The moment they heard it, everyone understood—this was no ordinary murder case.
This was the work of an evil spirit.
Although the authorities in this so-called "blessed land" had no prior experience dealing with such events, they didn't treat the case like a typical homicide.
They sealed off every crime scene, kept a tight lid on all information, spread false reports to the public, and forcibly evacuated and isolated all nearby residents.
Very quickly, the area surrounding the Ping'an Inn became a no-man's-land.
And the bizarre deaths… finally stopped.
That should have been the end of the story.
But not long after, a social media influencer somehow caught wind of what had happened. Hoping to expose a government cover-up and earn views with an exclusive report, they snuck across the police barricade into the quarantined zone under the cover of night.
That influencer was never seen again.
But the footage they filmed somehow leaked online. In the video, a ragged, wild-eyed woman could be seen, arms limp at her sides, slowly walking toward the camera.
The clip was only online for less than an hour.
But in that time, tens of thousands had already watched it. That very night, hundreds of people across the country died—eyes gouged out, bleeding from the sockets. And after their deaths, neighbors began to report hearing faint, rhythmic clapping outside their homes...
Thus began the chain reaction of death.
Society collapsed. The outside world became increasingly perilous. Ironically, those who had once been forcibly relocated from the epicenter—the area around the Ping'an Inn—came to realize it was safer than what lay beyond.
…
When Wen Chao finished speaking, he took a sip of hot water, waiting for everyone's reactions.
He Qiong frowned. "If knowing about this spirit makes people more vulnerable, why are you telling us all this?"
Wen Chao shook his head. "Do you really think we can avoid it? Didn't you hear the clapping last night?"
Wu Xian glanced around the group and saw that everyone's expression shifted at once.
Clearly, he wasn't the only one who had heard the faint clapping the night before. That meant all of them were now under the threat of this spirit. If any one of them had unknowingly clapped their hands, it could've drawn the entity straight to them.
While the room fell silent, Wu Xian raised his hand. "Professor, I have a question."
Wen Chao smiled. "Go ahead, student."
"The last words of the first victim seem to describe the spirit's rules of behavior. But if that's all there was to it, it shouldn't have caused the collapse of the whole world."
Wen Chao nodded. "You're right. The spirit's behavior is simple. Within her range of influence, she appears at midnight in response to clapping. If you see her face, your eyes are taken."
"On the third chaotic day, global governments issued a joint announcement on how to avoid her."
"But it was already too late."
"Among her victims, some turned into new evil spirits—ones capable of spreading the same curse. These new spirits multiplied, and in just over two months, the number of living humans dwindled to nearly zero."
Wen Chao's intelligence report left everyone feeling suffocated.
Just moments ago, some had doubted Qi Zhiyong's warnings. But now, it seemed Qi had actually held back the worst of it.
This wasn't a blessed land.
It was hell on earth—a place where the living waited quietly for death, without hope.
Wu Xian had expected as much.
What bothered him more was Fang Zhi.
These were the findings he and Wen Chao had uncovered together. Yet throughout the entire explanation, Fang Zhi had worn a look of disdain. If Wen Chao hadn't been his teacher, he probably would've interrupted to sneer.
What's wrong with this guy?
Even now, he still thinks this whole spirit business is a hoax?
Still, Wen Chao and Fang Zhi's information had helped the group avoid serious danger. As thanks, Qi Zhiyong handed each of them a crowbar. The tips were stained with dried, dark red blood—obviously weapons that had claimed lives before.
"I... I found some medicine and bandages," Yue Mei said softly. "If anyone gets hurt, I can help with first aid."
Her own arm was already wrapped in gauze. Clearly, she'd gone through something to retrieve those supplies.
Her face was pale, her hands slightly trembling. Wen Chao's story had frightened her deeply. And during her exploration earlier in the day, she'd witnessed things that defied logic—unsettling, unexplainable things.
She was anxious, filled with fear. She had no way to protect herself, and unlike the Su sisters, she had no one watching over her. All she could do was try to increase her value to the group.
Qi Zhiyong handed her a rusted pipe wrench. Bits of decaying flesh were still caught in the jaws, giving off a foul stench. But Yue Mei clutched it tightly to her chest like a lifeline.
The sight of it made her look especially pitiful.
Next, He Qiong and his two companions shared their findings as well.
Compared to the others, their intel was practically worthless. It seemed like they had just wandered around aimlessly. Wu Xian guessed they had spent the day focused on searching for idols to boost their power.
But since everyone else had contributed something, being the only ones who hadn't made He Qiong feel embarrassed.
So he issued a warning.
"Don't just worry about evil spirits," he said solemnly. "I was almost killed by a falling refrigerator. I suspect someone among us tried to assassinate me!"
Some people grew cautious at his words.
Others just thought he was trying to save face.
Wu Xian quietly turned his head to the side, his cheeks growing faintly warm.
Even though He Qiong and his group had contributed so little, Qi Zhiyong still handed them some of the best weapons available: a bloodstained slingshot, a butcher's knife, and a finely crafted dagger.
Wu Xian was stunned.
Qi Zhiyong hadn't had that much more time to scavenge than the rest of them. Where on earth had he found these clearly lethal tools—unless they'd all been stored together from the start?
Wu Xian had contributed quite a bit to the group as well. What weapon would Qi Zhiyong assign to him?
Hugging his arms close to his chest, Wu Xian tried to look cold and pitiful. "I—I went to investigate the dead man's room this morning. Ever since I got back, I haven't been able to stop shivering…"
Qi Zhiyong took the cue.
"He really did take a big risk today," he said.
Then he went on to share, in full detail, the information Wu Xian had uncovered in Room 405—emphasizing that Wu Xian had volunteered for the task, not been forced into it, lest the others feel disheartened.
As they listened, everyone's expression grew somber.
Wen Chao and Fang Zhi's information had been important, yes—but their findings still felt distant and abstract. The threat lurking in the guest rooms, however, was a very real danger they faced daily.
Strictly speaking, Wu Xian had delivered the most practical and urgent intelligence of the evening. Everyone waited to see what kind of weapon Qi Zhiyong would give him in return.
Qi Zhiyong reached into his woven supply bag, rummaging around for a moment—then froze.
His expression turned awkward.
"Apologies… it seems all the weapons have been handed out. Honestly, they're not that effective anyway. You'll have to make do for now. I promise, if I find anything good next time, I'll give it to you first."
"No worries. I don't mind," Wu Xian replied with a generous wave of his hand.
Outwardly, he looked magnanimous. Inwardly, he was already planning how to pay Qi Zhiyong back. If the man had treated him too well, he'd have felt guilty about targeting him later. This just made it easier.
Qi Zhiyong's favoritism was plain as day—everyone saw it clearly.
All that talk about "weapons running out" was just an excuse. He simply didn't want to give Wu Xian one. Still, no one called him out. In this so-called blessed land, survival was the top priority. No one wanted to make an enemy of the team leader.
But He Qiong wasn't afraid of him. He snorted and said with biting sarcasm, "Wow, what a fine team leader you are."
Then, with a flourish, he handed Wu Xian the bloodstained butcher's knife he'd just been given.
"I can't stand this kind of crap. I won't be needing this knife—why don't you take it?"
With that, he coolly wrapped his arms around the Su sisters and swaggered upstairs, the very picture of nonchalance.
Wu Xian bent down and picked up the knife, suddenly feeling guilty for almost dropping a refrigerator on He Qiong earlier.
That He Qiong… he might actually be a pretty good guy.
ps: read advance chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/Seraphim777