《Mysterious Revival》 Chapter 1: The Story in the Forum Chapter 1: The Story in the Forum Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°I calcted with my fingers that you are reading a novel in bed while lying on your side, and you may also be charging your phone.¡± Yang Jian, who was in his third year of high school, was lying in bed at this moment, scrolling through his phone in a bore. He casually clicked open a random post and saw that manyizens were replying to it. ¡°F*ck, the poster is really a God. To think he can even guess so urately what I¡¯m doing now.¡± ¡°Heh, would I tell you that I¡¯m currently squatting in the toilet? No need to ask, my legs have gone numb.¡± ¡°If you want to tattoo, tattoo a certain Zhou, and free yourself from being someone¡¯s worker.¡± ¡°So gangly.¡± Yang Jian closed the post and opened another post that had a high click rate. What greeted him was such a sentence: ¡°I¡¯m a doctor at The Third Chinese Medical Hospital in a certain province. I would like to share with all of you something horrifying that happened recently in the hospital I¡¯m working in. It¡¯s so terrifying that I don¡¯t even dare to go to work now and am on leave at home.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore. I won¡¯t buy your shoes nor will I give you my WeChat.¡± ¡°The poster must have experienced a medical dispute. If it¡¯s not so, I¡¯llmit suicide by eating poo.¡± ¡°Quick, look. Theizen on the third floor is cheating to get food and drinks again.¡± Yang Jian found the replies somewhat boring, so he clicked on the button that allowed him to only see the contents posted by the poster. The post immediately became clean, and what remained were the posts of the poster who imed he was a doctor. The username of the doctor was ¡°Leidian Fawang¡±. He continued to read the post. It wrote, ¡°This is what happened. Last week, when it was my turn to take the night shift, at about midnight, the ambnce sent an old man over. The medical staff on the ambnce had told me that the old man had fallen from the fifth floor. At that time, my colleague had some urgent matters to attend to, so I was the only one in charge of the diagnosis. I can be 100% sure that at that time, the old man was void of any life signs, and was long dead.¡± ¡°On top of that, from the characteristics of the old man¡¯s corpse and the temperature of his chest, I was able to determine that it was impossible that the old man had died from falling off a building just that night.¡± ¡°Anyone with somemon sense should know that after one is dead, within ten hours in normal temperature surroundings, the corpse¡¯s body temperature will decrease by one degree Celcius every hour. After 24 hours, only then will the temperature of a corpse be about the same as its surroundings. However, the body temperature of the old man is at least below 10 degrees Celcius the normal temperature, or even lower than that. The temperature that night was 22 degrees Celcius.¡± ¡°In that instant, I had determined that the old man had been dead for more than a day.¡± Immediately below his posts, theizensmented: ¡°The way the poster said mon sense¡¯ is just terrifying. Allow me to kneel to the expert.¡± ¡°Hurry up and check if the patient¡¯s shoes have fallen off. If they haven¡¯t, there¡¯s still a chance for him to be saved.¡± ¡°The more I think about it, the more terrifying it is. Poster, please hurry up and continue with your story. I¡¯m already in bed and have wrapped myself up in my nkets.¡± Yang Jian continued to scroll down, and Leidian Fawang continued to post. ¡°From my experience of watching more than three hundred episodes of a famous detective animation in junior high, I could immediately determine that the old man had not fallen to his death due to ident. It should¡¯ve been a murder and his body must¡¯ve been stored in a freezer. At that time, I chose to call the police to report the incident.¡± ¡°However, what I want to talk about today is not this matter, but what happened after.¡± After this, the posts stopped for a while, and the next update was two hourster. ¡°Sorry, someone came to my door just now to ask about the incident. It wasn¡¯t a detective, nor a reporter though, but the person had the documents. Well, let¡¯s put that aside.¡± ¡°In the morning of the next day, I wasn¡¯t at work yet, but I heard from a colleague that the corpse of the old man that had been sent overst night was mysteriously missing from the morgue. The police were doing their best to investigate, and they suspected that the murderer had stolen the corpse. There was quite amotion over it, and they even pulled up all the surveince cameras in the hospital. However, the old man¡¯s corpse was still nowhere to be found in the end, nor was the murderer.¡± ¡°It was still my shift that night¡­¡± ¡°However, the matters that happened in the day made me somewhat uneasy. One of the patients in the hospital had said that he did see the old man¡¯s corpse, but it hadn¡¯t left by being carried by someone else. Instead, it had left on its two feet. The patient even urately pointed out the route that the old man took. From the route, the old man had indeed left from the direction of the morgue.¡± ¡°When I heard this, I was quite terrified. Fortunately, I¡¯m an atheist. I didn¡¯t entirely believe in the patient¡¯s words.¡± ¡°When I heard the head nurse say that Doctor Fang from the neurology department was nning to increase the patient¡¯s dosage, I was slightly relieved.¡± ¡°As expected, it was the right choice to not have believed in the patient¡¯s words¡­¡± ¡°All this aside, what I want to share with all of you is not this, but something that happened when I was on duty at night.¡± ¡°It was about 2 in the morning that day, and I was ying Blue Moon in the emergency room. You guys just can¡¯t imagine how fun that game is. If you¡¯re my friend,e along and give me a sh¡­¡± ¡°F*ck, poster you are a f*cking genius.¡± ¡°What happened to the sincerity between people? This backhand of yours caught me off guard.¡± ¡°How gangly. I guessed the beginning of the story right, but not the ending. However, what I want to say is, third floor, how about your promise of eating shit?¡± A whole bunch ofizens replied to the post, and the forum was very lively. Yang Jian didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh as hey under his covers. Were the people nowadays so good at advertising? However, when he scrolled down again, he found that something was wrong. Leidian Fawang had continued posting. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I¡¯m really not advertising. An unimaginably queer supernatural event did happen that night, something that none of you would ever have imagined in your whole life. About 2:15 in the morning, while I was ying games in the emergency room, I suddenly felt a chill, like one would feel in the morgue. I had goosebumps then and there.¡± ¡°Guess what happened next?¡± ¡°The old man that had disappeared from the morgue yesterday had appeared outside the emergency room at some point. He wasn¡¯t dead. Instead, he was walking very slowly, step by step, towards the outside of the hospital.¡± ¡°Oh my God, this is impossible. I saw with my own eyes that the old man was dead, and had been dead for more than a day. How could he have been alive again?¡± ¡°Was it a prank? Had hee back to life? Was this a medical miracle?¡± ¡°In that instant, all these thoughts raced through my mind. But maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been in contact with many corpses in my usual days, I wasn¡¯t very afraid. The first thing I did was took a photo to share it on my WeChat moments.¡± ¡°Below is the relevant photo. The photo can prove my validity. It¡¯s not a product of Photoshop.¡± Yang Jian scrolled down and a photo immediately popped up before his eyes. The photo was not blurry at all. On the contrary, it was very clear. In the photo were the ss window of the emergency room and the old man that was walking past the window. The old man wore a ck jumpsuit and seemed sort of antique. He was skinny and his skin was brown with spots on them. From the angle the photo was taken, one could see one of the old man¡¯s eyes. How was the eye¡­ Dull, hollow, and empty, with a sense of terrifying deathly stillness. The photo was not bloody nor was it of a terrifying setup, but the feeling the old man gave off in the photo immediately made people¡¯s hair stand on end as their scalps went numb. Once they recalled that the doctor with the username Leidian Fawang had stated clearly that the old man was once a cold corpse, it fueled the emotion of fear. The longer one looked at the photo, the more horrifying it was. It was like one was looking at a dead person, or rather¡­ a ghost. ¡°I¡¯m scared out of my wits. This photo is so terrifying, the more I look at it the more scared I am. Poster, where did you find this photo?¡± ¡°Why are there so many spots on the old man¡¯s hands? I have Trypophobia.¡± ¡°Those are livor mortis, they mean that the old man is a corpse.¡± ¡°Begone all demons and ghosts, I, Lin Zhengying, am here.¡± Aizen sent a photo of a Taoist priest. ¡°Pui, what¡¯s with your Lin Zhengyin, I can even call myself Luo Liyin.¡± However, no matter what theizensmented, Leidian Fawang continued with his posts. ¡°The photo is real, I took it myself. After that, the old man left the hospital just like that. I have no idea where he went, but if any of you are in the same city as I am, you better be careful. Although I¡¯m an atheist, there are some things we have no choice but to believe in.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, someone seems to be knocking on my door again. I think someone¡¯s here to get my statement. I¡¯ll be back in a while and I¡¯ll share with you what happened next.¡± The post had just been posted less than a minute before Leidian Fawang sent a new post. ¡°Shit, shit, shit. It¡¯s the old man who ran from the hospital. That thing is knocking on my door, I can see it clearly from the peephole. What should I do now? I seem to have provoked something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± ¡°Poster, is it fun to y tricks?¡± ¡°F*ck, for real? It can¡¯t be so creepy, right?¡± ¡°Hurry up and call the police, quickly, dial 110.¡± ¡°Poster, stop pretending. All this must be fake. If it¡¯s not, I¡¯ll eat double the shit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you again, the shit-eating boy. What happened to eating the shit that you promisedst time?¡± Leidian Fawang posted again. ¡°I¡¯ve reported the case, but what should I do now? That thing is still knocking on my door, and it seems that it has no intentions of leaving. Shit, the lights in my living room have suddenly gone out. I¡¯m so scared I don¡¯t even dare to go to the living room.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve closed the doors and on all the lights that I can, but that old man is still knocking.¡± At this point, theizen with the username Leidian Fawang was very quick in posting. The interval between every post was less than 30 seconds, and there were even some wrong words. It could be seen that the doctor who had posted all this was in a panic and under huge fear. Reading this, Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill. Although he knew that the story was probably fake, when he imagined the old man in the photo knocking at the door, even he felt his hair stood on end. For a dead old man toe back to life and even appear in front of one¡¯s door, knocking, anyone who encountered such a thing would be terrified. However, the post had not ended. ¡°Shit, shit, there is the sound of footsteps from my living room. Oh God, I¡¯m the only one in the house, and I think the old man who was knocking on the door is now inside. He must have entered the living room. What, what the hell is this? I didn¡¯t even hear the sound of him opening the door. How on earth did he get in?¡± ¡°The sounds of footsteps seem to have stopped in front of my bedroom door.¡± ¡°That thing is knocking on my door again. I think things are bad. I¡¯ve recorded the sounds now as evidence and will be leaving my phone number here. If you can¡¯t get through to me, it must be that something has happened to me. Please kindly report to the police: 138¡­..¡± ¡°Thump, thump thump, thump, thump thump¡­¡± Below was an audio file. Once he clicked it open, the dull and suppressed sounds of knocking could be heard. The thumpingnded rhythmically as if knocking on one¡¯s heart, making it even difficult for one to breathe. At this point, the posts stopped for a while. Yang Jian scrolled to the end, and was only greeted by one sentence, ¡°That old man is in here¡­¡± Chapter 2: A Sudden Lecture Chapter 2: A Sudden Lecture Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio At the night self-study session in school, eight o¡¯clock. Because he had read the story on the forum till it waste at night yesterday, Yang Jian had been yawning and listless for the whole day in school the next day. Every time he was about to fall asleep in ss, the photo of the old man would somehow appear in his mind, and in his daze, he would feel as if the part of hollow and deathly eyes were staring at him somewhere. With a jolt, he regained his consciousness. ¡°I still can¡¯t fall asleep. There¡¯s seriously something eerie with that photo.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, Yang Jian, share it with me too,¡± A tall and lean student leaned over. He was Zhang Wei, Yang Jian¡¯s desk mate. Yang Jian asked, puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try denying it. I¡¯ve been watching you yawn all day. You must¡¯ve done some embarrassing thingsst night,¡± Zhang Wei patted his shoulder and said in a low voice, ¡°What good resources have you gottentely? Share them with me and let me in on the pleasure too.¡± Yang Jian replied, ¡°Pleasure your ass. I read a horror story on my phonest night, so I sleptte.¡± ¡°A horror story? Speaking of horror stories, do you guys know about the supernatural incident that happened in one of the residential areas in the city some time ago?¡± One of their ssmates at the side scooted over. ¡°What supernatural incident?¡± Yang Jian asked, ¡°Why have I never heard of it before?¡± Zhang Wei said, ¡°I know about that too. Rumor has it that in one of the residential areas, more than twenty people had hung themselves overnight. The bodies hung from the anti-theft windows like cured meats. It was seriously horrifying. I even have a photo of the ce. Though, I¡¯m not sure of its authenticity.¡± After he finished saying this, he took out his phone and opened a photo in his photo album. The photo was taken in the evening, added with the poor lighting conditions of the residential area, it was a little blurry. However, one could still make out the silhouettes of the human figures hanging from the anti-theft windows on the balcony in a tight row. One could also vaguely see the hideous and terrifying faces of the corpses, especially their eyes that were wide open, making people wonder what they had experienced before death. From afar, the dozens of corpses looked like cured meats that were being hung out to dry. What made people wonder was that the heads of the corpses were inside the anti-theft windows, but their bodies were under. With the space between the bars of the windows, they weren¡¯t nearly enough for an adult to pass through. On top of that, the heads of the corpses were tilted backwards, showing an eerie pose of having been snapped in two. The more one scrutinized, the more uneasy and fearful one felt. This photo had the same effects as the old man¡¯s photo in Yang Jian¡¯s phone, both could stir people¡¯s emotions. ¡°F*ck, where¡¯d you get the photo? Why didn¡¯t I find it?¡± The ssmate at the side said. Zhang Wei said proudly, ¡°One of my friends who was passing by took it. The ce is sealed off now, and they don¡¯t allow photos anymore. If you want it, call me daddy and I¡¯ll give it to you. Also, stop calling me ¡®Yangwei¡¯ (sexual impotence), I have a new English name.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I also have an English name. It¡¯s called ¡®Woshishabi¡¯ (I am an idiot). Remember to call me by my English name loud when we¡¯re out.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°We have the same 9 yearpulsory education, why are you guys so outstanding?¡± ¡°Yang Jian, both of us went for tuition. You can¡¯t learn it,¡± Zhang Wei said proudly. ¡°Speaking of supernatural incidents, I¡¯ve been seeing many people mentioning such things on the inte recently. They make them sound so real that I don¡¯t even dare to read them. Do you guys think those things are real? It can¡¯t be that some ces are really haunted, right?¡± A female ssmate named Miao Xiaoshan came over as well and asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°Most of the stories online are fake. Unless I see them with my own eyes, I don¡¯t believe that there are ghosts in this world. However, some things are better believed than not. If you really encounter these things, it¡¯s better to stay away from them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Miao Xiaoshan nodded. ¡°Everyone, stop talking. Be quiet,¡± At this moment, Teacher Wang shouted as he strode into the ssroom, continuing, ¡°The school has made ast-minute announcement. Today¡¯s evening self-study session will be changed to a lecture session. The main purpose of it is to promote some safety precautions among the students. Later, during the lecture, I don¡¯t want to hear anyone speaking in ss and messing up the ssroom discipline. Next, I¡¯d like to invite Mr. Zhou Zheng to present the lecture for us. Everyone, give him a round of apuse.¡± Huh? Yang Jian pped as he was puzzled. Why was there still a safety lecture at this time of night? However, when Zhou Zheng, who was the person that was about to give them a lecture, walked into the ssroom, Yang Jian¡¯s eyelids twitched. This man called Zhou Zheng was wearing a gray windbreaker that wrapped him uppletely. He was also wearing a mask. One had to know that it was a hot day! An unknown ID card was dangling on his chest, however, what caught people¡¯s attention was that his appearance was very terrifying. His face was extremely thin, practically skin and bones. One could even see the shape and outline of his facial bones, and there was a little flesh on his face. Due to his extreme thinness, his eyes appeared very big. They were bloodshot as if he had not slept for many days. However, under his thin face was his stomach that swelled up. It was as if he had a beer belly full of fat. However, a person with a beer belly shoudn¡¯t be so thin. It was abnormal. It was so abnormal that it made people feel uneasy. At this moment, Zhou Zheng was standing on the podium. He was emitting a dark, haggard, and numb aura. His entire body was stiff and unmoving. His bloodshot eyes rolled slightly, like two dull ss beads. Wherever his gaze passed, the students felt an inexplicable sense of fear. Yang Jian subconsciously clenched his fists and his entire body could not help but tense up. He did not dare to look the man in the eye. He thought to himself, ¡°The feeling is even stronger than when I was facing that photo¡­¡± ¡°Hello, students. My name is Zhou Zheng. I am the person in charge of Dachang City. I am very happy to be able to stand here alive and give you a lecture today,¡± Zhou Zheng finally spoke. His voice was dry, hoarse, and ear-piercing like ss that was slid across the ground. Coupled with his extremely thin face, one could not help but feel a chill run down one¡¯s spine. To stand here alive and give them a lecture? Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled. Why did those words sound so strange? Zhou Zheng picked up a piece of chalk and turned around to write a scrawled but extremely clear word on the ckboard: Ghost! ¡°The legends of ghosts and monsters have existed since ancient times, and not only in the history of our country but also in the history of every country. I don¡¯t have much knowledge of history, and I can¡¯t tell you exactly what happened in the ancient times, but it¡¯s fine as long as you can roughly understand what I mean,¡± Zhou Zheng¡¯s voice was still hoarse and ear-piercing as he said unhurriedly, ¡°However, there are some things that all of you will have no choice but to believe in now. In recent years, there has been an explosive growth in the number of supernatural incidents. It is no longer just a matter of one or two incidents but is gradually turning into a global catastrophe. If this situation is not effectively controlled, in the future¡­ ¡­ maybe the world will not even have a future.¡± When everyone heard this, they were quite surprised. How did this lecture be a ghost story convention? And the lecturer even bragged to the point that the world was about to perish. Not only the students, even Teacher Wang was stunned. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for me to say more about this, so don¡¯t ask. Please remember what I¡¯m going to say next, students. This safety lecture might save your lives in the future,¡± Zhou Zheng did not continue the topic. Instead, he turned around and wrote another sentence on the ckboard: Ghosts can not be killed. ¡°In the near future, you might encounter situations that you would never want to encounter, such as¡­ ¡­ Bumping into ghosts. Although it¡¯s a bit of a blow, please remember this sentence, ghosts can not be killed. So, even in extreme fear, don¡¯t think of risking your lives to fight those things, because your lives are not even worth mentioning before those things. It¡¯s as easy as stepping on a few ants for those things to kill you. No, it¡¯s even easier than that. Maybe with a blink of its eyes or a snap of its fingers, and you¡¯ll be finished,¡± His haggard eyes were bloodshot as he stared at everyone. He said these words seriously, then turned around and wrote the second sentence on the ckboard: The only thing that can deal with ghosts is ghosts. Zhou Zheng continued, ¡°If ghosts can not be killed, it means that the technological power of every country will be useless. Whether it¡¯s bombs or even nuclear weapons, none of them will be of any use. If the scientists of the various countries can not crack the mystery of ¡°ghosts¡± in the future, for now, the only method left is to use ghosts to deal with ghosts. I know that all of you have questions in your hearts. Some people even think that I¡¯m crazy, but it¡¯s not important. The important thing is to listen to me and remember these words in your mind. You will need them in the future. Of course, I also hope that you will never need them.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, what is this person saying? Why can¡¯t I understand him?¡± Zhang Wei whispered. Yang Jian said, ¡°I don¡¯t really understand him either, but after listening to his words, I¡¯m feeling somewhat uneasy.¡± ¡°Could it be that the Earth has mutated? Like in the novels?¡± Zhang Wei said. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± Yang Jian hesitated. Although he had fantasized about the appearance of gods and the existence of superpowers, if these things did existed, it was inevitable that one would panic. After all, such things were a huge threat to ordinary people. On the podium, Zhou Zheng continued, ¡°Since ghosts can not be killed and have extraordinary abilities, thenbining these two situations, we can ask a question. If ordinary people are targeted by ghosts, how can they survive? This is the key point. I hope you will remember it forever, preferably for a lifetime.¡± After saying that, he turned back to the ckboard and wrote the third sentence: See through the patterns of ghosts. ¡°Everything has a pattern to be found, and ghosts are no exception. ording to the research data, every kind of ghost has a nearly fixed way of killing and action. Just like aputer program, you have to press the power button before theputer can run, and you have to click the mouse to open software. Ovee your fear and see through the patterns of the ghosts. Find their ws. This is the only chance for ordinary people to survive if they are targeted by ghosts.¡± He repeated in a grave tone, ¡°Remember, if a ghostes looking for you, there¡¯s no other way to survive other than the method I have just mentioned. Don¡¯t take any chances. Those things are more terrifying than you can imagine.¡± Chapter 3: The Old Man Chapter 3: The Old Man Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ghosts can not be killed. Only ghosts can deal with ghosts. See through the patterns of ghosts. These three sentences were clearly written on the ckboard, scribbled but clear, showing that Zhou Zheng had written them with much force. But the students who in the night self-study session merely looked at each other, not knowing how to react. Was this person really here to give a lecture? It can¡¯t be that he was a lunatic who ran out of somewhere, right? Whatever he was saying just didn¡¯t make sense, was he trying to fool them? Some students shook their heads to show that they did not believe what he said. Some students began to discuss in low voices, evenughing loudly. It was obvious that most of them did not take Zhou Zheng¡¯s words to heart. Only Yang Jian¡¯s expression was quite grave. This was because story in the forum yesterday and the photo made him feel very uneasy. In addition to this person¡¯s strange words¡­ Could it be that some changes unknown to him were really happening in the world? After Zhou Zheng wrote three sentences, he did not say anything more. Instead, he used his haggard and bloodshot eyes to size up everyone, ¡°Students, if you have any questions or if something strange is happening around you, you can ask me. I will answer them for you. If you don¡¯t have any questions, then today¡¯s safety lecture ends here.¡± However, there wasn¡¯t a single student that had a question. ¡°Should I ask him about the old man¡¯s photo?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed slightly as he took out his phone, opened the forum, and scrolled to the old man¡¯s photo again. However, just as he was hesitating, the lights in the ssroom suddenly dimmed, and the entire ssroom became dim. ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Zheng, who was on the podium, changed his expression slightly, and he immediately became very vignt. Yang Jian also subconsciously raised his head to take a look. When he inadvertently saw a figure outside the ssroom corridor through the ss window, his eyes instantly widened, and his entire body subconsciously tensed up. An extreme fear surged out from his heart and quickly enveloped him. At this moment, his body even lost all senses. Outside the window, an old man wearing a ck long robe with livor mortis on his face was standing there stiffly. His pair of gray, deathly silent eyes stared at the ssroom without a trace of spirit. He stood there like an ice-cold corpse. Around the old man, it was pitch-ck without a trace of light. The lights in the corridor seemed to have beenpletely extinguished at this moment. A thick darkness rapidly eroded into the ssroom like mercury. The walls near the old man were aging at a visible speed. In an instant, the newly painted walls looked as if more than ten years had passed as they started to be covered in moss. The ster became ck and mottled as they peeled off from the wall, and a rotten smell gradually spread out. ¡°It¡¯s the old man in the forum story¡­ This is impossible, why is he here?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s palm turned white from overexertion as he gripped his phone tightly. The screen of the phone was showing the photo of the old man, the spitting image of the old man outside the window¡­ It was just that the old man outside the window was even scarier than in the photo¡­ Following this, he stood up from his seat in shock. Because he was too agitated, the chair was even overturned by him. Due to his drastic actions, the other students in the ss looked at him in unison. ¡°Yang Jian, why are you standing up? Hurry up and sit down. Don¡¯t disturb the ssroom discipline,¡± Teacher Wang shouted from behind. However, it was as if Yang Jian couldn¡¯t hear anything at the moment. He simply stared at the ck-clothed old man outside the window with terrified eyes. The old man moved¡­ His stiff body moved mechanically. His pale, dead eyes seemed to have no focus as they just sat on his head numbly when he turned his head. ¡°Da, Da da ~ !¡± The crisp footsteps that had no echo sounded from the corridor, vaguely heard in the ssroom. ¡°Is he going to leave?¡± Yang Jian broke out in cold sweat. He hoped with all his heart that the old man would leave this ce and note in. If the story in the forum was true, then once the old man entered¡­ ¡­ The consequences would be unimaginable. However, things did not go as he had hoped. The old man did not leave. He only took a few steps before stopping in front of the ssroom door. ¡°Yang Jian, why aren¡¯t you sitting down? Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? How dare you cause trouble during a safety lecture?¡± Teacher Wang became a little stern. ¡°Ah!¡± At this moment, a female student let out a scream. Then, she pointed at the books on her desk and was so frightened that she could not speak. The books on the desk in front of her quickly turned yellow, then moldy, then rotted¡­ ¡­ Finally, they turned into a pile of ck rotten substance. ¡°It stinks. Su Lei, why is there a pile of shit on your desk?¡± Zhang Wei pinched his nose and said. However, a male student at the side had a livid expression. He suddenly stood up and quickly took a few steps back. ¡°Su Lei, what the hell are you screaming for?¡± Teacher Wang was very angry. What had happened to the students in today¡¯s self-study session who were usually more self-disciplined? On the podium, Zhou Zheng narrowed his eyes and was full of vignce. His previous haggard look was long gone, and he now seemed like a wild beast out of its cage. He became a little violent and fierce as he stared at Fang Jing. However, Fang Jing revealed a calmness that did not match that of an ordinary person. ¡°It seems that you know a lot of things. Are you also a ghost rider?¡± Zhou Zheng asked. ¡°Zhou Zheng, this is my business and none of yours,¡± Then, Fang Jing red at Yang Jian fiercely and said, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you. You brought everything here. I really should have killed you earlier, then things wouldn¡¯t have be like this. Besides, you¡¯ll be too scary in the future.¡± Yang Jian looked at Fang Jing with some confusion. He didn¡¯t understand what he had said, but he was more concerned about the old man in ck standing outside the ssroom door. The other students were shocked when they heard this. ¡°F*ck, Fang Jing, what you said just now almost scared me.¡± ¡°What with the ghost rider and the future, what you said is too profound. I don¡¯t understand it at all. Is there anyone who can exin it for me?¡± ¡°Fang Jing seems to know some inside story. Boss, please take care of me. I¡¯m vaguely feeling that something is wrong with the surroundings. I wonder if I¡¯m the only one who feels this.¡± ¡°Oh no, oh no. What¡¯s wrong with everyone today? Your brains are all out of whack. Am I not keeping up with the times, or is the world changing too fast? By the way, why have my books be a pile of shit too?¡± The students who were speaking did not seem to realize that danger had already descended upon them. They were only feeling curious and even a little excited. Suddenly. ¡°Thump, thump thump.¡± As if knocking on their hearts, a dull but clear knocking sound came into the ssroom with an eerie tone. At this moment, everyone felt as if their souls were being strangled by something. They felt as if they were being pressed underwater and couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°It¡¯s the knock on the door¡­ It¡¯s exactly the same,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled. It was exactly the same as the sound from the audio file in the forum, only that it was heard more clearly now at the scene. Zhou Zheng¡¯s expression was particrly grave. He picked up a special phone and pressed a button urgently. The call was immediately picked up. ¡°Zhou Zheng? Report the situation,¡± A woman¡¯s voice sounded from the other end of the phone. ¡°It¡¯s been recorded.¡± The person on the other end of the line spoke very quickly. ¡°Can you handle it?¡± Zhou Zheng said, ¡°The ghost has already formed a ghost realm and is beginning to affect where I am. I can¡¯t see any lights outside. I reckon that the ghost realm is muchrger than I thought.¡± ¡°Ghost realm huh¡­ The situation has escted. It¡¯s not something you can handle. Please retreat quickly. With your current situation, it¡¯s very dangerous for you to use the power of ghosts now. If you do so, there might not only be one ghost but two. I suggest you retreat. Although your end is near, you might not be able to save a single person even if you risk your life,¡± The voice on the other end of the phone immediately said. Zhou Zheng said, ¡°There¡¯s no time. I¡¯m less than five meters away from that thing. It¡¯s just outside the ssroom door. It¡¯s even possible that it has its eyes on me. I¡¯ll keep the call going from now on. If it ends, it means that I¡¯m already dead. Please pass my will to my parents for me. That¡¯s all. I¡¯m going to make my move.¡± ¡°Thump, thump thump.¡± Dull and stifled knocks sounded from outside. One long knock and two short onesnded on the ssroom door constantly at a fixed frequency. ¡°Teacher Wang, someone is knocking on the door,¡± A student who was oblivious to the situation shouted. Teacher Wang was a little hesitant. Looking at Zhou Zheng, it seemed like something serious had happened. However, he could not help but feel curious. As such, he opened the back door of the ssroom and walked out to see who was knocking on the door. ¡°Don¡¯t go out,¡± Zhou Zheng hurriedly shouted. But by the time he spoke, it was already toote. Teacher Wang had already walked out. Strangely, he had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Yes, he was gone. It was pitch-ck outside the ssroom door. The thick darkness seemed to be able to swallow up any light. The second Teacher Wang walked out, no traces of him could be found anymore. There wasn¡¯t even a sound. It was as if his entire person had disappeared into thin air. As the ssroom door was opened, the darkness outside quickly seeped in like a thick ck fog, continuously eroding the space in the ssroom. Chapter 4: Knocking on the Door Chapter 4: Knocking on the Door Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Thump, thump thump.¡± The dull and eerie knocking on the door was still sounding at a fixed frequency like the sounds of a set rm. The ssroom doors were not locked. They weren¡¯t even fastened, just casually closed. As long as one used a little strength, they could easily be pushed open. However, what made people¡¯s hair stand on end was that the old man wearing a ck long robe and covered in livor mortis did not push open the door. He just stood stiffly outside the door and knocked, as if he did not have the slightest intention of entering. Although the old man did not enter, the ink-thick darkness in the corridor did with speed. The entire ssroom began to undergo an unimaginable change. The brand-new walls became mottled and moldy. The ster kept falling off, turning the walls uneven. Drak green mold grew on the uneven walls, giving off a cold, damp smell. The books on the desks quickly turned yellow, then rotted. Even the cement on the ground began to quickly erode, revealing rusty steel bars. Some ces even began to copse. It was as if in a split second, the ce had experienced decades and had been destroyed by the passage of time. However, the lights in the ssroom were still struggling against the darkness. The white light was like a candle in the wind, emitting thest glimmer of dim light, as if it was going to be extinguished at any moment. Fear appeared on every student¡¯s face. Some screamed, some called for help, and some were trembling¡­ The only one who was calm was Zhou Zheng, who was on the podium. He did not move. He looked around, paying attention to any movement around him. A dangerous ghost that even had a ghost realm¡­ ¡­ This was not something he could deal with. ¡°Zhou Zheng, look,¡± At this moment, Fang Jing suddenly shouted. His expression was exceptionally ugly as he pointed at a few students at their desks. He hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but now that he saw it, he finally came to his senses. ¡°Thump, thump thump,¡± The sounds of knocking rang out once again. At this moment, the male student who had been standing in the crowd earlier suddenly trembled, then his entire body stiffened as he fell to the ground. ¡°Li Ming, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°How could this happen? How could this happen? Someone save us!¡± A female student was so scared that she fell limp on the ground and cried. ¡°Everything was fine before. Why did all this suddenly happen?¡± Someone said with a trembling voice. Fang Jing¡¯s face turned ashen, ¡°What are you shouting for? There¡¯s a ghost outside the door. There are countless ways for us to die. You¡¯ll soon know how terrifying a ghost that can create a ghost realm is.¡± The others looked at him in horror. They were like prey that had fallen into a cage, filled and trembling with fear. ¡°Zhou Zheng, haven¡¯t you thought of a solution yet? If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll all die here,¡± Fang Jing said angrily. His heart was also trembling because anyone in the ghost realm could die, including him. ¡°Shut up. If you can¡¯t wait, run away yourself. Don¡¯t count on me,¡± Zhou Zheng was also anxious. He didn¡¯t dare to act rashly. ¡°Running around in the ghost realm will kill you faster. Do you think I don¡¯t know anything?¡± Fang Jing said. ¡°Since you know, then just wait there obediently. If it¡¯s death, do you think you¡¯re the only one who will die? It¡¯s the same for everyone. Don¡¯t think that you are special just because you know some things. Everyone is equal in front of a ghost,¡± Zhou Zheng said. ¡°F*ck,¡± Fang Jing could not help but curse. Yang Jian¡¯s hands and feet were cold. He forced himself to calm down because all this was not a joke. When he inadvertently saw the ckboard that was about to fall off the wall, he was momentarily stunned. His gaze stopped on the three sentences that Zhou Zheng had written, especially thest sentence: See through the patterns of the ghosts. ¡°Zhou Zheng doesn¡¯t dare to act rashly because he is also observing the old man outside the door, looking for his patterns. Only by finding the old man¡¯s patterns will he dare to act. Think, I have to quickly think, what patterns does the old man have to be found¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s mind began to spin frantically, He started recalling everything that had been recorded in the story on the forum, then connected it to the things that were happening in front of him. There must be something inmon, there must be something simr. Thatizen called Leidian Fawang was at home. At that time, his door was closed and the old man was standing outside the door while knocking¡­ ¡­ Then the old man went in, went to the bedroom door, knocked again, and then entered the room. Now, the ghost had appeared in the corridor and was also knocking on the door¡­ ¡­ but had yet to enter. Why did the old man enter theizen¡¯s house but not here? It was the same situation, the same thing. What caused the difference? Was it because there wasn¡¯t enough time? On what aspect was the time insufficient? Could it be that there wasn¡¯t enough time to knock on the door? Perhaps this was the key. Let¡¯s go for it. In that instant, Yang Jian mustered up his courage and shouted, ¡°Zhou Zheng, it¡¯s the knocking on the door.¡± ¡°The knocking on the door?¡± Zhou Zhengyi paused, his gaze burning as he stared at the student who had suddenly said those words, and he asked, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Yang Jian held back his fear and said, ¡°Although it¡¯s just a guess, I think this thing kills by knocking on the door. Maybe the old man is timing or something else, but it must be rted to the knocking. If we can stop that thing from knocking on the door, it might be useful¡­¡± Killing by knocking on the door. If that was really the case, then this ghost was too terrifying. ¡°This guy¡¯s potential is starting to show so quickly¡­¡± Fang Jing looked at Yang Jian with an unfriendly gaze and clenched his fists tightly. ¡°I must not let him leave this school alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this time,¡± Zhou Zheng retracted his gaze solemnly. He had no choice. If he did not act now, everyone here would die. Immediately, Zhou Zheng moved. He charged out like a wild beast. His strange body that was thin on top and fat at the bottom had an explosive strength that ordinary people could notpare to. ¡°Bang!¡± With a loud sound, the ssroom door was forcefully pushed open by him. At the same time, he knocked the ashen-faced old man who was covered in livor mortis and wearing a ck long robe away from the door. The old man fell to the ground, but no one dared to help him up. His body was in a strange posture, like a stiff puppet that was casually moving its limbs. It did not have the toughness and flexibility that a living person should have. Ghosts could not be killed. Zhou Zheng would, of course, not forget the words he had written himself. Even if the old man was crushed into mud and burned to ashes, he still wouldn¡¯t be dead. He would continue to appear in an unimaginable way. Only ghosts could deal with ghosts. Zhou Zheng gritted his teeth and turned his head to shout, ¡°Look for an opportunity to escape. I¡¯ll hold this thing off.¡± After saying that, his bulging stomach under hisrge windbreaker squirmed a few times. A hand, or more urately, the outline of a hand, was stretched out under ayer of skin. This hand was grayish-green and its nails were sharp, as if it wanted to tear through theyer of skin and reach out from within. However, the belly that was wrapped around the hand was very tough, and couldn¡¯t be torn apart. What was more frightening was that the hand stretched out for more than two meters. Was this still a human hand? Just like that, the strange grayish-green hand grabbed the old man on the ground. ¡°Sizzle, sizzle ~ !¡± The sounds of the fluorescent light tubes shing sounded. In an instant, the darkness that shrouded the ssroom disappeared, and bright lights appeared once again. Although the walls were still mottled and the ground still looked like it was about to copse, it seemed that the disaster had been stopped. ¡°It worked,¡± Zhou Zheng heaved a sigh of relief in his heart. However, his eyes suddenly widened immediately after that and his skinny face was covered by a wave of fear. The old man who was lying on the ground slowly stood up. His dead gray eyes rolled slightly as if he was looking at Zhou Zheng. ¡°Impossible. You can still move after being restricted by me?¡± Zhou Zheng¡¯s expression changed drastically. He immediately turned around and shouted, ¡°Go, quickly run. Leave this ce before the ghost realm appears. I will stay here and dy this thing.¡± This ghost was definitely not just dangerous. Cold sweat broke out in his heart. Chapter 5: Lost Chapter 5: Lost Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Zhou Zheng¡¯s roar jolted everyone in the ssroom back to their senses. Although they were all scared silly by the sudden change, survival was the instinct of every living creature. ¡°If you want to live, follow me,¡± Fang Jing was the first to roar. Then, he took the lead and rushed out at an extremely fast speed, heading straight for the back door of the ssroom. They were on the fifth floor. If they wanted to leave the school, they had to go downstairs first. If they had been on the second floor or the first floor, he would¡¯ve just jumped out of the window without hesitation. However, jumping down from the fifth floor was no different frommitting suicide. Fang Jing¡¯s escape was highly encouraging and motivating. The others immediately reacted and instinctively rushed out of the ssroom with him. Yang Jian did not hesitate and left immediately as well. He had a premonition that Zhou Zheng would not be able to stall the old man for too long. ¡°Boom¡­¡± Parts of the ground that had been eroded began to copse immediately after being stomped on by so many. A few of the students fell straight down. ¡°Zhang Wei, Miao Xiaoshan.¡± Yang Jian was shocked and hurriedly avoided the copsed areas. ¡°Ptui, I¡¯m fine. Damn it, which bastard pushed me just now? I¡¯m going to sue him for murder,¡± Zhang Wei touched his butt and inhaled deeply in pain. Fortunately, he had only fallen to the ssroom that was one level lower. It was only about a three-meter fall and still couldn¡¯t make him fall to his death. However, when Zhang Wei turned his head to look at the other people who had fallen, his eyelids twitched. A person was lying on the ground with her eyes wide open. Blood was gushing out from her neck and she made gurgling sounds as if she was still breathing. Yang Jian could see a blood-stained steel bar piercing through her neck. This was a pretty girl who had good grades in ss. He did not expect that the ident would happen to her. With such serious injuries, it was toote for first aid, not to mention the current situation. ¡°All of you, get up and leave this ce. Don¡¯t waste time,¡± Yang Jian shouted and immediately left without caring about the others. ¡°Yang Jian, you don¡¯t have to tell me that I have to leave this damn ce¡­ F*ck, you¡¯re leaving just like that? Don¡¯t even think about asking me for resources in the future,¡± Zhang Wei scolded. At this moment, the group of students seemed to have gone crazy as they rushed out of the ssroom and down the stairs. ¡°Can we leave this ce safely?¡± Yang Jian was feeling uneasy at this moment. The image of the livor mortis covered old man in his ck long robe lingered in his mind. If the old man was really a ghost, could Zhou Zheng deal with it? After all, he had also said that ghosts could not be killed and that only ghosts could deal with ghosts. Wait¡­ Could it be that Zhou Zheng was a ghost too? In an instant, Yang Jian felt his scalp go numb and his entire body went cold. Could it be that he was listening to a ghost lecture just now? What on Earth was going on in this world?! However, in the corridor outside the ssroom, Zhou Zheng was still trying his best to stall the old man and prevent him from casting his ghost realm again. Once the ghost realm appeared again, as long as the students were still in it, they would not be able to leave this ce alive even if they have left the ssroom. However, the terror of the ck-robed old man had already exceeded his imagination. He did not know how long he could stall for. At this time, everyone was frantically running down the stairs, scurrying around like a bunch of frightened hares. One floor, two floors, three floors¡­ It was as if the hope of leaving this ce was right in front of them. However, just as Fang Jing ran to the middle of the stairs where they had to turn, a soft sizzling sound suddenly rang out and the stair lights were instantly extinguished. The entire staircase fell into darkness. The darkness was iparably dense. One couldn¡¯t even see one¡¯s fingers. Through the window, one couldn¡¯t see the slightest bit of light either. ¡°Ah!¡± The second the lights went dark, some female students screamed out in fear. ¡°Damn it, has Zhou Zheng reached his limit? Could it be that the ghost realm has appeared again? Just what level is that old man? He¡¯s really terrifying,¡± Cold sweat broke out on Fang Jing¡¯s face. He did not dare to stay any longer in the darkness and he immediately turned around to roar, ¡°Everyone, leave quickly. Don¡¯t stop.¡± He didn¡¯t want to save these people, but he couldn¡¯t let them die in the ghost realm. Otherwise, the ghost realm would be even more terrifying. In the darkness, the students continued to walk down the stairs. This wasn¡¯t difficult for them, who were familiar with the environment here. However, as they continued, Fang Jing suddenly stopped after some time. He realized that something was wrong. It wasn¡¯t just him. Yang Jian, who was behind, also noticed that something was wrong. At this moment, his entire body was tense. He had noticed that the stairs he had walked down seemed to have been more than five stories high¡­ ¡­ Yet there were more stairs in front of him. ¡°Stop. Stop walking,¡± When Fang Jing who was in front stopped, the others behind him also stopped subconsciously. Under such circumstances, Fang Jing who was mysterious and rtively calm seemed to have be the backbone of the group. ¡°Fang Jing, what¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t we continuing to go down?¡± A girl asked with a trembling voice. ¡°If you¡¯re not leaving, I am. I don¡¯t want to stay here and wait for death,¡± A boy continued to walk forward in fear. Soon, he disappeared into the darkness. ¡°Fang Jing, don¡¯t f*cking mess around now. People will die,¡± Someone who had also stopped said with a sobbing tone. ¡°Walk my ass! Didn¡¯t the lot of you count how many flights of stairs you have already gone down from the fifth floor to here?¡± Fang Jing scolded loudly. ¡°We¡¯re all running for our lives, how will we still be counting this?¡± In times of trouble and panic, they really couldn¡¯t care so much. After all, not everyone had a calm mind. At this moment, Yang Jian was silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Before the lights went out, we had already reached the third floor and were walking towards the second floor. However, when we reached there, the lights had gone out. We should¡¯ve left the ce by just going down one more floor, but since the lights went out, we have at least gone down three or even four floors. In other words, we have already reached the underground. But this teaching building doesn¡¯t have a basement.¡± ¡°F*ck, Yang Jian, can you not talk about such a terrifying thing? It¡¯s already terrifying enough,¡± Someone eximed in the darkness. ¡°Then what should we do now? Should we continue or not?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we try going down a few more floors? Maybe Yang Jian made a mistake in his calctions.¡± Just as everyone was discussing, a faint light suddenly appeared in the darkness. IA female student who was trembling had turned on her phone¡¯s shlight. The phones could still be used? Everyone was pleasantly surprised when they saw this. They hurriedly took out their phones and turned on the lights. Immediately, more than a dozen lights lit up. However,pared to the total number of people in the ss, they were simply too few. Could it be that everyone had gotten separated? Moreover, the strange thing was that the lights were not as intense as usual. It was as if they were forced back by the surrounding darkness. They could only light up less than a meter in front of them. Further ahead was the darkness that was as thick as ink. The darkness was so oppressive that it almost made people unable to breathe. It was as if they would be lost in it at any moment. ¡°Continue walking forward,¡± Fang Jing gritted his teeth. There was nothing he could do now. This was not an existence that he could contend against alone. He could only pray that Zhou Zheng was not dead yet and that he could dy the ghost for some more time as well as destroy the ghost realm. Otherwise¡­ ¡­ Everyone would probably be lost in this ghost realm forever, unable to leave for the rest of their lives. They continued down the stairs. This time, it was not just Fang Jing, many of the students had started counting the number of floors they had walked. One floor, two floors, three floors¡­ The more they counted, the more panicked they became. When they counted to five floors, they saw that there were still flights of stairs before them. Everyone stopped in their tracks. Their hands and feet turned cold, and terrified expressions appeared on their faces. At this moment, some of the female students had already broken down. They sat on the ground and started crying. ¡°We¡¯ve¡­ We¡¯ve already gone down five floors.¡± ¡°My calctions also tell me that we¡¯ve gone down five floors. This¡­ This is the end. We won¡¯t be able to get out of here.¡± For a moment, everyone was at a loss. Fang Jing¡¯s expression was particrly ugly. He did not dare to continue walking forward. However, in his heart, he refused to admit defeat. Could it be that in this lifetime, he was just going to die here without knowing the reason why? ¡°Yang Jian, you¡¯re not dead, right?¡± Suddenly, he shouted with a vicious tone. ¡°Fang Jing, I didn¡¯t offend you, right? Don¡¯t curse me to death like this,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression turned cold. Fang Jing turned around and passed through the crowd, grabbing onto Yang Jian¡¯s cor as he said fiercely, ¡°Since you¡¯re not dead, then lead the way. If it¡¯s you, you¡¯ll definitely be able to leave this ce alive. With your potential, you sure as f*ck won¡¯t die in this damned ce.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°You know more than me. If you can¡¯t even leave, what can I do?¡± ¡°You definitely know something. Are you f*cking going to tell me or not?¡± Fang Jing¡¯s expression was a little malevolent as he said. He was at the end of his ropes and could only ce his hopes on Yang Jian. If Yang Jian could really grow to the heights he would reach in the future, he definitely wouldn¡¯t die here. From the beginning until now, he had been paying attention to Yang Jian. In a short moment, Yang Jian had analyzed the pattern of the door-knocking ghost and had also clearly calcted the flights of stairs they had taken when escaping. Without a doubt, this was a fellow with extremely terrifying adaptability. Any ordinary person who hade into contact with ghost realms and malicious ghosts would¡¯ve already been scared out of their wits. How could they be as calm as him? This was a kind of talent. Normally, such talent was useless. Even if one had it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to use it in their lifetime. However, under the circumstances of a great change in the world, such talent could increase the chances of survival. If one could be a ghost rider, the talent could even give one great advantage when dealing with ghosts. ¡°Fang Jing, it¡¯s useless even if you ask me. This is also the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a situation. If I had a way to leave, I wouldn¡¯t have stayed here. Every f*cking second we stay in this ce is an added chance of encountering that thing. Do you think I want to die?¡± Yang Jian said. Fang Jing¡¯s heart trembled. Only now did hee to his senses that Yang Jian was still a newbie who didn¡¯t know anything. He felt that he himself wasughable. To think he was asking Yang Jian for help at this time. Was it because Yang Jian¡¯s influence on him in the future was too great? ¡°Fang, Fang Jing, this is bad. Look¡­¡± Suddenly, a ssmate pointed at the door of the washroom while trembling. There was a washroom between the third and second floors of the teaching building. ¡°F*ck, we¡¯re still on the second floor after a round of running. We¡¯re really done for.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Look behind the door, there seems to be a figure,¡± The student trembled as he raised his phone to shine the light over. Everyone immediately retreated in fear. Behind the ss window of the washroom door, a tall and blurry silhouette of a human figure appeared in the light. ¡°Who, who is inside?¡± Someone mustered up his courage and shouted. He hoped that the person in the washroom was a ssmate. ¡°Creak ~ !¡± The long creak of the door being opened was heard. A pale arm stretched out from the dark washroom. The arm was ced on the door as it slowly pushed the door open. ¡°It¡¯s not a person. This is another ghost,¡± Fang Jing¡¯s pupils abruptly shrank, but in the end, he revealed a fierce expression. ¡°Since you don¡¯t know anything, then go to Hell,¡± He used all his strength to grab Yang Jian and push him towards the endless darkness of the washroom, nning to use this fellow¡¯s life to temporarily stall the newborn ghost. Chapter 6: The Hand in the Washroom Chapter 6: The Hand in the Washroom Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The door to the washroom opened, and a pale hand stretched out from the darkness. Everyone was so scared that they did not dare to make a sound. Their hearts were beating wildly, and they kept quiet. Yang Jian did not expect that his ssmate, Fang Jing, would suddenly act like he was crazy to grab and push him in the direction of the ghost. Yang Jian gritted his teeth as he said, ¡°Fang Jing, you¡¯re trying to kill me?¡± Fortunately, he had immediately reacted the second he realized that something was wrong and had hurriedly grabbed Fang Jing¡¯s arm. Their footsteps stopped, and the two of them froze. ¡°Yang Jian, if you don¡¯t die, I won¡¯t be able to be in peace for the rest of my life. Did you really think that what I said before was just a casual remark? The current you is still too naive. You were clearly aware that I had released unfriendly statements against you, yet you still did not guard against me. However, this is also within my expectations. After all, you are currently just a student who does not know anything and do not know the cruelty of this world. Today, I will teach you a lesson,¡± Saying this, Fang Jing turned around and roared, ¡°Why aren¡¯t any of youing over to help?! We have to push him into the washroom to stall the ghost. Otherwise, when that ghostes out, all of you will be finished. If you want to live, you have to sacrifice one person. There¡¯s no other way.¡± Using a righteous cause to force others was indeed effective. Under the threat of a malicious ghost, people would do anything to survive once given a seemingly legitimate reason. Immediately, three male students rushed over with terrified expressions and grabbed Yang Jian. The four of them pushed him forcefully. Even if it was anyone else, they would not have been able to resist. Immediately, Yang Jian¡¯s figure fell backward and he was quickly pushed to the entrance of the washroom. In the next moment, the pale hand that stretched out from the darkness ced its grip on Yang Jian¡¯s shoulder. It exerted force with its fingers and gripped him tightly in a cold and stiff manner. A terrifying force pulled Yang Jian towards the iparably dark washroom behind him. ¡°Yang Jian, get in there. You¡¯re dead meat this time. Learn to be smarter in your next life,¡± Fang Jing roared loudly after crashing into him heavily. Yang Jian was furious. He could already feel that his shoulder had lost all feeling as if it had been crushed by the cold and pale hand. At the same time, a bone-piercing chill enveloped his entire body, and his blood seemed to be frozen at this moment. ¡°You bunch of scumbags, we¡¯re ssmates, yet to think the lot of you are trying to kill me! Since that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t even think about having it easy. Even if I die, I will pull the lot of you into hell with me!¡± After saying that, Yang Jian stopped resisting. Instead, he tightened the grip of his palms on the arms of his two ssmates. The terrifying pulling force behind Yang Jian kept dragging them forward. Fang Jing had already realized that something was wrong. He quickly retreated and did not let Yang Jian catch him. ¡°No, no, let go of me. Yang Jian, let go of me.¡± ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to die. Don¡¯t catch me. Catch someone else.¡± The two students who were caught were terrified. They begged for mercy with a sobbing tone. Thinking that he was about to die, Yang Jian was not that afraid anymore. He could feel that his surroundings were being shrouded in darkness, so he simply said coldly, ¡°Stop screaming. Since you want to kill me, then I will make you apany me. Fang Jing, don¡¯t be smug. If I die and be a ghost, I won¡¯t let you off¡­¡± ¡°Bang!¡± With a loud sound, the pale arm retracted back into the darkness, and the washroom door closed in an instant. Yang Jian and the two ssmates who had pushed him disappeared in front of the other students. The door was tightly shut, and there was no more movement. Seeing this scene, Fang Jing finally heaved a sigh of relief, and a smile appeared on his frightened face. Yang Jian was finally done for. ¡°Fang Jing, you, you really killed Yang Jian and the others¡­¡± The others who saw this scene by the side said while trembling. Fang Jing¡¯s expression was vicious as he said, ¡°Shut up. If it wasn¡¯t for me, we would all have been dead if the ghost had walked out just now. What are you still standing here for? If you want to live, follow me. The three of them can¡¯t stall the ghost for too long. Once the ghost kills them, it wille out again. At that time, the ones who will die will be us.¡± After saying that, he turned around and walked up without another word. ¡°Fang Jing, why are we turning back?¡± ¡°If we continue down, it¡¯s a dead end. Who knows what else we will encounter. If we turn back, we might be able to meet Zhou Zheng. If he isn¡¯t dead yet, he might be able to save us,¡± Fang Jing said. His heart was also filled with iparable fear. This was because the more people died in the ghost realm, the more terrifying it would be. There was not much time left for them to escape. It was cold and dark, apanied by the sound of dripping water as if the tap wasn¡¯t closed properly. The pale hand had brought Yang Jian and his two ssmates into the washroom where there wasn¡¯t a trace of light. ¡°Get out, quickly leave this ce,¡± Duan Peng and Zheng Fei broke free from Yang Jian¡¯s grip. They were terrified and hurriedly felt about around the wall, trying to find and open the door to escape. The cold wall was mottled and slightly pockmarked. It gave off a rotten smell. The washroom was only so big. Under normal circumstances, anyone would¡¯ve been able to find the door and leave the ce even with their eyes closed. However, the two had felt about everywhere, yet there was only one wall in front of them. On the left was the wall, and on the right was the wall¡­ ¡­ A wall that didn¡¯t have an end was blocking in front of them. The door had disappeared¡­ ¡°Door, where¡¯s the door? Where¡¯s the door?! It was here just now. Zheng Fei, have you found it?¡± Duan Peng¡¯s voice trembled as he sobbed. ¡°It¡¯s not here either,¡± Zheng Fei said in a terrified tone. They frantically felt the wall and tried to find the familiar washroom door. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not find the door to leave the ce. There was only the mottled, cold wall. Or rather, the door wasn¡¯t here at all. Just as they were looking for the door to leave, Yang Jian¡¯s situation became even worse. He could feel the cold hand grabbing his shoulder. In the beginning, he could not feel his shoulder, but now, he could not feel one of his arms. As time passed, more and more of his body parts lost their consciousness¡­ ¡­ If the feeling spread to his entire body, Yang Jian was sure that he would be an ice-cold corpse. Yang Jian was covered in cold sweat. He tried his best to struggle free. It was useless. The ce that the pale hand had grabbed onto him seemed to be nailed by an iron nail. It didn¡¯t budge at all. He tried all kinds of ways to struggle, but it still didn¡¯t have any effect. ¡°Am I going to die here?¡± This was the only thought in his mind at the moment. In the end, perhaps because he was resigned to his fate, there was no fear in his heart instead. He only thought that since he was going to die anyway, he should give his family a call before he died. It would be good to leave ast message. A bitter smile appeared on the corners of Yang Jian¡¯s mouth. He resisted the coldness and numbness all over his body as he took out his phone and tried to call his family. However, when he turned on his phone, the screen shed and showed the forum story that he had read before. The story was on thest page. It showed the audio file on the forum. Yang Jian was stunned when he saw the audio file, and he suddenly thought of the sound of the old man knocking on the door. ¡°Wait, wait a minute, if that old man does kill by knocking on the door, then this sound should not only be effective against people, but also to ghosts. Zhou Zheng did say that only ghosts can deal with ghosts.¡± When he thought of this, his eyes abruptly lit up, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his heart. Without any hesitation, Yang Jian immediately moved his other arm that was still moveable, and clicked the audio file open. ¡°Thump, thump thump!¡± The dull sounds of knocking on the door sounded again, echoing in the darkness. Following this, something unexpected happened. The pale hand that was gripping Yang Jian¡¯s shoulder seemed to have been scalded as it quickly retracted and disappeared into the darkness. The cold, stiff feeling quickly dissipated from his body. Load failed, please RETRY Chapter 7: The Footsteps Behind Him Chapter 7: The Footsteps Behind Him Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yang Jian¡¯s body went limp and he almost fell to the ground. He panted heavily and only then did he feel the cold sweat on his forehead flowing down his face and dripping down. It was like walking back and forth in front of the gates of Hell just now. ¡°No, I can¡¯t stay here any longer. I have to, have to leave this ce as soon as possible¡­¡± Having just escaped from the hands of the ghost, he did not even have the time to reflect on what had just happened. Yang Jian hurriedly grabbed his phone, turned on the shlight, and stood up. There was an unknown ghost lingering in the darkness of this ce. The longer he stayed in this ce, the faster he would die. He walked forward in the darkness. Yang Jian¡¯s entire body was slightly trembling. It was unknown whether it was due to excessive nervousness or inexplicable fear. After taking a few steps forward and the darkness was slightly dispersed by the light, he saw Duan Peng and Zheng Fei standing in front of a mottled and moldy wall, crazily knocking away. ¡°Who, who is it?¡± Zheng Fei¡¯s voice trembled as he turned around in fear. He saw a ray of dim light. Yang Jian¡¯s face was cold as he held his phone and said, ¡°It¡¯s me, Yang Jian.¡± ¡°Yang, Yang Jian? You¡¯re not dead?¡± Zheng Fei¡¯s fear was reced by shock. ¡°Do you want me to die as much as Fang Jing?¡± Yang Jian asked. Duan Peng was quite agitated. He pounced over with a nervous and frightened expression as he grabbed Yang Jian and shouted, ¡°You! Why did you drag me in? Why?! I have no enmity with you. Why did you harm me?¡± However, Yang Jian just punched him in the face and said angrily, ¡°I have no enmity with you either. Yet didn¡¯t the lot of you want to send me to my death as well? You did it first, and now you¡¯re ming me for what you did previously. I have said that if I die, I¡¯ll make you lot die with me. I¡¯m still regretting now that I hadn¡¯t pulled that damned Fang Jing in with me at that time. I really should let him experience the feeling of being captured by a ghost.¡± With a punch, Duan Peng was sent to the ground. He did not care about the pain and only said with a sobbing tone ¡°I, I don¡¯t want to die. I just want to live. It was Fang Jing who told me to do this¡­ If I don¡¯t do this, the ghost will get out and everyone will die. It¡¯s better for you to die than everyone else.¡± ¡°So I should be the one to be sacrificed? Ridiculous. If you¡¯re so great, why don¡¯t you take the initiative to sacrifice yourself? To think you want to force others to sacrifice themselves,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Besides, even if you sacrificed me, did you think you would be able to leave? Don¡¯t forget that there¡¯s another ghost outside. And don¡¯t be naive. Fang Jing had been trying to kill me from the start. He must know something, or else he wouldn¡¯t have been plotting against me so much. If I can walk out of here alive, I¡¯ll take revenge for whatever he did today¡­ ¡­¡± Before he could finish his words, Duan Peng¡¯s body suddenly shook. A look of shock appeared on his face as he turned his head to take a look. Duan Peng couldn¡¯t see anything in the thick darkness, but he could feel an ice-cold hand grabbing his wrist. An extremely powerful force came from that ice-cold hand. Duan Peng¡¯s body was almost out of his control as he was dragged backward. ¡°Save, save me, Yang Jian, save me¡­¡± Duan Peng screamed in horror. Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled, and he inadvertently nced at the pale palm on Duan Peng¡¯s wrist. His heart skipped a beat¡­ ¡­ Without a doubt, the ghost from before had returned. Almost subconsciously, he picked up his phone and was about to open the audio file, hoping to rey the previous scene of scaring the ghost away. But just as his hand moved, he stopped. Was Duan Peng worth saving? No. He wasn¡¯t worth it. Fang Jing, Duan Peng, and Zheng Fei were the ones who had caused him to be in such a dangerous situation. Now that one of the perpetrators was in danger, what right did they have for him to save them? They had only wanted to find a way to escape, it wasn¡¯t like they had saved him just now. Moreover, even if he wanted to save them, how could he? The audio file on his phone could only scare the ghost away. It couldn¡¯t hurt it at all. He was just using someone else¡¯s power to intimidate others. You want to live, but don¡¯t I want to live as well? Fang Jing was right. He had been too naive before. He had already heard that Fang Jing wanted to harm him in the ssroom, yet he still didn¡¯t guard against him. He would never repeat the same mistake. Putting down the phone in his hand, Yang Jian took a step back and looked coldly at Duan Peng¡¯s retreating figure. No matter how much Duan Peng cried for help or screamed, he didn¡¯t move. In the end, he just watched Duan Peng¡¯s figure disappear into the darkness with a face full of fear. At the same time, the pale palm disappeared as well. The moment the darkness engulfed Duan Peng, even his cries for help disappeared. Everything quickly returned to normal. Only the sound of water dripping could be heard clearly. Yang Jian turned around and took a deep breath. He tried his best to rx his tense body and ovee the fear in his heart. Then, as if nothing had happened, he picked up his phone and started to look for a way out. This ghost was still lingering here. If he continued to stay here, he could not guarantee that the ghost would not attack him next time. Fang Jing had said before that people could be used to temporarily stall the ghost. The reason why he had been knocked into the washroom earlier was that Fang Jing had wanted to use his life to stall the ghost. Since that was the case, Duan Peng had just been captured by the ghost, so there must be a certain time interval before the ghost appeared again. If his analysis was correct, he would be safe before the next ghost attack. He could only pray that this was the case. Thinking of this, Yang Jian immediately began to look for a way out of this ce. ¡°Yang Jian, where are you going? Bring, bring me with you,¡± Seeing that he was about to leave, Zheng Fei hurriedly wanted to chase after him. Yang Jian ignored him and only coldly rejected, ¡°Think of a way yourself. Don¡¯t follow me. Don¡¯t tell me you still expect me to bring you out of here? You have to know that it¡¯s all your fault that I¡¯m in this damned ce.¡± After saying that, he quickened his pace and quickly disappeared into the darkness. For the sake of them being ssmates, he hadn¡¯t taken revenge on the spot. After that ghost killed Duan Peng, it would definitelye looking for him. He should just leave Zheng Fei to wait for death here. It could also buy some time for him. If the ghost attacked again, it would definitely choose to attack Zheng Fei first. Zheng Fei was shocked and hurriedly followed him. However, Yang Jian¡¯s figure was no longer around. There was only endless darkness. ¡°Yang, Yang Jian, where are you? Come out, I didn¡¯t mean it before. I¡¯m sorry, I apologize to you¡­¡± With a sobbing tone, Zheng Jian fumbled around in the darkness with his hands, but he could not find anything. He continued to walk around. Zheng Fei soon realized that he had lost his way¡­ When he realized he could not find Yang Jian, he had wanted to turn around and return to the wall where he had been, but he couldn¡¯t find the wall that was supposed to be behind him either. It seemed that this ce was no longer the familiar washroom, but an endless dark space. Fear gradually surged into his heart, drowning out thest bit of courage he had left. Then, he heard muffled footsteps behind him. The footsteps came from afar and wereing closer, continuously walking toward his position¡­ ¡°Duan¡­ Duan Peng, is¡­ Is that you?¡± Zheng Fei asked cautiously with a trembling voice. Before he could finish his sentence, a pale palm suddenly stretched out from the darkness and grabbed his neck from behind. It was cold and stiff, nothing like a living person¡¯s palm. ¡°Ah!¡± A hysterical scream sounded. However, Yang Jian did not hear this scream. He was also facing a difficult problem. He was lost again in the darkness. ¡°This is definitely not the washroom¡­¡± He thought in his heart. The darkness before him was endless. The path ahead had far exceeded the width of a washroom. He looked at the time on his phone. A full twenty minutes had passed. To not have left the washroom in twenty minutes, and to not even have touched the washroom¡¯s walls or toilet simply didn¡¯t make sense. The only exnation would then be that he had entered an unknown ce. ¡°Damn it, what the hell is a ghost realm? Why didn¡¯t Zhou Zheng exin it a little during his lecture?!¡± Yang Jian was very anxious. Without enough information, he couldn¡¯t analyze anything, let alone find a way to crack the ghost realm. ¡°Drip, drip,¡± The sound of water dripping from the tap could be heard. ¡°Wait, that sound of water dripping¡­ It disappeared for a while before. Why did it appear again at this time?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed, and he walked in the direction where the sound of water dripping came from without hesitation. The sound of water dripping from the tap meant that the washroom was nearby. As long as he returned to the familiar washroom, he would be able to find the door and leave the damned ce. Damn it, he should have noticed this earlier. With a direction and some confidence, Yang Jian quickened his pace. However, he soon heard a low battery notification on his phone. This startled him. He hesitated for a moment and could only clench his teeth as he turned off the phone. Compared to the darkness, he was more afraid of the ghost that was lingering here. He had to save this bit of electricity for the critical moment. He advanced in the darkness cautiously. In the darkness, only the sound of dripping water could be heard. Other than that, there was nothing else. The surroundings were so quiet that it was terrifying. He could even hear his own breathing clearly. However, not long after he turned off the lights. Suddenly. ¡°Ta, ta ~ !¡± A series of footsteps sounded from behind Yang Jian, heavy and clear. The footsteps approached him from afar. In an instant, Yang Jian¡¯s body stiffened. He turned on the light on his phone and looked back. The light illuminated the space a meter or so away. There was nothing behind him but thick darkness. However, the footsteps were getting closer. ¡°It can¡¯t be Zheng Fei and Duan Peng¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face froze. A living person couldn¡¯t possibly follow him so urately in the darkness. If it weren¡¯t Zheng Fei and Duan Peng, then it was most likely the ghost that was wandering in the washroom. ¡°I have to leave quickly.¡± Feeling the footsteps getting closer, Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled and he hurriedly increased his speed. Chapter 8: Strange Trees Chapter 8: Strange Trees Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yang Jian quickened his pace and continued to advance in the darkness. ¡°Ta, ta ~ !¡± However, the clear sound of footsteps behind him was still steadily following closely behind. No matter how fast Yang Jian quickened his pace, he still could not shake off the sound of footsteps. Moreover, as time passed, the sound of footsteps was getting closer and closer. At first, he only felt that the footsteps were five or six meters behind him. But then, he felt that the footsteps were about three meters behind him. As he walked further, the footsteps were almost only one meter behind him. Yang Jian gripped his phone tightly. He did not dare to turn off the light because he was ready to open the audio file at any time. If the ghost really attacked him again, the door-knocking sound from the audio file was his only way to save his life. His whole body tensed up, ready to beat the ghost back at any time. However, things didn¡¯t go as Yang Jian had expected. The footsteps behind him stayed one meter away from him. The ghost didn¡¯t leave, nor did it continue to get closer. Whether Yang Jian increased his speed or slowed down, the footsteps still maintained this subtle distance. ¡°Could it be that this thing is waiting for my phone battery to run out?¡± Thinking of this, Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed. Looking at the battery on his phone that was less than 10%, he became more and more uneasy. If that was the case, he would die in the hands of that ghost sooner orter. It was impossible for him to leave this ce alive. Then, he nced at the remaining battery on his phone screen one more time: 7% ¡°If the battery is less than 5% , there is a possibility that the phone will shut down at any time.¡± Yang Jian was now regretting ying with his phone during the day and thus using up his phone battery. ¡°But now is not the time to think about this. If I don¡¯t want to die here, the only thing I can do is run out of this damned ce before my phone battery runs out. Otherwise¡­¡± Gritting his teeth, he began to run. He ran at his fastest speed in the direction of the water dripping sound. ¡°Ta, ta ~ !¡± The footsteps followed closely behind him, lingering. Yang Jian could even feel the cold air behind him, as well as the faint corpse stench. The ghost followed closely like a shadow, chasing after him relentlessly. As he ran at full speed, the sound of dripping water was getting closer and closer to him. However, at that moment, the phone screen automatically lit up. Battery: 5% . The notification read: To prevent the phone from shutting down automatically, please charge it in time. ¡°Damn it,¡± Yang Jian panted, his entire body drenched in sweat. He took a nce, and his heart became even more panicked. Even though he was already very tired, he did not dare to stop. Stopping meant waiting for death. He continued to clench his jaw and run. Suddenly, a faint ray of light appeared in front of him amidst the darkness. This light was a faint red color and appeared especially clear in the darkness. It was like a spark in the dark night. Although it was faint, it was particrly eye-catching. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes lit up and he was ecstatic. It was as if he saw the hope of survival. However, at this moment, the phone in his hand vibrated and the screen lit up again. The notification read: Shutting down automatically. Although there was still a little battery left, the phone had already started to shut down automatically. The second the phone screenpletely darkened, Yang Jian felt a cold aura enveloping him from behind. The sound of footsteps was rapidly approaching¡­ ¡­ The thing instantly approached him from a meter away. It was right behind him. Although he couldn¡¯t see it in the darkness, he could feel an icy cold hand reaching out, brushing past his ear and grabbing at his neck. No matter how hard he ran, he couldn¡¯t get rid of this hand. ¡°Am I going to die here¡­¡± Yang Jian could already feel the icy cold fingers touching the skin on his neck. The ice-like coldness instantly spread throughout his body, causing goosebumps to rise. A faint corpse stench filled the tip of his nose. There was no way out. The red light in the darkness became more and more eye-catching. Suddenly, the footsteps behind him stopped and disappeared in an instant. The cold palm had just touched Yang Jian¡¯s neck when it suddenly froze and did not grab him. Yang Jian, who had run a few steps forward, could feel that the thing behind him had pulled away. It seemed that the ghost was not continuing to chase after him. ¡°Just, just now, what was that¡­¡± After running for a while more, Yang Jian really could not run anymore. He stopped and panted heavily. Cold sweat was breaking out all over his body, and he was still in shock. He recalled the thrilling scene from before. He was sure that he could survive not because he was lucky, but because the ghost had given up on chasing him. But why? He listened carefully. The footsteps that had been following him closely did not appear again. He seemed to be temporarily safe. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about it for now. Since that thing hasn¡¯t chased after me, it means that I am fine now. No matter what, I have to leave this ce as soon as possible,¡± Yang Jian panted. He raised his head and looked at the location of the red light. Then, he walked over. Soon, he arrived at the location where the red light was emitted. ¡°Is it a light bulb? A ss bead?¡± Yang Jian was stunned for a moment. In the darkness, he really couldn¡¯t make out what it was. He tried to touch the spot where the red light was emitted. ¡°Ah!¡± In an instant, Yang Jian felt a sharp pain. He quickly withdrew his hand. ¡°This¡­ This isn¡¯t a light,¡± However, what frightened him was that he saw that the ss ball that was emitting red light was stuck to his hand. It was also squirming crazily. As it squirmed, it actually bore a hole in his hand and sank into the back of his hand. Cold and pain instantly enveloped his entire body. Yang Jian fell to the ground. The pain made his entire body writhe. It was as if his tendons were being pulled and his skin was being peeled off. The pain was like his soul was being crushed. However, in the midst of his painful writhing, Yang Jian discovered that his surroundings were changing. The darkness surrounding him began to recede rapidly. He could see clearly¡­ Everything around him could be seen clearly. It was as if he had suddenly gained night vision. The pain came and went quickly. After writhing in pain for less than three minutes, Yang Jian felt the pain begin to recede like the tides. Hey on the ground, almost exhausted, gasping for air. His muscles were still twitching due to the pain just now. ¡°What¡¯s the hell is all this?¡± Yang Jian recovered his strength a little after a while before he struggled to sit up as if he had escaped death. However, when he saw everything around him clearly, his pupils abruptly shrank and a look of shock appeared on his face. In front of him was a tree. A pale tree that seemed to have grown out of bones. On the tree hung tattered human skins, dirty and smelly cloth strips, dried corpse heads, strange paper banners¡­ ¡­ But what made him even more afraid was that on the trunk of this treey a four-meter-tall person. No, it wasn¡¯t a person. It was a shadow, a shadow that had the same outline as a person, as if it was condensed from darkness. The tall ck shadow was unmoving. It was hanging upside down on the tree, its head facing the ground. If one looked carefully, one would discover that there was a nail as thick as an adult¡¯s arm nailed to the chest of the ck shadow. No, to be precise, the nail should be a coffin nailmonly used by the people. No one knew how long the coffin nail had been nailed to the tree as it was covered in rust and seemed like it was going to break. ¡°Drip, drip, drip!¡± ck blood was flowing out from the spot where the ck shadow was nailed. To think the sound of water dripping in the darkness along the way was this. When Yang Jian saw the head of the huge ck shadow, he immediately felt a chill run down his spine. The head of the ck shadow did not have the outline of a face. There was only a dent. The dent seemed to be where the ck Shadow¡¯s eye was, and the thing that was emitting the red light earlier seemed to be its eyeball. Yang Jian looked at the back of his hand. ¡°Gurgle!¡± The flesh and skin on the back of his hand were torn open, and a red eyeball turned in circles before being revealed. At the same time, an image from a strange perspective appeared in his mind. It was as if an eye had grown out of the back of his hand, and whatever the eye was seeing could be transmitted to his mind. Strange, bizarre, or perhaps an unknown ability. Yang Jian looked at the strange bone tree, the human skins on it, the dried corpses, and the huge ck shadow nailed to the tree trunk. ¡°This ce is very eerie. No matter what the tree is, it¡¯s better to leave as soon as possible.¡± He could vaguely feel that the huge ck shadow nailed to the tree was even more terrifying than the old man. On top of that, he seemed to have the feeling that the hollow eyes of the dried corpse hanging seemed to be watching him in the dark. He felt a chill run down his spine. He looked at the red eyeball on the back of his hand. A gloom shrouded his heart that could not be removed. However, this was not the time to be concerned about this. The surrounding darkness seemed to have faded. Yang Jian could clearly see everything around him. This was a dark, endless space. There was nothing here but the withered bone tree. It was like a different world. It was not a ce he was familiar with. But when he turned around, he saw that there was a door in the direction he came from. It was¡­ the washroom door. It turned out that the door had been so close to him, yet he had not noticed it before. Chapter 9: Zhou Zheng Chapter 9: Zhou Zheng Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°That ghost seems to have disappeared,¡± When Yang Jian carefully retraced his steps back, he did not encounter the ghost that had been chasing him. Perhaps this was what people meant by saying ¡°after surviving a great disaster, one is bound to have good fortune¡±. Opening the door and walking in, Yang Jian was suddenly stunned. He was in the familiar corridor. He turned to look behind him only to find that it was the ssroom that he had escaped from previously. To think he had returned to the corridor outside the ssroom door on the fifth floor. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t that door connected to the washroom?¡± Yang Jian felt even more incredulous. ¡°Cough, cough cough!¡± Suddenly, a weak and painful cough sounded. ¡°It¡¯s you. How can you be walking out of the ssroom?¡± A pale-faced thin man in a windbreaker was leaning against the corridor. His pair of bloodshot eyes looked at Yang Jian with some vignce. ¡°Zhou Zheng?¡± Yang Jian was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either. When I left with them, I was caught by a ghost and pulled into a washroom. I went through a lot of troubles to find the way out, but when I opened the door, I found myself back here.¡± ¡°Is that so? This may be due to the ghost realm. It seems that thing doesn¡¯t want to let you go,¡± Zhou Zheng¡¯s eyes moved slightly as he said, ¡°However, there will only be one ghost in a ghost realm. The ghost is the old man in the ck robe, but he has already left. The one you met should be a ghost ve.¡± ¡°What is a ghost ve?¡± Yang Jian walked over and asked. Zhou Zheng said, ¡°They¡¯re something formed by the people who have been killed in the ghost realms by malicious ghosts. They¡¯re controlled by the ghosts that killed it and listen to the orders of the malicious ghosts that killed them unconditionally. Since they¡¯re just like ves, they¡¯re called ghost ves. However, they¡¯re not as terrifying as malicious ghosts. That being said, they are still a great threat to you ordinary people¡­ Cough, cough. This ghost realm has only just appeared for a short period, and even a ghost ve has appeared. You¡¯re really lucky to be able to walk out alive. But now¡¯s not the time to talk about this. It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve appeared here,¡± Saying this, he took out something simr to a walkie-talkie. ¡°This is a satellite positioning phone. Take it and leave quickly. If you can leave this godforsaken ce, someone will contact youter. Just tell the person who contacted you the truth about the situation here,¡± Zhou Zhengdao had a pained expression on his face. ¡°Big brother, what about you?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhou Zhengdao said, ¡°I¡¯ve reached my limit. I used too much ghost power to hold that old man back just now. That thing is about to revive. Those who can control the ghost power are called ghost riders, but at the same time, the ghosts will gradually erode the people. For an existence like me who is neither human nor ghost, living in this world is a form of torture¡­ ¡­ Ah!¡± Before Zhou Zheng could finish, he suddenly screamed in pain and fell to the ground, writhing. As he struggled, hisrge windbreaker flew open. Yang Jian was shocked to see that under the windbreaker was a bulging belly that was bigger than a pregnant woman¡¯s. The belly was somewhat translucent, and inside it was a baby the size of a three-year-old. The baby¡¯s body was greenish-ck. Its hands had sharp fingernails while its eyes were as ck as ink with no pupils. It wriggled and tore in the belly as if it wanted to rip the belly open ande out. ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡± ¡°A ghost, ghost baby. That¡¯s what it¡¯s named in the files,¡± Zhou Zheng resisted the pain and exined, ¡°At first, it was only the size of a thumb in my stomach. Every time I used the ghost power, it would grow. Even if I didn¡¯t use the power, it would still grow. Everything in my stomach was eaten clean by it. Every day, I had to endure the pain of my body being eaten by it. Every night, I would be in so much pain that I couldn¡¯t sleep¡­ My body has almost been eaten clean by this ghost baby, and I¡¯m only left with an empty stomach that¡¯s merely skin. If it were any other ordinary person, they would have died long ago, but I just couldn¡¯t die. To me, living is a kind of pain and torture, and death is a kind of relief.¡± ¡°Go, take this phone and leave,¡± Zhou Zheng threw the phone out and roared, ¡°If you don¡¯t leave Now, the ghost baby ising out at any minute. At that time, there will be two ghosts here, and it will be even harder for you to leave.¡± Yang Jian picked up the phone and looked at his pained expression. He could not help but touch the back of his hand. He had also experienced this kind of pain before. Ghost rider? Could it be that he had be like Zhou Zheng? ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you. That old man¡¯s level was too high. I¡¯m not a match for that old ghost, so I wasn¡¯t able to hold him off and bring you students out. You can only rely on yourselves from now on,¡± Seeing Yang Jian pick up his phone, a bitter smile appeared on Zhou Zheng¡¯s face. Yang Jian said, ¡°Since you know so much, why did you stay in the beginning? If you were to leave this ce earlier, you could definitely have left safely. There¡¯s no need to stay and die with us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m the person in charge of Dachang City. Only people like us can deal with ghosts. If we cower in fear of death, the world will be finished¡­ I¡¯m not doing this job for myself, but for the safety of this city,¡± The corner of Zhou Zheng¡¯s mouth twitched. The pain was getting more and more intense. He could feel that he could no longer hold on. Suddenly, he shouted, ¡°What are you still standing here for? Go, go quickly.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled. He did not dare to stay any longer. He gripped the phone in his hand tightly and turned around to run. ¡°Oh right, be careful of that student called Fang Jing in your ss. I met him earlier. He¡¯s very strange and abnormal¡­ He doesn¡¯t seem human, but I¡¯m can¡¯t say for sure. You¡¯d better stay away from him. I¡¯ve already recorded everything about him. Someone will investigate him in the future. Also, don¡¯t believe his nonsense about the future. No one can return from the future to the present. The research institute has done such experiments,¡± Amidst the writhing in pain, Zhou Zheng shouted. ¡°What?¡± Yang Jian looked back in surprise. ¡°Ah!¡± As soon as he turned back, he heard a scream. He saw Zhou Zheng¡¯s belly being torn open, and a greenish-ck baby¡¯s arm stretched out. Then, the tear grew bigger and bigger¡­ ¡­ The ghost baby¡¯s head poked out of the tear and it looked around curiously like a newborn child. However, its pitch-ck eyes revealed an eerieness and its evil nature. Run! Yang Jian was shocked and quickly turned around to run. ¡°Waah¡­¡± As soon as he walked down the stairs, the creepy wails of the ghost baby echoed in the corridor behind him, as if it was announcing its arrival and appearance to the world. The ghost baby slowly climbed out of Zhou Zheng¡¯s body, and Zhou Zheng¡¯s high and bulging belly quickly withered like a deted balloon. No blood flowed out, and no internal organs could be seen. What was left were only some ckened skin and flesh. It was just as he had said before. His internal organs had long been eaten up by the ghost baby. ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Zhou Zheng¡¯s eyes gradually lost their luster and became dim. His head turned to the side and his life force disappeared, but his eyes were staring straight at the ghost baby that was slowly climbing in the direction Yang Jian had left. The fourth floor, the third floor¡­ ¡°This is great. I¡¯m not lost,¡± At this moment, Yang Jian was rapidly walking down the stairs. He was pleasantly surprised. That was because he found that the stairs were no longer shrouded in darkness. Although it was dark, everything could be seen clearly. The ghost-like situation where they couldn¡¯t find the way out from before also didn¡¯t happen. There was no darkness, and he didn¡¯t get lost. If everything remained normal, it would only take a few minutes to leave the school. However, when he reached the second floor, he saw Zhang Wei, Miao Xiaoshan, and a few other students walking back and forth in the corridor with terrified expressions. They were holding their cell phones in their hands, and the lights were turned on. They walked from one end of the corridor to the other end, then, they turned around and walked back again. They had gone back and forth several times as if they were being trapped by something and could never leave. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. It¡¯s not that the ghost realm has disappeared, nor is it that the darkness has receded. It¡¯s that I can see through all of this¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed slightly as he looked at the red eyeball on the back of his hand. Could this be the ability of a ghost rider? In that case, this eyeball was also¡­ a ghost. He recalled what Zhou Zheng had said earlier. The ghost baby in his stomach had only been the size of a fingernail at the beginning, but it had grown to that sizeter on. If that was really the case, what would the ghost eyeball turn into in the end? Would it also turn into a malicious ghost that would devour him? Thinking of Zhou Zheng¡¯s previous situation, Yang Jian felt a chill run down his spine. He could not help but shudder as he looked at the eyeball on the back of his hand. There was only fear in his eyes. The joy of seeing through the ghost realm instantly vanishedpletely. ¡°Even if I will be killed by this eyeball, that will be in the future. The most important thing now is to leave this ce,¡± Yang Jian gritted his teeth to prevent his thoughts from running wild. Then, he strode toward Zhang Wei and the others. However, in the eyes of Zhang Wei and the others, there was only darkness around them. The lights on the phone could only light a one-meter radius. Anything further was a blur. ¡°Zhang Wei, we have already walked for half an hour. If we still can¡¯t get out, will we be trapped here for the rest of our lives?¡± Miao Xiaoshan, one of the ssmates, said nervously. ¡°Zhou Zheng had said this is a ghost realm. Do you guys know what a ghost realm is? Could there really be a ghost? Could what happened in the ssroom be a supernatural incident? If there really is a ghost, we might not be able to leave,¡± Another student said carefully. Zhang Wei said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. How can we be trapped here forever? That¡¯s impossible. Believe me, we¡¯ll be starving to death here in a few days. We won¡¯t need to spend our whole lives here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How can you still be saying such sarcastic words at such a time? Suddenly. ¡°Ta ta, ta ta!¡± A series of footsteps came from the darkness. ¡°Who, who¡¯s in front?¡± Zhang Wei instantly became nervous. The others were also jittery and trembling in fear. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. It¡¯s me, Yang Jian,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s voice came from the darkness. ¡°Stop, don¡¯t, don¡¯te over. You say you¡¯re Yang Jian, but can you prove it? What if you¡¯re a ghost?¡± Zhang Wei said. Yang Jian said, ¡°Zhang Wei, look at the time and ce and stop being so long-winded, can you? It¡¯s very dangerous here. I can bring you guys out. If you follow me, you won¡¯t get lost.¡± He was here to save Zhang Wei and the others. If he didn¡¯t save them, these people would definitely die here. Although he had a grudge against Fang Jing, it had nothing to do with them. In addition, two malicious ghosts had appeared in the ghost realm. The degree of terror would be unimaginable. Chapter 10: The Countdown of Life Chapter 10: The Countdown of Life Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Hold hands and follow me. Don¡¯t get separated. I can bring all of you out of this teaching building.¡± ¡°Zhang Wei, why are your hands so sweaty?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhang Wei said seriously, ¡°Sweaty? How can my hands be sweaty? Yang Jian, you¡¯re thinking too much. This is clearly pee, okay? It¡¯s virgin pee to expel evil spirits. I just peed on my hands not long ago and it¡¯s still warm. Feel it again.¡± As he said that, he grabbed Yang Jian¡¯s hand and smeared the pee on Yang Jian¡¯s hand without restraint. ¡°F*ck, you¡¯re too disgusting,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Don¡¯t hold my hand. Get lost.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. I¡¯m not saying anything about you so how can you dislike me? It¡¯s just a little urine, what¡¯s the big deal? I¡¯ll let you get back at me with pee after we get out,¡± Zhang Wei said. ¡°Yang Jian, do you really have a way to leave this ce?¡± Miao Xiaoshan asked from behind. Yang Jian led them down the stairs without showing any signs of being lost as he said ¡°Of course. I already have a rough understanding of this so-called ghost realm. This ce is shrouded in darkness which makes it easy for ordinary people to hallucinate when they enter this ce. What you see may not be real, though there are some things that I still can¡¯t understand. If there nothing unexpected happens, it¡¯s not difficult to leave this ce¡­ Stop for a minute, there¡¯s something up ahead.¡± Yang Jian suddenly shouted and immediately stopped. At the stairway on the first floor, he saw several of his ssmates who were lost as well. They stood there like wooden figures, their bodies straight and stiff. They were the people who had left with Fang Jing earlier. However, the people who were there were only a part of them, not all of them. ¡°It¡¯s Zhao Qiang?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed as his gazended on a male student. Zhao Qiang was one of the perpetrators who had pushed him into the toilet along with Fang Jing, Duan Peng, and Zheng Fei. ¡°Fang Jing isn¡¯t here. Does that mean that these people had been abandoned by Fang Jing?¡± Yang Jian frowned. ¡°If so, it means that Fang Jing is using the same trick again. He wants to use these people¡¯s lives to stall the malicious ghost.¡± If that was really the case, this was simply karma. He walked forward and patted Zhao Qiang, intending to ask him about the situation. Zhao Qiang, who had his back facing Yang Jian and was standing there stiffly, slowly turned his head. His body did not move, but his head turned 180 degrees in an eerie posture. Then, he looked at Yang Jian with a pair of dead gray eyes that were numb. Yang Jian had a fright that he immediately took a few steps back. De, Dead? Since he was already dead, why could he still move? Could it be that Zhao Qiang was going to be a malicious ghost as well? Yang Jian was extremely vignt, and he could not help but feel nervous. If a few more ghosts appeared, then it would really be over. However, Zhao Qiang¡¯s corpse merely stood there without any movement. He only slowly turned his head back to the front and continued to stand there with his back facing the crowd as before. ¡°No reaction¡­ It looks like he¡¯s not a threat yet,¡± Yang Jian observed for a while and heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Zhang Wei, go this way. There¡¯s something blocking our way. Let¡¯s go around it,¡± Following this, he led the others around the corpses. Since Zhao Qiang had already ended up like this, Yang Jian put the matter of his previous act of murder behind him. The debt would disappear when the debtor died. However, the main culprit was Fang Jing. ¡°Wakakaka!¡± All of a sudden, a horrifying wail echoed in the stairwell. The scream pierced through theyers of darkness, ignoring the obstruction of the ghost realm, and fell into everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s that sound? It sounds like a baby¡¯s cry, but it doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡± One of the students was shocked and asked with a trembling voice. Zhang Wei said, ¡°Maybe your mother is calling you to go back for dinner.¡± ¡°Only your mother would call that way. I think it¡¯s most likely a ghost.¡± ¡°Why ask if you know?¡± Zhang Wei said, ¡°If it¡¯s not a ghost, could it be a beauty asking you out on a date? Do you think we¡¯re acting in a horror movie right now? Do you think we¡¯re having sses?¡± He was now very hot-tempered and would scold whoever offended him. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s the ghost baby. That thing is chasing us,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face darkened and he immediately said. The sound was made by the ghost that hade out from Zhou Zheng¡¯s body. It was called the ghost baby. Although its danger level was not clear, it didn¡¯t make it less dangerous. ¡°F*ck, we¡¯re just talking about it and it¡¯s really here. Even if we want to hang ourselves, at least let us take a breather,¡± Zhang Wei was so scared that his whole body trembled and he hurriedly ran. Everyone increased their speed and under Yang Jian¡¯s lead, they left the teaching building at the fastest speed possible. With great difficulty, they finally left the seemingly unending stairs. The remaining people already felt that hope was right in front of them. But at this moment, a dark green baby was crawling along the wall at a terrifyingly strange speed, just like a spider. Its pair of pitch-ck and round eyes looked at the students. There was no human emotion in its eyes, only the eerieness of a dead object. It seemed to recognize Yang Jian who was in front and suddenly stretched out its arm to grab Yang Jian with a strange cry. The slender baby¡¯s arm was strangely elongated, and it quickly moved along the darkness. Yang Jian, who was walking in front, did not notice this. Suddenly, Yang Jian felt a cold aura rapidly approaching him from behind. The feeling¡­ ¡­ was exactly the same as when he was attacked by the ghost in the washroom. Just as he was about to turn around to look, he suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. The skin and flesh on the back of his head were forcefully torn open, and a blood-red eyeball suddenly appeared after turning a few times. ¡°Ah!¡± The pain made him stop in his tracks, and he almost fell while holding onto the wall beside him. A strange cry sounded, and the baby arm that had beening at him along with the darkness suddenly stopped behind him. A red eyeball appeared at the back of Yang Jian¡¯s head, and it stared fixedly at the arm that the baby had extended. The eye emitted a faint red light as stopping the baby¡¯s attack. The ghost baby¡¯s head turned half a circle as it looked at Yang Jian strangely. Then, its stretched arm slowly retracted. ¡°Yang Jian, why did you stop?¡± Someone asked. The pain gradually subsided. Yang Jian panted, ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s nothing. I was attacked by the ghost baby just now. Fortunately, I¡¯m fine.¡± He subconsciously touched the back of his head. His heart trembled as he felt the eye. The vision behind him was transmitted to his mind. At this moment, he could see the situation behind him. ¡°Did this thing save me?¡± Yang Jian recalled Zhou Zheng¡¯s words from before and thought to himself, ¡°This eye is also a ghost. It will gradually recover under constant stimtion. Once it reaches a certain limit, I will be killed by this ghost, just like Zhou Zheng was killed by the ghost baby¡­¡± So was this was the so-called ghost rider? For a human to use ghost power, the human was in turn controlled by the ghost as well. Yang Jian revealed a bitter smile. What was this? The price of obtaining ghost power was the countdown of life. The ghost baby had failed to attack Yang Jian, but it did not seem to have given up. Instead, it quickly climbed down the stairs at a speed that ordinary people could not match. In the end, it jumped from the ground and suddenly hugged a female student from behind, its two slender arms wrapping around the female student¡¯s neck Its entire body hung on the female student. The female student¡¯s eyes instantly widened, and her face was filled with fear. She screamed crazily and hurriedly grabbed the arms that were strangling her, trying to throw the ghost baby off. ¡°Wang Shanshan, you¡­ Are you okay?¡± The student next to her was extremely terrified. He hurriedly picked up his phone and pointed the light at Wang Shanshan. Under the light, the baby¡¯s head was tilted as it looked at the crowd. Its slender arms that had strength that ordinary people could not match were strangling Wang Shanshan¡¯s neck as if it was going to break her neck. Wang Shanshan could not even speak at this moment. She raised her head, almost suffocating She was out of breath. Her face was red and she was in great pain. What was unbelievable was that when the baby¡¯s skin touched Wang Shanshan¡¯s, they gradually became stuck together. Chapter 11: Gradually Reviving Chapter 11: Gradually Reviving Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Under the dim lighting, they saw a dark green baby lying on Wang Shanshan. Its pair of pitch-ck eyes were sizing them up. At this moment, their hearts were about to copse from fear. ¡°Ah!¡± Everyone screamed. Fearpletely erupted as they subconsciously fled from Wang Shanshan¡¯s side. ¡°Damn it, the ghost baby couldn¡¯t attack me, so it turned to attack others?¡± Yang Jian clenched his fists, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness. He wanted to save her, but he didn¡¯t dare to approach her. The eyeball in his body could only see through the darkness of the ghost realm, and even the self-protection just now was only a subconscious move. He simply had no way to deal with the ghost baby. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gritting his teeth, Yang Jian almost subconsciously wanted to run. ¡°Urgh, urgh, save, save me¡­¡± Wang Shanshan¡¯s face was full of pain at this moment. She was like a dying fish as she opened her mouth to gasp for air. She stretched out her palm toward Yang Jian with difficulty, as if he was herst glimmer of hope, and made a cry for help with difficulty. Although Yang Jian did not turn his head, the eyeball behind his head saw this scene. Seeing how his ssmate Wang Shanshan was crying painfully for help, he subconsciously stopped running. This scene was very simr to when Fang Jing had pushed him into the washroom. Wang Shanshan had not lost consciousness at this moment. Although her heart was filled with extreme fear, she desperately wanted someone to help her in this desperate moment. ¡°If I leave now, what¡¯s the difference between me and Fang Jing? To use my ssmate¡¯s life to stall the malicious ghost only for my survival?¡± Yang Jian struggled in his heart. ¡°Wang Shanshan is different from Duan Peng, Zheng Fei, and the others. Duan Peng and Zheng Fei deserve to die. It¡¯s their fault for trying to kill me. And now, I should be considered a ghost rider. I have ghost power and am no longer an ordinary person. Saving someone might not necessarily result in my death.¡± In an instant, many thoughts crossed his mind. The ghost eyeball at the back of his head was still looking at Wang Shanshan, looking at her struggling face in pain and her arm that was graduallying down. If he didn¡¯t save her any soon, Wang Shanshan would definitely be strangled to death by the ghost baby. ¡°Damn it,¡± Yang Jian cursed and immediately turned around to run over. Without hesitation, he punched the head of the ghost baby that was strangling Wang Shanshan. If this scene were to be posted on the Inte, he would definitely be scolded to death by the angryizens for beating up a baby so violently. The ghost baby suffered a punch and a part of its head became t, but it did not suffer any harm. Its pitch-ck eyes looked at Yang Jian strangely. ¡°Wakaka¡­¡± With a strange cry, the ghost baby seemed to be angered. It let go of Wang Shanshan and pounced on Yang Jian. Its face cracked, and its mouth widened beyond human limits, swallowing half of Yang Jian¡¯s arm in one go. It felt cold and sticky as if he had been sucked into a ck hole. Not only could he not get his arm out, but his entire body was also constantly being sucked into that big ck mouth. ¡°Cough, cough, cough,¡± Wang Shanshan was limp on the ground, gasping for breath. ¡°Am I going to be eaten?¡± Yang Jian felt as if his body was about to melt. It was as if all the flesh and blood in his body were rushing into that mouth and that he was going to be eaten alive very soon. However¡­ A piercing pain came from his arm. It was as if his flesh and blood had been forcefully torn apart, and it felt like his soul had been crushed. The ghost baby let out a cry of pain and spat out Yang Jian¡¯s arm. Then, it fell to the ground as if it had lost its vitality. Following this, it quickly crawled backwards as if it was trying to escape and quickly disappeared on the stairs. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s this feeling again,¡± Yang Jian broke out in cold sweat. He trembled in pain and could not help but scream. Half of his arm that the ghost baby had swallowed was emitting a red light. His skin and flesh were torn apart by something, and scarlet eyeballs popped out from the wounds. Previously, there was only one eye on the back of his hand. After being attacked by the ghost baby, a second eye had popped out from the back of his head. But now, after being bitten by the ghost baby, four new eyeballs had appeared in one go. The number of red eyeballs had rapidly increased. Perhaps it was because of this that the ghost baby was forced to retreat. ¡°Yang, Yang Jian, how are you? Are you okay?¡± Wang Shanshan had narrowly escaped death. Although she was still in shock and her face was still full of fear, she knew in her heart that it was Yang Jian who had saved her just now. Looking at Yang Jian rolling on the ground in pain, she asked anxiously while reaching out her hand to help him up. Suddenly, Yang Jian¡¯s struggle stopped. His arm abruptly stretched in a strange posture that went against the designs of a human joint and grabbed Wang Shanshan¡¯s palm. Such a posture was not something that a normal person could do. There were five eyeballs on the arm that were rotating and staring at her. ¡°Ah!¡± Wang Shanshan could not help but scream as she was so scared that she copsed on the ground. But soon, the five eyes on the arm closed again. At this time, Yang Jian¡¯s voice sounded, ¡°I¡¯m fine. As expected, it¡¯s no easy feat to be a good person. I almost lost myself trying to save you. In the end, I still can¡¯t learn how to be as ruthless as Fang Jing.¡± The pain quickly subsided. He stood up with a pale face and leaned against the wall. The muscles in his body were all twitching. He really did not want to experience that kind of soul-crushing pain again. ¡°Being bitten by that thing feels like my entire body is about to be eaten. So this is the power of the ghost baby in Zhou Zheng¡¯s stomach? How terrifying¡­ and that thing seems to be growing.¡± Yang Jian looked at his arm. He could feel that there were many things squirming under his skin and flesh and that they would appear at any moment. The presence of the eyeball was getting stronger and stronger. It was indeed gradually reviving. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m the one who encumbered you,¡± Wang Shanshan said in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Saving you was my personal choice. I just don¡¯t want to be someone like Fang Jing who will do anything to survive. Besides, the moment I was pushed into the washroom, my fate has been sealed. Now, I¡¯m just relying on the ghost power to drag out my feeble existence. Every minute I live is a blessing. Even if I didn¡¯t save you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to live for long,¡± Yang Jian said. After everything that had happened, he had already understood his situation. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and leave with me. If that thinges again, we¡¯ll all die here,¡± Yang Jian endured the pain and said. Wang Shanshan said with a sobbing tone, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have any strength left. I can¡¯t walk any further.¡± ¡°The movies are right. Women always drag people down in times of crisis and will easily cause the deaths of others,¡± Yang Jian was saying this, but he saw two ck palm prints on the back of Wang Shanshan¡¯s neck. They were left behind by the ghost baby. They were like tattoos on her body, and it was particrly eye-catching. On top of that, the dark green was spreading like an acute infectious disease. His heart trembled, but he did not say anything about it to her, because now was not the time to talk about this. The ghost baby had only been temporarily repelled by him. It was not necessarily impossible for it to make aeback. If it attacked a few more times, Yang Jian felt that he would probably follow in Zhou Zheng¡¯s footsteps and die from the revival of the malicious ghost. ¡°I¡¯ll support you, you can still walk, right?¡± Yang Jian helped Wang Shanshan up and felt that her entire body was trembling. The trembling was caused by excessive fear. She did not say anything about her fear, but her body was very honest. ¡°I can, I can still walk,¡± Wang Shanshan said. Her body subconsciously leaned towards Yang Jian¡¯s body. She did not do it on purpose. It was just a woman¡¯s instinct that made her seek the protection of a strong man when in fear. At this moment, Yang Jian clearly fitted the criteria of a strong man. Chapter 12: Silent Surroundings Chapter 12: Silent Surroundings Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Outside the teaching building was the school¡¯s sports ground. The huge sports ground was dark as the lights were off, but it was still much better than inside the teaching building. After all, the darkness in the teaching building was so thick it almost seemed like it could swallow people up. Although it was dark here, people could still see the things around them clearly. The fear in the hearts of the students who had run to this ce gradually calmed down a little. Almost all of them felt weak and limp. They sat on the ground and panted, almost unable to stand up. It wasn¡¯t that they were physically weak. It was that they had been trapped in the teaching building for too long, in addition to the extreme fear they were subject to and the frantic running, they were instantly exhausted the moment they rxed. ¡°It scared, scared me to death. It was too terrifying just now. At such a close distance, the baby was almost in front of me. It was lying on Wang Shanshan¡¯s shoulder and looking at me¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t even know when that baby crawled over,¡± A male student¡¯s voice was still trembling. ¡°It must be a ghost. That baby must be a ghost. There are ghosts everywhere. There are ghosts everywhere. We¡¯re dead. We¡¯re dead¡­¡± Another female student¡¯s face was pale. At this moment, she was already somewhat delirious. ¡°Wait, Wang Shanshan was caught by that ghost, but why is Yang Jian missing too?¡± Suddenly, Miao Xiaoshan asked. She was Yang Jian¡¯s deskmate. They had known each other since middle school, so she had been paying more attention to Yang Jian than the others. Zhang Wei nced around, and sure enough, he didn¡¯t see Yang Jian. He couldn¡¯t help but touch the corner of his eyes. ¡°To think Yang Jian died to save us. I won¡¯t forget him. I¡¯ll pay my respects and send my gratitude to him during the relevant festivities. If his family is nning on holding a funeral, I¡¯ll donate more money so that he can leave gloriously. After all, he was a decent person when he was alive. Miao Xiaoshan, don¡¯t be sad. A dead person can¡¯t be resurrected. You guys rest here for a while, and I¡¯ll go back and see if Yang Jian is really dead. If he is, we have to discuss how to escape.¡± As he said this, Zhang Wei clenched his jaw and nned to go back and check on the situation. ¡°Zhang Wei, based on what you said, I can be sure that our friendship is made of stic. If you encounter any danger next time, I definitely won¡¯t save you. I¡¯ll just let you fend for yourself,¡± Suddenly, Yang Jian¡¯s voice sounded from behind. They turned only to see him walking over while supporting Wang Shanshan. ¡°Yang Jian, you¡¯re fine. That¡¯s great,¡± Miao Xiaoshan said with some joy. When the others saw that both Wang Shanshan and Yang Jian were fine, their eyes lit up. This was the only good news that day. From the beginning till now, too many of their ssmates had died. ¡°I was lucky and managed to survive,¡± Yang Jian nodded and said. Zhang Wei said a little excitedly, ¡°Yang Jian, I knew that you would be fine. I was just casually saying that just now. Please don¡¯t take it to heart and do save me in the future. In this lifetime, I¡¯ll be counting on you to survive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in men. I only save beautiful women since they can at least give themselves to me. At the very least, they can even help me with my homework in the future. What¡¯s the use of saving a man? ying gay?¡± Yang Jian said. Wang Shanshan blushed when she heard this, and her eyes revealed a hint of embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t be so heartless. I¡¯ve given you all my resources and I didn¡¯t hide anything at all. We¡¯re friends, it¡¯s a given we should take care of each other. After all, we¡¯ve been through thick and thin together,¡± Zhang Wei said, ¡°Wait, something¡¯s not right. How did you and Wang Shanshan escape from that situation just now?¡± His expression changed suddenly as he looked at Yang Jian warily. ¡°I simply sent the baby flying with one punch and ran out with Wang Shanshan. How else do you think I got out?¡± Yang Jian said. Zhang Wei Yi said seriously, ¡°Bro, that teacher building is haunted. I can believe that Wu Song beat up a tiger, but you¡¯re saying that you dare to beat up a ghost? Bullshit. Right now, I suspect that you¡¯re not Yang Jian at all. It¡¯s very likely that you¡¯re a ghost posing as Yang Jian, and you¡¯re nning to sneak in between us and kill us all. That¡¯s how the story goes in the movies.¡± As soon as he said that, the people who were still in shock looked at Yang Jian with fear on their faces as if he was really a ghost. ¡°Can¡¯t you be a little more normal? Time and time again, you keep suspecting that person is a ghost, and this person is a ghost. If you did encounter a ghost, you would have died a long time ago. How would you still have the time to stand here and talk?¡± Yang Jian said, then asked, ¡°My phone is out of battery. Who knows what time it is?¡± ¡°My watch seems to be broken. It reads four o¡¯clock in the morning,¡± Miao Xiaoshan looked at the cartoon watch on her wrist and said in surprise. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s five minutes past four in the morning on my phone too. I clearly saw that it was only half-past eight just now.¡± ¡°When did so much time pass?¡± Everyone realized that the time was not right. Yang Jian turned his head to look at the teaching building in the distance that was shrouded in darkness, then said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what time it is. I¡¯m just wondering why there isn¡¯t any reaction from the outside after such a big incident happened here.¡± ¡°Yeah, I did report the matter to the police earlier.¡± ¡°I even called my mom.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so quiet around here. There should¡¯ve already been the sounds of cars outside the school at this time, but now I can¡¯t even see any car lights.¡± Yang Jian raised his head and looked at the sky. It was dark as if it was covered by ayer of haze. There was no moonlight or starlight, which simply didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Yang Jian, what¡¯s going on?¡± Zhang Wei could also feel that something was wrong, and fear surged into his heart again. ¡°What else can be going on¡­ We¡¯ve always been in the ghost realm,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face turned solemn as he said in a deep voice, ¡°And we haven¡¯t left the ce since the beginning. The area of the ghost realm is not just the teaching building, even the sports ground is within it. On top of that, the area might be evenrger than this. It¡¯s just that the teaching building should have been the center of the ghost realm before, and now it¡¯s slightly at the edge, or¡­ The ghost is moving, and the area of the ghost realm is changing ording to the position of the old man. However, we¡¯re not seeing the old man¡¯s figure anywhere around us, so we¡¯re not affected much. That being said, I feel that the ghost realm is a special enclosed space. No matter the central area or the edges, no matter how much we¡¯re affected, the difficulty of getting out is the same. Besides, distance doesn¡¯t seem to be the key to escape from the ghost realm. In other words, we are now trapped, just like birds in a cage. The cage is moving, so the birds inside can only be forced to follow its movements. It¡¯s just that we can¡¯t detect this kind of movement.¡± ¡°Then, then what should we do now?¡± Wang Shanshan, who was at the side, said with a trembling voice. She grasped tightly onto Yang Jian¡¯s arm and couldn¡¯t help but lean against him as if she was already regarding him as her savior. She didn¡¯t want to experience what had just happened at the stairwell again for the rest of her life. The others also looked at Yang Jian with fear and hope, hoping that he could think of a good way to leave this damned cepletely. Yang Jian didn¡¯t say anything and simply touched the closed eyes on the back of his hand. There was only one way to leave this ce, and that was to continue to use the ghost power. However, Zhou Zheng had also said that every time one used the ghost power, the malicious ghost in one¡¯s body would revive a little bit, and one wouldn¡¯t be far from death. It was worse than eating poison. ¡°No wonder Zhou Zheng had said in hisst moments that he became a ghost rider not only for others but also for himself. Because sometimes, when faced with a malicious ghost, not only does one have to save others, but one also has to save onself,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself, ¡°But before that, I have one thing to figure out, and also some personal grudges to settle. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to rest in peace even if I died.¡± After making up his mind, Yang Jian said, ¡°Which one of you has Fang Jing¡¯s phone number on your phone? Lend your pone to me. If I¡¯m not wrong, he should still be trapped here like us.¡± Chapter 13: Parchment Chapter 13: Parchment Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Fang Jing had indeed not left. But he had also lost his way. Although he had relied on Zhou Zheng¡¯s help to escape from the ssroom, he was still trapped here. Moreover, in a situation where he had to avoid the old man, he had run into a small forest in a panic. These were afforestation trees, and the forest itself was not very big at all. But under the cover of darkness, the dozens of trees here were like an endless primeval forest, trapping Fang Jing inside. No matter which direction they went, they were still in the forest and simply couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°Damn it, why? Why? Why is that old ghost following me? Shouldn¡¯t that thing be looking for Yang Jian?¡± Cold sweat broke out on Fang Jing¡¯s terrified face as he thought, ¡°Yang Jian must be dead. He¡¯s dead, which is why the old ghost chose me as his target. That must be the case. The future has been changed, so now I¡¯ve reced Yang Jian as the old ghost¡¯s target. But I¡¯m not Yang Jian, how would I know how to survive from this old ghost¡¯s hands?¡± Fang Jing¡¯s heart was now filled with iparable regret. If he had known earlier, he would have acted hypocritically with Yang Jian, letting him charge at the front while he hid behind. He had been too impatient, forgetting that Yang Jian was not his greatest enemy at this time. That old man was the most terrifying existence. ¡°Fang, Fang Jing, Listen, the footsteps are here again,¡± Suddenly, a person beside him said in fear, his voice trembling. ¡°How can it be so fast? One person should be able to stall the malicious ghost for a few minutes,¡± Fang Jing abruptly raised his head, then gritted his teeth and nced at the few people beside him. The remaining few avoided Fang Jing as if they were avoiding the malicious ghost. Along the way, from the moment Fang Jing had pushed Yang Jian into the toilet, he had done the same to Zhao Qiang, Wan Feng, He Qiuyan¡­ During this period, some did not want to be controlled by Fang Jing and chose to run away. In the end, they disappeared into the darkness and were never seen again. Now, there were only five or six students left by his side. It was not that they did not want to run, but more that they did not dare to run. At least, they had survived by following Fang Jing until now. Those who had left before might have already died. With the help of the little knowledge he knew, Fang Jing had be the tyrant of the group, terrorizing the others. ¡°Damn it, these people have already learned their lesson. They won¡¯t listen to me anymore if I ask them to stay behind to cover the rear. If I force others to cover the rear, I reckon they will immediately choose to escape,¡± Sensing the wariness and hostility of the others, Fang Jing cursed in his heart. As such, he didn¡¯t force others to cover the rear anymore. Instead, he continued to call out to them to escape in the dark forest, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and leave.¡± However, at this moment, the phone in Fang Jing¡¯s hand suddenly rang. It showed that it was Zhang Wei calling. Fang Jing hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he still chose to answer the call. Zhang Wei and the others had been separated from them previously. Perhaps there was some progress there, so they came to inform him. ¡°Fang Jing, it¡¯s me, Yang Jian,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Ah!¡± Fang Jing was so scared that he almost jumped, and he almost threw his phone out. ¡°You, aren¡¯t you already dead? Are you a human or a ghost?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m not dead yet,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s voice sounded very cold on the phone. Fang Jing¡¯s expression was everchanging. He had personally pushed Yang Jian into that washroom where there was a ghost, yet he was still alive. If it was any other ordinary person, it would have been impossible for them to survive. How did he do it? ¡°Why are you calling me now?¡± He forced himself to calm down and asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°Do you want to live? Do you want to leave the school alive?¡± ¡°You have a way?¡± Fang Jing was pleasantly surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve be a ghost rider. Do you think I have a way?¡± Yang Jian said. Fang Jing said, ¡°That¡¯s great. Quicklye and save me out of this ce.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Yang Jian¡¯sughter carried a hint of mockery. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do what I did before. I only did it to survive. We¡¯re ssmates, what kind of misunderstanding can¡¯t be resolved between us? As long as you bring me out of here, I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want. At worst, I¡¯ll let you give me a free beating,¡± Grabbing his phone, Fang Jing said hurriedly. Yang Jian said, ¡°Don¡¯t say those useless things. If you want me to bring you out, unless I¡¯m satisfied, you better be prepared to die trapped here.¡± ¡°Then, then what do you want?¡± ¡°I met Zhou Zheng earlier. He said that there¡¯s something strange about you. I want to know what¡¯s going on. Also, when we were in the ssroom, someone said that you know the future. Is that true?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I know the future. I have information about the future. I can know everything that will happen in the future,¡± Fang Jing said, ¡°Bring me out of here and I¡¯ll tell you everything that will happen in the future. You Won¡¯t be able to live long after you be a ghost rider, but I have a way to let you live. As long as you follow my method, not only will you have the ghost power, but you won¡¯t have to worry about your body being taken over by the malicious ghost. This is a method developed by the international research institute and is still in the confidential experimental phase. It will only be open to the public three monthster. If you obtain my information, you will be one step ahead of the other ghost riders and your future achievements will be even higher.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying to me. Zhou Zheng said that no one cane from the future. He also mentioned that the research institute had conducted such experiments and they found that the so-called transmigrators simply do not exist,¡± Yang Jian continued. At this moment, Fang Jing heard the approaching footsteps behind him and his heart trembled. He ran even faster, saying as he panted heavily, ¡°I don¡¯t have any memories of the future. All the future information I knowes from a piece of parchment. It was sent by my future self through some unknown method. All the information is recorded on that parchment. The contents were written by me ten years in the future. Yang Jian, save me quickly. If I die, you won¡¯t be able to get any information.¡± A parchment that is recorded with information about the future? Hearing the words on the phone, Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed. A person could not return to the present from the future, but it might not be the case for items. It was possible. ¡°I want that parchment,¡± Yang Jian immediately said. ¡°No, I can¡¯t give it to you, it¡¯s mine,¡± Fang Jing firmly refused. ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. The thing behind you is very close to you and you won¡¯t be able to live much longer. So what if you know the future? If you die, it¡¯s useless no matter how much you know,¡± Yang Jian said. Fang Jing fell into hesitation. However, the current situation did not give him much time to think because the footsteps behind him were getting closer and closer. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll give it to you,¡± Fang Jing was out of breath and simply could not run anymore. His surroundings were dark and when he used his phone to illuminate his surroundings, he realized that he was still in the forest. He just couldn¡¯t leave the ce. He did not want to die, so he could only choose topromise. ¡°That being said, Yang Jian, I can give you the thing, but how can I believe that you have the ability to save me?¡± Although Fang Jing was afraid of death, he was still careful. Yang Jian said, ¡°I can teach you how to get rid of the ghost that is following you, but you only have one chance. If you continue to y tricks, I will reject this deal without hesitation.¡± ¡°Okay, then what do you want me to do?¡± Fang Jing said. ¡°Go left,¡± Yang Jian said. Fang Jing gritted his teeth and immediately changed his direction, running to the left. ¡°Go right now,¡± Yang Jian continued. Fang Jing did as he was told, and immediately his heart was filled with ecstasy as the footsteps behind him were gradually bing softer. He was running away from that ghost. It was useful. Yang Jian really had the ability to save him. ¡°Hand it over,¡± Yang Jian said. Fang Jing¡¯s eyes flickered as he said, ¡°If I give it to you now, what if you don¡¯t save me? Bring me away from here first. As soon as we leave this damned ce, I¡¯ll give it to you immediately.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the deal has failed then? Be careful, then. That thing has caught up with you again,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Beep beep¡­¡± The call had been ended. At the same time, the sound of footsteps sounded behind Fang Jing again. He could not help but tremble. He looked left and right again. Unbeknownst to him, the few ssmates by his side had all disappeared. He was the only one here. Chapter 14: The Strange Paper Chapter 14: The Strange Paper Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Fang Jing did not expect Yang Jian to hang up so decisively, leaving no room for negotiation at all. He had wanted to be perfunctory to Yang Jian and would¡¯ve unhesitantly fallen out with him the minute they had left the school and were safe. He also nned on refusing to hand over the parchment. However, Yang Jian¡¯s decisiveness and frankness made him panic. What was even more fatal was that the footsteps behind him had appeared once again. Yang Jian¡¯s guidance previously had only allowed him to temporarily get rid of the ghost behind him. ¡°What should I do? What should I do? What on earth should I do? Without Yang Jian¡¯s help, I definitely won¡¯t be able to walk out of this ce and will most definitely die in the hands of the malicious ghost. I don¡¯t want to die. My future has just begun. With the help of the parchment, no doubt I will be able to be someone above the others in this world. How can I be willing to just die like this here?¡± Fang Jing was panicking. Cold sweat was dripping down his face and He subconsciously continued to run, hoping that he could distance himself from the footsteps behind him. However, it was useless. The footsteps behind him were getting closer and closer. The surrounding darkness seemed to be getting denser and denser, as if it could swallow a person whole. ¡°No, this can¡¯t do, I can¡¯t die. I should just give him the parchment. Yang Jian is right. If I die, it¡¯s useless no matter how much I know. Moreover, I have a general understanding of the future. The value of the parchment to me isn¡¯t as great as I imagined.¡± Under the threat of death, there was nothing he could not give up. Fang Jing¡¯s hands trembled as he picked up his phone to call Zhang Wei. ¡°Du, du-du,¡± The call was connected. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the parchment. I¡¯ll give it to you as long as you promise to bring me away from here,¡± Before the other party could speak, he spoke first. Yang Jian¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Throw the parchment on the ground. I¡¯ll go get it.¡± Fang Jing did not y any more tricks at this moment. He took out a piece of stacked dark brown parchment from his pocket without hesitation and threw it on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve already done it. Hurry up and help me. I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to get rid of the ghost behind you first. Go to the right.¡± ¡°Okay, thank, thank, thank you,¡± In a panic, Fang Jing hurriedly followed Yang Jian¡¯s instructions. ¡°Go further to the right,¡± Yang Jian continued. Fang Jing followed his instructions again, and the effect was immediate. The distance between him and the footsteps was gradually pulled apart before the sound of the footsteps finally disappeared. Fang Jing was both surprised and delighted. He knew that he was temporarily safe. ¡°Stupid,¡± Yang Jian put down the phone, and a cold smile appeared on the corners of his mouth. He stopped walking and looked at Fang Jing, who was running around like a headless fly in the forest before him. He could not help but find Fang Jing¡¯s pleasantly surprised face a little amusing. The footsteps behind Fang Jing were not those of a ghost at all. They were his. Yes, no ghost was following Fang Jing. Only Yang Jian was behind him. Fang Jing had been terrified by the ghost, plus he couldn¡¯t see through the ghost realm, so he never expected that it was a human behind him. ¡°So this is the parchment that records the future?¡± Yang Jian picked up the parchment on the ground. The brown leather was soft with a hint of coldness as if it was taken out of a freezer. It gave off an ominous and strange aura. As soon as it entered his hand, the eyes on the back of his hand couldn¡¯t help but open, emitting a faint red light. ¡°This isn¡¯t parchment¡­ it¡¯s skin parchment, and something is very wrong with it,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled, and this thought appeared in his mind. He opened it and took a look. There were lines of words written on the parchment. ¡°My name is Fang Jing, and I¡¯m already dead by the time you see this letter. Don¡¯t think it¡¯s strange, I¡¯m you ten years from now, and I¡¯m using a special method to tell you about the future. Please remember the contents below.¡± ¡°Ghosts have already appeared in this world, and it¡¯s not a joke. When you heard the news, it was already veryte, and you were at least half a year behind the other ghost riders.¡± ¡°Be careful of your ssmate Yang Jian. He will be very scary in the future¡­ I was killed by him, so you have to kill Yang Jian ahead of time. Otherwise, you will definitely die in his hands in the future. Remember to kill Yang Jian.¡± ¡°On the 20th of June of a certain year, you will meet Zhou Zheng. This is very important. Zhou Zheng is a ghost rider who belongs to the Asia region. His codename is Ghost Baby Zhou Zheng. However, he is just a passerby, so there¡¯s no need to mind too much about him.¡± ¡°However, be careful of the ghost baby that wille out of his body. That thing will grow. In a few months, that ghost baby will grow into¡­ I suggest that you stay away¡­ or else you will die.¡± ¡°You must join¡­ as soon as possible¡­¡± ¡°Remember¡­ gold¡­ paper.¡± ¡°Stay away from¡­ escape.¡± ¡°¡­ Ghost¡­¡± When Yang Jian read to this point, he realized that the words on the parchment were rapidly bing blurry and dim. The crucial information was constantly being erased by some power andpletely disappeared in front of his eyes. The originally densely packed parchment had now be arge piece of nkness. Just like the characters on theputer, they disappeared one by one. Yang Jian hadn¡¯t even seen anything useful before the words on the parchment that recorded the future information all disappeared. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± He frowned deeply and flipped through the parchment. Indeed, the words had disappeared without a trace. Faced with this phenomenon, Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but think of a movie he had watched before. If the past changed, the future would change too. Could it be that because he had taken Fang Jing¡¯s parchment that contained information about the future, the future Fang Jing had erased the information? However, before Yang Jian could think about it, he saw himself appear on the parchment once again. One stroke after another appeared in front of him as if there was an invisible person holding a pen and writing continuously on the parchment. ¡°My name is Yang Jian. When you see this letter, I¡¯m already dead. I am you ten yearster, and I am using a special method to tell you information about the future¡­¡± Yang Jian felt a chill run down his spine when he saw this. He looked at the parchment in his hand and his pupils constricted, ¡°What the hell is this¡­¡± This was definitely not a parchment that recorded information about the future. He could feel the eerieness and evil nature of this skin parchment. The words that appeared on it weren¡¯t erased by the future Fang Jing, but by the skin parchment itself. It had changed owners and had to erase the previous owner¡¯s information, generating Yang Jian¡¯s information now. ¡°The things on it can not be trusted. I can¡¯t keep this thing with me,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes flickered as he felt an unknown fear. He looked left and right, wanting to throw the skin parchment into the sewer and make it disappear forever. Just then, a series of words appeared on the parchment: Don¡¯t throw me, don¡¯t throw me¡­ I can help you¡­ Without me, you¡¯ll die¡­ you¡¯ll die¡­ Soon all the words disappeared, and only one word was left: Stay, stay. The word was repeated in a twisted and unorganized way, spreading all over the skin parchment in different sizes. Chapter 15: Conditions for the Old Man to Appear Chapter 15: Conditions for the Old Man to Appear Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Seeing the words on it, he hesitated for a long time. In the end, Yang Jian did not throw away the brown skin parchment. The reason was very simple. He did not want to follow in Zhou Zheng¡¯s footsteps and die from the revival of the malicious ghost. Although the parchment had its evil and strange nature, it was an unknown opportunity for Yang Jian. Perhaps it could really reveal some important information to him, or perhaps it did know the future. ¡°I have the feeling that keeping the parchment is definitely not a good thing¡­ ¡­ But I don¡¯t have any other choice at the moment. No matter how bad the situation is, at worst it¡¯s just death. It¡¯s better than the revival of the malicious ghost,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes flickered as he thought, ¡°If I¡¯m more vignt and take more precautions, perhaps the situation won¡¯t be too bad.¡± Gritting his teeth, he rolled up the skin parchment and stuffed it into his pocket. He had already decided to keep it. At this moment, Zhang Wei¡¯s cell phone that was in his hand suddenly rang again. Fang Jing¡¯s name was disyed. Yang Jian came back to his senses at this moment. When he saw Fang Jing¡¯s name, his gaze moved slightly. He had almost forgotten that Fang Jing was still nearby. After thinking for a moment, he still chose to answer the call. ¡°Hey, Yang Jian. I¡¯ve already given you the thing. You can¡¯t just hang up on me. Quick, tell me how to leave this ce. Tell me quickly,¡± Fang Jing¡¯s voice was very panicked. It was obvious that he was very afraid now. This was because he was now alone. There were no other ssmates around him. Although he had gotten rid of the footsteps behind him, he was still in the ghost realm. As long as he did not leave the ghost realm, his safety was only temporary. Yang Jian¡¯s eyes flickered as his mind was rapidly thinking. He decided to use Fang Jing as an experiment. Soon, he said, ¡°Fang Jing, I won¡¯t take the initiative to bring you out of here, but I will teach you a method. I also survived through this method.¡± ¡°What method? Quickly teach me, quickly,¡± Fang Jing urged. Yang Jian said, ¡°Your phone can still connect to the Inte, right? Now, I¡¯ll send a URL over. Open the forum and find a post from aizen called Leidian Fawang.¡± With that, he sent the URL of the forum ghost story he had read previously. Within a few seconds, Fang Jing received the message and said, ¡°I¡¯ve found the post by Leidian Fawang, it¡¯s quite popr.¡± ¡°Open it and block the replies of the others. Then, scroll to the end,¡± Yang Jian said. Fang Jing¡¯s fingers were sweating. He tapped on the phone screen and opened the post, then flipped to the end as instructed. As soon as he reached the end, his body trembled. It was a photo. In the photo was an old man in a long robe. His body was covered in livor mortis, and his face was numb and ashen like he was dead. This old man was standing outside the ss window in the photo as if he was passing by. That¡¯s right, the photo was of the old man who had knocked on the door outside the ssroom. ¡°Do you see the photo? Save it,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Fang Jing swallowed his saliva and saved the picture with fear. After he finished doing as he instructed, Yang Jian immediately looked around and paid attention to the situation in all directions. One minute, two minutes, three minutes¡­ ¡­ The old man didn¡¯t appear. He seemed to have left this ce and went somewhere unknown. However, Yang Jian knew that the ghost realm was still here, so the old man hadn¡¯t left. It was just that he was out of sight. After all, the school was huge. It wasn¡¯t strange that he couldn¡¯t see the figure of that thing. ¡°Yang Jian, Yang Jian, say something. I¡¯ve already done as you said, but nothing happened,¡± Fang Jing¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. Yang Jian frowned and thought to himself, ¡°Is my guess wrong? It seems that the old man didn¡¯t appear outside the ssroom because I saw his photo.¡± He had three hypotheses in his mind. In the forum post, theizen Leidian Fawang had posted that all this happened in a hospital in a city in another province. That ce was at least a few hundred kilometers away from Dachang City. What was the probability of bumping into the same ghost from a hospital in another province in his school? Yang Jian felt that it was very, very small. There was only one possibility, that the old man was lured here by something. A signal, a condition, or someone. Therefore, his first guess was that it had something to do with Zhou Zheng. The old man could be looking for Zhou Zheng. After all, Zhou Zheng was a ghost rider, so he must have dealt with ghosts before However, with Zhou Zheng¡¯s death and the fact that this was the first time he had seen the old man, this assumption could be overturned. His second guess was that it was rted to Fang Jing. However, from the beginning the old man had appeared, Fang Jing was still alive, so this spection could be ruled out too. Moving on to the third hypothesis¡­ ¡­ The old man had been attracted here by himself. If the hypothesis was true, the only connections between Yang Jian and the old man were that he had read the story on the forum, saw his photo, and heard the knock on the door recorded by Leidian Fawang¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s not the photo, then it must be the knocks on the door,¡± Thinking of this, Yang Jian continued, ¡°Fang Jing, do you see the audio file below? Click on it. This is your chance to leave this ce.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Fang Jing clicked on the audio file. ¡°Thump, thump thump¡­¡± The dull knocking on the door that seemed to be knocking on one¡¯s heart reverberated in the dark environment. Fang Jing held his phone up to light up the surroundings, and said, ¡°Yang Jian, nothing happened¡­¡± However, on the other side of the phone, Yang Jian¡¯s pupils abruptly shrank, and his face revealed a look of shock. An old man in a long robe, his face ashen and covered in livor mortis, had appeared on the school¡¯s greenbelt. His footsteps were stiff and his movements were slow as he walked toward Fang Jing step by step. As expected, he appeared¡­ And the way he appeared didn¡¯t make sense at all. It was as if the old man had been standing there the whole time. ¡°Damn it, my guess is right. That old man came looking for me because I heard the knocking on the door¡­¡± Yang Jian felt a chill in his heart. ¡°Yang Jian, hey, Yang Jian, say something,¡± Fang Jing didn¡¯t know that the old man was walking towards him, so he continued to speak. Yang Jian slowly retreated, avoiding the old man¡¯s sight. He carefully left as he instructed, ¡°Continue listening to that audio file. Don¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°Is this really useful?¡± Fang Jing repeatedly clicked the audio file open and asked. ¡°Thump, thump thump.¡± The phone in his hand kept ying the strange door-knocking sounds. Although it did not seem to have any effect, Fang Jing realized that there were no more footsteps around him. Although it did not seem to be useful, it was notpletely ineffective. ¡°Yang Jian¡¯s method should be effective,¡± Thinking of this, Fang Jing heaved a sigh of relief. However, what he didn¡¯t know was that behind him, the old man dressed in a ck long robe and covered in livor mortis was gradually approaching him. At this moment, Yang Jian had immediately left the afforestation forest and distanced himself from the old man, returning to the sports ground from before. After he had run at least a few hundred meters away and could no longer see either Fang Jing or the forest, Yang Jian suddenly asked, ¡°Fang Jing, are you still alive?¡± ¡°Nonsense, of course I¡¯m still alive,¡± Fang Jing said. Yang Jian said, ¡°Sorry, I apologize to you. I lied to you.¡± ¡°What did you lie to me about?¡± Fang Jing was stunned and confused. ¡°The old man who appeared outside the ssroom knocking on the door was lured here by me. That thing came to find me,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know about it before, but now I do. I think the condition to lure that old man out is rted to that audio file. Yes, the door-knocking sounds you were listening to just now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Fang Jing¡¯s heart abruptly constricted in fear, and his face revealed a look of shock. If the door-knocking sounds could lure that old man over, and he had yed it so many times just now¡­ Fear once again surged through his body, and he subconsciously took a few steps back. ¡°Bang!¡± His body seemed to have bumped into something cold and stiff. Turning around, Fang Jing saw an old man covered in livor mortis with an ashen face looking at him numbly. His body¡­ could not move. An old, skinny, and cold hand slowly lifted and gradually covered Fang Jing¡¯s face¡­ ¡­ The hand was very strong. He felt that the bones on his face were being crushed. ¡°Yang, Yang Jian¡­¡± Fang Jing¡¯s terrified and resentful screams came from the other end of the phone. Yang Jian was unmoved. He said to the phone, ¡°You taught me not to be too naive.¡± With that, he hung up the phone. Chapter 16: The Unanswered Call Chapter 16: The Unanswered Call Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yang Jian put down the phone in his hand and looked at the green forest behind him with great fear and dread. This old man was indeed terrifying. No matter how many times they came into contact, even from afar, it gave people goosebumps and fear. ¡°Fang Jing should be dead already?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze moved slightly. ¡°The most important thing now is to leave the ghost realm and stay away from this old man. If he catches us again, we¡¯ll die. Whether it¡¯s Zhang Wei, Wang Shanshan, or me, the oue will be the same.¡± So what if he became a ghost rider? Wasn¡¯t Zhou Zheng killed by the awakening of a malicious ghost because he used too much of their power? And the reason why Zhou Zheng died was definitely because this old ghost was more terrifying than the ghost baby. The ghost baby was not strong enough to suppress this old man, so it naturally dragged him down. Very soon. When Zhang Wei saw Yang Jian return, he let out a slight sigh of relief. ¡°Yang Jian, where did you run off to? Did you find Fang Jing? The school is full of ghosts. Only you have the guts to run around. I don¡¯t even dare to move a step.¡± ¡°Although I managed to get through to Fang Jing, as expected, he must have bumped into a ghost.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°And I saw the old man who knocked on the door of the ssroom. We can no longer approach that area. The most important thing now is to leave this ce. If we continue to stay here, I don¡¯t know how many more people will die here.