Chapter 180: Outbreak

Sun Mang had never seen his grandmother in such a state, and he knew better than anyone that an ordinary dagger could never harm an evil spirit.

But in the next second, something unexpected happened: the dark shadow pierced by the dagger actually let out a pained wail.

Sun Mang even forgot to breathe, and the sense of constriction upon his body vanished instantly.

He did not rejoice; instead, he watched helplessly as the malevolent spirit merged into one, its hostility surging tremendously.

At this moment, the target it wanted to deal with was Grandma Sun!

Grandma Sun's strike, even with all her strength, failed to completely eliminate it, and instead, it triggered an even more frenzied retaliation.

But she did not regret it. She merely stared fixedly at Sun Mang not far away and slowly closed her eyes.

"No! Let go of my grandmother!"

Sun Mang rushed forward, only to be slapped to the ground by the malevolent spirit.

He tried to get up to fight desperately, but he was pinned under its foot, unable to move.

"Little brother, don't be in such a hurry. Once I eat her, it'll be your turn!"

As if to show off, the malevolent spirit slowly opened its bloody maw, approaching Grandma Sun inch by inch.

"Grandma..."

Sun Mang's bones made cracking sounds from his violent struggling, yet even so, he could not break free.

He watched helplessly as Grandma Sun was swallowed by the spirit, his head throbbing with agonizing pain.

"Little Mang, don't cry. You're a little man now, you're not allowed to cry."

"Little Mang, Grandma has told you many times, no climbing trees. The trees are so high, what if you fall down?"

"Little Mang, Grandma made a new pair of shoes for you."

"Little Mang..."

Scene after scene of the days he had spent living dependently with his grandmother flashed by.

Grandma's tenderness, Grandma's strictness, Grandma's smile—all surfaced before his blurred vision.

She was the grandmother who loved him most!

Two lines of bloody tears slid from the corners of Sun Mang's eyes, and it felt as if something inside his body was about to explode.

"Die! I want you to die!"

With a world-shaking roar, a powerful current of air surged out from his body.

The malevolent spirit pinning him down didn't even have time to react before its soul was scattered to the winds.

The world went silent.

Sun Mang had no idea what had happened. Amidst a haze of blood, he saw his grandmother, whose breath was already as thin as a thread. With trembling hands, he pulled the old woman into his arms from the pool of blood, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Grandma, look at me, please look at me..."

***

The Su Family.

Su Yan suddenly jolted awake from her dream, her expression as dark as water. She quickly threw off the thin blanket, dressed, and climbed out of bed.

Something had happened!

Something had happened to Sun Mang!

"A-Mang, don't cry..." As if hearing Sun Mang's grief-stricken cries, Grandma Sun actually opened her eyes.

Sun Mang's face was already drenched in tears. "Grandma, don't leave me, I beg you, don't leave me."

Grandma Sun's eyes were filled with reluctance. She wanted to lift her hand to stroke his face, but she simply had no strength.

Sun Mang gripped her hand tightly and pressed it against his face, his heart feeling as if it were being carved by knives.

"It's me, it's all my fault..."

He had caused Grandma's death; his incompetence had caused Grandma's death.

"Silly child... actually, Grandma was already at her end, I just... never told you. It wouldn't have been tonight, it would have been tomorrow, or the day after..." Grandma Sun could not bear to see him feel even a shred of self-reproach, so she spoke without any burden at this moment.

"Grandma, how can I help you? Let me die in your place, I don't want to leave you... Grandma, don't abandon me..." Sun Mang's world had collapsed.

"Little Mang, those words Grandma told you to remember... do you still remember them?" Grandma Sun was already at the brink of death; she had no more time.

"I remember, I remember everything." Sun Mang held his grandmother tightly, as if by doing so, she would not leave him.

Grandma Sun smiled. "Good grandson, Grandma will always protect you... you must live happily..."

To live happily—this was her final wish and expectation for Sun Mang.

"Grandma!!!"

No matter how much Sun Mang wailed, Grandma Sun could no longer open her eyes.

Because of Grandma's passing, his world turned completely gray.

By the time Su Yan rushed over, it was already ten minutes later. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she realized something was wrong.

Though it was silent without a single sound, it made her heart sink completely.

She quickened her pace and entered the room.

In a pool of blood, Sun Mang sat motionless holding Grandma Sun, who had already passed away.

Although Su Yan knew that Grandma Sun's time was coming within these few days, she had not expected the old lady to leave in such a manner.

"Sun Mang?"

She called out softly.

Sun Mang seemed to recognize her voice; his vacant gaze fell upon her.

Seeing the tear tracks on his face, Su Yan felt a heavy, uncomfortable tightness in her chest.

"Sun Mang, it's me, Su Yan."

Sun Mang's tears burst forth once again. "Su Yan, I don't have a grandmother anymore."

As his raspy voice fell, all the grief erupted instantly.

***

Two days later.

With the help of Su Jianguo and Su Yan, Grandma Sun was laid to rest.

Although Su Jianguo never asked what had happened from beginning to end, he simply assumed the old lady had passed away in her sleep due to old age.

After settling all the funeral arrangements, he couldn't help but look toward Sun Mang, who was sitting in a corner of the courtyard.

Sun Mang was her daughter's classmate, and their relationship should have been quite good; otherwise, given her daughter's personality, she wouldn't have bothered with such matters.

Over the past two days, he had also learned a bit about Sun Mang's family situation—that the boy had lost his parents young and had lived dependently on his grandmother. Now that his grandmother had also passed, it was normal for the child to be unable to accept it for a while.

"Yan Yan, the matters here are mostly handled. I'll head back to the factory first. You stay and accompany your classmate; give him some good advice."

"Okay." Su Yan was also quite worried about Sun Mang's state.

Soon, only the two of them were left in the courtyard.

Looking at the despondent Sun Mang leaning against the wall, Su Yan sighed and walked over.

"Sun Mang, get up and go wash your face."

For the past two days, he seemed to have completely given up on himself, neither eating, drinking, nor washing.

Sun Mang remained motionless.

Su Yan frowned and repeated with a slightly louder voice, "Sun Mang, go wash your face."

This time he reacted, slowly standing up and walking toward the water vat with mechanical steps.

By the time he finished washing his face, five minutes had passed.

Su Yan could not bear to see him in this half-dead state. The old lady was gone, but he still had his own path to walk.

"Sun Mang, this incident really isn't your fault. Your grandmother's lifespan had reached its end; I knew it the first time I met her."

As Su Yan spoke the truth, Sun Mang finally raised his gaze and looked straight at her.

"It's true. I knew from the first time I came here, and your grandmother knew too, which is why she entrusted me to look after you."

After a long silence of two or three minutes, Sun Mang opened his mouth and let out a raspy voice.

"You were training me in the small woods because of my grandmother?"

"Yes, that's right. Your grandmother was truly good to you. Knowing you always wanted to become an exorcist, she asked me to help you." Su Yan gave a definitive answer, feeling that he should know what the old lady had done so that he could live well in the future.

(End of Chapter)