Prohibit Certain Players from Contacting the Dungeon NPC!

Chapter 29: West Private High School

Pei Qingye had complete faith in the master he'd hired; after the master declared there was a ghost in his room, that faith solidified into unshakeable belief.

Pei Qingye nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent, Master.  Catch the ghost in my room and bring it before me.  I want to see it."

Master: "..."

He was a Taoist priest, not a mage, and a charlatan at that. Wasn't this deliberately making things difficult for him?

Pei Qingye held a bank card between his fingers, exuding wealth. "This card has seventy thousand.  After you're done, I'll transfer the remaining thirty thousand."

The master's smile instantly became obsequious. He snatched the card, stuffing it into his pocket. "Sir, I will, of course, fulfill your request.  Even if it means destroying it on the spot, I can do that."

Pei Qingye frowned. "Just do as I say. Don't hurt it."

Mu Miao was furious, guessing his intentions. His gaze turned hateful. "So, you want to capture me alive!"

He angrily turned away, hugging his knees, sulking. He wished he'd gone to the crematorium last night; now he didn't know how long Pei Qingye would keep him.

After sulking for a while, Mu Miao deliberately floated in front of the master, even poking his finger into his eye. The master remained unmoved, his eyes fixed on his benefactor.

"So, he's a fraud," Mu Miao thought, lightly leaping to the master's side as he began his ritual.

The master pulled out incense, talismans, and statues—all seemingly authentic.

Just as Mu Miao thought he might have some skill, the Taoist priest produced a Buddha statue, a crucifix, and a picture of Jesus…

Not only Mu Miao was stunned, but Pei Qingye also sensed something was wrong.

Noticing his benefactor's confusion, the master chuckled nervously. "Well, you know, it's always good to have more skills.  By worshipping multiple gods, if one is too busy, another can step in.  It's foolproof."

Mu Miao, Pei Qingye: "..."

It was absurd, yet it strangely made sense.

Mu Miao was sure Pei Qingye had been scammed.  Rich people were indeed foolish and had too much money.  What made him happiest was finding someone even stupider than himself.

He'd have to tell his brothers about this later, letting them know that there were plenty of people in the world even more foolish than him.

The master began his performance, chanting unintelligible incantations and moving around the room in strange steps, several times passing right through Mu Miao.

Time ticked by, and the master's face grew anxious, sweat dripping down his face.

Pei Qingye grew impatient. "How much longer?"

Suddenly, the master stamped his foot, shouting in the opposite direction from Mu Miao, "Show yourself!"

Then, with an impassive expression, he began a mime performance, pointing to the corner. "Young Master, the ghost is right there."

Mu Miao, sitting on a chair at the desk, followed his finger, unable to suppress his laughter, eventually laughing hysterically. "Pei Qingye, this guy is unreliable.  A million gone!"

Pei Qingye's face darkened. He glared at the master, kicking over the chair. "Are you treating me like a fool?!"

Mu Miao, sitting on the chair, was unexpectedly affected, falling to the ground. Although ghosts feel little physical pain, the shock was considerable, tears welling up in his beautiful eyes.

Mu Miao patted his bottom and got up. "What a rude person."

He found a spot far from Pei Qingye, pouting.

The master, grabbed by Pei Qingye, shrank his head, his smile more pathetic than a cry. "But Young Master, you can't see ghosts with your eyes. He was clearly there; I wouldn't dare deceive you."

Pei Qingye was taller and larger than the master, his arm muscles bulging slightly, capable of knocking out three or four masters with one punch.

Pei Qingye laughed angrily. "I spent a million to watch you perform 'The Emperor's New Clothes'? Are you going to say next that only intelligent people can see the ghost?"

The master was close to tears. "That… that's not impossible.  High intelligence means high spiritual awareness, increasing the chance of seeing ghosts…"

Under Pei Qingye's murderous gaze, the master's voice grew quieter, finally managing a strained smile.

Pei Qingye breathed heavily, pointing at the master's nose. "Good, very good. You're subtly mocking my low intelligence?!"

