Chapter 26: Volume 1, Chapter 26: How to Conquer the Proud Ghost King? (7)

The man in a black dragon robe before her drew nearer and nearer; his handsome face bore an exotic allure, his narrow eyes glowing with an strange smoky blue, like a deity from ancient Greek legend.

He was nothing like the ancient little brat.

The little brat was thin and small, his skin dark and slick, his facial features completely indiscernible, yet not a trace of it could be seen in the man's extremely aggressive visage.

Jiang Zhi restrained the astonishment in her eyes, turned her head away pretending not to have seen this, and lifted her foot to go inside.

Just as she turned, the man who had been behind her suddenly appeared before her, and Jiang Zhi almost bumped into him.

Zhan Wu Jin seized her wrist in one grip, pressed her whole body against the door, lowered his head and deeply inhaled her scent; his smoky-gray eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty gleam.

"How about I take a bite?"

Jiang Zhi's back pressed against the cool door, the tall, strapping man before her exuded danger from head to toe.

When she felt the man's icy breath blowing against her neck, she felt like a fish on a chopping board awaiting slaughter; her eyes rolled back and she fainted on the spot.

Zhan Wu Jin embraced the slipping girl, gazing at her pale face still bearing a trace of fear, he unconsciously tugged at the corner of his mouth and let out a derisive chuckle.

"Your gall is small."

Having said that, he carried the girl to the sofa, stretched out his arm, and unceremoniously dumped her down.

Jiang Zhi, who had rolled off the sofa onto the floor and awakened in pain, rubbed her sore arm, lifted her gaze, and saw the man leaning against the nearby sofa, elegant and arrogant, with the lofty demeanor of a superior.

"From today onward, you must find a wicked ghost for Me each day."

Jiang Zhi sat half-up on the floor, somewhat not understanding.

"Me?"

"Is this ghost still an emperor?"

Zhan Wu Jin leaned slightly forward, his silky black hair cascading onto the edge of the dark gray sofa, he gave her a leisurely glance, his beautifully curved lips letting out a malicious chuckle.

"If you are unwilling, I will peel your skin and eat you bite by bite."

Hearing that, Jiang Zhi's complexion turned nearly pallid and translucent, her body trembled in waves, and she clenched her fists.

After a moment, she swiftly rose, quickly grabbed the fruit‑paring knife from the coffee table, pressed it to her throat, and, resolute, declared: "I, even if I die, will not become your tool, you wicked ghost!"

Just as she was determined to slash her throat, her wrist refused to obey, unable to move.

Zhan Wu Jin had never seen someone like her, unafraid of life or death, her black‑and‑white eyes pure and clear, without a speck of impurity.

This struck him as novel.

He vaguely recalled that in that palace, as brutal as a survival‑of‑the‑fittest realm, everyone pursued their own interests, stopping at nothing for gain, even sacrificing relatives and those around them.

In their eyes, a human life was lighter than grass.

Dark and mad, like beasts devoid of humanity.

Scheming against each other, hearts locked in conflict.

Zhan Wu Jin most liked to watch them reveal their true nature, scrambling like dogs.

He inherently belonged to darkness, just as the world ten thousand years later would be, filled everywhere with malice.

And the girl before him would be no different.

Zhan Wu Jin wanted to see darkness stain her eyes, to watch her succumb to desire.

He lowered his eyelids, concealing all his emotions.

"If that's the case, then I will go kill your friend." The man's slender fingers arched and tapped rhythmically on the top of the sofa back.

The friend he spoke of was none other than her childhood friend, Li Qian.

Jiang Zhi heard this, her fingers losing all strength; the fruit knife slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor.

The girl's eyes reddened with fear, she spoke anxiously and panicked: "No, I cannot!"

Zhan Wu Jin said lazily: "Find a wicked ghost for Me."

Jiang Zhi bit her lip, tasting a hint of blood‑sweetness, regained a bit of composure, and answered in a daze: "Okay."

"I can help you find wicked ghosts, but there is one thing you must promise me."

As soon as the words fell, the man who had been sitting on the sofa suddenly appeared before her, roughly gripping her chin; his voice was icy, betraying inner displeasure.

"What qualifications do you have to negotiate with Me?"

Jiang Zhi struggled to suppress her fear, forced herself to meet his gaze, her lips pressed into a thin line, saying nothing.

Zhan Wu Jin gazed at her intently; through his thick‑lensed glasses he saw the fear hidden in her eyes, but even more, her resolve.

He paused for a long while.

He spoke unhurriedly: "Okay."

Jiang Zhi stepped back, widening the distance between them, and then said: "I hope you can refrain from killing during the period we have agreed upon."

Zhan Wu Jin's peripheral vision fell on his fingers, still retaining the soft, delicate feel of the girl's jaw.

It carried a hint of warmth, the temperature only a mortal could possess.

This time he said nothing more, merely giving a low "Okay."

Jiang Zhi breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, glanced at the man standing there dazed, unable to suppress her curiosity, she asked:

"May I ask, which era's emperor are you?"

Zhan Wu Jin's smoky‑gray eyes seemed overlaid with layers of icy frost, his gaze steady upon her face, dangerous and cold.

Jiang Zhi's heart gave a start; she quickly withdrew her gaze and turned toward the kitchen.

That night she didn't order takeout, rummaged through the leftover vegetables in the fridge, and simply cooked a bowl of tomato‑egg noodles.

As she turned holding the bowl of noodles, she saw the man leaning against the kitchen doorframe and nearly dropped the soup noodles from fright.

He appears and disappears like a ghost.

It scared her to death.

Perhaps sensing her fright, Zhan Wu Jin lifted his eyelids and said nonchalantly: "Today is about to end."

The point is that today's evil ghost hasn't been found yet.

Jiang Zhi put down her noodles, hurriedly took out her phone to check the time: 20:21.

There are less than four hours left.

Her pupils trembled, and she hurriedly said, "Isn't the time supposed to start counting from tomorrow??"

Zhan Wu Jin's voice was devoid of emotion, like a demon's whisper: "I never said it would start tomorrow."

Jiang Zhi: '.'

Bad, utterly bad.

She hastily finished a bowl of scalding hot noodles, leaving the residential complex before nine.

But when she stood at the dimly lit roadside, gazing at the endless darkness, she had no clue.

She hesitated a moment, then carefully asked the Ghost King beside her: "Your Majesty, where should I go to find ghosts?"

Zhan Wu Jin, sparing with words: "You seek."

Jiang Zhi: '.'

Then you're not going to help, huh!

She had no choice but to place all her hopes on the phone's supernatural forum; in the past, she searched for those ghost legends on this forum.

Jiang Zhi found a nearby one and dialed the poster's phone number.

Upon hearing she was coming to exorcise ghosts, the poster was overjoyed and hurriedly sent her the address.

Jiang Zhi took a taxi to the destination.

When she got in the car, the driver felt the temperature drop a lot; he couldn't stand it and turned off the AC, but it was still cold, and nervously he glanced back at the rear seat.