Chapter 10, Clouds of Doubt

Who? Cao Sen and the other three reacted swiftly. With a fake gesture, he transferred the object to his left hand, drew a pistol with his right hand, and aimed both guns at the source of the sound. One gun was used to guard against the female ghost, while the other gun was positioned for central support.

A few days before our first meeting, Cao Sen looked at Jing Zhe and asked, "I once felt a heavy aura in the vertical shaft of the teaching building. Was it you?"

Well... I get quite scared when you are angry, and so does he." Jingzhe pointed at Guo Jing.

Are you afraid of objects such as Buddhist and Taoist ritual implements

Since it is known to be a rumor, what is there to ask about

So, on the night we encountered the female ghost, did you hear anything

"When I was going downstairs, I heard the sound of high heels on all three flights of stairs. Was it you who made that sound?"

With a gentle smile, Jing Zhe illuminated the room with her beauty, saying, "I am not afraid"

Cao Sen quickly found a thermos and a cup, pouring water for the elderly man and placing it beside him

"At that time, there was a couple of male and female students sleeping in the classroom on the third floor. Was it an illusion you conjured up?" Ding Haitao also inquired

Ding Haitao suddenly realized; no wonder he looked familiar just now. Isn't he the old worker who sweeps and mops the floors in the teaching building every day?

Then do you see any differences among humans? Are you afraid of those with strong Yang energy?" Cao Sen continued to ask

"Sir, having heard your words, we, as the younger generation, have learned a great deal." Cao Sen's tone was very sincere, "Could you please invite Jingzhe out? I have some matters I would like to consult her about."

Cao Sen looked at the beautiful female ghost in astonishment. At this moment, her demeanor was entirely that of a gentlewoman, in stark contrast to her previous two appearances. Which one truly represents the female ghost's true nature

"Jing Zhe, come out," the old man said to the female ghost behind the tree

There may be some misunderstandings and friction between you. I can assure you that Jingzhe absolutely did not intend to harm you or those girls. From now on, I hope you will not trouble Jingzhe, and Jingzhe will never appear before you again. The old man said this while glancing at the female ghost beside him

Tengfei gave Cao Sen a glance, indicating that they should wait until daytime to leave. In case the old man harbored any ill intentions towards them, being on his territory in the dead of night, especially with a female ghost assisting him, would certainly put the brothers at a disadvantage

Tengfei snorted softly, seemingly unafraid of me

Ding Haitao gazed at the female ghost's gentle and delicate curves, secretly lamenting the loss of such a beauty, now turned into a ghost. He wondered if male ghosts could possibly engage with her intimately; if so, which male ghost would be fortunate enough to have that privilege

Since we have encountered each other, we must clarify the matter. Where did this female ghost come from, and why did she attack us

"May I take a look at your guns?" The old man made a request that surprised Cao Sen

After listening to the ghost woman's account, Cao Sen was filled with numerous questions. He felt he needed to clarify these doubts before he could feel at ease, so he asked the ghost woman: "When you first appeared in the teaching building, why did you not show your current form, but only reveal your lower half? Why?"

As for me, are you not afraid of my anger?" Ding Haitao made a fierce expression, glaring with furrowed brows.

Later, she regained her energy and wanted to scare Cao Sen and the others a little in Donglin. Unexpectedly, Jingjing's comment about her clothes infuriated the female ghost, leading to a direct confrontation between the two parties. Afterward, when Cao Sen insulted her appearance, Jingzhe naturally sought revenge and ran to the dormitory building to scare Cao Sen. However, she was startled away by Cao Sen's nudity, and that led to today's events.

What else would you like to do? the old man asked

Are you afraid of real firearms

Seeing the female ghost snuggling beside the old man and wanting to leave, Cao Sen hurriedly called out to the two, "Please stay."

"Let’s talk about ghosts. You dare to challenge them, but do you know how terrifying they can be? Young people, you are fortunate to encounter Jingzhe; if you were to meet a malevolent or vengeful spirit with profound abilities, you wouldn’t even know how you died"

Jing Zhe shook his head and, feeling somewhat shy, said, "That day, I only looked at that bride; she was truly beautiful"

The questions are increasing, and the four brothers are filled with doubts. Not to mention the issues mentioned earlier, even the female ghost before them has raised their suspicions. Her current appearance is vastly different from her previous appearances; it is not only her looks but also her demeanor that is worlds apart. Are these two female ghosts truly the same person

There is not much feeling; sometimes in the evening when I have nothing to do, I go for a walk at the nearby temple. The Buddha statues there are becoming increasingly beautiful, yet they are not frightening at all

