Chapter 30

"Is that ghost not coming anymore?"

Yang Jian stayed at home all night, not sleeping. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked very tired as he gazed in the direction of the front door.

The front door was not closed.

Because he wanted to see the ghost appear as soon as possible.

But things did not go as he had imagined.

"I can't keep waiting for the ghost to appear. If the ghost has already left and doesn't intend to come back, I would just be wasting my time. And time is very precious to me now."

Yang Jian rubbed his bloodshot eyes, trying to clear his mind and relax a bit.

Staying on edge all night like this would drive him mad.

"If I can't find the ghost in a short time, I need to have a backup plan." Yang Jian stood up from the sofa, took a shower, and packed his things to go out.

The backup plan was twofold: one, if he could survive, he would find a way to survive; and two, if he really had to die, he would need to earn some money for his parents to live on in the future.

With a backpack, Yang Jian walked out of the somewhat old residential building.

Looking up at the scorching sunlight outside, he felt a bit dizzy.

"But ghosts don't seem to fear sunlight." Yang Jian touched his hand, and the eye did not react abnormally.

This means that even during the day, a ghost could appear.

In folklore, ghosts only appear at night, but this belief seems to be overturned now.

It can only be said that the brightness of the day gives people a certain sense of security, making them less afraid.

"Boss, are you buying used phones?"

Yang Jian came to a small mobile phone repair shop on the street.

The shop owner glanced at him and said, "I don't buy old phones, only smartphones from the past two years."

Yang Jian sat down and said, "The phone in my hand is not for sale, but these are."

He took out the phones that Zhang Wei, Wang Shanshan, Zhao Lei, and others had discarded from his backpack.

"So many? Did you steal them?" The shop owner was taken aback, looking at the various models of smartphones with suspicion.

"They were given to me by friends. Besides, could you steal such new phones? Boss, give me a price. If it's reasonable, I'll sell them all to you." Yang Jian said.

The shop owner looked at them and confirmed they were all good. The phones were very new, with market prices ranging from two to three thousand, and the more expensive ones from seven to eight thousand.

"This one isn't worth much, I can only give you three hundred."

"This one is good, I'll give you a thousand. This one, thirteen hundred..." The shop owner estimated the prices.

At this moment, one of the phones on the counter suddenly rang.

Yang Jian glanced at it, and the screen showed: Dad.

Heaven knows which classmate's dad this was.

"The owner is calling, huh." The shop owner smiled. "If they come looking for it, I'll be in trouble. I can only give you five hundred for this phone."

He then tried to turn off the phone.

Yang Jian picked it up and answered, "It's not the owner calling, it's a friend's dad."

"Hello."

A middle-aged man's voice came from the other end, "Is this Yang Jian?"

"Yes, who is this?" Yang Jian asked.

"Indeed, Shanshan's phone is with you. I'm Wang Shanshan's father, Wang Bin. I have something to discuss with you. Is it convenient for you to meet me?"

"It's Uncle Wang. I have some things going on these days, and I'm quite busy, so it's not very convenient," Yang Jian said.

Wang Bin said, "It won't take much of your time. Where are you? I'll come pick you up."

"Uncle Wang, just tell me what it's about. I really have some things to do and can't leave for a while," Yang Jian said.

Wang Bin paused and said, "It's about my daughter Shanshan. Do you know what happened to her at school that day?"

"Has Wang Shanshan not told you about the ghost at school?" Yang Jian asked.

Ghost at school?

On the other end of the phone, Wang Bin was stunned for a moment.

Is there still such a ridiculous thing these days?

But Wang Bin didn't laugh. He thought of the school's lockdown and the strange things that had happened to his daughter Shanshan, and he felt there was indeed something unusual.

"Ghost at school? Do you high school students still believe in such things?" he asked with a hint of doubt.

"I didn't believe it before, but I do now," Yang Jian said. "What about Wang Shanshan? Has she encountered a ghost again?"

"Maybe it's just that her nerves are weak and she's easily scared. She always feels something is looking for her, following her... And Shanshan said you could help her."

"Something following her?" Yang Jian's eyes flickered, and he thought for a moment. "Is it a baby?"

