Chapter 15

Translator: Atlas Studios

Editor: Atlas Studios

“Are you calling me?”

When Chen Hao got near, the old man finally managed to react. He quickly backed away a distance and asked cautiously.

Chen Hao was speechless.

Is there anyone else here?

“Yes, you, Sir. You’re a… Mm, do ghosts live here?” Chen Hao asked with a smile.

The old man was stunned.

Since you knew I was a ghost, why are you still asking me? This man is really bold!

Something’s not right. He can see me!

At this sudden realization, the old man stared at Chen Hao in shock. “Why are you able to see me? Do you have dog eyes?”

Chen Hao’s expression darkened. If the ghost standing before him wasn’t an old man, he really wanted to cuss at him.

What dog eyes. How could dog eyes—an extremely revolting and especially meaningless name—be used to describe the Yin Yang Eyes?

“Sir, I’m a Daoist priest.” Chen Hao solemnly expressed his profession, explaining the reason why he was able to interact with him.

“Daoist priest? That’s not right. I’ve seen many Daoist priests all these years, but none could see me. It also didn’t seem like they knew any spells like legend have it.” The old man rebutted.

Chen Hao was speechless. Do you have to be so persistent? Am I not seeing you now? Shall I chant some spells to prove I am one? Damn, the old man seems to be leading the pace. This can’t go on. I’m here to do missions, okay?

Taking a deep breath, Chen Hao said, “Sir, there are many types of Daoist priests. Those you saw were fake Daoist priests, the kind who went around duping others to earn their living. I’m a true Daoist priest, one who has cultivation. Or else, why would I be able to see you? Mm, let’s not talk about this. Sir, you haven’t answered my question.”

The old man suddenly realized, then said with a smile, “Mm, I’m the only person—only ghost—living here. I had some companions previously, but they have vanished. I’m the only one left now.”

At this point, the old man looked rather sad. It seemed like he really missed those companions of his who had left.

Chen Hao was silent.

Seeing the old man’s current condition, he knew what he meant by vanishing—having one’s spirit evaporate, leaving behind nothing.

Speaking of which, ever since Chen Hao obtained the Pleasure Helping Spirit System, he had pondered over some stuff. From time immemorial, just China alone had a population of billions, but there were only one billion over living people. Since so many people had died, the ratio that was reincarnated must be great. How did the underworld manage them?

Now, from the looks of it, perhaps not every ghost was qualified to be reincarnated. To many people, after they died, if they couldn’t get reincarnated, and also weren’t able to turn into ferocious ghosts, they wouldn’t be able to exist for long. Slowly, their spirits would evaporate and turn into invisible dark energy.

“Sir, my condolences.” Chen Hao wasn’t sure what to say, so he could only say this.

The old man smiled. “It’s alright. Actually, I got over it long ago. Everything has its own lifespan. The course of nature goes round. I was able to exist for so long after I died, I have no regrets about this life.”

Chen Hao hesitated a moment before asking, “Sir, according to what I know, after a person dies, unless he has an unfulfilled dying wish, he shouldn’t still be staying in this world. Did no one come to pick you up back then?”

The old man thought about it and replied, “I think there was. More than ten years ago, I was a cleaner in Stone City. One day during a harsh winter, I got up early and cleared the rubbish off the streets, when suddenly I got a heart attack. It was so early and so cold, and no one was there to save me, so I died just like that. I also knew I was in poor health and wouldn’t live for long, so if I died, so be it. But at that time I had a little grandson who was in junior high. His parents had passed away early and there wasn’t anyone to take care of him. After I passed away, there seemed to be something guiding me. At that time I was worried about my grandson and resisted it a little. Ever since then, that sensation has never appeared again.”

Chen Hao’s eyes lit up. “Sir, that means you’re very worried about your little grandson? Then, do you know how your grandson is now? Do you wish to see him again?”

Chen Hao stared at the old man with a look of anticipation.

