Mysterious Awakening

Chapter 427: 426

When Yang Jian took the elevator to the twentieth floor of Ping’an Tower, the elevator did not stop at the twentieth floor as expected, but continued upward.

"Hmm?”

Originally thinking about how to make up a legitimate excuse to fool his mother and explain his becoming a ghost whisperer, the elevator’s anomaly snapped Yang Jian back to reality.

"A supernatural event is impossible.” After only a brief glance, Yang Jian dismissed the worst possibility.

If it wasn’t a supernatural event, then it could be an elevator malfunction.

However, here, the likelihood of an elevator malfunction was clearly quite small; there was no reason for the elevator to break down just because he had gotten on.

"Man-made, maybe?” Yang Jian considered a third possibility.

He wasn’t panicked because as long as it was not a supernatural event, there was nothing else that warranted too much of his concern.

This was one of the tallest skyscrapers in J City, much taller than the Shangtong Tower in his city of Dachang.

Moreover, the elevator went directly to the top floor without stopping anywhere in between, which further proved Yang Jian’s guess might be correct.

"Ding dong~!”

At last, the elevator doors opened at the hundredth floor.

This floor was very spacious, somewhat resembling a fire break within the tower, without any fancy decor or complex architecture, just a few desks, computers, and sofas arranged.

Compared to the area of the first floor, these furnishings were hardly noticeable.

Yang Jian stepped out of the elevator, looked around to find it deserted, and then addressed the empty floor coldly, “Since there’s no one on this floor, might as well let it just disappear, after all, it’s useless.”

He didn’t believe the floor was truly deserted.

Ping’an Tower was a corporate residence for family members; every floor must be incredibly valuable and wouldn’t be left vacant without reason.

"I’m sorry, I thought you wouldn’t directly ride the elevator up. Under normal circumstances when people find the elevator behaving abnormally, most would think of making it emergency stop or using some kind of power to escape the elevator. I didn’t expect you wouldn’t do anything; very sharp instinct. Have you already guessed the elevator has been tampered with by someone?” A woman’s voice sounded.

A professional-looking woman wearing a short skirt and white shirt, with a tall, mature figure, stepped out from behind a pillar in high heels.

With a warm smile touched by confidence, she said, “Hello, Yang Jian, my name is Li Yao, I’m the assistant here. I hope the recent action didn’t cause you any displeasure, for under legitimate circumstances, getting the chance to meet with ‘Ghost Eye’ Yang Jian is quite rare.”

"So I have been waiting for this day for a long time.”

"Li Yao?” Yang Jian’s expression shifted slightly, “I haven’t heard of you.”

"I’m just an insignificant minor detail, naturally heroes like you wouldn’t have heard of me,” said Li Yao.

Yang Jian said, “No need to overpraise me. You knew I was visiting my mother, so you deliberately controlled the elevator to bring me here, obviously prepared. Speak up, what do you want with me? I’m not known for a good temper, and I’m quite easy to offend. So whatever it is you want, you better be prepared.” 𐍂𝘈NọʙĚṣ

"Because in most cases, I won’t agree.”

Li Yao smiled, “Rarely do I meet someone so direct and sincere.”

"Only the powerless need to be insincere to others, as they are afraid of offending people and indirectly affecting their own interests. People like me don’t even have their life in their own hands, why would I care about that?”

Yang Jian added, “So get to the point, because I do not want to waste time and energy on someone I don’t know.”

"That’s reasonable; a person like you indeed has no need to mince words and be obsequiously polite to others. A straightforward approach is more fitting for your style,” suggested Li Yao as she indicated a seat, “Still, there are some courtesies to extend to a guest. Please have a seat, and I’ll pour you a cup of tea so we can discuss things at leisure, as some matters closely involve you, and I think you would want to know the details.”

"Considering your position at Ping’an Tower, I’ll give you five minutes,” Yang Jian frowned, taking into account the backdrop of the headquarters. He did not immediately turn to leave; instead, he checked the time and walked over to say.

"Would you like some tea, coffee, or juice?” Li Yao asked as she moved to a small bar nearby.

Yang Jian replied, “Just give me a Happy Fat House Water.”

Li Yao, taken aback for a moment, handed over a bottled beverage to the coffee table, “You have quite a unique taste.”

"It’s quite common, not unique,” Yang Jian objected.

"Let’s get down to business, what do you want with me? Surely you aren’t thinking of public relations? To be honest, I am not very interested in an older woman like you; if you’re looking to appeal to me, I hope you find someone more to my taste.”

Li Yao’s smile slightly stiffened, “Your thoughts are indeed unusual.”

"Strange? After all, you in that outfit look a lot like some old auntie by my side. Too bad your information seems outdated. Just because she likes to dress this way doesn’t mean I do,” Yang Jian said slowly.

