of his movements; instead, it showed the entire factory within, with mirror after mirror set upright. Suddenly, Du Wei startedughing. ¡°It seems I am now inside the mirror.¡± Beforeing in, he had made a Mark on the right side of his cor. As he spoke, he turned his head to nce at his cor where the Mark was now on the left side. Mirrors are opposite and opposing. Although one sees their own reflection when looking in a mirror, if one imagines themselves inside the mirror, everything is the opposite. If the person looking in the mirror extends their right hand, to the person in the mirror it appears as the left hand. ¡°So what I¡¯m seeing now is actually the scene on the outside of the mirror, not the inside.¡± As Du Wei spoke, he gave the mirror a kick, and with a crash, it fell over, shattering into pieces with a loud sound. Looking down from above, every broken piece of the mirror failed to reflect his face, scattered densely all around, which was utterly horrifying to behold. Suddenly. Du Wei thought of something, with an odd tone in his voice, he said, ¡°Right now, I¡¯m in the world inside the mirror, able to see the outside through it. So if Hannibal suddenlyes to this factory and he hasn¡¯t been pulled into the mirror yet, might I be able to see him?¡± ¡°And he, perhaps, can¡¯t see me at all because I am in the mirror. Conceptually, there is no me on the outside of the mirror, hence no reference point.¡± ¡°Thus, I could wait for the moment he is pulled into the mirror and then, I could directly shoot and kill him.¡± Having said that, Du Wei opened his overcoat, where all his items had also been ced in the opposite positions. All cognition was presenting a trend of opposition. This sensation was indescribable in words because what Du Wei considered his right had, in fact, be his left. There was no impact on his actions, but reversed was reversed all the same. Escaping from here was quite simple, find the true medium of the Mirror Evil Spirit and smashing it would allow him to get out. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 262: 261, welcome to the mirror inside Chapter 262: 261, wee to the mirror inside Killing a hunter was much easier than killing an Evil Spirit. A handgun, a single bullet was all it took. Dong¡­ When Du Wei fired at Hannibal in the mirror, the scene that unfolded was unnaturally eerie, defying all conventional understanding. The entire surface of the mirror rippled like the surface of ake from the point where the bullet had struck. Waves reverberated within the mirror. The bullet went straight through Hannibal¡¯s head. Thetter, with a smile on his face, seemed frozen, as if he had not even had time to react. His death was simple¡­ Effortless, without anyplications. ¡­ In the mirror. After Du Wei shot at the mirror, he suddenly turned his head and looked behind him. Behind him, Hannibal stood unscathed, as if everything that happened outside the mirror was just an illusion. His smile remained, intently watching the mirror in Du Wei¡¯s hands. Seeing this, Du Wei felt a slight regret, ¡°It seems that in the moment the Evil Spirit attacked you, you were also pulled into the mirror.¡± Hannibal replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve only shot a reflection, so now the game is fair.¡± Du Wei said calmly, ¡°Fair? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Having said that, he pointed to a red balloon floating in the sky. The balloon was now muchrger than before, a bright red all over, looking as though it was smeared with ayer of blood. Pennywise had be stronger¡­ But it was intentional. For Du Wei, he was Pennywise¡¯s nemesis, able to restore Pennywise¡¯s power infinitely just by applying psychological suggestions to himself, even making it stronger than before. But as soon as he wished, Pennywise could be beaten back to its original form. In dealing with Hannibal, he also had to be prepared for anything. First, drive out the Mirror Evil Spirit. And what is the method to force out an Evil Spirit? The answer is to shove a nasty guest into its home. Hannibal was unaware of Du Wei¡¯s n, and as he observed Pennywise in the sky, his expression grew intrigued, ¡°You actually carry an Evil Spirit with you? Aren¡¯t you afraid of going too far?¡± Du Wei¡¯s face was somewhat pale, but he had no intention of answering Hannibal, instead firing another shot. This shot, once again prated Hannibal¡¯s head, spewing arge amount of blood. This time, he was no longer just a reflection but a living person. What astonished Du Wei was, the smile on Hannibal¡¯s face did not change at all, he even took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the blood trickling down his forehead as if he couldn¡¯t feel any pain. ¡°I know you want to kill me, and I know you are absolutely confident, but I¡¯m still willing to y this game with you,¡± ¡°Because, you can¡¯t possibly kill me.¡± ¡°So, my kind, I also feel this game is not fair.¡± Hannibal revealed a bloodthirsty smile and lunged at Du Wei. ¡°Come, let me help you take off the mask and show you the real you.¡± From the very beginning, Hannibal didn¡¯t care whether Du Wei wanted to kill him, he just found the game interesting, and saw it as a chance to awaken his own kind. Death? It was just a boring word. Seeing this, Du Wei immediately took a step back. At the same time, he put on a new mask, and his shadow seemed toe to life, cloaking his figure. Terrible malice was unleashed without restraint. Hannibal paused, a strange gleam shing in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s truly amusing, my kin, that you carry so many Evil Spirits with you. Do you have a third one?¡± The next second. Du Wei answered with his actions. As he retreated, he took out the Joker Card that could grant wishes and said coldly, ¡°Before I leave the mirror, every time I flip a coin, it will turn up heads.¡± On the surface of the card. The figure wearing a tailcoat had already changed from before, now identical to the new mask he was wearing. It too was enveloped in a shell of shadows. In other words, the true wisher was the shadow. This was both a disguise and a deception. Seeing this, Hannibal incredulously said, ¡°The JOKER card? How did youe to possess that thing?¡± He added, ¡°You killed the hunter from Dusk Bell, so the other card should also be in your possession, Evil Spirit¡­ But it¡¯s useless against me, you can¡¯t kill me.¡± Du Wei ignored him, stuffing the Joker Card into his pocket while casually pulling out a silver coin with his left hand. ¡°Undying Body is only because you haven¡¯t found the right method yet.¡± Du Wei¡¯s voice was indifferent, watching Hannibal continue to lunge at him, he suddenly stopped. Ding¡­ He flicked the coin with his thumb forcefully, and as the nail touched the coin, a clear sound rang out. When itnded, it was heads up. Luck had arrived¡­ Then, Du Wei rushed towards Hannibal, pulling the trigger once more. Thud¡­ The bullet hit Hannibal in the chest. His face changed, he clutched his chest and drew a sharp breath, blood also spilling from his mouth. The previous bullets indeed could not kill him. Even if he were dismembered andpletely burned to ashes, he could resurrect. Because physical damage does not affect an Evil Spirit. Hannibal had consumed three Evil Spirits, and as long as the Evil Spirits were not killed, he was utterly an Undying Body. Absolute idealism. Yet, this shot shattered his belief. Hannibal could feel that he was truly injured. He suddenly blinked, pretending as if nothing had happened. His tone was also very deep, ¡°This is useless against me.¡± Du Wei did not reply, but pulled the trigger again. Ifnguage does not serve to lead the other party on or to achieve a certain goal, then all of it is meaningless. Hannibal instinctively turned his head, yet that caused this shot to st his ear, turning his whole right ear to shreds. Conviction does not mean pain can be ignored. Hannibal dared not linger, turning around and running without hesitation, with Du Wei in close pursuit. Since the n had already begun, there was no possibility of stopping. Hannibal had to die¡­ High in the sky. The red balloon grewrger andrger, and within it, a Clown-like monster let out creepyughter, heh heh heh. It loomed above, watching the two hunters running wildly one after the other, its body bing more substantial. Its yellowing eyes, like those of a beast, were cruel and cold. The entire red balloon, within the world of the mirror, emitted a bizarre aura like the sun. In the air, each breath seemed to inhale elements of fear. One after another, Evil Spirits and the horrors one could think of appeared continuously. There was Annabelle, the shadow, the nun, the Evil Spirit Squad, and even Mary Shaw had appeared at some point silently. Pennywise could create counterfeit horrors thus making people even more fearful of it. Apart from the power, these counterfeits were enough to be mistaken for the real thing. However, for some reason, it notably did not create the Evil Spirit Du Wei¡­ Perhaps it was afraid of being crushed¡­ COMMENT 0ment@@novelbin@@ Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 265: 264, Game over Chapter 265: 264, Game over ¡°3¡­¡± ¡°2¡­¡± ¡°1¡­¡± When the shadow twisted off thest reflection¡¯s head. Du Wei directly seized control of his body back. The blood-red eyes, which looked as if they were almost dripping blood, became rtively clear in the blink of an eye. Still bloodshot, but very calm. Throughout this process. Hannibal had never left; he was like prey that had been badly hit and was gasping for breath, lurking in ce and panting heavily. His breaths in were more numerous than his breaths out. As if he was truly about to die. Seeing this, Du Wei said coldly, ¡°Stop pretending, your act is useless in the eyes of people like us.¡±@@novelbin@@ No sooner had he spoken, than Hannibal, who had just been on the brink of death, suddenly stood up; he was covered in blood, his face pale. Even his signature smile seemed forced. ¡°I¡¯m not pretending, I¡¯m really about to die.¡± Hannibal coughed a few times, blood dripping from his mouth onto the ground, looking very miserable. But Du Wei scoffed and said, ¡°The hunters from the church told me the same thing. Do you think I¡¯d believe you?¡± Hannibal stared at Du Wei and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d believe anyone, just like me. I only trust what I see, hear, and witness.¡± As he spoke, he waved his hand as if he were a fervent artist sketching the visions of his mind. Du Wei narrowed his eyes; he noticed that there was no shadow behind Hannibal. Something was off¡­ Instead of approaching immediately, Du Wei engaged him in conversation, ¡°I¡¯m different from you; I choose to trust certain people selectively.¡± Hannibal replied with sarcasm, ¡°Oh? Are you talking about that policeman named Tom, or your girlfriend, or perhaps the priest?¡± With one sentence, he exposed his knowledge of Du Wei. And this made Du Wei¡¯s urge to kill grow much stronger. Yet he did not advance, because he did not believe Hannibal would be so easily killed by him. This madman was much more terrifying than anyone he had ever encountered. Seeing this, Hannibal continued to speak, ¡°We are the same kind of people. The reason you trust them is that you have not been betrayed yet. When you realize you¡¯re different from them, you will understand me.¡± Du Wei replied indifferently, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been betrayed before?¡± Hannibal smiled and said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t give people the chance to betray me, nor do I allow myself to get trapped in a deadly situation.¡± Du Wei, now somewhat interested, asked, ¡°So you still have a trump card?¡± Hannibal didn¡¯t answer; instead, he asked, ¡°Do you know why the Mirror Evil Spirit hasn¡¯te out yet?¡± Du Wei shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± By his reckoning, Pennywise should have taken effect by now, and eventually, the Mirror Evil Spirit would be driven out. Hannibalughed softly and began to stagger toward Du Wei, who immediately stepped back warily. ¡°After being attacked, we appear in the mirror, a sort of mechanism.¡± ¡°But since you were before me, you must have been attacked by something in the mirror, whereas I was attacked by something outside of it.¡± ¡°With both of us inside the mirror thereafter, the outside world was left without a reference.¡± ¡°Therefore, the Mirror Evil Spirit is still here, and the reason it hasn¡¯t appeared is that we¡¯re trapped in a mental shackle.¡± ¡°Where the eye reaches, there lurk evil spirits.¡± As he said this, Hannibal suddenly looked at Du Wei with a sinister gaze, ¡°My aim is simple, to turn you into one of my own kind. But outside, I had no opportunity, because Icked the mirror that could reflect your true nature.¡± ¡°So, I dere that from now on, the game is over.¡± With that, Hannibal pointed a finger above his head. Looking where the momentum led him, Du Wei noticed a half-bodied shadow appeared at the very top. The entire ceiling of the building was smooth and tidy, resembling a mirror. Suddenly, the sound of cracking echoed. Cracks began to spread across the ceiling. And following that, the same scenario unfolded beneath his feet on the ground. Beneath the fissures was pitch darkness. Above and below, it was as if some creature had opened its gaping maw, like a prison or an abyss, where falling would mean no return. Du Wei only felt a sense of weightlessness, and then the scene before his eyespletely changed. He saw an expanse of ckness, numb and void, beyond description with mere words. Everchanging. Everything one wished to see could be found within one¡¯s line of sight. Yet it was impossible to describe. This visual and sensory conflict made one nearly nauseous, as if the mind itself was copsing under the strain. It was very simr to the indescribable entities recorded in the Cthulhu mythos. Yet Du Wei forcibly maintained hisposure,pletely locking away his emotions. The strangeness around him continued to ur. The scene in front of Du Wei began to ripple, just as Hannibal had said¡ªthey had always been inside a mirror, or rather, inside the Mirror Evil Spirit. The feeling of weightlessness was incredibly intense. Du Wei felt like he was continuously falling, as if space itself was distorted. In a daze, the scenery before his eyes changedpletely. Some essence was exposed. ¡­ When everything had stabilized, Du Wei saw a ring white. He was now sitting in a chair, with a table before him, and Hannibal was seated opposite, hands resting on the table, smiling. All traces of the previous bloodshed were gone. Everything was as if nothing had happened. To one side, there were numerous mirrors ced. They appeared to be no different from before, only with the addition of a table. But each mirror exuded a chilling aura. The mirror¡¯s surface was pitch ck, pairs of eyes with only white sclera opened, hollow and deathly still. It was the true Mirror Evil Spirit. Within each pair of eyes, the figures of Du Wei and Hannibal sitting before the table were reflected. Yet both of them seemed as if they didn¡¯t see it, choosing to ignore it. Hannibal, looking at Du Wei and wearing a smile, elegantly said, ¡°In psychology, there¡¯s an interesting test where your reflection in the mirror shows differences from your actual appearance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a kind of illusion brought about by the subconscious because everyone adjusts their posture to match the mirror.¡± ¡°By extension, the beauty that people pursue is actually just a concealment of their ugly nature.¡± ¡°Mr. Du Wei, you¡¯ve always wanted the Mirror Evil Spirit toe out; it¡¯s part of your n.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re too arrogant, no n is perfect.¡± ¡°Now, you no longer have a chance.¡± ¡°As soon as we meet the eyes of the mirrors around us, we will be trapped within the Mirror within Mirror. By then, you and I can essentially be dered dead.¡± ¡°However, for me, this is the perfect opportunity to tear away your disguise, remove your mask, and turn you into one of my kind.¡± Upon hearing these words, Du Wei took off the mask he was wearing on his face and chuckled softly, ¡°Do you really think so?¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 266: 265. Put on the mask Chapter 266: 265. Put on the mask When Du Wei finished speaking, Hannibal¡¯s expression became somewhat puzzled. He was very confused. Despite the situation already being as it was, why was this man still so confident? Did he feel that he would definitely win? But this was impossible. Thus, Hannibal said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, you no longer have a chance, do you?¡± Du Wei smiled faintly, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Hannibal shook his head. Even though he was eager to meet a fellow, there were still levels among fellows. Moreover, they both were masters in psychology. Although Du Wei¡¯s knowledge of psychology was more extremist, there had to be aparison. Hannibal reached into his pockets and pulled out an old-fashioned pocket watch and a handgun. ¡°Look, I can kill you at any time, but you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mr. Du Wei, you¡¯ve been deceived by me, the damage your handgun could cause me is minimal.¡± As he spoke, he threw the handgun to Du Wei. ¡°It¡¯s fully loaded, you can try.¡± Upon hearing this, Du Wei smiled thoughtfully, toyed with the handgun after catching it, and then pointed it at Hannibal and pulled the trigger. After a thud of a gunshot, The bullet went straight through Hannibal¡¯s eye socket and pierced through his skull. However, Hannibal¡¯s expression did not change, always with a faint smile. Visible to the naked eye, His injuries healed instantly. Seeing this, Du Wei had to put the handgun away, nodded slightly, and then asked, ¡°So what do you n to do next? Hypnotize me?¡± Hannibal picked up the pocket watch, smiling and said, ¡°You guessed correctly, but unfortunately, there¡¯s no reward.¡± His gaze lingered on the pocket watch in Hannibal¡¯s hand for a moment, his eyes bing more bizarre. What a coincidence. He had also deceived Hannibal. Whether the handgunbined with the Evil Spirit Coin could kill him or not was not important. It would be best if it could kill him, but if it couldn¡¯t, he still had a backup n. The most important thing was that this n had been proceeding smoothly and systematically up until now. What Hannibal thought was only what he assumed. Under asymmetrical information, anyone could make mistakes. Therefore, he would continue to follow the n. This was called the mindset of a superior. And Hannibal was precisely such a person; he disparaged life, considered himself separate from humanity, and he even believed that he was the only ¡°person¡± in this world, others were nothing but livestock awaiting ughter. At this time, Hannibal also began ¡°hypnotism.¡± Given that there were problems with the mirrors around them, both of them kept their eyes on each other, not looking at the mirrors. Hannibal did it intentionally, because he disdained lying to his own kind, and only truthful words could weave the most perfect lies. He had fully disclosed the murder mechanism of the Mirror Evil Spirit to Du Wei, without hiding anything. Because he knew that someone like Du Wei could never believe his words, but would definitely factor this information into his thought process. As for Du Wei not looking at the mirrors but instead making eye contact with him, that was intentional. In his eyes, Hannibal was already a dead man. The n had moved into the next phase. Let the Mirror Evil Spirit set its sights on him, while initiating the face-swapping mechanism, awakening Evil Spirit Du Wei. Of course¡­ he also needed the Evil Spirit to set its sights on Hannibal. Hannibal¡¯s voice was soft. He fiddled with the pocket watch, swinging it in front of Du Wei¡¯s eyes, while also speaking in sporadic phrases. ¡°You were once a forensic investigator, but now you are a psychiatrist.¡± ¡°The fact that you can smell the scent of blood on me indicates that your professional sensitivity is still present, hence you were once an excellent forensic investigator.¡± ¡°But now you¡¯ve be a psychologist, let me help you recall your past, it must be an interesting memory,¡± ¡°Your wariness towards everyone indicates that you¡¯ve suffered considerable psychological trauma.¡± ¡°This is rted to your forensic experience, isn¡¯t it?¡± When Hannibal said this, he shed a cold smile at Du Wei. It was like the sharpest scalpel, precisely dissection the dark side hidden within the human heart. Du Wei¡¯s eyes immediately turned cold. He had not spoken of that past to anyone, including his girlfriend, Alex. Everyone has their own secrets. Once touched, they would eruptpletely. On this point, his attitude was no different from that of Mirror Evil Spirit. After all, they were both Du Wei. Hannibal noticed the change in Du Wei¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°Forensic science is thest dignity of the deceased. It¡¯s a noble profession. You¡¯re not very old, so that experience must have been during your school years.¡± ¡°Otherwise, it¡¯s unlikely you would have had the time to give up that career and re-study psychology.¡± ¡°So let me think, what unusual experience did you encounter at school?¡± ¡°The answer is either you dissected some special corpses, or someone important to you died in front of you, and you were powerless to help.¡± At this, Hannibal¡¯s eyes grew deep, ¡°Was it your girlfriend?¡± Du Wei answered indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re definitely going to die.¡± Hannibalughed and said, ¡°It seems not, so let me guess again, was it your siblings, or perhaps your parents?¡± He tested Du Wei with a jesting tone in his voice. Even, he did not stingy with the disdain and contempt revealed in his words. The purpose was simple. To anger Du Wei, to make this fellow creature expose his true nature. Boom¡­ Du Wei raised his gun impassively and blew Hannibal¡¯s mouth to smithereens. Blood sttered everywhere. Hannibal, holding his mouth,ughed neurotically, but due to his injuries, theughter was shrill and ghastly, like the screeching of a night owl. ¡°Hahaha¡­ it seems¡­ I¡­ guessed right.¡± When Hannibal let go of his hand, his mouth was already intact as before. He excitedly stood up, resting his hands on the table, looking down imperiously at the man in front of him. He felt that his kin was about to awaken.@@novelbin@@ ¡°How does it feel, looking at your rtive¡¯s corpse? Are you angry? Or is your heart totally undisturbed?¡± ¡°Did you also dissect your rtive¡¯s corpse?¡± ¡°Do you hate your own powerlessness?¡± Theughter stopped abruptly. Hannibal licked his lips and stared at Du Wei, saying angrily, ¡°You want to kill me, don¡¯t you? So what are you waiting for?¡± He smacked the desk hard, the sound muffled. ¡°Come on, kill me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let those so-called shackles, those so-called rules, bind your will.¡± ¡°Only the weak adhere to order, their lives as worthless as weeds, blown and scorched by the wind. Everywhere you look, they are dense and annoying.¡± ¡°If you wish, you can ruthlessly reap their lives with a sickle, trample on their dignity at will.¡± ¡°You can even take pleasure in it.¡± ¡°So my kin, what are you waiting for?¡± Hannibal was almost roaring. He yelled at Du Wei, his expression nheless solemn as if conducting a sacred ritual. But Du Wei bowed his head and expressionlessly took out a white mask, nced at the mirrors, and quickly put it on his face. The next second. From the surrounding ck mirrors, reflections of Du Wei seated appeared. One hand propped up his chin, the other rested on his thigh, his posture elegant, his demeanor distinguished, giving off an intense sense of nobility even in such a strange setting. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 269: 268, Evil Spirit Out of Control Chapter 269: 268, Evil Spirit Out of Control Outside the mirror. The silhouette of the Evil Spirit Du Wei became even more profound. It held a scalpel in its right hand, upon which its own face slowly emerged. And in its hand. There was a face wearing a mask. Yes, it had peeled off its own face. The perspective shifted back to the front. The face of the Evil Spirit Du Wei had formed into a void, much like a shattered mirror, dark inside, with nothing visible. The body it had stolen was merely a reflection. This contradicted its cognition, and if it continued like this, it would eventually fall into self-denial, a conceptual death. By then, even if it survived, it would no longer be the Evil Spirit Du Wei. After its face was peeled off, the Evil Spirit Du Wei lost its features. It couldn¡¯t speak anymore, so it numbly reached out with the face, mask and all, toward the other self in the mirror. It could see Du Wei in the mirror. But Du Wei couldn¡¯t see it. It was somewhat akin to a special mirror used for spying on people¡¯s privacy, but in this context, it was extremely terrifying. By its side. Pennywise and those counterfeit Evil Spirits circled around the Evil Spirit Du Wei, but perhaps some factorpelled them to not dare approach. Even if the current state of the Evil Spirit Du Wei was extremely pitiful. Perhaps the terror and shadows Pennywise brought with it were too intense¡­ Meanwhile, in the darkness not far away, Hannibal¡¯s corpse began to change subtly. Its abdomen started to bloat as if something was trying to burrow out, and a cold malevolence slowly radiated from the corpse as its epicenter. The change of face mechanism, initiated. ¡­ Within the mirror. Du Wei¡¯s situation was also very grim. He wore the mask, with a gun in his right hand, his finger tightly on the trigger, ready to fire at any moment. In his left hand, he held a coin. The ck Umbre floated above him, but not due to some special ability. The moment the Evil Spirit Du Wei appeared, he had lost the ability to borrow. Above the ck Umbre, darkness had enveloped it, much like a pair of hands, firmly securing it and assimting it. The creaking noise sounded intermittently. From the umbre ribs to the canopy, all were under tremendous pressure¡ªfrom the Mirror Evil Spirit. The umbre had apanied Du Wei for a long time, and now all it could do, before being destroyed, was to buy its master a little more time. ¡°Huuh¡­¡± With mental tension, Du Wei slowly took a breath and calmly pondered in his mind, ¡°The Evil Spirit Du Wei must have already made its move; if it breaks the mirror, then in that instant I will appear outside the mirror, in the secondyer of the Mirror World.¡± At that time, the conceptual Mirror Evil Spirit would also be another force. Together with Pennywise and what Hannibal turned into, there should be a 30 percent chance that I won¡¯t immediately lose my body to the Evil Spirit Du Wei. When that happens, what I have to do is leave the mirror instantly, trapping the Evil Spirit Du Wei inside. I need to prepare for both possibilities because it might use the change of face mechanism. But no matter what, I won¡¯t lose this time. ¡­ With this thought, Du Wei suppressed the nervousness in his heart. His only advantage to turn the tables was knowing the weakness of the Evil Spirit Du Wei¡ªit couldn¡¯t tolerate any impurity. The moment it lost the identity of Du Wei, it would die a conceptual death. The real body and the illusionary reflection. It would never choose thetter. Even more so, Du Wei considered even the other Joker Card that represented the gamble. He had thought that after the Evil Spirit Du Wei integrated the Joker Card, it would possess the insurmountable power of the gamble. However, this was of little use to Du Wei. Because he had the card that could grant wishes. Idealism against idealism. Du Wei could wish to never lose, even if the cost was being assimted by the Evil Spirit, but that¡¯s definitely not something the Evil Spirit Du Wei would desire. The better you understand yourself, the more you know your own thoughts. Previously, the Evil Spirit Du Wei had all of Du Wei¡¯s memories and the information it knew itself. And now, Du Wei possessed all its memories and knew the information it was unaware of. It was like doing arithmetic. Du Wei might be 10, and the Evil Spirit Du Wei might be 9, but as long as one was greater than the other, the oue would bepletely reversed. ¡°This time, you must die.¡± Du Wei said to himself, and even without speaking aloud, his demeanor was frighteningly severe. The situation had reached a point where neither side had any chance to retreat. They had to give it their all or lose everything. Time ticked away second by second. But at this moment, Du Wei¡¯s body suddenly trembled, bending at the waist uncontrobly, as a sharp pain attacked his heart. Piercing buzzing sounds also rose in his ears. Beneath his mask, blood slowly trickled out, gathering at the edge of the mask, and dripped onto the ground with a tick-tock sound. ¡­ At this very moment, Inside a psychotherapy clinic in North Brook District, Soft moonlight filtered through the windowpane, faintly revealing the Antique Clock on the wall spinning wildly. The hands ovepped, spinning so fast they almost blurred into invisibility. It seemed to foresee something. Tick tick tick¡­ The Antique Clock trembled all over. Inside the room, the atmosphere grew more and more oppressive, and the temperature suddenly dropped. A drum-white fog slowly filled the entire room. In the unseen mist, shuffling noises began to emerge, as if many people were moving about. The next second, The hands of the Antique Clock twitched and came to a halt. The time pointed to exactly 12 o¡¯clock. Click¡­ The hands dispersed, continuing their motion as if nothing had happened before. Only this time, they were moving backward. ¡­@@novelbin@@ Elsewhere, In the mirror world, Du Wei¡¯s mouth and nose bled as he clutched his head and cried out in pain. He had seen some visions that he shouldn¡¯t have, the pain in his brain as if a wedge had been thrust in, toggling with abandon. The pain was nearly driving him to the brink of a mental breakdown. Yet, the scene before him forced Du Wei to maintain his sanity forcibly. He saw that the face of his other self had been removed, the left hand holding a scalpel, the right hand holding a fragmented face, and covering it over the Du Wei in the mirror. Beyond that, the vision warp and blur, and he couldn¡¯t see what happened. It wasn¡¯t the first time Du Wei had seen certain parts of the future. It always happened at the most lethal moments. But unlike before, the visions he saw this time were iplete, with a beginning but no end. However, Du Wei had no more energy to ponder the reasons behind this. He could only choose to trust that this ability sourced from the Antique Clock had never betrayed him before. Du Wei gritted his teeth and forcefully locked his mental state. He said coldly, ¡°So that¡¯s why you can see my every move outside the mirror?¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t shatter the mirror but tried to use a face-swapping mechanism to take back the body, making me the reflection?¡± ¡°But you won¡¯t seed because I¡¯ve already anticipated this scenario.¡± The shadow existing as an outer shell also took action at this time, its malice inting within Du Wei¡¯s mind, attempting to break his will. Killing Du Wei was its utmost obsession. Yet Du Wei¡¯s spirit remained unfluctuating as he tossed a Coin again. Seeing it was heads, Du Weiughed maniacally. ¡°I can face death with equanimity, but what about you? Can you ept it?¡± Having spoken, Du Wei looked up at the ck Umbre hovering above his head and fired a shot. The next second, darknesspletely enveloped him. At the same time, the shattering sound of mirrors resounded¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 270: 269, Stay in the mirror forever Chapter 270: 269, Stay in the mirror forever Who least wanted Du Wei to die? There were many answers, Tom, Father Tony, Alex, and none of the people who had a good rtionship with him wanted him dead. Among them was probably Hannibal as well. But if this question was posed to the Evil Spirit, then there was actually only one answer¡ªthe Evil Spirit itself, Du Wei. What it wanted to seize was a living body, not a lifeless corpse. Therefore, after seeing Du Wei in the mirror embraced by darkness, the Evil Spirit Du Wei halted. It nced at the face covering the mirror and numbly retracted its hand, which was resting on its own face. Deathly silence. Surrounding it, Pennywise and other evil spirits frantically retreated. Only Hannibal¡¯s corpse underwent a change, a pitch-ck hand emerged from within his stomach, presenting an unnatural shape, as though scorched by fire, it shrunk like a chicken¡¯s w. However, it didn¡¯t manage to fully emerge, to reveal its original appearance, when a wave-like, sullen malice spread crazily along the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Pfft¡­ As if a bubble had burst, the sound was so light it was almost inaudible. That Evil Spirit just vanished directly, having never yed any role from beginning to end. The mirror seemed incapable of withstanding such a horrific aura, as cracks began to spread from its edges. Crash¡­ The mirror shattered. All of this happened in an instant. The next second, the darkness flowed out from the broken mirror as if it had substance. The Mirror Evil Spirit finally revealed its full form. It was indescribable in words, the darkness seen by the naked eye, was all part of it. A mirror has an inside and an outside. When there is no point of reference, everything inside the mirror is dark. It is but a reflection. The darkness, upon its appearance, spread towards the Evil Spirit Du Wei, as if intending to envelop it within. The Evil Spirit Du Wei looked at it as if looking at a dead person. With a gaze of deadly silence. The darkness froze right before the Evil Spirit Du Wei, rippling outwards. This scene had be so fantastical it transcended reality. Any person witnessing it would doubt themselves, even deceive themselves, thinking it to be some kind of movie effect. But reality was exactly this. Evil Spirit Du Wei was an entity at the zenith, had it not been forcefully awakened, by now it would havepletely assimted the Joker Card, bing even more bizarre and idealistic. Even now, though it had be a reflection, it hadn¡¯t weakened much. Confronting the Mirror Evil Spirit, it even disyed greater dominance. ¡°I can feel you¡¯re not dead yet,¡± ¡°so hand over the body to me¡­¡± The first line was directed at Du Wei, the second line at the Mirror Evil Spirit. The voice was so cold it reached extremes, filled with unsubtle murderous intent. Evil Spirit Du Wei grasped the surgical knife and shed forward. In front of it, the darkness that existed in a form that entirely twisted reality, began to spread apart down the middle, as if pried open by some invisible force. The Mirror Evil Spirit was trembling too. It was like a homeowner who had an unwee guest break into the house, confronting the Evil Spirit Du Wei immediately. Yet even so, the bnce of victory was still tilting towards the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Time ticked away bit by bit. Just ten secondster, violent coughing sounds came from within the darkness. A man dressed in a ck coat, carrying a backpack, sat on the ground, one hand supporting his forehead, the other resting on the ground, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing up and down. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Du Wei¡¯s stomach churned ufortably, vomiting a lot of ck filth, but at this moment, he was still wearing a mask, and those things flowed down from the mask. This was the first time he had ever been in such a sorry state. Beside him, the ck Umbre was already in tatters, with only the ribs remaining. It waspletely useless now. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Du Wei breathed heavily andughed somewhat hysterically at the sight of himself in front. ¡°It seems my luck isn¡¯t too bad¡­¡± His physical condition was dire, but he was still alive. However, he had also paid a certain ¡°price¡±. The mask had a veryrge crack, and the shadow that enveloped him was nearly gone, bing incredibly weak, almost like that female Evil Spirit¡¯s face at home in the earliest days. Behind him, the Mirror Evil Spirit was constantly suppressed by Evil Spirit Du Wei. It couldn¡¯tst much longer. Now, with all the mirrors broken, the Mirror Evil Spirit had no way to avoid Evil Spirit Du Wei and was essentially forced into this dire situation. Du Wei felt he was quite skilled at these sorts of things. So. He beckoned to the distant figure holding a red balloon, who kept retreating¡ªPennywise. Combined with his now miserable visage and the incredibly oppressive atmosphere, his whole being was akin to a malicious ghost, shadowy and unnerving. Pennywise wasn¡¯t human. It stared at Du Wei, hesitated for a second, and did not advance. Even with the intensely strong connection between them. If Du Wei died, it would actually be relieved and would no longer be chased. In this world, many Evil Spirits held grudges against Du Wei, and Pennywise was one of them. But Du Wei showed an ironic smile. He raised a finger to his head and said, ¡°I told you, I would make you stronger.¡± He once again suggested mentally to himself. After taking a deep breath, Du Wei¡¯s gaze turnedpletely. The extreme calm and rationality faded away, reced now by fear and panic. He kept suggesting to himself, envisioning things that he might fear, hypnotizing himself into a predicament of death. The red balloon in Pennywise¡¯s hand became more vivid. It licked its lips and let out a sinister, chillingugh. A blood-drenched hand reached out from behind Pennywise as Hannibal emerged with a smile. This was a fake. Suddenly¡­ One by one, corpses soaked in formalin emerged. These corpses made Evil Spirit Du Wei¡¯s pupils constrict. All were from the time he studied forensic medicine, always in the dissection room, the bodies he encountered. From the first to the second, and then the third year. ¡°Enough!¡± Du Wei closed his eyes, his body drenched with sweat. Evil Spirit Du Wei said nothing, its Right Hand holding a scalpel and shing directly at Pennywise.@@novelbin@@ The entire red balloon burst at the sound. All that should not have appeared, that hadn¡¯t yet appeared, vanished into nothing. But by doing this, it exposed a vulnerability, as some darkness directly pounced on it. Whoosh. Its left hand shatteredpletely like a mirror. Evil Spirit Du Wei looked at the one sitting on the ground and said coldly, ¡°Discarding all external factors, no one would think you are Du Wei, only I am.¡± Upon hearing this. Du Wei looked up at it and exined as if to himself, ¡°I am not afraid of them.¡± Having said that. Du Wei froze and spoke in a very low tone, ¡°Now, you and the Mirror Evil Spirit have reached a stalemate; you are not as strong anymore.¡± Evil Spirit Du Wei said indifferently, ¡°So what do you want to do?¡± Du Wei took out a gun and pointed it at his own head, ¡°Of course, to trap you here to death.¡± ¡°There are no more mirrors now, it¡¯s virtually impossible to leave.¡± Evil Spirit Du Wei said coldly, ¡°But conceptually speaking, there is always one mirror that exists. I¡¯m the reflection and you¡¯re the object. If you kill me, the mirror will shatter, and you can leave.¡± ¡°But you cannot kill me.¡± Du Wei said indifferently, ¡°You and I are both in the Mirror within Mirror; by rule, this is a conflict. Reflection and reality are blurred, so I could also be seen as a reflection.¡± ¡°I canmit suicide, but you can¡¯t.¡± After finishing. Du Wei no longer looked at Evil Spirit Du Wei and pulled the trigger directly. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 271: 270, Du Wei is exhausted (Added for the Sect Leader Erha) Chapter 271: 270, Du Wei is exhausted (Added for the Sect Leader Erha) Rustle¡­ The sound of a mirror shattering rang in his ears. The faint moonlight filtered through the clouds, casting mottled patterns on the ground. Du Wei removed his mask expressionlessly and touched his head. There was no wound. But the feeling of having died once left him with lingering fear. ¡°I admit there was an element of gambling involved, but now I¡¯ve won,¡± he said. Du Wei sighed, looking up at the deep sky, his face weary. Step by step, he walked towards the outskirts of the old district. Along the way. Every mirror had shatteredpletely, none intact. Logically speaking, the Mirror Evil Spirit and the Evil Spirit Du Wei, could note out again. Of course¡­ Du Wei didn¡¯t take Pennywise with him, in that situation, he had neither the opportunity nor the need to take an unrted Evil Spirit. This Evil Spirit was not as obedient as the shadow. At the very least, once the killing mechanism was triggered, it would act without hesitation. Even faced with the Evil Spirit Du Wei, it was just as headstrong. ¡°I hope Pennywise and the Evil Spirit Du Wei get along a bit better,¡± he quipped to himself. Suddenly, Du Wei made a self-deprecating joke. To him, this remark was indeed a form of self-mockery. Pennywise had created those corpses, crossing a line that even Du Wei could not tolerate, regardless of whether he was the instigator. The Evil Spirit Du Wei probably wanted to tear Pennywise¡¯s heart out. ¡­ Not long after Du Wei left. From the shadows of the old district. A fit of violent coughing erupted. In the darkness. An indistinct figure crawled on the ground, struggling mightily to break free. The bright moonlight shone on his face. It was Hannibal. He turned over andy on the ground, breathing rapidly. Before being pulled into the mirror, he had left behind a decoy Evil Spirit. When he was killed by the Evil Spirit Du Wei for thest time, his power was triggered, sacrificing the Evil Spirit outside the mirror while he himself came out of the mirror in advance. His survival ability was incredibly strong. But his Evil Spirit Scalpel was lost inside the mirror, bing the property of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. However, this didn¡¯t matter to Hannibal. What mattered was that he had discovered the presence of the Evil Spirit Du Wei. ¡°Evil Spirit Du Wei¡­ So it was you who I always thought was my fellow, not that man,¡± he mused. ¡°Such an irrational existence actually exists in this world.¡± Hannibal¡¯sughter was very deep as he clutched the envelope in his right hand, staring at the words on it, his eyes revealing a strange hue. A line of text suddenly appeared on the paper. [Ten minutes ago, Du Wei discovered a certain pattern, survived and left the mirror, while the Evil Spirit Du Wei, along with the Mirror Evil Spirit and another Evil Spirit, were trapped and died inside the mirror.] ¡°An Evil Spirit with human memories and ways of thinking is unimaginably powerful, and in a certain sense, this is no different from a god,¡± Hannibal said, squinting his eyes before adding, ¡°It reminds me of the Veda Sect¡¯s bunch of crazy women, their god of worship, it seems somewhat simr to my kind.¡± With that. Hannibal struggled to his feet.@@novelbin@@ He had lost all interest in Du Wei by now. Without the Evil Spirit Du Wei, that man was nothing more than a regr hunter to Hannibal, nothing special at all. Therefore¡­ His target shifted abruptly towards the Evil Spirit Du Wei. ¡°Devouring another Evil Spirit of my own kind, the thought alone excites me. It¡¯s a pity that you are too terrifying; I actually developed a fear of you.¡± ¡°Perhaps, I should bring the Veda Sect into this, hmm¡­ that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡­ At this moment, At a Swiss train station. James and Coral, the hunter from the Dusk Bell Church, had just left the train station. Suddenly, James¡¯s face turned extremely pale, and he stiffly copsed onto the ground. A chilling aura emanated from him, and had there been more people outside the train station at this time, it would likely have caused chaos. Coral cried out in shock when she saw this and hurriedly crouched down to help James up. However, the sight that met her eyes made her gasp in fright. James¡¯s eyes were wide open, filled with bloodshot veins, his gaze so icy that it caused uncontroble shivering. Two streams of fresh blood trickled down from the corners of his eyes. Coral couldn¡¯t help but immediately let go and step back, her entire being entering into the Evil Spirit Transformation. Being watched by those eyes of James, she felt a chilling sense of danger, as if she might be killed in the next second. ¡°Mr. James¡­ you, are you alright¡­¡± Coral¡¯s voice could not hide its trembling. She tried to calm herself down, but couldn¡¯t manage it. It was an instinctual fear. Yet James just gave her a cold nce, then suddenly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were filled with savagery. He held his head with his remaining hand, speaking in great anguish, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Coral said warily, ¡°You just lost control, your condition is very abnormal.¡± James asked with difficulty, ¡°What should I do.¡± Coral responded, ¡°We¡¯re going back to the church now, you need a cleansing.¡± James painfully nodded. He wasn¡¯t pretending; he was truly in a great deal of pain. His head was filled with an inexplicable echoing voice, almost whispering,pletely inaudible, as though it wasing from a great distance. Moreover, he felt that voice seemed to bepelling him to do something. ¡­ Elsewhere. On a suburban highway in Scolyn City. Du Wei was driving his McLaren GT towards the nearest motel. Exhausted, the shadow that had been pressing on his heart dissipated a lot, having shaken off the threat of Evil Spirit Du Wei, he urgently needed rest. He walked into the motel and after paying the deposit at the front desk, he shouldered his bag and went upstairs. The room was clean and tidy. With a creak. Du Wei shut the door firmly, and the tranquility in the room rxed his tense spirit. He slumped against the door and slowly sat down. The floor was cool but solid. A crunch. The sound of something breaking came from his backpack. This made Du Wei¡¯s eyes widen in surprise; he exertively took off his backpack and unzipped it. There were very few things inside, just two masks. As for other items, such as the Dagger, Joker Card, lighter, and the Coin, he carried them on his person. And now, One of the two masks, the one that represented the masked Evil Spirit Du Wei, waspletely shattered. Du Wei gathered his spirits and thoughtfully reached out to grab a piece, gently crushing it to dust. ¡°This world has one less Masked Evil Spirit.¡± He felt he should smile, but couldn¡¯t make even the slightest expression. Matching wits and battling with the Evil Spirit within himself sounded very intriguing, but every time he came close to dancing with death, the slightest misstep meant no return. ¡°Goodbye, evil spirit me¡­¡± ¡°No, it would be better if we never met again, for if there is a next time, I truly don¡¯t know how to deal with you.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 272: 271, Toms good brother Chapter 272: 271, Tom¡¯s good brother June 7th, morning. When the first ray of sunlight shone through the ss window into the hotel room. Du Weiy on the bed and suddenly opened his eyes. His face was haggard, and his eyes were bloodshot, making him look utterly listless. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve had another nightmare¡­¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t remember anything about the dream at all.¡± Du Wei murmured to himself, he closed his eyes and, upon reopening them, returned to his usual calm and indifference. Immediately after, he frowned, pondering a question. He had suspected that the curse from the nun had, after lying dormant, started to stir again. The manifestation of the curse involved dreaming of the nun, like the floating scenes that appeared in his dreams at the very beginning. But now, Du Wei couldn¡¯t ascertain what he even dreamt about. The difference between the two was significant, but from another perspective, they were fundamentally the same. ¡°My dreams might have been devoured¡­¡± ¡°But I can suggest to myself not to dream.¡± Du Wei judged, then he took a deep breath and nced at his right hand. His entire right hand was somewhat pale. In the past, it was only after entering an Evil Spirit Transformation that his right hand would change, but now it seemed that this change was undergoing an Otherness. The degree of Evil Spirit Transformation, as the name implies, is rted to evil spirits; the longer the contact, the deeper the transformation. ¡°Thankfully, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for the time being.¡± As Du Wei said this, he touched the ebony cross ne on his chest. Feeling the solid object through his clothes, he felt much relieved. This ne was given to him by the hunter Alvin Dowqui in the basement of St. Bodia Church Headquarters; he put it on and carried it with him. Its purpose was to ward against the risks of Evil Spirit Transformation, which was still quite effective for Du Wei at present. ¡°It¡¯s time to prepare to go back.¡± With that. Du Wei got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. But just as he finished squeezing out the toothpaste, his phone rang. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be Alex calling, she usually sleeps at this time.¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow and walked out of the bathroom to take his phone from the pocket of the clothes hanging on the rack. However. The screen disyed his girlfriend Alex¡¯s name. Du Wei raised an eyebrow and quickly pressed the answer button. Immediately after, Alex¡¯s anxious voice came through, ¡°Honey, there seems to be a lockdown around my ce; don¡¯te over today, there might be an incident here.¡± Du Wei¡¯s heart tightened, ¡°What happened?¡±@@novelbin@@ Alex said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but early this morning I received a notice saying that if we need to enter or exit the neighborhood, we have to register with security, and there seem to be inclothes officers patrolling outside.¡± Hearing this. Du Wei was stunned; hadn¡¯t Tom said he would protect her in secret? Had they been discovered so readily? He coughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m aware of this. It¡¯s because there¡¯s a dangerous individual who has arrived in New York. I spoke with Officer Tom yesterday and specifically asked him to have people patrol nearby to prevent any incidents.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Alex eximed, ¡°What do you mean? You knew?¡± After speaking, she clenched her teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re involved in this.¡± Du Wei felt awkward and didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he fell silent. On the phone, Alex¡¯s voice fell silent for a few seconds, seemingly taking deep breaths. ¡°Honey, are you trying to tell me that besides moonlighting as an exorcist, you are also helping the police solve criminal cases?¡± ¡°I feel like our family isn¡¯t short on money, right?¡± The ¡°us¡± she referred to were Du Wei and herself. Although it was a subconscious remark, it revealed sincerity. If it weren¡¯t for the tone being too angry, Du Wei thought he might actually be moved. So, he hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I absolutely have not been involved in any criminal cases. I¡¯m outside preparing a gift for you right now.¡± He indeed nned to pick some fresh flowers to bring back after washing up. But Alexughed coldly, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not lying to me?¡± Du Wei firmly said, ¡°I am certain.¡± Alex snorted, ¡°Officer Tom is right ahead. I¡¯ll ask him myself. If you are involved in this, I¡¯m telling you, darling, I will definitely let you know what anger is.¡± After finishing, footsteps resounded from the phone¡¯s speaker; it seemed Alex was walking toward someone else. Du Wei¡¯s mouth twitched, and he instantly calmed down. He listened intently, already considering how to cover up the lie. On the other end of the phone, the voices of Alex and Officer Tom came through. Alex asked, ¡°Officer Tom, my boyfriend said a dangerous individual has arrived in New York, and he¡¯s helping the police solve this criminal case, right?¡± Hearing this, Du Wei¡¯s heart leaped. But what followed from Tom¡¯s reply made him breathe a sigh of relief. Only to hear Tom say, ¡°Miss Alex, your boyfriend is my good brother. How could I involve him in such a dangerous case?¡± Alex asked again, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have colluded with Du Wei, would you?¡± Tom said gravely, ¡°I feel like you¡¯re doubting my integrity and my professional conduct.¡± It was then that Alex said, ¡°Sorry, I was just too worried about him. As long as he¡¯s not involved in something so dangerous, it¡¯s fine.¡± The tacit understanding between men sometimes doesn¡¯t even requiremunication. ¡°You truly are my good brother.¡± Du Wei said to himself in his heart. At that moment. Alex apologized over the phone, ¡°Baby, I misunderstood you.¡± Du Wei said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you meant well. And I think that if something like this happens again in the future, you surely won¡¯t overthink it.¡± Alex snorted proudly, ¡°So where are you now? I¡¯m really looking forward to the gift you¡¯ve prepared for me.¡± Du Wei said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a secret for now. After all, it¡¯s supposed to be a surprise.¡± ¡­ After hanging up the phone. Once Du Wei was done washing up, he checked out of the hotel. And the hotel staff came to the room for routine cleaning. First, they stripped the bedsheets, and then they moved to the bathroom. ¡°Strange, is the air conditioning on? Why does it feel a bit cold?¡± While cleaning, the staff muttered curiously, looking up towards the washroom, but discovered nothing unusual. However. In the mirror, unseen by the staff, the Evil Spirit Du Wei, dressed in ck, took off his mask. Its face was void of emotion, with not a hint of feeling in its eyes. Empty, deathly silent¡­ It watched the staff working outside, and the mirror¡¯s surface suddenly rippled ominously. But the staff member saw nothing. All the anomalies took ce inside the mirror, where, without any reference point, the illusion was utmost surreal. Not even Du Wei could see this Otherness, unless he entered the mirror again. Seeing this, the Evil Spirit Du Wei sneered and turned away, walking into the stagnant darkness behind it. The so-called darkness was in fact the Mirror Evil Spirit¡­ Inside the mirror, it whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s get you a new face¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 273: 272. An Invitation from the Vanity Sect Chapter 273: 272. An Invitation from the Vanity Sect In the suburbs of Scolyn City. The season was ame with blossoming flowers, a dazzling array of colors. The city itself was a tourist hub, and every year when the flower sea bloomed, people came to watch and vacation. Of course. The flowers in the suburbs were not forbidden to be picked. The precondition was to pay money. It was also a way to profit. After paying the staff, Du Wei got busy in the sea of flowers. Picking one of each type, any woman would probably not refuse. About an hour or soter, Du Wei looked around and had basically picked every flower he saw. ¡°Time to go back.¡± Du Wei wiped the sweat from his forehead and was about to turn and leave. However, at that moment. Out of the blue, he saw a figure in the distance amidst the flowers, wearing a mask and d in attire simr to regr church clothes, standing silently. A sense of caution surged within Du Wei, his eyebrows rose slightly as he pretended not to notice and merged into the nearby crowd of tourists. Under the state of Spirit Vision, he didn¡¯t sense anything unusual. The other party was evidently a living person. But the strange clothing, and the mask, made it all seem rather unsettling. Du Wei didn¡¯t want to make more trouble for himself and preferred not to engage, no matter who the other person was. The earlier situation with Hannibal had already taxed his wits enough. ¡°I hope they¡¯re not here for me.¡± Fate was not on his side. As Du Wei blended into the crowd, quickly approaching the exit, he suddenly furrowed his brow, feeling instinctively as if he was being watched. When he looked back. The masked person was following right behind him, seemingly attempting to get closer. ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­¡± Du Wei murmured to himself, his eyes cold and sharp. One hand even reached inside his coat, grasping the pistol that had three bullets in it. Seeing this, the other party suddenly stopped, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, I mean no harm, please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± The voice was strange, somewhat muffled, making it impossible to determine the gender. Bizarre and eerie. In an instant. A thought shed through Du Wei¡¯s mind, the Vanity Sect¡­ He had previously found a Satan pattern on the roof of the Horror House, and after Father Tony and the church were informed, themand came down to cease further investigation. It was because it concerned the Vanity Sect. The sect¡¯s members were extremely mysterious, active only in thest century and had since faded into silence in this century. The Vanity Sect¡¯s membership always counted only thirteen, characterized by a strong sense of ritual, and they always wore masks, their genders forever a secret. The person before him just matched the descriptions of the Vanity Sect. At that moment, Du Wei spoke coldly, ¡°Are you from the Vanity Sect?