Chapter 47: Afterward (Part One)

Both Wu Zui and Xiao Ke'ai lay motionless on their hospital beds, sighing with every slight movement, their eyes glazed over with an air of utter resignation.

"My money! My credit score!" Wu Zui heaved a mournful sigh, his face full of grievance.

"My delicious food..." Xiao Ke'ai shed tears of regret, vowing to protect her phone next time so it would not meet such a tragic end again.

o(╥﹏╥)o

The two of them spent a week in the hospital. Xiao Ke'ai’s phone took even longer to arrive than she expected, since it was a custom-made device for spirit investigators and headquarters was updating the models. She only received it just before being discharged.

Heaven knows what kind of days they endured during that time.

Breakfast—porridge!
Lunch—porridge!
Dinner—porridge!

[I’m here to recover, not to be raised like a bunny!]
(╯°Д°)╯︵┻━┻

All this was the deep resentment of Xiao Ke'ai! As for Wu Zui, he filed a complaint about being blacklisted and showed his spirit investigator credentials, proving that it was a ghost impersonating him to shop online, and that he had nothing to do with it.

Online shopping platforms took complaints from spirit investigators very seriously, quickly removing him from the blacklist and refunding his money. But the process took so long that by the time it was resolved, they were already out of the hospital. In the end, Xiao Ke'ai still didn’t get her gourmet meal...

During their recovery, many things transpired. First, the matter of quickly increasing magnetic energy had reached a critical stage. So Xiao Anguo did not come in person but called instead, giving them both a stern lecture about getting injured.

A couple of days after the call, their phones notified them that all provincial-level spirit investigation bureaus had set up magnetic energy enhancement rooms. In these, investigators could use treated ghost cores to boost their magnetic energy.

Binhai City, as a municipal bureau, was the first to complete its magnetic energy enhancement facility—an act of fatherly love, no doubt!

At the same time, headquarters issued a stern warning: untreated ghost cores must never be absorbed privately, as the resentment energy within could cause investigators to become possessed or mutate into something monstrous!

Moreover, current research showed that once the process of possession or mutation began, it was irreversible.

Headquarters immediately raised their buy-back prices for ghost cores, implementing a points system within the spirit investigator ranks. Points could be exchanged for cash, gold weapons, access to magnetic energy enhancement rooms, and more.

Newly awakened civilians were no longer classified as spirit investigators, but simply as Awakened. They could still exchange points, but without the investigator discounts or the support of local bureaus.

As for Haishan, investigations revealed that a five-star anomaly lay beneath it, now secured by three additional magnetic barriers. Because the anomaly was dormant, the area was considered safe for the time being.

Most importantly, Qian Lan, who had been possessed, was likely already dead before she left Qianjia Village. The village, drained of most of its resentment through human sacrifices, had probably formed a four-star or higher-level ghost. As the only “living” ordinary person to come out of Qianjia Village, Qian Lan was the prime suspect, and her sudden disappearance seemed to confirm it.

Wu Zui found this odd. He remembered testing Qian Lan with his own blood, and only after confirming she was human did he help her escape.

[Could my blood test have failed this time?]

Regardless, Wu Zui and Xiao Ke'ai were not required to follow up on Qian Lan’s case. Spirit investigators above three stars would handle it.

For now, Wu Zui and Xiao Ke'ai had a more pressing task: upgrading their magnetic energy!

After being tossed around like marbles by the Mirror Ghost, Wu Zui had no desire to repeat the experience. The only question was whether they had enough points to level up. Surely Xiao Anguo wouldn’t play favorites... right?

They headed to the Binhai City Spirit Investigator Bureau, where the entire fifth floor was dedicated to the magnetic energy enhancement facility—ten rooms, all available for use.

The person in charge was none other than their old acquaintance, Wang Zhengang.

“So, you’ve been promoted?” Wu Zui asked in surprise, seeing Wang Zhengang behind the desk; after all, Wang wasn’t a spirit investigator. Why was he now managing the enhancement rooms?

“Ahem, it’s just a lateral transfer—same rank!” Wang Zhengang replied, clearing his throat when he saw Wu Zui’s astonished face.

Even if the rank was the same, the nation now placed much more importance on spirit investigators—a fact obvious to anyone. With his transfer here, Wang would be interacting with investigators and Awakened all the time. If anything happened, help would be at hand immediately—no need to wait in line at the 888 Ghost Incident Processing Center. This was a cushy position indeed.

