Chapter 297
Chapter 297
“It was dark when we came by last night, so I couldn’t see it clearly. I didn’t pay much attention and assumed it was an ordinary stone lion. What is this thing?” Qin Nan looked equally puzzled. As he spoke, he reached out and touched the stone sculpture.
“Stone lions were used in ancient times to ward off evil, but it would be strange to put one in a town full of ghosts.” Qin Nan studied the stone sculpture before him, continuing to muse aloud.
Jian Fan’s thoughts turned.
“If stone lions ward off evil, then could this thing, whatever it is, attract evil instead?” Yellow Hair suddenly suggested.
Qin Weiyi nodded. “It’s possible.”
“Then… should we just destroy this thing?” The idea suddenly came to Yellow Hair. It had started as an offhand remark, but the moment he voiced it, his entire mind became hazy. A single thought consumed him: he had to destroy this statue of who-knows-what.
He had to destroy it.
As the thought crossed Yellow Hair’s mind, he raised both hands.
Destroy it.
As long as they destroyed this stone statue, they would be saved.
Yellow Hair believed this with absolute certainty.
His hands clenched into fists. He felt as though limitless strength had surged into him. One punch was all it would take to shatter the stone sculpture, and then everything would vanish without a trace.
Destroy it. End everything.
Yellow Hair swung his fist down at the stone statue.
“What are you doing?” Lu Jing shot out a hand and caught Yellow Hair by the wrist.
Lu Jing’s sudden movement and shout drew everyone’s attention to Yellow Hair.
Yellow Hair looked as though he had fallen into some kind of trance. He stared fixedly at the stone statue, and even with Lu Jing restraining him, he struggled to hurl his own body against it.
He bared his teeth and snarled at Lu Jing.
“What’s wrong with him?” Lin Junruo quietly put some distance between herself and Yellow Hair.
Jian Fan’s gaze darkened slightly.
Yellow Hair had been with them the entire time and had never been alone. Whatever was happening to him was most likely connected to the stone statue.
In his current state, Yellow Hair seemed determined to smash the stone statue.
A possibility formed in Jian Fan’s mind.
“Lu Jing, pull him away. Don’t let him face the stone statue,” Jian Fan said.
Lu Jing immediately did as instructed.
Yellow Hair kept struggling, but he was no match for Lu Jing. Lu Jing dragged him far away from the stone statue, then positioned himself between them so Yellow Hair could no longer see it.
As soon as Lu Jing blocked his view of the stone statue, confusion spread across Yellow Hair’s face.
Then–
“Lu Jing? Why are you holding me?” Yellow Hair stared at him blankly, then winced in pain. “You’re using way too much force! Are you trying to hurt me to death?”
Seeing that Yellow Hair had returned to normal, Lu Jing relaxed slightly and loosened his grip. He did not release Yellow Hair, however, and instead looked toward Jian Fan.
Jian Fan was already walking over. “You can let him go.”
Lu Jing released Yellow Hair.
Yellow Hair hurriedly shook out his hand. “What happened? Wasn’t I standing in front of that stone statue just now? How did I get over here? And Lu Jing, why did you suddenly grab me?”
“You don’t remember?” Qin Nan asked, his expression complicated.
Yellow Hair froze. “Remember what?”
“You tried to smash the stone statue just now,” Jian Fan said.
Yellow Hair stared at him in disbelief.
“Smash the stone statue? With what?” Yellow Hair asked, stunned.
Qin Nan pointed at Yellow Hair’s hand. “With your fist.”
Yellow Hair stared at him again.
Was this some kind of joke?
“Even after Lu Jing grabbed you, you still tried to ram it with your head,” Qin Nan added.
Yellow Hair: “?”
Yellow Hair sucked in a sharp breath.
Qin Nan and the others had no reason to lie to him, and there really were gaps in his memory. He believed what Qin Nan had told him, and that only made the fear hit harder.
If he’d actually smashed his fist into the statue, he would’ve injured his hand at worst. But if he’d slammed his head into it, wouldn’t he have died on the spot?
“Thank god. Good thing you stopped me.” Yellow Hair was still shaken.
“You don’t remember any of it?” Jian Fan asked.
Yellow Hair tried hard to recall what had happened, then shook his head. “I really don’t remember.”
“Then what’s the last thing you do remember doing? What were you thinking at the time?” Jian Fan asked.
Yellow Hair thought for a moment before replying, “Wasn’t I suggesting that we smash the stone statue?”
The moment the words left his mouth, he froze.
Just because he’d suggested smashing the stone statue, he’d actually gone and tried to do it? As if he’d lost his mind and become possessed?
Wait–
Yellow Hair spoke hesitantly. “I think… there was this thought that kept circling in my head. That I’d be free if I smashed the stone statue. It came out of nowhere, but somehow, I believed it?”
Everyone’s expressions turned grave.
“There’s something wrong with this stone statue. We don’t know enough about it yet, so don’t touch it again for now,” Qin Nan said.
Jian Fan gave a noncommittal acknowledgment before adding, “Keeping the stone statue intact may work in our favor.”
Qin Weiyi raised an eyebrow. “There are two possible explanations for what happened to Yellow Hair. One, something wanted him dead. Two, something wanted the stone statue destroyed.”
Going to such lengths to make them destroy the stone statue could only mean it was beneficial to them. Destroying it would probably put them in even greater danger.
Jian Fan nodded in agreement.
“Then what about me…?” Yellow Hair asked hesitantly. “Am I going to be okay?”
At that, Jian Fan finally spared some attention for Yellow Hair.
“How do you feel right now?” Jian Fan asked.
Yellow Hair took a moment to assess himself before answering uncertainly, “I don’t think anything feels wrong? I feel the same as usual.”
“You should be fine,” Jian Fan said.
Yellow Hair had been with them the whole time and hadn’t done anything else, so he probably hadn’t triggered any Death Setting.
However–
Jian Fan looked at Lu Jing and Yang Zhen. “Keep a close eye on Yellow Hair.”
“You’re worried he’ll try to damage the stone statue again?” Qin Nan understood the implication behind Jian Fan’s words.
Jian Fan nodded.
Lu Jing immediately nodded as well. “Don’t worry, Jian Fan. I’ll keep a close watch on Yellow Hair. I won’t give him any chance to pull anything.”
Yellow Hair: “…”
Yellow Hair wanted to explain that he hadn’t done it on purpose, but after giving it some thought, he decided against it. Having Lu Jing watch him closely might be for the best. At least it would help keep him alive.
With that in mind, Yellow Hair immediately turned an expectant gaze on Lu Jing. “Brother Lu, my life is in your hands from now on.”
“Don’t worry,” Lu Jing readily promised.
With the matter settled for the time being, Jian Fan had no intention of lingering at the entrance. He started toward the residence.
“Let’s go,” Jian Fan said.
As soon as he spoke, everyone followed.
They climbed the steps and arrived at the front doors of the Xie Residence.
There was clearly something wrong with the Xie Residence, so Jian Fan naturally wasn’t about to charge in first. He quickly stepped aside and made room for Lu Jing.
Lu Jing unfastened the whip at his waist and held it ready. Angling his body slightly to the side, he pushed open the front doors with one hand.
The doors swung inward with a long, drawn-out creak.