Chapter 68: Ghostly Servant? Ghost Painting? How could they possibly be related, right?

"So what are you trying to say?"

Yang Jian's expression turned somewhat unfriendly as he looked at Zhang Hao.

"Where do we look for external forces now? And what can suppress such a massive Ghost Domain?"

He didn't know why, but today he felt an instinctive repulsion toward Jiang Shangbai standing before him.

However, because of the earlier conflict with his Friends Circle, Yang Jian merely thought it was just his displeasure at Jiang Shangbai.

Yang Jian has now obtained a third ghost, can already open the fifth layer of Ghost Domain, and can freely enter and exit the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain.

But he won't casually expose this matter.

"When something that restrains the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain appears, it can naturally counter the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain."

"In fact, there is a restraining relationship between Ghost Domains," Zhang Hao said coldly.

"Referencing the Hungry Ghost Incident, Li Jun's Ghost Domain couldn't be opened inside at all, not even to provide support, yet you, Yang Jian, can use a Ghost Domain within it."

"I think Li Jun's Ghost Domain can't possibly be said to be unable to contend with yours, right?"

Upon hearing that, everyone showed varied expressions.

However, most Ghost Tamers have no Ghost Domain, so they said nothing.

"Professor Wang, what about your plan?" Li Leping, as one of the Ghost Tamers who uses a Ghost Domain, did not rush to voice an opinion.

Wang Xiaoming slowly said, "Because the source of the Ghostly Servant is this Ghost Realm, to imprison the Ghostly Servant one must also imprison this Ghost Realm together."

"And given the current situation, as Jiang Shangbai said, neither Headquarters nor even the whole world could manage to imprison an area spanning several kilometers all at once."

"However, I've studied the Ghost Coffin and found a strange problem: why is the Ghost Coffin so tiny inside, yet it can contain such a vast Ghost Realm?"

"It's suppression; there is mutual suppression between Ghost Realms."

It was Li Jun speaking, his face stern, "If two ghosts that each possess a Ghost Realm appear together and form a Ghost Realm, then one ghost's Ghost Realm will inevitably be suppressed."

"If the disparity is great, the other ghost may not even be able to form a Ghost Realm; I've encountered such a case before."

Li Jun's words essentially endorsed Jiang Shangbai's earlier statement, and with two Ghost Tamers who possess Ghost Domains saying so, it sufficiently proves that mutual restraint among Ghost Domains indeed exists.

"So Professor Wang's plan is to use another Ghost Realm to suppress the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain, thereby limiting its activity range to the smallest possible, small enough to fit into a box?"

Li Leping immediately understood what Wang Xiaoming was about to say.

"This is the only viable plan; the Red and White Double Evil also reside within the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain, so if we can restrict the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain, we can simultaneously restrict both ghosts."

Wang Xiaoming said, "What we need to do now is where to look for something that can suppress the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Realm?"

"Almost nowhere to be found."

Li Leping paused and said, "The Ghostly Servant already possesses the ability to suppress other ghosts; this is an unsolvable deadlock."

"At present, no Ghost Domain strong enough to suppress the Ghostly Servant has appeared; even Fang Shiming can only tear open the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain,"

Zhang Hao saw this and realized his chance to speak. "What if we shift the target to another ghost?"

"Dealing with the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain doesn't require getting close; just passing by along the Road is enough."

Zhang Hao's words made everyone look at him.

"If it's her, that's indeed a good choice; even if it fails, the impact is minor, at least the thing will be dealt with by the Ghostly Servant," Wang Xiaoming nodded.

"If successful, we could resolve the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain; the Killing Rule of that ghost should already be limited, though still dangerous, but at least it's far easier to handle than the Ghostly Servant plus the Red and White Double Evil."

"When two S-Class Supernatural Events collide, there's a high probability of resolving one of them."

Hearing that, Cao Yang was slightly startled, "No way, you intend to lure that ghost into Dajing City?"

