Chapter 70

Zhu Chu eagerly shared his discovery with his master.

To his surprise, his master only paused for a moment before asking him in a vague voice, “You... can see Nie Chen’s marriage line?”

Zhu Chu knew he could see marriage lines, as there had been an incident when Lan Xing came to seek his help, leading to a misunderstanding.

But he didn’t expect that Zhu Chu could see Nie Chen’s marriage line.

The merit light around Nie Chen was so strong that even his master couldn’t discern his fate, let alone Zhu Chu, who had a brotherly relationship with Nie Chen. It would be even more impossible for him to see the fate of someone so closely related to him.

“I can’t see it clearly, but I can tell that the other end, whether it’s a man or a woman, is hard to make out,” Zhu Chu explained.

For most people, the other end of their red thread is either a man or a woman. Even if the other person isn’t nearby, the silhouette of their partner usually appears on the red thread.

Zhu Chu had had the ability to see with his heavenly eyes for many years. He had seen all kinds of red threads in other people, including ones leading to animals, virtual entities, and even inanimate objects. But none of them had shocked him as much as his junior brother’s red thread.

He rubbed his chin, recalling what he saw on his junior brother’s red thread, and gossiping with his master, “My junior brother’s red thread keeps changing its silhouette. Sometimes it’s a person, sometimes it’s a long, thin thing, which I didn’t recognize, but it’s definitely not a person.”

Usually, a red thread just needs to be thicker than a hair strand for a person to stay with their partner until old age. Given how thick my junior brother’s red thread is, it shouldn’t just change partners casually. At least it should stay wrapped up for several lifetimes.

But things happened just like this, and it made Zhu Chu wonder for a while if his heavenly eyes were broken.

Zhu Chu thought for a moment, then couldn’t help but speculate, “Master, do you think my junior brother in this situation... could really love two people at the same time? The marriage law doesn’t seem to stop him from marrying his hobby as a wife…”

Ke Xingzhou: “…”

What does this silence mean?

Zhu Chu didn’t understand and felt a chill down the back of his neck after saying those words. He couldn’t help but glance behind him.

But all he saw was the wall, and above it, only a security camera that never moved.

How strange…

Since he didn’t get a response from Ke Xingzhou and couldn’t see his expression, his curiosity faded, and he awkwardly chuckled twice, “But my junior brother’s good fortune is coming soon. He will definitely bring someone back to the sect for us to meet, right?”

It was only when Mr. Nie wasn’t around that he dared to keep saying things like that.

The temperature around them grew colder, and Zhu Chu couldn’t help but rub his arms. He stood up and adjusted the room’s temperature, while casually mentioning that Xie An and the others had come to find him.

“…” Ke Xingzhou remained even more silent after hearing that.

Zhu Chu assumed his master didn’t want to engage in this kind of unimportant gossip. In fact, after saying all that, he also felt it was pretty ridiculous.Who would dare to cause trouble in front of his master? Do they think they have so many incense and gold offerings that they could use them for hundreds of years without running out?

Recently, their Xiāo Yáo Sect had become quite famous in the circle of good ghosts. Over the past few days, many employees had brought nearby good ghosts to apply, saying they wanted to join the Xiāo Yáo Sect to work and earn incense and gold offerings to support themselves.

Right now, they had only made a name for themselves near the filming base, but if they really grew stronger in the future, with the long waiting times for reincarnation in the underworld, perhaps all the good ghosts in the entire capital city would come to Xiāo Yáo Sect looking for work!

Who would offend a future boss?

Thinking this way, Zhu Chu increasingly felt that Ke Yuanbai and the others were overcomplicating things. He scratched his head awkwardly and changed the topic. “Master, how’s the PK on your side going? Do you need me to go online and get some votes?”

Speaking of this, Ke Xingzhou became even more annoyed. He paused for a moment and said, “No need. The PK is already over.”

“So fast!” Zhu Chu was surprised.

Although he knew that ever since his master’s fortune-telling livestream became popular, ordinary PKs were definitely not a problem, but he hadn’t even had the chance to mobilize the followers for voting yet, and it was already over. Was his master’s popularity in the entertainment industry really that high?

“But that doesn’t make sense.” Zhu Chu glanced at the program rules. “Isn’t the popularity PK supposed to look at the number of votes within an hour?”

It hadn’t even been half an hour yet, so how could his master have won?

Ke Xingzhou replied, “It wasn’t a popularity PK.”

“Huh?” Zhu Chu was confused for a moment.

It wasn’t that he looked down on his master, but to be honest, if there was anyone in the program who couldn’t sing, dance, or act, it would definitely be his master.

If it was a popularity PK, his master could rely on his large fanbase of metaphysics enthusiasts, which would ensure his success for now. But if it was a talent PK, his master would probably have packed up and left on the spot.

He couldn’t just sing or dance while his master set up a fortune-telling stall or performed rituals to catch ghosts, could he?

Recalling the tone his master used when he said the PK was over, Zhu Chu couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. “Master, when you said it’s over, what kind of ending are you talking about? You… won, right?”

After all, it was his own initiative to look for a PK partner. He couldn’t have lost, could he?

Then he heard Ke Xingzhou’s voice drop even lower. “It’s over. All over.”

Zhu Chu: “!!!”

In his mind, alarm bells went off. He immediately started thinking of how to write a public relations statement. Something like “Sorry for disappointing everyone’s expectations” or “I will learn from this experience and improve myself. Looking forward to meeting again next time”...

But then he heard Ke Xingzhou’s next sentence—

“How could they all forfeit? At this rate, when will I be able to withdraw from the competition?!”

Zhu Chu: “...???“

Forfeit? Who forfeited?

Ke Xingzhou had taken the initiative this time because he had noticed an eliminated contestant who was always hanging around him.

Ke Xingzhou had seen him several times; he appeared near him every day after the live stream started, but unlike the other contestants, he didn’t immediately challenge him to a PK. Instead, he hesitated, not sure what he was troubled by.

At first, the viewers in the live stream were betting on how long it would take for Ke Xingzhou to be defeated, but later, they all began to bet on how long it would take for him to finally issue a PK challenge.By the time the second episode was almost over, the other contestant still hadn’t made a move.

Not to mention the live stream audience, even Ke Xingzhou was starting to get a little anxious.

He certainly didn’t want to appear on camera every day for the third episode, doing all kinds of training and preparation for that so-called performance stage—being called up at the crack of dawn, having tests every few days, and having to showcase his results in front of the live stream audience. It would almost be better if they just killed him.

So, during his personal live stream today, he decided to bring his equipment and go directly to find the other contestant.

This eliminated contestant was called Xiao Ling. His ranking wasn’t bad. In the last performance stage voting, he only missed the cut by a few spots and almost made it through.

With good looks and solid skills, as well as a down-to-earth personality, he also had a loyal fanbase. The live stream audience believed that as long as he issued a PK, he could definitely return to the competition.

The only downside was that his personality was a bit too soft.

The entire second episode was spent in hesitation, and it was Ke Xingzhou who had to take the initiative and go to him.

When Xiao Ling found out that Ke Xingzhou wanted to PK him, he was completely stunned. He didn’t react for a long time, and after a while, he cautiously asked, “So... should I apply for a popularity PK?”

Ke Xingzhou: "…"

The audience: "…"

Is this kid out of his mind?

Ke Xingzhou’s voting results in the first episode were already higher than his, and after the New Year, Ke Xingzhou became even more popular because of his metaphysics livestreams. At this point, even top contestants like An He Guang and Xie An probably couldn’t outdo his popularity, let alone this poor kid!

Ke Xingzhou was speechless for a moment and directly helped him apply for a "talent PK" with the program team. Then, he found a place to sit down and signaled Xiao Ling to start his performance.

Xiao Ling looked at the "PK" light that had already lit up on the screen above the bullet screen machine, then glanced at Ke Xingzhou. His expression was still hesitant. “S-So, should I start?”

Ke Xingzhou couldn’t stand his dithering behavior. He took down the camera from his personal live stream and pointed it at him, raising his chin. "Treat this like a stage and perform well."

Xiao Ling froze for a moment, staring at the dark camera in his hand for a while. He took a deep breath, and his expression quickly became determined.

Eliminated contestants didn’t have the right to request accompaniment music, and they had to share practice rooms with other eliminated contestants, squeezed into empty rooms that the advancing contestants didn’t use.

At first, Ke Xingzhou entering didn’t attract much attention from the others. It wasn’t until Xiao Ling took a few steps back and found a suitable spot in the corner, lowered his head, and began humming the prelude that the other eliminated contestants noticed. They gradually stopped practicing and turned to look in his direction.

The practice room instantly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Xiao Ling finally finished humming the prelude, slowly raised his head, and began singing while entering dance moves.

To everyone’s surprise, he chose a sweet girl group song. When he started singing, the bullet screen was stunned, thinking he was about to dance a cross-dressing performance.

But after watching for a while, they realized something was off. Xiao Ling’s singing and dance had clearly been adapted. Compared to the original version, it lacked the lively, sweet girl vibes, and instead had a strange, eerie atmosphere.

He had turned the song into a creepy, unsettling nursery rhyme!

The bullet screen exploded.

On the side, the bullet screen machine showed words of all sizes quickly flying across, forming a dazzling white mass that made it hard for the viewers to focus.

In fact, no one was paying attention to the bullet screen anymore. Xiao Ling used dance to portray a marionette with its own thoughts, performing difficult, unnatural moves under some unknown force that defied the laws of human anatomy. The stage presence was astonishing, and with his unique voice singing without accompaniment, coupled with the tears falling from the corners of his eyes at the end of the performance, everyone in the practice room couldn’t help but get goosebumps.

After Xiao Ling finished his performance, no one in the room reacted for a long time.Until Xiao Ling stood up, his eyes returning to their usual gentle and timid expression, and he quietly said, “I… I’ve finished my performance.”

Only then did the people in the practice room wake up as if from a dream, frantically rubbing their arms. “Oh my god! Xiao Ling, you’re amazing! I got goosebumps, that was so scary!”

“You actually made such a complete adaptation of this song! I almost thought the version I’ve heard before wasn’t the original, yours is the real one!”

“Ahhh, so scary! You’re even scarier than the song itself, you must be an undercover from the eliminated group sent by the program team!”

The bullet screen was flooded with praise.

At this stage, many contestants were still training according to the program’s requirements, at most making secondary creations based on their mentor’s adaptations. No one could do what Xiao Ling did, independently adapting a song and its accompanying dance.

Moreover, Xiao Ling’s stage presence and acapella performance had clearly improved compared to before, indicating that he had been practicing hard privately.

With this skill, it wasn’t impossible for him to challenge the top spot!

Someone quietly glanced at Ke Xingzhou, thinking that Ke Xingzhou had finally met his match.

Little did they know, Ke Xingzhou was actually quite pleased with the result.

He had come to be eliminated, and now that his goal was achieved, he couldn’t be happier—he could finally relax and be a salted fish!

Besides, when he had chosen Xiao Ling as his PK target, he hadn’t done so carelessly.

Xiao Ling’s face was gentle but resilient, his eyes clear and determined. He was upright, humble, and polite. Although his personality was a bit too soft, his nose bridge was very straight. Once he decided on something, he would pursue it relentlessly with all his effort.

Such a person was perfect for this show.

Ke Xingzhou was very satisfied with the “successor” he had chosen. Just as he was about to raise his hand to forfeit, Xiao Ling raised his hand first.

The young man’s hair was wet with sweat, his breath still uneven. His raised arm was still trembling. He swallowed nervously and said quickly, “I… I forfeit!”

Ke Xingzhou: “…???”

He was stunned. “What did you say?”

“I… I said I forfeit,” Xiao Ling said, flustered and stuttering. He stepped forward, grabbed Ke Xingzhou’s hand, shook it up and down vigorously, and gave a deep bow. “I’m really sorry for the trouble I caused you earlier! Actually, I just wanted to grab some screen time. Now that I’ve finished my performance… I’m already content! Thank you for giving me this opportunity!”

He spoke incoherently.

Ke Xingzhou understood from his explanation that Xiao Ling had been hanging around him these past few days not for a PK.

In fact, Xiao Ling had been trying to adapt this song version for a long time, but he hadn’t finished it in time during his previous live stream, and thus hadn’t had a chance to perform it for his fans.

He originally thought he wouldn’t have a chance to perform it on the show, but unexpectedly, the program team had suddenly sent invitations to all the eliminated contestants, inviting them back to "challenge the champion."

“Of course, I’m also really grateful for this PK opportunity! Otherwise, I might have to leave the show with this regret.”

When Xiao Ling spoke, his eyes were red, but there was a happy light in them, clearly feeling sincerely that this was enough for him.

Ke Xingzhou: “…No, you could have gone through with the PK. Isn’t that how the program rules work? If you win the PK, my spot becomes yours. You could continue to shine on the stage…”

Before he could finish, Xiao Ling firmly rejected him: “No! You were helping me out of kindness, how could I take advantage of that? Besides, I’ve already been eliminated. Even if I want to PK, I need to find someone with similar strength to me to make it fair!”

Ke Xingzhou: “…”The audience and other eliminated contestants: "……"

For a moment, they didn’t know whether he was complimenting Ke Xingzhou or criticizing him.

Just a moment ago, they were envious that he had been chosen by the least competent Ke Xingzhou, imagining that if they were on stage, they could easily defeat Ke Xingzhou and rise to the top. Yet now, the eliminated contestants couldn’t help but blush, feeling so embarrassed they wished they could disappear into a crack in the floor.

Ke Xingzhou extended his hand, trying to salvage the situation: "No, I really think you’re more suitable for this show than I am…"

But Xiao Ling grabbed his outstretched hand.

He said with firm conviction, "Don’t worry, I’ll never take your spot in the competition! You can just wait for the performance stage with peace of mind!"

Ke Xingzhou: "…………"

That was not what he meant at all!

But sometimes, things just don’t go as planned.

The program allowed for a "wheel battle," and Ke Xingzhou later picked a few more eliminated contestants for PK. However, because of Xiao Ling’s words, they felt too embarrassed in front of so many viewers to bully someone who was originally only part of the non-professional group as a control group, and who had a main career in fortune-telling. One by one, after their performances, they forfeited.

In that half hour, Ke Xingzhou watched seven or eight performances for free, and his spot as an advancing contestant remained firmly in place.

The eliminated contestants were very satisfied because, after their performances, their solid professional skills and upright behavior helped them gain a portion of fans.

It was a win-win!

Ke Xingzhou: "……"

It was really frustrating!

So, by the end of the day, Ke Xingzhou hadn’t managed to pass on his spot to any of the others.

A group of opponents who should have been fighting tooth and nail somehow started showing polite courtesy, and the heat of the live broadcast unexpectedly skyrocketed due to this bizarre PK wheel battle, even gradually surpassing the heat of the top contestants' broadcasts.

There were even advancing contestants who, guided by the viewers in the live stream, came over and tentatively spoke to Ke Xingzhou: "Boss Ke, how about we have a PK?"

Ke Xingzhou: "……"

What’s the point of PKing with advancing contestants!

Ke Xingzhou felt a lump in his chest, unable to breathe properly. Just then, Zhu Chu’s call came through, and he had no choice but to give up on his plan to be eliminated before the performance stage.

Might as well go back and get some rest.

Before leaving, Ke Xingzhou paused and turned back to look at Xiao Ling, his brow furrowed: "Are you leaving tomorrow night?"

Xiao Ling was taken aback, not understanding why Ke Xingzhou suddenly asked this, but he still honestly nodded: "Yes, the day after tomorrow, there’s a private performance I need to attend. My manager arranged it for me, so I need to go."

A private performance, or “zuo xue,” was similar to a performance held at the opening of a shopping mall.

Low-level artists don’t have the same glamor as well-known ones. Many ordinary artists who just gained some fame make a living by doing these private performances, and Xiao Ling was no exception.

Ke Xingzhou’s show, “Xiaoyao Sect,” had been wildly popular online recently, and Xiao Ling had heard a little about it.Although he didn't quite believe that Ke Xingzhou, so young, could really predict other people's fates, Xiao Ling couldn't help but feel nervous at the moment: "Is there something wrong?"

