Sinisterium Pawnshop: Exclusive to Malevolent Objects

　　Near the antique street.

　　A desolate street with hardly any pedestrians.

　　A few sparse streetlights emit a faint glow.

　　Huzi stood at the crossroads, looking around the pitch-black surroundings, feeling goosebumps all over.

　　"Lu Fei, aren't we supposed to send that dead person away? Why did we come to this dark and creepy place?"

　　"The yin energy is strong at the crossroads. If you want it to appear, you have to come to a place like this." Lu Fei looked around and put down the things he was carrying.

　　"What? You still want it to show up?"

　　"If it doesn't appear, how can you apologize to it? Stop standing there and help me set up."

　　Under the dim light of the streetlights, Lu Fei and Huzi slowly took out the items they had bought during the day and carefully arranged them at the crossroads.

　　Pork head meat, roast chicken, soaked white rice, raw eggs, white tofu, dried fruits, sugar cakes, apples.

　　There are eight large bowls in total.

　　"Lu Fei, is there any particular reason for these things? Why do ghosts like to eat this stuff?" Hu Zi asked curiously.

　　"As the saying goes, people eat yang, while ghosts eat yin," Lu Fei explained as he tidied up.

　　"Boiled pork, roast chicken, sweet cakes, and fruits are all common offerings used in sacrifices. Soaked white rice, raw eggs, and white tofu are things that ghosts love to eat."

　　"The Sophora tree is yin, and wine made from its flowers is the best for ghosts."

　　"Eight large bowls, plus a bottle of wine, make a proper feast for ghosts, also known as offering yin food."

　　Hu Zi was stunned, and said admiringly, "Isn't your family in the pawn business? How do you know all this?"

　　"Our pawnshop specializes in dealing with evil entities; how could we survive in this business if we didn't know the trade?" Lu Fei said patiently.

　　Of course, all of this was taught to him by his grandfather.

　　Then, he directed Hu Zi to place the paper figures on both sides of the eight large bowls.

　　"What are these two paper figures for?"

　　"These are called the Golden Boy and the Jade Maiden, to serve it food. If it wants to eat the offerings on this table, then we have something to discuss."

　　Tiger whistled, saying, "I've prepared so much, with the eight bowls and the Golden Boy and the Jade Maiden. I should be sincere enough, right? It shouldn't make things difficult for me, should it?"

　　"I can't guarantee that. In any case, be sincere. By the way, do you have any cigarettes? Just in case the other party likes smoking, it's better to be prepared."

　　"Yes, yes, yes!"

　　Tiger hurriedly took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. They were the ones he usually smoked, not a great brand, but it was a gesture of goodwill.

　　After arranging everything, Lu Fei took out some incense ash and sprinkled it in a large circle around the eight bowls.

　　"Lu Fei, what does this mean?"

　　"These are all foods that ghosts love. Drawing a line to separate them keeps other wandering spirits from being attracted."

　　After completing all the preparations, Lu Fei checked the time; it was exactly past midnight.

　　"Let's begin."

　　He had Hu Zi light the incense and candles, placing them in front of the eight bowls.

　　Then he burned paper money towards the eight bowls, inviting the deceased to come out and eat.

　　"No hard feelings, whether you're a big brother or a big sister, I didn't mean to take your money; I was also tricked by that old man."

　　"There's a head for every grievance and a debtor for every debt. You should go after him for the reckoning. After this meal, please let me go."

　　"I'll burn more paper for you..."

　　Hu Zi continued to burn the paper while bowing to the surroundings.

　　However, after half an hour, those eight bowls of food still showed no signs of movement.

　　"Lu Fei, why hasn't anything happened yet? Is it not going to let me go?" Hu Zi was getting a bit panicked.

　　"Don't worry, keep bowing." Lu Fei wasn't sure either, but he couldn't show it, or else Hu Zi would be even more unable to handle it.

　　"Please don't blame me, the wronged has a target, and the debt has an owner. Please let me go..."

　　Huzi kept bowing.

　　Suddenly, a cold wind blew by.

　　The ashes fluttered about.

　　The paper figures standing on both sides of the eight bowls began to tremble lightly.

