Chapter 394: Contacting Reinforcements
After the old man told Yang Haoran everything he knew, Yang Haoran confirmed it multiple times before finally collecting the old man's soul into the Soul-Gathering Bead. He then lit a cigarette, his fingers lightly tapping the table as he fell into deep thought.
One cigarette after another, an unknown amount of time passed before his phone suddenly rang, rousing Yang Haoran from his contemplation.
He pulled out his phone and saw Guan Hai's name on the caller ID. Without hesitation, Yang Haoran answered the call.
"What are you up to, Brother Yang? Let's go out for a drink tonight. I was so busy during the wedding that I couldn't properly look after you. How about the two of us brothers have a good long drink tonight?"
Guan Hai's wedding had taken place just a few days after the battle with the Resentful Spirit. Yang Haoran had been extremely busy during that period, but he still attended Guan Hai's wedding and presented him with a generous gift.
Due to his own packed schedule, and Guan Hai being even busier as the groom, Yang Haoran left immediately after swiftly attending the wedding. Before he departed, he handed Guan Hai a bank card containing one million, a sum he was lending to Guan Hai.
Originally, Yang Haoran had intended to give Guan Hai this card before the wedding, but the matter with the Resentful Spirit had kept him occupied, so he only managed to deliver it on the wedding day itself.
As for where the million came from, it was naturally taken from the Death God Temple. As the Emissary of Death for Lecheng's Underworld Office, all Death God Temples were under his jurisdiction. Given the Death God Temples' annual income, lending Guan Hai ten million, let alone one million, would pose no problem.
The Underworld Office did not inquire about the Death God Temples' annual income in New Beginning Coins, nor did they require it to be handed over. Emissaries of Death were free to use it as they wished. To put it plainly, this money was an extra benefit provided by the Underworld Office to Emissaries of Death, to be spent however they pleased, as the Underworld Office had no interest in New Beginning Coins.
"I'm afraid tonight won't work. I have something I need to go out for," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
"Don't give me that nonsense! See you tonight, I'm hanging up now. " Guan Hai simply didn't believe Yang Haoran had anything to do, and was about to end the call after speaking.
"Wait! I really do have something to do tonight. Let's drink when I've finished handling it and come back! " Yang Haoran quickly stopped him, speaking with a look of apology.
"Really have something? " Guan Hai still sounded somewhat unconvinced.
"I genuinely do. Do you think I'd lie to you? " Yang Haoran replied with a wry smile.
Guan Hai fell silent for a few seconds before responding, "Since you truly have something important, I won't press you. We'll drink when you get back. Just be careful."
Guan Hai didn't ask what Yang Haoran had to do, but he knew that whatever Yang Haoran was busy with would certainly carry some risk, so he didn't press for details.
"Don't worry, it shouldn't be a big problem. I'll contact you when I get back."
After hanging up, Yang Haoran rubbed his temples, then his forehead, and once again sank into contemplation.
The reason for his current state was naturally the information he had received from the old man, information about a Spirit Medium.
According to the old man's account, among the staff at the West City Crematorium was a middle-aged woman surnamed Zhao. This woman had worked at the crematorium for a very long time; staff members came and went in waves, but she consistently held her position, with no intention of leaving.
Because she was usually quite bold and treated people very well, coupled with her being a long-serving employee of the crematorium, other staff members held her in high regard. Younger employees called her Auntie Zhao, while those slightly older would respectfully address her as Sister Zhao.
And this woman was the Spirit Medium the old man had spoken of.
Logically speaking, upon learning this woman's identity, Yang Haoran would undoubtedly make a series of preparations immediately, then rush to the crematorium outside the west city to apprehend this Spirit Medium.
However, he did not do so. Instead, he remained in his study, lost in contemplation.
He was hesitant because this Spirit Medium was not like Du Xiao, who had merely been an ordinary Spirit Medium. According to the old man, this woman was a Spirit Master, and a rather powerful one at that.
Yang Haoran had asked the old man which of them was stronger, if he were to compare himself to this woman. The old man's answer was that he couldn't be sure.
