Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Holiday Resort: An Uneasy Barbecue

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After the frightening incident involving the Demon Fetus, Leon abruptly emerges from hiding and proposes a vacation to help everyone relax.
• He promotes a holiday resort in Sai Kung, emphasizing his fifty-percent discount and the complimentary premium charcoal included with the booking.
• Although Uncle Feng initially objects because the group still has reports to complete, Li Dan supports the idea, believing they need a break after working all night. The others agree.
• As they prepare to leave, Li Dan notices that the resort’s promotional flyer carries an unnatural burnt-charcoal smell and senses a deep, poisonous resentment beneath its cheerful appearance.
• He recognizes the location as connected to the classic horror story of a charcoal-burning suicide, in which young people staying at a holiday cottage become trapped in suspicion, curses, and murder by a vengeful female ghost.
• The group travels to Sai Kung and arrives at the aging row of holiday cottages, with Leon enthusiastically praising their retro style and soundproofing.
• The chapter ends as Li Dan surveys the resort, aware that their supposedly relaxing barbecue is likely to become dangerous.

2. Character Developments

• Li Dan remains calm and perceptive. Rather than being disturbed by the previous night’s events, he welcomes the opportunity to investigate the supernatural danger he senses at the resort.
• Leon provides comic relief through his bizarre medical claims, damaged sunglasses, and relentless enthusiasm. His discount coupon and charcoal unintentionally—or perhaps suspiciously—lead the group toward the haunted location.
• Uncle Feng acts cautiously and responsibly, worrying about unfinished police work, but ultimately yields to Li Dan’s judgment.
• Jin Maiji and Meng Chao show how quickly fear can turn into excitement; after nearly panicking, Meng Chao becomes openly thrilled about the trip.
• The group as a whole shifts from exhaustion and tension after the Demon Fetus case to temporary optimism, unaware—or only partly aware—that they are entering another supernatural ordeal.

3. Significant Themes

• False relaxation and hidden danger: The cheerful resort advertisement contrasts sharply with the resentment and death Li Dan senses beneath it.
• The persistence of supernatural evil: Even after one case is resolved, another haunting appears to be waiting for the characters.
• Humor amid horror: Leon’s absurd behavior and the group’s casual vacation planning lighten the mood while making the coming danger more unsettling.
• Foreshadowing and fate: The charcoal, the burnt smell, and the reference to a past suicide strongly suggest that the group is being drawn into a predetermined horror scenario.
• The contrast between appearances and reality: The resort is advertised as peaceful and romantic, but its true atmosphere is associated with curses, isolation, and murder.

4. Character Interactions

• Leon interrupts the tense group with his flyers and forces everyone to consider his vacation plan.
• Li Dan persuades Uncle Feng to accept the trip, using the group’s exhaustion and need for rest as justification.
• Jin Maiji and Meng Chao react with disbelief at the sudden change from terror to vacation planning, while Meng Chao soon becomes enthusiastic.
• Leon’s excitement clashes with Li Dan’s quiet supernatural awareness: Leon sees a fun barbecue destination, while Li Dan recognizes the signs of a haunted site.
• The chapter closes with the group united at the resort, but with Li Dan privately anticipating that the trip will not be peaceful.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Leon and his companions arrive at a remote seaside vacation house surrounded by barren hills and abandoned, weed-filled cottages.
• The house Leon booked appears unusually desolate and oppressive, with sealed windows, peeling paint, stagnant air, and an atmosphere suggestive of death.
• Uncle Feng senses the lingering smell of old corpses and decayed yin energy, suggesting that something tragic may have occurred inside.
• Despite the ominous setting, Jin Maiji and Meng Chao begin preparing a barbecue, while Li Dan calmly insists that they eat first and deal with any supernatural threat afterward.
• Uncle Feng meditates in preparation for danger, and Leon heads to the beach to wrap a stranded jellyfish in plastic, treating it as an amusing experiment.
• Meanwhile, a neighboring group of college students holds a social gathering. Their leader, PJ, tells them a ghost story about a couple who allegedly committed suicide by sealing themselves inside the house and burning charcoal.
• Seeking to impress the others and prove his bravery, PJ finds the old charcoal and places it in the fireplace, threatening to light it and summon the rumored female ghost.
• The chapter ends as the students appear ready to recreate or awaken the conditions surrounding the earlier deaths.

2. Character Developments

• Uncle Feng demonstrates his experience with corpses and supernatural energy by immediately detecting the house’s abnormal atmosphere. His caution contrasts with the others’ casual behavior.
• Li Dan remains composed and pragmatic, showing no fear of the possible haunting and prioritizing food before confronting danger.
• Leon continues to behave unpredictably and humorously, focusing on the jellyfish rather than the ominous house.
• Jin Maiji and Meng Chao provide a more ordinary, lighthearted response to the setting, dismissing or joking about the supernatural implications.
• PJ is characterized as boastful and reckless. His desire to impress the girls leads him to take a potentially dangerous action by using the old charcoal.
• May and the other students represent curious but skeptical young people whose disbelief may make them vulnerable to the haunting.

3. Significant Themes

• The contrast between ordinary leisure and hidden danger: A barbecue vacation takes place in a location marked by death and supernatural residue.
• Skepticism versus experience: The students dismiss ghosts, while Uncle Feng’s instincts and Li Dan’s awareness suggest that the danger is real.
• Recklessness and curiosity: PJ’s attempt to prove his courage may trigger the very phenomenon he claims not to believe in.
• Death lingering in physical spaces: The sealed house, old charcoal, stagnant air, and black aura imply that past trauma and death remain embedded in the environment.
• Humor amid horror: Leon’s absurd behavior and the group’s casual barbecue create comic relief while intensifying the unease of the setting.

4. Character Interactions

• Uncle Feng warns the group about the smell of death, but Jin Maiji dismisses his concerns as occupational paranoia, while Meng Chao nervously agrees with the joke.
• Li Dan’s calm decision to eat before investigating reassures the others and contrasts with Uncle Feng’s guarded vigilance.
• The companions divide naturally into different roles: Jin Maiji and Meng Chao prepare food, Uncle Feng meditates, Li Dan observes the ominous charcoal, and Leon pursues his bizarre jellyfish project.
• At the neighboring house, PJ performs for May and the other students, using the ghost story and the charcoal to display courage.
• The students’ teasing and disbelief encourage PJ’s reckless behavior, setting up a likely confrontation with the supernatural forces connected to the house.

