There are two ghosts left. There's no need to open blind boxes anymore, as their forms are too different. One is a drop of water kept in a box, tentatively codenamed [Ghost Water], and the other is Hu Jiu, Zou Cong Jiu's former good friend.
According to Zou Cong himself, he had been enslaved by Ghost Contract, while the Ghost Water came from Zhu Ze, Ghost Tamer in the Anomalous Research Department. Hu Jiu was worried that these two ghosts were entangled in unknown curses or backdoors, so he "purified" them in advance.
Both the Ghost Water and Ghost-Covered Eyes abilities are quite impressive.
After copying all the Fierce Ghost, Hu Jiu conducted a preliminary assessment of his own strength.
[Mirage Ghost]: Ghost Domain, illusion and reality transformation, copying other Fierce Ghost Supernatural, creating Phantoms, pseudo-invisibility;
[Ghost Book & Ghost Pen]: Distorting reality through writing or drawing;
[Ghost Hand]: The killing pattern is "touch". More Ghost Hands can be generated from the arms of corpses. As the number of people killed increases, the level of horror will gradually increase.
[Bloodstained White Silk]: Can conjure a large number of White Sash out of thin air, launching a group attack;
[The Looking-Up Ghost]: Kill by looking up;
[Ghost-Covered Eyes]: Causes the victim to lose their sight and fall into darkness, briefly interrupting the Fierce Ghost's killing pattern and temporarily halting its pursuit of the target.
[Ghost Water]: Self-liquefaction, immune to physical attacks, dissolves and corrodes.
[Flashlight]: It looks like an old-fashioned Flashlight, with an eyeball embedded where the bulb used to be. The pupil is purple. When the switch is pressed, it emits a purple light that can forcibly freeze Fierce Ghost.
[Longevity Candle]: Also known as "Ghost Borrowing Lifespan," it is a red candle with a red flame. Anyone who blows on the flame will have their lifespan taken away, and the person holding the red candle will "borrow" lifespan.
[Drunkard]: Abilities unknown.
[Two unnamed Fierce Ghosts ]: Their abilities are yet to be determined.
Longevity Potion x3, Longevity Village Candy x2, White Mask x1.
The spirits of the Looking-Up Ghost and the Bloodstained White Silk have both become food for the Ghost Book...
"I've finally reached the threshold of becoming a chess player at the table." Hu Jiu was very happy, but not overly proud.
His strength does seem very strong, and in reality, it is not weak either. He can definitely crush weaker opponents with ease, but he is a reborn person and dares not be short-sighted.
In his past life, he had heard of too many unapproachable powerhouses, who possessed all the qualities of perseverance, wisdom, luck, and temperament. Each of their growth experiences could be written into a thrilling novel on their own.
With such a large population base, even with a low probability, there will still be a significant number of outstanding individuals. In the later stages, almost every Ghost Tamer makes a name for themselves is exceptional, rather than just one outstanding individual.
Don't compare yourself to the weak; that will only make you more arrogant. Instead, benchmark yourself against the strong.
The Supernatural is inherently unpredictable; it might suddenly reveal an unprecedented and unimaginable pattern of murder, leading to a bizarre and disastrous outcome.
In my past life, a guy codenamed "Apology Demon" suddenly appeared in Japan. He could curse people from afar regardless of distance, and countless people were killed by him.
There are top-tier experts in China, and there are also those abroad, including Ghost Tamers from the Republican era, and legendary ancient Ghost Tamers...
Hu Jiu put aside his thoughts; the waters were too deep, and caution was essential.
After becoming the owner of the Ghost Book and Ghost Pen, he can change their form.
The Ghost Book can change size and color at will, the only thing it can't change is the eyeballs on the cover; the Ghost Pen can transform into a calligraphy brush, a fountain pen, or a ballpoint pen—any pen will do.
The title page also bears the inscription. "[When you know of my existence, I also know of your existence]".
I wonder who wrote this line of text—the previous owner of the Ghost Book? Or its creator?
Hu Jiu chose to blacken it ██.
With a thought, his arm deformed, growing a bizarre, tumor-like fleshy ball with proliferating blood vessels on its surface. It gradually enveloped the Ghost Book and the Ghost Pen, and then slowly shrank back.
There were no changes, injuries, or scars on the surface of the arm; it blended in perfectly. The same process occurred when using the Ghost Book and Ghost Pen: fleshy lumps grew on the arm, from which the book and pen were removed.
The Satellite Phone rang again, but Hu Jiu hung up on it once more.
He drew a door on a clean wall with Ghost Pen, and then gave it a new definition and concept.
With a gentle push, the drawn door could actually be opened!
Hu Jiu walked in. In the dimly lit room, there was a desk, a diary, and a picture of a girl with her eyes closed.
Like Doraemon's Anywhere Door, it crossed space and distance in just one step, returning to Yuezhao City!
