Chapter 66: Chang Gui (6) part 1
The moon was bright and the wind was clear. The circular tube building was filled with a deathly silence.
Arriving here again, Old Wang’s entire body was stiff. He followed closely behind Jiang Si, terrified of falling even half a step behind. In his state of high mental tension, his hearing had become exceptionally acute; every now and then, he would be startled by some mysterious rustling sound.
“Holy crapâ”
“What was thatâ”
Jiang Si, squatting on the ground, remained completely unmoved. This was an open space, convenient for burning paper, but the wind was also quite strong. As soon as the white candle was lit, it was instantly blown out.
After several attempts, Jiang Si called the terrified Old Wang over, telling him to squat down and act as a human windbreak.
Only then were they barely able to keep the fire going.
Once Jiang Si stood up, he held a thick stack of yellow ritual paper between his palms and rubbed them with slight force. The yellow paper fanned out one by one into a circular staggered pattern.
He leaned down to light the fire, and the paper ash was caught by a small whirlwind within the flames, circling in mid-air.
“Though I do not know your name, please enjoy this feast and accept this money. Use it in the underworld and do not linger in the world of the living.”
The firelight slowly rendered Jiang Si’s fingers nearly transparent. Seeing that the joss money was mostly burned, he cracked open a can of white liquor he had just bought on the way and poured it directly onto the ground.
The damp liquor soaked the paper ash on the ground, flowing to their feet before seeping into the soil.
Old Wang thought the matter was settled. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, a sudden whistling sound arose, and the candle flame was snuffed out in an instant.
The surroundings plunged into endless darkness.
Before he could even react to the sudden change, Jiang Si had already grabbed him by the collar and yanked him backward and upward, literally lifting him off his feet.
In that fraction of a second, a head appeared out of thin air exactly where Old Wang had been standing. It was almost touching Old Wang’s face.
Bleary, staring eyes fixed on the two of them as a “hehe” laugh rang out: “Someone actually brought me moneyâ”
“Holy crapâ” Old Wang’s pupils shrunk, and his limbs went weak. As soon as Jiang Si’s hand released his clothes, he fell onto his backside. He couldn’t imagine how long this old man had been staring at him from point-blank range.
“Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. I kindly invited you, and you actually dared to refuse.” Uncle Liâs head was flying in the air.
Jiang Si glanced back at Old Wang, knowing he was definitely scared out of his wits, and didn’t bother with nonsense. He reached out and snatched the flying Uncle Liâwho was buzzing around like a flyâstraight down. His palm firmly gripped the ghostâs hair, and he held it up in front of his face.
The change happened too fast.
Uncle Liâs grin, which stretched to his ears, didn’t even have time to react before it froze. He was forced to meet Jiang Si’s gaze.
Only then did he notice there was another young man.
“So you also understand what it means to refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit.” Jiang Si looked at him expressionlessly.
“You… you… who are you!”
“I kindly burned paper to send you on your way, yet you came out to cause trouble,” Jiang Si said. “You took my money but don’t want to follow the rules. What exactly do you want to do?”
“…”
The head was in the man’s hand; he had to bow it even if he didn’t want to. Uncle Li couldn’t say a single word. He never expected to encounter such a fierce talent in this world.
Jiang Si stared for a while, then said in surprise: “Youâre not a Dibuling (earth-bound spirit).”
“An earth-bound spirit cannot have its head separated from its body. How did you die? Why have you stayed here all this time?”
“You can tell?” Uncle Li was even more surprised than he was.
Jiang Si tossed the head onto the ground, wiped his palms with a bit of disgust, and warned: “Reattach your body. I ask, you answer. Otherwise, Iâll beat you to death right here today.”
Old Wang stared wide-eyed at this old man ghost. Only then did he learn that the ghost could not only manifest a head out of thin air but also a body. After rolling on the ground a couple of times, it became a complete humanoid figure.
