Chapter 51: The Eldest Son, He Nian

Chapter 51: Eldest Son He Nian

Returning to everyday life, Duan Ming naturally resumed his primary identity: a well-behaved student.

He was indeed a good student with decent grades. According to the original plan of the person who transmigrated here, he would study hard upon entering the realm for the first time, strive to get into a good university, and ensure he never had anything to do with the Ghost Realm again.

But things were different now.

The little buddies in the Ghost Realm were so fun to play with, and their words sounded so pleasant. Going to the Ghost Realm felt just like returning home to Duan Ming, whereas coming back to reality felt more like being on vacation.

Early in the morning, Duan Ming, currently on break, took his seat in the classroom ahead of time.

For this unified entry, their class was relatively fortunate; only about a quarter of the students failed to return. The most unusual instance was the "Wealthy Community" instance. Even though it terminated prematurely after just a single day, the mortality rate still caught up to the average of thirty percent.

The class monitor, Xu Kuang, and another male student assigned to the security department had both died in the Ghost Realm.

Looking at the sparsely seated familiar faces in the classroom, Duan Ming could not help feeling a twinge of sorrow.

At that moment, a figure appeared at the classroom door and then rushed in with intense excitement.

"Duan Ming!"

Duan Ming was slightly stunned, and a wave of wild joy surged in his heart.

"Son!"

The newcomer was named He Nian, Duan Ming's other childhood best friend besides Han Lingling. He had previously learned from Chen Feng that He Nian was also on the survivor list. Seeing him in the flesh now, his excitement was beyond words.

Among girls, there might be many affectionate nicknames expressing fondness—sisters, dear, sweetheart, and the like. But for every boy, there was only one option they desperately wanted to hear their friends call them: Daddy.

He Nian was the eldest son Duan Ming had been longing for.

He stood up to greet him and landed a fierce punch on the other's chest. "I didn't expect a bastard like you to still be alive."

He Nian dusted off his creased clothes with a swaggering aura, a Dragon King smirk curling the corner of his mouth. "Heh, you want your daddy's life? Those ghosts didn't even know what they were up against."

"What's that? Judging by your tone, you don't even take ghosts seriously? Did you just step in dog drool and reap benefits in a beginner's scenario?"

"What are you talking about? I earned this entirely through my own solid strength! The fact that He Nian has achieved what I have today is all thanks to my innate talent! Heh-heh, I might as well tell you, I've already been selected by the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. As long as I pass the test exam, I'll be eating the emperor's rations from now on."

Duan Ming scratched his butt. "Why does that sound so familiar?"

Then, his eyes widened instantly. "Wait, what did you say?! You're taking the Paranormal Investigation Bureau's test exam?!"

"Hey, jealous much?" He Nian familiarly hooked his arm around Duan Ming's shoulder. "Don't worry, from now on, you'll be considered someone with connections at the top. If anyone bullies you in the future, just tell Daddy, and Daddy will bring some ghosts to settle the score for you."

Duan Ming: "(○_○)"

"You even managed to contract a ghost spirit?!!"

He Nian instantly lowered his posture, his expression turning nervous. "Shh, don't be so loud. I don't have one yet, but I've already buttered him up. He said he'd consider it and give me an answer the next time we meet. My beginner's scenario only went smoothly thanks to the help of that ghost spirit brother."

Duan Ming began to squint and size He Nian up from top to bottom.

This guy looked utterly ordinary, wasn't particularly bright either, just a bit bulky. Exactly what part of him could possibly resonate with a ghost spirit?

Just as he was about to speak, a commotion suddenly broke out at the door.

"Wow, Wang Tao is here!"

"Ah! Wang Tao, it really is Wang Tao! I heard he obtained his own contracted ghost spirit in his very first scenario."

"That's not even the half of it, alright? You think it's just an ordinary contracted ghost spirit? The guy actually landed a genuine fierce-ghost-tier spirit! I heard an Awakened bigshot even took him out to hunt ghosts yesterday. He's definitely on track to join the Awakened Association."

