Chapter 512: Surging In

Although ghosts no longer needed rest or sleep, they still had to expend spiritual energy and their soul bodies. The incredibly long, dense, and bustling queue was astonishing.

"Next!"

Under a dark, murky sky, at one end of the Bridge of Helplessness, Shangguan Man sat on a chair, holding the Book of Life and Death. Like an official in an administrative office, she continuously processed the incoming souls. Her admiration grew with each passing moment; the sheer volume of work was immense. Yet, this mysterious monarch, who presided over the Hall of Reincarnation, managed to persevere day after day—a level of endurance she found hard to comprehend. (Unbeknownst to her, this was usually a clone of Xu Zhi, devoid of emotion, performing only mechanical reviews.)

One day passed. Two days. Shangguan Man gazed at the dense river of souls, the endless, winding queues stretching along the Road to the Yellow Springs. A flicker of despair and numbness crossed her face. Such a workload was unimaginable for an ordinary person; she had not rested for over fifty hours.

Five days. Ten days. "Just... just a little longer," she urged herself. The hazy, radiant figure flashed in her mind's eye. This benevolent encounter was the greatest opportunity of her life; even the celestial being she had just dealt with envied her. Could she possibly betray such kindness?

"No opportunity comes out of thin air," she mused. She pursed her lips, solidifying her resolve.

"The last one," she murmured.

Half a month later, Shangguan Man stared at the last soul in the long procession, wondering how she had even made it through. Her body instantly relaxed, feeling as if it might collapse. Her soul body was fragile and indistinct, on the verge of fading into unconsciousness.

"Is this my test?" she wondered. "It reminds me of when I was eight, starving for three days and three nights in the heavy rain, certain I was about to die."

After a moment of silence, she began to move her weary body forward, step by step, across the dark ground. Her head felt heavy, as if she might fall asleep the moment she closed her eyes. Forcing herself to stay awake, she eventually made her way into the grand hall behind her, stepping through the entrance.

The being had already shed its radiant halo, revealing a flawless face. It sat calmly on the divine throne, turning the pages of a black book.

Shangguan Man attempted to speak, unsure how to address the entity. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly knelt, respectfully offering, "Greetings, Your Majesty..."

Xu Zhi paused, struck by the woman's formidable willpower. He closed the book and, with a smile, said, "Rise. In the future, when you come to see me, there's no need for such grand formalities. Feel free to be more casual."

This being was unexpectedly approachable, a profound contrast given that they controlled the reincarnation of an entire world. The stark difference stirred a strange, unbidden emotion in Shangguan Man's heart. She slowly bowed her head and replied, "Yes."

"What is your assessment of the Underworld as it stands now?" Xu Zhi suddenly asked.

Shangguan Man pondered for a moment, her face still pale. Collecting her thoughts, she answered earnestly, "There are many issues, but the most significant problem is that it's very crowded and understaffed."

"Indeed, the lack of personnel is the Underworld's greatest challenge," Xu Zhi confirmed. "Going forward, whenever you have a moment, you can consult the Book of Life and Death and select suitable individuals from the stream of reincarnating souls to help share the burden. These roles include Judges, the Black and White Impermanence, and the Ox-Heads and Horse-Faces…"

After a brief explanation, Xu Zhi adopted a hands-off approach, leaving her to find the necessary personnel herself. How the Underworld's affairs would be perfected was now up to them to define and regulate. The native inhabitants were to manage this realm themselves, while Xu Zhi, accustomed to being a hands-off overseer, had done this many times before.

This was an online game world! It was a fresh endeavor, marking the widespread opening of the world to players.

Shangguan Man, though still pale, continued to listen intently to the rules of reincarnation, constantly organizing her thoughts.

Noticing her deep absorption, Xu Zhi used his spiritual energy to gently soothe her soul as he continued to elaborate on various matters. After some time, another fresh, long queue had formed outside, with countless aggrieved souls once again lining up for reincarnation.

"Should I go handle them?" Shangguan Man asked, her face still pale.

"No need," Xu Zhi replied with a smile, "Let these departed, restless souls wander for a while."

"Understood," Shangguan Man replied, her expression unchanged, though she felt a slight surprise inwardly. This being truly seemed unconcerned and leisurely. To the deceased souls, who yearned for immediate reincarnation, he remained indifferent, letting them anxiously wander.

"By the way, would you like your original appearance restored?" Xu Zhi asked.

Shangguan Man did not answer immediately this time; instead, she fell silent for a moment. Every young woman desired a beautiful face. Shangguan Man had been born with a grotesque, dark red, centipede-like birthmark covering a large portion of her face, resembling a fiery cloud. Yet, her facial structure was excellent—an oval face that, if the birthmark were concealed with foundation, would reveal a peerless beauty. And now, with just a single word, she could completely remove the birthmark and become the renowned peerless beauty the brothel once considered its star attraction, truly embracing that identity...

