A saintess? She's just a bad woman.

Page 171

Is there a solution?

[Yes, you need to harmonize with the contracted ghost more often. Only by merging and complementing each other's Yin and Yang energies can the side effects of this power be neutralized. At least once a week. Note: Harmonizing doesn't necessarily have to be a full-on encounter; kisses and hugs count too.]

After reading the black book's answer, she almost spat out blood.

The matter was far from over; finding the problematic painting was only the first step. Ye Shiyu used her weapon—a pair of half-meter-long silver scissors—to attempt to damage the painting several times, but it remained intact.

Saint Karina borrowed a lighter from the middle-aged man in the group and used it in conjunction with Ye Shiyu's ability to burn the oil painting, but it was no use; the painting remained hanging perfectly fine on the wall.

"No, ordinary attacks won't work. We need to find out this ghost's behavior pattern as soon as possible. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous our situation will become."

Ye Shiyu put away the scissors and found that Saint Karina had already left the courtyard and headed towards the stairwell on the third floor.

"Tat-tat--"

"Tat-tat--"

The sound of leather shoes tapping on the tiles echoed in the deathly silent stairwell. The frequency of the footsteps was strange, though the intervals were close together. At the end of the stairs leading to the third-floor bookstore stood a middle-aged man in a security guard uniform.

His hair was gray, his face was thin and haggard, and his eyes stared blankly ahead. When he saw someone coming upstairs, he shone the beam of his flashlight toward the source of the sound.

Xiao Yang recognized the man as Zhao Xingguo, the security guard on night duty tonight, whom everyone usually called Lao Zhao. He hadn't appeared in the building earlier, and everyone assumed he had been tormented by a ghost like the others.

"Old Zhao, come here quickly, there's a ghost in our library. Everyone's listening to Xiao Sheng now, she has a way to deal with ghosts."

The girl waved to the security guard, happy to have so many companions.

Old Zhao forced a smile at her, but his sinister expression sent chills down her spine.

"I just saw a few people running up to the fourth floor in a panic, saying that a ghost was chasing them. Do you think... we should go up and take a look?"

The pitch-black stairwell resembled the throat of a ferocious beast, concealing unknown terrors within its darkness. No one dared to speak; time stood still, the only sound the rapid breathing of the passengers.

A chilly air wafted through the hallways, a far cry from the temperature one would expect in a library during a power outage. It wasn't even autumn yet; Tianying's nights should have been unbearably hot and humid.

The library is enclosed on all sides, and its ventilation system is ineffective, making it even more stuffy than outdoors.

Something feels off. Where exactly does this sense of incongruity come from?

Saint Karina strained to recall the overlooked details and finally found it in the corner. The clue was so inconspicuous that it would have been easily missed without careful thought.

Several times before, when someone went missing from the library, she paid special attention to the list of staff on duty and found that the security guard on night duty was Old Zhao.

Is it a coincidence?

If you smelled it closely, you could faintly smell a putrid odor emanating from Old Zhao, and there were dark purplish-red marks on his hands.

Anyone who has read some suspense novels or watched TV dramas should know that after a person dies, blood circulation stops and the blood in the cardiovascular system lacks power. As a result, the blood falls along the vascular network and accumulates in the lower parts of the body, causing the upper blood vessels to become empty and the lower capillaries and venules to become congested, which appears purplish-red or dark purplish-red through the skin.

The more extensive the livor mortis, the longer the person has been dead.

A few days ago, Lao Zhao's wife called the library, saying he hadn't been home for two days and two nights. She reported him missing to the police station, and the police registered the report and helped search, but couldn't find him. They also checked street surveillance footage but found nothing.

Everyone knew that Lao Zhao was a heavy drinker and gambler, and guessed that he had gone off somewhere to fool around and hadn't come home. They comforted his wife, telling her not to worry, and that he might come home on his own in a couple of days.

Last night, Santa Karina received a WeChat message from Lao Zhao's wife, saying that her husband still hadn't come home.

The missing security guard never left the library. The dead don't move unless possessed. Once possessed, the original soul will inevitably dissipate.

"Be careful, there's something wrong with Old Zhao! He's dead, but he's possessed by a ghost. Be careful not to let him touch your bodies."

Saint Karina grabbed Xiao Yang, who was closest to Lao Zhao, and ran off. The others hesitated for a second, then immediately followed, with Ye Shiyu staying behind to cover their retreat. The silence was broken by the cacophony of footsteps.

The sound of fighting came from the corridor. Knowing that he was no match for Ye Shiyu, the ghost possessing Lao Zhao immediately decided to abandon the corpse it was inhabiting and leave to find a new body.

The decaying body could no longer provide her with nourishment, and the life force she needed to absorb had been drained. The female ghost transformed into a black mist and burst out from above Old Zhao's head. The out-of-control corpse slumped forward, the back of its head a bloody mess, dried brain matter and blood sticking to its hair, a truly gruesome sight.

"Tsk, they actually got away."

