Chapter 216: Scheming and Breaking the Deadlock
"Arrogant and conceited guy," the Indian evil spirit said fiercely. At the same time, dark green slime began to ooze from the cracks in the dungeon walls, converging toward William from all sides.
William seemed oblivious, saying calmly: "If I guessed correctly, you launched some kind of mental interference the moment we entered the villa district."
"This ability is different from ordinary 'illusion creation', but rather..."
He pondered for the right descriptive words, and quickly had a flash of insight.
"...But rather able to influence human choices."
As soon as these words came out, the evil spirit opposite suddenly fell silent.
"The change in how the two ladies addressed me, Judy showing unprecedented initiative, and the tone of their voices..."
William's eyes became cold.
"I realized this early on, but you noticed my caution, so when I asked Judy and the others to return to the car, you used the excuse of 'hidden dangers in the dark' to make Judy choose to refuse."
"This is indeed very clever; if it were any other reason, I might have discovered it on the spot."
The Indian evil spirit snorted coldly.
William continued: "But unfortunately, you were too anxious. You wanted to use the remains to hook my greed, and then use the children to give me an excuse to compromise."
"Hehe, that's right, I overestimated your moral character," the Indian evil spirit mocked.
"Hmph, such a clumsy trick, even a villain could see through it." William immediately retaliated.
"Slave of the Church!"
In this game where whoever curses first loses their cool, William obviously won.
He continued:
"I'll give you a suggestion for improvement. A Saint's Remains contain pure Holy Power, naturally countering evil auras. As long as an evil spirit has a normal 'brain', it wouldn't allow such a thing to exist beside it. Of course, maybe evil spirits don't have this thing to begin with."
William's words were full of aggression. Upon hearing this, the evil spirit opposite slammed fiercely into the iron railing, deforming the bars somewhat.
But the former remained calm.
From agreeing to enter the house, William faced a choice every time—whether to continue advancing?
But every time he chose "Yes".
And this was also the reason why he always felt something was wrong.
Under normal circumstances, William would absolutely not accept Old Ronald's invitation!
Let alone enter the cellar, a classic "Guaranteed Trouble" location.
William wasn't sure when he was influenced.
But this also indirectly proved that the evil spirit in front of him was very dangerous.
Just like at this moment.
The evil spirit opposite feigned "Losing its mind" to attract William's attention.
But the corrosive slime around had already quietly arrived close by.
William placed a holy statue on the ground, which was also his last one.
In the next moment.
Buzz!
Several barriers glowing with white light instantly appeared around, enveloping William and the others inside.
He immediately felt his vision clear up; the previous feeling of anxiety and restlessness disappeared.
"So a 30-year vintage holy artifact can resist this kind of 'mental influence'." William pondered.
And along the way, he had rarely used high-vintage holy artifacts; it seemed this was also caused by the evil spirit's influence.
At the same time, the slime also pounced on them.
Sizzle... Sizzle...
The collision of power generated a large amount of white smoke, quickly filling the corridor.
At this time, the few people on the ground also woke up.
"No! Don't come over!" Judy's eyes were full of horror, her forehead soaked with sweat.
The others were in a similar state.
"Will!"
Seeing William's figure, Judy immediately leaned over and took out a crucifix from her pocket.
"Just now... I just glanced at that evil spirit, and everything in front of me changed."
Judy had lingering fears.
"They were locked in cages, enslaved like livestock; these are the sins we committed..."
William interrupted: "Maybe they did suffer a lot of pain in the past, but right now this guy is planning to kill us."
He patted the girl's shoulder: "Don't let the enemy affect your judgment."
"Mmh, okay!" Judy nodded vigorously, and her eyes calmed down a lot.
Lynne aside also came over.
"Father William, I'm sorry, I..."
William waved his hand: "Now is not the time to apologize; we have to figure out a way out first."
Lynne was instantly stunned; she had prepared herself to be severely scolded and then stay behind alone to stall for time.
Her nose suddenly felt sour, and Lynne hurriedly lowered her head.
After blinking her eyes, she spoke again: "Do you have any ideas?"
William rubbed his chin.
From the villa entrance to the cellar, the evil spirit had numerous opportunities to strike.
But the other party didn't hurt them; instead, it constantly set up traps to tempt them.
And the previous "Saving the children" performance also seemed very much like a ritual to undo some kind of seal.
So William guessed that the evil spirit had no way to break free directly and had to undo the seal through someone else.
And this person had to come from the Church, even be a certified Holy Clergy Member.
This also explained—why the evil spirit was still willing to listen to William say so much after tearing off all pretenses just now.
The other party was also stalling for time.
The totem symbols on Old Ronald could firmly restrict his spirit body, and even allow the evil spirit to possess him.
But the latter didn't use this ability to deal with William.
There were only two conceivable reasons—first, the other party felt it was unnecessary.
And second, this kind of possession couldn't truly undo the seal.
Otherwise, with the house experiencing so many occupants over the years, the evil spirit would have escaped long ago.
Having figured this out, William had an idea.
"I'll go first later; you guys take the holy artifacts and bring up the rear." He took out several high-vintage holy artifacts, distributed them, and lowered his voice.
"Okay... What!?"
Lynne thought there was a problem with her ears.
In this situation, shouldn't you say "I'll bring up the rear, you guys go first"...
Judy, however, knew William wouldn't do this for no reason, so she nodded: "Okay, I will protect them."
William nodded, then remembered something and waved to Judy.
After the two conspired quietly for a while, William stood up again.
He looked in the direction of the corridor entrance.
Bang!
Cracks appeared on the ground beneath his feet, and William flew out like a cannonball.
"Mr... Mr. Priest!"
The Lutz couple stood blankly on the spot, not expecting the priest to actually abandon them and run away.
And in the next moment, those dark green slimes also followed.
Before leaving, the evil spirit glanced at the few people left behind.
It snorted coldly and ultimately chased after him.
William looked at the seemingly endless corridor in front of him and frowned.
The cellar in his memory wasn't this big!
He immediately closed his eyes.
When coming in earlier, William had arranged multiple holy statues in the villa. As long as he perceived the Holy Power on them, he could find the direction.
"Found it!"
His eyes lit up, and he swung a punch to break a side wall.
But the next moment, dense white maggots surged out from inside.
William immediately dodged to the side.
And behind the wall had also turned into a damp, rotting cave.
"Could it be that my perception was also affected?" He frowned secretly.
Without waiting to think further, the evil spirit behind had already arrived.
William could only flee towards the distance again.
On the other side.
"What... should we do." Kathy looked terrified, hugging the two children beside her.
"That guy ran away by himself, but fortunately, the evil spirit also chased after him. There shouldn't be any danger nearby in the short term."
George picked up a stick from the ground, then stepped to the front of the group.
Most people present were ladies, and he was the only man, so George had to step up.
But Judy spoke: "No, Mr. George, right now we have a very big hidden safety hazard."
"What? Where?" George looked vigilant upon hearing this, constantly sizing up the surroundings.
Who would have thought that Lynne suddenly tackled him to the ground, then used a rope to tie his hands.
"Hey! What are you doing!" George looked bewildered.
Judy said: "Your mental power was influenced by the evil spirit earlier; maybe it also did some other tricks on you."
"So, right now you are the most dangerous."
George: ??
William had changed directions an unknown number of times.
Every time he thought he had found a holy statue, the final result was another scene.
This also gave rise to a doubt in him—am I still being mentally influenced?
But he looked at his body; 30-year vintage holy artifacts hung all over him.
And he didn't have the previous feeling of anxiety inside.
"No, maybe the evil spirit is exactly planning to make me have this illusion..." William's eyes narrowed.
Once he started doubting himself, he would fall into a vicious cycle of overthinking.
He might even waver about "escaping from the dungeon."
If that was the case, maybe William would really be trapped here.
He shook his head slightly, determination restoring in his eyes.
"The evil spirit's goal is for me to undo the seal. If it is really that powerful, why play this chasing game?"
William narrowed his eyes and immediately stopped running, standing in place.
A dozen seconds later, a cluster of spirit body appeared in the corridor.
Miserable howls emanated from the evil spirit; a normal person would be dragged into the other party's mental illusion just by looking at it.
Relying on the sufficient holy artifacts on his body and the powerful mental power of [Holy Meaning Study], William was spared from the interference.
"Oh? Do you plan to give up struggling? In the past, many people made the same choice." The Indian evil spirit laughed hoarsely.
But William didn't answer, instead carefully sizing up the evil spirit.
Soon his eyes lit up.
"A faint yellow-green aura lingers on the surface of the spirit body; this is the 'Sin of Deceit'." He thought inwardly.
"What is the evil spirit deceiving?" William's mind thought rapidly.
He confirmed there was no problem with himself, so there was only one possibility—the holy statues.
William raised an eyebrow, suddenly remembering one thing.
Whenever he approached the holy statue in his perception, the path there would have obstacles or even disgusting filth.
But the routes other than that did not.
Connecting it with the realistic touch when William broke the wall for the first time, and the mental interference planted before entering the villa...
He immediately thought of a possibility—the guy in front of him was very likely an earthbound spirit.
That's why it could change the terrain within its sphere of influence.
To verify this guess, William closed his eyes again.
After sensing the power of a holy statue, he flew out like a cannonball again.
"A meaningless attempt."
The evil spirit snorted coldly, chasing after him again.
Before long, William came to a wall again.
