"Lin Hun, time to collect the corpses."
While fast asleep, Lin Hun was prodded awake on his shoulder.
Silently, he rose and took his staff, his ears twitching to the sound.
He followed the crowd as they quietly emerged from the sky prison.
Lin Hun was a transmigrator. The body he was now in was beyond words.
Severely injured, and innately blind.
The owner of this body was just 15 this year. He was outrageously insolent after a few drinks a few days ago, decided to throw insults and then fists, only to be beaten severely by someone till he was vomiting blood.
He had breathed his last three days ago, his body taken over by Lin Hun.
When Lin Hun crossed time and space, a river of time was suddenly infused into his spirit.
Lin Hun was fortuitously enlightened in that moment.
He understood that he had somehow obtained what everyone else could only dream about:
Immortality.
Because of the infusion of the river of time, Lin Hun now had an endless life span.
"*Cough cough*..."
Lin Hun clutched at his left chest. His coughing was very feeble.
A searing pain was pulsating where his palm rested, marked by a fiery red imprint.
The remnant of a blow from the very person who injured him that day.
His remarkably frail body served as a constant reminder:
He who possessed eternal life was trapped in a body that could die abruptly at any given moment.
Immortality didn't symbolize invincibility.
Illnesses, blades, disasters, any of these could easily kill him in his current state.
The palm strike directed at his left chest was extraordinarily vicious.
It appeared to be nothing special when it initially hit.
But, it flared up a day later, tormenting its predecessor for a full day and night before claiming his life.
The imprint penetrated deep, emanating a trace of cold force, steadily eroding his body.
He had consulted no less than a dozen physicians in the past few days, all of them unequivocally declaring the coldness had reached his bones, a point of no return.
He could collapse and perish at any moment.
The first and foremost issue for Lin Soul was to address the problem of this palm imprint.
Thump, thump, thump...
A line of individuals, all of the lowest-ranked white pawns, was tasked with a job they were most unwilling to undertake: corpse collection.
No one spoke, all were walking with their heads down.
Lin Hun is blind, but his hearing is exceptional.
Silently moving forward, he memorized the entire route in his mind.
The underground dungeon was vast, and above it lies a very grand courtyard.
The Bureau of Abnormalities.
The Bureau of Abnormalities is the most powerful organization under the rule of the Dayu Dynasty.
Its functions combine the roles of the Yamen
a historical Chinese administrative office
, public security, and abnormality control.
This is a bizarre world.
The dungeon is just the lowermost organization in the Bureau of Abnormalities.
And Lin Hun's group is called the "White Pawns," the lowest ranking group in the entire Bureau of Abnormalities system.
Above the White Pawns, there are Black Pawns, Yamen Runners, Constables, Prohibited Pawns, and Masters of the Weird Art, etcetera.
The Prohibited Pawns and Masters of the Weird Art, are all people who cultivate the Weird Art.
It is collectively known as "Art-practitioners" in the outside world.
Above them, there are many middle and high-ranking officials in the Bureau of Abnormalities, of which Lin Hun's predecessor did not know.
The Yamen of the Bureau of Abnormalities contains eight hundred and seventy-two rooms on the surface alone, not counting the underground dungeon where Lin Hun and others are located.
This truly demonstrates the enormity of the Town Enigma Agency.
It is pitiful information that he learned after assimilating his predecessor.
The jailers who came out of the Sky Prison and entered the Town Enigma Agency changed their attitudes immediately.
One by one, they lowered their eyebrows and heads, walking gingerly, as if they were apprehensive about receiving anyone's attention.
Upon seeing a big "White" character embroidered on the back of their uniforms, the others at the Town Enigma Agency showed expressions of disgust.
They would flee to the farthest possible distance to avoid bad luck.
These "White Guards" were generally tasked with roles like collecting, burning, sewing, and shrouding corpses.
Dealing with the dead throughout the year, they retained an ominous presence.
These so-called White Guards.
Bad fortune indeed.
And it is precisely because of this reason, the "White Guards" typically had short lives and were known as the "short-lived kind."
Naturally, no one in the entire Town Enigma Agency wanted to spare them a glance.
Lin Soul silently marked the route as he walked, his cane making soft clicks against the ground.
