Chapter 68

“Ha, haha, hahahahahaha…”

Initially, Tan Wenbin let out a simple chuckle, but then he couldn't help but laugh more and more exaggeratedly, gradually drawing Run Sheng and Xue Liangliang into his laughter.

This time, Li Zhuiyuan didn't deliberately try to blend in, nor did he laugh out loud, but a faint smile touched his lips.

After experiencing danger, witnessing the mysterious, and enduring multiple tribulations, they had finally escaped death.

Normal people possess the innate ability to forget pain once the wound has healed. No matter how bitter or difficult an experience, once it’s over, the brain deliberately fades the negative sensations, sometimes even allowing you to savor a hint of sweetness, like sucking on a roadside flower during your commute to and from school.

Tan Wenbin now felt a profound sense of exhilaration, from head to toe.

Adventure, indeed, could be addictive.

But as they laughed, the surroundings began to tremble.

Tan Wenbin jumped in surprise. “Are we laughing so hard it’s causing a resonance?”

It certainly wasn't from their laughter, but the tremors were real, and rocks began to tumble from above. The four immediately got up and moved towards a flat area below.

After a while, the tremors ceased, and peace returned. However, a large section of the ground where they had previously been was now caved in, and the stone crevice they had emerged from was gone.

Even if they could find it, it would be meaningless, as the passage below must have been completely blocked.

Xue Liangliang said, “It must be a chain reaction caused by the collapse of the underground palace.”

Tan Wenbin was puzzled. “Is that big creature so vicious that it went back and tore down its own home, burying itself inside?”

Xue Liangliang shook his head. “I don’t know, maybe it wanted to go back to find its mother?”

Hearing this, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but recall the snake-faced woman sitting on the bed.

Xue Liangliang found another high vantage point, confirmed their direction, and then led everyone towards the camp.

The distance wasn't too far, but the difficult terrain made the journey take a considerable amount of time. Fortunately, by afternoon, they saw people—a team of militiamen, carrying rifles and explosives. They must have been among the first reinforcements dispatched from the rear after the attack.

Upon learning that the four were "missing personnel" from the expedition team, the militiamen immediately arranged for them to be escorted back. Along the way, they encountered some surveyors who were still there assisting with the work. These individuals were very enthusiastic and came forward to thank them.

The thanks seemed somewhat bewildering until they chatted and learned that, somehow, the story had spread that Xue Liangliang had led a few people to lure the large creature into the cave, thus saving everyone.

Xue Liangliang quickly explained that the creature had rushed into the cave on its own, and they had merely been forced to flee for their lives. But it was clear that his colleagues simply nodded, claiming to understand, yet their expressions showed they didn't believe him.

This made Xue Liangliang a bit anxious; he didn't want to claim credit for something he didn't do. Tan Wenbin, however, muttered to Li Zhuiyuan, “If this comes with a commendation, will it add points to our college entrance exam?”

The four were first transported out of the mountainous area, then drove back to town. From there, they were arranged to go to a hospital in Wanzhou city for a thorough check-up. After the examination, they checked into a guesthouse to rest.

During this time, many relevant personnel came to visit, and some came to take their statements.

Xue Liangliang handled all these interactions. As previously agreed, they decided to keep the underground palace a secret for the time being. It wasn't an intentional cover-up; they had been informed that Luo Tingrui was on his way, and Xue Liangliang and Li Zhuiyuan planned to report everything to him once he arrived, allowing him to decide how to report it further up the chain of command. Unlike rural incidents where a "death-corpse" might be concealed to avoid affecting local life, this now involved a national project, so full disclosure was necessary.

Arriving before Luo Tingrui was Team Leader Ma Yiming. His beard was disheveled, and his expression showed visible weariness and exhaustion. Upon seeing Xue Liangliang, he tightly gripped his hand, then went to the room to see Li Zhuiyuan and the others, repeatedly muttering, "Thank you, thank you."

Thank you for coming back alive.

Since the incident, he hadn't closed his eyes, constantly under immense mental pressure. Including temporary workers and contract staff, he had effectively lost eight people under his supervision. With four now returned alive, he could finally feel a little relief.

No sooner had Ma Yiming left than Luo Tingrui arrived with two other individuals, likely having intentionally staggered their arrivals.

Xue Liangliang went into a separate room with the two accompanying personnel and fully disclosed everything about the underground palace, though he naturally omitted Li Zhuiyuan's unique role during their ordeal. After concluding their questioning of Xue Liangliang, the two individuals entered the main room, asked Li Zhuiyuan, Run Sheng, and Tan Wenbin a few questions each, and then departed.

Five people remained in the room.

Luo Tingrui gripped Xue Liangliang’s shoulders and shook him vigorously several times. “You had me worried to death.” At his age and standing in the industry, it was no exaggeration to say that the status of a successor was often more important than that of a biological son, especially since he had no sons and his only daughter didn't study his field.

Next, he walked over to Li Zhuiyuan, bent down, and hugged the boy tightly. Top professionals in the industry could generally foresee that the nation would undertake many large-scale construction projects in the future. However, such projects, from design to completion, required a great deal of time. Luo Tingrui truly needed a legacy and succession through mentorship to realize his ambitious ideals.

Luo Tingrui smiled and waved his hand. “Come on, I’ll take you out for a late-night snack.”

The snack stall was not far from the guesthouse; it was a Wanzhou roasted fish restaurant.

Luo Tingrui looked at Xue Liangliang and the other two and asked, “Do you want to drink? I can have a little with you.”

Tan Wenbin immediately waved his hand. “We don’t drink.” In truth, Tan Wenbin would occasionally have a couple of drinks with his great-grandfather at home, but he wouldn't be so tactless as to insist on drinking when the highest-ranking person at the table didn't want to.

“Then let’s get some drinks.”

“Alright!”

Tan Wenbin got up and brought out a crate of soy milk. “Hey, this place only sells this.” He then used a bottle opener to open a bottle for everyone and placed it in front of them.

Luo Tingrui said to Xue Liangliang, “Don’t let it get cold. Let’s eat and talk.”

Everyone picked up their chopsticks and began to eat the fish. Xue Liangliang then recounted the events of the underground palace to Luo Tingrui once more.

After listening, Luo Tingrui simply nodded and smiled.

Tan Wenbin immediately said, “See? This is what it means to be a person who’s seen the world, Teacher.”

Luo Tingrui took a sip of soy milk and said, “This matter, unless directly asked by relevant authorities, should not be spoken of externally again.”

The four immediately nodded.

Luo Tingrui then smiled again: “Indeed, I have seen several such incidents before. We, the people of today, merely walk upon this land; we can’t even begin to imagine how much history and mystery are buried beneath our feet.” On construction sites, there’s never a shortage of mysterious occurrences, especially with large-scale projects that often involve digging wider and deeper, making it easy to encounter strange things. Many bizarre rumors in society begin with, “My father,” “a relative of mine,” or “a friend of mine once worked on a certain construction project, and that night they dug up…”

With Engineer Luo, the protagonist was himself. He recounted an experience from his early years to the four.

It was many years ago, when he had just started working. He was temporarily assigned to a project in Jilin. He found it quite strange at the time; although the nation was united, back then, the Northeast, as the "eldest son," used to send talent and industry to the interior. When did the interior ever need to send engineering teams there? The location, though in the mountains, wasn't remote, being near Ji’an.

Upon arrival, he was assigned his specific task, which was neither planning and design nor construction. Instead, it was to re-examine an existing underground structure. This was originally supposed to be a secret project, most likely a civil defense shelter, and quite large in scale, but for some unknown reason, it suffered from severe water seepage. They were divided into several teams to inspect various points. Certain key areas were marked and off-limits to them, to be handled by others.

One day during their work, Luo Tingrui and a colleague found a dried-up outlet, a very large opening, big enough for a cow to pass through. By rights, with the engineering quality of the time, even if it sustained damage due to natural causes, it shouldn’t have created such a large opening. Most importantly, when they had inspected this section the previous day, this opening hadn’t been there.

Leaving one colleague to guard the entrance, Luo Tingrui and another colleague immediately crawled in to investigate.

At this point in his story, Luo Tingrui smiled: “Ah, we were young back then, didn’t know what fear was. Anyway, looking at the slogans painted on the walls of the engineering tunnel, everyone was highly motivated and courageous. The one left guarding the entrance even lost a game of rock-paper-scissors, he was so upset.”

The breach was very deep, and at its narrowest point, only one person could pass sideways. Yet, no matter how far they walked, it seemed endless. Logically, they should have long passed the scope of the engineering construction, but the surroundings didn't resemble a mountain fissure or a geological movement. In some nooks and crannies, there were distinct marks of tools used for excavation. The two young men were incredibly excited, believing it to be sabotage by enemy agents.

But as they continued deeper, things felt increasingly wrong. Not only were there many primitive tools on the ground, but also some bloodstains. After going a bit further, they even heard voices from deeper inside. Then, the people on the other side seemed to have heard their approach. A series of footsteps clearly ran towards them, and they vaguely saw flickering torchlight. They were carrying torches.

Although the two were not afraid, they felt compelled to relay this information. So, Luo Tingrui told his colleague to run ahead, while he jogged slowly, ready to cover the rear. The passage was very narrow; even if he laid his body there, he could block the way. At that time, the two young men still leaned towards believing that enemy agents were deliberately sabotaging the place.

But gradually, the voices and footsteps from the other side disappeared at some unknown point. Since his colleague had already run far ahead, possibly even out of the cave to report, and knowing reinforcements would arrive soon, Luo Tingrui simply stopped retreating and instead ventured further inside.

As he walked, he began to feel dizzy, his steps grew weak, and his vision gradually blurred. “I initially thought it was due to low oxygen, but looking back, I must have been…”

Luo Tingrui paused, looking at the four people sitting before him. Tan Wenbin and Run Sheng were engrossed in the story. Xue Liangliang chimed in, “Poisoned?”

Luo Tingrui turned to Li Zhuiyuan, gesturing for him to guess. Li Zhuiyuan gave a shy smile and asked, “Fell asleep?”

Hearing this answer, Luo Tingrui’s mouth slightly opened, seemingly surprised. “Xiaoyuan, how did you guess that?”

