FCRCG Chapter 12

That night seemed unusually long. Nan Deng didn’t sleep well.

After the black cat and lion-man left, exhaustion weighed heavily on him, making him so drowsy that he didn’t even want to move a finger.

Yet, every time he closed his eyes, he felt restless. No matter how he shifted, he couldn’t find a comfortable position.

Twice during the night, he woke up. Gazing at the brightening sky outside, he turned over to face the wall.

The corner where he slept was out of the sunlight. The rough cement floor was cold and hard.

Was it because he had slept on a more comfortable bed the day before that he couldn’t adjust now?

Nan Deng closed his eyes again but still couldn’t sleep soundly.

The rabbit head, worried about him, stayed by his cheek, its soft, furry touch brushing against him.

By the time night fell, Nan Deng was already thinking about visiting Lian Yi, so he set out early.

Passing by a trash can on the street, he stopped and dug out a broken gecko tail.

Nan Deng had never seen anything like it before. He examined it closely for a long while before deciding that this would do.

Lian Yi had said that as long as he accepted the gifts Nan Deng brought, he would be able to see him. Perhaps it was because those items carried Nan Deng’s aura.

If the aura faded, would that mean Lian Yi wouldn’t be able to see him anymore?

Nan Deng didn’t want Lian Yi to lose sight of him. He still wanted to continue their friendship and talk with him more.

Carrying the gecko tail, Nan Deng arrived at the familiar house and knocked on the door. Since they had an agreement, climbing through the window again didn’t seem right.

The door quickly opened. Standing in the doorway, Nan Deng beamed at Lian Yi and handed over the gecko tail. “This is for you.”

Lian Yi glanced at the gecko tail in his hand, pausing slightly as he gripped the doorknob.

He took the tail and went to the kitchen to clean it thoroughly. He then dried and sealed it carefully before storing it away.

Nan Deng followed closely behind, watching his actions.

He also noticed other items in the cabinet drawer: a rabbit plush toy, dried leaves, a meticulously cleaned fountain pen, and the black feather from last time.

As expected, Lian Yi had kept everything Nan Deng had given him, storing them properly.

Nan Deng felt both joy and a tinge of guilt. After all, the first time he’d given Lian Yi something, he’d been planning to bite him.

He followed Lian Yi to the living room and sat beside him on the sofa. Picking up the remote, he began flipping through channels to find something he liked.

After watching for a while, Nan Deng yawned, unconsciously leaning against Lian Yi.

The warmth of a living person was irresistible, like snuggling up to a soft, cozy blanket.

The sound of the television acted like a lullaby. After a sleepless night, Nan Deng couldn’t resist the drowsiness and gradually fell asleep.

The rabbit head hopped off the sofa, glanced back at Lian Yi, and began wandering around the house, checking every corner in search of food.

When Nan Deng woke up, it was already three in the morning. He had slept for over three hours.

To his surprise, he was still leaning against Lian Yi, half-reclining, with one hand lightly gripping the edge of his shirt.

Lian Yi was propping his forehead with one hand, his eyes closed in quiet slumber.

Nan Deng didn’t wake him. Instead, he snuggled closer into his embrace with a hint of affection.

After that nap, the exhaustion he’d felt earlier had mostly faded and he felt much more energized—his whole ghostly self rejuvenated.

Nan Deng felt a pang of embarrassment. How could he, a ghost, be unable to adapt to sleeping in the corner?

But then he considered another possibility. Perhaps his newfound energy had something to do with Lian Yi.

A living person who accepted gifts from a ghost and frequently shared a space with one was bound to have some effect, wasn’t he?

Otherwise, why were ghosts always seeking prey? Maybe they, too, had encountered unyielding humans and stuck close to them to recover their strength.

Nan Deng’s experience as a ghost was pitifully limited, so he could only rely on his own meager understanding to make guesses.

As his thoughts wandered, his gaze inexplicably shifted to Lian Yi’s neck.

Last night, Lian Yi had asked if he was hungry and even offered his neck for Nan Deng to bite.

So… is this the place where I can actually bite?

Nan Deng momentarily lost focus. At that moment, Lian Yi suddenly opened his eyes and met his gaze.

