“Huh? Is… is it over already? What’s going on? I thought we were promised a showdown between Malevolent Ghosts!” Dr. Chen, drenched in sweat, watched the blood mist slowly drift down and settle on the floor before slumping into a seated position.

It wasn’t fear of the man before him—it was worry over his own satchel.

He’d passed out yesterday and missed the clash between the two Malevolent Ghosts. He’d assumed all ghosts were roughly the same—that the Crimson Robe ghost was merely a bit stronger, having devoured her opponent only after a grueling battle.

But now? From strike to finish: under three seconds. The other ghost didn’t even get to scream before being shredded into blood mist by her hair.

How? They were both Malevolent Ghosts—why such a massive gap? Gender? Honestly, female ghosts *are* scarier in horror films: Sadako, Kayako, Chu Renmei… male ghosts barely exist.

“Guess that’s how it is.” Dr. Chen’s gaze shifted to the kitchen door. Hadn’t that female ghost fled inside just now?

In his mind, the stronger the grudge in life, the fiercer the ghost. Take Kayako from *The Grudge*: murdered by her abusive husband, her sky-high resentment turned her into a Malevolent Ghost who killed everyone who entered that house.

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!”

The instant he pushed the kitchen door open, a piercing shriek erupted. Dr. Chen clapped hands over his ears—but his bones still vibrated, a sharp pain drilling into his skull.

“Shut up!” he barked. The screaming woman instantly sealed her lips, cowering inside the cabinet, trembling as she stared at him.

“…” Dr. Chen’s chest tightened. Her pitiful, fragile state softened his intent to provoke her.

“I—I didn’t! I didn’t cheat on you! Aaaaah… stop hitting me! I really don’t have anyone outside!”

As a ghost, she’d lost most human reason. Her appearance mirrored her death’s horror; her emotions, too. Overwhelming grudge births a Malevolent Ghost to harm others.

But this woman died drowning in fear. Even as a spirit, she remained trapped under her husband’s abuse.

“Your husband’s dead. Go reincarnate.” Dr. Chen had no clue if Malevolent Ghosts *could* reincarnate—but stories and shows always played it that way.

“Phew… she’s breathing.” He found the missing streamer in the cabinet—frozen stiff but alive. The other lay on the cutting board; luckily, Dr. Chen arrived before the knife fell.

He dragged both to the living room. The surroundings had warped: everything now looked scorched. Probably the male ghost’s death collapsed the illusion sustaining the space.

“Damn flashlight—total junk.” Darkness swallowed the room. After tapping it uselessly, he just pulled out his phone for light.

After settling them in the hallway, Dr. Chen swept the third floor once, then headed upward.

The moment he left Room 304, the female ghost—previously trembling in the kitchen—curled her mutilated lips into a chilling smile. Dragging twisted limbs, she crawled to the living room, dropped flat, and frenziedly licked the male ghost’s blood off the floor.

“There *must* be more ghosts here. I refuse to believe otherwise. No strong ones? Then I’ll win by numbers. Over a dozen burned to death upstairs—I’ll just rile them all up.”

On the fourth-floor corridor, Dr. Chen pulled a wrench from his pack. Like a mischievous kid, he knocked door after door—then fifth floor, sixth floor.

Ran every floor, made a racket… not a single “person” responded. Only left him panting.

“Hello? Hello? Anyone home?” Too winded to continue, he picked a room with a lucky number—404—and knocked.