Chapter 35: Time Is Precious, End It Quickly
Chapter 35: Time Is Precious, End It Quickly
“May I ask a presumptuous question? How confident are you in catching the ghost that harmed people?”
Zhu Chun’an had heard clients ask this sort of question more than once and had long since accumulated plenty of experience.
“Maintaining the balance between the yin and yang realms is our duty. If my abilities prove insufficient and I fail to live up to your expectations, the department will contact a stronger Celestial Master to take over. Since the Special Investigation Department has accepted the mission, there is absolutely no reason for us to leave before it is completed. On this point, you may rest assured. We will definitely capture the evil entity causing trouble!”
Zhu Chun’an’s words could be considered a guarantee.
“It’s not that I doubt your abilities. It’s just that when I think about how the old lady was killed by something filthy, and is still suffering after death, it pains me as her son.”
Mrs. Lu also said from the side, “A few days ago, I dreamed about Mother too. She kept saying she died unjustly, that someone had murdered her, and that she hurt everywhere...”
The couple both felt uneasy the moment they saw Zhu Chun’an and the others.
The two young people looked like university students.
At their age, how much skill in ghost hunting could they possibly have?
In their impression, truly powerful Taoist practitioners should be dressed in Taoist robes, with white hair and youthful faces.
Mrs. Lu even suspected the two of them had only come to swindle a deposit, and if they couldn’t defeat the fierce ghost, they might simply pat their bottoms and leave.
After hearing this guarantee, she felt much more at ease.
Zhu Chun’an had seen this sort of doubt many times and did not argue with the Lu couple.
“The deceased was your close relative. Anxiety is only natural. Time is of the essence. Could the two of you take me to see the scene of the incident?”
Mrs. Lu nodded vigorously.
Just as they were about to go upstairs, Pei Ye suddenly reached out and grabbed Zhu Chun’an.
The latter obediently stopped walking.
“Dad, Mom, why did you really bring two swindlers here?”
Accompanied by the sound of tap tap footsteps, a gorgeous woman in silk pajamas came down from the second floor.
The eldest daughter of the Lu family had exquisite and alluring makeup.
As she approached, her expensive perfume filled everyone’s nose.
“What swindlers? These two Celestial Masters are experts we went through great difficulty to invite here to catch ghosts and eliminate evil. They’re here to save your grandmother.”
Lu Jinzhong was somewhat angry.
He wanted to scold her, but with outsiders present, it was not convenient to say too much.
Miss Lu snorted coldly.
“The country promotes the elimination of feudal superstition. After the founding of the nation, animals weren’t allowed to become spirits! You swindlers should at least put some effort into your lies and show a little professional ethics, okay?”
Zhu Chun’an said, “If you don’t believe me, I have identification issued by the Celestial Masters Alliance.”
Miss Lu crossed her arms over her chest.
Her gorgeous face was full of disdain.
“Celestial Masters Alliance? What alliance? Looks more like a cult organization to me. If you don’t leave my house right now, I’ll call the police and report you for promoting feudal superstition and spreading cult ideology! Trying to scam my family’s money? Before you scam people, at least check whether your intelligence is high enough!”
Lu Jinzhong’s face darkened with anger.
His daughter believed in science and possessed a natural disgust toward all forms of superstition.
His efforts to contact the Special Investigation Department had already met with fierce opposition from his daughter.
Now she was confronting the Celestial Masters directly.
“My apologies, esteemed experts. My daughter has been spoiled and doesn’t understand the rules of your profession. She’s made a fool of herself. Please don’t be offended.”
Miss Lu rolled her eyes.
He really was her biological father.
He was so shrewd in business, so how had he been fooled by two swindlers?
She did not waste time and immediately pulled out her phone, preparing to call the police.
“I’m giving you time to leave my house. Otherwise, I’ll really call and have you arrested.”
Zhu Chun’an said, “If Miss Lu wants to make the call, then go ahead. But please don’t interfere with our investigation. Mr. Lu, please lead the way.”
Seeing how fearless he was, Miss Lu became even angrier.
Pei Ye poked the hamster Xiao Pangzi on Zhu Chun’an’s shoulder.
