Chapter 87

Chapter 87

The little girl knew nothing about Xie Qingling’s divine ability, so she had no idea they were already invisible to the other ghosts. Surrounded by three vicious-looking monsters, all she had left was instinctive terror. She clung desperately to Xie Qingling’s shoulders and trembled.

The invisibility granted by Concealed Presence lasted only five minutes. After each use, Xie Qingling had to wait for her inner core to refill with energy before she could use it again. That recharge period also lasted five minutes. In other words, she had only five minutes to devise a response before she could invoke Concealed Presence a second time.

Xie Qingling had to find a solution within that limited time.

But it was more than enough.

Ling Fang had said that if she attracted the attention of the other ghosts, she only needed to kill the strongest one to intimidate the rest.

So among the Lust-Eating Ghost, the Female Rakshasa, and the butcher-stall owner, which ghost was the strongest?

“The Female Rakshasa and the Lust-Eating Ghost discussed joining forces to sell the Female Rakshasa. Unfortunately, the Female Rakshasa’s fearsome reputation meant no one showed any interest in their stall.”

From that, Xie Qingling could infer that the Lust-Eating Ghost was probably weaker than the Female Rakshasa. Otherwise, why would no one fear its reputation too?

That left two ghosts from which to choose a suitable target.

Xie Qingling looked at the cleaver in the butcher’s hand, the same one it had used to hack the Long-Tongued Ghost into a shrieking mess. Then she looked at the Female Rakshasa’s slender waist and alluring figure as she swayed from side to side. For a moment, Xie Qingling could not decide.

It was difficult to tell.

Then she would kill them both.

Her decision made, Xie Qingling tightened her grip on Bloodsworn, swiftly circled behind the butcher, and raised her blade.

She intended to sever the butcher’s head with one strike. A Spirit Wielder’s body was like a natural vessel. Through breathing techniques and training, it could capture the energy between heaven and earth that belonged to humanity – Spirit – and use it to strengthen the body. Several months had passed since Xie Qingling became a Spirit Wielder. Her body had grown stronger through continuous tempering, allowing her to put greater force behind every strike. Against a ghost like this, severing its head in one blow should have been the quickest, easiest solution.

But the moment she glimpsed the rolls of fat piled across the back of the butcher’s neck, she abandoned the idea of ending the fight in one strike.

The butcher was enormously fat and covered in thick layers of flesh. It was a ghost rather than a human, but those layers of fat might still offer it some protection.

One strike might not be enough to sever its head.

Xie Qingling instantly changed her plan. Carrying the little girl on her back, she kicked hard against the ground and launched herself high into the air, sailing over the butcher’s head. Her left hand flashed, and one slash blinded the butcher.

The butcher screamed in pain and clapped one hand over its blood-soaked eyes.

Concealed Presence broke, and Xie Qingling’s figure was instantly exposed to every ghost in sight.

The Female Rakshasa’s gaze sharpened. She stuck out her tongue and spat a miniature fork from her mouth. The fork expanded, then flew toward Xie Qingling.

Xie Qingling felt a howling gust rush past her ear, carrying a foul, bloody stench as the weapon was about to graze her.

She immediately ducked and dodged aside. The Female Rakshasa’s fork struck the blinded, bewildered butcher instead.

The Rakshasa’s murderous energy flowed from the fork’s point into the butcher’s body. It went rigid as though frozen and howled even louder, its face contorted in agony.

In that split second, Xie Qingling drove the short blade in her left hand through the butcher’s instep. Bloodsworn pierced its foot and pinned it to the ground.

The butcher was immobilized. Driven by an instinct for self-preservation, it swung its cleaver wildly, but succeeded only in driving back the Female Rakshasa when she stepped forward to retrieve her fork.

Xie Qingling pulled a handgun from its holster at her thigh and fired at the blinded butcher’s head.

Bang. Bang. After two shots, the butcher’s body toppled.

One ghost down.

Xie Qingling pulled Bloodsworn from the ground and faced the Female Rakshasa.

The Female Rakshasa’s dazzling face looked grim.

She extended her tongue and produced another tiny fork. Just as she was about to continue fighting Xie Qingling, she heard Xie murmur, “Soul Recall.”

As the words left her lips, the butcher, only just dead and already slowly vanishing from the head down, rose stiffly to its feet.

It had come “alive” again.

The Female Rakshasa looked as though she had seen a ghost. Before she could react, the butcher swung its grease-covered cleaver in a horizontal slash at her.

The blade’s oily, icy touch left a bloody cut across the Female Rakshasa’s face.

She hurled forks into the butcher, but it felt no pain. Even as its body vanished, it remained between Xie Qingling and the Female Rakshasa, preventing the latter’s attacks from touching Xie in the slightest.

At the sight, the Lust-Eating Ghost had long since fled.

The lesser ghosts that had gathered nearby to crane their heads and watch the fight fled as well.

Seeing this, the Female Rakshasa tried to escape too. But Xie Qingling had no intention of letting her go so easily.

The second use of Concealed Presence was ready. Xie Qingling vanished before the ghosts once more.

By the time she reappeared, the Female Rakshasa’s head had already fallen to the ground.
The Female Rakshasa was dead, though not entirely gone.

Like the butcher, her body began slowly disappearing outward from the fatal wound. Before she vanished, however, she rose again as though resurrected.

Standing between the two ghosts, Xie Qingling looked so small, yet also as though she were under their ironclad protection.

“Before your bodies disappear, protect me until I make it through the rest of the market.”

After issuing the order, Xie Qingling continued forward.

The butcher and the Female Rakshasa walked mechanically at either side of her, their bodies dissolving as they went.

They had planned to enjoy a sumptuous feast. Yet as vicious ghosts, they were now forced to stand beside a human as her protectors.

They were silent, vanishing ghost guardians whose presence intimidated every monster that might have attacked.

And in the eyes of the other ghosts, Xie Qingling, that delicious Spirit Wielder, had long since become a terrifying menace no one dared provoke.

The Female Rakshasa and butcher dwindled until they finally vanished. At the same time, Xie Qingling gradually reached the end of the Ghost Market’s bustling street.

The chaotic spectacle of dancing demons disappeared. There was no more noise or excitement, only a steep slope choked with weeds.

Xie Qingling put the little girl down and asked, “Where is your home? It’s just over this slope, right?”

The little girl nodded. Admiration flickered across her paper-white face. “Big sister, you’re incredible.”

“Not really. This is the right way, isn’t it?” Xie Qingling confirmed once more.

As they walked, the little girl asked, “Big sister, how did you get so strong? Can you teach me? I’m afraid other people will bully me.”

“No.”

“If you won’t teach me, I’ll – ”

“I’m not especially strong, but I could probably kill ten little ghosts like you with one punch. And if a little ghost talks too much and wastes all its strength on speaking, killing it would be even easier,” Xie Qingling said idly.

The little girl hurriedly clapped both hands over her mouth and refused to say another word, no matter what.

As they continued, a small hill appeared ahead. An elderly husband and wife stood on its crest, supporting one another.

Before Xie Qingling arrived, they had stood there year after year, passing countless fifteenth days of the seventh lunar month in waiting.

Their hair was gray and their faces covered in wrinkles. They did not look remotely capable of having a daughter so young.

Yet they truly reached out, swept the little girl into their arms, and burst into tears.

This family’s order of death appeared thoroughly jumbled.

“Oh, my baby, my precious baby…”

“Let Mommy look at you. I’ve missed you to death…”

The family embraced and wept uncontrollably. It was deeply moving – if one ignored the bloodlike tears streaming from the couple’s eyes.

Seeing that her task was nearly complete, Xie Qingling turned to leave.

Then the little girl wiped her tears and said between sobs, “Oh, right. Kind big sister.”

“You brought me home, so I have to repay you. I’ll give you the most valuable treasure in the whole world.”

“Oh?” Xie Qingling grew interested. “Go on, then. What treasure are you giving me?”

