Chapter 29

Qi Xu didn’t really want to admit that Xia Zhiming had known about the Inverted Hanging Ghost since that time, because that was too early—it had to have been a month ago. If Xia Zhiming had known about the Inverted Hanging Ghost back then, she would have been a bit too terrifying. But when she thought about it being Xia Zhiming, it somehow didn’t seem unacceptable.

Qi Xu agonized over it but didn’t know how to ask about it, so she could only bury the question deep in her heart.

After returning to Xintan City, the first thing Xia Zhiming did upon getting home was toss the report-writing task to Qi Xu and tell her to submit it to the Vice Bureau Chief later. After saying that, Xia Zhiming hurried off and vanished from sight.

Although Qi Xu had long known that Xia Zhiming often disappeared inexplicably, this time she had left especially hurriedly. After Xia Zhiming departed, Qi Xu could only obediently start writing the report. As a college student writing a report, she needed a reference template. Even though she had written one last time, she still needed a template as a reference this time.

Qi Xu opened her computer and quickly logged into the internal forum. As soon as she opened the webpage, she saw that her private messages showed “99+”.

Qi Xu was a bit surprised. She had just finished showering and had taken a bottle of milk from the fridge. She had also ordered midday takeout and was waiting for it to arrive. Biting on her straw, she casually moved the mouse to open the messages, then even set down her milk.

Because of her previous report post, it was filled with flame wars. Just as Qi Xu had expected, the Friendly Faction had completely lost their minds over the Stone Spirit incident, and the Hostile Faction had jumped in to throw passive-aggressive jabs at the Friendly Faction.

The Friendly Faction couldn’t swallow that insult and immediately fired back in the post, cursing out the Hostile Faction’s ancestors for eighteen generations. Well… even though they were the Friendly Faction, they didn’t hold back verbally either. Their mutual insults were spectacular— the kind without dirty words. Even cursing ancestors for eighteen generations was done in a seemingly elegant but actually filthy way.

Qi Xu bit her straw and admired it for a good while. She had to learn this insulting technique.

There was also something else Qi Xu took note of: when the Friendly Faction was getting passive-aggressive jabs from the Hostile Faction, they would say: 【It’s not like there are no good ghosts! Ming Zhu is a good kid!】

The Hostile Faction burst into laughter: 【Who knows, maybe your Ming Zhu will turn evil in a bit and become a bad kid!】

Qi Xu was quite curious about “Ming Zhu,” so she searched for it. The two words “Ming Zhu” mostly appeared in Friendly Faction posts counterattacking the Hostile Faction. After searching for a while, Qi Xu found a post that seemed to explain “Ming Zhu.” The title was “Codename X2645 Ming Zhu,” but clicking it prompted insufficient permissions and she couldn’t view it.

Qi Xu pursed her lips and prepared to write her own report. Just then, her phone rang—the takeout had arrived. Qi Xu suddenly realized that she had unwittingly spent so much time watching the flame war.

Ever since getting paid, Qi Xu hadn’t been extravagant with her spending. Even her takeout was still her favorite 15-yuan yellow braised chicken. She occasionally ordered something pricier, but that was rare. Qi Xu always felt that this ghost-hunting life didn’t suit her. Once she found a way to fully turn back into a living person, she would say goodbye to these days.

Where was a regular college student supposed to find a job with such generous pay?

If she couldn’t break the habit of lavish spending by then, she would end up on a path of no return!

Qi Xu stayed very calm. After finishing her takeout, she began writing her report, referencing a template from another first-level investigator’s report that had received widespread praise on the forum. Of course, her experiences weren’t as impressive as that person’s.

She racked her brains and finished the report, then sent it to the Vice Bureau Chief. After the Vice Bureau Chief replied with an “OK” hand gesture emoji, Qi Xu couldn’t help but ask: 【Vice Bureau Chief, what’s Ming Zhu?】

【Oh? You saw the discussion in your post? Ming Zhu… well, Ming Zhu is supposed to come to Xintan City next week. Have First-Level Investigator Xia take you there. Although Ming Zhu hasn’t shown any intent to attack anyone to this day, her danger level is still pretty high. With Xia Zhiming there, you won’t have any issues.】

【Ah… okay.】

Actually, Qi Xu was just a bit curious about what Ming Zhu was and had no intention of going to meet her. Seeing the Vice Bureau Chief’s words, she hesitated but eventually replied: 【Vice Bureau Chief, I heard Xia Zhiming say that ghosts are all made of resentment. Is there really a ghost with no intent to attack people?】

The Vice Bureau Chief replied with one sentence that left Qi Xu at a loss for words.

【Aren’t you one?】

—Don’t get mad, don’t get mad. Getting sick from anger won’t help.

Qi Xu really wanted to say “I’m not, I’m human.” But in the Vice Bureau Chief’s eyes, it probably wasn’t like that. Otherwise, the Vice Bureau Chief wouldn’t have tried to attack her the first time they met.

So Qi Xu could only reply 【Heh heh】 and end the conversation.

Two days later, Xia Zhiming returned, and the first thing she said was: “You want to go see Ming Zhu?”

“It’s not that much, just… just kinda curious.”