　　Huzi immediately shivered, his eyes filled with terror as he gazed around, stuttering, "Lu Fei, is it here?"

　　"I don't know, I can't see anything." Lu Fei narrowed his eyes, looking around.

　　He could feel a chill, but he couldn't locate where it was coming from.

　　"You continue..."

　　Lu Fei turned around and, seeing Huzi, couldn't help but narrow his pupils.

　　Huzi was frozen in a crouching position, his face blank, still holding the joss paper money in his hand, but he didn't drop it into the fire盆, as if he had been struck by a spell.

　　In the flickering light of the fire, there seemed to be a strange dark shadow clinging to his back.

　　"It's here!" Lu Fei's heart leapt. He tried to stay as quiet as possible to avoid provoking the other party.

　　After a few seconds of stillness, Huzi suddenly raised his head and stared straight at the eight bowls of food for the spirits with an eerie gaze.

　　He opened his mouth, making a grating sound of grinding teeth, drool dripping from the corners of his mouth.

　　Then, he grabbed the food from the bowls with his hands and stuffed it into his mouth wildly.

　　His face and mouth were smeared with grease, and he made pig-like grunting sounds as he gobbled down the food without even chewing.

　　The scene was both disgusting and terrifying.

　　Lu Fei, watching from the side, felt goosebumps all over, but he couldn't step in to stop it.

　　He knew that the dead person was using Huzi's body to eat. As long as the dead person was willing to eat, it was a good thing.

　　But this way of eating, it's like a starving ghost.

　　Wait, a starving ghost?

　　Lu Fei's eyes changed slightly as he looked at Hu Zi again.

　　His body was as thin as a skeleton, but his belly was bulging high.

　　This isn't just like, it's definitely a starving ghost!

　　Lu Fei's heart skipped a beat.

　　A starving ghost is the greediest when it comes to food. I wonder if this offering is enough for it. If it doesn't get full, wouldn't that backfire?

　　Sure enough, in just a few minutes, the eight bowls of offerings were devoured by Hu Zi like a storm.

　　He seemed still not satisfied, turning around, his dull eyes fixed on Lu Fei, constantly licking his teeth with his tongue.

　　That gaze was terrifying. Lu Fei, mustering his courage, placed the copper coin he had bought in front of him.

　　As long as he accepts this copper coin, it's considered settled.

　　"Brother, my friend here knows he was wrong, this is the money he's paying you! Please have mercy and let him go."

　　But Huzi did not look at the copper coin; he just stared intently at Lu Fei, drool dripping from his mouth.

　　Lu Fei felt a sense of unease and carefully backed away.

　　The moment he moved, Huzi moved too, making strange noises in his throat, pouncing on Lu Fei like a hungry dog after food.

　　Lu Fei quickly ran away, and Huzi missed his target.

　　Huzi, with his thin frame and large belly, lost his balance and fell to the ground.

　　Seizing this opportunity, Lu Fei poured a tube of rooster blood over him.

　　Huzi's body convulsed as if electrified, and then his protruding belly began to move in a bizarre manner, his expression extremely painful.

　　Finally, with a loud 'wow,' he vomited out.

　　But what he vomited was not the food he had just eaten, but clumps of black, viscous material like silt, with an unbearably fishy and foul smell.

　　He vomited a large puddle, and it still didn't stop, as he continued to dry heave.

　　Lu Fei hurriedly endured the stench, stepped forward, and sprinkled a handful of incense ash into his mouth, finally stopping his vomiting.

　　Otherwise, he would have ended up vomiting out his own internal organs.

　　Lu Fei dragged him to the side and splashed some cold water on his face.

　　He slowly opened his eyes, and his first words were, "Is it gone?"

　　Lu Fei shook his head.

　　Hu Zǐ's gaunt body trembled, and the light in his eyes dimmed. He hoarsely asked, "Am I doomed?"

　　"No, on the contrary, there is hope!"

　　Lu Fei pulled out that copper coin, his eyes bright, and said, "I know what this evil thing is! I have to say, you are really lucky. This is a uniquely advantageous and excellent object!"