Chapter 15: Snatching the body she obtained through her connections

Chapter 15: Snatching the Body She Obtained Through Connections

As night fell, the monks and Taoists at the funeral hall had ceased their chanting, leaving only a few people guarding the hall.

Thunder rolled outside, rain and snow fell, and the cold wind howled, making the spirit money inside the hall rustle. Even some of the paper effigies—the cars, palanquins, and horses—had their colored paper torn by the wind, exposing their bamboo frames.

Seeing this, Lang Caimeng said, "The wind is getting a bit strong. Let's stop burning the spirit money for now to prevent it from being scattered and starting a fire."

Aside from the coffin, the funeral hall was filled with paper offerings; if a fire broke out, it would be a disaster.

"Yes, Big Brother," Lang Caicheng nodded. He went over to extinguish the brazier, but suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He instinctively turned around. "Who's there?"

Lang Caimeng looked over. "What is it?"

Feeling unnerved, Lang Caicheng looked toward the rows of paper effigies of young boys and girls. He swallowed hard and said, "Nothing, perhaps my eyes are playing tricks on me."

Just now, he felt as if someone were staring at him—a gaze that was incredibly cold.

Lang Caize, from the third branch, laughed. "Is Fourth Brother actually afraid even in Grandfather's funeral hall?"

Lang Caimeng frowned at him, clearly disapproving.

Lang Caicheng said awkwardly, "Of course I'm not afraid."

Lang Caize curled his lip and scanned the paper offerings. "The Deng Family Funeral Shop certainly has exquisite craftsmanship. These boys and girls are made so well, they look lifelike. Especially the eyes—they are painted so realistically, it's as if they're alive. Grandfather is truly blessed."

Seeing that his words were becoming increasingly irreverent, Lang Caimeng scolded, "Sixth Brother, do not speak nonsense in the funeral hall."

"Tsk, instead of criticizing me, Big Brother should talk about that village girl, Lang Jiu. Compared to her penchant for saying shocking things, I am a mere amateur. Besides, I'm not wrong. Look at these young girls, aren't they beautiful? Tell me, Fourth Brother," Lang Caize said, looking toward the still-startled Lang Caicheng.

Lang Caimeng said with a dark face, "Although Ninth Sister grew up on a manor and doesn't know the latest fashions like the noble ladies in the capital, she is still our cousin, a child of Second Uncle's house. To mock her like this is to disrespect Second Uncle and Second Aunt."

Seeing his reaction, Lang Caize found it tedious and said sheepishly, "Fine, I won't say any more."

He admired the most beautiful paper girl, even reaching out to tap her red lips. As he turned away, he failed to notice the paper girl's eyes darting around as if they had come to life, staring at the back of his head. Her crimson lips even curled into a grin, looking utterly eerie.

*Bang!*

A sudden gust of wind slammed against the main doors, making them bang loudly. Spirit money flew everywhere, and yin energy surged from all directions, making the hall—now devoid of fire—even more frigid.

At this, even Lang Caimeng and the others frowned. Why had it suddenly become so cold?

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The doors were struck by the wind several times before suddenly slamming shut with a heavy thud. The candlelight in the hall abruptly went out.

"What the hell is going on?" Lang Caize's voice trembled.

*Could Grandfather have come back?*

As expected of the eldest legitimate grandson, after the initial shock, Lang Caimeng instructed Lang Caicheng to fetch a fire starter to relight the candles, while he went to pull the doors open.

However, the tightly shut doors would not budge an inch.

"Who is out there?" Lang Caimeng shouted sternly, thinking someone was playing a prank.

The only response was the howling wind outside.

Just as Lang Caimeng was about to ask again, a piercing, shrill wail erupted from behind him. The sound was so terrifying it nearly made him wet himself. He turned around only to see Lang Caicheng holding a newly lit candle, staring in horror at a certain direction.

Looking where he was staring, Lang Caize had somehow ended up standing before the row of paper boys and girls. His hands were clawing wildly in the air as if trying to grab something. His cheeks were sunken, his mouth was puckered, and saliva was dripping from the corners of his lips, looking exactly as if someone were pinching his cheeks with their hands.

Was he possessed? Or was he faking?

"Sixth Brother, stop fooling around!"

A gurgling sound came from Lang Caize's throat as he struggled to speak, "Help..."

It didn't look like he was faking!

The thought flashed through the brothers' minds, and they rushed forward instantly. As they approached, yin energy coiled around them. Suddenly, a row of living boys and girls appeared before their eyes, circling them with giggles.

The brothers: "!"

Ghostly hauntings in a funeral hall were not unheard of, but it was rare. People had heard of coffin lids failing to close because an ancestor refused to pass on due to unfilial descendants, or coffins being too heavy to lift due to grievances. But they had never heard of paper effigies of children turning into ghosts.

Now, the Lang family was making history.

The paper effigies had come to life.

The hall was haunted.

Lang Caimeng and the others let out silent screams. Looking at those eerie ghost children—with their bright red cheeks and lips set against deathly pale faces—they wished they could simply die. Their own faces were even paler than those of the paper ghosts.

In unison, the three brothers rushed toward the main doors, pulling at them frantically.

They wanted to get out.

It was at this moment that Lang Jiu arrived. The courtyard, which had been filled with the chanting of monks and Taoists during the day, was now filled only with fluttering white banners. Two or three servants were under the corridors, re-hanging white lanterns that had been blown down by the wind. Inside the funeral hall, the yin energy was already overflowing.

She narrowed her eyes.

*Oh, looks like there are a few unlucky souls in there.*

Hearing the cries for help from within, Lang Jiu walked over and lifted her foot.

*Bang!*

The door was kicked open violently.

Lang Caimeng and the others, who were right by the entrance, were knocked back and fell to the floor.

Yin energy rushed toward Lang Jiu's face.

The shrieks of ghosts pierced her eardrums—cold and piercing.

*Annoying.*

Lang Jiu waved her hand. "Shut up, all of you! You're too loud!"

The chaotic ghostly shrieks fell silent.

But then, they began to rise again. How ridiculous—why should they listen to this sickly thing? Looking at her, she seemed on the verge of death. They might as well take this body for themselves and taste the flavors of the mortal world once more.

However, there were too many ghosts to go around. So...

Whoever grabbed it first, kept it!

In an instant, heavy ghostly shadows lunged toward Lang Jiu.

Lang Jiu had just used a technique, and since this body was currently in a weakened state, a ghost suddenly latched onto her, attempting to seize control of the body.

It was a classic case of a tiger being bullied by dogs in a flatland.

Lang Jiu laughed out of sheer anger. She was indeed weak, but she wasn't so weak that these dead things could bully her at will. She had barely even warmed up this body she obtained through her connections, and they wanted to snatch it? Had they grown tired of being ghosts?

They should have checked who the "Ghost-Fearing Terror" of the Underworld was first.

Lang Jiu directly tore the small ghost out. In front of the other ghosts still attempting to possess her, she focused her will on her hands and *ripped*.

Watching the unlucky ghost that had possessed her first being torn into shreds before its soul dissipated, the remaining small ghosts: "!"

*Terrifying.*

They had encountered a real monster.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*

They scattered like frightened animals.

Not a single ghost remained in the funeral hall.

Fearing that if they ran too slowly they would be torn to shreds by this demon, they fled as fast as possible. You can't provoke her; you can only run.

Lang Jiu didn't chase them. With a wave of her hand, she dispersed the yin energy in the hall. After all, her body was frail; she couldn't handle the cold.

Turning around, she met three pairs of dazed eyes on the floor. She kicked Lang Caize's leg.

"Come back to your senses."

(End of Chapter)