"Brother, do you think Zhao Fusheng is pretending to be stupid? Or has she really gone crazy?"
In Wan'an County's Demon-Suppressing Bureau, Fan Wujiu couldn't understand no matter what how Zhao Fusheng could suddenly say such 'mad ravings.'
"She just luckily controlled a ghost. Before this, she didn't even know what ghosts were. How could she suddenly want to expel ghosts and handle ghost cases?" Fan Wujiu truly couldn't understand.
After Zhao Fusheng finished speaking those bold words, she said she'd narrowly escaped death and should properly wash and change clothes, and needed to first handle her parents' funeral.
So she put the emerald jade book back into the ghost box and had the Fan brothers put these things away.
After she finished speaking, taking advantage of Fan Bisi's iron-blue face, she slipped back into the main hall where the corpses were laid out, preparing to first pay respects to her 'parents,' then change into mourning clothes, leaving the confused Fan brothers standing in the courtyard, dumbfounded.
"Is she really not afraid of death, or does she know she'll definitely die and deliberately wants to drag us brothers down with her?"
Fan Wujiu still held the ghost box, seeing Fan Bisi's expression was black enough to drip water. After a long silence, he couldn't help calling out:
"Brother..."
"Enough, stop talking."
Fan Bisi was in a bad mood and interrupted his brother's words:
"Regardless of what she's thinking, I can be certain she's unwilling to remove our life-souls from the register and let us leave Wan'an County."
"Then what do we do?" Hearing this, Fan Wujiu became somewhat anxious:
"The ghost fog in Wan'an County is getting thicker. Once the ghost fog seals off the entire county, we simply can't get out. We'll be trapped here waiting to die—"
"There's no solution." As Fan Bisi spoke, his expression gradually calmed.
Things had reached this point. Whether Zhao Fusheng was retaliating against them or had other plans, she currently seemed unwilling for everyone to part amicably.
Though his initial hopes were high before being rejected, he could only hide his anger now. He said:
"She doesn't even understand how ghosts work yet. She probably thinks she's successfully controlled a ghost and is temporarily getting carried away—she's actually trying to truly exercise the magistrate's duties and handle cases—"
Fan Bisi was young after all. Speaking later, he finally couldn't control the anger in his heart and laughed coldly: "She truly doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."
"Dealing with ghosts is extremely dangerous. Looking at her like this, if she really tries to suppress ghosts, she probably won't live a month."
After speaking, he calmed down again.
"So what do we do now?" Fan Wujiu followed his words most obediently. Seeing him calm down, he looked at the large wooden box before him and asked.
"Wait a bit longer, don't be anxious." A cold glint passed through his eyes as he said:
"When she loses control, we'll proceed according to the original plan—find another person with deep fortune to lure away this ghost. After solving this hidden danger, we'll find another scapegoat to help us remove our life-souls."
He'd always been decisive, speaking and acting with purpose. Hearing these words, Fan Wujiu's heart finally calmed considerably. He nodded in agreement:
"Good."
"Put these things away." Fan Bisi forcibly suppressed his anger and instructed his brother.
"Alright." Fan Wujiu was about to pack up those things when Fan Bisi had another thought:
"Leave some past case records from the Demon-Suppressing Bureau, as well as some ghost information. Since Fusheng wants to handle cases, she'll also need to properly understand these things."
...
The two brothers decided to let Zhao Fusheng realize the difficulty and retreat.
Even if Zhao Fusheng hadn't heard the two brothers' calculations, she could guess Fan Bisi's intentions. But she temporarily didn't have time to think carefully about these matters.
Her clothes had a large hole. The ghost claw had torn through the original Zhao Fusheng's chest cavity. Blood had flowed all over her body—naturally, these clothes couldn't be worn anymore.
Based on the original Zhao Fusheng's memories, she returned to her temporary lodging in the rear side room and found a bundle belonging to the original owner.
Inside were two brand new sets of clothes. These were prepared in advance by the Fan brothers to fabricate their story. The original Zhao Fusheng had always been reluctant to wear them. Until later when she died at the malevolent ghost's hands, she still hadn't worn these clothes.
After simply washing up, she returned to the great hall.