¡± The other replied, ¡°Yes, as you can see, I am indeed a member of the Vanity Sect, Crocker Mercer. You can call me Mercer.¡± It sounded like a man¡¯s name. Speaking of which, Mercer added, ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for some time. You¡¯re very calm, calmer than anyone I¡¯ve met. Are you interested in joining the Vanity Sect?¡± Du Wei frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± He hadn¡¯t forgotten that the Horror House was created by people from the Vanity Sect. At that time, at least dozens of people died in the Horror House. The style of this organization was no better than the church; at least the church was rtively positive byparison. Mercer nodded and said, ¡°Although I knew you would refuse, I didn¡¯t expect it to be so direct, but honestly, don¡¯t you feel that the church isn¡¯t suitable for you?¡± Du Wei responded indifferently, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t feel that way.¡± The church might have its issues, but for him, it had fulfilled its obligations. Moreover, his girlfriend¡¯s family had a somewhat special rtionship with the church. In contrast, the church indeed seemed like the best fit for him. Most importantly, he had nearly died in the Horror House. Du Wei also noticed that when he was talking with Mercer, the pedestrians around them seemed to have their attention diverted, subconsciously walking around them as if they saw and heard nothing. It must be the ability of some special item, or perhaps the other person was a hunter, using his Evil Spirit Transformation Ability. But regardless, it was enough to make Du Wei extremely vignt around this masked man. Mercer smiled at Du Wei and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to refuse. I¡¯ve studied your personality and know that you don¡¯t like the Vanity Sect¡¯s way of doing things, but you might change your mind after I finish speaking.¡± Without waiting for Du Wei to speak, he continued on his own, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m the one who bought the Horror House. You must have already experienced its horror.¡± ¡°But what I want to tell you is, my intention wasn¡¯t actually to kill people.¡± Du Wei said coolly, ¡°Sounds interesting, go on.¡± Mercer touched the mask on his face and pointed at Du Wei, ¡°At the very bottom of the Horror House, there actually exists a mask, but it had problems by the time I discovered it. I could only put Annabelle in there for a blood sacrifice.¡± ¡°I tried to appease it but failed, and it escaped with the mask.¡± Du Wei was puzzled, ¡°It escaped? You mean the Evil Spirit?¡± Mercer answered, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a Demon Spirit. The blood sacrifice couldn¡¯t appease it, and it disappeared without a trace. I haven¡¯t found it to this day.¡± ¡°But then I discovered you.¡± ¡°You have two masks as well but don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re not much rted to the Vanity Sect. To be precise, we hate the person who made them.¡± ¡°Because the maker of the masks subverted the foundation of the Vanity Sect in an extremely ironic way, and the replicas they created are very high quality.¡± Upon hearing this, Du Wei began to think silently. The part about Crocker Mercer not being credible regarding the blood sacrifice; it was something that couldn¡¯t be easily washed away. Moreover, whether the goal of the blood sacrifice was to appease or awaken the Demon Spirit was debatable. Thetter part of his speech, however, required further consideration. If what the other party said was true, then the foundation of the Vanity Sect was the masks, and it seemed to be rted to the Demon Spirit. And yet someone had managed to create a version of the mask infused with the Evil Spirit. The literal meaning of subverting was to make the impossible possible. That is, for the Vanity Church, it was impossible for someone to create a mask, or rather they themselves couldn¡¯t do it. Therefore, Du Wei said, ¡°So what do you want to do? If I don¡¯t join the Vanity Sect, are you going to take action against me to reim the masks I have?¡± Mercer shook his head, ¡°No, because we acknowledge the two masks you have, as well as your existence, which is why we hope you can join us to fill the void.¡± ¡°Void?¡± Du Wei¡¯s tone was a bit strange, ¡°Among the thirteen, has someone died?¡± Mercermended, ¡°Correct, the deceased was the owner of the mask beneath the Horror House, but I don¡¯t know who he was. We only contact each other at certain times.¡± ¡°When someone dies, someone else must be recruited.¡± ¡°If you join us, you will find that the so-called risk of Evil Spirit Transformation is actually no problem for you.¡± Hearing this, Du Wei asked an important question, ¡°Then what do I need to do?¡± Mercer immediately said, ¡°Bring back that mask.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT@@novelbin@@ Chapter 274: 273, women, not so hard to understand. Chapter 274: 273, women, not so hard to understand. ¡°As long as you can help us retrieve the lost mask, you will be the thirteenth member of the Vanity Sect, and we will also recognize the existence of your original two masks,¡± ¡°In other words, we¡¯re offering you additional powers to select personnel.¡± ¡°The person who possesses those two masks will be under the protection of the Vanity Sect.¡± ¡°Of course, their status will not surpass yours.¡± ¡°Think it over, Mr. Du Wei. Only we can help you thoroughly eliminate the threat of Evil Spirit Transformation, and allow you to retain your hunter abilities.¡± ¡­ Crocker Mercer left. And there. Du Wei stood in ce, pondering for a moment, then turned and left the expanse of flowers. If before he might have considered joining the Vanity Sect, he nowpletely extinguished that thought. Rationally speaking, setting aside the credibility in the other party¡¯s words and setting aside his personal distaste for the way the Vanity Sect conducts itself, joining the Sect would indeed be a good choice. Mysterious and powerful, and also very ancient, it seemed to know many secrets, and even the Church held this organization of just thirteen members in great trepidation. As long as he could join the Vanity Sect, all problems would be easily solved. Only. Their demands clearly treated him like a tool. Demon Spirits, Du Wei had not yet truly encountered such things, and Mary Shaw could be considered an Evil Spirit that had not sessfully transformed. It was missing something. The lost mask had been taken by a Demon Spirit; to ask Du Wei to take a mask from a Demon Spirit was practically sending him to his death. The most important thing was, the conditions offered by the Vanity Church weren¡¯t actually that enticing. Solving the issue of Evil Spirit Transformation wasn¡¯t really a problem for Du Wei at the moment. He now had the Ebony Cross Ne; even when on the brink of Evil Spirit Transformation, he would still have several decades at least. Joining the Vanity Church was very superfluous, with disadvantages outweighing the benefits. ¡°Moreover, I only have one mask now,¡± As Du Wei spoke, he sorted through his thoughts and turned to leave. ¡­ It was just after 4 p.m. Du Wei drove back to New York, receiving texts from Officer Tom, Father Tony, and his girlfriend Alex along the way. The contents of the texts from Tom and Father Tony were basically asking him how things were going and if he was injured. Alex, oblivious, simply urged him toe back soon. Due to the distance, The first ce Du Wei arrived at was the church; he nned to exin the situation to Tom and Father Tony before returning to see his girlfriend. It wouldn¡¯t likely take much time anyway. At the church in North Brook District. Before he could get out of the car, Tom and Father Tony were already at the entrance to greet him. ¡°Hey, my good brother, New York wees you back,¡± Tom was the first to greet Du Wei warmly. Upon hearing this, Du Wei opened the car door and nodded slightly; beside him, Father Tony said in a grave voice, ¡°You don¡¯t look well, are you injured?¡± He noticed that Du Wei¡¯splexion was a bit pale, looking as if he had just ovee a serious illness. Tom also furrowed his eyebrows and said, ¡°Do you need to go to the hospital?¡± Du Wei shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s just a superficial injury, no need for now.¡± Father Tony stood to the side, his eyes deeply fixed on Du Wei. Previously, Officer Tom had told him that Du Wei went to handle a person rted to the Evil Spirit, but if that was all, Du Wei would have definitely informed him. After all, the man in front of him was the youngest Deputy Chief Judge of the church and the person in charge of Evil Spirit incidents in New York. Moreover, for such an excellent hunter to be so exhausted, the adversary must also certainly not be of simple caliber. Thus, Father Tony coughed and gave Du Wei a meaningful look. Some things were not suitable to be said in front of Officer Tom. Du Wei got the hint but decided to conceal some matters and downyed the situation, ¡°I will report back to the churchter, by the way, has anything unusual urred here in New York during my absence?¡± Father Tony shook his head, ¡°No, all is well.¡± Officer Tom also shrugged and said, ¡°Nothing major, but I heard that things have worsened in Yard City, with thousands of people mysteriously disappearing. New York is probably going to dispatch some manpower over there to maintain local order.¡± As he spoke, he seemed a bit annoyed, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to go too, fuck! I hate the cost of living there.¡± Police attendance is generally reimbursed, but additional items are not included. Du Wei nced helplessly at him and said after a moment of thought, ¡°There should no longer be any Evil Spirit incidents there, but before you leave, you might want to take some things just in case.¡± Tom chuckled, pped Father Tony on the shoulder, and said to Du Wei, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure nothing will happen to me. Besides, if something did happen, it wouldn¡¯t be my turn.¡± He had been getting along very well with Father Tony recently. Going on duty in Yard City, would his elderly friend be stingy with him? As for money? Sorry, Tom didn¡¯t have any to spare. Every time they went to the Red Light District, he paid the bill, and if Father Tony dared to ask for money, he would dare to snatch it directly. Seeing this scene. Du Wei waved to the two of them, ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that for now, I¡¯m nning to take some time off to rest, so please don¡¯t disturb me unless it¡¯s something important.¡± He really needed some rest, to recuperate. Yeah ¡­ to take a vacation for himself. ¡­ After quickly concluding his conversation with Officer Tom and Father Tony. Du Wei drove toward his girlfriend¡¯s home. As he approached the Furman District. Du Wei took out his phone and nced at the back seat filled with flowers. One of each kind, it seems like he may have picked a little too many¡­ Thinking it over, he called his girlfriend with a bit of indecision. ¡°Dear, I have a gift for you, are you free toe out now? I don¡¯t think I can carry it into your house by myself.¡± Alex was confused, ¡°Huh? You can¡¯t carry it by yourself? You didn¡¯t prepare something weird, did you, like 999 lipsticks? Don¡¯t tell me you actually bought them!¡± Du Weiughed, ¡°How could I buy something so superficial? The gift I¡¯ve prepared for you will definitely surprise you. In both quantity and quality, it will be much more surprising than lipstick.¡± Alex was intrigued, ¡°Park your car in front of my ce, I¡¯ll go touch up my makeup right now.¡±@@novelbin@@ Du Wei responded, ¡°Okay.¡± About ten minutester. Du Wei parked the car properly and opened all the doors, including the trunk. Yes, the trunk was also full of flowers. ¡°From a psychological standpoint, women are more inclined towards bright things.¡± ¡°Flowers can uplift the mood.¡± While saying this, Du Wei was calcting the time his girlfriend would take to touch up her makeup. He took out a cigarette and lit it with his Evil Spirit Transformation right hand, as mes shot out from the lighter. ¡°Women, I think they¡¯re not that hard to understand.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 276: 275. Matthew (additional for alliance leader) Chapter 276: 275. Matthew (additional chapter for alliance leader) June 8th. Switzend, Dusk Bell Church Headquarters. After Hannibal returned, the council table in the church was already filled with people. He nced at his own seat, next to which sat a middle-aged man of simr age, expressionless, with a pair of profoundly deep eyes. What was somewhat surprising was this man clearly had the appearance and physique of a Caucasian, yet his eyes were dark brown, somewhat reminiscent of mixed heritage. Hannibal thought for a moment, and a name surfaced in his mind¡ªJames. Before he had left the Dusk Bell Church, he had heard that a hunter from the church had chosen to join. It should be this man. The atmosphere felt a bit off. Hannibal looked at the person seated in the main seat; this person had never appeared at the previous meetings, but no one dared to ignore him. Because this person was the de facto leader of the Dusk Bell Church. No one knew his name, or to put it another way, those who knew his name were either dead or his absolute confidants. His identity was a mystery; Hannibal had only seen him once, vaguely remembering that he seemed to be an old man. Looking at the person wearing the priest¡¯s attire, adorned with an Inverse Cross on his chest, and arge hood concealing his entire face, Hannibal smiled politely and bowed, saying, ¡°Praise be to Your Excellency.¡± The one called Your Excellency nodded slightly. The person beside him then said, ¡°Mr. Hannibal, how did your contact with Mr. Du Wei go? Is he willing to join us?¡± Hannibal smiled and replied, ¡°The contact went very well; we¡¯ve be good friends, but he seems uninterested in Dusk Bell.¡± The other party expressed some regret, ¡°Well then, it seems you¡¯ve been busy for nothing this time.¡± Hannibal¡¯s face showed a peculiar smile, ¡°Not exactly, at the very least I¡¯ve obtained a very important piece of news¡ªAlvin Dowqui is going to die.¡± Having said that, he walked over to his seat, pulled out the chair, and sat down. The others, however, had somewhat unusual expressions. Eyes met in silence. Sitting next to Hannibal was none other than James. Upon hearing this, his expression remained unchanged, but a strong curiosity surged in his heart. Alvin Dowqui was an old hunter of the church, and Hannibal had made contact with Du Wei, even iming to have be friends with him. This significant news being shared with someone from Dusk Bell¡ªhad Du Wei be an undercover agent for Dusk Bell? James felt an urge to notify the church about this matter, but remembering the church¡¯s orders, he could only suppress the impulse. Without receiving covert feedback from the church, he was a man of Dusk Bell, and must not reveal any slip-ups.@@novelbin@@ At that moment, someone spoke up, ¡°By the way, Mr. Hannibal, did you see Depp when you left? He has been missing for two days now.¡± Hannibal remembered the hunter he had consumed before, shook his head with a smile, and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± The man hummed in response and then fell silent. As if he didn¡¯t care at all. Meanwhile, the leader at the head of the table tapped his fingers on the table. Thud, thud, thud¡­ ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the church has recently suffered a lot of manpower loss, and Archbishop Skadi from their side has passed us a request for assistance.¡± ¡°Share your thoughts.¡± Suddenly, there was a buzz of discussion among everyone. Hannibal suddenly understood why the atmosphere was so heavy¡ªit was because the Church and Dusk Bell had made open contact. However, he decided not to speak up. Since Depp had already been killed by himself, it was best not to draw attention during this period, lest he be the target of others. The Dusk Bell originated from the Church and also inherited the internal divisions and chaos of the Church. Moreover, this momentum was bing more and more apparent. He then turned his gaze to James, who was standing at the side. Hannibal remembered clearly that this James seemed to have a very good rtionship with Du Wei. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± He muttered to himself and sat up straight. Bang¡­ Someone pped the table, ¡°The Church is simply an organization established by people blinded by faith, it¡¯s already decayed, and we don¡¯t need to have any contact with it.¡± These were the words of the new faction that was hostile to the Church. Their idea was to let the Dusk Bell develop in Switzend and preferably never deal with the Church, watching it decline step by step. But as soon as these words were said, someone scoffed, ¡°Really? But I don¡¯t see any problem in maintaining goodwill with the Church. The Dusk Bell and the Church are from the same source, there¡¯s no need to break all ties.¡± This person was from the Conservatives. And the leader of the Dusk Bell Church, the old man known as Your Excellency, kept silent throughout; listening to the discussion among the people, he was lost in memories. He remembered his old name, Snape Matthew. But now, that name had long been forgotten, and for some secret reason, he chose to give up that name. Even the people within the Dusk Bell had changed, not knowing his true name. The discussion among the people became more and more heated. It soon escted into a fierce argument, and there were even intentions toe to blows. Matthew felt a headacheing on and knocked on the table again, saying, ¡°Enough, do you want to turn the Dusk Bell into a battlefield? Or do you want to split right now?¡± No one dared to wear the high hat. Immediately, those people apologized, ¡°We are sorry, Your Excellency, please forgive our impudence.¡± Matthew coughed and said, ¡°This matter will not be overlooked just like that. At the next general meeting, you all will present a solution to me. I will only adopt the opinion most advantageous to the Dusk Bell.¡± His voice was very old, with an inescapable scent of decay, as if he were a dying man with one foot in the grave. In fact, he had already made ns, but he had to seek the opinions of many people openly. Otherwise, it was bound to make some people harbor strange thoughts. Having said that. Matthew turned his head to look at Hannibal again, ¡°That Special Hunter named Ryan, you don¡¯t seem to have made any achievements with him.¡± Hannibal lowered his head, a cold glint shed in his eyes, ¡°He will be willing to cooperate with us.¡± It seemed the matter was not just about going after the Church. Matthew nced at him, his tone indifferent, ¡°You¡¯ve been working hardtely. I¡¯ll give you some time off. During this period, Ryan will be entrusted to James.¡± James, who was aside, nodded and said, ¡°I will follow your will, Your Excellency.¡± Hannibal lifted his head, his smile growing thicker. He opened his mouth, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. Du Wei and Alex were walking on the streets of New York. The two were shopping. Just like the most ordinary couple, they needed such everyday activities to strengthen their bond. But just as they left a branded men¡¯s clothing store, Du Wei received a phone call. The caller ID showed ¡°Reagan¡¯s Father.¡± ¡°Hello Dr. Du Wei, this is Reagan¡¯s father. A month ago, I took my daughter Reagan to your psychology counseling clinic for a consultation appointment, you should remember it.¡± ¡°Recently, my daughter¡¯s condition has worsened, I was wondering if you have any appointments avabletely?¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 277: 276. Conjecture Chapter 277: 276. Conjecture On June 8th. Du Wei¡¯s ideal vacation was interrupted. He had wanted to tell Reagan¡¯s father that his psychological counseling clinic was closed, indefinitely out of business. But¡­ The situation was somewhat different. Du Wei had once suspected that the little girl named Reagan, because of a Spirit Summoning game, had be entangled with an Evil Spirit. Of course. That was an idea he had after he had personally encountered the Evil Spirit and learned about the different aspects of this world. Before then, he had only done what a psychologist should do. Completely unrted fields. Therefore, Du Wei scheduled a time with him and nned to deal with this matter in passing. The sooner, the better. Because today is Monday, ande Thursday, Alex¡¯s parents would be in New York, and Du Wei would have to meet the parents at that time. ¡­ The evening of June 8th. Reagan¡¯s family drove to 109 Queen Street in the North Brook District. Right in front of the psychological counseling clinic. At this moment. Du Wei had just taken down the ¡°closed indefinitely¡± sign hanging on the door, turned his head, and saw a couple of white people in their thirties, bringing a young blond girl wearing a white children¡¯s coat. ¡°Hello, Dr. Du Wei, the traffic was a bit of a jam, are weing at a bad time?¡±@@novelbin@@ Reagan¡¯s father seemed uneasy. He noticed the closed sign Du Wei was holding; although he couldn¡¯t make out the text, it was probably indicating that it wasn¡¯t business hours. A typical private clinic would hang a sign on the door, one side saying ¡°Open,¡± the other the opposite. Upon hearing this, Du Wei smiled and said, ¡°Not at all, pleasee in with me.¡± While speaking, he nced at the little girl. Under the state of Spirit Vision, there were no anomalies. Had he misjudged? Or was there no Evil Spirit at all? Reagan¡¯s father nodded with reservation and followed with his wife and daughter into the psychological counseling clinic. Upon entering, he felt the temperature seemed a bit low. He couldn¡¯t help but rub his hands together. Seeing this, Du Wei had them sit down on the couch, then went to turn on the air conditioning to raise the temperature. At home, things were very stable at the moment. The shadow had be entirely bound to him and, being nearly disabled, it couldn¡¯t do anything without his permission. The Antique Clock was always secretive, and Annabelle was locked inside a mounting cab, unable to stir up any trouble. In today¡¯s New York, there was no ce safer than Du Wei¡¯s home. The premise being, someone was willing to associate with an Evil Spirit like him. At this moment, Du Wei cleared his throat, took out Reagan¡¯s medical case file, and sat opposite on the couch, looking at it. ¡°Mr. Bernard, it¡¯s been more than a month since Ist conducted a psychological consult for your daughter; have there been any problems with your family¡¯s state of living during this time?¡± First, he did not ask the 12-year-old girl Reagan, but instead started the conversation. Reagan¡¯s father, Bernard, replied, ¡°No problem, it¡¯s basically the same as before. But since then, I¡¯ve applied for sick leave from Reagan¡¯s school, and she hasn¡¯t been to school for a month.¡± Du Wei smiled, set aside the medical records, turned to the little girl Reagan, and teased her, ¡°How does it feel to not go to school for a month?¡± ¡°It feels great, I don¡¯t even have to do homework.¡± Like any ordinary Caucasian girl, Reagan had the freckles that often appear at her age on her face, which made her look quite adorable. So, Du Wei leaned down, looked straight into the little girl¡¯s eyes, and said with a smile, ¡°When I was your age, I didn¡¯t like doing homework either.¡± Reagan blinked and said, ¡°Uncle, do you hate school too?¡± Du Weiughed and said, ¡°Yes, school made me feel very annoyed, but I know that school is a good ce, so though I hated school and didn¡¯t like to do homework, I didn¡¯t resist learning.¡± Reagan uttered an ¡°oh,¡± and said in a childish voice, ¡°I don¡¯t really hate school that much, I just hate those ssmates, they don¡¯t really like to y with me.¡± The subject had been sessfully diverted. Seeing that the girl was not too resistant, Du Wei asked, ¡°So are you usually by yourself? I remember thest time you were here, you mentioned you had a friend, but I¡¯ve forgotten his name. Will you tell me?¡± As he said this, he discreetly waved to prevent Bernard and his wife from speaking. However¡­ Little girl Reagan lowered her head and fiddled with the corner of her dress, her eyes somewhat evasive. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any friends.¡± Du Wei¡¯s expression became peculiar; he noticed that when Reagan was speaking, her gaze involuntarily nced toward the position on her left. And under the state of Spirit Vision, there was actually nothing there. If there were no Evil Spirits, then from a psychological standpoint, this would be considered lying, and the cover-up was very crude. After all, she was just a little girl. Next, Du Wei asked Reagan some more questions but did not steer the conversation back to the friend from the first time she came for psychological consultation¡ªHoddy. He remembered very clearly that the reason he suspected the little girl to have schizophrenia was that she believed she was a man named Hoddy. Latterly, the information provided by Mr. and Mrs. Bernard showed a slightly different story. This Hoddy was actually a creation that appeared after Reagan had yed a Spirit Summoning game. About ten minutester. Du Wei called Bernard upstairs. Standing in front of the second-floor handrail, Du Wei calmly asked, ¡°Mr. Bernard, your daughter¡¯s situation is actually not as serious as you¡¯ve described, she¡¯s quite normal aside from not mentioning Hoddy.¡± ¡°I actually don¡¯t take psychological consultations anymore, I have other work. So, if you find it appropriate, I would suggest you take your daughter to arge-scale children¡¯s psychology counseling institution.¡± Bernard¡¯s face showed helplessness: ¡°But our family is having financial problems, as you know. Reagan can¡¯t go to school right now, and her mother has to stay at home with her and can¡¯t work.¡± With that, Bernard continued, ¡°Also, at first, I took her to a child psychology institution, but the children there were all very scared of her, it was very painful for me¡­¡± ¡°And, I don¡¯t know how to say this, but my daughter¡¯s illness is really severe.¡± Du Wei¡¯s eyebrows rose, ¡°Please exin in detail.¡± Bernard took a deep breath and slowly said, ¡°A week ago, I had some social obligations, so I got home veryte, around two in the morning.¡± ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t sleep in the same room as us; she sleeps in the second bedroom. When I went upstairs, I habitually checked to see if she was sleeping well.¡± ¡°But that day, I saw that her bedroom door was open, and she was not inside.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming she was sleeping with her mom.¡± ¡°But when I opened the door of the master bedroom, I saw Reagan standing very calmly in front of her mother¡¯s window, just watching her mom.¡± ¡°I called out to her, and only then did Reagan turn her head to give me a nce, and that look made me feel very alienated.¡± ¡°It was like¡­ it was like it was another person altogether.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 280: 279. Are you the director? (Fourth update) Chapter 280: 279. Are you the director? (Fourth update) Downstairs. Du Wei knocked on the coffee table and leaned on the sofa, his eyes somewhat unfocused. Next to him, Bernard hugged young Reagan, soothing his own daughter¡¯s emotions. The thing called Hoddy imed to know that he was an Exorcist, but the credibility of this statement was not high; it could have been misleading him. But¡­ About the door¡­ That was somewhat intriguing. There was indeed a door. And it was justst week, Du Wei remembered it vividly. Behind that door was a passage, and before the door was opened, everything strange felt worlds away. However, once the door was opened, some bizarre entities would emerge from behind it. The most important thing was. He had seen an eye through the crack at the very end of the humanoid passage behind the door¡­ Could it be Hoddy? Du Wei thought about it but couldn¡¯t provide a definite answer. Because Hoddy had appeared before he encountered that door, which was hard to exin on the timeline. If it was something from behind the door, it implied the door had been opened before, which would allow it to appear. But if the door had been opened, there shouldn¡¯t have been just one of them. With that thought. Du Wei asked, ¡°What exactly happened, can you tell me?¡± Reagan raised her head to look at Du Wei, her big eyes red from crying, and she sobbed, ¡°Then¡­ Hoddy just appeared.¡± Du Wei noticed she said ¡°we.¡± ¡°So, were you four kids ying the Spirit Summoning game?¡± Reagan nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡± Bernard, hearing this conversation, opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated. It looked like he had something to say, but had some reservations. Du Wei nced at him and immediately understood it might have to do with Reagan, so he spoke softly, ¡°Reagan, your dad and I need to talk, can you stay here by yourself for a while?¡± Reagan looked afraid, ¡°Uncle, can I go upstairs to find my mom?¡± Du Wei paused for a moment, ¡°Of course you can.¡± Reagan immediately turned around and ran upstairs, wiping her tears. It was then that Bernard spoke helplessly, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, besides Reagan, there were three other kids ying¡­¡± This¡­ Du Wei had a bad feeling, ¡°How much do you know about those kids, or have you had any contact with their family background?¡± Bernard regretfully said, ¡°No, they just seemed to pop up out of nowhere. If it wasn¡¯t for the video we foundter from that day, we wouldn¡¯t have known about it at all.¡± ¡°We have no clue about those three children or their parents.¡± ¡°Even where they live is unknown to us.¡± Hearing this. Du Wei felt a headacheing on. They appeared mysteriously and disappeared quickly. It all seemed premeditated. Someone was scheming in the shadows. Therefore, Du Wei sighed and said to Bernard, ¡°This world is actually very dangerous in the dark, some people always harbor ill will towards life.¡± ¡°Someone is trying to use your daughter as a medium to connect her with something behind the door.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ritual¡­ but with malice.¡± The voice abruptly stopped. Du Wei was all too familiar with this kind of ritual¡ª@@novelbin@@ ¡°Crazy women¡­¡± Du Wei cursed inwardly. Looking up at the Antique Clock on the wall, this Exorcism elicited no response from it, and the same went for Annabelle. It only indicated one thing. From beginning to end, it¡¯s possible that Hoddy was only a split personality, or perhaps an extension of some will. An evil spirit with a name, and seemingly intelligent at that, this creature is by no means a simple entity. It¡¯s possible, it is not an evil spirit as well. Bernard had no idea what Du Wei was thinking. He asked cautiously, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, what should our family do now? Should we continue to stay at your ce, or wait for the church to make arrangements?¡± Turning his head, Du Wei said, ¡°I suggest you go to the church and stay there for a few days, until this matter is over.¡± In fact, his home was the safest ce. But that was only if he was at home; if not, who knows what kind of trouble could arise¡­ Especially that mischievous child, if he identally released Annabelle, then things would really get troublesome. Bernard nodded heavily, ¡°You mean the church in New York, right?¡± ¡°Yes, and first thing tomorrow morning, I will apany you there,¡± Du Wei answered. This matter had to be reported to the church. In other words, he needed some help. The door had to be closed¡­ ¡­ At this very moment. In the basement of the Dusk Bell Church headquarters in Switzend. Hannibal stood emotionless in front of the door holding Ryan, blocked by two people. One of them was James, and the other was an old hunter of Dusk Bell, d in ck garb, looking overly aged, as if he might breathe hisst at any moment. However, beneath the decrepit exteriory an uncontroble cold malignity. ¡°Mr. Hannibal, James has taken charge here. If you have nothing else, please return to your own room,¡± the old man spoke with an ancient voice, yet his tone was very firm. Hannibal¡¯s gaze swept past the old man and lingered on James for a moment before suddenly smiling, ¡°I¡¯m just used to interacting with Ryan every day, please forgive my impudence.¡± With that. He turned and walked away, the smile on his face growing ever more intense. Watching Hannibal leave, the old man turned emotionlessly to James and said, ¡°Dusk Bell is never stingy, but you have to do your job well.¡± James pounded his chest with his remaining left hand, ¡°I will.¡± He knew this was both a warning and a test of himself. A hunter from the church, having just joined Dusk Bell and given the critical responsibility over Ryan, carried a profound implication. If it were before, James might have been unable to see through it, but ever since bing a hunter, he always felt his mind had be clearer, as if his intelligence had grown by leaps and bounds. Thinking sharply, and more inclined to contemtion. Just like a friend he would never forget in his lifetime. Now, with this change in mindset, James was very aware that in ces he couldn¡¯t see, there must be many people surveilling him. Any slight deviation would expose him and make him a pawn in someone else¡¯s game. Contemting this, James took a deep breath, nodded to the old man, then pushed the door and went inside. Behind the door. Ryan was squatting on the ground, writing some crooked letters with a paint pen. Upon hearing the door open, he looked up at James. Then, his eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, ¡°Director¡­ Director, is that you?¡± James was taken aback, ¡°What director?¡± Ryan scratched his head, stood up, looked James over, and stared into his eyes, murmuring, ¡°Eh, I thought you were the director, seems I was mistaken.¡± James was a bit lost following Ryan¡¯s train of thought and replied, ¡°Mr. Ryan, from now on I will be the one dealing with you. You might not know, but I¡¯ve also been to Hill Psychiatric Hospital, the same one you were at, although we never met.¡± Ryan snorted, ¡°Don¡¯t try to get chummy with me. I¡¯ve heard too many simr things from the Dusk Bell lunatics, do you think you can fool me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, your condition is very serious, do you know that?¡± James¡¯ face darkened, ¡°I really have been to Hill Psychiatric Hospital.¡± Ryan was puzzled. As a psychiatric ¡°doctor,¡± he could easily determine whether the other person¡¯s words were true or not. Realizing this. Ryan had an epiphany and pointed at James, ¡°I know now, me being a famous doctor, I have to meet with so many patients every day. You must have been transferred to our Hill Psychiatric Hospital from another institution.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, patient James, I will prescribe your medication right now.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 281: 280, two doors Chapter 281: 280, two doors June 9th, morning, the weather was clear. Du Wei drove early in the morning with Bernard¡¯s family to the church. After Father Tony carefully inquired about the encounter of Bernard¡¯s family, he made the sign of the cross over his chest. ¡°The church will offer assistance in this matter, may the Lord bless you all.¡± Bernard was very grateful, ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± Father Tony smiled kindly and then said to Du Wei, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±@@novelbin@@ Some things were not suitable to be spoken in front of others. Du Wei understood this well and followed him inside. ¡­ In the reception room. Father Tony closed the door and when he turned around again, his face was very serious, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, after you spoke to mest night, I have alreadymunicated with the church.¡± ¡°The situation is tricky; it is unlikely that the church can gather many people in a short time.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have the capacity to deal with this kind of matter anymore.¡± The situation was more serious than imagined. Du Wei remained silent for a while before saying, ¡°But the thing behind that door is indeed very dangerous, with at least a hundred Evil Spirit students, and there is also one with a name, a being with intelligence.¡± Father Tony said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of that Hoddy that I say it¡¯s not normal.¡± ¡°Evil Spirits are not supposed to be intelligent, let alonemunicate with humans.¡± ¡°Only demons or devils could do that.¡± Du Wei frowned, ¡°It sounds very fantastical. If there are demons, then is there also hell, the abyss, and all sorts of chaotic ces, as well as heaven? ording to what the Bible says, will we all go to heaven after we die?¡± That statement was somewhat taboo. If it had been before, Father Tony would have definitely admonished Du Wei to be cautious with his words, buttely, his faith had been swayed by Tom, and it was not as firm as before. Hmm¡­ perhaps recing ¡®firm¡¯ with ¡®stubborn¡¯ would be better. Therefore, Father Tony said to Du Wei, ¡°You¡¯d better not say that to others, or they would definitely fight you over it.¡± He was referring to other clergymen, except himself. Du Wei said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s why, Father Tony, I onlyin to you.¡± These words were intentional¡­ Father Tony¡¯s expression froze, his heart felt a bitplicated; he couldn¡¯t help thinking that Du Wei¡¯s willingness toin only to him meant he did not consider him an outsider, right? In other words, their rtionship must be much better than with others. That¡¯s right¡­ after all, he was the one who had brought him into the church personally; it was different with him. And his rtionship with Du Wei had always been good. Thinking this, Father Tony cleared his throat, looked around, and said, ¡°Actually, heaven and hell are just fabrications by the faithful, but demons or devils genuinely do exist.¡± Du Weiughed, ¡°In some of the literature I¡¯ve read, demons and devils are very powerful, even possessing magic, mind control abilities, right?¡± Father Tony waved his hand and said, ¡°An Evil Spirit can also change a person¡¯s mind. Can¡¯t a psychiatrist do the same? It¡¯s all performed that way in movies.¡± While speaking, he also became troubled and said, ¡°But demons, well, they are some kind of concept that truly exists, yet does not exist.¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Simr to, the source of a curse, that is it?¡± ¡®It¡¯ referred to the nun. Father Tony said solemnly, ¡°More or less, they¡¯re all products of some primal evil worship. Then, their behavior is peculiar; they will possess those they favor, seize their minds, essentially being reborn.¡± Hearing this. Du Wei couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed. He had thought demons were something like he had imagined, not just objects of worship. ¡°Is there a way to kill it if I want to?¡± Hoddy was suspected to be an Evil Spirit, and it seemed to be showing weakness for the moment. And what Du Wei liked the most was to kick it while it was down. Father Tony looked troubled as he looked at Du Wei: ¡°It¡¯s unkible. As long as someone still believes in it, as long as it exists in people¡¯s memory, it won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°In the Middle Ages, the church hadunched many holy wars, encountered these bizarre entities, and only eradicated a few products of the Cult worship, which, of course, was bloody.¡± Du Wei nodded, understanding. ording to Father Tony, the way the church had eradicated them probably involvedpletely destroying the entire Cult organization¡ªthere must have been many deaths. Not quite suited for the current situation. Otherwise, he might very well be counted among them. But waiting for death wasn¡¯t Du Wei¡¯s style either. He spoke in a calm tone, ¡°Someone has to resolve this, and it said that the door had already been opened. The church has to do something.¡± Father Tony sped his hands tightly, conflicted as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll call the church again, but the situation might not be as favorable as you think.¡± Du Wei said calmly, ¡°I will talk to them. I am now the Deputy Chief Judge of the church, and I am also a hunter. My words will carry more weight than yours.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Father Tony also knew that Du Wei was right. No longer conflicted, he moved aside and picked up thendline. A minuteter, the call went through. Father Tony briefly spoke with the other side, then handed the phone to Du Wei. ¡°Mrs. Senna is on the line.¡± Du Wei hummed in response, his voice calm: ¡°This is Du Wei. I need the church¡¯s support and help.¡± On the phone, Mrs. Senna spoke wearily, ¡°I¡¯ve pretty much got the situation, but the church truly can¡¯t spare anyone right now. We¡¯re busy dealing with the Dusk Bell issue.¡± Du Wei said coldly, ¡°But this is something the church should deal with, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mrs. Senna replied helplessly, ¡°So you should keep the incident within the confines of New York. We willmunicate with the authorities.¡± What she implied was that people could die in New York, as long as they could keep the situation under wraps for the time being. But Du Weiughed coldly and said, ¡°I agree with your thinking, and I don¡¯t see an issue with that approach myself, but the incident won¡¯t break out in New York; it will happen somewhere else.¡± The door wasn¡¯t in New York. Mrs. Senna asked hastily, ¡°What do you mean? Aren¡¯t you in New York?¡± Du Wei spoke slowly, ¡°The door, behind it lies a passage, possibly harboring many strange things, and at the far end is a school¡ªfilled with Evil Spirits, and something that seems to be a demon.¡± ¡°That door is in Esselgreen, near Yard City.¡± Mrs. Senna said gravely, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of what you¡¯re talking about, but we¡¯ve already had someone check it out. The basement has been well sealed with sandbags, and the door has not been opened.¡± Hearing this¡­ Du Wei¡¯s expression darkened slightly: ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mrs. Senna said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure.¡± Du Wei fell silent¡­ After a while, he finally said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then the situation might be even more serious, because I know of a painting called ¡®The Other Door.''¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 283: 281. Mirage? (Qixi Festival extra update) Chapter 283: 281. Mirage? (Qixi Festival extra update) Tom cursed and left. Before he left, he also took Father Tony¡¯s stock, an old photograph that could be lit at a crucial moment to ensure safety for a while. For the average person, that would suffice. Du Wei and Father Tony watched as Tom drove away, the expressions on their faces both somewhat different. The former was expressionless. Thetter¡¯s right face was bruised, looking defeated and dirty. ¡°He didn¡¯t pay, Mr. Du Wei, Tom didn¡¯t give me a dime, and he punched me¡­¡± Father Tonyined to Du Wei, having been a priest for so many years and never before encountering someone as unreasonable and asshole-like as Tom. Regarding this. Du Wei said indifferently, ¡°When he took you to the Red-Light District to have fun, you should have known that he had already paid.¡± Father Tony was dumbfounded, ¡°That was his treat.¡± Du Wei said sarcastically, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch.¡± After that, he added, ¡°Also, you¡¯d better change your bad habit, there is no need to be stingy with Tom over this sort of thing. You shouldn¡¯t try to fool him with that crucifix dagger.¡± That was just how Tom was. Keep in mind, the first time Du Wei was conned by Father Tony, he almost fired a gun. Father Tony, who was standing to the side, muttered, ¡°Do you think I wanted to trick him? Last night, he dragged me to the Red-Light District in the dead of night, saying he wanted to make the most of his time before leaving, and it was only after drinking too much that I bragged about the crucifix dagger.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I better avoid going to those ces in the future.¡± Hearing this, Du Wei nodded slightly, his look at Father Tony carrying a hint of surprise. He had thought Father Tony had done it on purpose, but it turned out there was a reason for it. Tsk¡­ Just then, Father Tony asked, ¡°By the way, once the people from the Tribunal arrive, do you n to take them to the museum in Scolyn City?¡± Du Wei turned to look at him and said lightly, ¡°After all, the painting is there. No matter what, I have to go there myself, but resolving this issue, I guess, is not going to be possible in just a day.¡± To find the painting named ¡®The Other Side,¡¯ either close it or destroy it. The reason he said it would take a long time is because Du Wei counted both the to and fro travel and the potential trouble he might encounter. Hmm¡­ He also had to inform his subordinates to take a ne and gather directly in Scolyn City. Father Tony actually couldn¡¯t understand why this man, every time he encountered an Evil Spirit incident, always led the charge. ¡°You¡¯re like a saint.¡± Du Wei scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t think so, and now I have to call my girlfriend and tell her my vacation is over.¡± Father Tony marveled, ¡°She will surely understand.¡± ¡­ At this moment. At the Church Headquarters, in St. Bodia¡¯s airport. Four exorcists wearing priest¡¯s attire and with serious expressions were carrying a silver box onto the ne. Three men and one woman, two of whom were old acquaintances of Du Wei. Exorcist Harry and James¡¯s niece, Homier. Sitting inside the cabin. Homier¡¯s expression was very serious; she had been through a lottely and had matured and steadied quite a bit more than before. Harry sat beside her, looking pale and somewhat ill, his eyes also different from before. His pupils were grey, whereas before they were distinctively blue. In Hill Psychiatric Hospital, Harry had directly looked into a nun¡¯s head, and his eyes were severely damaged. But now, he had recovered, and thanks to his misfortune, he had entered the second stage of Spirit Vision, much stronger than the average exorcist. ¡°Mr. Du Wei¡¯s promotion speed in the church is really fast. When I first met him, he was just a newly promoted exorcist, and now he has be our boss.¡± Harry¡¯s tone was tinged with exmation and nostalgia. Working with a man who was highly intelligent, and extremely calm to the point of making almost no mistakes, following his leadership was not a bad thing. Upon hearing this, Homier turned his head to look at Harry and sighed, ¡°He is indeed a very impressive person.¡± A few days earlier, when Du Wei arrived in St. Bodia, both Homier and Harry were aware of it, but they were not qualified to be involved. Because those who weed Du Wei were basically bishops. ¡°However, it seems like he doesn¡¯t know we¡¯ve be his subordinates.¡± ¡°Who knows, we might give him a surprise.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile. Over the skies of Scolyn City, arge swath of clouds was slowly gathering. From time to time, lightning shed across.@@novelbin@@ A heavy rain wasing soon. A man in work clothes stood in front of the Scolyn City Center Museum and cursed under his breath, ¡°Damn, this sted weather is so annoying, why has there been so much raintely?¡± His colleague by his sideined, ¡°The folks at the tourism bureau wouldn¡¯tin about the rain; they¡¯d hope for it to continue for a few days so they could use it as a gimmick, saying that the floral scenery is better after the rain and so on and so forth.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve got problems in their heads.¡± ¡°Haha, I think so too.¡± The two staff bickered with each other when suddenly¡­ A huge bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, directly hitting the lightning rod on top of the museum. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The first worker to speak turned his head in shock, looking at the top of the museum, ¡°Fuck! What was that?¡± His colleague looked up but saw nothing except the increasingly overcast sky. ¡°What did you see?¡± The man was a bit puzzled, ¡°I¡­ I might have seen it wrong, but I thought I saw someone standing up there when the lightning shed.¡± ¡°You must have seen it wrong, if there really was someone up there, they would probably have been struck by lightning and turned into thin air by now.¡± The man said with some conflict, ¡°Alright, maybe I really did see it wrong.¡± In reality, he couldn¡¯t be sure what he had seen was actually a person, because as the lightning struck the rod, he seemed to have seen some kind of illusion. Um¡­ like a school reflected in a mirage. ¡­ In New York. Du Wei packed his stuff and set off for Scolyn City in his car. New York wasn¡¯t too far from Scolyn City, but it wasn¡¯t exactly close either. But it was much quicker than traveling from St. Bodia to Scolyn. Therefore, after calcting the time to meet with his subordinates, Du Wei chose to depart. In the car. Du Wei drove while looking at the backpack ced on the passenger seat. The only mask he had left was on top of the backpack, cracked down the middle, almost falling apart. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like an almost discarded piece of junk. However, in the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei could see tiny red lights gradually emanating from the eye sockets of the mask, as if scorched by fire. The shadow was recovering faster than Du Wei had anticipated, but not quickly enough to meet his current needs. He had high expectations for the shadow. So Du Wei spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I hope you recover to your original state soon, otherwise, I don¡¯t really have many trump cards to y.¡± Coin, Joker Card, plus the shadow. The trump cards were still too scarce. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 287: 285, Temporary Actor Chapter 287: 285, Temporary Actor ¡°So, the existence of this diary is to lead me on, deliberately creating an illusion that I¡¯m writing to myself, trying to warn myself.¡± Du Wei made a judgment, but this also triggered a vague idea in his mind. Something wanted him to do something or reveal a way to leave because it possibly wanted to leave as well. It might also be that it couldn¡¯t kill him directly, so it had to suggest subtly, leading him step by step towards death or fulfilling some purpose of its own. It seemed safe, but in reality, deep malice was hidden beneath. ¡°But no matter, if you want to y, then I¡¯ll keep ying along and see which of us shows their hand first.¡± Du Wei turned to thest page of the diary and casually took a pen from his desk, writing a passage. [I am Du Wei, and I have learned all the secrets of this school, everything is safe for now.] [The reason I failed before, I suspect, is that my understanding of this school wasn¡¯t deep enough. I didn¡¯t grasp its true secrets, nor did I know where that door was.] [So I n to stay for two more days for one final gamble.] [If I can¡¯t find that door within two days, to either destroy it or close it, then I will immediately use that method to leave.] As for what that method was, Du Wei deliberately did not write it down. Having done all this. Du Wei stood up, cleared his throat, picked up the lesson n from the desk, and stepped out of the office. From beginning to end, he never made any contact with those ¡°colleagues.¡± It very much fit the mentality of someone eager to explore the school¡¯s secrets and ready to leave at any moment¡­ And after he had left. On the spot, those colleagues suddenly froze. The entire office was silent, so quiet it was frightening. Click, click, click¡­ The next second. Everyone craned their necks and turned to look at where Du Wei had left. On the desk, the diary had been closed, only the signature visible¡ªDu Wei. ¡­@@novelbin@@ ssroom A-012. As the bell rang, Du Wei pushed open the door and entered. In the ssroom, there were a total of twenty-four students, mostly female. Du Wei nced at them and paused his gaze on the second row by the window to the left. The teacher¡¯s tform was on the fifth floor of the building, with a fine misty rain falling outside the window. Looking out, the entire school was shrouded in the rain. And the student sitting by the window was a girl. Uh¡­ Du Wei had seen her photo; she was Tom¡¯s beautiful neighbor who had died¡ªJoanna, to be precise, the Joanna from ten years ago, still a student then. In Esselgreen City, at Joanna¡¯s home, Du Wei had seen her and that female student¡¯s photo together from ten years ago when neither had died. But he had clearly killed that girl in a New York church after she¡¯d be an Evil Spirit; she shouldn¡¯t be appearing here. Or could it be, this really was the school from ten years ago? Du Wei suppressed his thoughts and looked over each student, one by one. He remembered them all. Then, Du Wei stood at the lectern, one hand holding the lesson n and the other knocking on the ckboard. He had already seen the content of the lesson n during his arrival. It was a bit different from what he expected; it was all about psychology. This was absurd, as all signs pointed to this being a private high school. These students are still in their first year of high school, studying psychology in the first year¡­ However, that¡¯s not important. Du Wei looked at his students and calmly said, ¡°I am your psychology teacher, Du Wei. I will be teaching this ss. Do you remember where I left offst time I spoke to you?¡± Someone answered, ¡°Teacher, in thest ss you talked about the fourth chapter of Basic Psychology, the fifth section on microexpressions.¡± Du Wei nodded, ¡°Very good.¡± He asked about thest time, not thest ss. And the content of the teaching n seamlessly continued from thest ss. In other words, he, as a teacher, had been forcibly inserted into the school, and all previous records had been crafted by some presence. It was as if he was ying a role-ying game, where Du Wei suddenly took on the role of a psychology teacher. However, he indeed intended to give these students a proper lesson. With that thought in mind, Du Wei threw the teaching n onto the lectern: ¡°ssmates, microexpressions are an introductory course in psychology. It is a subdiscipline. Everyone has microexpressions, which are subconscious.¡± ¡°Without relevant training or professional experience, it is very difficult to conceal microexpressions.¡± ¡°When lying, some people habitually droop their eyelids.¡± ¡°When hiding a secret, others might act nonchnt, appearing even moreposed than usual.¡± ¡°So how do you use microexpressions to discover someone¡¯s secret?¡± Du Wei walked down from the lectern and posed a question to his students. Someone proudly answered, ¡°Teacher, I know. We summarize the other person¡¯s expressional patterns, guide them through our words, and thus discover their secrets.¡± Du Wei nodded appreciatively, ¡°You¡¯re right, but in fact, that¡¯s just academic talk. Everyone knows this is possible, but very few can actually do it.¡± ¡°So in today¡¯s lesson, I will not be discussing any theoretical knowledge with you. Instead, I will let you experience the allure of psychology.¡± As he said this, his tone became somewhat unusual. Role-ying games sound fun, but he had no desire to follow the predetermined script. His interaction with these students was the first probe. It was to remind them of their Evil Spirit identities. He was testing the limits of a certain presence to see if it would back him up and cover his lies. If it would, he prepared to continue causing chaos. The students still didn¡¯t know what their teacher nned to do. Excitement was etched on their faces, and for students their age, they craved novel thrills. ¡°This is so cool.¡± ¡°Teacher, are you nning on letting us practice finding each other¡¯s secrets using microexpressions?¡± Hearing this, Du Wei smiled and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s me who will use microexpressions to find your secrets.¡± Having said that, Du Wei walked over to the student Joanna and started with her. Joanna was somewhat nervous, ¡°Teacher, I really don¡¯t have any secrets.¡± Du Wei looked into her eyes, his voice calm and steady, ¡°Everyone has secrets in their heart, but everyone wants to bury them deeper. Yet some are due to severe trauma, and their subconscious forgets those secrets. However, we can use psychology to awaken them.¡± ¡°A gentler method is to first ease the rtionship with the other person, to lower their guard.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t like that approach. I prefer a more direct and blunt way of pointing out the contradictions in others, provoking a reaction.¡± ¡°So, Joanna, why didn¡¯t your best friende to ss today?¡± ¡°Is it because you had a conflict with her?¡± ¡°You really dislike her, so you did something extreme to her!