"Sigh, I'm so envious. If the Ghost Realm's mortality rate weren't so high, who would willingly live this mundane life? If I could have a fierce-ghost-tier contracted ghost spirit, I'd turn the Ghost Realm upside down."

"Ha! I don't have ambitions that big. I heard that having a contracted ghost spirit gives you extra points on the college entrance exam! If it's a higher-grade spirit, top universities will personally come looking for you. For someone like Wang Tao with a fierce-ghost-tier spirit, the threshold of his home is probably about to be trampled flat by bigshots from top universities, right?"

The whispering followed Wang Tao all the way from the corridor into the classroom. With a faint smile plastered across his face the entire time, he walked at a leisurely pace, stretching a distance of barely twenty meters into a full five-minute stroll.

He Nian: "This guy has some serious mental issues."

Duan Ming: "Mhm."

Upon entering the classroom, Wang Tao spotted Duan Ming immediately and walked over with an evil smirk.

"Yo, if it isn't classmate Duan Ming. We parted in such a rush last time that I never got to properly thank you. If it weren't for those 4 million ghost coins of yours, I might not have gotten my contracted ghost spirit at all. Hahaha."

The words "4 million" were heavily emphasized.

Duan Ming's face was covered in question marks. "4 million ghost coins? That can get you a contracted ghost spirit? What on earth did you spend it on?"

Wang Tao didn't answer, gritting his teeth instead.

Are you kidding me? Should I tell you I spent it on buying lubricating oil? Damn it, if I hadn't been limited to just 4 million ghost coins, I could have bought something with even better lubricating effects!

Damn it! The more he thought about it, the angrier he got!

Hiss—just thinking about it made it hurt a little.

Just as he was about to flare up again, the two of them walked away unconcerned, as if nothing had happened.

He Nian: "Why'd you lend money to this moron?"

Duan Ming: "I didn't lend it, I extorted him. Well, actually, come to think of it, spending 4 million on a single ghost talisman paper was a bit of a rip-off. I've got a whole stack of them now."

He Nian: "Holy crap, no wonder he kept looking at me sideways and picking fights with the last few days! Should we find an opportunity to get the money back? Your kid has plenty of ghost-like tricks up your sleeve anyway."

Duan Ming: "Wouldn't that be a bit unprincipled?"

He Nian: "Has your kid ever been principled from childhood to now?"

Duan Ming: "What kind of talk is that..."

He Nian squinted sideways at him.

"Alright, alright, even if I really wasn't qualified to be one of the country's Top Ten Youths in the past, I've changed now. You might not know this, but I've taught quite a few delinquent ghost spirits about morality and legal knowledge in the Ghost Realm. They're so grateful to me."

"Besides, the business deal is already done, how can there be any reason to ask for the money back? However..."

"Don't you think it's reasonable for him to give me some gifts out of gratitude, seeing as I helped him acquire a contracted ghost spirit?"

He Nian was taken aback.

"Heh, heh-heh—" x2

Duan Ming had lowered his voice for this bit of whispering, but He Nian was born with a booming voice, instantly causing Wang Tao in the back to alternate between shades of blue and white.

"You two, stop right there!!!"

The two of them turned around.

"???"

Wang Tao fumed in utter exasperation for a long while, his fists clenched tight, his face flushed crimson, yet he took no action for the longest time.

"Is he mental?"

The two continued on their way.

Wang Tao only felt a suffocating block in his chest.

It wasn't that he didn't want to use the leering ghost to teach Duan Ming and He Nian a lesson. Although the leering ghost was nominally his contracted ghost spirit, their status wasn't equal. Unless he himself was facing mortal danger, whether the spirit struck or not depended entirely on its mood.

And clearly, they hadn't come to an agreement just now.

After a long while, he impotently roared at the top of his lungs, "You two just wait! Once I finish the Paranormal Investigation Bureau's test exam, I'm coming back to settle accounts with you both!!!"

Duan Ming and He Nian paused simultaneously.

He was taking the exam too?

Things were getting more and more interesting.