Chapter 136

Li Zhuiyuan slept from dusk till dusk.

Opening his eyes, from Li Zhuiyuan's vantage point, he could see the girl's soft, delicate facial contours.

She was lying on her side by the bed, head resting on her hand, actually looking at him too.

As the young man sat up from the carpet, the girl also sat up from the bed.

A faint smile played on her lips; now, this expression was no longer difficult for her.

The young man had many things he wanted to say to the girl, but then he thought of how dirty he was—he hadn't showered or brushed his teeth when he arrived last night, looking a bit unkempt.

Especially since this was the girl's bedroom, he felt a bit out of place with the environment and the person here.

"A-Li, I'm going to take a shower."

The girl nodded.

As soon as he stepped out of the bedroom, Li Zhuiyuan saw Aunt Liu cutting meat.

"Xiao Yuan, it seems you were truly tired."

"Yes, I slept for quite a while."

"You must be hungry, right?"

"Yes, very hungry."

"Then go shower first. This meat is being cut specifically for you. How about you barbecue it yourself?"

Eating barbecue right after waking up might seem a bit unusual, but for the now ravenous young man, the suggestion was excellent.

"Great, thank you, Aunt Liu."

"Do you want to eat in the courtyard, or on the rooftop terrace?"

"The terrace."

"Then I'll have Uncle Qin bring the grill up later."

"Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan went to shower. Grandma Liu regularly had new clothes custom-made for him, and a new outfit was already folded and waiting in the bathroom.

While showering, Li Zhuiyuan carefully avoided getting water on his bandaged right hand. He knew at a glance who had bandaged it for him; Aunt Liu's medical skills were too good for such elaborate... no, considerate and caring bandaging.

After showering, Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs to find Liu Yumei first.

Liu Yumei was sitting in a rattan chair in the open space on the second floor, enjoying dessert and watching the rain outside the window.

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's raining!"

"A-Li's room is well soundproofed, so it's normal not to hear the rain," Liu Yumei waved her hand. "Alright, you just woke up, go eat. Grandma should rest too."

"Please rest well."

"Of course. Now that you young people are up, it's naturally time for me to rest."

Li Zhuiyuan turned and went downstairs, holding A-Li's hand, and they went to the rooftop.

A large black umbrella was set up on the terrace, like a black pavilion, keeping out the rain.

Under the large umbrella were a table, chairs, and benches. Charcoal was already lit in the small grill, and a mahjong-tile-sized piece of fat was on the griddle to grease it.

Li Zhuiyuan and A-Li sat down on opposite sides and began to barbecue.

Tender beef, simply grilled and dipped in a little seasoning, was delicious enough.

Of course, the main thing was that they were truly hungry. At that moment, even ordinary food tasted like a gourmet meal.

To the rhythm of the grilling, Li Zhuiyuan recounted to A-Li what had happened yesterday... or rather, the day before yesterday. A-Li listened very attentively.

Especially when she heard the young man describe how he finally stepped on the pig's head and then destroyed it with karmic fire, the girl tilted her head slightly, her eyes twinkling like starlight.

She could tell that the young man had deliberately made that gesture to make it easier for her to compose her drawings.

When two people's relationship is truly excellent, they often become very childish with each other.

The charcoal in the grill glowed faintly red, and in the girl's eyes, the young man, who was speaking earnestly, seemed to have a faint halo around him.

Aunt Liu had cut only meat, with no vegetables prepared.

They were full.

Li Zhuiyuan and A-Li sat there playing chess. On a rainy night, without stars in the sky, it was perfectly clear and suitable for setting up a chessboard and making moves.

As expected, Li Zhuiyuan lost several rounds in a row.

Finally, Li Zhuiyuan and A-Li parted ways. When going downstairs to get his backpack, the young man deliberately put the empty Jianlibao can he had drunk into his bag.

Then he put on his backpack, picked up an umbrella by the door, opened it, and walked out of the courtyard.

After he left, A-Li, carrying a small collection box inlaid with pearls and agates, also came to her bedroom.

Her gaze swept around several times,

But she couldn't find the can.

She pouted.

But soon,

She smiled again.

The rain must have been falling for a long time; there were puddles in many places around the school, and some areas were unavoidable, requiring wading through the water.

The dorm lights were already off. Li Zhuiyuan took off his backpack, planning to throw it inside first, then climb over the wall himself.

