Chapter 24: Storming the Ghost Den

"Mr. Lin, this is our detention room. Usually, the suspects we catch are locked up here. But as you can see, we're in the middle of nowhere; you'd be lucky to see a stray dog, let alone a prisoner, so it’s empty most of the time. If there were any major cases, they wouldn't be handled by us anyway."

Ah Xin rambled on while leading Lin Bei, Ma Xiaoling, and the others inside. Lin Bei responded half-heartedly, not paying the slightest bit of attention to the officer's introduction. As they neared the end of the corridor, Ma Xiaoling, holding her modified cosmetic case, and Zhang Tian'ai, clutching her compass, both brightened.

"It's right ahead!" they said in unison.

Lin Bei immediately quickened his pace, with Ma Xiaoling and the others following closely behind. Ah Xin, still in the middle of his chatter, looked confused but trailed after them. They eventually stopped at the very end of the hallway. Watching Zhang Tian'ai and Yun Qing tapping and examining the wall, Ah Xin couldn't help but ask Lin Bei, "Mr. Lin, what are you all doing?"

Lin Bei didn't answer. Seeing Zhang Tian'ai nod at him, he immediately ushered Ah Xin away. "Officer Xin, I’m suddenly a bit hungry. Would you mind ordering us some food?"

Ah Xin frowned at this. As a Superintendent, how could he be expected to run errands like a delivery boy? Just as he was about to issue a stern refusal, Lin Bei added, "I’ve arranged to have dinner with 'Big Brother' in a couple of days. If you're free, you're welcome to join us."

Ah Xin’s expression shifted from cloudy to sunny in an instant. With a fawning smile, he replied, "Why bother with takeout? Our kitchen staff makes excellent food. I’ll go tell them to prepare it right away!"

With that, Ah Xin hurried off, completely unconcerned about what Lin Bei might do in the detention room. Once he was gone, Lin Bei looked at Zhang Tian'ai and said, "Now!"

Zhang Tian'ai nodded, donned her Taoist robe, formed a seal with her hands, and began to chant.

"Lin, Bing, Dou, Zhe, Jie, Zhen, Lie, Zai, Qian—Break!"

On the final word, Zhang Tian'ai pressed her hands together and pointed her index fingers forward. Where there had once been a solid wall, ripples like those on the surface of water appeared, and the white wall instantly transformed into two brown wooden doors. Lin Bei realized that the sounds he had only faintly heard from outside were now crystal clear.

He silently drew his Exorcist Sword, slapped a talisman onto the blade, and bit his middle finger to smear his blood across it. Having attained a robust physique, he felt like a roaring furnace to the ghosts, and the sword, stained with his blood, possessed immense destructive power against supernatural entities. It was a pity he was no longer a virgin; otherwise, his blood and urine would have been even more lethal to the spirits.

Meanwhile, Ma Xiaoling, Zhang Tian'ai, and Yun Qing were also ready. Zhang Tian'ai wore a yellow Taoist robe and held a peach-wood sword. Yun Qing was clad in a jumpsuit, holding a spray gun connected to a tank on his back. Compared to them, Ma Xiaoling was undoubtedly the most stylish, sporting a deep red miniskirt and high heels; she looked less like an exorcist and more like she was walking a fashion runway. In contrast to their distinctive outfits, Lin Bei looked quite ordinary in a simple tracksuit. Seeing the others, Lin Bei made a mental note to have Uncle Qiu custom-tailor a combat suit for him—the more fashionable, the better. Both *My Date with a Vampire* and *Bleach* shared a common trait: the more stylish the outfit, the stronger the combat power. Lin Bei felt he should do as the locals do.

While Lin Bei was lost in thought, Zhang Tian'ai asked, "Should we plan this out first?"

Lin Bei snapped back to reality, glanced at her, and said, "Why bother with the trouble?"

With that, he kicked the large door. Infused with Wudang internal energy, his kick sent the ghost gate crashing down. He immediately charged inside.

"Fourth Form—Scorching Sun!"

*Boom!*

A flash of red fire swept through the ghost nest. The spirits, who had been celebrating the successful escape of Miyake Issei, were scattered into nothingness by Lin Bei before they could even react. Although this era was one of the "End of Dharma," the fact that Taoist arts could still be performed proved it was a high-level world. The "breathing techniques" from *Demon Slayer* had been elevated as well. Simply put, they had evolved from standard sword skills into something flashy, with the special effects dialed up to the max.

Hearing the screams from the ghost nest, Ma Xiaoling let out a sharp cry and charged in, followed closely by Zhang Tian'ai and Yun Qing. Once inside, Yun Qing immediately guarded the exit to prevent any spirits from escaping.

Lin Bei, Ma Xiaoling, and Zhang Tian'ai each unleashed their own methods, striking the spirits in the nest with lethal force. This ghost nest, which had existed for nearly fifty years, had expected to gain its freedom following Miyake Issei's departure; instead, it met its doom today.

Lin Bei executed his seven sword forms over and over again; the spirits were wounded at a mere touch and perished at a single strike. Although Ma Xiaoling lacked her exorcist sword, she had other artifacts. The "Buddha Palm" in her hand, while less powerful than the sword, was still devastating to the spirits. After a while, finding the manual labor too tiring, she unleashed a major technique.

"Order of the Dragon God, Heaven's Thunder Exorcism Sword Art—Exterminate!"

As the incantation fell, the Buddha Palm in her hand glowed brilliantly, then multiplied into thousands of strikes, shooting toward the surrounding evil spirits. Accompanied by a chorus of shrill wails, the hall, once teeming with ghosts, was instantly cleared.

Seeing this, Lin Bei felt a pang of envy. While the Sun Breathing was highly effective against evil, it still fell short compared to the Ma family's Dragon God Spell. Unfortunately, the Ma family’s arts were passed down only to daughters, and the Dragon God Spell could only be wielded by women of the Ma bloodline.

After clearing the hall, Ma Xiaoling didn't let up. She said to Lin Bei, "There should be another level below. That’s where the person in charge of this club is located."

Lin Bei nodded and said, "Tian'ai, you and Qing stay here. Xiaoling and I will go down to take a look."

"Understood, Boss!"

After Zhang Tian'ai responded, Lin Bei and Ma Xiaoling headed down to the second basement level of the club. However, they did not find Miyake Issei. Instead, there were three old ghosts who appeared far more formidable than the minor spirits upstairs. The three old ghosts glared at Lin Bei and Ma Xiaoling with burning resentment, let out a roar, and revealed their hideous true forms.

"Baka! You bunch of Chinese! Even after we've become ghosts, you refuse to let us be? Stay here today and become nourishment for the Colonel!"

"Roar!"