The young man patted his chest. “Why would I lie to you? It’s not like you’re paying me. Anyway, Dahei is really smart. Believe it or not, even if you did save my life, you can’t slander Dahei.”
Xia Ling hurriedly said, “Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not trying to slander him. Think about it. No matter how smart an ordinary pet is, it might manage simple addition and subtraction. How could it read and write, type, and carry on a normal conversation with you?”
But the young man paid no attention to what she was saying. He stared at his phone, lost in thought.
Xia Ling thought he had come around.
Instead, he slapped his thigh and cried out in alarm.
“Oh no, my sofa!”
The three of them were speechless. Even Song Yu, who had noticed the strange atmosphere in the dining area from the kitchen and had been quietly eavesdropping, was at a loss for words.
At a time like this, all you can think about is your sofa?
The young man panicked again. “Oh no, Dahei’s in danger. There’s a ghost outside! If he comes out looking for me, won’t he run into it?”
As he spoke, he made to rush out of the shop.
But Xia Ling hurriedly stopped him.
“He only said that. It doesn’t mean he’ll actually open the door and come out…”
As she continued, her voice grew softer and softer.
If the Husky Dahei he was talking about really could read and type, how could he not even know how to open a door?
Xia Ling changed tack and tried to persuade him. “If you go out there and run into a ghost and die, what will Dahei do if he can’t find you?”
“Then Dahei would be in danger if he came out, too. I, Han Qinglong, am no coward. I’d rather face danger together with him.”
The young man was worked up, but Xia Ling stopped him with ease.
“Han Qinglong,” Chen Tianhua suddenly called out.
Han Qinglong looked at him in confusion. “You outrank her, right? Tell her to stop holding me back. I have to save Dahei.”
Chen Tianhua asked, “Han Qinglong, have you ever seen someone else’s pet read and write?”
“No.”
“Have you ever seen someone else’s pet chat with its owner by typing on a computer? And threaten its owner, too?”
Han Qinglong thought for a moment. “No, but I’ve seen pets fight with their owners. And I want to make one thing clear: I’m not his owner. We’re friends. I’m the eldest, and he’s third.”
Xia Ling was confused. “Then who’s second?”
“He doesn’t want to be second, so I can only call him Dahei or third.”
“Ahem, ahem…” Chen Tianhua coughed twice, cutting off their conversation.
“Let’s leave that aside for now. Han Qinglong, do you think ghosts exist in this world?”
“Of course they do. I almost got lured away and killed just now.”
Xia Ling suddenly understood. “Wait, I just remembered. That Husky in the Ghost Domain you triggered earlier—that was the Dahei you mentioned?”
Han Qinglong nodded. “I almost fell for it. But if Dahei had seen me, he definitely would’ve run toward me. Instead, he stood there without moving, and I couldn’t understand his barking.”
So you can understand Dahei’s barking?
Song Yu thought about it and decided it might be true. After all, this guy was “different from ordinary people.”
Xia Ling said, “So you didn’t go near him right away, and waited until I broke in and saved you, right?”
“That’s right.” Han Qinglong nodded honestly.
Now they all understood.
Chen Tianhua said, “Based on our earlier investigation, this supernatural incident couldn’t have been caused by a single Red-Clothed Ghost acting alone. It used something to pull living beings into a Ghost Domain. Once inside, they face the people dearest to them in their lives.”
He paused there, glanced at Han Qinglong, and added, “Or other creatures.”
Then he explained, “The Ghost Domain can make the person dearest to its target appear, but that apparition doesn’t behave exactly like the real person. In fact, it can be very different. It’s a crude method.
“The most fatal problem is that once someone enters the Ghost Domain, it affects them constantly, attacking their soul and causing them to slip unconsciously into a dazed state. Even if the fake is ridiculously unconvincing, a matching body and face alone are enough to fool most people whose souls aren’t strong enough.
“And the rules of this Ghost Domain are powerful. The moment someone touches a ghost creature impersonating a loved one inside it, their soul is absorbed by the Ghost Domain, leaving only their body behind to appear in all kinds of horrific states.”
After hearing Chen Tianhua’s explanation, Han Qinglong shuddered, thinking of the middle-aged vendor who had been beside him earlier.
He had turned into a heap of bloody flesh and broken pieces. It had been horrifying.
Chen Tianhua looked at him and said, “You saw Dahei in the Ghost Domain, which shows that you two are close. But if an animal can be as smart as a human, do you think it’s still an ordinary animal?”
Han Qinglong shook his head. “Definitely not.”
Xia Ling couldn’t take it anymore and said helplessly, “You believe in ghosts, so do you believe in demons?
“Could your Husky be a demon? Animals can only be as smart as humans once they become demons and awaken their Spiritual Intelligence. Understand?”
After saying all that in one breath, Xia Ling took several deep breaths.
Han Qinglong was stunned.
He sank into a long silence.
Xia Ling didn’t disturb him. Chen Tianhua was also busy sending messages on his phone.
Although he couldn’t figure out why the shop’s Wi-Fi had a signal, or how it could penetrate the Ghost Domain and connect to the outside world, he hurriedly contacted the Special Affairs Bureau personnel.
“Xiao Ling, see to his situation.”
That was all Chen Tianhua told her.
At that moment, a miserable Ghost Wail came from the kitchen.
The others looked over at the sound, but aside from the young man, they all remained calm, as if they had expected it.
Song Yu, however, was staring at the Stone Mill in shock.
He had just used the Stone Mill to perform a transcendence ritual on the ghost creature he’d captured outside—the one that had turned into his Grandpa.
But this time, the ritual had produced a warm power inside him out of nowhere, flowing slowly through his body.
He instinctively looked at the Stone Mill Mark on his arm. It was burning hot.
He had felt something before, too, but it had been faint and easy to overlook if he wasn’t paying attention.
This time, though, the reaction was intense.
Was this warm current inside him the Origin Power mentioned in the notification earlier?
Song Yu was astonished. He focused on sensing it and realized it was circulating automatically through his body along a remarkably regular path.
It was slow, but orderly, making him feel comfortable and refreshed. It seemed to dispel the day’s exhaustion.
He had captured this ghost creature himself. It hadn’t entered the Membership System, so he hadn’t gained any points for it.
Could it be that because he’d caught it himself, the Stone Mill had converted a large amount of Origin Power into his body when it made Ingredients?
Song Yu felt he had figured something out.
If he strengthened his Origin Power, he wouldn’t need kitchen utensils to hold his own against demons and ghosts.
Song Yu thought, “I’ll eat a Steamed Bun and see what happens.”
Fifteen points were deducted, and he ate a Steamed Bun.
“Hmm… It tastes two or three grades better than one made with the same Ingredients. My eyesight really is clearer, and I do feel calmer.”
Song Yu was astonished.
What Xia Ling and the others had said about the Steamed Buns’ special effects was true. He had gained Origin Power, while they had gained ghostly power.
Man, eat a few more Steamed Buns and you could even cure nearsightedness.
He pulled open the drawer beneath the Stone Mill and took out what he’d obtained this time.
The Ingredients produced this time were a pile of flour, about half a pound. Their quality was far superior to the previous batch; the difference was visible to the naked eye.
This ghost creature definitely wasn’t a Vengeful Soul. It was either an Evil Ghost or a Vengeful Ghost.
Song Yu was delighted and began thinking about what would be best to make with the flour.
Just then, Chen Tianhua’s voice came from outside.
“Boss Song, there are a few things we’d like to discuss with you.”
Song Yu was puzzled and walked out.
“What is it?”
“The Steamed Buns,” Chen Tianhua said.