Chapter 29: The Eerie Dream
Headquarters.
In an office.
“According to Liu Yi’s report, Black Eight Club President Lin Qian’s fierce ghost has the ability to hide inside living people’s bodies.”
“That bridge-jumping survivor must have triggered the fierce ghost’s killing pattern and became Lin Qian’s body to escape the ghost domain.”
“This is Lin Qian’s investigation file, from Dayuan City to Da Jiang City’s itinerary, as well as call records.”
“Minister, this involves Little Strong Club in Da Chang City. Little Strong Club’s founder is Wang Xiaoqiang, Professor Wang’s younger brother.”
Zhao Jianguo handed a file to Cao Yanhua.
Cao Yanhua, headquarters deputy minister, in charge of all ghost controller scheduling and allocation at headquarters.
The other party picked up the file and flipped through it.
First, the other party looked at headquarters’ evaluation of Lin Qian.
“In order to survive, he kills survivors without hesitation. Evaluation: unscrupulous, selfish, only for himself.”
After reading this evaluation, Cao Yanhua’s eyes narrowed slightly. He turned back and started reading from the beginning.
From inference to confirmation to strength assessment, very detailed.
After finishing the file, Cao Yanhua put down the file and looked at Zhao Jianguo.
“A ghost controller who controls two ghosts, and a civilian ghost controller at that.”
“Logically speaking, this is definitely a talent, but his personality is too cold-blooded. Although it’s understandable for survival, this kind of person, as long as he encounters danger and sees a chance to survive, can betray anyone at any time.”
“Zhao Jianguo, how do you think such a person should be handled?”
“It must be comprehensive, considering headquarters’ current situation, and whether Professor Wang instructed it.”
As he spoke, Cao Yanhua’s gaze fell on the file again. “Moreover, you inferred that he possesses the method of controlling fierce ghosts. What is the basis for this inference?”
Zhao Jianguo remained calm upon hearing this.
“Minister, as for how to handle Lin Qian, given headquarters’ current situation, it will definitely be recruitment first.”
“Although his personality is cold-blooded, unscrupulous for survival, hesitating not at all to sacrifice survivors to gain a chance to survive for himself.”
“Although the situation is bad, in my view, talent can be an exception.”
“Even the international police recruited by headquarters from civilians, after headquarters’ training, still have their evil roots.”
“For example, Da Jiang City person in charge, international police Liu Lin, who has already sacrificed.”
“Of course, Minister, he has already sacrificed, so what I’m saying now is a bit inappropriate.”
“But as an example, he is the best choice.”
Cao Yanhua frowned slightly upon hearing this. “Continue.”
Zhao Jianguo relaxed.
“Take Liu Lin as an example. During his time as Da Jiang City person in charge, he handled a total of three supernatural events, all C-level supernatural events.”
“Liu Lin handled this kind of supernatural event very easily, but from the survivor survival rate, in the three supernatural events, the survivor survival rate was only eleven percent.”
“In other words, in Liu Lin’s handling of supernatural events, out of a hundred people, only eleven can survive, and moreover, those who survived all went insane.”
“As for why it was like this.”
Zhao Jianguo took out a file and handed it to Cao Yanhua.
“This is the call records recorded by the operator when Liu Lin handled the supernatural event.”
“It details how Liu Lin made survivors explore the fierce ghost’s killing pattern, thereby avoiding the fierce ghost’s killing pattern, and then the entire process of detaining it.”
Cao Yanhua’s eyes flickered slightly as he flipped through the file Zhao Jianguo handed over.
His expression gradually became cold.
“In my view, Liu Lin, and most ghost controllers recruited from civilians, have similar behaviors.”
“Unscrupulous for survival, there is no problem with that.”
“Although Lin Qian’s actions are vile and cold-blooded, it was also for survival. Moreover, those survivors, without Lin Qian and the members under him cooperating with Liu Lin to lead them out of the hotel and attempting to detain that fierce ghost once.”
“Those survivors absolutely could not hold out until support arrived.”
“Moreover, Lin Qian’s final delaying action allowed Liu Yi to successfully leave the ghost domain, avoiding headquarters losing a ghost controller who can handle A-level supernatural events.”
“Although Lin Qian’s true intention in staying may not be as I said, in my view, he has already done more than enough.”
“Of course, I’m not excusing Lin Qian, just stating what I think and understand.”
“Lin Qian’s behavior is absolutely not worth promoting.”
Cao Yanhua put down the file; he already understood Zhao Jianguo’s meaning.
The other party spoke in circles, logical and evidence-based, but the ultimate result was definitely aimed at recruiting Lin Qian.
“So your idea is?” Cao Yanhua asked.
“Send someone to contact Lin Qian, then absorb him into headquarters. His awareness in handling supernatural events is absolutely top-level, and he controls two ghosts.”
The expected answer, Cao Yanhua was not surprised at all. If it were him, he would do the same.
After all, this is a ghost controller who came from civilians, and he controls two ghosts.
“Let’s put this aside for now. The file infers that he possesses the method of controlling fierce ghosts. I saw the inference process; it’s logical and evidence-based, with high possibility, but no evidence.”
“Zhao Jianguo, as headquarters captain, in charge of ghost controller scheduling, you know headquarters’ current situation very well.”
“You should know how significant this matter is to headquarters.”
Cao Yanhua’s eyes turned slightly, staring at Zhao Jianguo.
Zhao Jianguo nodded solemnly. “I know, so I returned that ghost to Black Eight Club.”
“This is not only to win over Lin Qian, but also to test if he possesses the method of controlling fierce ghosts as I inferred.”
“I have arranged for people to keep watching Lin Qian at all times.”
“After he gets that ghost, what he can do is nothing more than store the ghost, give it to someone else to control, or sell it for transaction. If the latter two don’t happen, then there are only two possibilities: he stored the ghost, or he controlled that ghost.”
“You lean toward the last one, right.” Cao Yanhua’s expression had already become solemn.
The other party’s arrangement satisfied him very much.
He knew very well that once their most desired result appears, how great Lin Qian’s value to headquarters would be.
Value that is hard to imagine.
Once this matter is known, the whole world will be shaken.
Just like Professor Wang back then.
“That’s right.” Zhao Jianguo nodded. Not only did he lean toward the last possibility, Cao Yanhua did too.
“Little Strong Club may already know. If Little Strong Club knows, Professor Wang may also know.”
“According to recent monitored calls, Little Strong Club needs Lin Qian to complete a task, and the task’s reward is the method of suppressing fierce ghost revival.”
Cao Yanhua’s eyes narrowed slightly. “They are also testing.”
Zhao Jianguo nodded again. “Yes, they are also testing. If Lin Qian refuses this task, it means he doesn’t need the method of suppressing fierce ghost revival at all; he has it himself.”
“If he agrees, that’s fine too; it can just let him help complete the task.”
“If he completes it, and he wants to suppress fierce ghost revival, he can only be researched by Professor Wang. If he doesn’t want that but wants something else instead, the result is the same as refusing the task.”
“If he fails, then pretend nothing happened.”
“This is a task where you can’t lose, and you’ll always get your desired result. For Little Strong Club—no, for Professor Wang, it’s a sure-profit deal.”
“Professor Wang won’t let go of any possibility.”
Upon hearing this, Cao Yanhua nodded. “I get your idea now.”
“It’s about seeing whose result comes out first.”
“Wait for the result, then decide whether to recruit Lin Qian.”
“Yes, Minister.” Zhao Jianguo said.
“You’ve done very well. Proceed just like this.”
“I’m very expectant of this unknown answer.” Cao Yanhua said with a subtle expression.
At this moment, Lin Qian still didn’t know that his every move was being waited for by someone.
……
……
“Headquarters did something decent.”
Jiang Liuli had already left.
This time he didn’t lose too much.
If headquarters could send him Liu Lin’s ghost, or that female ghost, he wouldn’t just not lose, he’d profit.
Of course, this was just wishful thinking.
Actually, what interested him most was the ghost on Liu Yi.
If he wasn’t afraid of headquarters’ wanted order, he would have killed Liu Yi in the ghost domain and controlled the ghost on her.
But there was no opportunity then.
If it was before Liu Lin died, he could have tried.
But after Liu Lin died, once he appeared, he would be attacked by the fierce ghost; he couldn’t withstand the fierce ghost’s attack.
Moreover, even if he controlled Liu Yi’s ghost, he couldn’t send those survivors out.
Once the ghost targets him, the ghost domain exit’s position would keep changing.
He couldn’t get out at all, let alone send the survivors out.
