C2 Wang Dali

The girl methodically burned the yellow paper and imitation gold ingots she had brought, having already consumed a considerable amount in flames. Though invisible to the living, the eager expressions of the spectating spirits suggested a veritable mountain of gold had formed within the circle.

Ghastly apparitions with green faces and fierce fangs lashed at the ghost of the girl's grandfather with their whips, coercing him to transfer the paper money out of the circle. As soon as he did, it was swiftly claimed by the solitary spirits. Far from being appeased by their plunder, the ghosts grew increasingly agitated due to the relentless whipping from the seven or eight malevolent spirits.

All the restless souls were red-eyed in anticipation of their share, yet the girl's supply of paper was rapidly dwindling.

Once the last of the paper turned to ash, the girl wiped away her tears and pulled her coat tighter around her. The chill she felt was to be expected, as she was encircled by layers of wandering spirits.

Her grandfather's spirit was shouting something, but she couldn't hear him, the barrier between the living and the dead rendering his cries inaudible.

Devoid of the paper money, the girl's significance to these spirits was reduced to the energy they could draw from her... and perhaps her very flesh. The closest ghosts, corpulent and lecherous, drooled profusely, their pinkish aura betraying their vile intentions. It seemed they wouldn't be satisfied with just her body; her soul was at stake as well.

In my view, these wandering spirits were far too feeble to pique my interest in a confrontation. Yet, as the saying goes, even ants can overwhelm an elephant, and the collective might of these gathered spirits could lead to dire consequences.

The ghosts had not yet laid a hand on the girl, instead forming a ring around her and blowing chilling breaths in her direction, causing her to wrap her coat even tighter. Her shivering was a natural response to the genuine cold wind exhaled by the ghosts.

Humans are said to have three invisible lamps atop their heads and shoulders, known as Life Lamps, which protect against the harassment of stray spirits, especially in the darkness of night. Should one of these lamps be extinguished during a nocturnal journey, an encounter with a ghost becomes highly probable. This is why one must never allow their shoulders to be patted while walking at night, as it risks snuffing out these protective flames.

A single extinguished Life Lamp might only result in a scare, but if two are put out, one will surely see ghosts. Now, these wandering spirits were intent on blowing out all three of the girl's Life Lamps, which would allow them free rein over her body and leave her soul at the mercy of those depraved beings.

My ten bottles of mineral water were finally full, freeing my hands to help her. I couldn't stand by and not save such a beautiful girl; that would be unmanly of me. Plus, there was a cornfield just seven or eight meters to the east—you know what that means.

But the girl was surrounded by a horde of ghosts, and dealing with them all would be a tall order, even for someone like Zhou. Time wasn't on my side, as the three Life Lamps flickering on the girl's body were dimming fast, as if they could go out at any moment due to the tempestuous winds.

Her face was ashen, her eyes wide with terror. She must have sensed something was wrong.

Without a second to lose, I darted out of the underbrush. The sight of me startled her so much that she screamed, "Ghost!"

As a magnanimous human, I had no time to correct her mistaken identification of my species. I leapt to her side and swiftly patted her chest three times.

In response, she crisply slapped me across the face and stumbled backward, yelling, "Pervert! Ah! Stay away from me!"

Okay, it might have looked like a lecherous chest attack, but my intentions were purely to save her.

The three Life Lamps on a person's body are ignited by the heart's fire. A few pats on the chest can stoke this fire, making the lamps burn brighter and steadier. This is why our ancestors ingrained in us the instinct to thump our chests to calm our fears and bolster our bravery.

Despite the misunderstanding, my actions had the desired effect: the girl's Life Lamps flared back to life, scorching the two ghosts that were too close for comfort. This enraged all the specters, who looked ready to tear the girl apart. I'm adept at ghost-catching, but the sheer number overwhelmed my ability to keep her safe.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the ghost of the girl's grandfather, still under duress from the malevolent spirits, trying to scatter the paper money she had burned. The evil ghosts, though fixated on the girl, occasionally glanced over at the circle of ashes.

Seizing the moment, I shouldered through a few lost souls and made my way to the circle where the paper had been burned. Now, only embers and a heap of ash remained, with the coveted ghost money clinging to the ashes. As I approached, the ghosts' attention shifted from the girl to me, their eyes glowing an even fiercer red.

Without a second thought, I kicked the pile of paper ashes, scattering them with several forceful stomps. The circle the girl had drawn was obliterated... This meant that not just the girl's relatives, but anyone could now pick up the money.

The ghosts that had been hovering around the girl scattered in a frenzy to collect the money, and I seized the moment to hoist the girl onto my shoulders and run. Despite her continuous struggles, I knew that if struggling were effective, the world wouldn't be so full of sin...

Before we took off, the girl's grandfather gave me a smile, likely expressing his gratitude for saving his granddaughter.

I didn't stop running until we reached the bustling eastern side of the village, where I finally set her down. She tried to slap me again, but with a quick leap back, I dodged her hand.

"Look, I saved you out of the kindness of my heart. Why can't you be a little grateful?" I complained.

Even though ordinary people can't see wandering souls, the chilling sensation and goosebumps they cause are unmistakable. She had to have felt it and should have been thanking me!

However, the girl looked at me with frost in her eyes and said angrily, "Mind your own business! Sure, I might have run into some trouble, but I was burning paper for my grandpa. It's only natural he'd want to check on me! You're the one who interfered and scattered the paper I was offering to my grandpa. You're the bad guy!"

After giving me an earful, she stormed off, leaving me fuming.

"Wait, you still..." I called out, but before I could finish, she whirled around, glared at me fiercely, and snapped, "If you dare come near me, I'll accuse you of harassment!"

With that, I had no intention of sticking around. I went home with the ten ghosts in their bottles.

I was certain, though, that she would seek me out eventually. When that time came, she'd be the one begging me to get close. In the rush, a small, unintelligent ghost fragment had latched onto her—a fitting lesson, I thought.

Once home, I ate the corn paste my mom had left for me and went to bed. It's easy to digest, which is great for bedtime, but it's so bland that it often leads to an early morning wake-up call to use the bathroom.

I never expected that the following morning, it wouldn't be my bladder that woke me up, but rather the raucous commotion outside. The yard was a cacophony of sounds, as if a brawl was about to break out.

Barely awake, I stumbled out of the house only to be confronted by a man more formidable than a grizzly. He lunged at me, seizing my collar, and I found myself gasping for air.

This towering figure stood at nearly 1.9 meters, his face as round as a gourd. He was none other than Wang Dali, the village chief's eldest son and the only person from our village who had ever set foot in the provincial city.

"Brother Dali, please let go! I didn't lay a finger on you. We're all neighbors here. Why are you causing such a scene?" I pleaded.

But Wang Dali's grip only tightened as he hoisted me up and growled menacingly,

"Wang Xu, what have you done to my sister!"