Of course, he could call the dorm supervisor to open the door, just by mentioning Tan Wenbin's name, but it was troublesome in the rain, so it was simpler to do it himself.

Just as he was about to throw the bag inside, a familiar voice came from behind him:

"Brother Xiao Yuan."

Tan Wenbin jogged over, holding an umbrella.

"Brother Binbin, why are you still out here?"

"I was watching a movie at the shop and fell asleep. I'm just heading back to the dorm now."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. He knew that Tan Wenbin had probably calculated when he would wake up and had been waiting at the shop. From the counter there, one could see the entrance to this dorm building.

"How is Brother Runsheng doing?"

"He's fine, provided Mengmeng doesn't personally make him late-night snacks."

"Click!"

Without needing to call the dorm supervisor, Tan Wenbin simply took out a key and unlocked the door himself.

Back in the dorm, Li Zhuiyuan grabbed a dry towel to wipe himself, while Tan Wenbin took the opportunity to explain the plan for handling the photo studio matter.

"Brother Binbin, you did a great job."

"Brother Xiao Yuan, so it's settled then?"

"Yes."

"It's just that the use of those spirits still needs you, Brother Xiao Yuan, to figure out, including setting up some control methods for them."

"No rush on that. Deng Chen was right, those three are too weak right now to be of use. And it wouldn't be appropriate to place a separate restriction on Deng Chen first."

"No, it wouldn't be."

"I'll draw you a formation diagram. When you have time, go to the photo studio and set it up in a room. It can accelerate the gathering of feng shui energy, and keeping those three in that room will help them recover a bit faster."

"Alright, leave it to me."

Li Zhuiyuan hung the towel back, walked over to Tan Wenbin, and examined him carefully.

"Brother Xiao Yuan, what's wrong?"

"It's been replenished."

"Replenished? Lifespan?"

"Yes, you must have used Ghost Control Art that day."

"Only half..."

"But you lost a lot of lifespan. Now it's not only replenished but you have more. Probably after two more waves, all the lifespan you've lost from raising ghosts will be filled back up."

"That's great, haha. Oh, by the way, Brother Xiao Yuan, there's something else I haven't told you."

"What is it?"

"I had Deng Chen communicate with those three 'little darlings,' and they wrote letters, from their perspective and understanding, explaining the disappearance of the three individuals."

"The general theme was: tired of the busy hospital work, tired of the boring business life, tired of the greasy kitchen fumes from constantly stir-frying; they suddenly realized that life isn't just about the mundane present, but also poetry and distant fields."

"In short, 'I quit, I'm going traveling, to find my pastoral idyll.'"

The doctor (related to the red monkey) was shredded into pulp, the boss (related to the green ox) was burned to ashes, and when that Fourth Uncle chased Tan Wenbin with a knife, he set up a miasma, so no one in the restaurant could see what was happening.

All three were relatively "clean" disappearances. The bodies of the first two were self-disposed very well. Fourth Uncle's seppuku was too intense; yesterday, Tan Wenbin specifically went to his house to clean up the "crime scene."

If his biological father knew his son was using family knowledge for this, he'd probably be so angry he'd unbuckle his belt again.

Since the three Yin Beasts previously had their own social connections, adding these details to the letters made them highly credible. Even if someone was suspicious, it didn't matter; with these letters, it would be easier for the police to close the case if reported, preventing a waste of police resources.

Primarily, it was to provide a final resolution for the disappearance of these three individuals.

"Brother Binbin, you're very thoughtful. I hadn't considered any of this."

"Brother Xiao Yuan, you're just too tired. Besides, didn't you entrust this matter to me? This is what I should do. From now on, I'll take care of all such wrap-up tasks."

"Alright, thank you for your hard work."

"Hehe, it's my duty." This way, for every wave in the future, he would have a fixed role. Even if he wasn't there for the curtain call, his position would still appear in the credits.

What's this usually called? Post-production?

Li Zhuiyuan sat at his desk and began drawing the formation diagram. The diagram needed to be simple enough for anyone to understand, with important points clearly marked.

Tan Wenbin also sat at his desk and began reading a book.

After Li Zhuiyuan finished drawing the formation diagram, he handed it to Tan Wenbin, who put down his previous book and began to memorize and understand it.