Chapter Summary: “Face White as Paper”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A group in the neighboring villa burns unusual, pitch-black charcoal. It ignites instantly and releases ghostly blue smoke with a cloyingly sweet, suffocating odor.
• Uncle Feng recognizes the ritual as a dangerous attempt to transform yin energy into malevolence and use fire to restore a spirit. He warns that the young people are recklessly provoking a supernatural force.
• Li Dan identifies the ritual as both an act of resentment and bait, suggesting that the entity involved has awakened.
• Leon, unaware of the true danger, smells the smoke and jokingly approaches the neighboring villa under the pretense of a friendly “academic exchange.”
• Through the window, Leon sees a long-haired woman applying makeup. Her reflection, however, has an unnaturally wide grin and an evil, inhuman expression, while the woman herself remains unaware.
• Leon mocks the woman’s unnaturally pale makeup, joking that she looks like she has been taken from a morgue and should either change her foundation—or her face.
• The woman turns toward him with a paper-white face and nearly all-white eyes. Behind her, a charred figure in red emerges from the charcoal smoke, radiating intense heat and oppressive supernatural power.
• A terrifying scream erupts from the villa’s second floor. Uncle Feng’s Bagua Compass reacts violently and points toward the house, confirming that something supernatural has occurred.
• Li Dan observes a dense mass of resentment hanging over the villa and joins Uncle Feng to investigate the “Charcoal-Burning Malevolent Curse.”

Character Developments

• Uncle Feng demonstrates strong supernatural knowledge, immediately identifying the charcoal ritual and recognizing its deadly consequences. His caution contrasts with the younger people’s recklessness.
• Li Dan remains calm and analytical, interpreting the ritual as deliberate bait. His confidence and dark amusement suggest that he is prepared to confront whatever has awakened.
• Leon continues to behave flamboyantly and humorously even in a dangerous situation. His careless teasing draws the supernatural entity’s attention, making him a likely target.
• The pale-faced woman appears possessed or controlled, mechanically applying makeup while remaining unaware of the monstrous reflection and the entity emerging behind her.
• The charred red figure is revealed as the malevolent force connected to the ritual, apparently summoned or revived through the burning charcoal.

Significant Themes

• Reckless curiosity and courting death: The characters in the villa perform a ritual they do not understand, embodying the horror-story principle that foolish interference brings disaster.
• Appearance versus reality: The woman appears normal from behind, but her reflection reveals her supernatural corruption. Her makeup also symbolizes an attempt to conceal or reconstruct a horrifying truth.
• Resentment and spiritual awakening: The charcoal smoke transforms hidden yin energy into active malevolence, suggesting that accumulated hatred can manifest as a physical entity.
• Humor amid horror: Leon’s exaggerated jokes provide comic relief while also emphasizing his dangerous lack of awareness.
• Supernatural detection and preparation: Uncle Feng’s compass and Li Dan’s spiritual perception reveal forces invisible to ordinary people.

Character Interactions

• Uncle Feng and Li Dan discuss the ritual, with Feng reacting urgently while Li Dan calmly analyzes its purpose.
• Leon acts independently, approaching the villa and provoking the pale-faced woman with his makeup criticism.
• The supernatural entity’s appearance behind the woman creates a threatening confrontation with Leon, though he does not initially understand the danger.
• After the scream, Uncle Feng takes immediate action, and Li Dan follows him, united in investigating the curse despite their contrasting temperaments.

Summary

Plot points and events

A group of young people discovers a male student murdered in a second-floor bathroom. His throat has been stuffed with still-warm charcoal, and the gruesome scene causes panic. A student with dreadlocks accuses Glasses, the only person known to have entered the bathroom, but Glasses denies the accusation. Uncle Feng, identifying himself as a police officer, takes control of the scene. After examining the body, he determines that the corpse is unnaturally cold and filled with yin energy, concluding that the murder was committed by a supernatural entity possessing someone in the group.

Character developments

Fear turns the companions against one another, destroying their previous sense of trust. Uncle Feng emerges as an authoritative and rational figure, attempting to preserve order and investigate the death. Li Dan quietly uses his supernatural perception to identify May as the possessed person. Although May appears frightened and helpless, Li Dan sees that she is filled with intense resentment and secretly holding a fruit knife. May’s behavior reveals her murderous intent as she approaches Uncle Feng from behind.

Character interactions

The dreadlocked student openly accuses Glasses, escalating the group’s suspicion. Uncle Feng commands everyone to stay still and protect the crime scene, briefly restraining the panic. May silently targets Uncle Feng with the knife, while Li Dan observes without warning him. Instead, Li Dan summons Art, a black-and-white clown through a Ghost Card, to intervene.

Significant themes

The chapter explores paranoia, mistrust, and how quickly fear can transform friends into suspects. It also emphasizes the conflict between appearances and reality: May looks terrified but is actually possessed and preparing to kill, while the true supernatural threat remains hidden beneath the group’s panic. The scene introduces Li Dan’s calculated control over supernatural forces and builds suspense around the identity and power of the possessing entity.

Ending

Just as May is about to stab Uncle Feng, Art traps her in a surreal black-and-white world devoid of sound and color. She freezes under the clown’s overwhelming supernatural presence, leaving the immediate outcome—and the nature of the possession—unresolved.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Art confronts May while she is possessed by the Red-Clothed Female Ghost. His terrifying Black-and-White Ghost Domain and aura overwhelm the spirit, forcing it out of May’s body.
• May collapses unconscious as the Female Ghost attempts to flee, but Art’s domain traps it. Its illusion-like appearance is destroyed, revealing charred flesh and exposed bone.
• Cornered and desperate, the Female Ghost unleashes a deadly attack: eerie blue flames erupt throughout the vacation house, oxygen is drained, and the building becomes a sealed furnace filled with toxic smoke and the stench of corpses.
• Glasses begins choking, while the dreadlocked man unsuccessfully tries to escape through the sealed door. Uncle Feng attempts to use Evil-Repelling Talismans, but the supernatural flames render them useless.
• While Uncle Feng orders everyone to hold their breath, Li Dan remains unaffected. He calmly extinguishes the flames beneath his foot and confronts the Female Ghost directly.
• The Ghost attacks him, but Li Dan catches her by the neck with ease. He then produces black-and-red flames that engulf her, using the resentment accumulated over decades as fuel.

Character developments

• Art demonstrates overwhelming supernatural power by crushing the Female Ghost’s resentment and imprisoning her within his domain.
• The Red-Clothed Female Ghost shifts from predator to desperate victim. Once expelled from May, she reveals her horrific true form and resorts to indiscriminate fire and suffocation.
• Li Dan displays extraordinary composure and physical dominance. He is immune to the Ghost’s environmental attack and treats her final assault as an opportunity to punish her.
• Uncle Feng remains resourceful and protective, attempting to use talismans and giving survival instructions, though even his methods are neutralized.
• May is freed from possession but rendered unconscious.
• Glasses and the dreadlocked man are shown to be vulnerable, emphasizing the danger faced by the ordinary humans trapped in the house.

Significant themes

• Overwhelming power versus accumulated resentment: The Ghost’s decades of hatred are meaningless against Art and Li Dan’s superior supernatural strength.
• Predators becoming prey: The Female Ghost initially terrorizes the group, but once cornered, she becomes the one desperately trying to survive.
• Fire as destruction and fuel: The Ghost weaponizes flames to kill the living, but Li Dan reverses the symbolism by burning her resentment as fuel.
• Human helplessness in supernatural crises: The trapped characters’ failed escape and ineffective talismans highlight the limits of ordinary survival methods.

Character interactions

• Art’s presence drives the Female Ghost out of May and traps her.
• Li Dan watches the Ghost’s attempted escape with confidence, then directly challenges and captures her.
• Uncle Feng tries to protect the group and counter the fire, but must instead instruct everyone to conserve oxygen.
• The Female Ghost attacks the entire group indiscriminately before focusing on Li Dan, who overwhelms and burns her.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dan defeats the Female Ghost by using a sinister Demon Fire that completely burns away her murderous aura and reduces her body to ash.
• He captures the ghost’s remaining spirit inside a black playing card, which now depicts the woman trapped in a burning charcoal room.
• The survivors—May, Glasses, and the dreadlocked man—recover after nearly suffocating. May breaks down crying, while the others express awe and gratitude toward Li Dan.
• Uncle Feng contacts headquarters and takes Li Dan to Kowloon Police Station to complete the official procedures surrounding the death.
• At the station, Uncle Feng and Li Dan encounter Huang Yaozu, a disheveled, alcoholic member of the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, and his nervous new partner, Li Guoqiang.
• Li Guoqiang is haunted by a recent encounter with a long-haired, footless woman at a swimming pool. He apparently fired numerous shots at her but remains unsure how to process what he saw.
• As Uncle Feng and Li Dan leave, Huang Yaozu loudly reminds Li Guoqiang that the department has “only one rule” for handling cases. The chapter ends before the rule is stated, with Huang silencing Li Guoqiang’s frightened insistence that the ghost was real.

Character Developments

• Li Dan: Demonstrates overwhelming supernatural power and a ruthless, unconventional method of dealing with ghosts. His use of Demon Fire suggests he possesses an inherently dangerous or “evil” force, but he uses it to protect others. He remains detached and irritated by the survivors’ gratitude.
• Uncle Feng / Lin Feng: Becomes increasingly wary and conflicted about Li Dan after witnessing the unmistakably evil nature of his flames. However, he chooses not to question him, implying caution and perhaps reluctant acceptance.
• Huang Yaozu: Introduced as cynical, undisciplined, and heavily dependent on alcohol, yet clearly experienced in supernatural affairs. Despite his shabby appearance and abrasive manner, he seems responsible for guiding inexperienced agents.
• Li Guoqiang: Presented as a traumatized rookie struggling to accept the existence of ghosts. His fear and confusion establish him as inexperienced and psychologically vulnerable.
• The survivors: Their terror shifts into reverence toward Li Dan, emphasizing the gap between his attitude toward supernatural violence and ordinary people’s helplessness.

Significant Themes

• Good and evil as ambiguous forces: Li Dan’s “evil” flame destroys a vicious ghost, complicating the idea that supernatural evil is always opposed to human good.
• Trauma and denial: Li Guoqiang’s inability to openly discuss the footless woman reflects the psychological strain of encountering the supernatural.
• Bureaucracy surrounding the supernatural: Even after a ghost causes a death, the incident must be processed through police procedures, showing how the extraordinary is managed through ordinary institutions.
• Isolation and neglect: Huang’s description of the department’s windowless basement suggests that supernatural investigators are marginalized and ignored by the larger police organization.
• Rules and secrecy: The repeated emphasis on the department’s single rule hints at a strict survival principle governing how its agents must interpret or report supernatural cases.

Character Interactions

• The survivors thank Li Dan, but he dismisses them coldly, reinforcing his emotionally distant personality.
• Uncle Feng observes Li Dan’s power with suspicion but refrains from confronting him.
• Huang Yaozu and Uncle Feng exchange familiar but antagonistic remarks, revealing professional rivalry and Huang’s contempt for bureaucracy.
• Huang introduces Li Guoqiang as a rookie and then reprimands him for speaking about the ghost he encountered.
• The final confrontation between Huang and Li Guoqiang highlights the department’s harsh culture: supernatural experiences may be real, but discussing them incorrectly—or refusing to follow the department’s rule—can have consequences.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Huang Yaozu, an alcoholic officer in the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, aggressively insists that ghosts do not exist while berating Li Guoqiang.
• Li Dan recognizes Huang’s words as the central denial from The First Commandment and understands that Huang is using self-deception and alcohol to cope with terrifying supernatural cases.
• Li Dan exposes Huang’s hypocrisy by pointing out the anti-evil inscription on his flask and the burned talisman inside it—proof that Huang does believe in ghosts.
• Huang instantly drops his drunken façade, becomes alert, and reaches for his pistol, suspecting Li Dan may be an insider familiar with the supernatural.
• Uncle Feng intervenes, assuring Huang that they are allies and that Li Dan can help.
• Huang brings the group to the department’s basement office, where he presents case files and videotapes for them to examine.

Character developments

• Li Dan demonstrates sharp observation, confidence, and knowledge of supernatural phenomena. His deliberate provocation allows him to see through Huang’s defensive act.
• Huang Yaozu is revealed as frightened and psychologically exhausted rather than merely incompetent or drunk. His denial of ghosts masks his inability to confront the entities he has encountered.
• Uncle Feng acts as a mediator, preventing the confrontation from becoming violent and establishing trust between Li Dan and Huang.
• Li Guoqiang remains intimidated by Huang but becomes visibly shocked when Li Dan exposes the truth.

Significant themes

• Denial as psychological survival: Huang rejects the existence of ghosts because acknowledging them would mean facing threats he feels powerless to defeat.
• Appearance versus reality: Huang’s drunken, unstable persona conceals a vigilant and experienced officer.
• The supernatural hidden beneath ordinary institutions: The police station appears routine, but its basement houses a department devoted to unexplained and paranormal cases.
• Knowledge as power: Li Dan’s familiarity with supernatural practices immediately changes how Huang perceives him.

Character interactions

• Huang humiliates and intimidates Li Guoqiang while the other officers deliberately ignore the outburst.
• Li Dan returns to challenge Huang directly, using the flask and talisman to dismantle his denial.
• Huang responds with suspicion and briefly threatens violence, but Uncle Feng restrains him and vouches for Li Dan.
• The chapter ends with Huang accepting the group as potential allies and inviting them to investigate the department’s cases.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Kowloon has experienced six seemingly motiveless murders in two weeks. Each killer—ranging from civilians and students to police officers—either commits suicide or loses their sanity afterward.
• Surveillance reveals that every killer was patted on the shoulder by an unidentified stranger shortly before the incident.
• The police conclude that an invisible, bodiless Evil Spirit is transferring itself through physical contact, taking over ordinary people and forcing them to kill.
• The possessed individuals cannot resist the entity and are left dead or mentally broken. Li Guoqiang, a new police partner, is traumatized after witnessing a possession and being unable to stop it.
• Uncle Feng explains that the ghost’s lack of a fixed host makes it impossible to locate directly with Daoist techniques. He proposes using a Qi-Seeking Formation and luring the ghost into the station.
• Li Dan volunteers to act as bait, reasoning that the spirit will be drawn to his unusually powerful and physically perfect body.
• At the police station lobby, Uncle Feng secretly prepares a trap using glutinous rice soaked in black dog blood around the pillars.
• Li Dan sits openly among the public, exposing his vitality and spiritual power so that the ghost will view him as an ideal vessel.

2. Character Developments

• Li Dan remains calm and confident despite the danger. His willingness to offer himself as bait demonstrates both his courage and his trust in his own abilities.
• Huang Yaozu is shown as frustrated and overwhelmed by the seemingly unstoppable murders, but he cooperates with Li Dan’s plan.
• Li Guoqiang suffers severe psychological trauma after witnessing possession, emphasizing the terrifying nature of the ghost’s power.
• Uncle Feng acts as the cautious expert, recognizing the limits of Daoist arts and designing a practical method to expose and trap the spirit.
• Leon provides comic relief through his bizarre behavior and inappropriate reassurance, though he also appears confident that he can restrain the ghost once it manifests.

3. Significant Themes

• Fear of invisible threats: The ghost’s ability to hide among ordinary people and transfer through a simple touch creates paranoia and helplessness.
• Sacrifice and courage: Li Dan deliberately places himself in danger to protect the public and solve the case.
• Power versus vulnerability: Although the ghost is not physically strong, its possession ability makes it extremely dangerous to ordinary people. Spiritual strength offers some protection.
• Order confronting chaos: The police and Daoists must combine investigation, supernatural knowledge, and strategy to counter an enemy that cannot be directly seen.
• Humor amid horror: Leon’s absurd comments and behavior contrast with the grim murders, relieving tension while highlighting how unusual the supernatural team is.

4. Character Interactions

• Huang Yaozu briefs Li Dan and Uncle Feng on the murders and the ghost’s method of possession.
• Li Guoqiang describes his terrifying encounter, revealing his trauma to the group.
• Leon casually pats Li Guoqiang on the shoulder while offering him chocolate, unintentionally frightening him further and echoing the ghost’s method of attack.
• Uncle Feng rejects Leon’s joking attitude and explains the supernatural problem, then works with Li Dan to prepare the trap.
• Li Dan takes command of the situation by volunteering as bait, while Huang Yaozu and Uncle Feng react with concern over the danger.
• The chapter ends with Li Dan deliberately presenting himself as an irresistible target, setting up the ghost’s expected attack.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• Huang Yaozu and Li Guoqiang hide in the police station’s monitoring room while Uncle Feng guards the lobby with a Peachwood Sword.
• After half an hour, a delivery rider enters. The glutinous rice placed in the lobby immediately burns black, signaling the presence of the evil ghost.
• The rider, apparently possessed, ignores everyone and heads toward the restrooms. When Li Guoqiang appears, the ghost recognizes him and attempts to attack.
• Just before the ghost can touch Li Guoqiang, Li Dan intervenes and grabs the rider’s hand.
• Li Dan deliberately allows the ghost to possess him, crushing the rider’s palm and taunting the spirit: “This body is yours. Let’s see if you can handle it.”
• The ghost’s soul enters Li Dan’s body, while the delivery rider collapses.
• Huang Yaozu assumes Li Dan has been possessed and prepares to shoot him, fearing he will become a murderous monster.
• Uncle Feng stops Huang, realizing that Li Dan remains calm and fully conscious. The chapter ends with the ghost inside Li Dan’s body feeling ecstatic because it believes it has found an exceptionally powerful host.

Character developments

• Li Dan displays confidence, fearlessness, and deliberate control. Rather than resisting possession, he turns it into a trap for the ghost, suggesting he has a plan or unusual ability.
• Li Guoqiang remains deeply traumatized by the ghost’s pursuit and is nearly paralyzed with fear when he recognizes it.
• Huang Yaozu acts decisively and ruthlessly, willing to kill Li Dan immediately to prevent another possession-related massacre, but his judgment is challenged.
• Uncle Feng remains vigilant and experienced, quickly identifying that Li Dan has not been mentally overtaken and preventing an unnecessary shooting.
• The evil ghost becomes overconfident, believing Li Dan’s body is an ideal vessel, unaware that it may have fallen into a trap.

Significant themes

• Possession and control: The chapter reverses the usual power dynamic, suggesting that the supposed victim may control or exploit the possessing spirit.
• Appearance versus reality: Although Li Dan is physically possessed, his behavior shows that possession may not mean loss of identity or agency.
• Fear and trust: Huang Yaozu’s instinct is to eliminate Li Dan, while Uncle Feng recognizes the subtle evidence that he is still himself.
• Overconfidence and hidden strength: The ghost’s delight at finding a “perfect” body hints that its confidence may lead to its downfall.

Character interactions

• The ghost targets Li Guoqiang, reinforcing their hostile history.
• Li Dan physically shields Li Guoqiang and confronts the ghost directly.
• Huang Yaozu and Uncle Feng clash over whether Li Dan must be killed.
• Li Dan and the ghost engage in a silent battle of wills, with Li Dan’s taunt establishing the chapter’s central reversal.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• An evil possession ghost attempts to seize control of Li Dan’s exceptionally powerful body, expecting to find a vulnerable human soul.
• Instead, it discovers that Li Dan’s inner world is an abyss-like realm filled with terrifying entities: a Hell Wendigo, a chainsaw-wielding killer, Soul Severing Clown, Mary Shaw, and Annabelle.
• Li Dan appears above the realm and declares, “Welcome to my Hell,” revealing that the ghost has entered a sealed and inescapable spiritual prison.
• The ghost panics and tries to escape but is trapped. In the physical world, Li Dan forcibly expels it from his body by vomiting out a mass of black mist.
• The ghost manifests as a weakened phantom in the police station. Li Dan uses a black playing card and the command “Collect” to capture and seal it inside the card.

Character Developments

• Li Dan is established as far more powerful and frightening than the possession ghost anticipated. His body is not merely a strong vessel but a gateway to a supernatural “Hell” under his control.
• The evil ghost, initially arrogant and confident in its ability to possess others, becomes completely terrified and helpless once it encounters Li Dan’s inner realm.
• Huang Yaozu and Uncle Feng shift from concern to shock as they witness Li Dan expel and capture the ghost.
• The various horror entities within Li Dan’s soul are presented as his intimidating supernatural forces or guardians.

Significant Themes

• Power reversal: The would-be predator becomes the trapped victim.
• Fear of the unknown: The ghost’s terror comes from discovering that Li Dan’s mind and body defy its understanding of humanity.
• Control and containment: Li Dan demonstrates absolute authority over both his inner realm and the supernatural beings he confronts.
• Appearance versus reality: Although Li Dan appears human, his body conceals an abyss filled with monstrous power.

