The female ghost, cradling the child, tearfully recounted the truth of that year.
"After that scumbag defiled me, I was terrified. I didn't know who to turn to for help, and I feared news of it would spread, ruining my future. I tried to forget the memories, but unexpectedly... I found myself pregnant with that man's child! Although the child's father was a scoundrel, the child was innocent... For the sake of my child, I summoned the courage to find that scumbag and told him about my pregnancy. To my surprise, not only did he refuse to acknowledge it, but he accused me of being promiscuous! I could no longer bear it and told him that if he didn't take responsibility, I would expose everything. His attitude changed immediately, and he asked for a few days to consider."
"But what I didn't expect was that that very night, he, along with two other men, broke into my dormitory. They stabbed me in the stomach and, before I could resist, they hung me up... I suffered so much, and I hate them so much! I did nothing wrong, so why is heaven treating me this way! Now, my child and I are trapped in this dormitory, forever unable to leave, while that scumbag is still living freely and prosperously!!! No matter what, I cannot let this go!!"
"Later, one day, a Daoist priest broke into the dormitory. He told us that if we helped him collect the souls of seven people, he would help us get revenge, kill that scumbag, and release our souls so we could be reborn. Eager for revenge, I agreed! But I had only ever taken one soul or one part of a soul from them, which affected them but ultimately allowed them to recover. Only the security guard last time, who was determined to kill my child and me, forced us to act. We took two souls and parts of their souls and pushed him off the balcony..."
This was the sequence of events. For five years, the female ghost and the ghost infant had been well-behaved, until the appearance of the Daoist priest offered them hope for revenge, leading them down the wrong path.
After hearing the female ghost's story, Lin Zitong felt a pang of sympathy.
The mother and child were also pitiable victims; the murderer and the Daoist priest were the true culprits.
Yan Shouyi's expression softened slightly, but he did not lower his guard, his Soul-Slaying Blade still at the ghost infant's neck.
"How many souls have you taken?"
"Five... counting the security guard last time."
"After taking their souls, how will you hand them over to that Daoist priest?"
"He comes to collect them every Saturday at midnight."
Lin Zitong reminded him, "Today is Wednesday."
"Three more days..." Yan Shouyi pondered for a moment.
Then, he tossed the ghost infant towards the female ghost. The female ghost quickly caught it, and the mother and child nestled together, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi casually waved his hand, and the Soul-Slaying Blade ignited again, disappearing in an instant.
He said, "Considering you and your child are pitiable, I won't pursue the soul-snatching matter. But I have a condition. This Saturday, when the Daoist priest comes, you must cooperate with me in a play. I want to catch that demon collecting souls from the shadows! If it's successful, I can also help you and your child be reborn."
Upon hearing this, the female ghost gritted her teeth, unconvinced, "Can you get revenge for us?"
"The mortal world has its own order," Yan Shouyi replied.
Just as the female ghost and Lin Zitong were about to argue, Yan Shouyi added, "However, I know a very responsible police officer. I will tell her your story, and I believe she can bring your killer to justice!"
The female ghost and Lin Zitong retracted their unspoken words.
The female ghost sighed, "If that's the case, I have no regrets."
The female ghost did not trust Yan Shouyi, nor did she trust the Daoist priest, but she was helpless. Her only wish now was revenge, no matter the method.
"Then, tell me, what is the name of the man who killed you?" Yan Shouyi asked.
Mentioning him, the female ghost's anger caused the temperature in the dormitory to drop considerably.
"His name is... Dong Ye!"
"You said that on the night you were killed, besides Dong Ye, there were two others. Who were they? Do you remember anything else?"
The female ghost shook her head, "Dong Ye knocked on my door and covered my head with a bag after entering. Then I felt two others helping... The only thing I remember is that in the panic, I used a curling iron to burn the back of one of the men!"
Lin Zitong also showed a troubled expression, "With only this clue, it will be difficult for us to find the other two culprits. We can only hope that after Dong Ye is apprehended, he will identify his accomplices."
"We will do our best," Yan Shouyi said.
The female ghost was immensely grateful. Holding her child, she kowtowed to them both.
Yan Shouyi felt no guilt and did not stop the female ghost. After she finished kowtowing, Yan Shouyi looked at the Zhou Hui and the other three, who had fainted on the ground.
"Are they all your friends?" Yan Shouyi asked.
Lin Zitong gave an awkward smile, "Things might have gotten a bit out of hand."
Yan Shouyi sighed and flicked Lin Zitong's forehead. The pain caused her to retaliate, but it was a harmless gesture to Yan Shouyi.
"Since you've joined the Lushan Sect, it's too late for me to tell you to stay away from this circle. But from now on, think before you act, understand?" Yan Shouyi lectured her earnestly.
"Hmph, I don't need you to tell me."
Lin Zitong pouted defiantly, but her eyes held a hint of happiness.
When they were children, Yan Shouyi often flicked her forehead. The pain made her run to Yan Shouyi's grandfather to complain, and she would watch Yan Shouyi get punished with a mix of tears and laughter.
In that moment, she felt as if she had traveled through time, back to their childhood.
"Leave the rest to me," Yan Shouyi said, kicking open the dormitory door and beckoning Long Feicheng, who was waiting outside, "Come in and help."
Long Feicheng was with Lu Caiwei when Yan Shouyi suddenly kicked open the door, startling both of them.
Long Feicheng then cautiously peered into the dormitory, but the female ghost and ghost infant were no longer visible. He couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yan, where... where did the ghosts go?"
"Can't you see? They're right behind you!" Yan Shouyi said, deliberately trying to scare Long Feicheng.
Long Feicheng and Lu Caiwei's faces turned pale. He felt as if his neck were made of lead, completely unable to turn. "Brother Yan, they wouldn't be standing on my shoulders, would they? Oh... oh no, I feel like I'm dying, Brother Yan, save me!"
Yan Shouyi was speechless. With Long Feicheng's timidity, he could scare himself to death without even seeing a ghost.
He pulled Lin Zitong out and patted Long Feicheng's shoulder, "Just kidding, don't scare yourself. The ghosts have been dealt with. There are four people still unconscious in the dormitory. Go in and help me carry them out to the hospital."
The other three were relatively fine, but Li Tao's injuries were more severe. His stomach had been poked more than ten times by the female ghost with a pencil; his intestines were likely ruptured.
Long Feicheng walked to the dormitory door, peeked inside, and after confirming he couldn't see the female ghost and ghost infant, breathed a sigh of relief.
The oblivious Long Feicheng didn't notice the soul-calling bells tied to Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong's hands, but Lu Caiwei did.
Lu Caiwei quietly asked Lin Zitong, "Zitong, what's going on between you and this little security guard...?"
"Little security guard?"
Lin Zitong finally snapped back to reality, realizing that Yan Shouyi was wearing their school's security guard uniform.
Then, she smiled slightly and said to Lu Caiwei, "He's not some little security guard, he's my big idiot."
"He's your big idiot??"
Lu Caiwei's mouth fell open, and she looked at Yan Shouyi in disbelief.