Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes darted away shyly. Anyone could see that Zhao Mingyue was embarrassed. Yet, she still held the small box in her hands up towards Bai Yu.
Her gratitude wasn’t that kiss. Although the kiss had been somewhat premeditated, it didn’t fall under the category of thanks. The true thanks was inside this box.
Zhao Mingyue spoke softly, “The thing inside was given to me by my grandmother before she left. She said it could bring good luck, and also protect the heart from being invaded by evil entities. I didn’t understand before, but now I do. This should be able to resist mental interference from ghosts and evil spirits.”
The box was practically shoved into Bai Yu’s face. Only after Zhao Mingyue finished speaking did she realize this. Flustered, she opened the box, revealing a jade pendant in the shape of a carp. The white jade had a single spot of red at the eye; it wasn’t paint, but the jade’s natural internal color.
The quality of this pendant was exceptionally good. Even disregarding its ability, the craftsmanship alone could fetch a considerable sum if sold, enough to support Zhao Mingyue for many years.
“This is a Yin-Yang Fish. I have one here, and my elder sister has another. But when my sister left, she left her pendant for me as well. It’s underneath this one.”
Sure enough, there was another pendant in the box, this one black, its eye also red.
Taking the pendant, Bai Yu could distinctly feel a power within it. The lingering resentment of the few Red-Clothed Fierce Ghosts in her heart vanished almost instantly.
She wasn’t afraid of this resentment, but it had to be said that it was very annoying, like a fly buzzing in her ear. Now, upon touching this pendant, those things were completely gone, leaving her mind perfectly clear.
This was absolutely a treasure, no less valuable than the necklace she had given Zhao Mingyue.
“I…” Bai Yu didn’t know if she should accept it.
Admittedly, it was a treasure, but it was still something Zhao Mingyue’s family had left her. As a ghost, it wasn’t right for her to take it. Yet, for a moment, she couldn’t think of a polite way to refuse that wouldn’t also upset Zhao Mingyue.
Zhao Mingyue only had half the pair now, so saying it suited her better was out of the question.
Zhao Mingyue’s eyes were full of expectation, mixed with apprehension.
She wondered if Bai Yu would accept her heartfelt gift.
Whether Bai Yu accepted it or not ultimately didn’t matter. It wouldn’t affect their relationship or create any issues of personal gain. She told herself this in her heart, but she simply couldn’t control her feelings.
“Then I…” Bai Yu paused, then closed her hand around the pendant. “I’ll accept it.”
The moment these words left her lips, Zhao Mingyue’s eyes widened. No words could describe the joy and excitement in her heart at that moment. She almost subconsciously went to hug Bai Yu, but just as her arms wrapped around Bai Yu, feeling that cold, soft form, Bai Yu vanished instantly.
Her arms empty, Zhao Mingyue came to her senses. Looking at the vacant space, she found the situation both laughable and frustrating, amused yet helpless.
Could it be that Bai Yu was… shy?
If Bai Yu knew what Zhao Mingyue was thinking right now, she would certainly retort: Just who was it that was so embarrassed she couldn’t look me in the eye just a moment ago?
Sighing imperceptibly, Zhao Mingyue shook her head. She took out the other pendant and held it in her palm.
She had planned on sleeping next to Bai Yu tonight. It seemed that hope was dashed.
Never mind, don’t push your luck. I’ve already profited enough today.
Touching a finger to her lips, Zhao Mingyue’s smile held a hint of a scheme well-executed. Humming a tune, she returned to her bedroom, flopped onto the bed, and buried her face in the pillow. Like a caterpillar, she rolled back and forth on the mattress.
Though she had never kissed anyone else, making this her first kiss, she didn’t need to guess to know that the unique sensation of Bai Yu’s lips was one of a kind.
The lips of the living weren’t as cold, the lips of the dead weren’t as soft and supple, and no other female ghost had a body like Bai Yu’s.
Today… truly is a day worth remembering.
What should I call this? Achieving the first milestone?
No wonder boys love playing games and collecting achievements; the feeling of earning one is amazing.
Hmm… it should be similar, right? Some boys even call the girls in games their ‘wives’.
Amidst these complex thoughts, Zhao Mingyue gradually fell asleep.
…
Nighttime arrived. Bai Yu emerged from the shadows once more. Zhao Mingyue’s jade pendant was now hanging around her neck. It didn’t look out of place; on the contrary, it was quite beautiful.
