Chapter 6
Xie Fei, upon hearing this, felt a surge of surprise, but his expression remained unchanged.
“Collecting and guiding souls is my duty.”
Facing an ordinary person without any cultivation, Xie Fei didn’t need to lie. However, this woman, while seemingly lacking cultivation, harbored a great mystery. Therefore, while he spoke the truth, it was only a part of it.
It seemed like a denial of the woman’s previous words, but it wasn’t.
Xie Fei’s current actions were indeed his duty, but as the woman said, such small matters were usually handled by his subordinates.
As his words fell, the woman chuckled softly, “Master Xie…”
Xie Fei initially intended to test her, but she directly revealed his identity, leaving nothing to test.
His voice was clear as he asked, “How did you know?”
Last night at the intersection, he wore an ordinary suit, indistinguishable from an ordinary ghost.
Although he changed clothes today, in the end of Dharma era, the human and underworld realms didn’t interact as frequently as before. Among cultivators in the mortal world, those who truly understood the underworld were few and far between.
Stories of Heibai Wuchang (Black and White Impermanence), Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu, the underworld ghost messengers, have long been circulated among humans.
Thousands of years have passed; today, Heibai Wuchang no longer refers to specific individuals but positions, like those in human organizations.
However, the surnames Xie and Fan remain.
The name “Xie Fei” – Xie is from Xie Bian, and Fei is his given name.
The underworld has many ghost messengers like him, each with their responsibilities.
Chunsan City is currently under his jurisdiction.
“Your demeanor doesn’t seem ordinary,” Luo Wenshu smiled.
After being brought into the Xuanmen sect by Luo Mingqi, Luo Wenshu learned something besides cultivation: how to interact with people, and ghosts.
Flattery is the best kind of gift.
This works for both people and ghosts.
Everyone likes to hear good things, don’t they?
Luo Wenshu’s words weren’t aimless flattery; the man before her was tall and elegant, wearing a tea-white gown, truly refined.
The main reason was that Luo Wenshu couldn’t directly answer his question.
This wasn’t her original world, yet many things were similar.
Like this body, with the same name and seven-tenths resemblance.
Like the cultivation methods.
And the existence beyond the mortal world.
The former Luo Wenshu was Luo Mingqi’s most talented disciple, a once-in-a-millennium genius who took over as sect leader at eighteen, universally respected.
She had countless interactions with the underworld and knew the difference between ghost messengers and lesser spirits.
But the current Luo Wenshu was an ordinary person without cultivation, unable to access this knowledge.
Unable to explain, she simply avoided the question.
Xie Fei responded with an ambiguous chuckle.
He understood human nature; even though they’re living, they often speak deceptively, making it hard to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Since the woman didn’t want to say, he wouldn’t press her.
Xie Fei followed to collect souls; knowing this person was unusual and wouldn’t die today, he had no reason to stay.
He tightened the chain, preparing to leave.
Luo Wenshu spoke, “Master Xie, wait!”
Xie Fei looked at her.
Luo Wenshu got to the point, “Your personal involvement in such small matters…I have a guess…”
“Say it,” Xie Fei’s voice was flat, his emotions unreadable.
Luo Wenshu concisely explained her hypothesis.
The underworld and the mortal world are quite similar.
Ordinary matters are handled by low-level spirits. A sudden change alarming higher-ups has two reasons: either the matter is suspicious, or there’s a lack of manpower.
The ghosts Xie Fei collected last night and today, while evil, weren’t exceptionally malicious, not requiring his personal intervention.
Luo Wenshu guessed it was the latter –
The ghost messenger lacked manpower, forcing him to handle small matters personally.
“Master Xie, am I correct?” Luo Wenshu asked.
She was right.
Xie Fei was once again surprised by this woman.
He indeed lacked manpower, which was one reason he disguised himself as a lesser spirit last night.
In an era of depleted spiritual energy and declining cultivators, this was a secret.
