I Am Not a Master - Chapter 53

Old Man Wang’s family initially thought he was just joking about burning offerings for the ghosts. Even if he were serious, they assumed he’d burn a simple house as a symbolic gesture. But to their surprise, he had prepared four or five extravagant mansions, complete with gardens, courtyards, and even a few sports cars. The sheer opulence left the family stunned, realizing that eating fish for brainpower clearly wasn’t working-they might need medication instead.

Granny Wang stood with her hands on her hips, glaring with her sharp little eyes. “Old Wang, are you hiding something from me? Where did you get the money for this? How do you have enough to buy houses?”

Old Man Wang glanced at his grandson. Little Wang immediately puffed out his chest and stepped forward. “Don’t blame Grandpa! He used my pocket money. I’ve been saving it with him all this time.”

Xiao Wang’s eyes widened. “Your pocket money? Didn’t you give it all to your mom? How did Grandpa end up with it?”

Little Wang shrank behind Old Man Wang. “Well, I kept a little stash for myself. A man’s gotta have his own secret savings, right? Dad, you’ve got secret savings too!”

Xiao Wang froze.

His wife turned to him, narrowing her eyes. “You have secret savings?”

Xiao Wang stammered, “No, I don’t! He’s just making things up!”

Little Wang chimed in, “Mom, don’t scold Dad. I was lying.”

Xiao Wang: “…”

His wife rolled her eyes. “Hmph. We’ll talk about this later.”

Xiao Wang: “…” This son of his-truly his own flesh and blood.

Old Man Wang stroked his beard and declared, “What’s the problem here? Saving a little money-what’s wrong with that? Using it to buy what we want-is that a crime?”

Granny Wang: “…”

Xiao Wang’s wife: “…”

Xiao Wang: “…”

But was it really necessary to buy houses for ghosts? Dealing with this grandfather-grandson duo was clearly their fate.

Xiao Wang sighed in defeat. “Fine, I won’t argue with you. So where are you planning to burn these offerings?”

Old Man Wang had already decided. He would burn them under the overpass. It was likely the new base for his ghostly benefactors after they left the unfinished building. That spot was perfect.

Still, simply burning the offerings might not be enough. They’d need to invite a Taoist to perform rituals; otherwise, the offerings might go to waste or be snatched by other wandering spirits. That would be a real loss.

While Old Man Wang and Little Wang were meticulously planning, Granny Wang and Xiao Wang’s wife were discussing whether they should send the two of them to the hospital for a check-up. Maybe some medication would help-this kind of “illness” couldn’t just be ignored.

That night, Gu Feiyin was sleeping soundly when she suddenly felt an intense gaze piercing through her dreams. Groggily, she opened her eyes to find two blurry ghostly figures hovering inches from her face. Their heads were practically touching hers. Unfazed, Gu Feiyin turned over and continued sleeping.

From outside the window, the voice of the Red-Dressed Ghost floated in. “Stop sleeping! Get up-we’re going to check out the mansion!”

Gu Feiyin bolted upright. “Where’s the mansion?”

The Red-Dressed Ghost waved her hand. “Come on, I’ll take you there.”

Excited beyond measure, Gu Feiyin didn’t bother washing her face or combing her hair. She threw on her padded jacket and urged Neighbor Miss to carry her over. After all, it was the middle of the night-everyone else was asleep. In the pitch-black darkness, surely no one would be staring up at the sky.

When Neighbor Miss finally carried her to the overpass, she saw that even the Middle-aged Female Ghost, the Headless Ghost, and the Armless Ghost had shown up. They were all gathered around the mansion, jumping and darting about in high spirits. The scene was lively and chaotic.

Gu Feiyin hadn’t expected the villa to arrive so quickly. As she got closer for a better look, she was stunned by how grand and luxurious it was. Fully furnished with beds, chairs, tables, and everything one could need, it lacked nothing. Watching Jumpy excitedly hop inside and bounce around, Gu Feiyin couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy-she wanted to live there too.

The Headless Ghost remarked, “This house is really something. I’ve been drifting around aimlessly for so long, and now I finally have a place to settle down. That Old Man Wang we saved last time-turns out it wasn’t for nothing. He’s got some sense, knows how to show gratitude. Not bad, not bad.”

The Armless Ghost chimed in, “It’s definitely impressive. Look at this five-story luxury riverside villa-river views in the front, a garden in the back, and even cars in the driveway. The amenities are top-notch. I’ve never lived in a villa before, only ever envied others who did. Never thought I’d get to live in one myself.”

The Headless Ghost nodded. “Exactly. I heard the Underworld is overcrowded with ghosts. Those waiting for reincarnation don’t even have proper places to stay. The lucky ones get crammed into eight-person dorms, while the less fortunate have to sleep on communal mats. Living in a villa? That’s reserved for those who did great deeds while alive. I even heard there’ve been several uprisings in the Underworld over housing issues.”

“Is that so? Well, compared to them, we’re living the dream,” the Middle-aged Female Ghost chuckled. “This villa is fantastic, but what I like most is the bicycle. Oh, this bike is a game-changer! Now I can ride it to visit my son. I’ve been floating everywhere, and when the wind picks up, I have to slow down or risk being blown away. With this bike, it’ll be so much easier. I can even ride alongside my son when he comes home from school at night.”

The Red-Dressed Ghost smirked. “Why bother riding yourself? Just have your son give you a lift. That’d be even easier-and more bonding time.”

“My son’s bike is too big and tall, and there’s no seat in the back. Besides, he studies so hard every day. If I make him carry me too, that’d be too much for him. No, no, I’ll stick to riding my own bike.”

“Fair enough.” The Red-Dressed Ghost shrugged and poked at the excavator nearby. “What’s this thing for?”

“Oh, that excavator is super handy. Say you want to dig a little pond in the backyard-you’d need it for that, wouldn’t you?”

The Red-Dressed Ghost rolled her eyes. She wasn’t interested in a “little” pond. If she were to have a pond, it’d have to be a big one. “Alright then. From now on, I’ll consider this one of my properties. I can come here for a vacation whenever I feel like it.”

The other ghosts: “…”

Gu Feiyin: “…”

She wanted to vacation here too, but the thought of having to wait another eighty or ninety years-basically until she died-before she could move in made her fume. Just thinking about it was infuriating.

Still, she told herself not to get too worked up. After all, it was only a matter of time. Once she passed on, the villa would be hers. It was just a long-term investment, that’s all.

Meanwhile, the Water Ghost finally dared to poke his head out from the river. Earlier, when those Taoists had shown up, he’d been scared out of his wits, thinking they’d come to capture him. He’d quickly hidden away, trembling. But when he resurfaced, he was greeted by the sight of five villas neatly lined up on the barren riverbank. The Red-Dressed Ghost, the Old Lady, Jumpy, and the others were all circling the villas, their excitement palpable. The scene left him utterly dumbfounded.

What was going on here? Were they planning to set up camp now?

The Water Ghost slumped by the riverbank, looking utterly dejected at the thought of being bossed around by so many ghosts in the future. He rested his head on the ground, completely drained of energy. Not that anyone cared about his mood at the moment.

But truth be told, there were only five villas, and with six ghosts around, dividing them up was going to be tricky.

The Armless Ghost and the Headless Ghost, being long-time acquaintances, quickly came to an agreement. “The two of us can share one,” they said.

The Old Lady and the Neighbor Miss were inseparable as well, so they decided to room together. As for the Red-Dressed Ghost, she was indifferent. She had lived a life of luxury when she was alive, so whether she enjoyed such comforts in death or not didn’t matter much to her. The Middle-aged Female Ghost, on the other hand, mentioned that she’d only stay occasionally, as she spent most of her time watching over her son.

And Gu Feiyin? Well, she’d have to wait a few decades before she could move in.

After some thought, Gu Feiyin suggested, “Why don’t you each take a floor, and we rent out the rest?”

“Rent them out?” The ghosts were stunned. They all turned to look at Gu Feiyin, their expressions a mix of disbelief and curiosity. Was that even a thing?

The Old Lady and the Neighbor Miss also turned their heads to stare at the Long Black Straight Hair girl. This one, who seemed to have money on her mind all the time, had truly outdone herself with this idea.

Gu Feiyin began counting on her fingers, speaking earnestly. “These villas are huge. Even if all of you move in, there’ll still be plenty of empty rooms. Isn’t that such a waste? Instead, we could rent them out. I’m sure there are plenty of wandering spirits around here with nowhere to go. We rent the rooms to them, and all we have to do is collect the rent. Isn’t that a win-win?”

