Chapter 37: Summoning the Spirit

Seated around a low glass table in the living room were seven men and women, all clad in hooded garments. Their heads hung low, mouths muttering incantations in anxious, hushed tones as they stared intently at a nearly spent candle flickering atop the table. The chill from the air conditioner drifted through the room, causing the flame to waver and the temperature to quietly slip downward. The people grew even more devout, bowing their heads as fear and excitement mingled across their faces.

Tanya tugged at Chu Ning’s sleeve, curiosity shining in her eyes as she whispered, “What are they saying? I can’t understand a word!”

It was little wonder—none of them spoke intelligibly, only chanting as if reciting scripture, their prayers speeding up as the room grew colder.

Chu Ning’s voice was sinister as he explained, “It’s probably some sort of summoning ritual.” He shot Tanya a meaningful look; how amusing it all was.

“Summoning? Why would they perform such a terrifying ritual in my house? Isn’t this asking for trouble? Aren’t they afraid of running into ghosts after tempting fate?”

Tanya was baffled by their strange behavior; it was sheer boredom, she thought, that led them to play at summoning spirits.

“That’s right, it is a summoning ritual—not one of those fake ceremonies you see online. Human curiosity drives progress; you can’t just call them reckless.”

“Is such a rudimentary ritual even effective? This summoning is too childish! Just a candle, a glass table—one they scavenged from here—and their annoying, meaningless muttering.”

“They’ve already succeeded, haven’t they? Did you forget how we passed through the wall to enter the house?”

Tanya tilted her head in confusion, closely observing the scene. “But I didn’t feel a thing.”

Chu Ning smiled and pointed at himself. “I responded to their call, after all. Someone has to arrive first. And pay attention to the candle—the carvings on its surface are made with the blood of absolute yin. That’s the most crucial step in a summoning ritual.”

“If they used the blood of the deceased for the carvings, it would be perfect. The soul would respond and return here.”

Tanya blinked in a daze, murmuring, “What do they want from me? Why insist I appear? I don’t even know them!”

Even in her confusion, she realized she was the target of their ritual. But why did Chu Ning answer their summons for her?

As if reading her thoughts, Chu Ning leaned close and whispered, “Hungry souls always find a way out. If I hadn’t responded, how could I seize the opportunity?”

His cold fingernails grazed Tanya’s exposed skin. “The real show is about to begin. You’ll soon experience the wonders of summoning.”

“Ah!” Tanya, startled from her confusion, suddenly let out a scream, her voice sharp and uncontrolled. The icy touch was like a block of ice dropped into boiling water, sending a shockwave through her senses.

Then the terror struck: she felt her body irresistibly drawn toward the candle at the center, a voice in her mind repeating, “Go over, hurry, go now!”

Those kneeling around the table looked up in horror, teeth chattering, their incantations abruptly cut short as they huddled together for comfort. For they had just heard a woman’s scream, the source coming from within the very room.

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One among them forced themselves to remain calm, fighting the urge to look around, urging their companions to continue, “Let’s keep going. Don’t forget, when the ritual ends, we get the reward. The candle’s burned a third; we’re nearly there.”

“Zhang Long is right. We need that money. If anyone tries to quit now, don’t blame me for not agreeing. I don’t know if ghosts will seek revenge, but if you ruin this task, I’ll make you pay.”

“Let’s continue. Maybe it was just an illusion.”

But the speaker’s trembling hands betrayed her, fists clenched yet still shaking uncontrollably.

The ritual paused briefly, but their shared goal brought them back together, determined to finish what they’d started.

Chu Ning laughed wickedly. “Is the summoning fun? Why did you scream so loudly? Meat steeped in fear makes for a delicious treat.”

Tanya, furious, longed to punch him—he hadn’t warned her at all. The sudden attraction had startled her, coming so abruptly she hadn’t time to react.

“Bastard, your job is to scare them off. Remember your task, or you won’t get the commission.”