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a bold guess here¡ªyou killed her, didn¡¯t you?¡± After these words fell, the whole ssroom fell silent. Joanna¡¯s face showed horror, and everyone stared at her with somber expressions¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 290: He is reckless and without scruples. Chapter 290: He is reckless and without scruples. When Du Wei fired the flintlock gun and killed the transformed Joanna. He keenly noticed that the temperature around him suddenly dropped a lot. In a state of Spirit Vision, he could even feel a chilling gaze sweeping over him. Unconcealed. In a sense, this was a threat, trying to oppress him, to make him resort to the method of leaving, or to achieve ¡°its¡± purpose. It could also be taken as a warning. Du Wei pretended to be surprised, his eyes somewhat frantic, mixed with intense vignce. Even, he deliberately said, ¡°What¡¯s going on, why do I feel like something is watching me?¡±@@novelbin@@ At that moment, an Evil Spirit also appeared behind Du Wei. It was wearing ck Priest¡¯s attire, its entire head missing, as if it had been gruesomely chopped off from the wound on the neck. The clothing was stained with many patches of brown, coagted blood. Its skin was full of wrinkles, excessively pale, like the abnormal whiteness of having been drained of blood. From its appearance, one could imagine the image of an old man. It was the Evil Spirit residing in the flintlock gun, standing behind Du Wei as soon as it appeared, shrouded in shadows, exuding an extreme chill. Du Wei turned his head, looking at it calmly, and said with confusion, ¡°Could the gaze I felt be yours?¡± Uh¡­ intentional. Right after that. Du Wei frowned slightly and began to reload the flintlock gun,pletely ignoring the Evil Spirit behind him. After he finished loading the bullet, the Evil Spirit disappeared as if it had never been there, mysteriously vanishing. However, Du Wei could feel that it had simply returned to the flintlock gun. After firing the gun, a connection was established. Every time he fired the gun, it hastened the time the Evil Spirit in the gun would act. Of course¡­ Du Wei didn¡¯t care at all, for if he wanted to possess the gun, he would certainly have prepared himself mentally for it. There were too many Evil Spirits wanting to kill him. What difference does one more or one less make? ¡°However, there is something off about this Joanna¡­¡± Du Wei said softly, then walked along the artificialke towards the school¡¯s academic building. ¡­ After arriving at the academic building, Du Wei walked while pondering in his mind. Based on the information revealed by Joanna. In the real world, she also left the school at this time point. If what he has seen and learned is indeed the school from ten years ago. Then he could boldly specte that he was now in a time node of ten years ago, which of course, is illusory, merely a projection, or rather, a fixed script. And the school would organize students to watch a certain videotape, forcing them to learn the rituals contained within. It sounds very much like the modus operandi of the Veda Sect. Every three days this would happen, psychologically tormenting the students, and thereafter, some terrifying events urred, causing the school topletely vanish from reality. No rted information could be found. The students, all turned into Evil Spirits. Thinking this, Du Wei suddenlyughed. He said, ¡°And then there¡¯s Hoddy, the diary says he¡¯s the principal, so is this his doing?¡± This was a question. Without having seen the video-watching event organized by the school, Du Wei could not know. Nor had he seen the ¡°principal¡±. If he follows the scriptid out in the diary, Du Wei should meet Principal Hoddy tomorrow. At this moment, Du Wei had just arrived at the office door. His voice was somewhat deep, ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait any longer¡­¡± Creak¡­ He pushed open the door. In the office, all his ¡°colleagues¡± were busy with their heads down, no one looked at Du Wei,pletely ignoring his presence. Du Wei didn¡¯t mind either. He casually walked over to his workstation, opened his journal, took out a pen, and added a paragraph to thest page. [Combining the entries I wrote previously, it¡¯s clear that Principal Hoddy is definitely up to something, so I n to shoot it on sight when I encounter it tomorrow] That Hoddy seemed to possess intelligence and couldmunicate with humans. If it was the mastermind, Du Wei wouldn¡¯t mind provoking it. If it didn¡¯t show up tomorrow, it would prove that it could read the information in the journal. By that logic, it would definitely think that I might have discovered the journal is fake. Mutual concealment, mutual deception. Then it would mainly do one thing: actually show up tomorrow and deliberately leak some information to maliciously guide me, or take action against me, forcing me to leave. However, no matter what it did. Du Wei didn¡¯t mind at all; as long as he didn¡¯t leave, whatever it did was just posturing. The most important thing was, this approach would drag things out until tomorrow. He wrote in the journal about taking action tomorrow, so the puppet master would surely be thinking about tomorrow¡¯s events. But in reality, Du Wei was already making preparations today. He didn¡¯t feel like continuing the script with the so-called puppet master¡ªit was just too boring. Be more direct. Break the school¡¯s game. The more the other side wanted to maintain the status quo, the more he would make it impossible for them to do so. In the end, the exposed w would either be that door or its Achilles heel. Du Wei¡¯s thinking was very clear. He closed the journal, stood up, nced at his ¡°colleagues,¡± and suddenly burst into a smile, approaching them. ¡°Everyone has been working so hard for so long, you must all be tired, right?¡± The colleagues could no longer ignore him; they turned their heads one by one with varying expressions to say, ¡°It¡¯s working hours now, you should be doing your job.¡± Du Wei said with a smile, ¡°Work is a very monotonous affair, which is why I¡¯ve always hoped to make it more interesting. It would boost work efficiency, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Someone asked, ¡°So what?¡± Du Wei took out the flintlock gun and said calmly, ¡°So I want to y a game with you all.¡± Someone asked, ¡°What game?¡± Du Wei replied, ¡°Guess whether there are bullets in my gun. If you guess right, I¡¯ll shoot you; if you guess wrong, tell me where those videotapes are. I want to give all the students a lively and interesting outdoor lesson.¡± After he finished speaking. All his colleagues became calm, each looking at him with an incredibly eerie gaze, not uttering a sound. The atmosphere was very oppressive. The air seemed to be filled with a rotten stench, a bit fishy¡­ Du Wei frowned in disgust, it was the smell of decay¡­ The colleagues also underwent abnormal changes, inhuman¡­ Each person¡¯s body showed varying degrees of decay, or limbs were missing. This was the critical point¡­ From here on, they would turn into Evil Spirits¡­ All the people in this office seemed different from those students; their behavior was more mechanical, like Puppets. After a good while, those changes suddenly vanished. As if it had never happened, someone said to Du Wei, ¡°Those videotapes are all kept in the principal¡¯s office. If you want the students to watch them, then you go get them yourself.¡± ¡°Also, the third day is the time to watch the videotapes.¡± ¡°Teacher Du Wei, if you don¡¯t follow the school rules, you might be fired.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 291: 289. The surprise prepared for the students Chapter 291: 289. The surprise prepared for the students Bang¡­ Du Wei closed the door and walked out expressionlessly. He had found out the location of the principal¡¯s office and also noticed some problems. If his guess was not wrong, the teachers in this office were different from all the Evil Spirits outside in a drastically different way of existence. The Evil Spirits in the office were almost warning him, hinting at him. In other words, the office was controlled by an entity lurking in the shadows. But now, Du Wei and it were both adhering to some bottom line, allowing the script to continue unfolding. On one hand, it was creating terrifying suspense and atmosphere. On the other hand, as Du Wei followed the script, he would asionally do something unexpected. Still within its bottom line. But Du Wei knew that what he was going to do next would definitely make it break that bottom line. By then, it would be a matter of who was more cunning. He was going topletely mess up all the student Evil Spirits in the whole school¡­ ¡­ The principal¡¯s office was in another teaching building. This demonstrated its superior status. As Du Wei walked, he checked the items on him. Joker Cards plus Coins, Masks, Flintlock Guns, Lighters, Holy Nails, Daggers, all these things were specifically against Evil Spirits. Well¡­ And a pair of white gloves. As he walked, Du Wei took out the mask from his backpack. Under Spirit Vision, two blood-red spots were faintly visible on the mask, indicating the shadow. It was recovering very slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll use you soon, and I¡¯ll charge you up then, of course, that might require you to pay a little price.¡± Du Wei smiled inexplicably and hid the mask inside his coat. The shadow had been turned by him into a new Masked Evil Spirit, wearing the mask was equivalent to putting on its shell. Before taking off the mask, all Evil Spirits that locked onto him would lose their target. The things Du Wei did would not be attributed to the shadow. At this moment, he arrived at the principal¡¯s office. The entire floor¡¯s corridor was empty, and the lighting was very dim. The rain outside was getting heavier, and the sky was gradually darkening. The passage of time was excessively fast. Du Wei paused for a few seconds looking out the window, then turned his head and reached out to twist the doorknob of the principal¡¯s office. Click¡­ The door was locked. A cold breath slowly crept up Du Wei¡¯s arm along the doorknob, extending upwards. Thump thump¡­ Eerie knocking sounds came from behind the door. ¡°Has it finally started?¡± Du Wei revealed a mocking smile, until now, nothing particrly scary had happened. But now, that entity writing the script seemed to want to create danger and make him feel fear. Thump thump¡­ The knocking persisted. Regr, yet mechanical. Oddly, it reminded Du Wei of the shadow, it also liked to knock on doors, but its oppressive feeling was much stronger than this. But suddenly, Du Wei felt a sudden drop in temperature around his ankles. He looked down. A greenish, rotting hand reached out from underneath the door trying to grab him. ¡°So should I be scared?¡± Du Wei said this and directly fired a shot. Bang¡­ The sound of the gun, along with a whisper of smoke, dissipated, and the hand was sted into pieces and disappeared. Immediately afterward. Du Wei stepped back a few steps and took another gun out of his pocket. The Flintlock Gun could only fire one shot at a time. But not his gun. Boom¡­ This shot was aimed at the door lock. Du Wei kicked the door open with one foot. He didn¡¯t care at all about the impact of such an action. If shooting would cause trouble, then trouble should have arisen when he pointed the gun at those student Evil Spirits and his colleagues in the office. With a mastermind backing him, this situation was ridiculously excessive. Inside the principal¡¯s office. At first nce, there was luxurious decor, with the overall tone being dark, but those genuine leather sofas and the solid wood desk gave an unreal impression. Even more bizarre was an old-style projector on the desk, the kind made for inserting video tapes. On the wall opposite, hung a white screen for projection purposes. Du Wei squinted his eyes with some enlightenment; it seemed that this principal often watched these tapes in his office. This was already strange enough¡­. Besides showing them to students, why would the principal need to watch them too? Inside the room, the owner of the hand from before had also vanished into thin air, Everything was normal. But under the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei felt an oppressive sensation from deep within. Something was off¡­ Du Wei¡¯s expression remained unchanged as his gaze stopped on a cab to the right of the desk. The wooden cab had a Hexagram pattern carved on its surface. The entire cab emitted an intense chill as if concealing something horrific within. Yet, it wasn¡¯t locked, as though someone often used the cab. Du Wei furrowed his eyebrows: ¡°Veda Sect¡­¡± He really disliked this Cult. Especially those cultists who acted like madmen. He walked up to the cab. Du Wei took a deep breath as he entered the state of Evil Spirit Transformation. At the same time, he reloaded the flintlock gun with another bullet. Click¡­ He opened the cab door. Inside were many videotapes, piled up in a disordered fashion, appearing very chaotic. ¡°Am I overthinking it? Could the danger be the tapes themselves? Perhaps there¡¯s no Evil Spirit in the cab?¡± Du Wei said with feigned puzzlement and stretched out his Right Hand toward a tape. He was testing. But nothing happened. So Du Wei no longer hesitated, taking out a tape without any abnormal urrence. So he took another. Still no abnormalities, but the oppressive atmosphere thickened. He continued in this manner. Soon, only thest tape was left in the entire cab. There were thirteen in total.@@novelbin@@ By this time, under Spirit Vision, the cab had turned hazy, and a misty fog, visible to the naked eye, had appeared. The sounds heard by the ear also became dead silent. Du Wei held the flintlock gun in his left hand and slowly extended his right hand towards the final tape. The next second. A trace of coldness shed in Du Wei¡¯s eyes. He grasped the tape, but his right hand was also caught by a bizarrely appearing, rotting hand. That hand was pulling Du Wei, trying to drag him into the cab. Feeling the dragging force, Du Wei¡¯s expression was unchanged, and his left hand holding the flintlock gun also reached into the cab. Thud¡­ The cab shook violently, cracking open in many ces. The force pulling him ckened. Du Wei slowly withdrew his right hand, taking out thest video tape. Blood dripped¡­ Firing a gun in such a confined space was bound to result in injury from the scattered wood splinters. But thankfully it was nothing serious. ¡°You¡¯d better not keep me waiting too long¡­¡± Du Wei wiped the area on his right hand that was grazed by wood splinters, his tone as cold as ice, devoid of any emotion. He took the thirteen video tapes, walked over to the principal¡¯s desk, and sat down in the leather chair. ¡°Let¡¯s see what secrets hide within these tapes you care about so much¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 293: 291, Ghost Dimension Chapter 293: 291, Ghost Dimension Evil Spirits are not endowed with the wisdom ofmon reason. Otherwise, the shadow would not have fallen into the current dire straits. Therefore, when all the students and teachers stood outside the corridor, looking coldly at Du Wei, he deliberately uttered that sentence for the mastermind behind the scenes to hear. Even though it sounded insincere, it gave some psychological advantage to the other party. This is part of verbal tactics. Always leave room for maneuver at critical moments. Let it believe that everything is still under its control, or make it feel that previous issues are eptable as long as the oue is right. Indeed¡­ After Du Wei finished that sentence, those teachers and students had no next move. They just stared at Du Wei, exuding malice. This further confirmed Du Wei¡¯s judgment that Principal Hoddy was not a demon, and it was unlikely to be an Evil Spirit; it could be a person. The performance continued. Du Wei looked panicked, holding a flintlock gun in one hand and a lighter in the other, trying to leave. The embarrassing thing was that the whole corridor was filled with ¡°people,¡± leaving no way out. He needed to give the other side an out¡­ He gritted his teeth and bellowed, ¡°I am the Deputy Chief Judge of the church, you damn Evil Spirits, follow the glory of the Lord, evil be gone.¡± The slogan was made up on the spot, and he felt it was a bit awkward. But at this moment, neither he nor the mastermind behind the scenes cared anymore. Because his expression was truly frightened, even appearing somewhat flustered as ifpletely scared out of his wits. The ¡°people¡± blocking the way to the stairs mysteriously disappeared. A path cleared. Du Wei¡¯s eyes widened and without hesitation, he rushed through. He had to leave this academic building first. Leaving this painting, and of course, it would not be one of those two back roads he had because once used, who knows what the mastermind would do. So, what he wanted to do was to jump out of the painting, push open the door of the painting, and enter the real school, that is, the terror-filled school where Evil Spirits lurked everywhere. Only then would he face the mastermind behind the scenes and use his means to leave. ¡­ After Du Wei walked out of the academic building, he took off the Ebony Cross Ne hanging around his neck. Without the restraint of that item, he became even more rational and sensible, able to cast aside all emotional factors. He started to analyze. ¡°If I were the mastermind, and I could influence the fake Evil Spirits inside the painting, what measures would I take to cover up the secret inside the painting?¡± ¡°Normally, pushing open the door should lead me into the school, but because of this painting, I arrived in the world within the painting, actually residing in an independent phase between pushing the door and entering.¡± ¡°Find the door inside the painting, and I can reach the school.¡± ¡°To hide this door effectively, one only needs to ce it where people are most likely to overlook or instinctively avoid.¡± ¡°Buried deep underground is a good choice, but I am a hunter, and I have used Evil Spirit Transformation at the school, so it is not likely that it wouldn¡¯t take the hunter¡¯s abilities into ount.¡± ¡°Therefore, the location can only be one, at the bottom of that artificialke¡­ which is precisely where the Evil Spirit female student jumped into theke ten years ago.¡± ¡°90% of people have an aversion tokes or oceans because once in the water, the sense of helplessness and the desperate waiting for death are overwhelming.¡± ¡°Even those who can swim feel the same.¡± Du Wei made a judgment and took out a mask from his clothes and put it on his face. Under the mask, his eyes suddenly turned a bit red, and his body was covered with an extremely faint shadow¡­ The malice in his mind was not as chaotic as before. ¡°You¡¯re recovering too slowly, but as I¡¯ve said, I will ¡®recharge¡¯ you.¡± Du Wei¡¯s voice was ice-cold as he directly drew the Joker Card that had the power to grant wishes. ¡°As the Shadow, I wish to restore my former power¡­¡± On the card¡¯s surface, the one wearing the mask slightly raised his head¡­ In front of the pce-like building¡¯s entrance, several decaying arms suddenly extended, three to be exact, directly grasping his shoulders, arms, neck¡­ They looked extremely creepy¡­ With that, the him on the card had most of his body pulled behind the door, leaving only the upper half still outside. However, Du Wei wasn¡¯t worried at all because, all things considered, he had never made a proper wish; it was always through the Masked Evil Spirit or wishes made by the Shadow. Even if the Evil Spirit revived, it couldn¡¯t find him. And the price of the wish naturally fell upon the Shadow. ¡°Hope you don¡¯t get assimted by the Evil Spiritter on¡­¡± Du Wei silently prayed for the Shadow. At the same time, an evil presence slowly emerged from above the mask, and the original cracks closed up, bing as smooth as new. The eyes were also filled with bloodshot veins, turning a deep scarlet. The faint shadow that loomed over Du Wei also suddenly became much thicker. The wish was fulfilled¡­ In Du Wei¡¯s mind, a sense of strong malevolence emerged that was very familiar and even somewhat nostalgic to him. It was unmasked, yet seemed to pause for a moment. As if the Shadow had not realized what had happened and was not quite used to it. After doing all this, Du Wei finally removed the mask. If he was to enter the real school from the door in the oil painting and confront the Evil Spirit directly, then Du Wei couldn¡¯t wear the mask for now. Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t interrupt the Evil Spirit¡¯s lock-on and use that method to leave. Putting on the mask muste after being targeted by all the Evil Spirits. In this very moment. Du Wei had also arrived at the edge of the artificialke.@@novelbin@@ He looked up at the sky; the rain was bing heavier. Ripples appeared on the surface of theke, and the surroundings had gonepletely dark, oppressively so. Everywhere seemed to be riddled with danger. Boom¡­ The students and teachers also quietly appeared behind Du Wei, their malice surging¡­ At the edge of the artificialke, a female student had appeared out of nowhere. She had pale skin and a slender figure, looking exactly like the Evil Spirit girl that Du Wei had trapped in Massas City, unable to leave. Her name was Sharan. Upon appearing, her gaze filled with malevolence settled on Du Wei. But Du Wei just snickered, one hand in his pocket fiddling with his phone, saying into the darkness, ¡°I know you can see me, and I know you¡¯ve realized you¡¯ve been deceived by me, but you still harbor illusions, thinking that I am actually unaware of the secrets here.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not some sort of demon at all, but a person¡­¡± ¡°Ten years ago, the Veda Sect¡¯s school was probably set up to investigate the door in Esselgreen¡¯s basement. They tried tomunicate with the Vedas but ended up causing the entire school to vanish from reality and appear behind the door.¡± ¡°It can be understood as the Ghost Dimension¡­¡± ¡°But they dared not open the door because there were no Vedas behind it, just the spirits of hundreds of students they had killed.¡± ¡°They would be the ones to die.¡± ¡°But as the principal of the school, you survived through some means, and that oil painting happens to be connected to the real door, because it depicts that door. The Veda Sect wanted to reach you through Reagan¡¯s sacrifice to fulfill a certain purpose.¡± As he spoke, the atmosphere of horror around them had be so oppressive that it finally burst forth. All the students and teachers transformed into their pre-death appearances and lunged at Du Wei. He let out a coldugh, ¡°I¡¯m not one for many words, but every word I speak has a purpose.¡± With that, he took out his phone, and on the screen was a photo of the Shadow with bloodshot eyes reflecting everything around him. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 294: 292. Evil Spirit or Hunter... (Extra) Chapter 294: 292. Evil Spirit or Hunter¡­ (Extra) These Evil Spirits don¡¯t actually exist; they are false¡­ Leaving behind the shadow was also to give the opponent an illusion. After doing all this, Du Wei turned around and tossed a Coin. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was heads or tails; he just needed an Evil Spirit to escort and protect him. However, maybe luck really had arrived, because this time it just happened tond heads up. The skull emerged behind Du Wei. Du Wei, as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything, put everything into his backpack and then, drenched in the rain, took step by step into the icy dark waters¡­ ¡­ Icy and pitch-ck, the deep waters¡­ Du Wei felt an intense sensation of suffocation, even though he knew this was all in a painting and everything was fake, instinct made it hard to ignore. He could only undergo Evil Spirit Transformation,pletely disregarding whether he was going to suffocate or not. In theke¡­ In the darkest, deepest parts there were undercurrents and vortexes. A normal person, when encountering such a situation, would surely stay as far away from the vortex as possible. Because once caught in the vortex, even a buffalo wouldn¡¯t be able toe out alive. That force was simply too strong. But Du Wei didn¡¯t care at all; he exerted all his strength and swam towards the deepest, most dangerous vortex. He told himself, ¡°How could there be a vortex in an artificialke¡­¡± ¡°So, this is actually a conceptual gate¡­¡± ¡°But after I enter the real gate, what I will face are hundreds of Evil Spirits and one Hoddy¡­¡± ¡°Even though I can wear the mask, there are too many variables.¡± ¡°I need to make thorough preparations.¡± ¡°Undergo Evil Spirit Transformation again, experience what they call pain once more, and hopefully, it will grant me a powerful ability, bing my best trump card.¡± The closer it got to this moment, the clearer Du Wei¡¯s mind became; halfway through his swim, the vortex pulled his entire body in. He rxed his muscles, clutched his backpack tightly, and closed his eyes. His consciousness entered the darkness. All the experiences he had gone through from a young age shed in his mind.@@novelbin@@ This was a necessary stage that normal hunters went through; the pain was lengthy but at the same time brief. Because once the pain ended, one would gain some sort of special ability. Of course, this came at a price¡­ ¡­ He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. Suddenly, a buzzing¡­ sharp cry rang out in Du Wei¡¯s mind. It was not a death scene, but rather apletely different sensation. The next second, Du Wei only felt the scene before his eyes suddenly change, the ground beneath him vanished, and he plunged down at high speed. Thump¡­ Du Wei crashed heavily onto the ground, rolling on the spot to dissipate most of the force. About two meters¡­ Information instantly appeared in his mind, and when he raised his head again, the scene before him shocked him immensely¡­ This¡­ The torrential rain poured down; he had juste out from the illusionary painting, and his dry clothes were immediately soaked. But what was terrifying was, he found himself on the podium in the middle of the school za, surrounded by hundreds of expressionless, hollow-eyed, silent students holding ck Umbres. There were no teachers at all. They were the real terrifying Evil Spirits. Now, Du Wei had truly entered behind the gate. So, where was the painting? At this point, Du Wei had not forgotten his original purpose, to destroy that painting or to close the gate from inside. ¡°I fell from above, so the oil painting was up there¡­¡± Du Wei squinted his eyes and suddenly looked up to see apletely rusted steel gpole, standing upright behind him. As his gaze moved upward, he saw a body, impaled by the gpole through the chest, hanging two meters above the ground¡­ The body¡¯s hair was sparsely thin, looking ridiculous, and the flesh, due to prolonged exposure to heavy rain, was moldy, rotten, and filthy beyondpare. Yet in the hands of the corpse was an oil painting, depicting, as Du Wei had said, the door locked with chains in the Esselgreen basement. Due to the angle, Du Wei couldn¡¯t see the face of the corpse. The oil painting created a barrier. The body was above, Du Wei below. Even so, Du Wei, who was undergoing the Evil Spirit Transformation, could keenly feel an incredibly angry and icy stare. That gaze was filled with deep resentment¡­ ¡°Principal Hoddy, we meet atst.¡± Du Wei¡¯s tone was very somber, revealing a hint of annoyance¡­ His entire right hand began to show abnormal color changes, with the Evil Spirit-transformed hand looking very pale, like that of a corpse, and not a living person. This had appeared earlier, but now there was a strange pattern on his right hand. Three short horizontal lines ovepped, resembling the hand of the Antique Clock in his home¡­ But there was no clock face. He was now a true hunter. He also understood his own abilities. Indeed very powerful¡­ Powerful enough that he waspletely unsure what to do with it¡­ As long as he had contact with an Evil Spirit, he could leave behind a Mark of the Evil Spirit, which upon use, would summon the spirit to appear beside him, ignoring space and distance, tounch an attack¡­ It was tantamount to suicide¡­ How was he supposed to use this? For the moment, Du Wei couldn¡¯t think of any use, but he had to admit the Mark¡¯s power was indeed very BUG. If he could find the right use for it, it would probably be another trump card for a decisive victory. And the corpse that was impaled by the gpole and hung two meters high suddenly trembled. ¡°Du¡­ Du Wei, don¡¯t move rashly, otherwise, we¡¯ll both die¡­¡± The voice was very hoarse, carrying a chilling undertone and the sense of decay¡­ The Evil Spirit students took a step forward. There was no sound of footsteps. Everything seemed eerily silent and mysterious. Du Wei took a deep breath, pulled out a flintlock pistol from his pocket, and pointed it at Hoddy, ¡°Do you think I would trust you?¡± The body slowly slid down the rusted and darkened gpole. At the same time, ck blood flowed down¡­ It wasn¡¯t dead yet. With a hoarse voice, Hoddy said, ¡°Actually, I am like you, I am a hunter too, a hunter of the Veda Sect. I apologize for my earlier actions, but please believe me, if you step off this podium, you really will die.¡± ¡°With hundreds of Evil Spirits, no matter how strong you are, it¡¯s impossible to get out alive.¡± The entire podium was built on a concrete foundation, about three meters in size; the area was very small. Suddenly, Du Wei and Hoddy were facing each other head-on. His eyes lingered on the oil painting that Hoddy¡¯s dry, decaying hands clutched. ¡°I don¡¯t trust someone who harbors ill intent towards me. Give me that painting, or else I¡¯ll send you to meet your Veda god with one shot right now,¡± Du Wei said indifferently. Du Wei¡¯s voice was cold, he had a way out, and he didn¡¯t care about the so-called predicament. Moreover, he didn¡¯t believe a word Hoddy said. But Hoddy refused, ¡°I can¡¯t give you the painting, because it¡¯s very important for both of us; without it, we couldn¡¯t possibly leave.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about being killed by hundreds of Evil Spirits?¡± ¡°Even if you have a way to leave, can you ensure that the Evil Spirits won¡¯t attack you?¡± ¡°Besides, the Veda Sect has prepared for this for a long time, they are waiting to wee me back. Even if you manage to escape from here, you¡¯ll face the Veda Sect¡¯s pursuit.¡± ¡°However, I have a n. If you work with me, I can let you join the Veda Sect. How about a bishop position?¡± ¡°As long as you join the Veda Sect, power, women, money¡ªeverything you desire, I can give it to you.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 295: 293. Make a Wish Again (Added Update) Chapter 295: 293. Make a Wish Again (Added Update) For Du Wei, he seriously despised the Veda Sect. This cult was bloody-minded from start to finish, devoid of any shred of humanity.@@novelbin@@ Just like Tom said earlier, the cultists¡¯ heads were filled with water, all a bunch of lunatics. God knows what that group of crazy women could do. Besides, if Du Wei had chosen a different power, he could have joined the Vanity Sect. But he hadn¡¯t, which made Hoddy¡¯s invitation utterly untempting to him. And¡­ Everything he said and did was purposeful. Therefore, when Hoddy continued to attempt to lure Du Wei with words, he suddenlyughed, and the hand holding the flintlock gun that was pointed at Hoddy¡¯s head moved away. ¡°It sounds like your offer is very tempting, seriously, I am a bit moved, but I think you should tell me your n. We need a bit of trust between us, don¡¯t we?¡± While he spoke, those student Evil Spirits stood silently in the pouring rain. They made no movements, just standing in silence. Like statues. Hoddy sighed with relief inwardly and quickly said, ¡°Of course, I also think we need trust between us. Actually, my n is quite simple. You have a way out, and I have the ability to protect us while we escape.¡± ¡°This painting is the key. It can temporarily blind all Evil Spirits, creating an opportunity for us to leave, but only I know how to use it.¡± ¡°So I can¡¯t hand the painting over to you. What you need to do is help me destroy this gpole, allowing me to escape, and then we can work together to leave.¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this gpole?¡± Hesitating for a moment, Hoddy replied, ¡°That¡¯s from ten years ago when abnormalities appeared in the school. A person from the Vanity Sect suddenly arrived here. He was terrifying. The reason I¡¯m nailed to the gpole, barely alive, is his doing.¡± ¡°As long as the gpole isn¡¯t destroyed, I can only hang here, unable to free myself.¡± Du Wei furrowed his brow, ¡°What was his purpose in doing this?¡± Grinding his teeth, Hoddy said, ¡°We tried to establish contact with the Vedas through that door, but that lunatic from the Vanity Church imed it was Hell¡¯s Gate¡­¡± Du Wei¡¯s expression turned cold as he immediately asked, ¡°Previously, you must have opened that door, right?¡± The term ¡®Hell¡¯s Gate¡¯ always brings to mind religion, devils. Hoddy turned to look at those student Evil Spirits, saw they had no reactions, and then answered, ¡°We indeed opened it, but nothing happened, there was nothing inside.¡± ¡°However, those who opened the door¡­ they all disappeared¡­¡± ¡°The scariest part is, I only know they disappeared, but I don¡¯t know who exactly vanished, whether they were male or female¡­¡± ¡°That door, it holds an unknown, conceptually bizarre power.¡± ¡°I remember, thest time we opened the door was ten years ago, the day the anomaly urred.¡± Having said that, Hoddy pressed Du Wei, ¡°Now I have told you everything you wanted to know. Will you help me destroy this damned gpole?¡± Du Wei spoke with an odd tone, ¡°Of course I can.¡± Hoddy¡¯s eyes widened as he also cracked a smile at Du Wei, ¡°Good, it seems you agree to our cooperation. On behalf of the Veda Sect, I wee you, Lord Duwei¡­¡± But his current state was pitiful, akin to that of a corpse, so his smile appeared particrly ghastly. Actually, the Veda Sect, after finding that little girl, Reagan, had organized that special sacrificial ceremony. Therefore, as Hoddy, who had been trapped in this ursed ce for ten years, could seize this opportunity to make contact with the outside world. He truly was a hunter, using the painting to deceive Du Wei; the painting¡¯s own eeriness was something he could exploit. So in actuality, he still possessed the hunter¡¯s special abilities. Hoddy pondered darkly: Damn church hunter, just wait. The more youmunicate with me, the more effective my abilities will be, and soon I¡¯ll be able to possess you, get myself a new body, and live on in your stead. It was just too bad that the girl named Reagan was outside; otherwise, he could¡¯ve possessed her, freeing himself from the gpole. He had thought it through well. In this situation, the young hunter before him would either cooperate or be forced to face over a hundred student Evil Spirits alone. He would definitelypromise. With this in mind, Hoddy started to make conversation with Du Wei again. His ability required a lot of interaction with the other party, but Du Wei hardly said anything, which left much to be desired. ¡°Mr. Du Wei, you just need to shoot at the gpole¡­¡± ¡°Wait¡­ why have you pulled out another gun?¡± ¡°Lord Duwei, have you lost your mind? You shouldn¡¯t point the gun at me, it will kill me¡­¡± Hoddy did not understand Du Wei¡¯s character. He widened his eyes in terror as he watched Du Wei reach into his backpack with his other hand, pull out a pistol, and point it at his own head. ¡°Hadn¡¯t you already agreed to my n? Why deceive me???¡± The response he got was a gunshot¡­ Boom¡­ Simple and straightforward, Hoddy was shot in the head on the spot¡­ It was then that Du Wei spoke, ¡°There was once a director of a mental hospital just like you who tried to lie to me, but she died a terrible death. The only thing you did better than her was your use of words, too bad they were still very fake.¡± As he spoke, he took a long, rectangr wooden box out of his backpack and opened it directly. What was inside was a rusty iron nail with a rounded end, somewhat like the ship nails used in wooden sailing ships from the past century. This was a Holy Nail, which Du Wei had obtained by outwitting the Bald Man from the Dusk Bell Church in Massas City. If driven into the heart of a dead hunter, it would be impossible for them to be an Evil Spirit. Put simply, their soul would be scattered to the winds¡­ Sputtering¡­ The Holy Nail was driven directly into the heart of Hoddy¡¯s corpse, and the chilling sensation originally emanating from the body instantly ceased to exist. ¡°Conspiracies and deceptions exist only because there is no overwhelming method to counter them¡­¡± For some reason, Du Wei said indifferently, not certain whether he was speaking to himself or mocking Hoddy, who was thoroughly dead. He held the oil painting in his hands. This oil painting, modeled after the so-called Hell¡¯s Gate, was a concept of a gate in itself, but one that only allowed entry, not exit¡­ To close the gate, one would either have to shut it from the inside or destroy it¡­ But now, Du Wei no longer intended to destroy it; he nned to close the gate, and then leave the school with the painting in hand. Now that the decision had been made, Du Wei no longer hesitated. He had already set his sights on the Evil Spirit students holding ck Umbres. Not a single Evil Spirit showed any sign of change, appearing quite safe. Du Wei thought for a moment, took a step toward the front of the lectern, but still within range. The student Evil Spirits remained standing in ce, but the chilling cold, utterly terrifying, suddenly surged with the downpour¡­ Du Wei furrowed his brows and put on the mask on his face. The next second, A shadow walked out from the painting and stood behind Du Wei. The mask¡¯s bloodshot, crimson eyes filled with malice, a thick shadow cast over Du Wei,pletely enveloping him. ¡°Now, I make a wish, I own the right to use this painting¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 297: 295, Mark it Chapter 297: 295, Mark it Over a hundred Evil Spirits could form apany ording to military organization. Du Wei really wanted to mark all the Evil Spirits in the entire school, but he was a bit hesitant to do so. A hunter¡¯s abilities don¡¯t have so-called advancements; they are what they are. Marking one Evil Spirit and marking a hundred present just a numeric difference. Once you use the ability, all the Evil Spiritse out, regardless of the order. Too many marks, and it bes a ticking time bomb. ¡°Unless I go to Massas City again one day, I probably won¡¯t need to bnce hundreds of Evil Spirits; it¡¯s too easy to lose control.¡± Du Wei felt some regret. He still had unresolved curse issues and having more methods prepared would certainly be good. At that moment, in the distant torrential rain, suddenly two lights appeared. An old-fashioned bus slowly approached. As it passed through the curtain of rain, it emitted a chilling aura¡­ It was different from before. Soon, the bus stopped at the school¡¯s entrance tform. The front door opened. Du Wei nced inside the bus; the driver¡¯s seat was empty, and there were no Evil Spirit passengers or innocent bystanders in the back. Although the school didn¡¯t exist in reality, the bus ignored this rule; as long as it was raining, this ce was just a stop for picking up and dropping off passengers for it. Initially, Du Wei prepared two exit strategies for himself, and hitching a ride on the bus was one of them. The other was the crack he saw earlier in the real door at the back of the passage. He could never forget its location, so he could enter the passage, make a wish with the Joker Card to make the punching bag in the basement disappear, and then push the door to leave. He wasn¡¯t an Evil Spirit or something from the school, so as long as the door wasn¡¯t truly opened, there was no possibility of him taking Evil Spirits out with him. After getting into the bus, there was the sound of the door closing with a creak. Then, looking at the dim overhead light, Du Wei habitually nced at the changes inside the bus; the second time he got on the bus, he had made quite a mess and even set the Scarecrow on fire. But now, all those traces had disappeared. Du Wei habitually sat in the driver¡¯s seat, watching the time while thinking about the markings. This bus was meant for Evil Spirits, not humans. Humans could get on, but without enough power, getting off was basically death. Because the pickup point was the same for both humans and Evil Spirits, but the drop-off point is often a dangerous ce. But it must be said, the bus was very powerful. Marilyn Manson¡¯s sister, the nun who had pushed Du Wei to the edge, died under the bus¡¯s rules. This bus and the Horror House were on the same level, but now it might be slightly inferior since thetter could move¡­ But if he could mark the bus, using it for escapes when facing danger, or bringing Evil Spirits onto the bus to find a way to kill them, would be a pretty good choice. ¡°Hmm¡­ this bus should count as an Evil Spirit, so I can mark it¡­¡± Du Wei¡¯s eyes took on a strange look as his Evil Spirit Transformation right hand slowly reached for the steering wheel¡­ ¡­ Meanwhile, on the other side, outside the museum in Scolyn City. All had settled down. ¡°Officer Karl, we¡¯ll leave the rest of the matter to your police force,¡± said Harry, looking at Officer Karl across from him, with a somewhat embarrassed expression. The other Exorcists also looked awkward. After employing all their methods, they had failed to evacuate thirty visitors from the museum, and if the anomalies hadn¡¯t suddenly disappeared a few hours ago, they might still be brainstorming for solutions. inly put, Harry and the others felt they had failed to live up to Mr. Du Wei¡¯s final instructions and trust before he left. Officer Karl cleared his throat, looked at the four Exorcists, and said in a grave voice, ¡°We will handle those visitors, and now that the incident is over, does that mean Mr. Du Wei seeded in closing the door?¡± Harry nodded and said, ¡°Yes, if he had not been sessful, the anomalies would still be urring.¡± Officer Karl looked worried, ¡°But can hee out alive from behind the door?¡± Harry fell silent. Homier, however, said with conviction, ¡°He must still be alive.¡± Du Wei¡¯s rationality andposure both awed and intimidated Homier. It wasn¡¯t a matter of romantic feelings; rather, she truly believed that given Du Wei¡¯s character, he wouldn¡¯t embark on something he wasn¡¯t certain of. Since he was sessful, he must be able toe out alive. Just then. Suddenly, Harry¡¯s phone rang. Without thinking, he took out his phone and saw the caller ID showing it was Du Wei. Harry pressed the answer button excitedly and heard a cold voice. ¡°This is Du Wei. The issues in Scolyn City should have been resolved by now, right?¡± Harry quickly said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Du Wei, are you safe now?¡±@@novelbin@@ The others, hearing this conversation, became excited and moved closer to listen. On the phone, Du Wei said in an extremely cold tone, ¡°I am currently at the junction of Esselgreen and Yard City, that is, the farm we talked about earlier. You all can pull out now. Remember to call a truck to transport my car back to New York.¡± Harry nodded earnestly, ¡°Yes, Your Honor.¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. After hanging up the phone, Du Wei looked out over the vast wheat fields around him, his gaze lingering on arge patch that had been burnt. Thest time he was here, his memories synchronized with the Evil Spirit, and he eliminated Mary Shaw, resulting in arge area of the surrounding wheat fields turning to ashes. In the torrential rain, the ground formed a small stream. The ashes mixed with the rainwater, presenting a startling sight. The ground was slightly muddy. The current time was 11:09 PM. He had taken the bus, traveling only one stop, to arrive at this forsaken ce. Yet there had been a time skip phenomenon. Du Wei, holding a new ck Umbre, pondered for a moment before taking out his phone again to call Tom. He needed someone to pick him up, and just the day before yesterday, Tom had said he was going to be on duty in Yard City. The call was quickly connected. Tom¡¯s somewhat hurried breathing was followed by a surprised tone, ¡°Hey, my good brother, why did you suddenly think to call me sote?¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually in Yard City now. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re dealing with an Evil Spirit incident in New York again, lots of people died, and I need to handle it; I¡¯m very busy right now¡­¡± As Du Wei listened to the rapid breathing on the other end of the line, he frowned and said coldly, ¡°Your voice doesn¡¯t sound quite right. Are you in the Red Light District of Yard City?¡± Tom, annoyed, retorted, ¡°Why would you think that? Do Ie across as someone who¡¯s linked to the Red Light District? I¡¯m on duty right now, so what¡¯s up?¡± Du Wei replied coldly, ¡°I am currently at the junction of Yard City and Esselgreen. I need you to pick me up.¡± Tom was stunned, ¡°Fuck! Where¡¯s your car? And your tone is off too. Are you in some kind of trouble?¡± Du Wei, frowning, inquired, ¡°Is it off?¡± Tom responded, ¡°You sound very distant, just like how I feel about women every time Ie out of the Red Light District,pletely uninterested.¡± Du Wei touched his face, his eyes exceptionally cold¡­ ¡°I see. Indeed, I have encountered some things. I am sorry for making you worry, my friend.¡± This time, his tone regained its usual calmness. Tom said resignedly, ¡°Fine, I¡¯lle to pick you up. Given the time, do you want me to take you out for a night of fun?¡± ¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 299: 297. Give the Veda Sect a little surprise. Chapter 299: 297. Give the Veda Sect a little surprise. June 10th. At 3 o¡¯clock in the morning, Tom drove Du Wei to a hotel in downtown Yard City. Hmm¡­ He abandoned the idea of warmly weing Du Wei, and thus felt very regretful when he left. In the hotel room. After taking a bath, Du Wei, wrapped in a bathrobe, sat on the bed and sent a text message to his girlfriend Alex. Previously, he had instructed Alex not to try to contact him if he didn¡¯t message her first. Alex was very reluctant, and it took some convincing before she agreed. The content of the text message was brief: ¡°Dear, are you asleep?¡± After sending it, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. It was now 3 a.m., and his girlfriend didn¡¯t have the habit of staying upte; she was probably already asleep. But at that moment. Buzz of vibration¡­ A text message quickly came back. Alex: ¡°You asshole, do you think I could sleep?¡± Then another message: ¡°Asshole, where are you now? Are you in any danger? When are youing back? I miss you so much¡­¡± Looking at the text messages, Du Wei¡¯s expression froze suddenly. He covered his heart, feeling the frequency of its beats, and suddenly felt a sting in his nose. Alex certainly didn¡¯t have the habit of staying up, but now¡­ To say he wasn¡¯t moved would be a lie. So, he replied with one line: ¡°Rest early, I love you.¡± ¡­ At this moment in New York. In Alex¡¯s home, shey in bed, gnashing her teeth and hammering the pillow in fury. On her phone screen was thest message Du Wei had sent. From the 9th to the 10th, she hadn¡¯t slept for two consecutive days, always keeping her phone close, anxiously awaiting Du Wei¡¯s message¡ªthis was the result? ¡°God, when you were making him, did you only give him intelligence but no emotional quotient?¡± Alex couldn¡¯t help but send Du Wei a text message: ¡°Fuck!¡± Afterward, she threw her phone aside and went back to sleep¡­ On the other side. Du Wei looked at the new message, puzzled. ¡°Did I make her angry again?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be, I told her to rest early, and I even added that I love her¡­¡± ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll buy a flower tomorrow¡­¡± For Du Wei, his rationality allowed him to handle anyone with ease. But when it came to emotional matters. He was a little at a loss. ¡°Maybe I should ask Tom or Father Tony for adviceter, they understand women better than I do.¡± Speaking thoughtfully, Du Wei turned to start organizing his stuff. In no time at all. The mask, the newly acquired ck Umbre, and other items were haphazardly ced on the bed, looking very cluttered. The Holy Nail had already been used. He lost one effective means of dealing with the hunter, but gained a more peculiar painting. Looking at the door painted on the surface of the painting, Du Wei had a strange expression. ¡°Paintings are made by people, which means that a long time ago, someone must have seen Hell¡¯s Gate and painted it¡­¡± ¡°I wonder if the person who painted it is the Mask Maker spoken of by the Vanity Sect.¡± ¡°And many, many years ago, an exorcist with blond hair, carrying the painting and an Antique Clock among other things, died in the chapel on the outskirts of New York City, which is the predecessor of Hill Psychiatric Hospital.¡± ¡°Logically, this thing, like the antique clocks and the masks, is supposed to hold an item with letters on it, but I¡¯ve found nothing.¡± Previously, Du Wei had an extreme aversion to this oil painting. The antique clock held a ring inscribed with the letters val¡­ The two masks held a golden brooch with what looked like the letter k inscribed on it. The ring and the golden brooch were media for spreading the curse of the nun. Most importantly, they were entirely useless, neither capable ofbating the evil spirit nor serving any other purpose, only bringing the curse upon whoever came into contact with them. But now, Du Wei had not discovered any item held by the oil painting nor found any trace of letters on it. ¡°So someone took the thing inside the painting?¡± As he spoke, Du Wei folded the entire painting up and stowed it in his backpack. It waspletely waterproof and didn¡¯t even have any wrinkles, so he didn¡¯t care if it got damaged. After doing this, Du Wei looked towards the Joker card and the masks. Ever since he turned the shadow into the Masked Evil Spirit, no matter where it went, it would always return to the mask. Whenever Du Wei used it, the shadow would appear unconditionally. But this time, it seemed as if the shadow had lost the ability to leave, as if trapped within the mask by something. The entire mask radiated an evil aura that made one feel ufortable at a single nce, a feeling of nausea that induced the urge to vomit. The Joker card lying next to it, for some reason, had also undergone a strange change. Half the card had turned ck, as if it had been stained. Du Wei knew that this was the evil spirit in the Joker card, assimting the shadow. It wouldn¡¯t take long for the synthesis to be sessful. And by that time, it might turn on him. This was very awkward¡­ All along, the Joker cardbined with the controble Masked Evil Spirit had been Du Wei¡¯s most effective means of dealing with evil spirits.@@novelbin@@ The price of a wish should be on the Masked Evil Spirit, whether it was the predecessor of the shadow or its current form, both had been of great use. Together with the new Coin of Fortune. Du Wei hadpletely mastered the key trick to cheating, utilizing the three different items in tandem to produce unexpected results. But now, the wishing Joker card could only be used once, and the shadow was being assimted by the evil spirit. Du Wei¡¯s most effective method was about to be disrupted¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t let the shadow die off like this, there will be plenty of times in the future when I could use it.¡± Du Wei spoke with aplex tone. Although he now possessed the Mark¡¯s power, evil spirits that were marked would not be benevolent towards him, making the shadow seem quite reliable inparison. An evil spirit that unrelentingly sought to kill him, yet he had personally turned into a Masked Evil Spirit, had be a harmless evil hound to him. ¡°I hope the people from the Veda Secte quickly, otherwise the shadow won¡¯tst much longer¡­¡± Du Wei took a deep breath, packed everything up, and closed his eyes. To let the shadow break free from the evil spirit¡¯s assimtion was actually quite simple. Just make it stronger. And the way to make the shadow stronger was to kill, the more it killed, the more terrifying it became¡­ However, in his current state, Du Wei couldn¡¯t possibly let the shadow kill indiscriminately, as that wouldpletely erase his humanity. What makes a human is having both good and evil. While Du Wei couldn¡¯t be said to be benevolent, he also didn¡¯t want to be more evil. ¡­ In the early morning, after checking out of the hotel, Du Wei went to a nearby car rental. Ten minutester, a Volkswagen car drove out from the rental ce, heading straight for New York. He nned to return to New York secretly, to give the Veda Sect a little surprise. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 300: 298, Scouting the location Chapter 300: 298, Scouting the location North Brook District Church. Harry and others along with Father Tony were all inside the church. Everyone¡¯s expression was very serious. The Veda Sect was about to send someone to New York to take revenge on Du Wei. The reason was very simple, Du Wei had disrupted their ns and closed that door. Cultist thoughts are often extreme, their minds blinded by faith, making them the most dangerous elements in the world. Based on the church¡¯s past experiences dealing with the Veda Sect, it was quite possible that these fanatics might create a sacrifice in New York, plunging the entire city into chaos. Both Harry¡¯s group and Father Tony understood the gravity of the situation. Thus, Harry was the first to speak, ¡°The church will send people over, but they won¡¯t arrive until tonight at the earliest. The Veda Sect¡¯s people are likely to arrive before that.¡± Upon hearing this, Father Tony responded, ¡°We have official cooperation, so there¡¯s no need to worry too much about that aspect. Many highways have already started strict inspections. If there are any suspicious individuals, New York officials will take them in for investigation.¡± The church had deep connections with officials and some major tycoons. The church dealt specifically with Evil Spirit incidents, while the officials had the local power, like the police officers such as Tom. After all, firearms were more plentiful in official hands. To deal with cultists, naturally, it was most convenient for officials to take action. Of course, they were also aware that the Veda Sect was not just a simple cult. This organization had the ability to create Evil Spirits, albeit rtively weak ones. Regardless, they were not something ordinary people could handle. ¡°So we still need to wait for the church¡¯s people to deal with it.¡± Father Tony said to Harry and the others, then added, ¡°Of course, you also need to cooperate with the officials, to respond to some of the Veda Sect¡¯s bishops. Those madwomen possess more or less some peculiar means.¡± Harry and the others nodded seriously, ¡°Rest assured, this is our duty.¡± At that moment, Homier asked, ¡°Where is Mr. Du Wei at present? He is the target of the Veda Sect.¡± She meant that the Veda Sect came to New York specifically for Du Wei. They didn¡¯t care about his exact location; as long as they began their revenge in New York and as long as Du Wei still had a sense of responsibility, he would definitelye back. Then, they would target Du Wei, intending to kill him. Father Tony sighed, ¡°He should be in Yard City right now. Yesterday, Officer Tom took him to rest at a hotel, but an hour ago, Tom told me he had left.¡± As he said this, Father Tony¡¯s tone was filled with helplessness and a trace of heartfelt respect. ording to his understanding of Du Wei, the man had a very strong sense of responsibility and was extremely noble, like a saint, always at the forefront in the face of danger. In the history of the church, there were such people, but they were all those who had been influenced by the church from a young age, with extremely firm faith in holiness.@@novelbin@@ And Du Wei¡­ Father Tony sighed, ¡°He is the finest Exorcist I have ever seen.¡± Homier spoke in aplex tone, ¡°So he¡¯ll return to New York?¡± Father Tony nodded and said, ¡°Quite likely, but ording to my understanding of him, he does everything with a n. He will probably choose an appropriate opportunity toe back to deal with the Veda Sect.¡± However, just as his words fell, the phone inside the church suddenly began to ring. The ringing was urgent. Father Tony hurried to the phone, but the sentence from the other end made his face turn pale. ¡°The people from the Veda Sect have already arrived in New York.¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. In a caf¨¦ across the street from the psychological counseling clinic. Du Wei was sitting by the window, sipping coffee while watching the psychological counseling clinic in the rain. To be exact, it was the house next door, Roy¡¯s¡­ More than half a month had passed since his cultist neighbor, Roy, was murdered. The original quarantine tape had been removed, and of course, because someone had died there, the house had not been sold. At the moment, a ck sedan was parked at Roy¡¯s doorstep. From a distance, the entire cabin appeared to be full of people, about four, but no one got out of the car. A good whileter, the car finally turned around and merged into the flow of traffic. It seemed to be observing something. Du Wei put down his coffee cup, picked up the umbre next to him, and swiftly walked out. People have strange thoughts sometimes. When you step into a pothole, it leaves asting impression. And habitually, you find yourself returning to the same spot where the mishap urred. Therefore, after Du Wei returned to New York, he sat in a caf¨¦, resting and building up his strength, all the while waiting for members of the Veda Sect to arrive. However, it was evident that this time the members of the Veda Sect had learned their lesson, not being as reckless as before, probably because the loss of twenty cultists had made them cautious. After leaving the caf¨¦, Du Wei followed the members of the Veda Sect in the Volkswagen he had rented. However, he didn¡¯t tail them too closely, to avoid being detected. From a distance. As he drove, he pondered in his mind: The members of the Veda Sect had already appeared in New York and had targeted him right from the start, first arriving at the clinic. But these lunatics should know he wasn¡¯t in New York. So it was quite possible that they might do something to force him to show himself. Of course, it was also possible they just wanted to vent their lust for revenge. What he needed to do was find their gathering point and give them a surprise before they made their move. ¡­ About an hourter. The Veda Sect¡¯s car drove into a somewhat remote housingplex. Surrounded by rows of two-story houses, the streets were worn and there weren¡¯t many entertainment facilities, just a few scattered shops and a medium-sized supermarket. Du Wei parked his car at the entrance of themunity and didn¡¯t just go in. He needed to first ascertain how many people from the Veda Sect had arrived and scout the area in advance. He found the security booth of themunity. Du Wei knocked on the service window, waking up the guard who was dozing off inside. The guard was annoyed, ¡°Hey sir, disturbing someone¡¯s nap is quite impolite.¡± But in the next second. A banknote dissolved the guard¡¯s annoyance, and his attitude became friendly immediately, ¡°Hello sir, how can I assist you?¡± Du Wei spoke indifferently, ¡°I would like to know about the movement of residents in yourmunity.¡± The guard asked with curiosity, ¡°Sir, that involves the privacy of our residents, I might not be able to help you.¡± Du Wei took out another banknote and said lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t need precise information, I just need to know if there have been any new residents in yourmunitytely.¡± The guard licked his lips, ¡°Alright, considering your generosity¡­¡± He rummaged through the booth and took out a booklet, then quickly flipped through the pages and after counting muttered, ¡°Strange, why have fifty or so new residents shown up in themunity these past few days, and they¡¯re all women.¡± Upon hearing this, Du Wei¡¯s eyes grew slightly colder, ¡°That¡¯s fewer than it should be¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 303: 301, Returning to Goliath Winery Chapter 303: 301, Returning to Goliath Winery ¡°` Bang¡­ A squad of police officers burst through the door of Rowling¡¯s home, cautiously holding their handguns as they searched around upon entering. ¡°There¡¯s a heavy scent of blood, stay alert,¡± one of them warned. The leading officer, whom Du Wei would have found very familiar had he seen him, was none other than one of Officer Tom¡¯s subordinates¡ªthe very person Officer Tom had confronted at the vi¡¯s entrance. This officer quickly led his men toward the source of the blood scent, which was a room on the second floor. The door to the room was not closed. But just as they reached the doorway, the scene inside caused theirplexions to drastically change. Bloodstains were everywhere in the room. The ceiling, the walls¡ªit was all aplete mess as far as the eye could see. On the floor, hot blood was still flowing, gathering into a pattern of a hexagram. In the middle of the hexagram pattern, there was a pool of blood. Within the pool of blood was an emaciated arm, stained and missing an index finger. Gurgle¡­ The entire arm sank into the blood and disappeared from sight. This spectacle caused the faces of all the officers to change significantly, and the horrible scene throughout the room involuntarily sent chills down their spines. The leading officer took a sharp intake of breath, ¡°What the hell was that? Did you see it? That arm¡­ it disappeared?¡± Someone said through clenched teeth, ¡°What should we do? This isn¡¯t something we can handle; we should leave it to the church.¡± The officer spoke in aplex tone, ¡°The church¡¯s people won¡¯t be in New York for a while, I¡¯ll call the boss right now, he knows an Exorcist who¡¯s really powerful and happens to live in New York.¡± Of course, the boss he referred to was Tom, and the powerful Exorcist he mentioned was Du Wei. However, this officer didn¡¯t know that even if he called Tom, Du Wei wouldn¡¯t be able to appear immediately, as that would conflict with his n. ¡­ On the other side. Driving his car, Du Wei followed a distance behind five or six ck sedans. He always remained hidden in the shadows, calmly watching as the situation developed in the direction he needed. Even though there weren¡¯t many from the Veda Sect among those five or six ck cars, it was still the same for him. On the dashboard of the car, a mask was ced, exuding a cold and gloomy aura. Under the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei could feel that the shadow¡¯s originally somewhatnguid state had suddenly be tranquil. But beneath this tranquility lurked an incredibly intense malevolence. It was bing impatient¡­ ¡°I wonder how many people from the Veda Sect have be targets of the shadow, but I guess not many,¡± While driving the car, Du Wei murmured to himself. His interaction with Tom had led him to discover a problem. Evil Spirit Transformation would cause one to gradually lose humanity¡ªthe power gained and the price paid werepletely disproportionate. This was harmful. Therefore, one needed a focal point to constantly remind oneself of one¡¯s humanity. He wasn¡¯t talkative to begin with, so when facing the loss of humanity, he was actually much less powerful than most people. To put it bluntly, his experiences from childhood made him different from ordinary people; he was cold, both inside and out. His kindness to those patients was also just because something touched him from time to time, mixed with a sense of responsibility he felt was within his power. So, he thought he should talk more and behave more like a person. Even imitating would do. Thus, Du Wei casually picked up the mask and spoke to the shadow, ¡°I know you¡¯ll soon be assimted by the Evil Spirit, but don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you die that easily.¡± For no apparent reason, the mask trembled. ¡­ At this moment. In a church in New York. ¡°` Harry and the others were frantically anxious. ¡°Damn it¡­ the Veda Sect¡¯s people are already in New York, and we can¡¯t do anything about it, fuck!¡± Against Evil Spirits, Harry and the others could be effective, but when facing the Veda Sect¡¯s people, they found themselves at a disadvantage. Cultists won¡¯t just sit around waiting to die, each one of them has killed more than one person. In other words, in terms of danger, the church¡¯s Exorcists couldn¡¯tpare to the Veda Sect¡¯s Cultists at all. After all, they¡¯re lunatics, all carrying knives and even firearms. Harry was now in deep difort, pacing back and forth within the church. Without the church¡¯s people, confronting the Veda Sect was tantamount to suicide. At that moment, Father Tony came over, dragging a heavy case and sweating profusely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already called the New York police. I estimate they¡¯ve started to adjust their response ns by now.¡± Harry calmed down a bit, ¡°Okay, but I always feel something isn¡¯t right about this, and we also haven¡¯t heard from Mr. Du Wei; where on earth is he¡­¡± As he spoke, Harry noticed the case Father Tony was dragging and asked in confusion, ¡°Father, what¡¯s in that case? It seems pretty heavy?¡± Homier and the rest also looked over, with expressions full of puzzlement. Father Tony, wiping off his sweat, said, ¡°The thing that left the deepest impression on me from when I was in contact with Mr. Du Wei was him pointing a gun at my head.¡± ¡°Later, Officer Tom informed me that he didn¡¯t have a gun permit at all, that gun was illegal.¡± Everyone turned pale with shock, ¡°Illegal firearms, isn¡¯t he afraid of going to jail?¡± Father Tony awkwardly said, ¡°You all know Officer Tom, right? He¡¯s risen through the ranks and be a representative of the New York police force. He¡¯s also Mr. Du Wei¡¯s best friend.¡± Harry said with a troubled tone, ¡°Well¡­ he really does have a widework.¡± Homier, standing beside them, looked at the case and asked with a frown, ¡°So Father, are you telling us there are guns in this case?¡±@@novelbin@@ Father Tony nodded gravely, ¡°Yes, after getting to know Mr. Du Wei, I¡¯ve felt very insecure. It seems to me that there are many people in this world like him who carry firearms illegally.¡± ¡°So I obtained a few handguns from the ck market, and now they¡¯re going toe in handy.¡± Now, everyone started looking at Father Tony with a mix of doubt and disbelief. Harry said incredulously, ¡°You mean to have us take guns to fight the Veda Sect?¡± Exorcists are the church¡¯s most important members, with specialized personnel for dealing with Cultists. Having an Exorcist engage in such action was simply the most foolish decision. Father Tony shook his head, ¡°I was just thinking, if the Veda Sect wants to force Mr. Du Wei out, they might target his girlfriend.¡± ¡°Although the police are guarding there, I think you should also go, in case of any sudden incidents.¡± ¡°Otherwise, Mr. Du Wei will definitely fall apart¡­¡± ¡­ On the road leading to Goliath Winery. Du Wei parked his car, looking expressionless, as the five ck sedans slowly entered the winery under the escort of the servants. ¡°Ms. Viktor, have you joined the Veda Sect?¡± His voice was cold, and though he was asking, it was filled with certainty. Thest time he came to Goliath Winery was for a mission from the church, and here he had obtained the Joker Card which allowed him to initiate the gambling game. In a sense, he had saved Goliath Viktor. But now, the Veda Sect¡¯s people had entered the winery unhindered. It was clear that the woman had been in contact with the Veda Sect during this period. Du Wei¡¯s heart felt inexplicably agitated for a moment, and he immediately took out his phone and called Alex. ¡°Dear, have you been in contact with Viktor recently?¡± ¡°No¡­ wait, you¡¯re calling me just to ask this?¡± Du Wei let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Listen, Viktor might have joined a cult; she¡¯s now a dangerous person.¡± On the other end of the phone, Alex sounded troubled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that pretty normal? Generally, families with some background will choose to join some church as an investment. But don¡¯t worry, I have no intentions of dealing with any messy people; it¡¯s too tiring.¡± Du Wei said with a hum, ¡°That¡¯s good. But New York is a bit dangerous now; you best stay at home and don¡¯t go anywhere. Once I¡¯m done here, I¡¯lle back to see you immediately.¡± Alex scoffed continuously, ¡°You still remember toe back? That surprises me¡­¡± Then, she snorted again, ¡°Forget it, you never listen to what I say anyway. But don¡¯t worry about my safety: around the house in Furman District, all the residents are bodyguards, much more formidable than the police you called before.¡± Du Wei replied vaguely, ¡°Okay, baby, I got it; I¡¯ll probablye back in the evening.¡± After hanging up the phone, his gaze towards Goliath Winery turned ice-cold. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 304: 302, She made a deal with demons Chapter 304: 302, She made a deal with demons Goliath Viktor had been tormented greatly in recent times. For a divorced woman, nothing was more important than her appearance. Yet, her face was disfigured. Her entire face was sunken into the oil painting, bereft of her nose and chin. She felt her life had been utterly ruined. Cosmetic surgeons had said that with her current injuries, it was impossible to restore her previous look, not even a tenth or a twentieth of it. She suffered greatly. She ced her hope in ephemeral beliefs, but the church could offer her no help. When people fall into despair, they often resort to extremes. Goliath Viktor considered suicide, but couldn¡¯t bear to throw away her best years just like that. It was at that time that she came into contact with people from the Veda Sect. They expressly stated they could help her, even though the method was utterly bloodstained and evil, she was eager for it. In the winery. Since Du Wei¡¯sst visit, the scene here hadpletely changed. Weeds had grown wildly within a month, spreading from thewn to the road, but no one seemed to care. Thosendscape trees, normally well-tended, were now overgrown with a nt simr to ivy, except they exhibited a sickly yellow hue. The nts wrapped themselves tightly around the trees, as if sucking their blood. At this time, the sky was ominously overcast, with persistent rain. Within the winery, five ck sedans were parked, and servants dressed in ck suits led Bishop Fiona and a host of cultists into thergest house. ¡­ ¡°Praise Veda¡­¡± After Fiona and the others entered the winery, they saw many familiar faces standing in the first-floor hall. Three bishops of the Veda Sect, along with a crowd of cultists. Each person was in good physical shape, but the skin they exposed bore fierce scars. This was a cult that reveled in pain. The three bishops nodded slightly to Fiona, ¡°Praise Veda.¡± In their midst stood Goliath Viktor, with her face wrapped in bandages, revealing only a pair of sinister eyes. ¡°Bishop Fiona, how are things outside? Have you found that damned man?¡± Goliath Viktor¡¯s tone was somewhat urgent upon seeing Fiona. ording to her deal with the Veda Sect, after killing Du Wei, they would begin restoring her face, even making her more beautiful than before. Hatred was often devoid of logic. In this world, Goliath Viktor had be the person who hated Du Wei the most. Fiona nced at her and said gloomily, ¡°There¡¯s been a minorplication, the man you hate the most hasn¡¯t returned to New York. In fact, I have yet to discover any trace of him.¡± Goliath Viktor, struggling to contain her agitation, said, ¡°You have ways to find him, right? You have abilities beyond ordinary people ¨C find him and kill him.¡± Fiona shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s not just us who have the ability, that man does too, and he¡¯s not a regr exorcist, he can sabotage our ns, and he may be far more terrifying than any of us.¡± The other three bishops nodded, ¡°But he must pay the price, no one can offend the Veda Sect.¡±@@novelbin@@ Fiona agreedpletely with this point, ¡°But the official side in New York has already started martialw, our exposure is inevitable, and if he doesn¡¯t show up, we might not be able to kill him in the simplest way.¡± By this, she meant that besides the evil means of the Veda Sect, they could use advantages in real-life weapons, numbers, and the like. Killing an Evil Spirit is difficult. But to kill an Exorcist or a hunter is not so much trouble. Du Wei was not an Evil Spirit, even though he could confront Evil Spirits, he was still a human in the flesh, and sometimes a small illness or a car ident could end his life. The people of the Veda Sect might be crazy, but they were not brainless. However, this advantage now seemed greatly limited by the actions of the New York police, leaving them constrained. At that moment, the eldest of the three bishops slowly said, ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with the sacrifice, let¡¯s create a few more Evil Corpses to deal with him.¡± Fiona frowned and said, ¡°I have already created an Evil Corpse, but we only have his photograph, and it¡¯s going to take several days for the Evil Corpse to find him, which is far from ideal.¡± Evil Corpses have a special ability to hunt, but a mere photo makes it hard to pinpoint the target unless there¡¯s a medium such as hair, nails, or blood. Otherwise, the Evil Corpse created by thete Bishop Ruth wouldn¡¯t have taken so long to find Du Wei as a target, and that was after he had locked gazes with it through a surveince video. Goliath Viktor, who was impatient, said, ¡°What do you mean by only having a photo?¡± The elder bishop hesitated for a moment, considering that the Veda Sect wanted to recruit this woman, and then she started to exin. Quickly, Goliath Viktor had an epiphany. She said in a strange tone, ¡°So you¡¯re saying, as long as you have his hair, you can kill him, right?¡± Everyone froze. Fiona, frowning deeper, said, ¡°He¡¯s hidden in the shadows now, we can¡¯t possibly get his hair, can we?¡± ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not necessary for him to hide in the dark.¡± Goliath Viktor began tough ominously, ¡°When he pulled me out of that painting, we made contact, and out of pain, I grabbed a few strands of his hair.¡± ¡°And I just happen to know that the Turin Cult has the vicious ability to use someone¡¯s hair to curse them to death.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been carrying those strands of hair with me.¡± Fiona looked at Goliath Viktor with an expressionless face and asked, ¡°So you harbored hatred for him from that moment on?¡± Goliath Viktor sneered, ¡°He ruined my face, he deserves to die¡­¡± Fiona looked deeply at her and said, ¡°You would make an excellent member of the Veda Sect.¡± The elder bishop praised her as well, ¡°Hatred will make you stop at nothing, and it will also make you stronger.¡± Goliath Viktor¡¯sughter grew more and more ghastly as she took out a delicate little box from her clothing, opened it, and inside were a few strands of hair. She attributed all the wrongs to Du Wei, her rescuer. Once a person falls into extremism, the distinction between right and wrong, good and evil, bes confused and twisted. As time goes by, it will ferment into a ferocious beast of malice, choosing its victims to devour. The elder bishop took the handful of hair from her hands, with a dangerous tone, said, ¡°We need a sacrifice, we need sufficient Sacrifices, those servants and butlers at the winery can be of use.¡± Goliath Viktor was startled at first but then resolutely said, ¡°As you wish, let the revenge begin.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 307: 305, Brother Shadow is awesome Chapter 307: 305, Brother Shadow is awesome Fear renders one senseless. Goliath Viktor waspletely engulfed in fear at this moment. She didn¡¯t receive a response; instead, she drew a terrifying voice. She knew it was the Evil Spirit that was after her life. If regrets were useful, Goliath Viktor would certainly be the most regretful of all. She felt utterly innocent, having just joined the Veda Sect. She hadn¡¯t even had the chance to take revenge on Du Wei yet, but somehow, she found herself inexplicably targeted by the Evil Spirit. What in the world was going on? Goliath Viktor had no idea what was happening; all she could do was run forward mechanically. But in the darkness, her vision was hindered. Without realizing it, she stepped into emptiness. Goliath Viktor only felt her body lose bnce before tumbling into a pool of blood. The foul-smelling blood from all around forced its way into her ears, mouth, and nose. She coughed violently, iling one hand to grab the edge of the blood pool to steady herself, and managed to lift her head above the surface, gasping for a deep breath of air. As she inhaled, she coughed out the blood. The agony of near-asphyxiation drove her further toward breakdown. Not everyone can maintain extreme sanity and calmness like Du Wei. The despair that the Evil Spirit brought to ordinary people was just too overwhelming. Goliath Viktorpletely lost her senses, desperately trying to climb out of the blood pool, unbothered by the cuts she received from the pool¡¯s sharp edges. But as soon as she got most of her body out¡­ She froze in her tracks¡­ Her scalp felt an icy chill, a sharp dagger pressed against her head. ¡°No¡­ please don¡¯t¡­¡± Pleading was useless. The dagger, with an irresistible force, pierced straight through her scalp and into her skull. Brother Shadow¡¯s previous method of killing, mockingly referred to as ¡®twisting a wet towel¡¯ by Tom, seemed to have changed since it acquired the dagger. It appeared to prefer using the dagger to kill rather than simply twisting off heads. However, its fondness for heads had not changed. Even if the method of killing had altered, its affinity for heads remained. With a ssh, Goliath Viktor¡¯s corpse sank into the blood pool. In the darkness, the remaining three bishops, along with the cultists, heard none of these sounds. They could only hear the sounds of their own footsteps as they ran. Brother Shadow, after receiving the dagger from Du Wei, had be somewhat different. It seemed able to affect one¡¯s hearing, or more precisely, to iste sound. The ughter was continuing¡­ Within this hall, whether evil corpses or humans, all were the prey of Brother Shadow. It would grow more terrifying, and its efficiency in reaping lives would be faster. ¡­ Elsewhere. Outside Goliath Winery. Du Wei, holding a ck Umbre, emerged from the small woods. He looked calmly at the winery in the rain and took out his cell phone to call the Yard City police. ¡°I¡¯m Tom¡¯s friend, Du Wei, it has been confirmed that people from the Veda Sect and Goliath Viktor have conspired together; right now, they are all inside the winery. There¡¯s been a terrifying incident involving an Evil Spirit here, and I need your support.¡± On the other end of the line, someone asked in shock, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, your im is incredibly hard to believe. How could the heir of the Viktor family possibly collude with the Veda Sect?¡± Du Wei spoke evenly, ¡°That is indeed a problem, but I can¡¯t exin it to you. In any case, you¡¯d bettere quickly, otherwise, the situation might be very serious.¡± He didn¡¯t want Brother Shadow to kill all the members of the Veda Sect, but he also didn¡¯t want to let them get away. Therefore, he needed the Yard City police to handle the aftermath. To send all those remaining cultists to jail. Whether they faced life imprisonment or execution was not his concern anymore. The hands of the Veda Sect¡¯s cultists were drenched in blood; not a single one of them was innocent. The church and the officials will punish them most severely¡­ Nothing else matters, these are the rules. There was a long silence on the other end of the phone before someone continued, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, you need to know, all of New York¡¯s police are stationed on the streets. If we send arge number of people, someone definitely has to back us up.¡± Du Wei calmly said, ¡°If your boss Tom was with you, he would probably have you relieved from your post by now. Start the operation, and let Tom bear all the consequences.¡± The person on the other end then said firmly, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Tom is currently the head of the New York police, and even if he went to Yard City on duty, it was just a gold-ted assignment. The New York police still follow his orders. Of course¡­ Du Wei hadn¡¯t mentioned this matter to Tom because he was worried that Tom would tell Father Tony he had acted against the Veda Sect, leading to unnecessary suspicion. In public, he always maintained the image of a psychologist and an exorcist. Tounch a ughter against the Veda Sect, and even use an Evil Spirit¡­ it seemed extremely extreme no matter how you looked at it.@@novelbin@@ Therefore, concealment was always better. However, Du Wei wasn¡¯t setting Tom up, because he always had control over the situation. Every time he brought Tom in to take the fall, Tom always ended up profiting. Otherwise, his recent rapid promotions wouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°Solving a vicious cultist case should add a significant mark on Tom¡¯s promotion path.¡± Du Wei wasn¡¯t very familiar with the police promotion system. But he knew that this time Tom might strike it rich. Suddenly¡­ Du Wei nced at his right hand and stayed his gaze on the pattern that looked like three pointers for a while. ¡°Besides building up Evil Spirit forces, I also need to give my friend a hand. Only then can I make better use of my connections.¡± But as soon as he finished speaking, Du Wei raised his eyebrows and turned to look towards the entrance of the winery. In the rain, an older woman stumbled frantically towards the door. Her left shoulder had been chopped off, and blood wouldn¡¯t stop flowing. With disheveled hair, she looked like a ghost¡­ The woman noticed Du Wei standing in the rain with an umbre. With bloodshot eyes, as if she had seen her nemesis, she screamed and sped up. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­ it was all your doing. You damned exorcist, you¡¯re definitely going to hell¡­¡± She gnashed her teeth and bellowed out the name that almost drove her to madness: ¡°Du Wei¡­¡± ¡°You devil, I will make you pay!¡± As she said this, the only hand she had left held a dagger and stabbed at Du Wei. The distance between the two was no more than five meters. Just as she said, she wanted to make Du Wei pay. But¡­ Du Wei, expressionless, took out a pistol from his pocket, unlocked the safety, and without hesitation, squeezed the trigger. Tom had secured him a concealed carry permit before. Legitimate self-defense isn¡¯t a crime¡­ With a bang, the gunshot rang out. The bullet went straight through the woman¡¯s thigh. She screamed and fell to the ground, mud and water sshing everywhere. Du Wei¡¯s tone was somewhatplicated, ¡°I meant to hit your stomach¡­¡± But it didn¡¯t matter, because he sensed the presence of Brother Shadow. Splurt¡­ A dagger emerged from the muddy puddle, with a light swing, it shed across the woman¡¯s head¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 308: Long night Chapter 308: Long night Outside Goliath Winery in the dead of the night, there were already over ten police cars parked. The shing police lights and the neon in the rain looked so hazy. The surviving cultists were bagged over their heads and taken away in police cars. One by one, the bodies wrapped in ck body bags were carried out of the winery, ced into the hearse. With that, things were finallying to a temporary close. The police officer who had previously spoken to Du Wei on the phone watched as thest body was loaded into the vehicle and then turned to say, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, we express our deepest gratitude for your contributions to the public safety of New York City.¡± He spoke with great solemnity, ¡°Considering your long-standing close cooperation with the police, we will award you arge sum of money and present you with the Outstanding Citizen Medal.¡± His gaze shifted to Du Wei, who stood in the rain with an umbre. Du Wei nodded, speaking calmly, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do, and if it weren¡¯t for my good friend Officer Tom, with his affirmation and support, this matter wouldn¡¯t have concluded so soon.¡± From his return to New York City to the end of the affair, only a single day had passed. Of course, he mentioned this to connect Tom with the incident. After all, he didn¡¯t have much use for the police¡¯s credit. The police officer wasn¡¯t aware of Du Wei¡¯s thoughts and earnestly said, ¡°Regardless, you are a fine citizen of New York City.¡± Du Wei smiled and said, ¡°Just remember to burn all those bodies.¡± The other party promised seriously, ¡°Please be assured, we will certainly do so. By the way, do you need me to take you back to the psychological counseling clinic?¡± Du Wei waved his hand, refusing, ¡°No need, I drove here, and now I have to go see my girlfriend.¡± After saying this, he turned and left. The police officer watched Du Wei¡¯s retreating figure, respect growing in his eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°If only all the citizens of New York City had a sense of justice like Mr. Du Wei.¡± Of course, he knew that standing up for justice required confidence. And he knew that Du Wei had just that confidence. After all, Du Wei had the support of the church and was the brother of Tom, the head of the New York City Police Department; ordinary people could only mean well but be powerless. ¡­ At 1:08 in the early morning of June 11th. The Furman District appeared even quieter in the rain. Driving his car, Du Wei entered the district. The security guards were already familiar with him, so although they found it odd that he had switched to a Volkswagen sedan, they did not stop him. At Alex¡¯s doorstep. Du Wei opened the car door and stepped out with a bunch of roses in his hand, walking to the entrance. He cleared his throat and pressed the doorbell¡­ Although his girlfriend Alex had given him a key to her ce a long time ago, Du Wei felt strange after noting back for two or three days. Umm¡­ He felt a bit awkward. After a while, footsteps could finally be heard from behind the door. Creak¡­ Alex opened the door wearing an oversized hoodie, expressionless, fixing her gaze on the bunch of roses in Du Wei¡¯s hand for a few seconds, her eyes turning increasingly dangerous. ¡°You actually remember how toe back? And these roses, did you go to Scolyn City to pick flowers again?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no, I bought these from a nearby flower shop, do you like them?¡± Alex was livid, ¡°I absolutely love them.¡± In the past, many had pursued her with fresh flowers, exquisite jewelry, valuable gems, even offering her cars and houses, but she had never spared them a nce. Because she found them all toomon. Since she met Du Wei, she had realized one thing: what wasmon just because she didn¡¯t like that if it came from someone she liked, it didn¡¯t matter what it was ¨C it always seemed so unique. It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s always flowers¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t you be a bit more original¡­¡± Alex snorted coldly and turned to enter the room. Du Wei, not knowing what to do, walked in awkwardly with the bouquet of roses and closed the door behind him. ¡°Dear, are you angry?¡± As soon as he entered, Du Wei hurriedly asked. This made Alex even more annoyed, ¡°Why should I be angry?¡± She sat on the sofa and started drinking a cup of coffee. All her emotions were written on her face. Du Wei quickly sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She didn¡¯t resist. He thought to himself, This is not a big problem. But he said, ¡°Dear, there¡¯s an interesting phenomenon in psychology.¡± ¡°People are easily influenced by external factors: visual, auditory, tactile, and so on.¡± ¡°The bright colors of flowers give a visual impact, and the more vibrant the flowers, the more they tend to lift one¡¯s spirits.¡± ¡°Many people have given flowers their ownnguage, using different colors and types to convey different meanings.¡± ¡°Roses represent love, their message burns with passion.¡± ¡°But what I want to tell you is that I keep giving you flowers because I¡¯m not good at expressing my love for you in words, so I use flowers instead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I brought you this bouquet of roses.¡± As he finished speaking, Alex couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow and huffed, ¡°Where did you learn to say that?¡± Du Wei smiled slightly, ¡°Straight from the heart.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Haha,¡± Alex took the roses, eyeing them with a coldugh, ¡°I¡¯m not mad that you only know how to give me flowers, but rather it¡¯s the text you sent me at three in the morning yesterday.¡± Du Wei, puzzled, asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I report that I¡¯m safe to you?¡± Alexughed, ¡°Reporting that you¡¯re safe is fine, but how could you just reply with ¡®get some rest early¡¯? I was worried about you for two days, two whole days¡­¡± ¡°And then you tell me to get some rest early¡­¡± Du Wei looked ashamed, ¡°So how should I have replied to your text?¡± Alex rested her forehead in her hand, ¡°You should have replied that you missed me too¡­ or that you would be back to see me soon. Does being in love make you a fool?¡± Du Wei¡¯s eyes brightened and he said deeply, ¡°But if I had really done what you suggested, I might have had to send you texts all night.¡± Alex¡¯s tone softened slightly, ¡°Really¡­ for real?¡± Du Wei said earnestly, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true, and no amount of sweet talk canpare to saying it to your face.¡± With that, Du Wei gently pulled Alex into his arms and whispered in her ear, ¡°Dear, the truth is, I¡¯ve been thinking about you all this time.¡± Alex let out a petnt huff, ¡°So where¡¯s your sweet talk then?¡± Du Wei was stumped¡­ He began to think calmly, searching for a solution. But his mind waspletely nk. The sweet nothings he had just spoken were learned from thenguage of flowers he saw while buying them. Du Wei opened his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t find the words to say. Seeing this, Alex, extremely annoyed, pinched him and pulled Du Wei into the bedroom. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk in bed, slowly. If you repeat even one sentence, don¡¯t me me for not letting you sleep¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 309: 307, The Churchs Reward Chapter 309: 307, The Church¡¯s Reward 7:30 a.m. The torrential rain that had been pouring for days had finally stopped. However, the sky was still somewhat overcast. Du Wei dropped his car off at a nearby chain car rental and then took a taxi to the church in the North Brook District. His McLaren GT parked at the entrance of the church drew the attention of passing pedestrians. Inside the church. Father Tony and the others looked at Du Wei withplicated expressions in their eyes. They were not quite clear on how the members of the Veda Sect had been dealt with. But one way or another, it seemed to be rted to Du Wei. The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward. Du Wei looked at Father Tony and his subordinates like Harry. He spoke in a calm tone, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, and I can tell you about the general course of events, but it¡¯s pointless because the matter has already been resolved.¡± Harry and the others naturally did not ask any further questions, after all, Du Wei was their superior. Subordinates don¡¯t just keep questioning their boss. Father Tony was different, though; he needed topile a report of what had happened to submit to the church. So, he said, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, if it¡¯s convenient, could you still exin a little?¡± His tone was very helpless and carried no intention of interrogating. Du Wei understood and said indifferently, ¡°Actually, I returned to New York yesterday morning, then I sat at the coffee shop opposite the psychiatric clinic for an entire morning, waiting for the Veda Sect to show their hand.¡± Father Tony asked in surprise, ¡°Why were you so certain that the Veda Sect would go to your house?¡± Du Wei answered calmly, ¡°Is it strange? The Veda Sect knew my home, and without knowing my exact whereabouts, they would definitely check my house.¡± Father Tony scratched his head, ¡°So you just easily found the people from the Veda Sect?¡± Du Wei nodded, ¡°Yes, so I followed their people, found a gathering point of the Veda Sect, and then I chose to call the police, letting them scatter in panic.¡± ¡°In the end, they went to Goliath Winery, and what happened after that, I¡¯m not very clear on. I just made another phone call and reported it to the police.¡± Du Wei left out the important details. But Father Tony acted as if he didn¡¯t notice. He looked deeply at Du Wei, ¡°I will report your words as they are to the church, but those people will definitely be frustrated. The Veda Sect caused such a stir in New York and even sent out four bishops, yet to think they were wiped out because of two calls to the police is indeed ironic.¡± Saying so, Father Tony shrugged at Du Wei with a jesting tone, ¡°After all, this is New York.¡± Du Wei smiled, ¡°Indeed.¡± Harry and the others on the side were baffled by the final exchange between the two. And at that moment, Du Wei turned to them and asked, ¡°Now that things in New York have mostly been dealt with, are you going back to the church or staying in New York?¡± Harry answered seriously, ¡°The church is currently very short-staffed, so we will be taking a noon flight to other cities to handle Evil Spirit incidents.¡± This was within Du Wei¡¯s expectations, so he gave them a few symbolic instructions, ¡°Remember to report back to me on your work in a timely manner.¡± Harry said earnestly, ¡°As you wish.¡± After that, Du Wei spoke with Harry and the others about ways to handle Evil Spirit incidents and shared some of his own experiences. After all, Harry and his group were his subordinates, and maintaining a good rtionship with them could be very helpful to him. Of course¡­ The most important thing was that Du Wei¡¯s status had changed; he had to y the role of a leader well. ¡­ An hourter. Harry and the group left the church. Meanwhile, Du Wei discussed other matters with Father Tony. It was about the reward for the incident involving the Evil Spirit in Scolyn City. After all, in the eyes of the church, Du Wei was the one who bravely led the charge, single-handedly foiling the malevolent schemes of the Veda Sect. There is a reward for every effort made. This has been the church¡¯s long-standing rule in how they treat Exorcists. ¡°Mr. Du Wei, regarding the Scolyn City incident, you handled it very well, and the church has already deposited five million into your ount, although I suspect that amount might not mean much to you,¡± ¡°Given how wealthy your girlfriend really is¡­¡± In the reception room, Father Tony poured Du Wei a cup of coffee, ¡°On other matters, is there anything else you need? For example, some special item that can be used against Evil Spirits. Although you already have that flintlock gun, I think I can try to negotiate on your behalf. After all, you did resolve the Veda Sect issue quite splendidly.¡± Hearing this, Du Wei weighed Father Tony¡¯s words and felt the chances of sess were not great. Besides, ordinary items were no longer of much use to him. So he replied, ¡°You can try to negotiate for me, but if the church disagrees, just save it for now. I¡¯ll mention it when I need itter.¡± Father Tony nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a good approach.¡± Then, he added, ¡°By the way, I personally think that you should take a good few days off. After all, you seem to have not had a proper rest for a long time; your dark circles are quite severe.¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow, ¡°I think so too, and besides, my girlfriend¡¯s parents are arriving in New York tonight. I need to live the life of a regr person for a few days.¡± Father Tony said with a smile, ¡°Then, I wish you a pleasant holiday.¡± Du Wei smiled faintly, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡­@@novelbin@@ After leaving the church, Du Wei did not head straight to Furman District. Instead, he went to a psychological counseling clinic. He and Alex had agreed to meet at the airport at seven in the evening, and there was still time. Ten minutester, Du Wei parked the McLaren GT in front of his house, then, carrying his backpack and holding the ck umbre, went inside. The air was slightly stuffy, But Du Wei didn¡¯t mind; as soon as he entered, he threw his backpack on the sofa, fixating his gaze on the Antique Clock hanging on the wall without a break. The Antique Clock had not changed at all from before. Its hands were still ovepping, turning mechanically. ¡°At first, I thought the mask was made in imitation of you, but as I made contact with the Vanity Sect, I realized it wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°The thirteen masks of the Vanity Sect are the prototype of my mask.¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯ve obtained a painting.¡± ¡°I believe that the person who made the painting and the mask is the same one who made you.¡± Du Wei watched the hands of the Antique Clock, casually pulling out a ring inscribed with the letters ¡°val¡­¡± from his wallet. ¡°Together with the Golden Brooch, v¡­ I now know four letters and another one that seems to be ¡®k,¡¯ but I haven¡¯t found the rest in the painting because what it was imprisoning might have been taken away by someone.¡± ¡°But I know, if I were to rank suppressors like you, you would be the most powerful one.¡± ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to mark you.¡± Du Wei looked earnestly at the Antique Clock; his Right Hand underwent the Evil Spirit Transformation and slowly reached out to it. He wanted to establish a controble force of Evil Spirits and needed an absolute Suppressor to ensure his own safety. The Antique Clock was powerful and mysterious, and, in a way, it imprisoned the cursed existence that was Du Wei himself. The clock has always held a high status in the clinic, capable of suppressing all Evil Spirits. It was the key to bnce. There was none more suitable than it. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 310: 308, Sudden Incident (Third Update) Chapter 310: 308, Sudden Incident (Third Update) Du Wei slowly ced his right hand onto the antique clock. During this process, everything was calm. The house was very quiet. The Annabelle doll hanging next to the antique clock also stayed quietly in its disy case, motionless, indistinguishable from an ordinary doll except for being a bit uglier. But¡­ Just when Du Wei was about to activate the Marking Ability, his right hand, which should not have felt any pain, suddenly experienced an intense burning sensation. The patterns on the back of his right hand, resembling clock hands, suddenly became extremely hot. It was as if touched by a red-hot iron. Du Wei drew a sharp breath and immediately shook his hand free. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± His entire right hand was pale as a corpse, yet the pattern of hands deepened considerably. From dull to ck. ¡°I actually can¡¯t mark you?¡± Du Wei¡¯s pupils shrank slightly, his tone carrying a rare hint of shock. He looked at the antique clock with growing puzzlement. The bus was already terrifying enough, capable of killing the nun from Hill Psychiatric Hospital. But even so, the Marking Ability had not failed. Whenever Du Wei wished, he could summon the bus at any time. However¡­ It was such an inexplicable power, yet it had no effect whatsoever on the antique clock. On the contrary, the antique clock seemed to have a consciousness of its own, delivering retaliation. ¡°You are still getting stronger¡­¡± Du Wei calmly made his judgment. Previously, he had discovered that the antique clock was in the process of recovery, but this mysterious object had never posed any danger to him. Instead, it had given him the special ability to see visions of death. Even if it was random¡­ As a result, Du Wei innately had a subtle touch with the antique clock, a mix of trust and caution. But he couldn¡¯t have imagined that the antique clock would be even more fearsome than the bus. Something¡¯s not right¡­ Du Wei narrowed his eyes; during the Evil Spirit Transformation, Spirit Vision allowed him to see more. But he didn¡¯t feel that the level of danger from the antique clock was significantly stronger than the invisible oppressive feeling of the bus. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re special, or is my Evil Spirit Transformation Ability rted to you?¡± When he received the Marking Ability, Du Wei felt that the pattern on his right hand resembled the hands of a clock, which is why he referred to it as such. But upon seeing the antique clock again, he couldn¡¯t help but link everything together in his mind. After all, his ability to see death scenes was also rted to the antique clock. He took a deep breath and said silently to himself, ¡°It seems I shoulde up with a new n.¡± The feeling he got from the antique clock suddenly started to turn sour. If all his abilities originated from this eerie thing, what then, was its purpose? The more powerful an object is, the greater the price one has to pay to use it. Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but think to himself: the Marking Ability is very helpful to me, I can¡¯t give it up, but I must find an opportunity topletely deal with the antique clock. This is the reaction a normal person should have when facing the unknown. One can¡¯t know there is something wrong with the antique clock and still allow it to develop, even if it is currently of great help. With this thought, Du Wei then turned his gaze to the Evil Spirit Doll Annabelle beside him. It had the ability to attract evil spirits. This point had been verified many times within the clinic. In the disy cab, Annabelle seemed to have sensed Du Wei¡¯s stare and trembled imperceptibly. Du Wei stared at it expressionlessly, showing neither joy nor anger. About a minute passed. Du Wei suddenly turned and walked towards the sofa. The moment he did, Annabelle in the disy cab became as still as the dead, calm to the extreme. Even the cold aura disappeared without a trace. But suddenly, as Du Wei reached the sofa, he pulled a mask out of his backpack and put it on his face. Then, he stepped towards Annabelle deliberately. In an instant, the atmosphere became oppressively tense; Annabelle trembled wildly, incessantly banging against the disy cab, but it had made a bet with Du Wei once and, as a consequence of losing, could not leave the cab. Unless there was an external force. The shadow did not possess Du Wei, but rather stood behind him with a dagger, brazenly emanating malice.@@novelbin@@ It had indeed be much stronger than before. As Du Wei walked, he said to Annabelle, ¡°Before, you used my Evil Spirit Transformation to nourish your recovery, which I could tolerate, because I needed you to maintain bnce at home.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, just as you ghosts harbor malice towards me, I also harbor malice towards you.¡± ¡°So, now it¡¯s time for you to pay the price.¡± Having said that, Du Wei took the Joker Card capable of granting wishes out of his pocket with his left hand. At that moment, on the surface of the card, the one wearing the mask had struggled halfway out of the doorway, except for the rotting arms gripping him, and looked almost unchanged from before. The shadow resisted the Evil Spirit¡¯s assimtion. This allowed Du Wei a few more opportunities to make wishes. Of course¡­ He would only make wishes as the shadow, ¡°I wish that my mark on Annabelle will not be counted as an external force, so even if I use my Marking Ability, the conceptual door of the disy cab will still remain unopened.¡± ¡°Therefore, after I¡¯ve used my Marking Ability, it will return to the disy cab once again.¡± This time, Du Wei imposed many conditions on his wish. He didn¡¯t simply wish for Annabelle to be forever unable to act against him, nor did he wish to enve her. Because that was simply unrealistic. To achieve such an oue, even with the shadow as his scapegoat, Du Wei would have to pay an unimaginable price. He might have been assimted on the spot by the Evil Spirit. Therefore, Du Wei employed trickery, expanding upon the previous bet¡¯s conditions and the concept of the disy cab. He wanted to transform the disy cab into a special item, specifically designed to imprison Annabelle until death. For a moment, the Joker Card capable of granting wishes became bitterly cold, and the evil presence made the light in the room blur. Under the state of Spirit Vision, Du Wei felt a tremendous pressure, and the shadow standing behind him dimmed a bit. On the surface of the card, the masked figure¡¯s entire right leg rotted away, revealing ghastly white bones¡­ Seeing this, Du Wei knew that his method of charging the shadow to resist the Evil Spirit allowed it to develop a countermeasure. ¡°But still, the wish was granted,¡± he said. The next second, Du Weiid his hand on the disy cab, marking Annabelle, who was desperately banging against it, trying to escape. ¡°You can¡¯t resist me.¡± Du Wei¡¯s voice was calm, ¡°From the first time you lost to me, you lost your freedom, and now this term will be extended indefinitely, even if I die one day, I will seal you away forever.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 311: 309, Attending Physician Ryan (Fourth Update) Chapter 311: 309, Attending Physician Ryan (Fourth Update) Inside the psychological consultation clinic. All had returned to tranquility. Du Wei sat on the couch, his fair right hand holding a pencil while writing the following content: [1. Select suitable Evil Spirits and use the Marking Ability to form one¡¯s own forces, reducing the frequency of one¡¯s own Evil Spirit Transformation.] [2. The marked Evil Spirits include the shadow, the bus, Annabelle.] [3. Pending marked Evil Spirits, must choose absolutely safe Evil Spirits to act as Suppressors.] [4. Unresolved matters, the Antique Clock, and the potential outbreak of curse.] That¡¯s where the writing ended. Du Wei had already sorted out a clear and precise n for what he had to do in the future. To build an Evil Spirit force, suitable Evil Spirits had to be found. They had to be safe, or at the very least, within his control. The shadow and the bus currently were the safest marked ones. Despite the shadow constantly wanting to kill him. The safety level of Annabelle was one rank lower than that of the bus. But it was still within an eptable range. The ability to mark allowed the Evil Spirits to appear beside Du Wei regardless of distance and space. If the marked Evil Spirits bore a grudge against him, then this ability could basically only be used for suicide. But if the marked ones were things like the bus or Annabelle, it wouldn¡¯t make matters too bad. At least within Du Wei¡¯s control. This was his arrangement for the Marking Ability. As for the Evil Spirits who bore ill will towards him, Du Wei would also selectively mark some, as he had many items on him capable of self-protection. ¡°Not counting the marked Evil Spirits, I carry six Evil Spirits with me, which should be enough for now.¡± Among the items Du Wei carried, the mask, Coin, umbre, Joker Card, and Flintlock Gun each contained an Evil Spirit. The two sides of the Coin each represented an Evil Spirit. ¡°And then there¡¯s that painting. I barely use it, only if I go back to school again. So for now, I should probably keep it at home.¡± As Du Wei said this, he stood up and pulled out the rolled-up painting from his backpack. After thinking, he looked up towards the second floor. ¡°Perhaps hanging it in the bedroom is a good choice.¡± ¡­ Elsewhere,@@novelbin@@ In Yard City. It was a bit far from New York, so it was still raining, though it had turned from a downpour to a drizzle. At that time, Tom was wearing a police uniform, driving on the streets while on duty. Suddenly, his phone rang. The contact was his direct superior. Tom was puzzled, hurriedly pressed the answer button, and heard an authoritative middle-aged man¡¯s voiceing from the other end. ¡°Tom, your judgment on the New York Cult incident was very urate. After careful consideration, we¡¯ve decided to grant you more authority and resources.¡± The moment he heard this, Tom was bbergasted. What was going on? New York Cult incident? His judgment was very urate? ¡°Wait¡­ when you talk about the New York Cult incident, do you mean the Veda Sect?¡± The middle-aged man spoke solemnly, ¡°Yes, if it wasn¡¯t for your urate judgment, having your friend Du Wei inform the police, the incident wouldn¡¯t have been resolved so quickly.¡± Tom was shocked; his good buddy had checked out and left yesterday morning without saying a word. So¡­ he had gone back to New York to deal with the Veda Sect. But what did that have to do with him? He was about to exin when the voice on the phone made him hesitate. ¡°Considering your outstanding performance recently, and the great merit you¡¯ve aplished this time, we¡¯ve decided to transfer you back from Yard City and adjust your position upwards again. You will have authority over the entire New York police force.¡± Tom said with mixed feelings, ¡°Thank you for your support¡­¡± The other party said with satisfaction, ¡°Work hard, and when I retire, my position will be yours.¡± Then, they added, ¡°Also, you need to change your habit of frequently visiting the Red Light District, at least don¡¯t go there during the day, otherwise it will have a big impact.¡± Tom said awkwardly, ¡°I will.¡± After speaking, the other party hung up the phone directly. Tom¡¯s expression then became incredibly animated. ¡°I didn¡¯t even fucking do anything, and I got promoted?¡± ¡°And the Veda Sect, could they all be dead?¡± He genuinely thanked Du Wei from the bottom of his heart; without this friend, it would have been impossible for him to rise from a district police officer to his current position. But he knew that every time he got promoted, it was inextricably linked to Du Wei. Because he was always the one doing the cleanup work. Tom rubbed his throbbing head and couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Last time I got a promotion, it also seemed to involve a lot of deaths in the Veda Sect, and now it¡¯s rted to them again.¡± ¡°Fuck! Don¡¯t tell me one day these crazies wille after me.¡± As he said this, Tom turned the car around and headed toward the Yard City police station. He needed to work with the locals on handing over his duties before he could return to New York. However, Tom did not notice that at the road he was originally going to travel on, it darkened for just a second. A massive shadow of a building shed by,pletely imperceptible to the naked eye. It was the Horror House¡­ If he hadn¡¯t turned around, he would have driven straight into the Horror House. Before this, a member of the Vanity Sect, Crocker Mercer, had once said that in the deepest part of the Horror House, there lies a mask belonging to the Vanity Sect. Within that mask, there was a Demon Spirit. He had conducted a blood sacrifice in the Horror House, trying to appease that Demon Spirit, but it was not sessful. The Demon Spirit ran off with the mask, and the remaining Horror House also mutated into some sort of peculiar entity. It was the same kind of thing as a bus. And now, it was moving around the world non-stop, seemingly up to something. ¡­ At this very moment, in the basement of the headquarters of the Dusk Bell Church in Switzend, James looked at Ryan in front of him with a serious face. He earnestly said, ¡°Mr. Ryan, I really do know Director Duwei that you speak of; we fought side by side. Please, you must believe me.¡± Over this period, James had discovered Ryan¡¯s secret. This mental patient had an obsessive fanaticism for Du Wei, firmly convinced that Du Wei was the director of the Psychiatric Hospital and that he would promote him and give him a raise. Ryan, however, disdainfully cursed, ¡°Go to hell, the director is the best doctor in our hospital; you just want to meet the director through me, so he can treat you, right? You think you have secrets from me?¡± James took a deep breath, feeling that he was starting to understand Ryan¡¯s thought patterns. He forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m friends with Du Wei, not in a doctor-patient rtionship.¡± Ryan¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You dare to call the director by his name?¡± James immediately corrected himself, ¡°What I meant to say is, I have a very good rtionship with Director Duwei, so I think you should believe me, and besides, if you think I¡¯m a patient, then as a doctor, you should have empathy for me.¡± Ryan spat, dering arrogantly, ¡°Good, you finally admit you¡¯re mentally ill. I¡¯m relieved. Now atst I can move on to the next step of your treatment.¡± Seizing the moment, James said, ¡°Actually, everyone in the Dusk Bell Church is mentally ill; they all need your treatment. And don¡¯t you want Director Duwei to promote you and give you a raise? If you join Dusk Bell and cure us all, he will give you everything you want.¡± Ryan hesitated, ¡°But I¡¯ve lost contact with the director; I call him every day, and it always says the phone is switched off. I can¡¯t find him, so how can he promote me or give me a raise?¡± James was puzzled, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a phone, how have you been calling him?¡± Ryan pointed to his head and said, ¡°I call him in my dreams every day, is there a problem with that?¡± On the verge of a breakdown, James quickly changed the subject, ¡°How about this: you join Dusk Bell and treat us, and as long as everyone believes you¡¯re sincerely joining, I¡¯ll apply to take you to see Director Duwei. How does that sound?