He spun around, sweeping the flashlight toward the sound’s source. A man burst screaming from Room 301 like a madman—and slammed straight into Dr. Chen.

"Ghost! A ghost!"

"Ghost my ass! Get a good look—I’m human!" Without hesitation, Dr. Chen slapped the man hard across the cheek, snapping him back to his senses.

"Q-Quick, run! There’s a ghost in the house!" The man pointed a trembling finger at Room 301—the very room Dr. Chen had just passed, right next to 302, with Room 304 further down the hall.

"Explain clearly."

"Just now… after I shattered the glass inside, I—I heard voices. Then my flashlight died. In pitch blackness, something touched my ankle."

As he spoke, Dr. Chen angled the beam toward the man’s ankle. A dark purple handprint—tiny, infant-sized—stood out starkly.

"Calm down. Slip downstairs quietly, jump from the second-floor balcony, find a well-lit spot nearby. If your companions haven’t contacted you in two hours, call the police. Understood?"

"Y-You… who are you?"

"Disciple of Mount Taihua. Here to exorcise demons and vanquish evil spirits." Normally, such words would mark him a fraud. But in this moment, the man believed without hesitation.

"Great Immortal, please save them! We faked the livestream—but we never hurt anyone!"

"I know. Livestream fakes are everywhere. Not my concern." Dr. Chen chuckled. These days, even middle-aged aunties pose as teenage girls online. What *can’t* be faked?

"Thank you, Master." The man bowed deeply to Dr. Chen, turned, and fled. Good thing he hadn’t entered Room 304 earlier—he might not have made it out alive.

Passing Room 303, the flashlight flickered twice and died. Darkness swallowed everything—thick enough to blind. But after surviving the Malevolent Ghost’s nightmare and the bathroom summoning, Dr. Chen’s nerves had steadied.

He didn’t panic. Guided by memory, he felt his way to Room 304’s door.

"Ahem… Anyone home?" He knocked politely.

Seconds later, the door opened. A man of average looks greeted him. Seeing Dr. Chen, his face split into an unnaturally wide grin.

"Oh my! What a lucky day! Another guest? Come in, come in!" Before Dr. Chen could reply, the man ‘warmly’ yanked him inside.

*Thud.* The door slammed shut. Dr. Chen knew—he’d walked straight into the lion’s den.

"Nice place you’ve got here?"

Unlike the decaying hallway, Room 304 was spotless and bright. Dust-free floors, tidy sofa cushions, fruit on the coffee table, an old TV drama humming softly. Even as ghosts, they kept up appearances—except for a faint, acrid scent of burning lingering in the air.

"Hmph. You useless woman—get out here and serve our guest!" The man barked. From the kitchen, a woman emerged trembling, face bruised purple and swollen with pain and despair. Even in death, she still bore his abuse.

"D-Drink… tea." She knelt, pouring cups for Dr. Chen and the man. Dr. Chen took his but didn’t sip.

"Go on. The tea’s excellent."

"Before I do—what happened to the others who came before?"

"Oh, you’ll see them at dinner." *…Meaning they’d been cooked?*

"Then I’ll be blunt," Dr. Chen said calmly, cradling his cup. "You’ve been cuckolded."

"You—!" The man’s smile froze. Eyes bloodshot, expression twisting grotesque. His skin erupted in pus-filled blisters, as if seared by fire.

"Cuckolded! Cuckolded! Cuckolded! Cuckolded—" Dr. Chen, heart hammering, pushed forward.

"SHUT UP!" A nauseating burnt stench rose. Half his flesh peeled away, revealing charred bone and rotting entrails. He roared. The woman scrambled on all fours back into the kitchen, leaving Dr. Chen alone.

*Gulp.* Dr. Chen’s throat tightened. His calm finally shattered.

"Thanks for the tea. I’m leaving. Bye."

"I’LL KILL YOU!" As Dr. Chen set down the cup to bolt, the man lunged with a hidden knife straight for his chest.

"M-MOMMY—!!!"

A split second before impact—the satchel on Dr. Chen’s back exploded. Countless black hairs shot out, writhing like living wires, coiling the man into a tight black cocoon.

Each strand sliced like razor wire. Then—*snap*.

*Thump.* A mist of blood bloomed before Dr. Chen. The man shredded into drifting particles. Silence fell.

Only the soft *shush-shush* of hairs retracting into the bag remained.

"I thought I’d see two ghosts tear each other apart… Maybe even mutual destruction. But… that tough-looking guy? Taken out in a second?"