Strange Rules: It doesn't matter, the system will take care of it.

Chapter 4 First Encounter with the Water Ghost

The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier, and the sound was like sizzling meat.

"As for things like gods and ghosts, it's better to believe they exist than not to believe they don't."

Old Li honked the horn, then suddenly said mysteriously, "Mr. Chen, would you like to hear a story?"

"here we go again."

Zhang Ruobing rolled her eyes and covered her ears: "I'm not listening, you're just talking nonsense."

Who asked you?

Chen Feng nodded: "Okay, tell me, I'm listening."

"Next, I'm going to tell you an absolutely true story, whether you believe it or not." Old Li's voice suddenly lowered. "Years ago, there was a very wealthy tycoon who married a beautiful, tall woman who looked like she stepped out of a painting."

"The good life didn't last long before strange things started happening. The boss's health deteriorated day by day, and he looked like he was about to collapse. The neighbors all said that his wife was a jinx who would bring bad luck to her husband!"

"But this big boss was blinded by greed, refusing to believe it... until one day!" Old Li's voice suddenly rose, "The big boss went home early, and guess what? He caught his beautiful wife cheating on him!"

Holy crap, there's a cow.

Chen Feng's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself, "Isn't this just like the story of Wu Dalang and Pan Jinlian?"

Old Li seemed to see through Chen Feng's thoughts and laughed, "Are you thinking that the boss's declining health was because that heartless woman was poisoning him every day, and that after the affair was exposed, she conspired with her lover to kill him?"

Chen Feng nodded subconsciously.

Old Li said, "No!"

Chen Feng was stunned: "Huh? Did the boss, in a fit of rage, kill his lover and wife in retaliation?"

Old Li flashed a few teeth that were yellowed and blackened from smoking: "Hey, that's not right either!"

Damn it, is there a third possibility?

Chen Feng was also dumbfounded. Surely the big boss wouldn't suddenly get excited and join them?

Old Li revealed the answer: "When the big boss pushed open the door and saw two people embracing, he thought they were adulterers. But upon closer inspection, he discovered it was his delicate wife embracing a corpse that had been drained of its life essence, reduced to skin and bones!"

Chen Feng cried out, "Ah!"

Seeing Chen Feng's strong reaction, Old Li laughed and said, "Human skin? Have you ever seen one?"

Not only have I seen it, but I've also served as one.

Chen Feng hurriedly asked, "What happens next?"

"Next, the big boss was so terrified by the hellish scene that he died on the spot, losing consciousness!"

As he spoke, Old Li pointed ahead: "When he opened his eyes again, his wife had already thrown him off the Cihang Bridge. The icy river water filled his mouth and nose, and he drowned!"

"But the big boss's death has ruined everything."

Old Li told Chen Feng, "Those who died violently or committed suicide in this water are filled with resentment. They can neither ascend to heaven nor descend to earth, and can only wander in the cold water, never to be reborn."

"What's more, that big boss died a horrible death, and a deep resentment choked him, which he couldn't swallow, so he turned into a vengeful ghost!"

"It is said that some people, while crossing the bridge at night, heard a water ghost say that one day he would climb out of the riverbed and take the life of his wicked wife!"

Chen Feng understood: "So, there's a water ghost under this bridge?"

Old Li nodded firmly: "That's right. If it weren't for water ghosts, how could so many people have attempted suicide or fallen into the water from this bridge in recent years!"

"This is clearly it finding a substitute so it can free itself and go get revenge on that woman!"

As soon as Old Li finished speaking, a mechanical voice rang in Chen Feng's ears.

It turns out the Great Philanthropist System has issued a new mission:

[Under the Cihang Bridge, a water ghost haunts the area. This demon is completely transparent and its face is indistinguishable. Whenever it encounters someone who has fallen into the water, it casts a chilling and malevolent aura upon them, dragging them into the deep water and causing them to drown.]

Mission Objective: Eliminate the water ghosts.

[Task Reward: 1-3 system points will be awarded based on the completion status]

Chen Feng felt a chill run down his spine.

A tall woman, a lover in human skin, and a husband who is a water ghost.

Putting these clues together, Chen Feng seemed to know what that ghostly thing that broke into the internet cafe and could turn invisible was!

Seeing that Chen Feng was a little distracted, Old Li comforted him, "Don't be afraid. No matter how fierce that water ghost is, it can't leave the water or go ashore. As long as you don't do anything stupid and don't go swimming or fishing in the river, you'll be fine."

That's really serious!

Chen Feng stammered, "Uncle, do you know that water ghosts can actually come ashore?"

Old Li said, "Oh? In some places, there is indeed such a saying that when it rains and there is a flood, water ghosts can indeed come ashore. Mr. Chen, I didn't expect you to know so much."

How could I not understand? I've seen it with my own eyes.

Chen Feng just wanted to stop the car and get away as quickly as possible: "Uncle Li, I suddenly feel less hungry, can you put me down?"

"Don't worry, we've arrived."