His ability to leave the ghost domain alive was thanks to those survivors.
All those survivors triggered his ghost performer’s curse.
That is, broken body rebirth.
His method of hiding in living bodies at that time was the fierce ghost’s killing pattern.
Hiding inside a person’s body in an absolutely supernatural manner.
“Perhaps, I should have gambled back then.”
Lin Qian’s eyes flickered; he felt he should have gambled on withstanding one fierce ghost attack, then finding Liu Lin’s ghost in the ghost domain.
“No, I’d die.” Lin Qian dismissed the idea as soon as he thought of it.
He’d definitely die. Even if he could withstand once, he absolutely couldn’t withstand a second. As long as he didn’t use the curse to leave, he would die.
Lin Qian shook his head; he knew thinking this was just because he felt he had lost.
But thinking from another angle, he was still alive. Compared to Wu Xun and Liu Lin, he had already gained a life.
No longer thinking about these past matters.
“Circle of Friends, Little Strong Club, headquarters…”
“Currently, Little Strong Club is waiting for my reply. Circle of Friends told me to contact them if I encounter trouble.”
“Now, headquarters hasn’t contacted me yet.”
Three forces: headquarters, Circle of Friends, Little Strong Club. The person represented behind Little Strong Club is Wang Xiao Ming, and Wang Xiao Ming’s stance is headquarters.
So it can be said that currently, the ones he has contact with are Circle of Friends and headquarters.
“Jiang Liuli… Circle of Friends person.”
“Join headquarters or Circle of Friends?”
Lin Qian wouldn’t even consider it.
He now controls three ghosts; his strength can easily handle some B-level events, and even A-level supernatural events he can handle, as long as it’s not the terror level or killing pattern that counters him.
Be a workhorse for others?
Then why not work hard to develop his own force?
Fang Shiming could build Circle of Friends into the domestic third force; why couldn’t he?
Thinking of this, Lin Qian began to assess his current force.
For a ghost controller force, whether it’s strong or not, first look at the leader’s strength and the subordinates’ strength.
This is substance and face.
Some organizations have substance, and with that, face comes.
But some forces have only face, no substance, like Black Eight Club; Wang Zelong is trash, and the members below are weak too.
But some forces have both face and substance, like Supernatural Forum.
The other party’s president, Ye Zhen, is both substance and face.
“My strength still needs improvement, the number of ghost controllers under me needs to increase, and their strength needs to be passable.”
Lin Qian knew very well this would take a long time.
However, first, he needed to improve his own strength.
He hadn’t forgotten there was a ghost that could appear beside him at any time, kill him, and take his ghosts.
So…
He had to go to Wang Xiaoqiang’s side; he didn’t need the method of suppressing fierce ghost revival, but he needed ghosts.
Some things couldn’t be discussed over the phone.
They needed to meet in person.
Besides, this really was an opportunity.
Thinking this, Lin Qian stood up and walked into the bedroom.
……
Under the moonlight, the grassland undulated, stretching for miles. The sky was dotted with stars, surrounded by fireflies flickering their tail lights.
Lin Qian lay on the grass, hands behind his head, gazing at the starry sky.
A gentle breeze blew, green grass swayed, fireflies flew and flickered.
Comfortable, serene, peaceful.
But suddenly!
The surrounding environment instantly darkened.
The grass disappeared, fireflies extinguished in a blink, Lin Qian was dazed. When he reacted, he was already sitting on a red stool.
The darkness was profound; the dim environment made the yellow mud road eerie.
Just one glance made one feel uneasy.
And in front of him, an old opera stage had appeared at some point.
In the dim world, figures moved on the opera stage.
Lin Qian widened his eyes, staring deadly at the figure on the opera stage.
Indistinct, yet clear: a faceless person in opera costume.
The person moved among the shadows on the opera stage.
Splash~!
Suddenly, water sounds rang out. Lin Qian was stunned, then his pupils shrank sharply.
Black water suddenly surged out on the opera stage.
In the blink of an eye, the black water submerged the opera stage.
The black water was sinister and eerie, seemingly endless, constantly bubbling from the opera stage.
In an instant, everything including the opera stage was submerged.
And just as he was about to be swallowed by the black water.
Lin Qian sat up abruptly, gasping heavily.
In the room, Lin Qian looked around in terror. “Dream?”
At this moment, Taiping Ancient Town.
