According to the rules of the trade, buyers were forbidden from revealing the details to anyone.
Now, it was clear Yang Yaozu had told his son about the trade.
On second thought, Jiang Chaosheng reconsidered.
It wasn’t so strange for Yang Yaozu to tell his son on his deathbed.
’When you’re about to die, who’s going to keep a secret?’
Jiang Chaosheng frowned slightly.
’Wasn’t he afraid of this exact situation happening?’
’His son, crying and begging to make a deal with me.’
’Wasn’t he afraid I’d kill his son and end the Yang Family line?’
Jiang Chaosheng remembered what Yang Yaozu had traded away.
Benevolence and morality.
’Would a man with no benevolence or morality care if his son lived or died?’
Jiang Chaosheng couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
"How very carefree."
Jiang Chaosheng looked at Yang Xiao.
"What do you want?"
Yang Xiao clenched his fists tightly.
"I want mystical power! I want to be carefree, just like my father!"
He had seen people’s true colors recently.
The taunts, the jeers...
His sworn brothers kicked him when he was down, and his girlfriend betrayed and left him. It all left Yang Xiao feeling utterly crushed.
He worshipped his father—a man who was evil to the core, feared by all his entire life, and... completely and utterly carefree!
Jiang Chaosheng stared at Yang Xiao, his gaze dark and unreadable.
"I’ll give you this chance. You can talk to my assistant."
Jiang Chaosheng needed the Taboo Association to retrieve Taboo Items for him and contain new ones.
’If I have a villain like Yang Xiao, I’ll have a capable subordinate.’
Besides, Yang Xiao already had a certain social network, though it was useless now that his family had fallen from grace.
If Yang Xiao could reach the heights his father once did, his current situation would be nothing in comparison.
Ordinarily, that would be impossible.
But...
’With terrifying objects like Taboo Items, anyone with a brain could soar.’
’Of course, you have to actually have a brain.’
With that, Jiang Chaosheng turned and walked away.
Jin Meiting stood frozen on the spot, not knowing if she should hold the umbrella for Jiang Chaosheng.
’The boss told me to talk with him, but I can’t just watch the boss walk back to his car in the rain!’
Jin Meiting glanced at Yang Xiao’s ecstatic face, quickly exchanged contact info with him, then rushed to catch up with Jiang Chaosheng and shield him with the umbrella.
Yang Xiao knelt on the ground, watching the vintage car drive away. He then turned toward his father’s memorial hall and kowtowed heavily.
"Father, I will live a life even more carefree than yours! I’ll be more ruthless, more evil than you!"
...
「South Sea, Antique Shop Zero.」
Jiang Chaosheng led Jin Meiting to a quaint, antique-style guest room.
"From now on, this will be your room.
There’s no signal inside Antique Shop Zero. You can go out tomorrow to contact Yang Xiao."
Jin Meiting stared at the room, completely stunned.
The lavish, traditional Chinese decor made it look like the private chamber of a noblewoman from ancient times. ’Could it be any more perfect?’
Jiang Chaosheng continued,
"Can you cook?"
Jin Meiting paused for a moment, then replied,
"Yes, I’ve always cooked for myself."
Jiang Chaosheng nodded with satisfaction.
"There are ingredients in the storeroom. If you run out, go buy more."
Jin Meiting took the black box out of her backpack.
"Sir, where should I put this?"
Jiang Chaosheng said,
"Go downstairs and place it according to the number on the Taboo Item.
The first digit on the Black Magic Doll is ’5,’ so put it on shelf number five.
If you hear any sounds when you pass by shelf number five, ignore them."
Jin Meiting didn’t understand.
Jiang Chaosheng said,
"The things placed on shelf number five are related to Ghost Souls.
In other words, anything on shelf number five is only biologically dead; it still possesses a soul.
For the specifics, look at the manual I put in your room. It has an introduction to the numbering of the Taboo Items."
Jin Meiting felt a little panicked.
’Ghost Souls... That’s a little scary.’
’Then again, I’m a Succubus now. What the hell is there to be afraid of?!’
Jin Meiting quickly asked,
"Are there any places here I’m not allowed to go?"
Jiang Chaosheng pursed his lips.
"Don’t go into the basement."
In the basement, there was a Taboo Sculpture that he had not yet seen for himself.
That Taboo Sculpture was different from any other Taboo Item.
After other Taboo Items were contained, they could be used freely by the Manager.
It was like... imprisoning the Taboo Items and forcing them to work for the Manager.
But that Taboo Sculpture actually required the Manager to provide it with Soul Power.
It was like a Warden having to pay tribute to a certain inmate.
By his calculations, tomorrow was the day to provide Soul Power to the Taboo Sculpture.
Jiang Chaosheng had long wanted to see that thing for himself.
Unfortunately, the basement door could only be opened on the first day of each lunar month.
Jiang Chaosheng assigned her tomorrow’s tasks.
"After you make breakfast, go find the sister of the red-haired young man from tonight.
I need her to come to the shop and make a transaction with me.
Also, after Yang Yaozu is buried, you can have Yang Xiao come over."
Jin Meiting nodded seriously.
"Okay, I understand, sir."
...
「Antique Shop Zero, Study.」
"Today’s harvest was pretty good. I found two potential members for the Taboo Association and retrieved one Taboo Item.
However, Yang Yaozu only just died, so his Taboo Item has only just become ’lost’.
In other words, I still have eleven lost Taboo Items to retrieve."
Jiang Chaosheng closed his journal, looked out the window, and muttered,
"According to the previous Manager, Li Qinglian, the Curse will deepen after thirteen Taboo Items are lost."
Jiang Chaosheng felt a hint of anxiety.
No one could guarantee when these buyers would die.
If two more people died at the same time, the Curse on him would deepen, and he might even find it difficult to leave Antique Shop Zero.
Jiang Chaosheng’s thoughts turned again to the Taboo Sculpture in the basement.
Tomorrow was the day to provide it with Soul Power. Luckily, there was still some Soul Power in the Soul-Sealing Demon Jar, enough to last about two months.
This meant he had to acquire more Soul Power within the next two months.
Jiang Chaosheng looked up at the ceiling and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"I can’t believe I’m immortal and still have to deal with performance pressure."