Ghost Stocks

Xu Gongzi ShengzhiQidian2006

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Word count: 410K words
Series: Ghosts, Gods, Men, Mountains, Earth, Heaven, and Thrills Series

Summary

Feng Junzi, a securities analyst well versed in the occult, in the spring of 1997 at Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou carelessly bumped into a censer's flying eave yet emerged unharmed—and from this grasped that "one may disbelieve, but one must not be irreverent." Thereafter he is drawn into a series of strange events: Qin Xiaoya buys five thousand pairs of leather shoes that are all for left feet, behind which lies a capital hunt mounted jointly by a real-estate magnate and the underworld; the Ghost Alley murder case uses a lonely spirit's testimony to reveal the truth; and the collective grievance of the miners who died at Tiannan Coal Mine drags a listed company's dark dealings into the light. With wit and folk knowledge, Feng Junzi maneuvers through the undercurrents of the stock market, exposing the moral dilemmas and human entanglements within the chain of interests.

Editor's review

Through standalone stories weaving the stock market with the supernatural, this book portrays the myriad faces of human nature under capital's alienation, balancing folkloric research with psychological suspense in a cold, restrained style. It suits readers who enjoy realistic supernatural fiction and are interested in the stock market and folklore; its weakness is a somewhat loose episodic structure and restrained supernatural description, so readers seeking intense thrills may find it less than satisfying.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy urban supernatural suspense
Readers interested in the stock market and capital themes
Readers who prefer folkloric research and traditional culture
Readers who appreciate a cold, realistic style

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking fast-paced power fantasy
Readers who prefer pure horror and shocks
Readers who dislike episodic structures

Reading tips

Begin with the opening scene of the censer collision at Lingyin Temple to grasp the book's core theme that reverence must not be betrayed.
Read the four parts—Gods Deceive, Ghosts Cheat; Ghost Alley; Ghost Miners; A Pair of Chopsticks—in order, saving the side story for last.
Note how each episode's real-world case corresponds to its supernatural elements, and appreciate the author's critique of capital and human nature.

About the publisher

Qidian

Qidian is a platform whose catalogue brings together online literature, with about 45,000 titles in the library spanning categories such as male-oriented fiction, Eastern fantasy, xianxia and wuxia, science fiction, selected fiction and quality web novels. Representative titles include Reincarnation Paradise, War Soldier Leon, The Fairy Is Fierce (also known as Tai Mang), The Expert Is Right Beside Me, Dragon Herder, You Should Cross the Mountains Like a Hero, The Adventures of a Clever Girl and Summoning Heroes of All Ages in Another World, with themes extending from fantasy and xianxia to science fiction and adventure. Representative authors available in the library include Na Yi Zhi Wen Zi, Chi Gua Zi Qun Zhong, Guan Guan Gong Zi, Chenxing LL, Luan, Chen Mo De Ai, Piao Yi Dao Zhang and Dong Tian Bu Leng. Their works mostly appear as serialized web fiction aimed at readers who prefer long genre fiction. Public information on its founding background and scale is limited, so no inferences are made here; the description is based solely on the library's titles and categories.

FAQ

Is Ghost Stocks a horror novel?

Not pure horror; the supernatural is mostly rooted in psychology and social reality, leaning more toward suspense and critique.

Can I understand it without ever having traded stocks?

Yes. The stock market is the backdrop; the core lies in human nature and moral dilemmas, so it won't hinder comprehension.

Is this book complete?

It is complete, with 158 chapters, including four parts and a side story.

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About the author

Xu Gongzi Shengzhi Author

Xu Gongzi Shengzhi is an author in the field of Chinese online literature. Publicly available information about him is limited, and his biographical details have not been systematically disclosed. Judging from the twenty-one works recorded in the database, his writing focuses mainly on xianxia and wuxia, fantasy, and urban themes, with common categories including premium fiction, quality web novels, and male-oriented fiction. Representative works include Jin Men, Shen You, Tai Shang Zhang, Di Shi, and Gui Gu, among which Jin Men and Shen You appear repeatedly in the records, suggesting their importance in his body of work. Xu Gongzi Shengzhi's works often draw on traditional Chinese Daoist cultivation culture and systems of practice, emphasizing realm settings and the portrayal of characters' inner nature, and have a certain recognizability among fantasy and xianxia readers. Overall, he is a creator known for long-form online novels with relatively concentrated subject matter.