CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 47: GHOSTS GO RURAL ON THE GHOST FESTIVAL

"Shelter has added a refraction function to mitigate negative influences, which can bounce the negative effects back? That’s interesting."

"Deep Dream Realm can slightly alter memories now! This is really useful!"

"Breaking Blade can now transform two parts to have Fierce Ghost traits, not bad, not bad."

Wu Liang opened the Ghost Compendium and carefully read about the upgraded effects of these abilities, while also sensing the dissatisfaction from the other two Fierce Ghosts.

One is Phone Ghost, the Fierce Ghost whose body is the big brother phone at home, and the other is naturally the Hanged Ghost, whose abilities haven’t upgraded.

"Calm down, calm down, you two just eat less than them, no need to worry." Wu Liang casually comforted the two Fierce Ghost Minions.

The Hanged Ghost is alright; it indeed just started.

It only ate a little bit of Fierce Ghost Fragments, so not upgrading is normal.

But, Phone Ghost...

Wu Liang just didn’t want it to upgrade too quickly.

Because this guy is a bit rebellious, and the special ability it provides only works on living people, not other Fierce Ghosts, so Wu Liang rarely uses its ability—

Midnight Evil Bell: Through the calls made by Phone Ghost’s body, the receiver will continue to have bad luck within 24 hours, ranging from minor injuries to life-threatening situations.

When Wu Liang first acquired this ability, he felt it was quite ominous due to its strong uncontrollability.

The level of bad luck is completely uncontrollable, and he doesn’t want to use such vicious curses against living people, so he often deliberately ignores Phone Ghost when feeding Fierce Ghost Minions.

As for why he still keeps it...

Just in case, he doesn’t want to curse living people, but it’s not like he can’t use it; if someone really poses a threat to him, Wu Liang would at least make ten calls to them in one night!

After comforting the minions, Wu Liang returned home with confidence, even rewarding himself with a spicy crayfish meal.

"Great! Now I’ll quickly find a ghost to check how everyone’s abilities have upgraded!"

......

"Find, find! Find what ghost? There’s not a single one!" Wu Liang sat at his workstation weakly, leaning back with the Ghost Compendium over his face, complaining.

Ever since coming out from the official base last week, he’s been wanting to find a ghost to test his abilities.

But after flipping through the Ghost Compendium, he hasn’t found any ghosts within an easily reachable distance.

A week ago, he was quite cheerful, now he’s utterly dejected.

The nearest ghost requires at least a three-hour ride to the first discovery location, let alone slowly investigating its current precise location based on clues from the discovery site.

He spent the entire week tediously busy with work at the TV station, besides working, he was constantly experimenting with different meals for the big sister at home.

But, one has to admit, Ms. Yang is really generous!

After he daily prepared different gourmet meals, she increased his rent from one hundred to two hundred per day!

"Damn! Fierce Ghosts never show up; does that mean official Awakened can just spend all day eating, drinking, and having fun?" Wu Liang complained again.

Other colleagues seeing him like this weren’t surprised.

After all, throughout his work, Wu Liang is the only reporter so enthusiastic about finding Fierce Ghosts.

Recently, there was an occurrence of supernatural events for several days in a row, which is actually quite rare; typically, a city would only have a few supernatural events a month that need official Awakened to handle.

"Wu Liang, tomorrow is July 15th, our unit will have a three-day holiday for the Zhongyuan Festival; just notifying you." Jiang Min smiled, informing Wu Liang who looked dejected.

Since the great catastrophe, every year during the Zhongyuan Festival on July 15th, the probability of supernatural phenomena inexplicably increases dramatically.

Most companies in the city choose to give holidays during these days.

After all, employees can have accidents anywhere, just preferably not in the company involving supernatural events, or the boss might worry to the point of having a brain hemorrhage and fainting.

"Are you going back to your rural hometown?"

Jiang Min asked, curious; since discovering Wu Liang’s complexity, she’s increasingly eager to learn more about him.

"Uh... I probably will, I return to the countryside for two days every year." Wu Liang contemplated.

His parents passed away due to being involved in a supernatural event, bodies never found, only clothing tombs were erected beside the ancestral grave.

He usually returns alone to his hometown at this time to honor them and tidy up the old house that hasn’t been lived in for a long time to stay for two days.

Those two days are when he has the most peace.

No classmates or teachers gossiping, no curses from his aunt’s family, no worldly noise, only the tranquility and relaxation provided by nature.

"Where is your hometown?"

"Wangsheng Village near Jiangling County on the outskirts of Chengyang City; it’s a bit remote." Wu Liang spoke truthfully.

When he says remote, he means really remote!

Probably even the roads into the village are inconvenient, requiring mountain traversing hikes, that kind of remoteness!

Ever since the resurgence of supernatural events, places like villages have seen decreasing populations.

Survivors of the great catastrophe generally moved near cities, if not, to populous areas within the county itself.

Because once a Fierce Ghost appears in a village, it’s a dead end; Awakened can’t even reach such remote places in time, possibly leaving the entire village wiped out unnoticed.

"Can I accompany you? Staying in the city during the holiday is pretty boring, and I don’t have many friends." Jiang Min asked awkwardly.

"If you want to go, just go; I’ll pick you up tomorrow."

Wu Liang understands Jiang Min not returning to her hometown to burn incense and paper during Zhongyuan Festival.

In today’s world, few dare venture alone into the mountains like him, mostly people symbolically burning paper at home in the city is sufficient.

After deciding the time with Jiang Min.

Wu Liang returned home.

Seeing Ms. Yang happily engrossed in variety shows born from the assembly line, he informed her he wouldn’t be home the next couple of days.

And clarified that Yang Jie wouldn’t need to pay him rent for those days since he’s not home to cook.

Wu Liang is strict about money matters; he won’t take a penny more or less than deserved!

"I’ll join you to return, okay? Wangsheng Village, right? I’ve never been to the mountains." Ms. Yang casually remarked.

"Uh... that works too?"

Wu Liang saw no issue with taking two unfamiliar women to Wangsheng Village for the memorial.

He even thought he might profit from the rent these two days!

Unbeknownst to him, deep in his mind’s Ghost Compendium, a new Fierce Ghost entry slowly updated—

Corpse Concealing Ghost

Discovery Date: Year 05 of Disaster Calendar, July 14th

Discovery Location: At Huaxia’s Chengyang City, Jiangling County, Wangsheng Village Temple, discovered by Wang Jing...