“They’re… all very kind people. Even though it was their first time meeting me and Charlie, they would still smile.”
Peter’s throat felt dry as he spoke.
“Of course they would smile at you. After all, one of you is the demon they worship, and the other is the demon’s future vessel.”
“No… that can’t be right…”
“Still holding onto illusions? If you continue to turn a blind eye, your whole family will become sacrifices offered to the demon.”
Su Fan ruthlessly pierced through the last protective barrier Peter had built around himself.
A sliver of fantasy still lingered in his heart.
He fantasized that the world was still the way he knew it.
Su Fan lowered his hand, then took out a piece of paper.
“Have you seen this symbol before?”
The moonlight in the sky clearly illuminated the pattern on the paper.
Peter was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
“My mother, and my grandmother, both have necklaces with this design.”
“How did they get the necklaces? Why is your mother’s relationship with your grandmother bad? And what does this pattern mean?”
“Do you know?”
Su Fan’s series of questions left Peter shaking his head blankly.
“Go back and properly investigate your family history first, then come back to argue with me.”
Peter looked up and saw that the other man seemed ready to turn and leave.
“Wait a minute!”
After a moment’s hesitation, he finally couldn’t help but speak up, stopping Su Fan, and then quickly stepped forward to block his path.
“I believe you. About what you said.”
“I want to know more. About my grandmother, my mother, and my sister.”
“Could you please tell me?”
Su Fan looked at him for a moment before finally nodding.
——
There weren’t many places to talk in the community.
At home, his mother and father were mentally fragile, so it wasn’t a good place for a conversation.
But he couldn’t keep Su Fan standing around either.
Peter had no choice but to bring Su Fan to the small park within the community.
“All the shops around here are closed at this hour, only the vending machines are still working.”
Peter came back with two cans of soda.
Su Fan took one but didn’t open it, setting it aside instead.
“Ask whatever you want to know.”
“Charlie… my sister’s death, was it the work of the demon?”
Peter’s hands trembled slightly.
“Yes. But your real sister died long ago.”
“Her body was taken over by the demon. It’s been living in her body until now.”
“On my way here, I saw her head.”
The words Su Fan spoke caused Peter to unconsciously grip the aluminum can tightly, oblivious to the drink spilling over the back of his hand.
“…I took her to the party, but I left her aside, which led to her accidentally eating cake containing nuts. I drove her to the hospital, and then… and then…”
“It seems she sought death herself.”
Su Fan’s words cut Peter off, abruptly halting the emotions that were about to burst forth.
“Sought it herself…”
“The followers have gathered, the vessel is complete. It’s time to abandon the old physical body and welcome the vessel truly suitable for Him.
Your sister’s body is useless now.
Taking this opportunity to create the illusion that you killed her, to shake your will.”
“You must be feeling very guilty for causing your sister’s death, right? But this is merely a trick of the demon.”
“When people are in extreme grief or suffer a shock, their willpower becomes very fragile.
Why do evil spirits always enjoy terrorizing humans? Because when people are afraid, their spirit is damaged, making them easy to control and possess.”
Su Fan’s voice seemed to drift over from somewhere far away.
“A vessel… what’s that all about?”
Peter asked, dazed and disheartened, continuing almost unconsciously.
“Earlier, did you hear someone telling you to get out?
That was a curse to expel the soul from the body. When I arrived, your soul was starting to separate from your body.
If it weren’t for the Tranquility Talisman, your soul would have been banished by that curse long ago.”
Su Fan’s words were unbelievable to Peter.
Then, immediately associating it with the earlier situation, he looked down at the yellow paper on his chest.
“This?!”
“What else?”
Su Fan retorted.
Peter was stunned.
So, that feeling of his body becoming lighter, his feet leaving the ground, was because his soul was separating from his body…
No wonder he had stopped him from tearing off this yellow paper.
This young man… was he trying to save him?
After a long while, Peter finally spoke.
“Why did you help me?”
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Simply put, I have a score to settle with that thing trying to take your body. It wants me dead, so I want it dead too.”
“If it actually managed to transfer into you, it would make dealing with it much harder and more troublesome.”
Su Fan paused here.
“Is that reason sufficient enough?”
The unexpected answer left Peter unsure how to respond.
He had thought he might hear some grand, noble, or righteous reason from the other man.
He never expected it to be due to personal enmity.
But somehow, this reason sounded much more convincing.
“So, you’re a legendary exorcist?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
Su Fan admitted it.
“Can you… uh…”
Suddenly, Peter started to stammer.
Su Fan couldn’t be bothered to talk; he casually cast an illusion on him.
In an instant, Peter’s eyes went blank.
But in less than three seconds, he woke up again, a look of shock on his face.
Only Peter himself knew what he had just experienced.
In a daze, Peter had somehow found himself inside the school.
He was half-pushed into joining a basketball game and ended up playing while still wearing his wool sweater and suspenders.
Somehow, he played the whole game, performed brilliantly, and became the MVP.
Not only did he gain the favor of the popular girl and the cheers of the crowd…
…only to finally realize he was still in the park.
Even now, he couldn’t believe it was just an illusion.
It was too real…
The touch… the sound… everything was no different from reality…
This time, Peter was completely convinced of the other man’s identity as an exorcist.
But soon, a new doubt surfaced.
So, you weren’t really planning to leave back then?
Peter just opened his mouth to ask this but quickly stopped himself.
Judging from his previous remarks, even if the cultists’ plan succeeded, the man still had a way to deal with it. Stopping the ritual wasn’t absolutely necessary.
For the exorcist beside him, Peter’s body being taken would just be a bit more troublesome.
But for Peter himself, being taken over meant death.
To stay alive and protect his family, Peter had to beg for this man’s help.
But that previous question would have made it seem like the man was obligated to help.
If it angered him, made him think Peter was ungrateful…
Peter didn’t dare think further.
After thinking it over carefully, Peter decided to change the question.
“How long do I need to keep this paper on me?”
“Two more hours should be fine.”
Su Fan stood up.
“This is a curse passed down from your ancestors. You and your father need to pay close attention to your mother.”
“She’s the most likely to be targeted next.”
“Is there anything… that can protect us?”
Peter gathered his courage to ask.
“If there is, could you spare a few sheets for me?”
“There is.”
Su Fan’s expression was calm as he took out several more Protective Talismans and Evil-Repelling Talismans.
“These can effectively prevent evil entities from intruding.”
“Thank you!”
Peter’s face lit up with joy as he reached out to take them, but Su Fan raised the hand holding the talismans, making him grab at thin air.
Thank me for what? Five thousand dollars each. No bargaining.”
“But, I don’t have any money right now.”
“Well, since you’re a student, I’ll make an exception and give you a loan.”
The casual reply left Peter speechless, his mouth opening and closing, but eventually, he fell silent.
