Chapter 5 Battle Between Humans and Ghosts

"The Baosin System is a massive operating machine, and Chen Mansion serves as the engine of the Baosin System. Chen Sanjin functions as the central computer, and his words serve as the highest command. From the moment Xiang Que instructed him to prepare, Chen Sanjin issued orders, and within half an hour, everything required was prepared.

Two basins filled with thick, stinky black dog's blood were smeared on the outside of the bedroom window. An old butcher with thirty years of slaughter experience stood by with a cow-killing knife at the ready. Looking at the handful of copper coins in Xiang Que's hand, he said with a touch of irony, 'Old Chen, it's a bit too extravagant to play like this with money, isn't it?'

'What? Inappropriate?' Chen Sanjin asked.

Xiang Que replied, 'It's appropriate, but with this handful of copper coins, you're throwing away nearly two million. It's like burning money.'

Chen Sanjin calmly waved his hand and said, 'This stuff is useless lying around. Let's just use it. Don't be polite. If I remember correctly, there should be a few hundred pounds of these copper coins in the warehouse. If it's not enough, I can have more brought over.'

While Xiang Que prepared the copper coins, any from the Ming and Qing dynasties would do. However, Chen Sanjin handed him several Wanli Tongbao coins, genuine ancient coins from the Ming and Qing dynasties. They were quite valuable, and just grabbing a handful was worth tens of thousands. It seemed wasteful to use them to ward off ghosts.

The Ming and Qing dynasties produced emperors that left a lasting legacy, such as Kangxi, Qianlong, and Wanli, during periods of national prosperity. Coins from these dynasties possessed strong warding-off-evil and exorcism effects. Ordinary people would find it challenging to wear them close to their bodies, and anyone holding a handful would essentially become a Taoist master.

For example, carrying a coin minted during the Qin Dynasty could protect a person from evil throughout their life.

'Come on, sir. Later, no matter what happens, don't move. Just hold your cow-killing knife and block the door for me. If you see anything unclean, just slash it with your knife. Don't be polite. Understand?' Xiang Que pulled the old butcher to the door and said, 'Those in your line of work have definitely seen more than ordinary people. No need for explanations, right?'

The old butcher nodded and said, 'I understand. Is there something dirty in this room? Nowadays, it's hard to find executioners doing their job at the vegetable market. Otherwise, they might be more suitable than me.'

Xiang Que gave him a thumbs up and said, 'Uncle, you're an expert.'

Most people knew that objects could ward off evil, but few knew that certain individuals inherently possessed the best exorcism abilities. Those in high positions, like officials with vigorous authority, generals leading troops into battle with imposing qi, and a special group, butchers and executioners.

Executioners who had spent many years performing executions had a strong killing qi. After a lifetime of beheading, even malevolent spirits dared not approach. Though executioners no longer existed in today's society, those who slaughtered pigs, cows, or even chickens in slaughterhouses were quite similar. Although they didn't have the intense killing qi of executioners, they could still intimidate spirits, especially those who had used a slaughter knife for years, which had a blessing effect.

Xiang Que had the butcher guard the door with his slaughter knife. With this arrangement, that formidable ghost wouldn't be able to rush out.

After everything was prepared, everyone else withdrew, leaving only Chen Sanjin and the old butcher at the door. Xiang Que placed his hand on the doorknob and forcefully pushed the door open. A chilling wind blew, making everyone's hair stand on end. It wasn't the biting cold of winter, but a kind of bone-chilling yin.

Prepared, the butcher and Chen Sanjin were still frightened by this sudden gust, and before they could react, Xiang Que stepped into the bedroom and closed the door again.

The interior of the room was filled with an eerie atmosphere. The two windows were covered by thick curtains, blocking any trace of light. It was pitch black and silent, as if stepping inside had instantly transported one to another dimension. The previous noises in the room had ceased.

It took Xiang Que a moment to adjust to the darkness inside. He scanned the room and noticed a shadow huddled in the corner across from him. The shadow, dressed in ordinary sleepwear, squatted on the floor with its head buried in its arms, resembling a stone statue, completely motionless."

Seemingly aware of someone entering, the figure in sleepwear slowly lifted its head, spat towards Xiang Que, and cursed, "Damn, he's an ugly ghost."

The woman in sleepwear was Wang Linzhu, Chen Sanjin's wife. At this moment, she had disheveled hair, squinted eyes, prominent eye bags, sunken eye sockets, pale cheeks, and pink lips—far from the normal appearance. Bloodstains trickled from her nostrils, and her expression twisted irregularly. A low, guttural moan emanated from her throat, as if struggling to expel phlegm that couldn't be coughed out or swallowed.

Seeing Xiang Que standing on the opposite side, Wang Linzhu slowly crawled up from the ground, moving her steps towards him. Xiang Que took two steps back, and after groping on the wall, she opened the switch with a loud "snap."

The room's lights instantly brightened. Wang Linzhu hastily shielded her eyes with her arms, emitting a piercing howl, sounding quite eerie.

The butcher and Chen Sanjin, standing outside the door, heard this bone-penetrating howl and shivered. Even during the day, hearing this voice outside could make someone wet their pants if it was nighttime.

The butcher turned to Chen Sanjin and said, "Boss, who is in the room?"

"My wife."

The butcher frowned and said, "She's possessed by a powerful ghost. Judging by the noise, it seems like more than an ordinary one. Probably a restless spirit who died many years ago without reincarnating, wandering around causing harm. Such strong malevolence."

Chen Sanjin asked in surprise, "You also understand these things?"

The butcher raised the cow-killing knife in his hand and said, "People in our line of work see more than you ordinary folks. After killing and witnessing so much, I've encountered strange things multiple times. Years ago, a family in our village suffered from evil, and a master invited me to stand guard. Or when people were afraid of encountering troubles during exhumation, they'd ask me to bring my knife for courage. Although I don't understand much, I've encountered such things several times. However, this time is quite extraordinary. Let's hope that the gentleman inside knows a thing or two; otherwise, it will be troublesome."

"Why the hell are you making so much noise?" Xiang Que leaned against the wall, pointed at Wang Linzhu, and said, "Get out, I'm giving you a chance. If I have to pull you out, I won't be so polite."

The earlier warning about the small ghost on Chen Xia's body had worked, but this time, Xiang Que's words about the powerful ghost on Wang Linzhu didn't seem to faze it.

A small ghost was just a small ghost, with no particular aura or magical abilities. It could possess people, causing them to fall into a deep sleep, and slowly draining the vitality from their bodies over time.

However, a powerful ghost was different. After many years of accumulating grievances and cultivating its power, it could control people, exhibiting various supernatural abilities. An inexperienced Taoist or spiritual practitioner encountering such a spirit might find it difficult to deal with and risk being counterattacked.

Evidently, the powerful ghost on Wang Linzhu was no ordinary entity. Despite knowing that Xiang Que was here to deal with it, it didn't take his words seriously.