The shadow moved like a ghost, slipping soundlessly between the group and suddenly lunging at Jing Jian.
Everyone's focus had been on Jing Jian's peachwood sword, so when the dark blur leapt out, they didn't realize what was happening.
Lu Fei turned his head and caught sight of sharp canine teeth. His expression shifted.
"Watch out!"
Jing Jian felt a chill behind him and instinctively dodged forward.
The teeth tore through his pants with a ripping sound, leaving them in tatters and revealing bright red underpants underneath.
Lu Fei lashed out with a kick.
The black figure deftly evaded the blow, growling fiercely.
"Woof! Woof!"
Only then did everyone see what it was—a large, imposing black wolfdog.
Its eyes glowed an eerie green, its sharp teeth glinting with remnants of fabric, and its arched back radiated menace.
"Ah Hao, isn't that your dog?" Chen Jinfa asked in shock. "Why is it suddenly attacking people? Could it have rabies?"
"All my dogs are vaccinated! How could it have rabies?" Jiang Hao retorted, equally bewildered.
His dogs were well-trained and never ventured upstairs. Why was this one suddenly here, attacking people?
"Are you trying to mess with me, Jiang Hao?" Jing Jian, clutching his torn pants, glared with lingering fear.
If not for Lu Fei's warning, he might have been bitten—pants and all.
"Do you think I'd pick a time like this to mess with you?" Jiang Hao snapped, waving a hand toward the wolfdog.
"Hei Zi, get out! Stop causing trouble!"
But before he could finish, the wolfdog snarled and lunged at Jing Jian again, its sharp teeth gleaming with malice.
Jing Jian raised his peachwood sword defensively.
But fighting off an enraged adult wolfdog wasn't easy. Jing Jian was quickly overwhelmed, struggling to keep up with its ferocious attacks.
"This dog isn't acting right!" Lu Fei shouted, grabbing a few toys and hurling them at the wolfdog. "Everyone, help!"
Tiger charged forward with his ghost-headed blade, while A Long shielded Chen Jinfa and Jiang Hao.
"Woof! Woof!"
The nursery erupted into chaos.
The wolfdog attacked relentlessly, heedless of its injuries, forcing everyone away from the crib.
It soon stood bloodied but resolute, guarding the grotesque baby in the crib and refusing to let anyone approach.
"It's acting like a mother protecting its pup," Chen Jinfa muttered, astonished.
"Could it be because that's Xiaoya's child? This dog is the one Xiaoya rescued from a dog trader. It's always been loyal to her," Jiang Hao added, still confused.
Jing Jian, drenched in sweat and clutching his torn pants, gritted his teeth. "That monster's behind this! It's not human or dog—it must have some way to control the other dogs!"
"No, that's not it."
Lu Fei squinted, studying the wolfdog intently.
"There's yin energy on it. This dog is possessed!"
"Possessed?" The others gasped in disbelief.
"Yes," Lu Fei confirmed. "Dogs don't have spirits, but they can be turned into yin creatures, similar to ghost crows used by spirit tamers."
He paused, his eyes narrowing.
"It seems this baby is the pup of the yin dog."
"Shopkeeper Lu, what are you saying?" Jiang Hao's face twisted with unease.
"I believe a small yin dog attached itself to your wife's fetus, transforming the baby into this half-human, half-dog entity. That small yin dog is likely the offspring of this large one."
"Unbelievable! Such a thing exists?" Chen Jinfa exclaimed, stunned.
Jiang Hao, though startled, breathed a sigh of relief. As bizarre as this explanation was, it was far better than the suspicion of an unholy bond between his wife and a dog.
Still, he frowned. "Why would these yin dogs target my wife and child?"
"It could have been accidental, perhaps due to an encounter with something unclean during her pregnancy. But the immediate priority isn't understanding why—it's dealing with these two yin dogs!" Lu Fei said firmly.
The wolfdog remained hunched protectively over the crib, its green eyes glaring at the group with fierce determination.
In the crib, the grotesque baby had calmed, its yin energy stabilizing. The burn marks from earlier seemed to be healing.
Lu Fei glanced outside. The sky was darkening—it was nearing nightfall, when yin energy would grow stronger.
"Can you handle this, Jing Jian?" Lu Fei asked pointedly.
"Of course!" Jing Jian puffed up his chest, though the red underpants peeking through his tattered pants made him blush as he quickly covered them.
"Shopkeeper Lu, I think it's better if you take the lead," Jiang Hao said uneasily.
Despite Jing Jian's efforts, his earlier performance left much to be desired.
"Brother Hao, if I'm to act, it must follow the rules of the Evil Pawnshop," Lu Fei said calmly. "This grotesque baby is of no use to me. It can only be disposed of as a living trade."
"Fine!" Jiang Hao agreed without hesitation.
"For safety's sake, Brother Hao and Brother Jinfa, please step outside. Tiger and Jing Jian will assist me."
The two men nodded and exited, leaving Lu Fei to lock the door behind them.
Inside the room, the three men spread out, weapons at the ready, as they cautiously approached the possessed wolfdog.
"Growl…"
The wolfdog's fur bristled, its green eyes glowing ominously. A low, guttural growl rumbled from its throat.
"Go!"
At Lu Fei's command, Jing Jian struck first, aiming his peachwood sword at the wolfdog's nose. The wolfdog dodged nimbly, only for Tiger's ghost-headed blade to slash its back.
Despite its wounds, the wolfdog was unfazed. It lunged, snapping its jaws ferociously.
Jing Jian and Tiger narrowly avoided its bite, the razor-sharp teeth grazing their clothes.
Lu Fei seized the opportunity, bringing his thunder-struck staff down hard.
The faint blue arcs of electricity crackled ominously, forcing the wolfdog to leap back instinctively.
The three pressed their coordinated attack, giving the wolfdog no chance to counter. It snarled, bloodied and desperate, as it was forced back into a corner.
In the crib, the grotesque baby stirred, flailing its short limbs as though trying to climb out.
"Don't give them any chances!" Lu Fei shouted.
Yin dogs were known for their vengeful nature. If not eradicated, they would haunt their targets relentlessly until death.