A Witch's Revenge

When I was on a train, an elderly woman failed to use her age as leverage and tried to get back at me by stealing my spiritual cleansing tool.

I chuckled to myself.

This tool was key to saving her son.

1

"My hand is injured. Switch your bunk with mine and I'll take the lower bunk," she ordered, her tone leaving no room for negotiation, which made me glance up at her with annoyance.

The one who stood in my sight was an old woman with her right hand in a sling around her neck, yet her voice was full of vigor.

She grabbed my luggage and tossed it onto the upper bunk. "Stop wasting time. Get moving now!"

I lay back, feeling even more comfortable with the whole bed to myself. "Thank you for offering your bed for my luggage. I was troubled this bed was too small just now."

The middle-aged man on the opposite lower bunk chimed in to support the old woman. "Miss, you look quite pretty. But why are you bullying an old lady?"

"Oh man, such a city girl like her doesn't have any respect for us country folks," the old woman said, her arrogance intensifying with the support.

"How could she do such a thing? I'm from the countryside too."

Clutching my stomach and letting out a few exaggerated groans, I retorted, "Alas, I can handle the pressure myself, but my baby can't! I didn't want to use it as leverage, but you're getting me out of options!"

The man in the middle bunk was disturbed from his sleep and grumbled. "She seems more energetic than the young lady. My ears are ringing."

The old woman was left speechless.

Even the middle-aged man switched sides, tossing her bag up to the upper bunk.

"How could you be so brazen, even taking a pregnant woman's bunk?"

The old woman shot me a glare but reluctantly climbed to the upper bunk.

Once there, she didn't stay quiet and began boasting to the middle-aged about her son's achievements.

"My son is quite the achiever. He bought a big house in the city, which was paid in full! He knew my hand was injured from farm work and specifically told me that kind-hearted people on the train would surely offer to switch bunks."

Returning from the restroom, I mouthed to her, "I'm not pregnant."

Her bragging was cut short, and she pointed at me, speechless for a while.

Her chest heaved with frustration, and she lost interest in boasting about her son, likely unable to fall asleep tonight.

Finally, I could get some proper rest.

2

At dawn, we arrived at the terminal.

I went to the address given by my employer.

Coincidentally, that old woman was standing at the entrance of the house I was headed to.

Seeing me behind her, she straightened up instantly and then scrutinized me with barely contained excitement.

Suddenly, she burst into laughter like a mad woman.

"You must be the girlfriend my son's dating, right? It's just to celebrate a birthday, and you want such an expensive gift. Do you think my son is a fool? You're living off my son, and how dare you order him around? What a disobedient girl you are! I came here specially to teach you some manners. Since you clearly lack respect for me, then I definitely won't allow you to enter this house today."

She clung to the doorframe, glaring at me as if she was ready to fight me to the death if I dared to step inside.

After her tirade, I pieced together the situation.

My employer had mentioned in messages that he had a girlfriend, but she had long been scared away.

So, the old woman had mistaken me for her.

Looking at the house haunted by evil spirit, I covered my face, pretending to sob quietly. "I can't take such a humiliation. I'll leave, okay?"

The old woman looked frustrated, perhaps surprised by my quick surrender, leaving her with unsaid imprecation.

I didn't give her a chance to come to her senses, quickly heading downstairs and leaving the scene.

The house was genuinely haunted by an extremely evil spirit.

I should have charged more for this job.

This job was a bust.

4

When I was five, my mother abandoned me at the train station.

Since then, I had been wandering alone.

It was said that I was cursed, so I tried to avoid bringing misfortune to others.

I became a person to cast out the demons haunting houses, always working alone.

This job required me to sleep in the so-called haunted houses, and I could earn a hundred thousand easily.

Most houses were believed to be haunted due to either the owner's guilty conscience or someone pretending to be a ghost, making the job akin to a vacation.

Well, occasionally evil spirits did exist, like this time.

This employer got a bargain, buying a house worth two million for five hundred thousand, and then hired me for one hundred thousand to exorcise the demons.

While I was contemplating, my phone rang.

It was Archie Johnson, the old woman's son.

"Miss, where are you?"

His voice sounded weak on the other end of the line as soon as the phone was connected.

Gobbling down the sandwich, I replied nonchalantly, "Your mother chased me away. She said she definitely wouldn't allow me inside. Seems like I can't take this job."

