Chapter 22: The Terrifying Underground Black Market

Just as I was staring at the clay statue, a sudden surge of black smoke burst forth from it, striking my chest without warning. The force was so strong and unexpected that I lost my balance and fell to the ground.

Seeing me collapse for no apparent reason, Lin Chuan was startled and rushed over to help me up. "What happened?"

"There’s something in this room!" I said, clutching my chest, feeling unwell.

"The evil spirit you mentioned earlier?" Lin Chuan asked.

I nodded, glaring at the clay statue. At that moment, it seemed to be smiling at me, though the black aura had already vanished.

"Zhang Xiaobei, are you alright?" Tan Xiao appeared then, watching me with concern.

"I’m fine. Why are you here?" I asked.

"I was resting just now and suddenly sensed you were in danger, so I came," she replied, frowning.

It surprised me that she could sense my peril. I exhaled deeply, struggled to stand, and said, "Smash that clay statue!"

"I’ll do it," Lin Chuan said, letting go of my arm.

Worried that the evil spirit would attack him as well, I tried to warn him, but before I could speak, his hand had already reached out. The evil spirit deployed the same attack it had used on me.

Since Lin Chuan was an ordinary person, the black force struck him so hard that he was flung across the room, landing on the sofa. Had it not been for the sofa, he might have been knocked unconscious.

Witnessing such a bizarre event, the other officers stood frozen, not daring to approach the statue.

At that moment, Jue Ling suddenly appeared, her expression cold. "Sir, let me deal with him. Once he comes out, you can smash the statue."

"Alright," I replied, rubbing my chest where I'd been struck.

Jue Ling launched an attack on the evil spirit. The spirit, knowing that leaving the clay statue would mean its destruction, stubbornly refused to emerge.

But Jue Ling was formidable. Even if the spirit wouldn't come out, she could drag it out from within. The room was filled with gusts of chilling wind, making everyone instinctively huddle together.

"What’s happening?" Lin Chuan asked as he climbed off the sofa, clutching his chest.

"A battle between ghosts," I responded.

"Sir, act quickly!" Jue Ling called out, having pulled the evil spirit out of the statue.

I dashed over, grabbed the statue, slammed it to the ground, and destroyed the offerings and incense burner before it. Instantly, the evil spirit’s aura diminished.

Initially, it was no match for Jue Ling; now, with Tan Xiao's assistance, it stood even less of a chance.

After smashing the statue, I saw several child spirits emerge from it. Their bodies were covered in wounds. I approached and asked gently, "Children, why are you here?"

"We died," answered a little girl, about seven or eight years old.

"How did you die?" I asked.

She glanced at the evil spirit now subdued by Jue Ling and Tan Xiao. "It was him and the owner of this house, Fang Xiaolong."

"What did they do?" I pressed.

"We were bought by Fang Xiaolong from human traffickers. He sold us to the black market for terrible, shameful things. If we resisted, they beat us. Even when we obeyed, those men still beat us!" The little girl began to cry, and the other children joined in.

Watching them, my heart ached, but rage burned hotter within me—rage against the monsters who hurt these children. No, they weren’t people; they were beasts.

"And him? What did he do?" I pointed at the evil spirit.

"He controlled all the souls of dead children, torturing us until our spirits were completely dest