“Because when I get sleepy, I also feel that way.”

Luo Tingrui nodded noncommittally and continued: “In hindsight, I must have fallen asleep, because the colleague who rescued me told me I was unconscious in the crevice. But I don’t think it was a dream, because everything felt too real. I stumbled to the deepest part, and I saw a magnificent hall. I saw geishas and dancers performing, and I saw people drinking and reveling. I was also invited to join. They asked me many things, and I asked them some things too. But what exactly we discussed, I can’t recall, only that we seemed to chat for a long time and drank a lot. Finally, I got so drunk I passed out. When I woke up, I found myself lying in a tent in the camp. Doesn’t it sound like ‘The Peach Blossom Spring’?”

Tan Wenbin nodded. “It really does, and it all starts with ‘initially very narrow, just enough for one person to pass,’ then suddenly opening up. The later developments are also very similar: after chatting and asking questions, they were treated with food and drink.”

Xue Liangliang asked, “Then, Teacher, did you report it?”

“Of course, I reported it. However, many people reported things those two days. Some saw soldiers in ancient armor in the tunnels, and others saw strange women in ancient clothing.”

“What about the subsequent investigation? That crevice?”

“Later, the water level rose, and that project was flooded. And it seems something happened in those key areas; some people didn’t make it out. As for more specific details, I don’t know. Our mission was halted midway. My report didn’t receive any follow-up feedback either.”

Xue Liangliang asked, “The higher-ups didn’t believe it?”

Luo Tingrui shook his head. “It’s highly probable they did believe it, but still considered it inconsequential.”

Tan Wenbin said, “Then it’s not like ‘The Peach Blossom Spring.’ Your story sounds a bit eerie afterward. ‘The Peach Blossom Spring’ is a beautiful story.”

Li Zhuiyuan spoke up, “Perhaps the place recorded in ‘The Peach Blossom Spring’ wasn’t a village of living people to begin with.”

“Xiaoyuan, why do you say that?” Luo Tingrui looked at the boy with renewed curiosity.

“I just had a thought, Teacher. Can you tell me more details?”

“Details? Yes, do you have paper and a pen? I’ll draw.”

“I do!” Tan Wenbin immediately took out his portable notebook and pen and handed them over.

Luo Tingrui began to draw. His technical drawing was excellent, and the details were very precise. He first drew a piece of clothing, then a knife, and finally a set of armor. Clearly, even though many years had passed, this incident had lingered in Engineer Luo’s mind, recurring often, otherwise he wouldn’t remember it so clearly now.

The four leaned over to look together, but to the other three, it only looked like ancient artifacts; they couldn't discern much more.

After two glances, Li Zhuiyuan said, “Goguryeo?”

Luo Tingrui crossed his arms and asked seriously, “Xiaoyuan, are you really not considering changing your major?” The boy immediately shook his head.

“I just worry about burying your talent.” Luo Tingrui reached out and patted the boy’s head. “How much is stored in that little head?”

Tan Wenbin asked, puzzled, “What’s Goguryeo?”

Xue Liangliang corrected him, “The correct pronunciation is Gāo-gōu-lí.”

Tan Wenbin suddenly understood. “Oh, I know that. I understand. Good thing history doesn’t test pinyin.”

Luo Tingrui continued, “Later, I drew some of the things I saw in my ‘dream’ and made numerous inquiries, finally managing to uncover a few clues.”

The Goguryeo regime, a regional power in the Northeast, existed for a long time and is historically well-known. However, its prominence is primarily as a backdrop for Emperors Yang of Sui, Taizong of Tang, and Gaozong of Tang. Chinese people are generally not very interested in its cultural aspects, though Koreans like to claim it as their ancestor. This is why Luo Tingrui was so surprised when Li Zhuiyuan recognized it.

“After that, due to work and personal reasons, I traveled to Ji’an many times. On my two most recent visits, I sought out experts specializing in Goguryeo culture there and also went to the museum. That’s when I confirmed that what I ‘dreamed’ that night was not false, because before that night, I had never encountered anything specific about Goguryeo culture. How could I have imagined it if I hadn’t seen it in reality?”

Xue Liangliang asked, “Teacher, what about that project?”

Luo Tingrui lit a cigarette and took a puff. “Two years ago, I even looked into it again. I only know that the incident at that project was far more serious than what I was aware of, but all relevant information and archives for the project have been sealed and cannot be accessed.”

Tan Wenbin chuckled, “You really are obsessed with it, like a first love.”

Luo Tingrui was also amused by the comparison. “Indeed, after all, I was young then, and I started working early, not much older than you are now. Actually, in my later career, I encountered several even more serious and inconceivable incidents.”

Tan Wenbin eagerly said, “Tell us more.”

“Can’t. With the Goguryeo incident, I had no authority to access the original files. As for these later incidents, I myself am part of the classified archives that need to be sealed.”

“Ah, what a shame.” Tan Wenbin sighed in disappointment.

“You will encounter such things in the future too, and then you will also be required to keep secrets. Alright, let’s talk about the present. Forget about the underground palace for now; just the underground river you discovered is enough to nullify the plan Ma Yiming advocated.”

