Running A Cemetery in North America Chapter 39: They’ve Come Knocking

"Is she dead?"

Wang Qiang, who was already terrified and collapsed to the ground, looked at Sun Yan speaking to the air, and couldn’t help but ask.

The giant figure lying on the riverbank soil was now slowly dissolving, until it turned into a motionless skeleton, chilling anyone who saw it in the middle of the night.

This thing had nearly dragged Wang Qiang into the water just now. If Sun Yan hadn’t saved him in ti, he would have been in real trouble tonight.

"As dead as dead can be." Sun Yan reached out and pulled Wang Qiang up from the ground, looking at the skeleton with a few more layers of sympathy in his eyes.

This Lady Monica’s corpse had been buried at the river bottom for years, her flesh long decayed, leaving only skin and bones, driven by the angry spirit filled with resentnt upon her death.

However, the murderer had long since escaped sowhere unknown, and, with so many years passed by, discovering the truth from back then had beco almost impossible.

"Let’s go, your father’s soul trapped in the river has already been put to rest by , we can go back now."

"You put him to rest? When did that happen, why didn’t I know?" Hearing Sun Yan’s words, Wang Qiang couldn’t even care about being scared anymore and quickly asked concernedly.

He had always been with Sun Yan just now, and hadn’t seen him perform any exorcistic actions at all.

Sun Yan certainly wouldn’t honestly admit that he drove his father’s soul out on the spot with a stick.

Such behavior is too shocking for people, and it’s likely Wang Qiang would retaliate once he comprehends it, even demanding a refund.

Money is hard to earn these days, once it’s in the pocket there’s no reason to give it back.

Sun Yan smiled calmly and said: "Mr. Wang, exorcism doesn’t have to be on a grand scale, I have my own thods, just now I spoke with your father’s spirit, and after he shared his last words, he left without any regrets, let’s go back first, you might want to see if your father has closed his eyes."

"You saw my father! What did he say to you, did he ntion ?"

"Let’s go ho first, Mr. Wang, I’ll tell you slowly on the way, and also about the burial issue..."

"Don’t worry, you helped such a great deal, my mother and relatives will surely agree to bury my father in the Evangelical Town Cetery. Now tell what his last words were."

"That’s good."

Sun Yan walked to the riverside, ready to push Monica’s skeleton back into the river; this woman is pitiful enough, and should not be exposed in the wild after death.

Just then, Sun Yan found sothing strange inside the skull.

It was a black crystal, though irregular in shape, its surface emitted a faint glow, attached to the inside of the skull, and would be hard to notice without careful observation.

With the Celestial Eye, this crystal had not a trace of evil, but was exceedingly pure.

Sun Yan then used the Ghost Torturing Stick to knock the black crystal down, weighing it in his hand: "Whenever a spirit monster manifests physical objects, most are rare spiritual treasures, for instance, a centipede’s essence might form a Wind Stabilizing Pearl, a toad’s might spit Anti-Miasma Pill, the Evil Spirit aligns similarly, this crystal surely has an uncommon origin, perhaps it can be useful in the future."

Pocketing the crystal stone, he forcefully pushed the corpse bone into the river, which instantly swallowed it, bobbing on the surface with the waves, finally sinking to the bottom and drifting downstream.

...

The next day.

Due to the liberation of the soul trapped in the river, as Sun Yan had anticipated, Wang Qiang’s father lying in the coffin smoothly closed his eyes.

Having personally witnessed Sun Yan’s thod last night, coupled with his father’s peaceful rest, Wang Qiang’s family very happily agreed that once the wake was over, they would send the body to the Evangelical Town Cetery for burial.

Given they were also Chinese, Sun Yan only charged an annual cetery maintenance fee of $500 USD, akin to car insurance, making everyone happy.

After spending a night at Wang Qiang’s, it was the next day that Sun Yan drove away, returning to Gospel Town.

This was his first business deal since taking over the cetery, although the money earned wasn’t much, it was very aningful to Sun Yan.

This ant that his graveyard was officially open for business, with belief that future business would beco increasingly promising.

When Sun Yan returned to the cetery, he saw a police car parked outside before he even got out.

