Chapter 433: Chapter 397: Arrival
Zhao Yunshu brought Sang Que to the training ground, where they sparred hand-to-hand under the guise of getting to know each other.
Sang Que found that Zhao Yunshu’s skills were exceptional, far superior to most members of the mobile unit, who were predominantly male, relying on strength and practical combat techniques, absorbing modern fighting skills.
However, Zhao Yunshu, like Sang Que, followed the principle of using softness to overcome hardness, with nimble and swift movements, striking quickly, accurately, and forcefully. She understood human acupoints and weaknesses, having a background in ancient martial arts.
Furthermore, Zhao Yunshu mastered many weapons, and without using the power of ghosts, Sang Que ultimately lost to her.
Zhao Yunshu, covered in sweat, sat with Sang Que on the bench at the edge of the training field, "I come from a martial arts family and won the national martial arts championship at twelve. I’ve never stopped practicing over the years, but I was surprised it took so much effort to win against you today. It’s truly a case of young talent surpassing the old."
Sang Que smiled silently, looking down.
Zhao Yunshu said, "They want me to protect you, but it seems unnecessary. I’ll just honestly serve as your assistant from now on, without the bodyguard duties."
"I still have much to learn from you," Sang Que humbly said.
Zhao Yunshu laughed, "I just turned thirty, and the age gap between us is a bit awkward. So, I’ll thicken my skin and ask you to call me Sister Yun Shu in the future, so it’s less formal."
Sang Que agreed smoothly, "Sister Yun Shu."
Zhao Yunshu glanced at her watch and stood up, "It’s still early before lights out. Let’s go to the shooting range. I heard you’re not very familiar with shooting; I’ll teach you."
Over the next few days, Zhao Yunshu stayed by Sang Que’s side, helping her with various tasks and guiding her in different training aspects, allowing Sang Que to make rapid progress in many areas and quickly master the disassembly, assembly, and use of various firearms.
The mobile unit’s dormitory was now empty, and Sang Que had a residence within the research institute, a double room shared with Zhao Yunshu.
Sang Que’s daily routine included training and meetings to educate others about the Deceit Dynasty matters.
During this period, Ye Changqing called Sang Que aside to discuss the book written by Sang Wan.
After Sang Que formally joined the mobile unit, she talked with her mom about possibly blocking the novel since she no longer needed it to absorb incense.
The incense absorbed through the novel wasn’t reliable, far less compared to what she received directly from the mobile unit.
It was from Ye Changqing that Sang Que learned that measures had been taken regarding the book after she came clean about it.
The research institute staff didn’t read online novels, so no one knew about the book’s existence. Ye Changqing held several meetings with Sang Que before confirming that Sang Wan’s novel was based on Sang Que’s Otherworld experiences. Previously, he doubted its authenticity, thinking the novel contained mixed truths.
Now, Ye Changqing sought Sang Que’s opinion on whether to use the novel as a textbook for meeting attendees to read.
Sang Que awkwardly scratched her face, declining. Since measures were already taken, she preferred it to be left to its own devices.
Regarding the Deceit Dynasty, Sang Que herself would explain everything clearly. Cooperation had been decided, and except for personal privacy, she would not withhold any information.
During the meeting, most questions were understandable to everyone, but the rules regarding incense left many puzzled.
For example, according to the Deceit Dynasty’s rules, positive emotions such as liking, admiration, and gratitude could generate incense and ignite the Heart Lamp.
If so, wouldn’t modern-day celebrities have particularly strong Heart Lamps?
The research institute conducted a series of verifications on this point, and from statistical data and experimental results, it appeared that famous people had a lower probability of encountering supernatural events than ordinary people. Even when taken to haunted locations, as long as they didn’t believe, they wouldn’t attract ghosts, and ghosts wouldn’t approach them willingly.
The research institute selected a suitable individual, and after signing a confidentiality agreement, made him realize the existence of ghosts in the world. They ensured that once he believed, he engaged in visualization using Sang Que’s method.
The result was that this individual did have a Heart Lamp, but much weaker than Sang Que anticipated, severely disproportionate to his number of fans.
For Sang Que, approximately one hundred ordinary fans could be converted into one point of sincere incense, but for this individual, it took over ten thousand to convert to one point.
Thus, even if a celebrity had a hundred million fans, the Heart Lamp could barely correspond to the Ninth Floor of Nine Netherworld.
Sang Que couldn’t figure out why; perhaps public affection for celebrities differed from faith in the country.
She could acquire more from ordinary book fans, possibly related to the Mountain Ghost Coin and her Witch lineage.
The incense acquired officially had always been strong and stable, and the exploration of the Otherworld wasn’t intended for public disclosure. Those joining this plan must be military personnel.
As long as faith in Huaxia was maintained, the Heart Lamp would remain stable, beneficial for the exploration of the Deceit Dynasty.
...
A month passed in a flash, and at the end of August, on the thirtieth, Sang Que secretly headed to the Deceit Dynasty to make preliminary preparations.
The journey with the Ghost Vendor and others was somewhat challenging but overall smooth. They had now reached the forest where Sang Que initially brought Qiao Ling into Qinzhou. Once they reached the cliff’s base, found the climbing rope, they could reach the back of Bright Moon Mountain.
Sang Que emerged from the coffin once again, and this time, both Qiao Ling and the Ghost Vendor, as well as Cheng Ge, looked at Sang Que with inquisitive eyes.
Sang Que didn’t mind; the two worlds were about to start exchanging information, so she let them speculate and mentally prepare.
Sang Que surveyed the surroundings. They had left the Hidden Realm, where the air was filled with blood-red mist, surrounded by desolation, devoid of life.
The trees were all dead, leaving only gnarled, black branches, with animal and human bones scattered everywhere.
Qiao Ling couldn’t hide the worry in her brows, "This is what all of Qinzhou is like now. The blood mist is slowly absorbing the vitality of the living, and those who stay in it for too long gradually die."
"Then let’s move quickly. I’ll use the power of the Ghost Realm to take you; don’t resist."
Sang Que released the power of the Ghost Realm, and red threads resembling veins appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around the group. Both the Ghost Vendor and Qiao Ling had little reaction, fully entrusting themselves to Sang Que as a Witch; only Cheng Ge was a bit tense, his body taut.
However, he soon overcame his nervousness, allowing the red threads to envelop him.
Sang Que transported them via instant teleportation, reaching the cliff base in less than ten minutes. The vines that originally grew there, along with the hidden rope, were decayed, and some bones were even wedged in the cliff, as if emerging from it.
Sang Que looked up at the height and continued to instant teleport the three to the top. Her Ghost Realm now encompassed a vast range, needing no rope, and the platform hewn into the cliff enabled their ascent.
Their vision rose time after time, taking in the expanse of Qinzhou.
Between the boundless heavens and earth, a blood-red sea of clouds surged, with silent lightning flashing across the sky, imposing as ever. The cloud sea churned and shifted, as if countless ghosts engaged in frenzied battle, emitting eerie howls.
The earth lay silent and still, as if overrun by ghosts.
Sang Que watched for a moment before retracting her gaze, swiftly bringing everyone towards Bright Moon Mountain.
Having been away for nearly four months, there’s no telling what Bright Moon Mountain has become now.
