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Aaron quietly surveyed the surroundings, part curious and part wary, his fingers still latched onto Evan’s coat belt. Whether he was afraid of getting lost or losing Evan was debatable.

Evan’s eyes charted the hall, the wooden doors lining the walls, the stairs, stopping at the cloud of smoke bellowing past the corridors on the first floor. He snapped his gaze around, then up again.

Interesting.

All the wandering dark energies and resentful spirits were moving into a single direction: upstairs.

Other than the one spirit that had tried to scare Evan, there were no other creatures wandering the hall, despite a group of humans with warm bodies and fresh blood in their veins standing so close.

There was most likely a cursed object or something containing a powerful dark energy up there, strong enough that it was attracting all sorts of creatures and spirits in thearea. If Evan could find the object, or the main source of this concentrated darkness, maybe he would be able to rid this place of it.

But such a strong source of energy would be just as dangerous.

Evan glanced over his shoulder at the Greene couple, then at Aaron, who was curiously gazing at the old paintings hanging from the walls.

“I think it’s upstairs,” Evan said, waving the burning Noctis around, keeping the smoke swirling around them.

Aaron’s attention instantly shot towards the first floor. “What is?”

“The main source of this...evil. Probably a cursed object or some tool used in a ritual that still retains power,” Evan glanced at the couple’s ashen faces. “But I need to check it out alone.”

Aaron opened his mouth to argue, but the couple rushed towards Evan, cutting him off.

“Can you help us?” Mrs. Greene whisper-yelled again, her doe eyes widening into two huge saucers. Their fear was so palpable, eyes hopeful and desperate, that naturally...Evan wanted to use it to his advantage.

With his free hand Evan scratched his chin, feigning a look of doubt even though there was a direct solution to their problem. One of his tactics for milking out rich clients, something he wasn’t the least bit ashamed of. Perhaps hewasa rip-off like the townspeople accused him of being.

Aaron’s lips twitched.

Evan sighed. “My ability to help depends on the severity of the situation and the dangers surrounding it.”

And the generosity of your pockets.

Although he didn’t explicitly state that, it didn’t take a genius to guess the implication.

Upon hearing such a vague response, the couple’s faces froze in sync, anxiousness and dread radiating off their stiff bodies. All they wanted was to get rid of whatever was stuck to this place so they could sell it off for good.

Hitting the iron right when it was hot, Aaron elbowed Mr. Greene, chinning into Evan’s direction. Evan pretended to not notice.

Clearing his throat, Mr. Greene straightened his drooping shoulders. “Just…help us get rid of this place. It’s been tied to our bloodline for generations and has somehow cursed every successor who becomes the head of the family.”

“Which would now be Mr. Greene here after his father’s demise,” Aaron added with an arch of his eyebrow.

Oh.No wonder they were so desperately trying to cleanse this place. It was his own life Mr. Greene was trying to save.

Even though the revelation sparked Evan’s interest anew, his face remained solemn and unsure. Adding gas to the fire.

With another shove from Aaron, Mr. Greene coughed, “If you can help us, just name the price.”

There it is.

Evan’s lips twitched. “I’ll need some men and materials for the exorcism. Until the exorcism is over, I’ll suggest you keep the talismans on.”

The couple nodded fervently, clutching their wrists where the black threads warmed their cold skin. “Sure. Whatever you say.”

Aaron cleared his throat, trying very hard to suppress a grin. The cunning bastard was thinking about doubling the initial deal price now that the couple had been frightened enough.

But just as a flicker of ease stirred in Evan’s chest, his gaze drifted to the first floor—where thick, saturated black smoke coiled through the corridor. Unease quickly returned to stir his guts. If he stared long enough, he could decipher differentshapes and forms within smoke, clawing and rushing towards…somewhere.