Chapter 18 : Unorthodox Mystical Techniques
Chapter 18: Unorthodox Mystical Techniques
“What level?” Jiang Xinyue’s face was full of confusion.
Her mind had been entirely focused on how to take revenge on the other party, yet she had never thought about how exactly to do it, nor to what extent.
“Master, to what extent can you go?” Jiang Haichao picked up the conversation.
At this moment, he no longer doubted Shen Qingzhou’s abilities. Even though he still harbored some suspicion in his heart, he would not show it directly.
“To what extent can I go?” Shen Qingzhou let out a light laugh.
“As long as you can think of it, I can do it. How about this—I’ll give you a few scenarios, and you can decide for yourselves.”
“O-okay…”
Hearing Shen Qingzhou speak so casually, the two of them felt both a trace of fear and a sense of curiosity.
“First, naturally, I can directly kill the person—silently, without leaving any trace. If you feel that’s not satisfying enough, I can also seal his soul inside a puppet. You could torment him day and night. Any external force applied to the puppet would act directly on the soul itself—breaking fingers, piercing with needles, gouging out eyes, amputating limbs…”
As Jiang Haichao and his daughter listened, a chill shot straight to their scalps. Jiang Xinyue even instinctively covered Xiao Qiu’s ears to stop her from hearing.
“Second, psychological destruction—drive him insane, overturn his cognition, make him treat feces as food, dogs as people, cars as horses…”
Hearing this, the father and daughter’s eyes lit up. They felt that this kind of punishment suited their intentions quite well, but they still wanted to hear if there was a third option.
Shen Qingzhou did not disappoint and continued, “Third, let him suffer from illness. You choose the disease you think is the most painful and torturous, and I’ll make him contract it. Any disease will do.”
At the end, Shen Qingzhou added emphasis.
“So, which one do you choose?” Shen Qingzhou asked.
Jiang Xinyue was just about to speak when Jiang Haichao raised his hand to stop her. His voice was slightly hoarse as he asked, “If we choose any of these three options, what price do we have to pay?”
“Price?”
Shen Qingzhou glanced once more at Jiang Haichao’s clothing. That single look made Jiang Haichao feel a chill all over his body, yet he still mustered the courage to meet Shen Qingzhou’s gaze.
“One hundred thousand.”
“What?” Jiang Haichao doubted his own ears.
“I said one hundred thousand yuan. I believe you can afford it.”
Shen Qingzhou picked up the receipt on the table and lightly waved it in the air twice.
“Master, that’s not what I meant. I mean, using such methods to take revenge on the murderer—it goes against the harmony of heaven. Do we need to pay an equivalent price? Will there be backlash afterward…”
“Against the harmony of heaven? Hahaha…”
Shen Qingzhou burst into laughter, as if he had heard something extremely amusing.
“You really are kind, old sir. When he killed your granddaughter, did he think about going against the harmony of heaven? Besides, one human life—a mere ant. Do you care about an ant crushed by the roadside? And who are you? Would heaven care?”
Jiang Haichao was left speechless, though unease still lingered faintly in his heart.
Shen Qingzhou continued, “Besides, even if a price must be paid, it would be me paying it. After all, I’m the one doing it—what does it have to do with you? So, have you decided which method?”
Jiang Xinyue tried to speak again but was immediately stopped by Jiang Haichao once more.
“We choose the third option,” Jiang Haichao said.
Jiang Xinyue looked at her father in surprise. She had thought he would choose the second option, just like her.
Jiang Haichao said, “A madman never thinks he is mad. He may even indulge in his madness. So for the murderer, that wouldn’t be much of a punishment. The greatest suffering for a person is enduring both physical and mental torment while fully conscious…”
These words were both an explanation to Shen Qingzhou and to his daughter.
“Indeed, experience speaks louder with age,” Shen Qingzhou praised.
Jiang Haichao continued, “Moreover, after going insane, who knows if he might do something extreme again? At that point, insanity would become his best shield. I don’t want to harm anyone else…”
If his first sentence made him seem gentle in appearance but ruthless at heart, the latter half inspired genuine respect.
“You’ve thought this through well, old sir.”
This time, Shen Qingzhou’s praise was sincere.