He thought Ke Xingzhou was going to say that he wouldn't make any money this time or would be tricked, but instead, Ke Xingzhou just stared at him for a while before shaking his head: "It’s none of your business. Just stay put after you get on the plane and don’t get involved in other things."

With that, he turned and left.

Xiao Ling: "……"

Xiao Ling was confused and didn’t understand what Ke Xingzhou meant.

Could something happen on the plane? But if that were the case, wouldn't it be better for Ke Xingzhou to just tell him not to board the plane?

While he was deep in thought, a contestant who had been rejected by Ke Xingzhou for a PK turned off their live stream and sneered, "It’s just for show, do you really believe it?"

This contestant’s fanbase was small, barely missing elimination last time. After this episode started, they were even further behind the others.

They had approached Ke Xingzhou hoping to attract some fans, just like the eliminated contestants. However, Ke Xingzhou had helped those eliminated contestants but rejected him.

He resented Ke Xingzhou’s differential treatment and said with bitterness, "Otherwise, why didn’t he notice I’m on the same flight as you tomorrow? He only reminded you, not me."

"That’s not how it works… Ke Xingzhou is a good person. Maybe he just isn’t familiar with you…" Xiao Ling felt that it wasn’t right to make malicious guesses about others, but the advancing contestant didn’t listen to him and turned to leave.

"Hey, you…"

Xiao Ling didn’t dare to chase after and argue. He opened his mouth but swallowed the rest of his words.

What’s going to happen tomorrow?

Various potential accidents on the plane flashed through his mind, and he began to feel a little panicked.

When Nie Chen knocked and entered, Ke Xingzhou was arguing with Lu Li, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

"You said back then that you’d only have me temporarily watch over them, but what is this now?" Ke Xingzhou pointed incredulously at the few trembling new benevolent ghosts in the corner, "Did you really think I was running a benevolent ghost management center?"

Lu Li rubbed his hands together and spoke in a calm tone: "It’s not that the Underworld is overcrowded, it’s just that they couldn’t find space to house these benevolent ghosts. I saw you’ve been managing them quite well lately, and their likelihood of causing trouble has decreased significantly. The Underworld even gave praise for the work in this area!"

Ke Xingzhou didn’t buy into it: "What does the Underworld praising their ghost officers have to do with me?"

As soon as that expression appeared on Ke Xingzhou’s face, Lu Li knew what he was about to do. He hesitated and said, "So, what do you want to do? Just so you know, I can’t afford your fee for divination. I’ve been saving for decades down here, but I haven’t earned as much as you in this short period of time…"

Lu Li had not gotten approval from the Underworld for this, and even if he wanted to allocate funds, it wouldn't happen. Was he supposed to pay out of his own pocket?

But as an intern judge, his salary was so low that it was almost appalling, and he probably didn’t earn as much as Ke Xingzhou paid the benevolent ghosts. Moreover, the ghost officers' pay was usually in the form of incense, candles, or gold ingots, which Ke Xingzhou wouldn’t even be able to use!

Ke Xingzhou: "So you want me to work for free?"

Lu Li looked at him with a sigh: "Do you want some fake hell money from the Earth and Heaven Bank?"

Ke Xingzhou: "……"

What would he do with fake hell money!

This was indeed a tough situation. He had been friends with Lu Li for years and knew that Lu Li had only a few coins in his pocket. It was impossible for him to pay for the care of so many benevolent ghosts out of his own pocket.But for the benevolent ghosts to behave and not cause trouble, there were conditions.

The benevolent ghosts at the Free and Easy Sect could behave because the sect provided ample incense offerings and real work for them to do, much easier and more comfortable than when they were wandering around, starving and exposed to the elements.

Without incense, it would be strange if they behaved.

Ke Xingzhou looked at the dozen or so benevolent ghosts brought by Lu Li, his brow tightly furrowed.

Previously, housing the benevolent ghosts had been something he did out of necessity. Lu Li had helped him a lot, and he was just returning the favor, so it wasn’t really something that troubled him.

But now, the situation in the Underworld was clearly more severe than he had originally thought. Lu Li himself had to bring the benevolent ghosts here, and with the flooding number of benevolent ghosts outside, they were likely even harder to manage.

Was the Free and Easy Sect really going to turn into a sect full of ghosts?

