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墨書 Inktalez
A flame ignited at the fingertips, burning through flesh. Amidst a smell reminiscent of grilled meat, Xing Ruyi saw not the blood vessels and bones typical of a human, but bamboo strips. These bamboo pieces, either green or yellow, were intricately woven into a human skeleton, covered with paper, and then the skin of a living person was peeled back and meticulously sewn back on while still warm.
But fake is fake; no matter how exquisite the craftsmanship or how clever the magic, flaws will always reveal themselves. For instance, this fake Gu Anniang exuded a strong paste-like odor.
Paste is made from flour or starch mixed with water to create a thick consistency. Back in her childhood, she often helped her parents paste couplets, squatting by the stove and watching her mother boil the paste over the fire, always able to catch a whiff of that slightly burnt smell.
As soon as the Paper Man stopped in front of her, she caught that scent but was unsure of its source—whether it came from those seemingly ordinary Paper Men or from Gu Anniang. Later, taking the opportunity to examine the Paper Man closely, she discerned that the smell was indeed emanating from Gu Anniang and was quite strong, mixed with the scent of fresh blood.
A mortal, even if turned into a monster or making a living by pasting Paper Men, shouldn't carry such a strong odor. Moreover, this Gu Anniang did not appear to be someone who frequently worked with Paper Men.
The Paper Man crackled as it burned and soon was consumed entirely. Xing Ruyi clapped her hands and approached the coffin, knocking on it: "Although coffins are good for resting, at this point you should come out and show yourself, right? Gu Anniang!"
There was some movement from within the coffin, prompting Xing Ruyi to step back cautiously. The coffin lid slowly opened, revealing a half-man, half-woman figure sitting up inside—a fusion of yin and yang. The female half resembled the previous Paper Man; she must be Gu Anniang. However, the male half was unfamiliar to Xing Ruyi.
"Who are you? Or how should I address you?"
"What does Miss Xing intend to call me?" The first to speak was the female half, her voice similar to that of the previous Paper Man—charming yet tinged with allure. Her brows arched slightly in an enticing manner, but her male half wore a sinister smile that seemed neither fully friendly nor hostile.
On this midnight street, Xing Ruyi couldn't help but shiver as goosebumps rose on her skin.
"Um, could you two choose one representative to talk to me? This neither male nor female appearance is quite uncomfortable for me. If I have to look at it any longer, I might just lose my temper." Xing Ruyi pointed at the male half: "Ladies first; please let her speak first. Your face really needs some work."
The man appeared furious as if about to explode. Gu Anniang gently patted him: "Husband, don't be angry. In this situation, let me handle it; you take a break."
The man nodded and slightly turned his body away. To be honest, whether he turned or not made little difference; it merely allowed one half to fade into darkness, improving the visual effect just a bit.
"Let's talk. What’s going on here? Surely you two aren't so affectionate that you've become one person? Also, why return to Luoyang City at this time? Is it related to that stone belonging to the Wang Family?"
"Ruyi really wants to know? You should understand that some stories in this world cannot be told for free."
"I don't really care about the petty matters between you," Xing Ruyi yawned. "To be honest, I've been busy and I'm extremely tired right now. If you want to talk, do it quickly; if not, just take your pile of ashes and leave. However, I need to make one thing clear: whatever you plan to do in Luoyang City is none of my business, but you must not harm the Wang family, and try not to do anything that would cause trouble. After all, I hold a position in the underworld, and there are some things I cannot ignore. Do you understand?"
"Ruyi's meaning is understood," Gu Anniang replied. "Rest assured, I won't seek trouble with the Wang family. As long as the Wang family doesn't come looking for us, we won't provoke them either. As for why we need to return to Luoyang City, it has something to do with you."
"Something to do with me?" Xing Ruyi squinted her eyes. "I don't recall anything like that."
"You misunderstood," Gu Anniang clarified. "What I mean is that I chose this time to return with my husband because someone told me that you, Ruyi, can help us."
"Moxuyou?" Xing Ruyi asked tentatively.
"You are indeed clever; you guessed it right, it is Master Mo."
Although she had guessed correctly, Xing Ruyi was not happy about it. This indicated that she and the fox were likely being targeted by this Moxuyou.
What exactly did Moxuyou want?
Xing Ruyi's expression darkened as she felt increasingly uneasy about her and the fox's situation. Could it be that Master brought her and the fox to the Golden Tang Dynasty to uncover the secrets surrounding Moxuyou and find out about the hidden forces behind him in order to maintain world peace and uphold justice?
Xing Ruyi furrowed her brows and looked herself over, finding no signs of being someone who was "chosen." She tilted her head slightly to glance at the old figure beside her. The night was deep, without stars or moonlight, offering no hints whatsoever. With a sigh, she turned her attention back to the strange person before her—neither fully male nor female, embodying both yin and yang.
"Since Moxuyou sent you to find me, let's see how I can help you."
"Well..." Gu Anniang hesitated for a moment. "We just want to sincerely ask for your help in figuring out what exactly has happened to us."