Baby?

Wang Bin remembered the handprints in the bathroom, which were indeed baby handprints.

"Do you think there's a ghost in my house?"

Wang Bin said, "I'm asking you seriously, please don't take it lightly. Shanshan's condition is not good. If you know something, please tell me honestly. Of course, as a reward, I won't let you down."

He was a successful person and wouldn't believe in such nonsense.

Yang Jian pondered.

From Wang Bin's tone and attitude, it was clear that Wang Shanshan had indeed encountered a ghost.

It was likely the ghost baby that had escaped from the school.

But it didn't make sense.

Although the ghost baby was not as terrifying as the old man who knocked, Wang Shanshan was just an ordinary person. If she had really encountered it, she wouldn't be alive now.

Ghosts don't negotiate when they kill.

"Hey, can you hear me?" Wang Bin asked when he heard no response from Yang Jian.

Yang Jian came back to his senses and said, "I can solve Wang Shanshan's problem, but it's a very troublesome matter. Last time, I almost didn't survive saving your daughter. This time, I won't do it for free. So, Uncle Wang, what's your offer? How much are you willing to pay to solve this problem?"

Wang Bin was taken aback but quickly recovered and said, "If Shanshan can recover, I can give you two thousand privately. Of course, if you can't help my daughter, you won't get a penny."

He didn't expect this student, Yang Jian, to be so worldly, knowing how to charge for services.

His tone became much colder.

"Two thousand? I thought you'd say two hundred. Two thousand is too little. This is a dangerous matter, not as simple as you think. If I don't intervene, not only will Shanshan die, but maybe your whole family will. That thing doesn't show mercy when it kills," Yang Jian said.

To deal with the ghost baby, he would need to use the power of a powerful ghost.

This would accelerate the ghost's revival.

In other words, he would be risking his life to help.

Sacrificing himself to help others is like a candle.

Yang Jian needed to earn a labor fee. Besides, Wang Shanshan's family was relatively wealthy, while he was penniless.

"Five thousand, how about that?" Wang Bin replied.

"Uncle Wang, you don't seem to understand the market value of such matters. Abroad, solving a similar issue costs at least five million dollars. But I'm fair. Considering our classmate relationship, fifty thousand," Yang Jian said seriously.

"Damn, fifty thousand? Are you crazy? And you still talk about our classmate relationship?" Wang Bin, who usually had a good temper, couldn't help but lose his cool.

Yang Jian didn't get angry and laughed, "Uncle Wang, there's no need to get angry. For your family, fifty thousand is a bit painful, but you can afford it. After all, your house is worth at least four million. Let's end the call here. Think about it and get back to me soon."

"Because if it's too late, either Shanshan will die, or I will. I don't have much time left, and I have a mother to support. Earning this money is a matter of life and death. If it's too late, finding someone to help won't be as simple as just paying money. Also, don't call this number again. Call my other phone, which is free."

He then gave Wang Bin the satellite phone number and hung up.

"Friend, I'll give you five thousand for all these phones," the shop owner said.

Five thousand?

Yang Jian put down the phone and frowned, "So little? Are you joking, boss?"

"These phones aren't worth much. For example, this latest model is fake," the shop owner said. "Don't believe me? I'll show you."

He then disassembled the phone, and it was indeed fake.

Fake?

What a load of nonsense from this unscrupulous merchant.

Would Yang Jian not know if Zhang Wei's phone was real or fake?

Yang Jian's face darkened, "Boss, did you switch the phones while I was on the phone?"

"I run an honest business. How could I do such a thing? Your phone is clearly fake. If you don't want to sell it, take it back. I won't buy the other phones either."

The shop owner acted indifferent, his attitude changing drastically as he waved Yang Jian away.

Yang Jian stood up and grabbed the shop owner's collar, his bloodshot eyes glowing faintly with a strange coldness, "Do you want to die, you unscrupulous merchant? If you do, just say it, and I'll grant your wish. You're trying to deceive me."

The shop owner was startled by Yang Jian's eyes.

Is this how a human should look?

Cold, devoid of emotion, and terrifyingly strange.