¡± He finished hisst sentence. The others were silent, fear and angst lingering on their faces. That¡¯s right. It had only been a few hours and they had been on the run, but only so few people made it alive. The others had all disappeared. And everyone knew what it meant to be missing in a haunted ce. This was not a dream, nor was it a movie. It was a real haunted event¡­.. It could kill people. ¡°Yang Jian, thank you for bringing us out. Without you, we would have met with misfortune.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯m also sorry about what happened earlier. We didn¡¯t stop Fang Jing when he pushed you into the toilet. Later, we found out that Fang Jing was a devil. He left Zhao Qiang and Wang Gang along the way. Even the female students were left behind by him¡­¡± ¡°That guy is no better than an animal.¡± A few students behind him started talking. They cursed Fang Jing and expressed their apologies to Yang Jian. The four of them were brought out by Yang Jian from the green forest. They were also ssmates with Fang Jing. He felt that Fang Jing deserved to die, but the others didn¡¯t. Since he saw them, he just brought them out in passing. After all, they were ssmates, so there was no need to be so heartless. ¡°It¡¯s too early to say thanks. As you all can see, we are still in this school, still within the boundaries of the ghost realm. Whether we can get out alive is still a question.¡± Yang Jian shook his head and said. ¡°Although all of you are very tired now, it¡¯s still not the time to rest. Although I haven¡¯t settled much about the situation in the ghost realm, I still want to give it a try. Follow me and see if we can get out of the school.¡± At this moment, he had be the backbone of these people. After he finished, a few people who were sitting on the ground to rest immediately stood up. ¡°One, two, three, four¡­ There are only 13 people left now. God knows whether anyone would dieter. If I had known earlier, I would have applied for leave today. What do we still need to go to school? Other people spend money to go to school, but we are risking our lives to attend school.¡± Zhang Wei said in a somewhat irritable mood. The others nced at him. They all lowered their heads and did not speak. They appeared to be very depressed and in a bad state. If they could not see any hope of surviving, Yang Jian believed that they would be facing a mental breakdown soon. This was because he saw that there were already girls whose faces had turned pale. They had begun to chatter and talk among themselves. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Yang Jian could not care less about whether they would have a mental breakdown or not. The question now was whether they would be able to leave this ce alive. With him leading the way, the group wasn¡¯t worried about getting lost. Moreover, they did seem to be constantly moving away from the ghost realm as they walked. The surrounding darkness wasn¡¯t dense. Although the sky was still dark, they could see the road and the surrounding buildings. Soon. The group arrived at the school gate. The security booth was empty. The road was quiet, terrifyingly quiet. The street lights were not on, and no cars wereing and going. The surroundings were very strange, except for their voices, nothing else could be heard. Yang Jian nced at the closed door of the security booth, and his eyes revealed an extremely vignt look. He did not dare to go near any of the doors. Who knew if there would be any terrifying thingsing out after opening the door. Moreover¡­ Looking at the dead silence outside, he knew clearly that it was useless even if he walked out of the school. As long as he was still in the ghost realm, it was the same everywhere. ¡°What¡¯s going on outside? Why isn¡¯t there anyone outside? Usually, there should be many parents at the door to pick up students at this time,¡± Miao Xiaoshan questioned with a hint of panic in her voice. Indeed. Usually, this high school was crowded with people and cars. But now, there was nothing there except for them. ¡°I¡¯ll go out and take a look.¡± Zhang Wei volunteered. He climbed over the guardrail and walked to the road outside. He looked around the road and saw that the end of the road was covered in an endlessyer of darkness as if it led to the depths of hell. And the ce he came from was also shrouded in darkness. The entire ce seemed to be isted from the world. ¡°It¡¯s useless. You can¡¯t walk out by relying on walking. There¡¯s no need to waste your energy,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Then, are you saying that we¡¯re going to die here? I, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± A girl immediately copsed and sat on the ground, tears immediately flowing down. Although the other male students didn¡¯t copse, everyone could see the fear of death in their eyes. ¡°Yang Jian, think of a way. Can you save us? I, I don¡¯t want to meet any more ghosts.¡± Wang Shanshan pulled his arm, her big tearful eyes imploring. Yang Jian fell into a short silence. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it carefully.¡± He did not n to continue walking. Instead, he sat on the stone block beside him and rested for a while. He felt very tired after running all the way. Suddenly. He lowered his head and looked at Zhang Wei¡¯s mobile phone. ¡°Have you tried calling for help before?¡± ¡°I, I tried before. The phone worked, but¡­¡± A ssmate said. ¡°Zhao Lei, but what?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no sound. There¡¯s no sound on the other end of the phone, and¡­ it was connected. I, I don¡¯t dare to call again,¡± Zhao Lei said after a moment of silence. The phone was silent, but it was connected. Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled. This ce was already haunted. In addition to such a strange thing, he didn¡¯t dare to call for help anymore. ¡°But the phone can still be connected when we¡¯re in the ssroom. This situation happened not long after we left the ssroom.¡± Suddenly, Miao Xiaoshan reminded him. ¡± Zhang Wei called for an ambnce before.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Zhang Wei nodded. Not long after they left the ssroom¡­ Judging from the time, it should be the time when the ghost realm appeared again. It was the moment when Yang Jian walked to the second floor and the lights on the halfway corridor flickered off. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try another phone.¡± Yang Jian suddenly thought of a person¡¯s phone number and decided to try his luck. He opened Zhang Wei¡¯s mobile phone to log on to that forum, then used the satellite positioning phone that Zhou Zheng gave him to dial a number. 138¡­ This was the number left on the forum by the Thunder King. He wanted to know if anything had happened to that Thunder King. If something had happened, the mobile phone might very well have appeared in the hands of a ghost rider as evidence. After all, there was a ghost rider like Zhou Zheng who dealt with supernatural incidents, it was also possible that someone was in charge of this case. Let¡¯s give it a try. The phone did not lose its signal. On the contrary, it was sessfully dialled. However, the situation was worse than he had imagined. Ring, ring, ring¡­ The phone on the other end of the line rang, but it reverberated in the silent school. It entered everyone¡¯s ears. Although it was not big, it was exceptionally clear and very strange. Yang Jian¡¯s hand that was making the call instantly froze. ¡°Thunder King¡¯s phone is in this school?¡± His pupils suddenly shrank and he hurriedly stood up. He looked around with a shocked expression and subconsciously looked for the source of the ringtone. At the same time, his face couldn¡¯t help but break out in cold sweat. Thunder King was a doctor from an emergency room in another province. There was an ident when he was surfing the inte at home a few hundred kilometres away from here. If his ringtone appeared here, then it meant that¡­ He was also here. ¡°Beep¡­¡± However, at this moment, the phone was picked up, but there was no sounding from the other end of the line. However, at the same time, the ringtone that reverberated in the school also disappeared. At this moment, Yang Jian saw a weak mobile phone light from a window on the third floor of a certain building. He could vaguely see a blurry figure standing at the window as if looking over here. ¡°Damn it.¡± Yang Jian broke out in cold sweat and hurriedly hung up the phone. Chapter 17: The Scary Phone Call Chapter 17: The Scary Phone Call Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on Yang Jian. When they saw him make the call, the school¡¯s phone rang. Everyone thought it was strange, but before they could ask, they saw him hurriedly hang up the phone with a frightened look on his face. ¡°Yang Jian, what¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± When Zhang Wei saw how frightened Yang Jian was, his entire body started to tremble ¡°Don¡¯t scare me. We¡¯re all counting on you. You¡¯re making me feel very uncertain. Please smile. Show me that knowing smile when you¡¯re watching a movie so that I can have some confidence.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s calmness and the fact that he had led everyone out of the ghost realm gave everyone the confidence to survive. The expression on his face immediately made everyone panic. Yang Jian¡¯s expressions kept on changing and his face looked particrly ugly now. Without waiting for his turn to speak, the satellite positioning phone in Zhou Zheng¡¯s hand was dialled and the ringtone released beeping sounds. He took one look, and his pupils shrank. Caller ID on the phone: 138¡­ It¡¯s the mobile phone number that the Thunder King left in the forum. He¡¯s calling back. ¡°Sure enough¡­ . This is a trap, a very terrible trap.¡± Yang Jian said between clenched teeth, and it was unclear whether he was angry or fearful. Beep, beep, beep. His mobile phone kept ringing, but he didn¡¯t pick it up. Because he knew that the person who made this call could never be alive, and God knows what would happen when the call was connected. Fortunately, the phone¡¯s settings were still working, and the ringtone did not ring continuously. After a long time of not being connected, the call was hung up in a short while. Moreover, there were no more calls from his phone. ¡°Ding ding ding, ding ding ding¡­¡± ¡°I love you, I love you, just like a mouse loves rice¡­¡± ¡°The cool moonlight misses you like a river¡­¡± However, the phones of the other students rang one after another, and all kinds of ringtones reverberated. Everyone took out their phones and took a look. The caller ID was all 138¡­ ¡°Yang, Yang Jian, look.¡± Wang Shanshan, Miao Xiaoshan, Zhao Lei and the others showed him the caller ID with fear in their eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t answer it,¡± Yang Jian said with a serious expression. The others nodded. They all knew that this call was very strange. They shouldn¡¯t have answered it. Zhang Wei didn¡¯t have a phone. He had lent his phone to Yang Jian. At this moment, he looked at the screen of these people¡¯s phones and shivered ¡°He, f*ck, it¡¯s all one caller ID¡­ This 138 phone is so awesome. It made more than ten calls in one go. It¡¯s haunted.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the 138 number. This is Teacher Wang¡¯s phone number.¡± A ssmate named Qian Wanhao subconsciously picked up the call. ¡°Qian Wanhao, are you crazy or are you out of your mind?¡± Zhao Lei was so scared that he almost shouted, ¡°I said don¡¯t pick up the phone.¡± ¡°What are you nervous about? This is Teacher Wang¡¯s number.¡± Qian Wanhao said, ¡°Maybe Teacher Wang is here to save us.¡± ¡°Hang up quickly.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s pupils constricted. He rushed over hurriedly, wanting to grab the phone and hang up the call. Teacher Wang was calling? This was even more terrifying. Teacher Wang was the first person to disappear into the ghost realm. Now that everyone else was dead, how could he still be alive? As expected. There was only the sound of electricitying from Qian Wanhao¡¯s phone. Teacher Wang did not speak. However, the next sound that made Yang Jian feel terrified was heard. ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡­¡± the sound of knocking came from the other end of the phone. The sound was the same as the one outside the ssroom. It was heavy, oppressive and suffocating. Only then did Qian Wanhao realize the seriousness of the matter. He was so scared that his face turned pale. His hand trembled and he hurriedly threw his phone away. The phone fell to the ground and the screen shattered. However, the call was still connected and did not hang up. ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡­¡± a strange knocking sound came from the receiver again. ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡± Yang Jian rushed over at that moment and picked up Qian Wanhao¡¯s phone as fast as he could and turned off the phone. ¡°Qian Wanhao, you idiot. If you want to die, then go die. Don¡¯t get us killed.¡± Zhao Lei angrily grabbed his shirt and shouted at him. However, his anger could not hide the fear in his eyes. Although he did not know what would happen after the call was connected, he was sure that it was not a good thing. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m not afraid of a god-like enemy, but I¡¯m afraid of a pig-like teammate. This sentence is indeed correct. At the critical moment, there will always be a few people who are like idiots who bravely stand up and take their own lives to court death. Not only do they want to get themselves killed, but they will also get others killed. Qian Wanhao, you are so great. You f*cking moved me so much that I want to kill someone. I have taken so many sses for nine years, but I¡¯m not as outstanding as you.¡± Zhang Wei said, ¡°Was that old man outside the ssroom your grandfather? You love him so much, why don¡¯t you tell your grandfather to let us go?¡± ¡°I, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. The name on it was a call from the teacher. If it was someone else¡¯s call, I definitely wouldn¡¯t pick it up.¡± Qian Wanhao cried like a child. ¡°Pick up the teacher¡¯s call? If the teacher told you to go to hell, why didn¡¯t you go to hell?¡± Zhao Lei was so angry that he wanted to hit him. ¡°Enough, everyone, please calm down. Now is not the time to talk about this. This matter is also my fault. I should have warned you before.¡± Yang Jian walked over and said, ¡°Moreover, with all these quarrelling and internal strifes, can we survive eventually? Don¡¯t you see the current situation?¡± Everyone immediately fell silent. ¡°Yang Jian, what will happen after we pick up the phone?¡± Miao Xiaoshan asked nervously. Yang Jian said, ¡°What else can happen? Soon, Qian Wanhao¡¯s grandfather wille to us to chat.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in horror. Yes, that old man wille here. The knocking on the door on the phone had a terrifying function, which was to attract that old man. As for the oue, it was obvious. And¡­ Yang Jian gripped the phone tightly in his hand, recalling the forum post of the Thunder King. ¡°A trap. The whole story in the forum is a trap. When the Thunder King was at home, he met that old man knocking on the door. From the situation in the ssroom, it seems that when the old man knocked on the first door, someone had already died. Furthermore, Thunder King had two doors at home. The first door was the main door, and the second door was the room door.¡± ¡°In other words, Thunder King was alone at home. He was already dead when the first door was knocked on. He couldn¡¯t post the story in theter forums. The phone number and audio files left behind were not his doing. There was only one thing that could do such a thing.¡± ¡°Ghost~!¡± Yang Jian took a few deep breaths. That¡¯s right The story at the beginning of the post was Thunder King. It was a live person posting, but in the end, he was already dead. The next post was made by¡­ a ghost. To prove this conjecture, he opened the forum story again and flipped to the end. As expected. His conjecture was not wrong. Thest few posts of the forum story had many wrong words. It waspletely different from the previous posts of Thunder King. In addition, there was a half-hour interval between the posts. This¡­ was a curse spread by an evil ghost. Anyone who heard the knocking on the door would be found by this old man. In this case, it meant that everything that had happened before could be verified. ¡°On the inte, the old man would find me if I heard the knocking on the door on my phone. It¡¯s like an invisible coordinate was typed on my phone. If I heard the knocking on the door, in reality, I would die immediately¡­ But why didn¡¯t the old man appear when I opened the audio file in the toilet?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face was covered in sweat. He was thinking. He was trying to figure out the old man¡¯s movement pattern and how to kill him. To survive. Chapter 18: Death Approaches Chapter 18: Death Approaches Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yang Jian was frantically thinking of countermeasures. Because he knew very well that the knocking on the door soundsing from the previous phone calls would attract that old man. And once that old man appeared, the oue would be obvious. Forums, stories, audio files¡­ The old man knocking on the door, and the phone he called. All the conditions collided in Yang Jian¡¯s mind. It was a mess. He understood a little of the rules, but he could not deduce any more information. This was his first time encountering a ghost. He had nevere into contact with one before. It was already good enough for him to be able to get this far. He was not Fang Jing, who imed to know everything that would happen in the future. ¡°Wait, Fang Jing¡­ The future.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡°That parchment.¡± Suddenly, he hurriedly took out a stack of dark brown parchment from his pocket. ¡°Yang, Yang Jian, look, look over there¡­¡± suddenly, Zhang Wei pointed in the direction of the school with a trembling voice. Yang Jian raised his head to take a look, and his hands and feet instantly felt cold. A few hundred meters ahead, thick, ink-like darkness gradually eroded and engulfed everything within it. The surrounding ground began to decay, and the trees began to wither and rot¡­ ¡­ The cement became mottled and mouldy, and the streetmps were covered in rust, teetering on the verge of copse. An old man dressed in a ck long robe, his entire body covered in corpse spots, his face was ashen and his eyes were dead-looking as he walked over stiffly. One step at a time, slowly and gradually. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s already here?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart was beating wildly. ¡°Yang Jian, now, what should we do? What should we do? Are we going to die?¡± Zhang Wei was on the verge of tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die. I¡¯m still so young. I¡¯m still a virgin. Yang Jian, think of something. Fang Jing said that you¡¯ll be awesome in the future. You¡¯ll have a way, right?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be able to get out, right?¡± Wang Shanshan, who was at the side, grabbed his arm with a pale hand as she spoke with a terrified expression. Zhao Lei¡¯s entire body trembled when he saw the approaching darkness. He kept retreating, trying to escape from the school. However, when he turned around, he realized that there was also a thickyer of darkness approaching him from behind. The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, and there was nowhere to escape to. Yang Jian ignored them at that moment. He opened the parchment in his hand with sweat, trying to find some crucial information on it. On the parchment, a row of clear words appeared before his eyes: ¡°22nd June, 5 am. The ghost realm appeared before our eyes again. Yes, the ghost came again¡­¡± ¡°22nd June, 5:30 am. All of us died. None of us survived.¡± ¡°¡­I am Yang Jian. When you see this sentence, I am already dead.¡± ¡°You wrote us to death? Bullsh*t. There must be a way to leave this ce. The old man didn¡¯t follow me when I was caught in the toilet. I want to know the reason. If you don¡¯t tell me now, I¡¯ll find a ce to bury you. You¡¯ll never see the light of day again.¡± Yang Jian gritted his teeth and said with a threatening tone. The words on the parchment in his hand started to blur as if it heard the words. In the end, all the words disappeared and another line of words appeared: ¡°At 9 pm on 21st June, I was caught by a ghost in the toilet. I didn¡¯t die because there was an even scarier ghost in the toilet. It was another ghost realm. I saw something very scary, but I didn¡¯t realize it at the time.¡± ¡°At nine-thirty in the evening on 21st June, I got lost in the toilet, but the old man came to the door of the toilet. He was knocking on the door, looking for me, but I didn¡¯t hear it. Maybe because of this, I escaped death.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart shivered when he saw this. Could it be that the old man had knocked on the door of the toilet when he was lost in the toilet? Soon after, words appeared on the parchment. ¡°¡­After that incident, I guessed that the ghost realm was the key to survival. If I could use the ghost realm, I might have a chance to survive. After all, I¡¯m the same now¡­a ghost. Zhou Zheng was right. Only ghosts can deal with ghosts. To get out of the ghost realm, we need another¡­ ghost realm.¡± ¡°At 5:15 am on 22nd June, the old man appeared. I tried to use the ghost realm but failed. My strength is still insufficient.¡± ¡°At 5:30 am on 22nd June, all of us died¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s pupils shrank when he saw this. Although he still died at 5:30 am, he saw some hope of surviving. The ghost realm~! Yes, the ce where the old man appeared gave birth to the ghost realm, so he was now a ghost rider. Why couldn¡¯t he use the ghost realm? If Zhou Zheng was here and he knew about Yang Jian¡¯s idea, he would definitely find itughable, because not every ghost could have a ghost realm. It was very rare for a ghost to have a ghost realm¡­ But it was also very terrifying. ¡°I have to try. There¡¯s no other way.¡± Yang Jian gripped the parchment tightly. ¡°Tell me how to use the ghost realm.¡± Soon, words continued to appear on the parchment. ¡°Yang Jian, who are you talking to? Look, the surroundings have be abnormal. What should we do now?¡± Zhang Wei was so scared that he was crying. He was counting on Yang Jian to save his life. He was afraid that he would hear bad news from Yang Jian. ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m trying to think of a way. Give me some time.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s tone was very anxious. He nced at the old man. The old man was still walking toward them. He was less than a hundred meters away from them. They were anxious and afraid, and he was equally anxious and afraid. After all, no one wanted to die. The words continued to appear on the parchment: ¡°20th June, 5:20 am. I went through my first failure and thought that it was because the ghost in my body was not revived enough, if I could open a few more eyes, it might be useful.¡± The number of eyes? Yang Jian didn¡¯t have time to think. There were still 10 minutes until 5:30 am. He didn¡¯t want to die here, as what it was written on this parchment. Immediately, the skin on his arm opened, and five blood-red eyes opened. Each eye emitted a faint red light. ¡°At 5:22 am, I¡¯ve decided to increase the number of eyes.¡± The words on the parchment appeared. ¡°Method, I want the method.¡± Yang Jian growled at the parchment, ¡°If I die, this thing of yours will also be left behind. Previously, you didn¡¯t want me to throw it away, so if I die, do you think other people will pick you up?¡± The words on the parchment blurred again, and finally, another line of words appeared: ¡°At 5:24 am, after my attempt, I ate an eye on my arm and sessfully added an eye. With six eyes, I sessfully used my own ghost¡­¡± ¡°Ghost realm¡­ I¡¯m bing more and more like a ghost.¡± ¡°At 5:30 am, I didn¡¯t open the ghost realm. All of us died¡­¡± Eat the eyes? Yang Jian looked at the five strange blood-red eyes on his arm and was stunned. But when he saw thest sentence, ¡°¡­when all of us died at 5:30 am.¡± He knew that he didn¡¯t have a choice. At this moment, darkness enveloped them, and the surroundings quickly darkened. The old man was less than 20 meters away from them. ¡°Creak¡­¡± The moment the darkness enveloped them, the door of the security room not far away slowly opened, and a pale palm stretched out. Outside the guardrail behind them, a blurry figure slowly approached the road that was shrouded in darkness. Nearby, several mobile phone lights passed through the darkness faintly, as if the students who had been separated from each other earlier were holding their phones and approaching step by step. Yang Jian, Zhang Wei, Zhao Lei, Wang Shanshan, Miao Xiaoshan, Qian Wanhao¡­ Everyone was surrounded by ghosts. Chapter 19: The Eight People Who Left Chapter 19: The Eight People Who Left Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio There was no time to think. Not only did Yang Jian feel the terror approaching from all directions, but the others also heard the sound of the security room door opening and the heavy footstepsing from the front and back. And they all knew that there were only a dozen of them left in the entire school. Therefore, Zhang Wei, Zhao Lei, Wang Shanshan and the others knew very well that the footsteps must be¡­a ghost. The ghost was continuously walking towards them. However, at this moment, Yang Jian gritted his teeth and bit down hard on one of the eyes on his arm without any hesitation. ¡°Ah!¡± The intense pain of his flesh being torn apart surged through his entire body. His muscles were trembling from the pain, but he did not choose to give up just because of the pain. The intense pain came. The red eye on his arm was bitten off forcefully by Yang Jian. ¡°Yang Jian, you¡­¡± when the others heard his scream, they all looked over. Immediately, everyone was stunned, and then they revealed expressions of fear. They saw that Yang Jian¡¯s arm was badly mutted, and blood was flowing out of his mouth. They didn¡¯t know if it was because of the excessive blood that his eyes had turned red, but it seemed to be emitting a faint red light¡­ Moreover, the skin on his body was constantly cracking, and from time to time, there would be skin falling off, making people¡¯s hair stand on end However, they subconsciously felt fear. Could it be that Yang Jian was possessed by a ghost? The red eyes were currently moving rapidly under Yang Jian¡¯s skin and flesh, leaving a scarlet crack wherever they passed. It was as if Yang Jian¡¯s body had been torn apart. Fresh blood seeped out and dyed his clothes red. Pain, a heart-wrenching pain. This kind of intense pain was far worse than when the ghost baby had bitten and the eye grew out. However, the ghost baby had not bitten Yang Jian, but himself. Moreover, the red eye had disappeared from his mouth. However, the wound on his arm where the red eye had already been bitten off started squirming again. Soon, an even bigger red eye grew out and filled the wound and with a somewhat strange expression, the eye looked at everything around him. The sixth eye appeared. Because the fifth eye was in his stomach. As Yang Jian cried out in pain, the cracks on his skin emitted a red light. One, two, three¡­ The red light gradually spread throughout his body. The surrounding ground was also affected. The red light spread along the ground like a thick fog, showing a clear contrast to the surrounding darkness. At this moment, another line of words appeared on the parchment that no one saw. ¡°At 5:30 am after I swallowed an eye, I sessfully grew a sixth eye. A strange red light was emitted from my body. I could feel that the ce covered by the red light was the ghost realm, the ghost realm that belonged to me. However, I discovered that the malicious ghost was continuously recovering in my body¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps I will soon be upied by the malicious ghost and lose my consciousness, bing a ghost.¡± ¡°At the same time that I opened up the ghost realm, the other ghosts nearby¡­ came. Someone was killed by the ghost.¡± As if to verify the words on the parchment, a pale palm stretched out from the darkness and suddenly grabbed the neck of a student who was trembling in fear. The cold, stiff hand brought with it a terrifying strange force as it pulled the student back into the darkness behind him. ¡°No, no, help, help me¡­¡± the student screamed like he was going crazy. He waved his hand, trying to grab something. But it was useless. He quickly disappeared into the darkness, and his scream disappeared as well. It was like a stone falling into the water. There was only a slight ripple, and everything became quiet again. The others were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and their hands and feet turned cold. Although they had all seen this scene, none of them dared to pull him back. They did not have the courage. Qian Wanhao was so scared that he cried. He had already lost his mind, and he subconsciously turned around to escape. No matter where he went, as long as he left this ce, he would be fine. However, as soon as he turned around, he crashed heavily into a stiff corpse. An old man in a long robe, covered in corpse spots, stood in the darkness and looked at him with a lifeless face. There was no human emotion in his lifeless eyes, only numbness and strangeness. Qian Wanhao wanted to run again, but he found that his body could no longer move. The old man slowly raised his skinny palm and stretched it toward his face¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± The shrill scream before death was extremely horrifying. ¡°Don¡¯te over, don¡¯te over, don¡¯te over¡­ Ah, don¡¯te over, don¡¯te near me.¡± A girl with dishevelled hair was curled up beside him. She was mumbling and her eyes were filled with fear. Under extreme fear, her spirit had already copsed. Even if she survived, she would probably be a mental patient in the future. Zhao Lei didn¡¯t even have the strength to escape. He just sat on the ground, as if he had lost his soul. He was already scared silly. Miao Xiaoshan squatted on the ground and covered her ears. She buried her face into her knees and wept, trembling in fear. At this moment, Wang Shanshan was tightly hugging one of Yang Jian¡¯s arms. She almost wanted to squeeze herself into his arms. She didn¡¯t think that Yang Jian was scary at this moment. What she was even more afraid of was the ghost that could appear at any time in the darkness. Perhaps it was because of the deaths of a few of her ssmates, the surrounding ghosts seemed to have stopped moving for the time being. However, the darkness had already enveloped them. The surroundings were so quiet that even the screams could not be heard. However, this strange silence did notst for long. Not long after. ¡°Ta. Ta. Ta.¡± The sound of footsteps rang out in the darkness once again. This time, it was not just one footstep, but several. In front, behind, in all directions¡­ At this moment, pale palms stretched out one after another from the darkness. A palm was ced on Zhang Wei¡¯s shoulder, another grabbed a female ssmate¡¯s hair, and then another pinched one of Miao Xiaoshan¡¯s ankles¡­.. all of them were attacked by the malicious ghosts at the same time. The time on the phone showed: 5:30 am. It was the same as what was written on the parchment. At 5:30 am, everyone was dead. ¡°Get lost.¡± However, at this moment, a suppressed and painful roar sounded. It was apanied by a desperate struggle to survive. Yang Jian stood up at this moment. The skin on his body was cracked. Through the cracks, it was as if one could see many eyes hidden inside. At the same time, a red light was emitted from his body, covering an area of about five meters around him. The red light illuminated the surroundings, dispersing the darkness. One by one, the pale-white palms quickly retracted. The old man in a ck long robe with a face full of corpse spots took a step back and left the range shrouded by the red light. His greyish-white eyes looked at Yang Jian numbly. The old man paused for a moment, but he continued to take a step forward. He walked into the range of the red light again. However, the red light on Yang Jian¡¯s body was like an unstable electric light. It shed and extinguished a few times, and then the red light disappeared. At the same time, Yang Jian, Wang Shanshan, Zhang Wei, and Zhao Lei also disappeared¡­altogether seven people. When the old man walked over, there was nothing around him anymore. The footsteps around him gradually faded away. The door of the security room next to him mmed shut again. Darkness poured in like a tide. On the parchment, a line of words appeared again: ¡°At 5:30 am, everyone died¡­ ¡­ That was impossible.¡± ¡°5:31 am: I survived¡­ There were eight of them. I left the school¡­ Hehe.¡± A strange smile appeared on the parchment but soon disappeared. Chapter 20: Streets Chapter 20: Streets Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Dachang City pedestrian street. Around 5:30 am, the sky was slightly bright. It was still too early. Usually, the bustlingmercial street was empty. Every shop had closed long ago, and it was not yet time to open for business. The street lights on the street had not been extinguished yet, and they were still emitting light. However, at this time. The rows of street lights on the pedestrian street were originally emitting white light, but at this moment, the lights suddenly turned scarlet, emitting a strange red light. The circr lights in thempshade reflected the shapes of red eyes, it was like a stamp on it. The only unusual thing was that the eyes seemed to havee alive, rotating slightly. However, this strange scene appeared suddenly and disappeared extremely quickly. As the lights on the street flickered for a moment. Everything returned to its original state. The red light disappeared, and the eye pattern on the light bulb also disappeared. However, the strange thing was that seven people had suddenly appeared on the originally empty pedestrian street. These seven people were made up of boys and girls. They were very young and looked like students. However, they all looked very abnormal, and their faces were pale, their bodies were trembling, and their eyes were filled with fear as if they had been spooked by something. ¡°This isn¡¯t a school¡­ where is this?¡± The pain in Yang Jian¡¯s body gradually subsided. He fell to the ground and leaned against the ss door of a shop on the side of the road, panting heavily. It had been too dangerous just now. If it had been anyter, everyone would have died in that ghost realm. Fortunately, he had opened his ghost realm at the critical moment. The others were still in shock and looked at each other. Their frightened eyes were still looking around crazily, afraid that they would see the darkness around them again. However, when they saw the bright streetmp, and the sun that was gradually rising in the distance, they felt a sense of joy as if they had just escaped death. This joy gradually reced the fear in their hearts and quickly calmed them down. ¡°Okay, it seems to be a pedestrian street.¡± Miao Xiaoshan squatted on the ground. She carefully raised her head and looked around. She said with some uncertainty. ¡°It¡¯s a pedestrian street. I¡¯ve been ying here since I was young. I won¡¯t be mistaken. My home is nearby.¡± Zhang Wei quickly said, ¡°We survived. We left the school. Look, the street lights are on and the sky is bright. Cars are passing by. I even heard the sound of a car honking¡­¡± He looked a little excited. He had never felt that the things he had seen before were so wonderful. ¡°It¡¯s the pedestrian street. We left the school.¡± Zhao Lei¡¯s hands were still trembling. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. A second ago, he was still in the dark school. He only felt that everything was ck and bright. How did hee to this pedestrian street? Yang Jian was still looking around with some vignce. After confirming it, he was sure that he had indeed left the school and the ghost realm. As for why he didn¡¯t appear outside the school but on this pedestrian street, there was no need to think about it. In short, he was lucky to have survived. The group sat on the street for two hours before they epted everything. At the same time, the fear in their hearts was finally calmed down. However, from their expressions, it could be seen that this high school haunted incident had been very traumatic for them. After a long silence, Zhang Wei, who was resting on a chair, slowly spoke. The others chose to remain silent. They were still unable to ept it. No one answered Zhang Wei. Wang Shanshan, who was at the side, looked at Yang Jian and asked nervously, ¡°Yang Jian, what should we do now?¡± At this moment, Yang Jian was the backbone of their group. The few who survived were all following his lead unconditionally. After all, Yang Jian was the reason why they survived. Yang Jian touched the wound on his arm that had already healed and disappeared. He felt that there was an eye outline hidden under the skin and flesh, and it coulde out at any time. This strange feeling told him that everything that happenedst night was not a dream. It was very real. ¡°What else can we do? Since everyone survived and left the school without any injuries, we should go home and rest so that our parents won¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, are we just going home to sleep like this?¡± Zhao Lei stood up excitedly and asked. Yang Jian nced at him. ¡°Otherwise, what else do you n to do?¡± Zhao Lei felt Yang Jian¡¯s gaze and his face was filled with fear. He subconsciously lowered his head and didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Yang Jian is right. This is not something we can control. It¡¯s already not easy for us to survive,¡± Miao Xiaoshan said. ¡°Why do you say that? Are you going back to sleep just like that?¡± Zhang Wei was a little stunned. Going back to sleep after such a big incident had happened, it felt as if nothing had happened? Yang Jian said, ¡°If you¡¯re not going home, don¡¯t tell me you n to go back to school for morning studies?¡± ¡°You still dare to go back to school?¡± Everyone felt a chill in their hearts. They had already made up their minds that they would never go back to school again for the rest of their lives. They would not even go near the school. There were even some people who had already decided to transfer schools and leave Dachang City. What college entrance exam? Going to university? All of them had to scram to the side. At most, they would just be salted fish for the rest of their lives. ¡°I¡¯m very sleepy. I¡¯ll go home and sleep first. If there¡¯s anything, call me.¡± Yang Jian yawned. He felt physically and mentally tired. He felt like he could fall asleep if he fell to the ground. ¡°By the way, I have something to tell you. It¡¯s about that old man at school. You¡¯d better not surf the inte, especially not watch ghost stories on this forum.¡± He opened his phone and showed the post to others. ¡°Do you see this audio file? Remember, don¡¯t ever click on it. This audio file is the sound of knocking on the door. It¡¯s the same as what Qian Wanhao heard on his phone. Whoever hears this, the old man wille and find you.¡± After saying that, he flipped to another page. The photo of the old man was disyed on it. ¡°Take it away, quickly take it away.¡± When Zhang Wei and the others saw the photo of the old man, they retreated in fear. Yang Jian said, ¡°The photo is fine. I¡¯ve tried it. The scary thing is this audio file. Up until now, this post has not been blocked. There are at least tens of thousands of people in the country who have seen this story and clicked on this audio file. If I¡¯m not wrong, next time, the old man will travel between the major cities and knock on the door to visit them one by one.¡± ¡°In other words, what happened yesterday will rey all over the country. It¡¯s just that the main character is no longer us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about such a terrifying thing, okay? I¡¯m still a child,¡± Zhang Wei said as he looked at him in horror. Yang Jian said, ¡°Then let¡¯s not talk about it. I¡¯ll return the phone to you.¡± Zhang Wei hurriedly shook his head and took a few steps back. ¡°I don¡¯t want the phone anymore. Hurry up and throw it away. What if the number 138 calls again?¡± ¡°This is the Fruit x that just came out on the market. Didn¡¯t you say you bought it for more than 9,000 yuan?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Bother, now that things havee to this, I don¡¯t want to hide anything anymore. My real identity is a hidden rich second generation. Do you see the row of shops on the pedestrian street? They are all my family¡¯s. I, Zhang Wei, don¡¯tck this money. Later, I¡¯ll ask my dad to buy a Nokia. No, it¡¯s safer to use a BB phone. That way, the call won¡¯t be able toe in.¡± Zhang Wei said seriously. ¡°Your family is so rich, why don¡¯t you carry a radio station with you?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± When the others heard Zhang Wei mention the phone number that started with horrifying 138, they were so scared that they didn¡¯t dare to leave their phones behind. They threw them away as if they were throwing away a gue. ¡°If you don¡¯t want your phone, you can give it to me. It would be a waste to throw it away,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°This¡­ Do you still dare to take these phones? They have already been used by the ghosts. What if theye looking for you again?¡± Miao Xiaoshan looked at him with wide eyes. ¡°Poverty makes me fearless. Besides, can¡¯t we sell the phones if we don¡¯t use them?¡± As he said that, Yang Jian picked up the phones that they had thrown away and asked, ¡°You don¡¯t want them?¡± ¡°No,¡± everyone said in unison. Yang Jian said, ¡°You¡¯re all rich people. I¡¯ll sell all these as second-hand mobile phonester. You can rest assured about the money¡­ I won¡¯t give you a single cent. Even if it¡¯s the next dinner party, it¡¯ll be your treat.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going off.¡± He took seven or eight mobile phones and turned to leave. ¡°You, take me with you.¡± Wang Shanshan still had fear on her face. She wanted to follow Yang Jian. ¡°I want to go back to sleep. Do you want to go back to sleep with me?¡± Yang Jian asked. Wang Shanshan whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t mind staying at your ce for a few days.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The others, including Yang Jian, widened their eyes. Although Wang Shanshan could not be considered the prettiest girl in the ss, she was not bad either. Especially since she had practised dancing before. Her figure was so good that there was nothing to say about it. Her waist was thin, her legs were long, and her breasts were big¡­.. However, this had nothing to do with Yang Jian, who was a loser. They weren¡¯t familiar with each other normally, so how did Wang Shanshan end up clinging to Yang Jian in just one night? The others didn¡¯t know, but Yang Jian understood. Of course, Wang Shanshan didn¡¯t fall in love with him because of that, but because of the ghost baby incident. She was still very scared and didn¡¯t dare to be alone. Chapter 21: The Operator Chapter 21: The Operator Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio After Yang Jian left, only then did the rest of the peoplee to their senses. ¡°Oh right, Yang Jian saved us, but we haven¡¯t thanked him yet. Isn¡¯t that bad?¡± Miao Xiaoshan said. Zhao Lei said, ¡°How about we find an opportunity to treat Yang Jian to a meal in a day or two?¡± ¡°How about barbeque?¡± Zhang Wei sneered and said, ¡°Barbeque? To think the lot of you don¡¯t feel the shame of saying such a thing. I¡¯m going to invite him to a dinner party in a big hotel, to a bar to sing, and also to the spa. I¡¯ll find an opportunity to talk to my dadter and see if I can buy him a house near home. I heard that his family is still renting a house to live in, and his living conditions aren¡¯t very good¡­ ¡­ In short, I¡¯m going to cling to this promising person and no one can snatch him away from me. Especially you, Miao Xiaoshan. I heard that you and Yang Jian are junior high ssmates.¡± After saying that, he sized up Miao Xiaoshan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t seduce him.¡± ¡°Zhang Wei, what are you saying?¡± Miao Xiaoshan¡¯s face turned red as she retorted. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too exaggerated?¡± Zhao Lei said in shock. Zhang Wei sneered, ¡°Exaggerated?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The few people next to him felt a chill run down their spines and subconsciously took a few steps away from Zhang Wei. The girls also looked at Zhang Wei in bewilderment. They knew that Zhang Wei was very outstanding, but wasn¡¯t this a little too showy? ¡°What? You don¡¯t believe me? Then let me ask you, are you willing to give up your anus for sex or to meet ghosts again?¡± Zhang Wei asked. When everyone recalled the situationst night, their faces once again revealed a look of fear. Zhao Lei hesitated for a moment before saying carefully, ¡°I would rather give up my anus for sex¡­¡± For some unknown reason, when faced with these two choices, he couldn¡¯t help but choose the former. Even the girls blushed as they recalled the words Yang Jian had said after saving Wang Shanshan, something along the lines of giving themselves to him. Indeed, they felt very safe when they thought of Yang Jian. Zhang Wei said quite seriously, ¡°Zhou Zheng had said that supernatural incidents like this will still happen in the future. The whole matter has gradually turned into a global catastrophe. That means that even if we survived our ghost encounter today, what about in the future? We ordinary people can¡¯t deal with ghosts. Only people like Zhou Zheng can deal with ghosts, and Yang Jian should have be such a person. We should be thankful that we know him. In the future, he is the only person who can save our lives.¡± He ended his words at this point and didn¡¯t say anything else. Zhang Wei was very well aware of the uniqueness and importance of Yang Jian at this moment. What happenedst night was an iparably terrifying nightmare. He didn¡¯t want to encounter it again for the rest of his life. If he were a girl, he would have probably been sticking to Yang Jian already. Wang Shanshan did well in this regard. Thinking of this, Zhang Wei looked in the direction of the bus stop. After all, Wang Shanshan had just pestered Yang Jian into sending her home. At this moment, on the bus. Yang Jian was exhausted as he sat on the chair, looking at the familiar street outside the window, the familiar crowd, and the familiar hustle and bustle. Although it was noisy, it was very reassuring. At least there were no ghosts. Wang Shanshan was really sticking to Yang Jian. If their rtionship had been better, she would even have wanted to stay over at Yang Jian¡¯s. However, she still begged him to send her home. ¡°Yang Jian, will this happen again in the future?¡± Wang Shanshan hugged Yang Jian¡¯s arm and refused to let go. It took her a long time to ask this question. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but the chances are yes. It probably depends on our luck. If we¡¯re lucky, we may not encounter it again. After all, the Earth is huge. Even if supernatural incidents happen, if divided by all the cities and districts, the possibilities should be rtively small. After all, they¡¯re not like thoserge-scale natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods,¡± Yang Jian turned his head and nced at her before saying. Of course, these were just his consoling words. Whether what they feared would happen could only be known when in the future. Then, he suddenly noticed that when Wang Shanshan tilted her head, the two dark green baby handprints on the back of her neck were still there, like tattoos. Until now, they hadn¡¯t disappeared yet. ¡°They¡¯re not the bruises caused by the ghost baby¡­ They¡¯re like an imprint made by the baby,¡± Thinking as such, Yang Jian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He didn¡¯t know whether he should warn her or not. But considering that Wang Shanshan was on the verge of a mental breakdown, Yang Jian didn¡¯t say anything. What was worst for people was to scare themselves. It might just be a scar and nothing would happen. ¡°Be careful recently. If there¡¯s any trouble, you can call me,¡± Yang Jian still said to her out of kindness. ¡°Thank, thank you,¡± Wang Shanshan looked up, touched. ¡°Ring, ring, ring.¡± Suddenly, a cell phone on Yang Jian rang. Wang Shanshan, who was next to him, was so frightened that her face immediately turned pale and she screamed subconsciously, ¡°Ah!¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it should be just a normal phone call.¡± He searched through the pile of phones. Finally, he found that it was a wireless inte phone that was ringing. It was the satellite positioning phone that the ghost rider Zhou Zheng had given him. One couldn¡¯t ess the inte with this phone and could only ce calls with it. It was also as heavy as a brick. He really didn¡¯t know why ghost riders would be equipped with such a phone. After thinking for a moment, Yang Jian picked up the call. ¡°Hello, Zhou Zheng, report the situation,¡± A female operator¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. Yang Jian said, ¡°Zhou Zheng is dead.¡± ¡°Dead? How did he die?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°He gave birth.¡± ¡°Gave birth?¡± The person on the other end of the line was clearly taken aback. ¡°Yes, he gave birth. It was a C-section. There was no time for an operation. The child probably couldn¡¯t wait any longer, so it tore open his belly and crawled out. I saw it with my own eyes. The child wasn¡¯t very obedient, but that was perhaps because I didn¡¯t deliver the baby. When it was born, it chased after me and bit me, almost eating me,¡± Yang Jian said. The operator on the other end of the line, Liu Xiaoyu, was about to lose her temper. She said, ¡°Bullshit. Who the hell are you? Why is Zhou Zheng¡¯s satellite positioning phone on you? Do you know that you are currently involved in a special case? I am Zhou Zheng¡¯s personal operator, Liu Xiaoyu. I have the right to request that you report Zhou Zheng¡¯s situation truthfully.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that Zhou Zheng is dead. If you want to know the truth, can¡¯t you send someone to investigate? It can¡¯t be you want me to say out loud that Zhou Zheng died because of the revival of a malicious ghost thus making everyone on the bus know and as such causing a panic, right? Did you even learn any readingprehension in elementary school? Do you know how to capture the gist? Yourprehension ability makes me doubt whether you are a qualified operator. I refuse to talk to you right now. Let an experienced person answer the call.¡± At this moment, in the relevant department of the Asian Division of the International Ghost Rider Organization. The uniformed operator, Liu Xiaoyu, was gnashing her teeth in anger. The sharp 2B pencil in her hand shed across the paper on the side, as if stabbing the arrogant young man on the other end of the phone to death. ¡°I¡¯m not angry, I¡¯m not angry. Compared to the life and death of the frontline staff, this is nothing,¡± Liu Xiaoyu took a few deep breaths to calm herself down, then said in a businesslike manner, ¡°Sir, please cooperate with our investigation.¡± The other party refused to speak and simply replied with a ¡°Hehe¡±. ¡°Sir, please cooperate.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°Sir, I know you must know something. If it¡¯s not convenient for you to say it in public now, I can give you five minutes to deal with your situation and find a quiet ce to report the truth about Zhou Zheng¡¯s matters,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is ¡®hehe¡¯?¡± Liu Xiaoyu was about to explode with anger. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to calm down. ¡°Sir, since it¡¯s not convenient for you to say it, can you tell me your name? We will send the relevant personnel to collect evidenceter.¡± ¡°Are you trying to investigate me? I¡¯m not afraid to tell you that I will not change my name no matter what. My surname is Zhang and my name is Wei. I am Zhang Wei. If you have the guts,e. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re a son of a bitch,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Okay, just you wait,¡± Liu Xiaoyupletely lost her cool. She couldn¡¯t even care less about the rules and regtions as she shouted. Chapter 22: Code Name Chapter 22: Code Name Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The moment Liu Xiaoyu lost her temper, she regretted it. In the reception room, a middle-aged man wearing a uniform with a serious face immediately walked over and knocked on the table in front of her, saying, ¡°Liu Xiaoyu, control your emotions. These are special times, don¡¯t bring your personal feelings into the work.¡± ¡°Captain, this guy clearly knows the situation, but he won¡¯t say it no matter what¡­¡± Liu Xiaoyu said ¡°In the face of special events, most people will have mental problems. You have to be considerate, tolerant, and evenforting. This is also the reason why most of the operators are female. If you can¡¯t do the job, you can choose to resign,¡± The middle-aged captain allowed no doubt. ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Liu Xiaoyu lowered her head and said. ¡°Reflect on yourselfter and this better not happen again. I¡¯ll talk to this person, you stand at the side and learn,¡± The middle-aged captain said. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s Captain, Zhao Jianguo. I apologize for what happened with Liu Xiaoyu just now. She¡¯s not mature enough to handle things. I¡¯ve already criticized her, but I still hope for sir to stand firm in front of important matters and cooperate with us in the relevant investigation. If there are no problems, may we continue the conversation just now?¡± Zhao Jianguo¡¯s tone was calm, giving people a sense that they could trust him. The captain, huh? On the bus, Yang Jian held the phone and his gaze moved slightly. This should be the highest level of personnel he could get to for the time being. ¡°I will tell you everything about Zhou Zheng without leaving out a single word, but in exchange, I want to know the things that I should know,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°The operator just now, Liu Xiaoyu, was too low-leveled and couldn¡¯t make the decision, which is why I didn¡¯t want to talk to her.¡± His voice was very young. Although his methods were somewhat immature, he was very smart. Zhao Jianguo¡¯s expression changed slightly as he picked up the pencil and wrote: Name: Zhang Wei (to be determined) Age: 20 (estimated) Personality: Has somewhat immature methods, but is far more vignt and smart than his peers. ¡°Of course. Since you know about Zhou Zheng¡¯s matters, there are some things I can tell you. Now, please tell me about Zhou Zheng¡¯s situation,¡± Zhao Jianguo said. ¡°I¡¯ve already said this, but Zhou Zheng is dead,¡± Yang Jian replied. He was concise and did not beat around the bush. Zhao Jianguo was silent for a moment. If a ghost rider died because of the revival of the malicious ghost, it must be that he had used the ghost power. And there was only one reason why a ghost rider would normally use his ghost power, that there was an emergency. ¡°Yes,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Can you tell me about it?¡± Zhao Jianguo asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Yang Jian began to recount what happened yesterday. Zhao Jianguo gestured to Liu Xiaoyu, who was beside him, ¡°Prepare to create a new malicious ghost file.¡± Liu Xiaoyu, who was beside him, quickly took notes. She did not use aputer, but instead, she took notes. ¡°Ghost realm¡­ Killing by knocking on the door, the ghost in the stairwell and the washroom, the door-knocking sound over the phone¡­¡± As the information was recorded piece by piece, Zhao Jianguo¡¯s expression became more and more serious. Yang Jian said, ¡°This is the general story. Big brother, do you have any more questions?¡± ¡°It seems that you are still hiding something from us and don¡¯tpletely trust us. However, this is also right. It¡¯s a good thing for young people to be vignt and guarded. That being said, I still hope that you can continue to cooperate with our investigation,¡± Zhao Jianguo said. ¡°Can you tell me how you left the ghost realm? After all, it¡¯s not easy to get out of the ghost realm after entering it.¡± ¡°Before I answer your question, can I ask you a question?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Zhao Jianguo said after thinking for a while. ¡°What kind of existence is a ghost?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhao Jianguo said, ¡°Laboratories in various countries have done experiments. Some think that ¡°ghosts¡± are just special energy like dark matter or special particles. They think that it¡¯s a special existence that hasn¡¯t been studied by science yet. It¡¯s just that people don¡¯t understand and can¡¯t analyze it that they call such existences ¡°ghosts¡±. Just like when the ancients saw wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, they would think that these phenomenons were gods when in fact, they¡¯re just the most normal natural phenomenons.¡± ¡°I want to hear the truth,¡± Yang Jian said seriously, ¡°I still have an important piece of information about that old man. I think we should exchange our information.¡± Zhao Jianguo knocked his knuckles on the table and said after pondering for a while, ¡°With the current scientific experiments, we are still unable to analyze the existence of ¡°ghosts¡±. Although scientists are specting that they may be some kind of energy manifestation rted to the soul, the mainstream view is still leaning towards idealism.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yang Jian asked. Yang Jian¡¯s expression was particrly solemn. How he had hoped that ghosts were just a change from unknown energy. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t. So ghosts really do exist. ¡°Can we continue the previous topic?¡± Zhao Jianguo asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°The reason why I could leave the ghost realm is very simple. I became a ghost rider.¡± ¡°As expected,¡± Zhao Jianguo¡¯s eyes focused. When he first learned that Yang Jian had left the ghost realm, he had already guessed it. After all, if Yang Jian hadn¡¯t be a ghost rider, how could he have left the ghost realm? ¡°Do you still have any information about that old man that you¡¯re withholding?¡± Zhao Jianguo asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°I want to know more information about the malicious ghosts.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t hide anything. That old man uses his door-knocking sound to locate one that has heard his knocks, then he kills by knocking on the door. The root of it is currently rted to a post made by aizen. You can investigate it from here, but be careful of that door-knocking sound. It¡¯s a curse. Whoever hears it will be targeted by the old man.¡± After that, he gave a rough description of the posts and the URL of the forum. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve already recorded all the information. I¡¯ll send someone to investigate itter,¡± Zhao Jianguo said, ¡°Please keep Zhou Zheng¡¯s phone for the time being. The phone is specially made so that it won¡¯t be corroded by the ghost power. On top of that, its battery canst for a year. As long as you don¡¯t encounter a particrly serious situation, even if you¡¯re involved in other supernatural incidents, you¡¯ll still be able to call with the phone.¡± ¡°Is that so? Thank you very much then,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°But I¡¯ve said whatever I should say. I think that¡¯s all for now. I¡¯ll contact you again when I have time.¡± ¡°Very well. In the future, your personal operator will be Liu Xiaoyu. I apologize to you on her behalf for what happened before,¡± Zhao Jianguo said. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just that I have a bad temper,¡± Yang Jian hung up the phone after saying that. ¡°Captain, Zhou Zheng¡¯s phone should be recycled since there should be a lot of important information on it. ording to the rules, it shouldn¡¯t be taken by others,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said from the side. Zhao Jianguo knocked his knuckles on the table and said, ¡°The situation is different. This person has already be a ghost rider so he should be given special treatment. I think he has potential. Liu Xiaoyu, this is your next mission, you must monitor him closely.¡± ¡°He has just be a ghost rider, are you sure he¡¯ll be fine?¡±Liu Xiaoyu said in surprise, ¡°He hasn¡¯t even gone through the training yet.¡± ¡°I know, but he can be a temporary worker first, no? If it really doesn¡¯t work, he can take the job first and then train. I will report this matter. By the way, how are the records you were responsible for taking just now?¡± Zhao Jianguo said. ¡°The records have beenpleted. After this, I will organize and file them. What should the code name be?¡± Liu Xiaoyu looked at the densely packed manuscripts and said. ¡°Code name: Door-knocking Ghost. Put the level of terror at A, Catastrophe level,¡± After saying that, Zhao Jianguo said, ¡°When the archives reviewed, they said that I suggested it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Liu Xiaoyu was shocked. There was a new Catastrophe level malicious ghost in Asia. Chapter 23: Not in This Lifetime Chapter 23: Not in This Lifetime Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The bus arrived at the stop. Yang Jian sent Wang Shanshan home first. Because she had called beforehand, when he and Wang Shanshan walked to the entrance of a high-end residential area, a middle-aged woman dressed in fashionable clothes walked over with a frown and a slightly unhappy expression. ¡°Mom,¡± Wang Shanshan¡¯s face revealed a look of joy. ¡°I see you still remember toe home, huh? Where have you been all night? We couldn¡¯t even get through to your phone. Do you know how worried we were about you? You¡¯re a girl, what if something happens to you outside? If you hadn¡¯te back today, I was going to report it to the police with your father,¡± Wang Shanshan¡¯s mother, Wang Haiyan scolded her. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. Something happened at school, so¡­¡± Wang Shanshan lowered her head and said. Wang Haiyan said, ¡°Alright, tell your father the reasonter. I¡¯ll ask you, who is this boy? Why did hee back with you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my ssmate, Yang Jian. Didn¡¯t you see him in school before?¡± Wang Shanshan said. ¡°ssmate? You have so many ssmates, how could I remember all of them?¡± Wang Haiyan sized up Yang Jian. Yang Jian said, ¡°Hello, Auntie Wang. Since there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving first. I¡¯ll visit you again when I¡¯m free.¡± He didn¡¯t stay long and nned to leave immediately. ¡°Wait,¡± Wang Haiyan stopped Yang Jian and asked ¡°You¡¯re Shanshan¡¯s ssmate? Let me ask you, where did the two of you gost night? Why is Shanshan only back now? Did you bring her somewhere to fool around?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Auntie Wang, it¡¯s not what you think. Something special happened at school afterst night¡¯s self-study session and everyone in the ss stayed behind at school. All of us just left. I was just worried that it would be unsafe for Wang Shanshan to go home alone, so I sent her back.¡± ¡°I called Teacher Wang. Nothing happened at school yesterday,¡± Wang Haiyan said. Yang Jian smiled and said, ¡°None of us could get through to Teacher Wang yesterday. Auntie, you must be joking.¡± Wang Haiyan knew that Teacher Wang¡¯s phone couldn¡¯t be reached. She was just deliberately trying to trick the boy to see if there was anything fishy going on. She then said, ¡°I should thank you for being kind enough to send Shanshan home. However, Shanshan¡¯s upbringing is quite strict. She has never stayed outside overnight since she was young, and she has never been acquaintances with anyone shady. Besides, it¡¯s the third year of high school. At such an important time, Shanshan has to put her studies first. I hope that you will not affect Shanshan¡¯s studies in the future.¡± What she trying to say between her words was to tell Yang Jian to stay away from Wang Shanshan and not to have any thoughts about her daughter. After saying that, Wang Haiyan took out two hundred Yuan from her wallet and stuffed the bills into Yang Jian¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°It must have been hard on you to send Shanshan back so early in the morning. You probably haven¡¯t had breakfast yet. Let me give you two hundred Yuan as a treat for breakfast. I hope you won¡¯t think it¡¯s little, please take it.¡± Yang Jian looked at the two hundred Yuan in his hands and was stunned for a moment. Then, the smile on his face disappeared and he said calmly, ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± After saying that, he took the money and turned around to leave. Once Yang Jian left, Wang Shanshan was so angry that she almost cried. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re too much. Although Yang Jian¡¯s grades aren¡¯t very good, he¡¯s a good person. Why did you give him money? Aren¡¯t you humiliating him?¡± ¡°You naive girl, what do you know? I¡¯m just testing this boy. Look, he took the two hundred Yuan without even thinking of rejecting it. With one look I can tell that he¡¯s a poor kid with no ambition. You must stay away from such people in the future. Don¡¯t be deceived by the sweet words of such a person,¡± Wang Haiyan said. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything. Do you know what happened at schoolst night? Without Yang Jian, I would have died. Do you think Yang Jian was willing to send me? I begged him to send me home. How can I see him after you do this?¡± ¡°Such a person has no backbone at all. It¡¯s best not to see him,¡± Wang Haiyan said. ¡°Our family is not so casual.¡± ¡°Sob¡­¡± Wang Shanshan was so angry that she cried, and she directly turned to leave. Yang Jian, who had boarded the bus again, looked at the two hundred Yuan in his hand. He understood very well what Wang Shanshan¡¯s mother¡¯s actions meant. There was a hint of humiliation in her contempt. If it were anyone else, they would have exploded in anger. However, Yang Jian¡¯s expression was calm and unmoved. So what if he was angry? Wang Shanshan¡¯s family was well-off and she was beautiful. Usually, she wouldn¡¯t have much interaction with a loser like himself. He suddenly sent her home, it was only a given that her parents would dislike someone like him and try every means to keep him away. Even if he lost his temper in front of her, it would only be a disgrace. He couldn¡¯t possibly jump and hit Wang Haiyan just because she gave him 200 Yuan, right? Moreover, to the current Yang Jian, this was just a trivial matter. It wasn¡¯t like he had saved Wang Shanshan with ulterior motives. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to be a good person. No wonder ghosts have appeared,¡± Yang Jian touched the back of his hand and smiled self-deprecatingly. He put the 200 Yuan into his pocket. When he got home, he immediately fell asleep on the bed. It was because he was simply too tired. The other students also went home one after another. Even if such a big thing had happened, they still had to go home, didn¡¯t they? At this moment, Zhang Wei returned to his vi. He hadn¡¯t lied. He was indeed a rich kid. It was just that he usually kept a low profile and didn¡¯t have the temperament of a prodigal. ¡°Why did youe back sote? I couldn¡¯t even get through to your phone. What have you been doing all night?¡± As soon as Zhang Wei entered, his father, Zhang Xiangui, heard the door open and walked out of the room, looking at him with a serious face. Zhang Wei shrunk his neck and said, ¡°School¡­ I went out to y with my friends.¡± He wanted to say that the school was haunted and that he had been tortured half to death, but he felt that saying such a thing seemed like an insult to his father¡¯s IQ, so he did not say it out loud and chose to tell a lie. ¡°You went out to y? You¡¯re not allowed to do this again next time,¡± Zhang Xiangui did not criticize him too harshly. He just casually said, ¡°Remember to go to school after you eat breakfast. Don¡¯t bete.¡± Go to school? Zhang Wei¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank. He said in fear, ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to school.¡± ¡°What are you going to do if you¡¯re not going to school?¡± Zhang Xiangui asked. ¡°I can do anything, but I¡¯m not going to school,¡± Zhang Wei said. How could he still dare to go to No.7 High School? Was he sick of life? That ce was haunted. He had finally escaped a few hours ago with such difficulty. If he still went to school, wouldn¡¯t that be suicide? No, even if hemitted suicide, he wouldn¡¯t go to that school again. ¡°Do you need a beating? How dare you skip ss?¡± Zhang Xiangui red at him. ¡°The college entrance exams are just around the corner, are you not going to apply for university by taking leave at such a timing?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not go to university than go to school. Dad, don¡¯t force me, please. The school is being haunted by ghosts at the moment. If I go to school, I¡¯ll die. Last night, dozens of my ssmates had died. I finally escaped with such difficulty, even if you beat me to death, I¡¯m not going to school,¡± Zhang Wei said. ¡°Haunted? Have you gone crazy? Let¡¯s go, I¡¯m taking you to school. If it¡¯s really haunted, I¡¯d like to see it. Your father has never seen a ghost in his life,¡± Zhang Xiangui said as he grabbed Zhang Wei¡¯s hand. Zhang Wei immediately flung his hand away and jumped, saying with a hint of shock and anger, ¡°Let go of me. I said I won¡¯t go to school and I won¡¯t! Even if I, Zhang Wei, am to die, I¡¯ll die outside. I¡¯d rather jump down from here or get a gun pointed at my head, but I will never take another step into No.7 High School in my life. I mean my words. Dad, if you don¡¯t believe me, go ahead and try me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t go to school, but I won¡¯t be giving you any more pocket money in the future. You can support yourself,¡± Zhang Xiangui said angrily. ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Wei fell silent and turned back to his room. Zhang Xiangui said, ¡°If you¡¯re so great, just hide in your room and don¡¯te out.¡± A momentter, Zhang Wei walked out with two books in his hands. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to school.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Zhang Xiangui nodded his head in satisfaction. Zhang Wei, who had left home, sneered. Go to school? Not in this lifetime, not in the next either. Who said he had to go to school with books in his hands? Couldn¡¯t he go to the inte cafe? ¡°Today, I, Zhang Wei, will y twenty rounds of PUBG in the inte cafe,¡± Zhang Wei came to the door of the inte cafe and said loudly. However, not long after Zhang Wei went online, two special personnel came to him. ¡°Are you Zhang Wei, a student of No.7 High School?¡± One of them asked. Zhang Wei was stunned for a moment. Then, he crossed his legs and pretended to be mature as he said, ¡°Big brother, you have mistaken me for someone else. My name is Yang Jian, Zhang Wei is my ssmate.¡± ¡°Your ID is registered at the counter, and it¡¯s most certainly you. Come with us. There is a case we need your help in investigating.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Wei was bewildered, but he was quickly taken away. Chapter 24: Log onto the Website Chapter 24: Log onto the Website Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yang Jian felt that oppressed and that his chest was tight, to the point he almost couldn¡¯t breathe. It was like a ghost was pressing down on him. Even though he was conscious, he simply couldn¡¯t move his body. The dark room seemed to have turned into a dark cage at this moment with Yang as the prisoner, unable to break free or escape. It was as if he was going to sink forever, for all time. Suddenly, on the pitch-ck ceiling, the darkness gradually condensed into the shape of an eye. The eye was huge, covering the entire ceiling. Although it was not opened, Yang Jian could feel that the huge eye was spying on him as a strange gaze remained on him. ¡°Gurgle ~ !¡± Yang Jian felt the skin and flesh on his face turn cold, as if something had forcefully torn it open. A red eyeball appeared from his flesh and blood. The view from a strange perspective entered his mind. At the same time, something seemed to be moving around his body. It wanted to burst out from his skin as if it wanted to tear his skin apart. Intense pain as if he was being tortured spread throughout his body, and it was unbearable. Although Yang Jian¡¯s consciousness was clear, his body was still unable to move. He could only allow the damn thing in his body to move freely. He was in so much pain that he wanted to wail, but he could only twitch his mouth slightly. He could not even open it, and thus could not make any sound. This situation did not onlyst for a short while. Itsted for a full two to three hours. From the beginning till the end, Yang Jian did not fall asleep. He endured the tearing pain for a full two to three hours. He did not know how he had endured it, he only knew that the time seemed to be as long as a lifetime. At some time past six in the afternoon, only then did the pain in his body quickly disappeared, and he regained consciousness at the same time. Almost the second he could move his body, Yang Jian immediately sat up from the bed. He was drenched in sweat was panting heavily. Yang Jian raised his palm, and it was instinctively trembling. ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong with me? I can¡¯t control my body, and I felt as if my entire body was about to be torn open. It was as if something was going toe out from inside. Could it be I¡¯m being affected by that eyeball?¡± He looked at his trembling palm and was silent for a while. Suddenly, he took out a dark brown parchment from his pocket. ¡°Tell me, what happened to me just now?¡±Yang Jian said to the parchment. Soon, a line of words appeared on the parchment: ¡°Today, I woke up from the pain. I can feel the malicious ghost gradually reviving in my body. Due to the events in school, I had used too much ghost power and don¡¯t have long to live¡­ But now, I will endure the pain of being tortured by that thing in my body, because.. ¡­ I still want to live.¡± The revival of the malicious ghost? As expected. Yang Jian fell into silence once again. He was beginning to follow in Zhou Zheng¡¯s steps, to endure the torture of the revival of the malicious ghost, then be killed by the ghost in his body one day. Was this the price of trying to live? ¡°How much longer can I live?¡± Yang Jian continued to ask. Words appeared on the parchment again: ¡°If I don¡¯t think of another way as soon as possible, I probably won¡¯t live more than three months under this kind of torture.¡± Three months? This was even faster than dying of cancer. If he did have to endure this kind of torture every day, it would indeed be like what Zhou Zheng said, that dying would be a relief instead. It was impossible for Yang Jian to not panic at this moment. He was still young and was still in school. He also had parents that he needed to care for in the future. If he died, what would happen to his parents? No, he can¡¯t die, at least not now. Yang Jian suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed on the parchment before him as he said, ¡°You are very eerie. I can¡¯t believe your words. How can it be that I¡¯ll die in three months just because you said so? Previously, you even said that I would die in school, but didn¡¯t that change as well? You don¡¯t know the future at all. You can only predict what will probably happen next based on the current situation. However, I can be sure of one thing. You must know a lot of things. What the hell are you?¡± There was no movement on the parchment, and no words appeared. It seemed to have chosen to remain silent. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t say it. I¡¯ll figure it out sooner orter,¡± Yang Jian said. Thinking about the malicious ghost, he suddenly remembered something. He picked up Zhou Zheng¡¯s satellite positioning phone from the side and saw a text message on it. It was the URL of a website. ¡°It¡¯s the URL that Zhao Jianguo gave me. Maybe I can get some useful information from that website,¡± Yang Jian immediately turned on hisputer and entered the URL into it. It was a special website. There was nothing but a nk space, as if the website didn¡¯t exist. He knew that this was just a measure to keep things secret. Then, he picked up Zhou Zheng¡¯s phone and typed the number code that had been printed on his phone. Immediately, the page refreshed, the website loaded, and the page appeared. Yang Jian skimmed through it and found that it was full of urgent matters from all over the world, requesting the assistance of the ghost riders. Each request was also attached with bounties from various governments. Most of the bounties were above 100 million USD, though, there were also bounties of tens of millions of dors. He clicked on one that read, ¡°A C-rank malicious ghost has appeared in a certain state in America. Its code name is the Haunted Church. If handled, the reward is 30 million US dors.¡± At the same time, there was a video in the post. In the video, there was a church. The walls on the outside of the church were covered in moss, and the ster was mottled and looked very old. At the church¡¯s entrance, Yang Jian could see a blurry figure standing there. Although its face could not be seen clearly, he could tell that it was a person, or to be exact, it was a human figure. However, this ¡°person¡± revealed a terrifying strangeness. Following this, a fighter jet whizzed past in the sky above the church. A missilended with a loud bang and hit the church urately. The mes of the explosion engulfed the church. It was obvious that the US military had chosen a strong and direct military attack. ¡°Will it work?¡± Yang Jian watched seriously. But soon, when the strong light gradually faded, his pupils focused. The church was still standing unharmed in the mes. A missile with such arge destructive range did not even blow up a piece of the church¡¯s wall ster. Then, in the video, he saw the ck shadow that had been standing at the church¡¯s door slowly walk out, approaching the camera. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± The video instantly blurred, and the image disappeared. There were manyments below the video: ¡°F*ck, just 30 million USD to handle this thing? To hell with the President of the United States! Are you trying to save money to buy lollipops for your children? How the f*ck can this thing be only ssified as C-rank? Are you trying to trick us into bing cannon fodder?¡± An Americanizenmented. Fortunately, under the English were Chinese trantions as well as trantions to othernguages, so he could understand thement at a nce. ¡°Although the video is not entirely truthful, it can be determined that this is already a ghost that can affect its surroundings. It¡¯s probably not far away from forming a ghost realm. With this, it¡¯s at least a B-rank. If one has a conscience, it can even be defined as A-rank. as expected, the Americans are living in dire straits. If some newbies are clueless, they will probably be fooled to death,¡± A Chinese Netizen replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to die soon anyway. Let¡¯s form a team to get the money. Looking for teammates~ ¡± ¡°We can¡¯t trust a single frame of American videos.¡± Yang Jian looked at thements and muttered, ¡°Do ghosts have ranks? I¡¯d better check it out.¡± Chapter 25: Where鈥檇 Your Dad Come From? Chapter 25: Where¡¯d Your Dad Come From? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yang Jian searched on the website and quickly found a section on the ssification of malicious ghosts. He clicked it open and saw a line of words on top: ¡°The government of the various countries has ssified the malicious ghosts into the following ranks ording to their degree of harm towards the world.¡± ¡°Note: this does not represent the terror level of the malicious ghosts.¡± ¡°C-rank: Restricted level.¡± ¡°Malicious ghosts that have a fixed area of movement with an extent of harm that is less than 100 people. These ghosts can usually be handled by ghost riders and housed, without the ability to spread.¡± ¡°B-rank: Dangerous level.¡± ¡°Malicious ghosts that already possess the ability to move around. They are very dangerous with an extent of harm that is less than 10,000 people. They can not be housed, but can still be restricted by ghost riders. They have a certain degree of spreadability.¡± ¡°A-rank: Catastrophe level.¡± ¡°Malicious ghosts that will wipe out the poption of a city if left unchecked for a certain period of time. They are extremely terrifying and are currently unable to be housed or restricted at the moment. They have a considerable degree of spreadability.¡± ¡°S-rank: Destruction level.¡± ¡°Malicious ghosts that possess the ability to destroy the poption of several cities. If they cannot be restrained, they may even destroy a country.¡± ¡°The level of terror of the malicious ghosts cannot be represented with the ssification that is based on their extent of harm to humans,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze moved slightly, finally understanding the meaning of the level ssifications on the website. Whether it was a C-rank or an A-rank malicious ghost, the level of terror was about the same. It was just that a C-rank malicious ghost had not caused enough harm to humans, as such its level was low. ¡°Which is why the ssification of levels can only be used as a reference and is not of much use,¡± Yang Jian shook his head and did not pay too much attention to the levels listed. These were merely the destruction levels of the ghosts as ssified by various countries. If one really encountered a ghost, one would still die. What was the difference between one death and a hundred deaths? It was just death, anyway. Yang Jian continued to browse through the other information. Suddenly, a special ranking made him very concerned. ¡°Global Malicious Ghosts Level of Terror Ranking.¡± ¡°They have even made a ranking out of this. Those foreigners sure have a lot of time on their hands. Why don¡¯t they make a ranking for female ghosts? Let¡¯s see which female ghosts are more beautiful and sexier. It would be even better if they make a bikini runway show,¡± Yang Jian muttered to himself. When he clicked the ranking open, his eyelids immediately jumped and his expression immediately turned grave. ¡°Malicious Ghost Ranking #1:¡± ¡°Code Name: Ghost Call.¡± ¡°Characteristics: As long as the phone rings, death is certain. Regardless of whether you answer the call, hear the call, or have a cell phone or not, the result is the same. It kills on a global scale with indifference. It is not physical and may be simr to a strike based on thew of causality. Currently, there is no solution. Fortunately, the Ghost Call will only kill one person at a time, and is currently ssified as B-rank.¡± ¡°Note: A foreign President has already died from a Ghost Call.¡± ¡°Even this can be done?¡± Yang Jian was dumbfounded after reading it. This was just unsolvable. The moment the phone rang, one would die. It was simply something that hastened one¡¯s death. On top of that, the result would be the same regardless of whether one had a phone by one¡¯s side. Even if one was deaf, one would still die though one could not hear it. ¡°Malicious Ghost Ranking #2:¡± ¡°Code Name: Nightmare.¡± ¡°Characteristics: The victim will die in their sleep. Currently, its killing pattern is unclear, and its spreadability is also unclear. It is not physical. It kills on a global scale with indifference. There is a record of it killing 351 people in one go. Currently, it is ssified as A-rank.¡± ¡°Note: One can avoid the Nightmare if one does not sleep.¡± ¡°Malicious Ghost Ranking #3:¡± ¡°Code Name: Ghost Cannibal.¡± ¡°Characteristics: ¡­¡± Yang Jian looked at the malicious ghost ranking and could not help but feel a wave of despair. It kills on a global scale with indifference. These few words simply made one¡¯s scalp go numb. One had no way to defend, no way to escape, and even no way to predict the movements of the malicious ghosts. As long as one encountered it, one would die without a doubt. Even if one was a billionaire, a poor beggar, or even the president of a country¡­ ¡­ Everyone was under the threat of malicious ghosts. Those who knew of the existence of these existences in the world would definitely be in a panic. ¡°However, there are so many people in the world. The chances of encountering a ghost on this ranking are rtively small. If I do encounter one of them and get killed, I can only me my bad luck,¡± After a short moment of shock, Yang Jian quickly regained hisposure. ¡°I should go to the toilet and continue reading when I¡¯m back.¡± Yang Jian browsed through the website for a full hour before he got up and left theputer. ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you on the lights when you¡¯re reading the newspaper? Do take care of your eyes,¡± Yang Jian said when he came to the living room and saw that the lights were not on. A middle-aged man was sitting on the sofa at the moment, holding a newspaper that covered his face. He seemed to have blended into one with the surrounding darkness. He was reading the news very seriously as he did not say a word, nor did he answer Yang Jian. Yang Jian did not think too much about it. After he went to the toilet, he continued to surf the inte. He had to understand what was happening in the world in the shortest time possible so that he could find a way to survive. The parchment had said that he would not live for more than three months. However, he did not believe that there was no way to survive after bing a ghost rider. Fang Jing had said back in school that he had a way that could prevent ghost riders from dying from the revival of malicious ghosts. However, Fang Jing was dead. The contents of the parchment had also been rewritten. Yang Jian did not know what the method Fang Jing had mentioned was, but he felt that there must be a way to survive. ¡°While searching for a way to survive, I also have to prepare for the worst¡­¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. ¡°The Ghost Power Can Affect All Substances, With Only One Exception: Gold¡±, signed ¡°Bruce Pi¡±. A thesis had appeared before his eyes. Yang Jian opened it and browsed through it, but at this time, one of the phones next to him rang. He turned his head and looked. It was Zhou Zheng¡¯s satellite positioning phone. ¡°Hello, who is it?¡± Yang Jian picked up the phone while continue reading the thesis. ¡°How dare you lie to me? Your name isn¡¯t Zhang Wei at all. Your name is Yang Jian. You¡¯re from Meishan Vige of Yang Town in Dachang City of a certain province. You were born on the 1st of January, and are currently neen years old, twenty by nominal age¡­¡± Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s voice was heard over the phone as she said through gritted teeth. Yang Jian wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Instead, he said, ¡°So you¡¯ve already found Zhang Wei to investigate? Your efficiency is average. I thought you would have discovered it six hours ago. Don¡¯t misunderstand. How could Ipletely trust a stranger¡¯s phone call from the beginning? What if it¡¯s a phone scam? I gave you the fake information for my safety.¡± ¡°Do you know how much time and energy have been wasted just because of your lie?¡± Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°I¡¯m seriously warning you, don¡¯t do this again. We have a lot of things to deal with every day, and our tasks are very heavy. If everyone is like you, how are we going to carry out our work?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but I¡¯m not a member of the Ghost Rider Organization, so I don¡¯t have to listen to your orders,¡± Yang Jian said indifferently. At this time, the middle-aged man walked in from the living room and sat on the bed next to Yang Jian. He didn¡¯t say a word, still holding the newspaper in his hand and looking down at it. ¡°Dad, What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yang Jian asked. The middle-aged man didn¡¯t say anything, but Liu Xiaoyu, who was on the phone, asked, ¡°Who are you talking to? You should keep this matter confidential, and not tell other irrelevant people to avoid causing panic. I should exin the confidentiality rules to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking to my dad. Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll talk next time. I¡¯m very busy,¡± Yang Jian was about to hang up the phone. ¡°Wait, wait a minute,¡± Suddenly, Liu Xiaoyu raised her voice as she said in surprise, ¡°Your dad? What¡¯s happening on your side? I have your file next to me. I can see your information from birth to high school. Where¡¯d your dade from? Your father died in a car ident when you were in the fifth grade. Your guardian is your mother, and she didn¡¯t remarry. In other words, you have been in a single-parent family since primary school.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? My father is sitting next to me reading the newspaper.¡± After saying this, he turned around. The middle-aged man sitting on the bed next to him did not move. His arm was raised as he held the newspaper that covered his face, making it so that his face could not be seen clearly. The lights in the living room and bedroom were not switched on, as such, other than the lights from theputer monitor, the rest of the ce was dark. In such a dark environment, it was impossible to see the words on the newspaper clearly. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Yang Jian reached out to push the newspaper away. But then he suddenly saw a ck and white portrait of a middle-aged man hanging on a cab in the room. His hand froze instantly. ¡°Yang Jian, something must have happened to you. Quick, leave your ce,¡± Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s anxious urging came from the other end of the phone. Chapter 26: The Person Who Didn鈥檛 Exist in His Memories Chapter 26: The Person Who Didn¡¯t Exist in His Memories Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio A middle-aged man whose face couldn¡¯t be seen sat straight and stiff on the head of Yang Jian¡¯s bed. His hands were raised as he held onto the newspaper, not moving at all, as if he was seriously reading the news in the newspaper. Everything seemed normal and there was nothing strange about it. However, the darkness in the room was not suitable for reading newspapers at all. Moreover, this person had been maintaining this posture since Yang Jian went online, not changing his posture at all. This was impossible for an ordinary person to do. The only change was that this person who had initially sat on the sofa in the living room was now sitting by the bedside in Yang Jian¡¯s room. Only his position had moved. From far to near. The closing distance did not make people feel at ease. On the contrary, it brought an inexplicable feeling of threat and fear. Why would his father sit next to him read the newspaper for no apparent reason at all? Did he have this habit in the past? Looking at the portrait hanging on the cab in the room and listening to Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s hurried urging from the other end of the phone, Yang Jian realized that something was very wrong. If the file Liu Xiaoyu mentioned was true, then was this person still his father? He seemed to be¡­ but at the same time, not. Had his father really died in a car ident when he was young? In Yang Jian¡¯s mind, he was quite certain that the person in front of him was his father. Everything seemed so natural and there wasn¡¯t the slightest bit of falsehood. ¡°Even so, something still feels very wrong¡­¡± Yang Jian immediately withdrew his palm. He did not push away the newspaper that was blocking in front of the person¡¯s face. Instead, he immediately picked up the phone, stood up abruptly, and stepped back. He tried to stay as far away as possible from the man who was reading the newspaper. Was it that something had affected his memory, or was everything in front of him just a dream and not real, or was there something wrong with the entire residential building? ¡°No matter what, I have to leave this ce first. I¡¯ll figure out what¡¯s going onter,¡± Yang Jian wasn¡¯t sure if something was wrong with himself, his father, or the surroundings. He carefully retreated from the room to the living room. He didn¡¯t disturb his father, who was reading the newspaper. When he left the room, he tried to get a clear look at the person¡¯s face out of curiosity. However, before Yang Jian could see the person¡¯s face clearly, he found that a corner of the newspaper was scarlet as if it had been stained with blood, the scarlet so rich it seemed like the blood was about to drip down. A newspaper stained with blood! Would a normal person read such a newspaper? Yang Jian¡¯s pupils constricted. At this moment, hepletely believed what Liu Xiaoyu said. His father had died in a car ident when he was in primary school. The file she had by her side was real. Therefore, this so-called father in front of him simply couldn¡¯t possibly exist, because the dead could not be resurrected. And if his ¡°father¡± did not exist, then there was only one possibility about the man sitting on his bed reading the newspaper, and that was that¡­ ¡­ he was a ghost. Yang Jian¡¯s heart immediately trembled. When? When did this ghost sneak into the house, when did it appear, and when was his memory tampered with? Or was it that he had been living with this ghost for the past few years? If it wasn¡¯t for Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s phone call, would he have never been awakened from the false memories? Thinking carefully about all this, Yang Jian felt his hair stand on end. The moment he stepped out of the room, the man reading the newspaper suddenly made a move. His head turned at a strange speed and faced Yang Jian. In that instant, Yang Jian was so frightened that he took a few steps back. The man¡­ ¡­ had no face, nor any facial features. There was only ayer of skin and flesh. ¡°I have to run,¡± Yang Jian growled in his heart, turned around, and fled without saying a word. At this point, he waspletely certain that this man was a ghost. However, the moment he turned his head to run, his vision immediately turned ck, as if he had bumped into something. A newspaper¡­ It was sticky and smelly as if it was stained with thick blood. The moment the newspaper touched his face, it immediately stuck to it. He subconsciously wanted to tear it away, but the bloody newspaper seemed to have turned into the skin of his face. The moment he tore at it, his face was in extreme pain, and it couldn¡¯t be torn away easily. ¡°This ghost is attacking me?¡± Yang Jian immediately realized this. He had already been attacked by malicious ghosts twice when he was in school. ¡°The only thing that can deal with ghosts is ghosts¡­¡± He gritted his teeth, and suddenly, an eyeball popped out from the back of his hand and emitted a faint red light. When he used the hand with the eyeball to tear at the newspaper covering his face, it had an effect. The newspaper was gradually detached from his face, like a ster that was gradually being torn off. However, at this moment, the ghost did not seem to want to let him off so easily. Yang Jian felt the ghost approach him as if it was pulling the newspaper from behind him. A terrifying power came, and the newspaper wrapped around his face contracted again and stuck to his face. A strong feeling of suffocation and dizziness spread rapidly. If this went on, he wouldn¡¯t have to wait to be killed by the ghost, rather, he would be suffocated to death by this eerie newspaper. ¡°Since you want to y, then I¡¯ll y with you. You¡¯re a ghost, but I¡¯m not human either,¡± Yang Jian let out a low roar like a beast. Two red eyeballs suddenly appeared on his face. Where the eyes had grown, the newspaper there was immediately ripped apart as with a paper-tearing sound. The moment the newspaper was torn apart, the terrifying pulling force behind him was immediately reduced by a lot. ¡°Again,¡± Yang Jian secretly gritted his teeth. He couldn¡¯t use the eyeball¡¯s power too much as every time he used it, he would be one step closer to death. However, he didn¡¯t have a choice now. If he did not borrow the ghost power of the ghost in his body now, he would die immediately. Another eyeball appeared on his forehead. ¡°Chi!¡± The blood-stained newspaper on his forehead was torn apart as well. The pulling force behind him became lighter again. At this moment, the feeling of suffocation and dizziness quickly faded away. ¡°Continue,¡± Yang Jian knew that the ghost power of the ghost in his body was not enough. A fifth eyeball appeared on his neck. Another tear appeared on the newspaper that was strangling his neck. At this moment, Yang Jian exerted some force with his hand, and the newspaper wrapped around his face was torn into pieces because there were too many tears. The suffocation and oppressivenesspletely disappeared. He took inrge mouthfuls of air. Four eyeballs had grown out on Yang Jian¡¯s face, emitting a faint red light. He turned around and looked. No one behind him. Only the torn newspaper that was stained with blood was scattered on the ground. ¡°I have to leave this ce,¡± Yang Jian was terrified and did not dare to stay any longer. He did not take anything and immediately opened the door and left the house. Not long after he left, a person walked out of the room that he was in before. The person picked up the torn newspaper that was scattered on the ground and pieced it back together. Soon, the newspaper returned to its original appearance. Although it was still stained with blood, there was a new outline of a human face on the crimson newspaper. That human face was¡­ Yang Jian. The person picked up the newspaper and walked to the sofa as if nothing had happened. He sat down and continued to raise his arms to look at the newspaper in front of him without moving. It was exactly the same posture as before. Until a few hourster, the man suddenly moved. He slowly put his arm down. His face that was originally void of facial features was no longer the same. At this moment, his face was Yang Jian¡¯s. However, on this ¡°Yang Jian¡¯s¡± face, the area where the eyeballs had grown out previously was nk, as if certain spots of a clear photo had been forcefully cut out. The face was not perfect¡­ Chapter 27: Red Paper Covering The Eyes Chapter 27: Red Paper Covering The Eyes Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In a public toilet, water gushed out as Yang Jian washed away the stinky bloodstains on his face. Feeling the cool tap water, he felt much calmer. ¡°As expected, there¡¯s something wrong with me¡­ ¡­ The ghost just now could change my memory and forcefully insert a non-existent person into my mind. Yet, I didn¡¯t feel anything strange at all. Even if I had this eye, I hadn¡¯t been able to find any clues. If it wasn¡¯t for Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s reminder, I¡¯m afraid I would still be living at home with that ghost.¡± He raised his head and looked into the mirror in front of him. The eyeballs on Yang Jian¡¯s face had already disappeared, and he had temporarily returned to normal. ¡°Hello, Yang Jian, please reply if you hear me. Please reply if you hear me. This is Liu Xiaoyu,¡± Suddenly, the satellite positioning phone he ced beside the basin rang. From the beginning until now, the call was not hung up. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Yang Jian picked up the phone and said. ¡°What happened on your side?¡± Liu Xiaoyu asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°Your guess was right. My father did die in a car ident when I was in primary school. The thing in the room just now was not a person¡­ It was a ghost.¡± ¡°You escaped?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yang Jian wiped the water off his face. At this moment, he suddenly noticed a red piece of paper stuck on the back of his hand. This was¡­ a fragment of the newspaper from before. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright. Can you tell me about the general situation of the ghost?¡± Liu Xiaoyu asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°That ghost can tamper with people¡¯s memories. Its movement pattern is unclear, and the way it kills is also unclear. But my face had been wrapped by a bloody newspaper just now and I had almost suffocated to death. That¡¯s all I know for now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Liu Xiaoyu quickly recorded it. ¡°Since my dad is a ghost, what about my mom? Where is she? And when did this ghost appear? You should be able to pull up the surveince cameras in this area. Can you check for me?¡± Yang Jian said. Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°I can, but you have to work with us from now on.¡± ¡°Work on what?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°For now, it¡¯s just some simple information gathering. As long as you discover the existence of any malicious ghosts, you have to report it immediately,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. ¡°What are the benefits?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Do you want me to work for you without even giving me a sry? I¡¯ve read the website. I refuse to work for you if there are no tangible benefits,¡± Yang Jian said very seriously. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this topic for now. I have a little situation here that I have to handle. Let¡¯s contact each other again next time,¡± Yang Jian did not continue the conversation and hung up the phone. ¡°Du¡­¡± When Liu Xiaoyu heard the sound of the phone being hung up, she could not help but feel angry. Yang Jian did not hang up the phone on an excuse. Instead, he did have to deal with the piece of red paper stuck on the back of his hand at this time. He tore off the palm-sized red paper and prepared to throw it away. This was something that the ghost from before had been holding in its hand all this time, and it exuded an eerie and evil aura. It was probably not a good thing to keep it with him. However, just as he tore the red paper off, with sharp pain, a wound immediately appeared on the skin where the red paper had been. A red eyeball was revealed again. At the same time, Yang Jian felt a strange squirming sensation all over his body. The few eyeballs in his body began to be restless as if they had all been awakened from their slumber by his use of their powers. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Yang Jian looked at the red paper in his hand and did not choose to throw it away. Instead, he stuck it back onto the back of his hand, covering the eyeball. The eyelid of the red eyeball immediately closed, and the strange squirming feeling in his flesh and blood disappeared. It was as if everything returned to normal. ¡°As expected, this red paper can suppress the power of the eye. Although it¡¯s not aplete suppression¡­ But at least it can slow down the revival of the eye,¡± Yang Jian was pleasantly surprised when he saw this. Then, he remembered the saying: Only ghosts can deal with ghosts. If the eye in his body was a ghost and the red paper was also a ghost, when the two ghosts¡¯ powers collided, they restrained each other. Perhaps this was the key to survival. No, that¡¯s not right. Yang Jian frowned again. ¡°If this guess is correct, when I was bitten by the ghost baby in the school building, why wasn¡¯t the eye suppressed? On the contrary, it was stimted to revive faster?¡± The red newspaper¡­ The ghost baby. What was the difference between the two? He thought for a while but decided he could think about this problem in the future. Since the red newspaper could suppress the six eyes in his body, he had to take the risk to get it. Because that was his chance to live. ¡°I have to go home again,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze was heavy. He took a deep breath and strode out of the public restroom, nning to go home and take a risk. However, just as he stepped out of the restroom, five young men who looked like hoodlums walked towards him. ¡°Bro, were you using the restroom? Don¡¯t go. It¡¯s fate that we met. Is it alright if I discuss something with you?¡± When one of the young men saw Yang Jian, his eyes lit up and he immediately walked towards him. He stretched out his hand and ced it on Yang Jian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Yang Jian looked at him and asked. ¡°Nothing much. I just want to get to know you. My name is Ah Fei. May I know your name, bro?¡± The young man who called himself Ah Fei said. ¡°Yang Jian.¡± Ah Fei smiled and said, ¡°With this, we¡¯re friends. Since we¡¯re friends, you should help a friend in trouble, right? It just so happens that I¡¯m a little short of money today. Yang Jian, can you lend me some money? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay you back. I¡¯ll return the money to you tomorrow if youe here again. It won¡¯t take be short of a single cent.¡± Yang Jian tilted his head and looked at him, then said, ¡°Lend you money? I think you¡¯re trying to rob me and ckmail me. But since you want to rob and ckmail someone, can¡¯t you choose a more normal person to do so? I¡¯m not very normal these days, so it¡¯s best for you to stay away from me. I¡¯m afraid that I might identallymit a crime if I can¡¯t control myself.¡± ¡°Kid, you¡¯re quite arrogant. Ah Fei thinks highly of you since he¡¯s borrowing money from you. Kid, you better learn how to appreciate favors. If you want to die, just say so. I¡¯ll grant your wish,¡± Another young man at the side brandished a small knife and pped it on Yang Jian¡¯s face. ¡°My friend, don¡¯t be like this. If something happens, it won¡¯t be good. Let me go and I¡¯ll pretend that today¡¯s incident didn¡¯t happen. How about it?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Not a very good idea. If you don¡¯t take out the money today, don¡¯t even think about leaving,¡± The young man with the knifeughed. ¡°Bro, even if I borrowed the money from you, I¡¯ll return it to you next time. We¡¯re friends, don¡¯t be so ruthless,¡± Ah Feiughed mockingly at the side. Yang Jian said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, it seems I have no choice then. The money is in my pockets, take it yourself.¡± ¡°At least you¡¯re smart,¡± The young man with the knife was a little excited. He reached into Yang Jian¡¯s pocket, ready to take the money. But when he reached into the pocket, he suddenly felt something cold, like a ss ball. He subconsciously took it out. Following this, the young man with the knife found that his hand was full of blood. He was holding a red eyeball in his palm. The red eyeball was rotating slightly, looking at him with an eerie gaze. ¡°Ah!¡± The young man holding the knife immediately screamed in fear. His face turned pale and he kept retreating. However, just as he was retreating, everything around him had turned scarlet. The residential buildings, streetmps, the Moon in the sky, and even the ground¡­ ¡­ everything seemed to be covered by ayer of red light. ¡°Since we are friends, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you to test the ghost realm for me, right?¡± Yang Jian slowly walked out of the restroom. Ah Fei¡¯s eyes instantly widened. If Yang Jian had just walked out of the restroom, then who was the person he had ced his arm on? At this moment, he did not even dare to look back. He only felt that the person his arm was on was ice cold¡­ ¡­ Like a corpse. ¡°Ghost, ghost!¡± Ah Fei was so scared that his face turned pale. He immediately turned and ran as if he was running away from the public restroom. The other hooligans also turned and ran in fear. Yang Jian looked at the back of his hand at that moment. The outline of an eye was revealed where the red paper was. However, it was quickly suppressed by the red paper. Then, the eye appeared again as if they were fighting against each other. ¡°I can use the ghost realm if I grow six eyes. However, I can use also the ghost realm with five eyes since one is currently being suppressed by the red paper. The revival of the malicious ghost has also been stopped.¡± He felt the pain of five parts of his body splitting open. Five views were transmitted into his mind. Everything around him was clear and under his control. ¡°Six eyes are the limits of what my body can bear, but the situation is much better if I only have five. Although there are still some side effects, they are not that obvious,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze moved slightly, he had roughly figured out the limits of his body. ¡°If I get that red newspaper and suppress all six eyes with it, does that mean I can use the ghost power without any side effects? Does it also mean I don¡¯t have to worry about the consequences of the revival of the malicious ghost anymore? But before that, I have to master this ghost realm,¡± Yang Jian looked at the few gangsters who were running away. It was best to test it on them. Mastering the ghost realm was his capital in dealing with malicious ghosts next time, so it was necessary to use the ghost power once. It was not a waste. Chapter 28: Borrow Money Chapter 28: Borrow Money Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio They were running, running for their lives. Ah Fei and his friends ran forward as if they were running for their lives. Their faces were pale, and their eyes were filled with fear as if they had seen something terrifying. Indeed, they had encountered something very terrifying. They seemed to have¡­ encountered a ghost. They lost track of time as they ran. It was only when they were so tired that they couldn¡¯t continue anymore that they stopped, bent over, and panted heavily. Thinking back to the scene just now, Ah Fei felt that his hands and feet were trembling slightly. ¡°Ah, Ah Fei, what was with that person just now?¡± One of his friends beside him asked with some fear. Ah Fei scolded, ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s most likely that we¡¯ve run into the devil. When we get back, we better go to the temple and get a talisman to ward off the evil. Damn it, today is really an unlucky day. If I had known earlier, I would not have chosen to go to a ce where there were fewer people. I went through so much trouble to block someone to get some money, but I did not expect to run into that thing¡­¡± But before he could finish his words, anotherpanion of his pointed forward with a trembling finger and said, ¡°You, you guys, look at what¡¯s in front of us.¡± The hooligans raised their heads, and their expressions were instantly reced by terror. A public restroom. It was the ce where they had run into the devil previously. In front of that restroom, someone with a faint red light emitting from his entire body was standing there, staring at them without moving. It was none other than Yang Jian. After running for so long and taking so many turns, the few of them actually returned to their original spots. Seeing this scene, some were so scared that they copsed on the ground. Under extreme fear, they did not even have the strength to run. ¡°Run quickly,¡± Even though Ah Fei was extremely tired, he was more afraid of Yang Jian who was standing in front of the restroom. As such, he proceeded to turn around and run again. In his panic, he simply couldn¡¯t care less about why he had returned to his original spot after having run such a distance. Right now, he only had one thought, and that was to distance himself from the person and the restroom. At this moment, Yang Jian frowned. ¡°My ghost realm is a little different from the old man¡¯s. The old man can make everyone in the entire teaching building lose their direction, even affecting the walls and buildings themselves, but I can only confuse people? No, since the ghost realms are the same, then it must be that I have yet to grasp the method. Ghosts and people are different.¡± Yang Jian took a step forward. In that instant, he disappeared from his original spot. When he reappeared, he was walking in the direction that Ah Fei was escaping towards. It was as if he was walking in a circle. He had onlye from one end of the circle to the other end. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. I can appear anywhere in the ghost realm. That should be right. It exins why the knocking old man could¡¯ve silently appeared in the vicinity whenever he heard the door-knocking sound.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± When Ah Fei saw Yang Jian who had suddenly appeared in front of him, he hurriedly stopped in his tracks and the hooligans scrambled in all directions to escape. ¡°Since I can change my position, what about affecting the things around myself?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze moved slightly. He grabbed a gangster who was so scared that he was paralyzed and mmed him into the wall of the restroom next to him. Under the red light, everything seemed to be under his control. The gangster screamed in pain as he felt a sharp pain. In the next moment, his head crashed into an air vent in front of the toilet door. The size of the air vent should not have been big enough for a head to pass through, but Yang Jian had managed to push the gangster¡¯s head through the wall so that his neck happened to be stuck in the air vent. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Yang Jian gradually understood some of the secrets of the ghost realm. In this ce, the distance would be distorted, things would change, and the scenes in front of the people trapped inside would also change¡­ ¡­ Everything was fake and real at the same time while isted from everything from the outside world. The ghost realm was a world that revolved around malicious ghosts. It would appear because of a ghost and would change because of the ghost. Yang Jian tried out the many uses of the ghost realm and used these hooligans as experiments. He gradually understood what the ghost power represented. It was unsolvable. Yes, unsolvable. To humans, such a power that wantonly distorted reality was indeed unsolvable. No wonder even bombs couldn¡¯t destroy the ghost realm. Because the reality was not as one knew it to be in the ghost realm. Bombs could destroy everything in reality, but how could they destroy something like the ghost realm that was between reality and illusion? ¡°If I reduce the area of the ghost realm to only engulf myself, then my body will be equivalent to a half-illusory existence¡­¡± Yang Jian retracted the power of the ghost realm. The surrounding red light quickly dissipated. The street lights returned to their original state. The high-rise buildings in the distance lit up with neon lights, and the sound of car horns could be heard again. However, Yang Jian¡¯s body was still emitting a faint red light. He took a step forward. His body naturally passed through a wall and entered a residential building next to himself. He saw that the lights were on in the room and a couple was making love. Yang Jian looked at them and they looked at Yang Jian as well. The couple stared at the person who had suddenly appeared in the room and was still emitting a faint red light. Their eyes abruptly opened wide and an extreme fear surged into their hearts. ¡°Sorry to disturb you, please continue,¡± Yang Jian turned around and left, disappearing into the wall. ¡°Ah, a ghost!¡± The couple¡¯s screams reverberated in the room, even reaching the outside. A ghost? Yang Jian looked at his current state. He was indeed bing more and more like a ghost if not for the fact that he still retained human consciousness. A ghost rider was truly an existence that was neither human nor ghost. Yang Jian could feel the restlessness in his body again. The red paper had indeed covered one of the ghost eyeballs, but the price of using the ghost power for a long time was still very heavy. He could feel the eyes in his body bing restless again. ¡°The ghost realm can onlyst for five minutes. After five minutes, my limits will be reached,¡± Yang Jian looked at the time on his phone and recorded this time. He exited the ghost realm state. Today¡¯s attempt was indeed very important. He looked left and right. Ah Fei and the few gangsters were either shivering behind trash cans with their heads in their hands, or they were so scared that they had lost their minds. They had such poor endurance, yet they still wanted to extort money? ¡°Bro, are you trembling? We¡¯re friends, so you definitely have to help me since I¡¯m in trouble, right? It just so happens that my money is a little tight right now, do you mind lending me some money to use?¡± Yang Jian squinted his eyes and patted Ah Fei¡¯s shoulder. Extorting money? Yang Jian himself was so poor that he only had around 200 Yuan in his pocket. Now that he could not go home, he had to get some money to use. ¡°Here, here, I¡¯ll give it all to you. Don¡¯t look for me, don¡¯t look for me. I¡¯ll burn incense for youter. Go find someone else¡­¡± Ah Fei was so scared that he was about to cry. He took out everything from his pocket while trembling. There was only about a hundred Yuan. ¡°Consider it as a loan. I¡¯ll return it to you next time,¡± Yang Jian took his money and smiled. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to return it. Big brother, I¡¯m giving it to you,¡± Ah Fei lowered his head and said with a trembling voice. He did not even dare to raise his head to look at Yang Jian. It was only about a hundred Yuan, what was there to return? In his heart, he only hoped that this ghost would quickly leave him. As long as Yang Jian would not pester him in the future, he could agree to any request. ¡°In the future, extort more money so that I can look for you,¡± Yang Jian stood up and said with a strange voice. ¡°Sob, sob, sob,¡± Ah Fei was so scared that he cried. He was still a child, why was he treating him like this? Ah Fei swore that he would never extort money again in this life. He would be a good person. Tomorrow, he would help olddies cross the road. Yang Jian said some warning words to the other hooligans one by one and borrowed a few hundred Yuan from them. He believed that with today¡¯s experience, they wouldpletely give up the idea of extorting people. Who knew whether the next person they extorted would be a human or a ghost? ¡°I¡¯m should stop ying, business calls,¡± Yang Jian nced at them. When he saw that the hooligan he stuffed into the vent was trying in every way he could to pull out his head, Yang Jian could not help but feel amused. He would get someone to knock the wall down tomorrow. To think that hooligan had dared to use a knife to scare him. They were lucky they didn¡¯t encounter real ghosts. However, when Yang Jian returned home again, he found that the door was open. The dark house was empty. The red newspaper that had been torn to pieces and scattered on the ground had disappeared. The ghost¡­ had disappeared. ¡°The ghost is gone?¡±Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed. He had been preparing to fight the ghost, but he didn¡¯t expect to miss it. Did the ghost run away because it was afraid of him? Or had the ghost gone to find its next target? ¡°I must find the ghost,¡± Yang Jian thought firmly. Chapter 29: Handprints In The Bathroom Chapter 29: Handprints In The Bathroom Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio No matter how strong a person was, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stay at home if they knew a ghost had appeared in their house. However, to get that red newspaper again, Yang Jian had to take the risk. After all, this was a chance for him to ovee the revival of the malicious ghost. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for that thing and see if it wille back here again,¡± Yang Jian hesitated for a long time before he gritted his teeth and chose not to leave. He would wait at home for the ghost toe back. Being fully aware that there was a ghost, he still dared to wait here for the ghost toe back. This required a lot of courage. Yang Jian had, of course, mustered up a ton of courage. He was determined to stay even if he died. Even if he chose the easy way out now, it would only be a slow suicide. Once the eyes in his body grew to a point where they could not be restrained, he would be like Zhou Zheng and would just face his doom. While he was waiting for the ghost at home, in a high-end residential area in Dachang City. In Wang Shanshan¡¯s home. She had not left the house since the day before yesterday. She had been hiding at home for the past two days because she realized that something was wrong with herself. In the bathroom, the sound of water sshing could be heard. Wang Shanshan¡¯s eyes were filled with fear and a hint of madness. She held the brush that was used to clean the toilet floor and frantically scrubbed a spot on her neck while facing the mirror. Her skin had turned red due to the excessive scrubbing. Logically speaking, a normal person would not be able to endure this kind of pain. However, Wang Shanshan did not seem to feel it. Instead, she increased the intensity of her scrubbing, and the expression in her eyes became more and more terrified. Very soon, a piece of skin on her neck tore and blood spurted out. The fresh blood flowed along with the warm water in the bathroom, dyeing the ground red. However, no matter how much she scrubbed and no matter how much she bled, two small dark green handprints could still be clearly seen on the blood-stained skin. It was as if they had grown into the surrounding flesh and blood like birthmarks that were brought from the womb. There was no way to wash them away. At this moment, Wang Shanshan¡¯s mother, Wang Haiyan, sat on the sofa in the living room and looked at the time on her watch. A worried expression appeared on her face, ¡°Shanshan has been bathing for more than two hours, and she also took a shower in the morning¡­ Could she be sick or something? Is she not feeling well?¡± Wang Bin, Wang Shanshan¡¯s father, also showed a worried look as he said, ¡°Since she came back from school yesterday morning, there has been something wrong with her. She barely ate and locked herself in her room all day long¡­ She even turned on all the lights in the house in broad daylight and was very afraid of the dark. And today, she has been showering all day. If this continues, I¡¯ll bring her to the doctor tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hubby, did you ask what happened at the school the night beforest? I can¡¯t get through to the teacher¡¯s phone,¡± Wang Haiyan said. ¡°I went to the school yesterday. Something has indeed happened there, and the ce has been locked down. All the students were forced to take leave. As for when will the school reopen, we¡¯ll have to wait for the notice from the school¡­ ¡­ On top of that, when I went, I met the parents of many students,¡± Wang Bin was smoking while frowning deeply, his expression somewhat solemn as he continued, ¡°The parents of the other students all said that their children didn¡¯t return home after the night self-study session the night beforest. They have already gone missing, their phones can¡¯t be reached, and they can¡¯t be found. It¡¯s not a small number of students that have gone missing either.¡± Wang Haiyan said in shock, ¡°How can this be?¡± ¡°Something must have happened at school. We just don¡¯t know yet. I wanted to ask Shanshan, but I can¡¯t ask her about it now because I¡¯m afraid of putting pressure on her,¡± Wang bin put out the cigarette in his hand and said seriously, ¡°Shanshan must have experienced something. She seems like she¡¯s in fear now.¡± Wang Haiyan guessed, ¡°Hubby, do you think Shanshan has met some bad people and was bullied?¡± ¡°Absolutely not. This is arge-scale case of missing students. The school is hiding the truth. By the way, wasn¡¯t Shanshan sent back by her ssmate yesterday morning?¡± Wang Bin Said. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve met that ssmate. His name is Yang Jian,¡± Wang Haiyan said. ¡°He must know what happened to Shanshan. We should call that ssmate of hers and ask,¡± said Wang Bin. Wang Haiyan said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, but I don¡¯t know his number.¡± But at that moment, Wang Shanshan¡¯s hysterical scream came from the bathroom, ¡°Ah!¡± Wang Bin and his wife¡¯s expressions immediately changed. They rushed to the bathroom door, but the door was locked and could not be opened. ¡°Shanshan, open the door. What happened? Mom is outside,¡± Wang Haiyan asked anxiously while knocking on the bathroom door. However, Wang Shanshan¡¯s screams were stilling from the bathroom. Wang bin felt that the situation was very serious. His expression changed and he did not bother to knock on the door as he directly mmed the bathroom door open. With a loud ¡°bang¡±, the door was knocked open. As the mother, Wang Haiyan rushed in first. When she saw that the bathroom floor was covered in blood, she was so scared that her face turned pale. Then, she saw her daughter curled up in the corner of the bathroom with blood continuously flowing out of her neck. Wang Shanshan was burying her head in fear, as if she was in a great shock. ¡°Shanshan, what happened to you?¡± Wang Haiyan¡¯s heart hurt so much for her daughter that she was about to cry. ¡°That thing is here, it¡¯s here, it¡¯s right outside the window, it¡¯s right outside the window¡­ it hase looking for me,¡± Wang Shanshan said in extreme fear, ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯te over, don¡¯te over.¡± ¡°What thing? There¡¯s nothing outside the window. Shanshan, don¡¯t scare yourself,¡± Wang Haiyan nced at the bathroom window but didn¡¯t find anything. ¡°No, it¡¯s outside the window. It¡¯s looking at me,¡± Wang Shanshan grabbed her mother¡¯s arm and said in a panic, ¡°Yang Jian, I want Yang Jian. I want to go to Yang Jian¡¯s house. I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore. Mom, I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die¡­ Everyone is dead. They¡¯re all dead. Su Lei, Zhao Yan, Liu Jiayi¡­ they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°Sob¡­ I don¡¯t want to die,¡± As she spoke, Wang Shanshan buried herself in Wang Haiyan¡¯s arms and cried bitterly. ¡°Shanshan, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯ll be fine. Mom is here,¡± Wang Haiyan cried as well whileforting her. ¡°That thing has found me. It¡¯s outside the window. It¡¯s outside the window. I¡¯m going to die soon. Sob¡­¡± Wang Shanshan said Wang Haiyan looked at the window again and said, ¡°There¡¯s really nothing outside the window. Our house is on the sixteenth floor. There¡¯s nothing outside. If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look.¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s really here. I want to go to Yang Jian¡¯s house to stay. I don¡¯t want to die,¡± Wang Shanshan was still repeating herself and crying. Her whole body was trembling. At this time, Wang Bin was silent for a while before he said, ¡°Take Shanshan back to her room and help her put on some clothes. We¡¯ll go to the clinic downstairs to bandage her wound. I¡¯ll think of a way to look for Yang Jian to ask about the situation tomorrow.¡± Wang Haiyan nodded. She helped Wang Shanshan out of the bathroom. After the mother and daughter left, Wang Bin turned off the hot water in the bathroom and washed the bloodstains on the floor. When he was about to leave, he abruptly nced at the bathroom window. The window was closed. Wang Bin stuck his head out after opening it and looked to see if there was really something outside. His family lived on the 16th floor, so how could there be something outside? Sure enough, Wang Bin didn¡¯t see anything. However, just as he was about to close the window, he was stunned. The window was covered with ayer of water vapor, and there was a clear handprint on it. The handprint looked very small, and it was not an adult¡¯s. It looked like the handprint of a four or five-year-old child. Moreover, the handprints extended all the way from the window to the interior of the bathroom. On the bathroom walls that were full of vapor and even on the ceiling, there were handprints. That was a ce that Shanshan could not reach. The small handprints were densely packed. They were clearly visible. Wang Bin¡¯s heart trembled. He felt that something was very wrong. Tonight, Wang Shanshan¡¯s family did not sleep at all. Zhang Wei was also awake. He had just returned home from outside. His father, Zhang Xiangui, thought that he had done something bad, so after he returned home, he had given him a beating. His father had also disallowed him from going back to his room to sleep. Zhang Wei stood on the balcony and looked outside. He frowned and thought about it all night. Who was it¡­ that framed him? Chapter 30: Profiteer Chapter 30: Profiteer Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Isn¡¯t that ghosting?¡± Yang Jian stayed at home all night and didn¡¯t sleep. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked in the direction of the door wearily. The door wasn¡¯t closed because he wanted to see the ghost appear at the first moment. But things weren¡¯t as perfect as he had imagined. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here waiting forever for the ghost to appear. If that ghost has already left and doesn¡¯t intend oning back, then I¡¯m just wasting my time. Time is very precious to me now,¡± Yang Jian rubbed his bloodshot eyes to clear his mind and rx. He would definitely go crazy if he continued to be so tense the entire night. ¡°If I can¡¯t find this ghost in a short time, I have to fulfill two ns,¡± Yang Jian stood up from the sofa. He took a shower and packed up his things, preparing to leave. He had two ns. One was to find a way to survive if he could. The second¡­ ¡­ If he was really going to die, he needed to earn some money for his parents to retire in the future. Carrying a schoolbag, Yang Jian walked out of the old residential building. Looking up at the scorching sun, he felt a little dizzy. ¡°But ghosts don¡¯t seem to be afraid of the Sun,¡± Yang Jian touched the back of his hand, but he didn¡¯t feel any abnormal reaction from the eyeball. In other words, ghosts could appear even during the day. ording to folklore, ghosts had only ever appeared at night, but now it seemed that this theory had been overturned. It could only be said that the brightness during the day could give people a sense of security and make them feel less afraid. ¡°Boss, do you take old phones?¡± Yang Jian came to a small shop on the street that repaired phones. The phone shop owner nced at him and said, ¡°I don¡¯t take old phones, only new smartphones that have been produced in the past two years.¡± Yang Jian sat down and said, ¡°The phone in my hand is not for sale. What I want to sell are these.¡± He took out the phones that Zhang Wei, Wang Shanshan, Zhao Lei and the others did not want from his schoolbag. ¡°So many? Where did you steal them from?¡± The boss was stunned for a moment. He looked at the smartphones of various models and looked at Yang Jian suspiciously. ¡°My friends just don¡¯t want them anymore, so they gave them to me. Besides, even if I stole them, where can I get such new models? Boss, give me an evaluation. If it¡¯s suitable, I¡¯ll sell them all to you,¡± Yang Jian said. The boss looked at the phones, They were indeed good stuff since they were quite new. The market price for each was about two to three thousand while the expensive ones could even reach seven to eight thousand. ¡°This is not valuable, I can only give you three hundred.¡± ¡°This one is not bad. I¡¯ll take it for one thousand. I¡¯ll take this one for a thousand and three¡­¡± The boss evaluated. At this moment, one of the phones on the counter suddenly rang. Yang Jian took a look and saw that the caller ID read: Dad. God knows which ssmate¡¯s dad this was. ¡°The owner called, right?¡± The boss smiled and said, ¡°If hees looking for the phone, I¡¯ll be in trouble. I can only take this phone for 500 Yuan.¡± After saying that, he nned to turn off the phone. Yang Jian picked up the phone and answered the call. ¡°It¡¯s not the owner. It¡¯s a friend¡¯s father. Hello.¡± A middle-aged man¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Is this Yang Jian?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Who are you?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°As expected, Shanshan¡¯s phone is with you. I¡¯m Wang Shanshan¡¯s father, Wang Bin. I have some matters I want to ask about from you. Is it convenient on your side? I¡¯d like to meet up with you,¡± Wang Bin Said. ¡°Oh, Uncle Wang. I¡¯m a little busy these few days. It¡¯s not very convenient for me,¡± Yang Jian said. Wang Bin said, ¡°It won¡¯t take up too much of your time. Where are you? I¡¯ll drive over to pick you up.¡± ¡°Uncle Wang, if you have something to say, just say it. I really have something to do and I won¡¯t be able to leave for quite some time,¡± Yang Jian said. Wang Bin was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°It¡¯s about my daughter, Shanshan. Do you know what happened to her at school that day?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Wang Shanshan tell you that the school was haunted?¡± Yang Jian asked. The school was haunted? On the other end of the phone, Wang Bin was stunned. There was such a ridiculous thing these days? ¡°The school is haunted? You¡¯re high school students, yet you still believe in this?¡± He asked with some doubt. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe in it before, but now I do,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°What happened to Wang Shanshan? Did she encounter a ghost again?¡± Wang Bin said, ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just being too sensitive, plus she¡¯s timid so she¡¯s frightened. She keeps feeling that something is looking for her and following her¡­ and Shanshan said that you could help her.¡± ¡°Something is following her?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes moved slightly. He thought for a moment, ¡°Is it a baby?¡± A baby? Wang Bin recalled the palm prints in the bathroom. Weren¡¯t they the palm prints of a baby? ¡°Do you think my house is haunted?¡± Wang Bin said, ¡°I¡¯m asking you seriously. Please don¡¯t use something like a ghost to brush me off. Shanshan¡¯s situation is not good. I hope you can tell me the truth about what you know. Of course, I won¡¯t treat you badly in return.¡± He was a sessful person in his career. How could he believe in the nonsense of ghosts? Yang Jian pondered. From Wang Bin¡¯s tone and attitude on the phone, it could be deduced that Wang Shanshan had indeed met a ghost. It was very likely that it was the ghost baby that had escaped from the school. But it didn¡¯t make sense. Although the ghost baby wasn¡¯t as scary as the door-knocking old man, Wang Shanshan was just an ordinary person. If she had really met the baby, she shouldn¡¯t be alive now. After all, a ghost wouldn¡¯t negotiate with its victims when it killed. ¡°Hello, can you hear me?¡± Hearing that Yang Jian was silent, Wang Bin asked. Yang Jian came back to his senses and said, ¡°I can solve Wang Shanshan¡¯s matter, but it¡¯s very troublesome. I almost could not leave the school alive after saving your daughter for freest time. But this time, I don¡¯t intend to do you a favor, and I won¡¯t help you for free, so Uncle Wang¡­ ¡­ Name a price. How much do you n to pay me to solve this problem for you?¡± Wang Bin was stunned for a moment, but he quickly reacted and immediately said, ¡°If Shanshan can return to normal, I can give you 20,000 Yuan as a reward in private. Of course, if you can¡¯t help my daughter, you won¡¯t get a single cent.¡± He didn¡¯t expect this student called Yang Jian to be so familiar with society¡¯s ways that he would ask for money before doing things. Wang Bin¡¯s tone immediately became much more distant. ¡°Twenty thousand? I thought you would say two hundred thousand. Twenty thousand is too little. This matter is very dangerous. It is not as simple as you think. If I don¡¯t do something, not only Wang Shanshan, but your entire family may die. After all, that thing has no concern of mercy when it kills,¡± Yang Jian said. If he wanted to deal with the ghost baby, he would have to use the ghost power, and that would speed up the revival of the malicious ghost. In other words, he was risking his life to help. If he sacrificed himself to illuminate others, he would be a candle. Yang Jian was not a candle, and he needed to earn somebor fees. Besides, Wang Shanshan¡¯s family was rich, but he was truly very poor. ¡°50,000, how about it?¡± Wang Bin replied. ¡°It seems that Uncle Wang is still unclear about the market quotation of such matters. Solving a simr case overseas would cost at least five million US dors to start, but I¡¯m a very reasonable person. For the sake of her being my ssmate, 500,000,¡± Yang Jian said seriously. ¡°F*ck, five hundred thousand. You must be crazy about money. How can you still have the face to say that it¡¯s for the sake of a ssmate?¡± Even Wang Bin, who had a good temper, could not help but fly into a rage when he heard the price. Yang Jian did not get angry and smiled instead, ¡°Uncle Wang, you don¡¯t have to be angry. With your family¡¯s condition, five hundred thousand might be a little painful, but it¡¯s not a sum that you can¡¯t take out. After all, just your family house itself is worth at least four million. Alright, let¡¯s end the call here. Uncle Wang, you¡¯d better think it through before replying. It¡¯s best to be quick. Because if it¡¯s toote, either Wang Shanshan dies or I die. I won¡¯t be living for long but I still have my mother to take care of. I¡¯m using my life to earn your money and I don¡¯t have it easy either. If it¡¯s toote, even if you want to find someone to help then, it won¡¯t be something that can be solved with money. Also, don¡¯t call this number in the future. Call my other phone. Calling that phone is free.¡± After saying that, he gave Zhou Zheng¡¯s satellite positioning phone number to Wang Bin and hung up the phone. ¡°Friend, for all these phones of yours, I can give you five thousand Yuan,¡± The boss said at this time. Five thousand Yuan? Yang Jian put down the phone and frowned. ¡°So little? Boss, you must be joking.¡± ¡°Your phones are all worthless. For example, thistest fruit phone is fake,¡± The boss said. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll show you.¡± After saying that, he really took apart the phone. It was indeed a fake. Fake? This profiteer was bullsh*ting. How could he not know whether Zhang Wei¡¯s phone was real or fake? Yang Jian¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Boss, you didn¡¯t secretly switch the phone when I was on the phone just now, right?¡± ¡°How could I do such a thing with my honest business? Your phone is obviously a fake. If you don¡¯t want to sell it, you can take it back. I won¡¯t ept the other phones either,¡± The boss looked indifferent and immediately changed his attitude. He waved his hand and chased Yang Jian away. Yang Jian stood up and grabbed the boss¡¯pel, his bloodshot eyes gave off a faint red light and a strange coldness, ¡°Do you have a death wish, you profiteer? If you want to die, just say it. I¡¯ll grant you your wish. To think you dare to lie to me.¡± The boss looked into Yang Jian¡¯s eyes and was shocked. Was this the gaze a person could have? Cold without a trace of emotion and gave off a terrifying eerieness. Chapter 31: Please Let Me Go Chapter 31: Please Let Me Go Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The phone owner was shocked by Yang Jian¡¯s strange and cold gaze. But soon, he pushed Yang Jian away and shouted, ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me you want to hit me? Believe it or not, I¡¯ll report you to the police right now. I think you¡¯re a thief and you want to hit me because I won¡¯t take your stolen goods. If you don¡¯t want trouble, hurry up and get out of here with your trash. Otherwise, I¡¯ll report you and send you to jail. Do you really think I¡¯m afraid of you? Everyone,e and take a look. This person is selling stolen goods here. Hurry up and report it to the police and tell them to arrest him.¡± Not only did he want to swindle Yang Jian¡¯s phones, but he also wanted to invent a charge against Yang Jian. When the people nearby heard the boss¡¯ shouts, they could not help but look over. Yang Jian finally understood just how vicious this profiteer was. ¡°Boss, since you¡¯re courting death, then don¡¯t me me for being ruthless. You like phones so much, right? Then I¡¯ll give you another phone,¡± A cold smile appeared on his lips. Without saying anything else, he picked up a cell phone and smashed it at the profiteer¡¯s head. His hand emitted a faint red light, and an eyeball on the back of his hand flew open. ¡°Pa!¡± Yang Jian pped the phone onto the profiteer¡¯s head, but when he withdrew his hand, the cell phone in his hand was already gone. ¡°How dare you hit me?! I¡¯ll report it to the police now. Just you wait. If you have the guts, don¡¯t run,¡± The profiteer was instantly furious. He picked up the phone and was about to report it to the police. But in the end, he still had a guilty conscience. He pressed on the phone but did not dare make the call. If the police found out on the surveince cameras that he had swapped the phones, the one who would be in jail would probably not be the youngd selling his phones, but himself. Yang Jian said, ¡°Go ahead, I need to make a call too.¡± As he said that, he picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. Soon, the call was connected. ¡°Under the cool moonlight, my yearning for you is you like a river¡­¡± Suddenly, a ringtone rang, echoing in the store. The location where the ringtone wasing from was not from Yang Jian, nor the counter, but the profiteer¡¯s¡­ ¡­ brain. ¡°Ah!¡± The profiteer immediately screamed and fell to the ground in pain. His whole body began to twitch, and blood wasing out of his nose, mouth, and eyes. At this moment, he felt like his head was about to explode. Yang Jian quickly hung up the call, then he picked up the pen beside him and wrote down an ount number, saying, ¡°I estimate the price of the phones to be 10,000. Transfer it to me in ten minutes. If the money doesn¡¯t arrive, the ringtone will still ring in your brain. Oh right, my phone number is here. When you want to take the phone out of your brain, inform me.¡± After saying that, he took the other phones and left the mobile phone repair shop with his schoolbag. How dare he lie to him? Since he dared, he would make the profiteer suffer so much that he would wish he was dead. Sometime after Yang Jian left, the boss who had been convulsing on the ground with blooding out of his nose and eyes finally got up with a terrified expression. He touched his head. He felt as if something seemed to have appeared in his head, as if a foreign object had been forcefully stuffed into it. His head was in great pain and he had the urge to open his head to get the thing out¡­ ¡­ He raised his head to look outside the shop, but he could no longer find the young man who had been attempting to sell his second-hand mobile phones with a backpack on his back. There was a note on the counter, on it was a phone number and an ount number. Ten thousand Yuan? He had to transfer ten thousand Yuan to this person within ten minutes, otherwise, the ringtone in his head would still ring? The boss really did not want to experience the intense pain that felt like his brain was about to split open again. He hurriedly picked up his phone and transferred ten thousand Yuan to the ount number that the person had left behind. But just as he was about to press ¡®confirm¡¯, he hesitated. What if that person was lying to him? It may just be a coincidence or an ident. If that was the case, then wouldn¡¯t he be making a loss today if he transferred 10,000 Yuan to the ount now? No, no, he can¡¯t transfer the money. The boss drank a mouthful of water and rested for a while. Although he still felt dizzy and still had the feeling that something had been stuffed in his brain, he felt much better than before. Perhaps he should go to the hospital for a check-upter. However, ten minutester, when Yang Jian, who was walking on the street, did not receive a transfer notice on his phone, he dialed the number without hesitation. ¡°Under the cool moonlight, my yearning for you is you like a river¡­¡± The phone rang, and the ringtone rang in the boss¡¯s head again. The pain of the phone vibrating made him fall to the ground in pain again. His body convulsed, and white foam came out of his mouth. Blood flowed out from the corners of his eyes and nose. ¡°Ah!¡± Ten secondster, Yang Jian hung up the phone. He continued to walk on the street as if nothing had happened. This profiteer¡¯s life was already in his hands. How dare he lie to him? He would toy with him slowly. After the call this time, within a few minutes, the notification sound of money being transferred into his ount was immediately heard. Ten thousand Yuan! At the same time, Yang Jian¡¯s other phone rang. After the call was connected, the profiteer¡¯s begging voice came through, ¡°Big, big brother, please let me off the hook. I¡¯ve already transferred the money to you. Please let me off the hook.¡± ¡°Money? What money? I didn¡¯t receive it at all. You must have transferred it to the wrong ount. There are still three minutes left. When the timees, I¡¯ll give you another call. But this time, it¡¯s not 10,000 Yuan, it¡¯s 20,000 Yuan,¡± Yang Jian lied through his teeth. After saying that, he hung up the phone. Come on, let¡¯s lie to each other. That profiteer had clearly felt the pain and quickly transferred another 20,000. The notification sound of the money transfer rang again on Yang Jian¡¯s phone. ¡°Big, big brother, I¡¯ve checked the ount three times this time. Did you receive it?¡± The profiteer called again and begged. Yang Jian said, ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t be calling you for the next ten minutes, but I¡¯ll be calling you again after ten minutes. As usual, it¡¯s 10,000.¡± After saying that, he hung up the phone. What? He would call again ten minutester? If Yang Jian called again, he would be dead meat. The profiteer in the small shop wanted to cry but had no tears. He pped himself in the face. Damn it, he really deserved it. If he had known earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have coveted those phones. He had done the same act so many times in the past and hadn¡¯t encountered any trouble. But this time, he had met a ruthless character. He continued to call Yang Jian, wanting to ask him to let him off and settle this matter. But Yang Jian did not pick up. However, the boss could not afford to y with Yang Jian. He directly transferred another 10,000 Yuan over then called again. This time, the call was connected. What an expensive phone call. 10,000 Yuan for one call. ¡°Big brother, please let me off. If youe back, I will return your phone to you, alright? Can you not torture me anymore? Besides, you have already extorted 40,000 Yuan from me,¡± The boss continued to plead. Yang Jian said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you very arrogant before? You even mored that you would report me to the police. If you think I¡¯m extorting you, you can report the case and get the police to arrest me right now. I¡¯m just shopping nearby. That¡¯s all I have to say. The next ten minutes, 10,000 Yuan.¡± After saying that, he hung up again. After seven or eight minutes, 10,000 Yuan arrived again. The boss called again, and this time, he cried even harder, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m begging you on my hands and knees. You¡¯re a good person, so please spare me this time. I deserve to die. I shouldn¡¯t have swapped your phone. I shouldn¡¯t have been so arrogant. I¡¯ll turn myself inter, I¡¯ll send myself to jail. What do you think?¡± ¡°Whether you send yourself to jail is your business, it has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m just doing a business deal with you, I¡¯m not forcing you to pay. That¡¯s all. The next ten minutes, 10,000 Yuan.¡± ¡°But, but I don¡¯t have any more money in my card,¡± The boss said with some despair, ¡°I¡¯ve already transferred fifty thousand to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t have money. I know a few met loan tforms. Although the interest is a little high, they do give you the money very quickly and are very reliable. I believe they are more suitable for you¡­ If the money doesn¡¯t arrive within ten minutes, the cooling song will ring again,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°You, you¡¯re robbing me,¡± The boss¡¯ voice was trembling. Yang Jian said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. How can a robbery be so fast? That¡¯s all, my phone credit is about to run out.¡± ¡°Du¡­¡± Chapter 32: Closed Shopping Mall Chapter 32: Closed Shopping Mall Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yang Jian tortured the profiteer for more than an hour. The profiteer almost had a breakdown. After an hour, he finally returned to the phone repair shop and took the phone that he had stuffed into the profiteer¡¯s brain out. Yang Jian grabbed the profiteer¡¯spel and said with a cold face, ¡°Being such a profiteer, you should have swapped other people¡¯s phones quite a few times, right? God knows how much money you have cheated from others. Let me tell you, I can be an ordinary person and do normal business with you, but I can also be an evil person who is ten times worse than you and let you know what regret is. In the future, I will often pass by. If I see you doing such things again, I won¡¯t just be stuffing a phone into your brain next time.¡± ¡°Big, big brother, I won¡¯t dare to do it again in the future, never again,¡± Scared out of his wits, the profiteer said with a trembling voice. ¡°People like you have no conscience just for the sake of earning money. If you aren¡¯t caught, your attitude will stay arrogant. To think you, the thief himself, even have the guts to call me a thief and use me of selling stolen goods. Now that you¡¯re in my hands, did you think the matter can be settled by just apologizing? Isn¡¯t that letting you off too easily? The price of cheating is so low, no wonder profiteers like you are everywhere. Today, I let you spend money to avoid disaster so you¡¯ll remember it. If there¡¯s a next time, be careful of your little life.¡± Yang Jian warned him seriously, then left. Of course, he had obtained a sum of money for mental damage. Even though his methods weren¡¯t honorable, it didn¡¯t matter. He would be the bad guy. Either way, he had already be an existence that was neither human nor ghost. If he couldn¡¯t find that ghost, he wouldn¡¯t be able to live for long. ¡°Before I die, I have to earn enough money for my mother to retire. It doesn¡¯t matter if my methods are despicable. Otherwise, if I die, what will happen to my mother? Her health isn¡¯t very good either¡­¡± Yang Jian lowered his head, and a sad expression appeared on his face, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there are no bounties for supernatural incidents in the country. Otherwise, I would have risked my life to earn millions or even tens of millions of dors.¡± He wandered aimlessly on the streets, looking for possible opportunities to earn money. Finally, he stopped in front of a telephone pole. There were all kinds of advertisements on the telephone pole. ¡°Rewards offered for a son, a heavy reward of two million dors.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just want to put up an advertisement.