Chapter Seventy-Six: The Grimace’s Game

Little Han was caught off guard and fell victim at once. Clutching his face, he staggered back a few steps before collapsing to the ground, grinning foolishly all the while.

Wu Jue hurried forward to check on him, and immediately realized that Little Han had inhaled Ghostface’s hallucinogenic smoke and had begun to succumb to its effects.

It was a pity that Little Han had not yet fully mastered the power of the Divine Mirror. Otherwise, with his abilities as the Mirror Hero, he ought to have been able to avoid Ghostface’s poisonous mist with a mere thought.

Wu Jue could only sigh inwardly at Little Han’s youth and inexperience. He turned sternly to Ghostface and demanded, “Where’s the antidote? Hand it over!”

Ghostface stood up, feigning elegance as he tugged at his bow tie, and laughed, “How could I possibly do that? You think I’d just hand over the antidote so easily? Wu Jue, do you take me for a child who’d be scared off by a threat?”

Wu Jue cracked his knuckles menacingly, the sound clear and sharp. “Then I’ll just have to use force and let you know what it feels like to have your skin split open.”

Ghostface recoiled, pretending to be terrified. “Oh my, I’m so scared! What are you going to do—kill me? No, no, no, that’s not how the game is played. You should beg me, and if I’m satisfied, perhaps I’ll help your little friend with the antidote.”

Wu Jue didn’t bother with pleasantries. He swung a punch at Ghostface’s nose, but Ghostface dodged nimbly. After exchanging a few moves, Wu Jue quickly seized him by the neck and dragged him back.

“Now, do you have anything else to say?” Wu Jue demanded.

Ghostface mumbled, “Yes! I’ve already taken the antidote myself. What can you do to me?”

Wu Jue threw him to the ground and, upon inspection, found that Ghostface was indeed chewing something in his mouth—a chewed-up capsule.

This infuriated Wu Jue; Ghostface was truly cunning!

While he was at a loss, the elder of the two sisters nearby shushed him and signaled for him to come over.

Wu Jue immobilized Ghostface with a strike to his pressure point, then crouched down beside the sister. “What do you want to say?” he asked.

She smiled. “I can help you, but on one condition: you must release my sister and me.”

Wu Jue sneered, “I never intended to keep you here forever. Speak—what’s your idea?”

She played coy. “I can’t just tell you, can I? Free my sister first, and then I’ll tell you how to deal with that freak.”

Wu Jue glanced at Little Han, then reached out and broke the mirror-light restraints binding the sisters. However, he swiftly tapped the elder sister’s numbing point, and before she could rise, she found herself paralyzed.

Startled, she demanded, “What have you done now?”

Wu Jue replied quietly, “Just being cautious. Now, speak.”

The sister sighed. “Did you see his bow tie? Hidden inside is the same drug that knocked out your friend. Why don’t you use it against him and see if that villain will hand over the antidote?”

It was a ruthless plan. Wu Jue hadn’t thought of it, not because he couldn’t, but because his nature wouldn’t allow him to stoop to such vile tactics.

At this point, he could no longer afford scruples.

He turned and strode quickly to Ghostface, ready to haul him up. But to his surprise, Ghostface dropped to his knees, laughing maniacally. “How boring! Monk, are you even a man? Taking a woman’s advice—where’s the fun in that? Let’s play a more interesting game. I’ll give you a choice: win, and I’ll give you the real antidote; lose, and you hand those two women over to me while I save Little Han. Either way, you win.”

Wu Jue stared coldly at him. “Why are you doing this? What do you gain?”

Ghostface burst out laughing. “No reason, I just can’t stand those two women and want to torment them. I love bullying the weak—it’s thrilling, don’t you agree?”

The two sisters behind immediately shrieked in terror. “No, Master, please don’t listen to him! We were wrong before, we truly regret it now. Please don’t!”

Wu Jue’s face darkened. Only now, at the brink of disaster, did they realize their mistake. Truly, women are hard to fathom.

Yet he didn’t answer them immediately. Instead, he approached Ghostface. “I know you won’t let it go unless I play your game. Tell me what you want.”

“Of course, a riddle game! Suppose my antidote can only save one person—will you choose to save yourself or those two women?”

Ghostface opened his mouth, and from under his tongue produced another capsule. “This may be the antidote, or it may be poison. You have one chance. Will you give it to the women and see what happens?”

Wu Jue picked up the capsule, unable to suppress a laugh. “You’re forcing me into a hopeless situation.”

“But, do I look like a good man to you?” Without hesitation, Wu Jue tossed the capsule into his own mouth.

Ghostface’s eyes widened in shock, then he laughed wildly. “Unbelievable! You’re actually willing to test the poison yourself? You’re doomed, that’s poison!”

But before he could finish laughing, something was shoved into his mouth. Wu Jue had stepped forward, blocked his jaw, and with a deft motion, forced the capsule into Ghostface’s mouth instead.

Now, Ghostface was left speechless, forced to suffer in silence. He collapsed to the ground, coughing dryly for a long while. “You… you played dirty! Are you still worthy of being a monk? You bastard, let me go, I’m dying!”

Wu Jue released the pressure point, letting Ghostface writhe miserably on the ground. Eventually, Ghostface produced the real antidote, but Wu Jue snatched it away.

“Now it’s my turn to play a game. Let’s see how many seconds it takes for you to hand over the antidote.”

Ghostface clutched his throat, rasping, “You…”

He crawled with difficulty to the car, lifted the seat cushion, and retrieved a hidden syringe—the real antidote.

Wu Jue took it efficiently but hesitated. “I don’t know how to use this. Sister, come help.”

The younger sister, startled, hurried over and administered an injection to Little Han. After a short while, Little Han’s silly grin faded, and he returned to normal.

As for the hapless Ghostface, he remained sprawled on the ground, unable to speak.

Wu Jue looked upon his pitiful state and finally tossed the antidote to him. “Remember, I haven’t been a monk for quite some time!”

Ghostface, clutching the antidote as if he’d been granted amnesty, lay back on the ground, breathing heavily until his composure returned.

Once Little Han was awake, Wu Jue helped him into the car. The two sisters called out, “What about us, Master? Are you just leaving us here?”

Wu Jue got into the car and replied, “Your sister will be able to move freely in half an hour. Then you can walk on. We’ll leave you transportation, but not yet.”

With that, he closed the car door and drove away.

Little Han, sitting beside him, couldn’t help but laugh. “Master, you’re still so kindhearted. They’ve tricked us several times, and you still help them?”

Wu Jue smiled. “Always leave a path for others, so you can meet again with goodwill. I don’t think those sisters are truly evil. Let’s give them a chance.”

With that, he started the car, merging once more onto the highway.