The midnight highway was torn into a sea of flames.
The Impala's body looked like crumpled tinfoil, wedged at a twisted angle beside the truck's wreckage. Thick black smoke billowed from its hood, and glass shards littered the wet asphalt. The Winchester father and his two sons, along with Bai Haorui, were trapped in the deformed seats, blood streaking their faces, their consciousness flickering like candles in the wind.
Just then, the possessed truck driver slowly approached. Blood stained his face, but a chilling yellow churned in his eyes. He gripped a wrench, each step crunching harshly over broken glass as he headed straight for the unconscious Dean.
Sizzle-
A faint blue-green light suddenly flared amid the chaos, interrupting death's approach. Bai Haorui struggled out of the passenger seat, piercing pain shooting through his ribs. Blood streamed from his forehead wound, blurring his vision. But his hands were unusually steady as he pulled the Five Emperor Coins from his waist and flung three into the air.
The coins traced three blue-green arcs through the air, automatically forming a triangle as they landed. Their light instantly spread into a faint barrier that barely stopped Yellow Eyes in his tracks.
"Sam! Dean! Wake up!"
Bai Haorui's voice was hoarse but forceful, hammering the semiconscious Sam awake. Sam's eyes snapped open, his gaze sweeping over the Colt on the ground-ignoring the excruciating pain throughout his body, he struggled to reach out and grab it, his trembling muzzle aimed at the driver possessed by Yellow Eyes.
Bang!
The gunshot split the night.
The bullet struck the driver squarely in the chest. The yellow light in his eyes abruptly died, like a snuffed candle. The driver crashed to the ground, a wisp of black smoke drifting out of his body. It struggled in the night air for several seconds before vanishing without a trace.
Ambulance sirens drew closer, red and blue lights piercing the darkness. Bai Haorui breathed a sigh of relief, only for agonizing pain to engulf him. His vision went black, and he nearly passed out again. Forcing himself to crawl toward Dean, he retrieved the three Five Emperor Coins and pushed them into Sam's blood-covered hand, his voice faint. "Protect Dean. Put the coins on his chest. Don't let... don't let anything unclean near him."
With that, he lost consciousness completely.
The hospital's cold lights were blindingly white, and the smell of disinfectant overwhelmed the scent of blood.
The red light outside the operating room went out. A doctor emerged, removed his mask, and spoke gravely. "Sam Winchester has superficial injuries. Basic treatment will suffice. Bai Haorui has abrasions on his forehead and over his ribs, requiring five stitches. As for Dean Winchester..." The doctor paused, looking at John's suddenly ashen face. "He has severe chest trauma and is now in a deep coma. His vital signs are extremely weak. Whether he wakes up depends on his own will." "Doctor, isn't there anything else you can do? Please, save him!" Sam had just come out and heard the doctor's words. He grabbed the doctor's hand and pleaded.
"I'm sorry. We've done everything we can. The rest is up to him."
Sam staggered into the ward. Dean lay on the bed, his face wrapped in bandages, his chest barely rising and falling as the monitor beeped monotonously. Bai Haorui was already awake. Having refused the nurse's request to stay under observation, he sat beside Dean's bed, using a cotton swab to apply mugwort salve to his forehead wound. The fresh herbal scent softened the pungent disinfectant.
His gaze fell on the Five Emperor Coins on Dean's chest-the three coins now shone with a deep blue-green light, as though shrouded in thick fog.
"Sam," Bai Haorui said quietly, with a barely perceptible gravity, "Dean's soul has left his body."
Sam whipped around, his eyes full of disbelief. "What did you say? His soul has left his body? Then he..."
"I don't know." Bai Haorui shook his head, lightly touching the coins. "The deep blue-green glow means his soul has left his body. But it hasn't gone far. It's trapped in this hospital. I'm just afraid... afraid a reaper already has its sights on him."
As they spoke, John Winchester was wheeled in. His injuries were minor, only a cut on his forehead, but his expression was graver than anyone else's, as though a dark cloud hung over him. He walked to Dean's bedside and silently watched his son, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his coat's inner pocket. It bulged as though something was hidden inside.
Bai Haorui's gaze fell on that pocket, his pupils contracting slightly. He could clearly sense a familiar dark energy emanating from it-the same source as the Yellow-Eyed Demon's energy from earlier, but carrying the metallic scent of blood. He looked away without revealing anything, a seed of suspicion taking root in his mind. Uncle John, what exactly are you hiding?
Dean felt himself floating in midair.
Cold corridors surrounded him. The disinfectant was so faint he could barely smell it, replaced by an air of deathly silence. He looked down at his hands, transparent as gauze. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't clench his fists. He shouted toward the ward, "Sam! Sam!"
His voice sank like a stone into the sea, without the slightest response.
"Stop shouting. No one can hear you."