¡± It sounded reasonable. So, Ryan tapped his head, ¡°Then I can join the Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital, and I¡¯ll be your chief physician.¡± James was thrilled, unable to contain his excitedughter. But he didn¡¯t notice that while heughed, his eyes remained calm, strikingly at odds¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 312: 310, The Secret of the Wittebach Family Chapter 312: 310, The Secret of the Wittebach Family It was night. A stretched Lincoln limousine, escorted by a dozen bulletproof cars, left the New York City airport. On board were Du Wei, Alex, and Alex¡¯s parents. More than ten minutes ago. Du Wei and Alex had picked up Alex¡¯s parents at the airport. When they met, everything was quite ordinary. There was no difficulty posed by the bride¡¯s parents, nor was there excessive small talk. Du Wei and his future father-inw sat in the back row, while Alex and her mother were seated in front. The driver was a private chauffeur for the Wittebach family and also a bodyguard. Alex and her mother whispered in the front row, chatting about topics between women. Meanwhile, Du Wei felt a bit awkward. Because he discovered that his future father-inw, that is, Alex¡¯s father, Lawrence Wittebach, had fallen into a strange calm since meeting him. Lawrence sat to the right of Du Wei, silent as a sculpture. But Du Wei noticed that the other party was always quietly observing him. Of course, he was observing the other party as well. He noticed that Lawrence¡¯s hair was slightly grey, and his deep blue eyes were of the same lineage as Alex¡¯s. The middle-aged man¡¯s demeanor was quite ordinary, and his gaze was not so sharp, seemingly just like an average person. For a long time. It was Alex who first noticed the silence in the back row. She said with displeasure, ¡°Dad, can¡¯t you stop giving my boyfriend the cold shoulder? It makes me feel like I¡¯m losing face.¡± Her mother also frowned, ring at her husband with dissatisfaction, ¡°Be polite to my future son-inw, you old blockhead.¡± Immediately, Du Wei felt embarrassed and took the initiative to start a conversation, ¡°Uncle Lawrence, please don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m not particrly good at dealing with these things.¡± Lawrence nodded slightly, speaking in a deep and sincere voice, ¡°Actually, I feel the same. However, you shouldn¡¯t worry too much. My impression of you isn¡¯t bad, there are just some things that are not suitable for discussion here.¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is it about Alex and me?¡± Lawrence shook his head and said in an exnatory tone, ¡°In this world, there are many dangers, Evil Spirits, Cults, and all sorts of messes, but the Wittebach family doesn¡¯t care about them.¡± ¡°The church is meant to deal with these things, but many ancient families and organizations also have records about these matters, even some countermeasures.¡± Having said that, Lawrence took a long look at Du Wei and fell silent. To be honest, he could not say his feelings for Du Wei were either good or bad, especially since his daughter Alex didn¡¯t hold back praising Du Wei¡¯s merits thest time she was home. As for wealth and background and so on. Lawrence didn¡¯t care at all. The only things he cared about, besides his daughter¡¯s choice, was Du Wei¡¯s identity. The older the family, the deeper the heritage. They often have umted a lot of wealth and are indeed financial tycoons. Of course, there are also some who prefer to keep a low profile, staying behind the scenes, out of the public eye. Such families have a deeper understanding and exploration of the world, which is naturally iparable to the likes of the fallen Victor family. They pay more attention to their heritage. Du Wei happened to be able to fill the heritage gap for the Wittebach family. After listening to Lawrence¡¯s words, Du Wei gave a faint smile in response, but did not press the matter further. Some things don¡¯t need to be spelled out, one can understand them thoroughly with careful thought. He got two pieces of information from Lawrence¡¯s words. First, the Wittebach family seemed to have ways to deal with Evil Spirits. Second, Lawrence wanted to convey some information to him. Of course, the second point had a premise. It meant that Lawrence hoped certain pieces of information would be known only to Du Wei and him, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have remained silent the whole time. ¡°It looks like I¡¯m about toe into contact with some secrets,¡± Du Wei silently said to himself. He was looking forward to it¡­ ¡­ Half an hourter. The car slowly stopped in front of the most luxurious hotel in the heart of New York City. All the hotel staff were waiting at the entrance. They had received the message well in advance, so everyone¡¯s expression was very solemn. The hotel had been swept clean inside and out three or four times, even though it was already spotless. After Du Wei and the others got out of the car, they were invited inside by the hotel manager. Upon entering, The d¨¦cor of the hotel was fully revealed to Du Wei. Glorious in gold, everything within sight seemed extremely valuable. Even a few famous paintings hung on the walls, adding a lot of ssiness to the atmosphere. In the middle of the hotel stood a huge crystal chandelier, a massive fixture about four or five meters high, surrounded by a spiral staircase leading upwards. It was the epitome of luxury. Although Du Wei was not ill at ease, he was struck by the extravagance for a moment. At that time,@@novelbin@@ Lawrence pointed to the spiral staircase and said to Du Wei, ¡°Come upstairs with me, I have something I want to discuss with you.¡± Du Wei responded with a nod and followed closely behind. But Avery furrowed her brows. She had always wondered why her family, who clearly knew about the existence of Evil Spirits in this world, simply didn¡¯t tell her about them. It was impossible not to feel a bit of bitter resentment. No matter how much she pressed them for answers, no one would exin the reasons to her, only saying that she would surely be informed in the future. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, child, your father and Du Wei will probably get along very well, and given their calm temperaments, they¡¯ll definitely findmon ground to talk about,¡± her mother said. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not worried; I just feel like they¡¯re definitely hiding something from me,¡± Averyined. Avery was somewhat annoyed; her boyfriend being all mysterious was one thing, but having her father be the same was just unbearable. Her mother sighed helplessly: ¡°Men are like that; your father has also kept many things from me, and yet we¡¯vee this far.¡± Averyined, ¡°Men are truly annoying.¡± ¡­ Upstairs, After Du Wei and Lawrence reached the second floor, It was deserted. Lawrence, breaking his silence, initiated the conversation with Du Wei. ¡°Mr. Du Wei¡­ um, or should I say, my future son-inw, when do you n to marry my daughter?¡± Du Wei was stunned for a moment: ¡°Probably next year, but did you call me up here just to talk about this?¡± Lawrence hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°Of course not. I just wanted to confirm again whether you will marry my daughter because what I am about to tell you is rted to the Wittebach family secret and also to Avery. So, I hope that no one else learns about our conversation today, including my daughter.¡± Du Wei¡¯s expression became serious as he said solemnly, ¡°Rest assured, I will keep this strictly confidential.¡± Lauren waved his hand dismissively, ¡°I like dealing with smart people. If you betray my trust or decide not to marry my daughter, I would truly hire someone to assassinate you, even if you became the Pope of the Church.¡± Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but cough, ¡°Please continue.¡± His future father-inw seemed a bit long-winded¡­ Lawrence appeared to be in aplex mood, sighing before speaking in a somewhat bewildered tone, ¡°Avery doesn¡¯t know much about our family; the information she¡¯s been exposed to since birth is only what the family allowed her to know.¡± ¡°What I¡¯m about to tell you is that hundreds of years ago, during the Church¡¯s most prosperous period, we encountered a man wearing a mask.¡± ¡°We made a certain agreement with him, which is why our family members are not killed by Evil Spirits. Even when faced with danger, luck has always been on our side.¡± ¡°The agreement is time-limited; it shouldst another seventy or eighty years, so there are no issues for now.¡± ¡°But the masked man left some information and prophesied that this generation of our family would give birth to an eldest daughter named Mte, who woulde into contact with an item used to imprison a demon¡¯s curse.¡± ¡°That eldest daughter happens to be my child.¡± ¡°However, I named her Avery; I¡¯ve been very indulgent with her.¡± As he spoke, Lawrence gave Du Wei a very apologetic look, ¡°The curse has fallen upon you, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Du Wei remained silent¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 313: 311, True Name of Demons Chapter 313: 311, True Name of Demons ¡°Uncle Lawrence, I indeed have been afflicted with a curse, so as my future father-inw, what exactly do you want to tell me?¡± ¡°When I first encountered the curse, I knew how dangerous and terrifying it was.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s done cannot be undone, so what I really want to know is, does the Wittebach family have a way to resolve the curse?¡± Upstairs, Du Wei¡¯s tone was inexplicably strange. The information Lawrence revealed had no impact on him. To put it bluntly, he was actually not too troubled by the curse. For now, the curse was in a dormant phase, seemingly devouring his dreams, amassing power and waiting for the next outbreak. However, these past few days, he had applied intense self-suggestion to himself and hadn¡¯t dreamed at all. Besides, he had many other problems and didn¡¯t care much about whether he was cursed or not. Even if the nun returned to reality, he could kill it once more. It wasn¡¯t a big problem¡­ Lawrence stood by Du Wei¡¯s side, patted his shoulder, and said, ¡°There is indeed a solution. Since Alex was born, most of my efforts have gone into researching the literature and materials in this area.¡± ¡°It was after she told me she was with you that I found a Stele from an extinct religion during the Church Crusades.¡± ¡°The Stele was inscribed with lost script chronicling many things, but out of the several hundred schrs I consulted, only a small part of the information was decoded. However, that was already enough.¡± ¡°This method of breaking the curse is specifically aimed at demons.¡± ¡°Knowing the demon¡¯s true name, chanting it, would drive it out of the human world, and all the filth would be taken away.¡± Upon hearing this, Du Wei raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°The filth refers to the curse, right?¡± Lawrence nodded, ¡°Yes, but you have to be sure that the demon¡¯s true name is correct; otherwise, not only will it fail, but the demon will also take over your body and descend into the human world.¡± After pondering for a while, Du Wei spoke again, ¡°I think I understand. So, regarding the person who left the prophecy, does the Wittebach family have any record of him? In fact, I have alsoe across such people recently.¡± Lawrence replied knowingly, ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Vanity Sect, right? It seems that person has no connection with the Vanity Sect.¡± With a thoughtful look, Du Wei said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think I know who you¡¯re talking about. That person made two masks, and ording to the information you provided, he seems to be the curse¡¯s arch-enemy, having used many things to imprison the curse¡¯s medium.¡± Upon hearing this, Lawrence shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not clear on that.¡± His knowledge of that mysterious person hade at a great cost and was gathered from certain informants, including the Dusk Bell Church. But no matter what, it wasn¡¯t possible for him to understand more thoroughly than Du Wei, who had personally experienced it. After all, Du Wei was the only person rted to the curse who hade into contact with it and was still alive. At that moment, Du Wei smiled and said, ¡°Then I have understood the situation thoroughly, and I¡¯m very grateful for your exnation.¡± Lawrence waved his hand in embarrassment, ¡°I should be the one grateful. After all, you saved Alex, and you are the one who has been touched by the curse.¡± With calm, Du Wei said, ¡°At the time, my objective was simply to save myself, not for her, and of course, to talk about it now is of little significance.¡± Lawrence grew increasingly satisfied with Du Wei, ¡°You¡¯re quite remarkable. If you need help with breaking the curse in the future, you can alwayse to me.¡± With that, he took out a gold-embossed personal business card from his pocket. Du Wei took the business card and smiled, ¡°Okay, Uncle.¡± Lawrence patted Du Wei¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal, you will definitely be the son-inw of the Wittebach family, in fact, you could call me dad.¡± Du Wei forced a smile, ¡°Alright, Uncle Lawrence.¡± He was very traditional, and it was unlikely he would say it before they were married. And for Du Wei, he could never get over the death of his biological father. Some titles were something he preferred not to mention. However, Lawrence interpreted Du Wei¡¯s behavior as reserved and shy. Thus, his satisfaction with Du Wei grew even further. The Church¡¯s Deputy Chief Judge, and a mysteriously powerful hunter. There could be no one more suitable to marry his daughter. ¡­ Alex¡¯s parents arrived quickly, and they left just as fast. That very night. Lawrence took his wife and boarded a ne leaving New York. Furman District. Du Wei spent the night at Alex¡¯s home. By this time, it was already past midnight. In the past, the chances of Du Wei sleeping at this hour were almost non-existent. He was either dealing with Evil Spirits, or on his way to dealing with them. Only when he was with Alex could Du Wei maintain a normal routine. Even if it was always after exhaustion. The bedroom was very quiet, with only the faint moonlight piercing through the curtains and casting a glow inside the room. Du Wei held Alex in his arms, his eyes closed in sleep. But suddenly¡­ His expression tensed up, and fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead. In the darkness, Alex was awakened by the noise. Upon opening her eyes, she frowned slightly in difort. Feeling the force on her shoulder, she gently pushed Du Wei, ¡°Baby, you¡¯re hurting me¡­¡± She had just finished speaking. Alex¡¯s beautiful face turned somewhat unsightly, noticing that Du Wei¡¯s forehead was covered in cold sweat and his pajamas were soaked with sweat. As if he were having a nightmare. ¡°Baby? Baby, wake up?¡± Alex pushed Du Wei, but no matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t wake him up. ¡­ At this moment. At an international airport in Europe, it was just dawning. A middle-aged man in a ck suit, holding a suitcase, walked out. He was balding with little hair left, and always had a smile on his face, looking very approachable.@@novelbin@@ It was Hannibal. Hannibal took a deep breath of air, somewhat intoxicated, and said, ¡°Fresh air always stirs my appetite.¡± Europe was the domain of the Veda Sect. Even though the Veda Sect¡¯s connection with officials wasn¡¯t deep, cult ideology rooted amongst the people was quite popr here. ¡°I should be staying here for quite a while. I hope during this time, I can get in touch with the Veda Sect¡¯s higher-ups.¡± ¡°Better yet, to make contact with their leader, and let them know their god has long since appeared in the human world.¡± Hannibal had severed ties with the Dusk Bell Church, the ease with which he did so was all because he had struck some sort of deal with the real leader of the Dusk Bell Church. He killed the unfortunate hunter Coral for that old man, sending a warning to those behind her. ¡°Judging by the time, the Dusk Bell should have already spread the news of my defection. Foolishmbs always enjoy wrestling within the pen.¡± Hannibal said with a light tone, then turned and got into a taxi. The early morning sun had already risen, and the sunlight shined through the taxi window onto him, casting three shadows. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 315: 313, Du Wei is equivalent to a tumor. Chapter 315: 313, Du Wei is equivalent to a tumor. In the church. Du Wei looked at Father Tony, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say. He remained silent. Father Tony was stunned. ¡°Mr. Du Wei, could it be that I¡¯m right? Are there really Evil Spirits at work?¡± Du Wei said with aplex tone, ¡°It¡¯s very likely¡­¡± He was somewhat reluctant to discuss this topic with Father Tony. Because the person currently afflicted with the curse was him, and speaking out could potentially plunge the church into panic. The main thing was. Those people praying had all had nightmares, and the manifestations were almost identical to his own. Logically, Du Wei hadn¡¯t spread the nature of the curse. And no one hade into contact with the ring or other mediums. No matter how he looked at it, something was off. Du Wei maintained hisposure and said to Father Tony, ¡°Did those people all have the nightmaresst night?¡± Father Tony thought for a moment and said, ¡°Mostly, yes, but a few people said they had the same nightmaresst week, then suddenly for a few days, these strange nightmares disappeared, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention.¡± ¡°It wasst night that the nightmares caught up with them again.¡± After speaking, Father Tony sounded troubled as he realized a problem. ¡°Mr. Du Wei, if it really is an Evil Spirit, it seems your vacation is going to be disrupted again.¡± ¡°It seems so¡­¡± Du Wei rubbed his throbbing forehead, feeling utterly miserable. Those people had nightmaresst week, then there was a break, andst night they started having nightmares again. This coincided almost exactly with the frequency of his own nightmares. And the manifestations were exactly the same. Could it be that whenever the curse erupted and he began having those indescribable nightmares, others were influenced by him and experienced the same ordeal? With this thought, a terrible idea suddenly surfaced in Du Wei¡¯s mind. Could it be that he had be a kind of Evil Spirit¡­ Unconsciously causing others to have nightmares with him, which was no different from how an Evil Spirit spread. However, this was due to the curse, and the core issue was still the curse itself. And now the nightmares were out of control. Du Wei had lost all ability to control whether he dreamt, and psychological suggestion had be ineffective. He didn¡¯t even know what was happening in the dreams. The information he could gather was pitifully scarce. Father Tony stood by, seeing Du Wei with a furrowed brow, seemingly worried about something, and kindly said, ¡°ording to procedures, if Evil Spirits appear in New York, you indeed need to address it, but if you want to rest, we can ask the church for help, don¡¯t be too anxious.¡± Du Wei shook his head and sighed, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll figure out a way to resolve this myself, and there¡¯s no one more suitable than me anyway.¡± He had initially wanted to discuss the curse with the church, but now he had to abandon that idea. He was like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment. If the curse suddenly erupted and the nun appeared again, it could lead to disaster. After all, Du Wei suspected his dreams were being devoured by the curse, and now he didn¡¯t know how many others had gone through the same experience as him. Even if he was the source, the vanished dreams of others were also worth considering. The nun might be devouring his dreams as well as the dreams of others. Once the nun jumps out of the dream world and returns to reality, she could be terrifying to an appalling extent, even more terrifying than Mary Shaw. Dreams are intangible; they are the subconscious as well as the collective consciousness. A nun nurtured by the dreams of countless people is at the very least of an Evil Spirit level, or even a Demon Spirit¡­ ¡°I need to find a way to contact the nun in the dream to see how much longer it will be before it emerges from the dream world.¡± After gathering his thoughts, Du Wei made up his mind. Father Tony beside him failed to see the concern and caution in his heart, instead, he said helplessly, ¡°You dealing with it is indeed appropriate, but it will be tiring for you.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m worried that your body won¡¯t be able to withstand such frequent and intense contacts with the Evil Spirit.¡± With a forced smile, Du Wei said, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m sure nothing will happen to me, and I still have to find this Evil Spirit to formte a further solution.¡± Father Tony nodded as if suddenly realizing, ¡°You have a point. Oh, are you here at the church today to report to the diocese?¡± With an affirmative sound, Du Wei replied, ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Father Tony said earnestly, ¡°The church sent over a piece of paper that can test the level of your Evil Spirit Transformation, which also helps you monitor your mental state at any time.¡± Saying this, he led Du Wei into the church¡¯s reception room. ¡­ A few minutester. Du Wei slowly closed a piece of white paper and handed it to Father Tony. On the folded sheet, there was the silhouette of a right hand with a faint ck hue. On the back of the hand were three subtle shes. Father Tony collected the white paper and said gravely, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, remember this mark of Otherness. If the color deepens next time, it means your Evil Spirit Transformation has be more severe.¡± Du Wei responded, ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡± Last time in Yard City, Bishop Jon and Bishop Slivka had performed a test on him, and the Otherness back then was much lighter than it is now. This showed that his recent encounters with Evil Spirits were still happening at an rmingly frequent rate.@@novelbin@@ After all, apart from his lighter, nearly all items on Du Wei had Evil Spirits residing within them. Carrying six Evil Spirits with him, even the strongest hunter in church history wouldn¡¯t likely do such a thing. At that moment. Suddenly¡­ The door to the reception room was flung open. Tom walked in with a smug expression. Immediately, Du Wei and Father Tony turned their heads. The scene felt oddly familiar¡­ ¡°Hey, brothers, I¡¯ve got great news¡ªI¡¯ve been promoted!!¡± As soon as he entered, Tom couldn¡¯t help but blurt out. He approached Du Wei, his tone inted, ¡°I said before that we should form a team¡ªyou handle the Evil Spirits, and I take care of the aftermath. Now you¡¯re the head of Evil Spirit incidents in New York, and I¡¯m the head of the New York police. What do you say, want to consider it?¡± Du Wei looked at him expressionlessly, ¡°Even without forming a team, you¡¯ll still have to handle the aftermath.¡± Tom choked at the retort, ¡°But I think forming a team would be cool.¡± With a resigned tone, Du Wei said, ¡°You might want to consider Father Tony.¡± Father Tony waved his hands hastily, ¡°Aside from the church, I go nowhere else.¡± Seeing that neither was interested, Tom had to give up the idea and shrugged, ¡°Alright. But honestly, my promotion isrgely thanks to Du Wei. How about we go celebrate? My treat. We can party till this time tomorrow.¡± ¡°With the power I have now, I guarantee no one will be able to disturb us.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 316: 314, Daydream Chapter 316: 314, Daydream June 12th, around five in the afternoon. After saying goodbye to Tom and Father Tony, Du Wei returned to the psychological counseling clinic. He didn¡¯t have much to do these past two days, so he decided to select the appropriate Evil Spirit Mark after his father-inw, Lawrence, delivered the antique. Recently, he wanted to give himself a break to avoid constantly being tired and tense. Hmm¡­ At the very least, rx during the day, and make contact with the Evil Spirit at night. After all, ording to his n, before too long, he would need to start addressing the curse problem to prevent it from escting and causing even more trouble. However, before that, Du Wei nned to probe the curse and explore what exactly his dreams were all about. Only in this way could he urately determine how much time the nun had before leaping from the dream into reality. He had to give himself a chance to breathe¡­ ¡­ In the bedroom on the second floor of the clinic. Du Wei wore a pale yellow trench coat, gazing at the bright sun outside the window, his usually somber demeanor swept away. He felt veryfortable. Everyone dreams, and known causes of dreams are divided into physiological and psychological aspects, but even in these areas, no one can exin the mechanisms and principles that form dreams. Everything in a dream is based on one¡¯s memory and cognition, including elements of the five senses, among others. When a person has intense fantasies, in some cases, they can dream of whatever they desire. Illusory, yet real. ¡°But when I¡¯m in a dream, I can¡¯t move anything but my Evil Spirit Transformed Right Hand¡­¡±@@novelbin@@ Du Wei looked out the window at the sun and began to ponder. He hadn¡¯t forgotten the experiences he had in his dreams so far. Once he dreamt, he would likely find himself in a difficult situation, only able to endure until the dream ended to open his eyes and see the nun. To Du Wei, dreams and reality were essentially opposites. In reality, with his Right Hand transformed by the Evil Spirit, it would be numb, like a corpse. But in a dream, his Right Hand could regain sensation, and the line between human and Evil Spirit became very blurry¡ªexcept he couldn¡¯t move his body. ¡°I can¡¯t be passive like before, at the very least I need to be able to do something in my dreams, otherwise, merely confronting the nun head-on isn¡¯t particrly meaningful.¡± Du Wei whispered to himself, then turned his head to look at the backpack on the bedside and the painting hanging above it. He hesitated for a moment, then drew the curtains and walked over slowly. ¡°I could use the Joker Card to make a wish, the darkness now shouldst a bit longer, making three or four wishes shouldn¡¯t be a big problem.¡± ¡°Moreover, if only the Evil Spirit can move freely in dreams, I can put on the mask and wear the shadow¡¯s shell¡­¡± Du Wei said, organizing his thoughts. He took a mask from the backpack and put it on his face, immediately the light in the room dimmed. The shadow emerged from the dark corner, its outline much clearer than before, like a colored-in sketch, deep and dark¡­ On appearance, it gave Du Wei a look filled with familiar malice, unmasked. Even after bing the Masked Evil Spirit, categorized as harmless, it still harbored the thought of killing Du Wei. Obstinate and rigid. The next second, the shadow ovepped with Du Wei. Under the Spirit Vision state, he saw his body enveloped in ayer of murky stuff, and a surge of malice flooded his mind. It was more dreadful and intense than before. But Du Wei ignored itpletely, he was ustomed to it by now. Pulling out the Joker Card from his pocket, Du Wei whispered, ¡°Once I enter the dream, I will be free, and the items I have in reality will also be brought into the dream with me.¡± After finishing. The Du Wei wearing the mask on the Joker Card started to rot on another leg, leaving not even the bones intact. But strangely, that version of him didn¡¯t fall. Instead, it floated in the air with both legs missing. Seeing this, Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Two legs, two hands, then the torso, finally the head. When I on the cardpletely vanish, that¡¯s when you break out, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The ¡®you¡¯ here refers to the Evil Spirit inside the Joker Card.¡± Although Du Wei was asking, his tone was very certain. It seems that enhancing the shadow to fight against the Evil Spirit¡¯s assimtion could only be used once. Next time, it wille out of the card and begin a killing spree against Du Wei. But for Du Wei, this had no significance whatsoever because, by then, he would surely have marked plenty of Evil Spirits and could easily kill this one. What he needed was always the wish-granting ability, not to resolve the Evil Spirit itself. ¡°Time to sleep.¡± Du Wei spoke calmly and theny down on the bed, pulling the nket over himself. The current time was 5:10 in the afternoon. The sun hung high in the sky, showing no signs of setting. Du Wei slowly closed his eyes, knowing this would be a daydream. ¡­ Meanwhile. In various districts of New York, at various ces, some strange things were happening. Some were at work in the office but suddenly closed their eyes and slumped over their desks. Some were at home praying, but once their eyes shut, they fell straight into sleep. The nightmare was beginning. ¡­ Drip-drip¡­ Tick-tock¡­ The sound of water droplets hitting the floor reached his ears, perhaps a tap in the bathroom not tightened properly or the kitchen sink leaking. The air he breathed through the mask felt slightly moist. Beneath him, he could feel the soft bed sheets. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Du Wei suddenly opened his eyes, taking a deep breath. The sight before him was quite strange; the location was his home, but the colors he saw were much reduced. It was somewhat like the visual experience when color televisions were first developed and seen. Very dim¡­ It was still the bedroom, but everything around him was utterly different. The walls were cracked, withrge spiderweb-like fissures spreading out, dust everywhere, even the windows appearing neglected and hanging outside, fixed by only one screw, ready to fall at any moment. On the ground, there were even some dark brown clots of congealed blood. Du Wei looked at the familiar yet strange bedroom expressionlessly and sat up from the bed with an outstretched hand. By the bed, his backpack was ced. But the mysterious oil painting did not appear in the dream. Du Wei frowned, casually picked up his backpack to check the contents, and then slung it over his shoulder. Things were slightly different than he expected; after entering the dream, he should have seen the nun. But in reality, he had not. ¡°Let¡¯s see where you really are,¡± Du Wei said as he touched the mask on his face and walked out of the bedroom. Downstairs. A strange hue shed in his eyes. The disy cab was hanging on the wall of the living room, with Annabelle inside, trembling slightly as if afraid of something. And next to it, where the Antique Clock should be, there was nothing at all. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 317: Coins second use Chapter 317: Coin¡¯s second use ¡°` ¡°Why aren¡¯t the painting and the Antique Clock in the dream?¡± In the living room, Du Wei looked at the wall where the Antique Clock should have been and began to think incessantly. Before entering the dream, he had made a wish with the Joker Card. Items such as masks were brought into the dream by him; logically speaking, the Antique Clock and painting, being his possessions, should have also appeared. But in reality, they did not. It couldn¡¯t help but cross Du Wei¡¯s mind: Could it be that the Antique Clock and painting aren¡¯t actually mine? Is my rtionship with them not as I believed? Or is it that they are ipatible with my dreams and can¡¯t be brought in? It was possible that the Antique Clock might not belong to Du Wei, but rather, Du Wei belonged to it. Yet the painting was different. When Du Wei used the Joker Card, the wish he realized was to obtain the rights to use the painting. The power of wishful thinking was the most bugged. Itpletely disregarded any reason or logic.@@novelbin@@ There was only the oue, no process. Therefore, the answer might be thetter. ¡°Dreams are reflections of reality; dreams rted to curses can indeed sh with the Antique Clock and painting.¡± ¡°If they really were to enter the dream, perhaps the dream itself would fail to take shape.¡± With that thought, Du Wei¡¯s gaze drifted towards the Annabelle Evil Spirit Doll at the side. Perhaps it was a problem with the dream, but ayer of dust had settled all over the disy cab, causing Annabelle¡¯s doll body to appear somewhat blurred. But Du Wei could feel that it had turned its head to look at him. Grit¡­ Du Wei stretched out his hand to wipe the ss door of the disy cab and said faintly to Annabelle, ¡°Wee to my dream. When I need to get out, you¡¯ll also return to reality. Stay put for a while.¡± The Joker Card was on Du Wei; if he wanted to leave the dream, he either had to wait until the dream naturally concluded or use the Joker Card to escape prematurely. Leaving was easy for him. But at the moment, Du Wei had no desire to leave; at the very least, he needed to find the nun and confirm her status before opting to escape. ¡°But where could you possibly be?¡± Du Wei mused to himself and walked towards the doorway. On the shelf by the door, his ck umbre was resting. The whole house gave him a bad feeling. It wasn¡¯t danger, but an eerie sense of unfamiliarity. The floor was covered with mottled clots of congealed blood; the walls were crawling with damp green moss, and the home in the dream felt as if it had endured decades of the passage of time. If Du Wei didn¡¯t know this was a dream and that dreams were opposite to reality, he would¡¯ve doubted whether he¡¯d traveled decades into the future. Creak¡­ The ear-grating sound of opening the door arose. Du Wei yanked the door open, but what he saw outside made his pupils shrink suddenly. He spoke with aplicated tone, ¡°Is my dream really this strange?¡± Outside. The sky was grey, and everything visible to the naked eye, from the roads to the buildings, was entirely grey. Some of the buildings which resided in Du Wei¡¯s memory were indistinct, mere silhouettes. Beyond thaty pitch ckness, where nothing could be seen. This was because, deep down, Du Wei wasn¡¯t particrly concerned about those buildings. Just like a person eats and drinks every day, they can¡¯t possibly remember how many bites of food or sips of water they had. Even if they clearly remember at the moment, it¡¯s impossible to recall after a few days have passed. Fragmented memories are selectively forgotten by the brain. However, what Du Wei found odd was not these things, but that it was raining outside¡­ He had looked at the scenery outside the window from his bedroom earlier; whether it was the sky or the buildings outside, except for the slightly distorted colors, everything else was normal. There was no rain at all¡­ ¡°Could it be that my dream has be linked with other people¡¯s dreams?¡± With a troubled expression on his face, Du Wei casually grabbed the umbre from the shelf and quickly returned inside. ¡°` By the time he hurried up to the second-floor bedroom and looked out the window, everything appeared as it had at the very beginning. More precisely, it was the scene outside the window before he had entered the dream. ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting that right now, you could possibly be in someone else¡¯s dream?¡± As he spoke, Du Wei began to frown and step by step left the house. Whoosh¡­ He opened the umbre. The fine raindrops ticked steadily upon the umbre¡¯s surface, surrounded by mist, rendering the surroundings obscure and hazy¡­ Walking along, Du Wei contemted. ¡°When I started dreaming, other people must have been dreaming too, connecting the dreams together, turning individual experiences into a collective one.¡± ¡°And ording to the information we have, it seems that the nun is devouring these dreams, whether they are good or bad. If I want to find it, I have to enter other people¡¯s dreams.¡± ¡°Of course, currently this dream is a huge mishmash, and if I walk a bit further, or open another door, I might enter someone else¡¯s dream.¡± ¡°But doing that would be such a waste of time, I just need to confirm the state of the nun, and when it¡¯s going to erupt. There¡¯s no need to confront it directly in the dream.¡± With that in mind, Du Wei took out his wallet from his pocket, and inside thepartment, there was a silver coin. The obverse featured a skull in relief, while the reverse had a dripping blood scythe. The power of this coin was also due to belief, and even more bizarre than making a wish. The obverse signified good luck, and the reverse represented misfortune. Each side had its own Evil Spirit. They would haunt Du Wei until the day he died; otherwise, it would never end. ¡°I need a bit of luck to help me find it faster.¡± While talking, Du Wei tossed the coin. He was still willing to bet on his luck, not too keen on wasting the uses of the Joker Card. Watching the coin spin in the air, Du Wei caught it. ¡°It¡¯s the reverse side, huh¡­¡± Du Wei frowned but luckily, he was wearing a mask and cloaked in a shadow¡¯s shell. Even if it was the reverse side, the misfortune would fall on the shadow, not him. The next second. Suddenly, behind Du Wei, a cloaked figure with a human silhouette appeared. It stood like the Grim Reaper, holding a ck scythe, staring intently at Du Wei. More urately, at the shadow that enveloped Du Wei. Crack¡­ Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, causing an advertising board on the verge of falling by the roadside to smash into the ground. A small stone soaked in rainwater sshed right onto the mask Du Wei was wearing. This¡­ Du Wei¡¯s eyelids twitched, and he tossed the coin again. Still, the reverse side¡­ The lighter fell out of Du Wei¡¯s pocket and struck a stone on the ground when it hit the ground. mes ignited immediately. The shadow covering Du Wei seemed to be scorched, boiling like hot water. All the misfortunended on the shadow. It had nothing to do with Du Wei at all. Watching this scene, he spoke in an exceedingly strange tone, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve found another way to use this coin. If I can make an Evil Spirit keep tossing the coin, and it turns up reverse every time, it might just die of misfortune unexpectedly.¡± After that, Du Wei picked up the lighter, and nonchntly tossed the coin again. He was willing to bet on his luck, as the shadow could still hold on¡­ This time he really was fortunate. It was the obverse side¡­ In the puddle on the ground, a broken nk drifted over, its jagged edge pointing directly toward Du Wei¡¯s front-left position. There, stood a house with an indistinct outline¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 318: 316, I need a bit of bad luck (to provide an extra update for everyone) Chapter 318: 316, I need a bit of bad luck (to provide an extra update for everyone) A few minutester. At the door of that ambiguously contoured house. Du Wei, holding an umbre, looked up and noticed that the entire house seemed out of ce, somewhat resembling those medieval houses made of stone bricks,plete with a chimney. But the surface of the house was a deep ck. No matter how you looked at it, it was strange. Du Wei stood at the doorway, staring at the ck wooden door, and hesitated for a while. Now, with ¡°luck and presence¡± on his side, he shouldn¡¯t encounter any danger upon entering, but what he wanted to find was the nun. If the nun wasn¡¯t inside, it would feel quite meaningless to him. But suddenly¡­ Behind the door, a series of footsteps resounded. Thud¡­ Thud¡­ Thud¡­ The footsteps were heavy and carried a strange sound, as if someone was dragging something heavy. Du Wei, who had once studied forensic science, could urately assess that the owner of the footsteps was a male. Generally speaking, men are heavier than women. Only in this way would the footsteps sound very heavy and be audible from outside the door. But the next second, the footsteps suddenly disappeared. Following closely was the sound of a woman¡¯s prayers. She whispered behind the door, reciting the words from the Bible. Hearing this. Du Wei frowned, in the dream there was only the nun besides him. But this dream was a mishmash, the collective dreams of many converging together. Anything could happen in the dream. What would happen after opening the door? The nun? Or something else? If it was the former, the matter would be concluded. If it was thetter¡­ Du Wei thought for a moment, his right hand retrieving the flintlock gun from within his trench coat. His hand was now possessed by the Evil Spirit, but it still had sensation. Bang¡­ He kicked the door open with one foot. But to Du Wei¡¯s great surprise, as soon as he kicked the door open, the praying voice immediately disappeared. There was absolutely no ¡°person¡± inside this room. There were no lights on inside the house; the floor was indeed made of stone, and there was a firece on the wall of the room, with the burning wood glowing red hot. But on a sensory level, there was no difference. This was in a dream, where temperature does not exist. ¡°Strange¡­ why did it disappear?¡± Du Wei said to himself, standing cautiously at the entrance, surveying the scene inside the house. He noticed. On the stone floor inside the room, there were two lines of congealed bloodstains, dragged along the floor to the firece, and then abruptly disappearing. His gaze lingered on the firece for a while.@@novelbin@@ Several minutes passed. No abnormalities urred. Only then did Du Wei frown and walked into the house. ¡°In my memory and knowledge, there is no such ancient architectural style, which means this ce is someone else¡¯s dream. By entering this house, I¡¯m actually entering another person¡¯s dream,¡± he reflected. ¡°But now it seems this dream has ended¡­¡± Inside the house. Du Wei looked around briefly; the house had two floors, and the staircase was made of chopped trees, nailed together. Calling it a staircase was one thing, but it wouldn¡¯t be inappropriate to call it adder either. He looked up, and the ceiling was entirely made of solid wood. We might as well call this the first floor. Du Wei didn¡¯t find any useful information on the first floor, so he packed up his umbre, slipped it into the backpack¡¯s slot, and started climbing up. It was only a two-meter distance. Du Wei effortlessly climbed to the second floor. There, he saw some nitrate-treated animal heads mounted on the wall, lions, cheetahs, and jackals. On the floory a sun-dried wolf skin, but eerily, there were many congealed bloodstains around it. Moreover, the entire house had a dark color scheme. This scene was oppressively somber to behold. ¡°It¡¯s like the house of a hunter, but before that, strange things seem to have happened in this room.¡± Du Wei walked up to the wolf skin, picked it up, and underneath, he found a wrinkled and rotten hat. Looking at the remaining traces on the hat, he muttered softly, ¡°Red?¡± Out of nowhere¡­ An absurd thought popped into Du Wei¡¯s mind. He took a deep breath and followed the bloodstains on the ground as he walked forward. Creak¡­ The wooden floorboards, unable to bear the weight. Within a few steps, Du Wei had entered a room on the second floor. It was a spartan room, with arge bed whose sheets were covered in congealed bloodstains, and there were even brown hairs present. They belonged to that wolf skin. ¡°How interesting¡­¡± Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but chuckle coldly and took out the coin again. ¡°When I entered this nightmare, it just happened to be ending, so it devoured the dream and I gained nothing.¡± ¡°But thinking in reverse, it is indeed devouring other people¡¯s dreams now, so it can¡¯t devour mine, because I am not dreaming at all right now. The one in the dream is me.¡± ¡°My dream hasn¡¯t started, so it can¡¯t end.¡± ¡°But this dream is the collective dream of many people. As long as I enter other people¡¯s dreams and get there before it devours the dream, I can find it.¡± ¡°Good luck would only let me escape danger, or even not encounter any danger at all, so what I need instead is bad luck.¡± ¡°It would be best to be so unlucky that I enter somebody else¡¯s nightmare the next second.¡± As he spoke, Du Wei tossed the coin once more. ¡°I want tails!¡± How awkward¡­ This time it was heads. Without cheating, it¡¯s basically impossible to decide the oue of the coin. Without a hint of emotion, Du Wei took off his mask and stared at the coin, flipping it again. His luck had always been terrible. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be dealing with Evil Spirits every day. As expected. The coinnded on tails, just as Du Wei had wished. All of a sudden, he had an odd feeling in his heart, a mix of rm and the sensation of stepping into the void, losing the sense of security one feels when their foot doesn¡¯t find solid ground. Without the shadow of Evil Spirit Transformation, Du Wei could actually feel the strangeness of being cursed with bad luck. But he felt it wasn¡¯t enough. So, Du Wei tossed the coin two more times in a row. All came up tails¡­ Boom¡­ Outside the house, a sh of lightning streaked across the gloomy sky. The downpour was torrential. The whole Dream World began to transform. With a calm gaze, Du Wei turned his head to look behind¡­ Behind him, the door of the room had suddenly be a narrow stone passage¡­ Just wide enough to allow one person to pass through. On the other side of the passage was an exceedingly luxurious room, like a ce for high society gatherings. Inside were many men and women dressed in suits and evening gowns, all singing and dancing. Yet not a single sound came through the passage. Watching this scene, Du Wei said in a detached tone, ¡°It seems I have be so unlucky that the nightmare has actively sought me out. How absurd.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 320: Unexpected person... Chapter 320: Unexpected person¡­ Dudu dudu¡­ The cellphone vibrated¡­ In the hall, screams were incessant. Du Wei stared at his cellphone screen, fixing his gaze on the string of unfamiliar numbers; a hint of surprise flickered in his calm eyes. ¡°Have I also be a part of the nightmare?¡± To be honest, Du Wei was somewhat at a loss now. The telephone number had never appeared in his memory before, which meant that the entity on the other side could bepletely unknown. Just like what the clown had said, it could be a person, or it could be not. ¡°This is the world of dreams; apart from it and myself, there can be no other evil spirits. The one calling me can¡¯t step outside this preset condition.¡± Du Wei spoke calmly, ncing at the cellphone screen, then at the people in the hall. By then, abnormalities had already urred. The walls were moldy and cracked, the carpets rotten, and the candle mes turned a ghastly green. Some people were kneeling on the ground holding telephones; hands reached out from the phones and inserted themselves into the people¡¯s mouths. Others were crumbling and screaming, not knowing what they were experiencing. Blood was slowly flowing on the ground. Gusts of cold wind blew, making the scene look even more terrifying than a horror movie. Everything seemed so absurd. Only Du Wei sat calmly on the sofa, observing it all. ¡°Since the nightmare has begun, let¡¯s add some seasoning; the more terrifying, the quicker it ends.¡± Having said that, Du Wei no longer looked at the people but instead fixed his eyes on the cellphone screen and slowly pressed the answer button. ¡°Now, it seems I have be a part of the nightmare. If I want it toe faster, then I must let the nightmare continue.¡± With a beep, the call connected. Next second, a voice that astonished even Du Wei came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Director¡­ Director, is that you? I¡¯ve finally reached you; thank God, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± In this world, there was only one person who would call Du Wei Director. It was the mental patient Ryan, who had interacted with Du Wei back at the psychiatric hospital¡­ Even in a state of Evil Spirit Transformation, Du Wei maintained absolute rationality, but he couldn¡¯t help but be conflicted inside. ¡°Is that you, Ryan?¡± From the other end of the phone, an excited Ryan said, ¡°Yes, Director, it¡¯s your most outstanding subordinate, Ryan. I¡¯ve been dreaming of calling you every night, but every time it¡¯s a wrong number.¡± Du Wei was stunned, ¡°You¡¯ve been calling me in your dreams?¡± Ryan answered, ¡°Yes, Director. Is there a problem?¡± Du Wei didn¡¯t know what to say: ¡°No¡­ no problem.¡± He was now considering one thing: whether the person on the other end of the phone was really the Ryan he knew, or something from the nightmare. But the tone and logic of speech were no different from Ryan¡¯s. It didn¡¯t seem fake¡­ But if it was real, how did he manage to call him in a dream? As Du Wei pondered, Ryanined again on the other end of the phone, ¡°Director, when exactly are you going to promote me? I¡¯ve now mixed into the position of attending physician at Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital. If you don¡¯te soon, I might end up bing their boss.¡± ¡°I, an excellent psychiatrist, have to pretend to be a mental patient just tomunicate normally with the crazies of Dusk Bell. I feel like I¡¯m being assimted by them.¡± One sentence shattered Du Wei¡¯s train of thought. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Wait, did you say you¡¯re at Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital?¡± Ordinary people couldn¡¯t possibly have contact with Dusk Bell; in reality, a Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital simply did not exist. Therefore, it could only be the Hunter Organization located in Switzend¡ªthe Dusk Bell Church. Ryan said on the other end, ¡°Yeah, Director, I¡¯m currently working at Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital. The patients here are the strangest I¡¯ve ever seen, all of them im to be hunters, and they even say I¡¯m a hunter, telling me to listen to them.¡± ¡°But they would never expect that I¡¯m just pretending. Once I cure their illness, I¡¯ll definitely charge their families a treatment fee of a billion.¡± At this moment, Du Wei no longer doubted Ryan¡¯s identity. Knowing this much information proved he couldn¡¯t possibly be a figment of a dream, but the real Ryan. ¡°How did you join Dusk Bell¡­um, I mean, how did you infiltrate Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital?¡± Ryan said nkly, ¡°Just¡­just after I fell asleep in the ward that day, I woke up in Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital. They told me I had be a hunter, and then I had some ¡®Evil Spirit Transformation¡¯ ability, which turned a hunter into an ordinary person or something.¡± With a sigh, he added, ¡°Ah¡­those lunatics won¡¯t let me leave, ying with human incarceration, they¡¯ve locked me in the basement. At first, a patient named Hannibal was in charge of me, now it¡¯s a brain-dead guy called James. He also told me he knows you, trying to add glitter to his face. I¡¯m nning to find a chance to trick him, teach him a lesson.¡± Du Wei inhaled sharply, ¡°I do indeed know him, you don¡¯t need toy a hand on him. And also, don¡¯t tell him about our conversation today.¡± Ryan responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and said, ¡°Alright, Director, as your excellent subordinate, I¡¯ll definitely keep my mouth shut.¡± ¡°By the way, when will youe to Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital? There¡¯s too much work here, I can¡¯t handle it alone, I need you!¡± In resignation, Du Wei said, ¡°I¡¯m working at another psychiatric hospital right now, I probably won¡¯t have time toe over, but they should be merging soon, and then we¡¯ll see each other.¡± Ryan asked, puzzled, ¡°Merge? Does that mean there will be a director then, will it affect my promotion and pay raise?¡± Embarrassedly, Du Wei said, ¡°No, you¡¯ll be my deputy when the timees, whatever I promised you, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s fulfilled.¡± He now had a very bold idea. Both the Church and Dusk Bell had been nting undercover agents within each other¡¯s organizations. In fact, both organizations should be well aware of this, and might even know who the other¡¯s nted undercover agents are. But now¡­ It seemed an undercover agent whom nobody expected had infiltrated the Dusk Bell Church. And this undercover agent only followed his own orders, his most loyal, most excellent subordinate¡­ Well, at least that¡¯s what Ryan believed. Thinking of this, Du Wei said to Ryan, ¡°What¡¯s Dusk Bell Psychiatric Hospital¡¯s current attitude towards you?¡± Ryan thought for a moment and said, ¡°They seem to respect me a lot. They even held a meeting today, gave me some cross and medals, and said my ability is quite effective against the Evil Spirit. They let James take me out for a walk and such.¡± Hearing this, Du Wei breathed a sigh of relief. Since Ryan was safe at Dusk Bell, and Dusk Bell seemed to value him greatly, this was an opportunity for Du Wei to y his cards right. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Doctor Ryan, you are my most excellent subordinate, and I have a task for you now.¡± Ryan eagerly replied, ¡°Please tell me, Director.¡± Smiling, Du Wei said, ¡°Do a good job at Dusk Bell, try to be a core member of Dusk Bell.¡± Ryan had a moment of realization, ¡°I get it, this is for the annual performance assessment, right? I definitely won¡¯t let you down.¡± Du Wei smiled faintly, ready to continue speaking, but the phone call was abruptly cut off¡­ His pupils contracted, and he turned his head towards the hall. At this instant, the people who were in the hall a second ago had suddenly vanished. Even the hall itself was gradually disappearing. Only one wall stood before him, with a painting hanging on it, covered by a veil of gauze. Vaguely visible beneath the gauze was a blurry, humanoid outline¡­ And at the base of the painting, on the wall below, a faint shadow appeared. It seemed to be dressed in a nun¡¯s habit, holding an oil painting in its hands¡­ COMMENT 0ment@@novelbin@@ Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 321: 319, long time no see Chapter 321: 319, long time no see At this moment. In this dream world. An anomaly had already unfolded. Du Wei sat on the sofa, stuffing his mobile phone into his pocket, with a flintlock gun in one hand and a Joker card in the other. He wore a mask. Cloaked in shadow, he seemed almost entirely engulfed in darkness. All around was pitch-ck, and in front of him, there was only a wall riddled with cracks, on which hung a painting veiled in gauze. The shadow of the nun had appeared on the wall just like that. Its hands reached upward, precisely grasping the oil painting, while its upper body cast a shadow on the canvas. Yet, there was no reference point. Everything looked so eerie. The nightmare was being devoured¡­ But it seemed to have gotten stuck at a certain point and was not yetplete¡­ Du Wei felt the sofa beneath him; in this nightmare, aside from the wall in front, only the sofa had not yet vanished. So, he posed a question to the nun, ¡°What are nightmares?¡± Then he answered, ¡°They are fear, fear is the nightmare, and beautiful things do not cause fear.¡± ¡°And I have already discarded the emotion of fear, so this nightmare has already been interrupted.¡± ¡°So, would you like to try and devour me?¡± Du Wei¡¯s voice was calm as he gripped the flintlock gun in his right hand, aiming it at the painting on the opposite wall. As soon as his words fell. The nun¡¯s shadow reflected in the painting suddenly twitched. The surroundings were enveloped in darkness, yet the area by the wall was blindingly bright. So much so, the nun¡¯s shadow became even heavier and clearer. Its shadow¡¯s hands gripped the edges of the painting with a slight effort. The next second. The entire wall cracked and shattered, merging into the darkness. What was strange was that the nun¡¯s shadow did not cast down onto the floor but hovered parallel in the line of sight, with the painting also held aloft, suspended in midair. It was approaching Du Wei¡­ Step by step, its pace steady¡­ With every step taken, the surroundings grew darker, but the shadow and the painting seemed to exist independently within the dream, bing more distinct. From a psychological standpoint. When one finds oneself in darkness, as long as there is an object that can be seen, one¡¯s gaze will involuntarily fix on that object. Therefore, Du Wei¡¯s gaze remained steadily on the nun¡¯s shadow holding the oil painting. He spoke with an even tone, ¡°Are you trying to make me afraid?¡± At this point, the nun¡¯s shadow, holding the oil painting, hade right in front of Du Wei. There was at most a distance of two meters between them. But Du Wei waspletely unconcerned. If the nun could kill him in the dream, it would have done so at the first encounter. inly put, it was just a product of a curse, appearing in the guise of a nun. To make a move to kill Du Wei would only be possible in reality. All it could do was to devour Du Wei¡¯s dreams. However, this prerequisite did not exist. Du Wei was not dreaming, but had entered the dream. Suddenly¡­ The nun¡¯s shadow came in front of Du Wei, and the gauze on the painting it was holding also lifted on its own, as if blown by a wind.