Chapter 11: Entering the Haunted Abode
Chen Yan’s eyes gleamed with a sharp light, his energy visibly surging as though he had been rejuvenated by an invigorating elixir.
“A haunted house? How haunted are we talking?”
Hu Shang Ke was momentarily taken aback.
[Brother, there seems to be something off about your excitement here!]
Why did it feel like he was getting fired up over this?
Still, Hu Shang Ke composed himself and replied, “Indeed, there is such a place. It’s in the southern district of Jin Ling Prefecture, nestled within a secluded villa estate in Jiang Ning District.
It’s a standalone, three-story mansion, over four hundred square meters in total. The decor is refined, every room furnished with high-end furniture and modern appliances, including central air conditioning.
The courtyard is vast, featuring sprawling greenery and even an outdoor swimming pool. Altogether, the exterior grounds span more than an acre.
Brother, I tell you—this place is undoubtedly a luxury estate!
Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t even be able to dream about renting this place for anything less than fifty thousand a month.”
“And now?” Chen Yan asked casually.
“Fifteen thousand,” Hu Shang Ke replied in a flash.
Chen Yan chuckled. “That’s quite the discount. What happened there? A murder?”
Hu Shang Ke smirked with a sly air. “A crime of passion. A woman and her lover conspired to take her husband’s life—right there in that very house. Afterward, they didn’t just kill him, they chopped him up.”
Chen Yan’s interest peaked. “A dismemberment case, huh?”
“Yep.”
“So one corpse, and the rent drops to fifteen thousand a month?”
“Yep.”
Chen Yan hesitated, then asked with a hint of embarrassment, “Uh… is there anything more haunted? Maybe a place where multiple people died?”
“…” Hu Shang Ke felt a tightness in his chest. “Brother, if you’re looking for that, why don’t I just find you a graveyard?”
Chen Yan meticulously inquired about the history of the property. Though Hu Shang Ke wanted to make a commission, he wasn’t a dishonest man. Fresh out of university, he still had that youthful sincerity and didn’t want to tarnish his reputation among classmates. Give it a few more years of grinding through the cruel realities of society, though, and perhaps he wouldn’t be so forthright.
So, he laid it all out:
Yes, the house had been the site of a gruesome dismemberment case, a major scandal several years ago. The details were murky, but it was widely believed the lady of the house had murdered her husband in a fit of jealousy. Naturally, she was arrested—what became of her afterward was unknown.
Following the tragedy, the family put the house up for sale. After all, who would want to continue living in such a place? The price was slashed to an absurd degree.
Normally, houses where violent deaths occurred were impossible to sell, no matter how cheap. But fortune favors the bold. One particularly shrewd investor seized the opportunity and bought the property at half the market price.
This wasn’t foolishness, but strategy.
Selling the house immediately would be unthinkable. Instead, he planned to lease it out cheaply for a few years.
With tenants coming and going, the house would gradually shed its sinister reputation. People forget. As time passes, old news fades.
And when the time was right? He could flip the property for double what he paid.
A daring, long-term investment with an undeniably lucrative return.
But few have the courage for such ventures.
“Three sets of tenants have come and gone since the current owner purchased it. No incidents, no strange occurrences. By our estimates, the owner will likely put the property back on the market within a year or two.
So if you take this deal, it’s a short-term advantage—you’d get at most one or two years before it’s off the rental list for good.
That said, it does fit your… particular preferences quite well.”
With that, Hu Shang Ke laid everything bare for Chen Yan.
Without hesitation, Chen Yan made his decision. “Let’s go see it now.”
No time should be wasted. He grabbed Hu Shang Ke and dragged him along to catch a cab straight to Jiang Ning District.
The house was situated at the base of General’s Mountain, within a deep corner of the villa estate.
The location was serene, its back to the mountain, surrounded by solitude. The neighboring villas were spread out, each separated by at least a hundred meters.
The courtyard was no small affair either. In truth, when Hu Shang Ke mentioned it was an acre, he had been conservative in his estimate.
On the side facing the mountain, beyond the courtyard walls, the land sloped upward into uninhabited wilderness. If one were daring enough to carve a secret gate into the courtyard’s rear wall, they could slip into the mountain forests unnoticed.
At first glance, Chen Yan was satisfied.
The interior was well-furnished, a relic of its previous grandeur. Years ago, it would have been considered a luxury home, its decor refined and stately.
The furniture was all high-grade, solid wood, built to last. The house even boasted central heating beneath its floors, along with a towering crystal chandelier in the living room—a testament to its bygone extravagance.
The only flaw? The style leaned towards the old-fashioned, favoring the tastes of an older generation. Perhaps it wasn’t the aesthetic choice of the modern youth.
But to Chen Yan, none of that mattered.
After all, just three months ago, he had still been sleeping in an eight-person dormitory.
