Chapter 150: Work is Joyless!

Chapter 150: Work is Joyless!

The two elders looked at Chi Shen with a newly formed curiosity in their eyes. However, they remained silent, only instructing him to follow procedural formalities and provide a statement. This was a routine Chi Shen was well familiar with; he didn’t even need assistance, completing the necessary paperwork before departing with ease.

Xu Jiayuan happened to be there tonight. Seeing Chi Shen leave, he offered to drive him home, noting that it might be difficult to hail a cab so late.

Xu Jiayuan, perhaps from lack of sleep, appeared rather haggard with swollen eyes and a sallow complexion. Seeing him like this, Chi Shen hesitated to let him drive, "It's okay, I'll call a cab to take you home."

Before Xu Jiayuan could react, Chi Shen was already on his phone. A hand emerged from the shadows behind him, signaling for a cab.

"I can still..."

Before Xu Jiayuan could finish his sentence, a sleek black car pulled up in front of the security office. From the car window, a head with a red stitch around its neck peeked out cautiously.

"Get in." Chi Shen nudged Xu Jiayuan's shoulder, and without much resistance or even glancing at the driver, Xu Jiayuan complied.

The driver gave the security office sign a wary look and quickly sped off.

"I won't be picking up from here again," the driver said, his voice filled with both negotiation and caution.

Chi Shen responded, "I'll keep that in mind next time."

The driver nodded, unconsciously holding his head as if fearing it might fall off. Realizing that it was now securely stitched, he chuckled to himself and continued driving.

The car's interior was chilly, yet Xu Jiayuan seemed oblivious. Even when Chi Shen conversed with the driver, Xu Jiayuan seemed lost in his thoughts. Observing this, Chi Shen instructed the driver to drop Xu Jiayuan home first.

Upon reaching his destination, Xu Jiayuan exited the car. Before closing the door, he turned back, his expression heavy with sorrow, "Brother Yuan died—in his own parking lot. A ghost consumed his organs."

Chi Shen's gaze hardened momentarily before he nodded.

"Be cautious when you head home. Several incidents have occurred recently," Xu Jiayuan advised. "Avoid speaking to strangers."

"Thank you for the heads-up. I'll be careful," replied Chi Shen.

Only after seeing Chi Shen heed his words did Xu Jiayuan close the car door, watching him leave.

By the time Chi Shen reached home, it was past midnight. Upon entering, he was met by a room full of concerned-looking ghosts. He offered a reassuring smile before heading to clean up and sleep.

In his bedroom, he looked at the "Ji Xingchen No.2" hung on the wall. Crouching down, he playfully pinched Ji Xingchen's face, earning an exasperated expression from him. Content, Chi Shen then drifted off to sleep.

The subsequent days were relatively uneventful. Though Chi Shen was aware that the security office was busy with something, he didn't see how it concerned him—a regular worker. He continued his routine, occasionally checking in with Xu Jiayuan on the progress of Yuan Yiping's case, trusting the office's expertise in such matters.

Xu Jiayuan mentioned some leads but withheld details, advising Chi Shen to stay vigilant, especially on his commutes, and to avoid returning home too late.

It was around this time that Zhong Jingsong delivered the electronic version of the Zhong family's ancient books as promised. He mentioned that organizing them had taken some time, which was why he had sent them over a bit late.

Chi Shen took a glance. They were direct scans of the ancient books, retaining all of their original characteristics, even the annotations. They weren't freshly typed versions.

This version was classical Chinese without punctuation, making it a challenging read. However, most of it consisted of bizarre and fantastical stories. Chi Shen casually perused it like a novel, seeking clarification from Bai Wan when he didn't understand. Bai Wan dutifully played the role of a translator beside him.

So, during the weekend, this scene unfolded in Chi Shen's house: A handsome young man lounged on a chaise, reading from a tablet. Chrysanthemums in full bloom surrounded him, and beside stood a withered plum tree. By his side sat a woman dressed in a red bridal gown, conversing with the young man. On the other side, there was a low table holding some joyous drinks and beef jerky, along with a laptop. Hands rhythmically typed on the laptop, extending from the young man's shadow.