A cool female voice sounded behind him. Dean spun around and saw a woman in a black trench coat. Her face was bloodlessly pale, and she held a silver scythe-the reaper Tessa, a being he had once seen on the brink of death.
"Your time is up, Dean Winchester." Tessa's voice held no emotion. "Your body is already near death. If your soul refuses to return, you'll only become a vengeful spirit. You have twelve hours. Either return to your body or dissipate completely."
Dean's hunter instincts erupted. He lunged at Tessa, his fist passing through her body and stirring a bone-chilling cold. "I'm not going with you! I still have Sam, Haorui, and my dad!"
He roared and slammed into Tessa with all his strength. Her figure blurred before returning to normal, a trace of impatience flashing in her eyes. "Stubborn fool."
She waved a hand, and an invisible force hurled Dean away. His soul struck the wall and instantly grew more transparent, like mist on the verge of dispersing. A monitor's shrill alarm suddenly sounded in the corridor, coming from his room-his vital signs were plummeting as his soul weakened.
Meanwhile, outside Dean's room, Bai Haorui arranged three Five Emperor Coins on the floor in a Three Talents Formation. Holding a peachwood sword, he recited the Heart-Clearing Mantra, his voice low and steady, carrying a soothing power. "Heaven and earth without limit, lend me the power of the cosmos. Clear the heart and brighten the eyes, guide the soul back to its rightful place..."
As the incantation ended, the coins in the formation glowed faintly blue-green. The air inside the ward suddenly stirred, and the curtains swayed gently. Sam, keeping watch beside the bed, abruptly looked up and turned toward the doorway in confusion. "Was that... a breeze?"
"It wasn't a breeze." Bai Haorui put away his peachwood sword and entered, watching the moving lines on the monitor. "Dean's soul is responding. A reaper has trapped him in the corridor. We need to establish a temporary communication channel so he knows we're trying to save him."
Sam's eyes instantly brightened, then dimmed again. "How? We don't have a medium."
"I'll do it." Bai Haorui took a Spirit Communication Talisman and a bag of glutinous rice flour from his backpack. "Glutinous rice can block stray energies, and the talisman can open a soul channel. With a Ouija board as well, we'll be able to speak to Dean."
Sam immediately followed Bai Haorui's instructions, sprinkling a circle of glutinous rice flour on the floor and placing the Ouija board in its center. Bai Haorui lit the Spirit Communication Talisman. As the flames rose, he recited the Spirit Communication Spell. "Yin and yang stand divided, heaven and earth form a bridge. Soul, return home and swiftly reveal your true form!"
The talisman's ashes fell onto the rice flour. The board's pointer suddenly began moving, first tracing slow circles, then abruptly pointing to "Yes." Immediately afterward, the glass on the table burst with a bang, splashing both of them with water.
Sam clenched his fists in excitement, his voice trembling. "He's here! Dean's here!"
Sam practically ran into the stairwell. John was leaning against the wall smoking, his face especially grim amid the drifting smoke. "Dad! We can save Dean! Bai Haorui has a way to communicate with his soul!"
But John stubbed out his cigarette, his tone as cold as ice. "It's no use, Sam. The doctor already said he won't wake up."
"You haven't even tried!" Sam's emotions erupted. "Why are you always like this? Why do you give up whenever something happens?"
"I haven't given up!" John suddenly raised his voice, then lowered it again when he saw Sam's reddened eyes. "I just... don't want you getting your hopes up, only to be disappointed."
"Bullshit!"
A rough voice suddenly rang out. Bobby walked in with a cane, anger on his face. His gaze landed on John's inner coat pocket, where the corner of a blood-red talisman showed. "What are you hiding? A blood talisman? Sulfur? John Winchester, have you lost your mind? You're going to summon a demon?"
John's expression changed instantly. He instinctively covered his pocket, but Bobby shoved him aside. "You think summoning a demon will save Dean? Do you know what it'll cost you? Your soul! And Sam! Do you want to drag him down with you?"
"It's the only way!" John's voice was a desperate roar. "We have the Colt, and Yellow Eyes wants it. What's wrong with trading the gun for Dean's life? I'm his father! If there's a way to save him and I don't take it, do I even deserve to call myself his father? Tell me!"
"It's wrong!" Bai Haorui's voice came from the stairs. He frowned, his eyes utterly serious. "Yellow Eyes' energy and the blood talisman in your pocket share the same source. You're not summoning an ordinary demon. It's Yellow Eyes or one of his followers. He won't make a fair deal with you. He wants more than the Colt. He wants your soul, and maybe even... Sam's life."
As though he hadn't heard, John pushed past them and headed downstairs. "My mind's made up. If he wants my life, he can take it. Don't stop me."
