"Hello, hello, can you hear me?"
In the private KTV room, Zhang Wei picked up the microphone to do a sound check.
As the most active member, he naturally took on the role of the microphone hog.
The eerie situation from earlier in the room hadn't been taken too seriously by everyone, since nothing had happened, so there was no fear. Besides, with the group together in a lively entertainment venue, the presence of many people had dissipated any fear of ghosts.
You simply do what you've got to do.
"Are you really okay now?" Yang Jian looked at Wang Shanshan beside him.
Since the beginning, she had spoken very little and had been following him around no matter where they were. Sometimes, during unintentional contact, he could feel the coolness of her skin.
The moment he sat down, Wang Shanshan leaned in close to him.
There was a kind of intimacy that resembled being deeply in love.
But from her emotionless face, that sentiment was nowhere to be seen.
"I'm fine, it's always been ," said Wang Shanshan.
"I'm not talking about physical symptoms, but about changes in your spirit," Yang Jian said.
Wang Shanshan looked at him with a hint of puzzlement; "Changes in my spirit? No, I feel very normal, more so than at any other time."
That's not normal at all when you say it.
Yang Jian thought to himself.
He knew that the most terrifying influence of an Evil Ghost on a person wasn't physical, but mental. He could feel a great change in himself compared to the past, yet this change was so natural that it didn't feel abrupt.
"Yang Jian, can I always be with you in the future?" Suddenly, Wang Shanshan asked this.
Yang Jian's eyes widened, surprised: "What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know, I just want to be with you, I feel especially comfortable when I'm with you... When I'm not by your side, I feel something is wrong with my body, sometimes as if it's not under my control, and I've become a bit strange," Wang Shanshan said softly.
"Your words sound a bit strange to me."
Yang Jian said, "But I think it must be the thing affecting you, not your own will."
"But what does it matter?" Wan Shanshan said.
"Whether the body controls the mind or the mind has changed and affected the body, in any case, I am still me, I know what I'm doing... Do you really mind the current me?"
Yang Jian was stunned for a moment, not sure how to answer, but only said: "I don't mind this state of yours, but being with me does you no good, only harm. You should be more filial to your parents; they have given a lot for you and deserve to be treated well."
Wang Shanshan hummed softly and then lapsed into silence.
She remained cold as ever.
The influence of her identity as a Ghost Slave on her was gradually expanding. It had begun with her body, but now it had seeped into her state of mind.
And it was irreversible.
"Today, on this rare day of gathering, I, Zhang Wei, have a song to dedicate to all of you, to reminisce the glorious years of our three-year companionship," Zhang Wei said, holding the microphone at that moment.
"Zhao Lei, it's best you don't let him sing," Yang Jian said abruptly after recalling something.
"Why? Is his singing that bad?"
Yang Jian said, "It's not exactly bad... it's just that the method he used to learn singing was all wrong."
This guy really liked to sing Cantonese songs, but because he wasn't good at Cantonese, he used Mandarin transliterations.
As a result, although he learned to sing, his Cantonese pronunciation was inaccurate, making it sound weird.
In his own words, it was the "Zhang-style singing method."
"Zhongsheng hou qi guijia die shenghao, in ta shen ming nei..." As an introductory tune began, Zhang Wei took the microphone and sang in a deep voice.
"Indeed, quite peculiar," Zhao Lei felt a tingling sensation on his scalp.
Yang Jian was mentally prepared.
"By the way, I've been wanting to ask you about something, who exactly is this Ghost Master?" suddenly, Zhao Lei moved in closer and asked in a low voice; "Is it the same kind of person as the criminal investigator, Zhou Zheng? And how did you get us out of the school back then, are you a Ghost Master too?"
Hearing this question, Yang Jian raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Was Zhao Lei's investigation into supernatural events starting to touch on the concept of a Ghost Master?
It has to be said that, with determination, one can achieve some success, especially given that he was investigating as an ordinary student.
"If it's inconvenient for you to talk about it, then never mind."
