No Time

Chapter 81: Ghost!

I had a good day at school today!

The rowdy bunch that raids my office for snacks and lunch actually brought me something!

Although it wasn't much, the donuts made my day!

Also, the students I teach, Brianna and Alvaro, got ahold of their abilities now.

Although they're worse compared to regular students. I have no doubt that they can catch up if they practice diligently.

I hum a happy tune as I got in my car, my lovely, and merrily drove home.

I parked carefully, got off, and was still singing when I got to the door.

What a lovely day! What a fantastic day! What a grand day!

There was also the fact that it was a Friday, which made everything better~

I don't know why I was feeling so happy, but I just was~

I was usually so handsome, but I looked better than my usual handsomeness today! I had a glow!

The door opened smoothly and I froze.

No lights were on.

That wasn't the scary part.

A female ghost was standing in the living in a white dress.

"Ahhhhhhh!!! Ghost!!!"

I screamed out of terror and fell backward while swinging my arms around.

I wasn't superstitious, but ghosts... They aren't something I can fight against!

Did we have some kind of Taoist monk, shaman, priest, or some kind of person who could exorcise ghosts in the base? I needed to find one immediately!

I was too young, too handsome, and had such a great future ahead of me, I couldn't die!

I shakily tapped on my core device and called for that brat Little Blue.

He had connections. His family was superstitious and did things to accumulate merits or something. He'd know how to deal with this.

"Yang Xiaoshan speaking, who is this?" came the now 8 year old's voice.

"Little Blue, d-d-d-d-do you know how to deal with ghosts?" I spoke in a whisper barely audible.

"It's you? What do you want?"

"T-there's a ghost in my house! Don't you know any exorcists?"

"A ghost? I've got some talismans, I'll go over there right now. Is Zuan, I mean Shui Yu, over there?"

"No, he's still filming in Di Li Feng's Matchmaking show... Hurry up!"

"Tsk, alright. I'll be there soon."

Di-di-di

He cut off and I ran outside the house and basked in sunlight. Ghosts didn't like Yang energy right? Sunlight was said to have Yang energy. I'm also a man, I should have Yang energy. Wuwuwu, I wanted the evil entity to disappear already...

Before I ended up calling Little Blue again for some assurance, the rustle of gravel made me look up.

Lo and behold, a limousine.

Whew, it was Little Blue.

"So, what're you so scared about? Aren't you pretty strong?" the kid sneered.

"That's a ghost! Zombies and mutants are real, they have a physical form! Ghosts don't! I don't know anything about how to defeat one! I swear that female ghost is floating! I've done nothing wrong, maybe ruin some businesses, but I haven't killed anyone through it probably!"

"You're such a wuss. Shui Yu isn't anything like you," Little Blue complained and motioned for his bodyguards to come out.

His two bodyguards were really buff. Although I knew they were weaker than me, I felt soothed by having some meat shields just in case.

And then came out a kid I hadn't seen in a long time.

Jing Shao, Secretary Jing's kid.

His heterochromia eyes never failed to amaze me. It was also rumored that when he used his luck ability, his eyes turned purple. I had yet to see that.

"Hello," he politely greeted with a nod of his head.

"Haven't seen you in a long time, how's your dad?"

"He's doing good. A lot of things have been finalized, so it's been less hectic for him."

"Good to hear that."

"So, there's a ghost?"

I had lost all face...

"...Yes."

Little Blue got annoyed at all the pleasantries and made us hurry into the house.

I stayed behind one of the buff bodyguards and took tiny baby steps.

I almost screamed when seeing the ghost again, because she was closer.

She had her back turned towards us and a creepy laugh seemed to seep out of her.

I shivered and hugged myself. This was too scary, I had huge goosebumps even forming on my back...

Little Blue, with that arrogant, disinterested look on his face, bravely(at least to me) walked towards the ghost at a steady pace.

His bodyguards, one behind and one at his side were pretty impressive too. They didn't flinch when seeing the ghost and were at good positions to protect Little Blue.

Jing Shao was behind me.

