The banquet was styled in the traditional fashion of Japan.
In the spacious banquet hall, a group of people kneeled at their respective dining tables, each arrayed with a variety of fresh, exquisite food. Beside them, sweet-faced won in kimonos served as companions, responsible for pouring drinks and serving dishes, providing ticulous service that signaled a high level of formality.
Yang Jian didn't like kneeling either; he sat cross-legged in his place, one hand propping up his knee, the other supporting his head as he boldly surveyed all the attendees at the banquet.
Keiko kneeled beside him, her head slightly bowed, not daring to look directly at anyone there, as if an invisible, strict hierarchy had been ford.
Not many had the privilege of attending this banquet.
Yang Jian glanced at the tables; there were fifteen in total, which ant that besides him, there were only fourteen other guests.
Among them was President Mishima, who had rushed over, and Sakai, whom he had t before. The remaining twelve people were strangers he was seeing for the first ti, but undoubtedly, all of them were extraordinary individuals, most of whom were spirit users.
So might not be spirit users, but they were nonetheless of high status.
"The man I saw earlier under the eaves in the backyard has not appeared." Yang Jian slowly withdrew his gaze, not finding that person among the guests.
aning, that person was not included in the invitations.
"Today's banquet is held in honor of Yang Jian, Mister Yang. I am very pleased that Mister Yang could give this honor by attending today's banquet. I am truly grateful for his presence here," President Mishima said with a slight bow.
"Also, I thank Mister Yang for resolving a very troubling issue for us."
Yang Jian took a brief look at President Mishima and replied calmly, "It's just a transaction, President Mishima is being too courteous."
"No, no, no," President Mishima insisted, "Mister Yang's excellence has exceeded my expectations, which is why I wanted the important mbers of the Exorcism Club to express our gratitude and to show our respect for Mister Yang."
With that said.
Everyone turned their gazes toward Yang Jian, and although their thoughts varied, they all bowed to him, showing considerable respect.
"Is this all the mbers of the Exorcism Club?" Yang Jian asked bluntly, not concerned about offending anyone.
"Mister Yang jests. Indeed, the number of people qualified to attend this banquet is not large, no match for the abundance of capable individuals under Vice Minister Cao Yanhua," President Mishima replied with a modest smile.
Of course, this was a fact.
The population base was undeniable. Spirit users erged from ordinary people and didn't just appear out of thin air. The larger the population, the more likely it was for spirit users to arise.
After the banquet started, the atmosphere was actually quite tense.
Many people were sizing up Yang Jian. Despite the formalities, their varied gazes betrayed a multitude of emotions.
So were wary, others curious, and still others indifferent. Of course, there were also quite a few who looked on with enmity and hostility. As for the reasons, Yang Jian didn't know. Perhaps his presence had caused many to lose face, as the core mbers of the Exorcism Club placed great value on reputation.
Keiko sat quietly by Yang Jian's side, picking out dishes for him. Considering that Yang Jian didn't drink alcohol, she simply replaced it with juice.
Therefore, Yang Jian didn't have any aversion to this quiet and obedient woman, and that was the reason why he didn't resist.
The banquet was now halfway through.
Suddenly, after Sakai took a sip of sake, he said with a strange expression, "I am very curious to know how a unique individual like Mister Yang will depart from this world one day. Although my question is sowhat presumptuous, everyone has to face death one day, especially people like us."
"Mister Yang, what do you think?"
"Death as an ending? Indeed, that's quite an interesting matter," soone chuckled at the side.
Yang Jian frowned slightly, "Oh? You think I am going to die?"
"Isn't that inevitable?" Sakai responded.
"That is indeed a rather somber topic. So what way do you think I will die?" asked Yang Jian, not shying away and narrowing his eyes slightly, "Surely I won't be killed by soone?"
Sakai lowered his head to drink sake and said with a smile, "That's not necessarily the case, you know. A person can die in any number of ways. I wonder if Mister Yang is interested in knowing the circumstances of his own death."
"What do you an by that?" asked Yang Jian.
Soone laughed at the side, "Mister Yang, please don't misunderstand, Sakai didn't an anything by it. He just wanted to ask if Mister Yang would like to see the vision of his own future death. Our Exorcism Club possesses a mysterious object that lets people see the circumstances of their own death, and everyone who has used it has predicted their death accurately without deviation."
"Not just ordinary people but the deaths of spirit users are equally accurate."
Yang Jian's expression shifted slightly as he looked at Sakai.
