10: Chapter 10 The Mysterious Old Man, The Mysterious Spring

That's right! The figure wasn't an anomaly!

There wasn't a trace of rule fluctuation from an anomaly on him. From his silhouette, he looked like an old man on his last legs.

"A living person?"

Lin Chuan sneered inwardly.

In Qingquan Village, a place of extreme danger, let alone ordinary people, even a Ghost Controller could lose their life if they weren't careful!

For an ordinary person to survive here for even a minute would be a miracle!

Furthermore, the Thatched Hut was very close to the ancient well, almost constantly under the rule influence of the anomaly within the well.

This so-called "living person" was either a very special kind of anomaly, or... an existence even more terrifying than the anomaly in the forest.

Lin Chuan didn't control the Crying Ghost to approach the Thatched Hut.

He wouldn't dare act recklessly in the face of unknown terror.

Just as he was observing cautiously.

Gurgle... gurgle... a dull gurgling sound, like muffled thunder, came from deep underground.

The sound grew louder, carrying a strange rhythm.

It was the ancient well in the center of the village!

At this moment, the water in the well seemed to be boiling, constantly bubbling 'gurgle, gurgle'... Immediately after.

A sudden change occurred.

The previously gloomy, oppressive sky, shrouded in thick fog, suddenly brightened.

It was as if an invisible giant hand had violently torn open the overcast dome.

Sunlight streamed down... no, it shouldn't be called sunlight, but a pale, somewhat dazzling light.

Under this light, the surrounding scenery began to undergo earth-shattering changes.

The dilapidated crumbling walls quickly restored themselves, becoming neat green brick and tile houses.

The wild grass and black blood covering the village disappeared, replaced by smooth flagstone paths.

Even the dead silent air suddenly gained a hint of human activity.

"Morning, Old Zhang, heading to the fields again?"

"Yes! My son is going to college this year, I need to save enough money..."

The previously silent and oppressive village was suddenly filled with noise.

Lin Chuan was shocked to discover that many figures had appeared on the previously empty village roads, he didn't know when.

There were farmers carrying shoulder poles, women sitting at their doorways stitching shoe soles, and children chasing and playing.

Everyone's faces were beaming with happy, contented smiles.

Everything seemed peaceful and harmonious.

As if this really was just an ordinary village, a paradise on earth.

However, Lin Chuan inexplicably felt a chill shoot straight to his head.

Because beneath that beautiful scene, Lin Chuan seemed to faintly see human skins sewn together, grinning silently at him.

"An illusion? Or... a deeper change in the Ghost Domain?"

Alarm bells rang in Lin Chuan's heart.

This ability to silently alter reality was definitely not something an ordinary anomaly could achieve.

"Get out of here!"

Lin Chuan made a decisive decision, controlling the Crying Ghost to move away from this seemingly peaceful area.

But just as he was controlling the Crying Ghost and preparing to turn around.

The Crying Ghost's movements suddenly froze.

"Mama... save me..."

A faint, tearful voice drifted from the direction of the ancient well.

It was Qiu Xiaoya's voice.

Hearing her daughter's call, the Crying Ghost trembled all over.

Although she had become an anomaly, deep within her lingering obsession, her daughter... would always be her flesh and blood!

"Xiaoya..."

The Crying Ghost bared her teeth, letting out a hoarse response.

An expression of extreme struggle and pain appeared on her pale face.

At this moment, Lin Chuan was horrified to find that he was actually starting to lose control of her body!

And the Crying Ghost was taking steps, about to walk towards the ancient well.

"Mama... it's so cold in the well... so much water..."

"Will you come and keep me company...?"

The voice was full of resentment and temptation, as if by jumping in, mother and daughter could be reunited and find eternal liberation.

At the same time.

On the panel deep within Lin Chuan's consciousness, lines of prompt messages flashed wildly:

[Warning! High-risk rule attack encountered!]

[Detecting B-Ranked Source Anomaly (reviving) — Heart Spring Ghost!]

[Rule Ability 1: Heart Bewitchment!]

[Description: Anyone with an obsession who approaches within a certain range of the ancient well will have their mind bewitched and willingly jump into the well! Once in the well, they will be completely assimilated and become part of the source!]

