Chapter 55: Giving To The Ghost, Escaping Trouble
Bang bang bang!
The sound of banging on the door rang out like hammering iron.
The iron door shook, and the iron chains clattered loudly.
Lin Qian stared at the fierce ghost standing outside the door.
The unknown thing on the iron door was knocked off.
But strangely, even though the fierce ghost’s impact was so terrifying, the iron door showed no deformation, and the iron chains remained intact.
Lin Qian knew that the thing on the iron door had the ability to suppress supernatural phenomena.
And that chain likely had the same thing, or perhaps the chain itself was even a supernatural item.
Otherwise, it couldn’t withstand this ghost’s impacts.
The noise continued for a long time, putting everyone present on edge.
But suddenly, the banging stopped abruptly.
Lin Qian’s eyes flashed; at some point, the fierce ghost that had been standing at the doorway had appeared at the corridor entrance, its figure slowly disappearing around the staircase corner.
The ghost left?
The blonde woman and the man and woman let out long sighs of relief at that moment.
“We’re safe.”
That woman leaned weakly against the wall and spoke.
The man also breathed a big sigh of relief, but he was holding up better, his expression relatively calm.
Seeing their appearances, Lin Qian also knew that it was safe here for now.
He finally had time to look around.
This was the top floor of the old wooden building, which was the rooftop.
Near the exit, it was covered by a sheet of iron.
But it didn’t cover the entire rooftop.
Still, nearly half of it was exposed outside.
This iron sheet served as an awning.
But here, it definitely wasn’t for shielding rain, but for blocking the drifting paper ash.
This awning had been deliberately built by someone, very crudely, with some parts simply fixed in place with two iron wires or wooden sticks.
Under the awning, Lin Qian discovered that besides the blonde woman and the man and woman, there were three more people.
They were a skinny young man and a foreign little boy with a frail build.
And a middle-aged man fatter than anyone else here.
Including the blonde woman and the man and woman, there were six people in total.
The little boy sat on the ground against the wall, wrapped in a dirty towel.
He looked at him warily and curiously, but there was a deep disgust hidden in the other’s eyes.
This little boy seemed to hate him a lot, but for some other reason, he didn’t dare show it too obviously.
In contrast, the others didn’t have such expressions.
That fatty middle-aged man leaned against the wall, slightly tilting his head up to look at Lin Qian.
There was a hint of expectation in his eyes.
And that skinny one narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze cautiously scanning Lin Qian and the blonde woman.
There was some worry in his eyes, and also some coldness.
“You did well this time. Next time, you don’t need to go out.”
“This is your food for today.”
At that moment, the man from the initial man and woman pulled out a pack of instant noodles and an unopened bottle of mineral water from somewhere.
The moment the woman saw the instant noodles and mineral water, her expression immediately turned eager.
She swallowed her saliva, quickly took them, and kept saying something in English.
This time, Lin Qian understood what she was saying.
She was saying thank you.
Lin Qian watched this scene, a look of understanding in his eyes.
After getting the food and water, the blonde woman hurriedly bowed to Lin Qian, sincerely saying thank you.
Lin Qian didn’t understand why she was thanking him.
What had he done?
He hadn’t done anything.
But the blonde woman didn’t say anything more; she took the pack of instant noodles and mineral water and quickly walked toward the foreign little boy.
Lin Qian narrowed his eyes slightly.
“That’s her child. She was very unlucky; her family of three got trapped here, and her husband died right in front of her.”
“When we met her, she and her child were on the verge of starving to death.”
“Her name is Alice Lufar, a lawyer. Her child is named Deri Hunter.”
“We generally call them Alice and Hunter.”
The man walked to Lin Qian’s side, looking at the blonde woman and child with a complicated expression.
“I’m Xu Zhou, and she’s Yuan Xue.”
“This is Fatty, this is Xiao Shuai.”
The man introduced everyone here.
As for why that middle-aged man was called Fatty and that skinny one was called Xiao Shuai, Lin Qian didn’t know.
Maybe they were their code names.
