There was something truly strange about what the couple, Zabaleta and Yuzmv, were saying. If it wasn't the house that was the problem, then what the hell was wrong?
Stein said it was hard to tell—we'd have to go over and investigate to find out. But it probably had something to do with animals, since the shadows captured in the recordings had animal heads and human bodies. Maybe it was a demon haunting them.
When these two in-laws heard the word "demon," their faces immediately turned ashen with fear. Still, they remained half-skeptical. Ghosts and monsters? They might've believed in those. But a demon? That was too nebulous for them.
Of course, they had no idea there was one right beside them at that very moment—the little fox, sprawled lazily on the couch, picking at its tail.
"Little Fox, come here," I beckoned. When it trotted over, I leaned in and whispered, "Smell them. See if there's any demonic aura."
The little fox padded over without hesitation, then began sniffing Zabaleta and Yuzmv haphazardly, like a dog.
"What's… what's this little girl doing?"
"Boss, what is she—what's she doing?"
The two in-laws stared at me in disbelief, and I… well, I felt a little embarrassed. I hadn't expected the little fox to be so blatant about it.
"Report, Master!" The little fox scampered back and whispered in my ear, "No demonic aura, but there's the smell of blood."
The smell of blood? On these two? Why would the little fox catch that scent on them?
Zabaleta was a programmer—no way he should reek of blood. And Yuzmv was just a housewife. How could she have blood on her?
Instantly, my suspicions flared. Anyone who came in for God and Ghost Tattoos had secrets—some darker than others. They never told me everything, and after being deceived a few times, I'd grown much more cautious.
"Mind if we swing by your place?" I asked.
Zabaleta was about to agree when Yuzmv suddenly elbowed him—a small movement I caught perfectly. So, the in-laws weren't being entirely honest!
As for what they were hiding from me? That remained to be seen.
"Ahem, now that I think about it, it shouldn't be a problem… but we've got guests coming over later," Zabaleta said, checking the time. "Why don't you come back after midnight? Those things… they only start knocking at the door around then anyway."
I said fine. The customer's always in charge. If I found the source of the problem, I'd tattoo them accordingly.
Outwardly, I agreed without a flicker of emotion. Inwardly, I was already calculating how to play these two in-laws at their own game.
I could have left them alone, but encounters like this were common in my line of work. Many who came for the Tattoos of Gods and Ghosts harbored evil intentions or carried unspeakable burdens. To survive in this business, I'd learned to handle them with care.
The moment the Zabaleta couple left, Stein turned to me. "Little Boss, you noticed something off about them too, didn't you?"
"Of course," I replied. But I wanted to see what game they were playing. Those in-laws were definitely hiding something - who knew how much of their story was true?
Midnight arrived swiftly. Following Zabaleta's address, we found their residence - a detached house in the suburbs. Even out here, properties like this didn't come cheap. The lavish decor alone spoke of significant expense.
This puzzled me. Zabaleta was just a programmer. Even making thirty grand a month wouldn't cover this place. Rich kid slumming it? But what wealthy heir would choose programming?
That left two possibilities: either Zabaleta had lied about his profession, or this was indeed a murder house sold at discount. I'd heard of villas going for 10% off after eight deaths.
Antonio went straight for the doorbell while Stein surveyed the property's feng shui. After a thorough inspection, he shook his head. "Nothing wrong here. Perfectly normal yang dwelling."
Zabaleta answered quickly, clutching his chest. "You scared me to death! I thought those... things were knocking again." Dark circles underscored his eyes. "I haven't slept properly in weeks."
He ushered us inside where Yuzmv waited, wide awake. She served tea and snacks with practiced hospitality. The little fox showed no restraint, immediately claiming all treats for itself, stuffing them greedily into its mouth.
"Roger, I'll be frank," Zabaleta said, pouring tea with unsteady hands. "We can't return or sell the house in this condition. Money isn't an issue if you can cleanse this place."
With that offer on the table, we'd have to give our best tonight.
"Don't worry. If there are spirits here, I'll handle them. But since they're not showing themselves..." I gestured around. "Mind if we look around? Might find something unexpected."
At this, Zabaleta and Yuzmv exchanged a loaded glance. After a beat, he forced a laugh. "Of course!" He began leading the tour but stuck to us like glue. Meanwhile, Yuzmv vanished - one moment pouring tea, the next gone without trace. My eyes swept the living room. No sign of her.
When he finished inspecting the house, Stein frowned and shook his head, as if to say he hadn't found anything.
"Well, is there something wrong with the house?" Zabaleta asked.
I shook my head—no, the house was indeed normal. It shouldn't be haunted or anything, which meant it wasn't a murder house.
If there were a ghost, the moment you stepped inside at night, the whole room would feel unnaturally cold, gusts of gloomy wind would swirl, and goosebumps would rise inexplicably.
"There's nothing wrong with the house," I said. "So why would something strange come knocking?"
Zabaleta spread his hands. "How should I know? It's been like this ever since we moved in."
In that case, the problem wasn't the house—it was the people. Those strange things had been summoned by someone.
I wanted to ask Zabaleta if he'd done anything wrong, but I reconsidered. Even if he had, he wouldn't admit it to me—that was human nature. He'd come to me for a solution, not a confession.
Just then, the door thumped—once, heavy and slow, then again, in a rhythm that felt slightly eerie.
We exchanged glances, the same thought flashing through our minds: Is it here?
"Get the door," I told Zabaleta.
He hesitated, clearly afraid, so I reassured him, "Don't worry. We're right behind you."
With no other choice, Zabaleta took a step toward the door while Stein and Antonio positioned themselves behind him.
The little fox tried to follow, but I grabbed her wrist.
"Not you," I said. "Go up to the rooftop, then drop down from above and grab whatever's knocking. Got it?"
After raising a fox for a thousand days, this was the kind of job only she could handle. Jumping from a building was child's play for a demon.
The little fox nodded eagerly, then scurried up the stairs in a huff.
Instead of staying behind Zabaleta, I went to look for Yuzmv—the woman who'd vanished earlier and still hadn't reappeared. Where had she gone?
Moving quietly, I headed toward the kitchen and bathroom, but just then, the door creaked open.
Nothing.
The doorway was empty, exactly as Zabaleta had described. There had been knocking, but now—nothing. Not a single ghost.
Of course, we'd seen the footage. A strange shadow had knocked, then vanished the moment the door opened. As for how it disappeared, the security cameras hadn't captured it clearly—it was like evaporation.
But I froze when I heard a loud bang—as if something had dropped from the sky—followed by a triumphant cry:
"Master! I've got him! Come on, quick!"
When I heard the noise, finding Yuzmv became the last thing on my mind. I rushed out, with Antonio and Stein close behind. As for Zabaleta - I didn't pay him any attention.
Outside, I saw the little fox pouncing on a pig-headed monster. She had her tail wrapped around the creature in a death grip as they rolled to a stop. The pig-headed thing struggled desperately, but it wasn't trying to get up - it was trying to burrow into the ground.