Chapter 1 The Ghostly Postman

Feng Bujue hummed a tune, and after riding for less than twenty meters, he flipped open the [Otaku Town Postman's Handbook] with one hand.

Then… thank goodness, his singing stopped.

"This handbook was compiled and organized by Norman Nelson. If you have any questions, please come to my office and talk to me in private." Feng Bujue read the sentence printed on the first page of the handbook, gave a dry laugh, and turned the page.

[As you can see, this handbook itself is very thin. To save on printing costs, I've removed the table of contents.] That was the content on the second page.

"Hey! That useless sentence takes up a whole page! What's the difference in cost if you replace it with a table of contents?" Feng Bujue complained as he flipped the handbook to the third page.

This page did have some substantial content. The title at the top read: [Postman's Code]

Below were several related regulations: One, postmen in this town must carry relevant identification while working. If you deliver without a license, you are responsible for the consequences. Two, punctuality is our basic principle. Please be sure to deliver letters and packages before the deadline, or you are responsible for the consequences. Three, steadfastness is important. No matter how treacherous the situation, you must not waver and must ensure that the recipient receives the letter, or you are responsible for the consequences. Four, bicycles are our partners. We must treat them as family. If you cause serious damage to a post office bicycle, you are responsible for the consequences…

"Responsible for the consequences… responsible for the consequences… responsible for the consequences…" Feng Bujue glanced over the page, and every item ended with those four words. "Is the meaning behind these four words 'I'll shoot you'?" He thought for a moment, "Speaking of which… I went to the post office and didn't see a single employee besides Nelson. Could it be… he shot all the employees?" He then thought, "Wait… not just the post office… the streets and alleys of this town are empty…"

Just as Jue-ge was lost in thought, he heard a "ding-a-ling—" a bell ringing suddenly from behind him.

"Here we go again?" Having learned from the last time, Feng Bujue naturally knew the source of the bell. He immediately turned his head to follow the sound and saw a bicycle tire track approaching him.

"Hey! How's it going, buddy?" Jue-ge put away the handbook and grabbed the handlebars with both hands. After some adjustments, he came alongside the "invisible bicycle" and proceeded parallel to it. "Can you hear me?" He tried to communicate with the invisible cyclist.

However… what happened next shocked Feng Bujue deeply.

In that instant, Feng Bujue only felt a flash of white light before his eyes, followed by a "crackling" sound in his ears.

When he came back to his senses, he and his bicycle were on the ground, and a faint smell of burning emanated from his body…

"What's going on?" Jue-ge sat up with a blank expression, trying to find the other person's location again, but by this time, the tire track had gone far away, and even the "whirring" sound of the bicycle chain could no longer be heard.

He looked at the game menu and found that his survival value had dropped by 50% in one go… The only thing to be thankful for was that he hadn't suffered any injuries or lasting debuffs.

"I said hello, and he shocked me with a taser?" Feng Bujue was dumbfounded. "Does talking to him trigger an attack?"

He sat for a minute, confirming that his body was fine, and then stood up again. "What is this guy's background…" He patted the dirt off his body in frustration and picked up the bicycle. "If he's the 'Ghostly Postman,' then this main quest seems difficult."

Thinking of this, something suddenly flashed in Feng Bujue's eyes. "Eh? Could it be…" He took out the handbook from his pocket again, flipped through several pages, and then smiled. "Ha! There really is!"

The chapter that Jue-ge had flipped to was titled [About the Ghostly Postman].

One, do not talk about the Ghostly Postman; Two, do not talk about the Ghostly Postman; Three, do not talk about the Ghostly Postman!

These were the first three items in the chapter…

"Hey, hey… how many times are you going to play the *Fight Club* gag…" Feng Bujue scanned these three lines and continued reading.

Four, the Ghostly Postman is a legendary employee of the Otaku Town Post Office, holding the record for fifteen consecutive years of no absences, no returns, and no delays.

"Because he's a ghost…" Feng Bujue narrowed his eyes as he read this.

Five, the Ghostly Postman is always on the road.

"Yeah… I can see that." Feng Bujue's behavior of complaining while reading the handbook was quite dedicated.

Six, because the Ghostly Postman is always on the road, please do not disturb him, or you are responsible for the consequences.

"The consequence is getting hit and losing half your health just for saying hello…" Jue-ge said as he turned a page.

