Madam Lolian's house is filled with old objects everywhere, such as phonographs, distillers, and coat racks, all of which seem quite exquisite, giving the impression that her family moved to Gospel Town because they had fallen on hard times.
Without anyone noticing, Sun Yan, with a very low presence, took a brief stroll around the villa.
Out of respect for others' privacy, Sun Yan didn't enter any room, but even so, he found some very strange things in the living room, kitchen, hallways, and other places.
That is, Madam Lolian's family seems to have a great love for 'snakes.'
Standing at the junction of the hallway and living room, Sun Yan looked up to examine the silver snake ornament hanging on the door frame.
It was a cobra with its body coiled, raising its head, and underneath it was the face of a woman, her eyes tightly shut. Despite this, the imagery gave Sun Yan a sense of eeriness.
Several snake-shaped decorations like this could be found throughout the villa.
"I'm sorry, I was in a hurry earlier and didn't get a chance to ask your name." At this moment, Tina came down from upstairs and politely inquired in front of Sun Yan.
"Jack Sun, you can call me Jack."
"Jack, earlier you mentioned your grandfather is the caretaker of that graveyard. Do you know if he has any acquaintances... I mean friends who can handle strange occurrences?" Tina hesitantly looked at Sun Yan, paused for a few seconds, and couldn't help but quietly ask.
Sun Yan smiled: "You mean exorcism?"
"Yes, that's what I meant." Tina immediately nodded excitedly, quite satisfied with Sun Yan's interpretation.
"If you need an exorcism, I can help. In fact, my grandfather is an exorcist, and I learned a lot from him since childhood."
Seeing Tina fall into hesitance again, Sun Yan realized this was a good opportunity to learn more about Madam Lolian.
He immediately pretended to be concerned as he asked, "Lady Tina, has something happened at your home recently that's making you uneasy? Some things shouldn't be delayed; otherwise, if the threat grows, it might be too late to fix it."
Tina bit her lip and spoke softly: "Jack, please keep this matter confidential because it's so bizarre. I don't want too many people to know, especially the town's residents. Can you do that?"
"Rest assured, we exorcists have our professional principles."
"Please follow me."
Under Tina's guidance, Sun Yan entered a room where a computer was set up, with dozens of surveillance windows displayed on the screen.
A closer look revealed that the footage was of every corner of the villa.
"My mother started behaving strangely three months ago. At first, I thought it was the effects of Alzheimer's, but as more odd events occurred, I began to think it might not be that simple. So, I secretly set up the surveillance in the house."
Tina sat down, moved the mouse, and clicked on a video from the D drive.
The surveillance timestamp was 11 PM. The night vision footage was in shades of black, white, and gray, clearly capturing every corner of the villa's kitchen.
A few seconds later, a figure appeared in the frame.
More accurately, she crawled into view, her arms pinned to her waist, moving along the ground like a snake, wriggling back and forth.
Sun Yan approached the screen, eyes wide open, trying to see the footage more clearly.
The woman was none other than Madam Lolian!
Madam Lolian, dressed in pajamas, crawled onto the stove against the cupboard, nudged open the kitchen window with her head, and skillfully crawled out.
If her human body could be ignored, Sun Yan would truly feel that the creature in the video was a living snake.
"Severe Evil Spirit possession, Madam Lolian is deeply affected by its influence." Sun Yan declared with arms crossed, absolutely confident.
Tina then opened a second video.
In the villa's master bedroom, Tina walked in from the doorway with a tray, intending to feed Madam Lolian.
But in the next moment, Madam Lolian seemed to be triggered by something, instinctively falling to the floor, quickly crawling with her hands, back against the wall, and directly climbing to the ceiling. She kept opening her mouth to threaten Tina, her tongue incessantly flicking.
"This footage was taken a few days ago. I believe my mom's situation is worsening, and she has been leaving the house every night recently. I don't know where she goes, which prompted me to invite neurologists online to check her condition at home."
Tina turned off the video and sighed deeply: "I've considered seeking help from an exorcist before, but relatives and friends kept telling me to believe in science, that my mom just has nerve issues."
"No need to panic, I'll stay near your home tonight for observation. If I detect the presence of an Evil Spirit, I'll eradicate it promptly," Sun Yan patiently comforted her while making plans in his mind.
Judging by Tina's demeanor, she seems to know very little about her own mother.
Given this, there's no chance of finding that special corpse on Tina's side; further exploration is needed with Madam Lolian.
After asking Tina a few less significant questions, Sun Yan left the villa early.
For now, even with his Celestial Eye, Sun Yan couldn't detect any issues in the villa. Staying longer would be a waste of time; it's better to return at night for a closer look.
...
Night falls, and Madam Lolian's house turns off its lights one after another, quickly plunging the entire villa into darkness.
"Ron, why aren't we filming inside the villa? Why come out here to feed the mosquitoes?"
In the yard, Ron and a group of people crouched in a corner, holding cameras, dressed in camo-like disguises, blending perfectly with the grass.
"Idiot, didn't you hear Lady Tina say her mom runs out of her room every night? We have to hide out here to film the most exciting footage."
"That footage is really eerie. What if Madam Lolian is truly possessed by an Evil Spirit? Would we be in danger?"
"Evil Spirit possession? If there really are Evil Spirits in this world, capturing them on film would make us rich. You better pray the Evil Spirit is real."
The group of college students huddled together, whispering and giggling.
Thud!
Suddenly, a sound came from the villa's second floor, and a twisted figure emerged from the window, climbing along the eaves and pillars down to the grass.
Ron's heart skipped a few beats as he excitedly raised the camera and fixated on that direction.
"Shut up! Shoot quickly, she's here!"
In the gaze of the group, that figure twisted forward on the grass, and with the faint moonlight, it was unmistakably Madam Lolian.