Chapter 20: The Origins Of The Game Console
After watching Feng Quan and the others leave in the police car together, Zhang Qian took Xu Shaowen to that previous Abandoned Factory.
Headquarters had already cleaned up here, but it wasn’t usually used for anything, so they simply gave it to Zhang Qian as a Base.
“Where’s that Game Console of yours? Take it out.” Zhang Qian sat cross-legged on the ground and casually pushed back the skeleton hand poking out from his Backpack.
Xu Shaowen took out an old Game Console from his pocket and handed it to Zhang Qian; he was also a bit curious about how Zhang Qian had suppressed Feng Quan’s Fierce Ghost Revival.
The moment the Game Console was in his hand, there was a unique chilling Feeling of the Supernatural, a sensation that penetrated deep into the bones, which even True Qi couldn’t completely isolate.
Its appearance was very crude, very similar to the pixel Game Console from Zhang Qian’s childhood, entirely black all over with quite a few places where the paint had chipped off.
However, that kind of Game Console could only play little games like Tetris, whereas this Game Console could Foresight.
“No reaction?” Zhang Qian turned it over and over looking at it but couldn’t find the power button; pressing the other buttons didn’t make the Game Console show any sign of starting up either.
Xu Shaowen reached out and touched the Game Console, and the Screen immediately lit up; the pixel little person inside happily waved hello to Xu Shaowen.
Xu Shaowen continued to explain, “This Ghost is very special; it will only slowly erode the holder and won’t react to anyone else.”
“A bit miraculous.” This was the first time Zhang Qian had encountered such a laid-back Fierce Ghost; he curiously clenched his Fist, “I wonder if physical therapy will work.”
“What physical ther… holy shit?”
Zhang Qian placed the Game Console on the ground and, under Xu Shaowen’s shocked gaze, smashed it with one Fist.
The Fist wrapped in True Qi smashed a small dent into the ground, but the Game Console was unscathed; after all, this was the carrier of a Fierce Ghost and not so easy to destroy.
“As long as it can’t be broken, it’s fine.” Zhang Qian assumed a stance, “Eat my Pegasus Meteor Fist!”
His fists, carrying white light, continuously smashed down at such a fast speed that they even formed afterimages; although the momentum was terrifying, Xu Shaowen’s State visibly improved.
But at this moment, Xu Shaowen grabbed Zhang Qian, “Wait, wait, stop hitting.”
“What’s wrong? Isn’t the Effect pretty good?” Zhang Qian stopped in some confusion and only then noticed that the Game Console was actually a bit damaged.
That pixel little person was now curled into a ball, seemingly in great pain.
Zhang Qian had originally thought there was a Ghost inside the Game Console, but Ghosts shouldn’t have Emotions like pain, so what was inside was actually an Existence like a Ghost Slave?
Xu Shaowen picked up the Game Console with some distress, “Big Brother Zhang Qian, let’s just forget it.”
“What Relationship does the person inside have with you?” Zhang Qian asked, looking at that pixel person.
Most Ghost Controllers would really want their Fierce Ghost to fall asleep; like Feng Quan, who wished Zhang Qian would beat him every day, so Xu Shaowen was unwilling probably because of this pixel little person.
Xu Shaowen wiped the Screen, his voice somewhat heavy, “The person inside is the previous Ghost Controller of the Game Console, and also my brother, Xu Shaoqing.”
“Do you remember what I said? On the Fourth Floor, there was once a near wipeout with only one Messenger barely surviving; that person was my brother.”
“That day he appeared at home out of thin air covered in wounds, revealing the truth of this World to me for the first time and also explaining how to use the Game Console.”
“In the end, right under my eyelids, my brother was devoured by this Game Console, replacing the previous Ghost Controller to become a character in the game. From then on, he could only keep dying and reviving, enduring torment until I took his Position.”
No wonder Xu Shaowen hadn’t Controlled a Fierce Ghost at the beginning; no wonder when he just started, he was clearly an ordinary person yet acted so confident.
Zhang Qian was pensive, his tone somewhat regretful, “Your brother now relies on the Fierce Ghost for Existence; if I Suppress the Fierce Ghost, he might very well die.”
“Then we won’t Suppress it; I’ll use less of the Fierce Ghost’s power and strive to find a way to rescue my brother sooner.” Xu Shaowen said with a firm attitude.
“No, I still have Plan B; we can delay the Fierce Ghost Revival without hurting your brother.” Zhang Qian stood up, “It’ll just hurt a bit; you might have to endure it.”
“Ah?!”
As Zhang Qian’s Fist struck Xu Shaowen’s abdomen, his voice instantly turned from confusion to a scream.
While delivering heavy punches, Zhang Qian explained: “In my view, Fierce Ghost Erosion is actually transforming the Body with Supernatural Power. If we can’t solve the Fierce Ghost, we’ll solve you—ah no, the power inside you.”
“Cough cough cough, you definitely slipped up there.”
Xu Shaowen rapidly thought in his mind about where he had offended Zhang Qian, to the point that he wanted to beat him to vent anger.
“Look, isn’t the Effect pretty good?” Zhang Qian’s eyes lit up, “The Wounds you had before are all bleeding again; good sign.”
“Wait… I’ll call an Ambulance first.” Xu Shaowen weakly took out his Mobile Phone; although he didn’t understand the Principle, it seemed to actually be effective.
So he decided to try Zhang Qian’s physical therapy.
And so, under the shocked gazes of the medical staff, Zhang Qian continued to Heal Xu Shaowen for more than ten minutes, personally sending him into the Ambulance.
No choice; Xu Shaowen’s degree of Supernatural Erosion was indeed severe, and failing to directly Suppress the Fierce Ghost led to a continuous stream of Supernatural Power clashing against Zhang Qian.
Just like draining water while water keeps being added; it’s much harder to drain it clean than direct drainage.
In the Ambulance.
After the medical staff performed first aid on Xu Shaowen, they silently sat aside; if not for Xu Shaowen stopping them and Zhang Qian coming along, they would have called the police.
In no time, the Ambulance arrived at the Hospital; Zhang Qian headed straight to the monitoring area without looking back.
How could he possibly come to the Hospital just for Xu Shaowen? This trip was mainly to visit Senior Liu Ren.
Pushing open the Doorway, Zhang Qian unexpectedly saw a familiar figure, “Wang Shijin?”
Wang Shijin was calm, “This old man is one of the few doctors who has dealt with the Supernatural; what’s so strange about being here?”
“Oh, then have you found a way to wake up the Senior?”
“No.”
“As expected, Doctor Wang.”
Zhang Qian ignored him and walked to the bedside to observe Director Liu’s Body condition.
At this moment, Liu Ren’s complexion had improved a lot, and the Wound on his hand had been carefully treated; theoretically, he should have woken up long ago.
But all the test results showed Liu Ren’s vital signs were very low.
“It’s like he’s been anesthetized…” Zhang Qian put down the Information from the checks and placed his hand on Director Liu’s left hand.
“This should be the Influence of the Supernatural, right?” Wang Shijin came over to observe, “Do you have a way to solve it?”
After people discovered the Existence of Ghosts, they conveniently labeled Traditional Chinese Medicine as mysterious too, since both had some Relation to “tradition.”
Even Headquarters had asked Wang Shijin about this, but he wanted to say his Master really hadn’t taught him how to deal with Ghosts, which weren’t scientific.
“I have some ideas, but success isn’t guaranteed.” Zhang Qian hadn’t known what to do before, but this trip to the Tattoo Parlor had given him some ideas.
Now Zhang Qian’s ghost-beating came with a dizziness buff; theoretically, as long as he reasonably controlled the output frequency, clearing the Supernatural Power from Senior Liu Ren’s Body shouldn’t be much of a problem.
