I'm the Only Living Person in This Chat Group?

Chapter 139: Chapter 57: Memory Ghost, I Need Your Ability

When Gao Tian got downstairs, he found that Xia Ta, Jiang Yang, Zhao Zhenjia, and the others were already waiting for him.

In the first-floor lobby, the wall-mounted TV screen was also playing the same scene: a muddy path, a woman holding an umbrella, and only her blood-red lips ever visible.

"We’ve tried several channels, all the livestreams, and the internet. Everything’s turned into this."

"It started around three in the afternoon. It doesn’t matter what channel you switch to."

Jiang Yang explained, looking up as Gao Tian came down.

Zhao Zhenjia stood up and paced back and forth in the lobby, looking extremely agitated.

"At this rate of infection, over ten million people must have seen the Rainy Woman by now."

"How is no one doing anything about this? They’re just letting it spread. By the time we can leave the Living Persons Apartment, is the entire city of Shanghai going to be a ghost town?"

The few of them staying in the apartment weren’t afraid of any ghosts.

But they couldn’t stay in the apartment forever. They had to go out to carry out the green-lettered missions.

The pitter-patter of rain, along with the sound of a metal umbrella pole scraping against something, echoed ceaselessly.

At first, Gao Tian thought the sound was coming from the television.

Then, Jiang Yang tapped lightly on the table, directing everyone’s gaze to the glass doors leading out of the lobby.

Outside stood the figure of a tall woman, holding an umbrella. She was continuously striking the main doors with the metal pole, signaling for those inside to let them in.

’I didn’t expect them to get here so fast.’

’Just like last time, it’s clear they still can’t get in.’

The only difference was... this time, there were far too many of them.

Just peering out from the door, in his limited field of view, he could see at least seven or eight of the women’s figures blocking the apartment entrance.

Beyond those layers, there was no telling how many more Rainy Women were lined up outside the apartment.

And judging by their size, they seemed even bigger than the first time he’d seen them.

Their short, elephantine legs supported massive bodies that nearly reached the second floor.

"Fuck," Zhao Zhenjia muttered, letting out a sharp breath.

’Maybe it’s true. We’ll never be able to leave the Living Persons Apartment.’

As if he’d thought of something, Gao Tian sprinted back up to the third floor and into his room. He pushed open the bedroom window.

From this angle, he could get a full view of the area outside the Living Persons Apartment and see exactly how many Rainy Women were standing there.

He looked down, and in a single glance, his heart went cold.

Lined up far into the distance was a dense, endless sea of countless white umbrellas.

’How are we supposed to fight this?’

The distant streets and intersections were completely deserted. Bodies lay strewn everywhere amidst crashed and silent vehicles. Farther away, sporadic muzzle flashes flickered, and several black streaks, like meteors, shot across the sky toward a distant Shanghai landmark.

The women with umbrellas below seemed to sense his gaze upon them. All the tall figures slowly tilted their umbrellas back, revealing the blood-red lips on their wide chins. In unison, they looked up toward Gao Tian on the third floor and gave him a terrifying, collective smile.

Gao Tian shut the window and stepped back into his room.

He knew the apartment was relatively safe and that the Rainy Women were unlikely to get in, but an instinctive, visceral fear made him want to avoid looking at those... things.

Just then, his phone rang. It was a completely unknown number.

’The entire city of Shanghai is a warzone. Who would be calling me right now?’

Gao Tian stared silently at the unfamiliar caller ID on his phone. His heart hammered in time with the pulsing icon.

’It has to be Old Sun Tou.’

’If he’s still alive, it’s about time he made a move.’

’If he keeps hiding, he’ll really live up to his reputation as an old turtle.’

A national-level organization like the Spirit Disaster Bureau had vast resources and information at its disposal. If Old Sun Tou wanted to get a young man’s phone number, it wouldn’t be difficult at all.

With that in mind, Gao Tian pressed the answer button.

The other end of the line was silent for a moment.

Then, a steady voice, tinged with a coldness that Gao Tian recognized, spoke:

"Is this the Memory Ghost?"

Gao Tian’s breath caught.

’It’s not Old Sun Tou.’

’It’s Xu Yuan.’

Gao Tian forced himself to remain calm. Facing this dangerous tiger, he had to be extremely careful. He couldn’t show any weakness while trying to figure out what the man truly wanted.

"This is the Memory Ghost."

"I’m in Shanghai. Has your full-scale offensive begun?"

"What do you need me to do?"

Low, whispering laughter could be heard in the background on the other end of the line, as if Xu Yuan were surrounded by many ghosts, not just one or two.

