Chapter 486: If I Die
Chapter 486: If I Die
Spiritual entities were completely invisible and untouchable, just like souls.
But evil spirits, weighed down by lingering resentment, possessed the ability to interfere with reality and physically interact with the material world.
This was why ordinary people couldn’t resist evil spirits – you couldn’t see or touch them, yet they could touch you.
When the female ghost in the corner saw Fang Cheng swing his fist at her, she didn’t even consider dodging.
Occasionally, special humans who could see her would try punching, but their blows always passed through like air.
This time should’ve been no different… CRACK!
Fang Cheng’s fist smashed into the ghost’s head, denting her skull against the wall.
BOOM!
The impact left a crater in the wall, spiderweb cracks spreading outward.
This was Fang Cheng holding back – a full-force strike would’ve demolished the entire wall.
The ghost reeled, intense pain overwhelming her limited intelligence.
Only when Fang Cheng yanked her head free and knocked her flying with a left hook did she realize – she’d been hit.
Hit?
A human actually hit her?
The ghost’s form flew backward, phasing through the wall to escape.
Fang Cheng teleported after her, grabbing her ankle and dragging her back like a ragdoll, pummeling relentlessly.
His Ghost Shadow Stealth allowed out-of-body experiences, possession, and crucially – seeing and touching spirits. Beating evil spirits was child’s play.
Ye Yuqing gaped at Fang Cheng punching empty air. “Oh no! Is Ah Cheng possessed?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Asaka Akihime’s exasperated voice chimed in her mind. “Cheng-kun’s fighting a spirit you can’t see.”
Realization struck Ye Yuqing. Closing her eyes, she clasped her hands dramatically overhead. “Great God! Help your sisters!!”
Though unnecessary, the ritualistic plea to Tsukimi Narumi felt appropriately grand. The surprisingly generous evil god never refused.
When Ye Yuqing reopened her eyes, black flames danced in her vision – revealing Fang Cheng viciously beating a misshapen ghost.
The battered spirit finally shook off her shock with an ear-splitting shriek.
The mind-rending wail made Ye Yuqing wince, but Fang Cheng simply shoved his fist into the ghost’s mouth, silencing her.
Being a doll-summoned evil spirit, she had more tricks. Furniture suddenly levitated – chairs, tables, even the large bed – all hurling toward Fang Cheng.
Then, Fang Cheng casually shattered the bed.
The female ghost: “…”
Too scary.
The female ghost didn’t dare keep fighting Fang Cheng. Her spiritual form split into two parts – one thrown at him while the rest lunged at Ye Yuqing.
She intended to use the evil spirit’s third ability: possession.
If she could take over this woman’s body, that terrifying man might hesitate to keep beating her.
When the ghost charged at her, Ye Yuqing slipped on silver gauntlets and punched the specter to the floor.
She only feared unseen creepy presences – a visible ghost didn’t scare her.
These silver gauntlets were Tsukimi Narumi’s equipment, naturally effective against evil spirits.
The female ghost felt worse than when Fang Cheng beat her, screaming in pain.
Ye Yuqing stopped only when the ghost was nearly destroyed.
Lying on the floor, the ghost trembled like a scared animal under Ye Yuqing’s gaze.
This pitiful look made Ye Yuqing hesitate. “Akihime, are we being too harsh?”
Asaka Akihime paused. “Probably… not?”
Ye Yuqing snorted. “Then let’s get even crueler.”
She’d been bottling up anger with no outlet.
The ghost understood and scrambled toward the bedroom door. She barely escaped before Ye Yuqing dragged her back by the ankle.
Screeching and clawing bloody marks into the floorboards, the ghost was pulled back into the bedroom as the door slammed shut.
After brutal treatment, the ghost’s lingering thoughts had almost faded away.
Fang Cheng stopped Ye Yuqing from finishing her off.
Ye Yuqing snapped, “What? Keeping her around for the holidays?”
“I need her.”
“For what? She’s just a ghost!”
“Fang Cheng, you’re disgusting!” She pointed accusingly. “You… you animal!”
He had no interest in the ghost – he wanted to test if keeping her alive would prevent the doll from summoning more spirits. Otherwise, simple Purify spells would’ve worked.
Soon the pathetic ghost found herself tied with turtle shell binding, sporting a mohawk haircut, hanging in the living room beside the doll.
Ghost and doll dangled together, staring awkwardly at each other.
When hotel staff came to fix the fuse later, they jumped at the sight of the hanging doll – blissfully unaware of the bound ghost beside it.
He thought to himself how bizarre rich people’s hobbies could be.
He’d seen S&M involving women, men, and transgender folks, but an S&M doll was a first.
Not daring to stay long, he hastily replaced the fuse and bolted.
After the commotion, Fang Cheng and Ye Yuqing abandoned sleep plans, waiting to see if more evil spirits would get summoned by the doll.
Bored, Ye Yuqing swapped Asaka Akihime out.
This North America trip required Ye Yuqing’s leadership since only she could wield Tsukimi Narumi’s power – something Asaka Akihime couldn’t manage.
Asaka Akihime brewed two coffees and curled up beside Fang Cheng instead of gaming.
Fang Cheng kept busy contacting Sato Mai in Mechanical City, tasking her to hack into the Department of Homeland Security’s database.
Their main goal: investigate the Grim Reaper situation and the Evil Spirit Doll.
With thirteen hours’ time difference between Area 11 and North America, daylight already broke there.
By 4 AM, another ghost appeared without Sato Mai’s update.
Since it was male, Ye Yuqing didn’t bother fighting – Fang Cheng handled it alone.
Fifteen minutes later, a samurai-ponytailed male ghost hung turtle-shell-bound in the living room.
The doll and two ghosts dangled silently, exchanging wordless glances.
…
Next morning brought no new evil spirits.
Fang Cheng purified both ghosts, gaining several abilities including useful “Interference with Reality” – similar to mental powers but ordinary-tier, decent strength but zero growth potential.
His Ghost Shadow Stealth reached Level 4, making him more ghostly than actual spirits – like ancient solar deities capable of out-of-body possession.
After multiple purges drained its malice, the Evil Spirit Doll turned ordinary.
Fang Cheng torched it with Pure Demon Flames, curious if it’d regenerate.
Breakfast interrupted by Victor’s call checking if Grim Reaper got him.
Victor reported three envelope-opening external personnel killed by evil spirits overnight.
Fang Cheng didn’t care about others, but recognized the operation’s danger – thirty recruits becoming three casualties in one night. Seven days might leave none.
“If Gates of Heaven’s invitation’s this deadly, their base must be apocalyptic,” Fang Cheng mused. “North America’s truly cult paradise.”
“Surprised you’re alive,” Victor said. “Grim Reaper escalates daily. Got last words?”
“Carve this on my coffin: Winter Horse Mistress!”
“Whaaat?” Victor’s confusion crackled through the receiver.
Realizing White Album references flopped here, Fang Cheng amended: “Always wanted to jerk off atop Empire State Building. Help me if I die?”
“I’ll book your cemetery plot. Do it yourself in the coffin.” Victor hung up rudely.
Unfazed, Fang Cheng sent cloud storage link via social media app: “My life’s collection. Share it wisely if I die.”
At Department of Homeland Security office,
Victor opened the link finding folders titled ‘Wife’s Humiliation’, ‘Hypnotic School’, ‘Domination Family’.
“A true gentleman.” His stern face cracked a smile as he hijacked agency broadband to download.
Locking his office, he grabbed tissues and hit play.
Headphones blared cheerful tune:
“Gourd babies, gourd babies, seven blooms on one vine…”