@@novelbin@@ The content of the painting was exactly that of a nun holding a cross, her head bowed. She was dressed in a clergy member¡¯s attire, with her head covered by a habit, her face¡¯s proportions distorted, her skin a ghastly grey, much like a corpse. Furthermore, her lips were ck and purple, tightly pursed, her nose hooked like an eagle¡¯s beak, yet her nasal bridge was unusually strong. Though referred to as a painting, in truth there was only a frame. For it was within the painting, and what was outside was its shadow. Its eyes were deeply sunken, the sockets seeming scorched by fire, the surrounding flesh showing signs of melting, the sclera a dark yellow hue, resembling that of some wild beast, while the pupils were mere ck specks. Upon its appearance, it red fixedly at Du Wei, its eyes brimming with intense malice. Evil, and fear-inducing. Yet Du Wei showed no reaction as he looked at the nun, speaking in a calm tone, ¡°To be precise, this is our second meeting.¡± The nun from Hill Psychiatric Hospital was just a part of the curse, not the same as the original one. The nun poked her head out from the painting, opening her fang-filled mouth and leaning it close to Du Wei¡¯s face. From her mouth dripped a lot of ck, disgusting liquid¡­ It was like the fluid from a corpse, yet also like something strange. And its shadow, holding the painting frame, loomed from above. Du Wei frowned, gripping the flintlock gun and aiming it at the nun¡¯s head. ¡°Does it matter?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t frighten me, nor can you kill me in a dream. All you can do is devour dreams and then jump to reality toy hands on me. In the dream, you have no way to deal with me.¡± ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve already discovered your secret.¡± Having said that, Du Wei pulled the trigger without hesitation. A bang¡­ The flintlock gun, the smoke sparse. Behind Du Wei, there appeared a priest d in a priest¡¯s attire, but headless, the Evil Spirit¡¯s body covered in blood, its presence chillingly intimidating. The nun remained unharmed but retreated involuntarily. Seeing this, Du Wei said calmly, ¡°See, you¡¯re just bluffing¡­¡± He sat up straight from the couch, not bothering to use the Joker Card to leave but instead walked towards the nun. At the same time. He took out a lighter, the crimson me burning fiercely. The nun took another step back. Du Wei kept up the pursuit, ¡°I¡¯ve gone through a lot of trouble to see you in this dream not just to greet you, but to understand your current state, for nning my next move.¡± ¡°But it seems you haven¡¯t devoured enough nightmares yet, or perhaps others¡¯ dreams are no match for mine, which is why you¡¯re not terrifying to the point where I cannot resist.¡± ¡°If jumping out of the Dream World turns you into a Demon Spirit, then right now, you¡¯re at best an Evil Spirit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why during this period, you have continually been devouring dreams instead of confronting me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re deliberately avoiding me.¡± ¡°However, unfortunately for you, too much time has psed since ourst encounter, and the rtionship between you and me has already begun to reverse.¡± ¡°I feel my chances of killing you are much higher than your chances of killing me¡­¡± At this moment. The nun began to retreat continuously, in the presence of Du Wei, it was as if all its trump cards had been exposed, attempting to fade into the darkness. Du Wei chased after it relentlessly, wanting the nun to make a move on him, to gauge how much longer she needed to devour dreams before she could be a Demon Spirit. And the basis for this probing was how big a threat the nun could pose to him. The stronger it was in the dream, the less time it would take to leap into reality. Therefore, Du Wei acted without any reservations. Most importantly, in this dream, he had nothing to worry about. The nun couldn¡¯t kill him in a dream; it could only devour his dreams to impact him, but he simply did not dream¡­ In a way, this could be considered a BUG. It was also an opportunity. But at that moment, the nun that Du Wei was chasing suddenly stopped. The picture frame shattered. It stepped out of the painting and twisting its head toward Du Wei, it opened its vast maw and hissed: ¡°v¡­a¡­l¡­a¡­k¡­¡± A buzzing¡­ Du Wei¡¯s body shook, a buzzing sound filling his ears¡­ And then, he heard a cracking noise. Within his field of vision, everything started to fracture. The scene before Du Wei¡¯s eyes grew more and more blurred, eventually turning into a vortex. An information surfaced in his mind: the nun had kicked him out of the Dream World¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Paragraph copied Chapter 323: 321, Best Undercover Chapter 323: 321, Best Undercover Switzend, headquarters of the Dusk Bell Church. Unlike New York, the weather in this city was not very good, with a constant drizzle. From time to time, there were shes of lightning. In the underground room, Ryan¡¯s room. Drip drip¡­ The sound of footsteps arose. The next second, the door was pulled open abruptly. Ryan, dressed in a whiteb coat, walked out, his eyes dark as if he hadn¡¯t slept well, his hair a mess, yet he did not give off a sense of decrepitude. As an idealistic, goal-oriented ¡°psychiatrist.¡± For a long time, Ryan had been living a monotonous life day after day. Back when he was at Hill Psychiatric Hospital, his daily routine was unchanging. He would sleep in the ward, patrol the hospital for patients trying to escape, and regrly report to the director at scheduled times. But Ryan never grew weary of it. Because to him, that was his life. The thoughts of the mentally ill tend to be very simple and direct; they have their own logic, but it¡¯spletely different from that of normal people. Difficult for others to understand. But ever since Ryan met his director Du Wei, life hadpletely changed. A promotion and a raise were just within reach. Suddenly, from the darkness behind Ryan, a dull voice sounded, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going sote?¡± From the shadows emerged a man in priest¡¯s attire, bald with a cross-like symbol tattooed on his scalp, roughly 40 years old. Ryan stiffened, standing in ce, yet he twisted his neck backward. Upon recognizing the neer, his expression became extremely arrogant, ¡°I am thinking of going out to take a piss. Do you have a problem with that, Cruz?¡± His words were truthful, but in reality, Ryan intended to find James and deal with an Evil Spirit incident. Only achievements could secure his rapid ascent within Dusk Bell. And all that, for a future promotion and raise. The man known as Cruz¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Your room has a bathroom, why would you need to go out to pee, and can¡¯t you be a bit more civilized? You are now a hunter of the Dusk Bell; you represent the image of the Dusk Bell!¡± Actually, Cruz¡¯s job was somewhat simr to James¡¯s. The only difference was that he was responsible for monitoring Ryan, while James was in charge of all Ryan¡¯s affairs within the Dusk Bell. Ryan, with disdain, spat out, ¡°I want to use the bathroom in someone else¡¯s room. Got a problem with that?¡± Cruz took a step back, troubled, ¡°It¡¯s sote, most people are asleep. What if you disturb someone, and they take a swing at you?¡± Hearing this, Ryan was stunned. He pondered what it meant for someone to take a swing at him¡­ To him, the Dusk Bell Church was like a mental hospital, and apart from himself, everyone else was a patient. There was no reason for a patient to strike a doctor. So, Ryan sneered coldly, addressing Cruz, ¡°I, Ryan, am not afraid of trouble.¡± A hint of wariness flickered in Cruz¡¯s eyes. He knew that Ryan was mentally ill and how terrifying his Evil Spirit Transformation Ability could be. Within the entire Dusk Bell, there were only a few hunters stronger than Ryan. Moreover, there was the concern of being rendered normal by Ryan¡¯s disabling touch. If it wasn¡¯t necessary, no one wanted to confront Ryan. Indeed, both the Conservatives and the Radical faction wanted to establish a good rtionship with Ryan. After all, he might just be the most ¡°excellent¡± hunter the Dusk Bell had thus far. Cruz spoke again with a conflicted tone, ¡°You have to tell me whose room you n to ¡®pee¡¯ in¡­ I mean, use the restroom.¡± Ryan scratched his head, ¡°I forgot, I just recall the director telling me to do well in Dusk Bell.¡± Confused, he added, ¡°Yeah, whose room was I going to pee in again?¡± Cruz, on the side, keenly caught the word ¡®director¡¯, and thought to himself, Could it be that someone within Dusk Bell has already gotten close to Ryan? But¡­ director, I haven¡¯t heard of anyone using that codename¡­ Instinctively, he felt as if he had stumbled upon someone¡¯s secret, and hurriedly asked, ¡°Mr. Ryan, can you tell me about the director? Who is he, and what did he say to you?¡± Upon hearing this, Ryan immediately remembered what Du Wei had said to him in his dream. No one else must know. Thus, Ryan pointed at Cruz¡¯s nose, disdainfully saying, ¡°You think you are worthy to discuss the director with me? Have you ever considered your own status? Just amon hunter like you, do you think you have the qualifications to talk about the director?¡± ¡°Go to hell.¡± Thisment caused Cruz¡¯s expression to change drastically. A troubling thought began to form in his mind. Could it be that the director Ryan mentioned was the leader of the Dusk Bell, that mysterious old man¡­ ¡°I apologize, I shouldn¡¯t have asked, my brashness got the better of me!¡± Cruz hurriedly apologized, ¡°You must forgive me, please don¡¯t mention this to him. I swear I won¡¯t meddle in your private matters again.¡± With vague words, Ryan said, ¡°At least you know your ce. Alright¡­ I need to go take a piss right now, don¡¯t follow me, I don¡¯t want to develop a psychological shadow.¡± Cruz nodded quickly and disappeared into the darkness. And after he left, Ryan showed a scornful smile, thinking that a simple apology thought to smooth things over was naive of the Hill Psychiatric Hospital. Next time he¡¯d be in a dream ¡°calling¡± the director, he must snitch on him. ¡°Hmpf¡­ What nonsense.¡± While saying this, Ryan walked toward James¡¯s room. ¡­ A few minutester. Ryan arrived at James¡¯s room, the door shut tight.@@novelbin@@ But to him, this was no obstacle at all. After Ryan chose to join the Dusk Bell, for some reason, he suddenly found himself able to use his hunter abilities. It was like an empowerment that came with his status. Whether it was the Evil Spirit Transformation or hunter abilities, it was like second nature to him. Moreover, his ability was not limited to disabling other hunters¡¯ Evil Spirit Transformation, as the Dusk Bell had thought. To be precise, disabling others¡¯ Evil Spirit Transformation was just one aspect of his power. His power was built on his own cognition. At will¡­ Therefore, when he reached the door, Ryan didn¡¯t stop. In the next second. He walked through the door, defying reality, and into the room. ¡­ At that moment. James was sleeping in his room; his previously intractable eyes, for some reason, were not showing that eerie state anymore. Now his eyes were tightly closed, his forehead full of sweat, and his body was shivering slightly. Clearly, his sleep quality was poor. Ever since he arrived in Switzend and his body lost control, blood seeping from the corners of his eyes, a vague voice had been echoing in his mind. He felt he might have been targeted by some peculiar entity. It wanted him to do something. He was anxious and uneasy¡­ But even after consulting many documents within the Dusk Bell Church, he hadn¡¯t found any simr records, so he had to suppress this unease in his heart. Suddenly¡­ In his sleep, James heard a rustling sound of water¡­ He was a light sleeper, so his eyes snapped open immediately, wary, but his gaze remained eerily calm. In the bathroom, there was a blurred figure in a whiteb coat. James quickly sat up in bed, and as he walked toward the bathroom, he pulled a defensive dagger from his pocket. But at that moment, the bathroom door suddenly opened. Ryan stuck his head out, grinning, ¡°You¡¯re awake? It¡¯s time for us to go out and deal with the Evil Spirit.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 324: 322, in the Red Light District... Chapter 324: 322, in the Red Light District¡­ Du Wei had no idea that his excellent subordinate, Ryan, had frighteningly strong execution skills. He was even more unaware that, for the sake of promotion and a sry increase, Ryan had pulled James out of the Dusk Bell Churchte at night to deal with an Evil Spirit incident. Therefore, that night, his sleep quality was rtively good. At least when he opened his eyes again, everything was very peaceful. His spirits were high¡­ The faint dark circles under his eyes, caused by chronic sleep deprivation, had also disappeared without a trace. ¡°It seems like I haven¡¯t had a good rest in a long time¡­¡± When Du Wei woke up on the sofa on the first floor, his voice was a bit hoarse. He looked at the living room, which was the same as before, and inexplicably felt a sense of security. The Antique Clock hung on the wall, its hands ovepping, turning mechanically and regrly. Next to it was Annabelle in the disy cab. Last night, Annabelle was brought into a dream by the idealistic power of the Joker Card, meaning it was strongly connected to Du Wei as well. But no matter what, the scene was incrediblyforting to Du Wei. The more Evil Spirits there were at home, the safer it became in a sense. At least until Du Wei died, there was no ce safer than his home in all of New York. People with ill intentions who came rushing in were on a one-way street to death¡ªjust look at the Veda Sect for reference. As for the Evil Spirits that mighte¡ªrefer to the fate of the shadowy figure and Annabelle. ¡°No idea when the Evil Spirit from that mysterious phone call wille.¡± Du Wei threw off the nket covering him and walked upstairs to the bathroom by himself. The batch of antiques his father-inw, Lawrence, helped him purchase would likely take a few more days to reach New York. During that time, he nned not to sit idly by, but instead intended to perfect his backup n. How to do it, though, he had a rough idea. That was to use a method for dealing with Evil Spirits targeting Du Wei and find an absolutely terrifying nightmare Evil Spirit to ensnare the demonic nun. The nun was a manifestation of a curse, also called a nightmare. Purely relying on Du Wei¡¯s methods, the chances of resolving it were not very likely. Therefore, a bit of external help would be needed. Of course¡­ Du Wei was well aware that the terrifying presence of the nun, a mere nightmare Evil Spirit, could not be used to kill her, so this n needed careful consideration. If he could turn the nightmare Evil Spirit into a trap for the nun to fall into and then destroy the trap, he might be able to exile the nun for some time. It was also possible that through this, she would go into a dormant state, unable to revive without an external force¡¯s influence. This was the backup n¡­ At the same time, Du Wei was also preparing to enhance his trump card, his Marking Ability. Currently marked were the shadowy figure, Annabelle, and the bus. But no one everined about having too many trump cards.@@novelbin@@ And Du Wei felt the same way; he nned to use the uing holiday to tour New York, looking for any fish that slipped through the, such as the sinister Evil Spirit in the vi of thete Mrs. Mina. Previously, due to insufficient abilities, he did not really want to interact with that Evil Spirit. Because it used to be an Evil Spirit inside another mask and had already sessfully possessed a body, spatial anomalies had also appeared in the vi. With such aplicated situation, once entering the vi, leaving would be very difficult. However, Du Wei now had many means to cope, in his hands was also the new Masked Evil Spirit shadow figure. Plus having already had contact with that Evil Spirit before, he should not be in danger. But before that, Du Wei had to go to the church and ask for assistance in finding a suitable nightmare Evil Spirit for the backup n¡­ ¡­ 10:08 AM. New York City¡¯srgest Red Light District, just a kilometer away from the back of Tom¡¯s house. The madness and chaos of the night had vanished with the arrival of the day. All that remained was gilded decadence. Inside a bar in the Red Light District. A few dim lights were on. Du Wei pushed the door open and saw the bar in a state of disarray. The bartender was asleep at the counter, and several women who had overdrunk were lying on the sofas in the bar, fast asleep in the most indecent postures. He frowned and his gazended on Tom and Father Tony, whose clothes were disheveled as they slept soundly in a corner. One was a policeman, the other a priest. One was in his early thirties, the other over sixty. Their appearance together was extremely mismatched¡­ ¡°So you are here.¡± He had gone to the church early in the morning only to find that Father Tony was not there, and after making several phone calls, no one had answered. Moreover, Father Tony had mentioned yesterday at the church that many people had started having nightmares. Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but be concerned. So, he began searching around New York, but to his surprise, he found both of them in the Red Light District, looking as if they had partied all night. Ignoring the women who had drunk too much, Du Wei quickly walked up to Father Tony and Tom, pushing them several times. ¡°Wake up¡­¡± But the two of them kept snoring heavily, especially Tom, who seemed annoyed by something as he dismissively waved his hand and muttered. He changed position and continued to sleep deeply. Father Tony was even worse off, sleeping like a dead pig. He was impossible to wake. Moreover, Du Wei noticed that there seemed to be a strange aura about them both. Without hesitation, he entered Spirit Vision mode. Immediately afterwards, he saw faint ck threads extend from the back of Tom and Father Tony¡¯s heads, spreading and then gradually disappearing¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve been affected too, huh¡­¡± Du Wei¡¯s eyes turned slightly cold as he thought for a moment and walked to the bar to grab a cup of iced water. With a ssh¡­ The cold water mercilessly drenched the two of them. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Tom and Father Tony jolted awake at the same moment. ¡°Fuck! Who dares to ssh me with water, believe it or not, I¡¯ll throw them in jail.¡± Stimted by the icy water, Tom sobered up immediately, shouting in rm and disarray. Meanwhile, Father Tony wiped his eyes incredulously and said, ¡°Mr. Du Wei, you¡­ howe you are here?¡± Du Wei nced at him, noticing that Father Tony¡¯s dark circles were very obvious, as if he had been overworked for several days. He was about to speak. Tom also came to his senses, wiped the water off his face, and said irritably, ¡°Hey¡­ my friend, even if you wanted to wake us up, there was no need to be so violent. I almost thought I¡¯d been caught.¡± Typically, this is how the New York police treated criminals when conducting operations in the Red Light District. Du Wei said coldly, ¡°First of all, I came looking for you because a presence that manifests in the form of nightmares has appeared in New York, and secondly, I woke you up this way because I¡¯ve discovered that you seem to have been targeted as well.¡± As the words fell. Both Tom and Father Tony turned pale. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 325: Tom is very innocent. Chapter 325: Tom is very innocent. ¡°fuck! fuck! fuck!¡± In the bar, Tom cursed three times in a row, his face contorted to the extreme. ¡°What¡¯s the situation? Father Tony and I really just came to have a few drinks. Except for ogling the girls, we haven¡¯t done a damn thing!¡± ¡°How the hell did we get targeted by an Evil Spirit?¡± Tom was losing his mind¡­ Next to him, Father Tony waspletely flustered, staring fiercely at Tom, and he uncharacteristically started cursing: ¡°I knew nothing goodes from hanging out with you. Last time an Evil Spirit targeted you, I nearly got killed, and now you drag me out for drinks, and I end up screwed because of you!¡± Tom, cursing and swearing, said, ¡°fuck! I haven¡¯t done anything recently!¡± Honestly¡­ He had just returned to New York yesterday. Thest few days he had been on duty in Yard City, so busy he was nearly out of his mind. He didn¡¯t even have time to enjoy the Yard City Red Light District, it was all work and no y. Getting targeted by an Evil Spirit like this, Tom felt something was very off. If it were that easy, everyone in the world would have been dead by now. Just then, Du Wei looked at the two helpless men and spread his hands, saying, ¡°Calm down, guys. It¡¯s not as bad as you think. The situation isn¡¯t that dire yet, and this can be resolved. Moreover, it¡¯s unlikely that either of you is in any real danger.¡± That¡¯s when Tom and Father Tony sobered up from the influence of the alcohol. They felt a bit more at ease. ¡°Dude, you gotta perform an Exorcism on me. I swear I¡¯ll nevere to the Red Light District again.¡± ¡°Mr. Du Wei, there¡¯s plenty of Holy Water in the church. Just kill that Evil Spirit, and even if you need Bone Powder, I can request to get some from the Church Headquarters.¡± Their tones were extremely frantic. Both Tom and Father Tony were in reality just ordinary people. Apart from someone like Du Wei, it was hard for normal people to stay rational once they knew they were being targeted by an Evil Spirit. Du Wei looked at them calmly and said, ¡°I went to the church this morning and already reported to them. You guys really don¡¯t need to worry too much. Besides, this isn¡¯t the best ce to discuss this matter.¡± Saying this, he turned his head to nce at the women and waiters who were asleep in the bar. Under the state of Spirit Vision, there were no signs of anything abnormal on any of them. Which meant, the unlucky ones were just the two of them¡­ After Tom and Father Tony regained their senses, their faces couldn¡¯t hide the embarrassment. Father Tony stammered, ¡°This is indeed not the ce for such a discussion. There¡¯s a caf¨¦ outside the Red Light District where we can talk.¡± Tom agreed with a nod. Hearing this, Du Wei stared deeply at Father Tony. It hadn¡¯t been long, yet Father Tony had already gotten a grip on the nearby facilities of the Red Light District¡­ He said somewhat speechlessly, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the church. I still need tomunicate with the Church Headquarters about the Evil Spirit.¡± When he went to the church in the morning, he was too worried about Father Tony and therefore didn¡¯t get a chance to use thendline to contact the church. ¡­ Over half an hourter. The three arrived at the church in the North Brook District. In the reception room, Tom and Father Tony sat down separately, both their expressions awkward, looking at each other, the atmosphere delicate¡­ ¡°` There¡¯s a d¨¦j¨¤ vu feeling of being caught in a raid in the Red Light District¡­ Aside. Du Wei paid no attention to the two of them and used thendline to make a call to the Church Headquarters in St. Bodia. ¡°This is Du Wei. A troubling Evil Spirit has emerged in New York, manifesting as a nightmare. Currently, roughly a hundred people have been affected, including myself, Father Tony, and Officer Tom from the NYPD.¡± He did not mention the curse. The reason for this had already been thoroughly contemted by him beforehand. As for the consequences, Du Wei knew what they were, it was simply the loss of the Church¡¯s support. But in fact, the Church couldn¡¯t offer much help in such situations¡­ At most, they would send people like Harry over, in addition to some resources and information assistance. The former was not much different from having no help at all. Such entities required many hunters to take on together; otherwise, no one would be able to handle them. As for thetter, with Du Wei¡¯s position and clearance within the Church, he could manage it entirely on his own. The most important point was that he now had the help of his girlfriend¡¯s family. In a sense, this was much more reliable than the Church. After all, he was going to be the future son-inw of the Wittebach family¡­ There was silence on the other end of the phone for quite a while before a hoarse woman¡¯s voice responded, belonging to the head of the Tribunal¡ªMrs. Senna. She said, ¡°I remember there¡¯s already an Evil Spirit in New York that was sealed away. How has another Evil Spirit appeared?¡± Du Wei answered, ¡°I¡¯m not clear on the specifics, but yesterday, I encountered it in a dream. It¡¯s consuming many people¡¯s nightmares and is bing increasingly terrifying.¡± As he spoke, he added, ¡°For now, I can¡¯t resolve it, so I need the Church¡¯s help.¡± Mrs. Senna said hesitantly, ¡°The Church doesn¡¯t have anything left to assist you. The Dusk Bell is having internal issues, with a hunter named Hannibal defecting and joining the Veda Sect, and there¡¯s also a mysterious hunter code-named Doctor. Our manpower is tied up dealing with these matters and can¡¯t support you.¡± Hearing this¡­ Du Wei¡¯s pupils constricted. Hannibal defected and joined the Veda Sect? Wasn¡¯t he turned into a blood mist by the Evil Spirit himself? Surviving three consecutive killings, he was still alive? Du Wei took a deep breath, suppressed theplex thoughts swirling in his mind, and spoke with feigned calm, ¡°The Dusk Bell¡¯s issues don¡¯t concern me. I will do what I must.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve considered the Church¡¯sck of manpower. The new Evil Spirit in New York won¡¯t kill people in the short term; it only consumes the nightmares of others.¡± ¡°I think this is a safe period, so I want to understand the mechanism behind this kind of Evil Spirit and try to deal with it before the situation spirals out of my control.¡± On the phone, Mrs. Senna spoke with a tone of apology, ¡°I¡¯m relieved you can understand the Church. Many can¡¯t take on the responsibility as you do. What do you need the Church to do?¡± Du Wei replied, ¡°I need to make contact with the Evil Spirit associated with dreams.¡± Mrs. Senna said with hesitation, ¡°You¡¯re looking for the Evil Spirit again? I rememberst time, you had me find the one rted to mirrors. You do understand this is dangerous, right?¡± Du Wei spoke with conviction, ¡°But for the Church and for the safety of innocent lives, this is what I ought to do.¡± His words aligned perfectly with his selfless image within the Church¡­@@novelbin@@ Mrs. Senna was touched immediately. She sighed on the other end of the line and slowly said, ¡°I haven¡¯te across this kind of Evil Spirit in the Church¡¯s records, but I know that something simr happened in Europe¡ªnot an Evil Spirit, but something else.¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°From the international airport here to Europe is roughly an eight-hour flight, the distance isn¡¯t too great. Tell me the exact location; I need to make a trip there.¡± Mrs. Senna spoke slowly, ¡°Pnd, but I don¡¯t rmend going there right now because it¡¯s within the activity range of the Veda Sect¡­¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 326: 324, Land of Chaos Chapter 326: 324, Land of Chaos ¡°Mr. Du Wei, the Veda Sect has been entrenched in Europe for hundreds of years.¡± ¡°Although Pnd is not their main base, it is an important stronghold for them.¡± ¡°Moreover, this city has many cult organizations, and not just the Veda Sect.¡± ¡°In other words, cults are legal there.¡± ¡°I really suggest you think it over again, as this concerns your safety.¡± ¡°I have considered it thoroughly, please send me the relevant materials.¡± ¡­ The reception room inside the church. After hanging up with Mrs. Senna, Du Wei looked towards Tom and Father Tony at his side. Both of them were eagerly watching him. The atmosphere was a bit awkward, as both Tom and Father Tony were also affected by the curse on Du Wei. Their nightmares were consumed by the nun just the same, serving as nourishment for its growth. Du Wei was well aware of this, but he could not deal with the nun for the time being, and could only wait until he returned from Europe and the antiques that his father-inw Lawrence had purchased for him arrived, before he could prepare all the countermeasures and take action. Otherwise, if there was a problem with one link, the situation would spiralpletely out of control. He looked at Tom and Father Tony, and said calmly, ¡°I need to make a trip to Pnd, Europe. The troubles you¡¯re encountering, I should be able to resolve them after Ie back.¡± Tom said with a pained expression, ¡°That nightmare is so terrifying, by the time youe back from Europe, we might have to go to heaven for you to resolve our troubles.¡± Father Tony also said bitterly, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gone to the Red Light District. At my age, how could I still attract the attention of an Evil Spirit.¡± Du Wei said somewhat speechlessly, ¡°Anybody can be targeted by it, those innocent people and myself alike; in the face of danger, everyone is equal.¡± Tomined and said, ¡°But we¡¯re too innocent¡­¡± While speaking, he couldn¡¯t help but grumble, ¡°I just remember yesterday, I was having a st with Father Tony at the bar, drinking and watching those beauties, then suddenly lost consciousness out of nowhere, and when I opened my eyes, it was you telling us we were targeted by the Evil Spirit.¡± ¡°The key is, I don¡¯t even know what I dreamed about, fuck! And I usually dream about partying in the Red Light District; now I¡¯ve even lost the right to dream, that damn Evil Spirit.¡± Tom cursed a few times and then said, ¡°Good buddy, I think you need someone to lend you a hand on your trip to Europe.¡± He nned to follow along to Pnd. Upon hearing this, Du Wei frowned and said, ¡°The thing in Pnd isn¡¯t an Evil Spirit; it may just be some special existence, so it might not be too dangerous. What¡¯s dangerous are the cultists active there.¡± ¡°Pnd is within the activity range of the Veda Sect; they pose a greater threat than the Evil Spirit.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be very dangerous for you to go with me.¡± Father Tony also hurriedly said, ¡°Yeah Tom, Mr. Du Wei has already said, the Evil Spirit that¡¯s after us won¡¯t kill people in the short term. It just devours our nightmares. You don¡¯t need to go.¡± Tom said discontentedly, ¡°Of course I know it¡¯s temporarily safe, but I have a vendetta against those crazy women of the Veda Sect.¡± ¡°If he goes alone, and the people from the Veda Sect find him and make a move, what then?¡± ¡°From New York to Pnd, even by ne, it¡¯s going to take eight hours.¡± ¡°At such a long distance, if something happens, we won¡¯t be able to help him.¡± At this point, Tom suddenly spoke with a gloomy tone, ¡°And don¡¯t forget, I have a score to settle with the Veda Sect as well¡­¡± Du Wei puzzled, ¡°What vendetta do you have with them?¡± Tom said angrily, ¡°A vendetta I can¡¯t let go of.¡± He had almost been driven out of his senses by the Evil Spirit created by the Veda Sect, and though there were no problems afterwards, it had left a psychological shadow. Every time he galloped through the Red Light District, just by looking down at those women, his mind would involuntarily think of the Evil Spirit. The situation was extremely awkward¡­ Even if Tom chose to keep his eyes closed, he always felt that something was strangely off¡­ Du Wei looked at Tom, who was gritting his teeth in frustration, and his expression became very peculiar. Father Tony felt the same way on the side. Both knew about the incident Tom had gone through before. Men understand men best. They had thought it was all in the past, but now it seemed¡­ Sigh¡­ Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but look at Tom sympathetically, cleared his throat, and said to him, ¡°You cane with me, but you can¡¯t cause any trouble for me, and we are not going to confront the Veda Sect, you need to understand that.¡± Tom said earnestly, ¡°I will definitely follow your orders¡­¡± In fact, Du Wei nned to sneak off to Pnd and then sneak back. It would be best if nobody knew about it. But with the Veda Sect as a new variable, there might beplications, meaning more factors to consider. Well¡­ such as the enmity between the Veda Sect and him. Therefore, if Tom went with him, there would be someone to back him up. The most important thing was to have a perfect excuse for Alex. If sheter asked why he went to Pnd, he could use Tom as a shield. At this moment, Du Wei also took out his phone to check the flights from New York International Airport to Pnd. ¡°There¡¯s a flight to Pnd at three in the afternoon, about an eight-hour flight, meaning we willnd at eleven o¡¯clock at night if there are no dys,¡± he said. Du Wei immediately booked two tickets and then turned to Father Tony and instructed, ¡°We¡¯ll probably stay in Pnd for a day or two, during this time, if any issues arise here in New York, remember to keep me updated.¡± Father Tony nodded firmly, ¡°Rest assured, I definitely will.¡± ¡­ After leaving the church, Du Wei and Tom made a detour to the police station to report in. After all, Tom¡¯s status was now different from before, and going to a ce like Pnd, he had to report to his superiors for the record, otherwise, it would impact his future career. More than an hourter. When Tom came out of the police station, he had prepared special gun permits for himself and Du Wei. As well as rted special patrol certifications. After all, they were heading to Pnd, and if they encountered danger, these various permits would be their means to increase their chances of survival there.@@novelbin@@ Opening the passenger door, Tom got in and casually tossed two green-covered certificates to Du Wei, ¡°The special patrol certification is equivalent to you joining the New York police force, and the special gun permit allows you to fire without liability under special circumstances, in special environments.¡± Du Wei casually stowed the two certificates away and said firmly, ¡°I hope we won¡¯t need to use these privileges before we return from Pnd. The chaos there is beyond your imagination.¡± As he spoke, he started the car and headed to the airport. Tom, on the other hand, pursed his lips and said, ¡°How chaotic can it be? Could those cultists possibly be working in the Red Light District?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d really like to see for myself.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 328: 326, Plan to start Chapter 328: 326, n to start 12:30 AM. In the heart of Pnd City, the Sofitel Hotel. Du Wei and Tom stayed in a suite on the 9th floor, which had a spaciousyout with two separate bedrooms and a living room. Looking out the window, they could see the amusement park under the night sky. However, due to the distance, Du Wei could only see its outline vaguely. ¡°We still have to check it out.¡± He gazed out the window, silently contemting. ording to the information provided by the church, that thing concerning dreams harbors malice toward the living, capable of killing people in their dreams. Moreover, it is some kind of musical instrument, and its form might be rted to this. ¡°Perhaps, it conceals a terrible Evil Spirit.¡± Du Wei said, then another question surfaced in his mind. The Veda Sect has been active in Pnd for a long time; they couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware that the amusement park¡¯s predecessor was Elm Street. Yet, they still chose to take control of this amusement park. On the surface, it seems they did so for profit, after all, Cults need money to operate. But upon closer examination, something doesn¡¯t quite add up. ¡°Could the amusement park have been built by them, and is their objective rted to that thing?¡± Du Wei asked himself; from his encounters with the Veda Sect, this Cult always seemed very unconventional. They research Evil Spirits, they create Evil Spirits. The use of the Marking Ability was also inspired by the Veda Sect. To say the Veda Sect has no designs on that thing, Du Wei simply couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Are they researching it, or are they trying to find it?¡± If it was the former, then Du Wei would have to engage directly with the Veda Sect, which wouldplicate things greatly. If thetter, then Du Wei had gained anotherpetitor. This was also the Veda Sect¡¯s territory. Du Wei¡¯s only advantage was that he currently acted from the shadows. ¡°And there¡¯s Elm Street, which disappeared so easily in the fire; there seems to be something not quite right about the whole thing.¡± As he was talking, Tom walked out of the room wearing pajamas. He casually picked up a pack of cigarettes from the coffee table, lit one for himself, then gestured to Du Wei and said, ¡°Hey, my friend, what are you thinking about?¡± Du Wei turned his head and spoke indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about Elm Street, that ghostly thing, and their connection to the Veda Sect.¡± Tom casually tossed the cigarettes to Du Wei and, lying on the couch, said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you decide not to make contact with the Veda Sect? We could just go directly to the amusement park tomorrow. You have Spirit Vision, so finding that kind of thing should be easy, right?¡± Du Wei caught the cigarettes, pulled one out but didn¡¯t light it, leaned against the window, and said with a frown, ¡°Spirit Vision isn¡¯t exclusive to me, people of the Veda Sect have it too, and if youe in contact with Evil Spirits often enough, you might get it as well.¡± Tom, surprised, said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then the people of the Veda Sect having controlled the amusement park for so long should have discovered something, right?¡± ¡°Could it be that they have already found what you¡¯re looking for?¡± Du Wei replied, ¡°I can¡¯t exclude that possibility, but I feel the chances are slim.¡± Tom blew a ring of smoke and casually asked, ¡°Why?¡± Du Wei lit the cigarette: ¡°Based on what I know about them, if they had gotten their hands on that thing, they would definitely have found a way to control it and use it to aplish their goals, but there haven¡¯t been any reports of people dying in their dreams for nearly twenty years.¡± As he spoke, his tone was already one of firm conviction. Having no rted information proves it didn¡¯t fall into the hands of the Veda Sect. Tom, understanding the implication, said with some distress, ¡°I think I get what you mean, which is, you¡¯re telling me that the Veda Sect might also be looking for that thing, but they haven¡¯t found it in twenty years.¡± Du Wei looked surprised, ¡°You actually thought of that.¡± Tom sneered, ¡°Although I¡¯m not a psychology major, keeping up with your train of thought isn¡¯t a problem for me.¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow, ¡°Then guess what I want to do now?¡± Tom choked and stammered, ¡°This¡­ this I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Du Wei exhaled a puff of smoke, his gaze distant as he looked out of the window. His eyes lingered on the outline of the amusement park for a long time. This left Tom even more confused. He could only wait quietly for Du Wei to speak. After all, on this journey, his good brother was the leader. As the deputy, all Tom needed to do was carry out tasks ording to Du Wei¡¯s instructions. After a while, Du Wei finished a cigarette, walked over to the coffee table, and stubbed out the butt in the ashtray. He looked at Tom and calmly said, ¡°The amusement park will close at 1:30 AM. By then, most of the Veda Sect people should have left, leaving only a very small number behind within the park.¡± ¡°Come with me and let¡¯s see what they¡¯re actually up to.¡± Tom grimaced, ¡°Do we have to start work as soon as we get off the ne? Isn¡¯t that too rushed? Can¡¯t we do it during the day?¡± Du Wei patiently exined, ¡°It¡¯s more appropriate at night, plus do you really n to sleep in the hotel? Don¡¯t forget we¡¯re being watched, and falling asleep will only lead to nightmares.¡± ¡°Nightmares, they will make it stronger.¡± In fact, if Du Wei didn¡¯t sleep, both Tom and the people in New York wouldn¡¯t have nightmares. Their rest would be normal. But Du Wei didn¡¯t want to tell Tom the truth, considering too many things were at stake. And visiting during the daytime, what if they were recognized by someone from the Veda Sect? The Veda Sect was so intent on killing him that they sent people to New York; he didn¡¯t believe that there were no photos of him circting within the Cult. Tom was aware of the severity of the situation, too, so he perked up, stood up, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go change now. Oh, I also brought some random stuff in my suitcase. Should I take that as well?¡± On the way to the airport, Tom insisted on going home to grab his luggage, iming that it mighte in handy, so Du Wei had to make a detour back. Curious, Du Wei asked, ¡°Random stuff, what exactly did you bring?¡± Tom proudly said, ¡°Hidden cameras, listening devices, pretty much everything¡­¡± This¡­ Sounds like it¡¯s formitting a crime¡­ Du Wei¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Bring it, in case we need it.¡± Tom nodded and quickly ran into his room.@@novelbin@@ Meanwhile, Du Wei casually picked up the backpack on the sofa, checking its contents¡ªmask, lighter, Joker Card, flintlock gun were all inside, along with his handgun. The new ck Umbre was slotted on the side of the backpack. As for the Coin, it was in Du Wei¡¯s wallet. He touched the mask, recalling how the original Dagger had be part of the Shadow, both now an integral whole. Using the Shadow to kill was extremely easy. ¡°Hope I won¡¯t need you, otherwise the Veda Sect might go insane¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 329: 327, is there such a good thing? Chapter 329: 327, is there such a good thing? ¡°Hey, did you see anything?¡± Near the fence of the amusement park in the center of Pnd City, Tom looked at Du Wei, who was indifferent beside him, and asked cautiously. He noticed that Du Wei¡¯s eyes looked a bit strange, as if he had spotted some abnormal signs. Just now, after the two of them arrived at the amusement park, they didn¡¯t go through the main entrance, because that might startle the people from the Veda Sect. Therefore, they quietly went around to the secluded part of the fence and peered inside. The location where they were had several green trees, and their figures were very well concealed. Interrupted by Tom¡¯s question, Du Wei furrowed his brow and said doubtfully, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything. This amusement park seems very normal to me, not a bit odd.¡± He was in the state of Spirit Vision. Looking around, the whole amusement park was immersed in the night, with only a few rides still lit, most of them had stopped operating.@@novelbin@@ Just as Du Wei had said, in the state of Spirit Vision, he saw nothing unusual. Or rather, the mysterious entity that could kill people in their dreams seemed to be nonexistent. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and have a look.¡± Du Wei whispered to Tom, ncing left and right, and after confirming that nobody was around, he climbed over the fence with his backpack. Tom, also carrying a ck travel bag, saw this and skillfully climbed over the wall into the amusement park as well. ¡­ The time was now 2:19 in the morning. At this hour, most people were already resting, having sweet dreams. Du Wei and Tom walked around the amusement park, sticking to secluded pathways with plenty of hiding spots. One, to avoid bumping into people from the Veda Sect. Two, to avoid being spotted by surveince cameras. Tom was in good physical shape, following Du Wei and continually moving. The more they walked, the more puzzled he became, and he said in a low voice, ¡°Hey¡­ I feel really uneasy with us sneaking around like this.¡± Without turning his head, Du Wei asked, ¡°Why?¡± Tom quickly walked up beside him and said, ¡°Because I don¡¯t know where we¡¯re going or what exactly we¡¯re supposed to do. Would it not be really awkward if we got discovered by someone from the Veda Sect?¡± Du Wei nced at him and replied indifferently, ¡°You have a point, so do you have any better ideas?¡± Although he had obtained relevant information from the church, with his authority as Deputy Chief Judge, the church couldn¡¯t possibly withhold anything. But twenty years had passed, and much of the information didn¡¯t match up anymore. Du Wei came to the amusement park just wanting to use Spirit Vision to find any abnormal ces, thereby collecting some information. Rtively speaking, it wasn¡¯t very efficient. Hearing Du Wei¡¯s words, Tom¡¯s expression turned extremely awkward: ¡°How could I possiblye up with something you haven¡¯t thought of.¡± Du Wei rubbed his slightly aching forehead and began to think carefully. Tom¡¯s reminder had indeed spurred his thoughts. Wandering around the amusement park, it was hard to find a breakthrough. The main problem was that this was thergest amusement park in Pnd, and it might take until dawn for the two of them to cover the entire ground. By that time, there might be some discoveries, but perhaps before then, they would have been noticed by the people of the Veda Sect. So, Du Wei pondered. ¡°Tom, actually, I¡¯m not as capable as you imagine. There are many things I can¡¯t do because my thinking has limitations. In some aspects, you might be better than me.¡± As he spoke, a sh of brilliance crossed Du Wei¡¯s eyes. He looked at Tom earnestly and pointed at himself, ¡°If I were you, what do you think the simplest way to find a breakthrough would be under these circumstances?¡± Tom looked troubled, ¡°I¡¯m just a cop. At most, I would find some informants and ask them about what happened to see if I could find any clues. Beyond that, I can¡¯t think of anything else.¡± Du Wei nodded in agreement and then, as he turned to look at the facilities within the amusement park, he suddenly said in a low voice, ¡°I have an idea.¡± Tom asked quickly, ¡°What idea?¡± Du Wei answered, ¡°Just like you said, find the informants.¡± Tom was stunned. He had only mentioned the standard procedure for handling cases, which was useless in their current situation. The residents of Elm Street had all died in a fire twenty years ago. He shook his head, ¡°My friend, stop joking. Where are we going to find informants? Heaven? Or are you going to summon spirits and call out the ghosts of the dead to question them?¡± Du Wei smiled faintly, ¡°Of course not. There are still living informants, and they are right here in the amusement park.¡± Tom felt a chill, ¡°Are you crazy? You want to find people from the Veda Sect? They¡¯ll ughter both of us.¡± Du Wei shook his head slightly, ¡°There are definitely people from the Veda Sect in this amusement park, and this ce is very important to them. First, it¡¯s their source of ie, and second, there was once that entity rted to dreams.¡± ¡°Based on my understanding of the Veda Sect, their presence here means they are definitely after something.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring listening devices and hidden cameras? Just put them on their people, and as long as they are in the amusement park, we will soon find something out.¡± Tom couldn¡¯t help blurting out, ¡°This¡­ this is a bold idea, but how are we going to install listening devices and hidden cameras? Knock someone out? If that¡¯s the n, I suggest using some truth serum on them.¡± Du Wei¡¯s eyelids twitched, ¡°You brought truth serum too? Isn¡¯t that stuff illegal?¡± Tom touched his nose and said nonchntly, ¡°This is the West. I¡¯ve used this stuff before when interrogating some stubborn criminals. As long as it¡¯s not disclosed, the authorities turn a blind eye.¡± Du Wei said helplessly, ¡°Okay, but we can set that aside for now. There¡¯s no need to use it immediately. Besides, except for the high priests, ordinary cultists from the Veda Sect know very little, so it¡¯s not very meaningful.¡± If they found the chief of the Veda Sect, trying to administer truth serum would be practically impossible. Because the higher-ups travel with a dozen cultists, they¡¯d be discovered before they could even make a move. By then, there would be no need for truth serum. If they encountered one because of Du Wei¡¯s presence, it would likely end in a fight to the death. Tom sighed regretfully, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you. So where do we go now to install listening devices and hidden cameras on people from the Veda Sect?¡± Du Wei smiled, ¡°Since entering the amusement park, I¡¯ve memorized all the ces we¡¯ve been, and the most suitable ce would be the cultists¡¯ changing room¡­¡± Tom swallowed hard, ¡°People from the Veda Sect¡­ they are mostly women, right?¡± Honestly, he had never been in a women¡¯s changing room. But Du Wei said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s not important. Moreover, I won¡¯t be the one to install the hidden cameras and listening devices. You¡¯re more professional at handling this kind of task.¡± Tom disyed a proud smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me. I¡¯ll definitely manage it.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 331: 329, Bloodline (third update asking for monthly pass) Chapter 331: 329, Bloodline (third update asking for monthly pass) ¡°Why are you here?¡± Du Wei gazed at the man wearing a mask on the screen, that sense of being easily overlooked, along with the unique attire and mask, immediately confirmed the man¡¯s identity to him. One of the thirteen members of the Vanity Sect, Crocker Mercer, who had once invited him to join their ranks. This man¡¯s physique and demeanor were clearlybeled in his memory. Impossible to mistake once seen. Tom, standing beside him, heard this and peered at the screen for a while, frowning he said, ¡°Do you know someone in there? Don¡¯t tell me the Veda Sect has an old me of yours.¡± Du Wei nced at him and calmly said, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s likely?¡±@@novelbin@@ Tom sulkily retracted his head, ¡°I was just joking.¡± Du Wei helplessly pointed at the screen, to the location of Mercer, ¡°Look here, do you notice someone?¡± Tom¡¯s eyes widened, his tone full of conflict; he seemed to have troubleing to a conclusion. ¡°It seems like there¡¯s a person, but why do I also get the feeling that there isn¡¯t?¡± Du Wei said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯ve had contact with this person; he¡¯s very mysterious and quite dangerous. He is part of the Vanity Sect, a very strange organization with only thirteen members¡ªof course, one of them is already dead.¡± ¡°When you see him, your brain will subconsciously forget him, thus you cannot make an urate judgment.¡± Hearing this, the color drained from Tom¡¯s face, ¡°That¡¯s terrifying, if such a person were an assassin, nobody could survive, right?¡± Du Wei shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s useless on some people, like me, and the Hannibal from before.¡± As he spoke, he added, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be scared either, these people might have a very strange way of doing things, but they won¡¯t kill without reason. Unless they need a sacrifice, even if you run into them, they won¡¯t spare you a second nce.¡± ¡°A sacrifice?¡± Tom was stunned, ¡°How is that different from the Veda Sect?¡± Du Wei spoke in a grave tone, ¡°The difference is that the Vanity Sect is more mysterious, and much more powerful.¡± That point. Whether it was Du Wei¡¯s direct encounters with Mercer or the scenes disyed on the screen, both perfectly illustrated this. At that moment. The voice of Mercer also came through the earpiece Du Wei was wearing. He watched the screen while listening to the conversations picked up by the listening device. ¡­ In front of the charred, dead banyan tree on that wastnd. The member of the Vanity Sect clothed in ck and wearing a mask, Crocker Mercer, spoke softly to the folk of the Veda Sect, ¡°I have been here for three days, as per our transaction. This is thest night, if the ritual fails again, I will leave.¡± Since being rejected by Du Weist time, Mercer had left Scolyn City and gone to Pnd. Although the Vanity Sect was very small in numbers, they continued to manipte events from behind the scenes. They had their own goals. Mercer¡¯s goal was to retrieve the Vanity Sect¡¯s mask, which of course had been taken by the Demon Spirit. Therefore, he required some external assistance. Such as the Veda Sect¡­ Of course, Mercer did not think the Veda Sect had the ability to handle the Demon Spirit; he was simply involved in a transaction with them, exchanging it for a map. The map hid something that had a fifty percent chance of killing the Demon Spirit, but the cost was the life of the user. There were also many restrictions, such as it could only be used by hunters. The stronger the hunter, the greater the chance of sess. One more thing¡­ The stronger the hunter who died, the more powerful the Evil Spirit that he would be. The core of the Vanity Church¡¯s mask is the Demon Spirit inside, and when the Demon Spirit is killed, a substitute is needed. The more people the substitute kills, the faster it bes a Demon Spirit. Du Wei¡¯s mask was a replica, and although it had the same specialty, it couldn¡¯t turn the Evil Spirit into a Demon Spirit like the Primitive Mask of the Vanity Sect. But the shadow¡­ seemed to be able to do the same. Looking at the Veda Sect¡¯s people, Mercer said in a solemn tone, ¡°4 o¡¯clock in the morning is the day Elm Street was burned down. Holding the ceremony during this time frame, along with another musical instrument I have with me, if you¡¯re lucky enough, it will appear together with Elm Street.¡± ¡°And that piano, it will appear in the deepest part of Elm Street.¡± ¡°You only have one chance, if you fail, your nearly twenty years of effort will be in vain.¡± The cultists kneeling on the ground seemed as if they hadn¡¯t heard. Only three elderly women looked at each other, one of them raised her head, revealing a face full of wrinkles, in stark contrast to her age. She said, ¡°Mr. Mercer, we have made ample preparations, with your help, we will surely seed this time.¡± Speaking unpredictably, Mercer said, ¡°Since you think so, let¡¯s begin, Bishop Aika.¡± The woman called Bishop Aika nodded her head, stood up, and said to the others, ¡°The ceremony begins.¡± Apart from the other two bishops, the others acted as if they had not heard the conversation between Bishop Aika and Mercer at all. It wasn¡¯t until she gave the order that the others reacted. Then, a scene happened that made one¡¯s heart race. Everyone stripped off their clothes. ¡­ Tom, who was staring at the screen, widened his eyes: ¡°Fuck! Are they starting an open-air queue? This is too exciting!¡± Du Wei watched the screen expressionlessly, his mind incessantly pondering. The information known so far revealed three key points. First, the Veda Sect had been trying to make Elm Street appear, but hadn¡¯t seeded in nearly twenty years, only getting Mercer¡¯s help in the past few days. Second, once Elm Street appeared, so would the thing called its existence, which seemed to be an Evil Spirit, or perhaps something else. Third, there was a piano at the very depths of Elm Street. The Church¡¯s supplied documents indicated that the thing that could kill in dreams was a musical instrument, and ording to Mercer, that thing was the piano he referred to. But it seemed that the piano was also rted to some terrifying existence within Elm Street. Unable to discern the truth¡­ At that moment, on the screen, after the cultists stripped off their clothes, one after another walked towards the withered banyan tree and knelt before it. Bishop Aika held a sharp dagger, shing open the back of the left hand of the person kneeling. The skin was cut, scarlet blood flowed out, and dripped onto the tree roots. Yet the woman who knelt down showed a flush of color on her face, and her expression became excited and muddled. She eximed, ¡°Praise Veda.¡± But in a short while, due to excessive blood loss, her body started to sway. ¡°Next.¡± Bishop Aika called out again, and immediately someone stepped forward to repeat the previous scene. The scene became extremely bloody in an instant. Those cultists participating in the ceremony were all local residents of Pnd City. And they all had one thing inmon¡­ That is, they were all rted by blood to the residents who died on Elm Street years before, even if the connection was very faint¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 333: 331, welcome to the world of Freddy Chapter 333: 331, wee to the world of Freddy Inside the amusement park. In that wastnd. Mercer stood where the withered banyan tree once was, watching the silhouette of the person ying the piano in the fog, slowly putting away his flute. At that moment, the torchlight throughout the wastnd took on a bloody hue. Yet in the glow of the fire, only the shadows of those three bishops could be seen. Although Mercer stood right in front of them, he seemedpletely nonexistent. He suddenly ced one hand over his left chest, bowed, and in a strange tone said, ¡°Wee to the human world.