Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Hua Jiunan and the others heard the sound and rushed out of the cave.

Outside, the wind and snow had grown even more violent.

Beneath the terrifying giant eye formed by the dark clouds in the sky, two paper effigies-one red and one white-drifted in the wind.

Eerie laughter echoed through the air: “Hehehe,” “Heeheehee.”

It was the Ghost Skin, the same entity that had troubled Hua Jiunan several times before.

Ever since they were taught a lesson by the Hemp-clad Grandmother, these filthy things knew they couldn’t afford to offend Hua Jiunan. Thus, the moment they saw him emerge from the cave, they immediately drifted away into the distance with their chilling giggles.

Chen Daji was stunned by the bizarre scene and muttered to himself, “Holy crap, did those paper dolls just turn into spirits?”

Hua Jiunan’s heart felt incredibly heavy.

First, there was the “night owl entering the house,” then the “blood eye” in the sky, and now even the Ghost Skin had appeared.

These things were most sensitive to the aura of death. Wherever they appeared, many people were bound to die.

“Tonight probably won’t be peaceful. Uncle Zhou, tell everyone to be careful.”

“Also, don’t leave anyone inside the cave to keep watch…”

“In my opinion, it’s best to seal the cave entrance first.”

Chief Zhou looked a bit conflicted. Compared to the officials from the provincial and municipal levels, his voice carried very little weight. Even if he spoke up, he was afraid no one would listen to him.

Fortunately, Professor Ma had a great deal of trust in Hua Jiunan.

“I’ll be the one to tell them!” the professor said. “Sigh, three comrades have already died. We can’t let anything else happen!”

Once they returned inside, Chen Daji whispered to Hua Jiunan, “Big Brother, shouldn’t you get ready for Setting Up an Altar for Rituals?”

Hua Jiunan paused, confused. “What altar? What rituals?”

Chen Daji was equally stunned. “You know, like in the movies! Set up a ritual altar, put on a Daoist robe, and wave a Copper Coin Sword around.”

“Then you take a swig of booze, spray it out, and the candles burst into flames!”

Hua Jiunan’s face darkened with exasperation. “I don’t know how to do that…”

Chen Daji didn’t give up. “Big Brother, at the very least you should draw some talismans!”

“Then we can stick one on the cave entrance, the doors, the windows-everywhere!”

“And we have to stick them on the heads of those three dead guys too!”

“Oh, right! Big Brother, do you need rooster blood, cinnabar, or stuff like that? I’ll have my dad go to town and buy some right now!”

Hua Jiunan shook his head again. “No need to trouble Uncle Chen. I don’t know how to draw talismans either…”

Chen Daji was completely bewildered. “No way, Big Brother! Then what *can* you do?!”

Hua Jiunan felt a bit embarrassed under his gaze. “I just learned the ‘Five Thunder Shattering Firmament Righteous Method,’ but I haven’t used it yet. I don’t know how effective it is…”

Chen Daji was utterly dumbfounded.

After a moment of silence, he grabbed Hua Jiunan and started pulling him toward the exit.

“Are you kidding me?!”

“We’d better get my dad and Uncle Zhou to take us and run!”

“If those mummified corpses in the walls come out tonight, even if I cut off my nose, I won’t have enough blood to deal with them!”

“There are thousands of them!”

Hua Jiunan pushed Chen Daji away. “Stop messing around. If we run, what happens to everyone else here?”

Chen Daji said helplessly, “What else can they do? They run with us!”

“If they won’t listen to us, then there’s nothing we can do!”

“At this point, even if we went back to your house to ask Grandmother and the others for help, it would be too late!”

“No matter how fast we drive, a round trip takes five or six hours! By the time we get back, we’d only be in time to collect their corpses!”

Hua Jiunan thought for a moment and came up with a plan.

“Daji, let’s go into the mountains to invite the Immortal Spirits!”

Chen Daji looked skeptical. “Big Brother, are you sure there are Immortal Spirits in these mountains?”

“My dad has been mining here for years. It’s loud and booming every day, but I’ve never seen any spirit come out to beat him up.”

Hua Jiunan didn’t waste words and pulled Chen Daji straight to a desolate hilltop.

“Daji, let’s split up and look around.”

“Any small animal will do-as long as its eyes look intelligent and it isn’t afraid of people.”

Just as Hua Jiunan finished speaking, a small grey mouse ran up to his feet.

It tilted its head and looked up at Hua Jiunan, its eyes full of curiosity.

Hua Jiunan was overjoyed. He knelt in the snow and scooped the little mouse into his hands.

“If you can understand me, nod your head.”

The little mouse actually nodded three times.

Hua Jiunan hurried to continue, “Please go quickly and tell Sixth Brother Hui that I am in danger and need his help!”

After hearing this, the little mouse jumped from Hua Jiunan’s hands onto the snow.

It raised its front paws and gave him a respectful bow before scurrying off into the distance at an incredible speed.

Chen Daji watched, stunned.

“Holy crap, you can do that?”

“Big Brother, are you the legendary Rat Hero?!”