Chapter Thirty-Three: Suicide

"Yang Xiaoyou, my junior has entered a residential district."

As Yang Wenhao and Leng Ruoran left, Wu Xiuping kept a close eye on his junior, Qu Wuxin. Yang Wenhao had already told Wu Xiuping to notify him immediately if there was any news.

"Alright, I'll be careful. You two make sure not to get discovered," Yang Wenhao replied before hanging up. At that moment, Leng Ruoran poured a cup of tea for him and looked at him. "Did your parents call you?"

"No, it was a friend," Yang Wenhao responded.

"Oh." Leng Ruoran nodded. "Drink your tea first. I'll help you with your studies in a bit."

Yang Wenhao sipped his tea, but his thoughts were already elsewhere, pondering how best to deal with Qu Wuxin.

When facing an unknown opponent, caution was always wise.

After finishing his tea, Leng Ruoran began explaining the difficult questions to him. As a Chinese teacher, she knew the subject's complexity well, and her explanations were thorough and precise.

Although Yang Wenhao already understood the material, listening to Leng Ruoran’s explanations was a unique experience in itself, and not too dull.

Just as Yang Wenhao was listening attentively, the system suddenly sounded an alarm.

"System Alert: There is a sedative in the air. Would you like to purchase an antidote?"

"A sedative?" Yang Wenhao was startled, and soon felt dizzy and lightheaded. He quickly replied, "Purchase!"

"Fifty points deducted for antidote."

The moment the purchase succeeded, the dizziness vanished completely.

Though Yang Wenhao was now clear-headed, Leng Ruoran, who had been sitting closer to him, was more affected by the drug and collapsed onto him.

He quickly supported her and then glanced out the window.

Outside, a shadowy figure lurked—in all likelihood, a ghost.

"So, you've released a sedative. Very well, I'll play along."

Yang Wenhao promptly feigned unconsciousness, slumping back onto the sofa as if he'd succumbed to the drug.

Meanwhile, downstairs from Leng Ruoran's apartment, a man listened with a smirk as the shadow beside him reported.

"Master, those two have succumbed to the sedative," the shadow said.

"Hmph... Let's go," the man snorted, turning to enter the building.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor, growing closer and closer. Inside, Leng Ruoran and Yang Wenhao lay motionless on the sofa, as if completely insensible.

The footsteps stopped. The doorknob turned, and the front door swung open.

The man who entered was none other than Qu Wuxin.

Qu Wuxin stepped into the living room, and when he saw Leng Ruoran lying on the sofa, greed gleamed in his eyes.

This was the woman he had set his sights on. With her, not only could he recover his strength, but perhaps even break through to new levels of power. Afterward, he could simply hide away for a while and his sect would no longer be a threat.

But first, he had to deal with one person—the one who had ruined his plans: Yang Wenhao.

His gaze fierce, Qu Wuxin looked at Yang Wenhao. "Hmph... Well, aren’t you bold, ruining my plans. You’re the first. Zero, I’m giving you to him—guard the door," he ordered.

With that, Qu Wuxin picked up Leng Ruoran, preparing to carry her into the bedroom.

"Thank you, master," rasped a hideous ghostly figure that appeared by Qu Wuxin’s side. At the prospect of devouring Yang Wenhao, the ghost licked its pale lips.

The ghost lunged at Yang Wenhao, but in that instant, a flash of silvery light erupted. The ghost’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Without warning, Yang Wenhao, who should have been unconscious, opened his sharp, piercing eyes. A long sword materialized in his hand and pierced straight through the ghost’s chest.

As a ghost, he was usually impervious to ordinary weapons, but this sword was different. It brought back all the pain of his former human existence.

"Aaah!"

Qu Wuxin, who was carrying Leng Ruoran toward the bedroom, halted at the shrill scream behind him and turned around.

He saw the ghost impaled through the chest, white smoke billowing from its body as if it were about to dissipate entirely.

"You weren't poisoned!" Qu Wuxin frowned at the youth now standing before him.

"Was I supposed to be?" Yang Wenhao retorted. In a flash, his sword gleamed cold and bright, thrusting straight at Qu Wuxin.

Yang Wenhao’s attack was so swift that Qu Wuxin couldn’t hope to evade it.

But Qu Wuxin was ruthless himself. Instantly, he used Leng Ruoran as a shield and retreated.

Yet, as if Yang Wenhao had anticipated this, the moment Qu Wuxin threw Leng Ruoran forward as a shield, Yang Wenhao’s sword shifted, its deadly force dissipating.

Yang Wenhao caught Leng Ruoran and looked at Qu Wuxin with a mocking smile.

Qu Wuxin's face was ashen, realizing he had been outmaneuvered at every turn.

At that moment, three figures burst in through the door.

They were none other than Wu Xiuping and his disciples.

Qu Wuxin glared at Wu Xiuping. "Wu Xiuping!"

Wu Xiuping snorted coldly. "Qu Wuxin, you have nowhere left to run. Surrender now, or don’t blame me for forgetting our brotherhood."

"Brotherhood?" Qu Wuxin suddenly let out a wild, hysterical laugh. "You speak of brotherhood? If I must die, it will be by my own hand!"

He drew a dagger from his coat and stabbed himself in the heart without hesitation.

Blood welled up in his throat and he spat out a mouthful of crimson.

"Junior..." Wu Xiuping frowned deeply at the sight.

Yang Wenhao, seeing this, threw his sword, impaling Qu Wuxin through the chest—a finishing blow.

Wu Xiuping looked at Yang Wenhao, puzzled. He couldn’t understand why Yang Wenhao would humiliate Qu Wuxin further when he’d already taken his own life. After all, they were once fellow disciples—shouldn’t there be some sentiment left?

But Yang Wenhao had no interest in explaining. Should he say there would be no points if Qu Wuxin died by suicide alone?

That was impossible.

The system’s secrets were not to be shared lightly.

"Ding... Congratulations to the host for killing the Ghost Cult traitor, Qu Wuxin. You have received 300 points and the additional reward Manual of Ghost-Taming."

[Manual of Ghost-Taming: This manual details the rational and efficient methods of taming ghosts. It allows the souls of the dead to be refined into ghostly servants, who will never find peace in the afterlife, but can be used at the tamer's command.]

When this information appeared in his mind, Yang Wenhao’s eyes lit up. So, he could tame little ghosts now.

He looked at Qu Wuxin's corpse, then shook his head and gave up the idea.