Chapter 146

Chapter 146

In this world, after being maliciously altered by the dominant players, evildoers who die turn into ghosts and remain in the world, not disappearing according to natural laws. What about good people? Good people still follow natural laws; their spirits vanish after death, becoming nourishment for the universe.

However, as we learned earlier, there are a few exceptionally special souls that do not disappear after death but instead gain the chance to be reborn. Just like Jiang Xingzhuo, she is one of these special souls that did not disappear after death but remained in the world without a physical body.

These special souls come in many forms; some received blessings from spiritual objects during their lifetime, while others were born with a unique mission. Regardless, these souls are almost never those of evildoers.

Due to the setting imposed by the dominion, the messengers of the underworld cannot sense the presence of ghosts needing to be taken to the underworld. Thus, evil spirits can stay behind, and at the same time, the few special souls in this world also get to remain.

The people of this world, however, are unaware of this. They believe that all ghosts are evil spirits.

While the Death God, wearing an apron, was immersed in plucking duck feathers in the kitchen to prepare a meal for his girlfriend, Jiang Xingzhuo sat before the All-Knowing Eye, munching on sunflower seeds. As she ate, she saw several of these special souls, one of whom was in Ghost City.

It was an extremely vicious male ghost, voraciously devouring other evil spirits to strengthen himself. Yet he was indeed a special soul, not the spirit of an evildoer.

Ghost City was teeming with ghosts of various levels, engaged in a brutal society where they devoured each other.

This male ghost had already gained considerable fame within Ghost City. Originally just a low-level evil spirit, he not only survived but also devoured other ghosts. Each level of ghosthood had a clear demarcation, making it increasingly difficult to ascend. Yet within a few short years, he rose to the rank of ghost general, second only to the highest-ranking ghost king.

Many beautiful female ghosts and even male ghosts threw themselves at him, only to end up in his belly. His ferocity frightened even the ghosts.

His rapid ascent and ferocity alarmed the ghost king, who dispatched numerous ghost generals to besiege him. Although he was severely wounded, he won, swallowing two ghost generals in an attempt to escape Ghost City. However, due to overeating, he suffered indigestion and was caught by the ghost king just before escaping the city gates.

No ghost could survive a siege by numerous ghost generals and then face the ghost king.

His head was torn off and thrown into the sky. The male ghost's eyes gazed at the crimson sky, and a figure emerged in his mind. It was a mature woman, older than him, whose face wasn't as beautiful as those of the female ghosts who had thrown themselves at him, yet she possessed a unique aura. Her steady, intelligent, and sharp eyes made her stand out when she spoke confidently and powerfully on stage, captivating everyone.

—Madam President.

At that time, Ling Fengqing had not yet won the election. Campaign speeches, political events, and military activities filled her daily life. She always had countless staff members following her, even when using the restroom, with two female guards stationed outside.

Despite the relentless pace, she was a woman of ambition and capability. When others dreamed of becoming scientists, astronauts, or teachers, her dream was singular: to become president.

"I want to change this world and make it run according to my will," she said boldly as a child. People smiled indulgently, not taking her seriously.

Yet in high school, she began preparing to enter politics, choosing the right university and befriending children from influential families, successfully turning them into loyal supporters.

Her family went from "You must be joking" to "You're delusional, we won't support you" to "Wow, she's really serious" to "Uh-oh, she might actually succeed." Finally, when she was just a step away from her goal, her family threw their full support behind her.

Even if she didn't win, such a young female candidate was unprecedented, and she had already become a legend, with countless fans and a massive following.

Colleagues and opponents called her a "cold madwoman." Those unaware of the truth thought her position came from her prominent family background, unaware of her chilling tactics behind the scenes.

"Minister, the interview with the student representatives is about to start," her secretary said at the door.

Ling Fengqing extinguished her cigarette, got up, and cracked her neck twice, walking toward the venue with firm steps. The secretary followed, feeling her footsteps pounding in his heart.

This time, representatives from prestigious universities would interview the candidates. Due to Ling Fengqing's uniqueness, the spots were fiercely contested, with the most outstanding students securing the opportunity.

Upon entering the venue, Ling Fengqing noticed a boy, not because he was particularly handsome, but because he held a sign supporting her. He was the only one with a sign, which was large and eye-catching, and his face was flushed red, looking embarrassed yet determined.

A bit cute, that boy.

Ling Fengqing's lips curved slightly as she looked away.

After answering a few questions from the student representatives, she turned to him, "If this sign wasn't forced upon you and you're truly my supporter, do you have any questions for me?"

Amidst brief laughter, everyone looked at him.

The young man blushed, pushed his glasses up, and said, "I know all your decisions have been flawless, always benefiting the people. You are the wisest decision-maker!"

"Thank you for your praise. So, you have no questions for me?"

"Ah, ah! What... what do you eat for lunch? Our cafeteria is great!" Realizing what he had said, his face turned even redder as he lowered his head. What was he saying, asking about the cafeteria? Someone like her...

Ling Fengqing blinked, "Sure, I'll try it for lunch."

After the interview, this exchange went viral online, with fan artists quickly producing various works. Of course, no one took it seriously, and Ling Fengqing and the young man had no further interactions publicly.

Initially, Ling Fengqing used him to understand the trends within the universities. Academic votes were more valuable than those from less educated citizens and could sway results in critical moments.

Over time, she found him pleasant to talk to. He was a kind-hearted, outwardly serious, secretly playful, and innocent young man living a completely different life from hers, full of energy and vitality. Listening to him talk about his day and the animals he had rescued relaxed her.

Under immense pressure, like other politicians, she occasionally needed stress relief. Sex was a common method, but it wasn't just that. A vague fondness and her instinctive need to control what affected her led to their relationship.

One day, they became lovers. This relationship could not be publicized, especially during the campaign year and a half.

He was sensible, more concerned about the election result than anyone else, worried about her dreams coming true. Still, everyone around her treated him as an outsider, a ticking bomb.

"This is a crucial moment. If our opponents catch wind of anything, countless traps will appear," her secretary said emotionlessly. "She has worked hard to get here. If you truly love her, think of her and don't become her weakness or obstacle."

Ling Fengqing believed that even if exposed, she could handle the situation. A president who loves is more appealing than a perfect one. She had prepared contingency plans. But her supporters wanted stability; she had secured most women's votes and couldn't risk anything.

So they took turns urging him to leave.

"Even if she likes you now, she loves the presidency more. If she loses it because of you, do you think your relationship will last?"

This hit the young man hard, but he didn't want to break up, only requesting a temporary separation. Ling Fengqing agreed.

Ultimately, Ling Fengqing won the election with 67% of the vote.

But she didn't get to implement her childhood ambitions.

Evil spirits appeared in the world, ushering in a new era of nightmares.

...I want to help her.

The ghost's head fell to the ground, its eyes staring blankly at the sky. Becoming the Ghost King would allow her to suppress and even annihilate all the ghosts in this country, revealing the truth of how this world had become this way, and then she could tell her about it... That was what he thought, but it seemed impossible now.

How unwilling he was, after so much effort to reach this point, after finally being able to see her again...

The Ghost King's foot appeared before his eyes, lifting his head up. He saw the Ghost King open its mouth, ready to devour him.

Unwilling! Unwilling! Unwilling! Unwilling to end like this without even seeing her face! Was there any way? Anything, he was willing to pay any price!

Suddenly, the air changed, and a terrifying sensation descended like a shadow.

The Ghost King's movement of swallowing froze.

"I heard the voice of desire and came upon your call," Jiang Xingzhuo spoke slowly, smiling as she looked at the head in the Ghost King's hand. "Draw a card?"