“Are you the one who’s been posting information online?” Jiang Si asked.
“It was me.”
“Do you want to kill people? Or do what?”
“I haven’t killed a single person,” Uncle Li gritted his teeth. “I just want to make money. I want to open a burial shroud shop to make money. Whatâs wrong with finding people to take photos for promotion?”
“You want to make money?” Jiang Si was stunned. “You’re a wandering spirit; do you have a place to spend money?”
“Who said I wanted to spend it? Can’t I save it?” Uncle Li said: “I like living my days guarding money. Just looking at it makes me happy.”
A ghost who liked to hoard money… who didn’t spend it on himself and could only stay in one place, unable to enter reincarnation.
Was such a thing that rare?
In a flash, Jiang Si reacted and said in wonder: “So you’re a Yinchang ghost.”
The term Chang Gui has a long history. Itâs recorded in the Northern Dream Petty Talk: “Ghosts of those who died by tiger or drowning are called Chang.” For instance, “Helping a tiger as a Chang” refers to a tiger-chang; “Water ghosts” are mostly river-chang. Such Chang ghosts cannot reincarnate on their own after death and need to find a “scapegoat” (ti si gui) to take their place.
But besides those, there is a special type called Yinchang (Silver Chang). As the name implies, ghosts that guard a silver cellar after death are Yinchang. A Yinchang is different from a tiger-chang or a river-changâit doesn’t need to find a substitute, it isn’t aggressive, and its only hobby is guarding wealth.
Uncle Li didn’t respond.
Jiang Si still felt puzzled: “A Yinchang ghost is extremely difficult to form. Just how did you die? Looking at your attire, you’re not an ancient person. How could a Yinchang exist in modern times?”
While the man and the ghost were in a standoff, Old Wang scrambled up from the ground, quietly shuffled behind Jiang Si, and cautiously tugged at his sleeve. “Um, I just remembered something. The clothes he’s wearing look like the work uniform of this factory. I saw them at my aunt’s house when I was a kid.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the previously quiet Uncle Li suddenly flew into a rage. His hands, like they were made of rubber, abruptly lengthened and lunged straight for Jiang Si’s heart.
The withered, branch-like fingers were about to touch Jiang Si’s clothes when Jiang Si suddenly grabbed the ghostâs elbow, snapped it in the opposite direction, and kicked him to the ground in one motion.
Before the ghost could flip over again, Jiang Si followed up by stepping on his palm. Looking down, he said: “It seems he hit the mark. You were a worker at the original factory.”
“There were tens of thousands of workers back then; it’s normal for someone to have died here.” Old Wang was startled by the sudden change. Before he could react, he saw Jiang Si had regained control of the situation. His trust in Jiang Si soared.
As expected of someone who dares to come alone to this wasteland in the middle of the night to film.
“Itâs not the same.” Jiang Si gave a light sneer, his gaze surveying the still-struggling Uncle Li beneath his foot. “Do you know how a Yinchang is formed?”
“By throwing a living person into a cellar and torturing them repeatedly until they want to live but can’t, and want to die but aren’t allowed to. Their mind must be kept clear, and they must willingly agree to guard the murderer’s wealth for them before they are allowed an end. After the murderer kills them, they use a secret method to trap their soul in the place they want guarded, so they can never reincarnate on their own. Because they help the murderer protect property, they are called Yinchang.”
As he spoke, Uncle Li’s struggle grew more violent. With only one hand free to move, he used it to cover his head and let out a painful, low howl toward the sky.
His mouth emitted a raspy, garbled sound that seemed to have been mangled by sand. He said a long string of words, but not a single one was clear.
“What’s wrong with him?” Old Wang was so scared he backed up several steps, watching Uncle Li with uncertainty.
“His original memories have been triggered,” Jiang Si released his foot and looked calmly at the ghost on the ground.
“Based on what you said, he… he was intentionally murdered?” Old Wang was shocked. “Do you think the case was ever discovered?”
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