(Here's the second installment, with one more to come later tonight. It's time for me to head home...)
Just as the Peach Wood Hairpin was about to plunge into the zombie's heart, it shot up abruptly, causing my stab to go awry and stick into its stomach instead, whereupon a puff of green smoke immediately began to rise.
The zombie let out a bizarre cry and lunged at me, its long black nails almost piercing my forehead; luckily, I ducked in time.
I cursed silently, knowing that if the Peach Wood Hairpin stayed inside the zombie for too long, it would turn black and might even break off inside. I had encountered such a situation before, like the first time I faced a zombie. When my master stuck the Peach Wood Sword into the zombie, it immediately became useless.
