Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 40: A Gathering of Friends

Guan He glanced at Half Mountain, then looked at Fang Xiu in confusion.

A quasi-ghost immortal? Is there really a half-step ghost immortal here? …Wasn’t that just something he made up to trick Lao Jin?

Half-step ghost immortals sound terrifying. They really should run away. Why is Fang Xiu insisting on provoking him?

Fang Xiu finally snapped the lighter shut. “Elder, you finally decided to show yourself. My fingers hurt from holding the flame so long.”

Half Mountain cast him a sidelong look. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll snatch your lighter?”

“I’ll introduce someone: this is my ghost, Bai Shuangying. He’s especially good at hiding.”

Fang Xiu pulled Bai Shuangying over proudly. “Our Xiao Guan also knows the Five-Ghost Relocation, so he can swipe the lighter anytime he wants.”

“If you show any suspicious moves, Xiao Guan will grab the lighter, and Bai Shuangying will hide him. That way, we can quietly strike a spark and still get away.”

Half Mountain: “……”

Fine. You’re ruthless.

Fang Xiu went on, “Anyway, we’ve already killed all the evil spirits, so there’s no risk of it leaking outside. See how sincere I am?”

Half Mountain gave a cold laugh. “You call that killing evil spirits? After all that fuss, I thought you were torturing them for information.”

Fang Xiu instinctively looked at Bai Shuangying, only to see his own ghost’s eyes brimming with agreement, and he visibly deflated. “How can you say that…?”

What, did his demon-vanquishing pose not look cool enough?

That said, this half-step ghost immortal, despite his poisonous tongue, was good about keeping his distance; he showed no intent to grab the lighter by force. They stood beside a brightly lit street stall, and the atmosphere was unexpectedly pleasant.

“So, what exactly did you call me out here for?”

Half Mountain crossed his arms, looking like any random, high-spirited young man on the street. “When you destroy the karma linked to that photo, you’ll know the truth. Why make me spell it out for you?”

At this point, Half Mountain wasn’t hiding the fact that “the photo is the E.”

Fang Xiu shook his head and said solemnly, “What is your obsession?”

He set aside his playful tone, asking very seriously.

Half Mountain was different from the God of Weishan.

The God of Weishan had never been a fierce ghost. During her human life, she accumulated great merit and ascended as a human.

Half Mountain, on the other hand, had clearly gone from human to fierce ghost, then cultivated this “E” as a fierce ghost. For a human to become a fierce ghost, obsession was indispensable.

Sure enough, hearing Fang Xiu’s question about obsession, Half Mountain’s expression changed. “What does my obsession have to do with you?”

“We can only leave if we destroy the E,” Fang Xiu said gravely. “I know how important the photo is to you, but I’m not about to die here…so as compensation, I’d like to help you free yourself from that obsession.”

Half Mountain snorted. “You want to send me off, huh.”

“Yes. Anyone you need me to pass a message to? Or maybe someone you want killed? I can handle either.”

Fang Xiu explained his “services” with practiced ease.

“Oh? Sounds pretty professional. Do you do this kind of work exclusively?” Half Mountain didn’t answer directly but teased, “…Then again, they say you accumulate virtue by doing this, and you don’t strike me as virtuous.”

Fang Xiu: “……”

Fang Xiu: “Usually I charge for dealing with obsessions. Given the circumstances, I’ll make an exception for you.”

Bai Shuangying’s spirits lifted when he heard that. So he was right. Fang Xiu really was an Underworld assassin who worked for money. Thinking this, Bai Shuangying patted his human’s head, quite satisfied.

Fang Xiu immediately played along, leaning on Bai Shuangying in a conspicuously showy way. It was as though there was an invisible banner that read: “Human-Ghost Harmony—Underworld Services Rendered with Expertise” floating around them.

Half Mountain mulled it over for a long time and sighed. “Come with me.”

He led them to the small electronics store.

At the moment, the place was empty. The money Fang Xiu had left to rent a camera was still on the counter. With Half Mountain no longer blocking it, the door to the storeroom stood out a bit more.

“You don’t look particularly surprised,” Half Mountain observed, sizing up Fang Xiu’s face.

Fang Xiu shrugged. “No smoking in public places, and this street is doing good business now. Who’d be smoking in such a tiny shop? The first time I saw you, I felt something was off.”

“Then why didn’t you call me out?”

“Because maybe you were just being inconsiderate,” Fang Xiu said, shooting him a glance.

Half Mountain: “……”

Dammit, he only made a couple of snide remarks, and this kid’s already holding a grudge.

Half Mountain sighed again, straightened his clothes, and knocked on the storeroom door. “Brother, I brought them.”

No response from inside. Half Mountain gave a wry smile, then opened the door himself.

