Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 37: A Two-Person Game

The Blood Night had vanished. The group, which only had four people remaining, didn’t rush outside right away.

Fang Xiu helped himself to roasted chicken and apples, plus two cans of Wangzai soda, starting his breakfast right then and there.

Guan He also received a canned yellow peach, for which Fang Xiu’s explanation was that “it’d be troublesome if he fainted.”

With Guan He’s hands still bound, Mazi fed him forcibly like stuffing a duck; Guan He choked now and then, coughing violently, yet Mazi showed no intention of slowing down.

At the table, Fang Xiu and Lao Jin ate as if nothing was happening.

“Is the third taboo ‘No Fire Allowed’?”

After Lao Jin finished describing it, Fang Xiu raised his eyebrows.

Lao Jin tossed him the lighter. “If you don’t believe me, try it yourself.”

Fang Xiu easily caught it. The lighter felt heavy and was a warm gold color, engraved with an elegant coin pattern. It was clearly expensive.

Click.

Fang Xiu lit the flame. Within the shadows, tiny fireballs appeared like fireflies, sizzling his flesh.

Yet Fang Xiu didn’t seem to feel pain. He contemplated for a few seconds, then closed the lighter with a snap, only to open and light it again.

Click. Click. Click…

Over and over, he repeated this process. The smell of scorched flesh hung in the air.

After doing it more than a dozen times, Fang Xiu’s arms were covered with burn marks which was ghastly to look at. But his brow gradually relaxed.

“No need to do that yourself.” Lao Jin glanced at Guan He, who was coughing violently.

In between motions, he quietly checked the bagua mirror. As before, only Guan He’s image was visible, showing nothing of Fang Xiu.

“I have no choice. For those of us in my line of work, there are some things you have to experience firsthand.”

Fang Xiu handed the lighter back to Lao Jin. “…This ‘taboo’ is pretty interesting.”

Lao Jin seemed intrigued. “Did you figure something out?”

“Mm, I have a guess. Let’s handle the first taboo this morning, and we’ll talk in the afternoon.”

Fang Xiu continued chewing his chicken, smoothly changing the subject.

A flash of displeasure crossed Lao Jin’s face. Fang Xiu didn’t look up, yet it was as if he had eyes on top of his head. “Boss Jin, there’s no point in pushing me. There’s an almost ghost immortal here. Undoing this ‘E’ won’t be simple.”

He then explained to Lao Jin what an almost ghost immortal was.

A human ascends to immortality by cultivating virtue; a ghost ascends by cultivating “E”.

The tidbits that Shan Hunzi had mentioned back then, Fang Xiu now explained thoroughly. Hearing how casually Fang Xiu presented it, most of Lao Jin’s suspicions eased.

“The Underworld using living humans to nourish a ghost immortal? Sure sounds that way,” Lao Jin quickly deduced.

Fang Xiu gave a cryptic “Mhm,” neither confirming nor denying.

Lao Jin stroked his chin and bluntly said, “So the mortal realm isn’t interfering. Maybe all these so-called ‘sacrifices’ carry blood debts?”

“Probably so. I’m sure you and I both have plenty of blood on our hands.”

Fang Xiu gestured for Mazi to release Guan He. “Perfect timing. Hey, Xiao Guan, tell us who you killed.”

Guan He spat out bits of peach, only regaining his breath after a while. Mazi clamped a hand around his neck again, clearly ready to use force if he wouldn’t talk.

“I…” Guan He hesitated for quite some time, his voice hoarse. “I caused my younger brother’s death.”

Fang Xiu: “More details.”

Guan He shut his eyes. “When I was eleven, I took my four-year-old brother across a red light. He was run over by a car and killed.”

At that, his voice began to tremble. “It-It was really late, though. There shouldn’t have been any cars… The driver was a speeding drug dealer…”

“Well, aren’t you good at shifting blame, kid,” Lao Jin sneered. “You being dragged here proves the heavens deemed you more guilty…”

“We call that ‘the karmic chain of a life’.” Fang Xiu cut in casually, as if by chance.

Lao Jin’s attention returned to Fang Xiu. “No wonder the Underworld specifically picks us as ‘sacrifices.’ All these ruthless folks I’ve met on the way, I was curious. Now it makes sense.”

He laughed coldly. “The state wants my life in the living world, and the Underworld wants my life here. At least after we finish this ritual, there’s a reward. The Underworld is kinder!”

“Funny enough, I prefer rituals too,” Fang Xiu responded, finishing off the chicken and licking his fingers.

He sounded genuinely at ease, and he wore a smile to match.

……

Bai Shuangying sat at the table, not caring to listen to their chatter.