Yang Jian shook his head and said, "It's not that it's inconvenient, it's just that some things haven't spread around. Knowing too much won't do you any good. But since you've asked, it's okay for me to tell you a bit. A 'Ghost Slave' is someone who controls an Evil Ghost. These people usually deal with supernatural events."
"In the future, it's better to stay away from these kinds of people... They are very dangerous."
"Ghosts are not as simple as you imagine. The truth about the school is far more terrifying than anything you've encountered before. It is indeed luck that we're still alive."
"Dealing with Evil Ghosts?" Zhao Lei was listening intently when he suddenly asked, "Is there a way to become a 'Ghost Slave'?"
"Why would you want to become a 'Ghost Slave'?" Yang Jian looked at him curiously.
"Isn't it good to be alive?"
Zhao Lei said, "I've been having nightmares recently and feel like ghosts could be anywhere. I think if I were to become a 'Ghost Slave,' I could escape the shadow of this thing."
"You're wrong. Once you become a 'Ghost Slave,' you'll live in a nightmare for the rest of your life. Don't be curious to seek out such things... they're very painful," Yang Jian said.
"I think I can handle it,"
Yang Jian said, "It's not about whether you can handle it or not, but whether you can stay alive. Controlling an Evil Ghost is extremely risky. Do you have the confidence to survive supernatural events as an ordinary person? If not, I advise you to abandon such thoughts."
"I'll consider it. Do you know how to become a 'Ghost Slave'?" Zhao Lei pressed on.
"From what I see now, there's no method to become a 'Ghost Slave'; it's just an accident."
Yang Jian said, "These people are created by accident. With billions of people worldwide and the occurrence of supernatural events, although the chance of an accident is low, there are still some unlucky individuals who become 'Ghost Slaves' due to the huge population."
He was also very curious about how 'Ghost Slaves' came to be.
Humans cannot control terrifying ghosts, as they would simply be killed by the ghosts. Humans can only become 'Ghost Slaves' by controlling the kind of ghosts that haven't recovered and grown.
But those kinds of ghosts are impossible to find before they grow.
So, for now, it seems that it's only by accident and coincidence.
Even if the chance is one in a hundred thousand, in a city of a million people, there would still be about ten 'Ghost Slaves.'
But Yang Jian believed that with an increase in supernatural events, the number of 'Ghost Slaves' created by accident would also increase.
"Why is becoming a 'Ghost Slave' considered unlucky rather than lucky? They have acquired extraordinary powers, just like the protagonists in novels. In fact, I'm somewhat envious of you," Zhao Lei said.
"In novels, the protagonists gain power too easily, as if it's prearranged by fate. Of course, that's enviable. But the reality is, you have to pay with your life for such things, and there's still no guarantee of success. Even if you do get lucky and acquire it, you live every day on the edge of death and terror. The cost is too great," Yang Jian said.
He began to understand Zhao Lei's thinking.
Mysterious powers always attract some people.
But those people only see the benefits and never consider the consequences of such powers.
"Although you say that, if I ever get a chance, I will definitely become a 'Ghost Slave.' I don't want to die like the other students at the school, like ants. I want to live in a way that has value," Zhao Lei said, reaching for a beer on the table, opened it, and chugged it down.
"I can't say your choice is wrong, but I can't help you with that," Yang Jian said calmly.
At this moment, Zhang Wei was still singing deeply, "..."
The lyrics made Yang Jian's scalp tingle.
"You're right, we shouldn't have let Zhang Wei keep singing," Zhao Lei agreed with his earlier statement.
But when Yang Jian looked at the seven bottles of beer on the table, he froze again.
He remembered that the KTV event was offering one beer per person.
Counting himself and including his cousin Shangguan Yun, there were only six people. So why were there seven bottles?
It's as if an extra non-existent person appeared out of nowhere.
"Previously at the restaurant, an extra pair of chopsticks turned up, now here's an extra beer. This is definitely not just a coincidence," Yang Jian's expression changed as he stood up abruptly.
One coincidence is enough.
If it happens twice, it means something has infiltrated their group.
And what's terrifying is that none of them are aware of it.
The keen awareness of a 'Ghost Slave' allowed him to realize this first.