Chapter 42: A Pretty Good Act

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: A Pretty Good Act

The smart butler remained completely silent.

Gu Qingyin let out a dry, angry laugh. "Fine. I hope you can keep playing possum." She then took out her phone and called Lin Tian, asking her to open the door.

She hadn’t been able to find the Ghost Cultivator’s location when she’d come by in the afternoon; the realization only dawned on her after she went back to meditate.

The Yin Qi was everywhere, which meant the Ghost Cultivator was everywhere. ’Isn’t that just like the smart butler?’ She believed that an AI could be unfailingly responsive and considerate, and a Ghost Cultivator could be the same. At the end of the day, a ghost was just a bizarre magnetic field; it was perfectly logical for it to take the place of the AI.

Lin Tian came out moments later, overjoyed at the sight of Gu Qingyin. After opening the door, she grabbed her hand tightly. "You’re finally here." Heaven knows how she’d gotten through the last hour—terrified, yet still having to deal with Lin Xian, that cluelessly brave fool. ’So exhausting.’

Gu Qingyin entered the villa with Lin Tian. "Stay right by my side. No matter what you see, don’t panic. If you get scared, close your eyes, cover your head, stay quiet, and don’t run off."

Lin Tian nodded. Just as she was about to go warn Lin Xian as well, she looked up and froze.

Lin Xian was sitting on the sofa. Beside him sat a petite woman who looked somewhat familiar.

A chill ran down Lin Tian’s spine. There had been no one else in the room when she went to open the door!

Hearing the noise, the woman turned her head, revealing a face Lin Tian knew all too well—it was her own!

Lin Tian’s eyes widened in horror, and she subconsciously opened her mouth...

But in the next second, the woman on the sofa beat her to it with a scream.

Lin Tian silently snapped her mouth shut, took a step back, and tightened her grip on Gu Qingyin’s hand.

Gu Qingyin reassuringly patted the back of her cold hand. "Don’t worry, you’ll be fine." She leaned in and whispered, "You gave that talisman to Lin Xian, right?"

Lin Tian’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.

In the living room, Lin Xian looked at his sister with concern. "What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?"

"Lin Tian" shook her head, a fearful look on her face, but her gaze darted toward the door.

Lin Xian noticed and followed her gaze.

When he saw Gu Qingyin standing with another Lin Tian, he froze. After a couple of seconds, he rubbed his eyes hard. He looked again—Lin Tian was still by the door. ’Then who is this person next to me?’

"Brother..."

Lin Xian jolted back to his senses. He instinctively took a step back, dodging "Lin Tian’s" outstretched hand.

"Lin Tian" immediately put on a hurt and fearful expression. "Brother?"

Feeling a pang of guilt, Lin Xian shuffled back toward her. Lin Tian didn’t normally call him ’Brother’ unless she was truly terrified.

"Lin Tian" successfully grabbed Lin Xian’s arm. The chill of her hand made him flinch, and his heart ached for her. ’Poor kid must be scared out of her wits.’

Seeing this, the Lin Tian by the door grew frantic. Hiding behind Gu Qingyin, she yelled, "Lin Xian, you dumbass! You’re being tricked!"

The "Lin Tian" inside the room said nothing, only hugging Lin Xian’s arm a little tighter.

Lin Xian remained silent, a grim expression on his face as he thought.

After Lin Tian had returned from seeing Gu Qingyin, she had given him a talisman and told him a ghost had targeted them.

Lin Xian had never believed in ghosts and spirits, so he just placated Lin Tian with a few half-hearted words. He hadn’t said much after learning the three talismans cost a million, either. While his family wasn’t extraordinarily wealthy, they weren’t concerned about that little bit of money.

Afterward, because she was scared, Lin Tian had insisted they sit together in the living room, and neither of them had left the spot.

’So, the Lin Tian at the door must be the fake one! As for Gu Qingyin... I can’t tell if she’s real or not for now, but if she’s really skilled, she should be able to tell a human from a ghost, right?’

"Sister Qing, the Lin Tian next to you is the fake one," Lin Xian called out as a warning.

Gu Qingyin didn’t respond, silently leading Lin Tian into the living room.

