Chapter 430: Investigation Task (Part Two)

【NAME: Dwelling of the Dwelling Spirit (Miracle, Protection)】

【APPEARANCE: An old, ordinary apartment building; in the lobby's reception room sits an elderly woman with white curly hair, a hunched back, and bowlegs】

【ABILITY: Exorcism of Malevolent Entities, Avoidance of Accidents】

【COST: When leaving in the morning, smile and greet the administrator. If you have time, chat with her. If possible, treat her ailing husband kindly.】

【FILE: This apartment was formerly the Poor Relief House built at No. 35 Bridge Street in the old district of the Royal Capital, established by an elderly couple who lost their daughter in old age; they continuously provided free shelter and basic welfare to war orphans and the disabled.】

About ninety-five years ago, the couple who founded the Poor Relief House passed away one after another. Since the Department of Road Administration never registered it as a legal welfare facility and no one paid the real estate tax, the Poor Relief House was shut down, all residents forcibly evicted, the building renovated, and renamed Happy Dwelling for public rental.】

Yet strangely, despite its location in the secondary center of the Royal Capital's old district, adjacent to numerous enterprises and institutions, with a livable environment, convenient transportation, and low rent, Happy Dwelling's occupancy rate is abysmal—less than a third of comparable buildings; most tenants voluntarily move out within a month, and only a tiny fraction stay long-term.】

【EVALUATION: This is an excellent apartment for an ordinary person to live in for life, capable of protecting their home with peace, prosperity, and freedom from calamity—too bad your affinity with this apartment is extremely poor.】

【CONTAMINATION VALUE: 0. 】

"..."

So... is the entire building an anomaly? Even the administrator who insisted on bringing me upstairs—is she part of the anomaly herself?

After reading the information that appeared before him, Li Ang involuntarily shuddered, then immediately turned to ask the middle-aged nurse couple:

"How long have you lived here? Do you know how old that woman just now is?"

"Huh?"

Startled by Li Ang's sudden question, the middle-aged nurse couple exchanged glances; the man, steeped in scholarly air, hesitated:

"How long...? I moved in when I first started teaching at Bridge Street Public School, and later met Hanna, who also rented here... it's been about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years.

As for Aunt Mary, she already had white hair when I moved in; she must be nearly ninety now, but she has no worries and takes good care of herself, so she looks younger than she is."

"..."

Ninety years old...? How can someone that old climb stairs faster than me? And just now, when she snatched the shopping bag, her movements were swift—barely avoided it, for heaven's sake! She doesn't look ninety at all!

Hmm... wait! Although the information from 【Materialist Soul】 didn't say it outright, the implication between the lines, plus the name 【Dwelling of the Dwelling Spirit】...

Could she and her ailing husband be the very couple who founded the Poor Relief House and died nearly ninety years ago? But... I've never met her before—why does she seem so wary of me?

With this question in mind, Li Ang's mind raced; then, upon seeing the evaluation's phrase "extremely poor affinity," he suddenly realized.

With a sense of foreboding, Li Ang raised his hand, opened his panel, located the 【Demon Follower】 badge obtained from the Black Goat, and directly checked its hidden trait.

【HIDDEN TRAIT (No Equipment Required): Your soul has been tainted with a trace of demonic aura, making you more susceptible to the attention of certain malevolent entities.】 "..."

I understand...

Whether it was being grabbed and interrogated upon entry, the administrator's refusal to bring me up, or why she suddenly snatched the shopping bag—all these questions were now answered.

To this apartment, which possesses the 【Exorcism of Malevolent Entities】 ability, I—with my soul tainted by demonic aura—am the quintessential "evil guest," and the Black Goat, born of a great demon, is the ultimate "malevolent entity!"

"Knock! Knock-knock!"

Just as Li Ang suddenly understood everything, a heavy, muffled knock came from outside the room. When the middle-aged man opened the door, a tall, burly old man with a cigar in his mouth stood there.

After giving a slight nod to the surprised middle-aged man, the old man—who wore only a sleeveless vest despite the autumn chill, his muscles bulging like explosives—pinched out his cigar between two fingers and rasped:

"I heard a stranger arrived, so I came over to take a look."

After explaining his purpose, the muscular old man, carrying a large basket, twisted his thick neck—thick as Li Ang's thigh—and fixed his sunken green-brown eyes, scarred and burned, with hostile intent on Li Ang.

"..."

This guy calls himself ailing?

Under the glare of the towering old man, Li Ang's scalp prickled; he thought: with his nearly two-meter height and biceps bigger than his own head, this guy could probably hunt bears in the deep mountains with just a fruit knife.

"This is Uncle John, Aunt Mary's husband."

Seeing Li Ang tense up, the middle-aged man smiled and explained:

"Don't worry—Uncle John isn't staring at you because he dislikes you. He used to be a marine, and during battles with pirates, his face was burned by cannon flash; he also suffered lingering injuries, so his facial muscles are stiff and he can't make many expressions.

He usually cleans the building, clears weeds, and repairs pipes and gas lines—meticulous, refuses payment, and in summer he likes catching butterflies for the children in the building. So don't let his scary looks fool you—he's actually a kind man."

He... kind? I don't feel that at all.

Gazing at the burly old man who stared unblinkingly at him, Li Ang swallowed hard, his right hand gripping the shopping bag; his middle finger subtly extended and lightly tapped the Black Goat's horn.

FIERCE! FLAME! OVERWHELMING!

In his soul's vision, the entire corridor was filled with dark red "flames," and within them surged a killing intent colder than polar glaciers; Li Ang's spine chilled—he silently stepped back two paces and obediently stood behind the middle-aged couple.

Kind my ass!

If not for you two being here, he'd have reached behind his basket in the next second, pulled out that one-meter-long gardening shears, and CRUNCH—turned me from Li Ang into Li·Ang!

(End of Chapter)