One Last Look

"An apple?"

Looking at the apple in her hand, Qin Liu looked somewhat surprised.

Ever since she had become a ghost, Qin Liu had not eaten anything.

After who knew how many years, she had almost forgotten what taste was.

And now, some pervert who had given her a pair of thigh-high stockings had handed her half an apple.

Qin Liu stared blankly at the apple in her hand. Finally, she tentatively took a bite.

With just that one bite, the crisp, familiar sweetness made her eyes widen involuntarily.

"It clearly tasted awful when I was alive..."

Qin Liu savored it slowly. By the time she finished, all that remained in her hand was an exceptionally clean apple core.

For Qin Liu, who had not eaten anything for who knew how long, an apple was already more than enough. Even Indian cuisine...

Never mind. Even a dog would shake its head at that stuff.

Only after she had finished it all did she reluctantly lick her fingers.

"Perhaps he really is a good person?"

Sitting on the bed, Qin Liu pondered.

Ever since she had been hit on the head by an apple, she seemed to have become the Newton of ghosts. Her thoughts had suddenly opened up.

"Although he's somewhat perverted and stupid, he doesn't seem to have any hostility. It's also possible that's because I didn't show any signs of being dangerous."

In Qin Liu's current impression, Liu Haoyu seemed like a clueless, reckless sort with no hint of seriousness.

But if, when she first encountered Liu Haoyu, she had developed murderous intent toward him or behaved in an extremely dangerous manner like the other Fierce Ghosts... then he really would have killed her.

Thinking of this, Qin Liu couldn't help feeling a wave of relief.

After all, even that terrifying white-clad Fierce Ghost from the reservoir had been subdued by him. A defenseless ghost like herself, capable only of creating useless illusions, truly stood no chance against Liu Haoyu, an exorcist who looked battle-hardened and unafraid of death.

"Perhaps I should try communicating with him."

In the end, Qin Liu mustered up some courage.

By the time Liu Haoyu returned to the haunted house, it was already six in the morning.

Looking at the faintly brightening sky outside, Liu Haoyu yawned.

After being exhausted all day, he entered the room and made a simple arrangement of a defensive formation.

Although the formation was useless against Qin Liu, and any wandering ghost entering this haunted house would have to endure a train ride through hell, there was no harm in being cautious.

However, the moment he lay down, he felt that, for some reason, his bed seemed to carry a faint fragrance.

The scent felt somewhat familiar, but Liu Haoyu was far too tired to remember what it was.

He didn't think much of it. After closing his eyes, he slowly drifted into dreamland.

In his dream, Liu Haoyu woke up once again.

This time, he found himself lying on a meadow.

Endless white fog surrounded him, making it impossible to see into the distance.

"Is Qin Liu behind this again?"

Liu Haoyu sighed.

But he was already used to it, so he didn't think too much about it and began surveying his surroundings.

The fog was so thick that Liu Haoyu had no way of determining where he was.

Even though he knew it was a dream, he still had to find a way to wake up.

Just as Liu Haoyu was observing his surroundings, a red figure appeared in the vast white mist.

He couldn't see its face, only a vague outline.

It noticed Liu Haoyu as well and extended a hand, pointing to the left.

Just like last time, the red figure seemed to be trying to lead Liu Haoyu somewhere.

Liu Haoyu didn't hesitate and immediately followed behind it.

In truth, this behavior was extremely dangerous. Following a Fierce Ghost's directions could very well lead him into a place of eternal damnation.

Under normal circumstances, turning around and leaving would have been the best choice.

But Liu Haoyu hadn't backed down last time, so of course he wasn't afraid this time either.

He followed closely behind the red figure as they gradually disappeared into the mist.

Until Liu Haoyu saw an extremely luxurious building emerge from the fog.

"This is... my house?"

Liu Haoyu looked puzzled. Why had the red figure brought him here?

But judging from its appearance, the haunted house had indeed been a mansion before it fell into disrepair.

If the haunted house in reality had looked like this, then forget five thousand—even with several more zeroes added, it might not have been possible to buy it.

The mansion's door slowly opened, and the red figure walked inside.

To figure out her intentions, Liu Haoyu entered the mansion as well.

However, after entering, he discovered that many of the mansion's passageways were shrouded in pitch-black fog.

Even the bright lights in the corridors could not illuminate it. The black fog seemed capable of absorbing light.

Even stranger, the black fog seemed to contain countless bloody eyes staring at him.

Yet when he looked closely, he found nothing inside the fog.

The situation was genuinely eerie. Feeling as though countless needles were pricking his back, Liu Haoyu cautiously observed his surroundings to prevent any monster from bursting out of the black fog. Following the route taken by the red figure, he continued forward.

He went up to the second floor, but as he looked at the path, Liu Haoyu finally realized where it led.

Wasn't this the way to the bedroom?

After going around in circles, where exactly was the red figure trying to take him?

Liu Haoyu continued forward, puzzled, only to discover that the red figure had already opened the bedroom door and entered.

To avoid being noticed, Liu Haoyu hid behind the door, carefully opening it a crack to observe what was happening inside.

Through the gap, he saw a girl sitting calmly on the bed in a room filled with brilliant reds and purples.

She gently removed the wedding dress from her body, leaving only a red-flowered undergarment.

Because his view was limited, Liu Haoyu could see only the girl's tiny feet and her fair, milk-white thighs.

Everything above them was blocked by the bed curtains.

Was this Qin Liu?

No way, right?

As a seasoned exorcist, Liu Haoyu naturally would not be seduced by such beauty.

His heart was as still as water, and his expression remained calm as he watched what was happening inside the room.

He even leaned forward slightly.

While Liu Haoyu was peeking in, the girl in the room somehow took out a pair of thigh-high stockings completely out of place in her era.

After hesitating for a while, she began slowly pulling them onto her slender, perfect feet bit by bit.

Once she had pulled them up to her thighs, the girl fastened the garter clasps to the stockings.

After putting them on, the girl raised her little feet forty degrees, seemingly admiring her own white ice cream.

The seemingly intentional yet unintentional gesture carried an overwhelming allure, making it impossible to pull away.

Liu Haoyu withdrew his gaze with righteous solemnity.

Was this supposed to be a test for a cadre?

What cadre could possibly withstand such a test?

Take another look.