Chapter 49: Meeting
Chapter 49: Meeting
Time flew by. The dim dusk spread in from all directions, and the afterglow of the setting sun gradually vanished beyond the horizon.
The night wind blew gently. The vast campus resembled a beast crouching upon the ground, closing its eyes.
Under the cover of night, X University became a little colder and more sinister, like ice water poured down the back of one’s neck in the height of summer, making people shiver all over.
“The back hill is quite lively.”
The trees on the back hill rustled in the night wind, while the cold white streetlights cast fragmented, scattered shadows.
Pei Ye and Zhu Chun’an walked along the gravel path. Ahead of them were several pairs of figures leaning against one another.
As night fell, the once quiet campus gradually became noisy again, filled with moving silhouettes, laughter, and chatter.
“L, lively?”
The principal had changed into casual clothes. Hearing those words, his legs nearly turned to noodles.
On the verge of tears, he looked toward Zhu Chun’an, who hesitated for a second before slowly nodding.
The principal’s heartbeat accelerated. He nearly rolled his eyes and passed out from lack of breath.
Other than the three living people here, who else could there be on this back hill? How could it possibly be considered lively?
As he was thinking this, a slender hand radiating warmth appeared in his field of vision. Its fingertips traced something through the air so quickly that afterimages remained behind.
“Now you’ll be able to see them.”
The cold female voice spoke those words. The frightened principal’s right knee gave way, and he dropped to one knee.
See what?
His eyes were tightly shut, but he could not resist opening a narrow slit.
The sight before him nearly scared the few remaining hairs off his head.
The previously silent hillside was now filled with numerous figures, most of them cuddling close together.
Principal: “???”
Zhu Chun’an handed the hamster Xiao Pangzi and several Protection Talismans to the principal. The principal hurriedly accepted them, and only then did his weak legs regain a bit of strength.
“W, why are there so many...”
Zhu Chun’an remained silent while Pei Ye lowered her head and browsed the X University campus forum.
“I heard that before the school expansion, this back hill was a famous Lovers’ Slope, a great place for men and women to meet in private,” Pei Ye said expressionlessly. “Besides, even though the back hill is fenced off now, fences don’t affect them. The scenery here has been preserved quite well, so naturally they like coming here to date and whisper sweet nothings.”
For a living person to ask such a question really showed a complete lack of self-awareness.
Could ghosts not fall in love and do the things adults do?
Principal: “...”
After Pei Ye put it that way, these ghostly figures no longer seemed all that frightening.
He even felt an urge to march over and reason with them about not doing inappropriate things on sacred school grounds.
”Ahem, ahem.”
The principal’s survival instinct overcame his professional habits and suppressed his urge to discuss the serious topic of romance with ghosts.
Seeing the frightened principal, Zhu Chun’an could not help sighing.
“We’ll do our best to investigate this matter thoroughly. Why did you insist on coming along, Principal?”
The principal replied righteously, “This is a school. A life has been lost. As principal, I have the responsibility and obligation to give the students an explanation.”
Perched on his shoulder, Xiao Pangzi looked confused and asked in return,
“Are you sure it’s not because you don’t want to lose your position?”
Principal: “...”
Could you please shut up!
This gravel path had not been maintained for a long time and looked increasingly gloomy.
At first the principal had been terrified, but after getting used to it, he discovered that these ghosts seemed fairly normal.
They merely embraced each other, kissed, and exchanged sweet words such as “mwah” and “darling.”
When browsing social media, the principal often claimed to be open-minded and understanding of young people’s pursuit of love, but deep down he still believed that harmony between yin and yang was the proper way.
The world after death was truly frightening. He decided he should live a little longer.
→_→
Pei Ye curled her lips. Zhu Chun’an said nothing. Only Xiao Pangzi was willing to quietly explain things to him.
After hearing the full story, the principal’s expression shifted freely between green, white, and black.
Were conditions in the underworld really this harsh now?
He raised a hand and wiped his forehead, feeling that he ought to treat his wife even better.
Xiao Pangzi sighed.
“In today’s society, any man who tells a woman they’ll never be separated for all eternity is probably a scumbag.”
For men, reincarnation required waiting in line and entering a lottery that might take ages. Asking a woman to give up the fast-track lane and wait alongside him as a lonely wandering ghost was simply too much.
Principal: “...”
He suddenly regretted coming along today. If he had stayed behind, he would not have learned so many truths that shattered his worldview.
“Senior... there’s something I don’t understand. Aren’t we investigating Min Yizhou? Why are we here at the abandoned warehouse on the back hill?”
Xiao Pangzi was puzzled. When puzzled, one should ask.
Pei Ye pulled a cigarette from a pack and held it between her lips.
The principal revealed a disapproving expression.
Pei Ye said, “Because the aura around the abandoned warehouse on the back hill is too clean. Ghosts are active almost everywhere on the X University campus, except for that warehouse.”
Xiao Pangzi curled his lips.
“Maybe it’s because it’s too dirty. Ghosts like cleanliness too.”
Pei Ye said, “The warehouse has heavy yin energy, and locust trees are planted nearby. No ghost would avoid staying there just because the environment is dirty.”
Unless a powerful vengeful ghost was occupying the place. In that case, other ghosts naturally would not dare approach.
For example, the morgue at Central Hospital was very clean.
Aside from Ying Lin and ghosts who had received permission, no others dared linger near the morgue.
“Right now we can’t summon Min Yizhou’s soul. We only know he’s somewhere on the X University campus, but we can’t determine the exact location. The case has also brought up Zhu Yang’s death from three years ago. Naturally, we start with clues related to Zhu Yang. If we uncover something, we might be able to reconstruct the truth behind both Zhu Yang’s and Min Yizhou’s deaths.” This was the key reason Pei Ye had returned to investigate the back hill. After all, there were currently no other leads. “We’ll check the warehouse first. If we find nothing there, we’ll take another look at the rooftop where the fall occurred. Or perhaps we can try summoning the soul again.”
As they approached the warehouse, a sound of sobbing drifted into their ears.
Looking at the warehouse doors, which had been locked from the inside by a “person,” Zhu Chun’an’s face turned somewhat pale.
The doors were not sealed by any physical object.
They had been sealed by a vengeful ghost’s yin energy.
“Stand back. I’ll open the door.”
Just as Zhu Chun’an was about to use a talisman to invite the Door God to open the door, he saw Pei Ye suddenly kick the center of the doors.
Could that possibly work?
The thought had only just arisen when a loud Bang! rang out. The two dilapidated warehouse doors flew open, the panels slamming into the walls with a tremendous crash.
If the circumstances had been different, the principal would have praised her by saying, “What powerful legs!”
The doors opened, and dozens of faces inside and outside stared at one another.
The shadowy figure standing behind a simple podium heard the commotion. Its neck emitted a series of bone-grinding Crack, crack sounds.
The ghost slowly turned its head.
Its neck twisted more than 120 degrees, and under the moonlight, a horrifying flesh-torn face was revealed.
The bizarre sight nearly made the principal roll his eyes.
Good heavens!
A meeting of a hundred ghosts!