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

Yan focused on reviewing the entire case record, while Ding Ling zeroed in on the critical details.

The Spirit Shackling Array.

In the hotel, Ding Ling tapped her finger on the image displayed on her phone, lost in thought for a moment before flipping through other photos in her album. After a brief pause, she dialed her team leader directly.

"I’ll head back to Bin City tomorrow to check things out."

Since the Ascension Assembly hadn’t started yet, she needed to see the scene in the photos and the actual site with her own eyes to be certain.

The team leader didn’t hesitate. "Good. We’ll rest easier with you handling it."

...

December 23rd, Northern Little New Year.

Early in the morning, Yan messaged Ding Ling and Chu Bingbing, inviting them over for a Little New Year’s meal.

Ding Ling replied first thing: "Back in Bin City."

Yan’s immediate thought upon reading it was—

Had the Xie family’s situation escalated so badly that Ding Ling had to rush back to deal with it?

Chu Bingbing also politely declined the invitation.

Left with no plans, Yan found herself staring at Xiao Bao across the breakfast table.

"Big sis, none of your roommates are coming?" Yan nodded. Ding Ling had returned to Bin City but would likely come back. As for Chu Bingbing’s whereabouts, she had no clue—was she out spending money again today?

"Twenty-third, sticky melon candy, the Kitchen God ascends to heaven. Let’s go buy some melon candy," Xiao Bao suggested cheerfully, seizing the opportunity now that their plans had fallen through.

Over the years, their family’s New Year traditions had gradually merged into a unified set of customs, loosely following the old rhymes.

"Sure. Wonder if the alley’s crowded today," Yan mused.

As kids, they’d eaten melon candy or Guandong sugar mostly for the festive symbolism—pure malt sugar, though Yan had always preferred fruit drops and chocolate. Still, buying melon candy to offer to the Kitchen God on Little New Year was a lifelong habit.

Nowadays, with endless varieties of sweets and young people meticulously controlling sugar intake, traditional treats like malt sugar had become nostalgic relics for older generations.

"Go get Da Bao. Let’s head to Tanghua Alley after getting ready."

Perhaps because the New Year was approaching, Ning City had enjoyed clear skies for days, free of smog.

Yan hesitated, then sent a message to Gu Jiasui as well.

Tomorrow, the 24th, was Southern Little New Year, and Jiasui would likely return to the Lu family in Bin City by tonight at the latest. Was she even still in Ning City?

It had only been two or three days since she’d last seen Jiasui, yet it felt like a week.

After ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‍dressing, Yan and the others took the subway, avoiding the morning rush.

"Big sis, aren’t there five people in your dorm?" Xiao Bao asked.

Yan nodded. "Yeah, five. We were basically the leftovers, all shoved into one room with an extra bed to spare."

"It’s handy for storage—we pile our stuff on the empty bed."

"No," Da Bao interjected.

"Big sis, what Xiao Bao means is, out of your five roommates, four are already in Ning City now."

"Will the one who sent you fruit also come visit?"

The realization hit Yan like a lightning bolt. She exchanged a wide-eyed glance with Zhu Jue. Holy cow, Da Bao had a point.

Recalling past "group outings" with her entire dorm, she shuddered.

[Yan]: Poking Zhi... @Yi Zhi, Bingbing, Jiasui, and Ding Ling are all in Ning City. Are you coming too?

Her fingers trembled as she sent the message.

Though Yi Zhi hadn’t replied yet, Yan already had a sinking feeling.

Given the previous pattern of her roommates converging for various reasons, Yi Zhi would probably show up too.

But just yesterday, Yi Zhi had been in Bin City shipping fruit—could she really arrive so soon?

[Yi Zhi]: T_T How did you know I’m in Ning City?

[Yi Zhi]: Teacher Yuan dragged me onto a plane yesterday afternoon... I’m at the Agricultural Academy now.

Yan slowly lifted her head, showing Zhu Jue the screen.

"Yi Zhi’s here."

For once, Yan felt mentally prepared. Even if they ran into Yi Zhi and chaos ensued, she could brace herself.

She didn’t know what would happen, but her brain was already sounding alarms:

"Warning: Protagonist energy detected! All units, stand by!"

With a complicated look at Da Bao, Yan muttered, "They’re all here."

[Yan]: Just checking since everyone else showed up. It’s Little New Year—want to come over for dinner?

[Yi Zhi]: Probably not. I have to stick with Teacher Yuan. She’s got plans tonight.

Reading Yi Zhi’s reply, Yan steadied herself.

So far, her roommates were all in Ning City for separate reasons. No big deal!

While Yan, Zhu Jue, and the siblings shopped for New Year goods in the alley, Ding Ling had already arrived in Bin City.

She headed straight for the Xie family’s villa district, still cordoned off with police tape.

Xiao Gua, a member of the special task force, escorted her in. "Sis Ling, the victim, Xie Jin, has been moved to the Spirit Nourishing Pool."

As they walked, Xiao Gua briefed her.

Ding Ling nodded. "Which section of the pool was he assigned to? From last night’s footage, his condition is too fragile for aggressive treatment. His soul needs gradual restoration."

"We followed your instructions—low-concentration zone, with our people and He Jiajia overseeing him."

"However, the victim’s soul has been severely eroded over the years. Without further examination, even with nourishment, hidden damage might remain," Xiao Gua added.

"After this, take me directly to the pool," Ding Ling said curtly, reading between the lines.

"Got it!" Xiao Gua nodded eagerly.

The Spirit Nourishing Pool was a fusion of modern technology and metaphysical techniques—a "pool" only in name, divided into zones by energy density.

He Jiajia, the young ghost Ding Ling had taken in from a convention last year, was now a minor auxiliary member of the task force, handling odd jobs.

Inside the Xie family study, Xie Jin had been rescued, but the room remained untouched, with markers indicating where evidence had been collected.

The Spirit Shackling Array was broken, yet Ding Ling’s eyes still traced its remnants.

Wearing shoe covers and gloves, she examined the scene with her unique perception.

Xiao Gua stood at the entrance of the secret chamber, not daring to disturb or make a single sound, afraid of interrupting her.

Though the person who had inspected the scene last night was also a senior member of Bin City's Special Case Unit, that was still a modern investigator.

The one before him now, if measured by the passage of time, was older than several people’s ages combined.

Ding Ling’s fingertips twitched slightly as a chilling aura spread around her. The warm jade pendant around her neck grew faintly hot.

Her eyes were clear, as if countless flashes of light passed before them, allowing her to glimpse the original state of this place.

Ten minutes later, Ding Ling emerged alone from the chamber, holding a yellow talisman and a piece of rope, which she placed into an evidence bag she carried with her.

Xiao Gua watched her cautiously. "Sister Ling, did you find anything?"

Ding Ling pondered for a moment. "Let’s discuss it back at the unit."

Of course, she had found something—otherwise, she wouldn’t have rushed back from Ning City the moment she saw the case records.

"What do the suspects say about the person who set up the formation?" Ding Ling asked.

Xiao Gua replied promptly, "Based on our interviews with everyone in the Xie household, the person who arranged the formation was invited into the Xie residence five years ago."

"At the time, due to Xie Jin’s death, the family suspected feng shui issues with this house. Not just the Xies, but other homeowners nearby also consulted various feng shui masters."

"Especially in the Xie family’s case—it was severe. According to our investigations with other residents in the same community, the Xies held a grand ritual back then and invited many practitioners."

Ding Ling listened silently to Xiao Gua’s report. "Do we have the full list and detailed records?"

"It’s been compiled, but Mother Xie and Xie Zhen still refuse to admit anything. They insist the secret chamber in the study was meant to pacify and guide Xie Jin’s soul."

Xiao Gua’s tone was indignant. "Even with death staring them in the face, they won’t confess."

Ding Ling’s eyelids flickered slightly. The presence of the Soul-Imprisoning Formation spoke for itself. Other team members who examined the scene had already submitted their reports, but the mastermind still pretended ignorance. Little did they know, this case was no longer under the jurisdiction of ordinary police—it was now a joint investigation between two specialized units sharing intelligence.

"They won’t talk, but everyone who entered back then was assigned accommodations by Xie family staff. There are records of their movements."

"However, according to testimonies, while the Xie family arranged for the feng shui masters in the area, one was personally escorted by Xie Zhen, with private transportation. There’s no information on that person."

"So, the core suspect—the one who set up the formation—is still missing," Ding Ling concluded.

"But based on Lan Ruo’s testimony, Xie Zhen claimed the wooden carvings in the study were arranged by Mother Xie and that the master is no longer alive," Xiao Gua added.

Ding Ling’s fingers twitched. During the time Xie Zhen and Lan Ruo swapped bodies, he avoided seeking out this "master" despite having previously consulted them. Either he was guilty, or he feared what the master might do under these circumstances.

"No leads at all?" she pressed.

Xiao Gua shrugged helplessly. "You know how it is—we only identified the Soul-Imprisoning Formation from ancient texts. Without your confirmation, we wouldn’t have been sure either."

"Let’s head back to the unit. First, we’ll go to the Spirit Nourishing Pool, then visit Mr. Huang," Ding Ling said.

"Mr. Huang?" Xiao Gua paused before realizing. "The suspect from Liang Family Garden?"

Ding Ling nodded and closed her eyes to rest during the ride.

She didn’t elaborate further to Xiao Gua. Instead, her thoughts drifted back to the formation she had encountered on Antique Street.

Truthfully, as a ghost, if not for her relentless studies at the Special Case Unit, she wouldn’t have known much about formations.

Back then, she had identified the Yin Gathering Spot by scent and the chilling aura. Now, after visiting the Xie family villa, she recognized the Soul-Imprisoning Formation—one of the few she knew.

Ding Ling caught another faint, peculiar scent.

She remained calm, eyes closed. If she hadn’t arrived quickly enough, Xie Jin’s soul might have faded entirely, leaving no trace behind.

When they reached the Special Case Unit and descended to the depths where the Spirit Nourishing Pool lay, Ding Ling looked at Xie Jin’s flickering soul and sighed inwardly.

"Sister Ling, you’re back! Weren’t you in Ning City?" The little ghost girl, He Jiajia, chirped excitedly at her arrival.

Ding Ling waved a hand, and He Jiajia immediately fell silent, covering her mouth with both hands.

"Xie Jin, hello." Ding Ling extended a wisp of Yin energy, gently touching the increasingly faint remnant of his soul.

From the time the unit discovered him last night until now, barely half a day had passed. For his condition, the Spirit Nourishing Pool’s effects were like trying to put out a wildfire with a cup of water.

Xie Jin showed no reaction to Ding Ling’s call. She frowned—not in annoyance, but at the severity of his state.

"Xiao Gua," she called.

"Here, Sister Ling. What do you need?"

"Is anyone in the middle section of the Spirit Nourishing Pool? Clear it out. Xie Jin’s condition is critical."

"No one. We’ll evacuate immediately if you need to use it."

Ding Ling nodded. She had considerable authority here.

As Xiao Gua and He Jiajia withdrew, Ding Ling approached Xie Jin’s frail soul, her brow tightening further.

"At this level of weakness, even if we restore him, reincarnation will be difficult," she murmured.

"If necessary, I’ll have to ask Yan for help."

She removed the warm jade pendant from her neck—a gift from Gu Jiasui half a year ago. When Ding Ling had first been unearthed by the archaeological team, it had helped stabilize her Yin energy.

Now, though, its effects on her were minimal, but she still wore it out of habit.

She wrapped the pendant in Yin energy and placed it around Xie Jin’s soul.

After five years of imprisonment and soul-binding, his spirit was now little more than a skeletal outline, his features blurred.

Ding Ling rested a hand lightly on the spirit’s shoulder, channeling Yin energy to envelop it, drawing purified spiritual and Yin energy from the pool to cleanse and reinforce him.

"Xie Jin, do you remember your name?"

"Don’t be afraid. No matter how much you’ve endured, things will get better."

Her pale, delicate face spoke softly.

The spirit couldn’t reply, but Ding Ling didn’t mind.

Again and again, she guided the Yin energy. Here, in the Spirit Nourishing Pool, the supply was vast. The lowest concentration in this area wouldn’t exceed what Xie Jin could bear.

"I know it hurts, but hold on."

She didn’t know if he could hear her, but it didn’t matter. She simply whispered what she needed to say.

She knew all too well the torment and suffering that came with being trapped by the Soul Shackle for so long.

The pain—it was unbearable. Even now, the mere thought of it made her spirit tremble with the memory of that soul-rending agony.

"Two hundred years... I never thought this bloodline would still survive."

The yin energy of the Spirit Nurturing Pool coiled gently around Xie Jin, but Ding Ling's voice was icy cold.

"You need to recover quickly," she murmured softly.

Of course, she had unconventional methods to pry open the mouths of suspects like Xie Zhen and Mother Xie.

But when the Soul Shackle Array was activated, its most sinister feature was forcing the trapped spirits to remain fully conscious as they endured the torment.

Both Xie Jin and she had once been forced to watch helplessly as they were subjected to such cruelty.

Imprisonment, soul-binding, endless suffering—once a spirit's will shattered and faded, their essence would be ground to dust, vanishing entirely.

But if the spirit clung stubbornly to their consciousness, refusing to yield, they would face an eternity of torment within the array, an unending cycle of pain.

Ding Ling never expected to encounter another victim of the Soul Shackle Array two centuries later.

Back then, the place where she had been trapped was a carefully chosen yin-gathering site. The stronger the yin energy, the more it fueled the array, amplifying its power.

Over the long years of struggle, she had learned to control it—how to suppress her aura, weaken her spirit. The feebler her spirit appeared, the less resistance she showed, and the weaker the array's effects became.

Through deception, she had turned the tables, seizing control of the array and using the yin-gathering site to absorb the very energy meant to suppress her. In the end, she emerged as a Ghost King, her yin power unfathomable.

But Xie Jin was different. He had been an ordinary man, ignorant of the arcane arts, murdered and bound as a ghost. His resistance only intensified his suffering, his spirit growing weaker under the array's relentless erosion.

Just like... the state he was in now.

Ding Ling needed him to wake up—fully conscious—so he could reveal the details of the one who had cast the array five years ago.

Her eyes darkened as she whispered under her breath, so softly it was almost inaudible:

"Consider it... fulfilling a wish."

No one knew how desperately she had once yearned for someone to appear in those mountains, descending like a savior to break the array and end her suffering.

But in the end, she had saved herself.

And now, she had found someone in a situation eerily similar to her own past.

It was as if she could finally answer that long-ago prayer—now, she could save someone else's fate.

Today was the first day since rescuing Xie Jin. His condition was too fragile to withstand much yin energy, so after two hours in the Spirit Nurturing Pool, Ding Ling called for others to monitor him.

Xie Jin's state was worse than she had anticipated. After all, he was just a mortal. If they hadn't found him in time, even this frail remnant of his spirit might have vanished by now.

The thought made her expression darken further.

Accompanied by Xiao Gua, she went to interrogate Mr. Huang—the sinister cultivator who had set up arrays in Bin City's antique district, Liang Family Garden, and used human lives to nourish yin ghosts.

During the initial interrogation, the focus had been on the murders and the yin ghost cultivation. As for the yin-gathering site at Liang Family Garden and the arrays, Mr. Huang had claimed he learned them from half an ancient book.

He had been vague about the book, saying only that he had obtained it years ago, memorized its contents, and then burned it to keep it secret. He couldn't even recall its name.

But now, Ding Ling had caught a familiar scent in the Xie family's study—one identical to a trace she had detected at Liang Family Garden.

She had brought her tools back to Bin City, especially the two top-tier artifacts Yan had lent her—the Heart-Questioning Bell and the Heart-Bewildering Bell, unparalleled for interrogation.

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

For a wicked cultivator like this, she had no need for honorable methods.

Out of respect for her team leader, she gave him a courtesy call to inform him she would be using the Heart-Questioning Bell. His approval? Well, she "didn't hear" his response before hanging up.

It was just a formality—to ensure he wouldn't face repercussions later.

Otherwise, as a Ghost King, she would have simply forced a soul search. Unfortunately, the Special Cases Division strictly forbade such methods.

Two chimes of the bell echoed in the interrogation room. Five minutes later, Ding Ling walked out, the bells in hand.

Xiao Gua studied her expression carefully but found nothing. "Sis Ding Ling, did he talk?"

She shook her head.

"His memories on this matter are sealed."

Xiao Gua's face fell. Another dead end.

"Go liaise with the police. I'll return to the Spirit Nurturing Pool," she told him.

Back at the pool, she sat cross-legged on the ground but didn't resume channeling yin energy for Xie Jin. The bag holding the two bells rested beside her as she gazed at him, as if seeing a distant reflection of herself.

In truth, her earlier answer to Xiao Gua hadn't been entirely accurate.

Mr. Huang's memories were indeed sealed, but with the Heart-Questioning Bell, she had still extracted a sliver of information.

It was just... personal. She had kept it to herself.

Ding Ling pulled out her phone and, after a moment's thought, sent Yan a message:

**[Ding Ling]:** Yan, thank you.

Two simple words could hardly convey the depth of her gratitude.

Both she and Xie Jin owed Yan their lives.

Had Xie Jin been discovered even a day later, his fragile spirit might not have survived.

Lan Ruo's fate, Xie Jin's fate, even Ding Ling's own—all had unfolded under Yan and Zhu Jue's watch.

Every time Ding Ling thought she understood Yan's intentions, she would only realize the full picture much later.

Like now.

At first, she thought Yan had brought the bells and sought her help solely for Lan Ruo.

But looking back, Lan Ruo was only the first beneficiary. Then came Xie Jin, and then herself.

No—more accurately, perhaps she had been the first to benefit.

The yin-gathering array set up by Mr. Huang at Liang Family Garden was linked to that faction. The Xie family's ordeal also traced back to them.

One of these bells had been a reward Ding Ling exchanged and gifted to Yan after the antique district mission. The other, she had given Yan just before winter break.

Yet now, Yan had brought both bells back to Ning City and lent them to her.

With a single move, Yan had saved Lan Ruo, Xie Jin, and herself.

Three targets, one strike.

Had Yan foreseen all this half a year ago, back when they broke the array in the antique district?

Yan seemed to do nothing, yet accomplished everything.

If it weren't for Yan, given how recently I’ve only just recovered, who knows how long it would’ve taken me to uncover the lingering traces of this lineage.

This kindness is truly beyond repayment!

In Ning City, Yan, who was lounging at home again, saw the inexplicable "thank you" message from Ding Ling and scratched her head in confusion.

Why the sudden gratitude? Was it because she’d invited Ding Ling over for a small New Year’s dinner this morning? Talk about a delayed reaction!

Yan rubbed her head and sent a reply.

[Yan]: Have you arrived in Bin City yet? How long are you staying? Yi Zhi, Bingbing, and Jiasui are all already in Ning City.

Reading Yan’s message, Ding Ling felt a warmth in her heart.

Of course Yan already knew she’d gone to Bin City—nothing escaped her notice.

Some things couldn’t be said outright, but the implication was clear: all their other roommates had gathered, and now she was the only one missing.

This was Yan’s way of telling her not to do anything reckless these next few days.

[Ding Ling]: I understand. Don’t worry, I won’t act impulsively. But Xie Jin’s situation requires me to stay here a little longer before returning.

Yan read Ding Ling’s reply. Though she pretended not to know what Ding Ling had "understood" or what "impulsive" referred to, she immediately grasped that Ding Ling must be trying to help the pitiful Brother Xie Jin.

Thinking of the details she’d seen in the documents last night, Yan let out a deep sigh, her sympathy profound.

[Yan]: Got it. If you need anything, just say the word—we’re all here for you.

Ding Ling stared at the message, her lashes fluttering as her nose tingled with emotion.

Yan’s words clearly meant that if Ding Ling needed her help, she’d step in.

Yan, who usually avoided trouble and stayed clear of entanglements, had said something like this to her.

She’s really… I could just cry!

At that moment, only one thought filled Ding Ling’s mind:

What did she ever do to deserve knowing someone like Yan? How unbelievably lucky she was!