Old Li gently applied the brakes, causing the car to slow down gradually.

Outside, the rain was pouring down. In the brief moment the windshield wipers brushed against the car window, Chen Feng vaguely saw a blurry figure sitting on the wet railing with its legs dangling in the air.

"It's him."

"Wait for us in the car."

The car door opened, and two policemen rushed out in the pouring rain.

Old Li shouted, "Don't be impulsive! Come down here and tell me what's going on!"

It would have been better if he hadn't said it; as soon as he did, the man plunged into the water.

Zhang Ruobing cried out in alarm, "No! Don't jump!"

"Help!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Old Li immediately took off his gear and shoes and began to climb over the railing.

Zhang Ruobing's face turned deathly pale: "Master! I can swim too, I want to go in too!"

"Next fart!"

Old Li knew that being able to swim did not mean being able to save lives.

After all, a person who has fallen into the water will grab onto any rescuer's body without hesitation. If the rescuer has no experience in rescue, even the best swimming skills will be useless.

So he yelled, "Go get the lifeline from the back of the truck, quick!"

After saying that, Old Li leaped into the river.

Meanwhile, Chen Feng had already sneaked to the driver's seat, ready to make a quick getaway. Seeing Zhang Ruobing return with red eyes, Chen Feng hurriedly asked, "What happened? Where's your master?"

Zhang Ruobing tried hard to remain calm, but her voice still trembled uncontrollably: "My master jumped down to save people."

what?

Chen Feng was startled.

He jumped? Didn't he know there were water ghosts down there? Was he crazy?

Zhang Ruobing opened the trunk and took out a life rope.

Chen Feng hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Wait, I'll go help too."

Zhang Ruobing glanced at Chen Feng: "Thank you."

Once outside, Chen Feng realized how heavy the rain was; he couldn't see the road ahead without wiping his face.

When the two arrived at the bridgehead, Chen Feng looked down for a while before finding the two people who had fallen into the water: Old Li was struggling to swing his arms and was pulling a girl towards the shore, but the girl was struggling desperately and even pushed Old Li's head underwater at one point.

not good.

The rain was too heavy, the water was too fast, and they needed to rescue people.

Chen Feng's heart sank. He could see that under the various unfavorable factors, Lao Li's movements were already somewhat distorted. If this continued, he would eventually run out of strength and be finished.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ruobing quickly tied one end of the rescue rope to the steel bars of the bridge pier, securing the anchor point.

"Throw!"

After aiming carefully, Zhang Ruobing threw down the rescue rope.

Seeing the rope thrown to him, a glimmer of hope instantly ignited in Old Li's previously despairing heart. He swam towards the rope with all his might. At the same time, he heard cries for help from the side. The girl looked pained and suddenly began to struggle frantically, apparently having choked on water.

Hurry! Hurry!

Old Li no longer held back, skillfully holding the rescue rope to his chest before pulling the girl out.

Chen Feng wiped the rain off his face and prepared to use a lifeline to guide the two to the shore.

But then, something unexpected happened!

Suddenly, the girl reached out and snatched the lifeline, then shoved Old Li hard in the chest with her other hand.

That push was fatal.

Caught off guard, Old Li choked on a mouthful of water, but even so, he still pushed the girl back and helped her to the shore.

He pushed her towards life, but she pushed him towards death!

Watching Old Li disappear from sight and never resurface, Zhang Ruobing's mind went blank, and she completely broke down: "No!!! Master!!!"

"brute."

Chen Feng immediately saw the problem.

From the very beginning, the girl who had fallen into the water kept moving around and pressing things, frantically draining Old Li's energy, like a landlubber who couldn't do anything. But as soon as Old Li was swept away, the girl immediately quieted down, conserving her energy, and stayed on the surface of the water with her head tilted back.

Without a doubt, that bitch knows how to seduce!

Seeing the girl clinging desperately to the lifeline in the water, Chen Feng grew angrier and angrier. He rushed to the railing, ready to unlock the rope and let that beast die.

At this moment, Zhang Ruobing stopped Chen Feng: "I know you are angry, and I am angry too, but saving lives is our duty. What you did was wrong."

Chen Feng chuckled: "Um, you're considered a person too?"

Just as the two were arguing, the girl below suddenly let out a distorted scream: "What is that? Something in the water is grabbing my feet, pull me, pull me out!"

Are they up to their old tricks again?

Chen Feng yelled down, "Stop trying anything funny!"

But the girl didn't stop screaming; instead, she struggled even more violently, splashing huge sprays of water: "I'm not lying! There really is something down there, help! I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! Pull me up! Please... Waaah..."

The girl's cries for help came to an abrupt end.

Something pulled her into the water.

Zhang Ruobing felt the force on the rope become extremely strange; it was definitely not the weight of a young girl.

Chen Feng wiped his face and looked down along the taut lifeline. He saw that the end of the rope was empty, but the entire rope was jumping rhythmically!

What the hell is that climbing up the lifeline!