From Lian Yi’s perspective, Nan Deng was practically hugging him, his chin resting just below his shoulder, his beautiful eyes focused yet filled with a hint of desire.

Lian Yi lowered his gaze, his eyelashes casting small shadows, and asked, “Are you hungry?”

Nan Deng still shook his head, feeling guilty but stubbornly saying, “…I’m not hungry.”

He slowly sat up a little, tilting his head. “Why aren’t you afraid of me at all?”

Not even a little afraid, even though he’s a ghost.

Lian Yi stared at Nan Deng’s pale face for a moment before extending his hand to gently touch his cheek. “Have you looked in a mirror?”

Nan Deng blinked, confused. “No…”

Lian Yi paused for a moment before slowly retracting his hand.

Ghosts that exist for too long may forget their lives before death, only remembering the manner of their death and the hatred they felt.

Lian Yi didn’t speak anymore. Nan Deng scooted closer, continuing to lean against his arm. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I’m not tired,” Lian Yi replied.

But Nan Deng was thinking, if Lian Yi didn’t sleep at night, then he’d probably need to rest during the day. That meant Nan Deng couldn’t stay and sleep in his bed anymore.

“Oh…” Nan Deng replied, realizing that by dawn, he’d have to leave.

Lian Yi had no idea why Nan Deng suddenly seemed upset or looked a bit down.

Unable to resist, he raised his hand as if to hug Nan Deng from behind, gently stroking his back.

Lian Yi had said he wasn’t tired, and indeed, he stayed up all night. In the latter part of the night, Nan Deng accompanied him while they watched TV, or rather, Lian Yi accompanied Nan Deng.

Before dawn, Nan Deng took Lian Yi’s hand. “I have to go…”

His figure was thin and frail, his pale, delicate fingers lightly touching Lian Yi’s. Lian Yi lowered his gaze, seeming slightly distracted. “Okay.”

Nan Deng continued, “You need to take good care of your injury. If you’re not feeling well, go see a doctor.”

“Okay.”

Nan Deng still left through the window, as he noticed that Lian Yi was standing in the living room and didn’t seem to want to open the door for him.

Not thinking much of it, he found the rabbit head nibbling on a leaf in the flowerpot and, with it in tow, climbed out of the window.

It was only after Nan Deng’s figure disappeared outside that Lian Yi closed the window and returned to his study.

He sat at the coffee table, rolled up his sleeves, and began to unwrap the bandage on his right hand.

After Nan Deng left last night, Lian Yi had stayed in the bathroom. The medicine on his wound had lost its effectiveness and it was only in the morning that he hastily re-bandaged it.

Yet, after just one night, without proper care, the wound was already showing signs of healing.

—

At noon the next day, the batch of celestial masters sent to provide support finally arrived at the inner court.

Lin Jiu, still the area’s main leader, was counting the number of people. “Why did you all take so long?”

The request for support had been made long ago, but at that time, the newly born earth spirits had not been discovered and the situation everywhere was grim.

Later, with the appearance of earth spirits, the malevolent energy was suppressed, but then they ran into the possible appearance of the Ghost King.

Now, they needed to capture resentful spirits, assist the Underworld that could appear at any time, continue searching for the Ghost King’s whereabouts, and also keep an eye on the black cat earth spirit, hoping to gain information about the Mountain God from it.

On top of that, there was also Lian Yi, this ticking time bomb.

Lin Jiu truly felt overwhelmed. His already tense nerves were close to their limit.

The celestial master below shook his head. “We’re not sure. We received the orders and came as quickly as we could.”

A few celestial masters stepped forward, setting down several large boxes containing special ghost-refining tools and talisman water.

“This is the latest talisman water developed by Elder Xie. Its effects are better than the previous one.”

They had come to offer support and had brought the necessary supplies along with them.

The talisman water not only dispels ghostly energy and replenishes lost vital blood, but also has preventive effects, making it the most popular product in the talisman shop.

Lin Jiu instructed someone to return to the talisman shop to register the quantities and casually asked, “Is Elder Xie doing well lately?”

There were four elders in the inner court. Zhuo Qing had disappeared, and Weng Ping Ran and Gu Xu were responsible for handling various affairs inside and outside.

