Chapter 558: The Game
Wen Qing’er’s reaction reminded Jiang Li of Ji Zhi from five hundred years ago.
When they all attended school together, Jiang Li would often tell Ji Zhi ghost stories, frightening him so much he couldn’t sleep.
Later, when Ji Zhi became the Zhou Emperor, to commemorate that humiliation, he also told ghost stories to his children.
Ji Kongkong’s fear of ghosts could ultimately be traced back to Jiang Li.
“Ghosts aren’t scary at all. Everyone in the Underworld treats me very kindly, and I’ve even sparred with several high-ranking officials from the Underworld. Everyone was very satisfied with the sparring results.”
Wen Qing’er had strong willpower and remained unmoved—she was still afraid of ghosts regardless.
Jiang Li could only smile and shake his head, seeing more and more resemblance between Wen Qing’er and the Ji Zhi of old.
“Let’s go. There’s nothing good about staying in this dormitory building—it’s damp and dirty, not a place for sleeping.”
Wen Quan approached his sister and whispered, “Senior Jiang says there’s nothing good about staying here because we just went through all the haunted spots in this place.”
“Senior Jiang had me sleep in the bunk next to yours, upper and lower bunks. I was sleeping in the lower bunk when suddenly the phone rang. The number was garbled code, and the voice on the phone kept repeating one phrase: ‘Good brothers back to back, good brothers back to back.'”
“I didn’t understand what it meant. Then Senior Jiang crouched down and dragged a ghost out from under the bed—a male ghost, face to the ground, back facing me.”
Wen Qing’er imagined the scene her brother had faced—sleeping back-to-back with a ghost while completely unaware—and couldn’t help shuddering involuntarily.
“Besides that, there was washing hair facing the sink while a ghost appears in the mirror trying to chop your neck, a female student locked in a cabinet by her best friend who turned into a vengeful ghost and locked newcomers in cabinets too, and things like that. I experienced them all while following Senior Jiang.” Wen Quan spoke casually. At first he had been scared, but the longer he stayed with Jiang Li, the braver he became.
“You’d better walk faster—Senior Jiang has already left us behind and gone far ahead.” Wen Qing’er reminded him.
Wen Quan got scared and quickly grabbed his sister’s hand to chase after Jiang Li.
His bravery only extended to when he was near Jiang Li.
Jiang Li arrived at another teaching building and stopped before a table.
Several lines of text were written beside the table.
A black-robed figure emerged from the shadows, holding a crystal ball, and asked with a smile, “Would you like to play the Spirit Writing game? Since you’ve made it here, it means you’ve overcome numerous obstacles, broken through the haunted house’s blockade, and reached this point—the endpoint of the Paranormal Academy. This is your reward for reaching the end, with no additional charges.”
“What are the game rules?”
The black-robed figure explained, “The Spirit Writer is omniscient. The three of you hold a pen together and silently chant the oral formula: ‘Spirit Writer, Spirit Writer, you are my past life, I am your present incarnation. If you wish to continue our connection, please draw a circle on the paper.’ This can summon the Spirit Writer.”
“The three of you take turns asking the Spirit Writer questions, with two opportunities each. The Spirit Writer will provide answers to your questions. But be careful—if anyone lets go during the game, the Spirit Writer will possess that person and bring them misfortune.”
“Senior Jiang, do you want to play?” Wen Quan asked.
Jiang Li said seriously, “It’s not that I want to play, but rather that I want to meet the Spirit Writer.”
“Oh.”
The three sat around the table, holding a pen together, and chanted in unison: “Spirit Writer, Spirit Writer, you are my past life, I am your present incarnation. If you wish to continue our connection, please draw a circle on the paper.”
Soon, the writing brush showed a reaction, trembling slightly as it wrote crookedly on the paper: “I’m not worthy.”
Then it broke.
“……” Jiang Li felt this matter might have some connection to him.
“You two chant the oral formula—I won’t chant.”
After the black-robed person replaced the brush, the Spirit Writing game officially began.
“Qing’er, you ask first.”
“Are you really the Spirit Writer?”
Without the three applying any force, the brush moved naturally, writing the word “Yes” on the paper.
Wen Quan gave his sister a look full of disdain, feeling she had wasted an opportunity with such a question. Couldn’t she ask something useful?
Wen Qing’er was unconvinced, giving Wen Quan a look that said, “Then I’d like to see what kind of question you can come up with.”
Wen Quan returned a look that said, “Just wait.”
Wen Quan cleared his throat and asked, “All complete polynomial non-deterministic problems can be converted into a class of logical operation problems called satisfiability problems. Since all possible answers to such problems can be computed in polynomial time, does there exist a deterministic algorithm for such problems that can directly calculate or search for the correct answer within polynomial time?”
The Spirit Writer remained silent for a long time before slowly writing: “Ask something I can understand.”
“What will be on next semester’s final exam?” Wen Quan changed his question.
This time the Spirit Writer replied quickly: “Don’t cheat. Next.”
Jiang Li asked without hesitation, “Where is the Immortal Realm?”
The Spirit Writer remained silent for even longer than before, then controlled the brush to write: “If I knew the location of the Immortal Realm, I would have ascended long ago.”
The three looked dissatisfied at the black-robed person.
“You said the Spirit Writer is omniscient, so why can’t it answer any of our questions? One after another, it doesn’t know anything?”
The black-robed person said helplessly, “…Touch your conscience and think about the questions you’re asking. Is any one of them normal? Oh, this lady doesn’t need to raise her hand—I know you’re normal.”
Jiang Li and Wen Quan acted as if they hadn’t heard and continued playing the game.
Wen Qing’er asked first again: “Spirit Writer, Spirit Writer, I’m an eighteen-tier actress. How can I increase my popularity?”
“Hire fake followers, create scandals, buy trending spots.”
“……” Wen Qing’er felt the Spirit Writer’s answer was quite different from what she had in mind.
That’s not the method I wanted!
Wen Quan asked, “Spirit Writer, can you tell me the fastest way to make money?”
“It’s all in the Criminal Law.”
Finally, Jiang Li asked a useful question.
“Where is the Skeletal Devil Venerable?”
The atmosphere in the room froze. Jiang Li wasn’t in a hurry either, sitting quietly. After who knows how long, a long, drawn-out sigh came through the air.
A mist emerged from the brush handle, condensing into human form. The originally arrogant and unruly Skeletal Devil Venerable, who once dominated half the world, now moved like a slow elderly person, his spirits low.
The Skeletal Devil Venerable bowed respectfully to Jiang Li.
“This junior Skeletal pays respects to the great power from the Immortal Realm.”
He couldn’t see through Jiang Li, which meant Jiang Li must be an Immortal-level Creature.
Radiant Enlightenment Daoist’s figure appeared behind Wen Quan. Seeing the Skeletal Devil Venerable again, his expression was complicated.
“I knew it. The master of this haunted house didn’t seem like True Master Miserable’s style—it’s more like your doing.”
“Radiant Enlightenment…”
The leaders of the righteous and demonic paths looked at each other, remaining silent for a long time.
The black-robed person didn’t expect the Skeletal Devil Venerable to have such a reaction. He asked hesitantly, “Master, who exactly are these people?”
“Let me introduce you. He’s the disciple I took in this world, and also the master of this haunted house.”
“Disciple, this is the Radiant Enlightenment Uncle-Master I often mention to you.”
“As for the person beside him, your master cannot see through him. I suspect he’s an Immortal Realm immortal traveling in the mortal world.”
Jiang Li smiled and said, “My name is Jiang Li, from the Nine Provinces World.”