Chapter 667: Grudgebound
Chapter 667: Grudgebound
"Where did you get that outfit?" Qiao Sang asked with a smile, muttering to herself, "Good grief, if I hadn't been observant, I might have fallen for it..."
She understood the rules of the Match, knowing that interference and combat were allowed, but she hadn't expected her first opponent to pull such a trick right off the bat.
Fortunately, she had encountered this person backstage earlier; otherwise, she might have been misled into changing her location.
"I prepared it before the Match", the woman said, readjusting her mask and lowering her voice. She spoke with a tone of approval, "I didn't expect that, for your first time participating in this type of match, you would know to come to a place like this."
"The hospital wasn't too hard to guess", Qiao Sang replied modestly.
"The hospital isn't hard to guess, but most people would go to the one closest to the Augustus Competition Hall." As she spoke, the fabric on her shoulder seemed to be pressed down by something, causing it to sag.
Although Number 113 was her opponent, the woman's age and familiar build posed no real threat. She didn't intend to waste more time on Number 113 and paused, saying, "I won't chat with you any longer. I hope you do well."
With that, she turned and left.
Qiao Sang watched her opponent's retreating back for a moment before saying, "Let's go, too."
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker called out and continued sniffing around. Over the next twenty minutes, it successfully absorbed the negative emotional energy from several medical staff. Suddenly, it seemed to catch a powerful scent, its eyes brightening as it floated purposefully in a specific direction.
Qiao Sang followed Treasure Seeker to the basement, an area with little foot traffic.
The air was chilly, and the damp, decaying smell hung heavy in the air.
Qiao Sang, seeing no one around, felt a growing sense of unease.
She remembered reading in a book that morgues were usually located in the basement or near the underground parking area of hospitals.
No way... Qiao Sang's heart raced, but she tried to remain calm, "Treasure Seeker, let's go somewhere else. There doesn't seem to be anyone here."
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker pointed down the corridor, indicating the presence of negative energy.
"Tap, tap, tap..." Just as Qiao Sang was about to say more, a series of footsteps echoed from the darkness.
Qiao Sang's heart skipped a beat, and she turned to face the source of the sound.
...
Meanwhile, at the Augustus Competition Hall.
The audience, watching a live stream with a hospital corridor as the backdrop, began to chatter.
"This Ghost-type Companion Beast's senses are quite sharp. It can detect negative energy from the basement even on the third floor of the hospital."
"The scene I've been waiting for is here—the morgue!"
"What's so exciting about the morgue? Even if there are ghosts, only Ghost-type Companion Beasts can see them."
"Stop it, I'm getting scared..."
"Me too..."
"Negative energy isn't limited to the emotional energy produced by living people. The resentment of the deceased is also a form of negative energy. This Ghost-type Companion Beast can sense it, which means some of the people here likely died unnatural deaths. That's normal, nothing to be afraid of."
"I hear footsteps. Is it someone from the hospital?"
"Check the top-right corner of the screen. It's Number 98."
...
Federbit General Hospital.
Basement.
"It's you again?" Qiao Sang felt a slight relief upon seeing the newcomer.
The woman's eyes flickered with surprise, then she seemed to recall something and glanced at Treasure Seeker, "Your Ghost-type Companion Beast has quite sensitive energy perception."
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker's lips curved in a small grin at the compliment.
So, there really is negative energy here... Qiao Sang couldn't help but cast a furtive glance down the corridor.
The woman said, "Since we've both found the morgue, let's see who can absorb more energy."
With that, she walked inside.
Sure enough, it was the morgue... Qiao Sang's lips twitched, and she took a deep breath, nodding at Treasure Seeker.
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker instantly understood its Beastmaster's intent.
Its eyes glowed blue, and in the next moment, it vanished.
Having a Spatial Shift ability is great... Qiao Sang quickly caught up with Number 98, shouting, "Let's go!"
"Wait for me!"
The woman stopped at the morgue door and turned to see that the small Ghost-type Companion Beast was nowhere to be seen. She asked, "Where’s your Ghost-type Companion Beast?"
