Chapter 641 641: 638 to go
Yang Jian walked alone on the streets of Dachang City, which were very familiar to him as he had grown up, studied, and lived there since childhood...
But now, the streets were far less bustling than before.
Desolate and depressed, the majority of the shops on either side of the road had closed down, and many were directly transferring or selling their properties.
It seemed that the impact of the last incident was still lingering, and a return to the past vibrancy seemed unlikely.
"Although it's a lot quieter, at least the city is stable now, and no new incidents have occurred," Yang Jian thought to himself.
He wasn't wasting time wandering the streets aimlessly; he was making a round of the city to get a grasp of the situation and also to inspect it. If there were any unsolved supernatural incidents in the city, he wouldn't mind resolving them before he left, considering his current state was well-suited for dealing with such matters.
A moment later.
Yang Jian arrived at Shangtong Tower.
Although the building was very quiet, there were quite a few staff members around.
Yang Jian contacted Zhang Han through the reception desk.
Soon, a person in charge named Zang Hua rushed over in the elevator, out of breath.
Zang Hua had a dual role; one was as the liaison officer of the headquarters, and the other was to assist Yang Jian with his work in Dachang City because sometimes, cooperation is needed for certain affairs, highlighting the significance and capabilities of his role.
But now, with nothing urgent to attend to, he had enjoyed a rare period of leisure.
"Mister Yang, hello," Zang Hua greeted him warmly.
"Have you just returned from a business trip? I'm sorry, I didn't receive any notice from above, please forgive my negligence in work."
Yang Jian said, "I'm just back for a quick visit and will return to Big J City tomorrow. It's normal for you not to have received a notice. How have things been recently here? Nothing untoward, I hope."
"Everything is normal, of course. If there was an emergency situation, I would find a way to notify you. This is my job, and I wouldn't be negligent," Zang Hua said.
Yang Jian asked, "How come I heard that lately, people suspected of being ghost handlers have been sneaking into my residential area at night? Haven't you received any news about this?"
Zang Hua looked around, then spoke in a hushed tone, "Mister Yang, indeed, such an incident has occurred, and we are investigating, but so far, there has been no news. However, a bizarre death case happened the day before yesterday in the old city district. The file has been sent to your office, and Zhang Han has also taken a look, but no conclusion has been drawn yet. He wanted to wait for your return to deal with it."
"Alright, I will talk to Zhang Han," Yang Jian said.
Soon.
Both of them took the elevator to the top floor of Shangtong Tower.
That level was Yang Jian's office space. He chose this location because Shangtong Tower is situated at the city center, and from that height, Yang Jian's Ghost Eye could overlook the whole city, allowing him to detect any abnormalities in any location as quickly as possible.
Zhang Han was not in Yang Jian's office; he had his own rest room, usually spending a few hours there every day, mainly to be on call just in case an emergency occurred and a ghost handler was needed.
Although it was somewhat monotonous, he felt lucky just to be alive.
Looking back at a few months ago, he was drinking and chatting in Wang Xiaoqiang's club with Yan Li, Ye Jun, and others. Who could have imagined that in the following months, all the familiar ghost handlers would die, including the most formidable Ye Feng, who perished in the Hungry Ghost incident, while it was he, who had little ability, who survived.
The inexperienced newcomer Yang Jian, whom I first met, has now become the person in charge of Dachang City and even solved that unsolvable supernatural event.
Every time he reflected on this, Zhang Han couldn't help but feel emotional.
Zhang Han, your vigilance isn't suitable for getting involved in supernatural events, you might end up dying a horrible death."
Unbeknownst to Zhang Han, Yang Jian and Zang Hua had already walked into the lounge, and their arrival seemed not to have startled him.
Zhang Han suddenly snapped back to reality and immediately stood up upon seeing Yang Jian, apologizing with an embarrassed smile, "Sorry, sorry, I might have become too comfortable lately. My current state has relaxed far too much compared to before. Moreover, the issue with the Hungry Ghosts resurrection has been temporarily resolved, which has eased my mind quite a bit."
"Living a comfortable life isn't too bad," Yang Jian said. "Zang Hua told me someone recently died in the Old City District, how is the situation when you went to check?"
