A Startling Change

After several attempts, Yang Jian's plan to use the ghost cabinet to break the Music Box Curse failed.

Of his three alternative plans, only one remained: trusting Wang Xiaoming and letting him find a way to break the curse. Although Headquarters had already agreed to this, Yang Jian still felt uneasy about Wang Xiaoming from the beginning.

"If we have to try Wang Xiaoming's plan, then at least we need to get Ghost Cabinet to figure out the traps in the solution," Yang Jian thought to himself.

Using the help of the "ghost cabinet" to anticipate danger and then take reasonable precautions is currently the most feasible method.

I thought about it for a long time.

Yang Jian realized that this seemingly simple problem was actually very difficult; he had already wasted several pages of writing.

For example: Help me solve the traps in Wang Xiaoming's plan.

If the Ghost Cabinet had written that sentence, it might have succeeded, but what if the plan had failed? What if it hadn't killed the person in the trap, but instead succumbed to the music box's curse?

He then wrote, "Help me survive successfully in tomorrow's plans."

If Yang Jian had written that sentence, he might have survived in the end, but perhaps he would have been left with only a consciousness preserved by the curse of the Ghost Cabinet, becoming a unique anomaly.

"Dealing with ghost cabinets is not as simple as you might imagine. You never know how a ghost cabinet will affect you, so perfection is impossible. No matter what demands you make, you still have to bear the risks you're supposed to take."

Yang Jian shook his head slightly, then crumpled the note in his hand into a ball and threw it away in frustration.

Soon.

His eyes flickered slightly, and he wrote down the following sentence on the paper, "I want to be alive and ready to make another deal with you a month from now."

This request is a clever trick.

Yang Jian proposed that the next transaction would be in a month, which meant that he had to be present today, a month from now. In other words, he couldn't die within a month. If he died, then Ghost Chef would have failed to fulfill his request, and the rule of unlimited transactions would have been unilaterally broken by Ghost Chef.

Therefore, if the Ghost Cabinet is to continue its transactions, Yang Jian cannot die from the music box's curse, nor can he die from any other supernatural event.

Most importantly, he didn't make any requests regarding paranormal events, which shouldn't be too difficult under normal circumstances, since it's easy for an ordinary person to live for a month.

The note was slipped inside the ghost cabinet, but nothing happened.

The old wooden cabinet remained silent, as if assessing the difficulty of Yang Jian's request, or perhaps contemplating whether to grant it.

Yang Jian was in no hurry and continued to wait.

This time the wait wasn't long; soon the lower cabinet door moved slightly, opening a crack.

Yang Jian immediately opened it and saw the note he had just slipped in. On it, in crooked black handwriting, were written two words: "Seven days".

Seven days?

Yang Jian's gaze sharpened. Although the timeframe had been shortened, the effect was evident. Sure enough, this ghost cabinet had a loophole that could be exploited. It couldn't break the music box's curse, but it could make him continue the transaction with it seven days later. It seemed that the latter was more difficult, but the ghost cabinet's assessment was that the former was more challenging.

"Good."

Without a second thought, Yang Jian wrote down a single word in response.

After the paper was slipped in, the ghost cabinet fell completely silent, seemingly waiting for the seven-day period to arrive. This rule of unlimited transactions was temporarily extended.

"This is the best outcome. I can buy insurance from Ghost Chest and make sure I'm alive and standing in front of Ghost Chest seven days from now, no matter what," Yang Jian thought to himself.

No matter what traps or failed plans he takes, he's never safe no matter which side he bets on; only this way is the safest bet.

"This is all I can do for now. It's the best I can manage. Whatever Wang Xiaoming's plan is tomorrow is no longer important. What matters is that I can survive these next few days."

The music box's curse lasts for three days, and he must make a deal with the ghost cabinet seven days later; the dates are not equal.

This means that if Wang Xiaoming's plan fails, the curse of the music box and the trading rules of the ghost cabinet will conflict. This is an invisible contest between ghosts, and Yang Jian used this to increase his chances of survival.

Of course, if Wang Xiaoming's plan succeeds, then Ghost Cabinet's help will be useless, and Yang Jian will have lost a condition for nothing.

After confirming that there were no problems, Yang Jian descended the clock tower.

He did not return to J City. Although the Ghost Painting Incident was still being dealt with, this supernatural event was temporarily unrelated to him. After all, he had resigned from his position as captain. Although he had not completely left Headquarters, he was on an indefinite leave. This situation had both advantages and disadvantages.

The benefits are now becoming apparent.

He could avoid the Ghost Painting Incident, and no one from Headquarters would come to make arrangements for him.

Yang Jian walked through the quiet residential area. Although the Guangjiang Residential Area had some activity, the occupancy rate was still low. Although it seemed deserted, it was safer because the more people there were, the greater the probability of paranormal events. You never knew which unlucky person might unintentionally attract a paranormal event.

Of course, living in the mountains is somewhat safer, and if conditions permit, living in seclusion in the mountains is a good choice.

Lost in thought, he had already arrived at his doorstep.

Yang Jian's current home is a converted sales office of the former Guangjiang Residential Area. It has five floors and includes a living room, dining room, gym, swimming pool, office and other facilities. It was originally bought from Zhang Wei's father, Zhang Xiangui, and was considered quite luxurious by his standards at the time.

According to Yang Jian's plan, this place is where he will provide for his mother's retirement. The courtyard is large enough, and the building is large enough. He can live comfortably with this asset in the future.

However, this asset is no longer significant, but since he's gotten used to living there, he doesn't plan to move.

Yang Jian arrived at the door and saw that the green belt next to the yard had been changed, with many vegetables planted. However, due to the bad weather, the vegetables were not growing well. His mother must have planted them when she was bored.

I rang the doorbell.

No one answered the door.

"Not home?" Yang Jian opened his Ghost Eye and scanned the house; it was empty.

"Did Jiang Yan and Zhang Liqin move away? Or did they go to work at the Shangtong Building in the city center?"

However, Yang Jian glanced at their two rooms and saw that they both showed signs of being occupied, not that they had moved out. In other words, they had been living there all along.

After all, they were two women who survived a paranormal event, and their mental state was somewhat traumatized. To some extent, they both lacked a sense of security, otherwise they wouldn't have been willing to stay here.

Yang Jian also wanted to get rid of them.

The place is so big, staying here will bring more life to the place, and it's good to spend some time with my mother in my spare time.

Yang Jian entered the house and went up to the fifth floor.

Some dangerous items were stored on the fifth floor.

Two ghosts locked in a golden box, a ghost skeleton that had been imprisoned, a ghost mirror covered by a black cloth, and some firearms.

He felt most at ease with the imprisoned ghosts, as they couldn't escape unless someone touched them. What he feared most was someone touching the ghost mirror, so the door was locked. However, this level of lock was only enough to keep ordinary people out; it couldn't prevent someone from actually opening it.

After checking everything, Yang Jian went to the room where the ghost mirror was kept.

The room was pitch black, with nothing reflecting light.

He looked at the mirror covered by a black cloth and pondered for a moment, "These things are too dangerous. If we leave them here, there's bound to be some problems later. It's best to put them in the safe house. Zhang Xiangui expanded the safe house last time, so making room for these things shouldn't be a problem."

Yang Jian felt that these dangerous things couldn't be left here; what if something went wrong and the whole family was wiped out?

He immediately began to move these dangerous items.

Given the current situation, Yang Jian immediately activated the Ghost Domain, transferring everything to the safe house and then moving it to the small room made of gold.

This safe house is rarely used on a regular basis. When it's needed, it means the situation is already very critical, and the potential dangers of these things become insignificant.

"The last thing left is the ghost cabinet." Yang Jian walked out of the safe house and looked up at the clock tower.

After thinking about it, it's best to leave the Ghost Cabinet alone for now.

This thing is strange, but it's relatively stable. We'll figure out how to put it away after we get through this music box crisis.

After dealing with the potential hazards at home, he didn't rush to leave the community. Instead, he went to the vacant lot at the back of the community where the buildings were still under construction.

A modern temple-style building was constructed in the middle of that open space.

The temple's appearance was merely a disguise; inside was actually an old house from the Republican Era. The reason for the renovation was that Yang Jian dared not destroy the old house, nor did he want it to be discovered. The best solution was to use another building to hide the old house.

Yang Jian hesitated for a moment, then walked over.

A high wall has been built around the old house, with only an antique-style red-lacquered gate, but the gate is now locked, and it seems that no one is inside.

Yang Jian disappeared in front of the gate and went straight inside.

The renovated old house from the Republican era wasn't as gloomy and eerie as one might imagine. On the contrary, it was full of modern charm, clean and tidy, brightly lit, and had a retro feel. It was very elegant and quiet, making it a perfect place for people who appreciate tranquility.

"Yang Jian, you're here? It seems you've been away on business for quite a while this time."

A cool, melodious voice rang out, and a young girl of about eighteen or nineteen years old emerged from a room on the second floor. She stood in the hallway, her eyes calmly fixed on Yang Jian in the living room.

That room was the one where the haunted wardrobe was placed before.

However, after the renovation, it became Wang Shanshan's private room.

"I came over to take a look and handle some minor issues while I was there," Yang Jian, looking at Wang Shanshan.