The laptop was purchased at the request of Ji Xingchen. As for what Ji Xingchen was currently doing... he was reviewing the financial statements of some major companies.

Or, to put it another way, he was managing Chi Shen's finances.

Regarding financial management, Chi Shen only knew about bank deposits and purchasing mutual funds. He had never profited from them and thus gave up, trusting banks more. But now, with Ji Xingchen around... he believed Ji Xingchen could multiply his money.

Chi Shen spent the whole afternoon reading but didn't finish even one of the Zhong family's ancient books. However, he summarized that the book mostly contained stories about the older Zhong family members exorcising ghosts.

The structure of these stories was similar: it began with a paranormal occurrence, followed by the Zhong family investigating, discovering a ghost, detailing the ghost's history, reasons for becoming a malevolent spirit, and why they haunted people. The conclusion mostly involved rituals to appease the spirits, though some ghosts evoked sympathy, and the Zhong family chose to help them fulfill their unmet desires.

Chi Shen couldn't help but recall the ritual formation he saw – a white door floating in mid-air.

If he hadn't held on at that time, Ji Xingchen might have flown right into it.

Was the ritual meant to guide souls through that door?

Since that night, Chi Shen had some speculations. The deadly game filled with vengeful spirits he had entered might actually be – hell.

This theory still needed confirmation, but he had no idea how to open that door, so he put that thought on hold.

As he pondered, Ji Xingchen suddenly rotated the laptop towards Chi Shen. Half-emerging from Chi Shen's shadow, he said, "I found something interesting in the county annals."

Chi Shen set down his tablet and asked, "What is it?"

"In the late Qing dynasty, a righteous and diligent magistrate served in the port city. He devoted his entire life to serving the public. However, he passed away while investigating a case of a zombie causing deaths. The county records state that when the county officials arrived, fragments of the zombie were scattered everywhere. The magistrate's face was a ghastly hue, but he was still alive. He instructed that his coffin be nailed shut after his death and expressed his wish for a quiet departure, hoping not to be disturbed during his funeral."

Ghost Face, soaking in the joyous drink, popped its head out, blowing bubbles, and remarked, "I get it. He was preventing himself from turning into a zombie and harming people after death. By nailing the coffin, he couldn't get out. Such a noble official! I'm touched."

"Probably not," Chi Shen said, reading the text on the laptop screen. "It says that initially, he wasn't dead. His family tried to alleviate his corpse poison by giving him baths in glutinous rice, but he had a defeatist attitude. He kept saying that whether he died sooner or later, it would be the same end. So why not just let him die and find peace? Despite the numerous remedies his family tried, he eventually convinced them to give up, and he passed away half a month later."

Ghost Face paused and remarked, "Makes sense. Who wants to work anyway!"

"Is this zombie gentleman our neighbor?" Bai Wan suddenly inquired.

"He should be," Ji Xingchen responded, "but there's something peculiar he mentioned here."

"What?" Gui Lian flipped over from his joyful bath in the 'Happy Water,' glancing towards the laptop screen.

"He mentioned that after his death, Yama would judge his deeds fairly and that his family needn't worry. Given his knowledge about handling zombies, he wasn't just an ordinary person," Ji Xingchen noted. "He spoke of a Yama who discerns right from wrong and weighs one's virtues and sins."

Chi Shen glanced at the ancient Zhong family book in his hands, saying, "Most of these tales mention a deity who judges the sins of the deceased, but I haven't encountered such a deity."

Ji Xingchen adjusted his glasses, "So in the current hell, there's no stern and righteous Yama. Yet countless legends speak of him. Is this a figment of ancient imagination, or was there truly such a figure once?"

Chi Shen put down his tablet and reclined again on the lounge chair, gazing at the sky.

Gui Lian looked perplexed, "What Yama? How are you so sure he doesn't exist anymore?"

No one addressed him, and after a while, Chi Shen decided, "Let's go back and check."