The time within the ancient mansion ticked by, little by little.
The remaining people were momentarily safe.
On the second night of keeping watch, Yang Jian alone managed to forcibly withstand the attack of the vengeful ghost and correct the error in the sequence of time. If nothing unexpected happened next, both the second and third days would pass peacefully.
But the cost was devastating.
Now, there were very few survivors left in the ancient mansion.
The survivors included the Eagle, Yang Xiaohua, Da Qiang, Fan Xing, and an unfamiliar ghost tamer.
Adding Yang Jian and Li Yang, there were only seven people leftâeven though there were nearly twenty passengers who got off the bus at the beginning.
However, Zhou Deng and Leuk Qingqing were missing.
No one knew if they had died outside the mansion or were still alive somewhere.
During this brief moment of calm, everyone rested for a while.
During this time, no more vengeful ghosts appeared.
The only movement came from Li Yang, who was pacing around the mansion holding the white lantern, ensuring that no vengeful ghost from outside broke into the mansion prematurely and lost control.
Although it was exhausting to walk continuously for several hours, at least it was safe.
Moreover, as a ghost tamer, Li Yang didnât have the problem of physical exhaustionâhis physical condition was sustained by his supernatural power.
âIt seems the ghost wonât reappear in the short term.â
Fan Xing sat idly in the corridor between the back hall and the main hall, body and mind incredibly fatigued. He glanced toward the direction of the back hall.
The Eagle was on guard there.
The others needed time to recuperate and quickly adjust their conditions. There was no need for everyone to stay on constant edge guarding that red coffin.
âIf the third day is just for reporting the death, it should go smoothly. After all, we still have the white lantern. As long as we leave the main hall on time and stay outside for the day, itâll be fine,â the Eagle remarked.
âBut looking at the situation, our chances of surviving all seven days seem bleak. I think we should find a way to leave this mansion and return to the bus.â
The unfamiliar ghost tamer was, at this point, showing an urgent desire to leave.
This thought was entirely reasonable, and no one else opposed it. The group remained silent.
âLeaving is impossible,â Fan Xing shook his head. âNo one knows the route that the supernatural bus takes. Watching for it to appear outside offers even less of a chance. Staying in this mansion gives us at least a slim chance as long as we survive all seven days.â
After speaking, he looked toward Yang Jianâs location in the main hall.
Yang Jian was still seated in the middle of the main hall, his eyes closed, motionless. He looked like a lifeless corpse.
But he was alive.
The cracks on his face continued to heal as time passed.
It was now exactly six in the evening on the second day.
The cracks on Yang Jianâs body had mostly healed. The curse left by the last use of the Firewood Knife was weakening.
This also implied that the vengeful ghost he had dismembered within the mansion was slowly reviving.
But it definitely wasnât regaining its form as quickly as the Ghost Shadow.
âI can fully recover before the clock strikes midnight, but the ghost wonât,â Yang Jian thought as he observed the healing wounds, mentally calculating the rate at which the vengeful ghost in the mansion was reviving.
The effort he had put in today was worth it.
Regardless of how he calculated it, he would survive past midnight tonight.
After midnight, the mansion would enter the third day.
The third day was for reporting the death.
So as long as they completed the required tasks for the third day, everything would be fine.
âZhou Deng is probably dead by now,â Yang Jian thought to himself. âHe hasnât appeared in the mansion, and Li Yang outside hasnât run into him either. He was most likely attacked by a vengeful ghost halfway and died in some unknown place.â
âIf heâs dead, thatâs fine too. Having a troublemaker like him around would inevitably lead to more problems sooner or later.â
âYang Jian, arenât you going to eat something?â
At this moment, Yang Xiaohua approached. She looked exhausted, her eyes bloodshot, as she carried water and some compressed biscuits.
âFor the few of us left, the remaining food and water should be enough for seven days.â
Yang Jian took a bottle of water and drank it all in one gulp. âTake advantage of the current safety to rest as much as possible. You wonât have the stamina to endure tomorrow when we report the death.â
âI know, but I canât sleep. I seem to have insomnia. Still, thatâs a small issue. If I can survive and return home this time, itâll all be worth it.â
Yang Xiaohua shook her head. She felt her mental state deteriorating, but her desire to leave the mansion alive kept her holding on.
If not for her strong will to live, she might have collapsed and taken her own life long ago.
This experience was nothing short of torment.