Zhang Han nodded and said, "Yes, since we couldn't rule out a special cause of death, I went to the scene. The relevant files are in your office; you can check them out."
"Files are created by people, and anything written by people means it might not be accurate. I trust your judgment more than those," Yang Jian replied.
"Actually, it's hard for me to judge, but my gut tells me it's caused by supernatural forces, even though the autopsy report says brain hemorrhage. I don't really believe that; there was an indescribable feeling at the scene," Zhang Han said.
"Wasn't it a supernatural event?"
"No, there were no signs of a supernatural intrusion," Zhang Han said earnestly. "If it was a newly emerged supernatural event, it definitely wouldn't have ended with just one person dead, and I checked the scene as well."
"Then it must be the work of a ghost manipulator. Five nights ago, someone suspected of being a ghost manipulator intruded into the residential area. It's possible that it's the same person."
Yang Jian said, "When I came here earlier, I took a round in the city center, searching with the Ghost Domain but found no one suspicious. Maybe that person is no longer in Dachang City or maybe they are in hiding. Anyway, I'm not going to allow any shady people to stay here. Work a bit harder recently, cooperate with Zang Hua, and find that person."
"And after we find them?" Zang Hua asked, "How should we proceed?"
"Warn them to leave. If they agree, then there's no issue. If not, I'll take them out next time I'm back. I may not care about other places, but I'm the one calling the shots in Dachang City. I won't allow any disturbances here. Anyone who tries to make trouble has to die," Yang Jian stated.
"Alright, that's what we'll do," Zang Hua nodded in agreement. He was already familiar with Yang Jian's way of handling things, so this decision wasn't surprising.
Moreover, he preferred this approach, since his own family was also in Dachang City. An individual slipping into the city secretly was indeed disconcerting. Had they come openly to visit, there wouldn't be a need for such vigilance.
"I'll do my best to cooperate," Zang Hua also nodded, silently consenting.
When it came to matters of supernatural events, the decrees of Yang Jian, the person in charge, were orders to be followed without question.
"Come in," Yang Jian suddenly said, his expression shift, addressing the doorway.
At that moment, the door to the lounge opened, and a woman dressed in professional business attire, bearing a few cups of freshly brewed coffee, walked in. The woman looked pretty and pleasant to the eyes, seemingly in her late twenties, exuding mature charm. Her eyes moved slightly, finally resting on Yang Jian.
"I've made coffee for everyone; I hope it doesn't disrupt President Yang's work," she said.
Zhang Liqin wore a smile and spoke in a gentle, soft voice, adept at receiving guests.
"Indeed, Yang Jian, your vigilance is really high, you noticed people arriving at the door, unlike me who didn't even react when they came in," Zhang Han said with a laugh, taking a sip from his coffee cup.
Yang Jian said, "It's just a normal reaction, if possible, I'd like to relax for a while like you too."
"You are burdened with more work because you're capable. Honestly, without you on the front lines, I wouldn't be able to relax like this," Zhang Han said. He may be relatively mediocre, but he was self-aware.
At this moment, Zang Hua asked, "Now that the matter has been confirmed, when do we start working?"
"Now, the sooner we get results, the better," Yang Jian stated as he stood up. "I don't have time to be involved in this matter, it's up to you, I'm heading back."
"No problem, I can handle this," Zhang Han nodded, expressing confidence.
After all, having been a ghost manipulator for so long, it would be impossible for him, mediocre as he might be, not to deal with someone who's merely showing a bit of their head and tail.
"Good, I'll wait for your news," Yang Jian said before leaving Zhang Han's lounge.
Seeing this, Zhang Liqin immediately followed behind him.
On the way back to the office, Yang Jian asked, "How did you know I was here with Zhang Han?"
Zhang Liqin smiled and said, "I heard from colleagues downstairs that you came to the company, so I came over to check. It must have been just now because I didn't see you when I left home so late this morning."
"It was just a temporary return, so I didn't inform you all. How is the company doing recently?" Yang Jian sat down by the office sofa.
