Ghost Catching System

Chu Hao made a call to Old Man Yuan.

On the other end of the phone, Elder Yuan said, ”We’ve detained the person and will ’educate’ them properly. Also, regarding the Yin and Yang marriage thread, we’ve extracted some information.”

”What is it?”

Old Man Yuan said, ”The Yin and Yang marriage thread he purchased is from the Three Truths Sect, which is no small force. It seems that ever since the Witch appeared, many heretical sects have arrived in Anli City. Who knows what they’re up to.”

Chu Hao hung up the phone, his mind churning. After the appearance of the Heavenly Bone Woman, heretical sects have been emerging continuously. First, Longhu Mountain sought my alliance, then there was the Gui Yin Sect, and today the Three Truths Sect. Heaven knows how many people from the Yin and Yang Realm are now hidden in Anli City!

Chu Hao sneered, ”Come stir up trouble on Brother Hao’s turf and see how I deal with you.”

The Sanqing Pavilion was already open for business.

Diao Chan had returned. It was said that for the past few days, she had gone with Luo Yan to the Imperial Capital to study fashion design. She was serious about pursuing this path, and whatever her reasons, Chu Hao supported her.

Diao Chan was still as enchanting and beautiful as ever, so astonishingly stunning that even other women couldn’t help but steal a second glance. Seeing Chu Hao, she was overjoyed.

With her hands behind her back, Diao Chan smiled sweetly and said, ”Brother Chu, did you miss Diao Chan?”

Chu Hao felt a wave of emotion; Diao Chan had truly integrated into modern society and learned many things.

”Of course, I did. Come here for a hug!” said Chu Hao.

Diao Chan dodged, saying shyly, ”There are too many people around.”

She still abided by the traditional etiquette of ancient times and wasn’t as open as modern people. With so many people in the store, she was too embarrassed to hug Chu Hao.

Zhang Qin’ai walked over and said, ”Si Cheng and Wang Meng will be here soon too. They have urgent matters to discuss with you.”

Chu Hao nodded.

Since the Heavenly Bone Woman incident, business at the Sanqing Pavilion had been booming. People came from far and wide, and daily sales were staggering. They had even opened two branches in other parts of Anli City, with Ankang Mo currently overseeing the renovations.

While chatting with the two ladies, Chu Hao saw a figure floating over. Who else could it be but Confucius?

Chu Hao walked over and greeted him with a bow, ”Elder Confucius.”

Confucius was the same as always, leading a fulfilled and extremely content life.

Having learned a great deal of modern knowledge, he was even more joyful. A thousand years have passed, yet knowledge still dominates the world, he mused.

Confucius said, ”The times are changing; a storm is coming.”

Chu Hao was startled and hastily asked, ”Elder Confucius, what do you mean by that?”

Confucius replied, ”Turmoil is imminent. Young friend Chu, you had best prepare.”

Chu Hao was puzzled. ”Elder Confucius, how do you know there’s going to be turmoil?”

Confucius said indifferently, ”I looked it up online.”

Chu Hao was rendered speechless. He’s really something else, he thought. He just looked it up online and claims a storm is coming? We had disputes with other countries not long ago, and despite prolonged tensions, no war broke out.

Confucius said, ”Come, I have something to show you.”

They entered a small, dark room prepared for Confucius. Inside, along with his divination tools, a computer was set up. Confucius turned on the computer and displayed several interfaces and documents.

Chu Hao looked through them one by one.

”In 1910, Dragon Crown Ancient City was struck by an earthquake, resulting in 30,000 deaths and 120,000 injuries. Before this earthquake, near the city’s neighboring volcano, someone claimed to have seen an unknown creature—its body scorching with molten lava—burst out of the volcano’s magma. What connection did this have to the earthquake?”

This news report is ancient, Chu Hao noted.

Seeing the news, Chu Hao said with some surprise, ”A creature from a volcano? Causing an earthquake?”

The old me would never have believed in volcanic creatures causing earthquakes, but things are different now, he reflected.

”In 1928, during stormy weather, a Spanish pilot flying over the Caribbean Sea photographed a hundred-kilometer-wide island populated by natives. Subsequently, the island sank into the sea and vanished without a trace. That year, no fish could be caught in the Caribbean waters.”

”In 1946, a mountain earthquake struck Xiangxi, splitting the mountain open. When the rescue team arrived, the inhabitants of villages for miles around had all vanished—a total of thirty-three thousand people. Eventually, only one villager was found, mummified. It was later determined he had died from being drained of blood. Terrifyingly, this villager suddenly came back to life and killed a person with his fangs. Some said it was a zombie. If that was the case, where did the other over thirty thousand people go?”

These are clearly the infamous Xiangxi zombies from the rumors, Chu Hao thought.

”In 1964, the Terracotta Warriors were discovered, their eyes eerie, as if conveying some hidden message.”

”In 1982...”

”In 2000, that year! Someone reportedly witnessed a hundred thousand Netherworld Soldiers borrowing a path and captured the scene.”

Chu Hao read through the news about various strange incidents: volcanic creatures, disappearing islands, Xiangxi zombies, Netherworld Soldiers borrowing paths, and so on.

Chu Hao looked at Confucius in surprise and said, ”Elder Confucius, when did you learn to use a computer?”

Confucius waved his hand and said indifferently, ”Don’t concern yourself with such details, young friend Chu. Haven’t you noticed that in another eighteen years, it will be 2018? How many years apart are these strange events in the news?”

Chu Hao did the math. Starting from 1928, then 1946, and 1964—they were all eighteen years apart!

His eyes widened. ”It’s true! They’re all separated by eighteen years!”

Suddenly, Chu Hao remembered that eighteen years ago, the Song Emperor had rebelled, and his parents had been pacified and taken to the Underworld—that too had happened eighteen years prior.

2018... that’s the next eighteen-year mark, he realized.

In disbelief, Chu Hao asked Confucius, ”Elder Confucius, how did you figure this out?”

Confucius replied indifferently, ”During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, when I was still alive, I investigated this. I found that a major event would occur every thirty-six years. After thousands of years, the interval has shortened from the original thirty-six years to eighteen years, indicating that the pace is accelerating.”

Major events happened every thirty-six years in ancient times, and now they occur every eighteen years—there definitely seems to be a pattern to it, Chu Hao mused.

Confucius added, ”Young friend Chu, don’t you find the correspondence between the eighteen-year interval and the eighteen layers of Hell in the Underworld rather striking?”

Indeed.

There was only half a year left until 2018.

Confucius said, ”Therefore, young friend Chu, it would be best for you to prepare. When the turmoil arrives, you will be ready.”

Chu Hao nodded, grateful to Confucius for the warning.

However, Chu Hao then noticed that Confucius’s level was incredibly high; he was already at the peak of a Ghost General!

Ghost General: Confucius

Level: 9

Strength: 1,200

Agility: 1,200

Intelligence: 20,000

Skills: The Study of Education, The Tao of I Ching, The Great Trend of Heaven and Earth

How outrageous! Chu Hao thought. The current Confucius is already a top-tier Ghost General! It’s especially impressive that he reached this peak on his own, considering Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei had to spend a huge amount of Pretentiousness Points to forcefully raise their levels. Without a doubt, Confucius utilized the Ghost School to boost his strength. Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I last visited the Ghost School. Going now would be pointless, as my level can’t be raised. I can only become the Little Prince of Pretention after mastering the profound truths of being a Pretentious Expert.

Chu Hao began to feel anxious. According to Elder Confucius, turmoil is approaching. I must increase my power!

”I need to show off to survive.”