Character Interactions

• The possession ghost directly confronts the monstrous entities within Li Dan and is intimidated by each one.
• Li Dan psychologically dominates the ghost by speaking to it from above and presenting his body as a personal Hell.
• In the police station, Huang Yaozu and Uncle Feng observe helplessly while Li Dan expels the ghost.
• Li Dan then interacts with the weakened phantom through his black playing card, sealing it with a simple command and confirming his control over the situation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dan successfully destroys the ghost in the underground office, reducing it to black mist and proving that it has been completely eliminated.
• Huang Yaozu is shaken by the event because it disproves his long-held belief that ghosts are the only supernatural beings in the world. He realizes that people like Li Dan and Uncle Feng can overpower ghosts with ease.
• After the ghost is dealt with, Li Dan checks on Li Guoqiang. Leon makes a joke about the ghost being “autistic” and claims it was frightened away without needing chocolate.
• Li Dan asks Uncle Feng whether the Miscellaneous Affairs Department has any other difficult cases. Huang Yaozu presents him with a sealed case file as repayment for saving his life.
• The file concerns a remote mountain residence in the New Territories, where developers excavated an old site and broke several clay jars covered in sealing runes.
• Crime-scene photographs show livestock carcasses with their organs removed and flesh stripped from their bones, suggesting that a dangerous supernatural creature has been released.
• Huang Yaozu explains that the site once belonged to Marshal Xu, a notoriously cruel late-Qing warlord. His pregnant fourth concubine was subjected to an evil technique and gave birth to four monstrous infants known as Man-Eating Fetuses.
• The infants fed on living animals and eventually killed and devoured the midwife. A Mount Mao master sealed them in clay jars soaked in black dog blood and buried them beneath the residence in a place of extreme yin energy.
• The developers’ excavation shattered the jars, likely releasing the fetuses. Uncle Feng concludes ominously that once a Man-Eating Fetus breaks its seal, it must drink the blood of the living.

Character Developments

• Li Dan is established as calm, confident, and extraordinarily powerful. He treats the destruction of the ghost as routine and immediately looks for a more challenging supernatural case.
• Huang Yaozu undergoes a major shift in worldview. His skepticism and dependence on the “First Commandment” collapse after witnessing Li Dan destroy the ghost. He becomes indebted to and respectful of Li Dan.
• Uncle Feng continues to act as an experienced supernatural expert. He identifies the sealing formation and recognizes the historical and occult significance of the site.
• Li Guoqiang remains grateful to Li Dan for saving him and reacts with horror to the evidence in the case file.
• Leon provides comic relief through his irreverent comments and repeated use of chocolate, contrasting with the increasingly grim supernatural revelations.

Significant Themes

• The limits of human understanding: Huang Yaozu’s beliefs are shattered when reality proves far stranger than he assumed.
• Power and expertise: Li Dan’s effortless victory demonstrates the gap between ordinary investigators and highly capable supernatural practitioners.
• Consequences of greed and reckless development: Developers disturb a forbidden burial site in pursuit of profit, releasing an ancient horror.
• The persistence of evil: The cruelty of Marshal Xu’s household and the monstrous births show how violence, corruption, and occult practices can create lasting supernatural threats.
• Humor amid horror: Leon’s jokes and chocolate gag provide brief comic relief against the disturbing imagery of mutilated animals and man-eating infants.

Character Interactions

• Uncle Feng reassures Huang Yaozu after the ghost’s destruction and confirms that the entity is truly gone.
• Li Dan calmly reinforces the same point, helping Huang accept what he has witnessed.
• Leon teases Li Guoqiang and jokes about the ghost while giving him chocolate.
• Li Dan asks Uncle Feng about additional cases, signaling his willingness to take on greater supernatural dangers.
• Huang Yaozu offers Li Dan the Man-Eating Fetus case as repayment, creating a new alliance based on gratitude and mutual reliance.
• Uncle Feng and Huang Yaozu together explain the history of the sealed fetuses, while Li Guoqiang reacts with disgust and alarm.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Huang Yaozu explains a series of gruesome incidents: poultry dying, construction-site guards disappearing, and three pregnant women being abducted and violently killed. The victims’ bodies showed tiny bite marks, suggesting attacks by infant-sized creatures.
• Li Dan identifies the killings as the work of Demon Infants that consume living creatures and drain their vital essence.
• Li Dan, Uncle Feng, Leon, and Li Guoqiang travel to an abandoned Qing-era mansion in the New Territories, believed to be the source of the attacks.
• Inside the overgrown courtyard, they discover the mummified corpse of a missing security guard. His blood and vital energy have been completely drained through multiple bite wounds.
• Uncle Feng uses his compass to locate the concentrated baleful aura in the mansion’s main hall.
• In the dark hall, the group encounters four Man-Eating Evil Infants clinging to the rafters. The grotesque creatures resemble diseased, deformed babies with monkey-like bodies, fangs, boils, and corrosive saliva.
• Leon deliberately taunts the creatures with imported cat treats. The largest infant attacks him, and Leon counters by swinging his metal folding chair. The excerpt ends at the moment of impact.

2. Character Developments

• Li Dan remains calm and analytical, quickly recognizing the supernatural nature of the killings and confidently deciding to investigate.
• Uncle Feng acts as the cautious spiritual expert, preparing ritual equipment and using his compass to track the evil aura.
• Leon is portrayed as eccentric, fearless, and comically irreverent. He jokes about the corpse, leaves it chocolate for the afterlife, and treats the Demon Infants like stray cats, yet his deliberate provocation reveals confidence in his combat abilities.
• Li Guoqiang reacts with fear to the horrifying reports, emphasizing the seriousness of the threat compared with the others’ composure.

3. Significant Themes

• Traditional folk horror: The chapter draws on Chinese supernatural beliefs, baleful energy, ritual weapons, and an abandoned Qing-era mansion.
• Corruption and grotesque innocence: The infants’ baby-like appearance contrasts with their predatory behavior, turning a symbol of innocence into one of horror.
• Life-force consumption: The repeated draining of blood and vital essence reinforces the creatures’ unnatural hunger and the cost of supernatural evil.
• Humor amid horror: Leon’s jokes and bizarre behavior provide comic relief without reducing the danger, creating a tone that blends horror with action-comedy.
• Confronting hidden evil: The investigation moves from rumors and unexplained disappearances to a direct confrontation with the monsters responsible.