Xue Liangliang spoke up, “Actually, this matter isn’t entirely Team Leader Ma’s fault…”

“The higher-ups are aware, but when something goes wrong, someone has to take responsibility. Of course, he won’t be severely punished; it mainly depends on whether he can recover from it himself. I don’t want to see him crying, and I’m too lazy to comfort him. Since the founding of our nation, how many martyr monuments have been erected beside roads and bridges? I’ve witnessed many myself, and the best way to comfort them is to continue building our homeland.”

As he spoke, Luo Tingrui raised his glass of soy milk, and everyone else raised their cups, clinking them together. Tan Wenbin chugged his soy milk, couldn't help but sigh in his heart: Indeed, a great leader, so much more natural than his own father when making grand pronouncements.

“Liangliang, you’ll come with me to another team in a couple of days. We need to focus on that plan and strive to complete it soon.”

“Okay, Teacher.”

“Xiaoyuan, what about you?”

“Huh?” Li Zhuiyuan pointed at himself. “Can I still continue?”

“I meant to ask if, after experiencing something like this, you need a break or a vacation?”

“Alright, a break.” Li Zhuiyuan nodded; he also felt tired, and he still had to go to Fengdu.

“Hmm, you’re still young, you need to balance work and rest, and exercise regularly. I’ve heard that child prodigies generally don’t have very good health.”

“It’s not that exaggerated, Teacher, but I’ll remember your words.”

Xue Liangliang proactively brought something up. “Teacher, we didn’t intentionally attract that creature to save people.”

“I know, didn’t you just tell me?”

“I don’t want to claim this honor.”

“Liangliang… and all of you, listen. Sometimes we all dream of being absolutely pure and flawless, but this world inevitably has dust, and sometimes even sandstorms.”

“I understand that principle, but Teacher…”

“With this incident, if an advanced model can be established, it will make things much easier for Ma Yiming and the others.”

“I understand.”

After the late-night snack, Luo Tingrui left first, and the four returned to the guesthouse.

Tan Wenbin still felt a bit unsatisfied. “The Wanzhou roasted fish tastes really good. I think if I learned the technique here and opened a branch elsewhere, I could definitely make money.”

Xue Liangliang said, “If you have that idea, I can invest in you.”

“No, no, no, I was just saying. How can making money be as important as studying?”

Then, Tan Wenbin quietly asked, “This honor, can it add points?”

“Our Haihe University isn’t hard to get into, and this incident will be kept confidential from the public.”

“Oh.” Tan Wenbin’s shoulders drooped.

Run Sheng asked, “Can’t you find other ways to get extra points?”

Tan Wenbin shrugged. “The other way would be if my own dad died gloriously on the job.”

Run Sheng was speechless.

The large bundle of rotten straw-like material Tan Wenbin had brought out was now in a bag. Li Zhuiyuan handed this bag and a piece of paper to Xue Liangliang.

“Brother Liangliang, the paper describes the restoration method.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t join that team and meet with the teacher for another two days. During these two days, I’ll drive back to Mountain City and find a unit to help you handle this. Xue Liangliang quickly scanned the items needed on the paper. “The materials aren’t hard to get; most are readily available. But since you want to keep it secret, you definitely can’t go to a cultural relics institution. My friend can do it, but it will take him a long time.”

“That’s fine. Just take it and slowly process it for restoration. The main thing is that this object can’t be left in an external environment for too long after being brought out, and I don’t have good storage conditions here.”

“Okay, leave it to me. So, are you going to Fengdu next?”

“Brother Run Sheng needs to change his dressing again tomorrow. We’ll go the day after tomorrow.”

“Be careful on the road. Contact me when you’re ready to come back; I’ll book your tickets.”

“I’ll let you know when we’re leaving, Brother.”

Early on the third day, Li Zhuiyuan, Run Sheng, and Tan Wenbin set off for Fengdu. They first traveled by car, then transferred to a boat, disembarking directly at the Fengdu county pier. In fact, the easiest way would have been to call the Ding family and ask them to help locate the Yin family in Fengdu. But that was Grandma Liu's connection, and Li Zhuiyuan didn't really want to do that; he wanted to try finding them himself first.

From the moment they disembarked at the pier, it was exceptionally noisy. The street leading uphill was bustling with people and lined with vendors; they had arrived just in time for the Fengdu Ghost Festival temple fair.

Tan Wenbin was very excited, looking around everywhere. “Hey, I have to say, the temple fair here is indeed much livelier and more fun than our Nantong one. No, ours can’t even compare.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Brother Binbin, travel is essentially going from a place you’re tired of to a place someone else is tired of.”

“Oh, that’s right, I almost forgot, going back to Nantong is like traveling for you too.”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“But Xiaoyuan, I really feel that the people in Sichuan and Chongqing are more passionate about life and know how to enjoy it. Back home, after evening self-study, I can’t even find a late-night snack stall. Ha, I want to eat that, do you guys want some?”

Various local snacks dazzled them, and the prices were very cheap. Even Run Sheng, who was usually frugal and disliked eating out, didn’t mind spending money this time. The three sampled everything, treating it as their lunch. And in such an atmosphere, Run Sheng’s hearty eating didn’t seem conspicuous at all.

Tan Wenbin came to a stall selling ghost-face masks, where two masters were painting them. He stood on the side and watched for a while, then asked a master to paint a Monkey King mask for him. He wouldn't dare buy a ghost-face mask to take home; a glance at it during a midnight bathroom trip would scare him into a cold sweat.

After it was painted, he paid the money. Tan Wenbin put the mask on his face and struck a monkey pose: “Hmph, monsters, hand over my Xiaoyuan!”

Next, they arrived at a tea stall. At that time, lidded bowl tea was very popular at temple fairs across the country. It often contained sugar or various fruit crystals, making it a pleasant drink to buy when tired from walking. However, the lidded bowl tea here was noticeably different from other places. It was freshly brewed on site; they couldn't discern what kind of tea leaves were used, but the taste was very strong. The horizontal banner above had "Soul-Bewitching Tea" written on the left and "Meng Po Soup" on the right.

Tan Wenbin bought three cups. The three of them sat on small stools, slowly drinking. The taste was alright, very strong but not bitter. The temple fair was mostly attended by locals, but there were also quite a few tourists drawn by the Ghost Festival, and they could even see some foreigners.

“Xiaoyuan, is that really the King of Hell’s Palace up there?” Run Sheng asked, pointing to the cluster of buildings above.

“That’s Fengdu Great Emperor, who oversees the underworld and is the master of all returning souls.”

“Sounds impressive,” Tan Wenbin took a sip of tea. “Is he a local?”

“There’s a saying that Fengdu Great Emperor is Yin Changsheng, the younger brother of Empress Yin Lihua of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He wasn’t interested in his family’s wealth but devoted himself to cultivating the Dao, eventually attaining enlightenment and ascending to heaven in broad daylight in Fengdu.”

“The Empress’s brother?” Tan Wenbin clicked his tongue. “Why cultivate the Dao when you can enjoy wealth and glory?”

“Everyone has different pursuits, right? Didn’t you also refuse Brother Liangliang’s investment to open a Wanzhou roasted fish branch the day before yesterday?”

“Oh, so I’m also untainted by the world, then.”

Run Sheng asked, “Xiaoyuan, why does every shop here have a small water缸 in front of it?”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “It should be some kind of custom.”

After finishing their tea, the three continued to walk uphill. Next, Li Zhuiyuan planned to find a mortuary shop to inquire about local corpse-retrievers. If they were surnamed Yin, he would give the family a sum of money to settle the karma from the underground palace.

They passed under the large archway of “Fengdu Ghost City” and saw a stone tablet behind it, with an inscription: “If one does not travel by night, how would one know there are night travelers on the road?” This quote comes from Ge Hong’s Baopuzi of the Jin Dynasty, referring to what Yin Changsheng once said. It roughly means that only after he became an immortal did he realize how many immortals there were in the world, just as you wouldn’t know there are people traveling at night if you don’t go out yourself.

For the current Li Zhuiyuan, this passage held another layer of sentiment. Before encountering corpse-retrievers, he didn’t know there were such things as "death-corpses" in the world. After exposure and learning, he realized there were indeed many, and many people in the same profession.

Looking past the stone tablet, directly opposite was a shop. The sign above read: “Yin Lord Coffin Shop.” At the shop entrance hung two vertical banners, inscribed with “Promotion and Wealth” and “Good Fortune Arrives.” Yin Lord was an honorific for Yin Changsheng, so the shop owner might not necessarily be surnamed Yin, but since it was a coffin shop, it should have some connection to corpse-retrievers. For instance, his own great-grandfather used to have excellent relationships with the entire mortuary industry chain, until his great-grandfather started his own chain and they fell out.

Entering the shop, it was quite deserted. Deep inside, there were two coffins, one red and one black. On the counter, various small coffins were displayed, like toy figurines. They even had different styles of drawings: Ultraman, Astro Boy, and Transformers. Tan Wenbin picked up a coffin, opened it, closed it, and exclaimed, “So exquisite! The boss has a great business mind, but if the chosen path is wrong, no matter how much effort you put in, it’s meaningless.”

During the temple fair, other shops had many customers, but this one was cold and quiet. Neither locals nor tourists seemed keen on buying a coffin or a small coffin toy while strolling through the fair.

Tan Wenbin repeatedly opened and closed one, then laughed and asked, “Xiaoyuan, how about we buy two and take them back as pencil cases?”

“Hello, which one caught your eye? You can get a discount if you buy two together.”

The curtain to the inner room was lifted, and a girl about Tan Wenbin’s age emerged, holding a bowl of noodles. Her skin was a bit dark, but she was tall for a local and exuded a cheerful, frank energy.

“Here, these two, I’ll take them.”

“Alright!”

Tan Wenbin knew Li Zhuiyuan wanted to ask about something, so he made a purchase first.

Run Sheng asked, “Buy another one to give to Zhou Yunyun?”

Tan Wenbin wasn’t annoyed by this; instead, he seemed intrigued. “Hah, don’t say that, it’s actually quite romantic.”

The girl boss smiled and said, “Well, we have couple’s models.”

“I’ll take a set.”