The little fellow’s fur instantly stood on end in fright.
“Say a few words to her.”
Miss Lu stopped dialing and asked in return, “Say what?”
With tears in his eyes, Xiao Pangzi also asked Pei Ye, “What does Senior want to hear?”
Everyone: “???”
The one who had just spoken was...
A hamster?
Pei Ye lifted the pitiful hamster that had curled itself into a ball and said expressionlessly, “Anything is fine. For example, praise this beautiful and glamorous young lady.”
“She’s not pretty. I can’t say it.”
Xiao Pangzi awkwardly hugged his little paws.
“The seniors at the Spirit Bureau taught me to be honest. People don’t like hearing lies.”
Miss Lu looked at the hamster’s opening and closing mouth, then at the tightly shut mouths of Zhu Chun’an and Pei Ye.
She ruled out the possibility of ventriloquism.
Besides...
“What’s wrong with me? How am I not pretty?”
Xiao Pangzi asked matter-of-factly, “You don’t have fur. What’s pretty about that?”
From a hamster spirit’s perspective, female hamsters were naturally the most beautiful.
Humans who had not even finished shedding their fur could never be considered attractive.
What counted as beautiful?
First, one had to have a pair of small black eyes, ears covered in soft and delicate fur, short legs, wide feet, a thick short tail, and a plump body.
No matter from which angle he looked, this Miss Lu’s appearance ran completely contrary to his aesthetic standards.
Not only was she not beautiful, she was ugly to the extreme!
He was a kind spirit.
Humans were all fragile, after all.
Words like ugly freak could not be casually spoken to human women.
Everyone: “...”
Miss Lu was so shocked that she didn’t even notice her phone falling to the floor and rolling away with a series of clack clack clack clack sounds.
The hamster...
Had really spoken human language...
Pei Ye shattered over twenty years of Miss Lu’s worldview in the simplest possible manner.
She said lightly, “This is a hamster that has become a spirit.”
Miss Lu grabbed the railing of the spiral staircase tightly, afraid she might fall down the stairs.
“If spirits exist in this world, then ghosts naturally exist as well, and there are naturally Celestial Masters who handle supernatural incidents.”
Pei Ye asked her, “Does Miss Lu have any further doubts?”
Miss Lu: “...”
Zhu Chun’an looked at Xiao Pangzi, who was being held by Pei Ye.
A complicated expression appeared on his youthful face.
Pei Ye returned the hamster, who had shrunk into the shape of a quail, to Zhu Chun’an.
“A Celestial Master’s time is very valuable. We charge by the minute once we appear. There’s no need to waste time on petty arguments like this.”
If they didn’t believe, then provide evidence until they did.
Simple, direct, efficient.
Most importantly, it avoided explaining the same thing over and over like a repeating machine.
“What Senior says makes sense. This junior has been taught.”
Lu Jinzhong had originally thought Zhu Chun’an was the leader.
Now he realized it was actually Pei Ye.
Compared to Pei Ye’s cold aloofness, Zhu Chun’an’s reactions were much warmer and more approachable.
Miss Lu’s emotions were complicated.
While her worldview was being rebuilt, she had no choice but to accept reality.
“My grandmother... was she really killed by a ghost?”
Miss Lu did not dare approach Pei Ye, who stood there with her arms crossed like a lord.
Instead, Zhu Chun’an was much easier to talk to.
Lu Jinzhong rebuked her, “Nuannuan, don’t disturb the masters!”
Zhu Chun’an said, “It’s fine. No problem.”
“A fierce ghost has indeed been here!”
He put away his investigation compass and spoke to Mr. Lu with a solemn expression.
“When ordinary yin entities remain in a place, that location becomes contaminated with their aura. Such traces usually dissipate after one or two days of exposure to sunlight. Yet so many days have passed, and there is still residual yin energy here. This shows just how deep the obsession in that evil entity’s heart is. Excessively deep obsessions can easily lead one down a wicked path and result in harm to others. In my opinion, I’m afraid it won’t be easy to deal with...”
Upon hearing these words, Lu Jinzhong’s heart immediately sank halfway.