According to the old man, he had never crossed paths with this woman in battle, nor was he familiar with her. They simply knew of each other's existence in Lecheng, so he couldn't be absolutely certain how his strength compared to hers.
The old man's uncertainty left Yang Haoran extremely conflicted. With no clear understanding of the woman's strength, he dared not make any rash decisions.
If he attacked rashly and the woman's strength was inferior to the old man's, then it would naturally be for the best; he could simply apprehend her.
But if the woman's strength was even greater than the old man's, then going to trouble her directly would be nothing short of delivering himself to his demise, wouldn't it?
After much deliberation, Yang Haoran still decided he had to try!
The reason was simple: now that he had finally learned the whereabouts of a Spirit Medium, he couldn't possibly give up just because he was unsure of her strength.
However, since he was currently unclear about her strength, he wouldn't be foolish enough to blindly confront the woman. He definitely needed a perfect plan.
First, he needed powerful assistance. As the saying goes, 'strength in numbers. ' An opponent he couldn't handle alone might yield a different outcome with several powerful allies.
Secondly, he needed to spend some time figuring out the woman's strength. He didn't need to understand her thoroughly, but at least gain a general idea. Only then would his chances of success in a confrontation be higher.
The reason he prioritized preparing his reinforcements over investigating the target's strength was his concern that if any unforeseen circumstances arose while he was gathering information, it might be too late to find help at the last minute.
Furthermore, if he sought help on short notice, the other party might not be available. If they were tied up with important matters and couldn't break free, the situation would become complicated.
Thus, he placed contacting reinforcements first and investigating the target's strength second. If any unexpected situation did arise, he would at least have a fallback.
Of course, if no unforeseen events occurred, that would be even better; he could then easily apprehend the target.
When it came to finding help, Yang Haoran's first thoughts turned to Bai Xue and Spirit Police captain Luo Dui.
Bai Xue herself was a great demon. Although not among the absolute strongest of her kind, her current power was undeniably impressive.
Although Bai Xue had sustained severe injuries recently, with the healing methods provided by the Spirit Police, and her own ability to recover from wounds using Demon Power, her strength had almost fully recuperated, making her ready for action.
From their battle with the Resentful Spirit that day, it was clear that Bai Xue's current strength was considerably greater than Zhou Fudui's. Within the Spirit Police, her power should be second only to Luo Dui's. Her assistance would be a significant advantage.
However, because Bai Xue was a demon, she couldn't effectively restrain ghostly entities, which put her at a disadvantage in that regard. But if Bai Xue were to directly attack the Spirit Master, the situation would be different. After all, a Spirit Master's body was made of flesh and blood; destroying the Spirit Master's physical form would mean eliminating an enemy.
Luo Dui, on the other hand, was an exorcist, and his methods could somewhat restrain ghostly entities. At that time, he could team up with Luo Dui to deal with the Spirit Master's Guardian Spirit, while Bai Xue would confront the Spirit Master directly. Such a coordinated effort would significantly increase their chances of victory.
With a decision made, Yang Haoran wasn't about to waste any more time. He prepared to act immediately according to his plan.
Originally, he had intended to contact Xu Meijing for help with this matter, but considering that Xu Meijing was likely worried about the Soul-Refining Cauldron herself, he decided not to add to her troubles. If he, Bai Xue, and Luo Dui combined still couldn't apprehend their target, then it wouldn't be too late to ask her.
As for whether Luo Dui and Bai Xue would agree to help, Yang Haoran wasn't concerned. As long as they didn't have any major commitments, they shouldn't refuse.
And so, Yang Haoran first called Luo Dui, explaining the situation. The other party showed no intention of declining and agreed very readily.
Afterward, Yang Haoran left his study, walked towards Bai Xue's bedroom, and knocked on her door.
Bai Xue had no mission today, so she was at home cultivating by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. When Yang Haoran knocked, her door immediately opened on its own, and Bai Xue's alluring voice rang out.
As usual, Yang Haoran did not step into Bai Xue's bedroom. Instead, he stood at the doorway and explained the situation. Just as he expected, Bai Xue did not refuse either, and readily agreed to his request.
Once his reinforcements were contacted and ready, Yang Haoran decided to set off immediately.
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