She had done the math. These villas could definitely be rented out, just like the house she was currently living in. The landlord, a young kid from a wealthy family, lived in one unit and rented out the rest. Every month, they just sat back and collected rent without any risk. Where else could you find such a sweet deal?

Besides, it didn’t make sense to let the villas sit empty for decades. Better to make the most of them. By the time she collected enough rent, she’d probably be dead anyway. Then she’d have both the money and a place to stay in the afterlife. What a bargain!

The more she thought about it, the more she felt this was a deal too good to pass up.

The Headless Ghost scratched at his nonexistent head. “I… I’ve never been a landlord before.”

The Armless Ghost chimed in, “Me neither. I’m a bit nervous about it.”

Even the Red-Dressed Ghost, who owned over ten properties across the country, had never rented any of them out. She usually just let them sit there unused. After all, how much could you really earn from renting? It wasn’t worth the hassle compared to signing a few lucrative contracts.

The Middle-aged Female Ghost sighed. “My family only had one house. My husband had five brothers, and he was the honest one. While the others each took two houses and some money, he only took the smallest one, saying he didn’t want to fight and ruin family ties. I always thought, if only we had another house, then even if my son didn’t get into a good college or find a great job, at least he’d have a roof over his head. And if he ever got seriously ill, we could sell the house for medical expenses.”

The other ghosts exchanged awkward glances. “That’s actually a pretty reasonable way of thinking,” they said.

The Middle-aged Female Ghost let out another sigh. “Too bad we didn’t have that extra house. Who would’ve thought I’d only get to enjoy rental income after I died? If only this kind of opportunity had come while I was still alive.”

The Red-Dressed Ghost shrugged. “Renting out the extra rooms isn’t a bad idea. I don’t mind. I’m easy either way.”

The Headless Ghost, the Armless Ghost, and the Middle-aged Female Ghost all nodded in agreement. “Actually, renting them out sounds pretty good. These villas are too big for us to fully use anyway. This way, we’ll have an extra source of income. If we ever head to the Underworld, we’ll have some money to grease the wheels. These days, you can’t get anywhere without cash.”

“Exactly! If we rent them out, I don’t even need a whole floor to myself. A single room will do. Heh heh.”

“Same here. I’ll just take one room. We can be neighbors.”

“Great idea! Let’s pick the best spots for ourselves, and rent out the rest.”

“Sounds like a plan!”

Even Neighbor Miss and Old Lady seemed quite enthusiastic, their faces glowing with anticipation.

The Water Ghost lay sprawled on the riverbank, watching helplessly as the group of ghosts finalized their money-making plan. The villa was indeed spacious-each floor had two or three rooms, and each building had at least ten. With five villas, there were over seventy rooms in total. Even if each ghost took one room, there would still be seventy rooms left. Renting out all those rooms? The profits would be astronomical.

This Long Black Straight Hair wasn’t just a Ghost Trader, a glutton, and a slacker-turns out she was also a money-grubber.

The Water Ghost, still lying on the riverbank, was so envious he was nearly in tears. After all, wasn’t he the one who contributed to them getting this villa? Surely he deserved at least one room!

Gu Feiyin finally noticed the Water Ghost. She glanced at the dark, soggy figure slumped by the river. The Water Ghost, realizing Long Black Straight Hair was looking at him, immediately straightened up, his face full of hopeful anticipation. Gu Feiyin thought for a moment and then said seriously, “You can temporarily work as the security guard for our luxurious riverside villa. You know, keep an eye on things, sweep the floors, mop up-stuff like that. All the small chores will be your responsibility.”

The Water Ghost, who didn’t even get a room but was now expected to provide free labor: “…”

Gu Feiyin added, “Oh, and if you have any wild ghost friends, feel free to recommend our luxurious riverside villa to them. Since they’re your friends, I’ll even give them a special discount-9.99% off.”

The Water Ghost: 9.99% off? He’d never even heard of such a thing when he was alive.

The Middle-aged Female Ghost chuckled and said, “This Water Ghost may be a bit of a troublemaker, but he’s still somewhat useful.”