How would that even look!

Lu Li understood his concerns. This situation was indeed quite difficult to handle. He didn’t want to force Ke Xingzhou but could only sigh and continue typing on his keyboard.

Working ghosts had no rest time. While dealing with these benevolent ghosts, he also had to continue his overtime work.

Nie Chen paused at the door. Seeing that neither of them seemed to want to speak, the benevolent ghosts in the corner were shivering, and after a moment of silence, Nie Chen spoke first: "What if..."

"What?" Ke Xingzhou and Lu Li both looked up at him.

But then, Lu Li quickly realized something was wrong: "Wait, you can see me?"

Nie Chen raised an eyebrow, glanced at Ke Xingzhou, and a barely noticeable trace of joy appeared on his face.

He quickly turned his attention back, his expression softening, and pointed to his eyes: "I don’t have ‘obstructions.’"

"Ah! Why didn’t you say so earlier!" Lu Li hurriedly straightened his body and adjusted his black work robe. "Ahem, hello. I’m Lu Li, an intern ghost officer from the Underworld. I’ve heard a lot about you... What was that method you were talking about?"

Nie Chen: "..."

Ke Xingzhou: "..."

That was a bit of a sharp turn.

However, the situation in the Underworld was indeed urgent. Lu Li didn’t even care about confidentiality anymore, which showed just how serious things were.

Nie Chen didn’t keep them guessing and directly asked him: "You brought these benevolent ghosts here, did you want Zhou Zhou to manage them?"

Zhou Zhou...

Lu Li’s thoughts momentarily stalled at the cheesy nickname, casting a strange look at Ke Xingzhou. It took him half a second to process: "Yes, but this is just temporary. Once the situation in the Underworld improves..."

"Forgive me for being direct, but how long exactly is this ‘temporary’? Ten years? Twenty years? Or a hundred years, a thousand years?" Nie Chen pulled out a chair and sat down. "Or, can the Underworld even improve at all?"

His back was straight, his long legs crossed. His gray-green eyes locked onto them, and even in the humble contestant dormitory, there was an overwhelming sense of pressure.

"The birth rate in the human world has been declining. The number of newborns has been lower than the number of college entrance exam candidates for three years in a row. The real economy has also been severely impacted, with countless pet shops closing down. And with the extinction of certain species, I believe the Underworld's overcrowding of souls hasn’t happened overnight, and resolving it isn’t as simple as you think."

When Lu Li heard him mention birth rates, he raised his hand and waved, directly sending the benevolent ghosts away.Although these ghosts are all benevolent ones without attachments, the line between good and evil is only a thought away. If the Underworld’s predicament were to become known to the ghosts beneath it, the consequences would be no less than a riot.

However, even the ghost officers in the Underworld might not clearly see these things. How could Nie Chen, who had never encountered any of these signs before, know so much?

Ke Xingzhou looked at Nie Chen with some uncertainty, but the latter’s gaze was heavy and fixated on him. The pressure in his eyes was something others couldn’t possibly feel.

Even though Lu Li was already a ghost and an intern judge in the Underworld, facing Nie Chen still gave him an overwhelming sense of crisis, causing him to tense up completely.

It felt like the pressure from the higher-ranking gods when one would report to King Yanluo.

If Lu Li wasn’t a mere soul, he’d probably be covered in cold sweat by now.

Fortunately, at this moment, Ke Xingzhou spoke up: “Lu Li, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. But you need to tell me how long I will need to help if I agree to this and what risks I’ll be taking... You haven’t reported this to the Underworld, right?”

Once Ke Xingzhou spoke, the chilling feeling that made even ghosts shudder gradually eased.

However, Nie Chen only glanced briefly at Ke Xingzhou before quickly returning his gaze to Lu Li, as if threatening to take action if Lu Li didn’t provide a satisfactory answer.

—Nie Chen even took out a summoning talisman.

Lu Li: "…"

He suddenly realized that his previous view of Ke Xingzhou, his ex-boyfriend, might have been overly simplistic.

This guy can also use a summoning talisman?!

It even had the official seal of his direct superior, Judge Lu Tan of the Department of Investigation!