The supernatural tales had collapsed, and Qin Fangtong's secret hut was also on the verge of collapse. Hu Jiu replenished the Supernatural and continued to maintain the original order.
I glanced at the diary on the table. It contained scattered records of Qin Fangtong's past: happy times, her changing mindset after being admitted to Langzhou University, and the hardships she faced in seeking justice for her father...
The Ghost Pen was actually a key piece of evidence she unexpectedly found while investigating her father's wrongful conviction.
That was all the information; she didn't write everything down in her diary in great detail.
The exit of this small, dark room was still the conference hall of the Yuezhao City office building. When Hu Jiu came out, everyone was working diligently and responsibly.
The strange tales of the rules had temporarily disappeared for a while, but those who had been corrupted by the Supernatural and turned into NPCs could never return to normal. Even though the rules no longer existed, they remained "morally perfect."
This ghost town can serve as a temporary stronghold.
Unfortunately, when Hu Jiu arrived at the police station, the people from Rose Security Company were already gone, presumably having escaped when the rules were lifted.
The true situation in Yuezhao City has been leaked, and Headquarters should be aware of it soon. Such a bizarre and Supernatural event may attract close attention and investigation, making this place no longer suitable for clandestine activities.
Hu Jiu thought for a moment, simplified the rules, and created the illusion that the "Source Ghost" had not yet been contained. Then he returned to Qin Fangtong's small dark room by the same route, erased the painted door on the wall of the conference room, and buried the whole truth.
After dealing with the minor issues in Yuezhao City, Hu Jiu returned home in high spirits. This ability was so convenient that he suddenly had a bold idea—to steal the Headquarters' Supernatural treasures!
It's just a thought~
The Supernatural Items at Headquarters are definitely placed in a high-security area, with a golden barrier being essential, making it inaccessible through any "door to anywhere".
Putting aside unrealistic ideas, Hu Jiu then used his pen to transform his home into a maze. The space he drew was layered upon layer, with countless threads and complexities, ensuring that once someone entered, they would never be able to get out!
Hu Jiu piled up the Fierce Ghosts and Supernatural Items he had imprisoned in a corner of the maze, "Now I don't have to worry about the items being stolen anymore."
Next, he "concealed" some of his private information, including the core Fierce Ghost such as the Mirage Ghost, the Ghost Book, and the Ghost Pen, to prevent them from being prophesied, divined, or spied on.
As the saying goes, "Success is achieved through secrecy, and failure through leaks," so confidentiality must be ensured.
The combination of the Ghost Book and the Ghost Pen is a degraded form of "Omnipotence," and their usage is probably directly linked to the user's whimsical ideas.
The relatively safest uses were those that Hu Jiu had just done, but at the same time, many dangerous plans flashed through his mind.
For example, is it possible to "modify" time to achieve the goal of time travel?
Although he was tempted, he ultimately didn't try it. As a reincarnated individual, he was quite sensitive and wary of such matters. If something went wrong and caused unknown changes in "time," he would likely be the one to suffer.
Hu Jiu had previously considered using the Ghost Book as a wishing lamp or a death note. The former seemed feasible, but the latter presented a challenge—how could he precisely target a specific person?
If I write "XXX, go die," will everyone in the world with the same name suddenly die?
Is it okay to add a qualifier before it?
[Yue Renchun of Yuzhou City died due to the Fierce Ghost Revival.] -- Hu Jiu nodded in satisfaction. Trying it wouldn't make him lose weight, and it wasn't him who was going to die anyway.
When the Satellite Phone rang again, Hu Jiu was experimenting with whether he could write or draw a completely new Fierce Ghost.
It failed.
That's normal, after all, he's not truly Omnipotence. He can only divide his existing Supernatural and bestow them upon others or objects, easily creating related Supernatural Items, or even being a pseudo- Ghost Tamer only possesses some Supernatural abilities!
Perhaps, creating a true Ghost Tamer is also possible. With the Ghost Book, the risks for others when controlling Fierce Ghost can be greatly reduced. As for whether there will be side effects, backlash, or rapid resurrection after successful control?
Haha, he only cares about killing, not burying.
A bold idea suddenly flashed through Hu Jiu's mind. He narrowed his eyes slightly; he needed to consider it carefully...
The phone kept ringing.
"Only the top-ranked [Ghost Stories ] on the global list of unsolvable Fierce Ghosts can create entirely new Fierce Ghost out of thin air. Could [Ghost Stories ] be the Vengeful Ghost Puzzle I need?" Hu Jiu thought to himself as he pressed the answer button.
"Hello, Mr. Hu." Xiao Mei's voice came through the phone. Although she had been rejected several times, her tone remained as gentle as ever, without any hint of negative emotion.
Hu Jiu was happy to put on a show for this operator who never overstepped his bounds.