Upon exiting the Town Enigma Agency, there was a bailiff with a saber waiting at the entrance.
Seeing them arrive, he disdainfully spoke:
"Dilly-dallying, why are you just now coming? Hurry and follow me!”
The group of “Bai Zu”
white pawns
is led by a man named "Old Zhao."
He is not even forty years yet, with white hair and a slightly hunched back.
He quickly replied with an apologetic smile, "My mistake, I'm sorry for being late."
"Bad luck!"
The bailiff turned away to leave, and Old Zhao quickly gestured for everyone to follow.
The bailiff was in a very bad mood today.
He had originally thought there would be no incidents today and planned to go to the theater to enjoy some music.
Unexpectedly, a sudden murder case occurred, and he was tasked by the superiors to lead the Bai Zu for body collection.
Bad luck!
These Bai Zu are all misfortunes.
The bailiff, having martial skills, intentionally moved at a very fast pace.
This caused a lot of trouble for the group of Bai Zu who were physically frail.
Despite their best efforts, they couldn't keep up with the pace of the bailiff.
In a short while, they lost sight of the bailiff.
Particularly Lin Hun, who could barely walk three steps before coughing.
He was lagging at the end of the team.
Old Zhao gave a concerned glance at Lin Hun, signaling the others with his eyes.
Everyone intentionally slowed down their pace to wait for Lin Hun to catch up.
"Lin Hun, listen to Uncle Zhao. After completing today's tasks,
find a doctor to take a good look at you and prescribe some medicine to build your health," Old Zhao advised.
Uncle Zhao and the late father of Lin Hun were comrades-in-arms.
His concern was genuine.
The "Bai Zu" are the humblest servants in the town's Consulate General, so they typically look after each other, a united force.
"Cough, cough…Thank you, Uncle Zhao. I'll definitely go," Lin Hun gratefully acknowledged Zhao's words.
He felt warmed by Uncle Zhao's words.
However, his body was just too worn out.
"I apologize to all the elders and brothers here. It's my poor physical health that's slowing the team down,"
Lin Hun expressed his apology while coughing.
Zhao shook his head, giving a wry smile:
"This isn't Linhun's fault. We are being deliberately made trouble by that Officer, alas... our plight as pawn officers..."
After Zhao finished his sentence, the other pawn officers patted Linhun's shoulder one by one.
They conveyed the message that there was no need for self-blame, as colleagues, they should help each other.
Actually, everyone noticed that the Yamen runner was intentionally making life hard for the pawn officers.
Even if Linhun wasn't around, the Yamen runner would still do the same.
"Zhao, what should we do about our mission since we've lost the Officer?"
One of the pawn officers, sporting a long face, asked Zhao in a low voice.
The rules of the Bureau of Mystery Control, are strict and army orders are unbreakable.
If anything goes awry while they are on duty outside, disrupting the Bureau's work,
they could face consequences from their superiors, ranging from deduction of salary to physical punishments.
"Cough, cough..."
Linhun wanted to say something.
However, the other pawn officers waved their hands and smiled, saying:
"Linhun, don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
"It's that damn official who purposely makes life difficult for us lowly Bai Zu like us. Oh well..."
The other Bai Zu also cast friendly glances at Lin Hun.
Zhao Tou found a high place, looked around, but did not find the figure of a Ya Yi.
The Bai Zu stood at the crossroads not knowing which direction to go, sighing one after another.
The status of Bai Zu in the town of Gui Si was too low. Anyone could bully without a reason.
"Cough cough... to the east."
Lin Hun said while clutching his chest.
Hearing Lin Hun's words, Zhao Tou and the others turned around in surprise.
Zhao Tou hurriedly asked: "Is that true?"
Lin Hun nodded.
"My ears are very sharp."
Hearing Lin Hun's words, Zhao Tou and the other Bai Zu smiled in enlightenment.
"Yes, yes, right. Ha ha ha. Lin Hun, this time you made a merit. Let's go. "
A blind man cannot see, but his hearing is extraordinarily good.
Everyone immediately went east, and after about an incense stick's time, they arrived at the village entrance where a stone tablet read "Man Shui Village".
At the village's monument, the yamen runner was indeed spotted.