The Fan brothers' figures had already disappeared from outside the Demon-Suppressing Bureau's courtyard. The main gate stood open. Last night's shattered two human skin lanterns still hung outside the gate. The cold wind passed through the hall, lifting the two 'Dian' characters pasted on the door planks, making 'wuwu' sounds.
Since the Demon-Suppressing Bureau became haunted, within a radius of several li around this area it was hard to see any living person's shadow. No one foolish enough would casually enter this haunted residence.
This was also good. The quiet environment would let her think properly without being disturbed.
Zhao Fusheng's parents' corpses were laid out in the main hall. She moved over a rush cushion and knelt before the two bodies.
TL: Rush cushion is just a little mat for kneeling.
"Though Zhao Fusheng and I aren't from the same time and space, we share the same name. This is fate."
Though she still didn't understand why she could be reborn borrowing Zhao Fusheng's body, since she'd been given new life, she would properly protect her own life.
"I came too late and couldn't save your lives. But since I've taken over Zhao Fusheng's body, I'll also fulfill her obligations—bury you two elders, and if there's a chance in the future, I'll find a way to kill the Fan brothers and avenge your family of three." Zhao Fusheng thought secretly in her heart, then seriously kowtowed three times.
After finishing this, she sat back on the cushion and began contemplating her situation and the clues obtained after rebirth.
Currently, the known situation was as follows:
She was in a dynasty called Great Han, and in this Great Han Dynasty ghost disasters were rampant. Ghost incidents occurred frequently everywhere, requiring the Demon-Suppressing Bureau to suppress them.
Zhao Fusheng's Wan'an County Demon-Suppressing Bureau was under siege by ghost fog. The court had already decided to abandon this place.
She listed out the current situation comparison in her mind. The fortunate part: she'd died accidentally in her rental apartment but luckily borrowed a corpse to return to life. The unfortunate part: the person whose corpse she borrowed was a ghost minion whose life-soul was controlled by a ghost, not to mention another malevolent ghost was entangled with her body.
This malevolent ghost had already reached Sha-class.
Though she didn't understand the specific ghost ranking levels, and Fan Bisi flatly denied it during their earlier questioning, the God-Sealing List had already given a prompt. After thinking it over, Zhao Fusheng decided to trust the God-Sealing List's rating.
A Sha-class malevolent ghost, on the same level as the malevolent ghost currently controlled by the court's Demon-Suppressing Bureau's Jia Yi...
"Sigh—" Thinking of this, Zhao Fusheng couldn't help letting out a long sigh.
No matter how she looked at this situation, it was a certain-death trap.
According to Fan Bisi, the original Zhao Fusheng's outcome would be her future. It was just a matter of time.
But heaven doesn't cut off all paths for people. With her rebirth, she seemed to have inadvertently obtained the Hell God-Sealing List.
According to the God-Sealing List, as long as she completed tasks, she still had a thread of hope for survival.
The God-Sealing List's requirement was for her to fulfill the Demon-Suppressing Bureau magistrate's duties—expel malevolent ghosts, protect the people, thereby obtaining merit rewards.
Once merit was full, she could open divine positions and Hell's reincarnation cycle, sending away the malevolent ghost on her body—as for the Life-Soul Register's restrictions, she could only think of solutions later.
Zhao Fusheng didn't know the God-Sealing List's origins. But if Fan Bisi's words were true, then this God-Sealing List was her only way out. No matter what, she had to try.
After making her decision, Zhao Fusheng contemplated what she currently possessed.
The original Zhao Fusheng was a country girl, destitute and with nothing.
The current her had both parents dead, alone.
She possessed the Demon-Suppressing Bureau magistrate identity, but Wan'an County's Demon-Suppressing Bureau had nearly all died, leaving only the Fan brothers. She didn't understand this pair of twin brothers. Currently, she only knew both sides were enemies. These two brothers wanted to leave and might not obey her commands.
Fortunately, Fan Bisi had earlier, in his eagerness to ask her for help, revealed a key piece of information: she possessed authority over the Life-Soul Register. The Fan brothers would temporarily be constrained by her and couldn't leave this place.
Besides this, she also had a ghost—though this ghost's abilities, once used, might accelerate her death. But Zhao Fusheng had reached this point with no choice. If it came to a critical moment, she'd have to use the ghost's power to temporarily stay alive.
However, the prerequisite was that she had to find the method to use the ghost's power.
