Ghost Matchmaking: Ghost Emperor Husband and Campus Queen Wife

Seeing this, the Dragon Country audience erupted in discussion.

[Working 16 hours a day? Even Foxconn would call this place a sweatshop.]

[Now I get why they call the technicians ’consumables’.]

[No wonder they have to kidnap their employees. If I worked at a factory like this, I’d quit and be out of there in three minutes.]

[And this promotion system? It’s basically forcing the employees to do bad things.]

[Yeah, if you don’t go out to rob people and plunder their resources, you’re stuck at the bottom for life. It’s so twisted.]

[Where did this Ghost Master learn this stuff? It’s a miracle his underlings haven’t rebelled.]

...

At that moment, Yun Zhenyue and Huang Ting entered a room with a sign on the door that read, "Assessment Room."

Inside stood several ghosts.

There was an assessment officer in a work uniform with two stars on his chest, as well as a few other employees. Most of them had only one star, marking them as the lowest-level workers in the factory.

A powerfully built ghost with a scarred face, wearing a tank top, also had two stars.

There was also a cold-looking female ghost, her long hair tied up with a large red bow that had three stars pinned to its edge.

When he saw Huang Ting, the Scarface Ghost immediately broke into a smile.

But that smile, combined with his centipede-like scar, looked exceptionally sinister.

"Yo~ Ting, taking an assessment and you still brought a little follower?"

His gaze shifted to Yun Zhenyue.

Noticing she wasn’t wearing any stars, a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes.

"Dao, it’s a shame the last mission didn’t shut you up."

"This is a new employee from my workshop. She’s very interested in the promotion process, so I brought her along to see how it works."

Huang Ting said slowly, glancing at Dao.

This Scarface Ghost was a line leader from the neighboring workshop. They had clashed before because of his sinister-looking face, but she later discovered that Dao’s personality was actually quite decent.

They’d become friends through fighting.

They had even done their last mission together.

They went to a small instance dungeon to capture ghosts.

Dao would intentionally let the ones with a conscience go free.

"Look at you. Who in this factory isn’t interested in a promotion?"

"I just think... isn’t this a bit too fast? The girl just got here, and you’re already making her all these big promises. It’s kinda like... pulling up the... uh... what was that pig thing again?" Dao said, scratching his head.

"’Pulling up the shoots to help them grow.’ You should really try to get more cultured."

Huang Ting sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.

Then she looked over at Yun Zhenyue.

"I have high hopes for her. You could say we just clicked."

"That’s what you said last time! I think you’re just trying to find an excuse to slack off!" Dao shouted.

"What do you mean, slacking off?!"

Huang Ting couldn’t stand it.

She immediately started arguing with Dao.

"It’s called setting reasonable work hours for myself!"

While the two were bickering, the female ghost with the big bow remained as cold as ever.

Her gaze swept over Yun Zhenyue.

She seemed to be trying to discern something.

After a few seconds, she retracted her gaze, her expression once again filled with a detachment that separated her from the rest of the world.

...

Yun Zhenyue didn’t mind.

Even if that kind of stare was a little offensive.

’Is she trying to sense my strength?’

’Whatever.’

’After all, I’m just a poor, helpless, one-star employee.’

"You two, stop fighting and fill out the form first!"

The assessment officer stopped the squabbling pair, taking out a form and handing it to Huang Ting.

"I’m a pro at these forms. It’ll just take a second."

Huang Ting took the form.

She had it filled out in less than a minute.

She completed every section with practiced ease.

Clearly, this wasn’t her first time coming for a promotion assessment.

The assessment officer glanced at it and nodded. "Mm, your contribution points are sufficient. Now, we’ll see about your loyalty."

"Who’s going first for the test?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Dao raised his hand.

"Me! I’ll go!"

"For the past month, I’ve been memorizing the Ghost Master’s teachings, listening to the stories of His deeds in the mortal world, and bowing to Him three times before I sleep every night. I’m absolutely loyal!"

The assessment officer chuckled. "Loyalty isn’t something you prove with words. Go on in. The detector is already on."

Hearing this, Dao took a deep breath.

He walked towards a corner of the room.

There sat a machine that resembled a CT scanner. Its shell glinted with a cold light, and the circular scanning aperture was a black void. Its inner surface was covered in fine lines, like the scratch marks of countless fingernails.

As Dao nervously lay down inside it, the machine let out a WHIRRR!

BEEP BEEP BEEP~

It began to test his loyalty to the Ghost Master!

Dao’s eyes snapped shut as he lost consciousness.

At the same time, a fine sweat broke out on his temples.

His brow furrowed tightly!

It was as if he had plunged into the deepest of nightmares!

Before long, his whole body arched, and hideous blue veins bulged on his skin!

Even though he wanted to desperately resist something, it was all in vain.

Yun Zhenyue watched, a little confused.

’Can a CT scanner like this really measure loyalty?’

’After all, even the Marriage System can’t pin down Affinity scores.’

’Sometimes, a change in mood can affect one’s Affinity.’

’This thing can’t be accurate.’

As if sensing Yun Zhenyue’s confusion, Huang Ting lowered her voice and explained, "This machine constructs an ultra-realistic Illusion Realm to test the subject’s subconscious loyalty to the Ghost Master under various scenarios."

"Any pretense can be detected."

"For example, if the Ghost Master is in danger, will you risk your life to save him? Or if the Ghost Master orders you to hang yourself, will you genuinely accept it? If the organization ignores you when you deserve recognition, will you harbor resentment toward the Ghost Master...?"

Huh?

’This isn’t a loyalty test! This is just how you breed fanatics!’

’In other words, to have a high loyalty score, you have to abandon your sense of self, dedicate everything to the so-called Ghost Master, follow him blindly, become utterly obsessed, and even head toward self-destruction.’

’This Ghost Master... is not a good person.’

Yun Zhenyue found it all incredible.

’It’s completely different from the Nightmare Hunter.’

’She’d looked into it before. The ghosts of the Nightmare Hunter all join voluntarily.’

’While they are also very loyal to Gu Yuan, each one of them still has their own bottom line.’

’The organization behind this factory is far too crude!’

’This method can certainly screen for truly loyal candidates. The mid-to-high-level members must all be true fanatics.’

’But the vast majority of the low-level ghosts were captured and brought here. Forget being loyal to the Ghost Master. It’s a wonder they aren’t cursing him out in the depths of their hearts.’

’So they only have two paths. Either they brainwash themselves for a chance at promotion, or they get weeded out and remain one-star grunts for life, becoming the factory’s foundation.’

’This is trouble...’

Yun Zhenyue sucked in a sharp breath.

’Even if I complete my missions, it’s useless, isn’t it? I’ll never pass this loyalty part!’

’First, I’m unwilling. I have no desire to brainwash myself. Even if I were willing, I could hardly become loyal to a stranger in such a short time.’

’He’s not Gu Yuan!’

’I’m so screwed!’

Just then, Yun Zhenyue heard the assessment officer’s merciless voice.

"Loyalty: 67. Failure!"

"To be promoted to a three-star employee, you need a loyalty score of at least 70!"

"You’ll have to keep trying."

"May the Ghost Master bless you..."

Dao took back his form, looking completely drained.

"I did my absolute best. I all but brainwashed myself into loving the Ghost Master. How is my loyalty score still so low?"

"Ting, you’re up."