CH 13

Yu Congshu’s workplace was located downtown.

When Ling Xiao and Lu Cheng arrived at the base of the building, Cang Feng let out a deep growl. 

This was a warning sign that meant the death aura here was skyrocketing.

Cang Feng transformed into a young wolf, which looked a bit like a husky. It stood on the shoulders of the expressionless Ling Xiao, looking rather cute.

Many people glanced at them frequently.

As Lu Cheng was an auxiliary god, he was able to bypass the security checkpoint with ease. His skills had improved over the years, and the two of them successfully entered the 30th floor of Yijia Real Estate without much effort. The building covered an area of about two-thousand square meters. It should’ve been a place of prosperous business, but there wasn’t even a receptionist at the front desk. 

“Who are you looking for?” one employee asked.

Lu Cheng grinned, saying, “I’m Chief Yu’s daughter’s classmate. I have something to talk to him about.”

Observing his seventeen, eighteen year-old appearance, the employee half believed it until seeing his bare feet, saying doubtfully, “Chief Yu said his daughter had a recital today. How come you’re here?”

Lu Cheng’s clothes were a raggedy mess. Only his face could be considered clean.

Beside him, Ling Xiao exuded a noble bearing. He gave off an unapproachable aura, the amber-colored pupils of his eyes as frigid as ice.

Faced with a standstill, Lu Cheng had no choice but to snap his fingers.

That employee immediately forgot about their suspicions, expression full of confusion.

“Have you noticed anything strange about the atmosphere at work?” Lu Cheng asked. 

The employee said, “It stinks…last weekend we were off and didn’t come, Chief Yu was here working overtime. Later, when the janitors arrived to clean up, they came out and puked…”

Lu Cheng nodded. “Where does Chief Yu work?”

The employee pointed in one direction. Ling Xiao glanced over expressionlessly, heading that way.

Yu Xiaoqiu’s dad Yu Congshu was forty-five years-old this year. In his middle age, he established a real estate business. He had originally lived a smooth life, but his wife died of illness a few years ago, and the company’s performance began to decline. 

Ling Xiao searched through the natal chart. Yu Congshu should have died from overwork during his overtime last weekend. How could it turn out to be a case of the living dead instead?

Lu Cheng was previously in charge of arranging soul-devouring beasts to go after dead souls, thereby becoming spirit beads that could undergo reincarnation. Apart from this, he knew that it was his negligence that had caused the situation to escalate. He rubbed his nose and followed behind Ling Xiao.

When they reached the door of the office, a stench of perfume and rot assaulted their noses.

Lu Cheng really wanted to puke. 

With a “bang”, Ling Xiao kicked down the door.

A middle-aged man inside the room instantly shouted. “Who are you all? How did you get in?!”

Yu Congshu looked like nothing other than a corpse.

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Ling Xiao stood in front of his desk, the pupils of his eyes icy. “Yu Congshu, you are already dead.”

The flesh on Yu Congshu’s face shook. He subconsciously took two steps back.

It was too bad he didn’t know the person in front of him was the Grim Reaper, so he didn’t try to escape, choosing instead to stare at Ling Xiao with bulging eyes. “You’re the one who’s already dead! Your mouth is full of nonsense!” 

Lu Cheng said, “You died last weekend at three in the morning from overwork. When you woke up, you found that you had no heartbeat, but you acted like nothing had happened and went home. Is that right?”

“That’s wrong.” Yu Congshu’s gaze was fierce. “I’m calling security. You all need to get lost.”

He grabbed the phone, but one pale, ice-cold hand stopped him.

Yu Congshu angrily raised his head, meeting the steely expression of Ling Xiao. 

A heart full of unwillingness to admit defeat, Yu Congshu attempted to leave his body and flee, but his spirit was held down by Ling Xiao.

“You are already dead,” Ling Xiao said. On his shoulders, Cang Feng hopped down, letting out a howl.

Yu Congshu started to tremble unbeknownst to himself. “Grim—Grim Reaper…you turned out to be the Grim Reaper…”

That day he woke up to find he had no pulse and no breath, he thought he had come across a temporary problem. He had to take care of his daughter, as well as his business that was going up in flames, so he didn’t think too much of it. After a few hours, his body became softer, and it started to ventilate. He started to suspect that something was wrong, but he couldn’t fathom that it was because he had already died. 

Lu Cheng let out a sigh. “I say, you dead souls, who doesn’t cry when they’re about to be laid in their coffin?”

The living dead weren’t unheard of before, but they were very sly.

The dead all gained the ability to sense the Grim Reaper, so they would all more or less find a way to escape the Grim Reaper’s clutches. For some dead souls, in order to escape, they would leave their own bodies and find a living one to possess. This would harm the innocent host, and the person’s lifespan would be depleted, so another solution would have to be used at that time.

This was why Ling Xiao and Lu Cheng took on forms of normal people this time around. 

Ling Xiao didn’t blink once when waiting for the dead soul to appear.

Regarding the living dead, even Cang Feng wouldn’t eat them.

Ling Xiao raised his hand. Yu Congshu’s body condensed into a mass of black air. As long as he exerted more force, this dead spirit would turn into dust and ashes.

“Don’t do it!” a voice shouted. 

Chi Jiayan had shown up at the door at some unknown point in time. The edges of his eyes were red as he rushed inside.

Lu Cheng: “Jiajia? You followed us?”

