61: Chapter 61 Possessed by an evil spirit?

Otis's warning made the Jacket Man nod. "I'll leave after I'm done watching."

The Grey Suit said nothing more and turned to walk into the church.

The elderly couple followed him. The Woman in the Bridal Gown glanced at the Jacket Man, wanting to say something, but ultimately followed her family inside.

The Jacket Man stood where he was, staring at the closed door.

Otis walked over and patted his shoulder. "Brother, they're getting married. Don't cause trouble, alright?"

The Jacket Man nodded. "Alright."

He turned and entered the church through the side door as well.

It became quiet at the entrance.

Otis stood on the steps, clapped his hands, and turned to look at Shaun. "See? All handled."

Shaun stood to the side, not saying a single word from beginning to end.

In his heart, however, he admired how Otis handled these things; he truly made it look effortless!

...

While Shaun was admiring him, Otis had already lowered his seat and covered his face with his hat, looking ready to take a nap.

"Let's go, to the next block. I heard a new coffee shop opened there, and the proprietress is quite pretty..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

A sudden commotion erupted from inside the church.

It wasn't the kind of arguing from before, but something far more chaotic!

People were shouting, screaming, and the sound of chairs scraping against the floor could be heard.

Otis flipped his hat off and cursed, "Trouble."

He immediately pushed open the car door, hand resting on his holster, and strode toward the church.

Shaun followed him out of the car.

Then he stopped.

[Elementary Magic Power · Passive Activation]

An indescribable feeling wafted out from inside the church. It wasn't danger, but... it wasn't right.

It felt as if something was there—something that shouldn't be.

The feeling was even stronger than before!

It seemed there was something in this church, something far from simple!

Shaun frowned and followed.

Otis had already pushed open the church doors.

Everyone inside was backing away.

The elderly couple huddled in a corner, while the Grey Suit and the Jacket Man stood on either side, their faces filled with shock and uncertainty.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on one person... the Woman in the Bridal Gown.

She was standing in the middle of the aisle, hands hanging at her sides, head bowed, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Her lips were moving, as if she were saying something, but the sound was very faint and unintelligible.

Otis walked in, his hand still on his gun, but his tone had leveled out. "What's going on? Is anyone hurt?"

The Grey Suit pointed at the woman. "She... she suddenly became like this, saying things we can't understand, telling us all to get out..."

Otis frowned. "Get out? Out where?"

"Just... out," the Grey Suit gestured. "Outside the church."

Otis glanced at the woman and took a step forward. "Ma'am?"

The Woman in the Bridal Gown didn't look up.

Her lips were still moving, and her voice was a bit louder than before.

"Get out... everyone get out..."

That voice was very wrong.

It wasn't fear, it wasn't excitement, but a kind of... struggle.

It was as if she were chanting something, or as if something were speaking through her.

Otis took another step forward. "Ma'am, do you need help?"

The Woman in the Bridal Gown suddenly raised her head.

Her face was still the same, but the look in her eyes had changed.

She looked at Otis, her lips moving.

"Get out."

Otis also felt the danger and stopped in his tracks. "Ma'am..."

"Get out!" Before he could finish, the woman's voice suddenly rose, sharp and ear-piercing. "Everyone get out! Now!"

Everyone in the church was stunned.

The elderly couple had already begun shuffling toward the door. The Grey Suit and the Jacket Man exchanged a look and also backed away.

Otis stood his ground, frowning, his hand already drawing the gun from its holster.

The woman stared at him, something seemingly churning within those eyes.

Her lips moved again, but this time no sound came out.

Then she lowered her head, her shoulders beginning to tremble again.

She looked like she was about to have a fit!

Otis turned and waved to the others. "All of you, get out!"

The Grey Suit helped the elderly couple out, and the Jacket Man hesitated for a moment before following them.

Soon, only Otis and Shaun were left inside the church...

The church fell silent.

The heavy wooden door closed behind the last person to leave, letting out a dull thud.

Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting red and green spots of light on the floor, but where those spots touched the woman, they seemed exceptionally pale.

Only Shaun and Otis remained.

The woman stood in the middle of the aisle, her head bowed, her shoulders still trembling slightly.

Her hem trailed on the ground, stained with spilled candle wax and crushed flower petals. She looked small, thin, and fragile.

Seeing that the danger didn't seem great, Otis returned his gun to its holster and took a step forward. "Ma'am, everyone's gone now. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

The woman didn't move.

"Did someone bully you? Or are you not feeling well? If you're in pain, I'll call an ambulance for you..."

The woman's shoulders suddenly stopped trembling.

The way she stopped was wrong.

It wasn't a gradual calming; it was as if a switch had been flipped, resulting in instantaneous stillness.

Otis's words caught in his throat.

Shaun stood behind him, and that feeling returned!

It wafted out from deep within the church—cold, viscous, like something opening its eyes in the darkness.

It wasn't danger, but it was more unsettling than danger.

[Elementary Magic Power · Passive Activation]

Shaun lowered his voice. "Otis."

Otis didn't look back. "Yeah?"

Shaun stared at the woman's back.

Her shoulders began to move again, but she wasn't trembling; they were heaving, as if she were laughing.

No!

Shaun sensed something was wrong and quickly called out, "On her..."

Before he could finish, the woman moved.

One second she was standing still with her head bowed, and the next she had spun around and was charging toward Otis.

It wasn't a speed a normal human could possess. Her dress didn't trip her, and the overturned pews didn't block her; she was like a cannonball, reaching Otis in the blink of an eye.

Otis's hand had just touched his holster when he was sent flying.

His two-hundred-pound body flew backward like a ragdoll, smashing into an overturned pew which shattered into pieces, before hitting a stone pillar behind it with a dull thud.

His gun slipped from his hand, bounced twice on the floor, and slid under the altar.

Otis lay prone on the floor, coughing twice. He tried to push himself up, but his arms were weak, and he collapsed halfway.

"Fuck..." he cursed, his voice cracking.

Shaun didn't have time to check on him.

The woman stood where Otis had just been, slowly straightening her body.

Her bridal gown had torn in the impact, revealing a pale shoulder. Her hair had fallen loose, obscuring half of her face.

But Shaun saw her hands.

Those thin, small hands that were trembling just moments ago were now clenched into fists, knuckles white.

That wasn't the point... the point was that the stone tiles beneath her feet had cracked.

They had fractured into spiderweb-like patterns, spreading out in all directions from under her feet.

This definitely wasn't a human!