South Sea City was huge. Driving from the South City Suburb to the North City Suburb meant crossing the entire city.
Normally, it would take a passenger bus two and a half hours on the highway.
But Jiang Chaosheng, driving the Vengeful Ghost Vintage Car, took just over twenty minutes.
This wasn’t even the Vengeful Ghost Vintage Car’s limit.
One must never overuse any Taboo Item, or risk reawakening its original malevolence.
Even so, Jiang Chaosheng, who could wield all sorts of Taboo Items, was more than capable of roaming the Human World as he pleased.
Of course, that was provided the Curse on him was lifted.
The Vengeful Ghost Vintage Car pulled up outside a courtyard home in the North City Suburb.
It looked like a place some nouveau riche tycoon had built for retirement out in the suburbs.
There was no one else around for miles, and it was very quiet.
Lush greenery stretched as far as the eye could see; the scenery was indeed quite beautiful.
But in the dead of night, the courtyard home, its main gates wide open, was utterly deserted.
White funeral money was scattered in the center of the courtyard, and looking further in, one could see a coffin placed in the main hall.
A young man in sackcloth mourning clothes sat beside the coffin, his eyes filled with sorrow.
There were no relatives to hold the vigil, no friends to stay through the night with him—just one lone, forlorn figure.
His name was Yang Xiao, the only son of Yang Yaozu.
Yang Yaozu’s ancestral home was in the South Sea, but he himself had made his career in Liancheng.
The man had been a formidable figure in Liancheng.
He was an underworld kingpin in Liancheng, known by both the law and the lawless as Master Ghost.
The name Master Ghost wasn’t because he was as sinister and vicious as a Ghost, but because he was uncannily lucky.
Years ago, he was just a petty thug who ran with a minor underworld boss.
He had no sharp mind, no exaggerated fighting skills, and certainly no background.
Yet, this was the man who had somehow become the head of the White Dragon Association.
Because every time he reached a Life and Death Pass or hit a bottleneck, his enemies would die bizarrely.
Some were hit by cars, some fell from buildings, some suffered sudden cardiac arrest, and one even drowned while taking a bath.
The Sheriff suspected he had killed the victims, but after a lengthy investigation, the man always had a solid alibi.
The surveillance footage also clearly showed that Master Ghost had nothing to do with it.
And just like that, Master Ghost’s reputation was cemented.
Some said Master Ghost knew demonic arts, others said he could cast Curses. In any case, it was understood that you could offend anyone but him.
A week ago, Master Ghost died in his sleep.
His rivals devoured the White Dragon Association’s territories, his enemies kicked him while he was down, his so-called friends kept their distance, and not even his relatives came to pay their respects.
In just one week, Yang Xiao saw the full spectrum of human nature’s fickleness. He used his remaining savings to buy a van and transport his father’s coffin back to their ancestral home in the South Sea.
His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. He sat alone, clutching the funeral portrait and staring blankly into the rustling autumn wind.
Suddenly, car headlights cut through the darkness at the gate.
Yang Xiao looked up, a flicker of light gradually returning to his wooden eyes.
It wasn’t a passing vehicle; it had come here specifically.
Yang Xiao had already given away his entire family fortune to satisfy the appetites of his father’s enemies and rivals.
So it couldn’t be an enemy coming to revel in his misfortune.
Then it had to be someone coming to pay their respects.
Yang Xiao straightened his back and sat up properly, ready for the guest to offer incense and for him, the dutiful son, to return the bow.
Gradually, he could make out the visitors.
Two people, a man and a woman.
The man wore a black suit. The brand looked dated, but it was clearly expensive—valuable enough to be a collector’s item.
The woman was beautiful, dressed in a black coat and stockings, standing behind the man and holding a black umbrella for him.
Leather shoes and high heels made a TAP, TAP sound on the flagstone path.
...
Jin Meiting followed behind Jiang Chaosheng, secretly sizing him up.
She wanted to see how this mysterious being would go about retrieving a lost Taboo Item.
Would he be direct and just ask for it? Or would he display his Supernatural Power and make the other party hand it over willingly?
Jiang Chaosheng stopped before the mourning hall. He looked at the young man, whose haggard face was filled with anticipation, then glanced at the three sticks of incense in the burner.
According to South Sea tradition, there had to be three sticks of incense before the mourning hall, otherwise the deceased would not rest in peace.
The more incense offered by mourners, the more dignified the deceased’s passing.
Jiang Chaosheng turned, took three sticks of incense from the container, and lit them on a white candle.
He walked softly to the front of the hall, bowed slightly, and placed the three sticks of incense into the burner.
He was the only mourner.
’This man seems so cold, but he always ends up doing things that feel... warm.’
Yang Xiao quickly stood up and bowed in return.
He stepped out of the mourning hall, a weary smile on his face.
"Sir, were you a friend of my father’s?"
Yang Xiao was not a handsome man.
His gaunt face was covered in several scars.
His voice was shrill and high-pitched, like a circus clown deliberately putting on a voice to please the crowd.
Jiang Chaosheng replied,
"I suppose you could say that."
Yang Xiao asked again,
"Where have you come from, sir?"
Jiang Chaosheng said,
"The South Sea."
Yang Xiao froze for a moment, then seemed to realize something.
He hesitated for a moment before asking,
"Did my father borrow something from you before he passed?"
Jiang Chaosheng raised an eyebrow slightly.
"He did."
Yang Xiao understood completely. He said,
"My father left something for you. Please wait a moment."
Yang Xiao hurried over to the chair where he had been sitting, picked up a black wooden box, and respectfully handed it to Jiang Chaosheng.
"Father said that thanks to this thing, he didn’t just avoid a violent death on the streets, but was even able to thrive."
Jiang Chaosheng took a deep look at the funeral portrait by the mourning hall.
’This man was clever enough, and his son is clever too. They didn’t cause me any trouble.’
Jiang Chaosheng opened the black box. Inside was a small person made of straw.
[Item No. 5-20, Black Magic Doll.]
(Provide this Taboo Item with the user’s blood, and it will carry out slaughter according to the user’s instructions.)
Jiang Chaosheng handed the black box to Jin Meiting beside him.
Jin Meiting quickly took it and carefully placed it in her backpack.
His purpose achieved, Jiang Chaosheng turned to leave.
Just then, Yang Xiao spoke up.
"My father said that if I saw you, I must tell you this: he said he lived a great life."
Jiang Chaosheng froze.
’That wasn’t meant for me. It was for the previous Manager.’
’The last Manager couldn’t bear the pressure and Curses from Antique Shop Zero anymore and transferred the shop to me.’
However, Jiang Chaosheng had read the Manager’s journal before coming and knew the details of Yang Yaozu’s transaction.
Yang Yaozu had traded his "righteousness and morality" for the [Black Magic Doll].
Jiang Chaosheng found it ridiculous.
’What was the previous Manager thinking?’
’What good is ’righteousness and morality’?’
’It’s not as practical as Soul Power.’
’No wonder he couldn’t handle the pressure.’
’With his method of trading, he probably had trouble providing enough Soul Power to the Taboo Sculpture in the basement each month.’
’Giving up righteousness and morality in exchange for the ability to slaughter living beings at will... is that really ’living a great life’?’
’Hmm... On second thought, it does sound pretty great. Exhilarating, even.’
THUD!
The sound of someone kneeling came from behind him.
Jiang Chaosheng turned around, looking with confusion at Yang Xiao, who was kneeling and kowtowing to him.
Yang Xiao slammed his head hard against the flagstones again. The bloodstain looked like a plum blossom, scattering as soon as the rain hit it.
He raised his reddened eyes, his face streaked with what could have been either rain or tears.
"Please, sir, can I... can I make a trade with you!"
Jiang Chaosheng’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Your father didn’t play by the rules, did he."
Jin Meiting tensed up instantly.
’What is this feeling? It makes me want to shiver.’
’Could this be the legendary ’killing intent’?’
’Jiang Chaosheng is so scary when he’s angry. So dangerous. So... charming.’
Jin Meiting stole a glance at Jiang Chaosheng, her pretty face flushing slightly.
’I think I might have a strange kink...’
’It’s not that it wasn’t there before, I just... I’d never met a man like him...’
’Could I... call him Master?’
Jin Meiting secretly squeezed her thighs together.