Thump—
The rigid, javelin-straight figure leapt another step toward Ning Zhe. Behind him, the ghost closed in, and before him hovered a misty crimson silhouette—He Nianjun, the bridal maiden who had appeared in the He Mansion's main hall.
Instinctively, Ning Zhe turned to flee another direction. But as he pivoted, the girl in her wedding robes, tied with red cloth, slid with him—always blocking his path, unwaveringly standing before him.
"What is this…" Ning Zhe frowned and spun again. Yet He Nianjun remained fixed in front of him.
After several attempts, he realized that no matter where he turned, her figure stayed centrally before his eyes, like a spot of dirt on a camera lens that never shifts. She was that unshakeable red shadow.
"She doesn't exist in this world—only in my sight," Ning Zhe understood.
Thump—
The ghost lengthened its hop, closing the gap. Understanding his situation, Ning Zhe acted without hesitation. Shielded by his umbrella, he crouched and ran forward down the darkened corridor—he had already extinguished the lamp ahead on his way.
But after only a few paces, terror struck.
As he advanced, the phantom in red grew larger in his vision—as if he were advancing toward her. That movement seemed to trigger some mechanism: the static red figure began moving too, stepping toward him.
Her slender form swayed in bridal silk edged in gold lace. Though the manor was sealed against any breeze, her hair floated as if in wind. Ning Zhe dared not advance; he stared as she drew nearer—and the ghost approached from behind.
Then he noticed something.
In the lamplight behind him, he saw his own enormous shadow cast on the lawn—his umbrella forming a mushroom cap above his legs.
"Could it be?"
A spark lit in his mind. He dropped to a squat, umbrella raised overhead.
The gentle lamp glow projected his round shadow on the grass—and the ghost's footsteps halted.
Thump—
A final footfall rang out, then silence.
On the first floor, in the security office, Feng Yushu pressed her hands to her mouth in disbelief as she watched the monitor.
The silent footage showed two figures under a lamp outside the castle: Ning Zhe squatting under his umbrella, completely concealed by its canopy; and behind him, a rigid corpse—He Nianjun—its twisted features frozen in the terror of death, staring at the lace-edged umbrella.
Seconds ticked by. The ghost stood motionless.
"It lost its target," Ning Zhe's voice came through her earpiece. "Tell me where the breaker is—quick."
Like waking from a trance, Feng Yushu replied, "From your position, follow the wall past the second or third pixiu statue. There's a triangular alcove between two outer walls. The indoor grid breaker is inside."
"OK." Ning Zhe exhaled and, still squatting under the umbrella, tiptoed to the lamp pole and switched it off.
Instantly, darkness fell.
Safe. Ning Zhe dropped the umbrella slightly and turned to watch the ghost—still standing motionless. After a few minutes, the corpse lost its footing and collapsed with a crash.
"It's gone," Ning Zhe said softly. "Auntie, be careful—it may now look for you."
Feng Yushu lowered her gaze and adjusted her stance under the umbrella, ensuring her entire body remained hidden in shadow.
"This ghost has no normal vision. It cannot see living people—only the shadows they cast in light. Once we fully conceal ourselves in darkness, it is effectively blind," Ning Zhe explained, recalling the manor's lights all flickering on when the ghost first appeared.
"That was no coincidence," he realized. "Someone deliberately crafted a killing ground suited to it—or perhaps even released it here."
Who had put a ghost in this manor? And why?
Ning Zhe looked up at the poised crimson figure before him and recognized the truth.
He Nianjun, in her bridal robes, stood quietly in front of him. Without words, she opened her chest and drew from within an ancient, pristine almanac.
In precise, flowing handwriting—presumably her own—were the entries for:
[Lunar April 22]
[Auspicious: Marriage, Travel, Housewarming, Groundbreaking, Burial, Sacrifice]
[Inauspicious: Official Appointment, Pest Control, Childbirth]
Ning Zhe checked his phone:
2018-06-06, Lunar April 23, 12:09 AM.
A new day had dawned. It was time to turn the almanac.
He Nianjun's small, pale hand gently flipped to the next page:
[Lunar April 23]
[Auspicious: Marriage, Earthwork, Planting, Clothing, Wealth Acquisition]
[Inauspicious: Alcohol, Fire, Woodcutting, Embankment, Construction]
Ning Zhe recalled the key insight he had overlooked:
After the ghost Taiyi died, he alone bore Taiyi's identity. Likewise, after the Snake God Zhàoyòu died, who was the sole bearer of Zhàoyòu's identity?
The answer—once again—was himself.
In the security office, Feng Yushu watched the screen's darkness, barely discerning Ning Zhe's standing silhouette as he stretched out his hand toward empty air.
"Ning Zhe, what are you doing?" she asked carefully.
"Nothing." Ning Zhe replied calmly. "I'll go cut the breaker now. Be careful—avoid lighters, matches, alcohol, and do not break any trees or flowers."
"Why?" Feng Yushu asked, confused and curious.
"Just do it," Ning Zhe said evenly. "Trust me—please."
Feng Yushu paused, then nodded. "All right. I trust you."
She resolved to trust him unconditionally, just as she had in He Village.
With Feng Yushu forewarned, Ning Zhe relaxed. He focused again on He Nianjun.
Her slender fingers held the yellowed almanac, a delicate index finger marking the day's page:
[Lunar April 23]
[Auspicious: Marriage, Earthwork, Planting, Clothing, Wealth Acquisition]
[Inauspicious: Alcohol, Fire, Woodcutting, Embankment, Construction]
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild