Chapter 250: Mirror Ghost (Part 13)

Chapter 250: Mirror Ghost (Part 13)

Jie Fangcheng wasn't just all talk; he acted on his words.

However, Guan Yingying did raise a valid point earlier. If Jie Fangcheng went to the residence and the call didn't get through, he wouldn't meet anyone.

Yet given Jie Fangcheng's audacious nature, this wasn't a significant concern for him.

In the hall, players were discussing whether or not to pay the protection fee. Some felt that Jie Fangcheng was bluffing and saw no need to agree. Given his eagerness to save Guan Yingying, they assumed he'd rescue them if they were in danger.

Zhu Ping reminded the players, "He saved Guan Yingying because he knows her. Did you ever know him before?"

The players were divided, but most currently felt that they should pay the protection fee, having tentatively reached a consensus.

As Jie Fangcheng reappeared in the hall, players wanted to approach and discuss the payment method and amount for the protection fee. But they watched as Jie Fangcheng picked up the phone immediately.

"Damn it!"

"What's this big shot thinking? Does he believe they've been deliberating too long, so he's decided to unleash ghosts to kill them all?"

The surrounding ghostly figures materialized the instant the phone was lifted, their eyes initially fixed on Jie Fangcheng.

These ghosts only hibernate when the phone is put down, not forgotten. They clearly remember Jie Fangcheng's face.

After a brief glance at Jie Fangcheng, the ghosts swiftly turned their attention to the clustered players.

The players were paralyzed with fear. Some were on the verge of tears, "What are you trying to do, big shot?"

If the daytime ghosts were somewhat manageable, now, with the sun set, these ghosts clearly gained much more power.

It was already a challenge to face these ghosts, let alone their enhanced versions. None of the players dared to guarantee their survival under such an onslaught.

"What protection fee? Isn't this more like extortion?"

"If you wanted to rob us, you should've said so earlier! What's this about a protection fee?"

Had it been so upfront from the start, who would have dared refuse? Not to mention just giving half of the instance items, if all of them were demanded, who would say no?

Some savvy players hastily pulled out their items, "Big shot! Here's my payment! I'll pay!"

Jie Fangcheng hadn't expected this turn of events. But he wasn't in a hurry, signaling them to hold on: "It's fine, pay me when I return."

"Wait, where are you going?"

The players grew even more anxious.

With such formidable abilities, if he wasn't present and they were left alone in this hotel, who could guarantee their safety?

The success rate of clearing a level three ghost instance is merely ten percent. By that metric, only one player in the room might make it out alive.

Some players were beginning to have second thoughts.

Are the demanded items really that much? Absolutely not! Giving up half the instance's items in exchange for protection from such a strong expert – is there a better deal in this world?

"Wait, he wants not only the items but also those measly clearance points? Is it, as some players mentioned earlier, a bit too much to ask?"

But then again, what use would points have for the dead?

Jie Fangcheng's act of taking the phone didn't just seem like a simple action; it felt as if he had drained all the indecision right out of the players' minds.

Seeing Jie Fangcheng about to depart, some players even started pleading, "Big shot! I'll pay more! Please don't leave!!"

Jie Fangcheng hadn't anticipated such a reaction. Short on time, he briefly responded, "I'll be back soon."

Saying so, his gaze first shifted to a ghost lurking in a corner, waiting for an opportunity.

"When I return, if any of these players are missing limbs..." Jie Fangcheng initially thought of smashing a pillar to make his point, but they needed to rest in the hotel that night. Thus, he chose another way—

Boom—

With a single stomp, Jie Fangcheng shattered the floor. The thick marble beneath him crumbled as easily as tofu. With that one motion, faint cracks appeared across the entire hotel floor, as if an earthquake had struck.

Jie Fangcheng said stoically, "If anything happens to them, I'll tear this hotel down and deal with all of you."

With that, he turned and left.

The surrounding ghostly figures stood frozen, not moving an inch.

Shortly after Jie Fangcheng's departure, monsters from the dark mist, drawn by the scent of living flesh, approached the hotel entrance.

Their long tongues slapped against the glass door. Visible cracks started forming due to their onslaught.

"Get ready!" As the players' current leader, Zhu Ping quickly rallied the dazed players to prepare to fend off the monster's attack.

At that moment, the surrounding ghostly figures looked at each other, and in unison, charged towards the monsters outside.

Through the glass door, the players watched in awe as the ghosts and monsters grappled fiercely, their sounds of combat oddly harmonious.

"Damn..." a player murmured, "...have these ghosts become our bodyguards?"

.

Elsewhere—

Jie Fangcheng moved quickly. As he passed through the dark mist and returned to the Xin Xin Residence, the scene had dramatically transformed.

The buildings in the complex now loomed much taller, their walls warped. Streetlights emitted crackling noises, and the air seemed tinged with a metallic scent of blood. The overall hue of the area had darkened to a sinister red.

The vibrant and bustling appearance of the residential area during the day was nowhere to be seen now. As Jie Fangcheng took his first step into the Xin Xin Residence, countless eyes materialized from walls, windows, and even the ground, locking onto him. They looked on surreptitiously, akin to peeping Toms examining an ordinary man.

There were "people" strolling on the streets. After catching a glimpse of Jie Fangcheng, one of them turned away.

Then, on the back of his head, a pair of eyes emerged from the hairline to continue observing Jie Fangcheng.

Wherever Jie Fangcheng went, these veiled yet blatantly staring eyes followed.

A wind tainted with a metallic scent brought with it fragmented whispers.

"That must be the one..."

"Oh my, he's nothing special! How could he possibly..."

"I bet he's doing it on purpose... Look at what he's wearing..."

"Exactly, that person... has always been a straight arrow... It's definitely his doing... otherwise, why would he make such a mistake?"

"Tsk, femme fatale, bringing nothing but..."

"Such a pity... he used to have such a peaceful life..."

"Who really knows the whole story? It takes two to tango..."

"Framed..."

"Behind all this..."

"That kid has always been so upright..."

"Is he really blameless?"

"Utterly disgusting..."

"And he has the audacity..."

With a swift move, Jie Fangcheng slammed his stick against a wall, causing a few shrieks.

A few prying eyes vanished, yet emboldened by their numbers, the remaining continued to chatter incessantly.

Jie Fangcheng scanned his surroundings briefly, then took several steps back towards the entrance of the residential area.

They probably thought he was afraid. Their eyes fixed on him more brazenly, and the taunts carried by the wind grew more offensive.

"Homosexual... Probably has STDs..."

"Her photos are all over the internet. How can she even show her face outside?"

"Kind OP... DM me..."

"Anyone got the uncensored version?"

"Check out my profile... give a follow..."

"Anyone in the group... got duos?"

"She's a girl... not a boy, her life is ruined now..."

At first, it seemed like Xiefang Cheng was about to back away, but he eventually finished taking everything in.

"Twenty-five buildings in total, right?"

Rolling up his sleeves, he once again entered the Xin Xin residential complex.

This time, even from inside the hotel, players heard a loud noise resembling an explosion.

The incessant trembling, sounds of collapsing buildings, sharp screams... They even thought they heard the distant toll of bells and rumblings of thunder.

Ghosts that had previously been fighting outside were suppressed by an indescribable force, the surrounding monsters' long tongues flailing around. It was as if they were wary of something, retreating two steps before disappearing into the dark mist.

"What happened?!" The players stepped out of the hotel, looking in the direction of the noise.

The dark mist obscured their vision, making it impossible to see what had transpired.

Guan Yingying stood still, listening to the distant sounds. Her expression shifted, as if lost in thought.

After what felt like an eternity, the explosive-like noise finally ceased.

All the players waited at the entrance.

From within the dark mist, a silhouette finally emerged.

The stick in Xiefang Cheng's hand had long been shattered. Though he had a penchant for cleanliness, his body was now splattered with blood. With every step, he left a distinct bloody footprint on the ground.

Seeing his appearance, all the players instinctively stepped back.

Only Guan Yingying stepped forward.

She looked at the man before her, the scent of blood intoxicating her—it was the blood of the people from Xin Xin residential complex. The thought of it made the metallic smell even more alluring to her.

Her voice was a little hoarse.

"You…"

"All dead, not one spared." Xiefang Cheng's expression was calm.

He wasn't one to kill indiscriminately, but the monsters in the Xin Xin complex were clearly Guan Qing's... or rather, the "monsters" from Guan Yingying's memories.

They were the prime culprits behind her demise.

Words can kill.

"Every word spoken has consequences—it's not something that can be brushed off as a 'joke', 'meme', or 'what everyone says'. Where I work, there's a department that specifically deals with such people. Rest assured, none of them will escape."

The underworld is where every debt is meticulously settled; the so-called "karma" is precisely this.

Guan Yingying quickly wiped her eyes.

As one who had returned to the Xin Xin complex, Xiefang Cheng now understood everything.

He patted Guan Yingying's shoulder.

"Don't become a vengeful spirit this time," Xiefang Cheng spoke gently, "It's not your fault, and judging them is not your burden. I'm not good with big philosophies... but if there's a chance, I'll introduce you to someone."

He smiled, "A brilliant university professor. If he were here, he might advise you on... better ways to seek revenge."