4. Character Interactions

• Huang Yaozu gives the group the information that motivates the investigation, while Li Guoqiang reacts visibly to the disturbing details.
• Li Dan and Uncle Feng work together: Li Dan identifies the supernatural pattern, and Uncle Feng uses his occult knowledge to locate the source.
• Leon repeatedly clashes with the solemn atmosphere through mockery and improvisation, irritating or amusing the others while taking the lead in provoking the enemies.
• The chapter culminates in Leon directly engaging the largest Evil Infant, setting up the group’s first battle with the creatures.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leon unexpectedly defeats the largest Man-Eating Fetus by striking it with a rusty folding chair, shocking Huang Yaozu, Li Guoqiang, and Uncle Feng. Uncle Feng views the act as absurdly unprofessional, while Leon jokingly calls it “physical salvation.”
• The fetus survives the attack and summons or reveals three smaller Evil Infants hidden around the ruined ancestral hall:
  • One hides behind a broken deity statue.
  • One hangs from a ceiling beam.
  • One lurks behind ancestral tablets.
• Leon attempts to placate the monsters by offering salmon-flavored cat treats, treating the ghost babies as if they were aggressive cats. Huang Yaozu criticizes his bizarre approach.
• The Evil Infant on the beam attacks Li Guoqiang. Li fires three shots but misses every time, damaging the wall and an ancestral portrait instead.
• Uncle Feng attacks another infant with his Copper Coin Sword. Although the strike lands, the sword begins turning black, revealing the creatures’ powerful and corrupting resentment.
• Uncle Feng realizes that the four apparitions are not independent ghosts but fragments of a single Man-Eating Fetus. Because their resentment is connected, destroying one will not eliminate the threat.
• At the chapter’s end, Li Dan’s Ghost Card reacts, suggesting that it may reveal information or become important in dealing with the connected spirits.

Character Developments

• Leon is established as eccentric, fearless, and unconventional. He relies on physical force, humor, and absurd logic rather than traditional exorcism methods, yet his methods can be surprisingly effective.
• Uncle Feng remains the experienced supernatural expert, but Leon’s success frustrates and humiliates him. He demonstrates his expertise by identifying the spiritual connection between the apparitions.
• Huang Yaozu acts as the practical, exasperated observer, repeatedly criticizing the others’ reckless behavior and providing comic reactions.
• Li Guoqiang is tense and inexperienced in supernatural combat. His panic causes him to waste ammunition and accidentally damage the hall.
• Li Dan remains quiet and observant, but the reaction of his Ghost Card hints that he may possess knowledge or abilities crucial to resolving the crisis.

Significant Themes

• Traditional expertise versus unconventional methods: Uncle Feng’s formal Daoist techniques contrast with Leon’s improvised use of a folding chair and cat treats.
• Absurdity amid danger: The chapter combines genuine horror with slapstick humor, especially through Leon’s casual treatment of deadly ghosts and Li Guoqiang’s panicked gunfire.
• The limits of brute force and conventional exorcism: Physical attacks and spiritual weapons prove only partially effective because the apparitions share one source of resentment.
• Hidden connections and supernatural structure: The four creatures’ linked existence suggests that defeating the threat will require understanding its origin rather than simply destroying individual manifestations.

Character Interactions

• Leon’s folding-chair attack directly challenges Uncle Feng’s authority and expertise.
• Huang Yaozu questions both Leon’s methods and Li Guoqiang’s poor marksmanship, serving as the group’s voice of reason.
• Leon tries to calm the Evil Infants with cat treats, prompting Huang Yaozu’s incredulous objections.
• Li Guoqiang’s attack draws criticism from Huang Yaozu and creates an opening for Uncle Feng to intervene.
• Uncle Feng’s failed sword strike reveals the true nature of the haunting and shifts the group’s understanding of the threat.
• Li Dan remains mostly detached from the chaos until his Ghost Card reacts, setting up the next development.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group enters a cramped underground chamber filled with blood-red strings, infant remains and belongings, bells, and occult decorations.
• At the center is a black earthen jar sealed with rotting talismans. Four blood-filled channels lead from the jar across the floor.
• Uncle Feng identifies the scene as deliberate black magic: unborn fetuses were sealed in the jar, infused with their mothers’ resentment, and nourished with human blood and other evil substances.
• The four evil infants that Leon previously fought crawl back to the altar. Upon reaching the blood channels, they melt into black-red liquid and flow into the jar.
• A grotesque monster emerges from the jar. It possesses four faces, tumors, trailing umbilical-like tubes, and corrosive pus, revealing itself as the true man-eating fetus created by the ritual.
• Uncle Feng identifies it as a Four Yin Gathering Sha and warns that it must not cry seven times. If it does, everyone in the ancestral hall will be recognized as its blood relatives and have their life force drained.
• The monster’s cries begin incapacitating the group, while Uncle Feng’s glutinous rice attack proves useless.
• Li Dan remains composed and devises a countermeasure: he releases the evil ghost previously captured at the police station and orders it to act as the fetus’s “father,” exploiting the creature’s blood-relative condition.

Character Developments

• Uncle Feng demonstrates expert knowledge of black magic and the monster’s weaknesses, but recognizes that ordinary exorcism tools are ineffective against it.
• Huang Yaozu maintains a grim, practical attitude, though even he is visibly disturbed by the ritual.
• Jin Maiji and Meng Chao respond to the danger with nervous humor, revealing their fear and their instinct to cope through jokes.
• Li Guoqiang is overwhelmed by the monster’s cries, showing the psychological and physical danger posed by the creature.
• Li Dan displays exceptional calm, confidence, and tactical intelligence. His willingness to weaponize a previously captured evil ghost highlights his unconventional methods and control over supernatural entities.

Significant Themes

• Corrupted birth and unnatural creation: The fetus is not naturally formed but manufactured through ritual abuse, resentment, and blood sacrifice.
• The consequences of black magic: The chamber reflects how human cruelty and occult practices transform vulnerable unborn lives into a collective monster.
• Fear versus composure: Most characters are paralyzed by terror, while Li Dan’s calmness allows him to think strategically.
• Manipulation of supernatural rules: Rather than confronting the monster directly, Li Dan exploits its need to identify “blood relatives.”
• Dark humor amid horror: The characters’ jokes and absurd comments contrast with the grotesque setting, relieving tension while emphasizing their desperation.

Character Interactions

• Uncle Feng explains the ritual’s nature to the others, while Huang Yaozu and the younger men react with alarm.
• Jin Maiji and Meng Chao exchange fearful jokes, prompting Huang Yaozu to reprimand them.
• The group collectively witnesses the four infants return to the altar and merge into the central monster.
• Uncle Feng attempts to protect everyone with glutinous rice and warns them about the seven cries.
• Li Dan takes command of the situation, releases the trembling evil ghost, and orders it to become the man-eating fetus’s “father,” setting up the chapter’s cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “Special Advisory Group of the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, Established!”

