Chapter 49: The Source of the Supernatural

It turned out that not all members of the Supernatural Events Department truly knew about ghosts in the world.
Perhaps they believed in ghosts and researched them, but ultimately, they had never truly seen one.

Looking at the supernatural photos hanging on the wall of the Supernatural Events Department, I asked, “Senior Sister Mo, there’s something I don’t understand.
Since ghosts genuinely exist in the world, and many people believe in them, why doesn’t the government make the existence of ghosts public and teach everyone how to prevent them?”

The police had special weapons and protective Dharma artifacts to deal with ghosts, indicating they frequently handled supernatural events.

After I opened my Yin-Yang Eyes, I also saw many demons and monsters on the street.
And many people I’d met, especially the elderly, whether they had truly seen ghosts or not, were quite superstitious—at least, I used to think they were superstitious.

They always placed great importance on some folk customs and rules, such as visiting ancestors’ graves and sweeping them during Qingming Festival, setting off firecrackers, giving red envelopes, and pasting Spring couplets during the Spring Festival, and strictly prohibiting children from going near water on Ghost Festival, claiming there would be water ghosts.

After being able to see ghosts and knowing some rules and patterns of the supernatural world, I knew that these folk customs were actually effective ways to prevent harm from ghosts, experiences passed down from the ancients.

However, I had never seen any official or authoritative media acknowledge or report supernatural events.
Yet, they never denied or criticized them either, but tacitly accepted civilian customs, as if it were a common issue like eating and drinking.

Even though the police were prepared to deal with demons and monsters, when I reported the case, they didn’t treat my encounter with ghosts as anything strange.
So why didn’t the authorities directly teach civilians how to prevent demons and monsters?
Wouldn’t that be more direct and effective?

Even a novice like Xiao Qing, who had studied for less than two years, could fight a tug-of-war with a Painted Skin Ghost when prepared.

If there were widespread official publicity and education, ordinary people could better protect themselves.
This was something I hadn’t been able to figure out these past two days.

“I knew you’d wonder about this.
Since you’ve already joined the Supernatural Events Department, there are some basic things I really should tell you,” Mo Qingyan nodded.

“The reason is simple: most so-called demons, monsters, and ghosts are born from negative energies, namely malevolent aura, yin energy, ghost energy, and similar negative energies.
The stronger the negative energy, the stronger the demons and ghosts become.”
“And most of these negative energies come from people’s negative emotions, such as greed, anger, sadness, and so on.
Among them, fear is particularly severe.”
“If everyone knew that demons and ghosts existed in the world, people would live in constant dread.
Demons and ghosts would constantly be born, grow stronger through people’s fear, and create greater panic among humans, forming a vicious cycle.”
“Therefore, there is a consensus among all countries: they do not openly acknowledge supernatural phenomena but do not oppose folk methods of combating ghosts, such as posting door gods or seeking amulets, and these are referred to as folk customs.”

Mo Qingyan and Xiao Qing took turns explaining the source of power for demons, monsters, and ghosts to me.
I really hadn’t expected them to originate this way.
Presumably, the ancients must have paid a great price to summarize these experiences.

“But what if we slowly spread the truth, allowing everyone to be fully prepared, gradually get used to the world of ghosts, and overcome their fears?
Is it possible to cut off the source of demons and ghosts from below the pot?” I asked, a sudden idea striking me.

Since the source of demons and ghosts is fear, wouldn’t overcoming fear be enough?
There’s a saying that the best way to eliminate fear is to face it.
However, as soon as I proposed this idea, I felt that I was being too naive and taking too much for granted.
Doing so would more likely cause mass panic.

Sure enough, Xiao Qing listened and said, “Fear isn’t that easy to eliminate.
Even I, knowing so much about ghosts, still instinctively feel afraid when facing a Painted Skin Ghost.
How much more difficult would it be to eliminate the innate fear of all humanity?
There are naturally timid people and children among us; they cannot overcome fear.”

Mo Qingyan also said, “I just mentioned that negative emotions are not only fear; fear is just the emotion most likely to give birth to ghosts.

Even if fear is overcome, sadness, hatred, and jealousy will still give rise to ghosts.
How can one guarantee that people will always have the courage to face the threat of death?”

“I’m sorry, I was overthinking,” I said helplessly.
Upon careful thought, it was clear that if this method truly could eliminate ghosts, the government would have already done so.
But inwardly, I still felt an inexpressible awkwardness and discomfort.

“No need to apologize.
It’s not uncommon for newcomers to have similar questions or ideas as you.
Before knowing the reasons, they also didn’t understand.
Moreover, not making supernatural matters public, besides causing fear, actually has other reasons,” Mo Qingyan added.

“Didn’t I tell you about demons, monsters, and ghosts before, but I didn’t clearly explain what ‘monster’ refers to?
That’s because the definition of ‘monster’ differs between ancient and modern times.
In ancient times, ‘monster’ mostly referred to jingguai, which are essentially yaoguai (demons).
But in modern times, ‘monster’ generally refers to ‘kaidan’ , or urban legends/supernatural tales.”

“Kaidan?” I heard a new, unknown concept again.
The term sounded like it referred to ghost stories.

“Supernatural phenomena born from people’s word-of-mouth transmission are called kaidan.
For example, crop circles, the Pied Piper who abducts children, and terrifying, cruel mental hospitals, are all relatively famous kaidan,” Ou Zhiqin said.

“Unlike the former three, kaidan are supernatural events created entirely from nothing.
As long as enough people know about and spread them, a kaidan will transform from a mere story into a real, existing entity,” Mo Qingyan also stated.

“Moreover, the danger level of kaidan varies greatly.
Some are harmless, only causing people to take a wrong turn or trip, while others are almost unsolvable, because kaidan don’t necessarily have physical forms, making them impossible to eliminate.”

“No physical form?
But ghosts don’t have physical forms either, do they?” I couldn’t quite understand Mo Qingyan’s last sentence.

“Ghosts still have spiritual bodies; they are concrete existences.
As long as you deliver or exorcise a ghost, you can solve the problem.
But a kaidan might just be a strange rule, a recurring story.
These kaidan are impossible to eliminate,” Mo Qingyan explained.

I immediately understood what Mo Qingyan meant.
It wasn’t a concrete existence at all, but an abstract, vague concept.
Indeed, it couldn’t be eliminated.
If such things as kaidan could be born simply through word-of-mouth, then supernatural matters truly shouldn’t be made public.

“But if the vast majority of people don’t know that ghosts exist, when they are attacked by ghosts, won’t they just have to sit there and wait to die?” I finally figured out what had been bothering me all along.