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The female police officer shut the ward door with a decisive click.
Father and Mother Zhou—unaware of exactly when they regained consciousness—were trapped inside. There was no escaping, especially for Zhou Mu, who was thrashing wildly, screaming, and making desperate attempts to flee.
Zhou Xue stood at the window, her calm figure framed by the cold pane of glass. Outside, translucent shapes battered the glass with clawed hands, their ghostly wails echoing through the air. She turned her sharp gaze toward the crying spirits.
"Why? Aren't you happy?" she asked, her tone eerily gentle. "You said you wanted to see the ghosts of those you killed. Well—" she gestured to the figures outside "—here they are. All of them."
Her palm lightly traced the outline of a spirit through the glass.
"No… no! Get them away! I didn't mean it!" Zhou Mu's voice cracked as tears streaked down her pale face. Her once flawless makeup had dissolved into streaks of black and white, turning her features into something grotesque. "Help! Ghosts! There are ghosts in the hospital!!"
Zhou Xue's calm expression hardened into venom. "You killed them! Every single one of them! But… it's fine."
She turned back to the spirits, her voice softening again. The figures quieted, their pounding subsiding into mournful sobs.
"Soon," Zhou Xue promised. "You'll be free to take her. Don't waste yourselves here only to be captured. Wait until she's sentenced… then you can devour her soul and quench your rage. Then, you'll be reborn."
The ghosts seemed to understand. Their weeping subsided, and—without another sound—they turned and drifted away into the night.
Zhou Mu, having heard every word, convulsed violently before collapsing to the floor in a dead faint.
Everyone in the room stared at Zhou Xue, stunned into silence.
Even Doctor Chu trembled, his hands gripping the wall for support.
The Zhou couple cowered in a corner, as if fearing that any wrong move would draw Zhou Xue's gaze to them.
"This… Miss Xue, you…"
"Don't ask questions you shouldn't," Zhou Xue interrupted sharply, her icy-blue eyes pinning the officers in place. "Just do your jobs."
"Yes… yes! Hahaha, just joking, just joking," the lead officer stammered, masking his unease with nervous laughter.
What kind of fool would question someone who could command spirits?
The female officer quickly regained her composure and pressed on. "Miss Xue, have you shown this video of the serial killer to anyone else?"
"No," Zhou Xue replied simply. "You're the first."
"Good. We'll file this immediately." The officer hesitated, then asked, "Do you have somewhere to stay after you're discharged?"
"Not with my family," Zhou Xue said coldly. "I'll rent a place. Until then, I'll stay at a hotel."
The officers exchanged looks. It was obvious—if her own family had tried to kill her, they couldn't risk sending her back.
"We'll arrange protective oversight," the woman said. "And send a copy of this to our department. Someone will contact you soon."
They turned to leave, then paused. Even knowing her strength, they couldn't help feeling a pang of sympathy—after all, she had only just turned eighteen yesterday.
"You're remarkably calm for someone who just survived a murder attempt," the lead officer remarked.
Zhou Xue's eyes met his steadily. "I already died once. This is my second chance."
"Alright… take care."
The door closed behind them.
The Zhou couple immediately sprang to their feet, intent on following the officers out of this cursed place.
"Wait!" Zhou Xue's voice cut through the air like a blade.
Both froze mid-step, slowly turning their heads.
"Is… is there something else?" Father Zhou asked, his voice trembling.
"Don't ever appear in front of me again," Zhou Xue said coldly. "Or you'll die."
"Yes! Yes, we'll leave immediately!"
They bolted from the room as though the hounds of hell were snapping at their heels.
"Doctor Chu!" Zhou Xue called.
"Yes—yes, Miss Xue!" Inwardly, Doctor Chu's mind raced. Is this my judgment day?
Zhou Xue's lips twitched faintly. She almost felt like she was back in hell, weighing the sins of the dead. Tsk… forget it.
"Prepare my discharge. I'm leaving today."
"Yes, I'll handle it right away." Doctor Chu practically fled the ward.
Outside, he was greeted by a small crowd of patients and nurses who had gathered to gossip.
"What are you staring at?!" he barked. "Be careful, or you'll lose your eyes!"
The crowd scattered in terror, muttering under their breath. So scary! They quickly returned to their rooms, afraid that the "female devil from Ward 6" might come to collect their souls.
Back inside, Zhou Xue lay on her bed, watching the events play out on a status screen formed by her soul power. On it played Zhou Mu's life—her transformation into a killer.
Tsk… tsk. Even her parents were murderers. Truly a family business.
The truth was, when Zhou Xue reported Zhou Mu as a serial killer, she had already extracted memories from the Zhou family trio.
The "missing phone" and "evidence" had been a fabrication. Zhou Mu had indeed lost her phone weeks earlier. Zhou Xue had used her abilities to pull memories directly from their minds, editing them into "video evidence." Even Zhou Mu herself believed the footage matched what had once been on her phone.
What she saw in those memories disgusted her. The Zhou family were vultures—predators capable of draining the life from anyone they targeted.
Zhou Mu was only the beginning. Zhou Peng would follow. And Yang Jue… she would be the last.
Zhou Xue intended to make each one of them envy the dead.
Closing the memory screen, she leaned back with a small smile. At last, she could enjoy this human life in peace.
Human delicacies… wait for me!
Meanwhile, Doctor Chu worked swiftly to complete her discharge.
At police headquarters, news of the captured serial killer spread like wildfire. Officers were stunned.
Investigators quickly cross-referenced the footage with long-standing missing persons cases. Every victim matched. The conclusion was undeniable: Zhou Mu was the killer.
Two days later, Zhou Mu was brought to court. The trial was brief—overwhelming evidence sealed her fate. She was sentenced to death on the spot.
The citizens of Long City finally breathed easier. The shadow of fear that had loomed for years was gone.
The promise Zhou Xue had made to the ghosts was fulfilled.
On the day of execution, the spirits surrounded Zhou Mu's dying body, rending her soul into fragments. Only then did they descend to the underworld, free at last to reincarnate.
The head of the police bureau personally sent thanks to Zhou Xue.
As for the supernatural organization, the moment they heard of her ability to summon ghosts, they moved to meet her. Perhaps this time, they had found a new comrade.
Back to present
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