The restricted area held no meaning for the ghosts, neither barbed wire nor high-voltage lines could stop them, but they served to prevent people from entering the mine pit and causing a passive "haunting." Whether the ghosts ventured beyond the restricted zone was entirely up to their self-discipline.
At present, there was no better solution, so this compromise was adopted.
My body was exhausted from Chu Qi's training. Although Xu Ran gave me a massage, it only offered temporary relief. As I sat in the car, I felt too tired to even press the accelerator.
"Bingbing, why don't you go back first? I'll manage here for one night," I said as we drove to the villa model house.
"What's wrong?" Bingbing asked.
"I'm too tired," I said, forcing my eyelids open.
"I'm fine. I'm a ghost messenger, why should I be afraid of them?" Zheng Bingbing smiled, knowing why I suggested she leave. "Let's go, I'll stay here with you."
After parking the car, Bingbing climbed over the wall into the villa and opened the door from the inside. Xiao Miao helped me in. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to lift my feet to climb the stairs. After a difficult ascent to the second floor, Bingbing sent a WeChat message to Yaoyao, telling her we wouldn't be returning. Yaoyao wanted to come over, but I said it wasn't necessary. This place was very safe, and if anything went wrong, there were still ghosts in the back mountain who might help.
Crucially, Mohe had been dispatched to Jinling again, allowing me to finally sleep soundly for one night.
Zheng Bingbing flipped the power switch and started heating water for a bath. Zhang Xiaomiao, perhaps feeling like a third wheel, had phased out and stayed in the adjacent room.
The high-power water heater finished heating the water in less than twenty minutes. Zheng Bingbing suspected I had a slight fever and filled a bathtub for me to soak in.
I was almost asleep, but she forcibly dragged me into the bathroom. The heater was on, and it was indeed warm. I tried to undress but couldn't manage it. Bingbing reached out to help me.
"Hey, hey, what are you doing?" I asked.
"Helping you."
"No need, I can do it myself."
"You can't manage, can you? Stop struggling. There's no one else here." Bingbing pushed my hand away, helped me, and then pushed me into the bathtub. She sat beside me, using a wooden ladle to pour water on the parts of me that were not submerged.
Before long, a small island emerged in the water. The Rain God smiled and poured water onto it. The island, nourished by the sweet dew, grew larger and larger. The whale demon beneath the island couldn't resist and directly pulled the person showering into the bathtub.
If Zhang Xiaomiao hadn't come to remind us that the water was getting cold, we might both have caught a cold!
After showering again, I returned to bed to rest. With the warm Bingbing, and Bingbing's warmth, the sensation was very comfortable. I slept until dawn.
My physical functions had basically recovered. As I drove with the two of them, about to leave the villa, I saw a team of construction vehicles driving in. The trucks were carrying a lot of green barbed wire, poles, and other materials, clearly here to build the restricted area.
Worried that Cheng Xiaojuan wouldn't be able to find the exact location, I followed the master responsible for surveying the blueprints up the mountain. I sketched a preliminary drawing for the restricted area in suitable locations around the mine, and only then did I leave with peace of mind.
Half a month later, the villas were reopened for sale. They widely advertised that a master had been invited to solve the problems of the Laobie Bay villa area and sincerely invited potential clients to experience free stays. Through this marketing strategy, the villa area's sales soared, and the remaining villas were sold out in a short period.
Cheng Xiaojuan kept her promise and reserved a luxurious villa for me in a prime location by the sea, with a registered area of over 400 square meters and an actual area of over 700 square meters. I directly contacted Chen Lu to handle the renovation. As it turned out, Chen Lu found it troublesome and hired the best renovation team in Laobie Bay at a high price. Upon inquiry, it turned out to be Cheng Xiaojuan's renovation company. The two sides began to bicker over the expenses, both eager to pay. I was not entirely sure how it was finally settled, but it was renovated to the highest standard. The investment in the renovation was even higher than the value of the villa itself.
I thought that if I ever retired, perhaps Yaoyao and I could come here to spend our retirement. The master bedroom of the villa faced east, so every morning, I could see the sunrise over the sea by opening the curtains and windows.
This is a story for another time.
Returning to the secret base in Jinjiling, I had now settled down. I discussed my recent work plans with Yaoyao. Regarding the competition, it was not initiated by the Bai Ze demon tribe, who were currently at a disadvantage, but rather proposed by the Shan Hai demon tribe. The date was set around Christmas, and the location was yet to be determined.