Chapter 198: How to Harness a Shadow Ghost

The warm liquid splashed onto Chen Shao's face.

Li Na's eyes widened, and all the struggle and curses vanished forever with the hissing sound of his throat being cut.

Fresh blood stained the floor beneath her.

The ninth.

Another Chen Shao, expressionless, flicked the blood droplets off his blade and stared at Li Na's corpse, his gaze like that of someone looking at a tool that had completed its mission.

On the other side.

In a Storage Room piled with discarded hospital beds.

Jiang Yuan leaned against the corner, gasping for breath in large gulps.

The whole room was empty, with only him inside.

The twisted, terrifying monsters that had crawled out of the Corpse-wrapping Bag had now all vanished.

They were all dragged into the small Shadow beneath his feet.

The Shadow Ghost's power was more terrifying than he had imagined.

But the price was equally terrifying.

An extreme weakness and cold, like maggots clinging to bone, settled in his limbs and bones, ravenously devouring the little life force he had left.

He felt like a sponge drained of moisture, even lifting a single finger was exceedingly difficult.

What was even more frightening was his consciousness.

His thoughts began to dull, and thoughts filled with brutality and hunger, completely alien to him, flickered in his mind from time to time.

The Shadow Ghost was counterattacking.

No, that can't even be called a counterattack.

It was a kind of merging, a kind of consumption.

It was gradually assimilating Jiang Yuan's will into a part of itself.

Jiang Yuan had a strong premonition.

If he were to once again fully unleash the Shadow Ghost's power as before.

His human consciousness would be completely drowned by this darkness from the Abyss.

At that point, Jiang Yuan would be dead.

What survived would be a monster wearing his skin, named "Shadow Ghost".

It was a hopeless situation.

Either be torn to pieces by the other monsters in the hospital.

Or use the Shadow Ghost's power and then be devoured by the Shadow Ghost.

Either way, it's death!

"Damn..."

Jiang Yuan muttered low, and darkness flickered before his eyes.

Is there really no way?

He was unwilling to accept it!

At that moment, he touched the cold metal box in his arms.

Human Skin Paper.

This, solemnly handed to him by Wang Dui, was something full of the unknown and Weird.

Jiang Yuan's pupils contracted slightly.

He knew this thing was dangerously occult; each use was a pact with a demon, inevitably demanding a painful price.

But now, did he have any other choice?

He was already in hell; was he still afraid of encountering another demon?

"Dammit..."

"Bet!"

A resolute glint flashed in Jiang Yuan's eyes.

He trembled as he opened the metal box and took out the warm-to-the-touch, seemingly living Human Skin Paper.

He glanced at the shattered glass on the floor, picked up a sharp fragment, and without hesitation, slashed his forearm hard!

A sting came.

Fresh blood rushed out of the wound, eager and frantic.

He aimed his bleeding arm at the Weird Human Skin Paper.

One drop, two drops...

The warm blood, like being absorbed by a sponge, seeped in quickly.

Blood-red, twisted characters began to slowly appear on the Human Skin Paper.

Jiang Yuan stared intently at those characters.

"How to live and leave here?"

"How can one avoid being devoured by the Weird within?"

The Blood Characters writhed under his gaze, and finally coalesced into a few words so simple they were despairing.

【Face the Butcher head‑on.】

What?

Jiang Yuan's mind buzzed!

What kind of answer is that!

Face that three‑meter‑tall monster head‑on? How is that any different from just thrusting my neck out for it to slash?

The Human Skin Paper is playing him!

A wave of betrayed fury rose from deep within him.

But immediately, more Blood Characters appeared below, explaining the reason.

【The Butcher and the Shadow Ghost have wills of equal rank.】

【When the two oppose each other, their wills clash, and the power becomes ownerless.】

【Your will can steal its power.】

【Even if the body rots, the soul remains the master.】

Jiang Yuan was stunned.

He read the passage word by word, and his heart raced uncontrollably.

A wildly insane yet deadly tempting plan suddenly solidified in his mind!

The Shadow Ghost retaliates because that massive power contains its own will!

