Striving for Science C67 pt2

Every school seems to have a few ghost stories unique to itself. A school without ghost stories is not a perfect school.

The girl ran desperately, with a Daoist in a yellow robe following her slowly: “Evil ghost, surrender peacefully, or don't blame me for beating you until your soul is scattered.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he threw a yellow talisman from his hand. The girl screamed in pain and fell from the air, landing on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. She looked at the Daoist who was getting closer and closer, her eyes filled with fear: “Please, spare me.”

“You are full of murderous aura. If I spare you, wouldn't I be letting you harm others?” The Daoist held his peach-wood sword. “As long as I'm here, you won't be able to harm anyone.”

Hatred flashed in the girl's eyes: “You Daoists who can't tell right from wrong, you were nowhere to be found when I was being bullied. Now I'm dead, I'm quietly staying in the school, I haven't even harmed anyone, and you want to eliminate me?!”

The night wind rustled the ginkgo leaves on the ground, making a rustling sound. The Daoist in the yellow robe noticed that the murderous aura from all directions was continuously flowing towards the girl. This powerful energy forced him to stay back, unable to get any closer.

This, this is… she’s about to evolve into an evil ghost?

The Daoist in the yellow robe was shocked. He raised his peach-wood sword and tried to cleave the female ghost's soul, stopping her evolution. However, as soon as the peach-wood sword touched the ghost, it shattered into pieces.

“Since you are so unjust, I will seek justice myself.” The girl's ten fingers grew long and sharp, her eyes turned blood red, and her whole body was enveloped in a murderous aura. “I will make all of you who have wronged me pay in blood!”

The bright moonlight gradually turned crimson. The Daoist in the yellow robe was sweating profusely. He turned to run, but the girl grabbed the back of his robe.

“You want to catch me, but you’re running away?” The girl let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “You stinking Daoists claim to be righteous, but I want to see what your Daoist hearts taste like!”

Because she didn't have a father, she was bullied from a young age. She was mocked by her classmates at school, and her own mother watched her stepfather abuse her, claiming she was seducing him. When she was alive, there was no justice for her. After she died, she just wanted to stay in this school, see the teachers who had cared for her, and wait for the only boy who had ever helped her, who would occasionally visit the school to see the teachers.

All she wants is this little bit, why won't these people let her go?

Kill them!

Get revenge on them!

Since they don't want her to live, what does she have to worry about?

No one is going to have a good time.

"Lin Cui."

"Lin Cui, are you still there?"

The hand that had pierced the Daoist's flesh slowly stopped. Lin Cui looked at her own elongated fingers, then at the Daoist's back that was already oozing blood, and abruptly pulled back her hand.

"Hiss!" Although he couldn't see, the yellow-robed Daoist felt the wound on his back bleeding like a fountain. Seeing that the female ghost had let him go, he rolled and crawled away for a distance, then suddenly remembered that the person who called out the name might be a foolish and ignorant mortal, and it would only take a blink of an eye for the female ghost to kill a mortal.

He cursed, then turned back.

He had been a successful Daoist for nearly ten years, but his recent days had been getting worse and worse. Not only was he detained by the police for a few days, but his master also publicly announced his expulsion from the sect, and the association revoked his Daoist certificate. He wanted to earn some money by looking at Feng Shui in the capital, and he found that there was a ghost in this school. Worried that the students would be harmed by the ghost, he casually collected the ghost for free. Unexpectedly, it stimulated the ghost to evolve into a powerful ghost on the spot, and he was beaten into a pulp by her.

Ever since he went to Wuming City, his luck had been getting worse and worse. That place must be bad luck for him. In the future, he would stay hundreds of kilometers away from Wuming City, no matter how much money there was, he wouldn't go to earn it.

"Evil ghost, you cannot harm innocent mortals, otherwise you will be thrown into the 18th level of hell…"

"Get out!" The female ghost slapped Ting Zheng into a pile of ginkgo leaves.

Ting Zheng covered his mouth, picked up his fallen teeth from the ground, and slowly got up. He should just run for his life. In front of such a powerful ghost, he was just a bronze player, unable to save the suicidal mortals.

But before he could take two steps, the person who called out the name ran out from the shady path.

Dressed in a suit, long legs, fair skin, he looked... hmm?

Wasn't this the ordinary person his master used to mock him with when he was in Wuming City? How could he be here?

No wonder he was so unlucky tonight, it turned out someone from Wuming City was here. It wasn't that he liked to generalize, but he felt that not only Wuming City, but even the people of Wuming City, were bad luck for him.

Shen Chang'an ran breathlessly, passing through the shady path. When he saw the girl standing in the moonlight, he slowed down: "You are... Lin Cui?"

The female ghost lowered her head and hid her hands behind her back.

Her thin frame didn't cast a shadow in the moonlight, she stood alone, looking a little pitiful.

"I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you at first." Shen Chang'an took a few steps forward. Seeing him approach, the girl lowered her head and silently took a few steps back.

Sensing that she didn't want him to get too close, Shen Chang'an stopped: "I saw the letter you left for me."

The female ghost looked up at Shen Chang'an, her red pupils appearing particularly terrifying under the moonlight.

As if he hadn't seen anything, Shen Chang'an apologized to the girl: "I'm sorry, I didn't help you back then."

