What do you mean I'm a ghost story?

Chapter 57 Objects in the Mirror

"Well, ghost stories have actually been around for quite some time, but they were rare before, and only recently have they become increasingly prevalent."

Seeing that Xia Qing seemed to know nothing, Ling Shuang didn't mind giving her a little explanation.

"Oh? It existed before? How did you handle it before?"

Xia Qing was a little curious.

"Ghost stories originate from the collective unconscious fear of dreams, so they cannot be eradicated. All we can do is suppress them, reduce their spread, and weaken their power and the number of new ghost stories."

Ling Shuang said, "In the West, the basic approach to prevent such occurrences is guidance. It's better to guide than to block. Since it's unavoidable for them to appear, we guide the direction of these strange tales towards entities that can be physically destroyed and sealed off, like serial killers."

"What about us?"

Xia Qing pressed for an answer.

"The Western approach doesn't work at all in the Asian cultural sphere, especially in our Xia Kingdom, because our history is so long and there are so many folk customs and strange legends."

Ling Shuang sighed.

Xia Qing nodded in understanding upon hearing this.

The Xia Kingdom is filled with countless ghost stories and folk legends, each more bizarre than the last.

Moreover, these are deeply rooted in the culture, like memes, and can be spread through word of mouth or even subtly without needing to be written down.

In this situation, wind direction guidance is definitely useless.

"so……"

Without Ling Shuang saying a word, Xia Qing already knew what they had done.

It's better to guide than to block, but since we can't guide, we can only block.

In short: a one-size-fits-all approach.

"Therefore, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was not allowed for beings to become spirits."

Ling Shuang finished speaking in a serious tone, and then she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"So this is also your doing. No wonder domestic horror movies have become bad movies."

Xia Qing was speechless: "So you didn't even know about the police station in order to stop the spread of the ghost story? Then how did you recognize me and tell me my information so quickly?"

“The grassroots level basically doesn’t know anything, and even we ordinary logistics staff don’t know much about the real situation. We’re taking the elite route.”

As Ling Shuang spoke, she shook her head again: "As for your case, although the grassroots level is unaware of it, we have actually been monitoring the case records and know about it."

"Then why haven't you contacted me?"

Xia Qing was puzzled.

"Firstly, as I just mentioned, most of our manpower has entered the Nightmare Domain. Secondly, the mind-controller you encountered actually has a very low danger assessment and would not normally be fatal. Therefore, it is a low priority and we will focus on surveillance and investigation for the time being."

Ling Shuang explained.

Xia Qing frowned and interrupted, "Not fatal? What happened to Zhang Xu then?"

He did recall that when Viper impersonated an official, he did say that the Nightmare's danger assessment was not high.

Normally, to gain credibility, just like the name 'relevant department', they wouldn't lie in such an insignificant and easily exposed place.

However, Zhang Xu suffered a cerebral hemorrhage...

Wait a minute? Could Zhang Xu really have just suffered a brain hemorrhage?

"Didn't I just say that, in addition to becoming stronger through eating, ghost stories can also become stronger through spreading them?"

Ling Shuang guessed roughly what Xia Qing meant and shook her head, saying:
"The mind-controller you encountered is the kind that is highly intelligent and extremely secretive. It has no direct offensive power and only spreads itself secretly by bewitching people's minds. If handled properly, it will not cause any casualties. On the contrary, rash actions will provoke it to fight to the death. However, ordinary methods cannot kill it."

As she spoke, she continued, "In fact, this is part of the reason why we don't contact you. Many of the 'Mind-Benders' have records of deliberately using their puppets to report crimes and then infiltrating law enforcement agencies and even the lower-level staff in our department."

"So, you've mistaken me for a puppet that the nightmare uses to fish?"

Xia Qing immediately understood Ling Shuang's meaning and was somewhat speechless.

"Ordinary people simply cannot escape the control of those who bewitch their minds on their own."

Ling Shuang only gave a response that left Xia Qing speechless.

Indeed, based on his personal experience, it is virtually impossible for a normal person to escape the kind of bewitching that alters memories on their own.