After a loud bang, a large number of white maggots surged out from inside the wall, and more than a dozen dead spirits appeared, trying to surround William.
And behind the wall was also a dead end.
But this time William didn't dodge.
He took out a bottle of Holy Water and splashed it out; the several dead spirits that rushed up were instantly burned.
But those white maggots were not affected.
"It seems these bugs are not transformed from evil aura." William narrowed his eyes.
He didn't hesitate and immediately charged towards the white maggots.
After brief intimate contact with them, William came to the dead end.
At this time, the Indian evil spirit also caught up.
"You actually seek a dead end yourself." The evil spirit smiled sinisterly.
At the same time, a large amount of slime also emerged around, quickly pouncing towards William.
"Oh~ why did you suddenly use so many methods this time?"
William smiled slightly.
"Could it be I guessed right?"
The evil spirit said angrily: "Arrogant guy, you seek death!"
Without waiting for the other party to strike, William turned around a step ahead.
He raised his fist and smashed it down fiercely.
The dead end in front of him was like wallpaper, instantly shattered.
Immediately after, a burst of pure Holy Power hit his face.
William returned to the living room again.
At the same time, from the villa entrance to here, powerful Holy Power cleansed the air.
Then a space belonging to Holy Light was opened up.
And the evil spirit obviously didn't plan to just give up like this.
The surrounding terrain suddenly rolled up, and then the floor turned into a pool, and the corrosive liquid inside flooded towards William.
For a time, the two forces were in a stalemate.
"Hmph, don't forget, your companions are still down below."
The Indian evil spirit sneered.
"Do you think I can't see through your 'luring the enemy' trick? Don't forget, that gentleman has lived in the house for a long time."
But William shrugged: "Of course I know you can see through it, otherwise why would you let my companions stay safely where they were?"
"As for Mr. George... hehe, you can try."
Seeing the priest opposite being fearless, the Indian evil spirit had a bad premonition.
It immediately triggered the previously hidden methods.
At the same time, inside the cellar.
George, who was dozing off, suddenly changed his expression. His eyes were cold and gloomy as he raised his head to look around.
But he found several figures sitting right in front of him.
"He changed!"
"Oh... my George."
"Don't worry, he can't do anything."
Listening to these remarks, "George's" eyes revealed a look of doubt.
It lowered its head, only to find that the hands and feet of this body were firmly tied up. There were also some paper slips stuck on the surface of the ropes, with residual Holy Power aura on them.
No matter how much "George" struggled, even with the power boosted by evil aura, it couldn't break free.
At this time, the young girl opposite stood up, still holding a glass bottle in her hand.
"Mr. George, you must be thirsty." Judy smiled slightly.
"Damn priest!!"
An angry roar came from the cellar.
Inside the living room.
Seeing the evil spirit opposite fall silent, William knew Judy had succeeded.
He immediately held the crucifix in his hand, silently chanting holy meanings.
A holy light emerged from the holy statue on the ground, rushing downwards with unstoppable momentum, then forming a narrow passage.
When William set up the holy statues back then, he deliberately chose the orientation of the magic array.
Only because they were in the cellar, there was no way to trigger the power above.
At this moment, William drove the magic array to connect with the holy statues in the cellar, so that Judy and the others could escape along the passage.
Before long, their figures appeared at the staircase entrance.
"Will!"
Judy ran over excitedly.
"Just now when the evil spirit possessed Mr. George, I drove it away!"
George lowered his head upon hearing this. As a man, he was actually saved by a little girl.
Although excusable, he still felt a bit embarrassed.
William smiled and nodded: "I am proud of you."
Next, the group followed the holy statues all the way outside the villa gates.
And the Indian evil spirit could only constantly hurl abuse from the side.
A touch of gold streaked across the horizon.
Warm sunlight sprinkled on the treetops, dispelling the gloomy cold night.
The group came to the path where the car was parked.
This place was some distance from the villa.
At this time, William finally understood why the evil spirit didn't want them to return to the car.
He saw a dividing line formed by evil aura on the ground, extending to both sides along the path.
It almost encompassed several surrounding villas.
And the car was right outside the dividing line not far away.
At this time, the Indian evil spirit also chased out, but it couldn't affect the environment outside the boundary line, and could only demonstrate with its "Gaze" at the humans in front of it.
Lynne had a feeling of surviving a disaster. She looked at William: "We'd better leave here first."
"Don't rush, we have to take the spoils of war with us." William, however, pointed at the evil spirit.
Lynne was instantly stunned.
She looked at the resentment exuding from the evil spirit, and thinking of the encounter just now, it was really hard to associate the other party with "Spoils of War."
But William came in front of the evil spirit.
"As long as you are willing to hand over the evil aura on your body, I promise to purify you."
As soon as these words came out, everyone present was stunned.
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