As An Antique Shop Owner, It's Only Reasonable That I Know A Bit Of Magic - Chapter 7

Jamie was smart.

If he weren’t, he wouldn’t have sought out Su Fan’s help immediately.

So it didn’t take him long to arrive at a horrifying realization:

His father had been dead all along.

“What… what are you talking about, Su?” Jamie stammered, struggling to process the idea.

“I just spoke to my dad today! I even watched him eat!”

Su Fan didn’t bother explaining further.

In the original timeline, Jamie had walked right into Mary Shaw’s trap the moment he returned to town.

His father, his stepmother—all of them had long been turned into puppets.

No matter how clever Jamie was, he had been nothing more than a plaything in Mary Shaw’s hands.

Still, it was understandable that Jamie couldn’t think straight when it came to his last remaining family.

As for Su Fan? His goal was simple:

Storm the mansion, and wipe out that old hag pretending to be a young woman.

He had considered going straight for Mary Shaw earlier.

But her soul could jump between any of the dolls she’d created.

To truly destroy her, he’d have to hunt down every last one.

Yet without proper groundwork, trying to convince others based on vague “premonitions” would’ve been impossible.

Too many inconsistencies might’ve turned people against him—even made them suspect he was working with Mary Shaw.

Especially certain self-righteous idiots (read: the detective).

So before making his move, Su Fan had set a trap.

He knew the ventriloquist dummy would be possessed.

He’d left it there on purpose—to shatter the detective’s skepticism.

Let’s see you deny ghosts exist after a pale old woman crawls into your bed at night.

Sure enough, after witnessing the horror firsthand, the detective had fallen in line.

Now, with the information gathered from Old Man Walker and the notes from the lakeside theater, Su Fan had everything he needed.

No more hesitation.

Time to dig up that witch’s grave.

…..

The car sped through the darkened streets of the town, headlights cutting through the gloom.

Before long, they arrived at their destination.

Su Fan stepped out, and Jamie scrambled after him.

Old Man Walker and his wife, however, stayed huddled in the car, too terrified to move.

Years of living in this town had ingrained their fear of Mary Shaw too deeply.

They’d only come to see if Su Fan truly stood a chance against her.

Under the elderly couple’s watchful eyes, Su Fan strode up to the mansion’s front door.

Jamie followed, tense and uncertain.

Then—

BANG!

Su Fan kicked the door open without hesitation, the metal frame buckling under the force.

Jamie stared at the dent left behind, swallowing hard.

But now wasn’t the time to gawk.

He hurried after Su Fan as they made their way upstairs.

The mansion was eerily silent, devoid of life—nothing like a home where people actually lived.

The only light came from the flickering fireplace.

And beside it, a figure sat motionless in a wheelchair.

“Dad?”

Jamie called out cautiously, stepping forward to check on him.

But the moment his hand touched the man’s shoulder—

Thud.

The body slumped forward, revealing hollowed-out insides.

His father had been dead for who knew how long—his corpse turned into a puppet.

As Jamie stared at the mechanical parts inside, the truth finally crashed down on him.

His father had been dead all along.

Looking back, the signs had been there:

The unnatural pallor. The stiffness. The sudden change in demeanor.

He’d just been too distracted to notice.

And the voice?

Mary Shaw stole the voices of everyone she killed.

Of course. Of course!

The shock and grief hit Jamie like a truck, his breathing turning ragged.

So much so that he didn’t notice—

The sound around them was fading.

At the same time, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, creeping toward the two unsuspecting men.

Not a single footstep could be heard.

The flickering firelight illuminated the woman’s face—half twisted into Mary Shaw’s grotesque grin, her shadow stretching like a demon’s claw behind her.

Her target wasn’t the emotionally shattered Jamie.

It was the black-haired young man who’d dared to hurt her.

She hated him.

That strike at the motel had damaged her soul—something no one had ever done before.

She would make him suffer. Make him scream. Make him beg for death!

Her withered claw rose—

And then Su Fan turned his head.

Their eyes met.

And he smiled.

“Surprise~~”

The grin of a hunter who’d just sprung his trap.

Mary Shaw’s instincts screamed—

BAM!

A fist, charged with Qi, slammed into her stomach with enough force to punch through steel.

Think you can block this?

Ella’s body folded like a crushed can, lifting off the ground—

Only for Su Fan to yank her back down by the skull and slam her face-first into the floor!

Mary Shaw screeched.

This wasn’t just physical damage.

Su Fan’s Qi-laced strikes tore straight into her soul.

Every hit burned.

The violent noise finally snapped Jamie out of his daze.

He turned—

And saw Su Fan smashing his “stepmother” Ella’s head into the ground.

“Ella?!”

Rage surged through him.

She’d lied to him. She was working with Mary Shaw!

But the fight wasn’t over.

Mary Shaw knew how to deal with enemies who couldn’t be broken by fear alone.

Outside, Old Man Walker and his wife suddenly noticed—

The sky darkened. The wind died. All sound vanished.

Inside, Jamie’s senses sharpened unnaturally.

Shadows twisted like dancing demons. Mary Shaw’s face seemed to lurk in every corner, ready to press against his own.

Ice-cold terror seeped into his pores, choking him—

He needed to scream.

This was Mary Shaw’s evil at work.

Su Fan scoffed.

Then he began chanting—

“Tai Shang Tai Xing, Ying Bian Wu Ting. Qu Xie Fu Mei, Bao Ming Hu Shen. Zhi Hui Ming Jing, Xin Shen An Ning. San Hun Yong Jiu, Po Wu Sang Qing. Ji Ji Ru Lü Ling.”

The Purifying Heart Mantra—a foundational Taoist incantation.

Monks recited it daily to cleanse the mind, ward off evil, and protect the soul.

Su Fan’s voice was calm, each syllable crisp.

And as the last word left his lips—

The oppressive aura shrouding the mansion shattered.

Jamie gasped as if doused in cold water, his mind clearing instantly.

The nightmare visions were gone.

“Impossible!” Mary Shaw shrieked, her voice dripping with fury.

“Shut up.”

Su Fan’s fist came down again.