“Good, I’ll get them for you.” The girl took out two small coffins from below, one black and one red. They were exquisitely made and had grooves and clasps, allowing the two coffins to be joined together.

Tan Wenbin laughed, “So fun!”

The girl boss responded, “Of course! If I were a girl and the boy I liked gave me this, I’d be ecstatic.”

Li Zhuiyuan asked, confused, “Aren’t you a girl?”

“Ah, I am!” The girl boss laughed. “Misspoke, misspoke.”

Seeing Tan Wenbin actually pay and have the four small coffins wrapped up, out of camaraderie, Li Zhuiyuan still asked, “Brother Binbin, are you really going to give this to Class Monitor Zhou?”

“I just think it’s fun.” Tan Wenbin rolled his eyes. “Seriously give it? I’m not stupid.”

The girl boss retorted, displeased, “Why can’t you seriously give it? It just means that girl doesn’t understand the depth. This is the romance of our traditional culture.”

Tan Wenbin nodded. “Though I still won’t give it, I think you’re right.”

“Judging by your accents, you’re tourists from out of town. Where are you from?”

Tan Wenbin: “Nantong.”

The girl boss asked, puzzled, “Where is Nantong? Anhui or Jiangxi?”

Tan Wenbin: “Jiangsu.”

“Oh, I know Jiangsu. Jinling, Suzhou, Yangzhou, Huai’an, Xuzhou—those are all famous. Nantong… it’s famous too.”

Tan Wenbin mischievously asked, “Such as?”

“Such as…” The girl boss got stuck.

Li Zhuiyuan prepared to ask about the real business. “Boss, do you know about the local corpse-retrievers, specifically those in the villages who are responsible for retrieving ‘floaters’?”

“Corpse-retrievers?” The girl boss asked, puzzled. “Who do you want to retrieve?”

“No one in particular. Just asking if you know any. More specifically, do you know any corpse-retrievers surnamed Yin?”

The girl boss quickly scurried into the inner room. Soon, the curtain was lifted again, and she emerged holding a Yellow River shovel in her left hand. “My surname is Yin. My name is Yin Meng.”

Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t expected to find her so easily, but he still continued to ask, “Do you have a family tree?”

“Why are you asking such detailed questions?”

“To give money.”

“Yes, we do.”

“May I see it?”

“If you see it, will you give the money?”

“It needs to have the name Yin Zhiwang on it.”

“Yin Zhiwang, yes, it does. That was almost two hundred years ago, I remember it clearly.”

“Oh?”

“The family tree records that there was a man-eating snake in Wanxian, and he took people to catch it, but he went and never came back. I’ll go get it for you to see.”

“No need.” Li Zhuiyuan looked at Tan Wenbin. “Give her the money.”

Tan Wenbin took out the money and placed it on the counter. The money was tied with a red string.

Yin Meng picked up the money first, then asked with some disbelief, “What happened? Did you encounter him as a ‘death-corpse’?”

“Yes.”

“Ah?” Yin Meng quickly waved her hands. “Don’t scare me. I was just rambling.”

Being able to wield a Yellow River shovel and mention "death-corpse" proved she was truly from the trade, and far purer than someone like his great-grandfather. Since that was the case, there was no need to be overly secretive.

“We owe him a favor and specifically came to repay it this time. Please accept this money, and our matter will be concluded.”

“Hehehehe…” Yin Meng let out a series of laughs, counting the money as she spoke. “Oh, so this really is an ancestor showing his spirit to send money! I was just worrying about how to pay next month’s rent.”

Tan Wenbin suggested, “With the way you do business, getting the rent is indeed difficult.”

“Then what should I do?”

“You could sell Wanzhou roasted fish.”

Yin Meng blinked her eyes.

Tan Wenbin added, “Yangzhou fried rice also works.”

Yin Meng pushed the half-eaten bowl of noodles in front of her. It was plain noodles, no toppings, just soy sauce.

Tan Wenbin nodded, indicating understanding.

“Have you eaten? Shall I make you some noodles? Or should I go across the street and buy some dishes to treat you to drinks?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “We’ve eaten.”

“Then stay for dinner. You came all this way to bring money; I should at least treat you to a meal. Anyway, I don’t think my ancestor could have helped you much.”

“He did help.”

“I don’t believe it. If he could help you, he wouldn’t have died there and couldn’t come home.”

“And this jade pendant.” Li Zhuiyuan took out the jade pendant and placed it on the counter. “This is also for you.”

Yin Meng looked down at it for a moment, then pushed the jade pendant back. “One thing at a time. I’ve taken the money, but this jade pendant is yours.”

“Okay.” Li Zhuiyuan didn't refuse, putting the jade pendant back. “Then we’ll be going.”

“Hey, aren’t you going to play around up there for a while? The scenic spots are up there.”

“We’re going.”

“The boats stop early here. Since you’re out having fun, don’t rush. Take your time, and stay here tonight. Sleep in my shop; it’ll save you the hotel money.”

They were already out enjoying themselves, and the other party repeatedly offered warm invitations to stay, so Li Zhuiyuan no longer refused. “We’d be troubling you.”

“Hey, are you really not a big ‘death-corpse’ that climbed out after waking from some water burial?”

