When I returned to Mr. Xu's apartment this time, just as I was about to push the door open, the gentleman stopped me and handed me a yellow talisman. Although I couldn't decipher the symbols on it, I knew this item was incredibly valuable.
"When we go in, anything could happen. Keep this talisman with you. It might save your life when you need it."
None of us knew what awaited inside. A vengeful ghost that had accumulated thirty years of resentment—who could predict what it was capable of?
Clutching the talisman tightly, I followed the gentleman into the room.
We'd only been out for a quick meal, gone for less than half an hour, yet when we opened the door to re-enter, the entire apartment was shrouded in mist.
"Sir, do you feel cold?"
He shook his head.
"Then why is there mist inside?" I was only wearing a shirt and didn't feel cold, but how could mist form in just an hour?
"This is ghost mist." He handed me a pill. "Take this. Ghost mist carries an extreme yin energy. If you inhale too much of it, you could drop dead on the spot. This pill will counter the yin energy."
After swallowing the pill, I noticed that the faint chill I had felt when exposed to the mist disappeared.
"Ghost mist is formed by concentrated grievances of ghosts. The yin energy is overwhelming. If your body's yang energy weakens, the yin will dominate. Even if you don't die, you'll end up crippled."
Hearing this, I quickly controlled my breathing, trying to inhale as little of the mist as possible.
"Follow my steps. Don't fall behind. If you lose me, your survival will be on your own. This pill only lasts four to five hours. If you don't get out by then, you're doomed."
Gripping the corner of his clothes, I nodded hastily.
We circled the living room twice but found nothing other than the ghost mist.
"Sir, are you sure the female ghost will come today?"
The gentleman shot me an angry glare, clearly displeased with my question. After a sigh, he said, "Think about it. That woman had been trapped for over thirty years. Have you considered what the mastermind behind this might want? The day she was released, her lingering obsession drove her to find her son—and you witnessed it. Doesn't it all seem a bit too deliberate?"
I hadn't thought much about it before, but his words struck a chord. There did seem to be a strange pattern.
Before seeing her, I'd never been able to perceive ghosts. Even at the funeral home, I'd heard ghostly voices but never seen them.
Yet not only had I seen this long-haired ghost, I could see her features clearly.
"Are you saying someone is secretly targeting me? But why? I have no money, no talent—what could make me worth such effort to harm?"
As I spoke, I racked my brain to recall if I'd offended anyone. But I'd always lived cautiously, trying to avoid trouble. Who could I possibly have upset?
"Ever heard the phrase, 'A common man is innocent, but treasuring a jade can lead to guilt'?"
His words instantly reminded me of the jade pendant I wore around my neck. Could it be that this was what they were after?
"Sir, do you know who's targeting this jade? I'd gladly give it to them for free."
Ever since this pendant came into my life, it had brought me nothing but trouble—close brushes with death, and now an even larger scheme seemed to be unfolding.
"You've probably thought about giving it away before, haven't you? Did it work?"
His words made me recall how I once sold the pendant to a wealthy buyer. The very next day, it inexplicably reappeared in my pocket. Worse, the buyer's entire family met a gruesome end, and the case remained unsolved by the police.
"…"
Seeing my silence, the gentleman seemed to grasp the situation.
"This pendant chose you. From the moment it did, your life was destined to be extraordinary."
Extraordinary? I wanted no part of it.
"Do I really have no choice?"
This time, the gentleman didn't answer. Instead, his gaze turned to the table where two dolls had once sat. Now, they were gone.
"If the stand-ins have been taken, and there's ghost mist too, it means she has no memories of her life left."
The sudden seriousness in his expression filled me with unease.
"Sir, what do you mean?"
Pulling a talisman from his bag, he muttered something like "heaven clear, earth bright." His chant was so rapid that I couldn't catch all of it.
"Kid, earlier, she let you see her voluntarily. Now, she won't. This talisman will let you see her again. Go to the inner room and see if there's anything there that shouldn't be."
He wanted me to search alone, with a talisman that would let me see ghosts?
"What if she attacks me while I'm alone?"
Before I could finish, the gentleman had already rushed into the ghost mist. I tried to follow, but he vanished into the haze after a few turns.
Steeling myself, I repeated over and over, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." After about ten repetitions, I managed to numb my fear enough to take a deep breath and begin my search.
I couldn't help but notice how luxurious the apartment was—furnished with pieces I'd only ever dreamed of owning. Now, even standing among them, I still couldn't claim them as mine.
After searching the side bedroom, I hesitated at the main bedroom door. Just then, I felt something brush against my foot. Bending down, I caught a fleeting sensation of fur before whatever it was darted away.
My heart pounded as I stayed on high alert, scanning my surroundings.
As I approached the main bedroom, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. Perhaps Mr. Xu and the others hadn't closed it properly earlier. Whatever had brushed past me seemed to have run inside.
"Liu Cunxi, cowardly as you are, you'll have to face this eventually. Do you want to die?"