Chapter 100: In the end, nothing but ashes remained. He collapsed.
Under Chi Shen's polite acknowledgment, Bai Ran's bloodshot eyes trembled violently. He fiercely yanked out the icy bloom from his throat, regardless of the devastating consequences!
Blood sprayed everywhere. Although a ghost, his recent transition made it evident he hadn't adjusted to his new identity. His body convulsed, causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground.
Even while incapacitated on the floor, Bai Ran managed to lift his head and glower at Chi Shen, "I... I won't die! I am a ghost now; I can't die!"
Indeed, he wouldn't die. His entire body shivered from the ice bloom's aftermath. Huge gashes stretched from his neck down to his abdomen, markings of the frozen flower. He was nearly torn apart, but he was ethereal.
The foul-smelling blood pooled beneath Bai Ran, staining the withered grass red. Due to immense pain, his body trembled and spasmed, looking as if he might vanish any moment.
"I won't die."
His voice grew fainter, and the pool of blood beneath him began to dissipate.
Chi Shen tilted his head, observing him with mild surprise, "Quite resilient... just a tad too frail."
At those words, Bai Ran, who seemed to be fading away in pain, suddenly found a spark in his eyes. That comment brought him back, and he glared at Chi Shen with renewed malice.
"I thought he'd be fine with something of this extent, akin to a mere stab. Now if he dies, that would be problematic." Chi Shen had already moved away from Bai Ran. Clearly, his words weren't for Bai Ran, but for Ji Xing Chen.
Ji Xingchen glanced at Bai Ran's agonizing appearance, calmly saying, "He's still salvageable; he hasn't faded entirely. His grasp of his own resentment is somewhat unclear, making it easy for him to dissipate. If we provoke more hatred in him, he should stabilize."
Bai Ran fiercely gripped the wild grass beneath him. Although he had stopped the bleeding, perhaps his previous animosity towards Chi Shen wasn't potent enough to allow him to stand. But the conversation between the two undeniably infuriated him further.
It wasn't just a mere stab; it felt like a twist of the knife inside him.
Chi Shen remarked, "Mention it one more time, and he'll be revitalized."
A heavy aura of malevolence suddenly emanated behind Chi Shen. Ghostly green flames sprang up, encircling Bai Ran. He rose, a tattered figure wreathed in the phantom flames, his blood-red eyes fixed intently on Chi Shen.
The blood on him began to evaporate. The blood-stained ice flower on the ground was consumed by the ghost flames, melting into dark energy and seeping into Bai Ran's body. Once he absorbed the energy, his wounds began to mend rapidly.
In an instant, the ghost flames roared to the skies, emblematic of his overwhelming resentment.
Chi Shen turned his head only to be confronted by Bai Ran, enveloped entirely by the ghostly flames. He touched his chin in contemplation, revealing a surprised expression, "I didn't expect you to despise me this much."
As the ghost flames surged, Gui Lian quickly moved behind Chi Shen. The moment Chi Shen turned, Gui Lian swiftly switched directions, persistently hiding behind him, feigning invisibility from Bai Ran.
Chi Shen, dressed in a bright yellow hoodie, watched as Gui Lian tucked himself under the only visible hood, peeking out with one eye. He whispered, "Your conversation with Ji Xingchen just now would infuriate anyone... No, any ghost, to be exact."
Chi Shen expressed with genuine astonishment, "I didn't say anything wrong. Why would he be upset?"
Gui Lian, peering from beneath the hood at Chi Shen's bewildered face and then back at the visibly enraged Bai Ran, replied without emotion, "Indeed, you said nothing. Absolutely nothing."
Ji Xingchen, observing the source of the rising ghost flames, commented placidly, "He's recovered."
Although Bai Ran was engulfed by the ghost flames, his form did not crumble or turn to ash. This flame, born of his hatred, was fueled by his animosity towards Chi Shen.
Thus, the more Bai Ran despised Chi Shen, the more fervently the flames burned. This internalized resentment not only preserved him but also allowed him to be reborn amidst the flames.
Completely consumed by the ghost flames, Bai Ran was rapidly restored. His blood-stained clothes began to cleanse themselves, revealing the orange
vest
he had worn when imprisoned. His hands no longer clutched at his neck, and the gaping wound there steadily healed and faded.
At this moment, he wholly embraced his ghostly nature, no longer trying to influence his phantom body with human sentiments.
The blood on the ground ignited once more, transforming into swirling ghost flames that gravitated towards Bai Ran.
