I Am Your Natural Enemy

Chapter 481: Chapter 196: Take On, Bullhead (5k)_3

Someone delivered a jade pendant. Wen Yan turned and came to Chen Qimo’s doorstep, looking at the red skirt ghost sitting on the stone stool.

This guy, dressed in a red dress, red shoes, looking pretty sturdy, a full goatee on his face—even with only half his body left, he still seemed rather fierce.

”I told them you’re my informant, makes things simpler this way. Come in first, the jade can nourish souls, at least help you maintain your current state. The rest, we’ll talk about later.”

The red skirt ghost didn’t hesitate—he’d come here expecting to go down with Big Head Ghost anyway, so whether he died or not wasn’t such a big deal to him anymore.

Just now, when he showed up, the Scorching Sun Department people wanted to take him in—he couldn’t even be bothered to resist.

He was pretty much on the brink of dissipating anyway.

He could even understand—half a fierce ghost popping up out of nowhere, of course Scorching Sun Department would put safety first.

But Chen Qimo had blocked in front of him, confronting the Scorching Sun Department people.

Now, hearing Wen Yan’s words, the red skirt ghost didn’t say a thing, just turned into a streak of blood-red light and dove into the jade pendant, vanishing without a trace.

Wen Yan looked at the little girl beside him, clearly scared out of her wits but still trying hard to act tough; he reached out his big hand and patted her head, giving her a bit of Yang Energy as a blessing.

”It’s all right now, everything’s over. Go home and get a good night’s sleep. You don’t need to worry about the rest, or about asking for leave from school.”

Chen Qimo felt that familiar sensation, and her heart suddenly settled down.

She didn’t want to go back; clinging tightly to Wen Yan’s clothes, she wouldn’t let go. Wen Yan couldn’t talk her out of it, knowing this little girl was stubborn as hell, so he just let her be.

Anyway, it’s safer to keep her by his side. Central Plains County really isn’t all that safe these days.

When he took up the burden just now, he’d realized a lot of things—the number of ghosts in Central Plains County was way higher than Scorching Sun Department’s estimates.

Wen Yan had originally planned to just leave directly, but now, it seemed better to have Chen Qimo pack her things and go with him.

”It’s really not safe here anymore—or rather, it’s you who’s really not safe. Pack up your stuff and come with me to Nanwu County, how about it?”

Chen Qimo asked hesitantly,

”If I go to Nanwu County, isn’t that just bringing you trouble?”

”Hahaha...” Wen Yan really couldn’t hold it in this time, laughing out loud. The gates to Virtue City are wide open, zero defenses on purpose—there aren’t even crazies daring enough to go there.

”Don’t worry, the Virtue City I’m in is super safe. You can keep going to school—absolutely nothing to worry about.”

”Thank you, Big Brother Su.”

She was a bit reluctant to leave here, but now she finally understood why these ghosts had been looking for her.

If she stayed here, it’d only bring disaster on her old neighbors, destroying the place she’d lived in for over a decade.

She could only leave; she’d already guessed before that Scorching Sun Department would take her away anyway.

Now, this was the best possible outcome.

Wen Yan told Chen Qimo to go pack right now. The Central Plains Scorching Sun Department folks really knew what was up, quickly bringing over a few suitcases.

Wen Yan waited outside the door, chatting with Niu Zhiqiang.

”Sorry to ask, but... what’s your deal? I really haven’t seen something like this before, just too curious.”

”No big deal, honestly I’m used to it by now. Even the Central Plains Scorching Sun Department people haven’t seen a ghost quite like me.”

”Huh, you’re really a ghost?”

”Yeah. I’m not from Central Plains County, I was just nearby and answered a summons to help out. I’m from Haidai County.”

When Wen Yan heard ”Haidai County,” something suddenly came to mind.

”Soul Reaper?”

”That’s me.”

”So it’s you! I’ve heard about you—the famous one!” Wen Yan was sincerely impressed.

He’d heard before, there was a guy in Haidai County whose heart stopped for several minutes, but then was brought back to life.

And when he woke up, he awakened his profession and became a Soul Reaper.

Didn’t expect to actually meet the guy in person today.

This really wasn’t how he’d imagined it.

”How did you end up as a ghost?”

”That’s just how my job works—you only get it after you die. Last time, I died, but the doctors pulled me back.

Now I’m in ’Yin Spirit Leaving the Body’ mode; once the job’s done, I’ll go back.

As for why I look like this, I honestly have no idea.

Later I heard people say, only unfilial sons turn into an Ox-Head after death.

Maybe it’s because when I was dead those few minutes, my mom thought I’d died before I could be a decent son.”

”...”

Wen Yan wanted to say something but stopped, in the end not managing to say a word.

Niu Zhiqiang gave a wry smile and finished Wen Yan’s sentence for him.

”My mom was a housewife her whole life, totally fit the stereotype.

She just wanted my later years to be easier, so she always wanted me to get a public service job.

She even yelled at me once—if I didn’t sit for the exam, I was being unfilial.

Well, now I’m officially on staff, and there’s no going back.

I actually think it’s fine. At least looking like Ox-Head is pretty badass.

Only thing is, even as Ox-Head I’m nearsighted—the world’s kinda blurry.

But I am more sensitive to nether souls and ghosts and whatnot.”

As he talked, Niu Zhiqiang took a shiny iron ring out of his pocket, looped it through his nose, then took out two earrings and put them on.

Wen Yan could even feel that, after Niu Zhiqiang put on the iron ring, the guy seemed way more relaxed.

Before Wen Yan could ask, Niu Zhiqiang explained considerately.

”Even looking like this—as Ox-Head—I’m still a government worker, you know.

On duty, gotta watch the image a bit.

Too flashy with the accessories and all, so if I don’t have to wear them, I don’t.

This iron ring’s actually a part of me; not wearing it just feels weird, like something’s missing.

Now that I’m technically off duty, it’s all good.”

”...”

Wen Yan held it in for a long while, but had a million roasts stuck in his throat, not sure how to retort.

He could only give a big thumbs-up, surrendering wholeheartedly, as he said,

”Awesome!”

”Brother Wen, you’re the real badass. Just now, I had no idea how to get into that domain—looked all over for a way and still couldn’t figure it out. And you just solved it, easy as pie.”

”I just got lucky. As for solving it, I just handled Big Head Ghost; the rest isn’t wrapped up yet. I still have to take care of some things.”

”Need a hand? I’m useless at everything else, but handling ghosts is pretty much my thing.”

”No need, it’s a small problem.”