Mom's Back. The Villain Triplets Are in Trouble.

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Utilization and Counter-Utilization

Under normal circumstances, Lin Xian certainly wasn’t this foolish, but he was clearly bewitched by the Ghost Cultivator. He believed whatever the ghost said, turning a blind eye to even the most obvious inconsistencies.

With Lin Xian in its grasp, the Ghost Cultivator essentially had a hostage—a brainwashed, die-hard hostage who mistook a foe for family and would follow it anywhere.

Gu Qingyin sighed. Things were getting more complicated. She disliked handling complex cases. ’Using my brain is so exhausting.’

"Let’s go." Gu Qingyin turned and headed upstairs. "Go to your room and get the talisman. Regardless of who’s real and who’s fake, it won’t hurt to have it for protection."

Lin Xian was convinced and followed Gu Qingyin upstairs. He acted as a barrier between the real and fake Lin Tian, feeling no fear whatsoever, nor did he find his lack of fear the least bit strange.

The Lin Tian walking in front thought, ’Once Lin Xian gets that talisman, let’s see how that fake "Lin Tian" keeps clinging to him!’

’Even though we haven’t known each other long, I’ve gotten a sense of Gu Qingyin,’ the fake "Lin Tian" thought, her gaze lowered as she contemplated her next move. ’She’s a Heavenly Master with some ability, but not enough to scare me. What I’m afraid of is failing to deal with her for good, which would bring endless trouble.’

The fake "Lin Tian" sighed to herself. ’I actually quite enjoyed life here. I could chat with people so openly. A shame I’ll have to leave after tonight.’

Soon, the group of four arrived at Lin Xian’s room.

Gu Qingyin didn’t enter. She stood by the door and said, "Go on. Come right back out once you have it."

Lin Xian entered the room and thought for a few seconds. He hadn’t taken the talisman seriously at the time, so he’d just tossed it aside and forgotten where.

After a good while, he finally found the talisman in the gap between his nightstand and the bed.

Gu Qingyin’s eye twitched at the sight. ’Damn it,’ she thought, ’it feels like my hard work is being treated like trash—good thing I already got paid for it.’

Lin Xian stuffed the talisman into his pocket. When he turned around, his expression changed. "Where’s Lin Tian?!"

Huh? Gu Qingyin turned her head. Only the young woman beside her was left. She hadn’t even noticed when the other one had slipped away.

Gu Qingyin hissed. ’Such a rookie mistake. That shouldn’t have happened.’

’But this is an opportunity.’ As Gu Qingyin spoke, she calmly stepped forward. "It’s obvious she’s the fake. She’s afraid of the talisman, so she ran away." She formed a one-handed seal and silently recited an incantation, intending to awaken Lin Xian.

Lin Xian’s current state was like being trapped in a nightmare. He couldn’t be woken up by force, or it might damage his soul—a price not worth paying.

That was why Gu Qingyin hadn’t acted until now. She was waiting for an opportunity, a chance for doubt to form in Lin Xian’s heart and shake his conviction.

Now, Gu Qingyin felt the time had come. The fake "Lin Tian" had vanished before she could prove her identity. This was bound to raise doubts in Lin Xian’s mind. Even if the doubt was so minuscule that he himself wasn’t aware of it, it would be enough.

But just as Gu Qingyin raised her hand, Lin Xian deftly took two steps back, his face full of suspicion. "Who are you really? Are you in league with that ghost? Where did you take Lin Tian?"

Gu Qingyin froze and fell silent.

She had underestimated Lin Xian’s thought process. He was suspicious, but his suspicion wasn’t directed at the fake "Lin Tian." It was directed at them.

Gu Qingyin had the sudden urge to start cursing, but drawing on the professional composure she had cultivated over many years in the business, she took a deep breath and suppressed it.

Just then, a familiar voice came from the doorway. "Brother? Did you find the talisman?"

The real Lin Tian, who had been standing near the door, instantly broke out in goosebumps. Without daring to turn her head, she scrambled over to Gu Qingyin and grabbed onto her tightly.