The old man smiled. “I was worried initially and I missed him very much. But later, my little grandson was adopted by some kind people. I watched him as he took the college entrance exams and got into a good university. Although we only met twice or thrice these years, he now has a job and a family of his own and is living very well. I have no worries now.”

Chen Hao was dumbfounded.

Damn, must you be like this? It wasn’t easy for me to finally run into a ghost with an unfulfilled dying wish. He actually let go of his obsessions by himself? Are you playing me for a fool?

Chen Hao couldn’t take this lying down. He kept asking, but the old man appeared unmoved as if he had truly let it go. There was no signal whatsoever from the Pleasure Helping Spirit System either. It was only then that Chen Hao gave up.

Regardless, unless the Pleasure Helping Spirit System assigned him a mission, even if the old man said he hadn’t let go of his obsessions, it was useless for him.

“Right. What are you doing here? Did you come to subdue me because you heard I was here?” The old man suddenly asked with a panicked expression. Wasn’t it normal for Daoist priests to subdue ghosts? In the past, when he was alive, those were merely stories, but now that it was applicable to him, even if he had let go of his obsessions, he didn’t wish to be subdued.

Chen Hao’s mouth twitched.

Subdue ghosts? Do I have nothing better to do? No way am I doing something that doesn’t bring me any benefits. Anyway, I have no idea how to subdue ghosts either.

“Sir, don’t worry. You’re a good ghost and haven’t committed evil or anything. Why would I subdue you? You may live here in peace, nothing’s going to happen. If you run into problems in the future, you may come and find me too. So long as it’s not against the law and isn’t too difficult, I’ll be happy to help.” Chen Hao conveyed his kind intentions with a smile.

The old man heaved a sigh of relief.

Chen Hao continued, “I came here because I heard a dismembered corpse was found here, that a woman had died here. So I came to take a look. After a person is killed, if one dies with resentment, he/she will turn into a ferocious ghost. This is what causes unrest. Sir, you’ve been staying here for so long, do you know what’s the situation?”

The old man replied, “I know about this. But that person wasn’t killed here. She was transported here after she died, then dumped in the underground sewer. That female ghost has never appeared here before.”

She wasn’t killed here?

Chen Hao paused in surprise. The information mentioned that the underground sewer didn’t seem to be the first crime scene, but that someone had come here at midnight to dump the corpse here. It was just that Stone City wasn’t entirely installed with surveillance cameras back then, and the headless female corpse’s identity couldn’t be found, so they didn’t have more clues and this became an unsolved case.

But did not dying here mean that the ghost wouldn’t appear here? Why was this so?

“Right. I remember. Back then, the person who discarded the corpse drove a minivan. There were three people⁠—two youngsters and one middle-aged person. That middle-aged person had a big and obvious mole beside his nose.” The old man gave him some clues.

Chen Hao’s eyes lit up.

If the identity of the discarded corpse could be confirmed, they would have clues to continue the investigation. He could provide Zhou Gang with this information. Then, perhaps by following the clues, they could find the first crime scene.

“Not bad, this clue is very important. Thank you, Sir.” Chen Hao quickly thanked him.

The old man smiled and said, “It’s nothing. I’m glad that I was of help. Those people dared to do something like dismembering a corpse, they must be some terribly wicked people. Such people must be punished by the law.”

Chen Hao nodded. “Sir, don’t worry. I will cooperate with the police and make sure the bad guys don’t get away scot-free.”

Then, Chen Hao also asked about the problem of the noises in the underground sewer. The old man answered his question.

The answer made Chen Hao feel sad. This sound happened because when the old man’s body resisted the attack of the dark energy, his body couldn’t take it. The dissipation of the dark energy, combined with the movement of the underground sewer, resulted in this paranormal phenomenon.

The old man initially couldn’t bear to leave this place because he had lived here a long time, and back then, he had a few old ghost companions, so this was as good as his second home. But in the recent six months, the old man knew he was unable to resist the dark energy, so he went to hide in another place at night. It had been a long time since that weird sound was heard from the underground sewer, but those who lived on the streets had all moved away, so they had no idea.

At this point, Chen Hao sharply sensed a business opportunity.