Chapter 7

Chapter 7

What the hell was wrong with this mirror? This was completely unscientific.

I reached out to touch my reflection. At that exact moment, the version of me in the mirror also raised its hand and suddenly grabbed mine.

I yanked my hand back with all my might, dragging a thin, frail arm out from the mirror. The arm was a pale reddish-purple, dripping with a thick, viscous slime that looked like the dark green yolk of a spoiled century egg.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized what this thing was. I immediately reached for my pocket, only to remember that my Thunderstruck Wood was currently in the hands of that old pervert, Tong Fusheng.

And this thing… only Thunderstruck Wood could deal with it.

“Listen to me. In a moment, a monster that looks like a skinned monkey is going to appear. It’s called a Tomb Spirit, a type of malevolent entity unique to burial grounds. It doesn’t usually attack people, but you must pretend you can’t see it. Whatever you do, do not make eye contact with it.”

I kept my voice steady, trying my best to act as if nothing was wrong.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s no big deal. Stay calm. Zhao Sisi, you absolutely cannot scream. If you scream, you’ll be the first to die. I don’t have my Thunderstruck Wood right now, so I can’t take care of it.”

Tomb Spirits were minor ghosts of the grave, specifically raised in cemeteries to scare off tomb raiders.

They were three or four-year-old boys who had been skinned alive. Their bodies were burned to ash and sealed in a box with their own skin, then refined through secret rituals for forty-nine days.

The souls of these young boys were trapped forever within the burial grounds. At that age, they were naturally playful and mischievous. Whenever they saw living people entering the tomb, they would use various tricks to prank and frighten them.

Ordinary people couldn’t see a Tomb Spirit. If you did see one and screamed in terror, you would actually startle the creature. It would trigger memories of its own murder, causing the Tomb Spirit to undergo a violent transformation. That was when things would get truly dangerous.

The rest of us had drunk Yin-Yang Water, allowing us to see all sorts of malevolent entities for a short period. Fang Qian already possessed Yin-Yang Eyes, so we were all capable of seeing the Tomb Spirit.

After finishing my calm explanation, I emphasized that they shouldn’t speak carelessly later, as the Tomb Spirit would be able to hear them once I pulled it out.

The others nodded calmly. Their line of sight was blocked by Jiang Haoyan, so they hadn’t seen the Tomb Spirit inside the mirror yet.

Lin Xin even rolled his eyes. “Qiao Moyu, I consulted a psychological expert about what happened last time. Those mushrooms were toxic and hallucinogenic; everything we saw was an illusion. Even this pentagram on my body is just the result of some ancient virus.

“I only came into this tomb with you this time to defend my scientific worldview. Don’t even think about tricking me again.”

Zhao Sisi gave a small smile and quickly raised her hand.

“Master Qiao, don’t underestimate us. We’re professional actors. No matter what we see later, I can play blind.”

“Besides, it’s just a little boy, right? From what you said, he sounds quite pitiful. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”