Yang Jian returned to the suburban villa with the Ghost Child, feeling that he deserved a good rest. Although the curse of the Eight-Tone Music Box didn't last long, it had tornted him for days—the feeling of listening to death's notes every single day was a terrible ordeal.
More than physical exhaustion, it was a spiritual tornt.
Ordinary people might already have suffered an emotional breakdown or gone mad.
"It seems that Liu Xiaoyu has left." Upon entering the villa, Yang Jian found it deserted.
On the living room coffee table lay a pile of gleaming gold bars, compensation given by He Tianxiong that remained unaddressed, giving off an ostentatious air of wealth.
"I rember there is a small workshop in the basent of this house." Suddenly recalling sothing, Yang Jian picked up a few gold bars and headed to the basent.
The basent housed various smithing tools and molds, previously used by He Tianxiong to forge tools—by slting gold and using the existing molds, anyone could create unusual instrunts ant for containing malevolent spirits.
After all, his circle of friends was different from headquarters; without headquarters' logistical support, they had to fend for themselves. Unlike before, when Yang Jian could simply make a call, and the containnt box for ghosts would be imdiately sent from headquarters.
Yang Jian busied himself for a while.
When he ca out, he held a hollow gold sphere in his hand, resembling a golden bell.
Inside this artifact, filled with human skin paper, was not a simple item; Yang Jian secured a sturdy gold chain around the Ghost Child's neck.
"Not bad, quite fitting."
Yang Jian looked it over and adjusted the chain size to ensure it wouldn't easily co off.
Taking a second look, it appeared rather well-matched—a fitting touch would be to engrave wishes for long life and prosperity on it.
This ti, instead of placing the human skin paper in a box, Yang Jian welded the sphere shut, leaving no gaps. Entrusting the ever-watchful Ghost Child, who needed neither food nor sleep, he believed there was no way anything could escape.
Having completed these tasks, Yang Jian locked the Ghost Child in a room, ordered him not to co out, and then went to sleep himself.
Although staying with the Ghost Child was unsettling, Wang Shanshan's successful experience reassured Yang Jian that the Ghost Child was controllable and wouldn't attack living people for no reason.
He slept very soundly that night.
But waking up felt not so comfortable.
Around eight in the morning, Yang Jian's personal phone, which few knew about, rang beside his bed, indicating an important matter since phone calls were rare.
"Who is it?"
Yang Jian imdiately opened his eyes and picked up the call.
"Yang team leader, it—it's , I'm Chen Shui, Xiong Wenwen's mother, we've t before," ca a woman's voice from the phone.
Yang Jian quickly rembered, "Aunt Chen, what's the matter?"
Chen Shui's voice sounded nervous and constrained, "I have sothing to discuss with you, are you available now?"
"Is it about Xiong Wenwen?" Yang Jian asked.
"Yes," Chen Shui replied softly.
Yang Jian considered for a mont. Although Xiong Wenwen's mother had previously refused his request, her decision might have changed over the past few days.
"Alright, Aunt Chen, please give the address, and I'll co right over."
"I'm at ho right now, you should recognize the address," Chen Shui said.
Yang Jian responded, "Okay, see you soon."
He thought it was still worth trying to recruit Xiong Wenwen, whose Premonition Ability was crucial—having him on hand could avoid many crises and save lives if used correctly.
"I should deal with forming the team before leaving this city and going back to Dachang City, gathering a group of capable ghost hunters will be helpful for my future."
It was his circle of friends that had changed Yang Jian's mind.
Although ghost hunters' life spans were mostly short, banding together could markedly increase their survival rates.
Yang Jian soon returned to the city center.
However, as soon as he entered the city area, he felt a disturbing sensation—his eyelids flickered incessantly, causing unease. The twitching wasn't from his own eyes but the flesh near his Ghost Eye.
This was a premonition.
"Today, sothing is very wrong with this city."
Sitting in the taxi, Yang Jian looked out the window.
The sky was gloomy and oppressive, filled with dark clouds. Despite it still being midday, the outside didn't seem bright, with a continuous drizzle and a chilly, damp air emanating a cold sensation.
"But I can't put my finger on what's wrong." Yang Jian observed his surroundings closely.
Everything seed normal.
As always, there was hustle and bustle in the city—people going to work, traffic snarls—nothing out of the ordinary was happening.
"Am I overthinking it?"
Yang Jian shook his head slightly, "Let's not dwell on it. Whatever happens here is none of my concern; once I've handled so things, I'll head back to Dachang City. I've practically resigned from headquarters, and the curse of the Eight-Tone Music Box has been resolved, so even if sothing does happen, it shouldn't involve ."
With this thought in mind,
He headed to the entrance of Xiong Wenwen's residential complex.
Yang Jian didn't bring the Ghost Child along; having that entity roaming around was still too dangerous, not for him but for passersby.
However, if he needed to summon the Ghost Child, it would be easy—as long as the Ghost Domain reached the villa, the Ghost Child could appear beside him instantly.
Upon reaching Xiong Wenwen's ho,
Before he could knock, the door swung open promptly.
"Yang team leader, you've arrived, please co in."
A mature and beautiful woman in her thirties opened the door, smiling, yet her expression was filled with worry and not a hint of joy.
"Hello, Auntie," Yang Jian nodded in greeting with polite formality.
As he entered and glanced at the empty living room, he asked, "Where's Xiong Wenwen? Is he still asleep?"
After Chen Shui closed the door, the smile vanished from her face as she heard Yang Jian's question, "Xiong Wenwen hasn't co ho yet... Yang team leader, please have a seat; I'll make you so tea."
Unaware that Xiong Wenwen had already engaged in a task involving the World of Ghost Drawing, Yang Jian assud the boy had simply run off to play sowhere.
"That's alright; I heard from Auntie on the phone that you wanted to see about sothing. May I know what it is?"
Chen Shui handed a cup of hot tea to Yang Jian, then slowly took a seat, her face bearing a hint of guilt as she said, "I should apologize to Captain Yang for what happened last ti. I was agitated and behaved rather rudely, I hope Captain Yang won't take it to heart."
Yang Jian waved his hand and said, "No problem, it was just a trivial matter; I didn't dwell on it."
"That's good." Chen Shui clutched her cup of hot tea, seeming sowhat silent.
Yang Jian said, "Aunt Chen, feel free to speak your mind. I'm not fond of beating around the bush."
Chen Shui hesitated for a mont before she slowly began, "Captain Yang, as I said on the phone just now, the main reason I asked to et with you is still regarding Xiong Wenwen's matter."
"I'm aware of that. Apart from Xiong Wenwen, I believe Aunt Chen wouldn't actively seek out to chat about personal matters," Yang Jian said.
Chen Shui forced a smile, then said with so worry, "Here's the thing, Captain Yang. Not two days after you left last ti, a team leader from our headquarters nad Li Jun ca to my house."
"Li Jun? I know him; I've dealt with him before, he's a decent person," Yang Jian nodded and said.
Although he and Li Jun were from different factions, he still had respect for a person with Li Jun's character.
"Li Jun told that you had a fight with soone nad Jang Shangbai recently, and there was a bit of trouble… At first, I was worried because the calls wouldn't go through, but now seeing that you are fine, I'm reassured," Chen Shui said.
Yang Jian was sowhat surprised, "Li Jun even told you about that? But that's not really the main issue, right? Aunt Chen, you want to talk about Xiong Wenwen's situation, don't you?"
"Did Li Jun visit because there was a task, so... Xiong Wenwen went on deploynt?"
"Yes, that's right, Captain Yang, you've guessed correctly. Xiong Wenwen left with Li Jun two days ago, it's been three days counting today, and there has been no news at all. I am really worried, so I wanted to ask Captain Yang for so information," Chen Shui hesitantly said.
Ask for information?
Yang Jian's gaze shifted slightly as he examined Chen Shui, "There's no need to hide it at this point; Aunt Chen, you're seeking my help to save soone, aren't you?"
Xiong Wenwen had left with Li Jun, and they were likely dealing with the Ghost Drawing incident. Now that it had been two or three days without any sign of them, and with the Ghost Drawing incident unresolved the ghost drawing still stored in his previous villa was the best proof of that.
Being in the midst of a supernatural event for several days without any news...
Yang Jian knew very well what that implied.
"I indeed am asking Captain Yang to help bring Wenwen back. Before Wenwen left, he told that if he encountered any trouble, I should call you for help," Chen Shui said, mustering her courage with a steely resolve.
Yang Jian was silent for a mont before saying, "While it's nice to be entrusted with hope, Aunt Chen, you must understand that Xiong Wenwen is not my responsibility. He followed Li Jun, which ans he joined Li Jun's team, and from now on, Li Jun is his superior, not ."
"You may not know the full inside story, but I am very clear; the situation Xiong Wenwen is involved in is extrely dangerous, and I am powerless."
Right now, Xiong Wenwen and their group were almost certainly inside the ghost drawing. If it were a common incident, Xiong Wenwen would have definitely called his mother by now. Yang Jian had been to the World of Ghost Drawing before.
It was extrely perilous.
He had dared to break in last ti only because he had the curse of the Eight-Tone Music Box; even then, he nearly died.
This ti, Yang Jian had finally freed himself from the curse. If he were to enter the ghost drawing again, he might truly never co out.
The most important point was that in front of the ghost drawing, his Ghost Eye was restrained, and he couldn't use the Ghost Domain. Searching for people was difficult, let alone rescuing them.
"Captain Yang, don't say that. I know you must have a way. Please, help Wenwen. Once Wenwen cos back this ti, I agree to let him join your team; I won't object anymore," Chen Shui pleaded urgently.
Yang Jian shook his head and said, "It's not about that, but rather that I don't have confidence that I can bring Xiong Wenwen back. Even going there to save him could end in my own death. You can only trust Li Jun now, since there's still no outco to this matter, and Xiong Wenwen might be alright. Maybe there'll be news in a couple of days."
He refused the request.
Xiong Wenwen was undoubtedly a good teammate, but the Ghost Drawing event was complicated, and Yang Jian was neither his guardian nor truly a teammate. He couldn't just barge into the World of Ghost Drawing for Xiong Wenwen's sake.
This was sothing Yang Jian couldn't do.
"But, but..." Chen Shui
"Aunt Chen, I have other matters, so I won't disturb you any longer." Yang Jian interrupted her, preparing to get up and leave.
Not wanting to agree to her request and unwilling to get involved in this deadly supernatural event, he could only turn a blind eye and choose to extricate himself from the situation.
"Yang Captain, please wait, don't rush off just yet, stay a bit longer." Chen Shui pleaded, grasping Yang Jian's arm, not wanting to let him go.
She knew that once Yang Jian left, it would be impossible for him to appear again, especially since she had lied to get him here this ti.
Yang Jian said, "Aunt Chen, holding on to is no use, I truly can't do anything about Xiong Wenwen's matter."
"Captain Yang, please think of another way. He's my only son; I don't want to lose him. I also can't find anyone else who can help, I only have your phone number. So, I hope that no matter what, you must help Xiong Wenwen. He's still a child, he shouldn't end up like this."
Tears swirled in Chen Shui's eyes, a look of utter heartbreak on her face.
However, facing Chen Shui's plea, Yang Jian's expression remained unchanged, with no variation whatsoever. Faced with such intense emotions, he found himself feeling sowhat alienated, even sowhat unable to comprehend.
It seed that he himself had lost these feelings a long ti ago.
Yang Jian looked at her, pondering for a mont, then sat down again and said, "Aunt Chen, let put it this way. Assu that Xiong Wenwen is still alive. He is in a very dangerous place, and if I am to save him, I must also enter that dangerous place. This establishes a precondition."
"What if Xiong Wenwen is already dead? I might embark on a fruitless journey and could even lose my life there."
"No, no, Wenwen must still be alive, I'm sure of it. I can feel it," Chen Shui hastily stated.
Yang Jian glanced at her and added, "Alright, suppose Xiong Wenwen is still alive. Then once I enter that dangerous place, I first have to find him. It's very possible that I could encounter danger and die on my way to him, and as a result, Xiong Wenwen might return safely, making my death in vain. Or suppose, I find Xiong Wenwen alive, it's not guaranteed that we both would be able to return alive; the chances of us both dying are quite high."
"So you understand, Aunt Chen, it's not that I am unwilling to casually rescue Xiong Wenwen, but the risks are simply too great, the variables too many. I am powerless, and to put it bluntly—though you may find this hard to hear, Aunt Chen, please don't be angry—Xiong Wenwen's life is precious, but my life is also precious. Moreover, Xiong Wenwen is not my responsibility."
"Looking back, if Xiong Wenwen had joined my team from the beginning and had been under my care, this would not have happened."
Yang Jian's words were harsh, but very realistic.
"I can give you money, Captain Yang, around tens of millions," Chen Shui said earnestly.
"Aunt Chen, this is not about money. Do you really not understand what I an? The uncertainties are too great. If it were possible to decisively rescue soone, I think the headquarters would have acted already, without waiting for to make a move," Yang Jian said.
He felt that Xiong Wenwen's mother simply did not understand what he was saying.
Or perhaps she did understand but was still begging him.
Chen Shui bit her lip and said, "As long as you agree to save Wenwen, Captain Yang, I...I'm willing to be your woman...friend."
She wanted to say "woman," but the modesty in her heart just couldn't bring herself to say it, so she mustered the courage to put it more tactfully.
What it ant for her to be Yang Jian's girlfriend at her age was already very clear.
But for Xiong Wenwen, Chen Shui was putting everything on the line, letting go of all dignity and reserve.
"..."
Yang Jian, usually expressionless, now couldn't help but twitch his mouth corner.
"Aunt Chen, you don't need to say such things. By saying this, it only makes feel more embarrassed. If I don't save him, does that make seem too cold-hearted and cowardly? And if I do save him, won't people in the sa line of work laugh at , saying I coveted your body, how lowly?"
"In reality, how many of us in this profession are still interested in won? If needed, there wouldn't be a shortage around us."
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