Chapter Six: Ghost Hunting (Part One)

"Lord Wuchang! Lord Wuchang!" A ghostly bailiff hurried into the Hall of King Yama, calling out urgently.

The Ghost Lord was once again dressed in white as pristine as snow. The silver bells at his waist had been replaced by a soul-reaping tassel, and he had tucked the Soul-Devouring Bell into Yan Nianqing’s robes just in case. The father and son looked much alike—the elder handsome, the younger adorable—a sight truly pleasing to the eye.

The Ghost Lord wore a breeze-like, gentle smile and asked softly, "What is the matter?"

Seeing him, the bailiff’s anxious heart calmed slightly, and his voice involuntarily lowered. "A starving ghost filled with resentment has entered the underworld, my lord. We are unable to subdue it and must rely on you."

The bailiff made a gesture of invitation. "Please, follow me, Lord Wuchang. The intelligence regarding this ghost has been gathered, but we ordinary bailiffs cannot touch a spirit so laden with resentment. Since you were chosen by the Ghost Lantern, you must have a unique constitution capable of handling such malice, and surely you will be able to subdue this evil spirit."

"So that is it. It is my duty. If that is the case, lead the way, so that no time is wasted and you need not suffer further." The Ghost Lord’s tone was so gentle that it moved the bailiff deeply.

It seemed the rumors were true: the new Lord Wuchang was indeed kind, polite, handsome, and compassionate. How could their King Yama ever abandon someone so wonderful! The bailiff’s eyes filled with a hint of sympathy and pity, and he walked with great care, as if terrified of startling the new Lord Wuchang.

Public opinion spread like wildfire, with everyone offering their own theories. The claim that the King of Hell had abandoned Lord Wuchang and his son was the most widely accepted, yet also the most incomprehensible. Lord Wuchang was so good; that cold-hearted new King of Hell was truly scum for casting him aside!

The Ghost Lord lowered his gaze, a glint of amusement flashing in his eyes. After such a long period of idleness, someone had finally delivered themselves to his doorstep.

Beside him, Yan Nianqing skipped about, looking quite excited. The Ghost Lord couldn't help but chuckle. "Little Nian, we are going to catch a ghost soon. Are you afraid?"

Yan Nianqing puffed out his cheeks. "Not afraid! Little Nian is a real man, standing tall and firm. Mother, you don't need to be afraid; I will protect you."

A genuine smile appeared on the Ghost Lord’s face. He gently ruffled Yan Nianqing’s hair and said, "Good boy! If a fight breaks out, just stand by and cheer for Mother."

"Okay!" Yan Nianqing replied loudly.

The bailiff, who had been listening nearby, smiled kindly. "Lord Wuchang, we have arrived."

***

The Ghost Lord led Yan Nianqing inside. The place, which had been buzzing with activity, suddenly fell silent. After a moment, as if coming to their senses, all the bailiffs spoke in unison: "Greetings, Lord Wuchang!"

The Ghost Lord smiled indifferently. "No need for such formalities. Tell me about the situation with that ghost. Let’s resolve this quickly so you can all get some rest, yes?"

"Yes, my lord," the bailiffs replied.

Their faces showed signs of relief. It seemed the new Lord Wuchang was not as unreliable as they had imagined.

As the bailiffs returned to their work, one approached the Ghost Lord with a dossier. "According to our investigation over the past few days, this starving ghost was first discovered in a small mountain village a dozen miles away. It injured many villagers before moving toward our area. Every village along its path was attacked. The most recent incident occurred in a vacant wasteland not far from here, where it injured several of our bailiffs."

The Ghost Lord asked, "It injures people frequently, yet kills no one?"

The bailiff nodded. "Yes, but with so many people injured and the creature still at large, the risk is too great. It must be brought to justice soon."

Bailiff Ding, who had been the least friendly toward the Ghost Lord previously, stepped forward and patted the reporter’s shoulder, laughing. "It’s just a starving ghost tainted with a bit of resentment; it’s not as serious as you make it out to be. Don't go scaring our new Lord Wuchang."

The bailiff hurriedly replied, "I was merely stating the facts so that the Lord would be careful. I never intended to scare him."

The smile on the Ghost Lord’s lips deepened as he fixed his gaze on Bailiff Ding. "Hearing you say that, it seems you are quite knowledgeable. Since I am new here and unfamiliar with the paths, why don't you accompany me on this trip?"

Bailiff Ding didn't know why, but as this man smiled so gently, a cold sweat broke out on his back. He suddenly had an ominous premonition. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have come over just to express his disdain.

The reporting bailiff, hearing this, agreed. "That would be for the best. It will be hard work for you to accompany the Lord." He patted Bailiff Ding’s shoulder in encouragement, handed the dossier to the Ghost Lord, and went back to his own tasks.

Left behind, Bailiff Ding offered an awkward smile to the new Lord Wuchang.

After dinner, the Ghost Lord and Yan Nianqing did not return to the main hall of the Yama Palace; instead, they summoned Bailiff Ding to head out.

***

The father and son walked ahead, chatting and laughing, while Bailiff Ding followed with a mournful expression. Lost in his own thoughts, he did not notice that the path they were taking was becoming increasingly desolate, leading them toward a place where no living soul could be found.

When Bailiff Ding finally came to his senses and saw the silver frost on the ground, he realized the moon was already high in the sky. He smiled bitterly. "Lord Wuchang, perhaps you don't know, being new to the underworld, but it is better to avoid coming out at night. If we run into a wild nightmare and get lost, I won't be able to answer to the others!"

The Ghost Lord no longer wore his gentle, polite mask. He sneered, "I am far more familiar with the underworld than you are." His voice, accompanied by the eerie wind of the dead of night, sounded increasingly sinister and terrifying.

Bailiff Ding began to tremble. "L-L-Lord Wuchang, what are you..."

The Ghost Lord’s gentle smile returned. "I was only joking. Bringing you along was, of course, to catch that ghost. Look around you. This is the place where they said the ghost was recently sighted."

Bailiff Ding looked around and realized the yin energy here was many times stronger than elsewhere.

There was likely no living thing in the vicinity besides them. Bailiff Ding swallowed hard and asked in a low voice, "Lord Wuchang, how can you be sure the ghost will appear here again?"

The Ghost Lord replied without hesitation, "I guessed! Maybe I’ll get lucky?" *It’s obviously not a guess, you idiot.*

The yin energy here was intense; anyone with a bit of skill could see that. To find a place like this, the ghost must have sensed the existence of this wasteland from dozens of miles away. A starving ghost with such keen instincts couldn't just be "tainted with a bit of resentment." If his deductions were correct, the creature must have practiced some heterodox arts while alive, allowing its soul to continue instinctually hunting for yin energy even after death.

A starving ghost that lived by consuming yin energy would naturally return to this place, where the yin energy was at its peak during the deep of night. By staying here a little longer, he could wait for the rabbit to strike the tree—and, of course, settle a score with this insolent bailiff.

How could he miss out on such a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone?