"E-Ethan, what is that?" Howard Zhang clutched my hand, trembling.
"Didn't I already tell you, Howard? It's the child you aborted. Now it's come back to haunt you."
With a scream, Howard grabbed me and turned to run. He dragged me along, stumbling and rushing through the garden toward the gate.
"Daddy, where are you going?"
Blocking our way was that little boy. Remembering I could just touch him, I raised my hand to push him aside, but with a whoosh, the boy floated into the air.
The two of us rushed toward the main gate. With a loud bang, the iron doors, which had been open, slammed shut.
In a panic, Howard fumbled for the key, but with a snap, it broke in half.
"Climb over!"
Without hesitation, we tried to climb, but suddenly the steel bars on the gate bent, twisted, and tore apart, finally turning into inverted spikes.
There was no way to get a grip.
The little boy flew over. I tried to stop him, but with a crack, my ankle twisted and I collapsed to the ground.
"Ethan, Ethan!" Howard hurriedly tried to help me up.
"Daddy, where are you going? Leaving us siblings behind?"
The little boy pressed his face close to Howard's cheek, giggling.
Howard stood frozen, his pants soaked, trembling violently. He was clearly terrified.
My ankle was likely dislocated, the pain made me break out in a cold sweat.
With a thud, Howard fell to his knees, bowing his head to the ground.
"Spare me, spare me! I won't do it again, I swear!"
"Daddy, come on," the little boy said, placing his small hand on Howard's shoulder.
"Little brother, if you have any requests, just tell us. We'll do our best to help you."
I gritted my teeth and spoke, but the little boy just laughed.
"Uncle, my sister is really hungry. What should I do?"
Howard trembled as he got up, led away by the little boy. At the corner, Howard turned his head back.
"Ethan, hurry up and go. They're my children, it should be fine."
"Howard, don't go! Don't go..."
I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Crawling, I slowly dragged myself forward.
"Heh, those two little ghosts are pretty clever."
John Chou squatted down beside me.
I ignored him, dragging myself along, drenched in sweat. My ankle was swollen, and with the injuries from earlier, even though Rachel Lan had treated me with some unknown medicine that quickly reduced the swelling and healed me, my head and elbow still throbbed with pain.
At that moment, John Chou grabbed my ankle and twisted it forcefully. I screamed in pain, but then I could move my foot again. I got up, stumbling and limping as I ran.
When I reached the living room, I was stunned. More than a dozen women were inside, naked, either sitting or lying down, all unconscious.
Howard stood in the middle of the living room, trembling, with the twins clinging to his clothes, one in front and one behind.
"Daddy, what's wrong? Hurry up and do it. Isn't this your favorite thing? I'm hungry."
The little girl spoke cheerfully, while the boy began to pull down Howard's pants.
"Brother, do you remember that night? Daddy did it over a dozen times. Later, our little brother was aborted—it was so delicious!"
As she spoke, the girl licked her lips.
"Sister, you ate most of it that time. But now, with so many aunties here, we can really feast."
The boy locked the door and pulled down Howard's pants.
"Daddy, do it, hurry up. It's your favorite thing."
"I... I can't do it..."
I finally understood why John Chou said these twins were clever. They were forcing Howard to procreate, then they'd devour him.
"I'm so hungry, so hungry!"
The little girl cried out, her voice piercing and shrill.
I saw her eyes turn pitch black, something oozing from her nose, mouth, and ears. Suddenly, the whole room filled with the cries of babies—wailing, terrifying. My eardrums felt like they were about to burst, and I covered my ears.
Suddenly, the girl grabbed the boy.
"Brother, I'm hungry, I'm hungry."
The boy's face instantly showed fear.
Suddenly, the girl grabbed the boy's hand and bit down hard, swallowing a chunk of flesh. Then she frantically gnawed at his hand.
"Ah..."
The little boy screamed frantically, and the sight made Howard and me shrink back against the wall in terror.
Only after gnawing through the entire arm did the girl stop. The boy sat on the ground, crying, while the girl kept sucking the blood from her fingers!
"So tasty, brother. Your flesh is delicious. I'm still hungry. Maybe I'll just eat you first!"
Suddenly, thick black smoke filled the room. Howard and I coughed violently, struggling to breathe.
The boy crawled over to Howard.
"Daddy, save me! Sister wants to eat me. Hurry up and do it, or she'll eat me!"