Lin Qian looked at the blonde woman.
When the woman approached her own child, her expression softened.
She hugged her child, not knowing what she was saying.
Then, she placed the food and water she had obtained into Hunter’s hands.
The little boy immediately stuffed the things back into the woman’s arms.
His expression excited, not knowing what he was saying.
The woman patiently talked, coaxing and persuading until the little boy finally took the food again.
But he didn’t know what the little boy said.
Suddenly, the woman hugged the little boy and burst into loud sobs.
“Want to know what they’re saying?” Xu Zhou suddenly asked.
Lin Qian shook his head upon hearing this. “Not really.”
No need to know; he could guess what it was about.
There was no need to pry into such tragic conversations.
Xu Zhou was a bit surprised but didn’t press.
This person in front of him was different from them.
“Aren’t you curious?”
Seeing Lin Qian silent and observing the surroundings, Xu Zhou felt a bit anxious.
“Curious?”
Lin Qian withdrew his gaze from the surroundings. “A little, but not much.”
Here, anything could exist.
If you could imagine it, it existed here.
This was the ghost painting, after all.
No need to be too shocked by strange things.
“True, someone like you wouldn’t have many doubts.”
“But don’t you want to know why Alice was waiting for you at the door?”
Xu Zhou grew even more anxious.
Yuan Xue also walked over, her eyes fixed on Lin Qian.
There was a strange emotion in her eyes.
It seemed like admiration for the strong.
“Oh? Why?”
Lin Qian didn’t want to make the atmosphere awkward.
After all, they had just saved his life.
Seeing Lin Qian finally ask along his lines, Xu Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.
“Look.”
Xu Zhou quickly led Lin Qian out from under the awning to a corner of the rooftop.
Paper ash drifted, the outside world eerie.
Xu Zhou pointed ahead. “That spot is where you encountered the fierce ghost.”
“From here, we can see everything clearly.”
“So, we saw everything that happened between you and that ghost.”
Lin Qian looked where Xu Zhou pointed, and it was indeed so.
From here, he could clearly see the buildings and streets over there.
The distance was just a few streets away.
But from over there, they couldn’t see the situation here clearly.
“You saw?” Lin Qian narrowed his eyes slightly; he hadn’t expected that his confrontation with that ghost had been witnessed by all these people.
He also hadn’t expected these people to have such courage.
They even arranged for someone to pick him up.
Risking their lives to pick him up—what did they want?
“We saw, we all saw, so we had Alice come pick you up.”
Xu Zhou hurriedly said.
During his speech, Fatty and Xiao Shuai also walked over, but they didn’t get too close.
They had deep wariness toward Lin Qian, but deep in their eyes was an envy they themselves didn’t realize.
“I understand.”
Lin Qian nodded. “So, what do you want me to do?”
“Take us out!” Xu Zhou looked at Lin Qian gravely, his eyes filled with expectation and hope.
“Huh?”
Lin Qian was stunned. Wait, bro, are you kidding?
Take you out?
If I could take you out, how awesome would I be?
“Brother, what made you think I can take you out?”
“Tell me, I’ll change it!”
Lin Qian looked at Xu Zhou with utmost sincerity.
Xu Zhou’s expression stiffened. “You… you can’t take us out either?”
He said in disbelief.
“Nonsense, if I could take people out, would I still be chatting with you here?”
Lin Qian rolled his eyes. “Big Brother, you need to understand, if I could leave, I would’ve been gone long ago.”
Xu Zhou felt the world go dark before his eyes.
He forcibly steadied himself; Lin Qian’s blunt words filled them with despair.
Even someone like this couldn’t leave?
They had seen with their own eyes what this person did to that ghost.
No one had ever escaped from that ghost’s hands; anyone coming from that direction had died.
Yet this person not only escaped but even took something from that ghost.
They saw it clearly.
The thing was on him.
“You really have no way to take us out?” Yuan Xue looked at Lin Qian with despair.
There was a last glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Fatty, Xiao Shuai, and the blonde woman who had walked over holding Hunter’s hand at some point.
They all looked at him with hopeful gazes.
Lin Qian fell silent.
“Sorry, I don’t have that ability.”
After a long silence, he spoke truthfully.
He really didn’t know how to take these people out of the ghost painting.
In the original work, Yang Jian took the survivors out of the ghost painting because the ghost painting’s ghost domain collided with the ghost messenger’s.
An entrance to the ghost painting’s ghost domain was opened.
That’s how they took the survivors, Li Yang and the others, out of the ghost painting.
But now…
He hadn’t reached the strength to tear open the ghost painting and take them away.
Moreover, aside from leaving the ghost painting by strength.
Lin Qian couldn’t think of any method to leave the ghost painting.
But the original work did mention that there were countless ghost paintings inside the ghost painting, but only one was the real ghost painting.
Finding that painting might allow them to leave the ghost painting’s ghost domain.
But that was very difficult.
Even he had no confidence in finding that painting, let alone bringing these ordinary people along.
The group’s expressions changed.
The last bit of hope in their eyes vanished.
The atmosphere immediately became heavy.
Everyone’s mood was very low.
Lin Qian was quite calm; he never blamed himself for such things.
Not being able to take them out wasn’t his problem.
He had no direct interests tied to these people.
Even if they hadn’t picked him up, he wouldn’t have died.
Though that was said, he still owed them a favor.
Xu Zhou’s mood was low, but he quickly recovered his usual composure.
“It’s okay, not being able to leave isn’t a big deal. As long as we’re alive, we’ll leave here eventually; it’s just a matter of time.”
“Besides, now we have one more companion, one who can confront fierce ghosts. It’ll be much easier for us to survive.”
Xu Zhou’s words had a good encouraging effect.
Yuan Xue, Fatty, Xiao Shuai, and the blonde woman felt much more relieved hearing this.
Indeed, with Lin Qian, who could confront fierce ghosts, their chances of survival would be much higher, and life would be much better.
At least they wouldn’t starve.
They thought to themselves.
Lin Qian looked at them, hesitated for a moment, then spoke:
“Sorry, you might have misunderstood.”
As soon as he said it, everyone was stunned.
Xu Zhou’s heart sank, a bad premonition rising.
“I won’t be staying here.”
Lin Qian looked at the irregular eerie mansion in the distance. “My goal is that mansion.”
“Actually, even if you hadn’t come to pick me up, I had a way to evade that ghost’s pursuit.”
Evading that ghost’s pursuit was simple: enter the mansion or enter another ghost’s territory to trigger its killing pattern.
Drive away the wolf and bring in the tiger, nothing more.
Simple logic.
The group’s faces changed slightly.
Xu Zhou frowned, but suddenly he seemed to think of something. “Can that mansion get us out of here?”
Lin Qian was a bit surprised; instead of asking why he was going to the mansion, he asked if the mansion could lead them out.
It was clear these people had turned their desire to leave into an obsession.
Xu Zhou’s words reignited hope in the group.
They stared at Lin Qian, eyes full of expectation.
In this supernatural world, how many times had such expectant gazes appeared?
Under their expectant gazes, Lin Qian shook his head. “I don’t know if that mansion can get us out of here.”
“I’m going to that mansion because I’m looking for a ghost.”
Hope fell through once again.
The man called Xiao Shuai couldn’t hold back anymore.
“If you don’t want to say it, just don’t; why lie to us?”
“Looking for a ghost?”
“What are you looking for a ghost for? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Xiao Shuai glared angrily at Lin Qian.
Questioning Lin Qian.
Xu Zhou’s expression changed slightly.
Lin Qian narrowed his eyes. “Oh? How so? You seem to know a lot.”
If not for these people helping him escape that ghost’s pursuit.
He wouldn’t waste another word with them.
Xiao Shuai’s heart sank as he remembered the other wasn’t ordinary.
But due to pride or imbalance or whatever.
He stuck out his neck and questioned Lin Qian. “Otherwise what?”
“You say you don’t know how to leave here, but you’re going to that mansion to find a ghost. Do you think we’re idiots?”