Gu Feiyin nodded. “Exactly. I’m only keeping him around because he’s useful. Otherwise, I’d have sold him off for cash ages ago.”

The Water Ghost: …

For some reason, the Middle-aged Female Ghost shivered as she looked at the cold, merciless Long Black Straight Hair. She couldn’t help but feel a chill run down her spine.

The Headless Ghost asked, “So, how should we rent out these rooms? What’s a reasonable price?”

The Armless Ghost chimed in, “Yeah, this place is so nice. It’s gotta be at least tens of thousands a month.”

The Red-Dressed Ghost disagreed, “Tens of thousands? I think it should be millions.”

The Middle-aged Female Ghost shook her head repeatedly. “Millions? That’s way too expensive. It’s just a single room-who’d be willing to pay that much?”

“Inflation in the Underworld is insane these days. Billionaires are everywhere. A million isn’t expensive at all,” argued the Red-Dressed Ghost.

The Headless Ghost said, “I think it’s a bit steep too. My current savings are just a modest few tens of millions, and even I wouldn’t want to spend that much on rent. What if no ghosts show up to rent? Then what?”

Gu Feiyin found this reasoning quite convincing. She wouldn’t want to spend a million a month either. A million could accomplish so many things. She’d rather live in a cave in the mountains than waste money like that.

She thought about it. This riverside luxury villa was far better than the haunted house she was living in-not only did it have a great view, but it was also fully furnished. Her haunted house cost 300 a month, so this place should at least go for 600.

Six hundred in human currency would be around two hundred thousand in Ghost Money.

Gu Feiyin suggested, “Why not charge somewhere between two hundred thousand and five hundred thousand Ghost Money? Rooms with better views and larger spaces can be priced higher, while those with poor views and smaller sizes can be cheaper. With at least seventy rooms here, we could easily make over ten million a month.”

The calculation made her eyes light up. Over ten million a month meant over a hundred million a year. If she could get her hands on a few more luxury villas like this, just imagine the fortune she’d accumulate! By the time she passed on, she might even become a multi-billionaire ghost landowner.

The price range of two hundred thousand to five hundred thousand seemed reasonable enough. In the end, the plan was approved unanimously-except for the Red-Dressed Ghost, who found thirty thousand Ghost Money so trivial that she wouldn’t bother picking it up if it fell on the ground. It was the same attitude Gu Feiyin had toward the few thousand she had stashed away; back when the Red-Dressed Ghost was alive, she would leave that kind of money lying around the house, too lazy to even put it in a bank, let alone a safe.

But whatever. Let them do as they pleased. As long as everyone was happy.

Once the plan was finalized, the Red-Dressed Ghost immediately claimed a room with a rooftop garden. The Middle-aged Female Ghost took the room next door. Neighbor Miss and the Old Lady settled on the floor below, while the Armless Ghost and the Headless Ghost took rooms on the floor beneath that. As for Gu Feiyin, she had no choice but to watch enviously as the others picked their rooms-there was no space left for her.

With the rooms allocated, the next step was advertising the rentals. Since the property was exclusively for ghosts, there was no need for Gu Feiyin and the others to hand out flyers or post ads themselves. Instead, the Headless Ghost, the Armless Ghost, and the Middle-aged Female Ghost were tasked with spreading the word, hoping to attract the first wave of tenants.

The ghosts were brimming with enthusiasm and energy.

Sure enough, the luxury riverside villa quickly became the talk of the underworld, drawing plenty of curious ghosts to check it out.

Water Ghost No. 2 and Water Ghost No. 3, after hearing Water Ghost’s tearful complaints, swam along the river to spread the news to other water ghosts. To every ghost they met, they said, “That Ghost Trader with the long black straight hair has set up a luxury riverside villa and is renting it out to lonely and wandering ghosts.”

“I think it’s a trap, a blatant trap,” one ghost said. “Think about it. That Long Black Straight Hair is a ghost trader. This might be her way of luring ghosts in so she can catch us all in one go.”

“Wow, what a cunning plan! She’s so evil. I’m definitely not going, and you shouldn’t either. Be careful.”

“Really? But that doesn’t make sense. I’ve heard she has a lot of ghosts around her, and nothing’s happened to them. Why would she sell water ghosts but not other ghosts?”

