Chapter 22: Yang Jian's Choice

Just past six in the morning.

At this time, Dachangshi was still shrouded in gloom, with everyone hiding at home, shivering.

So this is the reason you came to bother me so early?

Chen Shoushan let out a yawn, his weary eyes fixed on Yang Jian sitting on the sofa.

The situation is urgent now! Even a slight hesitation could doom us.

Yang Jian gave an embarrassed laugh, then spoke solemnly.

Yesterday, Yang Jian had been alone in his room thinking for a long time, and in the end he was still persuaded by Chen Shoushan. Indeed, given his current condition, not to mention dealing with two S-rank fiendish ghosts, even just facing the ghost infants spawned from the starvation ghosts carries a risk of recovery.

Yang Jian is not the type to lightly place his hopes on others; he would rather trust himself than believe in others.

Although Yang Jian was wary of the method written on the human skin paper, it was currently the only way for him to increase his strength, and of course he would not undertake his plan without any preparation.

This is also why Yang Jian came to bother Chen Shoushan so early in the morning.

I came hoping you could help me keep something safe!

Yang Jian said as he pulled a black box from the bag behind him.

Of course, if I don't come back alive, this will be yours to handle; I have only one request: I hope you can look after my family and friends.

The thing inside the box was naturally the human skin paper; Yang Jian had originally intended to give it to Wang Xiaoming for safekeeping, since Wang Xiaoming's intelligence would surely maximize its use, but after hesitating he decided to give it to Chen Shoushan instead.

Wang Xiaoming is indeed a genius, but ultimately he is still just an ordinary person, and moreover an ordinary person of high status and power; if he were bewitched by the supernatural power of the human skin paper, it would be a disaster for the whole world, for genius and madness are separated by only a thread.

Of course, Wang Xiaoqiang's involvement cannot be ruled out; this is also why Yang Jian sought out the seemingly mysterious Chen Shoushan, hoping Chen Shoushan would look after his family and friends to prevent his enemies from turning their attention to them after his death.

The human skin paper can also be considered payment for Chen Shoushan; of course, all these assumptions are based on Yang Jian failing—if he succeeds, then naturally everything will be fine.

Chen Shoushan had already guessed what Yang Jian intended to do, but he still feigned ignorance and asked, "What are you going to do?"

Yang Jian did not hide it either, saying, "I'm going to deal with the ghost inside me; if I succeed, the odds of imprisoning the starvation ghost will greatly increase, but if I fail, Dachangshi may see a third S-rank fiendish ghost, so you'll just have to fend for yourselves!"

Yang Jian also didn't know why, but he felt a natural trust in Chen Shoushan, whom he had only known a few days, feeling he was reliable, so he didn't intend to keep from Chen Shoushan any secrets that weren't core to himself.

There was no way around it; Chen Shoushan, coming from a legitimate official background in his past life, combined with the natural affinity of a legal career, could make people unconsciously trust and rely on him.

Chen Shoushan nodded eagerly and said, "Good! Hurry up and go, do your best!"

Damn, it's hard enough to find someone to chat with before I die! Hey, I'll ask Wang Xiaoming for a day off and tell Zhang Wei where I'm going; if I fail, remember to find someone to lock up my ghost, assuming you still have the free time to do so!

Yang Jian looked at the nonchalant Chen Shoushan in front of him, annoyed, got up to leave, but suddenly his steps halted and he fell silent before speaking.

My family and friends, I'm counting on you!

Don't worry, you'll succeed!

Chen Shoushan looked at Yang Jian and said confidently.

Then thanks for the good words, hahaha, I'm off! I still need to go back and console Jiang Dajie, who's crying her eyes out.

Yang Jian turned and left with a flourish, but watching his dashing back view, one could not possibly connect the present him with the future ruthless, cold-blooded Yang Jian.

Not long after Yang Jian left, Wang Xiaoming called Chen Shoushan.

What's happening over there with Yang Jian? At this critical juncture, he, as the sole Ghost Master in Dachangshi who possesses the Ghost Realm, actually told me he wants to take a break for a while.

From the other end of the line came Wang Xiaoming's doubtful voice; obviously Yang Jian's sudden leave request left him somewhat bewildered.

Chen Shoushan had no choice but to repeat what he had said the previous night; after hearing it, Wang Xiaoming fell into silence.

Your guess is not wrong; last night's situation was indeed very strange, and we may indeed have been affected by supernatural forces.

With Wang Xiaoming's intelligence, it was easy to notice the strangeness of last night; such an obvious loophole, yet nobody actually objected?

Just then, Wang Xiaoqiang rushed into the lab, his face flushed, and whispered to Wang Xiaoming, "Brother, something's wrong—Wang Bi and Qi Tian, those two Ghost Masters, have gone missing."

In the Ghost Realm–shrouded Dachangshi, a disappearance basically means death; so far, four of the twelve Ghost Masters have been lost, plus Yang Jian on "leave," the two-timer Zhao Kaiming, and the combat-inept Wang Xiaoqiang, leaving only five Ghost Masters truly able to fight.

Wang Xiaoming waved his hand to suspend the experiment, signaled his assistants to leave, and told Wang Xiaoqiang, "Go notify the remaining Ghost Masters to meet at the Xiaoqiang Club; say that there's a trace of the starvation ghost, and don't let them know that any Ghost Masters have gone missing."

Although Wang Xiaoqiang didn't quite understand, he still obediently refrained from asking further and left.

After Wang Xiaoqiang left, Wang Xiaoming then spoke to Chen Shoushan on the phone: "You heard that, right? Our trump card is being nibbled away bit by bit; we can't stay passive like this. Two supernatural incidents—we must resolve one first!"

Find a chance to get rid of Zhao Kaiming! Once he's dead, we won't have to worry about the ghosts lurking in the dark.

Chen Shoushan fell silent for a moment, then spoke directly without explanation.

The Wish Ghost, an ambitious manipulator of circumstances, must be kicked out first; otherwise it will keep tripping them up all the way. Zhao Kaiming is the hub through which the Wish Ghost influences reality; if he is eliminated, the Wish Ghost will have to find a new collaborator before it can continue affecting reality, and that window is our chance to deal with the starvation ghost.

Wang Xiaoming didn't ask Chen Shoushan why he knew all this so clearly; after receiving his assurance, he promptly replied, "Good! I'll have Ye Feng cooperate with you—what else do you need?"

Chen Shoushan thought and said, "Give us three a chance to be alone; besides me and Ye Feng, don't tell anyone else, I'm worried it might notice."

It naturally refers to the Wish Ghost; after all, when dealing with a ghost that seems to possess some intelligence, secrecy is naturally best.

Good!

Wang Xiaoming naturally wouldn't not know this principle.

(End of chapter)