Ye Shiyu didn't rush to chase after the fleeing female ghost; she couldn't stray too far from Saint Karina. The farther a ghost is from its tamer, the weaker its power becomes, making it less effective against this oil painting ghost.

The two are evenly matched in strength, and the oil painting ghost is also a red-clothed fierce ghost. Ghosts can be roughly divided into eight levels: wandering soul, vengeful soul, fierce ghost, red-clothed fierce ghost, ghost general, ghost king, fierce god, and unsolvable. Starting from the red-clothed fierce ghost level, each level of ghost can create a [ghost domain].

The Ghost Realm is like a hunting ground where ghosts hunt humans. Those trapped within it will remain trapped until death or be killed by the ghosts if they cannot find a way to control them. To devour a ghost of equal strength, Ye Shiyu must work with Saint Karina to find the weakness of the Oil Painting Ghost.

She glanced at the lifeless corpse on the ground and followed the scent of its owner.

……

Meanwhile, Saint Karina and her three companions arrived on the third floor.

The surrounding scenery began to change. A sticky liquid seeped from the cracks in the floor tiles, and the salty smell of blood filled every corner of the library. The books on the shelves were no exception; their pages looked like delicate skin that had been scratched, with blood gushing out.

The light beige walls collapsed downwards, like melting ice cream.

A decorative plaster statue walked through a sea of ​​blood, its face revealing rotting, foul-smelling flesh beneath peeling plaster, with white maggots crawling and swarming inside. The statue's mouth gaped open, revealing sharp, white teeth like jagged serrations. The people who had joined the bespectacled man on the third floor were also experiencing these strange phenomena.

One of them was very fat and ran very slowly. Books were scattered everywhere, and the phone was out of battery, so they could only rely on the faint moonlight for light.

His companions were walking very fast, and in his haste to catch up, he tripped over the dictionary, causing his obese body to fall heavily to the ground, where it was stained red with blood.

"Ouch……"

It seems like I twisted my waist and legs.

"Is there anyone who can help me up... I can't get up."

The bespectacled man only glanced back once, without slowing his pace to escape the sea of ​​blood.

"Let whoever wants to die go ahead, I won't stop them. We can barely take care of ourselves, why bother worrying about others? That fat guy looks so poor, he won't even give us any money to thank us."

"That's right, let's see how things go."

"We all listen to you."

Several people abandoned their companions and left without looking back.

Thus, the pedestrians of Saint Karina witnessed a large group of plaster statues, influenced by the power of the red-clad demon, tearing the fat man to pieces.

The scene was so gruesome that she dared not look directly at it.

"Help--"

"what……"

The fat man only had time to let out a few screams before the sound of blood flowing and the muffled thud of flesh tearing cut him off. His round head flew into the air and rolled to Saint Karina's feet after landing.

She suppressed her nausea and walked around it, staring at the red line on her wrist. The red line pointed in the direction Ye Shiyu was in; the plaster statue behind her, having killed the fat man, had turned its attention back to them.

We must reunite as soon as possible.

278. Blood is not as good as holy water.

Saint Karina and Ye Shiyu rushed to each other's location and met in the atrium on the third floor. The ferocious plaster statue pressed closer, and then, the ceiling above them was also affected by the oil painting ghost, and strange phenomena appeared.

Suddenly, blood-red handprints and footprints appeared on the white paint surface, as if countless unseen people were crawling on it. The areas where the bloodstains appeared cracked, chunks of plaster fell off, and blood seeped out from the cracks.

The blood on the ground accumulated and was already above the ankles.

The sticky, damp feeling penetrated the canvas shoes and clung to her skin, which was very uncomfortable. A nauseating odor filled every corner of the library. Santa Karina had a very low tolerance for fishy smells and almost vomited several times, wanting to find a restroom to relieve her nausea.

She ultimately didn't dare push the door open. The haunted library was bad enough, and the restrooms were notorious for paranormal events; going in now would be suicide.

"Ye... Ye Shiyu, could you please help us block them? I need to take some time to ask Black Book a few questions."

The first time I called out the name of the contracted ghost, it felt particularly strange.

Their relationship should be more intimate; they've even kissed and slept in the same bed. Removing their surnames seems inappropriate given the length of time they've known each other, appearing too frivolous.

After some deliberation, I finally decided to use his full name.

"No need to be so polite. The more you use my services, the happier I am."

A large silver pair of scissors and a red and white plaster statue were locked in combat. The culprits who had torn the fat man apart were still covered in blood, shattered flesh, and fragments of organs, their normally stiff bodies now incredibly flexible.

Each time a plaster statue is broken, the shattered plaster splashes up a burst of blood-red water.

Saint Karina took the black book out of her pocket and opened the cover. The black book was still dormant; ordinary methods of waking it hadn't worked. She pricked her finger and dripped blood into the book.

The yellowed pages absorbed the bloodstains and turned to the left. It was a very realistic book, the kind that wouldn't waver without a benefit.

"Tell me the weakness of the oil painting ghost."

