52: Chapter 49 Sacrifice 52: Chapter 49 Sacrifice The enigmatic hands blurred the boundaries between Zhou Xuan’s dreams and reality.
“Don’t sleep too deeply, but don’t wake too clearly either…
Half-dream, half-awake is best.”
Zhou Lingyi’s voice was like a sleep-inducing lullaby, causing Zhou Xuan to yawn involuntarily, his eyelids drooping uncontrollably.
But he couldn’t sleep too deeply.
Just a few seconds after closing his eyes, a clear consciousness surged in, forcing him to open his eyes.
However, the scene before him wasn’t as clear as normal, as if veiled by a pale yellow chiffon.
The fras flowed before his eyes like a creepy old film—
—Zhou Lingyi held “those hands,” singing an old song with an extrely strange tune, the words unclear.
Honestly, the song wasn’t pleasant, as if lacking the basic harmony between notes.
Zhou Xuan found it quite jarring.
Yet with the singing of that unpleasant old song, the “those hands” in Zhou Lingyi’s grasp beca even more restless, the fingers turning from twisting to scratching the palm, as if the palm was unbearably itchy.
Scratching with such force, each scratch left five bloody marks on the palm.
After dozens of continuous “scratches,” the skin had flipped outward, creating startling wounds.
Blood flowed from the wounds, quickly dripping onto Zhou Xuan’s neck, face, and eyes…
“Cool…
refreshing…
so comfortable.”
As the blood dripped down, it was quickly absorbed by Zhou Xuan’s skin, spreading a mint-like coolness rapidly throughout his body, bringing an unprecedented sense of relief and relaxation wherever it spread.
Yet in his half-awake state, when he looked around again, everything seed bathed in a layer of red mist.
The mist was initially semi-transparent, gradually becoming more intense until it grew thick and cloying.
Zhou Xuan even felt this thick color was sowhat blurring his eyes.
“Sleep, brother, have a good dream…
When you wake up, you’ll forget everything you saw, completely forget.”
“Will I forget?”
Hearing Zhou Lingyi’s gentle voice, Zhou Xuan unconsciously began to talk to himself.
“You’ll forget…”
“You will…”
“…”
Zhou Xuan’s words dwindled, as the scenes he had just seen felt like a kite flying ever higher, suddenly cut loose by a gust of wind, leaving no trace.
“Ti to sleep.”
Zhou Xuan heavily closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
…
Zhou Lingyi, holding “those hands,” walked back ho.
The Ten Fingers were furious, not expecting Zhou Lingyi would truly use him as a sacrifice for the ritual.
“This approach of yours defies the Night Patrol God’s rules.
After being captured, an Alien Ghost should be sent to one of the nine Tangkou for disposal, you should send there…”
The nine Tangkou have a rule: any Alien Ghost captured by the Night Patrol God must be sent to the Main Hall where the God resides.
Thus,
according to the rule, the Ten Fingers should have been sent to the Old Hall.
Zhou Lingyi said solemnly, “I respect the rules…”
“Then how dare you use as a sacrifice?”
“But that doesn’t an I’ll never break the rules.”
“…”
“My brother’s illness is severe.
Without you as the sacrifice, I’m afraid he won’t last until the incense is lit.”
Zhou Lingyi coldly said, “So…
I have to trouble you.”
“Send to the nine Tangkou!”
The Ten Fingers scread hysterically.
Mr.
Dai, having once worked for Food Heaven, knew so secrets about the Alien Ghosts.
As a follower of the Ten Fingers, he naturally shared this information freely.
Thus, the Ten Fingers knew what awaited an Alien Ghost at the nine Tangkou—most would et their deaths, but a small number might be imprisoned.
What was Jing Country’s purpose in imprisoning the Alien Ghosts?
Mr.
Dai didn’t know either,
The Ten Fingers didn’t assu he would be among the few imprisoned Alien Ghosts, but going to the nine Tangkou at least ant a chance to survive.
No matter how slim, it was better than dying at the hands of this madwoman!
A sacrifice’s fate was simply death, a death with no dignity.
“Send to the nine Tangkou, it’s the rule, and you know the cost of breaking the rule…”
“Just settle into your role as a sacrifice, don’t worry about my matters.”
