Chapter 88: Paying to Publish, You Report That I Was Hit by a Bus?

Zhang Hao didn't care about the reactions of the various forces.

After dealing with Nie Yingping and a few others who were paying attention to the ghost bride, Zhang Hao left Da Dong City with the bride.

Staying in the city any longer no longer meant anything to Zhang Hao.

He is not one of those Fierce Ghosts that follow the Killing Rule to the letter, so there is no need to stay in the city.

Of course, it is worth mentioning.

After the ghost bride produced enough ghost paintings, Zhang Hao buried two of them deep underground in the east and west sides of Da Dong City.

To prevent something like Qin Lao from happening again, he left himself a fallback.

As Zhang Hao and the ghost bride departed, the grayish ash falling from the sky drifted away.

In the city, Yang Jian and the others gathered together let out a sigh of relief.

"That terrifying thing finally left?"

Wang Chaling looked at the city with lingering fear; although the Ghost Domain had vanished, the colorless city could not regain its hue.

Zhang Hao fears the Wang Family generation and refuses to take risks; how could Wang Chaling not fear being eliminated outright?

The entire city was affected by the incident and became a dead city.

"Yang Jian, Wang Chaling, what's the situation in Da Dong City?"

Just as the Ghost Domain disappeared, a call came in from Headquarters.

"The problem is serious; the Red and White Double Evil left for unknown reasons, and now the whole city has lost its color."

Wang Chaling said in a low voice, "And now there are hardly any signs of living people in the city."

Hearing that, Cao Yanhua's expression froze.

A colorless city with dead people—perhaps Da Dong City is doomed from now on.

"Immediately dispatch people to investigate Da Dong City's population loss," Cao Yanhua said gravely.

"Wang Chaling, keep a close eye on Da Dong City these days; if the loss is too severe, then relocate to another city,"

"Understood," Wang Chaling replied, his tone a bit downcast.

Da Dong City's current condition makes it uninhabitable; even he lacks the courage to keep living in such a terrifying, pestilent city.

Logically, after the ghost paintings' Ghost Domain spread, all wandering Fierce Ghosts in Da Dong City should have been taken away.

Aside from the ghost inside the Wang Family Ancient Residence, there should be no other Fierce Ghosts in the city.

Yet just looking at the city, Wang Chaling can't help but recall everything that happened today.

Time passed slowly, and after a day's investigation, Da Dong City's population loss figures emerged.

Strangely, the Headquarters files only recorded the original population of Da Dong City, with no records of who those people were.

In principle, even if a small portion wasn't recorded in time, most of the city's inhabitants should have been documented.

But in this Supernatural Incident, the overwhelming majority of the dead seem completely forgotten, as if no one remembers them at all.

If it weren't for the investigation in the city, they wouldn't have discovered many Black and White Paintings, and might not have known that such a person had died in the city.

"Perhaps that's the ghost's ability," Wang Xiaoming said, staring at the blank file in the folder.

"The Red and White Double Evil not only obtained ghost paintings, but also acquired some special Supernatural phenomenon,"

With that, Wang Xiaoming looked up at the display: "Perhaps that's the force turning the whole city black and white."

"What does that mean?" Cao Yanhua asked, puzzled.

"Among the folk, the Red and White Double Evil are said to consist of Red Evil, which always represents joy, and White Evil, which stands for White Affair."

"And the White Evil of the Red and White Double Evil is now likely the source that stripped the city of its color."

Saying that, Wang Xiaoming typed a few keystrokes, and several Black and White Photos appeared.

"Look, each of the dead left a Black and White Photo; to some extent, could there be a link between that and the White Evil?"

Hearing that, Cao Yanhua lifted his head gravely and said, "Professor Wang, are you saying the dead all left behind portraits?"

"Yes, the White Evil's Mourning, those killed by it all leave behind portraits," Wang Xiaoming nodded.

"That might be why we lose the memory of the people in those portraits,"

"When a person dies, all their connections vanish like smoke, and people can only reminisce when they see the portrait,"

Hearing this, Cao Yanhua shook his head; "Fierce Ghosts are always searching for a puzzle; even Killing is for the sake of finding the puzzle."

"What else can these portraits represent?"

Although the explanation is plausible, he cannot grasp its significance.

Seeing this, Wang Xiaoming shook his head, "Perhaps it's to obtain more portraits."

"The Red and White Double Evil is truly incomprehensible; why can such Fierce Ghosts appear? Logically, the two ghosts should now be in complete conflict,"

The ghost painting's Killing Rule is triggered when someone recalls and sees it, whereas the portrait makes people forget the dead.

And the White Affair and Red Affair should also be two completely opposing concepts.

Half a day later, ZS City.

Two months later, Zhang Hao returned to the city with the ghost bride.

This time, Zhang Hao did not let the ghost bride use the Ghost Domain, nor did he affect the city himself.

For now, the commotion they've caused is already large enough; continuing would easily draw the attention of some elders.

Although, judging from Yang Jian becoming Abnormal, those elders should be mostly dead by now.

Nevertheless, to be safe, Zhang Hao still does not intend to cause further trouble.

After all, the last surviving elder among the Seven Elders seems to hold a different philosophy from the others.

The other six adhere to a policy of not assisting newcomers, while that elder has offered some help to the New Era Ghost Tamer.

Approaching the Caesar Grand Hotel.

The hotel has changed since he left; walls, windows, even some ventilation ducts have been completely sealed with cement, leaving no gap at all.

Even nearby there are many infrared alarms; these alarms will sound when they encounter a living person, and will also be triggered when a dead person passes by.

Sealing off the hotel is meant to prevent living people from entering by mistake, but it holds no meaning for a Fierce Ghost.

These alarms are probably intended so that when a Fierce Ghost leaves the hotel, Headquarters receives the news immediately.

Zhang Hao used the ghost realm to pass through that thick cement wall and entered the Caesar Grand Hotel directly.

Inside the hotel there is no source of light, and with the water and electricity cut off, even any lamps present are merely decorations.

Thus, upon entering, the first impression is darkness and oppression; moreover, the murky air faintly carries a corpse‑rotting stench that lingers, as if it fills the entire hotel.

The dust‑covered ground bears many footprints of varying shades, all the same size; they must have been left by the same person—no, by the same ghost.

The footprints appear black, a black formed from the decayed corpse fluid that seeped from that tall male corpse in the Caesar Grand Hotel.

But judging from the desiccated marks, they must have been left long ago; that tall male corpse has likely not roamed the Caesar Grand Hotel for a long time.

Following the stairs, Zhang Hao ascended to the fourth floor again.

But merely stepping onto the staircase leading to the fourth floor, he already sensed something amiss.

The fourth‑floor walls are mottled and aged, exuding a chilling aura, while the air is saturated with a strong corpse odor; light seems unable to penetrate this floor.

Although some light streams in through a gap, only the immediate area of the gap is faintly lit, unable to illuminate the surroundings.

Since the tall male corpse no longer roams the hotel, the hotel's loss of control has become even more severe.

In the uncontrolled hotel, within the fourth‑floor passage, entering it spawns numerous corridors, leaving Zhang Hao unable to determine which is the path he intends to take.

Looking at these passages, Zhang Hao pondered for a moment, then fished a thing out of his pocket.

It was a black solid, apparently broken apart.

Zhang Hao pressed his palm hard, crushing the black object into powder, and then, with an extra cup of wine in his hand, poured the powder into it.

The powder mixed with Blood Wine, and shortly a cup of ink exuding a bloody scent appeared in his hand.

He poured the ink onto the ground; quickly, the ink flowed toward the depths of an illusory passage on the fourth floor.

This time Zhang Hao intends to find that Ghost Newspaper Agency and have it publish some content for him.

