Judge of Souls - Chapter 37

Had the Shaoling Mountain Range cultivated and took form?

According to the Register of Merits and Demerits, this seemed to have happened only in the last month or two. So there was no record yet of what the true form looked like.

This matched with what he had mentioned before about sewage and burial grounds. After all, that area had begun development in recent years, with several companies moving in and secretly violating pollution regulations while pretending to comply—the oversight was inadequate.

In places with good feng shui, graves were inevitably numerous.

Who was he whispering with?

Chu Xuanliang asked, “If he’s the spirit of Shaoling Mountain range, which stretches across an entire area, why did he only bring a small mountain peak with him?”

Yama replied, “I didn’t expect the Shaoling Mountain range to take form at this time. Usually, from developing awareness to taking form requires a very long period. His cultivation foundation is unstable, probably influenced by external forces that forced him to take form. His magic power is weak; being able to carry a small mountain peak around is already quite impressive.”

Chu Xuanliang: “But why would a perfectly good mountain god come to the city? Did he save the student from the walking school?”

Yama said, “First, let’s find him and send him back. Where is that school built? Inside Shaoling Mountain range or around it?”

“Inside,” Chu Xuanliang said. “I don’t know exactly, probably at some blasted-out mountain foot.”

Yama angrily said, “Demolish it! You mortals are too much! Even destroying the dwelling places of mountain spirits. Do you want to occupy all the beautiful mountains and waters of the world?”

Having awareness develop halfway, perhaps taking nearly a thousand years, and then being blasted/burned/rebuilt/polluted, cultivation destroyed in an instant, was indeed… a very common occurrence. Especially in recent years. Other spiritual beings taking form faced the same problem—when their true forms were damaged, they were destroyed along with them.

Chu Xuanliang broke into a cold sweat and felt quite embarrassed. “No, no. Things are much better now. Before, when the country built a railway, they specifically detoured to avoid damaging the forests.”

Yama said, “Why was an illegal school allowed to be built? Why wasn’t it investigated? Why wasn’t it demolished? An ordinary school might be acceptable, but students’ resentment and hostility will affect the mountain god. If they regularly speak to the mountain god or ask it for things, it will have a very negative impact on the spiritual mountain’s cultivation.”

As they were speaking, a new incoming call appeared on Yama’s phone. Yama had nothing more to say, so he hung up on Chu Xuanliang to take the new call.

The voice on the other end began with, “Your son is with me.”

Such a familiar and stylish statement.

The Judge was silent for a moment, then asked, “Ransom?”

“…” The person on the other end said loudly, “What ransom! I’m the police! Do you know your child has run away?!”

Picking up a child was a matter requiring ID.

The Judge told Yama to call Officer Ye.

Officer Ye was furious enough to hit someone. Then he had his colleagues go pick up the little Mountain God and send him back to Jiang Feng’s home.

When the little Mountain God left, he was wearing Jiang Feng’s clothes. The socks and pants were too long, bundled around his feet.

When the officer brought him back, there were still unhealed bruises on his wrists, and he seemed listless. The police officer’s gaze at them was suspicious as he entered.

Jiang Feng brought him in, changed him into new clothes, and let him go to sleep.

Yama withdrew his divine consciousness to the Underworld that night, not staying to sleep on the floor in the mortal realm.

Because the little Mountain God was in poor spirits, Jiang Feng let him sleep on one side of the bed. He also lay down to rest.

During the night, after falling asleep.

Jiang Feng felt wind blowing on his face, carrying a damp, moldy smell. The blanket had just been sun-dried, so that wasn’t a smell his home would have. The bed felt hard as stone, uncomfortable against his back.

He heard muffled sounds of beating and cursing, along with some suppressed crying.

He opened his eyes and saw a large, strong man stepping on a young man’s face with his foot, grinding it with his shoe sole. Sensing Jiang Feng’s gaze, he turned around.

It was originally a normal face, but the moment he saw Jiang Feng, his features melted into a bloody mess.

Without a nose, his two empty eyes stared at him. His hoarse throat uttered three words, “Who are you?”

Jiang Feng shouted sternly, “Who!”

The scene instantly vanished, and he was back in his own bed, the mattress soft and warm, as if everything had been Jiang Feng’s illusion. He frowned.

The little Mountain God lying beside him woke with a start, sitting up with his eyes still closed, waving his arms, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid!”

Finally coming to his senses, he opened his eyes to a slit and turned his head to ask, “What’s wrong, dad?”

Jiang Feng raised his hand to wipe his forehead and said, “Nothing.”

“Did you have a nightmare?” the little Mountain God asked curiously. “Dad, do you have nightmares too?”

