At 6:10 AM, without seeing the sun yet, Harry noticed that the walls began to show mottled spots. These uneven patches of light slowly spread, covering everything in sight.
When one of these patches of light hit a lamp, and it flickered to life, Harry finally realized—the places where the light spread marked the restored parts of the hospital, while the remaining dark areas were still part of the domain.
Diana, who had been struggling for hours, suddenly stopped. The thin tendrils of dark energy retracted, seeping back into her body.
She stood there, her figure and face twisted, one bloodshot eye glaring hatefully at Harry. Tiny holes began to appear on her body, slowly expanding, and wherever they spread, she disappeared.
Her eyes were filled with naked malice and hatred, yet her reason had returned.
"Young man, you'd better watch your back when you walk at night. I'm waiting for the day you die a horrible death. It's coming soon... heh... heh heh heh..."
"Tch, whatever," Harry spat, clearly done with the conversation.
He didn't even care to ask why she had become like this. It wouldn't matter anyway. From the moment Diana had decided to crush him like some disposable object, there was no room for peaceful resolution.
Harry might be polite, but he wasn't someone who wouldn't fight back.
Diana said nothing more, only glared at him as her body, just like the domain, began to break apart piece by piece.
Meanwhile, the areas where the light had returned to normal revealed figures—there was Victor, looking like he had just gone through a war, along with fully armed external operatives.
Outside the doors, Harry could see a ceremonial platform, where a Daoist priest holding a sword stood behind it.
Everyone was on high alert, and the air was thick with the smell of burning flames and the crackling of electrical discharge.
They all watched as Diana was gradually suppressed, her form fading away.
Meanwhile, Harry was sitting comfortably in the middle of a long bench, his arms draped over the backrests, completely at ease.
Victor rushed over, glancing at Harry's wide-open eyes before letting out a sigh of relief.
"Are you alright?"
Harry leaned back in the chair, his eyes red from exhaustion, a tired smile on his face.
"Four Yang Revitalizing Soup. Will you reimburse it?"
"Yes, we'll reimburse it."
"My uniform too?"
"All covered."
"Good. Now, just to confirm—she's really gone for good, right? Not just disappearing with the sunrise?"
Victor nodded, speaking seriously. "Exactly as predicted. This domain was anchored by her. Every night, she was bound by the rules to patrol each floor, which not only ensured she followed the regulations but also kept this place functioning and strengthened the domain itself."
"Now, with her gone, the foundation of this place has crumbled. The rules are breaking down. The domain will disintegrate completely. It's a more thorough eradication than simply destroying her physically."
He added with finality, "She's finished. Even a God can't save her now."
"That's good to hear. Who knew summer nights could be so cold?" Harry stood, stretching his sore body as Victor handed him a cup of hot water. Wrapped in an army-green coat, Harry sat back down, sipping the warm liquid and watching Diana closely.
It wasn't until Diana, bound in the middle of the lobby, let out one last venomous curse and vanished into thin air, taking the dark mist with her, that Harry finally stood up.
"So, you guys were preparing for a full-on assault?"
"We spent the whole night trying. Yesterday, we even hired a civilian expert from North Prefecture, not part of the Blazing Sun Sect. But the domain's defense was way stronger than we expected, and we couldn't break through it. We didn't dare use heavier firepower."
Harry glanced back at the Daoist priest, who was standing tall behind the ceremonial platform, looking rather pleased with the light workload.
"Does that guy handle exorcisms too? Actually, is exorcism even real?"
"Yeah, it's real. That guy makes his living performing rituals."
"Well, since he's already here, might as well have him perform a purification rite."
"..."
Harry then made his way to the second floor. In the dim light, he could see figures stepping out of the hospital rooms—pale, deathly faces. Some wore hospital gowns, others wore casual clothes, and a few still had on white coats, once medical staff themselves.
But without exception, all of their expressions were of relief.
When they saw Harry, they each bowed to him from afar, expressing their gratitude before turning towards the windows. When the light patches appeared, they stepped into them, disappearing one by one.
Harry continued walking until he reached the floor where the Half-mangled Nurse had worked. By the time he arrived, the light had spread over half the floor.
He approached the nurses' station, where the Nurse was hiding under the desk, curled up in a shadowed corner untouched by the light.
Harry waved to her. "I knew you hadn't left yet."
"I don't want to leave like this," she muttered sullenly, still crouched under the desk.
"Do you want to go back and visit your home?"
"Going back wouldn't really do much..." She sounded defeated, but then, in a small voice, she asked, "Can I really go back?"
"Hold on, let me ask a professional."
Harry looked around, seeing the domain nearly fully dissipated. He waited for the elevator to arrive, confirming that it had returned to normal before stepping inside.
Downstairs, Victor and the Blazing Sun Sect members were sweeping the area, using equipment to scan the entire building for any residual traces.
At the entrance to the hospital, the Daoist priest in yellow robes stood solemnly, reciting chants in a dialect Harry couldn't understand while holding a wooden sword.
Not wanting to interrupt, Harry grabbed Victor instead.
"Hey, quick question—most of the souls in the domain have disappeared, but Jenny doesn't want to go just yet. She wants to visit home first. Is that possible?"
"Why wouldn't it be? From what you've told me, she doesn't seem like a malevolent ghost. Just a quick visit should be fine, but she can't stay long."
"Why not?"
"In normal environments, if a spirit lingers too long, they'll eventually experience emotional fluctuations. Sooner or later, something bad will happen. Without proper protection or rituals, their memories and emotions will fade over time, and eventually, their instincts will take over. At that point, they'll start draining life force from the living—it's only a matter of time before they cause harm."
"So, where do they go in the end?"
"How should I know? I've never died before," Victor replied, sounding completely self-assured.
"...???"
Harry blinked, caught off guard. 'Wait, so what are these purification rites even for?'
"If you really want to help that nurse, ask him." Victor pointed to the Daoist priest. "His name's Vin, but everyone calls him Old V. He's the expert in this stuff."
In the distance, Vin/Old V keenly aware of his surroundings, saw Harry approaching. He flicked his sword, halting his chanting, and gestured to his young assistants.
"You all continue chanting the Salvation Scripture."
Stowing away his sword, Zhang Old Xi descended from the platform and met Harry outside the hospital doors.
"Greetings, Daoist."
"Please, I haven't received my formal talisman license yet, so I wouldn't dare take the title of Daoist. I'm just making a living performing rituals," Vin replied humbly.
He had already done his homework. He knew the man in front of him was Harry, a special external agent for the Blazing Sun Sect and an official employee at the Mortuary. With those credentials alone, Vin wouldn't dare show any disrespect.
More importantly, Vin had heard the rumors—how the new Blazing Sun Sect Chief had come all the way to investigate a serious case with Harry, and how they had both been poisoned during the process.
And last night, Harry had entered the domain alone, survived the night, and had single-handedly witnessed the ghost within slowly disintegrate at sunrise.
Whatever the truth was, the results spoke for themselves. Vin had no intention of acting high and mighty.
He wasn't from a prestigious sect, nor had he received formal training. If it weren't for the Blazing Sun Sect's shortage of hands, he probably wouldn't have been invited to help at all.
When Vin heard Harry's question, he immediately handed over a jade pendant.
"It's simple. Just have her enter this pendant. It's been carefully nourished and can preserve a spirit's consciousness for a while, keeping her mind intact."
"This...?"
"Don't worry, it's just plain white jade. If you refuse, I'll be too embarrassed to stay here."
"Well, thanks then."
"No need for thanks. Keep in touch. If anything comes up, just give me a call." Vin handed Harry a business card. They exchanged numbers and even added each other on social media.
As Harry headed back into the hospital, Vin watched him go, glancing at the other Blazing Sun Sect members who paid him no attention. Vin couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.
'Damn, having connections is great. Who else could openly keep a ghost as a pet like that?'