Chapter 141: The Donkey Trail Youth Hostel (Part 1)

“Minister, why don’t you ask her? She should be able to write, right?” Wu Zui looked at Commander Cat’s plump little paws and thought they looked capable of holding a pen.

“Meow~”

Xiao Ke’ai sighed and jumped from Wu Zui’s hands to stand before Xiao Anguo.

A computer, not connected to the internet, sat conveniently nearby.

Then, two tiny paws quickly tapped on the keyboard, and a line of text appeared on the screen:

“When I was seventeen, I hacked into the city bureau’s traffic monitoring system…”

Click—

Xiao Anguo hurriedly pressed the delete key. This matter was a secret even Xiao Ke’ai’s mother didn’t know. Back then, he had used his authority to erase Xiao Ke’ai’s data from the bureau’s backend. Otherwise, given her limited technical skills at the time, she would have been caught long ago.

Strictly speaking, this was a violation of protocol.

Xiao Anguo was certain his daughter wouldn’t reveal such a secret, and he simply couldn’t believe a cat could coincidentally type such a sentence.

“That really is Ai’ai! You brat, stand still!” After deleting the text, Xiao Anguo scolded Wu Zui, who was curious and trying to get a closer look.

“What’s going on? She’s turned into a cat now!” Xiao Anguo looked at the blue, fluffy creature lying before him, a bit exasperated.

Tap tap tap—

Xiao Ke’ai continued typing.

“An accident, I suppose? Dad, is there any chance the institute can help me change back?”

“They don’t have projects in that area yet. If you went there, you’d probably just be a test subject. Right now, with many industries paralyzed and food shortages, the institute’s power has grown significantly. Even I can’t guarantee your safety.”

Xiao Anguo sighed as he explained to Xiao Ke’ai.

“I think you should level up slowly. The higher your realm, maybe you can even regain human form,” Wu Zui interjected.

“That’s a good idea,” Xiao Anguo nodded in agreement. After all, ghosts tended to resemble humans more as their realm increased, and magnetic energy-based lifeforms should be similar.

Tap tap tap—

“Training, huh? Sounds good! ＼(￣︶￣)／” Xiao Ke’ai happily typed on the screen, adding a small emoji.

“Could changing bodies also change one’s temperament? When did this lazybones start waking up?” Xiao Anguo glanced at the excited blue fluff ball. If it hadn’t just revealed a secret known only to the two of them, he might have thought Wu Zui was playing a trick on him using a cat.

“Then stay here. The Magnetic Energy Enhancement Chamber just developed a new device. Training there is much faster now. The magnetic energy’s restraint on ghosts has disappeared; otherwise, we could have assembled a five-star power army to sweep them away! Besides the Enhancement Chamber, if you need anything else, just ask.” Xiao Anguo waved to Wu Zui, still a bit unsettled by his daughter’s sudden change but willing to offer them support.

Tap tap tap—

“No need for the Enhancement Chamber. I’ll train with my master. That’ll definitely be faster than locking myself up in there! (￣^￣)” Xiao Ke’ai added another emoji.

Xiao Anguo glanced at Wu Zui, who was smiling awkwardly with his teeth showing, and grumbled, “The room’s reserved for you; stay if you want! If not, just get lost! Remember to pick up the special phone so I can reach you!”

The blue fluff nodded and leapt back into Wu Zui’s arms.

“Minister, what about Masters Jingqing and Wuxiang? I didn’t see them when I returned from Dragon God Bridge. Have they come back?” Wu Zui asked Xiao Anguo, holding the cat-like Xiao Ke’ai.

“They’ve been missing for a long time! When the sky changed, many heard their chanting; they should be fine.” Xiao Anguo tried to reassure Wu Zui, but the detective bureau had already sent many to search for them with no success.

This suggested a high chance something had happened to them; otherwise, their personalities wouldn’t allow them to stay away so long without helping to clear the ghosts.

“What do you mean by ‘sky change’?” Wu Zui questioned.

“The ‘sky change’ refers to the black fog that covers the entire sky. Because of it, planes can’t take off, and even satellites can’t connect. Without sunlight, plants are wilting. Once the stored food runs out, we’ll have no food left.”

“Now, all domestic resources are focused on the institute. Only by destroying this black fog can humanity hope to survive. Otherwise, before the ghosts kill us all, we’ll starve to death first.” Xiao Anguo pulled up data about the black fog on the screen and turned it toward Wu Zui.

“Sky Change Black Fog: formed by massive negative ions, it causes all nearby electronic devices to malfunction. A portion removed by five-star spirit scouts revealed it accelerates ghost growth.”

