Chapter 195
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Chapter 195: Title
After listening to the Judge’s explanation, Zhan Yuan’s doubts dissolved. He retrieved the token hovering before him.
"Thank you, Judge. I understand now."
Yama observed from beside them. "You may depart," he stated.
Zhan Yuan had no intention of lingering awkwardly. Though the Judge and Yama occasionally seemed approachable, they remained his superiors—beings of vastly different status. Maintaining distance was wisest.
Watching Zhan Yuan depart without ceremonial formalities, Yama commented dryly, "How decisively he withdraws."
The Judge suppressed a smile. "You project excessive sternness."
The pale-faced scholar Judge and square-jawed Yama formed a stark contrast—their approachability as distinguishable as night from day.
"It’s not distrust in the boy’s competence," Yama rumbled. "But entrusting Earth Deities’ affairs to him… are you certain?"
The Judge brushed his sleeve thoughtfully. "Uncertain… yet we cannot intervene directly. As for the Yin Chai—awakened though they are—their social graces remain inadequate for such delicate negotiations."
"If our theory holds," he continued, summoning the Book of Life and Death, "these Earth Deities must be meritorious souls posthumously enfeoffed by Heaven’s Mandate. Mortal names appear here before death. Ghost Messengers retrieve spirits for Yama Palace judgment and Six Realms of Rebirth—only then are names erased."
"Yet yesterday witnessed dozens of vanished entries. Few powers could achieve this. Combined with the Earth Deities’ emergence… the connection is clear."
"Zhan Yuan’s two decades in the human realm grant him modern interaction skills we lack. Newly appointed Earth Deities retain mortal perspectives—sending our tactless Ghost Messengers risks disastrous misunderstandings."
Yama’s silence stretched before he conceded, "Your reasoning holds truth. Still, the boy’s childlike impulsiveness concerns me. He shows prudence in crises, but he’s still just one ghost; such a burden is too heavy for him alone."
"Your proposal?"
"Among awakened Yin Chai, several display cleverness. Let them accompany him to the mortal world. Success merits promotions."
"With Earth Deities manifesting, Day/Night Wanderers can’t be far behind. The Underworld’s current roster—ourselves and Meng Po—is insufficient. Positions like Black and White Guardians, Bull-Headed and Horse-Faced Guardians require formal establishment."
"We can’t have Yin Chai bypassing hierarchy daily." Yama massaged his temples. Despite assigning one Yin Chai per city (plus extras per five million souls), staffing remained critically inadequate.
The Judge nodded. "We’ll appoint the Black/White Guardians and Bull-Headed/Horse-Faced Guardians first. Evil ghosts await judgment—I’ll dispatch runners to inform the Yin Chai."
Yama Palace
The frigid hall glimmered with black jade, its ghostly energy piercing visitors with bone-deep chill. Behind the solitary desk sat a black-robed figure crowned in obsidian jade—the First Hall’s Yama Emperor. Beside him stood the brush-wielding Judge, scholar-pale against his companion’s severity.
"Kneel," growled the Ghost Messenger, forcing the evil ghost down.
The cowering spirit dared not glance at the walls—their vivid murals of torment had already frozen his rotten heart.
No one can remain calm when facing judgment. Of course, such individuals might exist among the living, but "evil ghosts" are hardly counted among them.
In the mortal realm, laws have abolished torturous punishments. The ultimate penalty for murder amounts to nothing more than a bullet’s end—those with luck might receive life imprisonment, while the well-connected could reduce sentences repeatedly until freed without serving two full decades.
The underworld’s justice, however, maintains ancient traditions. All wicked souls entering its domain must settle their karmic debts—debts no mere mortal death could erase.
This evil ghost hadn’t perished recently; by mortal reckoning, he’d been dead for months.
Understaffed and overburdened, the Yama Palace officials had confined him in karmic prison until today’s trial finally summoned him forth.
During his life, Wang Minggang mocked the concept of afterlife judgment. Humans naturally doubt unseen realms—if murder victims truly became vengeful spirits, why hadn’t his own victims returned? Surely this underworld lore was mere fabrication by rulers.
Death stripped him of such delusions. Trapped as a ghost at his death site, he’d awaited the Yin Chai’s arrival with growing dread.
Now the escorting Yin Chai stood aside, leaving the trembling specter kneeling in the judgment hall.
"Name the accused."
With multitudes perishing daily, neither Yama nor judge could recall every soul. Routine inquiries preceded the judge’s consultation of the Book of Life and Death.
Wang Minggang felt Yama’s piercing gaze summon an irresistible compulsion to speak: "Wang Minggang."
