Chapter 159: Eerie County Town, a Figure in the Paper Ash

After fully researching the restoration of the Rotten Flesh Ghost and the changes it brings to the starving ghost, Zhang Hao began to take action.

The Ghostly Servant's ability indiscriminately began to suppress the surrounding Fierce Ghosts.

And on Zhang Hao's body, pieces of flesh fell, forming a series of bizarre infants.

These flesh pieces are essentially ghost infants condensed from the three Fierce Ghost slots on Zhang Hao's body.

Putting aside the Terror Level, each of these ghost infants has already reached the lower bound of Captain Level.

And that's only the lower bound, since ghost infants using the supernatural need not worry about the risk of Fierce Ghost revival.

Obtaining ghost infants from three lower‑Terror Level Fierce Ghosts meets the Captain lower bound; obtaining ghost infants with a higher Terror Level appearing in Reality already constitutes an S‑rank Supernatural Incident.

With Zhang Hao's Area Suppression, these ghost infants began unabashedly devouring Fierce Ghosts throughout this Village.

Meanwhile, as Zhang Hao was researching the breeding of ghost infants, the direction of another city.

At this moment, a derivative entity of Zhang Hao also arrived here.

Now Zhang Hao stands on a somewhat dilapidated, apparently abandoned Platform.

He is waiting for the Spiritual Bus; Zhang Hao has now found a Hong Bai Shuang Sha Bed, a Hong Bai Shuang Sha Cloth, and a Hong Bai Shuang Sha Candle Stand.

However, the final missing item from completing all the red‑room puzzles is a groom's doll.

That item lies deep within the Spiritual Realm; even Zhang Hao must use the Spiritual Bus to reach it.

Waiting for the bus cost Zhang Hao little time.

Having Precognition Ability, each of his actions has already been previewed countless times in his mind.

Through Precognition, Zhang Hao has already determined that the bus's next stop is right here.

As expected, five minutes later, at the end of this almost abandoned Road, an old bus suddenly appeared.

After the bus entered Reality, it drove straight toward Zhang Hao's location.

The Spiritual Bus is a special Supernatural Artifact forged during the Republic Era.

This bus continuously traverses various Spiritual Realms.

However, any thing related to the supernatural inevitably carries a risk of losing control.

The Spiritual Bus's loss of control lies in two aspects: stalling and occasional entry into the Reality World.

Although the Seven Elders have clearly set the bus's stops, the Spiritual Bus still makes a cognitive error about once every one or two days.

When passing some Reality World Platforms, it mistakenly treats those real platforms as its own stops, allowing some Fierce Ghosts from the Spiritual Realm to enter Reality.

"Entered Reality, anyone want to get off? How about forming a team together?"

On the bus, a man looked at the streetlights outside and shouted to the people behind him.

He had been on the bus for a long time; the Fierce Ghosts were temporarily in Dead Machine due to the Spiritual Bus's suppression.

However, having been detached from Reality for so long, he now cannot verify the state of Reality, so when leaving he wants to find a temporary team.

After all, the Captains at Headquarters do not treat these Ghost Tamer alighters kindly.

Even when a Fierce Ghost is in Ghost Dead Machine, facing these Captains, they still pose considerable danger.

"This time it won't work; I was close. If I get off tomorrow, I could team up with you."

In the rear seat of the bus, a man with a death‑gray visage and an aura of chilling gloom said in a low voice.

"Stop talking for now; look ahead."

At this moment, in the front seat, a Ghost Tamer pointed at the forward Platform and spoke.

His voice drew everyone's attention, and they all simultaneously turned to look toward the direction of the forward Platform.

A figure dressed in white Funeral Clothes, wearing a Face‑Covering Cloth, with a corpse‑pale complexion and no hint of blood, stood at the forward Platform.

"From the nearby conditions, this Platform appears to have been abandoned by the Reality World."

"You can see from where we just arrived that this is an old city district; a long stretch of the Road has been demolished for repaving."

A Ghost Tamer constantly monitoring the surroundings said in a low tone.

"Under these circumstances, this Road clearly cannot allow the bus to travel normally."

"Yet in this very situation, this person is waiting for the bus at this Platform, dressed so bizarrely."

His words trailed off, but everyone on the bus undoubtedly already understood his thought.

This is a Ghost! Moreover, judging by the attire, it is clearly an extremely terrifying Fierce Ghost.

Although that Ghost showed no supernatural signs, just looking at it— even with the bus's isolation—

Some Ghost Tamers whose observation was heightened by Fierce Ghost influence already began to exhibit abnormalities.

They sensed that continuing to stare could, even with the Spiritual Bus present, likely lead to extremely dangerous events.

And beside that Ghost, even without displaying supernatural techniques, the surrounding environment subtly took on an eerie quality.

"I, I just remembered, that Ghost is the White Evil of the Red and White Double Evil."

Suddenly, a Ghost Tamer leapt up from his seat, looking wildly terrified at the Fierce Ghost on the forward Platform.