The weakness is obvious; it's in the painting itself.

"make it clear."

The ghost in this painting is the manifestation of the resentment of a woman who committed suicide. It can be eliminated by killing the person in the painting again and then setting the painting on fire.

"Any more?"

【Good luck.】

After answering each question, the black book automatically closes, awaiting the next question. It has an eccentric temperament; sometimes it answers without charging a penny, and sometimes it must be awakened with blood.

Having used the power of Ye Shiyu and the Black Book, my body temperature has dropped a bit. I hope I'm alright.

The remaining plaster statues were smashed one by one, white fragments mingling with blood, eventually being submerged by the surging crimson. The sea of ​​blood rose to everyone's knees, and several gasps of alarm came from afar.

The bespectacled man who abandoned his companions and fled did not leave the third level. Several reddish-brown hands emerged from the bottom of the sea of ​​blood, their arms long and stretched out like a piece of chewing gum being pulled with all its might, or like the sensitive tentacles of a sea creature, grabbing people's ankles.

"what?"

"let me go!"

"what--"

It's unclear which unlucky person was grabbed by the bloody hand. He tried his best to break free, but found that no matter how he attacked the bloody arm, it was ineffective; it would be scattered but would quickly reassemble.

More and more hands lunged at them, and the seemingly cohesive group instantly crumbled. Everyone wanted to survive, sacrificing those behind them who were being pushed towards the ghostly hands, just to buy themselves some time to escape.

Saint Karina witnessed several passersby being dragged into a sea of ​​blood, their bodies pierced by bloody hands that drained their life force, their elastic muscles losing moisture in just a few minutes, withering away like plants dried by high temperatures.

Without the protection of ghosts, they are like fragile ants, prey in the hunting grounds, at the mercy of the monsters. Apart from accumulating despair in their frantic escape, they seem to have no better ending than being wantonly toyed with to death by the monsters.

The bespectacled man's teammates were all wiped out, leaving him all alone.

His constant sacrifice of teammates allowed him to survive longer than others. With everyone else dead, his only option was to seek refuge with the long-haired, black-haired librarian.

Those who can survive in dangerous environments must have some skills; we can just push them out when all else fails.

He adjusted his blood-stained glasses, completely forgetting the horrific state of his teammates.

……

The black book's hints pointed the way for their next move, and Saint Karina led the remaining people back to the building. Along the way, they "recruited" several surviving members of the idle faction. They had all witnessed the power of Ye Shiyu, the contracted ghost, and realized that they had to rely on her to survive, thus expanding the four-person ghost team to nine.

Saint Karina doesn't expect to solve the problem by relying on their power; the key lies with the ghosts.

She stared at the Republic of China-era oil painting on the wall, then looked at Ye Shiyu.

"Can you go inside the painting?"

"Yes. I understand. We need to kill the woman in the painting to deal with this ghost, right?"

"The Black Book tells me that I need to enter the painting and kill the woman, and then the people outside need to burn the painting down. We don't have the ability to enter the painting; only you can do this."

"Use my power to your heart's content."

The red thread connecting the two lit up, and a surge of heat flowed through the red thread into their skin, bringing a burning and stinging sensation. The black-haired, golden-eyed female ghost transformed into a wisp of red mist and rushed into the oil painting, instantly adding a figure that descended from the sky to the scene.

The oil painting has become a screen for playing videos, with people moving around and you can hear noisy conversations, wind, and water sounds, making you feel as if you are there.

What followed was somewhat dramatic. The bespectacled man, who had sacrificed all his teammates and was trying to join Saint Karina, was pierced through the middle by the returning oil painting ghost on his way to a chance at survival. His torso was pierced with a bloody hole the size of a basketball.

Before he even realized what was happening, he was dead, falling backward with an expression of surprise and pain. Such a death is not worthy of sympathy, and even if he were to survive, Saint Karina had no intention of accepting him.

Sensing danger, the oil painting ghost hastily transformed into black mist and entered the world within the painting.

At the same time, red text appeared in the middle of the black book.

[Now, light the fire. When the ghost's physical body and soul are combined, and another ghost is suppressing it, external force can destroy its physical body.]

Saint Karina took out a lighter from her pocket and had Xiao Yang pour some liquor he found in the storeroom onto it to help it burn.

Pressing the lighter button, an orange-red flame brought a glimmer of light. Everyone stared at it, tense, afraid to breathe too deeply, worried that their exhalations would extinguish it.

This tiny flame represents hope for escaping the library.

The moment the flame touched the frame, it ignited into a layer of bluish-green flame. It surrounded the frame, as if adding another ornate outer shell.

The black mist was trapped inside the rectangular ring of fire and could not get out, emitting a series of piercing roars.

Saint Karina covered her ears, her eyes glued to the painting frame as Ye Shiyu battled the oil painting ghost. She was worried that Ye Shiyu wouldn't be able to defeat his opponent and would be trapped in the world within the painting.

Strange, I'm actually worried about a ghost.