¡± The sound of the piano continued. The outline of the pianist and the grand piano became clearer and clearer. Yet only four people in attendance could hear this prolonged luby. For the rest of the cultists hadpletely vanished into the fog. As sacrifices, it wasn¡¯t just their blood that was offered, but their very beings¡­ At that time¡­ Bishop Aika of the Veda Sect coughed. All of a sudden¡­ Dozens more cultists in ck attire quietly appeared all around. Each of them moved lightly, their figures approaching perfection, like agile cheetahs, beauty infused with explosive power. The Veda Sect had nned for twenty years, naturally they had arranged for additional manpower. The ones being sacrificed were just that, sacrifices; others were there to carry out the n. ¡°Praise Veda¡­¡± Every religion likes to praise their followers and is tireless in doing so. Mercer looked at the others and in a haunting tone said, ¡°When the fog clears, Elm Street will reappear in the human world, but it seems there¡¯s been a slight mishap in the n, the ground beneath your feet has be the deepest part of Elm Street.¡± ¡°Of course, this makes no difference to you since your goal was to obtain that piano.¡± Bishop Aika and the other two bishops exchanged nces. They had already considered such scenarios in their n, so they didn¡¯t get upset over any oversight. ¡°So, Mr. Mercer, the deal between you and the Veda Sect ends here.¡± The implication in her words was clear¡ªthey were about to take action and naturally didn¡¯t care to have Mercer watching. In response. Mercer didn¡¯t show displeasure; he nodded, turned, and walked into the blood-tinted fog. Then he disappeared. After he left. The silhouette in the fog became even clearer. Bishop Aika¡¯s eyes shed with an undeniable fervor, ¡°When Elm Street appears, we will be able to take that piano back to the Veda Sect.¡± Someone followed up, ¡°We¡¯ve been in this backward and impoverished city for far too long, it¡¯s finallying to an end.¡± Another said, ¡°But that terrifying entity and the piano seem to have merged into one; taking the piano might be troublesome.¡± Bishop Aika said in a rxed tone, ¡°The piano was left by a blond-haired exorcist twenty years ago, with the purpose of suppressing that entity. Our actions are helping it, and it possesses intelligence.¡± ¡°What exactly is that thing?¡± One of the remaining two bishops pointed at the silhouette ying the piano, their voice unavoidably strange. At this very moment. The presence in the fog, along with the piano, became even clearer. One could see it appeared to be wearing a tight-fitting sweater, topped with an old-fashioned round hat, its right hand as if forged from steel, sharp and ferocious. The fog enveloping the piano also dispersed somewhat, revealing an old piano from thest century that looked as new as if it had just been made. Carved on the ck lid of the piano was the name of its maker¡ªRyan Hamel. The surrounding wastnd also became increasingly bizarre as the fog faded away. Dim and misty. Moonlight refracted in the fog, creating a mirage-like effect. The weed-covered ground gradually evened out, and the hazy outlines of streets and houses began to appear on either side. Those buildings looked as if seen through frosted ss, ethereal and distorted. ¡°Elm Street is about to descend¡­¡± The voices of Bishop Aika and the others grew increasingly excited¡­ However. Just then, something happened that turned their faces ashen. The fog began to thicken again¡­ All the phantom buildings were shrouded in fog, including the one d in a sweater and wearing a top hat, which was now enveloped by the mist as well. The same was true for the piano. The luby came to an abrupt halt¡­ Sigh¡­ The entity ying the piano suddenly stopped both hands, as if it were enraged. It jerkily turned its head to look at the people from the Veda Sect. Its eyes looked no different from human eyes, but its eyeballs were pitch ck, and its skin was yellowed as if scorched by fire, disying extensive scars from healed burns. Pitted and rugged, it was ferocious and terrifying. It opened its mouth as if to say something but waspletely unable to speak. Then, the sound of the piano started up again. Its hands danced uncontrobly across the keys, while its body twisted and reached out towards the people of the Veda Sect. It wanted toe into reality but was unable to do so because of the piano. As the people of the Veda Sect had said, it was suppressed by the piano. The one ying the luby was not it, but the piano itself¡­ No matter how much it struggled, in the end, it disappeared along with the piano into the fog. On the spot¡­ The fog dissipated. A dead banyan tree once again appeared in its ce. The eyes of the Veda Sect¡¯s members turned red. ¡°Why?¡± This question echoed in everyone¡¯s minds. The three bishops were nearly in a state of copse! ¡°The n had been a sess; why did it fail?¡± ¡°Twenty years, we¡¯ve waited a full twenty years!¡± ¡°We were so close¡­ just a bit more¡­¡± Bishop Aika was no longer theposed person she had been before.@@novelbin@@ Without any warning, the n to make Elm Street appear copsed in a way no one could have imagined. The twenty years of scheming turned into nothing, and the severe sense of disappointment made her want to go mad with killing rage¡­ The others felt the same, all falling into a state of hysteria. However¡­ The next second. Everyone¡¯s expression suddenly became incredibly animated. A cold, evil sneer echoed at the bottom of their hearts¡­ ¡°Wee to Freddy¡¯s world¡­¡± ¡­ At this very moment. Outside the amusement park. Du Wei slipped the Joker Card back into his wallet. ¡°Wish fulfilled¡­¡± Just now, he had used the Joker Card to make a very ¡°simple¡± wish. To cause the Veda Sect¡¯s n to fail¡­ to grant him an opportunity to interact with the piano. The reason he made such a simple wish was that it was the limit of the Joker Card¡¯s wishing power. He tried wishing for the piano directly, but there was no response at all, so he had to step down his wishes notch by notch. But this final wish resulted in the Joker on the card remaining only as a head and torso, with both hands rotted away. It was equivalent to having used the wishing ability twice. At this point, Tom, who had finished his phone call, came over with a grim expression and said, ¡°Some of the cultists who were sacrificed have been identified. They¡¯re descendants of the people inside Elm Street, and it¡¯s likely the same with the others.¡± Du Wei wasn¡¯t surprised; he nodded to Tom and said, ¡°Let¡¯s pack up and go back.¡± Tom was stunned: ¡°Go back? Isn¡¯t the problem still unresolved?¡± Du Wei gave him a deep look: ¡°The problem will find us. Staying here is pointless, and besides, we need to do something else.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 334: 332. Artist (two s in one) Chapter 334: 332. Artist (two chapters in one) In the hotel. Soft piano music began to y, soothing and sleep-inducing. But Tom couldn¡¯t sleep at all. He stared with wide-open eyes at Du Wei, who was using hisptop to y the music while sitting on the couch, his expression on the verge of copse. Honestly speaking. Tom could party in the Red Light District for several days and nights, and even aftering out and doing high-intensity work, he wouldn¡¯t feel any problem. But away from the Red Light District and without any direct work, he simply couldn¡¯t hold up without sleep. Now it was past five in the morning, and there was still a long time before daylight, as the sun wouldn¡¯t rise until after eight o¡¯clock in Pnd due to the time difference. About ten minutes earlier, as soon as Du Wei returned to the hotel, he started searching through lubies on hisptop, one after another. ¡°Dude, let¡¯s search again tomorrow, I really can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯m begging you, all I want is to sleep now!¡± Tom rubbed his hair frantically, unable to help butin, ¡°Also, there are many piano versions of lubiesposed by various pianists, at least a hundred, and the tune varies a bit with different performances. If you keep listening one by one, it¡¯ll take at least a week!¡± ¡°And what if you do find that luby? Then what?¡± Tompletely failed to imagine the significance of what Du Wei was doing. At that moment. Hearing this, Du Wei pressed the pause button, and with a bit of an apologetic tone said, ¡°Sorry, I forgot to use headphones. You go to sleep now, I¡¯m just going to look a little longer.¡± As he spoke, he searched his backpack for his earphones and plugged them into theptop. Seeing this, Tom said with even greater resignation, ¡°Do you not need sleep at all?¡± Du Wei shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m already used to it. Besides, my intuition tells me that luby is important, I must find it.¡± Tom spread his hands, ¡°Intuition? Every woman I¡¯ve ever been with thinks I¡¯m rich, but in reality, I¡¯m from the Moonlight n. You actually believe in intuition? I¡¯m surprised.¡± Du Wei nced at him and said speechlessly, ¡°Intuition is just a conceptual term. When you¡¯ve experienced many things, and you encounter simr situations again, your subconscious helps you make a judgment. I want to find that luby because the anomalies only urred after the music started ying.¡± ¡°This could be a way to use it.¡± The conclusion drawn from logical analysis had no problems. However, what Du Wei was not yet aware of was that the luby had not been yed by Freddy but originated from the piano itself. He did not even know the name Freddy. Hearing Du Wei¡¯s words, Tom asked in surprise, ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting that after getting that piano, you¡¯ll y a luby? You even understand music?¡± Du Wei shook his head, ¡°Not really, but when I was younger, my family signed me up for a few months of piano sses. I remember the basics quite clearly, so as long as I can memorize the score, I should be able to y, clumsily.¡± His family circumstances had been very good when he was young¡­ However, that all became the past following his parents¡¯ death. Tom couldn¡¯t help but mock, ¡°Hey¡­ buddy, I actually took piano lessons too, and for much longer than you did. But ever since I joined the police academy, I forgot all that stuff. I only remember that my piano teacher had a nice figure. You only went to a few months of piano sses, and you¡¯re telling me you just have to remember the score to y the piano?¡± After speaking, he stood up and shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t think you can do it¡­¡± But Du Wei calmly stated, ¡°I think I can.¡± Tom clicked his tongue in wonder, lit a cigarette for himself, and then headed toward the bedroom, ¡°Okay then, future piano master Mr. Du Wei, I¡¯m off to sleep. Take your time searching for that luby. I hope you find it by tomorrow.¡± Du Wei watched Tom¡¯s retreating back and arched an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t have a habit of bragging, so why didn¡¯t Tom believe him? Memorizing the score mechanically should not be too difficult, as long as he had some understanding of the piano keys. ying a simple luby shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. It would just take a little bit of luck to get the hang of it quickly. As for finding that luby, it shouldn¡¯t take too long. Du Wei returned his gaze to theptop screen¡­ At this moment, on the browser where he was searching, there were only three pages left for the luby entries. The filter criterion on the browser was selected for ¡ª 20 years ago. He continued searching through the lubies one by one. About ten minutester, Du Wei¡¯s eyes lit up, and he hit the pause button. The tune of this luby was identical to the one he heard, other than a difference in timbre. But then, Du Wei nced at the creator¡¯s name unintentionally and his expression suddenly changed. On the webpage, the creator of this luby was ¡ª Ryan Hamel. ¡°Ryan?¡± Du Wei frowned and muttered, then felt it was strange, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be the Ryan I know. Twenty years ago, he was only eight or nine years old.¡± As he finished speaking. Du Wei hesitated for a moment, then typed Ryan Hamel into the browser and started the search. Soon, the browser disyed a brief chronology of Ryan Hamel¡¯s life. But it was very short¡­ [Name: Ryan Hamel] [Date of Birth: 1962-???] [Born in St. Bodia, his parents were core members of the church¡­] The amount of information avable for search was only this much. Even a photo could not be found. Relieved, Du Wei recalled that he first encountered Ryan in Hill Psychiatric Hospital. He was aplete lunatic, and even during theirst contact in the Dream World, Du Wei hadn¡¯t noticed anything off about him. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left@@novelbin@@ SEND GIFT Chapter 335: 332. Artist (two s in one)_2 Chapter 335: 332. Artist (two chapters in one)_2 ¡°But Ryan¡¯s parents are both from the church, maybe I should ask the church to help me check his information.¡± This was just a casual thought. Du Wei took out his mobile phone and swiftlyposed an email to the church, then began to recall the melody of the luby. His wish upon the Joker Card was a chance to touch that piano. It should be in the next couple of days. ¡­ In Switzend, the sun had already risen high. Ryan and James had just dealt with an Evil Spirit incident. ¡°Patient James, help me count how many Evil Spirits I¡¯ve dealt with. When can I be the deputy director of our mental hospital?¡± Ryan strutted around in his white coat, hands in his pockets, looking immensely prideful and arrogant. On his chest, he wore a Dusk Bell Church identity badge. Of course, in his eyes, this thing was a medical license. James, looking utterly exhausted, said, ¡°You¡¯ve dealt with three Evil Spirits. But there¡¯s no way you can be the deputy director unless you get permission from His Excellency.¡± His Excellency, that is, the leader of the Dusk Bell, Matthew. Ryan, hearing this, disdainfully said, ¡°That old fart is worthy of being a director? Just wait¡­ Once I climb to the position of deputy director, I¡¯ll kill him off and let Director Duwei take the helm.¡± James, unable to keep up with Ryan¡¯s train of thought, asked in confusion, ¡°Why would you want Duwei to be the director after you be deputy director? By that time, you¡¯ll already be in a higher position than him.¡± The position of deputy director was more than one level above that of the director. Ryan scratched his head and said, ¡°If the director doesn¡¯t be the head of the hospital, how can he promote me to be his deputy?¡± James, tangled in his thoughts, responded, ¡°But the premise you¡¯re talking about is that you¡¯ve already be the deputy director!¡± Ryan spat on the ground and boasted, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. The director has been the guiding light of my career. It¡¯s already an honor for him to be the head of our mental hospital. If he doesn¡¯t take the position of director, are you going to take it?¡± The logic of this statement didn¡¯t align with the previous one at all. But James was already used to it and as if he had an epiphany, said, ¡°Oh, I see, I understand what you mean now.¡± Ryan smiled with satisfaction, ¡°Patient James, it seems you¡¯re recovering well, being able to keep up with my thoughts. It won¡¯t be long before you can be discharged.¡± James¡¯s face turned green, and just as he was about to argue, Ryan suddenly froze, his expression bing extremely puzzled as he gazed into the distance¡­ ¡°Weird, why do I feel like someone is calling my name¡­?¡± ¡°Eh¡­ What¡¯s my name again?¡± James answered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you called Ryan?¡± Ryan cocked his head, ¡°Then what¡¯s myst name?¡± James was at a loss, ¡°How would I know that¡­ and don¡¯t you remember it yourself?¡± Ryan stated righteously, ¡°As a professional psychiatrist like me, responsible for so many patients every day, is it a problem if I forget my ownst name?¡± ¡°That just proves I¡¯m exceptional.¡± ¡­ At this very moment. In an abandoned area of the amusement park in the center of Pnd City, three Cultistsy on the ground, eyes closed as if they were deeply asleep. The surroundings were deathly quiet. Before the break of dawn, in fact, was the darkest period of the day. Therefore, the wastnd was pitch ck, where one couldn¡¯t see their own hand before them. Suddenly¡­ A strange gurgling noise started up. One of the three Cultists began to struggle painfully in her sleep, her hands spasming and bending, wildly waving, her mouth opening and closing as murky water gushed forth from both her mouth and nose. Her clothes were soaked through. Her hair and skin were covered in ayer of moisture. First came the dirty water, then the frantic coughing, like a drowning person choking on water in their windpipe. Her expression was of extreme agony, yet she couldn¡¯t seem to wake from her deep sleep. The other two Cultists started to exhibit their own bizarre changes. One of them suddenly sprung up, then copsed back to the ground, all bones copsing beneath, limbs twisted, blood sttering everywhere. It was like the body of someone who had jumped to their demise. Thest one screamed in terror in her sleep, her voiceden with fear and breaking. The next second. Five sharp ws, forged of steel, extended from her throat¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± St¡­ The steel w pushed further down her throat, piercing into her chest, and when it was withdrawn, a still-beating heart was pulled out. Thud¡­ The heart was crushed¡­ Elm Street did not sessfully materialize into reality. But some horror nightmare that calls itself Freddy manifested in dreams because someone had seen it. Clearly, the one who could kill in dreams wasn¡¯t the piano, it was Freddy. The piano was just a special item that suppressed and restricted it. ¡­ Early the next morning. Inside the hotel. Du Wei sat emotionlessly on the couch, looking at theptop screen, at an email sent from the church. The email read as follows. [In 1986, Ryan Hamel graduated from the church¡¯s school, both of his parents were core members of the church, he was fond of art, and he became an exorcist that same year.] [In 1989, Ryan Hamel went to Pnd, fell in love with an elderly nun who was more than twenty years his senior on Elm Street, and was expelled from the church and became an unaffiliated member under severe punishment.] [In 1994, the church lost all contact with Ryan Hamel, suspected to be deceased.] ¡­ At that moment, Tom came out of the bedroom, stretchedzily, and curiously asked Du Wei, ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you sleep at allst night?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± HIs voice was a bit hoarse¡­ Du Wei looked up at Tom, his face slightly haggard, but his eyes were calmer than ever. ¡°I¡¯ve learned that luby, and now I have something for you to do,¡± he said in a weary tone. Tom said in astonishment, ¡°Really?¡± Du Wei replied coldly, ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Tom immediately gave a thumbs up, ¡°As expected of you¡­¡± Although he didn¡¯t believe Du Wei could do it, since his good brother had said so, there was no need to press further. Thus, he quickly asked, ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± Du Wei said calmly, ¡°I want you to help me ask the Polish police to check if an exorcist named Ryan Hamel lived on Elm Street twenty years ago, and also to look up a middle-aged nun about 40 years old who lived on Elm Street at the time.¡± ording to the information provided by the church, and what he had found out on his own so far. The exorcist named Ryan Hamel might have left something on Elm Street, and he seemed to have some connection with the horrific entity there. In fact, Du Wei even suspected that the humanoid silhouette ying the piano might be the deceased Ryan Hamel. Upon hearing Du Wei¡¯s words, Tom did not hesitate and immediately called the Polish police. It wasn¡¯t long before someone on the other end found the relevant information. Tom¡¯s expression suddenly turned very intriguing. After hanging up the phone, he turned to Du Wei and said, ¡°That guy named Ryan Hamel actually had an affair with a forty-something-year-old nun, fuck! Her son was even older than him.¡± Then he added, ¡°Father Tony will definitely have somemon ground with him!¡±@@novelbin@@ Du Wei frowned and asked, ¡°Any other news?¡± Tom quickly said, ¡°That¡¯s about it, but the Polish police told me that Ryan Hamel hade to Elm Street twice, the first time because he fell in love with that middle-aged nun, the second time because a horror legend happened on Elm Street.¡± Du Wei narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Go on.¡± Tom continued, ¡°That horror legend is rted to the middle-aged nun, or more precisely her son, Freddy Krueger.¡± ¡°Freddy Krueger was a pervert, he often harassed the children of Elm Street,ter, he was burned to death by the enraged parents, but ever since then, every year on the anniversary of Freddy¡¯s death, children would die in their sleep.¡± Du Wei took a deep breath and said, ¡°So, when Ryan Hamel came to Elm Street for the second time, did the fire break out concurrently?¡± Tom nodded and said, ¡°Exactly, and it¡¯s said that on the day Elm Street caught fire, a luby was heard¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 336: 333, dont go to sleep Chapter 336: 333, don¡¯t go to sleep Inside the hotel suite. After listening to Tom¡¯s words, Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but fall deep into thought. The Luby wasposed by Ryan Hamel, but the Luby itself didn¡¯t possess any special powers. It was the piano that he wanted to get his hands on. The Luby might only be rted to it. Following this line of reasoning, the terrifying presence within Elm Street seemed to point to Freddy Krueger¡­ After the death of Freddy Krueger, the horror stories began. Killing in dreams¡­ Ryan Hamel himself was an Exorcist, and perhaps the existence of Freddy Krueger, who killed in dreams, was a method left by him, restrained until today. However, the Exorcism didn¡¯t go smoothly, as everyone on Elm Street died in a massive fire. It could be considered aplete failure. Anyway, to be able to resolve such a terrifying existence rted to dreams, Ryan Hamel, even among the Exorcists of the church, must have been incredibly powerful. Unexpectedly¡­ Du Wei suddenly thought of someone. The Director of Hill Psychiatric Hospital, Mrs. Taylor, whom he had met before, had said that twenty years ago, the Hill Psychiatric Hospital used to be a church. An injured blonde Exorcist, carrying an Antique Clock, mask, paintings, and other items, arrived at the church and ultimately died there. That Exorcist was also very powerful. However, the church had no records of this Exorcist¡­ Latter on, the church also experienced a major fire, and all traces left behind burned to ashes. At that thought, Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s any connection between these two people, I always feel like they are one and the same.¡± Hearing this, Tom, who was nearby, curiously asked, ¡°What do you mean ¡®one person¡¯?¡± Du Wei¡¯s train of thought was interrupted, and although he wanted to exin, he felt there was no point. So he said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just thinking about something that happened before.¡± Tom didn¡¯t ask any further but scratched his head and said solemnly, ¡°Right, I almost forgot to tell you, something seems to have happened at the amusement park.¡± Du Wei¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, ¡°Something happened?¡± Tom nodded, ¡°Yes, when I contacted the Pnd police just now, they told me they were gathering to head to the amusement park. Apparently, three Cultists from the Veda Sect have died inside.¡± Du Wei asked with an odd tone, ¡°Cultists died inside, and the police are rushing over? Could it be that there¡¯s some collusion between them?¡± Tom sighed, ¡°Ah¡­ what kind of collusion could there be? It¡¯s just to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, especially since they can¡¯t even enter the amusement park.¡± ¡°I see, okay, I think I understand,¡± Du Wei replied. Having said this, Du Wei stood up, stretched, and walked towards the bathroom. Seeing this, Tom quickly shouted at his retreating figure, ¡°Hey, people have already died, aren¡¯t you in a hurry?¡± The reason they hade to Pnd was to find the thing rted to nightmares. But after one night, Tom felt like Du Wei hadpletely changed. Yesterday he went to the amusement park to investigate throughout the night, but this morning, he seemed utterly indifferent to the matter. Tom found this very strange. But without looking back, Du Wei said, ¡°Being in a hurry is of no use, and besides, the trouble will find us on its own.¡± That line again. Tom couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we do something? Like formting a n and some preparations?¡± Reaching the bathroom door, Du Wei turned his head to Tom and said faintly, ¡°What can be done has been done; now we only wait¡­¡± Tom was very puzzled, ¡°Wait? Wait for trouble to find us?¡± Du Wei approvingly stated, ¡°More precisely, to find me. And since people have already started dying on the Veda Sect¡¯s side, ording to this pace, whether tonight or tomorrow, it will eventually meet me.¡± Listening to that, Tom¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily. He understood that the ¡®it¡¯ Du Wei referred to must be that ghostly thing called Freddy. But to him, this dialogue created a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Freddy should be the Evil Spirit, and Du Wei the Exorcist.@@novelbin@@ So howe in the words of his good friend, the one at a disadvantage seemed to be the Evil Spirit instead? ¡­ Noon. The gates of the amusement park were tightly shut. What was a bustling amusement park yesterday had be deste today. Overnight. Even the leaves of the green nts and trees near the gate had yellowed considerably. Some disgusting flies buzzed around, making an annoying hum¡­ It seemed as if some abnormal changes had urred in the amusement park. And nearby. Uniformed police officers parked their cars around and one by one stepped out. At the entrance of the park, several Veda Sect cultists had firmly closed the gates, preparing to lock them. A police officer approached them and asked in a low voice, ¡°Hello, we are from the Pnd City police department. This morning we received a report that some of you were seen carrying away three bodies. Could we talk to you about it?¡± The cultists gave him a cold nce and locked the gates. ¡°Shut your mouth, this is none of your business,¡± they said. The police officer¡¯s face turned somewhat ugly, ¡°This is just a standard procedure.¡± Suddenly. Bishop Aika slowly walked over from within the amusement park. ¡°This is Pnd, your police rules don¡¯t apply to us. Leave, and if you daree close again, all of you will pay the price,¡± she warned, then signaled others to depart. The number of cultists in the amusement park, including the three bishops, totaled just over ten. Yesterday, three more had died at the hands of Freddy. Facing a nightmarish entity capable of killing in dreams, the Veda Sect¡¯s methods of resistance seemed to be futile. No one even knew how the three who died had met their end. Bishop Aika and the others could only seek help from the Veda Sect. Naturally, the Veda Sect had no intention of abandoning them, but the orders given were to stay in the amusement park and not go anywhere and to try to bring Elm Street back to reality again. Only if Elm Street returned to reality could they obtain that piano. In the understanding of the Veda Sect, that piano possessed special abilities. When the musicposed by the creator of the piano was yed, it would have a powerful impact on the Evil Spirit. Take the luby as an example; it could put the Evil Spirit into a deep sleep. But now, that piano was entangled with Freddy. If the Veda Sect took the piano, Freddy would lose all restraint and be Elm Street¡¯s frightening legend once again. At that time, the shadow of death would revisit Pnd. Of course, this was of no concern to the Veda Sect. They had never considered ordinary people as their kind. Bishop Aika and others walked through the amusement park and soon arrived at the wastnd they visited the night before. There, seven ck-d Veda Sect cultists knelt on the ground, whispering softly. A gigantic hexagram was drawn on the ground in fresh blood. At each point of the star, there stood a scarecrow. At that moment. The other two bishops lifted their heads and coldly asked Bishop Aika, ¡°How long until our people arrive?¡± ¡°They will be here tonight in Pnd,¡± she replied as she walked to the dead banyan tree, knelt down, and kissed the trunk. After doing this, she suddenly said, ¡°Freddy has its eyes on us. I have a feeling it¡¯s going to make a move on us soon.¡± One of the bishops said, ¡°Nightmares cause fear, and fear makes it stronger.¡± The remaining bishop lifted his head, revealing a face covered with scars, ¡°Before the others arrive, we must all watch each other, we absolutely cannot fall asleep, or we will all die.¡± Bishop Aika spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°It¡¯s no use, as soon as we see it, the memory of it is in our minds, the seed of fear is sown, and it will sprout sooner orter.¡± Suddenly¡­ Just as her words ended, a sneering voice arose from the depths of their hearts once again. Apanied by the grating sound of steel ws scraping¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 337: 334, Confusing Reality Chapter 337: 334, Confusing Reality Du Wei and Tom were staying at a hotel where the fifth floor was dedicated to dining for guests. All breakfasts wereplimentary, and both the ingredients and the vors were quite good. Therefore, after Du Wei finished washing up, the two of them went to the fifth floor to eat. Tom wolfed down his food, while Du Wei, who had little appetite, hastily drank some soup and was intermittently texting his girlfriend Alex on his phone. The two were in the throes of passionate love. It would be at least a year and a half before they reached the stage of feeling sick of each other. Just then, a sharp snap¡­ the steel fork that was stuck in the steak fell onto the te, making a clear sound. Tom held a knife in his left hand and kept his right hand in a gripping posture, his face turning extremely colorful. ¡°Bro, did you just hear any sound?¡± Du Wei, who was texting Alex, heard this and put down his phone, giving Tom a puzzled look, ¡°Sound?¡± Tom swallowed hard and cursed under his breath, ¡°fuck! I just heard a voice, and it seemed like it suddenly came from inside my head, goddamn, it startled me.¡± ¡°I think I must be hearing things.¡± Du Wei furrowed his brow and quickly asked, ¡°What did you hear?¡± Tom became somewhat panicked, ¡°I heard, there was a voiceughing sinisterly, telling me ¡®Wee to Freddy¡¯s world¡¯, I¡¯m not being targeted again, am I?¡± Honestly, he was really panicking. But he felt the issue wasn¡¯t that serious. After all, he had already been targeted by the ¡°nightmare evil spirits¡± in New York, what¡¯s one more? Upon hearing this, Du Wei¡¯s eyes gradually became icy, and his entire being entered the state of Spirit Vision. The next second, the scene before his eyes began to change abnormally. In his sight, Tom¡¯splexion became somewhat ashen, and something indescribable in words was lingering around him, persistent and refusing to dissipate. That thing couldn¡¯t be seen by Spirit Vision, it could only be sensed. Ethereal yet palpably real. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you must have imagined it.¡± Du Wei said as he handed Tom a cigarette and pulled out the lighter that could counter Evil Spirits from his pocket. Seeing Du Wei¡¯s demeanor, Tom became considerably reassured. He took the cigarette and breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Scared me to death, I really thought I was that unlucky. It must¡¯ve been caused by the ghostly thing I saw yesterday, fuck¡­ When I get back to New York, I absolutely need to have a st in the Red Light District.¡± Du Wei feigned a rxed smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you swear you would never go to the Red Light District again in this lifetime?¡± As he spoke, he took the lighter in hand and moved it in front of Tom, gently pressing it. ¡­A red me burst forth. This meant that he was indeed being targeted, and the opponent was Freddy¡­ The me burned beside Tom, but that indescribable presence remained unaffected by the lighter, continuing to wind around Tom. Tom smugly put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it, and took a satisfying drag before waving his hand at Du Wei, ¡°I personally don¡¯t have to go, but they cane over to my ce instead. After all, I¡¯ve gotten a promotion and a raise now, money is no issue.¡± ¡°Then I wish you a good time.¡± Du Wei forced a smile and nodded, pocketing the lighter, his mind as calm as ice. He had few friends, only Tom and Father Tony, Harry, Slivka, Jon, and a few others he was on good terms with. His rtionship with Ryan was hard to articte¡­ So, aside from Alex, the people Du Wei cared most about were Tom and Father Tony. But now, that Freddy had targeted Tom¡­ This had crossed Du Wei¡¯s bottom line. The colder his heart grew, the more normal he appeared, and he even joked around with Tom, saying, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve always been curious, why can you party so long in the Red Light District, and yet you seem so energized the next day?¡± Tom gave a sleazy smile, ¡°That¡¯s because I have a special trick, you know¡­¡± Du Wei deliberately led him on, ¡°I¡¯d really like to know about it.¡± Meanwhile, in his heart, he thought: Once Tom ispletely rxed, I can immerse him in psychological suggestions, making him feel a self-awareness of exhaustion and the need to sleep. If Freddy¡¯s ability was to kill in dreams, then naturally, he would make his move on Tom in a dream as well. To solve Tom¡¯s problem, they would have to deal with his dreams. Moreover, Du Wei spected that the piano was entangled with Freddy, and if he got his hands on the piano and yed the Luby, it was possible that Freddy would appear. The piano suppressed Freddy, but because of the Luby, their state of existence became an odd one. It was somewhat simr to Du Wei¡¯s flintlock gun. The moment he fired the gun, the Evil Spirit residing within would show up. He did not want Freddy to die, at least not now. He wanted both the piano and Freddy! As Du Wei chatted with Tom, he silently thought to himself, ¡°But why can¡¯t I hear your voice? Is it because your world doesn¡¯t wee me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not very polite¡­¡± ¡­ Half an hourter. On the sofa in the hotel suite, as soon as Tom walked in the door, he flopped down on it, his voice tinged with weariness, ¡°Fuck! Why am I suddenly so tired, I clearly slept for three hours today, that should have been enough to keep me going for the whole day¡­¡± Du Wei slowly opened his backpack and said indifferently, ¡°After eating, it¡¯s easiest to feel sleepy, it¡¯s the same for everyone, you can have a good rest for a while.¡± Tom¡¯s eyelids drooped, and he spoke listlessly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take a nap, remember to wake me up in an hour¡­¡± Du Wei took out the flintlock gun and tucked it into his coat, saying calmly, ¡°I will.¡± Very soon¡­ Tom fell into a deep sleep and started to snore¡­@@novelbin@@ Quicker than Du Wei had expected. He held a ck umbre in one hand and pressed a mask onto his face with the other. Huuh¡­ Suddenly, a chill wind swept through the room. The light within the entire room dimmed. A shadow that had not appeared for a long time clung to Du Wei, shrouding him in darkness. Then. Du Wei opened the ck Umbre and stood in front of the sofa, looking down at the sleeping Tom with utter indifference. His entire being then entered into the state of Evil Spirit Transformation. He seldom resorted to the Evil Spirit Transformation because it elerated the loss of his humanity many times over. He could deal with most Evil Spirits with just the items he carried. But to ¡°ensure the contingency,¡± Du Wei still chose to undergo Evil Spirit Transformation¡­ With the state of Evil Spirit Transformationbined with the shadow entity, his perspective was that of an Evil Spirit. In Du Wei¡¯s eyes, the entire room turned pitch-ck, like an opaque prison without any exit. But at that moment. The expression of Tom, who was lost in sleep, suddenly contorted in pain. His chest heaved upwards and his neck arched back as a reddish mark, resembling the impression left by a rope, appeared on his neck. In Du Wei¡¯s eyes, on Tom¡¯s body, there developed an evil consciousness¡­ Without hesitation, he reached out his Right Hand and pressed down. ¡°I¡¯ve got you¡­¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­ Haha¡­ I¡¯ve got you too¡­¡± In that instant, a gruesome and evil voice echoed in Du Wei¡¯s mind. It was Freddy¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 338: 335. In Toms dream Chapter 338: 335. In Tom¡¯s dream Huh¡­@@novelbin@@ A gust of wind blew by. The light was dim, as if the entire city was submerged in haze. Ayer of dust covered the ground. Everywhere was filled with a deste air. Drip¡­ A man with a ck umbre and wearing a trench coat stepped out of the dim fog, lifting his umbre slightly. His entire face was covered by a mask, revealing only a pair of bloodshot, cold, and deep eyes. ¡­ Du Wei stepped on a can, producing a crunching sound. He shifted his leg and lowered his head slightly, Only to see a crushed soda can underfoot. Looking at the surrounding buildings, one could vaguely make out this ce seemed like Pnd, But some of the architecture and streets gave him a d¨¦j¨¤ vu of New York. Most notably, there was a caf¨¦ nearby that was identical to the one near his home. The two cities had blended together in some strange way. Directly in front of Du Wei was the hotel where he and Tom stayed in Pnd. ¡°So, am I now in Tom¡¯s dream, or my own? Or perhaps neither?¡± Du Wei¡¯s voice carried an indescribable coldness. A few minutes earlier, when he grabbed that inexplicable thing winding around Tom, he had heard Freddy¡¯s voice. He was pulled into this ce. This encounter was different from thest time with the nun;st time he entered the dream with many items, but this time his entire being was pulled in. A confusion between reality and dream urred. Even so, Du Wei had no time to react. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be my dream¡­¡± If it were Du Wei¡¯s dream, then there should be a nun present, but he did not feel its presence. He looked at the hotel¡¯s entrance and walked over calmly. The whole hotel was engulfed in haze, and one could not see inside at all; it was deep, quiet, and isted from the world. ¡­ He reached the hotel¡¯s entrance. Still unable to see clearly inside. Du Wei pulled a flintlock gun from his pocket and kicked the ss door. With a bang, The door was kicked open. In an instant, multicolored lights beamed on Du Wei, Apanied by loud, fiery music. Behind the door was not the hotelyout in Du Wei¡¯s memory, but a scene from the Red Light District of New York City. It was a dance floor. Inside stood many scantily d dancers, and many men holding drinks,ughing recklessly and heartily. Deafening¡­ This¡­ Du Wei was stunned, standing at the entrance, unsure whether to enter or not. The hotel was divided into twopletely different worlds at the doorway. Outside the hotel was destion. Inside, there was the green light of wine and decadence to the extreme. The contrast in styles was stark¡­ Even though Du Wei had not reverted from his Evil Spirit Transformation and was in a state of pure rationality and calmness, the sight of this ¡°bizarre¡± scene was still hard to cope with. His gaze lingered inside the hotel for a while, those women writhing in the dance floor, and the men drowning in alcohol, not a single one of them noticed him. Those people seemed to live within a movie, acting ording to the script. Du Wei watched them coldly and took a step back. The door closed automatically. The outside scenery remained deste and silent, everywhere emanating a gloomy and terrifying aura. This is normal¡­ Du Wei once again silently pushed open the door. This time, he walked inpletely. The neon lights shone on Du Wei, and the scent of alcohol and pheromones hit his nose. The entire interior of the hotel was muchrger than he remembered, as big as a football field. He looked up. The interior of the ten-plus story hotel was circr, a huge rotating staircase extending upwards non-stop, with hotel-style doors at every level where the staircase passed. All in all, there were at least a thousand doors. Seeing this, Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°So are you here, Freddy?¡± At that moment¡­ A muffled, frivolous voice suddenly rose from the crowd, ¡°Oh! Buddy, howe you¡¯re here too?¡± It was Tom¡¯s. Du Wei turned his head to see Tom, his hands on the shoulders of two women, walking over with both in his arms. The two women were clearly dressed in Veda Sect attire; it was obvious they were cultists. But¡­ Their clothes seemed to have gone through a body-sculpting treatment, perfectly outlining their beautiful curves¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve really surprised me¡­¡± Du Wei said coldly, directly catching a glimpse of the two cultists with Spirit Vision. Not Evil Spirits¡­ This must be Tom¡¯s dream, but it seemed limited to the hotel. The exterior of the hotel and here werepletely different in style, danger lurking everywhere. On hearing this, Tom revealed a sleazy smile, boasting proudly, ¡°Buddy, when I first got here, I was just as shocked as you are now. The Red Light District in Pnd is much more intense than New York¡¯s; this ce is simply a paradise in the human world.¡± Du Wei said calmly, ¡°It seems you¡¯re still safe for now.¡± What he meant was, Tom hadn¡¯t realized he was dreaming. Tom paused for a moment and said, ¡°Safe?¡± The next second, he pped his forehead as if he¡¯d just realized something, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve taken very good safety measures, nothing will happen.¡± As he spoke, Tom moved his hands from the cultist women and walked up to Du Wei,ughing with a hint of mischief, ¡°Buddy, I always ask you to go to the Red Light District and you nevere; I thought you were truly a gentleman. I didn¡¯t expect you liked to sneak around.¡± ¡°Men¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since you¡¯re here today, I¡¯ll definitely treat you well.¡± At this, Tom ced his arm around Du Wei¡¯s shoulder, waving his other hand at the two cultists, ¡°Come over here, you two. This is my best bud, Du Wei. Serve him well! Do you hear me?¡± No one responded. But Tom didn¡¯t sense anything wrong; he took out a pack of safety kits from his pocket, pointing sleazily towards the doors above inside the hotel. ¡°This ce is too perfect, a Red Light District below and a hotel above, ready for rooms at any moment.¡± ¡°Today, y however you want!¡± Tom waspletely inted with ego, even shouting to the men and women in the dance floor, ¡°I, Tom, am covering the tab for everyone here today; let¡¯s party!¡± Still, no one answered him; everyone was drinking and dancing. But Tom felt nothing amiss; this was his dream, and no matter what happened, he believed it to be real. Even his best buddy standing there with a ck Umbre, carrying a Flintlock Gun, and wearing a mask, caused him no concern. A person dreaming, unless about to wake, finds it difficult to realize that they are dreaming. However¡­ The next second, Tom frowned; he noticed that Du Wei wasn¡¯t paying attention to him at all, just standing still under his umbre. Tom gasped, ¡°I almost forgot, you¡¯re Eastern.¡± After saying that, he turned his head and shouted, ¡°Bring in ten Eastern beauties! Let my good brother have his pick!¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 339: 336, Its All Tricks (Vote with Monthly Tickets) Chapter 339: 336, It¡¯s All Tricks (Vote with Monthly Tickets) ¡°Tom, although I can understand why your dream is so weird, I have to interrupt you, I need to wake you up from this dream.¡± ¡°Ah? What do you mean, are you saying I¡¯m dreaming right now?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Impossible, if this is a dream, why can I have a conversation, and why does everything here feel so real?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because your dream has been mixed with something else.¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Freddy¡­¡± ¡°Really? Howe I don¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°I will make you believe!¡± ¡°Fuck! What are you doing pointing a gun at me for, I believe you, okay!¡± ¡­ Within this hotel blended with the Red Light District. It suddenly became extremely quiet. The neon lights froze, the frantic music also quieted down, and everyone, whether it was the dancing girls on the dance floor or the men getting drunk, all seemed to hit the pause button. Du Wei pointed a flintlock gun at Tom¡¯s head, his presence turning colder and more sinister. ¡°I¡¯m counting to three. If you don¡¯te out, I will shoot immediately¡­¡± Tom¡¯s face turned deathly pale as he instinctively raised his hands, ¡°Come on, mate, even if¡­ even if you can¡¯t handle all those women, you don¡¯t have to do this, right? You could just pick one!¡± ¡°Will you move the gun away, please? I¡¯m fucking scared!¡± At this moment, Du Wei, in Tom¡¯s eyes, seemed like a cold and ruthless hitman, giving him the impression he could start shooting at any time.@@novelbin@@ Yet Du Wei seemed deaf to all this, coldly saying, ¡°Three¡­¡± Tom quickly stepped back, ¡°I believe you, I truly believe it, this is all my dream¡­¡± Du Wei advanced, ¡°Two¡­¡± Tom turned and ran, ¡°Fuck! You¡¯re a madman, a madman¡­¡± With a ck umbre, wearing a mask, and holding a flintlock gun, Du Wei was the picture of cold indifference. ¡°One¡­¡± As thest number fell from Du Wei¡¯s lips, he pointed the gun at Tom¡¯s retreating figure and pulled the trigger without hesitation. A thud¡­ The smoke from the gunshot lingered¡­ Tom fell to the ground with the sound¡­ Then, something eerie happened¡ªFreddy emerged from his body. The scenery around them began to blur¡­ ¡°Hey¡­ you really are heartless. Do you realize you¡¯ve killed your friend?¡± Freddy, wearing a top hat, dressed in a ragged red-green striped sweater, reached out his steel-wed right hand and touched his face. It said, ¡°My disguise fooled even that damn man, so how were you able to spot me?¡± Du Wei¡¯s flintlock gun could only fire once before needing to be reloaded. He casually put away the flintlock gun and, his tone changing slightly, engaged in a conversation with Freddy with a hint of interest, ¡°You asked me two questions. First, this is a dream, I¡¯m not you. I don¡¯t have the ability to kill in dreams, so even if I fired the gun, Tom wouldn¡¯t die. At most, for him, it¡¯s just a nightmare.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll wake up from it. If he continues to stay here, the chances of real death are much greater¡­¡± ¡°As to why I was able to find you, it¡¯s actually quite simple¡­¡± ¡°Dreams are constrained by the perceptions of the individual. Tom¡¯s perception is limited to this bizarre hotel, and everyone in it behaves very unnaturally¡­¡± ¡°The only real entities are you and Tom.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be me, so it had to be Tom.¡± Saying this, Du Wei suddenly smiled, of course, it was a lie. He had pinpointed Freddy¡¯s location right from the start; otherwise, he would never have walked toward the hotel. But naturally, he couldn¡¯t tell this to Freddy, so he pretended to be puzzled and asked, ¡°You¡¯re able tomunicate with me and even possess clear intelligence, I¡¯m very curious, what exactly are you? An evil spirit or a human?¡± Freddy gave Du Wei a strange look and the next second appeared in front of him. Within the ck umbre¡­ A human head materialized out of nowhere, drenched in blood, while its eyes, filled with malice, showed only the whites. Freddy stopped and chuckled, ¡°Neither. After those people burned me to death, that damn man tried to resurrect me, but the me that came back was a corpse with consciousness.¡± ¡°He told me he would find a way to fully resurrect me, but I didn¡¯t want to be a wretched human life form at all. I killed my mother and set fire to my body under the banyan tree on Elm Street.¡± ¡°Then I was liberated.¡± ¡°I can appear in anyone¡¯s dream.¡± ¡°I am omnipotent.¡± ¡°And now, someone is afraid of me, so I¡¯ve returned to the human world, and I will kill all you foolish scum.¡± Du Wei neither agreed nor disagreed, ¡°Can you tell me who resurrected you?¡± Freddy sneered as he spoke, ¡°Freddy isn¡¯t your teacher and won¡¯t tell you everything.¡± Du Weiughed, ¡°You hate that person, and you mentioned your mother¡­¡± Freddy sneered again, ¡°So what?¡± Du Wei spoke slowly, ¡°So I think that person is Ryan Hamel, he loved your mother and was a powerful Exorcist.¡± ¡°Let me guess, after your death, your mother suffered greatly. In order not to let her loved one live in agony, she chose to resurrect you.¡± ¡°But resurrecting someone is impossible to begin with, he must have failed, thus creating this bizarre thing that you are.¡± Du Wei paused as he said this, then his expression suddenly turned ugly, ¡°No¡­ you¡¯re not that Freddy, you are the Nightmare¡­ the people of Elm Street fear you, they are afraid of you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve be the horror legend of Elm Street¡­¡± Freddy reached his face under the umbre and his sharp right w reached in, hooking the corner of Du Wei¡¯s coat, ¡°You guessed correctly, fear and nightmares are the sources of my power, and now I feel you are afraid of me.¡± ¡°Killing you would be far more worthwhile than killing others.¡± Rip¡­ The edge of the coat was shed to shreds. Du Wei looked down at it, ¡°The more afraid of you someone is, the stronger you be. This is very simr to some Evil Spirits I¡¯ve encountered before. Do you know why you can touch my clothes?¡± Click¡­ Freddy¡¯s neck bent sharply to the right, resting on his shoulder in an unnaturally horrifying posture as he looked at Du Wei. It asked, ¡°Why?¡± Du Wei replied, ¡°Because I¡¯ve been cooperating with you, and now I feel I don¡¯t need to anymore.¡± This statement was delivered with a tone so indifferent it was devoid of any emotion. Freddy halted. It immediately tried to back away, but found that under the umbre, it couldn¡¯t move¡­ The more fear it incites, the stronger it bes. This was very much like Pennywise. But it was rted to dreams. In dreams, all emotions are amplified. But Du Wei was always in the state of Evil Spirit Transformation, and the fear of human nature didn¡¯t exist for him¡­ ¡°Do you like fire?¡± Du Wei pulled out a lighter from his pocket, pressed it, and reached straight towards Freddy. ¡°No¡­¡± Freddy struggled frantically and somehow managed to break free from the constraints of the ck Umbre, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Everything around began to blur. This dream¡­ was about to end. Du Wei showed no surprise as he closed the ck Umbre and headed towards the hotel exit. Along the way, the entire hotel had lost its color, turning into a ck-and-white palette. The people and the buildings seemed as if their essence was drained, reduced to two-dimensional lines. As Du Wei left the hotel. Everything behind was enveloped in mist, vanishing without a trace¡­ Du Wei looked down at his Right Hand, where there was a pattern of a pointer on the back of his hand. When he had grabbed the thing entangling Tom, Freddy had also grabbed his Right Hand. And the power of the Mark was extremely glitched¡­ As long as Du Wei made contact, he could mark the other party. It was equivalent to establishing an inequitable connection. All the so-called dialogue, the guidance, and analysis that came before were merely a prelude to this moment. ¡°It seems, the wish I made is about toe true¡­¡± Du Wei said softly, then chose a direction and walked resolutely into the fog. He knew¡­ Ahead would be Elm Street¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 340: 337, Nowhere to Escape Chapter 340: 337, Nowhere to Escape What are dreams? Memories, perceptions, fantasies deep within the subconscious. So nightmares are the things within a person¡¯s subconscious that he is most resistant to, most afraid to confront. As a human, Du Wei had things he was resistant to as well. But fear meant nothing to him. Which is why he was calm and rational, why he treated fear as a tool. Once he had entered Tom¡¯s dream, he always maintained a subtle attitude, steering events in the direction he wanted. Freddy was not as smart as he had imagined. Nor did he understand him as much. Therefore, from the very beginning, Freddy posed no threat to him at all. The ability to kill in someone¡¯s dream, though seemingly unsolvable, was predicated on wether it could actually kill Du Wei. ¡°I will be your nightmare.¡± ¡°Whether you are a nightmare or something else, you cannot escape me.¡± Passing through the hazy, dim fog, Du Wei arrived in front of a huge banyan tree. The leaves were lush, the trunk upright, many branches drooping to the ground. On the main trunk of the banyan, a brand-new street sign was nailed, reading¡ªElm Street. Du Wei stood quietly under the tree with his ck Umbre, looking straight ahead. Down the street were many buildings, houses as well as shops, and even some repair shops. People bustled about,ing and going, and the atmosphere was lively. Some were even drunk and crazed, urinating wherever they pleased. Backward yet oh so real. ¡°Is this Elm Street from twenty years ago?¡± Du Wei asked himself, then answered, ¡°No, this is a fictitious dream.¡± After speaking, he said calmly again, ¡°I know you¡¯re hiding in there, you¡¯re afraid of me aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t understand why I can find you.¡± ¡°Just like I can¡¯t understand why people are afraid of you.¡± ¡°Seemingly terrifying, yet fatally wed.¡± ¡°People are always afraid of ethereal entities because they can¡¯t convince themselves to face them.¡± His words fell on deaf ears, eliciting no response. Elm Street was uncannily real, to the point where someone, after hearing Du Wei¡¯s words, came over and looked at him with strange eyes. As if to say, this guy must be an idiot. But Du Wei didn¡¯t care; he put away his Flintlock Gun and drew the pistol he hadn¡¯t used in a long time. He flipped off the safety. Du Wei walked into Elm Street and aimed his gun at a passerby, pulling the trigger without hesitation. Bang¡­ The man screamed, falling into a pool of blood, his mouth open in agonized moans. Even the smell of blood was thick in his nostrils. Too real for words. In an instant, following the gunshot, Elm Street plunged into chaos, the residents screaming and fleeing. Curses and pleas for help filled the air. Some even ran straight into the nearest shop, mming the door shut, peering out through the cracks in the windows, their mouths covered as they watched Du Wei outside. To these people, Du Wei was the epitome of a deranged killer. Shrouded under a ck Umbre, masked, wielding a pistol and wreaking havoc. A brutal trampler of life, he was practically a demon. Du Wei walked on, firing his gun at random. Although his marksmanship wasn¡¯t great, it was enough to cause chaos. Every now and then, someone would fall into a bloody heap. If this were reality, Du Wei¡¯s actions would be utterly appalling; he would undoubtedly be locked up in the most dangerous prison to die there. But this was a dream¡­ He emptied his magazine and casually took bullets from his backpack, slowly reloading them. During this process, someone began to resist unwillingly, running out from their hiding spot and started shooting at Du Wei with a gun. But Du Wei didn¡¯t even dodge; he just walked on. Bang¡­ A bullet pierced through his chest. But aside from that, nothing happened. No blood, no wounds¡­ That person screamed in tremble, threw the gun away trying to escape, but stumbled by ident, and fell seated on the ground: ¡°Devil¡­ you are a devil¡­¡± Standing in front of the person, Du Wei looked down with calm eyes: ¡°For Evil Spirits, fear makes them far more terrifying, the reverse ispletely different.¡± ¡°I originally thought you could control nightmares, just like Pennywise, creating illusions that would make me afraid.¡± ¡°But you can only kill people in dreams.¡± ¡°Once you enter someone else¡¯s dream, you can start your killing spree, but fear itself is you.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s a prerequisite, the other person must know of your existence, the more dreadful they think you are, the more you can use their dreams to act recklessly.¡± ¡°Do you think my analysis is correct?