57. The setting where every shot fired is guaranteed to miss.

The words Luxurious Jiao had spoken left Ling Tianquan momentarily speechless. He had long known that when a person turned into a ghost, their temperament would change drastically, but when this scene truly unfolded before him, he found it hard to accept. After all, in his childhood, he and this terrifying ghost before him had been the best of friends.

Yes, friends. Luxurious Jiao was his father's illegitimate daughter. For someone of his father's status, having illegitimate children was nothing unusual. Because Luxurious Jiao's mother had a special relationship with his family, he and Luxurious Jiao often played together as children.

But as he grew older, and for other reasons, after Luxurious Jiao's mother passed away, Luxurious Jiao was taken away by someone. When he saw Luxurious Jiao again, his childhood friend and playmate—his half-sister by blood—had become a ghost!

And not just any ghost, but a fierce one.

Her temperament was twisted, her moods unpredictable, and she had a preference for feeding on the life essence of the living.

Born into a noble family and beginning to take up the reins of family power, Ling Tianquan quickly realized why his sister had become a fierce ghost. It was related to the secrets of the Ling family. This was also why, in his childhood, Luxurious Jiao had stayed by his side.

He felt furious about it.

But after his anger faded, he still accepted the incense burner containing some of his sister's ashes.

Because he feared death.

Having a controlled fierce ghost by his side would undoubtedly increase his safety. Just like this time, he hadn't come to Sanjiang City on purpose; he had been attacked by a ghost, and even Luxurious Jiao had been injured, so he had come here by convenience.

Sanjiang City was not a peaceful place; the sudden disappearance of a few people was commonplace here, hardly causing panic or any negative repercussions.

Ling Tianquan calmed his mind. Looking at Luxurious Jiao, he realized from her words that the ghost who had plucked his hair bore him no murderous intent.

Because Luxurious Jiao was responsible for his safety. If any ghost tried to kill him, she would surely intervene.

“What kind of ghost pulled my hair?” Ling Tianquan asked, frowning, feeling a headache. For someone like him from an aristocratic family, there really weren't any direct means of dealing with ghosts.

If the enemy were human, he could handle them easily.

But if the enemy wasn't human, he was helpless, for human laws held no sway over ghosts—a lawyer's letter couldn't even be delivered. And if force were used, even the most powerful martial artists of the First Realm could only drive ghosts away, nothing more.

As for getting a ghost to help him… Luxurious Jiao's attitude made it clear how unlikely that was.

“The ghost over there,” Luxurious Jiao replied with a light laugh, making no attempt to hide anything.

“The ghost over there? Which one?” Ling Tianquan was confused.

“Just the ghost over there…”

This time, Ling Tianquan understood. The ghost who had plucked his hair was simply called—the ghost over there.

“A living ghost or a fierce ghost?” Ling Tianquan couldn't help but ask.

“The ghost over there isn't a ghost at all, but…” Luxurious Jiao deliberately paused, her strange eyes sweeping over Ling Tianquan, then continued in an odd tone, “a malevolent spirit.”

She spoke each syllable with chilling deliberation. The term sent a shudder through Ling Tianquan, and at the same time, he felt a mix of suspicion and uncertainty. “How come I've never heard of it?”

Malevolent spirits all had their own reason for existence.

None could be ignored.

So, even if a particular malevolent spirit was unqualified for ranking, those from noble families would remember them well.

Because that was how one stayed alive! As long as one knew what kind of malevolent spirit one was dealing with, one could prepare the right offerings to please it. Even if one accidentally offended it, there might still be a chance to plead for one's life.

Luxurious Jiao merely smiled. “Because it's a very special kind of malevolent spirit—existing only in the World of the Dead, never setting foot in the realm of the living. Its purpose is to help ghosts fulfill their wishes.”

“Of course, not every ghost can ask this malevolent spirit for help. Only ghosts who have territory in the World of the Dead can seek its assistance.”

“Oh, and it must be a female ghost.”

“If a male ghost tries to approach this malevolent spirit, he'll only end up being taught a lesson.”

Luxurious Jiao looked at Ling Tianquan, her smile still on her face, but now tinged with a hint of teasing. Then she said, “So, my dear brother, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? Someone doesn't want your life—they just want your hair?”

Ling Tianquan said nothing.

He was somewhat baffled himself. What kind of ghost was so bored? And wasn't this malevolent spirit a bit bizarre?

Only helping female ghosts fulfill their wishes?

Was it fawning over them from life to death, then all the way into becoming a malevolent spirit?

While Ling Tianquan silently cursed a certain eccentric malevolent spirit in his heart, a burst of gunfire echoed once more. The rapid, rain-like sound of bullets made his heart skip.

“What happened?” Ling Tianquan demanded.

Soon, someone answered him, “Young Master Ling, it's that assailant from before—he's back!”

“Catch him alive for me!” Ling Tianquan commanded at once. The reply came from several of his family's First Realm martial artists.

“We can't, Young Master Ling—the firepower is too intense. It's keeping us pinned down.”

Although Ling Tianquan was their employer, martial artists of the First Realm had earned their title of ‘supreme’. They took orders from Ling Tianquan, but could refuse them as well.

“Then how are you sure it's the same person as before?” Ling Tianquan asked, frowning.

“Because although his firepower is fierce, all the bullets just graze past the brothers—no casualties. The only drop of blood on the field came from a mosquito bite and someone scratching it.”

After this First Realm martial artist finished speaking, another chimed in, “Such mercifully poor marksmanship is rare indeed. If he made even a single mistake, one of us would end up in the hospital.”

“I refuse to believe that in a small place like Sanjiang City, after a ‘Crouching Dragon’ comes, there'd be a ‘Young Phoenix’ as well.”

…

Outside the villa, the tongues of flame had disappeared into the night.

As the heat from the gun barrel faded, the gunman too vanished.

This, of course, was Chen Sheng fleeing.

But this time, he hadn't quit the game out of shame for his ridiculously bad marksmanship. Instead, he carried the little female ghost and hid in a concealed spot, observing the villa from afar.

The little female ghost opened her eyes, tinged with a faint eerie green. After much hesitation, she finally spoke: “Hey! I know a ghost who was a crack shot before death. Want me to introduce you and let you train your shooting for a while?”

She truly couldn't bear to watch his atrocious marksmanship any longer.

“No need!” Chen Sheng replied casually, shaking his head.

“Why not?” the little female ghost asked, confused.

“Because that's my setting: whenever I shoot, I can never hit anyone.” Chen Sheng said helplessly. He hadn't expected the developers of this healing game to be so desperate for survival—they wouldn't even let players play with guns properly!