Chapter 329: Chapter 283: Sending the Coffin
At 2:15 in the early morning, quick footsteps sounded outside the door, which was then opened. Xi Menxiu looked at the two with an excited face, "Captain, Ms. Bei, it’s taken care of!"
According to Xi Menxiu, just moments ago, Wu Zhengwu, who was isolated alone, had been attacked by a ghost in red. Fortunately, Elder Yang intervened in time, preventing another tragedy. Wu Zhengwu was injured and had already been taken by Director Nalan to receive treatment. Elder Yang successfully restrained the red-robed ghost and obtained the Resentful Eye.
"What does that Resentful Eye look like?" Yang Xiao inquired.
"I don’t know, I didn’t see it either. I heard that Elder Yang immediately sealed the Resentful Eye away – only he and our director have seen it," Xi Menxiu said truthfully.
The eerie nature of the Red Bridal Veil was witnessed by all, and Elder Yang’s handling of it was, indeed, proper. Although the Red Bridal Veil was useful, Yang Xiao never harbored the crooked thought of claiming it for himself. After all, its backlash was too strong, which could be inferred from Granny Hong’s childish appearance.
With the danger averted, Yang Xiao and Beibei were allowed to leave. They didn’t see Wu Zhe or the other female deputy captain, presumably because Director Nalan had other arrangements for them.
Just to be cautious, the two met with Elder Yang once more. Elder Yang reexamined Yang Xiao and Beibei, confirming that the curse binding them had been lifted and the ghostly handprint on their left shoulders had disappeared.
With the hidden danger thoroughly resolved, Elder Yang appeared in a good mood, his gaze softening. He looked at Yang Xiao as if regarding a junior in the family, unable to help but nod, "Captain Yang, you’re quite impressive. Director Nalan told me you’ve only just arrived, and yet you’ve made significant achievements – in the battles at Qingfeng Public Office, you killed several cultists and exposed a mole within the office, and in the Friendship Mall operation, you were both clever and brave, battling Venerable Level Heretic Cultivator Granny Hong of the Yu Yuan Sect and executing her on the spot. A talented young person like you is the future of our Patrol Defense Office. Once I return to the provincial office, I will certainly commend you!"
"Thank you, Elder Yang. This is all thanks to Director Nalan’s strategizing and the brothers who risked their lives. I alone dare not claim all the credit," Yang Xiao replied with a fist and palm salute, smiling, "To speak the truth, if it weren’t for Elder Yang’s profound abilities, we all might have fallen victim to the red-robed ghost. Without you, where would we even have the chance to discuss merit? Your rapid assistance is engraved in our hearts. We, the younger generation, owe you a favor."
"Hahaha, Director Nalan, our Captain Yang really has a way with words," Elder Yang laughed heartily. "Indeed, give him some time, and he is sure to become a great talent!"
After confirming there was nothing else to discuss, Yang Xiao excused himself to go and rest. He rushed back to his apartment non-stop, closed the door, set down his backpack, took out the Drama Robe, and put it on. He took a deep breath, scratched the surface of the Drama Robe, no reaction... hmm... he tried scratching again, still no reaction.
"What’s going on here?" Yang Xiao was befuddled. The Drama Robe showed no sign of activity.
But... why?
Could it be that the Drama Robe’s malfunction had nothing to do with Granny Hong’s curse?
The most unwelcome suspicion in his heart was slowly becoming reality: the problem was not with the curse, but with the Drama Robe itself.
Yang Xiao spread out the Drama Robe on the table, brought a stool over, and sat down solemnly. He intended to have a serious talk with the woman inside the Drama Robe.
"Sister, this isn’t right. Your actions are like if you had a bank card in which I deposited money every month, and now, out of the blue, you’ve frozen the card. But that money is mine!" Yang Xiao tried to reason with his good sister, "I acknowledge you also contributed when absorbing those magic artifacts, but you could at least leave me one or two. How about this, from today onwards, we go our separate ways. You leave behind the Ghost Lantern and Soul-Capturing Mirror, and take the most powerful White-robed Ghost Bodhisattva with you. We part on good terms, not negating our acquaintance. How does that sound?"
The Drama Robe still did not respond, as inert as any ordinary piece of clothing.
"Enough is enough, you know. I, Yang Xiao, am not a pushover. I’m warning you, Elder Yang hasn’t left yet. Don’t force me to ask him to deal with you." Seeing that soft tactics were ineffective, Yang Xiao could only summon the courage for a tougher approach, suddenly rising from his seat, his demeanor firm.
The next second, a sinister breeze blew from somewhere, the Drama Robe fluttered twice, then suddenly slid off the table. Startled by the sudden change, Yang Xiao’s knees went weak, and he almost knelt down, "Hey, hey, let’s talk, no need to get violent!"
The Drama Robe simply floated gently to the ground, and besides that, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but it made Yang Xiao realize the reality that he was completely helpless against this Drama Robe.
Not to mention whether Elder Yang could defeat the sister inside, just the fact that if Elder Yang or Director Nalan discovered that the Magic Artifact of the Southeast Protectorate True Person from the Great Black Buddha Mother Sect was in his hands, would be quite troublesome in itself. If things went wrong, it could bring about fatal danger to him.
Despite Elder Yang’s current amiable attitude, treating him as one of their own in every word, if such an incident occurred, he would not speak up for him. It would be considered good if they did not exterminate him as if he were an Evil Cultivator. Those who work within the system would have long been eaten up without any trace left if they lacked the ability to court favor and avoid harm.
Angry and frustrated, yet Yang Xiao truly dared not do anything to the Drama Robe, not even daring to step on it. The most crucial point was that he didn’t know what the Drama Robe intended to do.
Pathetic.
Sleep.
Having already eaten at the Patrol Defense Office, Yang Xiao washed up briefly and lay down. He stuffed the Drama Robe back into his backpack, but this time without folding it neatly as before, he just balled it up and shoved it inside.
Perhaps due to extreme tiredness, when Yang Xiao lay down, his mind didn’t spawn any random, distracting images for the first time. Soon, a wave of fatigue washed over him; he slowly closed his eyes, his breathing gradually stabilized, and ultimately, he drifted into sleep.
In his dream, he woke up in his bed, got out, lifted his leg, and uncontrollably started walking step by step towards the outside.
Pushing open the door and leaving the room, the familiar scenery disappeared; the hallway was cloaked in a mist that was a deathly pale color.
Suddenly, as if stirred by some force, the mist tumultuously rolled, and shadowy figures seemed to be struggling to break free within it.
The next second, a procession in hemp and mourning garb burst through the depths of the mist, their faces painted with bizarre makeup—a snowy white complexion with blood-red blush, along with a pair of vacant, lifeless, dead-fish eyes, they appeared like soulless paper dolls; behind them was a large red coffin being carried.
The funeral procession seemed endless, and soon enough, a black coffin saw its way out. The black coffin differed from the large red one, with a painting hanging on its lid.
The moment Yang Xiao saw the painting clearly, a buzzing sound filled his head—that painting was of himself!
In the painting, he sat upright on an official’s chair, hands on his knees, with a grave expression and wearing a blue Nether Garment embroidered with paper money.
Yang Xiao sensed something was wrong, and as the funeral procession headed straight for him, he turned to run, but his legs simply wouldn’t obey. Quickly, he was struck by the red Blood Coffin and sent flying, his limbs sprawling as though disassembled.
The paper dolls with their marked brows and rouged cheeks didn’t waste words on him. Several of them grabbed Yang Xiao, hoisted him high, and walked towards the black coffin. At this moment, a few servants had already started to lift off the coffin lid—it was an empty coffin.
"No, please don’t!" Yang Xiao was nearly in tears; he was a living person, he wasn’t dead, "Sister! Sister, I was wrong!!"
But no one listened to him; he was "thumped" into the coffin, and as he watched the coffin lid closing bit by bit, with the last sliver of light disappearing, a jubilant sound of music arose from outside.