“Go back to the three willow trees at the end of the bridge. There’s a large rock at their base. I buried something beneath that rock. It’s a treasure I’ve cherished for many years, and now I’m entrusting it to you.”

The little girl’s voice grew faint and drifting, then quickly vanished into the air. The family of three disappeared with it.

What remained before Xie Qingling were two low burial mounds, with a small new grave nestled beside them.

“All right, then. Goodbye.” Xie Qingling waved to the little grave in farewell, then walked down the slope alone.

The bustling Ghost Market once again lay across her path.

[You stepped onto the lively Ghost Market street once more. Despite having just lost two terrifying vicious ghosts, the market’s celebratory mood had not been disrupted. Instead, it had grown even livelier.]

[The Pipa Ghost continued playing a mournful melody by the roadside that no one heard. A bowl made from a skull now sat before it as it busked for survival. This time, however, the bowl held a pair of eyes that had refused to close in death.]

[The Hanging Ghost had failed to sell its hanging rope, but quickly developed a new business. It could turn itself into a swing and hold other people while they swung.]

[The Long-Tongued Ghost’s tongue grew an inch every time it badmouthed someone. After it secretly complained about the butcher’s unscrupulous exploitation, its tongue grew back. It picked up the butcher’s cleaver, inherited its business and meat stall, and furiously chopped off the newly grown tongue, hanging it at the stall to pass off dog meat as mutton once more.]

[This time, none of them dared cast a covetous gaze toward you. They merely continued their own work, as happy and busy as ever.]

Xie Qingling strode boldly through the Ghost Market. This time, nothing happened.

When she reached the three willow trees beside the bridge again, she hesitated for a moment, then crouched and found the rock the little girl had mentioned. She drove Bloodsworn into the ground and began to dig.

She, too, wanted to know what kind of treasure the little girl had left her.

She dug and dug, then dug some more.

At last, Bloodsworn loosened the earth and opened a hole.

Xie Qingling finally got her wish and saw the treasure the little girl had buried underground.
So many years had passed that the cloth bag once used to hold the treasure had rotted into wisps of thread. The fabric tore at the slightest tug.

From the tattered remnants, Xie Qingling unearthed a pile of glittering, ice-cold glass marbles in every color.

“…”

“I…” Xie Qingling fell silent for a moment. “I… thank you.”

“Thank you for this most valuable treasure in the whole world.” She did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Xie Qingling scooped up the glass marbles, then began her return journey.

She started the boat and cut through the wind and waves all the way back to Future City.

After reaching the scenic area’s ticket office, she returned the boat and left.

It was already after eight at night, when the ghosts were at their liveliest.

Hordes of ghosts still ran wild through the streets.

Some cried, some laughed, and some shrieked and howled.

From the headache and bewilderment of the beginning, Xie Qingling had already progressed to taking it all in stride and turning a blind eye.

As she patrolled the streets, she had become fairly adept at handling the ghosts’ bizarre and sometimes utterly unreasonable demands.

Just then, a gust swept past her. Several ghosts gathered around Xie Qingling were abruptly blown in every direction, and some began cursing furiously.

Xie Qingling looked over and discovered Dai Xingyu sprinting past at astonishing speed. He must have been taking advantage of the Groom’s long legs and speed, but more strikingly, a ghost was hanging from his back, half floating in the air because of his sudden acceleration.

Seen from far behind, it looked as though Dai Xingyu were flying a kite above his head.

Xie Qingling: “…”

She did not know what Dai Xingyu had been through, but it looked exhausting.

The Department members truly were going to work themselves to death tonight.

Dai Xingyu was not the only person dashing wildly around the city.

Before long, Xie Qingling also encountered Yu Wei.

An impressive crowd of little ghosts had gathered around him.

Two clung to his legs, one on each side. Another two hung from his arms, and one was sprawled across his neck.

Even more outrageously, another little ghost was perched on Yu Wei’s head, trying to tie his hair into a tiny topknot.

Yu Wei wore his hair in a buzz cut. Flecks of gray mingled with the black, and the short bristles even pricked the fingers when touched. There was nowhere near enough hair for a topknot, so the little ghost pinched the tips and tugged outward, apparently trying to make it grow faster by pulling.