Lu Li looked at Ke Xingzhou with suspicion. Didn’t Nie Chen have no metaphysical talents?

Ke Xingzhou helplessly spread his hands and gave him a powerless expression.

Nie Chen indeed had no metaphysical talent, but a scholar who could memorize complex incantations simply by seeing and practicing them could easily learn the official titles of several deities when using talismans.

"…" Lu Li felt his whole ghost body go numb.

After a long pause, he sighed: “Fine, this is really my fault. I’ll tell you everything I know, but you can’t disclose it. Otherwise, all the merit I’ve earned as a ghost officer will be deducted!”

Ghost officers also need merit, okay!

After receiving Ke Xingzhou’s nod, Lu Li began: “The situation is pretty much as you guessed. The Underworld is overcrowded with ghosts, and we simply can’t contain so many souls. We’ve tried to only bring up the conscious and obedient benevolent ghosts, but even so, quite a few have caused trouble, leading to chaos in some parts of the human world…”

Under the questioning gaze of Ke Xingzhou, Lu Li had to be more precise with his wording.

“In fact, this danger started when the human population growth slowed down. It only fully exploded in the last few years and is now out of control.” He sighed, “Let me tell you the truth—besides the benevolent ghosts causing trouble that we can’t contain, some of them, who didn’t pass the 'Human World Residence Certificate' exam, escaped on their own. The intern judges have been flipping through pages, but we haven’t had time to find them. The Underworld has both internal and external problems, and recently, there’s no energy left to handle these minor issues, which is why I had to gather the obedient benevolent ghosts and send them to you.”

But this only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause. The number of benevolent ghosts outside is far greater than Ke Xingzhou initially thought, and every day various supernatural incidents are happening, all caused by these ghosts causing trouble.

But this is not the worst-case scenario.

“The worst-case scenario is that places where benevolent ghosts gather will inevitably accumulate negative energy. These places attract malevolent spirits, and over time, supernatural events could turn into malevolent ghosts rampaging. The consequences would be catastrophic.”

Lu Li’s expression grew tense, and there was clear worry in his brows.

Nie Chen, however, tapped his fingers on the table: “These are the problems your Underworld is facing. My problem remains unsolved—how exactly does the Underworld plan to handle these issues, and how long will it take to resolve them? And, if we’re helping you house these benevolent ghosts, we need stricter guarantees.”Lu Li looked at Nie Chen’s increasingly serious expression and suddenly had a flash of insight—

“You mean, as long as I can provide Ke Xingzhou with legitimate and proper guarantees, you’re willing to help?”

Nie Chen didn’t answer, lowering his gaze and asking Ke Xingzhou, “What do you think?”

Ke Xingzhou’s heart stirred.

He suddenly realized Nie Chen’s intention behind this move.

Nie Chen had been in the Xiaoyao Sect for a while now, and except for helping solve the placement issues of the benevolent ghosts at the beginning, he hadn’t interfered with the sect’s affairs much, even though Zhu Chu’s management methods were quite unconventional.

But today, he suddenly stepped forward in such a dominant stance to negotiate on his behalf…

Ke Xingzhou turned his head to look at Lu Li, his eyes lighting up: “You still need to pay!”

Lu Li: "…"

“The Heaven and Earth Bank’s…” Lu Li was about to speak but swallowed his words under Nie Chen’s sharp gaze. He coughed lightly. “I’ll go apply with my superiors. But don’t get your hopes up too high. I’ve been applying for that office system for years, it’s gone through 13 versions, and it still hasn’t passed the review…”

He couldn’t help but mumble.

Even though he had developed a much more efficient and user-friendly office system, the Underworld refused to approve it, not even allowing a trial run. It was extremely frustrating, like having talents go unappreciated.

Lu Li often complained about this in front of Ke Xingzhou, and this time, he just felt like expressing his frustration.

But Nie Chen glanced at the copy of the Life Register floating above Lu Li’s head, eager to strike, and after a brief silence, suddenly spoke: “The office system you’ve been researching... is it meant to replace the Life Register?”