This was the dark energy he had earlier released, now coalescing and returning to him.
"He...he's become even stronger!" Ghostface exclaimed from behind Chishi, "Stop him quickly!"
Chishi remained unmoved, exuding a relaxed demeanor, as if he would take a seat and enjoy the show, if only there was a chair around.
The urgency in Ghostface's tone grew, "At this rate, his power might soon surpass even Baiwan's!"
Seeing Chishi's inaction, Ghostface turned to Ji Xingchen and shouted, "Four-eyes! No, wait, handsome! You need to reason with him!"
The specter of the ghostly flames reflected in Ji Xingchen's glasses, giving him an eerie appearance. His lenses took on a haunting green hue. Adjusting his glasses filled with the reflection of the flames, he calmly responded, "Just watch."
"Indeed, let's observe. I'm curious myself. Can he truly surpass Baiwan?" Chishi added leisurely.
Biting his lip, Ghostface decided to take matters into his own hands and try to disrupt Bairan, despite knowing his own strength might not suffice.
Don't they know not to let the boss charge up an attack? Haven't these two ever played a game?
In an instant, Ghostface lunged forward, closing his eyes with a sense of impending doom, only to feel suddenly halted. Slowly opening his eyes, he realized Chishi had grabbed him.
"That's enough," Chishi declared.
Ghostface looked in the direction of Bairan and saw that the expansion of the ghostly flame had indeed stopped. Bairan seemed stabilized, but this wasn’t a mere disruption!
All the blood on the ground and the Yin energy contained within the frost flowers had been absorbed. This wasn't an interrupted charge, the boss's revival timer had run its course!
Dominated by his own resentment, Bairan, after absorbing all the Yin energy he could control, floated mid-air, suspended by the flames of his hatred.
He now resembled his former living self, even his attire had shifted. Gone was the temporary orange prison vest, replaced by the usual attire Chishi had once seen him wear.
The appearance of a ghost often changes based on their self-perception.
Clearly, Bairan no longer saw himself as the prisoner taken in by the special security agency, but rather a worthy adversary of Chishi.
Chishi thought for a moment and suddenly recalled that attire. It was what Bairan had worn the first time they met, when Bairan had led him into the old Bai mansion.
For Chishi, the memory was distant, spanning over centuries. For Bairan, it might have been a mere month or two. It was understandable for Chishi not to recall it immediately.
This indicated that Bairan was placing himself back to the time of their first encounter.
The era when he was the influential heir of the Bai family, capable of deceiving and manipulating Chishi.
"Very impressive indeed," Chishi said with a genuine, beaming smile, a hint of madness in his eyes, "This is exactly what I wanted to see. Show me more of your might."
Bai Ran's ghostly green flames have reached the vicinity of Chi Shen. Extending his hand to touch the green flames, to Gui Lian's horror, half of Chi Shen's finger turned into charcoal.
The ghostly flames writhed, seemingly wanting to convey something. But soon, they looked lost, captivated by Chi Shen's charred finger, seemingly drawn to some scent upon it.
Not just Gui Lian.
Whispers echoed between heaven and earth, and it seemed as if someone was wailing outside the courtyard. The sound was soft, almost imperceptible, yet undeniably present.
Bai Ran's ghostly flames could now harm Chi Shen, but he didn't attack immediately. Even his gaze towards Chi Shen grew calm. Shortly, he glanced around with a puzzled look before settling his eyes on Xu Xiu Yin.
Xu Xiu Yin still sat on the ground, initially intending to rush over to save Bai Ran. However, the sudden events left her stunned, watching Bai Ran resurrect from the ghostly flames.
As the flames approached her, she rolled and scrambled away, only to settle back down, outside the flames' reach, gazing at Bai Ran, seemingly unable to grasp the unfolding events.
"Mom," Bai Ran's voice was plaintive, his eyes tearful, "I feel so bad. Mom, can you come and see me?"
Looking at Bai Ran, all traces of his terrifying ghostly form faded from Xu Xiu Yin's eyes. To her, he seemed to be the child she had lived with for over two decades, who had cared for her, chased away bothersome spirits — her child of twenty years.
Even though the child had been consumed by ghostly flames, Xu Xiu Yin's heart still replayed their shared memories of the past two decades.
She truly wanted the best for him.
Even after discovering he wasn't her biological child, she never thought of abandoning him and even got upset with the Bai family for treating him differently because of the revelation.
"Ran Ran..."
Xu Xiu Yin crawled to her feet, eyeing Bai Ran within the flames.
