"Why?"
"Yeah, back then I honestly didn’t even know myself. I was totally out of it.
It was only after soone reminded that I rembered why I wanted to find a job.
Then I went back, hid my own corpse, pretended I was still alive, didn’t let my family know I’d died.
It took a month to learn how to make phone calls as a Nether Soul, how to let them hear my voice.
I told them I was working odd jobs, lost my phone, didn’t want to spend the money on a new one.
I just got my first paycheck, so I got myself a new phone.
My family was heartbroken, cried for ages, said they almost died worrying because they couldn’t reach .
Now I guess things have settled down for , I can even make a bit of money every month.
Seeing you today, it reminded of the brother who bought a drink back then.
He said, when you’re out and about and see soone really struggling, help out if you can.
Even if you can’t do much, give them so encouragent, cheer them up, buy them a drink—that’s still sothing."
Mai Conggui filled up the glass, his face totally sincere.
"Co on, bro, this one’s for you. No matter what you’re facing right now,
I hope you’ll make it through. At least know what you want to do, what you can do, what you have to do.
For us ghosts, what’s really scary is forgetting who we are—that’s when you’re not far from fading away."
The Water Ghost was touched by Mai Conggui’s sincerity; he believed this was a friendly gesture being carried on.
He picked up his glass, clinked it with Mai Conggui’s, and downed it in one-shot.
The wine heavy with Yin Qi rushed down his throat, instantly giving his spirit a jolt, and it even felt like his soul body got a bit stronger.
Mai Conggui didn’t mind—he naturally sat beside him, smoking, drinking, shooting the breeze, and in less than ten minutes, the Water Ghost was already calling Mai his brother.
Listening to Mai talk about how he now delivers takeout at night, drives for ghosts to earn money, and just chills in the teahouse here when he’s got nothing to do,
the Water Ghost felt nothing but admiration. Even though he was a "lying flat ghost," he had a lot of respect for soone who worked this hard and was so diligent.
"You’re aweso, bro. Here, this drink’s for you."
The Water Ghost raised his glass for a toast, Mai Conggui knocked it back in one go—he’d co here hoping to get so info, but everything he said turned out sincere, leaving him a bit moved, too.
From the bottom of his heart, he felt—soone had once encouraged him, pulled him up, so tonight he’d just pass that on, give his brother a little boost, so he wouldn’t feel so lost anymore.
"Bro, think about it for yourself. Figure out what you want to do. We’ve beco ghosts now, there’s still a long way ahead."
The Water Ghost sighed—he didn’t even know what to say.
This Mai bro was such a genuine guy, sincerely trying to help him out.
But he really couldn’t say anything. If he started talking about the Water Monarch, he felt like he might hurt the guy, and get himself killed, too.
The Water Monarch definitely wouldn’t want anyone to know about his existence.
As for anything more... he was honestly treading on thin ice; the stuff the Water Monarch said, he had no idea what year those words were from, half the ti he couldn’t even understand.
Said he’d learned a bit of the modern language from him, but still only half-understands, and doesn’t dare to ask every ti, "What do you an by that?"
After the third ti during a conversation, when the Water Monarch’s eyes, expression, even his aura started getting weird, he just gave up on asking anymore.
That’s why, right now, the only thing he’s sure of is that he needs to find the modern Scorching Sun—yeah, probably soone at the Scorching Sun Departnt who represents them.
And the hand ring he’s got, once he gets near that person, it’s going to react.
And... that’s it.
His life was hanging by a thread, and he had no idea what to do next—just now, he really thought about going to the Scorching Sun Departnt to die, at least it would be quick and painless.
anwhile, Mai Conggui’s eyeballs were trembling, his hands even shaking.
This is huge!
The Water Monarch is trying to lure and kill the Minister of the Scorching Sun Departnt!
This is about to explode!
I’ve got to let the boss know.
"Bro, you take a good rest first, just rest up for a couple days and then make a decision. In my experience, any decision made rashly without thinking it through for at least three days usually doesn’t end up well."
Mai Conggui paid out of his own pocket, at the Ghost Market got a guest room for the Water Ghost, even thoughtfully got him one with a big bath bucket, and had soone fill it up in advance.
"Bro, get so rest, don’t worry about a thing—I got you three days here.
The bathwater, they say, is good for soaking ghosts like us—supposed to cleanse so impurities out of a Nether Soul, though who knows if that’s just hype."
The Water Ghost wanted to say sothing else, but Mai Conggui waved it off.
"Just get so rest, don’t even ntion thanks.
It’s about that ti—the chauffeuring work peaks around now, and the custors are generous.
I’m off to hustle. Catch you later."
After settling the Water Ghost, making sure he was stable, Mai Conggui imdiately left the Rakshasa Ghost Market.
He checked the ti—didn’t dare to call right away, instead he ssaged Wen Yan first.
He silently counted to ten, just about to start leaving a ssage about what happened, when his phone rang.
"Hello, boss, sothing major! Huge news!"
Up in Fuyu Mountain, Wen Yan was still seeking advice from the elders.
There was just so much he wanted to ask, like—right now, he was learning about recognizing characters.
At Chen Qimo’s house, there was a morial tablet with no words on the front, but three characters on the back, and even the Scorching Sun Departnt’s phones couldn’t capture those three characters in a photo.
So he was relying on mory to write them out, and having the elders try to identify them for him.
User Comments
0 comments from readers