Chapter 197: The Initial Deal
What in the world is that blood-colored eyeball? Yang Haoran has no idea, as this eyeball was given to him by Zhong Siyu.
In the beginning, Yang Haoran went to great lengths to become a Night Watch, gaining powers that ordinary people don't possess. He relentlessly pestered Master Jiang and finally earned his recommendation.
However, becoming a Night Watch wasn't as simple as Master Jiang's assistance; he had to undergo a test – spending a night in the ghost building to prove his courage.
Only by staying a night in the ghost building and emerging alive could one qualify to become a Night Watch.
Although Yang Haoran was scared at the time, he entered, fortified by a gulp of courage-inducing white wine.
That night, he experienced things inside the ghost building that outsiders remain unaware of, but for him, it was a memorable, unforgettable experience.
As soon as he entered the ghost building, he faced scares and taunts from the undead. Despite drinking a fair amount of white wine, its effects didn't kick in during that short time. Coupled with his substantial tolerance for alcohol, he didn't succumb to fear just because of the alcohol.
Undoubtedly, he was frightened at first, singing and cursing to bolster his courage. Yet, these tactics were only marginally effective.
However, as time passed, he became numb to the fear, aided by the influence of the alcohol. The initial terror in his heart diminished considerably.
Of course, this reduction was relative; he still felt considerable fear, just not to the point of being terrified.His only thought at the time was to persist until dawn and then leave the ghost building. If he avoided looking and thinking about it, perhaps the inner fear could be alleviated.
That was his mindset and how he acted. However, Zhong Siyu's appearance nearly resulted in him being trapped in the ghost building.
However, instead of killing him, Zhong Siyu let him pass the test. Not because he was handsome – he had no connection to the word "handsome" – but because they made a deal.
Because Yang Haoran agreed to this deal, he was able to leave the ghost building alive.
This deal required Yang Haoran to do something for Zhong Siyu. If he agreed, he passed the test; if not, he would die in the ghost building.
Given the circumstances, the choice was obvious if one wanted to survive. Yang Haoran was no exception; without a second thought, he immediately made his choice.
Of course, he chose to agree. After all, preserving his life came first; as for whether he could fulfill Zhong Siyu's request, how would he know if he had never heard of it?
After Yang Haoran agreed, Zhong Siyu revealed what she wanted him to do.
Coincidentally, Zhong Siyu's request was surprisingly similar to the one later made by Duda.
Duda wanted Yang Haoran to find a way to bring Deng Feng into the ghost building within a month and make Deng Feng fight Zhong Siyu inside the building for his own benefit.
Zhong Siyu's request to Yang Haoran was relatively simpler – he just had to find a way to bring Deng Feng into the ghost building, with no time constraints.
To save his own life, Yang Haoran had no choice but to accept.
After becoming a Night Watch, Yang Haoran didn't follow Zhong Siyu's request. The reason was straightforward – Zhong Siyu wanted him to bring Deng Feng into the ghost building, a clear intention to harm Deng Feng.
He was a Night Watch, a member of the Yin Division, while Zhong Siyu was a ghost. Their identities and positions were different; how could he help a ghost harm his own people?
Besides, Deng Feng had no grudges against him; Deng Feng had bestowed upon him powers ordinary people didn't have. He couldn't bring himself to harm Deng Feng.
Initially, he thought about informing Deng Feng to keep him informed and prevent potential troubles. However, after careful consideration, he abandoned this idea.
Zhong Siyu had a cooperative relationship with Deng Feng, and if he revealed this to Deng Feng, Deng Feng might not believe him. Even if Deng Feng believed him, it could create negative consequences – compromising with ghosts was not an honorable act. Would Deng Feng be happy if he agreed to join forces with a ghost against his own boss?
The answer was undoubtedly no. Given Yang Haoran's character, he wouldn't engage in such foolish behavior.
Moreover, there was another important reason. He was afraid that Zhong Siyu's request was a deliberate temptation, with the real purpose being to make him inform Deng Feng. Then, he would wait for Deng Feng to confront him, aligning with Zhong Siyu's intentions. Although it was just a speculation, it wasn't entirely baseless.
