Honkai: Husband-Chasing Crematorium

Unless faced with a life-or-death situation, he wouldn't open the notebook for even a second longer.

Everyone else could depend on him, but Li Mo had no one to rely on except himself.

The notebook was ultimately a sinister object. Following its instructions step by step would only lead him further into an abyss of no return.

After all, the anomalies doesn't die—people do.

"But didn't you say earlier that each incense stick represents one day of the funeral's process? Using the second stick on the first day shouldn't cause any problems, right?" Kira asked worriedly, her memory sharp enough to recall Li Mo's earlier explanation.

Li Mo firmly inserted the first incense stick into the top of the second. This way, the first stick would naturally continue to burn into the second once it was done.

But this also meant that the order was now distorted. The process for the first day hadn't concluded, yet the second day's process would begin.

When the second day's process hadn't ended, the third day's would arrive, and so on...

Even one day's process was enough to annihilate the group. Two days overlapping would exponentially increase the anomalous phenomena, making the subtle details even harder to notice and handle. The anomaly wasn't a simple addition of math—it was far more complex.

Not to mention, the first day was supposed to be the easiest.

"There's no choice. In theory, the five-day funeral only grows more terrifying with each passing day. By using the second day's incense out of sequence, we're inviting some kind of anomalous backlash, possibly even disrupting the rituals for the days ahead."

"Days two, three, four, and five will only become increasingly difficult."

"But if we can't even survive the first day, then the difficulty of the following days won't matter to us at all."

"No one is coming to save us. By the time the next rescue team arrives, we'll already be dead and posing a threat to them."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. Right now, our only goal is survival—at any cost. We'll deal with whatever problems come next as they arise."

In moments like these, Li Mo demonstrated unparalleled decisiveness and leadership.

A leader couldn't afford to hesitate. Indecision and weakness wouldn't have allowed him to survive this long.

Li Mo wasn't special because he had survived until now. He was special because he had survived—and that made all the difference.

If there was anything truly unique about him, it was his ability to reset, giving him more chances to learn from his mistakes than others.

Suddenly, the flames brightened, casting a faint light over the dim auditorium.

At that moment, a faint rustling sound came from the doorway, as if something was emerging from the woods and slowly approaching the auditorium.

The picture on the portrait suddenly broke into a sinister smile, its eyes staring straight at Li Mo.

"Hee hee! Hee hee!"

An inexplicable laughter echoed around the portrait, causing Li Mo to frown deeply. He quickly turned to face the portrait.

But it had returned to normal—no sinister smile, no eerie gaze directed at them.

Instead, the eyes in the portrait seemed to stare into the auditorium's doorway, as if trying to pierce through the infinite darkness outside.

Only the black-red blood smeared on it remained, a chilling testament to the strange events that had just unfolded.

A foul stench emanated from the blood, reeking of three years' worth of decay in a filthy sewer, mingled with the odor of rotting rat carcasses.

Kira grimaced, her brows furrowed as she exclaimed, "Ugh... It stinks! Is it from the blood?"

"Urgh!"

"Are you okay? Cover your nose!"

The stench of the black blood was even more nauseating than the presence of the Head Ghost earlier.

Within half a minute, half the group couldn't help but vomit, retching up stomach acid and remnants of undigested food.

"Why does it smell so bad? I can't take it," a Valkyrie complained as she activated the air-purifying function of her armor, slightly improving the air quality in the hall.

Only Li Mo remained unmoving in front of the funeral altar, seemingly unaffected.

After a moment's thought, he crouched down and touched the black blood with his finger.

Relying on the suppressive power of the incense, Li Mo acted boldly.

"Direct contact with the blood didn't trigger the ghost's rules. This blood isn't part of the ghost's abilities—it's a byproduct, lacking the same sensory connection as the ghost itself."

Li Mo brought his finger to his mouth.

Despite the foul taste, he showed no reaction, his expression blank. He was long accustomed to enduring harsh environments, foul smells, and bitter food.

"This taste... it's no different from rotting flesh."

"So, before I arrived, many people must have died here. Judging by the decay, they've been dead for at least three months, maybe even six. Definitely not less than that—otherwise, the smell wouldn't be this bad."

Li Mo quickly analyzed the situation, his gaze shifting to the auditorium's entrance. His eyes grew deep and distant.

Outside lay an impenetrable darkness. Without stepping to the doorway, it was impossible to see what lurked beyond. The endless blackness seemed to devour everything.

"I can't believe you actually tasted it. Aren't you afraid of attracting the ghosts' attention?" Kira's expression twisted in disbelief.

Li Mo shrugged indifferently. If he were still alive, he might have hesitated, letting someone else handle it. But he was no longer alive—he had died. Twice.

The anomalous power inside him was awakening, threatening to break free from his body.

To get the most accurate data, I have to take the risk myself.

My current state won't last much longer. Once I deal with this, I must immediately retreat and reset the death count.

"I've been marked by ghosts for a long time now. One more won't make a difference. As long as their killing rules aren't met, they can't kill me," Li Mo said casually, brushing off the terrifying reality.

Even though he didn't fully understand the rules, he had learned to rely on bold guesses and cautious verification.

"You really are…" Kira began to retort.

Suddenly, the light extinguished in an instant, plunging the auditorium into darkness.

Just as quickly, the flames reignited, faintly illuminating the space once more.

Li Mo glanced at his portrait—unchanged.

The black blood on the floor remained motionless.

The ground was steady, and the Head Ghost outside was still dormant.

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