Weird Cards: I've Become a Ghost

Just as the middle-aged man was preparing to personally go and bring Wang Hao and Qian Wen back, the door behind him suddenly opened, and a man in combat uniform said to him with a look of surprise, "Reporting, team leader, reinforcements have arrived."

"The leader is Captain Zhang Shu of the Special Operations Team."

Upon hearing his subordinate's report, the middle-aged man immediately perked up. He turned around and shouted to his subordinate, "Quickly, quickly send Captain Zhang's men to the target location to bring our people back."

The middle-aged man knew Zhang Shu from the special operations team; in fact, they had a good relationship.

Although the two belong to two completely different alliance departments, they would inevitably run into each other from time to time, and thus they became acquaintances.

"Hey Lao Xu, it's just two Tier 1 monsters, why are you so scared? Didn't you say before that you captured a Tier 1 monster all by yourself with just a gun and a few dumdum bullets?"

Just then, a hearty laugh suddenly came from outside the room.

Immediately afterwards, a burly man walked in carrying a box.

Today, Zhang Shu was still wearing his black combat uniform, and he still exuded a tough aura. However, his face no longer had a rigid and cold expression. Instead, he waved to the middle-aged man like an easygoing old friend.

There were two people beside him, a man and a woman.

The man and woman were Zheng Hao and Wang Yao, who had appeared before.

Since the end of the mysterious fog incident, Zheng Hao and Wang Yao, who survived, were specially assigned by their superiors to learn and gain experience under Zhang Shu because of their significant contributions during the incident.

Of course, despite this, both Zheng Hao and Wang Yao knew very well that they were just there to do odd jobs.

Because Zhang Shu's team suffered heavy losses in the Fog Incident, and the surviving members were still recovering from their injuries, Zhang Shu had no one to use at the moment. That's why Zheng Hao and Wang Yao, the two surviving members of the Fog Incident, were qualified to stay by Zhang Shu's side.

Although it was just menial work, the two were well aware that once the special operations team had enough manpower, they would not only no longer need to do menial work, but would also receive generous rewards from the Alliance for their contributions during the Fog of Deception incident.

As for why this generous reward isn't being distributed now, that remains unknown.

"Old Zhang, what are your men still doing here? Hurry up and go replace my men, and..."

Upon seeing Zhang Shu's appearance, the middle-aged man, Xu Chi, the leader of this patrol operation, was initially delighted, but then pretended to complain and said in a low voice, "Why do you still remember this joke you made when you were drunk?"

Seeing Xu Chi's slightly embarrassed expression and the gossiping looks on the faces of the patrol team members around him, Zhang Shu smiled slightly: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore, let's get down to business."

After saying that, Zhang Shu's expression suddenly changed. After catching up with his old friend Xu Chi, he seemed to have reverted to the rigid and aloof Zhang Shu.

"Let me introduce you first. These are Zheng Hao and Wang Yao, members of our special operations team."

Zhang Shu put down the box in his hand, turned around and first introduced Zheng Hao and Wang Yao, who were with him, to Xu Chi. Then, he instructed the two of them, "Take your things out first."

"Yes."

Upon hearing the command, Zheng Hao and Wang Yao immediately walked to the box, entered the password, and slowly opened the box.

"This is......"

At this moment, Xu Chi's gaze was instantly drawn to what was inside. Inside the box were a series of sophisticated mechanical instruments, which gleamed brightly under the room's lights.

"The Alliance's latest model of eerie energy detection equipment has been approved."

While Zheng Hao and Wang Yao were assembling the equipment, Zhang Shu introduced the contents of the box to Xu Chi.

"Didn't you always complain that the detection equipment assigned to you was old and broken? Anyway, there weren't many strange occurrences in the city at that time, and you weren't in charge of this kind of work, so the equipment you were given was enough for you."

Zhang Shu paused for a moment, then continued, "However, the situation is different now. As for the specifics of how it's different, you'll find out when you get back after this mission."