She hadn't changed much compared to before; she was aloof, pale, and thin, but her figure remained graceful, and she possessed an indescribable cold and elegant charm.

"Are we about to die?" Wang Shanshan said as she walked downstairs.

Yang Jian said, "Why would you suddenly say that? Can't I just come to see you?"

Wang Shanshan pointed to her mind and said, "Recently, a piece of music has appeared in my mind, and I feel it's related to you. This music is a bit eerie; it probably isn't a good thing."

Yang Jian was taken aback, then a chill ran down his spine. "You have one too?"

The curse of the music box had unexpectedly extended to Wang Shanshan.

"You said before that if you died, I would die too. It seems your business trip didn't go very well. Want a Coke?" Wang Shanshan came downstairs, took a bottle of Coke from the refrigerator, and handed it to Yang Jian.

It seems she has plenty of supplies living here.

"Thanks."

Yang Jian opened the cola, took a swig, and said, "I've run into a bit of trouble, but I'll handle it. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"I'm not worried about myself, but about what will happen to it if we die?" Wang Shanshan's eyes showed a hint of worry as she glanced towards a corner of the living room.

I don't know when, but there stood a child who looked about five or six years old in that corner.

Although the child was dressed, his exposed skin was a deathly bluish-black, and his whole body was incredibly cold. Moreover, his eyes were red and had no pupils, just like Ghost Eye, eerie and sinister. At this moment, he was motionless, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Yang Jian.

A feeling of being watched by a vengeful ghost welled up from the bottom of my heart, sending chills down my spine.

Ghost Infant!

Yang Jian's gaze sharpened instantly.

The strange creature left behind after the Starvation Ghost Incident —he himself didn't know what to call it. This Ghost Infant was both a derivative ghost of the starving ghost and his Ghost Slave, and it also parasitized Wang Shanshan's body, having some kind of unclear connection with her.

"It hasn't been long, and this Ghost Infant has grown so big," Yang Jian said. "How do you feed it?"

"Meat."

Wang Shanshan glanced at the refrigerator. "Fresh meat. I've tried beef, pork, and chicken. But it's best suited for lamb, though lamb is only a last resort. You should know what it really needs to eat. It's stopped growing now, at least that's what I've observed these past few days."

"This is the second stage of the Ghost Infant state."

Yang Jian calmly analyzed, "If it wants to continue growing without killing anyone, it needs to be fed with ghosts, but that's easy to lose control. Keeping it is a rather greedy move on my part. To this day, I don't know if this decision is right or wrong. It's too dangerous for you to continue living with it."

"You could die if you're not careful."

Wang Shanshan replied, "I'm safe for now; it's more obedient than I expected."

Even the most obedient person is still a devil.

Yang Jian's gaze turned cold as he said, "Starting tomorrow, I might face some danger. I came here to consider its existence. If I really die unexpectedly, you will die with me. What about it? If it still exists in this world, then no one can control it. I will not allow the Starvation Ghost Incident to happen again."

"So what do you mean?" Wang Shanshan was taken aback, then asked.

"I'm thinking of either letting it stay with me, so it won't cause any major trouble outside, or you can put it in a special box and seal it for a few days. Once I'm sure it's safe, I can call you," Yang Jian said.

He's going to see Wang Xiaoming tomorrow.

So he took advantage of today to resolve some concerns, or to put it bluntly, to make arrangements for his funeral. The existence of the Ghost Infant was a potential threat, even more dangerous than having a ghost mirror in the house, so he definitely had to deal with it.

"You can choose a solution for me, after all, this matter is also related to you."

Yang Jian gave the choice to Wang Shanshan.

Wang Shanshan thought for a moment, then walked up to Yang Jian and looked up at him slightly. "Take it with you. It should be able to help you, but don't let it die. Bring it back in a few days when things are better. It can solve a lot of problems here and provide some security for the community."

"Alright, since that's the case, I'll take it with me when I leave Dachang City today." Yang Jian glanced at the Ghost Infant, his eyes flickering.

He knew this thing wasn't dangerous for the time being, but it was, after all, a terrifying object left behind by a starving ghost, so it was inevitable that he would be wary, since he still had a lingering fear of the last Starvation Ghost Incident.

"By the way, you said it solved a lot of problems. Has something happened in the neighborhood recently?"

Suddenly, he noticed the information in Wang Shanshan's words and immediately asked.

Wang Shanshan said, "It must have been five nights ago when it ran away and came back with several human fingers in its mouth."

Yang Jian's expression changed slightly; these few words revealed the terrifying ferocity of the Ghost Infant.

What caused it to escape?

