Chapter Five: The One Who Commands Ghosts

Chapter Five

“It seems she’s already realized the danger of her situation and is on guard against us,” Fan Bishen said, his brows furrowed.

“How could that be?”

Fan Wujiu was surprised by his brother’s words. “You know as well as I do that country girls have little experience. She’s timid and meek, wouldn’t dare go east if told to go west, spends her days cowering in the Demon Suppression Bureau, hardly daring to breathe. How could she possibly lie to us right to our faces?”

“Is it so strange for someone to become sharper after surviving death?” Fan Bishen faltered a moment at his brother’s words, then shook his head, as if trying to convince either his brother or himself. “She was attacked and killed by a vengeful ghost. Realizing something was wrong before her death is only natural.”

“So what?” Fan Wujiu didn’t understand why his brother cared so much about Zhao Fusheng’s change. He waved it off, unconcerned. “Even if she’s gotten smarter, it’s useless. She’s just a country girl, as weak as a chicken. Her parents are dead, she’s in our hands now—what trouble could she possibly stir up—”

“Fool!” Fan Bishen cut him off with a low growl.

Stunned by his brother’s rebuke, Fan Wujiu paused, then retorted irritably, “Brother, you’re too cautious.”

“What was our original plan?” Fan Bishen could hear the discontent in his brother’s voice, but took a deep breath to calm his own nerves and asked.

“We were going to leave Wanan County and seek refuge with Deputy Magistrate Zheng under County Magistrate Bao in the neighboring district,” Fan Wujiu replied.

“Exactly.” Fan Bishen suppressed his anxiety and nodded. “But when we took office, our Soul Registry in Wanan County’s Demon Suppression Bureau was already activated.”

When the court established these bureaus, it offered its officials generous rewards. But to prevent those officials from growing too powerful and unruly, the court also imposed restrictions.

The chief method was the so-called Soul Registry.

Upon entering the Demon Suppression Bureau, one’s personal Soul Registry was activated and bound for life to that bureau. Apart from death, there is no escape.

Bureau chiefs and deputy chiefs could move freely only within their own jurisdiction, and could not leave their post for more than three days. Violating this rule would trigger the Registry’s restriction.

The consequences ranged from severe injury to the soul being torn apart, leaving one an empty shell.

Still, the court was not entirely inflexible. While the Registry could not be removed, there were ways to transfer or second it.

According to imperial law, if a bureau chief performed meritorious service or proved exceptionally strong, the court might summon them for promotion. Higher-ranking officials could transfer the Registry by order.

Wanan County’s Demon Suppression Bureau was finished.

The Fan brothers’ plan had been to find a new puppet chief, and through that person, have their Registries transferred.

In this way, they could leave Wanan County openly and legally.

But Zhao Fusheng’s death and resurrection had thrown everything into chaos.

“The girl died by a vengeful ghost’s hand. Our previous actions are full of holes. Having died once, she’ll naturally suspect something was off about how she was brought into the bureau.”

Fan Bishen’s gaze was cold. “If she overheard what we said earlier—”

At this, Fan Wujiu finally grasped the gravity of the situation. “She’s the acting chief now. You mean she might deliberately obstruct our Registry transfer and refuse to let us leave?”

“Not ‘might.’ She definitely will!” Fan Bishen said with certainty.

If their roles were reversed, he’d never let it go either—he’d seek revenge.

Fan Wujiu turned to look in Zhao Fusheng’s direction. She stood in front of the main hall, back to the brothers.

His expression hardened, his fingers tensed and slashed downward in a gesture of killing intent. “Then let’s not drag this out—why don’t we just…” His words carried clear murderous intent.

Fan Bishen said nothing, but there was no agreement in his eyes.

As twins who’d grown up together, they understood each other without words. Sensing something amiss, Fan Wujiu grew anxious. “Brother, don’t tell me you’re getting soft—”

“Nonsense!” Fan Bishen snapped, hesitated a moment, then spoke with uncertainty: “I suspect there’s something strange about her coming back from the dead…”

“What’s strange?” Fan Wujiu was impatient and not one for puzzles. He pressed, “Don’t keep me guessing, just say it.”