The remaining Elder Xie Yun had been recuperating from illness for years and no longer made public appearances. He was highly skilled in crafting talismans and formations and occasionally offered assistance when needed.

“I don’t know,” the celestial master replied. “Elder Xie still doesn’t meet with anyone. I’ve heard his condition is not good.”

Lin Jiu fell silent, gesturing for him to leave with the rest of the team.

With the arrival of the support, there were now sufficient hands to handle various tasks, but Lin Jiu couldn’t relax. He immediately began reorganizing and planning.

In the afternoon, Weng Ping Ran sent a message containing just a few words.

“Prioritize the Mountain God.”

The implication was clear—everything else could be set aside to fully focus on tracking the Mountain God’s movements.

However, doing so would inevitably delay the capture of the resentful spirits and the investigation of the Ghost King who had seemingly escaped from the tower.

In Lin Jiu’s view, the Ghost King was the most urgent issue.

He held the communicator, hesitating for a long time, before ultimately deciding to follow his own plan and proceed with his actions.

—

Before the sun set, Lin Jiu tried to contact Lian Yi and got through to him.

On the communicator, Lian Yi’s voice was low and indifferent. “Is there something you need?”

“Chief Lian,” Lin Jiu explained, “There will be a sweep tonight. Should we also send people to the outskirts?”

The sweep was a large-scale operation, with many celestial masters coordinating at night to search for resentful spirits hiding in various places.

This was part of the ongoing search for the Ghost King. The last two attempts had yielded no results, which left Lin Jiu feeling unsettled.

Now, with sufficient preparations, he was determined not to leave without finding any clues.

Once the Ghost King was dealt with, he could focus on approaching the black cat earth spirit, as per the inner court’s instructions.

The sweep required a thorough search of every inch of land, and the outskirts were a special area.

Lian Yi lived there and ordinary lower-level ghosts didn’t dare approach. Those who did attempt to attack him were basically courting death.

But if they gave up on the outskirts, there would be gaps in the sweep. Going there, however, might disturb Lian Yi, which could lead to him becoming displeased.

Lian Yi had been living here for so long, relatively peacefully, but Lin Jiu still felt wary of him and decided to inform him first.

There was a long silence on the other end of the communicator, long enough for Lin Jiu to feel uneasy. Finally, Lian Yi responded: “Needed.”

—

After leaving Lian Yi’s house, Nan Deng didn’t go anywhere else and returned to his little corner to wait for dawn.

The black cat had arrived early as well and curled up to sleep with him.

Nan Deng was holding the black cat and the rabbit head in his arms. The black cat had grown a bit bigger again. Although it was a living creature, its body temperature was still much colder than Lian Yi’s.

Nan Deng yawned, no longer as restless as the previous night, though he still missed Lian Yi’s bed.

He didn’t know how much time had passed before the sound of movement beside him woke him up.

He opened his eyes and saw that it was still not dark. His arms were empty and the rabbit head was squatting beside him, looking out.

The black cat was standing between Nan Deng and the rabbit head, arching its back and growling softly, its fur on its back and tail bristling. Its golden eyes were fixed on the person approaching.

“Nan Deng.”

The familiar voice sounded. Nan Deng froze for a moment. He quickly pushed himself off the ground and saw Lian Yi standing under the eaves not far away.

“What are you doing here?” Nan Deng asked in surprise. “Are you… just passing by?”

It wasn’t far from Lian Yi’s house, so Nan Deng’s first thought was that Lian Yi had happened to see him.

“No,” Lian Yi took a few steps forward. “I came to find you.”

He had carefully searched the area and had indeed found Nan Deng.

This corner was relatively hidden, but with effort, one could still be found.

“Looking for me?” Nan Deng was confused.

The black cat became even more agitated with Lian Yi’s approach, seemingly about to pounce. Nan Deng quickly stopped it.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry…” Nan Deng reassured, “This is my friend.”

The black cat immediately stopped its aggressive stance, though it still remained cautious, staying close to Nan Deng.

Lian Yi’s gaze shifted from the black cat to the cold, dim corner.

According to Lin Jiu, the newly born earth spirit was also a black cat.

