Chapter 9: As You Wish

“You—” Qu Yanning had just opened his mouth when he suddenly noticed something strange: under the streetlamp, the ground beneath that person’s feet was completely devoid of a shadow.

His heart gave a heavy thump.

Qu Yanning immediately turned and bolted.

The streetlamp and the figure beneath it quickly faded into the distance as the apartment building loomed closer… He gasped for breath, the entrance almost within reach—when suddenly, the scene before him shifted.

The streetlamp was right in front of him again, and under it, the figure slowly lifted its head.

Qu Yanning skidded to a stop, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Without hesitation, he spun around and sprinted the other way.

Beneath the dim light, a woman’s face was revealed.

Her face was covered in web-like, mottled wounds that oozed with fresh blood.

Her crimson lips curled into a grotesque smile, and by the corner of her mouth, there was a faint black mole…

“Hah… hah…” Qu Yanning bent over, gasping heavily.

The distance from the apartment gate to the building was only a few hundred meters, yet it felt cursed—no matter how hard he ran, he never made progress, as if trapped in an endless loop that always returned to the start.

The female ghost, wearing that same eerie smile, slowly walked toward him.

His heart now pounding in his throat, Qu Yanning stumbled back in terror.

“Woof! Woof woof!” A dog’s barking grew louder, coming closer.

A yellow blur shot out from a corner and bit down on the hem of the ghost’s robe.

The female ghost turned her head slowly, staring fixedly at the golden retriever tugging her backward.

Taking advantage of this moment, Qu Yanning wiped his sweat and ran again.

“Whimper…” Tears welled up in the golden retriever’s dark eyes.

One of its legs was lame and dragged limply on the ground, but its teeth still clamped tightly onto the ghost’s robe, stubbornly pulling her back.

“Grr…” Blood-red tears streamed down the ghost’s cheeks.

With a violent motion, she flung the golden retriever aside and darted after Qu Yanning.

“Huff… huff…” Qu Yanning was running ragged, nearly out of breath. The chilling presence behind him clung like a shadow.

Salty sweat dripped into his eyes, stinging fiercely. He clenched his jaw and ran for his life.

Ahead, a figure started to appear faintly through the blur of exhaustion—

His mind was growing sluggish.

By the time he realized he should stop, he had already stumbled straight into someone’s arms.

Xie Qi caught him in one swift motion. Qu Yanning’s body trembled slightly, his voice hoarse as he urged him to run.

“This is how you repay kindness?” Xie Qi frowned, carefully supporting him, his sharp eyes fixed on the ghost ahead.

The golden retriever had followed behind, shrinking back two steps.

But seeing the ghost, it barked a few times, then bravely dragged its injured leg and ran after her.

The ghost didn’t respond to Xie Qi’s words.

Her greedy eyes stayed locked on Qu Yanning, like a starved beast eyeing its prey.

“Still clinging to delusions,” Xie Qi sneered coldly.

He pulled off the prayer beads from his wrist.

The aura he had kept restrained exploded outward.

A terrifying killing intent swept into a gale, howling in the confined space.

The ghost flinched, stepping back.

The cracks on her face deepened, the red blood turning black and sticky as it clung to her wounds.

Xie Qi’s gaze was sharp as frost.

With one arm holding the half-conscious Qu Yanning, he raised the other slowly.

The gale roared faster and louder with his movement.

“Woof! Woof woof!” The golden retriever rushed in front of the ghost, barking furiously at Xie Qi.

By the end, its barks turned into a sorrowful wail.

“She’s tainted by resentment, fallen into darkness and become a vengeful ghost. I cannot let her go.”

“Whine…” The golden retriever lowered its front legs, kneeling in a pleading posture, eyes begging Xie Qi.

His expression remained icy, unmoved.

“Ugh…” Qu Yanning groaned.

His head throbbed, and he struggled to open his eyes.

The scent of sandalwood lingered at the tip of his nose.

He looked up and saw a gentle curve of a chin and pale lips.

The golden retriever was kneeling, whimpering at him.

The memories of being chased by the ghost came flooding back.

Qu Yanning shivered and instinctively gripped Xie Qi’s clothes, turning his head.

The ghost’s face was still hideous and covered in blood, claws outstretched but something invisible blocked her, an unseen wall she couldn’t cross no matter how she screamed.

In front of her knelt the familiar golden retriever.

“Da Huang?” Qu Yanning called in confusion.

He glanced at the pleading dog, then at the ghost’s terrifying face and suddenly understood.

“She’s…”

“Li Xiaohong,” Xie Qi answered.

“How did she… become like this?” Qu Yanning had regained some strength.

He weakly pulled himself out of Xie Qi’s arms.

The soft body left his embrace—Xie Qi’s brow twitched slightly.

His voice was cold: “To take revenge, she became a vengeful ghost.”

A person can become a ghost after death, but with time, they should reincarnate.

Yet Li Xiaohong’s obsession was too strong.

Her thirst for revenge eroded her sanity and turned her into a malevolent spirit.

Xie Qi would never let such a ghost go.

He raised his palm—

“Can’t we help her?” Qu Yanning suddenly turned his head.

Xie Qi paused, looking at him with lowered eyelids.

His voice was cold and emotionless: “She tried to kill you.”

Qu Yanning blinked, revealing a slightly foolish smile, “If she raised Da Huang so well, she must’ve been a kind girl when alive. She’s already suffered so much—it’s not fair that even after death, she can’t find peace.”

The biting wind gradually subsided.

Xie Qi lowered his hand, took the wooden prayer beads, wrapped them twice around his wrist, and resumed his impassive, Buddha-like demeanor. “As you wish.”

Da Huang let out a joyful whine, limping forward to kneel and bow to Qu Yanning.

Xie Qi slowly approached the ghost.

He curled his fingers and tapped her between the brows, his voice stern: “Still not waking up?”

The ghost looked at him in a daze.

Her twisted expression faded instantly, revealing the gentle features Qu Yanning had seen before.

Da Huang barked excitedly and rubbed up against her.

Li Xiaohong stood in a daze for a moment.

Color returned slowly to her pale cheeks.

She lowered her head and murmured, “I’m sorry…”

Xie Qi glanced at her coolly, “It’s time for you to go.”

She nodded, stroked Da Huang’s head, then walked over to Qu Yanning, “Thank you… for taking care of Da Huang. And I… tried to hurt you.”

Qu Yanning was facing a ghost for the first time and couldn’t help but feel nervous.

He shuffled back a step and waved his hand quickly, “It’s okay, really. Just… have a safe journey.”

The ghost gave a shy, faint smile, bowed deeply to him, then turned and walked with Da Huang into the heavy darkness.

“Phew…” Qu Yanning let out a long breath and vigorously rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.

He muttered, “Scared the hell outta me…”

Xie Qi’s ears twitched slightly. He raised an eyebrow. “Baby?”

“…” Qu Yanning froze in embarrassment.

His lips opened and closed but couldn’t come up with an explanation—that “baby” was just an internet meme.

“Let’s go.” Xie Qi gave him a sidelong glance, eyes glinting with amusement, “You really are a baby.”

“…” Qu Yanning had nothing to say. He followed behind with slumped shoulders, defeated by his own words.