Chen Yan mused to himself: A vast estate, tucked away in seclusion, with an unbeatable price.
And so extravagant, so opulent.
What more could one ask for?
As for the rumors of the haunted dwelling?
His Mystic Arts would soon reach new heights. The Secret Manual held within its pages numerous formidable Mystic Arts of Combat, and in time, he was bound to master at least one or two.
Should any malevolent entities dare to show themselves, he need only invoke the Righteous Yang Five Thunder Technique to send them straight to reincarnation!
And if that wasn’t enough? Perhaps binding a Ghost Servant for his own command could be a rather intriguing challenge.
Without hesitation, Chen Yan placed a deposit on the spot, instructing Hu Shang Ke to arrange the contract. The keys? He slipped them into his pocket without a second thought.
Eager to claim his commission, Hu Shang Ke acted with swift efficiency. In merely three days, he had arranged for both parties to meet and finalize the agreement.
Naturally, the true owner of the estate remained unseen. Men of wealth and power rarely handle such affairs personally. Instead, a subordinate arrived, authorized by a letter of delegation.
With a mere flick of his fingers, Chen Yan transferred six months’ rent. Hu Shang Ke, in turn, received his brokerage fee—half a month’s rent.
This old acquaintance of his had been nothing if not diligent throughout the process. His earlier words of warning had been spoken out of genuine concern.
Chen Yan did not share his perspective, but he appreciated the sentiment nonetheless.
Thus, he paid the intermediary fee without haggling over a single coin.
The transaction unfolded smoothly, and both parties soon departed, all parties seemingly content.
Yet, before leaving, the subordinate cast Chen Yan a long, scrutinizing gaze.
In this day and age… why would anyone be so delighted to move into a haunted house?
Are the younger generations truly this fearless?
Having secured his new dwelling, Chen Yan wasted no time in severing ties with his old abode. A quick call to the former landlord was all it took.
As for the deposit—merely a few hundred coins—he couldn’t be bothered to reclaim it.
The situation was murky.
By the letter of the contract, he was breaking his lease early, thus forfeiting the right to a refund.
Yet, by common sense, the landlord had long neglected his duties, failing to maintain the property.
A case of mutual disregard.
But Chen Yan had no intention of wasting more days over a trivial sum.
With his belongings in tow, he stepped into his new palatial estate.
His only disappointment?
Upon entering, he activated his Heavenly Eye Qi-Observing Technique.
Nothing.
Not even the faintest wisp of eerie aura.
A sigh escaped his lips.
No ghosts? Truly?
That evening.
Within the grand, thirty-square-meter master bedroom on the third floor, Chen Yan sprawled upon the massive, king-sized bed.
Arms and legs stretched wide, he relished the comfort.
The air conditioning and floor heating enveloped the room in a perpetual spring warmth. The lights glowed softly, exuding a golden hue.
Beyond the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, the mountains stretched beneath the night sky.
Chen Yan exhaled deeply.
Now this… this is true comfort!
“What? Chen Yan moved out?”
A young woman stood at the door of the old rental, her irritation barely contained.
Before her, a man in his thirties squinted as he regarded her.
Suppressing the urge to drive her knee into his gut, she maintained her sweet, delicate smile, speaking softly: “Then, do you happen to know his contact information?”
“…No idea. I wasn’t close to him,” the man replied. One of the tenants, he had been interrupted from his gaming session but was willing to entertain the conversation given the visitor’s beauty.
He took a moment to assess her—
Such a stunning face… but why such an old-fashioned winter coat?
And is that coal dust on her clothing?
Still, her face was simply too enchanting.
The girl ignored his scrutiny. “Could you share the landlord’s number with me, then?”
The man pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts but suddenly paused.
“You think I’ll just hand it over?” he smirked, his expression turning greasy. “Tell you what, beautiful—add me on WeChat first, and maybe then I’ll consider it.”
The young woman’s smile faded, inch by inch.
Her eyes narrowed as she took in the man, then glanced around.
The corridor was empty.
“Is there anyone home?” she asked gently.
“Nope. Why, wanna come in for a bit?”
She nodded. “Good. No one’s home.”
Then, staring straight into his eyes, she let out a soft breath.
The moment that breath touched his face, his vision blurred.
For an instant, he swore he saw an unnatural glint flash within her eyes.
She plucked the phone from his hand. The man, utterly dazed, did not react.
A voice, barely above a whisper, drifted into his ears:
“You are a dog. You are very hungry. Go eat.”
The man blinked.
Then, as if in a trance, he turned stiffly around.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!!”
With eager steps, he made his way straight toward the bathroom.
The girl barely spared him another glance.
Checking the screen, she swiftly located the landlord’s number and memorized it.
With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the phone back into the room and shut the door behind her.
Then, without hesitation, she departed into the night.
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation