Ranking and classification of malevolent ghosts

According to the investigation, Hu Jiu had first resigned from his job for no apparent reason, then rushed off to Lizhou, a place with which he had no connection. By the time he returned, he had become a Ghost Tamer.

There might be a secret behind it!

Liu Mingguang assumed Hu Jiu was unfamiliar with the Supernatural world because he had only just become a Ghost Tamer. He wanted to take the opportunity to pry information out of him, or at least learn the killing pattern of the ghost he controlled.

However...

"Two groups of Ghost Tamers clashed that day. Two of them killed each other, and another escaped. I happened to be passing by and was attacked by a revived Fierce Ghost. I became a Ghost Tamer by accident." Hu Jiu smiled as he gave a concise account, yet it was as if he had said nothing at all.

Liu Mingguang's expression darkened. "Is that all you have to say? Let me remind you, a lot of people died in Lizhou. If you knew something and failed to report it... you could be held accountable!"

"Is that so?" Hu Jiu feigned shock, though his eyes were mocking. "If I really had done something wrong, would you be talking to me so politely here?"

Before Liu Mingguang could get angry, Hu Jiu continued, "Ghost Tamers don't live long. Every one of them is a valuable disposable resource. As far as I know, as long as a Ghost Tamer doesn't go too far, headquarters has always turned a blind eye."

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then Liu Mingguang gave him a meaningful sneer. "It seems you've known about ghosts and Ghost Tamers for a long time."

Hu Jiu remarked as though in passing, "Who doesn't have a few well-informed friends?"

"Since you already know everything, I don't need to explain the basics about ghosts to you." Whatever had occurred to Liu Mingguang, he dropped his arrogant attitude and asked directly, "Do you intend to join headquarters?"

"Of course." Hu Jiu didn't hesitate. "When prosperous, one should help the world; when in need, one should look after oneself. Ghost Tamers possess great power, so naturally they should serve the country and help the people with their troubles."

"Heh." Liu Mingguang was at a loss for words. Hypocritical, fucking hypocritical!

"I'll send you a special web address in a while. It's the official Ghost Tamer Forum, with information on ghost classifications, rankings, bounties, and other Ghost Tamers. You can take a look."

"I'll also inform headquarters about your situation. Wait for them to contact you directly."

With that, Liu Mingguang immediately rose and took his leave.

A strange fragrance lingered in the air. Hu Jiu watched him leave, deep in thought.

A text message containing a link arrived on his phone.

After logging in, everything he saw was 404 information that couldn't be found by searching ordinary websites.

Pinned at the top was the global ranking of unsolvable Fierce Ghosts.

Hu Jiu opened the list—

First-ranked Fierce Ghost, codename: [Ghost Story]

Threat level: X

Description: Appears randomly across the world and has no observable physical form. When it appears, its victims' perception is distorted, and they uncontrollably tell bizarre and absurd horror stories. The ghosts in those stories then enter reality and become real Fierce Ghosts. Suspected to be connected to the origin of the Supernatural!

Containment measures: Cannot be contained!

Second-ranked Fierce Ghost, codename: [Red Moon]

Threat level: S

Description: A red full moon with a strange smiling face. Direct observation, indirect observation, exposure to its moonlight, or recalling Red Moon's image will turn a person into Red Moon's ghost slave. It has only appeared once so far, in Africa.

Containment measures: Cannot be contained!

These two Fierce Ghosts had occupied the top of the list for years. In Hu Jiu's previous life, no one had been able to deal with them right up until his sudden death.

Third-ranked Fierce Ghost, codename: [Suspicious Ghost]

Threat level: S

Description: Causes Supernatural phenomena. When a victim suspects there is a ghost in a place, it produces a manifestation of whatever the victim fears most and kills people. After the manifestation is confined, Suspicious Ghost continues to exist. Those who come into contact with the victim are also subject to its curse. It has an extremely strong capacity to spread and grow.

Containment measures: Cannot be contained!

This chilling ranking of unsolvable Fierce Ghosts had been compiled jointly by countries around the world. They had also classified ghosts according to their level of danger.

D level: Safe. Poses almost no danger and has caused no casualties. Ordinary people can contain and restrain it.

C level: Incapable of moving freely and confined to a particular area. Its killing pattern is simple and easily discerned. Ghost Tamers can contain and restrain it without difficulty.

B level: Capable of movement and has some capacity to spread. Its killing pattern is easily discerned, and a containment method is known, but it is difficult to contain and restrain for certain reasons.

A level: Capable of growth, with a complex killing pattern that is difficult to detect. If left unchecked, it could destroy a city in a short time. Difficult or impossible to contain and restrain.

S level: Capable of growth and transmission, and spreads extremely easily. Its killing pattern is complex and unpredictable, or it kills indiscriminately. It can destroy several cities or even an entire country. Extremely dangerous and impossible to contain.

X level: Cannot be classified. Mysterious, unknown, and incomprehensible; its level of danger cannot be defined.

Ghosts were classified according to the danger they posed to human society. Some ghosts were terrifying, but killed very slowly, taking only one life at a time, so they were placed in a lower category.

There were also many bounty and discussion posts on the forum, but most bounties went unclaimed. What Ghost Tamers cared about most was how to extend their lives.

His phone rang. He swiped to answer, and a woman's voice came through. "Mr. Hu, this is the National Paranormal Phenomena Control Headquarters. First of all, welcome aboard..."

Headquarters was fairly efficient, explaining his responsibilities and benefits to Hu Jiu in clear, simple terms—

Ghost Tamers who joined headquarters would be dispatched to a city to serve as its person in charge, specifically responsible for Supernatural incidents. Supernatural incidents had the highest priority, and the person in charge had the authority to mobilize all the city's security forces;

At the same time, if the person in charge became trapped in a Supernatural incident and couldn't get out, headquarters would also provide support as circumstances allowed;

A fixed amount of gold was allocated each month, and if a Supernatural incident occurred unexpectedly, more could be requested from higher up. Each Supernatural incident resolved also came with an additional reward.

"Since you've agreed to join headquarters, Mr. Hu, we'll assign you an operator. If you have any problems in the future, you can tell your operator."

"You can think of the operator as your personal secretary."

The call was then transferred, and a soft, pleasant voice came through. "I'm Lin Guangning, an operator at headquarters. Starting today, I'll be your point of contact for everything related to the Supernatural. You can tell me anything you need. If I can't resolve it, I'll report it to my superiors."

Hu Jiu said he understood.

Lin Guangning added, "Before becoming the person in charge of a city, a Ghost Tamer may first have to undergo training and a mental state assessment, or may be reassigned in an emergency. Until you receive a reassignment notice, you'll remain in Linjiang City for the time being and assist the person in charge, Liu Mingguang..."