Chapter 47: The Holy Spear Pierces Through Evil

"What exactly is this evil you speak of?" Lin Xiao asked. If they charged in without knowing the true source, it could mean total annihilation—his entire family wiped out in an instant.

Vivian's face twisted in terror. Hugging her head, she screamed, "That evil, she is—"

Just as she was about to reveal the truth, a sinister aura erupted. A hand burst forth from the wall, seizing Vivian and dragging her inside.

"No!"

Roars of anger erupted behind them. Chad and Patrick struggled desperately but were likewise seized by arms emerging from the walls, pulled in, and vanished without a trace.

"Fuck! Come out! Show yourself!" Lin Xiao raised his battle axe, scanning the room and igniting magical flames once more.

The source! Whatever had just attacked them was surely the very origin of the evil in this house.

There was no response. The arms that had dragged away the three did not reappear. Were it not for the lingering chill in the air, one could almost believe nothing had happened at all.

Will and Number Eleven edged closer, clutching Lin Xiao's sleeves. Sheriff Hope was shaken as well—the house's wicked core seemed to be watching them, ready to spring forth and swallow them whole at any moment.

"The basement! We head for the basement." If disaster is unavoidable, there's no point in hiding. Lin Xiao feared that if this dragged on, their nerves would shatter before the evil found them.

Since there was nowhere to run, he would confront the terror head-on, trace it to its source, and destroy it.

He took the lead, heading downstairs. Will and Number Eleven, sensing his resolve, steeled their faces and followed. Sheriff Hope, of course, needed no encouragement; had he not faced evil countless times in his life?

Returning to the first floor, they saw the basement door already open. The pitch-black entrance yawned like an abyss, the lair of something unspeakable, the maw that had devoured owner after owner.

Would they, too, disappear without a trace?

In that moment, Lin Xiao suddenly understood what it meant to be a true priest.

To face evil unflinchingly, to press forward with courage—smiling even if hell itself lay ahead, stepping boldly into the abyss. That was the mark of a true priest.

He believed neither in gods nor in Buddhas; he believed only in his own strength.

A surge of magic rushed through his veins. Lin Xiao found his control over it more natural than ever before, a power welling up from the depths of his soul, a union of confidence and courage.

"Stay close. Don't stray too far from me. No matter what happens, don't panic—Joey is still waiting for us." Lin Xiao turned to Will and Number Eleven, fixing his gaze on Number Eleven, his eyes carrying a subtle meaning.

Her potential was immense, her power hidden deep inside. What she lacked was the mindset to wield it. With the right guidance, she could overcome any evil.

Number Eleven nodded, though anxiety gnawed at her heart. Without the budding staff, how could she unleash her strength?

Lin Xiao nodded back and turned to descend the basement stairs, step by step. Will and Number Eleven followed. Sheriff Hope brought up the rear—truthfully, he was now the most vulnerable.

But to protect them, even unarmed, even in the face of unfathomable evil, he would stand in front of them. He was the sheriff, sworn to protect every resident. Or perhaps it was simply because they were her children.

Joey, we're coming to save you.

The mansion's basement was remarkably deep—five or six meters down, likely intended as a shelter as well.

It was the era of the Cold War, with the threat of nuclear war looming overhead. Nearly every household had a bomb shelter; the wealthy, doubly so.

Several of the house's former owners had expanded the basement, building a shelter—or perhaps it had been there since the beginning.

A long, shadowed corridor led into the unknown. The wall lamps flickered eerily. Their footsteps echoed, heartbeat quickening in the oppressive silence.

Lin Xiao led the way, battle axe at the ready, prepared to summon magical flames at a moment's notice. His magic reserves were nearly spent; he dared not waste more. He would have to wait for the enemy to appear before attacking, lest he run dry before facing the true evil.

Sheriff Hope clenched his fists. The stifling atmosphere weighed on him, his mind growing hazy. It felt as if something watched them from all directions.

He didn't notice as a black shadow slowly emerged from the wall behind him, creeping closer. A hand rose high, gripping a gleaming, razor-sharp dagger.

The blade inched silently toward the back of his neck, soundless as a predator stalking in the night, knowing how to remain unseen and kill with a single strike.

Unfortunately for it, its prey was no helpless herbivore, but a hunter as well.

"Look out! Down!" Lin Xiao whipped around with a shout, raising his hand and instantly unleashing Holy Light.

Not only that, but the holy power in his hand condensed to a razor edge, like molten steel poured into a mold, forming a spear two meters long.

The Spear of Holy Light!

The skill Holy Light had reached level two mastery, unlocking this unique technique.

With the golden-haired beauty and the two men dragged into the walls and so many strange attacks before, Lin Xiao would have been a fool not to be on guard.

Before descending, he had already signaled to Number Eleven to keep a close watch on the walls to guard against sneak attacks.

Just now, she had subtly tapped her lower back, and he instantly understood that something was emerging from the wall.

Sheriff Hope, battle-hardened as he was, needed no explanation. Trusting Jonathan implicitly, he dove forward, hitting the ground with a grunt.

The spear of light shot over the heads of Will and Number Eleven and barely missed the back of Sheriff Hope's head, piercing the shadow behind them with unerring accuracy.

A shrill scream rang out. The shadow convulsed violently, the dagger clattering to the floor. It struggled to retreat into the wall, but the spear of light pinned it fast.

In the flare of radiance, the four saw their attacker clearly: a grotesque figure in a black latex mask, wrapped head to toe in black leather, as if a killer stalking the night, harvesting lives without mercy.

But this time, he was the one to be harvested.

Lin Xiao stepped aside for Will and Number Eleven, then bounded forward. The Star Destroyer Axe in his hand burst into magical flame, the blazing blade hacking deep into the figure's body, turning him into a colossal torch.

The holy spear shattered into countless lights. Freed, the figure, now aflame, tried to flee into the wall, but found himself unable—the supernatural power that had protected him now burned away.

With a puff, the flames vanished. A latex mask fell to the ground. Nothing remained but the system's familiar prompt:

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for slaying the level 4 Latex Mask Wraith. Source Energy +30.]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you've reached 50 Source Energy, meeting the upgrade requirement. Would you like to upgrade now?]

"Upgrade now!"

If not now, then when? After repeated ambushes, twice brushing with death, and the insight he had just gained, Lin Xiao was certain he had earned this. His control over magic was more than sufficient.

And this time, he wasn't just leveling up once—he was going to level up twice in a row!