I sat quietly in the living room. The time was 11:20—forty minutes left until Rachel Lan’s seven-day memorial.
Mason Yu poked his head out again.
"Vivian Ouyang, do you sense anything?"
With a creak, the bathroom door opened. Mason Yu poked his head out and asked. Mrs. Blake should be used for '瞎眼婆' in subsequent references.
"Why are you so anxious? There's still half an hour. Be ready—tonight is our only chance. If we miss it, there won't be another."
Mason Yu looked visibly worried. I smiled at him.
"Relax a little."
The two Hell's Registrars bared their fangs and their eyes flashed with menace, flying straight at us.
"Seven Stars Ward, Big Dipper Bind in the north, if ghosts and gods enter, none can open the way—by the power of the law..." Miles Mao burst from the room, chanting incantations and forming hand seals as he moved.
"Mason Yu, come out. I need to use the bathroom."
As he spoke, Miles Mao walked out.
"Seriously, Taoist? That’s your sixth trip to the bathroom. Can’t you ever finish peeing?"
Miles Mao looked awkward for a moment. Mason Yu let him pass, and he went in. Soon after, he came out again.
(Irrelevant system message; skip translation.)
Everyone seemed tense—even Vivian Ouyang had gone to the bathroom a few times. Only Dalton Fang sat meditating, apparently unaffected.
"You’re the one who can’t pee. I just don’t want to get caught short when it matters most."
Miles Mao came out, grumbling, while Mason Yu just smiled.
"Ethan Zhang, forget it. What you’re doing will only bring harm to you all."
I shook my head, staring at her with determination, then quickly closed my eyes.
11:55—five minutes left. I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
"Is it here yet, Vivian Ouyang?"
Mason Yu poked his head out again.
"Shut up. Don’t speak. I can feel it—get ready."
Vivian Ouyang shouted. We all braced ourselves. The other three followed the plan, splashing themselves with a special water made by the blind old woman. Supposedly, it could temporarily mask our life force so ghosts wouldn’t notice us right away.
I lay down on the sofa, pretending to sleep.
Midnight. Suddenly, the air in the room felt chilly. I squinted at the west wall, occasionally glancing at Rachel Lan.
All at once, I saw a faint green mist slowly seep from Rachel Lan’s nose. I quickly looked toward the west.
With a rush, the sound of chains followed. The first to appear was a short figure wearing a round hat and red-and-blue clothes, with a large character for 'enforcer' on his chest. He was an underworld enforcer—his face was dark and deeply lined, with two white eyes.
"Hurry up."
It was Rachel Lan. I saw her, but pretended to sleep. She stared at me in surprise, her white soul bound by a chain and rope, escorted by the underworld enforcer.
My heart leapt with joy—there seemed to be only one underworld enforcer. But just as I thought that, a second, heavyset enforcer appeared. He was tall, similar to the short one, with a deeply lined face.
"This family’s pretty decent. Look at all the food and drink they’ve prepared."
The two enforcers rushed to the altar as soon as they saw the offerings.
They each grabbed a jug of wine, took a sip, and started eating the meat on the table.
"Rachel Lan, hurry up. Say goodbye to your husband, give him a dream. You’ll have to leave before the rooster crows."
Sure enough, the two enforcers didn’t notice anything unusual. They ate ravenously. At that moment, Rachel Lan approached me. While they weren’t looking, I signaled her with my eyes.
Rachel Lan looked around, shook her head slightly, then bent down.
"Qingyuan, forget it. What you’re doing will only bring harm to you all."
I shook my head, staring at her with determination, then quickly closed my eyes.
"Come on, Rachel Lan, why are you standing there? You’ve been granted special permission to come home and see your husband. If you have anything to say, say it quickly."
The Hell's Registrar hugged the wine jug, looking satisfied, then moved to the plate of eggs. My heart was in my throat. I kept eyeing the short bat at their waists—blue-headed, just as Yin Choujian warned: if you get hit by it, it’s dangerous.
We just had to wait for them to eat the egg marked with Academic Guardian Talisman, then act immediately.
I stayed still, but once the fight started, I’d grab Rachel Lan and head for her bedroom. It was filled with willow branches—people say willows repel ghosts. Even if they couldn’t harm the enforcers, at least they’d keep Rachel Lan from being caught.
"Look at all these eggs. This family really knows what they’re doing."
The two enforcers, full from eating, reached for the eggs.
