Judge of Souls - Chapter 11

“The netherworld has its own rules. No matter how much someone deserves to die, not just anyone can kill them. Besides, these three didn’t personally kill you,” Senior Brother said. “I can help you ask King Yama about this matter.”

Chu Xuanliang said, “Luo Xiaomei has already killed her husband for revenge and refuses to go to the netherworld. By rights, King Yama shouldn’t accept the case.”

Senior Brother placed his hand on Luo Xiaomei’s back. “You can go ask about this yourself.”

A ghost with such powerful magic power like Luo Xiaomei staying in the mortal realm would be quite troublesome, generally the netherworld officials would pay more attention. They would probably be happy to bring her back to the netherworld.

Senior Brother took out a golden talisman and had her hold it in her hand.

Chu Xuanliang took out three incense sticks from his bag and handed them to Senior Brother. He then set up a miniature incense burner in front of Luo Xiaomei.

Luo Xiaomei was pushed down by Senior Brother, falling to her knees, not daring to move.

Senior Brother bowed, then stepped forward to place the incense. Holding the evil-dispelling sword horizontally, he announced his identity and made his petition. Then he placed one hand on Luo Xiaomei, closed his eyes, and began chanting incantations.

The dark vision began to change. Ninth Heaven followed behind Luo Xiaomei, breaking through thick white mist, rushing forward until they arrived before a city.

Here there were only sounds of crows and birds wailing, ghost shadows loomed inside, and seven golden characters reading “Netherworld Ghost Gate Pass” were written above the city gate.

After entering the city gate, they traveled along the main street directly to the Hall of Yama.

The black gates opened layer by layer, with rows of ghost officials standing with bowed heads on both sides. She saw the King of Hell sitting on his throne.

He raised his head and their eyes met.

Luo Xiaomei respectfully knelt before the hall, but before Senior Brother could speak, the green-faced, fang-toothed King Yama waved his hand and closed the great doors.

Luo Xiaomei’s expression changed.

Then the scene shifted again, and the two were waved away to another place.

A heavy iron door appeared before them, opening with a “creak” to reveal a statue of a Judge.

Then both were sent back.

Senior Brother opened his eyes, showing some confusion.

Seeing that neither had responded, Chu Xuanliang tentatively asked, “Senior Brother?”

Senior Brother withdrew his hand. “Transferred to the Judge, a Judge will come to you.”

Luo Xiaomei nodded to show she understood, and glanced at Jiang Feng.

At the same time, white mist rose nearby, followed by a crisp sound, and a ghost official emerged from the mist.

“Luo Xiaomei. I’ve come to escort you to the netherworld,” the ghost official said, holding an iron chain in his hand and looking at her. “You previously refused arrest once and killed someone. You should be punished. This time King Yama is being lenient and won’t hold it against you, but when you go to the netherworld, you still need to sincerely apologize to him.”

Luo Xiaomei: “Yes.”

The ghost official attached the chains to Luo Xiaomei and nodded. “I’ll take her now, the rest of you, please carry on with your business.”

Though he said “rest of you,” he actually bowed toward Jiang Feng’s direction before disappearing into the white mist with the chain.

Everyone looked at him with some confusion.

Once Luo Xiaomei left, the entire courtyard returned to normal.

After being trapped inside for several hours, it was already dark outside. The fluorescent lights in the courtyard automatically turned on at the scheduled time, illuminating the scene inside.

All the bloodstains in the room had vanished, the stench of blood also dissipated instantly, with only a gourd ladle still lying smashed on the ground by the door, leaving a wet patch.

The child in Huang Yu’s arms started crying again. His cries awakened the three Luo family members who were still in a daze, and the people standing before them, along with the dull pain on their bodies, was enough to prove that what had happened earlier wasn’t a dream.

Mother Luo was still wailing on the side. Chu Xuanliang sighed and took out his phone to call the police.

They still had to stay here to clean everything up. For instance, how the three people got their injuries, and where exactly Luo Xiaomei’s corpse had been disposed of.

Jiang Feng felt hungry and tired. After all, he hadn’t eaten all day and hadn’t adjusted his sleep schedule. But staying in this courtyard, remembering the earlier smell, made him feel nauseous and uncomfortable.

There was no reason to stay anymore, so he grabbed his hat, preparing to go find a place to stay.

Senior Brother called out to him, asking, “Need any help?”

Jiang Feng: “Help with what?” To send him back?

“Liu Junlu’s inheritance,” Senior Brother said. “He left it to you, do you want it?”

“I don’t want it,” Jiang Feng wrinkled his nose. “I don’t want dead people’s things.”

It somehow felt like taking a bribe.

Senior Brother: “So leave it to them?”

Jiang Feng thought for a moment and said, “Whatever can be donated, donate it. It has nothing to do with me.”

An industrial company should have quite a few employees; he didn’t want trouble regardless of how much money was involved.

Senior Brother nodded saying, “I understand.”

As he spoke, he gave Chu Xuanliang a push.

“……” Chu Xuanliang said, “I understand.”

The capable doing more work is nonsense! The ones who really do more work are always the juniors!

****

That night.

The moon was bright and stars were sparse, with a gentle breeze blowing low.

The Judge opened his eyes, raised one hand in the air, and summoned the Register of Merits and Demerits. He turned to their pages and said in a deep voice, “Summon Luo Xiaomei, Luo Haozhi, Zhang Wenxiu, and Luo Jiaming.”

A sudden strong wind blew outside the window, making the already loose window frames rattle loudly.

Luo Xiaomei arrived first, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing to the Judge.