“I’ll transfer the money to your account tomorrow. The rest is in your hands, Master,” Jiang Haichao said.
Shen Qingzhou waved his hand. “No rush on the money. I usually charge after the job is done. But since you’ve chosen the third option, there are two things you need to prepare.”
The two of them stiffened, becoming uneasy, afraid that Shen Qingzhou might make some “abnormal” demand.
“Please go ahead,” Jiang Haichao steadied himself first and asked politely.
“First, I need a personal belonging of the murderer—preferably hair. This will serve as a medium. No matter whether you choose the first or second method, this is required.”
Hearing this, both of them suddenly understood, feeling that such a requirement was reasonable.
“And since you chose the third option, there’s an additional condition—you must find a patient suffering from what you consider the most cruel and torturous disease. Through the medium, I will transfer the illness from that patient onto the murderer. Of course, that will incur an additional fee.”
They could understand the first half, but the second half left them stunned—why was there another charge?
“Of course there’s a charge. I can’t work for free, can I? Transferring the illness means the patient recovers. Naturally, I should be paid. Isn’t that reasonable? And likewise, payment will be after the job is done.”
“Reasonable, reasonable…”
The father and daughter widened their eyes. Jiang Haichao’s voice even changed pitch—it was simply too unbelievable.
“Master, may I ask—can it be any disease? Even congenital ones?” Jiang Haichao asked.
“Of course not,” Shen Qingzhou replied.
Hearing this, the two of them felt relieved, thinking that made sense—how could any disease be treated? Yet at the same time, a faint disappointment arose in their hearts.
Shen Qingzhou continued, “Whether congenital or acquired disabilities, those won’t work. Missing limbs can’t be regrown. Other than that, there’s no problem.”
“That means… that means…”
His words excited them once again. It meant that aside from disabilities, any incurable disease could be treated.
“Alright, go prepare. Come back when you’re ready. As for finding the child’s remains, we’ll handle that together then.”
“O-okay…” The father and daughter hurriedly stood up. Jiang Xinyue still held Xiao Qiu tightly, reluctant to let go, but the incense that had just been lit was nearly burned out.
“Oh, Master, may I ask—how much will the patient have to pay you?” Jiang Haichao asked.
“We’ll see when the time comes,” Shen Qingzhou said, waving his hand.
However, Jiang Haichao’s face showed a trace of concern upon hearing this.
Seeing this, Shen Qingzhou smiled. “When I say we’ll see, I mean it. If the patient’s family is wealthy, I’ll charge more. If they’re poor, I’ll charge less. In any case, it will be within their means.”
“Master, you are truly benevolent.”
Jiang Haichao actually cupped his fists respectfully toward Shen Qingzhou.
Then he glanced at the incense on the table, which was about to burn out, and asked, “Can we take the child back with us?”
“Of course. But once this incense finishes burning, she will disappear,” Shen Qingzhou said.
“I understand. Master, we won’t take up more of your time. We’ll go prepare first.” Jiang Haichao no longer delayed and pulled Jiang Xinyue toward the door.
Before even reaching it, he said, “Let me hold Xiao Qiu.”
Though reluctant, Jiang Xinyue still handed Xiao Qiu over to him.
“Grandpa…”
Xiao Qiu wrapped her arms around Jiang Haichao’s neck and called out pitifully, which made his heart ache deeply.
Holding her, he did not pause for a moment and quickly went downstairs.
The reason he asked to hold her was not only due to his longing for his granddaughter, but also because he wanted to verify whether everything before him was merely an illusion controlled by incense—or something real.
So as soon as he went downstairs and encountered a passerby, he immediately stopped the man with a smile. “Brother, is my granddaughter cute? Does she look like me?”
The old man who had just finished exercising was bewildered, thinking Jiang Haichao had something wrong with his head, but still nodded. “She’s quite cute, but how does she look like you? She looks more like her mother.”
After saying that, the passerby glanced at Jiang Xinyue beside him, then asked Xiao Qiu in his arms, “Little girl, what’s your name? How old are you?”
Before Xiao Qiu could answer, Jiang Haichao walked away carrying her, leaving the old man standing there in confusion. After a long moment, he muttered, “Crazy.”
“What a pity for that child…”