Moment of Life and Death

(What's going on? Why am I detecting Elle's information from Avril?)

Tyler was instantaneously petrified. Given that the identification information was displayed as such, the girl before him could only be Elle — a resurrected "Ghost Elle" after turning into a corpse!

It was only then that Tyler understood. The "exact same" mentioned by Daed and Beeken brothers was truly literal. Just by appearances, he couldn't distinguish whether the girl before him was Avril or Elle.

(But... disregarding the identical hairstyles, why are even the clothes the exact same? Is this merely a coincidence, or...)

There were many questions he wanted to ponder, but the current situation did not permit deep thought.

Not even five meters away from Tyler, Ghost Elle bent down and tugged on the secret room's cover, discovering it to be locked. She instantly understood that Banning could not possibly be hiding inside, for she knew that the cover could only be locked from the outside.

"Ah, so you're in the room, Banning."

Ghost Elle swiftly turned her head and scanned the entire room. Tyler had nowhere to hide, and was seen... no, Ghost Elle hadn't spotted Tyler. For she was standing right where the rays of light from outside the room were reaching, and her surroundings were plunged into endless darkness. This rendered her unable to see into the shadows.

Ghost Elle quickly realized this. She briskly returned to the entrance and shut the door. As long as she allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness, locating Banning within the room would be no difficult feat.

Just moments ago, Tyler had wanted to escape the room before Ghost Elle. However, the "Combat Occupation: Murderous Phantom - Lv6" in her information deterred him from taking such a risk.

Even if he wanted to escape, Tyler would first have to immobilize Ghost Elle for a brief moment. To expose his defenseless back to her would be akin to courting death.

Seeing that Ghost Elle was gradually adapting to the darkness within the room, Tyler had no choice but to risk throwing a bag of money (loot from defeating the Crimson Cloud Bandits) towards the far end of the room. The bag collided with the wall, producing a crisp noise, and Ghost Elle immediately rushed towards the source of the sound!

Seizing this opportunity, Tyler sprinted towards the door. His heavy footsteps quickly made Ghost Elle realize that she had been distracted by a decoy. She immediately changed her direction and charged towards Tyler!

Tyler was prepared for this. He raised a luminescent magic stone towards his back. The instant brightness blinded Ghost Elle, who had adapted to the darkness, rendering her incapable of moving for over ten seconds. Capitalizing on this opportunity, Tyler dashed out of the room, fleeing towards the outside as if he were flying!

(Great, she hasn't caught up yet!)

Upon reaching the entrance of the house, Tyler glanced back. Next, all he needed to do was to run out of the house and seek help from the village chief to be safe!

However, when Tyler opened the door, he found Ghost Elle standing right before him.

"Hehe, bet you didn't see that coming, did you?"

·

​​Ghost Elle lashed out abruptly with a pair of scissors, Tyler instinctively sidestepped but was nonetheless stabbed in the shoulder. As he was being stabbed, he retaliated with a sidekick, taking advantage of the ensuing chaos to send Ghost Elle's long-handled axe flying from her grasp. However, this action was not without cost; he took another heavy side-kick from Ghost Elle, causing him to lose balance and tumble backward onto the ground.

"Ah, finally captured you, Banning."

Ghost Elle planted her foot on Tyler's ankle, peering down at him from a position of advantage.

(Did she outpace me by vaulting through the window and staking out the doorway... Damn, I didn't anticipate such swift movement.)

Clutching the wound on his shoulder, Tyler felt blood slowly oozing out. If he had not dodged earlier, the stab would have found his chest instead.

There was no doubt that Ghost Elle had intended to kill Tyler with that strike.

Now, with his own death seemingly imminent, Tyler was surprisingly composed. He staunchly believed that if he maintained his typical style of action, his "Deathbound" state would not prematurely descend.

Tyler felt that the current situation was somewhat amiss, sensing he had overlooked some illogical aspect.

Suppose the one standing before him was indeed Ghost Elle, then why was she labeled as "A Villager from Ira Village" in his appraisal information? Logically, she should carry a descriptor like "Ghost" or "Undead."

Furthermore, Ghost Elle's discourse just now was very coherent, unlike the deranged ranting typical of a murderous phantom.

(Come to think of it, why would "Ghost Elle," whom I've never met, know my name, recognize my appearance, and guess that I'm in the locked room?)

(Apart from Avril, no one else knew I was in Avril's room tonight.)

(Did Avril invite Ghost Elle to kill me? Because I discovered the secret in the room?)

Tyler's mind was racing at an extraordinary pace. He quickly glanced at the shoe cabinet by the door. Avril's slippers were still there, indicating that Avril had not returned. Therefore, she couldn't possibly know that Tyler had been in the locked room.

Following this, Tyler cast a look at Ghost Elle's feet; she wore shoes identical to Avril's.

Even if one were to dress identically deliberately, could such perfect mimicry be achieved amid tonight's unexpected events?

Tyler posited that the unfolding circumstances suggested that the situation was not as simple as "Ghost Elle" going berserk and trying to kill him.

This "Elle" who was trying to kill him was more likely a human, not a "ghost."

The next statement might seem contradictory, but this was exactly what Tyler believed. He reckoned that the "Ghost Elle" before him was not a ghost at all. She was, in fact, Avril.

·

"What? You are no longer able to beg for mercy? Quite the disappointment."

Ghost Elle raised her colossal shears, ready to strike. In response, Tyler raised his dagger in defense, positioning it in front of him.

Although currently encumbered by his inability to move, Tyler's defensive posture granted him an advantage over Ghost Elle, who stood towering above him.

Ghost Elle halted at Tyler's defensive posture. Tyler, through his mind-reading ability, perceived her intentions to kill him without injury, he seized this opportunity to disrupt her rhythm with a question.

"Why do you seek my demise?!"

"Because you've discovered the secret I've hidden in the basement."

"Are you implying that the matters of the basement only concern you and bear no relation to Avril?"

Hearing this, Ghost Elle was evidently taken aback.

"How did you discern that I am not Avril?"

"I not only determined that you are not Avril, but I also know that you are Elle."

Capitalising on the advantages of his mind-reading ability, Tyler launched an attack through his words. Ghost Elle was clearly daunted by Tyler's assertions, which further affirmed Tyler's conjecture.

As long as Tyler's deductions were not in error, the balance of victory in this battle had already tipped in his favor.

"More accurately, you're not even Elle. You're a second persona fabricated by Avril for self-protection. You were created because Avril could not accept her sister's tragic demise. You are the fake Elle!"

Seizing the moment of Ghost Elle's internal turmoil, Tyler threw out his conclusion. Ghost Elle's complexion changed immediately, her countenance shedding the bravado and gaining hints of panic, yet, that was all there was.

"Hmph, even if you are aware, what difference does it make? You still have to meet your doom!"

"I can swear to keep your secret!"

"Laughable! You men are untrustworthy, face your death!"

Ghost Elle had no intentions of granting Tyler any respite. She tightened her grip on the colossal shears, and lunged at Tyler. Tyler immediately horizontally held his dagger in an attempt to parry the attack. However, he hadn't anticipated that Ghost Elle would split her shears mid-attack into two short blades. One blade knocked Tyler's dagger aside while the other was aimed at Tyler's chest!

In the face of life and death, Tyler kicked Ghost Elle off her feet, and swiftly rolled to increase the distance between them.

"Elle! Hear me out! What happened to Lena is a tragedy! Not all men in this world are like those you've killed!!"

Tyler's words halted Ghost Elle, who was just about to rise and pursue him.