Like his identity.
Yet, it was revealed by this woman.
“How did you know?” Xie Fei asked again.
“I guessed,” Luo Wenshu raised a hand, acting casual, “I swear!”
A cultivator’s oath isn’t a joke; it’s etched into their path of cultivation.
Xie Fei had to believe her.
“What’s your purpose in telling me this?”
Xie Fei wasn’t a fool; the woman’s intentions were obvious. She could have pretended ignorance, yet she led him to this secluded spot, revealed so much – it couldn’t be idle curiosity.
He directly asked her intentions.
Luo Wenshu’s smile widened, “Master Xie lacks manpower, and it won’t be filled soon. I dare to request a position on behalf of someone. What do you think?”
Xie Fei never expected this.
“You…?” He scrutinized her.
A living person taking a position in the underworld wasn’t unheard of; it was even common before, with a specific term: mortal emissary.
However, times changed; with depleted spiritual energy, interaction between the mortal and underworld realms ceased.
Mortal emissaries hadn’t appeared in decades.
The woman was pale and frail, lacking cultivation; mortal emissaries were always highly cultivated.
This made her unsuitable.
But Xie Fei witnessed her casually creating a high-quality amulet with colored paper and a red pen, demonstrating knowledge of the underworld…
Perhaps it wasn’t impossible.
Xie Fei was pondering when the woman shook her head, “Not for me, this position is for someone else.”
Xie Fei:?
Luo Wenshu pulled Luo Xingyu from behind her.
A small, thin child with delicate features, vaguely resembling his mother.
Initially scared by the situation, Luo Xingyu’s fear subsided, replaced by bewilderment.
His eyes and face were filled with this emotion.
Luo Wenshu held his hand, not looking at him, her gaze fixed on the ghost messenger in the tea-white gown.
Smiling, she softly spoke words that could terrify anyone.
She said, “I want to request a position for this child.”
Xie Fei: ???
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Elsewhere.
Chunsan City First Hospital, pediatric ward.
Fang Dahao and Li Yufen had been at the hospital for over a day.
The elderly family members wanted to stay, but they couldn’t handle it; the couple persuaded them to go home.
They took turns resting, but their only child was pale and unconscious; they couldn’t truly sleep.
They merely closed their eyes to let each other rest.
Their faces were weary.
Fortunately, the doctor said this morning that Fang Peng was stable and out of danger, able to be transferred to a regular ward.
The couple breathed a sigh of relief.
After telling the family, Li Yufen felt incredibly tired; Fang Dahao noticed, soothingly telling her to rest.
She couldn’t hold it in, closing her eyes and falling asleep.
She woke up less than two hours later.
Fang Dahao was watching over the bed; several empty Red Bull cans were on the bedside table.
Li Yufen sat up, stretching her stiff limbs, preparing to ask Fang Dahao to rest when she saw Fang Peng’s eyelashes flutter, seemingly waking.
“Pengpeng!” Her heart tightened; she leaned closer, softly calling him.
Fang Dahao noticed and was equally tense.
Soon, Fang Peng woke under their gaze.
He opened his eyes, then quickly closed them, the bright light being too much; after a few seconds, he opened them again.
Seeing his surroundings, a confused look appeared on his pale face.
“…I…” His voice was hoarse, each word difficult.
Li Yufen’s eyes welled up, but her movements didn’t stop; she brought warm water, Fang Dahao raised the bed; they fed him water.
His throat moistened; his condition improved; he soon spoke.
“Mom, Dad…” he called them, “What happened?”
He was frail since childhood, frequenting hospitals; he recognized the environment and smell, but couldn’t understand why he was here again.
Li Yufen choked, “You scared your mother…playing hide-and-seek, why did you hide in the freezer? If…”
Fang Peng missed the rest; all he could think was hide-and-seek.
Yes, hide-and-seek.