¡± Yang Jian walked around and suddenly saw a half-torn advertisement. Yang Jian hesitated for a moment. ¡°Should I give it a try? After all, it offers more than a million Yuan. If I can get it, half of the money I need for my mother¡¯s retirement will be settled,¡± Yang Jian thought for a moment and decided not to call but just directly go over to check if the matter was true. If it was fake, then he wouldn¡¯t waste his time on it. He immediately took a taxi and quickly rushed to the address written in the advertisement. On a certain bustling main road, there were many buildings, residential areas, and people nearby. On the side of the road was arge shopping mall. The address in the advertisement led to the mall. Yang Jian paid for the taxi and got off the car. Then, he sized up the mall. There was a police cordon outside that hadn¡¯t been removed yet as if a case had recently happened here. The shopping mall was deserted. There wasn¡¯t a single customer, and most of the lights inside had been turned off, seemingly as if it had gone out of business. Yang Jian walked over and saw several advertisements looking for employees at the door. The words written on the advertisements were things like ¡°a monthly sry of 6,000¡±, ¡°includes food and amodation¡±, and so on. ¡°From the surface, it does seem like something has happened, though I wonder if it¡¯s a supernatural incident,¡± Without thinking too much about it, he walked into the mall. As soon as he entered, Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed slightly. There was a faint stench. It was very faint, but it was very special because he had smelled it a few days ago in school. This was¡­ ¡­ The stench of rotting corpses. His gaze shifted slightly as he looked into the shopping mall. Other than the lights at the entrance, the lights were not switched on in the other ces because the ce was out of business. The whole mall was dark and made people feel somewhat suppressed. Yang Jian did not know if it was just a feeling, but he could vaguely feel that something was spying on him in the depths of the darkness of the shopping mall. ¡°Ta, ta ta!¡± Suddenly, crisp footsteps sounded in the darkness in front of him, echoing in the empty shopping mall. A ck shadow approached from afar and gradually walked towards him. Yang Jian subconsciously tensed up and held his breathing. Was that thing¡­ ¡­ A ghost? It was getting closer and closer. It walked straight towards him without a trace of hesitation. ¡°Sorry, the mall is closed for the next few days. If you want to buy something, you can go to the supermarket in front,¡± A thin young man in a security uniform walked over from the darkness. ¡°Huh? Why are you staring at me like that?¡± The young security guard looked at Yang Jian with a puzzled look. ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian was silent for a while before saying, ¡°Bro, what were you doing just now?¡± ¡°I went to the toilet. Why? Is there a problem?¡± The young security guard asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you turn on the lights when you went to the toilet?¡± The young security guard said, ¡°The electricity bill is very expensive, so the boss doesn¡¯t allow us to turn the lights on. If you have nothing else, please hurry up and leave. This ce is not open for business. If someonees in, it will be very troublesome for me. Last time, a child came in and I almost lost my job looking for him.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy anything. I¡¯m here to look for your boss.¡± ¡°The boss isn¡¯t here today,¡± The young security guard said. ¡°When will he be here?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°He¡¯s is on a business trip. He won¡¯t be back until two dayster,¡± The young security guard said, ¡°Why are you asking so many questions? You¡¯re not here to cause trouble, right?¡± Yang Jian thought for a moment and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m here to apply for the job.¡± Apply for the job? The young security guard looked at Yang Jian and said, ¡°Do you know that there were missing person cases in this mall? There have been people who have gone missing in the mall and haven¡¯t been found yet.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know before, but now I do,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Yet you still dare to apply for the job?¡± ¡°With such a high monthly sry, why not? It¡¯s just missing person cases, not haunted,¡± Yang Jian said. The young security guard said, ¡°Come with me then. I¡¯ll take you to Sister Li, she¡¯s in charge of the staff recruitment.¡± Yang Jian followed. In a small shop in the mall, four or five mall employees were sitting on sofas. Some were watching TV, while others were ying with their cell phones. They seemed to be bored and had nothing to do. ¡°Sister Li, someone is here to apply for the job,¡± The young security guard said. A middle-aged woman in a work uniform raised her head, then stood up and smiled, ¡°The mall will be open for business soon, and there¡¯s a shortage of staff right now, so the HR department has rxed the requirements. As such, currently, there are no requirements for academic background or work experience. The sry is six thousand a month, including food and lodging. However, the working hours are quite long. If there are no problems, when can you start work?¡± Yang Jian thought for a moment and said, ¡°I can start today.¡± ¡°Probation is three days. Do you have a preference for the working positions? We are short of staff for the counter, purchasing, cashier, security¡­¡± Sister Li said some more requirements, including working hours. Yang Jian did not listen attentively. His intention was not to really get the job. After all, he wasn¡¯t here to work but to get in touch with the boss here to earn a sum. ¡°I don¡¯t have much work experience, so I¡¯ll probably apply to be security. By the way, I saw a flyer put up by someone outside. It said that the boss was trying to get some master or Taoist priest here to exorcise evil spirits and perform rituals. Is that true?¡± Sister Li¡¯s smile faded and she said, ¡°It is true, but it has nothing to do with you. You are a new employee. You should introduce yourself first and let everyone get to know you.¡± She seemed to be deliberately avoiding this topic. Yang Jian felt that there was indeed something wrong with the shopping mall. Chapter 33: Mannequins Chapter 33: Mannequins Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Bro, what have you been busy with these few days? Have you forgotten about me? Why haven¡¯t you called me? I¡¯m so bored, can I go to your house? I¡¯ll treat you to a spa at night, how about it?¡± In the shopping mall, Yang Jian received a call from Zhang Wei. ¡°It¡¯s best not to go to my house. My dad might be there. I met himst night and he almost killed me. I¡¯m working outside now,¡± Yang Jian said as he changed into his security uniform in the changing room. ¡°Didn¡¯t I hear you say that your dad passed away?¡± Zhang Wei was puzzled. Yang Jian said, ¡°Yes, he has. That¡¯s why I found a job that covers food and amodation, not daring to stay at home all the time.¡± ¡°Damn, so your house is haunted,¡± Zhang Wei was shocked. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s haunted, but the ghost wasn¡¯t as scary as Grandpa Qian Wanhao. I managed to deal with it,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Is there something you need me for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been too bored staying at home for the past two days, so I wanted to visit you,¡± Zhang Wei wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, thank God he had made a phone call beforehand, ¡°By the way, where are you working?¡± ¡°A shopping mall,¡± Yang Jian said. Zhang Wei said, ¡°Are you still short of people? Can I go too? School¡¯s off and I have nothing to do at home, anyway.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best you don¡¯t. This ce might be haunted too. I smelled the stench of corpses the moment I came in. I heard that someone went missing in the shopping mall, and the police have even set up a cordon, but the case hasn¡¯t been solved. I guess the people who went missing in the shopping mall have already rotted, though the bodies aren¡¯t found yet,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you find a more normal ce to work? If you really don¡¯t have a ce to stay, you can stay at my house. The beds in my house are big and warm, and I can even provide food,¡± Zhang Wei said. Yang Jian said, ¡°Recently, Wang Shanshan has been acting a little strange. It seems that she has been saying that something is following her, so I think the ghost baby might be targeting her. Her father called me today. You have to be careful yourself since I¡¯m not sure if the ghost baby will target other people. If you¡¯re free, notify the group too.¡± ¡°Brother, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. I just bought aputer today. Come to my house and let¡¯s y PUBG together. Can¡¯t we just stay at home like this for the rest of our lives? It¡¯s enough to have Anime and games. What¡¯s the point of working? Worstes to worst, I can support you,¡± Zhang Wei wanted to cry, but no tears came out. What was wrong with this world? Why were there so many of those things everywhere? It seemed that he could only cling tightly to his best friend. ¡°That won¡¯t do. I still have things to do. Alright, let¡¯s end it here. Anyway, you should be more careful,¡± Yang Jian hung up the phone. He changed into his security uniform and walked out of the changing room. ¡°Why are you so slow?¡± Another young man who was outside said. His name was Liu Qiang, this year¡¯s university graduate and had only recently started working in the mall. ¡°ording to the rules, we currently have to patrol the entire mall five times a day. Once in the morning, once in the noon, once in the afternoon, and twice in the evening. It¡¯s four in the afternoon now, so let¡¯s start earlier,¡± Liu Qiang said. Yang Jian followed him and said, ¡°Are there only the two of us in the entire mall?¡± ¡°Yeah, just the two of us. There was one more in the past, but he went missing some time back. Since then, we haven¡¯t been able to find anyone for the job, so I¡¯m filling in for him,¡± Liu Qiang said. Yang Jian said, ¡°Missing? With so many missing person cases in this mall, why do you still dare to work here and not quit your job?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from another city. I¡¯m a fresh graduate and it¡¯s not easy o get a job with a decent sry that covers food and amodation, so I¡¯m just doing it for now. Are you a high school student? Aren¡¯t you still in school? It¡¯s almost time for the college entrance exam too,¡± Liu Qiang asked. ¡°I¡¯m taking a break from school and staying at home. I probably won¡¯t be taking the college entrance exam,¡± Yang Jian said. Liu Qiang didn¡¯t ask any more questions, instead, he said, ¡°Usually, I patrol from the fifth floor down. After walking around the parking lot at the bottom, the task will be consideredpleted. Since the power in the mall is out, the elevator can not operate, so we can only walk up.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked here for so long, but you haven¡¯t noticed anything wrong with this shopping mall?¡± Yang Jian turned on the shlight and illuminated the surroundings. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Liu Qiang was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think anything is wrong.¡± ¡°For example, have you smelled any strange smells in the shopping mall?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°asionally, but it should be that some frozen food in the freezer has gone bad. They¡¯ll be cleaned up before the business starts again anyway,¡± Liu Qiang said. Yang Jian said, ¡°What I mean is, do you think there¡¯s a possibility that this mall is haunted?¡± Haunted? Liu Qiang immediatelyughed ¡°You¡¯re a high school student, why do you believe in such things? If it¡¯s really haunted, why haven¡¯t I encountered any ghosts after patrolling here for so many days? The boss, on the other hand, does believe in such existences and even went to look for a master. A while ago, a master came, but it didn¡¯t have much effect. The boss thought that the master¡¯s skills weren¡¯t good enough, so he went out of town to hire a very famous master.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not haunted, then how do you exin all the missing person cases? For people to go missing in the mall, and the mall only being so big, if we can¡¯t find them here, where would they be?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily true that those people went missing in the mall. It¡¯s just that thest video footages the police found when investigating the missing person cases were of those people in the mall. Maybe someone kidnapped or robbed them or something. After the mall was closed, the missing person cases never happened again,¡± Liu Qiang said. ¡°Wait,¡± Suddenly, Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed and he stopped walking. ¡°Bro, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Yang Jian pointed to the front and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that only the two of us are patrolling in the entire mall? What¡¯s that?¡± A figure was standing unmoving in the darkness like a mannequin. Liu Qiang shone his shlight on it, and it turned out the figure was just a mannequin. ¡°It¡¯s just a mannequin, stop making a fuss over nothing,¡± As he spoke, he walked over, picked up the mannequin, and ced it in the shop nearby. There were more than a dozen mannequins in the dark shop. They were all missing limbs, and none of them were perfect. The arrangement was also quite messy. It was obvious that no one hade to take care of them for a long time. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to patrol the next lower level,¡± Said Liu Qiang. Yang Jian asked, ¡°Why was that mannequin in the middle of the road? Didn¡¯t you see it when you were patrolling in the past?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see it when I was patrolling in the afternoon. It¡¯s also my first time seeing it there. Maybe Sister Li and the others used the mannequins to try the clothes. It¡¯s not the first time they did that,¡± Said Liu Qiang. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but the smell of corpses he had smelled upstairs seemed to have gotten stronger. When the two of them left, at the entrance of the shop that they had just passed by when patroling, a mannequin stood there again in the darkness, motionless. Its head seemed to be in the direction where Yang Jian and Liu Qiang disappeared. Yang Jian and Liu Qiang walked around the mall, but nothing happened. Perhaps he had guessed wrong. Perhaps the missing person cases were just normal criminal cases, and there was no supernatural incident involved. It seems that it would not be easy for him to earn a million dors from the mall owner. Yang Jian pondered. He decided that he would stay here for the three-day probation period. If he didn¡¯t get anything by then, he could just resign. He couldn¡¯t waste his time here. Just as he returned to the security room to rest after his patrol, his satellite positioning phone rang. It was Wang Bin, Wang Shanshan¡¯s father. Chapter 34: Coming to His Door Chapter 34: Coming to His Door Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Wang Bin had called Yang Jian during the day but had been angered by his asking price of 500,000 yuan. To think a high school student who wasn¡¯t even fully grown yet dared to ask for such a high price. If it weren¡¯t for his daughter, Shanshan, who kept talking about looking for Yang Jian, he wouldn¡¯t have called him. What would a student who had juste of age know? Even if it was really a ghost, did he even know how to catch ghosts? Because of his daughter¡¯s matter, Wang Bin had been very depressed for the past two days. He asked for a few days of leave from thepany and had stayed at home to apany his daughter. ¡°Shanshan¡¯s condition is getting worse. The doctor has said that her body is very normal and there¡¯s nothing wrong with her. It¡¯s just that her nerves are a little weak and she¡¯s in shock. Do you think we should bring Shanshan to the psychiatric department tomorrow to have a look?¡± Wang Shanshan¡¯s mother, Wang Haiyan, said with a worried expression. Wang Bin said, ¡°That¡¯s the only thing we can do now. Yang Jian is too much. To think he asked for 500,000 Yuan right of the bat. How can Shanshan know such a shameless person? Don¡¯t let Shanshan contact him in the future.¡± ¡°The first time I met that young man called Yang Jian, I already had the feeling that he was not a good person. He even wants 200 Yuan. He doesn¡¯t have any dignity at all,¡± Wang Haiyan said with a look of disdain. However, just as the two of them were sitting in the living room and talking, the door of Wang Shanshan¡¯s room suddenly closed with a bang From the corner of their eyes, they seemed to see that something had run into the room. Wang Bin¡¯s expression immediately changed and he hurriedly stood up. Wang Haiyan also said with shock, ¡°Hubby, did you see¡­ Something like a child running into Shanshan¡¯s room just now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, you¡¯re scaring yourself,¡± Wang Bin¡¯s expression was also abnormal because he also seemed to have seen a child running into Shanshan¡¯s room. The child was naked, and his skin was dark green¡­ ¡­ like the color of a dead baby. But from the beginning to the end, the door to their house was closed. Plus, they lived on the sixteenth floor. It was impossible for a child to run in. ¡°Ah!¡± In the next moment, Wang Shanshan¡¯s scream came from the room. Wang Bin hurriedly ran over and opened the door. The room was pitch-ck. The lights had been turned off at some point. His daughter, Shanshan, had never turned off the lights when she slept these days. Wang Bin hurriedly fumbled for the switch, wanting to turn the lights on, but instead, he felt a small hand. The skin of the small hand was very soft, like a child¡¯s skin, but it was ice-cold. There was no warmth to it at all, like a corpse. ¡°What the hell?¡± His heart jumped, and he abruptly withdrew his hand. At this time, Wang Shanshan was so scared that she pushed Wang Bin away as she ran out of the room, trembling and her face pale. ¡°Shanshan, how are you? What happened?¡± Wang Haiyan hugged Wang Shanshan and asked with concern. Wang Shanshan was scared out of her wits and she hid her mother¡¯s arms while she shivered. Wang Bin mustered up the courage to turn on the lights again. This time, he did not meet the cold little hand. Under the lights, the room was empty. There was no child. But in the next moment, his pupils shrank. On the floor of the room, there were dirty footprints of a child. The footprints were scattered all over the bed, the walls, and even the ceiling. At this moment, Wang Bin¡¯s psychological defensepletely copsed. His palm was trembling as he hurriedly picked up his phone and dialed Yang Jian¡¯s number. Yang Jian was right. It was very likely that his house was really haunted. ¡°Haiyan, take Shanshan out of here first. We¡¯re going to stay in a hotel for a few days. It¡¯s not safe at home,¡± Wang Bin said as he made the call. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll pack the things now,¡± Wang Haiyan said. She also felt that there was something at home. The call went through. ¡°Hello, is this Yang Jian?¡± Wang bin asked. Yang Jian, who was resting in the security room, picked up the call, ¡°Uncle Wang, What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Where are you now? Can youe to my ce quickly? I want to continue what we were talking about before. The price is negotiable,¡± Wang Bin said hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯m working and still have workter. If it¡¯s not something urgent, I think we can talk over the phone,¡± Yang Jian said. Wang bin Said, ¡°I¡¯m going out now. Where do you work? I¡¯ll go find you.¡± He had the feeling that things were not good at home. It was necessary to talk to Yang Jian personally. They would have a man-to-man battle. ¡°Furen Shopping Mall,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go over now¡­¡± After Wang Bin said that, he put on his shoes and was about to open the door. However, when he turned the doorknob, he realized that the door could not be pushed open. He had used a lot of strength, but the door still did not budge. ¡°Hubby, what¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t we leaving?¡± Wang Haiyan asked. ¡°The door seems to be broken. I can¡¯t open it,¡± Wang Bin said. Wang Haiyan said, ¡°Is it stuck because of something?¡± ¡°Let me take a look,¡± Wang Bin looked through the peephole on the door. A dark-green and naked child stood outside the door. He was pushing on the door with his hands. The child¡¯s eyes had no pupils and were pitch-ck. He raised his head and looked in the direction of the peephole, and Wang Bin could see a kind of innocence and a strange evil in those pitch-ck eyes. Wang Bin¡¯s face instantly turned pale, and he was so frightened that he took a few steps back. ¡°Hello, Uncle Wang? Please say something. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t hang up the phone,¡± Wang Bin grabbed the phone like it was a life-saving straw and said, ¡°That, that child is standing outside my house. I can¡¯t get out. Can youe and save us? The money is negotiable.¡± Hearing this, Yang Jian was stunned. Then, his expression became particrly solemn. That ghost baby was outside Wang Shanshan¡¯s door? ¡°I¡¯ll try to rush over. Be careful over there and try to stay away from that thing,¡± Yang Jian put down the phone and immediately left. ¡°Hey, Yang Jian, where are you going?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I have some urgent matters to attend to. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Just as he set off, Wang Bin, who had hung up the phone, saw in horror that the handle of the door was slowly turning. It was as if the thing outside was about to open the door and enter. Wang Bin¡¯s panic gave rise to some quick thinking. He did not have the time to care about his fear and hurriedly ran over to double-bolt the door. All the avable safety measures were put in ce. ¡°That thing ising. It¡¯sing in. Yang Jian, where¡¯s Yang Jian? I want Yang Jian,¡± Wang Shanshan shouted in extreme fear. She looked like she was having a mental breakdown. Wang Bin retreated from the door. He was still in shock. He looked at the now silent door and did not feel relieved. Instead, he became more nervous. ¡°Hubby, what¡¯s going on outside?¡± Wang Haiyan did not know much about the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Let¡¯s go back to the room,¡± Wang Bin could tell that they couldn¡¯t leave through the main door anymore, so he brought his wife and daughter back to the master bedroom. He turned on all the lights that he could, then closed the door. He stared at the door for a long time. When he heard that there was no movement outside the door, he was slightly relieved. However, in the next moment, Wang Bin suddenly heard the sound of the main door opening in the living room. ¡°Impossible,¡± He waspletely flustered. All the safety features of the main door had been engaged. Even if one had a key, one wouldn¡¯t have been able to open it. How could it be opened so easily? The child he saw through the peephole might really be¡­ ¡­ A ghost. ¡°What should I do? What should I do?¡± Horrified, Wang Bin wracked his brain for a solution. He looked at the window. They were on the 16th floor. There was no way to escape from the window. It was also very dangerous to flip over to their neighbors¡¯. If they identally slipped and fell, they would still be dead. Could they only just sit here and wait for death? Chapter 35: Driving Skills Chapter 35: Driving Skills Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Wang Bin¡¯s family of three was hiding at home, shivering. Meanwhile, Yang Jian was taking a taxi to Wang Shanshan¡¯s home. ¡°Sir, can you drive faster? I¡¯m in a hurry,¡± He said anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the speed limit in the city? There are speed limit cameras everywhere. Speeding will result in a penalty,¡± The taxi driver said, ¡°I¡¯m already going as fast as I can. If you want to go faster, you¡¯ll have to take a ne.¡± ¡°The problem is that at your speed, I think I can overtake you even if I run,¡± Yang Jian said. The driver said, ¡°I¡¯m a seasoned driver who has been driving for 20 years, my driving skills are as steady as a mountain. Just be patient. Take a look, which car on the road is going faster than me?¡± Yang Jian looked at the car speed and estimated that by the time he got to Wang Shanshan¡¯s house, he would probably only be able to collect their bodies. To save them? It was simply impossible. ¡°Three lives¡­ And 500,000 Yuan,¡± Yang Jian touched the back of his hand and felt the sleeping eyes under his skin. He fell into hesitation. If he used the ghost realm, he could definitely rush to Wang Shanshan¡¯s house in a short time. But the price was that he would have to waste one chance of using the ghost power. On top of that, the effects of using the ghost power were even worse than taking poison. Previously, when he swallowed an eyeball in school to forcefully stimte the revival of the malicious ghost so that he could use the ghost realm, he had been almost paralyzed in bed after he returned home. Fortunately, he had obtained a piece of red paper to cover one of the ghost eyeballs and barely managed to suppress the restlessness of the eyes. Yang Jian was not sure how long the red paper could continue suppressing the ghost in his body. After a moment of hesitation, his eyes focused and he made up his mind. ¡°Sir, your speed is really making me anxious. Can you move to the passenger seat? Do you mind if I drive?¡± Yang Jian patted the driver¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You?¡± The driver sneered, ¡°Are you looking down on me or my car? I¡¯ve driven for 20 years and overtook countless cars. In my eyes, there is no car that I can¡¯t overtake. If you have the guts, add 1,000 Yuan and I¡¯ll send you there in ten minutes. Add 5,000 and I¡¯ll be there in five minutes by running the red lights.¡± ¡°Five minutes? That¡¯s too slow. If you let me drive, I¡¯ll be there in one minute,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Young man, it¡¯s better to be humble. If you can get to the entrance of the residential area in a minute, I won¡¯t charge you,¡± The driver said in disbelief, ¡°I¡¯ve been driving around Dachang City for decades, do you think I don¡¯t know how long it will take me?¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t say anything more. The skin and flesh under his clothes were torn open as the eyeballs popped out. A red light covered his entire body. Then, it spread out and quickly engulfed the taxi as well. ¡°Sir, you said this yourself. You won¡¯t charge me if I get to the residential area in one minute,¡± Yang Jian said calmly. ¡°Of course¡­¡± The driver had just finished speaking when he was suddenly stunned. He realized that unknowingly, he was now sitting in the front passenger seat. He subconsciously stepped on the brake, but his foot was met with nothing. Yang Jian, on the other hand, was suddenly in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°F*ck, Young Man, how did you get here?¡± The driver was shocked. He thought that he had seen a ghost. Yang Jian did not say anything. He simply held the steering wheel and stepped on the elerator. ¡°Whoosh!¡± The car instantly sped up. A strong sense of eleration came from behind, and the speed of the car instantly went from 40 to 80, then to 100¡­ ¡­ 110¡­ ¡°Good lord, quick, hit the brakes. The brakes! We¡¯re going to crash! There¡¯s a sports car in front. We won¡¯t be able to afford it if we hit into it! Hurry up and turn the steering wheel!¡± The driver¡¯s face was pale with fear. He didn¡¯t expect the kid to be so fierce the minute he started driving. He was definitely a novice driver, using the clutch as a brake. Yang Jian¡¯s expression was the same as usual, unmoved as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, we¡¯ll just go through it.¡± Go through it? Was he going to go through it or overtake it? Before the driver next to him could react, the taxi had already caught up with the rear of the sports car in front of them. Then, with eleration, the entire car was like an afterimage as it went through the body of the sports car in front of them. ¡°Help!¡± The driver thought that they were going to have an ident and closed his eyes in fright. He screamed loudly as he gripped the seatbelt tightly. Before the rich kid in the sports car that had been in front of them could react, he saw a taxi overtake him with a loud bang, spraying exhaust on his beloved car. ¡°F*ck, a taxi is driving so fast. Are they rushing to be reincarnated? How dare it overtake my car? Where¡¯s my dignity of driving a 10 million supercar?¡± The rich kid threw down the phone in his hand and shifted the gears, then stepped on the gas pedal. ¡°Rumble¡­¡± An air st exploded from the sports car, and the speed of the car instantly soared as it chased after Yang Jian. The taxi that Yang Jian was now driving could no longer be considered a taxi. He had covered the ghost realm on the taxi, distorting the reality of this area. This car could already be considered a ghost car, and he was the ghost in the car. But the rich kid who had been provoked earlier had chased after him in his supercar. ¡°Beep, beep,¡± The supercar honked. Yang Jian turned his head to take a look. The rich kid rolled down the car window and stuck out his middle finger. Yang Jian looked at him, then stuck both his hands out of the window and revealed two middle fingers in return. ¡°F*ck, so arrogant,¡± The rich kid was enraged. He also let go of the steering wheel and stuck out two fingers. Yang Jian looked at him expressionlessly as he continued to raise his middle fingers. He did not even look at the road in front of him. ¡°You have guts,¡± The rich kid looked ahead. The lights were green and there were no cars in front, so he gritted his teeth and also raised both middle fingers topete with Yang Jian. Come on, he wasn¡¯t afraid of him! The one who put his hand down first was the idiot. The two of them looked at each other with their middle fingers pointed at each other. They did not say a word. After three seconds, the rich kid¡¯s body tensed up and he was ready to step on the brakes at any time. After four seconds, the rich kid broke out in cold sweat. After five seconds¡­ The rich kid stole a nce at the road in front of him and slowed down. But from the beginning to the end, Yang Jian had been staring at him, his two middle fingers unmoving. He still stepped on the elerator to the bottom and did not have any intention of slowing down. As for the road ahead, he naturally had a second pair of eyes watching. Six secondster, Yang Jian suddenly moved. He pointed at the rich kid and then pointed ahead. ¡°F*ck,¡± The rich kid took a look and saw a pickup truck in front of him with its rear lights red. He was so frightened that he hurriedly stepped on the brakes to slow down, then turned the steering wheel. The sound of the emergency brakes echoed throughout the entire road. The supercar spun on the road for a full two rounds before finally crashing into the green belt at the side and stopping. ¡°F*ck, that crazy person is driving recklessly,¡± The rich kid was still in shock as he got out of the car. He took a look and his pupils abruptly shrank. He saw that the taxi that was emitting a faint red light actually ran past a red light. He simply did not know how it managed to overtake the seven or eight cars before it, before finally disappearing at the end of the road. The car was going at least 180km/h. ¡°No, that¡¯s not a madman. He is an expert,¡± The rich kid lit a cigarette and took a deep breath. His eyes were filled with admiration. To let go of the steering wheel and not look in front, even stepping on the elerator and speeding up, what was needed was not just one¡¯s driving skills but also one¡¯s courage. He had never seen a person with such calm eyes. It was as if even if Mount Tai copsed in front of him, his expression would not change. His father was right. It turned out that such a person did exist in this world. After the driving skillspetition, the rich kid started to have admiration for Yang Jian. If they met each other again, he would definitely ask him for advice. ¡°I don¡¯t know that person. So why did he give me the middle finger for no reason¡­ Forget it, let¡¯s not think about it. Saving people and earning money are more important,¡± Yang Jian held the steering wheel and frowned. There was a saying that the straight line between two points was the shortest. He passed through the cars, the green belt, the houses, and finally arrived at the entrance of the residential area in under one minute. The car stopped. The driver crawled out of the car, then with a ¡°blergh¡± sound, he vomited next to the car. His eyes were full of fear. At the same time, he mumbled things like, ¡°this kid is so terrifying¡±, ¡°my 20 years of driving skills are nothing¡±, ¡°one day, I will fly to the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the Sun¡±, and so on. After Yang Jian got out of the car, his body was still emitting a faint red light. He nced at the driver. He didn¡¯t let the driver see the strange scene where he passed through everything. In the driver¡¯s eyes, he was just driving normally. Making people hallucinate was the most basic ability of the ghost realm. However, the limit of his ghost realm was five minutes. After five minutes, the ghost in his body would be stimted to revive by at least one degree. Therefore, since he had already used the ghost realm, he couldn¡¯t waste the opportunity. Yang Jian called Wang Bin at this moment, ¡°Hello, Uncle Wang? Which building is your house in? Which floor? I¡¯m on my way.¡± He hoped they weren¡¯t dead. If they were, the only thing he could do was collect their bodies. Chapter 36: Growing Chapter 36: Growing Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio From the moment Wang Bin put down the phone until now, he felt as if every second was a year. Because he had heard the sound of his front door opening and was also vaguely aware that something had walked into the living room from the front door as from time to time, the sounds of the decorations being moved could be heard from the living room. It was as if a naughty child was ying curiously outside. Every sound made Wang Bin¡¯s heart jump. Thinking that the child he had seen from the peephole was just in the living room, only a wall away, he felt an inexplicable fear. He didn¡¯t dare to open the door. He didn¡¯t even dare to approach the door. He was afraid that the child would appear at the door in the next moment. However, what was bound to happen eventually had to be faced even by passively waiting. As the activity in the living room stopped, it seemed that the child had gotten tired of the toys in the living room. Following this, the sound of faint footsteps gradually sounded and finally stopped at the door of the room. ¡°It¡¯sing. It¡¯s about toe in. Dad, mom, Hurry up and leave. It¡¯s here for me, I can feel it. Hurry up and leave¡­¡± Wang Shanshan¡¯s emotions became agitated at this moment. She seemed to be able to sense the appearance of the ghost baby. ¡°Shanshan, what are you saying? How could mom leave you alone?¡± Wang Haiyan wiped away her tears and said, ¡°Hubby, what¡¯s out there? Worstes to worst, we will fight it to the death.¡± With these words, Wang Bin came to his senses. He suppressed the fear in his heart and looked around, then lifted the clothes rack, ready to fight. He would wait for the child to get in, then he would immediately smash it till it was smithereens and ashes. ¡°No, no, Dad, no. The criminal police officer had said that ghosts can¡¯t be killed. Look for Yang Jian. Only Yang Jian has a way. Only he can save us,¡± Wang Shanshan said in fear. She wanted to stop Wang Bin¡¯s actions. However, Wang Haiyan hugged her from the side. ¡°I¡¯ve already called Yang Jian and promised him 500,000 Yuan for him to save us. He should be on his way¡­ Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be fine,¡± Wang Bin said nervously. However, at this moment, with a click, the door lock opened by itself. The door handle slowly turned, and with a crisp creak, a crack was opened in the door. Then, the crack grew bigger and bigger. In the next moment, a child¡¯s head popped in. Its pair of dark eyes without pupils sized up the people in the room with a strange evil look. Finally, its gaze stopped on Wang Shanshan. ¡°Ah!¡± The screams of Wang Haiyan and Wang Shanshan could be heard from inside the room. ¡°Damn it, go to Hell,¡± As his responsibility as a husband and a father, Wang Bin mustered up all his courage and roared as he picked the clothes hanger up and threw it at the ghost baby. However, the ghost baby simply ignored Wang Bin. It ran along the wall with an eerily terrifying speed and pounced directly on Wang Shanshan. The ghost baby opened its mouth to an extent that exceeded the abilities of that of an ordinary person. There wasn¡¯t a mouth or oral cavity in the mouth. It was only a pitch-ck, bottomless ck hole, as if anything that had been swallowed would never be able to appear in this world ever again. To think it wanted to swallow Wang Shanshan whole. When Wang Bin saw this, he gritted his teeth in fear and anger. Wang Shanshan and her mother, Wang Haiyan, huddled together in fear and screamed crazily. However, at this moment, the light in the bedroom suddenly shed and turned red. The light bulb seemed to have turned into a red eyeball, and a strange atmosphere filled the surroundings. ¡°Bang!¡± With a loud sound, the ghost baby flew out and crashed heavily into the wardrobe. Yang Jian walked over from a corner of the bedroom with a phone in his hand. His body was emitting red light while red eyeballs were on his face and the back of his hands. Each eyeball was slightly rotating as they stared at the ghost baby that flew out. ¡°You guys didn¡¯t pick up your phones, so I thought you were already dead. I was even nning to report the case to the police and ask them toe and collect your bodies. The business at the crematorium must be very good recently. I wonder if you have to queue up,¡± Saying this, Yang Jian nced at the ghost baby, and his heart trembled. When they were at school, the ghost baby had still been crawling. Now, it had grown so big that it could walk independently. The ghost was growing¡­ The words on the skin parchment were correct. The thing in Ghost Baby Zhou Zheng¡¯s stomach was indeed very unusual. God knew what level this ghost would grow to be if given the chance to grow. ¡°Zhou Zheng, oh, Zhou Zheng, you have seriously released something extraordinary,¡± Yang Jian sighed in his heart. ¡°Yang, Yang Jian?¡± Hearing Yang Jian¡¯s voice, Wang Shanshan immediately raised her head. The fear in her eyes immediately turned into surprise. It was as if Yang Jian was her savior at this moment. ¡°You, you are Yang Jian? How did youe in?¡± Wang Bin asked in fear. ¡°If I can¡¯t even enter the door, how would I dare to ask for 500,000 Yuan from you?¡± Yang Jian said ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the principle of you get what you pay for, Uncle Wang? This thing has already exceeded my previous estimation. Based on the current situation, I might not be able to deal with it, so¡­ you have to pay me more.¡± He was not joking. Previously, he could have defeated this ghost baby with just four eyeballs. But now, this thing could no longer be considered a ghost baby. It should be considered a ghost child. As such, its terror level must have increased as well. ¡°It¡¯s best not to exceed my limit of six eyeballs. Otherwise, I can only run,¡± He nced at the few of them and was prepared to retreat at any moment. They weren¡¯t rtives nor were they best friends. He and Wang Shanshan were just ssmates. Yang Jian would not just throw his life here to save others. Wang Bin was also a smart person. Seeing Yang Jian¡¯s hesitation, he hurriedly said, ¡°One million, I¡¯ll give you one million¡­ After this is over, there will be another reward too.¡± Yang Jian retracted his gaze and sighed, ¡°Another hateful rich man. The price I asked for was too low previously.¡± If the reward was one million, it was indeed worth taking a risk. After all, the market price for such matters was just so low in the country. Immediately, he set his eyes on the ghost baby again. Since his ghost realm had already been opened, he couldn¡¯t waste this opportunity. At this moment, the ghost baby slowly stood up. It tilted its head and looked at Yang Jian with its pitch-ck eyes. Its dark green skin gave off a scent of death. The kick just now didn¡¯t cause any damage to the ghost baby. It was only repelled because Yang Jian had been in the ghost realm state just now. Ghosts can not be killed. Only ghosts can deal with ghosts. These two sentences did not conflict. To say that a ghost could deal with another ghost did not mean that the former could kill thetter. ¡°So did Zhou Zheng mean by those words that only a ghost could defeat another ghost?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze moved slightly. He hade into contact with several supernatural incidents by now and had gradually ovee the fear in his heart. Perhaps it had something to do with him bing half-human and half-ghost. ¡°I don¡¯t know if something like you has intellect or if you can understand humannguage, but what I want to say is that I am determined to protect this family today. Can you give me some face and stop whatever you¡¯re doing?¡± Yang Jian said. However, before he could finish his words, a dark green aura suddenly surged out from the ghost baby¡¯s body. This aura gradually spread¡­ ¡­ The surrounding things were beginning to be affected. ¡°This is¡­ A ghost realm?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s pupils abruptly constricted, and his heart trembled. Damn it, it was learning and growing. This ghost baby was definitely not simple. ¡°This ghost baby is evil. It¡¯s best to send it away from here first,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed slightly. With this, the ghost baby suddenly missed its footing and it immediately passed through the ground as it fell downstairs. Yang Jian took a step forward as well, and with a sh of the red light on his body, he disappeared in front of Wang Bin and the others. The ghost realm followed the ghost baby all the way down. 16th floor¡­ 13th floor.. ¡­ 9th floor. Just on thest floor, Yang Jian withdrew the ghost realm. ¡°Bang!¡± With a loud sound, the ghost baby fell directly from the 16th floor to the ground on the first floor. Its body was ttened as ity on the ground in a strange position. From upstairs, Yang Jian looked at the ghost baby that was lying on the ground motionlessly. He knew that it wasn¡¯t dead. He looked at the time. The time limit of his ghost realm was approaching. ¡°I should bring Wang Shanshan and her family out of here first. I¡¯ll think of a way to deal with the things after that,¡± Yang Jian knew that he didn¡¯t have enough experience in dealing with malicious ghosts, so he could only take the safest route. He immediately disappeared on the spot. Sometime after he left, the ghost baby that had been lying on the ground like a heap of meat slowly moved its strange body and finally stood up. Chapter 37: Get Away From It Chapter 37: Get Away From It Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°If you don¡¯t want anything to happen to you, you¡¯d better leave this ce as soon as possible. The ghost baby seems to have set its eyes on Wang Shanshan, and it¡¯s constantly growing. Thest time I saw it, it couldn¡¯t use the ghost realm, but now, it seems to already be on the verge of mastering the ghost realm. Who knows what will happen next time? I have the feeling that once that thing is fully grown, its level of terror will be impossible to estimate,¡± The moment Yang Jian returned to Wang Bin¡¯s home, he immediately said. ¡°Are, are you a human or a ghost?¡± Wang Bin asked with fear. Yang Jian replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯m human, maybe I¡¯m a ghost. I¡¯m not sure myself, but I can save your lives and that should be enough. Though, now is not the time to talk about this.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. We have to leave this ce. I¡¯ll go pack now,¡± Wang Bin said. ¡°Is that thing dead? It won¡¯te again, right?¡± Wang Haiyan asked, still in shock. Yang Jian said, ¡°It¡¯s not dead. Rather, the possibility of iting again is very high.¡± Wang Haiyan said agitatedly, ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you kill that thing? We asked you here to deal with that damn thing. If you let it go now, what will happen to us in the future? If you can¡¯t kill that thing, we won¡¯t pay you. Who knows if you let it go on purpose!¡± ¡°Although Wang Shanshan and I are ssmates, a favor is a favor, and business is business. By saying that, do you mean you want to go back on your word?¡± Yang Jian looked at her and said. ¡°You want to get the money without solving the problem? Did you think it was so easy to earn 500,000 Yuan?¡± Wang Haiyan said. Yang Jian said seriously, ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s not half a million, it¡¯s one million.¡± ¡°Who said that it¡¯s one million? I clearly heard my husband say that you were only asking for half a million,¡± Wang Haiyan said. Yang Jian rubbed his temples, then sat on the sofa and said, ¡°What a headache. I¡¯m quite a person who sticks to my principles and I¡¯ll do what I¡¯m supposed to do. If you insist on arguing with me, I can¡¯t do anything about it either. I haven¡¯t studied much and I don¡¯t have much social experience, so I simply can¡¯t win against society people like you. Since this is the case, I¡¯ll treat this trip as a free gift for Wang Shanshan since she¡¯s my ssmate. By the way, Auntie Wang, what kind of flowers do you usually like?¡± ¡°Jasmines, why do you ask?¡± Wang Haiyan asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°If I have to chance to visit the graves of others, I¡¯ll bring some for you, Auntie Wang. If you encounter that damn thing again, I¡¯m sure you can deal with it yourself. With your sharp tongue, you will definitely be able to convince that ghost baby to not kill you. I¡¯m leaving. I sincerely wish that you guys can leave this building in one pieceter.¡± With that, he got up, wanting to leave. He wanted to see whether Wang Shanshan¡¯s mother valued her money more or her life. He did not have the time to argue with her here. Seeing that Yang Jian was leaving, Wang Haiyan¡¯s expression immediately changed. She hurriedly smiled apologetically and said, ¡°Yang Jian, wait, wait. What are you doing? Can¡¯t we discuss the matter? Don¡¯t get angry, I¡¯ll apologize to you. Besides, you and Shanshan are ssmates. Isn¡¯t it only right for you to help each other? Shanshan has been thinking about you for the past two days too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that we¡¯re ssmates, and it¡¯s also not wrong that we should help each other out. With that being said, I have just helped your family. With my poor and down-and-out situation, shouldn¡¯t you help me out with a million dors? It can¡¯t be that you talk business when I do favors, and say it¡¯s only a favor when I¡¯m talking business, right? By doing this, you¡¯re making me, the disadvantaged party, suffer losses either way, and you rich people gain all the benefits instead. Which is why I learned to be smarter. One hundred million, not a single cent less, or the deal¡¯s off,¡± Yang Jian said seriously. He could already be considered to have been quite restrained for not getting angry in public. He had also been very considerate of the situation. Wang Haiyan looked very embarrassed. She knew that Yang Jian was talking about the time when she had given him 200 Yuan to get rid of him back when he had sent Wang Shanshan home. Yang Jian said, ¡°Aunty, just stop trying to make our rtionship seem close. Although Wang Shanshan and I are ssmates, I have only met you twice or thrice, so it¡¯s better for us to maintain a purely financial rtionship. You guys pay and I help. It¡¯s very fair. You guys spend money to buy your lives, and I expend my life to earn money, which is also very fair.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, it¡¯s indeed very fair. But Yang Jian, if we give you the money, you have to think of a way to solve the problem for us, right? Why did that thinge after us and not others?¡± Wang Haiyan said. Yang Jian said, ¡°It didn¡¯te for the two of you, it came for Wang Shanshan. I had wanted to tell her when we were in school, but I didn¡¯t bring it up because there was something scarier than the ghost baby back in school. I think it¡¯s because of the two handprints on Wang Shanshan¡¯s neck. She was attacked by the ghost baby once in school, and I saved her that time. But the ghost baby must have identified her, which is why it¡¯s here to attack her again. Of course, this is just my guess. I have to find someone to ask about the details.¡± Wang Haiyan said, ¡°Can you solve it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after you pay,¡± Yang Jian looked at her and said. ¡°Ding¡­¡± Suddenly, a notification sounded from his phone. The message showed that he had received one million Yuan. ¡°?¡± At this time, Wang Bin walked out of the room and said, ¡°Yang Jian, I have already transferred the money to you just now. I hope that you will take the trouble to handle Shanshan¡¯s matter. If you have any other requests, feel free to ask for them. As long as it¡¯s within our abilities, we will not decline.¡± Yang Jian smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Wang is quite frank. With one look I can tell that you¡¯re quite sessful. You¡¯re very swift and decisive in handling matters and are a man of his word¡­ But why do you have my bank ount?¡± ¡°I work in a creditpany. Out of professional instinct, I took a photo of the relevant information with my phone during the parent-teacher conference in the past,¡± Wang Bin Said. ¡°No wonder Wang Shanshan¡¯s seat is surrounded by people with better family conditions while a poor person like me can only sit far away. Uncle Wang, you must¡¯ve spent quite a lot of effort in the background,¡± Yang Jian said. He had some admiration for Wang Bin. Wang Shanshan was just in high school, yet he was already building connections for Wang Shanshan¡¯s future. Wang Bin forced a smile and did not say anything. This was not his idea alone. It was organized by quite a few parents that had good family conditions. He had simply participated in it. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s go,¡± Yang Jian looked at the time. He had less than a minute left for his ghost realm. Soon, they left the residential area by car. During this period, due to the existence of the ghost realm, they didn¡¯t encounter the ghost baby. It seemed that the ghost realm could iste other ghosts from finding it. ¡°This is very important, I have to remember it,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. ¡°Yang Jian, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± In the car, Wang Shanshan, who had regained her calm, secretly held Yang Jian¡¯s hand as she said in a low voice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. I only came because of the money,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Wang Shanshan replied gratefully. Wang Bin drove as he asked, ¡°Yang Jian, where should we go now?¡± ¡°Anywhere is fine. We just need to be far enough away from the neighborhood, making it so even if that thing wants to find us, it¡¯ll take some time,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°If we go abroad, will we be able to get rid of that damn thing?¡± Wang Haiyan asked from the side. Yang Jian said, ¡°What if you can¡¯t? Besides, are there are no supernatural incidents abroad? Rather, the supernatural incidents abroad are more serious than those in the country. Furthermore, there are no specialized people to deal with such incidents there and you¡¯ll only be able to hire people by offering a bounty. As such, the reward for dealing with such incidents abroad starts with a few million dors. Uncle Wang, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask around. I wasn¡¯t lying to you on the phone before.¡± ¡°About the handprint on Shanshan¡¯s neck¡­ Can you get rid of it?¡± Wang Haiyan asked politely. She did not dare lose her temper again. They had already given him the money. If Yang Jian got angry and decided to leave them be, what would happen to her family? Yang Jian thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I can only ask. If this matter can not be solved, there¡¯s nothing I can do either. Wang Shanshan can only resign herself to fate then.¡± With this, he immediately picked up the satellite positioning phone and called the operator, Liu Xiaoyu. With the matter of Wang Shanshan, he could also take the opportunity to learn more about ghosts, which would be helpful to himself in the future. Soon, Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s call was connected, ¡°Yang Jian, is it you?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Are you operators avable 24 hours a day? You¡¯ll pick up the call no matter the time?¡± ¡°We¡¯re a one-on-one service. Each ghost rider only has one operator. Since I¡¯m your personal operator, I don¡¯t do any work other thanmunicating with you,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said in a businesslike manner. ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t want to talk about such a lewd topic with you,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°?¡± Liu Xiaoyu. Yang Jian said, ¡°I¡¯ve encountered some trouble. I¡¯ll tell you the general situation and let¡¯s see if you can give me some suggestions.¡± Chapter 38: Imprint Chapter 38: Imprint Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Just as Liu Xiaoyu was about to leave work and return to her dormitory to rest, she received a call from Yang Jian. She immediately took it seriously. Generally speaking, ghost riders would not casually make calls from their satellite positioning phones. Once they did, it was highly likely that they had encountered a supernatural incident and a ghost. At such moments, the tasks of the operators were of utmost importance and intensity. The operators had to collect the relevant information, sort out the files, as well as appraise the level of the ghost and the incident¡­ ¡­ They were a very important cycle in maintaining regional stability. Therefore, even if an operator was asleep, once the phone rang, one still had to immediately go to work. Listening to Yang Jian¡¯s description, Liu Xiaoyu opened Ghost Baby Zhou Zheng¡¯s file. She frowned and was wearing a very grave expression as she said, ¡°You¡¯re saying that the ghost baby that ran out of Zhou Zheng¡¯s stomach is growing¡­ A few days ago, it was only in the form of a baby, and now, it¡¯s already a toddler, plus it is showing the tendency to use the ghost realm?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the general situation. Also, a ssmate of mine was left with two palm prints by the ghost baby. The ghost baby seems to have had its eyes on her from then, and it¡¯s currently focused on wanting to eat her. It¡¯s just like the case with being cursed by the door-knocking sound. Do you have any simr cases on your side? Have you thought of a way to solve the situation?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°In the previous supernatural files, there were indeed people who encountered a simr situation. Usually, two conditions have to be satisfied for ghosts to have a clear target to kill. One is a hard trigger condition, and the other is the killing pattern. These two are akin to the killing motive and modus operandi of an ordinary person. Previously, the trigger condition of the door-knocking ghost was the door-knocking sound, and its killing method was through knocking on the door itself. Of course, other killing methods are not excluded. The ghost baby¡¯s killing method should be¡­ ¡­ Through eating. It kills by eating its victim. The trigger condition should being into skin-to-skin contact it. Based on some information, I can determine that the minute it can, the ghost baby would eat the person it touched, and the same goes for anyone who touches it. It is only targeting your ssmate now because she has had contact with the ghost baby,¡± Liu Xiaoyu exined Yang Jian said, ¡°I have not had contact with the ghost baby before, but the ghost baby still attacked me.¡± He was the first to be attacked by the ghost baby. ¡°Most ghosts have the ability to kill without discrimination. Under the circumstances that the conditions are not triggered, they will randomly attack the people around them. It might also be because the first person the ghost baby saw after leaving Zhou Zheng¡¯s body was you, so it treated you as its prey. However, such a ghost with the ability to spread and wander is generally defined as a B-rank ghost. Besides, when you encounter a ghost, it¡¯s not certain that if you don¡¯t meet the requirements, you will be safe and sound. It¡¯s only that your chances of surviving will be imporved if you see through the ghost¡¯s movement pattern,¡± Said Liu Xiaoyu. Yang Jian¡¯s mouth twitched when he heard this. He finally understood why Fang Jing would sacrifice others to survive. ¡°Regarding the handprint on your ssmate, I think it might be a ghost ve seal,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. A ghost ve seal? Yang Jian said, ¡°What¡¯s that? What¡¯s the difference between it and a ghost ve?¡± ¡°Every ghost that can use the ghost realm has the ability to turn a dead person into a ghost ve. A ghost ve has no intellect, and other than still looking the same as it did before death, it has nothing to do with the original person. It¡¯s a different kind of ghost, so don¡¯t be fooled by the ghost ve¡¯s appearance that is the same as when it was alive. On top of that, ghost ves obey their ghost masters unconditionally. You should have met one before, though the rank of the door-knocking ghost is too high, so the number of ghost ves it can control is beyond your imagination. We have already defined it as an A-rank.¡± A-rank. Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled. So the door-knocking ghost was that terrifying. ¡°As for the ghost ve seal, it is actually the mark of a malicious ghost, just like the trademark of apany. Although that ssmate of yours isn¡¯t dead, she can already be considered a ghost ve of the ghost realm. Once she dies, she will be controlled. These are the only information I have here for the time being,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. When Yang Jian heard this, his heart sank, ¡°So that means that the ghost baby isn¡¯t even mature yet but is already nning to build his harem? I thought it was a serious ghost, I didn¡¯t expect it to be a little pervert.¡± ¡°¡­ From our current information, ghosts don¡¯t have any desires. It doesn¡¯t see beauty or ugliness in its eyes. It probably targeted your ssmate because she¡¯s a girl. The ghost baby had just crawled out of Zhou Zheng¡¯s stomach at that time. After it failed to attack you, it would naturally choose to attack someone who looked weaker. That¡¯s all,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. ¡°Is there any way to remove the seal?¡±Asked Yang Jian. Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°No, but there is a possible solution, though no one among the ghost riders has tried it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Yang Jian. ¡°The requirements are too high,¡± said Liu Xiaoyu. ¡°What are they?¡± Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°The most basic requirement is that the ghost rider has to be able to use the ghost realm. A professor had spected that if ghosts can have ghost ves, then the ghost rider should also be able to have ghost ves. They can use a new ghost ve seal to rece the one left by the malicious ghost and with that, help the victim get rid of the malicious ghost¡¯s pursuit.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you talking nonsense? There will still be a seal on the body,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°It¡¯s not the same. Malicious ghosts are dead while ghost riders are living people. Even if one bes the ghost ve of a ghost rider, it won¡¯t lose its mind. There is a fundamental difference between that and being the ghost ve of a malicious ghost¡­ Of course, if you die from the revival of the malicious ghost, then your ghost ve will be under the control of the ghost in your body.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face darkened. Ghost riders were all short-lived people. If they did it this way, wouldn¡¯t the victim be jumping from one fire pit to another? Death was still the end. ¡°I got it. Let¡¯s talk next time,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Wait, wait a minute,¡± Liu Xiaoyu suddenly remembered something and hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Yang Jian asked. Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°I want to create a file for you and I hope you can cooperate with me. It¡¯s best if you have some understanding of the ghost in your body, such as its abilities, characteristics, form¡­ ¡­ If you still don¡¯t cooperate, I won¡¯t cooperate with you next time.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Yang Jian thought for a moment and felt that it didn¡¯t matter, so he told her about the eye. After Liu Xiaoyu finished recording the information, she said, ¡°We have already asked someone to arrange your mother¡¯s matters. She has been arranged to enter awful enterprise, and will be returning to Dachang City soon. You can rest assured about her matters. By the way, how were things with your fatherst time? Can you tell me in detail?¡± ¡°Father? Didn¡¯t my father die when I was young? Which matter are you talking about?¡± Yang Jian asked. Liu Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your father was next to you in your rented housest time? I suspected that it was a ghost, so I asked you to leave that ce.¡± ¡°That ghost is that ghost. Why are you mentioning my father?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think that the ghost is my father? Stop joking, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Liu Xiaoyu did not get angry. Instead, she frowned. From Yang Jian¡¯s tone, it did not sound like he was joking. The only exnation was¡­ ¡­ His memories had been tampered with again. A ghost that could probably tamper with one¡¯s memories? Plus the one who had his memories tampered with was unable to discover it¡­ The same went for ghost riders. Yet, why wasn¡¯t her memories tampered with? Liu Xiaoyu quickly jotted down the information and prepared to hand this matter to the highly intelligent think tanks to reason with. This was not her job. ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll talk next time,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Onest question. How¡¯s your mental state recently?¡± Liu Xiaoyu suddenly asked again. ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no problem,¡± Yang Jian hung up the phone. Then he looked at Wang Bin and Wang Haiyan who were also in the car and said, ¡°Did you hear all that? This is a call from an operator in the Asian Division of the International Ghost Rider Organization. What she said represents authority. In fact, she has been involved in this for a long time. Now that you guys havee into contact with this matter, I won¡¯t hide it anymore. Otherwise, some people will say that I¡¯m a fraud and a lunatic.¡± Wang Bin¡¯s family fell into a deep silence. Their hearts were in turbulence. Yang Jian looked at Wang Shanshan again. Suddenly, his expression froze. He saw a faint red mark that had appeared unknowingly on Wang Shanshan¡¯s wrist. The mark seemed to be¡­ ¡­ an eye, but it was so dim it had almost disappeared. ¡°When did this appear?¡± Yang Jian abruptly grabbed Wang Shanshan¡¯s hand. Wang Shanshan shrank back and whispered, ¡°It appeared after you grabbed me.¡± This was the ghost ve seal! Yang Jian was stunned. He recalled that he did grab Wang Shanshan¡¯s wrist when he was saving her. Had he left it behind at that time? Yang Jian understood now. The reason why Wang Shanshan didn¡¯t die after being pestered by the ghost baby for so many days was because of his seal¡­ ¡­ However, the ghost baby had grown now and its strength had increased, so his seal was about to disappear. ¡°This seal can save but also hurt people,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed constantly as he fell into deep thought. Not long after Yang Jian had hung up the phone, a file about him appeared in the archives room of the Asian Division of the International Ghost Rider Organization. On the first page of the file was a line of words in caps: GHOST EYEBALL¡­ YANG JIAN (not hired). Chapter 39: Target Change Chapter 39: Target Change Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°I believe both of you have a general understanding of the situation, yes? Wang Shanshan¡¯s situation will be getting worse, so as an outsider, my suggestion will be that it would be best if you¡­ gave birth to another child,¡± Yang Jian said. The car was stopped at a busy area in the city. The few of them had gotten out of the car and were now sitting on the bench at the side of the road to discuss what had happened. ¡°You¡­ How can you say that?¡± Wang Haiyan took offense and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a way to get rid of the seal?¡± ¡°The two are almost the same. If you get rid of the seal by recing it with another one, the final result will still be the same,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Although my words are a little harsh, they are the truth. Uncle Wang, what do you think?¡± Wang Bin frowned as he smoked. As the head of the family, he had no clue what to do at the moment. He was very frustrated and worried. He knew what Yang Jian meant. If the seal was not removed, the ghost baby would follow Shanshan forever. If the seal was to be removed, another seal would have to be added. The result would remain the same, and it could at most be dyed for a short while. ¡°Dad, mom, it¡¯s okay. There¡¯s no hope for me. Let me face the ghost baby alone. I can¡¯t drag you guys down because of my matters,¡± said Wang Shanshan with tears in her eyes. Upon learning that this was her end, she was no longer so afraid. As a mother, Wang Haiyan was heartbroken when she heard these words. Tears kept flowing down her face. The mother and daughter hugged and cried in front of the passers-by. ¡°No, this can¡¯t do. How can I watch my daughter being tortured to death by that thing?¡± Wang Bin threw the cigarette away. He stood up and seemed to have made up his mind as he said, ¡°Yang Jian, if I agree to add another seal on Shanshan, do you have any ways to do it?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I do have a way, but the result won¡¯t be better than this. It¡¯ll just dy the time of death. What¡¯s the idiom? To quench a thirst with poison. That¡¯s more or less what doing this will amount to.¡± ¡°If that seal is not removed, Shanshan will not live more than three days, right?¡± Wang Bin said. Yang Jian said, ¡°No, she won¡¯t live more than even a day. Previously, Wang Shanshan was not attacked because the seal in her hand had not disappeared, so the ghost baby had not attacked her. But now that the seal in her hand has disappeared, the ghost baby will probablye back in an hour¡­ ¡­ maybe even sooner.¡± ¡°What if the ghost¡¯s seal is erased?¡±Wang bin asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°She will live if the ghost rider lives, and die if the ghost rider dies. By estimation, she will probably have a few months to live, which might make the situation seem better, but the result will still be the same¡­ Plus, I¡¯m not sure if there will be other side effects.¡± ¡°At this point, even if it¡¯s poison, we have to take it. We can¡¯t give up even the slightest chance,¡± Wang Bin clenched his jaw and said, ¡°Yang Jian, I would like you to do this for me. I will pay for it. How much do you want?¡± Yang Jian looked at how Wang Shanshan and her mother, Wang Haiyan, were hugging and crying, and said, ¡°This is not a supernatural incident, nor is it a fight with a malicious ghost. There isn¡¯t much risk¡­ Seeing that Uncle Wang had been so frank before, I will do it for you for free this time. However, I can¡¯t guarantee anything if anything happens to Wang Shanshan after this.¡± ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s enough. I will be responsible for all the consequences. Even if something happens to Shanshan in the future, I won¡¯t me you,¡± Wang Bin took a deep breath and said. Such decisiveness and boldness were indeed the temperaments of a sessful person, unlike Wang Haiyan who was fussy, indecisive, and calctive. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s start now. I¡¯m afraid that the ghost baby is already on its way here,¡± Yang Jian said. Wang Bin said, ¡°Shanshan,e here.¡± Wang Shanshan raised her head. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She looked at Wang Bin and Yang Jian with tears on her face. ¡°Wang Shanshan, if you¡¯ve decided, then give me your hand,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Go. We¡¯ll talk about the future when ites. Let¡¯s get through this obstacle first,¡± Wang Bin still had a worried look on his face. He did not know whether his decision today would harm his daughter or save her. ¡°Yang Jian, thank you,¡± Wang Shanshan bit her lips and reached out her hand. She still wanted to live and not die, especially not in the hands of such a terrifying thing. ¡°We¡¯re ssmates. Besides, I received the money,¡± Yang Jian grabbed her wrist, just like in school, ¡°Get rid of the bandage on your neck. I want to see the seal.¡± Wang Haiyan didn¡¯t say a word and carefully untied the bandage. The skin on the young girl¡¯s delicate neck was torn, scarlet red, and smeared with medicine. In the middle of the wound, two small dark green handprints could be clearly seen. Yang Jian¡¯s gaze moved slightly. He recalled his previous actions and grabbed Wang Shanshan¡¯s palm. His palm split open and an eyeball popped out. The eyeball emitted a faint red light. The red light seeped out from between his fingers and started to prate Wang Shanshan¡¯s wrist. He chose the same spot for the red eyeball to prate asst time. As the red light went into Wang Shanshan¡¯s wrist, Yang Jian saw the dark green handprints on her neck gradually fade and be fainter¡­ ¡­ Until it began to fade on its own. ¡°It, it¡¯s useful,¡± Wang Bin¡¯s eyes widened as he witnessed such a magical scene with his own eyes. Of course it was useful. Yang Jian could feel that there was the existence of the ghost eyeball in Wang Shanshan¡¯s body. It was as if an eyeball had been transferred into her body, but it did not seem that way either¡­ To be exact, a part of the ghost power had been transferred and stored in Wang Shanshan¡¯s body. After a moment, the two dark green handprints on Wang Shanshan¡¯s neck hadpletely disappeared¡­ Seeing this, Yang Jian finally let go of his hand. He saw a clear ghost eyeball seal on Wang Shanshan¡¯s wrist. It was like a tattoo of a red eyeball. It was especially eye-catching as it emitted a faint red light. ¡°It¡¯s gone. It¡¯s really gone. The handprints have disappeared.¡± ¡°Shanshan, how do you feel now? Are you alright?¡± Wang Bin and his wife were a little excited. Wang Shanshan felt the changes in her body for a while and said, ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything wrong. I feel very good¡­ and a little strange, but I can¡¯t tell. In any case, I feel much better than before.¡± As she said that, she looked deeply into the eyes next to her. Her gaze was very different from usual, but one couldn¡¯t tell exactly how. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Wang Haiyan hugged her excitedly. Yang Jian also felt a change in his body. It wasn¡¯t a big change. He just felt a little weak like he had just had sex. ¡°Only people who can control the ghost realm are qualified to have ghost ves. Though, I wonder what¡¯s the difference between being the ghost ve of a living human to that of a malicious ghost. It¡¯s almost certain that Wang Shanshan will not be like a normal person. It¡¯s just that this change can only be discovered through observation in the future,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. While he was removing the seal, on a street not far away from here, a dark green child was running at a strange speed on the ground, quickly rushing toward Wang Shanshan. ¡°Did you see a strange child running over there just now?¡± Someone on the road asked in surprise when he saw this scene. Hispanion said, ¡°What child? Are you seeing things?¡± However, before the ghost baby had run far from them, it suddenly stopped. The seal had disappeared, thus it has lost its target. If it didn¡¯t have a first-choice target, it would randomly choose passersby on this road to start killing indiscriminately. ¡°F*ck, I bumped into something,¡± At this moment, a young man who was passing by identally bumped into the ghost baby as he was ying with his phone. He almost fell down. However, when he turned around to look, there was nothing. Then, when he turned back round to continue shopping, he was instantly stunned. A naked, dark green child was standing in front of him with its head tilted as it looked at him with a strange expression. The young man looked at the ghost baby with a strange expression and felt that there was something wrong with the child. Perhaps it was a street child or perhaps it was crazy. He did not want to provoke such a child, so he went around it and continued to walk forward. However, before he could leave far away, the ghost baby moved. It turned around and did not continue in the direction of Wang Shanshan. Instead, it followed the young man that had just bumped into it¡­ The horror was continuing, it was only that its target had changed¡­ Chapter 40: The Elevator Chapter 40: The Elevator Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio They waited for a full two hours before Yang Jian was finally sure that the ghost baby wouldn¡¯te again. Wang Shanshan¡¯s matters had thus temporarily been resolved, though there was still a small hidden danger. Yang Jian nced at her sympathetically. Back then, he had no choice but to be a ghost rider as in that situation, he would¡¯ve been long dead in that washroom if he hadn¡¯t. However, Wang Shanshan could have been safe like the others, but unexpectedly and unfortunately, the ghost baby had targeted her at thest moment. ¡°I still have work and I had asked for leave toe over. Since this matter has been settled, I will be leaving first. If there is anything, you can call me. Of course, if it is a supernatural incident, I will have to charge you,¡± Yang Jian stood up, preparing to take a taxi and leave. Wang Bin hurriedly said, ¡°Thank you very much for today¡¯s matters, Yang Jian. I really don¡¯t know how to thank you. How about I treat you to a meal when you are free?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, you don¡¯t have to go to that expense,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Besides, nothing good will happen if you¡¯re with me.¡± Wang Shanshan suddenly said, ¡°Then can I follow you?¡± ¡°Shanshan, what are you saying?¡± Wang Haiyan hurriedly grabbed her hand and said, afraid that her daughter would run away with Yang Jian. She was very well aware that the current Yang Jian was not as simple as they thought. If Shanshan followed him, she would definitely encounter danger in the future. Yang Jian smiled and said, ¡°You should spend your time with your parents. It hadn¡¯t been easy on them today because of your matters¡­ Plus, you should also be clear about your situation. Even if you weren¡¯t targeted by the ghost baby, your life wouldn¡¯t have been long.¡± ¡°I know, but I just want to be with you,¡± Wang Shanshan said. She didn¡¯t beat around the bush at all and didn¡¯t have the shyness of a young girl. She said it as natural as she was talking in a normal conversation. ¡°That won¡¯t do. You should stay with your parents now. Okay, that¡¯s it. I¡¯m leaving.¡± How could he let Wang Shanshan follow him? Wouldn¡¯t he be burdening himself to bring another burden with him? With the ghost realm, he could leave immediately if he encountered trouble. If he added someone to his party, he even had to save her first before he could leave. He slipped away. He had received the money, so he quickly took a taxi and left. He returned to the shopping mall to continue on his path of earning money. ¡°This young man is quite extraordinary,¡± Wang Bin couldn¡¯t help but sigh when he saw Yang Jian leave. What was the most important thing in the 21st century? Talent. Yang Jian had such a special talent, and he also had smarts. Although he didn¡¯t have enough social experience, it was only because he was young. As long as he was given some time to grow, he would definitely be an influential figure in the future. ¡°If my daughter can be his girlfriend, it might be a good choice,¡± Wang Bin thought to himself. However, the young man didn¡¯t seem to be interested in Shanshan¡­ ¡­ His daughter wasn¡¯t bad-looking though. It can¡¯t be that Yang Jian was gay, right? If Yang Jian knew his thoughts, he would definitely scold Wang Bin for taking him as a gay just because he didn¡¯t show any apparent interest in his daughter. He was already a person who was at death¡¯s door, so how could he still have the mood for rtionships? He didn¡¯t even have time for sex. Back at the mall, other than the security room which was still lit up, the rest of the mall was pitch ck. When Yang Jian returned, the other security guard, Liu Qiang, was ying games on his phone, bored. ¡°Why are you only just back? How long have you been gone? To think you asked for leave right after you just started the job. Fortunately, I lied to Sister Li that you went to the toilet, or else you and I would have been scolded,¡± Liu Qiang said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have caused trouble for you. My ssmate had something urgent and needed me, so I was dyed for a while. It won¡¯t happen again,¡± Yang Jian apologized. ¡°You came at the right time though. It¡¯s almost 12 o¡¯clock, time to patrol. Let¡¯s go. If there¡¯s nothing else, we can turn off the lights and go back to sleep. We still have work at 8:30 tomorrow,¡± After saying that, Liu Qiang put down his phone, stretchedzily, and yawned. Yang Jian somewhat admired Liu Qiang. He was quite brave to have the guts to patrol in such a huge shopping mall alone. If it was the previous him, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have the courage to do so. ¡°The dormitory is upstairs. We¡¯ll patrol from the underground parking lot to upstairs so we can turn off the lights while we¡¯re at it and go straight back to the dormitory to sleep then. Otherwise, we¡¯ll have toe back again,¡± Liu Qiang said, ¡°Remember to take a shlight.¡± ¡°Thank you for the reminder,¡± Yang Jian nodded, picked up the shlight, and went on patrol with Liu Qiang. Although he only nned to observe here for three days, he still had to do what he should do and not be double-minded. As business wasn¡¯t open in the mall, there were not many cars in the underground parking lot. It was quite empty. ¡°Who owns that row of cars?¡± Suddenly, Yang Jian pointed to a row of five or six luxury cars and said, ¡°Were they left behind by the missing people?¡± ¡°No, those are all the boss¡¯s cars. He chooses to drive a different car every day. Who knows how many more cars the boss has at home? Alright, there¡¯s nothing wrong with the underground parking lot. Let¡¯s go up to the first floor to patrol,¡± said Liu Qiang. Yang Jian took a nce around the underground parking lot again. There was indeed nothing special about it. If there really was something wrong, he would¡¯ve been able to see it at a nce. They went on to patrol the first floor. Taking a turn with the shlight in the dark on the first floor, like in the underground parking lot, nothing happened. Other than the darkness, everything was normal. They then took the esctor to the second floor. However, before Yang Jian finished his round on the second floor, he suddenly heard a faint rumbling sounding from the upper floor of the mall. ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± Yang Jian shone the shlight to the top but didn¡¯t see anything. The sound seemed to being from the esctor between the fourth and fifth floors. ¡°It¡¯s the sound of the esctor running. Maybe Sister Li and the others went up and forgot to turn it off. Every esctor has a separate switch, so it¡¯s normal to forget about it. We¡¯ll clean up their mess in the end, anyway,¡± said Liu Qiang. ¡°Is that so? Let¡¯s go up and take a look,¡± said Yang Jian. Liu Qiang said, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Let¡¯s take our time. We have to first patrol around the third floor, then only the fourth. There are surveince cameras here. If people see us cking off, our pay will be deducted. Especially since you¡¯re new here, if you¡¯re caught cking off, you¡¯ll definitely be fired.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian felt that Liu Qiang was quite stubborn. Forget it, it was fine to take it slow. There was no one in the mall anyway, so even if something happened, it had nothing to do with him. The two of them slowly strolled through the third floor and the fourth floor before finally arriving at the esctor. The esctor in the mall was not a lift, but a crawler-type esctor. ¡°See, I told you it was fine. It¡¯s just that someone forgot to turn off the esctor¡¯s power. Okay, let¡¯s go,¡± Liu Qiang walked over and turned off the power at the esctor entrance. Yang Jian did not say anything else. He hoped that he was being paranoid. They took the esctor to the fifth floor. This time, it was not an illusion, the faint smell of corpses came again. It filled the air and would not go away. He hadn¡¯t smelled it when he was on the third floor. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong on the fifth floor¡­¡± Yang Jian held the shlight as he followed Liu Qiang around the fifth floor. There was nothing except for the closed shops and some shelves. Everything seemed calm. However, when Yang Jian passed by a clothing store, he shone the shlight into the store. Inside were stic mannequins. They were iplete, just like during the day. Nothing had changed. ¡°Everything is normal. Let¡¯s go back to sleep,¡± Liu Qiang yawned. ¡°Okay,¡± Yang Jian retracted his gaze and left the mall with Liu Qiang along the staff corridor, using the shlight to light the way. They returned to the staff dormitory. On the way, he suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Oh right, the esctor on the fourth floor should have been running since it was left open. Why wasn¡¯t it running when we were there previously?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an inductive esctor. It will only move when it senses someone there. If there¡¯s no one, it won¡¯t run,¡± said Liu Qiang. ¡°Since it¡¯s inductive, does that mean that the esctor had suddenly operated just now because someone was using it? But there¡¯s no one else in the mall other than us. Who was using the esctor?¡± said Yang Jian. Liu Qiang said, ¡°It may be a malfunction. If someone was on patrol before, they should have already seen it.¡± Yang Jian frowned. He wanted to go back and check, but he also felt that there was no need. He decided to wait until the boss came tomorrow. Just as Yang Jian and Liu Qiang went back to the dormitory to sleep, in the shopping mall, a slight rumbling sound sounded again. The esctors had begun to operate again. The power button of the esctor from the fifth floor to the fourth floor suddenly lit up and started to operate slowly. After about a minute, the esctor stopped. But the esctor from the fourth floor to the third floor began to operate. Boom boom¡­ After a moment of operation, it stopped. Then the esctor from the third floor to the second floor began to operate. Finally, after the esctor to the first floor operated for a moment, everything in the shopping mall returned to normal. Chapter 41 - 41 The Recurrence of the Stench of Death Chapter 41 The Recurrence of the Stench of Death Yang Jian woke up early the next day. Ever since bing a ghost controller, with the ghost eye added to his body, he had gradually noticed some changes in himself. The most obvious trait was that he found himself needing less and less sleep, yet he didn¡¯t feel tired. ¡°Only slept for six hours?¡± As Yang Jian washed his face, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He didn¡¯t look haggard, on the contrary, he exuded an aloof demeanor that seemed to warn others to stay away, and even he found himself somewhat unrecognizable. He nced at the red paper talisman on the back of his hand. A night had passed, and he hadn¡¯t felt the torment of the ghost eye¡¯s resurrection; instead, he had slept soundly. But on the red paper, there was now an inconspicuous crack. ¡°Is this red paper just a temporary solution, not a cure? Or is it because it¡¯s just a fragment and not whole?¡± Yang Jian shifted his gaze and couldn¡¯t help rubbing his head. ¡°It seems that solving my current half-dead state isn¡¯t going to be as easy as I thought.¡± Indeed. A global catastrophe, paranormal events were urring all over the world. All the ghost controllers hadn¡¯t found a way to survive, so how could hee up with one on his own? The red paper¡¯s ability to suppress the resurgence of malevolent ghosts was just a fluke he stumbled upon. ¡°Wait, hold on.¡± Yang Jian suddenly remembered the parchment. He took out the parchment he carried with him from his pocket and unfolded it to look. On the parchment was written: Today, I woke up very early, and I gradually realized that my body was starting to be affected by the ghost eye. This influence is happening subtly because I¡¯ve been finding that I need less and less sleep these past few days¡­ At this rate, I estimate it won¡¯t be long before I can go without sleep day and night. It¡¯s said that ghosts don¡¯t need to sleep; perhaps that¡¯s true. ¡°When I got you from Fang Jing, he said that you knew how a ghost controller could survive. I don¡¯t think he lied to me, so you must hold key clues.¡± Yang Jian stared at the parchment: ¡°If you¡¯re willing to tell me, I might reconsider your existence.¡± Words began to appear on the parchment: I really want to survive, I am gradually experiencing the pain of being a ghost controller, the oppression of death, the worry of ghost resurgence, and the changes in my own body¡­. This isn¡¯t what I should be suffering at my age, and today I couldn¡¯t help but once again question that strange piece of human skin, but I didn¡¯t get the answer I wanted¡­ The human skin didn¡¯t tell me anything useful. Or perhaps, it contains some secret, but it simply refuses to talk. What exactly is it hiding? Seeing the words on the parchment, Yang Jian¡¯s face went through a series of changes. In the past, he had felt that this parchment had its own consciousness, but ever since leaving the school, it had lost the ability to guide him. If it hadn¡¯t been for this parchment¡¯s guidance in that old man¡¯s Ghost Domain, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave alive. ¡°Since you refuse to reveal any information to me, you¡¯re useless. It would be better to burn you, so I don¡¯t have to carry a piece of human skin around. It¡¯s creepy.¡± Yang Jian finished washing up and threw the cursed thing onto the gas stove. He lit the me. However, under the gas stove fire, the parchment didn¡¯t react at all. The fire couldn¡¯t destroy it. ¡°Yang Jian, what are you burning? Are you cooking noodles?¡± Liu Qiang smelled gas and ran out of the room. Yang Jian, looking at the still intact parchment, slightly curved the corners of his mouth: ¡°Didn¡¯t burn anything, just checking to see if the stove works.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re cooking noodles, I have some sausages here,¡± Liu Qiang said. ¡°I have some too.¡± ¡°Indeed, I should bury this thing where no one will ever find it,¡± Yang Jian slightly furrowed his brows. If he was going to die, he definitely couldn¡¯t leave behind such a bizarre object. Just as he was about to put the human skin paper away. Suddenly, another line of text emerged: I can no longer get any useful information from this parchment. Thinking about the future, I n to dispose of it so that no one else can find it. But I¡¯m thinking, if I could use this parchment to catch a ghost, maybe I could get an answer I want. ¡°Catch a ghost? You¡¯re trying to trick me into getting killed,¡± Yang Jian said. Yang Jian nced at it and did not believe the nonsense written on it. He simply took it and nned to find a ce to bury it in a couple of days. Two hourster. The shopping mall opened its doors. Although still closed for business, Yang Jian and Liu Qiang had to work. At eight-thirty, they started their patrol. ¡°By the way, wasn¡¯t the elevator shut down yesterday? Howe it¡¯s open again?¡± Yang Jian stood on the esctor and suddenly remembered that the two of them had turned off the lights and the elevator before going back to restst night. Logically speaking, the elevator shouldn¡¯t be open so early in the morning. ¡°Elder Sister Li has the keys to this ce. Look, the doors of the mall are already open. I heard that the boss mighte back today; maybe Elder Sister Li already prepared ahead of time. Why do you always care about such matters?¡± Liu Qiang wondered somewhat puzzledly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just asking,¡± Yang Jian said. Today, indeed, all the lights in the mall were on, which was a bit unlike the usual dark and dreary atmosphere. Afterpleting a round of patrol, Yang Jian didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. Everything was normal. But it was this very normalcy that made Yang Jian feel uneasy. If even he could not find the problem, then there should not be any possibility of supernatural events in the mall, but why then had people disappeared? And Yang Jian always had the feeling that something was off somewhere in the mall. But he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. However, around ten o¡¯clock. A few luxury cars stopped in front of the mall. A group of people got out of the cars. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a suit who was somewhat short. ¡°The boss is here, be careful. The mall¡¯s been closed recently, and the boss¡¯s temper hasn¡¯t been great,¡± Liu Qiang whispered a word of caution. This short middle-aged man, surnamed Tang and named Tang¡¯an, was the owner of the shopping mall. He had been in real estate before and had switched to opening this mall in recent years. ¡°Master Luo, this is my shopping mall. Please take a look and see what¡¯s wrong with it. People have been disappearing every couple of days recently. Master Luo, watch the steps¡­¡± Boss Tang wore a fawning smile, leading a slick-looking man in his fifties. Three or five followers trailed behind them. This man named Master Luo suddenly gestured and said, ¡°We can¡¯t enter through the main door, let¡¯s go through another. Does your mall have another door?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, there¡¯s a delivery door,¡± Boss Tang replied hastily. ¡°Then let¡¯s enter the mall through there to take a look,¡± Master Luo said. Yang Jian, standing at the entrance, watched this scene, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. This was the hallmark behavior of a chatan. All smoke and mirrors, deceiving people. Everyone used the main entrance, the customers as well. But for this so-called master, it wasn¡¯t allowed? Even if there were ghosts, he should have noticed them during his patrols. Unless this Master Luo was also a ghost controller, and even more skilled than himself. But looking at his slick and spirited appearance, it was clear that he wasn¡¯t a ghost controller. ¡°You guys stay here and make sure no one elsees in. If anything happens, I¡¯ll call for you,¡± Elder Sister Li said, hurrying over then leading a few female colleagues to go greet the boss. Master Luo entered the mall through the side door, leading Boss Tang, the manager, Elder Sister Li, and a bunch of people around the mall, looking left and right, then nodding with a look that suggested he had everything figured out. It wasn¡¯t clear what he had understood. Or perhaps he had already thought of a script in his mind. Yang Jian wasn¡¯t interested. Although he knew that Master Luo was a chatan, he did not expose him. If there really were no supernatural events, then this chatan could just take the one million for himself. Anyway, it wouldn¡¯t be his problem. ¡°Hmm?¡± However, at that moment, Yang Jian¡¯s nose twitched, and he smelled a faint stench of decay again. ¡°That smell has appeared again. This time it seems¡­ very close, because the smell is stronger than before.¡± He turned and continued his patrol inside the mall, which was still quiet, and nothing had happened. Chapter 42: 42 Chapter Yan Li Chapter 42: 42 Chapter Yan Li As long as no supernatural events urred, Yang Jian had no need to step in and simply continued his job as a security guard. After Boss Tang had walked several rounds in the shopping mall with Master Luo, Master Luo directly spoke without waiting for him to ask, ¡°Boss Tang, your mall indeed has problems. I felt something was off about this ce from the moment I got out of the car.¡± ¡°Master, what exactly is the problem with my mall? Can it be solved?¡± Boss Tang¡¯s face changed slightly, and he asked cautiously. Master Luo smiled and said, ¡°Although it is a bit troublesome, you¡¯re lucky you asked for me. If it were someone else, they wouldn¡¯t have the ability to deal with it. You¡¯re in luck since I can indeed solve the problem for you. However, I have two approaches: symptomatic treatment and a radical cure. I just don¡¯t know which one you would prefer, Boss Tang?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between the two?¡± Boss Tang asked. Master Luo said, ¡°The symptomatic method is simple; I will handle it and everything here will naturally return to normal, with no more cases urring. But I can¡¯t guarantee that simr events won¡¯t reur in the future.¡± ¡°And the radical cure?¡± asked Boss Tang. ¡°A radical cure, well, that naturally means closing down and relocating, starting a new mall elsewhere. Since this ce is unclean, simr issues may arise in the future.¡± Master Luo looked at him, ¡°Boss Tang, think about it, haven¡¯t there been no missing cases in the mall since you closed for business?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Master is absolutely right. Ever since the mall closed, there truly haven¡¯t been any more incidents,¡± Boss Tang said with a face full of shock, expressing deep respect. The money was well spent. ¡°Then, if not relocating, how should we resolve it? Could you please think of a solution, Master?¡± Boss Tang asked again. What he cared most about was when his mall could open for business again. For each day it was closed, he was losing a day¡¯s profit¡ªa significant loss. Master Luo chuckled, ¡°I¡¯vee to you from afar; if I couldn¡¯t resolve your problem, how could I continue in this industry? It would be like smashing my own brand, but of course, the fee can¡¯t be less.¡± ¡°Understood, understood, please rest assured, Master, all necessary expenses will be met fully,¡± Boss Tang immediately promised earnestly. Master Luo nodded, ¡°When I was walking around your mall earlier, if you want a radical cure, I suggest you seal the main entrance and open a new door on the south side to serve as the main entrance. Leave the right side parking lot entrance as it is¡­ I will write down the specific construction n for youter; it¡¯s not convenient to go into detail here.¡± Boss Tang nodded again and again, already thoroughly convinced. Yang Jian was listening secretly as well. Howe he felt that this master knew what he was talking about¡­ He didn¡¯t seem like a con artist but someone who genuinely had the skills. However, he quickly dismissed this thought. After a little while, Master Luo¡¯s disciple brought over a bunch of odd and peculiar things, seemingly preparing to get to work. ¡°Close the main door,¡± Master Luo suddenly instructed his disciple. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Close the door,¡± A man dressed in a suit and leather shoes came over and scolded Yang Jian and Liu Qiang, ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t dawdle.¡± ¡°He¡¯s Manager Li, the right hand of the boss. Don¡¯t offend anyone else, just don¡¯t offend him,¡± Liu Qiang reminded him, and immediately started to close the doors of the mall. Yang Jian¡¯s face remained calm, and without getting angry, he simply turned to help close the doors. ¡°It needs to be locked. Once it¡¯s locked, that thing won¡¯t be able to get out,¡± Master Luo added. Lock it? Yang Jian was taken aback before saying, ¡°If we close and lock the door, even if there¡¯s really a ghost, it would lock the ghost inside, but then people won¡¯t be able to get out either. What about if they need to escape?¡± ¡°You, the new guy, what are you muttering about? Didn¡¯t you hear what the Master said? Lock the door quickly,¡± Manager Li scolded Yang Jian for his slow actions. Forget it. If there really was a problem, it would be on them, not on whether he locked the door or not. Click. He locked the front door. However, watching Master Luo¡¯s head shaking and swaying, Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but think of the beat of a social dance BGM in his mind, suddenly feeling that Master Luo was particrly cool. ¡°Pfft¡­..¡± Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help butugh, but quickly realized the inappropriateness of the setting and hurriedly covered his mouth. ¡°Who, who justughed?¡± Master Luo suddenly turned around and demanded. ¡°Was it youughing? Yourughter is disturbing my ritual¡ªdo you want to be responsible for the consequences?¡± Yang Jian seriously said, ¡°Master, you misunderstood, I just sneezed just now, and moreover, I have undergone special training by thepany. I am a serious and responsible security guard, and I wouldn¡¯tugh lightly no matter what happens.¡± Liu Qiang looked at him weirdly from one side. Since when did you, the neer, receive any training? ¡°There will be no next time,¡± Master Luo said dissatisfied. Yang Jian also felt the sharp, predatory gaze of Manager Li, but he ignored it. Soon, Master Luo continued with the ritual. But his movements and the frequency of his head shaking really matched the beat, and that bewitching BGM started ying in Yang Jian¡¯s head again. He couldn¡¯t help but snicker secretly. However, somehow Master Luo¡¯s ears were so sharp that he could hear even such a faint sound. ¡°You¡¯reughing again? I¡¯m leaving.¡± Master Luo was a bit fragile, angrily tossing aside what was in his hands. ¡°You don¡¯t need toe to work tomorrow; you¡¯re fired,¡± he said, seething. Manager Li immediately walked over and pointed at Yang Jian¡¯s nose, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about getting this month¡¯s sry.¡± Yang Jianughed and said, ¡°Sorry, I tried my best. I usually don¡¯tugh unless I really can¡¯t help it¡­ You all do as you like, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll leave tomorrow; having been here for only one day, whether or not I get the sry doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Furious and wanting to curse, Manager Li felt helpless against Yang Jian and said, ¡°Who hired this security guard? Later, someone will have to take responsibility for this¡­¡± However, just at that moment, something suddenly dropped from the upstairs. ¡°Bang~!¡± A loud noise reverberated, and something heavy hit the ground hard. ¡°What fell down?¡± everyone was startled. But when they gathered around to see, it frightened everyone, causing those with weaker constitutions to scream outright. A corpse. To be exact, a naked corpse without a head, already beginning to dpose and emitting a foul stench. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss, it¡¯s just a corpse. Found it after making a round. It should be someone from your mall who went missing¡­ Indeed, there are ghosts here. It¡¯sughable, Boss Tang, that you brought over some fraud to scam money. If they were of any use, we wouldn¡¯t need people like us,¡± said the man. A young man who looked to be in his early twenties, wearing short sleeves and gloves, slowly came down from the fourth floor on the elevator. ¡°You, who are you? Security¡­¡± Boss Tang called out somewhat frantically. ¡°No need to call security. Let me introduce myself first. My name is Yan Li, I used to be an electrician, but now I¡¯ve changed professions, specializing in handling supernatural events. Boss Tang, I think we can get to know each other today,¡± the young man named Yan Li said with a smile, reaching out his hand. Although he wore a smile, his demeanor was so cold that it made people unwilling to approach him. Hearing his words, Yang Jian¡¯s expression immediately became serious: ¡°Could this person also be a ghost wielder¡­ If that¡¯s true, then he¡¯s here to steal business?¡± Chapter 43: The Disappearing Corpse Chapter 43: The Disappearing Corpse Because Master Luo was performing a ritual, the entire mall was closed, not even the emergency exits were spared. I really don¡¯t know how this young man named Yan Li appeared in the mall, I didn¡¯t see him at all during the previous patrols. Could it be that he came early? Was the presence I¡¯ve been sensing in the mall these past few days him? Yang Jian observed this person named Yan Li, his mind racing with many thoughts. But¡­ how to exin the body that had begun to rot, which he also had not found during the patrol? Moreover, the cut on the neck of the corpse was clean and neat, something only a milling cutter in a factory would be able to make, but strangely, no blood flowed from the body. Boss Tang, Manager Li, and Master Luo, along with a group of others, watched Yan Li, who walked over as if nothing was wrong, with some horror. A murderer? A lunatic? Or a monster? Suddenly a lot of thoughts popped into their minds. Yan Li stretched out his hand in front of Boss Tang, but Boss Tang stepped back several paces and did not shake hands with him, only asking with some horror, ¡°Who exactly are you? What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here just to discuss a business deal with you, Boss Tang. I¡¯m just not sure if you¡¯re interested?¡± he said with a smile as he withdrew his hand. ¡°What business?¡± Yan Li said firmly, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this mall should be harboring a ghost. The people who disappeared from your mall before were all killed by that ghost, and even at this moment, the ghost is still lurking somewhere in the mall, watching us. I can solve this problem for you, but in return, I want five million.¡± Boss Tang understood; this person was here to extort him. He had already invited a master, what need did he have for this man of unknown origins? Before he could speak, Master Luo sneered, ¡°Young man, what sect do you belong to? Do you know the rules? And so young, you look to be just over twenty, do you understand feng shui, the I Ching? You¡¯re probably just a half-baked practitioner. I will resolve Boss Tang¡¯s problem today, and if you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll leave quickly.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll have the security throw you out.¡± Yan Li also mocked, ¡°An ignorant chatan who doesn¡¯t know how tall the sky is or how thick the earth is, talking about feng shui? You might fool those nouveau riche, but it¡¯s useless now, because there truly is a ghost here. If the ghostes out, what are you going to do with your Peach Wood Sword? With those worthless paper Talismans? Even if you bring the Tathagata Buddha from the temple, it will be useless.¡± ¡°Also, I warn you to watch the way you speak; otherwise, I¡¯ll rip out your heart and stuff it in your mouth.¡± His previously smiling face suddenly changed, bing sinister and cold as he grabbed Master Luo and lifted him up, his strength surprisingly great. The chilling tone left no doubt in anyone¡¯s mind that he meant what he said. Sweat formed on Master Luo¡¯s forehead as a look of panic shed in his eyes, and he subconsciously felt a sense of fear towards this man. This man was like the most vicious murderer in a prison, cold-blooded and brutal. No, even the most vicious murderer was not as sinister and terrifying as him. ¡°This man must be a ghost charmer,¡± Yang Jian realized, observing his terrible and unnatural demeanor. He was certain that this man had been tormented by the ghost inside him. Having a ghost residing within one¡¯s body, one would constantly be under the influence of that malevolent spirit. This change was happening in subtle and silent ways. Yang Jian had already felt this change. ¡°Security, security,e quickly, subdue this man, make him let go of Master Luo.¡± Manager Li¡¯s face changed, urgently calling for help. Liu Qiang hesitated for a moment, then braced himself and walked over. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, security? Why aren¡¯t youing to help? Do you still want your job or not? Get over here now!¡± Seeing Yang Jian unmoved and not heeding hismands, Manager Li pointed at him and shouted furiously. Yang Jian said, ¡°I was dismissed by you earlier; I¡¯m no longer a security guard for the mall. I will return this uniformter, which means I am no longer under your management. You¡¯ll have to deal with this situation yourself.¡± ¡°Also, don¡¯t go pointing and cursing. Although you¡¯re the mall manager, if you push me too far, I won¡¯t mind giving you a beating.¡± ¡°Damn it,¡± Manager Li¡¯s face turned blue with rage. Are the security guards nowadays all so assertive? He had dismissed Yang Jian earlier, and now he was challenging him. Boss Tang said, ¡°Young man, I¡¯m the owner of this mall. If you are willing to help, you are still a member of thepany. I¡¯ll even give you a raise afterwards, what do you say?¡± ¡°I think this job is a bit too dangerous, it might be better to find another one,¡± Yang Jian said indifferently; ¡°I appreciate your kind offer, boss.¡± Boss Tang also felt disappointed; he didn¡¯t me Yang Jian but instead gave Manager Li a strange look. This manager is an idiot. I¡¯ll rece himter. This shopping center had always had difficulty hiring people, and just when two young and strong security guards finally came on board, at a time when they were needed the most, you had to go and y the tough guy and fire them. Now, they¡¯ve gone on strike and refuse to help. With your talent for scolding people, why don¡¯t I see you stepping up now? ¡°Call the police,¡± Boss Tang ordered in a low voice, struggling to contain his anger. Elder Sister Li, waking up to the urgency, immediately grabbed her phone and began to call the police. ¡°Brother, calm down¡­¡± Liu Qiang walked over, trying to appear brave, even though he didn¡¯t really dare to provoke this peculiar young man. After all, it was just a job; it wasn¡¯t worth risking his life over. ¡°I am calm. If I weren¡¯t, you¡¯d all be dead by now¡­¡± Yan Li revealed a hint of a cruel smile at the corner of his mouth. He slowly let go of the frightened and pale-faced Master Luo, then gave him a shove, causing him to fall to the ground. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve called the police,¡± Elder Sister Li whispered. Boss Tang nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s not panic, let¡¯s stabilize this person first.¡± Looking at the corpse giving off a putrid smell, this person named Yan Li was very likely to be the murderer. It¡¯s probable he was also behind the previous disappearances in the shopping mall. ¡°Boss Tang, I think we can continue our previous discussion now. Five million, I¡¯ve caught the ghost for you, how about letting your shopping mall operate normally?¡± Yan Li said. ¡°You, you¡¯re asking for too much,¡± Boss Tang said with a grave expression. ¡°Compared to what¡¯s in this shopping mall, my price is quite fair,¡± Yan Li said with a smirk. ¡°If it were lower, I might consider it,¡± Boss Tang said, stalling for time, believing that Yan Li was the murderer, and he had already had someone call the police. Yang Jian watched as Yan Li and Boss Tang haggled, shaking his head inwardly. Yan Li was too reckless. Although supernatural incidents were abundant all around the world, most people still didn¡¯t believe in them. Asking directly for five million was something no one would agree to. Only after Boss Tang truly saw a ghost and understood the terror of that thing would it be a good time to negotiate. Having previously dealt with Wang Bin, Yang Jian had gained some experience. But just as the atmosphere was getting heavier. Suddenly. The sound of someone turning off the lights echoed. The entire shopping mall was suddenly plunged into darkness. A ckout? Everyone was startled. ¡°No,¡± Yan Li¡¯s face changed suddenly, as he looked up sharply at the fifth floor of the shopping mall. In the dim environment, a figure stood vaguely by the ss railing on the fifth floor, seemingly looking down here. And that figure¡­ seemed to be headless. ¡°Finally showed up, huh?¡± Yan Li said, his voice tinged with a bit of madness. He didn¡¯t pay any attention to the others and immediately ran up the stairs following the esctor. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yang Jian squinted, also noticing the figure on the fifth floor, but then he frowned. Because that stench of decay wasing from the first floor. Was the ghost upstairs, or downstairs? ¡°Ah~!¡± Suddenly a staff member screamed sharply, pointing in a direction on the first floor. This staff member, Wuei Xiaohong, was a twenty-something cashier. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? It¡¯s just a ckout, there¡¯s no need to scream,¡± Manager Li scolded. ¡°Take this chance to open the door and leave while that murderer has run off. Someone wille to take care of this soon.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, the¡­ the corpse that man threw down just now, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s gone,¡± Wuei Xiaohong stammered, pointing to where the body had been lying. Looking there now, there was nothing. The body had indeed disappeared. Seeing this, everyone¡¯s eyes narrowed and a chill ran through their bodies. But the stench of decay in the air persisted, and it seemed to be growing stronger. Chapter 44 - 44 Mysterious Mall Chapter 44 Mysterious Mall Yang Jian looked at the corpse that had already disappeared, and his eyes gradually became solemn. This group of people had really gotten themselves into trouble. It seemed that the ghost lurking in the mall had truly made its appearance. But where could that ghost be now? The surroundings were dim, not so much that you couldn¡¯t see at all, but enough that you could only make out a person¡¯s outline, not the features of each person¡¯s face. At this time, Boss Tang, Manager Li, Master Luo, and the others weren¡¯t concerned about why the lights were out. Seeing the corpse disappear, they each began to panic, instinctively feeling that something bad was happening. Haunted? The two candles on the table were still burning, the orange mes flickering unsteadily in the darkness. However, with the mall sorge, the two candles were hardly enough to fully light up the ce, only managing to dimly illuminate the surroundings. Furthermore, as people blocked the light, shadows moved about, adding an even more sinister feel to the eerie atmosphere. ¡°Quick, let¡¯s get out of here. It wasn¡¯t sessful before, and that filthy thing has been angered. If we don¡¯t leave now, something terrible will definitely happen,¡± cried Master Luo at that moment. Faced with such bizarre incidents, it was highly likely they had really encountered a ghost. He didn¡¯t dare stay there any longer. As soon as he said this, a female staff member let out a sharp scream and started to flee the ce. Suddenly, they were scurrying around like headless flies. But then they discovered a very serious problem. All the exits of the mall were locked, both the main entrance and the emergency passages. This was per the instructions of that Master Luo. ¡°The key, where¡¯s the key? Security, hurry up and open the door,¡± Boss Tang tried to open the main door and, finding it locked, called out in a panic. ¡°I told you, why did you lock the doors so firmly? If you wanted to keep the ghost inside, didn¡¯t you think that you¡¯re inside too? Now you¡¯ve really done it,¡± said Yang Jian as he turned on his shlight to illuminate the surroundings. ¡°Young man, where¡¯s the key to the main door? Hurry, open the door,¡± Boss Tang said, a bit frantic. Yang Jian shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have the key. I¡¯m new here; today is only my second day at work. Elder Sister Li is in charge of the keys. I can only lock the doors, not open them. Moreover, isn¡¯t the person next to you supposed to be able to catch ghosts? Why don¡¯t you let him show his skills and capture that ghost? That way, we¡¯d all be safe?¡± Saying this, he turned his gaze to the side where Master Luo stood, sweating profusely. ¡°It¡¯s all because you meddled earlier and prevented me from finishing. Otherwise, none of this would have happened. Now that thing has been riled up, it won¡¯t be so easy to deal with,¡± Master Luo angrily used, pointing his finger directly at Yang Jian¡¯s wrongdoing. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how as an adult, you¡¯re so irresponsible to pin the me on me like this. Do you have no sense of your own abilities or whether you can catch a ghost? Look at how scared you are, and you still dare to talk? With how scared you are, if a real ghost shows up, you¡¯d definitely be done for,¡± Yang Jian nced at him with a hint of mockery. Master Luo retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Although I can¡¯t deal with the thing here, with me around, that thing won¡¯t have the capacity to harm people.¡± ¡°Boss Tang, you can rest assured. I guarantee your safety, and nothing will go wrong,¡± he imed confidently. Trusting him, Boss Tang replied, ¡°Then I leave everything in your hands.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Master Luo again disyed his conman potential with full confidence. Yang Jian shook his head, thinking that Master Luo indeed had some skill to be able to deceive Boss Tang to this extent. Suddenly, he seemed to hear a sound rolling over. He moved his shlight and shone it on the ground to the side. In the light, a head was rolling towards them. The head had neatlybed hair and appeared to be that of a female staff member, looking just like Wuei Xiaohong, the cashier who had suddenly screamed about the disappearing corpse. ¡°Oh my god.¡± Master Luo¡¯s legs gave way in fright, and he tumbled backward against a wall, copsing onto the floor. His pants were wet. He had peed himself. Boss Tang and Manager Li also widened their eyes in fear. Before, when the corpse had just disappeared, their hearts weren¡¯t that afraid, but seeing the head of the employee who had been alive just moments ago roll towards them made it different. Everyone realized that this was not just an ordinary brush with the supernatural. ¡°Has the ghost started killing?¡± Yang Jian frowned deeply. He hadn¡¯t used the power of his ghost eye. He refrained from resorting to the powers of malevolent spirits unless absolutely necessary, especially when there was no benefit to be had. Yet out of curiosity, he approached, shining his shlight on Wuei Xiaohong¡¯s head. ¡°There¡¯s no blood at the neck.¡± He knelt down and manipted the head slightly, and a wave of revolting stench of decay hit him. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s just died¡­ it¡¯s as if she¡¯s been dead for several days. But why would a head that¡¯s been dead for days remain so intact?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. She was still alive before, how could she have started decaying in the blink of an eye? And the ghost hasn¡¯t used the Ghost Domain; it shouldn¡¯t have been able to decay the body this fast.¡± Yang Jian fell into deep contemtion. What exactly was this ghost that haunted the mall? There wasn¡¯t enough information, and he had never even seen that ghost. He simply couldn¡¯t figure out the ghost¡¯s abilities or its patterns of movement. Moreover, since the terms had not been agreed upon, he didn¡¯t want to exert himself and waste his power. Without dy, he stood up, turned around and said, ¡°A serious incident has indeed urred; there really is a ghost in the mall. I suggest you leave and escape now, get out of here.¡± ¡°All the doors here are locked, how do we leave? And what about Elder Sister Li, doesn¡¯t she have the keys? Can you help us find her and get her toe unlock the doors?¡± Manager Li said. Yang Jian looked at him and said, ¡°This mall is so big, who knows where Elder Sister Li ran off to in fear. I¡¯m not going to look for her. If you want to go, you go. But out of kindness, I can give you a tip: although the first floor is locked, the safety passage on the fifth floor isn¡¯t. If you go from there, you can reach the fifth-floor tform and then circle around to descend from another ce to leave here.¡± ¡°Right, right, right, how could I not have thought of that, thank you, young man, for the reminder, thank you.¡± Manager Li, ecstatic, instantly took off running. ¡°What about you guys? Are you not leaving?¡± Yang Jian looked at Master Luo and Boss Tang and the others said. Reminded by this, the others quickly came to their senses. Several employees immediately got scared and followed Manager Li up the stairs as if fleeing for their lives. ¡°Young man, thank you for the reminder; I¡¯m so grateful.¡± Boss Tang grabbed his hand, excited. ¡°Don¡¯t be so affectionate, and besides, I¡¯m just giving you a heads-up. Whether you can safely get out is still a question. Move quickly, don¡¯t waste time,¡± Yang Jian said calmly. He wanted to see if these people¡¯s escape would lure the ghost out. Of course¡­ he really did need to go to the bathroom now. Boss Tang said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to go with us, young man?¡± ¡°No, I want to go to the bathroom first. You go ahead,¡± Yang Jian said. Boss Tang was taken aback. What kind of time was it to think about going to the bathroom? The fifth floor of the mall. It was only when Yan Li ran to the fifth floor that he clearly saw the figure next to the railing. He froze, as what stood before him was not a person but a stic mannequin, perfectly shaped like a human, standing in the dimness and eerily simr to a person, impossible to distinguish. Only, this mannequin, like the rotting corpse he had found earlier, Was headless. ¡°The ghost is not on the fifth floor¡­¡± Yan Li suddenly realized something and looked down the stairs. At that moment, a sound echoed; the entire mall lost power, and in the gloom, only two candles were lit. But then a woman¡¯s scream came from below, followed by panic in the crowd as people began to flee in all directions. ¡°A diversion?¡± For some reason, the idiom popped into Yan Li¡¯s mind. But could a ghost be that clever? ¡°Damn it.¡± No matter what, he gritted his teeth and decided to head to the first floor immediately. However, at that moment, Yan Li caught something from the corner of his eye and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. The headless stic mannequin that had been standing by the railing was now gone. Looking around, he couldn¡¯t find any trace of the mannequin. It was as if it had vanished into thin air. ¡°Tap! Tap!¡± Yet behind him, a faint sound of footsteps arose. ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± Yan Li quickly turned around. A headless mannequin now stood right behind him; however, its arms were raised as if reaching out for him. ¡°Seeking death,¡± Yan Li bellowed and immediately grabbed the outstretched arms of the stic mannequin. His palms turned a deep crimson at that moment, emitting a strong scent of blood. Droplets of fresh blood oozed from his fingers and dripped down onto the floor. The arms of the mannequin, soaked in this rich blood, suddenly copsed with a bang, disjointing and scattering across the floor. Peace returned to the surroundings instantly. ¡°Was that the ghost?¡± With a sense of gravity, Yan Li examined the disassembled faux mannequin on the ground. There was nothing unusual. Even soaked in the blood from his hands, it showed no change. It was just an ordinary fake mannequin. ¡°This thing here is not easy to deal with,¡± Yan Li frowned deeply. The blood on the ground began to move slowly, as if alive, crawling up his palm and gradually seeping inside. Chapter 45 - 45 Jiang Yan Chapter 45 Jiang Yan ¡°First, I need to find a safe ce for myself, and deal with the ghost slowly; as long as I don¡¯t use the power of the evil spirit inside my body, I won¡¯t be at a loss. Besides, that person named Yan Li is also quite unique. I want to find out what exactly makes this ghost controller special, and if there¡¯s anything worth learning or drawing from.¡± Yang Jian watched the fleeing group of people, his expression unchanged, unmoved. If he had used the Ghost Domain just now, he could have transported these people out of there in an instant. But that would have been a self-damaging act with no benefits. Such things, Yang Jian would not do. He would only make his move when these people were most desperate and afraid. To exchange the least cost for the greatest benefit. After all, things thate too easily are not cherished by anyone; that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t even bother to discuss terms just now. It¡¯s better to let Boss Tang experience this first, then it would be easier to start a negotiation. Besides that, there was that man named Yan Lipeting for business. If the ghost proves to be a tough one to deal with, Yang Jian wouldn¡¯t mind slipping away and letting Yan Li deal with the ghost, after all, that man came specifically for the ghost. This isn¡¯t anything worth fighting over. Using the power of the evil spirit too much could actually hasten one¡¯s own demise. Having thought things through, Yang Jian, acting as if nothing was wrong, walked towards the bathroom with his shlight. While he was biting the shlight and urinating, the light shone on a corner of the bathroom and he suddenly saw a foot sticking out from thest stall, d in a ck stocking, clearly belonging to a woman. ¡°Why would there be a woman¡¯s foot in the men¡¯s bathroom? Could it be a pervert, or is this yet another body?¡± Yang Jian froze for a moment, then walked over with his shlight, carefully opening the door to take a peek. In the stall, there was a woman curled up, dressed in a white blouse and skirt, likely an employee of the mall. However, her face was pale, eyes closed, and it was unclear whether she was dead or not. He reached out to check for her breath. There was breathing; she was not dead. Yang Jian immediately felt surprised; if the woman were a corpse, he wouldn¡¯t be shocked, but she was alive. During his work days before, he had seen the employees in the mall, not all recognizable perhaps, but at least familiar, yet he was sure he had never seen this woman these past two days. Because¡­ this woman was quite beautiful. The female staff members in the mall were not especially attractive, making them easy to overlook. ¡°Wake up, hey miss, wake up,¡± Yang Jian nudged her. After a little while, the beautiful woman slowly came to, but when she opened her eyes and saw Yang Jian, her eyes widened with fear. She shrank back as if she had seen a ghost, about to scream, but Yang Jian quickly covered her mouth. ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t yell. If you attract the ghost, you¡¯ll be the one to die,¡± Yang Jian urgently covered her mouth. Women really are another kind of trouble. Time to slip away. After seeing her regain some semnce of calm, Yang Jian prepared to leave, thinking about finding a different ce to stay. ¡°Wait, wait a second.¡± The woman quickly grabbed Yang Jian¡¯s hand, looked up at him with fear and anxiety, and said, ¡°You¡¯re human, right?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m human, otherwise would I be standing here talking to you?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Do you work in the mall?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an ountant for the mall, my name is Jiang Yan. Who are you, and howe you¡¯re here, dressed like that?¡± the woman named Jiang Yan held onto Yang Jian¡¯s hand and asked. Yang Jian said with a bit of amusement, ¡°I¡¯m a new security guard. I just came here to use the restroom. What about you? What¡¯s a woman doing hiding in the men¡¯s bathroom? Just now, a foot sticking out gave me quite the fright. I thought you were dead.¡± ¡°Outside, there¡¯s a ghost. I was too scared to leave. I¡¯ve been hiding here for four days, surviving on a pack of biscuits and tap water. I¡¯m starving now. Do you have anything to eat?¡± said Jiang Yan, somewhat weakly. So, her pallor was a result of hunger. ¡°Wait a moment; let me check if there¡¯s anything to eat,¡± Yang Jian patted his pocket and said, ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t have anything on me. There¡¯s food outside though, how about we go out and have something to eat?¡± ¡°But¡­ outside, there¡¯s a ghost,¡± fear showed on Jiang Yan¡¯s face. ¡°You know there¡¯s a ghost outside, so does that mean you¡¯ve seen that ghost?¡± Yang Jian suddenly realized and asked urgently, ¡°What does the ghost look like? Where is it?¡± If Jiang Yan had really seen that ghost, it would save him a great deal of trouble. A ghost that has been identified and confirmed isn¡¯t that terrifying and can at least be guarded against and prepared for. Ghosts that can¡¯t be found are the most terrifying. Jiang Yan nodded her head. ¡°Then hurry up and exin. Right now, there¡¯s a haunting happening outside, and Boss Tang has hired a fraud toe here and court death. If this isn¡¯t resolved soon, my money is going down the drain,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan hesitated and said, ¡°Give me something to eat, and I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯m starving to death.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to strike a bargain,¡± Yang Jian looked at her oddly, ¡°But seeing how pitiable you are, I¡¯ll go get you something to eat.¡± He immediately left the restroom. At this moment, the first floor of the shopping mall was devoid of people, but there was noiseing from above, indicating that Boss Tang and his group had not yet left the mall. After grabbing some biscuits, snacks, and water from a snack shop that had closed down, Yang Jian returned to the restroom. Seeing the food, Jiang Yan¡¯s eyes lit up, and she impatiently tore open the packaging and started eating like a starving wolf. Within a short while, the food was gone. ¡°Is there any more?¡± Jiang Yan looked at Yang Jian full of hope. Yang Jian said, ¡°That¡¯s all, do you want a ham sausage?¡± ¡°Where is it? Give it to me quick,¡± said Jiang Yan urgently. ¡°Where do you say it is?¡± Yang Jian looked down and said. Jiang Yan gave him a somewhat seductive look, ¡°If you can take me out of this ghostly ce, we can talk about anything¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyelid twitched as he sized her up. Despite her wan appearance, Jiang Yan was quite attractive, definitely a seven out of ten. She wasn¡¯t tall, but she had a good figure. Wait a second. What was he looking at? Yang Jian snapped back to reality. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now. You said earlier that you¡¯ve seen the ghost? So, can you now tell me what that ghost looks like, or what kind of being it is?¡± Seemingly recalling some terrifying memory, Jiang Yan¡¯splexion changed slightly, and with a hint of fear, she said, ¡°It was four days ago. I was working at the mall as usual until I went to the restroom that day and ran into that cashier girl named Wei Xiaohong. I was about to leave the restroom when I saw her outside¡­ At first she was shaking her head at the mirror. I thought it was strange and was about to ask her, but then suddenly I saw her take her own head off.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, just like a doll, she lifted her own head right off with both hands¡­ I was petrified at the time. It wasn¡¯t until she put her head back on that I ran out of the restroom,¡± Jiang Yan said while gesturing with her hands, very agitated. ¡°But as soon as I got out of the restroom, Wei Xiaohong turned and nced at me. I was so scared that I identally ran into the men¡¯s restroom and have been hiding here ever since. I¡¯ve thought about running out, but every time, I could see Wei Xiaohong sitting nearby waiting for me¡­ outside the restroom. If I go out, she will surely kill me. I heard ghosts don¡¯t dare to enter men¡¯s restrooms, so I¡¯m safe only if I stay here.¡± Wei Xiaohong? Yang Jian immediately said, ¡°Impossible, she can¡¯t possibly be a ghost.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, it was really her. I saw it with my own eyes,¡± said Jiang Yan. ¡°You have to believe me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but I trust my own eyes more, because Wei Xiaohong is already dead,¡± Yang Jian said seriously. The head that had rolled through the mall before was Wei Xiaohong¡¯s. If she was a ghost, then how could she be without a head? Do ghosts have a tendency tomit suicide? ¡°It¡¯s true, she really took her own head off. I saw it clearly,¡± Jiang Yan insisted. ¡°Shh, wait, someone¡¯sing.¡± Suddenly, Yang Jian covered her mouth and then turned off the shlight. In the darkness, footsteps approached the restroom. The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, just like a normal person walking. Something wasn¡¯t right. Yang Jian¡¯s expression hardened. Since there were no people left on the first floor of the mall, it was impossible for the footsteps to be so steady in the pitch-ck surroundings. Could it be Wei Xiaohong? He thought about that head with a deathly pallor and a strong odor of decay left in the mall. If Wei Xiaohong really was a ghost, it seemed not entirely impossible. Chapter 46 - 46 The True Identity Chapter 46 The True Identity Hearing the footstepsing towards the toilet. Yang Jian covered Jiang Yan¡¯s mouth, turned off the shlight, and gently hushed her, signaling her to make no noise. Jiang Yan was much smarter than the students at school, reacting immediately. Fearing that Yang Jian¡¯s cover was not tight enough, she covered her mouth again. Not only did she not make a sound, but she even held her breath. When the shlight was turned off, the entire toilet was plunged into darkness, and the surrounding silence was somewhat terrifying. But within the darkness, the footsteps of the person approaching became extraordinarily clear. Without a doubt, someone casually walked into the toilet. That person did not turn on a shlight or use a mobile phone for light, nor did they speak, just like an ordinary person using the toilet, naturally. Yang Jian could feel the presence of that person outside. Jiang Yan felt it too, her eyes wide open with a look of fear. ¡°Did the footsteps stop?¡± Afterward, Yang Jian¡¯s expression shifted slightly as he heard the footsteps outside disappear, seemingly as if the person who came in had stopped. Judging by the distance of the footsteps, he could roughly guess that the person was standing next to the first toilet stall. ¡°What is he trying to do? He¡¯s not really going to use the toilet, is he? Should we go out and check¡­¡± Yang Jian weighed his options. But on further thought, he decided against it. Because once he encountered the ghost, he would be forced to use the power of the malevolent spirit for self-defense, thus wasting an opportunity for nothing. Not worth it. But at that moment. ¡°Bang!¡± A loud noise suddenly echoed throughout the toilet. It was as if the sound of a door panel breaking erupted. The door of the first toilet stall seemed to have been violently kicked open by someone. ¡°Wuu wuu~!¡± Jiang Yan trembled in fear, and if not for her desperately covering her mouth, she would have screamed in terror. As the sound subsided, that person began moving again, with footsteps echoing once more in the toilet. After a few steps, the person seemed to stop in front of the door to the second toilet stall. ¡°Bang~!¡± Another sound of a door panel breaking thundered, the second toilet stall was violently smashed open by that thing outside, and one could faintly hear the sound of a water tank shattering and water pipes spraying. The noise settled into silence once again. But then the footsteps continued. The person outside reached the front of the third stall¡­ ¡°Wu, wu wu.¡± Jiang Yan was shaking all over with fear, her eyes tightly closed, enveloped in terror. She could feel that whatever was outside was definitely not human, it was unquestionably that ghost. There were only five toilet stalls, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before she was found by the ghost. By then, she was certain to die. ¡°Could that thing be targeting me only?¡± Yang Jian also felt that the person outside was gradually approaching, methodically opening each stall in search of someone possibly hiding. ¡°Bang~!¡± Yet another loud sound as the door to the fourth stall was opened. ¡°No choice, since that thing is after me and no one else, I¡¯ll have to fight it.¡± Yang Jian took a deep breath, no longer covering Jiang Yan¡¯s mouth, and he turned to watch the door to their stall. As soon as the door was opened and he saw the ghost, he would not hesitate to use Ghost Domain. Jiang Yan felt Yang Jian stand up, and with courage from who knows where, she quickly stood up too, hugging Yang Jian from behind, unwilling to let go. ¡°You, you¡­ take me with you when you escape, I don¡¯t want to die, please, I¡¯ll agree to anything you ask, just to get out of here, I can be your girlfriend, sleep with you¡­¡± With a voice filled with sobs and pleading, she feared Yang Jian would run away and leave her alone. ¡°Quiet.¡± Yang Jian whispered forcefully. ¡°Mhm~!¡± Jiang Yan obediently bit her lip, making no sound at all, but her body couldn¡¯t stop shaking from fear. At this moment, Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but admire this woman. She was very sensitive, seemingly knowing he had the ability to protect her, clinging to him as if he were thest lifeline, willing to say anything, agree to any condition. But he had no time to pay attention to her now. His expression was grave as he listened for any sound from outside. ¡°It¡¯sing~!¡± Suddenly, he felt it. The ghost was drawing near. Right outside the stall, separated by only a thin wooden door, the distance must have been less than two meters. It could be said they were in extremely close proximity. A faint stench of decay wafted in, the same smell he had encountered when he first came to the mall two days ago. It wasn¡¯t very intense, almost imperceptible. ¡°Bang~!¡± Suddenly. A loud noise erupted, as if the thin wooden door of the room had been struck by an immense force, almost shattering immediately. The reverberating power nearly sent Yang Jian and Jiang Yan, behind him, staggering backward, until they finally stopped, leaning against the wall. ¡°Creak~!¡± At that moment, the wooden door slowly opened a crack. Through the gap, darkness still enveloped everything outside, revealing nothing. Yang Jian could feel that the ghost was just outside. It was only theck of light that made it impossible to see clearly. ¡°It didn¡¯te in immediately? Seems to have stopped.¡± Yang Jian almost instinctively wanted to use his Ghost Eye, but he restrained himself. Because¡­ since the ghost hadn¡¯te in to kill, it meant that he and Jiang Yan weren¡¯t the ghost¡¯s primary targets. This was very important. Yang Jian stared intently into the darkness ahead, making no rash moves. As long as the ghost outside didn¡¯t take further action, he wouldn¡¯t use his Ghost Eye. Like this, man and ghost were seemingly at a standoff, separated by a slightly ajar wooden door. Yang Jian made no noise or movement, and the ghost outside remained still as well. Everything seemed to have frozen in time. But, out of caution, he still slowly reached out to close the slightly open wooden door. There was still no sound from outside, indicating that the ghost was neither looking for him nor Jiang Yan. Just when Yang Jian thought the situation would settle down like this. Jiang Yan, seemingly ufortable from being squeezed by Yang Jian, gently turned her body halfway. However, the next moment. ¡°Bang! Thud! Thud!¡± The door was violently struck again, almost bursting open. ¡°Not good, it¡¯s back,¡± Yang Jian quickly blocked the door. Jiang Yan, though frightened, was not foolish; she too threw herself at the flimsy wooden door in terror to brace it. However, the banging on the door became even more intense, with each strike stronger than thest, several times nearly breaking open, but Yang Jian forcibly closed it back. At that moment, he couldn¡¯t help but be tempted to use the Ghost Domain. No, that¡¯s not right, Why did the ghost not act before but suddenly moved when Jiang Yan turned around? ¡°Don¡¯t back against the door; turn around,¡± Yang Jianmanded, grabbing Jiang Yan and turning her around. As soon as Jiang Yan turned, the noise outside the door immediately lessened, then quickly ceased altogether. Once again, calm was restored. ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­¡± At that moment, Yang Jian¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of surprise. He had figured out the conditions for the ghost¡¯s killings. The calmsted a good while. The utterck of action from the ghost outside made Yang Jian increasingly confident in his hypothesis and conjectures. ¡°Since neither Jiang Yan nor I meet this ghost¡¯s killing conditions, and the ghost isn¡¯t indiscriminately attacking, it means¡­ the danger level of this ghost is only C, restricted,¡± he thought. As he pondered. The ghost outside started moving again. This time, it was not approaching Yang Jian¡¯s side, but instead gradually moved towards the outside of the restroom. The footsteps grew fainter and fainter. The ghost in the single room had given up on Yang Jian and Jiang Yan and begun to choose other targets instead. ¡°Is it leaving? But I must uncover the true identity of this ghost,¡± said Yang Jian, his gaze shifting as he quickly took out his phone, opened the camera, and stretched his hand outside the room to snap a photo in the direction the footsteps were fading. ¡°Click.¡± The sh went off for a moment. ¡°What are you doing? What if you lure that thing back?¡± Jiang Yan eximed behind him, pinching Yang Jian and speaking in a panicked voice. ¡°Of course I¡¯m taking a photo. I need to determine the ghost¡¯s identity. You say Wuei Xiaohong is the ghost, but I saw her yesterday, alive and well, not looking like a ghost at all. If she is indeed the ghost, then I should be able to capture her appearance, even the slightest facial feature would be enough,¡± Yang Jian spoke calmly. ¡°This is my matter, you need not worry. If the ghost hasn¡¯t burst through the door to attack us, it means we aren¡¯t its targets. If something really goes wrong, I¡¯ll take responsibility. I won¡¯t deliberately get you killed.¡± However, when he looked at the photo he had just taken, he was immediately stunned. ¡°Impossible, how could it be him?¡± The photo didn¡¯t capture the entire visage of the ghost, only less than half of the body, with the rest conveniently obscured by the restroom¡¯s corner wall. And that partial body was dressed in a security uniform identical to his own. Chapter 47 - 47 Action Chapter 47 Action Yang Jian stared at the photo on his phone and was immediately stunned. Although he couldn¡¯t see the face of the person in the security guard uniform, there was only one other person in the entire mall wearing that uniform besides him¡­ Liu Qiang. There was no mistake, there were only two security guards in the mall, he was one, and the other was Liu Qiang. It was impossible for it to be Yang Jian, so there was no doubt about Liu Qiang¡¯s identity. He was¡­ a ghost. Yang Jian recalled his first time entering the mall, indeed he had smelled a stench of decay. At that time, he saw Liu Qiang walking over from the darkness, greeting him, and he distinctly remembered Liu Qiang saying he had gone to use the bathroom. Use the bathroom? How could he have failed to discover Jiang Yan hiding in the bathroom if he had really gone there? It seemed everything matched. Yang Jian deeply furrowed his brow, ¡°This can¡¯t be right, if Liu Qiang is a ghost, then why didn¡¯t he attack me when I was staying with him in the dormitory? At that time, I also met the conditions to be attacked by this ghost¡­¡± However, the possibility of Liu Qiang being a ghost was quite high, but there were still doubts. Guessing blindly was useless. He must investigate further. With his current understanding and control over this ghost, he had enough confidence to deal with it. ¡°So, has that ghost left? Are things okay now?¡± Jiang Yan asked tentatively and with nervousness. Yang Jian said, ¡°It¡¯s safe now, that ghost has already left, you are temporarily safe.¡± ¡°Can you stop pressing down on me¡­ and something of yours is poking me,¡± Jiang Yan said, facing away from Yang Jian, almost pressing against the door. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just a sausage. Right, weren¡¯t you hungry, do you still want some?¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan, somewhat astonished, said, ¡°What? At this time? Shouldn¡¯t we talk about this after we leave?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, forget about it, I didn¡¯t really want to give it to you anyway,¡± Yang Jian replied. Jiang Yan hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°Well¡­ okay, but can you make it quick? Don¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°You really are bothersome.¡± Yang Jian turned on the shlight, illuminating his surroundings, and then fished out a sausage from his pocket. ¡°Here you go, I bought this sausage when I was eating breakfast this morning. It cost me three yuan, I¡¯m letting you have it cheap. But you¡¯re really something, even with a ghost causing trouble here, you still remember the sausage in my pocket.¡± Jiang Yan stared at the Shuanghui-brand sausage in her hand and was suddenly taken aback; this, this really was a sausage¡­ ¡°Take your time, I¡¯m going out.¡± Yang Jian opened the door, walked out while holding the shlight. He shone the light around. Nothing was there, it was quiet, very calm. However, when he shone the light on a few adjacentpartments, he was suddenly startled. The door of thatpartment seemed to have been shattered by that ghost before, yet now¡­ it was intact. Indeed, thepartment door was tightly closed, without any signs of damage; it made no scientific sense. ¡°Encountering a ghost is already not a scientific matter,¡± he thought to himself. Yang Jian withdrew his gaze, choosing not to ponder over the ghost¡¯s abilities any longer. ¡°Where are you going? There¡¯s a ghost outside; why not stay here with me until daylight before leaving?¡± Jiang Yan cautiously emerged, her hair in disarray, clothes disheveled, clutching a sausage in her hand. Yang Jian said, ¡°I still have things to do. Since I¡¯ve finally figured out some things about that ghost, of course, I¡¯m going to look for trouble with it. Also, the reason I came here was to earn money. If Boss Tang were to die, wouldn¡¯t my trip here be in vain? He put up a million yuan reward for solving the haunting in the mall. That¡¯s what I came for.¡± With those words, he walked out of the bathroom holding the shlight. Jiang Yan hurried after him, ¡°What about me if you leave?¡± ¡°Elder Sister, I am neither your parent nor your nanny, how would I know what you should do? Why don¡¯t you just stay in the restroom? Once everything is over, I¡¯lle to notify you, and then you can leave,¡± Yang Jian looked back at her and said. ¡°No, that won¡¯t do. What if that ghostes to the restroom? And do you have a way to deal with that ghost?¡± Jiang Yan said. Yang Jian said, ¡°I somewhat have a way, I guess.¡± ¡°Then, will you protect me, please?¡± Jiang Yan pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t know you, why should I protect you? ying the hero is what heroes do, and heroes tend to die young; I don¡¯t want to be a hero, I just want to mind my own business,¡± Yang Jian arrived at the first floor of the mall and scanned his surroundings. Jiang Yan followed him and clung to Yang Jian¡¯s arm, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be your girlfriend. That should work, right?¡± ¡°Your thoughts are not only beautiful but also naive. You don¡¯t even know my name and you want to be my girlfriend? Once we step out the door, who knows who? Aren¡¯t you just trying to make me risk my life for you?¡± Yang Jian looked at her and said. ¡°I mean it, I won¡¯t go back on my word,¡± said Jiang Yan. Yang Jian said, ¡°I can¡¯t trust you, and having you as my girlfriend has no benefit to me, it would only cause me trouble. Worse still, it might get me killed. I¡¯ve had my share of detrimental teammates before.¡± As he spoke, he was searching for something with a shlight in his hand. ¡°That won¡¯t happen, I¡¯m very smart and I definitely won¡¯t cause you any trouble, trust me,¡± Jiang Yan said. In her heart, she was nearly breaking down. As an ountant in thepany, an office worker herself, and quite attractive ¨C though not tall, she had slender legs and a full chest, and she wasn¡¯t short of suitors on ordinary days. Now, she was throwing herself at a junior security guard and still being spurned. Even so, Jiang Yan still clung to this security guard. Because she knew only he could protect her. ¡°Found it.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s shlight soon shone on something. A human head. Rotten, emitting a foul stench, the head. The head was¡­Wuei Xiaohong¡¯s. From before until now, it had always been here, unmoved. ¡°The ghost Jiang Yan saw was Wuei Xiaohong, the ghost I captured on camera was Liu Qiang¡­ She has no reason to lie, nor could I have photographed the wrong person. The only possibility is that this ghost can change identities? Whether it¡¯s Wuei Xiaohong, Liu Qiang, even that Elder Sister Li, or any other employee.¡± ¡°Everyone could be the ghost,¡± Yang Jian deeply furrowed his brow. ¡°No, now I should consider Boss Tang, Manager Li, Master Luo and their group of people. After all, they have been here for quite some time.¡± ¡°To really find out who is the ghost, I only need to go to one ce.¡± ¡°The monitor room.¡± The events of these past few days must have all been captured by the surveince cameras. Just by retrieving the surveince footage from the monitor room, everything would be clear. ¡°Jiang Yan, do you know where the monitoring room is?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Yes, on the fifth floor,¡± Jiang Yan said. Yang Jian said, ¡°Lead me there, and I promise you¡¯ll leave this ce alive.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Yan asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes, really. But you must follow my instructions. Whatever I say, you must do. If you start to panic and run around, I won¡¯t be responsible if you get killed,¡± Yang Jian said seriously. ¡°I promise to listen to you,¡± Jiang Yan immediately swore earnestly. Yang Jian said, ¡°I hope you can keep your word, not for me, but for yourself. Now, follow me¡­ to the fifth floor.¡± He looked up. Although the upper floors were dim, there was still some light, making it clearer than downstairs. But there was no movement upstairs. He wondered how Boss Tang, Master Luo, their group of people, and the ghost controller Yan Li were faring. Perhaps they had escaped, or maybe they were already dead¡­ But he had to check. If they were indeed dead, then there was no reason for him to stay any longer. Chapter 48: Monitoring Room Chapter 48: Monitoring Room In a nondescript storeroom within the mall. The light from several cellphones flickered on, and everyone inside held their breath, their faces pale and etched with terror. They were Boss Tang, Master Luo, Manager Li, Elder Sister Li, and others, And there was one very special person, Yan Li. Yan Li¡¯s face was particrly ghastly right now. He stared at the door in front of him, smeared with bright red blood. The blood, congealed and unmoving, looked like it was seeping out from within the door, continuously dripping with blood. Blood had pooled on the floor, forming a sizable stain. ¡°The noise has stopped; it seems that ghost can¡¯t get in for the moment.¡± At that moment, Yan Li breathed a huge sigh of relief. He looked at his hands covered in blood, his expression far from good. ¡°Master, master, we¡¯re safe now, right?¡± Boss Tang asked, still in shock. Initially, their journey to the fifth floor was smooth, nning to leave through the emergency exit, but upon arriving there, they discovered that all the doors had unexpectedly been locked. They thought of breaking the lock to escape. However, just as they were attempting to break the lock, something eerie happened right beside them. Someone suddenly fell to the ground behind them¡­ headless. The terror of that moment caused them to abandon the idea of breaking the lock. Instead, they scattered and fled. Fortunately, they encountered Yan Li, who led them into the storeroom, locked the door, and thus, narrowly escaped disaster. But the situation did not calm down there. Just moments before, a series of loud banging sounds hade from the other side of the door. It seemed as if something outside was trying to smash its way into the storeroom, the locks nearly breaking under the force. That strength¡­ was certainly not human. The others watched as blood flowed from Yan Li¡¯s hands. He smeared the blood onto the door, and all the noise finally ceased. ¡°This won¡¯t hold for long, and the ghost outside has set its sights on us¡ªit knows we¡¯re here and will continue to attack¡­ And I can feel it waiting out there,¡± Yan Li said. His current situation was exactly like the one Yang Jian had faced earlier. Only he hadn¡¯t realized just what kind of entity the ghost was. ¡°So, what do we do now? Am I going to die?¡± Manager Li asked, frightened. Yan Li snorted lightly, ¡°If someone is going to die, it won¡¯t just be you. What are you afraid of? I¡¯ve told you before not to trust those chatans, not to rely on feng shui masters for fortunes and rituals. When ites to real ghosts, they all run faster than anyone.¡± After speaking, he nced towards the corner. Master Luo, who had been all confidence andposure earlier, was now cowering there, trembling with fear, nowhere near his previous arrogant demeanor. ¡°Master Yan, think of something quickly. We can¡¯t just hide here forever. I¡¯ll pay any price to leave this ce,¡± Boss Tang said, sounding desperate. He felt that the longer they stayed, the more dangerous it became. Only by leaving, by getting out of this mall, would they be safe. ¡°Quiet! Is it about money now?¡± Yan Li snapped, clearly agitated. Because he didn¡¯t have a better idea, either. The ghost in this mall was tougher to handle than he had anticipated, and his limits as a ghost controller were fast approaching. While they were all at a loss, Yang Jian was making his way upstairs nonchntly, shlight in hand, taking the elevator. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± Jiang Yan clung to his sleeve, shrinking her neck, her eyes darting about fearfully, worried that a ghost might emerge from any dark corner. ¡°Of course I¡¯m scared, but what¡¯s the use?¡± Yang Jian said in an indifferent tone, ¡°Will fear stop death? The more terrified you are when facing a ghost, the easier it is to die. Your survival in the restroom for four days without being attacked was just good luck.¡± ¡°But to stay alive, luck isn¡¯t enough. You need action.¡± ¡°To do nothing is to embrace death.¡± As they spoke, they arrived at the fifth floor. All was quiet; not a sound could be heard. Yang Jian shone his shlight around, finding no one else. Only by the emergency exit door did he find a head. Itsplexion was deathly pale, eyes closed, and the neck looked as though it had been neatly severed, not a drop of blood in sight. If it weren¡¯t for theck of a body, the severed head might have seemed to be peacefully asleep, the expression tranquil. ¡°This is the man from Master Luo¡¯s group,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression flickered slightly. ¡°But he was killed by a ghost.¡± Jiang Yan, looking at the head, covered her mouth in fright, not letting herself cry out. Before, Yang Jian had warned her not to scream no matter what she saw. ¡°Where is the surveince room?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Over there¡­¡± Jiang Yan pointed ahead. Following her direction, Yang Jian quickly arrived at the surveince room. At that moment, the door to the surveince room was open, with a bunch of keys in the lock and the lights on inside, as if someone was in there. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the power out? Howe the lights are still on inside?