Spirit Reaper - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: An Escaped Ghost? Being a Ghost Emissary Isn’t Easy!

“Um… my home should be on a mountain. In my memory, I’m walking alone through a pitch-black forest. Everything is very quiet.”

“I walk aimlessly until my home appears in my sight. I push open the door, and a snow-white puppy jumps on me excitedly.”

“Inside, the walls are painted pink. There’s a big princess bed and many little dresses hanging up.”

“These were all things I loved…”

“But the ‘me’ in my memory doesn’t seem happy at all.”

“Why… do I want to cry so much?”

Xu Li (the blonde ghost Xiaotuan) frowned as she recalled these fragments, but the more she remembered, the more unstable her emotions became. Seeing baleful energy beginning to swirl around her, Wuyi quickly interrupted.

“Alright, that’s enough for now. You’ve done very well.”

“The day after tomorrow, I’ll take you to find your home.”

“What about my mommy? Sister Wuyi, when will you take me to find my mommy?” Xiaoyu spun around gloomily nearby. “If only I could remember something, too.”

“It’s okay, Xiaoyu. I’ll definitely help you find her. Don’t worry.”

“Just give me a little more time.”

After comforting the two ghosts, Wuyi finally got a chance to rest. After a quick shower, she threw herself onto the bed. Sinking into the soft mattress, she let out a comfortable sigh, her eyelids already feeling heavy.

But before she could close her eyes, the Underworld Map in her mind began to vibrate incessantly. Without giving Wuyi a chance to suppress it, a golden light flashed, and the parchment scroll materialized in mid-air.

Mission dispatched by His Highness Zonglan. View?

Qin An sent a mission? It seemed she had discovered one of the escaped ghosts from the list near Wuyi’s area. But why didn’t she appear in person or send a mental message? Why use this multi-functional map?

Wuyi pressed “Yes.” The floating particles separated and reconstructed. When the image reappeared, the map had turned into a visual of Qin An sitting on her throne, clad in red. Though the virtual image was slightly blurry, Wuyi could see the exhaustion in Qin An’s eyes.

“Wuyi,” she called out.

Qin An’s tone was solemn, making Wuyi’s heart skip a beat. She looked up and replied, “I’m here.”

However, the Qin An in the image didn’t seem to hear her. Her phoenix eyes remained fixed forward, not landing on Wuyi.

Qin An continued to speak to herself: “One of the ghosts on the escape list has recently been spotted in your area of activity. I’m contacting you to capture it, but also for a more important and dangerous matter.”

“According to reports from Emissaries in other regions, many wandering child spirits have appeared recently. Most are around five years old. Their natural lifespan hasn’t ended; their souls have simply been separated from their bodies.”

“Investigations show these children encountered a nightmare in their sleep—a woman in black who forcibly took them away, constantly asking, ‘Where is my child?'”

“I suspect this woman in black is related to the girl currently by your side,” Qin An’s voice dropped. “If I’m not mistaken, she is quite powerful and is being manipulated by someone behind the scenes.”

“She was last seen two days ago in a neighborhood about two kilometers from your house. She will likely find you soon. Be careful. Remember, you cannot kill her. Restrain her and find out who is pulling the strings.”

The image began to flicker. “Do what you must with confidence. I am always by your side.”

“I will back you up.”

That was the last thing she said before the image vanished and the map returned to the home screen. Although Wuyi knew Qin An’s nature was elusive, she felt a strange sense of emptiness. Was it because they hadn’t seen each other in a while? Or because she didn’t get a response this time?

Beep—! A sharp system tone snapped her back.

Escaped Person File Received. Click to View.

Name: Yu Xin Age: 55 Gender: Female Occupation: Truck Driver Cause of Death: Suicide Sentencing: 14th Level, Hell of the Wrongfully Dead Double Sentence Status: ESCAPED!! Last Spotted: Fuhuayuan, Hushan Street, Lincheng New District.

Beside the text was a mugshot. The woman had short, half-white hair and deep dark circles under her eyes from years of driving through the night. Even so, her sharp gaze made Wuyi shiver.

Why does she look so fierce?

To risk total soul dissipation by escaping the Underworld, she certainly wasn’t a pushover. Fuhuayuan was only two blocks away from Wuyi’s current apartment. It was an old neighborhood mostly populated by retirees, famous for a high-end “luxury” nursing home.

Did Yu Xin have unfinished business there? And what was with the “Double Sentence”? Did she fail at suicide once and try again?

“Ah… I really can’t get a break,” Wuyi sighed, rubbing her temples. She had to find Xu Li’s home, track the woman in black, and now find a dangerous fugitive. Being a Ghost Emissary was tough!

…

The next afternoon, Wuyi headed to Fuhuayuan. It was a beautiful, sunny day—perfect for the elderly to sit outside and gossip.

As soon as she got off the bus, she saw the scene: a massive camphor tree providing shade for dozens of seniors on rattan chairs. The chatter and the “clack-clack” of chess pieces could be heard from meters away.

Crowds were good. More people meant more information. But for Wuyi, a true introvert, diving into a circle of gossiping grandmas and grandpas was daunting. She looked at the photo of Yu Xin, swallowed hard, and marched onto the “battlefield.”

It’s a mission from Qin An. I have to do it perfectly!

To her surprise, the seniors were incredibly friendly. Seeing a young girl, they were eager to talk.

“Hey little girl, come let Auntie teach you square dancing! I’m the dance queen here!” “Don’t listen to her! Come paint with me—cultivate your soul!” “Little girl, you’re very pretty. Do you have a boyfriend? I have a grandson who’s thirty and single…”

As the conversation veered into match-making territory, Wuyi quickly interrupted. “Aunties, Uncles, I’m so happy to meet you. But I’m not here to play.”

She held up the photo of Yu Xin, putting on a sad face. “I’m looking for a long-lost relative, Auntie Yu.”

The boisterous crowd went silent. They exchanged glances. It seemed no one recognized the woman in the photo.

Just as Wuyi was about to move on, a stylish, middle-aged woman dressed in expensive-looking clothes stepped out from the crowd. She looked about forty and radiated wealth. She squinted at the photo, then at Wuyi, and frowned.

“Auntie Yu? Little girl, are you talking about Yu Xin?”

Looking at the woman’s face, Wuyi froze. Aside from the better skin and the permed hair, she looked almost identical to the Yu Xin in the photo.

“You… are you Auntie Yu…?”