Inside, the actual shop clerk was tidying goods in the corner. Deeper in the storeroom sat a figure who didn’t belong there at all.

That person was perched on a box, sipping soda. In fact, his posture would’ve fit perfectly at the barbecue stall.

The most striking thing was that, like Half Mountain, his facial features were fully intact.

He appeared to be about the same age as Half Mountain, smiling brightly and looking totally at ease. He dressed similarly to the other young men at the stall, wearing plain clothes but looking sharp and energetic.

“Let me introduce him: he’s my big brother.”

Half Mountain said, “He’s only that fresh-faced in the photo. When I first met him, he didn’t look this young at all.”

Fang Xiu looked at his face without a word.

Half Mountain: “You must’ve figured it out: my big bro was an anti-drug police officer, and this is his photo. He was found out while undercover and lost his life.”

Fang Xiu and Guan He held their breath, gazing at Half Mountain, but he didn’t continue the story.

Instead, he casually changed the topic. “As for me, I’m just an ordinary guy. The reason I’m stuck here is much like Xiao Guan’s. I was in junior high when I took my younger cousins to a reservoir. Swimming was banned, but I wanted to show off and got them into the water, and they drowned.”

Guan He got nervous. “Then you and your family…”

“Don’t look at me; I can’t help you.”

Half Mountain waved helplessly. “My relatives cut me off because of that incident, and then I took up smoking and drinking, never improved. At least you and your mom can still talk. I don’t even contact my family when New Year comes around.”

At that, he gave a self-deprecating smile. “If I hadn’t met Big Bro, I probably would’ve become a sacrifice.”

Fang Xiu withdrew his gaze from the “Big Brother”. “I’m very sorry.”

Without the buildup of cause and effect, and without an obsession, an object wouldn’t become an “E”. For this fallen police officer, the Mid-Autumn photo had to be a treasured keepsake.

It captured a richly festive atmosphere and a joyful gathering of friends. Just looking at it made people happy. Even an outsider like Fang Xiu was fond of it.

But for Half Mountain, it wasn’t just the core to his ascension. It was also a precious relic of a friend.

“…I’m really sorry,” Fang Xiu repeated, voice heavier this time.

Half Mountain looked at him. “I’m already a fierce ghost. It’s not like I have happy emotions left, so your apology doesn’t matter.”

“Besides, if I said I couldn’t give it up, would you just stay here and die with your companions?”

Fang Xiu hurried to change the subject. “You’re obviously able to cast a spell to hide your Big Brother’s face. Why bring him out here?”

Half Mountain responded without thinking. “Leaving him every night in the line of sight of those beasts…bothers me.”

It took Fang Xiu a few seconds to realize he was talking about that giant face during the Blood Night. Strictly speaking, it was just a taboo-generated concept, not an actual drug dealer watching them.

But Half Mountain still refused, and indeed, fierce ghosts tend to be stubborn.

While Fang Xiu was thinking this, Half Mountain placed “Big Bro’s” arm around his shoulder. Perhaps it was thanks to the E’s approval that he could effortlessly touch the illusion.

Propping him up like a friend, Half Mountain said, “Never mind obsessions for the moment. Since we’re not going to fight, how about having a few drinks together?

“I saw you pulling out good stuff earlier. Since you’re set on destroying my E, it’s not too much for me to freeload a bit, right?”

Fang Xiu said sincerely, “I’ve got Wangzai brand almond milk or canned fruit syrup. Take your pick.”

“Bring it all,” Half Mountain answered bluntly.

……

The moonlight was bright, and neon lights were flashing.

On the last day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, what had been a brutal struggle for survival turned into a little gathering around the barbecue stall.

Half Mountain moved “Big Bro” back to the stall, and everyone gathered around a big table. Fang Xiu brought out all the offerings he could find. At a glance, it really did seem like a group of friends getting together.

The half-step ghost immortal chugged a bottle of soda in one go. “Yeah, that’s the taste. Eating raw souls just never sits right. A person needs some junk food…”

He seemed totally casual, not treating Fang Xiu’s group as strangers at all.

Guan He had been holding back for a while and couldn’t help asking, “We’re going to destroy the photo. Do you really not mind?”

Half Mountain smiled wryly. “If I said I didn’t care, would you believe me?”

Guan He fell silent.

Though Half Mountain’s tone was light, it held a hint of regret.

“Saying I don’t care is a lie, but what else can I do? You’ve got a plan to burn it anyway.”

“Besides, you’re not guilty enough to deserve death, and Fang Xiu’s acting like a bounty hunter… If I actually killed you all to keep the photo, Big Bro would probably roll in his grave,” Half Mountain muttered.

“Come on, a toast to Half Mountain,” Fang Xiu said, raising a soda can.