“I don’t know. Maybe they’re all in on it together.”

Because of these rumors, no one dared to move into the luxury riverside villa. The fear spread so widely that the property became infamous, with ghosts avoiding it like the plague.

This left Gu Feiyin deeply frustrated. She sighed, lamenting how these ghosts didn’t know how to enjoy life. Such a fantastic property, and yet no one wanted to live there. Sure, the rent was a bit high, but it wasn’t outrageous. She herself couldn’t even afford to live there, and here they were, turning it down!

The Headless Ghost and the Armless Ghost faced their own set of challenges while spreading the word. The moment other ghosts caught sight of them, they scattered like leaves in the wind, leaving not even a shadow behind. The braver ones dared to ask, “Are you being forced to work for that Long Black Straight Hair against your will?”

The two ghosts…

Well, sure, Long Black Straight Hair might look intimidating, but they were absolutely volunteering for this. No coercion involved.

Even the Middle-aged Female Ghost, who was known for her extensive social network, hit a wall. No ghost was willing to move in. They’d rather squeeze into the cramped subway tunnels than consider the luxurious riverside villa. When asked why, they all gave the same answer: it was too risky-they were afraid of being sold off.

The Middle-aged Female Ghost didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She patiently explained, “Yes, Long Black Straight Hair might seem scary, but you can’t really blame her for this. It was that Water Ghost who started the trouble, trying to drag an innocent kid fishing by the river into becoming a scapegoat. We couldn’t just stand by and watch, so we stepped in to help. Long Black Straight Hair saved the kid and captured the Water Ghost to prevent him from causing more harm. That’s why she’s keeping him tied up.”

Hearing this, the older ghost ladies finally relaxed. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Come on, let’s go check out the place.”

And just like that, the first batch of tenants arrived. The Water Ghost, still dragging his slimy green hair along the floor, received a collective glare of disdain from the group of older ladies. One of them, sharp-tongued as ever, sneered, “Look at him. Bullying kids and getting himself caught. We totally misunderstood Long Black Straight Hair.”

“Exactly! It’s all his fault. I bet he’s the one spreading those nasty rumors too.”

“If you ask me, ghosts like him should be thrown into the eighteenth level of the Underworld. Let’s see if he dares to harm anyone again.”

The Water Ghost…

Alright, alright, he got it. He was wrong. Happy now?

Once the first few rooms were rented out, things got much easier. Seeing that the old ladies were perfectly fine, the other wandering ghosts, who had been hesitating, started to come around. After all, they’d been ghosts for years-most of them had some savings. Every household, whether at their front door or at the cemetery, would burn offerings for them during rituals, even for these lonely, wandering souls.

Festivals were especially lively, giving them a chance to show off their skills and gather more wealth. Over the years, they’d accumulated quite a bit. But without anyone to worship them, they had nowhere to go. Money was all they had, and even that couldn’t buy them a decent place to stay. Many of them were stuck wearing the same outfit until their souls eventually dissipated. The Underworld was overcrowded with ghosts, and no one had the time or resources to care for the likes of them.

And these days, the tradition of offering houses to ghosts had all but disappeared. A decade ago, it was still somewhat common, but in recent years, simplicity had become the trend. Finding a place for ghosts to live was becoming increasingly rare.

Most of the time, they just drifted from place to place, dodging the elements and living pitifully. So when news spread about a riverside villa available for rent, they couldn’t resist coming to take a look.

Unfortunately, there were only about seventy rooms available. In less than a week, every single one was rented out. More ghosts wanted to move in, but there simply wasn’t any space left. If they were lucky enough to find someone willing to share a room, that was their only option.

The once desolate overpass was now bustling with life-or rather, afterlife. Over a hundred ghosts were flitting about, some even breaking into song to express their joy at finally having a place to call home after years of wandering. The environment was great, the space was roomy, and their voices echoed loud and clear, carrying their emotions far and wide.

Shan Feng had finally recovered from his illness, but there were still lingering worries in his heart. Determined to resolve them, he went out of his way to collect seventeen or eighteen amulets for peace and even spent all his pocket money from the past few years to hire a Daoist to catch ghosts at the overpass. Shan Feng firmly believed that the overpass was haunted, though his family dismissed the idea. Left with no other option, he took matters into his own hands and hired Daoist Li at great expense.