Lian Yi hadn’t seen the new earth spirit and many earth spirits couldn’t be distinguished by appearance, especially when not in combat mode.

An earth spirit wouldn’t approach or guard a resentful spirit—this might just be a coincidence.

The corner was low and narrow. Lian Yi squatted down and spoke to Nan Deng: “This place isn’t safe.”

Nan Deng immediately grew tense. “What’s wrong? Why?”

Lian Yi took something about the size of a palm from his body. Nan Deng recognized it as a phone.

Lian Yi opened the phone, found a message, and handed it to Nan Deng to read.

“It’s from the celestial masters in the inner court. All residents received it,” Lian Yi explained, in case there were unfamiliar words in the message. “They’ve sent additional support. Tonight, they’ll conduct a full-scale sweep to capture all the ghosts.”

The message informed the residents to be prepared, as there might be a search of their homes later.

Nan Deng felt lost, clutching Lian Yi’s sleeve as if seeking help. “Then… what should we do?”

He seemed to have nowhere else to hide. Staying here would definitely not be safe.

“Come back with me.”

Lian Yi’s voice was soft, both comforting and coaxing, “Hide in my wardrobe, they won’t know.”

Nan Deng almost immediately nodded but then hesitated. “But it’s not dark yet.”

He couldn’t be out in the sunlight, or his soul would be burned.

Lian Yi had anticipated this: “I brought an umbrella.”

The rabbit head, watching them from the side, gave a subtle, disdainful glance.

Nan Deng nodded again, deeply moved.

So, Lian Yi had received the message and specifically came to find him, even helping him hide.

The message said the operation would start at 6 PM and the celestial masters from various places would arrive at their destinations just as nightfall approached.

It wasn’t too late, so Nan Deng quickly prepared to leave with Lian Yi.

The black cat blocked his feet, meowing. Nan Deng gently stroked its back. “I’m just going to hide for a bit, don’t worry… Do you want to come with me?”

If Lian Yi didn’t allow the black cat inside, it could stay outside for a while.

The black cat glanced at Lian Yi, then at the rabbit head in Nan Deng’s arms.

It didn’t choose to go with them, seeming to confirm that Nan Deng would be fine. It then turned and quickly walked away.

Lian Yi watched the black cat’s retreating figure for a moment before opening the prepared sunshade umbrella.

Nan Deng was by his side. The umbrella tilted toward him, perfectly shielding him from the sunlight.

The street was empty. Nan Deng grasped Lian Yi’s hand tightly, carefully watching their surroundings.

The two of them returned to the house. Nan Deng immediately headed to the bedroom, hiding in the deepest corner of the wardrobe and covering himself with a few of Lian Yi’s clothes.

He had been hiding for about half an hour when he heard movement outside.

The wardrobe was positioned by the window, so he could clearly hear the sound of footsteps.

The person outside stopped at the door and knocked.

In an instant, Nan Deng was terrified.

What if Lian Yi regretted it? If he stayed hidden here, he might not even have a chance to escape.

Nan Deng hugged the rabbit head tightly, curling up under a pile of clothes and staying perfectly still.

He could still hear Lian Yi opening the door and speaking to the person, but he couldn’t make out the conversation.

After some time, Nan Deng lost track of how long it had been, but eventually, everything quieted down.

Then footsteps approached the bedroom, the door opened, and the person stopped in front of the wardrobe.

“Nan Deng.”

It was Lian Yi’s voice. “They’re gone.”

Lian Yi opened the wardrobe, patiently waiting for Nan Deng to come out on his own.

A pile of clothes in the corner shifted, then slid to the floor.

Nan Deng slowly emerged from the wardrobe and whispered, “They’ve all gone?”

When he saw Lian Yi nod, he relaxed a little.

It was then that Nan Deng noticed Lian Yi had changed into a light green outfit, a contrast to the black and gray tones he usually wore.

The lighter color made Lian Yi’s aura seem a bit different. Nan Deng couldn’t quite pinpoint how, but he felt an even greater urge to be close to him.

Lian Yi bent down and extended his hand to him. “Don’t be afraid.”

Nan Deng took his hand, then nestled into his warm embrace, letting out a long, relieved sigh.