He tilted his head slightly. In his pale eyes, countless chain-shadows were reflected. These were chains of karma that were slowly turning, forming a cage too dense to breach.

Bai Shuangying disliked staring too long at these chains. They constantly reminded him he was still a “prisoner”. Day by day, his corruption steadily crept along those chains, surging and receding like waves, like Jingwei filling the sea*.

*Idiom referring to unyielding determination in face of overwhelming odds. In this context, it’s used like a metaphor to describe a slow, almost impossible, process. It comes from the story of Jingwei, the daughter of Emperor Yandi, who drowns in the Eastern Sea. She is transformed into a small bird who then vows to fill the sea by endlessly carrying pebbles and twigs and dropping them into it.

So slow.

Bai Shuangying knew it was already the “fastest speed that wouldn’t draw the Underworld’s attention”, yet it was still too slow.

For countless centuries, these chains had held his true self tightly, rationing only enough yin energy for survival. In recent decades, that yin energy had dwindled sharply. If he did nothing, he would inevitably grow weak, then go mad.

The fresh living souls Fang Xiu caught were delicious, but they were only a drop of blood on the tip of the tongue, a fleeting respite for a starving beast. Nice, but not life-saving.

Bai Shuangying shifted his gaze to the chain that Fang Xiu had broken, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

When he finally escaped this seal, he would definitely destro…

Something warm brushed the tips of Bai Shuangying’s hair.

His thoughts, along with the illusory chain, were scattered by this sudden warmth.

Looking down, Bai Shuangying saw his long hair spread across the tabletop, right next to Fang Xiu’s arm.

As Fang Xiu moved, the strands occasionally grazed Fang Xiu’s burnt skin. Each time it happened, Fang Xiu would visibly relax, if only for a moment. The gently swaying ends of Bai Shuangying’s hair rose and fell in tandem with Fang Xiu, as though he had grown a second respiratory system out of thin air.

Bai Shuangying blinked.

Right, Fang Xiu seemed pretty confident in resolving this “E”, so his plan for a “two-person world” unsealing might fall through…

…Better hold off on destroying the world. The pressing task was to break his seal first.

With that in mind, Bai Shuangying nonchalantly nudged Fang Xiu’s head. Fang Xiu nearly choked on his drink but didn’t pull away.

The seal showed no reaction. Some of the drink splattered, prompting both of them to sigh softly in unison.

……

Right before heading out, Fang Xiu grabbed an old piece of cloth and wrapped it around Guan He’s head, like a condemned prisoner being prepared for execution.

Lao Jin: “His hands are bound tight. He can’t run.”

“I’m no match for Mazi Ge physically. Controlling him isn’t easy for me,” Fang Xiu said without looking up.

Lao Jin felt no extra pity for minors. After hearing that explanation, he couldn’t be bothered further.

During Fang Xiu’s rough “packaging”, Guan He’s wrists loosened a bit, and he felt something cold in his palm.

Fang Xiu discreetly retrieved the jade Buddha from Guan He’s pocket and slipped it into his hand. If Guan He cut his finger, he could activate it any time.

With the child ghost leading the way, covering Guan He’s face was no problem. If anything, it made him better at hiding his expressions.

More importantly, this way he wouldn’t see the bagua mirror. When Lao Jin locked people inside, he made them “look into the mirror” first. There had to be some trick there.

Fang Xiu truly was protecting him.

Relieved, Guan He drew a long breath through the cloth.

Finally, Fang Xiu used a plastic cord to lead Guan He’s bound hands. The four returned to the bustling Mid-Autumn festival street, the bright, pleasant music surrounding them once more.

After four days of this, almost no evil spirits remained on the street.

Those that did survive were large, troublesome ones. With just over two hours until noon, they couldn’t afford to waste much time.

“I marked their locations last night. Let’s start by targeting the weakest one.” Fang Xiu volunteered, leading the way.

At the same time, he lightly tugged a strand of Bai Shuangying’s hair. That was their agreed signal to “start the game.”

Lao Jin, oblivious to their silent exchange, nodded. “We’d better hurry, or some other evil spirit might beat us to it.”

He was still speaking when a crowd of faceless young people pressed in. Dressed in vibrant outfits, they waved their arms silently, like college students about to start their summer break.

Pushed by the tide of people, the four nearly got separated. Fortunately, their destination was just ahead, and they managed to slip into a dim alley.

They’d barely gone a short way in when Mazi abruptly halted, standing stock-still.

“What’s the matter?” Lao Jin frowned, reflexively casting a glance at Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu turned around to look at Mazi trailing behind, his expression taut but doing nothing suspicious. “Something’s off,” Fang Xiu whispered. “Mazi isn’t right.”