Before they even reached the overpass, Shan Feng hesitated and decided he couldn’t go any further. He urged Daoist Li and his two disciples to proceed without him and handle the ghost-catching.

Daoist Li, with a solemn and serious expression, instructed him, “Stay here and don’t wander off. If you really see a ghost, just scream, and I’ll come to protect you immediately.”

Shan Feng nodded eagerly. “Got it, Daoist. Please hurry and make sure to catch that Long-haired Female Ghost!”

Daoist Li reassured him, “Don’t worry. No ghost can escape from my grasp. That ghost has no business lingering in the human world, stirring up trouble instead of reporting to the Underworld as she should. Such behavior is unacceptable, and I won’t let her off the hook.”

Shan Feng was overjoyed, his confidence soaring. He was certain that the female ghost wouldn’t stand a chance this time.

Daoist Li, armed with his peachwood sword, led his two disciples toward the overpass. However, the closer he got, the more uneasy he felt. From the sounds coming from ahead, it seemed like there were quite a few people, and in the distance, he could faintly make out tall buildings standing amidst the snow, their outlines hazy and surreal, like a mirage.

A ghostly mansion.

Daoist Li paused in confusion. Why was there a ghost mansion here?

He took a few more steps forward and craned his neck for a better look. Suddenly, one of the mansion’s windows swung open, and a ghost with a shattered head stared at him with chilling, sinister eyes.

Daoist Li froze.

Man and ghost locked eyes in a sudden, eerie confrontation.

Lowering his gaze, Daoist Li saw dozens of ghosts sitting in neat rows, each holding a candle while chatting and munching away. But as soon as they noticed him, they stopped talking and turned their heads to stare. The sight of their pale, lifeless faces and dozens of unblinking eyes nearly made him lose control of his bladder.

He had seen a few ghosts carrying coffins and flying around an unfinished building before, but that was just a handful. Here, there were dozens-dozens! In all his years, he had never encountered so many ghosts at once. If it weren’t for the botched Ritual Ceremony he had performed earlier, which not only failed to earn him the promised twenty thousand but also cost him money, he wouldn’t have taken on this minor case. Little did he know, this case was anything but minor-it was the biggest he’d ever faced.

Daoist Li’s legs trembled uncontrollably, and he let out a terrified scream before turning tail and running.

His two disciples, seeing their Shifu flee, turned pale and quickly followed suit, not daring to look back. Meanwhile, Shan Feng, still clueless about what was happening, watched as Daoist Li and his disciples bolted away like a gust of wind.

Their panicked retreat, so full of desperation, stripped away any semblance of the dignified air of a master.

Shan Feng’s heart sank. A dreadful thought crossed his mind-could it be that the female ghost was too powerful, even for Daoist Li?

“Daoist Li! Daoist Li!” Shan Feng called out.

But Daoist Li acted as if he hadn’t heard him, ignoring his cries entirely. In the blink of an eye, all Shan Feng could see was the tiny silhouette of Daoist Li disappearing into the distance.

Shan Feng didn’t dare think too much about it and bolted. But after just a few steps, he felt a sudden tap on his shoulder. He shuddered and instinctively turned his head, only to find nothing behind him-just empty air. Yet, a faint woman’s voice drifted through the silence, “Hey, student, you forgot your bag.”

Shan Feng’s face turned as pale as a sheet. He looked down and saw his school bag, which he had casually left by his feet earlier, now floating eerily in midair.

He swallowed hard, his entire body trembling. He remembered his grandfather’s warnings: if you ever experience a Ghost Shoulder Tap, never turn around. And if you do turn around, under no circumstances should you respond to the ghost. Otherwise, it would steal your soul. And without a soul, death was inevitable.

“I-I don’t have a bag! I don’t have a bag, okay?!”

He didn’t dare linger. Scrambling to his feet, he ran as fast as he could, stumbling and tripping along the way. As for the bag? Of course, it wasn’t his. No way.

The Middle-aged Female Ghost watched Shan Feng flee into the distance and let out a long sigh. Kids these days, honestly. Tossing their school bags around like they’re nothing. Don’t they realize how important those bags are? Books, study materials-how could they afford to lose those? Did they even want to get into a good college? Kids these days, truly something else.

Without another word, she floated after him. Ever so thoughtfully, she placed the bag neatly in Shan Feng’s room, right in the most conspicuous spot.

When Shan Feng finally made it home, he was practically bursting with excitement as he recounted his ghostly encounter. “I swear, I saw a ghost! My bag was flying in the air!”

“Really! The ghost even tapped my shoulder and asked if I’d dropped my bag. But I was super smart-I told them it wasn’t mine. I said I didn’t have a bag!”

His parents, however, had long run out of patience for his antics. They rolled their eyes at him. “Flying bag, huh? Let me guess, you just didn’t want to do your homework, so you threw your bag away?”

Shan Feng looked at them with a pitiful expression. “I’m telling the truth!”

“Oh, so you really threw your bag away?”

Dejected, Shan Feng slinked back to his room. But as he opened the door, he froze. There, sitting perfectly on his desk, was his school bag. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the floor, eyes wide with terror.

Help! A ghost had followed him home!

Meanwhile, an online post about ghost sightings on Fumin Road had gone viral.

“Lately, I’ve been feeling like something’s off near the overpass. One night, I was coming home late from work, and I swear I heard voices. But when I looked around, there was no one there. Didn’t someone say they saw a female ghost crawling out of a coffin under the overpass? Could it be her?”

“Yeah, yeah, I heard about that too! Someone said people were burning houses for ghosts over there. Maybe that’s what’s attracting them.”

“No way. That’s just superstition. Aren’t there usually homeless people under the overpass? Maybe you just ran into one of them.”

“Homeless people? Are you kidding? Look at how cold it’s been lately. The snow’s piled up so high. No one in their right mind would stay under the overpass in this weather. Maybe in the summer, sure, but not now.”

“I’ve been able to see… unclean things ever since I was a kid. Trust me, you should all avoid the overpass at night.”

“Come on, people. Believe in science,” Xiao Wang replied to the thread, his tone righteous and firm. “There’s no such thing as ghosts. I’ve lived on Fumin Road my whole life and never seen one. All these stories about coffins flying through the air and ghosts living under the overpass? Total nonsense. It’s just fake Taoists trying to scam you out of your money. Don’t fall for it.”

After posting his reply, Xiao Wang couldn’t help but nervously rub his nose. After all, he had been part of the group that burned those houses-along with his grandfather and father, no less. He hadn’t expected it to cause such a stir. But ghosts? No way. That was just people’s imaginations running wild.

And besides, it wasn’t even his idea to burn those houses. That was all his old man’s doing.

Gu Feiyin was happily counting the money. Their villas had all been rented out, and they had just received the first quarter’s rent. Divided among the seven of them, each got several million. It hadn’t even been that long, and they were already making this much. She was practically over the moon. Carefully, she stashed the money inside the coffin, thinking to herself that if she let it sit there for a few decades, becoming a billionaire wouldn’t just be a dream.

After running her hands over the money one last time, Gu Feiyin decided it was time to wash up and go to bed. The best part about renting out the villas was that she no longer had to trek downstairs to the public restroom next door. Now, taking a shower or using the bathroom was just a few steps away.

The next morning, Gu Feiyin headed to work as usual. Her job still involved strolling around the haunted house, stopping here and there. The guests were having a blast, and from their voices, she could tell their satisfaction levels were through the roof.

After work that evening, she bought a bag of braising spices, planning to make some braised pig’s head meat at home. Pig’s head meat dipped in chili powder was the ultimate treat-fragrant, spicy, and chewy. It was perfect for snacking on while scrolling through her phone.

As she busied herself braising the meat, she also exchanged messages with Shao Yizhou on WeChat. Lately, he’d been texting her frequently, saying he felt something was off. He kept getting the eerie sensation that someone was watching him, which was seriously freaking him out.

Gu Feiyin’s eyes were glued to her screen as she finally made out his latest message. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “That little ghost surnamed Zhuang probably ran off. He likes you so much; maybe he’s the one looking for you.”

She had only learned about this later from Zhang Daoist. Apparently, the reason the wedding hadn’t gone as planned was that one of the participants had been dragged into a corner and left in a complete mess. The other participant was a very good-looking young man-Shao Yizhou. Unfortunately, Shao Yizhou hadn’t exactly volunteered for the role; the ghost surnamed Zhuang had forced him into it. After Zhuang fled, it wasn’t just Gu Feiyin he might seek revenge on-he’d also likely go after the “bride” he’d set his sights on. Poor Shao Yizhou.