"Making contact at that time would have really ruined you. The best solution is to wait for an investigator with available time to kill the mind-controller in one fell swoop. Until then, even investigation and surveillance must be carried out with extreme caution."

Ling Shuang nodded.

Xia Qing also expressed her understanding of this, as the intelligence of the Nightmare Bewitching is no different from that of an ordinary person, and it can directly bewitch people's minds to obtain information.

Anyone with even a little counter-surveillance awareness can easily detect surveillance, and in that case, a single command could force the puppet under their control to commit suicide in a desperate situation.

This is similar to human traffickers; what's truly important and threatening is the people they control, not the traffickers themselves.

We can't condemn them outright, so we must be mindful of their willingness to fight to the death.

"So what if I asked my neighbors to call the police together?"

Xia Qing then asked another question.

"Think about it, you were once an ordinary person, yet you managed to kill a ghost story. Is that normal?"

"Is it normal for a puppet, or even a bunch of puppets in the Mindbreaker's lair, to raise the alarm?"

"While I was investigating, you've already gotten involved with Viper and his gang. Is that normal?"

Ling Shuang asked three questions in a row, her voice soft and melancholic.

"It seems...something is definitely not normal."

Xia Qing was speechless.

From Ling Shuang's perspective, none of the three identities she has—puppet, unknown tale traveler, and Viper's accomplice—are those of a normal person.

The reason Ling Shuang hid in the shadows earlier was probably to watch the dogs fight each other. Later, seeing that the two sides were hostile and that she wanted to prevent the Mirror Demon from advancing, she finally showed herself.

In fact, even now, he would probably consider himself suspicious in his eyes.

After all, although his martial arts skills were not yet superhuman, they were already beyond the comprehension of most people.

Because it only attaches to objects, Viper and Ling Shuang probably mistook it for some kind of enhanced Nightmare Artifact, but the origin of this Nightmare Artifact is also a question.

Therefore, it is obvious that even now, in Ling Shuang's eyes, he is probably still a mysterious and suspicious folk tale traveler.

Hmm... maybe I should add the word "newbie" to it, since I asked quite a few questions that should just be common sense.

However, if there is any real suspicion, it will definitely be investigated afterward; it's impossible to be foolish enough to ask directly to the person in question.

Fortunately, we had at least gone through life and death together, and my words and actions had been witnessed by everyone, so my impression in their minds shouldn't be too bad.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have given him this information and agreed to cooperate in helping him find another ghost story.

"I'm leaving now. I need to notify my superiors to send someone over to finish things up. Let's exchange contact information. We can talk later if there are any other issues."

Ling Shuang had recovered by then and had no intention of staying any longer. She said goodbye, exchanged contact information, and then prepared to leave.

Xia Qing also showed no intention of staying any longer. She simply shouldered her halberd and left the villa.

however……

"What are you doing here? Please show me your identification..."

Xia Qing had just walked out of the villa area and was using a delivery app to call a limousine to go home.

As a result, while waiting for the bus, they were stopped by two police officers.

Seeing his gleaming, clearly sharpened halberd, their vigilance immediately increased.

"...Would you believe me if I said I used it to attend comic conventions?"

Xia Qing, who should have been triumphant and full of confidence, suddenly froze and coughed.

"A prop? You even sharpen a prop?"

One of the police officers was suspicious.

Another officer twitched his nose, leaned closer to sniff the halberd, and immediately his expression changed: "The smell of blood!"

"Wait! I can explain! I'm a law-abiding citizen, officer!"

Xia Qing immediately threw down his halberd and raised his hands high.

Could it be that my path to becoming a martial saint has not even begun, yet I am destined to perish prematurely due to being disarmed by the police?
"Wait, um, you two, I can explain. This is my colleague. It's a special mission, please understand. I will explain it to the bureau."

Just as Xia Qing was inwardly groaning, Ling Shuang drove out and couldn't help but laugh when she saw Xia Qing's appearance. She quickly got out of the car and stepped forward to explain, handing over an ID.

The two officers checked the identification, conducted a thorough inspection and communication, and then left without further harassment after receiving instructions from their superiors.

"Thanks."

Xia Qing was speechless and helpless for a moment, and finally thanked him.

"No, it should be."

