Chapter 2: The Heist is Real

"Ghost Catcher?" Meng Donghe, with a neurotic smile, said: "Uncle, have you watched too many ghost movies?"

A man arrived, not very tall, seemingly intoxicated, his steps unsteady. Meng Donghe saw that he was someone he could overpower, and immediately rushed forward, placing a hand on the man's shoulder: "Don't move, it's a robbery!"

"I am already sixty this year, so it is not inappropriate for you to call me 'uncle,'" said the middle-aged man, pointing to the seat beside him and commanding, "Sit down and listen to me."

Meng Donghe hesitated, but after all, she was just a woman. Was it worth sacrificing his entire life for her? He released his grip and turned to leave, saying, "I’m sorry, I’ve got the wrong person."

He opened the door and placed the person on the sofa. He immediately rushed into the kitchen to pour water: "Here, have a drink first. I will call someone to help you now."

But you coughed up blood

Before the man spoke, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, splattering it directly onto Meng Donghe's face. The hand that had originally been gripping Meng Donghe's wrist also loosened. Meng Donghe staggered back repeatedly, thinking to himself that today was truly an unfortunate day, a day of utter misfortune. He wanted to leave, but seeing the middle-aged man in such a weak state, slowly collapsing to the ground, he felt a twinge of compassion.

The only person Meng Donghe could call was the barbecue vendor, a young man from Guangdong who set up a barbecue stall at the alley entrance. In his twenties, he was quite nice and always available on call. Just as Meng Donghe picked up the phone, his hand was pressed down. The middle-aged man shook his head and said, "My time has come; Yama has sent someone to take me away."

Ghost King? Meng Donghe was taken aback; it was already dark, and such a frightening sight was unwarranted. He was so furious that it affected his heart: "Hand over the money, and I will let you go"

"Listen to me." The man's voice seemed to possess a magical power that commanded submission, and without a word, Meng Donghe carried him up the stairs to his home

Meng Donghe, still under the influence of alcohol, stumbled out the door and nestled at the alley's entrance, watching the bustling traffic until night fell. No one came in; this alley was too remote. In these times, people were quite shrewd, each one cautious. Meng Donghe realized he had made a significant mistake—lacking experience and tools, he hadn't even chosen a proper spot. What was the point of trying to rob anything? Just as he was slapping his numb legs, preparing to head back home, someone approached the alley.

"Do not speak! Remember my name, I am Liu Chunyang. This is the token I teach, keep it well!" The uncle named Shen Chunyang took out a piece of green jade pendant, placed it in Meng Donghe's hand, then turned his body around, pressing his hands against his back, and began to chant incantations.

In a fit of despair, Meng Donghe clenched his fists and struck the floor: "You say I can't rob? I'll show you that I can, and teach you to follow others..."

Damn, what superstition, Meng Donghe muttered under his breath: "Brother, you can't die here, and I can't watch you die in front of me. Let's get you to the hospital, OK?"

The one who raised his head turned out to be a middle-aged man, dressed in a neatly tailored Zhongshan suit, with bright, piercing eyes. Upon seeing Meng Donghe, his eyes widened as if he had witnessed an incredible scene: "Ghost King!"

"In any case, I have no hope of living, saving your life will allow me to have a better rebirth in my next life," Meng Donghe said, gathering his courage to approach, helping the middle-aged man up and carrying him on his back: "I will take you to the hospital"

At this moment, he clearly felt a surge of heat coursing through his body, first jumping up and down in a chaotic manner. Meng Donghe felt an overwhelming heat all over, with veins bulging on his forehead, and countless beads of sweat breaking out all over his body, soaking his clothes completely. He did not know how long it had been when that surge of heat suddenly became orderly, directly pushing up to his brain. His entire head felt as if it were about to explode, and a thunderous voice echoed in his mind: "I contain the energy of heaven and earth, I curse the poison to kill the ghosts, I curse gold to dissolve itself, I curse wood to break itself, I curse water to deplete itself, I curse fire to extinguish itself, I curse mountains to collapse, I curse stones to shatter, I curse gods to bind themselves, I curse ghosts to kill themselves, I curse prayers to sever themselves, I curse sores to resolve themselves, I curse poison to disperse itself, I curse curses to annihilate themselves"

Meng Donghe seemed to be in a trance, as if bewitched, and sat down heavily on the sofa, no longer mentioning the matter of going to the hospital

As soon as he spoke, he regretted it; he had no courage at all. It was a disaster caused by a lack of tools. Even if it were just a kitchen knife, it should be carried on one's person.

No. Even if he were to cough up blood, the man's voice remained remarkably steady and powerful: "Go to your home"

When I was with you initially, it was because of your romantic gestures, spending an entire month's salary on 999 roses. However, I have only now come to understand the underlying issue. When you have spent all your salary, what will we eat? I want an LV handbag; can you steal one? I want a BOSS suit; can you rob one? No, to put it bluntly, you are a poor romantic, and this is not what I desire. I do not want to be cooped up in this one-bedroom apartment, wasting my youthful years, only to grow old and regret it later.

However, the middle-aged man suddenly seized his wrist with an unexpectedly strong grip. Meng Donghe found himself unable to break free and thought to himself, this is bad, I have encountered a skilled fighter this time, there is no escaping.

When Meng Donghe opened his eyes again, it was already dusk. Chen Wan's words rang clearly and distinctly in his mind. He struggled to sit up, looking at the empty room. He kicked at the sofa, but sadly missed, and instead fell to the ground. The floor was very cold, which brought him back to his senses a bit. That damn woman was truly heartless. In this day and age, it wasn't just actors who were heartless; prostitutes were even more ungrateful.

I am a teacher of vengeful spirits, and my lifespan has been diminished. Today marks the end of my time. It is a pity that throughout my life, I have not found a successor for my teachings. Do you know how many spirits roam the world? Those that Yama cannot collect, I will gather. In my lifetime, I have expended all my efforts to eliminate countless spirits. It is lamentable that with my own strength, I cannot fulfill the long-held wish of a world free of spirits. The moment I saw you, I felt as if I had crossed into another realm; this sensation is one I have never experienced before. I cannot investigate who you were in your past life, but I can only rely on my intuition to pass on my lifelong skills to you. From now on, you will be the new ghost-catching master in this world.

"Uncle, you haven't joined some cult, have you? The television said those are all fake..." Meng Donghe's words trailed off, and he opened his mouth wide, unable to utter another word.