radicalducati Chapter 18 The Ghost-Catching Team is on the Move Again
Chapter 18 The Ghost-Catching Team is on the Move Again
The shadow of the blue kite drifted through Suiyuan Garden and stopped outside the window where Huo Huo was arranging talismans.
Looking at the fox-girl carefully sorting the talisman papers and glancing around nervously from time to time, a sly smile curved her lips.
She made the projection even more blurry and transparent, its edges flickering, like a lost soul about to vanish. Her voice also deliberately became ethereal, carrying a melancholy and sorrow:
"Huo Huo... save me... I don't want to die..."
As soon as she finished speaking, the blurry figure "floated" straight toward the wall, passing through the bricks, screens, and tables, and "floated" right in front of Huo Huo, almost touching the tip of her nose.
"Whoa—!!!"
Huo Huo sprang to her feet, talismans scattering like petals from a fairy maiden. She stumbled back several steps, her back slamming into a bookshelf, her ears bristling and pressed tightly against her head, her face deathly pale.
"You, you, you...who are you?! Is it Suiyang? Or something else...?" His voice trembled violently as he frantically tried to pick up the command flag, but he couldn't hold it steady several times.
"I...don't know who I am anymore..." The projection flickered twice, its voice even weaker and more ethereal, "I just feel so cold, so blurry...I'm about to dissipate...I don't want to die, Judge, please help me, okay?"
Looking at the pitiful "spirit" in front of her, which seemed to be about to disappear at any moment, Huo Huo was terrified, but a sense of responsibility and compassion struggled to emerge.
She took a few deep breaths, trying to keep her voice from trembling:
"Don't be afraid... I'll try..."
She crouched down to pick up the command flag and talisman, then closed her eyes and stumbled as she cast her spell.
Her little face scrunched up, and she would occasionally steal a glance to observe the "spirit's" reaction.
The projection of the Azure Kite subtly changed in accordance with the incantation, occasionally emitting a sigh that seemed to bring some comfort.
She was secretly delighted, watching Huo Huo's fearful yet earnest expression. The joy of her successful prank almost made her lose her resentful tone.
Huo Huo tried many methods, and the paper doll circled around Qing Yuan, but the "spirit" never "solidified" or "regained consciousness".
"How could it not work... I followed all the steps correctly..." Huo Huo was so anxious she was about to cry, feeling like she was in big trouble.
"Your Honor, I want to live."
Since you can't save me, lend me your body! I'll repay you in my next life!
"Ah! No! I still have some tricks up my sleeve! Give me a little more time, I'll find them right now!"
"Tch—" The impatient voice of the old man with the tail rang out from her tail, "You're so stupid! Didn't you realize you'd been tricked?!"
Its tone was disdainful: "This thing isn't some fading ghost at all! It's clearly a remote projection."
They're just playing tricks on you, pretending to be supernatural. Look how scared you are, you've thrown all those talismans on the ground...
They're actually seriously researching ancient texts? I can't even look at them!
"...Huh?" Huo Huo froze, blinked, looked at Tail Grandpa, and then at the "spirit" in front of her that was no longer "weak" and whose edges were flashing with a cheerful energy.
"Projection...?" she murmured repeatedly, her small face visibly turning from pale to flushed, from her ears to her cheeks and then to her neck.
It wasn't shyness; it was a mixture of embarrassment, shock at being bullied, and a surge of anger.
She thought for a moment about who would do such a thing, and then immediately identified her target.
"Qing-Yuan-jie-jie-!!!"
She stomped her foot in anger and shouted, her voice shrill and bright, full of accusation and shame, "How could you...how could you do this?"
I almost really thought... I was so anxious, and I even spent ages searching through ancient texts!
"Pfft—hahahaha!"
Qingyuan Projection couldn't help but burst into laughter. The image stabilized and became clear, returning to normal. Its face was beaming with a successful prank.
"I'm sorry, Huo Huo, but you looked so cute just now! You were scared but trying so hard!"
"Not cute at all!!" Huo Huo puffed up her cheeks in anger, picked up a talisman and threw it at the projection, her eyes reddening.
"I...I'll never believe you again! Grandpa Tail, let's go!"
She turned to leave, but was lazily stopped by Grandpa Tail: "What's the rush? You've been working on these talismans all day and you're not going to pick them up? What a waste."
Huo Huo froze, looking at the mess on the ground, feeling even more ashamed and indignant. She could only squat down and quickly pick up the talismans, glaring at Qing Yuan with what she considered her fiercest eyes.
Qingyuan stopped laughing after she had finished, wiping away non-existent tears: "Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore."
As an apology, how about I bring you the new Tuanque Milk Cake from Jinren Lane next time?
"..."
Huo Huo paused in her action of picking up the talismans, her ears twitched slightly, but she immediately straightened her little face, picked up the neatly arranged talismans, and walked away quickly without looking back.
