Chapter 2696: The Psycho City Lord's Love-Hate Rules 19

Jin Chen's question made the square instantly silent.

Fu Lingjing shouted in rebuke, "Jin Chen! How dare you question the National Preceptor!"

Jin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone teasing, "You're so eager, it makes me suspect you're in league with her."

Fu Lingjing: "……"

Zhao Tian hurriedly tugged Fu Lingjing's sleeve in secret, whispering, "Brother Fu, don't indulge in verbal sparring! Everything… after we enter the Ghost City, we can… discuss further; it's not too late."

A flicker of calculation crossed his eyes; he clearly thought Jin Chen's group survived only by luck, while they were well-prepared this time, and Fu Lingjing even claimed to have immortal guidance, which would surely give them the upper hand.

The National Preceptor gave Jin Chen a deep look, a fleeting dark glint flashing in his eyes, releasing a slight pressure, "I, seated in the capital, have my duty to protect the emperor and the peace of all the people."

"Some matters are not yet the time for you to know."

Jin Chen met the pressure with a raised eyebrow, no longer pressing, yet already harbored a few suspicions in his heart.

That night.

The formation's light shone again.

Still night, still that lifeless street, a hollow watchman's cry came from afar.

Fu Lingjing's group quickly applied ghost powder, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.

Chu Jiu Shan leaned close to Jin Chen and whispered, "Senior brother, shall we go to that inn again? I don't know if the attendant still recognizes us."

Liu Shuoyue silently calculated, then whispered, "Five days outside, but inside the Ghost City… four months have passed; they probably don't remember us, which is fine."

Jin Chen looked toward the Lord Mayor's mansion and said, "Change inns."

Zang Huaian nodded, "Good, it can also conceal us from ghostly eyes."

Fu Lingjing, upon hearing this, was displeased.

He had been planning to go straight to the Imperial Merchant Ke Zhan to seek opportunity.

"Since the Ghost City's layout mirrors the capital, we naturally return to the inn; you're hesitant, but we won't travel with you!"

〖Are you sick? 〗 The immortal suddenly interrupted, 〖Jin Chen goes where he wants, you follow; just because you can meet the Lord Mayor doesn't mean you have a ghost, do you still want opportunity?! 〗

Fu Lingjing felt resentful, but thinking of the immortal's guidance benefits, he could only swallow his anger, enduring again and again, then said to Zhao Tian and the two others preparing to go another way, "Wait! Acting together is safer; follow… follow us."

【The protagonist (top) is weird.】 Ling Gun Gun poked his head into Jin Chen's consciousness, 【How is he like a split personality, one moment one idea.】

Finally, the eight of them checked into a relatively secluded inn in the eastern part of the city.

Here, fierce ghosts come and go far more frequently than near the Imperial Merchant Ke Zhan, and the atmosphere is even more chaotic and turbid.

"Tonight this place is lively!" Chu Jiu Shan followed behind Jin Chen, watching the various strange-shaped ghosts coming and going on the street, he couldn't help muttering, "Fierce ghosts… do they have night markets too?"

Zang Huaian tilted his ear to listen to a few nearby ghosts' conversation for a while, his expression turning odd; he walked back and gave Jin Chen a complex look.

Jin Chen sensed his oddness and asked doubtfully, "What's wrong?"

Zang Huaian paused, made a strange gesture, and said, "Rumor has it… the Lord Mayor's mansion is openly recruiting new attendants to serve in close attendance."

"The requirement is five handsome male ghosts."

Jin Chen: "……"

Ghost City Market.

Ghosts of various bizarre forms, maintaining different death states, wander and trade on the streets, needing no normal appearance, freely displaying their terrifying true nature.

Some have enormous heads, attached to the neck by only a few strands of muscle, swaying with each step as if they might fall off at any moment.

Some lack arms or legs, the severed ends writhing with maggots.

Even worse, some drop parts as they walk—fingers, eyeballs—then absentmindedly pick them up and shove them back in haphazardly.

Jin Chen, in this disguise, wore an ordinary face so bland it would blend into a pile of ghosts, mixing into the bustling ghost crowd.

Fu Lingjing caught a glimpse of this look and couldn't help sneering, "What shady deeds have you done in the Ghost City? You're fine as is—why bother with a disguise?"

He simply couldn't fathom why Jin Chen's actions always carried an air of wickedness.

Jin Chen couldn't even be bothered to lift his eyelids, "Afraid I'd steal your spotlight."

Fu Lingjing: "……"

This person really…… is sick!

He glared at Jin Chen angrily, then lowered his voice to instruct the Zhao Tian and Zhao Di brothers beside him, "Stay sharp—this trip's rewards are generous, but only four shares; this person is our biggest threat, so we must keep a close watch on his every move!"

No sooner had his words ended than the one walking ahead, Jin Chen, suddenly stopped, pulled back a muffled head forward, nearly stepping on Black Wing.

Black Wing, caught off guard, was pulled; following the direction of Jin Chen's distinct knuckles, he lowered his head and saw he had almost stepped on a round, dust-covered eyeball that was slightly trembling.

Although Black Wing was a Maoshan transmigrant, accustomed to demons and evil, directly stepping on a jumping eyeball was still a first; his stomach churned, and he hastily retreated two steps.

That eyeball rolled away with a gurgle; immediately, a thin, bony hand with bluish-black skin reached out from the side, picked up the eyeball, and skillfully pressed it back into its empty socket.

It was a slender ghost, like a bamboo stalk; after securing the eyeball and turning it twice, it timidly looked at Jin Chen and Black Wing.

Seeing this, Fu Lingjing immediately frowned and scolded Black Wing, "How can you be so clumsy? Watch your step in the Ghost City, don't recklessly tread on what you shouldn't, or you'll invite trouble!"

Jin Chen stepped forward half a step, his gaze falling on the slender ghost, "Keep an eye on your eyeball; don't let it roll around again."

The slender ghost trembled at his look, hastily bowed with clasped hands, voice thin, "Many thanks for your reminder, many thanks, many thanks…"

Having said that, it swayed slowly, turned, and slipped into the ghost crowd.

Who would have thought that after just a few steps, the newly set eyeball suddenly plopped off, rolling to the side of an ordinary wandering spirit that looked low in intellect.

The wandering spirit dazedly picked up the eyeball, hadn't reacted yet, when the slender ghost snapped its head back, split a grotesque grin across half its face, mouth opening wider than its head, and in an instant sucked the unfortunate spirit and its eyeball into its maw.

It chewed satisfiedly a few times, wiped its mouth, and continued to sway along.

Black Wing's pupils shrank in shock, a cold sweat broke out on his back; only then did he realize how perilous it had been—if not for Jin Chen pulling him back, he would have been the one swallowed!

He hurriedly turned to Jin Chen, his dark face showing lingering fear and gratitude, clasping his fists, "Many thanks, Brother Jin, for your help!"

Fu Lingjing, seeing this, looked even worse and snapped, "Black Wing! You…"

Black Wing, however, kept a stern face and stared at Fu Lingjing.

He is straightforward; he knows clearly who treats him well, "Brother Fu, just now it was indeed Brother Jin who saved me."

Chu Jiu Shan's eyes shifted, and he immediately went over Grinning, buddy-buddy style, slinging his arm around Hei Yi's shoulders: 'Hei Yi bro! I told you, my senior brother is the best!'

Follow my senior brother, and I guarantee you'll be safe in this Ghost City; I'm telling you, my senior brother is really formidable—last time...

Chu Jiu Shan started bragging, when suddenly a commotion arose from the center of the market.