Did the Exorcism Club really have such a mysterious object? One that could show a person the circumstances of their own death.
If that's really the case, it indeed stirs up one's curiosity, as it relates to their own life safety and future death news.
But this Yamazaki is up to no good.
He wants others to know, even Ghost Eye Yang Jian would have his day of death accurately predicted, not as frightening as imagined. He is undermining Yang Jian's reputation, lowering his perceived danger, even attempting to make Yang Jian reveal his flaws.
"I'm not particularly interested in my own death, as the future is full of countless changes. However, if there does exist such a mystical object, I would like to know, Yamazaki, what your death scene looks like?" Yang Jian said with a smile, a cold smile devoid of any sentint.
"Like Mister Yang, I have not used that mystical object and do not know my death scene," Yamazaki said with a smile: "If Mister Yang is interested, I am willing to join Mister Yang in this ga during today's banquet."
"However, in my opinion, the so-called premonition footage is mostly from a curse on the mystical objects, as you just said, all who have seen their death have died. Haven't you considered that the deaths are actually brought by the mystical object in your hands?"
Yang Jian spoke calmly, "Ghosts are not as simple as you think."
"So, the famous Ghost Eye Yang Jian, who never shrinks from fierce ghosts, is having second thoughts about a trivial ga?" Yamazaki spoke, "Since Mister Yang is not interested, I'll play the ga by myself then. President Mishima, please bring out that item."
President Mishima pondered with a serious face and did not refuse this ti, signaling to soone on the side instead.
Imdiately, a subordinate left the room.
"Mister Yang, your reasoning makes a lot of sense. Nevertheless, this mystical object is truly out of the ordinary, and if Mister Yang is interested, consider it a small entertainnt for the banquet," President Mishima said with a laugh, his attitude still respectful.
But in reality, he was also a bit eager to see Yang Jian's death scene.
Because it concerned how he would treat Yang Jian in the future.
Whether to increase investnt or maintain a normal transactional attitude was especially important.
Yang Jian did not speak, rely supported his head while eating and drinking, which could be seen as tacit consent to their actions.
If they wished to play, then he would indulge them.
Soon.
The subordinate from the Exorcism Club returned carrying a tal case.
President Mishima gestured.
Upon opening the case, an item was taken out.
It was a very old-fashioned hand-cranked projector, its paint peeling and flaking, aged and dirty, appearing as if it had been neglected in an abandoned warehouse for a long ti without anyone's care. Judging by its age, it must be at least eight or nine decades old, or even nearly a hundred years.
But the mont this item was brought out, Yang Jian furrowed his brow, sensing sothing was very wrong.
This seemingly normal projector gave off an indescribably odd feeling.
That peculiar sensation ca from the projector's... a roll of black film.
"Mister Yang, this eerie projector is at least eighty years old. It's very special; anyone who cranks its handle and turns the machine will cause it to project a film. These films are terrifying, each depicting the monts leading up to the death of its user," President Mishima ntioned with so trepidation.
"Previously, a club mber was shown dying in a car accident after using it. To verify its authenticity, we placed that mber in a safe house and prevented any vehicle from getting close. However, the results were horrifying, the mber died on the way to the safe house."
"So, it's more like a curse than any kind of future information," Yang Jian said calmly.
President Mishima shook his head, "No, Mister Yang, we have conducted many similar experints, and so people's films showed them dying of old age in their beds. Accidental deaths were not common, and the results were consistent with most people's fates." .
"Later we prohibited ordinary people from using it and limited it to spirit handlers because every spirit handler faces the danger of death. Perhaps these strange images could help avoid that inevitable day."
"Trying to cure a dead horse as if it's alive?" Yang Jian looked at him, understanding President Mishima's thoughts.
Spirit handlers have a short lifespan anyway, bound to die sooner or later.
"So, regarding Sakai's death, did this object predict it?"
President Mishima shook his head, "The late Sakai did not touch this object, so there is no way to verify."
"Indeed, it is an interesting object," Yang Jian said calmly. By saying this, he indeed wanted to see his own death scene, but he was more concerned that this was a projector releasing curses.
Each person's death scene was actually a curse from a fierce ghost.
The more it's used, the quicker one dies; if not used, nothing happens.
"Yamazaki, you just ntioned wanting to play, so I don't mind if you let see how exactly you're going to die," Yang Jian said.
"Why would I mind? Since Mister Yang wants to see, I am naturally willing to perform a bit," Yamazaki said with a hearty laugh, standing up composedly and walking towards the antique projector.
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