Wang Shanshan shook her head and said, "I don't know. I just gave it an order to be on the safe side: drive away any Ghost Tamer who haven't been allowed into the community."

"So, a strange Ghost Tamer tried to enter the neighborhood that night? And then the Ghost Infant discovered it, ran out and attacked the Ghost Tamer, biting off a few of his fingers?" Yang Jian made a reasonable guess.

That should be the case.

Does Zhang Han know?

Wang Shanshan said, "This matter was mentioned before, and he said he would investigate, but there has been no news in the past few days."

Yang Jian glanced at the Ghost Infant in the corner and pondered.

A Ghost Tamer, who has at least controlled one demon, had several fingers bitten off and was driven away when facing Ghost Infant. What does this signify?

This shows that even the most ordinary Ghost Tamer are no match for this Ghost Infant.

This is before the Ghost Infant has eaten other ghosts; otherwise, the danger of this thing would be unimaginable.

"Where is Zhang Han now?" Yang Jian asked.

The matter of the Ghost Infant can be put aside for now. Since we've decided to take it away, we can deal with it slowly later. However, a strange Ghost Tamer has appeared in Dachang City and even tried to enter Guangjiang Residential Area, which is something to be wary of.

If it were a well-known and powerful Ghost Tamer, they would definitely come to me through legitimate channels. This sneaky approach is extremely hostile.

Revenge?

Or is it a malicious test?

Regardless, Yang Jian felt this matter needed to be investigated, otherwise he would find it difficult to leave in peace.

"It's at Shangtong Building, and it's working hours now. He took over your responsibilities after you left," Wang Shanshan said.

Yang Jian nodded and said, "This is what I asked him to do. I have to go to Shangtong Building now. You don't actually need to stay here all the time. It would be good to go out and spend more time with your family."

"I have to keep an eye on it, and I've gotten used to being alone. I can go online, play games, read books, and all sorts of food are delivered here, so it's not boring. Sometimes watching Zhang Wei's live stream is quite interesting," Wang Shanshan said.

Yang Jian said, "I'm sorry, I'm the one who made you like this."

"You don't need to feel guilty. You saved me; otherwise, I would have died long ago. I've said this several times already, and you're not allowed to say it again."

Wang Shanshan's indifferent eyes flickered slightly, revealing her seriousness.

The two of them were no longer the students sitting in school preparing for exams. Although only about half a year had passed, they had both grown a lot, both Yang Jian and Wang Shanshan.

"I don't have much time left. I still have some things to take care of. I should go," Yang Jian suddenly said.

Wang Shanshan nodded, but then suddenly remembered something. "By the way, I've been in contact with Miao Xiaoshan recently. She said you met her on your trip. How was it? Is she alright?"

"Not good, I almost died."

Yang Jian said, "A paranormal event happened at her school. If I hadn't arrived in time, things would have been even more dangerous than what happened at No. 7 Middle School if the situation had worsened in half an hour."

"It's good that you're alright, but I'd like to know how things are between you and her? Your mom's been urging you to find a girlfriend, and I told her you and Miao Xiaoshan have a good relationship, so I'm just asking on behalf of your aunt," Wang Shanshan said.

"Of course, if you find it troublesome, I can cover for you for a while. Later, I'll tell your aunt that we're dating, so my parents can feel more at ease. After all, they're very worried about me in this state."

"Okay, go ahead and do it. It will save the adults from worrying. There's no future for Miao Xiaoshan and me. She's just an ordinary person and should live an ordinary life. Getting involved in this circle will only harm her. You don't want all of us high school classmates to die, do you?" Yang Jian said without refusing.

Both he and Wang Shanshan were gradually losing their feelings; perhaps the only thing left was some lingering attachment. In a sense, they were the ones who truly understood each other's existence.

"Since you agree, then it's settled."

Wang Shanshan calmly said, "Whether it's pretending to be your girlfriend or even pretending to be married, I can help you. It's just that I can't help you have a child; my current physical condition doesn't allow it. But I don't mind trying with you."

"."

Yang Jian said, "I know what you're thinking. You just want us to die with some dignity, so we don't have any regrets. But you don't have to do that. Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore. I'm leaving. I'll come find you again after I've dealt with that curse. Don't be so pessimistic."

Do you think there's any hope for people like us in the future?

As Yang Jian was about to leave, he heard Wang Shanshan's almost self-talking question behind him.

She wanted an answer, or perhaps she was also suffering from her current situation and wanted to seek the truth.

"I don't know, but I'm looking. At the very least, I can't give up, can I?" Yang Jian stopped and turned around.

Wang Shanshan didn't say anything, she just looked at him calmly.

Yang Jian didn't linger and quickly left the old house.