Upon seeing the group of undrafted soldiers tailing behind, the intentionally mischievous yamen runner was slightly taken aback.
"Quick, retrieve the corpses!"
He snorted and ventured into the Floodwaters Village.
Attendants like Zhao dared not say much, hastily following the yamen runner into the Floodwaters Village, and arriving in front of a residence.
A constable and five yamen runners were impatiently waiting in front of the firmly shut house.
Upon seeing Old Zhao and the other undrafted soldiers finally arrive, they promptly opened the gate of the house.
"All the twenty-three family members of the Proper Family in the Floodwaters Village have died. Undrafted soldiers, quickly tidy up.
Same old rules: Ask no questions! Immediately cremate on site!"
The lead constable softly directed Old Zhao.
Old Zhao immediately nodded in agreement: "Aye, sir!"
Old Zhao led Lin Soul and the others into the courtyard, with the large door booming shut behind them.
It seemed as if they were afraid that the undrafted soldiers and the corpses might escape.
Skillfully, Lin Soul took out a cowhide strap from his backpack to wrap his hands, and a gauze to cover his mouth and nose.
Then, he put on a suit made from stitched cowhide, specially designed for corpse recovery.
The leather stitch work,
Built to withstand the wear and tear.
This is the standard procedure for the Undertakers when collecting bodies, and others have also changed into their clothes.
At this time, Old Zhao lights three sticks of incense, muttering to himself:
"Injustices have their instigators, debts their debtors, sometimes you just can't help but make a living!
Against your hallowed body we trespass, forgiveness, forgiveness! May the divine bless us! May we ascend to paradise soon!"
He places the three sticks of incense at the southeast corner of the courtyard, waiting quietly.
Without the incense lit, there might be offense.
If the incense head breaks, flee quickly.
Uneven incense length, return post haste.
These are the maxims of the Undertakers.
The first saying suggests that if one is unable to light the three sticks of incense, it might mean that someone's behavior has offended the body.
The second saying implies that if the lit incense suddenly extinguishes or breaks without reason, it indicates that something eerie and unusual might be happening here, necessitating immediate flight, the faster the better.
The third means that if the three incense sticks burn unevenly, it's not the proper day for body collection, or perhaps other rites need to be conducted first before the body can be gathered.
These are the rules that the Undertakers abide by, passed down from generation to generation. They must be strictly followed.
Everyone waited patiently for the three incense sticks to completely burn away, this time the flame was consistent and there were no abnormalities along the way. Only then did Zhao turned his head and instructed everyone:
"The old rules apply, one corpse for each person, dragged out and placed in the middle courtyard.
Whether you see or hear anything, everyone acts as if you're blind and deaf.
Lin Hun, you're responsible for one of the smaller ones. The rest, do a bit more work."
This was Zhao showing consideration for the blind Lin Hun.
Naturally, the others had no objections and began their work in succession.
"Thank you Uncle Zhao. Thanks everybody."
Lin Hun drew from the memories of his previous life as a corpse collector and was not overly afraid when facing the corpses.
Before collecting the corpses, one needs to respect them.
Hands held together, he bowed three times towards each corpse.
"To touch your respected body, I ask for your forgiveness in advance! May the Gods bless you! May peace come to you soon in Heaven."
He took out a "Corpse Subduing Talisman" made by the Bureau of Mystic Arts from his left hand and pasted it on the corpse.
It was a child's corpse, there were no wounds when he felt it with his hand.
He didn't know how the child had died.
The corpse collectors have their own set of rules - absolute obedience to the commanding officer's orders.
Corpse collectors don't ask, don't care, don't listen, and don't speak.
Such significant matters are handled by those higher up than manipulators.
Bai Zu's status is too low, only suitable for tasks like collecting corpses.
Lin Hun bent over, wanting to drag the corpse away.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Perhaps the fast pace just now weakened his frail body even more, as he bent over to forcefully drag the corpse.
Maybe it had triggered some injury in his body.
Having just crossed over, he had forgotten about this body's frailty.
He exerted too much force.
It affected an old injury.
A bout of uncontrollable and violent coughing ensued, leaving a sweet taste in his throat.
"Caught!"
