Chapter 46: Seizing the Embroidered Shoes

Hao Zhang, right? I remember your name.

It seems something's gone wrong at the training base now; how about we temporarily stop and join forces?

After Qian Yi guessed that the Ghost Tamer training had gone awry, he gave up the idea of continuing to fight Hao Zhang.

In the darkness there was no reply, only the incessant footsteps pacing back and forth; from the sound one could be sure the footsteps were drawing near Qian Yi.

A Fierce Ghost has revived; that ghost is likely nearby now.

If you keep fighting me like this, neither of us will benefit.

Listening to the footsteps, Qian Yi spoke again.

Even if you kill me here, you cannot leave this place alive.

Qian Yi's words slowed the footsteps in the darkness considerably.

Let's team up first, get out of the Ghost Tamer training base alive, and then we can settle our grudges later. How does that sound?

Qian Yi felt a slight relief as the footsteps eased.

Hao Zhang's aura was chilling, seemingly heavily eroded by a Fierce Ghost.

Qian Yi truly feared the opponent's mental state was already abnormal, and that under such conditions they still intended to kill him.

Yet, the moment Qian Yi's mind began to relax, Hao Zhang's figure appeared behind him.

"Snap!"

Qian Yi felt a pair of icy hands slap his shoulder, and the next instant he lost consciousness.

Hao Zhang's cold visage emerged from the darkness, and he caught Qian Yi's falling body.

In the next moment, Hao Zhang drew a dagger from his chest and slashed at the leather boots beneath Qian Yi's feet.

The shoe came off, revealing a pair of red embroidered shoes meant for a woman, which caught Hao Zhang's eye.

"Cough, cough, cough! Finally got it."

Hao Zhang took the embroidered shoes, placed them into a Golden Box, and stored it in his room.

Hao Zhang, sent by Zhang Hao as a tool to retrieve the embroidered shoes, can only use his supernatural ability once.

After it's used, the Fierce Ghost will awaken from its drunken state.

Fortunately, the Fierce Ghost does not revive instantly; it needs some time.

Hao Zhang can take advantage of this interval to hide the embroidered shoes.

As for Hao Zhang and the Chasing Ghost attached to him, they are the discarded part of Zhang Hao's plan.

Sending Hao Zhang alone into Dajing City and even into the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain, Zhang Hao never considered the possibility that Hao Zhang could survive and bring the embroidered shoes before him.

Thus, in Zhang Hao's plan, Hao Zhang only needs to kill Qian Yi and lock away the embroidered shoes.

After Zhang Hao's appearance, he cannot be sure that Qian Yi will, as in the original story, avoid being absorbed by the Ghostly Servant as a Suppression Quota.

Although in the original work Qian Yi survived to reunite with Yang Jian, Zhang Hao cannot place his hope on the plot's direction.

Preemptively locking away the embroidered shoes is the best way to ensure the Ghostly Servant cannot seize them.

Having locked the embroidered shoes, Hao Zhang began to move through the Ghost Tamer training base.

He was pre‑surveying the base's conditions in preparation for Zhang Hao to locate the embroidered shoes later.

However, in the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain, a lone ghost stands no chance of a good outcome.

Hao Zhang had just passed the dormitory corridor, not yet reaching the lower floor, when a terrifying human silhouette appeared not far away.

As the figure approached, Hao Zhang instantly lost mobility and consciousness. Elsewhere, beyond Dajing City, lay an abandoned village.

The Bride was kneeling on a sedan made of Ghost Curtain Cloth, cradling a Spirit Tablet in her arms.

Suddenly, in the photo on the Spirit Tablet, the man inside opened his eyes.

"Dead!"

Zhang Hao's eyes opened, devoid of any feeling, only coldness and numbness.

He used the Ghost Spirit Tablet to remotely control Hao Zhang into Dajing City.

At the moment Hao Zhang died, Zhang Hao could feel his own consciousness teetering on death.

At that instant, Zhang Hao even doubted that he would be suppressed together with Hao Zhang's body by the Ghostly Servant, becoming a Suppression Quota.

Fortunately, Zhang Hao's body remained not far from the Ghost Bride, and the Ghost Spirit Tablet was also in the Ghost Bride's arms.

Just before Zhang Hao's consciousness died, he successfully Restarted through the Ghost Bride, returning his awareness to the Ghost Spirit Tablet.

"Bride, the Ghostly Servant has emerged; let's begin our action as well."

The Zhang Hao in the photo on the Spirit Tablet suddenly halted, the white figure kneeling on the coffin slowly raised its head.

"According to the schedule, Yang Jian and the others should deal with the Ghostly Servant before dawn."

"We must infiltrate Dajing City and take the embroidered shoes before sunrise."

Zhang Hao's tone was icy, his eyes darting as scenario after scenario formed in his mind.

Going to Dajing City to retrieve the embroidered shoes, he cannot be certain of completely evading Qin Lao's surveillance.

But he cannot allow the embroidered shoes to remain in the Ghost Tamer training base, especially since he also needs to find the newspaper ghost.

As Zhang Hao's voice faded, the Bride stepped forward and took his hand.

Zhang Hao stepped onto the white sedan, tore the white curtain cloth wrapped on the wooden board, and tied it around his waist as a belt.

He does not intend to bring the team into Dajing City together.

Although advancing as a Red and White Double Evil team could slightly raise his and the Ghost Bride's Terror Level, it would be too ostentatious.

Moreover, within the Red and White Double Evil team, the Mourning Ghost Slaves' cries would continuously kill ordinary people who hear them.

The resulting harm is too great, likely prompting Headquarters to give the Red and White Double Evil more attention and deploy elite Ghost Tamers against them when dealing with the Ghostly Servant.

This does not benefit Zhang Hao's infiltration of Dajing City with the Ghost Bride, since his goal is not merely killing.

Although their attire is conspicuous, at least they won't be detected the moment they enter Dajing City.

Moreover, Zhang Hao cannot be sure of the situation on Qin Lao's side.

Therefore, his entry this time also involves an element of gambling.

This is a trap—or rather an opportunity—that he set for Qin Lao, and this opportunity is a method that can prevent Zhang Hao and the Ghost Bride from being Sealed by Qin Lao before they obtain the embroidered shoes.

If he succeeds in his gamble, he and the Ghost Bride will not be attacked by Qin Lao before they enter Dajing City and accomplish their goal.

If the plan fails, then when he enters Dajing City, he may be immediately Sealed by Qin Lao.

However, Zhang Hao is still relatively confident in his plan; otherwise he would not have chosen to enter Dajing City.

The reason for not taking the Ghost Slave along is also to prevent the damage caused by him and the Ghost Bride entering Dajing City from being too great, lest Qin Lao cannot hold back and strike early.

After confirming once more that his plan has no flaws, Zhang Hao took the Ghost Bride and left the Abandoned Village, leaving only the Crimson Coffin and the Ghost Slave dressed in red and white Funeral Clothes in the Village.

(End of chapter)