As the name echoed, the judge’s tome fluttered pages until settling.
"Wang Minggang. Male. Taxi driver. Perished aged forty-two in staged accident." The judge’s monotone carved each syllable into eternity. "Six minor virtues, no major ones. Forty-six petty evils. Seventeen capital crimes."
The recitation continued like hammer blows: "Passenger extortion. Theft. Hit-and-run abandonment. Molestation. Dismemberment. Rape. Murder. Feigning insanity for sentence reduction…" The judge closed the tome. "Your judgment awaits."
Hierarchy dictated the judge’s deferential pause. Each listed crime drained Wang Minggang’s spectral strength until he nearly collapsed.
Yama’s verdict rang clear: "Four millennia in frigid hell. Six thousand years in magma hell. Surviving these, seven beast-realm incarnations."
At the judge’s nod, Yin Chai hauled up the shuddering ghost like carcass meat. Beyond Yama Palace gates, another condemned soul approached in different custody.
The reformed Eighteen Floors of Hell now warped time itself—a mortal day spanned infernal millennia. For prisoners, each second’s torment stretched authentic and unrelenting.
Prolonged sentences eroded souls. Some fragmented before completion; others dissolved entirely under endless torments.
Zhongxia, Capital City
Returned from the underworld, Zhan Yuan delayed contacting the Special Bureau. His phone glowed with searches for "Earth Deities"—Yama’s cryptic directive.
These emerging divinities must leave traces. Yet informing authorities posed risks. If the Bureau knew, their silence suggested deeper secrets. His fingers danced across the keypad—a calculated gamble.
Forewarning the Bureau could curry favor. Let them exhaust resources identifying these deities; he’d later trade such knowledge for advantage. Independent investigation across Zhongxia’s countless settlements would prove impossible.
The dial tone droned—no ringtone, just sterile beeps from a technophobe’s device. Three eternal seconds passed before connection.
"Hello." A low voice resonated through the phone.
Zhan Yuan grinned, though aware the recipient couldn’t see him. "Section Chief Cui, been keeping busy?"
Cui Ming recognized him instantly by his tone.
"Zhan Yuan? Since when did you change numbers?"
"Left in such haste I forgot my mortal phone. How’s receiving underworld calls feel? Startled you?" Zhan Yuan’s laughter crackled through the line.
"Cut the theatrics." Cui Ming knew better than to expect social calls.
Zhan Yuan, aware of Cui’s two-month absence from headquarters, skipped pleasantries. "Got exclusive intel you’re missing…" He rapidly disclosed everything learned from Yama about Earth Deities.
Seemingly casual, he’d carefully weighed this information’s shelf-life – once the Special Bureau uncovered these deities, his advantage would vanish.
At the national training base, Cui Ming abruptly halted his drills for gathered investigators. Trainees gaped as their instructor strode away mid-session.
"Since when does Section Chief bail for calls?"
"Bet it’s his missus giving him hell!"
Their chatter faded as Cui Ming barked orders: "Old Zhang! Take over – urgent report for higher-ups."
*
Special Bureau Headquarters
Zhan Yuan shifted under the conference room’s collective stare. "Won’t find answers in my face," he quipped.
Deputy Director Xi Ning’s brow furrowed. "You vouch for this intel?" Despite mobilizing nationwide searches and drafting reports for Zhongxia’s highest authorities, disbelief clung to his words.
Ancient deities differed fundamentally from posthumously appointed human spirits. If divine status came through mere decree…
"Town guardians sound beneficial," Xi muttered, "but is Heaven partitioning mortal lands?"
Leadership’s concerns multiplied – if mountain/river gods emerged per myth, how would they regard humanity? While the transformed Mountain and Sea Realm’s territories could be leased to sects, none dared explore those Spiritual Energy-enhanced wildernesses where flora/fauna evolved beyond recognition.
"Yama’s own words," Zhan Yuan maintained as knuckles rapped the door.
A staffer entered crisply. "Deputy Director, four Yin Chai request Zhan Yuan in reception."
"Me?" Zhan Yuan scratched his neck. "Unannounced… Permission to check? My part’s done here anyway."
Xi Ning dismissed him with a wave, turning to the emergency meeting.
At the reception room, Zhan Yuan phased through glass to confront four unfamiliar Yin Chai. They rose in unison, bowing. "Judge’s orders – we assist Special Agent Zhan Yuan."
The underworld envoy gaped before recovering. "Brothers-in-arms then! Sit, let’s…" He brandished his phone mid-sentence. "Tea first – need to clarify something." His mission completion required urgent verification.