Ling Shuang had a slight, suppressed laugh on her face.

Thinking of how imposing he was when he faced the Mirror Demon.

Comparing this to his appearance when he was almost disarmed on the spot by two police officers, the difference and incongruity are strangely amusing.

Of course, it wasn't a mocking laugh.

On the contrary, I find it somewhat...cute?
After all, this at least shows that it is a benevolent entity that is extremely law-abiding and not acting recklessly.

Otherwise, with his power, he could do whatever he wants with just a wave of his hand.

In this way, there are fewer concerns and hidden dangers about cooperating with them and providing them with some intelligence.

"Laugh if you want."

Xia Qing shrugged.

"Would you like me to give you a ride home?"

Seeing Xia Qing's generous demeanor, Ling Shuang stopped laughing and became serious, inviting Xia Qing to get into the car.

"No need, I've already called a car, and besides, there's no room here."

Xia Qing gestured to his halberd.

This thing is over three meters long, so it's really troublesome to carry around. Unless you put it on the roof of the car, it's not easy to even put it inside the car.

He always calls a freight truck when he comes, and he just called this one too.

"Okay, I'll leave first."

After hearing Xia Qing's refusal, Ling Shuang didn't linger. She waved goodbye and then drove away.

Before long, Xia Qing, who had been waiting for the car, finally got home safely.

After dealing with his mother Zhou Ying's worried inspection, he lay back on his bed in the bedroom and took the time to examine the Mirror Demon's essence that he had previously obtained.

“Normally, since it’s a mirror demon, the most suitable thing would be a mirror. However, Ling Shuang also said that the effect of a nightmare artifact is greatly affected by the carrier…”

Xia Qing examined the Nightmare Origin and quickly made a decision about its use.

The most basic and wasteful method is to integrate it into the previous Bewitchment card, absorbing only its original power to enhance the Bewitchment card.

However, this would negate the original source's inherent effects. It might work for a source that's not very useful, but using it on a source like the Mirror Demon, whose abilities are extremely unique, would be a waste.

Xia Qing's original plan was to get a suit of armor or similar protective gear, and after fusion, he might be able to gain the ability to reflect ranged weapons like the Mirror Demon.

However, the Nightmare Artifact is not as powerful as the original version; it is often significantly weakened.

It might create a reflective effect, but it could be very weak, and it's uncertain whether it can even reflect a bullet.

Originally, this would have been one of his main options.

However, the cotton body he comprehended through Tai Chi changed his mind.

Since they're all bulletproof, you can shield yourself from impacts with your own body and wear heavy armor or bulletproof protective gear on the outside, so you won't lack physical defense.

If you're going to turn armor into a nightmare weapon, you should enhance it in other ways; simply reflecting low-powered ranged projectiles is unnecessary.

Moreover, compared to the other abilities of the Mirror Demon, this reflection is actually the least useful to him.

"Let's stick with titanium cards. If they can copy cards, even just copying cards, I can still play 'All Cards Return to One'..."

"And there are also card games, like those that summon characters. Since ghost stories originate from legends, they should also have some use..."

The main Nightmare Artifacts are related to the properties and materials of the carrier itself. The only valuable items he has are the titanium cards and the Fangtian Halberd.

The Mirror Demon's abilities are clearly not a good match for the Fangtian Halberd.

Xia Qing didn't treat this as a matter of life and death, which was just an added bonus. After a little thought, she incorporated it into a titanium card.

"It was this!"

The origin of nightmares is that they first merge into the spirit and then separate and merge into the object. The two will establish a certain bond and connection, so Xia Qing immediately noticed its effects.

A look of unexpected surprise appeared in their eyes.

Because what appeared in this Mirror Demon card was neither reflection nor copying.

But...

Xia Qing casually tossed the card in her hand onto the halberd she was leaning against in the corner of her bedroom.

A faint light flashed, and the halberd that had been lying there vanished without a trace.

Xia Qing raised her hand again, recalling the light card and holding it between her fingertips.

Flip.

On the card, the image of a halberd is lifelike, its cold light sharp and piercing.

　Thank you to Echoing Sun for the 5,000 points! And thank you to Brilliant Island and gadnka for their donations too!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)