"Pretty good. Although we're still operating at a loss, there's no shortage of investors. A boss named Wan Delu invested several billion in one go and actively brought in many investors for us. Many projects are now developing smoothly. For specific progress, you'd have to ask Wang Bin, after all, he's responsible for the company's project operations."
Zhang Liqin also took a seat, leaning close to Yang Jian, displaying an intimate manner.
"I was just asking casually. I'm not too interested in the company's development. I just thought of forming a company to unite everyone to do something, considering the future. After all, I never thought about making money. If something goes wrong with the situation, as long as the company can serve some of the purposes I envision, that will be enough," Yang Jian said.
"It is necessary to plan ahead."
Zhang Liqin said, "I can't do much, but I will help you as much as I can. Of course, I also hope that you will take care of me as you did before."
"Sounds like a deal," Yang Jian remarked.
Zhang Liqin coyly glared with a touch of charm, "How could a man taking care of a woman be considered a transaction? I've always belonged to you. If it weren't for you saving me several times, I probably would have died long ago. Sometimes I think, if one day you dismiss me or throw me out, I really don't know how I'd live."
Having gone through a lot, she understood more than ever the importance of Yang Jian in her life. At first, she was somewhat hesitant, but now she felt that meeting Yang Jian was a very fortunate event.
"Just talking, don't take it seriously. I've always been known for not speaking nicely," Yang Jian said.
He didn't dislike this Zhang Liqin.
A harmless woman who understood boundaries, she was much more likable than the others he knew.
By comparison, Auntie Jiang, Jiang Yan, really had many strong points too.
"I'm not angry with you," Zhang Liqin smiled.
After some thought, Yang Jian said, "However, I do have one thing I'd like your help with."
"Tell me."
"You know a bit about the matters of the Supernatural Circle. Although I have the ability to deal with ghosts, I've also paid a significant price, so it's unsure when I might die. If I were to die, you'll have to take care of my mother," Yang Jian explained.
Zhang Liqin was taken aback for a moment, surprised by his words and seemingly not expecting Yang Jian to ask her to take care of his mother.
"Isn't it a bit early to talk about this?"
"It's just making arrangements in advance, after all, no one can predict the future. You can refuse, and I'll make arrangements with someone else when the time comes," Yang Jian said.
Zhang Liqin immediately said, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of your mother."
"It's not as easy as giving a casual promise, once you agree, you must follow through," Yang Jian emphasized.
"I will definitely fulfill what I've promised you," Zhang Liqin earnestly replied.
Yang Jian nodded, considering the matter settled.
He didn't expect a single promise could bind someone for long, but he was only doing what he could as far as he was able.
Of course, he could modify Zhang Liqin's memories to ensure she kept her promise, but Yang Jian didn't want to do so, as he couldn't be sure if altering a person's memory would leave any side effects.
"I need to leave," Yang Jian decided to set off after confirming there were no more matters to attend to.
"Leaving so soon?" Zhang Liqin asked with surprise.
Yang Jian said, "I still have unfinished business over there. Once it's done, I'll come back. Don't mention my return to my mom this time."
"Got it."
Soon, he left Shangtong Tower again.
However, not long after he left, Jiang Yan, seemingly having heard the news, burst into the office excitedly, "Yang Jian, you finally came back. How are you, did you miss me?"
"Yang Jian just left; he said he had matters to attend to and would take some time to come back," Zhang Liqin said, pointing outside with her finger.
"Ah?" The color drained instantly from Jiang Yan's face.
Before leaving, Yang Jian returned to the old house in the residential area.
After greeting Wang Shanshan, he took the Ghost Infant with him.
But now, calling it a Ghost Infant was no longer appropriate; after growing into the Second Stage, it would be better to refer to it as a Ghost Child.
Although it wasn't raised on ghosts, its ferociousness was very high. If Wang Shanshan hadn't kept it in check every day, Yang Jian believed it could definitely grow into another Hungry Ghost.
"It's dangerous, but at least before it goes out of control, it is very trustworthy. It would complete my orders without any hesitation. With it as a bodyguard, if necessary, I could consider continuing to nurture it," Yang Jian thought to himself.
He had control over a few ghosts, and some things could serve as pieces of the puzzle for the Ghost Child's growth.
What do you think?
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