Chen Yao is not someone I know well.
My impression of her is her statement: "I just want to help patients."
A very simple reason.
Although Chen Yao has the rare Heavenly Gang Fire element.
In our line of work, however, one must be ruthless and kill when necessary.
If Chen Yao were to adopt the principles of a medical professional, saving lives and healing the injured, it might not be suitable.
Of course, I haven't interacted with her enough; I'll know more after further encounters.
Tonight, Old Mo and I did not drink, as we had matters to attend to.
Uncle-master and Brother Chen, however, drank quite a bit.
Around nine in the evening, we left.
After seeing Brother Chen off, we each returned to our respective establishments to prepare some gear.
Once the items were ready, we met Old Mo and Chen Yao outside.
Chen Yao wore her hair in a ponytail, looking very capable.
Carrying a peach wood sword, she looked the part.
Old Mo had passed his driving test yesterday and was just waiting to receive his license.
Tonight, we would have to take a taxi again.
When we were about a kilometer away from the Old Grave Slope.
The road ahead had caved in, blocking our path.
With no other option, the three of us had to get out and walk.
After getting out of the car, looking at the somewhat familiar dark road, a cool wind "whooshed" past.
A wry smile curved my lips.
Back then, when Brother Chen asked me to keep myself safe, I held a yellow chicken and walked along this very road from People's Park.
I never expected to have to retrace this night's journey today.
"Let's not delay, let's get going!"
I said.
Old Mo and Chen Yao grunted in agreement, and followed me as we walked forward.
After navigating around the landslide, a small stone bridge appeared not far ahead.
This stone bridge, I remember it vividly!
We walked tens of meters forward with a "patter, patter" sound.
Faintly, we saw the entrance to the bridge.
However, at the bridge entrance, a person was crouching.
"Is there someone crouching up ahead?"
Chen Yao spoke softly.
Old Mo peered ahead:
"So late, perhaps they're burning paper, a toll for passage!"
Because the distance was far, we could only see by the moonlight, making it difficult to discern clearly.
I squinted my eyes and smiled again.
Good heavens, after such a long time, to encounter this old woman again.
However, this time, it felt a bit different.
The fortune of the three of us was not low, yet we could see her with our own eyes.
This indicated that the ghost had completely transformed into a blocking specter.
Disregarding the living's fortune or the strength of their yang energy.
She would block anyone who passed.
But I remained silent, only saying to Chen Yao beside me:
"Chen Yao, Old Mo and I need to take care of something. You go across the bridge first and wait for us over there."
Upon hearing me say this, Old Mo glanced at me.
Although he didn't understand why, he readily nodded in cooperation:
"Yes, I do need to relieve myself."
Chen Yao looked at Old Mo and me, then nodded:
"Alright, you two be quick."
With that, Chen Yao, carrying her peach wood sword, walked towards the bridge entrance.
As soon as Chen Yao moved away, Old Mo asked:
"Old Qin, what are you doing? Why did you let Chen Yao go ahead first?"
I glanced up at the figure crouching at the bridge entrance:
"That's not a person, it's a drowned ghost."
"Oh? A drowned ghost? You can tell from this distance?"
Old Mo sounded surprised.
I then explained:
"I've walked this road before. That drowned ghost blocked me back then.
Chen Yao is new to this, she doesn't understand ghost nature. Let her face it alone first."
Old Mo finally understood.
After all, when we came, Uncle-master had said.
As long as Chen Yao's safety was guaranteed, she needed to face these malevolent entities alone to break her initial fear.
Therefore, Old Mo and I hid by the roadside, about twenty meters away, following discreetly.
To prevent the drowned ghost from noticing Old Mo and me, we both applied "Breath-Holding Talismans" to ourselves, in case the specter detected us.
Not long after, Chen Yao reached the bridge entrance.
The old woman crouching on the ground, unlike before, slowly stood up.
Her entire body was dripping wet, with water constantly "drip, drip, dripping."
She lowered her head slightly, her face filled with an eerie expression, and blocked Chen Yao's path, saying in a hoarse voice:
"Little girl, can I have some fire?
My matches got wet, no matter how I strike them, they won't light!"
Old Mo and I were watching closely, ready to intervene at any moment.
We also wanted to see how Chen Yao would react when faced with this situation.
Chen Yao stood still, her expression unreadable.
After a long while, Chen Yao finally said:
"I have no fire. Find someone else to borrow from. Please let me pass."
Hearing her tone, Old Mo and I exchanged a glance.
She was very calm!
Not a trace of panic appeared.
The drowned ghost, however, let out a "cackle, cackle, cackle" laugh:
"Little girl, this old one wants the fire on top of your head, the three fires!
Just give me one, that's all.
This old one is very cold, I want to borrow your fire to warm myself."
Her voice was chilling, and as the old woman raised her head, she revealed a pair of pitch-black eyes.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew,
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh" it blew towards Chen Yao.
The old water ghost also began to approach Chen Yao, step by step.
Seeing this, Old Mo and I narrowed our eyes.
These three fires, one less would not do.
This old ghost clearly intended to drain Chen Yao's vital energy.
As soon as this old ghost dared to make a move on Chen Yao, Old Mo and I would make the old water ghost pay immediately.
However, what neither Old Mo nor I expected was.
Not only was Chen Yao not scared, but upon seeing the drowned ghost reveal its true form, she didn't even take a step back.
Instead, she reprimanded:
"You've come to the wrong person."
Before her words had even finished, Chen Yao flung out her hand, throwing a handful of Ancestor's incense ash.
The drowned ghost was directly hit in the face.
Instantly covering its face, it screamed:
"Ah! What, what is this, ah it hurts, it hurts so much..."
Black smoke billowed out incessantly, its entire face rotten away.
The drowned ghost seemed to be in great pain, stumbling backward repeatedly.
Then, Chen Yao actually drew her peach wood sword and thrust it towards the drowned ghost.
She pierced its body on the spot.
Clean and swift, without any hesitation.
Old Mo and I, standing behind her, were utterly stunned.
It was hard to imagine that Chen Yao, a new nurse.
Who had just started, and had barely encountered a ghost twice.
Now, facing a specter alone for the first time, she could be so decisive and ruthless with a ghost...