Chapter 18: Inviting Spirits (15)

A gaping wound on her shoulder continued to bleed, and her body grew colder by the moment. Lu Jinchao couldn’t tell if it was from blood loss or the ever-approaching ghosts.

Besides the ghosts trailing behind her—the deceased Jiang Shuying and Cen Duo, and the uncertain fate of Jiang Yingzhi—there were likely five more ghosts present here now.

Five ghosts were far beyond what an ordinary human like her could confront.

But fortunately, she didn’t need to confront them; she only needed to run.

Lu Jinchao heard the sound of a car door opening, accompanied by a sharp, mournful cat’s cry.

She dared not open her eyes, unable to confirm what had happened, but she knew it could be nothing good.

Though doubts lingered in her heart, she had no time to ponder them. She forced her legs to move, struggling desperately to break free from the strands of hair entangling her. Even as the sharp strands cut into the skin around her ankles, she threw herself with all her might toward the car door.

Yet, just as she broke free from those strands in one instant, new ones wrapped around her in the next.

These hair-like tendrils greatly slowed her down, and when the skin around her ankles was completely torn, she felt something trying to crawl into her exposed flesh.

She thought of the person wrapped in those strands—if she allowed them to invade her body, would she end up the same way?

But there was no time to care about that now.

Even as she sensed the strands piercing her flesh, a spasming pain spreading through her calves, Lu Jinchao gritted her teeth and tore herself free step by step, stumbling toward the car door.

The loud noise of the train helped her find the general direction even with her eyes closed.

Then, suddenly, she collided with something.

Cold, rigid, motionless.

What was it?

Holding her breath, she dared not open her eyes, but even without looking, she knew it couldn’t be anything normal to crash into at such a moment.

The next instant, a cold hand suddenly clamped down on her neck.

The grip was extraordinarily strong; in a flash, Lu Jinchao found herself unable to breathe.

There was no mercy—the intention was to kill her outright.

And at the very moment the hand seized her neck, she felt the pain in her legs from the shredded flesh ease somewhat.

It was a ghost, Lu Jinchao realized immediately.

And one far stronger than that hair ghost. At this moment, she was its prey, and the hair stopped its invasion.

Her breath ceased; amidst the suffocating pain, she could still focus enough to recognize the hierarchical power differences among ghosts.

Since the time of Lin Shuyue, a concern she had harbored was now confirmed here.

***

Ghosts did indeed oppose one another.

But what good was that knowledge now?

She seemed to have reached a dead end.

Though her eyes were tightly shut, a line of blood-red words appeared before her:

[Pay the price, exchange for a way out.]

It was Yang Pi.

Apparently, Yang Pi also believed she was doomed, certain to die.

To propose a deal now—did it think she would accept no matter the cost?

Her brain, starved of oxygen, was gradually failing; the sensation of suffocation was unbearable, even for Lu Jinchao.

She could feel the grip on her neck was not humanly strong.

If she didn’t break free soon, she might not even suffocate—her neck could be snapped alive.

So, make the deal?

—No.

Perhaps Yang Pi thought she was trapped, desperate enough to seek its help, but...

Lu Jinchao refused to bargain. As long as there was the slightest chance, even if perilous...

She snapped her eyes open suddenly.

The next moment, a familiar face came into view.

A passenger assigned the ultimate ghost-seeing task, now clad in a burial shroud, his face pale and bruised, resembling a corpse.

“No, that’s not what I want to see.”

The hand tightened on her neck. Unable to turn her head, she strained her eyes sideways, knowing all she needed was a crack, a chance to glimpse...

A rotting face, featureless except for one eye glowing faintly green, suddenly emerged before her.

It was the ghost that had followed her since the operating table, attempting to possess her!

This was it.

She finally saw the ghost that had dogged her steps—now, it had found her too.

The condition was met. The ghost’s face vanished, but Lu Jinchao felt a chill wash over her body, especially her eyes.

Her world suddenly turned gray, filled with the color of incense ash; everything was distorted, hazy, as though she were in another realm.

Only the ghost before her and the distant train remained clear.

***

“…Is this the ghost’s vision?”

There was no time to think further, for she clearly sensed her control over her body and mind slipping away. Even this thought grew sluggish.

It seemed something was vying for control over her brain and body.

Or perhaps the ghost had already begun invading her.

Yet, because of this, the hand choking her relaxed slightly.

Not fully released—that was expected.

Being a ghost summoned by the ultimate ghost-seeing method, it was likely the strongest on the platform.

So, she used the ghost that had long tried to possess her to fight it off. She wouldn’t win immediately, meaning she wouldn’t be possessed or killed outright in the struggle.

The clash between the two ghosts bought her a brief reprieve—but it wasn’t enough.

After about five seconds, the hand, which had loosened somewhat, tightened again.

“…It seems the ghost trying to possess me isn’t strong enough.”

Only five seconds, and it was already losing to the other ghost?

But it was as she expected.

Without hesitation, while she still had control over her body and was not fully possessed, she raised her hand and forced the ghost’s hand off her neck.

Sure enough, it moved!

Alone, she could never budge a ghost—unless, the other ghost took over her body!

A perilous gamble, almost a wager with her life, but it wasn’t over yet!

After she pried off the burial shroud ghost’s hand, the ghost that had been suppressed within her body immediately fought back!

Her mind blanked for a moment; for an instant, she barely felt the presence of “herself.”

Yet the hair strands, also suppressed, stirred to life within her at the same moment.

Even without the burial shroud ghost’s control, she wouldn’t be possessed immediately—there were still many invading strands inside her!

Before they decided the victor, there were only precious seconds left—but those seconds belonged to Lu Jinchao.

They were her slim chance at survival.