Psycho. Ghosts? Whatever. - Chapter 23 - "You Seem to Like It, So It's Yours"

Night had fallen.

Bai Yuan sat alone at home, seemingly waiting for something.

Zhou Han, having successfully awakened his Accompanying Ghostly Entity, had naturally garnered attention and was promptly summoned by the authorities.

“Doctor, haven’t prescribed the medicine yet?”

Bai Yuan, wide awake, waited quietly.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Before long, the clock struck midnight.

Suddenly, Bai Yuan, who had been feigning sleep, opened his eyes abruptly.

“It’s here!”

He instinctively touched his chest, feeling an intense heat radiating from it. Hastily, he removed his shirt.

On his chest, an eerie and sinister Ghost Face slowly emerged, its presence as unsettling as ever.

Despite the excitement coursing through him, Bai Yuan couldn’t help but recall his visit to the psychiatrist, where the doctor had asked him, “Are you really human?”

Now, Bai Yuan felt he might need to seriously ponder that question.

But whether he was human or not no longer mattered. Surviving and growing stronger-that was all that counted.

Besides, he couldn’t get rid of the Ghost Face even if he wanted to.

If resistance was futile, he might as well enjoy the ride.

Feeling oddly cheerful, Bai Yuan began to sway his body and hum a tune:

“Med! Med! Med! Check it out!”

“…”

The Ghost Face seemed momentarily stunned, as if it hadn’t anticipated Bai Yuan’s condition to be this far gone.

Moments later, his consciousness shifted, and he found himself back in that familiar dark space.

“Huh?”

Bai Yuan blinked, momentarily taken aback. The surroundings were unchanged, but above him, the blood-red orb had multiplied-there were now three of them.

“What does this mean?”

He pondered aloud, murmuring to himself, “Could these contain the Evil Ghosts that were devoured?”

Just then, an oversized white pill dropped before him.

“Medicine! I knew it!”

Without further thought, Bai Yuan grabbed the pill, cradling it as if it were a priceless treasure.

Others might have their Accompanying Ghostly Entities, but he had his medicine!

Before long, he returned to the real world, the Ghost Face vanishing as if it had never been there.

“Time to boost my physical stats again.”

Bai Yuan licked his lips, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.

The pill before him was about forty centimeters in diameter-four times the size of the previous ones. Its effects were bound to be exponentially stronger.

Without hesitation, Bai Yuan began devouring the pill, his face radiating pure satisfaction.

Watching him eat, one might think even ghosts would feel a twinge of fear.

In no time, the pancake-sized pill was completely consumed.

“So sleepy…”

Drowsiness overtook him, and he soon drifted into a deep slumber.

…

The next morning.

Bai Yuan woke up right on time, his eyes gleaming with a sharp, newfound vitality.

He stretched his body slightly, and a series of loud cracks echoed from his joints.

“Ah, this feels amazing.”

Clenching his fists, Bai Yuan felt an inexhaustible surge of energy coursing through him. His physical strength was leagues beyond what it had been the day before.

However, lacking proper exercise equipment, he had no way to measure his newfound power.

“If I keep strengthening myself like this, I’ll become a superhero sooner or later…”

He stroked his chin, musing aloud, “When that day comes, should I save the world or just give up beef?”

As he indulged in his fantasies, his stomach growled loudly, reminding him of his hunger. The energy demands of his enhanced body were far greater than before.

Bai Yuan quickly freshened up and stepped out of his house, embarking on his morning quest for food.

“Uncle, give me thirty Egg Pancakes in bulk!”

“How many?!”

Before long, Bai Yuan was handed a massive stack of Egg Pancakes, along with a variety of other breakfast items like soy milk and fried dough sticks. It was as if he had swept through the entire breakfast street, leaving no stall untouched.

Under the stunned gazes of the vendors and passersby, Bai Yuan left with a satisfied grin on his face.

“That kid really came to buy in bulk, huh…”

The crowd stared at his retreating figure, momentarily at a loss for words.

Back at home, Bai Yuan began devouring his haul with unrestrained enthusiasm. Eating like this in public would have surely drawn too much attention, but within the privacy of his home, he had no such concerns.

