Regret

"If you're going to take me, at least let me bring my luggage. If I go out like this, won't I starve to death on the road later?" I remembered my luggage and the box Grandma had taken from her bedroom.

"What time is it, and you're still thinking about these external possessions? Didn't you hear my sister say it's dangerous here!" Zhao He accused me angrily.

"You've already come all this way, why are you worried about a little time? Besides, it's daytime now. I've been here all night with this young lady. If you're afraid of dying, hurry up and run." I said with a smile.

"I'm afraid of dying? You..."

Zhao He laughed instead of getting angry and was about to retort when Zhao Qian waved him to a stop.

"Alright, brother. They just want to get their luggage. Since we're already here, we might as well burn some incense for Zhou Xian's spirit tablet. What do you think, Captain Huo?"

Although Zhao Qian was asking, with the abilities she had shown, even if she told Huo Dadong to leave now, he wouldn't.

"I also think this is better. Little Zhao is a sensible person and knows etiquette. Let them get their luggage and then leave," Huo Dadong said with a chuckle.

With the decision made, we immediately headed to Grandma's house.

After the Zhao siblings and Huo Dadong burned incense, I pointed to the locked leather suitcase and my previous luggage.

Zhao Qian had Zhao He help me carry the suitcase, while I carried my own travel bag on my back. The group left the house without encountering any trouble.

Yu Xiao Xue was still a second-year high school student, so most of her clothes were at school, and she didn't have much to take. When we got to her house, she just carried a schoolbag full of sweet potatoes, which made Zhao He laugh uncontrollably.

She originally wanted to take two sugarcanes, but she found she was still tied up and gave up.

Zhao Qian almost burst out laughing, her lips pressed together. Huo Dadong, seeing how obedient Yu Xiao Xue was, took it upon himself to cut the plastic ties, allowing Yu Xiao Xue to successfully cut two new sugarcanes.

Huo Dadong didn't dare to loosen my handcuffs, perhaps fearing I would escape immediately. But to do me a favor, he also let me move my hands from behind my back to the front before re-fastening them. I immediately felt looser and developed a slightly better impression of Huo Dadong.

Yu Xiao Xue hadn't eaten or slept all night, so she was tired and hungry. While we were walking, she started biting into a sugarcane.

She carefully peeled it and then brought it to feed me: "Tian Ge, you eat some too."

I looked at the sugarcane she had bitten, still covered in saliva, and it was already close to my lips. I immediately swallowed. Fortunately, I didn't let her go to work. Such a pure girl, I probably would be criticized for looking down on her, and then she would be sold off while people counted the money.

"You eat it. I'm not hungry yet. I ate some biscuits just now," I said sheepishly, glancing at Yu Xiao Xue.

"Oh, okay, then I'll eat it myself." Seeing that I wasn't eating, Yu Xiao Xue said glumly.

Seeing her actually start eating it herself, I suddenly regretted it in my heart: Xiao Xue, why didn't you ask me a few more times?

When we reached the entrance of the hamlet, Zhao Qian held the Feng Shui compass. The needle was still spinning wildly, but she was able to lead us towards areas with weaker spiritual energy along the way. When we passed Si Bridge and areas with heavy spiritual energy, Zhao He would burn incense and sprinkle paper money to clear the path.

Zhao He was quite sharp. Relying on his strong fate and abundant yang energy, he constantly walked ahead, truly worthy of being a professional assistant.

Zhao Qian should be a Feng Shui master, knowledgeable in yin and yang. Although I don't understand Taoist things, I can see that she is steady when faced with problems. She does have some skills.

This gave me some confidence about leaving Xiao Yi Hamlet. After all, I had planned to use the nurtured little ghosts to clear the path. Now that someone else was doing it, why not?

However, the road from Xiao Yi Hamlet to Kang Long Village had open woodlands and sheer cliffs, so it wasn't an easy path. Otherwise, cars would have been able to pass long ago.

Moreover, Grandma said that the Gate of Life here had become the Gate of Death. It was easy to enter, but perhaps not to leave.

We passed by a cemetery. Seeing that Zhang Yi Dan's body had not yet been buried, I felt a pang of sadness: "Zhang Yuan Yi is my brother. I don't want him to be left exposed in the wilderness. Can we bury him before we leave?"

Zhang Kaifu was still being carried by Huo Dadong. Huo Dadong, sweating profusely, frowned and said, "Young man, let me put it this way: it's not that I don't want to give you this face, but the system doesn't allow it. And I won't hide it from you, I came here to handle the missing person report for him. Now that he's dead, it's a major case. I can only promise you that I'll call for reinforcements as soon as we reach Kang Long Village, and they will come in to collect the body of your deceased brother."

"The dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences. Since Captain Huo has said so, you should listen to him," Zhao Qian comforted me.

I sighed. It seemed impossible to bury Zhang Yi Dan.

I could only take it one step at a time.

When we reached the edge of the open woodland, Zhao Qian's Feng Shui compass immediately started spinning wildly.

Sister Wife tugged at my clothes. I knew that once we entered this forest, something would be waiting for us, and we would encounter danger.

However, there was no other way out. The mountains were high on all four sides. Even if it was extremely dangerous, we had no choice but to push through.

Zhao Qian was a decisive woman. She immediately nodded and had Zhao He lead the way into the forest.

The forest was gloomy. Looking up at the sky, only dappled tree shadows were visible. It was as dark as dusk in the middle of the day.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Zhao Qian's hand holding the bronze Feng Shui compass began to tremble. We still hadn't gotten out of the forest. Logically, the compass should point the way, so it shouldn't be impossible to get out. Yet, it was so bizarre.