"How could that be possible? Surely there's a misunderstanding."

"Just ask your mom. She said she came here specially to teach me a lesson."

On the other end of the phone, there was a faint mumbling, suggesting that the old lady initially denied it. Only after realizing her son's girlfriend had already left did she come to terms with the situation.

Suddenly, a fierce argument erupted.

After giving my address, I distanced myself from the phone, hung up, and calmly continued eating my pasta.

5

With the deposit I hadn't returned, I went to a spa and found a top-notch masseur.

Whether the massage was good or not, I couldn't tell, but he was incredibly handsome and had an air of integrity about him.

I playfully nudged his arm with my foot, and he blushed shyly.

It was quite comforting to see him like this.

As I enjoyed the massage, I opened an online forum and started browsing.

Sure enough, Archie had posted another plea for help.

The reward was 150, 000, and soon someone took this job.

The ID that accepted the job was familiar to me. It belonged to a notorious fraudster in the industry, who relied on luck to exorcise evil spirits.

The last time he encountered a real ghost, he even came begging me.

He was terrified out of his wits and ended up paying me several tens of thousands to help exorcise it.

Knowing it was him, I contentedly turned off my phone.

Within three days, the old lady would be pleading with me.

I needed to think carefully about how much reward to ask for this time.

Would it be enough to keep this charming young man by my side?

6

The old lady was even weaker than I anticipated.

She showed up at my door early the next morning.

She looked quite haggard and was stuttering, a stark contrast from her arrogant demeanor on the train.

She bowed to me and pleaded with me, "Miss, I was mindless yesterday. Please forgive me and save my son."

I felt no sympathy, only surprised that the old lady was quite flexible.

"Is your son unable to leave that room now? And he stays awake for less and less time with each passing day?"

She nodded repeatedly.

"Does he feel tormented by extreme pain at midnight every day, unable to move as if he's pinned in place?"

Hope sparked in her eyes as she clung to my knees, "Miss, you're spot on!"

It wasn't that I had foresight. It was mainly because the cowardly fraudster's mishap last night had spread throughout the circle.

To save his dignity, he began spreading rumors about how fierce the ghost was, claiming his survival was a testament to his skills.

If it were others last night, they might not be able to survive.

Though not knowing the truth, no one dared to go there.

After all, risking their life for 100, 000 bucks wasn't worth it.

7

"He won't suffer for much longer," I said, and then dampened her joy with the cold reality, "because he won't wake up again."

Hearing that her precious son was on the brink of death was more distressing to her than encountering a ghost herself.

She bowed to me frantically, clutching my hand desperately, "Miss, please, save my son!"

I leaned back in my chair, casually crossing my legs, unmoved.

She was about to get on her knees in front of me, and I quickly stood up and walked away, "Don't do this. I can't accept that."

"Didn't you say yesterday that you definitely wouldn't let me into your house? So, I dare not go there now."

The old lady was quite cruel to herself and slapped herself without mercy. "It's all my fault. Miss, if you're willing to save my son, I'll do anything."

"Oh, really? Well, how about giving me five hundred thousand?"

8

Upon hearing the figure, she stopped slapping herself, and her gaze towards me changed.

She held back her anger, refraining from cursing me outright.

"Isn't that a bit much? How about... "

"One million."

Perhaps my price hike was so steep that she gasped, pressing down my extended finger, "Five hundred thousand. It's settled then."

I raised an eyebrow slightly, expecting more negotiation.

Surprisingly, she agreed so easily.

It seemed they were wealthier than I had imagined.

9

For the money, I went back with the old lady.

Archie lay unconscious on the bed, surrounded by a dark shadow.

A female ghost was pressing down on him.

Seeing that I could see her, she tilted her head and smiled at me.

Though she appeared to look at me, her eye sockets were empty, blood slowly seeping from them and corroding her pale face.

She unnaturally twisted her head, trying to scare me off.

I knew she wasn't inherently malicious. After all, even that fraudster with no real skills managed to escape her grasp, and the old lady was still in good spirits.

She smiled at me, and I returned the smile.

But what had caused her to become like this, with such intense resentment?

Seeing that I wasn't afraid, she tightened her grip on Archie's hand, a warning to me.

I smiled reassuringly at her and spoke in a voice only we could hear, "Feel free to do so. Are you tired? Do you need my help?"