Guo Jingxiang, this female ghost is quite interesting, wandering into the temple to relax, not afraid of being captured by the Buddha's light

Please have self-respect, and also respect others, the elderly spoke with an undeniable authority, she would never harm anyone, for she has no physical form and no means to inflict harm

Department of Mechanical Engineering

If a ghost wanted to kill someone, I mean if, what methods would it use

Tengfei thought to himself, this old man is definitely not simple, and he should look into his identity when he has the time

"The CO2-powered air pistol, you have modified it, right?" The old man returned the gun to Cao Sen

"Sir, you called us brothers here, not just to show us your hand tricks and discuss these matters, right?" Tengfei's gaze was sharp and attentive, observing every move of the elder.

With no choice but to accompany my brothers, I came to the basement

Cao Sen felt that the words spoken by the elderly man before him were not those of an ordinary cleaner; from the choice of words to the tone, it resembled that of an old professor or someone who had once held a certain status. This instilled a degree of trust in the old man. After some consideration, Cao Sen decided to follow the old man's advice and put the fake phallus back into his pocket. The others did the same.

As she raised her head, the four Cao Sen brothers felt a wave of dizziness; this female ghost was extraordinarily beautiful

"Yes, Grandpa. Four young gentlemen... ah... no, it is four classmates, please." Jingzhe made a gesture to see them off.

Upon learning the identity of the elder, Cao Sen and the others let out a slight sigh of relief, and Ding Haitao also lowered the muzzle of his gun

Ding Haitao and Teng Fei looked at Cao Sen in surprise. Is this really Cao Sen? They had never heard him compliment any woman in person before. What happened with Tu Shu tonight? Could it be that Sen Ge has a special fondness for beautiful female ghosts?

Cao Sen knew that the temple Jing Zhe mentioned was a temple located on the eastern edge of the western part of the city, where the incense offerings were still quite prosperous. The Buddha statue had been re-gilded several times, with each occasion being more extravagant than the last

The four boys simultaneously let out a sigh of relief

The furnishings in the house are quite simple: a table, a bed, along with a chair and a wardrobe. The four brothers are sitting on the bed, while the elder sits down with the support of the chair, breathing heavily for a moment, as if the recent movement has exhausted his strength

A faint mist flowed from behind the tree where the female ghost was hiding towards the old man, gradually coalescing into a mass. As the mist dissipated, a beautiful woman dressed in the style of the 1920s and 1930s, exuding a classical charm, appeared beside the old man. The white dress and red high heels she wore seemed familiar to Cao Sen. Could this be the headless and bodiless female ghost?

Cao Sen stood up first and respectfully said to the elder, "Sir, we will visit again another day"

"Once I fall into a deep sleep, I hear nothing at all; all matters are later conveyed to me by Jingzhe." The old man sighed inwardly, noting that these children were both observant and quick-witted, leaving no question unexamined. They were materials suited for great undertakings, but unfortunately, they were being misapplied.

I have some knowledge of physics and enjoy tinkering with small objects, so for me, organizing metal beads is not a difficult task

"Then who cleaned up the steel balls we shot?" Tengfei asked

"She has been alone and miserable for decades, never harming anyone. Why do you bully her with such shameless means?" the elderly person said angrily

The old man responded with a noncommittal "mm".

"Sir, has the school investigated the matter of the wall on the fifth floor?" Cao Sen had always wanted to know whether the school had any suspicions regarding the numerous holes that had appeared on the wall.

"It's all right, I don't know much about other ghosts. There are many things that frighten me, such as the long spears you use, which I find quite terrifying. That time, you almost shattered me." Jingzhe was very candid, not shying away from his own weaknesses.

The female ghost, Jing Zhe, did not appear; it is unknown where she is hiding

"Alright, this explanation seems reasonable. Then let me ask you again, why did you lock the main entrance of the teaching building that night? Were you trying to trap us inside?" Cao Sen continued to inquire

The female ghost, Jingzhe, lowered her head and softly recounted her story to the four boys

Since you have met Jingzhe, I believe this is a matter destined by heaven, and perhaps you will encounter some things in the future. The old man said slowly, "I give you a warning: do not be careless with enemies whose details you do not understand. Ghosts are not something that ordinary people can provoke"

The old man looked at Cao Sen without speaking, his pair of murky eyes seemingly capable of seeing through a person's heart, placing great psychological pressure on Cao Sen

"Miss Ning," Cao Sen decided to use a respectful form of address. "Miss Ning, I would like to know, what do ghosts fear? Please do not take offense; I am not targeting you."