A mouthful of blood was coughed out.
This was too much blood, seeping into the kerchief covering his mouth and nose.
Lin Hun's blood was spurting onto the face of that corpse.
Coincidentally, it tainted the "Corpse Suppressing Talisman."
What Lin Hun couldn't see was that when the "Corpse Suppressing Talisman" lost its effect due to being tainted by blood.
His blood was actually being absorbed by the body of that child!
Whoosh!
After the blood splashed onto the corpse's face, the corpse suddenly "came to life"!
It eerily opened its eyes!
It opened its mouth wide and suddenly sucked in towards Lin Hun, who was stooping and coughing nearby!
Since he's blind, Lin Hun didn't see any of it.
He was attacked without any preparation.
Corpse transformation!
These were the only two words he managed to think of in his mind.
Instantly, Lin Hun felt something most precious being drawn away from his body by the resurrected corpse.
His life!
The strange corpse was now crazily drawing his life out at this moment!
Even though he couldn't see the form of the corpse, Lin Huhn had an inkling in his heart at this moment:
Could this corpse, without any injuries on its body, have died from an eerie draining of its lifespan?
But why would this corpse come back to life?
Lin Huhn had no idea why, he only felt his own life force seeping massively into the strange corpse in front of him.
Throughout this process, Lin Huhn was stiff and unable to move, unable to utter a single sound!
His body frozen in place, and with the corpse, presenting an even somewhat "ambiguous" picture.
But as the bizarre corpse siphoned off more and more life force.
Strangely, the corpse began to wriggle in agony.
As if it wanted to stop!
But Lin Huhn's limitless lifespan was continuously pouring into the bizarre corpse.
It simply could not stop!
Once the floodgates of endless life were opened, could they really be so easily closed?
What Lin Huhn couldn’t see was the face of the odd corpse twisting weirdly.
It seemed to be in great pain from being stuffed to the brim with Lin Huhn’s inexhaustible lifespan!
The strange corpse began to swell!
It continued to expand.
Like a balloon about to burst.
"Bang!"
The corpse in front of him finally exploded.
Covering Lin Hun in blood and flesh.
Lin Hun stood dumbfounded, unsure of what had just happened.
He quickly checked himself and found that apart from being covered in corpse parts, he was unharmed.
Plop.
Something seemed to fall from the mysterious corpse.
Lin Hun immediately reached out to grab it, and found it was a scroll.
The feel of it suggested it was made of sheepskin.
The sheepskin scroll was warm and soaked with blood.
When he had checked the corpse initially, he hadn't discovered this scroll.
Could it have been hidden inside the corpse?
And it only came out after it exploded.
It must be so!
The sound of rushing footsteps...
Upon hearing the noise, Zhao and his team began sprinting towards the room.
Lin Hún promptly secreted the parchment scroll away in his innermost layer of clothing.
"Lin Hún, what's happened?"
Old Zhao rushed over, analyzing the blood-smeared Lin Hún with a furrowed brow, he asked.
Lin Hún, feigning indifference, can only helplessly shake his head and say:
"Sigh...Just my luck, a corpse exploded."
Indeed, a real corpse explosion.
Playing dead and exploding are two different things.
For a novice like Bai Zu, encountering an exploding corpse was not a big deal.
Seeing that Lin Hún was alright, Captain Zhao felt relieved.
Being a corpse collector for a long time, Zhao had encountered a fair share of weird and extraordinary events.
Exploding corpses were just one of them.
The cause, uncertain.
This bodes ill.
Zhao Tou consoled:
"I will report the truth to the higher-ups.
You being alright is all that matters. Change your clothes and go chop woods."
Regarding such matters, an honest report is necessary.
Zhao Tou also reminded Lin Hun, he must follow the procedures of the Town's Paranormal Division.
Lin Hun, still shaken, walked out to the trough in the courtyard.
He took off his clothes and washed away the bloodstains on his body, he also cleaned the corpse collector's clothing stitched from cowhide and put it away.
He went back to the official's kitchen and moved the firewood to the yard.
Soon, all the bodies, wrapped in "Corpse Restraint Talisman" issued by Town's Paranormal Division, were lifted out by Zhao Tou and his team.