He kicked the master in the stomach. The master cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Pei Qingye, for the first time, had been completely fooled and looked down upon; his anger boiled over, and he unleashed his fury on the master.

The master was no match for Pei Qingye and could only beg for mercy. "Oh, don't hit me anymore! You'll kill me! Help! Help! Young Master, I'm sorry! I really am!"

Mu Miao watched, amused, clapping his hands.

The master, receiving no help, apologized to Pei Qingye. "I'll return your money; please stop… I… I can make you see the ghost. I'm telling the truth this time, really!"

The master, bruised and battered, swore he was telling the truth.

"You dare deceive me again?" Pei Qingye didn't believe him, his fist aimed at the master's face. "Do I look so easy to fool? Do you think I'm a three-year-old?! You dared to do it once, and you try again?"

The master urgently assured him, "This is true.  I only learned from my master how to make people see ghosts. That's true!"

Pei Qingye learned his lesson. "Then I want to ask, since you have this ability, can you really see ghosts?"

"I can't," the master, subdued, confessed. Seeing Pei Qingye's fist coming again, he covered his head. "I can't see them, but that doesn't mean I can't make others see them. I'm just afraid of ghosts, so I haven't used that ability."

Pei Qingye: "..."

He'd hired a Taoist priest who was afraid of ghosts.  This was truly unbelievable.

Fearing Pei Qingye wouldn't believe him, the master pulled a wooden box from his clothes, grabbed Pei Qingye's shoulder, and a flame appeared in his hand, which he placed in the box.

The master quickly said, "Look now. You can see the ghost now. See for yourself!"

Pei Qingye looked up and saw another figure in the room, a familiar yet strangely unfamiliar person appearing in his sight.

Pei Nuo was still wearing a plain white t-shirt, his posture almost the same as when he was alive.  But his head was raised, his delicate face openly displayed, his bright eyes no longer gloomy.

Pei Qingye faced this "Pei Nuo" for the first time. The image in his past memories was blurry, and he began to doubt whether this ghost was Pei Nuo. He had never seen Pei Nuo like this.

Mu Miao was watching Pei Qingye beat up the fraud with interest, but Pei Qingye suddenly stood up, his intense gaze fixed on him.

Mu Miao initially thought it was a coincidence, but Pei Qingye stared for too long, making him uncomfortable. He slowly floated to another side.

Simultaneously, Pei Qingye's gaze followed his movement, striding toward him, a smile playing on his lips. "Pei Nuo, I see you."

"Ah—"

The master let out a scream and ran out, shouting, "There's really a ghost!"

Mu Miao no longer had time to watch the master; he was in danger himself.  Facing Pei Qingye's approach, he stepped back. "H-how can you see me?"

Pei Qingye pointed behind him with his thumb. "That idiot did it."

Mu Miao was about to cry.  He knew the master would cause trouble, but Pei Qingye was almost in front of him. Mu Miao looked around, trying to escape without touching Pei Qingye.

But he was cornered.  Pei Qingye stood there, and Mu Miao felt like a lamb cornered by a wolf.

Mu Miao panicked for a moment but remembered his identity, straightening his back and pretending to be fierce. "Don't come closer. I'm a ghost, a very scary ghost. I'll scare you to death!"

But with his soft, baby-faced appearance, his threat was ineffective, more likely to amuse than frighten.

Pei Qingye not only didn't retreat but continued to approach, getting closer and closer. "Scary? How scary? Are you going to dismember me, keep me up all night, or push me in front of a truck when I cross the road?"

Pei Qingye imagined various ways to die, listing them for Mu Miao to choose from.

Mu Miao was stunned. His job was to guide souls to reincarnation, not to kill. He didn't know much about killing.  "Why do you know so much about killing? A-are you a psychopathic killer?"

Mu Miao had encountered many psychopathic souls, their thoughts incomprehensible and terrifying.  His past injuries were also inflicted by humans, so he always avoided such people.

Mu Miao's face turned pale, his fingers curled, his body trembling slightly.

Pei Qingye didn't notice his change, readily admitting, "Yes, I am."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Miao suddenly lunged forward, his transparent body passing through Pei Qingye's, and he leaped out the window.

Pei Qingye's pupils constricted; he ran to the window, peering anxiously outside.

Mu Miao hung in mid-air, looking utterly dejected.  His body hadn't been cremated, and an invisible thread seemed to connect him to it. Now, that thread was hanging him outside the window.

Mu Miao: "QAQ!"

The wind was strong. He would never carelessly jump out of a window again.

Mu Miao eventually returned to Pei Qingye's room, looking dejected. Pei Qingye sat on the bed, watching him with an amused expression. "Why are you back? Weren't you quite capable? You even dared to jump from the second floor."

His voice contained an unintentional hint of worry and annoyance.

Mu Miao sat listlessly beside his ice coffin, ignoring him.

001: 【Tell him now that his body must be cremated, or his soul will disappear along with the decaying corpse.】

Mu Miao's long eyelashes trembled.  【But 001, that's a lie.】

001: 【Then lie! Do you want to leave or not?】

Mu Miao pursed his lips, looking up at Pei Qingye.

Pei Qingye lay on the bed, legs crossed. "Speak. What is it?"

Mu Miao, feeling guilty, relayed 001's words to Pei Qingye. Pei Qingye's expression grew serious. He looked at the boy anxiously tugging at his clothes. "Not cremating will have such serious consequences?"

Mu Miao, feeling guilty, nervously tugged at his clothes. "Yes, so you need to take me to be cremated quickly, or my soul will dissipate."

Mu Miao spoke without confidence; Pei Qingye disliked him so much, he probably hoped his soul would vanish.

"Fine, I'll have someone take you now."

Pei Qingye quickly got up and went downstairs to call the butler to prepare the car.

Even after getting into the car, Mu Miao felt unreal, the ghost feeling dazed.

Pei Qingye frowned, touching his forehead, his hand passing right through. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"Ah?" Mu Miao looked up, confused. Unwell? Why should he feel unwell?

001 had experience. 【Say you feel unwell.】

Mu Miao drooped his eyes, listlessly nodding. "Yes, I feel unwell."

Pei Qingye watched him, his spirit deflated after having been so lively. His heart felt a pang, and he instructed the driver, "Drive faster."

The driver, noticing his displeasure, nodded and stepped on the gas.

People died every day in Yun City, and the crematorium was busy. Pei Qingye's status ensured special treatment.

Mu Miao wasn't sure how Pei Qingye had special privileges at the crematorium. Had their family's business expanded to the funeral industry?

Mu Miao pondered this only briefly because he had more important matters at hand—he was about to be free!

The body was placed on the conveyor belt, pushed into the fire, and heavy weights pressed down.  The furnace door slammed shut, obscuring the view inside.

Mu Miao felt significantly lighter; the thread connecting him to the body had vanished. He glanced at Pei Qingye, who was still staring at the furnace, and seized the opportunity to escape.

Pei Qingye looked at the cold iron door. When "Mu Miao's" body was pushed into the fire, he felt a chill run down his spine, his thoughts seeming to freeze.

After a few minutes, he wiped the sweat from his hair. "Pei Nuo, is it better now?"

There was no response.

Pei Qingye frowned, looking around. The large cremation room was empty except for him and other unfamiliar ghosts.

Pei Qingye searched, unable to find Mu Miao, and asked an old ghost who had been there for a long time, "Have you seen a very handsome ghost? Chestnut hair, white t-shirt, looks very well-behaved and cute, came in with me."

The old man looked blank. "You… can see me?"

Pei Qingye: "Yes, so can you tell me if you've seen him?"

The old man spoke slowly, his voice filled with age. "That child… I saw him. He left just now, looking very happy."

"But it's also true; once the body is burned, the soul is free. Unlike old men like me, even after death, there's nowhere to go."

The old man sighed and drifted away.

Pei Qingye quickly saw through Mu Miao's lie. He lowered his eyelids, his eyes filled with an obscure emotion. He gritted his teeth. "Good, very good, very good indeed! Pei Nuo, you're quite daring, deceiving even me."