She’s a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist’s Halo

Yan reacted almost the second she saw the figure across from her.

Her face lit up with surprise, not a trace of fear in her expression, as if a lost traveler had just stumbled upon a savior.

Though she wasn’t sure what the deal was with the ghostly woman in the qipao, Ding Ling was, after all, her roommate—she couldn’t just stand by and let her die, could she?

After all, Ding Ling was clearly the "reawakened Ghost King." The qipao ghost beside her might have a century of cultivation, but surely she couldn’t rival the Ghost King’s power, right?

Ding Ling blinked in confusion, completely taken aback by the sight of her lost roommate Yan and her boyfriend here of all places.@@novelbin@@

But it seemed that neither of them had noticed Shen Hui’s peculiar nature.

That’s good, that’s good.

Ding Ling breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.

She had been sneaking out at night these past few days because of a unique yin-gathering spot at Bin City University—the Mingzhi Hall.

Ever since she was dug out of a coffin by an archaeological team, the yin energy in her body had been leaking uncontrollably.

Due to her peculiar condition, she couldn’t bear to be exposed to sunlight during the day.

In the modern city, even graves had been turned into public cemeteries, leaving very few places where her ghostly body could be nourished. Most had either become museums or archaeological sites, their yin energy eroded by the constant influx of tourists.

Natural yin-gathering spots did exist—places like the Ten Thousand Mountains or secluded villages—but they were far from the city and beyond the jurisdiction of the Special Cases Division.

The archaeologists, hoping that Ding Ling would one day recover her memories and solve their mysteries, had been eager to keep her at the excavation site. After much negotiation, Ding Ling was given a new identity, a special admission slot, and a place to recuperate—Bin City University.

The Mingzhi Hall, a century-old women’s dormitory, had become an artificially created yin-gathering spot, once a place of great malevolence. But over the years, as generations of students passed through, the hall had been cleansed by the scholarly energy of the university. It was no longer a place of extreme danger but rather a suitable environment for nurturing ghostly and spiritual bodies.

So, one of the main reasons Ding Ling had come to Bin City University was to restore her ghostly body. Secondly, as a member of a special group, she was entitled to certain state benefits but also had to shoulder some responsibilities.

—She was to observe and supervise the female ghosts still residing in Mingzhi Hall, maintain the campus environment, and ensure the safety of her fellow students.

On her very first day at Bin City University, Ding Ling had sought out the most yin-rich spot on campus.

Though the Mingzhi Hall had been layered with concealment spells, the female ghosts who still lived there liked to wander around at night, and Ding Ling had quickly befriended them.

As a new student and an old ghost, she had spent the past few nights being shown around the campus by her century-old "seniors," learning about the buildings and the campus gossip.

The clothing from a hundred years ago—qipaos and "new-style" dresses—didn’t look out of place in the modern era, especially at night. The area around Mingzhi Hall was protected by a special concealment array, making it impossible for ordinary people to approach or even notice it.

This ensured that even the most curious individuals wouldn’t stumble upon Mingzhi Hall, allowing the female ghosts to live in peace.

By now, Mingzhi Hall wasn’t just home to the original century-old ghosts; they had also taken in some wandering spirits from the surrounding area.

This was what the senior ghosts had told Ding Ling.

"Let’s go together; I should head back to the dorm too," Ding Ling said.

Though she wasn’t sure how Yan and her boyfriend had found this place, it was clearly best to get them out of here as quickly as possible.

Yan nodded eagerly.

She took a couple of steps forward, and Ding Ling naturally fell into place on her right, while the qipao ghost walked on Ding Ling’s other side.

Was the qipao ghost planning to follow them back to the dorm?

Yan didn’t dare ask. The four of them walked side by side in this formation—Zhu Jue, Yan, Ding Ling, and the qipao ghost.

Since Yan was holding her phone for light, Ding Ling didn’t hold her hand, but Yan couldn’t shake the feeling of a faint chill coming from her right side.

With two ghosts walking beside her, Yan’s palms grew clammy as she tightly clasped Zhu Jue’s hand.

