Chapter 148.1
The back ghost quickly left with the hanged ghost, leaving only the straw rope swaying on the beam in the broken brick house.
Zheng Yi’s deliberately lowered voice came from the door. “Hercule?”
Xiao Li turned to the door while still holding the umbrella. Then he saw that the outside of the house was no longer the same as when they came in.
The villagers who had been enjoying the coolness outside or were taking a walk had disappeared. The entire village had no other sound apart from the three of them. Even the cicadas and birds on the mountain couldn’t be heard. It had become a dead village.
In fact, if they looked carefully through the broken paper window, they could see the villagers when they died. Some were sitting on the ground in fear, some had covered their hearts and stood upright, some had fallen on the bed. The corpses had been rotting for a long time and it was almost impossible to distinguish their appearance.
A slaughtered village? Was this done by Xu Jin’s soul? However, Xu Jin needed the help of the reincarnator with this umbrella to get revenge. It didn’t seem like she could do this.
Xiao Li changed the hand holding the purple umbrella. He was about to walk out of the house when he looked up and saw a face appear on the surface of the umbrella.
Xiao Li paused. “...Xu Jin?”
A hint of nostalgia appeared on the face. It seemed she hadn’t been called this for a long time.”
A light voice entered Xiao Li’s ear. “Thank you.”
Xu Jin’s voice was very gentle. If her real appearance could be seen that she must belong to the type of people who were knowledgeable and reasonable. She wasn’t even aggressive as a ghost. She continued speaking, “This umbrella is my mother’s umbrella. On the day when I stole my household registration book and registered a marriage with him, it was raining like this. I took this umbrella from the umbrella stand in my house but I never thought it would be the last time I saw my parents.”
“Looking back now, the moment I regret most is the day I chose to elope with him. It is no wonder that I would eventually form an obsession.” Xu Jin stated. “Now everything has passed and my obsession is about to dissipate. This umbrella will also be unsealed. Foreign tourist, you will get what you want.”
Xiao Li thought for a moment. “Can I ask a question?”
“Say it.”
“Why did the village become like this?”
According to the personality that Xu Jin just showed, apart from the scumbag man who abused her, she definitely wouldn’t act against others like the old woman who showed her sympathy.
Xu Jin replied, “...I don’t know.”
“At that time, everything was chaotic. Then an outsider came to the village. He persuaded the village chief that the feng shui in our village was very evil. If we sacrificed nearly half the villagers then we could get the power to achieve what we wanted.
“The village chief’s son accidentally leaked it when pursuing the girl he liked. This matter was revealed and everyone started arguing. They looked at each other with bad intentions and started killing each other. Many innocent old people and children...”
At the beginning of this, Xu Jin was beaten by her husband on the grounds of insufficient care and died at home.
The outsider who knew about the ‘sacrifice’, it was unknown if he was a warlock in this instance world or a reincarnator.
“Then my obsession formed a force and I was attached to this umbrella. I found that after I died, I was able to control the village...”
This was what Xiao Li saw when he came over.
Xiao Li nodded thoughtfully. The colour of the face on the umbrella became lighter and eventually turned into a wisp of smoke that scattered outside the house.
At this moment, the little yellow book shook again and the Eternal Soul Umbrella became bigger. One face after another appeared on the original purple fabric and looked like white flowers from a distance.
Zheng Yi and Ye Zeqing stayed not far away. They saw he was talking and didn’t act rashly to disturb him. Now they saw he was finished and came over to ask, “Did it succeed?”
Xiao Li nodded.
Zheng Yi let out a long breath. “Then let’s go. This place is too quiet and it is giving me goosebumps.”
The moment he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and touched his upright hair. They walked back along the original road. The mountain road was difficult to walk on and combined with the thick rain, they ended up moving forward slowly.
On the road, Ye Zeqing asked curiously, “Hercule, what is the function of your umbrella after it is unsealed?”
“I haven’t seen it yet.” Xiao Li replied. Still, since Ye Zeqing asked, he took the little yellow book out of his pocket.
On the pale yellow paper, a large piece of writing appeared and Xiao Li felt a faint nostalgia when he saw it.
[...Husband?]
[You haven’t even called me Husband.]
[...I’m a bit jealous.]
[I’m very angry. I want to hold you and have you call me Husband at least 10 times so I can be happy.]
[Fortunately, you didn’t say it or I would be tempted to show up directly.]
[Still... I’m not too happy.]
Xiao Li wanted him to appear directly. He didn’t know if it would take that man’s appearance or a virtual little yellow book.
After the little yellow book’s confession, he turned the page and saw the introduction of the Eternal Soul Umbrella. [Eternal Soul Umbrella, the seal has been removed and you can receive more help.]
[Umbrella Flower: You can use the power of the Eternal Soul Umbrella to change the way outsiders see you. It is limited to once in a world.]
[Eternal Soul: It is enough to live as a soul for 24 hours. This can guarantee your soul’s survival.]
[Similarity: When you hold this umbrella, ghosts won’t disturb you.]
Xiao Li repeated the functions to Ye Zeqing and received the other person’s envious look. “There are many functions and it isn’t a one-time disposable item.”
This umbrella might be an artifact outside but it was obvious that the original owner wasn’t very happy. This seemed to be lacking. Xiao Li touched the umbrella handle. It was good that it grew after it upgraded. It could protect him from more rain. Now it was enough to protect his entire upper body from getting wet.
