Spirit Reaper - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: You Can See Me?—”Others can’t see me, only…”

Ah, she had promised to help someone find their mother yesterday.

Wuyi leaned her head on her hand with a bitter smile, wondering which wire in her brain had short-circuited last night. Under conditions where she knew nothing and had no leads, she had actually promised little Xiaoyu that she would find her mother.

Wasn’t this just asking for trouble?

However, in reality, it seemed she didn’t necessarily have to do this herself?

“Xiaoyu, don’t be anxious. I will definitely help you find your mom, but your Wuyi-sister is busy right now, so that task has to wait a little bit…” Wuyi’s eyes darted around, looking quite unreliable.

As expected, Xiaoyu’s face fell in the next second. Her large eyes filled with tears, looking as if a flood was about to burst through the dam. “I don’t care, I don’t care! I want to find my mom now!”

“I want my mom!”

“Don’t think you can stall for time and then vanish like those other people did!”

“I won’t believe you!”

Sigh… “like those other people”…?

Which people? Had this little ghost been tricked by previous tenants several times?

If that were true, it wasn’t hard to understand. Not everyone was like her, dealing with the supernatural professionally. Most normal people, upon seeing Xiaoyu’s “paper effigy” look, would be lucky if they didn’t run away on the spot.

“Xiaoyu, don’t cry yet. How about this, I have another plan.” Wuyi gently patted Xiaoyu’s shoulder. “I know another big sister; she can help you too…”

“Really?”

“Absolutelty. May lightning strike me if I’m lying!”

Ding-dong— The doorbell rang at just the right time.

“Here already? Come in, come in.” Hiding her mischief, Wuyi couldn’t stop smiling as she saw Song Miao at the door. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What temperature do you have the AC on in here? Why is it so cold?” Song Miao shivered the moment she stepped inside.

“Would you believe me if I said it’s not even on?” Wuyi pointed to the central AC control panel nearby.

Seeing that the AC was indeed off, Song Miao’s eyes widened. She glanced around warily, then leaned in and whispered to Wuyi, “Tell me the truth… is this place ‘unclean’?”

Wuyi gave a noncommittal tilt of her head. “I wouldn’t invite guests over for nothing.”

“Here, put this on.” Wuyi handed Song Miao a bottle of unknown liquid. “Cow tears I prepared myself. Some things need to be said to you directly by her.”

As Song Miao obediently applied it, Wuyi shot a look at Xiaoyu, who was floating nearby. Xiaoyu understood immediately; in the blink of an eye, she put that creepy paper-effigy makeup back on her face.

“Okay, I’ve applied it, but there’s nothing—”

“GHOST!!!”

Seeing the ghost that had suddenly appeared in front of her, Song Miao shrieked, pulling a peach-wood bracelet from her pocket to hurl it at Xiaoyu.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down! Look again!” Wuyi swiftly intercepted Song Miao and signaled Xiaoyu to return to her normal appearance.

“You… you two teamed up to scare me on purpose?” Song Miao panted, still shaken and nearly in tears. “What did I do to deserve this!”

“Alright, alright, I apologize.” Wuyi patted Song Miao’s shoulder and nudged Xiaoyu forward. “This is Xiaoyu. I called you here today to help her find her mother.”

“Find her mother?” Song Miao clearly hadn’t expected this. She looked at Xiaoyu, then at Wuyi, and finally pointed at herself blankly. “Me?”

Seeing her still out of the loop, Wuyi whispered into her ear, “She’s a Bound Spirit with a lingering obsession. Help her fulfill it, and you can cross her over. Isn’t that an easy academic credit for your record?”

At the mention of “credits,” Song Miao perked up instantly. She nodded vigorously. “That works! Finding a mom? Easy peasy.”

She reached out to playfully pinch the air where Xiaoyu’s cheek was, flashing what she thought was a friendly smile. “Xiaoyu, how about letting Sister Song help you find your mom?”

Song Miao looked at Xiaoyu with the same anticipation one might have for a God of Wealth. To her surprise, Xiaoyu wrinkled her nose in distaste. “This big sister doesn’t look as powerful as Wuyi-sister. Can she really find my mom?”

“You little kid, how dare you look down on—”

“She can, of course she can. I guarantee it,” Wuyi interrupted the annoyed Song Miao. “Listen to me, let Sister Song help you first, and I’ll join in to help her later.”

“Now do you believe I’m not going to vanish?”

“Fine, I’ll believe you two… barely.” Xiaoyu pouted and nodded hesitantly.

“Your turn. Help her out,” Wuyi whispered to Song Miao.

“Xiaoyu, cooperate with Sister Song. I’ll be right back.” With that, Wuyi slipped out of the house, leaving Song Miao and the ghost staring at each other.

