*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The storeroom door rattled under a flurry of blows, sounding like a torrential downpour.
Lu Fei had no idea how many eels were outside. He quickly stuck three exorcism talismans onto the door, praying it would hold for as long as possible.
In the dim flashlight beam, the human-faced eel slithered along the wall, its snake-like, black, and slimy body leaving behind trails of mucus. Its cold, pitch-black eyes were fixed intently on Lu Fei.
Lu Fei stared back, refusing to give it any chance to approach the caged lambs.
Truthfully, the eerie, human-like face unsettled him the longer he looked at it.
But to defeat a creature like this, one had to overcome such discomfort.
Perhaps growing impatient from being unable to eat, the human-faced eel began to writhe more violently. Its thick, flexible body suddenly lunged straight toward Lu Fei.
Lu Fei tensed, holding the lightning-struck jujube wood stick across his chest.
*Hiss!*
The eel opened its wide, flat mouth, revealing sharp teeth, and lunged at Lu Fei's leg with alarming speed.
Its head was disproportionately large compared to its body, and its strike came with the force of lightning.
Lu Fei dodged to the side, swinging the jujube wood stick as he moved.
The eel twisted its head in an unnatural motion, evading the stick and whipping around to wrap its cold, slimy tail around Lu Fei's left leg.
The icy, slippery sensation sent a wave of revulsion through Lu Fei. His body instinctively recoiled, but he gritted his teeth and kept his focus.
The eel coiled tightly, trying to climb up his leg toward his back, its black eyes locked onto his throat.
Fighting the urge to panic, Lu Fei swung the jujube wood stick with all his might, striking the mucus-covered body.
*Zzzz!*
A faint blue spark flickered in the dim light as the stick connected.
The eel's body convulsed and stiffened before it dropped to the floor in a panic, slithering under the cages to hide.
Lu Fei panted heavily, his leg covered in the eel's cold, slimy mucus. The nauseating aroma it emitted made him feel sick to his stomach.
He quickly removed his jacket and tossed it aside.
"Come at me again!"
His lean muscles tensed as he glared at the eel, spitting on the ground in defiance.
The eel, having suffered a painful shock, stayed hidden under the cages, too frightened to come out.
Meanwhile, the banging on the door gradually subsided.
The lightning-infused jujube wood stick was the nemesis of all demonic entities, and the human-faced eel was no exception.
That strike just now would have killed it if it hadn't fled so quickly.
Watching the subdued creature for a moment, Lu Fei let out a small sigh of relief.
About five minutes had passed. If Tiger moved quickly, he should already be on his way back with the salt.
Once the salt dissolved the mucus on the eel's body, it would be immobilized—a helpless, oversized worm, ready for the taking.
All Lu Fei had to do now was keep watch.
The nauseating aroma filled the entire room, while the lambs in the cages remained in a deep, unnatural slumber.
Time crawled by.
"Why isn't Tiger back yet?" Lu Fei's initial calm began to waver. "Could he have been discovered? No, if that were the case, there'd be noise outside..."
Worried, he pulled out his phone to message Tiger.
Just then, he heard the door to the flat house creak open.
*Creak—*
The sound was slow and deliberate, as if the person opening the door was trying to be cautious.
"Tiger?"
Lu Fei quickly put away his phone, leaning against the wall near the door. His eyes stayed on the human-faced eel while he listened carefully.
Footsteps followed, light and hesitant.
"It's not Tiger!"
Lu Fei's heart sank.
Tiger was a big guy, and his footsteps were heavy and firm. These steps were light and precise, like a woman's.
"Could it be someone from the manor?"
His heart pounded in his chest as he held his breath, careful not to make a sound.
The footsteps lingered near the water tank.
Lu Fei silently thanked the fact that the storeroom had no windows and the door's cracks were sealed with debris, concealing the flashlight beam from view.
After some hesitation, the footsteps moved toward the storeroom.
"What's going on with these eels?"
Through the door, Lu Fei heard a woman's voice, sharp with concern.
The door pushed slightly but stopped when it hit the debris behind it.
"What's wrong with this door?" the woman muttered, growing agitated as she began to shove harder.
Lu Fei's mind raced. Turning off the flashlight to feign an empty room was not an option—the human-faced eel would seize the chance to attack the lambs.
Instead, he silently stepped away from the door, positioning himself out of sight.
*Crash!*
The door burst open, scattering the debris. Another flashlight beam cut through the room.
"Someone's here!"
The woman gasped, stepping back in shock. She didn't enter the storeroom, instead shining her flashlight inside.
"Who's in there?"
She swept the light over the wet, slimy trails on the floor, her expression darkening. Her voice turned cold.
Lu Fei leaned against the wall, remaining silent.
The human-faced eel reacted to her presence, writhing excitedly under the cages like a pet eager to greet its owner.
The squelching sound of its movements was sickening.
"Hei Niang?!" the woman called out urgently. "You've backed my Hei Niang into a corner! Who are you?"
After a moment of silence, when no response came, she sneered. "You're here for the little brats, aren't you? If you don't come out, I'll kill them right now!"
This woman was cautious and sharp—dangerously so.
Realizing there was no point in hiding, Lu Fei stepped out from behind the door.
"It's you!"
The woman's face twisted in shock the moment she saw him.
"I knew you were up to no good! That talisman you gave my husband was just a trick to keep him from coming out at night!"
She had heard the commotion and come to check, never expecting to find someone here.
"That bald guy is your husband?"
Lu Fei was surprised. Chen Jinfa had said the bald man was incapable of having children, yet he still managed to marry?
"You could've walked your path while we walked ours. Why meddle in our affairs?" The woman's face darkened, her expression growing more menacing.
"So, you're the one who knows the *Art of Creating Beasts*!" Lu Fei eyed her carefully.
The large, black birthmark on her left cheek, coupled with her malicious expression, made her look particularly terrifying.
"And that monster—it's yours too?"
"Yes, and what of it? Now that you've discovered our secret, you're not leaving this manor alive!"
The woman raised her hands, revealing a long incense stick.
Lu Fei immediately recognized it—it was the same incense he had seen in the bald man's bedroom, which he had claimed was for calming and sleep.
"Bewitching incense!"
He instantly understood her plan: she intended to use the incense to incapacitate him.
Those who practiced the *Art of Creating Beasts* often used bewitching incense. They would use it to knock out children or women, drape them in animal hides, and cast spells to transform them into animals. This allowed them to abduct people without anyone suspecting a thing.
Lu Fei's spiritual protection shielded him from the incense's effects, but he also needed to protect the innocent children.
The woman could cast her spells at any moment to kill the children. And lurking under the cages, the human-faced eel waited for its chance to strike.
Just as Lu Fei's anxiety peaked, he noticed a tall figure silently approaching the woman from behind.
Relief washed over him.
Time to turn the tables.
"What do you want?" Lu Fei feigned an exaggerated expression of fear, drawing her attention.