I Return From Hell

Chapter 85: Chapter 80: Speaking with a Ghost

”Should we go check it out?”

This time, Zhao Huan didn’t push for it himself. Instead, he looked to Xia Yu.

The others all turned to look at Xia Yu as well.

”Of course, we have to go,” Zhao An was the first to speak up. ”Let’s kill those monster sons of bitches.”

As he spoke, he hefted the hoe in his hands and started toward the source of the sound.

Xia Yu had no reason not to go.

Besides, she was planning on exploring the village before nightfall anyway.

Based on her calculations, there were a dozen or so Mutants at most. She was confident she could handle them using the complex terrain here.

There was one other thing: she wanted to see what Zhao An was up to.

’A man who abandoned his companions to flee alone was suddenly, and completely out of character, volunteering to save people and go into a fight?’

’If he didn’t have something to hide, not even a ghost would believe him.’

”Let’s go.”

She gave a single nod.

Everyone’s confidence was bolstered. They grabbed their weapons from the ground and followed her.

They advanced thirty-three meters.

They made a left turn, and an alleyway with moss-covered walls on both sides came into view.

In the middle of the narrow alley stood a large, red floral sedan chair. Four Skull Men were crouched in the posture of sedan bearers, and ten Mutants milled about aimlessly.

’The ground and walls near the Skull Men are splattered with fresh blood. The stains look new. Just a few minutes ago, these must have been living people, before they were devoured by the Mutants.’

’And the number of people who entered the village is wrong. A few are still missing.’

’So...’

Xia Yu’s eyes narrowed as she quickly came to a conclusion. ’These Skull Men are likely people from Earth, brought here by the rule-bound mist.’

’If that’s the case, then why are they acting as sedan bearers?’

’More Ghost Slaves?’

Her gaze fell upon the large, red floral sedan chair.

She sensed danger from it, just like she had from the woman who’d been holding a vigil.

”So many of them.”

Zhao Huan and the others immediately held their breath. They were incredibly tense, terrified of making the slightest sound that might attract the monsters’ attention.

Everyone except Zhao An.

He immediately shouted, ”Monsters!”

Zhao Huan and the others were aghast, staring at Zhao An as if he’d lost his mind. Their expressions all screamed the same thing: ’Are you a fucking idiot?’

’What the hell are you shouting for?!’

”ROAR.”

Hearing the shout, the Mutants charged.

”SWOOSH!”

Zhao An grabbed Zhao Huan and turned to run.

”Damn it, you backstabbing bastard!”

”Run!”

The others panicked, scattering like headless chickens.

The next moment.

”SCHLICK!”

The hand Zhao An was using to grab Zhao Huan was sliced clean off.

Blood sprayed across their faces.

”Don’t move!”

Xia Yu shouted sharply.

”AHH!”

The sight left everyone trembling in fear, too terrified to move a muscle.

No one understood why Xia Yu had suddenly attacked one of their own. They were all afraid the madwoman would come after them next.

”Zhao An is a Ghost Slave.”

”Don’t split up, or you’ll become Ghost Slaves too.”

Xia Yu kicked the side of Zhao An’s right knee.

With a sickening CRACK, Zhao An’s right leg bent at an unnatural angle. He lost his balance and collapsed, unable to get away.

’Ghost Slave?’

The group was shocked; they had no idea what she was talking about.

”That’s bullshit!”

Zhao An’s expression changed as he shot back, ”You’re the Ghost Slave!”

”Don’t believe her, any of you!”

”Sooner or later, she’ll eat you all.”

Everyone instinctively took a step back, putting more distance between themselves and Xia Yu.

Xia Yu couldn’t be bothered to waste her breath explaining.

The Mutants were already upon them. There was no time!

She grabbed Zhao An by the hair, dragged him forcefully into the alley, hooked her foot under his waist, and launched him into the air with a powerful kick.

A full-grown man...

...was sent flying, crashing hard into the pouncing Mutants.

”ROAR.”

The pack of Mutants began to tear into Zhao An.

”What are you doing?”

An anxious look on his face, Zhao Huan couldn’t stop himself from yelling at Xia Yu.

The man with the hemorrhoids spoke up too. ”No wonder you were so strong before. It must be because you’re one of those ’Ghost Slaves’.”

The others now looked at Xia Yu as if she were a demon, their eyes filled with mistrust.

”She’s the Ghost Slave.”

”She’s going to get us all killed! Run, quick! What are you waiting for?”

Zhao An seized the chance to yell, ”Brother Huan, if you make it out alive, remember to burn some extra money for me on this day every year! I don’t want to be poor on the other side!”

’Still so obsessed with money, even when he’s dying?’

’That’s my brother, no doubt about it!’

