The door kept shaking, as though it might be pushed open at any moment.
No matter what he tried, the lights in the room would not turn on. Uncle Jiang looked around, trying to find something he could use against the Leather Puppet Ghost.
Amid the relentless knocking, like the Grim Reaper demanding his life, Uncle Jiang finally fished a cigarette lighter out of his pocket.
Fire!
Right, ghosts were surely afraid of fire!
Uncle Jiang calmed down a little and pressed the lighter with trembling hands. Its dim light gave him a sense of security.
Just then, the door suddenly fell silent.
But the lighter went out as well.
His heart jolted, and he hurriedly pressed it again.
Bang-
The door swung open without a breeze.
A cold, sinister gust blew in.
The lighter's flame seemed so insignificant now.
But... where was the ghost?
Uncle Jiang's entire body went rigid. He dared not turn his head, much less take a step.
He wanted to light the lighter again, but his stiff, icy fingers would no longer move.
He had become a statue, as though a single movement would cost him his life.
He held that pose for an unknown length of time, but nothing else unusual happened in the room.
His heart, which had been pounding so hard it felt ready to burst, finally settled considerably.
Uncle Jiang took several ragged breaths, reassuring himself that perhaps the ghost had gone back to deal with those Daoist priests.
Feeling a little cold, he pulled his suit jacket tighter around himself, wondering why it was still so cold inside the room.
He groped his way forward again, thinking of nothing but leaving this place.
After a few more steps, Uncle Jiang suddenly felt that something was wrong.
Why was the tiled floor beneath his feet so wet?
And soft, too.
He looked down and discovered that the floor had become sticky.
It did not look like tile. It looked like...
In an instant, his whole body went cold.
The muddy path across the bridge.
His mind went blank with a crash. When he looked up again, he saw the Leather Puppet Ghost still wearing that dead person's grin, smiling at him.
His surroundings changed in an instant. Uncle Jiang could hold out no longer and collapsed at the end of the bridge.
The moment the Leather Puppet Ghost caught him, he was still staring at the door to that backyard room he had never reached.
By the time Jiang Nuo and the others arrived, the Leather Puppet Ghost had vanished without a trace.
Uncle Jiang lay on the bridge with a terrified expression, that blood-red coat still draped over him.
Only one hand lay outside the coat, its fingers bearing scorch marks.
Wang Ping immediately crouched down to check his breathing and pulse, then frowned and shook his head.
"He's been dead for a long time."
Someone who had been alive just moments ago had now died right under their noses. Xu Tian was so frightened that she did not know what to do and dared not look at the corpse.
What a terrifying way to die!!
No wonder even the police don't dare handle this. These ghosts are so powerful!
I've already hidden under my covers, sob sob. Go, God Nuo! I'm with you in spirit!
Si Yan examined the corpse, then leaned close to Jiang Nuo's ear and whispered, "Nuonuo, the ghost didn't kill him. He was literally scared to death."
Since their meal that day, he had gradually begun revealing his secrets and no longer pretended to know nothing in front of Jiang Nuo.
A ghost that knew how to use the illusions in people's minds to kill had already transcended the category of ordinary ghosts.
Jiang Nuo rubbed his left eyelid in understanding, seemingly contemplating something.
"Master Jiang! What do we do, Master Jiang?"
Daoist Priest Hu had completely acknowledged Jiang Nuo's abilities, even changing how he addressed him.
Whoosh-
A red figure flashed past.
There's something there! Something's there! God Nuo, hurry and save us!
It's so fast! Why does this ghost feel even stronger than the Mother-Child Fiend?
Si Yan!! You're still livestreaming! Even if you're scared, you can't burrow into Jiang Nuo's arms!
Si Yan had no idea the bullet comments were roaring at him.
The villa was too steeped in yin energy. He really was cold.
So cold he was almost numb.
He huddled pitifully in Jiang Nuo's arms for warmth, his hands wrapped unceremoniously around his waist without letting go.
"Nuonuo, I'm so cold. I want to leave."
Sensing how drastically his temperature had dropped, Jiang Nuo touched his forehead, a little surprised.
"All right, then. I'll make this quick."
Jiang Nuo glanced at everyone with a smile, then looked back at Si Yan, his tone mysterious, as though coaxing someone into a game.
"Si Yan, how about I show you a magic trick?"
Si Yan perked up, his phoenix eyes full of anticipation. Even his deep voice softened considerably.
"Okay."
At a time like this, no one would think he meant an ordinary magic trick, especially since that glance just now had amounted to a warning.
Jiang Nuo raised both hands, his slender fingers forming a strange hand seal. As they shifted, black mist spread between his fingertips, and he recited several obscure, incomprehensible incantations.
Beneath his collar, where no one could see, the jade bone he wore around his neck glimmered.
The black mist dispersed, and the spell was unleashed.
"Spell, forth. All ghosts, manifest. Perish."
The final words struck everyone's ears like a sacred chant, sending their minds reeling.
Jiang Nuo reached out and casually grabbed toward the space beneath the bridge.
Forced to manifest, the Skin Ghost was seized and flung aside, utterly powerless to fight back.
Struck by the spell, its soul form was already showing signs of falling apart.
It screamed in agony, rolling across the bridge where it had been thrown, black mist pouring from its entire body.
Entangled in the black mist, it turned to ash and vanished in an instant.
The whole process took less than a minute.
This ghost, even more troublesome than the Mother-Child Fiend, dissipated just like that.
Wang Ping stared blankly at the scene, dumbfounded.
What kind of move was that???
Was this something your Daoist temple taught too??
There wasn't any move like that in Hua Country's mystical Daoist arts!
[Detected that the task-taker has completed a side quest. Points +200]
It had not been easy, but he had finally earned some points.
Thoroughly satisfied, Jiang Nuo lowered his eyes to his well-behaved Little Lucky Star.
"Was that magic trick good?"
"It was."
Si Yan rested the tip of his nose against Jiang Nuo's neck, his voice low and his eyes seeming to hold starlight.
"Nuonuo, you're amazing."
Holy shit, I'm stunned. Jiang Nuo's strength keeps redefining everything I thought I knew!!
God Nuo is awesome, awesome, awesome!! The number one supernatural idol!
I was even ready for a spectacular fight scene. Why was it over in less than a minute?!
LMAO, if anyone still calls Jiang Nuo all show and no substance, I'm throwing this video right in their face!
Having finally settled Old Madam Jiang, Jiang Zhong ran in, along with the police who had been waiting outside the villa and had seen all the ghosts eliminated on the livestream.
"Don't move!"
The police handcuffed the housekeeper the moment they rushed in, then quickly issued a warning when they saw Xu Tian about to rush over to stop them.
The criminal investigation captain saluted Jiang Nuo.
"Mr. Jiang, thank you for your help."
Jiang Nuo smiled and returned the salute, accepting the card Jiang Zhong handed him at the same time.
"You're welcome."
Five million and two hundred points, all for killing two little ghosts.
This deal had been a real bargain.
Daoist Priest Hu also received a million as thanks. As for Wang Ping, he did not accept a card, merely asking Jiang Zhong to donate the money to welfare programs that needed it.
If asked, the answer was that the president would not allow it.
Wang Ping sneaked a glance at the young master, who was preparing to leave with Jiang Nuo. In the end, he did not call out to stop him, merely sending him a message.
"The president wants you to come back. It's time for you to repair your soul."