I knew we had encountered a ghost wall. I watched as Zhao Qian dealt with it.

"A ghost wall indeed!" Zhao Qian also understood. She immediately took out red cloth and white rice, set up an altar, and began a ritual by burning incense.

Zhao He helped her set up the altar, move paper money, and place offerings.

"Tian... Tian Ge... Look there..." Yu Xiao Xue leaned very close to me, gripping my hand and pointing with her lips towards a spot not far away.

I looked in the direction Yu Xiao Xue was pointing and my heart sank. A woman in red with long black hair stood in the forest, looking at us expressionlessly.

I swallowed, my heart pounding. Seeing a ghost in broad daylight, it must be extremely ferocious.

Zhao Qian and Zhao He didn't see it, and Huo Dadong was completely oblivious. He took the opportunity to put down Zhang Kaifu and rest.

The red-clothed female ghost's eyes were terrifyingly white. Her thin face was covered in knife wounds. I didn't know how she died like this, but I believed she suffered greatly before her death.

The female ghost stood in front of Huo Dadong, looking him up and down. After a while, she walked towards Yu Xiao Xue and me.

My heart was racing, but I pretended to look elsewhere. Yu Xiao Xue's legs were trembling, and she practically shrank into my arms.

Perhaps it's because I have heavy yin energy, but the female ghost's face was extremely close to mine. I could clearly see the terrifying bloody gashes on her face, yet I held my breath and forced myself not to make a sound.

Yu Xiao Xue had already squeezed her eyes shut in fear and huddled tightly in my arms, indirectly increasing my yang energy significantly.

Seeing that Sister Wife hadn't pulled me, I knew I wasn't in danger. Besides, Yu Xiao Xue was in my arms, her soft young body... this kind of touch, wasn't this the kind of romantic encounter one couldn't have every day?

After a while, seemingly finding me uninteresting, the female ghost turned and looked at the unconscious Zhang Kaifu.

Once she got close to Zhang Kaifu, the situation changed. Sister Wife began to tug hard at my clothes.

I immediately felt Sister Wife was playing favorites: you didn't pull me when the ghost was right in front of me, but now you're getting anxious when it's Zhang Kaifu's turn? I really wanted to see what would happen.

Zhang Kaifu had only had a wisp of his soul snatched away by the yin souls at the bottom of the river, driving him mad. He had only fainted now and would probably wake up after being exposed to the sun for an hour or so. Although he would definitely never be a normal person again.

But judging by the female ghost's posture, she was planning to possess him. A person's yang energy is strong, and it's impossible for a ghost to possess someone in broad daylight. The simplest method now, of course, would be to choose someone who was unconscious or asleep.

Zhao Qian and Zhao He, unaware that we had the Spirit Communication Talisman and could see malevolent spirits and fierce ghosts, were focused on their ritual and didn't notice.

"Gurgle... gurgle."

Zhang Kaifu made a strange sound, and his bound hands twitched. This instantly alerted Huo Dadong, who walked over to check on Zhang Kaifu's condition.

But as soon as Huo Dadong stood up, Zhang Kaifu struggled violently, trying to wrench his hands free from the handcuffs. On the first, second, and third attempts, a terrifying bloody gash appeared.

Zhao Qian was stunned, and Huo Dadong was also bewildered. Could a person be this cruel to himself?

Crack!

Zhang Kaifu's palm fell to the ground with a snap! Blood spurted out instantly!

"Ah!" Yu Xiao Xue cried out, closing her eyes in fright.

Huo Dadong's eyes widened; this was beyond his imagination.

Zhao He was dumbfounded, and I was dumbfounded too. This female ghost was ruthless. I thought she was just going to possess him, and under the restraint of the handcuffs, she wouldn't be able to do anything to us. I never expected her to break his hand directly.

"Gasp... gasp..." Zhang Kaifu panted, exhaling clouds of white mist. His body twisted unnaturally like a pretzel, and the sound of his bones cracking made the rest of us's hair stand on end. Then he returned to his human form, but his eyes had rolled back, showing only white.

I knew Zhang Kaifu was dead. This was no ordinary ghost possessing someone.

Zhang Kaifu lunged towards Huo Dadong beside him!

Huo Dadong was still stunned, but seeing how Zhang Kaifu had twisted like a pretzel, he wouldn't believe he was alive no matter what. He decisively drew his gun, cocked it, aimed, and fired with a bang!

The shot hit Zhang Kaifu's chest, making him stagger back a step under the projectile's force.

As expected of the criminal police captain, Huo Dadong's movements could be described as fluid and natural. However, Zhang Kaifu was no longer human. Even with a hole in his chest, it only ignited his ferocity!

After instantly tackling Huo Dadong, he bit off a piece of flesh from his neck!

Blood gushed out like an opened floodgate, splattering Zhang Kaifu's face and adding to his demonic appearance!

Zhao He reacted, picked up a board used to weigh down the table, and rushed over. Smack! Smack!

This time, Zhao He had experience. With two swift blows, he smashed Zhang Kaifu's head open, splattering red and white brain matter all over his face and body.

The gruesome scene terrified the two women, Zhao Qian and Yu Xiao Xue.

Zhang Kaifu, with his skull crushed, turned his head, his blood-stained teeth revealing a sinister smile.

I trembled. Even this didn't kill Zhang Kaifu. It seemed the female ghost wouldn't rest until one side was utterly destroyed. I, who had caused this situation out of anger, now felt immense regret.