28. Even as a ghost, I still have to rent a place to live

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“This can deal with ghosts too?” Chen Sheng was genuinely surprised. He’d only known that this ‘starter equipment’ could be used against non-ghost ‘NPCs’, instantly clearing their health bars.

“Why not?” The little female ghost pouted. She looked so timid.

She was only half a step away from becoming a fierce spirit!

In the realm of the Departed, she even had her own ‘territory’. Within her exclusive domain, no ghost could enter without her permission.

But ghosts like her had an unpleasant nickname there—‘landlady’.

That name always annoyed her.

Now, hearing her words, Chen Sheng couldn’t help but smile.

He was truly delighted this time.

He never expected that his ‘starter equipment’ would also have the effect of harming ghosts!

This instantly eased the resentment he felt about still being a ‘LV0’ player.

After all, in other games, starter gear is just a wooden stick or an iron sword. But in this healing game, the ‘starter equipment’ not only boasted massive damage, able to instantly clear ‘NPC’ health bars, but could also harm ghosts.

Though he was unsure how effective the harm would be, even if it was only a tenth as powerful as against ‘NPCs’, Chen Sheng wouldn’t mind.

It was a pleasant surprise, after all.

So, Chen Sheng summoned his ‘starter equipment’, and wasn’t surprised that the female ghost knew about it; every game has a ‘guide’ for starter gear! The only difference was that the guide in this healing game was more discreet—nothing worth fussing over.

As the gallows fully manifested, the little female ghost immediately stiffened—not because of its uncanny power binding her, but because she was suppressed by its aura.

Chen Sheng, oblivious to this, followed his usual instincts and placed his hand upon the gallows.

He wanted to try and discover some hidden method of use.

Unfortunately, he found nothing, so he glanced at the female ghost.

The little ghost: (⊙o⊙)

Could it be he doesn’t know how to use the execution tool? Then what was with that groveling behavior earlier?

And besides, he’s a living person!

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A living, breathing human! Has his execution tool chosen the wrong side?

Suddenly, the little female ghost felt her inner defenses crumble.

With a pale, expressionless face, she replied, “Just take it out, and you’ll scare the ghost off.”

She would never admit she wasn’t qualified to possess an execution tool, so she didn’t know how to use one.

For ghosts below the level of fierce spirits, execution tools were legendary—only ever heard of, never seen. Like celebrities to ordinary people: you know their online persona, but as for their true nature? Who knows!

Chen Sheng nodded, indicating he understood.

So this ‘starter equipment’ also had effects like ‘ghost repelling’ and ‘banishing the uncanny’. No wonder in those bizarre scenarios he encountered, the ghosts always seemed so non-aggressive.

Like the ghost who reported her own murder.

Or the opening scenario that subverted all expectations.

And that female ghost by the roadside, who fled at the sight of him, crying “A ghost!”

It turned out all thanks to his ‘starter equipment’.

From the very start, the game gave the player a reassuring sense of safety. Despite its eerie aesthetics, this healing game truly lived up to its name.

Feeling he had found the answer, Chen Sheng couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

He then stowed away his ‘starter equipment’ and looked around.

He began to seriously examine this place called ‘the Departed’.

It was like a world inside a black-and-white television, the monochrome scenery evoking memories of childhood—back then, even the photos were black-and-white.

The more Chen Sheng looked, the more familiar it felt, and his heart relaxed.

“This place is really nice!”

He commented sincerely.

The little female ghost, hearing this unexpectedly, gave him a blank stare: →_→

Has this living human also gotten his priorities mixed up?

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Just then, Chen Sheng saw a woman stumbling down the gray-black road ahead. She wore revealing clothes, her skin deathly pale like a vampire from a movie, but her tongue protruded out, hanging all the way to her chin and swaying as she walked.

Clearly, she was no human—most likely a hanged ghost.

As Chen Sheng noticed her, she also spotted him. She paused, startled by the presence of a living person in this place, but quickly recognized the little female ghost beside him. Her eyes flashed with comprehension, and she called out from afar, “Landlady! Where did you catch this living person?”

The little female ghost’s already pale face darkened further, like a rainy day threatening to drip with water.

“Landlady?”

Chen Sheng was surprised by the nickname, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. He summoned his ‘starter equipment’ once more.

When the gallows appeared, the hanged ghost—who previously couldn’t see the execution tool due to lack of power—immediately froze, terror plain in her bleeding eyes.

Ghosts could never mistake the aura of an execution tool.

Chen Sheng noticed the change in the ghost and now was certain of his guess.

“Why did she call you landlady?” he asked, curious. In real life, ‘landlady’ was pretty much synonymous with ‘wealthy woman’.

So in reality, Chen Sheng was too shy to utter that phrase, but here in the ‘game world’, he wondered what life would be like after ‘giving up on trying’.

As for the fact that the object of his curiosity was a female ghost...

Since it was a ‘game world’, why not play the ancient scholar for once, and follow in the footsteps of Ning Caichen!

Faced with Chen Sheng’s question, the little female ghost dared not refuse to answer.

“In the Departed, every ghost has its own residence, though usually only a small area. Some ghosts aren’t satisfied, so they seize or monopolize more territory through various means.”

“Besides them, there are some special ghosts whose ancestors left behind quite a few places. So when these ghosts arrive, they inherit their forebears’ domains.”

“These two kinds of ghosts, once they have lots of places, often can’t use them all, so they simply rent them out.”

After her explanation, Chen Sheng asked offhandedly, “Which kind are you?”

“What I see is mine.” The little female ghost turned her head, pretending to admire the scenery.