Ghost Exorciser: The Oust Fake Heiress Strikes-Chapter 216: Horror Stories

Lana was confused. However, she didn’t dare to take things lightly.

Her mind was churning at the fastest speed.

Tentatively, Lana asked,

"Am I speaking with the future Layla?"

Layla’s voice echoed like she was surprised that Lana was able to figure it out, and she immediately said, "Yes! I am from the future!"

Lana fell into deep silence.

"Lana... listen to me."

The voice carried a strange distortion, as if it were traveling across time itself.

Lana did not ask how Layla had gained such an ability. She did not question the impossible. Instead, she went straight to the core.

"What’s happening?" Her voice remained steady despite the chill creeping up her spine. "Why are you so desperate? Is something going to happen?"

Layla’s voice wavered, static crackling faintly in the background.

"The future... is much worse than now," she replied calmly, though that calm felt forced. "You’ll encounter danger in the forest." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Lana’s breath hitched for a fraction of a second.

"Can I change it?" she asked quietly.

"No." Layla’s answer came instantly. "If you change the sequence, the future will distort even further. Every correction you make will trigger new deviations."

Lana closed her eyes.

’A time paradox...’

The meaning settled heavily in her chest. If she tried to stop everything outright, the consequences would spiral beyond control. When she opened her eyes again, they were sharp and focused.

"If you were able to reach me," Lana murmured, "then the future hasn’t completely changed."

Layla fell silent.

Wait!

Lana’s eyes flashed as if she remembered something.

She narrowed her eyes. "Did I give you something?"

The pause that followed was telling.

"...What?" Layla sounded stunned.

"Did I give you something myself?" Lana pressed calmly.

Another moment of silence passed, then Layla inhaled sharply.

"After we got off the bus," she admitted slowly, "I felt something strange. And then I remembered... yes. You gave me something."

Lana released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

"Use it," she said without hesitation.

The connection shattered abruptly, and Lana felt herself pulled back violently. Her surroundings rushed into focus, the hum of the bus engine filling her ears. When she looked around, she realized they were nearing their destination.

Cold sweat broke out across her back.

’So that’s it...’

She had planned to distribute talismans to every single classmate anyway. Even if they were stronger than her, her talismans could still tip the balance in their favor if something went wrong.

Yet now, she hesitated.

’If I act too much... the future might shift. But my original intention was to give the talismans after getting off the bus so I will still follow it!’

She chose not to restrain herself.

They arrived soon after. Once the bus stopped, Lana and the others stepped down. As planned, she quietly handed out talismans to everyone.

No one questioned her.

They accepted them with warm smiles.

"You’re too thoughtful," someone laughed. "We’re stronger than you, yet you still worry about us."

Lana smiled faintly, saying nothing.

When they reached the farmhouse, a strange feeling settled over her. The building itself looked ordinary at first glance, a large farmhouse with an A-line roof, but the materials used were oddly advanced. It looked new, almost untouched by time.

Behind it, a narrow river creek glimmered faintly.

Drawn by the scenery, everyone drifted toward the water. The moonlight reflected off the surface, and trees swayed softly in the night breeze. For a moment, it felt like a fairyland.

Inside the farmhouse, they settled quickly. That first day was spent gathering herbs. Lana stayed alert the entire time, her senses stretched thin.

’Danger is coming...’

She didn’t know how Layla had contacted her, or what exact form the danger would take, but one thing was certain: it was real.

She wanted to urge everyone to leave. The words hovered at the tip of her tongue again and again. Each time, she swallowed them back.

’I can’t change the sequence.’

All she could do was prepare.

By evening, Lana had found Moon Frost and Crimson Herb. With only one herb left to collect, she suggested returning.

"We’ll get the last one tomorrow," she said evenly.

The sky was already darkening, and Layla’s warning echoed in her mind.

’The danger... is it at night?’

The question gnawed at her, confusion tangling with unease. Why would Layla protect her? Why would she feel guilt in the future?

The more she thought, the less sense it made.

That night, they shared a simple dinner before retreating to their rooms. At midnight, Betty knocked on everyone’s doors.

"Let’s not rot inside," she grinned. "How about a game?"

Everyone agreed easily.

Lana deliberately kept her distance from Layla. At one point, she spoke softly, "Are you hiding some kind of power?"

Layla chuckled lightly. "What power could I possibly hide?"

But her eyes were a bit evasive, and it was clear to Lana that Layla was lying... or, to be precise, she was hiding something. So she can confirm that whatever Lana had heard in her dream was true.

Soon after, the group wandered toward the river again. Even in the darkness, they were careful, keeping a safe distance from the water as they sat down together.

Betty clapped her hands excitedly.

"Let’s tell horror stories," she suggested. "Real ones. The scariest thing you’ve experienced."

A ripple of excitement passed through the group.

After all, horror stories had a strange charm, especially at night.

Betty leaned forward, eyes gleaming, and began the first tale.

"I didn’t experience this myself," she began, her voice deliberately lowered, "but it happened to someone very close to me."

"It was during a field mission, not unlike this one. A group was sent to collect herbs near an abandoned settlement. Everything looked normal at first. Too normal." She paused, letting the silence stretch. "No birds. No insects. Not even the wind."

Betty continued, eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the trees.

"One of them noticed footprints. Human footprints. Fresh. But the strange thing was... they led only inward. There were no footprints leading back."