Chapter 111: The Arrival of the Twin Ghosts (5,000-Word Major Update)
Chapter 111
“This—this—this—”
Zheng He stammered, his face filled with terror, pointing at the door panel in Zhao Fusheng’s hand, unable to form a complete sentence.
“This is a door panel,” Zhao Fusheng explained kindly.
The door panel she held had undergone a strange transformation after being buried for a month, vastly different from the time when the Zhao couple’s vengeful spirits had awakened.
The entire panel was pitch black now, each side marked with a sinister crimson brand.
The brand was eerily unnatural, swirling with blood-red light. It seemed as if two fierce ghosts were staring back through the glowing red shadows.
The longer one looked at the ghostly figures, the more unbearable the gaze became—eyes would throb with pain, as if a chilling wind blew past, accompanied by the howls and wails of tormented spirits, as if malevolent demons were lunging forward through the red haze.
Anyone with a weak will, upon suddenly seeing these apparitions, would be scared to death on the spot.
“…”
Zheng He’s gaze fell upon the ghostly marks on the door panel, and it was as though his entire vision was ‘sucked in’ by the specters.
The light in his eyes dimmed.
His face grew gaunt once more, the gray-brown markings spreading, his features wrinkled and shriveled like a dried ginger root.
Dragging his heavy steps, Zheng He moved toward the door panel.
He seemed soulless, his ghostly eyelids twitching rapidly.
The milky white of the ghost’s eyes rolled wildly, as if struggling to open but restrained by a powerful evil force, unable to awaken—a terrifying sight.
A fist-sized bulge appeared on Zheng He’s abdomen, as if invisible hands were tearing at his internal organs.
The vengeful spirits were desperate to break free.
Had Zheng He been fully conscious, seeing this would have driven him mad with fear.
But now, lacking any awareness, he shuffled like a walking corpse to the door panel held by Zhao Fusheng, turned his back, and leaned against it.
Something strange happened again.
The crimson ghostly brands on the door panel sensed his proximity and instantly reactivated.
The blood-red shadows seemed to step forward from the panel, the ghostly hand rising to clasp Zheng He’s back.
At the critical moment, Zhao Fusheng pressed the door panel against her shoulder. The instant it touched her, a terrifying suction force emanated from the panel.
It was as if invisible ghostly hands grabbed her shoulder, trying to drag her into the world within the panel.
In an instant, the black mist outside Ding’an Tower vanished from Zhao Fusheng’s sight.
Where her eyes reached, everything was suffused with a bloody red light.
The screams of humans at death’s door transformed into sharp, piercing sounds stabbing her ears; a chilling wind howled. The oppressive presence of ghosts instantly overwhelmed Zhao Fusheng’s consciousness.
At that moment, a prompt from the Fengshen List rang in her mind:
“Greatly ominous ghost door panel activated, searching for a temporary pair of hosts to possess.
Note: Once possessed by the ghost door panel, you will become a puppet, carrying it to seek its true hosts.
Use 50 merit points to suppress the panel’s possession of you?”
Zhao Fusheng’s mind shifted: Yes!
Fifty merit points were deducted.
The blood-red ghostly hand reaching to clutch her shoulder was forcibly torn away by a suppressive force from the Fengshen List, retreating reluctantly back into the door panel.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Zheng He, still unconscious, bent over with his back to the panel, about to be embraced by the ghostly shadow, the door panel leaning against his back, about to fuse with him.
Zhao Fusheng grabbed the panel and fiercely kicked Zheng He’s back!
With a loud ‘bang,’ Zheng He staggered forward several steps and fell heavily to the ground.
That kick and fall temporarily severed the connection between Zheng He and the ghostly illusion.
He rose in a daze and instinctively took a few steps forward.
As he approached again, Zhao Fusheng’s anger flared.
The ghost door panel was linked to the Zhao couple and should activate only upon finding a male and female host.
That was why touching the panel earlier had no effect on her, but Zheng He’s reckless approach inadvertently triggered the panel’s activation.
She had spent 50 merit points to block the panel’s possession, and now seeing Zheng He dare approach again, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
The crisp slap echoed; Zheng He’s face snapped sharply to the side.
That slap fully awakened him.
The pain was secondary; the humiliation of being struck in the face ignited his fury.
But when he turned with a fierce glare, he saw Zhao Fusheng’s expression—sharper and more piercing than his own.
“Are you awake now?!”
Zheng He’s anger instantly cooled as if doused with a bucket of cold water.
“I…”
He regained clarity but had no memory of how he had moved forward.
He only recalled staring at the ghost door panel before losing focus and knew immediately he had been bewitched.
In this light, Zhao Fusheng’s slap had likely saved his life.
His anger disappeared, replaced by fear.
“Lady Zhao—”
Zhao Fusheng had no patience for his chatter. Grabbing the door panel, she called out:
“Brother Fan, second brother!”
“…”
“…”
The Fan brothers shuddered simultaneously at the call.
Gu Jiansheng, pushed aside by her, sensed danger and had already slipped into the crowd, fearing being singled out by Zhao Fusheng.
