"I can't just wear it myself?!" Grace Miller put it around her neck even faster, tucking it into her shirt. The moment her body touched the jade Buddha, she seemed to feel the aura of the Buddha that Henry Clark had mentioned.

"Alright, with this thing protecting you, just stay here and wait. I'll be back in an hour..."

After speaking, Henry Clark turned his head to look at a desolate factory building not far away. The thick demonic aura could be smelled even from a thousand meters away. "Maybe it'll take two hours..."

"You're going to leave me here alone?" Glancing around, Grace Miller swallowed nervously. "Are you kidding me? There's not even a streetlight, it's so deserted..."

"What are you afraid of? You're a national police officer, aren't you? If it's a person and they bother you, just grab a gun from the trunk and deal with them. If it's a wandering ghost, the Buddha I just gave you is more than enough to handle it." Henry Clark couldn't think of anything else to be afraid of—an earthquake, maybe?

"I... I think I'd better go with you. After all, I'm your partner. It wouldn't make sense to let you handle the case alone..." As she spoke, Grace Miller moved closer to Henry Clark, forcing a smile. This was a rare sight—usually, Grace Miller was always fearless and bold.

"Heh, this is your own choice." Henry Clark didn't try to stop her anymore, turning and stepping into the calf-high grass, walking over the muddy ground toward the factory.

Grace Miller followed closely behind like a fan chasing a celebrity, quietly grabbing onto the back of Henry Clark's shirt with her small hand to feel more at ease.

This was the first time the two of them had walked together like this...

The air was filled with the unique fragrance of grass, the sounds of various insects chirping endlessly in their ears, and the beautiful moon in the sky seemed brighter than ever. Everything was so perfect—it could be called the ideal setting for a romantic date. Unfortunately, neither of them was in the mood. One was scared to death, the other just wanted to finish the job and go home to sleep.

After making their way through the thick grass, they finally stepped onto a patch of gravel. Looking down at his casual leather shoes, Henry Clark figured it would take at least three washes to get them back to normal—he was a bit annoyed.

Grace Miller, on the other hand, was sizing up the factory in front of them. Three stories tall, not very large, with old windows that were either broken or covered in dust. It was clear the place had been abandoned for years.

"What did you say your name was again..." Henry Clark had forgotten.

"Grace Miller..." she replied, a bit annoyed.

"When we go in, don't talk, don't get within five meters of me, and don't get more than six meters away. No matter what you see or feel, just pretend you're watching a horror movie. Do you have a favorite song?" Henry Clark instructed calmly—this was already the greatest "privilege" he could offer Grace Miller.

"I... I don't really know any songs, just some children's songs from when I was little, like 'Two Tigers'..." Grace Miller said, a bit embarrassed. While others were chasing celebrities, she had spent all her time studying and had no time for such things...

"That one will do. Hum it nonstop, but don't make a sound—sing it in your mind. Got it?" Henry Clark confirmed patiently.

Grace Miller nodded obediently for once and started "singing" in her head.

"Let's go..." With a faint smile, Henry Clark turned and walked toward the tightly shut wooden doors...

Chapter 9: Exorcism

Taking a deep breath, both hands in his pockets, he kicked the old wooden door of the factory. Dust rained down like a shower, but the door just shook twice and didn't budge—how embarrassing...

Brushing the dust off his shoulder in frustration, Henry Clark impatiently looked back at Grace Miller, who was still humming "Two Tigers" in her mind.

"Hey, didn't you say you wanted to help?" Henry Clark sighed helplessly.

Still silent, Grace Miller's lips twitched involuntarily. Just a moment ago, she had admired Henry Clark as a master, but now she was half disappointed.

Rolling her eyes at Henry Clark, she fixed her gaze on the locked wooden door, suddenly gathering her strength. She jumped more than half a meter into the air, spun rapidly, and delivered a beautiful spinning kick. The power from her slender right leg was astonishing—the door sank with a thud, but still didn't move.

She landed gracefully, as light as a fairy descending to earth.

Henry Clark remained unusually quiet, not making any sarcastic remarks as he usually would. But then, the large double doors, as tall as a person, creaked loudly and fell flat to the ground, sending up another cloud of dust.

"Tch, just a little trick." Henry Clark wasn't in the habit of giving compliments. He naturally stepped onto the door and walked easily into the territory of the Jorōgumo.

Henry Clark's personality was annoying, but Grace Miller still followed him inside, trembling with fear. Following his instructions, Grace Miller kept exactly five meters away, not daring to stray even half a meter.

Scanning the empty factory, there was nothing left inside except for dust everywhere and large cobwebs in the corners. It was even cleaner than a place that had been robbed, making one wonder why they even bothered locking the door.

Through the countless holes in the roof, moonlight poured into this forgotten land, preventing darkness from completely taking over the factory—sometimes bright, sometimes dim, just like society...