He disappeared around the turn in the stairs. Sam stood frozen, his eyes full of pain. Bobby sighed and patted his shoulder. "He loves you boys too much. So much he's lost his reason."
At that moment, Dean floated near the stairwell ceiling, watching everything. Looking at his father's resolute retreat and Sam's pained expression, he felt anger and despair surge through him. He slammed toward the floor with all his soul's strength, wanting to roar, wanting to stop him.
Just then, the Three Talents Formation Bai Haorui had set outside the ward suddenly lit up. The coins' blue-green light pierced the walls and enveloped the entire stairwell. Bai Haorui looked up sharply and shouted, "Sam! Dean's responding! Get back to the room and use the board to ask where the reaper is!"
Sam practically threw himself in front of the board. He placed trembling fingers on the pointer, his voice thick with tears. "Dean, tell us. Where are you?"
The pointer spun rapidly but offered no indication.
"Damn it, forget it! We can't just let Dean die! I'm using the life-extension method."
With that, he took seven small oil lamps from his backpack, arranged them around Dean's bed in the pattern of the Big Dipper, and filled them with specially prepared tung oil. "This is the Seven-Star Lamp Life-Extension Method. At the very least, it can temporarily stabilize Dean's vital signs and give his soul more time to return."
He lit the lamps. All seven flames rose together, their warm glow enveloping Dean's body. Holding his peachwood sword, Bai Haorui recited the Life-Extension Spell, his voice solemn and reverent. "Seven stars of the Big Dipper, illuminate heaven and earth. His allotted years have not ended. Let his soul return to flesh. Swiftly, by this decree!"
But when the incantation ended, the seven flames suddenly flickered, then all went out. The room's temperature plunged. Black mist rose within the rice flour circle, as though some force had corroded it.
Bai Haorui froze. Looking at the extinguished lamps, confusion and disappointment flashed in his eyes. How could this happen? The Seven-Star Lamp Life-Extension Method was an ancient technique recorded in the notes. Could it be... Yellow Eyes' residual energy interfering? Or has Dean's fate already been locked down by some greater power?
Before he could think further, he sensed a change outside the ward-John's presence was rapidly disappearing.
"Sam, stay with Dean." Bai Haorui immediately pulled out an Invisibility Talisman and attached it to himself, his figure instantly turning transparent. "I'll check on your dad."
He slipped silently out of the room and headed toward the fire escape, gripping his peachwood sword tightly, ready to fight.
The fire escape smelled of rust and blood.
John stood in the middle of the passage, his palm slit open. Blood dripped onto the blood talisman on the floor, forming a strange pattern. His face was pale, but his eyes were exceptionally resolute as he recited a demon-summoning incantation in a low, hoarse voice.
Buzz-
Black smoke suddenly rose from the blood talisman and condensed into a tall figure. The Yellow-Eyed Demon Azazel appeared before John, yellow light flickering in his eyes and a mocking smile on his face. "John Winchester. We meet again."
"I want to make a deal." There was no hesitation in John's voice. "The Colt for Dean's life."
Yellow Eyes laughed, his laughter carrying a grating echo. "The Colt? A fine thing, but it's not enough for your son's life." He paused, the yellow light in his eyes growing colder. "Throw in your soul, and I'll agree."
John stiffened. He looked at the blood talisman on the floor, then remembered Dean lying in his hospital bed. Finally, he gritted his teeth. "All right. I agree."
"You can't do this!"
Bai Haorui suddenly appeared, holding his peachwood sword. He slapped an Evil-Breaking Talisman onto the blade, which instantly glowed blue-green. Standing in front of John, he shouted at Yellow Eyes, "You won't honor the deal! You want more than the Colt and his soul. You want Sam too!"
Yellow Eyes glanced at him, his eyes full of contempt. "A mere little Taoist from the East dares interfere with me?"
He waved a hand, sending powerful dark energy rushing toward Bai Haorui. Unable to dodge in time, Bai Haorui was struck and flung away like a kite with its string cut. He slammed into the wall and spat blood. The energy shattered his Invisibility Talisman, revealing his figure again, and the peachwood sword fell from his hand.
But he didn't give up. As he fell, he activated Contract Energy Analysis, fixing his gaze on the energy connection between John and Yellow Eyes. [Demon contract energy detected. A same-source connection exists with the Anchor Network. Energy frequency recorded. Available for subsequent tracking.]
The system notification sounded in his mind. Bai Haorui breathed a sigh of relief. At least he hadn't come for nothing.
Yellow Eyes couldn't be bothered with him anymore. He nodded at John. "Deal."
He waved a hand, sending an invisible force toward the hospital morgue. Tessa, the reaper entangling Dean's soul, suddenly screamed, her figure vanishing without a trace. As though pulled by a force, Dean's soul flew rapidly toward his body.
In the ward, Dean's eyes snapped open.
