Chapter 21: Nighttime Conversation

Because cleaning up still required a bit of time, Yang Jian had Chen Shoushan go to his villa first to sit for a while.

Yang Jian! You're back.

Just as the car stopped, he saw a young woman in her twenties run out of the villa.

Hmm, this is my friend Chen Shoushan. Where's Zhang Liqin?

Yang Jian introduced.

Seeing Yang Jian return and immediately asking about Zhang Liqin, Jiang Yan's face fell at once, but she didn't dare lose her temper with Yang Jian, so she sullenly said, 'I don't know!'

Yang Jian looked bewildered; that ghost infant of his had been caught in Zhang Liqin's belly, so he casually asked about her current situation.

Come on! Let's go inside and talk.

Yang Jian, unable to figure it out, also couldn't be bothered with the glum Jiang Yan, and directly brought Chen Shoushan past her into the villa.

Ahhhh!

Only Jiang Yan, furious enough to explode on the spot, was left behind.

In the living room sat a mature woman in her thirties; seeing Yang Jian enter, her eyes lit up, she started to rise but seeing Jiang Yan walking in last with a dark face, she embarrassedly sat back down.

Manager Yang, you're back.

Yang Jian nodded and asked, 'Are you all right? Any aftereffects?'

I'm fine, thanks to you, Manager Yang!

Zhang Liqin hurriedly replied.

Hmm!

Seeing that Zhang Liqin was fine, Yang Jian greeted Chen Shoushan and had him sit down.

Manager Yang, you have guests; I'll go make tea!

Zhang Liqin wasn't clueless either; she knew that when important figures chat, she should avoid being present.

Watching from behind, Jiang Yan seethed, her teeth itching—who exactly is the hostess? Damn, this slut!!

I'll go make tea too!

Jiang Yan hurriedly followed.

Thus, only Chen Shoushan and Yang Jian remained in the living room.

Chen Shoushan teased, 'Mr. Yang knows how to enjoy life! What a blessing to share beauties!'

It's not surprising; back when I attended those nobles' private gatherings, some were even more excessive—simply unbearable to watch.

Moreover, chatting about appropriate risqué topics within bounds is the best way for two strangers to bond, easily creating a feeling of camaraderie.

Yang Jian, after all, was still a pure high school student, so he could only smile awkwardly and say, 'Just call me Yang Jian; we're all friends.'

After laughing a while, they returned to the main topic. Yang Jian said, 'Regarding this Dachangshi starving-ghost incident, I always feel something's off, as if a pair of hands behind the scenes is pulling the strings.'

You suspect Zhao Kai Ming?

Chen Shoushan looked at the contemplative Yang Jian and asked with a smile.

Hmm, but I always feel he doesn't have that capability.

Yang Jian frowned and said.

Chen Shoushan was somewhat surprised by Yang Jian's intuition; Zhao Kai Ming is indeed just a puppet of the Wish Ghost, no wonder Yang Jian could all the way become Yang Jian—this kind of protagonist-like intuition is truly not something to scoff at.

Human ability certainly has its limits! But ghosts have none……

Chen Shoushan said to Yang Jian with deep meaning.

Huh? You mean there's still an unknown ghost hiding in the dark corners of Dachangshi?

Yang Jian asked, his face showing undisguised shock.

This was originally just his idle guess, but he didn't expect Chen Shoushan not only not to refute his guess, but to imply that such an unknown entity really exists.

But how does Chen Shoushan know? He's not just arrived in Dachangshi today, is he?

Yang Jian suddenly felt that the Chen Shoushan sitting opposite had become mysterious, and a sense of vigilance rose unconsciously in his heart.

What evidence do you have?

Yang Jian subconsciously wanted to rebut Chen Shoushan, for if there really were such a ghost lurking in the dark, wouldn't that mean its horror level at minimum is an S‑class event on par with the starving ghost? A city with two S‑class vicious ghosts—just thinking about it makes Yang Jian feel terrified.

Don't you feel that in an environment where one could be attacked at any moment, everyone instead going home as usual is quite abnormal?

Chen Shoushan's words exploded like a bomb in Yang Jian's mind.

Exactly! Why, knowing the city could be attacked at any moment, do they show no sense of danger and instead scatter?

This is definitely not the starving ghost's ability; there truly is a ghost hidden in the dark, unconsciously influencing everyone!

Yang Jian instantly felt cold sweat break out, but he forced himself to calm down, staring at Chen Shoushan and asked doubtfully, 'Why didn't you stop us from splitting up back then?'

Chen Shoushan lightly shook his head and said, 'I feared drawing its attention, and besides, there's no point in guarding against thieves for a thousand days—if it fails this time, it'll try again next time.'

What should we do then?

Yang Jian asked, a little impatient, and facing two terrifying vicious ghosts at once, even he couldn't help feeling a bit hopeless.

Seize this breathing space to boost our strength as much as possible; since that hidden ghost wants the starving ghost to grow, we'll get ahead and lock up the starving ghost—anyway, we just need to thwart that ghost's plan.

Yang Jian found Chen Shoushan's words quite reasonable, and his desire for strength suddenly became urgent.

Regarding the method recorded on the human skin paper that causes the headless ghost to crash, Yang Jian couldn't help but start considering its success rate.

Should we really follow what's on the human skin paper? Yang Jian hesitated, of course knowing there's no free lunch in the world; the danger of the human skin paper might be no less than that of the starving ghost.

Seeing Yang Jian lost in thought, Chen Shoushan knew his purpose had been achieved; he needed to make Yang Jian feel urgent so that he would eagerly seek to boost his strength—only after Yang Jian executes the headless‑ghost‑crash method would he have a chance to take on the starving ghost alone.

As for the Ghost Masters going their separate ways, it might be due to the influence of the Wish Ghost behind Zhao Kai Ming; Chen Shoushan isn't speaking nonsense, after all such things have occurred in the previous life's mysterious world, so he has always been wary of such coincidences.

Just then, a knocking sound suddenly rang out, startling the pondering Yang Jian with a jolt—after all, the recent door‑knocking ghost incident had left a deep impression on him.

At that moment, a voice came from outside the door: 'Zhang Xiangui said, "Chen brother, I've cleaned the villa; you can go rest."'

Chen Shoushan stood up, smiled at Yang Jian, and said, 'Then I'll take my leave—I won't disturb your family's rest.'

At this moment, Yang Jian, whose heart was in turmoil, also lost the intention to detain; he nodded his head at Chen Shoushan: "Then you should also rest early!"

After Chen Shoushan left, Yang Jian hesitated a moment, then still walked into the room where the human-skin paper was stored; he wanted to see again if there was a more reliable method.

(End of chapter)