In the presidential suite of a hotel.
Zheng Yue, feeling vexed, instructed her secretary to order food while heading towards the bathroom.
The northern region was prone to sandstorms, which made Zheng Yue, who had grown up in a tropical climate, very uncomfortable.
In a bad mood, Zheng Yue slammed her high heels against the wall and began to undress.
After a rustling sound, a perfect figure appeared in the mirror.
Zheng Yue braced herself on the sink and examined herself in the mirror.
Her cheeks were rosy, her skin fair and delicate, and her body felt perfectly fine.
"Who says I'm going to be unlucky? I think *you're* the one who's going to be unlucky!"
Thinking of Lin Fan's words, Zheng Yue felt a surge of anger.
How could something gifted by her mother harm her daughter?
As for the black mist she had witnessed and the screams she had heard, they were most likely related to the internal structure of the amulet.
The various dark arts that ran rampant in Siam originated from the Miao people's witchcraft.
Yet, they had become widespread in Siam!
Jian Tou, Xiao Gui, Kuman Thong...
Even the monks in the temples had been influenced.
A major discovery in 2010 revealed that a temple had been hiding over two thousand infant corpses, sparking a worldwide sensation.
The dead infants were crucial tools used by the monks to create magical artifacts!
Zheng Yue picked up the amulet and, looking at its carvings, suddenly wondered if this amulet had also been made in such a manner.
After a long while.
Zheng Yue sighed lightly, unable to bring herself to discard the amulet.
After all, it was her mother's kind intention; she would keep it for now!
After showering and eating dinner.
Zheng Yue went to the bedroom to report the situation to her father.
Lin Fan, with his excellent combat skills and profound medical knowledge, was gone!
"Oh? Is that so?"
Zheng Xingchao frowned and asked, "Is the amulet still with you?"
"Yes."
Zheng Yue instinctively glanced towards the bathroom.
"Well, since he said the amulet would cause harm, let's wait and see."
Zheng Xingchao instructed, "If you get into trouble, call Zheng Ke, or call Lin Fan and ask for his help."
"Mhm."
Zheng Yue had countless times wondered what her father would do if she hadn't received the invitation from Qing Teng University and had been of no use to the Zheng family.
The call ended.
Zheng Yue shook her head, not daring to contemplate that outcome.
She felt that her relationship with her father had reached a point of being dispensable.
...
Late at night.
Shimen County had ended its day of bustling activity, and the streets were deserted, with barely a soul in sight.
In the underground parking lot of the hotel.
Tian Mengyao lay on Lin Fan's lap, sleeping soundly.
Lin Fan checked the time; it was almost eleven o'clock.
—
In the presidential suite of the hotel, the air conditioning was set to a comfortable temperature.
Zheng Yue, covered by a thin blanket, was in a state of semi-sleep.
Despite the soft mattress beneath her, she felt inexplicably uncomfortable.
Her eyes were tightly closed, her brows furrowed, her expression anxious, and her arms twitched unconsciously.
Having grown up in a prominent family, she was constantly on guard against hidden dangers, fearing she would say or do the wrong thing.
She had always lived in a world devoid of security, and nightmares were common occurrences.
However, this kind of semi-conscious nightmare was a first for her.
Whoosh~
A gust of cold wind blew in, originating from the direction of the bathroom.
On the sink, a mass of eerie black mist was expanding and contracting.
Looking down.
Threads of black energy, endless and continuous, emerged from the crack in the amulet!
In a short while.
An infant, entirely black and with a livid face, slowly materialized!
The infant smiled at the mirror, seemingly pleased with its ability to appear.
"Hehehe."
A scalp-tingling laughter echoed in the silent room.
Zheng Yue seemed to sense something, her brows furrowing even tighter, and she unconsciously pulled the blanket closer.
"Hehehe."
A ghost infant, complete with features and pitch-black skin, cackled eerily, its mouth, filled with sharp teeth, slowly stretching to its ears.
The ghost infant floated in mid-air and headed towards the master bedroom.
"Click!"
The crisp sound of a latch disengaging startled Zheng Yue, who was already in a daze.
"Who's there?"
Zheng Yue suddenly sat up and flicked the bedside lamp switch.
Sizzle...
After a burst of static from a faulty connection, the light illuminated for a few seconds before dimming.
Zheng Yue felt a chill run down her spine, her hair standing on end.
"Wanna, are you outside?"
"Zheng Ke, are you asleep?"
Zheng Yue knocked hard on the wall twice.
Zheng Ke was in the next room, and he was highly vigilant; he was bound to hear.
"Miss, what is it?"
Secretary Wanna's muffled voice came, sounding as if she had just woken up and yawned.
"Is there something outside the door?"
Zheng Yue huddled at the head of the bed, trying to calm herself. "Go and get Zheng Ke."
"Miss, are you alright?"
Wanna's concerned voice inquired.
"I'm fine, go find Zheng Ke."
Zheng Yue instructed.
"I'll go right away."
Soon.
Hurried footsteps approached.
"Miss, something's wrong!"
Wanna frantically knocked on the door. "Zheng Ke is inexplicably unconscious. No matter how much I call him, he won't wake up."
"What?!"
Zheng Yue's pupils contracted, and she immediately sensed that something was gravely amiss.
How could such a capable person be subdued without any defense?
"Miss, please come and see. Zheng Ke's complexion looks very bad."
Wanna shouted anxiously while knocking.
"I'm coming..."
Just as Zheng Yue was about to get out of bed, her heart suddenly lurched.
She felt that something was not right.
"Miss, please come out and see!"
Wanna's urgent voice rang out again.
"Hiss~"
Zheng Yue gasped, a chilling sensation engulfing her body as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
—
"This is bad!"
Upon the ghost infant's appearance, Lin Fan sensed it.
"Mengyao, wake up."
Lin Fan nudged Tian Mengyao's delicate shoulder. "I'm going up to check. You stay in the car and don't go anywhere."
"Xiao Fan? Where are you going?"
Tian Mengyao had just woken up and was still groggy.
"To save someone!"
Lin Fan got out of the car and ran.
"Xiao Fan!"
Tian Mengyao wanted to follow, but remembering the black mist and screams from before, she hesitated.
She wasn't as capable as Lin Fan. What if she couldn't help and became a burden?
After a moment's thought, she took out her phone and sent Lin Fan a voice message: "If you're not back in half an hour, no, twenty minutes, I'm calling the police."
—
Thump thump thump...
The knocking on the door grew louder and more forceful, causing dust to fall from the door.
"Miss, why aren't you opening the door?"
Wanna's voice, unusual from her normal tone, was strangely unsettling, making Zheng Yue tremble uncontrollably.
Zheng Yue leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down.
They were on the sixteenth floor, and the view made Zheng Yue's legs go weak.
Jumping from this height would be certain death.
Not jumping, Zheng Yue didn't believe she would have a good outcome either.
"Miss, if you don't open the door soon, I'll come in myself. Hehehe."
A sinister laugh reached her, making Zheng Yue's heart pound almost out of her chest.
"Scram!"
"Get lost!"
Zheng Yue cried out loudly, her emotions nearing the breaking point.
"Miss, I've been with you for so long, and now I really need your help."
"Please help me."
As the words fell.
Boom!
A tremendous impact sound echoed, and the door creaked ominously, sounding as if it would break imminently.