Whew, the middle position was the safest, thankfully I was in the middle.

Little Blue stopped a meter away from the female ghost.

He stared at her back and said-

"Bing Jie? What are you doing?"

...Ah?

Bing Jie?

Hahaha, that sounds a lot like my sister's name...

Shui Bing?!

It wasn't a ghost, but Shui Bing?!

How could it be?

My sister never wore dresses unless it was a big occasion!

No, I mean she didn't even wear them at all!

Even to Jing Ge's wedding, she wore a sleek suit!

She said skirts and dresses were too problematic, how could she be wearing one?

"Xiao Bing, is it really you? Why are you wearing a dress?" I asked hesitantly.

"And in such darkness? You, were you trying to prank me? I shouldn't have told you I watched those old horror movies if you were going to scare me with such a tactic that can't even scare a baby!"

Little Blue commented on the side, "But you were scared."

"...Shush."

But the ghost, I mean, my sister, Xiao Bing, didn't reply.

...Was it actually a ghost?

I was just about to go ask Little Blue to go look at the face when she reacted.

"Oh, Lai Ge. You're back."

I sputtered a little bit before properly getting out the words.

"Xiao Bing! What are you doing?!"

"Eh?"

"Why are you going around dressed like a female ghost and scaring people?!"

"...I look like a female ghost?"

"Heck yes! You look like the one from The Ring, that drowned ghost lady that jumps out of televisions!"

"I actually look like a ghost?" her voice became louder.

"Yes, at least turn on the lights or something, you look freaky!"

I started to shout at her in anger, humiliation, all kinds of mixed feelings.

But my younger sister who would usually shout back at me and get into a brawl involving fists didn't say anything back.

I stopped.

"Xiao Bing, why are you not saying anything back?"

"Bro, I think you were a bit too harsh," Little Blue looked at me with a sympathetic look.

What's with that tone? What's with those look? And bro? I'm no bro of yours!

I was tempted to go visit Xingxing.

I had gotten over him, and he was a zombie now. Zombie #37 actually.

I occasionally went to visit him and talk about all my worries and happenings.

Of course, being a zombie, he couldn't reply.

But whenever he groaned or made a movement, I subconsciously felt like he understood me.

It may just be my misconception, probably was, but it's a really nice misunderstanding.

He didn't talk anymore, his last time talking was when telling the story of his life in the room he was stored in before.

And because of my ability to control zombies, I had him stay in our Garden's Pavillion.

It was cool and shaded, so if he didn't want to bask in the sunlight, which wasn't necessarily good for zombies, he'd hide in the shade.

His main diet was nuclei, so I made sure to give him plenty.

He leveled up a lot with that. 

Xingxing's now level 39! Very powerful! 

And by using the nucleus detector mentioned in chapter 70, it seemed like he was going to breakthrough soon to level 40.

"Lai Ge, do I really not look good?"

Oh yeah, I should visit Xingxing later. For now, placate Xiao Bing.

"Yeah. Obviously, I'm the best looking."

Silence.

"B-besides, you usually never wear dresses, it looks awkward."

Silence.

"Fine, I'll take a look for you. Turn around."

Sile- I mean, shuffling.

The girl still had her head lowered and hair covered her whole face.

"Lift your head up, let me see what's up."

But when she lifted her head-

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" 

A chorus of screams rang out.

All of us, me, Little Blue, Jing Shao, and the two bodyguards, all screamed high pitched screams and scrambled to get outside of the house by pushing each other off.

Oh. My. God.

That girl...

I can't even believe she's my sister anymore!

She had on makeup!

Alright, makeup was ok, but right now?

...

She looked even worse than the ghoul I imagined up in my head.

Worse than a zombie.

Worse than a blobfish.

Worse than... whatever monster!

Why were her makeup skills so bad?!

So bad that it became terrifying!

-------

That day, in the neighborhood that was usually quaint and peaceful, the other inhabitants heard shrieks and wondered if something terrible happened.

They wouldn't have ever been able to guess it was the result of "terrible" makeup.