“If inhaled by an awakened individual, it causes magnetic energy disorders leading to internal explosion and death, with a temporary 100% chance of post-mortem mutation into a ghost…”

“That’s terrifying.”

Wu Zui frowned deeply.

“Of course! Besides the institute, city maintenance is handled by spirit scouts. The awakened follow to sweep up minor ghosts. Many ghosts have changed since the sky change, seemingly gaining new abilities.” Xiao Anguo opened another file.

“Donxing Youth Hostel: composed of 28 rooms, haunted by a presumed five-star ghost spirit. Its confinement space completely envelops the rooms. All spirit scouts and awakened who entered, except one severely injured five-star spirit scout who returned, have disappeared.”

“The escaped scout explained the confinement suppresses magnetic energy functioning and blocks spatial singularity escape. Magnetic damage inside drops by over fifty percent, and magnetic energy dissipates continuously even without being used.”

“The ghosts wander irregularly through all rooms. The room layout has transformed into a massive maze due to spatial forces, no longer following original blueprints.”

“Unable to open spatial singularities, the scout escaped using the highest-level fifth-grade spatial breach bomb.”

“Garden Apartments: three 20-story buildings enclosed by a ghost’s confinement space. All spirit scouts who entered perished without survivors.”

“This ghost is tentatively rated six stars.”

“Ankang Crematorium: a ghost wanders here. Safe so long as you don’t look at its face. All spirit scouts who saw its visage suffered twisted bodies, with their flesh, blood, and magnetic energy drained completely, leaving only contorted skin and bones.”

“This ghost is also tentatively six stars.”

…

Wu Zui scrolled through the computer files; the ghosts became stranger and more lethal the further he read. Unbeknownst to him, these places were mockingly called the ‘Ten Deadly Grounds’ by awakened individuals.

“I can’t help at the institute, but I should be able to handle some of these,” Wu Zui said, turning the screen back to Xiao Anguo.

Smack!

Xiao Anguo slammed his palm on the table, tossing the keyboard flying, then shouted, “I’m not telling you to seek death! If you see these places, stay far away! If you want to die, don’t drag my daughter down with you!”

“Uh… okay. I’ll stay far away, sir!” Wu Zui was momentarily stunned; he hadn’t expected this reaction.

“Meow!” Xiao Ke’ai bared her teeth at Xiao Anguo.

“Those places are great! Not only thrilling, but after defeating the ghosts, I can eat their ghost cores to grow stronger! Delicious! Stupid old man!” the cat seemed to say.

“Ah, (girls grow up and leave), just go!” Xiao Anguo waved irritably at his daughter’s toothy grin, telling Wu Zui to scram.

Wu Zui, confused, quickly left holding Xiao Ke’ai.

After leaving Xiao Anguo’s room, Wu Zui was swiftly escorted out of the base by guards. Besides Xiao Anguo, many other Chinese high-ranking officials were gathered there due to resource shortages, working together for protection.

Visitors like Wu Zui, there only for meetings, were promptly cleared out afterward. Unless he had a room, he wouldn’t be allowed to stay—and the room Xiao Anguo promised wasn’t approved yet.

Outside the base, Wu Zui stood in the cold northern wind, gazing up at the pitch-black clouds blocking all sunlight, feeling a chill.

“Let’s find a hotel to rest first.”

“Meow~”

…

In the lobby of a five-star hotel, Wu Zui stood awkwardly. He didn’t know the most embarrassing moment in life, but his current situation ranked high.

“Sir! Will you pay by scanning the code or cash?” the receptionist asked again.

Wu Zui blushed slightly. His clothes were all given by He Ping; everything he originally had was burned by the inner fire. Money? Phone? Bank card? None existed! He had even forgotten the special phone Xiao Anguo told him to pick up.

“Meow~”

Xiao Ke’ai jumped onto the front desk, shook her fur, and a bank card fell out. Then, she pressed the card with her paw, pushing it toward the receptionist.

“Please enter the password.”

The receptionist swiped the card through the POS machine, glanced at Wu Zui, then at the blue fluff.

Beep—beep—beep—beep—beep—beep—

Payment received.

Xiao Ke’ai jumped back into Wu Zui’s arms.

“Sir, your cat is very smart!” the receptionist praised, handing over the room key and bank card. Someone then escorted Wu Zui to his room.

…

This truly was a five-star hotel, fully equipped. Crucially, it offered free breakfast and dinner, which was a huge boon given the current food scarcity.