Spirit Reaper - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Underworld—Actually, Being a Freeloader Beside Qin An Isn’t So…

A vast expanse of river, shrouded in yellow sand and mist, stretched beyond the horizon. There was no whistling wind, nor the sound of flowing water. Everything was silent. Deathly still.

Glug, glug, glug— A sudden burst of ripples and a string of bubbles broke the silence. A figure dressed in black, soaked to the bone, broke the surface of the water.

“Pfft—cough, cough—” Wuyi had barely surfaced when someone grabbed her by the collar and hauled her onto a wooden raft.

Her swimming skills were lackluster at best, so she had swallowed several gulps of river water. The lingering, bitter metallic taste in her mouth made her want to gag. No one told her that getting to the Underworld required a near-death experience. She really didn’t want to do that again.

“Dry yourself off. Being wet is uncomfortable, and we have a long walk ahead,” Yu Song’s voice drifted down. Before Wuyi could respond, a soft blanket was draped over her head.

Wuyi pulled the blanket down and wrapped herself tight. Once she had blotted away most of the moisture, she looked up at Yu Song, who was standing at the back of the raft. “Grandma, this ‘fastest way’ to the Underworld is a bit unsafe. What if I actually kicked the bucket?”

Yu Song froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. “Strictly speaking, there’s not much difference between you now and someone who’s kicked the bucket. Did you think the Underworld lets living people walk right in?”

“So that means… I’m dead right now?!” Wuyi clutched her jaw, trying to keep it from hitting the deck in shock.

“To be precise, your soul has just left your body. It’ll return to its place when the time comes.” Yu Song patted Wuyi’s head. “Look at you, getting all worked up over nothing. You’ll be seeing plenty of bizarre things from now on. Get used to it early.”

Wuyi looked around. She and Yu Song were adrift on a river with no visible banks, surrounded by nothing but yellow mist. But that wasn’t the most important part. It was only then that Wuyi realized someone else was standing behind Yu Song.

No, it probably couldn’t be called a “person.”

The figure was dressed in a grass raincoat, and beneath a giant bamboo hat was a face—with absolutely no features.

The terrifying sight triggered an immediate reaction. Wuyi pointed a trembling finger. “Is… is that also something I’ll be seeing frequently?”

“You mean him?” Yu Song turned around. “That’s nothing. He’s the Ferryman of the River Styx, responsible for transporting newly departed souls. The things you’ll have to deal with later are much scarier than him.”

“……” Wuyi felt like she had boarded a pirate ship. Between Yu Song and Qin An, neither of them seemed to have “good intentions.”

She watched the Ferryman row in silence. He seemed unable to hear them, keeping his head low as his oars cut through the water with a rhythmic splash, splash. Eventually, Wuyi sighed and turned her gaze toward the yellow mist ahead.

…

Soon, the mist thinned, revealing a somewhat dilapidated wooden pier.

Thud. The raft bumped against a piling. Before Wuyi could process it, Yu Song grabbed her collar again and yanked her onto the dock. “Stop dazing. Let’s go, don’t keep people waiting.”

After following Yu Song for a while, Wuyi spotted a long, dense line of figures in the distance. The black mass of silhouettes made her skin crawl.

“Shh. Those are souls waiting to enter the Underworld,” Yu Song whispered, making a hushing gesture. “Pretend you don’t see them. Stay quiet.”

Wuyi lowered her head and followed close behind Yu Song, creeping past the endless line of ghosts. They reached the very front of the queue.

Only then did Wuyi dare to look up. At the head of the line stood a massive, deep-black iron gate, draped in layers of heavy chains. A thick, oppressive aura of malice forced Wuyi to take a step back.

“This is…” “The Gate of the Underworld. Step through this, and you’re officially in,” Yu Song finished for her.

Wuyi tried to act tough. “Fine, fine. I’m not that cowardly.” She took a large stride toward the gate, but after only a few steps, a giant iron pitchfork barred her path.

“Wait. You. Why aren’t you in line?” The speaker was a two-meter-tall, hulking “person” in ancient armor, also lacking facial features. It stared at Wuyi with an invisible, chilling gaze.

Great start, Wuyi thought. Did Qin An call me here without telling her staff? She looked at the never-ending line of ghosts and felt like the sky was falling. If she had to wait in that line, she’d never see Qin An. She turned to Yu Song for help.

Yu Song simply pointed at Wuyi’s chest.

Right! Wuyi quickly pulled out the jade pendant she always wore and held it up to the guard.

Even without a face, the guard’s posture visibly stiffened. When he spoke again, the hostility was gone.

“Greetings, Lord Emissary. Please forgive my lack of welcome.” The guard pulled back his pitchfork and bowed slightly. “Her Highness Zonglan is awaiting you at the Eleventh Yama Palace.”

Wow, he changed his tune faster than a page turn, Wuyi marveled. It seemed Qin An had made preparations after all. Wuyi straightened her back, put on a bit of a show, and cleared her throat. “Mhm. I’m going to see her now.”

She grabbed Yu Song’s sleeve and marched through the gates.

“Grandma, did you see how fast that guard flipped?” Wuyi whispered excitedly once they were clear. “Is this what they call ‘a human acting tough on a ghost’s authority’? Actually, I wouldn’t mind just being a freeloader by Qin An’s side…”

Whack! Yu Song’s fist came down on Wuyi’s head.

“Ow! Grandma, why’d you hit me?” “Stop dreaming of getting something for nothing,” Yu Song said, pulling Wuyi’s ear and whispering, “You and Qin An are just partners bound by a contract. When your three years are up, her strength is restored, the gates are sealed, and the turmoil is settled…”

“You will go your separate ways. Remember: she is a Yama, a being feared and revered by ten thousand ghosts. She cannot love any human, nor any ghost.”

“The only thing she loves is herself.”

Yu Song’s expression was deadly serious. Wuyi felt a chill run down her spine. The atmosphere turned heavy until Wuyi broke it with a playful whine, clinging to Yu Song’s arm.

“Alright, alright… I get it. It’s a mutual-aid agreement. She’s a ghost, I’m a human. I won’t fall for her, and she definitely won’t fall for me. Don’t worry!”

Yu Song’s stern facade crumbled. She shook her head helplessly and patted Wuyi’s head. “As long as you understand. Let’s go. Don’t keep her waiting.”