“The effect was perfect; you see, fear is brewing in them—and it serves two purposes.” Chu Ning explained slyly, emphasizing the double benefit, confident Tanya would catch his meaning.

“You—” Tanya, adept at reading people, easily understood Chu Ning’s hidden jab. He’d frightened her as well; shameless!

After the disturbance, Tanya held herself taut, bracing against the sudden pull. She found the attraction from the candle wasn’t strong—nothing like magnets drawing her in.

Chu Ning must have meddled; otherwise she wouldn’t have screamed in panic.

“Why could they hear me scream just now?” Without ceremony, Tanya kicked Chu Ning gently, unable to stand his laughing fit, which brought him to tears and showed no sign of stopping.

“Because you responded to their summons, creating a brief connection with them. If you want them to hear your words, watch the candle’s rhythm—at the right moment, you can send your voice through.”

Chu Ning wiped his tears, unconcerned about devouring Tanya yet; he would wait for the opportune moment. Rushing would only backfire.

Listening to Chu Ning’s explanation, Tanya’s mischievous side emerged; she intended to teach the reckless people in the living room a lesson. Their antics were no different from dancing on graves—they disregarded her entirely.

Tanya watched the burning candle—the flickering light illuminating seven faces marked by fear, joy, excitement, and worry.

Through persistent effort, she finally unraveled the candle’s pattern: every seven seconds, it flared slightly. By focusing on the summons at that instant, she could communicate!

A ghostly voice echoed through the room, making those conducting the ritual squirm, desperate to flee.

“Let’s leave! Something’s wrong here. Forget the money; it’s not worth it to wait for a ghost to appear!”

“Leave? No way! If we endure, we’ll get enough money to last a lifetime!”

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“Don’t worry. It’s probably a trick from the organizers, meant to scare us off. There are no ghosts; don’t frighten yourselves.”

A rational voice spoke from one of the bowed figures, and seeing his companions regain some courage, he smiled slyly to himself.

They had all joined a game called “Horror Adventure.” Their goal was simple: perform a summoning ritual at a designated location, and collect a reward of one million.

The only rule was that they must stay until the ritual ended, and all seven must remain—if even one left, the prize would be forfeited.

If it were a solo task, it would be easy, but with so many involved, the difficulties multiplied. Someone was bound to lack the nerve and abandon the task.

Then, a chilling voice arose. When one is anxious, even the slightest sound can trigger terror—fear rushed in like a tide.

“Why have you come here?” Tanya rasped, her voice hoarse as she posed the question. Seeing their panic, she felt a thrill she could barely contain.

The seven were like startled birds, searching desperately for the source of the voice beyond their group. But they found nothing, no matter how they searched—fear descended anew.

“Can they really not see us?”

Tanya watched curiously as a girl brushed past her. She gently blew on the girl’s neck; the girl reached back in confusion, glanced around suspiciously, then quickly rejoined her companions.

“Didn’t you already test it? Ordinary humans truly can’t see us. So how did you buy food? I’m genuinely curious!” Chu Ning grinned, pointing toward the food in the kitchen.

Tanya was suddenly flustered. “Did I see something other than a person? That can’t be!”

“Didn’t you say you forgot what happened in the supermarket? Isn’t that strange?” Chu Ning bluntly shattered her illusion.

“Can you just shut up? Our job is to drive them away, not for you to scare me.” Tanya broke out in a cold sweat; what she’d experienced was too disturbing to ponder. Looking back, it was truly terrifying.

Chu Ning shrugged indifferently, agreeing to her request. Sooner or later, trouble would find them anyway. He didn’t believe the mastermind behind it all would stop scheming.

From the scene before him, it was clear these events were all part of a plot against Tanya, riddled with details worth careful examination.

Things were getting more interesting—someone dared to seize his prey. Chu Ning clenched his fists, gazing out the window deep in thought.