Chapter 27: The Trap

  I stood foolishly in the middle of the courtyard, and for a moment I didn't know what to do. These three girls wouldn't be fooling me, would they? I had risked my life to lure the fierce ghost over, but they didn't even show their faces. I even felt like I'd been cheated. However, the fierce ghost wouldn't give me much time to think about it, and it was already roaring as it charged towards me from behind. I had no choice but to dash forward, carefully dealing with it while cursing the three girls in my heart. This was really too damn frustrating.

  As I saw the fierce ghost rushing towards me, I punched it hard and we both retreated after colliding. I only took two steps back, but my throat felt sweet and I spat out a mouthful of blood. If this continued, I would soon lose my life. But before this thought had even settled, I suddenly felt one foot stepping into empty space. My body instinctively turned backwards, and what I saw was a large, dark pit beneath my feet. It was clearly a freshly dug hole. Almost subconsciously, I thought of San Gu Niang (Third Sister). Ah, so this is what they mean by a trap? Indeed, it's a trap, but useless against ghosts that can move freely. However, for me, it's very effective - once you fall in, you can't climb out. Was Third Sister trying to deal with the ghost or was she after me? Could it be that San Mei (Third Younger Sister) was seeking revenge for what I had done? Did she want my life?

  In the blink of an eye, these messy thoughts flashed through my mind, but I couldn't control my body and had already tumbled into the trap. Just as I was about to fall in, I felt a fierce impact on my back from the evil spirit, and then I flew out horizontally, surprisingly escaping the trap. I fell to the ground and rolled several times, involuntarily spitting out a mouthful of blood. The strength in my body seemed to have been drained away; otherwise, I would have definitely cursed Third Sister for being ruthless.

  At this moment, the fierce ghost was stunned because it had knocked me flying, but it itself was momentarily stunned. A coin flew over and hit it, and under its unprepared state, a burst of white smoke suddenly rose up, followed by a pained cry. For a moment, it just hung suspended above the trap. Just then, a net suddenly appeared in the sky. The reason I noticed this net was because it had been set on fire, with flames shooting upwards from the middle of the air, and it was already falling down towards the fierce ghost. In an instant, it enveloped the fierce ghost inside, luckily I rolled away just in time, otherwise I would also have been trapped inside, unable to escape.

  I don't know what that net is made of, but after the fierce ghost was covered, no matter how hard it struggled, even if it turned into a wisp of smoke, it couldn't escape. It was scorched by the flames and let out miserable cries that echoed through the dark night, making one's hair stand on end. However, seeing that it couldn't break free from above, the fierce ghost gave up its futile struggle and suddenly rolled up with a gust of yin wind to burrow underground. At that moment, my heart sank - if the fierce ghost escaped, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?

  As soon as this thought fell, the fierce ghost in the trap let out a roar, and for a moment it was impossible to escape. It turned out that there were still mechanisms underneath, no wonder San Gu Niang was so at ease. At this time, seeing that everything was settled, three strands of green smoke rose from the ground, and with the smoke, San Gu Niang's true body appeared.

  When I saw San Gu Niang, I was so angry that I couldn't help but complain to my elder sister: "I say, elder sister, are you digging a pit for me or for the ghost? If it wasn't for being bumped by the fierce ghost, I think it would be me who fell into the pit now."

  The elder sister's face suddenly changed, apparently this was also beyond her expectation. Before she could speak, the third sister had already hummed: "You deserved it, I clearly told you there were traps here and you didn't know to be careful, who can you blame for falling down? You'll ruin everything, and then you'll have to answer to me!"

  "Third sister, how can you talk like that?" Eldest sister scolded, but only bowed her head slightly towards me: "Third sister doesn't understand things, don't mind it at all. We didn't expect you to rush into the trap either. If you really fell into the trap, then everything would be in vain tonight. Luckily, heaven took care of you and your luck is indeed good, after all, you trapped the fierce ghost."

  As we spoke, we had already arrived in front of the trap, but Sanmei was still staring at me like a fighting cock, her eyes full of provocation. However, I didn't dare to make any moves in front of my elder sister, and besides, I didn't have the energy to do so after falling to the ground. With great effort, I struggled to get up, but no one noticed Erjie's gaze darting back and forth between me and Sanmei.

  When I struggled to walk to the edge of the pit, Yang Xiufeng also supported Er Dage and walked over. It was Er Dage who spoke first: "The fierce ghost being trapped here is not a solution either, sooner or later it will break through this net..."

  I understand Second Master's concern, this is also our heart's voice. However, Big Sister seems to have been prepared early on, and just nodded with a smile: "This doesn't need to be worried about, tonight the fierce ghost can disperse, you all come see——"

  The voice fell, and I didn't know what to do. The flames on the net suddenly rose up. However, looking through the gaps in the flame net, I only then noticed that underneath were all mirrors, a prison made of mirrors. That was not all; inside there was also water of unknown depth, but it looked more like oil to me. I fell into deep thought, turning my head to look at Big Sister and waiting for her explanation. Big Sister smiled slightly: "Don't be fooled, this is all oil inside, and it has cinnabar and sulfur added in. Once ignited, it can burn the evil spirits to death."