Old Wang... you sly fox.

“Come on, take a look at this: a three-star ghost core shard. How many points can I get? And how much does the enhancement room cost? My apprentice and I want to go in and power up.” Wu Zui cut to the chase, handing over the Mirror Ghost’s core shard.

Wang Zhengang pulled out a black device resembling a metal detector, passed its circular scanner over the core shard, and a number appeared on the display—25.

“Core shard, 25 points. Enhancement room, 1 point per hour. Are you going in?” Wang glanced up at the pair as he placed the core shard into a special box for ghost cores.

“Only 25 for a three-star core? That's robbery!” Wu Zui exclaimed in surprise.

“This scanner is standard issue nationwide. It detects how much resentment energy is left in a core. And since you two reported the ghost core situation, you should get a nice reward. Otherwise, headquarters wouldn’t even know cores were being smuggled out of the country!”

Wang waved the detector at them.

“How much do we have?” Xiao Ke'ai’s eyes sparkled; she needed a new magnetic armor and phone, but her points were pitifully low.

“Check your specialized phones—it’s all there!” Wang pointed to a sign beside him, which detailed how to check points and post tasks using the phone.

Following the instructions, they found Wu Zui had 154 points, and Xiao Ke'ai 201.

Wu Zui turned to Wang Zhengang. “So, how does posting a task work?”

“Oh, you can take on tasks you’re qualified for via your phone. It’s recommended that teams of two to five handle ghost cases together—it’s safer, and if anyone is lost, the others can report back quickly.

If you run into a tough enemy, you can also post a task and recruit nearby investigators for help, but you’ll have to pay them with your points,” Wang explained.

“Oh, so it’s like mercenary quests in games!” Xiao Ke'ai nodded in understanding.

“Got it! We’ll book three days in the enhancement room—let’s see how much we can improve.” Wu Zui scanned his phone at the desk, spending 72 points instantly.

“I’ll do three days too, and get a new magnetic armor!” Xiao Ke'ai said, eager. She spent 102 points.

Wang pressed a button on the desk, and a panel opened to reveal a brand-new magnetic armor.

“Pick any room you like. Scan your phone to enter. They’re labeled for men and women—one per room, it’s safer that way. Oh, and if you’re aiming to break through to three stars, try suppressing the breakthrough first—you might get a surprise!”

Wang called out as they turned to leave.

“A surprise?”
“A surprise?”

Both turned and echoed the question.

“There’s about a ten percent chance you’ll unlock a new magnetic energy technique if you suppress your breakthrough, or so headquarters says. I wouldn’t know—I’m not Awakened,” Wang said, spreading his hands. Then he waved them on, as more people were arriving—civilians with Awakened powers, by the look of it. Wu Zui and Xiao Ke'ai quickly found rooms, anxious to get started before they filled up.

[It’s like scrambling for computers at an internet café!]

Full of anticipation, Wu Zui and Xiao Ke'ai entered their respective rooms.

Inside, it looked much like the magnetic energy awakening chamber: dark walls of magnetic stone, but this time nine ghost cores were embedded in a ring on the wall.

“Welcome, Investigator Wu Zui! Please place your phone, gold weapons, armor, and other items in the wardrobe by the door. Do not bring them into the blue light area, or unnecessary danger may occur during enhancement!”

A synthesized electronic voice sounded as a circle of blue light rose from the floor, boxing Wu Zui in within two meters of the door. A recess opened in the wall to reveal a stone wardrobe.

“Danger?” Wu Zui muttered, but did as instructed, placing everything in the wardrobe. A red beam swept over him, the blue light on the floor went out, and the wardrobe closed.

“Please enter the central pool within the core area,” the synthetic voice prompted again.

[So it’s not internet access—it’s a bath!] Wu Zui thought, quickly stepping naked into the pool, since it was chilly outside.

The water was less than a meter deep, pleasantly warm at a little over thirty degrees. As he sat down, Wu Zui noticed a ring of blue lights at the bottom of the pool. He wondered what they were for.

“Magnetic enhancement will begin soon. Session length: 72 hours. Unless you are in the process of breaking through to a higher level, enhancement will end immediately when time is up! Countdown: three... two... one... begin!”

As the synthesized voice ended, the ghost cores in the walls began to radiate an intense blue glow. Simultaneously, the blue ring of lights beneath the water grew brighter, and a tingling sensation spread through Wu Zui’s body.

To his surprise, it was actually quite comfortable!