The young woman behind her was so angry her face turned red. "Are you blind?! The one next to you is the fake!"

Lin Xian was unmoved. ’Of course the fake won’t admit she’s fake. She’ll just try her best to slander the real one and claim she’s the fake instead.’

Gu Qingyin sized up the "Lin Tian" inside the room. ’How strange,’ she thought. ’There isn’t a trace of ghost energy or Yin Qi on her. She looks like a normal human being, but the Lin Tian next to me is perfectly normal too.’

Gu Qingyin sighed to herself. ’A Ghost Cultivator, as expected. They really are on another level.’

She glanced at the person behind her. ’If this one is actually the Ghost Cultivator in disguise, then I really have to admire its courage.’

"I have a way to tell the real one from the fake. Do you dare to try it?" Gu Qingyin asked, her tone nonchalant.

"I dare!" the Lin Tian behind her shouted, her eyes fixed on her counterpart as she asked provocatively, "Do you dare?"

The other "Lin Tian" seemed to find this amusing. "Why wouldn’t I dare? Bring it on."

Lin Xian didn’t think a test was necessary. ’As if I could mistake my own sister for an imposter.’ But since both parties had agreed, there was no reason for him to object.

"When Lin Tian came back from my place this afternoon, she brought a brocade pouch with her," Gu Qingyin said unhurriedly. "Take it out and let me see it."

"Right here!" The Lin Tian behind her quickly produced the pouch and shot Lin Xian a dissatisfied huff. "You’re so blind, you’ll probably end up single forever!"

But this only made Lin Xian more vigilant. ’This ghost’s imitation of Lin Tian is scarily accurate.’

The next second, the "Lin Tian" beside him also pulled a pouch out of her pocket.

The two pouches were identical; to the naked eye, there was no discernible difference.

Lin Xian was stunned. ’The ghost impersonating Lin Tian even forged the pouch? That’s incredibly meticulous.’

"Bring it over," Gu Qingyin ordered in a flat voice.

"Lin Tian" hesitated, looking as if she was about to throw it, but Gu Qingyin stared her down and repeated, "Bring. It. Over."

"Lin Tian" cowered fearfully. Lin Xian couldn’t stand to watch any longer. He snatched the pouch, brought it to Gu Qingyin, and then hurried back to "Lin Tian’s" side, shielding her protectively.

The moment the two pouches were in her hands, Gu Qingyin could tell the real from the fake. The real pouch had her Spiritual Power marking on it; the one without a mark was the one handed to her by the Lin Tian behind her.

But Gu Qingyin didn’t jump to a conclusion. The pouches were empty. It would be child’s play for a Ghost Cultivator to steal an empty pouch.

Gu Qingyin raised an eyebrow. "Where are the contents?"

"But didn’t you say—" The Lin Tian behind her started to blurt out, but Gu Qingyin stopped her. She issued a new command. "I’m going to count to three, and you’ll both answer at the same time. Whoever answers slower is the fake."

"Why?" Lin Xian was confused. What did the speed of their answer have to do with it?

Gu Qingyin wore a dead serious expression. "The slower person is just copying the answer!"

The two Lin Tians exchanged a glance, holding their breath in preparation.

Gu Qingyin began the countdown. "One... two... THREE!"

The word was barely out of her mouth when the two Lin Tians spoke in near-perfect unison.

"I gave one to Lin Xian, and I have the other two with me."

"One is in my brother’s room, and I have the other two on me."

Because they spoke at the same time, their voices overlapped and were a bit jumbled, but it wasn’t hard to understand what each had said.

Lin Tian shot Lin Xian an exasperated glare. "You didn’t even keep the talisman on you!"

A flash of annoyance flickered in the other "Lin Tian’s" eyes, but she recovered quickly. "I saw my brother toss the talisman in his room, so I didn’t dare leave his side. I wanted to protect him."

As if he’d lost his mind, Lin Xian looked deeply moved. He shielded "Lin Tian" behind him and declared adamantly, "As long as I’m here, no one is going to hurt my sister!"

Lin Tian couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "I’m just so blessed to have you."