Mysterious Awakening

Chapter 275: Zhao Kaiming's Wait

Before Yang Jian could retrieve the human skin parchment from Zhang Wei, Wang Xiaoming had already found him first.

Under the protection of several special forces operatives, Wang Xiaoming approached with bloodshot eyes and a haggard expression. "Should I address you as Ghost Eye Detective Yang Jian, or as the Hanged Ghost Yang Jian? The content you live-streamed was quite shocking; I have no idea how you came up with such a dangerous yet bold approach."

"You succeeded, which proves that my experimental work, still in its research phase, was correct. The method to perfectly control a fierce ghost is indeed feasible, but... it can't be done with just simple grafting and mutual restraint; that's too crude."

"Thank you for opening up a new line of thought for me."

Yang Jian stopped in his tracks, looked at him, and slightly furrowed his brows, not continuing the topic. "I've handed over the Starving Ghost to Zhao Jianguo. It's securely detained, with an international police escort. It shouldn't be a problem, but I hope you don't get bored and think about researching that thing in the future. I also warn some people within the police force; I feel that some have never encountered the Starving Ghost and underestimate it."

Wang Xiaoming pondered for a moment: "The Starving Ghost is indeed excellent research material, but it's also highly dangerous, far more so than that ghost coffin. I will take your advice and abandon research on the Starving Ghost for the time being. If there ever comes a time to reopen that box, I'll inform you."

From his words, it seemed he would temporarily halt the research, but would resume once protective measures were in place.

"If you let it escape, don't notify me, just keep it away from Dachang City. I don't want to deal with that ghost a second time," Yang Jian said with a darkened face.

Wang Xiaoming replied, "Since you're so opposed, I won't research it. I'll suggest it be sealed forever. With the properties of gold, as long as it's not opened by human hands, that ghost won't be able to escape for ten thousand years."

Wang Xiaoming took a few steps away under escort, then paused and asked, "What about that mirror?"

"It's mine," Yang Jian replied.

"I know it's yours. I just think it's very special. Could I borrow it for a month to study?" Wang Xiaoming asked earnestly. "I can trade you something for it."

After speaking, he signaled to Li Jun.

Li Jun pulled out a golden box from his clothes and opened it to reveal a candle.

"A ghost candle?" Yang Jian glanced at it and noticed the candle inside was white.

"No, this is different from the ghost candle I gave you before," Wang Xiaoming said.

"It's just a different color. The last one was red; this one is white. Did you mix up the pigments?" Yang Jian asked.

Wang Xiaoming replied, "No, it's just that while researching ghost candles, we obtained two different experimental results. Of course, an experiment can have many variations. This is a derivative I made from one of those variations. Well, it should be considered a prototype, not at all the same type as the red ghost candle."

"What's it for?" Yang Jian asked.

"Once lit, if there are ghosts nearby, they will attack the person holding the ghost candle first. This is a ghost candle that can attract hatred; I believe its usefulness far surpasses that of the red ghost candle," Wang Xiaoming explained.

"..."

"You keep it. Don't set your sights on my stuff. Also, that video should remain a secret forever. If that news gets out, many ghost controllers won't be able to sit still. You, as a great professor, will be well-protected, but it will bring me a lot of trouble. After all, I only showed you that video in case of failure, to leave a backup," Yang Jian said.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it secret for you. Since you're unwilling to lend it to me for research, then consider this a gift," Wang Xiaoming said, tossing the box with the white ghost candle to Yang Jian.

"Consider it a personal thank-you for your protection."

"I was only cooperating with you on official business; you don't need to thank me," Yang Jian said, refusing the gift.

"Keep it. My lab produces enough of these," Wang Xiaoming said, and without taking the item back, turned and followed Li Jun into the armored vehicle.

"This profiteer," Yang Jian muttered, his mouth twitching as he looked at the item in his hand.

Cheap goods aren't good quality; who would dare to light it carelessly?

Attracting nearby ghosts is practically suicide; it's incomparable to the red ghost candle.

***

Meanwhile, as the people in Guanjiang Residential Complex were holding a meeting to deal with the aftermath and feeling fortunate to have escaped death,

On the other side of Dachang City,

In front of a silent warehouse,

Under the hazy moonlight, Zhao Jianguo approached with hurried, limping steps from a distance.

His plan had succeeded, and it was perfect.

He had fulfilled the ghost's request and, with Yang Jian's help, had the ghost detained. This way, he could forever rid himself of the evil ghost's curse and return to being an ordinary person, no longer a ghost controller. His family should also be resurrected as planned.

"I've built a villa in my hometown and saved gold worth tens of millions. That will be enough for my family to live on for a lifetime. As for what happens outside, I don't care. That Yang Jian is a big threat, but it doesn't matter. He and his family are leaving the city tonight. I've prepared the car, and I won't see him again."

Zhao Jianguo took out his keys, his heart pounding with excitement as he unlocked the warehouse.

He pushed open the heavy doors and limped inside.

The dim warehouse lit up with various fluorescent lights, ensuring visibility even in a power outage.

"Wife, daughter, mom, dad, I'm back..."

He arrived at the small storeroom where his family was kept, with coffins on ice and a generator humming beside them, maintaining the power supply.

But as Zhao Jianguo excitedly leaned over a coffin, anticipating his family's resurrection,

He estimated it would be about an hour before the miracle occurred. It had taken him over half an hour to get here from No. 7 Middle School, so he figured there were about ten minutes left.

Zhao Jianguo hurriedly shut down the generator and turned off the cooling system.

"Just wait a little longer; we'll be reunited soon," he said excitedly, inspecting each coffin to see which family member would resurrect first.

Time ticked by.

The ten minutes Zhao Jianguo had estimated quickly passed.

The bodies in the coffins remained icy, stiff, and pale, showing no signs of resurrection.

"Did I miscalculate the time? I'll wait a bit longer," Zhao Jianguo thought to himself.

But after another half-hour,

There was still no movement from the bodies in the coffins; they remained lifeless.

Panic began to set in for Zhao Jianguo.

Could the ghost's promise of resurrection be a lie?

"No, it can't be. I've gambled everything; this can't be a lie," Zhao Jianguo suddenly roared in a loss of composure.

He had considered this possibility.

With his intellect, he had always harbored doubts, but he had no choice. From the day his wife, child, and mother died, he had no way back. Later, his father, uncle, and elder uncle died... he had no choice but to follow this path to the end.

Only the miracle of resurrection had sustained him until now.