Chapter 28: Spirit of the Planchette

Entering the dormitory building, I climbed to the fifth floor. Liu Jun looked down from the stairwell railing and confirmed his suspicions. Viewed from above, the staircase formed a "Return" (Hui) character. While this layout might be harmless to the living, it was a trap for any ghost—it would be nearly impossible for one to find its way out.

Entering room 502, I found it somewhat messy. Why are girls' dormitories even more chaotic than boys'? I scanned the room; there were faint traces of residual ghostly energy, though much weaker than before. The spirit had likely departed.

"Where are the people who lived in this dorm? Take me to see them," Liu Jun said to the middle-aged man.

They drove to the hospital. Inside, they found the girl who had lost her mind, cowering on her bed, constantly retreating while waving her hands and screaming, "Don't come over! Don't come over!"

A middle-aged woman stood in the corner of the room, tears streaming down her face, watching in helpless agony. Suddenly, several nurses rushed in; one quickly administered an injection while the others held the girl down. Soon, she quieted. The Dean of Students stepped forward with Liu Jun and introduced him.

"This is a master ghost-catcher, a true expert—a high-level practitioner who can summon lightning to split an office desk." *Heh, split a desk? Next time I’ll show you how to split an entire office.*

"Master, please, can you save my child? A friend told me she’s only like this because her soul was stolen. Please, you have to help," the middle-aged woman pleaded, grabbing Liu Jun’s arm. Whether she truly believed or was just clutching at straws, she wasn't going to let any hope slip away.

"Alright, alright, I’ll help, but let go first." The woman’s grip was surprisingly strong; if she kept it up, Liu Jun would need an orthopedic surgeon to reattach his arm.

She finally released him, and Liu Jun flexed his arm. He could certainly call back a soul, but the truth was, he didn't actually know how. He told the woman the ritual had to be done at night and that he would return then. The Dean and the middle-aged man agreed to return as well.

On the way back, Liu Jun called Mo Li for advice. Mo Li told him that the Maoshan method for soul-summoning required a "Spirit-Startling Talisman," and that Mo Yu would know where to find one. Liu Jun hung up and drove straight to the shop, where he found Mo Yu, the large black dog, sleeping soundly on the second floor.

"Brother Dog, Brother Dog, give me a few Spirit-Startling Talismans to use," Liu Jun said, nudging him.

"What is that brat up to now?" Brother Dog rose slowly. Liu Jun explained the situation at the school. Without a word, the dog got up and nudged a stack of talismans toward him. Just as Liu Jun turned to leave, the dog called out.

"You waste of space, don't you need to bring some supplies?" *That venomous dog, who is he mocking?*

"I already have some—I packed plenty of talismans," Liu Jun replied, puzzled. Brother Dog rolled his eyes, ignored him, and laid back down.

Liu Jun didn't press the matter and left with the talismans. After resting and eating with Fatty, he tucked the little fox into his jacket and headed back to the hospital.

At the hospital, it was still early. Liu Jun spoke with the woman to learn more about her daughter, Wu Zhenzhen, who lay on the bed. She was a girl who loved thrills but was actually quite timid. While they were talking, the balding Dean arrived and sat quietly to one side.

At eight o'clock, Liu Jun stood up and applied the Spirit-Startling Talismans to the door frame, the head of the bed, and the window. He checked his reference book on talismans, read a few lines, and tucked it back into his pocket.

"Wandering souls, return from where you linger. Three spirits take your place, seven souls guard the body. Heaven’s gate opens, Earth’s gate opens, the attendant brings the soul from a thousand miles away, the lost soul of Wu Zhenzhen. By the urgent order of the Law!" After chanting the spell, he placed a final talisman on Wu Zhenzhen’s forehead.

About ten minutes later, a gust of wind swept through the room for no apparent reason. Liu Jun smeared "bull tears" on his eyes and looked: a translucent figure identical to Wu Zhenzhen was standing by the bed, hesitating. Just as he was about to kick her back in, the soul finally merged.

A moment later, a small cough broke the silence. Wu Zhenzhen woke up. Her mother rushed forward, asking how she felt. They talked for a while—the usual "Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here?"

Liu Jun coughed; he couldn't let them chatter forever. Time was tight. The mother and daughter finally noticed him. The mother knelt down to thank him, but he hurriedly pulled her up—he couldn't accept such a gesture.

Liu Jun walked over to the bed and looked at Wu Zhenzhen. *Wait, isn't this the girl from the train who was scaring her roommate with the Disc Spirit game? She nearly lost her life playing games.* He didn't mention the train incident, as she likely didn't recognize him. He asked her to recount what happened.

It turned out that she and her roommates had played the Disc Spirit game once before. She had lucked out and summoned nothing, so she had faked it, moving the disc herself to scare her roommate. Later, after returning from a trip, she mocked her roommate for being easily frightened. The roommate, refusing to back down, suggested playing again in the school's abandoned dormitory building, where it was rumored that a girl who lived in room 502 had died.

*Kids these days are so bold,* Liu Jun thought. *It's a good thing they went to an abandoned dorm; if they’d gone to a graveyard, the spirits might have started a brawl over who got to play the game.*

The girls had ventured into the building with their phone flashlights. To show off their bravery, they went straight to 502.

Once inside, they moved a table to the center of the room and placed a piece of paper on it with "Yes" and "No" circles drawn on either side. They placed a small dish in the middle, each resting a finger on it to begin the ritual.

"Disc Spirit, Disc Spirit, does my boyfriend truly love me?" one girl asked. The dish slowly moved to "Yes." The girls weren't scared; they thought it was fun.

"Disc Spirit, Disc Spirit, will I pass this exam?" Wu Zhenzhen asked. The dish moved to "No."

"Disc Spirit, Disc Spirit, are you the senior student who died here?" another girl asked.

Suddenly, the dish began to tremble violently, as if something monstrous were trapped beneath it, slowly dragging toward "Yes." Seeing such a strange sight, the girls lost their sense of fun. They all stared at Wu Zhenzhen, hoping she was just playing a prank.

Wu Zhenzhen shook her head anxiously, not daring to speak. She pressed down hard on the dish, trying to drag it toward "No." Seeing the dish about to reach "Yes," Wu Zhenzhen pushed it with all her might, and it went flying. The girls screamed like pigs being slaughtered and scrambled out of the room. Back at their own dorm, no one dared mention it again. They climbed into bed and forced themselves to sleep.

Just as she finally drifted off, Wu Zhenzhen heard movement from the bottom bunk—the bunk belonging to the girl who had asked if the spirit was the dead senior.

She watched as the girl slowly sat up and walked to the window, facing outward. Just as Wu Zhenzhen was about to shout, she saw a female ghost with long hair and a blood-stained face appear beside the girl. The ghost looked at Wu Zhenzhen and said, "Don't be in such a hurry; I'll be back." With that, she jumped out the window.

*That line sounds just like the Wolf from the cartoons,* Liu Jun thought, though Wu Zhenzhen was in no state to appreciate the irony. Because the ghost hadn't jumped alone—the roommate had followed her down.