¡± Jiang Yan said in surprise and suspicion. Yang Jian¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°It¡¯s not a power outage, but someone deliberately turned off the lights in the mall. Normally, how could the mall have a power outage? If it really was an outage, I wouldn¡¯t havee to the surveince room.¡± However, when he walked in, he was immediately stunned. In front of the monitoring station, a person sat rigidly, not moving at all. The person was wearing¡­ a security guard uniform. And next to the seat were some wet marks, as if his trouser legs were wet, like he had just walked out of the bathroom. ¡°It¡¯s a colleague.¡± Jiang Yan had not seen the photo that Yang Jian held in his hand and instinctively called out. The person heard the noise, immediately turned around to look, and responded. ¡°Yang Jian, why are you here?¡± ¡°Liu Qiang¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face instantly darkened. In his phone¡¯s photo album, there was still that photo of the security guard uniform taken in the bathroom. And apart from Liu Qiang and himself, there was no third person wearing a security guard uniform in the entire mall. ¡°That¡¯s great, you know each other,¡± Jiang Yan said with some joy, happy to have found another living person, finally feeling a bit safer. ¡°I am thepany¡¯s ountant, Jiang Yan, nice to meet you.¡± She wanted to go up to greet him but was stopped by Yang Jian. Yang Jian showed her the photo: ¡°Take a look at this first. This one was taken earlier in the bathroom.¡± Jiang Yan looked at the photo. In the dim bathroom, a person in a security guard uniform seemed to have just walked out, captured halfway through their body. Jiang Yan nced at the photo and then at Liu Qiang. Her beautiful eyes widened in shock, a wave of fear rising in her heart. The hand she had just slightly extended retracted as if electrocuted, and then she quickly hid behind Yang Jian, covering her mouth. ¡°Stand against the wall, don¡¯t move,¡± Yang Jianmanded, pulling her toward the wall. Jiang Yan immediately pressed herself against the wall, daring not to move. This woman was indeed very clever, knowing what to do at what time. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you two?¡± Liu Qiang walked over, puzzled. Yang Jian looked at him, ¡°Nothing, the mall is haunted, some people got separated, so we came to check the surveince room. By the way, why are you here?¡± He conversed with Liu Qiang as he usually would. But in his heart, he had already identified Liu Qiang as¡­ a ghost. Liu Qiang said, ¡°Haunted? Where is it haunted? I haven¡¯t seen anything. I saw the mall had a power outage earlier, so I went to check the lines. I saw the surveince room still had light, so I came in to check. I had been sitting for just a while when you guys arrived.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Yang Jian said warily, ¡°Did you see anyone else besides us here?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t find them,¡± Liu Qiang shook his head. ¡°Really? Can you help me look through the previous surveince footage?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°No problem, I¡¯m good with this stuff,¡± Liu Qiang replied. He then sat down and started to bring up the previous surveince footage. Yang Jian walked over, looked down at his wet trouser legs, ¡°Were you in the bathroom earlier?¡± ¡°Nope, why do you ask?¡± Liu Qiang answered. ¡°Just curious,¡± Yang Jian said. Chapter 49: The Truth about the Shopping Mall Chapter 49: The Truth about the Shopping Mall ¡°The surveince room can store footage for up to fifteen days, and I¡¯m now pulling up thest seven days¡¯ worth,¡± Liu Qiang said as he operated the system and brought up older footage. ¡°By the way, why are you checking the old surveince?¡± Yang Jian replied, ¡°Looking for a few people, to see what has happened to them these days.¡± ¡°Huh, that¡¯s strange. Who is this person? She doesn¡¯t seem to be from thepany. The mall has been closed for the past few days, right? How did she get in?¡± Suddenly, Liu Qiang let out a soft exmation. A middle-aged woman in a dress appeared on the surveince screen. ¡°You don¡¯t know her?¡± Yang Jian asked Liu Qiang cautiously, making casual conversation. Liu Qiang said, ¡°Don¡¯t know her, but she seems familiar. I just can¡¯t ce where I¡¯ve seen her before.¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t recognize the middle-aged woman on the screen either, considering he had been here only two days and had merely met the previous staff. ¡°Just keep an eye on this person to see what she¡¯s up to in the mall.¡± He had a vague sense that the middle-aged woman in the surveince footage was the ghost. But the evidence suggested that Liu Qiang right beside him was the ghost. If this ghost could change its identity, then everything would make sense, but conjecture was useless without video evidence from the surveince. He continued watching the surveince video. The middle-aged woman in the footage moved in a slightly odd manner. She rode the elevator to the second floor but then paused at the stairwell for a long time, standing there motionless like a puppet. ¡°Fast forward a bit,¡± instructed Yang Jian. The footage fast-forwarded. The middle-aged woman stood at the stairwell for a full half-hour before suddenly moving. She made her way to the second floor. At the moment, at a checkout counter on the second floor, the figure of the cashier, Wei Xiaohong, appeared. It seemed she was on duty. But at that moment, Wei Xiaohong was feeling a bit tired and stood up to stretch her limbs. The middle-aged woman walked slowly toward Wei Xiaohong and headed straight for her. Just then, Wei Xiaohong was turning her waist with her back to the middle-aged woman and didn¡¯t notice someone was approaching her. Until the middle-aged woman silently reached behind Wei Xiaohong. ¡°Slow it down a bit,¡± Yang Jian said again. The yback speed returned to normal. At this point in the video, the unfamiliar middle-aged woman paused behind Wei Xiaohong for about two or three seconds, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Wei Xiaohong¡¯s head. Wei Xiaohong didn¡¯t know what was happening; her body just trembled slightly. An inconceivable scene unfolded¡­ Wei Xiaohong¡¯s head was removed by the middle-aged woman as effortlessly as if it were a stic doll¡¯s, taken off from the neck. There were no screams, no blood; everything was eerily calm. Wei Xiaohong¡¯s headless body stood rigidly, motionless, as if life had departed. ¡°How, how is this possible?¡± Liu Qiang was shocked at this moment. Jiang Yan, who had been secretly watching the footage, also jumped from fright but kept her hand over her mouth to stifle her screams. Yang Jian remainedposed, his expression unchanged, as he continued to observe the situation on the monitor. After taking Wei Xiaohong¡¯s head, the strange middle-aged woman then removed her own head and ced Wei Xiaohong¡¯s head on her shoulders. Now, the strange middle-aged woman had be Wei Xiaohong. Then, after a little while, Wei Xiaohong moved. As if nothing unusual had happened, she carried the head of the strange woman and her own body away from the second floor. The ease with which she moved the body suggested she was far from ordinary. ¡°Five days ago, Wei Xiaohong became a ghost¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression turned serious. Now he understood why Wei Xiaohong¡¯s head was so dposed¡ªif her head had been switched by a ghost five days earlier, then the timing did indeed match up. ¡°Continue, keep an eye on this Wei Xiaohong.¡± ¡°Okay, will do,¡± said Liu Qiang, now sounding a bit nervous. The surveince footage was still ying, and he quickly pulled up Wuei Xiaohong¡¯s video. Four days ago, in the video, Wuei Xiaohong went to work as usual, greeted colleagues, ate food¡­ There was no way to tell she was a ghost. She looked just like an ordinary person, even chatting andughing with her colleagues. However, that afternoon, four days ago. Elder Sister Li, a bit bored, invited a few female colleagues to try on clothes, including Wuei Xiaohong among them. The four of them arrived at a clothing store on the fifth floor. Since the store was closed, there was no one inside, and all the clothes were on the racks, free for them to try on. At the moment, Elder Sister Li was holding a dress up to the mirror to see if it suited her. But at that moment. Wuei Xiaohong¡¯s behavior suddenly became bizarre. She slowly walked up behind Elder Sister Li, reaching her hand toward her head. Just then, Elder Sister Li suddenly turned her head around, holding clothes and apparently saying something to Wuei Xiaohong. There was no sound in the surveince footage, but that was unimportant. Yang Jian clearly saw Wuei Xiaohong¡¯s movements pause. Because at that moment, Elder Sister Li had turned around, no longer facing away from Wuei Xiaohong. But this stroke of luck didn¡¯tst long, Elder Sister Li had no idea that Wuei Xiaohong had be a ghost at that point, and continued to treat her as a regr female colleague. Soon, Elder Sister Li found another piece of clothing and continued to stand in front of the mirror. It was then that Wuei Xiaohong moved again. Just as the strange woman had done to her before, Wuei Xiaohong reached from behind and held Elder Sister Li¡¯s head, only this time apanied by a rigid shudder of her body. The eerie scene yed out once again. Elder Sister Li¡¯s head was removed. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. If Elder Sister Li¡¯s head was taken off, she couldn¡¯t possibly appear in front of me again,¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brow. Because there could only be one ghost. It couldn¡¯t be both Wuei Xiaohong and Elder Sister Li. However, in the next scene, he was puzzled again. He saw that after removing Elder Sister Li¡¯s head in the surveince video, Wuei Xiaohong also removed her own head. They switched heads with each other. After standing still for a moment, they both instantly returned to normal, trying on clothes as they had before. Yang Jian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, realizing this situation wasn¡¯t as simple as he thought. His gaze quickly scanned the monitor screens on the surveince console. He started a rapid search throughout the mall. Finally, he saw someone standing at the doorway of a storage room on the fifth floor of the mall. The person was facing away from the camera, making it impossible to see their face clearly. ¡°Pull up the video from this camera,¡± said Yang Jian. Liu Qiang opened the surveince footage from that camera. Ten minutes earlier. Boss Tang, Master Luo, Manager Li, Elder Sister Li, and others took refuge in the storage room under the leadership of Yan Li. At the same time, at the elevator entrance, the security passage door, in front of various stores¡­ one by one, people with sluggish movements emerged, surrounding Yan Li and his group. After they hid inside, those who had surrounded them blocked the door of the storage room until, a long timeter, something happened, and the crowd gradually dispersed, disappearing somewhere on the fifth floor of the mall. Seeing this, Yang Jian¡¯s heart trembled, and he took a deep breath. The ghosts weren¡¯t just one¡­ but a group. All those with swapped heads were either ghosts or controlled by ghosts. At this moment, he saw around Liu Qiang¡¯s neck. A slim red cut encircled his neck. He was one of them¡­ Chapter 50 - 51 All the Missing Persons. Chapter 51 All the Missing Persons. The vast mall was eerily quiet. Not a single sound, save for the footsteps of Yang Jian as he made his way through. Outside, dusk must have settled, the sun shining through the ss windows bringing a trace of light to the dim mall. But this light wouldn¡¯tst for long. Once night fell, with the mall¡¯s lights turned off, it would be pitch-ck, where one couldn¡¯t see their hand in front of them. ¡°Sssss¡­ left, on your left, there¡¯s someone standing there,¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s tense voice transmitted from the satellite navigation cell phone on Yang Jian¡¯s chest, apanied by the sound of static. A middle-aged man with a pale face and emanating a stench of decay stood calmly on the left side at the bend in the corridor, with eyes closed, motionless like a puppet. Yang Jian strode forward, nced left, and his eyes flickered, ¡°I see him.¡± He sidestepped and continued forward, passing directly by the middle-aged man. The man, however, did not move, not even when Yang Jian walked in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, your deduction was right, it¡¯s really possible¡ªthe ghost didn¡¯t attack you.¡± Inside the surveince room, Jiang Yan couldn¡¯t hide her excitement at the sight. Yang Jian, however, was not so pleased. He said, ¡°No, I now suspect these are not real ghosts, they are likely just being controlled by a ghost. The real ghost must be hiding somewhere, or in someone. Don¡¯t waste time. The surveince footage in the control room can be kept for fifteen days. I¡¯ve looked into the mall¡¯s situation; everything happened in about ten days from the incident to the shutdown for repairs.¡± ¡°If you search carefully, you can certainly find the source.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do now,¡± replied Jiang Yan, her confidence gradually building and her fear subsiding. ¡°Behind you, in that shop behind you, I see someone,¡± she quickly warned him. Yang Jian immediately turned to look. Behind the ss door of a shop, a youthful and pretty girl now stood, her skin darkened, signaling she had been dead for several days¡ªlonger than Wuei Xiaohong, and severe decay had set in. With a slight movement, her once shiny ck hair fell in a rustling shower. Thick, foul-smelling fluid dripped from her nose and eyes. Yet such a corpse raised a hand as though to reach through the ss door, grasping towards Yang Jian. ¡°Are there more inside the doors?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face twitched, and he quickly turned back. He walked backward, sidestepping. By not turning his back to them, he could avoid being attacked first. Escaping out of fear would undoubtedly lead to a gruesome death. Having discerned a pattern, Yang Jian felt that these ghosts were not so difficult to deal with. ¡°Zhou Zheng¡¯s three sentences really summed it up well¡ªas long as one understands the ghost¡¯s pattern of killing immediately, even an ordinary person could walk out of here,¡± Yang Jian mused to himself. Of course, this was only true for ghosts of this level. If it was a level higher, like that of the Ghost Infant, who killed indiscriminately, recognized patterns could not guarantee one¡¯s survival one hundred percent of the time; they could only increase the chances of survival significantly. Having evaded two ghosts that had drawn near, Yang Jian picked up his pace once again. He could hear footsteps closing in all around him, as well as the eerie operation of the elevator. Yang Jian knew that whichever direction he faced, ghosts would appear on the opposite side, just that those behind were farther away and needed some time to close in. If he dyed too long and got surrounded¡­ it would be a death sentence. Of course, Yang Jian¡¯s daring came from being a ghost controller; an ordinary person would never dare y so recklessly. ¡°The storeroom is ahead, turn left, move fast. More ghosts are closing in behind you, and I see ghosts continuouslying up the elevator,¡± Jiang Yan grew tense again; ¡°I¡¯m checking the surveince footage right now; soon I should be able to locate where that ghost first appeared.¡± ¡°I know,¡± nced Yang Jian. Indeed, the elevator on the fourth floor operated, and in the dimness, he could just make out two people traveling to the fifth floor in the lift. Moreover, the sound of the elevators moving on the third and second floors kept ringing out. Yang Jian saw several shadowy figures moving about several ces downstairs. ¡°How many people have gone missing in this mall?¡± Yang Jian shivered inwardly. He estimated roughly, at least twenty people, and the number was still increasing, emerging from every corner and floor of the mall¡­ The stench of decay in the air grew even more intense. ¡°This ghost really knows where to pick its spots, choosing such a bustling mall. Under normal business, a dozen people disappearing in a few days would be unnoticeable. In a less crowded ce, there wouldn¡¯t be so many chances for a ghost to kill this many people.¡± ¡°Now, those who¡¯ve died have be my problem.¡± Moving cautiously, he ran toward the storeroom. Right now outside the storeroom, a man with a face of deathly stillness and pale color stood rigid. His head belonged to a man in his thirties, but his body was female, dressed in a long skirt and wearing coffee-colored high heels. Clearly, his head had been swapped. The man numbly pounded on the door, each knock like the heavy strike of a hammer, creating loud booms, almost shattering the door. But the man¡¯s arm was already a blur of blood and flesh, chunks of skin falling away, even exposing his bones, twisted into an abnormal angle. After all, human bodies are not as hard as doors. But all this did nothing to deter his determination to break in. Those people hiding in the storeroom, upon seeing the door shake and about to swing open, one by one were scared into a cold sweat, trembling throughout their bodies. ¡°Not, not again, Yan Li, you have to think of something fast, the door¡¯s about to open, and that thing is still outside, it really hasn¡¯t left¡­¡± Manager Li said in frightened horror. ¡°Five million, I¡¯ll give you five million, just as long as you can get me out of here, I will give it to you.¡± Boss Tang was no longer miserly, hastily extending his hand as he shouted out the price in fear. Money is important, but one¡¯s life is even more so. At this moment, Yan Li¡¯s face looked particrly ghastly. He looked at his hands, bloodied and soaked through his gloves, with blood continuously seeping out. The pool of blood on the ground could no longer bepletely reabsorbed. ¡°I can¡¯t use this ability anymore, or I¡¯ll die even faster,¡± he took a deep breath. Now, the blood on the door had stopped flowing, no longer seeping out, because his hands were no longer pressing against it. ¡°Bang, Bang Bang~!¡± The loud noise from the door resumed, the door frame vibrating as dust fluttered down from above. The force was bing stronger¡­ While they were huddled together in terror, in an inconspicuous corner, Elder Sister Li, who from start to finish hadn¡¯t let out a single scream or said a word, slowly stood up. She closed her eyes, her face pale, her body rotating at an odd angle. She faced the group of people with their backs to her, then slowly extended her hands. But just at that moment, a loud crash suddenly came from outside. Something had fallen to the ground with a smash. Yang Jian¡¯s voice sounded from outside: ¡°Hey, people inside, are you still alive? If you aren¡¯t dead, open the door; I have a way to get you all out of here?¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s still someone outside.¡± At this point, the most shocked was Yan Li. He heard the voice outside withplete disbelief. With so many ghosts in the mall, there shouldn¡¯t be any living people, or if there were, they should have already died. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s the voice of that young security guard. Quickly, open the door and see, ask him if he really has a way to get out of here.¡± Boss Tang had a good memory and immediately recognized Yang Jian¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t open the door, who knows whether the one talking outside is human or spirit.¡± Manager Li said in terror. Reminded thus, Yan Li¡¯s heart chilled as well, immediately bing more solemn. Indeed, there was no evidence to prove that the security guard outside was human. What if it were a trap? Yang Jian had finally managed to throw the person at the door of the storeroom down from the fifth floor. Although the fall wouldn¡¯t kill them, it would take some time toe back up¡ªtemporarily relieving the immediate crisis. However, hearing the words from the people inside the storeroom, his expression darkened: ¡°Right, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯te out. I had already watched the surveince footage before. Among you, Elder Sister Li is also a ghost. I don¡¯t know if Elder Sister Li has started to act, but if she has, all of you are going to die in there, so please, make a decision quickly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone in the storeroom immediately broke into a cold sweat. What? Elder Sister Li is a ghost? Almost reflexively, all of them turned their heads to look back. But in the next moment, they saw that Elder Sister Li, who had gotten up without them noticing, was¡­ headless. ¡°Ah~!¡± Several screams erupted from inside the storeroom. Outside, Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but cover his ears. This sound was loud enough; it would be a shame not to sing soprano. The next moment. The storeroom door burst open with a loud bang. A group of people scrambled and stumbled out as if escaping for their lives, sobbing and sniveling, some even wetting themselves. ¡°Quick, run!¡± ¡°Help! I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Yang Jian reminded them again, ¡°It¡¯s okay to shout, but don¡¯t run around blindly; there are more ghosts outside, and the faster you run, the quicker you¡¯ll die.¡± Boss Tang, Manager Li, Master Luo, and their group hadn¡¯t gotten far before they were scared into paralysis on the ground. Without knowing when, the paths on the fifth floor had be filled with people, In every direction¡ªfront, back, left, and right¡ªthere were people everywhere. These individuals were deathly pale, their eyes shut, emitting a rotten stench, with stiff, uncoordinated steps they kept inching closer, blocking all possible escape routes. All of them were people who had gone missing in the mall. Today, they all showed up. Chapter 51 - 52 Lying Down Chapter 52 Lying Down I thought the storeroom was temporarily safe. No one had expected that a ghost had been following them all along. If it wasn¡¯t for Yang Jian¡¯s warning, they would still be unaware of it, and the consequences are obvious. None of these people would want to get out alive, including that necromancer¡­ Yan Li. A necromancer possesses the power of fierce ghosts, but they are not omnipotent, and reckless use of ghostly power will only lead to a quicker death. Yang Jian now saw the young man named Yan Li. Hisplexion was not good, pale with the pallor and weakness of excessive blood loss. But what concerned Yang Jian more was what kind of ghost was hiding inside Yan Li¡¯s body? Was his body reaching its limits, and how long until the fierce ghost would revive? ¡°You¡­ are you human?¡± Unlike the others, Yan Li didn¡¯t panic, but instead, he stopped immediately after running out of the storeroom, looking at Yang Jian with a very solemn expression. He wasn¡¯t sure whether the security guard in front of him was human or a ghost. Yang Jian said, ¡°I should count as human, I heard you say your name is Yan Li? Are you a necromancer?¡± Yan Li¡¯s pupils contracted slightly, ¡°Are you too?¡± ¡°I am, sort of.¡± Yang Jian thought for a moment, it was better to bluff first, he couldn¡¯t tell others he was just a student. That would be too undignified, and besides, wasn¡¯t that operator Liu Xiaoyu trying to recruit him into the organization? Yan Li sized Yang Jian up again, seeing him in a security uniform, he looked the part, and upon noticing the standard-issue satellite locater on his chest, he believed him. ¡°My name is Yang Jian, and just so you know, Zhou Zheng is dead. He was sacrificed a few days ago in the college incident.¡± Yang Jian said calmly. Yan Li replied, ¡°I see, thanks for your help just now. How did you manage to fend off the attack of so many fierce ghosts? Even for a necromancer, it¡¯s quite a passive situation under these circumstances. I initially thought the disappearances in the mall were due to a ghost of only a C danger level. Now, it seems I have seriously underestimated the situation.¡± ¡°If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn¡¯t have been greedy for this money.¡± A look of regret appeared on his face, annoyed by his own actions. ¡°What are you relying on to have survived so long under the attack of these fierce ghosts?¡± Yang Jian did not reveal his ability but instead asked him. Yan Li didn¡¯t hide it either, he lowered his head, looking at his blood-stained hands, ¡°People in the industry call me Ghost Blood Yan Li. My hands are smeared with ghost blood, which can restrict the abilities of other ghosts. I once coborated with others and sessfully captured a ghost. But I can¡¯t leave my ghost blood out for too long, otherwise, spirits will emerge from within the blood¡­¡± ¡°Wait, you said you coborated with someone and sessfully captured a ghost?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes sharpened, showing a look of surprise, ¡°What method did you use?¡± Could ghosts also be captured? ¡°A very simple and crude method. I used ghost blood to restrict the ghost¡¯s movements, and as long as it¡¯s confined in a box made of pure gold within a short time and sealed well enough, the ghost won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Yan Li continued, ¡°This is a method used all over the world, don¡¯t you know it as a necromancer?¡± ¡°I am an intern, not yet an official employee,¡± Yang Jian said. He did remember a paper he had read on a website before. It was written by a Professor Bruce Pi. The gist of the paper was that the power of ghosts can affect any material, but not gold. The professor was trying to analyze scientifically and rigorously a method to restrain ghosts. If the paper was useful, it means that boxes or containers made of gold could indeed trap and capture ghosts. But that¡¯s all, still unable to kill or eliminate them. ¡°Help, save me.¡± However, at this moment, a terrified cry for help interrupted the conversation between the two. Now Yang Jian saw that the ghosts with exchanged heads had surrounded them from all sides, blocking every passage. Unless they jumped directly from the fifth floor, there was no way out. But jumping from the fifth floor was suicide. Boss Tang, Manager Li, Master Luo, and a group of others were crying out as they came running back, unable to escape, ¡°What exactly do you have that lets you face so many ghost attacks without fear?¡± Yan Li was also bing panicked, ¡°If we continue like this, even if you are a necromancer, you will still die here. Using the power of a fierce ghost too much will kill you, you must know that.¡± ¡°Of course I know.¡± Yang Jian said calmly, ¡°You must have already used a lot of the fierce ghost¡¯s power, even the Ghost Blood on your hand is somewhat out of control. Your limit must be near, did you buy your coffin in advance?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fully aware of what you¡¯re talking about, but sometimes, to survive, there¡¯s no other choice,¡± Yan Li gritted his teeth. ¡°Sometimes there definitely is no choice, but your first thought when facing a ghost is to rely on your own ghostly power. That¡¯ll only lead to a quicker death. I¡¯m different. I rely on my brain. Only when the brain doesn¡¯t work do I resort to the power of ghosts. But now is not the time for chitchat. I can¡¯t let this boss just die like this.¡± Yang Jian pointed at his head and shed a slight smile. After finishing his words, he walked towards a group of ghosts not far away. Yan Li¡¯s expression changed abruptly. Even he did not dare to face so many ghosts at once. How could this young exorcist have such courage? And seeing others surrounded by ghosts, he had already decided not to save these people, thinking only about how to leave this ce. Money isn¡¯t worth losing one¡¯s life over. Suddenly, Yan Li saw Yang Jian walk over and trip them with his foot. Apanied by several strange cries, three or four people were tripped over by him. Are you trying to save people or harm them? Yan Li was stunned, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, just lie down quietly on the ground and don¡¯t move. That way, the ghosts won¡¯t attack you, and you¡¯ll be able to live and get out. If you run around, you¡¯ll only die faster,¡± Yang Jian, holding onto Boss Tang¡¯s cor, told him in a low shout. Boss Tang was already so frightened that he was at a loss. The group of ghosts had already approached. He had no choice. Right then, he tightly closed his eyes, choosing to believe in Yang Jian¡¯s words andy down on the ground, motionless. Lying on the ground meant that one¡¯s back would always face the ground, which could perfectly avoid an attack from any direction by any of the ghosts. ¡°Anyone else who doesn¡¯t want to die, do the same. Lie down, don¡¯t move,¡± Yang Jian said again. Some listened andy down, but many others thought Yang Jian¡¯s words were nonsense. To them, lying down was equivalent to waiting for death on the spot, so they continued to run in terror, trying to escape. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s the fifth floor, don¡¯t jump, you¡¯ll die,¡± Yang Jian called out to someone. Next to Master Luo, a colleague was so scared that he cried and screamed uncontrobly and actually climbed over the railing and jumped down from the fifth floor. Brave soul. Yang Jian sighed inwardly. If he hadn¡¯t jumped, he might have lived, but that jump surely sealed his fate. The person who jumped was doomed, and those who ran didn¡¯t fare much better. Soon, the few who tried to flee found every route blocked. The ghosts closing in from all sides were getting closer and closer¡­ until finally, they were surrounded. ¡°Aaah~!¡± Screams rang out amidst the group of ghosts. Swiftly, six or seven putrid arms reached out. The screams stopped abruptly. Several living heads were forcibly removed. A Ghost General ced its own head onto the necks of several people, then ced their heads on its own neck. New ghosts were born. However, after all this was done, everything around fell silent again. All of the ghosts¡­ stopped moving. The remaining people lying on the ground indeed weren¡¯t attacked and all survived. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Yan Li was shocked; he too hadid down but now was looking at Yang Jian as if seeing a ghost. Yang Jian, however, hadn¡¯tid down. He was just standing there, leaning against the railing, not turning his back to any of the ghosts. ¡°How about that, didn¡¯t deceive you, did I?¡± Yang Jian spoke, ¡°Congrattions, you¡¯ve survived. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s settle the service fee. I must say up front, my fee is quite expensive.¡± Why would he risk his life to save these detestable rich people? Obviously for the money. Did you really think Yang Jian loved them? Chapter 53: Shameful Escape Chapter 53: Shameful Escape The dimly lit mall was engulfed in silence. The sound of the elevators had ceased, and the footsteps that hade from all directions before had also stopped. Even the cries for help had vanished without a trace. But the quiet mall was far from deserted. A foul stench permeated every inch of space, and on the fifth floor of the mall stood one after another ghastly pale figure, their bodies beginning to decay, blocking the passageways as though forbidding anyone to pass. These people must have been dead for quite some time, yet just moments ago, these very dead had emerged from every corner of the mall. To call them people was hardly urate; a more fitting description would be a horde of ghosts. Boss Tang¡¯s entire body was tensed, his eyes shut tight, not daring to open them to such a horrifying sight before him. He kept chanting ¡°Amit¨¡bha¡± in his mind, hoping the Bodhisattva would bless him, so that the ghosts wouldn¡¯t harm him and that he would burn more incense and worship more gods after he left this ce. After a while, Boss Tang noticed that there was no movement around him. And he was still alive, unharmed. The reason he had survived, of course, was not due to his prayers with closed eyes but because Yang Jian had saved him. ¡°Boss Tang, stop ying dead, hurry up and open your eyes,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore what I just said as if it were the wind passing by your ears. You¡¯re only temporarily safe. Whether you can leave this ce or not is still uncertain. If you¡¯re willing to settle my service fee, I can guarantee that each one of you will leave here alive.¡± Only then did Boss Tang carefully open his eyes. He looked around, and when he saw the decaying corpses still standing nearby, his heart gave a frightful squeeze. ¡°Over here, Boss Tang, what are you looking at?¡± said Yang Jian, standing to one side. Seeing Yang Jian¡ªa living person¡ªBoss Tang let out a sigh of relief: ¡°Can you really guarantee that I will leave here alive?¡± ¡°Are you doubting my professional skills, Boss Tang? Don¡¯t forget who saved you just now. Right, don¡¯t get up; just lie there on the ground. You¡¯re safe for now,¡± Yang Jian told him. Yan Li also said, ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by his young age. He is an international ghost hunter assigned to the Asia division, an official national operative. His word can be trusted. Besides, no one else here can guarantee your survival. You saw what happened before; the current situation is beyond my capabilities.¡± ¡°So, I suggest letting Yang Jian protect you on your way out. Of course, if you¡¯re stingy with your money, then forget I said anything.¡± Yan Li, ying the good guy, smoothly handed the business opportunity over to Yang Jian. After all, he didn¡¯t have the ability to earn it. ¡°How about it? Think it over; I won¡¯t give you too much time. In ten minutes at most, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Yang Jian checked the time on his phone and said. He wouldn¡¯t wait until dark. This ce was pitch ck at night, as if entering the Ghost Domain, making it twice as dangerous. Boss Tang asked cautiously, ¡°So, brother, how much do you want for your service fee? Is five million enough?¡± After all, whether paying Yan Li or this young fellow, it would be better to foster a connection and make a friend, especially since the other is an international ghost hunter with status. Although five million hurt, it was nothingpared to his own life. ¡°Fine, five million it is,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes lit up. Indeed, by giving Boss Tang a fright first, he could drive the price up. If he had directly approached Boss Tang about this matter before, not only would he have been disbelieved, but the price wouldn¡¯t have gone up, either. ¡°However, I insist on payment first, service afterward. That¡¯s my way of doing business. If that¡¯s fine with you, we can start the payment process now,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°No, no problem,¡± Boss Tang immediately agreed. To him, a mall owner capable of opening such arge establishment, five million was indeed an amount he could produce at once. ¡°You, yes, you, don¡¯t y dumb; Manager Li, I¡¯m talking to you. Boss Tang is offering five million to buy his safety and leave; what¡¯s your price? Don¡¯t assume I¡¯ll take you out for free. If you can¡¯te up with the money, I¡¯ll leave you behind,¡± Yang Jian continued. Manager Li¡¯s face instantly changed as he looked at Yang Jian with a plea, ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯te up with five million. I only have five hundred thousand¡­ Where would a mere manager get so much money?¡± ¡°I can see deceit in your eyes, but I am a kind-hearted person. You insulted me earlier, but why would I hold a grudge against you, right? So please, open your online banking. If you have less than five hundred thousand, I¡¯ll ept that sum, but if you have more, sorry, I¡¯ll either use all of it for my service fee or you can lie here and wait for rescue.¡± ¡°I am fair in business and will not make things difficult for you, nor will I bear petty grudges. You can rest assured, Manager,¡± Yang Jian assured. Yang Jian looked at him seriously and said, ¡°Ah?¡± Manager Li was dumbfounded. ¡°Don¡¯t stall for time. If I don¡¯t receive the money, I¡¯ll just take Boss Tang and leave,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°Here, take it, isn¡¯t giving it to you enough?¡± Manager Li was on the verge of tears as he handed his phone to Yang Jian. Yang Jian opened his mobile banking app to check the deposit and couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue, ¡°Manager Li, you do have a lot of money, more than 1.8 million. Are all you rich people¡¯s bank ounts this flush? Poor me can¡¯t understand, but now it¡¯s mine. Do me a favor and transfer it, will you?¡± He then handed the phone back to Manager Li. ¡°A profiteer, he¡¯s a profiteer, raising the price on the spot, it¡¯s nothing but extortion,¡± Manager Li thought ruefully, wanting to curse the security guard but not daring to utter a word. But he had no choice but to pay. It seemed that all the money he had quietly skimmed from the mall for so long now ended up lining the pockets of this little security guard. The money is gone, but more can be earned; if life is gone, everything is gone. In the end, he paid the money. Having collected the payment, Yang Jian then turned his gaze to Master Luo. With a hint of gratitude, he approached the trembling Master Luo, grabbed his hand, and said, ¡°Master, I really owe you one today. Your idea to close the ceremony was truly brilliant¡ªnot only did it sessfully kill your own disciples, but also quite a few of the mall¡¯s employees.¡± ¡°Even you nearly escaped death. To lead oneself to such an extent is indeed rare to see.¡± ¡°In light of your splendid performance in locking that door earlier, I¡¯ve decided to take extra special care of you¡­¡± Yang Jian gave the Master Luo a thumbs-up. Had it not been for his act of locking the door, none of this would have happened, everyone could have left, and there was no need for so many people to die. ¡°I, I¡­¡± Master Luo had a bizarre expression on his face, unsure whether he was more afraid or angry. In the end, after struggling for a long time, he spoke resentfully, ¡°I only have a bit over 3 million on me, that¡¯s all I have. The rest is in the safe at home. I¡¯ll give it all to you, just take me out of here, please. I apologize for what happened before, okay?¡± ¡°Master, what are you talking about? Am I the type of person who gets greedy at the sight of money? Boss Tang has already offered 5 million. As a Feng Shui master, you do business with no capital and must have quite a fortune. Let¡¯s make it an auspicious figure, 8 million, and I¡¯ll take you out of here. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t have the money on you right now, using valuables as coteral works just as well,¡± Yang Jian said. Master Luo, trembling, eventually transferred over 3 million to Yang Jian, and along with a watch, a piece of jade pendant, a luxury car key, and a few other peculiar items, he barely managed to scrape together the demanded sum. ¡°Over 10 million now, I guess I¡¯m one of those detestable rich folks too,¡± Yang Jian remarked as he looked at the bnce notification on his phone message, feeling a bit surprised. If it weren¡¯t for bing a spirit maniptor, he would never have been able to earn this amount of money in his entire life through study and work, not even over decades. Yet, bing a spirit maniptor allowed him to earn so much in just one day. No wonder spirit maniptors abroad operate as mercenaries, taking on bounties¡ªbecause such a high-risk, high-reward method is indeed very attractive. ¡°Young man, when are you going to take us out of here?¡± Boss Tang asked in a bit of a hurry. Yang Jian put away his phone and said, ¡°Right now.¡± He went into that storeroom and retrieved the main gate key from Elder Sister Li¡¯s corpse. ¡°Follow me, but remember what I said before, do not stand up. Lie on your back.¡± ¡°How can we walk lying on our backs?¡± Manager Li asked. Yang Jian replied, ¡°Ever seen a caterpir? It¡¯s pretty much just like that, simr to backstroke swimming. Easy.¡± ¡°What? You want us, a bunch of grown men, to slide along using our feet to push like little kids? You¡¯re obviously mocking us. Why can you walk upright with no issue?¡± Manager Li said indignantly. Yang Jian responded, ¡°I am an international spirit maniptor with the ability to deal with fierce spirits¡ªdo you have that? If you think the motion is embarrassing, that¡¯s fine, but if you stand up and die, I¡¯m not responsible.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Manager Li began to push himself along the ground with his feet rapidly, gliding along the ground like a caterpir. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Exactly, you¡¯re doing it very well¡ªgliding fast and steady. Good job,¡± Yang Jian nodded. Chapter 54 - 54 Sliding Out of the Mall Chapter 54 Sliding Out of the Mall At this moment, a strange scene unfolded in the shopping mall. A group of sessful adults were lying on the floor at this time, pushing against the ground with their feet, sliding backward like caterpirs, with asional expressions of unusual pleasure on their faces. ¡°It really works; those ghosts seem not to see us, they are all standing there motionless,¡± Boss Tang said excitedly. They had slid from the fifth floor down to the fourth. They had passed the most dangerous area. If all went well, they would soon be able to leave this ce. ¡°Manager Li, howe you¡¯re sliding so fast? You¡¯ve made it to the third floor already?¡± Boss Tang eximed after a nce. Manager Li continued to slide backward, saying, ¡°I wasn¡¯t used to it before, but now that I am, I feel I can slide even faster. Maybe your movements aren¡¯t standard enough, Boss? Look at how I do it, isn¡¯t it smooth and effortless?¡± ¡°Wait for me, don¡¯t leave me behind,¡± Master Luo said anxiously. His somewhat overweight body was slow to move and he fell behind. Yang Jian followed behind, watching them all imitate caterpirs as they slid from the fifth floor down, and couldn¡¯t help butugh. At this time, no one dared to say hisughter was out of ce. Without Yang Jian¡¯s method, they would never have been able to escape so smoothly. Even if this method of escape was somewhat shameful for adults. ¡°Hey, Jiang Yan, how are things on your end?¡± Yang Jian said into the walkie-talkie. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m okay here, I¡¯m about to find the old surveince footage, and soon I¡¯ll be able to locate that ghost¡¯s real position¡­ The ghost first appeared on the fifth floor, and the first victim was harmed there,¡± Jiang Yan said nervously; ¡°You all aren¡¯t leaving me here by myself, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting these idiot teammates out first, thening back for you. Don¡¯t worry, as long as you don¡¯t run around, nothing will happen. Keep themunication open, and call me immediately if there¡¯s danger,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Jiang Yan replied, afraid Yang Jian would leave her behind. She breathed a sigh of relief after hearing his words. It was now evening. Several official vehicles were parked at the entrance of the mall and istion belts had been put up, marking out a police cordon. The entire area was sealed off. ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the mall?¡± The man in charge of the case, Liu Jianming, was the precinct¡¯s captain. He looked tired and his brow was furrowed as he stared at the now closed mall. An officer said, ¡°Captain Liu, we received a report earlier saying there was a murderer here, possibly connected to the previous disappearance case in the mall. But ording to the neighboring shop owners, about an hour ago, the mall¡¯s owner, Tang¡¯an, invited a Feng Shui master to check the ce and perform a ritual, intentionally locking down the entire mall¡­ the current situation inside is still unknown.¡± Liu Jianming said, ¡°If it really is the work of a killer, then good. Prepare to break the lock and the door to rescue the trapped people.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± Immediately, the personnel outside began to take action, forcibly opening the lock of the mall¡¯s main gate with their tools. Soon, the mall¡¯s lock was broken. The doors quickly opened. As soon as the door opened, a putrid stench of decay hit them, almost making those close enough vomit on the spot. Captain Liu¡¯s expression subtly changed. Having dealt with various cases over the years and seen many bodies, he recognized the smell instantly. It was¡­ the stench of a corpse. ¡°Everyone be careful, don¡¯t go in yet,¡± he said. Captain Liu had a vague feeling that the disappearance case at the mall was not so simple; it¡¯s just that during the previous investigation, due to theck of evidence, the mall could only be temporarily sealed off. But it wasn¡¯t much longer. That the people outside of the mall were stunned for a moment. From the dim interior of the mall, they saw a man in a suit lying on the ground, his face showing an excited joy as he slid quickly towards the door like a caterpir. What was this operation? No, it wasn¡¯t just one person sliding across the ground like this. Following him were the mall¡¯s owner Tang¡¯an, Feng Shui Master Luo, and several surviving mall employees, connecting like a human chain, one after another, forming a line that slid from the upper floors of the mall, each of them kicking vigorously, their actions as trained and orderly as if timed. ¡°Don¡¯t approach yet, let them get out of the mall safely before rescuing them, everyone else be careful of sudden situations,¡± Liu instructed. When Manager Li saw the mall doors open and that outside was already filled with case officers, he felt like he had seen a savior, his excitement nearly bringing him to tears, and he slid even faster, faster than a normal person could walk. Finally, he had made it out alive from that terrible mall. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, I¡¯m not dead, I survived,¡± Manager Li felt an unprecedented surge of excitement and joy in his life. ¡°Liu, what, what¡¯s going on?¡± someone asked, dumbfounded by the spectacle. Liu replied with aplex expression, ¡°Not sure, let¡¯s ask about the situation first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t pull me up, I can still slide, I want to slide a bit further before I get up,¡± Manager Li refused to stand and insisted on sliding past the police line before daring to get up. Seeing these people sessfully escape, Yang Jian¡¯s mission was aplished. He had earned the money smoothly. ¡°Yang Jian, now that the mall situation is resolved, with your abilities, if we work together, we¡¯ll definitely have a high sess rate of capturing that ghost. Want to team up?¡± After Yang Jian walked out, Yan Li, who had just slid out of the mall, immediately stood up and made the offer. Team up to capture ghosts? Yang Jian said, ¡°Isn¡¯t living well enough? Why go after ghosts?¡± ¡°My main purpose here is to catch a ghost. I estimated that the mall¡¯s ghost was at most Terror Level, not too high. If we could sessfully capture it¡­¡± Yan Li said. ¡°But my abilities alone are limited; with you included, we¡¯ll have a significant chance,¡± Yan Li added. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡± asked Yang Jian. Yan Li whispered, ¡°Underground Market, a captured ghost is worth at least a hundred million. Largepanies, financial consortia, and even national departments discreetly purchase them. If the level is high, the price increases. We ghost handlers don¡¯t live long, you know that. If we seed in this business, even in death, there will be enough money left for our families.¡± Yang Jian shook his head, ¡°Money is endless, I don¡¯t need to risk capturing ghosts for that hundred million. Besides, I¡¯ve already earned enough today for my family.¡± ¡°And if we truly go for the ghost, we¡¯ll inevitably need to use the Evil Ghost¡¯s power. You know what that means. I also think you¡¯ve used enough of the Evil Ghost¡¯s power today, one more time and¡­ I worry your ghost might break free,¡± he cautioned Yan Li. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of my situation; it¡¯s not a problem to handle this task. And don¡¯t you want to know the way for a ghost handler to survive? Are you content to do nothing and wait for death?¡± Yan Li pressed. The way to survive? Those words struck a chord in Yang Jian¡¯s heart. ¡°Catching a ghost not only trantes to money but can also be exchanged for valuable information. Actually, the method for ghost handlers to survive has been researched and someone in Dachang City has seeded¡­ they¡¯ve lived for over half a year without any issues, and they even used the Evil Ghost¡¯s power more than once, it seems like they¡¯ve found a way to control an Evil Ghost¡¯s rebirth,¡± Yan Li hesitated, then shared this piece of information. Without revealing this, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to persuade Yang Jian. ¡°Really?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart stirred slightly, indeed intrigued. He recalled the words written on that piece of human skin. The method to control Evil Ghosts will be revealed in three months. But under his circumstances, his chances of living another three months were slim. Therefore, he must master the method to control Evil Ghosts ahead of time, he couldn¡¯t wait for the announcement in three months, He couldn¡¯t even wait for a month. Yang Jian dared not gamble his life on future uncertainties. Who knows what the future holds, the words on that piece of human skin weren¡¯t trustworthy either. ¡°Think about it carefully, make a decision quickly while the ghost is still here in the mall without any changes. Once the ghost leaves this mall, finding another one that we understand the patterns of and isn¡¯t too terrible will be difficult,¡± said Yan Li. ¡°Give me one minute to think,¡± Yang Jian replied. He didn¡¯t agree or refuse outright; he needed to weigh his options. However, as he was deliberating, Manager Li came over with a few case officers. ¡°It¡¯s this security guard; he was extorting and ckmailing me inside the mall, I have the transfer records on my phone, it¡¯s all the evidence¡­¡± Manager Li angrily pointed at Yang Jian and reported the earlier transfer as extortion. using Yang Jian of extortion. ¡°Young man, there¡¯s a case we need your cooperation in investigating,¡± one of the officers said in an official manner. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yang Jian turned to look at Manager Li. You, a mere caterpir, want to cause trouble? Chapter 55 - 55 Please Start Your Performance Chapter 55 Please Start Your Performance ¡°Yan Li, let¡¯s set aside our previous conversation for now. I need to handle this matter first,¡± Yang Jian said. Yan Li cast a somewhat sympathetic nce at Manager Li. This numbskull had actually decided to trouble Yang Jian¡ªdidn¡¯t he know that he was a ghost master? In this day and age, one could offend anyone but not those who controlled Evil Ghosts. Such individuals were prone to extremes. The kindly ones would join ghost master organizations to maintain world peace and contribute to Earth¡¯s prosperity and the continuation of humanity¡­ Although it sounded a bit pretentious, that was indeed the idea. If they were evil¡­ A ghost master was a genuine Evil Ghost. People like them had a myriad of ways to kill an ordinary person without them ever knowing their time was up. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your response,¡± Yan Li nodded. Yang Jian looked at Manager Li and extended his hand, saying, ¡°Caterpir,e on, give us your performance.¡± ¡°What did you say? Who are you calling a caterpir?¡± Manager Li immediately said angrily, ¡°You see, this security guard is so arrogant and rude. It was him who ckmailed and extorted money from me in the mall earlier, transferring over 1.8 million from my bank card to his ount. Such arge sum, that should be enough for a case to be opened for investigation, right?¡± ¡°If the situation is true, we will open an investigation. We won¡¯t let any guilty party go unpunished, nor will we wrong an innocent one,¡± an officer said. ¡°Young man, what is your name? Can you show us your ID?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding, officers. I never extorted or ckmailed him. Manager Li and I had a business transaction, and he paid my service fee in advance. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the other people who came out with us.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll investigate the matter thoroughly, but¡­ your name, ID? Please cooperate,¡± an officer said. Manager Li watched Yang Jian with a mocking smile. Thinking he could get rich off me using those crooked ways, today, he will spit all that money back out. ¡°My name is Yang Jian; here is my ID¡­¡± Yang Jian cooperated by taking out his ID. ¡°Check it out.¡± An officer took the ID and handed it to a colleague. The colleague, holding the ID, went to aputer to verify whether there were any criminal records and to check the personal information in the file. The remaining officer continued the interrogation, ¡°Manager Li ims you extorted and ckmailed him in the mall, involving an amount of 1,854,863 yuan. Is there any truth to this usation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a good person, how could Imit such extortion or ckmail?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°This is a nder.¡± Manager Li said, ¡°Nonsense, you a good person? Here¡¯s the transfer record, look, officer, this is the previous transaction, and that ount belongs to Yang Jian.¡± ¡°Do you admit that this ount is yours? If so, then we can confirm that this transaction is indeed valid and we will proceed with a formal investigation,¡± the officer said. Yang Jian chuckled, ¡°That ount isn¡¯t mine.¡± Indeed, it wasn¡¯t his; the ount belonged to his mother. ¡°Officer, no worries if he won¡¯t admit it. A simple check at the bank will reveal if the card is his,¡± Manager Li said. ¡°Keep an eye on both of them.¡± Then, the officer took the bank details and went to gather evidence. As soon as the officer left, Manager Li whispered, ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be ungrateful. You¡¯ve already made more than ten million by saving a few people, be content. Give me back my money, and we¡¯ll be even, and I¡¯ll drop the matter. Over 1.8 million¡ªif the charge of extortion stands, you¡¯ll be looking at over a decade behind bars.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll return the money to you no problem, but you have to learn the caterpir dance and go back to the fifth floor of the mall. If you can do that, I¡¯ll transfer the money to you right away,¡± Yang Jian said with a smile. Manager Li¡¯s face changed as a look of fear appeared in his eyes. He would never go back to that ghostly ce in his life. ¡°You saved me, sure, but without evidence, mere words mean nothing in the eyes of thew. I havewyer friends; I understand these things better than you. You can¡¯t win against me. Return the money, and I won¡¯t sue you for extortion,¡± Manager Li said. ¡°You really are a disgusting caterpir, turning your back on people at the first chance. I should have squashed you underfoot from the start,¡± Yang Jian said, his eyes suddenly turning cold. ¡°You¡¯d better know when to quit while you¡¯re ahead. There¡¯s still time to leave. If you continue to pester me here¡­¡± He then whispered in Manager Li¡¯s ear, ¡°I don¡¯t mind showing you what a real vicious ghost is like.¡± Manager Li felt a shiver in his heart, but thinking he was now safe, with so many people around to protect him, he boldly said, ¡°Afraid of you? Show me what you¡¯ve got, if you dare. You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t recognize what¡¯s good for him.¡± Meanwhile, elsewhere. ¡°Captain Liu, take a look at this,¡± someone investigating Yang Jian suddenly called out. Captain Liu walked over, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Look at this person¡¯s file. It¡¯s strange,¡± the officer pointed to theptop screen said. Theputer screen indeed disyed Yang Jian¡¯s file, but it contained none of his personal information. It only indicated that the file was ssified and beyond their clearance to ess. ¡°Even my clearance isn¡¯t enough?¡± Captain Liu paused, then spoke gravely, ¡°Hand me the ID, I¡¯ll ask higher-ups.¡± He picked up the phone and dialed a number, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Liu Jianming. I have a suspect¡¯s ID information here; can you help me check it? My clearance isn¡¯t enough, how about on your end¡­¡± ¡°Captain Liu, you really know how to cause trouble. This one¡¯s got high clearance. Forget about my jurisdiction. Even higher authorities aren¡¯t qualified to see it. Hang on, my phone¡¯s ringing while I was looking into this person¡¯s file¡­¡± The voice on the other side paused briefly. ¡°Hello, can you hear me?¡± Captain Liu asked. It took a while for his colleague to respond resentfully, ¡°It¡¯s a reverse tracking program. The higher-ups have already sent a warning. We are not allowed to continue probing into Yang Jian¡¯s file. They said his clearance is very high, way above ours.¡± ¡°If this Yang Jian has actuallymitted a crime, we can open an investigation, but we have no authority to detain or arrest him. We must get permission from above to act. Be very careful not to be exploited by certain individuals with agendas. The higher-ups made it clear that if someone deliberately frames him, the matter will be dealt with seriously.¡± ¡°I¡­ understand. Thanks for your help,¡± Captain Liu said after a moment of silence, before hanging up the phone. He nced at Yang Jian who was not far away. The ID only showed that he was eighteen years old. No matter how capable he was, it was impossible for him to have reached such a rank at his age. ¡°Someone like Zhou Zheng, huh?¡± Captain Liu thought he understood now. Only people like that would receive special treatment from various countries. ¡°I¡¯ll handle Yang Jian¡¯s case. You all go attend to other matters,¡± Captain Liu said. Chapter 56 - 56 origin. Chapter 56 origin. Captain Liu came over with Yang Jian¡¯s ID card. ¡°Captain Liu, how¡¯s the situation? I wasn¡¯t wrong, was I? This security guard indeed is suspected of extortion, and I suggest you detain him immediately. Afterwards, I will have awyer collect evidence, go to court, and I must seek justice for myself.¡± Manager Li spoke with a righteous tone. As if he really had be the victim. Captain Liu spoke, ¡°Manager Li, we can only investigate your case. We will file a case only when we have conclusive evidence. Yang Jian¡¯s rank is too high for us to detain him without permission from above. If Manager Li is certain that Yang Jian really is suspected of extortion, pleasee with me for a recorded investigation.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Manager Li was stunned upon hearing this. ¡°What, what? You have no right to detain him? Captain Liu, could you be mistaken? You have no right to detain a mere security guard?¡± Yang Jian also realized immediately that since he took Zhou Zheng¡¯s satellite-positioning mobile phone, Liu Xiaoyu had already arranged for his inclusion in the International Ghost Tamers Organization. Really, do members of the International Ghost Tamers Organization belonging to the Asia division have such high ranks? He was somewhat doubtful, as he didn¡¯t understand the ranking system in Asia. ¡°No mistake, I have already asked my superiors. Manager Li, pleasee with us,¡± Captain Liu said; ¡°Take Manager Li to the station and record his statement.¡± Manager Li felt something was wrong and asked cautiously, ¡°Captain Liu, what happens if this case investigation fails to proceed?¡± ¡°If the evidence is insufficient and the investigation post-filing finds that the intiff has falsely used the defendant, the arrest will be made under the charge of endangering national security,¡± Captain Liu¡¯s gaze towards Manager Li was somewhat peculiar. He has been captain for many years, and Manager Li¡¯s tone was clearly apprehensive. This case was mostly likely false. ¡°Will there be detention?¡± Manager Li asked again. ¡°Detention?¡± Captain Liu shook his head and said, ¡°Are you joking? With your charges, you¡¯d be sentenced. If it¡¯s more serious¡­ you might want to consult yourwyer friend. He should know better than I do.¡± ¡°What?¡± Manager Li was taken aback. His face turned white. Was it really that serious? Manager Li¡¯s face broke out in a cold sweat. When he looked at Yang Jian again, it was with fear. This guy was definitely not just a security guard¡­ Yang Jian said, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, please continue your performance.¡± ¡°Li-, Little brother, I was just joking earlier, why don¡¯t we let bygones be bygones? I¡¯ll take you out to eat, apologize, what do you say?¡± Manager Li forced a smile. Yang Jian said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you using me of extortion? Why stop now?¡± ¡°A misunderstanding, it was all a misunderstanding. I was so happy ying caterpir just now, I got a bit dizzy and said some nonsense. I couldn¡¯t control myself at all.¡± Manager Li said, ¡°Look at me, my mouth just won¡¯t cooperate. Maybe I got possessed just now, that must be it. I¡¯ve been framed too.¡± ¡°You really are something, I¡¯m starting to admire you a bit. But I dislike leaving things unfinished, since we¡¯re investigating, we should make it thorough, don¡¯t you think so, Captain Liu?¡± Yang Jian earnestly said. ¡°Of course.¡± Captain Liu nodded and said, ¡°Take Manager Li back for the case investigation.¡± Two officers immediately came over. Manager Li was so frightened his legs went weak, and he copsed onto the ground, appearing even more desperate than when he encountered a ghost. ¡°Caterpir, farewell,¡± Yang Jian said, waving his hand. ¡°Have a good journey. Don¡¯t me me; I didn¡¯t do anything. You yed yourself with your own moves. In twenty years, when you¡¯re out, don¡¯t hold a grudge against me.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, you bastard,¡± Manager Li cursed in tears and with a sobbing voice. He never expected the International Ghost Tamers to carry such weight. When he had seen Zhou Zheng before, he really couldn¡¯t tell at all. ¡°Yang Jian, when you came out from the mall earlier, do you know what the situation is like inside now? If it¡¯s convenient, could you let us know? If it involves something from the International Ghost Tamers, then never mind,¡± Captain Liu asked in a lowered voice. ¡°We¡¯ve had several disappearances in the malltely, and I¡¯m under a lot of pressure to solve the case. Please be understanding.¡± ¡°All the people who disappeared before are still in the mall, but now they can¡¯t really be considered human anymore. The whole mall is extremely dangerous at the moment. I suggest you seal off the area immediately, and don¡¯t send anyone in, or they won¡¯t be able toe out. Also, you guys can¡¯t handle this case, it¡¯s the responsibility of the International Ghost Tamers. But since Zhou Zheng is already dead and the new Ghost Tamer hasn¡¯t arrived, I suggest you hand the case over to the new Ghost Tamer when theye,¡± Yang Jian advised out of kindness. ¡°In any case, better to minimize unnecessary casualties.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Captain Liu nodded, immediately grasping the situation. He immediately ordered the area to be cordoned off and isted, while also sealing the area surrounding the mall. ¡°I still have some things to deal with inside, so I won¡¯t disturb Captain Liu with the case,¡± Yang Jian said. Captain Liu gave a wry smile, ¡°You¡¯re joking; you¡¯re the one handling the case, I¡¯m just assisting.¡± Having personally investigated Yang Jian¡¯s files, he had already determined that Yang Jian was a member of the International Ghost Tamers Organization. ¡°Yan Li, let¡¯s go, join me in entering the mall,¡± Without wasting time, Yang Jian immediately sprang into action. Yes, he had thought it through. This ghost needed to be captured. He couldn¡¯t evade forever; now was an excellent opportunity, one he had to attempt. ¡°People like us have no choice, we must seize the opportunity or simply sit back and wait for death,¡± Yan Li immediately walked over and said. ¡°Yes, indeed, we really have no choice,¡± Yang Jian looked at the dim mall. The sky had already darkened. At this time, within the empty mall, Jiang Yan was still hiding in the surveince room on the fifth floor. She dared not leave, nor did she dare to move recklessly. For Liu Qiang¡¯s headless body was still kneeling on the ground, his head lying not far away. If Yang Jian did note to get her, she could only stay in the surveince room. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Yang Jiane back yet? Why has he stayed outside for so long?¡± Jiang Yan, while flipping through previous recordings and looking at the surveince feed at the door, wore a face filled with panic and dread. All the people left alive had been rescued, leaving only her. She feared that Yang Jian intentionally used her to rescue people for money, ultimately abandoning her. ¡°Hello, Yang Jian, can you hear me? Hello.¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s voice carried a sobbing tone, ¡°Hurry and save me, I¡¯m so obedient, you can¡¯t just leave me here.¡± ¡°Stop making noise, I¡¯m still a kid and haven¡¯t cried yet. You, an auntie, facing some trouble, cry and fuss¡ªother than your body maturing, your mind hasn¡¯t matured at all.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°Did you find it? The true appearance of that ghost? I¡¯m on my way to pick you up.¡± On hearing Yang Jian¡¯s words, Jiang Yan instantly switched from tears toughter, feeling immensely relieved, she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t find the ghost¡¯s real identity, but the earliest footage shows iting out of a clothing store on the fifth floor¡­¡± The scene was in a clothing store. The recording was from the night time. The clothing store was closed for the day, but at some point, a door inside the store slowly opened. In the video, no person could be seen, only a fuzzy shadow was visible. The shadow emerged, seeming to pause in front of a mirror, then the mannequins nearby disturbingly copsed to the ground. The shadow walked over, disassembled hands, feet, and torsos from a pile of mannequins, and then began to piece them together. This assembled mannequin was either uneven in leg length or too small in torso, seemingly unable to satisfy the dark figure. For over two hours, it pieced them together. All the mannequins in the store had been dismembered by it. Until atst a mannequin that stood two meters tall with a small torso and long limbs was pulled together, its proportions incredibly awkward¡­ However, this mannequin had no head. But the video showed the shadow blending into the headless mannequin, after which the headless figure moved. It took heads from other mannequins and ced them on its own neck. However, feeling that the fit was not right, the head rolled off its neck again, and it continued to try different heads from other mannequins, but none fit properly. The headless mannequin repeatedly tried, and as time ticked by, it became dawn unnoticed. Store owners began to arrive at the mall to open their shops. A female store owner arrived in front of her clothing store. And the two-meter-tall animated mannequin stood motionless in front of the ss window. As the store owner entered, the mannequin¡¯s head slowly turned to follow her movements¡­ Finally, rotating a full one hundred and eighty degrees, the head on the mannequin¡¯s neck appeared to still be ill-fitting and eventually fell off, rolling to the ground. The store owner turned back for a nce, then continued to tidy up everything inside the store. But as the store owner turned away, that eerie mannequin moved. Its disproportionally long arms stretched out from behind towards the store owner¡­ ¡°Is she the first victim?¡± Jiang Yan asked, watching the video, her nerves on edge. ¡°So it seems, that ghost¡­ is in that clothing store.¡± Chapter 57: The First Collaboration Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The First Coboration ¡°I just want to make it clear upfront that I have no problem cooperating with you,¡± Yang Jian said as he once again stepped into the shopping mall. ¡°But if we encounter any danger or special circumstances, or if things spiral out of control, I won¡¯t hesitate to run away. And when that happens, don¡¯t curse me for abandoning my team.¡± Yan Li responded, ¡°That¡¯s only natural. We¡¯re cooperating to capture the ghost. If it turns out to be unfeasible, it¡¯s only right for each of us to look out for our own survival. Ghosts are unpredictable, and even the most experienced ghost handlers can¡¯t be sure of sessfully capturing a restrained-level ghost.¡± ¡°Categorizing fierce ghosts into levels can be misleading. I¡¯ve already learned that lesson the hard way.¡± ¡°Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease,¡± Yang Jian nodded. He owned the Spirit Ball, and leaving the mall wouldn¡¯t even take three seconds. Moreover, the Spirit Ball could shield him from other ghosts¡¯ attacks. Even the Door Knocking Ghost couldn¡¯t detain him, so surely the ghosts in the mall couldn¡¯t be more terrifying than that one. It was this confidence in his own protection that made him dare to agree to work with Yan Li. ¡°But if we do manage to capture the ghost, how will we split the benefits afterward?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Let¡¯s get that clear now to avoid any displeasure over this matterter.¡± ¡°Money divided equally, and shared intelligence,¡± Yan Li said. ¡°You¡¯ve also helped me just now; I won¡¯t take advantage of you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Yang Jian nodded. ¡°By the way, is the position of a city¡¯s person in charge considered high?¡± he inquired. Yan Li looked stunned and asked in surprise, ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m new here and haven¡¯t had time to learn everything. If you don¡¯t know, never mind, I can ask the operatorter,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°It¡¯s a high position,¡± Yan Li exined. ¡°You can virtually mobilize a city¡¯s resources in every aspect to coordinate with your actions, and it¡¯s unconditional¡ªbut only in managing supernatural incidents. Of course, you won¡¯tck for perks in other respects either. However, there¡¯s only one person in charge per city; the previous one for Dachang City was Zhou Zheng, and I¡¯ve met him.¡± ¡°Only one person in charge per city? That seems like too much to ask of anyone,¡± Yang Jian frowned. Aside from the Ghost Infant incident, he had encountered at least three supernatural events. ¡°Due to a shortage of hands,¡± Yan Li exined, ¡°think about how vast the world is and how many cities there are. It¡¯s already good that we have one ghost handler per city as a person in charge. Plus, engaging with these incidents inevitably involves sacrifices.¡± ¡°Not all ghost handlers be the person in charge of a city,¡± he added. ¡°Are they choosing self-preservation over actively dealing with supernatural incidents?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°That¡¯s about the size of it,¡± Yan Li admitted. Yang Jian¡¯s gaze shifted subtly as he said, ¡°But that¡¯s based on the premise that we have no hope of survival. If the situation concerning the resurrection of fierce ghosts can change, then the handlers who be in charge will directly benefit. After all, the supernatural incidents within the city will still need their attention, so their survival will be more secure.¡± Yan Li was caught off guard, not expecting Yang Jian to have such a long-term perspective. ¡°You mentioned someone has sessfully prevented the resurrection of fierce ghosts. Where do you think their information came from?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Yan Li inquired. Yang Jian calmly continued, ¡°I believe many have already begun resolving the enigma of ghost existence¡­ even if breaking the mystery of ghosts is unachievable, they must find a way to control fierce ghosts, and such research must have already achieved some results. However, this method could have significant ws, be unreliable, and even carry considerable risks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it hasn¡¯t been disclosed yet.¡± ¡°But as supernatural events increase and the situation worsens, even the immature methods have to be revealed. After all, only people like us can deal with ghosts, and from a broader perspective, nobody wants to see us die.¡± After a moment of silence, Yan Li said, ¡°Before this, I was just an electrician; I don¡¯t know much about these things. If we seed this time, I can introduce you to a special club. The information I¡¯ve received all came from there.¡± ¡°What kind of club?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°A club that only ghost handlers are qualified to join. Though not numerous, their influence is significant and their connections are wide. They know more than I do,¡± Yan Li exined. ¡°Really? It would indeed be worth a visit,¡± Yang Jian remarked. Communicating with others of the same kind definitely has its benefits. Unnoticed in their conversation, the two had once again reached the shopping mall¡¯s second floor and were continuing toward the third floor. They were moving slowly. Being vignt of their surroundings. ¡°Those people¡­ seem to have disappeared again,¡± Yang Jian remarked as he looked up. The ghosts they saw before on the fifth floor had once again vanished. Not even a single body was left on the ground. ¡°They¡¯ve hidden themselves again?¡± Yan Li proposed. Yang Jian cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t turn your back to any ghost. The mall¡¯s ghosts attack from behind, switching their own heads with those of others¡­ You should have seen it on the fifth floor. Those who had their heads switched retain their memories and don¡¯t even remember that such a thing has happened to them.¡± ¡°` ¡°But as long as they wish, they can be ghosts anytime, anywhere.¡± ¡°You had already discovered this pattern? Why didn¡¯t you warn me earlier, and even made me slide out with them?¡± Yan Li said in surprise. Yang Jian replied, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust your ability, I just don¡¯t trust those people. There¡¯s a saying that goes well: a big tree will have dead branches, and arge group of people will have idiots. Some people¡¯s intelligence is hard to exin with words. You have no idea how ¡®excellent¡¯ those who court death with their lives really are, not only harming themselves but also others.¡± ¡°I was just preventing any idents from happening, what¡¯s wrong with them being caterpirs? You saw it, they were sliding on the ground, fast and stable, and they were happy about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yan Li fell silent for a moment, ¡°Alright, I admit that your action was the right one.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ Hey, is Big Sister Jiang there? If you¡¯re alive please respond, if you¡¯re dead I¡¯ll collect your body,¡± Yang Jian suddenly said into the satellite positioning cell phone. Jiang Yan¡¯s voice rang out, tense and frantic, ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet. I¡¯ve seen youe in, hurry up and pick me up. I just saw Liu Qiang¡¯s corpse move, I feel like something¡¯s not right now¡­¡± ¡°Where¡¯s that ghost? Where did it first appear?¡± asked Yang Jian. ¡°I saw on the surveince before, the ghost first appeared in a clothing store on the fifth floor, it was a blurry shadow, I couldn¡¯t see it clearly. The shadow entered the body of a mannequin. I¡¯ll send you the picture,¡± Jiang Yan said. Yang Jian said, ¡°Send it to my other phone, this phone doesn¡¯t have the function to receive images.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shortly after, his smartphone received a picture. ¡°Is this the true form of that ghost?¡± Yan Li leaned over to take a look. Yang Jian asked, ¡°Have you prepared the tools?¡± Yan Li took out a pure gold box from his bosom, about the size of a makeup box, but heavy and solid, weighing at least a few kilograms, and sealed tightly without a crack. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The ghost is so big and you prepared such a small box? Why didn¡¯t you just get a Spirit Ball,¡± Yang Jian said with an odd look at him. Yan Li replied, ¡°Gold has been a bit expensivetely; this custom box cost me over two million. All the money I made earlier went into it.¡± ¡°I understand the reasoning, but this size, it¡¯s not even enough for your ashes, how are you going to trap a ghost?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Though it¡¯s a bit small, if you squeeze in, it can fit. That ghost is just a shadow, right? Maybe it doesn¡¯t have a physical body, so the smaller box doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Yan Li said. ¡°No choice, got to try our luck now that we¡¯re here.¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t have many options and could only adopt a trying attitude to see whether or not they could sessfully imprison the ghost. They reached the fifth floor. He recognized the clothing store. Behind the ss door were a bunch of mannequins in disorder, some missing arms, others legs. He had felt something strange about them the first time he patrolled. It seemed his instinct had been correct. The ghost that instigated everything from the beginning was in there. Casting aside any underestimation, Yang Jian and Yan Li¡¯s expressions immediately turned solemn. The shop ahead was pitch-dark. The door wasn¡¯t locked; just a pull would open it. But knowing the real ghost was hiding inside made Yang Jian¡¯s palms sweat coldly. In the strictest sense, this was his first real confrontation with a ghost. The incident with the Ghost Infant didn¡¯t count; that was just passive rescue and escape, with no real pressure. But this time was different, this was an active strike. However, just as Yang Jian and Yan Li were preparing to go in. A bizarre scene unfolded. The somewhat heavy ss door of the clothing store, without any wind, began to slowly open on its own¡­ Yang Jian was startled. Could this ghost know that they wereing? ¡°` Chapter 58: 58 chapters flood in Chapter 58: 58 chapters flood in ¡°You go first?¡± Yang Jian looked at Yan Li and said. ¡°No, no, no, big brother, you should go first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only eighteen years old, I¡¯m younger, so I should be calling you ¡®big brother¡¯. Plus, I¡¯m just a temp worker at most, so you should go first.¡± ¡°Your abilities are strong, I can just follow you. You lead, and I will follow yourmands.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too modest; you¡¯ve been a ghost controller longer than I have, you¡¯re my senior. I still have a lot to learn from you.¡± Yang Jian and Yan Li stood in front of the clothing store, trying to outdo each other in humility. The ss door in front of them opened by itself, the inside was dim, and an unusual sense of oppression was conveyed invisibly. Especially knowing that there was a ghost inside made their hearts even more uneasy. It was supposed to be a joint ghost hunting operation. But when it came down to it, no one had enough courage to be the first to walk in. Because one mistake in there could be fatal. Bing a ghost controller only meant you had the capability to deal with fierce ghosts; it didn¡¯t mean you could act recklessly in front of a ghost. After a while of mutual deference, neither was willing to enter first. In the end, Yang Jian suggested, ¡°Since neither of us is certain, why don¡¯t we just leave?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yan Li was speechless. ¡°If you miss this ghost, you might encounter an even more terrifying one next time, and then it won¡¯t be that easy to catch.¡± Yang Jian touched the back of his hand and said, ¡°That¡¯s true, this ghost¡¯s level isn¡¯t very high; otherwise, it would have killed more people these days. Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s not be polite anymore, let¡¯s go in together.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go in together.¡± Yan Li nodded. He did not want to miss this opportunity; his situation was more serious than Yang Jian¡¯s, with less and less time for revival, so he wanted to give it onest shot. ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± Yang Jian took a deep breath, looked at the ss door that had already opened, and walked towards it cautiously. Yan Li went along with him, his face tense, already prepared to use the Evil Ghost Power at any moment. The clothing store wasn¡¯t very big; by estimate, it was just a little over a hundred square meters. Due to the mannequins and merchandise strewn about, it appeared somewhat untidy and cramped. ¡°The ghost is in one of those mannequins; you¡¯ve already seen the photo. Find it, and we¡¯ll take it on together,¡± Yang Jian whispered. He turned on the shlight and ced it on a shelf by the door. The shlight¡¯s beam was directed into the store, perfectly illuminating the clothing store. ¡°I remember that mannequin; it¡¯s very distinctive. I won¡¯t mistake it,¡± Yan Li said. Yang Jian didn¡¯t speak but slowly entered the clothing store, surveying the surroundings. Dead silence. Nothing strange. It was just like a normal shop that had temporarily closed. Except¡­ a persistent smell of a corpse began to spread gradually. ¡°Crack¡­¡± A soft noise. The ss door that had opened earlier now slowly closed. Though the sound wasn¡¯t loud, it was particrly clear in this extremely quiet environment. Yang Jian and Yan Li were startled and turned to look back. There was nothing there. Just like before, it was as if the door had closed on its own. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there,¡± Yan Li said solemnly. ¡°I know, but with this happening, I can be sure that the ghost is here,¡± Yang Jian said. Everywhere else was normal; it was only this clothing store that felt off. Plus, Jiang Yan had been checking the surveince footage in the monitoring room, which also confirmed that the first supernatural event in this mall had urred here. ¡°Is it okay that the door is closed?¡± Yan Li asked again. ¡°We¡¯re not nning on running away, so it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s closed. And if we really have to run, I¡¯m not nning to go through the main door,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Wait, listen, what¡¯s that sound?¡± Yan Li¡¯s expression grew stern. A series of faint and bizarre noises arose from the clothing store, sounding like something rotating and scraping. ¡°Yang Jian, look at these mannequins¡­¡± Suddenly, Yan Li eximed in surprise. Yang Jian had already noticed without needing him to say it. The mannequins that had been randomly ced around the store began to slowly turn their heads. Not just one, but all the mannequins in the shop started to rotate their heads at that moment, facing the direction of Yang Jian and Yan Li with their mechanical expressions, and fake eyes that conveyed an eerie look, as if signaling a terrifying message. I¡¯ve got my eyes on you~! ¡°Don¡¯t turn your backs to them,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Be careful not to get your heads taken off.¡± He saw that a mannequin on the ground without legs suddenly raised its head to look at him, and a pair of fake hands reached out towards him. The other mannequins began to show signs of activity too, and their movements seemed to be getting more frequent. It was as if¡­ the ghost was reviving. As Yang Jian and Yan Li quickly adjusted their positions, making sure not to show their backs to any of the mannequins, themotion among the mannequins gradually subsided. ¡°Can that ghost control even these fake mannequins?¡± Yan Li said with a slight shock, growing nervous. Yang Jian said, ¡°It seems that anything with a head switched by a ghost can be controlled, but I still can¡¯t confirm how exactly the ghost exists. Whether it¡¯s the mannequins or the corpses with heads swapped before, these things are not real ghosts. The real ghost has been hiding in the dark, and to catch it, we must force it out.¡± ¡°Is there any way to do that?¡± Yan Li asked. ¡°Not at the moment¡­¡± Yang Jian hesitated for a moment in his mind. He could actually try covering the area with Ghost Domain to see if he could pull the ghost into it. But if his guess was wrong and the ghost was no longer in this clothing store, then he would have wasted an opportunity for nothing. ¡°Better hold off, use Ghost Domain when a ghost actually appears, can¡¯t afford to strike empty air.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, look at that fitting room. The door is open. Could the human mannequin possessed by the ghost be in there?¡± Suddenly, Yan Li pointed to a fitting room that was slightly ajar and said. ¡°Very likely, let¡¯s check it out together.¡± The two approached cautiously. They slowly opened the fitting room door in the beam of the shlight. There was a person standing in the fitting room. A woman with closed eyes and paleplexion. She was unfamiliar, probably one of the victims in the mall. And though she had the face of a woman, her body wasn¡¯t human but that of a mannequin. Had the ghost attached a human head onto a mannequin¡¯s neck? However, the woman¡¯s head had been ced here for some time. The color of the flesh had changed, emitting a strong stench of rot. ¡°It¡¯s not this one,¡± Yan Li whispered. But just then, the door of the fitting room next to them slowly opened. A strange, nearly two-meter-tall mannequin with long arms and legs walked out silently. its body blocked the light from the shlight behind it, and a pair of hands reached from behind towards the heads of Yang Jian and Yan Li. ¡°Hm?¡± However, the moment he noticed the shadows change under his feet, Yang Jian¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed, sensing something was amiss. His tightly wound nerves caused an instinctive reaction. A pair of crimson eyes burst open through the flesh at the back of the head. As soon as the Ghost Eyes appeared, the scene behind his head immediately flooded into his mind. Before he knew it, the mannequin he had seen in the photos on the phone was already standing behind him, reaching out. ¡°Behind us.¡± Yang Jian roared lowly, quickly stepping forward to dodge the creature¡¯s attack. But Yan Li was a step too slow in reacting, and something touched the back of his head. An icy chill as if piercing through his scalp spread throughout his body, instinctively raising goosebumps all over. Yan Li¡¯s reaction was quick, too; his hand was already smeared with blood, and instead of dodging, he reached out to grab the mannequin. ¡°Got you.¡± His bloody hand, without any suspense, caught the long arm reaching out to him, and the fresh blood seemed to merge into the mannequin. Soon, fresh blood began to ooze out from the joints, eyes, neck¡­ of the mannequin. ¡°My Ghost Blood can suppress the abilities of any ghost. Take this chance to subdue it¡­¡± Yan Li shouted. But before he could finish, the female corpse behind him suddenly stirred to life. Greenish-ck rotten arms reached out from behind towards Yan Li. Apparently, just stopping the mannequin was not enough. ¡°Catching one is useless, you¡¯re not paying attention to the other surroundings,¡± Yang Jian said as he watched the suddenly animated female corpse, without hesitation, giving it a kick. His foot glowed with a faint red light. He kicked the female corpse, which then embedded itself into the wall behind. Its legs struggled but it couldn¡¯te out. Yan Li turned and looked back, suddenly feeling a false rm. Fortunately, he was working with Yang Jian this time. If he hade alone, he would have been dead the moment he turned around. But something even more terrifying happened. As Yang Jian walked out of the fitting room, ready to join Yan Li in dealing with this special mannequin. A casual nce outside left him stunned. Somehow, the entire shop was now full of people blocking the entrance thoroughly, one of them even walked into the shop and picked up his shlight from a shelf. This person had no head but was wearing a security guard¡¯s uniform. ¡°Liu Qiang?¡± Yang Jian recognized the body. ¡°Hey, Yang Jian, it¡¯s bad. I saw Liu Qiang¡¯s corpse walk out just now. I was too scared to make a sound. Be careful on your side,¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s voice came from the satellite-located cell phone. ¡°I know,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face darkened. Now you tell me, after the man has alreadye up to me, you did a great job, woman. ¡°Click~!¡± Apanied by a faint sound, the headless security guard turned off the shlight. The surroundings immediately fell into endless darkness. In the darkness, Yang Jian heard the rustling sounds of person after person walking into the clothing store. More and more ghosts were pouring in, as if to fill up this not-sorge clothing store. Chapter 59: The Ghost Hidden Within Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Ghost Hidden Within Before the shlight went out, Yang Jian had already seen that the doorway of the clothing store was filled with people whose faces were pale and their bodies exuded a rotten smell. These were the same people who had just trapped Boss Tang, Master Luo, and Manager Li. They had disappeared before, but unexpectedly they all appeared at this moment. The number was so great that they hadpletely blocked the exit, making it absolutely impossible for any normal person to escape from here now. In such a narrow and crowded ce, no one could guarantee they wouldn¡¯t be attacked. ¡°This, there are so many? It¡¯s beyond my abilities now. Quick, lie down, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Yan Li said anxiously upon seeing this scene. ¡°No, don¡¯t lie down, something¡¯s wrong,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression shifted slightly as he quickly turned on his phone¡¯s shlight. Under the light, seven or eight people had already walked into the store, with more continuously pouring in. Although they moved slowly, in less than a minute they would reach him,pletely encircling him from all directions. ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t they not going to attack us if we lie down?¡± Yan Li asked. ¡°That was before, but now it¡¯s different. Previously, what we saw weren¡¯t real ghosts, which is why they followed a set attack pattern. When peopley down, they lost their target and stopped, then quickly left, until they appeared again,¡± Yang Jian exined. ¡°But now, look again, we are not turning our backs to them, but these ghosts are stilling. Don¡¯t you know what that means?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Yan Li¡¯s forehead beaded with anxious sweat. Yang Jian¡¯s gaze swept across: ¡°The real ghost is among these people, and it¡¯s not this fake mannequin you are holding onto. I guess this mannequin is just the ghost¡¯s first body, and it definitely has changed bodies again. The corpse in the changing room behind us is the best proof. If the ghost were really this mannequin you¡¯re holding onto¡­¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯ve suppressed the ghost¡¯s power, there¡¯s no reason these bodies could still move.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re only mentioning this now?¡± Yan Li¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he quickly withdrew his hand, no longer using the Ferocious Ghost¡¯s power. The fake mannequin, drenched in blood and two meters tall, immediately lost its ability to move and copsed to the ground, breaking into pieces, without any further movement. Yang Jian¡¯s guess was correct. This special fake mannequin, indeed, wasn¡¯t the real ghost. However, at this moment, a group of people with a rotting smell had already approached them. Their cold, white faces were expressionless, exuding a terrifying stillness, like walking corpses, yet even more dreadful than walking corpses. Because hidden among these people was a real ghost. ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s all over, we¡¯re doomed, we¡¯ve been tricked by this ghost. This clothing store is a trap, and this conspicuous fake mannequin is the bait; it¡¯s meant to lure us in,¡± Yan Li said, hisplexion ashen with despair. Even as a ghost controller, he couldn¡¯t possibly force his way out using the power of the Ferocious Ghost, either dying from the revival of the Ferocious Ghost or the ghost here. Both ways lead to death. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Don¡¯t talk like that before we¡¯re dead, follow me, and don¡¯t use the power of the Ferocious Ghost at all,¡± Yang Jian gritted his teeth and grabbed Yan Li. A surge of red light emanated from his body. All five Ghost Eyes opened at once. The red light enveloped the surrounding three to four meters, covering both him and Yan Li next to him. His Ghost Domain unfolded. In this situation, not using the Ghost Domain would be a dead end, impossible to break out of, not just for Yan Li but for himself as well. Under the cover of the red light, it was as if they were separated from reality. The ghostsing towards them now passed right through their bodies without touching them. The crisis was temporarily resolved. ¡°This is¡­ the Ghost Domain? How is this possible, your ability is the Ghost Domain,¡± Yan Li said, staring at Yang Jian next to him with a more shocked expression than if he had seen a ghost. ¡°Is the Ghost Domain that special?¡± Yang Jian looked at him and asked. ¡°More than special, it¡¯s rare because the ghosts that possess a Ghost Domain are particrly terrifying, beyond the control of ghost controllers, who would die immediately from ghost revival if they tried to control it forcefully,¡± Yan Li said, still looking at Yang Jian with astonishment. Moreover, in the eyes of ghost controllers, the ability of the Ghost Domain has always been defined as an insoluble existence. Once you step into the Ghost Domain, it means there is no way back unless you can imprison the ghost within the Ghost Domain. But, is that possible? It¡¯s definitely impossible. Most of the ghosts capable of having a Ghost Domain are of Catastrophe Level A, and such ghostsbined with a Ghost Domain can bring despair to all ghost controllers worldwide. Yang Jian looked at him seriously and said, ¡°Now is not the time to discuss that. We only have three minutes, within these three minutes we need to find the real ghost among these corpses and lock it in your Gold box, otherwise we¡¯ll have to escape.¡± His limit was five minutes, but to be on the safe side, he left two minutes for escape. ¡°With the Ghost Domain, indeed we can leave whenever we want¡­¡± Yan Li said somewhat surprised, apparently understanding a bit about the abilities of the Ghost Domain. Such an unsolvable existence, tamers of ghosts do know a little. However, when he saw the strange and blood-red eyes growing on Yang Jian¡¯s hands, head¡­ his face, which had just brightened with joy, instantly froze again. Those eyes were just idly rolling, and after looking at Yan Li a few times, they gave him the creeps. Yan Li could feel that once the ghost inside Yang Jian¡¯s body revived, it would brew a terrible Catastrophe Level disaster. ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± The timer on Yang Jian¡¯s phone was already running, and he led Yan Li throughyers of obstructing corpses to the middle of the group of people. Under the red glow, the two of them and the group of ghosts had no direct contact. Perhaps because the two were in the Ghost Domain, the ghost had lost its target. Now all the corpses were still. They just stood stiffly inside the clothing store. Yang Jian and Yan Li began scanning each and every corpse frantically, trying to determine which one might be the real ghost. ¡°The ghost must be inside, we must find it within three minutes, otherwise this operation will have been too costly,¡± Yang Jian calcted in his heart. Having already used the Ghost Domain, he couldn¡¯t waste this opportunity. But which one here was the real ghost? The highly decayed female corpse? Or the man with a switched head? Or maybe Liu Qiang¡¯s corpse. Or the male corpse wearing Wei Xiaohong¡¯s body? ¡­ Any of them was possible. ¡°No, guessing won¡¯t do, it¡¯s useless to guess with so many corpses, Yan Li has used the powers of a Ferocious Ghost too often, if he tries with his ability he will surely die when the ferocious ghost revives.¡± In order to confirm, Yang Jian asked, ¡°Yan Li, how many more times can you use the power of a Ferocious Ghost?¡± ¡°Actually, my limit is almost reached, under the current state, at most three times, and after that I¡­ might die,¡± Yan Li said. He wasn¡¯t sure. Because no one knows where their limit is, one can only roughly estimate. ¡°Three times?¡± Yang Jian made a rough judgement in his heart. However, just at that moment. Suddenly a corpse moved. All the corpses were still, only that corpse had moved. It was a corpse dressed in a suit, but with the neck of a middle-aged woman. Maybe she gave up attacking them because Yang Jian was in the Ghost Domain and started to turn around to leave. ¡°It must be her,¡± Yan Li shouted immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s try,¡± Yang Jian withdrew the red light and left the Ghost Domain. Yan Li gritted his teeth and grabbed the corpse. Blood-crimson blood spilled from his gloves and continuously merged into the corpse. The eyes, neck, and mouth of the corpse were also continuously bleeding. She stopped moving. It seemed to be restrained. ¡°Did it work?¡± Yang Jian watched anxiously. Chapter 60 - 60 Arrest Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Arrest ¡°` To find the real ghost among the various bizarre corpses filling the shop was no small challenge. The difficulty was considerable. They did not have the means to try each one, because wielding the power to control powerful ghosts was extremely dangerous. Each use directly shortened their own lives. When it actually came to taking action, what was needed was not only sufficient courage, but also a strong resolve. Yang Jian had the courage, Yan Li had the resolve. So, at this moment, they didn¡¯t run away, they chose to take action. Blood seeped into the body of the middle-aged woman in the suit through Yan Li¡¯s hands. As if his blood would never run out, with the infusion of blood, the body that had first started to move now seemed toe to a halt, with no further movement, and the other bodies also seemed to lose their ability to act at this moment, freezing in ce. This sign seemed to suggest. The real ghost was hiding within this body. But was that really the case? Yang Jian wasn¡¯t sure, and even Yan Li himself wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Is it this body?¡± Yan Li¡¯s face was particrly serious, ¡°I¡­ am not very clear, but looking at it this way, it seems to be this body. The blood in my hands can only suppress the ghost, it can¡¯t determine whether it is indeed a ghost or not.¡± Yang Jian frowned deeply, the surroundings dark and silent. Apart from the body gripped by Yan Li continuously oozing blood, no other abnormalities appeared. Everything seemed to havee to a brief halt. But this silent, breathless stillness was the most terrifying situation, because Yan Li could not discern if the body he held was truly the ghost, and if they continued to be at an impasse like this, a wrong guess meant certain death for him. It could be said, with every passing second, they were the ones losing. The real ghost had plenty of time to wear them down. ¡°Yang Jian, what do we do now? Quickly think of a way to confirm whether this is the ghost or not. If it is, we¡¯ll put it in the box,¡± Yan Li¡¯s forehead broke out in sweat. He began to feel the blood constantly surging from his hands bing somewhat uncontroble. And at this moment, Yang Jian was also rapidly considering all the details. If this body was not that of the ghost, then the ghost should still be hiding here. If the ghost was deliberately staying still, letting Yan Li waste his power indiscriminately, it was tantamount to indirect murder. If this body really was the ghost, there was no reason for the other bodies to have no reaction at all. Bait~! This body that had moved first had an eighty percent chance of being just a bait. Like fishing, you have to hang a bait first to attract the fish to bite the hook. But if they guessed wrong, they would miss the perfect opportunity to capture the ghost. After weighing the pros and cons. In the end, he chose the side with the greater probability. Yang Jian made a bold guess in his heart: This body was not the ghost. Without hesitation, he bit his teeth and immediately said, ¡°Retreat for now, give up this opportunity.¡± ¡°What? Retreat?¡± Yan Li didn¡¯t expect Yang Jian to say such a thing at this time. Retreating meant that their attempt had failed, and he would have wasted the power of the powerful ghost for nothing. ¡°This body absolutely cannot be the ghost¡­ If she really was the ghost, then these bodies would not all stay standing, motionless. Sometimes doing things too perfectly means exposing the biggest w. Retreat, if you die to the resurgence of the powerful ghost now, the situation will be uncontroble,¡± Yang Jian said earnestly and with a hint of anxiety. ¡°But¡­¡± Yan Li dared not take the gamble, he hesitated. ¡°` ¡°There are no buts, get back here,¡± Yang Jian sternly ordered, ¡°You have no choice now, if you don¡¯te back, I¡¯m leaving right this moment. My Ghost Domain won¡¯tst long, and dragging this out will only get us both killed.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­ I¡¯ll trust you this one time.¡± Yan Li was reluctant as the blood from his hands ceased flowing and then he released the corpse he was holding. ¡°Don¡¯t turn your back on these bodies, walk towards me,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes darted as he immediately instructed. ¡°I know.¡± Yan Li gave up on this action and chose to back away. Yang Jian said, ¡°Slow down.¡± Yan Li carefully backed away slowly. As he moved back, the corpse in the suit with a middle-aged woman¡¯s head suddenly copsed to the ground as if it had lost some kind of support, assuming a strange posture, and its head appeared to detach from its neck, falling to the ground and rolling a few times. This corpse, after being soaked in Yan Li¡¯s blood, lost its eerie ability and turned into an ordinary corpse. However, the fall of this body didn¡¯t seem to affect the other corpses. The rest of the corpses still stood rigid, unmoving, maintaining an illogical bnce even in an advanced state of decay. ¡°You were right, she¡¯s not a ghost,¡± Yan Li said, shocked and angry at the scene. He had been deceived by this ghost! However, just as he was about to retreat into the Ghost Domain. Suddenly, one of the corpses moved; its head turned at an rmingly high speed, a full one hundred and eighty degrees, facing backward. Its eyes suddenly opened, fixing Yan Li with a pair of ashen eyes as its arms reached out and grabbed his arm. ¡°Crack!¡± With a soft noise, Yan Li¡¯s arm came off like a doll¡¯s, easily plucked away. The break didn¡¯t bleed, only crimson flesh was visible. ¡°Ghost!¡± Yan Li¡¯s pupils contracted sharply when he saw the corpse abnormally turn its head and rip off his arm. But what happened next filled him with immeasurable fear. The real ghost then removed its other arm and attempted to attach Yan Li¡¯s arm in ce. As if assembling a building block. ¡°Yang Jian, quick, stop it, you must not let it attach my arm. There is Ghost Blood hidden inside that hand, and if it seeds, the consequences would be unthinkable¡­¡± Yan Li hurriedly shouted. His whole body was trembling. His previous assumption was correct. This was a trap. Both he and Yang Jian were prey to this ghost, which sought to obtain a better body. Because human corpses decay and be useless after a while, the ghost kept on changing bodies, exchanging heads. But the body of someone who can control ghosts is different; it contains a real ghost. If a ghost took control of another ghost, the level of horror would increase exponentially. Because a ghost¡­ doesn¡¯t die. Before Yan Li could finish speaking, a streak of red light seemed to sh in front of him. The ghost before his eyes disappeared. His arm fell to the ground. ¡°Caught you. You hid well, but now that you¡¯re in my Ghost Domain, unless I die, you¡¯re not leaving,¡± a cold smirk appeared on Yang Jian¡¯s lips. Within the Ghost Domain, a corpse stood before him, motionless, its head still turned one hundred and eighty degrees. But Yang Jian knew that the real ghost resided within that corpse. Chapter 61 - 61 Successful Detention Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Sessful Detention The surroundings and buildings were just as familiar as the shopping mall. But the entire world here seemed to be stained with fresh blood, everything draped in a faint red hue. Though the Ghost Domain appears small, once inside, the space can expand infinitely. It¡¯s like a different dimension, suspended between reality and illusion. Even Yang Jian, who possessed the Ghost Domain, could not deduce in what form it truly existed. However, at this moment, there was a corpse standing in front of Yang Jian. A corpse missing an arm, its head twisted in a 180-degree posture. He recognized this corpse. It was one of the disciples who had followed Master Luo. In his thirties, he looked quite young. ¡°Indeed, this ghost chooses the freshest bodies to possess, discarding those that are rotting or mismatched. But¡­ it cannot be ruled out that it has the ability to take over any body at will. If that¡¯s the case, not even Yan Li, no matter how powerful, would be able to catch it unless he could immobilize all the corpses at once.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different once I¡¯ve trapped it in the Ghost Domain. This is the only way to ensure this ghost can¡¯t escape.¡± ¡°Yan Li made the right decision to coborate with me. I certainly didn¡¯t waste his opportunity to act as bait.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze flickered as he checked the countdown on his phone. Two minutes and forty seconds had already passed. But it didn¡¯t matter. The ghost had been found, and his limit was five minutes. As long as he could sessfully imprison this ghost, even if it took until the end of the five minutes, it would not matter. ¡°However, this is the most dangerous time.¡± Yang Jian took a slight breath. Before, he was only dealing with a corpse manipted by the ghost. Now, he was facing a real ghost. The corpse in front of him didn¡¯t choose to remain motionless. Perhaps its hibernation had been seen through by Yang Jian. Now, its head slowly turned back from behind, like a wind-up toy, returning to its normal position, then lunged over. Its ash-grey eyes, whether they could see or not, stared directly at Yang Jian. Numb, stiff, devoid of any emotion. Like a moving doll, just the staring alone sent chills down one¡¯s spine. But Yang Jian wasn¡¯t new to encounters with ghosts. He had faced even more terrifying ones like the Door Knocking Ghost, so his heart was rtively strong. Suddenly. The ghost moved. It acted swiftly, its fresh corpse running. With a speed unattainable by humans, it charged toward Yang Jian, reaching him in less than two seconds. It stretched out its remaining hand not to grab Yang Jian¡¯s head but his wrist and the eye on it. ¡°Yan Li¡¯s hand, my Ghost Eye¡­ Do you, this ghost, want to assemble a body made entirely of fierce ghosts? So that¡¯s why you keep switching bodies¡­ Are you looking for limbs that suit you?¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t move. He stood there, neither dodging nor avoiding. ¡°It seems that you, like the Ghost Infant, have great potential for growth. Once you assemble a body made of ghosts, I reckon the Terror Level could directly be defined as S Destruction Level. However, it¡¯s unfortunate that your own level of terror isn¡¯t that high.¡± The ghost in front of him grabbed onto Yang Jian¡¯s wrist, and it seemed about to forcibly remove the Ghost Eye. However, the next moment. He disappeared. Yang Jian appeared a short distance behind the ghost. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to contain a ghost that could be incredibly dangerous in the future. I just don¡¯t know whether you ghosts have any intelligence?¡± He tried to extract some useful information from the ghost¡¯s actions, intent, and existence, to maximize the gains from this operation. Yet the ghost offered no response, simply standing rigid, motionless. ¡°Sincemunication is impossible, I have no choice but to imprison such a terrifying being,¡± said Yang Jian, not daring to be careless, even within the Ghost Domain. ¡°Yan Li, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Apanied by a red glow engulfing the clothing store, Yang Jian¡¯s figure appeared, along with the corpse. Yan Li had already reattached the arm that the ghost had removed. How he had managed it, perhaps it was the ability of the ghost within him. ¡°Are you sure this is the body?¡± he asked as soon as he saw Yang Jian appear, his eyelids twitching. ¡°I¡¯ve trapped it in the Ghost Domain. Have any other corpses moved meanwhile?¡± asked Yang Jian. ¡°Well¡­ no,¡± said Yan Li, ncing at the other bodies, which indeed hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°I just want to confirm again. If we make another mistake, you know my situation,¡± Yan Li added. Yang Jian replied, ¡°We¡¯re staking our lives here, there are no ifs. If we can sessfully imprison this ghost, you might retire early, right? Something worth a billion is enough to die without regrets¡­ The same goes for me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Yan Li gritted his teeth and entered the Ghost Domain. It wasn¡¯t that he could enter the Ghost Domain by himself; it was because Yang Jian allowed it. However, as soon as Yan Li stepped in, perhaps his presence threatened the ghost. Immediately. A blurry figure walked out of the corpse. Its height and size changed rapidly, bing the same size as Yang Jian¡­ but the Ghost Shadow still had no head. Headless Ghost Shadow~! Was this the true form of the ghost? No wonder the heads of every corpse decayed the fastest; itcked a head. ¡°Yang Jian, it¡¯s targeting you,¡± cried Yan Li, seeing this. Before he could finish speaking, the Ghost Shadow swiftly drew near as if intending to merge with him. Yang Jian didn¡¯t know whether he was too slow to react, or if the movements of the Ghost Shadow were just too strange. Soon, the Ghost Shadow merged into Yang Jian¡¯s body. He stopped moving¡­ ¡°No way?¡± Yan Li¡¯s pupils contracted, and his heart instantly tensed up. Having dealt with it for so long, he hade to understand this ghost¡¯s ability. It was a ghost that could snatch away human bodies¡­ not just bodies, but other things as well. If Yang Jian¡¯s body was taken away at this moment, it would be all over. ¡°What are you surprised about? The ghost possessed only a fake mannequin. It seems that even ghosts can be deceived.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s voice sounded; he had approached from the side without anyone noticing. He was unharmed. The person in front of them who had been possessed, however, shed a faint red light and turned into a fake human mannequin. ¡°Is this the power of the Unsolvable Ghost Realm?¡± Yan Li looked at Yang Jian, who had appeared as if by magic, in shock. He suspected that even this Yang Jian might be a fake. But even if he was fake, Yan Li couldn¡¯t tell. The Ghost Domain could arbitrarily distort reality; only the things Yang Jian believed to be real were indeed real. ¡°Time is almost up. If you don¡¯t make a move, I¡¯m going to leave,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°I understand.¡± Yan Li snapped out of his shock and hurriedly ran forward. After just one step, he reached the fake mannequin. The distance could be shortened as well? Yan Li didn¡¯t have time to wonder about the existence of the Ghost Domain; he grabbed the fake mannequin, and blood flowed out from his gloved hands, quickly seeping into it. ¡°Thud, thud, thud~!¡± The moment Ghost Blood, which could restrain other ghosts, touched this genuine ghost, the bodies in the clothing store fell one by one. The heads separated from the bodies, tumbling down as though meticulously arranged dominoes had all been knocked over. ¡°It¡¯s working. Congrattions, you¡¯ve caught the real ghost. You¡¯re very powerful. At least I can only trap it and not restrict it,¡± said Yang Jian, ncing over. Yan Li said with a wry smile, ¡°Don¡¯t joke. Your Unsolvable Ghost Realm is the real horror. Unless I grab a ghost with both hands, I¡¯m useless. If the containment fails, I won¡¯t even have a chance to escape. But if we could cooperate, catching a ghost would be quite easy.¡± After saying that, he looked at Yang Jian again. Indeed, their abilitiesplemented each other. However, Yan Li soon felt a pang of regret. Because his end was nearing, he didn¡¯t have much longer to live. If he had met Yang Jian earlier, perhaps things would have been better. But then again, it wasn¡¯t many days ago that Yang Jian was still a student; he hadn¡¯t been a ghost hunter for long. ¡°Let¡¯s save the small talk forter; it¡¯s almost four minutes. You don¡¯t want me to die from a revived vengeful ghost, do you? Hurry up and confine it,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°Wait a little longer, it¡¯s not that fast,¡± Yan Li said. Hearing this, Yang Jian could only wait patiently. About ten secondster¡­ The Ghost Blood that Yan Li had infiltrated into the model became sufficient, and the fake stic model began to slowly dissolve. Yes, you saw that right. Ghost Blood prated from every joint of the fake model, gradually submerging the entire body, and then it began to melt. The Ghost Shadow attached within seemed to melt as well. Blood flowed everywhere, forming a pool, and the surrounding Ghost Domain was affected. Yan Li then crouched down and ced his hand on the pool of blood. The blood seemed to be absorbed back into his body. The blood was rapidly diminishing. Finally, only a small puddle remained. But within that puddle of blood, the silhouette of the Headless Ghost struggled. It reached out its hands and flipped its body, trying to escape from the pool. But it was futile. The blood, like a shackle, firmly restrained it. ¡°Now it¡¯s okay,¡± Yan Li said as he took out a hefty box made of Gold. Although the box wasn¡¯trge, it was more than enough for that small puddle of blood. The blood on the ground squirmed, as if alive, dragging the trapped Headless Ghost Shadow into the box. ¡°Click~!¡± The box closed tightly, but Yan Li didn¡¯t feel reassured and took out some golden foil paper, wrapping it several times without leaving any gaps. ¡°It¡¯s only preliminarily contained. As long as the gold foil wrapping is melted and the gappletely soldered shut, the ghost will never be able toe out. Otherwise, even if there¡¯s only a slight crack, the ghost might escape. There have already been ghost hunters who have suffered from this before,¡± he exined. Afterpleting all these steps, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ve learned something new,¡± said Yang Jian, who had observed the process and memorized the steps. Just Gold wasn¡¯t enough; it also had to be welded shut, without leaving any gaps. ¡°Now that the ghost has been sessfully contained, what do you n to do next? If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll keep the box for now. What do you think?¡± Then he spoke again, slowly. Chapter 62 - 62 Pleasant Cooperation Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Pleasant Cooperation The ghost was sessfully imprisoned, and this marked the end of the cooperative rtionship between Yang Jian and Yan Li. What came next was a struggle for their respective interests. There was only one box, and Yang Jian had no reason to let Yan Li hold onto it. Once out the door, who recognized whom? These days, the debtor is the real master. ¡°Yang Jian, what do you mean by that? Do you think I would monopolize this artifact?¡± Yan Li¡¯s eyebrows raised, and he said to Yang Jian, ¡°The artifact will stay with me for now. Later, I¡¯ll spread the word in the club, and soon a buyer wille looking. When that happens, we¡¯ll go to the transaction together, split the money half-and-half after the deal is done, and share the intelligence.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t take advantage of you, nor will I let you suffer a loss.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why can¡¯t it stay safely with me? You go contact the buyer, and when the timees, you can find me. I¡¯ll appear with the artifact. Are you worried I¡¯d run away?¡± ¡°So there¡¯s no point discussing this?¡± asked Yan Li. He hadn¡¯t expected that this young man would start talking about interests right after they had dealt with the supernatural incident. ¡°If you can¡¯t give me peace of mind, then I think there¡¯s no need to continue this conversation.¡± Yang Jian said seriously, ¡°You don¡¯t trust me, just as I don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°Enough, it was I who personally imprisoned that ghost,¡± Yan Li snapped back. ¡°I saved you, twice,¡± Yang Jian said calmly. Yan Li was getting angry now. ¡°You have the nerve to talk about saving me? Just now, when you asked me to leave the Ghost Domain, it was clearly a ploy to use me as bait to lure the ghost out. You couldn¡¯t tell which one was the ghost among these corpses either; otherwise, you would have let me enter the Ghost Domain in an instant and not have me slowly back out.¡± ¡°Do you realize that what you did just now almost killed me?¡± Yang Jian looked at him and said, ¡°Because you could only be used as bait, or else our attempt to capture it would definitely have failed. I was thinking of the big picture, or else why would you be able to stand here and argue with me? Also, given the situation in the Ghost Domain, I could have saved you within a second. I am confident in my ability to ensure you wouldn¡¯t die. But can you be confident you¡¯d ensure my safety in return?¡± ¡°What if I insist on taking this box with me today?¡± Yan Li said coldly. He absolutely couldn¡¯t let the hard-earned artifact stay with Yang Jian. ¡°Then are you sure that the box in your hand is real?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Do you¡­ understand the Ghost Domain?¡± Yan Li¡¯s eyelids twitched, and he instinctively nced at the object in his hands. He was startled in an instant. The gold box in his hands had at some point turned into a rotting Dead Man¡¯s Head. Almost instinctively, he flung the head away. ¡°You, when did you switch them?¡± Yan Li was both shocked and furious. ¡°Guess?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°In the Ghost Domain, only what I believe to be real is real, everything else you see could be false¡­ So, an interesting thing has happened. What do you believe to be real now?¡± ¡°What your eyes see? What your hands feel, or what your nose smells?¡± ¡°When all of this turns out to be false, you¡¯ll find that the world itself is false as well, and that is the Illusionary Realm.¡± ¡°Quite an interesting ability, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Impossible, the power of your Ghost Domaines from fierce ghosts, it shouldn¡¯t affect Gold, that¡¯s a known fact to all spirit maniptors around the world,¡± Yan Li said through clenched teeth. Yang Jian said, ¡°I might not be able to affect Gold, but can¡¯t I affect your eyes? Do you really think what you just threw away was a Dead Man¡¯s Head?¡± Could it be? Yan Li¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly picked up the head not far away. ¡°Are you sure the head you¡¯re picking up now is the same one you threw away?¡± Yang Jian spoke again, his lips curling into a slight smile, ¡°After the task is done, you¡¯re unwilling to trust me, and I can¡¯t trust you either. The box can¡¯t be split into two, and although you¡¯ve made a significant contribution, so have I.¡± ¡°It was I who first discovered the pattern of this ghost, it was I who found it.¡± As he finished speaking. One could see that somehow a golden box had appeared in his hand. It was the very box Yan Li had used to imprison the Headless Ghost. If the box was in Yang Jian¡¯s hands, then what Yan Li held¡­ was indeed a real Dead Man¡¯s Head. ¡°Damn it.¡± Yan Li cursed inwardly. He once again hurriedly threw away the head he had picked up. By now, his mind was utterly confused, for he could not distinguish what was real and what was fake within the Ghost Domain. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t understand why a sense of relief surged through him, as if he were relieved that Yang Jian wasn¡¯t a real ghost. Otherwise, how could this ghost be restrained? They were about to be annihted in an instant. ¡°I admit, I¡¯m no match for you, and this time you take charge. What would you like? You¡¯re not nning to monopolize it, are you?¡± Yan Li said. If Yang Jian chose to go it alone, then he would have no recourse. Yang Jian said, ¡°Although we¡¯ve had some unpleasantness over the division of profits, I am still a man of principles. If a person has no bottom line, then what¡¯s the difference between a person and a ghost? So¡­ let¡¯s continue our previous cooperation, but this box stays with me. You¡¯ll be responsible for contacting the buyer. However, the negotiation of this deal must be done by me. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­Do I have any capital to negotiate terms?¡± Yan Li said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it your way.¡± Being able to maintain a cooperative rtionship, he was already thanking his lucky stars. If it had been someone more ruthless, he would have been out of the picture today. ¡°Good, call me when it¡¯s time for the trade. Don¡¯t call at other times; I¡¯m very busy¡­ and, pleased to cooperate.¡± He took out a pen from his pocket, wrote down a phone number, and then ced it on the ground. After all this was done, the red light surrounding them vanished. Yang Jian disappeared as well. Had he left the Ghost Domain? Yan Li looked around and caught sight of the Dead Man¡¯s Head on the ground. It wasn¡¯t actually a Dead Man¡¯s Head, but just a pack of instant noodles, and the vor he hated the most¡ªthe in one. ¡°Pleased my ass. This unsolvable Ghost Domain¡­¡± Yan Li clenched his fists tightly, feeling a wave of helplessness. Both were masters of ghosts, so why did Yang Jian have such good fortune to obtain such a terrifying ability¡­ it¡¯s not fair. Luck? If Yang Jian knew his thoughts, he would surely find it amusing. This fortune was something he would rather do without. If it were not for him bing a master of ghosts and getting the reminder from the human skin paper, that time would have ended in a total wipeout, with no chance of any survivors. Could Yan Li have survived if he were in the same position? Yang Jian did not immediately leave the mall. He had not forgotten a person. Jiang Yan. ¡°Jiang Yan, my sister, you¡¯re not dead, are you? There was no sound on the phone.¡± Yang Jian appeared out of nowhere in the monitoring room. His time in the Ghost Domain was still ongoing. At that moment, Jiang Yan was holding a mobile phone that had been disconnected forck of payment, curled up in a corner, burying her head and sobbing softly. She had already felt desperate. Because after Yang Jian and Yan Li had entered the clothing store, they never came back out, and she thought the two had died inside. The conditions in the Ghost Domain could not be captured by the surveince cameras. Jiang Yan was breaking down inside. If Yang Jian was dead, what would she do? That ghost was still outside, and if she just walked out like that, she was surely going to die¡­ However, with the sound of Yang Jian¡¯s voice, her sobbing stopped, and she hurriedly lifted her head. Seeing Yang Jian appear before her, she immediately stood up excitedly and lunged forward, ¡°I thought you were dead. I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± What was meant to be a warm embrace ended with Jiang Yan passing straight through Yang Jian¡¯s body and falling onto the ground, nose bleeding as she looked up. ¡°Big sister, why are you so excited? I thought you were attacking me,¡± Yang Jian said, looking at her, puzzled. ¡°Are you a person, or a ghost?¡± Jiang Yan asked, lifting her head and looking at Yang Jian in terror. She was certain she had just passed through him. Indeed, directly through, face to face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to exin things you won¡¯t understand. Your task isplete; it¡¯s time to go,¡± Yang Jian said, grabbing her wrist. The two of them disappeared from the spot in an instant. Chapter 63: Departure Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Departure Yang Jian and Yan Li cooperated sessfully in containing and imprisoning the ghost that had been wandering around the mall. Although the ghost¡¯s level of horror was only ssified as ss C, it was more difficult to deal with than expected. They had to discern the ghost¡¯s pattern of movement, find its real body, and possess the means and methods to restrain it¡­ Moreover, the slightest carelessness could lead to a gruesome death. Especially when the ghost tried to take over Yan Li¡¯s arm, Yang Jian broke out in a cold sweat. If he hadn¡¯t been prepared and reacted in time, they both would have died just a stepter. ¡°Are you still busy? I thought you had already left.¡± As Yang Jian walked out of the mall, he saw several staff members outside. He approached them and said, ¡°Duty calls, how can I neglect it? May I ask how the situation is inside now?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°The incident this time has been resolved smoothly, there won¡¯t be any special urrences in this mall anymore.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression tightened slightly, ¡°Regarding the missing people, we¡¯ve found one, as for the rest, you know¡­¡± He gestured towards Jiang Yan. Jiang Yan, disheveled and looking somewhat haggard, but now that she had walked out with Yang Jian, her eyes betrayed a joy of having survived a cmity. Yang Jian said, ¡°There¡¯s no danger inside anymore¡­ at least that¡¯s what I think. I must take care of some things now and can¡¯t stay any longer. If you need any help or assistance with the investigation, you can call me.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you for your hard work. I¡¯ll take over from here.¡± Yang Jian nodded, left his phone number, and then left. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Jiang Yan hurriedly followed him. ¡°Big Sister, why are you following me? You¡¯vee out of the mall; if you¡¯re alright now, you should hurry home. Your family must be worried about you after you¡¯ve been missing for days, stop clinging to me,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan said with a hint of grievance, ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that, I¡¯ve already agreed to be your girlfriend, you can¡¯t just leave me behind and ignore me.¡± ¡°Big Sister, you want to take advantage of me? Who made you my girlfriend?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on this in the restroom earlier? And stop calling me Big Sister, I¡¯m still very young,¡± Jiang Yan said. Yang Jian looked at her and said, ¡°How old are you this year?¡± ¡°25, no, actually 24, 25 is my nominal age. How about that, I¡¯m still young, right?¡± Jiang Yan said, then tilted her head up slightly with pride, as if to say bing his girlfriend would be doing him a favor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but I¡¯m eighteen this year, neen at most in nominal terms.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°So just ept that you are the Big Sister. Not calling you ¡®Auntie¡¯ is already being courteous, and I do think I¡¯m quite polite, don¡¯t you think, Big Sister Jiang?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s scalp tingled, feeling no sense of aplishment in this ageparison. She had presumed that Yang Jian was around twenty-five or twenty-six, no wonder he called her Big Sister from the start. Indeed, in front of him, she was the Big Sister. ¡°Young man, I can¡¯t thank you enough for today, I truly owe you one,¡± said Boss Tang, seeing Yang Jian about to leave, he hurried over and grabbed his hand, disying immense gratitude. Yang Jian smiled and said, ¡°I was just doing my job for the pay, Boss, you¡¯re making too much of it.¡± ¡°Nonsense, you saved my life today. Here¡¯s my card. If there¡¯s anything you need help with next time, don¡¯t hesitate to ask,¡± Boss Tang said as he stuffed a business card into Yang Jian¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, Tang¡¯an, the business here is not finished yet; you need toe with us for a bit,¡± a staff member called out. ¡°Coming,ing, sorry, brother, I¡¯ll be there in a moment after a few words,¡± Boss Tang apologized and then added, ¡°Young man, I hope to have your care in the future, I¡¯m Tang¡¯an. When you have time,e visit mypany. It¡¯s nearby; next time, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal.¡± Yang Jian felt a bit touched by this. Boss Tang really lived up to being a businessman, knowing how to build rtionships. His vision was much longer than others. No wonder he was the boss, and that Mr. Li could only be a manager. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll visit Boss Tang when I have time,¡± Yang Jian said, taking the card, thinking that an extra contact might be useful in the future. At the very least, Boss Tang was someone with money, and borrowing some from him in a pinch would probably be wee. ¡°But now, where should I go next?¡± Yang Jian arrived at a crossroads, feeling suddenly lost. Go home? Don¡¯t joke, his house was haunted, and even if he was bold, he wouldn¡¯t dare stay there. It could be deadly. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll need to find a ce to stay temporarily, then wait for Yan Li to find a buyer before dealing with the trade. But before that¡­ I must solder this thing shut, melt itpletely,¡± he thought. Yang Jian took out a box wrapped in golden foil. It wasn¡¯t foil, it was gold leaf. Although the box was small, it was unexpectedly heavy, weighing several kilograms. But who could have imagined that this box, made of pure gold, contained a ghost? ¡°Where are you going? Don¡¯t you have a car? Why don¡¯t you drive?¡± Jiang Yan still followed him and suddenly asked. ¡°I¡¯m just a loser, how would I have a car? I don¡¯t even have a bicycle,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Why are you following me anyway, Big Sister Jiang?¡± Jiang Yan squinted her eyes and said with a smile, ¡°You didn¡¯t have a car before, but you do now, don¡¯t you? Have you forgotten the eight million you earned from Master Luo? He didn¡¯t have enough cash, so he gave you a car as coteral, along with some jade and watches. I saw it all clearly in the security room.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I remember that I did earn a car.¡± Yang Jian felt in his pocket and found a bunch of random items, indeed there was a car key. He pressed it. Among a row of cars parked by the roadside, the lights of a rugged SUV lit up. ¡°You made a fortune, that¡¯s an imported car worth nearly five million. Master Luo really took a big loss,¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s eyes lit up as she immediately recognized it. Yang Jian said, ¡°I¡¯d rather sell the car for cash, otherwise I¡¯ll have to return it to Master Luo eventually.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, the car hasn¡¯t been transferred to your name yet; you can¡¯t sell it.¡± Jiang Yan took the initiative to walk up to Yang Jian and took his arm, pulling him forward. ¡°Big Sister, we¡¯re not that close, are we?¡± asked Yang Jian. ¡°The fact that you saved me alone is enough. Plus, do you want toe to my ce for a meal? My apartment is just nearby,¡± Jiang Yan said cheerfully. ¡°Why do I get the feeling you¡¯re looking at me kind of strangely? It¡¯s less like you want to have a meal and more like you want to devour me. But if you¡¯re willing to let me stay for a while, I¡¯ll go. However, I want to make it clear beforehand that I won¡¯t be paying any rent or for meals,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Alright, I agree. Let¡¯s hurry up,¡± Jiang Yan seemed to havetched onto Yang Jian, her enthusiasm ring up all of a sudden. She was different from young girls; she was a career woman, apany ountant. The instincts of her profession and her femininity made Jiang Yan very clear about what kind of boyfriend she needed, and after the supernatural event, she felt that only by getting close to Yang Jian did she have a future to talk about. Otherwise, if she experienced another supernatural event, Jiang Yan did not believe she would survive. The world had changed. Jiang Yan clung tightly to Yang Jian¡¯s arm; she didn¡¯t believe that after spending time together, he wouldn¡¯t develop feelings for her. Soon. Yang Jian was driving a rugged SUV on the road. On the passenger side, Jiang Yan leaned against the window with a slight smile on her lips. Through the ss, she could see Yang Jian driving. ¡°Although he¡¯s a bit younger, what does it matter?¡± Jiang Yan mused to herself. However, the next moment. Suddenly, Yang Jian¡¯s hand shot up, grabbing Jiang Yan¡¯s neck with a force so strong it almost left her gasping for air. ¡°Cough, cough, what are you doing?¡± Jiang Yan struggled instinctively. The driving Yang Jian turned to look at her, ¡°I left out one thing¡­ did the ghost in the mall have a head or not? If not, then all is well. But if it did, where would the ghost¡¯s head be?¡± ¡°I, how would I know? Can¡¯t you be a little gentler?¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit paranoid. I have to double check,¡± Yang Jian said; ¡°I don¡¯t want to be blindsided by that ghost at thest minute.¡± He slightly rxed his grip, his palm carefully feeling her neck. To check once more if she had her head switched. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have told me beforehand next time? I would have cooperated with you,¡± Jiang Yanined a little. But she dared not resist Yang Jian¡¯s verification. Because he was the only one who could deal with ghosts, and when it came to supernatural events, she would cooperate unconditionally, not wanting any trouble. Yang Jian felt her neck and double-checked, finding nothing but smooth, delicate skin with no sign of a head swap, Meaning that during the time he was away from the security room, Jiang Yan had no issues. ¡°It¡¯s not you¡­ perhaps I¡¯m just overly suspicious,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan pouted, ¡°Can you not be so rough?¡± Chapter 64 - 64 Inquiry Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Inquiry ¡°Boss, could you weld this shut for me? Just seal it up, a rough job is fine,¡± Yang Jian asked. He had parked his car in front of an aluminum alloy doors and windows shop that was still open and had the owner weld the gold box shut. As the boss welded, with the gold foil melting, to his shock, scarlet bloodstains emerged. ¡°What¡¯s this? It¡¯s bleeding?¡± eximed the boss. ¡°It¡¯s chicken blood, used for warding off evil,¡± Yang Jian casually concocted a lie. ¡°I see,¡± the boss replied. Not asking any further, as long as he was getting paid, it was all that mattered to the boss. ¡°Indeed, if not sealed, the ghost¡¯s power would seep through¡­ Fortunately, I have the Ghost Blood left by Yan Li to suppress it, but such suppression seems temporary. Once the fresh blood has drained, this ghost will definitely try to break out again. Only by welding the breach can I solve the problem once and for all,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. Being cautious, he immediately had the box welded shut. If he had dyed even slightly, he might have lost the ghost for nothing. After paying, he retrieved the box and returned to his car. ¡°What is this thing? It seems so important, looks like it¡¯s gold¡­¡± inquired Jiang Yan, curious. ¡°Don¡¯t ask about things you shouldn¡¯t. This is very important to me,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan was a smart woman, and seeing how serious Yang Jian was, she wisely chose not to ask any more questions. Soon, the car entered a residential area. ¡°Come on in, don¡¯t be shy. This is a studio apartment I rent, I usually live here alone. You¡¯re wee to stay for a few days if you¡¯d like,¡± Jiang Yan offered. ¡°I won¡¯t be staying long, I will leave in a few days¡­ Also, keep my matters confidential, it¡¯s in your best interest,¡± Yang Jian said earnestly. He was mostly worried about Jiang Yan leaking information about the gold box. For now, that was the most precious thing. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. Make yourself at home,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°?¡± Jiang Yan was stunned. Shouldn¡¯t that line be mine? ¡°Can I borrow your car then? I need to run out and get some things. I haven¡¯t had dinner yet,¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°Take it. I¡¯m a bit hungry too. Just bring me back an egg fried rice; that¡¯ll be enough,¡± Yang Jian responded. ¡°Okay, take your time with the shower. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Jiang Yan giggled, taking the car keys and leaving. Watching the woman leave, Yang Jian pondered for a moment and felt that her presence could be beneficial for the time being, and he had confirmed she wasn¡¯t a ghost. Having someone to take care of his daily life would give him some peace of mind. Of course, as an unspoken trade-off, he would look after Jiang Yan¡¯s safety, at least during the time they were staying together. ¡°Right, if gold can restrain ghosts, then the demand for gold would rise internationally, and the price would continue to climb¡­ Yan Li had mentioned the sharp rise in gold prices. With over ten million in cash on hand that I don¡¯t need to use immediately, I could try my hand at trading gold. I¡¯m not looking to make a fortune, just a million or two would be nice,¡± he thought. ¡°Hmm, I can ask Jiang Yan about thister. She¡¯s an ountant; she should know about financial matters.¡± As he took his shower, Yang Jian looked at the welded-shut gold box before him and began to consider his next steps and ns. ¡°Yan Li arranging a buyer might take some time, but he mentioned a club that only ghost masters can join. It¡¯s necessary to inquire further about that.¡± ¡°The situation with international ghost masters seems to be moreplex than I thought¡­ Following suppressing the resurrection of malevolent ghosts as a primary goal, the secondary purpose is to ascertain my stance and identity,¡± ¡°Am I to be an independent ghost master, join some kind of club, or willingly answer the call to be an international ghost master?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze flickered; ¡°This decision is critical, but the actual choice will depend on understanding the respective risks and benefits, and only byparing them can I make the right decision.¡± After thinking for a while, he called the Asia division. The operator was still Liu Xiaoyu. ¡°Hello, is this Yang Jian?¡± Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s voice was slightly awkward, seeming to be eating something. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I¡¯ve received your action report today. The team from Dachang City said you encountered a paranormal event at Furen Shopping Mall¡­. How are things now?¡± While flipping through the incident reports, Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°Is there a new ghost?¡± ¡°Your information is quite swift; it took less than two hours to receive the news,¡± Yang Jian replied. ¡°I haven¡¯t joined the headquarters yet, so I can¡¯t have an opinion on that. I¡¯ve already resolved that paranormal event, so there¡¯s no need for you to worry. The main reason I called you is to understand what exactly an international ghost tamer is?¡± After thinking for a moment, Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°From what I know, a ghost tamer is mainly responsible for handling a city¡¯s paranormal event management.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking about the benefits, aren¡¯t you?¡± Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°The benefits for international ghost tamers vary across the country. In the Asia division, apart from the official benefits, there are also subsidies. A single paranormal event is¡­ one million. The starting rate was two hundred thousand, but one million is thetest subsidy standard. Additionally, there¡¯s the right to make use of one hundred kilograms of Gold. If you sessfully detain and contain a ghost, in addition to being credited with a merit, the headquarters will reward ten million and increase the Gold allocation. The details of free housing and family care are local matters, so I won¡¯t go into that with you here.¡± ¡°What about information?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Phantoms are appearing all over the world; don¡¯t tell me that the countries haven¡¯t researched and analyzed the existence of ghosts.¡± ¡°That aspect is still in the experimental phase, I don¡¯t know too much, but what can be confirmed is that once any research results emerge, you will be among the first to know.¡± Yang Jian pondered. Indeed, the guess was correct; countries are researching this matter, but haven¡¯t made any breakthroughs and are still trying¡­.. or perhaps they have had results, but haven¡¯t disclosed them. However, the benefits of bing an international ghost tamer are indeed good, although the money isn¡¯t a lot, it is enough to secure one¡¯s future. Most importantly, the power and status of an international ghost tamer are very high. ¡°If I were to be an international ghost tamer, can you tell me about the duties and responsibilities?¡± Yang Jian asked. Liu Xiaoyu replied, ¡°If you are considering bing an international ghost tamer, I can arrange for someone to meet with you and let you know everything you want to know. However, to be an official international ghost tamer, you must go through systematic training and a mental evaluation, which isn¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°Especially the mental evaluation part is very important. I¡¯ve asked you several times about your mental state because most of the time, those who control phantoms are subtly influenced by them. This influence is irreversible. Some people are so severely affected that they be mentally disturbed, breakdown, or even show tendencies towards self-destructive behavior.¡± ¡°There are also individuals who can¡¯t handle the high mental stress and consequently develop mental disintegration, start to give up on themselves, and beplete lunatics.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that most ghost tamers are mentally unstable?¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brows. Liu Xiaoyu replied, ¡°No, you can¡¯t consider them abnormal. Perhaps in their eyes, we are the abnormal ones. They are just influenced by the phantoms. You can understand that, right? They themselves don¡¯t know they would turn out this way.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the chat records between you and me will be sent to a specialized analyst for evaluation of your mental state. What can be affirmed is that your mental condition is very good, you¡¯re minimally influenced by the phantoms. That¡¯s why I hope you be a ghost tamer, to serve the country.¡± ¡°Allow me to think about it. That¡¯s all for today¡¯s discussion, I¡¯ll contact you next time if there¡¯s anything,¡± Yang Jian said. After Yang Jian finished asking, he hung up the phone. When Liu Xiaoyu heard Yang Jian hang up, she stopped taking notes and frowned. ¡°Liu Xiaoyu, how is it going with Yang Jian? He has potential, don¡¯t give up on him. Keep close. It hasn¡¯t been long since he became a ghost tamer, and he¡¯s already sessfully resolved a paranormal event. I¡¯ve read the report; it¡¯s very good. He managed to contain a restricted-level ghost within half an hour. Even experienced ghost tamers can¡¯t pull that off,¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s because of his cooperation with that ghost tamer named Yan Li, his contribution can¡¯t be denied,¡± Captain Zhao Jianguo stated in a serious tone, walking over. He held several photos in his hand, all captured by surveince cameras, one of which showed Yang Jian welding that Gold box. ¡°Captain, he has already been in contact with other ghost tamers, and he might already be having doubts in his mind. It might not be easy for him to join the ghost tamers smoothly,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t dislike the ghost tamers, does he? After all, his life was saved by Zhou Zheng. He has a good impression of the ghost tamers. I can feel it. If it were someone else, they might outright curse or even want to strangle the call handler through the phone line. That frightened the call handler so much that themunication was immediately cut off,¡± Zhao Jianguo chuckled. Liu Xiaoyu said, ¡°The captain makes a good point. I will secure Yang Jian and get him to join the international ghost tamers.¡± ¡°Be mindful of the limits, particrly his mental state. The mental pressure of bing a ghost tamer is immense, and when one learns they are close to death, it¡¯s easy to take the wrong path. You can¡¯t coerce Yang Jian with grand principles; you should start with a mutually beneficial cooperation. Things are fine as they are.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a ghost tamer but solved a paranormal event for the headquarters. If he doesn¡¯t pose a threat, this cooperative rtionship can continue until he¡¯s willing to join the headquarters,¡± Zhao Jianguo added. Chapter 65 - 65 Passing by Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Passing by ¡°The red paper is gradually bing unable to suppress this eye anymore, as expected¡­ the limit of this red paper is almost reached.¡± Yang Jian wiped off the water in front of the mirror, he saw that the red paper attached to the back of his hand had split. Yes, a very clear crack. It should be known that this red paper is very special; it¡¯s something from the hands of a ferocious ghost. Usually, if he tries to tear it, he can¡¯t tear it apart with pure physical strength; only by harnessing the power of a ferocious ghost can he tear it. ¡°Is it because I used the Ghost Domain today? Or is it that, as time passes, the effect of this red paper is getting weaker and weaker¡­¡± Yang Jian touched the back of his hand. Underneath the skin, the eye stirred restlessly. While there was no other abnormality, he could feel that the ghost eye was beginning to revive. His body seemed to have be a host for this ghost eye; as the ghost eye grew, he was moving towards death. ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t matter, as long as I find a way to curb the resurrection of the ferocious ghost, everything will get better,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. After experiencing several supernatural incidents, his fear of death had lessened significantly. However, when he saw the stack of dark brown human skin paper next to him, he was slightly startled. Parchment. In Yang Jian¡¯s view, it was the most mysterious and sinister object. Out of mistrust. He still opened the parchment to check, to see if there had been any recent changes with it. ¡°Just to be safe, I should find a gold store and have a box made to store this thing, as a precaution. If this piece of human skin isn¡¯t just an item¡­ but a ghost instead, then wouldn¡¯t I end up dying at its hands someday?¡± Yang Jian began to consider. However, when he checked the parchment, he suddenly saw that a line of text had emerged on it. ¡°Today, after I showered and checked the parchment, I discovered a special ability of this parchment¡­ It seems to be able to seal other ghosts, and after sealing a ghost, I learned an earth-shattering secret.¡± ¡°I discovered the secret of true survival from the parchment.¡± ¡°It seems like a deal, and I am contemting whether or not to make this deal, looking at this odd piece of parchment, feeling indecisive.¡± ¡°Indecisive my ass, anyone who believes you is an idiot. Fang Jing was hoodwinked to death by your bullshit, the idiom ¡®a pack of lies¡¯ was tailor-made for you.¡± Yang Jian cursed, folded the parchment, and stopped looking at it. Apparently, the parchment always seemed totch on to what one desires most, knowing exactly what you want. Yet it also seems to be exploiting your desire, gradually doing something or other. But the reason Yang Jian couldn¡¯t bring himself to discard this piece of human skin was that¡­ everything said on it was true. At school, without the information from this piece of human skin, he would have already been dead, even if he had be a ghost controller. Thus, in Yang Jian¡¯s heart, even though he knew this object was very mysterious and sinister, he couldn¡¯t help but think of keeping it as a means to save his life. Seizing any slight chance to survive. Like a drowning man¡¯s straw, it was hard to let go of. ¡°I¡¯m back, Yang Jian, you¡¯re still here, right?¡± When Yang Jian walked out of the bathroom, the door opened, and there was Jiang Yan, panting as she came in with arge bag of things in her hands. ¡°How did youe back from shopping so quickly?¡± Yang Jian wondered. Moving with a man¡¯s instinct, he went over and took the heavy bag from her hands. Jiang Yan said somewhat fearfully, ¡°It¡¯s sote, I didn¡¯t dare stay outside alone any longer. What if I ran into a ghost again? I ran all the way here after getting off the elevator.¡± ¡°Ghosts don¡¯t differentiate between day and night, you could run into one during the day if you¡¯re unlucky,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right, but you have to save me when that happens,¡± Jiang Yan giggled, feeling especially at ease when she saw Yang Jian, no longer nervous or scared. This was probably what they call a sense of security. It turns out, such a thing really exists. ¡°Come in¡­ huh?¡± Yang Jian suddenly felt something abnormal with his body. It wasn¡¯t an issue with his body per se, but rather the ghost eye inside was acting up. It was as if the ghost eye became uncontroble at that moment. Almost against Yang Jian¡¯s will, simultaneously, the eyes forced their way open in the flesh. On the back of the hand, behind the head, on the body¡­ a total of six eyes. Instantly, they reached the limit he could attain. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why has the ghost eye suddenly started acting like this, just like when I was bitten by the Ghost Infant?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face turned pale abruptly. He had never encountered such a sudden anomaly; the only time he had was at school when he was attacked by the Ghost Infant, and the ghost eye was stimted to awaken. But this time, it happened again. ¡°Come in, close the door.¡± Yang Jian pulled Jiang Yan over and immediately closed the door. ¡°I haven¡¯t taken a shower yet, don¡¯t rush me,¡± Jiang Yan said, somewhat shyly. Yang Jian covered her mouth to silence her. Seeing Yang Jian¡¯s serious and somber expression, Jiang Yan immediately realized something was off. Her heart trembled, her eyes widened with fear, ¡°No, it can¡¯t be that unlucky, right? We¡¯ve encountered a ghost again?¡± ¡°Not here, outside the neighborhood.¡± The ghost eye on the back of Yang Jian¡¯s head saw the flickering lights outside,ing from not far away. He immediately ran to the window and took a look outside. On a small path not far from the neighborhood, a world shrouded in gray. The lights on the road couldn¡¯t prate it, and everything that touched this gray world seemed to assimte, also bing dim and a part of that world. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression shifted slightly as several of his eyes looked towards that ce. But within two seconds, All the ghost eyes that looked that way closed in unison. Yes, without Yang Jian¡¯s control, they closed on their own with no signs of reopening, as quiet as if sealed by red paper. ¡°The ghost eye dares not look?¡± he thought with a chill in his heart. However, with his naked eyes, Yang Jian could tell that the gray world was likely a Ghost Domain. But the covered area¡­ was a bit toorge. From west to south, it presented an almost endless gray zone, like a line of death separating the entire city. If this was the Ghost Domain of a single ghost, its level of terror was immeasurable. If one were to define its level, At least S, Destruction Level. ¡°Fortunately, we¡¯re lucky. That Ghost Domain has just passed through the middle of the road. The neighborhood wasn¡¯t affected. Probably the ghost eyes just sensed the disturbance early on,¡± Yang Jian heaved a sigh of relief instead of being scared. If that Ghost Domain had crossed through this building, He would probably have died a horrible death tonight. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening? Is there another ghost appearing?