As he looked, Binbin expressed confusion:

"Huh? Brother Xiao Yuan, how come I feel like my efficiency in understanding these things is getting higher and higher?"

"You've been studying for a long time; practice makes perfect."

"Could it be related to the two kids on my shoulders?"

"Yes, their presence enhances your spiritual perception."

"Sigh, so if they reincarnate later, I'll just become a lonely, senile old man?"

"They only enhance your state, but it's primarily your own learning. Don't confuse cause and effect, Brother Binbin, you need to have confidence."

Students with good grades often believe more in their own efforts, while students with poor grades are more willing to believe in study guides or secret methods, and also have more stationery.

Tan Wenbin nodded vigorously. Yes, he had to believe in himself. Even if Brother Yuan's chicken soup was scalding hot, he had to gulp it down.

After Binbin understood and memorized the formation diagram, he checked the time; it was just past midnight. He left the dorm, went to the restroom for a cigarette, and stretched after finishing it.

Alright, starting today's quitting smoking.

After returning, Tan Wenbin continued to read. He now loved the evening study atmosphere; with the two ghost children helping him on dark and windy nights, his study efficiency practically doubled.

If he had this setup before the college entrance exam, it would have been wonderful.

But it's not too late now; universities also have final exams.

When most university students pick up brand new textbooks before finals, it's not really called reviewing or preparing for exams... it's not even studying... it's entirely called previewing.

Time continued to pass. Li Zhuiyuan had slept so much that he wasn't sleepy at all. After recording the events of the third wave, he took out the "Jiang Walk Code of Conduct."

First, he extracted the rules that had not yet changed, then revised the wording for the rules that had changed.

This was a preliminary revision. After completing these, Li Zhuiyuan sat in his chair, pen in hand, and began to think.

Facts had proven that there were no unchanging rules.

The river water flows and changes; many of the people who drown every summer are those who believe they are excellent swimmers.

But the one under the peach tree grove had also said that Wei Zhengdao liked to strip the river water and the Heavenly Dao of all their mystery, making them boring.

Yet it also quoted Wei Zhengdao: "Continually blaspheming the Heavenly Dao will make it unable to resist stripping the human skin from your body."

The two statements above were contradictory.

Furthermore, combined with his own practical experience, the contradictions continued to expand.

Contradictions are good; the truth often lies hidden within these clashes of contradictions.

Li Zhuiyuan opened a page in the "Jiang Walk Code of Conduct" and wrote:

Increase awareness of the difficulty of Jiang Walk, deepen understanding of Jiang Walk actions.

The river water is dynamic, and the rules of Jiang Walk are also dynamic. One must seize opportunities in dynamic development.

Li Zhuiyuan sighed softly, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of cool water.

Since he had already compared Jiang Walk to a "question setter," his previous attempts to summarize fixed, static rules to make Jiang Walk easier were clearly inappropriate.

If you fix your own behavioral logic, aren't you giving the "question setter" an opportunity to anticipate and target you?

The pig's head incident in the third wave was definitely not a mere coincidence; he had been subjected to path dependence.

Therefore, ultimately, he had to fully mobilize his own subjective initiative.

Each wave should be treated as a new poker game—re-deal the cards, place bets, formulate strategies, without laziness or complacency.

This was not a subversion of previous understanding, but a further improvement and sublimation based on it.

In the third wave, Runsheng was severely injured, Tan Wenbin lost lifespan, and he himself was injured; moreover, out of five Yin Beasts, he only killed one pig.

He hadn't intended to control the score, but this wave's team losses and gains were far lower than the previous two.

This was an unexpected outcome.

If there were a real scoring standard, his score for the third wave would definitely not be high.

Thus, while the difficulty of the fourth wave would still follow the principle of each wave being stronger than the last, the rate of increase should decrease.

He had inadvertently created the conditions for starting a new round of testing.

Li Zhuiyuan took out a new notebook and began drafting a plan on it.

The plan was not complex; for now, it only contained some key ideas and concepts that needed to be substantiated.

The subsequent parts would still need to be filled in through practice.

Li Zhuiyuan took out another new notebook and began writing his "medical record."

He had complained about why Wei Zhengdao hadn't left anything for future "patients," and then thought that he hadn't left anything either, so he might as well start writing now.

The main purpose of writing this was not truly for those who might contract this "illness" in the future.

