Sometimes, we live in constant dread of death, convinced it looms over us day and night. Yet when it finally arrives, our hearts often find an inexplicable calm. Looking back on those days of fear, we can't help but feel a little ridiculous.
Just like now, I find the water ghost asking me if I'm afraid of ghosts utterly laughable. Before all of this, I was afraid. But now, with over a dozen ghosts standing right in front of me, what good would fear do?
So, I turned to the water ghost and replied, "Yes, I am afraid."
"Then why don't you run?" it asked, not in a hurry to torment my soul. Strangely, it didn't feel like a vengeful spirit at all—more like a stranger visiting a pharmacy.
"I'd love to run," I said, "but you've taken my three souls and six spirits! If you give them back, I'll bolt. Don't believe me? Try me." I stared at the nine fading, translucent pieces of my soul in the ghost's hand. They were growing dimmer, and to be honest, I'd stopped holding out hope.
The ghost chuckled softly. "You humans... always saying one thing and meaning another. You claim you're afraid, but you're clearly not. What's the point of lying to a ghost?"
"Humans, huh?" I looked at it with disdain and sneered, "Weren't you human once, too? Don't pretend you're a different species now!"
The water ghost, still clutching my soul fragments, walked to the pharmacy's door and stared after the old woman who had just left. "Her name is Bai Ye. She's my mother. Ten years ago, she cried herself blind over my death."
"Then... don't stray too far, alright? My soul is getting weaker by the second. If you wander off, I won't last much longer." I followed it to the door.
"I thought you weren't afraid?" The ghost looked at me like I was a frightened little rabbit, its tone almost playful.
Rolling my eyes, I said, "I'm not afraid of ghosts. I'm afraid of dying. Happy now?"
The water ghost suddenly clutched my soul tightly. Pain exploded through me, bones cracking under invisible pressure. My face twisted in agony, while the ghost smiled with satisfaction. "So what if you cured my mother's blindness? So what if you didn't kill my son? People are still people, and ghosts are still ghosts. Ghosts are evil by nature. You will die, regardless."
"Aah!" I cried out, unable to bear the searing pain. But deep within me, a single thought gave me strength—I had to stay alive. I shouted at the ghost, "Who said all ghosts are evil? You say humans are hypocritical, good, and bad alike. Then I believe ghosts can be the same. Let's make a bet—dare to take me up on it?"
The ghost paused. Its grip on my soul loosened. Its bloated, rotting face twisted into a malevolent smile. "A bet? What kind of bet?"
My legs were trembling now, too weak to stand. I dropped into a squat, looked up at the ghost, and said, "Didn't you claim ghosts are emotionless? Fine. Give my soul and spirit to the twelve ghosts of Zhangjia Village. Let's see if they'll devour me."
"Heh heh..." The ghost let out a chilling laugh, as if I were a fool. "All ghosts are evil. You want to hand your soul to a bunch of starving wraiths? Fine. Let me show you just how wicked ghosts truly are."
Then, with a lift of its hand, it raised my translucent soul into the air. The fragments struggled violently, their desire to survive shining through.
As the ghost held my soul aloft, the twelve village ghosts stared at it with greedy eyes. With wild shrieks, they lunged toward it, scrambling over one another.
I'm done for.
My scalp tingled at the sight. There really are no good ghosts. Even this water ghost, after watching me cure his mother, showed not a shred of gratitude. And these twelve ghosts... I meant nothing to them. Maybe I was doomed to die an even more miserable death.
The only thing keeping me going was someone—someone I'd loved for four years. Someone who was about to marry someone else.
Even though I knew Lin Ying was marrying another man, I still wanted to see it with my own eyes. I wanted to know if this "rich and perfect gentleman" she spoke of truly treated her well. She never lied to me—but if I didn't see it myself, I wouldn't be able to rest in peace.
As the twelve village ghosts tore at my soul, it began to fade. My body grew weaker and weaker.
And then I thought of Xu Nuo. Why hadn't she shown up? Was she unable to handle the water ghost? Or... did I mean nothing to her at all?
Just as I was about to close my eyes and accept death, something strange happened. The twelve ghosts froze.
Confused, I looked at them. Their fierce expressions had softened. They no longer fought over my soul. Instead, they gently took the fragments from the water ghost and placed them together, surrounding them in a protective circle, shielding me.
I was stunned.
So was the water ghost. It stared at the twelve village ghosts in disbelief. "What are you doing?"
They ignored it, continuing to circle my soul protectively.
"What... is this?" I asked, equally shocked. I turned to the ghost. "Is this some kind of... pre-meal ritual?"
The ghost didn't answer. Beneath its plastic raincoat, its deformed face grew darker. One of its rotted eyes showed a flicker of disbelief.
I followed its gaze and saw something miraculous—my three souls and seven spirits were glowing. The twelve ghosts encircled them, and the brighter they became, the stronger I felt.
Those nine luminous fragments... they were all me. And as I looked at them, one of them looked back.
It smiled.
A cold, eerie smile.
Was that... my soul?
No.
It was my soul.
I had no doubt. Despite the unsettling smile, I could feel it deep within—this soul was mine. Unlike the others, but still undeniably me.
As I staggered backward, the nine fragments rushed toward me, slamming into my body with a deafening boom.
"Impossible... this is impossible..." I heard the ghost's stunned voice as searing pain wracked my body.
I stretched out my limbs slowly, feeling my strength return. I looked up at the water ghost and said, "Well? Looks like I'm still alive."
Now it was the ghost's turn to fall silent. It turned toward the twelve village ghosts, voice trembling. "Why... why did you help him?"
One of the older ghosts chuckled. "The kid was right. Humans walk the path of humanity. Ghosts walk the path of ghosts. I still have a grandson. If I reincarnate early enough, maybe I'll see him again in this lifetime."
"But... but he tricked you! He used soul-dulling incense to lure you here!" the water ghost shouted, pointing at me.
The twelve ghosts turned toward me in unison. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I raised my hands and stammered, "It... it wasn't just me! My senior sister helped too. If you want someone to blame, blame her!"
The older ghost smiled. "Don't be afraid. Yes, you tricked us. But you also nourished our souls with millennium ginseng. That will bring us merit in our next life. The debt is paid."
Scratching my head awkwardly, I said, "Well, it was my idea to give you the ginseng. Hehe."
"Time to go!" one of the ghosts shouted. A cold wind swept past me, and in the blink of an eye, the twelve village ghosts returned to their scarecrow forms, tilted heads and sinister grins frozen in place.
"Gone already? Couldn't even stay for tea?" I walked up to one and gave it a gentle pat.
"Heh, always saying one thing and doing another," the water ghost muttered. "If they had stayed for tea, you'd have tried to drive them out again." It glared at me coldly. "You won this time. But next time, you won't be so lucky."
I turned to him and said, "You've been dead ten years. What's kept you in the mortal world this long? Is there something you still can't let go of?"
"None of your business." The ghost stood motionless in the pharmacy doorway.
"Tell me. Maybe I can help," I offered.
"You? Help me?" it scoffed. "You say I linger in this world... but aren't you the same?"
I frowned. "Me? I belong here."
"Do you?" It sneered. "You say I died ten years ago... but I think you died even earlier."
"What are you talking about? I don't understand." My mind was in a fog.
"Oh... now I get it," the ghost said, a crooked smile spreading across its face. "So it's true... the rumor is true. Looks like I made the right choice not to reincarnate."
"No," I said instinctively, "maybe not reincarnating will turn out to be your biggest mistake."
As soon as I said those words, I froze.
Wait... what?
The first part was definitely me.
But that last sentence...
Who the hell was speaking just now?