Because, judging from Yang Jian's situation, it seems the Zhang Dong in the Ghostly Mansion is also about to die.

Zhang Hao must seize the interval of Zhang Dong's death to enter that red room; otherwise, once Zhang Dong revives there will be no chance. Following the forward‑flowing ink, Zhang Hao soon returned to that newspaper agency.

At this moment the agency, compared with how Zhang Hao saw it last time, has undergone some changes.

Previously the Ghost Newspaper Agency was pitch black, with only a faint glow emanating from within.

Now, neon lights flicker outside the agency, and even the words "Spring Breeze Agency" are lit up.

It is indeed strange.

That agency once had a way to get me out of the Caesar Grand Hotel; now I have even helped it locate the Ghost Newspaper, yet this thing still hasn't left the Caesar Grand Hotel.

Nevertheless, Zhang Hao has no intention of probing further.

The ghosts inside this agency are of the same kind as him, intelligent Fierce Ghosts, and they likely have their own motives.

Entering the agency, previously there was only a middle‑aged male‑looking Fierce Ghost standing by the printer, but this time many more figures appear inside.

Zhang Hao looked closely and found these people all appeared lifeless, with numb, hollow eyes.

In a corner of the agency, Zhang Hao can still see a person sitting on a chair, holding a newspaper, seemingly reading it.

"Is that the newspaper ghost?"

Zhang Hao glanced at that ghost a few times.

"What does the customer need?"

At that moment, a person with yellowed skin, numb eyes, and a strangely smiling face approached Zhang Hao.

The other's movements are very swift; when speaking and walking, the steps are smooth and continuous, unlike a dead person.

"Another ordinary person controlled by the newspaper ghost?"

Zhang Hao gave the other a glance, unsurprised.

The Ghost Newspaper Agency completed the newspaper ghost; controlling some living people as its staff is quite normal.

Although that newspaper ghost had its Ghost Newspaper taken by Yang Jian, as the source Fierce Ghost of the Ghost Newspaper, its power cannot rely entirely on that paper.

"Publish the news," Zhang Hao said in a hoarse, stiff voice.

"Alright, what kind of news does the customer wish to publish?" the other's smile unchanged, he asked.

"I need to enter the Ghostly Mansion where Zhang Dong is within these days."

Zhang Hao said a word to the other, then walked straight to the side of the middle‑aged Fierce Ghost by the printer.

"Customer, if you wish to publish this report, a certain fee is required," the previously controlled man stepped forward to ask.

"We now have three price tiers; may I ask whether you choose to print a Three Yuan, Four Yuan, or Seven Yuan newspaper?"

"What's the difference?" Zhang Hao retorted.

However, the man gave no answer, merely continuing to stare at Zhang Hao with that strange smile.

"Doo! Doo doo! Doo!"

On the printer side, a newspaper was quickly printed out.

"February 27, 2018, on a road outside the Ghost's Zhang Dong's Ghost Residence's Exterior, a bus traveling through the mountains collided with the Red and White Double Evil, causing an accident."

"This is the Three Yuan publication; if the customer is satisfied, after payment we will dispatch the newspaper."

The man, holding the newspaper, stood before Zhang Hao and asked.

"Let me be hit by a bus? What a joke," Zhang Hao said, looking at the middle‑aged Fierce Ghost behind the counter.

Although he is a ghost, he also knows the strength of a bus.

If I were struck by a bus, it wouldn't be a Dead Machine crash—unrealistic—but it would certainly cause considerable trouble.

Perhaps I would even have to clash with that bus because of it.

"Doo! Doo doo! Doo!"

The printer sounded again, and a new newspaper was printed.

"February 27, 2018: the Red and White Double Evil encountered an old woman in a village, and under her guidance went to an incomprehensible Ghostly Mansion to give a funeral for an incomprehensible old man."

"This is a Four Yuan classified newspaper; if the client is satisfied, we will send the newspaper out after payment."