Due to these considerations, Yang Haoran did not follow Zhong Siyu's request, and gradually, he put this matter out of his mind.
Initially, Yang Haoran didn't have much of a negative impression of Deng Feng because he had limited interactions with him. However, with Xu Meijing's warning, Yang Haoran became more vigilant and wary of Deng Feng. At that time, though, he still had no intention of harming Deng Feng.
Later, Spirit Master Du Xiao appeared, followed by his master Duda, and then Deng Feng promised to remove the soul-scattering needle for him. All these events made Yang Haoran sense Deng Feng's ill intentions.Suffering from the soul-scattering needle, he knew his death was inevitable. However, he didn't want to die so easily; even if he had to die, he wanted to bring others down with him.
Coincidentally, one of Duda's demands was to bring Deng Feng into the ghost building, aligning with his deal with Zhong Siyu. So, he decided to direct a play – a play that would make Duda, Deng Feng, and Zhong Siyu willingly jump into the plot!
To avoid raising suspicion from Deng Feng and Duda, he didn't set foot inside the ghost building during this month, not even getting close. He couldn't be certain if his actions were under surveillance, and if exposed, the entire act would collapse.
While he refrained from entering the ghost building, Deng Feng and Duda both went inside separately to find Zhong Siyu. Deng Feng entered first, and Zhong Siyu was excited – she credited Yang Haoran for Deng Feng's entrance, not forgetting their previous deal.
Indeed, Yang Haoran played a role in Deng Feng entering the ghost building, but his decision was forced, not solely to fulfill the deal with Zhong Siyu.
Zhong Siyu was unaware of this; to her, Deng Feng entering the ghost building meant her objective was achieved.
Initially, she intended to confront Deng Feng directly, but Deng Feng proposed cooperation, asking her to play a part in a staged act. He promised evil spirits as compensation afterward.
Zhong Siyu wasn't interested in Deng Feng's verbal promises. Compared to that, she preferred freedom. Killing Deng Feng would grant her freedom.
Zhong Siyu wanted to eliminate Deng Feng because he had placed a seal on her ghost building. With this seal, she couldn't leave the building. Deng Feng's seal was potent and strengthened periodically when he appeared outside the ghost building, reinforcing the seal.
As a malevolent spirit, Zhong Siyu's power was formidable, but the seal exerted significant restraint on her abilities. She couldn't forcibly break the intact seal.
With her strength, the only way to break the seal was to kill Deng Feng. Killing Deng Feng would weaken the seal, making it easier for her to break it.
For this reason, Zhong Siyu was determined to get rid of Deng Feng.
She had little interest in Deng Feng's verbal promises. However, when Deng Feng mentioned that Duda would also come to cooperate with her, she abandoned the idea of immediately dealing with Deng Feng.
Whether she could gain benefits from Deng Feng was uncertain, but with Duda, she could definitely gain substantial advantages.
Obtaining significant benefits, Zhong Siyu wouldn't refuse.
Moreover, with Duda's involvement, dealing with Deng Feng might be much simpler. Perhaps, she could handle both of them together.
Considering these factors, Zhong Siyu didn't act against Deng Feng immediately but agreed to cooperate in the staged act.
Deng Feng didn't deceive her; soon enough, Duda approached her, requesting her cooperation in a staged act and offering generous rewards.
Without refusal, Zhong Siyu, after some feigned reluctance, agreed to Duda's proposal and accepted the rewards.
Both parties agreed, but Zhong Siyu had no intention of genuinely cooperating with them. She not only wanted to kill Deng Feng but also desired Duda's guardian yin spirit and his powerful spirit abilities. So, she decided to play both sides, using the staged act as a cover, eliminating them one by one to achieve her goals.
Tonight, Yang Haoran finally entered the ghost building. Zhong Siyu didn't give him a hard time, feeling grateful for his assistance. After Master Jiang and others appeared, just as Yang Haoran was about to leave the second floor, she approached him voluntarily.
She believed Yang Haoran could still be useful in tonight's act. To ensure safety, she decided to leave herself a backup.
She said a simple, direct, and irrefutable sentence to Yang Haoran and gave him a mysterious blood-red eyeball.
"When I tell you to swallow it, you must swallow it immediately."