Bai Ran covered his face, "Mom, am I ugly now? I've turned into a ghost. Will you abandon me?"
Anxiety crossed Xu Xiu Yin's face, past memories clouding her judgment, making her oblivious to the flames surrounding Bai Ran. She shook her head, moving towards Bai Ran, "How could I ever abandon you? You're my child, blood-related or not, I'm always your mother."
Gui Lian was dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, "What's happening?"
Chi Shen's face turned cold. He called out to Xu Xiu Yin, using a term he hadn't used in a long time: "Mother, come here."
Xu Xiu Yin hesitated, glancing back at Chi Shen with a complex expression.
Chi Shen looked at her, then at the pitiable Bai Ran. After a moment's consideration, his signature warm, confident smile appeared. Gently, he said, "Mother, he's controlling you. I know you don't want to hurt me. It's dangerous there; come to me."
Bai Ran, standing opposite to Chi Shen, momentarily showed a twisted expression on his face. However, he quickly regained his composure, revealing a pitiable look from within the ghostly flames. "Mother, I'm scared. He wants to kill me. Am I going to die?"
Xu XiuYin immediately turned to Bai Ran, exclaiming, "Ranran!"
The eerie green ghost flame engulfed Xu XiuYin in an instant. Her scream lasted merely a second before being silenced by the flames. Once the flames consumed her, not even a trace remained, save for a few floating ashes.
The smile on Chi Shen's face gradually faded, while the grin on Bai Ran's face grew crazily.
The pitiable look on his face vanished quickly, and he began to laugh maniacally. "Hahaha, Chi Shen, now, I'm going to devour you!"
Chi Shen turned his head with indifference, not even glancing at the rapidly expanding ghost flame, calmly stating, "Let's go. It's time to head home."
The ghostly face looked utterly bewildered and shouted in horror, "Aren't you going to do something? He devoured his own mother! This ghost is out of control! We need a plan. You need to act now! You can't release him, the nearby village is in danger. No, not just the village, even the harbor city will be affected! Someone like Yuan cannot handle this level of chaos. You can't leave this mess!"
Ji Xingchen, too, turned with Chi Shen, ignoring the ghost's desperate cries and instead glanced outside the courtyard.
There stood Yuan Yiping and Xu Jiayuan, who had just escaped the ghostly maze.
Both looked ragged, covered in dirt and grime. Xu Jiayuan held a red candle. Whether it was the cold air or the freezing candle, his hand had turned red. Yet, he didn't let go. Instead, he gripped it even tighter upon witnessing the scene before him.
The courtyard filled with ghost flames halted their approach. Both Yuan Yiping and Xu Jiayuan dared not approach recklessly, well aware of the danger posed by the ghost flames.
But what truly stunned them was seeing Chi Shen there, seemingly unscathed.
In reality, they had exited the ghostly maze earlier, but the exit was some distance from the courtyard. They hadn't seen the situation inside, only hearing fragments of conversations and deducing from that.
By the time they reached the courtyard entrance, they witnessed Bai Ran's resurrection from the ghost flames and the moment he devoured his mother.
Upon seeing Bai Ran now, neither of them asked Chi Shen to do anything. Instead, in unison, they shouted at Chi Shen, "Run!"
But Chi Shen didn't run. He maintained a leisurely pace as the rapidly expanding ghost flames consumed everything in the courtyard. The blinding light incinerated the weeds and trees, soon turning the yard to scorched earth.
"Die!"
Bai Ran shouted, the ghost flames quickly encroaching on Chi Shen. He stared malevolently at Chi Shen, imagining him struggling and begging amidst the flames. He wouldn't let him die quickly but torture him slowly, first burning his limbs, then his organs, and finally, his brain—
The ghost flames were less than ten centimeters from Chi Shen when Bai Ran suddenly noticed that the hand, which had previously been scorched by his flames, had returned to its original state.
The ghost flames were now only a centimeter away from Chi Shen.
But this one centimeter was an insurmountable distance.
The ghostly flames seemed to be halted by an invisible barrier, unable to advance any further. This single centimeter felt like eternity.
A black hand reached out from beneath Bai Ran, amidst the burning ghost flames, grabbing his legs and yanking him down to the ground with force.
The ghost flames, which had almost engulfed the entire courtyard, suddenly receded. As Bai Ran crash-landed, he desperately tried to direct all his flames to incinerate the hands restraining him.
But soon, a second hand, then a third, and a fourth emerged from the ground…
Though these hands were scorched black by the ghost flames, some even disintegrating, they never let go of Bai Ran, holding him in a relentless grip, not allowing even the slightest movement.