"Heh!" Xing Ruyi let out a low laugh. "You want me to help you figure out what has happened to you? Gu Anniang, are you joking? Don't you know what has happened to yourselves? Why do you need an outsider like me to investigate?"
"Gu Anniang is not joking or trying to tease you," Gu Anniang insisted earnestly as she glanced at the ashes on the ground. "I know you've already formed a prejudice against me. Indeed, I have done things that harmed others for my own sake in the past, but those were desperate measures. My husband and I truly love each other; whether it means harming others or even myself to save him, I would never hesitate for a moment."
"So, you admit it. The incident from over twenty years ago was caused by you?"
Gu Anniang nodded.
In the distance, the sound of a night watchman ringing a bell could be heard. Unknowingly, it was already the fifth watch of the night. Xing Ruyi glanced at the peculiar couple in front of her and then at the coffin lying in the middle of the street, saying, "Shall we talk somewhere else? I don't want to wake up tomorrow morning to find that both you and I have become the feared monsters of Luoyang City."
"But Gu Anniang's paper figures have already been burned by the young lady."
Indeed, Gu Anniang could follow Xing Ruyi, but the coffin in the middle of the street needed to be carried by someone.
Xing Ruyi shook her head, activated her Ghost Eye, and scanned the street. Sure enough, in the dirty and dark corners, she found a few wandering souls. She beckoned with her finger, and those souls came forward.
"Ghosts, we have seen Yama Lord. What orders do you have for us?" The few wandering souls were all thin and emaciated; one of them even had a severed right arm and appeared to have been a beggar in life.
"You all are dead; why don’t you go report to the underworld? Are you reluctant to leave behind the splendor of this world?"
"Yama Lord, you see clearly; it's not that we don't want to go to the underworld. To put it bluntly, we became beggars out of necessity. We have seen through the fickleness of this world and wish to reincarnate as soon as possible. But we were all killed by others; there are no relatives to collect our bodies or descendants to offer sacrifices. After death, no Ghost Messenger is willing to take us away, so we can only wander in this world."
"If that's the case, help me with a task, and once it's done, I'll find someone to take you down. Don't worry; with my token, even those in the underworld won't dare to mistreat you. In your next life, while you may not become immensely wealthy or powerful, at least you'll be free from worry about food and clothing and won't have to beg on the streets."
"Is what you say true?" The leader among them asked cautiously.
"Whether it's true or not, you'll know once you do it," Xing Ruyi replied with a yawn. "You have a moment to think it over."
"Big brother, let's listen to this young lady!" Another ghost floated over. "I've seen this young lady before; she's the manager of Ruyi Rouge shop. When I was alive, I once received her kindness. I trust her words!"
Upon hearing this, Xing Ruyi carefully examined the ghost's appearance but regrettably couldn't find a matching face after searching for a while. "I'm sorry; I don't remember you. When you said you received my kindness before, what did you mean?"
"The girl naturally wouldn't recognize the person; before her life, he was just a beggar on the street. Last winter, he was begging in front of the girl's shop. Seeing him shivering from the cold, the girl had her clerk bring him some hot food and even gave him warm clothes. When she heard him cough a couple of times, she provided him with medicine. This medicine, the girl not only gave for free but also specifically instructed that if he was still coughing badly, he should come back to find her. Unfortunately, he didn't have that fortune and couldn't thank her in person."
Xing Ruyi recalled this vaguely and remembered that there was indeed such an incident. At this moment, hearing him, she instinctively asked, "What happened next? Did your illness get better?"
The ghost shook his head. "The girl's elixir, I fear I had no fortune to consume. After the girl gave me the medicine, I had just walked two streets when I was targeted by the owner of the Northern City Herbal Medicine Shop. He sent his men to seize the medicine; when I refused to give it up, they beat me to death right there. A beggar dying is nothing special; no one cares or investigates. Even now, my remains are still lying in that filthy gutter. If the girl is willing to show kindness and help me find a place to bury them, in the next life, I would gladly serve as your guard dog and follow you for a lifetime!"
"Rest assured, I will ensure your remains are collected and given a proper burial. As for the Northern City Herbal Medicine Shop, if what you just said is true, I will definitely seek justice for you," Xing Ruyi's voice unconsciously turned cold as she pointed to the coffin in the middle of the street. "First, help me lift this coffin; once we reach our destination, I will arrange for each of you."
"Thank you, miss!" The ghosts floated under the coffin.
The redwood coffin lifted lightly into the air. At that moment, anyone passing by who didn't understand what was happening would likely think it was a floating coffin suspended in mid-air.
"Ruyi, where do you want to take us?" Gu Anniang asked, her expression slightly uneasy.
"Is your Coffin Shop still around?" Xing Ruyi suddenly remembered the Coffin Shop belonging to Gu Anniang that Wang San had mentioned earlier; it seemed everything started from that Coffin Shop.
Gu Anniang nodded. "It should still be there! It's been over twenty years; I'm not entirely sure. But such an ominous place probably wouldn't attract anyone to take it over."
"Then let's go to the Coffin Shop!" Xing Ruyi pointed at Gu Anniang and told the ghosts carrying the coffin, "Just follow her!"
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