There were only three people in the villa.
Apart from Lu Fei and Xie Yao, who else could have locked the door from the outside?
The answer was clear.
Rattle, rattle!
By now, the bone beads were already rolling up the stairs, like malicious eyes, closing in quickly on the two of them.
"We need to get out now!"
Lu Fei didn't have time to think further.He set Xie Yao down and took a deep breath, slamming his shoulder against the door with all his strength.
The door, solid and heavy hardwood, barely shook under his forceful impact.
"If we can't get out, then we'll have to make a stand!"
With only a few steps between them and the approaching bone beads, Lu Fei ignored the sharp pain in his shoulder, gritted his teeth, bit his fingertip, and let two drops of blood drip into the incense ash.
He spread the ash mixed with his blood around them, forming a circle that enclosed both him and Xie Yao.
Just as he completed the circle, the bone beads caught up, only to be stopped at its edge.
The beads bounced impatiently, glaring at them with malevolent intent, but dared not cross the line of ash and blood.
It worked!
Lu Fei let out a small breath of relief.
The three "life flames" of a living person—often called "yang fire"—are believed to fend off spirits.
Two drops of blood from his middle finger symbolized two of these flames.
By mixing this blood with incense ash around them, he created a protective circle ignited with yang energy.
"Capturing this thing tonight is impossible; we'll just have to hold out until dawn!"
Night is yin; day is yang.
Malevolent spirits can usually only act under the cover of night.Once daylight comes, the resentful souls will retreat back into the beads.
Glaring at the bone beads, Lu Fei braced himself, enduring the pressure.
The night dragged on, feeling longer than any night before.
Just when he thought he couldn't endure it anymore, daylight finally broke.
With a clatter, the bone beads dropped to the floor, transforming back into a motionless necklace.
Lu Fei's tensed body finally relaxed.
For now, the necklace no longer posed a threat.
Catching his breath, he brushed away the ash on the floor, then lifted Xie Yao and hid her safely in the gym downstairs.
After a while…
Click—a lock turned.
The basement door opened, and a round-faced, middle-aged woman peeked in, glancing around before descending the stairs.
It was Aunt Wu, the housekeeper.
"Huh, where are they?"
When she didn't find anyone in the gym, her face showed a puzzled expression.
"Looking for me?"
A cold voice echoed from behind her.
She spun around in shock, just in time to see the hilt of a knife swinging toward her.
Thud!
The handle struck her square in the face.Aunt Wu staggered back, clutching her nose as blood trickled down.
Lu Fei didn't linger, though, instead seizing the opportunity to carry Xie Yao out of the basement and lock the door behind them.
Back in the living room, he tossed the boning knife aside, placed Xie Yao on the couch, and pulled open the thick curtains, letting sunlight pour in.
After doing all this, he could hold out no longer and collapsed against the large floor-to-ceiling window, gasping for breath.
Thump, thump, thump!
Pounding and angry curses came from behind the basement door.
Lu Fei ignored it.
After a while…
Xie Yao stirred, slowly opening her eyes in a groggy haze.
"My head hurts.Did I have that nightmare again...?"
She held her head, struggling to sit up on the couch, and instinctively reached for her necklace, only to find her neck bare.
Her hand paused in confusion.
"Miss Xie, you're awake."
Lu Fei's voice came from nearby.
She turned to see him emerging from the kitchen with two plates of food.Though he looked exhausted, his expression was calm.
"Master Lu, did you save me?" Xie Yao asked quickly.
"Yes."
He placed one plate in front of her and began eating from the other without hesitation.
Hearing his confirmation, Xie Yao's shoulders relaxed, and tears started rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably.
She covered her face, taking a moment to regain her composure.
"Sorry, I lost my composure."
"No worries."
"I feel like I dreamed about so many things last night.What really happened?"
"Miss Xie, don't rush.Have something to eat first, and I'll explain everything to you."
Lu Fei gestured to the milk and bread in front of her.
Eager for answers, Xie Yao took a couple of sips of milk and then looked at him expectantly.
"This necklace isn't just any bone necklace.It's an intentionally crafted malevolent artifact known as a Soul-Sucking Chain."
He placed the necklace on the coffee table, speaking slowly while eating.
"Making jewelry from human bones has its uses beyond ritual items like kapalas."
"Some people make jewelry from the bones of deceased loved ones to wear as mementos.It's a bit twisted, but understandable."
"Your necklace, however, is different.It was made from someone's bones while they were still alive, meaning it's saturated with intense resentment."
"When someone wears this necklace, the vengeful spirits within vent their wrath on the wearer, haunting them nightly until their mental state crumbles."
"At the moment when the wearer's spirit weakens, their soul is absorbed into the necklace."
"Each bone bead holds a soul filled with rage."
"The shadows you saw in your dreams are the spirits trapped in the necklace before you.They directed all their fury toward you."
"They'll torment the wearer one by one until they've claimed the wearer's soul as well."
Xie Yao's face went deathly pale.
"If you hadn't found me, would I have died last night?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"No, you wouldn't have died," Lu Fei shook his head."You would have become a living puppet without a soul, obeying only the commands of the necklace's master."