The face of the first ghost appeared, climbing out from the ground, its face dangerously close to the ghost flames. It stared intently at Bai Ran, its mouth agape, flames emanating from within.
“Bai Ran, do you remember me?”
Another black hand emerged from the ground, suppressing Bai Ran's frenzied flames and pinning him down. A face emerged behind the hand, asking Bai Ran, “Do you remember me?”
More hands reached out, and more faces emerged, their expressions ranging from calm, to angry, to hateful. Together they asked Bai Ran, “Do you remember us?”
Outside the courtyard, Yuan Yiping and Xu Jiayuan suddenly covered their ears as countless voices surrounded them. They watched as shadowy figures whizzed past them, these vengeful spirits not lingering around the living but heading straight for Bai Ran.
The voices of the spirits echoed, “Do you remember us?”
Bai Ran seemed unable to comprehend his current predicament. The ghost flames on him were extinguished bit by bit by countless black hands. He struggled fiercely against their grip, but the hands were numerous, not only holding him in place but also tearing at his body.
Looking at the faces, he shouted angrily, “Get off me! I don’t know who you are. Debts have their debtors, you should be seeking revenge on those who harmed you!”
No sooner had he spoken, the spirits intensified their assault, tearing apart his arm, devouring it in no time.
“They were all harmed by you. Seems you’ve forgotten them. Your classmate was right; revenge shouldn’t just be exacted by one person, that's unjust. Everyone you wronged, everyone who harbors hatred towards you, should have their chance at vengeance.” Amid the swarm of spirits, Bai Ran heard a voice. Not the voice of Chi Shen, but he began to understand.
The person who came to the Special Security Bureau to warn him of the serial killings in the harbor city wasn't Chi Shen.
It was this spirit accompanying Chi Shen.
All of this had been this spirit's doing!
He had assumed Chi Shen appeared at the Special Security Bureau to coerce him into revealing information about the Bai family. But that wasn’t the case; Chi Shen had shown up to let him know he’d be at this place today.
This spirit had orchestrated everything from the start.
Amidst the excruciating pain of his spirit being torn and devoured, Bai Ran burst into laughter, "Chi Shen, that ghost beside you is no good! I'm waiting for the day he betrays you too. I'll be waiting in hell for you! Ha ha ha ha!"
The last flicker of ethereal green fire suddenly vanished.
Shadows of black ghosts slowly dispersed in the air. Some revealed expressions of satisfaction and joy, dissolving into specks of light, while others respectfully bowed from a distance towards Ji Xingchen, and then melted into the darkness, disappearing completely.
It was as if a rain of stars had graced the area. The luminous specks danced upwards, forming an illusion of a milky way amidst the charred courtyard. They circled the area, passed by Ji Xingchen, and then drifted away towards the sky.
Xu Jiayuan stared at the breathtaking spectacle, murmuring after a long pause, "Is this... a large-scale purification and redemption of resentful spirits?"
Yuan Yiping turned to look at Chi Shen with a grim expression, asking, "Was this your doing?"
Chi Shen smiled and glanced at Ji Xingchen beside him.
Ji Xingchen adjusted his glasses, "I just thought they needed a little assistance."
Chi Shen's smile this time was warm, reminiscent of his bright yellow sweater, instantly lifting one's spirits.
Gui Lian finally realized, exclaiming, "Four-Eyes... I mean, Mr. Ji, so you borrowed his body for this! No wonder you came back smelling of various spirits every day; you were gathering the victims!"
Yuan Yiping disagreed vehemently, "Don't do this again. Engaging with so many spirits is too risky for you."
Ji Xingchen met Yuan Yiping's gaze unwaveringly, "Your approach stems from a perspective of the living, investigating the truth for the sake of those alive. But the deceased also deserve closure."
Yuan Yiping's lips quivered, wanting to retort, but found himself at a loss for words.
Xu Jiayuan interjected, "Alright, let's get back to finding Zheng Ming's head. We came for that after all. Wait, didn't we leave Li Xu in the car? Should I go get him?"
From behind a low wall, a voice emerged, "I..." As Li Xu appeared, he said, "I'm here. I wanted to use the restroom and somehow ended up here."
"That's everyone accounted for!" Xu Jiayuan exclaimed. "Now, where is that head?"
Li Xu's expression was on the verge of tears as he raised a hand holding a grass-covered spherical object, "Is this the head you're referring to?"