“You clearly…”
“Enough!”
Xu Zhou suddenly shouted, staring deadly at Xiao Shuai. “Get over there and shut up.”
Xiao Shuai was stunned, wanting to say more, but seeing Xu Zhou’s grim face, he gritted his teeth and ultimately didn’t dare offend Xu Zhou.
He glared viciously at Lin Qian, then turned and walked back to his previous spot and sat down.
Lin Qian coldly watched all this. Did this guy think that with so many people here, he wouldn’t dare kill him?
Or did he think that because they saved him, he could do whatever he wanted?
“Sorry, he’s been hungry too long and his mental state is off,” Xu Zhou said with an apologetic smile, somewhat embarrassed.
“Hungry too long?”
Lin Qian chuckled. “People hungry that long don’t have the energy to talk.”
Xu Zhou’s face stiffened slightly.
“First, I’m very grateful you helped me escape that ghost’s pursuit, but that’s no reason for you to leverage the favor.”
“After all, I had ways to escape that ghost myself.”
“But since you did it, I can’t pretend it didn’t happen.”
Lin Qian glanced at the group.
They were all just ordinary people, in this world for maybe two or three months at most.
They knew something about ghosts but didn’t truly understand.
So, he planned to tell them a way to survive.
Whether they could survive would depend on their own luck.
He wasn’t a saint; he couldn’t hold their hands through it.
“If you want to survive, and survive more easily, it’s simple: go control a fierce ghost.”
“Ghosts can be controlled.”
“Those who control fierce ghosts gain terrifying abilities.”
“Ghosts can only be confronted by those who control ghosts.”
“And I am one who has controlled a fierce ghost. Outside, people like us are called ghost controllers.”
The group’s faces turned utterly horrified.
Ghost controllers?!
Ghosts can be controlled!!
“Don’t ask me how to control a ghost; you have to figure it out yourselves. Every ghost controller’s method is different.”
“It can’t be replicated.”
“Keep controlling fierce ghosts, keep getting stronger, and eventually you’ll leave here.”
“That’s also why I’m going to the mansion to find a fierce ghost.”
“Because I want to get stronger.”
At this point, Lin Qian looked at them expressionlessly.
“Ghosts can’t be killed. Only ghosts can deal with ghosts, by discerning their killing patterns.”
After leaving these three sentences, Lin Qian took out a face skin from his pocket and tossed it on the ground.
“This is a ghost, a dead ghost that won’t revive. Consider it payment for your help.”
“Whoever controls this ghost, handle it yourselves. The method is simple: stick the face skin on your own face.”
Before Lin Qian finished speaking, Xu Zhou lunged forward, picked up the face skin, and unhesitatingly covered it on his face.
Yuan Xue and the blonde woman, a step too slow, had uncertain expressions but slowly backed away.
Xiao Shuai stared deadly at Lin Qian; at this distance, he couldn’t grab it.
“Very decisive.” Seeing Xu Zhou’s action, Lin Qian’s eyes flickered slightly.
His actions were very decisive, as if he hadn’t even considered if it was real or fake.
“You must have more of these things, right?!” Xiao Shuai suddenly blurted out, and the others’ gazes instantly fell on Lin Qian.
“Give us the things, or I’ll open this door right now, and we all die!”
Xiao Shuai stood up, strode to the iron door, grabbed the chains, and looked at Lin Qian with a crazed expression.
Lin Qian was expressionless; this person was already mad.
“Hurry up!” Xiao Shuai’s expression was fierce and ruthless.
But at that moment, Xu Zhou, who had put on the human face, suddenly vanished from his spot.
Xiao Shuai’s pupils shrank sharply, terror in his eyes. “No… no!”
Crack~!
Xiao Shuai’s voice cut off as Xu Zhou expressionlessly grabbed his neck and threw him off the rooftop.
Bang! A dull thud rang out.
The corpse hit the ground, blooming a red flower.
The blonde woman hurriedly hugged her child, and Yuan Xue’s face paled slightly.
Fatty swallowed hard, not daring to speak.
