Chapter 652: Chapter 524: The Source
Harming myself over and over was bearable, but to have my entire life’s savings stolen, how could I let that pass without action?
The Human Bone Staff struck out, and the Mirror Ghost had no escape, bracing itself with its body. However, Yang Xiao was ultimately a step too slow, allowing the Mirror Ghost to escape through the stairwell. In the instant its palm touched the doorknob, the door opened, and with a "bang," it slipped inside and the door closed tightly behind it.
The next second, Yang Xiao arrived, kicking the door fiercely, but now the iron door seemed welded to the wall, immovable.
Failing to break in, Yang Xiao, though unable to swallow his anger, did not dwell on it. He turned and rushed back into the stairwell, heading downstairs.
Arriving at the first-floor lobby, with the help of an aged large glass pane, Yang Xiao returned from the Mirror World to the apartment world. The main entrance of the apartment was wide open, the sky outside had already darkened, and more importantly, he neither saw Lu Wencheng nor the Chang Ghost.
This was bad...
According to the time, the Chang Ghost should have already arrived here, and Lu Wencheng didn’t seem like someone who would fail to keep an appointment.
After double-checking for signs of the Chang Ghost nearby and finding none, Yang Xiao took out the Ghost Lantern and shone it on the cold ground. Soon, he discovered a trail of wet footprints, crooked and staggered like those of a drunken man, leading from the stairwell towards the door and pointing outward.
Following the footprints, Yang Xiao walked out of the main entrance of the apartment. The footprints disappeared on a section of Goose Egg Stone about ten meters to the right of the apartment building’s entrance.
This discovery made Yang Xiao’s heart clench. He lifted his head and looked into the distance, only to see a high-rise building standing under the pitch-black night sky, which was Apartment No. 5, the very one where Lu Wencheng lived.
Now that both Lu Wencheng and the Chang Ghost were missing, the likeliest possibility was that Lu Wencheng, coming to the appointment, had run into the Chang Ghost. Since there was no body to be seen, he should still be alive, but taken to another world by the ghost.
No longer hesitating, Yang Xiao stood on the last footprint left by the ghost and lifted the Ghost Lantern, ignoring any potential dangers around him, pouring his spiritual power into it. As the flame inside the lantern grew brighter, the scene before him changed. He saw a mist of grey fog, and in that fog were two blurry figures.
Only one silhouette was complete; the other was cut in half. The complete figure was carrying a large weapon, constantly changing positions to hide, but no matter where it hid, the other, incomplete ghostly figure would find it, moving with stiff steps, drawing closer and closer.
Without a doubt, the person being pursued was Lu Wencheng, and the other incomplete ghostly figure was the Chang Ghost transformed from Prisoner 104 after its death.
Yang Xiao tentatively stepped forward, hoping to enter this misty world, find Lu Wencheng, and rescue him. However, after several attempts, all ended in failure. He seemed to step into the fog but was actually just walking in circles on the spot.
Suddenly, Lu Wencheng in the fog seemed to notice something. He turned his head and looked in Yang Xiao’s direction. Yang Xiao, realizing too late, continued to pour spiritual power into the lantern and shook the Ghost Lantern in his hand. Judging by Lu Wencheng’s behavior, Yang Xiao inferred that although the man couldn’t see him, he could see the lantern in his hand— and that was enough!
Sure enough, Lu Wencheng immediately ran toward Yang Xiao. The distance between them narrowed until they were close enough to touch each other, but a thin fog still cloaked Lu Wencheng, making his figure hazy. The half-body Chang Ghost was closing in from behind, and Lu Wencheng, in desperation, reached for the Ghost Lantern again and again, but he always grasped at air.
While they were in close proximity, they were in two different worlds. Trying to save Lu Wencheng now could likely draw the attention of the Chang Ghost following close behind, but Yang Xiao felt an undeniable responsibility for Lu Wencheng’s plight.
He had to try, no matter if he could save him or not. The Chang Ghost was getting closer. Yang Xiao took a step forward, stretching out his left hand and reaching for Lu Wencheng’s arm in the mist. As a real touch was felt, Yang Xiao’s heart leaped with joy— he’d caught him!
With the Ghost Lantern in his right hand, he used his left to pull Lu Wencheng out from the Ghost World. As Lu Wencheng’s arm emerged from the mist, Yang Xiao’s pupils shook violently. He saw that the arm he was pulling from the Ghost World was already beginning to rot, marred with the stains of decay.
Before Yang Xiao could react, the previously limp arm suddenly tugged downwards fervently, fingers gripping Yang Xiao’s wrist like a vise, pulling with immense force as if to drag him into the fog.
Cold, sinister chill enveloped his left arm as if frozen. His spiritual power was severely restricted, and even the flame in the lantern he held was dimmed by the fear overwhelming his mind. He had been tricked, this had all been a play put on by the ghost, a feigned act.
He now also recognized the arm holding him— it belonged to the man in the mourning suit, meaning this ghost was the Source Ghost hiding within the darkness!
After snatching the upper body of the mourning man, it had now set its sights on him!
Having stolen the man’s two Magic Artifacts, the Source Ghost was now stronger than before. Even with all his might, Yang Xiao was being slowly pulled into the misty world, a force he could not resist. Once inside, only one outcome awaited— death.
He could hesitate no longer. With his left arm controlled, Yang Xiao quickly abandoned the Ghost Lantern with his right hand, summoning a kitchen knife instead. With a hardened resolve, he hacked down, severing his hand at the wrist. Freed from control, Yang Xiao stumbled backward, assaulted by a wave of weakness and searing pain, causing his vision to darken, nearly collapsing to the ground.