“Fusheng—”
Fan Wujiu’s face went pale as he tried to speak, but Zhao Fusheng cut him off:
“Come with your brother and support this door panel on both sides.”
“I…”
“Hurry up!”
Before Fan Wujiu could refuse, Zhao Fusheng barked sharply:
“The ghost realm has formed, the vengeful spirits are coming, no dawdling!”
“Brother—”
Fan Wujiu had not understood the door panel’s danger before.
Perhaps because Zhao Fusheng had previously suppressed the vengeful spirits, weakening the door panel’s power, the two brothers had no psychological burden when digging it up.
Though they had thought the coffin was oddly heavy, they had not given it much thought.
But just now, seeing Zheng He nearly possessed by the door panel, and how Zhao Fusheng’s timely intervention saved him, they realized even the ghost tamers were affected by the door panel—how could they dare approach it?
“I don’t dare—Fusheng, don’t force me. We don’t want to die—”
Fan Bisheng shook his head, his face pleading.
Zhao Fusheng said:
“I have suppressed the door panel; you won’t be harmed.”
Fan Wujiu doubted her words.
Zhao Fusheng urged:
“Hurry!”
Meanwhile, the sky darkened further.
The ghost realm had completely enveloped Ding’an Tower, surrounding everyone.
Pitch blackness all around, everyone silent as if gripped by fear.
Under the night’s cover, Zhao Fusheng carried two door panels, her eyes coldly watching the two men.
Fan Bisheng felt immense pressure, torn between trust and fear.
Should he believe her?
Should he carry the door panels?
Could he lead his brother out of Ding’an Tower? And if they escaped, how would they evade Zhao Fusheng’s grasp later?
How confident was she in handling this supernatural case?
Knowing the Zhao couple had ascended, why had she insisted they dig out the door panels and now invited the ghosts? If the vengeful spirits merged with the great ominous thing and ascended again, what would her plan be then?
All these doubts flashed through Fan Bisheng’s mind.
He recalled Zhao Fusheng’s resurrection and successful ghost taming, her promises, and her methods for handling ghost cases and escaping the ghost carriage.
He remembered asking her last night if she was confident in solving this case, and her answer.
He clenched his teeth:
“Fusheng, are you lying to me?”
“No,” Zhao Fusheng replied calmly.
“Brother!”
Fan Wujiu heard the meaning behind his brother’s words and cried out in disbelief:
“Deputy Commander Zheng almost carried the door panel just now—”
“Enough nonsense, Wujiu, hold the door panel!”
Fan Bisheng was cautious and ruthless, but braver and more resolute than his brother.
Once decided, even if anxious, he no longer hesitated. He strode forward to stand beside Zhao Fusheng.
“Brother—”
Fan Wujiu cried out, but Fan Bisheng gave no chance for hesitation. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed a door panel and asked Zhao Fusheng:
“Fusheng, what do I do?”
The moment he touched the door panel, a sinister aura flowed around him.
Ghostly shadows flickered on the panel, but he was not bewitched.
Zhao Fusheng’s eyes flickered as she glanced at him, thinking: The Fan brothers truly are unusual!
But this was not the time to dwell on it.
Calming herself, she said:
“Hold the door panel and stand here.”
She pointed to a spot beside her:
“Facing the main gate of Ding’an Tower.”
“Okay!”
Fan Bisheng held the panel. Apart from the chill and cold sensation, he was unaffected.
He relaxed, gaining confidence in Zhao Fusheng.
Meanwhile, Fan Wujiu, initially fearful, saw his brother hold the panel and instinctively stepped toward Zhao Fusheng.
Before he could speak, she pushed the other door panel into his arms.
“Second brother Fan, stand here, side by side with your brother.”
Now that the door panels were held, there was no turning back.
Fan Wujiu swallowed his fear and followed her instructions.
“…”
Zheng He wanted to curse aloud.
He forced his broken ribs back into place and looked down to see the vengeful ghost again breaking free—a ghostly hand emerging from the torn chest.
If this were before, he would have been terrified beyond measure, but now what frightened him most was what was unfolding before his eyes.
“Lady Zhao!”
He gritted his teeth and shouted:
“This is, this is, this is a greatly ominous thing!”
“I know,” Zhao Fusheng nodded.
“You said it before.”
“This greatly ominous thing is the same ominous entity that accompanied your father and mother back then!!!”
Zheng He could not believe she missed the implication.
Seeing her feign ignorance at such a crucial moment only made him more anxious.
“You also said the two ghosts had already reached the Sha level—”
“Possibly beyond Sha level,” Zhao Fusheng replied calmly.
“…”
Zheng He’s face darkened further, trembling with anger.
“Two ghosts above Sha level combined are comparable to a calamity-level spirit. You said they lacked their accompanying great ominous entity, so they were incomplete.”
The more he thought, the angrier he became.
“Today you deliberately had these two dig out the ominous item — are you trying to complete the ghost’s fusion?”
Once a calamity-level ghost is completed, its rank soars instantly.
No one in Bao County could handle such a mess, not even many in the entire Han Dynasty.
Zheng He deeply suspected he had offended Zhao Fusheng.
She had come under the pretense of helping him handle the ghostly disaster, but in reality, intended to kill him.
No! Not just kill him.
Once the two ghosts ascended, the case would become at least calamity-level, possibly disaster-level.
Not only would those in Ding’an Tower perish, the entire Bao County would be doomed.
“If I had known, I would have reported it to the court—”
He hadn’t expected Zhao Fusheng to be so mad, so terrifying.
“What exactly do you want to do?”
Zheng He’s face was blank, calm but filled with despair:
“Stop this, Lady Zhao!”
“Bao County has tens of thousands of people—”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Zhao Fusheng’s gaze fixed on the main gate of Ding’an Tower’s garden.
Seeing Zheng He pleading in front of her, she frowned, grabbed him, and pushed him aside:
“I have my reasons. You can’t help me, just keep the people in order and stop interfering.”
“Lady Zhao—”
Zheng He refused to give up and even planned to use his vengeful ghost’s power against her:
“Stop immediately, or I—”
Zhao Fusheng turned fiercely to him:
“Or what?”
Their eyes locked in a deadly stare.
Just as Zheng He was about to speak, the wind ceased, the swirling black mist froze.
An eerie pressure arose out of nowhere.
The crowd, arranged in rows by the constables, sensed the danger and fell silent instinctively.
Those inside the rooms of Ding’an Tower closed their eyes subconsciously as they peered through cracks.
The elderly Xu Yachen, sensing impending death, gripped his cane across his chest in terror.
“…”
The ghostly head on Zheng He’s chest began to move.
The ghostly hand that had torn open his chest silently retracted, and even the exposed ghostly head struggled to shrink back into his abdomen.
His belly bulged high, a black hole with no blood appeared on his chest.
His heart sank.
The vengeful ghosts of the Zhao couple could even make ghosts cower—how terrifying they must be.
“It’s over! Over! All over!”
“Enough talk!”
Compared to Zheng He’s despair, Zhao Fusheng’s nerves were taut to the extreme.
Though she did not fight unwinnable battles, when life and death were at stake, her heart raced wildly.
“Just keep the people safe.”
She turned and ordered the crowd:
“The vengeful ghosts are about to arrive. Don’t shout or run, or you’ll cause the ghosts to lose control. If that happens, none of the marked families will escape death!”
“Stay put.”
As her words fell, the black mist thickened.
At this point, Zheng He could only resign himself.
The ghost realm had formed, and no one trapped inside could escape.
Yet, though Zhao Fusheng showed tension, she was not panicked, as if confident in the upcoming exorcism.
Zheng He shook his head in silence:
“Truly insane!”
A calamity-level, even disaster-level ghost disaster, and she—who had only recently mastered a Sha-level vengeful spirit—had what means to fight it?
This time, Zheng He’s cowardice had cost him dearly, giving her an opportunity.
Now it was too late to regret.
For now, Zheng He had no choice but to follow her lead to the bitter end.
“The sky’s dark. Light the torches!”
Zheng He shouted.
The constables and guards heard him, but most were too frightened to react.
Some brave and clever souls tried to draw fire sticks, but their hands trembled uncontrollably.
Zheng He approached a constable, snatched a torch, lit it, and handed it back:
“Hold it tight!”
“Lord Zheng…”
The man’s legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees.
Zheng He ignored him and did the same with the next.
Gradually, the flames flickered to life, illuminating the garden of Ding’an Tower, once obscured by the ghost realm’s darkness.
Far off, the garden’s main gate was firmly closed.
About three hundred yards from the gate, the Fan brothers each held a ghost door panel, standing on the left and right.
Zhao Fusheng breathed a sigh of relief seeing Zheng He finally calm and begin to work.
Her greatest fear was not the vengeful spirits appearing, but the panic of ordinary people breaking discipline.
With Zheng He holding the rear, she could focus solely on confronting the twin ghosts about to emerge.
The torches lit one by one.
The crowd squeezed together tightly in fear.
Everyone held their breath, frozen in place, fearful to make a sound.
The Fan brothers holding the door panels felt the pressure weigh down on them, even breathing cautiously.
In such tension, time passed agonizingly slow.
After a while, Fan Wujiu’s arms grew cold and sore, his neck stiff and aching.
He shifted his eyes, about to call out:
“Bro—”
“Shh!”
Zhao Fusheng cut off his voice and whispered:
“The ghosts are here.”
Her words were a signal.
Fan Bisheng’s legs trembled, nearly dropping the door panel.
He quickly steadied his grip with cold, aching fingers.
Whether from extreme fear or illusion, he felt the door panel was a cold, living thing, shaking violently.
Swallowing, he turned stiffly to his brother and saw Fan Wujiu’s panel truly trembling.
It seemed both from fear and the panel’s own shuddering.
At the same moment Zhao Fusheng finished speaking, everyone inside Ding’an Tower heard two heavy footsteps:
Thud, thud. Thud, thud.
Like two people dragging heavy, stiff steps toward the crowd.
The footsteps carried an unnatural, chilling pressure that made all shudder.
Everyone’s minds shared one thought:
The twin ghosts have arrived!