Soon after, Luo Haozhi and the Luo parents also arrived. The three looked confused, completely unaware of what was happening. Their bodies involuntarily knelt on the ground, their heads pressed down heavily by an imposing force, without even the strength to look up.

The Judge held the Register of Merits and Demerits, letting out a light sigh. Then he said:

“Luo Jiaming, Zhang Wenxiu. Although you two did not personally kill Luo Xiaomei, you are causally connected and cannot escape responsibility. First, you separated her from her closest relative, taking her from her grandmother’s side, and failed to fulfill your parental duty of protection. When your child died tragically, you did not seek justice but instead sought profit from it, truly undeserving of a peaceful death. Ten years shall be taken from both your lifespans, after death you shall wander by the river for twenty years, then be sent to the Seventh Hall for punishment.”

“Luo Haozhi, Luo Xiaomei gave you half the grace of raising you, yet you ignored her death, concealed the crime, and still show no remorse. Ten years shall also be taken from your lifespan, and you shall be sent to the Sixth Hall for punishment.”

“Transfer after a full day, then check for any other crimes. Decree: reduce your three’s fortune and wealth for twenty years, remaining life in poverty, plagued by illness.”

The three wanted to speak, wanted to defend themselves, but found they couldn’t open their mouths. Before their eyes was only the familiar blue bedsheet hem.

The Judge continued calling, “Luo Xiaomei.”

Luo Xiaomei: “Present.”

Judge: “After death you evaded arrest once and killed a living person. Although it was for revenge and understandable, it violated netherworld laws. Go serve in the Fifth Hall for ten years, only after completing your service may you reincarnate.”

Luo Xiaomei: “Yes.”

The Judge lowered his gaze, saw the recording was complete in the Register of Merits and Demerits, withdrew his divine consciousness, and waved his sleeve saying, “Go.”

The four then disappeared from the room. The Judge turned his attention back to Jiang Feng.

****

The next day, Jiang Feng returned to City A and went directly to report to his workplace, only to find he had still been fired.

During the day he was away, several of Liu Junlu’s descendants had come to the shop looking for him. The boss said he wasn’t there, but they caused trouble and refused to leave.

Since they had money, they specially hired people to take turns harassing the place.

The boss didn’t dare offend them and was really annoyed, so he said Jiang Feng had already been fired. After all, he wasn’t an important person, right?

Jiang Feng unknowingly became unemployed.

However, he hadn’t planned to work there long anyway, because summer vacation was about to end and he had to start school. Tuition was only about four thousand per semester, which he had saved up, but daily expenses would be a bit tight.

He sat in his rental room with the electric fan blowing, thinking that if Liu Junlu’s family still dared to come make trouble, he would really accept that inheritance.

But just as this thought occurred to him, they suddenly stopped and never appeared again.

Jiang Feng sighed.

What a pity.

****

Chu Xuanliang inexplicably got involved in this matter. He found a lawyer to negotiate with the Liu family on Jiang Feng’s behalf, extracting what liquid assets they could while ensuring normal business operations, and also sold several properties. The remaining inheritance, including company management rights, was left to them for internal distribution. After warning them, Liu Junlu’s family members no longer dared to trouble Jiang Feng.

The money received was all donated in Jiang Feng’s name according to his instructions.

Jun Heng sighed. “A windfall from heaven can also be painful.”

(TL: unexpectedly gaining great wealth (or fortune) isn’t always a blessing—it can come with its own burdens or troubles.)

“Is it him? Is he Jiang Feng?” Fu Yuan looked at the photo and spoke in the group chat. “I’ve seen him, he’s the one Liu Junlu said was connected to the Judge.”

Huang Yu: “Hehe.”

Huang Yu: “You’ve finally descended to the mortal realm?”

Fu Yuan frowned and said, “He really has some connection to the Judge. I previously took a case from Liu Junlu, and later the Judge personally ruled on it.”

Everyone was shocked at this.

Although they thought it was strange that Luo Xiaomei would fear an ordinary person, they had genuinely believed Jiang Feng was just an ordinary person!

Suddenly all sorts of Taoist practitioners emerged, carefully examining the uploaded photo, trying to see through every facial feature.

Several people were just talking nonsense.

Jun Heng: “A ghost envoy? Someone with backing?”

Huang Yu: “Maybe.”

Chu Xuanliang muttered, “But his yang energy is very strong.”

Jun Heng: “Maybe his ancestor was someone famous who was recruited as a ghost official, and then he reports back daily by burning incense, so he got connected with the Judge?!”

Xuanqing Temple spokesperson: “Enough! Are all your daily incense offerings wasted? Or do you think your ancestral masters have less influence in the netherworld than a ghost official? Is that how you get connected with a Judge?”

Jun Heng: “Wrong incense-burning posture?”

Baiyun Temple’s Sixteenth Junior Brother: “?? Senior brothers and sisters, please don’t deceive me.”

Chu Xuanliang: “I have to speak up… records say he’s an orphan. Little junior sister, please step back and stop misleading people.”

Huang Yu: “In that case, since he has nothing to do with the person who broke the six divine statues, we don’t need to care about him, right?”

Everyone deeply agreed.

No salary and especially troublesome. Why bother offending people when they’re bored? Isn’t it more fun to perform rituals and accumulate merit?

****

In late September, university finally started.

The events of recent times had been too unusual. Jiang Feng didn’t know if his life before losing his memory was also so tumultuous, but he remained very calm regardless.

Jiang Feng’s calmness and steadiness was such that people walking on the road would mistake him for a senior student or faculty member.

Actually, he also felt that still being in school was… a very strange thing no matter how you thought about it.

But he was clearly so young, so having such thoughts was itself very strange.