Chapter 196: Chapter 168: Thousand Faces

The light emitted by the soul lamp illuminated Thousand Faces’ petite figure, and Sang Que was momentarily taken aback, thinking he was facing a modern person.

For the girl before him had a head of neat short hair entirely inconsistent with ancient times, her hands on her hips, dressed in a capable black outfit, her almond-shaped eyes harboring anger, baring two little sharp teeth, looking about seventeen or eighteen.

But this might not be the true appearance of Thousand Faces, it could just be one of her ’faces’, so there’s no need for any disguise.

And this short hair might be for ease of movement, after all, it’s more convenient to wear a wig when changing outfits with short hair.

Sang Que quickly deduced that the Gambling Ghost was still inside killing, and he couldn’t delay any longer.

“If you want to prove your innocence, then catch the source behind it with me.”

Thousand Faces sneered, the anger in her eyes vanished, revealing a sharp wit, “So you wanted my help and smeared my name around the city. You should have said so earlier; just pay me.”

Hearing this, Sang Que realized that Thousand Faces was very shrewd and quick to react, and her greedy demeanor was very much like that of Half a Day’s Leisure, another one of her personas.

“How much!” Sang Que couldn’t be bothered with more words.

Thousand Faces, being straightforward, raised one finger, “One thousand gold, and after it’s done, the Evil Suppression Bureau must post a notice to clear my name.”

Sang Que agreed decisively, “Deal! If tonight’s action succeeds, tomorrow you can get the money from Wei Wu, the Gold Medal Day Traveler at the Evil Suppression Bureau.”

“What’s the plan?” Thousand Faces asked.

Sang Que replied, “Redirect the Gambling Ghost’s target and trap him back in the gambling den’s coffin.”

Thousand Faces’ eyes flickered, and she quickly grasped the crux of the matter. She had already gathered all sorts of information before coming, knowing just as much as Sang Que.

“Act shrewdly, don’t play tricks,” Sang Que warned.

Thousand Faces rolled her eyes with a sneer, “I’m not a lunatic!”

Sang Que had the backing of the Evil Suppression Bureau; Thousand Faces didn’t want to join but neither could she oppose them. Otherwise, after years of hard work for the people, even finding lost chickens personally, if failed, she’d pay for them herself, would all be in vain with just a word from the bureau.

And those bastards on the streets, who negotiated with her nicely when asking for help, today rushed to report her actively, making many of her identities unusable.

After digging countless desolate graves at the chaotic burial mound, those faces and identities required much investigation to acquire!

Next time they want her service, the fee will be tenfold!

Sang Que glanced at Yuan Gui, who had quietly remained by his side, signaling him to lead the way to find the place where Mrs. Han and her children stayed at the Han Mansion.

Yuan Gui ran ahead, while Sang Que kept the Evil Mist under their feet, and the entire Han Mansion remained silent. The Gambling Ghost killed quickly, those chosen didn’t have the chance to make any sound before dying.

“Can you see that Gambling Ghost?” Sang Que quickly asked Thousand Faces.

Thousand Faces bluntly and irritably exclaimed, “No! If your Evil Suppression Bureau didn’t cut off my incense, give me some time, what is a mere Gambling Ghost!”

Sang Que realized that this Lord Thousand Faces had lost her popularity due to the day’s incidents, and was likely on the verge of achieving the fourth layer, preparing for promotion.

“Can’t see but found your way here?”

“I have my ways!”

Sang Que said nothing more.

Yuan Gui had been to the Han Mansion a few times and knew the layout. When he led them to Mrs. Han’s quarters, Mrs. Han and two maids inside were already dead.

The terrified cries of a child came from the small courtyard next door, and Sang Que immediately moved with the Evil Mist, bringing the two along to rush there.

After landing from instant teleportation, Thousand Faces was not brought along.

“The Gambling Ghost is there!”

Yuan Gui pointed fearfully into the depths of the room, where the child’s cries came from.

A maid lay outside the bed, her face sunken, another maid held a three- or four-year-old girl, covering her mouth tightly, eyes full of tears, shrinking in the corner, not daring to move.

Sang Que immediately unfurled the Evil Mist, extracting the maid and the girl.

This time, with experience, Sang Que continued to instant teleport without stopping, running out frantically.

He had also taken off the mask on his face early to let the Yansheng coin recover slowly, just in case.

The soul lamp in his hand glowed green, dimming occasionally. On the third teleportation, near the Han Mansion gate, the sound of breaking bones suddenly sounded in his ear; the maid wrapped in Evil Mist died.

This terror, unseen and untouchable, utterly irresistible, gave Sang Que goosebumps. He threw down Yuan Gui, hugging the girl, and sprinted for life.

At that moment, a gust of cold wind brushed his nape, and the soul lamp extinguished once more, with the rattle of dice rolling in the cup seemingly audible.

Drip! Drip!

A weight on his shoulders, weakness accompanied by the sound of the Recovery countdown hit, and Sang Que, kneeling halfway on the ground, dropped the lantern and swung the Hundred Victory Saber forcefully.

A blood-red blade arc swept past, and Sang Que vaguely saw a black silhouette severed in half.

Whether it was the Evil Qi from the Hundred Victory Saber affecting or the Gambling Ghost needing a pause after each kill, she hurriedly counted the killing interval by the ticking of a clock in her mind.

The Recovery restoration needed a minute, leaving Sang Que powerless for the moment, frustration surged once again.

Ten seconds later, the Gambling Ghost’s hand lifted again, reaching for the girl in Sang Que’s arms; he stood with the saber, spreading Evil Mist to escape.

“Wu Renxing!”

At the critical moment, someone shouted from behind, causing the Gambling Ghost’s hand to pause mid-air, disappearing afterward.

Sang Que laid down the unconscious girl, turning to see Thousand Faces in her capable black outfit, yet looking like Mrs. Han.

Her face blended perfectly as if it were her own, with long black hair down her back, her gaze and posture exuding the dignity of a wealthy matron, with height and body shape altered.

If dressed in Mrs. Han’s original attire, Sang Que wouldn’t discern any flaw.

Suddenly, Thousand Faces’ brow furrowed in pain, her face seemed to melt off, revealing Half a Day’s Leisure’s inquisitive face on the ground.

To resist the Gambling Ghost’s attack wasn’t about using any face but using a universally recognized identity, only when everyone believed the representative of this face was alive and real, could this face sustain a life.

To fend off a four-layered evil ghost’s lethal strike requires over five hundred people recognizing the face.

Except for the well-known informant in Wangshan City, she only had another identity left, she was reluctant, but having accepted payment, she had to fulfill the duty and also establish a good impression at the Evil Suppression Bureau for future collaborations, hence acting brave.

Thousand Faces’ face returned to Mrs. Han’s appearance, hastily shouting, “What are you dawdling for! I can only withstand it once more!”

Sang Que immediately spread the Evil Mist to its maximum, dropped the girl, rushed forward, grabbing Thousand Faces’ arm to continuously instant teleport.

The Gambling Ghost, fooled by Thousand Faces now, treated her as the target, and since there was a ten-second pause between kills, giving Thousand Faces one more chance to resist, the chance of instant teleporting back to the gambling den was high.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep