As long as you have the courage, fierce ghosts go on maternity leave.

Chapter 385: I’m going to kill him

The next day, a weekend, unfolded without incident.

Perhaps it was the recent lack of police visits that made Karin’s father believe Alexander’s threats were empty, or maybe it was something else entirely.

As Alexander was home alone, preparing supplementary materials for Karin’s tuition, a piercing scream suddenly erupted from next door. He sprang to his feet and dashed towards the door.

On opening it, he saw Karin bursting out of her room, followed closely by her father. Upon seeing Alexander, her father muttered a curse under his breath and retreated.

"What’s going on?" Alexander asked urgently.

Karin, visibly shaken, stammered, "He... he..."

Although she couldn’t finish her sentence, Alexander, seeing her disheveled state, instantly understood what she meant.

A surge of anger rushed to his chest, and he briefly considered grabbing a pistol and confronting her father. But moments later, he regained his composure and said to Karin, "Come with me!"

The two of them climbed the cherry tree in front of the door again, sitting on its sturdy trunk. After a moment of silence, Alexander spoke with a chilling calmness, "I’m going to kill him."

There was no doubt in his tone. Karin’s father, though brutal, had never harbored such vile intentions before. Alexander didn’t care what had caused this sudden change; he knew he couldn’t wait for the college entrance exams to be over. This scum had to die.

As the sunlight once again filtered through the leaves onto them, the sun today seemed unusually cold and bleak.

"Alright!"

Karin, upon hearing Alexander’s words, showed no hesitation and nodded immediately: "I’ve thought about this for a long time, way before now. It’s just that..." She paused, her eyes locked onto Alexander’s, brimming with deep affection, "I couldn’t bear to leave you."

Under the cold light of the sun, they embraced each other and shared a long, deep kiss. It felt eternal, yet it seemed to pass in just a moment.

As they parted, Alexander pondered for a while before speaking, "Killing someone is actually quite simple. The real issue is how to dispose of the body."

"It’s not that hard! We can find a way to take him down. He’s a chronic drug user, and I’ve carefully observed where he keeps his stash. We just need to inject a slightly higher dose than usual, fill the bathtub with water, and stage it as a drowning. As long as we make it convincing, nobody will care or dig too deep, just like what happened with my mother."

Karin had clearly been planning this for a while.

"Okay, let’s do it! I’ll prepare a bottle of spiked wine. Given his history of drug abuse, if you refuse an autopsy, no one will suspect a thing."

The task of committing murder, especially of such a person, isn’t just a physical challenge but a significant mental hurdle. Yet, these two young adults, barely over eighteen, displayed a calm and collected demeanor.

It wasn’t that they weren’t afraid, but they both understood that their fates were inextricably linked; neither could live without the other. It was either life or death together, with neither willing to abandon or sacrifice the other.

They needed to remain calm, at least outwardly, to provide support and comfort to each other.

Their actions were swift. Soon, Alexander arrived at Karin’s door with a bottle of wine. The moment he opened the door, he noticed a fleeting look of panic in Karin’s father’s eyes, which was quickly replaced by an annoyed tone, "What do you want?"

Surprisingly, he wasn’t addressed with the usual derogatory terms. Alexander was a bit taken aback but didn’t dwell on it, assuming that his aggressive stance a few days ago had intimidated Karin’s father.

Pretending to be unaware of the near-assault on Karin, he apologized respectfully, "I’ve thought it over and realized I was wrong and too impulsive the other day. I’ve brought a bottle of my dad’s treasured wine as an apology."

Karin’s father glanced at the bottle in Alexander’s hand, licking his lips greedily, but then dismissively waved him away, "No need! Just go back!"

This behavior was uncharacteristically gentle for Karin’s father. Moreover, he usually couldn’t resist good wine and would have snatched it away immediately. Alexander had even braced himself for a slap.

Karin and Alexander exchanged a brief, puzzled look. But they didn’t ponder it too much.

After all, Karin’s father had just been on the receiving end of a kick from Alexander, and he had just tried to take advantage of Karin. Maybe he was afraid of Alexander getting physical again.