Only a trace of anger remained on the tips of his ears, his hair slightly prickled. "I have a mission, so I won't keep you company! Humph!"
"Hey, Huo Huo, take me with you too." Qing Yuan floated closer. "Although this projection can't exert much of its power of destiny, it's enough to handle minor supernatural events."
"What else do you want to do!" Huo Huo thought angrily, but when she remembered what she had deduced, her heart softened.
It's better that Qingyuan is so interested in teasing her than that she looks like that in the deduction.
It seems the simulated universe therapy is indeed effective; we must report this impartially afterward.
"Then you can't cause any more trouble!" Huo Huo put her hands on her hips and looked at Qing Yuan seriously.
"Of course. We're a ghost-hunting team, how about we invite Gui Naifen and Su Chang to join us?"
"No need... Never mind, call out if you want, there's no rush anyway."
"Then it's settled!" The Qingyuan projection circled around Huo Huo cheerfully and began to operate.
A moment later, Gui Naifen's energetic voice and Su Chang's slightly confused "Eh? Now?" joined through the communication connection.
Xing was being dragged by Dan Heng to test the Dragon Transformation Technique in a simulated universe. Due to repeated and utterly disastrous failures, she kept saying how boring it was and begged Qing Yuan to save her.
But Qingyuan thought that Danheng must have a reason for doing this, so she decided not to disturb them.
Thus, a uniquely composed "Suiyuan Temporary Special Operations Team" was formed:
Holding the command flag, her little face was serious but couldn't hide her nervousness;
Floating to the side, the Qingyuan projection looks more like a ghost with a face that says "It's time to have some fun."
Gui Naifen, who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news and is passionate about any "materials";
And Su Chang, who was temporarily brought in from the Shence Mansion and nodded upon hearing that she could "move her muscles and bones" without fully understanding the situation.
"The target location has been marked. According to reports, unidentified spirits have been frequently appearing, affecting the night market planning in parts of Jinren Lane."
Huo Huo read the briefing aloud in a very serious manner.
"Let's go!" Gui Naifen carried the live streaming equipment and took the lead.
Su Chang drew her sword and looked around warily, adopting the standard Yunqi Army stance. Although her mother had taught her a few new sword techniques before leaving, her instincts remained ingrained in her bones.
Huo Huo took a deep breath and followed with small steps. Qing Yuan's projection drifted leisurely at the back, like a tourist.
The journey was not smooth.
Huo Huo wanted to take a shortcut into the alley, but after exploring, she found nothing there, except that she bumped into a few pharmacists who were suspiciously trading green pills.
"Medicine, the secret of the Medicine King?!" Huo Huo's ears perked up.
"Hey! In broad daylight... no, under the moonlight! They dare to conduct illegal transactions!" Su Chang's eyes lit up, her longsword flashing half an inch from its sheath. "Cloud Cavalry, investigate!"
The scene became chaotic at one point.
The opponent attempted to retaliate, instantly transforming into a demonic form; however, Su Chang was no longer the same as before.
They easily dispatched those who rushed at them with just a few sword strikes, and seeing this, no one dared to attempt a direct attack.
Huo Huo frantically tossed paper figures to provide support, which inadvertently distracted the opponent. Su Chang then delivered a finishing blow, successfully taking down the opponent.
The blue kite's projection floated high above, its power of destiny surging, and any that tried to escape were shot to the ground with an arrow.
The battle ended quickly; Su Chang had taken down most of the enemy before she could even fully unleash her swordsmanship.
Huo Huo breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the mess on the ground and the unconscious members of the Medicine King's Secret Sect, though her legs were still a little weak.
After handing the other party over to Xueyi and Hanya, Qingyuan announced enthusiastically, "Let's continue!"
At the next intersection, after clearing the way, they found nothing supernatural—only a dangerous fugitive.
"This...this isn't within our mission scope, is it..." Huo Huo whispered.
"The safety of Luofu is everyone's responsibility! How can we ignore it when it happens?" Qingyuan said righteously.
The two locked eyes.
The squad encountered Bu Li, a fugitive who was roaring, transformed into a wolf-like figure, and whose muscles were bulging.
This battle was even more impactful, allowing Su Chang to unleash her swordsmanship, her sword flashing brightly.
Gui Naifen's camera captured the exciting moments. Huo Huo waved a command flag to provide support.
At the crucial moment, Qingyuan's projection created a winning opportunity for Su Chang with a faint yet dazzling flash of light, making her undoubtedly the MVP of this battle!
After Gui Naifen was tied up, Xueyi and Hanya worked overtime again. This person was actually a key prisoner captured by the Ten Kings Division, and he was very good at hiding.
If Qingyuan hadn't seen through it so easily, everyone would probably have just ignored her as an ordinary person.
Looking at Bu Liren, who was stuffed into the restraint device, Huo Huo felt that with this kind of luck, the paranormal events tonight would probably be troublesome.