Chi Jiayan didn’t have time to chat with him. He faced Ling Xiao and pursed his lips. “Gege, I’m begging you to let Uncle Yu go.”

Ling Xiao furrowed his brow. 

In front of him, Chi Jiayan’s forehead was dripping with sweat. The clothes on his fragile back were also soaked through.

It seemed like he had run the whole way.

Unknown to him, the reason why Ling Xiao didn’t want him to come along earlier was because he didn’t want to be influenced by his words.

“Gege, he’s not a bad person,” Chi Jiayan said. “Uncle Yu really isn’t bad. I’m begging you.” 

“Speech spirit,” said Ling Xiao, “you shouldn’t have come. You’re too weak.”

Yu Congshu’s murky tears fell, mixing with bloodstains. Looking at him was really quite terrifying.

The stench of rot dispersed through the air.

“Jiajia! Quickly save me!” He faced Chi Jiayan and yelled. “Xiaoqiu has always been nice to you, so you must save me!” 

Chi Jiayan pleaded, “Gege, don’t kill Uncle Yu. He doesn’t deserve this kind of ending. He’s a good person!”

Ling Xiao: “He should be eliminated for going against the natural law. This has nothing to do with good or bad.”

It was only when Chi Jiayan saw Ling Xiao get rid of that examinee ghost on the stairs that he realized in the eyes of the Grim Reaper, death had no meaning.

He had wanted to come along, but Ling Xiao had been against it. 

It was only then that he realized this person was not simply someone who had bought him ice cream and walked him home; he was the Grim Reaper who ruled over death. That being said, when he said he would take him away the next time they met, even if he forgot, Ling Xiao would still do it.

It was lucky he was able to follow them here, hoping he would make it in time.

Chi Jiayan was a little desperate.

“You really…can’t give him any leniency?” he muttered. “The world has so many bad people. Even though Chi Rui and his group still exist, you wouldn’t let me curse them to death. Is the natural law that important? Why can’t you use good and bad to determine life or death?” 

Ling Xiao didn’t know who Chi Rui was, but he figured it was probably someone his future self knew. He said coldly, “Naive. Not just anyone can defy the natal chart’s equilibrium.”

Lu Cheng tried to pull Chi Jiayan away, but the other party had no response.

A chill settled in the air. The room was at a deadlock. Ling Xiao didn’t move, seemingly wanting to allow this boy to understand the significance of death.

“Gege, take me away.” After a moment, Chi Jiayan raised his head to look Ling Xiao head on, eyes resolute. “This way, won’t the equilibrium be maintained? I’m a bad person anyway, so I might as well be picked off first.” 

Ling Xiao was taken aback for a second. He had never heard someone say something like this, and it made him a bit angry. “Did you think I wouldn’t kill you?”

Chi Jiayan’s face paled. “I…I didn’t.”

Ling Xiao said, “Speech spirit, don’t think you can influence me left and right. I am not the person you think I am.”

“I know,” Chi Jiayan mumbled. “I know you’ll kill me sooner or later.” 

Ling Xiao’s impression of him had changed a bit.

Based on his experiences with this boy, he always thought Chi Jiayan was soft and weak. He was a child trying to survive in the cracks. Even if he wasn’t afraid of death, he was trying his hardest to live, like the branch of a delicate and ignorant flower.

“People all have one death. There’s no point in me being alive.” Chi Jiayan forced a smile. “I’ll say bye to Uncle Yu and Qiuqiu jie and enter the cycle of reincarnation. Isn’t this better?”

Ling Xiao felt that this kind of smile was hard to look at. “You’re not afraid of dying?” 

Chi Jiayan said, “I’m afraid. But Gege, you’re my friend. When I die, I’ll probably be with you. If that’s the case, I’m not scared anymore.”

Ling Xiao relaxed his hand.

Cang Feng also returned to his black clothes, becoming that golden totem.

The Grim Reaper restabilized his breath. 

He…basically understood why his future self would want to become friends with this boy.

Yu Congshu sat up. The loose skin on his face shuddered. He wanted to say thank you to Chi Jiayan, but he couldn’t bring himself to.

As expected, the heart was soft…Was this speech spirit’s influence really that grand? His lips said one thing, but his body language said another. Lu Cheng sighed, “Yu Congshu, are you still going to flee?”

Yu Congshu shook his head. “I won’t.” 

Ling Xiao didn’t say a word.

Chi Jiayan squatted on the ground. “Uncle Yu, Qiuqiu jie has a recital today. You should say goodbye.”

Lu Cheng picked Yu Congshu up by the collar. “Spray on some more perfume. If you go out like this, you’ll scare everyone to death. To make sure your heart doesn’t go astray, I’ll go with you.”

The two left the office. Yu Congshu turned his head as they walked. “Is Jiajia going to die?” 

Lu Cheng shoved him. “Uncle, how could he? Worry about yourself…For you to be able to see your daughter in your final moments, consider yourself fortunate…”

Inside the office, Chi Jiayan closed his eyes.

Ling Xiao looked down at him.

“Gege can punch me,” Chi Jiayan said. “I’m willing to die by your hands.” 

Ling Xiao said, “You won’t be with me even if you die.”

Chi Jiayan opened his eyes, puzzled. “Why?”

Ling Xiao’s face was hidden by the shadows. “Because the place where I come from—is hell.”