"Everyone has their own life. To stand up when you see injustice is already the most beautiful warmth in the world." The girl spoke very cautiously, as if she was afraid that Shen Chang'an would be sad. "I should be thanking you, thank you for bringing the bright sunshine into my humble and ordinary life."

Thinking of the contents of that letter, Shen Chang'an felt very uncomfortable: "Don't worry, I will help you get justice, I won't let the evildoers get away with it."

"It's been so long, there's no evidence anymore." The girl shook her head. "Shen Chang'an, if you go to the police now, it will only cause you trouble. Shen Chang'an, my life is over. I don't want to cause you any trouble because of me."

"Helping an old classmate isn't a bother." Shen Chang'an shook his head firmly. "Only by making those who have done evil pay the price will the world become orderly and beautiful."

The red in the girl's pupils gradually faded, and her abnormally long fingers slowly returned to their normal shape. She reverted to her appearance at the time of her death, covered in wounds. Although she had lost hope for life, she hadn't gone mad.

Ting Zheng, whose back was covered in blood, looked at this scene in disbelief. This person... had actually used words to pacify a vengeful spirit?!

Could it be that Master wasn't lying to him? This passerby really had better aptitude than him?

"Shen Chang'an, thank you." The girl offered a timid smile, looking at the handsome and perfect boy in front of her. Every day, she would look at the photos on the promotional boards, guessing what kind of life he was living, if he was happy, if he had achieved success, if he had a lovely girl by his side.

But all her guesses were insignificant compared to the moment he actually appeared.

He looked just like he did back then, kind and gentle, asking if she needed help. She hadn't expected Shen Chang'an to be able to see her. She was both happy and self-conscious. Happy because they had met again, self-conscious because even as a ghost, she was still ugly and ordinary.

Before, she would always see him rushing in and out of Teacher Yao's house, and she would only dare to glance at him from afar, even feeling that it would be a desecration if she were to pursue him.

She had waited here for six years, finally meeting him. He wasn't afraid of her because she was a ghost, nor did he recoil from her injuries.

How could there be such a good person in the world?

If she had killed someone...

Shen Chang'an would be so disappointed, so heartbroken, wouldn't he?

"I'll go to the police first thing tomorrow morning." Shen Chang'an looked at the girl, whose body seemed to be becoming more transparent. "Do you have any other evidence you can provide?"

The girl remained silent for a long time: "Will you... find me disgusting?"

"Every girl is a lovely little angel." Shen Chang'an looked at the fragile girl in front of him. "It's the evil people who are dirty."

The girl wanted to cry, but no tears could escape her dry eyes. She touched her parched eyelids: "I hid my diary and USB drive in a hole on the balcony at home."

She never wanted anyone to see that diary, especially not Shen Chang'an.

But tonight, she wanted to be brave.

Perhaps after tonight, she would never have the courage again.

"I remember." Shen Chang'an walked towards the young girl and extended his clean palm. "Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Shen Chang'an. Do you want to be friends with me?"

The girl stared at Shen Chang'an, cautiously reaching out her hand, then timidly withdrawing it.

"Won't you shake my hand?" Shen Chang'an smiled at her.

The girl slowly and firmly extended her hand.

Her hand, covered in scars, thin and rough, trembled as she grasped Shen Chang'an's warm palm. "I, I'm Lin Cui. I, I want to be friends with you."

As their hands clasped, a warm silver light emanated from her body, and she felt lighter.

"Good friend, I wish you a warm family in your next life, parents who cherish you like a precious jewel, a happy childhood, and a safe and joyful life." Shen Chang'an reached out with his other hand and gently touched her head. "You should go find your new life."

The warm touch on her head made her forget all her pain and resentment. She stared at the smiling young man in front of her: "In my next life, will I have these things?"

"You will." Shen Chang'an nodded.

"I believe in you." She gave him a shy smile.

Shen Chang'an retracted his gaze, looking up at the Soul-Guiding Butterfly flying out of the woods. "Well, goodbye, my good friend."

"Shen Chang'an, you have to be careful of him."

"Be careful of who?"

"Be careful…"

"Chang'an." Dao Nian, sitting in his wheelchair, appeared under the ginkgo tree. The moonlight stretched his shadow long. "I've been waiting for you for a long time. Why haven't you come back yet?"

Shen Chang'an turned to look at Dao Nian, then at Lin Cui's soul, which had turned into a beam of light and followed the Soul-Guiding Butterfly away. He walked back to Dao Nian's side. "Sorry, I kept you waiting."

Dao Nian asked, "Did something happen just now?"

"It's a small matter." Shen Chang'an pulled out his phone. "I might need to call the police."

"Can you call an ambulance first? I can wait a couple of minutes to report it." A hand, trembling, emerged from the pile of ginkgo leaves. "I think I might be losing too much blood."

A blood-soaked hand reached out in the dead of night, startling Shen Chang'an. He instinctively shielded Dao Nian behind him, "Who's there?"

"I..." Ting Zheng lifted his head from the pile of dead leaves. "A living person needs to be rescued."

You can even transcend even the most ferocious ghosts, are you afraid of a living person?

Shen Chang'an: "..."

Isn't this Ting Zheng, whose Daoist certificate has been revoked? How is he here?

The person Lin Cui told him to be careful of, was it him?