With the glow of the lantern, the ghostly figures of the gardener and the butler floated in the air, blocking their path.
At the same time, not far behind them, the two ghosts of the painter couple re-formed into pale white apparitions, appearing eerily in the rear.
At the story's end, all four ghosts manifested simultaneously, leaving the two of them with no escape.
Held by Xiao Bai, Ke Shufan's face had turned deathly pale.
There was no chance left. Due to their grave mistakes, the story's finale had brought all four ghosts out to slaughter the participants. Not only was Xiao Bai's ghost photograph in its cooldown period, but even if it were usable, it couldn't handle so many powerful ghosts at once.
Ghost entities and supernatural attacks were two entirely different levels of threat in horror stories. Supernatural attacks were generally weaker, and even the lowest-grade exorcism talismans could have some effect. But ghost entities were often the ultimate challenge participants had to overcome—like the final boss in a game, hard to deal with without special means. Otherwise, tossing a talisman to banish evil spirits would make the story far too dull.
Now, Xiao Bai and Ke Shufan faced the true forms of four story ghosts. At this moment, both were filled with the immense terror of death!
Ke Shufan, her face pale as a sheet, trembled violently again, clutching Xiao Bai's hand as tears streamed down.
"What do we do... Xiao Bai... I, I don't want to die..."
"There's still a way. There has to be a way."
Silently holding Ke Shufan's hand, Xiao Bai's mind raced with thoughts.
There had to be a way to save them both!
"Never give up until the very last moment."
"But now... now it's..."
As they spoke, the ghosts from both sides had flashed within just a few meters!
Xiao Bai released Ke Shufan and pulled out several exorcism talismans!
She carried some of these talismans too, but since they were far weaker than the ghost photograph, she hadn't relied on them as her primary means of dispelling ghosts.
But now, there was no other choice.
The moment the three talismans were exposed to the ghostly air, they burst into flames with a *puff*, but the golden fire instantly turned a sickly green!
Like three wisps of ghost fire floating in the air!
Seeing the talismans' flames transform into green ghost fire, Xiao Bai's face changed drastically. She had hoped the three talismans would at least slow the ghosts' approach, giving them a chance to run, but in an instant, the talismans' power was suppressed by the ghosts.
The breath of death had never been so close!
Xiao Bai's breathing grew rapid, sweat beading on her skin, and her body went weak with fear.
She had done her best, but four ghost entities were indeed beyond what two people could handle...
A few seconds felt unbearably long. Facing death, Xiao Bai didn't experience what many described—a flash of past memories in an instant.
Instead, after the initial intense fear, her mind gradually calmed. Death was something every living being had to face, especially in this supernatural world where ghosts were proven to exist. So, after death, would she exist in some other form?
But even if she were to die, she wouldn't go down without a fight. As the four ghosts flashed close, Xiao Bai gritted her teeth, pulled Ke Shufan, and darted through a gap, sprinting with all her might toward the red circle!
Of course, she knew it was a futile struggle. Before they could reach the red circle, the four ghosts would catch up in moments...
Just then, something unexpected happened. A force suddenly shoved her forward, nearly making her stumble.
Regaining her balance, she saw Ke Shufan, face streaked with tears, but no longer moving.
"It's no use... Xiao Bai... you run!"
Ke Shufan's ankle was now swollen and red. After pushing through her last reserves of strength, even with Xiao Bai pulling her, she couldn't run anymore.
And even if she could, how could she outrun the ghosts' instant movement?
So... in that moment, she had made up her mind.
Rather than both being killed by the ghosts, with all participants wiped out here, it was better for her to stay and slow the ghosts' attack.
All of this happened in a flash. Ke Shufan's decision might have been driven by a momentary emotional impulse.
After all, Xiao Bai hadn't abandoned her earlier; she had risked great danger to come back and save her.
So now, her heart was relatively calm. If Xiao Bai returned to the real world, she could tell the other listeners everything that happened here, letting them know that this vile radio station had deliberately given fake props to lead participants astray.
"Shufan..."
After a deep look at Ke Shufan, Xiao Bai didn't hesitate and immediately turned to run!
If she stayed and they argued over who should go, that would be foolish!
In an instant, the four ghosts silently teleported closer, a cloud of black mist enveloping Ke Shufan...
But then, something strange happened. The black mist around her seemed blocked by an invisible force. Though it shifted and twisted, it couldn't engulf her.
In that moment, even Ke Shufan herself was stunned. But soon, as if realizing something, she quickly pulled out the bottle of ghost tears and applied it to her eyelids.
When Ke Shufan opened her eyes again, she saw a faint, barely visible shadow overlapping her own body, almost perfectly aligned with it.
It was this overlapping spirit that momentarily held the four ghosts at bay.
"What... what is this..."
Ke Shufan, who had been utterly hopeless, was now filled with confusion and shock!
Like a miracle, where did this overlapping spirit come from, and why did it seem completely harmless to her?