Chapter 48: Two Ghost Candles
Zhang Qian frowned as he looked at Li Yan’s physical condition.
“You look even worse than last time, completely just skin and bones. Doesn’t Headquarters worry that you’ll have Fierce Ghost Revival and drop dead halfway if they send an injured person like you on a mission?”
“Don’t jinx me…” Li Yan plopped down on the chair, somewhat out of breath, “I’ve already been on vacation. This time I just came over to deliver the reward that Headquarters promised you.”
He clearly hadn’t walked far, but he was already starting to break out in cold sweat.
Generally, after a Ghost Controller approaches Resurgence, their body will also transform toward a ghost, but Li Yan just looked like a longtime heavy smoker who was frail and had no Ghost Controller appearance at all.
He was just about to start the treatment, so he might as well have Feng Quan invite Li Yan to be the first batch of clients…
“Where’s the reward?” Zhang Qian asked, then pointed at the briefcase Li Yan was carrying, “It can’t be just this much, right?”
“Uh… is she your girlfriend?” Li Yan didn’t open the box directly but pointed at Jiang Yu Xin and asked.
“Not yet.” Jiang Yu Xin looked to Zhang Qian for his opinion, “Should I go out and wait for you first?”
“No need.” Zhang Qian grabbed Jiang Yu Xin who wanted to leave.
If he let her go now, what if she ran away later? He still needed to figure out whether to kill or keep her before deciding.
“Tsk tsk tsk, good luck.” Li Yan was a bit envious, “Young people are full of energy. Back in my day…”
“Let’s talk about my reward first. Why is there so little?” Zhang Qian interrupted.
“Heh heh, don’t complain it’s too little. This thing is strategic material that could very likely change the world pattern in the future and overturn the way people handle supernatural matters. Even Professor Wang has no right to allocate it directly,” Li Yan said.
He didn’t keep them in suspense and cleared a corner of the table, pulling the briefcase onto the tabletop.
“Click.”
The black briefcase opened with a click, revealing two blood-red candles wrapped in white cotton, with gold candlesticks equipped at the bottom of the candles.
In the small compartment next to them were several gold lighters and a box of matches.
Zhang Qian had some expectations at first, but when he saw that it was just candles inside, he was immediately stunned.
“That’s it?” Zhang Qian asked in some disbelief, “I resolved such a big Supernatural Event, and even provided intelligence on controlling a second ghost. Are two candles supposed to send me off?”
He observed carefully and didn’t detect any supernatural aura. The texture when he touched it was no different from ordinary candles.
Except for being a bit more scarlet, it was completely like ordinary candles.
“Is the wick of this candle made of gold, or is the wax made of gold? And…”
Zhang Qian picked up the other candle and said speechlessly, “This thing has even been used? Is there any need to be so stingy?”
Even giving two candles was fine, but one of them was actually six-one short. It would have been more straightforward to give two ghosts.
Li Yan had a mysterious look on his face, “I didn’t think this was anything good at first either, but the value of these candles is indeed much higher than a Fierce Ghost.”
“Introduce it.” Zhang Qian stuffed the candle back into the box, “If it’s not worth it, I’m returning it.”
Li Yan said, “This is the latest achievement from Professor Wang’s laboratory. The current output is very low, the quantity is extremely scarce, and its value is inestimable. Professor Wang calls it: Ghost Candle.”
“The name is very intimidating. So what’s its effect?” Zhang Qian asked.
“Its effect is very simple. As long as you light this candle, within the range covered by the candlelight, people can be guaranteed not to be killed by a Fierce Ghost, in absolute safety,” Li Yan said.
“Oh~ I see.” Zhang Qian nodded and prepared to put the thing away.
Li Yan originally had a face full of expectation, but seeing Zhang Qian not care at all, he was dumbfounded, “Don’t you feel shocked? This thing can make you immune to Fierce Ghost attacks. Ordinary people holding it are invincible in front of a Fierce Ghost, let alone a Ghost Controller.”
“What’s so shocking about this.” Zhang Qian gave him a strange look, “Isn’t it just a Magic Treasure? And a one-time use one at that. What’s so strange?”
Although he hadn’t seen it before, he had heard of many powerful Magic Treasures, like the soul-destroying Death Note, the Primordial Suppression Immortal Slaying Four Swords, and such…
But Wang Xiaoming being able to develop a Magic Treasure with a mortal body was pretty impressive.
Gold weapons were still not very handy. He could ask him to design a weapon later.
“You’re something…” Li Yan originally wanted to see Zhang Qian shocked, but he didn’t expect his train of thought to be so peculiar.
“This thing should have been tested, right?” Zhang Qian asked.
“Of course. How could Headquarters give you a half-finished product as a reward.” Li Yan came back to his senses and began introducing the Ghost Candle, “The effect of the Ghost Candle has been verified in multiple Supernatural Events. No matter how terrifying the Fierce Ghost, it can’t bypass the Ghost Candle to attack the people inside. As long as the flame is still burning, the people in the candlelight are invincible.”
“How long can it last?” Zhang Qian asked.
With such a powerful effect, if the duration was a bit longer, wouldn’t it be invincible.
One per person, directly dragging the Fierce Ghost into the Golden Box. Who would need Ghost Controllers then? Ordinary people could resolve Supernatural Events.
Li Yan recalled the records and hesitated, “Can’t be certain. Depending on the situation encountered, the Ghost Candle’s burning speed varies. The more terrifying the ghost, the faster the Ghost Candle burns, but no matter what, it should last at least half an hour without issue.”
“Only that short?” Zhang Qian said in surprise, “Can I get two more?”
“Half an hour is just a conservative estimate. In reality, it should last quite a bit longer,” Li Yan explained, “Professor Wang did experiments. He held the Ghost Candle under two Ghost Hands for more than ten minutes and only used one-sixth.”
“Wang Xiaoming actually used himself for experiments?” Zhang Qian was a bit surprised.
“Professor Wang always has great confidence in his successful experiments, and his methods are a bit radical,” Li Yan said with some sigh. When he was Wang Xiaoming’s bodyguard before, it wasn’t easy at all.
In the early supernatural period, Wang Xiaoming often went to the scene in person and ran all over the country. Li Yan was exhausted like a dead dog, but Wang Xiaoming still had the energy to do experiments, enviably vigorous.
“So this Ghost Candle is the one he used and left?”
“Yes.” Li Yan comforted, “But you don’t need to feel shortchanged. This Ghost Candle is considered a gift from Professor Wang. Originally, only one could be allocated to you, but this one was counted as experimental loss.”
“I see, then I have to thank him,” Zhang Qian said.
One Ghost Candle really wasn’t easy to split. Who knew if it would still work after being cut.
Now with two, he could keep one at home and carry one with him.
Li Yan shrugged, “Professor Wang knew you’d say that, so he asked me to tell you that if you want to express thanks, go to the experimental base as soon as possible to accompany him in experiments. The venue is already set up, just waiting for you.”
