I dominated the game from the start with cards.

Ye Ling mustered her courage, slowly approached the door, and peered out through the crack.

However, outside the door was only a deep darkness, and nothing could be seen. The night was like thick ink, swallowing everything, and only the occasional chirping of insects in the distance added to the eerie silence.

He recalled the ghost stories he had heard before: eerie mansions, flickering will-o'-the-wisps, and hideous demons... These terrifying scenes flashed through his mind, intertwining with his current predicament, sending chills down his spine. He gripped the card tightly in his hand, his palms sweating, the edge of the card digging into his skin, yet it gave him a strange sense of peace.

A cold wind blew in through the crack in the door, carrying a damp and chilly smell that made Ye Ling shiver. He felt a chill run down his back, as if a pair of cold eyes were watching him through the darkness.

He tried to control his breathing and stay calm, but his heart was pounding uncontrollably, as if it would burst out of his chest. "Thump...thump...thump..." Heavy footsteps sounded again, clearer and closer than before. Ye Ling could clearly feel that the footsteps stopped outside the door, as if something was lingering there, hesitating whether to come in.

The heavy footsteps pounded on Ye Ling's heart like a hammer, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. He stared intently at the crack in the door, trying to catch a glimpse of movement outside, but he could see nothing but darkness. He thought of Shu Yao, that gentle and kind girl. If she were here, perhaps she could help him.

He imagined Shu Yao's warm smile and clear eyes, and his heart calmed down a little. "I can't be scared like this," Ye Ling said silently to himself, "I need to find out what's outside the door."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He told himself that fear would only make him more vulnerable, and only by facing it bravely could he find the truth. He remembered Elder Ling, the mysterious and friendly old man he had met during the day. Perhaps he could seek help from Elder Ling. Ye Ling hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to open the door and find out. He slowly reached out and grasped the cold doorknob… “Who…who’s there?” a hoarse voice came from outside the door.

Ye Ling gripped the doorknob tightly, the icy touch making him acutely aware of the unknown he was about to face. Curiosity, like wildfire, drove him to open the door to darkness and explore. However, fear also surged in like a tide, enveloping him and making him hesitate.

What lay outside the door? Was it the cool night breeze, or danger lurking in the darkness? He recalled Elder Ling's meaningful gaze during the day, and Shu Yao's worried eyes, and his heart pounded with unease. He could even hear his own rapid heartbeat, each thud pounding against his eardrums. "Creak..." The door creaked slightly with his movement, a faint sound that pierced the silent night like a death knell, making him even more tense. Suddenly, Ye Ling remembered the card in his hand.

The card, though seemingly ordinary, represented the mysterious power hidden within him, and his courage to confront the unknown. He gripped the card tightly, feeling the faint energy emanating from it, and his heart gradually calmed. A surge of courage welled up from the bottom of his heart, and without hesitation, he pushed the door open! "Whoosh—" A cold wind rushed in, like the breath of a ghost, ruffling Ye Ling's hair. Darkness surged in like a tide, instantly swallowing the faint light in the room, plunging Ye Ling into complete darkness. He instinctively wanted to back away, to close this door to the unknown, but he resisted. He straightened his body, facing the darkness head-on, a sense of pride rising within him.

He overcame his inner fear; he did it! Just then, a hoarse voice came from the darkness: "You...finally...opened the door..." The voice was like a whisper from hell, eerie and terrifying, making Ye Ling's blood almost freeze. He tried to open his eyes wide, attempting to see clearly in the darkness, but still could see nothing.

"Who...who's there?" Ye Ling suppressed his fear, trying to keep his voice calm. There was no response from the darkness, only the chilling wind continuing to blow, like an invisible hand gently caressing his cheek, sending a shiver down his spine. "Come out!" Ye Ling mustered his courage and shouted. Still, there was no response from the darkness, only deathly silence. Ye Ling gripped the card in his hand, ready to face any potential danger.

He held his breath, listening intently to the sounds around him, trying to catch a glimpse of anything. Suddenly… a cold hand slowly emerged from the darkness, reaching for Ye Ling's throat… Ye Ling felt the icy fingertips brush against his cheek, the chill penetrating to the bone.

He quickly dodged to the side, the withered hand almost brushing past his nose, carrying a nauseating stench. His heart pounded, and Ye Ling hurriedly pulled the card from his pocket.