"I'm so sorry, Yue Renchun and I went to Yuezhao City to hunt down Zhao Lifeng, a wanted criminal from Beifeng Commune. The situation there was extremely dangerous. We didn't catch him, and we were injured in the process. We're in terrible shape, which is why I couldn't answer your call. Also, I discovered that the Ghost Tamer from Rose Security Company have infiltrated Yuezhao City and are indiscriminately using Supernatural powers to harm innocent people..."
Hu Jiu sent the footage he had taken in Yuezhao City to Xiao Mei, who then smoothly reported it.
"Headquarters is already aware of the situation in Yuezhao City. I will promptly report the information you provided to my superiors." Xiao Mei ended the topic in a few words, because something more urgent had occurred.
A large-scale Supernatural disaster has broken out, affecting several surrounding cities, and the affected area is still expanding. Headquarters is already discussing whether to classify it as the first S-class incident in the country.
Hu Jiu was shocked. "S-class? It's gotten that serious?"
"Yes." Xiao Mei remained calm and composed. "I regret to inform you that Linjiang City has also been affected by this incident. You are currently standing outdoors, and you should be able to observe the abnormal phenomena with the naked eye."
Hu Jiu immediately pushed open the door and went out.
It was night when we returned from Yuezhao City. We had spent a long time controlling the Fierce Ghost and testing our new abilities, and by then it was already dawn.
Looking up, I saw dark clouds rolling across the distant horizon, spreading rapidly like ink dripping into water.
Dark clouds filled the sky, turning the clear blue sky completely black. The magnificent scene of "Black Clouds pressing down on the city, threatening to crush it" gave people an extreme sense of oppression.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the blackness polluting the sky was not clouds, but "light."
"Is that Ghost Domain?" Hu Jiu narrowed his eyes. He had encountered a Ghost Domain nearby when he was testing the Mirage Ghost's Ghost Domain, but he didn't expect it to arrive so soon.
At the rate of expansion of the black light, Linjiang City will be covered in no time.
Passersby on the street also witnessed this rare and spectacular sight.
"That's strange, is there some unusual weather happening over there?"
"Is it going to rain heavily?"
"I checked the weather forecast yesterday; there's absolutely no rain coming."
"Ugh, why is the cell phone signal so bad?"
They knew nothing, some discussing it enthusiastically, others indifferently going about their own business.
"The initial location of this Supernatural event was Xihe City, which has now been completely overrun. Yuzhou City, Peishui City, and Linjiang City, which are relatively close to Xihe City, have also been affected to varying degrees."
"Due to Supernatural interference, ordinary electronic communication devices are no longer working properly. Currently, only Satellite Phones made of this special material can make calls. The situation is urgent. Headquarters has immediately convened a meeting. Please keep me in touch 24 hours a day. I will notify you of any new information."
Xiao Mei gave a brief explanation.
"Understood." Hu Jiu remained calm; he had enough power to protect himself, so he wasn't flustered.
The Supernatural event in Xihe City was quite severe, immediately affecting three surrounding cities. The administrative staff of Linjiang City received the news earlier than Hu Jiu and had already begun to evacuate the masses in an orderly manner.
We might not make it in time, but we'll do our best to help as many people as possible.
Meanwhile, at the Headquarters, Fu Youhua initiated an emergency meeting, which brought together a host of high-ranking officials.
"Everyone, according to the latest intelligence, the spread of the Ghost Domain in Xihe City shows no signs of slowing down. Starting from there, a strange black light has swept across and radiated into the surrounding areas, causing electronic devices to malfunction. At the rate of spread of the black light Ghost Domain, it will completely cover all four cities in another two hours!"
"My initial assessment is that this Supernatural event has reached the S-class standard."
Upon hearing Fu Youhua's words, everyone present became extremely solemn. It was all too sudden; a Supernatural event spanning four cities—how terrifying must the Source Ghost be?
"Whether to classify it as S-class or not, we'll discuss that later. Right now, the most important thing is to support Xihe City!" Fu Youhua said firmly.
At the conference table, a middle-aged man wearing glasses suddenly spoke up, "Based on the data comparison from the Research Department, I believe that the Source Ghost causing the Supernatural events in Xihe City is very likely from Longevity Village!"
"What? Are you sure?" Fu Youhua was surprised; the Research Department actually knew more than he did!
The middle-aged man nodded. "The balance in Longevity Village was broken, which is why the Fierce Ghost were able to break free. What happened to the Ghost Tamer who walked out of Longevity Village alive last time, who was suspected of controlling the Chang Ghost?"
"They've lost contact again." Fu Youhua gritted his teeth.
The middle-aged man frowned. "Could it have sensed something was wrong and fled? This is troublesome. The Research Department has carefully studied the ghosts in Longevity Village. The one that escaped this time is most likely a complex, unsolvable, and Fierce Ghost with no obvious weaknesses!"
Upon hearing the man's words, everyone's expressions changed repeatedly...