Lao Jin focused his gaze, sucking in a cold breath…

There at the alley’s mouth stood Mazi, his back to the light.

His face was entirely blank, with no features at all!

Behind him, countless faceless passersby came and went, fireworks exploding in the sky without pause. Shadows flickered into the alley like some silent carnival.

A chill crawled down Lao Jin’s spine. For a moment, he dared not speak. Mazi stood motionless, like a statue.

“That crowd just now was the problem. That isn’t Mazi. The real Mazi got taken,” Fang Xiu said softly, stepping forward.

“Boss Jin, you stay hidden here. I’ll handle this.”

After a pause, Fang Xiu seemed to make up his mind. “I’ll take Guan He. If I don’t come back before quarter to noon, feel free to kill any of mine.”

Lao Jin nodded, gripping the demon-revealing mirror.

He had the five emperor coins for concealment and the ones trapped in the mirror for backup. There was nothing to worry about. Fang Xiu wouldn’t run off. He still had companions here.

He stole a quick glance at the mirror. Once again, Fang Xiu’s reflection didn’t appear.

Quietly, he stayed put, watching Fang Xiu’s departure.

Fang Xiu approached Mazi, now only a dozen steps away.

Mazi’s featureless face showed no emotion, but Fang Xiu knew he was standing there, warily eyeing Lao Jin. He stared at the man a dozen paces away who likewise lacked facial features.

From opposite ends of the dim alley, the two “faceless people” eyed each other with mounting suspicion.

Fang Xiu turned his back to Lao Jin and murmured softly to Mazi, “That crowd was the problem. That’s not Boss Jin. The real Boss Jin was taken.”

“Don’t alert him. Come with me. We can still make it in time!”

With that, he grabbed Mazi’s wrist firmly.

Alarmed by the suggestion that his boss might be in danger, Mazi didn’t resist. The two quickly left the mouth of the alley.

At the instant Mazi and Lao Jin split up completely, Bai Shuangying canceled the feature hiding both men’s facial features.

That had been their plan all along. If Fang Xiu pinched his sleeve, Bai Shuangying would hide the enemy’s face.

At first, Bai Shuangying had thought it was a baffling request. Wasn’t it just a bit of childish concealment to kill someone?

…Now he sort of understood. Humans truly were devious.

Fang Xiu led Mazi swiftly away from Lao Jin’s alley, jogging toward the far end of the street.

Mazi spoke in a low voice, “You reacted even later than I did just now. If something’s happened to the boss…”

“I don’t want him dead either, all right?” Fang Xiu snapped, pulling Mazi into another alley.

Fog rose up around them, concealing Fang Xiu’s laughter.

He had confirmed last night that this place was home to an evil spirit known as the “Black Mirage”, a slow-moving creature shaped like a rotting clam. Among the remaining evil spirit, it was the weakest.

But it excelled at illusions, enough to create a small “ghost wall” scenario.

All around them, gray fog spread quickly, and the narrow alley lengthened into a seemingly endless spiderweb of paths.

The environment warped and twisted, the air thick with a foul stench. Mazi soon sensed something was off. Worst of all, Fang Xiu suddenly released his wrist.

Startled, Mazi whipped around. “Hey, Fang—”

But the words died in his throat.

Fang Xiu stood a few steps behind him, face erased, completely blank.

Guan He, who’d been trudging along in a cloth hood, was nowhere to be seen, and in the foggy alley, all that was visible was Fang Xiu’s red figure.

A chill spread through Mazi’s scalp.

Over the years, he’d preferred solving things with his fists.

Colleagues or cops, as long as it was flesh and blood that he could beat to death, Mazi never flinched. He even relished the screams as blood and gore flew. Even with evil spirits, he could still fight.

…But what if the enemy was just an illusion?

…At what point had he actually lost track of his real companion?

Gritting his teeth, Mazi swung a fist at the faceless red-clad youth. The figure floated backward with ease, melting into the fog.

“Bai Shuangying,” Fang Xiu’s hidden voice came through, brimming with amusement. “Let me show you something fun.”

He let go of his ghost’s hand, rapping his fingertips lightly on Bai Shuangying’s wrist.

Bai Shuangying lowered his eyes, easily controlling the concealment…

Fang Xiu brushed his hand, hiding his face.

Fang Xiu caught hold of him, hiding his entire figure.

…They remembered each step.

An instant later, behind Mazi’s tense back, the faceless Fang Xiu appeared again. Bai Shuangying’s sleeves drifted like clouds behind him.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Fang Xiu softly applauded.

