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墨書 Inktalez
Living Funeral
My mood grew heavy as I walked forward. In the dead of night, the streets were deserted. Suddenly, I felt a sense of loneliness walking down this road.
It seemed that everyone else's path was diverging from mine. It wasn't that they were wrong; it was just that if this continued, the Underworld would surely fall into chaos. The Yin-Yang Ghost Path was meant to connect the human realm and the Underworld, yet now this path was closed.
I headed in the direction of home.
My mood became increasingly somber, and I began to question my original intentions. Right or wrong—who was truly at fault? Was it me? I couldn't help but wonder.
I sighed as the cold wind brushed against my face, deepening my sense of heaviness and even sadness.
I gazed into the distance; the night sky held no stars, only the streetlights illuminating the road. Yet, there was no one around me on this path. It seemed I was meant to walk it alone.
Was I really going to take his place? I felt a flicker of hesitation.
I continued walking forward, suddenly not wanting to go home. I sought a place to sit and clear my mind; only by doing so could I discern who was right and who was wrong. Spotting a bench by the roadside, I sat down.
I pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
Jiang Changsheng must have thought similarly. But I wasn’t like him; my original intention was simply to open the Yin-Yang Ghost Path. I believed that once it was opened, I would naturally have the right to converse with him.
But now...
I exhaled a puff of smoke, which appeared somewhat hazy under the streetlight. This path was not so easy to traverse.
I ran my fingers through my hair, suddenly feeling a surge of irritation. It felt as if this old fellow had cornered me tonight. Yet, deep down, I recognized his reasoning. Just as my cigarette was nearing its end, a shadow appeared beside me.
The shadow enveloped me, and I looked up.
I softly asked, "Why are you here?"
She replied, "Why wouldn't I come?"
I glanced at Nian Chen, who had two blushes on her cheeks, clearly having been searching for me just moments ago. The hair on her forehead was still slightly swaying as she took a deep breath to calm herself.
Nian Chen grasped the hem of her dress and sat down beside me. "I knew you would be troubled tonight."
I looked at Nian Chen with suspicion. Did she really need to ask? It was obvious who had been talking to me; that old guy had a lot on his mind, and talking to him was bound to bring worries. It seemed like Nian Chen understood the situation. She sat next to me, trying to comfort me without directly asking what was wrong.
At that moment, Nian Chen's profile appeared very gentle. I didn't want to hide anything from her, so I spoke up, "Someone is going against my original intentions, yet I ended up agreeing."
My words were somewhat contradictory, but the situation truly was that complex. I wasn't sure what Nian Chen thought; perhaps she shared their perspective. But right now... I let out a long sigh.
Nian Chen said, "Fei, if you agreed, then they must have their reasons."
I nodded and replied, "Yes, but..."
"But you don't want to, do you?" Nian Chen interjected.
I nodded again without denying it. Suddenly, Nian Chen took my hand and rested her head on my shoulder. "Fei, no matter what your final choice is, I'll support you."
I said, "Maybe they are right."
Nian Chen responded, "Regardless of right or wrong, I'll stand by you."
I reached out to smooth Nian Chen's hair, and his voice was incredibly gentle, stirring a complex mix of emotions within me.
"Nian Chen said, 'Fei, I know you have something on your mind, but why don’t you tell me about it?'
I replied, 'I just don’t want to trouble you.'
After my words, Nian Chen moved away from my shoulder and called my full name. I turned to look at him, our eyes meeting. There was a hint of turmoil in Nian Chen's gaze, and he seemed to possess an added stubbornness.
Nian Chen said, 'I want to share your burdens. From now on, you must tell me everything that’s bothering you.'
I fell silent for a few seconds before agreeing. We sat together quietly, the atmosphere slightly chilly, with no further words exchanged. After sitting for about a quarter of an hour, I stood up and said to Nian Chen, 'Let’s go home.'
Nian Chen responded with a soft 'Mm,' and said, 'Alright, let’s go.'
With that, we walked home together, the night passing without incident until dawn.
The next morning, Zhang Xun and the others were already awake. We exchanged glances in silence, not feeling the need for many words. In a way, Zhang Xun and Hu Qingming along with Xiao Wentong had grown closer to Jiang Changsheng.
So we simply remained quiet.
Time passed quickly over the next two or three days as more unfamiliar faces appeared—likely brought by Jiang Changsheng and Li Guang.
About a week later, I looked up to see a crescent moon in the sky. During this week, Hu Qingming and Xiao Wentong had moved in with Jiang Changsheng. Only Zhang Xun remained behind. I asked Zhang Xun if he wasn’t going to join them.
Zhang Xun replied that he wasn’t going over.
He added that things were nearly settled over there.
Zhang Xun's expression seemed somewhat troubled, as if he was hiding something. However, I didn't ask; everyone had their own concerns at that moment, so it wasn't surprising. Zhang Xun was naturally quiet and not good with words.
I didn't inquire, and Zhang Xun didn't offer any information either. I wasn't in the mood to ask.
That day, it seemed like Zhang Xun could no longer hold back and sought me out. He said, "Chen Fei, come outside for a moment; I have something to discuss with you."
I followed Zhang Xun outside, and Nian Chen came along as well. Zhang Xun didn't mind Nian Chen's presence at all. The three of us found a quiet café and sat down. Zhang Xun got straight to the point and asked me, "Is this right?"
Nian Chen looked puzzled, and I felt the same way.
Zhang Xun posed the question as if everyone was already in the know.
After a moment of thought, I responded, "Isn't it correct? Setting things right is just what we need."
Zhang Xun replied, "Why do I feel like there are personal motives mixed in here?"
Personal motives? Nian Chen echoed. At that moment, Nian Chen seemed to grasp the situation as well. He asked, "Are you siding with Li Guang or Jiang Changsheng?"
Zhang Xun said, "I was raised by Jiang Changsheng, so I understand him very well."
If that's the case, then I had been learning from Jiang Changsheng long before this and knew him even better; perhaps it wasn't about Changsheng but rather Li Guang. Was there someone else behind this? It shouldn't be possible; who could manipulate Jiang Changsheng and Li Guang?
I felt my speculation was unfounded.
Nian Chen asked, "So does that mean you're against this?"
Zhang Xun nodded. I was against it too; I supported Chen Fei's approach, so no matter what happened, I would stand by you.
Sitting here, I suddenly recalled the Fifth Person buried in the coffin that day. Although Fifth Person often changed appearances, even those who interacted with him never truly knew who he was. Yet, there must have been some traces left behind.
After I asked, Nian Chen and Zhang Xun fell silent for a few seconds before responding. "Fifth Person is indeed mysterious. When he acted alongside us, he never spoke a word, yet somehow, I felt compelled to engage in certain activities with him."
"You actually woke up during 198, but it seems something happened afterward. Don't tell me you still haven't recalled that memory?"
Suddenly, Zhang Xun said, “Chen Fei, could it be that this memory of yours has been erased by someone?”
I was left speechless.
I remained silent; it was truly troubling. I could remember events from a century ago, yet this memory from 198 years ago seemed to be lost. There must be some hidden secrets within this; perhaps the connection between this 198 and Fifth Person is crucial!
Thoughts began swirling in my mind, but I couldn't recall anything at all.
Logically speaking, there were photos of me and videos featuring me; that memory should include me as well. Yet, I couldn't remember anything.
At that moment, I sensed a whiff of conspiracy in the air.
Zhang Xun continued, “Chen Fei, you are a key person in opening the Yin-Yang Ghost Path. If you don’t set out on this journey, they won’t be able to activate it either. So until we uncover the truth, it’s best not to tread that path lightly.”
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