Jiang Feng pulled his small blanket up and pushed him back onto the bed. “Go to sleep.”

With Yama temporarily away, Jiang Feng didn’t know if this was normal or not, but he guessed it might simply be a dream.

The next day, Jiang Feng asked the little Mountain God about the walking school. But he shook his head vigorously, saying nothing.

When told he would be sent back, he shook his head again, refusing.

In the morning, Chu Xuanliang went to see Jiang Xiaoyuan based on yesterday’s police report. This time the other party was willing to meet him, though frightened and evasive. When asked about recent events, he either couldn’t answer or his answers conflicted with his mother’s testimony. Otherwise, no abnormalities were found; he was an ordinary person.

Chu Xuanliang thought it was strange.

The second night. Jiang Feng again dreamed of that strange place.

The bodily sensations were real and intense, except he was lying in a different place.

Last time should have been in a dormitory, while this time it seemed to be a teaching building.

He walked out along the corridor outside the classroom and came to an open space ahead.

Just as he was about to step out of the corridor, there was a loud “bang” as a dark shadow flashed by, and someone jumped down right in front of him.

A moment later, cries and wails poured from his mouth as the young man curled into a ball, making gurgling sounds in his throat.

He had jumped from the second floor. The building was low enough that he wouldn’t die, and he hadn’t hit his head hard enough to pass out. But his foot seemed broken, he’d lost a tooth, and blood was flowing out—he was in great pain.

Two strong men walked over to him from a nearby classroom, cursing, “Drag him away! Trying to run, are you? Just f*cking run! If you’ve got the guts, jump eighteen times and go straight to hell!”

One man turned back to face the frightened students coming out of the classroom, raising the stick in his hand. “The rest of you, get back in! Did anyone tell you to come out?”

Their silhouettes in the light had a certain indescribable transparency, as if faded, like projections, giving a slightly off feeling.

They all seemed unable to see Jiang Feng; no one glanced in his direction.

…No, someone did.

Instinct told him someone was looking at him.

Jiang Feng searched around and indeed saw someone different. He lifted his head slightly, focusing his gaze.

It was a female student with a shaved head, wearing a uniform. Her mouth was open as she stared at Jiang Feng in astonishment.

The colors on her were deeper and more real, though not obvious among the crowd.

Jiang Feng thought it might be his imagination, but then the girl quietly raised her hand and pointed at him.

Jiang Feng looked behind himself.

There was no one; he was the only person in that direction.

She silently mouthed something, her face looking like she might cry, pressing her hands together in prayer and bowing slightly. Finally, she reluctantly followed the crowd back to the classroom.

If he hadn’t guessed wrong, she had mouthed “save me.”

Jiang Feng felt very uncomfortable in this place. Just as he was about to go toward her, the little Mountain God woke up again, and he returned to his room.

“Dad?” The little mountain god rubbed his eyes and asked, “Did you have another nightmare?”

This time Jiang Feng could be certain that it was definitely related to the little mountain god.

The next day.

Jiang Feng told Chu Xuanliang about this incident.

Chu Xuanliang also found it strange, but the little mountain god was still too young, and they couldn’t rule out that his thoughts had been influenced by local students or instructors, leading to an unhealthy mindset. He decided to personally investigate the aftermath of the instructors’ mass deaths at Shaoling Mountain range, and also figure out how to return him safely.

With him helping, Jiang Feng felt much more at ease.

A few days after Chu Xuanliang left, Jiang Feng received another call from the police station.

The person said, “Is this Mr. Jiang Feng? If you have time, please come to the police station on Garden Road to assist with an investigation.”

Jiang Feng: “What investigation?”

The caller seemed quite troubled himself and paused before saying, “A lady has accused your three-year-old son of luring away her sixteen-year-old son. We hope you can come in to clarify the situation.”

A normal person would hang up at this point.

But Jiang Feng said, “I’ll come right away.”

The caller immediately became defensive, “You cannot hit people inside the police station. If you behave harmoniously, we’ll give you a box lunch—our station’s boxed meals are especially delicious.”

Jiang Feng: “…”

Jiang Feng and the little Mountain God arrived at the police station and were led to one side by a staff member. The young man who brought them in pointed and whispered, “Watch the show first.”

The police officer and Mother Jiang sat facing each other, while Jiang Xiaoyuan sat in another corner, with a young lady bringing him a cup of water.

Mother Jiang was arguing loudly.

The police officer tapped the desk with his pen tip and said with an unfriendly expression, “Why do you say he’s not your son?”

Mother Jiang shouted hysterically, “He’s changed! He wasn’t like this before!”