Yu Wei had a high tolerance for pain and did not grimace over something so minor. His expression remained mild and composed as usual, except for an added trace of helpless confusion.

The moment he pulled one little ghost down, another climbed onto his head. Yu Wei had no idea how to deal with them. Unable to fend off one without neglecting another, he looked anxious and thoroughly bedraggled.

Xie Qingling could not watch any longer. She walked over and patted Yu Wei’s shoulder. “Brother Yu, watch this.”

“I’m going to give all of you the most valuable treasure in the whole world.” Xie Qingling took out the glass marbles the little girl had given her and spread her fingers, allowing the round beads to spill through the gaps.

Clink, clink, clink…

The marbles bounced several times against the ground, then scattered rapidly like a stream of glass.

Under the streetlights, the colored beads reflected exceptionally beautiful light.

The little ghosts cheered at the sight. They immediately released Yu Wei and scattered in every direction to chase the marbles.

Yu Wei regained his freedom.

He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and exhaled softly. “Little Xie always knows what to do.”

Yu Wei still looked shaken. The little ghosts had clearly put him through the wringer.

“I thought you’d have plenty of experience with children, Brother Yu,” Xie Qingling said with a laugh. “I never expected this bunch of little ghosts to climb all over your head and run wild. You can’t spoil them this much. If you ask me, you should put on a stern face and show them your great blade. Then they wouldn’t dare bother you.”

Yu Wei gave another bitter smile. “But that would make them cry…”

Still, he nodded. “I understand. Thank you, Little Xie.”

“Then I’ll get back to patrol.” Xie Qingling waved to Yu Wei and continued her duties for the night.

Later, on the bridge spanning the river, Xie Qingling fished out a pair of ghosts trying to jump into the water and die for love. At the same time, she hauled up Ling Fang, who was floating stiffly on the river’s surface and looked as though he had little time left.

Sticky waterweed covered Ling Fang’s body, with several small fish caught among the strands. The weeds wrapped around him, blending him into the dark river beneath the night while also resembling a second set of clothes.

He was soaked from head to toe. There was no telling how long he had been in the water, much less why he had gone in.

Xie Qingling pulled Ling Fang out, laid him flat on the bank, and performed a full round of CPR, pressing down on his chest. Before long, he spat out a great mouthful of water and began coughing violently enough to tear his lungs apart.

Alive.

After catching his breath, Ling Fang explained, “I encountered a Substitute Water Ghost that tried to drag me under. I killed it, but my curse happened to activate and left my body rigid for a while, so I couldn’t get out of the water.”

His leg had cramped.

“It wasn’t a serious problem. It would have passed soon.” Ling Fang carefully assessed his condition. “If you’d arrived a little later, I would have swum out by myself.”

Xie Qingling gave him a complicated look. This was the first time she had realized just how battered and hard-pressed Ling Fang could become when he faced ghosts alone, away from the team.
Considering that Ling Fang was a proud man, with a leader’s touch of arrogance and contempt for others, anything Xie Qingling said right now seemed liable to wound him.

So she could only pat his soaked shoulder gently and say, “Mm. I believe you.”

A trace of sympathy inevitably colored her voice.

“…Get lost.” Ling Fang’s face turned livid as he told her to hurry up and leave.

With excellent self-awareness, Xie Qingling moved far away.

After witnessing her superior in such a pathetic state, she had better behave herself or he might hold a grudge. Ling Fang was not really the sort to do that, but she still should not court death too enthusiastically.

What if he made her write another self-criticism?

Xie Qingling patrolled along Riverside Avenue. She had not gone far before she encountered Ye Anran.

Things on Ye Anran’s side were clearly far less chaotic.

The ghosts there were perfectly obedient. They neither cried nor caused trouble, but lined up neatly before the stall Ye Anran had opened.

Whenever a ghost tried to cut in line, the others stopped it.

Xie Qingling looked at the banner fluttering before Ye Anran’s stall, emblazoned with the words “Healing for All,” and felt a trace of envy.

