The uneven bluestone path stretched ahead, with Hollowbelly (the Scholar) walking in front of Miss Wen May. Two Hell's Registrars led the way, flanked on both sides by darkened woods. The air seeping from within made Hollowbelly deeply uncomfortable. Miss Wen May kept smiling, her gaze fixed on him.
Hollowbelly kept glancing back at her, wanting to say something but unable to find the words; every time he tried, the words died on his lips.
It had been days since his death. Hollowbelly was wracked with regret over everything he had done while alive. His desire for money was fading, leaving only guilt toward Miss Wen May.
“What is it? Hollowbelly keeps staring at me—do I have something on my face?”
Hollowbelly quickly shook his head and continued walking. Miss Wen May’s feet were shackled, making her pace slow, but the two Hell's Registrars didn’t rush her. Time seemed plentiful; the Registrars chatted and laughed, drinking as they went. After a while, they stopped, took roast chicken from their bundle and started eating, tossing half to Hollowbelly along with some liquor.
The two Hell's Registrars resumed their eating and drinking.
Hollowbelly carefully handed over the liquor and roast chicken, but Miss Wen May shook her head, gazing at him with deep affection.
"You eat. Do you remember that night when we started our plan? We drank so much."
Hollowbelly nodded and began to eat. The Hell's Registrars paid them no mind. Hollowbelly glanced around; the woods on both sides were pitch black, and the terrain looked extremely complicated.
“Miss Wen May.”
Hollowbelly called out and moved closer, continuing to speak.
"Let's run together. If we reach Styx Gate, we won't be able to escape anymore."
But Miss Wen May just shook her head.
"I'm tired. I don't want to run anymore. Nothing matters now."
Hollowbelly gently pressed Miss Wen May's shoulder, gazing at her with sorrow.
"Everything can still be fixed. Even though we're dead, we're still alive in a way. I have no attachment to money anymore; all I feel is guilt toward you. If I could, I wish I could make it up to you."
Miss Wen May let out a soft laugh and shook her head.
"Do you think I don't know what's in your belly?"
A chill swept over them; the smile vanished from Miss Wen May's face. She stabbed a finger into Hollowbelly's abdomen, making him cry out in pain. Suddenly, Miss Wen May's appearance changed drastically—her face contorted into a skull-like visage, and she bit down hard on Hollowbelly's ear.
"Let go. I'll make you loosen your grip."
Hollowbelly screamed as Miss Wen May tore his entire ear off with a sickening crunch. The two ghost wardens beat Miss Wen May with their clubs while Hollowbelly clutched his bleeding ear, crying out in agony.
Miss Wen May lay on the ground under the blows, her mouth chewing noisily as her eyes stayed fixed on Hollowbelly.
"Disgusting. It tastes foul, reeks of copper—just like you."
With a spit, Miss Wen May expelled the chewed-up ear. The two ghost wardens stopped and watched the pair, grinning.
"If you have any grudges, settle them now. If you don't speak up, you two wretched lovers may never get another chance."
The two ghost wardens resumed their eating and drinking.
"We're almost at Styx Gate. Hurry up, you two."
Now the Hell's Registrars walked behind them, prodding them forward with their clubs.
Miss Wen May spoke, and Hollowbelly dared not approach her, only clutching his ear and watching from afar. His abdomen continued to ooze, but to his shock, what seeped from the wound was not blood, but a mixture of gold and silver.
This caught the attention of the two ghost wardens, who walked over in astonishment.
"Old Zhao, it's gold dust and silver dust!"
The two ghost wardens immediately scooped it up with their hands, while Hollowbelly continued to stare in terror at Miss Wen May, who kept laughing.
"See? Your belly really is filled with money. Do you know why you agreed to help me from the start? It wasn't about love or women—it was all those glittering gold coins I laid out on the table. Deep down, you're greedy to the bone."
Hollowbelly didn't argue. Thinking back, when Miss Wen May first spoke of using him for revenge, he hesitated. But when she presented the gold, he nodded.
"By the way, Fatty, let me warn you—don't just wander into the Wailing Woods. If you do, you might never come back."
"Hey, whether you're a person or a ghost, you should know when to stop, brother."
Old Zhao saw the other ghost warden about to cut open Hollowbelly's belly and stopped him. Hollowbelly, shaken, got up and continued walking with the wardens.
No one knew how long this Yellow Springs Road would last, but with every step, Hollowbelly's fear grew. After judgment, he would face the punishment of being skinned, dismembered, and torn apart—a fate he dreaded.
"Aren't you afraid?"