Gu Qingyin felt a bit of secondhand embarrassment. "You’re carrying two talismans. Show a little courage. She won’t dare touch you."

Lin Tian nodded obediently, but her grip remained vice-like, not relaxing in the slightest.

Lin Xian seized the chance to dash out from behind the two of them. He ran to the side of the "Lin Tian" at the door and said accusingly, "Why did you just run off like that? I thought something had happened to you! Why didn’t you say you were leaving?"

The fake "Lin Tian’s" eyes grew red. Biting her lip, she said pitifully, "I’m sorry. I just felt a little cold and went back to my room to put on a jacket."

Lin Tian’s face was a mixture of horror and disgust. Grinding her teeth, she muttered, "This ghost is one of those fake-innocent types!"

Lin Xian frowned and pressed his hand to the fake "Lin Tian’s" forehead. "You don’t have a fever. Why does this illness of yours keep flaring up? Maybe you should go to the hospital to get it checked out."

The fake "Lin Tian" clearly stiffened for a moment. She clenched her fists, resisting the urge to pull away, then said softly, "It’s just a minor thing, no need for a hospital. If the media were to get a picture, who knows what kind of rumors they’d spread."

Lin Xian inwardly disagreed but still compromised. "Then I’ll have our family doctor come take a look tomorrow morning."

The fake "Lin Tian" smiled and nodded. "Thank you, brother."

"Hiss—!" Gu Qingyin’s arm throbbed with a sharp pain. She looked down to see Lin Tian’s pale pink fingernails digging into her flesh. She swatted her hand away. "Are you trying to bite the hand that feeds you?"

Lin Tian’s eyes were red with indignation. "I’ve never seen such a shameless ghost! That’s my brother!"

Gu Qingyin rubbed her arm, speechless. ’As if you’ve met that many ghosts,’ she thought.

"Sister Qing! You have to think of something!" Lin Tian grabbed Gu Qingyin’s arm again, shaking it forcefully.

"Alright, alright, just let me go first!"

Once she was free, Gu Qingyin started rummaging through her satchel. She had many kinds of talismans in her bag and had to search for a while before she found the right one—an Exorcism Talisman. It would automatically attack any evil it touched, and with considerable power. Perfect for the present situation.

Clutching the Exorcism Talisman, Gu Qingyin lunged forward, moving so fast she nearly left an afterimage.

Of course, an ordinary person like Lin Xian couldn’t react in time. The fake "Lin Tian" in front of him, however, retreated several steps in an instant. In less than a second, she had put a significant distance between herself and Lin Xian, her eyes fixed warily on Gu Qingyin.

But unexpectedly, Gu Qingyin stopped the moment she reached the doorway. She looked at the fake "Lin Tian" with a wry smile and said pointedly, "Pretty fast, aren’t you?"

The fake "Lin Tian’s" expression flickered. Her gaze darted past Gu Qingyin to Lin Xian, whose expression had, as expected, soured.

"Brother, I was just so scared... I don’t know what came over me..."

Lin Xian sized her up with an unreadable expression, saying nothing.

Gu Qingyin snorted, then turned and patted Lin Xian’s shoulder with practiced ease. "Open your eyes and take a good look. Don’t be so quick to trust your judgment. What ghosts do best is bewitch the hearts of men."

Lin Xian’s mind was in turmoil. He was starting to doubt the fake "Lin Tian," but that didn’t mean he believed the other one was his real sister. What if they were both fakes? Then where was the real Lin Tian?

He didn’t notice that a talisman was now stuck to the back of his shoulder.

Gu Qingyin observed him for two seconds, then suddenly formed a hand seal, flicked him between the eyebrows, and uttered a low command: "Wake up!"

Her voice was deep yet incredibly piercing, instantly cutting through the fog in Lin Xian’s mind.

Lin Xian froze on the spot.

The fake "Lin Tian’s" face contorted in alarm, and she cried out anxiously, "Brother!"

At the same time, Yin Qi billowed through the room, surging toward Lin Xian. But the moment the Yin Qi neared him, it was like water hitting fire. With a SIZZLE, it evaporated completely, and the fake "Lin Tian" let out an involuntary, wretched scream.

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