Chapter 100: In the end, nothing but ashes remained. He collapsed.
Under Chi Shen's polite acknowledgment, Bai Ran's bloodshot eyes trembled violently. He fiercely yanked out the icy bloom from his throat, regardless of the devastating consequences!
Blood sprayed everywhere. Although a ghost, his recent transition made it evident he hadn't adjusted to his new identity. His body convulsed, causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground.
Even while incapacitated on the floor, Bai Ran managed to lift his head and glower at Chi Shen, "I... I won't die! I am a ghost now; I can't die!"
Indeed, he wouldn't die. His entire body shivered from the ice bloom's aftermath. Huge gashes stretched from his neck down to his abdomen, markings of the frozen flower. He was nearly torn apart, but he was ethereal.
The foul-smelling blood pooled beneath Bai Ran, staining the withered grass red. Due to immense pain, his body trembled and spasmed, looking as if he might vanish any moment.
"I won't die."
His voice grew fainter, and the pool of blood beneath him began to dissipate.
Chi Shen tilted his head, observing him with mild surprise, "Quite resilient... just a tad too frail."
At those words, Bai Ran, who seemed to be fading away in pain, suddenly found a spark in his eyes. That comment brought him back, and he glared at Chi Shen with renewed malice.
"I thought he'd be fine with something of this extent, akin to a mere stab. Now if he dies, that would be problematic." Chi Shen had already moved away from Bai Ran. Clearly, his words weren't for Bai Ran, but for Ji Xing Chen.
Ji Xingchen glanced at Bai Ran's agonizing appearance, calmly saying, "He's still salvageable; he hasn't faded entirely. His grasp of his own resentment is somewhat unclear, making it easy for him to dissipate. If we provoke more hatred in him, he should stabilize."
Bai Ran fiercely gripped the wild grass beneath him. Although he had stopped the bleeding, perhaps his previous animosity towards Chi Shen wasn't potent enough to allow him to stand. But the conversation between the two undeniably infuriated him further.
It wasn't just a mere stab; it felt like a twist of the knife inside him.
Chi Shen remarked, "Mention it one more time, and he'll be revitalized."
A heavy aura of malevolence suddenly emanated behind Chi Shen. Ghostly green flames sprang up, encircling Bai Ran. He rose, a tattered figure wreathed in the phantom flames, his blood-red eyes fixed intently on Chi Shen.
The blood on him began to evaporate. The blood-stained ice flower on the ground was consumed by the ghost flames, melting into dark energy and seeping into Bai Ran's body. Once he absorbed the energy, his wounds began to mend rapidly.
In an instant, the ghost flames roared to the skies, emblematic of his overwhelming resentment.
Chi Shen turned his head only to be confronted by Bai Ran, enveloped entirely by the ghostly flames. He touched his chin in contemplation, revealing a surprised expression, "I didn't expect you to despise me this much."
As the ghost flames surged, Gui Lian quickly moved behind Chi Shen. The moment Chi Shen turned, Gui Lian swiftly switched directions, persistently hiding behind him, feigning invisibility from Bai Ran.
Chi Shen, dressed in a bright yellow hoodie, watched as Gui Lian tucked himself under the only visible hood, peeking out with one eye. He whispered, "Your conversation with Ji Xingchen just now would infuriate anyone... No, any ghost, to be exact."
Chi Shen expressed with genuine astonishment, "I didn't say anything wrong. Why would he be upset?"
Gui Lian, peering from beneath the hood at Chi Shen's bewildered face and then back at the visibly enraged Bai Ran, replied without emotion, "Indeed, you said nothing. Absolutely nothing."
Ji Xingchen, observing the source of the rising ghost flames, commented placidly, "He's recovered."
Although Bai Ran was engulfed by the ghost flames, his form did not crumble or turn to ash. This flame, born of his hatred, was fueled by his animosity towards Chi Shen.
Thus, the more Bai Ran despised Chi Shen, the more fervently the flames burned. This internalized resentment not only preserved him but also allowed him to be reborn amidst the flames.
Completely consumed by the ghost flames, Bai Ran was rapidly restored. His blood-stained clothes began to cleanse themselves, revealing the orange
vest
he had worn when imprisoned. His hands no longer clutched at his neck, and the gaping wound there steadily healed and faded.
At this moment, he wholly embraced his ghostly nature, no longer trying to influence his phantom body with human sentiments.
The blood on the ground ignited once more, transforming into swirling ghost flames that gravitated towards Bai Ran.