Hollowbelly had inquired about Miss Wen May's punishment. What awaited her was unspeakable, especially cruel and humiliating for a woman.
"If you want to escape, it's not impossible."
Hope flickered in Hollowbelly's eyes and he nodded repeatedly.
"If you want to escape, get on your knees and beg me—until I'm satisfied."
Miss Wen May laughed wildly. Hollowbelly dropped to his knees with a thud. The two ghost wardens turned back and walked over.
"Please, I'm begging you, Miss Wen May—it's my fault, save me..."
Miss Wen May continued to laugh, while the two ghost wardens dragged them forward.
"We're almost at Ghost Gate. Hurry up, you two."
Now the ghost wardens walked behind them, prodding them forward with their clubs.
"Brothers, please wait—I have something to resolve with my wife. I'm begging you."
Once again, Hollowbelly pulled out crisp spirit money. The ghost wardens stopped.
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"Then hurry up."
The two Hell's Registrars sensed something was wrong and rushed over. Suddenly, Hollowbelly stepped forward and shoved Miss Wen May, sending her tumbling into the Wailing Woods.
Surprisingly, the two ghost wardens really did move away. Hollowbelly stared in disbelief—both sides were lined with woods, and they could run at any time. With this thought, Hollowbelly began to plan his escape, waiting for the wardens to go farther before making his move.
"By the way, Fatty, let me warn you—don't just wander into the Wailing Woods. If you do, you might never come back."
A jolt of fear shot through Hollowbelly, and he swallowed hard. Miss Wen May, however, stared at the Wailing Woods, motionless, as if entranced.
Hollowbelly was terrified; there was something in the Wailing Woods he deeply feared. He knelt again, kowtowing repeatedly, as Miss Wen May walked over step by step and stomped on his head.
"Weren't you so capable? Why don't you try bribing those two ghost wardens with your money?"
Hollowbelly shook his head immediately. Miss Wen May laughed again.
"You men are all so insincere—sweet words by moonlight, vows of eternal love, and in the end, you all grovel for money and power. It's ridiculous. What do women mean to you, anyway?"
Hollowbelly kept begging for mercy, hoping Miss Wen May would save him. He knew she was a formidable woman and sensed a powerful resentment in her. What puzzled him was why she had been caught—he'd heard she wounded many ghost wardens before being captured, and now with only two left, it should have been easy to deal with them.
"Is there any true love in this world? Hollowbelly, I once loved you—loved you deeply. But you never loved me, only money. Have you ever loved anyone?"
"I have, I have! I loved you, Miss Wen May, I really did!"
Hollowbelly kept talking, but Miss Wen May's face showed only contempt.
"Love? What is love? Are you worthy of it? Do you understand it? Have you ever felt it?"
A piercing howl echoed. The two ghost wardens watched with amusement, unconcerned, as if enjoying a show. None of them noticed the black mist rising from the Wailing Woods, beginning to drift toward Yellow Springs Road.
"I have, I loved—at least Zhu'er..."
"Ha! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard, Hollowbelly. When Zhu'er died, she told me there was no need to fight over you, that I should leave you, because you never loved anyone, only money. But I didn't believe her. And what happened? Stop pretending, Hollowbelly... Or should I call you Hollow Belly? Your gut is always full of money."
Hollowbelly said nothing more. He stared quietly at Miss Wen May, then slowly stood up and laughed bitterly, his voice tinged with sorrow.
The black mist in Wailing Woods was stirring, gathering rapidly toward them.
"Yes, I love money more than life itself. So what? What's wrong with having money? Money can buy anything. Don't forget, Miss Wen May, you used money to get your revenge, and to find the next man you loved."
Hollowbelly pounded his chest, glaring fiercely at Miss Wen May.
The two ghost wardens sensed something was wrong and rushed over. Suddenly, Hollowbelly stepped forward and shoved Miss Wen May, sending her tumbling into the Wailing Woods.
"Oh no, this is bad!"
Old Zhao shouted, hurrying over with the other warden. Miss Wen May was already ensnared by the black mist, being dragged into the Wailing Woods.
Old Zhao quickly pulled out a token and waved it at the black mist, while the other warden tried to pull Miss Wen May back.
"If someone has to die, better you than me."
With a wicked grin, Hollowbelly grabbed the warden's red-headed black club. Instantly, black smoke curled from his hand. He swung hard at the warden's head; Old Zhao cried out and dropped his token into the Wailing Woods.
Hollowbelly kept beating with the club. Miss Wen May was completely dragged into the black mist and quickly disappeared, her screams echoing in the air.