Shangguan Man took a deep breath, then spoke, "I believe my current appearance is quite suitable, Your Majesty! Having managed a brothel, I clearly understood that beautiful women were limited to entertaining guests with drinks. Here, it appears superficially similar—also serving a drink, but it is fundamentally different. If a beauty such as that were to preside over the Underworld, seated by the Bridge of Helplessness, she would surely fail to intimidate the unruly souls and scoundrels arriving from all walks of life and various realms!"

"Therefore, I believe..." Her gaze flickered, a hint of timidity in her eyes as she looked up at the elevated figure.

"Continue," Xu Zhi prompted, his gaze unwavering.

Shangguan Man then spoke freely and confidently, "My experience is not vast; I have only ever struggled at the lowest rungs of society. The chief enforcers of local powers are often broad-shouldered, imposing, and ferocious. After all, a person's first impression is their appearance, and ferocity is how you command respect and deter others. In the Underworld, facing all manner of departed souls, I believe I should embody the image of a malevolent spirit: fierce, brutal, cunning, and unpredictable! Only then can I instill an immediate impression that discourages rash actions or provocations. Indeed, I even hope, Your Majesty, that you might make me even uglier…"

"You wish to become uglier rather than beautiful? A very insightful perspective," Xu Zhi responded calmly. "As you wish."

The very next second, below the Hall of Reincarnation, Shangguan Man's posture gradually stooped, her back hunched, and her skin turned dark. She transformed into a frail, trembling old woman in her sixties or seventies.

Originally, Shangguan Man's face was exceedingly ugly and grotesque, yet her figure was quite alluring. Now, she appeared to have shriveled, her body bent and twisted, featuring a wrinkled, spectral face that exuded a chilling aura.

"If you wish to change back, you may find me at any time," Xu Zhi stated, as a mirror slowly materialized and floated in the air.

Shangguan Man gazed into the mirror, confronting her transformed, ugly appearance, and stared intently into her own eyes reflected there.

"It's merely the myriad forms of life," she mused. "Having received tens of thousands of souls at the Bridge of Helplessness and witnessed countless joys and sorrows, I now understand how truly absurd were the common people's concerns, and my own former preoccupation with and self-consciousness about appearance! Before this cycle of reincarnation, beauty and ugliness, height and stature, and all races are merely shells that encase souls. Upon arriving here, everything returns to equality, to the primordial chaos of life, before re-entering the cycle of rebirth for a new delineation."

She slowly bowed. "Not to mention, for an existence like Your Majesty, or even top-tier beings of a lesser rank, appearances and forms can already be freely altered. I believe there is no point in caring about outward physical presentation now."

Having finished speaking, Shangguan Man let out a long sigh of relief, her heart aflutter with uncertainty, wondering how His Majesty would react. This, she realized, was clearly the second test. She dared not deceive, for these were truly her most genuine thoughts, and she had done her utmost to express them.

Having spent half a month there, witnessing countless souls undergoing reincarnation, she had come to understand the true greatness of this mysterious Underworld, unknown to the living. How tempting her position was. Even the most noble celestial being would find it hard to attain such power. Although she could not dictate which of the three paths of reincarnation they took, she could easily determine their destination and parentage: wealthy households, the gates of nobility and generals, or impoverished and desolate families. She held the key to determining destinies, with just a stroke of her brush.

"Not changing your appearance—excellent," Xu Zhi said with a smile. "I hope all the colleagues you recruit in the future will adhere to this standard."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Shangguan Man became utterly thrilled, her chest heaving. How could she not grasp the meaning of those words? This signified that she had successfully passed the second assessment and was fully qualified for the position.

Xu Zhi quietly observed the ecstatic Shangguan Man below. He had to admit, this Meng Po was increasingly aligning with his expectations. This was a gourmet world, and while culinary talents specifically related to 'soup' might not be abundant, they were certainly not rare! Many individuals harbored deep obsessions with food. He had chosen her because he had reviewed her life's resume and understood her character. After all, how could a beautiful young girl serving soup at the bridgehead possibly command respect in the grim Underworld?

A Meng Po who valued beauty would be utterly unsuitable. Managing the Underworld was an inherently serious matter, and her appearance needed to be not merely unattractive, but fierce and imbued with a formidable, malevolent aura. Only then would she align with the Underworld's chilling image. In myths and legends, a wrinkled Meng Po, terrifying Ox-Heads and Horse-Faces, and long-tongued Black and White Impermanence were the kinds of figures that met Xu Zhi's aesthetic requirements.

Shangguan Man was excellent in all respects. Her only current flaw was her timidity, an unavoidable trait developed from prolonged experience at the bottom of society, where meekness was a survival mechanism for the weak. However, he was confident she would grow beyond this in the future.