¡± Du Wei pointed the gun at the person¡¯s head and said softly, ¡°You see, you¡¯re even more afraid of me now¡­¡± The person was indeed scared to the extreme, trembling uncontrobly due to immense fear, not being able to run away at all. ¡°Please spare me, your Excellency¡­¡± The fear of death made the person plead. But Du Wei was unaffected, he simply pulled the trigger directly. Boom¡­ a sound. The bullet blew the person¡¯s head apart, blood sttered on the white mask, adding a hint of bloodiness and ferocity. Du Wei calmly said, ¡°In psychology, dreams always remain elusive, I don¡¯t know much about this area, but I am certain of one thing, Elm Street disappeared in a big fire twenty years ago.¡± ¡°Yet what I see is an intact Elm Street, so it does not match my knowledge.¡± ¡°I fired twelve shots in total, one was empty, eleven shots killed six people, the remaining four were seriously injured.¡± ¡°But aside from that?¡± ¡°Nothing happened.¡±@@novelbin@@ As he said this, Du Wei touched the blood on the mask, feeling the moist sensation on his fingertips, still slightly warm. ¡°Seemingly real, yet illusory.¡± ¡°The logic here cannot sustain itself, I must say, you¡¯ve disappointed me.¡± As the words fell. The entire Elm Street began to turn illusory, the bloodstains vanished, and the fog became hazy. A cloud moved aside, and the obscured moonlight shone on the ground, revealing the true nature of this ce. Looking around, all the buildings and the ground bore traces of the fire¡¯s aftermath. Those who had been shot just moments ago vanished without a trace. Du Wei wasn¡¯t surprised; he turned to look behind him. In the mist behind him, the silhouette of someone wearing a top hat with a vicious, sharp Right Hand became clearer and clearer. The next second. Freddy¡¯s face, burnt by fire, emerged from the mist and darkly questioned, ¡°Why?¡± Du Wei said indifferently, ¡°You want to ask why I knew this wasn¡¯t the real Elm Street, right? Actually, it¡¯s very simple. Although I don¡¯t know the principle behind your retained consciousness, that doesn¡¯t stop me from thinking highly of your intelligence.¡± ¡°Since your tricks are useless against me, you would surely set up some for me, like giving me a dream about Elm Street, thenying some traps inside to try and kill me.¡± ¡°And no one in this world knows Elm Street better than you.¡± ¡°Thinking from your perspective on how to deal with me, I¡¯ve already thought out all your tactics, but sadly, they are useless against me.¡± Freddy roared somberly, ¡°How can there be someone like you in this world¡­ no, you¡¯re not even human, you¡¯re the devil.¡± Du Wei said calmly, ¡°That¡¯s only for you, do you still want to keep running?¡± Freddy sneered, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, devil my Lord.¡± It turned and ran. Du Wei calmly watched it disappear into the distance, with no intention of chasing after it. Time slowly passed by. After a while, in the mist behind Du Wei, a humanoid silhouette slowly emerged, it extended its sharp ws, slowly reaching for the ck Umbre. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 341: The Dark Arts Master Chapter 341: The Dark Arts Master Boom¡­ A headless evil spirit d in priest¡¯s attire materialized behind Du Wei as smoke spewed from the flintlock gun¡¯s muzzle. The bullet did not hit Freddy. To be precise, Du Wei didn¡¯t actually fire at it; he only feinted a shot. Even so, it scared Freddy enough to immediately hide in the mist. Watching this, Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You see, although you chose to run away, in reality, when I didn¡¯t pursue you, you chose to turn back.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because the ce I¡¯m standing is Elm Street.¡± From within the fog, an eerie, ghastly voice rang out: ¡°You¡¯re going to die, I will definitely kill you¡­¡± Du Wei suddenly smiled: ¡°You¡¯re threatening me, but that just proves your guilt.¡± Hisughter caused the Freddy lurking in the shadows to shudder involuntarily. ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡± ¡°I want to move you to a new home¡­¡± As he spoke, Du Wei no longer paid attention to Freddy and walked towards the surrounding ruins. In fact, he hadn¡¯t been sure whether this ce was really Elm Street before. It might have been another dream. But Freddy¡¯s behavior confirmed Du Wei¡¯s theory. As long as there ismunication, one can coax the other party to disclose the information one needs through conversation; whether it is true or false is irrelevant, as both reveal the essence of the matter. Things that canmunicate are much simpler than evil spirits. Just as Du Wei had said before when dealing with the hunter, dealing with evil spirits might be troublesome, but dealing with people is ridiculously easy. In his eyes, Freddy was just a ¡°person¡± with terrifying abilities, or rather, a special hunter. At this very moment. Freddy waspletely panicked; the deeper Du Wei walked into the ruins, the more violent it became. It would asionallyunch attacks at Du Wei from within the fog. But to Du Wei, this was direct evidence he was getting closer to the target. Without the augmentation of fear, the threat Freddy could pose to Du Wei was pitifully small. These beings rted to fear and nightmares are insoluble to others. But they are utterly useless to Du Wei. He is the natural nemesis of such entities. The only one who could have broken this pattern was Mary Shaw, who nearly transformed into a demon spirit before. But she was sliced to pieces by the Dagger-wielding Du Wei.@@novelbin@@ ¡­ Whoosh¡­ A gust of wind swept away the dust on the ground. Du Wei coughed and his gaze paused. This was the deepest part of Elm Street, an open square, with tenements from the slums facing it. Separated only by a wall, yet worlds apart, they drew the line between rich and poor. In the center of the square stood a brand new piano, untouched by time and fire. ¡°Ryan Hamel must have yed music here originally.¡± ¡°And in the tenements across, Freddy, your mother lived there, didn¡¯t she?¡± As he said this, Du Wei walked over to the piano on his own ord. He pulled out the seat and sat down directly. Throughout this process, Freddy seemed to have vanishedpletely, unsettlingly quiet, no longer appearing. ¡°Let¡¯s begin¡­¡± Du Wei ced his hands on the piano keys, striking mellifluous notes. But he wasn¡¯t there to y the Luby; rather, he was there to mark the piano. To his surprise¡­ The marking was not sessful. ¡°Strange¡­¡± Du Wei furrowed his brow, his ability to mark was very BUG; so far, the only thing not affected by this ability was the Antique Clock, beyond that, even a bus couldn¡¯t avoid it. But this piano¡­ Suddenly¡­ Du Wei groaned, his body involuntarily leaning forward, with his hands promptly pressing on the keys, producing a harsh discordant sound. But he couldn¡¯t be concerned about that right now. Because at that moment, his ears rang with a sharp, piercing buzz, his heartbeat raced insanely, and his blood pressure soared. Pain¡­ His head throbbed unbearably. There was also a strong urge to vomit. This was an instinctual physiological reaction, impossible to suppress with willpower alone. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Clutching his teeth, Du Wei uttered a sentence and then covered his head, groaning. Enduring the pain, his right hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, felt the pattern of the clock¡¯s hand on it be scalding hot, causing a bout of intense pain. Crack¡­ Du Wei fell from the chair to the ground, clutched his head, and gritted his teeth as he tried to stand up. The ck Umbre dropped to the side. The mask fell from his face¡­ Hisplexion turned deathly pale, his expression fierce. Even amidst the Evil Spirit Transformation, the inexplicable agony drove him to the brink of madness. Every bone in his body felt as though it was being shattered, bit by bit. Normally, in such a situation, he would see visions of his future death. But this time, there was nothing. Only the unbearable pain. Du Wei clenched his fist and smashed it against the ground repeatedly, and before long, he was bleeding profusely. In the mist¡­ Freddy¡¯s silhouette quietly appeared, silently approaching Du Wei. The ck Umbre opened automatically, and that rotten head fixed its gaze on Du Wei¡­ And the eyes on the mask, empty, slowly twinkled with specks of red light. A shadow walked out from the mask, holding a Dagger, and without hesitation, moved towards Du Wei. It was faster than anyone else¡­ All the tactics Du Wei had relied on for survival turned against him at the first sign of trouble. Evil Spirits are devoid of what is called goodwill. ¡°What exactly do you want to do!¡± With a somber voice, Du Wei propped himself up with his left hand, while his bloody right hand struggled to reach into his pocket. He was referring to the Antique Clock. Du Wei had never let his guard down around the Antique Clock, aware of its mystery and terror; should it go off, it could very well mean his end. Yet, unexpectedly, it had chosen this moment to activate. Whoosh¡­ Du Wei abruptly looked up, as the Dagger stopped just a centimeter from his forehead, poised to pierce his skull with a mere inch more. ¡°This Dagger is my gift to you, do you n to use it to kill me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you are the Masked Evil Spirit I created by hand, you cannot kill me.¡± His voice was oppressively deep¡­ The shadow hesitated a moment, then positioned itself behind Du Wei. Du Wei breathed a sigh of relief, and his right hand emerged from the pocket, holding the Joker Card, now saturated with blood. He then stood up and sneered at Freddy and the ck Umbre, ¡°Come¡­ I¡¯ll give you a chance to kill me.¡± Although the pain had not subsided, but had intensified, his demeanor was no different from before, except his aura had be incredibly fierce. Freddy said with a cruelugh, ¡°You can¡¯t deceive me.¡± Du Wei drew a Flintlock Gun and pulled the trigger at the head inside the ck Umbre. After a loud bang, the head was sted apart, and the umbre¡¯s canopy ripped open, creating arge hole and falling to the ground. Du Wei knew it wasn¡¯t dead, but turned his attention away, staring coldly at Freddy. Without a word. Freddy hesitated, eyes flickering uncertainly. It indeed behaved no differently from a human. Watching this scene, Du Wei paid no attention to the mask on the ground but began to extract bullets and a loader from his backpack. He seemed utterly indifferent to whether Freddy would seize the opportunity to strike at him. In truth, Freddy indeed wanted to take action, but Du Wei¡¯s previous behavior had been too cunning, preventing it from making a decision. And at that moment¡­ Du Wei¡¯s body paused almost imperceptibly, then carried on nonchntly. Although his gaze remained fixed on Freddy, a close look would reveal a hint of bewilderment in his eyes. The death vision appeared¡­ But it was entirely different from the process he had experienced before. He saw himself sitting in front of the piano, ying the Luby, sessfully marking the piano. Then the vision blurred, shifting directly to Massas City. An absurd scenario unfolded before Du Wei. He saw a vast pit at the heart of Massas City, and at the bottom of the pit, pairs of bloodshot eyes; their ownerscked any physical form, possessing only a blurry silhouette of shadows. A piano stood at the edge of the pit. Du Wei sat in the chair, his hands ying the piano¡­ However, his posture was indescribably elegant, and his demeanor chillingly cold. COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 342: 339, Arrange (3rd Update) Chapter 342: 339, Arrange (3rd Update) Ding¡­ Soft music began to y. Du Wei sat on the chair, his slender, clean hands resting on the piano keys, clumsily ying the lubyposed by Ryan Hamel. The shadowy figure held a dagger and stood right behind Du Wei, like the most loyal guard, as if the Evil Spirit that had wanted to act against Du Wei was not it. In the end, Freddy did noty a hand on Du Wei and slowly disappeared from sight. Its existence was very special; it was not an Evil Spirit, but it could not be considered human either.
It existed somewhere between the two. Its ability to kill people in their dreams was also rted to this state, if it were still alive, it would be a special kind of hunter. It was somewhat simr to the Evil Spirit Du Wei, yetpletely different. The Evil Spirit Du Wei was unique, it could be seen as another side of Du Wei, or as Du Wei himself. Du Wei¡¯s personality, intelligence, logic, memory,bined with the essence of the Evil Spirit, formed the absolutely unique Evil Spirit Du Wei. Freddy and the Evil Spirit Du Wei were not the same kind of entity. In other words, If the person Freddy pulled in was the Evil Spirit Du Wei, then its fate would likely be extremely miserable. The situation of being pulled into a dream would bepletely impossible. It was very likely that the Evil Spirit Du Wei would pull Freddy into reality and effortlessly crush it, like pinching a chick to death. To put it bluntly¡­ Freddy didn¡¯t have a killing mechanism; it only had the ability to enter dreams to kill. ¡°But this is a bit different from mine,¡± As Du Wei yed the luby, his mind was divided, silently contemting in his mind. Now, he had discovered the special characteristic of this piano; as long as he yed the luby, he could put Freddy into a deep sleep. The piano and Freddy were entangled, suppressing Freddy. When the piano was brought into reality, Freddy would break free from its suppression and flee. The reason Du Wei came to Pnd to get this piano was purely because he wanted to create a dream for the nun to enter, and then destroy the piano. That way, the nun would be trapped to death in the dream, never to escape. Because by then, the dream would continue indefinitely, and without an exit. This was n B for dealing with the nun. The n was indeed good, but the reality now in front of him was not going ording to his n.@@novelbin@@ The piano possessed the ability to put the Evil Spirit into eternal slumber, while Freddy itself was actually rted to the dream. Freddy could enter other people¡¯s dreams but could not create one. ¡°But this piano¡­ why did the Antique Clock react so strongly to it?¡± ¡°Moreover, at the end, I still saw a vision of the future.¡± ¡°What exactly does it want to do?¡± Du Wei reflected in his heart: ¡°From the beginning to now, every time I have seen a vision of the future involving death, it has either been extremely dangerous or involved some special entity.¡± ¡°From the mask to the nun, and now to this piano, these things seem to be connected.¡± ¡°Putting myself in its shoes, if I imagine it as a person, then it definitely has its own agenda.¡± ¡°First of all, it is constantly regaining strength, so it can¡¯t be like Annabelle, wanting to use me to nourish itself, the only certainty is the curse¡­¡± ¡°But this vision of death is rted to Massas City, and the person ying the piano isn¡¯t me, it¡¯s the Evil Spirit Du Wei.¡± Umonly, Du Wei felt a sense of powerlessness. The information he had was too chaotic and cluttered; he simply couldn¡¯t understand what the Antique Clock really wanted to do. Unless he could find a powerful entity rted to the information and make a trade, knowing the secrets of the Antique Clock would be impossible. The Joker Card with the wish-granting ability possessed such power, but it couldn¡¯t possibly contend with the Antique Clock. At the very least¡­ this entity rted to the information had to be of the level of a Demon Spirit, a terrifying thing¡­ As he thought this, Du Wei had just finished ying a luby, sessfully marking the piano. In an instant. He felt that as long as he activated his Marking Ability, the piano could appear by his side anytime, anywhere. Of course¡­ Besides the piano, there were also the public bus, Annabelle, the shadow, and Freddy, who had been marked by him in aical way. Wait a minute¡­ Du Wei suddenly raised an eyebrow, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve thought of a use for the piano and Freddy¡­¡± He smiled and reached out to tap the piano. At this moment, Freddy was being suppressed by the piano. In a certain sense, it was asleep inside the piano. But when Du Wei used the Marking Ability, Freddy would appear again. Although it posed no threat to Du Wei, it could kill in dreams¡­ ¡°The piano and Freddy could be used in two ways.¡± ¡°If I dream within my own dream, then I will have two dreams. If it¡¯s in the firstyer of the dream, I can use the piano to lock it in my dream forever.¡± This ¡®it¡¯ referred to the nun. ¡°And Freddy¡­ I could let it kill me in the dream. That way, if I cease to exist, naturally the dream will cease too, and that¡¯s a solution as well.¡± The nun in Du Wei¡¯s dreams was actually the curse. If he died, then it would all be over. ¡°But both of these solutions have a problem, so I need a stand-in¡­¡± Du Wei narrowed his eyes and looked at the shadow behind him. The shadow trembled inexplicably for a moment, then vanished into the shadows and retreated into the mask. Du Wei sneered, stood up from the chair, and bent down to pick up the mask along with the ck Umbre, whose fabric had been perforated. Just now, they had been thinking of making a move while he was in apromised state. That score would have to be settled when the opportunity arose. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will make things clear to you.¡± ¡°And the Evil Spirit version of me, it¡¯s already been locked inside the mirror. But ording to the future visions, it shoulde out.¡± ¡°I also need to find a way to deal with it for good¡­¡± The gap between Du Wei and the Evil Spirit was too great. If the Evil Spirit Du Wei came out of the mirror, it would certainly attack him directly. By then, the body would belong to the Evil Spirit Du Wei. He did not have much ability to resist. Unless, an identity switch urred between the two, with Du Wei bing the Evil Spirit and the Evil Spirit bing him. Then, as the Evil Spirit, Du Wei could take back the body and kill ¡°himself¡±. ¡°It¡¯s not very feasible. I¡¯ll think about it more once I get out,¡± he said. At that point, Du Wei nced at the surrounding scenery, but his brows furrowed. It was quite awkward¡­ This was indeed Elm Street, but it didn¡¯t exist in reality. He had been pulled into this dream by Freddy, and the only way to leave was to use the Joker Card. There was no way to return by the original path. The Marking Ability could also do it since the public bus disregarded space and distance. But doing so would waste the efforts he¡¯d umted so far, and the risk was great. The loss outweighed the gain¡­ However¡­ Just as Du Wei was wavering over whether or not to waste one of the Joker Card¡¯s remaining two wishes, he suddenly heard a series of prayers and the sound of a luby being yed on a trumpet¡­ The mist around him gradually gathered. For a moment, Du Wei spoke in a very peculiar tone, ¡°Is someone trying to bring Elm Street back to reality? Is it someone from the Veda Sect?¡± As he spoke, he casually put on the mask. The shadow possessed him directly¡­ COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 344: 341. Veda Sect was led astray. Chapter 344: 341. Veda Sect was led astray. When Du Wei returned to the hotel suite and pushed open the door, that very moment. He saw Tom sitting on the sofa, looking mncholic and smoking, the ashtray on the floor filled with cigarette butts. Sigh¡­ Tom exhaled a puff of smoke, ¡°Buddy, I feel like I¡¯m screwed.¡± Du Wei froze, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tom said sorrowfully, ¡°You might not believe it, but I had an insanely crazy dream, and you were in it too.¡±
Du Wei spoke with an odd tone, ¡°Really¡­¡± Tom took a hard drag on his cigarette and cursed, ¡°I dreamt that this hotel turned into the Red Light District, with rooms above my head everywhere, avable for a quick session at any time, and lots of women willing to sleep with me without paying.¡± ¡°The main thing is, the women in my dream were goddamn cultists from the Veda Sect.¡± ¡°Now, just thinking about the dream I had makes me want to vomit, having thoughts about cultists¡­ do I have some serious psychological issue?¡± Speaking of which, Tom took a deep breath and sat up from the sofa, ¡°Most importantly, I dreamt I was asking you to visit a prostitute, but you refused, and even shot me, I¡­¡± ¡°I, Tom, can¡¯t believe I¡¯m that kind of person¡­¡± Du Wei coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°Most dreams are the opposite of reality, you might have this sort of dream because you frequent the Red Light District too often. I suggest you find a girlfriend; maybe then you won¡¯t have such dreams anymore.¡± Dreams are a reflection of reality in some way, representing a person¡¯s subconscious response to external stressors. Generally, after having a nightmare, one quickly forgets the scenes within it. Therefore, Du Wei didn¡¯t wish to discuss too much detail with Tom, especially since the matter had already ended, to avoid further frightening his friend. But Tom was brooding andined, ¡°Getting a girlfriend costs money, and I¡¯m from the Moonlight n.¡± Du Wei walked forward and sat on the sofa, asking with puzzled curiosity, ¡°Your current position pays better than most people, so why are you part of the Moonlight n?¡± Tom said somberly, ¡°Because every time I get my paycheck, I go straight to the Red Light District, and I even like to invite Father Tony along¡­¡± Du Wei¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°I can¡¯t help you there.¡± Tom was deeply troubled and took a while to collect himself, then suddenly asked, ¡°By the way¡­ where were you this afternoon? I woke up and you were gone, and I couldn¡¯t reach you by phone. Did you go out?¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow, ¡°Yes, I went out for a bit and dealt with some trouble.¡± Tom said in astonishment, ¡°Fuck! Why didn¡¯t you take me with you?¡± Du Wei said calmly, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to disturb your beautiful dream, and now it¡¯s time for us to head back to New York.¡± ¡­ At this moment. At the headquarters of the Veda Sect. In a hidden valley somewhere in Europe, a vast manorys enclosed by high fences. Dozens of kilometers in every direction belong to the Veda Sect¡¯s domain. Inside the manor, there are high towers and some dark-style castles. Inside thergest castle, the lighting is dim. The floor is carpeted in red, and the walls are carved with bizarre reliefs and evident hexagram patterns. Besides the gloomy environment, the ce feels very serene and nothing like a cult organization. In the center of the great hall is a stone-built hearth with a few scattered human bones inside. Suddenly. The silence was broken. From the darkness, a hoarse voice emerged, ¡°We have lost contact with our people in Pnd¡­ Those we sent and our cultists there, they¡¯re all dead.¡± The voice was indistinct, making it hard to discern the gender. And he or she is the leader of the Veda Sect¡ªAkaret. In the doctrine of the Veda Sect, this name carries the meaning of a prophet, and each leader, upon ascension to the position, will bear this name. Then, Akaret continued, ¡°I can sense that the one who killed our cultists is a mysterious Evil Spirit, with eyes full of bloodshot veins, carrying a Dagger, its outline but a solitary shadow, terrible to behold, yet it obeys someone else¡¯smands.¡± ¡°We shall remember this hatred, and in the not-too-distant future, we will find it, and kill it,¡± ¡°But before that, we need to do something of the utmost importance.¡± ¡°Mr. Hannibal, a recent convert to the Veda Sect, has brought us a message from God.¡± In the darkness, Hannibal¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Praise to Veda, for I was once blinded by the evil faith and joined the Dusk Bell, but when I saw the divine being, I knew that only it is the greatest existence.¡± With a hoarse voice, Akaret said, ¡°I can feel that your praisees from the heart, please tell us God¡¯s message.¡± Hannibal gently smiled, stepping out from the darkness. Standing before the fire, with his right hand on his chest, he bowed slightly, ¡°All this time, we have been unable to make urate contact with the Vedas, our faith has wavered, but when I saw it, only then did I understand its greatness and perfection.¡± ¡°It is my guiding light, but unfortunately, it does not exist in this world.¡± Hannibal spoke from the bottom of his heart, without a hint of a lie. Indeed, he genuinely believed that the Evil Spirit Du Wei was the most perfect being in this world, and also his true kin. As for Du Wei, he was nothing more than a shell. Therefore, Hannibal chose to join the Veda Sect, and he fabricated the so-called message from God, seeking to use the power of the Veda Sect to rescue the Evil Spirit Du Wei from the mirror. As for what the Evil Spirit Du Wei would do aftering out, Hannibal didn¡¯t care at all. To him, it was merely a game. From the darkness, a woman in her forties, still charming, stepped forward, but as soon as she spoke, she questioned, ¡°Mr. Hannibal, how can you be certain that what you saw was indeed our God? Besides, God should be invisible to mortals; if you can see it, then we should be able to see it too.¡± For a moment, Many eyes were fixed on Hannibal. Those eyes were filled with doubt and skepticism, and some bore malice. The Veda Sect had always been a female-dominated religion, with men holding a very low status. Yet Hannibal was so powerful that he inspired fear¡­ But Hannibal smiled, ¡°So I brought God¡¯s message, and yet you can only challenge me with doubts; if you do not believe in its existence, why would it let you see it?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Madam, your faith is not strong.¡± It was sophistry, but she was left speechless. Seizing the moment, Hannibal pressed on, ¡°Our God does not need us, but we need its existence so that the Veda Sect can be the most powerful religion and let the world understand its thoughts.¡± ¡°But to make ite into reality, we need a new mirror tomunicate with it, to let it know we exist, so it cane into our reality.¡± When it came to acting, Hannibal was not much inferior to Du Wei. His emotions and tone were on point, and every word he said was the truth, not giving away any ws. A hunter who should have been with the Dusk Bell had unhesitatingly joined the Veda Sect. This had already earned him a ce on the Dusk Bell¡¯s hit list. No one would doubt his determination. ¡­ To Akaret, the existence of God was not important, the higher one¡¯s position, the more secrets one could touch. Primitive religions often originate from fear. The faith of the Veda Sect was just like that. In a sense, the so-called Vedas were nothing more than some peculiar beings, akin to nuns, or entities sharing simr traits. But faith is a frightening thing, it makes people ignorant. To believe in an existence is akin to constant self-suggestion and hypnosis; everyone believes the Vedas are gods, and over time, it bes irrelevant. Moreover, after having developed for so long, the Veda Sect had significant internal disagreements. As a leader, Akaret naturally hoped for something important to engage people¡¯s efforts; if some were to die in the process, it would be even better. So, she simply said, ¡°Our faith needs to be affirmed, go and do what you must¡­¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 345: 342. Im blown away by Director Du Wei (Third Update) Chapter 345: 342. I¡¯m blown away by Director Du Wei (Third Update) ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Cold, deep¡­ It felt as if my body had sunk into the ocean, plunging into the abyss. My consciousness was in a daze, and it seemed I could hear murmurs like the tide, indistinctly mingling. James only felt a pair of cold and calm eyes watching him, conveying a will that wanted him to do something. He couldn¡¯t help but ask in his mind, ¡°Who are you?¡±
But he received no answer. Under that gaze, all of James¡¯s secrets wereid bare. He even felt that his entire memories, experiences, and even his personality and self from childhood werepletely understood by the other party. ¡°What exactly do you want me to do?¡± Unable to endure the oppressive feeling, James prayed painfully to the Lord, seeking a shred of constion. Because he felt that his consciousness had already started to twist, and even long before, it had been influenced. That gaze was still fixed on him, cold and deep¡­ Some changes happen quietly. ¡­ ¡°Sigh¡­¡± James abruptly opened his eyes, let out a long breath, his body drenched in sweat, his clothing soaked with perspiration. His face was a picture of confusion, yet his eyes remained cold and calm, the originally blue irises now showing a strange change, looking somewhat like the features of Easterners at a nce. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick, you have a serious illness, but my medical skills are no good for treating you, only the director can cure you.¡± Upon hearing this, James shook all over, immediately turning his head to look in the direction the voice hade from. Then he turned green¡­ He saw Ryan urinating in the bathroom, not even bothering to close the door, sticking his head out, smiling at him, showing off his neat teeth. No matter how you looked at it, it was awkward¡­ ¡°How did you get into my room again?¡± James held back his anger and said, ¡°You should be staying in your room sleeping at this time, don¡¯t think about dragging me out to hunt Evil Spirits in the middle of the night again.¡±@@novelbin@@ Ryan finished and zipped up, scratched his head, and said, ¡°But it¡¯s daytime now, you know.¡± James was stunned, ¡°Day¡­ daytime? But I only felt like I slept for a little while¡­¡± His memory still lingered on the moment hey in bed. Ryan came out of the bathroom and scrutinized James carefully, his expression growing serious. You see, he was mentally ill. Being examined by a mentally ill person with such a gaze made James very ufortable. He said with an ugly expression, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Ryan spoke seriously, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, I hype Director Du Wei to the skies, and if you keep imitating him, I, Ryan, will definitely teach you a lesson.¡± James was stunned, ¡°Imitating him? How could that be.¡± Hearing this, Ryan snorted coldly and said, ¡°Patient James, you can¡¯t fool me, you¡¯re imitating the director, especially those eyes of yours, they¡¯re making my social anxiety act up, I must give you electrotherapy to bring you back to your senses.¡± James couldn¡¯t help butugh with anger, ¡°Alright, alright, give me electrotherapy. If you can find an Electrotherapy Machine at Dusk Bell, I won¡¯t sleep ever again, I¡¯ll spend 24 hours dealing with Evil Spirit cases with you.¡± Ryan¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You said it.¡± With that, he immediately approached James, grabbed his only remaining hand, and started pushing him toward the electrical outlet in the room. Mentally ill patients all have their own world views and cognition. To Ryan, he stubbornly believed he was a doctor. In his view, all these hunters like James were mentally ill, and illness needed to be treated. Electrical outlets and electrotherapy machines are all the same to him. After all, he was an outstanding psychiatrist. James broke down, desperately struggling, ¡°I was wrong, I know I was wrong, don¡¯t do this, I¡¯ll never dare to impersonate Director Duwei again, I¡¯ll go out and deal with the Evil Spirit with you now. Isn¡¯t it enough if I close my eyes, I¡¯ll wear sunsses from now on¡­¡± ¡°Doing this will get us both electrocuted!¡± ¡°Ryan, calm down, man!¡± ¡­ At this very moment. At New York International Airport, Du Wei and Tom arrived at the nearby parking lot. The McLaren GT was parked in its spot. After the two got into the car, Tom couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°New York is still the best, I never want to go back to that hellhole in Pnd again in my life.¡± That weird dream had almost been forgotten by Tom. Only the Cultist woman in his dreams was very clear in his memory, and the thought of the scars on those women¡¯s bodies made Tom feel ufortable. Fuck! He felt like he suddenly lost interest in women. Thinking about this, Tom couldn¡¯t help but say to Du Wei, who was driving the car, ¡°Buddy, drop me off at the churchter, I have something to discuss with Father Tony.¡± Du Wei asked with confusion, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Tom said awkwardly, ¡°I want to discuss theology with him.¡± Du Wei looked at Tom seriously, ¡°He¡¯s old, he really can¡¯t handle much¡­ and I need to start dealing with the troubles in New York these next few days. If something happens to you guys again, I won¡¯t be able to help you.¡± He knew without a doubt what Tom was implying. His good friend and Father Tony had be regrs in the Red Light District, and whenever they met, they would head straight there. Theology? The wording from Tom¡¯s mouth was equivalent to desecration. Tom pped his chest and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t take Father Tony to the Red Light District, I just want to ask him about the allure of divorced women.¡± Du Wei said helplessly, ¡°Alright¡­¡± With that, Du Wei turned the steering wheel and headed toward the church in the North Brook District. The journey was smooth and unobstructed. About half an hour passed. The car arrived at the entrance of the church. After the two got out of the car, Tom rushed excitedly into the church. And Du Wei also nned to go in and have a look, after all, it wasn¡¯t quite proper to just leave without entering since he was already there. But just as he was about to go in, his phone started ringing. He took out his phone and saw that the caller was his future father-inw¡ªLawrence Wittebach. Du Wei quickly pressed the answer button and heard a sonorous voiceing from the other end of the line, ¡°Good morning, kid. I¡¯ve bought all the antiques for you, and they are being air-freighted to New York on a private ne, should arrive by the afternoon.¡± He said with a smile, ¡°Thank you, uncle.¡± Lawrence said unconcernedly, ¡°We¡¯re going to be family, you don¡¯t have to be so polite, although it makes me think you¡¯re well-mannered, too much politeness can make me feel estranged.¡± Du Wei replied awkwardly, ¡°I will.¡± Lawrence hummed and then said, ¡°By the way, Alex told me you¡¯ve been staying at home these past few days and not seeing her, is there any friction between you two?¡± Du Wei raised an eyebrow, ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s just that these past few days I¡¯ve been dealing with cursed matters¡­ not convenient to tell her about these things.¡± Immediately, relief was heard from the other end of the line. ¡°So, do you need any help, my son-inw?¡± Du Wei spoke calmly, ¡°If possible, I hope you can send me a photo of that Stele with the real names of demons, as well as any information your team has deciphered.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 346: 343, Ryan got promoted. Chapter 346: 343, Ryan got promoted. On the morning of June 15th. Du Wei arrived in the Furman District. Calcting from the start of his daydream to returning to New York from Pnd, three days had passed. It seems so short, yet it felt so long. During these three days, Du Wei had contact with the nun in his dreams and also took the time to go to Pnd with Tom, marking Freddy and that piano. Even though he had long been ustomed to such a pace of life, he was still somewhat mentally and physically exhausted.
At Alex¡¯s home. Du Wei sat on the couch, sitting upright, with a very serious expression. His girlfriend, Alex, stood opposite him with her arms folded, her pretty brows deeply furrowed, her eyes looking rather unhappy. ¡°Dear Mr. Du Wei, for you to actually visit my ce today is truly surprising. If you hadn¡¯t been texting me every day, I would have thought we were in a long-distance rtionship!¡± These past two days, Du Wei had been texting her constantly, but no matter how they tried to coordinate, they couldn¡¯t manage to meet up. Although Alex was also busy, something felt off. ¡°Confess honestly, are you keeping something from me?¡± Alex narrowed her eyes, intently staring at her boyfriend. Du Wei cleared his throat and said lightly, ¡°How could that be, I love you so much.¡± Alex scoffed, ¡°Darling, I might have been dealing with some business matters at thepany these two days. But as my boyfriend, not only do you not show concern, but your messages are intermittent. Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Saying this, she took out her phone and opened the messages. The most recent one was sent around 7 o¡¯clock the evening before. It read surprisingly¡ª[Goodnight] Alex¡¯s tone was full of skepticism, ¡°Aren¡¯t you usually capable of staying upte?¡± Du Wei, however, just smiled, saying, ¡°I used to be quite the night owl, but recently, I¡¯ve been wanting to give you a surprise, so I started going to bed a bit earlier.¡± Alex looked disgusted, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you bought flowers again, I¡¯m almost allergic to them now.¡± Du Wei¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s all I¡¯m capable of, other than giving flowers?¡± He had deliberately sent that text message. Alex quickly apologized, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I actually quite like the flowers you give, but your behavior these past couple of days has been really strange, and it¡¯s made me feel very insecure.¡± Du Wei sighed and said, ¡°You misunderstood. I¡¯ve been learning to y the piano these past two days, wanting to y a song as my gift to you.¡± ¡°You know, it¡¯s quite difficult to learn to y piano in two days, so I¡¯ve been practicing day and night. Finally, I¡¯ve almost got it.¡± ¡°The reason I sent you a goodnight message so early yesterday was that I wanted to rest well so that I could perform for you in person when I see you today.¡± Du Wei spoke earnestly, making it hard to detect any deceit. Alex was still doubtful and hummed, ¡°Then y a song for me right now. If you can y it, I¡¯ll believe you; if you can¡¯t¡­ you know.¡± Her home just happened to have a piano made in Italy. Du Wei stood up confidently, ¡°I¡¯ll perform for you right now.¡± ¡­ At the church at that moment. Father Tony and Tom wore serious expressions. The two sat opposite each other in the reception room. ¡°Tom, your problem is serious. I think the reason you¡¯re not interested in women now is that the shock from the Veda Sect cultists was too great, causing you to develop a psychological shadow,¡± Father Tony said. ¡°inly speaking, you just need to find some charming women to have fun with for a couple of days, to neutralize your psychological shadows, and the problem will be solved.¡± As he said this, Father Tony spoke with a nostalgic tone, ¡°I vaguely remember that back in the day, I too became disgusted with ordinary women, and that¡¯s why I chose to break up with Mrs. Senna. I traveled to many cities to find a haven for my soul.¡± He sighed, and his gaze started to drift. An impatient Tom pressed him, ¡°Go on! Why are you stopping?¡± Father Tony¡¯s reverie was interrupted, and he said with annoyance, ¡°You really don¡¯t appreciate beauty. If you want to discover goodness, you can¡¯t be so impatient.¡± ¡°At that time, I was very lost. I prayed to the Lord, but there was no response.¡± ¡°Then one day, as I was driving past a hotel, I encountered a drugged divorced woman.¡± ¡°She got into my car without saying a word, and then we got involved.¡± Tom¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You mean in the taxi?¡± Father Tony said with embarrassment, ¡°Yes, you mustn¡¯t spread this around. I haven¡¯t even told Mr. Du Wei.¡± Tom waved his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t tell him, but did you have such a wild time when you were young?¡± Father Tony said awkwardly, ¡°That was my first time.¡±@@novelbin@@ Upon hearing this, Tom looked slightly disdainful, ¡°When I was your age, I was already a regr in the Red Light District.¡± As soon as he finished speaking. Tom then asked, ¡°So, did you fall for divorced women after that?¡± Father Tony¡¯s face turned red, ¡°I just have a knack for appreciating their beauty.¡± Tom scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be even better at it. I¡¯m going to call for some home service from the Red Light District right now.¡± Father Tony cleared his throat, ¡°What about me?¡± Tom said incredulously, ¡°This is a church¡­¡± Father Tony smiled mysteriously, ¡°We can take the back door.¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. The headquarters of Dusk Bell Church in Switzend. All the members were sitting upright in the council hall. Dressed in priest¡¯s attire, their expressions were cold¡­ The person sitting in the prime position was none other than Matthew, the leader of Dusk Bell. Of course, the people of Dusk Bell Church didn¡¯t know his name, much less that he was the hunter who had led people to defect from the church and founded the Dusk Bell organization years ago. They addressed Matthew as His Excellency. At this moment. Among those sitting there, only Ryan looked proud, clearly out of ce. James sat next to him wearing sunsses, appearing even stranger. After a while. Matthew¡¯s aged voice rang out, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, considering Mr. Ryan¡¯s performance in the recent period, and taking into ount his unique abilities, I have now decided to promote him to our newly appointed bishop.¡± Dusk Bell also followed an internal lesiastical system. However, their numbers were small; the core members were only a few dozen, which means that one-third of those seated were bishops. But even so, a bishop¡¯s position in Dusk Bell was not low, and the benefits and treatments enjoyed were much better than those on the church¡¯s side. It¡¯s just that resources were limited. One more person sharing was not friendly to those individuals. Therefore, someone immediately retorted, ¡°Your Excellency, Mr. Ryan¡¯s abilities are indeed exceptional, and he deserves special treatment, but isn¡¯t this a bit too hasty since he hasn¡¯t been with Dusk Bell for long?¡± The words wereced with verbal traps. Others sneered, ¡°Everyone seated here is a hunter, each of us special in our own way.¡± Ryan, clueless, turned to James and asked, ¡°What¡¯s a bishop?¡± James exined listlessly, ¡°You can think of it as a director, and above that is the dean.¡± Ryan had an epiphany, ¡°I get it now. These guys are jealous of me and don¡¯t want me to get a promotion and a raise!¡± He got angry at once, mmed the table, and stood up, pointing at the others and shouting, ¡°I, Ryan, am not afraid of trouble. I¡¯ve been tolerating you crazies for too long!¡± While saying this, he pulled a handgun from his pocket. Everyone was stunned, ¡°Wait a minute¡­ Mr. Ryan, don¡¯t be rash, and why do you have a gun!¡± Ryan said disdainfully, ¡°A director always carries a gun. Is there a problem with me, as his future right-hand man, carrying a handgun?¡± ¡°Who was it that objected just now?¡± ¡°Stand up! I forgot who it was!¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 349: 346, Preparation work Chapter 349: 346, Preparation work ¡°Am I opening it the wrong way?¡± In the psychological counseling clinic, Du Wei sat on the sofa, carefully observing the two golden vases on the coffee table, iid with sapphires all over. They looked a bit like flower vases. The reason they seemed off was that Du Wei had checked for quite a while and couldn¡¯t find any letters on the vases, nor any medium for the curse. His future father-inw, Lawrence, had sent word that the antiques were exactly as they had been when auctioned, with no discrepancies whatsoever. Therefore, the problem was quite awkward.
Du Wei couldn¡¯t find any useful information. Yet, he could feel that these two vases had some kind of strange quality, simr to a mask and the oil painting hanging over the head of his bed¡ªanother door. At first, Du Wei thought the vases themselves were mediums of the curse, but considering that merely touching them would wrap one in a curse, and that the mediums of a curse carry the trait of having letters, he still ruled out this possibility. ¡°Maybe I should try a different method,¡± Du Wei muttered to himself as he walked into the kitchen. In no time, he returned to the living room with a chisel and a hammer. He nned to dismantle all the sapphires from the two golden vases, thinking that secrets might be discovered on the stones. After all, based on previous experiences, the sapphires were very likely to be the cursed objects imprisoned. Once pried out, their true nature would be exposed. And as the first one to make contact with the cursed objects, Du Wei would ordingly be subjected to a deeper effect of the curse. But havinge this far, whether the curse deepened was not of much significance to him. No matter how dangerous the situation, at most, it led to death. Once the nun had devoured the nightmare and came into reality as a Demon Spirit, Du Wei was pretty much on a one-way street to death. It was worth the gamble. These two golden vases were very precious antiques, and the craftsmen who made them couldn¡¯t possibly dream that someone would intend to destroy their painstaking work. Soon, the clinking and nking sounds started. Du Wei¡¯s technique was crude, even though he was being careful, but the sapphires still got damaged when pried off. Of course¡­ he didn¡¯t mind. To Du Wei¡¯s surprise, when he had removed all the sapphires from the first vase, he didn¡¯t find any issues with them. That strange sensation was on the body of the vase. ¡°So sapphires were just for decoration?¡± Du Wei frowned and pried the sapphires off the other golden vase, revealing a pocked and uneven surface on both. The gold was not as precious as the sapphires. That reminded him of a saying¡ª¡±Buying the casket and returning the pearl.¡± ¡°But I still haven¡¯t obtained the information I want.¡± Du Wei said this as he took the two vases in his hands, studying them while his headache worsened. Even by now, the vases remained the same as before, not revealing the slightest bit of anomaly. Very much like that oil painting. ¡°Could it be that the imprisoning medium has already disappeared?¡± Even Du Wei felt helpless; he could indeed formte a thorough n with sufficient information, but he was at a loss with inadequate information. ¡°I might as well look at the Stele photos Uncle Lawrence sent me and those research materials.¡± Du Wei thought for a moment, then suppressed the urge to continue fussing over the two bottles and instead took out hisptop to log into his own email ount. There, in his inbox, was an email from Lawrence. He casually opened apressed file. Nearly a hundred high-definition images immediately came into view. The images were precisely of the Stele that Lawrence had mentioned before. It was roughly three meters high and one meter wide, made of hard material, and engraved with many strange and unusual symbols. It gave off an exceedingly mysterious vibe. ¡°It somewhat resembles the symbols of some religious traditions.¡± Du Wei couldn¡¯t help but think of the Veda Sect, a cult with a very long history. He had seen many ritual symbols within the sect, yet their style was not the same as the symbols on the Stele. The Stele felt even more ancient. He studied the images for about half an hour, looking over all the photos of the Stele, but he couldn¡¯t understand them at all. The content was just too obscure andplex. Sometimes a circr symbol seemed to represent the sun, but when it appeared elsewhere, its meaning seemed different. And among the documents Lawrence had sent him, there was information that schrs had deciphered, which, whenpared with the images, seemed to suggest the opposite meaning. Take, for example, the content about the true names of demons. Lawrence had told Du Wei that if he knew a demon¡¯s true name, and loudly recited it, he could drive the demon out of the human world. But when Du Wei matched the text with the deciphered information, the conclusion he reached was that demons did not exist. ¡°I just can¡¯t make sense of it.¡± After going through all the document files, Du Wei felt only dizziness and an indescribable irritation. An entire afternoon was wasted like this. Yet he hadn¡¯t obtained any useful information. The effort and the reward werepletely disproportionate. But just at that moment, Du Wei inadvertently set his eyes upon the two golden bottles. ¡°Wait¡­ I seem to recall a passage regarding gold in the files.¡± His eyes lit up, and he immediately ced his hands on the touchpad, searching through the earlier files. In just a short while, he opened a document. Scrolling down to thest part of the document, there was a concise description ¡ª [Long ago, people believed that gold was the source of all desires and that demons lurked within those desires.] Upon reading this, Du Wei¡¯s gaze grew strange as he murmured, ¡°What can be confirmed now is that the bottles themselves are the problem, and what I want to ascertain is their true name, whether it is as I imagined.¡± He had previously concluded that the source of the curse, The Nun¡¯s true name, might be ¡®vk,¡¯ but thest letter was actually blurred, and his conclusion was based on deduction. In the dream, the nun had volunteered the entire spelling of ¡®vk.¡¯ Du Wei couldn¡¯t believe the nun, so he had always felt that the notion of the true name was not very reliable, and thus he did not immediately employ that method. Now, the preparations were almostplete. The only thing missing was to verify whether thest letter was ¡®K.¡¯ Thinking this, Du Wei took out his phone and ordered a Melting Furnace online. He nned to melt down the two golden bottlespletely. If he was lucky, he might discover something hidden in the gold; if he wasn¡¯t, then that would be a different matter. For the former, he would consider using the true name to drive out the curse; for thetter, he would opt for a backup n, using a dream within a dream to trap the nun in his own dreams.@@novelbin@@ ¡°There aren¡¯t too many options left.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 350: 347, as you wish Chapter 350: 347, as you wish 9 PM. Outside the psychological counseling clinic. It waste at night, and except for the caf¨¦ across the street still open for business, the entirety of Queen Streety in silence. The murder case that had urred earlier made this ce deste at night. As a result, many of the storefronts on the opposite street had closed down, even that caf¨¦ was likely not going tost much longer. Therefore.
Du Wei wasn¡¯t worried that melting two gold bottles in the alchemy furnacete at night would garner anyone else¡¯s attention. Hmm¡­ The Melting Furnace he ordered arrived quickly, because he paid triple the delivery fee. ¡°Let me see, what secrets are hidden in these two bottles,¡± Du Wei said in a cold voice, directly tossing the two gold bottles into the alchemy furnace. After closing the tripleyered thermal instion cover and pressing the start button, the entire Melting Furnace began to operate. But at that instant. A chill suddenly surged from the bottom of Du Wei¡¯s heart¡­ It was as if he was in an ice cave, the kind of feeling where even breathing seems to halt. In his ears, he faintly heard a series of painful moans. There was something¡­ His face darkened, and he immediately paused the operation of the Melting Furnace. Under the state of Spirit Vision, the entire Melting Furnace was shrouded in ayer of dark fog, that fog, alive like tendrils intertwining, had actually formed two human faces. The faces were very blurry, but their contours were clearly visible, small, youthful¡­ ¡°Not an Evil Spirit¡­¡± Du Wei¡¯s eyes were somewhat gloomy; those two youthful faces gave him the feeling of ghosts¡­ Ghosts, ording to the church¡¯s records, might be a lesser form of Evil Spirit. Killed under extreme conditions, they could be ghosts. But Evil Spirits aren¡¯t too particr about logic. They are absolutely a product of idealism, if they exist, they exist, if not, they do not. ¡°Someone sacrificed two children while making these two gold vases¡­¡± Du Wei spoke in an indescribably cold tone;tely, he had seldom gone through an Evil Spirit Transformation, as he was trying to prevent the loss of his humanity to the critical point where he could be unlike himself. ¡°This world always makes me feel out of ce.¡± After saying this, Du Wei reached out to turn the switch on again, sat down on the grass, and lit a cigarette for himself. ¡­ At this very moment. On the other side, in Scolyn City. The people of the Veda Sect, under the leadership of Hannibal, also arrived at the old district that had long been abandoned. ¡°This ce used to specialize in making mirrors, but with the recement of handcrafts by mechanization, it has beenpletely deserted for many years, our god is here.¡± ¡°Here, there is an existence of a Mirror Evil Spirit, but its medium has beenpletely destroyed, it does not exist in reality.¡± ¡°Through it, we can see our god.¡± ¡°But because the medium is destroyed, we need to use another mirror to reflect its true form.¡± Walking into the old district, Hannibal nced at the mirror fragments scattered on the ground and said softly to the others, ¡°Be careful, these mirror fragments won¡¯t reflect our images.¡± Someone bent down and picked up a piece of mirror fragment at random. Generally, the back of a mirror has a gray coating, and from the front, it can clearly reflect the reference object, while the bottom is an indescribable white. In this piece of mirror fragment, that white had never changed. ¡°It¡¯s indeed as you said, so Mr. Hannibal, are you sure that the mirror we brought can really work?¡± The person casually tossed away the fragment, their tone very cold. Hannibal turned his head, smiling at her and said, ¡°Of course, you will soon see our god, and you will be amazed by its perfection, shocked by its strength.¡± Her tone softened somewhat, ¡°Then please begin, praise our god.¡± She no longer exclusively used the phrase ¡°praise Veda¡± because if their god was proven to exist, that phrase could no longer be specific but would be general. Hannibal pped his hands smilingly, and immediately someone carried over a human-sized mirror covered with a red cloth. The entire mirror was exceedingly heavy. And strangely, although the red cloth covered the mirror, it showed a concave indentation.@@novelbin@@ The back of the mirror was the same. Thud¡­ The mirror stood on the ground. Hannibal looked up at the night sky, which was overcast. For some reason, this street seemed to never see the moon anymore; looking up always met with a sky full of dark clouds. In his heart, Hannibal asked, ¡°Did you do this, my friend?¡± Then heughed even more cheerfully. As if he had found a confidant, Hannibal had a very special affection for the Evil Spirit Du Wei. Even though the Evil Spirit Du Wei had burst his body three times and he had almost died at the other¡¯s hand, it was still the same. Being the only special one meant loneliness. Those who had experienced loneliness, upon seeing their own kind, found it hard to resist the longing in their hearts. Hannibal even felt that he and the Evil Spirit Du Wei were brothers. Irrelevant to skin color or race, unrted to bloodline and past. Simply because they were both special. ¡°Let¡¯s begin¡­¡± Hannibal took a deep breath, walked up to the mirror, and waved his hand. The others nodded solemnly and took out daggers to slice open their right palms. Blood dripped down from the wounds. Apanied by a low chanting. Solemn and reverent¡­ The voice was long and wave-like, one after another. During this process, people continually knelt on the ground, bowing deeply in worship. Others used their blood to draw special symbols on the ground. This was a sacrifice, and also a method used by the Veda Sect tomunicate with the Vedas. But for a very long time, no one had been able to establish urate contact with the Vedas, only receiving vague responses. And these responses had to be interpreted by the leader, Akaret. Suddenly¡­ The red cloth covering that mirror moved slightly. The concave area bulged out bit by bit, as if something inside wanted toe out. Seeing this, a thrill of excitement shed in Hannibal¡¯s eyes. He took a breath with agitation, grabbed the corner of the red cloth, and yanked it fiercely. The entire mirror then appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. It was a full-length mirror, with a frame made of solid wood, its carved patterns filled with gold thread. Luxurious and extravagant. At that moment, the surface of the mirror was pitch ck, not fitting in with the world, with ck mist roiling inside. Whoosh¡­ All present, including Hannibal, heard a breath being exhaled. They felt a chill deep in their hearts, with a numbing terror that could not be described in words seeping into their flesh and organs from their scalps. A pair of ck pupils appeared within the mirror, calmly observing everyone outside of it. The intense oppression made everyone¡¯s hearts beat frantically, and their breathing became difficult. Crack¡­ Someone couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure andy prostrate on the ground, unable to speak. In the depths of Hannibal¡¯s heart, a cold voice emerged. He heard the Evil Spirit Du Wei saying, ¡°Bring my body back.¡± In his heart, Hannibal wondered, ¡°You should be able toe out of the mirror, so why do you need a body?¡± The Evil Spirit Du Wei replied coldly, ¡°Because I am Du Wei.¡± Hannibal nodded thoughtfully and said firmly, ¡°As you wish, my friend.¡± COMMENT 0ment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!