Suddenly, the girl screamed again, and the whole building seemed to shake.
"I'm hungry... huh..."
The little girl stepped closer.
She had lost all reason. Howard was frozen in fear, and the boy pleaded helplessly.
Suddenly, as if compelled by some unseen force, I stepped in front of Howard and his son.
"Little sister, that's enough."
I looked at the girl with a blank expression. She giggled, raised her hand, and I thought I was about to be thrown across the room, but nothing happened.
The girl waved her hand at me several more times. I walked over, raised my hand, and she squeezed her eyes shut in fear.
I didn't do anything. I patted her head and hugged her.
Suddenly, the girl burst into tears.
"Uncle, I'm hungry, I'm so hungry..."
"Be good, I'll cook for you soon. My dishes are really tasty!"
The girl nodded, understanding, and gave a sensible reply.
Just when I thought we could sit down and talk, the girl suddenly pushed me away. The tenderness vanished, replaced by a shrill cry and a look of resentment.
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With a whoosh, the girl ran out of the room.
Everything returned to calm, except for the boy who kept crying. Black smoke billowed from where his arm had disappeared, spraying out from the wound and gradually fading.
"There's no saving him now! Tell me, little ghost, who told you that you could eat your own siblings?"
John Chou asked, but the boy didn't answer and just kept crying.
"What's going on?"
"I've told you before, baby spirits are special. They can only absorb the mother's vital energy, or eat siblings with the same energy. Now he's damaged his spiritual root, and his energy is leaking out. He won't last more than a few days before he disappears completely."
"Ethan, who are you talking to?"
Howard asked, and I shook my head.
"Howard, your son is about to disappear."
Howard looked at the boy lying in front of him and backed away in fear.
"Daddy, it hurts, it hurts..." the boy cried in pain, crawling toward Howard.
"D-Don't come near me."
Howard nearly broke down, shouting, while the boy looked at him innocently. I walked over.
"Howard, look closely. He's your son, your own son!"
But Howard kept shaking his head as the boy crawled closer.
Thump, thump, thump—outside, the sound of a wooden fish and chanting echoed, followed by rhythmic chimes.
"Benefactor Zhang, this old monk has arrived."
A large, fat monk with a broad face and ears entered, smiling, followed by a line of monks in blue robes. It must be Master Zhou.
"Benefactor Zhang, long time no see. I foresaw this calamity and came especially to help you resolve this dark fate."
John Chou stood beside Master Zhou, smiling.
"Amitabha." Master Zhou greeted John Chou with a Buddhist salute.
"Stinks of money," John Chou muttered.
Master Zhou just smiled and said nothing. He could see John Chou, and I hurried over.
"Master, do you have any way to save this child? He's fading fast!"
"Oh, benefactor, I suppose that's the one you brought with you? Circumstances arise from the heart. I advise you not to meddle in ghostly matters, or you'll face endless calamity."
I looked at John Chou, who sneered and walked away.
"Well? Monk, want to give it a try?"
Master Zhou shook his head.
"I'm just a mortal, not arrogant enough to overestimate myself. Though I can't deal with you, I do have a way to save the child."
Master Zhou strode over to the boy, knelt down, and removed the prayer beads from his neck.
"Bring the offerings."
Soon, a monk brought a tray of pastries and placed them before the boy.
The boy stopped crying at once, grabbed the pastries, and devoured them. John Chou watched in surprise.
The boy's eaten arm gradually grew back.
"Benefactor Zhang, spend time with your child while I drive away this resentment."
The boy happily tugged at Howard's sleeve.
"Daddy, let's go play!"
Howard forced a smile, trembling as he took the boy's hand and left the room.
At Master Zhou's command, his disciples entered, carrying ritual implements and candles.
"First, take care of these women."
After tidying up the living room, the monks began to set up a Buddhist altar.
I looked at John Chou with some disappointment. This master clearly had skill, but still couldn't do anything to John Chou.
Seeing our puzzled expressions, Master Zhou smiled and explained.
"The pastries just now were offerings to Buddha and Bodhisattva. Over the years, they've absorbed spiritual energy and become pure objects. Any living being can eat them."
John Chou smiled.
"They're edible, but getting them takes at least ten years of devotion. Otherwise, they won't work."
"Amitabha. That's true. My senior brother gave them to me when I left the mountain."