In just half an hour, the mountain of food before him was completely wiped out. It was almost unfathomable how he managed to fit it all in.

This was bordering on inhuman…

“Just barely full,” he muttered, licking his lips. There was still a hint of longing in his eyes, as if he was considering heading out for a second round.

But after a quick glance at his wallet, he reluctantly dismissed the idea.

“At this rate, my savings of a few thousand yuan won’t last long…”

Pondering his financial situation, Bai Yuan left his house and made his way toward school.

Across the country, schools had begun recalling students for in-person classes. While many students were initially reluctant-after all, encountering a supernatural event at school was no trivial matter-the introduction of Ghost Science as a formal subject had changed the narrative. With trained professionals now serving as instructors, schools had transformed from potential danger zones into some of the safest places around.

In fact, some students were so eager that they moved back to campus overnight. For the first time, there was genuine excitement about going to school.

Before long, Bai Yuan arrived at No. 5 High School. The first floor of the main teaching building was packed with students, all chattering excitedly about something.

Raising an eyebrow, Bai Yuan, ever curious about a commotion, made his way toward the crowd. However, with so many people gathered, it was impossible to see what was happening inside.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” he asked a nearby student.

“Nothing much. The school just opened six new Ghost Spirit Classes, specifically for students with Accompanying Ghostly Entities.”

“Six? That many?” Bai Yuan murmured to himself.

The establishment of Ghost Spirit Classes didn’t surprise him, but the fact that No. 5 High School had so many gifted individuals did catch him off guard.

As he pondered this, a commanding voice rang out:

“Step aside! Is this a place for the likes of you?”

The crowd turned to look, and Bai Yuan followed their gaze.

A tall, imposing man stood there, hands casually tucked into his pockets, exuding an air of invincibility as he surveyed the students. But what truly drew everyone’s attention was the severed finger floating in front of him-a clear sign of his Accompanying Ghostly Entity.

“Is he a student here? He looks way older than us,” someone whispered.

“Of course not. He’s probably a local from around this area,” another replied.

Listening to the murmurs around him, Bai Yuan began to piece things together.

In fact, the authorities hadn’t limited the Awakening Ceremony for Accompanying Ghostly Entities to just high school students.

In Ping’an City, anyone between the ages of fifteen and thirty had undergone attempts to awaken an Accompanying Ghostly Entity.

According to official analysis, this age group had a relatively higher probability of successfully awakening such entities. Moreover, their ability to learn and adapt to new concepts made them ideal candidates for training.

However, due to the scarcity of professional instructors, it was impossible to conduct decentralized teaching. The authorities had no choice but to gather everyone with potential into the Ghost Spirit Classes at major middle and high schools.

In Ping’an City, the six largest schools served as central learning hubs, bringing together those with talent.

“Move aside!”

Liu Wang’s expression remained calm as the severed finger floating before him twitched slightly, exuding an eerie, chilling aura.

A shiver ran through the crowd. Instinctively, a wave of fear washed over them, and they hurriedly stepped aside to clear a path.

“Ordinary people should stick to ordinary paths. Whatever you do… don’t cross the line.”

His gaze swept lazily over the crowd, and a faint, arrogant smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

In just one night, his mindset had undergone a dramatic transformation.

As he walked past the onlookers, a glint of mischief appeared in his eyes. Suddenly, with a mere thought, the severed finger jerked to life.

It moved like a living creature, darting toward the crowd.

The onlookers instinctively recoiled, their faces filled with panic. None dared to let the finger touch them.

Who knew what kind of curse might be attached to it?

Seeing the chaos he had caused, Liu Wang couldn’t help but grin. He seemed to take great pleasure in the scene unfolding before him.

“Huh?”

At that moment, his gaze landed on Bai Yuan, who stood amidst the crowd.

Unlike the others, Bai Yuan’s expression remained calm. There was no trace of fear in his eyes as he watched the flying severed finger-only curiosity.

“Hey, kid. You seem to like it. Here, it’s yours.”