The Mark

Liu Xiaoyu had just been about to finish work and return to her dormitory to rest when she received a call from Yang Jian.

She immediately took it very seriously.

Generally speaking, Ghost Tamers did not casually use satellite phones. Once they called, there was a high chance they had encountered a supernatural incident or run into a ghost.

At such times, the operator's task was extremely demanding: gathering intelligence, organizing files, and assessing threat levels. It was a crucial part of maintaining regional stability.

So even if she was asleep, she had to report to work immediately the moment the phone rang.

Listening to Yang Jian's account,

Liu Xiaoyu pulled up Ghost Infant Zhou Zheng's file. Her delicate brows furrowed, and her expression became extremely grave.

"You're saying that the Ghost Infant that crawled out of Zhou Zheng's stomach is growing? A few days ago, it was still in infant form, but now it has become a child and is even showing signs of being able to use a Ghost Domain?"

"Yes, that's roughly the situation. One of my classmates was left with two palm prints by the Ghost Infant, and afterward, it seemed to have set its sights on her. It's determined to eat her, as if she's been afflicted by a curse similar to the knocking sound. Do you have any similar cases over there? Have you thought of any way to break it?" Yang Jian asked.

"There have indeed been people in previous supernatural case files who encountered similar situations. Most ghosts with a clear objective to kill generally require two conditions: one is a fixed trigger condition, and the other is a killing pattern. It's the same principle as an ordinary person's motive and method for murder."

"The trigger condition for the Door-Knocking Ghost was the knocking sound, and its method of killing was Ghost Knocking. Of course, other killing methods cannot be ruled out. The Ghost Infant's method of killing should be eating—killing someone by consuming them—while its trigger condition should be contact."

"Based on some information, I have concluded that the Ghost Infant will immediately eat anyone it touches, and the same applies if someone else touches it. It is only focused on your classmate now because she came into contact with the Ghost Infant."

Yang Jian said, "I never came into contact with the Ghost Infant before, yet it still attacked me."

He had been the first person attacked by the ghost.

"Most ghosts are capable of indiscriminate killing. When their conditions have not been triggered, they will randomly attack people nearby. You were the first person the Ghost Infant saw after leaving Zhou Zheng's body, so it treated you as prey. However, ghosts with this kind of spreading and wandering nature are generally classified as B-class." Liu Xiaoyu said, "You can't assume you'll be safe just because you haven't met the conditions. At most, understanding a ghost's patterns can improve your chances of survival."

Yang Jian's mouth twitched when he heard this. He finally understood why Fang Jing had gone mad sacrificing others to secure his own survival.

"Regarding the palm prints on your classmate, we believe they may be Ghost Slave Marks," Liu Xiaoyu said.

Ghost Slave Marks?

Yang Jian asked, "What are those? How are they different from Ghost Slaves?"

"Every ghost capable of using a Ghost Domain has an ability: turning dead people into Ghost Slaves. Ghost Slaves have no reason. Aside from looking the same as they did in life, they have absolutely nothing to do with who they once were. They are a different kind of ghost, so do not be deceived by the appearances they had in life. Moreover, Ghost Slaves obey their ghost master unconditionally. You should have encountered them before, but the Door-Knocking Ghost's level is too high. The number of Ghost Slaves it can control exceeds your imagination. We have already classified it as A-class."

A-class.

Yang Jian's heart tightened. So the Door-Knocking Ghost was that terrifying.

"A Ghost Slave Mark is actually a mark left by a powerful ghost, much like a company's trademark. Although your classmate is not dead, she already counts as a Ghost Slave within that Ghost Domain. Once she dies, she will be controlled. That is all the information I have for now," Liu Xiaoyu said.

Hearing this over the phone, Yang Jian's heart sank. "So that Ghost Infant, before it's even grown any hair, is already planning to collect a beauty for its harem? I thought it was a respectable ghost. Turns out it's a little perverted ghost."

". At present, ghosts have no desires. They do not see beauty or ugliness. Perhaps your classmate is a girl, and the Ghost Infant had just crawled out of Zhou Zheng's stomach. After failing to attack you, it chose to attack someone who looked weaker. That's all," Liu Xiaoyu said.

"Is there any way to remove that mark?" Yang Jian asked.

Liu Xiaoyu said, "No, but there is a method that might work. No Ghost Tamer has ever tried it."

"Why?" Yang Jian asked.

"The requirements are too demanding," Liu Xiaoyu said.

"What requirements?"

Liu Xiaoyu said, "The most basic requirement is that the Ghost Tamer must be able to use a Ghost Domain. A professor has theorized that if ghosts can possess Ghost Slaves, then Ghost Tamers should also be able to possess Ghost Slaves. Use a Ghost Slave Mark to overwrite the powerful ghost's mark, allowing the person to escape the powerful ghost's pursuit."

"Isn't that nonsense? After all that, the mark is still on her body," Yang Jian said.

"It is different. Powerful ghosts are dead, while Ghost Tamers are living people. Even if someone becomes a Ghost Tamer's Ghost Slave, they will not lose their reason. They are fundamentally different from Ghost Slaves. Of course, if you die from a powerful ghost's revival, the Ghost Slaves you had while alive will be taken over by the ghost inside your body."

"..." Yang Jian's face darkened.

Ghost Tamers were all short-lived. Wouldn't that mean jumping from one pit of fire into another?

He would still die either way.

"I understand. Let's talk next time," Yang Jian said.

"Wait, wait." Liu Xiaoyu suddenly remembered something and hurriedly stopped him.

"Is there anything else?" Yang Jian asked.

Liu Xiaoyu said, "I need to create a file for you. I hope you'll cooperate, preferably by providing what you know about the ghost inside your body—its abilities, traits, and form. If you still refuse to cooperate, then I won't cooperate with you next time either."

"Fine."

Yang Jian thought about it and felt it did not matter, so he told her about the eye.

After Liu Xiaoyu finished recording, she said, "We've arranged for someone to take care of your mother. She has now entered a legitimate company and will return to Dachang City from out of town after some time. You can rest assured about that. By the way, what happened with your father last time? Can you tell me in detail?"

"My father? Didn't my father die when I was little? What are you talking about?" Yang Jian asked doubtfully.

Liu Xiaoyu froze for a moment. "Last time, didn't you say your father was right beside you in your rental apartment? I suspected it was a ghost and told you to leave that place."

"If it was a ghost, then call it a ghost. Why bring up my father?" Yang Jian said. "Do you think that ghost was my father? Don't be ridiculous."

"..." Liu Xiaoyu did not get angry. Instead, she frowned.

From Yang Jian's tone, he did not seem to be joking.

The only explanation was... his memories had been altered again.

A ghost suspected of being able to alter people's memories? The person themselves could not detect it. Even Ghost Tamers were the same, but why had she not been changed?

Liu Xiaoyu quickly took notes, preparing to hand the matter over to those high-IQ analysts for deduction. This was not her job.

"Fine, if there's nothing else, that's it. Talk next time," Yang Jian said.

"One last question. Your mental state has been fine lately, right?" Liu Xiaoyu suddenly asked again.

"Fine. No problems." Yang Jian hung up.

Then he looked at Wang Bin and Wang Haiyan in the car. "You heard that?"

"That was an operator from the Asia Division of Ghost Tamer Headquarters. What she says carries authority. I've actually been involved in this for a while, and now that you've come into contact with it, I won't hide it from you anymore. Otherwise, certain people will call me a fraud or a madman."

Wang Bin's family fell into deep silence.

No one was at peace inside.

Yang Jian looked at Wang Shanshan again. Suddenly, his expression froze.

He saw that at some point, a faint red mark had appeared on Wang Shanshan's wrist. It looked like an eye, but it was so dim it was almost about to vanish.

"When did this appear?" Yang Jian abruptly grabbed Wang Shanshan's hand and asked.

Wang Shanshan shrank back and said softly, "It appeared after you grabbed me."

This was a Ghost Slave Mark!

Yang Jian froze as he recalled it.

He had indeed grabbed Wang Shanshan's wrist when he saved her.

Had he left it behind then?

He understood. Now Yang Jian understood.

The reason Wang Shanshan had not died after being harassed by the Ghost Infant for so many days was because of his mark. But the Ghost Infant had grown, and its power had increased, so his mark was beginning to disappear.

"This mark can save people, and it can harm people." Yang Jian's expression shifted uncertainly as he sank into thought.

However, not long after Yang Jian hung up, a file about him appeared in the archives room at Headquarters.

On the first page of the file was a line of large words: Ghost Eye Yang Jian (Not Recruited)