Alexander put on an earnest, pleading expression and said, "Please don’t be angry or take this to heart, the mistake was all mine! I’ve thought it over these past few days.

After all, you are Karin’s family, and I’m sincerely here to apologize. I’m not asking for forgiveness for my past actions, just that you don’t take out your anger on Karin. Please, treat her better. I know you’re short on money, so I’ve prepared a generous gift for you." As he spoke, Alexander casually flashed a thick envelope from his pocket.

"Come in," Karin’s father, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the envelope, stepped aside, letting Alexander in.

In the modestly furnished room, with a few dishes laid out on the table, Karin, Alexander, and her father sat around it.

Being a student, and a well-known one at that, Alexander naturally didn’t drink alcohol.

He poured himself a soft drink instead and raised his glass, saying, "I apologize for my earlier behavior. This glass is for you."

As he uncapped the bottle, the aroma of the fine wine caught Karin’s father’s attention, his eyes brightening, his demeanor becoming more enthusiastic. He eagerly drank the wine in one go.

The moment the drink touched his lips, Karin’s father’s expression froze momentarily, but then he smacked his lips, savoring the flavor, before saying, "I’m not a petty man. What you did before was indeed excessive, but I can forgive you. However, about that generous gift you mentioned..."

"Understood!" Alexander, looking as if he had anticipated this, pulled out the envelope from his pocket and handed it to Karin’s father, adding, "I hope you can treat Karin better in the future."

Karin’s father opened the envelope, glanced at the thick stack of bills inside, and his smile became even more radiant. He repeated, somewhat perfunctorily, "Sure, sure!"

"It seems you’ve forgiven me, then. Let me offer you another drink!" Alexander suggested.

Karin’s father hesitated briefly but lifted his glass again and emptied it. "Such a great drinker! I’m truly pleased that you’ve forgiven me. I must toast you again!" Alexander said, lifting his glass once more.

A strange and complex look flickered in Karin’s father’s eyes as he chuckled dryly and drained his glass again.

Alexander continued to toast, and Karin’s father kept drinking, glass after glass. Soon, possibly due to the drug’s effect, he became drowsy and eventually fell into a deep sleep.

"Karin, get the stuff, quickly inject him. I’ll clean up the room!" Alexander sighed with relief as Karin’s father finally collapsed. He instructed Karin while beginning to tidy up the mess on the table.

He meticulously cleaned their dishes and wine glasses, then took a bottle of cheap liquor from the cupboard. Carefully, he poured out some of the liquor and thoroughly rinsed Karin’s father’s glass with the cheap alcohol, placing it back on the table.

Karin, wearing gloves, rummaged through the trash and retrieved a syringe. She mixed some white powder with water, drew it into the syringe, then pulled up her father’s sleeve.

She injected the liquid near an old injection site, saying, "I’ve observed the doses he used to take. I’ve increased it by a third this time and reduced the dilution. It shouldn’t kill him immediately. Let’s do it."

Together, they carried her father into the bathroom.

Filling the bathtub with water, Alexander positioned Karin’s father in it, simulating the appearance of an accidental slip.

"Let’s go," he said, "to the nearby internet café to check on university applications. I’ve already reserved a private room. We can enter through the back door of the restroom, where there are no cameras. The cameras in the private rooms are usually turned off. Later, you can go to the front desk to buy a drink and complain about a computer glitch, asking the manager to take a look."

"Wait!" Karin shook her head, glaring at her father in the bathtub. "I want to see him die with my own eyes."

After about ten minutes, with an eerie look, they exchanged glances. "He must be dead by now after all this time. Let’s go," Alexander said.

They left the room but didn’t go far, stopping in a corner of the yard.

Alexander frowned, "Something’s off. He didn’t struggle at all. Even if the drug was too strong, there should have been some bubbles. He’s holding his breath, and for over ten minutes, without his face turning red!"

"You’re right, it’s weird!" Karin nodded. They both looked towards the room, and after a moment, the sound of water flowed from inside.

Simultaneously, a rush of memories flooded their minds, and a tumultuous wave of Ghost Energy swirled around them.

Inside the room was a participant!