The Natives of This World Are So Fierce - Chapter 27: Bringing in a Foreign Master to Perform a Ritual
The owner's pent-up worries, and perhaps his fear as well, desperately needed an outlet. He kept pouring out his troubles, no longer caring whether some of the details might scare away his customers.
Even Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou got goosebumps listening to him, let alone Su Su.
No wonder the barbecue restaurant had so few customers. This probably wasn't the first time the owner had told this story in such a terrified state.
After hearing something so horrifying, Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou immediately wanted to back out.
Was he kidding? From the owner's account, his son was clearly on the verge of "mutating."
Going anywhere near him now would be asking to die!
Sure, they had magical power, but whether it would be enough was another question entirely.
Even a thug with a gun wouldn't casually walk up and provoke a bunch of strangers carrying knives. This wasn't some animal mating display...
"Uh... well, I'm very sorry to hear that, sir. I'd suggest..."
Qin Xiaoxia couldn't even finish his sentence.
He really wanted to suggest that the owner's family call the police, or find some other way to isolate their son.
After all, with this setup and the way things were going...
It looked exactly like one of those suicidal scenarios in a sci-fi movie where an idiot extra kept a relative at home even though they were about to turn into a zombie.
But with the words on the tip of his tongue, he found he couldn't say them.
How could the bonds of family be severed with a single sentence?
If Qin Xiaoxia dared say that, it wouldn't be surprising if the owner stood up and took a swing at him.
"Sir, actually..."
Su Su looked at Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou, then at the owner. She really wanted to tell him that someone here could help.
Judging by Doudou's description of a "soul corroded by an icy chill," this clearly wasn't something a normal hospital could handle.
But she didn't dare make the decision for them.
All she could do was turn a pleading gaze toward Qin Xiaoxia.
There was no denying that Su Su's looks, coupled with that expression, were devastatingly effective.
Qin Xiaoxia was still straight, so naturally, he felt a spark.
The moment he opened his mouth, Qin Xiaoxia chalked his behavior up to "a male animal's urge to show off in front of a female."
"Sir, if it's convenient, could you take us to your house for a look?"
Qin Xiaoxia figured his sense of justice and his hormones had undergone a chemical reaction, producing this rush of reckless enthusiasm.
The owner put down his cigarette and looked at them in surprise.
A young man with graying hair, a child who looked kindergarten-aged at most, and a beautiful young woman who was obviously mixed-race.
"Are you doctors?"
Qin Xiaoxia shook his head, then pointed at Su Su as she stared at him in astonishment.
"She's a medium. The kind who uses a crystal ball. You've seen them in movies, right? Think of her as a foreign spirit medium."
But Qin Xiaoxia's explanation only made the owner's gaze more suspicious.
His family's situation was terrible, but he wasn't about to take someone home to treat his son on the strength of a single claim.
Besides, his son's recent condition made bringing people over somewhat inconvenient.
Anyone would have been reluctant to believe them right away. Qin Xiaoxia understood that, and this was also a perfect opportunity to test what Su Su had just told him.
"Ahem, beau... Su Su, show him what you can do."
Caught unprepared, Su Su was about to refuse, but immediately stopped herself.
She looked at the restaurant owner, then at Qin Xiaoxia and the intrigued Doudou.
This must be a test. Yes, it has to be a test!
Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou had absolutely no idea what was going on with Su Su.
All of a sudden, the girl's entire demeanor changed.
"All right! Watch closely. I won't miss this test again!"
Then she swept the barbecue on the table aside, took a fist-sized crystal ball and a cushion from her bag, and set them on the table.
Qin Xiaoxia had always thought Su Su's crystal ball looked far too small compared with the ones in movies. It was also much smaller than the merchandise in her House of Destiny.
That was why Doudou had chosen to steal it: it was easy to carry.
Only just now had he learned that most of the merchandise was synthetic crystal or glass, and that large pieces of natural clear quartz were relatively rare.
Although Su Su's crystal ball was only the size of a peach, it was already exceptionally large for a natural crystal.
She helped herself to a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator.
She used it to dampen a paper towel, then carefully wiped her face and arms.
This was a process of autosuggestion and focusing her attention.
Seeing how serious she was, the other three, including the owner, were drawn into the atmosphere and fell silent.
Su Su emptied her mind, gently holding the subject of her divination in her thoughts.
Oh? She really does have some skill.
Qin Xiaoxia began sensing a response from the surrounding "environment" similar to what he felt when channeling his magical power. Compared with his, however, Su Su's was very weak, and there were a few subtle differences.
They didn't have to wait long.
In Su Su's eyes, the inside of the crystal ball gradually grew hazy and clouded with mist.
What's this?
"I see... a boy, blue... ah, he's eating raw meat!"
Su Su seemed to have been frightened. She abruptly broke off the divination after only a few seconds, her breathing unsteady and her nerves still shaken.
Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou were still rather confused.
But the owner's mouth fell slightly open. Then, as if something had occurred to him, he immediately pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Hello, honey? Is Haohao all right?... Yes, what?"
Holding the phone, the owner turned to look at Su Su.
"So have you tied him back up now? Oh, oh, that's good, that's good..."
He hung up.
Beneath the owner's expression of disbelief, the way he looked at Su Su had already changed to that of a man looking at his savior.
As a typical, traditional Chinese man, he had never believed in any of that "foreign devil" stuff before.
But now the facts were right in front of him. He had no choice but to believe.
His rough hands clenched the legs of his trousers as he spoke with some embarrassment.
"Well... uh, Master! Would you be available to..."
All three understood. The owner wanted to invite Su Su to his house to see whether she could use supernatural powers to heal his son, retrieve his lost soul, and drive out the "ghost" possessing him.
Now Su Su was nervous.
She had indeed divined something, but she was only a fortune-teller, not a magician.
She didn't know anything about exorcising ghosts or subduing demons.
She could only turn a helpless, pleading gaze toward Qin Xiaoxia.
"Um... Mr. Qin..."
The owner thought she was reluctant to go, and began to panic.
"Rest assured, Master. I'll pay your full fee!"
"Oh? How much?"
Doudou put down the sour plum juice and suddenly asked.
The owner had also noticed that, although the three didn't seem particularly close, Su Su clearly wasn't the one who really made the decisions.
Unsure what this foreign master charged for her services, he weighed his words before answering.
"We've had two rituals performed before, and they cost around three thousand... but our family is fairly well-off. As long as you can drive the evil out of Haohao, money isn't a problem!"
He had clearly added the latter half out of concern that a foreign master's rates might be different.
Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou spoke in unison.
"We'll do it!"
"Ahem! We only asked in the first place because we already intended to help!"
Su Su: "..."