"What should we do next?" He Ming turned to Hu Jiu and asked.
Hu Jiu looked at him. "Don't ask me about everything. I remember when you first came to Langzhou City on a mission, it was for the sake of this university, right? What are your thoughts now?"
He Ming sighed, "To be honest, I don't have any ideas at all."
Hu Jiu was a little surprised. "You came to deal with a Supernatural event without any prior preparation?"
He Ming nodded. "My original plan was to cooperate with the local authorities to collect information, use my special Insubstantiality to investigate, and if I could find the source of the problem, I would deal with it; if not, I would just let it go. Who could have imagined that things would take such a dramatic turn?"
Hu Jiu paused for a few seconds, then suddenly asked He Ming a question, "You've been Ghost Tamer for a while now. Haven't you thought about improving your strength or have any other goals yet?"
He Ming was taken aback by the question. After a moment of silence, he honestly replied, "No, I haven't thought about improving my strength, nor do I have any other goals."
"In the past, my biggest life goal was to study hard, get into a good university, find a good job, and make money. But after becoming Ghost Tamer, those goals have disappeared. The money I earn from completing a single mission is more than others could earn in several lifetimes. My current standard of living is already at a high enough level, and I am indeed a bit lost, not knowing what to pursue next."
The "Mirage Ghost" he controlled within his body inexplicably showed no signs of revival, so He Ming was not in any life-or-death crisis. He also had the Human Skin Paper as an external cheat. If it weren't for external stimulation, He Ming really wouldn't have any ambitions for the time being and could just lie down and follow the Headquarters' arrangements.
However, after being asked this question by Hu Jiu, He Ming did have some thoughts. The Headquarters didn't seem so reliable, and he should consider where he should go in the future. In the end, it all comes down to who is stronger and who is right.
"Let me remind you, the ghost inside you is very special. Many people may be coveting its abilities. If you can't stand up on your own, Headquarters may not be able to protect you."
After saying this, Hu Jiu ignored He Ming's ever-changing expression and simply said, "It's time for you to lend a hand in dealing with this Supernatural incident at Langzhou University."
He Ming nodded heavily.
He walked into the campus without encountering any obstacles. Taking the initiative, He Ming randomly asked a female student on the roadside, "Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the principal's office?"
The female student being questioned looked up listlessly, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes. "You're not from this school?"
He Ming nodded, recalling the information he had read, and casually said, "I have a cousin who studies here, but we've lost contact with him recently. When we ask his classmates, they all stammer and won't say anything, so we're planning to go see the principal."
The female student raised an eyebrow and immediately accepted the reason. "In that case, I'll take you there. This school is quite big, and I'm worried you'll get lost."
"Thank you so much, senior!" He Ming smiled brightly, but the female classmate turned her head away, seemingly hurt by his cheerful demeanor.
On the way He Ming asked again, "My cousin told me that a lot of strange things have been happening at your school lately. Could you tell us about it?"
The female classmate's eyes widened slightly. "Your cousin actually dared to tell you these things? No wonder he disappeared!"
He Ming's attitude gradually became serious. "Senior, it seems you really know a lot. Can we talk about it in detail?"
The female student immediately shook her head. Hu Jiu stepped forward, handed over a brown paper bag, revealing a wad of bright red banknotes inside, and whispered, "We're not short of money, we're in a hurry to find someone. If you can provide any useful clues, all of this is yours. We can afford to pay more."
He Ming glanced at Hu Jiu in surprise; why was she carrying so much cash?
Hu Jiu often leaves all electronic devices behind to do bad things, so he has to carry cash with him at all times.
The female student glanced at the thick wad of cash, a fleeting look of struggle crossing her eyes, but she firmly refused. "Take the money back. I don't know anything!"
"Senior, do you not know? Or can't you tell me?" He Ming lowered his voice.
The female student's expression and demeanor gave a clear indication, but she said, "I don't know, I really don't know anything, please don't ask!"
Hu Jiu and He Ming exchanged a glance, and the brown paper bag was stuffed into the female classmate's arms. "Take it, it's what you deserve."
The female student looked a little ashamed, since she hadn't said anything useful, but she still accepted the money.
She led the two to the principal's office. "Principal Liang should be here."
"Thank you, senior. I still don't know your name~"
Using his age and good looks, along with Hu Jiu's financial incentives, He Ming gradually broke down the girl's defenses. She answered almost without hesitation, "My name is Li Qisi."
After parting ways with the female college student, the two did not immediately knock on the principal's office door. He Ming asked Hu Jiu, "That woman didn't say anything useful, and you just gave her the money? You weren't up to anything, were you?"
"What are you thinking with that little brain of yours?" Hu Jiu glanced at him sideways. "My money isn't so easy to take."
He Ming asked in confusion, "So what are your plans next...?"
"Let's split up!" Hu Jiu immediately offered a solution. "You go and talk to the university president to find out what's going on, while I'll investigate what exactly happened at the university."
He Ming wanted to refuse; he felt insecure going alone. But he swallowed the words back and simply said, "Okay."
He not only agreed to split up, but also refined the plan. "The ghost I control can create Phantom. I'll create a Phantom of you later, pretending that we both went to the principal's office together. Then you can conduct your investigation quietly without attracting anyone's attention."
Hu Jiu nodded. "I didn't expect you to be so meticulous."
He Ming confidently raised his chin. "That's a must!"
After saying that, he pulled Hu Jiu along to the restroom at the end of the corridor. "We've been caught on camera all the way here. We need to create Phantom in the restroom so we won't give ourselves away."
"I'm sure there's nothing wrong with me, but won't someone notice you wandering around the university campus like a complete stranger?"
Hu Jiu waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.
"That's true. You're so capable, how could you be stumped by such a small problem?" He Ming lowered his eyes.