¡± Jiang Yan, not daring to even breathe heavily, cautiously leaned over and asked in a low voice. ¡°It has nothing to do with us, just a passing ghost. It should leave soon.¡± Yang Jian saw the Ghost Domain beginning to dissipate. The gray world slowly became clear. With his understanding of the Ghost Domain, he knew that this ghost had already left. To you, the Ghost Domain is still here, but in reality, the ghost could have already gone who knows where. After all, within the Ghost Domain, ghosts can appear at any point. However, just as the Ghost Domain was about topletely vanish, Yang Jian saw a phantom scene. Like a mirage, it showed a corner of the gray world. A flickering candlelight, swaying in the gray world. Emanating a strange green me. Below the white candle was a gold candlestick, not of an ancient craft, but rather a modern, European style¡­ it might have even been made this month. Beneath the candlelight, a pair of hands were reflected¡ªsmooth, fair, wless. These hands were pierced by the other end of the candlestick, but no blood flowed. Finally, with a flicker of the candlelight, Yang Jian saw that the hands belonged to a woman, but only her outline was visible, with no distinct features, no face¡­ Mysterious, unknown, or perhaps terrifying. Eventually, the scene disappeared, and the Ghost Domain was gone. ¡°Gold is used for sealing ghosts. Those hands, that woman¡­ Have the ghost handlers shed with this entity? But it seems the oue was a failure.¡± ¡°This level of a ghost cannot be the target of a single ghost handler; it would require a team effort.¡± ¡°But the ghost hasn¡¯t been captured or imprisoned, which means the ghost handlers must have¡­ been wiped out.¡± Yang Jian took a deep breath. Who on earth had nned such an operation? To dare attempt to capture a ghost of this level, that¡¯s some gall. Chapter 66 - 66 I Want to Live Chapter 66: Chapter 66 I Want to Live ¡°Gone?¡± Yang Jian had been standing by the window for a long time. Only after the murky Ghost Domain hadpletely disappeared did his tense body begin to rx. ¡°Lucky it was just passing through, otherwise I¡¯d have had to slip away. Nobody can touch a ghost of that level without dying. But from what I saw before, although the ghost wasn¡¯t contained or imprisoned, it seemed to be somewhat restricted. Otherwise, its hands wouldn¡¯t have deliberately crossed through each other¡­ It must be that the ghost master has figured out that ghost¡¯s method of killing.¡± ¡°The candbrum forged from gold nailed the ghost¡¯s hands together, thereby restricting some of its abilities.¡± ¡°But, what about the candles stuck in that candbrum?¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brow: ¡°The candles and the candbrum are one and the same, both man-made, and they were even lit¡­ It seems to have a repressive effect on the ghost? Or is it a marker, leading the ghost in a certain direction?¡± ¡°It seems there are still many secrets in the world of ghost masters, and I believe some effective methods of dealing with ghosts have been discovered.¡± ¡°Is it that my level isn¡¯t high enough to know, or is it¡­ an intentional technology blockade by various countries?¡± ¡°Even in the face of such a global catastrophe, must people still fight and oppose each other?¡± Yang Jian thought for a while. He felt that to survive, one absolutely could not be a free and undisciplined ghost master. Yan Li¡¯s path was wrong. To survive, one must find a way to climb up, to elevate one¡¯s own status and position¡­ even power. Only then could he learn more secrets, more information. He didn¡¯t want to wait for death in the dark. With that thought, Yang Jian looked again at the human skin paper pressed under the golden box on the table. It seemed to know all the secrets¡­ But it required a great sacrifice; this thing wouldn¡¯t easily reveal anything of great importance. After pondering for a moment, Yang Jian knew clearly what he had to do next. He nced at Jiang Yan; ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with that orphaned-face. There was just a ghost passing by outside, it¡¯s fine now. Did you bring my egg-fried rice? I want to eat and then sleep.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the bag,¡± Jiang Yan replied nervously and with a bit of a stutter. ¡°Thanks.¡± Yang Jian carried on as if nothing had happened, eating and drinking as usual. His mental resilience had already surpassed that of ordinary people. Now, he felt that even if a pile of corpses wereid out in front of him, he would still be able to eat. Was he a freak? Jiang Yan, seeing Yang Jian enjoying his meal, also realized that she really was safe. She breathed a sigh of relief and then whispered softly, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. If something happens, remember to rush in to save me. I¡¯ll be very obedient.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if something really happens, I¡¯ll cover your cremation costs,¡± Yang Jian continued eating. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yan. Yang Jian dared not promise to save her; if he really encountered a ghost of too high a Terror Level, he would run away without looking back. At most, out of consideration for their association, he woulde back to collect the body after the ghost had gone. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, I will definitely survive,¡± Jiang Yan reassured herself while taking a shower and gently pping her cheeks to boost her spirits. ¡°I¡¯vee out of that terrifying marketce, what else can trouble me? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen ghosts before. As long as Yang Jian is here, I¡¯m not scared. He can deal with that thing. Although he doesn¡¯t say it, I believe him.¡± ¡°But first, I need to be his girlfriend, only then will he protect me¡­ Worst case scenario, I¡¯ll settle for being the other woman.¡± Even though it was nned, Jiang Yan felt her face blush at the thought of actually doing it. Forcing herself to seduce an eighteen-year-old young man felt like skirting the edge of thew. But thankfully, she was a woman; it would be much scarier if it were the other way around. After showering, Jiang Yan stood in front of the mirror, drying her hair and dressing up slightly. Her reflection was fair and ruddy, her delicate face carried a hint of frivolous charm, and her mature figure, wrapped in a bath towel, could stoke any man¡¯s fire. As a beauty who had been pursued by many since college, Jiang Yan was very confident in her looks and figure. But she was a smart woman and would not be blinded by fleeting college romance. In her view, a woman¡¯s love and marriage were an investment. If one wanted to reap the greatest benefits, nothing could earn more than investing in a stock with potential. And Yang Jian before her was the man best suited for her. ¡°I¡¯ming out, have you been anxiously waiting?¡± she said with a hint of seduction, her cheeks slightly red as she walked out of the bathroom. But there was no response from inside the house. With a bit of confusion, Jiang Yan walked over and saw the empty meal box on the table. Then she looked upstairs. She found that Yang Jian had already gone to bed. ¡°Not even waiting for me,¡± Jiang Yan mumbled to herself. Dressed in just a bathrobe, she went upstairs. Seeing Yang Jian sprawling across the bed in the shape of the character ¡°big,¡± taking up the entire bed, made her roll her eyes. His emotional intelligence was really low. ¡°Yang Jian, are you asleep?¡± Jiang Yan took the initiative to ce her head beside him and snuggle into his arms, whispering softly. ¡°No,¡± Yang Jian opened his eyes. Jiang Yan smiled and said, ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t asleep. Have you been waiting for me? Are you hungry now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry right now; I¡¯ve eaten already,¡± Yang Jian replied. Jiang Yan, wrapping her arms around his neck, said, ¡°What¡¯s so tasty about a meal? Haven¡¯t you heard that beauty can be a feast?¡± ¡°Stop moving around, I¡¯m not feeling well right now,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s forehead broke out in a cold sweat. The side effects of controlling the Evil Ghost emerged again. His body began to be paralyzed on the bed; he could no longer move but could only feel the unrest and agitation of the ghostly eye hidden inside his body. ¡°Are you feeling unwell anywhere? You wouldn¡¯t mind if I take a look, right?¡± Jiang Yan said seductively as she kissed Yang Jian¡¯s face, ¡°Does that make you feel a bit better?¡± But no sooner had she finished kissing him than a slit opened on Yang Jian¡¯s face, and a crimson eye peered out, fixing her with a somewhat eerie gaze. ¡°Ah~!¡± Jiang Yan was startled and nearly jumped out of the bed. ¡°I told you not to move around so much.¡± Yang Jian spoke calmly; ¡°I can¡¯t control the ghost inside my body right now. If it decides to do something to you, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°How, how can this be?¡± Jiang Yan covered her mouth, shocked. Yang Jian said, ¡°The reason I can deal with fierce ghosts is that I became one myself. Otherwise, what do you think gives our kind the ability to deal with fierce ghosts? Intelligence, or guts? Or perhaps you believe this world truly has special abilities, Taoist magic, or spells?¡± ¡°Gaining the power of fierce ghostses at a cost; this is just one of them.¡± ¡°Getting too close to me is no good for you. I came here just wanting to stay for a few days, and once my business is settled, I¡¯ll naturally leave. I won¡¯t affect your life or work.¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s expression fluctuated; she had not expected this to be the real Yang Jian. ¡°Then, will you help me in the future?¡± Hesitating for a long while, she wanted to leave but ultimately did not step down from the bed. Yang Jian responded directly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t have the right or the duty to save you. Not just you, the same goes for everyone else. The incident at the shopping mall was just your good luck, happening upon me when I was dealing with a paranormal event for money.¡± ¡°But I¡­ I don¡¯t want to die; I want to live, to live well.¡± Jiang Yan cautiously curled up in Yang Jian¡¯s arms. ¡°Ghosts will appear again in the future, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, paranormal events will be more and more frequent.¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t hide it; ¡°Eventually, people all over the world will know, it¡¯s just that most people are still in the dark now. No one knows when they¡¯ll die; it could be a phone call, a knock on the door, or in one¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°If I sleep with you, will you help me?¡± Jiang Yan dared not lift her head to look at the eye. ¡°No,¡± Yang Jian said bluntly. Jiang Yan asked, ¡°Then what would it take for you to help me?¡± ¡°You need to be useful to me, to help me handle some matters, assist in some work, just like how you helped me watch the surveince at the mall. I¡¯ll protect you, keep you from being killed; it¡¯s an equal exchange.¡± Yang Jian nced at her slightly, ¡°Saving people without a reason will only lead to one¡¯s own death.¡± ¡°Then I can be your personal assistant. I¡¯m an ountant; I know a lot of things.¡± ¡°Finance, do you know that, especially stock trading?¡± asked Yang Jian. ¡°Yes, I have experience with trading from when I was an intern,¡± said Jiang Yan. ¡°What about managing big clients?¡± ¡°Yes, I have some quality client resources. If you want to do business rted to the paranormal, I can also help you.¡± ¡°And trantion?¡± ¡°My English trantion is not a problem.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be a career elite?¡± said Yang Jian, somewhat surprised. He had to admit that this woman was indeed capable, exceeding his expectations. Of course, he did not rule out the possibility that she was exaggerating. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel like going to work for the time being, you can work for me. I do indeed have some tasks that need doing. Besides your sry, I would provide you with appropriate protection,¡± Yang Jian stated earnestly. He could try to build some base of operations. After all, if he became a ghost controller in the future, he could not possibly fight alone. ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Yan looked up, somewhat excited. It seemed that Yang Jian wasn¡¯t as fearsome as she thought. ¡°Just trying it out, as I don¡¯t have experience in this area,¡± said Yang Jian, ¡°It¡¯ste; I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± The paralyzed feeling in his body began to fade. This time, it was much better than thest. It seems the red paper was still having an effect. But mental exhaustion made him fall asleep quickly. Jiang Yan looked at Yang Jian, not knowing what to think, and after a while, she too slowly leaned into his arms and fell asleep. Meanwhile, as Yang Jian slept, Master Luo, who had just finished recording his statement, along with a surviving disciple and a driver who hadn¡¯t entered the mall, were finally able to leave. ¡°Damn, today must¡¯ve been cursed, dealing with feng shui for over a decade only to really encounter a ghost today. Didn¡¯t make a penny and even lost money big time. Moreover, I can¡¯t return for a month and need to report in every day,¡± Master Luo cursed in frustration. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s find a hotel to sleep in.¡± On the way, the driver suddenly asked, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with the scar on your neck?¡± The disciple of Master Luo touched his neck. It was as though he could feel the skin peeling back to expose the flesh underneath. He said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, probably just scratched it by ident.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The driver didn¡¯t inquire further and went to drive the car. But as the driver turned away, the light in the man¡¯s eyes slowly faded away, bing hollow and numb, and his face had turned a lifeless shade of pale without a trace of color. Chapter 67 - 67 Youre overthinking it. Chapter 67: Chapter 67 You¡¯re overthinking it. ¡°` Each person faced with the same situation has different choices. Jiang Yan chose not to distance herself from Yang Jian, even after learning about his identity as a ghost tamer, but instead, she decided to bet her chips on him. Only those who have been through hell understand the beauty of the human world. Only those who have encountered fierce ghosts realize the happiness of being alive. In this world with no sense of security, even if Yang Jian turned into an Evil Ghost, Jiang Yan was willing to seek shelter. ¡°It went up again, how did you know Gold would continue to rise? I¡¯ve been following the gold prices too, but I think it has peaked and is likely to fall next. Indeed, after a brief rapid rise, the trend slowed and started to decline. Entering with ten million at this time is very risky.¡± Jiang Yan, sitting in front of theputer in a thin nightgown, seemingly indifferent to the asional slips of ¡°spring scenery¡± she showed, watched the gold price trends on herptop with excitement. Today, when the market opened, the price of Gold first fell, then surged upward. Yang Jian was incredibly lucky to have invested ten million at that time. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the stock market. I just know that the price of Gold will definitely keep rising, and I just want to make some pocket money,¡± said Yang Jian. Jiang Yan asked with some excitement, ¡°Do you have insider information?¡± ¡°No,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°it¡¯s all guesswork.¡± Of course, his moves weren¡¯t solely based on guesses, but rather on the fact that Gold is no longer just a currency; it¡¯s a national strategic resource, a necessity, a consumable. A price hike was inevitable. When Jiang Yan heard this, she became even more convinced that Yang Jian knew something others didn¡¯t. Otherwise, how could he guess so urately? After all, he was a ghost tamer, someone whom Captain Liu would salute upon meeting, not just a simple security guard. Thinking this, she couldn¡¯t help but follow Yang Jian¡¯s lead in specting on Gold, throwing her several hundred thousand in savings into the mix and choosing the option with the highest risk and reward: gold leverage. She aimed to earn the most with the least amount of capital. Of course, the risk was also significant. ¡°Since you¡¯re sure Gold will rise, I n to make a big profit through the riskiest type of trade, and I¡¯ve also invested money. If we lose it, you can¡¯t me me,¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°Do as you please, as long as you buy Gold, I don¡¯t care about the rest,¡± Yang Jian said, trusting his judgment. ¡°Got it, leave it to me,¡± Jiang Yan said, beginning to get excited. She didn¡¯t pay attention to how she would specte. Yang Jian spent most of his free time browsing the international ghost tamer website. That special website was constructed by various countries and allowed only international ghost tamers to ess it. Not for any other reason, but to learn a bit more about rted knowledge. However, Yang Jian did not see any news about the fierce ghost that passed by yesterday on the website. ¡°Such a big incident couldn¡¯t have gone unnoticed by the countries¡­ It seems they are intentionally hiding it and don¡¯t want to make a big deal out of it.¡± He shook his head, feeling some disappointment. The cooperation between countries was not tight. No wonder international ghost tamers were also divided into regions. Seemingly united, they were in fact each looking out for themselves. In the past three days, Yang Jian rarely left the house, staying inside Jiang Yan¡¯s apartment. Jiang Yan was very diligent. ording to her, the initial ten million had already turned into over twenty million. Now, watching those figures every day made her so excited she could hardly sleep, as if the money were her own. But this morning, Yang Jian received a phone call. It was from Zhang Wei, saying that something serious hade up and he needed to see Yang Jian to set up a meeting. Thinking it over, Yang Jian felt it was better to go and check it out. ¡°I need to step out for a bit.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°` ¡°Walk around the neighborhood,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan asked anxiously, ¡°So, will youe back tonight?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Having said that, Yang Jian left the house. Driving through the noisy city, it was hard to imagine that supernatural incidents happened frequently around the world, and Dachang City had experienced several. But the vast majority of people seemed to be oblivious, going about their daily lives without any impact on their own. ¡°Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.¡± Yang Jian rolled down the car window, watching theings and goings on the sidewalk, and sighed to himself. Soon, he arrived at the pedestrian street he had agreed to meet Zhang Wei at. Zhang Wei had arrived early, now standing in the crowd, seemingly having an argument with someone¡ªit looked like it was escting into a quarrel. ¡°I¡¯m not standing here arguing with you to prove I¡¯m better than anyone else, nor to show off how tough I am,¡± Zhang Wei pointed to the ground, his tone firm and powerful, ¡°but to let everyone here know, whatever I¡¯ve lost, I must take back with my own hands¡­¡± ¡°Zhang Wei, what are you yelling about? Why did you call me over early in the morning? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yang Jian called out. Hearing someone shouting for him, Zhang Wei looked up, saw Yang Jian, and immediately smiled with relief, ¡°Yang Jian, I¡¯m over here. Excuse me, everyone, please make way. Let¡¯s put today¡¯s matter aside for now.¡± He then pointed at someone and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid of you, or trying to escape. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t want my friend to see my cruel side. Consider yourself lucky today.¡± ¡°Who are you fighting with? It looked like it was about to turn physical. What happened?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhang Wei snorted, ¡°Some middle school kid had a terrible attitude, daring to cut in front of me in the ice cream line. I was just teaching him what adult ruthlessness is all about.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about it. Come on, let¡¯s sit down in that caf¨¦ over there. I actually have something to discuss with you,¡± Zhang Wei said. After the two sat down in the caf¨¦. ¡°What have you been up totely? Are you still working at that mall? I went there yesterday. I heard there was a murder case, and it¡¯spletely sealed off now. The boss is called Tang¡¯an, right?¡± Zhang Wei asked. ¡°How do you know so much about it?¡± Yang Jian asked, surprised. ¡°That mall was built by my dad. I asked him about it before. Come on, tell me straight¡ªisn¡¯t that ce haunted?¡± Zhang Wei said. ¡°You guessed right; it was indeed haunted,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Damn, I knew it! ces that suddenly get locked down and put under martialw are almost always haunted. The school was like that, that residential area was like that, and now the mall is the same¡­ I¡¯m feeling like this Earth is no longer fit to live on. If there was a chance to migrate to Mars, I¡¯d sign up first,¡± Zhang Wei said, shivering in shock. ¡°However, there¡¯s no problem now. The situation there has been settled. By the way, what did you want to talk to me about?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you about something,¡± Zhang Wei said. ¡°What is it?¡± Yang Jian said. Zhang Wei furrowed his brows deeply, a serious expression on his face, and said in a low voice, ¡°Last night, while I was ying ¡®Chick Dinner¡¯ on theputer, a supernatural event urred. I think it might be haunted, possibly linked to some horrible curse simr to those stories on your forum.¡± ¡°Can you be more specific?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°It must have been the final circle. I survived until the end¡­ The top-right corner showed that there was no one left, but suddenly I died mysteriously, and the screen showed ¡®Chicken Dinner Failed.¡¯ ¡°If it happened just once, it could be exined away, but it happened three times in a row. Do you think there might be a ghost ying the game? I got so scared I couldn¡¯t sleep all night, and now I can hardly keep my eyes open, which is why I wanted to buy some ice cream for a pick-me-up,¡± Zhang Wei asked earnestly. Yang Jian said seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve encountered a ghost, but instead, you¡¯vee across¡­a cheat.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Zhang Wei looked at Yang Jian in surprise, ¡°Is it really a cheat? Could it possibly be a ghost?¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. There¡¯s absolutely no chance. It was a cheat; you got killed by the cheat three times,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­ I thought I had run into a ghost,¡± Zhang Wei fell into deep silence. Chapter 68 - 68 Yan Lis Text Message Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Yan Li¡¯s Text Message Yang Jian looked at Zhang Wei as if he were looking at someone with a feeble mind. y a game, get killed by technology, suspect it¡¯s a ghost encounter, and be so scared that you can¡¯t sleep all night. You really are something. ¡°Is that the main reason you wanted to see me?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhang Wei scratched his head and said, ¡°There¡¯s something else. Remember after the incident at the school was over, only a few of us were lucky enough to survive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. What about it? Has something happened to the others?¡± Yang Jian asked. The matter with Wang Shanshan had just settled down not long ago. If anything had happened to the others, that would be dreadfully unlucky. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly an ident. Zhao Lei suggested we get together sometime. Some of our ssmates were severely affected by the incident; they n to transfer and continue their studies elsewhere, probably not in this city,¡± said Zhang Wei. ¡°They¡¯re transferring and leaving Dachang City?¡± Yang Jian pondered. He thought it was a natural reaction. With the severity of the ghost incident at the university, it¡¯s likely that not many survivors would have the courage to stay in the city. But¡­ Does leaving Dachang City for another ce really solve anything? Not necessarily. Paranormal incidents are not unique to one area; they are a global phenomenon. ¡°Going to another ce might be good; perhaps they won¡¯t be so unlucky there,¡± said Yang Jian. He didn¡¯t exin the reason, as he couldn¡¯t be sure whether leaving Dachang City would be better than staying. ¡°However, I¡¯m not nning to continue with school. I¡¯m an average student, and even if I study, the chances of getting into college are slim,¡± said Zhang Wei. Yang Jian asked, ¡°So what do you n to do?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to join my dad¡¯s constructionpany without much ambition. Dachang City¡¯s suburbs are still developing, and I n to work on the construction site moving bricks¡­ By the way, do you want to move there too? Although it¡¯s a bit remote, the transport is convenient; it¡¯s about a fifteen-minute trip from there to the city center. I can ask my dad to give you an apartment,¡± said Zhang Wei seriously for a change. Yang Jian thought for a while and said, ¡°I¡¯ll visit your construction site one of these days. If necessary, I¡¯ll consider buying a ce there to settle down.¡± Mom ising back from a business trip soon, and I can¡¯t go back to the rental. Now that I have some money, I might as well look for a ce to call home. Even though paranormal events are happening frequently, life must go on. You can¡¯t just sit around waiting to die. ¡°That¡¯s settled then. I¡¯ll save a few choice apartments for you,¡± said Zhang Wei excitedly. If Yang Jian moved there, he would immediately relocate as well. ¡°Thank you,¡± Yang Jian said. Zhang Wei said, ¡°No need to thank me, it¡¯s nothing. By the way, have you eaten before you came? How about we have lunch together?¡± Yang Jian was about to agree when one of his phones rang. A message popped up on the phone: We¡¯ve been targeted. Protect the box. ¡°It¡¯s Yan Li.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression instantly became serious, and he sent a message back: ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Not too sure. I only know that someone hired people to snatch the box. The news of our capturing the Evil Ghost has leaked. It might be the club members¡­ or it could be some civilian organizations. This circle isplicated, and the waters run deep. I don¡¯t have much experience with these matters and can¡¯t discern their origins.¡± ¡°Dare to rob something from a ghost controller? Are they not afraid of dying?¡± Yang Jian sent another message. Yan Li replied, ¡°They know what I am capable of, and they probably guess that my limit is near. My ability to control ghosts is not very effective against people, so they don¡¯t take me into consideration. But they probably don¡¯t know about you because you¡¯ve joined the international ghost controllers, and no one can ess your records.¡± Yang Jian considered for a moment and then sent, ¡°Do you¡­ need help?¡± ¡°Not for now, but I¡¯m worried that someone might be heading your way. If you can take care of it smoothly, it would be best if you coulde and help me afterward. If I die, this deal won¡¯t bepleted, and the buyer has already been arranged,¡± Yan Li sent another message, followed by a set of coordinates. ¡°This is moreplicated than I thought,¡± Yang Jian murmured, frowning at the message on his phone. A seemingly ordinary trade had attracted the attention of certain people and forces. They had even reached the point of taking direct action. ¡°This is absolutely insane. They don¡¯t even consider controllers of ghosts; these people are audaciously bold,¡± Yang Jian thought ufortably. But soon enough, he understood. There were only two things most people went crazy for, power and money. They were after the ghost in the box. It was undoubtedly for profit. ¡°The price of a ghost far exceeds a hundred million, otherwise people wouldn¡¯t risk danger and oppose a ghost maniptor.¡± ¡°What sounds nice is called a ghost maniptor, someone who controls Evil Ghosts, but put bluntly¡­ it¡¯s a ghost.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, what¡¯s wrong? You seem a bit pale. Tell me what¡¯s going on, maybe there¡¯s something I can help with,¡± Zhang Wei asked. Yang Jian shook his head and said, ¡°There¡¯s some troubleing my way; I can¡¯t stay for lunch. I have to go. Notify me when you¡¯re getting together some other day, and if I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll definitelye by.¡± Having said that, he got up and prepared to leave. But just as he stood up, he saw six or seven men in suits, looking aggressive, stride into the coffee shop and immediately start driving people out and closing the doors. Their actions were like flowing water, very practiced. They even hung up a ¡®temporarily closed¡¯ sign on the door. ¡°Yang Jian, you better run. These people are here for you. Looks like a kidnapping or extortion. Your second-generation rich identity has been exposed; now you¡¯re in danger,¡± Zhang Wei suddenly spoke up, his voice quite loud. ¡°Huh?¡± Zhang Wei was stunned for a moment, not quite grasping the situation, and thinking what Yang Jian said sounded strange. The next moment, several men rushed over. ¡°Damn it, call the police to save me, I¡¯m getting out of here,¡± Zhang Wei yelled, as he turned to run. ¡°Stop, don¡¯t run,¡± someone shouted at Zhang Wei. However, the middle-aged leader nced over and said, ¡°Never mind him; he¡¯s not Yang Jian. You¡¯re the one¡­ Don¡¯t y these little tricks. I have your information right here.¡± After saying that, he threw a few photos onto the table. They were taken in front of a shopping mall. Of him, Yan Li, Jiang Yan, Captain Liu, and others. ¡°Who are you guys?¡± Yang Jian put down his cellphone and nced at them. The middle-aged man sat down and said, ¡°My name is Wu Feng, I¡¯m a business manager of a certainpany. Here¡¯s my business card. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you¡­ Yang Jian.¡± Yang Jian took the business card and looked at it. Aside from a name and a phone number, there was nothing else. It seemed like they were intentionally hiding their information. ¡°Do you want something from me?¡± Although Yang Jian had a clear idea of these people¡¯s intentions, he still pretended ignorance. Wu Feng looked around the coffee shop. His subordinates had already booked the ce out, clearing out all the irrelevant staff like the waiters. Seeing this, he then said, ¡°First of all, congrattions are in order. You¡¯ve be a new ghost maniptor in Dachang City. Hard to imagine that just before, you were a high school senior. You¡¯re very special, a precious talent. Would you like to work at mypany? I can offer you a sry of a hundred thousand a month.¡± ¡°Sure, but you¡¯ll have to pay three months¡¯ sry in advance,¡± Yang Jian nodded. Huh? This time it was Wu Feng who was taken aback. His offer had only been a probe, to test this Yang Jian¡¯s understanding of ghost maniptors and gauge how smart and mature he was. He hadn¡¯t actually been nning to recruit him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You offer me a job at yourpany with such a high sry, and you¡¯re hesitant to pay an advance? Just by that I can tell you¡¯re scammers,¡± Yang Jian said with some disdain. Wu Feng smiled and said, ¡°If you really are willing to work at mypany, I can pay you an advance on your sry for a whole year.¡± It would be a great bargain if he could actually sway a ghost maniptor with such an amount. Could it be that Yang Jian hadn¡¯t seen much money before? That he was moved just by a few hundred thousand? It seemed he was just a student with little social experience. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 69 - 69 Fooled You Again Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Fooled You Again ¡°` Yang Jian had no intention of leaving when he saw this group of people. He chose to interact with them. Because he shouldn¡¯t be afraid of trouble; trouble should be afraid of him. ¡°An annual sry of 1.2 million, that¡¯s high-tech, even general corporate executives might not get that,¡± Yang Jian eximed, his eyes lighting up. ¡°Let¡¯s settle it then, transfer the money to me and I¡¯ll join yourpany right away.¡± Watching his excited look, Wu Feng couldn¡¯t help but see him as a greenhorn new to society. ¡°That¡¯s no problem, but before you join thepany, there¡¯s one thing we need to do¡­ You recognize this box, don¡¯t you?¡± He then produced a photograph. The photo showed a golden box. It was the same style as the one Yan Li had. ¡°This item was originally in Yan Li¡¯s possession; he should¡¯ve passed it to you aftering out of the mall. Ourpany is looking for it, and if you can produce it, I¡¯m willing to purchase it for an extra ten million.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very straightforward in business, and I won¡¯t lie to you, this thing is made of gold and is worth more than 2.4 million; I can offer you ten million, and you still make a tidy profit,¡± he said. ¡°What do you think?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Indeed, Yan Li gave this item to me to keep for a few days, but it¡¯s gone now.¡± ¡°Gone? How is it gone?¡± Wu Feng immediately pressed. ¡°Handed it over.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I heard it could be exchanged for a position within the International Ghost Tamers Organization, a formal unit, so I didn¡¯t hesitate to offer it up. Someone even praised me for my noble character, which made me happy for a couple of days.¡± Wu Feng nearly choked upon hearing this. You really are naively adorable, aren¡¯t you? The whole world is bidding high prices for that thing, countries are scrambling for it, and you just handed it over? ¡°You¡¯re lying, you¡¯re not being honest,¡± Wu Feng said, trying to keep his cool as he stared at him. ¡°I haven¡¯t lied; look, this is something handed down from above. In a few days, I might have to go for some kind of assessment or evaluation,¡± Yang Jian said as he took out the satellite-locating phone. A Ghost Tamer¡¯s satellite-locating phone? Wu Feng recognized it in an instant but then couldn¡¯t help feeling frustrated. Could it be that the ghost that was locked up was really handed over by Yang Jian? ¡°Why would you turn it in? How could you bear to?¡± Wu Feng asked, somewhat annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what¡¯s inside? You were involved in that mall incident; Yan Li couldn¡¯t have told you nothing.¡± Theck of information and intelligence left him in the dark about Yang Jian. All he knew was that he was a senior high school student who had be a Ghost Tamer, aplete newbie. And Yang Jian was using that to his advantage, pretending not to know anything in order to draw out some useful information. ¡°I know; it¡¯s a ghost, caught by Yan Li and me, very dangerous. You don¡¯t know how many people died in the mall that time. It¡¯s definitely better to hand over such a dangerous thing to headquarters; I dare not keep it with me all the time,¡± Yang Jian exined. ¡°By the way, what do you want the ghost for? What¡¯s it good for?¡± Wu Feng said, ¡°It has a big use, experiments have already proven sessful¡­¡± He cut off his statement there. Yang Jian asked, ¡°What kind of experiment?¡± ¡°That¡¯s ssified. Since you don¡¯t have the box, there¡¯s no point in discussing it further.¡± Wu Feng stood up with a cold face, ready to leave. The box had been turned in, and he had joined the International Ghost Tamers Organization, so this Yang Jian before him was of no value to him. To continue talking would be a waste of time. ¡°Wait,¡± Yang Jian called out to them. ¡°Is there something else?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Actually, I lied just now; I fooled you guys¡­ I¡¯m really sorry, but I haven¡¯t had the chance to turn the box in yet; it¡¯s still here with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Wu Feng stopped in his tracks and turned sharply to look at him. ¡°Are you serious? You really still have it?¡± Yang Jian nodded earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯ve always been very sincere and straightforward when I speak.¡± ¡°Then, would you sell it to me for ten million?¡± Wu Feng sat down again, resuming the previous topic, ¡°If you turn it in, you won¡¯t get a dime, and the International Ghost Tamers isn¡¯t a good position either. You¡¯ve encountered malevolent ghost incidents, are you confident you can survive every time? It¡¯s a high-risk job. You¡¯re young, there are still things you haven¡¯t enjoyed. Tall tales of valor are just ttery; substantial benefits are what¡¯s real¡­ Hand over the box, and you won¡¯t be shortchanged.¡± ¡°I want to receive the payment first; only then can I give you the item,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Fine, but I need to see the goods first,¡± said Wu Feng, then signaled to the group behind him. There was no real deal nor was there ten million; they nned to simply take it by force. After all, this was their line of work, doing business without capital. Yang Jian shook his head, ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not going to work. You said you¡¯d advance me a year¡¯s sry and offered me ten million, but I haven¡¯t seen a penny yet. I don¡¯t quite trust what you said; without seeing the money, I won¡¯t bring out the item.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ungrateful, kid, we¡­¡± a person beside him said, his voice filled with menace. Wu Feng turned and made a gesture, saying, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll advance you the year¡¯s sry, and then you show me the box. Once we confirm everything is correct, I¡¯ll go ahead with the transaction with you. How about it?¡± If necessary, he didn¡¯t want to reallye to blows with a Ghost Tamer. ¡°` The ghost within Yang Jian¡¯s body has unclear characteristics. It might be harmless to people like Yan Li, or it could be very troublesome. But gambling always has its losses, so if he could solve the problem with a little money, he was willing to do so. ¡°That could work, then make the transfer, here¡¯s my bank ount number, once the money is received, I¡¯ll go get the stuff.¡± Yang Jian pulled out his phone from under the table. Wu Feng thought over it and hesitated for a moment, then looked at Yang Jian. Yang Jian appeared naive and excited, as if he was already fantasizing about how to spend the ten million. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll transfer it to you now.¡± Wu Feng went ahead and made the transfer via his phone. Very quickly. A message notification for a received amount of one hundred came up on Yang Jian¡¯s phone. ¡°Why is it only one hundred? Did you transfer the wrong amount?¡± Wu Feng looked at the bnce on Yang Jian¡¯s phone and fully confirmed that he was a poor student who had just be a ghost tamer and indeed had little experience. ¡°Sorry, I identally tapped the wrong amount, consider this one hundred as a treat for your meal.¡± After that, he transferred another amount. This time it was correct, it was one million two hundred thousand. ¡°The money has arrived, that¡¯s great, thank you so much,¡± Yang Jian said, excitedly shaking his hand. ¡°You¡¯re wee, now can you take me to get that box?¡± Wu Feng said. Yang Jian nodded; ¡°Of course, follow me.¡± Immediately, he led the group out of the coffee shop and down the street. ¡°Is it far? We have a car, we can drive you there.¡± Wu Feng, eying Yang Jian in front of him, furrowed his brow, sensing that something was amiss. ¡°My car is parked over there, how about you drive around and wait for me here?¡± Yang Jian turned around and told them. ¡°No need.¡± Wu Feng was not willing to let Yang Jian out of his sight. But as they continued to walk forward, he noticed more and more that something was off. The number of pedestrians ahead grew fewer and fewer. Until atst, there were no people on the entire sidewalk. ¡°Hold on.¡± Wu Feng called out in a hurry, looking around the deserted street, his expression immediately changed. At that moment, Yang Jian turned around with a grin: ¡°Only now you realize? Sorry about that, I cheated you guys again, I called the police while we were chatting¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move, put your hands up, and lie down on the ground.¡± The next moment, officers burst out from the surrounding shops, led by Team Leader Liu. This was not amon supernatural case but an assault case, and all the officers were armed. ¡°You little rascal¡­¡± Wu Feng was furious, his eyes bulging, nearly rushing forward to beat this guy up. ¡°Angry, want to hit someone? Come on, hit here, yes, right here,¡± Yang Jian pointed to his own forehead. ¡°To hell with this.¡± Wu Feng cursed, this kid was damn tricky. He not only cheated him out of his money but also had him caught by the authorities. How could there be such a shameless scoundrel in the world? As angry as he was, he didn¡¯t dare to rush forward and do anything. Yang Jian coldly smiled: ¡°To deal with you people, I don¡¯t even need to use the ghost¡¯s abilities, but you should feel lucky that you¡¯re being caught. If you fought me, I would make you regreting into this world.¡± Finished speaking, he paid no attention to their fierce res. He walked over and said; ¡°Team Leader Liu, these people are acting as a gang, attempting to kidnap and attack me, and they¡¯re suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction, be careful.¡± Team Leader Liu saluted and then said; ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t let any of these criminals get away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll leave them to you then, I have some things to take care of and need to leave for a bit,¡± Yang Jian said. How severe was the crime of attacking a ghost tamer? He could see this from the fate of that Manager Li before. He touched the eye on the back of his hand. Yang Jian didn¡¯t feel that resurgence of restlessness, and his heart eased a good deal. If he could use his brain, he would never resort to using the ghost eye¡¯s abilities. That way, he might at least dy the resurrection time. It was just unfortunate that he didn¡¯t get hold of the ten million, or else he would have made a big profit this time. So, far from being troublemakers, they were like money-delivering boys. Good people. In his heart, Yang Jian silently gave that Wu Feng a thumbs-up. Chapter 70 - 70 Is Someone Talking About Me? Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Is Someone Talking About Me? ¡°Ah~!¡± A scream echoed in the home of a resident in a certainmunity. The door was closed tight, but inside stood a crowd of men, all dressed in suits and well-built. ¡°Ghost summoner? I¡¯ve seen plenty of things that are neither human nor ghost, Yan Li, you¡¯re not the worst I¡¯ve encountered. Although I don¡¯t have the guts or the skills to deal with ghosts, I do have plenty of experience dealing with people.¡± A somewhat indifferent young man, holding a baton, looked at Yan Li, who was chained to the ground with nails hammered into his hands and feet. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, where exactly did you put the ghost you caught in the mall? Is it in the hands of someone named Yang Jian?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I won¡¯t tell. If you have the ability, then take the ghost out of my body.¡± Yan Liy on the ground, his body covered in blood. However, his powers were too weak, almost useless against humans. Now, tied up and nailed to the floor, he had no options. The chains and nails were specially made, crafted from a mix of steel and gold. Although there was some skimping on materials, they were more than enough to deal with a ghost summoner like Yan Li. ¡°What use is the ghost in your body to me? I want that item. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t talk, I¡¯ve already sent someone to Yang Jian. As soon as I confirm he has the item, you¡¯re dead today. But given your character, it¡¯s unlikely you¡¯d hand something so precious to a rookie fresh in the field.¡± ¡°Even if he too is a ghost summoner.¡± This indifferent young man was Hao Shaowen, and he was in charge of this operation. ¡°If I die, the ghost will escape, and you won¡¯t be having a good time either,¡± Yan Li said through gritted teeth. Hao Shaowen let out a coldugh, ¡°What does that have to do with me? By then, I¡¯ll be long gone. Let the international ghost summoners clean up the mess. You think I¡¯d be afraid of you dying to a vengeful ghost? Ghosts are ghosts, you are you, they are not the same. Your threats won¡¯t work on me; I feast on this line of work.¡± With that said, he swung the baton hard against Yan Li¡¯s head. Yan Li let out a scream as a small indentation formed on his skull, as if his brain was splitting. A blow as heavy as that could have killed a normal person. But Yan Li was just in pain, screaming, showing no signs of dying. ¡°Pah, you¡¯re quite resilient, aren¡¯t you? No matter how much I beat you, you won¡¯t die, you ghostly thing. But that¡¯s all you¡¯re good for,¡± Hao Shaowen then brutally struck his arms and legs multiple times. Yan Li was beaten until the sound of cracking bones was heard, his body split open, but no blood flowed out. ¡°It¡¯s useless no matter how you beat me, I won¡¯t live much longer anyway, and you¡¯ll never get that box,¡± he said, his face covered in blood, lifting his head andughing miserably. At this, Hao Shaowen raised an eyebrow, ¡°What do you mean by that? You actually left that thing in the hands of a rookie named Yang Jian? A new ghost summoner, clueless about everything, you sure are confident.¡± Throughout the interrogation, despite Yan Li¡¯s tough exterior, Hao Shaowen had guessed something. The item was likely not in Yan Li¡¯s possession; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so stubborn. ¡°Call Wu Feng, tell him the item is in the hands of that Yang Jian¡­ same old rules, if the negotiation fails, just kidnap his family. A young punk will soften up once scared, don¡¯t think I¡¯m afraid of a ghost summoner, if pushedes to shove, we can just send him a few of his family members¡¯ chopped fingers, no need to be too scared of ghost summoners, they¡¯re all cursed to die young. If really scared of retaliation, justy low for a few months,¡± Hao Shaowen said abruptly. Of course, the ¡°negotiation¡± he mentioned was almost equivalent to a forcible takeover. No one who knew the price would ever agree, not to mention the subsequent kidnapping and threats. ¡°Alright boss, I¡¯ll call Wu Feng right away,¡± one of the subordinates immediately said. ¡°Heh, hehe.¡± Suddenly, at that moment, Yan Li let out a few miserable chuckles. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Hao Shaowen coldly shoved the baton in his mouth, ¡°Don¡¯t want your tongue anymore, is that it?¡± ¡°I¡¯mughing because you¡¯ve got the wrong person. You¡¯ve guessed that the box is with Yang Jian, but surely you don¡¯t know why it¡¯s with him,¡± Yan Li endured the pain all over his body and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I was willing to leave the item with him. It¡¯s that I simply couldn¡¯t take back the box.¡± ¡°Yan Li, what are you trying to say?¡± asked Hao Shaowen. ¡°I¡¯m saying that although Yang Jian is a neer, he¡¯s much harder to deal with than me. If you really n to take the item from him, you will regret it,¡± Yan Li said. ¡°Really? I¡¯d like to see what kind of skills that youngster has,¡± Hao Shaowen said with a sneer. Although he was wary of ghost summoners, he wasn¡¯t afraid. These people were cursed to die young and dared not use their ghosts¡¯ powers carelessly. If they used it too much, they would die from the ghost¡¯s resurgence. And a ghost¡¯s power couldn¡¯t affect gold. As long as you used gold to craft a few items to trap a ghost summoner, they would be fish in a barrel, unable to turn the situation around. ¡°Boss, I can¡¯t get through to Wu Feng,¡± said the subordinate who put down the phone with a look of surprise. ¡°Can¡¯t get through?¡± Hao Shaowen frowned, ¡°Call the others, that kid Liu Shao, try all of them. It¡¯s impossible that none of them can be reached.¡± ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve tried. I can¡¯t reach any of them,¡± the other men also started trying. But without exception, all calls went unanswered. ¡°There¡¯s no need to keep trying,¡± Yan Li gasped, a grin on his face, ¡°Going up against Yang Jian yourself might have given you a slight chance of surprise, but sending Wu Feng¡­ honestly, it¡¯s pretty risky.¡± ¡°Shut his mouth and nail him here, let him wait for death.¡± Hao Shaowen¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Come with me to Wu Feng¡¯s ce.¡± He thought a young kid wouldn¡¯t be so tough to deal with, so he focused on taking care of Yan Li instead. He didn¡¯t expect this ce to be handled easily while trouble arose elsewhere. Right when they were preparing to tape Yan Li¡¯s mouth shut. ¡°Thump, thump thump.¡± Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Hmm?¡± Instantly, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes toward the door. ¡°Go see who it is,¡± Hao Shaowen nced and said. Someone went to check, peering through the peephole. There was nobody outside. ¡°Boss, there¡¯s nobody,¡± the man reported back. ¡°If there¡¯s nobody, then continue with the work. You stay by the door,¡± Hao Shaowen ordered. But as the man kept watch, ¡°Thump, thump thump.¡± Knocking sounds came again. This time it wasn¡¯t the main door but a room door that was making the noise. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Everyone was suddenly rmed and turned to look at that room door. ¡°We checked the room earlier; it should have been empty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right, I can hear footsteps, someone is moving around inside the room.¡± ¡°Boss, the situation seems a bit off¡­ We can¡¯t be that unlucky, to encounter a ghost, can we?¡± At the mention of encountering a ghost, Everyone¡¯s hearts contracted sharply. They dared to confront ghost masters because ghost masters are human, with reason and weaknesses. But to confront a ghost, they would not dare even if they were given ten times the courage. Ghosts murder without reason. ¡°A supernatural urrence? Could we really be that unlucky to encounter such an improbable event?¡± Hao Shaowen immediately looked troubled; he signaled, ¡°Let¡¯s all leave this ce, forget Yan Li for now, leave him here for that ghost to kill, and we can make a safe escape. Don¡¯t panic.¡± ¡°Yes, boss,¡± they all replied. The others didn¡¯t dare linger and prepared to open the main door to leave. However, the man trying to open the door turned pale, ¡°It, it won¡¯t open, the door won¡¯t budge.¡± No matter how hard he tried. The lock on the main door acted as if it was unresponsive, not moving at all. ¡°Step aside, I¡¯ll break the lock,¡± another rushed forward, taking tools to try and forcibly break the door open. But just at that moment, a faint sound of a door unlocking resounded. The door handle of that room turned down slowly, as if something inside was about toe out. Right away. All their hearts rose to their throats. ¡°It¡¯s over~!¡± Despair had already set in for some. They had all had dealings with ghost masters before and knew just how terrifying real ghosts were. ¡°Did I just hear somebody saying how handsome I am?¡± The next moment, the room door opened, and Yang Jian poked his head out, looking around curiously, then stepped out. Chapter 71: Countdown of 71 Chapter 71: Countdown of Chapter 71 ¡°¡­¡± I thought I had encountered a terrifying supernatural event. When everyone saw that it was just a person walking out, they felt as ufortable as if they had swallowed a fly. ¡°With that expression on your faces, I know you¡¯re disappointed. It turned out to be a personing out, not a ghost.¡± Yang Jian walked out of the room with a hint of a smile on his face. ¡°Who are you?¡± Hao Shaowen¡¯s expression darkened slightly as he immediately asked. He didn¡¯t let his guard down because of Yang Jian. Anyoneing out of the room at this time must be problematic since he had made sure earlier that Yan Li was the only person in the rented house. Yang Jian nced around, then said, ¡°Earlier, I overheard someone outside trying to kidnap my family member, nning to use them as leverage to extort and rob me. I didn¡¯t mishear that, did I? Yes, I¡¯m talking to you, the tallest one.¡± His gaze fell on Hao Shaowen. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question, kid. Don¡¯t pretend you didn¡¯t hear it,¡± Hao Shaowen said, signaling to the people beside him. Two adult men with unfriendly expressions started walking towards Yang Jian. It seemed they were ready to take action. However, something strange happened. These two adult men acted as if they didn¡¯t see Yang Jian in front of them at all; they brushed past him and continued walking into the room. ¡°I¡¯m curious. Knowing that the world has supernatural events, that fierce ghosts roam and that there are Ghost Tamers who exist between the living and the dead, why do some people still dare to provoke our kind? Friend, would you mind exining?¡± Yang Jian smoothly closed the door. Just like that, the two adult men disappeared silently into the room. There was no further noise. ¡°Hm? I think I¡¯ve seen your photo¡­ Aren¡¯t you that neer, Yang Jian?¡± Suddenly, Hao Shaowen remembered the information from that file. Wasn¡¯t this the person in front of him the new Ghost Tamer who had had contact with Yan Li? Yang Jian said, ¡°You only remember now; your memory really isn¡¯t that good. But getting back to the previous question, why do this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? For money,¡± Hao Shaowen sneered. ¡°Before the world knew of supernatural events, people dared to rob and kill for money. Let alone now. Do you know how lucrative our line of work is? We would dare to confront even real ghosts if the money were right. Not to mention the likes of you Ghost Tamers.¡± ¡°One million might be a bit low for your life, but ten million for someone tomit suicide¡ªthere are plenty in this world who would do it. Don¡¯t underestimate the temptation of money.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still in your senior year of high school, aren¡¯t you? The cruelty of society is beyond your imagination. Most normal people will nevere into contact with the dark side of the world, so don¡¯t me me for being heartless. me Yan Li for not being capable enough to keep hold of this huge profit. Of course, you¡¯re not capable either, anding here today was the most foolish thing you could have done.¡± Yang Jian frowned, looking at Yan Li, who was nailed to the ground and covered in blood. Honestly, it made him ufortable. Especially now that these people had set their sights on him. ¡°Are you challenging me?¡± He withdrew his gaze, and a slit appeared on the back of his hand, revealing a blood-red eye. ¡°I¡¯m not challenging you, I¡¯m telling you a fact, kid. I¡¯ve set my sights on that box today, and neither of you will leave here without it.¡± Hao Shaowen pulled out a baton from his waist and flicked it casually, the baton extended. ¡°Made out of gold?¡± Yang Jian caught a glimpse. Hao Shaowen said, ¡°It¡¯s specially made to deal with you Ghost Tamers; only this can truly hurt you half-ghosts.¡± ¡°Gold is just not affected by the power of fierce ghosts. To think you canpletely restrain a Ghost Tamer, aren¡¯t you being a bit too naive?¡± Yang Jian said with some amusement, ¡°Did you really think that just because you¡¯ve dealt with Yan Li, you could do the same to others? What do you take Ghost Tamers for?¡± ¡°It seems that the one who doesn¡¯t understand the cruelty of this world isn¡¯t me, it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t dare to deal with supernatural events for money; you only dare to rely on your numbers and use ugly methods to rob and extort those who barely managed to tame fierce ghosts. You lot¡­ are even worse than beasts.¡± Hao Shaowen said with disdain, ¡°This is the business we run, lecturing us on conscience? Naive. Take action, subdue this guy first.¡± His talk was just a dy tactic. His men were already quietly preparing themselves behind him. The sound dropped. In the hands of nearly everyone, a delicate hand crossbow appeared. And at almost the same time, all the hand crossbows fired specially made bolts, each connected to a golden thread. The golden thread was also special, extremely tough and with the characteristics of gold. Once hit, the golden thread could even restrain a ghost, wrapping it tightly. This was part ofbat strategies researched abroad, originally used by some international special forces to deal with fierce ghosts. However, once it became known, they discovered it was particrly effective against ghost masters, but not so much against the ghosts themselves. Hence, people like them had learned this method. ¡°Whoosh~!¡± The arrows flew and pierced straight into Yang Jian¡¯s body. The barbed arrows buried into his flesh, causing the trailing golden threads to instantly tense. With six or seven arrows nailed into him, and all pulled taut, Yang Jian copsed to the ground in an instant. ¡°You dare toe here with such meager skills, truly seeking death.¡± Hao Shaowen walked over with a cold face, his cudgel striking Yang Jian¡¯s back of the head. The strength was surprisingly tremendous, without any hesitation. Immediately, Yang Jian¡¯s skull was forcibly split open, fresh blood gushed out incessantly, and after a slight convulsion, his body was bereft of breath. ¡°Dead?¡± Hao Shaowen was stunned for a moment. Yan Li was so tough, howe Yang Jian died with just a single strike? ¡°No, something is wrong, this isn¡¯t Yang Jian.¡± Then, his eyes shed as he saw that the person lying on the ground was in fact one of his subordinates who had vanished after entering the room earlier. ¡°When did this happen, what exactly urred?¡± ¡°p p~!¡± Unbeknownst to them, Yang Jian was sitting on the sofa. He pped his hands andughed, ¡°Bravo, that was spectacr. The operation just now was smooth as flowing water, first pretending to buy time for the preparations of your subordinates, then a perfect strike followed by immediate suppression, trulymendable for an experienced professional. Now I¡¯ve seen how you deal with ghost masters.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve taken note. I will be more cautious in the future.¡± ¡°Was it your doing?¡± Hao Shaowen¡¯s expression was extremely unpleasant. Yang Jian¡¯s ghostly abilities seemed troublesome. Was it an illusion? Or could he alter a person¡¯s thinking? Perhaps he could find a substitute? ¡­ There was too little information to guess. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t want to tell you. My time is limited, three minutes¡­ You only have three minutes. I have a few questions to ask you. Answer well, and you can live. Answer poorly¡­ sorry, you can still live, but in hell. Also, don¡¯t try to stall for time. When time is up, I¡¯ll make the choice for you automatically.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s countenance had also turned cold; he had seen the viciousness of these people¡¯s actions. They killed a man in less than ten seconds. If it were him without prior precaution, he would have been done for too. No wonder Yan Li fell into their hands. The w in his Ghost Blood was too significant, powerful against ghosts but seemingly useless against humans. However, in this world, one has to deal with not only ghosts but also humans. ¡°Now the countdown begins, the first question¡­ who sent you? Hmm, that¡¯s not the right way to ask; makes it seem like there¡¯s someone behind the scenes. Let¡¯s say it like this, whose money are you earning with this job?¡± With that, he took out his phone, ced it on the coffee table, and a three-minute countdown disyed. This was the life countdown Yang Jian set for these people. Chapter 72 - 72 Competition Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Competition ¡°You think that just because you ask me, I¡¯ll tell you? I won¡¯t divulge client information; that¡¯s a rule of our profession,¡± Hao Shaowen said. ¡°Rules can be changed,¡± Yang Jian uttered. ¡°Those who break the rules, their end is very miserable,¡± Hao Shaowen remarked. Yang Jian pointed to the countdown on his phone, ¡°Then how can you be sure that falling into my hands won¡¯t be miserable? It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to talk, I can ask someone else.¡± His gaze shifted to the others. ¡°Do you know who sent you to deal with Yan Li and me? Whoever speaks up, I¡¯ll let you go, but there¡¯s only one spot avable, so I hope you cherish it.¡± However, the men in suits were like mutes, not saying a word. ¡°We have all signed confidentiality agreements. Don¡¯t waste your time trying to get any words out of us¡­ Your ability is quite special, but since you have be a Ghost Domain master, you must know your life won¡¯t be long. How about this, I¡¯ll give up on this deal, and we can both pretend nothing ever happened, okay?¡± Hao Shaowen¡¯s expression grew grave; he had an inkling that Yang Jian was troublesome. Moreover, he was crafty, like a little wolf cub, seemingly harmless like a dog, but if you actually dealt with him, he¡¯d bite a chunk out of you. Yang Jian looked at him strangely and said, ¡°Youe to my door, beat up my business partner like this, pose him like Jesus nailed to the ground, and then try to kidnap my family, extort my possessions¡­ After all the trouble to meet face to face, you start with random shooting and binding, and now you tell me to pretend like nothing happened?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to talk about the first question, Yan Li and I will find out about it ourselves. But before that, I want you all to understand something again.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s really in charge here,¡± After he finished speaking, he nced at the living room lights, ¡°Zzzt~!¡± A faint sound of electricity came, and the bright white lights had suddenly changed color without anyone noticing. They turned a pale red. The red light illuminated, casting a red glow over the entire living room, as if a light technician in a bar had purposefully set it that way. However, it wasn¡¯t just the living room that the red glow covered; when Hao Shaowen nced out of the window by chance, he saw that the entire world outside was awash with red. The surrounding silence conveyed an eerie sense of foreboding. ¡°So, who shall we start with?¡± Yang Jian slowly stood up from the couch, his eyes surveying these people. At that moment, Yan Li, who was nailed to the ground and saw the world engulfed in red light, hisplexion changed. Ghost Domain. He hadn¡¯t expected Yang Jian to actually use the Ghost Domain; it seemed he was serious now. ¡°Hao Shaowen, you¡¯re better off cooperating with Yang Jian, or else the consequences will be very grim. He¡¯s not like me at all, his ghosts¡­ they are unsolvable,¡± Yan Li interjected. It seemed like he was advising, but it was actually to help Yang Jian achieve his goals better. One ying the good cop, the other the bad cop made a perfect match. Whether one could escape from the Ghost Domain all depended on Yang Jian¡¯s mood, and it was not something ordinary people could deal with. Unsolvable ghosts? Hao Shaowen scoffed, ¡°In my eyes, there¡¯s no ability that¡¯s insurmountable, as long as you¡¯re still human, there¡¯s a way to deal with you.¡± As he spoke, he suddenly revealed a pistol in his hand. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Three consecutive shots aimed at Yang Jian¡¯s forehead and chest. At such close range, a miss was impossible. ¡°Thud~!¡± The next moment, Yang Jian, who had just stood up, immediately fell to the ground as blood rapidly pooled around him. Dead? Hao Shaowen¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he was not overly excited. But before he could check, the red light flickered subtly. He discovered that the twitching, bleeding body on the ground had turned into one of his subordinates. Yang Jian had vanished again. ¡°Boss, what¡­ what¡¯s going on? Why is Zhao Gang the one dead? Wasn¡¯t he just¡­¡± one subordinate was startled, hurriedly ncing at hispanions. The one beside him had, at some point, been reced by Yang Jian. Yang Jian gave him a grin. Seemingly innocent and harmless, yet it carried an eerie terror. ¡°You¡¯re the first one,¡± Yang Jian said as he suddenly grabbed the man¡¯s neck and pushed him forward. Bang~! Hao Shaowen fired behind him without hesitation. Yang Jian fell to the ground once again. But while lying there, the corpse morphed once more into another subordinate. In just a brief moment, three people had died by his own hands. Hao Shaowen¡¯s face was expressionless, still as indifferent as ever, ¡°Come out, if you dare,e out.¡± ¡°Ding-dong~!¡± The next moment, a bullet fell from the ceiling,nding on his head. The bullet was golden and translucent, not made of brass but rather specially crafted from gold. ¡°A golden bullet? You¡¯ve prepared thoroughly, but unfortunately, today¡¯s your unlucky day because you¡¯re dealing with me,¡± Yang Jian slowly emerged from the adjacent bedroom. His expression was eerily calm, with a strange twist of eeriness. Hao Shaowen immediately raised his gun. But at this moment, he stopped, the trigger not pulled. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you shooting? You still have three bullets in your gun, just enough for the three minions you have left¡ª one bullet per person. You could ascend to god quickly. Need me to give you a little incentive?¡± Yang Jian revealed a smile. ¡°An illusion? You¡¯re not real, your true form is hidden in this room. The ability to induce illusions is quite tricky to deal with, but it¡¯s not impossible to counter.¡± Hao Shaowen¡¯s face took on an ugly cast, ¡°Your ability is strong, but it has ws.¡± ¡°As long as I don¡¯t act rashly, no one will get hurt, and you can only kill indirectly.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure your guess is correct? What if I deceived you?¡± At this moment, the two subordinates by his side werepletely panicked; ¡°Boss, look, what¡¯s happening to him?¡± The subordinate that Yang Jian had pushed was now half-embedded into the wall, merged with it as if one, but this integration was obviously forced. The man twitched all over, blood frothing from his mouth, his eyes rolling back, looking like he would die soon. Hao Shaowen¡¯s pupils shrank. This¡­ was not an illusion. ¡°Sorry, I might have gone a bit overboard, but I swear I just pushed him lightly, just once, and yet he¡¯s about to die. Who would¡¯ve thought,¡± Yang Jian sighed, looking at the man who had stopped breathing, ¡°Humans are so fragile. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± ¡°Now, back to our previous topic. I¡¯ll ask you one more time, who exactly did you make this deal with?¡± ¡°Big, big brother, we¡¯re just workers, we really don¡¯t know who took the job, only the boss knows,¡± one subordinate caved in, his face full of fear¡ªthis person was far more terrifying than Yan Li. He killed as easily as if he were eating or drinking. It was as if he were toying withb mice. ¡°As expected, the root of it all is with you, which is also why I didn¡¯t kill you right from the start. Apart from wanting to see for myself how you handle ghost possessors, I wanted to know what I¡¯m after even more,¡± Yang Jian said as if everything made sense. ¡°Friend, at this point, don¡¯t you think you should say something?¡± Immediately after, he turned his gaze to Hao Shaowen. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me, don¡¯t forget, besides you, Wu Feng also knows about this. I didn¡¯t ask him before because I was in a hurry, but if you¡¯re willing to die, then I won¡¯t waste my time. After all, you¡¯re busy too, rushing off to be reincarnated.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although Hao Shaowen was ruthless, the situation he found himself in was somewhat difficult to extricate himself from. Yang Jian¡¯s ability indeed felt¡­unanswerable. He probably should take back what he said earlier. Compared to a person, Yang Jian acted more like a ghost. Unpredictable, indecipherable, uncounterable. ¡°I just manage the assignments. We don¡¯t care who hires us, but I can tell you, the employer is someone from Yan Li¡¯s club; that person gave me the info,¡± Hao Shaowen took a deep breath and said. Not giving him some information would mean he might not leave this ce alive today. The club? Upon hearing this, Yan Li was immediately taken aback. Yang Jian narrowed his eyes, ¡°So the people from the club are ghost possessors, which means someone has set their sights on Yan Li?¡± ¡°No, although most of the club¡¯s members are ghost possessors, there are also some top local businessmen. They sometimes hire ghost possessors at high prices to handle supernatural incidents or even employ them as bodyguards. But those who can afford the price and are interested in ghosts are not many,¡± Hao Shaowen said. ¡°How much are you getting paid for this job?¡± Hao Shaowen said, ¡°Fifty million USD.¡± ¡°Indeed, not a small amount,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyelid twitched. The price of a ghost was only one hundred million, yet hiring Hao Shaowen was quoted at fifty million USD. Calcting the exchange rate, the difference was more than threefold. It seemed¡­ Yen Li had been undercharged. Perhaps there was some sort of middleman involved. ¡°What¡¯s the experiment about? A way for ghost possessors to avoid death from the revival of fierce ghosts.¡± Yang Jian continued to inquire, ¡°You have one minute left, no, forty seconds. Whoever of you three answers, that person goes. Remember, I¡¯m in charge now, you have no choice.¡± His time in the Ghost Domain was almost up. It was time to fully resolve this matter. Chapter 73 - 73 Ways to Survive Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Ways to Survive Investigating the source and finding out who was behind it was just something done along the way. For Yang Jian at the moment, the top priority was to find a way to survive, a method to avoid dying from the ghost¡¯s revival. But while he was putting pressure on Hao Shaowen, he didn¡¯t start by asking questions. Because only after these people understood how terrifying a ghost driver could be, would they soften up and willingly reveal the information he wanted to know. A method to avoid the ghost¡¯s revival? When Hao Shaowen heard this question, he was momentarily stunned, but then he suddenlyughed, ¡°There is such a method, which, at the beginning, seemed to have spread from some country¡­ It is said that by chance, a ghost driver, perhaps favored by the heavens, miraculously survived for a whole year without dying from a ghost¡¯s revival.¡± Survived a year? Yang Jian¡¯s gaze flicked with interest. How long a ghost driver could live depended on how quickly the ghost in their body revived, but even if a ghost driver did not use any of the ghost¡¯s abilities, ording to his estimate, they should not be able to survive beyond half a year. If one frequently used their powers, the revival of the ghost would elerate, shortening the ghost driver¡¯s life. But a ghost driver who had survived over a year. Without a doubt, this was a miracle. ¡°What is the specific method?¡± Yang Jian pressed him. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to know.¡± Hao Shaowen said somewhat teasingly, ¡°It¡¯s a special case, perhaps one in a thousand ghost drivers, an extremely rare urrence. The method is almost impractical, as your kind of people are doomed not to live long¡­ after all, you should¡¯ve died long ago, it¡¯s the ghost in your bodies that keeps you alive.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s impractical or not does not depend on you, but on me. You have twenty seconds left.¡± Yang Jian nced at the countdown on his phone. ¡°You really want to survive, don¡¯t you?¡± Hao Shaowen suddenly revealed a cold smile, ¡°Then let us leave this ce first, once we¡¯re safe I¡¯ll naturally be willing to share this intelligence with you.¡± ¡°You have no room to negotiate, ten seconds left.¡± Yang Jian said seriously, ¡°You only have two choices, to speak or not to speak.¡± ¡°Whether you can leave or not depends on me.¡± ¡°Boss, just tell him. This guy¡¯s a maniac, he¡¯s not normal, you see how he killed so many people without even blinking an eye, I bet he¡¯s not far from revival either.¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no need to antagonize a maniac, tell him the information, let¡¯s leave this ce, and not take this kind of business anymore,¡± urged the two subordinates behind Hao Shaowen in haste. Watching the countdown on the phone on the coffee table, their hearts were pounding. This guy was different from Yan Li, his ghost was extraordinary. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, I will only speak when I¡¯m safe, that¡¯s my condition; otherwise, we all might as well go down together.¡± Hao Shaowen¡¯s expression turned fierce as he unexpectedly pulled out a dangerous-looking object. Yang Jian nced at it, ¡°You guys are quite resourceful, even getting your hands on such dangerous things, but do you think they¡¯ll be of any use against me?¡± ¡°How will you know without trying? You¡¯re terrifying, and even if I talk, I might not survive. Might as well take a risk,¡± said Hao Shaowen. ¡°Your threats don¡¯t work on me. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re not the only one who knows this information. That Wu Feng has already been detained, I can just ask him instead,¡± Yang Jian retorted. ¡°¡­¡± Hao Shaowen deted a bit upon hearing this. He had nearly forgotten that Yang Jian held more than just him as a bargaining chip. Wu Feng was in his clutches, and, by interrogating Wu Feng, he could learn the same information he wanted to know. ¡°That waste, incapable of getting the job done and instead bringing me such big trouble,¡± Hao Shaowen thought to curse his ipetent ally, but it didn¡¯t seem like the time for insults. Without much hesitation, he immediately said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you, I¡¯ll just share what I know, whether you believe it or not has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Yang Jian replied. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, a ghost driver dying from a ghost¡¯s revival is an unavoidable oue, at least from the information I¡¯ve gathered, there¡¯s not a single exception. But there is one extreme method to prolong the survival time.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± Hao Shaowen paused for a moment and said, ¡°Someone concluded that only a ghost can deal with another ghost, so a lunatic tried something when they were about to die due to the resurgence of a vengeful spirit¡­ allowing a second ghost to enter their body.¡± ¡°To control two ghosts simultaneously?¡± Yang Jian raised an eyebrow, ¡°That would make you die even faster.¡± ¡°Right, theoretically it¡¯s true, but there¡¯s also another oue, the two ghosts restrain each other, thus reaching a delicate bnce, and the result of this bnce is¡­ the revival of the vengeful spirit is significantly dyed,¡± Hao Shaowen earnestly said. Yang Jian began tough, ¡°Interesting and yet insane. Trying to survive through death? Indeed, only a lunatic would do such a thing, yet that person seeded.¡± ¡°They did seed, but as far as I know, there was only this one case. Afterward, spirit tamers from various countries all conducted experiments and without exception, they all failed, and their deaths were tragic.¡± Hao Shaowen continued, ¡°So, that person¡¯s sess was treated as an anomaly. Every country knows this method, but they have banned this information, strictly prohibiting its dissemination. It¡¯s highly ssified.¡± ¡°Highly ssified? It seems they fear that if spirit tamers learn of this method, they would recklessly try it, leading to a rapid decline in their numbers, ultimately affecting the nation¡¯s stability.¡± Yang Jian quickly grasped why the state would prohibit this information from being disclosed. Spirit tamers who were going to die anyway would naturally dare to take this risk, but the cost of this risk is premature death. The loss is too great, disadvantageous to the overall situation, so it¡¯s natural to impose a blockade. ¡°How you specte is your business; I¡¯ve just told you about the method. But even though I¡¯ve informed you, would you dare to try it?¡± Hao Shaowen asked. ¡°It¡¯s worth considering,¡± Yang Jian mused. This method seemed simple, but in practice, it was incredibly dangerous. Which spirit tamer would dare to let a second ghost enter their body? If things don¡¯t go as expected and the two ghosts restrain each other, there¡¯s only one oue, immediate death. However, this method could serve as ast-ditch attempt before a certain death. Win and you get the beauties of the club, lose and you ve away in hell. ¡°I¡¯ve said what I have to say, now I can leave, right?¡± Hao Shaowen spoke. Suddenly, Yang Jian nced at his phone on the table, stood up, and said, ¡°I am a man of my word. Things should be as they are, and even though you¡¯ve told me everything I wanted to know, and by rights I should let you go, unfortunately, your time is up.¡± He pointed at the countdown timer on the seat. It had reached zero. ¡°So, I ask that all three of you set off together.¡± ¡°Oh and by the way, are you sure what you¡¯re holding is the real thing? Why couldn¡¯t it be a Fun Egg?¡± Upon hearing this, Hao Shaowen¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed. He looked at the object in his hand¡­ somehow it had really turned into a Fun Egg. ¡°Yang Jian~!¡± Hao Shaowen was both shocked and furious, grabbing his stick and ready to charge at this detestable fellow, intent on beating him to death. From the very start, this brat had been toying with him. The moment he walked into the living room, he and his men were already trapped with no escape. Yang Jian talked so much merely to extract information and never intended to let him go. ¡°Bye-bye~!¡± Yang Jian waved goodbye with a smiling face. The red light in the living room flickered slightly, and in an instant, everything changed. The bodies on the ground disappeared, as did the person embedded in the wall, and the two living underlings¡­ even Hao Shaowen, who had charged at him, was gone. Only a golden stick fell to the ground. Yet the living room was still the living room. But it was now devoid of these people¡¯s presence, as if all the people had vanished into thin air from this world, leaving behind only a few items. Chapter 74: Revenge Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Revenge ¡°Are things settled?¡± Lying on the ground, Yan Li looked at the disappearing Hao Shaowen and his party, somewhat astonished he looked toward Yang Jian. ¡°Jesus, you better not talk, you¡¯re too weak. As a ghost handler, to be nailed to the ground by a bunch of people like this, and to be beaten at will¡ªif word of this got out, it would be a shame for a ghost handler like myself,¡± Yang Jian said, sitting on the sofa and eating a Fun Egg with a small spoon. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s chocte-vored. Do you want some?¡± He scooped a spoonful and extended it toward Yan Li. ¡°¡­Could you not release me first?¡± Yan Li said. ¡°Wait a moment, let the thing inside me calm down a bit before we do that. I can¡¯t be sure ifing into contact with your blood will stimte it,¡± Yang Jian said with his eyes closed. While he seemed to be enjoying the treat, he actually felt the eye within his body writhing, some strange force brewing. This feeling¡­ was the ghost¡¯s resurrection. ¡°The Red Newspaper¡¯s effect is already diminishing. Unless I can snatch that paper from the ghost¡¯s hands again¡­ But it¡¯s very difficult to find a hidden ghost in a city district, and I can¡¯t be sure the ghost is still in Dachang City,¡± Yang Jian said, looking at thepletely shattered Red Newspaper. The Red Newspaper fell to the ground, utterly useless, finally dispersing like ash. ¡°The newspaper is just a vessel. The ghost power contained within is the real reason suppressing the Resurrection of my Ghost Eye. But the power remaining on it is too weak, so after a few suppressions, it¡¯spletely lost its effect,¡± Yang Jian remarked, his gaze flickering slightly. ¡°It seems what Hao Shaowen said was right.¡± ¡°Indeed, a ghost can suppress another ghost¡­ just like Yan Li could suppress the Headless Ghost Shadow. There is some uncertain variable in y,¡± Yang Jian murmured to himself. As he pondered, suddenly, he felt an intense pain in his chest. As if his heart was being torn apart, the pain prated deep into his bones. Something forcibly ripped open a gash in his chest. A crimson eye emerged from within. It was the seventh eye he had grown on his body. ¡°You¡¯re not starting at this moment, are you?¡± Seeing Yang Jian in such agony, Yan Li¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he urgently said, ¡°If it¡¯s going to resurrect, at least hurry up and release me, I don¡¯t want to deal with the ghost inside your body.¡± Yang Jian, now breaking out in a cold sweat on his forehead, gasped for air and said, ¡°I won¡¯t die just yet¡­ It¡¯s just that the limit I had set has been breached. This means that my resurrection will likely happen much sooner than anticipated, within a month, although I cannot be sure.¡± A ghost capable of creating a Ghost Domain is indeed terrifying. How many times had he used the Ghost Domain? He could count them on his fingers, but it was these few times that first caused the Red Newspaper¡¯s effect to fail, and now an eye had grown. Next, this rate of resurrection was likely to elerate. ¡°Sorry, if it wasn¡¯t for my mistake, it wouldn¡¯t have been this bad for you,¡± Yan Li said apologetically. Because he had made Yang Jian use his power one more time than necessary. ¡°What joke are you making? Is it your fault? Whether toe here and whether to use my ability was my decision. I¡¯m an adult; I need to take responsibility for my actions,¡± Yang Jian said as he shook off his difort and stood up. He picked up a crowbar from the ground and began to pry out the nails in Yan Li¡¯s hands. ¡°Besides, whether I look for trouble or not, trouble will find me. Dealing with Hao Shaowen and his group now saves future problems. Otherwise, if they captured my family and threatened me, the situation would only get worse¡­ Since death is certain either way, I might as well roll up my sleeves and fight to the end.¡± After removing thest nail, Yan Li was set free. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Yan Li stood up, fresh blood seeping out from all over his body as his previous wounds miraculously began to heal quickly. Yang Jian took a nce. This must be the special ability of Yan Li¡¯s Ghost Blood. No wonder Hao Shaowen failed to kill him despite numerous attempts. ¡°I want to check out your club and make a few phone calls while I¡¯m at it,¡± he dered. Suddenly, Yang Jian ced a smartphone on the table. Hao Shaowen¡¯s smartphone. ¡°Besides¡­ I¡¯m not nning to let anyone off the hook from the phone¡¯s contact list. I absolutely won¡¯t leave an enemy who might harm my family in the future. The ancients had it right when they said, ¡®If you cut the weeds, remove the roots.¡¯ Not only do I n to remove the roots, but I will also overturn the soil where they grow. Most of the people on this kind of phone list are industry insiders. Even if one or two are innocent, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said. Yang Jian¡¯s demeanor grew colder, a faint red light glimmering in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s better to kill mistakenly than to let go, if these pests are not exterminated, it will be our families who suffer,¡± he concluded. Yan Li replied with some skepticism, ¡°How could that possibly be achieved, it¡¯s uncertain how many times we can still wield the power of fierce ghosts.¡± He could see that Yang Jian was being further influenced by the fierce ghost. But he didn¡¯t oppose the almost brutal method. After all, it was Hao Shaowen who had made the first move, and the mastermind was still alive. While the n was good, the difficulty of executing it was substantial. ¡°There is a strategy among the Thirty-Six Stratagems called ¡®Kill with a Borrowed Knife.''¡± ¡°I know a ghost that¡¯s somewhat terrifying,¡± Yang Jian exined. ¡°I n to have that ghost kill the people on this phone list. If they manage to survive its attack, well¡­ they¡¯re just lucky.¡± ¡°You have grasped the movement patterns of this ghost?¡± ¡°Barely,¡± Yang Jian affirmed. Yan Li inhaled sharply, looking at him in shock. He had not expected Yang Jian to have such a trick up his sleeve ¨C it was frightening enough that he possessed Ghost Domain, and he could even make other ghosts work for him. ¡°However, the phone has a password. It¡¯s locked,¡± Yang Jian said, trying to ess the phone but encountering the password prompt. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Yang Jian replied, ¡°No problem, I know a mobile phone shop owner who should be able to crack it. I¡¯ll handle this. You go and coordinate with the buyer.¡± ¡°Wait, do you really n to sell that ghost? Previously Hao Shaowen mentioned that if you control two ghosts, there¡¯s a chance to extend the resurrection time. Why not keep this Headless Ghost and try it out?¡± Yan Li suddenly reminded him. ¡°I¡¯ve already thought of that. I¡¯m not actually nning to sell it. I¡¯m going to sell a fake,¡± Yang Jian casually stated. ¡°This isn¡¯t about money, it¡¯s about using this opportunity to ess some things that are normally out of reach.¡± ¡°Hao Shaowen¡¯s method is only a rough idea. Itcks specific details. You can¡¯t be so reckless as to use the Headless Ghost for an experiment right away. What if you lose your body to the Headless Ghost? Then not only is the Headless Ghost set free, but it also controls the ghost within your body, and you¡¯d indirectly nurture an even more terrifying ghost.¡± ¡°I, I hadn¡¯t thought that far,¡± Yan Li admitted somewhat sheepishly. ¡°Where there¡¯s sess, there¡¯s research, and from research, there are bound to be patterns discovered. Where there are patterns, there are ns. The ghost we have is a bargaining chip to obtain precise execution ns. Although we don¡¯t have much time, the situation isn¡¯t that dire yet,¡± he exined. After finishing, Yang Jian looked at him and asked, ¡°How soon can you contact the buyer?¡± ¡°Tomorrow night,¡± Yan Li replied. ¡°Good, tomorrow night then. I¡¯ll await your call.¡± Yang Jian picked up the nunchaku and the gun that Hao Shaowen had left behind, and immediately left. Before leaving, he issued one more warning, ¡°If you trip up again, don¡¯t bother saying you know me. Just have someone pick up your corpse.¡± Chapter 75 - 75 Man-made Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Man-made The owner of the mobile phone shop was named Wuei Qun. He admitted to being an unscrupulous businessman who, through repairing phones, had swindled numerous novices using petty industry tricks. But Wuei Qun had seldom done such things recently. If you asked him why, it wasn¡¯t because he had developed hemorrhoids or constipation from sitting too long, but because a mysterious melody constantly echoed in his mind. This melody could only be heard by him; no one else could hear it. That afternoon. As Wuei Qun was repairing a customer¡¯s phone, he suddenly furrowed his brow and said, ¡°Right, Xiao Zheng, do you hear any sound?¡± The apprentice at his side, Xiao Zheng, asked curiously, ¡°Boss, what sound? I don¡¯t hear anything.¡± ¡°How can you not hear it? It¡¯s that very familiar melody,¡± Wuei Qun said. ¡°Boss, is it that problem you have that¡¯s acting up again? You should see a doctor,¡± the apprentice Xiao Zheng said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a doctor,¡± Wuei Qun said. ¡°The doctor says there¡¯s nothing wrong; it¡¯s a psychological barrier, doesn¡¯t affect health. The doctor told me to let it go, maintain a happy mood, eat what I should eat, drink what I should drink, buy what I like, and be good to myself.¡± ¡°Listen, there¡¯s that sound again.¡± Wuei Qun closed his eyes, listened intently, and then hummed softly, ¡°Hmm¡­ hmm-hmm¡­..dong, dong, dong-dong, roughly that melody.¡± ¡°Boss, I still don¡¯t hear anything,¡± said his apprentice Xiao Zheng, still looking clueless. ¡°As night falls and coolness envelopes, opulence turns to frost¡­¡± someone sang as they approached. Wuei Qun abruptly said, ¡°Listen, the melody is getting clearer.¡± ¡°Boss, that¡¯s someone singing, a customer hase,¡± Xiao Zheng said. ¡°Want to listen to a song?¡± Yang Jian suddenly sat in front of the counter, cing a mobile phone down that was ying a song called ¡°Cool Cool.¡± ¡°Yes, right, that¡¯s the melody, exactly, hey, how did you know?¡± Wuei Qun became curious but when he opened his eyes and saw Yang Jian, he was instantly frightened, jumped up, and danced backward. ¡°Nice to see you again,¡± Yang Jian said with a smile. Wuei Qun fell to his knees with a sob, ¡°Big brother, I was wrong.¡± ¡°You did nothing wrong,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°No, I did, I am guilty,¡± Wuei Qun persisted. ¡°You are not guilty,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I am scum,¡± Wuei Qun said. ¡°No, I am the scum,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have hurt you, I am repenting right now.¡± ¡°No, no, no, I am the scum, you are right to teach me a lesson,¡± Wuei Qun protested. ¡°Well, since you say so, then I won¡¯t argue with you, you indeed are scum,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian continued, ¡°I¡¯m not here to trouble you, boss. We had such a pleasant cooperationst time, and I believe it will be the same this time. I have a mobile phone here. Would you help me crack it? I just need the contact list inside.¡± He took out the mobile phone left by Hao Shaowen. ¡°Quick, take it away, the phone, everything to you, just don¡¯t hurt me,¡± Wuei Qun said in panic, waving his hands frantically and hastily refusing as he saw him take out the phone. It seemed the lesson fromst time had been too profound for him. ¡°Can you crack this password in an hour?¡± Yang Jian asked. The apprentice Xiao Zheng said, ¡°It depends on the phone model.¡± ¡°What about this model?¡± Yang Jian tossed the phone to him. ¡°This phone is encrypted, but I can extract data from the storage, though it requires disassembling the phone, and afterwards, the phone might not work,¡± Xiao Zheng said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; the phone is not important. I just want the contacts inside. How long will it take?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°About half an hour,¡± Xiao Zheng replied. ¡°Good, done in half an hour and I¡¯ll give you a thousand,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°No problem,¡± Xiao Zheng replied. ¡°Boss,e out of hiding. I have a question for you,¡± Yang Jian knocked on the counter and said. ¡°Big, big brother, what do you want to know?¡± Wuei Qun asked cautiously. ¡°Is there a way to dial someone¡¯s number without hearing another ringtone?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°You can transfer the phone number to aputer, dial from theputer, then remotely operate it,¡± Wuei Qun suggested fearfully. ¡°Good idea, boss. You¡¯re clearly a professional. It seems I came to the right person. Do you have aputer here? Let me use it,¡± Yang Jian said. Wuei Qun didn¡¯t dare refuse, and quickly said, ¡°I have aputer at home. I can upload data from here to my homeputer and remotely help you with it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that, then. It will be trouble for youter. By the way, no one¡¯s home, right?¡± Yang Jian asked again. ¡°No, no one¡¯s home. It¡¯s a rental house; I live alone,¡± Wuei Qun said. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Before long, the phone was cracked, and the contact list appeared on theputer screen next to Xiao Zheng. ¡°Boss, should I upload it?¡± ¡°Upload it, of course,¡± Wuei Qun said. Although he didn¡¯t know what Yang Jian was nning, he didn¡¯t dare refuse. This kind of person, no matter what strange request they have, just agree first and see what happens. Make him happy, and coax him to leave. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I operate it, do you?¡± Yang Jian walked into the shop. ¡°Not at all, not at all. You can do whatever you want,¡± Wuei Qun quickly said, signaling Xiao Zheng. Xiao Zheng pointed to a software on the screen and said, ¡°Just click here, and the call will go through, this side is for changing the number.¡± ¡°Good, there¡¯s no sound audible from this side, right?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°There¡¯s no collision of sound here, so it¡¯s inaudible,¡± replied Xiao Zheng. ¡°Good, leave me for a moment, ande back in after I¡¯m done,¡± instructed Yang Jian. Xiao Zheng was taken aback for a moment. But before he could react, he was quickly dragged away by his boss Wuei Qun. ¡°Big brother, we won¡¯t disturb you then, you go ahead, go ahead.¡± Wuei Qun was eager to keep his distance. Yang Jian paid no attention to the two men but entered the forum again, only to find that it had been shut down. It seemed that the conversation he had with Liu Xiaoyust time had had an effect; the state had already taken note of this curse-spreading post. But no matter. He had already saved the audio file on his phone. He still knew how to simply copy and upload. In no time, the audio file had transferred to anotherputer. The next moment. The first call was dialed. Although Yang Jian could not hear the sound, as soon as the software showed that the call was connected, he opened the audio file. ¡°Thump, thump-thump~!¡± A heavy, oppressive knocking sound echoed in a room within the apartment building nearby. The sound was not loud; no one heard it. Only the person at the other end of the call heard it. Yang Jian clicked two or three times, reying the sound before hanging up the phone and continuing with the next. The repetitive simple task required no particr skill. But who would think that this was a terror curse being spread by human hands? As the list of calls continued. Certain people in Dachang City began to receive the strange calls initiated by Yang Jian. The head of apany was in a meeting, but his personal phone rang at that moment. ¡°Hello, Hao Shaowen, what¡¯s up?¡± thepany head answered the call. However, there were no sounds of speech from the other end of the line, a quiet so unnerving that only a bizarre noise made its way through the phone into his ear. ¡°Thump, thump-thump~!¡± It sounded like a knock on the door, but heavy and oppressive, as if it were pounding on his heart, almost making it hard to breathe. The sound rang out two or three times before hanging up. ¡°Hm?¡± Thepany head was puzzled, failing to see the point of Hao Shaowen making this call. Forget it, no matter. The boss hung up the phone and continued with the meeting. A swimming club. A bald strong man was backstroking in the pool. Suddenly, ackey came with a phone in hand: ¡°Boss, your phone is ringing.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± The bald strong man spat out some water and took the phone: ¡°Hello, Hao Shaowen, I heard you took on a big job recently, think you can handle it, need any help from the brothers? Just say the word if you need anything, I won¡¯t even frown, and of course, we can negotiate the price.¡± ¡°Thump, thump-thump~!¡± But what responded to him wasn¡¯t Hao Shaohua, but a strange knocking sound. ¡°Hm?¡± The bald man seemed taken aback, but then quickly realized something was wrong, promptly turned off the phone, and said: ¡°Throw away the phone, don¡¯t use it again, also go check if Hao Shaowen is dead or not.¡± ¡°Yes, boss,¡± the subordinate acknowledged. ¡°He¡­ he didn¡¯t run into a ghost, did he?¡± The bald man furrowed his brows, starting to seem gravely concerned. Despite his caution, the knocking sound still arose. The intangible curse had already descended upon him. No one could guard against this targeted human transmission. And within a luxurious vi. A young man with a worth to envy had just finished ying golf and was sitting down, taking a sip of water to rest when the phone beside him rang. ¡°Hao Shaowen?¡± The young man answered the call: ¡°Hello, how¡¯s the progress with the job? Was it a sess?¡± ¡°Thump, thump-thump~!¡± The sound of knocking came through, The young man¡¯splexion dramatically changed. There was no voice of Hao Shaowen on the phone, and the knocking sound was so bizarre, it definitely did not sound like a person knocking, but like¡­ a ghost. ¡°This is¡­¡± The young man¡¯s face took on a serious expression as he pondered for a moment before suddenly bing ferocious. He crushed the phone in his hand: ¡°Is this the Grade A fierce ghost that was recently filed¡­ codenamed, Ghost Door Knocker?¡± ¡°Is this a man-made event, or an ident?¡± Chapter 76: The Rules of the Club Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Rules of the Club ¡°` All set! Yang Jian quickly finished his work. He had called every number in the address book, without missing a single one. Now, it was time to wait. The spread of this curse wasn¡¯t immediate; when the Door Knocking Ghost would visit depended on its mood¡­ after all, it was quite busy. ¡°I¡¯m done here; how are things on your end?¡± Yang Jian picked up his phone to call Yan Li, while simultaneously cleaning up the files and records on hisputer. ¡°I¡¯ve made the necessary contacts; we can go for the club deal now. Where are you? Do you need me to pick you up?¡± Yan Li immediately replied. ¡°No need, I have a car. Just send me the location.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Once the location arrived, Yang Jian immediately drove there. The location was in the suburbs of the city. A bit remote. But that was normal; such a gathering ce for dangerous elements indeed wasn¡¯t suitable for the busy downtown area. On the way, Yang Jian contacted the operator Liu Xiaoyu. ¡°Do you know anything about the Ghost Tamer¡¯s Club in Dachang City?¡± Liu Xiaoyu, who just answered the call, paused at Yang Jian¡¯s question before replying, ¡°A civilian club? We don¡¯t handle information about that here, and I¡¯m not clear on it.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine then,¡± said Yang Jian. Since Liu Xiaoyu was unaware, there was no need to continue the call. ¡°Wait a minute, don¡¯t hang up just yet. I have a piece of news to inform you about. The matter concerning Zhou Zheng in Dachang City has been settled, and in theing days, a Ghost Tamer will be dispatched to rece Zhou Zheng¡¯s duties in Dachang City. You might want to get in touch with him; it might be better for some matters if you were to ask him directly,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. ¡°A new Ghost Tamer?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°I¡¯ll make contact if I have the time.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll send you some information,¡± said Liu Xiaoyu. ¡°That¡¯s all then. Bye.¡± After driving for about fifteen minutes, Yang Jian arrived at a manor in the suburbs and stopped in front. The location indicated it was here. ¡°Yang Jian, over here.¡± Yan Li called out, waving from the roadside. ¡°Is this the club¡¯s ce? It seems quite upscale,¡± Yang Jian said, looking up. ¡°It¡¯s funded by a local wealthy businessman. If you join the club and are lucky, you might even get financing from a businessman. When I first joined the club, a businessman sponsored me with ten million,¡± Yan Li exined. ¡°Sounds like some dirty deal,¡± Yang Jian remarked. ¡°It¡¯s not that severe. Those local rich folks have more money than ces to spend it. Aside from consuming and showing off their wealth, now with the supernatural incidents, they naturally want to spend money to save their lives. Taking their money, to put it nicely, we¡¯re looking out for them, but to be blunt, if anything actually happens, we¡¯re nothing more than their bodyguards,¡± Yan Li said. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to the club to have a look.¡± The manor had a pleasant environment, with gardens, fountains,wns¡­ and many Chinese-style buildings. It was clear that the person who designed this manor had good taste. ¡°Mister Yan, wee,¡± greeted two receptionists with smiles as they approached a hall. Yang Jian nced at the two receptionists. Not to appreciate their long legs, but rather because he felt something abnormal about them¡­ the professional smiles that slipped out were too stiff, like ones from a dead person. ¡°No, not a dead person.¡± Yang Jian sensed their breathing and aura, but this aura was somewhat cold. In a word, abnormal. ¡°The person has been arranged to meet on the fifth floor,¡± Yan Li said. ¡°Are there any risks?¡± Yang Jian asked. Yan Liughed, ¡°Why would there be any risk? This is a club, and you can rest assured that the transactions here are safe,¡± ¡°Better be cautious anyway. The leak of your information was likely from this club. Otherwise, how could ordinary people have traced it back to you?¡± Yang Jian remarked. ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± While conversing, they took the elevator to the fifth floor. They pushed open the door. It was avishly decorated hall. But as soon as Yang Jian and Yan Li walked in, the few people inside immediately turned their heads to look at them in unison. Yan Li? They recognized him almost instantly, but they clearly paused when they saw Yang Jian. ¡°Haha, Yan Li, you¡¯vee at the perfect time. We were just talking about you. Not bad, you¡¯ve made a fortune in a few days and actually seeded in capturing a ghost,¡± a middle-aged manughed as he stood up from the sofa and approached them. ¡°But it¡¯s quite dangerous for you to do such a thing alone. Why didn¡¯t you invite us to help?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to make money together,¡± he continued. Yan Li found this person distasteful, replying, ¡°Zhang Han, we have yet to settle ourst ount, and here you are talking.¡± It seemed he had suffered a loss at Zhang Han¡¯s hands before. ¡°Heh, you still remember that little thing; I thought you had forgotten. We all have fates intertwined. Why do we need to separate things so clearly? And who¡¯s this young fellow? He¡¯s not your new recruit, is he?¡± Zhang Han squinted slightly as he assessed Yang Jian. ¡°` ¡°His name is Yang Jian, he¡¯s the new ghost handler here to discuss a business deal with me,¡± Yan Li said. ¡°I hope everyone could give me some face and not make it difficult for others.¡± ¡°What do you mean by making it difficult?¡± Zhang Hanughed heartily. ¡°Of course, we wee new members, but the rules for joining can¡¯t be changed.¡± Yan Li didn¡¯t speak, simply ignoring Zhang Han and walking off to the side with Yang Jian. ¡°Wait here for a moment, I¡¯ll go call them out.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Yang Jian nodded. ¡°Be careful. Some of these people are not normal. If there¡¯s any trouble, just bear with it for now. We don¡¯t want to have dealings with them,¡± Yan Li said. Yang Jian responded, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± After Yan Li finished speaking, he left through another passage. But as soon as he left, The few who were sitting here once again turned their attention to Yang Jian. ¡°New guy? Looks pretty green, how old is he? Old enough to be an adult?¡± ¡°Seems like he might still be a student. It¡¯s a pity for someone so young to have be a ghost handler.¡± ¡°Should we y around a bit? We¡¯re idle anyway.¡± ¡°Of course, lest he bes like Yan Li when he first came here, thinking he¡¯s above everyone because he has some ability. Let¡¯s teach him a lesson first, make him smarten up. That way, he¡¯ll be more grounded. We also need to show him how things work here and the rules for neers.¡± Two people were sitting in front of the bar, drinking. One, holding a ss, walked over with a big grin on his face. ¡°Friend, let me introduce myself. My name is Ye Jun, a member of this club and, like you, a ghost handler,¡± Ye Jun said, staggering over with a smile. ¡°Yang Jian.¡± Yang Jian shook his hand politely. But the moment they shook hands, Yang Jian felt Ye Jun¡¯s hand was icy cold, like that of a dead person. At the same time, a slit opened in his palm, and a ghost eye almost uncontrobly appeared. A faint red light emanated from his palm. A pitch-ck handprint appeared on his palm, ¡°Don¡¯t shake his hand, that¡¯s Ghost Hand Ye Jun. His hand can cast curses. Ah, you¡¯re so careless. It¡¯s really thoughtless. With that thing on you, you¡¯ll turn into a puddle of mush within three days, and that¡¯s just from one handprint. If he gives you a few more, you won¡¯t live a minute,¡± Zhang Han said, shaking his head and sighing. ¡°Your situation is very bad now. Hurry and let Ye Jun help you remove it. He¡¯s the only one who can,¡± Zhang Han added. Yang Jian looked at the dark handprint in his hand. ¡°What does this mean?¡± he asked. Ye Jun casually took a seat and then said, ¡°Your name¡¯s Yang Jian, right? It¡¯s impolite toe here, not greet anyone, and not know the rules. But let¡¯s let it slide since we¡¯re generous people. We won¡¯t bother with a neer like you. To put it bluntly, we¡¯re going to take fifty percent of the profits from your deal today. But rest assured, it¡¯s just this one time, not a second time.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not the only one getting the money. Members of the club will get their share, and once you join, you¡¯ll also get the same cut from the neers after theyplete their first deal.¡± Yang Jian looked at the handprint in his hand and said, ¡°Is there such a rule? Mister Yan didn¡¯t tell me about this.¡± ¡°Of course he wouldn¡¯t tell you,¡± Ye Jun shook his head, swirling the drink in his ss. ¡°He had a rough time when he was new here, after all. Youthful impulsiveness, you know.¡± ¡°So, the neers should learn from the mistakes of those before them, don¡¯t you think?¡± Yang Jian shook his head and said, ¡°Wrong.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I only know that you just tried to kill me, so¡­¡± Yang Jian, who had been calm moments ago, suddenly sprang into action, taking out a gun from nowhere and pointing it directly at Ye Jun¡¯s head. ¡°A specialized gun? Friend, calm down,¡± Ye Jun said, startled. But as he recognized the golden handgun, he realized the situation was serious. This type of gun was designed specifically for ghost handlers. ¡°Bang~!¡± The next moment, Yang Jian fired. A gold bullet went straight into his forehead. ¡°Bang~! Bang~!¡± Second shot, third shot¡­ they followed ¡°Damn!¡± Zhang Han was so frightened that he quickly backed away several steps. The other people at the bar were also stunned. What¡¯s going on? Why start shooting? What¡¯s this all about? After emptying his gun, Ye Jun¡¯s head was shattered, no blood spraying, only dark brown, foul-smelling corpse fluid sttered, immediately filling the air with the stench of rot. As the gunshots stopped, Ye Jun was motionless, his head a mushy mess copsed on the adjacent sofa. ¡°These are my rules, Yang Jian¡¯s rules. Now, does anyone else want to talk to me about rules?¡± Yang Jian ced the gun on the coffee table in front of him, coldly sweeping his gaze over everyone present. Chapter 77 - 77 Actually, I Am a Good Person Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Actually, I Am a Good Person The gunshot ceased. The hall fell silent as well. Yang Jian sat on the sofa, his calm demeanor revealing a few traces of eerie indifference as he scanned the people of the club. Beside himy the corpse of Ye Jun, with putrid bodily fluids oozing from the wound, gradually spreading around, The head of the corpse had been smashed, and a handgun¡¯s specialized bullets were all emptied. From the start of the action to the end, the process took no more than ten seconds. Clean and decisive. It was also extremely ruthless; there was simply no time for Ye Jun tomunicate. ¡°Now, does anyone else wish to discuss rules with me, esteemed seniors?¡± Yang Jian spoke very seriously, ¡°By the way, I should mention that I¡¯ve always wanted to be a good person and I hope you seniors can give me a chance to be one. As for what just happened, I can say I¡¯m sorry and hope there are no misunderstandings about me, because I am essentially not bad. A moment of impulsiveness, I believe you can all understand, right?¡± ¡°Kids, they¡¯re not mature, who doesn¡¯t make mistakes?¡± ¡°¡­¡± You shoot someone dead without blinking and say you want to be a good person? There¡¯s a limit to talking nonsense, okay? And then you apologize. You kill someone and then apologize, what kind of apology is that? The other few fell into an immediate frown, remaining silent. This newbie was too brutal, taking action after barely two sentences and firing without a hint of hesitation; didn¡¯t he know that Ye Jun was also a Ghost Hand? Under the same status, you should at least show some restraint, yet he was so brash. But, it was clear that this newbie named Yang Jian was not easy to provoke, although they had objections, none stepped forward to be the leader. Moreover¡­ Ye Jun might not necessarily be dead yet. If he was dead, then the Evil Ghost woulde out, and that wasn¡¯t good news. Suddenly. After lying on the ground for a brief moment, Ye Jun¡¯s corpse twitched. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yang Jian immediately noticed it. Was he not quite dead yet, or was the Evil Ghost about to resurrect? After a few more convulsions, Ye Jun¡¯s corpse¡¯s movements grew more violent, his limbs twisted into a grotesque position on the ground, and the foul stench of decay along with the bodily fluids continued to spread unchecked. His body had decayed to such a degree in just a short moment. Given the state of decay, he should have died more than ten days ago. It was difficult to imagine that such a corpse had just been drinking and chatting at the bar, living like a regr person. ¡°If Ye Jun is really dead, now we have a mess on our hands. How will you all deal with it?¡± Zhang Han began to feel uneasy. If a Ghost Hand died out of the blue and a ghost got loose, it would be a disaster. Even if so many Ghost Hands could deal with it, who would want to use their power? Yang Jian nced at him, looking at the struggling, twisting body of Ye Jun, with no trace of fear on his face. Not afraid of living, why be afraid if he¡¯s dead? ¡­although a Ghost Hand after death is even more vicious. ¡°Still thrashing about? I want to see if you can keep floundering once I¡¯ve broken your limbs.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed as he casually flicked his hand, and the extendable baton in his hand shot out. It was also Hao Shaowen¡¯s weapon of choice, a custom-made one. Without leaving any room for mercy, he raised his hand and delivered a blow with the stick onto Ye Jun¡¯s struggling, writhing corpse. The enormous force released, the corpse was immediately struck down to the ground with a stick, one of the arms presented itself broken in front of him, the slightly rotten flesh and blood sttered everywhere from the impact. ¡°Move, keep moving.¡± Yang Jian struck blow after blow with the stick. The corpse, whether because of his beating or some intrinsic reason, twisted and struggled frantically on the ground. Surrounding him, blood and flesh flew, the stench of decay hit you in the face, almost making you vomit. ¡°Even in death you can¡¯t find peace, I really want to see what kind of ghost is hiding inside your corpse,¡± Yang Jian said, panting and continuing to beat with the stick. His face bore a ferociousnessbined with a strange indifference, making him look like an Evil Ghost that had climbed out of hell. One look was enough to instill fear. He was not only a ruthless man but also a madman. The others exchanged nces. They inwardly rejoiced, d that it was Ye Jun who had gone seeking trouble with this Yang Jian. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t one of them; otherwise, they¡¯d be the ones lying on the ground getting beaten. Too cruel. You¡¯re still just a kid. At that moment, within a private room on the second floor. A young man witnessing the scene furrowed his brows: ¡°This neer called Yang Jian, unrestrained and heartlessly brutal¡­ just arrived and he¡¯s smashing up the ce, he should be killed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch him, he¡¯s already made his mark, and someone from above is watching. Acting rashly will bring trouble, even for you,¡± said a person next to him, shadowy faced, wrapped up tight, indistinguishable as male or female. ¡°All the more reason to kill him. If he bes influential, will there be any room for us to survive? We need to kill the chicken to scare the monkey, or else with more neers joining, wouldn¡¯t that throw everything into chaos? Are we still running this club or not?¡± ¡°Right now, he¡¯s the one killing the chicken, and we¡¯re the monkeys. Holding the ground here requires strength. This Yang Jian may seem reckless, but actually, he¡¯s figured out the rules,¡± the shadowy person spoke: ¡°What kind of person is the most terrifying?¡± ¡°The one who doesn¡¯t follow the rules is the most terrifying. Without rules, there¡¯s no restraint. The difference between a ghost controller and the ghosts is not the level of terror, but rather that ghost controllers are subject to all sorts of intangible constraints. Though theymand Evil Ghosts, they are still human at heart, whereas he¡­¡± He nced at Yang Jian whipping the corpse below. ¡°He¡¯s more like a ghost himself, and you know nothing about his abilities.¡± The young man said, ¡°No matter how tough he is, in the end, he¡¯s just controlling a ghost¡­¡± At that moment. After a while of beating, Yang Jian stopped to catch his breath, panting heavily. Just as he was about to continue, Ye Jun, who was supposed to be dead, suddenly grabbed Yang Jian¡¯s foot with his nearly crippled hand and suddenly spoke, ¡°Big, big brother, stop hitting, can¡¯t you? Show some face, please? I¡¯m a ghost after all, aren¡¯t you afraid of ghosts?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re not dead?¡± Yang Jian was taken aback. ¡°I was on the verge of taking myst breath,¡± Ye Jun said. Yang Jian looked at the grotesquely disfigured corpse: ¡°Tough indeed; smashed your head, the body turned out like this and you still have consciousness. I thought the ghost inside you was about toe out, got me a little excited.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re not dead, good, let¡¯s continue discussing the rules here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ye Jun felt like he wanted to die. He triggered a powerful ghost for no reason and offended this madman. His Ghost Hand Seal, this guy didn¡¯t even bother asking, showing no sign of fear whatsoever. Threats, to this Yang Jian, had no effect at all. ¡°Can we not talk?¡± Ye Jun said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, it¡¯s my turn. I¡¯ll continue exining my rules to you, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a good person, I won¡¯t bully you,¡± Yang Jian said, looking at the stick in his hand in earnest. Chapter 78 - 78 Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club Yang Jian felt somewhat disappointed. Why couldn¡¯t this Ye Jun be killed no matter what? It was a bit simr to Yan Li. However¡­ Looking at the grotesquely deformed Ye Jun, whose rottenness was constantly emitting a foul smell and his corpse fluids flowing everywhere, it was evident that his condition was even worse than Yan Li¡¯s. This was another Ghost Master who was about to die due to the revival of an Evil Ghost. ¡°I wonder, how exactly does one kill a Ghost Master? It seems that weapons made of Gold can only injure, but not kill,¡± Yang Jian squatted in front of this grotesquely deformed corpse, poking at the rotten flesh with a baton. His skull was cracked open, his limbs were fractured, and his entire face was twisted and deformed. His internal organs were almostpletely rotten, turning ck and stinking. Under such circumstances, Ye Jun could still speak and live. It had to be said that this was a medical miracle. He might as well apply for some award. ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t kill me, my ghost is very special,¡± Ye Jun said after a moment of silence. ¡°Yang Jian, that¡¯s enough for now. This is the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club, and you¡¯re not the only Ghost Master here. You¡¯d better keep yourself in check,¡± said the man who was previously drinking with Ye Jun, frowning as he walked over. Seeing him, Yang Jian suddenly grinned, ¡°Just now, I suddenly realized why you so-called seniors are extorting neers like me.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re all about to die¡­ right?¡± ¡°Already so severe that using your abilities a few more times could kill you through the Evil Ghost¡¯s revival, so you stay in the club, waiting for neers, let them deal with supernatural events during trades, and then gang up on them to extort and cken. That way, you can make money sitting here without wasting any abilities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty good idea, huh? Did Yan Li suffer because of you guys?¡± The man¡¯s face stiffened. This was the club¡¯s unspoken rule; although everyone knew it, nobody had been as blunt as Yang Jian. ¡°Since you¡¯re aware, you shouldply. It¡¯s true you¡¯re a neer and you have some time before the Evil Ghost¡¯s revival, but you will die too. As long as you follow the rules, when new members arrive, you can enjoy the same treatment. Let¡¯s put Ye Jun¡¯s matter aside for now, but the 50%mission still stands.¡± ¡°Unless, of course, you can take out all the Ghost Masters here in one go,¡± the man said with a menacing look. Yang Jian nced around, ¡°Are you provoking me again?¡± ¡°You can take my words as a provocation,¡± the man said. The man named Zhang Han, standing far away, spoke, ¡°Neer, I sincerely advise you to obey the rules here. The Ghost Masters in the club are not just a few of us. There are more powerful individuals who haven¡¯t shown up today. The waters of this circle run very deep, and I¡¯m not sure how much you really know about Ghost Masters, Evil Ghosts, and other matters.¡± ¡°But you should know, you¡¯re just a neer.¡± ¡°Stop jabbering so much nonsense, juste at me if you want to fight,¡± Yang Jian said with a hint of savagery on his face, his eyes flickering with an eerie red glow as he looked at these people. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I can¡¯t beat you; as long as I can drag it out until your Evil Ghosts revive, I still win.¡± He could use his Ghost Domain for over five minutes, but exceeding the limit would increase the chances of a revival. Once that limit was reached, he would die. But he was even more certain that these people wouldn¡¯tst five minutes. Threats don¡¯t work, huh? This ruthless, hotheaded lunatic. Everyone felt a heavy sense of dread. If it really came to a war of attrition, their chances of dying due to an Evil Ghost¡¯s revival were significant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, no one talking now?¡± Yang Jian said with a bit of mockery: ¡°Scared? Or is it that you don¡¯t want to fight desperately?¡± Damn. Isn¡¯t this guy stating the obvious? If they were willing to fight to the death, they would be out handling supernatural events, not sitting around here drinking and bullying neers. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to fight, then stop the bullshit; piss off and y by yourself,¡± Yang Jian said, kicking Ye Jun¡¯s corpse aside. ¡­ ¡°This guy is really arrogant,¡± the man said, his face looking especially ugly as he watched Ye Jun being kicked away like trash. He almost wanted to rush at Yang Jian and start a fight. But, he held back. Fighting to the death with a neer was just not worth it. ¡°p! p! p!¡± Apuse erupted as a young man, dressed in casual attire and clearly hailing from a wealthy family, approached with a round of apuse. He wore a faint smile on his face, but his eyes always carried an abnormal chill. ¡°What a thrillingpetition. Are you Yang Jian, the neer introduced by Yan Li? You are indeed remarkable, and I must say, I¡¯m a bit impressed.¡± Yang Jian cocked his head to look at the man: ¡°And who are you? Another one to talk rules with me?¡± ¡°No, no, no, you¡¯ve got it wrong. I¡¯m simply the director of this club. Let me introduce myself; my name is Wang Xiaoqiang. You can call me Xiaoqiang,¡± said the young man who imed to be Wang Xiaoqiang. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious with that casual name?¡± Yang Jian said. Wang Xiaoqiang cracked a smile: ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no deception intended. My name really is Wang Xiaoqiang, and this is my club¡¯s business card.¡± With that, he handed over a golden business card. This club must be loaded; even their business cards are made of pure gold. ¡°Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club, Director, Wang Xiaoqiang.¡± ¡°Although there was a bit of unpleasantness between the two friends just now, there is a saying that smiling faces resolve deep-seated grudges. Everyone here is a unique talent, and it¡¯s not worth getting upset over such trivial matters. I hope both of you cany this to rest and consider today¡¯s incident as if it never happened, alright?¡± Wang Xiaoqiang said. Yang Jian looked at him: ¡°You¡¯re quite sly, aren¡¯t you? Only now do youe to mediate, but I didn¡¯t see you stepping in to sort things out when I was being bullied.¡± Wang Xiaoqiang¡¯s smile stiffened a bit. ¡°Here, take it back.¡± Yang Jian tossed the gold business card back at him. ¡°You deal with things unfairly, and your management skills aren¡¯t up to scratch. I don¡¯t see your clubsting very long. I was initially a bit interested in this Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club, but now I¡¯ve lost all interest in this den of iniquity.¡± It was simple; these people were too short-sighted. They only cared about their immediate interests, forgetting what they truly needed to do. Sitting around here, drinking, chatting, bullying neers, they didn¡¯t think about how to survive or solve the crisis of the Evil Ghosts reawakening. That¡¯s why this club wouldn¡¯t amount to much. Wang Xiaoqiang stared at the business card on the ground, his smile slowly vanishing. ¡°The original intention of establishing this club was to bring together private Ghost Controllers, to develop and grow collectively, to make money together, face troubles together, and help one another. The founding principle was quite noble, so please don¡¯t misunderstand. Personal frictions and misunderstandings shouldn¡¯t taint the reputation of the entire club,¡± he said. ¡°Are you saying that no one in the club is allowed to say a bad word?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Our club isn¡¯t that overbearing,¡± Wang Xiaoqiang earnestly stated. ¡°Since you¡¯re not overbearing, you wouldn¡¯t mind stepping aside now, would you? I¡¯m about to do business here,¡± Yang Jian said, gesturing behind him. Hmm? Wang Xiaoqiang turned around to look. He saw Yan Li arriving with a few men in suits, looking like figures from the financial sector. Leading them was a middle-aged woman in a whiteb coat, stern-faced, efficient, and experienced, with what appeared to be ountants and financial personnel following her. ¡°Miss Sun, this is Yang Jian. He has what you need,¡± Yan Li said as he walked over. ¡°Hello, Mister Yang, my name is Sun Lihong, and I¡¯m the primary person responsible for this private acquisition project,¡± the middle-aged woman, Sun Lihong, introduced herself. ¡°Yang Jian,¡± he introduced himself as well. Yan Li nced at the writhing corpse of Ye Jun on the side and his expression slightly changed: ¡°Has something happened here since I left?¡± ¡°Nothing much. Our friend Ye Jun drank too much and tripped over his own feet, taking a fall. Seems like he wasn¡¯t well-nourished enough, poor health probably caused the ident. He looks a bit scary lying there, and I didn¡¯t dare to help him up, afraid of being used of foul y,¡± Yang Jian exined. ¡°That¡¯s really quite careless. Did anyone call an ambnce?¡± Yan Li asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem serious, just some broken skin. A band-aid should do the trick, no need for an ambnce,¡± Yang Jian replied. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief,¡± Yan Li sighed. ¡°¡­¡± Miss Sun Lihong looked at the firearms on the coffee table and the flesh-stained baton. No matter how you looked at it, this didn¡¯t seem like someone had just suffered a fall. And moreover¡­ to have not died in such circumstances. Ghost Controllers truly were a bunch of Evil Ghosts; being around these people for even a minute longer felt spine-chilling. Though her heart was filled with disgust and fear, she did not let any of it show on her face. Chapter 79 - 79 Additional Conditions Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Additional Conditions ¡°As per our previous acquisition n, we are offering a cash payment of one hundred million, to be paid immediately, for the purchase of that¡­box from Mr. Yang, of course, we also need to confirm that it indeed contains the item we need.¡± ¡°This is the contract, if there are no issues, we can start the transaction right away, and this is ourpany¡¯s ountant, who will transfer the money to your ount within ten minutes.¡± As soon as Sun Lihong sat down, she immediately began discussing the acquisition with Yang Jian. There was no dilly-dallying, and she was quite straightforward, with a clear implication of a cash-and-carry deal. Yang Jian nced at the contract on the table and pushed it aside, ¡°Contracts and such I can¡¯t understand, and I have no objections regarding the price. I¡¯m willing to sell the item to you, but I have an additional condition.¡± ¡°May I know what Mr. Yang¡¯s additional condition is?¡± Sun Lihong inquired. ¡°I want to know the method to control the second fierce ghost and to extend the resurrection of the ghosts.¡± Yang Jian slightly narrowed his eyes, ¡°You dare to spend a huge sum to acquire this item, so you must have conducted extensive research on such things. I believe you also have a way to alleviate our condition.¡± At these words, the other members of the club were all momentarily stunned. All turned their gaze to Yang Jian and Sun Lihong. A method to control the second fierce ghost and to extend the resurrection of the ghosts? ¡°Is such a thing really possible?¡± Though skeptical, a fervent look appeared in everyone¡¯s eyes. If there truly was such a method, they would have the chance to extend their lives and continue living. Sun Lihong¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°You¡­ where did you get this information? It¡¯s not something the average person could know.¡± ¡°I have my sources. Don¡¯t worry about that, what I want to know is whether you agree to my additional condition or not,¡± Yang Jian said seriously, ¡°If you agree, then we can happily proceed with our cooperation today.¡± ¡°I am only responsible for the cash purchase of such goods, I have no authority to agree to your additional conditions,¡± Sun Lihong stated. ¡°Then call and ask your boss, someone who has the authority to decide,¡± Yang Jian suggested. ¡°Everyone¡¯s time is very valuable, so please don¡¯t deliberately dy, otherwise, I will be unhappy.¡± ¡°And if I¡¯m unhappy, you won¡¯t be happy either.¡± Having said that, he fixed her with a stare brimming with an odd hue, his eyes faintly glowing red. Sun Lihong¡¯s face shifted slightly, her tone somewhat grave, ¡°I¡­ understand. I will inquire about it, please wait a moment.¡± She promptly stood up. ¡°Mr. Yang, if you¡¯ll excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°By all means,¡± Yang Jian replied with a faint smile. Sun Lihong quickly walked away with her team, holding a mobile phone and apparently making contact with someone. Yang Jian had no intention to eavesdrop but waited quietly. ¡°You know the method to extend the resurrection of the ghosts?¡± Suddenly, the middle-aged man named Zhang Han approached with some excitement. Yang Jian looked at him, ¡°Me? I don¡¯t know. But these people know. If you want to find out anything, you should ask them. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t be doing this deal with them for a ghost.¡± He steered the attention towards Sun Lihong and her party. Putting pressure and a sense of threat on these people was beneficial for his negotiation. If they rejected Yang Jian¡¯s offer, it would also mean cutting off the other ghost controllers¡¯ hope of survival, the consequences of which no one could predict. ¡°You¡¯re right. You don¡¯t know, but they must know,¡± Zhang Han said, staring at Sun Lihong who was making a call in the distance. His eyes bore a hint of ferocity and madness. ¡°Boss, the situation has gottenplicated. Yang Jian knows some information. He¡¯s put forth the method to control the second fierce ghost and extend their resurrection as an additional condition¡­ and the other ghost controllers have learned there is such a method. If we can¡¯t smoothlyplete this transaction today, I¡¯m afraid it will be difficult for us to leave this club,¡± Sun Lihong felt several chilling gazes on her back, which were absolutely spine-tingling. Despite it being summer, it was enough to send a shiver down the spine and raise goosebumps on the skin. These people seemed ready to devour them whole. ¡°Okay, got it. I understand,¡± she said into the phone. ¡°Hmm, I know what to do now,¡± Sun Lihong murmured while nodding her head. No one knew what exactly had been said on the other side of the phone. After a moment, she put down the phone and walked back over. ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Yang,¡± Sun Lihong said as she sat down. Yang Jian, who was cleaning his il and ying with his specialized handgun, smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, how did your discussion go?¡± ¡°Controlling the second fierce ghost is¡­ veryplicated,¡± Sun Lihong said. ¡°Reckless control leads to a mortality rate of over ny percent.¡± ¡°But someone has seeded, haven¡¯t they?¡± Yang Jian stared at her and said. ¡°Indeed, there are exceptions, but that might have been an ident, and Mister Yang should know, not everyone is that lucky,¡± Sun Lihong said. ¡°I know, so there must be some key factor that I don¡¯t know about.¡± Sun Lihong continued, ¡°Our boss agrees to your additional conditions, and also agrees to the acquisition n, but ordingly, your chip of one item is not enough.¡± ¡°What you mean is that I still need to catch another ghost for you? If so, I¡¯d rather give up a billion.¡± ¡°No, you need to solve a paranormal event for thepany. Of course, whoever can resolve the event and imprison that ghost can make the deal with thepany and get the method to control the second fierce ghost. However, the sess rate is not one hundred percent; there is still a great possibility of failure,¡± Sun Lihong said. ¡°Here is the information, and mypany¡¯s business card. Whenever you finish, contact me.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s end it here for today, please allow us to take our leave,¡± Sun Lihong said. But before she could stand up, Yang Jian immediately said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°Hmm? Is there anything else?¡± Sun Lihong asked. Yang Jian said, ¡°Nothing much, just a reminder. If there¡¯s any deception in your words, or if there¡¯s any trickery involved¡­ all of you will have to die. Of course, if you have anything else hidden, you can say it now. I can pretend nothing happened. But if you leave this ce, you¡¯ll bear the consequences.¡± At these words, Sun Lihong and her group clearly showed fear. Yang Jian may look like a young kid making an empty threat, but when you consider that he is a ghost controller, the weight of his words is different. ¡°Rest assured, nothing of that sort,¡± Sun Lihong said somewhat nervously. ¡°Good. If there is, I will track it down and deal with your whole family,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Now, I have said my piece, please feel free to proceed.¡± ¡°Then we will take our leave.¡± Sun Lihong hurried off somewhat hastily, as if she had been frightened, escaping with her colleagues from thepany. ¡°You can find them afterward, right?¡± Yang Jian suddenly asked. Yan Li nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Good, some things must be safeguarded against,¡± Yang Jian said as he looked at the document on the table. He gave it a casual nce. The location indicated a vige on the outskirts of Dachang City. Beyond that, there wasn¡¯t any information. ¡°Are we really going to solve this supernatural event?¡± Yan Li asked. ¡°Our situation isn¡¯t great, we might note back if we go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very clear on that, even suspecting whether this is some conspiracy by Sun Lihong¡¯spany,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°However¡­¡± He looked towards the others. ¡°You heard what that woman said, if you want to survive you need to resolve the supernatural event and imprison the ghost. Is anyone interested in forming a group?¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± Wang Xiaoqiang said with a bit of teasing, ¡°Weren¡¯t you quite formidable before?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that, I¡¯m still a child. Without adults around, I still feel very insecure,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I will leave the information here. In three days, I¡¯m going to the vige in the morning. Those who want toe cane; I won¡¯t force anyone noting.¡± ¡°Although there¡¯s only one chance to survive, if you miss it, then you really have to just wait for death. Someone has seeded, and the method to survive might be shareable, but everyone has to contribute.¡± He needed some people to get involved, sharing the risk. The supernatural event seemed highly unusual to him. But because he had the Ghost Domain, he wasn¡¯t afraid ofpetition over business. He had snatched the box from Yan Li¡¯s hands in the marketce, and he could also take things from others¡¯ hands. In other words. Those who got involved were working for him. ¡°That¡¯s enough said. Today was indeed not a wasted trip, and I won¡¯t inconvenience you further, hoping to see some of you in three days,¡± Yang Jian said as he stood up and walked away without further words. Yan Li left with him, leaving behind a group of club members. But their attention wasn¡¯t on Yang Jian; it was on the document on the table. It was¡­ the hope for survival. Would they take the chance to prolong the resurgence of the fierce ghosts, or sit here and wait for death? Chapter 80: Donating Money Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Donating Money ¡°You¡¯re not seriously considering going to solve that supernatural event for thatpany, are you? I feel the risk is great, it¡¯s a bit unworthy, and even if we do solve the supernatural event for them, whether we can obtain the method to dy the ghost¡¯s resurgence is still unknown.¡± The car stopped in front of a residential area. After getting out of the car, Yan Li reminded him very seriously. ¡°Are you leaning towards selling the box and splitting the money?¡± Yang Jian looked at him and asked. Yan Li felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the safest method?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to live?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Even if we manage to temporarily dy the ghost¡¯s resurgence, what about after that? We are still going to die, right? Even if we don¡¯t die from the ghost¡¯s resurgence, we might die in future encounters with ghosts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not like you. You¡¯re younger, a neer, and have the capital to take risks, but I¡­ to be honest, I¡¯ve already epted this oue. I¡¯ve arranged everything for after I¡¯m gone; all that¡¯s left is arge sum of money,¡± Yan Li said, somewhat retreating. Yang Jian fell into deep thought. He didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with Yan Li¡¯s words. This kind of resignation and desire for stability was perfectly reasonable, and he himself had thought the same previously. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t have to go after three days. I¡¯ll entrust this object to you. Once I leave, you find another buyer and sell it. The money we get will be split evenly, as previously agreed,¡± Yang Jian took out the gold box and handed it to Yan Li. ¡°This, how can this be okay?¡± Yan Li was a bit surprised. Yang Jian said, ¡°I need to prepare for all eventualities. What if I don¡¯te back after this departure¡­ If I doe back, I¡¯ll naturally find out how to survive. If I don¡¯t, then you handle this object ording to our previous agreement.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go through the club¡¯s channels. I think there¡¯s something off about the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club; find another buyer.¡± ¡°I¡­ understand.¡± Yan Li nodded his head and didn¡¯t refuse any further. Yang Jian asked, ¡°By the way, how did Hao Shaowen acquire those specialized weapons? The gun¡¯s out of bullets, and I want to get some more. They might be useless against ghosts, but they¡¯re very effective against ghost maniptors. If I can¡¯t kill a ghost, killing a human is just the same. I think this supernatural event will attract many ghost maniptors, and although I don¡¯t know what kind of ghosts I will face, I don¡¯t want to have to deal with other ghost maniptors while fighting ghosts.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about Hao Shaowen¡¯s sources, but I know a website where you can buy them. I haven¡¯t bought anything there, but others have, so it should be trustworthy,¡± Yan Li said. ¡°Why is that? Haven¡¯t you thought about buying some weapons for self-defense?¡± Yang Jian asked. Of course, this self-defense was not against ghosts, but against people. For dealing with ordinary people or other ghost maniptors, using a ghost¡¯s power is a waste, so having self-defense weapons is necessary. Yan Li said, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°They¡¯re a bit expensive, and I didn¡¯t want to buy them. Forget it; let¡¯s go to my ce for a bit. I¡¯ll show you how to do itter.¡± Soon. Yan Li led Yang Jian to a vi area within the residentialmunity. ¡°Not bad, living in a vi,¡± Yang Jian remarked. ¡°I bought it not long ago, spent all the money I earned on it,¡± Yan Li said. As soon as they entered the vi¡¯s courtyard, they saw a boy and a girl ying with water guns. Although the girl was older, she couldn¡¯t outy the mischievous boy and was being chased around, soaking wet. ¡°Daddy, Daddy, brother is bullying me again!¡± The little girl ran to Yan Li for protection as soon as she saw him. ¡°Dongdong, aren¡¯t you being naughty again? Is that how you bully your sister? Now, hand over the toy,¡± Yan Li yfully scolded. ¡°Daddy¡¯s gonna hit someone, Daddy¡¯s gonna hit someone!¡± The child named Dongdong, scared, turned and ran into the house. Yang Jian nced and asked, ¡°Your daughter?¡± ¡°Six years old. How about it, cute, isn¡¯t she?¡± Yan Li said, stroking his daughter¡¯s hair with a smile. ¡°Indeed, she is cute, but your son seems quite afraid of you,¡± Yang Jian observed. Yan Li replied, ¡°After bing a ghost maniptor, I seldome home, and I never stay the night. I¡¯m afraid that if I fall asleep at night, the ghost might slip out unintentionally¡­ It¡¯s normal for my son to feel estranged from me.¡± ¡°So how did you be a ghost maniptor?¡± Yang Jian inquired. ¡°It was an ident. I was originally an electrician. I was reinstalling the plumbing and electrical in a building about sixty years old when I identally drilled through a wall with an electric drill,¡± Yan Li exined. ¡°After that, fresh blood began continuously flowing out of the wall through that hole.¡± ¡°At the time, I didn¡¯t know about the paranormal event and wasn¡¯t prepared, I just touched it out of curiosity.¡± With a bitter smile, he said, ¡°Curiosity killed the cat. The moment the blood touched my skin, it seeped into my body through my hand¡­ And since then, Ghost Blood has been flowing inside me.¡± ¡°My hand was the entry point, and my body the container. The more I used the power of the fierce ghost, the more Ghost Blood I had inside me. Now, I can feel my body gradually bing abnormal, as if something is almost filled to the brim and about to overflow.¡± Yang Jian asked, ¡°Would it be better if you let some of the blood out?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not, I¡¯ve tried it before.¡± As he said this, fear appeared on Yan Li¡¯s face. ¡°My blood has to be reimed, otherwise, if left outside for too long, an extremely terrifying ghost will crawl out of the pool of blood. Once that ghost appears, it will definitely kill me. I¡¯ve seen that ghost¡­ So I¡¯m only safe when the Ghost Blood is inside me.¡± ¡°But this situation will break soon. Now, every night when I sleep, my body feels like it¡¯s about to split open, the pain is unbearable, and every time I wake up, the bed is soaked with fresh blood.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my blood¡­ my blood is gradually being expelled from my body, and maybe the day it¡¯spletely rejected and drained will be the day the fierce ghost is revived.¡± Yang Jian fell silent. His situation was no different. Lately, his sleep had been getting progressively shorter, starting at six hours, now down to four, and as soon as hey down, his body would be paralyzed, his eyes moving uncontrobly inside his body. All the signs pointed to the fact that the ghost inside his body was growing. ¡°Honey, where have you been these past few days? I can¡¯t reach you by phone. The kid¡¯s about to start school, and you¡¯re not here to take care of it.¡± At this moment, a woman came out upon hearing the noise, and she started toin upon seeing Yan Li. ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit busytely, busy with a big deal. Once it¡¯s done, I think I can take a break for a while.¡± Yan Li chuckled, ¡°Oh, this is my friend, Yang Jian. He is¡­ an international exorcist.¡± ¡°Hello sister-inw,¡± greeted Yang Jian. ¡°Hello,¡± the woman replied with an embarrassed smile. Yan Li said, ¡°Yang Jian and I have some business to take care of. You take care of the kid for now. We¡¯ll go out to eatter.¡± The woman didn¡¯t say anything, just took the girl beside her and left. Yan Li took Yang Jian to a room. After turning on theputer, he adeptly essed a foreign website: ¡°The owner of this site is unknown, but all the weapons sold here are for dealing with ghosts. The only problem is the price, which is not something ordinary people can afford. At first, I didn¡¯t know about this site until Zhang Han from Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club told me about it.¡± Once the website was opened. It looked like a shopping site, with all sorts of items. Knives, satellite tracking phones, even clothing, everything was avable. ¡°As for weapons¡­ here,¡± Yan Li opened a page for weapons. Yang Jian nced at it and was immediately shocked: ¡°One hundred thousand? Are they joking? Why don¡¯t they just rob people?¡± ¡°These are weapons specially made for fighting ghosts. Considering the manufacturing costs and craftsmanship, I suppose the price isn¡¯t too bad, after all, they¡¯re made of gold. You haven¡¯t seen how the price of gold has skyrocketed recently?¡± Yan Li exined. ¡°If you¡¯re going to catch ghosts, I rmend buying one of these body bags, also made of gold. They¡¯re convenient to carry, though a bit pricey.¡± A product resembling a sleeping bag appeared on the screen. More precisely, it was a body bag made of gold. For imprisoning and containing fierce ghosts, this item was clearly more suitable than the small box Yan Li had before. That¡¯s because some ghosts have physical forms. ¡°Twenty million?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s mouth twitched when he saw the price. After Yan Li clicked on it, there was actually a demonstration video by foreigners, teaching how to snugly fit a body inside and seal it uppletely. From that video, one had to admit there was a reason for the steep price ¨C it indeed seemed convenient. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bear to buy it,¡± Yan Li said helplessly. Yang Jian thought for a moment and felt this investment was necessary. He immediately picked up the phone and called Jiang Yan. Jiang Yan, who was trading stocks at home, answered the call: ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Yang Jian. Transfer the money.¡± Chapter 81 - 81 The New Ghost Dominator Chapter 81: Chapter 81 The New Ghost Dominator Yang Jian drove back to Jiang Yan¡¯s bachelor apartment. As soon as he entered, he saw Jiang Yan impatiently saying, ¡°Over twenty million, that¡¯s over twenty million, and you spent it all in one go? What on earth did you buy? That¡¯s the money I worked so hard to earn these past days.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t buy much, just a sleeping bag. I¡¯m nning to go to a farm stay in a few days, so I was making some preparations in advance,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan almost choked with anger, ¡°A sleeping bag for over twenty million?¡± ¡°To be exact, twenty million even. The few extra millions were spent on some other things, which should arrive tomorrow,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Were you¡­ possibly scammed?¡± Yang Jian thought for a moment and said, ¡°I also feel that might be the case. I¡¯m beginning to regret it deeply now, as if I¡¯ve been duped.¡± ¡°And you know you¡¯ve been scammed, yet you don¡¯t report it? Refund, return the goods,¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°Maybe the product¡¯s quality is good, truly worth the money. And¡­ that money is mine, how I use it doesn¡¯t seem to have much to do with you, does it? I will pay you a sry for working for me¡­ You did a good job with the stock trading earlier, how much is left in the card now?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Less than five million,¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°How much exactly?¡± ¡°One million three hundred thousand,¡± Jiang Yan said with a strange expression. ¡°I did business for so many days, and I never thought the money I worked so hard to earn would be gone in a sh,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s mouth twitched. It was the money he had prepared for his mother¡¯s retirement. Now it was all invested. All together, it was less than three million. It seemed that after this was over, he would have to look for other ways to make money. However, with his capabilities, making money was fast. ¡°Keep one million with you, the extra thirty thousand is your sry. Transfer it to your own ount,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan pouted and said, ¡°I made you over ten million, and you only give me thirty thousand inmission? Stingy.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re making me unhappy. Without my information and capital, you couldn¡¯t even earn thirty thousand, and don¡¯t forget, your life was saved by me. If you want to make a big score, it just so happens I have a project worth two to three hundred million here, do you want to talk about it?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Ah?¡± Jiang Yan was initially stunned, then said with some embarrassment, ¡°Can we not talk about it?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Yang Jian looked at her and said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a shower. You better not fall asleep by yourself again,¡± Jiang Yan said with a flushed face. Yang Jian didn¡¯t speak, he just brushed off Jiang Yan and went to take over the bed and sleep. Heh. Women, so easy to deceive. ¡°Oh, by the way, Yang Jian, have you seen my makeup box?¡± Suddenly, Jiang Yan¡¯s head popped out from the bathroom and shouted. ¡°I gave it away,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan reacted in surprise, ¡°Ah, you gave it away? Who did you give my makeup box to? Your girlfriend, or your mistress?¡± ¡°I gave it to a man. Don¡¯t ask any more questions. You can buy another one another day,¡± Yang Jian said. The box he gave to Yan Li during the day was a fake. It was a counterfeit he had spent a fortune to create. The real box that imprisoned that ghost was still in his possession. He wouldn¡¯t be naive enough to hand over such an important item after a few words. Since Yan Li was already prepared to die, it would be better to keep the hope of survival for himself. As for that sum of money¡­ Yang Jian wouldpensate it to Yan Li¡¯s familyter. However, just as he was about to sleep, his cell phone suddenly rang. It was Zhou Zheng¡¯s satellite positioning phone. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yang Jian answered the call with curiosity. ¡°Yang Jian, open the door, I¡¯m outside your door,¡± a young man¡¯s voice came through, with a hint of aloofness. Yang Jian frowned, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°The new Ghost Tamer of Dachang City, Zhao Kaiming.¡± As soon as he said that, the call ended, and there was a knock on the door. A new Ghost Tamer? Yang Jian¡¯s expression shifted. Indeed, he had heard from Liu Xiaoyu that a new Ghost Tamer would being to Dachang City, but he hadn¡¯t expected the new Ghost Tamer to actively seek him out. After hesitating for a moment, he still opened the door. A young and somewhat chilly young man, holding the satellite positioning phone, stood outside the door. ¡°You¡¯re Yang Jian? Dachang City¡¯s temp? My name is Zhao Kaiming, and strictly speaking, I¡¯m your superior.¡± This self-proimed Zhao Kaiming, the Ghost Tamer, walked straight in and began to speak. Temp~! Since when did he have such a fear-inducing nickname? ¡°Is this where you live?¡± After Zhao Kaiming entered, he nced around, frowning when he saw the pile of fast food on the table and the women¡¯s clothing hanging on the wall. ¡°As a ghost tamer, even a temp worker shouldn¡¯t fall so low.¡± Yang Jianmented displeasedly, ¡°Do you speak to me in a lecturing tone to scold me? Remember, I haven¡¯t joined the headquarters yet. Even if I do, we¡¯ll be equals, not subordinates¡ªI don¡¯t answer to you.¡± ¡°You still dare to talk back?¡± Zhao Kaiming¡¯s face turned cold, and he suddenly pped Yang Jian across the face. ¡°Did youe here to fight me? But I advise you not to act rashly, or else, today¡­ someone will die.¡± Yang Jian caught his wrist, his eyes emitting a faint red glow, and a crimson eye on the back of his hand tore through the flesh to reveal itself. ¡°Ghost Eye¡­ Yang Jian.¡± Zhao Kaiming suddenlyughed, retracting his hand, ¡°I¡¯ve read your file, but your abilities are very vague; it seems you are intentionally hiding them. I want to know what the capabilities of your fierce ghost are¡ªthis will facilitate my work going forward.¡± ¡°Even if I told you, would you believe me?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°And what does your work have to do with me?¡± ¡°I need an assistant, and you are a promising talent,¡± Zhao Kaiming said bluntly. Yang Jian said, ¡°Is this how you recruit people?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not recruiting, I¡¯m drafting¡ªit¡¯s an order,¡± Zhao Kaiming stated. ¡°What if I refuse?¡± Yang Jian found Zhao Kaiming¡¯s assertiveness and his patronizing attitude very off-putting. This man was a stark contrast in personality to the previous Zhou Zheng. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t refuse. By bing my assistant, you¡¯ll be in charge of Dachang City¡¯s public order after I¡¯m reassigned¡ªit¡¯s to your benefit,¡± Zhao Kaiming said. Yang Jian said, ¡°Whether or not I join the International Ghost Tamers Organization, and when I do, is my own decision. You don¡¯t need to worry about it. Besides, I wonder how long you can maintain control over the entire Dachang City.¡± Zhao Kaimingughed; ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as I¡¯m here, there won¡¯t be chaos. Since you¡¯re unwilling to agree to my request, I won¡¯t force you. But as for the incident in Huanggang Vige three days from now, are you really confident you¡¯lle back alive?¡± Huanggang Vige? That was exactly where he was headed. Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed slightly; ¡°How do you know about this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in charge of the public order of the entire Dachang City. I have the authority to use any avable force in any region¡ªuncovering that bit of information was a piece of cake. If you agree to be my assistant, I can give you a file on Huanggang Vige, which would be very helpful for your uing mission,¡± Zhao Kaiming proposed. ¡°Not interested,¡± Yang Jian replied. Being his assistant would only mean being a sacrificial pawn, charging into battle for him, a sure way to die faster. He wouldn¡¯t do such a foolhardy thing. ¡°Then¡­ good luck,¡± Zhao Kaiming said, and immediately turned to leave. ¡°Yang Jian, who were you talking to?