The Winchester brothers had been through life-and-death situations more times than they could count, making them incredibly sensitive to any shift in their surroundings.
They immediately noticed something off about the siblings.
Exchanging a subtle, knowing glance, Dean and Sam already had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
Their hands had drifted to their waists.
Beneath their jackets rested their revolvers.
After years of drifting through countless places across America, the fact that they’d managed to survive unscathed said it all—everyone in their line of work had mastered the art of the quick-draw to perfection.
But just then, Su Fan spoke up again.
“The formation of a vengeful spirit requires a combination of many factors.”
“For the dead to become a malevolent ghost, either they were utterly wicked in life, or they died with such overwhelming resentment that it lingered on, refusing to fade away.”
So he was just explaining things?
Realizing they’d overthought the situation, Rose and her brother let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Neither of those scenarios fits,” Rose replied on the surface, though in her mind, she was already drawing connections.
“Beyond that, the problem might lie with your house itself.”
Su Fan seemed to accept Rose’s answer and continued.
“Your estate might have poor feng shui. It could even be a place where yin energy gathers.”
“Fengshui… what does that mean?”
“Think of it as a special kind of force field that can influence the fortunes of the family living on that land.”
“Good feng shui brings harmony, prosperity, and steady growth. Family members in politics rise through the ranks, those in business see their wealth multiply, and the younger generation excels in their studies and shows great wisdom.”
“Bad feng shui, on the other hand, can tear a family apart. Accidents pile up among its members, and in extreme cases, the entire family line could face ruin or extinction.”
Su Fan’s expression remained calm and composed.
“Is it really that powerful?”
Jeremy, sitting in the driver’s seat, couldn’t help but chime in.
“Honestly, it sounds like you’re just blowing smoke.”
“Heh. You have no idea how important feng shui really is.”
Su Fan let out an easy laugh, as if he couldn’t be bothered to argue with Jeremy.
The dismissiveness in his tone made Jeremy clench his jaw, the muscles in his face tightening.
“And what about that ‘yin-gathering place’ you mentioned earlier? That sounds like it has something to do with ghosts and spirits.”
Su Fan’s words had not only piqued the curiosity of the Armitage siblings but had also caught the attention of the Winchester brothers sitting beside him.
“A yin-gathering place is exactly what it sounds like—a spot where yin energy accumulates.”
“Places haunted by restless spirits always feel cold and eerie, and that’s because of yin energy.”
“In areas dense with yin energy, even those who died a normal death can turn into powerful ghosts.”
“Driven by their hunger for power, wandering spirits will gravitate toward these yin-rich locations.”
“Since Miss Armitage says no one has died on their estate, it’s most likely that the feng shui attracts these ghosts to gather there.”
Su Fan paused and double-checked with Rose.
“Isn’t that right?”
“Yes,” Rose had no choice but to nod, though inwardly, she wasn’t entirely convinced by his explanation.
“But then, why haven’t any strange occurrences happened before?”
“The spirits that came to your estate in the past weren’t strong enough to cause trouble. But nourished by the yin energy over time, they grew more powerful—until they eventually became a threat to humans.”
“Then, triggered by some sort of catalyst, they were awakened.”
“As for what that catalyst was… I’m afraid only you would know, Miss Rose.”
Hearing this, Rose fell silent.
She recalled the warning she’d received from him when they first met a few days ago.
Words carried a power that ordinary people didn’t realize—casually speaking about the dead or matters of the soul could invite disaster.
Who would have thought that the young man sitting in the back seat would turn out to be so prophetic?
Having personally experienced the supernatural events, Rose was now mostly convinced by Su Fan’s words.
Only Jeremy, still behind the wheel, remained unimpressed.
“Whether or not the feng shui is off will become clear soon enough.”
Su Fan said this as he turned his gaze toward the window.
In the darkness, the towering walls of the estate loomed ahead.
As the vehicle moved forward, the general scenery within the estate came into view.
Gardens. A lake. Lawns.
It had everything.
Su Fan narrowed his eyes as he observed.
The designer of this estate had some real skill.
The placement of the lake and the arrangement of the trees and gardens—all of it subtly aligned with the principles of feng shui.
No wonder this family had managed to amass such wealth through their dirty dealings.
But fortune favors only so long. The land’s blessings could protect them for a time, but not forever.
Those who do evil will eventually meet their end.
And now that they’d crossed paths with him—perhaps this was their comeuppance.
Before the car had even come to a complete stop, two figures appeared at the entrance of the mansion, greeting them with exaggerated warmth.
“So you must be Mr. Su Fan! We’re so relieved you’ve come.”
Old white man Dean Armitage stepped forward, reaching out to take Su Fan’s hand, but the latter avoided the gesture without a trace of awkwardness.
The old man didn’t lose his composure over the slight. Instead, he kept his face beaming with a genial smile.
“Oh, where are my manners? I’m Dean Armitage, and this is my wife, Missy Armitage.”
On the car, Dean Winchester pulled a face.
Who would’ve thought that this old schemer would share his name?
“Dean” wasn’t exactly an uncommon name, and he’d never cared much about sharing it before.
But knowing this guy was bad news—and probably had more than a few bodies buried in his past—made Dean’s skin crawl.
“And these two are…”
“They’re my assistants, Sam and…”
Before Su Fan could finish, Dean Armitage cut him off.
“Carlos.”
“Ah, so you’re Mr. Carlos. A pleasure, a pleasure.”
Aside from Su Fan, both Dean and Sam at least shook hands with the man.
After brief introductions, the group followed the Armitage family into the mansion.
“I hope Jeremy and Rose didn’t cause you any trouble?”
“They caused quite a bit, actually.”
Dean Armitage had only meant to exchange pleasantries—he never expected the other side to be so blunt.
Still, the awkwardness didn’t last.
“We appreciate your understanding, Mr. Su Fan.”
The old man’s smile never wavered, as if he didn’t mind Su Fan’s earlier rudeness at all.
“So, how did you find the estate on the way in?”
Dean Armitage’s question seemed casual, but it carried the natural condescension of someone used to being at the top.
An expert at navigating social circles, he could size up a person’s financial standing just by looking at their clothes.
His assessment was that the combined wealth of these three wouldn’t even cover the loose change from one of his operations.
So what if they had supernatural abilities? So what if they were exorcists?
They were just commoners with a few parlor tricks.
No different from a fast runner or a pretty face on the silver screen—tools and playthings for the truly powerful.
He hadn’t planned on saying this just yet, but after being needled repeatedly, his patience wore thin.
Since this Asian kid didn’t know his place, maybe it was time he learned the gap between the upper crust and the lower classes.
Sam picked up on the condescension in his tone and didn’t look pleased. Dean, ever the hothead, furrowed his thick brows and was about to let loose a colorful string of curses.
But someone beat him to the punch.
“Like crap.”
Su Fan didn’t hold back.
“Worse than the pay-per-use restrooms on the commercial strip.”
