Chapter 14: You Have to Get Paid First (Revised)

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The Demon-Suppressing Talisman thought it over and realized that the man was right. He agreed at once. As it happened, the team had a case that had been delayed for quite some time, so they might as well place an order and hire him to see what Yang Xuan was capable of. That was how this whole affair came about.

“I’ve already spoken with the security guards. Come with me.”

After the car entered the residential complex, it eventually stopped in front of Building 44.

“Master, come with me. The others can wait downstairs.”

With that, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman slipped into the building. Yang Xuan, following the principle that only a fool would refuse easy money, went after him.

When Yang Xuan caught up, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman was waiting at the stairwell.

“There’s an elevator. Why aren’t you taking it? Why climb all the way up?”

The Demon-Suppressing Talisman did not stop him. He merely gave a cold laugh.

“If you aren’t afraid of dying, then take it.”

…

Following the Demon-Suppressing Talisman, Yang Xuan climbed eighteen full flights of stairs before they finally reached their destination.

The apartment number was 1804.

There were three apartments on each floor, numbered according to the floor and the position of the apartment.

Yet although the eighteenth floor clearly had only three apartments, there was somehow an 1804.

“This family was acquainted with me. All six members lived here, and five of them—the child being the sole exception—met violent deaths.”

Naturally, they were not actually friends of the Demon-Suppressing Talisman. Since Yang Xuan had not yet joined the team, there were certain things that could not be explained to him directly.

The Demon-Suppressing Talisman handed Yang Xuan several photographs. They had been taken by the police when they intervened in the case. As a member of the Special Investigations Division, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman had the privilege of obtaining them.

The scene in the photographs was horrifying and sickening. Two men and three women lay sprawled across the living room, blood flowing everywhere. Yet the surrounding furnishings were completely undisturbed. Yang Xuan immediately concluded that supernatural forces were responsible.

“This is where it happened.”

Click.

The door opened. The Demon-Suppressing Talisman stepped aside and gestured for Yang Xuan to enter first.

Yang Xuan was far from confident, but it was broad daylight. No matter how sinister the Demon-Suppressing Talisman might be, surely he could not actually eat him. Gritting his teeth, Yang Xuan stepped inside.

The moment he entered, a heavy stench of blood assaulted his nose. The floor and walls were covered in dried bloodstains.

A rust-covered cleaver lay in the middle of the living room.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing I should tell you. The five-year-old child disappeared on the tenth day after the incident.”

“Disappeared?”

“That’s right! The police searched for a long time, but the child seemed to vanish into thin air, as if he had been erased from the world. There hasn’t been a trace of him since.”

“How many people lived here?”

“Six.”

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Yang Xuan now had a general idea of what was going on. He searched the apartment again. The police had preserved the entire scene remarkably well; at a glance, everything appeared no different from its original state. Yet Yang Xuan could not shake the feeling that the atmosphere around him had become far more sinister and terrifying.

But…

“I’m going outside for a cigarette. Keep watch here.”

The Demon-Suppressing Talisman said this as he prepared to leave. One foot had already crossed the entrance when he turned back and reminded Yang Xuan, “If you can’t handle this, I suggest you don’t disturb the scene.”

Yang Xuan frowned but did not touch or rearrange anything. He continued studying the surroundings with his eyes, while his thoughts suddenly turned to the system.

That was right! After he had slain the Ghost King, the system had been upgraded. He had looked over the interface earlier, but had not paid attention to anything else.

As luck would have it, no one was nearby. Yang Xuan opened the system, and sure enough, it had been upgraded. There was now a shop option. When he opened it, delight rose in his heart.

Just when he needed it, the shop had actually put Yin-Yang Eyes up for sale!

But when he saw the hard-earned merit points required, Yang Xuan remained silent for two breaths. Wincing at the cost, he finally tapped the purchase button.

Ten thousand merit points bought him the right to use the Yin-Yang Eyes.

“How is it? Can you do it?”

The Demon-Suppressing Talisman had not even returned yet, but his voice had already drifted in. Yang Xuan hurriedly closed the system interface and pretended to continue examining the apartment.

“It’s only a performance for them. What could possibly be beyond me?”

After replying with a hint of arrogance, Yang Xuan silently recited, “Activate the Yin-Yang Eyes.”

He felt nothing unusual in his body. Yet the instant he opened his eyes, even though he had already seen ghosts before, he could not help being startled.

It was not the sudden appearance of ghosts that frightened him. It was the several spirits before him, still frozen in the grotesque state of their deaths. Their condition was simply too惨—too horrific to bear.

Yang Xuan stiffened for a moment before recovering. The Demon-Suppressing Talisman, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes slightly. The aura Yang Xuan had revealed in that instant had been far from normal. This Yang Xuan clearly possessed more than a few tricks.

Recalling the number of people mentioned by the Demon-Suppressing Talisman, Yang Xuan compared it with the souls inside the apartment and seemed to understand something.

There were only five souls in the apartment.

The soul of the youngest child described in the case file was nowhere to be seen.

“Did you discover anything?”

“Even if I told you, you might not believe me.”

Without lingering, Yang Xuan turned and walked out of the apartment, heading downstairs.

The Demon-Suppressing Talisman stared after him in confusion and hurried to catch up.

By the time they reached the ground floor, Yang Xuan was already lying in the car.

“What exactly did you mean just now? You still haven’t explained yourself.”

“Uncle Kun, give him the card terminal and pay him for this job first.”

Uncle Kun looked bewildered. “Master, our line of work has always followed the rule of performing the ghost opera first and collecting payment afterward.”

“Wouldn’t that violate the rules?”

“No. For someone like him, payment comes first.”

When Uncle Kun failed to react, Yang Xuan snatched the card terminal from him, handed it to the Demon-Suppressing Talisman, and stared at him without blinking.

Only after the Demon-Suppressing Talisman completed the payment did Yang Xuan’s expression improve somewhat.

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“There’s no way to tell yet. Wait until tonight.”

“Uncle Kun, go set up the stage in the apartment. This performance must be held inside.”

“As for the stage, a rough approximation will do.”

Being treated with such disregard left the Demon-Suppressing Talisman deeply displeased.

Whatever else he might be, he was a veteran member of the team. How could he tolerate a newcomer—someone who had merely been invited and had not even joined yet—ordering him around as though he were a servant?

Of course he would not submit.

For a moment, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman began competing with Yang Xuan out of spite.

He decided that it was time to show the boy something impressive. Otherwise, he would never be able to keep him in line.

“Hey, kid. Come with me!”

“I’ll show you one of my treasures. Otherwise, you’ll really take me for someone who does nothing but collect a salary!”

Yang Xuan had not intended to go anywhere, but the moment he heard the word “treasure,” his interest was piqued. He followed the Demon-Suppressing Talisman to his car.

Although the car was an older-model Porsche, it was still worth a considerable sum. Thinking about it, Yang Xuan immediately regretted his decision.

He had asked for too little money!

“Stop standing there like an idiot. Get in.”

Once inside the car, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman took an old wooden chest from the back seat. A thick layer of dust clung to its surface.

He slapped it casually, and a haze of dust instantly filled the car.

“You…”

Seeing Yang Xuan about to get out, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman hurriedly stopped him.

“Don’t be so impatient! Why are young people these days always in such a rush?”

“If you were anyone else, I wouldn’t show it to you so easily.”

With that, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman opened the wooden chest with great pride.

Inside lay a tattered garment.

It was the South Mountain Ghost King’s Battle Robe—the very item Yang Xuan had just auctioned off through the system.

“Nothing to say now, do you?”

“I knew you’d react exactly like this!”

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