Zhou Lingyi’s coldness and resolve left the Ten Fingers in complete despair.
But it seed like now was the perfect mont for one last desperate attempt.
The Ten Fingers needed to seize the opportunity when Zhou Lingyi underestimated him and relaxed her vigilance, to unleash his magic, contaminate Zhou Lingyi’s spirit and disposition, just like he did with Mr.
Dai.
All at once, the Ten Fingers trembled violently, white long hair growing from every pore, wrapping around Zhou Lingyi’s arms.
As long as they wrapped, held tight, his will would infiltrate Zhou Lingyi’s body.
Contaminate, invade, control…
Unfortunately,
Zhou Lingyi wasn’t Mr.
Dai,
She was cautious, having drawn Blood Talismans on her arms beforehand to prevent being contaminated when touching the Ten Fingers.
As soon as the white hair wrapped around Zhou Lingyi’s arms, the light from the Blood Talismans flashed, igniting the white hair rapidly…
…
By morning, Zhou Xuan woke.
Even though he hadn’t slept long, he felt refreshed, and his eyes were no longer swollen.
“Could it be because I spent so much ti rowing last night?
Exercise does work wonders, leaving revitalized.”
After getting out of bed, he endured the ss in his room, grabbed so fresh clothes, and gave Little Fuzi in the outer courtyard forty bucks for his morning vocal exercises.
“Fuzi, clean my room spotlessly, not a speck of dust.”
“Alright.”
Little Fuzi clutched the forty bucks tightly, smiling widely as he went to clean, not out of love for money, but a passion for labor.
Zhou Xuan continued to the bathhouse.
He had to pass the boiler room on the way to the bathhouse.
Lao Ma was resting, playing with a pair of walnuts in his hand.
But curiously, while playing, the walnuts emitted two different sounds.
“Lao Ma, what type of walnuts are you playing with that make two different sounds?” Zhou Xuan, carrying a basin, approached Lao Ma.
“Do they?
These are authentic ‘Lion Heads’…” Lao Ma opened his hand to reveal two well-oiled walnuts.
But each walnut had been nailed with over a dozen foreign nails.
Zhou Xuan took one look and almost burst out laughing,
Did these walnuts have bugs?
So many patch-up nails?
“Why so many foreign nails in your walnuts?”
“A little nephew smashed my heirloom walnuts into pieces, so I nailed them back together.”
No wonder they made two sounds when played; one from the walnuts, another from the iron nails.
With so many nails, they might as well be made of stainless steel, at least the sound would be even, and they wouldn’t break.
“Lao Ma, I want to play with a pair of walnuts too.
You’ve played walnuts long enough, help pick a pair next ti?”
Zhou Xuan wasn’t acting on impulse; it was more about having too much money to burn.
His sister sent him three thousand bucks a month; it was ti to live the life of a wealthy young master.
What was a young master like?
Walking out with a birdcage in the left hand, two walnuts spinning in the right, sitting in a restaurant, summoning the waiter with a “give my bird so water,” waiting for food while leisurely “click-clacking” the walnuts…
Talking about walnuts, Lao Ma had much to say, about selecting the pile type, choosing varieties, and making sure two walnuts looked alike.
His words piqued Zhou Xuan’s curiosity…
…Curious how Lao Ma, full of cold sweat, purplish lips, and an exhausted look, still had such energy to talk about walnuts.
“I’ll seek your advice next ti.
I’m off to bathe and have breakfast.” Zhou Xuan patted Lao Ma’s shoulder and advised, “By the way, Lao Ma, did you slack off work last night and crawl into so old lady’s bed?”
“No…
I didn’t!”
“Look at you, sweating bullets, lips turning purple, you definitely did.
Drink so goji berry tea, you need to take care of your body.”
Zhou Xuan teased a few words, then headed to the bathhouse.
Lao Ma stood there in a daze, mumbling, “Young Master, how did he know I crawled into bed last night?
Am I really running low on energy?”
He picked up an old mirror, looked intently; seeing his ruddy complexion, blood-red lips, nothing about him seed lacking in vitality!
“Young Master must have been testing …
But I should drink so goji berry tea anyway, that old lady says I’m not what I used to be.”
Lao Ma mumbled.
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