Chapter 56: Professor An’s Past

Chapter 56: Professor An’s Past

“In some respects, the realms of yin and yang are not very different. Under moral and legal constraints, living people will not easily do such things, and ghosts are similarly restricted. Whether alive or dead, if one is determined to test the edge of breaking the law and seeking death, no one can stop them, and they will be punished if discovered.”

Apart from the underworld messengers of Fengdu, there are also other invisible and intangible rules restricting these ghosts.

Overall, there is not much difference between the underworld and the human world.

Pei Ye’s concern was not without reason, but it did not need to be taken too seriously.

On the way back, the principal expressed his sincere gratitude to Pei Ye. Now that the matter had been clarified, the school also had an explanation to give to the public.

“This matter needs to be discussed privately with the police,” the principal said, finally putting down a heavy burden in his heart. His steps became much lighter. As he walked back along the gravel path and saw those clingy male and female ghosts, they somehow looked more pleasing to the eye. “We will still need to trouble the master again tomorrow. I wonder if the master has time? Or should we arrange another time?”

Pei Ye said, “It is fine. I am studying at the neighboring school anyway. If I do not have time, Zhu Chun’an can also help in my place.”

The principal nodded repeatedly.

Tonight’s experience was something he would probably never forget in his life.

When he retired one day and went square dancing, he felt he would be able to brag about this for years.

Right, there was one more thing.

The principal rubbed his hands together and asked quietly, “Master, what should I do about my eyes?”

He was referring to the “eye-opening talisman” that Pei Ye had drawn for him. He did not know whether it was permanent or temporary, and he could still see ghosts right now.

Pei Ye said calmly, “It is fine. In another half an hour, you will not be able to see them anymore.”

“That is good, that is good.”

He wiped away sweat in secret. Fortunately, it was not permanent. Otherwise his heart really would not have been able to take it.

If he went home and saw a house that should have been empty filled with unfamiliar ghosts, he would probably be scared to death.

Some things, if you cannot see them, you can pretend they do not exist.

Pei Ye waited until the effect of the principal’s “eye-opening talisman” wore off before leaving, and she reminded him at the end.

“Principal, remember the five-star review and the thousand-word long review.” Feeling that her tone was a little too stiff, Pei Ye added, “Five-star reviews come with bonus cashback.”

The principal smiled and asked her, “Bonus cashback? Spiritual pills and miraculous medicines?”

“No, a few practice ‘peace talismans’.”

The principal: “……”

Even if they were practice peace talismans, there was no need to say it so bluntly. It made them sound too cheap.

Having witnessed Pei Ye drawing talismans out of thin air, the principal was actually quite looking forward to her bonus cashback.

Whether he would use them or not, just carrying them for peace of mind would be good.

After Pei Ye and the others left, the principal called a long-time acquaintance. The other party was an old professor who had been at X University for over twenty years.

He retired two years ago but occasionally returned to his alma mater to give lectures, each time attracting a large number of students.

“Old Xu,” the principal said, “I want to ask you something. Do you remember if our school ever had a professor surnamed An?”

The old Xu on the other end of the phone had a very bad expression.

Did he not look at what time it was? Sleep was very important for elderly people. Being disturbed in the middle of the night made it hard to fall asleep again.

“An? What An professor? There are so many people at X University, who would remember a professor with the surname An…” He spoke irritably due to his bad mood. As he put on his reading glasses and got out of bed, he continued, “Why are you suddenly asking about this? X University did indeed have a professor surnamed An…”

The principal sighed. “It is hard to explain, Old Xu… do you believe there are ghosts?”

On the other end of the phone came the sound of Old Xu pulling out a chair, opening a bookcase, and flipping through pages with rustling sounds.

The principal waited quietly. He originally thought he would be scolded for superstition, but unexpectedly, the other party suddenly asked,

“You… have you encountered something?”

The principal also revealed the inside story.

“Wasn’t there a student who jumped off a building in a strange way? So we found a Celestial Master through connections… I saw a professor surnamed An in the warehouse in the back mountain. She said she was from X University. She looked quite young, probably in her early thirties, wearing a gray formal suit. She looked like a pretty young girl… her teaching was excellent. It is a pity she died.”

Old Xu remained silent for a long time. After a while, he trembled and said hoarsely, “You really saw her? It really was her?”

The principal’s heart stirred. He knew there was hidden information.

After pressing further, Old Xu murmured, “It has been over twenty years in the blink of an eye…”

Professor An’s full name was An Zhi. She worked at X University and was a junior schoolmate of Old Xu by several years.

Do not be fooled by her being only in her early thirties back then. She was a famous figure at X University, a goddess in the eyes of many teachers and students.

People who admired her could line up from the east gate of X University all the way to the west gate.

Unfortunately, Professor An Zhi was fully devoted to teaching and research at X University.

Those suitors were like winking at a blind person.

The principal was not very familiar with X University’s situation from more than twenty years ago, and had only occasionally heard of Professor An Zhi from older people, which was why the name sounded somewhat familiar.

“Then how did she… die?”

A person’s appearance after death reflected their manner of death.

Professor An’s death appearance could not be described as anything other than tragic, and the principal could not imagine what she had experienced in life.

Old Xu asked in return, “Do you know why I believe there are ghosts in this world?”

The principal had a sudden realization and guessed quietly, “Could it be… Professor An was killed by a ghost? Or did you see her soul?”

“Back then, quite a few elders saw it. Later the news was suppressed, and it was officially announced that two mentally ill attackers carrying axes stormed a lecture hall and attacked students…” Old Xu took a deep breath and sighed. “But the truth was… those two attackers were not human. They were ghosts… Professor An was killed while protecting the students in the classroom.”

The principal listened in silence, but Old Xu then told him something even more silent.

“…Even though she was Professor An, she was still a vengeful ghost who devoured two other vengeful ghosts. Her ferocity was no less than theirs, even greater.” Old Xu’s voice grew lower and more hoarse. “Can you imagine that scene? Everyone’s fear of her reached its peak…”

The principal heard the sound of a lighter on Old Xu’s end. The elderly voice continued slowly,

“…I was afraid too. I could not control my fear. I told her to get lost, not to come closer…”

In the huge lecture hall, apart from the frightened sobs of students, the only sound was the chewing of the professor on the podium.

“…Then after she finished eating the ghosts, she disappeared…”

There was no sound on the principal’s end. Old Xu sighed again.

“I heard she had a family legacy in this field… she could have escaped, but she chose to protect the students and was killed by the vengeful ghosts… In this matter, the teachers and students of that time all owed her a life debt… I also… whenever I think of what I said in that moment of terror, I still cannot forgive myself even now…”

After he finished speaking, only breathing remained on both ends of the phone.

For a long time, just as the principal began to suspect something had happened to Old Xu, the voice came through the receiver again.