“Me?”

“Yes! Come on, let me try.” Yin Meng pulled a talisman from her pocket and stuck it on Li Zhuiyuan. Seeing no reaction from Li Zhuiyuan, she feigned surprise. “Oh my god, how scary! Are you that fierce?”

Everyone knew she was joking.

“Courtesy demands reciprocity! Hmph, demon, I’ll stick one on you too!” Tan Wenbin pulled out a ‘Zhuiyuan Secret Scroll’ talisman and stuck it on Yin Meng’s forehead.

The next moment, the talisman turned purple. Tan Wenbin leaped up in fright, screaming, “Oh my f***ing god!”

Yin Meng looked a bit confused.

Li Zhuiyuan stood on his tiptoes, reached out, and peeled off the talisman, saying, “Brother Binbin, the talisman got wet. It turns purple when it touches grease.”

“Oh… oh!” Tan Wenbin scratched his head, a little embarrassed.

Run Sheng leaned closer and said, “If there were a water corpse smell, I would have told you.”

Yin Meng bent over laughing. “I almost thought I really was a death-corpse! Hahahaha!”

The three walked out of the coffin shop. At the doorway, Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the small water缸 and asked, “What’s the reason for every shop having this by the door?”

Yin Meng: “This is Fengdu Ghost City, and this street is called Ghost Street. It’s not just living people who like to shop; when night falls, they come out. Back then, there were no light bulbs. It was too dark at night, even with candles, so when merchants closed their doors and counted their copper coins, they often counted paper ones. Later, it gradually became a custom for shops to place a water缸 by the door. If you put the received copper coins in, the fake ones would float, and they wouldn’t do business with that ‘customer.’”

Tan Wenbin asked, “But now it’s all paper money. If it all floats up, wouldn’t every shop need a money counter?”

Yin Meng: “Those things are expensive; we can’t afford them.”

Tan Wenbin paused. “No, can you still receive them now?”

Yin Meng reached down and pulled out a drawer from beneath the counter, taking out a small stack of paper money from the Heaven and Earth Bank: “See? This is what I’ve received from the beginning of this month until now. It would have been enough to pay next month’s rent, but who knew it wasn’t from a living person’s business.”

Tan Wenbin carefully touched the paper money with his fingertips. “You’re joking, right? To enhance our immersive experience?”

“Of course. What era is this? Where are there still ghosts? You rarely even see floaters anymore. I haven’t had a corpse retrieval business in a long time.”

“You don’t see floaters anymore? That shouldn’t be right. You have so many waterways here; surely people still accidentally drown?”

“They usually find the villagers to retrieve them. They rarely come to me; they think the street shops are expensive.”

“Are you actually cheap?”

“Indeed, expensive.” Yin Meng stated as a matter of course. “If the price were cheap, wouldn’t it diminish my standing? After all, I’m a legitimate corpse-retriever.”

Tan Wenbin pouted. “Serves you right for not being able to pay your rent.”

“Let’s go, Brother Binbin.”

“Hey, coming, wait for me, Xiaoyuan.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Li Zhuiyuan led Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin on a detailed and serious tour of Fengdu Ghost City. There were many sculptures and temples, and it didn't feel scary to visit during the day. Along the way, they even encountered two performance troupes, and the three watched the shows, which were rich in traditional folk culture. Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin watched very intently, eager to read every explanatory plaque under each sculpture. While typical tourists might just skim, they were diligently catching up on their extracurricular knowledge.

Li Zhuiyuan walked slowly, appreciating the old-style architecture and sculpture. As for the explanatory plaques, he didn’t need to read them, as his mind already held a wealth of information. When Li Lan didn’t dislike him as much during his childhood, he could stay in her study while she worked. Li Lan would either give him blueprints to play with or pile books in front of him to flip through.

As dusk approached, the three descended the mountain and returned to Ghost Street. The street was still bustling with people. Many local residents had things to do during the day, so many could only attend the temple fair at night. Moreover, the atmosphere of Ghost City was more potent at night, especially with the numerous red and white lanterns above that would light up after dark, perfectly setting the mood.

The coffin shop entrance was still deserted. Yin Meng had even grown lazy again and wasn't standing behind the counter.

“We’re back!” Tan Wenbin called out loudly.

Yin Meng lifted the curtain and poked her head out. “I’ve stewed pork hock. Let’s have a good meal tonight. It’s absolutely delightful!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Sounds good.”

At seven o’clock, night fell. Yin Meng brought out a large basin of pork hock, and everyone gathered around the small table. The pork hock melted in their mouths, stewed until incredibly tender. That is, if one ignored the occasional prickly sensation in their mouth, as Yin Meng had forgotten to remove the pig bristles.

She indeed had a lively and cheerful personality. Perhaps because business was slow, she rarely had anyone to chat with. Tonight, during dinner, she was delighted to spin tall tales. Run Sheng was solely focused on eating, and Li Zhuiyuan occasionally interjected a few words. Their main conversationalist was Tan Wenbin, who held his own against Yin Meng. Moreover, Tan Wenbin deliberately used the bit of Sichuan-Chongqing dialect he had learned. His pronunciation was inaccurate, but he had mastered the intonation. As they talked, their voices grew higher and higher, and their speaking speed quickened, like a duet of folk songs.

