Jiang Luo originally thought there was only one “Lu Wu.” Who knew that among the people coming for interviews, as long as their abilities were decent, five out of ten turned out to be Chi You in disguise.
Every time, he could precisely recognize which one was Chi You’s alternate identity, and then, with a headache, find reasons to eliminate him. After a few rounds of this, not only did Jiang Luo himself become expressionless with a faint aura of dark hostility between his brows, but even the people on both sides couldn’t help casting puzzled glances at him.
When yet another ghost wearing human skin got eliminated by Jiang Luo with some excuse, the supervisor said awkwardly, “Little Jiang, you’re being pretty strict today.”
Jiang Luo propped up his composure and replied, “It’s the first day of interviews. Nothing wrong with being strict.”
Jiang Luo knew that if he kept rejecting people, others would start to get suspicious. But the Research Bureau was his turf. Even if he and Chi You were a couple, he wouldn’t allow Chi You to meddle in his domain.
Taking advantage of a break, Jiang Luo slipped into the bathroom and gave Chi You a call.
But the call rang until the tone cut off without being answered. Irritated and distracted, Jiang Luo put away his phone. As he turned around—he bumped right into Chi You’s chest.
The malicious ghost raised a hand to embrace his back, enclosing Jiang Luo in his arms. “Were you looking for me?”
The malicious ghost’s appearance was ghostly and unpredictable, and his gestures were overly intimate. His hands slowly slid from Jiang Luo’s waist to his neck, gently pinching. Jiang Luo frowned and pointed his phone at him. “Don’t mess around with the interviews.”
Chi You looked at him innocently and said lazily, “I’ve been at home the whole time. How did I mess around?”
Jiang Luo said coldly, “I don’t care where you’re staying. If another one shows up that gives me the same feeling as you, the blame’s going on you.”
Chi You sighed, “You’re falsely accusing me.”
“You know better than anyone if it’s false,” Jiang Luo said, poking at his chest. “After the interviews tonight, bring the best car from your garage. We’re treating Lu Youyi and the others to dinner tonight—we’re going to flaunt some wealth.”
Chi You instantly said, “Didn’t you smash my best car into scrap metal?”
“…” Jiang Luo pretended not to hear and continued, “Also, dress yourself up—look flashy. Bring your A-game tonight. Don’t embarrass me.”
Chi You: “…Flashy?”
Jiang Luo lifted his wrist to check the time. Seeing it was almost up, he hurriedly patted Chi You’s arm. “No more talking. Don’t forget what I told you.”
After saying that, he left the restroom in quick strides.
Chi You was left there, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. “Flaunt wealth…”
***
On the first day of the job fair, Jiang Luo barely managed to recruit five new coworkers with clean backgrounds despite the ghost’s interference. After arranging their assignments, it was time to get off work.
The news that Jiang Luo and Chi You were hosting dinner tonight had already spread to all their friends. They had long been waiting for this “getting-out-of-singlehood” meal. Even before clocking out, they were already excited. Once the leadership was sent off, they broke out in cheers.
Chi You had told Jiang Luo he’d arrive a bit later, so the group stayed at the Research Bureau to wait.
In the office of the Bureau, there was a headless ghost and a ginseng spirit. At this moment, Lu Youyi was pestering the ginseng spirit, wanting a drop of ginseng juice to apply to Teng Bi’s blade to help restore the remaining soul sealed within.
The little ginseng spirit grunted in dissatisfaction, “I’ve told you how many times, my juice is no help to your blade!”
Lu Youyi shamelessly said, “Ancestor, just give me one more drop. Let’s try again.”
The ginseng spirit was just about to say, “Even if you call me daddy, I won’t—” but then it caught sight of Jiang Luo’s expression behind Lu Youyi. Instantly, it cowered, eyes welling up with tears, and squeezed out a drop of ginseng juice from its root whiskers onto the blade.
After doing so, the little ginseng looked pitifully at Jiang Luo. “Daddy… my juice really doesn’t do anything…”
Jiang Luo was unmoved by its cutesy act and turned to Lu Youyi. “We’ve started looking into the blood of the female venom-tailed scorpion found back in Shentu Village. That blood can stabilize and nourish wandering souls. Once we get some, Teng Bi’s soul fragment can be nourished in it.”
Lu Youyi suddenly understood. “Is that the thing you rescued back then?”
Jiang Luo nodded.
Back then, Jiang Luo had shared info about the scorpion blood with the Six Families. It was quickly divided up among them, and no one knew where it ended up. Even Chi You had praised the stuff. Jiang Luo figured he might be able to buy a bit at auction.
Although, thinking about it more carefully… wasn’t that stuff what he and Chi You used as bathwater?
Jiang Luo’s mouth twitched. Just then, someone called from outside: “Jiang Luo, Chi You is here.”
The tone was odd—difficult to describe.
“Lu Youyi, let’s go,” Jiang Luo’s brows relaxed as he grabbed his coat and headed out. “Let’s eat first.”
Lu Youyi quickly followed, rubbing his hands together. “We’re gonna feast on your wallet tonight.”
But as Jiang Luo stepped outside, he saw the others all crowding around the front door of the Research Bureau, staring outside in shock.
“Why aren’t you going out?” Jiang Luo’s lips curled—he figured Chi You had shown off too much, stunning them all.
He walked up to take a look—and his smile froze on his face.
The Research Bureau was in a remote location due to its special nature, and few people ever passed by. Their work hours were usually flexible, but things had been busy lately, so work ended at seven. Add in some waiting, and by now it was already dark.
And at this very moment, in front of the Research Bureau, a long row of pale white sedan chairs was lined up neatly. White tassels dangled from the corners of the chairs. Against the deepening twilight, the chairs looked like they were made of paper—eye-catching and eerie.
In front and behind the sedan chairs stood ghosts with eerie, heavy makeup. They grinned stiffly at Jiang Luo and the others, revealing rows of ghastly yellow teeth.
Jiang Luo: “…”
Everyone else: “…”
Jiang Luo: “…Where’s Chi You?”
Huali stepped out from the other side of the sedan chairs, his bright red clothing finally bringing a hint of life to the sea of white. He said stiffly, “Master is already waiting at the winery, and sent me to bring you over in the sedan chairs.”
Jiang Luo took a deep breath, trying hard to maintain a normal expression. He turned to the others and said, “Let’s go. Looks like tonight will be full of surprises.”
The others were briefly stunned, but recalling Chi You’s identity as a malicious ghost, such a scene didn’t seem out of place. They calmed down quickly. Hearing Jiang Luo say that, they even thought the sedan chairs had been specially arranged by Chi You at Jiang Luo’s request. Their spirits lifted as they eagerly walked up to the sedan chairs, circled them a few times in amazement, took several group photos with the ghostly chair-bearers, and then climbed in excitedly.
“D*mn, this sedan chair is so soft!”
Zhuo Zhongqiu casually asked, “Ye Xun, which one are you picking? The one on the left or the right?”
Ye Xun examined both chairs closely, then showed a conflicted expression. “…Let me think about it.”
Jiang Luo walked off with Huali to the side. “What is Chi You trying to do?”
Huali snorted coldly and replied with a sarcastic tone, “How would I know what Master is thinking?”
Jiang Luo’s voice instantly turned cold. He stared into Huali’s vertical pupils, stepping forward with a warning in his gaze. “You really don’t know? Huali, you’d better answer quickly.”
Huali suddenly leapt back, jumping straight into a tree by the roadside. He pointed at Jiang Luo, voice shrill and piercing: “You detestable human, stay away from me!”
No one saw that under the fox mask, Huali’s ears had turned bright red in an instant.
Jiang Luo: “…Insane.”
Like Master, like servant.
He turned around and went back into his sedan chair. A minute later, Huali jumped down from the tree and said coldly, “Lift the sedan chairs.”
Cyril excitedly poked his head out of a sedan chair and shouted toward Jiang Luo’s chair, “Jiang, what are we eating tonight?!”
Jiang Luo, expressionless inside his chair, replied, “It’s a surprise. You’ll find out when we get there.”
The sedan chairs swayed and jolted as they were carried forward. It felt like a long time, and yet not long at all, when Jiang Luo heard a rough voice say, “Toll.”
Jiang Luo’s heart stirred.
Could they have arrived… at Ghost City?
After a moment, the sedan chairs were lifted again.
Ghost sedan chairs could block the scent of humans. Jiang Luo messaged the others in their group chat, telling them not to peek outside. Then he pulled open his own curtain to look out.
In the pitch-black night, green lanterns and red flames lit the streets, with all sorts of ghosts wandering back and forth. The roadside stalls sold bizarre goods—anything one could imagine. The shopkeepers sat cloaked in black in the shadows, pairs of eerie green eyes staring at passersby like wolves.
It was definitely Ghost City.
But not Fengdu Ghost City.
The sedan chairs were finally carried to a stop in front of a grand winery. Jiang Luo and the others stepped out. Inside, the winery was brightly lit. Standing at the entrance were two rows of beautiful women, one on each side. Their faces were pale, but their lips were blood-red. As Jiang Luo’s group approached, they all gracefully bowed and spoke in unison: “Welcome, honored guests.”
Their voices were lovely—mournful, haunting, like weeping songs. Even their welcome sounded like a summoning of souls, enough to make one’s hair stand on end.
Jiang Luo: “…”
That familiar, unbearable awkwardness—it hadn’t hit him like this since that time on the Lian family’s mountain, being serenaded in public by a hundred ghosts.
At this point, Jiang Luo was certain: this was all Chi You’s doing.
It was deliberate—a challenge, a provocation, revenge.
Lu Youyi: “Whoa, this is—”
“This is one of the surprises,” Jiang Luo cut him off before he could finish, stepping forward into the winery. “Surprised? Delighted?”
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