Ghost Catching System

Chu Hao charged his phone. He hadn’t activated any other functions. When he opened WeChat, however, he saw countless messages asking where he was, along with many New Year’s wishes.

Chu Hao’s feelings at this moment were complicated. Foundation Building had taken almost three months; how long would it take for Foundation Establishment Great Perfection! What about the Golden Core? Would it be measured in years?

”Brother Hao wasted three months of prime showing-off opportunities,” Chu Hao eventually complained.

Stepping out of the villa, he felt as if he had been away for ages. He still couldn’t accept that more than a hundred days had passed, just like waking up from a vegetative state.

Chu Hao took out his phone to call the person who had sent him the most messages.

The call was answered quickly, and Li Yin exclaimed in surprise, ”Holy crap, you actually called me? Mouse, where have you been?”

”I’m at the villa in Anli City.”

Li Yin was speechless. ”You disappeared for three months without even a word; we thought something happened to you.”

”Where are you!” Chu Hao asked.

Li Yin chuckled. ”Watching the lanterns! Are you coming?”

Chu Hao thought for a moment and said, ”I’ll come find you.”

He went to the garage to get his car, but when he got there, damn it, not a single car was in the garage.

Damn it!! Where’s my car? Chu Hao was completely baffled.

Bai Ling, that wastrel, had sold the cars in the garage to spend money, claiming he’d left a car or two for Chu Hao. But now, a look revealed there wasn’t even a trace of them in the garage.

With no other option, Chu Hao had to take a taxi to Flower Lantern Lake.

By this time, it was almost night. When he reached his destination, it was already evening. The festival of lanterns had begun, with all kinds of beautiful lanterns so dazzling in the night.

The lights were dim, and the lake was beautiful. Chu Hao found Li Yin, who was with a group of people.

Li Yin ran over, looking stunned. ”What on earth happened to you?”

Chu Hao replied in frustration, ”Ghost knows what I’ve been through.”

Li Yin, lost for words, checked Chu Hao from head to toe and, holding his nose, said, ”Did you escape from a sewer?”

”Who would dare pursue Brother Hao?” Chu Hao scoffed, then he realized he had an odd smell about him—the scent of blood. He looked like a butcher, the only difference being he hadn’t bathed.

Li Yin said resignedly, ”There wasn’t anyone before, but now there is.”

Chu Hao, quite interested, asked, ”Who?”

Just as Li Yin was about to answer, a pure and pretty girl came over. She was tall with a perfect oval face and said, ”Silver, let’s go look at the lanterns.”

Li Yin grinned and introduced her to Chu Hao. ”My girlfriend, Wei Shanshan.”

Li Yin also had a girlfriend now. It seemed like he mentioned it on WeChat, asking Chu Hao to come and support him, though he hadn’t specified what for.

Chu Hao said, ”Hello.”

Wei Shanshan frowned slightly because Chu Hao didn’t smell very nice but still politely replied, ”Hello, my name is Wei Shanshan.”

”Chu Hao.”

Just then, a group of people came over, laughing. ”Silver, what are you doing? Come and guess the riddles on the lanterns.”

Li Yin replied, ”Coming.”

Chu Hao saw that he was busy and said, ”Go ahead and play!”

Li Yin quickly grabbed him. ”Since you’re here, don’t go. I still have something to tell you.”

Li Yin gave him a look, signaling that he likely had something serious to discuss.

Chu Hao simply nodded. ”Okay.”

Among the group were friends of Wei Shanshan and Li Yin. The latter hadn’t shied away from mingling with others after joining the acting scene and had made quite a few acquaintances.

Wei Shanshan was in the entertainment circle too, but not famous—she met Li Yin while they were filming together.

When the group saw Chu Hao, they couldn’t help but frown. A girl of about twenty held her nose and said, ”What’s that smell?”

The rest also frowned, their faces taking on a strange expression as they looked at Chu Hao. Li Yin now has some minor fame as an actor; how could he have such a friend? they wondered.

Li Yin introduced him, ”This is my brother, Chu Hao.”

The twenty-year-old girl couldn’t help but comment, ”Li Yin, what’s that smell on your brother? How long has it been since he took a bath?”

Li Yin’s face flushed with embarrassment. How would I know? he thought.

Chu Hao casually said, ”Three months, I suppose.”

Everyone’s expressions changed, and they retreated several steps, Wei Shanshan included. Their faces showed a mix of speechlessness and bewilderment. A person who hadn’t bathed in three months—just what kind of slob were they dealing with?

Li Yin didn’t know what Chu Hao had been through, but even if Chu Hao had fallen into a cesspit, he was still his best friend. He said, ”You guys go ahead and have fun; I have something to discuss with my brother.”

The group quickly left, wondering how Li Yin could have such an odd friend and feeling a twinge of disdain for him.

At that moment, a tall young man approached, laughing. ”Shanshan, don’t disturb Li Yin and his friend. Come with us to guess the lantern riddles.”

Wei Shanshan hesitated, then pulled Li Yin aside. ”Who is this friend of yours? Don’t bother with such a sloppy person; it will damage your current image.”

Li Yin was somewhat displeased. ”He’s my brother.”

Wei Shanshan got a bit angry and stamped her foot. ”So you won’t listen to me, will you? Hanging out with this type of person, you’ll suffer for it sooner or later.”

Wei Shanshan went off to guess lantern riddles with the young man.

Only then did Chu Hao approach, grinning. ”Getting looked down upon? Want me to help you save some face?”

Li Yin laughed and scolded, ”Can’t I handle a little girl? Besides, where have you been all this time?”

Chu Hao said helplessly, ”You might not believe it if I told you.”

After hearing Chu Hao’s story, Li Yin’s mouth dropped open, and he jumped up, exclaiming, ”No way, cultivation?”

The Lantern Festival was bustling with people and noise. Li Yin was now nearly ready to kneel before Chu Hao.

Li Yin quickly asked, ”Is it really cultivation? Can you live to be a hundred, achieve immortality, like a deity?”

Chu Hao nodded. ”More or less.”

”DING! The Host has acted cool nonchalantly, earning 4,000 Pretentiousness Points.”

This counts as showing off too? A nice, unexpected gain! Chu Hao thought.

Li Yin was practically on his knees, clinging to Chu Hao’s legs. ”Brother Hao, my dear brother, please take me with you! I can warm the bed, give massages, and cook and clean!”

Chu Hao shook his leg, trying but failing to dislodge Li Yin, and said boastfully, ”It’s no big deal. By the way, during my three months of seclusion, who was looking for trouble with me?”

Li Yin stood up. He knew Chu Hao had been in seclusion for over a hundred days and was oblivious to the outside world. ”So many people. Remember back in college when we used to see all that bizarre news?”

Chu Hao nodded. ”What about it?”

Li Yin pointed to his own eyes. ”Take a look at my eyes.”

Chu Hao glanced at them. ”You have eye boogers.”

Li Yin looked at him with a mix of reproach and resignation. ”… Brother Hao, stop messing with me.”

After a serious look, Chu Hao noticed a grey mist hovering around Li Yin’s eyes and said in surprise, ”When did you open the Heavenly Eye?”