Needing no sleep, she simply sat by the head of Zhao Mingyue’s bed, her eyes closed in meditation.
Meditation was an essential skill for every blade user, used to clear the mind, stabilize the heart, or contemplate the transformations of blade techniques.
She accompanied Zhao Mingyue in sleep like this almost every night, and Zhao Mingyue herself was aware of it.
If it were anyone else, seeing a ghost sitting by their bedside in the middle of the night would likely scare them awake. But not her. Seeing Bai Yu’s delicate figure sitting there only filled her with a desire to pull her into the bed for a cuddle, and a profound sense of security.
As a child watching horror movies and jiangshi films, she was often too frightened to sleep, wishing a Taoist priest was in her room for protection.
Now her thoughts had changed.
What security could a Taoist priest offer? For true security, one needed a Red-Clothed Fierce Ghost. No, it had to be Bai Yu.
Time passed second by second, minute by minute. Zhao Mingyue slept soundly, drooling and talking in her sleep. Vaguely, Bai Yu heard a snippet of her dream talk: “Don’t run… Mwahaha, Little Sister Yu, I’m stronger than you now… Tonight, %&#…”
She couldn’t make out the rest, but even this small part was enough to know the girl’s thoughts were definitely not pure. Being stronger was one thing, but what did it have to do with tonight?
And the key point was, she was telling her not to run?
Dream talk is linked to waking life. This girl knew Bai Yu’s temperament, knew she generally wouldn’t retreat or flee. So the question became: what situation would make her tell Bai Yu not to run?
Bai Yu glanced at the small clock on the nightstand. The time was exactly 3:00 AM.
She continued her meditation, ignoring Zhao Mingyue. Another half hour passed.
Suddenly, Bai Yu sensed something. She abruptly stood up and opened her eyes.
On the bed, Zhao Mingyue was still fast asleep. But a completely unfamiliar aura was rising from her body. Bai Yu narrowed her eyes. She knew what this aura was: the Evil God residing within Zhao Mingyue.
There were four Evil Gods in Eternal Life Village. She had already encountered Ears, Mouth, and Eyes—two in the village, one at Thirteenth High School.
But the fourth Evil God, the one representing the “Heart,” she hadn’t yet made contact with.
During the few times she possessed Zhao Mingyue’s body, she had sensed its presence.
This Evil God’s true form slumbered deep within Zhao Mingyue’s body, having fallen into a deep sleep for unknown reasons and never awakened since.
The only certainty was that this Evil God’s power was immensely strong, nearly overwhelming the other three.
“Is it because Mingyue entered Eternal Life Village early, stimulating it, and it’s about to awaken prematurely?”
The aura on Zhao Mingyue lasted less than three minutes before vanishing. It came quickly and left just as fast. It didn’t seem to affect Zhao Mingyue at all; she continued sleeping soundly, drool still flowing, occasionally mumbling another line in her sleep.
Bai Yu, however, wore a grave expression. She knew that it didn’t seem to have an effect now only because it hadn’t fully awakened yet. Worse still, this thing would slowly invade Zhao Mingyue’s body. In the initial stages, Zhao Mingyue wouldn’t even notice, and by the time she did, it would be far too late.
By the final stage, Zhao Mingyue’s consciousness and soul would completely vanish, her body fully occupied by the Evil God.
“The Back Village. I have to go.”
She couldn’t be sure how much time this Evil God would give Zhao Mingyue. In the short term, she should be fine. But she only had one chance. If she couldn’t deal with this Evil God with the Dragon Girl in the Back Village five months from now, it would truly be a disaster.
Lost in thought, Bai Yu waited out the night. Dawn broke, and the alarm clock rang punctually.
Zhao Mingyue knew nothing of what had transpired during the night, nor what she had said in her sleep. She could only vaguely remember the dream she’d had, causing her to blush slightly.
Her snowy, fair arm emerged from the covers, slapping the alarm clock off.
Zhao Mingyue sat up, stretching. With her movement, her nightgown slipped down her shoulder, revealing a pinkish-white strap and her delicate, alluring collarbone. Below the collarbone, a hint of a breathtaking curve was also visible. Unconcerned by her “exposed spring scenery,” she casually greeted Bai Yu.
Actually, Zhao Mingyue disliked sleeping in a bra; she always felt a tightness in her chest, uncomfortably constricted.
What she wore today wasn’t a bra either, but a tank top. Reaching out, she pulled her clothes back up, scratched her messy hair, and yawned with sleepy eyes.