But what if the Shadow Ghost's will were pitted against another equally strong will?

It's like two peerless masters dueling internal force; neither can look away.

At that moment, the Shadow Ghost's massive, pure power would be in a "ownerless" state!

And his—Jiang Yuan's—will could then slip in through the void!

Using his own will to command that power, which never belonged to him but could destroy heaven and earth!

Even if his body were eroded and reshaped by that power, no longer human.

But as long as his will remains his, he is still Jiang Yuan!

Dance on the blade's edge!

Walk the tightrope!

This is the only, death‑to‑life breakthrough method!

Jiang Yuan's mind raced.

There's another problem.

When he confronts The Butcher, he will inevitably be unable to move.

What about the wandering monsters in the hospital that crawl out of Corpse-wrapping Bags? They'll tear themselves to pieces!

This lingering worry must be solved!

Jiang Yuan clenched his teeth, no half‑measures.

He pressed the wound on his arm again, and more fresh blood dripped.

"Tell me! During this time, how can we avoid those wandering corpse monsters!"

The Human Skin Paper greedily sucked his blood and gave a new answer.

That answer made the hairs on Jiang Yuan's back stand up.

【Enter the Corpse-wrapping Bag.】

【The corpse‑bearer does not attack corpses.】

Hide inside... the Corpse-wrapping Bag?

Disguise oneself as a corpse?

This plan, from start to finish, exudes a hair‑raising madness and Weird!

But Jiang Yuan knows this is his only way to live!

He put away the Human Skin Paper, exhausted his last ounce of strength, and leaned on the wall to stand.

He will go find The Butcher!

As he staggered out of the Storage Room and rounded a corner, a silhouette crashed into him.

"Ah!"

The other let out a startled cry and fell onto the ground.

It was Chen Shao!

He wore glasses, his face still pale with lingering shock; when he saw Jiang Yuan, he froze for a moment, then a huge joy burst across his face!

"Jiang Yuan! You... you're still alive! That's great!"

Seeing Chen Shao, Jiang Yuan's tense nerves suddenly relaxed.

That's great.

Someone's still alive.

"Chen Shao!" Jiang Yuan hurriedly steadied him, "Are you okay? Where are the others? Did you see them?"

"I... we got separated."

Jiang Yuan's heart sank.

He patted Chen Shao's shoulder and said gravely, "Listen, Chen Shao, there's no time for sorrow now. I've found a way, a way that might let all of us survive!"

He didn't mention the Human Skin Paper, only briefly told Chen Shao about his crazy 'sacrifice' plan.

"I will proactively challenge The Butcher, using the power within me to hold it back."

"This may be our only chance. While I hold it, it might have no time to attend to anything else!"

"Now, go find a safe room and hide immediately; if you can locate Xiao Ma and the others, tell them the plan! If I can restrain it, you all head for the Exit right away!"

Chen Shao was stunned after listening.

He stared at Jiang Yuan, his lips trembling, unable to speak for a long moment.

"No... no way, Jiang Yuan!" he grabbed Jiang Yuan's hand hard, his eyes reddening, "This... this is too dangerous! You're going to die!"

"No time left!" Jiang Yuan forcefully shook off his hand, his gaze unambiguously resolute, "This is the only way! Remember my words, survive!"

After speaking, he no longer hesitated, turned, and stepped step by step toward the passage where The Butcher patrolled in his memory.

His silhouette, under the dim light, stretched out long.

Resolute, yet solitary.

As if a hero marching toward the execution ground.

Chen Shao fell to sit on the ground, staring blankly at the direction Jiang Yuan had gone.

He reached out, as if to grasp something, but finally let his arm hang limply.

Until Jiang Yuan's figure completely vanished at the corner of the Corridor.

The grief and reluctance on his face then, little by little, solidified.

He slowly rose, lifted his hand, and gently nudged the glasses on his nose with thumb and forefinger.

In the eyes behind the lenses, was there any trace of weakness or terror?

Only a cold‑to‑the‑extreme calm remained, as if watching a fine performance.

At the corner of his mouth, a barely discernible curve lifted.