His vision was somewhat blurry. The monitor beeped steadily beside him, and Sam's face appeared before his eyes, smiling through tears. "Dean! You're awake!"
Dean looked blankly at Sam, his mind empty. He only remembered being struck by a truck on the highway, then boundless darkness and a woman in a black trench coat... He remembered nothing else.
By the time John entered the room, Dean could just about sit up. His face was still pale, but his eyes had regained their usual spark.
"Dad," Dean called, his voice still somewhat weak.
John approached the bed and stroked his head. A long-absent smile appeared on his face, though endless bitterness lay hidden within it. "You're awake. That's what matters."
He turned toward Sam, his tone level. "Sam, go get a coffee. I want a few words with Dean."
Sam paused, looked at John, then Dean, and finally nodded and left the room.
John looked toward Bai Haorui in the corner and gave him a meaningful glance. Understanding, Bai Haorui silently left the room. Standing in the corridor, he took out the Five Emperor Coins and pressed them against the wall.
He could clearly sense a powerful force pulling John's soul away-the power of the demon contract. He closed his eyes and recited the Spirit Deliverance Spell in a low, gentle voice, trying to ease the pain as John's soul was extracted.
Inside the room, John leaned close to Dean's ear and lowered his voice until only Dean could hear. "Dean, promise me. If one day Sam is corrupted by demons, you have to kill him."
Dean froze. Looking into his father's serious eyes, he opened his mouth to speak, but John interrupted him. "Promise me."
"...All right." Dean finally nodded.
John smiled, patted his shoulder, and turned to leave. The moment he reached the corridor, he swayed, then collapsed straight to the floor.
"Dad!"
Dean's roar came from the room. Sam ran over with his coffee. Seeing John on the floor, he dropped the cup, which shattered.
A doctor soon arrived. After examining him, he shook his head, his tone grave. "I'm sorry. He has already... passed away."
Sam broke down instantly, crouching on the floor and sobbing uncontrollably. Dean leaned against the doorway, staring at his father's body with empty eyes, as though all his strength had left him.
Bai Haorui approached John's body and placed a talisman on his chest, soothing his lingering aura. He picked up the Colt's holster, which John had dropped, and felt inside. It was empty-the Colt had already been taken by Yellow Eyes.
John's body was wheeled away, leaving only Dean, Sam, and Bai Haorui in the room.
The oppressive air made it difficult to breathe. Sam sat in a chair, his shoulders still trembling slightly. Dean leaned against the headboard and silently watched the view outside, grief and bewilderment filling his eyes.
Bai Haorui approached Dean's bed and handed him a jar of mugwort salve. "Apply it to your wounds. It can ease the pain and disperse lingering evil energy."
Dean took the salve and said hoarsely, "Thanks."
Just then, a system notification sounded in Bai Haorui's mind.
[Side quest "Demon Contract Tracking" triggered. Objective: track the Yellow-Eyed Demon's energy frequency, retrieve the Colt, and rescue John's soul. Reward: unlock detailed contract energy analysis, free attribute points ×1.] [Allocate free attribute points?]
Yes. Allocate it to Constitution, Bai Haorui said silently.
[Constitution increased: 6.5 → 7.5. Physical endurance and resistance to injury enhanced.]
He dismissed the system panel and looked at the brothers, his voice firm. "Yellow Eyes took John's soul, and the Colt is gone too. But I recorded Yellow Eyes' energy frequency. It shares a source with the Anchor Network I was tracking before. We can use the anchors to find Yellow Eyes, retrieve the Colt, and save John."
Dean abruptly raised his head, fire rekindling in his eyes. Sam stopped crying too and looked at Bai Haorui.
Night lay deep, with only a few streetlights burning in the hospital parking lot.
The Impala stood in a corner of the lot. Bobby had made basic repairs to its body. Though some scratches remained, it could be driven normally again. John's body was loaded into an ambulance, which drove toward the funeral home.
The three stood silently beside the Impala.
Dean unconsciously touched his chest. His father's warmth seemed to linger there, along with the faint blue-green glow from the three Five Emperor Coins. Sam clenched the Ouija board, his knuckles white, as though venting the anger and resentment in his heart.
Bai Haorui took out the anchor data record. The screen displayed Yellow Eyes' energy frequency and a blinking red dot pointing into the distance. "Yellow Eyes' Anchor Network is still expanding. The Colt. We need to get the gun back first, then destroy the anchors and avenge John, along with everyone Yellow Eyes has hurt."
Dean opened the door and settled into the driver's seat, placing his hands on the wheel and taking a deep breath. He turned to Sam and Bai Haorui, the grief in his eyes replaced by resolve. "Get in."
Sam and Bai Haorui took the passenger seat and the back seat. The Impala's engine rumbled low, breaking the night's silence. The car slowly pulled out of the parking lot.