Was it... a dream message?
Nan Zhi woke up instantly, sitting up to sense her surroundings.
Everything was clean.
There was no resentful energy, nor any ghostly aura that shouldn't be there.
Nan Zhi felt a hint of disappointment.
She should have realized.
If the reality could have someone like Chen Ping, a ghost who refused to leave because of his resentment, then it was possible that Dao Magu still remained in this world as well.
And Dao Magu said she was leaving. Where was she going?
What were those things calling her name in the dream?
Didn't Chen Ping say that the Underworld didn't even exist?
Then where was Dao Magu's soul going?
Nan Zhi suddenly felt an impulse to return to her hometown and investigate.
But she suppressed that urge.
The incident with Chen Ping had only just passed, and the authorities likely hadn't withdrawn yet.
If she ran back to a hometown she hadn't contacted in years in the middle of the night without any excuse, she would certainly attract attention.
That was not an outcome she wanted.
Nan Zhi got up and washed her face, forcing herself to wake up fully.
She didn't turn on the light.
In the pitch black bathroom, she carefully studied herself in the mirror.
Back when she was just a child, she already knew that in this world, no one could be relied upon.
In this world, only what she could grasp in her own hands was truly hers.
Nan Zhi never believed in the idea that blood is thicker than water or in the bond of flesh and blood kin.
If even the biological parents who gave her life couldn't be relied upon, what could she expect from a second uncle once removed?
The end of that story was her using her nails, her teeth, her feet, and her knees to scrap with a grown man like her uncle, ending in a mutual defeat.
In the end, she had sat in the police car with a bruised and swollen face, yet full of pride, leaving her hometown forever.
On the first day of university, the bruises on Nan Zhi's face hadn't even faded.
Her three other roommates thought she was some kind of delinquent, so for the next four years, Nan Zhi basically had no friends.
But she was happy.
It was a happiness that came from the bottom of her heart.
If she hadn't fought for herself back then, she might have been forced to bear children for some old man ten years her senior at an age when others were still in school.
Many people felt that in the twenty first century, such things couldn't possibly happen.
Nan Zhi never argued with them.
People can never imagine things that happen outside their own perception.
Some people think the worst things in the world are murder and arson, unaware that there is always a greater evil.
So Nan Zhi worked desperately to support herself. During her four years of university, she spent every waking moment either in class or working three shift part time jobs.
There was a period when she was so exhausted that her internal clock was completely flipped and her cycles became irregular, only occurring once every six months.
But Nan Zhi was still happy.
She knew that these were paths she had fought for. Even if they were bitter, they were hers.
She had won her life, but she had lost the chance to see Grandma one last time.
But Nan Zhi didn't regret it.
If she had to choose again, she would still make the same choice.
In the mirror, the slightly more mature face slowly merged with the memory of the bruised and swollen young girl. Nan Zhi suddenly broke into a smile.
Grandma, wait for me. Just wait a little longer, until I am a bit stronger.
...
...
After finishing another day of work, Nan Zhi clocked out exactly on time.
Looking at the colleagues around her, they all stood up consciously, with no intention of working overtime.
“Off work, off work! See you tomorrow.”
“Ugh, I haven't finished this proposal yet. That client is so difficult.”
“Forget it, just do it tomorrow.”
“Hey, if you ask me, this ghost business is actually pretty good. Look, no one in the mansion works overtime anymore. I wouldn't mind if it happened a few more times.”
“Watch your mouth, you jinx!”
A group of people laughed and cursed as they walked toward the elevators.
Nan Zhi looked down at her phone, being pulled along by Zhang Qiuyu, occasionally chiming in to stay social.
Ding—
The elevator doors opened, and Nan Zhi suddenly noticed her colleagues falling silent. She looked up slightly and saw a short haired woman with a straight posture standing inside.
“Are you going down?”
The woman was wearing a black leather jacket, her gaze sharp. She held a motorcycle helmet in her hand, looking both sharp and cool with a powerful aura.
Nan Zhi noticed the woman's unique temperament. Her mannerisms were somewhat similar to Hua Xijian's, and her gaze instinctively carried a sense of scrutiny.
—Someone from the government?
Nan Zhi's mind raced. She took the lead and entered the elevator, standing beside the woman as if by chance.
Zhang Qiuyu was naturally social. Seeing such a cool woman, she immediately greeted her warmly:
“Hey beauty, are you new to one of the companies upstairs? I don't think I've seen you before. Does your company not do overtime lately either?”
“Yes, I'm Qin Yue. I recently joined Guote Technology upstairs.”
The woman replied with a smile, subtly observing Nan Zhi before quickly looking away.
