"So, you're saying..."
Su Ming raised an eyebrow at the Human Skin Ghost, "Pingjiang City is your hunting ground?"
"Great King."
The Human Skin Ghost's tone became even more respectful, "I'm just temporarily staying in Pingjiang City."
"My activity range isn't large."
"Even if you didn't intervene today, I would have left on my own in a while."
"Because I was warned a few days ago."
"Pingjiang City is a Disaster Level hunting ground."
"But," the Human Skin Ghost suppressed its fear and cautiously added, "it's not the one beside you, Great King."
This statement was loaded with information.
When it came to Disaster Level, Su Ming's first thought was the Lychee Hotel.
The Lychee Hotel was the most likely place to have a Disaster Level presence.
"How did it warn you?" Su Ming's curiosity was piqued.
The Human Skin Ghost respectfully replied, "Great King, it sent another ghost to deliver the message."
"Either join it or leave."
"It only gave me a month to think it over."
This answer wasn't something you could find on any official website.
Because globally, the number of ghosts that have resurged isn't very high.
The current era should be in the early stages of paranormal resurgence.
So this statement was packed with information.
It meant that some top-tier aberrations not only possessed formidable individual power but had also begun consciously organizing or managing forces within certain areas.
Are these still the traditional ghosts that act purely on instinct?
Each one seems more unreliable than the last.
They're clearly ghosts, so why are they talking about "territories" and "sending underlings"?
Damn~
It's utterly ridiculous.
Is the next step to reach the heavens and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun?
The Jumper Ghost kneeling nearby was anxiously scratching its head.
It realized that its status was under unprecedented threat.
In terms of strength, it couldn't beat the Human Skin Ghost.
In terms of intelligence, it might as well give up.
In terms of knowledge, it was completely outclassed.
This wouldn't do.
It was the first to follow the Great King.
After some intense, nearly brain-burning contemplation, the Jumper Ghost suddenly remembered something and quickly shouted.
"Great King, I remember now."
"I might have been specifically released by the Lychee Hotel."
For what purpose?
Most likely to experience battles and devour others in the outside world, accelerating its upgrade to Extreme Danger Level.
Once the Jumper Ghost met the standard, other ghosts would probably come looking for it.
The Ghost School Belle, having listened to the entire conversation, added a comment, seemingly to explain to Su Ming.
She said, "Once life develops intelligence, it gains cognition, and thus learns to think."
"The essence of intelligence is to allow life to better perceive, understand, and adapt to the world it inhabits."
Su Ming couldn't find a single flaw in this statement.
Just like Gu Yan had said before.
Humans have never stopped evolving.
The Awakened and paranormal resurgence might both be paths of evolution.
But these two paths are extremes.
Natural opposites.
Su Ming remained silent, and neither the Human Skin Ghost nor the Jumper Ghost dared to speak.
They feared the Ghost School Belle but held even greater reverence for Su Ming.
After pondering for several minutes.
Su Ming picked up the phone.
He called Zhou Zhengyang.
He repeated the Human Skin Ghost's account over the phone.
Though he couldn't see Zhou Zhengyang's expression, he heard the sudden crash of a chair falling on the other end.
"Su Ming, are you sure?"
After Su Ming finished speaking, a voice filled with extreme seriousness came through the phone.
"It should be true," Su Ming scratched his ear and glanced at the Human Skin Ghost, "It wouldn't dare lie to me."
Zhou Zhengyang lowered his voice, "Have you told anyone else about this?"
"Old Zhou, you're the first person I've told."
"Jiang Qian is right in front of me, but she fainted from excitement."
"Alright, alright." Zhou Zhengyang's voice grew even more serious, "Su Ming, don't disclose this information to anyone else for now."
Then came a string of unnecessary words.
Of course, Su Ming understood Zhou Zhengyang's concerns.
Paranormal resurgence has only been happening for about thirty years.
Most aberrations are cursed objects, with only a few successfully resurging.
Disaster Level anomaly incidents, in the past thirty years, have been few and far between.
Therefore, it's difficult for the Anomaly Management Bureau to gather this information.
And Su Ming's call wasn't just to inform Zhou Zhengyang.
The authorities have always offered rewards for major information.
"What I said counts as major information, right?"