“You know why Wanan County’s bureau fell into decline.” Fan Bishen glanced at him.

“Because the vengeful ghost got out of control,” Fan Wujiu replied without thinking.

“Right.” Fan Bishen nodded. “And where did that ghost come from?”

“Wasn’t it because Brother Qiming lost control of the ghost he was harnessing—” As he spoke, realization dawned. His eyes widened. “Brother, you mean Fusheng came back because she gained control of the ghost—she’s become a ghost handler?”

Fan Bishen sighed with relief as his brother finally understood and nodded.

“That—that’s impossible!” Fan Wujiu’s face turned ashen.

To harness a ghost is to borrow its power, transforming an ordinary person into someone with supernatural abilities—capable of fighting vengeful spirits and protecting the people.

This was an open secret in the Demon Suppression Bureau: chief officials often practiced ghost-handling. But dealings with ghosts were perilous and difficult to control. The longer one trafficked with the dead, the weaker one’s humanity. Many, after long years, lost reason and restraint, becoming vicious and uncontrollable.

At first, the court suffered many losses. Such people could not be casually killed, for as their soul and reason were devoured by the ghost, killing them could turn the handler into an even more dreadful specter, bringing disaster to the land.

Thus the court established the Soul Registry, a means to restrain these exceptional handlers. Should a handler lose their mind entirely, a higher-ranking official could use the Registry to put them down before disaster struck.

Of course, this method was not without its own dangers. The handler might die, but the ghost would live on, still posing a threat—though one the higher authorities would be tasked to resolve.

Sometimes the ghost would be driven away or subdued by a new leader; in the worst cases, the court might abandon the area altogether, leaving the locals to their fate.

Fan Wujiu was speechless, unable to believe it. “How could this be, how could this be?”

Fan Bishen, however, was far calmer. “Anything is possible. Otherwise, I can’t imagine any reason she could come back from the dead. Nothing but a ghost’s power could revive her.”

“So what do we do?” The thought of a ghost lurking within Zhao Fusheng made Fan Wujiu’s scalp prickle with dread. “If she really controls a vengeful ghost, we’re no match for her.” He wore a woeful expression. “If we try force and she’s heard our plans, she might strike first—”

Now he finally understood his brother’s anxiety. Restlessly, he paced back and forth. “Brother, do you think she heard what we said earlier?”

Fan Bishen had been worried at first, but seeing his brother panic, he grew more composed, even smiling coldly. “No need to fret too much. Those who harness ghosts may gain power quickly, but there’s no good end in dealing with such things. If she thinks having a ghost by her side means she can do as she pleases, she’s mistaken.”

The more one relied on a ghost, the sooner death would come.

“That ghost she controls is a monster—it gives first, but takes later. Once she’s spent, she’ll become nothing but its nourishment.”

He smiled. “Frankly, I hope she’s wise enough not to dwell on old grudges. At this point, we should work together to find a way out.”

Fan Wujiu couldn’t understand his brother’s thinking. He sneaked another glance at Zhao Fusheng, who was still staring into the main hall. At first he’d paid her no mind, but now he noticed her gaze fixed within, where two corpses lay.

A chill crept over him. “Brother, she’s staring at the main hall—her parents’ bodies are in there…”

“It’s fine,” Fan Bishen said, his face shifting between gloom and resolve. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth. “Let’s go talk to her and see what she intends.”

“If she’s smart, all the better. If not… we’re not so easily bullied either.”

The brothers had spent years in the Demon Suppression Bureau and had their own means of self-defense. Zhao Fusheng might have temporarily subdued that ghost, but she was inexperienced; such power was not easily wielded.

“If it comes to a fight…” Fan Bishen’s cheek twitched. “If we can’t win, we can still run—as long as we don’t leave Wanan County, we’ll be fine.”

Hearing this, Fan Wujiu finally relaxed and nodded. “I’ll follow your lead.”