He knew that Jiang Shangbai and Wang Xiaoming were bringing the Source Ghost from a previous S-Class Supernatural Event into Dajing City.

Using that ghost's Ghost Realm to suppress the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain, then eliminating the Ghostly Servant and the Red and White Double Evil inside.

Even in the worst case, that S-Class ghost would at least be taken down by the Ghostly Servant, which also counts as resolving a major incident.

"Professor Wang, this idea is too crazy; we'd be better off pulling out a Coffin Nail to try, because once it goes wrong, the consequences are unimaginable."

Thinking of Ghost Painting's reputation, Cao Yang couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"That was the world's first S ji Supernatural Event, a paranormal incident that several countries couldn't resolve even after being annihilated."

"If it occurs in our country, the damage would be incalculable."

"I understand, but if we have to release a ghost anyway, it might be better to let the outside ghost give it a try," Wang Xiaoming said.

"At least it hasn't been imprisoned yet, whereas the Hungry Ghost was, so the consequences of failure are bearable; plus the Red and White Double Evil, the Ghostly Servant, three ghosts in total, and the Coffin Nail can only be used once."

"I agree; at least we've confirmed the Killing Rule of Ghost Painting, and we have a way to avoid it," Zhang Hao said as he stood up.

"However, the rules of the Ghostly Servant and the Red and White Double Evil are unsolvable; Ghost Summoning and Ghost Seizing, whichever ghost matures, remain unresolvable,"

Upon hearing Jiang Shangbai's words, with Wang Xiaoming's agreement, Cao Yang could only helplessly nod in consent to the plan.

As several qualified candidates for captain consented one after another, the meeting's proposal quickly reached a conclusion.

Lure Ghost Painting, using Ghost Painting's Ghost Domain to imprison the Ghostly Servant.

Zhang Hao watched the others leave one by one, and he too slowly walked outward.

But as he was about to leave, he glanced back at the elderly man leaning on a cane.

Yet that single glance caught the other's attention.

After Zhang Hao looked his way, Qin Lao stared at him continuously until Zhang Hao left the conference room and passed a corner, only then withdrawing his gaze.

"Did you really notice me?" Zhang Hao kept pondering various possibilities in his mind.

On the way out, there were quite a few people who turned back to size up Qin Lao.

But no one was stared at continuously by him.

"Strange fellow, the ghost inside his body has entered a near-dead-machine state,"

When Zhang Hao vanished, Qin Lao murmured softly.

"Will there be him in the future?"

"I see, is he dead? It seems he can't get out of his own path, what a pity; three ghosts in a dead-machine state is still rare,"

Qin Lao mutters to himself, without making a sound.

He did not recognize Jiang Shangbai's situation, after all Jiang Shangbai looked no different from a normal Ghost Tamer.

Jiang Shangbai, who stepped out of the Photo, was not dead but in a living state, and, having ridden a Fierce Ghost, carried an eerie aura.

If one must point out a difference, it is that the ghost inside Jiang Shangbai's body is in a near‑Dead Machine state, which is merely rare.

And the future Qin Lao has no mind to pay attention to someone like Jiang Shangbai.

After all, the so‑called "Jiang Shangbai" should not appear before this old man's eyes after attending this meeting.

"Is it finally about to begin?"

Zhang Hao kneels on the Coffin, his cold gaze fixed on the darkness of the sky.

His gaze seems able to see beyond the darkness through the darkness.

Ghost Bride kneels beside Zhang Hao, and at some point a red pair of scissors has appeared in her hand.

Strange curses coil around the scissors, clinging like strands of hair.

At the same time, the situation in the memorial hall also changes.

The mourners in this hall, wearing Funeral Clothes, have increased from five to seventeen.

Each of them is draped in white Funeral Clothes, their faces sorrowful, emitting a "woo‑woo" wailing toward the Coffin in the hall.

After two days of confrontation, the Ghostly Servant underwent a new change.

As Zhang Hao killed many Ghost Tamers, and together with the Bride summoned these ghosts to the area near the hall, the hall's resistance to Zhang Hao was reduced.