Rather, after writing this, he would feel more justified in complaining about Wei Zhengdao.

This writing session began from his earliest memories and continued until dawn, by which point he had only reached his return to Nantong.

The preceding parts mainly described the progression of his "condition" during childhood.

Li Zhuiyuan stretched. He was still full of energy, so he got up from his desk to wash up.

"Ah..."

Tan Wenbin let out a long yawn, rubbed his eyes, and then went to wash up with him.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

After washing up and returning to the dorm, Li Zhuiyuan saw Tan Wenbin starting to change clothes and asked.

"I'm going to sleep in the auditing classroom."

"Oh." Li Zhuiyuan understood.

Tan Wenbin gave a wry smile.

That day, when he was being chased and attacked by Fourth Uncle with a cleaver in the residential area, he, for Zhou Yunyun's safety, pushed her out of the white mist. After the mist receded, he immediately went to the photo studio for reinforcement.

Yesterday, he was busy writing letters, and then he rushed to Fourth Uncle's house to deal with the body. He couldn't exactly bring his girlfriend along for that kind of work.

So he ended up leaving her hanging for two days.

Tan Wenbin: "It's a good thing Yunyun has a good temper and didn't blame me. She was quite happy when I said I'd go with her to class this morning."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Because she likes you more."

Tan Wenbin dramatically raised his hands: "Ah, it sounds like I'm really a scoundrel, hahaha."

Li Zhuiyuan emptied his backpack. He had intended to place the empty can on his desk, but fearing that Tan Wenbin or Lin Shuyou might mistake it for trash while cleaning the dorm, he put it in his desk drawer.

The two of them went downstairs together.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I'm going to the cafeteria to buy breakfast. Do you want anything?"

Tan Wenbin shook his head: "The person who likes me more will bring it for me. I'll have food when I get there."

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at him, said nothing, and walked into the cafeteria.

Tan Wenbin scratched his head and let out a long sigh.

Sure enough, Brother Xiao Yuan, after getting good rest at A-Li's place, always became very approachable.

It was only at these times that Tan Wenbin dared to initiate a joke, but even so, he still felt a little apprehensive.

He took out his car keys, went to the shop entrance, and started the small pickup truck.

It rained last night, and he took the opportunity to wash the car overnight with the rainwater. He had no choice; he had used this car to dispose of bodies.

Fortunately, everyone was a body retrieval agent; a car that had transported bodies wouldn't be considered unlucky, but rather familiar.

Tan Wenbin drove to the auditing building. After parking, seeing that he had enough time, he went directly to the classroom for his 8 AM class, which he had been told about in advance.

Zhou Yunyun was already there, with breakfast set out in front of her.

To Tan Wenbin's surprise, Miss Luo Mingzhu from the expedition team was also there, sitting right next to Zhou Yunyun.

Luo Mingzhu's eyes were red from crying, and she held a printed letter in her hand.

"I really didn't expect my Fourth Uncle to have had such a hard and unhappy life all these years."

Zhou Yunyun: "You should be happy for your Fourth Uncle. Even though he can't see, he can still experience new things."

"Mm." Luo Mingzhu nodded, picked up the soy milk on the table, took a sip, and sighed, "I never imagined Fourth Uncle's writing, even in braille, could be so eloquent."

Tan Wenbin secretly smug: "That's my meticulousness and cultivation."

Actually, that day, while eating at Fourth Uncle's "Jianghu Restaurant," when Fourth Uncle came out of the kitchen and called Luo Mingzhu "Zhuzhu" instead of "Yuyu," Tan Wenbin already found it a bit strange.

Luo Mingzhu herself had said that her original name was Luo Mingyu, but her parents later changed it to match the family hotel's name, hoping for good fortune.

Older relatives should still have been calling her "Yuyu."

Now he, of course, understood what had happened. The real Fourth Uncle had died long ago. The Fourth Uncle who cooked and donated to charity for children was a white centipede that had possessed a corpse.

Someone who hadn't experienced Luo Mingzhu's childhood would naturally call her "Zhuzhu."

However, Tan Wenbin really didn't understand why Zhou Yunyun continued to hang out with Luo Mingzhu.

Old Class Monitor, haven't you noticed that Miss Luo's intentions towards me are impure?

Are you opening the door to thieves, inviting wolves into the house, or deliberately using this to test cadres?

