"Not just Liu Hui's soul? Could it be that besides Liu Hui, there's someone else?" Lan Jing asked in surprise.
He had never seen a mobile phone capable of holding ghosts.
Zhao Yan replied, "It seems there's more than just Liu Hui's soul. This phone contains two different Yin energies."
"The phone acts as a medium, much like the burial objects for the deceased in ancient times. Restless spirits tend to possess these burial items."
"Does that explanation make sense to you, Brother Lan?"
Lan Jing nodded, "That makes it clear."
Zhao Yan placed Liu Hui's phone on the table. "Brother Lan, how would you like me to handle this?"
"I don't want the souls to come out of the phone. Sealing them with talismans is sufficient."
Lan Jing heard Liu Hui's voice from the phone, pleading for help: "Miss Zhao, can you save Liu Hui's spirit?"
Captain Liu chimed in, "We investigated Liu Hui before. She didn't seem like someone who would commit suicide, but there was no evidence at the scene."
"Especially since Liu Hui mentioned in her phone call that only she had seen this man; no one else had."
"Now it looks more like she was killed by a ghost."
"As a police officer, I want to investigate the truth."
Zhao Yan said, "You have a strong sense of justice, but we must handle things separately. I'm being paid for this. Each talisman used costs a thousand yuan. Can you afford that?"
Before Captain Liu could respond, Lan Jing quickly interjected, "No problem."
Although his own skills weren't fully developed, he understood the pricing in this line of work. For someone as capable as Zhao Yan, a thousand yuan per talisman was quite reasonable.
"Brother Lan, next, I'd like you to astrally project with me and enter the phone."
"I can't astrally project," Lan Jing shook his head. He had only heard of astral projection; he had never seen it before.
Zhao Yan replied, "It's very simple. Just do as I say."
"Alright."
Zhao Yan took out a talisman and placed it on the back of Liu Hui's phone.
"Brother Lan, please extend your finger," Zhao Yan requested.
Lan Jing extended his finger.
As soon as he did, Zhao Yan quickly pricked it with a needle.
"Hiss~" Lan Jing's finger began to bleed, and he stared blankly at Zhao Yan.
Zhao Yan pinched his finger and pressed it onto the talisman.
"Reveal!"
As Zhao Yan spoke, Liu Hui's phone screen lit up.
An image appeared on the screen.
"This is Beidao Street in Jing City," Captain Liu exclaimed, pointing at the phone.
"Hmm? The woman in the phone seems to be Liu Hui. Miss Zhao, can we zoom in on the image?"
Zhao Yan nodded.
Captain Liu zoomed in on the phone. The screen showed a woman running frantically down Beidao Street in Jing City.
She kept looking back as she ran, her face filled with panic.
Not far behind her, a masked man was chasing Liu Hui with a knife.
Zhao Yan took out earphones, plugged them into Liu Hui's phone, and held a piece of paper around the earphones. "Hello Liu Hui, my name is Zhao Yan. You don't need to look around; you won't find me."
"Do as I say next."
"Nod if you are willing to trust me."
The Liu Hui in the phone looked panicked, initially searching for who was speaking.
She looked up at the sky; the voice seemed to be coming from above.
"Are you a god?" Liu Hui trembled.
"God! Please save me!"
Zhao Yan replied, "I am not a god. You'd better run faster. That man is about to catch up to you. If you trust me, please nod."
Liu Hui quickly looked back. The man chasing her had just emerged from another street corner and was rapidly approaching her.
Terrified, Liu Hui clasped her hands together, treating the voice from the sky as a lifeline.
"I am willing. As long as you can save my life and help me escape that pervert, I will do anything."
Zhao Yan placed her finger on the phone and zoomed in on the image, quickly scanning the entire building.
"Now, run towards Qishang Street on your left. There's a small alleyway there. Keep going inside and stay there without moving."
Everyone watched Zhao Yan. Lan Jing's eyes widened. What was this sorcery that allowed her to communicate with a ghost inside a phone?
The Liu Hui in the phone followed Zhao Yan's instructions and quickly ran towards Qishang Street on the left.
Zhao Yan said, "Liu Hui doesn't know she's dead. We need to hurry. If that vengeful spirit catches her, Liu Hui's soul will be in danger."
"Alright, thank you for your hard work, Miss Zhao. Just give us your instructions, and we will follow them," Lan Jing said.
"Now, Brother Lan, I need you to sit cross-legged."
Lan Jing followed Zhao Yan's instructions and sat down cross-legged.
"Close your eyes, hold this talisman, don't move it carelessly, and don't overthink. The purer your thoughts, the more successful your soul projection will be."
"Also, Brother Lan, be sure not to lose this talisman. This talisman is the same one on Liu Hui's phone; it's the medium for your soul to enter the phone and also the medium for you to exit."
Hearing Zhao Yan's serious tone, Lan Jing felt a bit nervous. He took the talisman Zhao Yan handed him, took a deep breath, and said, "Understood, Miss Zhao."
Then, Lan Jing closed his eyes.
Zhao Yan turned to Wu Jiaxin and said, "Jiaxin, you watch Liu Hui's phone from now on. Don't let anyone touch it."
Wu Jiaxin replied earnestly, "Don't worry, Sister Zhao."
Zhao Yan tapped the crown of Lan Jing's head. "Go!"
Lan Jing suddenly felt his whole body become light. Then, the talisman in his hand began to heat up, followed by a powerful suction force that pulled him in.
"Sister Zhao, Brother Lan has appeared inside the phone," Wu Jiaxin pointed at Lan Jing in the phone.
The Lan Jing inside the phone looked dazed, observing himself and then waving his hands vigorously towards the sky.
"Miss Zhao, I'm in!"
Zhao Yan then sat cross-legged. After the talisman heated up, a suction force pulled her in. When she opened her eyes, Lan Jing was beside her.
Lan Jing was still a little excited. "Miss Zhao, is this inside the phone?"
Zhao Yan replied, "Yes, this is inside the phone."
"Jiaxin, can you hear me?"
Wu Jiaxin responded, "I can hear you, Sister Zhao."
Noticing that Zhao Yan inside the phone didn't react, Wu Jiaxin took the wired earphones and plugged them into the phone. "I can hear you, Sister Zhao."
Zhao Yan breathed a sigh of relief and said to Lan Jing, "We are living people. Our time for astral projection is limited to three hours. Once three hours pass, we will be trapped here."