Chapter 28: A Nail as a Gift, the Favor Repaid

As she spoke, the Ghost Mother’s slender fingers rested on Ji Yan’s chest, her vivid, manicured nails looking like sharp surgical scalpels. As her nails traced downward, Ji Yan felt as if his chest were being sliced open, a crimson tide flooding his vision. Yet, he only heard the sound of tearing; he wasn't injured, but his sweater had been ripped open.

"Oh? This sweater looks familiar. You're the grandson of that old hag in 404." The Ghost Mother looked at the loose threads caught on her sharp nails, her red lips curling upward.

"Mom! Catch him! Turn him into a 'toy'! I want a new toy!" The Ghost Child was exceptionally excited.

Ji Yan tore the privilege badge from his chest. "This belongs to the landlord..." Before he could finish, the badge was snatched away and crushed into fragments.

The Ghost Mother offered a mocking smile. "This thing is useful for the tenants downstairs, but to me, it's just a piece of junk. You didn't really think this would let you run wild in the apartment, did you?"

Ji Yan hadn't expected the 8th-floor tenant to be so unreasonable. Not only was the nighttime privilege badge useless, but she didn't even need a justification to attack a player—just a whim. And something was wrong; this female ghost's eyes were filled with murderous intent. Surely, just chatting with her child shouldn't warrant such hostility.

"If I've offended you, I'll just leave."

"You want to run now? I'm afraid it's too late. Tell me, how durable is this sweater of yours?" The Ghost Mother’s nails grew sharper and longer, flickering in the air like unsheathed blood blades.

"My grandmother knitted this for me by hand. If she finds out it's ruined, she might come looking for you to settle the score!"

"That old hag can't scare me. Why don't you have her stand on this floor and see if she dares to speak?"

"What I mean is, can I trade this treasure for my life?" Ji Yan took a so-called treasure from his inventory and held it out, his eyes filled with the desperate desire to survive.

"Let's see?"

As the palm reached out, it opened to reveal a long, rust-covered nail. Before the ghost could be confused, the nail was thrust forward. Ji Yan summoned all his strength and, bolstered by ghost energy, drove it into her throat, embedding it half an inch deep. As if activated, the coffin nail began to emanate black mist; it grew searingly hot, sizzling as it burned through her flesh.

The Ghost Mother let out a shrill, piercing scream. Ji Yan turned and ran. Since she hadn't intended to let him go, he wouldn't show mercy either. The Ghost Child was terrified, wailing loudly. Thick, dark blood gushed uncontrollably from the Ghost Mother’s neck.

She pinched the coffin nail with her nails and yanked it out. "Shut up! Keep crying and I'll tear your mouth off! Get back into the room!"

The Ghost Mother twisted her hideous face to glare at the Ghost Child, who stopped crying in fear and scurried back into the room.

"Stinking rat, you dare to trick me? Do you think you can get away?" The Ghost Mother crushed the coffin nail in her hand. Her hair grew rapidly, turning as pale as snow, and her face lost all human resemblance as she lunged forward at a terrifying speed.

Elsewhere, Ji Yan used his mother's flashlight and sprinted down the stairs. Hearing the hysterical shrieks echoing in the stairwell, he didn't dare slow his pace for a second. Upon reaching the seventh floor, he dashed toward the end of the corridor without hesitation.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He knocked on the door of 702 and shouted, "Mr. Liu, open up!"

The door opened a crack. Liu Nianqing revealed half his face. "I had a bad feeling about this. You knocking on my door in the middle of the night is never a good sign."

Ji Yan panted, "Let me in first. Help! A tenant is hunting me down!"

"Don't you know that most of the tenants who die each month are the ones wandering around at night? You don't sleep at night and prefer to court death?" Despite his words, Liu Nianqing opened the door. "Who did you provoke? I'll help you this once, and then we're square."

After closing the door, Liu Nianqing turned to look at the disheveled Ji Yan. Listening to the commotion outside, Ji Yan deliberated before speaking slowly: "The tenant from upstairs..."

Hearing "8th floor," Liu Nianqing’s face darkened. "You said you'd help with anything except the landlord." Liu Nianqing’s mouth twitched, but he gritted his teeth and asked again, "Who did you provoke?"

"God is my witness, I was just passing by! That brat's mother wants to kill me, and I'm just as confused as you are." Ji Yan did his best to sound innocent.

"That family of three in 804? They all have terrible tempers." Liu Nianqing narrowed his eyes. "That woman wouldn't have such a strong desire to kill you for no reason. You must have done something!"

No sooner had he spoken than the door behind him began to rot visibly. "Liu, hand that brat over. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

Liu Nianqing paused, then said coldly, "I don't know what you're talking about. Tell your kid to stop playing with marbles upstairs; it's noisy as hell at night."

There was a silence outside, followed by the Ghost Mother’s gloomy voice: "What, you're going to protect that little rat? You're just a pathetic, widowed man who can barely pay his rent and can't even feed himself—you have the energy to act as someone's shield? That brat opened a hole in my neck; you can't protect him!"

Crack, crack.

Through the gaps in the rotting door, masses of white hair snaked in, spreading across the floor and threatening to break through. Liu Nianqing rubbed his brow, looking helpless. He asked Ji Yan, "Do you have the wood-chopping knife?"

"I do."

"Lend it to me."

Ji Yan didn't waste words; he took out the knife and handed it over. Gripping it, Liu Nianqing turned and stabbed directly into a specific spot on the door. A strange sound came from outside, and immediately, the white hair that had crept in retreated like a frightened bird. When he pulled the knife back, a few drops of black blood stained the blade.

Liu Nianqing tossed it back to Ji Yan and spoke to the door again: "Stop screeching outside like a shrew. There's no one here. If the neighbors see you and rumors reach your sensitive husband’s ears, he might think I'm cuckolding him."

The Ghost Mother’s voice outside was practically grinding its teeth. "Liu Nianqing, if you must stick your foot in this, then let's play slowly. I can't handle you now, but when my hot-tempered husband comes, let's see if you can still act so tough."

The commotion outside gradually faded. The rotting door miraculously returned to its original state in the blink of an eye. Liu Nianqing shook his head and turned to pour himself a glass of water. Ji Yan hadn't expected Liu Nianqing to actually stand his ground against the 8th-floor tenant until she retreated. This favor was worth quite a bit!

"Mr. Liu, thank you."

Liu Nianqing replied indifferently, "We're square now. I don't care how you drove that white-haired woman so crazy, and I'm not interested in knowing. Get out now, I need to rest."

"I want to drink some water before I go." Ji Yan wanted to linger a while longer; who knew if she was still lurking outside?

Liu Nianqing shook his head. "That won't do. You can't stay another moment. Get out."

"Is it that urgent?"

Liu Nianqing stopped pretending. "Nonsense. If you stay any longer, that woman's husband will be down here soon. This door of mine won't stop that lunatic. I've repaid your favor; whether you live or die is none of my business. Get lost!"