63: Chapter 63 The Calamity of Xinghua Village

Wu Xi reached back and grabbed, his fingers like iron pincers clamping onto A-He's collar, lifting him straight off the ground.

A-He's feet dangled in the air, a weird rattling sound coming from his throat as his hands grabbed and legs kicked wildly, looking just like a chicken being held by its neck.

Niu Fei scratched the back of his head and spoke in a muffled voice, "Brother Wu, take it easy. Look, you've scared this kid so much his face has turned white as paper."

"He wasn't shaking when he was lying to people just now."

"Keep crying," Ling Muxue's voice was lazy. "Continue, I haven't heard enough yet."

Jiang Jiye tugged gently on her sleeve, her fingertips trembling, "Sister Muxue, don't be like this…"

Jiang Yuehong hid behind Jiang Jiye, half her body concealed, her teeth biting her lower lip, making a faint grinding sound.

A-He finally lifted his head, his face smeared with tears and snot, which dripped down his chin, spreading into dark stains on his lapels.

"I'm asking you."

"Why did you help those ghosts lure people into the Domain of Wrongful Death?"

A-He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, a whimper escaping his throat.

Suddenly, his body went limp, and he slid out of Wu Xi's grip, kneeling on the ground with a thud.

His forehead slammed heavily against the bluestone slab.

Thump!

The dull sound echoed through the silent forest, startling a few black crows.

"I was wrong! I was truly wrong!" A-He's voice was heart-wrenching, laced with sobs, almost a roar, "Please, don't kill me! I was forced! I was really forced!"

As he shouted, he kowtowed incessantly, his forehead striking the stone, each impact heavier than the last.

Soon, the skin broke, and blood seeped out, mixing with tears and snot, carving dirty streaks across his face.

"Those ghosts are too powerful! I couldn't fight them! They said if I didn't help them lure people in, they would flay me, pull my tendons, and nail my soul to the pillars of the Domain of Wrongful Death, preventing me from ever reincarnating!" A-He cried until he seemed heartbroken, his whole body convulsing, "I have an eighty-year-old mother at home, and a three-year-old child! I can't die! What would they do if I died!"

Niu Fei watched with furrowed brows, his fists clenching until they cracked, "Brother Wu, I think this kid is pretty miserable, how about…"

"Miserable?"

Ling Muxue sneered, cutting him off. She stood up straight, brushed the dust off her body, and walked step by step to A-He.

"Big Niu, did your brain get caught in a door?" She squatted down and used her finger to lift A-He's chin, forcing him to look up at her, "Those people he lured in have had their bones picked clean by ghosts by now. Aren't they miserable?"

A-He's eyes darted away, not daring to meet her gaze.

Ling Muxue applied slight pressure with her fingers, making his chin A-He, "You say you have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child?" A cold smile curled her lips, "Then let me ask you, what is your mother's name? How old is your child this year? When is their birthday? What is their zodiac sign?"

A-He opened his mouth, his tongue seemingly tied in a knot. He couldn't say a word for a long time, sweat dripping in large beads from his forehead, mixing with the blood.

"Speak," Ling Muxue's voice still carried a smile, but every word was like a knife, "Why aren't you talking? You were speaking quite smoothly just now, weren't you? Why are you mute now?"

A-He shoved her hand away and began kowtowing to Wu Xi again.

"I lied! I lied, isn't that enough!" He cried out, his voice cracking, "I have no mother, no children! I'm a loner! Those ghosts caught me and locked me up for three days and three nights! If I didn't agree to do their bidding, they would deep-fry me into cracklings! I really had no choice!"

Ling Muxue stood up, brushed the dust off her hands, and spread her hands toward Wu Xi, "Look, I told you this kid was acting. His acting is pretty good; it's a pity he doesn't perform in theater."

Jiang Jiye frowned, looking at A-He on the ground, "Then why did you lie about having a mother and a child?"

"I… I just wanted to make you sympathize with me…" A-He's voice grew quieter, his head burying lower, almost touching the ground, "I know I was wrong, I shouldn't have lied to you. But I'm really afraid of dying! Those ghosts are too terrifying, they are capable of anything!"

Just then, Wu Xi finally spoke.

"Look up."

A-He shuddered as if struck by lightning. He slowly raised his head, looking at Wu Xi with teary eyes. The blood on his face had dried into dark red scabs, making him look even more wretched.

"I'll ask you one last time." Wu Xi's voice was calm but carried an unquestionable power.

"Why do you help ghosts lure people into the Domain of Wrongful Death? Tell the truth."

A-He's body jolted.

"I'll tell you… I'll tell you…" A-He's voice was as raspy as sandpaper rubbing together, almost inaudible, "It's not for myself…"

"I'm doing it for the people in our village." As soon as these words were out, everyone was stunned.

Niu Fei scratched his head, looking bewildered, "The people in your village? What do you mean?"

A-He took a deep breath and wiped the tears and blood from his face with his sleeve. His hands were still shaking, but his gaze had become somewhat firmer.

"Our village is called Xinghua Village, located thirty miles east of the Domain of Wrongful Death." His voice was low, heavy with a nasal tone, "Half a month ago, the Ghost King led a large group of ghosts into our village. That day happened to be the Qingming Festival, and everyone was on the mountain sweeping graves. The Ghost Fog suddenly arrived, shrouding the entire village."

"The Ghost King captured everyone and locked them in the deepest part of the Domain of Wrongful Death." A-He's voice began to tremble, "He said that if I didn't help him lure outsiders in, he would kill one person from the village every day."

"The first day, he killed Old Man Wang."

A-He's tears flowed again, and this time he didn't wipe them away.