And those Fierce Ghosts that previously could not enter the hall can now walk inside.

More strangely, in the dark Ghost Domain outside, outlines of some dilapidated old houses began to appear.

Perhaps it won't be long before actual houses emerge from the darkness outside.

"Then I can let them move in, letting these ghosts reside in the houses outside the hall, to help me suppress the Ghostly Servant."

"And when I need Fierce Ghost support, I can use Ghost Summoning to call them out, helping me deal with enemies," Zhang Hao thought of the newly appearing houses.

Perhaps one day, when he fills the houses spawned by the Ghostly Servant with Fierce Ghosts, he will be able to completely suppress the Ghostly Servant and dominate it.

Come to think of it, in Zhang Hao's conception, the Ghost Bride also has a red room.

Thus, the memorial hall spawned by the Ghostly Servant might someday correspond conceptually with that red room.

However, to reach that level, it's unclear how many Fierce Ghosts must be added to the outside houses.

The city outskirts.

Tonight, the silence here is somewhat frightening; on the nearby asphalt road, not a single vehicle has passed for hours.

Everything around seems to have lost its voice, only a few silhouettes gathered under the dim streetlamp occasionally emit sparse murmurs of discussion.

Within ten kilometers of here has long been sealed off; the living are forbidden to set foot, no one is exempt.

Because at the center of this sealed area, a Fierce Ghost codenamed Ghostly Servant roams, and any ordinary person passing here could trigger its loss of control.

Only those who ride Fierce Ghosts, becoming Ghost Tamers, are qualified to venture deep into this seemingly ordinary yet extremely perilous forbidden zone.

And tonight, an operation to imprison the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain is underway.

The surrounding atmosphere is oppressive.

The number of people in charge of this operation is not many; in total, only five.

Li Jun is one of them.

This operation requires the use of a ghost realm, and also needs a Ghost Tamer who has had contact with the Ghostly Servant to lead the team, so he is a very suitable candidate, though not the most suitable.

The original choice should have been Jiang Shangbai to lead, but Jiang Shangbai refused, saying the Fierce Ghosts in the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain had been too severely provoked for him.

The other three consist of men and women, their faces somewhat familiar, all top Ghost Tamers who previously attended meetings at Headquarters.

"Here it comes." Suddenly, a man squatting on the ground smoking shifted his expression, his hoarse low voice echoing around.

Almost simultaneously, the others each received the relevant information.

The Fierce Ghost of the operation codenamed Ghost Painting has successfully lured and is moving this way.

Everything proceeds exactly as planned.

A chill rose in everyone's hearts, their faces taking on an almost pathological pallor of seriousness, because this signal indicated that tonight's operation would be unavoidable.

No one can be certain what unknown changes will arise from the collision of two S-Class Supernatural Incidents.

Although, according to Professor Wang's estimate, there is a high probability of resolving one, he also mentioned a small chance of triggering some chain reaction that could cause both incidents to go out of control, which carries great risk.

Even though preparations have been made for a loss of control, those who truly have to confront ghosts are forever fraught with danger.

Li Jun stands upright under the streetlamp, repeating a sentence regardless of whether the others are listening;

"Everyone, remember, the ghosts we have in total cannot defeat the Red and White Double Evil, so our purpose is merely to confirm whether the ghosts inside can escape after the Ghost Painting arrives."

"Rest assured, we have indeed remembered it."

Han Mo nods; he is also one of the participants in this incident.

His survivability is strong; as long as he can handle the Shedding Skin left after death, he is hard to truly kill.

Moreover, during this time away from Dajing City, he has indeed grown somewhat.

As a highly righteous person in charge, he often takes the initiative to help when encountering Supernatural Incidents.

Although participating in Supernatural Incidents shortens his lifespan, it also enhances his strength, thereby increasing his vitality.

"I find it rather surprising that Yang Jian didn't take part in this operation; compared to you, I prefer to partner with Ghost Eye Yang Jian."

The speaker is a heavily made‑up woman.