Zhao Huan was now utterly convinced the man before him was Zhao An, not some Ghost Slave.

’If it were me,’ the man with the hemorrhoids thought, ’I’d definitely make my buddies burn some paper effigies of beautiful women for me every year. One of every kind.’

The others’ lips twitched.

As ridiculous as it was, no one had time to comment on it. They just turned to run.

”You’re being torn apart by monsters. Don’t you feel any pain? You haven’t let out a single scream.”

”You’re facing monsters, facing death. Aren’t you afraid? You haven’t even cried for help.”

”And how do you know what a Ghost Slave is? That’s just a term I made up on the spot. Why were you so certain that *I’m* the Ghost Slave? That I’m trying to get everyone killed?”

Clutching her Blood Butterfly, Xia Yu charged forward.

Erk.

Zhao An froze. He looked over at Zhao Huan and the others.

Zhu Fangfang was the first to put it together. She realized the real problem wasn’t Xia Yu—it was Zhao An!

Zhao Huan and the other two were once again filled with doubt.

”If that young woman was the problem, she wouldn’t have just saved us.”

Zhu Fangfang spoke up, staring at Zhao An. ”You’re the one who has a problem.”

Zhao An asked, ”Brother Huan, you don’t believe me either?”

”Right.”

As his brother, Zhao Huan knew Zhao An best. He shook his head. ”No, I don’t!”

’Zhao An had been acting strangely just now. He hadn’t thought much of it before, but the more he considered it, the more wrong it felt.’

Seeing their reactions, Zhao An sighed. He seemed completely unconcerned that his flesh was being devoured, even shifting his position to give the Mutants better access.

”I’m surprised,” he said. ”You’re all quite clever.”

”I love watching you struggle in the face of death. It would be even better if your resentment were a little stronger.”

His voice was Cold and Mysterious, his expression serene.

The sight, the scene, the words—it all sent a chill down the spines of Zhu Fangfang and the others, making their blood run cold.

Zhao An craned his neck, peering over the Mutant currently gnawing on his chest to look at Xia Yu, who was in the middle of her own slaughter. ”Do you know what these things are called?” he asked.

”It took me so long to find this many Ghost Slaves, and now they’ve been ruined by these things. How infuriating.”

A glint flashed in Xia Yu’s eyes.

’So there really is a ghost!’

This time, she was one hundred percent certain.

Along with caution, a sliver of anticipation grew in her heart. Areas haunted by the Ghost Clan were often rich in soul-type resources.

’I hope it’s something Little Tian needs.’

In her past life, to save Xia Tian, Xia Yu had participated in one Mist Event after another. She’d obtained all kinds of resources to give her brother, eventually discovering two types that were effective for him:

First, those that improved his physical condition.

Second, those that enhanced his soul strength.

The first type was straightforward and had the most noticeable, immediate effects. The second type worked more slowly, but its effects were long-lasting.

She didn’t know why these two types of resources had such different effects on her brother’s ’illness’.

After all, the Apocalypse was full of unexplainable phenomena. Besides, with her low social standing, she had no access to deeper secrets. All she knew was that such resources existed.

’But no matter what, as long as it’s useful for my brother, that’s all that matters!’

”They’re called Mutants.”

Xia Yu wanted to use this Ghost Slave, Zhao An, to pry out as much information as she could about the ghost controlling him.

She took the offensive.

”’Mutants, huh?’”

Zhao An started to nod, but then realized a Mutant was holding his head and gnawing on it, preventing the motion. He gave up and said, ”You’re not like the others. You seem to know a lot.”

”’My identity is special, so of course I know more,’” Xia Yu said coolly. ”’For example, this sedan chair is a ghost artifact.’”

Zhao An’s pupils shrank.

Xia Yu continued, ”’For example, your real body is inside that sedan chair.’”

Ghost artifacts were Weapons nourished by ghostly energy, suited for the Ghost Clan, and immensely powerful.

Zhao An paused, then stared at Xia Yu with an unreadable smile.

’That smile...’

Xia Yu knew the ghost’s true body wasn’t in the sedan chair. She continued, ”’For example, that coffin over there is also a ghost artifact. Your real body could be hiding in it.’”

”Hahaha.”

Zhao An burst out laughing. ”You’re just fishing for information, aren’t you?” he retorted.

”What an interesting member of the Human Race.”

”Too bad, you guessed wrong.”

’He’s smart!’

Xia Yu’s heart tightened.

’Looks like getting the resources here won’t be so easy.’

Just then.

The Mutants behind the large, red floral sedan chair began forcing their way through the gaps on either side of it.

”ROAR.”

...

They roared, charging fearlessly toward Xia Yu and Zhao An.

”The sky is almost dark.”

Zhao An glanced at the sky, his smile growing even more sinister.