Rain dripped onto the purple umbrella’s surface, wetting the human face flowers and splashing layers of smoke.
***
By the time they returned, lunch had passed and it was afternoon.
The dilapidated hotel was on the path people needed to walk to pass through Lingxi Mountain and it was like walking into the mouth of a demon. The sky became gloomier. It looked no different from night time as Xiao Li closed his umbrella and entered the hotel.
The moment he came in, Xiao Li raised his eyebrows. The windows of the hotel had been covered with all types of cloth from the inside and the lights were turned on during the day. It was like a dark prison cage.
In the lobby, President Hu and several other reincarnators were sitting. Based on their sad expressions, they clearly couldn’t contact the outside world or the hotel owner.
Zheng Yi closed his umbrella at the door of the hotel and was the first to speak. “You haven’t found the boss yet?”
President Hu spoke reluctantly. “No. I suspect he is down the mountain.”
“So how did you have lunch?”
President Hu’s eyes showed hesitation and fear as he spoke. “As for the meal specified by the boss, it just appeared in the back kitchen. We clearly had people watching it but no one knew when the chef made the meal?”
Zheng Yi wondered, “You ate?”
“Who would dare? In addition, there is meat today. A plate of braised pork...”
It wasn’t present yesterday. It was only after the death of Luo Ni that meat appeared. This caused the reincarnators to shudder. President Hu had previously loved to eat red meat. Now as soon as he smelled it, he wanted to vomit.
“So what did you eat?”
“Fruit, fresh fruit.” President Hu pointed to the edge of the dining room where a pile of green fruits were placed. “There is a fruit tree in the backyard.”
Zheng Yi scratched his head. “Can we eat it?”
“Yes, there is a lot more.” For this type of thing, President Hu was always generous. In fact, he secretly had biscuits and other things hidden in his suitcase that he didn’t take out.
Zheng Yi handed a few fruits to Xiao Li and the others.
President Hu asked, “What did you go out to do?”
Zheng Yi paused while eating the fruit while Xiao Li answered, “We went out to see if there was anyone else on the mountain while also looking for the owner.”
“Did you find anything?”
Xiao Li sent him a deep look. “...No.”
President Hu was disappointed and played with the mobile phone that had no signal.
Zheng Yi wrapped some fruit in his clothes. “I will go up and take a shower. I feel like a fish swimming in the sea. This isn’t as good as a heavy rain. That was more refreshing.”
President Hu looked at him with approving eyes.
Xiao Li walked up the stairs. He was ready to have a hot bath and change his clothes. As he came deep into the corridor, he saw a young man standing at the window in the deepest part of the corridor.
Shen Chenzhi stood at the window to look at the rain outside. The young man’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his eyes were cold as he looked outside leisurely. He heard a sound and turned to stare at Xiao Li.
Xiao Li hadn’t spoken but Shen Chenzhi had already come over. He looked down at the handprint on Xiao Li’s arm. “This is?”
It was the handprint that Xu Jin’s husband left behind after taking him as Xu Jin.
Xiao Li told him, “...Someone grabbed it. It is nothing.”
Shen Chenzhi said “Yes” but he didn’t seem happy. He just didn’t specifically say why he was unhappy. He rolled up Xiao Li’s sleeve and rubbed the skin repeatedly with his fingers. “Next time you go out, call me and we’ll go together.”
Xiao Li wanted to draw back his arm but the other person was so strong it felt like he was caught in steel bars. He saw that the other person’s eyes were staring at him without blinking. His eyes were dark and he seemed to be waiting for Xiao Li to make a statement.
Xiao Li wanted to push him away but then his heart subtly softened as he recalled the memory of Shen Chenzhi at his door that night.
...It seemed reasonable.
Xiao Li sighed. “...What if you’re not in?”
Shen Chenzhi’s face was very serious as he circled Xiao Li’s wrist. “I will always be there as long as you call me.”
Xiao Li could only say, “Next time, I’ll find you and we’ll go together.”
Xiao Li was a person who rarely bothered others. Generally speaking, if he was willing to ask someone for help then it meant the person must be close enough in his heart.
Shen Chenzhi’s lips rose slightly with satisfaction and he let go of Xiao Li’s hand. It was best... to rely on him a bit more.
Before Xiao Li opened the door to enter his room, Shen Chenzhi seemed to think of something and grabbed his wrist again. “Can you...”
Call me Husband.
Shen Chenzhi imagined the other person calling him this, perhaps unwillingly or perhaps after falling in love with him. However, it must be different from Xiao Li’s usual appearance. It would be soft and sweet.
Just thinking about it softened Shen Chenzhi’s heart and caused his original jealousy to dilute a lot. This was a feeling he never felt before. However, if he said it, regardless of whether he got a response or not, his identity as the little yellow book would be revealed.
“What is it?” Xiao Li was waiting for his next words.
Shen Chenzhi’s lowered eyelids covered the dark golden light at the bottom of his eyes. “Nothing. Rest early.”
He was afraid to expose his identity before Xiao Li liked him out of fear of making the other person disgusted with him. Even so, he couldn’t help imagining the scene. This feeling was strange but nothing could make him more willing.
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