Chapter 72: The Counterattack: David

Moments later.

In the dark.

Creak, creak, creak…

A continuous squeaking sound.

Beneath a red silk cloth, a boy turned into a puppet stirred, lifting the cloth—his hollow eye sockets seemed to glimmer with malice.

It was the missing boy from years ago, Jamie’s great-uncle.

Click, click, click.

The boy moved, perhaps because he was the first living puppet prototype, his construction was flawed, making his motions strangely unnatural.

He reached the cabinet, pulled back a wooden panel, revealing what lay inside… a corpse!

It was Mary Shao’s true body.

As the panel opened, Mary Shao’s eyelids twitched, as if about to stir—while simultaneously, the boy’s body collapsed into pieces.

Finally, she opened her eyes.

Looking at her imperfect self, Mary Shao was filled with hatred.

Her corpse had only been crudely prepared by the mortician; it was not a perfect vessel capable of full possession. In truth, so far she had created only one perfect puppet: Ella, who had willingly offered herself to avenge her stillborn child.

She had planned to wait until she dealt with the Anson family before researching how to turn her own corpse into a perfect puppet—but now, this sudden intruder had ruined everything!

She still didn’t even know who he was, what his name was, or what grudge he held against her.

All she knew was that his tone suggested he had known her before.

Whoever you are, wait.

I, Mary Shao, will bring you silence!

Controlling her body, she struggled to move her arms, pressing them against the floor, slowly rising.

Thud!

A foot suddenly stamped down on her hand.

“Oh, sorry.”

Then he stomped twice more.

Click, click, click!

Every bone in her hand was crushed to dust.

Looking up, it was Louis, smiling calmly. From start to finish, Mary Shao’s corpse had never been found—how could he have simply left?

Here he was, turning back with a counterattack, and immediately found her.

The counterattack is indeed a technique you must master when eradicating threats completely—otherwise, you won’t even realize you’ve left behind a lingering danger.

Louis smiled, slightly expending his yang energy, a bright yellow flame rising from his palm.

Under Mary Shao’s terrified gaze, it landed on her.

Watching her body slowly turn to charred ash, Louis sighed. He had wanted to control her first, extract her puppet techniques completely—if only he had methods to torment or capture souls.

Whether to kill or spare her would have been up to him then, wouldn’t it?

Unfortunately, he didn't.

He shook his head, destroyed the boy puppet beside him, ignored the spreading fire, took his notebook, and left the theater. Behind him,

Fire and water, clouds and thunder, light and darkness, colors blending, as if woven into a strange oil painting.

And at the end of this oil painting,

Louis sat in a red car, driving into the distance.

…

Inside the manor at this moment.

Detective Warwick lay in the corner, staring blankly at the ceiling. His bleeding had stopped, but his severed tongue had been taken by Mary Shao—he could never get it back.

That meant he would become half-deaf for the rest of his life.

Recalling everything that had happened today, he felt unlucky—but also, perhaps, it was his own fault. He shouldn’t have followed Jamie here…

But spirits…

There really are such things in this world. Does that mean God and demons exist too?

At this moment, he felt the world was utterly alien.

Not just him—Jamie, beside him, clutching his talisman and lost in thought, felt the same. His old beliefs had shattered. He wondered if, after this, he should visit a church, maybe buy holy water, learn some exorcism techniques.

Though he wasn’t sure if churches even had real power…

Thinking of this, Jamie glanced at the talisman in his hand, eyes brightening—why look far away when it’s right here?

At that moment,

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps climbed the stairs; both tensed instantly.

Only when Louis appeared before them did they finally relax.

Louis, seeing the two unharmed, nodded inwardly—confirming no puppet of Mary Shao remained here, and that Mary Shao was truly finished, or else she would never have abandoned killing Jamie.

“Let’s go. I’ll drop you both at the inn. I doubt you’ll want to stay here tonight.”

The three got in the car. On the way, Jamie opened his mouth several times, but Louis ignored him.

He knew what Jamie wanted to ask—but he himself didn’t yet understand what hell or heaven was like in this world, so he didn’t bother answering.

They arrived at the inn. Louis tossed the keys to Jamie and went straight upstairs.

Just as he reached his room door, he saw the adjacent door slightly open—someone peered out. It was David.

Then several other doors nearby opened too.

Well, looks like everyone’s awake.

…

The next day.

The family began packing to leave.

But David smoked, staring at the dawn, lost in thought.

Louis walked over. “What’s on your mind, Uncle David?”

“Louis, nothing much. I was just wondering if my luck’s been bad—whether I’ve picked up that… that… bad luck you mentioned before?”

"Look, years ago I passed through here, went to the camp, and stumbled upon a murder case. Then I encountered that psycho Esther. After returning, everything was fine—but now, passing through again, something's happened once more."

“Does something always happen when I travel?”

David’s eyes were clouded with confusion.

He even wondered if he’d ever touched jade stones or black cats—objects or animals said to carry curses.

Louis chuckled.

He thought David was overthinking. His luck had indeed been poor before—otherwise, how could so many evil children have gathered around him? But that was only years ago. This incident had nothing to do with luck.

This town was simply a necessary stop. He sought out Mary Shao because he wanted revenge—he went to her on purpose. What does that have to do with David’s luck?

Unless his next trip goes badly, nothing proves anything.

So Louis said a proverb: “Once and twice, but never thrice or four times.”

A little misfortune in life is normal. Only if it happens twice or more should you blame it on bad luck.

“Once and twice…”

David pondered.

Thinking of how smoothly he’d acquired Mao Xiong’s assets and resold them recently, he suddenly felt it made sense.

Seeing David understand, Louis glanced at Jamie and the others nearby.

He walked over. “Ask what you want—quickly.”

Jamie perked up immediately, asking about hell and heaven.

Louis’s answer was vague: hell existed, but church holy water held no special power. If you wanted exorcism through churches, it depended on luck.

Whether Jamie’s wife and child could reach heaven—he didn’t know.

“In short, since I like you, here’s advice: don’t play games involving demons or spirits. Stay as far away as possible. You can’t afford to lose.”

After saying this, under Jamie’s pleading, he left a phone number.

Louis got in the car and drove off.

The next destination happened to pass through Clara Camp.

(End of Chapter)