"I heard his ghost realm further advanced after he obtained his third ghost; perhaps he can now enter and exit the Ghostly Servant's Ghost Domain, which you, Li Jun, cannot do."

The woman's cheek rouge is oddly vivid, as if blood were seeping through, about to drip.

"Ghost Eye Yang Jian? Ha, that guy is a hothead; Headquarters lacks confidence in him. The more important the matter, the less likely he'll be involved, and if he forms a team, it's almost certain disaster."

The last man, leaning against a flickering streetlamp nearby, let out a cold laugh.

Yang Jian just finished the Ghost Envoy Incident, perhaps doesn't want to take part, Han Mo waved his hand and said.

Speaking of it, indeed, after those guys had contact with the Ghostly Servant, each one became very fearful of the Ghostly Servant.

The time of speaking.

The quiet surroundings gradually turned hazy, and above the sky something vague kept drifting down.

It was like gray dense fog coalescing, or like clumps of chilling aura; in the blink of an eye, everything around was covered by the hazy stuff, and everything visible to the naked eye changed.

Here there was no color at all; even the previously dim yellow streetlights were gray, and the interior was also covered with this stuff.

Han Mo reached out, took the drifting mass before his eyes, placed it in his hand and gently kneaded it; a gray mark remained on his Palm.

"This is… paper ash?" Han Mo let out a light gasp, finding it rather baffling.

The hazy surroundings were formed by ash drifting after whatever had burned.

"This is the ghost domain of the ghost painting."

Li Jun furrowed his brows deeply: "It seems Liu San's efficiency is far faster than imagined; he successfully attracted the ghost painting."

"Based on earlier assessment, there is no painting nearby, nor have we seen any artwork, so we can probably avoid becoming a target of the ghost painting."

"At the same time, this ghost domain may suppress the Ghostly Servant, so everyone should prepare in advance."

Watching the ash continuously drift down, the world around had completely changed in appearance; for some reason Li Jun felt heavier than before.

The Ghost has not appeared yet.

But even the mere covering of the ghost domain already exuded a hopelessness like the end of the world.

In this hazy world there was no vitality, no living thing, only death‑like silence and seemingly endless drifting ash.

In the distance, at least ten li away, Feng Quan watched the falling paper ash from the sky, his pupils instinctively contracting.

This scene felt inexplicably familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

"Where exactly is this?" Feng Quan pondered.

"Feng Quan? What's wrong?" Yang Jian asked, looking at Feng Quan with some doubt.

"I remember, we saw something similar when dealing with the Red and White Double Evil back then."

Feng Quan's words made Yang Jian furrow his brows, instinctively feeling a bad omen.

"Are you saying that when you dealt with the Red and White Double Evil, the sky rained paper ash?" Yang Jian said gravely.

"No, no, no, Brother Tui, you misunderstood," Feng Quan hurriedly shook his head.

"There was no paper ash falling near the Red and White Double Evil; what fell near them were Paper Money, paper copper coins."

"I just thought the two were somewhat similar; paper ash and paper copper coins differ too much, right?" Feng Quan said.

"Could it be that the three S-level Paranormal Events might be interrelated?"

Having said that, Feng Quan seemed to think his words were too naive and joked.

"It can't be; this ghost painting origin, the country's first S-level Paranormal Event that appeared abroad, could it be a Puzzle with the Ghostly Servant and the Red and White Double Evil?"

"This is too funny; how could it be? One is a painting, another a Coffin, another the Red and White Double Evil. How could they be related?"

The more Feng Quan laughed, the lower his voice became.

Because the more he spoke, the more he realized these things actually seemed somewhat related.

Mourners often leave portrait images, newlyweds often take commemorative photos, and in earlier times, without cameras, they recorded using paintings.

Listening to Feng Quan's increasingly low voice, Yang Jian felt uneasy inside.

He originally only wanted to see how terrifying the so‑called ghost painting really was.

But Feng Quan's words gradually sank his previously detached attitude.

(End of chapter)