I swallowed and stared, dumbfounded. Suddenly, one enforcer grabbed an egg and screamed. His hand sizzled and smoked, so he quickly pulled it back.
Instantly, the mood in the room shifted. Both enforcers turned and glared at me.
"Go!" I shouted, leaping up and grabbing Rachel Lan, running toward the bedroom.
"Seven stars shoot in all directions, Kui Dou in the north, if ghosts and gods enter, none can open the way—by the power of the law..." Miles Mao burst from the room, chanting incantations and forming hand seals as he moved.
Suddenly, a yellow light flared where the two enforcers stood. They shrieked in terror.
With a swish, Vivian Ouyang triggered a mechanism, and a net glowing red dropped down from the west wall.
"These people are trying to break the prisoner out."
The heavyset enforcer’s eyes flashed with menace. With a bang, he drew his club and struck—like shattering invisible glass. Suddenly, he raised the club and lunged at me.
(Irrelevant system message; skip translation.)
With a click, Vivian Ouyang opened the door. I shoved Rachel Lan inside, slammed the door, and dodged aside.
"Amitabha, thus have I heard—once the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove at Sravasti, with a gathering of 1,250 great monks. At mealtime, the World Honored One donned his robe and took his bowl..."
Dalton Fang chanted scripture and struck a wooden fish as he emerged from the room. Instantly, the two enforcers seemed affected, hesitating and backing away slightly.
I clenched my fist, gathering lethal energy. After practicing, it condensed instantly into the shape of a small dagger.
The heavyset enforcer glared at Dalton Fang, clearly disgusted by the scripture. Without hesitation, I stabbed him in the chest.
The blow landed. The heavyset enforcer howled, and his club clattered to the floor.
"Vivian Ouyang!" I shouted.
Suddenly, the mechanism on the roof activated, and a shower of yellow talismans rained down.
I quickly backed away while the heavyset enforcer kept screaming.
"Ah..."
The short enforcer let out a shout. Suddenly, his body expelled a jet of white vapor, scattering the yellow talismans instantly.
"Idiots. These people’s skills are shallow—they’re no match for us."
I stared at the screaming enforcer—the dagger of lethal energy I’d stabbed into his chest had already dissipated, leaving no trace.
The two enforcers bared their fangs and their eyes flashed with menace, flying straight at us.
Dalton Fang kept chanting scripture.
"Mason Yu, it’s your turn."
"Wood of the pillar, fire of the sun, wood gives birth to fire... Diwuzi, Ju Jingke, flame of the fiery clouds..."
Mason Yu raised both hands and strode forward, crouching low, his hands shaped like blades. A faint red glow shone from his palms.
"Stab, break, pierce..."
Mason Yu’s eyes blazed. His hand-blades struck at the two enforcers. I didn’t stop either, continuing to condense lethal energy.
Bang! Bang! Two flames burst forth, and both enforcers screamed.
"Ah... it’s someone from the Nether Syndicate... ah..."
It worked. Just as I was about to strike again, the short enforcer suddenly grabbed Mason Yu as he tried to turn away.
"Summon the Five Thunder Generals, lightning scorches and divine light gathers—one to protect life, two to bind ghosts and subdue evil. Life and death, the heavenly way grants longevity. By the power of the law—Qing Pen Spell..."
Miles Mao rushed over, holding a brush, drawing in the air, then touched the tip to the short enforcer.
A yellow light flashed. With a snap, Mason Yu was freed from the enforcer’s grasp. Seizing the moment, I grabbed a curved blade and slashed at the enforcer reaching for the Soulcatcher Baton.
"Look at the prayer beads!" Dalton Fang rushed over, tossing a string of beads at the heavyset enforcer.
The heavyset enforcer was caught in a dilemma. With a whoosh, he leapt away, dodging our attacks.
"Taoist, are you okay?"
We glanced over—Miles Mao collapsed in response, struck by a club and sent into a dazed, unconscious state.
"What are you afraid of? I told you—these people’s skills are shallow. Opposing us is suicide."
Suddenly, the heavyset enforcer lunged at Dalton Fang and grabbed him. Dalton panicked.
"Catch, fatty!" The short enforcer tossed the Soulcatcher Baton to the heavyset one, who caught it and struck Dalton Fang on the head.
I raised my blade and slashed at the heavyset enforcer’s hand. With a clang, it was like hitting steel.
Stunned, I froze. The heavyset enforcer grinned and swung his club at me.
Why couldn’t my lethal energy hurt him? The thought crept into my mind—something was wrong.