The Fan brothers had said the Life-Soul Register's ghost language could also resist the ghost power on her body. She definitely had to keep this item close to her person.
...
She was accustomed to thinking things through first, listing out plans and details before proceeding. By the time she'd listed out everything she needed to do next one by one, much time had already passed. Only then did the Fan brothers return from outside.
As soon as they returned and saw Zhao Fusheng kneeling in the main hall, neither had a good expression.
"You're back at just the right time."
Seeing them, Zhao Fusheng quickly stood up:
"My parents are already dead. Their bodies can't keep being laid out in the Demon-Suppressing Bureau. Find Old Zhang from the coffin shop for me and have him take out two coffins so I can lay my parents to rest first."
This was her first time experiencing a ghost world. She knew nothing about ghost origins.
Influenced by previous legends, Zhao Fusheng's family had suffered ghost disaster and died violently. If the Zhao couple died with grievances, they might stir up more trouble.
To prevent long nights and many dreams, it was better to quickly bury them.
"Coffins?" Fan Wujiu turned to look at his brother. Fan Bisi shook his head:
"No money."
"What?"
Zhao Fusheng could hardly believe her ears. She hadn't expected to get such an answer from Fan Bisi:
"How could the Demon-Suppressing Bureau have no money?"
She looked at the two brothers somewhat suspiciously.
According to Fan Bisi, the Demon-Suppressing Bureau's status was extraordinary. Before declining, it should have been a powerful existence. How could it have no money?
"It's true." Seeing her eyes show doubt, Fan Bisi said seriously:
"The Demon-Suppressing Bureau's income comes first from court salaries, second from taxes paid by tenant farmers, and third from protection fees paid by wealthy families and officials. But these past two years, Wan'an County hasn't been peaceful. Many people who could move away have long found ways to leave. Those remaining are all people with nowhere else to go."
After the ghost fog arose, the court abandoned Wan'an County. The county was now in a self-sufficient state.
"After the malevolent ghost lost control, you've seen the situation. The people who used to collect taxes have long since run away." After speaking, his tone changed:
"In my opinion, this Demon-Suppressing Bureau is just an empty shell. Why don't we all just disband? Fusheng, do me a favor and let us brothers leave. In return, even if we have to throw away our dignity, we brothers will handle your parents' funeral properly..."
Hearing him say this, Zhao Fusheng couldn't help laughing out loud.
She'd caught the hidden meaning in his words.
On the surface, the Demon-Suppressing Bureau might truly have no money, but she dared guarantee the Fan brothers had private assets.
Their unwillingness to take it out was clearly deliberately making things difficult for her, wanting to force her to give up when faced with difficulties.
Unfortunately, she was currently entangled by a malevolent ghost. Her only chance of survival was relying on the God-Sealing List to send the ghost away. To send the ghost away, the prerequisite was staying in the Demon-Suppressing Bureau and obtaining merit.
Before confirming this God-Sealing List wasn't deceiving her, she absolutely couldn't leave.
But though she knew Fan Bisi was making things difficult, she didn't immediately tear off the façade.
She'd just arrived and hadn't fully figured out these two's background. At this moment, though she 'controlled' a malevolent ghost, she knew nothing about how to use its power. Most importantly, once this malevolent ghost's power was unlocked, it might also mean her death was approaching.
Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, she didn't plan to use the malevolent ghost's power to force these two to submit.
Fan Bisi had probably grasped this point, which was why he maintained proper boundaries when speaking with her.
Zhao Fusheng took a deep breath:
"I said before, I've decided to stay in the Demon-Suppressing Bureau. I temporarily can't leave."
Her words made the Fan brothers' faces rapidly darken.
Fan Bisi grinned coldly:
"Then I'm sorry, Fusheng. We truly have no money for the funeral."
All three members of the Zhao family died because of these two. At this moment, Fan Bisi's expression made anger rise in Zhao Fusheng's heart.
"Does the Demon-Suppressing Bureau have no savings at all?" she asked.
"You may not understand us well." Fan Bisi said coldly:
"We're people who live one day at a time. Even if we brothers wanted to go to Baozhi County, after arriving there we might not live even a year or two."
People in the Demon-Suppressing Bureau made money fast but spent it even faster. "Everyone can't say whether they'll live past today to see tomorrow. Who would save money for others?" Fan Bisi's expression seemed to mock her naivety.