The Miscellaneous Affairs Department holds the first meeting of its newly formed Special Advisory Group in the cramped basement of Kowloon Police Station. The team includes Huang Yaozu, Li Dan, Uncle Feng, Dr. Lam, Jin Maiji, Meng Chao, Li Guoqiang, and Leon. The atmosphere is chaotic and eccentric rather than professional: Leon decorates the meeting’s whiteboard with a childish ghost drawing and the slogan, “Catch ghosts by catching hearts. Be happy as a person.”
Huang Yaozu attempts to impose order by establishing three rules for handling supernatural cases: no one is to act alone, no one is to shoot recklessly, and—aimed specifically at Leon—no one is to trust Leon’s suggestions. Leon protests that this is “professional discrimination,” claiming to be a senior psychiatric consultant, while Dr. Lam dryly suggests that Leon may genuinely qualify as one.
The group then discusses the supplies needed for supernatural operations. Uncle Feng lists talisman paper, cinnabar, black dog blood, and glutinous rice. Jin Maiji and Meng Chao respond with ridiculous alternatives such as dog food, black cat blood, or black sesame paste. Leon adds his own absurd suggestion, provoking Uncle Feng’s barely suppressed irritation and highlighting the team’s lack of seriousness.
Li Dan observes the group and judges it to be deeply unreliable: Huang is an overburdened superior, Li Guoqiang is traumatized, Jin and Meng are foolish rookies, Uncle Feng is rigidly traditional, Dr. Lam is excessively scientific, and Leon is mentally unstable. Nevertheless, the strange combination resembles a classic Hong Kong supernatural film and hints that the team may possess an unconventional kind of effectiveness.
The meeting is interrupted when an officer delivers three unusual supernatural case reports. Huang Yaozu is surprised and concerned because the department had received no such cases for an entire month, yet three have arrived simultaneously. The chapter ends as he begins reviewing the files, setting up the group’s first investigation.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Huang Yaozu takes on the role of frustrated leader, trying to establish discipline and safety procedures while managing the team’s eccentric personalities.
• Leon remains flamboyant, irreverent, and deliberately provocative. His bizarre humor clashes with Huang and Uncle Feng, though Dr. Lam treats his behavior with detached seriousness.
• Li Dan is increasingly recognized as a powerful supernatural figure. Jin Maiji and Meng Chao regard him with awe after witnessing his earlier feats.
• Li Guoqiang is visibly traumatized by the previous night’s supernatural encounter and becomes the target of Huang’s warning against reckless shooting.
• Uncle Feng represents orthodox supernatural practice and reacts with mounting frustration to the others’ ignorant or absurd questions.
• Dr. Lam acts as the rational, scientific observer, but his deadpan comments blur the line between science and acceptance of Leon’s eccentricity.
• Jin Maiji and Meng Chao provide comic relief through their naïve questions while revealing their inexperience.
• The team’s interactions emphasize the contrast between Li Dan’s quiet competence and the rest of the group’s disorder.

Significant Themes

• Order versus chaos: Huang tries to impose rules on a team whose members are unpredictable and incompatible.
• Science, superstition, and the supernatural: Dr. Lam’s scientific outlook exists alongside Uncle Feng’s Taoist methods and Li Dan’s proven supernatural abilities.
• The reluctant or dysfunctional team: Despite appearing incompetent, the group has been assembled to handle threats ordinary police cannot address.
• Comic relief amid danger: The humor and absurdity soften the ominous supernatural premise while reinforcing the chapter’s Hong Kong horror-comedy tone.
• Foreshadowing: The sudden arrival of three strange cases suggests that supernatural activity is increasing and that the newly formed group will soon face a serious challenge.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Six young people—three men and three women—camp at night beside a desolate cemetery on an outlying Hong Kong island.
• After drinking, A-Ming suggests a reckless game: copying unusual tombstone inscriptions. The timid Fat Bo objects, but A-Hao and several others mock him and insist there is nothing supernatural to fear.
• A-Hao finds a damaged tombstone belonging to a woman named Li Sujuan. He copies the name and taunts the dead woman, inviting her to visit him that night.
• A sudden sinister wind blows through the cemetery, and A-Hao’s flashlight dies. When he calls for his companions, no one answers. In the darkness, an icy hand rests on his shoulder.
• Meanwhile, Li Dan’s group arrives on the island by an old diesel boat. Jin Maiji becomes seasick, while Leon humorously tries to dismiss the danger by declaring that ghosts are harmless.
• The more cautious members, particularly Li Guoqiang and Uncle Feng, recognize the island’s supernatural risk. Uncle Feng explains that the seaside cemetery gathers strong yin energy, making it easy for people to become lost and attracting dangerous spirits.
• The chapter ends with both groups facing the island’s supernatural threat: A-Hao appears to have encountered something in the cemetery, while Li Dan’s group prepares to investigate.

2. Character Developments

• A-Ming is established as the charismatic but irresponsible leader of the young campers, encouraging reckless behavior.
• A-Hao is even more arrogant and provocative. His mockery of the dead directly precedes the apparent supernatural incident.
• Fat Bo is portrayed as timid and perceptive, sensing that the cemetery is unsafe despite being ridiculed by the others.
• The long-haired girl also displays intuition and caution, repeatedly urging the group to stop.
• The red-dressed girl and the braces-wearing girl reinforce the group’s peer pressure by laughing at Fat Bo and dismissing the danger.
• Jin Maiji appears physically vulnerable and easily frightened, while Meng Chao tries to comfort him with teasing humor.
• Leon uses bravado and jokes to mask or reject fear.
• Li Guoqiang is alert and nervous, showing practical awareness of the danger.
• Uncle Feng acts as the knowledgeable supernatural guide, explaining the cemetery’s dangerous feng shui and warning everyone to remain together.

3. Significant Themes

• Recklessness versus caution: The young campers ignore warnings and treat a cemetery like a playground, while the investigators understand the consequences of disturbing the dead.
• Disrespect for the supernatural: A-Hao’s mockery of Li Sujuan suggests that arrogance and disrespect may provoke supernatural retaliation.
• Peer pressure: Fat Bo and the long-haired girl recognize the danger but are pressured into participating by more aggressive members of the group.
• The unknown and isolation: Darkness, fog, the sea, and the abandoned cemetery create an atmosphere where people can easily become separated and vulnerable.
• Humor as a defense against fear: Leon and Meng Chao use jokes and teasing to cope with the island’s ominous atmosphere, contrasting with the more serious warnings of Uncle Feng.
• Foreshadowing and supernatural escalation: The dying flashlight, unexplained silence, cold hand, and discussion of concentrated yin energy strongly imply that a ghostly encounter has begun.

4. Character Interactions

• A-Ming challenges the group to copy tombstone inscriptions, while A-Hao supports him and mocks Fat Bo’s fear.
• Fat Bo’s hesitation and the long-haired girl’s warnings are dismissed by the others, highlighting the group’s hostile peer pressure.
• A-Hao’s direct provocation of Li Sujuan appears to trigger the supernatural disturbance.
• On the pier, Meng Chao comforts Jin Maiji after he vomits, though Jin Maiji angrily rejects his teasing.
• Leon loudly jokes about ghosts, contrasting with Li Guoqiang’s anxiety and Uncle Feng’s serious explanation of the island’s spiritual danger.
• The chapter sets up a likely collision between the reckless campers and Li Dan’s more experienced group as both confront the cemetery’s haunting presence.