âWhether we survive seven days or not hinges on the next three days. Judging by the current situation, there shouldnât have been any risk of direct contact with the vengeful ghost during the first three daysââentering the coffin,â âkeeping vigil,â and âreporting the death.â The dire state weâre in now is entirely due to mistakes and the disruption of the mansionâs balance.â
Yang Jian continued, âIf the first three days had been handled according to the calculated steps, no one wouldâve died.â
Yang Xiaohua nodded, then suddenly asked, âYang Jian, have you considered abandoning the delivery task and leaving the mansion early? You have a way to leave, donât you?â
âLeaving means abandoning the delivery task, and failure in the task also means death for us. Itâs pointless.â
Yang Jian glanced at her, knowing that everyone was now harboring thoughts of retreat.
After all, this was only the second day.
There were still five days to go.
Everyone knew, deep down, that surviving all seven days was almost impossibleâunless a miracle happened.
Faced with that inevitability, leaving the mansion, enjoying a few days of peace outside, and then taking their own lives seemed far less painful and desperate a choice.
âI was just asking,â Yang Xiaohua murmured.
Yang Jian replied, âOnce the delivery task is complete, you can burn the letter and return to the Ghost Post Office. I canât guarantee that using the letter here will create a passage to the Post Office, but Iâve made backup preparations. If we survive until then, leaving wonât be an issue.â
He rarely spoke much ordinarily.
But now, he had started talking more.
Perhaps it was a way to alleviate the pressure and stave off the tension.
The group chatted, rested, and repeated this cycle a few times.
Time passed quickly.
Night fell.
Midnight arrived.
The second day of keeping vigil came to a close, marking the start of the third day: reporting the death.
As the third day began, nothing out of the ordinary occurred in the mansion. Everything was eerily calm.
âYang Jian, the third day has begun. Whatâs your plan?â Fan Xing walked over from the back hall, asking him.
Da Qiangâs face was ashen, devoid of life, and he said, âAccording to the rules for reporting the death, donât we all need to leave the mansion today? If we donât, thereâs a high risk of encountering other dangers.â
âThatâs the assumption, but I canât be certain. Regardless, itâs not something we can gamble our lives on,â Yang Jian said, rising from the ground.
His fragmented body had now healed.
The curse of the Firewood Knife had been endured, and with the dawn of a new day, his Ghost Eye could also be activated again.
âWhat if someone also has to keep watch here? I need to check the back hall and confirm the situation before making a decision,â Yang Jian explained. He then headed back to the rear of the mansion toward the red coffin.
At this moment.
The red coffin remained silent, standing there quietly with no anomalies.
In front of the coffin, the two sticks of incense in the Incense Burnerâone long, one shortâhad also stopped burning. It seemed they had extinguished on their own after the failure during the vigil on the second day.
âCaptain, I believe the rule for the third dayâs reporting of the death requires us to leave the mansion,â Li Yang said suddenly, appearing at the back door with the white lantern.
He was alone.
But the pale glow of the lantern cast strange, eerie shadows nearby.
Ghosts.
They had always been following him, but had not yet fully revealed themselves.
âAlright, I trust your judgment.â
Yang Jian did not reject Li Yangâs suggestion, since in his heart, he also leaned toward the idea of leading everyone out of the mansion. He simply wasnât entirely reassured.
Li Yang had been wandering with the lantern for such a long time without incident, which strongly suggested that the area outside was safe.
However, Yang Jian was worried that if a new supernatural occurrence arose within the mansion, the red coffin might be lost in the process.
âPerhaps Iâve been thinking about this the wrong way. The delivery task only mentioned that someone would arrive to collect the letter after seven days. The target for the letter doesnât necessarily have to be the old man inside the coffin. Even if it is, it doesnât matter either. As long as we survive all seven days, itâs irrelevant what state the old manâs corpse is in.â
After some thought, Yang Jian signaled for everyone to follow.
The others had already prepared themselves. With Yang Jianâs agreement, they promptly began to leave the mansion.
âAs long as we stay near this white lantern, we wonât be attacked by ghosts. Though there are minor paranormal phenomena around us, thereâs no need to worry too much,â Li Yang reassured the group as he held the lantern, guiding them.
Before long.
Everyone gathered together.
âCaptain, I think you should take the lantern,â Li Yang suggested.
Without hesitation, Yang Jian nodded, taking the lantern and moving to the front of the group.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com
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