"Red and White Double Evil? Isn't that composed of the Dry Corpse Bride and the Crying Tomb Ghost? There's only one Ghost now."

Someone's face showed astonishment; they naturally had heard of the famed Red and White Double Evil.

"Indeed, generally the Red and White Double Evil never part from each other," the person said in a low voice.

"It's for this reason I didn't recognize it immediately; this is the White Evil of the Red and White Double Evil."

"But when I was at Headquarters, I had seen information on the Red and White Double Evil, and the White Evil's attire matches this."

Perhaps encountering such a dangerous Fierce Ghost made the Ghost Tamer's words somewhat urgent.

"Also, look at his corpse‑pale skin; the White Evil's body lacks any color."

"And the environment around that Ghost, though subtle, I think you all have noticed."

"The spot where that Ghost stands, everything around it appears older and more dimly colored than elsewhere."

The crowd, hearing this, looked toward the Red and White Double Evil ahead.

The facts were much the same as what that person just said; near the spot where Bai Sha was standing there was indeed a more aged feeling.

While the crowd was discussing, the bus quickly arrived in front of the Platform.

The doors opened, and icy cold wind poured in from outside the carriage, followed immediately by a chilling aura.

The Fierce Ghost had not yet Ghost's Walking onto the bus; merely the bus doors opening made everyone feel the Fierce Ghost inside their bodies fall into a kind of stillness.

This stillness was not the one caused by the bus suppressing the Fierce Ghost.

It was more like the stillness a Fierce Ghost feels when it meets a natural enemy, a helpless, evasive stillness.

The Fierce Ghosts in their bodies instinctively contracted their Supernatural Aura to avoid being noticed by that Ghost.

At this moment, the terrifying Fierce Ghosts residing in the Ghost Tamer's bodies were like a startled lamb, and a strong sense of unease surged from their bodies into the Ghost Tamer's minds.

"Creak!"

As the Spiritual Bus came to a complete stop, the pale Fierce Ghost ahead slowly Ghost's Walking toward the bus.

The Footsteps of the Fierce Ghost at this moment seemed to echo in the depths of the Ghost Tamer's hearts, each evenly spaced step sounding dull and oppressive.

Some bold Ghost Tamers, amid the intense unease, surveyed the situation of other Ghost Tamers and Fierce Ghosts inside the bus.

He was surprised to find that not only the Ghost Tamers, but also the Fierce Ghosts on the bus completely lost motion when this Ghost boarded.

These Fierce Ghosts, though suppressed after boarding and unable to attack people, are only so while the bus is moving forward.

When the bus stops at a station, these Fierce Ghosts will act to some degree, but they will not Ghost's Killing.

Yet at this moment, even these Fierce Ghosts, facing Bai Sha, seemed to instinctively fear him.

"A Ghost that even Ghosts fear—what kind of thing is this?"

Under the gazes of all Ghost Tamers—whether fearful, cautious, or openly bold—the Fierce Ghost walked to the front door of the bus.

"Stomp!"

Accompanied by the heavy sound of the bus being trampled, the chilling aura spread thoroughly throughout the carriage.

At the instant this Ghost stepped onto the bus, even the lights inside the bus seemed to dim slightly.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" Accompanying the Fierce Ghost's boarding, the passenger display board inside the bus emitted a series of beeps.

Before the Fierce Ghost boarded, the number of Fierce Ghosts on the bus was seven; after this Ghost boarded, the number on the passenger display began to rise linearly.

"Eight! Nine! Ten! Fifteen Twenty Thirty"

The bus's passenger count kept rising to thirty-six, but that seemed only the display's limit, not the limit of Fierce Ghosts represented by this Ghost.

In the bus's perception, this Ghost had clearly exceeded thirty-six Fierce Ghost passengers.

The beeping continued to emanate from the display, and each beep caused the numbers on the board to flash once.

However, the numbers had already frozen at thirty-six.

The bus seemed to be in some sort of confrontation with this Ghost; after Bai Sha boarded, he stared fixedly at the passenger display.

Only after five minutes passed, when the bus was about to depart, did the number of Fierce Ghosts on the passenger display change.

The thirty-six count kept decreasing, soon dropping to eight.

"Did Bai Sha lose?"

Some people were curious; they cautiously watched the seat where Bai Sha sat, yet dared not move, fearing any sound might alert him to their presence.

In fact, Zhang Hao certainly did not lose.

He had deliberately stopped at the bus doorway earlier; his recent actions were merely studying why the bus made that judgment about him.

At first, Zhang Hao thought it was because he had consumed too many Fierce Ghosts.

But Zhang Hao, using Precognition, did not notice the situation; however many Fierce Ghosts he ate, as long as they were not detached, they would not affect the bus's judgment.

The real reason affecting the bus's judgment was that Zhang Hao had layered countless versions of himself into a single entity.

Thus, when the bus surveyed passenger numbers, the Supernatural Aura was divided among countless Zhang Haos, causing the bus to treat Zhang Hao as many individuals.

And the reason Zhang Hao stopped at the bus doorway was clear and simple: he needed to perform Spiritual Recovery on himself.