The man repeated his previous words, except this time the Three Yuan in his speech became Four Yuan.

Seeing the old woman and Dachuan City above, Zhang Hao again looked toward the middle‑aged Fierce Ghost behind the counter.

"Let me deal with that old woman; that's Meng Xiaodong, right?"

Meng Xiaodong, one of the Seven Elders, is indeed in Dachuan City, and in the original story she is the one who boarded the Spiritual Bus from a village.

Although that may be only a derivative of Meng Xiaodong, not the source of the revived Meng Xiaodong Fierce Ghost, Zhang Hao still does not want to confront the other side in this situation.

When Zhang Hao finished speaking, the printer sounded again.

"Doo doo doo doo doo!" This time the printer's sound was very rapid, giving a sense of almost losing control.

"March 1, 2018: the Red and White Double Evil passed by Da Fu City, discovered that somewhere in Da Fu City a person was dying, the Ghost Domain accidentally connected, and the location of the incomprehensible ancient mansion was revealed."

"This is a Seven Yuan classified newspaper; if the client is satisfied, we will send the newspaper out after payment."

This time the man repeated the previous words again, but his tone shifted from eerie to gloomy, with a faint threatening undertone.

Obviously, Zhang Hao had the printer produce newspapers three times in a row, apparently triggering some pattern of the Ghost Newspaper Agency.

If he now does not choose to publish any of the newspapers, it could cause an uncontrollable change in the Ghost Newspaper Agency.

Looking at the content above, Zhang Hao finally decided to pull out a Three Yuan Gui Qian and hand it to the middle‑aged Fierce Ghost.

It's not that he wants to be hit by the bus; the problem is he only has a single Three Yuan Gui Qian in his hand.

"Alright, today is February Nineteen; the client may choose to stay inside the agency, or wait until February Twenty‑seven to come to the agency."

Zhang Hao heard this but did not respond to the other side.

He looked at the bride beside him: "Bride, bring out a painting."

The bride, hearing this, turned her head toward Zhang Hao, and a derivative painting appeared in her hand.

Holding the painting, Zhang Hao surveyed the agency and soon found a suitable spot.

It was a display stand, and Zhang Hao saw many items inside it.

Among them were some tangled straw, some ash that looked like cremated remains, and Zhang Hao even saw a puddle of water stains.

"These are Medium left by different clients, facilitating deeper connections with our agency."

"Clients have a vast world; future cooperation with us will surely increase. By leaving a Medium, we can publish more of the clients' news in the future."

The man with the eerie smile earlier stepped forward and said.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hao hung the derivative painting at the topmost position of the display stand.

The middle‑aged Fierce Ghost at the counter gave no reaction to Zhang Hao's action.

"Let's go."

After hanging the derivative ghost painting, Zhang Hao took the bride's hand and left the Ghost Newspaper Agency.

Initially he still could not grasp the agency's purpose, but now he has begun to understand it.

This thing likely deepens the link with the Fierce Ghost, expanding its own influence.

For example, Zhang Hao leaves a derivative ghost painting in the agency; as long as the ghost bride does not actively Erase the painting, the Ghost Newspaper Agency can later use the painting to enter the ghost‑painting world and gather information within it.

Other things such as water stains, straw, and ash likely have similar functions.

The agency's ability is strange, but it requires credibility; if Ghost Tamer obtain the agency's newspapers yet do not believe their contents,

the reports issued by the Ghost Newspaper Agency cannot achieve a prophetic effect.

"Perhaps after obtaining the Deceptive Ghost, this Ghost Newspaper Agency will become even stranger."

Zhang Hao pondered silently, but did not inform the agency of his plans regarding the Deceptive Ghost.

Just as publishing news in the agency requires a fee, Zhang Hao will not do something that offers no benefit to himself.

Even though at present both the agency and he are on the ghost side and are cooperating,

in essence, whether human or ghost, they are hostile to Zhang Hao.

(End of chapter)