Tan Wenbin: "Senior, I think you're in the wrong classroom."

Luo Mingzhu: "I haven't even said you're in the wrong school."

"Senior, move over."

"No."

Tan Wenbin reached out and grabbed Luo Mingzhu's hair, lifting her. Luo Mingzhu was in pain and displeased but had no choice but to be forcibly moved to a front-row seat.

She turned her head, looking at Tan Wenbin with a resentful expression.

Tan Wenbin ignored her, picking up a tea egg and starting to peel it.

After peeling one, he first offered a bite to Zhou Yunyun, then put the rest in his own mouth, and continued peeling the second.

Luo Mingzhu: "I haven't had breakfast either."

Tan Wenbin: "Your family runs a restaurant. Go eat at your own place."

Luo Mingzhu: "My family's restaurant uses inferior ingredients, I wouldn't dare eat there."

Tan Wenbin: "Have your boyfriend peel it for you."

Luo Mingzhu: "I used to have one, but we broke up after the last expedition." Then, Luo Mingzhu earnestly said to Zhou Yunyun, "So really, as a couple, you have to go on a long trip together to truly see a person clearly."

Tan Wenbin: "Lunch at my mom's place?"

Zhou Yunyun: "It feels a bit awkward always freeloading at Auntie's place."

Tan Wenbin: "No worries. We'll buy ingredients, take them home, and you can cook. My mom will be waiting to eat."

"But I only know how to cook simple home-style dishes, and they don't taste as good as Auntie's. I'm afraid Auntie might not be satisfied."

"It's fine. Let her get used to old age early, so she doesn't hold unrealistic fantasies when she's older."

"You..." Zhou Yunyun bit her lip and lightly punched Tan Wenbin's arm a few times.

"Hehe," Tan Wenbin shrugged and laughed.

Luo Mingzhu asked: "Can I come to your place for lunch too?"

Tan Wenbin shook his head: "No, I'm afraid my mom would misunderstand."

Luo Mingzhu: "Why would she misunderstand? I don't have any other intentions. Yunyun is your girlfriend."

Tan Wenbin: "I'm afraid my mom would misunderstand that my dad's mistress from Jinling has shown up at our door."

At Grandma Liu's house, Aunt Liu was responsible for making breakfast, but Li Zhuiyuan thought that occasionally eating out was also good, as the cafeteria's breakfast counter offered a wider variety.

However, he couldn't just buy enough for two people. He bought a lot, filling his backpack, and took it to Grandma Liu's house.

Aunt Liu, Uncle Qin, and Grandma's portions were also included. Uncle Qin had a large appetite, so he naturally ate more. Even if Grandma didn't eat this, Aunt Liu could prepare something else for her.

By the time Li Zhuiyuan arrived at A-Li's bedroom with soy milk, fried dough sticks, and sesame balls, A-Li had already pushed open the French window and was sitting there waiting.

There were two small cushions; the girl sat on one, and another was placed beside her.

The old lady's household rules were strict. Even when she was at Li Sanjiang's house, eating simple meals, the dining table etiquette had always been maintained.

But one was her biological granddaughter, and the other was the family's new Dragon King. If the two children wanted to be a bit more casual and disregard those rules and formalities, the old lady couldn't really discipline them.

In fact, she even had to come downstairs, stand at the bedroom door, and smile as she watched them:

"Hehe, are you all eating?"

After breakfast with A-Li, Li Zhuiyuan took the girl's hand, and while it was still early and there were few people, they went for a walk on the school's sports field.

With or without Xiao Yuan by her side, A-Li's perspective was completely different.

If Xiao Yuan had held her hand when they went to buy Jianlibao the day before yesterday, she would at most have felt uncomfortable, not nearly overwhelmed to the point of breaking down upon returning home.

As the school gradually awoke from the morning and was about to become lively from their walk, Li Zhuiyuan took A-Li back home.

A-Li had thought the young man was about to leave, but he didn't. He led her to the study, where they sat facing each other.

"A-Li, I'm going to change my strategy. This time, I'm going to proactively approach the fourth wave."

Li Zhuiyuan had had this idea for a long time: to set his own challenges.

He had originally thought this idea was quite distant, something for the mid- or even late-stages of Jiang Walk.

But plans never keep up with changes. Since the "question setter" had changed its approach, he naturally had to adapt.

Since Wei Zhengdao had succeeded in history, he had no reason to believe he had no chance at all.

As for the third wave just ending, and there being quite a long time until the fourth wave, and the karmic threads only appearing after a certain period...

Li Zhuiyuan had considered this point.

This time, one of the main things he wanted to test and prove was whether he could proactively "create" karmic threads, and then, after successfully doing so, see if the river would acknowledge them.

In any case, he now had plenty of time.

A-Li liked to see the young man in high spirits; she proactively extended her hand.

Li Zhuiyuan took the girl's hand, closed his eyes, and entered A-Li's dream.

Over a year ago, when he first entered A-Li's dream, he had a splitting headache and almost fainted. Now, he was accustomed to it.

Inside the familiar bungalow, with the familiar cracked memorial tablet, and the familiar threshold.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around and looked outside.

Outside, the thick fog had receded beyond the vegetable garden fence.

The clamorous noises were gone, leaving only whispers.

Just as he had thought, these filthy, disgusting things deserved a beating.

Earlier, when that pig controlled the four beasts to block the door, those things in the white mist cheered fiercely. Now that the pig was dead, these guys had quickly turned into quails.

Li Zhuiyuan stepped out of the threshold, casually taking down the white lantern stuck in a crack in the wall.

When he came out, the whispers in the white mist grew louder.

Perhaps because they were also familiar with the rhythm and rules, they were surprised: the pig's head had just been annihilated, so why was this young man coming in with a lantern again?

Li Zhuiyuan walked forward with the lantern, crossing the vegetable garden fence.

But then, every step he took forward, the white mist retreated a step and a half.

The further he walked, the further the white mist receded from him.

This meant that even if he wanted to cast his "rod," the distance wasn't enough.

Li Zhuiyuan kept walking, and they kept retreating.

The whispers continued; you could even discern the sarcasm in their tone, but these things had no face to show, hiding in the mist.

They all seemed to know what it would mean to reveal their "true forms" before the young man.

And among them, it seemed that only every once in a while would one emerge, whether out of foolishness, a special purpose, or confidence, to provoke and respond to a wave.

In other words, when he treated A-Li's dream, with the accumulated grudges and karmic ties of the Qin and Liu families' Dragon Kings throughout generations, as a question bank, this place... was actually already influenced by the river.

If it wasn't time, it wouldn't present itself to you.

The young man looked around and said with a contemptuous tone, "Truly, a bunch of pathetic things."

This was a provocation, hoping a courageous revenant evil spirit would, upon being provoked, jump out on its own, thereby helping him conduct this experiment.

However, although Li Zhuiyuan used this method, he didn't have high expectations for its effectiveness.

If they truly had courage that could be provoked, how could they have done something like bullying an orphan girl in her home after her elders were gone?

The young man's fingertips trembled slightly. A-Li's dream was not reality; he was invited in by A-Li, and these revenant evil spirits forced their way in, but in essence, there was no difference between the two sides.

Here, most methods couldn't be used; no spells, no formations.

But... the Twelve Edicts of Fengdu might work.

Firstly, because it was inherently a means for Emperor Fengdu to command all ghosts, imbued with mysticism; secondly, Yin Changsheng might still be alive.

When the sky falls, the tallest one bears the brunt. Li Zhuiyuan didn't mind dragging Yin Changsheng into his Jiang Walk karma to achieve his goal.

However, just as the young man was preparing to gather strength and attempt to use this move, a series of clear bell sounds emanated from the white mist.

"Ding-a-ling... thump... Ding-a-ling... thump... Ding-a-ling... thump..."

First came the sound.

Immediately after, a yellow paper floated out, followed by two, then three, finally a stream of them.

Li Zhuiyuan stopped what he was doing, looking at the mist ahead.

He hadn't expected someone would actually be provoked by this taunt.

The bell sounds continued.

A Taoist priest in a yellow robe walked out of the white mist.

As he shook a bell with his right hand, his left hand scattered a handful of yellow paper, and then, from behind him, came the neat thumping sounds of hopping and landing.

The Taoist priest's hair was disheveled, covering his face, but from his arms visible at the sleeves, it could be seen that he was as emaciated as a mummy.

He walked at the very front, leading the way. Behind him, in the void, though unseen, there seemed to be a perfectly aligned line of followers, moving orderly amidst the chilling atmosphere.

"A corpse driver?"