Then he turned his hand and gripped Bai Shuangying’s right hand. The moment Mazi realized something was happening, that red figure vanished.

“Show yourself!” Mazi bellowed, charging through the illusory alley in a fury.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

To his left, the faceless Fang Xiu reappeared, lightly clapping his palms.

Mazi roared and flung himself at him, but the red figure again melted into the fog without a trace.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Against Mazi’s ragged footsteps, sometimes Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying’s hands were linked, sometimes not. Fang Xiu’s fingertips brushed Bai Shuangying’s cold hand, causing his body to appear and disappear.

Man and ghost spun happily within their concealment, like partners in a dance.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Accompanied by those ghostlike applause sounds, Fang Xiu’s faceless form flickered here and there.

Bai Shuangying watched Mazi shift from wary to enraged, and then from enraged to terrified. The self-assured predator in him had vanished, leaving only helpless prey in its place.

“Ma Haoben, age thirty-seven, from Yin Province. You’ve served as Boss Jin’s enforcer for twenty-one years, personally torturing and killing thirty-five people—two of them undercover cops…”

“Countless were injured at your hands. Many would love to see you die in agony…”

The voice drifted eerily, sometimes near, sometimes far.

“Get out here… out here…! Damn it, damn it…” The phantom applause closed in, and Mazi yelled as he backed away.

For the first time, his voice shook.

He kept backing up until he tripped, stumbling into a damp, squishy mass. A lid-like surface snapped shut, and a rank odor filled the air.

He’d finally found the evil spirit’s physical body, and it gave Mazi a shred of clarity.

Having been toyed with by an “illusion” all this time, he was boiling with rage. Tensing his muscles, Mazi forced open the evil spirit’s shell, ripping into the creature’s soft flesh with his bare hands.

Snarling, the Black Mirage sprayed him with a toxic corpse-laden slime.

Fuck, that creepy clapping had stopped. Sure enough, this thing had created that hallucination…

Mazi roared, unleashing all his strength, grappling with the Black Mirage. As an evil spirit specialized in illusions, it was poor in close combat. Its aura weakened…

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Mazi stiffened. He couldn’t help turning his head.

In that split second, a sturdy plastic cord looped around his neck.

…That was the same plastic rope Fang Xiu had used to tie Guan He, Mazi thought dimly.

The moment he grasped that fact, the rope drew tight.

Fang Xiu now appeared behind him, back to back. He pressed his entire weight onto the cord. Mazi’s body was slippery with that slime. He couldn’t get a grip on the strangling rope nor shake off Fang Xiu.

Shit… He’d exhausted himself fighting the evil spirit…

A warm body behind him… It was definitely a human… Fang Xiu… It was Fang Xiu all along…

Mazi’s eyes bulged, turning dark purple. His throat made a gurgling sound. He wanted to snap Fang Xiu’s limbs and twist Fang Xiu’s head clean off, but all he could do was flail uselessly.

After struggling madly for half a minute, Mazi slumped to the ground, dead, eyes still wide.

Fang Xiu let go of the plastic cord, nearly stumbling.

As expected of Boss Jin’s henchman. Even worn down, Mazi had almost been too much for Fang Xiu. After all that, the cord had cut Fang Xiu’s own hand so badly it was bleeding.

But that was perfect. Fang Xiu dipped his fingers in his own blood and drew a small circle, setting out a banquet for his ghost on the spot.

“Hah… If I were on my own, I could only lure people to kill each other…”

Having finished the circle, Fang Xiu leaned against Bai Shuangying, boneless and exhausted. “A two-person game really opens up a lot more possibilities…”

Bai Shuangying didn’t grab the living soul right away. He observed Fang Xiu with a thoughtful gaze, then nodded lightly.

Not far away, the Black Mirage, having been beaten nearly to death by Mazi, was no longer able to maintain the illusion.

As the mirage dissipated, Fang Xiu immediately called out to Guan He, who stood frozen in place. “Hurry, hurry, while it’s still alive, give it a few stomps.”

Guan He, still shell-shocked: “……”

But he obeyed, hopping on top of the Black Mirage’s soft body. After a round of trampling, the evil spirit followed Mazi’s fate.

Fang Xiu had achieved one kill.

Guan He had achieved another.

Thus satisfying the requirement of the first taboo.

They still had two hours left until a quarter to noon.

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The author has something to say:

Fang Xiu (to Lao Jin): “I’ll tell you this afternoon.” 

Fang Xiu (to himself): “But you won’t live to see the afternoon.” 

This round is a two-player game ☆ 

Xiao Bai be like, “City people sure are devious…”

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