[Rule Ability 2: Water Entanglement!]

"B-Rank! It really is B-Rank!"

"This is probably the first B-Ranked Anomaly to appear since the Terror Resurgence..."

Lin Chuan's heart sank.

The Heart Bewitchment rule was incredibly terrifying; even the Crying Ghost could be affected by it... Seeing the Crying Ghost walking step by step towards the ancient well, Lin Chuan no longer hesitated.

He immediately mobilized all his will, forcibly taking over the Crying Ghost's body again.

Immediately after, Lin Chuan activated his Rule Ability — Life-Reaping Sanskrit Sound!

"Namo..."

The grand Buddhist Chant, with a metallic texture, began to clash with the seductive calling sound!

At the same time, he also activated the Crying Ghost's own rule — Weeping Sorrow!

"Wuwuwu..."

The mournful cries and solemn Buddhist Chant intertwined, forming an extremely distorted sound wave.

Boom!

It was as if something had shattered.

The confusion in the Crying Ghost's eyes instantly vanished, replaced by deep fear and lingering dread.

"Run!!"

Lin Chuan controlled the Crying Ghost and turned to flee.

Seemingly enraged by the prey's escape, the booming sound from the ancient well intensified!

Accompanied by a "whooshing" sound.

The next moment, the ground suddenly cracked open, and countless streams of ink-black water gushed out, like innumerable tentacles, frantically grabbing at the Crying Ghost.

That was the Heart Spring Ghost's second Rule Ability — Water Entanglement!

Fortunately, Lin Chuan was prepared.

Under his control, the Crying Ghost's figure became erratic, constantly weaving through the gaps in the water currents.

Although the process was extremely perilous, it ultimately escaped the Heart Spring Ghost's interception.

After moving several hundred meters away from the ancient well, Lin Chuan inexplicably looked back.

He saw that the window of the Thatched Hut next to the ancient well had, at some point, opened a crack.

A wrinkled, extremely aged face was pressed against the window crack.

He was staring intently at the departing figure of the Crying Ghost with a pair of cloudy eyes.

In his gaze, there seemed to be a hint of playfulness, and also a certain expectation... Being stared at by the old man, Lin Chuan suddenly felt an inexplicable chill in his heart.

That old man was clearly not benevolent!

Although he looked ordinary and unremarkable, even like a "living person"... Lin Chuan had a feeling that the old man was more dangerous and terrifying than the Heart Spring Ghost!

First, a B-Rank Heart Spring Ghost on the verge of revival, then a mysterious old man... Lin Chuan realized that the situation in Qingquan Village was far more complicated than he had imagined!

...After escaping the Heart Spring Ghost, Lin Chuan controlled the Crying Ghost to run wildly, directly reaching the outer area of the village.

The scenery here had also changed.

The small river flowing with black blood was now crystal clear.

By the river, the terrifying Three-Headed Child was gone.

Instead, there were three ordinary children wearing open-crotch pants, playing in the mud.

They were giggling, innocent and carefree.

At the intersection not far away.

The anomalous old man who walked upside down had now become a normal person, leaning on his cane, smiling as he sat under a big tree to enjoy the cool.

And the anomalous Old Locust Tree, covered with human hands, had also transformed into a century-old ancient tree with lush branches and leaves, adorned with red prayer cloths.

Everything looked so beautiful.

So harmonious.

But Lin Chuan knew.

The shadows of these three children were connected.

The kind-faced old man had no shadow.

And dark red blood was seeping from under the bark of the big tree.

Lin Chuan controlled the Crying Ghost and hid in a relatively secluded corner.

He didn't plan to let the Crying Ghost wander around anymore.

Anyway, the Ghost Suppression Department's people were about to enter the village.

At that time, he would just need to watch these two forces fight, and then look for an opportunity to reap the benefits... Inside the dilapidated Rebirth Temple.

Lin Chuan withdrew his consciousness and glanced at his panel.

[Power Of Will: 5200. (Can be converted into 5200 evolution points).]

[fear value: 2500. (Can be converted into 2500 evolution points).]

[evolution points: 30.]

If all Power Of Will and fear value were converted into evolution points, he would still be short by 2670 points from the 10,000 evolution points required for C-rank promotion.