“What’s there to be curious about? She’s just a ghost. You’re even rarer than her now.”

Qi Xu pouted. She couldn’t refute the Vice Bureau Chief’s words because she didn’t know what to say, but when Xia Zhiming said it, she got upset and stuck out her neck: “No way, I’m human.”

“Then do you want yang energy?”

“…Yes.”

Seeing Xia Zhiming sit on the sofa, Qi Xu could only blush and scoot over. She couldn’t go without Xia Zhiming now, especially today. Today was the Lunar Taboo Day, the fourteenth, when yin energy was especially heavy. Plus, yesterday she had accidentally absorbed some yin energy from the Inverted Hanging Ghost, so Qi Xu felt like she was brimming with yin energy today, a damp and gloomy female ghost.

Kissing Xia Zhiming felt really comfortable; her whole body warmed up. Because of that sensation, Qi Xu couldn’t hold back and ended up pressing Xia Zhiming down, causing them both to tumble onto the sofa. Qi Xu was even more proactive than before, sticking out her tongue to plunder yang energy in Xia Zhiming’s mouth.

Xia Zhiming was clearly kissed to the point of discomfort and reached out to grab her collar, trying to pull her back. But as a youthful college girl, Qi Xu had strength too—Xia Zhiming could tug her collar all she wanted, but she wouldn’t back down.

Beyond the craving for yang energy, Qi Xu also carried a hint of venting frustration. The matter with the Inverted Hanging Ghost was like a thorn stuck in her heart. It didn’t hurt much, but bringing it up made her uneasy. Xia Zhiming had clearly known something for a while but just wouldn’t tell her.

The kiss grew so urgent that it stopped resembling a tender, affectionate one and turned into a back-and-forth contest of attack and defense. Xia Zhiming narrowed her eyes and gave up tugging Qi Xu’s collar, instead grabbing a fistful of Qi Xu’s hair and yanking her head back.

The pain at her scalp forced Qi Xu to release her mouth. She cried out “Ow ow ow ow” while lifting her head to nuzzle Xia Zhiming’s hand, trying to ease the pain in her hair.

“You still know pain? Weren’t you happily sucking yang energy? If this lady didn’t have so much yang energy, you’d suck me dry sooner or later, and you still dare cry pain.”

Qi Xu aggrievedly smacked her lips and could only beg for mercy: “Sorry, sorry.” Because of Qi Xu’s violation this time, the next morning’s kiss was especially cautious on Xia Zhiming’s part—any sign of Qi Xu up to mischief, and she would restrain her.

The two also settled that next week, Xia Zhiming would take Qi Xu to see “Ming Zhu.” At first, Qi Xu hadn’t been interested, but since Xia Zhiming was taking her, she felt reassured that she wouldn’t kick the bucket and figured it wouldn’t hurt to check it out.

Qi Xu also learned some info from Xia Zhiming: “Ming Zhu” was a ghost, but she had broken through the earthbound spirit trait. She wasn’t the completely targeted type either. Powerful as she was, she just kept walking back and forth along a single path—and Xintan City happened to be on that path.

“Why does she keep walking back and forth like that?”

Xia Zhiming pursed her lips. “I’ll tell you when you see her.”

The day to meet Ming Zhu arrived quickly. Contrary to Qi Xu’s expectations, besides them, others were there to see her too, including that investigator they had met in the town. A short distance away were a few more people who greeted Xia Zhiming—they clearly knew each other.

At that moment, Qi Xu felt like a kid tagging along with elders to visit relatives during holidays, unsure how to address those seniors. Xia Zhiming told her not to worry about it, since who knew if they’d be alive the next time they met.

“It’s not that bad, is it?”

“I’m just stating facts.” Xia Zhiming’s voice was light and airy, but it weighed heavily on Qi Xu’s ears: “This line of work is pretty dangerous. Kicking the bucket on the next mission is normal. Heck, we all have special talents here, so even getting targeted by a ghost in daily life and dying isn’t impossible.”

As the two talked, Qi Xu heard someone whisper: “Here she comes, here comes Ming Zhu.”

Qi Xu immediately looked up and picked up the binoculars Xia Zhiming had told her to bring. She looked toward the road Xia Zhiming had pointed out earlier. They couldn’t get too close to “Ming Zhu” because she was still a ghost, and everyone on the forum was calling to avoid interfering with her as much as possible.

Through the binoculars, Qi Xu finally got a clear look at Ming Zhu’s appearance.

She was a middle-aged woman, hunched over, without even shoes on her feet. Her steps were heavy and slow. Under the binoculars, Qi Xu could even make out her face, full of confusion as she trudged onward without pause.

If not for her overly pale complexion and lack of a shadow underfoot, Qi Xu might have thought she was just a lost woman in poor mental and physical condition.

After lowering the binoculars, Qi Xu still didn’t understand why a ghost who just kept walking was called “Ming Zhu.”

After Qi Xu voiced this, Xia Zhiming, holding the stick of her lollipop, simply shared Ming Zhu’s intel with her: “Because her real name is ‘Ming Zhu.’ Twenty years ago, after she was trafficked, the locals gave her the name ‘Lai Di.’ The investigator who discovered her looked into all her background and gave her the codename ‘Ming Zhu.'”