Knowing she was about to change, Bai Yu exited the room as usual, even closing the door behind her.
From the living room, she could hear Zhao Mingyue complaining about something seeming to have gotten bigger again, how annoying it was.
At breakfast, Zhao Mingyue kept giggling to herself while eating bread, clearly thinking of something. Bai Yu couldn’t shake the feeling that the girl was looking at her strangely.
“Mingyue.”
“Hm?” Zhao Mingyue looked up.
“Rest for a few more days, then we’ll take on a quest.” Bai Yu recalled the previous night’s events. She was urgently seeking to become stronger—both herself and Zhao Mingyue.
“Okay, okay! I’ll check for suitable quests sometime. Let’s find a harder one this time. When we do, Bai Yu, don’t help me. I want to try on my own.”
“Fine.”
“What’s up?” Zhao Mingyue noticed Bai Yu staring at her with a peculiar look. “Is there something on my face?”
“You… I was just thinking about the things you said in your sleep last night.”
The matter of the Evil God should be kept from Zhao Mingyue for now. There’d be an opportunity to tell her later.
“Dream talk?!” Zhao Mingyue nearly spat out the milk she’d just sipped. Her eyes widened, and thinking of something, even the tips of her ears flushed red.
“Yes, I heard it very clearly.”
“Ah, this…” Zhao Mingyue didn’t dare ask for details. She knew perfectly well what kind of embarrassing dream she’d had last night—pressing Bai Yu firmly beneath her…
So now, hearing Bai Yu mention her sleep talking, she didn’t need to ask to know she must have said something awful.
Come to think of it, if the dream talk hadn’t been “special,” Bai Yu wouldn’t have brought it up at all.
In Zhao Mingyue’s anxious state, Bai Yu didn’t elaborate, simply because she truly hadn’t caught the mumbled second half.
This attitude of Bai Yu’s, however, only made Zhao Mingyue more convinced that she must have said something terribly shameful.
That small interlude passed. Early in the morning, Zhao Mingyue scanned a shared bicycle, brought the rabbit doll along, and cycled towards the convenience store, arriving in a short while. Zhao Mingyue greeted Li Tian’an, who was wiping the glass at the entrance.
Pushing the door open, Zhao Mingyue didn’t rush in this time. Her attention was on the wind chime in the shop. She was very curious to know if Bai Yu’s power had improved after devouring three Red-Clothed Ghosts and consuming a box of Divine Spirit Blood last night.
Li Tian’an’s attention was also drawn. He, too, wanted to see Bai Yu’s strength.
Zhao Mingyue walked under the wind chime, and it indeed began to swing. It rang out six times in succession, and on the seventh, it seemed to lack strength, only letting out a very soft chime.
No matter how soft the sound, it was still seven chimes. One had to realize that the higher you go, the harder it becomes. This wasn’t as simple as one plus one equals two.
The Store Manager said nothing, turning away nonchalantly to continue wiping the glass. On closer inspection, though, one would notice he’d been wiping that same pane for several minutes. His attention was clearly elsewhere.
Zhao Mingyue helped out with a few chores, then changed into her work uniform and stood behind the counter.
“Bai Yu, where do you think that serial killer from last time is hiding? Do you think he’ll come back for revenge?”
“Probably not.”
“What about that guy who sent me the threatening texts?”
Zhao Mingyue checked her phone and bizarrely discovered that the person who had threatened her had sent two more texts. They were from three days ago.
The first text asked whether she preferred to open a door with her left hand or her right, accompanied by a photo of her front door.
The second text was also simple: “Hello, Miss Zhao. Are you a friend of this patient?”
Below was a picture of a girl. In the lower left corner of the photo was the girl’s name: Wang Xinxin.
The third text followed immediately after the second.
“We are unable to contact the patient’s family. We only found your name and phone number in her notebook. If you have time, please come to Tianchang City, Tianyang County, Fourth Hospital. The patient’s condition is critical, and it is feared she may not survive seven days.”
Below was another picture: a yellowed medical record.
The name on the record was indeed Wang Xinxin. The diagnosis was brain cancer.
Zhao Mingyue frowned, reading the texts word by word carefully, then zoomed in on the medical record. Unfortunately, the handwriting was so illegible it didn’t look like a doctor’s script; she couldn’t make out the details.
Putting down her phone, her furrowed brow did not relax.
“Wang Xinxin? Didn’t she die?”