In her early twenties, very fair skin, an upright gaze, and carrying herself with confidence. She didn't avoid eye contact.
Just like in the files, she was a strong and independent girl.
In response to the multiple supernatural incidents occurring locally, the state had established a special task force, and Qin Yue was the head of the Qianli City Special Investigation Team.
Although Chen Ping had already denied any connection between Nan Zhi and the “Song Dynasty Female Ghost,” Qin Yue still felt uneasy and decided to see her in person to make a judgment.
“I'm Nan Zhi, and this is my colleague Zhang Qiuyu. We're both from Yulu Media.”
Nan Zhi had already noticed the other's gaze but didn't point it out. She put away her phone and naturally struck up a conversation with Qin Yue:
“By the way, you're a new company? I don't think I've heard of you before.”
“Yeah, but your company seems quite wealthy, renting out so many floors at once, installing security scanners and even renovating the elevators. The company scale must be quite large.”
Zhang Qiuyu also joined in:
“Wait, don't your employees usually use the private elevators? Why are you squeezing into the public one with us today?”
Qin Yue certainly wouldn't say she was here to confirm something.
She only smiled slightly and shook the helmet in her hand. “My bike is parked right outside the mansion. This elevator is closer, and I was too lazy to walk the extra steps.”
Ding—
As she finished speaking, the elevator reached the first floor. The colleagues filed out. Nan Zhi looked at Qin Yue and saw her make a “please” gesture.
“You go ahead. I just remembered I forgot my keys.”
“Alright, see you next time.”
Nan Zhi smiled and said goodbye, walking out of the elevator with Zhang Qiuyu. Her face remained calm, but her heart was racing.
Was she here for her?
But for what?
Could she have exposed herself somewhere?
Unlikely.
Then it must be for some other reason.
...
...
“Sister Zhi? Sister Zhi?”
Chen Jingui reached out and waved her hand in front of Nan Zhi, her face filled with worry.
“You child, you've been so distracted these past two days, as if you've lost your soul.”
“No, I was just lost in thought and didn't hear you, Mom.”
Nan Zhi snapped back to reality and saw everyone at the table staring at her. She quickly forced a smile.
“I actually have some good news for you all. The rewards from the Demon Suppression Division for slaying the demon tiger have arrived. I've decided to join them as an arrest officer. I'm afraid I'll be out of the house more often in the future.”
At the table, Chen Jingui, Nan Dazhuang, Nan Yi, and Nan Ye all looked surprised. They clearly hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
“What?”
Nan Dazhuang was initially happy, but then his face fell into a worried frown.
“I know you're capable, but subduing demons is life risking work. What if you encounter a powerful monster...”
Chen Jingui glared at him and spat three times.
“Pah, pah, pah! Don't say such unlucky things. Our Sister Zhi is capable. Didn't you see? The people from the Demon Suppression Division came personally to invite her to be an official.”
Nan Zhi laughed and explained:
“A demon suppressor is different from a regular official, but... Mom is right. While the regular yamen catches criminals and arsonists, the Demon Suppression Division deals with the supernatural evils and monsters that break the laws of the world.”
“Women can be officials too?”
Nan Ye was more interested in this part. “From what you're saying, big sister, are there many female officials in the Demon Suppression Division?”
“Naturally. Among the demon suppressors I met this time, there was a female arrest officer whose cultivation is even higher than mine.”
Nan Zhi flicked her forehead and chuckled.
“There are four types of officers in the Demon Suppression Division: Arrest, Supervisory, Records, and Judicial. If you work hard, you might be able to join one day as a female records official.”
Nan Ye's eyes sparkled, clearly taking Nan Zhi's words to heart.
Nan Zhi didn't say much more.
It was as hard as climbing to heaven for a woman to forge a career in ancient times.
But if Nan Ye had the ambition to reach for it, she, as the older sister, would certainly do everything to help.
As for Nan Yi...
Since she joined the Demon Suppression Division, she didn't even have to ask for favors. The yamen had already cleared from the registry his previous status.
Registrar Hu had taken Nan Yi on as a runner. Usually, he just had to sweep the yamen courtyard, air out the archives, and do other light work.
He finished work early every day and had time to come back and help Nan Dazhuang sell pork.
Although being a runner didn't have much of a future, it was enough for him to live a stable life.
It also made it convenient for Nan Zhi to monitor Nan Yi's movements and spot any issues immediately.
A form of disguised surveillance, perhaps?
The benefits of the fame Nan Zhi had earned in Dingyuan County were also beginning to show.
The Wang family had a ghost problem.
The people from the Wang Manor had come looking for her first thing.
Rate on N.U.