…

Because the shop selling items for her “Great Immortal” her protector spirit was far away, it was nearly noon by the time Wuyi finished her shopping.

Hurrying back, Wuyi chose the alleyway shortcut from the night before. Fortunately, there were plenty of people during the day, making it much less eerie. Yin energy is heavy at night, but in broad daylight, there shouldn’t be a repeat performance, right?

Despite the thought, she quickened her pace.

Walking with her head down, Wuyi saw someone approaching in her peripheral vision. She instinctively moved to the side, but she was a step too late.

She expected a collision, but instead, with a sudden cold shiver, the “person” passed right through her body.

Encountering a ghost in broad daylight?!

Wuyi froze. She turned around to look at the “person” she had just phased through. The other party seemed to sense it too, turning around and standing rooted to the spot.

It was a beautiful woman with blonde hair, looking no more than twenty-five or twenty-six. Wuyi’s first thought was that this face wouldn’t be out of place on a movie star. If one ignored the purplish bruise marks around her neck, her ethereal beauty would be even more striking.

Realizing Wuyi could see her, the woman’s dull eyes lit up. She rushed to Wuyi’s side and asked cautiously, “You can see me? Right?”

“…”

How should she answer? Wuyi hesitated. There were many pedestrians around; if she answered here, people would think she was insane.

She avoided the woman’s burning gaze and muttered to herself as if confused, “Why did it suddenly get so chilly? How strange.”

She turned and continued along her original path. As expected, the woman didn’t buy her clumsy acting. Like a baby bird, she followed close behind Wuyi, chattering incessantly.

“You definitely see me. Stop pretending.”

“No one else can see me, only you. You must be sent by Heaven to save me!”

“I woke up and realized no one could see me. I was scared at first, but then I found it wasn’t so bad. I can do whatever I want, and no one can stop me!”

“…”

“Are you… always this talkative?” Finally reaching a secluded spot, Wuyi glanced at the excited woman who looked like she’d discovered a new continent. “My ears are about to explode.”

Instead of getting angry, the woman’s eyes grew even brighter. “I knew you could see me!”

“Since you can see me, can you do a good deed and help me find my home?”

“Help you find your home?” Wuyi was dumbfounded. First Xiaoyu looking for her mom, now a search for a home?

“You don’t even know where your own home is, and you expect me to know?” Wuyi frowned, testing the waters. “Do you know who you are?” She suspected the woman hadn’t even realized she was a ghost yet.

“Um… I can’t remember anything. I only know my name is… is… what was it?” The woman wrinkled her brow, trying hard to recall.

“Oh! I remember! My name is Xiaotuan!” She clapped her hands excitedly. But then her expression fell. “But I don’t remember anything else.”

Great. A nickname. Zero help.

Wuyi felt completely helpless, but she couldn’t bring herself to abandon this innocent-looking ghost. “Fine. Come back with me first. I’ll help you.”

“Yay! I knew I didn’t misjudge you! Love ya!” Upon hearing Wuyi’s agreement, Xiaotuan instinctively blew her a kiss, giving Wuyi a fresh layer of goosebumps.

…

When she brought Xiaotuan home, the two of them were met with the “intense” stares of the other human-ghost pair.

“Wait, you went out and brought another one back?” Song Miao pulled Wuyi aside. “Don’t tell me this one is looking for her mom too.”

Wuyi’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “The one I brought back only knows her nickname is Xiaotuan. She knows nothing else, and she hasn’t even realized she’s dead. She knows I can see her, so she’s latched onto me to find her home…”

“Do you realize you’re literally glowing right now?” Song Miao squinted mysteriously.

“Huh?”

“The glow of a Saint.”

“…”

Wuyi had no way to vent her frustrations. If it weren’t for her status as an Emissary, she wouldn’t bother with this.

“Alright, take them both upstairs. I have business.” Wuyi shook the newly purchased statue of the Yellow Immortal in front of Song Miao. “I need to officially welcome my Great Immortal first.”

After shooing the one human and two ghosts upstairs, Wuyi quickly set up the altar. She began chanting the mantra to establish a connection with Huang Tianying.

“Good girl. Efficient. I am satisfied,” a voice echoed in her mind. It was Huang Tianying. “From now on, if you need me, just call me in your mind.”

“This disciple thanks the Immortal.” Wuyi bowed deeply toward the statue, which now seemed significantly more lifelike.

With the official business finished, Wuyi finally had time for the trio upstairs. Thinking of the two headache-inducing ghosts, she felt a wave of irritation. Going back to the Underworld would have to wait; the priority was sending these two “ancestors” on their way.

With a mind full of worries, Wuyi’s footsteps felt heavy. As soon as she reached the second floor, she saw Song Miao looking like she’d actually seen a ghost.

“Wuyi, believe me or not…”

“I think I know who she is.”