Chapter 9

Translator: Atlas Studios

Editor: Atlas Studios

Realization dawned on Zhou Gang.

Ah, this explained why he had helped Liu Yue’e so enthusiastically. So it turned out accumulating merit was so important.

That meant that the jade Buddha he was holding was a blessed magical artifact, the kind rumored in legends?

At this moment, Zhou Gang subconsciously tightened his grip on the jade Buddha in his hands. This was a protective talisman for his precious daughter!

After a momentary silence, Zhou Gang shook his head and said, “Indeed, there are quite a few of such places, but most of the rumors are false. Tell you what. I’ll help you check up on some information later and let you know.”

Chen Hao was delighted.

This was the benefit of associating with Zhou Gang.

If he were to search himself, it was akin to fishing for a needle in a haystack. God knew where such places were.

Moreover, with the help of someone, he’d be able to head straight for such places, saving him plenty of trouble.

“Many thanks, Brother Zhou.”

Zhou Gang dismissed it with a smile. “This doesn’t take much trouble, don’t mention it. Mm, I wonder what are your thoughts on becoming a police officer?”

Chen Hao paused in surprise.

Why is he suddenly mentioning this? Surely he’s not suggesting I become one? What a joke. I’ll be a great master in the future. Becoming a police officer wouldn’t be nearly as impressive.

Seeing Chen Hao remain silent, Zhou Gang thought he was displeased at the suggestion. He hurriedly explained, “I know you’re a cultivator who is used to living freely and doesn’t like being restrained. But you also mentioned that cultivation is difficult. If you can cooperate with the police, it’s a way out too, isn’t it? As the ancient saying goes, ‘it’s much easier to do good deeds when you’re in a position of power’. We police handle all sorts of things and are bound to come across some weird issues that can’t be explained. With your help, we’ll be better able to handle them. Also, you can accumulate your merit at the same time. It’s a win-win situation. What do you say?”

Now it sounded like a good idea to Chen Hao.

After all, he would be more effective with the help of a team rather than doing this alone.

Moreover, if in the future he were to run into ferocious ghosts and come across problems, he would need someone to clear up the mess for him. Else he’d be in trouble himself.

After considering briefly, Chen Hao said, “I understand your words, Brother Zhou. But you also said it yourself. I’m a cultivator. I don’t like to be restrained. If you run into things that can’t be explained, I’ll gladly render my help. But under ordinary circumstances, I refuse to be bound. Moreover, I’m choosing to cooperate with you, Brother Zhou, not the police. So, if you have any problems, I can help you. As for the rest, we can talk about it another time.”

Zhou Gang was elated to hear this.

Although Chen Hao stated many conditions, so long as he was willing to agree, that was great.

“Don’t worry. After all, we live in a scientific world, so I understand that it’s not wise to advocate superstitions,” Zhou Gang replied seriously. He knew very well that a remarkable man like Chen Hao had character and valued affinity. Because he had helped Chen Hao, there was an affinity between the two of them. Hence, Chen Hao was willing to associate with him.

But if he were to deplete this affinity recklessly, it might perhaps not be long before the affinity between him and Chen Hao was fully depleted, and they would then return to becoming strangers.

Shortly after, Zhou Gang’s wife Yang Hui returned with one hand holding her daughter Tongtong’s hand, and the other carrying bags of groceries.

At the sight of Chen Hao, Yang Hui’s face lit up and she greeted him warmly, as though he was a close family member.

As a woman, her thinking was very simple—Chen Hao had saved her daughter. Thus, he was her benefactor. Also, there could only be benefits in befriending a remarkable man like Chen Hao.

Chen Hao chuckled and didn’t regard himself as an outsider either. He even lifted Tongtong and began playing with her.

What surprised the couple was seeing their usually timid daughter who shied from strangers actually allowing Chen Hao to carry her, even smiling very happily. It seemed like she liked Chen Hao a lot.

Later, Yang Hui went to cook, and Chen Hao started chatting with Zhou Gang, still carrying Tongtong who was unwilling to get back on the ground.

Perhaps intentionally and perhaps not, Zhou Gang started talking about a recent unusual case.

“Three months ago, Shuanglong Group that is in charge of developing Stone City’s Stream Mountain encountered something strange. In the development process of the northern part of the mountain, they dug out several large metal stakes more than ten meters high. They had originally dismissed the matter, but after they transported these metal stakes away, the northern part of Stream Mountain would turn abnormally cold every night. Those construction workers who stayed onsite fell sick in two days and were plagued by nightmares. Later, they even went berserk. As time went by, all sorts of rumors went around regarding the north of Stream Mountain. Stone City’s police were asked to conduct an investigation in secret, but the police officers that stayed for the night suffered the same fates as those construction workers. They couldn’t even make sense of how that happened.”

Chen Hao pursed his lips and smiled. “Brother Zhou, actually, humans and ghosts live in two different worlds. If the ghost doesn’t suffer a great grievance, and even then various coincidental conditions have to be met for them to transform into ferocious ghosts, basically they won’t be able to wreak havoc in the living world. Take Liu Yue’e, for example. She was killed and been dead for three years, yet she was still only a wandering ghost. Don’t talk about revenge. If she wasn’t careful, her spirit might even evaporate. This is why many people suffer wrongful deaths, yet the bad guys who victimized them still remain at large. So, this world still belongs to humans, instead of demons and ghosts. This matter about northern Stream Mountain that you just mentioned, I think it’s just a paranormal plot of land between heaven and earth. To put it in layman terms, there’s a special force field, a magnetic field. Even if that metal stake isn’t some magical artifact, it’s an item that an expert set up to seal anything paranormal. Since it only affected a small area after it was unsealed, it goes to show that this paranormal phenomenon isn’t powerful. Perhaps you just have to find an expert who is well versed in fengshui to do a new setup to resolve this matter. It’s not the doing of ghosts and demons.”

Zhou Gang shook his head and said, “Shuanglong Group has sought the help of many fengshui masters and even conducted many ritual rites. It was fine at the beginning and there didn’t seem to be any issues. But a month ago, something major finally happened. Three construction workers turned into frozen corpses overnight. If the higher management of Shuanglong Group and Stone City didn’t hold the matter down right away, it would have blown up. It’s just that Stream Mountain is the highlight of Stone City’s development plan, so it’s not just a commercial issue involving Shuanglong Group—it also implicates the development of Stone City. The higher-ups have been seeking help everywhere regarding this matter. Since you’re a cultivator, do you have any solutions?”

Chen Hao was shocked.

Things actually became more serious?

Mm, seems like those so-called masters are all frauds. What they did was clearly useless. Else, they could easily seal the paranormal activity and ensure peace in the region for a long time.

However, he was afraid that he wasn’t any more powerful than those masters. After all, he had just obtained the Pleasure Helping Spirit System and had yet to accumulate enough experience. Moreover, he wasn’t imparted anything fengshui related.

“I’m afraid I have to disappoint you, Brother Zhou. My teachings have nothing to do with fengshui, and I know only very little. I don’t have the confidence in resolving this,” Chen Hao replied unhesitatingly.

Zhou Gang was disappointed to hear this.

Chen Hao continued, “But as a cultivator, I can’t stand by and do nothing seeing such paranormal activity. Tell you what. I’ll go down and take a look at the situation first.”

Happy to hear that, Zhou Gang hurriedly said, “Sure. Don’t worry, without an affirmative answer from you, I won’t divulge anything about you.”

Very soon, Yang Hui finished whipping up a sumptuous meal. Zhou Gang also took out a bottle of his prized Maotai wine and drank merrily with Chen Hao.