This was the dark energy he had earlier released, now coalescing and returning to him.
"He...he's become even stronger!" Ghostface exclaimed from behind Chishi, "Stop him quickly!"
Chishi remained unmoved, exuding a relaxed demeanor, as if he would take a seat and enjoy the show, if only there was a chair around.
The urgency in Ghostface's tone grew, "At this rate, his power might soon surpass even Baiwan's!"
Seeing Chishi's inaction, Ghostface turned to Ji Xingchen and shouted, "Four-eyes! No, wait, handsome! You need to reason with him!"
The specter of the ghostly flames reflected in Ji Xingchen's glasses, giving him an eerie appearance. His lenses took on a haunting green hue. Adjusting his glasses filled with the reflection of the flames, he calmly responded, "Just watch."
"Indeed, let's observe. I'm curious myself. Can he truly surpass Baiwan?" Chishi added leisurely.
Biting his lip, Ghostface decided to take matters into his own hands and try to disrupt Bairan, despite knowing his own strength might not suffice.
Don't they know not to let the boss charge up an attack? Haven't these two ever played a game?
In an instant, Ghostface lunged forward, closing his eyes with a sense of impending doom, only to feel suddenly halted. Slowly opening his eyes, he realized Chishi had grabbed him.
"That's enough," Chishi declared.
Ghostface looked in the direction of Bairan and saw that the expansion of the ghostly flame had indeed stopped. Bairan seemed stabilized, but this wasn’t a mere disruption!
All the blood on the ground and the Yin energy contained within the frost flowers had been absorbed. This wasn't an interrupted charge, the boss's revival timer had run its course!
Dominated by his own resentment, Bairan, after absorbing all the Yin energy he could control, floated mid-air, suspended by the flames of his hatred.
He now resembled his former living self, even his attire had shifted. Gone was the temporary orange prison vest, replaced by the usual attire Chishi had once seen him wear.
The appearance of a ghost often changes based on their self-perception.
Clearly, Bairan no longer saw himself as the prisoner taken in by the special security agency, but rather a worthy adversary of Chishi.
Chishi thought for a moment and suddenly recalled that attire. It was what Bairan had worn the first time they met, when Bairan had led him into the old Bai mansion.
For Chishi, the memory was distant, spanning over centuries. For Bairan, it might have been a mere month or two. It was understandable for Chishi not to recall it immediately.
This indicated that Bairan was placing himself back to the time of their first encounter.
The era when he was the influential heir of the Bai family, capable of deceiving and manipulating Chishi.
"Very impressive indeed," Chishi said with a genuine, beaming smile, a hint of madness in his eyes, "This is exactly what I wanted to see. Show me more of your might."
Bai Ran's ghostly green flames have reached the vicinity of Chi Shen. Extending his hand to touch the green flames, to Gui Lian's horror, half of Chi Shen's finger turned into charcoal.
The ghostly flames writhed, seemingly wanting to convey something. But soon, they looked lost, captivated by Chi Shen's charred finger, seemingly drawn to some scent upon it.
Not just Gui Lian.
Whispers echoed between heaven and earth, and it seemed as if someone was wailing outside the courtyard. The sound was soft, almost imperceptible, yet undeniably present.
Bai Ran's ghostly flames could now harm Chi Shen, but he didn't attack immediately. Even his gaze towards Chi Shen grew calm. Shortly, he glanced around with a puzzled look before settling his eyes on Xu Xiu Yin.
Xu Xiu Yin still sat on the ground, initially intending to rush over to save Bai Ran. However, the sudden events left her stunned, watching Bai Ran resurrect from the ghostly flames.
As the flames approached her, she rolled and scrambled away, only to settle back down, outside the flames' reach, gazing at Bai Ran, seemingly unable to grasp the unfolding events.
"Mom," Bai Ran's voice was plaintive, his eyes tearful, "I feel so bad. Mom, can you come and see me?"
Looking at Bai Ran, all traces of his terrifying ghostly form faded from Xu Xiu Yin's eyes. To her, he seemed to be the child she had lived with for over two decades, who had cared for her, chased away bothersome spirits — her child of twenty years.
Even though the child had been consumed by ghostly flames, Xu Xiu Yin's heart still replayed their shared memories of the past two decades.
She truly wanted the best for him.
Even after discovering he wasn't her biological child, she never thought of abandoning him and even got upset with the Bai family for treating him differently because of the revelation.
"Ran Ran..."
Xu Xiu Yin crawled to her feet, eyeing Bai Ran within the flames.