"Old Man Wang was seventy-three this year. He never had a conflict with anyone in his life. He was just dragged out by the ghost soldiers and beheaded with a single blade. His head rolled to my feet, his eyes still open, looking at me…"

He couldn't continue, his shoulders heaving violently.

"The second day, he killed Aunt Li." A-He's voice choked with sobs, "Aunt Li had a child who had just turned one, still breastfeeding. When the ghost soldiers dragged Aunt Li away, the child was crawling on the ground, crying for its mother. The Ghost King kicked the child away with one blow, smashing it against the wall until its brains spilled out…"

"The third day, the fourth day… people died every day."

"I watched them die one by one before my eyes, yet I could do nothing." A-He's voice was filled with pain and self-reproach, "I tried to escape, I tried to resist, but I couldn't beat them. They caught me, broke my legs, and locked me in a pile of corpses."

"The Ghost King said that as long as I help him lure one thousand people in, he will release everyone in the village." A-He looked at Wu Xi, his eyes filled with pleading, "I know what I'm doing is selfish and despicable. Those people I lured in were all innocent. But I have no choice! I can't just watch everyone in the village die!"

As he spoke, he kowtowed to Wu Xi again. This time, it was light and solemn.

"I know I deserve death. Once the villagers are saved, I will submit to whatever punishment you deem fit; I will have no complaints if you want to kill or butcher me." A-He's voice was firm, "But now, please, help me! Save the people in the village!"

Niu Fei was so angry he punched the tree next to him.

Bang!

The tree, as thick as a bowl, was snapped in half, the trunk crashing to the ground, leaves rustling down.

"That son of a bitch!" Niu Fei roared, his voice like thunder, "That's inhumane! Not even sparing the elderly and children! Brother Wu, let's go! Let's kill all those ghosts! Let's save the people of Xinghua Village!"

Qiu Chuanxing nodded, his long blade unsheathing with a "shing" sound. A flash of the blade sliced through a falling leaf, "That's right. We cannot ignore something like this."

Jiang Jiye looked at A-He and nodded forcefully, "We will help you. We will definitely save everyone."

A-He looked at everyone, too moved to speak. He kowtowed to them a few more times, the wound on his forehead splitting open again, blood flowing down his cheeks. But this time, a smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you! Thank you all!" He choked out, "You are all good people! This great kindness, I, A-He, will never be able to repay even if I work like an ox or a horse for the rest of my life!"

He wiped the tears from his face and took a deep breath, "The Ghost King has locked the villagers in the core area of the Domain of Wrongful Death, with several checkpoints outside. The nearest one is Kuaizai Pavilion, guarded by four ghosts. They are the Begging Ghost, the Bowl-Playing Ghost, the Gluttonous Ghost, and the Drunken Ghost."

"The Begging Ghost and the Bowl-Playing Ghost?" Wu Xi raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." A-He nodded, "These two ghosts are the most cunning, and they are quite skilled."

Niu Fei scratched his head, suddenly realizing, "Oh! So those are the two guys we fought in Yin Sui Cave! No wonder the names sounded so familiar! I didn't expect them to have run here and become guards."

A-He looked at Wu Xi, his eyes filled with awe, "So you are all this powerful…"

He exhaled in relief, a glimmer of hope appearing on his face, "Then this time, we will definitely be able to save the people in the village!"

Wu Xi frowned slightly. Was it really that simple?

If the Ghost King could easily slaughter the entire Xinghua Village, his strength must be unfathomable. Why would he send A-He to lure them? Wouldn't it be simpler to just send a few powerful ghosts to kill them?

Just then, footsteps came from nearby.

Several passersby who had escaped from the entrance of the Domain of Wrongful Death with them slowly gathered around.

The leader was a middle-aged man, his face covered in wrinkles, as if carved by a knife. His eyes were numb, devoid of any luster, like a dry well.

"Heroes," the middle-aged man spoke, his voice as raspy as a broken gong, "We want to go to Kuaizai Pavilion with you."

Wu Xi turned his head to look at him, "Do you know what kind of place Kuaizai Pavilion is?"

"We know." The middle-aged man nodded, "The young brother here just said that there are four ghosts guarding it."

"And you still dare to go?" Niu Fei asked in surprise, "It's very dangerous there! You are all ordinary people; going there is just suicide!"

"Dangerous?"

The middle-aged man gave a bitter smile and pointed to the surrounding Ghost Fog, "In this world now, where is it not dangerous?"

"We ordinary people have no cultivation, no weapons. Death awaits us wherever we go." His voice was calm, so calm it was frightening, "Instead of being bitten to death by ghosts outside without even leaving a whole corpse, it's better to go to Kuaizai Pavilion with you and try our luck. Maybe we can even kill a ghost or two and take one down with us."

Another young woman spoke up, her eyes red, tear stains still fresh on her face.

"My husband and child were killed by ghosts three days ago." Her voice was laced with sobs, but firm, "There is no point in me living alone. If I can follow you and kill a few ghosts to avenge my husband and child, I will die without regrets."

There was also an old man, leaning on a cane, standing there tremblingly. His hair was completely white, his back hunched, but his eyes were bright.

"I've lived for seventy-eight years, I've seen everything there is to see." The old man coughed twice, "Death is nothing to be afraid of for me. Before I die, I might as well see some new things."

Everyone spoke in a jumble.

In their eyes, there was no fear, only despair and numbness. For them, living was already more painful than death.

Wu Xi looked at them and remained silent for a long time. He knew they were telling the truth.

In this world rampant with ghosts, the lives of ordinary people are cheaper than grass.

"Alright." Wu Xi finally nodded, "But remember, if you encounter danger, do not panic, and try your best to protect yourselves."