Then, they "casually" mediated a chamber of commerce dispute that almost turned into a brawl due to a misunderstanding.
Drive away an overly fat tapir that was stealing offerings.
They also helped an old lady find the jade bracelet that she had supposedly been "taken away by evil spirits," but which she had actually rolled under the bed herself.
By the time they finally located the last area of the "paranormal event" reported in the mission report, it was already dawn.
Apart from the ever-smooth Qingyuan projection and the still-excited Gui Naifen, everyone else looked disheveled.
The warehouse was gloomy and cold.
According to the Night Patrol Riders, food always disappears from a corner nearby every night, and faint weeping and sighing can be heard in the dead of night, along with unidentified shadows drifting around.
Despite being exhausted, Huo Huo still gripped the command flag tightly, signaling everyone to be quiet, and carefully pushed open the creaking wooden door.
The room was filled with old festive items, and dust danced in the dim light from the broken windows.
Sure enough, a faint, echoing sob came from the corner, and the shadows in the corner twitched.
"Really... really exists..." Huo Huo's voice trembled again.
Su Chang gripped the sword hilt tightly, while Gui Naifen held her breath and adjusted the lens focus. Qing Yuan also floated forward to observe.
"Tsk." Old Master Tail's voice suddenly rang out, carrying a strange sense of understanding, "Alright, stop putting on airs."
A green phantom emerged from Huo Huo's tail and said towards the pile of curtains, "Those inside, come out yourself."
Hiding and stalking, causing such a commotion, what kind of nonsense is this?
After a few seconds of silence, the curtains began to rustle.
A thin figure, draped in a huge, somewhat reflective plastic sheet, slowly shuffled out.
He was a young boy who looked no more than ten years old, with tear stains and dust on his face.
The child looked at the four fully armed people in front of him (plus a projection of a one-year-old sun), and shrank back in fright, causing the plastic film to rustle.
"Don't be afraid," Huo Huo quickly put down the command flag, squatted down, and tried to soften her voice, "Tell your sister, why are you here all alone? Where are your family?"
The child sobbed and whispered, "...I haven't finished my homework...so much...I'm afraid to go home...I heard no one comes here at night, so I wanted to hide here until I grow up and can work on my own..."
Everyone was speechless for a moment. Considering the development speed of the Wisdom Clan, they were very patient.
"So...the crying at night?" Gui Naifen asked.
"I...I'm scared...and cold...I couldn't help but..."
"Those swaying shadows?"
The child tugged at the huge plastic sheet covering him. In the dim moonlight shining through the broken window, the reflective material did indeed cast a distorted and swaying shadow.
"This...it will be lit up at night..."
"Food that disappeared into the corner?"
"...I...I was hungry...so I went behind that stall...when the light was right, the reflective film covered me, making me look invisible..."
The child spoke softer and softer, and lowered his head even further.
"Pfft..." Qingyuan's projection was the first to burst out laughing.
"Sister Qingyuan!"
Huo Huo glanced at the projection with a reproachful look, but couldn't help but smile.
She looked back at the child, feeling both annoyed and amused, and also deeply soft-hearted: "Alright, it's okay now."
"Your sister is taking you home to see your parents, um... your guardian. Let's talk this out properly. You can catch up on your homework later, but you can't keep scaring everyone like this, understand?"
The child nodded and wiped away his tears.
Ultimately, this large-scale "paranormal investigation" ended with escorting the lost child home and giving his parents a profound lesson.
The local authorities later updated the announcement, and the merchants breathed a sigh of relief as the night market gradually returned to its usual bustling state.
Afterwards, Huo Huo solemnly wrote in the report of the Ten Kings Bureau: "Upon investigation, the 'paranormal event' in XX District of Jinren Lane was a false alarm caused by a runaway child."
The situation has been properly handled. It is recommended to increase nighttime patrols and provide more care for minors.
On the other side, Qingyuan had just returned and was enjoying the freshly baked pastries made by Ruan Mei when Jingyuan sent her another message.
Jing Yuan: Miss Qing Yuan, I will make a brief stop in Yao Qing in a few days so that I can do some deductions on you. Please understand.
Qingyuan: Let's push and embellish, a bunch of people are treating unofficial history as fact, and then see how you cry when problems arise.
Jing Yuan smiled upon seeing this; whether it was true or false, he had his own opinion.
He then sent a message to Jingliu.
Jingyuan: Master, I am not good at swordsmanship. Could you please give Yanqing some pointers?
I figured spending a day or two with Bai Heng and Bai Lu wouldn't make much difference, right?
Jingliu: Let's see when I'm free.
"How many times have I said this?" Jing Yuan sighed and looked at a letter on the table accusing Fu Xuan of embezzlement.
Previously, it was anonymous, but this time it has been changed to using real names.
"I see. Fu Qing, you've got yourself into a lot of trouble."
"This is so interesting, how could we not invite Miss Qingyuan to come and see it?"
So he sent Qingyuan a text message...