Summary

• A ghostly double-decker bus arrives in the cemetery, filled with pale, pupil-less passengers dressed in outdated clothing. Its paper-effigy conductor orders the living to board, signaling that their time has run out.
• When the conductor clicks its ticket puncher, the nearby Name-Replacement Stele activates. The names of A Hao, Jin Maiji, and Meng Chao glow red on its surface, but Li Guoqiang’s name has also mysteriously appeared.
• Jin Maiji panics because he insists he never copied a name or touched a pen. Meng Chao tries to calm him with a joking theory that the underworld is collecting an unpaid debt.
• Li Guoqiang, though frightened, shows significant growth. Instead of breaking down or firing his weapon, he remains composed and asks Li Dan for guidance, demonstrating the resilience he has developed through his work with the Miscellaneous Affairs Department.
• Uncle Feng identifies the danger as a forced soul-taking caused by the stele’s rules being corrupted. He explains that anyone in the area exposed to yin energy can have their name forcibly inscribed. He prepares a Righteous Yang Talisman to seal the stele and sever its connection to the supernatural energy.
• Before Uncle Feng can act, Leon attempts a reckless but humorous solution. Believing the stele may be unable to process too many names, he writes numerous real, fictional, nonexistent, and absurd names on a nearby rock, including “Ultraman,” “Spider-Man,” multiple versions of Huang Yaozu, and even a dog named Wangcai.
• Jin Maiji worries that writing Chief Huang’s name will cause serious consequences, while Leon believes Huang’s official status might make the underworld hesitate.
• Leon’s strategy unexpectedly affects the stele: it begins shaking, its red lights flicker erratically, and the paper conductor becomes confused when confronted with names such as “Huang Yaozu Number Two.” The supernatural system appears unable to handle the deliberately corrupted list.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Li Guoqiang displays newfound courage and discipline under pressure, seeking help rationally rather than panicking.
• Jin Maiji remains comic relief, reacting with terror and clinging to Meng Chao for reassurance.
• Meng Chao acts as a calming presence, though he uses humor to defuse Jin Maiji’s fear.
• Uncle Feng takes on the role of knowledgeable protector, diagnosing the stele’s corrupted rules and preparing a ritual countermeasure.
• Leon behaves provocatively and unpredictably, but his absurd improvisation may provide the group with an effective solution.
• The group’s contrasting responses—fear, professionalism, ritual expertise, and reckless humor—create both tension and comic relief.

Significant Themes

• Corrupted supernatural rules: The Name-Replacement Stele no longer follows its original conditions and can forcibly claim souls.
• Courage under supernatural pressure: Li Guoqiang’s restraint highlights personal growth.
• Bureaucratic absurdity: The ghost bus, ticket-punching conductor, name lists, and confused supernatural procedures resemble a malfunctioning official system.
• Exploiting loopholes: Leon challenges the stele by overwhelming it with false and excessive information, suggesting that even supernatural laws may be vulnerable to technicalities.
• Fear versus absurdity: The terrifying setting is repeatedly undercut by jokes and ridiculous names, making the danger both horrifying and darkly comedic.

Chapter Summary: “The Evil Infants Run Amok, Come Back and Nurse”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dan and Uncle Feng realize that the four Evil Infants are not the true source of the haunting. Their blackened, resentful power comes from a hidden underground Fetal Altar, which continually regenerates them through resentful blood.
• Jin Maiji and Meng Chao arrive to help, with Meng absurdly carrying a bag of diapers because he believes the ghost babies might be reformed or pacified.
• An Evil Infant immediately attacks Meng, causing him to panic and retreat behind Jin Maiji.
• Uncle Feng seals the doors and windows with talismans to prevent the Evil Infants from escaping. Huang Yaozu protects Li Guoqiang and orders everyone to use physical objects rather than guns, since firearms are ineffective.
• The main hall erupts into chaos as the group uses tables and chairs to defend themselves. Leon, however, pursues the largest Evil Infant with a deformed metal chair, frightening it into fleeing.
• Guided by the Ghost Card, Li Dan searches for the altar’s location and identifies the bronze incense burner as the source of the blood-and-resentment stench.
• Li Dan kicks over the massive incense burner, exposing a hidden, pitch-black passage beneath the shattered floor tiles.
• Four baby cries rise from the opening, followed by a woman’s eerie voice calling the Evil Infants back to “nurse.”
• The Evil Infants abruptly stop attacking and crawl toward the hole, revealing that they are controlled or summoned by something deeper underground. The chapter ends with Li Dan examining the Ghost Card as the group faces the true source of the supernatural threat.

Character Developments

• Li Dan demonstrates increased confidence and supernatural awareness. Rather than reacting to the chaos, he focuses on locating the real source and decisively destroys the concealment over the underground passage.
• Uncle Feng proves his expertise by identifying the Fetal Altar’s importance and using talismans to contain the Evil Infants.
• Meng Chao remains comically naïve and cowardly, attempting to “care for” the ghost babies before immediately panicking when attacked.
• Jin Maiji acts as the more practical and forceful counterpart to Meng Chao, criticizing his foolishness and helping organize their defense.
• Huang Yaozu takes command under pressure, protecting Li Guoqiang and adapting their strategy once it becomes clear that guns are useless.
• Leon appears bizarrely fearless and aggressive, turning the battle into a grotesque chase as he terrifies the largest Evil Infant.
• Li Guoqiang becomes visibly frightened, emphasizing the danger of the underground altar and the psychological impact of the ghostly cries.

Significant Themes

• Superficial threats versus hidden roots: Destroying the Evil Infants individually would be useless; the true problem lies in the concealed altar sustaining them.
• Chaos and courage: The characters respond to danger in contrasting ways—panic, leadership, expertise, naïveté, and reckless aggression.
• The corruption of innocence: The imagery of infants, diapers, nursing, and baby cries is twisted into something horrifying, blending familiar maternal symbols with violence and death.
• Containment and escalation: The group initially tries to survive inside the hall, but uncovering the passage reveals that the confrontation is only beginning.
• The limits of conventional weapons: Guns cannot solve the supernatural crisis; spiritual knowledge, talismans, and direct investigation are necessary.

Character Interactions

• Meng Chao’s ridiculous diaper plan provokes Jin Maiji’s anger, establishing their humorous but antagonistic partnership.
• Uncle Feng gives practical instructions while Huang Yaozu takes responsibility for protecting the frightened Li Guoqiang.
• Leon’s pursuit of the largest Evil Infant contrasts with everyone else’s defensive panic and provides comic relief amid the horror.
• Li Dan works independently but in cooperation with Uncle Feng’s insight, ultimately uncovering the altar’s location.
• The final synchronized response of the Evil Infants—and the unseen woman calling them back—unites the group in fear and signals the emergence of a more powerful enemy.