"I need to hurry up."

Lin Chuan muttered to himself.

He could feel that the Ghost Domain shrouding Qingquan Village was continuously spreading outwards.

The Heart Spring Ghost's Ghost Domain was now less than four li away from the Rebirth Temple.

As the Heart Spring Ghost's Ghost Domain approached, the air in the Rebirth Temple also became somewhat stagnant and oppressive.

"Zhao Linfeng."

Lin Chuan's thought moved, and his voice directly transmitted into Zhao Linfeng's mind.

"Disciple is here."

Zhao Linfeng, who was currently in a meeting at the Ghost Suppression Department, trembled slightly and respectfully responded in his heart.

"Prepare vehicles and manpower."

"Stand by at all times."

"If the situation gets out of control..."

Lin Chuan's voice paused, carrying a hint of determination.

"Immediately send someone to relocate My Buddha body."

Where there's life, there's hope.

If he really couldn't stop the Heart Spring Ghost, Lin Chuan wouldn't continue to fight to the death.

Buddha says: If you can't win, then make a tactical retreat.

"As you command, My Buddha!"

Lin Chuan's few words startled Zhao Linfeng, but he dared not ask more, only to obey... Lin Chuan's gaze shifted again.

It fell upon the Coughing Ghoul in Changyang City.

The Coughing Ghoul's slaughter continued.

To quickly accumulate evolution points, Lin Chuan controlled it to speed up the harvesting of fear.

This time, his targets were no longer just the top elites and profligate second-generations.

Instead, he set his sights on thugs, unscrupulous businessmen, and crime bosses.

Soon, the owner of an underground casino in the West District was found dead on a table full of chips, the cause of death being lung rupture.

And the forced demolition captain in the East District coughed up his internal organs in his sleep.

A well-known philanthropist in the South District, secretly a human trafficker boss, suddenly went mad on the awards stage and strangled himself in front of the cameras... With the bizarre deaths of various villains.

The entire underground world of Changyang City plunged into unprecedented panic.

But in contrast.

The common people cheered.

"Heaven has eyes! These beasts are finally getting their comeuppance!"

"I heard it's a 'Coughing Judge' delivering justice on behalf of Heaven..."

Although this approach caused quite a stir, even alarming the Ghost Suppression Department.

However, the Ghost Suppression Department's entire energy was currently tied up with Qingquan Village.

For such "small-scale" supernatural events targeting villains, they were powerless and could only temporarily put them aside.

"As long as it doesn't affect ordinary people, let it be for now."

Qi Zheng looked at the report in his hand, rubbed his temples, and finally made this decision.

Compared to the B-Ranked Anomaly that could engulf the city at any moment.

This little chaos was nothing.

[Obtained fear value +15!]

[Obtained fear value +20!]

...Just as Lin Chuan was frantically harvesting fear value.

Zhao Family Ancestral Home, underground Laboratory.

Under dim lights, various precise instruments and cold operating tables were arranged.

Several researchers in white coats were busy around a large glass container.

In the center of the container, the ink-black Ghost Blood floated.

It floated there silently, like a black heart, occasionally wiggling slightly.

"All data is normal."

"Activity is slowly increasing."

"The batch of 'materials' Chairman Zhao sent is of good quality, excellent nourishment."

A bespectacled researcher said indifferently.

In the corner behind him, a pile of black body bags was stacked.

These were discarded items from which the "essence" had just been extracted.

The zipper of one of the bags wasn't fully closed.

Revealing a pale little hand.

It was the corpse of a dead fetus.

Just then.

The Ghost Blood in the glass container suddenly trembled violently.

Sizzle!

A very tiny, almost invisible thread of blood quietly seeped out along the container's seam.

It snaked across the cold floor as if it had a mind of its own.

Finally.

It crawled into that corner and burrowed into a slightly open body bag.

And merged into the brow of a dead fetus.

A few seconds later.

The dead fetus's originally stiff, pale little hand.

Suddenly... moved.

The next moment, its tightly closed eyes snapped open.

Pitch black.

No whites of the eyes.

Only endless malice and hunger.

"Wah..."

After opening its eyes, the fetus let out an extremely faint cry.

Immediately, the surrounding temperature dropped.