Chapter 40: Borrowing a Mother to Slay a Specter

The Ghost Mother, who seeks her lost child, possessed a voice so shrill and piercing that it made Wu Xian’s eardrums ache even through the phone.

Yet, to Wu Xian, this sound was nothing short of heavenly.

The ringtone was too brief; it didn't allow for enough time to convey the necessary information. If the Ghost Mother refused to answer, the phone would eventually stop ringing and automatically reveal the killer's identity, but that would lack the essential credibility needed for his plan. As for facing her in person to sow discord? Wu Xian did not have the courage for that.

In just a few days, Wu Xian had come to understand why Qi Zhiyong had killed An Xin without hesitation. Evil spirits are fundamentally different from humans; they only interact with other spirits and feel no empathy for their prey. Even if some spirits were capable of communication, their conversations with humans were merely a part of the hunting process. Wu Xian had no doubt that if he stood before the Ghost Mother and began rambling about the truth of the past, he would be torn into infinite pieces long before he could finish his story.

Therefore, the moment the Ghost Mother agreed to listen to his "analysis" of the case over the phone, Wu Xian’s plan had already succeeded.

Wu Xian cleared his throat and began his narrative.

"I learned your story from your husband, An Xin. Please accept my condolences. I will try to be as brief as possible in summarizing this case for you."

"The first clue I discovered was a Hanged Ghost in room 406. She was a victim of a past disappearance case..."

"Following that, I found that a man named Mr. Wang was being threatened by this Hanged Ghost..."

The two great spirits stood in place, listening to Wu Xian’s detailed account. As the plot unfolded through his words, the Ghost Mother’s aura became increasingly dangerous. After becoming an evil spirit, she had long since discarded everything from her living days—her husband, her parents, her work, and the conscience and empathy she once held as a human.

But she could never forget her daughter.

This was not out of love. Rather, her daughter’s disappearance was the origin of everything—the reason she had become a spirit and the obsession deep within her soul that she could never let go. This was why, even as a spirit, she continued to search for her child, which led to the creation of the clapping game. It was also the reason the survivors were able to live as long as they did.

The Door-Breaker Spirit also listened. His memories from when he was human began to resurface. With every fragment that returned, he trembled; his long-decayed heart began to beat once more, pulsing with dread as he awaited the Ghost Mother’s judgment. It felt like failing to finish homework and then being subjected to a teacher’s rigorous inspection—he knew he was doomed, yet there was no way to escape.

Finally, Wu Xian reached the end of his narrative.

All his clues pointed to one person.

"In conclusion, I believe the person who abducted your daughter is Wang Zhiwu."

"The thing standing before you right now is the evil spirit that Wang Zhiwu has become!"

"Furthermore, there is one more point: you killed a woman yesterday. You killed her because you believed she killed your child, but after that woman arrived here, she only killed one thing."

"That was the white-bodied minor spirit released by the Wang Zhiwu in front of you!"

"So you see..."

This was the final sentence, and Wu Xian’s tone became incredibly seductive.

"The Wang Zhiwu before you didn't just abduct your daughter while she was alive; he even turned her into his slave after she died!"

*Crack!*

*Crack-crack!*

Sounds of snapping bones emanated from the Ghost Mother. Her arms, legs, and neck distorted in ways no living person could manage—it was the stretching of limbs before a kill. Then, she let out a piercing shriek!

"AH!"

The sound reverberated throughout the Blessed Land. Every survivor and every spirit hiding in the corners was struck by a wave of immense resentment. The chains wrapped around her body tightened instantly, attempting to restrain her, but the next second, the Ghost Mother stepped onto the shoulders of the Door-Breaker Spirit, her body bending backward while her face remained locked in a glare with him.

"DIE!"

Her pale palms thrust toward the eyes of the Door-Breaker Spirit.

...

The Ghost Mother was an evil spirit; she did not need evidence. As long as she believed Wang Zhiwu was the killer, he would be hunted by her until he died. Besides, everything Wu Xian said was the truth, and Wang Zhiwu had no room to argue.

The sudden screech made Wu Xian realize that the two spirits had begun their battle, and he hung up the phone. These two mobile phones were the most important props in his plan. Only by relying on them could he fulfill the critical condition of his scheme: informing the Ghost Mother of the truth and forcing the two spirits to turn against each other.

Wu Xian and the others had no way of knowing the state of the battle. They could only feel the waves of cold, evil energy, the strange noises coming from next door, and the senseless roars issued by the spirits.

After a long while, the intense fighting finally ceased.

The pressure brought by the Ghost Mother completely vanished. Everyone realized at the same time that the clapping game had ended.

Heavy footsteps sounded outside the door once again, drawing closer.

Shi Ji’s face turned pale with terror. "Did the Ghost Mother lose?"

Su Huijin was also deeply uneasy. "That’s impossible. She is the original spirit of this world. The Door-Breaker Spirit has repeatedly avoided her. How could she lose when she was in such a rage?"

According to the original plan, the Door-Breaker Spirit was supposed to die at the hands of the Ghost Mother, but a variable had emerged.

Wu Xian frowned; the plan was spiraling out of control.

"It must be the rules," Wen Chao said slowly. "Qi Zhiyong said that this so-called Blessed Land is a survival game."

"If we apply game logic, this phenomenon makes sense."

"We are the players, the Door-Breaker Spirit is the final boss of the plot, and the Ghost Mother is a hidden background boss."

"Outside this Blessed Land, in a world already ruined by spirits, hierarchies might exist where spirits run wild, and the Ghost Mother could easily kill the Door-Breaker Spirit. But inside the Blessed Land, one must obey the rules of the game. Before the players and the plot boss reach a resolution, the plot boss cannot be killed by anyone else."

"Even a stronger entity like the Ghost Mother is subject to more restrictions; the dense chains on her body are proof of that."

Upon hearing his analysis, Wu Xian’s first thought was that this old man must have spent a lot of time playing games at work. Only then did he realize that Wen Chao’s words made sense.

"I understand. In other words, at least within this death game, the story can only end if we kill the boss, or if the boss kills us."

"But... borrowing a knife to kill is also a valid strategy!"

Wu Xian gestured for the others to move away from the door and readied his weapons and talismans.

"Given the Door-Breaker Spirit's usual speed, we wouldn't have had this much time to talk. The fact that his movements are so slow now means he is reaching his limit!"

"This is our only chance."

"Everyone, use whatever skills you have!"