Elizas pupils contracted, and her lips turned pale as she trembled uncontrollably. The pedestrians on the road seemed to be completely oblivious to her presence. A chilling wind brushed past her ears, accompanied by strange laughter that enveloped her from behind. Eliza found herself frozen in place.
"Sister, whats wrong with you?" A sinister voice sounded from behind, causing Elizas head to tingle with fear.
Not daring to make a sound, Eliza stiffly walked forward. She had intended to act as if nothing had happened, but the lecherous spirit following her was becoming bolder with each step, his hands becoming increasingly disrespectful.
fed up，Eliza mustered all her strength, broke free from the intrusive touch, and turned around, regretting it the moment she did.
"Can you see me?"
Eliza wanted to run, but her feet seemed rooted to the ground, unable to move.
"Finally, someone can help me escape this cycle of life and death," the spirit said, lunging towards Eliza.
Eliza, terrified, closed her eyes, feeling a chill of death envelop her. Suddenly, a cold voice rang out, dispersing the deadly aura around her.
"How dare a mere poltergeist harm my wife!"
Eliza opened her eyes to see the ferocious spirit reduced to a cloud of black mist, trapped in the hands of a man. The blood jade pendant that she had seen in her dreams hung from his belt.
She took a deep breath and looked up to see the man, who was dressed in a black robe with gold-threaded dragon patterns and clouds on the cuffs and collar. His hair was loose, and he appeared as if he had stepped out of a painting.
"Spare me, Lord of the Netherworld," the black mist pleaded, now docile in the mans grasp.
"Your life was wasted, and youve fallen into the path of an evil spirit. Do you dare to plead for mercy now?" As he spoke, the man drew something in the air with his slender hand, like an endless black hole, sucking the black mist in.
"I havent fulfilled my life span; youre taking revenge out of personal grudges!" The shrill voice faded as the black hole disappeared.
Eliza, who had been watching in shock, was startled when the man turned towards her, wearing a terrifying red demon mask that made her heart race.
She had thought him a heavenly being, but he turned out to be a demon as well!
"Are you alright?" The man asked, closing the distance between them in an instant.
His voice was cold and hollow, yet it captivated her, making her want to cling to him for safety.
Eliza, remembering the tales of enchanting spirits she had heard from the villages wise women, thought that this man must be one, for he was surely bewitching her.
Seeing her silence, the mans eyes moved to her chest.
Immediately regaining her senses, Eliza covered her chest with her hands, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"The jade is spiritual and can protect its owner, but yours has shattered after shielding you from disaster and has become an evil object. I will remove it for you and find a new one later," the man said, his long fingers breaking the silver chain around her neck, and the pendant landed in his palm.
Eliza blushed inexplicably at his words, and recalling how he referred to himself as "husband," she mustered the courage to ask, "Are you the person from my dreams?"
Though she couldnt discern the mans face in her dreams, she recognized the blood jade at his waist.
The man didnt answer but followed her gaze and looked down.
"Since you like it, then its yours, as a token of our love," he said, placing the blood jade around Elizas neck, causing her to shiver from the cold.
Before she could react, the man disappeared. Eliza felt a sharp pain on her neck and woke up with a start. She touched her neck and found the blood jade pendant there.
After thanking the middle-aged man who had pinched her, Eliza hurried back to her dorm. Entering the empty room, she felt a wave of panic. The girls dormitory was already heavy with the energy of yin; with no one else present, she felt even more uneasy.
"Jamie, are you busy today? Can you come and keep me company? My roommates have all gone home, and Im so scared being alone," Eliza sent a voice message to her boyfriend.
Jamie Fraser, who was in the same year as Eliza and also interning, worked in real estate sales while she was a journalist. The sales industry was known for its grueling hours, so Eliza tried not to disturb him unless necessary. However, the recent events had been too much for her, and she needed someone to lean on.
Later that evening, Jamie couldnt enter the girls dormitory, so he booked a hotel room and invited Eliza to join him. As she walked down the dimly lit hotel corridor towards the room number he had sent, the lights flickered and eventually went out completely!