Chapter 28: I Am Not Afraid

Le Dong followed Boss Hu’s gaze.

In the shadows of the third-floor corridor, an old man dressed in a burial shroud stood against the wall. As Le Dong’s gaze landed on him, the old man seemed to sense it; he turned his head, met Le Dong’s eyes, and broke into a smile.

The smile was profoundly eerie, like a hunter gloating over his prey.

"What is it?" Ma Wenwen looked around, the yellow cloth wrapped over his eyes seemingly depriving him of his usual keen perception.

"It’s... it’s Old Man Hu..."

Cai Kun’s trembling voice answered his question, but Ma Wenwen’s brow furrowed into a knot. "Old Man Hu? Why can’t I sense any yin energy?"

As he spoke, he stumbled to his feet, fumbling with his satchel. He pulled out two Yang Fire Talismans, pinched them between his fingers, and began to chant.

"Poof—"

The talismans ignited without a flame and were tossed into the air by Ma Wenwen.

"Whoosh—"

In less than two seconds, the talismans wobbled and disintegrated into a flurry of ash that scattered wildly through the air.

"Which way did the ashes go?" Ma Wenwen tilted his head, listening intently for their trajectory.

"They didn't fly... they... they shattered!"

"What?" Ma Wenwen couldn't believe it. His hand hovered over his blindfold, but he dared not remove it. "There are only two possibilities for this: either there is no spirit, or the spirit is far too powerful. Given my current state, I’m afraid I’m no match for it!"

Ma Wenwen released his hold on the blindfold, his tone heavy. "I felt the yin energy in this villa surge the day I arrived. Based on what just happened, it’s most likely the latter!"

At these words, the expressions of Le Dong and Cai Kun changed drastically. If even Ma Wenwen couldn't handle it, didn't that mean they had... absolutely no way out?

"Wait, he’s leaving!"

Just as the three of them were lost in their own dark thoughts, Le Dong’s soft cry dispelled much of the gloom in their hearts.

They saw Old Man Hu in the shadows—whether he had seen Boss Hu’s pathetic, sobbing display or noticed the wretched state of the three men downstairs, his grin only widened. In the blink of an eye, he slowly retreated back into the darkness.

"An apparition that appears only to frighten people? There’s something suspicious about this. Let’s go up and take a look!"

Ma Wenwen rushed forward, but he nearly tripped over a coffee table before he had taken two steps. Unable to bear it, Le Dong signaled to Cai Kun, and the two of them grabbed one of Ma Wenwen’s arms each and hurried upstairs.

"So noisy? What’s going on?"

At the top of the stairs, Hou Kui stood in their way, yawning.

Le Dong didn't want to deal with him. After finally pushing past Hou Kui, he encountered Xiao Zhang on the second floor, who was asking the same question.

"Brother Le, I heard Boss Hu crying again. What’s happening?"

"It’s nothing. Go back to your room and stay there."

Le Dong was in no mood to dally. He reached out to push Xiao Zhang’s arm aside, but to his surprise, the seemingly frail young man was rock-solid.

By the time the three of them made it to the third floor, the old man had long since vanished. Boss Hu was slumped on the floor, being helped up by the Butler Ma, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Boss! What happened to you?"

Boss Hu was terrified out of his wits, muttering repeatedly, "I won't do it again, I won't do it again..."

This sight forced a few crocodile tears from the corners of Butler Ma’s eyes. He then turned to confront Ma Wenwen, who had just reached the top floor: "Hmph! Master Ma? The boss hired you to relocate the grave, not to play these psychological games! You’ve turned the villa upside down and terrified the boss again. What exactly are your intentions?"

Ma Wenwen’s face flushed red and then paled under the rebuke. Just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by the now-quieting Boss Hu: "Yes, yes, Master Ma, the grave, move the grave! My father just came back; he told me if I don't move the grave, he’ll make me join him... *sob*..."

The fifty-year-old Boss Hu leaned helplessly against the wall, weeping like a child.

Butler Ma seized the opportunity to offer a few comforting words, advising, "Boss, I think he’s just being mysterious and is completely unreliable. Why don't I contact other masters tomorrow to set up an altar and perform the rites? Settling the Old Master is the priority..."

Seeing the situation plummeting and with Boss Hu just moments away from nodding in agreement, Ma Wenwen suddenly spoke up:

"Wait a moment... Since Boss Hu is so anxious to move the grave, then tomorrow, I shall do as you wish and set up the altar. How about that?"

It had to be said that Ma Wenwen still held some standing in Boss Hu’s heart. He agreed immediately, his aged face appearing as satisfied as if he had been granted a new lease on life. Even Butler Ma wore a smile, though for some reason... it made one's back feel cold.

That night, after agreeing to set up the altar the next evening, they parted ways. Boss Hu, still terrified, couldn't even care about his vast fortune and insisted on squeezing into a room with Ma Wenwen.

"Dongzi, why did Blind Ma agree to that? If things go on like this, will we ever find the source?" Cai Kun couldn't help but complain on the way back.

"He must have his own plans. Don't worry, I think he’s reliable."

"Ugh... I didn't say he wasn't reliable." Cai Kun curled his lip, glanced back at the darkness behind them, and whispered, "He said it himself, the yin energy in this villa is getting stronger. I suspect Old Man Hu really is a vengeful spirit. I’m just afraid... afraid he won't be able to hold out."

"What do you mean?" Le Dong was intrigued.

"Look, before, even though he was blind, he moved and worked more nimbly than we did. But ever since he wrapped that yellow cloth around his eyes, I feel... I feel like he’s actually become blind..."

Le Dong didn't need Cai Kun to say it; he had been suspicious for a long time. He pondered Ma Wenwen’s actions, recalling how he always seemed incredibly weak whenever those eyes of his bled tears.

"It should be fine... Didn't Master Fan say that his eyes are specifically meant for this line of work?"

Seeing Le Dong’s reassurance, Cai Kun said no more, bid him farewell, and hurried downstairs.

Watching Cai Kun leave, Le Dong returned to his room door. As he entered, he subconsciously glanced at the two rooms next door.

The one containing the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Hu—the Yang Fire Talisman on the door had vanished, as expected.

And the innermost room, the mourning hall for Old Man Hu—it remained covered in red thread and yellow paper, showing no signs of anything unusual.

Was that intensifying yin energy really... Old Man Hu?

Le Dong muttered to himself, even feeling the urge to break into the mourning hall and investigate.

"Huff..."

Exhaling a breath of stagnant air, Le Dong shook the wild thoughts from his mind. He pushed the door open to find Xiao Zhang lying on the bed, fiddling with a grip strengthener he had found somewhere.

"You're back, Brother Le."

"Yeah..."

"Brother Le, that master you found is really amazing. He can even summon spirits. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever seen a ghost!"

Xiao Zhang’s face was filled with fascination, still haunted by the appearance of the spirit of the True Master Zhao. Le Dong looked at the student, who was gripping the device with ferocious speed, and laughed casually:

"What’s so good about seeing that thing? It’s just a ghost, really. Aren't you afraid?"

"I’m not afraid." Xiao Zhang’s answer sounded very sincere.

Le Dong didn't want to discuss it further. With Ma Wenwen present tonight and the spirits of the Hu couple injured, this rare moment of relief made him just want to get a good night’s sleep.

"He should be afraid of me..."

A few minutes after closing his eyes, Le Dong drifted off while still hearing Xiao Zhang muttering to himself...