She had no idea what ailments these ghosts needed treated or how Ye Anran examined them. In any case, Ye Anran looked relaxed, and the ghosts looked happy.

Her own specialty, by contrast, would probably attract no ghostly customers if she tried to open a stall.

Xie Qingling then patrolled another district, the area Shen Huaizhou was responsible for.

The ghosts there were even more obedient and quieter than those around Ye Anran.

Just as at Ye Anran’s stall, a long line stretched before Shen Huaizhou.

The queue included old and young, men and women. Each ghost followed the line forward, reached Shen Huaizhou and told him something, then left under the urging of the ghosts behind it.

Since Shen Huaizhou had not raised a “Healing for All” banner like Ye Anran, Xie Qingling had no idea how he had accomplished this. She could only send him an envious look.

Shen Huaizhou saw her too.

His lips pressed together as he stared at her and watched her walk into the distance. Only then did he continue handling the tasks entrusted to him by the ghosts.

After these brief chance encounters with her colleagues, Xie Qingling continued racing all over the city, helping ghosts resolve every bizarre and unreasonable demand they raised.

Along the way, she helped an illiterate ghost search through piles of spirit money and offerings, selecting the paper bundle bearing his name and finding the spirit money his family had burned for him.

Later, Xie Qingling helped the ghost of an elderly man who could no longer recognize the way home after urban redevelopment. She found his family’s relocated house and successfully delivered him there.

She also encountered a ghost waiting for someone but unable to remember who, and helped search for a while. Naturally, the person could not be found and was most likely gone. If that person had become a ghost, finding them would be no easier. The gates of the underworld did not open only in Future City, so the one she awaited might not have appeared there at all. Finding them would be like searching for a needle in the ocean, especially when she could not even remember whom she was waiting for.

“Forget it. I’ve already waited many years. One more won’t make a difference. If I keep waiting and waiting, perhaps I’ll suddenly meet that person someday and remember. Or perhaps they’ll still recognize me.” The female ghost spoke with lonely sorrow, then continued standing on the bridge and watching the ghosts come and go.

Xie Qingling went on to find the next ghost.

The things living people desired were generally similar. If someone had a wish, one could guess it fairly accurately from their identity. Students wanted good grades, workers wanted money, the sick wanted health, those who coveted power wanted status, and those who longed for love wanted a happy match. But ghosts had left the human world behind. They had escaped the shackles of fame and profit, shed the constraints of mortal flesh, and left the torments of birth, aging, sickness, and death far behind. People in the mortal realm could not easily guess what they desired. Some wishes still concerned the human world, while others had nothing to do with it at all. Their ideas came in every variety imaginable, an endless stream of ghostly schemes and whims.

Xie Qingling felt the Department should give this excessively grueling night a name: “The Night of Delivering Ghosts from Suffering.” Thank goodness the festival came only once a year, or it truly would work them to death.

By the latter half of the night, Xie Qingling’s patrol was nearing its end.

Most of the ghosts had already left the streets.

The horizon had begun turning pale. The sun would soon rise, the night was about to end, and the gates of the underworld would soon close.

Although the streets remained dim and dawn had yet to break fully, more pedestrians were gradually appearing.

As Xie Qingling stood in the faint light of daybreak, Ling Fang’s voice came through her earpiece. “Patrol is over. Return to the office.”

Everyone received the order, ended their patrols, and returned to 221 Central Street.

When Xie Qingling reached the brightly lit office, the other five were all waiting in the lobby.

The Logistics Department had already prepared a lavish meal for the exhausted group and set it out nearby.

There was alcohol, meat, and vegetables.

Another table held every kind of drink and snack. Ye Anran stood there with a deck of cards, shuffling them repeatedly.

When Xie Qingling returned, Ye Anran called to her. “Hurry. Once we finish eating, we’re playing Catch the Ghost.”

“Catch the Ghost?”

“And Truth or Dare.” Ye Anran smiled and urged her, “It’s tradition. We don’t get a chance to play except tonight. Come on. You’re the only one missing.”