Xu Yuan’s voice came through again.

"We’ve only just made contact. For now, we have the upper hand, but the Spirit Disaster Bureau’s core forces haven’t been revealed yet. You could say we’re just testing each other."

"I was hoping to force that old turtle, Old Sun Tou, out of his shell. Once he’s dead, the entire defensive line in Shanghai will collapse. I didn’t expect him to be so patient, still hiding even now."

"But it doesn’t matter. He’ll die if he comes out, and he’ll die if he stays hidden. The final victory will be ours."

After painting a rosy picture of their inevitable victory, Xu Yuan finally revealed his plan.

"Memory Ghost, I need your abilities."

"I’m sending you an address via text. Go there. We have a female Ghost Hunter under our control. Your job is to modify her memory—make her believe certain things and forget others."

"The Ghost Infant will give you the specifics when you get there."

"Can you do it?"

He briefly explained the situation regarding the Spirit Disaster Bureau’s real and fake headquarters.

The Jialan Society had only destroyed the fake headquarters. Although it had caused some casualties among their personnel, it was far from enough to destroy their foundation.

Gao Tian was silent for a moment.

"I can do it."

"I trust you," Xu Yuan said.

"I haven’t forgotten my promise. In the new era to come, I will save a place for you in the Ghost Country."

Before hanging up, Xu Yuan added one last thing.

"Don’t disappoint me."

The line went dead. The leader of the Jialan Society had hung up.

The situation in Shanghai was changing by the second. Xu Yuan was elsewhere, playing his game of chess against the Spirit Disaster Bureau, and the Memory Ghost was just one of his many pawns.

’Should I follow Xu Yuan’s orders and carry out his mission?’

’Should I side with the Jialan Society in this battle for Shanghai, destroy the decrepit Spirit Disaster Bureau, rewrite humanity’s destiny of destruction, and welcome the dawn of a new era?’

’Or...’

Before Gao Tian, who was still standing by the window, could finish his thought, his phone buzzed again at the most inconvenient time.

He glanced at the screen. It was another unknown number, but different from Xu Yuan’s. A completely new one.

Gao Tian didn’t hesitate for long this time. He answered the call.

"Hello? Who is this?"

A hoarse old man’s voice, croaking like a toad, sounded from the other end.

"You’re not dead yet, kid?"

"Just wanted to confirm. Good to know you’re still kicking."

It was Old Sun Tou.

The last hope of Shanghai, the formidable enemy Xu Yuan had been desperately searching for, was hiding somewhere unknown while everyone outside was getting their brains bashed in. He sounded completely at ease, without a hint of urgency.

Hearing Old Sun Tou’s voice, Gao Tian’s tension eased slightly.

At least he could confirm that the old bastard wasn’t dead or seriously injured. He was just choosing not to act.

Gao Tian replied irritably.

"Seeing all of Shanghai descend into chaos, I thought you were already dead."

"The Rainy Woman... The Spirit Disaster Bureau has done nothing to deal with her, and now she’s everywhere."

"Has your high command been infiltrated by ghosts? Did you find the mole?"

The Rainy Woman had now spread completely, turning into an S-Level incident.

The Jialan Society’s plan was now set in stone: Xu Yuan, the Artist, and the Rainy Woman—three S-Level threats descending upon Shanghai. Old Sun Tou would have to face three major ghosts by himself. Gao Tian had no idea how he could sound so calm, as if victory were already assured.

Hearing Gao Tian’s questions, Old Sun Tou sounded completely unrepentant. Gao Tian could almost smell the cigarette smoke through the phone as the old man took a drag and said slowly:

"This is better."

Gao Tian was speechless.

’What does Old Sun Tou mean by that?’

’From the sound of it, he’s intentionally watching, even *allowing* the Rainy Woman to spread on a massive scale?’

Gao Tian glanced at his phone, almost wondering if Old Sun Tou had been possessed by a ghost.

Listening to the "music" outside his window—a symphony of rain and cannon fire—Gao Tian had to suppress his anger and patiently ask:

"With a memetic phenomenon like this, isn’t it better to deal with it as early as possible?"

"What’s your goal in letting her grow to S-Level? Do you have any idea how many people will die in Shanghai tonight?"

In terms of seniority and power, someone of Gao Tian’s standing had no right to criticize a veteran heavyweight of the Supernatural Community like Old Sun Tou.

But what the old man had just said was simply too outrageous.

Hearing the edge in Gao Tian’s voice, Old Sun Tou dropped his cynical tone and became serious.

"Listen to me, kid."

"Every word I’m about to say could decide the future of Shanghai. This is important, so I’m only going to say it once."