In the profound darkness, Yang Xiao’s mind was suddenly flooded with many strange things. This dreary world, void of any vitality or color, was the real ghost world. And the girl before him was the true ghost.
The long line of ghost children, including those who had died tragically, were just an external form. But this girl was the "essence."
Donning the Nether Garnt, it was as if he had also rged into this ghostly realm. He seed... He seed to have beco a ghost too, cold, shadowy, indifferent, and stiff—as a human’s emotions rapidly vanished, "Is this... what it feels like to use the Resentful Eye?"
If he continued like this, he might lose himself, allowing sothing entirely incomprehensible to occupy his empty shell.
The girl holding the lantern seed to notice Yang Xiao too. She abandoned her attack on Doctor Wang and began to turn around, the dismal green light retracting with her.
Yang Xiao knew that next, the girl would attack him. A force compelled his hand to grab at his clothing, and a piece of white square-holed paper money appeared in his hand.
Yang Xiao himself was shocked. He looked down; the Nether Garnt indeed had paper money on it, but those were embroidered with silver threads, not real paper money. Yet now, he had sohow "taken" paper money that was supposed to be embroidered onto the Nether Garnt.
There was no ti to think. Another irresistible will reminded him, and an impulse surged in his heart to affix the paper money to the girl’s body.
And that’s what he did.
The mysterious appearance of the paper money and the will that erged in his mind were but an instant. The girl had only turned halfway, her hair in a high braid spilling out to reveal a coffin nail through the top of her skull. Yang Xiao was faster, pressing the paper money onto the girl’s back with one motion.
The paper money stuck to the girl, and Yang Xiao swiftly retreated, but to no avail. The girl, now with the white paper money affixed, continued to turn, her empty, blood-drenched eye sockets facing Yang Xiao.
The lantern in her hand suddenly emitted a burst of green light, engulfing Yang Xiao. At that mont, he felt resigned to his grim fate; at such close range, there was no way he could dodge.
He was about to die, and he was scared. But in this instant, he felt even more guilt for having implicated Beibei and Da Xiong; now everyone was going to die here.
Suddenly, the green light that was about to envelop Yang Xiao halted. The girl, as if sensing sothing, abruptly turned to face the depths of the mist.
Sothing stirred in the depths of the fog, as it incessantly roiled and receded. The next second, countless square-holed paper money floated out of the mist like snowflakes. A procession of mourners wearing sackcloth and filial piety headbands burst forth from within. Their faces were painted with strange makeup, looking like paper effigies, moving rigidly and followed by a big red coffin.
It was the funeral procession from Yang Xiao’s bizarre dream!
The procession charged straight toward the girl with incredible speed. The big red coffin slamd into her, and in the mont of impact, both the girl and the Green Lantern vanished, and the eerie funeral procession didn’t stop. It continued to march until it disappeared into the fog on the other side.
Yang Xiao’s vision went dark, and he lost consciousness.
After an indeterminate amount of ti, he awoke to the sensation of jostling. He slowly opened his eyes, his eyelids heavy, struggling to pry them open even a little.
"Captain! Captain’s awake!" Beibei’s excited voice rang out.
"Captain, just hold on a little longer; we’re almost there!" The person carrying him said, panting. Yang Xiao rembered—it was Da Xiong’s voice.
The whole group was running rapidly, with a woman leading the way at the front. Yang Xiao couldn’t see clearly, but it must be Su Tingting; she and he were the only ones who knew the way.
Yang Xiao turned his head slightly, noting that his Drama Robe was no longer on him, "My... my clothes..."
"Captain, we’ve kept your Drama Robe safe; it’s in the backpack, don’t worry!" Da Xiong responded. "Captain’s got so hidden depths; we’ve really had our eyes opened today!"
Having finally found the hourglass, the group scattered. At this mont, Yang Xiao had also regained so strength, and his mind was much clearer.
They quickly ford a circle around the sand in the hourglass, which was nearly gone. Da Xiong took a deep breath, turned the hourglass over, and everyone involuntarily closed their eyes.
When they opened their eyes again, they were inside a concrete house, "We’re back!" Beibei exclaid excitedly, jumping on the spot.
Yes, they had all returned. Only Yan Junyang had not. Le Zhengshan’s eyes were red with tears; she crouched there, her captain had died in another world.
Da Xiong used Le Zhengshan’s equipnt and donned the headset to scan the area. After a mont, he finally exhaled a sigh of relief, "No abnormal signals, it’s confird—the entity has been contained, the supernatural event resolved."
Recalling the scene just now, Yang Xiao was still filled with lingering fear, "Beibei, Da Xiong, what did you all see?"
He wanted to confirm once more; otherwise, the recent events felt like a dream.
"Captain, you put on that Nether Garnt and then jumped out to hit that child ghost with the lantern; then... not long after, all those ghosts just vanished, they just disappeared!" Beibei’s voice overflowed with emotion.
Yang Xiao: "...What is this ss?"
Gathering his composure, he cautiously asked, "Didn’t you see anything else appear? Were there any other ghosts or paper figures?"
"What paper figures?" Beibei and Da Xiong were utterly bewildered.
Yang Xiao had a hunch, it seed that so things could only be seen by those wearing the Drama Robe, no, more precisely, the Nether Garnt.
He would have never guessed that the Nether Garnt was used like this. Excitent began to surge within him; it was indeed a treasure. Once he donned the Nether Garnt, he could rge into the ghostly world and see the "true nature" of ghosts. For instance, among the chain of child ghosts, only the one holding the lantern was key. As long as it was suppressed, the entire issue would be resolved.
Then there were the square-holed paper money embroidered on the Nether Garnt, which turned out to be detachable. Placing it on a ghost served as a kind of marker, after which he could summon the funeral procession team to take the marked ghost away directly in the Blood Coffin.
"This isn’t just a bit incredible, my Nether Garnt brother, I have underestimated you." Yang Xiao, holding the backpack containing the Nether Garnt, had a myriad of thoughts racing through his mind.
"Since none of you saw anything, I can’t say too much when I get back. This thing is clearly a treasure, and if others co to know of it, it would likely bring disaster upon ." Yang Xiao roughly had an idea; currently too weak, he aid to completely control the artifact. Promotion and wealth were soon within reach; without a monthly salary of 50,000, they couldn’t expect to keep him.
Footsteps echoed in the corridor outside, eventually stopping at the door, "Is anyone there?"
"Who are you?" Beibei was highly alert.
"I’m Fang Guoyi, the person in charge here." The man outside replied, "According to our detection report, the paranormal event has been resolved, and it’s safe here now, please rest assured!"
"It’s Professor Fang!" Doctor Wang recognized the voice of the newcor.
Only after receiving Yang Xiao’s permission did Doctor Wang slowly open the door, and indeed, several people were standing outside, with a middle-aged man in a black trench coat at the front, whom Yang Xiao had t not long ago.
Blood pooled in a large puddle on the floor in front of the door, and there was a body covered with a white cloth in the corridor, with soone crouching in front of it, examining and taking pictures.
As they made their way out, they occasionally saw one or two bodies covered with white cloth, totaling no less than ten.
"What are the casualties?" Yang Xiao inquired.
Fang Guoyi pursed his lips tightly and finally let out a slow breath, "Very severe. Other than you few, no survivors were found in the entire building."
"We have reported the casualties to the authorities above and have preliminarily categorized this incident as a B-level paranormal event with a Serious Level threat. We lost more than a dozen of our people, including one highly experienced captain. The loss cannot be seen as anything but severe."
"Right, the Resentful Eye needs to be dealt with as soon as possible, otherwise..."
Fang Guoyi gestured for Yang Xiao not to rush, "Captain Yang, please rest assured. The technical departnt is searching the entire building. I believe it won’t take long to confirm the exact location of the Resentful Eye and contain it."
"That’s good." Yang Xiao’s biggest concern was the Green Lantern, which was evidently a very powerful Resentful Eye. If it got out of control again, the trouble would be significant.
Just as the group was about to leave the building, Fang Guoyi stopped Su Tingting, "Miss Su, please stay behind for a mont, we need to conduct a further examination on you."
"Another check?" Su Tingting was clearly afraid.
"Hmm, but rest assured, there should be no problem now; the paranormal event has been resolved, but we prefer to be more cautious. I hope you understand." Fang Guoyi took a tablet from his assistant and played a video clip, "In the video, three people sat side by side, two n and a woman, as if they had rehearsed, they said in unison: ’Our school’s excellent student, Su Tingting, please rest assured. The school fully supports your work and has specially approved a week of leave for you. If that’s not enough, it can be extended. Any courses you take will not be counted as absences, you’ll get full marks for daily participation, and for the exams...’"
"Who are all these people?" Yang Xiao was curious.
After a mont of silence, Su Tingting said, "The dean, a professor, and an instructor from our college."
Fang Guoyi signaled his assistant to put away the computer and said with gravity, "We have already spoken to your school. As long as you cooperate with us, once this is over, you’ll be the outstanding student representative next sester, a scholarship recipient, with priority for postgraduate recomndation."
"But... but I’d like to go first..." Su Tingting resisted; she felt like she was being used as a guinea pig for so experint.
Fang Guoyi didn’t waste words and took back the tablet, playing another video. It was still those three people, in the sa place, but their attitude was entirely different, "Su Tingting, representing the school, we formally notify you that due to your failing professional courses and repeated failures to improve, long-term associations with non-school-related individuals, we are now advising you to withdraw from the school."
Su Tingting: "!!??"
"Miss Su, the choice of where to go from here is yours to make," Fang Guoyi said without any indication of coercion.
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