Chapter 3 The Paper Doll Warding Off A Disaster

• The doors and windows of the burial clothing shop were all locked. How did this person get in?
• My heart was pounding because this situation was too bizarre.
• The footsteps got closer, stopping right in front of the coffin. I dared not breathe, my nerves on edge. I peered through the narrow crack that was left open, looking out anxiously.
• Even though I didn't understand why my grandfather had me hide in this dark coffin, I was certain he had his reasons.
• Thump, thump, thump...
• A series of soft, muffled sounds echoed from outside as if someone was gently tapping on a coffin.
• I held my breath, my entire body tensing up. I didn't dare to move.
• The knocking didn't last long, and soon there was silence outside.
• Have they left?
• I wasn't sure if the person outside had left or not, so I remained tense, sweating profusely due to the hot weather inside the coffin.
• After a long while with no noise outside, I started to relax a bit. My body eased up a little.
• Thump!
• My foot lightly kicked the inner wall of the coffin. I had been in such a rigid position that when I relaxed, I accidentally kicked it.
• My heart skipped a beat, and I tensed up again.
• There's still no sound outside, so they must have left, right?
• It was unbearably hot in the coffin. Although my grandfather said not to leave, maybe I could slightly open the coffin lid to get some air.
• I gingerly pushed open the coffin lid. Just as I was preparing to sit up, the lights in the burial clothing shop suddenly started to flicker.
• The light flickered on and off as if there was a power surge.
• Before I could regain my composure, suddenly, an aged face appeared before me, revealing a sinister smile.
• It was that elderly woman I had seen a few days ago!
• Her face was full of age spots, and the decaying smell almost made me vomit.
• Aside from her creepy, unsettling smile, what terrified me most were her eyes.
• Her eyes were no longer cloudy but had a faint green glow, extremely eerie.
• I was so frightened that I almost screamed.
• Instinctively, I wanted to escape the coffin, but my grandfather's last words echoed in my mind... I must not leave this coffin!
• To be honest, I was so scared that my legs turned to jelly. Even if I wanted to run, I just didn't have the strength to escape.
• An unpleasant, cold laugh came from the old lady as she spoke in a raspy voice, “In a ghost marriage, I need a bit of your blood to seal a ghost marriage contract. I forgot to take it last time. Don't be afraid, it won't hurt. It'll be over in the blink of an eye!”
• The old woman's smile held a sinister undertone. Her eyes sparkled with a mysterious green light as she extended her withered hand, reaching into the coffin.
• A withered hand, its nails sharp and gleaming black, reached out before me, carrying a faint stench of blood. It clamped down directly onto the paper figure beside me.
• Huh?
• Although I was startled, the old woman's actions still took me by surprise.
• What is she doing?
• “Why so silent? Scared stiff?” The old woman cackled again, her dark, sharp nails digging into the neck of the paper doll with apparent force.
• It looked like she mistook the paper doll for me? Is she mad or blind?
• I dared not utter a word, holding my breath as I stared wide-eyed at this eerie spectacle.
• Of course, the paper doll didn't respond. The old lady frowned, her green eyes flickering brighter.
• A look of confusion appeared on the old woman's face, which was quickly replaced by a sinister expression. She dug her nails into the paper doll's neck, exerting more force, and her nails pierced through the paper doll's neck.
• At that moment, something strange happened.
• Pfft...
• The sound of a blade cutting into flesh was heard, and the old lady let out a painful scream.
• I saw clearly that as her nails pierced the paper doll's neck, it moved!
• Several long, sharp bamboo strips exploded from the paper doll's body, stabbing deeply into the old lady's arm.
• It was like a trap waiting for its prey.
• “Ahh!” the old lady screamed, shaking her arm to free herself from the paper doll.
• However, the sharp bamboo strips that had burst from the paper figure were embedded too deeply into her arm, making it impossible for the old woman to break free.
• From the wound on her arm, I saw black liquid oozing out, accompanied by a foul stench.
• Human blood shouldn't be black, right?
• The moment this thought surfaced in my mind, the old woman let out a crazed roar. She yanked the paper doll from the coffin and began relentlessly tearing and beating it with her other hand.
• The paper doll's black and red clothes were shredded, revealing its bamboo skeleton.
• “Gunther, you old geezer, you tricked me again!”
• The elderly woman bellowed in rage, her eyes ablaze with a fierce green light. A sinister expression painted her face as she glared relentlessly at me, lying in the coffin.
• “A paper figure to ward off disaster! Great!” She ignored the paper doll hanging from her arm and finally seemed to see me, her face twisted in rage. She gritted her teeth, saying, “Since that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless!”
• She reached out with her other hand, her sharp nails aiming for my neck.
• If she struck, I'd either die or be severely injured!
• Lying in the coffin, with nowhere to escape, I instinctively crossed my arms to block her attack.
• Boom!
• At that moment, a loud noise echoed through the burial clothing shop. It seemed to come from the store entrance. I lay in the coffin, unsure of what was happening.
• Following the loud noise, the old lady's movement suddenly froze. Her old, twisted face showed extreme pain, and she let out a piercing scream.
• “Gunther... how dare you!”