Chapter 8: Evil-Dispelling Sword Manual

I casually turned off my phone screen and stepped into the bustling crowd ahead.

“Miss, is there something you’re looking for?”

The shop assistant greeted me warmly, but I found myself suddenly tongue-tied.

According to the ghost fetus, I’d be going through the full process of pregnancy.

Which meant… my belly wouldn’t stay flat for long.

After a long mental tug-of-war, I finally lifted my head and asked, hesitantly, “Can you help me pack that nightgown over there?”

It was a maternity nightdress—soft fabric, loose cut—perfect for wearing at home during pregnancy.

I figured, since I was already out, I might as well buy everything I’d need in the near future.

“You sure you want this, miss?” the salesgirl asked kindly.

“This one’s… for pregnant women.”

Her well-meaning reminder made my face flush so red it could bleed.

I clenched my teeth and lowered my head.

“Yeah. I’ll take it.”

I paid with my phone, doing my best to ignore the strange look in the shop assistant’s eyes.

With my head down, I grabbed the shopping bag and made a run for it like I was escaping from a crime scene.

Fifteen minutes later, I had changed into a fresh set of clothes.

Standing at the entrance of the supermarket, I took a deep breath before walking out into the bright sunlight.

Golden beams scattered softly.

I tilted my head up and looked at the blue sky above—a sky so clear it looked like it could rain light at any moment.

Wearing a pure white dress, the girl’s graceful figure drew passing glances.

A breeze blew gently.

The hem of the soft dress fluttered slightly, wrapping around her thighs with the wind.

She clasped her hands in front of her, holding a shopping bag—looking both like the sweet girl next door, and like a snow lotus on a distant peak: pure and untouchable.

No matter what had happened in the past, I thought—I should face my current self and look forward to the life ahead.

At the hospital entrance, I had come for a follow-up appointment.

Half an hour later, I was staring at the diagnosis report—completely clean, no illness.

My expression was still vaguely stunned, like my brain hadn’t caught up yet.

So I’m… cured?

I stared at my fair, delicate fingertips, and in that moment, something just clicked.

Overwhelmed by joy, I even had the absurd urge to look up and let out a triumphant howl.

This was a kind of happiness only a terminal cancer patient could understand.

The surprise hit me so hard that my mind went blank.

At this very moment—

I just wanted to grab the ghost fetus’s little face and plant two big kisses on her!

If she had told me from the start that she could cure my cancer, I would’ve dropped to my knees in a full dramatic slide, pledging eternal loyalty like a loyal old servant.

Who would’ve thought—changing into another body wiped out every last cancer cell?

“Baby, I love you!”

This time, the praise came straight from the heart.

Maybe my emotional outburst was too intense, because it startled the ghost fetus out of her sleep.

“You crazy or what…”

She had just woken up and caught the tail end of my confession.

“What’s with the sudden madness? You sure your brain hasn’t melted?”

“Whatever. I’m going back to sleep.”

“Wait!”

I quickly called out—finally, this little ancestor was awake for once.

I had to seize the moment to ask what I’d been dying to know.

“Was it you who turned me into this?”

The ghost fetus replied bluntly, “Nothing to do with me. After you signed the contract, your male body couldn’t carry a fetus, so the heavenly laws automatically applied a correction.”

“But your cancer, that was me. I saw you were about to die, so I went ahead and cleaned up the tumors.”

She spoke fast, and before I could react, she was already drifting off to sleep again.

Ever since she began forming a physical body, she was becoming more and more like an actual fetus—not even awake for most of the day.

My cancer…

So it really was the ghost fetus who cleared it…

I furrowed my brow, pacing back and forth at the hospital entrance.

Since ancient times, “good” and “evil” have never been as simple as two words.

Ever since the ghost fetus attached herself to me, she really hadn’t done anything bad.

On the contrary, she cured my terminal illness.

I couldn’t help but start to reconsider our relationship.

Was it cooperation?

Parasitism?