The elderly man did not look at the water cup, nor did he glance at Cao Sen, let alone express any gratitude, as if it were something that Cao Sen was supposed to do.

A few young people, feeling indignant, wondered, is it really that serious? We brothers are well-trained and fearless; would we be afraid of those spirits that dare not see the light of day?

Please put away that thing in your hand!" The old man commanded in an irrefutable tone

An elderly man with a slight hunch slowly emerged, glaring at the four individuals, trembling as he pointed his finger at them, "How can you resort to such despicable means against her"

I do not dare to come out during the day, even if there is no sunlight, I still do not dare

After a long while, the old man slightly nodded and said, "Jingzhe, come out."

"Come and sit at my place; I have some words to share with you." The elder extended the invitation

Ding Haitao appeared very disappointed, while Jing Zhe smiled slightly, causing the room to brighten momentarily

"You... are you the one responsible for cleaning the teaching building?" Cao Sen suddenly recognized the elderly man in front of him

Her name is Ning Jingzhe, a young lady from a scholarly family in the 1920s. She was both beautiful and gentle, yet fate was unkind, as she perished in an accident before reaching the age of eighteen. After her death, her spirit lingered in the teaching building of Dongshan University, where it spent several decades, until the day Yang Xin burst into the building dressed as a bride.

I told them that the teaching building has a history of nearly 100 years; it has aged. Just as people grow old, buildings also develop some peculiar issues, which are not due to human factors

The old man perceived the suspicions of the four boys, "Ghosts are transformed from humans, and the thoughts of ghosts arise from the foundation of human thoughts. If a person lives alone in a building for decades, their character and thoughts will inevitably exhibit some extremities. Jingzhe is the same; the first two times you met her, you saw her extreme side, but the current Jingzhe is the true her"

"The personnel from the General Affairs Office have inquired about me," the elderly man said

The elderly man nodded, emphasizing the application of knowledge, and the modifications made to the gun were very reasonable

"Enough with the nonsense, who are you?" Cao Sen looked at the old man warily

"A toy is just a toy," Tengfei said with a smile

Cao Sen recounted the events of that night just before leaving the teaching building

Cao Sen, however, believed in the elderly man before him and, after some consideration, accepted the old man's invitation

I have experienced the ravages of war; the sensation of real bullets is, in fact, less impactful than the steel ball guns you use, which can fire a large number of high-speed steel balls in a very short time, causing significant harm to my soul

How did you say that

As she was leaving the teaching building, the female ghost, Jingzhe, unexpectedly asked a question: "May I ask... is my attire... and myself really ugly?"

The female ghost, Jing Zhe, appeared silently behind the old man, lowering her head and remaining silent, patiently awaiting Cao Sen's inquiry

Thank you. A blush unexpectedly flew across the ghostly white face of the female ghost, quickly disappearing into the darkness

Cao Sen suddenly realized why no one had investigated this matter; it had been brushed aside by the elder. He recalled another question, "Sir, please don't take offense, but the classmates have been saying that your hearing is quite poor. It seems that was just a rumor, wasn't it?"

Jing Zhe hesitated and remained silent

It should be none, "Jing Zhe looked at the old man, "I have never encountered any *illustrated* books."

Cao Sen nodded

Indeed, I have other matters to discuss. I would like to tell you that the youth are bold and willing to take on responsibilities, which is not a bad thing, but caution is also necessary. There are countless things in this world that you have yet to encounter, some of which are extremely dangerous. The old man said this while coughing repeatedly

Tengfei and the other two understood that the old man was engaging in psychological warfare, trying to gauge Cao Sen's weight. If Cao Sen could not withstand the pressure of the old man's gaze and showed signs of hesitation, blinking, or guilt, the old man would not allow Jingzhe to come out, and he would have no chance to converse with him in the future. Therefore, the three remained silent, quietly waiting for the old man to speak.

It is getting late, you should return to rest. Jingzhe, please see the guests off.

In solitude and desolation, I, an old man, am all alone, residing in the basement of the teaching building, naturally I come to understand certain matters

I apologize, I do not have the ability to kill, nor do I know how other ghosts kill

Cao Sen glanced sideways at the old man, his gaze conveying the meaning of how do you know that

Cao Sen felt that the doubts were increasing. If these incidents were not caused by the female ghost in front of him, then who could it be? Could there be another ghost in the teaching building?

"Alright, Jingzhe, you tell them. Make it clear so we can put this matter to rest and return to your original peaceful life." The old man turned around and found a bench to sit down.