Zhou Zhengyang understood Su Ming's implication and immediately decided, "S-level secret, Su Ming, I'll give you ten thousand points."
"If you have more information later, I'll reward you at the highest rate."
Su Ming smiled with satisfaction.
As expected of the Director, generous.
Then Zhou Zhengyang lowered his voice and asked, "What about the Lychee Hotel?"
Su Ming waved his hand, "Don't worry about that."
"I'll go in and take a look later."
After hanging up, Su Ming licked his lips.
Treating Pingjiang City as your hunting ground, did you ask for his opinion?
The Human Skin Ghost watched Su Ming's expression.
Although it had just been contained and didn't know much about its master's character.
Judging from the Jumper Ghost's anxious look, fearing it would fall out of favor, Su Ming was probably the most terrifying one.
It tapped its forehead.
Lychee Hotel, you better hope for the best.
Then the Human Skin Ghost nervously pointed at the unconscious Jiang Qian.
"Great King, what about her?"
The Human Skin Ghost only knew that Su Ming and Jiang Qian were classmates, unaware of the depth of their relationship.
When it acted earlier, it did see Su Ming's displeased expression.
"Oh~" Su Ming spoke casually, "She's my classmate, does my homework for me."
"You know, I'm still a high school student, with tons of homework."
"Her cousin," Su Ming looked at the bloodied figure standing next to the Human Skin Ghost.
That was Chi Nian, skinned alive.
Already dead.
"Just return the body to her."
"Keep the human skin and continue being my homeroom teacher."
"Alright, it's happily decided."
Regarding Chi Nian's death, Su Ming felt little emotion.
He didn't even care about his own death, let alone others.
Just like the Ghost School Belle had said before.
When Su Ming got used to death, the rise and fall of humanity mattered less to him than whether he could touch the Ghost School Belle's cold hand.
This was a near inhuman indifference, a twisted clarity forged through countless deaths.
There were two more red dots at Mingde High School.
Su Ming dealt with them casually.
They were two cursed objects yet to resurge, which he directly fed to the Jumper Ghost.
After handling these, Su Ming called the Human Skin Ghost over again and asked, "Tell me, how far are you from Disaster Level?"
At this, the Human Skin Ghost looked confused.
Because it didn't know how to answer.
In fact, ten years ago, it had already formed a Nascent Ghost Domain.
This was a sign of being infinitely close to Disaster Level.
But the last step had stalled it for ten years.
It wasn't that it couldn't take the step, it just didn't know how to.
"You reached this point ten years ago."
Su Ming looked at the Human Skin Ghost in surprise.
It had been stuck at this level for ten years.
In those ten years, it had collected many human skins, yet remained stagnant.
"School Belle, do you know why?"
Su Ming wasn't too knowledgeable about ghosts, so he asked the Ghost School Belle.
The Ghost School Belle glanced calmly at the Human Skin Ghost and asked plainly, "Where's your own skin?"
This question left the Human Skin Ghost stunned.
Where was its own skin?
Long lost.
Long forgotten.
For thirty years, it had worn others' skins, played different roles, indulged in collecting beautiful exteriors, yet forgot its original appearance.
The Human Skin Ghost trembled as it opened the wardrobe.
Hundreds of meticulously collected human skins hung inside, yet not a single one truly belonged to it.
At that moment.
It understood.
If it found its own skin.
It would become a true Disaster Level aberration.
Su Ming snapped his fingers, thoughtfully saying, "It seems the key to each ghost's advancement is different."
"Let's go, we're done here, and the harvest wasn't bad."
When he carried Jiang Qian to the entrance of Mingde High School.
He found the area already cordoned off by Anomaly Management Bureau personnel, with caution tape up and energy detectors flickering with a faint light.
Leading them was Gu Yan.
Su Ming tossed Jiang Qian to Gu Yan, leaving with a casual remark, "The matter's resolved, I'm leaving now."
"For a detailed report, ask Jiang Qian when she wakes up."
He waved his hand, and under the gaze of dozens of handlers, he nonchalantly crossed the caution tape, his figure quickly disappearing around the street corner.
These handlers, though unaware of what had happened at Mingde High School.
Only knew that an Extreme Danger Level aberration had been dealt with by Su Ming.
As expected of a Level 5 Handler.
Each one looked at Su Ming's retreating figure as if watching a deity walking among mortals.