Shao Yizhou was on the verge of tears. “Master, what should I do now?”

Gu Feiyin replied, “Don’t worry. He truly loves you. All he’s thinking about is marrying you, living happily ever after, and starting a family. He won’t hurt you.”

Shao Yizhou actually started crying. “Please save me. Save the child!”

Gu Feiyin had been quite busy lately. With the year-end approaching, more people were on vacation, and the amusement park was packed. The haunted house was swamped with wave after wave of visitors, leaving her unable to step away.

She texted back, “Go find Zhang Daoist and the others. They can help you.”

Shao Yizhou thought to himself, “Zhang Daoist got obliterated by that ghost surnamed Zhuang. If I go to him, it’ll just be the two of us dying together!”

“Please save the child!” he pleaded again.

Meanwhile, Zhang Daoist and Minister Li had received a tip-off and were rushing to the overpass on Fumin Road. The intel suggested that at least seventy to eighty ghosts had gathered there. It was rare for so many ghosts to congregate in one place, which immediately caught the authorities’ attention. They had sent the team to investigate.

From a distance, they could already see the cluster of elegant ghost villas. Honestly, the houses looked pretty nice. Of course, they’d be even better if they weren’t haunted houses.

“What should we do? There are so many ghosts here, it’s going to be tough to handle. I heard Master Gu lives nearby-should we ask her to come and help?”

“Master Gu is indeed powerful, but we can’t always rely on her. The world is dangerous, and if we keep running to her every time something happens, what will we do if she’s not around? What if she can’t make it in time? Are we just going to sit here and wait for death?”

“You’re right. I was being naive.”

“Let’s go and take a look.”

Zhang Daoist was no amateur. He had brought along a dozen fellow Taoists, all armed with spiritual artifacts, their faces solemn as they approached the overpass. On the other side, a Middle-aged Female Ghost had just finished playing cards with a few of her old friends and was about to pick up her son from school. She had barely mounted her bicycle when the Taoists intercepted her, startling her so much she nearly wished she could vanish into the ground. Trembling, she stammered, “I-I’m a good ghost! You can’t catch me! Old friends, old brothers, come out quickly! The Daoists are here!”

Her shout echoed, and one head popped up, then another, then another-soon dozens of heads emerged, all staring intently at Zhang Daoist and his group.

The ghosts were panicked too. It was rare for them to find a place to shelter from the elements, a spot where neighbors got along well. If they felt bored, they could shout, and someone would respond. They had only just begun to enjoy a few peaceful days, and now someone was here to drive them away?

That thought made them even more sorrowful, and their gazes toward Zhang Daoist and the others grew increasingly resentful.

Zhang Daoist and Minister Li exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.

Zhang Daoist raised his peachwood sword and bellowed, “You wandering spirits and wild ghosts, lingering in the human world instead of reporting to the Underworld-what are your intentions?”

The Middle-aged Female Ghost quickly pleaded, “I was just going to pick up my son from school! I haven’t done anything wrong, let alone anything that would harm others. Daoist, have mercy!”

The Headless Ghost, summoning courage, chimed in, “Exactly! We haven’t stolen or robbed anyone. Even if you’re Taoists, you can’t just destroy us and make us vanish into thin air!”

“Daoist, don’t misunderstand us. We’re not lingering here on purpose. We’re wandering ghosts without ancestral tablets or offerings. Our paths are limited. We’ve already registered with the City God, but it’s not our turn yet. It’s not that we don’t want to go-it’s that we can’t.”

“We want to go to the Underworld too, but the quotas there are limited. The place is overcrowded. For ghosts like us, we can only wait patiently.”

“That’s right, exactly!”

“Have we done anything wrong?”

“Just because you’re Taoists, does that make you right?”

“This is our home! We paid two hundred thousand to rent these houses. We’re not leaving!”

“Yeah, we’re staying!”

The ghosts began to chatter all at once, their voices overlapping in a chaotic cacophony that made the Taoists’ heads spin.

And about that two hundred thousand spent on renting the houses-what was that all about?