Jiang Yan was so caught up in her professional seduction that she thought she could enchant Yang Jian beyond recovery, unaware that his tastes were completely different.

"Before we talk business, I’d like to ask you, what do you think of the team leader’s plan?” Li Yao said.

Yang Jian replied, “I resolutely support any decision made by headquarters. Any plan that considers the people’s welfare has my full support, and I’m willing to fight for it for the rest of my life, even if it means sacrificing my own life.”

If Li Yao hadn’t known Yang Jian’s record, she almost would have been moved by his words.

"According to the information I’ve received, the slots for the team leader’s plan have been gradually confirmed. There aren’t many left, maybe two more spots.” Li Yao continued slowly, “And you’re not included, which means under normal circumstances, there’s a high chance you won’t be selected for the team leader’s plan.”

"Even though you’ve been nominated and are a popular choice.”

Yang Jian frowned, “I don’t even know about the team leader’s plan, and the selection is over? That’s too far-fetched. Feels like there’s something shady going on.”

Li Yao smiled, “Some things were set in stone at the very beginning of the plan, not something anyone can change easily. Behind this plan are the interests of various parties. It’s not just headquarters involved. Although your record is impressive, your existence does not meet the needs of all parties’ interests, so you understand, right?”

"I get it. In other words, I’m just an average Joe with no competitiveness and beyond control. Investing resources in me is a waste, huh. This sounds familiar; someone mentioned this to me before, pretty much the same as what you’re saying,” Yang Jian recalled what Zong Shan had said at the airport yesterday.

His intention was to gather a group of top-notch ghost controllers to gain a say and secure a spot as a team leader. He had refused, but Zong Shan wasn’t angry and was still waiting for his response.

"Naturally, more than one group has been in touch with you because of your uniqueness, but I believe no one can offer you a higher price than us,” Li Yao said with a very serious smile.

"Who does ‘us’ refer to?” Yang Jian asked.

"Most people.”@@novelbin@@

"Most what people?”

Li Yao replied, “Most people like you.”

"What can I get?” Yang Jian asked.

"You have to do something first before you can get something,” Li Yao said with a smile.

Yang Jian queried, “Does this have anything to do with not joining you?”

"It’s very relevant. Once the team leader’s plan is implemented, the whole situation will change completely. Even if you’re in charge of Dachang City, if you offend certain people, you risk being taken down,” Li Yao explained. “It’s a new rule. You should be within this new framework, not outside of it. It’s better that way, for you and for us.”

At that moment, Yang Jian laughed, like a heavy child.

"You find this funny?” Li Yao inquired.

Yang Jian’s smile was cold, chilling to the bone, “Are you threatening me?”

"There’s no threat involved, merely the outline of a situation that’s about to happen, which is the reality you’re faced with,” Li Yao replied.

"I wonder, when a regular person faces me, they get nervous, even fearful, but you seem fearless. Who’s given you such courage and confidence?” Yang Jian leaned slightly forward, staring at this strange woman named Li Yao.

Li Yao said, “To us, you’re just someone valuable, not indispensable. If it weren’t for the concern over the revival of malevolent spirits, we could settle with you right here, right now. Don’t forget, you’re just a rookie. Do you know what the initial batch of ghost controllers reached?”

"Supernatural threats are probably no longer a concern.”

Yang Jian laughed again, this time with mockery, “You’ve been brainwashed, huh? Believing such lies?”

"I don’t get angry over things said out of ignorance,” Li Yao said, shaking her head slightly.

"Ignorance? And what makes you think my conclusions are born from ignorance? How many supernatural incidents have you experienced?” Yang Jian challenged. “The original ghost controllers weren’t afraid of the supernatural? That’s because they hadn’t been through enough.”

At best, the original ghost controllers lasted two or three years, maybe controlling three ghosts or even becoming an anomaly among ghost controllers, not having to worry about the resurrection of vengeful spirits.

But compared to the ghost controllers from the Republic of China Period, these people count for nothing.

A hundred years ago, the top figures all died out, leaving only dilapidated old mansions and some soul bottles as evidence of their ghost hunting.

What does that signify?

It signifies that this horrific revival is just beginning.

The real terror is yet to come.

Yang Jian had witnessed many potential horrors, just not yet manifest in this world, like the huge dark shadow nailed with Coffin Nails under the temple, the ghost behind Zhao Kaiming, the secrets of the human skin paper, what the Ghost Coffin was nurturing, the graveyard the Ghost Car passed through, the existence of the Dried Corpse Bride, the walking corpse at Caesar Hotel in Z City…

Countless hidden threats were gradually surfacing. The supernatural encounters of the initial ghost controllers were far from the level of what came afterward.