Chapter 54: The Talisman to Banish Spirits

Five minutes later, Master Cao indeed arrived, riding his motorcycle. After parking, he hitched up his trousers and gave Yan Yu a bitter smile. “Master, I’m an old man now—there aren’t many times left for me, you know. I finally managed to get myself going, and then your phone call…”

“Enough nonsense. Take me to the Internet addiction center!”

Yan Yu climbed onto the back seat without hesitation. Zhao Qingqing placed her hand on Yan Yu’s shoulder, ready to hitch a ride as well.

“In such a hurry?”

“It’s a matter of life and death. Do you think this isn’t urgent?”

Upon hearing this, Master Cao quickly accelerated, and the motorcycle sped off toward the western part of the city.

Chug, chug, chug…

Not long after Yan Yu and his companions departed, a paper crane fluttered its wings and landed exactly where Zhao Qingqing had stood moments before.

Soon after, a sedan pulled up at the curb. Liu Sen, dressed in a black robe, stepped out. He picked up the paper crane from the ground, glanced around, sniffed the air, and muttered to himself, “This is the scent—two minutes ago, that ghost was still here…”

Liu Sen silently gazed in the direction Yan Yu and the others had gone. The paper crane in his hand suddenly came to life, flapping its wings as it rose skyward.

“If I catch them, I’ll gain fifty years of life. Then, let’s see who can stop me!”

With a cold laugh, Liu Sen returned to his car, following the paper crane, and soon vanished into the streets.

…

“There it is, just ahead.”

Yan Yu looked up and saw, less than thirty meters away, a high wall. There was nothing inside or outside the wall that could be used for climbing, and barbed wire was strung along the top. At first glance, it resembled a prison.

A little farther ahead stood the entrance to the Internet addiction center. The sign above the gate read: “Rongcheng Fourth Hospital Affiliated Psychiatric Institution” and “Internet Addiction Rehabilitation Center.”

“So Feng Liang really came back to seek revenge on his mother?”

On the way, Yan Yu had told Master Cao what had just happened. Hearing that Feng Liang had gone mad, Master Cao grew uneasy. “Even you couldn’t stop him just now. If we go in, aren’t we walking into death?”

“If we don’t take care of this, no one will. If you’re afraid, wait here for us,” Yan Yu said as he and Zhao Qingqing jumped off the motorcycle.

Master Cao forced a smile. Being alone in such a haunted place was even less safe than sticking with Yan Yu and the others.

So, after parking the motorcycle, Master Cao followed Yan Yu and Zhao Qingqing toward the gate of the Internet addiction center.

“The resentment and gloom here… it’s heavy,” Zhao Qingqing suddenly remarked.

Yan Yu nodded. Even without opening his Yin-Yang eyes, he could feel the strange, oppressive atmosphere. The center had certainly tortured more than just Feng Liang; judging by the density of the sinister energy, dozens had suffered here.

“Ah—”

A sudden, chilling scream echoed from inside the center, so desolate it made one’s blood run cold.

“Has Feng Liang found his mother already?” Zhao Qingqing’s face changed.

Yan Yu shook his head. “No, that’s Room 13—the place where Yang Yongsheng tortures people.”

The group looked up. One window in the center was lit, and the screams came from there.

The thought that his own mother had once been sent here made Yan Yu furious; he wished he could shatter the prison-like wall and free everyone inside.

As the three approached the gate, Zhao Qingqing spotted a shadow darting overhead. Yan Yu frowned. “Qingqing, did you sense it?”

Zhao Qingqing nodded. “Feng Liang just flew over our heads!”

“He’s already entered the center. We need to move quickly.”

Yan Yu strode forward. Suddenly, several middle-aged men and women surrounded them, their expressions hostile. “Who are you? What are you doing here so late?”

“Looking for someone,” Yan Yu replied in a deep voice.

These adults, all likely parents of children admitted to the center, blocked Yan Yu’s path with stern faces. “Who are you looking for? We know everyone here except you.”

Someone said, “He might be a reporter here to investigate. We can’t let him through, or our children will never be saved!”

“Agreed. Let’s grab them and send them to Uncle Yang!”

“Yes, grab them—see if they dare try to stop Uncle Yang from saving our kids again!”

Yan Yu had barely spoken two words before the parents fell to arguing, reaching a conclusion to seize him and hand him over to Yang Yongsheng.

Such behavior was a blatant disregard for the law—a sign of twisted minds!

As the crowd grew more aggressive, Yan Yu whispered to Master Cao, “Old Cao, step aside.”

“What for?” Master Cao asked, instinctively moving out of the way.

“To fight!”

With that, Yan Yu seized one of the men by the arm and threw him over his shoulder, tossing him five or six meters away.

“He’s attacking! He’s attacking!” The others shrieked.

Yan Yu didn’t bother with formalities. With Zhao Qingqing and Master Cao at his side, he forced his way through, knocking down anyone who tried to block him.

He had no intention of holding back against these parents, whose minds were clearly deficient.

Within moments, five or six lay sprawled on the ground. At this point, the center’s security guards rushed out, wielding batons and looking menacing.

“Master, be careful!” Master Cao grabbed a broom to use as a weapon.

“Call Yang Yongsheng out!” Yan Yu shouted.

The guards had barely reacted when a sudden whoosh cut through the air overhead. Blood splattered everywhere.

On the ground lay the corpse of a middle-aged woman. She had fallen headfirst, her skull shattered, limbs twisted—a scene more gruesome than any zombie film.

Everyone was terrified, faces pale as death. Only Yan Yu and his companions looked up immediately.

Feng Liang’s ghost stood atop the building, gazing down at the still-warm corpse, a hint of relief in his smile. At the same time, his obsession grew stronger, his murderous intent intensified.

“We’re still too late,” Yan Yu said in a low voice, sighing quietly.

“Call the police, hurry!” one parent finally screamed.

After avenging himself on his mother, Feng Liang had only one target left: the head of the center, idolized by countless parents.

Yang Yongsheng!

Feng Liang soared up and crashed toward the building, ready to settle things with Yang Yongsheng. But just as he was about to enter, a golden light flashed across the window, blocking him from going inside.

Yan Yu’s heart skipped a beat. “It looks like all the doors and windows of the center are covered with ghost-repelling talismans!”