¡± At this moment, Jiang Yan came out after her shower, wrapped in a bath towel, her cheeks flushed, looking curiously as she asked. Zhao Kaiming paused in his step, swiftly drew his handgun from his waist, and pressed it directly against the forehead of the newly emerged Jiang Yan: ¡°Eavesdropping on ghost tamer secrets? You do realize I have the authority to execute you on the spot?¡± Jiang Yan froze, staring at the stranger in uniform pointing a gun at her head, her face instantly filled with fear, and her eyes brimming with panic. What, what¡¯s going on? Terrified, she was at a loss, with nothing but the cold muzzle of the gun pressing against her head in focus. ¡°You can try, Zhao Kaiming.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s voice was exceptionally deep as he too aimed a golden pistol at Zhao Kaiming¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m enforcing thew, and you¡¯re rebelling. Do you dare to shoot at me?¡± As Zhao Kaiming flipped off the safety, he gave Yang Jian a chilling look. Yang Jian dered, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard of the living enforcing thew, never of the dead being able to do so. If you die, I¡¯ll take over your role, and it¡¯ll be up to me to decide who¡¯s rebelling and who¡¯s enforcing thew.¡± ¡°Even if you shoot, I can kill her first,¡± Zhao Kaiming stated. ¡°If you can kill her, I can kill you,¡± Yang Jian returned. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you have the guts to kill a ghost tamer with just a handgun,¡± Zhao Kaiming countered. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to believe¡ªI just need you to know I will shoot,¡± Yang Jian responded, keeping his gaze fixed on him. Zhao Kaiming¡¯s eyes narrowed, his finger resting motionless on the trigger. The two men were at a standoff for roughly ten seconds. Suddenly, Zhao Kaiming withdrew his handgun and burst outughing: ¡°If youe back alive, I¡¯ll treat you to hotpot.¡± After saying this, he walked out and quickly left the apartment. As soon as Zhao Kaiming left, Jiang Yan¡¯s body seemed to weaken by half, and she copsed to the floor. Meanwhile, Yang Jian slowly lowered the empty gun in his hand, his expression extremely solemn. Chapter 82 - 82 Chapter 82: Chapter 82 ¡°` ¡°Who was that person pointing a gun at me just now?¡± Yang Jian sprawled on the bed as usual, Jiang Yan didn¡¯t seem quite as scared anymore, just sitting next to him, still a bit shaken. ¡°He¡¯s a new ghost controller transferred to Dachang City, the person in charge here, specialized in handling supernatural incidents. This has nothing to do with you,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan said, ¡°How can it have nothing to do with me when he just, just now nearly shot me dead.¡± As she spoke, she became a little agitated. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare to shoot. That was a performance for me to see. From the moment he entered to the moment he left, it was impossible for him not to know there was someone taking a shower in the bathroom. Pointing a gun at your head wasn¡¯t a threat to you, but a threat to me¡­ This person is tough to deal with, a tricky figure, and will be my enemy in the future,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan said, somewhat scared, ¡°It¡¯s so dangerous here, should we consider moving out?¡± ¡°Where can we move to? The entire Dachang City is under Zhao Kaiming¡¯s jurisdiction. Unless you move to another city, you can leave if you want, but I won¡¯t,¡± Yang Jian stated with certainty. ¡°Considering his introduction today, I¡¯ll surely find a way to kill this guy in the future and take over his position. But there¡¯s a catch¡­¡± He did not continue speaking. The precondition to joining the headquarters is to find a way to dy the resurrection of fierce ghosts. Otherwise, joining now with his current state would be a suicidal move. Yang Jian clearly remembered how Zhou Zheng had died. ¡°So, you won¡¯t be in danger, will you?¡± Jiang Yan asked. ¡°Not sure,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°It¡¯ste, I am going to sleep. You¡¯d better stay away from me.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The brief conversation ended. The next day, at noon. Yang Jian received a delivery, the stuff he had ordered online arrived. He frowned as he organized his equipment and looked at the parchment spread out on the table. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the vige tomorrow. Zhao Kaiming¡¯s appearance casts a shadow in my heart¡­ it seems very dangerous there.¡± ¡°But the hope of survival makes me take the risk. I can only gamble andplete the deal with Sun Lihong. Yet another thought has surfaced in my mind.¡± ¡°Should I trust people¡­ or should I trust this piece of human skin that directed me to escape from school?¡± ¡°After hesitating for a while, I decided to conduct the trade with the headless ghost sealed in the gold box and this piece of human skin¡­ If that trade seeds, I could find a way to survive.¡± ¡°That would be to control a second ghost and extend the resurrection of the fierce ghost.¡± Seeing the words that appeared on it, Yang Jian sneered, ¡°I can only treat you as ast resort. Right now, I won¡¯t believe a single punctuation mark on you.¡± He hoped to see some reminder on the parchment, but was disappointed. The thing stubbornly fulfilled its duty as a notebook. After loading the bullets, Yang Jian folded up the parchment and put it away. Just as he slipped it into his pocket, another line of text appeared on the parchment: ¡°The trade has failed again¡­¡± Yang Jian tested the gun in his hand, thirty special bullets in total, ten in a magazine ¨C it had cost him a whopping three million to purchase. A shot worth a hundred thousand yuan made his mouth twitch with pain. ¡°The deterrence of this thing is greater than its practical use,¡± he thought to himself. Time flew by, and three dayster. In the morning, early. Yang Jian drove his Benz, earned from Master Luo, on a scarcely popted highway. The navigation on his phone pointed directly to Huanggang Vige. He had researched online before, finding the vige to have some history, traceable back to thest dynasty. It used to be a tourist spot, but failed due to various transportation and economic reasons. As for the supernatural events there. To be honest, Yang Jian hadn¡¯t been able to find a shred of information about them. There might be archives, but they were beyond his reach. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t believe the archives to be of much use at the moment, as no one had resolved the supernatural incidents, which meant there was little useful information to be had. ¡°After I get there, I¡¯ll stop at the entrance to the vige. You¡¯ll drive the car back by yourself. Unless I call you to pick me up, don¡¯t make any calls to me. I don¡¯t want to get killed by a phone call while I¡¯m dealing with a supernatural incident,¡± Yang Jian instructed coldly as he drove. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do that,¡± Jiang Yan quickly assured. ¡°That would be best.¡± The two remained silent in the car for quite a while. As the car turned off the main road onto a smaller path and drove for another fifteen minutes, a somewhat remote vige appeared at the foot of the distant mountains. He checked the navigation on his phone. That was the vige he was looking for, right ahead. At the entrance, Yang Jian hit the brakes and stopped. ¡°` ¡°` He didn¡¯t turn off the engine, he just tossed the car keys to Jiang Yan beside him. ¡°If I don¡¯te back within a month, then I¡¯m definitely dead. Keep the car and use it for yourself. Once I¡¯ve taken some things from the trunk, you should leave. After you leave, don¡¯t get curious ande back here to investigate. I can¡¯t predict what will happen here in the future, so, from now on, stay far away from this ce.¡± After saying this, he got out of the car. In fact, there wasn¡¯t much, just a specially made body bag that weighed dozens of pounds, some emergency food supplies, and a few changes of clothes. He was here for work, not really on a vacation. ¡°Beep, beep beep~!¡± Suddenly, the roaring sound of sports cars came from behind him as no fewer than five luxury cars drove up the remote path. Normally, such a scene was rare on such a secluded road. ¡°Yang Jian, I thought you wouldn¡¯t dare toe alone. Didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d actuallye by yourself to resolve this supernatural incident?¡± A sports car stopped, and its window rolled down. Ye Jun, who had previously cracked his head open, looked at him with a mix of coldness and hostility. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to brainless people.¡± Yang Jian nced and knew that the few ghost tamers from Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club had also arrived. He guessed they must have been watching his car on the road; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have followed so quickly. ¡°What did you say? I haven¡¯t settled the score with you forst time¡¯s incident. Do you think it can be left unresolved just like that?¡± Ye Jun felt an impulse to get out of the car and fight. Yang Jian said, ¡°What can¡¯t a dying man let go of? Didn¡¯t Wang Xiaoqiang say, ¡®A smile dispels umted grudges, andughter ends disputes¡¯? You are an adult; think before you act, don¡¯t be so impulsive. It was just a few shots. Did they make your head bloom? In this life, who doesn¡¯t get shot? If that¡¯s the case, I might as wellpensate you for your medical expensester.¡± Ye Jun¡¯s face looked exceptionally ugly. Just as he was about to explode in anger, Zhang Han, who was behind him, opened the car door and said, ¡°Ye Jun, are you leaving or not? What are you doing stopping in the middle of the road? Let¡¯s go into the vige first, whatever needs to be said can wait untilter.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, you don¡¯t need to be so arrogant. After this supernatural incident is resolved, our club willplete that trade on your behalf. We will never tell you how to survive.¡± Ye Jun sneered, ¡°To be honest, I should thank you. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t have known about this critical piece of information.¡± ¡°Perhaps Wang Xiaoqiang from the club already knew, but just didn¡¯t tell you. I¡¯m an outsider and I was able to get wind of it, so how could he, the president of the club, have no clue? Don¡¯t be so naive as to count money for others after being sold out,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°See you in the vige,¡± Ye Jun said, his eyes flickering as if he was pondering something. The cars started, and the five vehicles, one after another, turned into the vige road, quickly disappearing from sight. ¡°Five cars? That means five ghost tamers. They really are rich, each driving a luxury car. Seems like they¡¯ve been enjoying their time as ghost tamers¡­ But for me, they¡¯re just cannon fodder. The more, the better. I¡¯m just worried there won¡¯t be enough people to resolve this supernatural event,¡± Yang Jian said, his eyes carrying a hint of eerie coldness. After taking his items, he shut the trunk and then said, ¡°Jiang Yan, let¡¯s go.¡± The car turned around, Jiang Yan sitting in the driver¡¯s seat with a somber look on her face said, ¡°You¡¯re not really going to run into trouble, are you?¡± ¡°Facing a fierce ghost, no one can guarantee their own safety. I¡¯m no exception,¡± Yang Jian replied as he shouldered his stuff, ready to walk away. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have any problems. I believe in you,¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°You believe in me? I don¡¯t even have confidence in myself,¡± Yang Jian waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Without lingering, this was not a tearful farewell. He shouldered his items and walked down the path toward the vige. Not long after he left, Jiang Yan drove away from the ce without choosing to stay long. After all, this ce¡­ was haunted. ¡°Are there really ghosts here? It looks pretty normal to me,¡± Yang Jian mused as he walked, furrowing his brow. Beside the road were vegetable gardens and fields. By the look of their growth, it seemed they were regrly tended. On the road, flocks of poultry raised by who knows which household freely wandered about. The houses showed no signs of decay, no deste scenes. All signs indicated this was a perfectly normal vige. It was just a bit quiet. But that was normal too since these days, many rural areas are left with only the elderly and children, with young people going out to work. And in the vige. Five luxury cars were parked by the road. Five or six people got out of the cars, standing together and curiously observing the vige. ¡°Does this ce look like a vige haunted by ghosts? I don¡¯t think so,¡± said Zhang Han, puzzled, ¡°There¡¯s no scary atmosphere at all; it feels like we¡¯re here on a trip.¡± ¡°But ording to the information provided by Sun Lihong, this vige is haunted, so there must be something unnatural. Not all ghosts cause indiscriminate killings. Some more subdued ghosts don¡¯t cause much harm¡­ These types of ghosts are usually ssified at a lower level and are not on our list to deal with,¡± Ye Jun said. Another person chimed in, ¡°Potential harm doesn¡¯t equate to scariness. Since the information says there are supernatural events here, then there must be ghosts in this vige.¡± ¡°Spewing nonsense to trick us here would serve no purpose. If you¡¯re scared, it¡¯s still not toote to leave.¡± ¡°We agreed before, we¡¯d join forces and solve this supernatural event, then negotiate terms with Sun Lihong. I don¡¯t have much time left and don¡¯t want to keep waiting for death,¡± someone said, as they all discussed. As they had resolved toe, they had no intention of backing down. ¡°` Chapter 83 - 83 Weak Cough Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Weak Cough Huanggang Vige? Yang Jian¡¯s gaze shifted slightly as he surveyed the rural vige along the road leading into it. The entirety of Huanggang Vige had a semi-new, semi-old feel to it. The houses at the front were newly built rural vis that were quite pleasing to the eye, but the houses at the back of the vige were very ancient. Not only were there earthen houses, but there were even wooden houses dating back more than a hundred years. Some of these wooden houses were inhabited by the elderly, while others were abandoned, with their windows fallen out and doors half-open, shrouded in darkness, not even prated by sunlight. It carried a sense of eeriness. But this was not surprising. Every rural area was like this, but thinking about the presence of a real ghost here was quite unsettling. ¡°Hey, Liu Xiaoyu?¡± Yang Jian decided to ask for information first and dialed his satellite-located phone. ¡°Yang Jian, you¡¯re timing couldn¡¯t be better. I still have something to tell you aboutst time. It¡¯s about the new spirit exorcist from Dachang City, Zhao Kaiming. There are some issues with his mental assessment; he¡¯s probably difficult to get along with. You¡¯d best be careful, and if necessary, try not to get into a conflict with him. After all, you¡¯ll berades in the future.¡± Liu Xiaoyu said this while holding a file about Zhao Kaiming. ¡°It¡¯s toote to talk about this now, Zhao Kaiming has already started bullying me, and I¡¯m not in a position to be hisrade,¡± said Yang Jian; ¡°I¡¯m in a ce called Huanggang Vige on the outskirts of Dachang City. I¡¯ve heard that there have been supernatural events here. Do you have any archives about this ce on your end?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to help you, but I don¡¯t have the rights to do so. I can only ask a colleague to see if they can find something for you,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. ¡°Who has the right to do so?¡± Yang Jian asked. Liu Xiaoyu replied, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s you. Once you be the person in charge of Dachang City, you¡¯ll have the right to look through the archives. Not just the archives of other supernatural events, but even the files of other spirit exorcists are open for your review.¡± ¡°Then do your best to help me find it, and as soon as you do, send it to me. Also, I want to join the headquarters once this is over. Can you arrange that on your end?¡± Yang Jian said. Although joining headquarters meant dealing with dangerous supernatural incidents, if he could find a way to control a second ghost and extend the resurgence of the fierce ghost, then he could choose to join. The privileges of being in charge were great, and it also provided a lot of convenience. It was worth the effort. When Liu Xiaoyu heard that Yang Jian wanted to join headquarters, she excitedly said, ¡°As long as you agree, I can quickly arrange for someone to meet with you for a brief training and mental assessment before you take office. It will probably take¡­ within a week.¡± ¡°Great, but I want to rece Zhao Kaiming and be the person in charge of Dachang City,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I, I can¡¯t make that happen, that has to be decided by the higher-ups,¡± Liu Xiaoyu replied. Yang Jian said, ¡°What if Dachang City doesn¡¯t have a person in charge?¡± ¡°If Dachang City has no person in charge, of course, we¡¯d prioritize a local,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said, but she quickly realized something and eximed in shock, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything foolish. Although I don¡¯t know what conflict you¡¯ve had with Zhao Kaiming, it isn¡¯t a reason for you two to fight each other. Right now, the overall situation must take precedence.¡± ¡°Rest assured, I will indeed consider the bigger picture. Remember to help me check the archives. This supernatural event is also your responsibility. I am currently offering my services for free. You have an obligation to assist me,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°You¡¯re right, I will do my best to assist you. Addressing the supernatural events is indeed the current priority,¡± Liu Xiaoyu agreed. ¡°Good, we¡¯ll talk next time. And¡­ don¡¯t call me unless it¡¯s necessary. I¡¯m already in Huanggang Vige and could encounter a ghost at any moment,¡± Yang Jian said, and immediately hung up the phone. At that moment, Liu Xiaoyu frowned and promptly reported the matter to her team leader Zhao Jianguo. Hearing this, Zhao Jianguoughed and said, ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Once Yang Jian passes the assessment and bes a spirit exorcist, just transfer Zhao Kaiming elsewhere. Dachang City would certainly benefit from having Yang Jian in charge of security, being a local and all. Your main task now is to assist him in resolving the supernatural incident in Huanggang Vige. I¡¯ll take care of the specific archives.¡± ¡°If he can solve two supernatural events on his own, granting him a special exception is no big deal.¡± Hearing this, Liu Xiaoyu felt relieved. ¡°Survive and everything can be dealt with, but if not, nothing else matters.¡± Yang Jian looked at the satellite-located phone in his hand, and the tragic scene of Zhou Zheng¡¯s death before shed through his mind. Could that be his own future fate? He entered the vige. He saw Zhang Han, Ye Jun, and a few others from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club standing there with rather solemn expressions as if they had discovered something. They hardly noticed his arrival, sparing him only a casual nce. Yang Jian looked over. His gaze hardened. But he saw in front of a building, the door wide open with wreaths ced alongside. Vigers in mourning clothes were kneeling in front of a bright red coffin, burning paper money and wailing. Clearly, someone in the vige had died, and a funeral was underway. Yang Jian nced at the portrait in front of the coffin¡­ It was a handsome man dressed in a suit. ¡°What bad luck, why does someone have to die and have a funeral now of all times? Isn¡¯t this just causing us trouble?¡± not far away, Zhang Han, a middle-aged man, frowned and smoked, clearly not in the best of moods. Upon entering the vige, a ckcquered coffin was ced in the main hall, with vigers d in hemp and filial piety, wailing and sobbing¡ªit was indeed an ominous sign. ¡°Just to be safe, this coffin should be burned right away. Who knows if the corpse inside will start wandering around at night,¡± someone suggested. Ye Jun looked at him and said, ¡°Who¡¯s going to burn it? If you say something like that in front of the vigers, you¡¯re definitely going to infuriate them. By then, let alone solving a supernatural incident, whether you can even stay in this vige is questionable. Plus¡­ if it¡¯s just a normal corpse, it doesn¡¯t even matter. How could we be the kind of people who haven¡¯t seen our fair share of corpses?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss over nothing,¡± he added. ¡°It¡¯s just a person who died. Dead people aren¡¯t to be feared; it¡¯s the ghosts in this vige that are truly frightening.¡± ¡°However, we still know nothing about the current situation in this vige. I suggest we all investigate a bit first. It¡¯s best to ask the vigers if there¡¯s anything abnormal. With our abilities, even if we did encounter a ghost, it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯d die on the spot. When something happens, we can all tackle it together; even if there are really ghosts, we can handle them,¡± someone else proposed. ¡°The vige isn¡¯t too big nor too small. Moving as a group is a bit slow. Let¡¯s split up into pairs and scope things out first.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡± The members of the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club discussed it and all agreed that they should join forces to investigate first before deciding on their next move. Yang Jian wasn¡¯t one of them and was naturally left out. He nced at the coffin in the ancestral hall, took out another phone, and snapped a photo. He photographed the portrait on it and sent it back to Liu Xiaoyu, asking him to find out who the deceased was, what the cause of death was, and if there were any suspicious aspects. Supernatural incidents were not without their traces. If the cause of death was strange, it was very likely that ghosts were involved, and from the manner of death, one could guess the method by which the ghost killed. This was very important. Yang Jian noticed that besides him, the others in the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club hadn¡¯t thought of doing this, perhaps out ofcency due to their numbers. ¡°I should take a walk around the vige first to see what¡¯s going on, and then find a ce to stay,¡± he thought to himself. Right away, he shouldered his luggage and began to weave through the vige, familiarizing himself with theyout, the roads, and meanwhile watching for any peculiar ces. ¡°Yang Jian, you don¡¯t mind if I say a few words, do you?¡± Just then, Zhang Han from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club caught up, having shaken off the others, and spoke up. Yang Jian turned to look at him with some curiosity, ¡°Zhang Han? What is it?¡± Zhang Han smiled and said, ¡°Your ability to solve this supernatural incident alone is obviously insufficient. How about this? Let¡¯s lend a hand and cooperate together, what do you say?¡± ¡°You¡¯re part of the club, why don¡¯t you find someone from the club to cooperate with? Whye to me?¡± Yang Jian continued walking and speaking. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the most capable person to cooperate with. To be honest, they can¡¯t reallypare to you. I think our chances of sess are the highest if we work together,¡± Zhang Han said sincerely. Yang Jian responded, ¡°It¡¯s too early to be saying that now. There are only rumors of supernatural events here. I¡¯m not sure if there really is a ghost. Perhaps the ghost has already left Huanggang Vige. After all, a ghost¡¯s location can change.¡± ¡°If there really is a ghost, thene talk to me about cooperation.¡± Zhang Han gave a sheepish smile, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± While Yang Jian and Zhang Han were chatting, a sudden cough sounded from behind, almost as if it was right up against them, weak and feeble, as if someone was in the advanced stages of illness. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Zhang Han instantly broke out into a cold sweat with rm, turning around only to find no one there. He looked in the direction of the sound, only to see an old wooden house. This wooden house had been abandoned; most of the tiles on the roof had copsed, half of the door had disappeared, and it was dark and damp inside¡ªa ce even the domestic poultry and stray dogs would refuse to shelter in. ¡°Could our luck be this bad?¡± muttered Zhang Han. Yang Jian¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, and he walked over with determined strides, kicking open the door of the wooden house. ¡°Bang~!¡± The door of the wooden house broke apart due to decay and fell to the ground, revealing everything inside. Besides the weeds, there was nothing else. ¡°No one?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression grew graver. ¡°Is it¡­ a ghost?¡± asked Zhang Han. Yang Jian answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t feel any danger. It might be an old person who just coughed while passing by. After all, there are many paths in this vige, and it¡¯s normal for people to pass through. Overreacting will only scare oneself. Don¡¯t follow me anymore. If there really is a ghost here,e and notify me then. After that, I will consider whether to join forces with you.¡± He had never intended to take on the ghost alone, he had deliberately released news to draw the club¡¯s people in, hoping to enact the proverbial ¡®mantises stalk the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.¡¯ So in fact, he had no ns to charge to the forefront. ¡°Since you say so, I won¡¯t insist. Good luck then,¡± Zhang Han felt that the area wasn¡¯t safe and left in a hurry. Chapter 84 - 84 Linger at the Door Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Linger at the Door After wandering around the vige for a while, Yang Jian made no special discoveries. Everything was very calm. But this calmness made Yang Jian feel a bit uneasy. After all, the information indicated that there indeed had been supernatural events here; thatpany would definitely not send Yang Jian and the group from Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club here based on a fake message. A simple deception would be meaningless, and would only cause endless trouble for oneself. ¡°There must be something unusual here; maybe I just haven¡¯t found it yet. It might be better to ask someone,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. Unknowingly, he arrived at the back of the vige. At the moment, an old man in his sixties was tending to his vegetable garden. Yang Jian went over and greeted him, ¡°Uncle, are you nting vegetables?¡± The old man nced back, then continued with his work. ¡°Uncle, I am a tourist from the city. I wanted to ask you why the vige seems so deserted, and also, there is a funeral at the vige entrance¡­ Has something happened?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Scram!¡± The old man responded with an unfriendly retort. ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s mouth twitched, but he was not angry. He continued, ¡°Uncle, do you know how the person at the vige entrance died? He was young and handsome; it¡¯s quite a pity that he passed away like this.¡± ¡°Scram!¡± The old man¡¯s pronunciation was clear, with each ¡®scram¡¯ strong and resolute, as if it had been tempered a thousand times. ¡°Uncle, can¡¯t you just talk properly, or do you only know that one word?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°You kids should scram. Can¡¯t you see your uncle is busy here?¡± The old man nced at Yang Jian with a sideways stare, his attitude not just unfriendly, it was downright nasty. Yang Jian thought for a moment, then took out a hundred yuan from his pocket, ¡°How about a hundred yuan for three questions?¡± When the old man saw the hundred yuan note, he was taken aback for a moment. Then, spryly dropping the seedlings from his hands, he ran over to Yang Jian, swiftly snatched the money, and then said with a beaming smile, ¡°Which family¡¯s kid are you? You¡¯re quite something. Ask whatever you want; there¡¯s nothing in Huanggang Vige I don¡¯t know.¡± The power of money indeed was mighty. Yang Jian sighed to himself, then asked, ¡°Uncle, has Huanggang Vige always been this quiet, or is it just recently?¡± ¡°It¡¯s always been like this. The young people from the vige have all gone to live and buy houses in the city. The vige is only lively during festivals; otherwise, it¡¯s just us elders here,¡± the old man said. ¡°Has anything strange happened in Huanggang Vige recently?¡± Yang Jian asked further. ¡°Nothing strange,¡± the old man shook his head. ¡°Who is the person who died in the funeral home at the entrance of the vige?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± the old man said; ¡°there¡¯s no such person in the vige, probably a rtive of some family.¡± Don¡¯t know? Yang Jian was taken aback. Someone had died in the vige and there was a funeral, yet this elder imed he didn¡¯t recognize them. This obviously did not make sense. ording to normal rural customs, the death of someone in a family would definitely be universally known. ¡°Actually, what I wanted to ask is, could it be possible¡­ that Huanggang Vige has been haunted recently?¡± Yang Jian cut to the chase. Haunted? The old man was visibly startled, as if he found it unbelievable, and he then rubbed his fingers together, hinting strongly. ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian had almost forgotten; this was already the fourth question, and he didn¡¯t expect the uncle to be so precise. Yang Jian took out another hundred yuan for him. Then, the uncle finally spoke; ¡°Every year, people in the vige say it¡¯s haunted. It¡¯s been going on for decades, but we¡¯ve seen nothing. You seem like an educated young man. Why? Are young people nowadays fond of ghost stories?¡± ¡°Not really, just making casual inquiries,¡± Yang Jian replied offhandedly. He was somewhat disappointed. He hadn¡¯t gotten any useful information. Were there really supernatural events in Huanggang Vige? ¡°By the way, uncle, do you have a ce where I can stay for a few days? I would like to spend a few days here,¡± Yang Jian inquired. ¡°There¡¯s an empty room in my house, one hundred yuan a night, want to stay?¡± the old man said, beginning to do business with Yang Jian. Just like that, he temporarily took up residence, no, should say rented a room in the old man¡¯s house. The old man was named Liu Genrong, one of the stay-behind elders of the vige. ording to his ount, both his sons lived in Dachang City and would onlye back if there was something to deal with at home. As for his wife, she had passed awayst year. ¡°Three days, I only n to stay here for three days. If nothing happens within these three days, I will return to Dachang City and settle the score with Sun Lihong,¡± ¡°Even if there truly are supernatural events here, if that ghost really wants to keep a low profile and doesn¡¯t show up, I don¡¯t have the time to keep searching endlessly after all,¡± With this thought, Yang Jian fell asleep in a room at Liu Genrong¡¯s house. The restlessness from the ghost¡¯s resurrection made his sleep anything but peaceful. He had been tormented with pain, his body paralyzed as usual, and he felt something within steadily seizing control of his body. This sensation was eerily indescribable. However, as Yang Jian was sleeping, a weak, powerless cough suddenly arose from downstairs. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± The sound seemed to emerge right outside Liu Genrong¡¯s front door. This noise abruptly made Yang Jian, paralyzed on the bed, snap his eyes open. ¡°Is this¡­ the sound from the daytime?¡± ¡°Wait, something¡¯s not right, someone ising upstairs.¡± His face then changed dramatically, as he heard heavy footsteps beginning at the stairwell. He lived on the second floor of Liu Genrong¡¯s house, while Liu Genrong resided next door. In other words, the first floor was unupied. And with the darkness enveloping outside, the door was locked; it was impossible for anyone toe in. ¡°Couldn¡¯t be, what rotten luck, why now of all times?¡± Cold sweat broke out on Yang Jian¡¯s forehead. Currently, his body was paralyzed, immobile. ¡°Thump, thump thump~!¡± Heavy footsteps echoed from the stairway. Getting closer and closer. And by the sound, one could quite clearly deduce that someone was climbing the stairs to the second floor. One step per stair, not skipping a step nor taking an extra one. Seemingly slow in movement. Yang Jian attempted to look in the direction of the front door; his head couldn¡¯t move, but his eyes could shift slightly. But¡­ he couldn¡¯t see clearly. With not a glimmer of light from outside, he couldn¡¯t make out the direction of the door. Suddenly. The heavy footsteps in the stairwell stopped. Whatever it was had arrived on the second floor. At this moment, Yang Jian was less concerned about how this thing got inside or where it came from; his only concern was whether the thing at the door was here for him¡­ or for Liu Genrong. Of course, there was a chance it was just random. But theyout of the rural house was simple; the doors to the two rooms on the second floor faced each other. If it truly was random, Yang Jian had a fifty-fifty chance of not being chosen. ¡°Wait, it seems it hasn¡¯te in.¡± Suddenly. He heard footsteps outside the door again. It was as if someone in the darkness was pacing back and forth at the doorway, their footsteps resonating to and fro. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± Like someone severely ill, as if on the verge of death at any moment. The entity outside refused to leave. Inside the room, Yang Jian stared fixedly in the direction of the door, the tension taut within him, dreading that the entity might enter. In his current state, there was no escape even if he wanted to; all he could do was pray inwardly. ¡°It shouldn¡¯te in, right?¡± After a moment, hearing that the footsteps outside the door didn¡¯t seem intent on entering, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. Just as thought, it couldn¡¯t be that he was this unlucky. However, when he remembered the Door Knocking Ghost¡¯s method of killing people at the school, he felt far from rxed. What if the entity at the door didn¡¯t need to open it to kill? ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. If the thing outside really were a ghost, with an ability simr to the Ghost Door Knocker, then no one in this vige could have survived; they would have all died long ago,¡± Yang Jian reassured himself, countering the worry in his own mind. Yet in that moment, the footsteps at the door abruptly paused. ¡°Creak¡­¡± A sound of the door being opened drifted through the darkness. Yang Jian¡¯s heart constricted in an instant. Was the ghost that lurked at the door about toe in? Chapter 85 - 85 The Box that was Knocked Chapter 85: Chapter 85 The Box that was Knocked Unlucky, just so unlucky. If Yang Jian could swear, he would definitely be cursing right now. He had done absolutely nothing, yet out of all the people in the vige, it had toe for him. That alone would have been bearable, but it had toe when he was in the most awkward situation. Ever since he acquired the ¡°Ghost Eye,¡± he experienced paralysis for an hour or two every night, and as he used the Ghost Eye more often, the duration of paralysis gradually increased. However, he could ept this side effect, considering ordinary people sleep for eight hours every day. What Yang Jian couldn¡¯t ept was being hunted by ghosts during the times when his body was out of his control. In the darkness, although he couldn¡¯t see clearly, the sound of the door creaking open was distinctly audible. He felt as if he could see a tall shadow standing at the door, motionless. From the vague outline, he could tell that this was definitely not the old man Liu Genrong from the daytime¡­but a very, very unfamiliar person. It didn¡¯t seem like someone from the vige either. It was as if this person had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Following the door opening, The tall, vague figure at the door didn¡¯t continue to loiter outside, but instead took heavy steps, one by one, and walked inside. The heavy footsteps didn¡¯t sound like those of a living person, but like those of a rigid, cold corpse. At that moment, Yang Jian stared intently towards the direction of the footsteps, his face covered in cold sweat. He wanted to get up, but the Ghost Eye was still taking over his body. ¡°Stay calm, stay calm¡­ Even if it really is a ghost that¡¯se for me, it won¡¯t necessarily harm me. If I don¡¯t meet the ghost¡¯s murder criteria, the ghost will at most just be passing through,¡± he thought to himself. Since he couldn¡¯t move, he forced himself to stay cool andposed. He had encountered ghosts of a high Terror Level before; with some luck, death wasn¡¯t certain. ¡°It, it has stopped.¡± Suddenly, Yang Jian heard the footstepse to a halt. Right beside his headboard. Approximately less than two meters away. He could even feel a chill slowly enveloping him, and with each breath, a damp and rotting smell wafted over. This presence and odor, Without a doubt¡­was definitely a ghost. ¡°Why has it stopped? Is it waiting for the right time, or have I not met its conditions for killing¡­¡± As Yang Jian trembled, he was grateful for his previous encounters with fierce ghosts. Otherwise, he might have fainted from fear by now. At a distance less than two meters from an unknown ghost of high Terror Level, and in such close proximity, What was more fatal was that he couldn¡¯t move at all. Even the least terrifying ghost could easily kill him. In the dark room, the unknown ghost and Yin Jian, paralyzed in bed, seemed to be locked in a stalemate. The silence around them was terrifying. Only Yang Jian¡¯s slightly heavy breathing could be heard; apart from that, there wasplete silence. But the absence of noise didn¡¯t mean there was no danger. As long as the ghost was still in the room and hadn¡¯t left, Yang Jian¡¯s life hung in the bnce. Even bing a Ghost ve offered no guarantees. ¡°What is its purpose here? To kill me? No, if the ghost had wanted to kill me, I would have been dead by now. I¡¯m clearly not its preferred victim, so could it be here to watch me?¡± Yang Jian blinked, his cold sweat dripping into his eyes; ¡°It¡¯s very possible, but a real ghost wouldn¡¯t waste time just watching someone.¡± ¡°Unless it¡¯s a Ghost ve.¡± ¡°Any ghost that has a Ghost ve must possess a Ghost Domain, usually categorized as a Terror Level A, like that Door Knocking Ghost.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a ghost of this level, then I must give up on the Huanggang Vige case; this is not something I can handle.¡± But, as Yang Jian¡¯s mind raced with wild guesses, The footsteps inside the room moved again. ¡°Step, step, step~!¡± It didn¡¯t head towards Yang Jian¡¯s bed; instead, it circled around the foot of the bed and opened a closet. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s pupils suddenly narrowed. There wasn¡¯t much in the closet except for some items he had prepared for his trip to Huanggang Vige. Although they were valuable, they were useless to a ghost. ¡°Could it be that a ghost controller from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club hase to steal my things?¡± a thought popped into Yang Jian¡¯s mind. If that was the case, then it wasn¡¯t the worst oue. At least he was dealing with a ghost controller, not a real ghost. ¡°Cling~!¡± It sounded like a rock hitting metal, a crisp sound echoing throughout the room. ¡°Cling~! Cling~!¡± One after another, heavy and forceful, hitting in a fixed pattern. This sound was¡­ Yang Jian recalled that there was only one thing in his backpack that could make such a noise. The Gold box that contained the Headless Ghost. ¡°Damn it, this ghost is smashing the Gold box that holds the Headless Ghost,¡± he thought in panic, a wave of fear instantly sweeping over him, sending chills all over his body. This ghost wants to release the Headless Ghost? ¡°Absolutely not, I can¡¯t let it release the Headless Ghost; once it¡¯s out, it¡¯s all over,¡± Yang Jian began to struggle desperately, trying to regain sensation in his body. The Headless Ghost was one he had imprisoned himself. He was very clear about this ghost¡¯s capabilities; if released, it would certainly take over his body first. If the Headless Ghost obtained his Ghost Eye, it would be like having an unrestricted Ghost Domain. The terror level would skyrocket, catching up to the Door Knocking Ghost. Not a single person in Huanggang Vige would survive; those few from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club would all be prey for the Headless Ghost. If in the end the Headless Ghost managed to form a body made up of fierce ghosts¡­ Yang Jian didn¡¯t know how the world would face this ghost. ¡°I must find a way to stop it, I must,¡± He clenched his teeth, attempting to fight the Ghost Eye inside his body, trying to get his body to move. As long as he could move, he would immediately snatch the Gold box, then use the Ghost Domain to leave this ce, away from this ghost. No matter what, as long as the Headless Ghost isn¡¯t released, there¡¯s still room for turnaround. ¡°Cling! Cling!¡± However, the striking sounds kept resonating, one after another. Yang Jian felt that this sound was even more terrifying than the sound of the ghost knocking on the door; he didn¡¯t know how many more hits the box could withstand. Perhaps dozens of hits were needed topletely open the Gold box. Or maybe just one. As soon as a tiny crack appeared in the box, the Headless Ghost would be free, and then what Yang Jian feared the most would happen. He was still struggling on the bed, trying to get up. But reality didn¡¯t give him that chance. No matter how hard Yang Jian struggled, he couldn¡¯t restore movement to his body. In the face of a ghost, human will and spirit seemed incredibly fragile. Without the allotted time, the Ghost Eye wouldn¡¯t hand back control of the body to Yang Jian. However. The ghosts in this room weren¡¯t just three in number. There was another one¡­ Inside the opened wardrobe. A piece of human skin paper moved without wind, slowly drifting down from inside, whether by coincidence or intent. In the darkness, the human skin paper precisely covered the deformed Gold box that was being struck. The knocking sound suddenly stopped. Once again, everything around plunged into oppressive silence. ¡°It stopped, it stopped? But why?¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t know the real situation; he just knew that the knocking sound hadn¡¯t continued. Could it be that the box was already open? The stopping of the sound didn¡¯t bring him the slightest joy; instead, it made him even more fearful. If the box was truly open, then it meant that a Headless Ghost was standing right beside his bed. Chapter 86: 86 Chapter 86: 86 The knocking sound from the box had stopped. And it never sounded again. To Yang Jian, there were only two possibilities, either the ghost had gotten tired of knocking¡­ which of course was impossible. The second possibility was that the Headless Ghost inside the box had been released. As for a third possibility¡­ Yang Jian simply couldn¡¯t think of one. At that moment, tranquility once again returned to the dark room. There was no knocking, no footsteps. No sound at all. The difference this time was that the quietsted for a much longer period, far exceeding any before. Moreover¡­ the coughing had never sounded again from beginning to end. He didn¡¯t know if this was an important clue. ¡°The ghost has stopped moving¡­ The Headless Ghost also seems not to have appeared, why is everything so strange.¡± Yang Jian had previously prepared himself to die here, but now. He felt that he might still have a chance to save himself. Because the paralysis was almost over. The restlessness of the ghostly eye inside his body began to subside, and his body gradually regained sensation. As long as Yang Jian could move again, he wouldn¡¯t fear even if he truly faced the Headless Ghost. Perhaps the ghost had realized that Yang Jian was about to move again, or maybe it was because some time hade. Footsteps sounded once more. The ghost began to move away from the direction of the wardrobe, gradually retreating back to the doorway of the room, then exiting the room and slowly descending the stairs, step by step, the clear footsteps echoing throughout the stairwell¡­ It was leaving. Almost the instant it descended the stairs. Yang Jian regained control. He immediately took over his body, bouncing up from the bed, and his hand reached along the wall to instantly turn on the room¡¯s lights. The light shed on, dispelling the darkness. Everything around him was clearly visible now. Yang Jian immediately looked toward the wardrobe. At this moment, the wardrobe was open, a gold boxy on the ground, but it was deformed, with a dent in the middle that nearly split the box open. But the durability of the gold, and the fact that Yan Li hadn¡¯t skimped when making the box, meant that it ultimately did not break open. ¡°Phew~!¡± Seeing this, Yang Jian let out a slight sigh of relief. The best scenario had urred, the box had not opened, and the Headless Ghost inside had not escaped. As for the box being deformed, that didn¡¯t matter; gold was just a container, it had no shape requirements. But what was strange¡­ was that there was a piece of human skin covering the top of the box. That was the skin paper he had brought from the school. Although puzzled in his heart, now was not the time to think about it. Yang Jian quickly packed up his things, hid his luggage, and then grabbed his weapon and immediately rushed out. ¡°This is a crisis for me, but it¡¯s also an opportunity¡­ at least the ghost had appeared, even if I don¡¯t deal with it, I at least need to know its identity, its location, and what it looks like¡­¡± ¡°If I let it go just like that, I might never find such a good opportunity again.¡± Despite feeling fear and unease, he still followed the departing ghost out, after all, he hade to Huanggang Vige for a chance to fight for his own survival, if he was afraid of death, he wouldn¡¯t havee here. The front door on the first floor was tightly closed. But footsteps leaving could be heard from outside the door. Clearly, the ghost had left Liu Genrong¡¯s house and started to head elsewhere. ¡°Chase!¡± Yang Jian opened the main door and immediately chased after it, a ghostly eye on his forehead burst through his skin and emerged, the crimson eye granting him a peculiar vision. A world bathed in red light. No longer dark. The view of the ghostly eye could prate darkness and the illusory nature of the Ghost Domain. Although it was rather useless without the Ghost Domain, it was still a special ability. ¡°It¡¯s up ahead.¡± Yang Jian gave chase, utilizing the ghostly eye to try and discern the appearance of the ghost. But a turn blocked his line of sight, the footsteps echoing from within the alley. ¡°Using the Ghost Domain, I could catch up to the ghost instantly¡­ but to activate the Ghost Domain without any knowledge of the ghost would clearly be very foolish.¡± Although he was very curious to know the true face of this ghost, the consequences that Ghost Domain brought forth made Yang Jian suppress his impulsive urge. After all, rushing in did not guarantee capture. He continued the pursuit. The sound of footsteps ahead was getting closer and closer to him. He was about to see who it was around the next corner. However, the next moment, as Yang Jian turned the corner, the scene that unfolded before him made him freeze. The person in front of him was not a ghost at all, but Zhang Han, a member of the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club, who hade to Huanggang Vige with him during the day. ¡°Yang Jian? How could it be you?¡± Zhang Han was obviously shocked to see him, even more surprised than if he had seen a ghost, and took the initiative to speak. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to say. I followed the footsteps of a ghost here, and the person I see after turning the corner is you. Are you really Zhang Han?¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brows, holding a golden handgun in his hand. The bullet had already been chambered. Not to kill a ghost, but out of instinct for self-defense. Zhang Han said somewhat frantically, ¡°Of course, I am Zhang Han, and you are the one with a problem, okay? I was also following those footsteps. I thought you were the ghost; luckily, I recognized you in time. It gave me quite a scare.¡± Hearing him say this, Yang Jian¡¯s heart chilled: ¡°Have we been yed? Or could it be that there is more than one ghost here¡­ The one you were following isn¡¯t the same one I encountered.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very sure, but the footsteps indeed disappeared around here,¡± said Zhang Han, his expression sobering. ¡°Tap, tap, tap~!¡± Suddenly, the sound of footsteps was hearding from nearby alley. ¡°Bang~!¡± The next moment, almost without thinking, an eye grew out on Yang Jian¡¯s head, and he raised the gun toward the direction of the noise and fired a shot. ¡°Ah~!¡± A cry of pain rang out. His ghost eye saw a person copse in agony onto the ground, with blood flowing out of them. ¡°Yang Jian, why are you shooting wildly, you hit someone,¡± cried Zhang Han in rm. Yang Jian frowned and said, ¡°The vigers have all gone to sleep by now, and not even the dogs are barking thiste at night. Who knows if those sudden footsteps weren¡¯t from a ghost? I shot first and asked questionster.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you saw me first. Otherwise, you surely would have shot me,¡± said Zhang Han, still a bit scared. Only then did he notice that Yang Jian had been holding a handgun all this time. ¡°That person seems to be from the club; you should recognize him. But I¡¯m not sure whether my shot just now killed him,¡± Yang Jian said. A momentter, inside a small vi that the members of the club had temporarily rented, a man with a pale face, clutching his wound and bleeding, was being bandaged up by Zhang Han at his side. Besides the few of them, other ghost tamers were also present. The ghostly disturbance at night seemed to have rmed everyone. ¡°Ouyang Tian, there¡¯s something very bad I have to tell you.¡± Zhang Han, with a look of understanding and a touch of sorrow, said: ¡°I suspect Yang Jian aimed intentionally at your position.¡± Yang Jian nced over: ¡°Bullshit; I clearly aimed at his head. How can you me me?¡± ¡°Nevertheless, this is indeed my fault. Ouyang Tian, I owe you an apology; I¡¯m sorry.¡± Having said this, he revealed a genuine and apologetic expression. Ouyang Tian¡¯s cold face was filled with rage: ¡°You shot me, and you think it¡¯s all settled with just an apology?¡± ¡°I have already apologized. What else do you want? Should we call the police and have me arrested?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°It¡¯ste at night, the vige is haunted; you¡¯re wandering around the vige without even a light. It¡¯s normal for an ident like this to happen.¡± ¡°Take a shot at me, and we¡¯ll call it even. What do you think?¡± Ouyang Tian¡¯s face turned steel-cold as he too pulled out a handgun and aimed it at him. Yang Jian said, ¡°Even if we do that, where does the cycle of vengeance end? Besides, I¡¯m still a child; can¡¯t you let it slide just a bit?¡± ¡°Let your mother,¡± Ouyang Tian didn¡¯t hesitate and fired. He aimed at Yang Jian¡¯s head. But contrary to expectations, Yang Jian¡¯s head twisted just in time, dodging the bullet. ¡°Now, are we even?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s forehead ghost eye stared at him. ¡°I¡¯ll say we are even when I decide we are,¡± Ouyang Tian attempted to shoot again. But at that moment, Yang Jian too pointed his gun at Ouyang Tian¡¯s head: ¡°One shot for another, that¡¯s fair. If you want to continue, I can y this game all night long, and we¡¯ll see who dies first.¡± ¡°Enough, enough, let¡¯s call it quits. Ouyang Tian, we¡¯re square now that you¡¯ve taken your shot. If we keep this up, it¡¯s going to turn into a real fight. There¡¯s still a ghost in this vige; isn¡¯t infighting right now akin to asking for death? Besides, no harm¡¯s done, and any injury can be healed once we control other ghosts,¡± Zhang Han hurriedly pulled back Ouyang Tian and yed the peacemaker. Chapter 87 - 87 The Dead Necromancer Chapter 87: Chapter 87 The Dead Necromancer Yang Jian and this Ouyang Tian didn¡¯t end up fighting after all. It wasn¡¯t that Ouyang Tian could swallow his anger, but if they really started fighting, neither would gain any advantage. Yang Jian was a neer, and it would take some time before the fierce ghost revived, but he didn¡¯t have the capital to keep fighting with him. This anger had to be swallowed. If he couldn¡¯t bear it, it meant death. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to continue fighting, then let¡¯s call it quits¡­ pfft~! Haha.¡± Yang Jian, who had been serious before, couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. Ouyang Tian¡¯s expression grew even uglier, ¡°Tryughing one more time?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Sorry, sorry, I¡¯m notughing at you. I just remembered something very delightful.¡± Ouyang Tian didn¡¯t believe his flippant excuse for a second. ¡°However, not only have I apologized to you for just now, I also gave you a chance to shoot at me.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s smile faded slightly, and his eyes narrowed a bit, ¡°You could have blown my head off with that shot, but you didn¡¯t do it¡­ I can¡¯t be med for that, and given the situation back then with the fierce ghost lurking around, it was perfectly reasonable for me to shoot when I heard the footsteps. It wasn¡¯t deliberate against you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that your guard was too weak, or maybe you were reluctant to use your own ghost¡¯s power, that¡¯s why you got shot.¡± ¡°Otherwise, how could someone with my novice marksmanship possibly hit you.¡± Zhang Han added from the side, ¡°Yang Jian is right about this. The situation was indeed dangerous at that time. I was also chasing that ghost, but when we got to the corner of the alley, the footsteps of the ghost disappeared, and we almost ended up fighting each other. Later, your footsteps suddenly appeared from the side.¡± ¡°Under these circumstances, a normal person would strike first. There¡¯s no reason to let the fierce ghost start killing.¡± ¡°Zhang Han, Ouyang Tian, Yang Jian, you three almost all went chasing after the traces of that fierce ghost, but ended up colliding at a fork in the road, and nearly started fighting. Don¡¯t you think the ghost did this on purpose to incite infighting among us?¡± Suddenly, at this moment, Ye Jun spoke up with a solemn face. Although he also harbored hatred for Yang Jian, now was indeed not the time to act rashly. A misstep could give the fierce ghost the opportunity it needed to kill someone. ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Zhang Han nodded. Yang Jian calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s not possible. I think the real purpose of that ghost is not to kill people, at least not to kill us. Its real goal is to release the ghosts within our bodies. As ghost controllers who are fused with ghosts, there¡¯s only one way to release the ghost inside us.¡± ¡°To kill us.¡± ¡°That should be the goal of the ghost in Huanggang Vige.¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± asked Ye Jun. Yang Jian said, ¡°No, this is my spection.¡± Of course, he did have evidence¡ªit was during those hours hey paralyzed in bed when the ghost entered without killing him first but went straight to open the Gold box that contained the Headless Ghost. So the evidence was solid. ¡°This isn¡¯t child¡¯s y, don¡¯t spout baseless ims. A single careless word could get someone killed,¡± Ouyang Tian said with a dark expression. In fact, the physical damage from Yang Jian¡¯s bullet was negligible to him; it was the blow to his dignity that stung. ¡°If you have any better theories, feel free to voice them. But before that, I want to ask¡­ How many ghost controllers from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club have arrived?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Six in total, five ghost controllers. What do you need this for?¡± answered Zhang Han. Yang Jian said, ¡°Nothing, I just want to know where the other two controllers are now. The vige heard gunshots, did those two not hear them? Or did they hear, yet couldn¡¯t make it in time?¡± Upon hearing this, the faces of Zhang Han, Ye Jun, and Ouyang Tian changed dramatically. ¡°That¡¯s not good, He Sheng and Zhang Yiming, those two¡­¡± Zhang Han suddenly stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go check on them.¡± As soon as they realized the situation, they didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately left to check on He Sheng and Zhang Yiming. Previously, to investigate the supernatural events in Huanggang Vige, they nned to split into pairs and investigate separately, hoping to speed up the process and save time. But they hadn¡¯t expected the ghost to be so aggressive. It was only the first night, and the malevolent spirit had already appeared. ¡°It¡¯s right here.¡± Soon, they arrived in front of a residential building, which had also been rented temporarily. But at the moment, the lights in the room were on full st, and the cries of a woman on the brink of copse could be heard from inside. ¡°Why is there another woman? When we were at the club, I didn¡¯t see any female spirit mediums,¡± Yang Jian said as he slowly approached, furrowing his brows. ¡°She¡¯s He Sheng¡¯s mistress, kept on the side.¡± Zhang Han said, ¡°She¡¯s just one of many women he keeps; this one He Sheng values the most. He even spent five million to get her husband to divorce her. He thought this supernatural event wouldn¡¯t be a problem, so he brought her along.¡± ¡°He really thinks it¡¯s a holiday, bringing a woman along,¡± Yang Jian shook his head. However, that spirit medium called He Sheng was truly ruthless. Ordinary people getting dragged into this kind of situation could only end one way, and that was death. The woman was at best his disposable essory, her life and death didn¡¯t concern him at all. Of course, when they went upstairs, they saw a body lying in the living room on the second floor. To be exact, it was the outline of a body. The corpse was wrapped tightly in ayer of gold foil, like a cocoon, next to a man in his thirties who was smoking somberly, looking very silent. ¡°Zhang Yiming, where¡¯s He Sheng?¡± Ye Jun came over and asked. Zhang Yiming spoke in a low voice, ¡°He¡¯s dead, that¡¯s his body on the ground.¡± What? At his words, the others¡¯ faces changed drastically in an instant. He¡¯s dead? A spirit medium has died just like that? How could this be possible? Even a toad would struggle before death. Could it be that He Sheng was even less worthy than a toad? He died on the first daying to Huanggang Vige? Without even a chance to struggle. ¡°How did he die?¡± Ye Jun pressed on. Zhang Yiming took a deep drag of his cigarette, ¡°Not sure. By the time I got here, he was already dead. To be safe, I wrapped his body in gold foil, afraid the ghost inside him might get out¡­ But that¡¯s just wishful thinking on my part. I think the ghost that was inside him is no longer in the body.¡± ¡°This is a photo of him right before he died. I took several shots, worried it might cause confusion among you,¡± he said. After speaking, he handed over a smartphone. There were several photos of He Sheng after his death on the phone. In the pictures, He Shengy on the ground, his body rigid, mouth gaping open so wide his lips seemed like they would split, his chest ripped apart by something, blood everywhere, extremely horrendous. ¡°Before the incident, He Sheng was upstairs fooling around with a woman. I was on night watch. I heard footsteps nearby, so I chased after them for a bit. But then I realized those footsteps were a deliberate attempt to draw me away because soon after, I heard screamsing from inside the house, from this woman,¡± Zhang Yiming gestured towards the shivering woman crouched in a corner, hair disheveled, clothes disarrayed. Judging by her figure and face, she was unquestionably a beauty, but now her face was full of fear, and it seemed like she had already mentally copsed, not knowing what terror she had witnessed before. ¡°Can you get anything out of her?¡± Zhang Han walked over. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time, this woman is probably scared out of her wits; you won¡¯t get anything out of her,¡± Zhang Yiming said as he smoked, worry etched on his face. ¡°The ghost of Huanggang Vige isn¡¯t targeting people, it¡¯s targeting the spirit mediums¡­ no, more precisely, it¡¯s targeting the ghosts within us. The task this time feels extremely unusual, not as simple as an ordinary supernatural event. I suggest¡­ we abandon the mission,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s leave Huanggang Vige.¡± Chapter 88 - 88 Code Name Sick Ghost Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Code Name Sick Ghost Theck of transparency in the information, coupled with the death of a ghost hunter on the first day of entering Huanggang Vige. had cast a shadow over everyone¡¯s heart. It ismon for ghost hunters to die at the hands of malevolent ghosts, but to die silently in the grasp of an unknown Ghost Hand. this revealed information was very unusual. Not to mention anything else, let¡¯s just look at the simplest oue. The terror of the ghosts here was obviously greater than any of the ghost hunters present, otherwise He Sheng wouldn¡¯t have died so easily. Zhang Yiming¡¯s words silenced the rest of the group. ¡°The things you¡¯ve figured out coincide with what Yang Jian said before. He also mentioned that the sinister ghosts in Huanggang Vige aren¡¯t targeting people, but the ghosts within us,¡± said Zhang Han as he softly took a breath. Zhang Yiming was a rather steady and intelligent person. Words from Yang Jian¡¯s mouthcked credibility, buting from Zhang Yiming, they were different. And indeed, the facts were right before their eyes: He Sheng had died, but the woman in his room had not. The conclusion was obvious; the ghost had spared an ordinary person and chose the ghost hunter He Sheng, which was why the woman had survived. ¡°Oh, is that so? Yang Jian said the same thing?¡± Zhang Yiming slightly raised his head, ¡°I heard from you guys before that Yang Jian was a crazy kid with messed up thinking. Now I have to take back my previous impression of him.¡± He had deduced this key piece of information from He Sheng¡¯s death. If Yang Jian could know this before him, didn¡¯t it imply that Yang Jian¡¯s abilities were above his own? If he were truly a crazy kid with deranged thinking, how could he possibly know this? ¡°He did say that, but we didn¡¯t believe him at the time. But now that you¡¯ve said the same thing, we can¡¯t help but believe it,¡± Zhang Han spoke. Yang Jian, who hade along to investigate the situation, heard this, shrugged his shoulders, and said, ¡°You adults should talk. It¡¯s better for a kid like me to stay far away, especially since someone just wanted to y a shooting game with me. I was so scared, I almost wet my pants.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, stop talking nonsense,¡± Ouyang Tian snapped, still angry. Zhang Yiming, smoking a cigarette, said, ¡°I suggest we leave this ce. What do you think, Yang Jian? A ghost that targets other ghosts is beyond our league. This mission is not as simple as we imagined. Thepany must have had a specific purpose in giving this mission to us if they offered the method to control the second malevolent spirit as payment.¡± ¡°Great benefits alwayse with great risks, and it seems there was no mistake in that,¡± he added. Yang Jian grinned, ¡°Do you have any option to retreat? If you don¡¯t control the second ghost to prolong the malevolent spirits¡¯ revival, how long do you think you can live?¡± His words struck at their weakest point. The reason they hade here was that they had anticipated the dangers and were betting everything on this one chance. Though withdrawing now seemed wise, it also meant losing the hope to live on. ¡°Better to die from the malevolent spirits¡¯ revival than to die at the hands of this ghost. Just because you¡¯re not afraid of dying, Yang Jian, doesn¡¯t mean others aren¡¯t. We don¡¯t want to die here meaninglessly,¡± Ye Jun retorted. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Since you want to leave, then go. Continue to drink and chat in the club, bully the newbies¡­ and then wait for death. Just remember to prepare a decent Cinerary Casket for yourself and choose a good grave plot. I wonder if anyone would dare to pay respects at our graves after we die.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ye Jun was furious but couldn¡¯t find the words to argue back. Yang Jian¡¯s rough words were not without reason; going back meant waiting for death. ¡°Fortune favors the bold. Staying here to solve this supernatural problem andpleting the trade does indeed give us a chance to survive, and with more people, our odds of sess are higher. However, the ghosts here have started to make their move, so we must make a decision as soon as possible.¡± Zhang Yiming put out his cigarette, ¡°So, are we leaving or staying? Make a stance. I rmend leaving.¡± ¡°I rmend that as well,¡± said Ye Jun. Zhang Han hesitated, ¡°I think with so many of us here, if we work together, there¡¯s still a chance. It¡¯s inevitable to get hurt in the early stages when we don¡¯t understand the ghost. I suggest we stay.¡± ¡°I also suggest we stay,¡± Yang Jian said with a smile. ¡°I wonder if my vote counts, seeing as I¡¯m an outsider.¡± ¡°What about you, Ouyang Tian?¡± Zhang Yiming looked at him and said, ¡°Huh, are you injured? Your pant leg is dripping blood?¡± Ouyang Tian¡¯splexion looked somewhat unpleasant, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, just a minor injury.¡± A minor injury? Bro, your bird is gone, and you still call this a minor injury? Yang Jian felt some admiration for this Ouyang Tian, able to bend and stretch, truly a great man. ¡°I think we should still stay and fight it out. Everyone¡¯s time before the ghost revives isn¡¯t much, and how much longer can you live if you leave here? Solving this paranormal incident and finding a way to dy the ghost¡¯s revival is the only thing we can do now.¡± Although Ouyang Tian held a grudge against Yang Jian, he didn¡¯t harbor one against his own life. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not an unsolvable dead end, even the slightest hope is worth trying for.¡± ¡°Gambler¡¯s mentality, huh?¡± Zhang Yiming lit another cigarette upon seeing this. He pondered in his mind that the chances of surviving this incident were indeed not high. But even if there was an abyss ahead, they had to cross it, because, indeed, there was no way back. ¡°Since all three of you agree to stay, then¡­ let¡¯s try it.¡± ¡°Based on the previous situation, we can conclude key information: this ghost is targeting spirit tamers like us, so separating again would be very foolish. From now on, we must stay together, eating, drinking, going to the toilet, sleeping, everything together, even if there are grievances between us, we must put them aside temporarily.¡± ¡°A bunch of guys doing this can easily lead to idents,¡± Yang Jian said with some concern. Zhang Yiming exhaled smoke and said, ¡°It¡¯s a critical time now. You all need to be clear in your minds that this ghost is a being that can silently kill a ghost tamer.¡± ¡°Okay, but you¡¯ve missed a point. There might be more than one ghost here now.¡± Yang Jian pointed at the body of the man called He Sheng on the ground. ¡°You¡¯re right, the ghost that was with He Sheng probably escaped; it¡¯s possible that there are two ghosts in the vige,¡± Zhang Yiming said. ¡°How much do you know about He Sheng¡¯s ghost?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Not clear. He rarely hung around the club, and he used to be a bodyguard for a boss. He almost never used the power of the ghost in front of us, so we can¡¯t make a judgment,¡± Zhang Han shook his head. Yang Jian smiled and said, ¡°Now it¡¯s interesting; there¡¯s an unknown ghost added to the mix.¡± ¡°But never mind. As long as he didn¡¯t die because of the ghost¡¯s revival, that ghost shouldn¡¯t be too terrifying. The urgent task now is to find the ghost from Huanggang Vige. I have given that ghost a nickname, ¡®Sick Ghost¡¯, That weak coughing sound, you all must have heard it, right?¡± No one objected. ¡°This is the map of Huanggang Vige. Although it¡¯s hand-drawn, it should be understandable.¡± At that moment, Yang Jian took out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and revealed a hand-drawn map,posed of lines and squares, very simple. ¡°When did you draw this?¡± Zhang Han asked in surprise. Yang Jian answered in confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys draw one? How are you going to catch ghosts if you can¡¯t even recognize the roads?¡± ¡°No, we didn¡¯t,¡± he came back somewhat embarrassed. The others couldn¡¯t help but twitch at the corners of their mouths. They hadn¡¯t thought that far. ¡°The lines are roads, the squares are buildings. Here, here, and here are where we just chased the footsteps to.¡± Yang Jian pointed to the map and said, ¡°And between these three points is this building where the footsteps also disappeared.¡± ¡°You all should be clear about this house, right?¡± Zhang Yiming¡¯s hand trembled, and the cigarette ash fell, ¡°The house at the vige entrance where they¡¯re holding a funeral? There¡¯s even a coffin in the main hall of that house.¡± ¡°Exactly, the house serving as the funeral home, where we appeared was just behind that house; if you go around to the front, you can see that coffin,¡± Yang Jian pointed out. ¡°Damn it, I knew something was off. The first day we entered the vige, we ran into a funeral, and a coffin just sitting there in the main hall, clearly not normal,¡± Zhang Han couldn¡¯t help but curse. ¡°Go over there and confront it?¡± ¡°Do we even need to say it?¡± Ye Jun said, ¡°With so many of us putting our strength together, even Jesus would have to kneel.¡± Chapter 89: The Second Person Who Disappeared. Chapter 89: Chapter 89: The Second Person Who Disappeared. ¡°` The night in the countryside was exceptionally quiet. There weren¡¯t many people in the vige to begin with, and given it waste at night, the elderly of the vige had surely gone to bed early, so the whole vige seemed as if it had entered another world when darkness fell. It was quiet to the point of being oppressive, even frightening. But at the entrance of the vige. One house was somewhat out of the ordinary. The front door of the home was open, with lights on inside. In the center of the main hall, a crimsoncquered coffin was neatly ced, and in front of the coffin burned two almostpletely melted white candles. The flickering candlelight cast strange, shifting shadows on the surrounding walls, creating an eerie, unexinable fear. On the table in front of the coffin was a portrait of a young man that seemed clouded in a thick fog in the night, rendering it unclear, revealing only the silhouette in the photo. It gave off an odd feeling. ¡°Where have all the vigers gone? Normally, someone would be keeping vigil over the night for a funeral.¡± A group of people approached from not too far away, stopping in front of this house, Through the open door, they could clearly see everything inside. ¡°This vige has always been strange, with a ghost wandering unchecked at night, and yet these vigers seem to live here as if nothing is amiss,¡± Zhang Yiming said gravely, ¡°I felt it was too normal here during the day.¡± ¡°Indeed, the normalcy of this vige is peculiar,¡± Zhang Han nodded. It was the very normalcy that created a sense of deceit, leading them to even doubt the existence of ghosts here. But the events of the night had proven this point, that there truly was a ghost in this vige. A vige with a ghost in it was abnormal in itself. Normal people, upon learning of a real ghost in the vige, would have moved away long ago, and not continue living there, the same goes for even the most homebound elderly. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about the vige for now; we should focus on the trouble at hand instead. If that ghost really is in this house, it¡¯ll be easy, take it down, and everything is solved,¡± Ye Jun said from the side. ¡°Don¡¯t be too optimistic. People have died already, including a ghost marshal. The next one to die might be you, or me,¡± replied Ouyang Tian with a solemn face. Zhang Yiming spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s true we can¡¯t afford optimism, but we can¡¯t just do nothing¡­ Having made our resolution, let¡¯s go in and see.¡± Everyone¡¯s heart tightened, their eyes involuntarily resting on the coffin in the hall. Yang Jian remained silent, trailing at the back. It was better for him to keep a low profile at this time. Soon. The group, with caution, entered the house. It might have been an illusion, but upon entry, the temperature seemed to drop instantly, enveloped by a chilly breath, making everyone ufortable. ¡°This coffin might have something evil about it, let¡¯s not touch it yet to avoid any unpredictable incidents. Let¡¯s search the other rooms first. If we don¡¯t find anything, we cane back here¡­ This ce isn¡¯t so big that we could get killed by the ghost without any reaction. If anything happens, shout right away; everyone will rush to help,¡± Zhang Yiming whispered. They still weren¡¯t sure if the ghost was in the house. If it was, they had to find a way to lure it out. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but we can¡¯t spread out too much; we need to maintain a certain distance,¡± Ye Jun agreed with a nod. Yang Jian stared at the coffin for a long while before slowly averting his gaze. ¡°Zhang Yiming is right; the cement of this coffin here is indeed suspicious. Anyone with a brain would know that, so leaving it alone for now is the safest option. At least we¡¯re safe for now and can wait until we¡¯re sure the surroundings are secure before we proceed.¡± With that thought in mind, he started searching the house as the others dispersed. Now was the time to keep a low profile but not to ck off. They must work together. The house had three floors, with three or four rooms on each level; theyout wasn¡¯tplicated. A few people could do a round in less than two minutes. But just as they turned away and left the main hall temporarily, In the dim and intermittent candlelight in front of the coffin, the portrait underwent a subtle change. The man¡¯s face in the portrait, half-concealed by darkness, appeared rotten, his lips curling into a cold, eerie smile¡­ At the same time, the candlelight at the side rapidly dimmed, as if the mes were suppressed by something, losing the power to burn and starting to go out. The light in the hall began to fade; darkness from the outside crept in steadily. But none of the ghost marshals noticed this change. ¡°Found anything?¡± Zhang Han came out of a room and asked Yang Jian in a low voice on the corridor. Behind Yang Jian, a ghostly eye emerged on the back of his head, ensuring no blind spots within his field of vision. ¡°Nothing. We found neither the ghost nor the people keeping vigil. If I¡¯m not wrong, there should be nobody in the house¡­ Where did those people we saw during the day go? Zhang Yiming was right; there¡¯s something off about this vige. He didn¡¯t dare to bet any further, which is why he proposed evacuation earlier.¡± He also emerged from a room, having confirmed there was nothing abnormal. It seemed like excessive caution was just scaring themselves. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and gather. We¡¯re ready to check out that coffin. If there¡¯s no one in the house, then it¡¯s very likely that what lies inside that coffin is not a body, but¡­ a ghost.¡± ¡°` However, just as Yang Jian was about to turn around and go back downstairs. Suddenly. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± A feeble and impotent cough, as if from someone gravely ill, suddenly came from the room behind him. In an instant, a chill ran down Yang Jian¡¯s spine, breaking out in a cold sweat. Impossible. He had just searched that room thoroughly and there was no ghost. How could there be a coughing sound? ¡°Yang Jian~!¡± Zhang Han abruptly turned his head, his face twisting into a ferocious snarl, his body behaving oddly, as if his joints were twisting, breaking. He was on the verge of using the power of a vengeful ghost. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Without another word, Yang Jian spun around and dashed over, kicking the half-closed door open with one foot. The gloomy room didn¡¯t affect his vision. The ghost eye on his forehead allowed him to see everything in the room clearly, as if it were bathed in a red halo. However¡­ The room was empty, no signs of a ghost. There was no coughing sound either. ¡°Gone.¡± Yang Jian felt a shiver in his heart. ¡°Damn it, have we been yed?¡± Zhang Han was both shocked and angry. The ghost had just been by their side. Within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°If it was really a ghost, it couldn¡¯t possibly vanish into thin air, unless¡­¡± Yang Jian felt every muscle in his body tensing up. Unless the ghost possessed Ghost Domain. Only in that way could the Sick Ghost, known by this code name, possibly appear anywhere in the vige. ¡°Step, step step~!¡± Suddenly. In the dark hallway, footsteps descending the stairs suddenly echoed again. ¡°In the hallway.¡± Zhang Han with his ferocious face rushed over. Now was not the time to beat a retreat; when it was time to charge, they must charge. Fear of death only leads to dying faster. Zhang Han, one step ahead of Yang Jian, charged into the hallway. The house with only three floors didn¡¯t have a long staircase. In almost no time at all, Zhang Han caught up with the descending footsteps. ¡°Impossible.¡± An echo of voices in unison resonated through the stairs, with a sort of inexplicable shock. The figures they ran into were not ghosts, but Zhang Yiming and the others. They had been downstairs investigating when suddenly they heard a strange set of footsteps heading upstairs. They prepared to rush up to rify what was happening, only to encounter Zhang Han. The scene from earlier in the vige reyed itself. ¡°Everyone, hold back, it¡¯s one of us.¡± Zhang Yiming was the first to react and shouted a warning. ¡°This has happened again, we were all lured here by the footsteps.¡± Yang Jian also arrived, his face changed color, and suddenly he noticed something: ¡°Wait, where did Ouyang Tian, the one without a bird, go?¡± Ouyang Tian? Everyone looked around, shivering in unison. Gone. Ouyang Tian was missing. ¡°Back.¡± Zhang Yiming roared and immediately turned to dash down the stairs. The others also realized the seriousness of the situation. After all, He Sheng had died inexplicably before. But at this moment. The candlelight in the ancestral hall had already been extinguished earlier, plunging the surroundings into oppressive dimness. All the portraits on the offering table, shrouded in darkness, underwent a peculiar transformation¡­ looking somewhat like Ouyang Tian. Chapter 90 - 90 The Frightened Ghost Master (Please Subscribe) Chapter 90: Chapter 90 The Frightened Ghost Master (Please Subscribe) The realization that Ouyang Tian might have met with disaster caused everyone to immediately leave the corridor and return to the lobby. The vermillion coffin was still intact, lying there as before. Only now, the candlelight before the coffin had been extinguished. Even though the ceiling lights were still shining down, the vige¡¯s lights seemed as though covered with a thickyer of dust, somewhat yellowed and dim, casting a gloomy shadow that was oppressive. However, near this coffin, a body sat propped against the wall, twisted like a pretzel into a position that seemed impossible to achieve. Blood flowed from the body, staining the surrounding area red. Although it was barely recognizable as human, one could tell from the clothing and certain features. This was¡­ Ouyang Tian. ¡°D-dead?¡± Zhang Yiming¡¯s voice trembled. They were all in the same building, not even ten meters apart. A ghost master of such stature had died so easily before their eyes, without even a chance to struggle, leaving behind only a gruesomely disfigured corpse. ¡°The ghost that was inside his body is gone as well.¡± Ye Jun, who had been rtively close to Ouyang Tian, remained silent for a while before speaking up. ¡°It¡¯s evident. If the ghost that was inside him were still there, he wouldn¡¯t have died so easily.¡± Zhang Yiming said, ¡°The difference is too great. The terror level of this ghost must be at least an A. To kill a ghost master just like that, as if ughtering a chicken.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s easier than killing a chicken. At least a chicken can squawk a couple of times, but this¡­¡± Fear or a bitter smile¡ªit was hard to tell which¡ªinhabit his face. But everyone could feel Zhang Yiming¡¯s suppressed, helpless emotion. Of course, the others were feeling simrly. After all, a fellow ghost master had died silently before their eyes, and anyone would have been overwhelmed by the pressure of such a death. ¡°Does being alone mean certain death?¡± Yang Jian frowned deeply. ¡°In this way, it¡¯s utterly impossible to know this ghost¡¯s methods of killing or patterns of movement¡­ it somewhat hints at silencing its victims. But something¡¯s not right. It makes sense for the ghost to target ghost masters who are alone, but then why would it deliberately draw us all out here?¡± ¡°Those footsteps seemed to intentionally bring us together. Earlier, while I was sleeping, the ghost didn¡¯t attack me; instead, it deliberately lured me out, and afterward, I ran into Zhang Han and Ouyang Tian.¡± ¡°Just now upstairs, it was the same scenario. Footsteps appeared, and I, along with Zhang Han, ran into Zhang Yiming and the others.¡± Yang Jian was pondering at this moment, analyzing based on the few clues he had. ¡°So, does this mean the ghost is both trying to bring us together and attack ghost masters who are alone?¡± ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. Ghost actions are usually straightforward with a strong purpose¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t exhibit two contradictory behaviors unless¡­ there are two different ghosts in this vige.¡± ¡°One ghost gathers us while another separates us?¡± Thus, the Sick Ghost who coughed and the ghost that killed He Sheng and Ouyang Tian were definitely not the same entity. Havinge to this conclusion, Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but suck in a breath of cold air. Such profound terror! ¡°Yang Jian, what are you thinking about? Stop thinking; we need to leave,¡± Zhang Han reminded him. At that moment, Yang Jian regained his senses, only to abruptly see that Ouyang Tian¡¯s body had already been wrapped up and ced to the side. They were heading out, leaving the ce behind. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhang Yiming turned his head and said, ¡°Under these terrible circumstances, staying here is certain death. I decided to stay before because we had the advantage in numbers, but now¡­ With two ghost masters already dead, and their deaths so bizarre and mysterious, staying is not a wise decision. It¡¯s time to abandon this mission.¡± ¡°After we get back, I¡¯m going to settle the score with thatpany. They must know something.¡± After speaking, he handed a set of car keys to Yang Jian. ¡°This is Ouyang Tian¡¯s car key. I saw that you didn¡¯t drive into the vige earlier, so you can temporarily use this car. It¡¯s a way for us to help each other. If you decide to leave with us, you¡¯re wee to join,¡± he said. Yang Jian took the car keys, furrowing his brows as he looked at them. Cowards could never achieve great things. It seemed they preferred to sit in the club waiting for death. He had no intention of leaving; he decided to stay. ¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to go?¡± Zhang Han, seeing that Yang Jian made no move, spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate anymore, let¡¯s leave this ce together. You will die if you stay here.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°For us ghost masters at the very bottom, without the support of corporations or the state, with low social status, not to mention any power, our ess to information is limited. The methods of controlling fierce ghosts might already be circting at a certain level, it¡¯s just that we are kept in the dark, not knowing. The incident in Huanggang Vige is an opportunity.¡± ¡°If we seize this opportunity, we can turn our fates around. As long as we control a second ghost and extend the resurrection time of the violent ghost, all the stalemates will be broken. You guys go ahead.¡± The others cast a deep nce at Yang Jian. He knew that this guy was prepared to risk his life. However, they did not have the slightest inclination to mock such behavior; on the contrary, they admired it a bit. Because they were waiting for death upon returning, while Yang Jian was fighting for survival in a hopeless situation. The ones who should beughed at were themselves. ¡°Then¡­ be careful on your own,¡± Zhang Yiming didn¡¯t say much. He and Ye Jun turned and left. Zhang Han hesitated for a moment. He wanted to leave this ce, but after what Yang Jian had said, he too wanted to stay and give it a try. In the end, fear overcame courage, and with gritted teeth, he also turned and left. Two people had already died; he couldn¡¯t afford to gamble. ¡°It¡¯s good to test them. If this ghost really has the Ghost Domain, then these people won¡¯t be able to leave the vige. If they can¡­ then I can leave whenever I want,¡± Yang Jian slightly narrowed his eyes, his mind clearly had its calctions. They were afraid of death, and so was Yang Jian. But he had a huge advantage: once the Ghost Domain was used, even the Door Knocking Ghost couldn¡¯t keep him. It was precisely because of this skill to escape that he dared to take the risk. ¡°They¡¯ve left, so now the person who¡¯s alone¡­ is me.¡± Yang Jian immediately shifted his gaze and began to consider the current situation. ¡°If it¡¯s the same as before, then I should be the next target for the violent ghost¡¯s attack. However, Ouyang Tian has just died, and after attacking a ghost master, the ghost will have to wait before it can kill again. After all, even the hanged need to catch their breath. So, during this time, let¡¯s take a look at this thing.¡± He then looked toward the coffin ced in the middle of the hall. He had started to piece together some clues in his mind. To give up now would be too hard to bear. Taking a deep breath and facing the dim light, Yang Jian walked up to the vermilion-painted coffin. The coffin seemed newly made, with a strong smell of paint that was somewhat irritating. But was it really a human corpse that it contained? The next moment. Yang Jian ced his hand on top of the coffin lid. He was ready to open the coffin. Chapter 91 - 91 The Open Coffin (Please Subscribe) Chapter 91: Chapter 91 The Open Coffin (Please Subscribe) Three sports cars set off in session, following the country road towards Dachang City. There were five people when they arrived. But now, there were only three left on the return trip. Less than a day had passed. No, to be precise, from encountering the ghost to leaving, it all happened in less than an hour. This must be the fastest retreat for a group of ghost handlers. ¡°Zhang Yiming, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s inappropriate for us to just leave like this?¡± Inside the car, the few were linked by call, and Zhang Han hesitated. Ye Jun, who was driving the lead car, scoffed coldly: ¡°Then you go back and save him. I¡¯ve been annoyed by this Yang Jian for a while, but given the circumstances, I¡¯ve been holding back, not stooping to his level. You saw how terrifying that ghost was. We hadn¡¯t even seen its face before two of us died, and He Sheng and Ouyang Tian lost the ghosts inside them.¡± ¡°How many ghosts are there in Huanggang Vige now, can you figure that out for me?¡± Zhang Han said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. What I mean is, he seemed to have discovered something. Although Yang Jian is a bit arrogant, he isn¡¯t brainless. He dared to fire a gun in the club, and he was the first to charge forward the moment the ghost appeared, showing he¡¯s quite brave. Moreover, after entering the vige, he even drew a map; it¡¯s obvious he¡¯s got a sharp mind.¡± ¡°Why would someone like that risk staying in this haunted vige?¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± asked Zhang Yiming while driving and smoking. ¡°Maybe he already has some idea in mind. If he really seeds in resolving the supernatural event of Huanggang Vige, I think we¡¯ll regret leaving here today,¡± said Zhang Han. Zhang Yiming fell silent for a moment before speaking: ¡°Since we¡¯ve decided to leave, let¡¯s not think too much. Go back, take a shower, and get some early rest. We¡¯re noting back to Huanggang Vige ever again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ve already left. Are we supposed to turn around now?¡± Ye Jun let out a light snort, but just as he finished speaking, his expression changed drastically. ¡°Something¡¯s not right, stop the car.¡± What followed was the sound of tires screeching to a halt, the friction against the ground producing thick smoke. Ye Jun, driving the car at the forefront, braked abruptly. ¡°Damn~!¡± Zhang Han cursed and hurriedly braked, nearly crashing into the car ahead. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Zhang Yiming. ¡°Get out of the car and see for yourself,¡± said Ye Jun, his face looking rather grim. The three of them got out of the car. Under the illumination of their headlights, the road ahead was clearly visible. Following the road straight ahead¡­ a vige appeared before them. At the entrance of the vige stood a sign that read: Huanggang Vige. ¡°Huanggang Vige? Are you kidding me? We just left the vige, followed the road straight, and now we¡¯ve turned back around?¡± Zhang Han¡¯s eyes bulged, and then he couldn¡¯t help but burst into curses: ¡°It must be a ghost targeting us. It won¡¯t let us leave. I knew it wasn¡¯t going to be simple. I had a feeling earlier it wouldn¡¯t be easy to leave.¡± ¡°As expected, it¡¯s easy to enter this vige but hard to leave.¡± ¡°Should we try turning around?¡± Ye Jun looked at the sign for Huanggang Vige and said in a grave voice. Zhang Yiming shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s useless to think about driving out of the vige. We¡¯ve seen ghost walls before. As far as I know, there are usually only two scenarios in which we can leave,¡± ¡°One is if the ghost leaves and gives up on killing us.¡± ¡°The second is if we imprison the ghost and resolve the supernatural event.¡± Ye Jun said, ¡°So you mean we can only go back to the vige now?¡± Zhang Yiming took a deep puff of his cigarette: ¡°The ghost is in the vige. Given that we can¡¯t leave, we might stand a chance on its turf. Outside¡­ to put it bluntly, dying would be in vain.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Suddenly, the lights behind them flickered as if something had walked past the headlights, blocking the light and casting a tall shadow across the field. Ye Jun was startled and immediately turned around. At this moment, his body was drenched. Drops of foul smelling corpse water continuously seeped out, quickly forming a small puddle on the ground. Almost instinctively, he summoned the strength of a fierce ghost. ¡°Did you see clearly?¡± When Zhang Yiming and Zhang Han turned their heads back, there was no one there. Carefully, Ye Jun looked around the side but found only the oppressive darkness of the fields. There was no one. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone. I just saw a shadow sh by up ahead, like someone passed by the side of the car lights¡­ Under these circumstances, do you still think it was a living person?¡± Zhang Yiming walked over, looked down, and surveyed the area around the headlights. ¡°You¡¯re not mistaken, someone did pass by here just now, look at these footprints.¡± Ye Jun and Zhang Han gathered to look. Clear footprints appeared in front of the car, but they vanished into the fields and could no longer be seen. The prints were muddy, with clear shoe patterns. The mud, however, was mixed with some ck powder that seemed familiar, as if they had seen it somewhere before. ¡°Paper ash, this ck powder is paper ash.¡± Zhang Yiming felt it and then smelled it. Paper ash? Zhang Han said in shock: ¡°Wasn¡¯t there an iron basin in front of that spirit hall? During the day, the vigers were burning paper money, and when we were there earlier, wasn¡¯t that basin full of paper ash?¡± ¡°So, does that mean the ghost really came out of that house?¡± Ye Jun felt a chill down his spine. Zhang Yiming crushed his cigarette underfoot. ¡°That¡¯s right, judging by the current situation, that ghost was indeed in the ancestral hall. Now¡­ it¡¯s gone because it has set its sights on us, right beside us, and very close.¡± ¡°The ghost chose to follow us, so is Yang Jian, who stayed in the ancestral hall after we left, already dead?¡± Zhang Han eximed in shock. ¡°Not sure, he might be dead, or he might still be alive, but the chances of survival are slim, especially since He Sheng and Ouyang Tian are already dead,¡± Zhang Yiming said. His gaze constantly scoured the surroundings for any movement, not daring to let his guard down for a moment. The ghost had indeed followed them just now; this much was certain. Therefore, the matter at hand wasn¡¯t whether Yang Jian was alive or dead, but whether the three of them could survive. At that moment, within Huanggang Vige. Yang Jian was, of course, not dead. He had found a crowbar and was currently trying to pry open the coffin lid. ¡°It¡¯s so heavy¡­ as if it¡¯s been nailed shut, and there¡¯s not a single nail to be seen around the coffin.¡± After prying for a while without sess, Yang Jian hung all his weight on the crowbar, barely managing to crack open a slit. Yes, just a slit. His ¡°Ghost Eye¡± ignored the darkness, barely making out a bit of the situation inside the coffin through that crack. A pair of somewhat ckened dead palms, with ten fingers like steel nails, held the coffin lid tightly from the inside, sealing what could have been easily opened. Was this the reason it wouldn¡¯t open? Yang Jian¡¯s pupils contracted. Just as he tried to get a clearer view, the coffin trembled, the crowbar slipped, and it flew out instantly,nding on the ground. ¡°Bang~!¡± The coffin lid made a loud noise as it immediately closed up, perfectly sealed without a gap. ¡°There¡¯s definitely¡­ a ghost lying in this coffin.¡± Yang Jian took a slight breath and, looking at the crowbar on the ground, he didn¡¯t continue trying to open it. Knowing the result was enough. As for whether he should open the coffin all the way, that wasn¡¯t important. ¡°If the ghost is in the coffin, does that mean as long as I guard this coffin and prevent the ghost froming out, I can avoid being killed?¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t leave because of fear; instead, he stared at the coffin, falling into thought. It was a bold guess. If the guess was wrong, it would be like delivering himself as an easy prey, expertly courting death. But if the estimate was correct, Yang Jian could at least ensure his safety as long as the coffin lid wasn¡¯t opened. And once the judgment was sessful¡­ He was only a step away from confining the ghost. After thinking for a moment, Yang Jian decided to take the risk and try it. If he didn¡¯t stay here to guard, he wouldn¡¯t know when the ghost might appear, which would be even more disadvantageous to him. There were no cameras in the countryside; if there were, he wouldn¡¯t have had toe in person. Right away, he went straight back to old Liu Genrong¡¯s house, carried his luggage out, including the body bag, that gold box, human skin paper¡­ then returned to the ancestral hall. Without further thought, he tossed his luggage aside and sat next to the coffin, watching every move it made. He was staking his life to verify a fact. At this moment, the ghost was inside the coffin, and he was outside of it. Barely three meters apart. While Yang Jian stayed awake, keeping an eye on the coffin, three sports cars also stopped in the middle of the road at the vige entrance. Zhang Yiming, Ye Jun, and Zhang Han sat back-to-back, each on high alert for everything around them. A ghost had appeared near them before, so they dared not drive anymore, nor wander around carelessly, because they couldn¡¯t be sure if the ghost was still nearby. ¡°p~!¡± Zhang Han suddenly pped himself. ¡°Can¡¯t stand it, want to sleep?¡± Ye Jun asked. Zhang Han said, ¡°No, it¡¯s mosquitoes. Got a bite on my face.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Yiming said, ¡°There are about two hours left until dawn. If we can¡¯t confirm whether the ghost is still around, then we¡¯ll wait for daylight, at least we¡¯ll have better visibility.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kind of hoping Yang Jian is here. His eyes seem to be able to see ghosts, so he wouldn¡¯t be as blind as us in the dark.¡± Zhang Han pped himself again, killing another mosquito. ¡°This is so annoying. We are exorcists, but to be yed like this, to lose two people and still not even see the ghost¡¯s face after all this time¡­ And not even given the chance to use the power of a fierce ghost,¡± Ye Jun felt frustrated. It was like being at the club when Yang Jian shot and shattered his head. Being hit without the ability to hit back. ¡°This is the difference between ghosts,¡± Zhang Yiming said, drawing on his cigarette. Chapter 92 - 92 The Changing Portrait Chapter 92: Chapter 92 The Changing Portrait Day had finally broken. Yang Jian hadn¡¯t slept for thetter half of the night, just sitting there in the hall of mourning. Although not tired, staying on edge for such a long period and staring constantly at the coffin in front of him¡ªtruth be told, even someone made of iron would find it unbearable. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t quite aplete person at the moment. So Yang Jian chose not to rest. Besides, at times like these, even if one is exhausted, they must endure. ¡°The coffin was silent all night, and I wasn¡¯t attacked by a vicious ghost throughout¡­ So, it seems my previous guess should be correct,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and red. Even without using Ghost Eyes, his own eyes seemed almost to turn into Ghost Eyes. Risking his lifest night, he could confirm that the ghost and this coffin were directly connected. And it wasn¡¯t just one ghost; both ghosts in the vige were rted to the coffin. There was still one doubt that remained unresolved, though. Why did the ghost named Sick Ghost deliberately lure all the ghost maniptors outst night, gathering them together? What was the purpose behind it? ¡°There¡¯s too little information to analyze anything substantial, but now that it¡¯s certain the real ghost is inside the coffin, I can consider a way to imprison it,¡± he nced at the body bag beside him. The item bought for twenty million should not disappoint. There had been no action before because it was uncertain whether there truly was a ghost inside the coffin. If a mistake was made, and the ghost was still outside, wouldn¡¯t that be signing one¡¯s own death warrant? At this thought, Yang Jian stood up. He stretched his limbs, bringing sensation back to his somewhat sore and numb body. He was preparing to try and imprison the ghost inside the coffin. Althoughcking confidence and assurance, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and proceed. Approaching the coffin in the mourning hall once again, he was ready to forcibly use Ghost Domain to open the coffin. But at this moment, five or six vigers d in hemp and filial attire suddenly appeared outside the door. These vigers were stunned upon seeing Yang Jian. ¡°Who are you? Why are you here?¡± An old man said, ¡°Get out, get out now! This isn¡¯t a ce for you city folk to mess around. Causing trouble in the mourning hall, I¡¯ll break your legs if you¡¯re not careful.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian looked at the arriving elders, momentarily taken aback. You¡¯ve got a ghost in this coffin, and you dare to burn paper and keep watch? Could this be true love? ¡°This, dear elders, please listen to my exnation,¡± Yang Jian hurriedly began, to avoid being driven out. ¡°No excuses, get out.¡± The old man was irritable, dragging Yang Jian towards the exit. Yang Jian immediately said, ¡°Please calm down, elder. I can¡¯t keep hiding it now. In truth, the deceased was my brother. I called him ¡®Bro¡¯, and I¡¯m his younger sibling. A few days ago, I received word of his passing, and I was filled with mixed emotions¡­ No, that¡¯s wrong, I was gripped by sadness. So I drove through the night to your vige to pay my respects.¡± ¡°Last night, I was so eager to think of my brother that I sat here to keep vigil and apany him. I hope the elders can understand.¡± ¡°But the man who died was an only child,¡± interjected an auntie enjoying the drama. ¡°¡­¡± Can¡¯t you just not argue at this point? It¡¯s not easy for me toe up with lies on the spot. Yang Jian coughed twice and said, ¡°I forgot to mention, we are brothers indeed, but from different fathers and mothers. Although there¡¯s no blood rtion, our bond is as deep as the ocean, our friendship greater than the sky. The sun and the moon can bear witness. So I hope the elders will allow me to stay here and apany my brother on his final journey.¡± ¡°But you entered the vige during the daytime yesterday, not by car at night. You¡¯re definitely a liar,¡± another elder stated. Man, this elder has a really good memory. What a waste not to y mahjong with such recall. Yang Jian persisted, thoughcking in confidence, ¡°Is that so? I remembering at night. Perhaps my grief has overwhelmed me, blurring the distinction between day and night. But this doesn¡¯t affect my heartfelt longing for myte brother.¡± ¡°Are you really my nephew¡¯s brother?¡± The elder, still suspicious, eyed him closely. ¡°Absolutely true. I didn¡¯t study much, never had extra tuition in primary school, so I didn¡¯t learn many things. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t lie but only speak the truth,¡± Yang Jian affirmed with a nod. The elder reproached him, ¡°Why did you onlye now? Have you brought the ¡®white package¡¯?¡± ¡°Brought it, brought it.¡± Yang Jian quickly took out a thousand yuan. ¡°It¡¯s rare that you have such a heart, watching over the wake for my nephew. You had a hard timest night, and if you¡¯re not afraid, I¡¯ll trouble you to do it again tonight,¡± said the uncle, gripping Yang Jian¡¯s hand with some emotion. When he pulled his hand back, the thousand yuan he had in his hand was gone. Yang Jian¡¯s mouth twitched. If you had simply said you¡¯d give me a cash gift, this would be over, wouldn¡¯t it? Instead, I¡¯ve been randomly acknowledging rtives here. ¡°There¡¯s no problem anymore, no problem. This is my nephew¡¯s brother from outside, who rushed back to burn paper money. Let¡¯s all not misunderstand from now on,¡± the uncle called out to the other vigers. Yang Jian initially wanted to ask the uncle what his deceased nephew¡¯s name was but then thought better of it. Asking about a ghost lying in the coffin is utterly pointless. However, after thismotion, it was clear that any actions during the day would be quite unrealistic. With so many people around and so many eyes, who knew what might happen? And more importantly¡­ why don¡¯t the ghosts in this vige attack the elderly here? Even if they prefer to attack those who control ghosts, in the absence of such controllers, they should still engage in indiscriminate killing. Could they be local ghosts? Attached to their own feelings. Additionally, there was something off about the vigers. Simply living in a vige haunted by malevolent spirits was bizarre enough. Yet, such concerns weren¡¯t what he should be pondering over now. At least to Yang Jian, these people all had body temperatures, heartbeats; they were very much alive¡­ human. In any case, there was no threat, so why bother with the oddity of the vigers. He temporarily stepped out of the house. Yang Jian sat outside for a rest, watching the vigers going in and out of the mourning hall, burning paper money, recing burnt-out candles, wailing by the coffin¡­ Something just felt strange. Did they really know about the ghost in the coffin? As he rested, his satellite-positioned phone rang. It was a call from Liu Xiaoyu. ¡°Hello, Yang Jian? Is it convenient for you to answer the phone?¡± ¡°Just speak if you have something, I¡¯m temporarily not busy,¡± replied Yang Jian. ¡°I looked into the portrait from that photo you sent me yesterday,¡± Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s voice came through the phone. Yang Jian asked, ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°The situation is very bad¡­ that person in the photo you sent me doesn¡¯t exist in Dachang City, no, he doesn¡¯t even exist in the whole country, which means, this person simply doesn¡¯t exist,¡± Liu Xiaoyu exined. Yang Jian¡¯s pupils sharpened: ¡°This person doesn¡¯t exist? How is that possible? Are you sure you didn¡¯t make a mistake in searching?¡± While the person in the coffin might be a ghost, surely the portrait couldn¡¯t possibly show the face of a ghost. ¡°No mistake, this is the result from a supeputerparing the national database. The photos in our database that most closely match your photo have less than sixty percent simrity, and of those few that have higher simrity, I have checked and they are clear. Additionally, your photo has been authenticated by specialized personnel¡­ The chances of it beingposite are quite high,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yang Jian pressed for rification. ¡°It means that the image is abination of several people¡¯s photos mixed together. Do you understand?¡± exined Liu Xiaoyu. Yang Jian, sitting outside, felt a chill as he looked at the portrait in front of the coffin. Hearing this, he now realized. The portrait looked slightly different from yesterday. He opened the gallery on another phone andpared it to the portrait. Indeed, there had been a slight change. This change was vague, hard to specify, but a carefulparison could confirm that the photo from yesterday and today¡¯s portrait were merely very simr, definitely not the same person. A changing portrait? Although he didn¡¯t know why this was happening, Yang Jian felt that this change was definitely not a good sign. ¡°Hello, Yang Jian, can you still hear me?¡± Liu Xiaoyu, hearing no response from the other end, added, ¡°The files you asked me to look into about the incidents in Huanggang Vige have been found, and I¡¯m sending them to your phone right now. You should have a spare phone since the Ghost Domain phone doesn¡¯t have image receiving capabilities.¡± ¡°Okay, good,¡± Yang Jian promptly replied, giving her the number of his personal phone. Soon after, he received an email on his phone. Unable to wait, he opened the files about Huanggang Vige, and almost at first nce, his eyes suddenly narrowed, and he nearly jumped up from his seat on the ground. ¡°This¡­ How could this be? It¡¯s impossible.¡± The information in the files instilled in him an inexplicable fear. And at that moment. Three sports cars once again drove into the vige. It was Zhang Yiming, Zhang Han, and Ye Jun¡ªthe trio who had left the vige the night before without actually departing. Chapter 93 - 93 Two Ghosts Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Two Ghosts Yang Jian stared intently at the screen of his phone. At that moment, an email came in on the screen, disying a special file. Dachang City Huanggang Vige supernatural event archive. As he continued to scroll down, some rted information began to appear: In a certain year and month¡­ a supernatural event suddenly struck Huanggang Vige of Dachang City, and the whole vige vanished overnight. Below was a satellite image. All the buildings in the vige¡¯s location on the satellite image, along with the vigers, and even the chickens, ducks, and dogs in the vige, were all gone. There was nothing but emptiness all around. It was as if a hand-drawn map had been erased with correction fluid. Only a nk space was left. No, it wasn¡¯t that nothing was left, At the very center of this vige, something inexplicably appeared. A coffin. The image was very clear, Yang Jian could even see the shape of the coffin, its color, and some of the fine details. This coffin was identical to the one in the hall of spirits he had seen earlier. The only difference was that the coffin in the center of the vige in the picture was¡­ open, and there was a blurry figure standing beside it. It wasn¡¯t clear. It was as if some force had interfered with the image, and even the most advanced satellites couldn¡¯t capture this thing clearly. However, as he continued to scroll down, Three days after the Huanggang Vige supernatural event, the mysteriously vanished vige reappeared, but the vigers did not return¡­ Overnight, the entire vige turned into an uninhabited Ghost Vige. The incident had a significant impact, and Feng Quan, a ghost handler from Dachang City, was in charge of the investigation. The ghost handler mentioned in the file, Feng Quan, must have been Zhou Zheng¡¯s predecessor. A certain year, month, and day at 12:50 PM: Ghost handler Feng Quan arrived at Huanggang Vige. At 1:15 PM, Feng Quan officially entered Huanggang Vige. That was where the action report ended, and what followed was a section of dialogue-based information. ¡°It has been confirmed that all vigers have disappeared, likely to have died at the hands of vicious ghosts.¡± ¡°Out of caution, I didn¡¯t venture too deep into the vige.¡± ¡°I saw that coffin; it was open¡­ The figure next to the coffin in the satellite image was confirmed not to be there. I judged the figure to be a Vicious Ghost, with an unknown level of danger.¡± ¡°Nothing seemed to happen today. I¡¯ve decided to take a risk and stay in Huanggang Vige for one day, at least to find out whether that Vicious Ghost is indeed in the vige.¡± ¡°At night, I heard footsteps outside¡­¡± ¡°The Vicious Ghost appeared.¡± ¡°My situation is very bad, this vige is peculiar, highly unusual, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to leave; I suggest sealing off the entire vige.¡± ¡°I did my utmost, did everything I could. Don¡¯t touch that coffin, that coffin¡­¡± The fragmented reports weren¡¯t many, just a few sparse sentences. But from these simple dialogues, it was clear that the ghost handler Feng Quan must have died in Huanggang Vige and had not left alive. Moreover, some of the dialogue had been deliberately edited out, omitting many important clues. These clues must be extremely important. ¡°The whole Huanggang Vige once vanished from this world overnight, and although it appeared againter, was the vige that reappeared still the same Huanggang Vige?¡± Yang Jian clenched his fists tightly, ¡°Since it¡¯s not that, then what exactly do the vigers in this vige count for now?¡± Watching the vigers bustling about in the ancestral hall, and the old men chatting in the alleyways, everything seemed so normal. Aside from the specters wandering around the vige, one couldn¡¯t see anything unusual. ¡°If the vigers have long ceased to exist, then could all these people before my eyes be¡­ ghosts?¡± Aftering to this realization, he felt a bone-chilling coldness. He stared at a madam seated in front of her house washing clothes, who returned Yang Jian¡¯s gaze with a polite smile. He could not sense the characteristics of a specter from these vigers. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be, this conjecture must be wrong, the vigers couldn¡¯t all be ghosts, because there couldn¡¯t possibly be that many ghosts here, and they haven¡¯t shown any strange behaviors, not even signs of being controlled by specters.¡± Yang Jian overturned this terrifying conjecture. He had seen people controlled by ghosts before, marked by eeriness and peculiarity, in short, different from normal people. But these vigers didn¡¯t have that feel. However¡­ if these vigers were not ghosts, then how could one exin their long-term life here without suffering spectral attacks? And what kept them from realizing that all the vigers of Huanggang Vige had mysteriously vanished following the first psychic event? There is also that message left by Feng Quan. What does ¡°Do not disturb that coffin¡± mean? And what would happen if it were disturbed? ¡°We can ignore the rest for now, the immediate priority is to detain the ghost in that coffin, this is a confirmed fact, but what I cannot be sure of is whether there¡¯s only one ghost in this vige¡­ The ¡®Sick Ghost¡¯ that coughed and the ghost that killed He Sheng and Ouyang Tian must be different, and if my guess is correct, then where is the second ghost?¡± Yang Jian now hesitated to act. He had an inkling that there was a deep connection between these two ghosts. One specter was vicious, vicious enough to kill even a ghost controller. The other wasn¡¯t malevolent, always seemingly intent on gathering these ghost controllers like himself, as if¡­ it wanted to prevent them from being singled out and killed. If this was indeed the case, then the ghost that needs to be detained first should be the vicious one that killed the two ghost controllers. But if the wrong one was detained first, if the ¡®Sick Ghost¡¯ trying to stop the vicious spirit was contained ahead of time, without any restraint, heaven knows what that vicious ghost might do. After realizing this, Yang Jian was both shocked and fearful. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t acted rashlyst night, but chose to observe and make sure first. ¡°Yang Jian, you¡¯re actually all right? That¡¯s great news, there¡¯s been trouble, the whole vige has been sealed off by the specter, we couldn¡¯t leave by car, and had to return to the vige, and justst night, we were attacked by the specter. We thought you were done for, but it seems we were the more unlucky ones; that ghost targeted us first. Luckily, we reacted in time, and the ghost didn¡¯t seed. Otherwise, another one of us would be dead.¡± At this moment, the sound of a car engine suddenly started. Three sports cars drove over and parked by the side of the road. Zhang Han stepped out of the car, somewhat excitedly describingst night¡¯s events. Yang Jian snapped back to reality, looking at Zhang Han with a mix of surprise and suspicion. Just from his words, he could entirely confirm his previous guess. There are two ghosts in the vige, A ¡®Sick Ghost,¡¯ and a ¡®Vicious Ghost.¡¯ One inside a coffin, the other roaming outside. ¡°No one else will die, if you are willing to cooperate with me, this paranormal problem can be resolved,¡± Yang Jian suddenly stared at him, speaking very seriously. Chapter 94: Grateful Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Grateful In less than one night, Yang Jian had confirmed many things. It was impossible to have a full assurance in resolving this supernatural event, but he had to express great confidence in front of this group of doubters from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club. Without convincing them to risk their lives, how could he carry out the next actions? Upon hearing Yang Jian¡¯s words, Zhang Yiming, Ye Jun, and Zhang Han all looked at him together. There was no surprise in their eyes, only suspicion and distrust. ¡°That¡¯s some big talk. Can you really resolve the supernatural event at Huanggang Vige?¡± Ye Jun suddenly sneered; ¡°Boasting is one thing, but you saw it yourselfst night, in less than an hour, two ghost controllers died.¡± ¡°He Sheng and Ouyang Tian didn¡¯t even get the chance to subdue the fierce ghost. Now, I¡¯m starting to doubt that you tricked us intoing here on purpose back at the club.¡± Yang Jian said calmly, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then why bothering back?¡± ¡°The whole vige is sealed off, we can get in but can¡¯t get out. Do you think we don¡¯t want to leave? You never nned to leave before; did you know the vige was sealed and just wanted to make a fool of us?¡± Ye Jun said angrily. Unable to leave, his mood was very irritable, and he was gradually bing intolerant of Yang Jian. He believed that if he were to die in Huanggang Vige, he must avenge the feud of that day at the club before dying. Yang Jian said, ¡°With that kind of attitude, there¡¯s no point in talking, is there?¡± The rtively silent Zhang Yiming waved his hand and said, ¡°Ye Jun, forget it. What¡¯s the point of arguing now? Yang Jian, are you truly confident that you can resolve this supernatural event?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing to cooperate, I can indeed resolve this event, but if you don¡¯t¡­ to be honest, all three of you will die,¡± Yang Jian said with a calm nce. ¡°I had the suspicion that the vige could not be left when I encountered that Sick Ghost, and your return confirmed this fact. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t leave the vige on a whim¡­ It¡¯s true that two ghost controllers died in this vige, but when caught in a supernatural event, where is there no death? Moreover, to resolve this matter, we must stay in the vige.¡± Yang Jian snorted coldly, ¡°Fear of death will only lead to dying faster. You were lucky this time to encounter that ghost and not be attacked, but I fear you won¡¯t be so fortunate next time. If I¡¯m not mistaken, that ghost should be looking for an opportunity nearby you, it¡¯s just that you identally did something and didn¡¯t trigger a certain fatal condition.¡± At these words, the three of them immediately felt a chill in their hearts and their expressions changed slightly. ¡°A certain fatal condition, what is that?¡± Zhang Han asked hurriedly, ¡°Have you deduced something?¡± ¡°No, I just have a bold guess and hypothesis. If you are willing to tell me what happenedst night, I can basically determine the behavior pattern of this one ghost¡­ Once it¡¯s confirmed, capturing that ghost will not be a problem,¡± Yang Jian said seriously. ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true¡­¡± Zhang Yiming said while smoking, still with some disbelief. ¡°Then Uncle, do you have any good ideas? If you¡¯re confident about capturing this ghost, I don¡¯t mind listening to you,¡± Yang Jian said. Zhang Yiming gave a bitter smile; ¡°In dealing with this event, I admit that I¡¯m not as good as you. Actually, nothing much happenedst night, except that after sensing the ghost might be near us, the three of us just sat together all night¡­ Oddly enough, we weren¡¯t attacked during the long night.¡± Indeed~! Yang Jian¡¯s expression tightened. ¡°Wait, you just mentioned you only confirmed the behavior pattern of one ghost, so there¡¯s more than one ghost in this vige?¡± All of a sudden, Zhang Han widened his eyes and hastily asked. Yang Jian nodded and said, ¡°Indeed, there should be two ghosts in this vige¡­ at least two that have interacted with us. Haven¡¯t you suspected any of the strange things that happenedst night?¡± ¡°But now is not the time to talk about two ghosts. What I can confirm now is that in this vige, no one should act alone, even ghost controllers. If you encounter that ghost while alone, I¡¯m sure, there¡¯s no doubt you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°He Sheng and Ouyang Tian have proved it, encountering a ghost alone will result in certain death. You had no troublest night because you three stuck together, and the ghost didn¡¯t find an opportunity to strike¡­ Or it didn¡¯t meet the ghost¡¯s killing condition.¡± Zhang Han eximed, ¡°It¡¯s really like you said, we had no problems when we stuck together, but being alone when meeting a ghost would mean certain death.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, ording to what you¡¯re saying, everyone in the vige would have died long ago. How can there still be many people living here?¡± Ye Jun couldn¡¯t help but curse. Yang Jian nced at him: ¡°Are you sure that everyone in the vige is human? I found some information on Huanggang Vige, the paranormal activity started six months ago, and the vige was isted, the vigers disappeared¡­ In other words, this ce has long be a Ghost Vige, and what we see sometimes isn¡¯t real.¡± ¡°Are you saying everyone in this vige could potentially be a ghost?¡± Zhang Yiming shivered, his eyes narrowing involuntarily. He looked around. The remaining elderly vigers, at least dozens of them, if they are all ghosts, what is the point of this? This would be like deliberately courting death. ¡°I can¡¯t confirm they are ghosts, but they¡¯re definitely not human,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Your words are as worthless as farts. Since you¡¯re not sure, let me help you confirm,¡± Ye Jun said coldly, and then he pulled out a gun from his waist and aimed it at a nearby old man. ¡°You idiot,¡± Yang Jian suddenly said with a ferocious grip on his neck: ¡°If you want to die, get far away from here. Don¡¯t mess with my affairs here. I¡¯ve finally cleared up some clues, and your firing a gun will ruin everything. If you dare to cause chaos here, I¡¯ll kill you first.¡± ¡°Are they your family? Worth your concern?¡± Ye Jun pointed at Yang Jian again, ¡°Since you won¡¯t let me shoot them, why don¡¯t you take a few hits for them? See if it¡¯s true love between you guys. Besides, I¡¯ve been meaning to settle that matter with you from the entertainment club.¡± Since we can¡¯t leave the vige anyway, and it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll survive, might as well let off some steam. ¡°Your mind really must be waterlogged. Keeping you in the vige would only cause trouble. It¡¯s better to kill you here and now, so you don¡¯t drag us downter with your idiocy. Your very existence is a mistake.¡± Yang Jian spoke with a hint of murderous intent, and scarlet ghost eyes suddenly opened on the back of his hand, his forehead, and his face. At this moment, he genuinely wanted to kill someone. These vigers, whether they are ghosts or not, cannot be provoked. After all, they haven¡¯t posed any threat to us for now. No threat means there¡¯s no need to offend them. What if Ye Jun fires and confirms that these vigers are ghosts? What then? Offending a group of ghosts would mean a quicker death. And if the vigers aren¡¯t ghosts? Then there¡¯s even less reason to shoot. Why disturb their seemingly normal life? ¡°You can¡¯t scare me. Since we can¡¯t leave anyway, I might as well go all out against you.¡± Ye Jun grinned, starting to go a bit crazy. ¡°Come on then.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed, and a red glow began to emerge from his body. ¡°Ye Jun, calm down.¡± Suddenly, Zhang Yiming shouted. Zhang Han was not normal at the moment either, and he said coldly, ¡°Yang Jian is right. You¡¯re going to cause trouble with what you¡¯re doing. We can¡¯t touch these vigers. If it reallyes to blows, I¡¯ll side with Yang Jian, not you.¡± They all realized the terrible consequences of acting recklessly. Once it¡¯s confirmed that this group of vigers are ghosts, wouldn¡¯t firing the gun invite their revenge? If so, that shot would be suicide. How idiotic would someone have to be to try and kill a viger to test if they¡¯re real or not? Three against one. No chance of winning. In his desperation, Ye Jun started losing control but wasn¡¯t so foolish as to be unable to see the situation clearly. ¡°Sorry, I was impulsive.¡± He took a step back and dropped the gun on the ground. ¡°You should be more calm. Considering how you were behaving just now, you must be close to turning into a fierce ghost. You¡¯ve begun losing your rationality,¡± Zhang Yiming said. Ye Jun¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, but he just looked at Yang Jian and said, ¡°I¡¯ve apologized already. Can you stop choking me now?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯d be better off dead.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s desire to kill did not wane. At such a critical time, he didn¡¯t want another troublemaker around. ¡°Yang Jian, you calm down too. I know there was friction between you guys before, but right now, our priority should be figuring out how to deal with this supernatural event. We¡¯re already short on people, losing another wouldn¡¯t be good for the overall situation, right?¡± Zhang Yiming said. Yang Jian¡¯s expression was unchanged, revealing nothing, as his hand slowly retracted. ¡°Young man, having an argument?¡± An elderly woman walked up to them at this moment and advised, ¡°Though it¡¯s natural to be spirited when you¡¯re young, you need to know your limits. A few words in dispute are fine, just don¡¯t resort to violence. If you cause a problem, you¡¯ll not only have to pay, but you might also end up in jail. Don¡¯t be impulsive¡ªyou know what they say, ¡®Impulse is the devil,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am, we¡¯re not fighting. Just a small argument, nothing serious,¡± said Zhang Han with a smile while carefully observing the elderly woman. She was advanced in age, with a face full of wrinkles and not looking very spirited, a bit frail, but with a kind face and always smiling. ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s what good boys do,¡± The elderly woman smiled, nodded, and then turned to leave. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± A weak, feeble cough sounded. In an instant. All four men were startled, their gazes sharply turned toward the source of the coughing. It was¡­ the elderly woman. Upon seeing this, Ye Jun felt a chill run down his spine, his body stiffened slightly, and in his heart, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Thankfully, he hadn¡¯t fired. Had he fired, who knows what would have happened. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 95 - 95 Easy to Solve? Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Easy to Solve? The cough of that old woman startled Yang Jian and Zhang Yiming along with the others. Without a doubt, that cough was the same voice fromst night¡­ weak, powerless, as if sick. ¡°Is she, a ghost?¡± Zhang Han¡¯s eyes widened as he watched the old woman slowly walk away. ¡°If this old woman really is a ghost, then the other vigers might be ghosts too¡­It was wise of you not to fire that shot, Ye Jun, think more before you act next time,¡± Zhang Yiming said. Yang Jian nced over, ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a brain at all, it¡¯s filled with corpse water, I saw it myselfst time we split his head open.¡± Ye Jun¡¯s face was a kaleidoscope of changing colors; at this moment, he was experiencing an inexplicable sense of fear. If he had actually fired just now, there might not have been just one ghost that appeared, but a swarm of them. ¡°Yang Jian, the old woman¡¯s cough is identical to the Sick Ghost¡¯s voice; does that confirm her identity? If that¡¯s the case, can we make our move now?¡± Zhang Yiming asked, with his gaze fixed on the slowly departing old woman. If they could sessfully detain her, perhaps this supernatural event would be smoothly resolved. ¡°We can give it a try,¡± Yang Jian said with a furrowed brow. Something still didn¡¯t feel right to him. If this old woman was the Sick Ghost, then who was the person in the coffin? And who was the ghost that tried to attack Zhang Yiming and the others at night? Could there be three ghosts? Impossible. The likelihood of so many ghosts gathered in one ce was very low, especially since this vige might be within the Ghost Domain. And within a Ghost Domain, there could only be one Ghost Person. What had been a clear sequence of events was nowpletely disrupted by the old woman¡¯s cough. Yet, Yang Jian didn¡¯t dare to ignore the old woman. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with her first, then go to the spirit hall, stay together and don¡¯t dally. Something feels off about all this¡­ if we handle it quickly, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems,¡± Yang Jian said, still holding on to a sliver of worry. ¡°Let¡¯s move then.¡± Zhang Yiming didn¡¯t hesitate. Despite having argued and nearlying to blows before, when faced with fierce ghosts, they naturally chose to join forces, an understanding unspoken. Zhang Han and Ye Jun immediately returned to the car to get things. Yang Jian also went to the spirit hall to pick up the necessary items and prepare everything. Before long, the group reconvened and followed behind the old woman. The old woman moved quite slowly, taking her time with each step, asionally unable to suppress a cough. The cough still sounded so weak, impolite, and exactly like the voice in the darkness of the previous night. Hearing it again, they became even more certain that this old woman was the ghost from yesterday. Once they detained her, all the problems would be solved. With this realization, they were excited rather than afraid, as solving this case would allow them toplete the transaction and learn how to extend the revival of fierce ghosts; it was a ray of hope in their desperate situation, a redemption they yearned for in their struggle in hell. Compared to their excitement, Yang Jian¡¯s face showed more worry. ¡°She¡¯s going home?¡± Zhang Yiming, following behind, noticed the old woman entering an old brick-and-tile house. The front of the house was clean and tidy, it was clear that the old woman liked cleanliness. However, given this old woman was a ghost¡­ surely no one would want to visit her home. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the rooftop and move from above,¡± Ye Jun suddenly said, stepping forward without further argument with Yang Jian, and began to take action. ¡°Then the three of us will break in directly, using the power of fierce ghosts, and not give her any chance,¡± Zhang Yiming said decisively. Zhang Han said, ¡°Hold on, let Ye Jun have onest look; I know what he wants to do.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Zhang Yiming nodded. Yang Jian said solemnly, ¡°Since you guys want to lead, I can go along with this operation, but remember, this vige is home to more than just this one ghost. And once again, we must be quick.¡± For some reason, his unease was growing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine, with our abilities it won¡¯t take long to handle this,¡± Zhang Yiming said. Inside the house. The old woman seemed tired from walking, and upon entering, she retreated to her room to lie down and rest. Meanwhile, Ye Jun had reached the rooftop. He was standing directly above the old woman. The old woman still appeared very normal, like any elderly person living alone without family, wandering about the vige conversing with other elders, returning home to rest when tired, uncared for even when sick. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± The old woman¡¯s body was weak; despite not being in a good state, perhaps bored, she got up again and turned on the television. Ready to watch TV for a while. These perfectly normal actions were witnessed by several people lurking nearby. Not just Yang Jian, others also began to feel puzzled. Was this olddy really a ghost? ¡°Drip, drip, drip~!¡± It was broad daylight, and there was no rain outside, yet the sound of water dripping could be heard from the roof. The olddyy in bed watching TV, but what was eerie was¡­ that the TV had no channel, only flickering ck and white dots jumping around, making a hissing noise. Yet the olddy seemed engrossed, as if she were immersed in it. ¡°Drip, drip~!¡± The dripping from the roof continued, and then a drop of water soaked through the tiles and suddenly fell from the roof. This drop of water was putrid and filthy, unlike rainwater; it resembled more the corpse water produced after a body decays. And yet, this very drop fell on the top of the olddy¡¯s head. The olddy still showed no reaction, continuing to watch the TV. However, at the top of the olddy¡¯s head, where the corpse water had dripped, there was now a ck mark¡­ and this mark began to spread rapidly, like some sort of contagious disease, with infectious properties. The area of the ck mark quickly grew until it covered half of the olddy¡¯s head. After that¡­ her head began to rot. Ye Jun¡¯s ability, maybe?¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. ¡°Drip, drip~!¡± The rate at which the corpse water fell quickened, somending on the nearby bed sheets, some on the olddy¡¯s back, some on her legs¡­ An intense stench filled the room, and even the tiniest whiff was enough to make one want to vomit. Very soon. The body of the olddy, dripping with corpse water, began to decay rapidly, on her hands, her feet¡­ even half her head had vanished, with her pale bones now exposed and starting to turn ck. She was no longer recognizably human. The olddy stilly in bed watching TV, one eye open, it was unclear whether she was dead or what. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have been mistaken,¡± whispered Zhang Han. But the next scene caused everyone¡¯s faces to change drastically. Even in such a decayed state, the olddy slowly stood up as if nothing was wrong and went to the TV set and turned it off. ¡°Why is there water leaking in the house?¡± Seeing the wet corpse water on the floor, the olddy, curious, lifted her remaining half head and mumbled in confusion. ¡°Damn it, take action,¡± ordered Zhang Yiming with a shout. Being able to move like that despite such decay, what was she if not a ghost? Immediately. Zhang Han rushed into the room, his body twisting oddly. Then the clothes on his back were instantly torn to shreds and a pair of skinless, blood-drenched hands extended out, clutching at his back as if something wanted to crawl out of him¡­ One could vaguely see the outline of a human face beneath his skin, resembling a three-dimensional tattoo. He was known as Ghost Person Zhang Han by the members of the club. Because there was a ghost lying on his back. At first, his ghost was just a lifelike tattoo, but as he used his abilities, the fierce ghost revived and the tattooed ghost began to gradually separate from his back. Now a pair of hands hade out, and if a head were to emerge, it was likely not he who wouldmand the fierce ghost, but the ghost wouldmand him. Upon Zhang Han¡¯s entrance, he let out a pained roar, and then a pair of blood-drenched arms shot out from behind him and grasped the olddy. ¡°Got her,¡± he said. ¡°Good.¡± Following him, Yang Jian swiftly approached, his heavy body bag in hand, and he slipped it over the still olddy¡¯s head. Down she went. The body bag was sealed, and this putrefied, unrecognizably human corpse was packed inside. ¡°Is that it? We¡¯re done?¡± Zhang Yiming was stunned at that moment. Had they finished before he even made a move? That seemed too easy. Hardly worthy of being called a ghost. No, it shouldn¡¯t be said like that. Easy to confine didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t formidable; maybe it was just an unexpected oue. ¡°Thank goodness that¡¯s solved,¡± Zhang Han let out a sigh of relief, starting to get excited. However, at that moment, all was quiet outside. Unnoticed, the corpse water dripping from the roof had also stopped. Chapter 96 - 96 The Balance is Broken. Chapter 96: Chapter 96 The Bnce is Broken. So we¡¯ve sessfully imprisoned a ghost? It was so easy that they all started to doubt and feel uncertain. But it was precisely this that further confirmed the unease Yang Jian had felt before. Looking at the motionless corpse inside the body bag, he became more convinced that his previous guess had been correct. He had been misled. An incorrect signal, coupled with prior uncertainty, had led to a wrong action. ¡°Did we seed?¡± Zhang Han asked uncertainly. Zhang Yiming frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Based on the probe by Ye Jun earlier, we can conclude that this old granny is definitely not normal. But to say she¡¯s a fierce ghost seems far too simple. A ghost capable of killing two ghost charmers should not have been captured so easily.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, what do you think?¡± ¡°Ghost ve,¡± he said gravely. ¡°It¡¯s something a fierce ghost controls after a person¡¯s death. It¡¯s not human, but it¡¯s not a real ghost either. We¡¯re wasting our time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave this ce and go back to the spirit hall we visited before. That¡¯s where the solution to this problem lies.¡± ¡°You mean to tell me we¡¯ve been busy capturing a decoy?¡± Zhang Han became somewhat annoyed. Yang Jian didn¡¯t speak. He just picked up the body bag and swiftly went out the door, leaving behind a sentence. ¡°Follow me if you don¡¯t want to die. If all goes well, we may still proceed with the original n.¡± Exiting the door, he didn¡¯t stop walking and hurried towards the spirit hall. ¡°Move together.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Zhang Yiming, and he and Zhang Han quickly followed. But once they were outside, they could not find Ye Jun. ¡°Ye Jun, where are you?¡± Zhang Han shouted. ¡°No need to shout. He¡¯s certainly dead. There¡¯s been no sound outside since we started moving in the house,¡± Yang Jian replied without looking back. ¡°If he weren¡¯t, he would have joined us by now.¡± The two of them shuddered at his words. We hadn¡¯t been separated for long at all, just a few meters¡¯ distance. How could he have be a victim so quickly? Moreover, that shouldn¡¯t count as being alone, right? As Yang Jian was heading towards the spirit hall, he suddenly discovered that the sunlight above grew rapidly dim. The brightness was fading away, and the vige was gradually being enveloped by darkness. It seemed like in an instant, daytime turned into night. Yang Jian¡¯s heart chilled. The thing he had most feared was happening. Before, the two ghosts in the vige appeared to be restraining each other, and although he didn¡¯t know the oue of that restraint, it was supposed to be a good thing. However, their recent actions seemed to have broken this bnce. No, the bnce was probably broken the moment they entered the vige. This misguided action was just thest straw that broke the camel¡¯s back, and the ghost known as the Sick Ghost¡­ had beenpletely defeated. A more vicious and unknown ghost began taking over Huanggang Vige. ¡°We must get back to the spirit hall.¡± Without further hesitation, Yang Jian clenched his teeth, a red glow emanated from his body, covering a range of a good ten meters all around him. His Ghost Domain had grownrger¡­ indicating he was bing even closer to the resurrection of the fierce ghost. But then Yang Jian realized something. Even using his Ghost Domain, he couldn¡¯t neutralize the Ghost Domain of the vige; the ground remained as it was. This waspletely different from the situation with the Door Knocking Ghost. This vige might not be a Ghost Domain at all but something uniquely special. Yang Jian recalled the archival information that indicated Huanggang Vige mysteriously vanished for three days and then reappeared. ¡°It¡¯s possible that this ce can¡¯t be left even with the use of a Ghost Domain¡­¡± He now faced two choices. Try to escape using the Ghost Domain, although it might not be sessful, but there was still a chance. The second option was to fight for survival in a dire situation; he had an emergency method, but its effectiveness was uncertain. Two choicesy before him! A wrong move in either case meant death. In that moment, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he became agitated; this situation was much more severe than any business timing, not evenparable in terms of severity. ¡°Dying due to the resurrection of the fierce ghost if I escape or dying if I don¡¯t escape; it seems like an escape is the way to life, but in reality, that¡¯s the dead end. Damn it, I¡¯m going all in.¡± With a decisive grit of his teeth. Carrying the corpse, Yang Jian, within his Ghost Domain, vanished on the spot. ¡°Where did Yang Jian go? He disappeared into thin air?¡± Zhang Han, who was running behind, was taken aback. Zhang Yiming said hurriedly, ¡°That must be one of Yang Jian¡¯s abilities. Don¡¯t be surprised. Quick, we should also head to that spirit hall. The vige is undergoing a change, and I too have a terrible feeling, as if a tremendously frightening event is about to ur. Yang Jian noticed it before us, and that¡¯s why he was in such a rush to leave, risking the use of the fierce ghost¡¯s power.¡± He was extremely anxious, not only because of Yang Jian¡¯s behavior but because the entire vige had suddenly gone from day to night. This abrupt change gave off a sense of oppressive death. ¡°All the vigers have disappeared?¡± Utilizing the convenience of the Ghost Domain, Yang Jian almost instantly returned to the entrance of the vige within two seconds. Previously, there were more than a dozen elderly vigers sitting there, chatting and drinking tea, and in the spirit hall, there were four or five old men and women burning paper to keep vigil. Everything was quite normal. But just from one moment to the next. The sky darkened, and the vige was quickly enveloped in darkness. The vigers from before had vanished as well. And with them, the house set up as the spirit hall had disappeared. Yes. It wasn¡¯t just the coffin that was missing, the spirit hall was gone, but the entire house disappeared. In its ce was a piece of deserted wastnd overgrown with wild grass, as if that house had never existed in the vige. Yang Jian, carrying the corpse, was stunned. Zhang Han and Zhang Yiming, who arrivedter, both disyed incredible looks of shock and disbelief. ¡°What happened? The vigers disappeared, the house is gone, and where is the spirit hall? The one that was just here, could we have gone to the wrong ce?¡± Zhang Han said as he looked around. The other houses were still there, the only one missing was this one. ¡°We haven¡¯t gone to the wrong ce, it¡¯s right here.¡± Yang Jian found a few drops of foul-smelling corpse fluid on the ground, which seemed to have just dripped down. This was Ye Jun¡¯s ability. Ye Jun had been here before. But¡­ he may have died before he arrived here. ¡°Yang Jian, what exactly have you found out? Speak up, let¡¯s think of a solution.¡± Zhang Yiming urged. ¡°It¡¯s toote now, the whole house has disappeared, we can¡¯t go back to the spirit hall. I was misled by that wrong piece of information; I thought that old woman was the ghost or even if she wasn¡¯t, as long as we acted quickly, nothing bad would happen. But I was still too naive¡­ The bnce of this vige has been disturbed by us, the real fierce ghost is about to appear, brace yourselves.¡± As Yang Jian spoke, he ced a gold box on the ground. Then he pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the gold box, ready to shoot. ¡°What are you doing? That box is¡­¡± Zhang Yiming¡¯s eyelids twitched when he saw that somewhat deformed but sealed gold box. ¡°There is a fierce ghost imprisoned inside this box, and now I¡¯m going to release it. This is an emergency measure I prepared,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you¡¯re actually going to release a ghost?¡± The usually stable Zhang Yiming couldn¡¯t help but roar, ¡°People will die.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no choice, the Sick Ghost initially aimed to open this box to release the ghost inside, and this ghost might be the key to restoring bnce.¡± Before Yang Jian could finish, he fired the gun with a bang. A shot hit the box. But it did not go through. The gold was sturdy and thick. ¡°Now the actions of the ghost within the vige are no longer significant. When the bnce was maintained, it was able to easily kill a Ghost ve on its own, and once that bnce is lost, based on the information I¡¯ve got, this is a dead end with no solution, a mere overwhelming terror-level threat, with no chance of surviving.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want us all to be annihted, don¡¯t stop me, because this way, there is still a glimmer of hope.¡± ¡°Bang~!¡± Yang Jian fired another shot. Sparks flew from the gold box, which now sported a thin slit. Through that slit, blood continuously seeped out. The blood was Yan Li¡¯s Ghost Blood. Once the Ghost Blood ran out, the Headless Ghost Shadow would be released by him. This was a ghost that was not particrly terrifying, but its rate of growth was frightening. ¡°After this ghostes out, fend for yourselves and find a way to survive. As long as we don¡¯t die immediately, there should be a turn for the better,¡± Yang Jian said as he fired another close-range shot at the slit. The gold box was blown wide open. Blood was forcibly squeezed out from inside, spilling everywhere. Then, as the blood drained, a ck shadow appeared to wriggle its way out through the slit. ¡°Damn it, you actually released it! I regret agreeing toe here with you now,¡± Zhang Han eximed in rm. Although he knew Yang Jian had captured a ghost, it must have been a perilous task, and now to release it just like that? That was a move only a madman would make. ¡°Now, I have no other choice,¡± Yang Jian said as he looked at him. But his Ghost Eye was fixed intently on the ck shadow that was gradually emerging. Chapter 97 - 97 Personally Released. Chapter 97: Chapter 97 Personally Released. ¡°` Has Yang Jian gone mad? He has not. He was simply betting, betting that his conjecture was correct. Previously, he had been hesitant to decide, which led to the actions that disrupted the bnce, but there was a mystery in dealing with the olddy. Why did the olddy mislead them with a cough? If the Sick Ghost really existed, then such behavior would equate to her actively breaking the bnce, which clearly did not match the previous situation. Despite the doubts, now was not the time to think about that; the current priority was figuring out how to stay alive. ¡°It¡¯sing out~!¡± Yang Jian took a deep breath as he watched the ck shadow emerging from the golden box before him. The shadow transformed on the ground, like a wisp of ck smoke with no definite shape, seemingly just a shadow. ¡°What kind of ghost is this?¡± Zhang Yiming was on full alert, ready to use the power of the Vicious Ghost at any moment. Zhang Han¡¯s body also showed signs of anomaly, and the ghost behind him looked ready to emerge at any time. ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you. Although I made a small mistake in this, the majority of the me for this situation lies with you, because of your initial distrust in me, leading to a wrong action, and now, knowing the information of this ghost is irrelevant,¡± said Yang Jian indifferently. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The two felt a rush of frustration. At a time like this, you¡¯re still being petty? Yang Jian was not being petty; he had to keep something to himself. He could no longer allow these two to interfere with his ns. Although they hadn¡¯t been much help in Huanggang Vige, they had fulfilled their role as cannon fodder. Without the deaths of the others, if Yang Jian hade to Huanggang Vige alone, he would not have survived the first night; he was just lucky the Vicious Ghost chose not to kill him first but He Sheng, the one who liked to y with women. Otherwise, the curse of certain death when isted would havee down on him. After all, Yang Jian had been acting alone until then. Thinking back, the initial club¡¯s strategy of sharing information had been quite effective. This group of Scapegoat Ghosts had, indirectly, saved Yang Jian several times. But debts must be repaid, and their previous actions had disrupted his, leading to the current situation. At that moment. The shadow on the ground gradually stood up, regaining its former appearance. A humanoid shape appeared before the three of them. But this figure¡­ had no head. Yes, this was the Headless Ghost Shadow. As soon as the Headless Ghost Shadow appeared, it started walking towards Yang Jian, seeking a body to possess. Yang Jian was currently in a state of the Ghost Domain, so when the Headless Ghost Shadow approached, it couldn¡¯t enter the domain and passed straight through it. As if it truly was a shadow without substance. ¡°Compared to the ghosts here, seeing you again, I find you as cute as a little brother of mine,¡± Yang Jian said to the Headless Ghost Shadow, not caring whether it understood, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a body, go find the other ghosts yourself, this vige should have what you need.¡± He then unzipped the body bag. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t a corpse, but a Ghost ve. Without a body, the Ghost Shadow would indeed find it inconvenient to move. ¡°` Yang Jian looked at the Headless Ghost Shadow after having pulled out the corpse. If it didn¡¯t choose that body, he would help the Ghost Shadow choose. The Headless Ghost Shadow was surprisingly obedient at the crucial moment. After failing to attack Yang Jian, it chose the special corpse on the ground. The Ghost Shadow quickly merged into the body without a sound or hindrance. Momentster, the body moved. The olddy, with only half of her head remaining and severe decay in several parts of her body, stood up expressionlessly from the ground, devoid of her previous kindly appearance. She exuded the coldness and numbness of the dead, just like those bodies in the mall that day. ¡°Hiss, Yang Jian, you really know how to y. You even thought of such a special method.¡± Zhang Han took a breath. He didn¡¯t know what kind of being the ghost was, but the eeriness and evil of controlling the body made him feel incredibly wary and uneasy. ¡°Yang Jian, are you actually thinking of keeping a ghost?¡± Zhang Yiming also expressed immense apprehension, ¡°It¡¯s purely ying with fire, calling you a madman is apliment to you. Although you and Yan Li coborated to imprison this ghost, you must know some of its characteristics, but ghosts are too dangerous, with many uncertain factors. It¡¯s not something you can control.¡± He realized at this moment that the olddy was no longer a Ghost ve but¡­ a real ghost. ¡°Say whatever you want, my n will continue regardless. But instead of worrying about that, you¡¯d better worry about your own safety. Look around and see what the situation is. I hope to see you all alive when Ie out again. Now, I need to go into hiding.¡± At that moment, Yang Jian squirreled himself away into the empty body bag. The body bag could imprison fierce ghosts and also protect the person hiding inside. It was a flexible use. That was exactly why he had gritted his teeth and spent twenty million to buy it in the first ce. Now, it seemed that his money had not been wasted. It had indeede in handy. ¡°You¡­¡± Zhang Yiming didn¡¯t say anything more. Now, in the face of disaster, everyone had to fend for themselves. Preserving one¡¯s own life was the top priority, and wasting time on meaningless things was just that¡ªa waste of time. Because the sky was getting darker. A few lights used to shine in the vige, but now not a single one was lit. The darkness was oppressive, giving a suffocating sensation. ¡°Back to the car.¡± Zhang Yiming immediately turned to flee. There was some equipment in his car that might prove useful. Using the power of a fierce ghost could indeed ensure his safety temporarily¡­ but once it reached its limit, he would still die once the fierce ghost revived. ¡°Yang Jian, you really are well-prepared, even thinking ahead for your escape route,¡± Zhang Han said with a mix of jealousy and resentment before turning to run as well. ¡°Goodnight, see you tomorrow.¡± Yang Jian greeted them and prepared to close the body bag. However, as they turned to flee, Yang Jian saw the olddy, now possessed by the Headless Ghost Shadow, slowly following them¡­ eventually, she chose Zhang Yiming¡¯s direction. The darkness deepened once again, and nothing could be seen clearly around. Yang Jian didn¡¯t know what kind of emergency measures Zhang Yiming might have back at the car. He only knew that the danger emanating from the darkness was bing more terrifying. It was as if they had fallen into hell, and no one knew what would happen next. ¡°I hope my guess is correct. If everything goes as expected, the bnce in this vige will be restored. If I fail, I might as well be trapped to death in this body bag.¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t dare to stay outside any longer, so he withdrew into the body bag. A momentter. Huanggang Vige waspletely enveloped in darkness. Terror descended~! Chapter 98 - 98 A Phone Call Chapter 98: Chapter 98 A Phone Call Stifling, suffocating. It gave one the feeling of being unable to catch their breath. The body bag wasn¡¯tpletely sealed; some gaps were left to allow air cirction since Yang Jian still needed to breathe. Although he didn¡¯t know if he could suffocate after bing a ghost controller, it was still better not to try such things recklessly. Staying inside the body bag was ufortable. But for the sake of his own life, he had to bear it. Now, who knew how many ghosts were out there. Three ghost controllers had already died, and the ghosts inside them must have been released. Besides them, there were the Sick Ghost, the Vicious Ghost, the Headless Ghost Shadow¡­ and then there were Zhang Yiming and Zhang Han. This Huanggang Vige had be a gathering ce for malevolent spirits. It was unrealistic to expect to survive in such a ce, where analyzing movement patterns and murder methods was no longer effective. The Terror Level was too high, surpassing his capabilities. Yang Jian was sweating profusely inside the body bag, surrounded by darkness with only the sound of his own heavy breathing. Outside, it was eerily silent, not a single noise to be heard. At this moment, he actually preferred it to be quiet outside. If there were any sounds, they definitely wouldn¡¯t be human. So, hey there quietly in the body bag, waiting. Waiting for some kind of turning point to arrive. If the release of the Headless Ghost Shadow he executed earlier was useful, then the turning point would surelye. On the contrary, if the situation hadn¡¯t improved but had be worse, Yang Jian might have to die trapped here. He turned on his phone and nced at the time. It was ten twenty. This wasn¡¯t nighttime, but morning time, and indeed, it should still be daytime in this vige. But if one were to go outside for a look, they would find the vige enveloped in darkness. No starlight, no lights, not even the sound of dogs barking. There was a creepy, deathly stillness all around. One couldn¡¯t feel the slightest trace of the living; anyone staying here would be petrified, let alone knowing for sure that there were real malevolent spirits in this vige. ¡°Don¡¯t let me down, Headless Ghost Shadow. You¡¯re worth at least a billion. If releasing you doesn¡¯t have an effect, only heaven knows how big my loss would be.¡± About the act of personally releasing the Headless Ghost Shadow a moment ago. Yang Jian didn¡¯t feel regret, just a painful pinch. A billion had just flown away. Moreover, without the cooperation of Yan Li, there probably wouldn¡¯t be another opportunity to detain it. Perhaps because he was hiding in the body bag. From ten twenty until half past one, for over three hours, Yang Jian remained unscathed. He hadn¡¯t heard any noise from outside, nor had he been attacked by any malevolent spirits. He survived unharmed. The twenty million yuan body bag was not wasted. It seems that even the power of malevolent spirits couldn¡¯t affect Gold; Professor Bruce Pi is truly a good man to have publicized such research results. If there was nowhere to even hide, that would be the true despair. But this kind of evasion couldn¡¯tst a lifetime. Although Yang Jian had prepared some dry food and water in the body bag, it could onlyst a few days at most. If there was still no turning point during this time, then he would have to leave the body bag and take a risk. The seemingly uneventful peace gradually rxed him. After confirming he¡¯d be safe in the body bag, Yang Jian wasn¡¯t so tense anymore. He thought for a moment and decided to call Liu Xiaoyu again. The satellite positioning phone was still usable; the signal hadn¡¯t been cut off. The call connected quickly. ¡°Hello, is that you, Yang Jian?¡± Liu Xiaoyu picked up the phone immediately. ¡°I¡¯m Yang Jian. I¡¯m trapped in Huanggang Vige. There¡¯s something wrong with the Huanggang Vige incident file you gave me. Someone deliberately edited the report of the first ghost controller, Feng Quan. I suspect that the Huanggang Vige incident involves other issues,¡± said Yang Jian. Liu Xiaoyu was shocked and responded, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The file was taken directly from the archives. To make cuts to the file isn¡¯t something just anyone can do; only a few people have that level of ess. Are you suggesting that there might be someone inside the ghost controller department causing mischief?¡± ¡°Dachang City¡¯s Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club, the manager Sun Lihong, possessing the means to control the second malevolent spirit and extending the resurrection of the spirits¡­ What do you think these omissions from the file suggest?¡± Yang Jian asked in a hushed tone. Liu Xiaoyu stopped writing with her pencil and didn¡¯t continue taking notes, ¡°This, I find it hard to believe.¡± Yang Jian continued, ¡°You may not say it, but you¡¯ve already realized, to some extent, that there¡¯s a national shadow behind this. Only with state involvement can such power be wielded. I think this incident was orchestrated intentionally, using the method to control the second ghost as a bargaining chip to have ghost controllers deal with the supernatural events in Huanggang Vige.¡± ¡°Because we are civilian ghost controllers, we¡¯re an uncontrolled looming threat. Hence, thepany wants to use this method to have us actively resolve supernatural urrences. Of course, there might be other personal motives¡­ After all, even if we fail and die, it doesn¡¯t matter to them. Ghost controllers would eventually die due to spirit resurrections, increasing the number of supernatural events. Rather than dying due to spirit resurrection and increasing the number of events, it¡¯s better to let us perish in big, isted incidents. After all, whether it¡¯s one or two spirits, the block remains the same.¡± ¡°This seems like a case of making the best out of waste¡­ The Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club must be acting like an intermediary.¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain, this is not the first case of its kind in the country.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know about this, but I can investigate it for you. If there are omissions in the file, I¡¯ll take responsibility for you,¡± Liu Xiaoyu said earnestly. Yang Jian replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m not a national ghost controller; you don¡¯t need to take responsibility for me. I¡¯m making this call just to confirm the facts. If I end up dyingter, at least I¡¯ll die with some understanding.¡± Liu Xiaoyu felt a chill in her heart as she listened to Yang Jian¡¯s tone, which surely meant that the situation on the other end must be extremely urgent. But faced with such a question, she simply could not answer. Because Liu Xiaoyu truly had no idea about the matter. At this time, Captain Zhao Jianguo came over, patted Liu Xiaoyu on the shoulder, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him. You just focus on taking notes.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, Captain.¡± Hesitating for a moment, Liu Xiaoyu stepped aside. ¡°Hello, is this Yang Jian? This is Zhao Jianguo speaking.¡± ¡°Hello, Captain Zhao,¡± said Yang Jian. Captain Zhao Jianguo said, ¡°I¡¯m already clear about the general situation, and your previous conjecture indeed has a lot of validity. But the different departments within the International Ghost Handlers coordinate with each other. I don¡¯t know exactly what the other departments have done, but I can stake my life on the guarantee that our primary purpose has always been to resolve supernatural events.¡± ¡°Any personal grudges or questions of interest cease to exist here. We would not treat you differently just because you¡¯re not yet an International Ghost Handler. I can assure you of that.¡± ¡°Furthermore, you have resolved a supernatural event for Dachang City in the past, and there is a record of it here. You have also been credited for that. Once you join the International Ghost Handlers, you will understand. If there is anything else you need assistance with, just say the word and I, Zhao Jianguo, will do my utmost to help you. But I hope you won¡¯t doubt us based on mere spection.¡± Yang Jian responded, ¡°I do need assistance with one thing. I want the real person in charge of thatpany to meet with me outside Huanggang Vige. Given your capabilities, you should be able to manage this through an agent named Sun Lihong¡ªtracing it back should definitely be possible.¡± ¡°No, it has to be possible.¡± ¡°Of course, if I die here, then all of this would be irrelevant. But if I¡¯m alive and don¡¯t get to meet that person in charge, then they will bear all the consequences.¡± Captain Zhao¡¯s expression turned solemn in an instant. ¡°Yang Jian, stay calm. We will do our best to investigate this thoroughly on our end.¡± ¡°There are no ¡®do our best.¡¯ It is a must. Also, just to remind you, Captain Zhao¡ªdo you have any idea that with this phone call, I could kill all the members of your department of International Ghost Handlers?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s voice was eerily calm. ¡°So, you can consider this¡­ a threat.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Beep beep~! The call was disconnected. Inside the switchboard room, there was silence, as the other operators nearby all widened their eyes, watching Captain Zhao with immense fear. A phone call that could kill everyone here? If that were true, the consequences would be unimaginable. ¡°Zhao Jianguo, this Ghost Handler¡¯s mental state has serious issues. He¡¯s begun harboring thoughts of revenge against society. I do not advise further contact. Also, for the sake of the bigger picture, the department operations should be temporarily halted, allmunication stopped, and the report should be made now. If our review and approval are given, we must act immediately¡­¡± said another officer, who seemed to be of the same rank, grimly. ¡°Bang~!¡± Before he could finish, Zhao Jianguo mmed the desk fiercely, his face looking particrly grim as he growled, ¡°No, the department absolutely cannot shut down; the losses would be immeasurable.¡± ¡°Then cut off that Ghost Handler¡¯smunication and remove him from our system,¡± the officer suggested. ¡°That¡¯s even less eptable. You just said Yang Jian is unstable. What if your actions provoke him, who will take responsibility for the consequences? And do you really think that blocking a mobile phone¡¯smunication is going to work? What if he finds another way to call in? Do you want to see a ghost call incident reyed here?¡± Zhao Jianguo said, ring back at him. ¡°But what I really want to know right now is who the hell tampered with the archives. Do they understand that editing archives like this can cost people their lives?¡± At this moment, Zhao Jianguo was extremely angry. His side had worked hard to recruit a Ghost Handler and had just established some trust when this mess happened. If word got out, all the Ghost Handlers at the headquarters would undoubtedly be suspicious. If that happened, the camaraderie would be shaken, and the Asian division might struggle to keep operating. ¡°When a nation is in crisis, there are always some pests who thrive in chaos. If it weren¡¯t for international disputes, I¡¯d personally take care of those people,¡± Zhao Jianguo fumed with anger. ¡°Liu Xiaoyu, you continue to handle Yang Jian. Use every means you can think of to stabilize him. I¡¯m going to investigate thispany to see what¡¯s really behind them. Within three days, I want thatpany¡¯s person in charge to be outside Huanggang Vige.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Liu Xiaoyu immediately responded. Captain Zhao kicked the door open and stormed out, seething with anger. His rank might not be high in the International Ghost Handlers, but it was a different story domestically. However, Yang Jian, lying inside the body bag, waspletely calm and had not lost his sanity. His phone call was only to ensure that the subsequent transaction proceeded normally and to see who precisely was the person in charge of thatpany. Of course, all this was predicated on his surviving and getting out of there alive. If he died, it would all be moot. But as he was lying there, he might as well make arrangements for what was toe, to save himself the troubleter. ¡°Making that call must have put Zhao Jianguo on edge. But it¡¯s none of my business. Time to sleep,¡± Yang Jian closed his eyes, letting himself rest and conserve energy. However, at eighteen hundred hours, clear footsteps could be heard from outside the body bag. They grew nearer,ing from the direction of the vige and gradually approaching. ¡°Hm?¡± Yang Jian, who was resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and became highly alert. Was the ghost finally making its appearance? Could these footsteps belong to the Headless Ghost Shadow he had released, the Sick Ghost that had been driven off, or the Vicious Ghost he dreaded the most¡ªthe one that could easily kill a Ghost Handler? The footsteps drew closer. Yang Jian was on high alert, almost unable to resist the urge to unzip the body bag, open his ghostly eye, and take a look outside. Chapter 99: The Deal with the Ghost Chapter 99: The Deal with the Ghost Distinct footsteps echoed from outside the body bag. They started from afar and gradually approached where Yang Jiany. After spending a long time in this eerie calm, Yang Jian knew all too well what the sudden appearance of footsteps meant. Although he wanted to go out and see, to verify which ghost was outside, the risk was too high, and it kept Yang Jian from acting rashly. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the Headless Ghost Shadow, nor was he scared of the mysterious and sinister Sick Ghost in the vige, but what he truly dreaded was the Vicious Ghost capable of easily killing a ghost hunter. The existence of that ghost was always a mystery; no one had seen it because those who had likely died. No one had encountered it either. Because those who encountered it also died. The only way to understand that ghost was by inferring from the deaths of three ghost hunters. ¡°I am alone now, practically isted,¡± Yang Jian thought. ¡°Based on previous conjectures, the bnce within the vige has been disrupted by my actions. That Vicious Ghost should now be hunting down ghost hunters¡­ If I¡¯m found, no one can survive.¡± ¡°Is the ghost outside searching for someone with those footsteps?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart tightened, and he inevitably grew anxious. The body bag in which hey was ced in a deste area overgrown with weeds. If not searched for carefully, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find in such an environment. But a ghost¡¯s search for people might not depend on sight but on some kind of perception, or possibly specific conditions. Yang Jian couldn¡¯t be sure he wouldn¡¯t be found by the Vicious Ghost. Lying here was a gamble in itself, and his life was the stake. The footsteps drew closer again. He could even gauge that the ghost was now less than three meters away from him. Almost right beside him. ¡°These footsteps are not apanied by coughing¡­ It¡¯s not the Sick Ghost. That leaves either that Vicious Ghost or the Headless Ghost Shadow I released. But I feel the chances it¡¯s the Vicious Ghost are slightly higher,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself, making not a single sound, while preparing to use the Ghost Domain at any moment. This was not the time to worry about a fierce ghost¡¯s revival. ¡°Step, step, step~!¡± The footsteps passed by his side and then stopped in the direction his head was facing. That direction was the opening of the body bag. For the sake of breathing, Yang Jian had left a small gap for air cirction. ¡°Could I have been discovered?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s palms sweated, and he nearly held his breath. If discovered at this moment, the likelihood of dying here was not just ny percent but at least eighty percent. No matter if facing that Vicious Ghost or using the Ghost Domain in a fight, the oue would be much the same; he certainly didn¡¯t have the means to detain a ghost of such caliber. One minute, two minutes, three minutes¡­ Yang Jian knew some time had passed, but he didn¡¯t know exactly how long. At such times he dared not even make the noise of turning on his phone, for who knew if such a minor action would instantly reveal his whereabouts. Finally, after a full fifteen minutes, Yang Jian suddenly heard those footsteps beginning to move away from inside the body bag. Yes, the footsteps started up again and then gradually moved towards the direction of the vige, The ghost was leaving. Hearing the footsteps fading further and further away, Yang Jian finally exhaled in relief. ¡°I¡¯ve seeded in hiding, and from this I can almost deduce that as long as I stay inside this body bag, the ghost is unlikely to find me, and I will remain safe,¡± he thought. This was a considerable relief. If even hiding inside a body bag wasn¡¯t safe, then no ce was safe here. Yet Yang Jian didn¡¯t allow himself to feel too joyous because the crisis had only been temporarily alleviated. If he didn¡¯t think of a solution, he would still be sitting ducks. Upon reflection, he realized there were essentially just two paths before him. The first was to wait for the Headless Ghost¡¯s havoc to see if it could restore the vige to its former state. The second was to take the offensive¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer,¡± Yang Jian curbed his impulsive desire, deciding to give it a day to see if any changes urred. If the Headless Ghost¡¯s wandering around the vige made a difference, one day should be enough to see results. Otherwise, it meant the Headless Ghost¡¯s actions had failed, disappearing mysteriously like the other ghost hunters. The waiting was long, but time also passed swiftly. Without realizing it, Yang Jian had already spent a day inside the body bag. That¡¯s what his phone disyed. Since that one instance of footsteps, there had been no other disturbances, but he felt an anomaly in his body; a ghost eye that no matter what, he couldn¡¯t close¡­ It was beyond his control now. Was the revival of a fierce ghost intensifying? Or was it an unseen threat that made the ghost eye open involuntarily, just like when he had encountered that passing ghost in Jiang Yan¡¯s apartment room? Regardless, he could no longer continue this waiting. The stalemate had to be broken. At noon that day, Yang Jian cautiously opened the body bag and stole a nce outside. Dark as ink. I couldn¡¯t see clearly at all. The terror continued to loom over the vige. ¡°Use the Ghost Eye.¡± Yang Jian took a deep breath and extended his palm. On the back of his hand was a crimson eye. He surveyed his surroundings through the Ghost Eye. The view transmitted by the eye was a world enveloped in red light. But it wasn¡¯t hard to see that the vige still existed. Only the hall where coffins had been ced had vanished. At the entrance of other houses, Yang Jian saw vigers standing numbly and motionlessly, like statues¡­ just like corpses. However, in the next moment. These vigers, who had stood motionless in front of their houses, suddenly turned their heads in unison to look at the hand outside of the body bag. Every pair of eyes was hollow, devoid of eyeballs, as if filled with darkness, instilling a chilling fear. ¡°Damn~!¡± Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but curse and hastily retracted his hand into the body bag. Curiosity killed the cat. This vige was indeed terrifying; he was certain that if he went outside, he would be surrounded and killed by these ghosts, with no chance to escape. The vigers had been normal before. Ever since some sort of bnce had been broken, the vige had be even more frightening. Struggling to survive was not a solution. In this desperate situation, he had to rely on thest resort. Yang Jian reached into his pocket and touched the human skin paper, which he was most reluctant to use, and took it out. Then he turned on his phone screen to light it up. The human skin paper disyed a line of text. ¡°Having been in Huanggang Vige for only three days, I¡¯m already at a dead end. With no other choice, I took out the human skin paper again, hoping it might reveal the answer to my current crisis.¡± ¡°But to my disappointment, I did not find what I wanted.¡± ¡°Perhaps I will die here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too terrifying¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze sharpened: ¡°If I survive I will trade one ghost with you.¡± The human skin paper changed again. The previous text disappeared, and new text emerged. ¡°Deciding to be cautious, I resolved toplete that unfinished transaction with the human skin paper. In return, I might be able to control a second ghost¡­ There could be a turning point in the Huanggang Vige incident.¡± ¡°Control a second ghost? Wait, this information differs from the previous message. The previous information only indicated that I would learn how to control a second ghost, but this implies direct control over the second ghost.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed. Indeed. This Ghost Domain thing had an ace up its sleeve. It could help me control a second ghost? Damn it, why didn¡¯t it say so earlier? If it had, how could I havee here? No, that¡¯s not right. Yang Jian recalled thest part of the message: ¡°It¡¯s too terrifying¡­¡± ¡°It¡± referred to the ghost of Huanggang Vige. Was this describing my own feelings, or revealing the human skin paper¡¯s fear of that ghost? If thetter were true, Then, The human skin paper was afraid~! ¡°So you also won¡¯t shed a tear until you see the coffin. I need to control the second ghost to leave here. You know that the power of the Ghost Eye is insufficient to confront the ghosts here.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed. As expected, my earlier spection was correct. This level of ghost exceeded what I could handle. No wonder every Ghost Controller who came here died. To survive, the bare minimum requirement was to control the second ghost. In in terms, I was just too weak. Too weak to survive. So now the human skin paper waspromising. Before it told me the method to control, now it directly wants to help me control the second ghost? But what is the cost? What will be the consequences of giving a ghost to this human skin paper? Can I bear it? Or will I be releasing something even more terrifying? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore, there¡¯s no room for concern at this point. Even if it means making a deal with an Evil Ghost, I must get out of here.¡± Yang Jian gritted his teeth; ¡°Alright, I agree, let the trade begin.¡± The text on the human skin paper began to fade once again. Finally, a fewrge characters emerged: ¡°The trade with the human skin paper has begun¡­¡± Chapter 100 - 100 The Terror of Human Skin Paper. Chapter 100: Chapter 100 The Terror of Human Skin Paper. ¡°` Actually, in the vige, aside from Yang Jian who didn¡¯t die. Zhang Han also did not die. He hade prepared, having ced a suitcase in the car. It was custom-made, of course, from gold. It was just too heavy and inconvenient to carry, which is why he left it in the car as a backup. When the vige began to change, he immediately hid inside the suitcase, although curling up in such a cramped space was agonizing, almost unbearable. But Zhang Han was even more aware that once he left the suitcase, he would undoubtedly die. From the beginning to the end, he had heard footsteps approaching his vicinity at least three times. The closest time, he even heard something touching the suitcase. ¡°I wonder if that lunatic Yang Jian is dead or not, he really dared to y, to release a Ghost Shadow by hand, trying to break this terrifying stalemate¡­ However, judging from the results, it doesn¡¯t seem very significant. If it were effective, I wouldn¡¯t have encountered ghosts passing by three times,¡± Zhang Han thought silently to himself. At this moment he really wanted to smoke a cigarette, stretch, and then sleep. But he didn¡¯t dare. ¡°The state I¡¯m in now isn¡¯t much better than death, at most after one or two more days I will either die from hunger or thirst; survival is impossible,¡± ¡°At most, I¡¯ll wait another half a day. I must take the risk and leave here; I can¡¯t keep dragging this on,¡± Zhang Han resolved in his heart. However, at this moment, he suddenly noticed a thread of red light seeping through the crack of the suitcase. Although weak. Yet this red light was exceptionally conspicuous in the pitch-ck environment. ¡°Light? Could something have changed in the vige?¡± Zhang Han was somewhat shocked and eager to go out and see. If there truly was a turning point, he now had the chance to survive. However, just as he was about to put this thought into action. Suddenly, the footsteps that had previously left, reappeared. Zhang Han¡¯splexion changed drastically, and he immediately dismissed the idea of going out to look. Only this time, it was not a ghost that appeared near Zhang Han, but¡­ Yang Jian. Yes, it was Yang Jian. He had emerged from the body bag, but he was glowing with a red light, indicating he had once again entered the state of Ghost Domain. In this state, he felt somewhat reassured. ¡°Five minutes, I¡¯ve only got five minutes,¡± Yang Jian said, wielding his baton and moving forward. However, as he proceeded, he once again paid attention to the vige. He suddenly realized that the number of vigers standing at the doors of their homes had greatly diminished. Previously, he had noticed a viger standing in front of every house, but now, some houses no longer had their vigers. An elderly woman, staggering, was eerily walking on the road at the entrance of the vige, unlike the other motionless vigers, as if she alone was still active in the entire vige at that moment. ¡°It¡¯s the Headless Ghost Shadow I released, it¡¯s having an effect,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes lit up. As the number of vigers diminished, he noticed the darkness in the vige gradually receding. The darkness wasn¡¯t as dense, feeling as if dawn was slowly breaking. Looking back. He didn¡¯t know when it had started, but the previously vanished house had reappeared, with the ancestral hall still in the center of the main hall. The ckcquered coffin was still there. Exactly the same as before. The white candles in the hall continued to burn, but in front of the ancestral hall, the portrait¡­ turned into a nk space. The man from the portrait seemed¡­ to have disappeared. But that was not of great concern, because now Yang Jian was certain that a certain bnce in the vige was being restored, and it should all be thanks to the Headless Ghost Shadow. It seems to have sessfully found a suitable body for itself during these few days it roamed the vige. And the Headless Ghost¡¯s new body surely contained other ghosts. Perhaps those of the deceased He Sheng, Ye Jun, Ouyang Tian, or other vige ghosts, or maybe something else. But that wasn¡¯t important. ¡°Giving up on seizing the Vicious Ghost inside Zhang Han, now it¡¯s time to reim that Headless Ghost Shadow. No, I need to control the Headless Ghost Shadow. In exchange, you will receive the other ghosts within the Headless Ghost Shadow,¡± Yang Jian halted in his tracks, changing his mind. Now that he knew the role of the Headless Ghost, he wanted to hold on to that bnce himself. This was the best way to resolve the current crisis. At this moment, a sentence was disyed on the human skin parchment: Ghost Tamer Zhang Han has not died, he is hidden in the suitcase inside the car. I¡¯ve decided to hunt him down, using the ghost within his body as a bargaining chip, toplete this trade with the human skin parchment. However, as soon as Yang Jian spoke. ¡°` The writing on the human skin paper changed again. ¡°The existence of the Headless Ghost convinced me of its importance here, and I decided to control it, taking the bnce of Huanggang Vige into my own hands¡­ the trade is still ongoing.¡±¡± Yang Jian nced at it and immediately understood. The Headless Ghost had agreed to change targets. Of course it had agreed. Because there might be two ghosts inside the body of the Headless Ghost, which could perhaps be a profit for it. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s begin. I want to see if this thing is really as bizarre as it seems.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes flickered as he walked straight toward the staggering olddy, his body glowing with a red light. At this moment, the olddy¡¯s highly dposed corpse had unbelievably restored to its original state. The shattered head was repaired, and the missing flesh was filled in. Who knows what happened during the time he was hiding. However, this did not interfere with his actions. Eyes from within the Ghost Domain arrived in front of the olddy. The olddy suddenly stopped; she seemed to sense Yang Jian¡¯s presence or perhaps noticed the Ghost Domain ahead of her, suddenly lifting her head and looking toward Yang Jian with those eyes that might have been useless. The two looked at each other. As if confirming something with their gazes. ¡°To be able to detect me, the Headless Ghost Shadow has indeed be more terrifying than the first time it was imprisoned,¡± Yang Jian thought with a chill in his heart. ¡°But against this thing, will the human skin paper really be effective?¡± There was nothing else to do but try. Heid the human skin paper on the ground, then took a step forward, covering the area with the Ghost Domain, trying to take the olddy into the Ghost Domain. However, when the red light enveloped, an ident urred. Putrid corpse water dripped from the olddy¡¯s body, and it flowed more and more, soaking her entirely. The Ghost Domain was repelled upon contact with the corpse water. The red glow and the corpse water opposed each other, unable to interact. And as the dripping corpse water on the ground increased, it gradually took the shape of a person¡­ The form seemed to be struggling to stand up. ¡°Ye Jun¡¯s abilities?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s pupils constricted. Had Ye Jun¡¯s ghost been stolen by the Headless Ghost Shadow? How did it manage that? Moreover, looking at it this way, it seemed that the Headless Ghost Shadow had be even more terrifying after taking control of Ye Jun¡¯s ghost. The olddy suddenly moved; although Yang Jian had failed to pull her into the Ghost Domain, she seemed eager toplete the unfinished business from the mallst time. Seizing Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Eye. The next moment¡­ the olddy actually forced her way into the Ghost Domain. ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian¡¯s lips twitched fiercely at the sight. She¡¯s ying with fire. What level of a ghost has he raised that can even walk into the Ghost Domain? No wonder the bnce had been restored. With this thing wandering around the vige, that Vicious Ghost probably wasn¡¯t having an easy time either. Yet, at the next moment. As the olddy took her second step into the Ghost Domain, she stepped on the human skin paper Yang Jian hadid on the ground earlier. ording to the requirements of the human skin paper, it only needed toe into contact with one real ghost. ¡°Thump~!¡± The olddy, who stepped on the human skin paper, seemed as if her feet were glued, tripped and fell to the ground, and her body kept sliding backward, as if an irresistible force was pulling at her. Yang Jian nced over. His face was filled with shock. The human skin paperid on the ground¡­ was actually devouring the ghost. Yes, like a ck hole, it was sucking the olddy in. And during all this, the olddy didn¡¯t have any ability to resist. Could a ghost that could enter the Ghost Domain not escape this human skin paper? My God. Was the choice I made today right or wrong? What will happen to the human skin paper after it obtains a ghost? Chapter 101: Controlling the Second Ghost Chapter 101: Controlling the Second Ghost Yang Jian could be very certain that at least two ghosts resided within the body of the old woman before him. The Headless Ghost Shadow he had personally released at the beginning¡­ and the corpse water from Ye Jun¡¯s body. As for whether there was a third ghost inside her body, Yang Jian could not confirm. Because he had only seen the characteristics of two kinds of fierce ghosts; he hadn¡¯t seen those of the third, and it seemed there was no chance to see any more under the current circumstances. The paper made from human skin on the ground was devouring the old woman. The old woman, who had fallen to the ground, was expressionless and numb, her withered palms clutching at the ground as if she didn¡¯t quite want to be dragged into the paper. If ghosts could feel fear, the Headless Ghost Shadow was definitely panicking right now. Finally freed from the golden box, it had obtained a body, had taken control over other ghosts, only to be forcefully devoured by the paper made from human skin. However, such struggles were futile. The human skin paper seemed to be the nemesis of fierce ghosts: it could absorb a ghost upon contact. This old woman¡¯s Terror Level could no longer be considered C; the Headless Ghost Shadow, having taken control of other ghosts, had a Terror Level of at least B, or even A. After all, just now, the old woman was able to enter Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Domain. ¡°Even if I raised a ghost of this level, can it not resist this human skin paper? My previous doubts and wariness towards the paper were correct,¡± thought Yang Jian as he looked at the seemingly harmless paper, feeling an inexplicable chill and fear. He had been wary of the paper everywhere before, fearing that it was too bizarre and terrifying. But in the desperation of the moment, he had to make this deal with it. It was just that. Yang Jian was afraid: what change would ur to the human skin paper after it had absorbed other ghosts? After all, this was what the paper had always been pursuing. ¡°And why, with such terrifying power, has it remained peaceful by my side? I also have a ghost eye in my body; I am also a ghost. It should be able to consume me as well¡­ Or is there some kind of limitation? If so, what exactly is that limitation?¡± Yang Jian watched the old woman getting gradually sucked in, his face showing changing expressions. He didn¡¯t dare close the Ghost Domain at this moment. The situation now was moreplicated than before. Because there was now an unknown terror. It didn¡¯t take long. Half of the old woman¡¯s body had already been absorbed into the human skin paper, and she was still struggling. But it was of no use. Yang Jian felt the human skin paper was like a ghost-trapping trap, with the old woman as the prey that had fallen into it, about to be captured. It seemed that even the powers of a fierce ghost had no effect on this paper. Just like that. The old woman was pulled, bit by bit, into the paper, and all her struggles were in vain. Yang Jian did not offer help, only watching the event unfold with a touch of chill. Because whether it was the Headless Ghost Shadow or the human skin paper, he had personally released them. The event unfolding before him was also facilitated by his own hands. He could only try this method to cope with the uing events in Huanggang Vige. Otherwise, there would only be death ahead. ¡°I can only try to trust the human skin paper this time; I have no other choice now. Although the bnce has been restored, it¡¯s not under my control, but under the control of the Headless Ghost Shadow,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face showed changing expressions. ¡°This bnce is not what I want, whether it is the Headless Ghost Shadow, that mysterious Vicious Ghost, or¡­ that Sick Ghost, all are beyond my abilities to handle.¡± ¡°Three ghosts of such level in Huanggang Vige, it¡¯s simply despairing. So I have to create a breakthrough with the Headless Ghost Shadow, seize back some initiative, to ensure my safety, and the possibility of leaving this ce. What worries me now is whether the human skin paper will cooperate with me or not.¡± Although trusting the human skin paper was a foolish thing to do. In desperate situations, one¡¯s choices were truly limited. At that moment. The entire body of the old woman had entered into the human skin paper, leaving only her head outside¡­ and as the paper continued to devour, even that headpletely disappeared. It, fully entered into the human skin paper. Without leaving a trace. As if it hadpletely left this world, entering an unknown ce. ¡°This scene looks as if the ghost has been¡­pletely eaten,¡± muttered Yang Jian as he took a cold breath. Still, the same old saying. So terrifying! Wait a minute? Yang Jian suddenly realized he had forgotten something and his expression darkened, ¡°Before, I agreed to make a deal with the human skin paper, to give it just one ghost; but now, it has obtained at least two ghosts, maybe even more. The benefit it gained is a bit too much; can the deal still go on?¡± Uncertain. The initiative was no longer in his hands, but in those of the human skin paper. However, right now, the human skin paper that had devoured the old woman seemed to show no special changes. There was still a dark brown human skin, lying quietly on the ground. There was no sound, nor any anomalies. And now, the time in the Ghost Domain had crept up unnoticed. Yang Jian began to feel the ghost eye inside his body bing restless, with apulsive urge to awaken. His eyes were already out of control, flitting around inside his body, sometimes tearing open a gash in his chest to burrow out, sometimes stretching the flesh on his back, and sometimes moving down to the soles of his feet¡­ Even so, he dared not retract the Ghost Domain. The bnce, though temporarily restored, had brightened the sky, and the house that was set up for the memorial service had reappeared as well. But Yang Jian had not forgotten the curse of certain death when isted. Once he left the Ghost Domain, would he just die at the hands of that mysterious Vicious Ghost? He dared not try, because Yang Jian felt that possibility was very real. The current situation was at best a return to what it was like before entering the vige when the three spirit tamers had died one after the other¡­ Yang Jian did not want to be the next one. At this moment, he became somewhat silent, calmly watching the human skin paper before him. At the same time, the ghost eye in his body was gradually reviving. So, was he going to die here? He wasn¡¯t afraid, just somewhat unwilling. After all, having struggled so much, toe to naught in the end was truly uneptable. ¡°Zhou Zheng was right, for people like us, death may indeed be a release, struggling to live in this hellish world¡­ is just too hard,¡± Yang Jian looked up, watching the brightening horizon in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s time to start preparing for the afterlife.¡± He turned around, ready to seal himself into a body bag. At least to leave aplete corpse, and not to be a Ghost ve after death and lose peace. And entering the body bag could also imprison the ghost eye. Consider it reducing one less danger of a fierce ghost to this world. If there was still time, he should make a phone call to his mother. Although the money left was not much, a few million should still barely be enough for his mother¡¯s old age. After so much effort, what was it all for? He should have died in that bathroom back in school. Yang Jian sneered bitterly and slightly shook his head. But just as he had turned around and hadn¡¯t taken two steps, he noticed a pitch-ck shadow flowing over the ground from behind him like water, slowly merging with his own shadow. This shadow¡­had no head. Headless Ghost Shadow? Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed as he instinctively looked back. Between the shadows, a line connected him to the human skin paper. At that moment, a line of text emerged on the human skin paper: I have sessfully made a deal with this human skin, and now¡­ I shall begin to control the second fierce ghost. To control the second fierce ghost? Yang Jian¡¯s pupils contracted. Did this human skin n to fulfill its previous promise? What exactly was it plotting, just a simple aid to himself? Or did it not want to let him just die here? Regardless of what, Yang Jian felt, the Headless Ghost Shadow was beginning to invade his body. A chill rose from the soles of his feet. And his shadow slowly began to stand up. The Headless Ghost Shadow was gradually merging with him. But, if that were the case, would he control the Headless Ghost Shadow, or would the Headless Ghost Shadow control him? Normally, it should be thetter; Yang Jian could not vie with a ghost for the control of his body. ¡°There must be a way.¡± He abruptly turned back to the side of the human skin paper. The writing on it had disappeared once again. The method to control the Headless Ghost Shadow was revealed. ¡°Can this¡­ really work?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression became solemn, filled with doubt. Chapter 102 - 102 Shadow Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Shadow This piece of human skin, after having devoured that olddy, should have made it impossible for the ghost to escape. Yet, the Headless Ghost Shadow appeared once again. It ran out from the human skin paper and began to struggle for control over Yang Jian¡¯s body. If it truly could have broken free, it would not have been captured by the human skin paper in the first ce. The only exnation was that the human skin had actively released the Headless Ghost Shadow. Just as previously agreed, it was to help Yang Jian subdue this second ghost. And the method was still disyed on the human skin. The handwriting was clear and distinct, showing no sign of fading, as if meant for Yang Jian to see. Yang Jian was also well aware that without sufficient help, he would be unable to control this Headless Ghost Shadow himself. In a struggle over the body, he would certainly be the one to die. This was why, upon learning that the method to dy the resurrection of the fierce ghost was to control a second one, he did not act rashly. Merging directly with a second ghost, Yang Jian felt, was no different from seeking death. Perhaps among a thousand spirit tamers, there might be one exception. But such sess was not guaranteed, it was a fluke. Yang Jian did not believe he had that kind of luck; if he did, he wouldn¡¯t have encountered ghosts in school. ¡°Regardless of why the human skin wanted to actively release the Headless Ghost Shadow and show me the method to control this ghost, at this point, I have no choice but to continue to follow its guidance. There¡¯s no turning back now,¡± he felt as if he was being lured step by step by this human skin. The seed was nted from the moment he had taken it out of school. Yet reality forced Yang Jian topromise with the human skin. It was like a demon, constantly whispering in your ear; one day you would be unable to resist falling into the abyss, walking a path of no return. ¡°Since I have no choice, then let¡¯s do this. Control the second ghost and stay alive to leave Huanggang Vige.¡± Yang Jian gritted his teeth and once again looked at the Headless Ghost Shadow. At that moment, the Headless Ghost Shadow tried to stand, but it seemed to be forcefully held back by something. No matter how it struggled, it was like a shadow under Yang Jian¡¯s foot, unable to move freely. Looking closely, one would notice a ck thread, shadow-like, connecting the shadow to the human skin. It was helping Yang Jian suppress the Headless Ghost Shadow. Like a beast tamer subduing a wild beast, it prevented the shadow from recklessly taking control of Yang Jian¡¯s body and breaking free, transforming into a ferocious ghost. However, at this moment, Yang Jian did not feel fear. Instead, he resolutely extended his hand. He was going to deliberately make contact with the Headless Ghost Shadow. But Yang Jian was keenly aware of the risks of contact; this ghost could easily remove your limbs, attaching them to itself. One misstep, and Yang Jian¡¯s arm would be handed over to the ghost. But the situation was much better with the suppression from the human skin. ¡°The arm I cannot give you, but ghost eyes I have seven. I¡¯ll give you one.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s palm split open, revealing a ghost eye. The restlessness of the resurrection became even more apparent. The other eyes were uncontrobly moving around in his body; he could barely control one ghost eye. If thest one bes uncontroble, that would probably be the moment the fierce ghost resurrects. Careful and cautious. Thus, the eye on his palm made contact with the ck Headless Ghost Shadow for the first time. Chilling and bone-piercing, it carried a formidable coldness. The touchpoint between his palm and the ghost shadow instantly lost sensation. The field of vision from that ghost eye disappeared as well. Yang Jian could feel that eye being stripped from his body, entering the dark shadow. Quickly. The hand retracted. Yang Jian checked his palm¡­ The ghost eye was gone. A blood-red ghost eye appeared on the Headless Ghost Shadow, and as the eye opened, the Headless Ghost Shadow suddenly seemed to be nailed in ce, instantly distorting at one point. As if a calm surface of water suddenly dipped in. Yang Jian, now missing one ghost eye, distinctly felt the restlessness of the resurrection in his body slow down considerably. Although it didn¡¯t stop, from this feeling, he judged that he could hold on for at least another ten minutes without problem. ¡°The lost ghost eye didn¡¯t grow back,¡± Yang Jian started to feel worried. After one ghost eye was taken by the Headless Ghost, he was left with six, and their number did not increase. ¡°Is this how I extend the resurrection of the fierce ghost? To give the ghost eyes to this Headless Ghost Shadow? If that¡¯s the case¡­ then surely one eye is not enough,¡± Yang Jian took a deep breath. He repeated the process, extending his hand once more. As the ferocity of the ghost¡¯s resurrection was mitigated, he gradually gained control. In a short while, a second Ghost Eye was stripped away. The Ghost Eye appeared on the Headless Ghost Shadow. The agitation of the ghost¡¯s resurrection subsided once again; at this moment, Yang Jian felt that his Ghost Domain could be maintained for fifteen minutes without any issue. Then, he continued, giving a third Ghost Eye to the Headless Ghost Shadow. The sensation of resurrection was no longer present. At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to the time when he first acquired the Ghost Eye. In this state, Yang Jian thought he could live another three months without any problem. However, the method on the human skin parchment told Yang Jian that he had to give away five eyes in total to control the second ghost. So, the action continued. After the fourth eye was given away, Yang Jian no longer felt the abnormal presence of the ghost within his body. It was as if he had be a regr person, and if he did not use the power of the ghost in the future, he might even live for several more years. When he gave away the fifth Ghost Eye, Yang Jian suddenly felt that he seemed to be able to control the Headless Ghost Shadow and also to dominate the Ghost Eye. Was this considered controlling two ghosts? A delicate bnce had emerged. The writing on the human skin parchment erased itself, and new words appeared: ¡°I actively gave five Ghost Eyes to that Headless Ghost Shadow, which dyed the resurgence of the Ghost Eye, and the Headless Ghost Shadow was also suppressed¡­ but I must not let my guard down, absolutely must not let the Headless Ghost Shadow possess another body, otherwise, it will control the Ghost Eye and instantly turn the tables.¡± ¡°At that time, I will surely die.¡± ¡°But I also have a way to suppress it¡­¡± Upon seeing this, Yang Jian¡¯s face changed. It seemed that controlling the second ghost did not achieve a true bnce; it was merely mutual restraint that extended the time for the ghost¡¯s resurrection. But the next time the ghost resurrected, it would not be one ghost, but two ghosts resurrecting together. As he thought this, the ck thread that connected the Headless Ghost Shadow and the human skin parchment, snapped. The human skin parchment was no longer helping Yang Jian suppress the Headless Ghost Shadow. And almost at that instant, the Headless Ghost Shadow abruptly stood up, pressing itself against Yang Jian¡¯s body in a sh. It wanted to seize Yang Jian¡¯s body, to control this human rather than be controlled by one. Cold, numb, the body stiffened to the point of nearly losing all sensation. Yang Jian felt his body was being taken away. ¡°Get lost.¡± He growled softly. The five Ghost Eyes on the Headless Ghost Shadow opened all at once, emitting a crimson light. Immediately, the standing Headless Ghost Shadow fell to the ground, pinned to the floor firmly by the five Ghost Eyes, struggling in vain like a mere shadow. The agitation brought by the use of the Ghost Eye was mostly transferred to the Headless Ghost Shadow¡­ after all, the Ghost Eyes were now on its body. A temporary bnce was formed¡­ ¡°Are Ghost Eyes like nails? Used to suppress a potentially uncontroble Headless Ghost Shadow at any time,¡± pondered Yang Jian with a slightly somber expression. For some reason, he thought of a phrase called ¡°thorn in one¡¯s side.¡± But a moment¡¯s upheaval didn¡¯t mean the Headless Ghost Shadow could always resist him. Yang Jian felt he could control the Headless Ghost Shadow. As the eyes on the Headless Ghost Shadow gradually closed, it began to change, merging into his shadow like a pool of ink, slowly. Yang Jian turned around. Even without sunlight, his shadow stretched out long, and unlike ordinary people¡¯s shadows, Yang Jian¡¯s was pitch-dark and dense¡­ and headless. Yes, headless. Even though his head was there, his shadow had no head, as if it had been chopped off clean, the head severed and vanished. This was the second ghost within his body. Code name: Headless Ghost Shadow. Chapter 103: The Opened Coffin Chapter 103: The Opened Coffin ¡°After subjugating the second ghost, the resurgence time of the fierce ghost has been vastly extended. Even without this transaction, is it that I¡¯ve achieved my goal? If that¡¯s the case, then isn¡¯t the transaction unnecessary?¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brows and began to ponder the next steps. But quickly, he dismissed the idea. ¡°No, the threat of the fierce ghost¡¯s resurgence still exists, this bnce is not firm, it only allows me some respite for the time being, but this equilibrium will be broken sooner orter as I continue to wield the power of the fierce ghost¡­and maybe then I will bepelled to subjugate a third ghost¡­the transaction must proceed.¡± And furthermore¡­ Yang Jian looked down at the human-skin paper on the ground. If that certainpany knows the method to subjugate fierce ghosts and this human-skin paper does too, he would choose thatpany between the two. This thing is too eerie, capable of swallowing ghosts, who knows what it might do next. Should I discard it somewhere? Such an idea popped up in Yang Jian¡¯s mind. Though reason told him he should abandon the human-skin paper here, the desire to survive stopped him. The current matter is not yet over. Moreover, this human-skin paper might y a critical role the next time he found himself in a dire situation. Even if it was more bizarre, it was still better than dying. With this thought, he still decided to keep the human-skin paper. Only, next time, the transaction would be conducted with utmost caution. He put away the human-skin paper. Yang Jian no longer dared to carry it on his person. Instead, he found the box that previously contained the Headless Ghost and stuffed it inside. Although the box was somewhat tattered, he would definitely need to rebuild it once he got back. It was not yet time to rx. Yang Jian now had to face the incident at Huanggang Vige. Without resolving this event, he felt he couldn¡¯t leave just yet. The Ghost Domain opened once more. This time, the range of the Ghost Domain expanded significantly, covering an area of fifty meters around, not on the same level as before at all. It seems that the power of the fierce ghost that a human could wield is indeed limited. But if it¡¯s a ghost subjugating another ghost, then that¡¯s a whole different story. The next moment. Yang Jian appeared in front of a sports car, from which he dragged out a suitcase¡­ At that moment, Zhang Han, locked in the suitcase, looked pale and trembled in fear, feeling his escape was futile. After hiding for so long, had the ghost of Huanggang Vige finally found him? ¡°I¡¯m being dragged out by that ghost.¡± ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s going to open the suitcase, the ghost has indeed locked on my position, and now I can no longer continue to hide.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to fight you to the death.¡± The moment the suitcase opened, Zhang Han let out a ferocious roar and charged out. Yet, when he saw Yang Jian standing outside, his expression instantly shifted from ferocious to shocked, then to doubt, and finally a hint of joy. This rich array of facial expressions all took ce within two seconds, unspeakably splendid. Even the best actors couldn¡¯tpare with him. ¡°Keep up your performance, and whatever you have to say can wait until after you¡¯re done,¡± Yang Jian gestured with his hand and said. ¡°You, you¡¯re not dead?¡± Zhang Han eximed. Yang Jian said, ¡°Like you, I was lucky and survived. Your move was the right one, hiding in this gold suitcase, escaping the deadliest situation this vige had to offer. The situation has now changed, the crisis is temporarily resolved.¡± He let Zhang Han out because he needed apanion. Otherwise, that ¡°solitary death¡± condition would be triggered. ¡°Is, is this true? Are we safe for now?¡± Zhang Han asked, looking around with a mix of fear and disbelief. Still in the vige. But dawn had broken, the dark moments passed. However, when he saw the house with the ancestral hall setup reappearing, his pupils involuntarily constricted. ¡°No, only we are safe for now, the others, who can say? That Zhang Yiming¡­ he most likely didn¡¯t make it.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he is dead or not, but now, you muste with me.¡± ¡°Where to now?¡± asked Zhang Han. ¡°The ancestral hall.¡± Yang Jian pointed to the house not far away and said, ¡°Everything stems from that coffin. To resolve this matter, we must go there. We took a wrong turn earlier because of you, leading to the needless deaths of two ghost controllers. We can¡¯t hesitate any longer.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be sure how long this bnce can be maintained.¡± ¡°Once night falls again, we¡¯re truly doomed, so let¡¯s not waste any more time and start cooperating with me immediately.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Zhang Han almost subconsciously nodded. Just the fact that Yang Jian could turn such a desperate situation around and save their lives made Zhang Han dare not question his actions anymore. This young man was far more capable than the other members of the club. If they had trusted him earlier, perhaps things wouldn¡¯t have gotten this bad, and maybe more ghost controllers would have survived. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Yang Jian waved his hand, and the two of them were already at the entrance of the ancestral hall. This sudden change of location was eerie, but Zhang Han was not surprised. Because he had seen Yang Jian use this ability before. ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask about other things. Just listen to me about the situation in the vige. Based on my earlier assessment, there should be two ghosts in this vige, one roaming around the vige, killing any ghost controllers who are alone without restraint, and the other one is inside this coffin.¡± Yang Jian nced at Zhang Han and then pointed towards the coffin. ¡°Now you have to act with me, we¡¯ll open this coffin and let out the ghost that¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°If something goes wrong, there¡¯s nothing else to say, we¡¯ll have to fight for our lives. At that moment, the suitcase in your hands and the body bag in mine will be the containers for these two ghosts.¡± ¡°I¡­ I understand.¡± Zhang Han was on the verge of tears. He had just begun to think there was a glimmer of hope for survival, but now he had to do something this terrifying again. He truly hoped that heaven would let him leave Huanggang Vige alive. ¡°Start opening the coffin.¡± Yang Jian found the crowbar that had been left in the ancestral hall and threw it to Zhang Han. However, right as they were about to begin. ¡°Cough, *cough cough*.¡± A weak, consumptive cough suddenly sounded again. But this time, the voice didn¡¯te from beside them. It was¡­ from inside the vermilion coffin before them. With the cough subsiding, The next moment, The coffin, which Yang Jian couldn¡¯t open with all his might before, now began to slowly crack open following a series of sounds. A bloodless, pallid hand extended from inside the coffin. ¡°Yang Jian~!¡± Zhang Han cried out, his face covered in cold sweat. Chapter 104 - 104 The Identity of Sick Ghost Chapter 104: Chapter 104 The Identity of Sick Ghost Originally, they had nned to pry open the coffin to begin imprisoning the ghost inside. However, neither Yang Jian nor Zhang Han had expected the coffin, which had been sitting undisturbed in the hall since they entered the vige, to open on its own at this moment. Apanied by a weak, powerless cough. The lid of the coffin was being slowly pushed open, and a crack appeared before them. Through that crack, a bloodless, pale hand was stretched out. All these signs indicated. The ghost inside the coffin¡­ was about toe out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face involuntarily tensed up at this moment. This situation wasn¡¯t something he had taken into ount; ording to his calctions, the ghost inside the coffin was unlikely toe out. Because earlier, when he tried to open the coffin, the ghost had clung tightly to the lid, preventing him from opening it. This suggested that the ghost was presumably unwilling toe out. But now, what was the reason for the ghost to go against its usual behavior and actively open the coffin toe out? ¡°Yang Jian, what do we do now?¡± Zhang Han¡¯s face turned pale with fear. Yang Jian waved his hand to signal and said, ¡°Stay calm, don¡¯t panic, we were always going to confront the ghost, whether sooner orter, prepare my body bag, let¡¯s see if we can capture it.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Zhang Han swallowed nervously and hurriedly picked up the body bag from the ground. ¡°Once ites out, you cooperate with my actions,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s forehead now disyed a ghostly eye. This eye stared intently at the slowly opening coffin. Another ghostly eye appeared at the back of his head, staying alert for the Headless Ghost Shadow behind him while ensuring no second ghost would appear. As the coffin was gradually being pushed open. Yang Jian¡¯s shadow extended rapidly to the side of the coffin like a pool of flowing water, then the shadow¡¯s pair of arms stretched out incredibly long, slowly rising from the ground. The hands of the Headless Ghost Shadow were getting closer to the opening of the coffin. Just waiting for the ghost inside to emerge, it was ready to strike, prepared to dismember the ghost in an instant by taking its arms and head. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± Another set of weak, powerless coughs resonated from the pitch-ck interior of the coffin, a second ghastly pale arm stretched out, resting upon the shifted coffin lid. With both arms pushing, a ¡°person¡± seemed to be about to sit up from inside the coffin. ¡°Damn.¡± Zhang Han cursed under his breath, knowing that it was time to grit his teeth and get on with it. The Evil Ghost tattoo on his back was awakening. His body began to stir, as if something was trying to crawl out from the flesh on his back¡­ The two readied themselves, their nerves stretched tight, prepared to take action. They prayed in their hearts. Hoping the fierce ghost wouldn¡¯t be too terrifying, still within the range they could handle, otherwise, they would all truly die here. The ¡°person¡± inside the coffin now propped up the lid and sat up. Half of his body was exposed. It was the figure of a man with a deathly pallor, as if he had been dead for several days, who now opened his eyes and looked ahead, radiating a sense of torment, pain, and numbness. Yang Jian was ready to act that instant, but when he saw what the man was wearing, his pupils suddenly contracted. This ¡°person¡± who had sat up from the coffin was actually wearing a manager¡¯s uniform. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± This ¡°person¡± coughed a few more times, weak, as if at death¡¯s door. ¡°Yang Jian, aren¡¯t you going to act?¡± Zhang Han urged, sweating coldly. He discovered that at this moment, Yang Jian actually hesitated for a moment. ¡°Wait, wait a second.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he gestured with his hand; ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty to make a move.¡± This man in uniform, if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, should be the first ghost hunter from Dachang City, as well as the person responsible for establishing the archives of the supernatural events in Huanggang Vige¡­ Feng Quan. ¡°Feng Quan?¡± He tried calling out. To see if this ¡°person¡± would respond. Ghost hunter Feng Quan went missing in Huanggang Vige, but if a ghost hunter really went missing for several months, he should¡¯ve been dead by now, his body probably decayed. Yet, the person suspected to be ghost hunter Feng Quan actually sat up from this strange coffin. In that case, Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but doubt¡­ Feng Quan might not have died. But, is this Feng Quan now human or a ghost? Yang Jian needed to confirm it himself. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee to rescue me, cough, cough cough.¡± This ¡°person¡± turned his head, his eyes dulled and dimmed by pain as he looked towards Yang Jian, while letting out a few weak coughs. It spoke? Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed. He, is really the ghost hunter Feng Quan, not a ghost? ¡°What, in the end, is going on here, the ghost is speaking.¡± At this moment, Zhang Han was in a state of extreme tension, somewhat flustered by the situation. Continue the conversation. Yang Jian remained vignt, his Ghost Shadow still lurking near the coffin, waiting for a chance to strike. ¡°Are you really Feng Quan? I am Yang Jian, also from headquarters.¡± Feng Quan¡¯s numb eyes moved slightly: ¡°I know you, I¡¯ve known since you entered the vige. You shouldn¡¯t havee here, nor should you havee to rescue me. In my condition, it¡¯s not worth the headquarters expending such a great effort to save me. Your rescue will only make things more chaotic.¡± What? Rescue you? Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed slightly. Could it be that this was the real purpose of thepany sending them to resolve the supernatural events in Huanggang Vige? Not to imprison the Evil Ghost. But to rescue this ghost hunter trapped in the vige, Feng Quan? If that was truly the case, then had those coughing sounds that appeared in the vige been from this Feng Quan? Was he the Sick Ghost? ¡°Do you think we wanted toe? We were also kept in the dark. Tell me, was that Ghost Shadow coughing in the vige you?¡± Yang Jian suddenly felt somewhat annoyed. If it was about rescuing someone, that damnpany should have said so sooner. No information given. Were they sent to rescue someone, or were they ghost hunters sent to their deaths? Feng Quan said, ¡°Yes, that¡­ was indeed me. I cannot leave this coffin for a particr reason, but through others, I already warned you, told you to get out. It¡¯s just that afterward, the situation changed because once night fell¡­ you could no longer get out.¡± ¡°The coughing sound was deliberately made by me. I wanted to gather all the ghost hunters scattered throughout the vige to resist the ghost here because that was your only chance.¡± ¡°But you never understood my intentions and instead, as more ghost hunters were separated and killed, that ghost¡¯s power grew stronger.¡± ¡°So much so that, in the end, you broke the bnce. That ghost in the vige began to take full control here, and after that, I was powerless.¡± Feng Quan nced at Yang Jian and then at Zhang Han: ¡°I must say you are very lucky. After that ghost took over, you managed to survive, which is¡­ an impossible night to survive, with no chances of survival, even for a ghost hunter.¡± ¡°If you knew this, why didn¡¯t you warn us earlier? What the hell is up with that coughing? You have a mouth, don¡¯t you? Why didn¡¯t youe out of the coffin and speak?¡± Yang Jian said through gritted teeth. ¡°Even a hint of essential information would have made us avoid being in such a passive situation where we nearly got wiped out. And what¡¯s with that old woman¡¯s coughing sound?¡± ¡°Are you deliberately misleading us?¡± Chapter 105: The Truth About the Village Chapter 105: The Truth About the Vige ¡°` The person who sat up from the coffin wasn¡¯t a ghost. It was none other than Feng Quan, the first person in charge of Dachang City. He had disappeared because of the supernatural events in Huanggang Vige, and by now, he should have been missing for over three months. After being missing for so long, Feng Quan was still alive. This was already an incredible urrence. Living alone in this terrifying Ghost Vige for such a long period, anyone else would have died by now. Although Yang Jian did not know how Feng Quan survived, he was not in the mood to care about that at the moment. But faced with Yang Jian¡¯s questioning, Feng Quan calmly said, ¡°Actually, I have already reported the situation here to headquarters. If you were to take action, you should be able to get that document. Anyone who has seen that document should know my situation¡­ To be honest, with my current state I cannot personally tell you everything, and I can only barely control the vigers to give you some hints. But this kind of control is very fragile, after all, my condition is very bad.¡± ¡°Moreover, at the beginning, I couldn¡¯t be sure what the true intentions of you ghost maniptors were ining here.¡± ¡°As for that olddy, indeed, it was I who led her to you. That cough was not meant to mislead you. I simply wanted to remind you that someone was helping you, and that I was not your enemy. I intended for you to focus on that ghost rather than on me.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you misunderstood my intentions.¡± Yang Jian expressed his anger, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can just shake everything off that easily. In fact, without your hint, I wouldn¡¯t have known that there was another person like you here. I have read that document, which was redacted, and the critical information was erased.¡± ¡°It seemed like you were trying to help me, but in reality, you have led me astray. Originally, I only needed to deal with one ghost. Your presence has made this supernatural event much moreplicated.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that was something I did not anticipate,¡± Feng Quan apologized, but his expression remained as cold as ever, showing no sign of remorse. Yang Jian continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t anticipate? Or did you deliberately want us all dead? I¡¯ve been to the spirit hall before, and I tried to open the coffin, but you stopped me.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t want me to open the coffin. What are you afraid of? Afraid of being killed by the Vicious Ghost?¡± ¡°The only safe ce in this vige must be inside this coffin.¡± Feng Quan looked at him numbly, without offering any exnation, only saying, ¡°The reason I can¡¯t get out of the coffin isn¡¯t that I¡¯m afraid to die, but because I cannot allow the ghost outside to return to the coffin.¡± ¡°Once it enters the coffin, its terror level would rise to an unimaginable extent.¡± ¡°Not just a vige, even a city could fall. If your appearance here means things will turn for the worse, perhaps dying here might be a good oue. The ghost was right by you when you were trying to open the coffin. I couldn¡¯t take that risk.¡± Fear tinged with anger crept into Yang Jian upon hearing this. So, the Vicious Ghost had been right beside him when he was opening the coffin? ¡°Impossible, there was no ghost in the spirit hall when I first tried to open the coffin; I checked.¡± ¡°Are you sure you really checked?¡± Feng Quan countered. Yang Jian suddenly realized something and nced at the portrait on the altar. At this moment, the photo was missing from the frame of the portrait¡­ leaving nothing but a nk space. The photo had still been there when he first entered the vige. It was of a handsome, young man. ¡°That portrait?¡± He sharply caught on to this point, staring intently at the empty frame. ¡°Is the man in that portrait¡­ the ghost?¡± Feng Quan confirmed, ¡°Yes, it is the ghost, and it has always been by the coffin. Wherever the coffin is ced, that¡¯s where the portrait is. I can¡¯t get away from it¡­ so, at the time you were trying to open the coffin, the ghost was watching you, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just waiting for an opportunity, a chance for the coffin to be opened. Once it enters the coffin, not only will I die, you will too. Everyone here will die. Under that circumstance, if you were me, would you allow the coffin to be opened?¡± ¡°Moreover, the reason you sat in the spirit hall all night unharmed wasn¡¯t because the spirit hall is safe, but because I was in the coffin¡­ so at that time, you weren¡¯t alone, and the ghost didn¡¯t find the chance to strike at you.¡± ¡°I must admit, you are smart, though your guess was wrong, the oue was correct. The spirit hall is both the most dangerous and the safest ce¡ªthe ghost is here, I am here, and as long as you stay here without messing around, you are temporarily safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said what I wanted to say. Do you have any more questions? If not, I think we can join forces to imprison that ghost and thoroughly resolve the supernatural events of Huanggang Vige.¡± ¡°` Yang Jian¡¯s mood was veryplex after hearing all of this. He didn¡¯t know whether to be angry with Feng Quan or to me fate for toying with him. There was no justification for ming Feng Quan, since he had indeed reminded everyone to stay together to avoid being picked off alone. It did have an effect afterward, but someter cues and hints led Yang Jian and others to misunderstand, thinking that the olddy was the ghost. In reality, Feng Quan was using the olddy¡¯s presence to remind them that he was on their side. ¡°I have a few questions; were those vigers we encountered before human or ghost?¡± Suddenly, Zhang Han, who had been silently listening, immediately asked. He had confirmed that the body rising from the coffin was human. But he still had doubts in his mind. ¡°They were non-existent people.¡± Feng Quan said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ascertain their existence, only that these vigers exist solely in this vige, simr to Ghost ves but not quite the same. Ghost ves exist because of vicious ghosts, but they exist because of the Ghost Coffin, and it¡¯s not a ghost lying in the coffin, but me. Perhaps that¡¯s why they seem more human-like.¡± ¡°And because I¡¯ve been lying in the Ghost Coffin all this time, I¡¯ve been able to influence some of their thoughts, using them to attemptmunication and information transfer with you.¡± ¡°You said this coffin is called the Ghost Coffin; what¡¯s its use?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°I¡¯ve reported on the Ghost Coffin before, and since you haven¡¯t seen it in the records, it means your clearance isn¡¯t high enough, or perhaps¡­ you are not yet an international ghost controller. Regarding this, I cannot tell you; it would be leaking state secrets,¡± Feng Quan said. Yang Jian¡¯s expression darkened. Feng Quan said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. You will naturally know when it¡¯s time. In any case, it¡¯s imperative that we three don¡¯t let this coffin fall into the hands of that vicious ghost.¡± ¡°I emerged voluntarily this time because the bnce here has been disrupted, its Terror Level increasing with the number of ghosts in this vige. It was the death toll among you that led to the ghostpletely taking over this vige. However, your tactic earlier was impressive, facing almost certain death, yet you managed to think of releasing other ghosts to wrest control of the vige ghosts, weakening it.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you also nning to release my ghost?¡± Yang Jian said. Feng Quan replied, ¡°No, the man coughing outside the door that night was the viger named Liu Genrong, controlled by me. I just wanted to scare you into grouping up instead of being alone. Afterward, when I lost control, Liu Genrong fell under the control of the ghost here, and then it entered your room.¡± ¡°So, at that time, it was trying to take the ghost from your box, not me, but it¡­ just for some reason, it eventually gave up.¡± As he spoke, he nced at the portrait on the altar. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before; the situation here is unusual. Those people you see are sometimes human, sometimes me, sometimes ghosts¡­ but I can tell you that this vige has been devoid of living people for a long time, except for us three. Everything here exists because of this Ghost Coffin.¡± ¡°So, our mission on the surface was to resolve supernatural urrences, but in fact, it was to rescue you,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it, but the risks of failure are significant, including the potential to disrupt the bnce and cause the ghosts here to lose control. I think you shouldn¡¯t havee to rescue me, but if the higher-ups insist on it, I suspect it¡¯s not for my safety, but for this object.¡± Feng Quan pointed at the vermilion-coated coffin. For the Ghost Coffin? Yang Jian stared at the coffin for a moment. It looked like an ordinary coffin. But even ghosts werepeting for it, It must be quite special. However, only Feng Quan knew about this uniqueness, and he wasn¡¯t inclined to share. ¡°Have you finished talking? Because I feel like something is off outside,¡± Zhang Han said nervously all of a sudden. He pointed outside. The vige, which had returned to brightness, was now starting to darken again. Although it wasn¡¯t darkening as quickly as before, it clearly signaled a very ominous development. Chapter 106 - 106 The Man in the Portrait Chapter 106: Chapter 106 The Man in the Portrait Although Yang Jian wanted to know a lot, Feng Quan seemed willing to patiently exin to him. This kind of verbalmunication was the best way to resolve misunderstandings. After all, they had indeed been out to kill each other before, and to survive in this vige, or even to leave it, they had to clear the air of any hard feelings. Otherwise, it would be detrimental for the cooperation thaty ahead. Zhang Han¡¯s reminder made the two men immediately look outside the house. The sky outside was beginning to darken again. Although it wasn¡¯t darkening as quickly as before, in less than ten minutes, the vige was going to enter another pitch-ck night. ¡°That ghost is going toe. It won¡¯t pass up this chance. As long as I reveal myself, it will definitely appear. It¡¯s always been like this; its obsession with the coffin runs deep,¡± Feng Quan said, his usually cold face showing some gravity. ¡°Previously when I made the entire spirit hall disappear, it was to keep it from taking the Ghost Coffin.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you might as well keep hiding. Why show up at all?¡± ¡°Hiding is useless. The coffin, the vige, me, and that ghost are all closely linked. We¡¯ve achieved a delicate bnce with this Ghost Coffin. As long as the bnce exists, there won¡¯t be a problem. But the bnce was disturbed by the ghost you released; I was forced to show myself.¡± ¡°Now, I have no way out, either I detain this ghost, or I die here with the two of you,¡± Feng Quan said. Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He was driven out by the Headless Ghost? Indeed. The Headless Ghost that possessed the old woman, even capable of entering the Ghost Domain, probably wouldn¡¯t have much trouble finding this spirit hall. But right now, the old woman had been swallowed by the human skin paper, and the Headless Ghost Shadow was under my control. So the situation had changed again. Wait. No, that¡¯s not right. Yang Jian¡¯s eyes suddenly twinkled, ¡°If the ghosts in this vige really do grow stronger with the increase of other ghosts, then why didn¡¯t the release of the Headless Ghost Shadow be that ghost¡¯s aid but instead suppressed it?¡± What¡¯s the difference here? Could it be that only the ghosts directly taken by that ghost could be its strength? If so, there¡¯s no reason why the Vicious Ghost couldn¡¯t handle even the Headless Ghost Shadow. All the secrets, they¡¯re all in this Ghost Coffin. Yang Jian unconsciously nced at the coffin again. Now, this was the only mystery left unsolved. If the abilities and function of this Ghost Coffin were known, then all the unreasonable matters would be exinable. It¡¯s just¡­ The Ghost Hunter, Feng Quan, in front of him seemed not inclined to reveal the information about this Ghost Coffin to him, preferring to conceal all the important information about the coffin. ¡°His concealment undoubtedly proves that this Ghost Coffin must have a very significant function; otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be the shadow of the state behind this task, and thatpany wouldn¡¯t conceal all the information, even going as far as to edit the international Ghost Hunters¡¯ files¡­¡± ¡°Feng Quan was right; this mission wasn¡¯t really about rescuing him, but to acquire this Ghost Coffin,¡± he thought. At this thought, a shiver went through him. Concealing all information, tampering with files¡ªit was like reducing the survival rate of the Ghost Hunters involved in this event to the lowest, and the potential casualties were imaginable. But still, they would keep the secret at any cost. ¡°So this coffin is really that important?¡± Yang Jian found it somewhat unbelievable. Though he didn¡¯t know the use of this coffin, the information avable led him to infer that its value was absolutely, incredibly immense. At that moment, Feng Quan was no longer sitting inside the coffin but walked out of it. He seemed to have been in the coffin for a while, walking very stiffly and even somewhat like a person who had just learned to walk, tottering and liable to fall at any second. Once out of the coffin, Feng Quan went ahead and closed the coffin lid. It was almost as if he was preparing for ast stand, as he had cut off any retreat. ¡°No matter what happens outside, do not leave this spirit hall. That ghost wille to us on its own; we don¡¯t need to seek it out. Be ready with the containers for containing¡ªthat could be a suitcase or a body bag, as long as it can detain that ghost,¡± Feng Quan instructed. ¡°Once it¡¯s sessfully detained, the paranormal events of Huanggang Vige wille to an end, and we three will all be able to leave here alive.¡± ¡°Forget about any way out; we have none left,¡± he continued. Feng Quan kept talking. Meanwhile, the sky outside grew darker and darker, and those who were sensitive could already faintly sense some sort of activity going on out there. ¡°Don¡¯t split up too much. There are some abilities of that ghost I haven¡¯t fully grasped. I just know that if you¡¯re alone, it will kill you in an instant without leaving any room for resistance. Even I would be the same. Last time, I didn¡¯t die only because I was lucky and found a slim chance of survival. But now, that¡¯s no longer possible,¡± Feng Quan said. ¡°Because we need to guard this Ghost Coffin right now and prevent it from falling into the hands of this vicious ghost, feel free to use whatever abilities you haveter¡ªdon¡¯t worry about the vicious ghost resurrecting,¡± Zhang Han muttered, ¡°Easier said than done.¡± Yang Jian remained impassive, not affected by thement. He had now taken control of a second ghost, which meant the vicious ghost¡¯s resurrection was greatly dyed. As things stood, using the ghost¡¯s powers a couple of times wouldn¡¯t have any impact on him at all. It seemed that this Feng Quan was unaware of this fact. He could only know what happened within the vige. Things like Yang Jian controlling the Headless Ghost Shadow, releasing the human skin paper, and consuming that olddy¡­ all took ce within his own Ghost Domain. In other words, some of his secrets were still safe. ¡°Tap, tap, tap~!¡± As he pondered, the outside had finally darkened. While it wasn¡¯t pitch-ck to the extent of not seeing one¡¯s own fingers, the nearby houses were now just vague outlines. At that moment, footsteps suddenly echoed from the alleyway behind the house. In the dim night. It was as if someone came walking from the inhabited vige. It looked rather strange, but in reality, that was exactly the case. The footsteps were neat and uniform, sounding exceptionally clear in the dead silence of the vige. At this point, all three people in the hall pricked up their ears and heard it. ¡°It¡¯s appeared, that ghost is outside,¡± Feng Quan said in a hushed voice while his numb gaze fixed on the direction of the door. ¡°Although there are some doubts and unwillingness, it is indeed best to coborate and imprison this ghost before anything else,¡± Yang Jian took a slight breath, dispelling the clutter in his mind. Meanwhile, the headless shadow behind him stretched very long¡­ The Ghost Domain also opened. Out of caution, he only enveloped the house with it, not extending it over to the ghost outside, to avoid the ghost targeting him first. ¡°Hmm?¡± Feng Quan seemed to sense the presence of the Ghost Domain, ncing over at Yang Jian with that numb look in his eyes. But he said nothing and did not inquire further; instead, he turned his head back again. As for Zhang Han. He was now the only survivor among the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club¡¯s ghost controllers, but he had not noticed the spread of Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Domain. The footsteps grew closer. Yang Jian watched a wall. The footsteps were on the other side of the wall, now circling around from the side of the house toward the direction of the main gate. ¡°Quite the rule-follower, knowing to use the front door, never thought toe straight through the door,¡± hemented to himself. Momentster. Finally. A figure emerged from the darkness. It was a handsome, young man with a paleplexion devoid of any color, looking strikingly handsome¡­ exactly like the person in the portrait from before. If his ghostly nature wasn¡¯t confirmed, One would never suspect his existence walking down the street; he could probably even get picked up by women in nightclubs and bars. For now. This was the ghost that looked the most human. So good-looking yet choosing to be a ghost, he deserved to be dealt with today. At this moment, The man from the portrait stopped abruptly as he reached the front gate, no longer moving forward. Because moving any further would be entering Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Domain. Was it wary of it? Or was it concerned about Feng Quan¡¯s presence? Or perhaps, it was just as previously deduced: the three people together did not satisfy the Vicious Ghost¡¯s condition for killing, and it was waiting for an opportunity to strike. Chapter 107: 107 Chapter 107: 107 After all the puzzles were unveiled, the only thing left in front of the three people was one matter. Imprisoning the ghost before their very eyes. Solving the paranormal incident in Huanggang Vige and then living to leave this ce. No matter what conflicts they had before, no matter what schemes were in their hearts. But from the moment the ghost appeared, all of that became unimportant. And they had no way out. ¡°It has stopped, it seems it doesn¡¯t n toe in, so what do we do now?¡± Zhang Han said in a hushed voice, from which one could tell that he was very nervous. Yang Jian¡¯s expression was serious. At this moment, the whole house was shrouded within his Ghost Domain, the front door marking the boundary line, clearly separating the vige and the spirit hall. But that pale-faced, bloodless, and handsome man was standing motionlessly at the doorway, neither leaving nor entering, whether he was waiting or guarding the door to prevent anyone inside the house from getting out¡­ This stillness was even more unsettling. Because you didn¡¯t know what other terrifying abilities he might have. You only knew that being alone in front of this ghost meant certain death, but what kind of death awaited you when alone, you could not tell. Those who had seen its way of killing were all dead. ¡°This question should be asked to Feng Quan, he knows more than I do.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze shifted to Feng Quan. Feng Quan was equally pale, bloodless, with numb eyes devoid of spirit. If he and the ghost outside stood together, they could be mistaken for brothers, nothing different except for their appearance. Equally eerie, equally lifeless. However, Feng Quan merely said, ¡°I failed my first mission and hid in this Ghost Coffin. It¡¯s already fortunate that I¡¯ve survived until now. If I had any understanding of this ghost, I would have escaped long ago and wouldn¡¯t have had to wait until now toe out.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face darkened. He didn¡¯t believe the ghost stories from Feng Quan. Surviving for so long in this ce and having had close encounters with the ghost on numerous asions, it would be impossible not to discern some patterns¡ªhow could he know nothing at all? He must be unwilling to speak. ¡°Being alive until now amid such abnormal people is truly a miracle. It seems none of the ghost controllers are the least bit normal.¡± He took a slight breath. There was no other way. Since Feng Quan was ying dumb, and Zhang Han didn¡¯t dare to act rashly, and the ghost outside stood there refusing to leave or enter, it was up to him to take action and break the deadlock. ¡°Hiss~!¡± The next moment. The lights in the spirit hall flickered once, and suddenly everything changed color. Ayer of red halo enveloped the ce. He revealed his Ghost Domain. There was no longer any fear of exposing his abilities at this time. After the red light covered the spirit hall, it gradually extended outside, like a beam of light shining from inside the house to the outside. Crawling across the floor slowly. Yang Jian tried to draw the ghost into his Ghost Domain. If he managed to do so, he could at least use some rtively safe methods to test the ghost¡¯s abilities or even imprison it directly. ¡°Be careful,¡± Zhang Han couldn¡¯t help but remind him. Although Yang Jian was the one probing, he was also ready to take action at any moment. Soon. The red light reached the side of the ghost outside. It remained motionless. Based on past experiences confronting the Headless Ghost Shadow, the Ghost Domain should be able to draw other ghosts into it. However, the next moment, Yang Jian suddenly discovered. The Ghost Domain that oveid everything else met resistance, like water flowing against a rock. It failed to cover him, it could only bypass and continue ahead. The red light engulfed the outside, the Ghost Domain expanded, with everything around already inside the Ghost Domain. Only the ce where the ghost stood outside the door remained as it was, unaffected by the Ghost Domain. ¡°Has the Ghost Domain failed?¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brows. It seemed that relying solely on the Ghost Domain to deal with this ghost was clearly unrealistic, for here was yet another ghost that could resist the Ghost Domain. But his actions seemed to have provoked the ghost outside. The person who had been standing motionless outside the door, with a deathly paleplexion and not a hint of blood color, suddenly moved. It took a step forward, unhurriedly. That stepnded squarely within the range of the red glow. Just like the old woman before, it forcibly walked into Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Domain. However, unlike when the old woman entered, Yang Jian had not felt anything unusual then, but now it was different with this ghost¡­ his Ghost Domain had lost control. Yes, as if the powers of some fierce ghost had been stripped away, Yang Jian found himselfpletely unable to control the Ghost Domain anymore. ¡°What¡­ is going on?¡± He widened his eyes, looking in shock at the ghost that had entered the Ghost Domain, walking in from outside the house. The Ghost Domain failed to affect it; instead, it had affected the Ghost Domain. ¡°Yang Jian, your abilities have no effect on it?¡± Zhang Han felt that something was very wrong and said urgently. The ghost had already entered the hall of spirits. Although the three of them were well-prepared, they all felt a spine-chilling fear. The dimness outside was deepening by the moment as the ck Night gradually enveloped, beginning to affect the inside of the house as well. At this moment, the red glow covering the inside of the house seemed to be severely suppressed, showing signs that it might extinguish at any moment. ¡°It¡¯s very strange, be careful, it might be the most terrifying ghost we¡¯ve encountered since bing ghost controllers.¡± Beads of cold sweat involuntarily formed on Yang Jian¡¯s face. The distance between each other and the ghost was closing. There was no turning back now. ¡°Then let¡¯s fight it out.¡± By this time, Zhang Han, gritting his teeth, had made up his mind. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it our all and go at it together,¡± Yang Jian also roared in a low voice. ¡°That works,¡± Feng Quan nodded. Ovee by extreme fear, Zhang Han had lost some of his reason, and, before he even finished speaking, he was the first to charge forward with a ferocious expression. Something brutally tore open his clothes from behind in an instant. Tattooed on his skin at the back was an image of a person, a person dripping with blood, as if skinned alive, and the tattoo was so vivid it seemed as if there truly was such a person standing behind him, following him always, eerie and horrific. Yang Jian was fully seeing the tattoo on Zhang Han¡¯s back for the first time. But as he channeled the power of the fierce ghost, that blood-soaked person in the tattoo suddenly started to move, and blood began to seep out from the area of the tattoo. A bloody arm suddenly extended from his back, clutching tightly to the flesh beside it, causing Zhang Han so much pain that his expression turned savage. But that wasn¡¯t enough¡­ Another bloody arm stretched out soon after. Once both bloody arms were out, Yang Jian could see that the Evil Ghost in the tattoo was trying to climb out. In the end, the blood-soaked Evil Ghost didn¡¯t quite emergepletely. But it was close, with two arms, a head, and half a torso already out, leaving just the lower body still within the tattoo; it was probably just one more use of the fierce ghost¡¯s power away from leaving Zhang Han¡¯s bodypletely. The blood-soaked corpse that crawled out from his back didn¡¯t make much movement, merely lying on Zhang Han¡¯s back, allowing him to carry it. As the ghost outside moved towards the coffin, Zhang Han, with the half-carcass still draped on his back, suddenly blocked its path. Up until that moment, the half-corpse had been motionless, but then it suddenly raised its head and reached out its bloody arms to grab the ghost¡¯s body, stopping its advance. At almost the same time, Feng Quan also made his move, rushing right up to the ghost, his numb gaze showing no fear, only a kind of desperate madness. Yang Jian didn¡¯t hesitate either. The Headless Ghost Shadow, which had been lying like a shadow on the ground, swiftly stood up and appeared behind the ghost, intending to wrench off its head andpletely dismember it. The joint efforts of the three seemed to pose a threat to the ghost. At that moment, the ghost¡¯s steps suddenly halted. Chapter 108: The Unsolvable Ghost Chapter 108: The Unsolvable Ghost At this moment, the three ghost controllers acted together, unleashing the ghostly powers within their bodies. They were not considering whether they would die from the excessive use of power and the resurgence of the fierce ghosts; the only thought they had was to imprison the ghost before them. Yang Jian controlled two ghosts. But due to the previous probing, he had lost control over his Ghost Domain and now could only use the Ghost Shadow. Although the ghostly ability within him had been enhanced, it seemed that even with the control of two ghosts, he was noticeably inferiorpared to the man in the relic before him. Zhang Han, who made the first move, reached out with the skinless, blood-drenched ghost on his back, attempting to grab the man before him. However, there wasn¡¯t the expected suppression. Zhang Han suddenly felt a tearing, intense pain on his back. The blood-drenched ghost clinging to his back lost control and began to be forcibly pulled out by the man from the relic. ¡°Ah~!¡± A painful and mournful scream echoed as the skin on Zhang Han¡¯s back split open, and the ghost that had been clinging to him was being taken away by the man before him. It was being brutally ripped from the tattoo on his back. At this time, however, the Ghost Shadow that had risen behind him grabbed the man¡¯s head from the front. The ck hand, condensed from the shadows, could easily decapitate anyone¡¯s head and even dismember other ghosts. However, when Yang Jian felt the Ghost Shadow try to take its head, he encountered a terrifying resistance. Its head remained unmoved on its neck. At the same time. The Headless Ghost Shadow suddenly froze, just like the Ghost Domain earlier, losing control and standing still. ¡°What on earth is this thing?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed drastically. Even the power of the second ghost had no effect on it. Could it be that this ghost is truly unsolvable, with no weaknesses and no methods to imprison it? But at this moment, Feng Quan suddenly moved. Ayer of grey mist surged around his body, and within that mist, Feng Quan¡¯s body began to fade away¡­ In a short while, he waspletely absorbed into the mist, and his figure could no longer be seen clearly. Only a vague human outline was visible, indistinguishable as either a man or a ghost lurking in the dark mist. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± A weak cough came from the mist, sounding like someone on his deathbed, deeply ill, This sound was strange and malevolent, sending chills down one¡¯s spine. And after this sound emerged, Theplexion of the man from the relic began to turn ck, and then his skin and flesh started to fall off, emitting a foul stench of decay as if the body had reached its limit of use and was beginning to copse. ¡°It works.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression became stern. Feng Quan indeed had the ability to affect this ghost. And judging by his appearance, he must have controlled more than just one ghost. That eerie fog, the hair-raising cough hidden within the mist¡­ If Yang Jian wasn¡¯t mistaken, these should be the powers of two ghosts. ¡°First restrict its movements, don¡¯t let it approach the Ghost Coffin; you¡¯re doing very well in this regard. This ghost canpletely nullify the abilities of another fierce ghost, no matter how powerful that ghost might be¡­ Once it seizes another ghost, its power strengthens. Now, it can fully suppress up to¡­ three ghosts, which exins why you were doomed if you were alone at the beginning.¡± ¡°Incapable of using the ghost¡¯s power, you¡¯re merely ordinary humans in the face of this ghost. That¡¯s what makes this ghost both unsolvable and terrifying.¡± Feng Quan, shadowed in the thick mist, spoke. His voice was weak and feeble, portraying a sense of imminent demise. ¡°You obviously knew all along, yet you said nothing before, and now you speak up; quite crafty of you,¡± Yang Jian used. ¡°If I¡¯d told you earlier, who among you would have dared to make a move? Besides, the amplification of its ability was brought about by you. I am considering the bigger picture here. Without me in the vige, this ghost would have escaped long ago,¡± Feng Quan replied weakly. ¡°Such a grandiose im of considering the bigger picture. Maybe without your meddling, we ghost controllers might have already imprisoned this ghost,¡± Yang Jian replied with a coldugh. Feng Quan said, ¡°For the country, some sacrifices are necessary. You¡¯re too young to understand these things.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s for the country or for yourself, only you know the truth,¡± Yang Jian said, staring at him. ¡°This is not the time to argue about this,¡± Feng Quan retorted. This ghost can suppress three ghosts. That is to say, Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Domain, Headless Ghost Shadow, and the ghost inside Zhang Han¡¯s tattoo had all been subdued by the man in the relic, rendered powerless. ordingly, it seems this ghost must have killed Ouyang Tian and He Sheng to strengthen this insoluble ability. As for the ghosts inside Ye Jun and He Yiming, they must have been taken by the Headless Ghost Shadow that was released earlier. Three against three, hence the bnce being restored. No wonder the Headless Ghost Shadow was so recklessly wandering around the vige without any issues. ¡°The ghost within Ye Jun wasn¡¯t taken by this man, but rather appeared in the Headless Ghost Shadow, which means Ye Jun¡¯s death¡­ harbors some oddity,¡± Yang Jian said, his expression growing stern. Yang Jian gave a deep look at Feng Quan, who was hidden in the thick mist. In secret, this guy had probably done a lot of unspeakable things. Maybe there was an intention to help himself and the others, but it wasn¡¯t without ns to harm them as well. Fortunately, Yang Jian¡¯s earlier move to release the Headless Ghost Shadow had turned the tide. Otherwise, they would have certainly been doomed. The man in the portrait before them could render the powers of three ghosts ineffective, and now that the number was satisfied, Feng Quan could take it on. He had been waiting for this opportunity all along. This opportunity to take control of the situation. ¡°You¡¯ve outsmarted me, and I¡¯ll admit my bad luck, but we¡¯ve already finished taking the lead,¡± Yang Jian said, no longer willing to risk his life and instead retreated to the back. He moved next to the coffin. If Feng Quan failed, he would immediately enter this Ghost Coffin. Although he didn¡¯t know what purpose this coffin served, if Feng Quan entered and wasn¡¯t killed by a ghost, then he would be safe too. So, Yang Jian unapologetically secured his escape first. ¡°¡­¡± Feng Quan, in the mist, couldn¡¯t help frowning deeply at this action. This guy was cleverer than he had imagined. Had he already guessed some of the uses of the Ghost Coffin? ¡°You don¡¯t need to look at me; it¡¯s your turn to perform. Of course, if you find my strategy improper, you can try to kill me. I¡¯ve lost the power of the vengeful ghost and am now just an ordinary person¡­ But if I die, the vengeful ghost revives, the bnce is broken, can you handle it?¡± Yang Jian said with a taunting smile. He was ready to push open the lid and lie inside at any moment. Feng Quan wanted to quietly reap the benefits, but Yang Jian was not going to be polite and instead nned a preemptive strike. Zhang Han had beenpletely restrained and couldn¡¯t move; he nowy on the ground, struggling and wailing in pain. Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Domain and the Headless Ghost Shadow were also suppressed, but he had found a way to survive and escape. Now, the only one who could face the ghost head-on was Feng Quan. Help? Out of the question. Feng Quan seemed to understand that Yang Jian was not going to help anymore; he had to confront the ghost on his own. Without dy, the mist around his body began to disperse, and then slowly started to fill the spirit hall. Ayer of dusky mist arose in the spirit hall. It was like a heavy shroud of gloom. All visibility was obstructed, and Feng Quan¡¯s figurepletely disappeared. On the spot, Yang Jian could only vaguely see the man in the portrait standing there. But as the mist thickened, the man in the portrait was gradually swallowed up too. It became so dark around them that you could not see your hand in front of your face. ¡°This mist¡­ it¡¯s somewhat like the Ghost Domain,¡± Yang Jian said, surrounded by it, not feeling harmed by the mist, but rather a sense of being lost. Even inside the building, it was as if he would get lost. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything around me; who knows if that ghost will appear next to me? If Feng Quan uses it to set me up, that would be bad.¡± ¡°I must be cautious at this time.¡± Yang Jian kept his palm on the Ghost Coffin to ensure he would not get lost. ¡°Try lying inside. The oue of Feng Quan¡¯s struggle with this ghost doesn¡¯t concern me, but I can¡¯t afford to die here cluelessly.¡± With that thought, he immediately pushed open the coffin lid and climbed inside. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Chapter 109 - 109 Discovery Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Discovery Among the Thirty-Six Stratagems, what is the best tactic? Retreat is the supreme strategy. As soon as Yang Jian sensed something was amiss, he decided to make a quick escape. So what if he had controlled two ghosts? In front of this ghost¡¯s iprehensible abilities, even if he had controlled three ghosts, he¡¯d still be a pushover with no real difference. After all the trouble to extend the time before the fierce ghosts revived, and temporarily preserving his life, how could he carelessly die here? While the hall was shrouded in dense fog, he immediately crawled into the Ghost Coffin. The interior of the coffin was dark, oppressive. Beyond that, there were no particr sensations. It was rather bothersome, as if something was pressed beneath him, making it ufortable. No matter how you looked at it, it was just an ordinary coffin. ¡°Right, the coffin lid isn¡¯t on yet.¡± Yang Jian noticed that the coffin lid hadn¡¯t been ced yet. The coffin and its lid should match; maybe missing one part would prevent the Ghost Coffin from fulfilling its true purpose. He immediately covered it with the coffin lid. ¡°Bang~!¡± A faint sound resounded as the lid fit snugly on top of the coffin. All light vanished. Lying in the coffin, Yang Jian felt as if swallowed by darkness, unable to see anything even with his eyes open. ¡°Just like this?¡± He then furrowed his brow. Still, he felt nothing unusual, as normal as ever. Wait. Suddenly. Yang Jian felt something strange. He realized his body was slowly sinking¡­ as though the coffin hey on was caving in continuously. No, that¡¯s not right, his body wasn¡¯t sinking; it was vanishing. Yang Jian¡¯s body was gradually dissolving, but during this process, he felt no pain, no sense of death, and not the slightest fear in his heart. The disappearance didn¡¯t seem real; instead, it was like the beginning of some form of rebirth. He even felt an anticipation for the unknown transformation within. Quickly. His bodypletely disappeared inside the coffin. Yet the vanished Yang Jian still had consciousness; he could feel he was still inside the coffin. Merely without a body. A contradictory sensation. But it felt so real. It was as if Yang Jian had left the human flesh behind, slowly bing another kind of existence. This other existence resembled one thing very much¡­ a ghost. ¡°Could it be that this Ghost Coffin can transform a person into a ghost?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s consciousness was very clear, and he made a bold guess that even shocked him. If that were true, the Ghost Coffin would be terrifying indeed. This phenomenon might also exin why the detective Feng Quan could stay inside the coffin for several months without eating or drinking and not die. If he truly became an outright ghost¡­ a ghost with human consciousness, indeed, he could do just that. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right; if the person in the coffin became a ghost, then how would they get out? Feng Quan had a body when he left the coffin, not existing in the form of a ghost¡­ This Ghost Coffin must serve some strange and special purpose, I just haven¡¯t figured it out yet, I simply do not know.¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. Although he wasn¡¯t quite clear about what was going on, in this state, indeed, no person could kill him. No ghost could kill him either. And it seemed his consciousness could extend outward through the existence of the Ghost Coffin. It felt as though the body stayed inside the coffin, yet the soul could fly out. Himself. In this vige, it was as if he were everywhere. He saw everything that happened in the hall. The dense fog could no longer obstruct his vision. However, at this moment, the confrontation outside seemed to being to an end. The man in the portrait was now highly decayed, only a skeleton remained, with some flesh clinging on, gruesome and terrifying. Feng Quan was not faring well either. The excessive use of the ghost¡¯s power, and the prolonged confrontation, had also left him in a bad state. His numb gaze revealed fatigue and pain, his face pale and bloodless, bearing a deep morbidity. He now resembled a patient in the hospital swallowing theirst breath. Merely witnessing this sight was enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine. ¡°Though this ghost¡¯s ability is unsolvable, it has its limits. To deal with that Zhang Han, Yang Jian pushed this ghost to its extremity¡­ No necromancer could stand against this creature one-on-one. Alone, one would undoubtedly face death. But right now, I still have a slight upper hand,¡± ¡°However, using the ghost¡¯s power for an extended period, even having controlled two ghosts, doesn¡¯t bode well for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to bring this matter to a close.¡± Feng Quan walked to the side, picking up the suitcase that was on the ground. The gold suitcase was very sturdy, perfectly suitable to incarcerate this ghost. At this moment, the man in the portrait slowly took a step forward. But the next moment, his bodypletely copsed. Like a stack of building blocks, the bones, legs, feet¡ªall suddenly disconnected from the body and fell to the ground, forming a heap of limbs. However, the rotting head was still moving. It had not died. Feng Quan seemed to have anticipated this. Holding the suitcase, he went over and one by one, picked up the ghost¡¯s bones, flesh, hands, feet, skull¡­ and soon stuffed them all inside. Locking it, sealing it, all in one go. Once the ghost was imprisoned, the previously suppressed presence was immediately liberated. Zhang Han¡¯s blood-drenched corpse, which had copsed on the ground, began slowly retracting back into his body. The Headless Ghost Shadow standing motionless in ce turned into a shadow and quickly shrank back, vanishing into an unknown ce in the end. However, the Ghost Domain shrouded in red light was behaving abnormally at this time. Instead of disappearing, it began to expand outwards rapidly. This was no longer a matter of covering twenty or thirty meters. Almost in the blink of an eye, the Ghost Domain enveloped the entire vige. The whole vige had fallen within the range of Yang Jian¡¯s Ghost Domain. ¡°Yang Jian, it¡¯s over,¡± Feng Quan spoke gravely, ¡°Hurry up ande out of the Ghost Coffin. That¡¯s no ce for you to be.¡± However, at the next moment, the coffin burst open. Yang Jian¡¯s body once again coalesced out of the darkness, returning to its previous form. He looked as if he had seen a ghost and abruptly sat up. ¡°The ghost¡­ it¡¯s still here.¡± Cold sweat beaded on Yang Jian¡¯s forehead as he uttered these words. ¡°What?¡± Feng Quan furrowed his brows, ¡°The matters here have been resolved. There is no need for you to be here; leave immediately. I¡¯ll contact others to take care of the aftermath.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, the ghost is still here. Are you deaf?¡± Yang Jian hopped out of the Ghost Coffin, saying with a somewhat fierce expression, ¡°You weren¡¯t in the Ghost Coffin for bnce or to suppress the ghost¡­ Your main purpose was to obtain this Ghost Coffin to turn yourself into a real ghost. Do you think you¡¯ve just sessfully contained the ghost here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been inside the Ghost Coffin; based on what I felt, the ghost here doesn¡¯t have a physical form at all. It¡¯s a consciousness.¡± ¡°The man in the portrait is a ghost, but his appearance is merely a fusion of all the vigers¡¯, no, it should be all the faces of those who died here¡­ That¡¯s the most perfect image this ghost can conceive.¡± ¡°What you¡¯ve just destroyed is merely one of its forms.¡± As if to confirm Yang Jian¡¯s words, clear footsteps could be heard once more from the darkness outside the house. Feng Quan¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he couldn¡¯t help dropping the suitcase in his hand to the ground with a thud. Had he misunderstood the existence of this ghost? Chapter 110: The Way to Leave Chapter 110: The Way to Leave Fixed ways of thinking can be lethal. We always think of ghosts as tangible entities, terrifying but at least visible and touchable. But Yang Jian fully understood after he entered the Ghost Coffin and merged his consciousness with the Ghost Domain, enveloping the entire Huanggang Vige. The ghosts here are just like his situation lying in the coffin. They¡¯re not ghosts in form, but in concept. As long as Huanggang Vige exists, this ghost will never vanish and cannot be imprisoned. That¡¯s why Feng Quan, after entering the coffin, could control the vigers, and why Yang Jian, after entering the Ghost Coffin, could abandon his physical form to be nearly a purely conscious existence. In reality, they had only temporarily experienced the existence of this ghost after entering the coffin. However, Feng Quan didn¡¯t think in this direction; he regarded the coffin as a special tool, one that could perfectly transform people into ghosts. But he was wrong. Or rather, he was only half right. The coffin indeed could nurture a ghost, but not Feng Quan, not Yang Jian, but¡­ the ghost of Huanggang Vige. This coffin was tailor-made for this ghost. But now the ghost has left the coffin, and Feng Quan has taken over it. It can¡¯t return to the coffin, and Feng Quan, wary of the ghost¡¯s power, dare not leave the coffin either. So a bnce has been formed. This is actually a stalemate. After much struggle, three people paid a price to detain this ghost. But when the sound of footsteps once again came from outside in the ck Night, it brought with it a sense of despair and helplessness. ¡°How can you be so certain that all of this is as you say? I don¡¯t believe you,¡± said Feng Quan, his numb face showing a trace of fright and anger. Yang Jian stared intently at him, ¡°You¡¯ve been here quite a while and could have guessed it; you just really want to be a real ghost and have subconsciously ignored the things you don¡¯t want to think about.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with bing a real ghost? Once I seed, I¡¯ll be able to control other ghosts, fearless of the Resurrection¡¯s side effects. This city, no¡­ the entire nation, maybe even the whole world¡¯s fate will change because of me. I will be the only conscious, truly terrifying ghost.¡± ¡°Do you know what that would mean? It would mean that this psychic disaster could be stopped, even pacified¡­ I would be a hero, a savior,¡± Feng Quan said, his numb face taking on a strangely crazed expression. Is this really what he was thinking? Indeed, it seems quite unbelievable. ¡°Although your idea is good, reality is cruel. You stay in the coffin for a day, the ghost guards you for a day. You won¡¯t let it enter the coffin, and it won¡¯t leave for a second,¡± Yang Jian said calmly; ¡°Even if someone sees the value in the Ghost Coffin and sends rescue, it¡¯ll just be one dead body after another. You can¡¯t leave; how can you be a savior?¡± ¡°If the ghost is resolved, there will be no problem,¡± said Feng Quan. ¡°How will you resolve it? This ghost simply cannot be detained; it can be an amalgamation of all the vigers¡¯ appearances, a weed, a stone, a building¡­ If we¡¯re to be urate, the entire Huanggang Vige is a ghost. You made the file on the Huanggang Vige paranormal incident, you should be clear: when the paranormal incidents urred, the whole vige mysteriously vanished for three days.¡± ¡°After three days, the vige reappeared.¡± ¡°By that time, the vige was no longer the same vige¡­ but a ghost, yet still in the process of gestation and perhaps not perfect in some aspects. So Huanggang Vige resumed the life of an ordinary vige as before, with no hint of anomaly, which I consider to be a kind of imitative ability, like a child mimicking an adult¡¯s behavior. It can also mimic the operational routine of a vige.¡± ¡°Having just the vige isn¡¯t enough; you need vigers too. Hence, the vigers who had disappeared reappeared, and those ghost vigers, not being controlled, lived ording to their previous lifestyles. When someone died, they knew to hold a funeral, set up a mourning hall; when guests arrived, they knew to receive them, greet them, but they would never leave the vige by half a step.¡± ¡°Because they are already a part of the vige, but as you entered the Ghost Coffin, you indirectly gained some control over the vigers. This is actually your influence over the ghost here, so you cannot fully control a viger since they are also a part of the ghost. The influence you have is already the limit; to control, you must dominate the ghost within the Ghost Coffin.¡± Feng Quan¡¯s face was changing unpredictably at this moment. He couldn¡¯t believe Yang Jian¡¯s terrifying conjecture. Yet, reality was before his eyes, and Feng Quan had no choice but to believe it. Because, just as he said¡­ the ghost was still there. Footsteps once again approached from the darkness. A figure was gradually nearing the spirit hall. All these signs seemed to announce the ghost¡¯s return. If there was to be a fight, it would be the second round. But you people are already severely wounded, while the ghost is fully resurrected. If Yang Jian and Feng Quan teamed up again to defeat the ghost, a third round would begin. A never-ending confrontation, until all the ghost controllers are worn down and die from the ghost¡¯s resurrection. And as the number of ghosts in the vige increases, this ghost¡¯s power would also grow stronger. This has be a deadlock. ¡°No, even if your guess is right, I still have a chance to turn things around, that is to return to the Ghost Coffin and continue the previous bnce¡­¡± Feng Quan¡¯s numb face was tinged with madness. However, he didn¡¯t finish his words. A Ghost Shadow suddenly stood behind him. A hand, condensed from thick ink, grabbed Feng Quan¡¯s head. With a gentle lift, Feng Quan¡¯s head was plucked off, held in the hands of the Headless Ghost Shadow. ¡°Yang Jian¡­ you?¡± Even with his head severed, Feng Quan wasn¡¯t dead, but stared at him, both angry and frustrated. ¡°No matter what you want to do, right now I won¡¯t allow you to disrupt my ns,¡± Yang Jian said icily, ¡°There¡¯s actually only one way to leave this ce.¡± ¡°That is to send the ghost back into the Ghost Coffin. Only then will everything here disappear, and the supernatural events of Huanggang Vige will end. Such a dangerous thing is not something you can control.¡± Separated from his body, Feng Quan was immobilized and spoke angrily, ¡°Since you already understand that the ghost needs to return to the Ghost Coffin, what if one day it continues to grow inside the coffin, reaching an unimaginable height of terror before emerging again?¡± ¡°Who will be able to deal with it then?¡± ¡°You keep the ghost outside for your own sake, so why can¡¯t I send it back into the coffin for the sake of my own life?¡± ¡°The day that ghost leaves the coffin, that¡¯s no longer my concern. By then, I suppose the ghost controlling department will have a solution. If the ghost sessfully returns to the coffin, I¡¯ll do a favor and send the coffin away for someone capable to worry about it.¡± Yang Jian was unmoved: ¡°You should feel lucky, if I weren¡¯t worried about the ghost in your body escaping, you would already be dead by now.¡± Chapter 111 - 111 Returning the Coffin Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Returning the Coffin ¡°` The situation had reached a point where the cause and effect of the supernatural events in Huanggang Vige were all made clear. A vige formed by ghosts. A person attempting to use the Ghost Coffin to fully transform into a ghost. The real purpose of thepany that posted this task was not to resolve the supernatural incidents here, nor to save the ghost controller Feng Quan, but to obtain the Ghost Coffin. A coffin believed to have the ability to turn a personpletely into a ghost. Although not sessful, it still held high research value. If a breakthrough could be found from this Ghost Coffin, perhaps global supernatural incidents could be effectively curbed. However, Feng Quan¡¯s selfishness led to the ghost inside the coffin being unable to return to it. It continued to wander through the vige. That was the true source of terror. And the solution was actually very simple. There was no need to deal with ghosts; dealing with people was enough. At this moment, the Headless Ghost Shadow was holding Feng Quan¡¯s head¡ªit was pale, bloodless, yet still alive. Who knew what kind of ghost within him was maintaining this miracle of living even with his body decapitated. However, after taking Feng Quan¡¯s head, the Headless Ghost Shadow didn¡¯t just hold it in its hands but slowly lifted it up and ced it onto its own neck. The instinct of the fierce ghost was driving it to assemble a perfect body. This behaviour was not under Yang Jian¡¯s control. ¡°Another indirect loss of control, right?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze flickered. The next moment, numerous crimson ghost eyes opened on the Headless Ghost Shadow¡¯s body. It was pinned to the ground once again by the eyes, bing a shadow. Feng Quan¡¯s head fell off and rolled onto the ground. ¡°Yang Jian, having entered the Ghost Coffin, you should know that us, fully transformed into ghosts, can perfectly control the ghosts inside our bodies. Handing this coffin over to a ghost is simply foolish,¡± he continued to struggle, growling. He was trying to make Yang Jian abandon the idea. ¡°You are a ghost controller, with grand thoughts of being a savior, but I¡¯m just a small fry. I just want to survive. Because of that so-called possibility you¡¯re after, should all of us be sacrificed here? Do you think I would agree? Ridiculous, life is already gone, there¡¯s no need to worry about so much.¡± Yang Jian said earnestly. ¡°Stop talking, the ghost¡­ it¡¯s entered.¡± Yang Jian then moved the unconscious Zhang Han, along with Feng Quan¡¯s head and his body, all to one side, gathering them together. So as not to be the first targets of the ghost if they were scattered. A man entered the room again. It was an old man dressed as a farmer, somewhat lean and wearing simple clothes. His face showed no sign of life, carrying an icy, deathly aura. This old man was Liu Genrong, who Yang Jian had previously asked for information when entering the vige. But now, he had be this ghost¡¯s new identity. After Liu Genrong entered, his grey-white pupils showed no sparkle; he didn¡¯t look at Yang Jian and the others in the corner but instead focused on the open coffin. The Ghost Coffin was now empty and unupied. After a brief pause, Liu Genrong walked directly toward the coffin. Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed, and a sense of apprehension rose in his heart. Even though he knew what was about to happen, the close encounter with an unsolvable ghost still caused a spine-chilling fear. ¡°Please let there be noplications, just lie down in the coffin obediently; we¡¯ve even made room for you,¡± he prayed silently in his heart. Aside from the ghost entering the coffin, there was another possibility. That it would strike at them first. If that were the case, it would be disastrous. The now-ghostly Liu Genrong had reached the side of the Ghost Coffin, less than two meters away from Yang Jian in the corner. With one more step, he could be reached out and grabbed. But this time was fortunate. The ghostly Liu Genrong did not attack Yang Jian. Perhaps because the ghosts within Yang Jian, Zhang Han, and Feng Quan outnumbered those he could suppress, not meeting the necessary conditions for a certain death, he chose to give up. Or perhaps returning to the Ghost Coffin had a higher priority than anything else. At that moment, Yang Jian saw the old Liu Genrong, bracing himself on the edge of the coffin, support his body with one arm, and fall into the Ghost Coffin with an eerie motion, which eerily resembled¡­ a Thomas salto. Not even an athlete¡¯s movements are as precise as his. Fortunately, it was only half a turn. If it had been a few more turns, and he performed some kind of routine, that would have been too perfect of an image. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s in. My guess wasn¡¯t wrong; its true purpose was this,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. ¡°Crack, crackle~!¡± ¡°` Subsequently, a pair of somewhat lean and coarse hands covered in field dirt stretched out from inside the coffin, grabbing the side of the coffin lid that had been moved aside, and then began to slowly shift it. The coffin lid was positioned back into ce by those hands. With a loud thump. The lid fell into ce. Perfectly sealed, the Ghost Coffin was again covered, restored to its original state. Immediately. Calm returned to the mourning hall. The expected oue hade to pass, startling yet harmless. The ghost had returned to the Ghost Coffin. This paranormal event should now be over. ¡°It won¡¯te out again, will it?¡± Yang Jian stared at the Ghost Coffin for quite a while. He was not reassured and continued to watch closely. The Ghost Coffin remained still, showing no signs of the lid suddenly being pushed open to let the ghost out again. If the ghost really tried toe out again, Yang Jian was determined to hold down its coffin lid with all his might. It was just a question of whether he could hold it down or not. But the difficulty would certainly be immense, at least much harder than holding down the coffin lids of Newton, Einstein, and the like. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± After nearly an hour of vignce, Yang Jian was finally certain. The ghost, once it had entered the Ghost Coffin, surely wouldn¡¯te out so easily again. Unless some idiot opened the Ghost Coffin again and willingly let out the ghost inside, causing another incident. Perhaps that was what happened in Huanggang Vige before, when someone in the vige was handling funeral affairs and bought a Ghost Coffin from somewhere, inadvertently releasing the ghost inside, leading to the disaster. ¡°Now, are you satisfied?¡± Feng Quan¡¯s heady on the ground; he was still alive, a numb look in his eyes mixed with inexplicable anger. Yang Jian said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, at least I saved your life.¡± ¡°You destroyed a chance to save the world,¡± Feng Quan said. ¡°The world doesn¡¯t need us to save it, we just need to save ourselves,¡± Yang Jian replied. Feng Quan fell silent; he didn¡¯t say anything more, justmented, ¡°Your words make some sense.¡± ¡°Makes a lot of sense, right? I saw it on a forum,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Some motivational quotes, like ¡®If it hurts, let go,¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t argue with fools,¡¯ ¡®If you¡¯re capable,e hit me,¡¯ stuff like that.¡± ¡°You really should go online sometimes instead of lying in a coffin pretending to be dead.¡± ¡°If you reattach my head, I might consider it,¡± Feng Quan replied. Yang Jian said, ¡°That¡¯s impossible, you are the only thing I¡¯ve gained from this trip to Ghost Vige¡­ This venture has left me penniless, my millions reduced to barely two million. Thank you for letting me experience the feeling of getting rich overnight and going broke in the same night. Besides, since you control ghosts, I can¡¯t just kill you easily, lest I revive a vengeful ghost and it causes me huge trouble. But I can sell you, after all, you have two ghosts inside you.¡± As he spoke, he came over carrying a body bag. ¡°¡­¡± Feng Quan¡¯s numb eyes regarded him with a mix of shock and doubt. This man was actually thinking of selling him off? And so. Yang Jian moved Feng Quan¡¯s body inside the body bag. As for his head. Yang Jian stuffed it into his buttocks. Letting him taste a different kind of despair. ¡°This bag¡¯s worth at least two hundred million; surely someone will take it off my hands,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. He turned to force a sale on somepany. After all, it¡¯s all ghosts. There shouldn¡¯t be any difference. ¡°Wait.¡± Suddenly, he turned his gaze to Zhang Han who was nearby. Yang Jian immediately got up, picked up his suitcase, and prepared to discard the body inside to make room for him as well. ¡°Yang Jian, you¡¯re not thinking of selling me too, are you?¡± Zhang Han, who had by then awoken, said in horror, ¡°I¡¯ve never harmed you.¡± ¡°But you look quite pale. Are you about to be possessed by a vengeful spirit? Anyway, dying out there is still dying, why not just benefit me instead?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°At the very least, I can split the proceeds with your wife fifty-fifty. Whatever¡¯s earned from the sale, half will go to your family. You can rest assured, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s all properly arranged; I won¡¯t let you suffer a loss.¡± ¡°I, I feel like I can still live a little longer¡­¡± Zhang Han said, his face turning red with a strong desire to survive. Chapter 112: Leaving the Village Chapter 112: Leaving the Vige As the ghost in the vige entered the Ghost Coffin, the supernatural events here could be dered temporarily over. Without the influence of the malicious ghost, the gloomy sky outside the house was gradually brightening. The ck Night was dissipating. But at the same time disappearing was¡­ the entire Huanggang Vige. Yes. Huanggang Vige was vanishing. Just like a mirage, as sunlight shone on the entire vige, all its buildings, houses, and roads were gradually being erased as if they were paintings on paper. All traces left by the malevolent ghosts ceased to exist after that ghost entered the Ghost Coffin. Yang Jian, who was moving things into the car, saw this scene and his face slightly changed. ¡°The vige is going to disappear,¡± said Zhang Han, who was injured, in shock. ¡°It¡¯s just temporarily gone. Once that ghostes out of the coffin again, Huanggang Vige will reappear,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°But by then, what that ghost in the coffin will turn into is unknown.¡± ¡°Perhaps its Terror Level could be defined as high as S,¡± he added. In the file, the supernatural event of Huanggang Vige was only defined as B, the danger level. Because the ghost in the vige wasn¡¯t the kind that wandered everywhere. The danger level was greatly reduced. But the Terror Level was very high. Ghost controllers who encountered it without understanding its patterns would undoubtedly die; only by confronting it head-on from the start was there a chance to contain it. And once the first ghost controller died. The ghost¡¯s abilities would increase again, starting to snowball, and by that time, it would have be very difficult to deal with. Yang Jian and a few others from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club had experienced this kind of desperate situation. ¡°It¡¯s better if this ghost vige never reappears. It¡¯s an unsolvable ghost. If ites out again, the price to pay won¡¯t be so small,¡± said Zhang Han. ¡°That¡¯s a problem forter. There are ghosts with even higher Terror Levels than this. Why should we worry? Let¡¯s take things one step at a time,¡± Yang Jian said as he threw the body bag containing Feng Quan¡¯s corpse into the car. ¡°What do you n to do with the Ghost Coffin? Just leave it here?¡± asked Zhang Han. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll take it with me. It has high research value. This mission was to obtain this Ghost Coffin. I believe that certainpany would be very willing to buy it at a high price. And¡­ I¡¯ve noticed yourplexion has been quite off,cking color, getting more and more like a dead person,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°Do you really not want me to arrange something for you?¡± ¡°No, no need.¡± Zhang Han broke out in cold sweat, knowing full well what Yang Jian was plotting. This kid nned to sell him off like an item. Just like the well-packed Feng Quan. ¡°That¡¯s a pity. Once the malicious ghost revives, you won¡¯t be worth anything. If I imprison you now, there¡¯s no danger whatsoever,¡± said Yang Jian. The corners of Zhang Han¡¯s mouth twitched. Leave it to you to think of such a thing. Why don¡¯t you sell yourself instead of always thinking about selling others? You don¡¯t consider whether other ghost controllers would agree or not. Even if it meant risking the ghost¡¯s revival, no one would let you get away with this. ¡°Since you¡¯re not willing, let¡¯s leave it. But I saved your life, so I wouldn¡¯t mind a favor¡ªhelp me carry this coffin to the car, will you?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°That¡¯s He Sheng¡¯s sports car. How do you n to fit such a huge coffin inside?¡± asked Zhang Han. ¡°I certainly have my ways. You just need to help me carry it,¡± replied Yang Jian. ¡°Then¡­ alright.¡± Zhang Han had no choice but to reluctantly agree. Before long. Two sports cars drove out of the vige. One of the cars had itspartment dismantled, ruining the valuable vehicle beyond recognition, all this violent disassembly just to transport an ornate redcquer coffin. The Ghost Coffin was ced horizontally on the back seat, secured tightly with ropes top and bottom to prevent the lid from identally flipping open during transit. Having skirted the edge of life and death. Yang Jian indeed had reaped quite a few things, but simrly, he had alsoid down several huge risks. It was hard to say whether to be happy or worried. But for sure, the immediate crisis was temporarily resolved. The malicious ghost¡¯s revival time had been greatly dyed, and Yang Jian was no longer a ghost living on borrowed time with just a few months to live. However, just as Yang Jian and Zhang Han were driving out of the vige. On the main road leading to Huanggang Vige. The area had already been put under martialw, the road half-blocked, with a dozen cars stopped at the junction. Professionals had set upmunication equipment, others took turns standing guard, closely monitoring every move in the distant Huanggang Vige. Judging by their attire, there were corporate personnel, official case handlers, and even some wearing whiteb coats, looking like researchers¡­ and a helicopter parked on the nearby open ground. Observers took turns watching Huanggang Vige through binocrs. When the observer saw Huanggang Vige eerily disappearing from view, he was instantly stunned. ¡°There¡¯s a situation, Huanggang Vige is¡­ disappearing. The vige, no, it¡¯s gone. Two cars areing from the direction of the vige.¡± ¡°License te confirmed, they belong to members of the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club from Dachang City, He Sheng and Zhang Han.¡± ¡°The car behind has a coffin in it.¡± ¡°Quick, go report it.¡± The observer reported the situation immediately. In a tent erected nearby. Some key figures associated with this incident were, as usual, gathered for a meeting. To call it a meeting was really just a way of saying they were discussing how to deal with the ghost handlersing out of Huanggang Vige¡­ especially Yang Jian. The person in charge of this operation was Wu Yue. Though not very old, he was a slightly overweight middle-aged man in his thirties who, as the general manager, was responsible for overseeing the entirepany. Due to thepany¡¯s unique nature. Although he was just a general manager, he actually wielded considerable power, a clout that extended not only within thepany but also across the whole of Dachang City. ¡°Actually, there isn¡¯t much to discuss regarding this matter.¡± Wu Yue knocked on the table, looking rather authoritatively at several important heads of thepany. ¡°The paranormal incident in Huanggang Vige is very special. I don¡¯t think that Yang Jian cane out of there unscathed. We don¡¯t need to take the pressure from international ghost handlers like Zhao Jianguo too seriously. We are here just to give face to Zhao¡¯s team, it¡¯s mostly a formality. If anyone does manage to resolve this incident.¡± ¡°As long as we keep the previous promises andplete the trade, that¡¯ll be enough. After all, what they want has always been in thepany¡¯s possession.¡± The others around the table all had tense expressions. They hadn¡¯t had an easy few days. Especially after they felt the pressure from the international ghost handlermunity. ¡°Boss, but there¡¯s too much uncertainty with Yang Jian. What if hees out of Huanggang Vige? And if there¡¯s trouble because of the file issue, how are we supposed to settle that?¡± Sun Lihong, who was previously in charge of contacting Yang Jian, spoke up. Wu Yue said, ¡°That¡¯s a problem for the international ghost handlers to consider, not us. If there¡¯s an issue with our own international ghost handlers, of course they have to be fully responsible. It¡¯s not like we should clean up after them.¡± ¡°Besides, the file issue is with the international ghost handlers, not ourpany. There¡¯s nothing hidden in the trade between ourpany and them, at most it¡¯s just ack of transparency. They voluntarily epted this mission, and they already knew the risks involved before taking it.¡± ¡°Ack of transparency is a normal business practice. If both sides are willing, nobody else can be med.¡± His attitude was very firm, and he did not believe there was anything wrong with his approach. The files of the Ghost Coffin were highly confidential; originally, the recovery work wasn¡¯t supposed to be handed to the civilian ghost handlers from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club. But after assessing risks and potential losses, thepany made concessions and issued the task as a trade. Of course, withholding information was an essential part of the deal, even though it greatly lowered the chances of survival. But that didn¡¯t matter. If the mission seeded, thepany naturally achieved its goal. And if it failed, there was no loss. The ones who died were just civilian ghost handlers, insignificant and dispensable. After all, civilian ghost handlers were like a ticking time bomb, never knowing where they might detonate. It might as well let them try their luck in Huanggang Vige. Wu Yue believed that his decisions were absolutely correct. ¡°Boss, I have a suggestion. The mental state of the ghost handlers can be very problematic. We can¡¯t analyze them the same way we do normal people. Like criminals, they might attack over a dispute about a dor. We need to be extremely careful in dealing with them,¡± one person shared their concerns. Wu Yue said, ¡°I have received a few names from the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club. All five members from the club are here. He Sheng, Ouyang Tian, Zhang Han, Zhang Yiming, and Ye Jun, I¡¯ve seen their mental evaluations, and they are quite normal. As for Yang Jian, his status is yet unknown. His file is in Zhao Jianguo¡¯s hands, but as I said before.¡± ¡°His chances of surviving are very slim, especially because he is too young andcks experience.¡± However, at this moment. An observer suddenly burst in. ¡°Bo¡­Boss, there¡¯s a situation. Two cars have left Huanggang Vige and are heading this way. We have confirmed through facial recognition that one car is upied by Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club member, ghost handler Zhang Han, and the other person is¡­ Yang Jian.¡± Yang Jian is still alive? At this moment, the faces of everyone in the tent slightly changed. Of all people toe out alive, it had to be him. This was the madman who had threatened to wipe out the international ghost handlers department with a single phone call. A twitch crossed Wu Yue¡¯s lips. He had just been specting that Yang Jian might have died on the mission, and now, to be informed that he had survived was a p in the face. And right in front of all these people, no less. ¡°Let¡¯s go out and take a look,¡± Wu Yue said, steeling himself. Chapter 113 - 113 Wu Yue Chapter 113: Chapter 113 Wu Yue Zhang Han, who was driving in front, indeed was not in good shape. He felt the flesh on his back continually bulging and oozing blood. Even without provoking it, the ghost on his back had be restless, eager to break out from within. In this condition, Zhang Han thought he would not survive more than ten days and would die without utilizing the ghost¡¯s power; if he did use it, he would die immediately. ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯m alive and out of the vige. As long as Iplete the trade in the next few days, I can dy the ghost¡¯s revival and rid myself of this current state.¡± As death loomed, Zhang Han was not too desperate; instead, he felt a strong anticipation, a hope to live. After all, he hadpleted the mission. Even if it was a pyrrhic victory. However, just as he was about to merge onto the main road, he nced through the window and suddenly saw at the intersection that police tape was put up, and the area around had been cordoned off. More than a dozen vehicles were parked nearby, temporary tents had been erected on the t ground beside, and a crowd of onlookers had gathered. Beforeing to the vige, none of these preparations were in ce. Immediately. Zhang Han realized something. He honked his horn, rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and shouted to Yang Jian behind him, ¡°There seems to be a situation up front, someone has set up a blockade, it¡¯s not aimed at us, is it?¡± Yang Jian, who was driving, had already seen the situation ahead. He replied, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s not for you, it¡¯s for me. Those should be from Miss Sun Lihong¡¯spany at the club before. They¡¯reing over now to finalize the previous deal with me and, incidentally¡­ settle some personal scores.¡± It seems that the phone call made earlier in the vige had been effective. Zhao Jianguo had indeed felt threatened and used his influence topel thepany¡¯s people toe out. That¡¯s more like it. It would be impossible for Yang Jian to find thepany¡¯s responsible person alone, negotiate terms, or even understand this mysteriouspany. Therefore, a meeting was essential. But he alone could not make this mysteriouspany take him seriously; it would have to be through the involvement of the international ghost handlers. After all, the international ghost handlers were also implicated in the matter. The cars had not yet arrived. Up ahead, a line of people stood at the intersection waiting, some holding parasols and setting up a table. They were clearly ready for a public negotiation. Soon, Yang Jian hit the brakes. The two cars stopped on the side of the road, and he and Zhang Han got out together. ¡°Hello, Mister Yang, Mister Zhang, I¡¯m Wu Yue, the main person in charge of thispany. I was the one who assigned Manager Sun Lihong to oversee this transaction. Before we get down to business, I should congratte both of you on the sessfulpletion of your mission, resolving the supernatural events at Huanggang Vige once and for all.¡± Wu Yue approached with a smile, reaching out for a handshake. ¡°Boss Wu just needs to keep his promise,¡± Zhang Han replied as he shook hands, his main concern being the method to extend the ghost¡¯s revival time. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a given. It¡¯s thepany¡¯s credibility at stake here. Please rest assured, Mister Zhang. Would you both like to sit down for a drink? I¡¯ve had champagne prepared for you to celebrate and rx a bit.¡± Yang Jian, however, carrying the body bag calmly, looked at him, ¡°Six ghost handlers, four dead, one on the verge of revival, and another with a belly full of unvented anger. Now, you¡¯re congratting us and popping champagne? Do you not take our lives seriously, or do you think you can treat us like children to be cated?¡± The smile on Wu Yue¡¯s face slightly stiffened. This Zhang Han is easy to deal with, just an ordinary person. But this Yang Jian¡­ his mental state isn¡¯t very stable, and he himself is extremely dangerous, very difficult to handle. ¡°This is a deal between us, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wu Yue spoke up. ¡°A deal? Yes, that¡¯s right. So, where¡¯s the method for controlling the revival of fierce ghosts?¡± Yang Jian narrowed his eyes, ¡°I had warned Miss Sun before, don¡¯t y any tricks, otherwise, I will track down the leads and deal with your whole family. Now that the supernatural incident in Huanggang Vige has been resolved, isn¡¯t it time for Boss Wu to keep his promise?¡± Wu Yueughed it off, ¡°Of course, it was agreed upon before, the method for controlling the revival of fierce ghosts will be given to you after some time. Please be assured that ourpany is verymitted to keeping promises and absolutely won¡¯t breach the contract.¡± ¡°After some time? How long is ¡®after some time¡¯? Ten days? Half a month, or a year? You need to hand over the method for controlling the revival of fierce ghosts now,¡± Yang Jian said with a cold look on his face. Wu Yue said, ¡°This matter can¡¯t be rushed. We need to first collect your information, then thepany will take it to theboratory for relevant data matching. This process won¡¯t take too long; at most one week and we will have the results. Thepany will determine which ghost is suitable for you to control, so as to better maintain the bnce between ghosts. While we can¡¯t guarantee a 100% sess rate, it¡¯s still much higher than blindly attempting to control other ghosts.¡± ¡°As for the details of the process, that is apany secret, and I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Yang Jian frowned, ¡°What is your sess rate?¡± ¡°No more than 20%.¡± Wu Yue said, ¡°Specifically, it¡¯s about a 15% sess rate. You should be grateful that this method is bing more mature by the day. Keep in mind that three months ago, the sess rate was less than 5%.¡± A chance to control a second ghost with not even a 20% sess rate. Despite the great risk, it certainly feels worth the impulse to try. However, the method of controlling fierce ghosts with human skin paper has a¡­ 100% sess rate. It¡¯s just that the cost is to simply give a ghost away to be devoured by the human skin paper. Whenpared to each other, thetter is obviously better. But thetteres with great hidden dangers and risks. ¡°Can¡¯t the chance of sess be raised any higher?¡± Yang Jian asked again. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, I¡¯m not the head of theb,¡± Wu Yue said. Still keeping secrets, huh? Yang Jian narrowed his eyes, staring ominously at this Chief Wu Yue. ¡°Let¡¯s put the deal aside for a moment, what do you know about the archives?¡± ¡°Archives? What archives? I don¡¯t have much information on the files of the Huanggang Vige incident. I heard you¡¯re halfway to bing an international ghost controller and already have your own dedicated operator. Although not officially on duty, you should have the qualifications to investigate any supernatural incident file.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you requested the Huanggang Vige supernatural incident files from the international ghost controllers?¡± ¡°Pretending to be deaf and dumb?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°I want the truth, and if you don¡¯t spill it, do you believe I can make you unable to ever speak again?¡± ¡°Calm down, I really don¡¯t know,¡± Wu Yue said very calmly, his face showing an innocent look, ¡°If you really intend to make a move here, then the previous deal is off, and your trip here will have been for nothing, which wouldn¡¯t be worth it.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯d better think carefully before you have it in hand.¡± Seeing this, Zhang Han¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly said, ¡°Yang Jian, you can¡¯t be impulsive and screw things up, so many people died and only the two of us lived, if you kill him then we really took this risk for nothing.¡± Young men tend to be rash; it was the same in the club before. Resorting to fists without a word, there¡¯s no reasoning with them at all. Chapter 114 - 114 I Wont Listen Chapter 114: Chapter 114 I Won¡¯t Listen Wu Yue¡¯s face was very calm, as his confidence stemmed from a clear judgment of the current situation. Thepany¡¯s energy, the backing behind him, the importance of theboratory, and¡­ the method to control the resurrection of fierce ghosts. All these elements came together. They gave him, an ordinary person, a rather important position. Therefore, even when facing Yang Jian, a ghost handler, he was not afraid. It was only¡­ the fear of ghosts in his heart that made him somewhat nervous, but he believed that as long as Yang Jian retained a shred of rationality, he wouldn¡¯t harm him. These ghost handlers still relied on thepany to help them survive. ¡°Yang Jian, I have some information on you in my hands, and I have also gained a general understanding of your family background and origin,¡± Wu Yue said, seeing Yang Jian¡¯s somewhat unstable mental state and immediately speaking up. ¡°Growing up in a single-parent family, your living environment was not advantaged, but rather difficult. Having identally be a ghost handler following the Haunted College Event, you should, in your opinion, seek to stand out and make money unting wealth. Maybe my description is a bit vulgar, but it¡¯s very real, and I don¡¯t dislike suchmon pursuits.¡± ¡°And now, if you continue to cooperate with me, you will immediately have all that,¡± Wu Yue said and then gestured with his hand toward Manager Sun. ¡°Manager Sun, what price did you offer Mister Yang for buying a ghost confined with a fierce ghost?¡± ¡°The market price, one hundred million,¡± Sun Lihong said. Wu Yue nodded and replied, ¡°I see.¡± Then he looked at Yang Jian again. ¡°I know you took a big risk in resolving the supernatural incident, but I really don¡¯t know anything about the dossier. It involves highly ssified information. I¡¯m just apany boss who doesn¡¯t have the clearance to ess files on supernatural events, so you must be mistaken.¡± ¡°However, no problem, ourpany has always valued harmony. So, we¡¯re willing to buy the ghost you¡¯re confining today at a fifty percent premium¡ªthat is, one hundred and fifty million. What do you think?¡± He didn¡¯t stubbornly use the method of controlling the resurrection of fierce ghosts to force Yang Jian to back down. Instead, he used a softer and more direct approach, securing him with benefits. In this world, ghosts can¡¯t be bribed with money, but people can. Zhang Han, seeing Yang Jian not speaking, advised, ¡°Yang Jian, although I don¡¯t know what the dossier has to do with this matter, I hope you¡¯ll hold back and not act rashly. Let¡¯s talk about it after today. We, people like us, won¡¯t live long. You can investigate whatever you want to understand after we extend our time dealing with the ghost resurrections.¡± ¡°What do you say?¡± At that moment, Yang Jian seemed as if he hadn¡¯t heard a thing and looked at Wu Yue with an eerie expression, ¡°I¡¯ll ask one more time, what is the truth about the dossier? Don¡¯t try to change the subject. In my view, a deal is a deal, and the dossier is a separate matter. I¡¯ve dealt with the supernatural event for you, and our deal is alreadyplete.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve kept my end of the bargain, and it¡¯s time for yourpany to pay the reward, but yourpany must give me an exnation for the dossier.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no why, no need for reasons. Somebody made a mistake and has to take responsibility for it, that¡¯s all.¡± He had to understand the reasoning behind the dossier¡¯s omissions and why it was linked to this mysteriouspany. Because of the iplete dossier, Yang Jian himself had nearly died. If the international ghost handlers¡¯ dossier had mentioned that Feng Quan was still alive or the existence of the Ghost Coffin, Yang Jian wouldn¡¯t have had to go through such an ordeal, and the issue would have been resolved much earlier. Therefore, someone had to be held ountable. Either the boss of thispany or someone from the international ghost handlers would have to take responsibility. Otherwise, if such a situation arose again, Yang Jian didn¡¯t believe he would have the same luck. Seeing Yang Jian¡¯s persistence, Wu Yue became somewhat helpless and said, ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t fixate on this. In this world, many things don¡¯t have a clear right or wrong, only degrees of benefit. Concealing information in the dossier is necessary because there are greater interests at stake, making certain sacrifices worthwhile.¡± ¡°When ourpany issued this task, it was with a try-and-see approach; we weren¡¯t very optimistic at the beginning. The five of you from Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club, plus you, Yang Jian, a total of six people, went in with missing information. Ourpany assessed that your chances of all surviving were less than one percent, and the chances of solving this incident were less than ten percent.¡± ¡°But you survived, and the survivors, you, will get everything you want. That¡¯s what¡¯s most important, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You make it sound so reasonable, but I¡¯m the kind of person who hates talking reason.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s face turned cold, and he pulled out a handgun from nowhere, pressing it immediately to Wu Yue¡¯s head. ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Yue had thought his words would stabilize Yang Jian. But when he saw him draw a handgun and point it at his head, he was momentarily stunned. However, the cold metallic sensation on his forehead told him that Yang Jian really had drawn his gun on him. ¡°This¡­ craziness,pletely irrational.¡± In an instant, cold sweat poured down his face, revealing a look of fear. After all he had said, had Yang Jian not listened at all? What benefit was there in killing him? It would bring nothing but trouble, and they would also lose the hard-earned method to control the revival of vengeful spirits. Any rational person wouldn¡¯t act this way. ¡°Calm down, Yang Jian.¡± Wu Yue raised his hands, standing still, not daring to make any sudden moves, and rapidly eximed, ¡°If you really kill me, things will get serious.¡± ¡°Calm down? I¡¯ll be able to calm down after killing you. If nobody is willing to take responsibility for this, then you¡¯ll take it. Otherwise, simr incidents will recur in the future. With you dead, no one will dare to give me fake files when we encounter supernatural events because next time, they¡¯ll understand the consequences of giving me false information,¡± Yang Jian said coldly. Hearing this, Wu Yue felt a chill down his spine, realizing Yang Jian¡¯s intention¡­ This guy wanted to kill someone to set an example. Yang Jian didn¡¯t need to know who was pulling the strings from behind. Nor did he need to know. He just needed others to understand that those who crossed him would surely die. And Wu Yue was just a Scapegoat Ghost that Yang Jian happened to find, and this scapegoat¡¯s status was surely high enough. ¡°Click, click~!¡± The sound of the handgun¡¯s safety being released clearly reached Wu Yue¡¯s ears through the contact between his forehead and the gun¡¯s muzzle. Fear seemed to seep out from his soul, saturating his entire being. ¡°No, no, listen to me, this issue¡­¡± Wu Yue, with sweat of urgency, started to speak again, trying to exin. ¡°I¡¯m not listening.¡± ¡°Bang~!