The bus displayed that passenger count exceeded capacity, which would trigger the bus's automatic revival.

This matter was information Zhang Hao obtained from one of the futures he Precognized just now.

Zhang Hao sat in his seat at this moment, ignoring the thoughts of the Ghost Tamers behind him.

After the passenger display returned to normal, the bus also resumed normal operation.

The bus kept traveling, passing one Spiritual Realm after another.

Zhang Hao's calm caused several Ghost Tamers behind him to exhale in relief.

At least Bai Sha has not ignored the bus's rules to start Ghost's Killing, which is a good thing for them.

With everyone's thoughts diverging, the scenery outside the windows changed again.

Unwittingly, the Spiritual Bus had entered a county town at some point.

The county town looked like an ordinary small town, yet it exuded a hint of the unusual.

Because it was too quiet, the streets and roads were empty, desolate, like a dead city.

Moreover, the architecture of this town bore no resemblance to modern styles, resembling the 1980s–1990s.

Yet the uninhabited town had streetlights on, some shop signs lit, the streets clean and tidy, with no overgrown weeds, clearly well maintained.

But if no one lived there, the town couldn't be so intact; thus its completeness was the biggest anomaly.

When the town appeared, Zhang Hao lifted his head, drawing everyone's attention.

"Is this place Bai Sha's destination? This Ghost thing is finally leaving."

Everyone, seeing Zhang Hao look toward the scene outside the town, collectively exhaled in relief.

However, when the bus continued toward the town, their expressions changed quickly.

A Platform appeared.

It was at a street intersection.

The intersection was spacious, with roads radiating in all directions, connecting to the county town.

Even more baffling, an old copper basin lay in the middle of the intersection.

The basin was filled with paper ash, as if someone had burned paper there to honor the Wraith.

The ash was still fresh, as if something had just burned moments ago, and unfinished Yellow Paper lay nearby.

"Yellow Paper, paper ash"

Everyone simultaneously stared at Zhang Hao.

Whether Yellow Paper or paper ash, the information known to everyone linked them heavily to the Red and White Double Evil.

The Red Evil's Ghost Domain is a Ghost Domain painted by ghosts, a grayish expanse where paper ash constantly falls.

The White Evil possesses a special Paper Money; when burned, it also turns into paper ash.

Moreover, the White Evil appears as a Fierce Ghost dressed in funeral clothes, clearly linked to the Wraith.

While everyone waited tensely, the bus arrived and steadily stopped at the intersection.

The doors suddenly opened.

An anomaly erupted instantly at the intersection: a sudden cold gale swept the surroundings.

The paper ash in the copper basin was blown into a swirling cloud, and a burnt odor permeated the air.

Moreover, many unburned Yellow Paper remained in the basin.

The Yellow Paper fluttered everywhere, lingering at the intersection without leaving, unusually as if someone stood there scattering them.

After the bus stopped, Zhang Hao rose and walked toward the rear door.

While walking, Zhang Hao also surveyed the Ghost Tamers inside the bus.

Nevertheless, he did not act against the Ghost Tamers and simply stepped off the bus.

As Zhang Hao stepped down, the swirling gray‑black paper ash outside the bus surged toward him.

A strange knocking sounded near the basin, and a silhouette smeared with black paper ash vaguely stood beside it, seeming to move closer.

The black paper ash had invaded the carriage, scattering across the floor, and the burnt stench grew stronger.

At that moment, an invisible Spirit Phenomenon activated; the gray‑black ash still hovered, but no new ash rose.

As Zhang Hao approached, a gray‑black figure fully emerged near the basin.

It was a human‑shaped shadow drenched in paper ash, its form vague, as if not of this world.

After Zhang Hao stepped down and used Mindless Suppression to subdue it, the ghost, which had only just been revealed, vanished on the spot.

"Is it a Restart? Or some kind of Spirit Phenomenon?"

Inside the bus, the Ghost Tamers watched the scene, surprised.

They were amazed that the White Evil, upon stepping off, immediately suppressed the Spirit Phenomenon outside the bus.

They were also surprised that the Fierce Ghost, suppressed by the White Evil, vanished.

Zhang Hao watched the direction where the Fierce Ghost disappeared, his face still calm.

He calmly moved forward, approached the basin, and lifted the object.

It was a copper basin specifically for burning Paper Money, somewhat useful to Zhang Hao, at least a missing piece of the Mourning series.

With this, the paper copper coins Zhang Hao hasn't used in a long time might get a second chance of being utilized by him.

However, before that, the source of these Yellow Paper must be found.

These Yellow Paper and paper copper coins share a similar existence and can both be burned as underworld currency.

Perhaps the two can complement each other like a Puzzle.

Yellow Paper can temporarily place the living in a half‑dead state; its effect on the Fierce Ghost is still unknown.

Paper copper coins can erode others' vitality and leave nails in others' Ghost Domains to anchor them.

If the two are combined, they might achieve some extraordinary effect.

(End of Chapter)