A confined ghost, claustrophobia, Ding Haitao made a judgment for Jing Zhe

Since you are here, do not be petty; Cao Sen readily handed the gun to the old man

As soon as the female ghost Jing Zhe made contact with Cao Sen's gaze, she quickly lowered her head and asked, "Is it daytime or nighttime?"

Jing Zhe's face turned red, "I don't have that much magical power."

That night, many of us went to the teaching building. Did you notice the couple on the third floor? Cao Sen's question was completely abrupt; he had studied how special police interrogate captives.

Jing Zhe shook his head and said: "You have almost shattered my soul with your indiscriminate attacks. I rested for a long time before recovering. How could I possibly chase after you at that time? The sound of high heels you heard later was not made by me"

Bullying a female ghost? This world is truly strange, and there are still people who say such things. How did we bully her? We are merely acting in self-defense. Cao Sen and the others are filled with vigilance towards this suddenly appearing old man; who knows what his intentions are

You young people, don't you fear hurting someone by handling such dangerous things

Cao Sen looked at the female ghost seriously and said, "Miss Ning, I have never seen a woman more beautiful than you. As for the clothes, I do not understand."

"No... I won't change, that looks so ugly." The female ghost shook her head and hid behind the old man, like a child who had done something wrong seeking protection from their grandfather

The old man was also surprised and said: "I thought the lock on the door was damaged when you entered; are you saying it was actually cut off when you were leaving? Then who locked the door?"

I did not! The female ghost looked up in surprise at Cao Sen

The basement is quite spacious, divided into a storage area and a living quarter. During the day, the elderly person is responsible for the cleanliness of the teaching building, and at night, they reside here

"It is I," the old man replied, "I do not wish for the school authorities to notice the anomalies in the teaching building."

Not being able to become a happy bride has always been a significant regret for Ning Jingzhe. The appearance of Yang Xin piqued her interest, prompting her to reveal herself to take a good look at what the bride looked like. However, this stirred up Cao Sen and his group of brothers, who, in a chaotic flurry of gunfire, nearly shattered her soul.

"Do not make things difficult for her; I can assure you that they are the same person, without a doubt," the old man said. "If you have no further matters to discuss, I would like us to go to the teaching building together; we all need to clarify what happened that day"

This statement seems to have some merit, and Cao Sen tentatively agrees. To be on the safe side, he requests Jing Zhe to transform into a form without an upper body once again

Ding Haitao gradually raised the gun, aiming the sight at the old man's glabella. At a distance of less than 5 meters, even with a 6-millimeter steel ball, the gun's lethality remained considerable. As long as he hit the glabella, it could completely incapacitate the old man, or even lead to his death

How could you clean up so thoroughly, not leaving even a single one behind?" Tengfei continued to ask

The female ghost named Jingzhe nodded gently.

Daytime

"The female ghost will not attack us?" Guo Jing, who was responsible for guarding against the female ghost, inquired

A beautiful and harmless female ghost, softly recounting her grievances in a gentle voice, would evoke pity from any normal man. However, Cao Sen and his companions do not seem to be normal men; at least, Cao Sen is not. He wishes to continue questioning, but the elderly man, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up.

"Toys? Hmph, young people, toy guns won't turn the fifth-floor wall into a honeycomb. You must have more powerful weapons, right?" The old man shook his head, ignoring the responses of the four boys, and continued, "These things can kill people. Sigh, today's youth. Which department are you from?"

The old man took a look around and quickly found the disassembly card for the falcon. He carefully disassembled the gun bit by bit and then slowly reassembled it.

The four brothers naturally accepted this proposal, and thus the five of them, along with the ghost, arrived at the teaching building. The old man took out the key and opened the door. Everyone entered and thoroughly searched the teaching building, but found no abnormalities and did not uncover any clues that could unravel the mystery

Do you know if there are any other ghosts or supernatural entities nearby

"Alas, that is the girl's sentiment," the old man replied on behalf of Jingzhe. "Having the intention to compare my appearance with that of the bride, I felt inferior and had no choice but to hide my upper body. Later, seeing that you were frightened by her appearance, I continued to use this form to scare people."

I am sorry, it is my fault, I did not want you to leave. The teaching building has never been so lively at night, so I thought... I truly apologize, I did not consider that it would frighten those girls, after all, I have been dead for decades and have forgotten the joys and sorrows of being human. Jingzhe's head hung even lower, revealing a long and fair neck that reflected a delicate sheen under the light

There should be none, as human actions are too slow and we do not have a physical form

The candid response improved Cao Sen's impression of the female ghost somewhat. He continued to ask, "Is it effective to use fists and feet against ghosts?"

Guo Jing impatiently urged, "Are we leaving or not?"