In the courtyard, a large fire was lit, and the clothes worn for the body collection was dried over the fire and put away.
After the corpse collector finished his tasks, Zhao Tou and the others solemnly changed back into their original white pawn outfits.
They bid farewell to the officials and constables, returning to the dark barracks in the Town's Paranormal Division’s prison.
"Cough cough...Uncle Zhao, I'm too tired, I'm going back to rest first."
Lin Hun bid goodbye to Uncle Zhao and the other white pawns.
He walked back and forth, busying himself for half the day, and his body was already exhausted and needed to lay down as soon as possible.
"Yes, go ahead. I'll have someone bring your meal up to your room."
Uncle Zhao and others looked at him pityingly before shaking their heads and proceeding to the public bathhouse for a shower.
The town's Paranormal Bureau occupied a vast space, the entire underground excavated and turned into a celestial prison.
The celestial prison was extremely spacious, so each white pawn had its own independent pawn house.
The pawn house was not big.
Its value lied in freedom.
Lin Soul returned to his pawn house and locked the door from inside.
He checked over and over again to confirm that the door was locked tightly.
There was no need to light a room for a blind man, it would just waste oil.
Everything was pitch-black.
He first launched into a bout of violent coughing when he lay down under the blanket.
After it settled down a little, he covered his entire body with the blanket.
He closed his eyes, and then slowly opened them.
At this moment, a strange scene unfolded.
Lin Hun's blind eyes since birth unexpectedly started to glow in the pitch-black quilt.
Everything around him began to clear up gradually!
In the absolute darkness, blind Lin Hun could see at night!
Pure black.
Eyes of a night owl.
The person who possesses such eyes is called:
"Night Owl".
During the day, as a blind man, he can see nothing.
But in a place devoid of light, as a Night Owl, he can see.
Quietly, he pulled out the leather scroll tucked within his clothes from underneath his quilt.
His eyes focused, and after a moment, he could see.
On it were paragraphs of text and three figures.
"PanLongevity, foster Gu method":
"The strange magic acts as the food in the pot, with day and night contemplation as fire, offering longevity daily as firewood, the nurtured immortal insect, known as Gu…"
"Feed with five hundred years of longevity, and this method will initially take effect, reverting the host's blood flow to be as smooth as mercury, body tough as rocks, strength comparable to nine oxen, and immunity to all kinds of poison…”
"Feeding a thousand years of Lifespan, this method can be successfully mastered, granting the host with Swift Sickness, Eyes of Extreme Strength, Wishful Immortal Gu, and Chaotic Gu Void Slayer…"
"Remember: during the process of lifespan absorption, one must support it with meditation techniques. Otherwise, one's body will explode and die."
"Remember: different quality of lifespan will result in different feedback. Lifespans are usually colored. The worst quality indicates weak, sick, disabled and dying entities, symbolized by a single color. The legendary, highest quality lifespan is represented by seven colors. Most Lifespans are tricolored."
"After Lifespan absorption, a Life Elixir will be fed back to the host. One drop is poor; seven drops are divine, and most are three drops."
"Life Elixir can nourish the body, producing all sorts of miraculous effects that are beyond imagination."
It's a tome of arcane art!
Feeding lifespan allows one to gain arcane powers!
In this peculiar world, martial arts are mere auxiliaries, while the arcane is the essence!
The 'Lifespan Gu Feeding Technique' is an arcane art that feeds on lifespan to gain strength!
Lin Soul, blessed with an abundance of lifespan, finds this method perfectly aligning with his two unique "talents."
Once the arcane art has been initiated, it would make one's "blood flow like mercury, body as solid as a rock, strength equivalent to nine oxen, immune to all kinds of poison!"
This art seems fitting for Lin Soul, who is weak and on the brink of death, to save his life.
What if this was all false?
Lin Soul chuckled at the thought.
This body is on the verge of collapse, and the queer palm print on the chest is something that an ordinary physician couldn't cure.
If he did not practice the arcane arts, I suspect he won't outlast a month!
It's a death sentence either way.
Why not stake it all!?
Want to live?
Yes.
Then it's worth the risk!
He immediately sat up, visualizing based on the images from the "Method of Cultivating Parasites by Brewing Longevity."