Ding Ling and the qipao ghost clearly knew the way, and with their guidance, they soon reached a well-lit campus path.

Yan and Zhu Jue turned off their phone flashlights. Now that there were other students around, chatting and laughing in small groups, the lively atmosphere helped Yan relax.

Yan and Zhu Jue walked straight ahead, their backs straight, eyes fixed forward, as if they hadn’t noticed the absence of two shadows under the streetlights.

"How did you two end up over there?" Ding Ling asked bluntly, her curiosity genuine.

She was truly puzzled. Over the past few nights, she had observed the area around Mingzhi Hall and never seen anyone pass by.

How had her roommate managed to stumble upon it by accident?

Yan noticed that as soon as Ding Ling asked this question, the qipao ghost’s gaze shifted toward her.

Oh no, oh no—was this a test to see if she had noticed something?

But she really had just gotten lost!

Yan answered sincerely, "We were taking a walk and got caught up in conversation. Before we knew it, the streetlights were gone, and our phones had no signal for navigation. We turned on the flashlight and saw the wall, so we followed it to the gate."

This was the complete and honest truth!

"Ah, I see. That area is easy to get lost in," Ding Ling said, finally understanding.

Had they accidentally wandered into the concealment array and ended up at the gate by chance?

The medical school dormitory was located in the southern part of campus, while Yan’s dorm was in the north. When the two humans and two ghosts reached the central plaza, Yan nudged Zhu Jue to head back to his dorm so he wouldn’t have to walk the extra distance.

"I’ll walk you back. It’s not lights-out yet; we have time," Zhu Jue insisted, holding her hand tightly as he escorted them to the Dongyuan dormitory building and watched Yan go upstairs.

After a quiet night back in the dorm with Ding Ling, Yan thought the incident was over.

The next morning, everyone except Ding Ling had early classes, leaving her alone in the dorm.

She went downstairs with a black umbrella to meet someone and found herself staring at the stern face of Shen Hui, the century-old senior ghost.

"Shen Hui, why are you here? Did something happen at Mingzhi Hall?" Ding Ling asked.

The qipao ghost standing before her was none other than Shen Hui, whom Yan had met the previous night.

Even at Bin City University, ghosts rarely appeared during the day.

"Miss Ding Ling, your identity may have been exposed," Shen Hui said gravely.

Ding Ling, sitting stiffly in her chair, was taken aback.

"What?"

"Your roommate from last night—she may know who you are."

"You might not have noticed, but on the way back last night, your roommate and her boyfriend kept their heads up, avoiding looking down."

Ding Ling’s eyes filled with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Last night, the two of us ghosts walked with the two of them. Under the streetlights, humans cast shadows," Shen Hui explained.

Ding Ling froze. "Are you saying that Yan and her boyfriend saw that we didn’t have shadows and deliberately avoided looking down?"

Shen Hui nodded, her expression serious. "Not just that, Miss Ding Ling. When we first met them last night, I noticed that Yan’s gaze immediately went to the top of your head."

"When people encounter ghosts unexpectedly, they usually scream in fright. But Yan’s face showed surprise, even delight."

"From what I know, those with mystical abilities often use their ‘third eye’ to discern spirits, observing the five energies of living beings from above."

"I’ve lived at Bin City University for a century. Ever since the Special Cases Bureau set up the concealment array, almost no ordinary person has wandered into the yin-gathering spot. Yet Yan managed to find the entrance. If we had returned a moment later last night, they might have gone inside."

Ding Ling’s face was still a mix of confusion and disbelief. "It must have been a coincidence. If Yan weren’t an ordinary person, I would have sensed it."

Shen Hui suddenly grabbed Ding Ling’s hand. "Miss Ding Ling, think carefully—has Yan ever tested you?"

Ding Ling was about to say no when a memory flashed through her mind, leaving her stunned.

"What did you remember?" Shen Hui asked cautiously.

Ding Ling scratched her hair, her eyes turning deep and contemplative. "I just remembered something. Before the military training, Yan once told me that she thought I wouldn’t be participating. Because I always carry an umbrella and avoid sunlight, she even came up with an excuse for me—sensitivity to ultraviolet rays."

"So, she already knew you weren’t human!"

"Does that mean she’s known all along that I’m a ghost?"

The two ghosts spoke simultaneously, exchanging glances, both sensing trouble.

"But if Yan knows I’m a ghost, why isn’t she scared?" Ding Ling asked, her voice filled with confusion.

Based on Ding Ling’s brief exposure to modern knowledge, most people would scream in terror at the sight of a ghost. Yet Yan treated her like an ordinary person.

"That’s exactly why I think Miss Yan might not be an ordinary person," the female ghost Shen Hui chimed in. "In the past, practitioners of the mystical arts would enter the mortal world to cultivate their hearts, often appearing as unremarkable individuals."

"Even during the time you’ve been in the dorm, Miss Yan might have been helping you stay hidden!"

"To recognize that you’re not human, and to enter a Yin-gathering site without any tools—Miss Yan is no ordinary person!"

"I need to contact the team leader. He said if anyone discovers my identity, we have to handle it discreetly," Ding Ling said, recalling her leader’s instructions.

"No," Shen Hui stopped her. "You absolutely must not do that. From what I know, some practitioners of the mystical arts dislike dealing with official authorities. If Miss Yan is deliberately hiding her identity, exposing her would only cause problems."

Ding Ling found this reasoning sound. Yan knew she was a ghost but pretended not to notice. Now that she had accidentally uncovered Yan’s secret, it was only fair to keep it confidential and form an alliance.

However, Ding Ling decided to test Yan.

At noon, Yan returned to the dorm with a packed lunch from the cafeteria and went straight to the bathroom to wash her face.

Just then, Ding Ling’s ghostly figure darted in and shut the door behind her.

Yan, who was wiping her face with a towel, froze. She felt an unusual chill in the small bathroom.

Ding Ling made a "shh" gesture.

Using her Yin energy, Ding Ling sealed the bathroom, ensuring their dormmates couldn’t overhear.

"Yan, last night, you saw it, didn’t you?"

Ding Ling’s voice was crisp, but Yan felt a wave of frustration. Why do you keep saying this? What did I see? It’s not like I wanted to see it!

Yan’s internal turmoil was evident in her silence, which Ding Ling took as confirmation.

"You don’t have to say it. I already know," Ding Ling continued. "Your Yin-Yang eyes have been scanning the tops of our heads every day. It’s a habit of those from the mystical arts. Last night, you even stepped into a strange formation. Were you trying to enter the Yin-gathering site? Don’t worry, I’ve only recently entered the mortal world. I’m here to recuperate and investigate other ghosts."

"I’ve already checked around Bin City University. If anything important comes up, I’ll discuss it with you. In the meantime, I’ll need your help to keep things under wraps."

"You want to live a low-key life, and I won’t report you to the authorities. Let’s help each other out."

Ding Ling spilled everything in one go, leaving Yan struggling to process the sudden flood of information.

Ding Ling had already said so much. If Yan claimed she was just an ordinary person… would she end up silenced?

Yin-Yang eyes, mystical arts practitioner… Was this her new identity? How did she suddenly end up in a supernatural drama?

And was her habit of glancing at people’s heads really that obvious?

Finally, Yan managed to stiffly utter a few words: "Don’t bring anything weird back to the dorm at night."

With that, she continued washing her face with cold water.

Hearing Yan’s words, Ding Ling felt reassured.

Just as Shen Hui had predicted!

Look at Yan’s cold expression, her terse words—this was the demeanor of a true master! Her single sentence made her stance clear, a stark contrast to her usual act as an ordinary college student.

She really was a practitioner of the mystical arts, hiding in plain sight! If it weren’t for last night’s accidental discovery and today’s direct confrontation, Yan might have kept her secret forever!

A practitioner of the mystical arts sleeping in the next bed, secretly observing whether she posed a threat to the mortal world… Ding Ling shuddered.

Terrifying. Yan was truly terrifying!!

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