Seven, if you want to communicate with the Ghostly Postman, please write the content on paper and put it in the form of a letter in the abandoned mailbox next to the North Town Cemetery.

"Damn… how did you guys find out about this? Did you summarize it after being shocked countless times?" Feng Bujue said, "Eh? Wait… this booklet was published by Nelson, so he should know something…" His expression changed slightly. "But that old guy is a good shot and ruthless. It feels a little difficult to get information from him…"

Eight, special reminder—the Ghostly Postman's "soul shock" cannot be blocked by insulators. If you want to wear an insulated suit to challenge him, I suggest you save your money.

"Good… I can save it." Feng Bujue had indeed conceived such a plan, but after reading the eighth item, this plan no longer existed.

Nine, remember, the Ghostly Postman does not need your help or sympathy. Everything he does is voluntary. Anyone who has an opinion on this can come to the director's office to talk to me.

"Hmm?" Jue-ge instantly smelled a conspiracy from this ninth… and last… item. "This… is a bit like protesting too much."

His mind once again raced, going over the nine (actually seven) descriptions of the Ghostly Postman in his head. Soon… he conceived a plan.

Of course, the time to implement this plan was not now. Jue-ge's immediate priority… was to deliver the mail.

"It's getting more and more interesting…" When Feng Bujue said this, it usually meant… he had learned some key information.

"Let me think… the direction of First Street…" He put away the handbook, picked up the satchel from the ground, slung it across his body, and then got on his bicycle. "Yeah… that way…"

…………

Half an hour later, Feng Bujue's stamina had been depleted by half, and he had finally arrived in front of number three, First Street.

He didn't choose to deliver mail from the post office outwards, going from nearest to farthest, but instead went in address order. Although this would take more time, this route allowed him to "pass by" and investigate several places that interested him.

"Is this it…" Feng Bujue looked at the two-story house in front of him and muttered, "The house looks pretty good, but there's no mailbox in front."

Actually… even if this family had a mailbox, it wouldn't matter. Putting the letter in the mailbox doesn't count as completing the task. You must deliver it to the recipient in person and have them say "I'm willing to accept it" for the task progress to change.

"Sigh… I have no choice but to knock on the door." Jue-ge sighed, parked his bicycle, quickly crossed the overgrown front yard, and walked to the porch.

Tap tap tap—

After knocking three times, he shouted loudly, "Is anyone home?"

After a brief silence, there was some movement from the second floor of the house. Then… there was the sound of a fat person walking down the stairs in slippers.

Some might say, can you tell if someone is fat just by listening to their footsteps?

I can only say… Jue-ge could tell.

Click—

After a moment, the door opened a crack. Because the person inside hadn't removed the chain lock from behind the door, the door could only open that much.

"Who are you looking for?" The house was dark, and the homeowner stood in the darkness behind the door, asking in a weak voice.

"I don't know." Feng Bujue replied. He really didn't know… because everything on these envelopes other than the address was blurred.

"Then get lost!" The homeowner's reaction was straightforward. He cursed and slammed the door shut.

Tap tap tap tap tap—

Jue-ge immediately knocked on the door five more times.

"What do you want?" The homeowner opened the door a crack again, yelling impatiently.

"I'm from the post office." Feng Bujue took out his simple temporary work permit and waved it in front of the door. The tone, the pose, it was as if he was saying, "I'm from the FBI…"

"So?" The homeowner's attitude softened slightly as he tentatively asked a question.

"Do you live here alone?" Feng Bujue also asked a question.

"Is that any of your business?" The homeowner countered.

"It doesn't matter if you don't answer." Feng Bujue replied calmly and handed over the envelope. "If you live here alone, this letter is for you. If there's someone else living with you, please help me pass it on." He paused. "In short, I've delivered the letter. What you do with it is your business." He extended the envelope a little further. "Take it. What are you waiting for?"

"No… I don't want it." At this moment, the homeowner's tone suddenly became very strange. "Leave… I won't accept this letter."

His words were very concerning… He didn't say, "You delivered it to the wrong place," but instead said, "I won't accept it." In other words… he admitted that the letter had been delivered to the right place, but… he didn't want it.

"Huh?" Feng Bujue didn't expect the other party to react like this. He glared at the shadow behind the door and said, "Are you sick? It's just a letter, not a bomb. Why won't you accept it?"

The homeowner remained silent for a few seconds after hearing this, then… replied in a low voice, "Open it yourself and take a look…"