Chapter Thirty-Three: Tit for Tat

The intermittent heat on his index finger gave Le Dong a glimmer of hope. Ma Wenwen was still breathing!

He hurriedly looked up and shouted at Cai Kun, who was standing nearby, paralyzed with shock, "Old Cai! Don't just stand there! Help me! Carry him inside!"

Working together, the two scrambled to hoist the limp, unconscious Ma Wenwen up. As they passed the villa's main entrance, Le Dong caught a glimpse of Boss Hu, who looked like a frightened quail. Pale as a sheet and trembling like a leaf, he was crawling out from behind the overturned altar, wailing incoherently, "Master Ma... Master Ma, are you alright? What... what on earth is happening here?"

Le Dong was too frazzled by the man's noise to care about social standing. "What's happening? Boss Hu! What just happened?"

Boss Hu shuddered at the shout, his face a mess of tears and snot. "I... I don't know! Master Ma was performing the ritual, and then a gust of icy wind suddenly blew from the stairs... it was bone-chilling!"

Boss Hu gulped, casting a fearful glance toward the staircase before continuing. "Then... then Dawei... he... they crawled out from the shadows of the stairs! They looked even more terrifying than when they were hanging!"

When he reached the crucial part, panic flared in his eyes. "They lunged straight at me. Mr. Cai was closer, so they latched onto him... Master Ma chased after them... and then... then..." He was clearly traumatized by the sight of Ma Wenwen’s eyes transforming into giant maws to devour the ghosts, and he dared not continue.

As Le Dong listened, his gaze swept across the corner of the villa.

By the sofa, Xiao Zhang and Hou Kui stood together, both of their eyes filled with an imperceptible wariness and scrutiny.

And the butler, Ma... his face carried a hint of lingering fear and regret as he discreetly tucked a palm-sized object, tightly wrapped in black cloth and still faintly wriggling, back into the inner pocket of his jacket.

As he shoved it away, his withered fingers seemed to press down on the bundle in a soothing manner.

Could this be... the source!

Le Dong’s heart sank. The appearance of those two spirits was, in all likelihood, the work of this old man. Since there was no source in the room, the thing currently in his hand was undoubtedly the culprit behind the entities haunting him and Cai Kun.

"Hmph."

Suddenly, noticing Le Dong's gaze, Butler Ma let out a sharp, cold sneer, breaking the brief silence.

He picked up the scattered yellow paper from the floor with an air of indifference and began tidying the altar. However, his eyes swept over the unconscious Ma Wenwen and finally landed on the shaken Cai Kun, his voice dripping with calculated suspicion and icy accusation.

"What is going on with Master Ma? When Master Zhao was here, although there were occasional disturbances in the villa, it was never as dangerous as tonight! It nearly cost lives!"

"And now, why is it that as soon as he begins his ritual, the spirits of young master Dawei and his wife become so violent? And why did they target Mr. Cai specifically? What’s even more suspicious is..." He shifted his focus, pointing directly at Le Dong, his lips curling into a sinister arc.

"Master Ma told you to stand guard at the gate to keep stray animals from disrupting the ritual. But you—you disappeared, only to come running in a panic from behind the villa later? Mr. Le, what exactly were you ‘looking’ at behind the villa? Is there a connection between the blunder in Master Ma’s ritual and your sudden abandonment of your post?"

His voice was low, yet every word was a stab, like a viper’s tongue, instantly drawing everyone’s attention toward Le Dong.

In the corner, Xiao Zhang gripped his hand exerciser, and Hou Kui crossed his arms, their expressions becoming probing and dangerous. Even Boss Hu looked indecisive, his eyes filled with doubt.

But upon hearing this, the pain in Cai Kun’s chest and his lingering terror ignited into a towering rage.

He struggled to stand, pointing a finger at Butler Ma’s nose and cursing, "You old thief! It was you! You’re the one behind this! You..."

"Old Cai!"

Le Dong cut him off sharply, stepping between Cai Kun and Butler Ma, signaling with his eyes that now was not the time for a confrontation.

After all, Ma Wenwen was unconscious, and the source was still in the butler's possession. Even if they had gathered some evidence in the room, revealing it now would surely force the old dog into a desperate corner!

He suppressed his indignation, slowly turning to face the slightly unsettled Butler Ma, and said coldly, "That’s a good question from the butler."

Le Dong drew out his words, glancing at the thoughtful expression on Boss Hu’s face before sneering, "Boss Hu asked Master Ma to arrange for protection, so naturally, I had to patrol the villa carefully to ensure no stray cats, dogs, or... other people who shouldn't be here interrupted the ritual."

Le Dong emphasized the words "people who shouldn't be here," and as expected, Butler Ma’s eyelids twitched, his narrow eyes narrowing slightly.

Seeing this, Le Dong’s lips curled. "Why, Butler Ma? Are you surprised that I went behind the villa? Besides, Boss Hu hasn't said anything; your questioning makes it seem as if you... are the true master of this villa?"

He hit the last sentence hard, like a heavy hammer, leaving the contemplative Boss Hu stunned.

Conversely, the fake smile on Butler Ma’s face froze instantly. Two beams of cold, murderous intent shot from his murky eyes, and his withered hand seemed to tighten around something inside his sleeve.

The air inside the villa plummeted to freezing point.

"Cough, cough... alright, alright!"

Seeing the atmosphere turn sour, Boss Hu hurriedly stepped in, trying to smooth things over. He was a frightened bird, and his only hopes were the unconscious Ma Wenwen and the butler who had served him for decades. He did not want to see the two sides clash.

"Oh, Old Ma, look at you, Mr. Le was just following Master Ma’s instructions," Boss Hu chided, before turning to smile at Le Dong. "Sigh, Butler Ma is just anxious and worried... Mr. Le, please don't take it to heart."

With that, he deliberately shifted the topic back to Ma Wenwen.

"The priority now is Master Ma! Quickly! See how Master Ma is doing! Old Ma, what are you standing there for? Go find the medical kit! If anything happens to Master Ma, what... what will I do!"

His face was drawn with grief, his voice trembling—he was truly panicked.

His words reminded everyone in the villa. Under Boss Hu’s direction, people began fetching water and towels. Only Butler Ma remained in place, his malevolent gaze lingering on Le Dong’s back for a long time before he finally moved, the murderous intent on his face replaced by a deeper, more calculated scheme.

Seeing the butler leave, Le Dong turned his back and pulled out his silenced phone.

It was already 10:30 PM.

There was another message from his wife. Taking advantage of the distraction, Le Dong tapped it open. It was a photo—on a bustling national highway, dozens of armed police officers were surrounding a familiar-looking van.

That fat man... he wasn't getting away!

Le Dong chuckled inwardly, but suddenly, the dark screen of his phone reflected another face leaning in close to his.

"Brother Le... why does your phone have a signal?"

Beside him... Xiao Zhang stood with a harmless, innocent smile, whispering his inquiry...