Mother and daughter?

Client and contractor?

No word seemed to perfectly capture it.

“Driver, please stop at Sunshine Garden Apartments.”

I climbed into the taxi with a complicated mood.

Back at the apartment, I was packing my luggage.

Getting accepted into one of the top universities in the capital was one of the few sources of confidence I had when I left the Su family.

I’m eighteen this year, and a freshman at Beiqing University.

There’s a lot to prepare as a new student, and now that I’m a girl, I had to rethink my daily necessities.

Other girls might need sanitary pads, but I probably wouldn’t.

I packed some simple changes of clothes and carefully folded underwear at the bottom of my suitcase.

I was ready to go.

Thinking back on today’s shopping trip still made me sigh a little.

I originally thought I was a C+ at most.

Who would’ve guessed I’d actually need something slightly bigger?

That… really is a troubling matter for a former guy.

Luckily, it was still within the “reasonable” range.

Let’s call it a small mercy that it wasn’t some crazy E or F cup—otherwise, I really would’ve lost it.

Ding-dong—

Night Owl:
【So, when are you coming to Beijing? Want your bro to pick you up?】

【No need. The school arranged senior students to pick up the freshmen.】
I replied quickly.

【Alright.】

Night Owl sounded a bit disappointed, but it only confirmed her theory even more.

Her longtime online buddy—amazing at games but probably plain in real life—must be a total shut-in with severe social anxiety.

As the screen dimmed, I let out a long sigh.

Honestly, I was really scared she’d insist on picking me up.

If she found out her old bro had turned into a girl, I wouldn’t even know where to begin explaining.

Almost unconsciously, I reached out and gently touched my lower abdomen.

I could feel it—that there was a life growing inside me. I could even sense its faint heartbeat.

It was an incredible feeling, like witnessing the miracle of life taking shape.

And this miracle was now… inextricably linked to me.

“Let’s go.”

I pulled my suitcase and looked back at the dark, tightly shut door behind me.

I was heading to the capital to attend university, so technically, there was no need to rent a place.

And yet—I did.

Just like a wanderer in a foreign land, no matter where you end up, it’s comforting to have a place to call home, a station for your heart to take a brief rest.

The leaves in September were still lush and green.

And yet, carried by a passing breeze, a few green leaves began to fall.

Instinctively, I raised a pale wrist, long fingers gently closing to catch a leaf fluttering right in front of me.

The chill of autumn had quietly begun.

What lies ahead—I don’t know.

But it surely couldn’t be worse than yesterday.

*****

At the local police station, I stepped in calmly, handing over my hospital report.

“I’d like to update my identity information.”

This was something I had planned a long time ago.

After all, there was a vicious ghost fetus growing in my belly—if I were assigned to the male dorms, things would definitely get awkward.

As for whether I’d be taken in for dissection and research?

I honestly couldn’t care less.

Come and try, if you dare.

Even the Red-Robed Celestial Master from Mount Longhu couldn’t deal with me.

What fear should I have of ordinary humans?

To be honest, ever since I sided with the ghost fetus, I’d become a bit… overconfident.

Although the ghost fetus still ignored me most of the time, she wouldn’t just sit back and watch me get hurt anymore.

In my world, there was never really a clear line between good and evil.

Since I’ve already chosen a different path—why not go all in and fully embrace my role as a fox borrowing the tiger’s power?

It’s not like I’m some saint.

I’m allowed to look out for myself.

With the ghost fetus as my powerful backer, is it really that wrong to secure a few small perks for myself?

Besides, I have made sacrifices.

As I see it, give and take—that’s a fair and reasonable trade.

*****

Inside the police station, the staff member reviewing my file frowned slightly.

“Miss, please wait here a moment.”

She walked into a side office and picked up the phone.

“Suspected that the Su family’s former foster son has practiced a heretical technique—the ‘Evil Repelling Sword Manual.’”

“Requesting further instructions from higher-ups. Subject appears to have undergone temporary gender transformation.”