The officer glanced at Jiang Xiaoyuan. “Changed how? Did he get thinner or fatter? Doesn’t he look exactly like the photo you provided? You can’t recognize him just because he changed clothes?”

Mother Jiang said, “How could I not recognize my own son? He has the same face as my son, but he’s not my son!”

The officer rubbed his neck and sighed. He asked, “Did he hit you or curse at you?”

Mother Jiang: “He just stands there like a dead person and always likes to cry. The whole person is extremely abnormal. He can’t do his homework, and he can’t keep his hands off computers. After one day of school, he refuses to go again, holding his phone all day, and looking at me strangely.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan sat with his head lowered in the chair beside them. Hearing this, he laughed sarcastically. There was no light in his eyes, only deep disappointment.

Officer: “And what was he like?”

Mother Jiang: “He had good grades, liked to help teachers, was sensible and polite—all teachers praised him. At home, he would mop the floor, do laundry, cook, wash dishes. When I was sick, he would even give me massages. He could do everything!”

The officer couldn’t listen anymore and clicked his tongue. “Are you looking for a son or a housekeeper? A model of filial piety?”

Mother Jiang was displeased. “What do you mean? Doesn’t your wife do laundry and take care of children for you? Are you looking for a wife or a nanny?”

The officer quickly held up his hands in denial. “Hey, don’t misunderstand—I do the laundry at home and cook too. If she’s tired, she can rest all she wants. She’s my beloved; I can’t afford to hire such a celestial being as a nanny.”

Such strong self-preservation instinct made his colleague burst into laughter. After being glared at, the colleague brought another cup of water to Jiang Xiaoyuan.

The officer said, “I’ve seen your son’s file records. You even sent him to the walking academy, and he just returned home last month, right? Why would you send such a brilliant child to that kind of school? Do you know what non-regulated walking academies are like?”

“He used to have internet addiction!” Mother Jiang said. “That’s a disease!”

The officer grimaced and said, “So a small relapse now isn’t acceptable?”

“His grades couldn’t have suddenly dropped, could they?”

“Grades suddenly dropping is normal! Grades suddenly improving would be abnormal! Learning is like rowing upstream…”

“Don’t tell me these things. They’re definitely not the same person! Ask him what happened this month, and he can’t tell you a single thing!”

“You’re deceiving yourself, Mrs. Jiang. You just don’t want this son anymore, right?”

Mother Jiang slapped the table. “I want my son! I want my real son!”

The little Mountain God walked up to Jiang Xiaoyuan, and they whispered together with their heads lowered.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy to be home?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan bit his lip, squeezing the plastic cup in his hand. Hot water spilled over the edge, scalding his hand red. He seemed not to notice and choked up. “I want to go back, little Mountain God. They don’t want a son like me at all; I’ve embarrassed them. I’d rather stay in the temple with you and Tingting and the others. Ask the mountain spirit to switch me back, to be their good son.”

Little Mountain God: “Why? Dad is so good. There’s nothing in the mountain god temple, not even a signal.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan stopped sobbing for a moment and reminded him, “…He’s not your dad; you just bumped into him and stuck to him.”

“Is that so?” said the little Mountain God. “He’s still my dad though.”

“You…” Jiang Xiaoyuan said weakly. “You’re right. You have good fortune, unlike me.”

After saying this, he contradicted himself. “No, it’s not that you have good fortune; it’s that I’m too useless. I deserve this. But I’m just not that kind of person; what can I do? Does a pig have to learn to climb trees? The genes are wrong, okay?”

The little Mountain God thought for a moment and shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

A moment later, Jiang Xiaoyuan asked with forced casualness, “Anyway, how are Tingting and the others? Are they angry with me?”

“Tingting and the others haven’t spoken to me for several days,” the little Mountain God said, digging in his ear. “A few days ago they ran out of the Mountain God Temple and never came back. I can’t hear their voices anymore.”

“Why did they run out of the temple? There are instructors chasing outside!” Jiang Xiaoyuan said, his face turning pale. “They didn’t go down the mountain, did they? That’s dangerous!”

The little Mountain God said guiltily, “Mountain Xiao is looking, but it can’t go beyond the mountaintop. They might have really gone down the mountain.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan asked, “How many people?”

“Eleven,” said the little Mountain God. “Everyone except you went down.”

“Ah…” Jiang Xiaoyuan worried. “What happens if they go down the mountain? Will the instructors’ ghosts kill them?”

“I don’t know…” the little Mountain God said innocently. “I’m still small and weak.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “We need to save them!”

Little Mountain God: “But you all said not to tell others that you live on the mountain, so what do we do now?”

“I…” Jiang Xiaoyuan deflated. “I don’t know either…”