The streets on both sides of the Happy Community's main gate were lined with numerous shops.
There were small supermarkets occupying two adjacent storefronts, small noodle shops with tables set up outside, and bun shops specializing in breakfast items...
In addition to these storefronts, there were also elderly women and men setting up street stalls on the sidewalks.
The stalls were mostly filled with fresh, green fruits and vegetables, said to be from their own gardens, sold because they had too much to eat.
Originally, it should have been a lively scene.
However, at this very moment—
Whether it was the grandpas and grandmas chatting, or the owners and staff in the shops, everyone was craning their necks to look in the same direction.
Their faces were filled with curiosity.
At the main entrance of the Happy Community—
Cars were stopping, including taxis, motorcycles, and private cars...
Most importantly, there were even police cars.
People of various ages, from young to mature, stepped out of the vehicles, their expressions tense as they looked up at the sky above the community.
It was as if something major was about to happen there.
Some people were even holding large white loudspeakers, turning the volume up to the maximum, and shouting into the air:
"Hello, hello... Streamer! Streamer! If you can hear us, please respond—! If you can hear us, please respond—!"
"Streamer, are you alright?!"
"That little thing has slipped out, Streamer, you must be careful!"
A group of viewers who had rushed over from nearby stood at the entrance of the Happy Community, wanting to help but not daring to enter casually.
It would be troublesome if they couldn't help and instead caused trouble for the streamer.
They could only listen to the loudspeaker, feeling anxious.
"Can't they use a helicopter and then lift the streamer to a safe place..."
Before the person could finish speaking, they slapped their own forehead.
"Damn it, I forgot the streamer is a ghost."
These things in the mortal realm, let alone lifting the streamer, probably couldn't even touch them.
"How about setting off fireworks over there? Maybe it will snap the streamer back to their senses?" someone else suggested.
Upon hearing this, the police officers who had just arrived quickly shouted:
"Everyone, calm down, calm down, don't do anything rash."
Fireworks couldn't just be set off inside the community; safety factors had to be considered.
"Ahhh, this won't work, that won't work either."
A young viewer scratched his hair, then looked at his phone's live stream. The streamer was still in the same state as before.
Motionless.
What to do, what to do...
If the streamer can't hear the loudspeaker, are there any other options?
...
"Xu Nan, what are they doing?"
In the sky not far away—
The mechanical sphere turned its head, looking at the anxious crowd below with a strange expression.
"Did something happen down there?"
After sending Hong Ya back to the Eighteenth Hall, they had quickly rushed back.
Waiting to rendezvous with Jiang Lin.
Because they didn't know if the influence of the [Spirit] would expand, Xu Nan and the mechanical sphere maintained a certain distance from the Happy Community to prevent being affected by that power while waiting.
Xu Nan also looked towards the main entrance of the Happy Community.
After listening carefully for a while, he frowned and said, "They're calling for the streamer..."
Streamer, that was another way humans referred to Captain Jiang.
Having been by Jiang Lin's side for so long, it knew more or less about many things.
The mechanical sphere moved closer, following the line of sight of the human viewers up into the sky, "Did something happen to the Master?"
Should they go and take a look?
Xu Nan listened intently for a moment and said to the mechanical sphere:
"You wait here, keep an eye out for any opportunity to assist Captain Jiang. I'll go and check the situation, and I'll be back soon."
The mechanical sphere nodded: "Go and come back quickly."
"Mm."
Xu Nan flew over and landed cautiously at the community entrance.
His eyes quickly scanned the screens of the phones held by the humans.
The screens were divided into two parts. The upper part displayed the image of the streamer standing in the air within the community.
Below were dense bullet comments.
(The area occupied by bullet comments can be adjusted by viewers.)
"The loudspeaker doesn't seem to be working. Are there any other methods?"
"If the streamer continues like this, will the influence deepen?"
"Should we request external help? I'll go and pray to our ancestors?"
...
Did something happen to Captain Jiang?
Xu Nan looked at the phone screen, thinking uncertainly.
He looked up at the sky above the community, still unable to see clearly, nor could he hear anything.
A layer of ghostly energy flowed through the sky above the entire community.
It was likely that Captain Jiang had covered the community for some reason.
After thinking for a while, Xu Nan flew back to the original spot and rejoined the mechanical sphere.
As soon as he left, Shen Jie below couldn't help but rub his arm.
He looked around, "Why is it so cold?"
... That chilling, eerie feeling was back.
...
"How is it, how is it? What exactly happened over there?"
As soon as Xu Nan returned, the mechanical sphere quickly leaned forward and asked.
Xu Nan briefly explained the situation over there and said, "Captain Jiang seems to have been affected by that power."
The mechanical sphere's eyes widened in surprise, "Is that thing that strong?!"
Xu Nan neither agreed nor disagreed, gazing at the Happy Community, and murmured:
"It has gained recognition from the World Spirit, and can only be undertaken by those at or above the冥使境 (Ming Shi Jing) level..."
"The question now is, should we do something?"
If they went in, they might also be affected.
Therefore, they now had only three options.
One, use the ghost artifact left by Captain Jiang – the vine rope – to pull him out.
Two, return to the underworld to find external help.
Three, wait.
Just wait here for Captain Jiang, maintaining the original plan.
"..."
The mechanical sphere looked at the ghost artifact – the vine rope – in its hand and also hesitated.
The Master had said that if he didn't come out within 24 hours, they should pull him out.
But it was still a long way from 24 hours.
"Should we wait a little longer and see the situation?"
What if they acted rashly and ruined the Master's plan if things hadn't reached that point?
"Mm." Xu Nan also agreed.
However, he was also prepared to request external help from the underworld at any time.
...
Another two hours passed, and Jiang Lin in the live stream still showed no other movement.
He sat on the edge of the community's rooftop, his right elbow resting on his bent right leg, his expression slightly dazed as he looked down at the community below.
He lacked nothing now; there was no need to work from dawn till dusk, or put in overtime.
He had once imagined what the life of a high-ranking ghost messenger would be like...
Now he knew.
The authority and benefits of a first-class ghost messenger were far superior to those of a second-class ghost messenger.
Not to mention housing allocation and generous salaries.
The work content alone could be adjusted by oneself.
Except for a few tasks that must be done by first-class ghost messengers—like Shen Luo's trip to the Heavenly Court last time—all other tasks were optional.
If they wanted to do them, they could accept them.
If they didn't want to, they could push them to other ghost messengers.
There was a great deal of room for personal adjustment.
Even if he wanted to slack off now and resign as the captain of the Eighteenth Team, it was entirely possible.
Moreover, this would not affect his various benefits and treatment in any way.
He could choose to do what he wanted, or go into seclusion for a hundred or eighty years to cultivate.
Thinking of this,
Jiang Lin slightly raised his eyes and looked at the houses in the distance.
The human world was filled with tall buildings and bustling traffic.
At his level, even if he wanted to stay in the human world for a period of time without attending to any work, it was entirely feasible.
So, why had he been in such a hurry before?
The system's tasks, in the first place, had no time limit.
"Hmm?"
Just then, Jiang Lin felt a slight tugging sensation at his waist.
Was someone looking for him?
... Outside the community—
Xu Nan and the mechanical sphere gripped the vine rope one after another, and first tugged it tentatively.
Seeing no reaction, they exchanged glances and nodded.
Then, with a concerted effort, "Pull!"
...