Xiao He finished helping Miss Yang dress in the time it took to speak, then turned back, taking Zhou Huan’s arm. “Let’s go back to the room and rest. Any business can wait until tomorrow. I actually have something I need to discuss with you.”

Xiao He led Zhou Huan back to her room. Before leaving, Zhou Huan specifically cautioned Miss Yang not to step outside, then the two of them entered their own room.

As soon as they were inside, Xiao He stood with her hands on her hips, her expression clearly agitated, her brows furrowed and eyes wide as she faced Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan saw this and knew it was over. He figured Xiao He’s rare temper was about to erupt. Still, he held back, squinting and stealing glances at her through the narrow slits between his eyelids.

After setting her expression, Xiao He’s voice was surprisingly soft. “Brother Huan, why does Miss Yang have these strange corpse-poisonous swellings on her body? Don't tell me it’s the same as Ruan Xiangning’s case back then.”

Zhou Huan, hearing the gentle tone in Xiao He’s voice, realized the frightening expression was just a prelude, and he finally relaxed. He cleared his throat twice. “Ah, well… I need to investigate the swellings on Miss Yang further. But what I really want to know is where that flash came from. I noticed it seemed to have been following us, so I feel we need to deal with that first. As for Miss Yang’s swellings, we can easily cure her tomorrow after visiting the Place of Destiny Resolution. We’ll discuss it later. For now, let’s sleep and set off first thing in the morning.”

Zhou Huan didn't sleep soundly all night, worried that something might happen with Miss Yang. Fortunately, she only seemed to speak a few things in her sleep and let out a couple of groans, likely due to the pain in her back.

At dawn, as the light began to break, the environment outside the hotel was much quieter. In a large city, this hour would already be filled with the clamor of heavy traffic.

“Knock, knock, knock!” came three sharp raps. Zhou Huan jolted awake.

“Who is it?” Zhou Huan pulled on some clothes, swung his legs out of bed, and moved to open the door.

The voice from outside was extremely hoarse. It sounded like Miss Yang, but no one could explain the source of such a raw sound. Zhou Huan opened the door, and indeed, it was Miss Yang. She stood there looking quite healthy in complexion and bearing.

“Master Zhou, I’m all ready. When are we leaving?” Miss Yang sounded quite eager, which made Zhou Huan feel slightly awkward. He had intended to take her to resolve her karma, but she had beaten him to the door.

Zhou Huan ushered her in: “Come, come in. We’ll be up shortly. Please wait a moment.”

Miss Yang entered and sat in a chair near the window. Zhou Huan and Xiao He quickly dressed and finished their washing up in the restroom in a short time.

“Brother Huan, is she possessed today? Why is she up so early?” Xiao He asked Zhou Huan quietly.

Zhou Huan replied, “Alas, if she’s here, she’s here. Isn't this just fate? Let’s hurry up. We’ll take her with us right away, and who knows what state things will be in when we get there.”

Zhou Huan and Xiao He bustled about, finishing in about ten minutes. They took Miss Yang and drove straight to Luoling Mountain. The temple nestled on the mountainside looked full of vitality in the early morning light, always radiating a sacred and mysterious aura.

“Master Zhou, is this our destination for today?” Miss Yang asked Zhou Huan in her husky voice.

Zhou Huan nodded, replying softly, “Just follow me. Whatever happens later, hold onto me tightly.” Then Zhou Huan turned back to Xiao He. “If anything happens later, you do the same—just hold onto me. Don’t try to be a hero.”

“Got it!” Miss Yang and Xiao He replied almost simultaneously.

The main road leading up the mountain was straight and direct. The three were nearly at the spot where the corpse had been found the day before. From a distance, they could vaguely make out patches of still-wet blood near the body, soaking into the stone slabs on the ground in large blots.

“Brother Huan, look, something seems off about those slabs,” Xiao He’s eyes were sharp; Zhou Huan hadn't noticed anything special.

Indeed, where Xiao He pointed to the bloodstains, a thin layer of cool mist coated the stones over the seeped areas. Beneath the condensation, it looked like red water was flowing, carrying impurities.

“Remember, we absolutely do not mention this to the local Public Security Bureau today. I have a feeling they’re not right either. These guys don't look like a proper investigative agency; how could they examine a body and then not clean up the scene?” Zhou Huan cautioned Xiao He, then glanced back at Miss Yang. Seeing him look her way, Miss Yang reached out and grabbed Zhou Huan’s shoulder.

Zhou Huan froze at her grip, then secretly glanced back at Xiao He, who had grabbed his other shoulder. Zhou Huan was speechless.

“Master Zhou, are we resolving karma right here?” Miss Yang asked in her raspy voice.

Zhou Huan retreated a few steps down the mountain, deliberately leaving the area of the corpse clear. He then said, “Resolving karma must follow fate. Just follow me. Do what I do, and only step in to help when I ask.” After speaking, Zhou Huan pulled a military folding pickaxe from his small bag. The pickaxe actually belonged to Dongzi, but Zhou Huan had taken it because he worried that reckless youth might cause trouble. He hadn't expected to actually need it today.

“Thump, thump, thump!” Zhou Huan pried open several stone slabs on the ground, continuing to dig into the dirt until the seepage of the deceased’s blood was gone. Zhou Huan put the pickaxe away, then tossed the cinnabar, a stack of paper money ingots, and an amulet into the pit. Then, Zhou Huan began to fill the hole.

Just then, a crowd of people coming up the mountain for morning exercises arrived. Seeing Zhou Huan digging a hole with two beautiful young women, one old man couldn't help but ask, “Young man, what are you busy with? I saw you seemed to be burying something just now.”

“Hehe, Uncle, I was indeed burying some things just now. It’s for your safety when you climb the mountain. Don't worry, just continue up the mountain,” Zhou Huan didn't want to explain that he was burying talismans for soul suppression, fearing the old man would cause trouble.

But life is just so annoying; if you don’t look for trouble, trouble finds you. This old man wasn't leaving. Seeing that Zhou Huan hadn't answered him directly, he became indignant. “Young man, that’s not right of you. You don't look like park staff. I know all those monkey-men on the paths in this park. The way you look, you seem like you’re causing damage.” The old man sized up Zhou Huan from head to toe, then deliberately took a few steps away from him, growing cautious. “Tell me quickly what you are doing, digging up the pavement on the mountain!”

The old man’s shouting did the trick. Before long, people from the woods, the main path, and those still coming up from below rushed over in a flurry.

“Hey, hey, come look, there’s excitement! What’s going on? Someone is digging up the slabs—a thief?”

“I know this old man; he comes up every day and sometimes helps clean the mountain paths. He reports anything he doesn’t like.” The crowd chattered, surrounding the three of them in the center.

“Brother Huan, what do we do?” Xiao He was getting flustered seeing so many people. They were the ones who pried open the slabs first, so the old man wasn't wrong.

Zhou Huan was even more conflicted now. How could he tell these people he was here to exorcise ghosts? They’d never believe him, and might even accuse him of practicing feudal superstition. But if he didn't explain, this busybody old man would pester them endlessly. This truly distressed Zhou Huan.

“Everyone, I was just here to…” Zhou Huan was trying to formulate a reason to deal with them when he looked back at Xiao He. “Aren’t you a police officer? Show your badge and say you’re on official business.”

“Will that work?” Xiao He tilted her eyebrows in helplessness. “I’m not wearing my uniform, and I left my police ID at the hotel!”

Zhou Huan ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Uncle, what exactly are you all doing? We really have business here.”

“Hmph!” The old man stood with his hands on his hips, addressing Zhou Huan with great seriousness. “Young man, we all have hands and feet. If you’re short of money, I can give you some; if you need more, come find me. We can’t be stealing pavement tiles. If you insist on asking what I do, hmph!” The old man fumbled in his pocket and pulled out an armband, which he then placed on his arm.

Zhou Huan clearly saw several large characters written on it: “Red Guard!” Zhou Huan instantly broke out in a cold sweat. “Sir, we respect you as a hero of the motherland, but we must have the awareness not to delay us from doing important work for the people!”

“Young man, don’t think you’re doing anything noble. My old eyes are sharp; I can distinguish right from wrong at a glance. Come on, tell me properly, what are you really doing here?” As the old man spoke, he placed a piece of foam board he was holding under his backside and sat down.

“Yes, we deeply respect this old man. What he says is always right. Quick, tell us what you’re doing!” The onlookers truly weren't afraid of a little chaos.

Zhou Huan felt like crying tears without knowing why. He just wanted to handle a serious matter, but this elder was making unreasonable trouble. Driven to the absolute limit, he finally made a decision. “Xiao He, this scene absolutely cannot be disturbed. Go back and get your credentials. It’s best to bring Bureau Chief Li and the whole crew. There’s no other way to handle this today.”

Xiao He nodded, turned, and ran off. Grabbing the key, she started Zhou Huan’s car and sped away. Before long, she returned with Bureau Chief Li and several officers, and she also retrieved her police ID before turning back and sprinting toward the scene.