Nova's grandmother's abnormal behavior didn't quite resemble possession - it seemed more like genuine madness. Fortunately, I'd dodged quickly earlier; otherwise, she might have bitten off a chunk of my flesh.
Nova explained her grandmother had been like this ever since seeing the jade pendant. Strangely, no one else reacted this way to the pendant. It was impossible to tell whether grandfather's death had traumatized her or if the pendant itself was cursed.
Daphne crouched by the bed and asked, "Grandma, do you remember me? I'm Daphne - I used to visit your house often."
Just then, I noticed the old woman's eyes transform, becoming utterly sinister.
"Watch out!" I reacted instantly, scooping Daphne up in my arms. But the grandmother was already lunging, her teeth aiming straight for Daphne's throat.
Thankfully I was faster. As I pulled Daphne away, the old woman's vicious bite missed its target, instead tearing skin from her own lip. Blood immediately smeared across her mouth.
"Grandma, are you okay?" Nova rushed to help, but the woman roared at Daphne to get away while frantically wiping the blood with her sleeve, as if terrified of it.
Once clean, she retreated under the bed again, beginning to whimper and moan. Her bizarre expression unsettled everyone in the room - we truly couldn't tell whether this was madness or possession.
"Had enough hugging? Get your filthy hands off me," Daphne snapped coldly.
Talk about ungrateful. If not for me, your throat would be missing right now. Why the attitude?
Only then did I realize my hands were still on Daphne's breasts - in the heat of the moment, I'd grabbed a bit high. Understandable under the circumstances, right?
"Little Boss... so, was it soft?" Stein leered from behind.
"Fuck off!" I shot back.
Nova seemed deeply troubled. "No matter how crazy Grandma gets, she's never acted like this toward me before. Today... I don't know what's wrong with her. This is really strange."
I examined the bloodstains on the sleeve. "Could it be the blood? Whether possessed or insane, they often react strongly to blood."
Nova shook her head uncertainly. "I wouldn't know - she hasn't bled since going mad."
For the next while, the old woman remained under the bed, clutching her head. Nova couldn't approach without being shouted away, and the rest of us kept our distance - her aggression made it too dangerous.
I asked Stein, "Is this old woman truly insane? Or is she possessed? If she's just mentally ill, we should send her to a hospital - I can't help with that. But if she's possessed, what kind of spirit are we dealing with?"
Stein replied that he couldn't determine yet - we'd have to wait until nightfall. "The true evil only reveals itself after dark. Daytime is just minor disturbances."
I checked the time - already 6 PM. Only one hour until full darkness. I remembered my appointment with that internet troll, but having come this far with Nova's family matters, I couldn't leave without some resolution.
By seven o'clock, darkness had fallen. After dinner at Nova's estate, I asked Stein what plan he had.
Stein explained an ancient verification method my grandfather had taught him - one unknown to most netherworld merchants. "If someone truly possessed steps on glutinous rice at night when the spirit is strongest, their soles will turn black. Glutinous rice repels evil and restrains jiangshi. When a jiangshi steps on it, the rice turns black. When a possessed person steps on it, their feet blacken."
Hearing this, Nova immediately ordered ten pounds of glutinous rice. We rushed upstairs to test the grandmother - only to discover she'd vanished from under the bed.
Nova panicked, commanding her staff to search. Just then - snap! - all mansion lights went out, plunging us into darkness.
Nova cursed, demanding an explanation. Soon a servant reported the circuits had mysteriously burned out and repairs were underway.
At that moment, I saw a woman in a red dress float past us. We stood inside the room while this red-clad figure glided past the doorway, vanishing instantly.
A chill ran down my spine. "Nova," I asked nervously, "does a woman in a red dress live here?"
"How should I know?" Nova replied. "Staff don't wear dresses unless they're female family members."
Investigating the hallway revealed no one. The darkened corridor now seemed endless, an unfamiliar dread rising from my feet.
Not just the grandmother - something was fundamentally wrong with this mansion. I had no proof, just an overwhelming instinct.
Just at that moment, Stein suddenly screamed and jumped like a startled monkey, his face twisted in terror - which of course scared the rest of us.
"Are you insane?" I snapped. "It's pitch black already and you're jumping around like that? Don't you know how dangerous it is to scare people like this?"
Stein panted, "Not my fault! I just...I just saw the old lady! That's what scared me!"
He'd seen the grandmother? Right here in this room? "Where?" I demanded urgently.