He remembered playing with Xingyu, just beginning, when a girl in a pink dress, around their age, wanted to join…
His memories returned; his already pale face became even paler; his confusion turned to fear.
The couple noticed something was wrong.
“Pengpeng!”
“Pengpeng, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Extreme fear triggered his body’s defense mechanism; Fang Peng fainted again.
The couple was frightened and called the doctor.
After another commotion, Fang Peng woke up at noon.
Given the previous situation, they didn’t mention yesterday’s events, fearing further stimulation.
Unexpectedly, Fang Peng mentioned it first.
“…Xiaobao and the others asked me to play, then…a girl, in a flower dress, I’d never seen her, wanted to play…”
The small child was pale, trembling slightly, fear evident in his eyes and face.
From Fang Peng, the couple learned what happened from the afternoon to the evening…terrifying events.
Yes, terrifying.
This word was not an exaggeration.
Pengpeng often played with three other children of similar age in that building.
Yesterday, while playing hide-and-seek, a strange girl wanted to join.
The four children were usually exclusive, but yesterday, they inexplicably agreed.
After two rounds, Xingyu went home; the remaining four continued.
After more rounds, the girl suggested a new game.
“Let’s play tag; I’ll be the ghost, you’re the people; whoever I catch becomes the ghost.”
“Isn’t that hide-and-seek? Same thing!”
“No, it’s more interesting!”
Children have limited understanding; they agreed under the girl’s persistence.
They thought it was hide-and-seek, just a different name.
Perhaps due to his illness, Fang Peng felt something strange.
But he couldn’t say what.
They had played in that building for two years, knowing it well.
Yet it felt unfamiliar.
It was getting late, and Fang Peng wanted to stop; the other two children did too.
The girl wouldn’t let them go, saying one more round.
The children agreed.
The girl faced the wall, closing her eyes, muttering, “I’m the ghost, you’re the people, if I catch you, you become the ghost.”
Fang Peng intended to hide under the stairs, but an inexplicable voice urged him to hide well, not to be found, no matter what!
Uncontrollable fear surged.
This intense emotion made him abandon his plan, climbing to the roof, opening the unlocked door connecting the two buildings, heading towards the old freezer in the corner.
Fang Peng was frail but had the strength to open the freezer door and climb inside.
The freezer door slammed shut.
Fang Peng disliked confined spaces, making him feel suffocated.
But the freezer unexpectedly gave him security.
This didn’t last long; he felt a chill.
As if he was in a real freezer.
It was just an old freezer, unplugged.
Fang Peng thought he was mistaken, but the coldness intensified, chilling his body.
It was silent.
The girl hadn’t found him.
I hid so well, she shouldn’t find me, right?
Suddenly, another thought –
She can’t find me, absolutely not!
…Go, leave here, quickly!
This thought came too fast; Fang Peng couldn’t react.
Footsteps approached.
Fang Peng was incredibly tense, even his breathing slowed.
The footsteps drew closer, stopping before the freezer, then moving away.
Gone?
Fang Peng thought.
A voice whispered –
“I caught you!”
A pair of cold hands appeared from behind, hugging Fang Peng.
Instantly, Fang Peng froze, unable to move a finger.
Only his brain worked.
The freezer door was closed, why was she behind me…
The more he thought, the scarier it became.
Fang Peng felt cold, his breathing difficult, his brain freezing, his consciousness slowing.
He vaguely heard his mother’s voice, calling his name, worried…
But he couldn’t make a sound, wanting to struggle, yet unable to move.
He heard his mother’s voice fade, and then he knew nothing.
————————
The couple’s faces fell.
They usually didn’t believe in such things; they would dismiss it as a child’s imagination elsewhere.
But this was their child.
They knew his personality; he wouldn’t make things up.
“…Maybe he was in the freezer too long, his health isn’t good, he hallucinated…” Li Yufen tried to explain.
As she finished, a voice came from the next bed.
“Oh my god, your child is a substitute!”
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