Chapter 9: Using His Head as a Ball, Gaining Demonic Strength!

"Well, what a coincidence, I'm back again."

On the second-floor corridor, Richard made his return.

The wallpaper quivered, and an angry voice echoed through the corridor: "Take out that nail!"

"Don't rush me, I've yet to finish my business here."

"That ghost of a granny's grandson is running wild in this building, do you know where he went?"

"No clue!!"

"Farewell then." Richard turned and left.

"That little brat went up to the third floor, can you take it out now?"

"Keep your shirt on. I'll get to it once I've finished my work, and I'll definitely help you remove it."

"Don't worry, I'm a man of my word, not like you ghosts who go back on their words."

"Get lost!"

Richard didn't have the time for a verbal spar, so he dashed towards the third floor.

The third floor was even darker and gloomier, as if the light from outside was completely blocked, unable to penetrate through the windows.

Only Richard's footsteps were clearly audible along the corridor.

Richard wanted to shout, but the eerie atmosphere choked the words in his throat.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Suddenly, something hitting the ground resounded, getting closer and closer.

Richard's hand tightly gripped the handle of the bone crusher.

A dirty ball rolled over to him, picked up by a boy around four or five years old.

The boy lifted his head, revealing a pair of pitch-black eyes without any whites, creating a rather horrifying sight.

"Brother, are you here to play soccer with me?"

"What's your name?" Richard squatted down, maintaining a friendly demeanor despite the boy's scary appearance.

"I'm Xiao Xin."

"Xiao Xin, your granny is looking everywhere for you. How about I take you downstairs and then play a game with you?"

The boy pouted and shook his head: "No, I want to play a game."

After a pause, the boy said, "Unless, you get me a new ball. This one is too dirty!"

After saying that, he threw the ball into the darkness.

Richard looked around the empty surroundings, thinking where am I supposed to find a ball at this hour? He placated, "How about we go downstairs first, and I'll find you a new ball."

"I don't want to, I want a new ball now!!"

The boy cried out, suddenly pointing at Richard's head, innocently suggesting, "Brother, can you take off your head for me to kick? Grandma used to take others' heads for Xiao Xin to play with!"

Richard got goosebumps.

Good grief, the child was troublesome enough, but to entertain such dangerous ideas!

If it wasn't for fear of his grandmother, Richard might have really used his weapon on him.

"Brother's head isn't fun to play with. Stay here, don't move, and I'll go look for a ball. How does that sound?"

"Not good, I want a new ball now, or I'll kick brother's head instead!!"

Damn it!!

For the first time, Richard truly felt like strangling the bratty kid.

The boy stretched out his hands, seemingly determined to take Richard's head for a ball.

Richard grimaced, then suddenly his eyes lit up as he spotted something, saying, "Xiao Xin, be good, brother has found you a ball."

"Really? Where is it?"

"Look behind you?"

As the boy turned his head, Richard quickly grabbed an axe from nearby and fiercely chopped at the boy's neck.

The head separated from the body without the expected horrifying spray of blood.

The boy's head rolled on the ground, eyes curiously observing Richard.

Richard smiled slightly: "See, now you have a ball to kick, don't you?"

With that said, he stepped forward and kicked the head into the darkness.

The headless body started dancing happily, rushing into the dark.

Soon, joyful laughter echoed from the darkness.

The headless body came back running with its head.

The boy's head showed a satisfied smile: "Yay, Xiao Xin has a new ball to kick now!"

"Convenient, isn't it? From now on, if you want to kick a ball, just take off your head. It won't get dirty or lost."

"Uh-huh, thank you, big brother!"

Saying so, he threw his head on the ground again, kicking it jollily.

Richard, watching the boy play happily, felt a cold sweat breaking out.

"Hopefully, this innocent child doesn't realize the seriousness of the situation."

After playing to his heart's content, Richard took the boy downstairs, advising him to keep his head on his neck and only take it off when playing.

Downstairs, the meat grinder had disappeared.

The ghostly granny seemed to have just finished some task and was massaging her back.

Seeing the grandmother, the boy joyfully jumped into her embrace.

"Granny, this big brother is so nice; he let Xiao Xin take off his head to play soccer!" The boy pointed at Richard, praising him.

But that sentence soaked Richard's back with sweat.

Kids say the darndest things...

Fortunately, the granny didn't ask further, just looked up at Richard.

Richard extended a hand: "I found your grandson, and here's your eyeball."

Placing the eyeball back into its socket, the granny's mouth split into what seemed like a smile: "Not bad. Remember to put the key back on the table."

"Angel's Kiss: You've gained +3 favorability from the ghostly granny, awarding 10 ghost power!"

Ghost power, akin to one's strength in the ghostly realm, the higher the number, the more terrifying.

Richard hadn't expected that, as a human, he could possess such power.

He checked his ghost power details, which matched the physical capabilities of humans, meaning increases in strength, speed, etc.

Furthermore, the higher the ghost power, the more powerful the Props with ghost power would be!

"Thank you, granny."

Richard thanked her, grabbing the key and heading back upstairs.

Reaching upstairs, he hurried towards the restroom at the end of the corridor.

Limited time for free activity was almost up.

It was time to hurry!

But Richard soon realized that the corridor seemed endless, the fog before him dense and unyielding.

He stopped in his tracks, coldly demanding, "What, looking for another nail?"

Obviously, it was the wall ghost playing tricks.

"You want to enter that restroom?" The wall ghost asked.

"Is there a problem?"

"There's a ghost inside, holding your friend captive. But let me tell you, it's not easy to deal with!"

"Stronger than you?" Richard asked, hesitating.

Although he still had four human bone nails, against a truly powerful ghost, they were no better than toys.

Like that half-ghost little girl.

"Not much stronger than me," the wall ghost said.

"Then I'm relieved."

"???"

The wall ghost was flushed with humiliation, feeling insulted.

"He hung himself in that restroom; it's his territory. Although your Props with ghost power can injure him, it's not to a level he'd dread."

"With just a hammer and a few nails, you won't save your friend; you might end up trapping yourself too!"

Richard asked, "So, you have a plan?"

"Just draw it out here, and I'll take care of him for you," the wall ghost offered.

Richard squinted, smirking, "What's your angle here? Little buddy?"

Ghosts helping humans is as suspicious as a weasel paying a New Year's visit to a chicken.

Definitely up to no good.

The wall ghost wasn't surprised by Richard's reaction, calmly stating, "My existence... is meant to take that guy down!"