Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 171

Some called the underworld the spirit realm, while others called it the netherworld, and westerners called it hell. The names varied, but they all referred to the same place.

This place was quite unfamiliar to Dong Zhi because, after joining the Special Administration Bureau, he hadn’t dealt with it. But in He Yu’s words, they originally existed in different worlds, each performing their own duties. It was best not to interact, because when they did, trouble would ensue.

Dong Zhi now realized that although He Yu often spoke nonsense, sometimes what he said made sense.

For instance, now, as the sound of dragging chains got closer, everyone involuntarily felt their hair stand on end. Dong Zhi even felt as if an unseen force was trying to pull his soul out of his body.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder, snapping him back to reality and breaking the intangible control. Turning his head, he saw it was Long Shen.

Dong Zhi secretly felt embarrassed, but Kan Chaosheng and Chang Qin didn’t fare much better. Chang Qing stood motionless with a frozen expression, while the fat yellow cat looked as if it were seemingly drunk, being drawn towards the sound.

“Chaosheng!”

Dong Zhi whispered, grabbing the cat by the scruff and lifting it up. The fat cat struggled a bit before coming to its senses, probably feeling humiliated, and then quieted down in Dong Zhi’s arms.

Long Shen didn’t show hostility and waited silently. Dong Zhi guessed that the force pulling at their souls wasn’t intentional but a natural attraction. Without Long Shen’s intervention, Dong Zhi might have been lost.

He expected to see ghostly figures like those from legends, but despite the sound of chains, there was no figure in sight. Long Shen said, “Use a sunlight talisman.”

Dong Zhi inspired the sunlight talisman. Long Shen reached out and grabbed it as if he were plucking up a flower. The talisman fire jumped at his fingertips. With a light wave of his hand, the talisman fire flew out and hovered in the air, growing brighter, revealing the shadow of a dark figure nearby.

Chains, horns…

Dong Zhi was started after identifying the silhouette.

For there to be shadows, there must be a figure, but there was nothing there.

Not only Dong Zhi, but Chang Qing also stared at the shadow, as if facing a formidable enemy.

The fire between them, previously bright red-yellow, now had a ghostly green hue, like ghost fire, seemingly marking the boundary between the worlds.

The shadow slowly lifted a hand, holding a chain. Dong Zhi thought it wanted Xiao Zhao, who was hiding behind them in fear, but the shadow pointed in another direction.

Dong Zhi was confused. Did it want… him?

Before he could react, the fat yellow cat jumped in front of him, hair standing on end, hissing at the shadow. Long Shen stepped in front of Dong Zhi, protecting him.

“Messenger, thank you for your efforts. I have some lingering souls here, imprisoned by Aoyin. You’ve come at the right time. Take them, ashes to ashes, soil to soil, sparing us the trouble of finding someone to send them off,” Long Shen said as he took out Tang Jing’s mirror. Gray and black mist flew out, drawn towards the shadow’s chain.

From beginning to end, the other party didn’t utter a single word. Dong Zhi didn’t know if it was because of a language barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead or if the entity couldn’t produce human speech in this world. Despite having seen a lot and having encountered many demons and spirits, the scene before him still sent chills down his spine. It wasn’t that the entity’s power was greater than the heavenly demon, but rather the overwhelming pressure emanating from the netherworld, entirely opposite to the world of the living. It conveyed an innate sense of despair and eeriness, capable of chilling one’s emotions to the bone and eliminating any will to fight.

Dong Zhi noticed that Long Shen was still holding onto a grayish-white orb of qi and hadn’t handed it over.

However, the shadow didn’t demand it. Instead, it raised another hand, pointing at Dong Zhi.

If Dong Zhi initially thought that the entity had made a mistake, he now felt confident that this messenger from the underworld indeed wanted to apprehend him. It seemed both Kan Chaosheng and Long Shen had also come to this realization, which was why they stood protectively in front of him.

But why him?

Dong Zhi found it inexplicably ridiculous. He was very much alive and kicking; how did he suddenly become a wandering ghost destined for capture?

Yet, Long Shen didn’t seem surprised. Without shifting his stance, he stated firmly, “This is my apprentice, and he’s still alive.”

The shadow continued to point at him, unmoving.

The standoff persisted.

The sound of chains echoed again, but this time from a different direction. Long Shen’s expression shifted slightly as he released a sudden flare from the sword in his hand, forming an invisible barrier right in front of them. It collided with the oncoming shadow of the chains with a loud bang. The ground beneath trembled, and everyone’s eardrums throbbed with pain, momentarily leaving them deaf.

Dong Zhi was about to use his own sword, but Long Shen, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, restrained him.

“Don’t move. I’ll handle this.”

Dong Zhi halted his actions immediately, not out of blind obedience but because he understood Long Shen well. If Long Shen said so, he had his reasons, and any rash action might be more of a hindrance than a help.

Another shadow appeared, this time without horns, its shape resembling a streetlamp’s shadow stretched out in the night. But this figure, too, held a chain in its hand.

In a deep voice, Long Shen declared, “I am willing to pay any price to protect him. Even if you take him to the underworld, I will upturn that realm and retrieve him without considering the consequences. Can you bear the outcome of opposing me?”

The horned shadow’s chain trembled, reflecting the agitated emotions of its bearer. The slender shadow seemed somewhat calmer, quickly moving towards the horned shadow. The two overlapped slightly, seeming to discuss their strategy in silent communication.

As time ticked on, Long Shen sneered. A dazzling light burst from his sword, causing the two shadows to retreat rapidly, accompanied by the urgent sound of their chains.

It was evident they feared Long Shen’s power. The slender shadow hurriedly gripped its chain to prevent it from shaking further. It then made a gesture of respect towards Long Shen.

Recognizing their compliance, Long Shen’s tone softened.

“Thank you. We still have some unresolved business here. We might need your assistance later on.”

The two shadows left quickly, but the faint sound of their chains lingered, a reminder that they hadn’t gone too far.

Chang Qing sighed with relief.

Being a practitioner, he knew the two shadows weren’t easy opponents. Yet, with just a few words and the display of his sword, Long Shen had forced them to retreat. It was evident that not only was his power formidable, but his origins might also be profound.

He studied Long Shen’s retreating figure, realizing he couldn’t decipher anything about the man.

Not human, not a demon, then what?

Seeing that everyone’s eyes fell on him, Xiao Zhao became uneasy.

“Why are you all looking at me? It’s so cold here. Let’s find a way back quickly!”

Dong Zhi inquired, “Xiao Zhao, are you Xiao Zhao?”

The question was odd, leaving Xiao Zhao both confused. He gave a loud huff. “Who else would I be if not Xiao Zhao?”

Dong Zhi continued, “Then do you know who I am?”

Xiao Zhao quickly replied, “You? You’re Director Dong! I just followed you into the book, was chased by that female ghost, and got trapped in a shadow. Have you forgotten?”

Dong Zhi tried to soothe him. “Calm down. My master has another soul with him that looks just like Xiao Zhao, so we wanted to confirm.”

Xiao Zhao made a frustrated yet comical face. “This is my body. What’s there to confirm? Never mind, ask your questions, Director Dong!”

Dong Zhi didn’t know Xiao Zhao well since they had only met today. He could only ask a few casual questions, all of which Xiao Zhao answered accurately.

Chang Qing began to become suspicious. “Could the soul with your master be that of Su Huan or someone else’s?”

Though Su Huan had turned into a vengeful ghost, she might still have a sliver of conscience.

At that moment, Kan Chaosheng let out a hiss, and unexpectedly lunged at Xiao Zhao. With a push from its hind legs, the fat yellow cat agilely leapt towards Xiao Zhao’s head. Its two front claws were fully extended, appearing as though it was about to scratch Xiao Zhao’s face like a patchy cat would.

Xiao Zhao was taken aback and instinctively tried to dodge backward. However, having soaked in the water for a while, his legs were weak, and he could only instinctively shield his face.

Dong Zhi narrowed his eyes, and with a mere thought, the Changshou Sword emerged from its scabbard, shooting straight towards Xiao Zhao’s forehead!

The blade’s light moved extremely fast, showing no mercy. It wasn’t a mere test; it was truly intended to put Xiao Zhao in a life-threatening situation!

Xiao Zhao screamed in alarm, no longer caring about anything else. His body slumped to the ground, and a wisp of black mist emerged from his back.

At this moment, the flame that had been hovering in the air quickly darted forward, enveloping the black mist. The black mist roared and howled, seemingly about to break free from the flame, but then the sound of the iron chain approached, securing it to the ground below!

The black mist seemed to be tightly restrained by the chain, shrieking but unable to break free. Eventually, it was slowly drawn away by the chain.

Long Shen released the pale mist, which autonomously floated towards Xiao Zhao’s body, gradually seeping in.

After a while, Xiao Zhao finally slowly regained consciousness.

Being a tall and burly man, after all the turmoil, he had lost all his strength and could only manage to sit up with the help of Chang Qing.

Chang Qing asked Dong Zhi and Long Shen, “How did you determine he was the real Xiao Zhao?”

Dong Zhi replied, “Men and women react differently when facing an attack. Most men will choose to actively strike back at the opponent, like slapping the cat away. However, most women, who cherish their faces, would instinctively shield it first. Of course, not everyone reacts this way, but the only suspects now are Su Huan and Xiao Zhao. Xiao Zhao is a police officer. He would surely choose to counterattack. Only a beautiful woman like Su Huan would have the reaction we just witnessed.”

Chang Qing was speechless. He felt he couldn’t possibly observe as meticulously as Dong Zhi.

Seeing his thoughts, Dong Zhi reassured him, “Actually, when I first joined the Special Administration Bureau, I was even less adept than you. Everything was honed over time.”

Chang Qing replied with his usual tone, “I never said I wanted to join the Special Administration Bureau!”

But by saying so, it was clear he was tempted.

Dong Zhi chose not to expose him.

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