When Cheng Yu reached the courtyard entrance, he found the gate slammed shut and a scattering of footprints around it.
Cheng Yu modified Reach-Behind Grab again, then placed his palm on each footprint in turn. One belonged to the man called Yin Hao.
And another...
Cheng Yu found himself in a dim space. Then two dim yet dazzling half-moons appeared.
No! Those were not half-moons, but a pair of half-open eyes.
"Holy shit!!!"
Cheng Yu broke into a cold sweat. Tsathoggua!!!
Then Cheng Yu noticed that the being seemed rather vacant, though he could not be certain whether that was because of its supposed sacred sloth or...
After a moment's thought, Cheng Yu deactivated Reach-Behind Grab.
"Phew!!"
Cheng Yu let out a heavy breath. Thank goodness he had been able to return. That should mean it really was only a phantom.
But he had used Reach-Behind Grab on that mysterious Trench-Coat Man. Why had Tsathoggua appeared?
Was the man a follower of Tsathoggua? No! A mere follower could not possibly receive such, uh, "divine favor."
It seemed the man was at least a saint.
Cheng Yu shook his head. The key to finding the Trench-Coat Man would probably be that person called Yin Hao.
For now, though, Cheng Yu looked up at the gate before him.
Without further thought, Cheng Yu pushed open the courtyard gate.
The elderly chess-playing Weird was holding a piece, apparently pondering something.
The instant Cheng Yu entered, all the elderly men and women fixed their glowing green eyes on him.
Cheng Yu raised a hand.
"Hey! Hello, grandpas and grandmas."
All the Weirds froze. This young man was not following the script.
The old ghost holding the chess piece looked at Cheng Yu with a sinister grin.
"Young man, care to play a couple of