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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 18: River Ghost
This shock was unlike any other. Was the River Ghost beneath the boat?
As I pondered this, a faint voice called out, "Qi..." It seemed to echo in my ears, as if it came from the Riverbed, reminiscent of Mi's voice. Every time she called me like this, she was always smiling.
"Qi, come... Qi, chase me..."
With that call, I seemed to see Mi standing at the door, waving at me with a cheerful smile. My world was filled with sunlight, and under that light, Mi appeared even more beautiful and enchanting.
"Qi, let's engage in marital affairs; we will be together for life, okay?" As she spoke, I saw Mi remove her clothes, revealing a dazzling expanse of snow-white skin. Her complexion was exquisite, like pearls and jade, and a faint fragrance wafted through the air.
I couldn't help but reach out my hand toward Mi, wanting to grasp her delicate hand that was as white as lotus roots and so close within reach.
"Ma Qi, this is an illusion." Another voice suddenly erupted in my ear, startling me into taking a step back. When I looked again, there was no trace of Mi. The boat continued to struggle through the turbulent waves, surrounded by a vast expanse of murky black ocean. Mi was gone; the faint fragrance had vanished, replaced by a foul odor with every breath I took.
I fell back onto the boat in despair, secretly wondering who had warned me.
It couldn't be Qin Ye.
Could it be the ferry ghost beneath the boat?
How I wished Qin Ye could return to the Underworld with me. If only he would accompany me back, all my questions could be resolved.
Unfortunately, Qin Ye would not return with me. As a civil servant of the Underworld and a messenger between realms, how could he possibly take me as his apprentice?
I was daydreaming.
A dull thud interrupted my thoughts, and the ship shook violently, nearly causing me to lose my balance. Instinctively, I clutched the edge of the boat, just as another thud echoed, shaking the vessel even more.
It felt as if something beneath the hull was trying to break through the planks.
Panic surged within me. I had boasted in the past about not fearing ghosts, but now I was genuinely terrified. Could this be the Dark Energy that Qin Ye mentioned? Was a large number of Evil Spirits gathering here to form Dark Energy? These Evil Spirits had no intention of following the normal path of reincarnation; they wanted to cultivate themselves into Dark Demons right here.
I was like a piece of meat floating in the Dark Realm, and one misstep could lead to my utter destruction.
After a series of thuds, black water began bubbling up from the bottom of the ship, followed by strands of hair floating in it. The strands multiplied until they formed a head that gradually emerged, revealing a pair of pale arms.
I was horrified. Right! I was a Mortician; I could eliminate these Evil Spirits. In desperation, I hurriedly began to chant incantations, but to my dismay, nothing happened.
Was this place governed by Qin Ye's rules too? What should I do? Those arms bent like shrimp claws as they pushed against the ship's hull, trying to rise. The face hidden beneath a mass of black hair was so terrifying that I nearly lost control.
I had never seen such a horrifying Evil Spirit before.
Its eyes were blood-red, and its lips were split wide open, stretching down to its jawline. Its body was covered in moss that served as a makeshift garment, yet it still exposed things that were unbearable to look at.
Oh no, it’s Shiki!
I closed my eyes, hoping against hope that it wasn’t Shiki—that it was an illusion, just an illusion. It wasn’t real; as long as I sat on this boat, nothing would happen. It’s gone, it’s gone—it's fake! I muttered to myself, feeling utterly alone in a dead world where I was the only living being left.
Then I opened my eyes, and there it was—the Shiki reeking of corpse odor right in front of me. Especially those terrifying ghostly claws were mere inches away from grabbing me. Up close, its face was perhaps the most horrifying ghostly visage I had ever seen since becoming a Mortician.
I froze, sensing the presence of Shiki. A chilling breeze hit my face, as if the skin on my face had turned to ice. I was going to die; I felt utterly hopeless.
Qin Ye was lying.
Even if I sat still on the boat, avoiding curiosity and not provoking anyone, the malevolent beings lurking in the Black Water River would still come for me.
I, Ma Qi, was truly going to die here.
In utter despair, I closed my eyes, unwilling to see myself caught by those cold, eerie claws with a deathly aura, only to be devoured alive by Shiki.
At that critical moment, I heard a soft sound, and a long-necked Ghost Head emerged from the side of the boat. It bit down on Shiki's claw that was reaching for me. As it chewed, dark green liquid dripped from its lips. It looked at me and grinned, "Ma Qi, do you still recognize who I am?"
The ghostly face revealed its true form—his human appearance.
Seeing that familiar face left me dumbfounded.
Uncle Zhang. Yes, the person before me looked exactly like the late Uncle Zhang—the one who played the suona. It was hard to believe; this person truly was Uncle Zhang. I forgot that I had just escaped danger and instinctively grasped Uncle Zhang's shoulder.
There was no warmth; my fingers touched something icy. The expression on my face betrayed my inner thoughts. All along, I had been unwilling to admit how fragile I truly was. I couldn't remember which song it was or from which country; in any case, my emotions were a mix of joy and sorrow.
"Don't be surprised; Qin Ye sent me here. You have a calamity that needs my help to overcome," Uncle Zhang said with a bitter smile as he freed himself from my grasp and whispered, "Don't stay too close to me; my aura won't be good for you."
"Uncle Zhang..." My emotions overwhelmed me. Seeing Uncle Zhang felt like seeing a family member; I wanted to cry—no, in fact, tears were already streaming down my face uncontrollably.
"Silly child, don't cry. You're remarkable now; you're the Mortician's heir. Go back well; there are many things waiting for you at home. I'll take you this far; don't forget to send my regards to everyone at home and tell them I'm doing fine."
Wow, I really made it to the other side. As I stepped off the boat, my voice caught in my throat, and all I could do was shout, "Uncle Zhang..."
Uncle Zhang had long since sunk into the dark waters; that boat had vanished without a trace. I turned around and, not paying attention, bumped into a tree. Stars danced before my eyes, and I couldn't tell east from west. I was so weak that even my soul needed something to fill it.
During Ghost Month, there were plenty of offerings for the spirits by the riverside, and at that moment, I completely forgot that I was just a wisp of a soul.
I walked a few steps and stopped, only to see a lot of food by the roadside. Overjoyed, I approached a pile of food and reached out to grab some to eat.
When a person is hungry, their brain becomes utterly blank; they see only the food and nothing else.
Just as I reached for the food, a group of disheveled and dirty "people," looking like fierce evil spirits, suddenly charged out from who knows where. They shouted at me to leave. Unwilling to back down, I jumped up and cursed at them, "Who do you think you are? Is this your home?"
"Brat, where did you come from? It's no good trying to snatch food from your elders. Know your place and get lost," one particularly ugly fellow with crooked teeth swung a fist at me. Damn it! I was at least a mortician; how could I let these lowlifes push me around? Without thinking twice, I prepared to fight back against these food thieves.
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