Upon hearing Zhang Shu's words, Xu Chi's brows furrowed subconsciously. Having worked so hard for so many years, he immediately understood the meaning behind Zhang Shu's words. However, before he could think about it deeply, thinking of the safety of his nephew and subordinates, he said to Zhang Shu again, "I don't want to know about these messy things right now. I just want to know if you have sent someone to replace my people."

In fact, Xu Chi had already guessed from Zhang Shu's behavior after he came in that the other party must have sent someone to the vicinity of the target's location to bring his people back, but he was still unsure after not receiving a definite answer from the other party.

However, Zhang Shu's next words instantly enraged Xu Chi.

"My men are all here. I only brought two people with me this time," Zhang Shu replied expressionlessly.

Zhang Shu's answer startled Xu Chi at first. After confirming he hadn't misheard, Xu Chi's veins bulged, and he grabbed Zhang Shu's neck tightly with both hands, shouting, "What? Then why are you still here spouting all this nonsense to me?!"

Seeing this, Xu Chi's patrolmen couldn't help but worry about him.

No, I'm worried about Xu Chi, not Zhang Shu who's being choked.

The patrolmen knew that Zhang Shu, who possessed Alliance-certified Tier 2 combat power, could not possibly be strangled to death by Xu Chi, whose physical attributes were merely at the Tier 1 threshold.

"Okay, that's what I wanted to talk about next."

Zhang Shu, without batting an eye, removed Xu Chi's hands and said seriously, "You should know that one or even two first-tier monsters are not my responsibility to handle."

Zhang Shu's words immediately calmed Xu Chi down.

indeed.

Given Zhang Shu's abilities, how could he possibly handle such a trivial matter, unless...

"That's right, this first-tier anomaly is not as simple as it seems on the surface," Zhang Shu continued. "The investigation above has revealed that this anomaly is likely related to a certain cultist."

"Cultists of the Tricksters?"

Xu Chi's eyes narrowed, and his expression showed slight surprise.

There's a saying circulating within the league.

If a trivial matter becomes involved with the supernatural, it will immediately escalate into a major incident. Similarly, if a weak supernatural being becomes involved with a cultist, it will become a top-priority incident that must be dealt with.

"But if this strange creature is really involved with some cultist, shouldn't we take it more seriously? Why are you still talking to me for so long?"

Upon hearing Xu Chi's words, Zhang Shu gave him a meaningful look.

"Because there are already more professional people than me handling this matter."

Upon hearing the word "professional," Xu Chi's eyes widened, and he instantly understood.

"Have the Night Squad arrived yet?"

By this time, Wang Yao and Zheng Hao had finished assembling the precision instruments they had brought.

"Team Leader Zhang, the Ghost Eye is installed."

Zheng Hao and Wang Yao walked over to Zhang Shu and reported the situation.

And the "Strange Eye" is the name of this detection device.

The device, called the "Mysterious Eye Detection Device," has a silvery-white metallic sheen and emits a faint black glow. Its peculiar shape resembles a small oval container, with a transparent circular panel at the front, similar to a small screen. Mysterious patterns and symbols flash on the screen from time to time, like the gaze of an unknown creature in the vast starry sky.

next second.

The screen then switched to display two black dots the size of red beans, with the extreme values ​​of the two dots being displayed in real time on one side of the screen.

"Yes, it is indeed a strange thing that is two-headed first-tier beings."

Zhang Shu glanced at the numbers on the screen, and then he saw a green dot, larger than a red bean, slowly approaching the two black dots.

Looking at the slowly moving green dot on the screen, Xu Chi beside him showed a thoughtful expression.

"That's the Night Demon Master."

......

It was already late at night.

The streets were eerily quiet, devoid of even a single person or passing vehicle, making them appear exceptionally still.

However, beneath this apparent calm, undercurrents were already surging beneath the surface.

Having been ordered to hold off the strange creature, Wang Hao, Qian Wen, and the others, relying on their agility, had already silently arrived near the flower shop where the strange creature was located.

Their breathing began to slow and deep, like that of a dying person, taking in more air than exhaling, and even their heartbeats gradually slowed down.

This is the Turtle Breathing Technique, which patrol officers must learn, and it is specifically used for stealth operations.

Although Wang Hao, Qian Wen, and the others didn't know if the Turtle Breathing Technique could fool that strange creature, using it was better than nothing.

Just then, a chilling wind howled past, and the sound of branches rubbing together made it seem as if one could hear the whispers of evil spirits.

Just as Wang Hao and Qian Wen were nervously hiding in the shadows, a series of footsteps suddenly came from afar, sending chills down their spines.

In this silent environment, the footsteps, though very faint, sounded like an alarm bell striking everyone's chests.

"What's going on?"

Wang Hao and Qian Wen frowned simultaneously.

By now, the nearby residents should have been evacuated long ago, and even the streets outside have been blocked off. How could there possibly be anyone left?

Just as everyone was wondering about this, a blurry figure slowly appeared from the direction from which the footsteps came.

Illuminated by the dim light of the streetlights, a man dressed entirely in black, wearing black clothes from head to toe, strolled alone on the quiet street. His skin was as pale as snow, as if devoid of any life, and his whole being exuded a chilling aura, like the coldest wind in the night.

Soon after, the man walked to the door of a flower shop with its doors tightly closed. Without even knocking, the roller shutter door was pulled shut.

......

Meanwhile, inside the flower shop.

Sitting on the stool, Xiao He was lost in thought due to boredom until he heard the door open, at which point he subconsciously turned his head to look.

Then, a man dressed in black walked in.

After entering the shop, the man first glanced at the messy floor, then at the rotting and smelly petals and leaves on the ground, and finally fixed his gaze on Xiao He.

The man didn't even glance at the pile of ashes on the ground, formed from the woman's corpse.

After exchanging a calm gaze with Xiao He for a while, before Xiao He could speak, the man spoke first.

"Your name is Xu Yuan, right? I think we can talk."

......

Inside the flower shop.

Xiao He and the man who called himself "Spider" sat facing each other at a table.

The man looked at Xiao He and said coldly, "That's the situation. Do you think you can accept it?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao He did not rush to answer, but fell silent.

According to the man, he came from an organization within the alliance called the Night Demons, and he himself was a Night Demon Master within that organization.

Within the Night Watchers, each Night Watcher only has a code name, not a real name, because some of their strange abilities are so unique that once they know your real name, you might suddenly die one day.

The man in front of him was codenamed "Spider." As for why he used this codename, Xiao He guessed that either the man liked spiders very much, or the man's abilities were similar to those of spiders.

As for the other party's purpose in coming to see Xiao He... strictly speaking, the other party wasn't really looking for him, but rather...

Xiao He glanced at the pile of rotten petals on the ground, then at the blood flower seed on the table.

He sighed and thought to himself.

Although this thing was useless to him, it was somehow related to "resurrection," so it's no wonder it attracted a Nightshade Master from the Alliance.

However, according to the other party, it was actually the higher-ups who discovered that this thing might be related to a cult of superstition, so they sent him to Binhai City to establish a branch of the Night Demon Division while secretly investigating the origin of this thing.

"Another cultist."

When he heard the other party mention the Trickster Cult, Xiao He couldn't help but think of the magician he had met in the Misty World, and his emotions suddenly stirred: "I wonder if this Blood Flower Seed is also his doing."

There may be more than one cultist, but in Binhai City, the only cultist Xiao He encountered was the magician.

Of course, Xiao He didn't tell the spider-man about this.

As for what the other party asked him to consider, it wasn't about how to die, but rather... whether or not to join the Night Demon Division in Binhai City and become a Night Demon Master.

When the Spider-Man entered, he only glanced at the chaotic battlefield and instantly guessed what had happened. After all, the only way to kill one of the monsters was to kill another monster.

Perhaps seeing that Xiao He had remained silent for so long, the spider-man looked up at Xiao He and said calmly, "I know you might not be able to accept this last request, but you must remember one thing..."

The spider-man's gaze sharpened slightly.

"You are a criminal."