  It was originally like this, the mirror can block the yin energy and form a world, but at the same time, there is no way for the fierce ghost to escape, and it's filled with oil, which can burn the fierce ghost to death at any time. However, thinking about these things made me almost unbearable, my heart felt a bit stuffy.

  For some reason, the eldest sister suddenly turned around and looked back, and we also followed her gaze to find that the second sister was missing, but we didn't know where she had gone. However, in a flash, we saw a lantern floating in mid-air, swaying gently as it came towards us, its flame flickering on and off. If it weren't for the fact that it was at this moment, it would have been quite frightening. But when we saw the lantern in the second sister's hand, we couldn't muster up any fear.

  Before she knew it, her second sister was already in front of her, smiling and holding a lantern: "I went around for a while and found that someone else's home still had lanterns lit, so I just took one. Eldest sister, don't wait for me, I didn't take it without permission, I negotiated with the family..."

  I thought it over carefully, and the scene at that time began to emerge in my mind. My second sister suddenly appeared with a burst of green smoke, and then went to borrow a lantern from someone's house. Would that family still have the courage to refuse? This is not borrowing, but openly robbing. Moreover, there is no room for negotiation, I'm afraid that as soon as my second sister appears, that family will be scared stiff. What's there to negotiate about? From this, I can see my second sister's temperament, and I reckon she's also the type of eccentric spirit. However, this has nothing to do with me, and I won't say anything more. Even if it's just a lantern, even if she goes to rob money, I don't care.

  I can understand why the elder sister didn't know about the second sister's virtues, she just glared at her fiercely, but also didn't entangle herself in such trivial matters. She took the lantern and was about to throw it into the pit, but unexpectedly Yang Xiufeng suddenly knelt down in front of the elder sister: "Immortal maiden, that is my grandmother, please don't burn her to death, can you think of a way to eliminate the resentment on my grandmother's body? Please, I'm willing to be a cow or a horse..."

  "Once you become a vengeful spirit, your true nature will be lost. As the saying goes, 'it's hard to recover spilled water', so don't think about it anymore. I advise you to leave this place first." The older sister sighed, also understanding the familial bond, but was helpless nonetheless.

  Yang Xiufeng was stunned, and tears had already flowed down her face. She didn't entangle herself again, but instead turned around to look at the grandmother in the pit. The grandmother was now sobbing uncontrollably. At this moment, the fierce ghost also sensed that something was wrong and seemed to have escaped. It suddenly dispersed the black fog and transformed back into its original form, with a resentful expression on its face. Its mouth kept shouting: "Little Feng, Little Feng, don't let them burn me to death! If I'm burned, my soul will be scattered, I am your grandmother! How can you watch them burn me to death, Little Feng?"

  As she spoke, she began to sob, and the fierce glare was gone, replaced by a kindly old lady. Even though I knew she was a malevolent spirit in disguise, even though I knew it was all an act, my heart still skipped a beat, and I felt an overwhelming urge to rescue her from the evil spirit. The old lady's voice seemed to have a mesmerizing power, making me want to do something without thinking.

  As soon as this thought arose, I knew it was going to be bad. If I'm like this, what about Yang Xiufeng? The evil spirit is obviously charming people. As soon as my mind turned, I had already leaned towards Yang Xiufeng. At this moment, I heard Yang Xiufeng suddenly let out a loud cry: "Grandma——"

  Before the words had fallen, Yang Xiufeng had already jumped up and rushed towards the trap, just about to lift the net. If the net was lifted, the fierce ghost would immediately escape, and if they wanted to deal with the fierce ghost, it would be very difficult. However, at this moment, Yang Xiufeng's heart was completely captivated by the old lady's charm, and no matter how her elder sister and second elder brother scolded her, she couldn't hear them anymore. Fortunately, I arrived just in time, grabbing Yang Xiufeng before she could lift the net, and holding her tightly in my arms: "Little Feng, don't do this, that's not your grandmother, it's a fierce ghost."

  The older sister was also startled, and if the fierce ghost had rushed out, it would have been a big trouble. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, and not daring to hesitate any longer, she suddenly threw the lantern with candles into the trap, and immediately a large fire rose up, engulfing the fierce ghost inside. The fierce ghost let out a mournful cry, struggling desperately, but the fire was still burning mercilessly, consuming her. The black mist turned into cyan smoke, dissipating bit by bit, becoming fainter and thinner.

  She let out a soft sigh, and this matter would pass like this. Yang Xiufeng in my arms had fainted, she couldn't cry anymore, her whole body was numb, only tears flowing down, but I didn't know how to comfort her.

  The fierce ghost wailed almost all night, although it was some distance from the village, but the villagers could still hear it, so that no one in the whole village could sleep, and even the dogs didn't dare to bark, until just before dawn when the fierce ghost finally turned into nothingness and dissipated.