The ghost guide who led the way left Jiang Lin after bringing him to the eighteenth hall.
Before leaving, however, it gave Jiang Lin a small red stone.
"Captain Jiang Wuchang, if you ever need to send things to other ghosts, or need errands run, you can find me. Just crush this little stone, and I'll be right there!"
Saying this, the ghost child with two little pigtails shyly twisted and added, "But it'll cost you, you know~"
"Okay."
Jiang Lin didn't refuse and accepted the small stone. Just like his side hustle of sending dreams, this ghost child was also diligently expanding its business. Moreover, these ghost children were indeed very fast, as if they had put all their cultivation into speed. Among ghosts of the same level, their speed was practically unmatched. It was rumored that their business capabilities were excellent, ensuring deliveries and messages were sent even if they themselves perished.
However, these ghost children seemed to share a common trait: extreme pride. Their sensing stones came with three conditions: they wouldn't give them to ghosts of lower cultivation, nor to ghosts with inferior positions, and certainly not to ghosts they simply disliked. Of course, their appearance fees were likely not low either.
This was the first time Jiang Lin had received a sensing stone from these ghost children. He wasn't sure if he would ever use it, but he decided to keep it for now.
After finishing his tour of the eighteenth hall, he decided to visit the Ninth Team's office to see the former captain. He had some questions and things he wanted to ask for advice on.
The Ninth Team's office.
The eyes of the ghost guarding the entrance had even darker circles under them. Watching the ghost messengers coming and going, its expression was numb, its eyes vacant, as if its mind had gone blank.
When Jiang Lin arrived, some ghost messengers were just leaving the office. Upon seeing Jiang Lin, they were somewhat surprised.
"Jiang Wuchang? The Captain of the Eighteenth Team?!"
A group of White Impermanence stared at Jiang Lin, their mouths agape in astonishment. Many of them had been regularized in the same batch as Jiang Lin. They had interacted somewhat in their work, and everyone knew each other. But what was going on now? How could you secretly get promoted in just a few days? It felt like everyone agreed to be nobodies, but you secretly became rich and handsome, even marrying a beautiful woman, reaching the pinnacle of life in an instant. "When did this happen?"
"Just in the last couple of days," Jiang Lin replied.
"Captain, you're amazing! Congratulations, congratulations!"
Several White Impermanence looked at Jiang Lin, full of admiration. "Shouldn't you go out for a meal to celebrate?"
Jiang Lin smiled, "Next time. I have something to discuss with the Captain right now."
"Then you go ahead. Let's catch up when we have a chance."
"Wuwuwu, I'm so envious. I was regularized at the same time as you, but I'm still a nobody, and you've become a manager..."
Hearing Jiang Lin say he had something to do, the White Impermanence didn't press further. They looked at Jiang Lin with a mix of envy, respect, and sadness. The biggest blow wasn't from those who were powerful from the start, but from seeing someone who started at the same point as you suddenly surge ahead to a place you could never reach. "Who isn't a nobody? Sigh..." "I want to become stronger and get a raise too." "Indeed, there are differences between ghosts, tAt." "Senior, you're so inspiring, I'll work hard too!"
As the new and old Impermanence chatted, they walked away. The older Impermanence felt a pang of stimulation from their reflections, while the newly regularized Impermanence took this "chicken soup" to heart and made grand declarations. "My fate is mine to decide, not heaven's!" Even as mere ghost messengers, they would forge their own path! "Let's go!"
Jiang Lin waited until all the other reporting ghost messengers had left before entering the Ninth Team's office. Upon entering, he almost couldn't see where the Captain was. After looking a couple more times, he finally found the Captain buried in a pile of high-stacked documents. Even though he had become the captain of another team, in Jiang Lin's heart, this captain remained a figure worthy of respect. Not to mention the captain's serious attitude towards work, but simply for his support of Jiang Lin, he deserved his respect. And... he already had a guess in his mind.
Seeing that the other captain was busy, Jiang Lin didn't disturb him and found a place to sit nearby. He took the opportunity to survey the room. The room was filled with many bookshelves and cabinets, all stocked with various books and documents. He also noticed many sticky notes on the edges of the books and slips of paper with writing on them attached to the documents, clearly indicating the owner's meticulousness.
As Jiang Lin was looking around, a voice suddenly sounded from beside him: "Captain of the Eighteenth Team? Congratulations."
From behind the desk, the Captain of the Ninth Team had, at some point, lifted his head from the pile of documents. He looked over at Jiang Lin with a slight smile.
"Thank you for your guidance, King Jian'an," Jiang Lin cupped his hands. This thank you was not only for the Captain of the Ninth Team but also for the King Jian'an in his memory. The King Jian'an who distributed porridge, who stayed behind during times of crisis to lead the capital's citizens against invaders until his last breath.
The Captain of the Ninth Team smiled without saying anything, neither denying nor confirming. "When did you regain your memories?"
"Just in the last couple of days," Jiang Lin replied. At first, he wasn't sure, but after leaving the King of Hell's presence, he became certain.
The Captain of the Ninth Team, King Jian'an's gaze fell on the items Jiang Lin had placed aside. "You even brought Ganlu Tea?"
"Yes." In Jiang Lin's memory, King Jian'an's favorite tea was precisely this type. However, at that time, resources were scarce. Only a small amount remained at the bottom of the jar, which he was reluctant to brew. When someone suggested searching the palace again, King Jian'an refused, reasoning that they could use that time to find more food and weapons.
"Those times are past," King Jian'an said with a faint smile, perhaps referring to the tea or to those past events. He stood up, cleared a low table, and set out the tea set. "Care for a cup?"
"Alright."
The two sat down, and King Jian'an produced a teapot, beginning to brew the tea. Soon, a fragrant, light, and pleasant aroma filled the room.
"But what is it you needed?" King Jian'an asked.
Jiang Lin stated his purpose, wishing to seek the captain's experience in the position of captain.
"Each captain has a different style. My experience might only serve as a reference for you," King Jian'an said, beginning to narrate slowly. "Captains can generally be divided into two types. One is the action-oriented type, who often go to the front lines to handle matters. The other is the behind-the-scenes type, who mostly handle matters from the shadows. I am of the latter type. I don't micromanage my team members; instead, I focus more on analyzing and processing information. First, I observe and understand my team members, their strengths, and their ability to handle emergencies. Second, I collect information from various cities and the frequency of ghost incidents. Based on this, I can roughly judge the danger level of a particular city. Whenever soul information appears on the Book of Soul Reception, I check their cause of death and location. Then, based on the city's danger level, I assign them to suitable team members."
Afterward, King Jian'an shared some points to pay attention to in daily work, finally concluding, "As for the rest, my words are of little use. You will need to practice more and discover a style that suits you."
"Thank you, Captain!"
After leaving the Ninth Team's office, Jiang Lin was deep in thought. This was the first time he had learned about the duties of the captains. What the captain had said today was very helpful for his future role as captain of the eighteenth hall. No wonder the captain's room was full of various documents and notes. No wonder the captain was always busy whenever he visited. For the captain, perhaps assigning these team members to him was entrusting their lives to him. "The captain truly hasn't changed at all..." Jiang Lin glanced back at the Ninth Team's office, as if seeing the shadow of the King Jian'an's mansion from years ago.