The moment the card touched his hand, a warm current surged through his body, as if infused with a sliver of courage. Following Elder Ling's instructions, he channeled his spiritual power into the card, chanting incantations. The card glowed faintly, a pale golden light shooting towards the hand. However, being a novice at using cards, the light only momentarily paused the hand after striking it. The being hidden in the darkness let out a sinister laugh, brimming with mockery and sending chills down one's spine. "Hmph, a mere trick!" The voice was hoarse and piercing, sharp as the friction of metal. The hand emerged from the darkness again, faster and stronger than before. Ye Ling barely dodged the attack, but felt a cold sweat run down his back.

He knew he had to master the use of the cards as soon as possible, or he would surely die. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and once again channeled his spiritual power into the cards. This time, he concentrated his mind, pouring all his thoughts into the cards.

The card's light shone even brighter, illuminating a small area around it. Ye Ling could see the hand clearly: withered and dry, with sharp, knife-like nails, radiating a chilling black aura. The hand reached out again, and Ye Ling violently flung the glowing card away.

The card, like a dart, struck the back of the hand with pinpoint accuracy. A piercing scream echoed from the darkness, and the hand swiftly retracted, vanishing. Ye Ling collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. The life-or-death struggle had nearly exhausted all his strength.

He felt weak all over, his hands and feet were ice-cold. Silence returned in the darkness, broken only by Ye Ling's rapid breathing echoing in the room. During the fight, Shu Yao's gentle face flashed through his mind. He remembered her worried eyes, her warm smile.

If he survived, he would definitely find her, tell her his experience, and share his joy at surviving the ordeal. This longing for Shu Yao strengthened his resolve to live. Just as Ye Ling felt despair, an aged figure suddenly appeared in the room. It was Elder Ling!

He held a cane that emitted a faint glow, and with a gentle wave, a powerful force dispelled the remaining darkness. The hand vanished completely. Elder Ling looked at Ye Ling, his eyes deep and complex.

"Your troubles have only just begun." With that, Elder Ling vanished like a ghost, leaving Ye Ling alone in the empty room. Ye Ling was puzzled, not understanding the meaning of Elder Ling's words. He cautiously looked around, worried that the terrifying supernatural entity might reappear.

Suddenly, he felt something beneath his feet… Ye Ling collapsed to the ground, still shaken, his heart pounding. He felt utterly weak, his hands and feet icy cold; the life-or-death struggle had nearly exhausted all his strength. Silence returned in the darkness, broken only by Ye Ling's rapid breathing echoing in the room.

Just as Ye Ling felt despair, an aged figure suddenly appeared in the room. It was Elder Ling! He held a cane that emitted a faint light, and with a gentle wave, a powerful force dispelled the remaining darkness.

The withered hand seemed to be pulled back by an invisible force, quickly retracting and disappearing. Ye Ling stared blankly at Elder Ling, as if he had seen a savior.

He tried to speak, but found his throat dry and unable to utter a sound. Elder Ling looked at Ye Ling, his eyes deep and complex, as if he could see right through him. "Your troubles have only just begun."

After saying this, Elder Ling vanished like a ghost, leaving Ye Ling alone in the empty room, filled with lingering doubts. Ye Ling struggled to his feet, supporting himself against the wall, and slowly made his way to the doorway. He cautiously looked around, worried that the terrifying supernatural entity would reappear. Elder Ling's words echoed in his ears, "Your troubles have only just begun..." What did that mean? Was this just the beginning, and would something even more terrifying happen later?

Suddenly, he felt something hard beneath his feet, like some kind of metal. He looked down and, in the dim light, saw an ancient-looking copper coin on the ground, engraved with some strange runes.

He bent down to pick up the copper coin. It was icy cold to the touch, and a strange power flowed from the coin into his body, making him feel dizzy.

Ye Ling examined the copper coin closely, his mind filled with doubt. Where did this coin come from? Why was it here? What was its connection to the terrifying hand from earlier? Was this the "trouble" Elder Ling had mentioned? He tried to put the coin in his pocket, but found it stuck to his hand, impossible to insert. At the same time, he felt his spiritual energy surging within him, as if stimulated by something.

He subconsciously channeled his spiritual energy into the copper coin, and the runes on it suddenly lit up, emitting a dazzling light. When the light faded, the copper coin disappeared, replaced by a card in Ye Ling's hand. The front of the card depicted a hideous ghostly hand, exactly the same as the hand that had attacked him earlier.

The back was covered with dense runes, emitting a faint golden light. Ye Ling looked at the card in his hand, feeling both surprised and terrified.

He remembered that Elder Ling had once said he possessed the ability to transform supernatural objects into cards. Could it be... could it be that the hand from earlier had already been turned into a card? Ye Ling was still pondering Elder Ling's words and the strange card in his hand when suddenly, the surrounding air became bone-chillingly cold... In the darkness, a pair of blood-red eyes slowly emerged.