The more Xu Zhi observed her, the more satisfied he became. Meanwhile, Shangguan Man felt a strange sensation under his gaze, her body trembling slightly. "Could it be that His Majesty has a unique preference," she wondered, "and specifically favors ugly young women like myself, even deliberately making me uglier and hunchbacked? Is that why he…" Her cheeks flushed slightly. Under his intense gaze, she even began to feel a strange, nascent anticipation. "Perhaps I should pay more attention to my grooming..." The thought suddenly bloomed in her mind. As a former courtesan, she had naturally perfected her smile. Confronted by the monarch's intense gaze, she instinctively responded with a habitually shy, demure smile.

That smile, showcasing bright eyes and perfect teeth, would have instantly captivated everyone if it had belonged to a peerless beauty. However, on the ferocious, wrinkled, dark old woman she had become, this same smile was as terrifying as the visage of a malevolent ghost.

*Hiss…* "What an expressive face."

Xu Zhi sat on the divine throne, feigning composure, wearing his crown and black robes to maintain the dignified image of a Heavenly Venerate. Yet, a corner of his mouth began to twitch. "As expected, the heavens won't grant me a perfectly ideal candidate," he mused. "Has Shangguan Man awakened some strange new attribute? An 'ugly-cute'… aesthetic?" Even he found that smile a little unbearable; it was, in its own way, even more striking than the explosive passion of the muscular maidens. "However, it does perfectly suit the facade of the Underworld."

Having endured the sight of those "eye-searing" muscular maidens, Xu Zhi's resistance to pressure was, after all, exceptionally strong. He couldn't help but sigh softly to himself. "Shangguan Man is indeed very clever. This must be her own idea... That backward glance with a smile, grotesque, eerie, and bizarre, could instantly and powerfully subdue any character on the Road to the Yellow Springs!" "I can already envision the horror of the wronged souls." A slight smile involuntarily curved on Xu Zhi's lips as he considered this.

Standing below, Shangguan Man's heart throbbed uncontrollably. He had actually smiled at her! At first, she thought it was a mere coincidence, but now it seemed genuinely possible… This was utterly insane!

Under the dark sky, the clamor from outside soon broke the tranquility.

"A sign? Reincarnation suspended?"

"But we've been waiting for ages!"

"Is this the world after death?"

The crowd outside continued to swell, growing larger by the moment.

Xu Zhi, however, paid no mind. He slowly finished explaining these important matters, observing Shangguan Man's expression shift several times—though he naturally had no idea she was entertaining the bizarre thought of offering herself to him. Then, he suddenly shifted topics. "Do you know that besides the Mortal Realm, the Animal Realm, and the Celestial Realm, there is a fourth category of beings?"

"A fourth realm?" Shangguan Man asked, looking perplexed.

Xu Zhi pursed his lips, took a sip of tea, and explained, "The fourth category of beings originates from an extraterrestrial civilization, referred to by the current Celestial Realm as the Asura Path! They possess unique forms and the inherent characteristic of life evolution. In the near future, this fourth realm will inundate this world in great numbers. Furthermore, they are not part of our reincarnation system, do not enter the Underworld, and exist beyond the three established realms!"

"Extraterrestrial civilization? Not under the jurisdiction of our Underworld? Not recorded in the Book of Life and Death? Beyond the names listed there?" Shangguan Man's eyes widened abruptly. To her, it felt as if the truth and prologue of the entire world were only just beginning to unfold.

"Precisely," Xu Zhi confirmed. His gaze drifted towards the three paths of reincarnation. This was a world where players were now entering in large numbers. While most players could only operate within the Animal Realm, which had the slowest time flow, their presence would fundamentally alter the world's entire civilization and ecosystem, inevitably steering it towards an "online game" model. If likened to a large-scale Eastern fantasy MMORPG, then Shangguan Man and her colleagues were naturally the highest-ranking NPCs, overseeing the supreme Underworld of reincarnation and wielding control over its fundamental rules. These specific NPCs were unaffected by karma, held no grudges, and would not intervene in the disputes of the three realms.

The current group, including Yuan Qinghua, were remnants from the previous competition, with only two to three hundred survivors after the attack. Now, the next wave of the online game's PvP combat tournament was already underway, featuring an unprecedented six thousand participants! This influx of players marked the official "server launch." Naturally, it was crucial to instruct and forewarn Meng Po and the other officials to be fully prepared, to prevent any unforeseen incidents from becoming unmanageable.

"Possessing evolutionary traits, are they also the new species that form this world, the source of its continuous cycles?" Shangguan Man quickly began to consider. "They come from another civilization; will they introduce different ideas and actions?"

Shangguan Man took a deep breath, then unexpectedly posed a question that even caught Xu Zhi off guard: "Since all beings are equal, might I also recruit some of these creatures to join us?"

Xu Zhi glanced at her and replied, "Yes, you may. While they do not undergo reincarnation through the cycle of rebirth, they can be brought into the Underworld to serve in various capacities. However, you must be cautious."

Shangguan Man nodded. She had merely been curious and asked out of interest, without any true intention of recruiting them.