Of course, it had gone in to Absorb negative energy... Qiao Sang said calmly, "It’s Invisibility."
The woman didn’t doubt it for a moment and smiled.
"I’ll go in first, then."
As soon as she finished speaking, a familiar made of what seemed to be gray smoke and shadows appeared, with a smoking collar around its neck. It didn’t say a word, its body twisted, and then it expanded like gray smoke, enveloping the woman. It then passed through the morgue door without any resistance.
A few seconds later, Qiao Sang heard the woman inside curse in English.
It seems the Treasure Seeker has already Absorbed a lot of negative energy... Just as she thought this, there was a loud bang, and the morgue door was suddenly shattered by some force.
The woman was thrown backward, crashing into the wall at the end of the corridor, causing the wall to shake violently.
Damn! What the hell? Qiao Sang was caught off guard by the sudden commotion.
The woman, gritting her teeth against the pain, shouted, "Run! There’s a wild Grudgebound inside!"
Grudgebound? Qiao Sang was taken aback.
At that moment, the corridor lights went out, and a cold, eerie presence descended. She suddenly felt a gust of wind rushing toward her.
But in the next instant, Qiao Sang’s vision went dark. When it returned, she found herself outside the corridor.
It must be the Treasure Seeker’s Spatial Shift... Qiao Sang realized and turned her head, only to see the Treasure Seeker as expected.
"Xunxun!"
The Treasure Seeker stared seriously at the entrance to the corridor.
Qiao Sang followed its gaze and saw Number 98, who was now leaning weakly against the wall, looking at her in shock.
"Save her!" Qiao Sang decided on the spot.
Although she didn’t know much about Grudgebound, the fact that it attacked humans was enough to confirm that it was a dangerous familiar!
"Xunxun!"
The Treasure Seeker called out, its eyes glowing blue.
Next, the woman appeared beside Qiao Sang.
She sat on the ground, her mouth slightly open, her expression frozen in disbelief.
Spatial Shift?
It must be Spatial Shift!
Who could tell her why a Ghost-type Companion Beast would have a Psychic-type Advanced Skill?!
Then she thought of something and came to her senses, shouting, "We need to go, fast!"
At that moment, a little girl with purple lips and a deathly pale face, wearing a blood-stained white dress and looking about five years old, appeared at the entrance of the corridor, staring at them expressionlessly.
Qiao Sang’s body stiffened, and she asked with difficulty, "Is this... the Grudgebound?"
"Yes", the woman said, struggling to stand. She was about to explain the situation when a slightly playful mechanical voice cut in.
"Wait, let me check... Grudgebound, a Ghost-type Champion-level familiar, currently in possession mode. It can apparently see spirits and help the dead fulfill their wishes, at the cost of their souls. The more resentful the soul, the more it likes it, but it completes the deceased’s wish before Absorbing. It’s a relatively principled familiar... Ah, although it’s quite powerful, I believe it’s no match for you, go for it!"
The woman: "..."
Qiao Sang: "..."
"Xunxun..."
The Treasure Seeker stared intently at the little girl, quietly putting away the Familiar Identifier.
Meanwhile, in the Augustus Competition Hall, almost all the spectators were focused on the same live stream.
There was a moment of silence, followed by a cacophony of voices.
"Heaven! A Grudgebound! This hospital actually has a Grudgebound! That little girl must have died a terrible death!"
All the deceased possessed by a Grudgebound had died tragically, without exception.
"Looks like we’re in for some big news!"
"Damn, that Ghost-type Companion Beast can use Spatial Shift?!"
"What’s with that Familiar Identifier! It’s too much of a troublemaker!"
"Call the police! Where there’s a Grudgebound, there’s injustice!"
"I’ve never seen a Grudgebound before, this ticket was worth it!"
At that moment, one of the spectators, looking at the figure in the white dress on the screen, his pupils dilated, and he swallowed hard, his voice dry.
"Remember the man who was crying earlier? This is his daughter."
(End of Chapter)
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