What do you mean I'm a ghost story?

Chapter 44 The action begins

Xia Qing didn't pay much attention at first, and after nodding slightly, she looked at the people sitting in the living room.

First was Viper, and then there was the burly man in camouflage whom I'd seen earlier that morning, with two men and a woman sitting next to him.

All five were dressed identically, in camouflage uniforms and bulletproof tactical vests, complete with helmets, goggles, and gas masks, though they were either holding them in their hands or placed beside them.

Then look at the bulging magazines and weapons peeking out from the tactical vest...

Xia Qing didn't consider these to be decorations.

These guys are armed to the teeth, with equipment comparable to that of the military or special police.

"It's a pity there wasn't enough time, otherwise I should have bought a bulletproof vest online..."

"I thought you guys would be into cultivating immortality or using superpowers, but you're actually using guns. You have no sportsmanship at all."

After glancing at the assault rifles in their hands and the pistols hanging on their bodies, Xia Qing couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

Firearms naturally possess a tremendous deterrent effect on modern people.

After all, this is the most well-known and, in a true sense, the weapon that has killed the most people.

This is especially true for the people of Xia, who have a complete ban on guns.

Fear comes from the unknown.

He didn't even touch a gun during military training when he was in school, so he didn't really have a concept of what a gun was.

They only knew of its danger and lethality through word of mouth.

"You're really planning to use this thing?"

While Xia Qing was sizing up Viper and his gang, Viper and his group were also sizing him up.

The camouflage-clad giant he had seen this morning looked even stranger, staring at the halberd in Xia Qing's hand with some surprise.

"Hahaha, what's going on? Is he planning to fight the ghost stories with melee weapons?"

The other two men and one woman burst out laughing when they heard what the camouflage-clad man said.

"Xia, what are you doing..."

Viper also looked unsure what to say, shaking his head: "Why don't you just pay the equipment fee? You're like this..."

"If I hand it over, can I get this equipment right away?"

Xia Qing pointed to their tactical suits and firearms.

If they really dare to give it to him, he wouldn't mind paying right now.

Unfortunately, since Viper and his gang had ill intentions, they naturally wouldn't actually give Xia Qing any guns.

"We could have given it to you today, but you asked us to return the money, so we don't have any extra to give you now."

As expected, Viper only offered some excuses: "If you hand it over now, we'll transfer you over immediately afterwards."

"Let's talk about it later. The money has already been transferred home. I can't exactly go back to get it, can I?"

Xia Qing also shrugged helplessly.

After he said that, the viper naturally couldn't say anything more.

Seeing that they wouldn't gain anything and that Xia Qingren was already here, they probably lost interest in putting on an act.

He didn't give Xia Qing any 'mission' information afterward, and just sat in the living room, waiting quietly.

Throughout the journey, Zhang Hai was busy serving tea and water, and occasionally offering cigarettes and fruits.

He was extremely enthusiastic towards Xia Qing as well.

Of course, this was clearly because of his status as an 'unofficial member' as Viper had mentioned.

It seems that Viper also contacted Zhang Hai in an official capacity.

Xia Qing was only one of the lucky ones, while Zhang Hai was mainly busy taking care of Viper and the other four.

After all, one is an unofficial member, and the other is a regular soldier.

Knowing who's in charge and who should be accompanied is something a moderately successful businessman like Zhang Hai knows perfectly well. "I'll wander around and see if I can find anything."

Seeing that Viper and the others were all waiting for the nightmare to appear, Xia Qing wasn't in a hurry and got up to wander around the villa.

The specific details and intelligence should have been obtained by Viper and his team when they first made contact.

Therefore, Zhang Hai couldn't possibly give him, an unofficial staff member, an extra explanation.

Try to get information out of Viper and his group, but just tell them to wait and we'll talk about it later.

So he had no choice but to see it himself.

However, the main thing is to check if there are any other accomplices of the viper lying in ambush nearby.

"Master Xia, it's you? You, you've finally arrived! I knew you couldn't be a fraud!"

After taking a quick look around the villa, Xia Qing was about to check the yard as well when she saw Grandpa Zhang, dressed in a hospital gown, excitedly walking towards her.

"Uncle Zhang, what's wrong?"

Xia Qing pointed to the hospital gown that Grandpa Zhang was wearing.

"About that night..."

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhang fell silent for a moment before sighing and saying, "That night, my granddaughter suddenly disappeared without a trace. I got so emotional that I fainted, and I just sneaked back from the hospital..."

"...Sorry, I just happened to bump into something else that looked similar that night."

Xia Qing didn't know what to say for a moment, so she could only remain silent and apologize.

"So, you really can deal with that kind of thing? And that thing really does exist, right?"

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhang became excited and grabbed Xia Qing's hand.

"I guess so, but it's not the kind of ghost or monster you're thinking of."

Xia Qing nodded truthfully, then shook her head and offered an explanation.

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter."

Grandpa Zhang was so excited that his hands and lips trembled, and his voice was dry and shaky: "Actually...actually, I saw it with my own eyes, my granddaughter was...swallowed by the bathroom mirror..."

"Then the officials came... I... They said I was mentally ill, and even suspected that I did it..."

He was incoherent and could barely utter a few complete sentences.

However, from just a few words, Xia Qing quickly pieced together the whole story.

That is, on the night he killed the Bewitching Nightmare, although Grandpa Zhang didn't see him, he still wanted to check the situation himself.

However, Zhang Hai didn't believe in ghosts and spirits, and he was still angry about Xia Qing's matter, so he didn't join in his father's "fooling around".

As a result, that very night, Mr. Zhang happened to witness his granddaughter sleepwalking again, and even saw her being swallowed into the mirror.

But Zhang Hai, who rushed over upon hearing the noise, saw nothing but him alone.

Then Viper and others impersonated official personnel and came to the door, refusing to acknowledge the existence of ghost stories and nightmares.

Instead, they spoke in the manner of a normal case, claiming it might be a kidnapping, or that the old man suffered from hysteria and did something to his granddaughter in a daze.

Zhang Hai naturally trusted the police more, and since the old man had indeed fainted from the shock, he took him directly to the hospital.

Even Mr. Zhang himself, under the dual conclusions of the official authorities and his own son, couldn't help but wonder if he really had a mental illness.

After all, compared to the supernatural and ghostly, this possibility is indeed more in line with science and the current universal worldview.

"Is that mirror still there? Could you take me to see it?"

Xia Qing frowned and pressed for an answer.

"Yes, yes, I originally wanted to break it, but I didn't because I thought my granddaughter might still be inside. I'll take you there, Master."

Grandpa Zhang immediately nodded repeatedly.

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(End of this chapter)