However, they didn’t talk much about corpse retrieval, as Yin Meng’s practical experience wasn’t extensive. She had retrieved “floaters” but had never seen a true “death-corpse.” Her knowledge and skills in corpse retrieval were learned from her grandfather. Her parents had divorced when she was very young; her father had gone south to seek his fortune and was never heard from again. Her mother had married into a family in a nearby town and had two more boys. When she was young and didn't know better, Yin Meng had tried to find her mother, but when she grew up, she realized her mother didn't want anything to do with her.

At this point, Li Zhuiyuan and Yin Meng raised their cups of soda and clinked them together. She had lived with her grandfather for most of her life. Her grandfather operated this shop and was also a traditional corpse-retriever. Later, her grandfather bequeathed the shop to her. She was actually quite shrewd; she could likely make money if she switched businesses, but she didn’t want to change the nature of this shop, because she knew her grandfather wouldn’t approve.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed the calluses on her palms, and how her toes shifted whenever she stood up or sat down, indicating she possessed martial arts skills. This was also why she, a young girl, could operate the shop alone; she had basically beaten up all the local ruffians on the street. She joked that if she wanted, she could easily become the “big sister” of Ghost Street and collect protection money there. Run Sheng, engrossed in gnawing on a pig’s trot, spontaneously raised his cup and clinked it with hers.

Li Zhuiyuan asked if her grandfather had left behind any books or the like. She looked at him puzzledly and asked in return: Don't corpse-retrievers all pass down knowledge through oral tradition and personal instruction? What could one learn from reading books? This left Li Zhuiyuan slightly disappointed; he had hoped to see some of his peers' collections, but there were none. At the same time, he felt a little envious; judging by Yin Meng's various subtle cues, her grandfather's skill level must have been very high, and she had received a very complete "educational transmission." However, Li Zhuiyuan didn't feel his own great-grandfather was inferior because of this. After all, his great-grandfather could "gurgle gurgle" blessings of fortune, and following him meant at least enjoying delicious food and spicy dishes every day.

In short, tonight was the most relaxed and pleasant night since leaving Nantong. Everyone was happy and at ease.

This sense of relaxation lasted until it was time to arrange for sleep.

“What? You want us to sleep in coffins?” Tan Wenbin clutched his head, looking incredulous.

Yin Meng, meanwhile, was spreading cotton blankets inside the coffins in the back room.

“What’s wrong? Sleeping in a coffin is so comfortable.”

“Can I sleep on the floor outside?”

“It’s in the mountains here; it gets cold at night. I don’t have enough bedding, and it’s warmer in the coffins.”

Tan Wenbin mumbled, “First time I’ve heard ‘warm’ used to describe a coffin.”

The inner room served as a storeroom and kitchen, with three coffins inside. The main shop area had two. Since they were already here, they might as well follow local customs. In the end, Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng slept in the two coffins outside, while Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng slept inside.

Coffins, like stinky tofu, look off-putting, but once you lie inside, they are surprisingly comfortable, offering a sense of enclosed security. Of course, the coffin lid had to be left slightly ajar for ventilation.

Tired from traveling and sightseeing all day, Tan Wenbin quickly drifted off to sleep. Then he heard someone scratching his coffin lid with their fingernails. Tan Wenbin was so scared that cold sweat broke out. He pulled the blanket up to his face, daring only to squint his eyes and look upwards.

Then, Run Sheng’s face appeared above. “Hehe.”

“What are you doing?!”

“Peeing.”

The restroom was behind the inner room. Run Sheng slept outside, so he had to pass through the inner room to get to the toilet. Tan Wenbin was so annoyed he pulled the blanket over his face, ignoring him.

After a while, he heard the rustling sound on the coffin lid again. Tan Wenbin started to feel scared. He thought it couldn't be Run Sheng again. Who was it then?

The next moment, Run Sheng’s face appeared again.

“What do you want?!”

“I finished peeing. Going back to sleep. Just letting you know.”

Tan Wenbin was fuming.

Finally, he managed to conjure up a tiny bit of sleepiness again. Tan Wenbin opened his eyes and thumped the coffin lid with his hand. The sound disappeared. Tan Wenbin turned over, continuing to search for sleepiness.

Tan Wenbin pulled back the blanket, grasped the edge of the coffin with both hands, and sat upright from inside the coffin. He found that there was no one around his coffin. Had Run Sheng run that fast? Tan Wenbin swallowed, feeling a chill again. He didn't dare to go out but instead shrank back into the coffin.

The sound reappeared. Tan Wenbin pulled the blanket over his head, pretending not to hear, and also drew his feet into the blanket. Then, the sound disappeared again. Tan Wenbin kept his face muffled in the blanket for a sufficiently long time, until his face was sweating. He thought that Run Sheng must have gone to sleep and stopped teasing him. He decided to get some air, gripping the blanket with both hands, intending to quickly pull it up and then back down.

One, two, three…

The blanket covering his face was pulled back, but he couldn't put it back as he had intended. Because,

An old face had, at some unknown point, already peered into the coffin, pressing itself directly against his, face to face.