“Stop calling me ‘Half Mountain’ already.” The half-step ghost immortal was annoyed. “My name is Li Shuo. Li as in dawn, Shuo as in sparkle*.”

*Clarity: The Li (黎) from dawn [liming] (黎明), the Shuo (烁) from twinkle/sparkles [shanshuo] (闪烁)

Saying this, he set half of his food before “Big Bro”, even though they all knew that illusion couldn’t really enjoy any of it.

“Alright, a toast to Li Shuo.” Once Li Shuo finished arranging things, Fang Xiu raised his can again.

Only then did Li Shuo lift his can to clink it with Fang Xiu’s.

“…Actually, speaking of who cares about this photo, I think the Underworld cares even more than I do.”

Li Shuo tore into a chicken leg, grease dripping. “Not long after I got sealed in the photo, they sent a paper figure to babble all sorts of explanations…wait, would that be ‘science popularization’? Or ‘metaphysical popularization’?

“Anyway, they told me I was entangled in the karma of this ‘E’ and suitable for cultivating as a ghost immortal. I thought watching those scum kill each other was satisfying enough, plus I had some personal attachments, so I just went with it.”

Guan He was stunned. “The Underworld is actually raising ghost immortals?!”

“It’s not quite like that,” Fang Xiu interrupted, talking around a mouthful of pastry.

“If we succeed in destroying the E, we remove a source of yin energy in the human realm, so the Underworld wins.”

“If we die in the ritual, we nurture a ghost immortal who refines the E, and the Underworld still wins. Since it’s peacetime, fresh souls aren’t that easy to come by. And if a ghost immortal has taken the Underworld’s investment of souls, they’ve definitely got to pay up somehow.”

Guan He understood. “So whether the E is broken or not, the underworld benefits, but cultivating a ghost immortal is even more profitable for them.”

Fang Xiu turned to Li Shuo. “Speaking of that, what price is the underworld asking from you?”

“No idea. They said we’d talk once I ascend.”

Fang Xiu scratched his chin. “Hmm…”

Li Shuo finished the roast chicken and started on fruit, continuing to spill the Underworld’s secrets with cheerful candor.

“Thing is, the power of this photo is limited. It only opens during the Mid-Autumn Festival. So each year at Mid-Autumn, the Underworld sends in a batch of sacrifices and evil spirits.

“In a week or so, they mostly kill each other off, and I finish off any survivors. That ends the ritual for the year. Then I wait for the next Mid-Autumn… It’s been ages since I enjoyed a normal holiday. These oranges are delicious…”

Fang Xiu listened closely, idly pinching Bai Shuangying’s sleeve.

Come to think of it, Bai Shuangying had been unusually quiet. Fang Xiu turned his head and saw Bai Shuangying staring hard at Li Shuo.

It was odd… Li Shuo’s hostility was gone, yet Bai Shuangying remained tense.

“What’s wrong?” Fang Xiu tugged at a lock of Bai Shuangying’s hair.

“…Nothing. Just eat,” Bai Shuangying said in a low voice.

Maybe Bai Shuangying simply found Li Shuo off-putting. A fierce ghost’s mind is unfathomable. Fang Xiu decided he should soothe his ghost somehow.

He dropped his gaze to Lao Jin at his feet.

Under the table.

Lao Jin’s limbs were all broken, and part of one leg was gone. He lay on the ground like a dog, struggling to breathe.

Seeing Fang Xiu keep chatting with Li Shuo, Lao Jin wisely stayed quiet, trying to minimize his presence.

As expected. The worst Fang Xiu had done so far was use him as bait for evil spirits: just little scuffles that one could grit one’s teeth and endure.

Now, listening to the real story of this E, Lao Jin only felt annoyed. Cops are so stubborn. While alive, they kept messing with him, and now even dead they were causing trouble.

But it didn’t matter. All the evil spirits had been wiped out. By tomorrow at 11:45 a.m., Fang Xiu would destroy the E.

He just had to hold on…

“Oh, right.” Fang Xiu spoke slowly. “Later tonight during the Blood Night, I have to go look after my companions. There’s still time before tomorrow at 11:45. Want me to hand him over so you can have some fun?”

He smiled, pointing at Lao Jin.

Li Shuo seemed disinterested. “Fun or not fun, it doesn’t matter. I’ve killed plenty of drug dealers…”

“Luo Jincheng, fifty years old, from Yin Province. He’s a major drug lord in Gui Province, known as ‘Boss Jin’. He’s run amok in Anhe City for fourteen years. Indirectly, he’s killed hundreds, including anti-drug police.”

“He’s the hardest type to deal with: he only lets his underlings do the dirty work while he hides in the shadows. Since mortal law needs evidence, the police usually only catch his henchmen. Even if they suspect him, it’s difficult to find conclusive proof.”

Hearing “Anhe City in Gui Province”, Li Shuo’s eyelids lifted, and his brow furrowed slightly.

Fang Xiu spoke softly, “Among his subordinates, the most infamous was someone called ‘Er Gui.’”

“…Ha, well isn’t that a coincidence!” Li Shuo suddenly gave a loud laugh. “I changed my mind. Hand him over… I’ll have some fun.”

He bared his teeth at Fang Xiu. “But don’t think I don’t know your plan. You want me to torture him so he’ll release your companions.”

Fang Xiu was forthright, tossing the demon-revealing mirror to Li Shuo. “Yes. If you can make him free them, great; if not, whatever. Do what you want.”

“Leave him to me.”

Li Shuo smiled even more brightly.

Then he lowered his head, staring at Lao Jin without blinking. As he watched, part of Li Shuo’s skull on one side caved in, and the whites of his eyes gradually turned blood-red. His intact skin cracked into gaping wounds, looking gruesome as if he’d broken some taboo.

In just a few seconds, Li Shuo revealed his ghostly form right there.

Yin energy billowed around them, and Guan He closed his eyes in fear. Lao Jin froze, not daring to speak. Who could say what grudge this ghost might hold against him?

“Oh, by the way,” Fang Xiu added somewhat awkwardly, “if you accidentally kill him, save his soul for me, would you? I’d like to give my ghost a little snack…”

“No need,” Bai Shuangying suddenly said, still staring at Li Shuo.

Fang Xiu tensed. “?”

Shit, why did his ghost suddenly not want a meal?!

“Judging by your expression, you have some personal history with him. I’d rather not fight someone else for table scraps. Let’s just leave it at that.” Bai Shuangying glanced at Fang Xiu and added calmly.

Li Shuo looked surprised but soon smiled. “Thanks.”

After that, no one brought up the photo. They simply chatted about everything under the sun, from popular TV shows to recent news.

The barbecue stall became the liveliest spot on that street. The police officer’s features were distinct among the many faceless figures, and compared to the illusory crowds everywhere, he seemed more like one of Fang Xiu’s crew.

He sat beside Li Shuo, smiling silently, like a particularly quiet friend.

……

At six the next morning, in front of the arch.

The survivors gathered beneath it. Fang Xiu stood with Bai Shuangying and Guan He on either side, Cheng Songyun and Mei Lan behind.

Things were busier around Li Shuo. He had brought a chair over and placed his police-officer big brother in it.

Next to that chair lay a lump of unrecognizable flesh, its features and limbs too mangled to see. It quivered weakly, barely drawing breath. The sight was so gory that Cheng Songyun kept trying to cover Guan He’s eyes.

“You didn’t kill him?” Fang Xiu guessed the lump was Lao Jin.

No wonder he was a half-step ghost immortal. Li Shuo’s methods of torture were indeed a cut above.

“I’ll kill him when we burn the photo. I want to take his corpse out with me.”

Li Shuo tossed the demon-revealing mirror back to Fang Xiu. “I got what you wanted out of him. Once he stops breathing, the spell breaks automatically.”

Catching the blood-smeared bronze mirror, Fang Xiu let out a low hiss. “Impressive.”

“Alright, hurry it up. Don’t dawdle.” Li Shuo waved him on. “Once we’re out of here, I’ll tell you about my obsession.”

Fang Xiu froze momentarily and pressed his lips together.

Fwoosh.

The lighter sparked to life. The flame instantly caught the archway, and tongues of fire raced up the pillars, illuminating the policeman’s illusory face.

The moment it ignited, a sudden change occurred.

With a shrill screech, Li Shuo’s ghost form abruptly manifested, both eyes turning pitch black.

He lunged straight at Fang Xiu. Meanwhile, the flames from the arch condensed into clusters of fire, firing like bullets at everyone else.

All of this happened in a split second.

Because Fang Xiu had prepared, Guan He instantly used the Five-Ghost Relocation to snatch the lighter. Yet Bai Shuangying didn’t follow the plan to cover for him. Instead, he stood in front of Fang Xiu.

In the next moment, Bai Shuangying and Li Shuo both vanished on the spot.

They were hidden.

“All things in this world have their destined order. When was it ever right to manipulate someone’s mind and force them into immortality…? Over the years, the Underworld has grown more and more pitiful.”

With his left hand, Bai Shuangying easily immobilized Li Shuo. Then with two fingers of his right hand pressed together, he made a faint, slicing motion.

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The author has something to say:

Next chapter, we’ll finally uncover the story of the “E”. 

Their reactions: 

Xiao Fang: “Move here, then here, then here. Watch me checkmate you in five moves!” 

Xiao Bai: *smashes the chessboard with a single punch.*

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