“Yes.” Lu Li, unaware of the danger above him, nodded. “Otherwise, what? The Life Register is so huge, carrying it around every day is exhausting! Don’t look at me like I’m a ghost, able to float around. All this weight is still consuming my spiritual energy!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a sudden whistling sound filled the air. The copy of the Life Register, with the momentum to crush him, came crashing down.

“Boom!” With a mighty impact, Lu Li narrowly dodged and slammed into the wall, furious. “Look at that! Just say a few words and it gets upset! Still so aggressive!”

Nie Chen: “…”

Ke Xingzhou: “…”

The copy of the Life Register shook off the dust, flew back up, and was about to continue its attack on Lu Li.

At this moment, Nie Chen slowly spoke: “The Life Register… it can change form, right?”

With these words, the room, whether it be people, ghosts, or objects, all went silent.

Nie Chen looked at Ke Xingzhou, pausing for a moment before continuing: “I read in your textbooks that the Underworld has many judges, and the magical tools they use are not the same, as their duties differ. Now that there are intern judges in the Underworld to assist with matters, surely not everyone can use the same tool.”

When he had previously seen the intern badge on Lu Li, he had already suspected something, and now he was voicing his thoughts: “...So, is it possible that the Underworld rejected your proposal simply because the magical tool you provided was too low-grade, and not as useful as the current Life Register?”

As soon as his words fell, without needing Lu Li to confirm with the Underworld higher-ups, the copy of the Life Register proudly floated up and snapped open twice in front of Lu Li.

—Then, with a flip of the pages, it smoothly transformed into the shape of a computer.

The style resembled the concept device from a recent product launch of human technology that Ke Xingzhou had seen while goofing off a few days ago.Lu Li: "……………"

No, buddy.

Why the hell didn't you change earlier???

--

Anyway, the office system update is likely to be settled.

But until Lu Li reports the situation of the Xiaoyao Sect to the Underworld and the formal documents come through, Ke Xingzhou’s handling of these benevolent ghosts still remains problematic.

Any matter involving the realms of yin and yang usually ties back to the Dao of Heaven and merit. Ke Xingzhou has only just managed to accumulate so much merit, and it would be unwise to jeopardize his life over a few offerings. Nie Chen definitely wouldn’t let him face the risk of being punished by the Dao of Heaven.

Lu Li led the benevolent ghosts back to the Underworld in a dazed state, leaving Ke Xingzhou to wait for his news.

Ke Xingzhou watched him disappear from the balcony. When he turned around, he almost bumped into Nie Chen, startling him. "What are you doing, sneaking up like that?"

Nie Chen pressed his lips together. "Master, you’re getting better and better at this ‘crossing the river and dismantling the bridge’ trick."

Ke Xingzhou: "……"

Hearing "Master" now made his scalp tingle, especially when it came from Nie Chen's mouth. The deep, ambiguous voice made his judgment go all haywire!

He raised a finger and pushed Nie Chen’s chest, pushing him back. "Didn’t you just say it was about getting rid of me after I’m no longer useful?"

"I’m the donkey, who’s the millstone?"

Ke Xingzhou: "……"

He really wanted to knock open Nie Chen’s brain to see what he’d stuffed in there over the years.

The Nie Chen he knew back then wasn’t like this at all!

Nie Chen lowered his gaze, his eyes fixed on Ke Xingzhou’s lips, and with a low, ambiguous hum, he said, "Who’s the millstone? Master?"

The sound was even lower and hoarser than before. He leaned in closer, clearly about to act shamelessly again.

Ke Xingzhou’s scalp tightened. He instinctively remembered that Xie An and the others had said they’d come to pick him up after packing their bags. If they came in through the door now, it would be a disaster.

As if on cue, the noise outside suddenly grew louder. Xie An and the others’ voices could be heard: "Hurry up! I heard Nie Chen just came this way. We can’t let him get here first!"

When the door opened, the noise halted abruptly. Xie An, both shocked and angry, shouted: "Mr. Nie! You really sneaked off again… Brother, you can’t pay attention to him, he broke the rules and ran ahead! I’m your most loyal servant and driver!!"

An Heguang: "Can you at least give me a position? I… I’m Master Ke’s most loyal wallet."

Nie Chen: "……"

Ke Xingzhou: "……"

Outside the door, Ke Yuanbai: "…………"