Peerless Bodyguard of a Stunning Beauty

Chapter 161: Chapter 135: Accompanying the Beauty to Evening Self-Study

Ba Shao had a unique skill: the Phantom Step! Whenever he ran away, he would shout, ”Phantom Step!” and then disappear without a trace.

Today, faced with Zhao Rong’s chase, he used his unique skill yet again. While running, Ba Shao looked back to mock Zhao Rong, saying, ”Security guard, you might be tough, and you might be a good fighter, but if you can’t catch me, there’s nothing you can do about it...” With that, Ba Shao chuckled to himself.

But before Ba Shao could finish laughing, Zhao Rong suddenly leaped into the air. With lightning speed, he kicked Ba Shao, sending him flying straight into a large tree.

Blood streamed down his face, and Ba Shao barely managed to open his eyes. As he watched Zhao Rong approach, he murmured, ”I thought my Phantom Step was fast enough, but I never expected this security guard’s Phantom Step to be even faster than mine...”

Before Ba Shao could finish speaking, Zhao Rong rushed over, grabbed him by the collar, and gave him a savage beating. ”Ba Shao, I know you’re one of the school’s notorious ’Four Young Tyrants,’” Zhao Rong warned. ”Don’t think that just because your family has a little money and you’re some rich heir, you can go around bullying classmates, looking down on the poor, and treating the security guards and janitors like they’re nothing. I’m beating you today for two reasons. First, to warn you to keep a low profile. Second, to show you that bullying isn’t as satisfying as you think. What goes around, comes around...”

Hearing Zhao Rong’s words, Ba Shao knelt and begged for mercy. As he apologized, he thought, Since Zhao Rong has already beaten me up, I should be able to leave now, right?

But just as Zhao Rong finished speaking, his assistant charged over. The assistant rolled up his sleeves, grabbed a handful of yellow dirt, and rushed at Ba Shao. Seeing him approach, Ba Shao was completely baffled. What’s he doing with a handful of yellow dirt? Suddenly, the assistant flung the dirt into Ba Shao’s face, blinding him.

Then, the assistant jumped on Ba Shao and started punching him fiercely, roaring, ”Ba Shao, you little punk, your day has finally come! You think you can bully me? I’m going to kill you!”

Just as the assistant was furiously pummeling the straddled Ba Shao, the principal suddenly appeared. Seeing a fight on school grounds, he stepped forward to intervene. ”Janitor, how can you publicly beat one of our students?” he demanded.

Hearing the principal’s voice, Ba Shao immediately clung to this last lifeline, thinking, The principal’s here! Let’s see who dares to hit me now!

Seeing the principal, the janitor hurriedly jumped off Ba Shao and explained, ”Principal, Ba Shao was bullying other students. I was just stepping in to do the right thing.”

Hearing that the person getting beaten was Ba Shao, one of the school’s bullies, the principal abruptly turned away. He rubbed his eyes, cleared his throat, and said, ”What did I just see? It seems I didn’t see anything at all... You, janitor. Please continue. Don’t stop...” With that, the principal thought, A pampered rich kid like Ba Shao really needs to be taught a lesson. Otherwise, he’ll never learn his place.

Hearing the principal’s words, the nearby janitor was stunned for a moment before jumping back onto Ba Shao and resuming the beating.

At that moment, the principal walked over to Zhao Rong and said politely, ”Young man, you must be the school’s new super security guard, correct?”

Seeing the distinguished principal speaking to him so politely, Zhao Rong quickly nodded. ”Principal, I’m Zhao Rong...”

Suddenly, the principal patted Zhao Rong’s shoulder as if about to ask for a favor. ”Zhao Rong, since you are a security guard at our school, shouldn’t you bear the responsibility of protecting it?”

Zhao Rong was taken aback, thinking, What does the principal mean by that? Could the prestigious Xijing University be facing some kind of challenge?

Just as Zhao Rong was thinking a formidable enemy was on its way, the principal suddenly said, ”Zhao Rong, there’s something you don’t know. Our school has been haunted recently. It’s causing panic among the students, and many of them are too scared to focus on their studies...”

Hearing that the school was haunted, Zhao Rong couldn’t help but swallow hard. ”Principal,” he asked, ”are you asking me to catch the ghost?”

”That’s right,” the principal said, nodding gravely. ”I believe you have the ability to capture this malevolent spirit...”

Hearing the principal confirm that he wanted him to catch the ghost, Zhao Rong felt his scalp tingle. He said to the principal, ”If the school is haunted, you should hire a Taoist or a ghost catcher to deal with it... Why ask me, a security guard who knows nothing about the Yin-Yang Art, to do the job?”

After he spoke, Zhao Rong thought, I grew up watching horror movies like *The Grudge*, *The Ring*, and *Annabelle*... Those films left a deep scar on my young mind. Even now, I still get chills just thinking about those terrifying scenes. The principal asking me to catch a ghost is like pushing me into a pit of fire!

Just as Zhao Rong was about to refuse, the principal suddenly said, ”Zhao Rong, if you can capture this malevolent spirit, I’m willing to give you a portion of the school’s shares.”

Zhao Rong knew that Xijing University wasn’t just the best university in Xijing City; it was also a private institution. And the principal wasn’t just the principal; he was also one of the major shareholders. Since catching this spirit could land me some shares, why not give it a shot?

So, Zhao Rong said casually, ”Principal, it’s not about the shares... Truthfully, as a security guard at Xijing University, it is indeed my duty to catch the spirit that’s terrorizing the school. Since you’re so worried, I’ll give it a try...”

Seeing Zhao Rong agree, the principal said happily, ”Heroes have always emerged from the younger generation, and the path of righteousness is full of tribulations. Although the last few ghost catchers I hired were all killed by this malevolent spirit, it is a great fortune for our school that brave souls like you are still willing to face it...”

Hearing that the previous ghost catchers had been killed by the spirit, Zhao Rong involuntarily gasped and took a step back, thinking, Damn, this principal is a sly old fox. He played me. If he’d told me how powerful this spirit was beforehand, I definitely would have reconsidered.

Just as Zhao Rong was about to back out, the principal suddenly answered a phone call, then abruptly dove into the ground and vanished from sight.

Zhao Rong was still puzzled at the sight of a living person vanishing into the earth when the security captain walked over. ”The principal has a nickname, the Tunneling Hero,” he explained. ”He likes to take the road less traveled. Don’t mind him...”

Hearing this, Zhao Rong shook his head as he looked at the indentation left on the ground, thinking, What a job I’ve gotten myself into.

Zhao Rong had no experience with ghost catching and had been afraid of ghosts since childhood. Just as he was worrying about how to handle the task, he suddenly received a WeChat message from Wang Meili, the village belle. The message read: ”Brother Zhao Rong, I’m going to evening self-study tonight. Can you come with me?”

Seeing Wang Meili’s message, Zhao Rong couldn’t help but think, Accompanying a beauty to evening study? How could I possibly miss an opportunity like this?

So, Zhao Rong replied, ”No problem. What time and which building? I’ll be there.”

Wang Meili replied, ”The laboratory building behind the school’s grove.”

As Zhao Rong was wondering which building she meant, several younger female students passed by, whispering amongst themselves. ”I heard a ghost with disheveled hair was wandering around the lab building last night,” one said. ”And not long ago, a female student hanged herself in there after she got pregnant and was abandoned,” another added. ”That lab building is just an abandoned, half-finished structure now. They say it’s haunted even during the day...”

Hearing the girls’ gossip about the lab building, the hair on Zhao Rong’s neck stood up. He quickly typed a message to Wang Meili, ”Why the lab building? Can we pick another place for our study session?”

Just as he was about to hit send, another message from Wang Meili came in: ”Brother Zhao Rong, my phone is dying. This is my last message. I’m already on my way to the lab building. See you soon...”

After seeing her message, Zhao Rong quickly closed WeChat and dialed her number, but he was met with an automated voice: ”The number you have dialed is currently switched off...”

Taking a sharp breath, Zhao Rong broke a branch off a nearby peach tree and used the small fruit knife on his keychain to whittle it into a makeshift Peach Wood Sword. With his new ”weapon” in hand, he set off for the laboratory building.

At that same moment, three beauties—Lili, Yu Lan, and Xuelian—were also walking toward the lab building.

Xuelian said, both excited and fearful, ”Lili, do you think we’ll run into the legendary malevolent spirit on our little adventure in the lab building?”

Lili smiled. ”Ghosts? They don’t exist. I believe in demons, maybe, but I absolutely do not believe in ghosts. That’s why we’re exploring the lab building tonight. I’m going to prove to everyone that there’s no such thing...”

Hearing Lili’s words, Yu Lan said worriedly, ”When it comes to things like ghosts, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Should we really be taking this kind of risk just for a thrill?”

Lili consoled her. ”What’s there to be afraid of? Even if the three of us get caught by some so-called malevolent spirit, I’ll just make one phone call, and Brother Zhao Rong will definitely come and rescue us. Don’t worry. Tonight, we’re going to the lab building for a little excitement...”

With that, Lili led Yu Lan and Xuelian, striding confidently toward the laboratory building.