The Underworld.
Recently, the atmosphere throughout the Underworld has been rather peculiar.
Yet, the team members under the captains couldn't pinpoint exactly what felt off.
In any case, this atmosphere seemed to have been subtly spreading ever since the captains returned from the Underworld Annual Meeting.
For instance, some captains who were always on the front lines had suddenly stopped going out, spending their days handling affairs within their halls.
Then there were captains whose whereabouts were unknown; they were either busy or on their way to being busy, making them difficult to meet.
Furthermore, some higher-ranking ghost officers had begun to quarrel for reasons unknown.
What puzzled the team members the most was how their ghost artifacts could be damaged at an annual meeting.
Many ghost officers were filled with questions as they watched the first-class ghost officers constantly heading to the Ghost Artifact Workshop.
Wasn't the annual meeting just for reporting work and enjoying food and drinks?
Did they actually get into fights?
Speaking of which, there was also a rumor that something had flown out of the main hall during the annual meeting...
To this day, they still didn't know what that flying object was.
So, what exactly happened at the annual meeting?
Under these various phenomena and rumors, the annual meeting had, for a time, acquired a touch of mystery in the eyes of these team members.
While curious, they also felt a sense of longing.
It was said that the annual banquet featured grand performances and rare delicacies, the kind not even seen in the Ghost Market.
There was even a possibility of receiving guidance from King Yama himself, leading to further cultivation advancements...
...
The Underworld.
After Jiang Lin returned from the human world that day, he was in quite a good mood.
Although he didn't understand all the drawings, such as those short, small, chubby little figures, or some strange emoji-like expressions...
But as Jiang Lin had said before, he himself didn't understand these things very well, so he wouldn't be critical.
He figured that his fans, even when drawing, wouldn't intentionally portray him in an unflattering light.
Thinking this way, it didn't matter much.
...
Upon returning to the Eighteenth Hall, Jiang Lin first reviewed all the New Year's gifts he had received.
The gifts from the various captains were diverse, including herbs, ghost artifacts, and elixirs...
Among them, the gift from King Yama's hall consisted of two bottles of 'Zui Bu Weng' that appeared at the annual meeting and a box of exquisite pastries.
Jiang Lin found time to deliver that box of pastries to Xu Shuzi's family, and also gave Xu Guzi a generous red envelope.
As for those two bottles of Zui Bu Weng...
Although it was good wine and beneficial for cultivation, its side effects were too strong, so Jiang Lin carefully put them away.
After completing the post-New Year's affairs, Jiang Lin also granted his Eighteenth Team members a few days of New Year's leave.
The workload during the New Year period was not heavy, and he could handle it himself.
Work diligently when it's time to work, and rest well when it's time for the New Year.
...
During these days, Jiang Lin had not received many souls, but the reasons were mostly the same few.
Some died in house fires due to household carelessness, some in car accidents on highways, and some accidentally fell into sewers...
The souls and their states at the moment of death varied.
Some, after death, forgot they had died, while others retained their pre-death consciousness and would exchange a few words with Jiang Lin.
But there were also those who not only weren't afraid of ghost officers but were also wary of them...
Just like this middle-aged man who was hit by a car on the road.
This time, it wasn't the driver's fault, but the middle-aged man was standing on the road during a red light.
...
"What's going on...?"
"Was he spacing out just now, or did something happen?"
The viewers in the live stream were stunned.
When they saw the road, they had thought of hit-and-run drivers, robberies, or the like.
They just hadn't expected the middle-aged man to suddenly stop while crossing the road.
Within those few seconds, the traffic light changed.
A car drove over...
...
The middle-aged man had dark skin, his eyes were creased with wrinkles, he carried a backpack half his height, and two large plastic buckets were by his side.
Those buckets looked like the kind that renovation companies casually discarded by the roadside after use.
The man's rough hands would often and inadvertently touch his pockets, a gesture many were familiar with.
It was the same when they received red envelopes during the New Year, or after withdrawing a large sum of money from the bank.
They were afraid of losing the money.
...
On the road.
Blood quickly flowed onto the ground, not even giving anyone a chance to react.
The driver who hit the man drove about two meters before stopping abruptly by the roadside. His hands were trembling as he got out.
"Hello, 120? I... I hit someone..."
"Hello, 110..."
After making the calls, the driver knelt beside the middle-aged man and shouted:
"Brother, brother, are you okay? You have to hold on, don't scare me..."
He wanted to reach out and do something, but he was afraid of causing further harm, and was at a loss.
On the ground.
The middle-aged man's pupils quickly dilated, his injuries unknown.
The driver's voice became hazy, like a sound from beyond the heavens.
It was said that when people die, they can recall a brief glimpse of their lives.
But Zhou Xiong, at this moment, could only think of braised pork in a large bowl.
Stewed with potatoes and carrots for a good half-day, the meat was soft and fragrant.
Every bite was pure meat, a feeling of complete satisfaction.
This dish was also his wife's specialty.
He really wanted to eat braised pork...
He had been out for half a year and had been looking forward to it for half a year, but his salary doubled during the New Year, and he was reluctant to go back.
As he thought, Zhou Xiong felt himself slowly floating up.
He was floating??
Zhou Xiong blinked, then looked around. He saw his own corpse, the driver beside him who was almost crying with anxiety, and the traffic light not far away. He also saw the vehicles that had braked urgently upon noticing the situation and had spontaneously formed a cordon around the area.
Zhou Xiong, however, looked down at his own body again, as if remembering something, and without hesitation, slapped himself hard.
With a 'snap.'
The viewers in the live stream were startled.
The sad emotions were suddenly stuck.
The tears that had just begun to form in their eyes rolled out, reflecting their bewildered faces.
???
What happened?
...
Alas!
After slapping himself, Zhou Xiong squatted above his body and sighed.
He had felt something was wrong with his body before, but he never found an opportunity to see a doctor.
There were no hospitals near the construction site, and he had planned to see a doctor after returning home after the New Year, but it had suddenly acted up...
As he was thinking, he suddenly saw a white figure approach from the corner of his eye.
"It's time to go..."
Before Jiang Lin could finish speaking, he saw the middle-aged man jump up like a monkey.
He looked at Jiang Lin, then at the corpse on the ground, with a look of utter disbelief.
"You, you, you, what are you?" Zhou Xiong almost felt like he was coming back to life.
Jiang Lin said calmly, "To escort you on your way."
Having guided souls for so many years, Jiang Lin always believed that as a Wuchang, one should not show too much emotion.
Otherwise, it would only provoke more emotions from the souls.
"I know, you're the Black and White Impermanence, right?"
Zhou Xiong pursed his lips, his rough and honest face taut, seemingly very nervous.
"You, you stand there and don't move!"
"?"
Jiang Lin was slightly puzzled. The next second, he saw the middle-aged man quickly retreat two steps to create distance, then swiftly take off his shoes...
Raising his right hand, he shouted, "I'll smash you, White Impermanence!"
...