Familiar face Chief Henry and another blonde Caucasian police officer were leaning against the car, smoking and chatting about sothing.

Seeing Sun Yan appear, the two imdiately walked over to greet him, judging by the cigarette butts scattered on the ground, they had been waiting there for quite a while.

"Father Jackson, where have you been this morning, your phone’s service is unpaid and unreachable, I’ve been waiting here with Chief Raymond for two hours."

Henry laughed and introduced the Caucasian officer next to him: "This is Chief Raymond from the Jinshui District Police Station, we’re here at the cetery specifically seeking your help."

"You’re looking for ?"

Sun Yan looked at Henry with vigilance: "Is there another evil spirit incident, let say upfront, I can help, but this ti paynt has to be made first, it’s not easy for to make a trip to town."

Raymond displayed a polite smile, this Caucasian had pronounced and deep features, with two strands of mutton-chop whiskers, appearing very elegant, possessing an old-style European aristocracy.

"Mr. Jackson, hearing from Henry that you’re the grandson of Saint Anna City’s, nay, California’s mightiest exorcist, we now have a tricky case at the station, it’s sowhat special, so I think seeking your expertise would be more appropriate."

Sun Yan calmly responded: "Even if you flatter like that, paynt is still required, and I don’t accept post-work bonuses."

"Certainly, I ca with sincerity, now please take a look Mr. Jackson, regarding this suspect, what are your thoughts." Raymond pulled out a photograph from inside his jacket and handed it to Sun Yan.

Sun Yan didn’t take it, only glanced over with lowered eyes at a distance, but that one look drastically changed his expression, instantly revealing a hint of shock in his eyes.

The photo’s background was a hospital, showing a man lying on a bed, covered with purplish-red pustules densely layered like buildings on flat land, chilling anyone who sees it.

This person was swollen like a drowned and rotted toad, grotesque and ghastly in appearance.

Yet, despite this, by the facial features, Sun Yan imdiately recognized the person’s identity.

Chen Xing!

"This suspect, the night before last, took a knife to brutally kill his girlfriend in his apartnt bathroom, his thod was extrely cruel, and by the ti our people reached the scene upon receiving reports, his nerves seed to have beco deranged, speaking nonsense. Soon after we sent him to hospital for examination, his body began exhibiting these symptoms, like being infected by so virus."

Raymond detailed Chen Xing’s situation to Sun Yan, who recalled hearing that social news broadcast on car radio during his trip to Dongmu Town.

Damn it, turns out that guy was Chen Xing!

"This man’s behavior seems unrelated to exorcism, why did you co looking for ?" Sun Yan asked.

Yet, internally, he couldn’t help but speculate, as soone who recently interacted with Chen Xing, Sun Yan was fully aware of his circumstances.

Seeing Chen Xing’s ghastly appearance in the photo, it was evident that it was a manifestation of Black Magic’s reaction, already in its final stage.

Though the problem was, he had clearly nullified all Black Magic from his body, how could Black Magic take effect again days later, raising great doubts in Sun Yan’s heart.

He had unwavering confidence in the abilities of True Monarch of Pure Origin and Mysterious Dao, Chen Xing was fine when he left the cetery, proving that there was surely no issue with him.

Yet now transforming into this state implied he was subjected to a new Black Magic curse after leaving the cetery.

Sun Yan squinted his eyes, entering a thoughtful state.

In this world, absolutely no Black Magic Master possesses enough mana to perform rituals across the Pacific Ocean, so why has Chen Xing still ended up this way?

Perhaps Sun Yan’s prior notion was misguided, for no rule says Southern Ocean Black Magic Master must stay within South Seas; Chen Xing’s Black Magic may have originated in North Arica.

Alternatively... after realizing their Black Magic failed, the adversary might have deliberately traveled from Southeast Asia to North Arica.

"We also found this on the suspect, does Mr. Jackson know where this item cos from?"

Chief Raymond brought out another photograph, displaying a blood-stained Buddha Pendant engraved with a bizarre deity bearing bat, snake, and human heads.

This made Sun Yan’s eyes widen instantly: "It’s that again!"

The worst news ca true; the Black Magic Master targeting Chen Xing had indeed arrived in North Arica!