¡± The next moment, a gunshot rang out. Chapter 115 - 115 Bruce Pi Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Bruce Pi ¡°Yang Jian, stop~!¡± A voice cried out in urgent rm. The one trying to stop Yang Jian was Zhang Han, who, in his eyes, believed that if Yang Jian wanted to die, he still wanted to live. He truly did not want this transaction to be ruined by him. However, Zhang Han was powerless; he simplycked the ability and the means to stop Yang Jian. In his current state, he couldn¡¯t even tap into the power of a fierce ghost, and if he were to physically intervene, who knew whether Yang Jian would turn around and shoot him, potentially ending his life. ¡°Bang~!¡± Yet, the sound of a gunshot still rang out. It echoed over the fields on both sides of the road. It wasn¡¯t like the imagined scene of a head exploding with blood sttering everywhere. The bullet passed through Wu Yue¡¯s forehead andnded on the road behind, leaving a bullet hole. ¡°Hm?¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brows, ready to shoot again. But a voice suddenly interjected, ¡°Someone will be held ountable for this, but not Wu Yue, it will be me. I was the one who had the files deleted. Wu Yue was just carrying outpany business after all, he didn¡¯t fundamentally do anything wrong.¡± At that moment, a group of special individuals made their way from the direction of an RV, walking briskly towards this location. The leader was a young man around twenty-five years old, dressed in a whiteb coat and looking ordinary, nked by several uniformed special agents. Behind them were special armed security, with real guns and ammunition, well-equipped like some assault team straight out of a movie poster. Seeing this, Wu Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief. Without some kind of preparation, he really wasn¡¯tfortable dealing with this Yang Jian. Now, he was assuredly safe. ¡°Yang Jian, you didn¡¯t see thising,¡± he squeezed out a hint of a smile, although his body was still shaking. ¡°To save this Wu Yue from such a distance¡­ this must be Ghost Domain¡¯s ability, right?¡± Yang Jian scanned the scene and ignored Wu Yue in front of him. He quickly fixed his gaze on a middle-aged man in uniform, who radiated an aura of inherent authority. This man had a dangerous air about him. The Ghost Eye seemed almost involuntarily keen to open, as if sensing a threat, instinctively wanting to counter. A Ghostmaster, huh? But it seemed the Terror Level was very high. ¡°I was the one who ordered Captain Li to save Wu Yue. Let me introduce myself, my name is Wang Xiaoming, I¡¯m the director of a certain research institute, you can call me Director Wang, Professor Wang, or you can simply use my name,¡± said the young man in the whiteb coat, hastening towards him while speaking. Wang Xiaoming? This name seemed familiar. Yang Jian couldn¡¯t help but recall¡­ it must have been in a junior high school textbook. Wait a second. It couldn¡¯t be that Xiao Ming. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Wang Xiaoqiang from Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°He¡¯s my good-for-nothing younger brother,¡± Wang Xiaoming stated. ¡°If you have any questions, you can ask me. I will take responsibility for this matter. Could you please put down the gun before then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s best if someone is willing to take responsibility,¡± Yang Jian put away his gun and nced at Wu Yue. Wu Yue wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, nearly fainting. ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± Wang Xiaoming gestured towards some chairs and tables temporarily set up under a nearby sunshade. ¡°I hope you can give me an exnation for all this.¡± Yang Jian tossed the body bag onto the ground and then took a seat. With a calm expression, Wang Xiaoming pointed to two people and said, ¡°Of course, let me introduce you to these two gentlemen beside me. This is Zhao Jianguo from the International Ghostmaster Asian Branch, Captain Zhao, and this is Li Jun.¡± ¡°Zhao Jianguo?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression shifted slightly. Liu Xiaoyu¡¯s superior from the International Ghostmasters? They had only spoken over the phone before; he hadn¡¯t expected this incident to bring out Zhao Jianguo himself. Zhao Jianguo smiled and said, ¡°A hero indeed emerges from youth. Yang Jian, this must be our first meeting, right? Liu Xiaoyu has not stopped reporting to me about you. I have to thank you for that call¡ªit gave me a legitimate reason to take a paid leave.¡± That phone call was about Yang Jian threatening the International Ghostmasters. ¡°It would be best if Captain Zhao coulde, otherwise this matter will never be rified,¡± Yang Jian extended his hand for a shake, then said. The person named Li Jun next to him didn¡¯t speak, but his gaze stayed fixed on Yang Jian. This must be a heavyweight Ghostmaster, brought in to ensure the safety of this trip. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, so I¡¯ll just get straight to the point. It¡¯s standard procedure to give you guys a file on the supernatural event you¡¯re tasked with handling, in order to increase each Ghostmaster¡¯s survival rate and help them solve the supernatural event more effectively. The fact that the information in your file was concealed was indeed Wu Yue¡¯s doing, but he did it out of concern aboutpromising intelligence. For that, I must apologize to you,¡± Wang Xiaoming said with a serious attitude. Upon hearing this, Yang Jian immediately narrowed his eyes and gave Wu Yue a deep look. ¡°You can withhold thepany¡¯s files, you can conceal them, but can you also conceal the files from the International Ghostmasters?¡± Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°Wu Yue doesn¡¯t have the authority to do that, but I do. I had someone delete the files from the other side.¡± ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°For the nation, for our people, to resolve the supernatural events within our country once and for all.¡± Wang Xiaoming continued earnestly, ¡°Do you know how many people die every day in the country due to supernatural events? How many new supernatural files are added every day? Big data analysis shows that the number of supernatural events within the country is still increasing, and soon they will reach a point where they can no longer be concealed or suppressed.¡± ¡°The disaster is showing signs of a full-scale outbreak. If we do not find a way to reverse the situation soon¡­ the consequences are unimaginable.¡± ¡°In the face of national interest and the survival of the country, individual sacrifices are insignificant, as long as the sacrifice is worthwhile. Maybe a lot of Ghostmasters died in this incident, but in my view, their deaths secured the confidentiality of information and the recovery of the Ghost Coffin¡­ It was worth it.¡± Having said that, he nced at the coffin on the sports car not far away. As long as the Ghost Coffin leaves Huanggang Vige, it will be fine. ¡°Your words sound better than they sing. The ones being sacrificed aren¡¯t you. Just for what you just said, I can hardly restrain the urge to kill you right now,¡± Yang Jian said with a somewhat ferocious look on his face. After he finished speaking, a crimson ghost eye opened on his forehead. A faint red light emanated from it, spreading outward. Li Jun, standing by, asserted his authority without anger, ¡°Professor Wang is a treasure of the nation; his value far exceeds yours. If you make a move on Professor Wang, I¡¯ll personally end you here and now, even if it¡¯s a pity to kill someone as talented as you.¡± ¡°You were able to protect Wu Yue just now because I didn¡¯t use the power of fierce ghosts, which doesn¡¯t mean you can really keep them safe,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°You can try,¡± Li Jun replied. Seeing the tense atmosphere, Zhao Jianguo hurriedly tried to smooth things over with a chuckle, ¡°What are we doing here? One of us is a special forces captain, and the other is an International Ghostmaster from the Asian Branch. Essentially, we¡¯re all on the same team. If we were to fight here and word got out internationally, wouldn¡¯t that be aughingstock? What time do we think it is now? Unity and cooperation to solve supernatural events should be our top priority. What¡¯s the point of infighting?¡± ¡°Yang Jian, I can understand how you feel now, and altering the files indeed brought you a lot of trouble, but you must also understand Professor Wang¡¯s perspective, he¡¯s devoted to our nation. The existence of the Ghost Coffin has a profound impact on the current situation. If we can uncover its value, we could truly suppress and resolve the supernatural events,¡± Zhao Jianguo said. ¡°Considering the sacrifices Professor Wang has made for the recovery of the Ghost Coffin, there must be his reasoning,¡± Zhao Jianguo continued. ¡°Let¡¯s try to be considerate and understand each other.¡± ¡°Why should I trust this Professor Wang?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°You may not trust him, but you should believe in the contributions he has made. He¡¯s one of the earliest professionals to study supernatural events. Before the events even escted, he already confirmed the existence of fierce ghosts and began attempting to analyze them. At the beginning of the outbreak, he published several important papers which yed a pivotal role in suppressing the supernatural events,¡± Zhao Jianguo replied. ¡°You¡¯ve been on the international site; you must have seen Professor Wang¡¯s papers. Oh yes, the pen name he uses internationally is Bruce Pi.¡± Bruce Pi? Yang Jian¡¯s pupils constricted. The author of that paper ¡°The Power of Fierce Ghosts Cannot Affect Gold¡±? Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°If you actually want to kill me, I¡¯m not against it. If you can do better than me and contribute more, you can shoot me dead right now, and I won¡¯t stop you. But if you can¡¯t do that, then I hope you would consider the bigger picture.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to lie,¡± Wang Xiaoming replied. Yang Jian casually ced the pistol on the table and pushed it forward, sliding it towards Wang Xiaoming. ¡°Prove it to me that you are truly devoted to the public interest, not just your own.¡± ¡°How do you want me to prove it?¡± Wang Xiaoming asked. ¡°You like to measure a person¡¯s value and make the corresponding sacrifice. So, I would like to ask you, who is more valuable: an International Ghostmaster who can solve supernatural events or a general manager who maintains thepany¡¯s operations?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Of course, the International Ghostmaster is more important. If it meant resolving a supernatural event, I would not hesitate to kill an ordinary person because such a sacrifice would be worthwhile,¡± Wang Xiaoming said earnestly. Yang Jian said, ¡°Good, if you personally kill Wu Yue, then I will not hesitate to join the International Ghostmasters to solve supernatural events for the country, and we can wipe the te clean regarding the file issue because I believe you altered the files not for yourself but for the nation. If you cannot do it¡­ your words are just empty titudes, nothing more.¡± ¡°As for that side, I definitely won¡¯t be going. I can¡¯t tolerate stabbing myself in the back while risking my life to solve supernatural events. What do you say, Captain Zhao?¡± Zhao Jianguo¡¯s expression changed slightly, at a loss for words at this moment. Yang Jian¡¯s reasoning was indeed solid. If altering the files was just a special case, it could be tolerated since it was for the headquarters. But if it wasn¡¯t a special case and was instead for someone¡¯s personal gain? Chapter 116 - 116 The trade is underway Chapter 116: Chapter 116 The trade is underway Yang Jian handed the choice over to Wang Xiaoming. Since Professor Bruce Pi is so wise and selfless, he surely knew what had to be done. If he killed Wu Yue, Yang Jian would be convinced that the tampering with the archives was done for the greater good, without any personal selfish desire involved. In such a case, he could begrudgingly forgive. If not. It would just be empty words meant to appease others, and Yang Jian would not hesitate to use the power of the vengeful spirits to personally take care of Wang Xiaoming. Now, with the gun in Wang Xiaoming¡¯s hands, what would he do? Yang Jian was looking forward to it. At this moment. Zhao Jianguo remained silent, and the special forces team leader, Li Jun, did not speak either. They knew. It was a trade. Life of an ordinary man for that of a ghost tamer. Wang Xiaoming looked at the gun in front of him and then at Wu Yue next to him. ¡°Professor Wang, don¡¯t listen to Yang Jian¡¯s ghost talk. He¡¯s using you to kill me. Even if you kill me, he might not join. And I¡¯ve made significant contributions to thepany, whether in maintaining theb¡¯s financial operations or in acquiring Ghost Coffins¡­¡± At this moment, Wu Yue panicked. Others might not know Wang Xiaoming¡¯s character, but he was very clear about it. He was capable of anything, including¡­ killing him. ¡°Wu Yue, there¡¯s no need to say more. Yang Jian¡¯s value is indeed greater than yours. Thepany can rece a general manager like you, but without Yang Jian, we¡¯d be missing a responsible figure. And you¡¯re very clear about the average loss behind each incident,¡± Wang Xiaoming said as he picked up the gun and stood up. ¡°That¡¯s why your value doesn¡¯tpare to his. Now, I hope you can make a sacrifice.¡± ¡°I will take care of your wife and children. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Bang~!¡± The gunshot sounded. Wang Xiaoming fired the gun at Wu Yue without hesitation. But Wu Yue dodged the bullet by quickly ducking, lucky to avoid the shot. ¡°Run~!¡± At that moment, Wu Yue was close to breaking down. He scrambled to his feet, desperately trying to escape. ¡°Death is light as a feather, or heavy as Mount Tai. Everyone has their time to sacrifice. Now it¡¯s your turn; you shouldn¡¯t run, as it will only bring you more pain.¡± ¡°Bang~!¡± A scream rang out as Wu Yue stumbled to the ground, not knowing where he was hit. Wang Xiaoming walked over with the gun and aimed it at his head. There was no mercy on his face, only a realization. A realization that taking a life was justifiable for the greater good. ¡°Wait, wait a moment, Professor Wang, do you remember I treated you to the ¡®big health care¡¯? And it was me who introduced you to your wife¡­¡± Wu Yue¡¯s face was covered in sweat, shaking all over, pleading as he propped himself up. ¡°Bang~!¡± Before he could finish speaking, the third shot rang out. Wu Yue fell into a pool of blood, his body still twitching, his eyes wide open as the life quickly drained from them. Soon. There was an increasingly cold corpse on the ground. Wu Yue was dead. From the beginning to the end, Captain Li Jun and Zhao Jianguo watched the whole affair unfold. They didn¡¯t stop it. Even though both had the power to do so. This was different from Yang Jian taking matters into his own hands at the start. It was Wang Xiaoming who pulled the trigger, and the oue seemed best for everyone involved. Yang Jian needed Wu Yue¡¯s death to prove there was no saboteur within, and to confirm that Wang Xiaoming was truly selfless and trustworthy. Li Jun needed Wu Yue dead to fulfill his duty to protect Wang Xiaoming. If Wu Yue lived, Yang Jian might have acted, putting Wang Xiaoming¡¯s life at risk. Zhao Jianguo needed Wu Yue dead to provide an exnation to headquarters. Wang Xiaoming also needed Wu Yue dead to ensure Yang Jian¡¯s recruitment into headquarters, contributing to thepany and smoothing the way for uing deals. Perhaps Wu Yue didn¡¯t deserve to die; after all, he was working for thepany. But the situation demanded his death, and he had to die. His value wasn¡¯t enough to spare his life. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± Wang Xiaoming walked back, ced the gun on the table, and pushed it towards Yang Jian. Yang Jian said, ¡°After some time, I¡¯ll undergo an assessment. Once I pass, I will join, but I hope in the future that there won¡¯t be any case of file tampering. If there is, I reserve the right to know.¡± Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°As long as you contribute significantly, there won¡¯t be any secrets kept from you about certain confidential matters.¡± ¡°Good. Now that this matter is settled, let¡¯s discuss the acquisition,¡± Yang Jian narrowed his eyes as he picked up the body bag next to him and ced it on the table. A cold, corpse-like smell emanated from the bag. ¡°Two ghosts, plus the Ghost Coffin I brought from the vige behind me, how much are they worth? By the way, each of these items is very precious, so you¡¯ll need to offer a high price.¡± Now that the conflict had been resolved, it was time to start discussing benefits. ¡°I¡¯m not very knowledgeable about business, so you can set a price, as long as you¡¯re satisfied, of course, provided thepany can afford what you¡¯re asking for.¡± Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°Today, I only need to take the Ghost Coffin back.¡± Did that mean he should ask for a sky-high price? Yang Jian began to calcte in his mind. This Ghost Coffin was a ticking time bomb, definitely not something to keep. It would be best to sell it off, and seeing as Wang Xiaoming was incredibly eager to get it, not fetching a good price would be doing a disservice to all his hard work. Let me think it over. If the market price for one ghost was one billion, the Ghost Coffin plus the ghost inside means two ghosts, which equates to two billion. Then, adding the 50% premium that Wu Yue mentioned before, that¡¯s three billion. Just thinking about it felt exhrating. He was about to be a billionaire, something he could never have dreamed of back when he was in school. After contemting for a while, Yang Jian soon spoke up, ¡°The Ghost Coffin is very special, it¡¯s not just about the ghost, it has unique abilities as well, I think it should be worth¡­at least five billion.¡± ¡°Fine, five billion it is. Who¡¯s the financial manager? Transfer the money,¡± Wang Xiaoming called out over his shoulder. Immediately, Sun Lihong walked over nervously and fearfully, ¡°Okay, okay, Professor Wang.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Such swift agreement, transferring the money without argument, could it be that I quoted too low a price? I wonder if it¡¯s still possible to amend the figure now. But looking at Zhao Jianguo, Li Jun, and feeling this serious atmosphere, Yang Jian felt it would be quite a blow to his dignity to change his asking price now. It¡¯s embarrassingly awkward. But what can¡¯t be set aside in the face of money? ¡°The five billion is just for the Ghost Coffin. I had a tough time getting it out of the vige, and I even disassembled a sports car. These costs should be ounted for¡­add another fifty million,¡± Yang Jian said brazenly, finding an excuse to increase the price. ¡°Okay, then add another fifty million,¡± Wang Xiaoming said. Damn. I still quoted too low. Indeed, poverty has limited my imagination. How frustrating. If only I had studied more, then I wouldn¡¯t feel so embarrassed to ask for more money. Yang Jian wanted to raise the price further, but he really couldn¡¯t lower his pride. To continue asking for more would leave him with no dignity at all. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s consider it charity. But I need to get a good price for Feng Quan.¡± Yang Jian thought he should make a substantial amount from Feng Quan. This guy certainly took advantage of him in Huanggang Vige. Dear friend. My fortune depends on you. Yang Jian touched the body bag in front of him. It felt like he was not touching a corpse, but a bag full of money. ¡°Then, it¡¯s a pleasure doing business with you.¡± Seeing the price agreed upon, Wang Xiaoming got a bit excited, and then he said, ¡°Captain Li, would you mind transporting that Ghost Coffin back to theb?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Li Jun stood up immediately, leading a group ofb security to prepare for transporting the Ghost Coffin. Yang Jian said, ¡°Just a friendly reminder, there¡¯s a ghost inside the Ghost Coffin, and once you open it, the ghost wille out. You should be careful¡­ I¡¯m not responsible for any after-sales issues.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Li Jun nced back at Yang Jian, ¡°I¡¯ll let thepany¡¯s people talk to you about the rest of the transaction. I have things to do back at theb, so I won¡¯t stay any longer.¡± Watching the Ghost Coffin being carried away, Wang Xiaoming couldn¡¯t wait to get up, ready to leave at once. ¡°Hm?¡± You¡¯re leaving just like that? Aren¡¯t you taking Feng Quan? I was nning on charging a hefty sum for him. At that moment, Yang Jian felt he had made a big mistake. This Feng Quan¡­ doesn¡¯t seem to be worth much. ¡°Mister Yang, please enlighten me further, I will be in charge of the subsequent transactions, do you have any objections?¡± Sun Lihong took a deep breath, starting to speak somewhat nervously. Chapter 117: All 117 chapters are required. Chapter 117: All 117 chapters are required. Mister Wu Yue¡¯s death was right before their eyes. At this moment, when Sun Lihong dealt with Yang Jian again, she no longer had the confident demeanor she had before. Although she appeared calm on the surface, she felt a deep fear of this high school senior. This fear did not stem from Yang Jian being a ghost maniptor. Rather, it was the fear of Yang Jian¡¯s ruthless methods. And the person who acted was not himself, but Wang Xiaoming, Professor Wang. It felt like, at that moment, Wu Yue had been abandoned by everyone, as if not dying would have been an affront to the heavens themselves. If these tactics were used by a seasoned politician, Sun Lihong wouldn¡¯t be surprised, but the person in question was only eighteen years old. Still just a kid. Though asionally naive and simple, that was merely due to being limited by experience and social exposure. As long as he didn¡¯t die at the hands of revived evil spirits, Yang Jian would be a top figure in the future. ¡°The price of the transaction will follow the rate previously set by our deceased boss for the purchase of the goods in Mister Yang¡¯s hands. What do you think about this, Mister Yang?¡± Sun Lihong¡¯s face was tense, and she seemed restless. Yang Jian looked at her and said, ¡°You¡­ seem to be a bit ufortable?¡± ¡°No, not at all,¡± Sun Lihong said. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Yang Jian patted the body bag on the table and then said, ¡°The thing inside here is different from themon ghosts we imprison, it¡¯s a bit special. If you treat it as a normal business deal, I¡¯ll assuredly make a loss, so I think it¡¯s necessary for us to discuss the price a bit.¡± ¡°That should be fine, right?¡± If it had been the Sun Lihong from before, she would certainly refuse Yang Jian outright. Wu Yue had already offered a fifty percent premium; any further raise in price would reflect poorly on her business capabilities. But¡­ there was the death of the boss earlier. Sun Lihong feared that if she offended Yang Jian, he might find some reason to kill her. ¡°May I ask how you would like to negotiate the price, Mister Yang?¡± ¡°No rush, let¡¯s first check the goods so you don¡¯t think I¡¯m asking for the moonter,¡± Yang Jian began to open the body bag. ¡°Ah~!¡± Startled, Sun Lihong¡¯s face turned pale as she quickly retreated from her seat. What was imprisoned inside was a ghost. The danger level of such a thing was unimaginable, and opening it now for a check seemed less like a verification than a pretext for killing her on the spot. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Miss Sun¡¯s reaction is a bit extreme, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t be scared, this thing is quite tame, it won¡¯t hurt people. Look, I can open it just like this, and nothing happens at all,¡± Yang Jian said with a sincere look. He now seemed like an irresponsible person strutting down the street with an evil hound. Saying the dog doesn¡¯t bite anyone, when in truth, it just doesn¡¯t bite him. Sun Lihong was just an ordinary person, how could she dare to get close to such a dangerous thing? ¡°If you really are scared, you can stand back and watch. I¡¯m a good person, why would I make things difficult for you over such a small matter?¡± Yang Jian said as he pulled out a head from the body bag. The face was pale with no trace of blood, both eyes shut tight as if it had been severed from a corpse, still fresh. Upon seeing the head, Sun Lihong was first frightened, then shocked. This person was Dachang City¡¯s first ghost maniptor¡­ Feng Quan. As a local of Dachang City and an employee in a specialpany, she certainly recognized these significant figures. ¡°You seem to recognize it. The international ghost maniptor, Feng Quan, who disappeared a few months ago while dealing with the paranormal incident in Huanggang Vige,¡± Yang Jian said with a light smile. ¡°The price of two ghosts indeed isn¡¯t great, but what if it includes an international ghost maniptor?¡± ¡°The price shouldn¡¯t be low, Miss Sun. Shall we start negotiating now?¡± Summoning her courage, Sun Lihong cautiously walked over. Since Yang Jian was standing so close without issue, the ghost must have already been restrained, most likely harmless. But as she was just approaching, suddenly, the pale-faced Dead Man¡¯s Head on the table suddenly opened its eyes. ¡°Ah~!¡± Startled, Sun Lihong copsed to the ground. And while they were negotiating here, Wang Xiaoming, Professor Wang, personally oversaw thepany security personnel, under themand of the special forces team leader Li Jun, as they took the Ghost Coffin off the truck and carefully moved it to another transport vehicle. Looking at the coffin, he felt no fear or dread, but a kind of indescribable excitement and anticipation. ¡°This Ghost Coffin will y a significant role in uing research. If a breakthrough can be made from this coffin, the current situation might bepletely reversed.¡± ¡°By that time, my research will fundamentally change the structure of the world.¡± Wang Xiaoming was engrossed in his world, as if he couldn¡¯t wait to return to hisb to examine the properties of the Ghost Coffin. ¡°Professor Wang, although I¡¯m an outsider and shouldn¡¯t say much, I feel responsible to remind you that this thing¡­ is extremely dangerous,¡± Zhao Jianguo came over and said in a low voice. ¡°Based on my understanding of Yang Jian, if this Ghost Coffin really had great value, he wouldn¡¯t let it go so easily. The fact that he was willing to sell it for five hundred fifty million suggests he might have said there¡¯s only one ghost in this coffin as a hidden danger. If possible, I¡¯d really rather not have Professor Wang open this coffin for research.¡± ¡°If the ghost inside is released again, I fear it could lead to a disastrous cmity. Though I have long heard of the protective measures in ce at the research institute, danger is still inevitable.¡± Wang Xiaoming, however,ughed and said, ¡°A thousand years ago, lightning from the sky could kill people and livestock, from the king down to themoners, all lived in awe. Who among them could have imagined that a thousand yearster we would be able to harness this power and apply it to every aspect of our lives?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what the nature of a fierce ghost is, but since it exists, there must be a way to control it. The ghost controllers are the most obvious result, though this utilization rate is not high. However, this Ghost Coffin presents an opportunity for me to find a breakthrough.¡± ¡°No matter how dangerous, it¡¯s all worthwhile.¡± Zhao Jianguo could notprehend the mentality of a researcher, but he felt Professor Wang was engaging in a particrly dangerous act. This made him very uneasy. Just as he was about to offer a few more words of caution, Sun Lihong, who was earlier in charge of the transaction with Yang Jian, hastily approached. ¡°Professor Wang, there are some aspects of the deal with Yang Jian that I can¡¯t decide on my own. I need your input,¡± Sun Lihong said with aplexion that was not too good; her expression still carried shock and urgency. Wang Xiaoming might have been just the head of a research institute, but he held great power. The primary purpose of Wu Yue¡¯spany was to serve the research institute and maintain the operation of theboratories. The real decisions were made by Wang Xiaoming. ¡°Can¡¯t thepany matters be handled by someone else? I will be busy shortly and have no time to manage thepany¡¯s operations,¡± said Wang Xiaoming, waving his hand with a touch of impatience. ¡°Professor Wang, but this matter involves the former head of Dachang City, Feng Quan,¡± said Sun Lihong. Feng Quan? At the mention of this name, both Wang Xiaoming and Zhao Jianguo beside him paused. Indeed. How could they forget him? Wang Xiaoming then remembered that Feng Quan hadn¡¯t died, but had only been trapped in Huanggang Vige. There had been asional reports, and thoughter there was no news, the chances of him surviving were still significant. The only people seen leaving the vige previously were Yang Jian and Zhang Han. They thought Feng Quan had died since he didn¡¯t show up. ¡°Is Feng Quan still alive?¡± he asked. Zhao Jianguo immediately came over to inquire. ¡°Still alive, there,¡± Sun Lihong pointed toward Yang Jian sitting under the sunshade. At Yang Jian¡¯s table, Feng Quan¡¯s heady neatly beside him. Neat and tidy. Zhao Jianguo nced over and realized, ¡°Feng Quan has fallen into Yang Jian¡¯s hands? What¡¯s going on here? Could it be that the object of your transaction with him is Feng Quan?¡± Selling a famed ghost controller as a ghost? What kind of move was this? Yang Jian really was as fearless as a calf, daring to do anything. ¡°We must purchase it.¡± Wang Xiaoming immediately said, ¡°Feng Quan¡¯s value is immense, not only as the former head of Dachang City but also as the principal informant in the Huanggang Vige incident. This will y a crucial role in my subsequent research.¡± ¡°Yang Jian does indeed intend to sell, but his asking price is a bit high¡­ I can¡¯t make that decision,¡± Sun Lihong said. Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°Money is no object, just ensure Feng Quan is safely traded, and that¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t care about the rest.¡± ¡°By the way, how much is he asking for?¡± Sun Lihong hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°He wants it all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in money. If he wants it all, then let him have it,¡± said Wang Xiaoming, without much reaction. ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Jianguo, holding back his words, said, ¡°This is extortion. By agreeing, you¡¯re essentially giving the entirepany to him. Without funds to sustain it, your research institute will also have difficulty continuing. Even if funds were allocated from above, they won¡¯t arrive immediately. You don¡¯t want your research to stop, do you?¡± ¡°Moreover, he is quoting a bottomless price, which isn¡¯t really for the money. The previous five hundred and fifty million should already be enough for him.¡± ¡°If not money, then what does he want?¡± asked Wang Xiaoming. ¡°I think it¡¯s something more valuable, rted to ghost controllers,¡± Zhao Jianguo said. ¡°When one¡¯s finances are utterly free, people typically start thinking about their life, health, hobbies, and such.¡± ¡°As a ghost controller, he would think about things rted to ghost controls.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we already agree to help him control the second ghost and extend the fierce ghost¡¯s revival?¡± asked Wang Xiaoming. ¡°That was the previous deal and should not be included. You might want to personally discuss this with him,¡± advised Zhao Jianguo. Wang Xiaoming, looking at the Ghost Coffin already loaded into the vehicle, said, ¡°I don¡¯t have time now, as I must return to theb shortly, and Feng Quan must be taken away as soon as possible to assist with the research. Here¡¯s what we will do, Manager Sun, go to my car and bring over that golden box, the rectangr one, next to my seat.¡± ¡°Okay, alright.¡± Sun Lihong immediately agreed and left. Shortly after, she returned with a rectangr golden box. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zhao Jianguo asked somewhat puzzled. ¡°Thetest achievement of theb, not yet officially public. Only an extremely small number have been requisitioned, but I heard they¡¯ve achieved good results,¡± Wang Xiaoming said as he took the golden box and went over. Chapter 118 - 118 Candle Chapter 118: Chapter 118 Candle ¡°What is this?¡± Yang Jian furrowed his brows as he looked at the golden rectangr box sitting on the table. Wang Xiaoming, Zhao Jianguo, and Sun Lihong were approaching at this moment. Because the initial price was set too high, or rather, outrageously high, they had to force Wang Xiaoming toe and negotiate in person. And that was exactly what Yang Jian wanted. ¡°This is thetest achievement from myboratory. It will be very helpful for you in handling paranormal events in the future. Trading this for Feng Quan will be a good deal for you.¡± As he spoke, Wang Xiaoming opened the golden long box. Yang Jian looked on curiously. Then he was taken aback. He had thought it might be some precious treasure, but upon opening it, to his surprise, it was a crimson candle that seemed to be made of coagted blood. Yes. A red candle. ¡°A candle?¡± Yang Jian¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°This thing is worth a Feng Quan? I think it¡¯s worth at most fifty cents.¡± Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°Its value is equivalent to five fierce ghosts, and so far, only myboratory has it. Due to its scarcity, it has never been formally distributed, and even if you have the money, you can¡¯t buy it. I¡¯ve given it a name: Ghost Candle.¡± ¡°Nice name, but what¡¯s the specific use?¡± Yang Jian asked. Although it looked somewhat eerie, it just seemed to be a candle. However, the fact that Wang Xiaoming was willing to trade this item for Feng Quan meant that it definitely had significant value. Better to understand it first. ¡°The function of the Ghost Candle is simple. Once you light this candle, as long as the candlelight covers you and the me doesn¡¯t go out, you will be absolutely safe from being killed by a fierce ghost,¡± Wang Xiaoming exined. Hmm? Upon hearing this, Yang Jian¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he began to feel somewhat shocked. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°It¡¯s normal for you to not believe it since it¡¯s your first time hearing this, but I don¡¯t have enough time to keep exining it to you. The Ghost Candle has been tested in three major paranormal events and confirmed to be truly effective. If you don¡¯t trust it, there¡¯s nothing I can do. This is the highest offer I can make.¡± At this point, Yang Jian¡¯s gaze flickered uncertainly as he looked at the crimson candle, inevitably harboring some doubts. Lighting this candle can protect a person from being killed by a fierce ghost? What is the principle behind it? You, Wang Xiaoming, may be a professor, but you¡¯re not a magician. Is this really something yourb can make? But if it¡¯s as he said and the Ghost Candle truly has such powerful effects? Being absolutely safe until the candlelight goes out. Yang Jian understood very well what that implied. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say ¨C this was like a ghost handler¡¯s second life. ¡°You¡¯ve really tried it? It¡¯s truly effective?¡± Yang Jian was hesitant. ¡°Based on the results of the experiments, even an A-level Terror ghost can¡¯t kill the person inside before the Ghost Candle¡¯s me goes out,¡± Wang Xiaoming said. ¡°If you think I¡¯m lying during your trial, you cane for revenge.¡± ¡°Honestly, I have a lot of confidence in my experimental product.¡± Yang Jian frowned, ncing back and forth between the severed head of Feng Quan and the nearby Ghost Candle. Indeed, there was no reason to lie or deceive him at this point. The Ghost Candle must truly have this effect. ¡°How long can one Ghost Candlest?¡± Yang Jian inquired. Wang Xiaoming replied, ¡°It¡¯s hard to determine. The burning speed varies depending on the situation. The more terrifying the ghost, the faster the Ghost Candle burns. But regardless, it shouldst at least half an hour without any problems.¡± ¡°This thing, there¡¯s only one, seems a bit insufficient, right? How about adding another one?¡± Yang Jian said. Wang Xiaoming said, ¡°As of now, the Ghost Candle is considered a Strategic Level resource. The one I carry is for ensuring my own safety. If you still want more, you¡¯ll need to apply for it. Even I can¡¯t make that decision.¡± ¡°But if you wish to apply, merely joining the International Ghost Handlers won¡¯t be enough. You would need to rise at least another two levels. Even Zhao Jianguo here doesn¡¯t qualify for that.¡± Zhao Jianguo touched his nose on the side, looking somewhat embarrassed. He didn¡¯t even know about this item, let alone how to apply for it. Yang Jian thought for a moment and then said immediately, ¡°Then, it¡¯s a pleasure doing business with you. Feng Quan is yours now.¡± ¡°Take Feng Quan away. We¡¯re heading to theboratory. From now on, Manager Sun will be in charge of thepany¡¯s affairs. Don¡¯t bother me with small matters anymore.¡± Wang Xiaoming immediately instructed the security personnel. Immediately, personnel carrying a body bag with Feng Quan¡¯s head hurriedly left under the watch of the special forces leader, Li Jun. ¡°Ghost Candle?¡± Yang Jian looked at the red candle and then quickly put it away. As long as it was genuine, he felt that he now had an extremely important trump card for when he faced ghosts with unbeatable powers. Afterwards. He suddenly remembered something and hastily called out, ¡°Wait, my two million-dor¡­ bag, uh, seems like I¡¯m a bitte.¡± The transport vehicles started, and Wang Xiaoming and his team had already driven off. It seemed that the body bag was not going to be returned. ¡°Yang Jian, you really shouldn¡¯t do this kind of thing in the future, trading your colleagues¡­ it¡¯s indefensible, no matter how you slice it.¡± At that moment, Zhao Jianguo said with a wry smile, ¡°It¡¯s a special period now; even if you don¡¯t consider the bigger picture, you should still maintain better rtionships with your colleagues, which is good for you too. After all, you¡¯ll have the chance to see each otherter,¡± ¡°Selling out your team is still better than someone stabbing you in the back, right?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m merciful in my trades, while others are vicious in their schemes. Inparison, I think my actions just now were a bit like God showing care for all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Jianguo¡¯s mouth twitched, not knowing how to respond, so he simply said, ¡°Then try to avoid being too merciful next time, or else it¡¯ll be hard for me to exin to the higher-ups. Just do it as a favor for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect Feng Quan to be so valuable, managing to exchange for such an item. It¡¯s quite beyond my expectations.¡± For himself, the value of Feng Quan was definitely not as great as the Ghost Candle. Once the ghosts were detained, all Yang Jian could do was sell them for money, but money couldn¡¯t buy his life. However, the Ghost Candle could save his life. It was clear which was more important. ¡°Then when do you n to join the International Ghost Control Organization and start the assessments? If you agree, I can submit your application when I go back,¡± said Zhao Jianguo. Yang Jian pondered a moment and then replied, ¡°It¡¯s better to wait. I need to confirm whether Wang Xiaoming¡¯s method to dy the resurrection of fierce ghosts is really effective. You wouldn¡¯t want a short-lived exorcist, anyway. Moreover, for the time being, Dachang City has a new exorcist, so public safety shouldn¡¯t be an issue temporarily. My joining now would be rather superfluous, especially since I¡¯m a local, and I don¡¯t wish to go to other cities.¡± Even though he had controlled two ghosts, he needed to keep this information from Zhao Jianguo. That¡¯s because the method he used was provided by the human skin parchment. If this information leaked, Wang Xiaoming would surely find a way to obtain that parchment for research. And at that point, Professor Wang would have to change his name to Professor Pi (Skin). For now, Yang Jian felt it was necessary to keep the parchment in his own hands. ¡°I understand what you think. Since you¡¯ve already made a deal with thepany, it¡¯s urgent that you control a second ghost to prolong the resurrection of the fierce ghost. It¡¯s risky, you know that, but no matter what, I still hope you¡¯ll survive,¡± Zhao Jianguo said earnestly. Theboratory method had a failure rate. And it was high, with a mortality rate of no less than eighty percent. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°And thanks to Captain Zhao for your attention before, and for your continued support in the future.¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of my job,¡± Zhao Jianguo said with a smile. He knew the rtionship between the International Ghost Control Organization and Yang Jian needed to be maintained for some time. Now was clearly not a good time for Yang Jian to join the Organization. He had thought about joining before to find a method to prolong the life of fierce ghosts through the Organization. But now. Yang Jian had the conditions to wait and see. After all, once he formally took up the position, he would have to continuously deal with all sorts of paranormal events, which didn¡¯t match his character of quietly making a fortune. ¡°By the way, if I join the International Ghost Control Organizationter on, should the paranormal events I resolved before count as merits?¡± Yang Jian asked again. Zhao Jianguo said, ¡°The incidents at Furen Shopping Mall and Huanggang Vige, all count as your merits and will be recorded in your file.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m counting on moving up in rank after I join the International Ghost Control Organization,¡± said Yang Jian. It could be inferred from Wang Xiaoming¡¯s words before. Depending on the rank within the International Ghost Control Organization, you receive different privileges. Advancing two ranks could even earn ess to strategic level resources like the Ghost Candle. Of course, that was just one aspect; there were certainly other privileges as well. Chapter 119 - 119 Return to the City Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Return to the City The barricades on the main road were being removed, and the blocked roads began to reopen to traffic. A variety of vehicles gradually drove away. In a short while, all the personnel here had sessively left, leaving only a few observers responsible for continuing to monitor the aftermath of the vanished Huanggang Vige to prevent any sudden incidents from happening again. Yang Jian took a ride in Zhang Han¡¯s car, asking him for a lift to the city. On the way, Zhang Han asked with some confusion, ¡°I have to go to thatpany for testing tomorrow. If I¡¯m fast, I could start controlling the second ghost within a week. As long as my luck isn¡¯t too bad, I might be able to extend the ghost¡¯s revival and keep living.¡± ¡°Why did you refuse before?¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°The sess rate of controlling the second ghost is still very low, a chance of less than twenty percent. You dare to try it, but I should consider it. At least, I will wait until the sess rate is increased before I take the risk.¡± ¡°Besides, I can hold on for now, anyway. The spot is there, and Wang Xiaoming won¡¯t renege on it. You go try it first, and tell me about the process afterward. I will consider when to start based on my own situation.¡± He had already controlled the second ghost, greatly dying the revival time of the fierce ghost. So he had the capital to wait for Wang Xiaoming¡¯s method to mature further, improve, and increase the sess rate. ¡°You¡¯re right to think that way, it¡¯s a bit safer. But I can¡¯t wait any longer. I doubt whether I can hang in there until it¡¯s time to control the second ghost,¡± said Zhang Han, looking pale. As if injured, silently enduring some kind of pain. Yang Jian felt the car sway on the road and said, ¡°I really think you look unwell. Seeing you so sweaty, you look like you have heatstroke. How about you cram yourself into the luggagepartmentter, and I¡¯ll find a chance to sell you? If you die, it¡¯d be a hassle. I¡¯d have to take time to deal with the ghost inside you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I got an injury while fighting the ghost. The flesh on my back was torn open, and now it¡¯s bleeding. I need to go to the hospital to bandage the wound. I¡¯ll be fine quickly,¡± Zhang Han hurriedly said. ¡°Oh, I see. You had me excited for nothing. I almost had your funeral arrangements settled,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Han didn¡¯t want to bother with the guy. Just now, he had witnessed Yang Jian selling Feng Quan, reaping quite a profit. It seemed that he¡¯d gotten addicted to selling out his teammates. ¡°Is the thing about the Ghost Candle¡­ true?¡± After a moment of silence, Zhang Han couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously. Yang Jian looked at him in surprise, ¡°What Ghost Candle? What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand at all. Did you say something just now?¡± Zhang Han¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your Ghost Candle, what are you doing? Why so nervous?¡± ¡°Shush, walls have ears. We can¡¯t talk about it, we can¡¯t talk about it. The fewer people who know about this stuff, the better. Dachang City has more than just a few of us who control ghosts. Although many from Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club have died, there are definitely other ghost controllers. What if someone finds out andes to kill for treasure?¡± Yang Jian hushed. ¡°This thing can save lives; it is an extremely precious resource. In Professor Wang¡¯s hands, others don¡¯t dare mess with it, but it¡¯s different if it¡¯s in my hands. If one day someone finds out I have this thing, I definitely won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡± Zhang Han nearly hit the brakes hard upon hearing that, ¡°What does someoneing after you have to do with me?¡± ¡°It must be you who leaked the information. Who else would I look for?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Han was speechless and thought about it; there seemed to be some truth to it. But on further consideration, there was a problem. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s someone from Wang Xiaoming¡¯s side who leaked the information.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Ordinary people and ghost controllers are not in the same league. Wu Yue is the perfect example. No matter how rich and powerful some people are in thepany, in reality, our status as ghost controllers is much higher. Although we¡¯re struggling now, we y a pivotal role in the face of paranormal events, after all, we¡¯re the only ones who can solve such things.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, no need to tell me anymore. I don¡¯t know about that thing; not knowing is fine, right? Anyway, all I need is to extend the ghost¡¯s revival, I don¡¯t care about the rest. I won¡¯t ask more in the future. Just consider my earlier words as nonsense,¡± Zhang Han said. ¡°Knowing that you¡¯re talking nonsense reassures me,¡± Yang Jian replied. Zhang Han felt like punching the insolent kid for the conversation that had frustrated him. Whose kid was this, speaking without a filter¡­ But then he remembered he couldn¡¯t beat Yang Jian and had to forcefully swallow his anger. He was an adult and wouldn¡¯t stoop to a student¡¯s level. ¡°Still, I have to thank you for this time. Without you, there¡¯s no way I would have made it out of Huanggang Vige alive. Ye Jun and the others were wrong. If they had listened to your arrangements earlier, maybe not so many would have died,¡± Zhang Han said with some emotion. Although Yang Jian was infuriating in interpersonalmunication, it had to be said that the kid was talented. He had survived the incident at Huanggang Vige by the skin of his teeth. The other so-called seniors were just like extras on a film set, getting their packed lunches within less than a minute of their debut. At this age, it was as if they had lived their lives for nothing. ¡°Even if Ye Jun and the rest were still alive, I¡¯d take care of them properly, find an opportunity to do them in,¡± Yang Jian said. Zhang Han looked at him somewhat startled, ¡°Why would you do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a petty person,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Got it, understood.¡± Zhang Han held back whatever else he wanted to say and focused on driving. At this moment, Yang Jian picked up his phone and made a call, ¡°Hello, is this Big Sister Jiang?¡± A somewhat frantic voice came from the other end, ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to call me ¡®Big Sister.¡¯ Why are you only calling me now, after almost a week? Do you have any idea how I¡¯ve managed this past week? Do you?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been hiding at home ying ¡®Greedy Blue Moon,¡¯ have you?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I¡­.¡± Jiang Yan didn¡¯t know how to answer, feeling frustrated. ¡°I¡¯m in the city now. I¡¯ll send you my location in a bit,e pick me up in your car. There are some things I need you to doter,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯ll head over now,¡± Jiang Yan said excitedly. Yang Jian hung up the phone, feeling a bit puzzled. Was there any need for Jiang Yan to be that happy about picking him up? Could there be a catch? ¡°You¡¯re getting off here? Do you live nearby?¡± Zhang Han asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m just hungry and want to eat something. In Huanggang Vige, I¡¯ve been getting by onpressed food. You know how it is, that stuff just doesn¡¯t suit my taste. Eat too much and it makes you bloated. Anyway, I left you my number, call me if anythinges up,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°No, scratch thatst sentence, it¡¯s better if I contact you in case there¡¯s anything¡ªdon¡¯t contact me. We¡¯re not that close.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Han had actually wanted to invite him for a meal. But hearing that, he felt asking again would be somewhat demeaning. ¡°Then, see you next time.¡± Zhang Han, feeling as if he had constipation, got out and watched as Yang Jian drove away in his expensive sports car. ¡°That¡¯s a really nice sports car. When I have the money, I¡¯ll buy one too,¡± Yang Jian watched enviously and muttered to himself. Afterward, he turned and walked into a fried chicken shop inside a nearby mall. He was kind of missing junk food. However, under the light of a streetmp nearby, no matter from which angle it shone on Yang Jian¡¯s figure, there was only one shadow behind him. This shadow was darker and more profound than those of others, stretched diagonally and long, as if a very tall person was lying on the ground¡­ most importantly, this shadow had no head. From that day in Huanggang Vige, the Headless Ghost Shadow would always apany Yang Jian. Dangerous and terrifying. Passersby who asionally stepped on the shadow were not harmed but would suddenly feel a chilly coldness prate the soles of their feet. However, as the shadow followed Yang Jian¡¯s footsteps and moved away, everything returned to normal. ¡°Excuse me, miss, would you mind if I cut in?¡± Yang Jian, seeing the people lined up and feeling quite hungry, couldn¡¯t help but speak up. ¡°Hmm?¡± The young woman in front of him in the queue widened her eyes to look at him. As if she were looking at someone crazy or perverted. Yang Jian said, ¡°Sorry, my mistake, I meant to ask if I could cut in line. It¡¯s a bit awkward to say, but I¡¯ve actually not eaten for several days¡­¡± Chapter 120: The Pursued Jiang Yan Chapter 120: The Pursued Jiang Yan Jiang Yan¡¯s gloomy mood vanished in an instant after receiving Yang Jian¡¯s call, and she immediately felt a surge of joy. Even though she knew very well that Yang Jian was a ghost controller and that being with him was dangerous, in their time spent together before, she had felt that a ghost controller wasn¡¯t that different from the average person. Moreover, Yang Jian was far superior to other men, young, capable, and rich¡­ with a handsome appearance too. Even though his thought process could be quite bizarre at times, what did that matter? Humming a tune, Jiang Yan began to groom herself carefully, deliberately choosing a youthful hairstyle, and then slipped into a newly purchased dress with a bit of a cartoonish ir. The dress just covered her knees, revealing a pair of long, white, and slender legs. Looking at herself in the mirror, Jiang Yan struck a V-sign with her fingers, ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°Now Yang Jian won¡¯t call me ¡®big sister¡¯ anymore. If I step out, I can look younger than those seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girls. When we meet, I will definitely leave him head over heels.¡± She was quite proud of herself; with her figure, anything she wore looked stunning. No matter what, she was determined totch onto Yang Jian, the ¡®big thigh.¡¯ ¡°Oh, right, the car keys.¡± Jiang Yan grabbed her car keys, ready to head out. But just as she was leaving, she saw a young man in a suit and fashionable attire standing outside her door, holding a rose in his hand and smilingly saying, ¡°Xiao Yan, we really do have a telepathic connection. I¡¯ve just arrived at your doorstep to knock, and you already knew to open the door for me. I must say, you look absolutely stunning today, captivating.¡± ¡°This flower is for you, though it pales inparison to your beauty.¡± The sight of this man immediately soured Jiang Yan¡¯s previously good mood. She said, ¡°Qian Feng, what are you doing? Please stop bothering me, alright? I¡¯ve already told you I have a boyfriend, and pursuing me like this is pointless.¡± ¡°Xiao Yan, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m willing topete fairly with your boyfriend. I believe that with the sincerity of my feelings, I won¡¯t lose to him,¡± Qian Feng said. ¡°Out of respect for our college friendship, I advise you to leave quickly and stay away from me. If Yang Jian finds out you¡¯re pestering me here, I can¡¯t guarantee what he might do,¡± Jiang Yan pleaded somewhat. She regretted attending that ss reunion a few days ago. Because of her vanity, she wanted to show off at the reunion and drove the Mercedes that Yang Jian had left for her. While she did indeed turn heads and drew envy from her ssmates, Qian Feng had since been shamelessly pursuing her. Heh. As if I¡¯m blind. It¡¯s my money you¡¯re after, isn¡¯t it? If you win me over, does it mean you can avoid thirty years of hard work? If Jiang Yan couldn¡¯t see through this, she didn¡¯t deserve to be an ountant. But outright rejections, both explicit and implicit, still proved futile. ¡°Xiao Yan, your words put me at ease. If your boyfriend is someone who only resorts to violence, then he isn¡¯t worth your affection,¡± Qian Feng earnestly continued, ¡°And I¡¯m even more concerned about entrusting your future to a thug who knows nothing but fighting. You deserve a man who can provide you with stability and a sense of security.¡± ¡°Are you blind? Yang Jian is the one who can give me stability and a sense of security,¡± Jiang Yan was agitated inside, but she didn¡¯t express it out loud. That would affect her image. Jiang Yan maintained her aloof demeanor, ¡°There¡¯s no need for any more words. I¡¯m not going to ept you. I need to leave now, so please go back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiao Yan. Just yesterday, I rented the apartment opposite yours; now we can see each other every day,¡± Qian Feng pointed out, indicating the open door of the apartment nearby. Jiang Yan widened her eyes in shock, ¡°Are you a stalker or something? Renting right across from my ce?¡± ¡°I find even your annoyed expression quite charming,¡± Qian Feng said with a smile. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yan felt like she was on the verge of breaking down, ¡°Do whatever you want, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll drive you,¡± he offered. ¡°I have my own car, I don¡¯t need a ride,¡± Jiang Yan snapped, her high heels making her walk unsteady, almost causing her to twist her ankle. A momentter. As Jiang Yan drove Yang Jian¡¯s Mercedes on the road, intending to calm her mood before seeing him and pushing the recent encounter with Qian Feng to the back of her mind, ¡°Beep, beep-beep.¡± While she waited at a red light, a car horn sounded from behind. Qian Feng leaned out of the driver¡¯s side and shouted, ¡°Xiao Yan, I like you, be my girlfriend, okay?¡± The noise was very loud. Passersby nearby all looked over. Jiang Yan, who was in the car ahead, was stunned at first, not expecting Qian Feng to actually chase after her; hearing his words, she felt both angry and anxious. She really didn¡¯t know what to do with this person; they had not contacted each other for almost two years after graduation, and they only had an average rtionship while at school. Now they meet, and he¡¯s this passionate? What nonsense. There was no other way. It was time for the trump card. Jiang Yan also stuck her head out and shouted, ¡°Give it up, I have a boyfriend now, and I¡¯m carrying his child.¡± ¡°What the hell, what¡¯s happening?¡± Passersby and people in nearby cars all widened their eyes at this moment. This handsome young man had dered his love one moment and suffered a heavy blow the next. It was a total tragedy. Let¡¯s have a three-minute silence for this brother. Qian Feng froze when he heard these words too. He had imagined all kinds of rejections from Jiang Yan, even her ignoring him outright, but he had not expected her to say something like this. But his intuition told him that this pregnancy had to be fake, a lie to deceive him, How could such a slim figure be pregnant? ¡°I don¡¯t care, give birth to it, and I¡¯ll take care of it. To love you is to ept everything about you,¡± Qian Feng shouted loudly. ¡°p p p~!¡± At that moment, it was as if bystanders were apuding. It must have taken a lot of courage to say something like that. ¡°This young man has moved me, reminiscent of that time when another guy grabbed my steering wheel and gunned it over one-eighty, reaching the destination within a minute¡­ All warriors indeed.¡± In a taxi nearby, a middle-aged driver touched the corner of his eye, feeling somewhat moist. Qian Feng felt everyone¡¯s gaze focused on him, but he was not timid; he still looked sincerely at Jiang Yan. Jiang Yan started to panic. She hadn¡¯t expected that even after saying such a thing, Qian Feng still wouldn¡¯t give up. ¡°Stay calm, stay calm, mustn¡¯t let him seed, must thoroughly reject him. Otherwise, how am I going to exin this to Yang Jian?¡± Jiang Yan bit her lip, starting to think of a countermeasure. If Yang Jian knew she was earning his money, driving his car, and still looking for another man outside, he might strangle her then and there. After all, he¡¯s the kind of tough guy who dares to deal with fierce ghosts. ¡°Give it up, you¡¯re not fit to raise his child,¡± Jiang Yan yelled again. ¡°Pff~!¡± The onlookers who were drinking water spat out a mouthful. That was just too harsh. Those words were like kicking someone down to the ground and then spitting on them. It was incredibly humiliating. No normal man could tolerate such an insult; it seemed like the young man behind was about to explode. It appeared that Qian Feng had already thought of a countermeasure; he shouted, ¡°No worries, I can provide child support¡­¡± Upon hearing this, a wave of booing erupted from nearby. But the taxi driver beside could not hold back anymore; he stepped on the gas pedal, turned the wheel, and crashed into Qian Feng¡¯s car. Qian Feng was jolted and became a bit dazed. The taxi driver cursed loudly, ¡°Go to hell; I can¡¯t watch this anymore. Young and doing anything but good, especially being a bootlicker. Don¡¯t let me see your car again, or else every time I see it, I¡¯ll tail you until you question your life.¡± ¡°Well hit.¡± A few drivers waiting for the red light nearly cheered. This taxi driver turned out to be a man of strong feelings. Just then the light turned green. Jiang Yan seized the moment he was hit to step on the gas and sped away. Chapter 121 - 121 First Meeting Chapter 121: Chapter 121 First Meeting ¡°Yang Jian, I¡¯m here.¡± A beauty dressed in a short dress, exposing a pair of fair and lovely legs, with an innocent and cute appearance, carrying a bag and walking in high heels entered the fried chicken shop. She waved her hand, her face brimming with a charming smile. Jiang Yan gave herself eighty-two points for this carefully crafted entrance, and the remaining eighteen points, she believed Yang Jian would give to her in the form of triple sixes. She had made up her mind. She wanted to shake off the image of Big Sister Jiang, the ountant, in Yang Jian¡¯s mind andpletely change her style. Many customers turned their heads, looking at Jiang Yan. Especially their gazes lingering on those delicate legs for quite a few turns. Those legs¡­ Many male patrons thought to themselves in silence. ¡°Big Sister Jiang, you see me and youe over, or do I have to move the table over for you to sit down?¡± Yang Jian raised an eyebrow slightly, lifting his head. ¡°Got it.¡± Jiang Yan giggled, carrying a bit of girlish mischief, and obediently walked over. ¡°You look a bit abnormal¡­ Did you encounter a ghost or something?¡± Yang Jian stared at her neck, ¡°Do you want me to check for you?¡± ¡°I did not, stop being so superstitious,¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°Really? Why do I feel like you¡¯re gradually turning into a freak? Is it because I¡¯ve been out of society for too long and can¡¯t keep up, or have you be flighty and I just can¡¯t understand your tactics?¡± Yang Jian looked at her suspiciously. Jiang Yan immediately became angry. I dressed up specially for you, and you¡¯re calling me a freak? ¡°I¡¯m very normal, please, could you have a more normal mindset?¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°Am I not normal?¡± Yang Jian asked. Jiang Yan¡¯s beautiful eyes rolled, ¡°Not normal at all, not at all.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s considered normal?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°Like other naive young men, liking to look at beauties, enjoying talking about somewhat risqu¨¦ topics, liking to watch some unhealthy movies and such. Take me, for example. I don¡¯t mind at all if you have any fantasies about me,¡± she said with a flirtatious tone. Yang Jian was puzzled, ¡°At your age, fantasizing about young fresh meat all day, and you say you¡¯re not a freak?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s mouth twitched, feeling an urge to flip the table. Which wire did I cross when I chose such a sissy? Is it really a generation gap caused by age? I can¡¯t fathom his thought process at all. ¡°I¡¯m angry now, I don¡¯t want to talk to you,¡± Jiang Yan turned her head away and said. ¡°Ice cream?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the strawberry vor, thank you.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°I¡¯ll have one too, could you please buy one for me as well?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jiang Yan looked at him with wide eyes. ¡°It¡¯s my treat,¡± Yang Jian. Jiang Yan started to feel a little crazy. Was this a matter of treating her or not? Shouldn¡¯t he be the one to buy it? You¡¯re a man. I go out shopping with you and this is how you treat me? What about the pride of being a beauty? Yet, a momentter. Jiang Yan left the counter with an ice cream in hand, heading towards Yang Jian. ¡°Xiao Yan, I knew you¡¯d be here, I saw your car parked outside.¡± At this moment, a gentle voice sounded. Jiang Yan shivered upon hearing it. A man who frightened her appeared. ¡°Qian Feng, why is it you again? How did you find me?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the guidance of love,¡± Qian Feng winked, looking smug. Jiang Yan didn¡¯t care, rolled her eyes, and walked away. ¡°Who is this?¡± Qian Feng followed her and looked at the man who took the ice cream from Jiang Yan¡¯s hand. ¡°My boyfriend,¡± Jiang Yan immediately said, without any hesitation. Boyfriend? Qian Feng sized up Yang Jian. This young man wasn¡¯t very old, looked to be not even twenty, with an eptable appearance, somewhat handsome even, but what on Earth was he wearing? His short-sleeved shirt was filthy, dirty and grimy, and there was a sour stenching off him that seemed like something had gone rotten, almost enough to make one gag. How bad does one have to let himself go to reach such a state? What on Earth was Big Sister Jiang thinking to fall for a weirdo like this? Could she possibly have some strange fetish? ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Xiao Yan¡¯s college ssmate, Qian Feng, nice to meet you.¡± Qian Feng smiled and politely extended his hand. Yang Jian looked up, put down the chicken leg he was holding, and reached out his hand, ¡°Yang Jian.¡± When Qian Feng saw the greasy palm, he felt queasy and frowned, unable to shake the hand, ¡°Rude.¡± Seeing Qian Feng didn¡¯t move, Yang Jianmented. Qian Feng nearly burst with anger, ¡°You¡¯re the one being rude. Your hand is filthy; don¡¯t you know to wash it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that interrupting someone¡¯s meal is already quite impolite, let alone asking for a handshake while they¡¯re eating? Plus, when speaking to someone, you shouldn¡¯t be condescending, you should sit down¡­ How many modern etiquette sses have you taken? Did you really graduate from college?¡± Yang Jian looked at him said. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Qian Feng was taken aback for a moment. This kid is pretty articte. ¡°Qian Feng, you better go first, it¡¯s not very convenient here,¡± Jiang Yan said. Qian Feng smiled, ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s fate that we met today. I¡¯d like to chat with this friend here.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, what is your current job, and at whichpany do you work?¡± As he spoke, he sat down. ¡°Work? Working is impossible, I will never work in this lifetime. I get by on extortion to make a living. You seem pretty glib and thick-skinned. How about working for me? I¡¯m short of a salesman. If you¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll give you a one percentmission for each deal, but there¡¯s no base sry,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°You¡¯re joking. I am a college-educated person with cultural refinement. How could I work for a thug? And do you think the money you get through those means really sustains a living? If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me your monthly ie?¡± asked Qian Feng. Yang Jian replied, ¡°I definitely can¡¯t tell you the exact figures, but I can clearly tell you that all my living expenses, including some luxury items, are earned.¡± This kid sure is full of confidence~! Qian Feng looked incredulously at the Yang Jian whose clothes added up to less than a hundred yuan, eating cheap fried chicken, filthy and stinking, with a snakeskin bag that looked like it was picked up from somewhere, containing something like¡­ cardboard boxes. Aside from the golden swing stick worth a couple hundred yuan at his waist, he didn¡¯t seem to have the appearance of owning any luxury items. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me with envy. If you work with me, I guarantee you can afford to buy these things too,¡± Yang Jian said. Work with you? Is it to pick trash with you? Qian Fengughed, his smile somewhat forced. ¡°I thought you were just a thug, but it turns out you¡¯re not even that. You¡¯re actually a trash picker. What right do you have to be Xiao Yan¡¯s boyfriend with your sloven appearance? Just leave her. You can¡¯t give her happiness, so stop troubling her.¡± Yang Jian knocked the table with the bone of the chicken leg he had just finished, speaking somewhat gravely, ¡°Although you insulted me, I can forgive you this once. Also, don¡¯t misunderstand; I am not her boyfriend. To be precise, she is my employee, I am her boss, she has been hired by me, and is currently working for me.¡± ¡°How can you say that? We¡¯ve been living together; how are you not my boyfriend?¡± Jiang Yan said with a hint of intiveness. Qian Feng¡¯s eyes widened. This can¡¯t be right. Such a rare weirdo, and you are still throwing yourself at him? Is this charity? ¡°I am just residing temporarily, we have always maintained a purely financial employer-employee rtionship,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan pouted, ¡°But we¡¯ve been sleeping together for several days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you couldn¡¯t beat me for the bed and didn¡¯t want to sleep on the floor,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I don¡¯t care, you are responsible for me,¡± Jiang Yan said. ¡°I am only responsible for your safety, not for your feelings, and only during the period you work for me,¡± Yang Jian said. Listening to their conversation, Qian Feng¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t quite keep up; how did the topic get so sidetracked? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to get Yang Jian to leave Jiang Yan? He needed to sort out his thoughts. Now he suspected that Jiang Yan was deliberately colluding with Yang Jian to mock him. Simply finding someone to put on a show. ¡°Sorry, I need to take a call, excuse me for a moment.¡± At that moment, Qian Feng¡¯s phone rang, and he stood up to leave temporarily. Chapter 122 - 122 Disturbance Chapter 122: Chapter 122 Disturbance As soon as Qian Feng left, Jiang Yan began to stare at Yang Jian strangely. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see that Qian Feng was deliberately trying to humiliate you by looking down on you with his dog eyes? Why did you bother being so polite to him? You should have just driven him away. There¡¯s no need to be concerned about my feelings.¡± ¡°Moreover, his pursuit of me is also with strong ulterior motives. To be honest, I don¡¯t like this kind of man. It¡¯s only because of our past as ssmates that I tolerate him to some extent.¡± ¡°So, when hees outter, think of a way to get rid of him. As long as you are willing, there¡¯s definitely a way.¡± She didn¡¯t want Qian Feng to keep pestering her, lest it cause some misunderstanding, making Yang Jian misconceive something about her. ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary person, no need to make such a big deal out of it. You can¡¯t just jump up and kill someone¡¯s entire family because of a few words they said,¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°This way, you can¡¯t make friends in the future.¡± Jiang Yan felt that Yang Jian¡¯s way of thinking was very strange, as he still thought about making friends with others. ¡°But I also really dislike your ssmate. Maybe I should just find an opportunity to kill himter?¡± Yang Jian added. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s eyes widened again, looking at him with shock and uncertainty. ¡°Weren¡¯t you just thinking about making friends?¡± ¡°Who let him insult me just now,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mind before, but thinking about it now, I feel a bit shortchanged. I guess I do mind after all, considering I¡¯m somewhat petty,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°You¡¯re not really going to kill him, are you? After all, he only insulted you once,¡± Jiang Yan said somewhat anxiously. Anyone else saying this would definitely be bluffing, but when Yang Jian said it, she couldn¡¯t help but suspect he was serious. ¡°It depends on whether he knows his ce or not,¡± Yang Jian casually remarked, continuing to eat. Jiang Yan, frightened, didn¡¯t dare to say more and had to sit obediently beside him. If Yang Jian really decided to act ruthlessly, she couldn¡¯t stop him. She could only hope that Qian Feng would be more astute and not provoke him any further; otherwise, something really could happen. Not long afterward. Qian Feng came out of the restroom. After straightening out his thoughts, as soon as he sat down, he said, ¡°Yang Jian, do you mind if we continue our earlier conversation? I¡¯ll repeat what I said before: I hope you will stay away from Xiao Yan. Like me, she graduated from university, and she became a white-cor worker as soon as she left school. Whether it¡¯s her job, family, or upbringing, you can¡¯tpare to her.¡± ¡°Someone like you can¡¯t give her anything she wants. So, letting go would be good for you and for Xiao Yan¡­¡± ¡°Bang~!¡± Yang Jian pulled something out from under the table and mmed it down on the table, then said, ¡°Continue.¡± He then continued eating. Qian Feng was stunned for a moment, and when he saw clearly what was on the table, his pupils constricted. A golden pistol, as exquisitely crafted as a work of art, with its heavy metal texture reflecting a cold light, and the dark muzzle at that moment, whether intentionally or unintentionally, was aimed at him. A pistol? This was actually a pistol. Where did Yang Jian get such a thing? It must be fake. Hisplexion changed, then heughed and said, ¡°I can¡¯t be intimidated by your childish tricks. You think you can scare me by bringing out a toy model? You think I¡¯m that easy to fool? If I were to be deceived by someone like you, I would have wasted my years of education. Besides, even if it were real, what does a mere pistol matter in the face of love? Could it be that I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll shoot me dead?¡± ¡°Just give up. These childish tactics are useless. You¡¯re not worthy of Xiao Yan¡­¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t speak, he simply reached into his pocket for a few bullets and then loaded them into the gun, chambered a round, all in one smooth motion. ¡°Bang~!¡± The loaded pistol pped down on the table once more, and he continued to eat, head bowed. Having witnessed this series of actions, Qian Feng froze for a moment, then involuntary cold sweat broke out on his forehead. This thing seems to be real~! ¡°Boss, where was I? Right, if you¡¯re not worthy of Xiao Yan, then no man on this earth is worthy of her. I think sister-inw has great insight, she spotted a true hero hidden among the ordinary people at a nce. Your unrestrained dress and the way you eat to your heart¡¯s content prove that you are an extraordinary man.¡± Qian Feng said with a grave expression, ¡°As the saying goes, beauties love heroes, and heroes love beauties; you two are a match made in heaven. It¡¯s my great fortune to meet you both today.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to know when you and sister-inw n to get married, and please make sure to let me know. No matter if I¡¯m at the ends of the earth or at the far corners of the sea, I will make sure to arrive on time.¡± ¡°Qian Feng, what are you talking about? Your attitude just now was not like this,¡± Jiang Yan said, looking at him with surprise. Qian Fengughed, ¡°Sister-inw, you must be seeing things; when I first met the boss, I couldn¡¯t fully understand him, so I deliberately said some things I didn¡¯t understand myself to test the boss. Sure enough, the boss is truly a man of valor, hisposure is like Mt. Tai unshaken before its copse. I can¡¯t help but feel inferior to such magnanimity and spirit.¡± ¡°Now when I think about it, I find itughable, my indecentnguage, not fit to be seen, used to test the boss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the wrong, I¡¯ll punish myself with three drinks as an apology to the boss.¡± As he spoke, he picked up the c beside him and downed it in one go, his hands still shaking, barely able to hold the cup steady. Seeing how scared Qian Feng had be, Jiang Yan said with a mix of exasperation and amusement, ¡°So, are you still renting the ce opposite me?¡± Yang Jian nced at him. Qian Feng immediately exined, ¡°Misunderstanding, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding. I was just talking off the cuff, the thing about renting a ce, that¡¯s just impossible. I don¡¯t even live in Dachang City, sister-inw, you must believe me. I swear to heaven, if I rent a ce across from sister-inw, I will be hit by a car the moment I walk out the door.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Suddenly, at this moment, Yang Jian faintly sensed something and looked up towards a high-rise building outside. On the street outside, unbeknownst to when, a crowd had gathered. They were all looking up, talking animatedly as if something was happening, He listened carefully. He heard people mentioning something about jumping off a building, a fire, and the like. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right.¡± Yang Jian narrowed his eyes, feeling an intense sensation. His ghost eye beneath his skin seemed to be throbbing, as if it was stimted by something external. ¡°Leave here.¡± He put away his pistol and suddenly stood up. This abrupt move frightened Qian Feng into kneeling down, hugging his head and whimpering, ¡°Big brother, spare my life, spare my life, I didn¡¯t mean it earlier, please let me off¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Jiang Yan, seeing Yang Jian¡¯s reaction, felt vaguely uneasy. ¡°There¡¯s a supernatural incident happening nearby.¡± Yang Jian quickly packed up, grabbed the bag on the floor, and prepared to leave. Jiang Yan, terrified, hastily clutched his arm, ¡°Take me with you.¡± As a survivor of a mall supernatural incident, no one feared ghosts more than she did. Chapter 123 - 123 Accidental Encounter Event Chapter 123: Chapter 123 idental Encounter Event ¡°` It was still broad daylight. The streets in the bustling area were overflowing with a constant stream of people. ¡°Bang~!¡± Suddenly, ss from high above a nearby skyscraper fell down, crashing onto the ground and shattering, with shards flying everywhere, injuring numerous pedestrians. Others scurried for cover, but at the same time, many curiously looked up at the building. It must have been about fifteen stories high. Although it wasn¡¯t very clear, one could still make out that on the fifteenth floor of the office building, people were using all kinds of tools to crazily smash the windows from the inside. The ss in the skyscraper was tempered, which under normal circumstances is very hard to break, but the people inside, with some mad burst of energy, managed to smash the window panes, causing the broken ss to fall to the ground and almost hit the pedestrians below. ¡°It looks like something serious has happened; people on that floor are breaking the windows to escape. Could there be a fire?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see any smoke though, it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s a fire.¡± ¡°Weird, what are they doing then? Could it be some collective madness, or is thepany brainwashing its employees?¡± Many people discussed among themselves while quickly leaving the dangerous area. After a short while. A crowd of onlookers had gathered, all staring up at the fifteenth floor of the skyscraper where the incident was unfolding. ¡°Don¡¯te closer, don¡¯te closer¡­ Help, someone save me!¡± A female employee from thepany was sitting at a window, crying in despair, her face full of terror. She waved her hands toward the inside of the office, trying to drive something away, but at the same time, she desperately tried to move away from thatyer, forcing half of her body out of the window, almost jumping out. But the next moment. The female employee suddenly screamed hysterically and, summoning courage from who knows where, flipped over the window intending to jump out. But before she could, she seemed to be grabbed by something, and her entire body was flung back inside instantaneously, disappearing from the sight of all the onlookers, with only a faint, agonizing scream echoing from the fifteenth floor. It sent chills down the spines of the listeners. ¡°Bang, bang~!¡± Several younger and stronger male employees were frenziedly smashing the windows, attempting to use the broken ss to climb down to the floor below. Nobody knew what exactly was happening inside that could drive people to such dangerous actions from such a high floor. ¡°Everyone is shouting for help; there must be something dreadful happening. Call the police!¡± Some bystanders who felt something was amiss hurriedly called the police. But more people were instead looking up in curiosity at the unfolding event. There were even quite a few who took out their phones to broadcast the scene live. At this time, Yang Jian was standing by the side of the road, eating an ice cream while frowning at the problematic floor. The entire floor was as dark as if it had lost power, shrouded in ayer of dark green mist, not like smoke or fog, it was bizarre. Although one could still make out the fifteenth floor, anything inside covered by the dark green mist was reduced to a blurry outline. ¡°It¡¯s true, something really has happened. How did you know?¡± Jiang Yan clutched his arm, not budging an inch, with an inexplicable panic in her voice. ¡°Some kind of connection between simr entities¡­ I can¡¯t exin it, it¡¯s like a sixth sense in humans, only my sixth sense is just much stronger.¡± Yang Jian took another bite of his ice cream and continued watching. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know if the other floors will be affected, but not a single person on that fifteenth floor will survive, all are doomed. The ghost¡¯s Terror Level is very high; it can even affect the environment around it.¡± He looked up, continuing his observation. Being able to affect the environment meant a Ghost Domain was forming. If put on that international website, the Terror Level would be defined at least as a B. Jiang Yan shivered, ¡°Then why are we still watching? If it¡¯s none of our business, let¡¯s hurry and leave. Otherwise, if we get dragged into it, it¡¯d be really troublesome.¡± ¡°` ¡°No, I must take a look, at least to clear up some facts about this supernatural event, or else if we bump into it next time by ident, won¡¯t we bepletely in the dark, not knowing any information?¡± Yang Jian continued eating his ice cream, ¡°It rarely happens to me, so sometimes it feels quite nice to watch the excitement and not mind if it esctes.¡± Jiang Yan saw the despair and fear on the faces of the employees on the fifteenth floor and couldn¡¯t help but think of her own time in the shopping mall. She felt no mood for spectating, only fear. However,ymen watch for fun, experts watch for the routine. Yang Jian slightly narrowed his eyes, silently musing, ¡°This is a supernatural event happening in broad daylight. How many have urred before in Dachang City? Those I¡¯ve encountered, and those I haven¡¯t encountered¡­ I can clearly feel that the number of supernatural events is increasing.¡± ¡°The full-blown outbreak that Wang Xiaoming spoke of, one that can¡¯t be suppressed, is probably not far off.¡± ¡°The peace and order are about to be shattered. The despair brought by the malicious spirits will likely soon envelop everyone¡¯s head.¡± Looking at the passersby, there wasn¡¯t a trace of fear or alertness on their faces, merely treating the incident as an idental mishap, a spectacle to behold. Who would have thought. What they were witnessing was a real supernatural event. ¡°Preparations must be made immediately.¡± Yang Jian bit into his ice cream again, ¡°Within the shortest time, everything must be arranged properly, and then¡­ prepare for battle and survival.¡± He had a feeling that a storm wasing, and the end of the world was near. Although everyone in the city was still oblivious, as a ghostbuster who regrly deals with supernatural events, he had already sensed something. The storm was imminent. The first to feel it wasn¡¯t the leaves being pelted by rain nor the thunder heard by animals, but the dragonflies flying low before the rain started. ¡°Ah~!¡± At this moment, a desperate scream sounded. A man could no longer bear the fear and jumped from the shattered window. His body tumbled several times in mid-air before crashing to the ground with a thud. From such a height, a person would instantaneously be a corpse, and moreover, a mangled one at that. It was a gruesome sight to see. Among the onlooking pedestrians, many screamed in fright, and the crowd started to stir, rushing backward to escape. Yang Jian still stood unmoving by the roadside, continuing to eat his ice cream as he watched the scene. Jiang Yan could no longer bear to watch and hid behind him. ¡°Jumping from the building will only hasten death, the only chance is to gather courage and run from the front while the ghost is busy killing others,¡± Yang Jian stated calmly, ¡°In a group of people, there are always a few lucky ones who slip through the and are let go by the ghost.¡± It sounded easy. It was difficult to execute. A couple of brave souls charging head-on is useless, it has to be a group. But these people have already experienced the terror of ghastly spirits, scared into despair and jumping off buildings. Those left are just waiting to die. However, at that moment. Several special vehicles came racing over from various roads, disregarding traffic rules and running red lights to get there. ¡°The support has arrived quite fast, and this could have been halted if it were amon ident, but unfortunately¡­ this is a supernatural event,¡± Yang Jian did not think it was helpful. Even if a ghostbuster immediately intervened, the idea of saving people was pure fantasy. Dealing with malicious spirits too hastily could end up costing a ghostbuster their life. Chapter 124 - 124 The Familiar Ghost Chapter 124: Chapter 124 The Familiar Ghost Because the incident happened in the city center, special vehicles arrived at the scene within ten minutes. Liu Jianming, or Captain Liu, was in charge of this case. In his early thirties, he should have been full of vigor, but despite his stern and solemn expression upon stepping out of the car, the weariness on his face could not be concealed. ¡°Immediately evacuate the nearby crowd, establish a cordon, and iste all unrted persons.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± Captain Liu was decisive and quick to act; he immediately gave an order, ¡°Also, impose traffic control on the nearby roads. Have the transportation department send a few people over to redirect traffic away from this area and prevent them from getting close.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m on it.¡± ¡°Notify the ambnce¡­¡± Whether it was a normal ident or the type of paranormal event that he dreaded most, he would proceed with the standard protocol: set up cordons, evacuate where necessary, to avoid chaos and additional damage when things got out of hand. ¡°Captain, Yang Jian has been spotted within the crowd, and it seems that he has already witnessed the course of the incident. Should we go and ask him?¡± a team member approached and said. Yang Jian? Captain Liu was slightly taken aback. It wasn¡¯t the chance encounter with Yang Jian that surprised him; it was his presence that made Captain Liu immediately realize that the event was likely connected to the international ghost controller. In other words, it was very likely a paranormal event. And when faced with a paranormal event, they could not intervene, nor did they have the ability to do so; they could only report the situation upwards. ¡°Yang Jian, hello, we meet again.¡± Deciding to still go and greet him, Captain Liu walked over and saluted Yang Jian who was standing by the roadside, then said, ¡°Captain Liu, looks like you¡¯ve got your hands full again. Although the incident hasn¡¯t caused significant casualties, it¡¯s¡­ much more serious than the previous mall disappearance incident,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Do you know how much damage there is?¡± asked Captain Liu. ¡°Not sure, but several lives are likely lost at the least.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Notify the new ghost controller, Zhao Kaiming, toe and handle this. It¡¯s beyond your capacity to deal with.¡± Captain Liu said with a wry smile, ¡°Another paranormal event?¡± ¡°The new ghost controller is a bit difficult to deal with. Even if we notify him, it¡¯s going to take a while for him to arrive. If possible, could you help? Not to resolve the incident, just to save a few more people if you can. That would be enough.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°There¡¯s a saying in our country, ¡®one should perform the duties of one¡¯s appointed position.¡¯ Zhao Kaiming is now the ghost controller of Dachang City. I can¡¯t rashly intervene. If the situation esctes, the responsibility would fall on me¡­ and it¡¯s somewhat presumptuous to interfere with another person¡¯s case. You understand what I¡¯m implying, Captain Liu.¡± Captain Liu nodded, indicating he understood. Having worked on cases himself, he certainly knew that a case can only have one person in charge, and it indeed isn¡¯t right for others to interfere. But Yang Jian¡¯s remark was merely a courtesy. He didn¡¯t want to involve himself in a paranormal event without good reason. This was a very dangerous endeavor. While voluntary rescue might seem noble and praiseworthy, one misstep could cost him dearly. Seeing that Yang Jian was reluctant to get involved, Captain Liu quickly left to attend to the coordination of rescue efforts, keeping extremely busy. But his hard work was of little efficacy. At that moment, another male employee, unable to bear the terror, cried and shouted as he fled down from the fifteenth floor, jumping and screaming, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, save me!¡± and the like. The despair in that situation could be felt by anyone. ¡°Bang~!¡± The person hit the ground only to be a corpse, with blood sttered and flesh indistinguishable, a ghastly sight to behold. Some were too scared to jump, but they were quickly and forcibly dragged into the dimly lit office building by something. The sound of their copsing screams spread once more, but soon disappeared. Some had already guessed. It was the scream before death. And those who began to think realized that something was very wrong with this situation. If it was a fire, why wasn¡¯t there any me? If there was a criminal insidemitting violence, why was there no sound? What on earth had happened inside? To drive individuals, each with a strong desire to survive, to the point of jumping off the building. Even daring to leap from the fifteenth floor, did that mean the despair and terror inside was greater than the fall from the fifteenth floor? Soon. The screams were bing less and less frequent. ¡°They¡¯re almost all dead,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s expression flickered slightly. Just then, he saw a figure walk out from the office building and finally stood in front of the ss window; however, from this angle, he could only barely make out the top half of a head, unable to see the rest. The person was very strange, standing there motionless, giving off an exceptionally calm vibe, in stark contrast to those who were panicked and screaming earlier. Moreover, this person had a numb expression, his skin a cyanotic ck, resembling a corpse left out for several days, showing none of the characteristics of a normal person, utterlycking vitality, and bringing with it an indefinable chill and eeriness. ¡°Is that a ghost?¡± At this moment, Yang Jing felt an uncontroble urge to open his ghost eye, but he still suppressed this anomalous movement. After standing in front of the window for a while, the person quickly turned around and left, disappearing on that fifteenth floor. However, as the person turned, Yang Jian inadvertently caught a glimpse of his eyes. As dark as ink¡­ devoid of pupils, as if they were two pitch-ck voids, sinister and ominous. Despite it being just a fleeting nce, Yang Jian was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s that one~!¡± He recognized this ghost. It was the Ghost Infant that had emerged from Zhou Zheng¡¯s body. Yes, without a doubt. Those pitch-ck voids for eyes, the cyanotic ck skin, it was definitely the Ghost Infant. Yang Jian had encountered it twice and would not mistake it. The first time was when it had just awakened, killed Zhou Zheng and crawled out from his stomach in the form of an infant, and the second time was at Wang Shanshan¡¯s home. By that time, the Ghost Infant had grown to resemble a child, capable of standing and walking. But now¡­ this was clearly the appearance of a young adult. The cyan-ck haze enveloped the entire floor; that was the Ghost Domain the Ghost Infant had been nurturing thest time they met, which back then was merely showing signs of its beginning, far from being a full-fledged Ghost Domain. But now, it was very close to possessing its own Ghost Domain. ¡°If we let this Ghost Infant keep growing, we probably can¡¯t stay in Dachang City anymore.¡± Although Yang Jian had not intervened in the incident, the confirmation of the Ghost Infant¡¯s growth rate sent chills down his spine. The ghost was bing more and more terrifying. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this ce.¡± He spoke to Jiang Yan, who was hiding behind him, too scared to leave. Now that he knew the identity of the ghost, there was no need to keep watching. But at that moment. ¡°Rumble~!¡± Apanied by the roaring sound of a car¡¯s engine. An armored military vehicle, full of power, charged out of the nearby intersection like a wild beast, ramming through a vehicle that was turning the corner and onto the pedestrian path at the crossroads, not slowing down as it barrelled towards Yang Jian. Yang Jian¡¯s footsteps halted, and one ghost eye opened directly. A headless shadow appeared behind him, with a faint sensation of a forceless body trying to rise back up. ¡°Coming for me?¡± He felt that the car was urately targeting him. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 125 - 125 Confrontation Chapter 125: Chapter 125 Confrontation The military explosion-proof vehicle was incredibly powerful and sturdy; it could even withstand bullets. On the road, it was only slightly less robust than a tank, and no ordinary truck could ram through it. Yet, at this moment, the explosion-proof vehicle charged towards Yang Jian like a fierce beast. If it hit him, he would die on the spot; there wouldn¡¯t even be a need to go to the hospital. However, just then. The explosion-proof vehicle suddenly swerved, crashing into the roadside greenery with a loud bang, rolled right over it, and then screeched to an immediate halt. ¡°Bang~!¡± The door opened, and out stepped a young man in uniform, his face somewhat gloomy. The current International Ghost Controller from Dachang City. Zhao Kaiming. ¡°Yang Jian, you sure have guts, not even dodging when the car was headed straight for you. If I hadn¡¯t turned the steering wheel in time, you might have be the first ghost controller in history to be killed by a car, haha, I¡¯m just kidding, you don¡¯t mind, right?¡± After getting out of the car, Zhao Kaiming didn¡¯t bother with the ident behind him. Instead, he walked straight towards Yang Jian. ¡°No worries, just hit me next time; I¡¯m quite open-hearted, you know. Someone just praised me for this virtue. Why would I mind if you bumped me? After all, when a person dies, all grudges are let go.¡± Yang Jian squinted his eyes, harboring hostility towards Zhao Kaiming. Of course, Zhao Kaiming probably had the idea to get rid of Yang Jian since the Huanggang Vige incident, after his failure to recruit him. Not for any other reason. But because Yang Jian¡¯s existence threatened his position as a ghost controller. ¡°Haha, Yang Jian, congrattions on making it back alive from Huanggang Vige. I said before that if you survived, I¡¯d treat you to hot pot. So, when are you free?¡± Zhao Kaiming still said with augh. But the smile revealed more of a cold and ruthless demeanor. Yang Jian said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll be quite free on the day of your funeral. Please invite me then.¡± ¡°When speaking with an International Ghost Controller, you should learn to be a bit more polite.¡± Zhao Kaiming¡¯s previously smiling face suddenly turned grim, carrying a hint of threat and warning. Yang Jian said, ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re too polite that I don¡¯t feel the need to reciprocate. Your idea of politeness includes trying to run me over with a car, so a few words from me shouldn¡¯t be too much for you to handle, right?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in the mood for a fight, I wouldn¡¯t mind either.¡± Zhao Kaiming¡¯s grim expression changed again as he smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. What I did just now was indeed not very nice, and I apologize for it.¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯ve apologized for the previous incident, so you should be able to grace me with your presence, right? How about the day after tomorrow? I¡¯m off that day; I could treat you to hot pot. We really should talk things over and smooth out our past friction, as well as discuss Dachang City¡¯s public security issues. Being from out of town, I¡¯m still not very clear about local matters,¡± ¡°and sometimes I might need to rely on a local like you. Otherwise, if somethinges up that I can¡¯t handle and it destabilizes Dachang City¡¯s public order, then I might find it difficult to be responsible.¡± There was a double meaning in his words. It was like he was using Dachang City¡¯s public security as leverage. Yang Jian, unmoved, said, ¡°I¡¯m not free the day after tomorrow; you can go eat by yourself. And a simple apology for what just happened? If apologies worked, why would the country have criminalws?¡± ¡°Then what do you want? Speak up and let¡¯s see if I can amodate you. I really hope we can put our differences aside with a smile.¡± Zhao Kaiming spread his hands, feigning innocence. ¡°I¡¯ve brought back a local specialty from Huanggang Vige this time, which I think you¡¯ll like. If you don¡¯t mind, how about epting itter?¡± Yang Jian said earnestly. Hmm? Suddenly. Zhao Kaiming immediately sensed something; he noticed that the shadow at his feet had slowly risen to its feet. This wasn¡¯t a shadow; it was¡­ a ghost. The next moment. A pitch-ck hand suddenly grabbed his ankle. Cold, bone-chilling, as if seized by a corpse. ¡°Crack~!¡± The following moment, a sound akin to blocks being assembled rang out, and one of his legs was immediately ripped off by that shadow, causing him to lose bnce, staggering before tumbling down to the ground. The headless shadow swiftly retracted, eventually vanishing under Yang Jian¡¯s feet, bing his own reflection. A leg then fell to the ground, ¡°Yang Jian¡­¡± Zhao Kaiming became furious in an instant, his cold eyes ring fixedly at him; ¡°Do you wish to die?¡± He never expected that Yang Jian would suddenly strike at him. And to do so unapologetically using the power of a ghoul. ¡°Sorry, sorry, that just now wasn¡¯t on us, no idea what happened, something seemed to be beyond my control, you really can¡¯t me me.¡± Yang Jian also looked at him with an innocent expression: ¡°How about this, I apologize to you, I¡¯m truly sorry for what just happened, you should be able to forgive me, right?¡± ¡°I actually want to make up with you, let bygones be bygones, united and supportive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free the day after tomorrow, but I am tomorrow, how about I treat you to a meal tomorrow? To clear up the misunderstanding?¡± The words from beforepletely reversed. The one at a disadvantage now was Zhao Kaiming, and the one apologizing was Yang Jian. Forget past grievances with a smile? Bullshit. The one at a loss isn¡¯t you. Now, you try to let bygones be bygones with a smile, see if you, Zhao Kaiming, can still smile. Of course, Zhao Kaiming couldn¡¯t smile at this moment; his expression was dark and frightening. This Yang Jian, he felt like he had be a different person since leaving Huanggang Vige; the man before definitely wouldn¡¯t have dared toy a hand on him. ¡°Not talking? If you don¡¯t talk, I¡¯ll take it as a rejection, and that¡¯s really a pity, I had sincere intentions, but it¡¯s okay, you¡¯re busy today, you go ahead. There will still be chances next time, after all, there¡¯s a long road ahead, right? Sometimes I¡¯ll have to ask you more about your insights on handling cases.¡± ¡°I believe by then, Zhao the Ghost Controller won¡¯t skimp on your advice,¡± Yang Jian said with a smile, very politely. Zhao Kaiming braced himself on the nearby car to stand up, his expression exceptionally cold: ¡°Considering your actions today, have you thought about the consequences?¡± ¡°Consequences? Don¡¯t be naive, Zhao Kaiming.¡± Yang Jian walked over and whispered, ¡°The reason I tolerated your provocation at my home wasn¡¯t because I was really afraid of you; it was because I wanted to deal with the situation in Huanggang Vige and didn¡¯t want to waste time on you. Now that I¡¯ve finished my business, if you want to keep fighting with me, I¡¯m game. Let¡¯s see who dies first, you or me.¡± ¡°Afraid you can¡¯t handle it,¡± Zhao Kaiming said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t live to see it; better deal with what¡¯s in front of you first.¡± Yang Jian pointed at the building: ¡°A Ghost Controller¡¯s power is great, but you have to be able to shoulder the responsibility thates with it.¡± ¡°Until we meet again.¡± After speaking, he got into an off-road Mercedes parked in the nearby parking lot and, along with Jiang Yan, quickly drove away. Zhao Kaiming looked at the severed leg lying on the ground, his anger tempered with rationality. ¡°The Ghost Eye¡­ Yang Jian? Has he tamed a second ghost?¡± ¡°Damn, I miscalcted.¡± Chapter 126 - 126 Repaying Debt Chapter 126: Chapter 126 Repaying Debt Back at the apartment. After taking a shower and changing clothes, Yang Jian finally rid himself of the faint stench of death that seemed to linger on him. Having spent several days in Huanggang Vige, he felt as if the scent of death was growing stronger on him. This change wasn¡¯t just physical; mentally, he was no longer fearful of corpses, death, or blood. It was as if he was born to adapt. Beyond that, the psychological changes were the most terrifying. It seemed like Yang Jian and the evil ghost inside him were slowly merging. When he walked out of the bathroom, Jiang Yan, sitting in front of theputer, looked at him with an expression as if her parents had just died and said, ¡°I¡¯m freaking out. I feel like I¡¯m about to go bankrupt.¡± Yang Jian asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Jiang Yan said, ¡°Remember you asked me to trade goldst time?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t brought it up, I almost would¡¯ve forgotten. I made a deal this time, earned some money, and was going to give it to you to manage,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Just likest time, trade gold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best not to.¡± Jiang Yan quickly interjected, ¡°It¡¯s no longer possible to trade gold now. Domestic and international gold trades are all under control. It¡¯s allowed to buy but not to sell. The money we madest time, over three million, is all tied up in it, and now it¡¯spletely stuck.¡± ¡°Where did you get so much money?¡± Yang Jian asked. Jiang Yan said a bit sheepishly, ¡°Loans, I borrowed a bit.¡± ¡°Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°What are you relieved about?¡± ¡°Your lesson learned, I¡¯ve decided not to trade gold anymore. It seems that countries are already starting to regte the financial markets, and the situation is getting more serious. It¡¯s best to convert the money at hand into tangible assets, otherwise, I¡¯m afraid of severe devaluationter, like ten thousand yuan for one bun,¡± Yang Jian pondered for a moment. This crude way of making money through stock spection was no longer viable. If he could notice this, then those in the financial world must have caught wind of it much earlier. With countries now intervening strongly, trading gold is probably like throwing money into the water. Although he wasn¡¯t knowledgeable about finance, he had heard some exnations from Jiang Yan recently. ¡°Ah, hearing you put it that way, I feel like I can¡¯t survive, I¡¯ll have to eat dirt. What about all the interest? I feel like I have to sell my house to pay off the debt,¡± she said. Jiang Yan was on the brink of tears; shey back on the bed, rolling back and forth hugging a pillow. ¡°Seeing you like this, I don¡¯t know why, but I feel a bit happy,¡± Yang Jian could not help but take a little pleasure in her misfortune. ¡°Did you already get some insider information? Why did you withdraw all your funds that day?¡± Jiang Yan suddenly sat up and looked at him suspiciously. Yang Jian said, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to exin this situation to you. Sometimes when people are unlucky, they can even fall to their deaths while walking. Just ept it, you¡¯re not destined to get rich in this life.¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s the money I earned from working hard, and now I¡¯m in a pile of debt. How am I going to live in the future?¡± Jiang Yan grabbed her head, at a loss. Suddenly, she thought of something and set her sights on Yang Jian, ¡°By the way, how much money did you make this time?¡± ¡°Just over ten thousand,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. You¡¯re so capable, you even cleared out Manager Li¡¯s wife¡¯s private stash. You¡¯ve been running around for a week, how could you have possibly made just over ten thousand? You must be lying to me,¡± she said. Jiang Yan said, ¡°Tell me,e on, I¡¯m your ountant after all. If I don¡¯t know about your cash situation, how can I manage your assets for you?¡± Yang Jian thought for a moment, ¡°Just over ten thousand.¡± ¡°How much over?¡± ¡°Not much, 550 million,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°What?¡± Jiang Yan, startled, leaped from the bed, her eyes wide and mouth agape as if she had seen a ghost, ¡°Five hundred million? What on earth have you been doing these few days, you didn¡¯t rob a bank, did you?¡± ¡°Robbing a bank isn¡¯t as fast as what I make, and besides, stealing five hundred million would require hitting a few bank vaults. Plus, it¡¯s illegal and could easilynd me in prison. I¡¯m meant to be the boss of Dachang City, why would I do something so criminal?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°You¡¯re right; robbery definitely isn¡¯t as lucrative as what you earn,¡± Jiang Yan couldn¡¯t help but swallow and her eyes lit up. Before, Yang Jian was worth around twenty million, which made him modestly wealthy at best. But now with over five hundred million, he was truly wealthy. A tycoon indeed! Not only had she secured a solid support, but it was also a golden one. She was set for life. ¡°Now that you have so much money, can you maybe lend me some? It¡¯s an emergency, I¡¯m about to starve,¡± she pleaded. Jiang Yan leaned over, wrapping her arm around his, pressing her mature body against him deliberately, with a coquettish and tempting tone. Yang Jian said, ¡°These days there are people who borrow money from parents, friends, banks, but who ever heard of borrowing from their boss? Besides, next month I¡¯ll give you your sry, at the highest market rate. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t starve to death.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. When the money from the stock marketes in, I¡¯ll pay you back. Plus, if I can¡¯t pay off my debts, they¡¯ll take back this house, and then you¡¯ll have nowhere to live,¡± Jiang Yan pleaded desperately. ¡°Your words remind me, I was actually nning to buy a house a bit away from the city center today. I won¡¯t be living here in a few days,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t, can¡¯t you forgive my slip of the tongue? How about this, five million, no, ten million, just give me ten million, and I, I will¡­¡± Jiang Yan¡¯s eyes flickered, suddenly resolute. Yang Jian asked, ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll mortgage myself to you, from now on I¡¯ll be your person, working for you,¡± she said, her face reddening even though she was usually rather thick-skinned. Pretending to work was just a cover for being kept. ¡°` ¡°You wish, marrying off at your age? Looking for a long-term meal ticket, aren¡¯t you? In my view, in no more than ten years, I¡¯ll have to let you go, because by then, you¡¯ll be older and won¡¯t be able to keep up with the work efficiency.¡± Yang Jian tly refused. Jiang Yan almost spurted out blood when she heard this. Who says I can¡¯t get married with my youthful beauty? I treat you like a man, but you treat me like a maid. Are you blind? Don¡¯t you want a beauty like me? If I hadn¡¯t set my sights on you, kid, let alone ten million, even fifty million¡­ well, fifty million I might consider. ¡°You can¡¯t just watch me die, right? The debt collectors will definitelye to collect, and by then, I¡¯ll be dead¡­¡± Jiang Yan felt like she was going to fall apart. It wasn¡¯t long since she had unted her wealth at the ss reunion. If others found out she was being chased for debts, she¡¯d lose all her dignity and wouldn¡¯t be able to face anyone ever again. Moreover, she was even ready to sell herself to pay off her debts, and yet Yang Jian still looked down on her,ining she was too old. Though there is a bit of an age difference, it¡¯s not my fault; it¡¯s simply because Yang Jian is too young. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to live, you still have to work.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°Once you¡¯ve handled this matter for me, you can go and die if you wish.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yan stared at him oddly. Now, she was beginning to doubt whether Yang Jian had any humanity left. She was in such a pitiful state, yet, with all his wealth, he wouldn¡¯t even help her out? ¡°What else do you want me to do?¡± she asked weakly. Yang Jian said, ¡°I n to give you four billion in cash to manage. You must exchange all this money into gold as soon as possible, and I¡¯m not talking about gold stocks; I mean physical gold.¡± ¡°What are you buying so much gold for? You can¡¯t even eat it,¡± Jiang Yan asked in surprise. ¡°With your intelligence, there are some things I really don¡¯t want to exin to you. Just go ahead and do it, I¡¯m not asking for a penny from you. If you handle this well, I might consider giving you a bonus,¡± Yang Jian said. Upon hearing about a bonus. Jiang Yan, now penniless from being trapped in the stock market, immediately leaped to her feet and asked, ¡°How much are you nning to give me as a bonus?¡± ¡°How about five million?¡± Yang Jian considered for a moment. Jiang Yan immediately hugged his neck excitedly and gave him a peck on the face, ¡°That¡¯s great, I knew you wouldn¡¯t leave me for dead. Love ya, cutie pie.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a catch.¡± Yang Jian wiped the saliva off his face. ¡°Whatever the condition, I¡¯ll agree to it,¡± Jiang Yan pledged confidently. ¡°I¡¯m a reasonable person; I don¡¯t expect you to work out of kindness. If you do well, I can reward you with five million, but you mustn¡¯t embezzle a penny when buying the gold. You must try to get it for the lowest price possible, don¡¯t mess around. If I find out you¡¯ve been up to anything, you know what the consequences will be.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s hand gently touched her delicate neck while his eyes glinted with a hint of eeriness and indifference. Jiang Yan shivered. A trace of fear involuntarily appeared in her eyes. Even though she usually got along well with Yang Jian, deep down, she was still full of awe for him. He was the kind of man you loved and feared at the same time. It was exactly this quality that gave off a unique charm that even he was unaware of. A charm that men in modern citiesck, and what fascinates women the most¡­ that is strength. Daring to save people in a haunted mall, relying on his brains and ability to imprison a ghost that drove people to despair. Daring to pull out a gun on Zhao Kaiming who came looking for trouble. Daring to entrust billions of funds to her, a mere ountant, to manage. Any of these feats were not something an ordinary man could aplish, even Boss Tang who could easily fire her, or Manager Li in his presence, were like caterpirs learning to walk. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely do it. I have ssmates working in banks, some clients who own jewelry stores, and some resource channels. As long as I have sufficient funds, I guarantee to convert your four billion into gold in the shortest time possible,¡± Jiang Yan said, her body tense with seriousness. ¡°Good, this card has over five billion in it. Transfer four billion yourself, and wire the remaining fifty million into a bank ount belonging to Yan Li,¡± Yang Jian said, touching her neck, feeling some cold sweat breaking out. He smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, after all, I¡¯m not Evil Ghost, I won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous. I¡¯m just curious why you¡¯re giving fifty million to Yan Li,¡± Jiang Yan asked. ¡°I owe him,¡± said Yang Jian. He was still very credible. When he had fooled Yan Li with a fake makeup box, it was out of necessity, just to survive. Since they had previously agreed to split the money from the sale of the Headless Ghost Shadow, now that he had the money, he couldn¡¯t renege on it. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s settled then. Get busy these next few days, but not today, it¡¯s toote. Go take a shower,¡± Yang Jian said. Jiang Yan¡¯s face turned red, and she obediently went to take a shower with a soft ¡®oh¡¯. Tsk. No memory at all, still so easy to deceive. Yang Jian looked at the big soft bed and his face showed a victorious smile. Time for bed. While she was showering, he copsed onto the bed and fell asleep. ¡°` Chapter 127 - 127 Nighttime Shadows Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Nighttime Shadows Night. On the bed on the second floor of the apartment building. Yang Jiany on his back facing the ceiling, spreading out in the shape of a big character, strongly upying almost the entire bed. Jiang Yan, in her pajamas, didn¡¯t want to sleep on the floor and could only curl up pitifully on the side, guarding her small patch, resembling a maid in andlord¡¯s house. Both of them were already fast asleep. The room was silent with the lights off, with only the asional sound of car hornsing through. But as the headlights of a passing car swept in from outside the window, it briefly illuminated the dim room considerably. The light shifted. The area around the bed gradually darkened. Behind Yang Jian on the wall, something was squirming in the darkness, undergoing some changes unbeknownst to him. ¡°Drip!¡± A car drove past, casting its lights through the window once again. The room shifted from dark to light. When the light reached the wall above the bed. Suddenly, a pitch-ck shadow eerily appeared there. Logically, with both Yang Jian and Jiang Yan sleeping on the bed, there shouldn¡¯t be a shadow in this direction. However, the situation was eerily strange. The shadow stood stiffly there, like a person, and it was slowly moving. If one looked closely at the shadow, they could notice. This shadow¡­ had no head. There was nothing above the neck but the illuminated wall; it was as if the head¡¯s shadow had been forcibly chopped off, it simply didn¡¯t exist. Taking advantage of Yang Jian¡¯s slumber, the Headless Ghost Shadow once again moved on its own, restlessly. After all, it was a fierce ghost. And while controlling a second ghost, the suppression between ghosts couldn¡¯t be perfect; one side would always be a bit stronger and the other a bit weaker. To maintain bnce, the ghost controller himself had to manage the scales, and negligence could lead to a loss of control. Just like tumbling blocks, everything so painstakingly built would copse in an instant. The crisis of the fierce ghost¡¯s revival would ur once again. At that moment, the Headless Ghost Shadow slowly moved along the wall, inching forward. It descended the stairs, then walked towards the front door through the living room, as if to continue its obsession. To piece together a body. The ck shadow was stretched very long, almost like a thin line; and the form of the Headless Ghost Shadow became increasingly distorted. Before it could even reach the front door, it was stretched and pulled into an unrecognizable shape, leaving only a long ck trail on the ground. It tried several times in different directions. Ultimately, the Headless Ghost Shadow couldn¡¯t stray too far from Yang Jian. It seemed to have be Yang Jian¡¯s shadow, never able to escape this fate. In the end, the Headless Ghost Shadow slowly retreated, returning to stand by the head of the bed. It was motionless, like a dead body. After how long, maybe more than half an hour, the motionless Headless Ghost Shadow suddenly began to move; it slowly reached out its hand towards Jiang Yan, who was asleep beside it. Having no other choice, it could only opt for this body. However, just as its hand had extended halfway, it froze once again. It was like a machine that asionally malfunctioned. It could notpletely control its own actions. But what horrorcks the least is time and patience. Another hour passed. The Headless Ghost Shadow moved again, this time it touched Jiang Yan. Jiang Yan felt nothing and waspletely unaware of the horrifying event unfolding beside her. But just as the Headless Ghost Shadow gradually merged into Jiang Yan¡¯s body, its form hesitated and abruptly froze. At this moment, Yang Jian, who was deep in sleep, suddenly sensed something and jolted his eyes open. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a tall, slender, headless shadow standing by the head of the bed, with more than half of its form already merged into Jiang Yan¡¯s body beside him. Jiang Yan¡¯splexion was somewhat pale at this moment, and her body was gradually bing cold, yet she was still fast asleep. If she continued sleeping like this, she was likely to be silently killed by the Headless Ghost Shadow in her dreams without ever knowing. ¡°Damn it,¡± Yang Jian¡¯s heart chilled, and he cursed under his breath as he immediately stopped the actions of the Headless Ghost Shadow. It was as if the five ghostly eyes embedded in its body opened all at once. A crimson glow shrouded down. In an instant, the Headless Ghost Shadow was pinned down by the ghostly eyes and fell to the ground, once again bing a mere shadow. Everything quickly returned to silence. It was a close call. ¡°So, if I don¡¯t keep an eye on the Headless Ghost Shadow, it starts to act up?¡± Yang Jian sat up, his brow deeply furrowed, sleeppletely forsaken, only a nameless fear remained. He had managed to sleep rtively well that night, without the restless stirring of revival or being paralyzed in bed. But, he hadn¡¯t expected that solving one problem would leave behind another. From now on, he would have to stay alert for the Headless Ghost Shadow. Even Yang Jian himself didn¡¯t know when the ghost might act up, so the most foolproof method was to stay vignt 24 hours a day, ready to intervene at the first sign of trouble, maintaining this fragile bnce. But didn¡¯t that mean he would have to forgo sleep day and night? Could a person withstand that? Yang Jian fell into deep thought. ¡°I thought I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about my own condition for a while, but it seems that it¡¯s only slightly better than before. The threat of ghostly resurgence still exists; it¡¯s merely been dyed.¡± Even after controlling a second ghost, the crisis was still looming. In thetter half of the night, he didn¡¯t sleep at all. And perhaps due to some changes in himself, he didn¡¯t feel tired. These past few days, while Yang Jian was arranging for Jiang Yan to acquire Gold, he was also trying to discern the pattern of the Headless Ghost Shadow¡¯s loss of control. He found, there was no pattern to follow. The Headless Ghost Shadow would lose control at least three times a day, or as many as six times at its worst. And the duration of its actions was also unpredictable. At its longest, it couldst for more than an hour, almost two hours, and at its shortest, it was less than a minute. The fluctuations were huge. Completely an uncontroble and uncertain factor. However, it was fortunate that even when the Headless Ghost Shadow was out of control, it chose not to attack him but targeted people around him instead. Jiang Yan had been assaulted at least five times these past few days. She just didn¡¯t know it. ¡°How can Ipletely suppress the Headless Ghost Shadow?¡± That day, Yang Jian opened a newly cast Gold box. Inside was a dark-tan human skin. The human skin talisman from Huanggang Vige, powerful enough to devour even ghosts, had shown itself to be more terrifying than malevolent spirits to Yang Jian. Ever since that time, he had been extremely wary of the human skin talisman, so much so that he had a Gold store cast a new Gold box especially for it in the past few days and had the talisman carefully locked inside. The human skin talisman inside the Gold box was silent at this moment. No dark script emerged, and it did not respond to Yang Jian. ¡°This human skin underwent some change after swallowing that ghost, a change I am unaware of, and it¡¯s still ongoing,¡± Yang Jian pondered. Since there was no response, he did not probe further. Immediately, he closed the box and locked it. He resolved not to open it again unless absolutely necessary. This thing was exceedingly strange and couldn¡¯t be relied upon too much, lest he step by step fall into the trap set by the malevolent spirits. Chapter 128 - 128 Classmates Reunion Chapter 128: Chapter 128 ssmates Reunion Just yesterday. Yang Jian received a phone call from his ssmate Zhang Wei, who said that there would be a ss reunion today, urging the surviving ssmates to gather together. It was said that several of them were going to leave. Some were moving away, others transferring schools. Under these circumstances, Yang Jian felt it necessary to go, as this meeting might be thest chance to see the few remaining ssmates in this lifetime. Jiang Yan had been left in charge of the gold purchases. She had been running around diligently these days, so Yang Jian, seeing her hard work, felt at ease¡ªeven though money was flowing like water, they had indeed umted a substantial amount of physical gold in hand. This gradually made him feel somewhat reassured. If his calctions were not wrong, this gold might very likely rece various luxury goods in the future. Although notpletely taking over the currencies of all countries, it would definitely be the most valuable thing in the future. ¡°Perhaps, I should buy a car.¡± Yang Jian arrived at the agreed location by taxi. Although he owned a car, he had no choice but to let Jiang Yan use it for business. Truly a sacrifice, all for the happiness of his employees. ¡°Yang Jian, over here, here!¡± Just as he got out of the taxi and was looking around, he heard Zhang Wei, who was in andscaped gazebo by the roadside, waving and shouting. Others waved with their palms. But Zhang Wei waved by sticking up his middle finger. Yang Jian¡¯s face darkened at the sight. ¡°Can¡¯t you change that signature wave of yours?¡± he walked over, but only saw Yang Wei and Zhao Lei. Counting him, there were only three. ¡°Just us few? Aren¡¯t the othersing?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhao Lei, looking somewhat drained as if he¡¯d been suffering from insomnia, said, ¡°Zhang Wei called earlier and said they woulde, but we¡¯ve waited for over ten minutes and only you have shown up. Maybe they won¡¯te after all.¡± ¡°How can it be like this? They clearly promised. It¡¯s outrageous that they went back on their word and didn¡¯t give Zhang Wei any face. Xiao Yang, how about you make some arrangements for me?¡± Zhang Wei said gravely. Zhao Lei said, ¡°If Yang Jian asks them toe, they¡¯ll definitelye. After all, back when we were in school¡­¡± He stopped there, not wanting to recall such horrifying things. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer. If they really don¡¯t show up, then forget it. With what has happened, their mental state is probably not good. It¡¯s possible they¡¯re now too afraid to leave their homes,¡± Yang Jian said. Zhang Wei sneered, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then they¡¯re too fragile. Look at me, I¡¯m perfectly fine. I eat when I should eat and drink when I should drink. How could mere ghosts and spirits scare me. Anyway, was the matter with those men in ck settled?¡± He said this, but he was wearing prayer beads on his wrist, a Bodhisattva hanging around his neck, and even a charm for peace and good fortune tied to his waist, which he¡¯d gotten from somewhere. He exuded an aura of an ostentatiously wealthy yet devout Buddhist. ¡°They got the wrong person,¡± Yang Jian found a casual excuse, ¡°But, why does your face look swollen? Heatiness?¡± ¡°No, from ying a game,¡± Zhang Wei said. Yang Jian asked, ¡°What game?¡± ¡°A method on the inte to test if there¡¯s a ghost in the house.¡± Zhang Wei said gravely, ¡°They say that at midnight, if you y rock-paper-scissors with your reflection in the mirror a hundred times, and every time it¡¯s a draw, then there¡¯s no ghost in your house. But if the person in the mirror wins even once, it means there¡¯s a ghost in your house, and you absolutely must not keep living there. You¡¯d have to move out.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with your swollen face?¡± Yang Jian asked. ¡°I was thinking, what if there really was a ghost? What would I do? So when I yed the game, I purposely added a condition; a method to fight a ghost with another ghost, just like what Zhou Zheng said that day, that only a ghost can beat another ghost,¡± Zhang Wei said. ¡°After all, I¡¯m quite the thinker.¡± ¡°What condition did you add?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhang Wei said, ¡°The clever me decided, whoever wins has to p themselves. If there really was a ghost, even if it beat me, I¡¯d still end up pping myself, which meant I¡¯d be safe.¡± ¡°As a result, that night, I was so lucky I won all night long, and that¡¯s why I ended up with a swollen face.¡± Yang Jian was initially stunned, wanting to praise his cleverness, but then his brow furrowed, ¡°Wait a minute, that doesn¡¯t make sense. If you¡¯re ying rock-paper-scissors with your own reflection, you should always tie. How could you win all night?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Reminded by this, Zhang Wei¡¯s eyes widened in shock, looking at him as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said, you¡¯re winning against your own reflection in rock-paper-scissors all night long?¡± Yang Jian repeated his question, ¡°Have you been under a lot of stress recently, or is there something wrong with your mental state? Maybe you should go to the psychiatric department of the hospital for a check-up.¡± Zhang Wei shook his head, ¡°Impossible, impossible. I¡¯ve been resting every day, regrly enjoying chicken dinners and such, how could I possibly be under mental stress?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not under mental stress causing hallucinations, then there really might be a ghost in your house. Otherwise, how could you win against the person in the mirror?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Oh my God.¡± Zhang Wei nearly jumped in fright, ¡°I yed rock-paper-scissors with a ghost all night?¡± ¡°Zhang Wei, don¡¯t scare me with ghost stories, believe it or not I¡¯ll cry for you to see,¡± threatened Zhao Lei from the side. ¡°What bloody ghost story, I¡¯ve encountered a ghost, and it was right in my own home.¡± Zhang Wei¡¯s face turned pale with fear, and even though he was standing under the sun, he still felt a chill. It was as if the story he just told was real. Not made up. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Yang Jian didn¡¯t know what to say at this point. Was it that Zhang Wei¡¯s mental stress caused him to hallucinate, or was there really a ghost in his house? Logically, if he had really encountered a ghost, Zhang Wei should have been scared stiff by now; how could it be that nothing happened to him. ¡°No, I need to call my parents right away and tell them not toe home, just say that the house is on fire,¡± Zhang Wei said hurriedly as he fumbled for an old-fashioned push-button cell phone. Yang Jian said, ¡°If you tell them the house is on fire, your parents will definitely rush home to check it out.¡± ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Zhang Wei also felt that excuse wasn¡¯t good, ¡°How about saying the toilet exploded at home?¡± ¡°I feel that if your parents find out you lied to them and you go back, you might get beaten to death, but are you really sure something¡¯s not right with your house?¡± asked Yang Jian. ¡°Of course, why would I lie to you about this, we¡¯re brothers,¡± eximed Zhang Wei. Yang Jian thought for a moment, ¡°If there really is a problem, I can arrange something for you.¡± As he spoke, he picked up his phone and dialed Captain Liu¡¯s number. While working on a case, Captain Liu who received a call from Yang Jian immediatelyined helplessly, ¡°Yang Jian, when you leftst time, you caused me a lot of trouble. After you left, Zhao Kaiming threw a fit, and those of us at the scene have been scolded a lot. Although both of you are ghost maniptors, try to minimize conflicts so that we at the bottom can carry on with our work.¡± ¡°Sorry, personal grievances should not involve you. I need a favor,¡± said Yang Jian. ¡°What is it? If it¡¯s official business, it is my duty to help, but if it¡¯s personal, that¡¯s another story,¡± stated Captain Liu seriously. Yang Jian said, ¡°It¡¯s official business with a personal touch, I won¡¯t make things difficult for you. There¡¯s a suspected supernatural event in a residentialplex, and I hope you can take some time to cordon off that house, inform the homeowners not to return temporarily, and I¡¯ll call you after I confirm whether there¡¯s a supernatural event or not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s official business, not personal at all. Okay, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to seal it off right now. Give me the address,¡± Captain Liu replied. Yang Jian gave out Zhang Wei¡¯s home address, ¡°The incident isn¡¯t causing much of a stir, don¡¯t blow it out of proportion, because I¡¯ve only received some information, and it¡¯s better not to cause too muchmotion before we¡¯re sure.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± said Captain Liu. ¡°Thanks a lot,¡± Yang Jian replied. ¡°No problem, we rely on you ghost maniptors for handling these special cases,¡± said Captain Liu. Yang Jian made a few polite remarks and hung up the phone, ¡°It¡¯s sorted now, your house will be sealed off soon, and then your parents won¡¯t go back. For now, it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Zhang Wei breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Should I go to your houseter to check it out?¡± Zhang Wei said with surprise, ¡°Go to that ghostly ce for what? It¡¯s haunted, forget about that house. I¡¯ll change to another ce to liveter, something like a vi, I still have several of those, and there¡¯s even an apartment in the residentialplex across from us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yang Jian looked at him with a strange expression, ¡°You have so many bloody houses, you should have said so earlier, just not going back would have been the end of it, wasting my phone bill.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it until after the house was sealed off and then I remembered I have other ces to live,¡± said Zhang Wei, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore, you go think about what exactly happened with the mirror,¡± Yang Jian struggled to suppress the urge to hit someone. Just then, a car stopped by the roadside. It was Wang Bin, Wang Yan¡¯s father, who drove his daughter Wang Shanshan over. ¡°Yang Jian, hello, we meet again.¡± Upon seeing Yang Jian, Wang Bin immediately presented a very polite smile, walked over, and extended his hand for a handshake. ¡°Uncle Wang, hello,¡± Yang Jian replied. ¡°I heard that you ssmates are having a gathering, and I wasn¡¯t toofortable with Shanshaning here alone, so I apanied her. You guys don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Wang Bin said with a smile. ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t mind¡­..¡± Before Yang Jian could finish speaking, he caught a glimpse of Wang Shanshan, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for a while, and his eyes suddenly narrowed. Wang Shanshan stood there quietly in a dress, her skin so pale as if drained of all blood, if not for her eyes that were still moving slightly and looking at him, Yang Jian would have thought she was a corpse. How long had it been since they had resolved the Ghost Infant mark incident? Less than a month, right? The once vibrant and beautiful girl, how had she turned into this. Chapter 129: The Changes in Wang Shanshan Chapter 129: Chapter 129: The Changes in Wang Shanshan ¡°` Yang Jian frowned slightly as he looked at Wang Shanshan. Due to thest school supernatural incident, and then the Ghost Infant incident, he had be quite familiar with her. He thought that everything should have been fine after he removed the Ghost ve Mark left by that Ghost Infant on her, especially since Wang Shanshan¡¯s father, Wang Bin, would definitely have called him if there was a problem. However, this time, when Yang Jian saw Wang Shanshan again, he found that she had almost be a different person. Her skin was pale without a hint of blood, emitting an aura akin to that of a corpse, cold and bone-chilling, almost devoid of the vibe of a living person. She appeared deathly and listless. But because Wang Shanshan was a young girl, this deathly listlessness was somewhat camouged; after all, women tend to appear more yin and soft by nature, so people on the street just thought she was an icy girl, rather than associating her with corpses and death. After all, she still looked very normal on the surface. ¡°Uncle Wang, how did Wang Shanshan be like this? If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me about it?¡± Yang Jian asked. Wang Bin was stunned for a moment, then replied bitterly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to mind, I had intended to discuss this with you for your opinion. At first, Shanshan seemed quite normal, so I thought there was nothing wrong and didn¡¯t want to disturb you, butter I noticed something odd about her body and didn¡¯t think of anything else, just took her to the hospital for a check-up.¡± ¡°After putting it off for a while, taking medicine and seeing no improvement, her mother and I started to feel that something might be seriously wrong with Shanshan, so during this ss reunion, I brought Wang Shanshan here, taking the opportunity to ask you what exactly is happening to her.¡± Yang Jian¡¯s gaze returned from Wang Shanshan; although not a doctor, he couldn¡¯t be sure exactly what changes were happening in her body, but if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the root of it all was probably the Ghost ve Mark he left on Wang Shanshan. Looking at the red eye pattern on her wrist. It looked lifelike, like a 3D tattoo, as if there really was an eye on her wrist. The longer you stared, the more it seemed to send chills down your spine. ¡°Can you tell me in detail about Wang Shanshan¡¯s physical condition?¡± Yang Jian felt it necessary to know what changes this Ghost ve Mark could bring to a normal person. ¡°At first, Shanshan was very normal without any problems, but then she started to behave oddly in just a few days. She would space out for no reason, mumbling and calling out your name,¡± Wang Bin recalled the past events with a sigh. ¡°Calling my name?¡± Yang Jian was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know the exact reason; I asked the doctor, who said that Shanshan had been greatly shocked, and perhaps because you saved her, she had a deep impression of you.¡± Yang Jian said, ¡°What happened after that?¡± Wang Bin continued, ¡°Not long after, Shanshan began to sleepwalk at night. I learned about it whening home from work and heard her hitting her head against the door. I don¡¯t know when it started, but around midnight, she would suddenly start sleepwalking, with her eyes closed, trying to leave her room.¡± ¡°At first, I locked the door tightly, fearing that Shanshan would wander off and get lost in her sleep. But one time, her mother and I tried to experiment by leaving the door open at night.¡± ¡°That time, Shanshan ended up sleepwalking out of the house, even making her way down the stairs and out of themunity, almost walking along the road without a destination. I didn¡¯t dare to continue and had to forcibly bring Shanshan back home.¡± At this point, he paused, nced at the pale-faced Wang Shanshan beside him, and went on, ¡°I thought Shanshan must have been under some psychological stress, so I took her to the hospital for an examination.¡± ¡°And what the attending physician found was that Shanshan¡¯s heart rate was constantly dropping.¡± ¡°A normal person¡¯s heartbeat averages 75 beats per minute, but Shanshan¡¯s heart rate was only in the forties when first measured. That¡¯s a very dangerous state, with an imminent risk of sudden death, and it¡¯s still declining every day. Just yesterday, her heart rate was only twenty beats per minute, and today it might be only in the teens.¡± ¡°The doctor in charge no longer dares to treat her. Such a heart rate, theoretically, is not possible for a living person. From a medical viewpoint, twenty beats per minute is a cold-blooded animal¡¯s heartbeat. If this urs in a human, there¡¯s only one possibility¡ªit¡¯s a body that has just died.¡± At these words, Yang Jian¡¯s expression changed subtly. He didn¡¯t know much about medicine, but from what Wang Bin said, he could understand the situation. A person whose vital signs indicated that they shouldn¡¯t be alive, yet they were alive and well, able to walk and move. This was indeed unfathomable. A very low heart rate means a lowered body temperature, slower metabolism, and sluggish blood flow throughout the body. No wonder Wang Shanshan looked so pale and had a coldness about her. ¡°Is there anything else besides this?¡± Yang Jian asked finally. Wang Bin replied, ¡°This situation is already very bad. If Shanshan¡¯s condition continues like this, her heart will probably stop beating soon. If that happens, is my daughter still¡­ human?¡± After saying this, fear and apprehension appeared on the grown man¡¯s face. ¡°` A daughter without a heartbeat. Is this a human, or a ghost? ¡°Uncle Wang should have considered this situation at the time,¡± Yang Jian said seriously, ¡°To get rid of that Ghost Infant, a corresponding price had to be paid, and I had already mentioned the price in advance.¡± ¡°But this price is too high,¡± Wang Bin said with some regret. Yang Jian replied, ¡°It¡¯s still better than being eaten by that Ghost Infant at the time. At least you still have a daughter, she¡¯s still alive, just with a slightlyplicated physical condition. But you can rest assured, Wang Shanshan is human¡­ at least until I die.¡± As long as he was alive, Wan Shanshan could live. Once he died, Wang Shanshan wouldpletely transform into a Ghost ve. Losing all life signs and consciousness as well. Therefore, Yang Jian was certain that Wang Shanshan would continue living in this state in the future. ¡°Is this a Ghost ve?¡± He nced at the pale-faced Wang Shanshan. At this moment, Wang Shanshan gave Yang Jian a faint smile, which seemed normal. ¡°No, the transformation isn¡¯tplete, not a Ghost ve. Although the life signs are weak, the essence of being a human wouldn¡¯t change,¡± Yang Jian thought to himself. As for whether there would be other changes in the future, he wasn¡¯t sure. Further observation was needed. Ghost ve. It seemed to be more than what it appeared on the surface. Yang Jian had encountered Ghost ves at school before, like the Door Knocking Ghost¡¯s Ghost ve, which was almost indistinguishable from a fierce ghost. ¡°What are you guys chatting about for so long? Just now, I¡¯ve booked a private room in the nearby hotel. Let¡¯s go eat first, andter I¡¯ll treat you to KTV. When night falls, you know what I mean,¡± Zhang Wei came over at this time, looking incredibly sleazy. The shock of potentially having ghosts in his house seemed to have no impact on him whatsoever. Yang Jian said, ¡°We weren¡¯t talking about much, just discussing some school matters with Uncle Wang. By the way, is everyone here? Just a few of us?¡± Zhang Wei replied, ¡°Miao Xiaoshan will be here in a bit. Sun Ren, that guy, dashed off five days ago, transferring to another province. He¡¯s definitely noting. That kid is such a thief, telling us now. Before, he kept saying he would definitely make it.¡± ¡°Liu Qi¡¯s family had an emergency, he¡¯s gone back to his hometown for the funeral. I heard his grandparents in the countryside had an ident, not sure if it¡¯s true or not, but he doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would joke about his family¡¯s life and death. I¡¯m going to give him the benefit of the doubt this time.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s just the five of us for this gathering. Uh, Uncle Wang, are youing?¡± Wang Bin smiled, ¡°I¡¯m here to apany Shanshan. It¡¯s not my ce to interfere in the young people¡¯s business. Shanshan isn¡¯t feeling well, so call me immediately if anything happens, I¡¯ll be right over.¡± Although his wife didn¡¯t want Wang Shanshan toe out, he felt that such a gathering was necessary. Not to mingle with others, but to be with Yang Jian. Because this person¡­ was extraordinary. ¡°Yang Jian, could you take care of Shanshan for me?¡± Yang Jian replied, ¡°Uncle Wang, don¡¯t worry, all of us are here, nothing untoward will happen to Shanshan.¡± ¡°With your word, I feel at ease. Then I¡¯ll be off, Shanshan, you should talk more with your ssmates, you¡¯ve been too quiettely, which isn¡¯t good for your health,¡± Wang Bin added another word of caution, then drove off. ¡°Is Wang Shanshan sick?¡± As soon as he left, Zhang Wei asked curiously again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what was just said?¡± Yang Jian asked. Zhang Wei replied, ¡°I heard it.¡± ¡°Yet you still ask me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand it,¡± Zhang Wei said, ¡°It feels like something¡¯s up, but then again, it seems like nothing¡¯s wrong, I¡¯m not clear whether there¡¯s an issue or not.¡± After saying this, he spread his hands in a helpless gesture. ¡°Then there¡¯s no issue,¡± Yang Jian said. Chapter 130: 130 5 Bowl and Chopsticks Chapter 130: 130 Chapter 5 Bowl and Chopsticks In the hotel. In arge private room that could seat twenty to thirty people, there were only five: Yang Jian, Zhang Wei, Zhao Lei, and Wang Shanshan. Despite the table being full of expensive dishes, the atmosphere was exceptionally bleak, even the servers felt it odd. ¡°Do so few people really need such arge table for a meal? With so many dishes, we can¡¯t finish them all, it¡¯s quite wasteful,¡± said Yang Jian. Zhang Wei sighed, ¡°From a ss of over forty people, together for three years, to only seven left in a blink of an eye. And damn it, even among those seven, two didn¡¯t show up, and one iste. I¡¯m feeling sorrowful inside, and recently I¡¯ve been very anxious, as if I¡¯m going to drop dead at any moment.¡± ¡°Yang Jian, you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll suddenly kick the bucket one day, do you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all about luck, if we don¡¯t bump into a ghost, everything else is fine.¡± Yang Jian continued, ¡°Even meeting a ghost doesn¡¯t necessarily mean death. Aren¡¯t we still alive and well? Don¡¯t worry too much, just prepare your coffin and gravestone in advance, you¡¯ll need them sooner orter.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re saying does make some sense,¡± Zhang Wei replied. To the side, Zhao Lei said, ¡°By the way, have you guys been paying attention to any news about paranormal events?¡± ¡°No, why watch that stuff? It¡¯s frightening. Better to stay home and y games,¡± Zhang Wei responded. Zhao Lei fell silent for a bit before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on news and forums rted to supernatural phenomena. I¡¯ve found that the ghost encounters aren¡¯t unique to us; there have been sightings and paranormal events all over the country, and many ces have been cordoned off.¡± ¡°Take our locale for example, several spots have been sealed off. I¡¯ve even gone to look. Besides our school, the residential area from Zhang Wei¡¯s photo, a stretch of highway outside the city, and Renming Park have all been barricaded. Those ces have been closed for a while now, with patrols standing guard.¡± ¡°I asked around, they say the residential area was evacuated due to a gas leak, very dangerous and no one is allowed near. They say the highway is under repair, but have you ever seen a road repair with a wall built right on it? That¡¯s not repair, that¡¯s a blockade. And that park, they im it¡¯s under renovation, but that¡¯s an old park that hasn¡¯t seen renovation in over a decade.¡± Yang Jian was somewhat taken aback; he hadn¡¯t expected Zhao Lei to investigate these issues after being so shaken up. ¡°You¡¯re just freaking yourself out for no reason. Why go courting death? What if you run into that thing again?¡± Zhang Wei said, his fear of that thing profoundly ingrained. Zhao Lei replied, ¡°I just wanted to understand more, to be prepared and have mental readiness. Yang Jian should know more about this than me.¡± As he said this, he looked towards Yang Jian. He seemed to want to inquire further on the subject. Yang Jian, however, wasn¡¯t keen on discussing the supernatural events with them, not out of secrecy but because he didn¡¯t want them to know too much. The more they knew, the more fear and despair they would feel. If they became paranoid, their mental health would eventually deteriorate, and it would be a good oue if they didn¡¯t end up taking their own lives. It was enough that they already believed in the existence of paranormal phenomena. ¡°Wang Shanshan, you¡¯ve been very quiet. Not saying a word, do you feel pressured being with us fine individuals? Don¡¯t worry, even though you¡¯re indeed not as good as us in many aspects, we¡¯re still ssmates. How could we look down on you?¡± At this point, Zhang Wei turned to Wang Shanshan, ¡°And why are you sitting so close to Yang Jian?¡± Wang Shanshan¡¯s seat was right next to Yang Jian. Out of twenty-some seats, only theirs were together; the rest were far apart. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to talk. Just being with Yang Jian is enough.¡± Wang Shanshan¡¯s voice was almost indifferent, devoid of any emotion, a huge change from her previous personality. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll just be a single dog over here,¡± Zhang Wei said with aplex look towards Yang Jian. If only he had known that ying the hero would get rewarded on the spot and not in the next life, he too would have risked it all. The four of them chatted about many things. Such as their current situation and future ns, but most of the conversation revolved around paranormal topics. Yang Jian also reminded them that events like these might be more frequent and to be cautious. For instance, it would be wise to invest in gold if feasible, which was sure to appreciate in value, and to avoid crowded city centers if possible. Because the higher the concentration of people, the higher the chance of triggering paranormal events. Therefore, being in the city center was not advisable. Moreover, there was a Ghost Infant roaming the center of Dachang City. They had encountered it a few days ago, and who knows where it went these past few days to take more lives. ¡°Damn it, just talking about it is making me hungry. Where the hell is Miao Xiaoshan? She said she¡¯d be here in ten minutes, but after ten, and another ten, it¡¯s been half an hour,¡± Zhang Wei said, beginning to feel agitated all of a sudden. ¡°If she weren¡¯t so cute, I¡¯d definitely call her an orphan in anger.¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably noting,¡± Zhao Lei said. ¡°After all, this sort of gathering has lost its meaning.¡± ¡°How can you say it¡¯s meaningless? Only a few of us from the ss are left, and we should cherish the fact that we¡¯ve made it this far. Now everyone is going their own way, if we don¡¯t gather now, who knows if we¡¯ll ever get the chance to see each other again.¡± Zhang Wei uncharacteristically said something quite normal. But the next sentence made everyone want to hit him. ¡°Moreover, my identity as a local tycoon has just been revealed, who else can I show off to if you don¡¯te?¡± ¡°Ignore him, let¡¯s eat,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Wang Shanshan, you eat too.¡± ¡°I ate the day before yesterday,¡± Wang Shanshan said. ¡°The day before yesterday?¡± Yang Jian was taken aback and looked at her. It sounded like she had just eaten. Wang Shanshan exined, ¡°My heart rate has slowed down, my metabolism has also slowed down, now I eat less and less,¡± ¡°You should still eat something,¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Okay,¡± Wang Shanshan nodded. When the meal was halfway done, Miao Xiaoshan hurried over. She pushed the door open, saw everyone, and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, sorry. There was a car ident on the road. A taxi rear-ended a private car, and the drivers started fighting in the street, causing a half-hour traffic jam. I really couldn¡¯t make it on time, sorry to keep you all waiting.¡± ¡°No problem, you¡¯re so cute, of course we forgive you,¡± Zhang Wei said with a grin. ¡°By the way, who is this handsome guy?¡± He saw a young man in his twenties following behind Miao Xiaoshan. ¡°He¡¯s my cousin, he drove me here, he was worried so he came along, hope you guys don¡¯t mind,¡± Miao Xiaoshan quickly exined. ¡°Not at all,¡± Zhang Wei said. The young man smiled and offered his hand, saying, ¡°I¡¯m Shangguan Yun, may I know your name, ssmate?¡± What era is it that there are still people with thepound surname Shangguan? It makes it sound so grand. Besides, you¡¯re an outsider, and you¡¯re really thick-skinned to join our survivors¡¯ get-together. Zhang Wei raised an eyebrow and stood up, saying, ¡°Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, I am Xuanyuan Tiedan.¡± ¡°?¡± Shangguan Yun looked at him in surprise. Are there really such strange names? ¡°This one is Zhuge Dasha,¡± Zhang Wei pointed at Zhao Lei. ¡°Xuanyuan Tiedan, there¡¯s no need for you to introduce me, I, Zhuge Dasha, can introduce myself,¡± Zhao Lei said. ¡°Sorry, Zhuge Dasha, my bad,¡± Zhang Wei said. Yang Jian raised an eyebrow. Both of you think you¡¯re that outstanding? ¡°This one is Murong Erniu, and next to him is Duanmu Heiniu, although she isn¡¯t actually dark-skinned,¡± Zhang Wei said. ¡°Damn, you guys are messing with me, right?¡± Shangguan Yun almost swore. At first, he actually believed his name was Xuanyuan Tiedan. I was too naive. Yet Yang Jian found it somewhat unbearable to look directly at them. He really couldn¡¯t measure up to Zhang Wei, too embarrassed to show his face, and buried his head eating and drinking. But while he was earnestly focusing on his food, he suddenly saw on a nearby table a set of utensils that had been used, with some leftovers beside it. The chair at that position had been moved back, as if someone had been sitting there eating. But looking around, there were Zhang Wei, Zhao Lei, and beside him, Wang Shanshan. Including himself, that made four sets of used utensils. But whose was that extra fifth set? After all, Miao Xiaoshan and her cousin had just arrived. For a moment, his originally rxed mood involuntarily tensed up. Yang Jian remembered clearly that when they had entered this private room, the dishes had not yet been served, and no one else had dined here before them, Meaning that this fifth set of utensils had been used after they entered the room. But that was impossible because he had been watching the whole time. Recalling what Zhang Wei said earlier about winning rock-paper-scissors all evening in front of a mirror, his unease grewrger in his heart. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!