Chapter 9 - Use your head as a ball to gain Ghost Power!
"Quite a coincidence, I'm back again."
On the second-floor corridor, Qin Nuo had returned.
The wall's plaster trembled, and an angry voice echoed through the corridor: "Take that nail out!"
"Don't rush me, my business isn't finished yet."
"The grandson of that Ghost Granny on the first floor is running wild in this building. Do you know where he went?"
"I don't know!!"
"Goodbye." Qin Nuo turned and left.
"That little ghost went to the third floor. Can you take it out now?"
"Be patient, once I'm done, I'll help you remove it. I'm human, I keep my promises, unlike you ghosts."
"Get lost!"
Qin Nuo didn't have time to argue and rushed to the third floor.
The third floor was even darker and gloomier. Even with windows, the outside light seemed blocked, unable to penetrate.
The only sound in the corridor was Qin Nuo's footsteps, echoing clearly.
Qin Nuo wanted to call out, but the eerie atmosphere choked his words.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Suddenly, a sound of something hitting the ground came from ahead, getting closer.
Qin Nuo's hand secretly gripped the handle of the Bone-Crushing Hammer.
A dirty ball rolled over.
Then a four or five-year-old boy picked it up.
The boy looked up, his big black eyes devoid of whites, appearing quite horrifying.
"Brother, are you here to play ball with me?"
"What's your name?" Qin Nuo squatted down. Despite the boy's frightening appearance, he showed a friendly demeanor, fond of children.
"My name is Xiao Xin."
"Xiao Xin, be good. Your grandma is looking for you everywhere. How about I take you downstairs to play games?"
The boy pouted and shook his head: "No, I want to play games."
After a pause, the boy added, "Unless you get me a new ball, this one is too dirty!"
He threw the ball into the darkness.
Qin Nuo looked around the empty surroundings, thinking where to find a ball now, and said, "Let's go downstairs first. Brother will help you find a new ball."
"No, no, I want a new ball!!"
The boy cried for a moment, then suddenly pointed at Qin Nuo's head and said, "Brother, can you take your head off for me to kick? Grandma used to give Xiao Xin other people's heads to play with!"
Qin Nuo's hair stood on end.
Goodness, a brat is one thing, but having such dangerous thoughts!
If it weren't for the fear of the old one, Qin Nuo would have smashed him with a hammer.
"Brother's head isn't fun. How about you stay put, and I'll go down to find a ball for you, okay?"
"No, I want a new ball now. Without a new ball, Xiao Xin will use brother's head to kick!!"
Damn it!!
For the first time, Qin Nuo wanted to strangle the brat.
The little boy clawed with his hands, seemingly determined to take Qin Nuo's head for a kick.
Qin Nuo's face darkened, but his eyes suddenly lit up as he spotted something and said, "Xiao Xin, be good. Brother found a ball for you."
"Really, really, where?"
"Turn around and see?"
The little boy turned his head, and Qin Nuo swiftly grabbed an axe from a nearby fire hydrant, swinging it hard at the boy's neck.
The head and body separated.
There was no imagined horror of blood spraying.
The boy's head rolled on the ground, his eyes curiously watching Qin Nuo.
Qin Nuo smiled slightly: "See, now you have a ball to kick."
With that, he took a quick step forward and kicked the head into the darkness.
The headless body suddenly flailed its arms and legs, running into the darkness.
Soon, joyful laughter came from the darkness.
The headless body returned, holding its head.
The boy's head showed a satisfied smile: "Yay, Xiao Xin has a new ball to kick!!"
"Convenient, isn't it? From now on, whenever you want to play ball, just take your head off and kick it. When you're tired, put it back on. No need to worry about dirt or losing it."
"Mm-hmm, thank you, big brother!"
With that, he threw his head on the ground and happily kicked it around.
Seeing the boy play happily, Qin Nuo broke out in a cold sweat.
"Hopefully, this innocent child doesn't realize the seriousness of the situation."
When the boy was done playing, Qin Nuo took him downstairs, reminding him to attach his head to his neck and only take it off when playing.
***
Downstairs, the meat grinder was gone.
Ghost Granny seemed to have just finished some work, rubbing her back.
The boy saw his grandma and happily ran into her arms.
"Grandma, this big brother is so nice. He let Xiao Xin take his head off to play ball!" The boy pointed at Qin Nuo, as if praising him.
But that sentence made Qin Nuo's back drenched in sweat.
Fortunately, Ghost Granny didn't pursue the matter, looking up at Qin Nuo.
Qin Nuo extended a hand: "I found your grandson, and here's your eyeball."
Pressing the eyeball back into its socket, Ghost Granny's mouth cracked into a smile: "Not bad, remember to put the key back, just leave it on the table."
"Angel's Kiss: You gained +3 favorability from Ghost Granny, rewarded with 10 points of Ghost Power!"
Ghost Power, equivalent to strength in the ghost realm, the higher the value, the more terrifying.
Qin Nuo didn't expect that as a human, he could gain Ghost Power.
He glanced at the detailed panel of Ghost Power. It matched human physical attributes, meaning as Ghost Power increased, strength, speed, and other aspects would also enhance.
Moreover, the higher the Ghost Power, the more terrifying the ghost creature's power!
"Thank you, Granny."
Qin Nuo thanked her, grabbed the key, and rushed upstairs.
Once upstairs, Qin Nuo quickly headed to the bathroom at the end of the corridor.
Free activity time was almost over.
He had to hurry!
However, Qin Nuo soon realized that the corridor seemed endless, with a misty black fog that wouldn't disperse.
Stopping, Qin Nuo coldly shouted, "What, want me to give you another nail?"
Naturally, it was the wall ghost causing trouble.
"You want to enter that bathroom?" the wall ghost asked.
"Is there a problem?"
"There's a ghost in there, trapping your friend, but it's not easy to deal with!"
"Stronger than you?" Qin Nuo asked, hesitating.
Although he still had four human bone nails, if he encountered a powerful ghost, these things would be like toys, easily broken.
Like that Half-Ghost little girl.
"Not much stronger than me," the wall ghost said.
"Then I'm relieved."
"???"
The wall ghost felt humiliated and angry, feeling insulted.
"He hanged himself in that bathroom. It's his territory. The ghost items you have can hurt him, but not enough to make him wary. Relying on a hammer and a few nails won't save your friend, and you'll end up getting caught too!"
Qin Nuo asked, "From what you're saying, do you have a plan?"
"Just lure him into this corridor, and I'll help you deal with him!" the wall ghost said.
Qin Nuo squinted, smiling: "What are you plotting, little buddy?"
A ghost helping a human is like a weasel wishing a chicken a Happy New Year.
Definitely up to no good.
The wall ghost wasn't surprised by Qin Nuo's reaction, calmly saying, "My existence... is to kill that guy!"