Bai Ran covered his face, "Mom, am I ugly now? I've turned into a ghost. Will you abandon me?"
Anxiety crossed Xu Xiu Yin's face, past memories clouding her judgment, making her oblivious to the flames surrounding Bai Ran. She shook her head, moving towards Bai Ran, "How could I ever abandon you? You're my child, blood-related or not, I'm always your mother."
Gui Lian was dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, "What's happening?"
Chi Shen's face turned cold. He called out to Xu Xiu Yin, using a term he hadn't used in a long time: "Mother, come here."
Xu Xiu Yin hesitated, glancing back at Chi Shen with a complex expression.
Chi Shen looked at her, then at the pitiable Bai Ran. After a moment's consideration, his signature warm, confident smile appeared. Gently, he said, "Mother, he's controlling you. I know you don't want to hurt me. It's dangerous there; come to me."
Bai Ran, standing opposite to Chi Shen, momentarily showed a twisted expression on his face. However, he quickly regained his composure, revealing a pitiable look from within the ghostly flames. "Mother, I'm scared. He wants to kill me. Am I going to die?"
Xu XiuYin immediately turned to Bai Ran, exclaiming, "Ranran!"
The eerie green ghost flame engulfed Xu XiuYin in an instant. Her scream lasted merely a second before being silenced by the flames. Once the flames consumed her, not even a trace remained, save for a few floating ashes.
The smile on Chi Shen's face gradually faded, while the grin on Bai Ran's face grew crazily.
The pitiable look on his face vanished quickly, and he began to laugh maniacally. "Hahaha, Chi Shen, now, I'm going to devour you!"
Chi Shen turned his head with indifference, not even glancing at the rapidly expanding ghost flame, calmly stating, "Let's go. It's time to head home."
The ghostly face looked utterly bewildered and shouted in horror, "Aren't you going to do something? He devoured his own mother! This ghost is out of control! We need a plan. You need to act now! You can't release him, the nearby village is in danger. No, not just the village, even the harbor city will be affected! Someone like Yuan cannot handle this level of chaos. You can't leave this mess!"
Ji Xingchen, too, turned with Chi Shen, ignoring the ghost's desperate cries and instead glanced outside the courtyard.
There stood Yuan Yiping and Xu Jiayuan, who had just escaped the ghostly maze.
Both looked ragged, covered in dirt and grime. Xu Jiayuan held a red candle. Whether it was the cold air or the freezing candle, his hand had turned red. Yet, he didn't let go. Instead, he gripped it even tighter upon witnessing the scene before him.
The courtyard filled with ghost flames halted their approach. Both Yuan Yiping and Xu Jiayuan dared not approach recklessly, well aware of the danger posed by the ghost flames.
But what truly stunned them was seeing Chi Shen there, seemingly unscathed.
In reality, they had exited the ghostly maze earlier, but the exit was some distance from the courtyard. They hadn't seen the situation inside, only hearing fragments of conversations and deducing from that.
By the time they reached the courtyard entrance, they witnessed Bai Ran's resurrection from the ghost flames and the moment he devoured his mother.
Upon seeing Bai Ran now, neither of them asked Chi Shen to do anything. Instead, in unison, they shouted at Chi Shen, "Run!"
But Chi Shen didn't run. He maintained a leisurely pace as the rapidly expanding ghost flames consumed everything in the courtyard. The blinding light incinerated the weeds and trees, soon turning the yard to scorched earth.
"Die!"
Bai Ran shouted, the ghost flames quickly encroaching on Chi Shen. He stared malevolently at Chi Shen, imagining him struggling and begging amidst the flames. He wouldn't let him die quickly but torture him slowly, first burning his limbs, then his organs, and finally, his brain—
The ghost flames were less than ten centimeters from Chi Shen when Bai Ran suddenly noticed that the hand, which had previously been scorched by his flames, had returned to its original state.
The ghost flames were now only a centimeter away from Chi Shen.
But this one centimeter was an insurmountable distance.
The ghostly flames seemed to be halted by an invisible barrier, unable to advance any further. This single centimeter felt like eternity.
A black hand reached out from beneath Bai Ran, amidst the burning ghost flames, grabbing his legs and yanking him down to the ground with force.
The ghost flames, which had almost engulfed the entire courtyard, suddenly receded. As Bai Ran crash-landed, he desperately tried to direct all his flames to incinerate the hands restraining him.
But soon, a second hand, then a third, and a fourth emerged from the ground…
Though these hands were scorched black by the ghost flames, some even disintegrating, they never let go of Bai Ran, holding him in a relentless grip, not allowing even the slightest movement.
The face of the first ghost appeared, climbing out from the ground, its face dangerously close to the ghost flames. It stared intently at Bai Ran, its mouth agape, flames emanating from within.
“Bai Ran, do you remember me?”
Another black hand emerged from the ground, suppressing Bai Ran's frenzied flames and pinning him down. A face emerged behind the hand, asking Bai Ran, “Do you remember me?”
More hands reached out, and more faces emerged, their expressions ranging from calm, to angry, to hateful. Together they asked Bai Ran, “Do you remember us?”
Outside the courtyard, Yuan Yiping and Xu Jiayuan suddenly covered their ears as countless voices surrounded them. They watched as shadowy figures whizzed past them, these vengeful spirits not lingering around the living but heading straight for Bai Ran.
The voices of the spirits echoed, “Do you remember us?”
Bai Ran seemed unable to comprehend his current predicament. The ghost flames on him were extinguished bit by bit by countless black hands. He struggled fiercely against their grip, but the hands were numerous, not only holding him in place but also tearing at his body.
Looking at the faces, he shouted angrily, “Get off me! I don’t know who you are. Debts have their debtors, you should be seeking revenge on those who harmed you!”
No sooner had he spoken, the spirits intensified their assault, tearing apart his arm, devouring it in no time.
“They were all harmed by you. Seems you’ve forgotten them. Your classmate was right; revenge shouldn’t just be exacted by one person, that's unjust. Everyone you wronged, everyone who harbors hatred towards you, should have their chance at vengeance.” Amid the swarm of spirits, Bai Ran heard a voice. Not the voice of Chi Shen, but he began to understand.
The person who came to the Special Security Bureau to warn him of the serial killings in the harbor city wasn't Chi Shen.
It was this spirit accompanying Chi Shen.
All of this had been this spirit's doing!
He had assumed Chi Shen appeared at the Special Security Bureau to coerce him into revealing information about the Bai family. But that wasn’t the case; Chi Shen had shown up to let him know he’d be at this place today.
This spirit had orchestrated everything from the start.
Amidst the excruciating pain of his spirit being torn and devoured, Bai Ran burst into laughter, "Chi Shen, that ghost beside you is no good! I'm waiting for the day he betrays you too. I'll be waiting in hell for you! Ha ha ha ha!"
The last flicker of ethereal green fire suddenly vanished.
Shadows of black ghosts slowly dispersed in the air. Some revealed expressions of satisfaction and joy, dissolving into specks of light, while others respectfully bowed from a distance towards Ji Xingchen, and then melted into the darkness, disappearing completely.
It was as if a rain of stars had graced the area. The luminous specks danced upwards, forming an illusion of a milky way amidst the charred courtyard. They circled the area, passed by Ji Xingchen, and then drifted away towards the sky.
Xu Jiayuan stared at the breathtaking spectacle, murmuring after a long pause, "Is this... a large-scale purification and redemption of resentful spirits?"
Yuan Yiping turned to look at Chi Shen with a grim expression, asking, "Was this your doing?"
Chi Shen smiled and glanced at Ji Xingchen beside him.
Ji Xingchen adjusted his glasses, "I just thought they needed a little assistance."
Chi Shen's smile this time was warm, reminiscent of his bright yellow sweater, instantly lifting one's spirits.
Gui Lian finally realized, exclaiming, "Four-Eyes... I mean, Mr. Ji, so you borrowed his body for this! No wonder you came back smelling of various spirits every day; you were gathering the victims!"
Yuan Yiping disagreed vehemently, "Don't do this again. Engaging with so many spirits is too risky for you."
Ji Xingchen met Yuan Yiping's gaze unwaveringly, "Your approach stems from a perspective of the living, investigating the truth for the sake of those alive. But the deceased also deserve closure."
Yuan Yiping's lips quivered, wanting to retort, but found himself at a loss for words.
Xu Jiayuan interjected, "Alright, let's get back to finding Zheng Ming's head. We came for that after all. Wait, didn't we leave Li Xu in the car? Should I go get him?"
From behind a low wall, a voice emerged, "I..." As Li Xu appeared, he said, "I'm here. I wanted to use the restroom and somehow ended up here."
"That's everyone accounted for!" Xu Jiayuan exclaimed. "Now, where is that head?"
Li Xu's expression was on the verge of tears as he raised a hand holding a grass-covered spherical object, "Is this the head you're referring to?"
