Chapter 98: Cemetery
Old Man Ren didn’t stop her from kneeling. He simply held out his white paper lantern. “Take this. From now on, you can come find me at the Funeral Home whenever you wish.”
Lin Huai stood up and accepted the lantern with both hands. “Thank you, Master.”
His tone was calm and gentle. “Since you have called me Master, I must give you a proper welcome gift.”
He raised a pale finger and lightly tapped her forehead. A speck of brilliant, eerie blue-green light sank into her skin.
Lin Huai felt a brief, icy chill between her eyebrows, but nothing else changed. She blinked in confusion. “Master, what did you just give me?”
Another lantern materialized in Old Man Ren’s hand. He turned and slowly floated away. “I gave you my eyes.”
His voice drifted back to her through the gloom. “That child must be buried before midnight. You should start your preparations. The path to the Cemetery lies behind the Funeral Home. The little ghosts carrying the coffin will show you the way.”
Lin Huai stood frozen in place, blinking rapidly.
Eyes?
She didn’t feel anything different about her vision.
It wasn’t until she looked at the little ghosts preparing to carry the coffin that she understood. Floating clearly above their heads were names made of light. She suddenly realized: Master hadn’t just given her better eyesight; he had given her a massive cheat!
Now, she could see the true names of players and NPCs, just like Sister Hanba, Little Bone, and Old Man Ren!
Pushing down her surge of excitement, Lin Huai quickly composed herself, keeping her expression solemn and respectful.
She instructed the little ghosts to lift the coffin while she hoisted the soul-guiding lamp, taking her place in the center of the procession. In front of her, two little ghosts held eight-sided bronze lanterns. Their eerie flames flickered, casting light on the winding path ahead.
At the back of the Funeral Home, a heavy bronze gate opened silently.
Beyond the gate lay a long road that stretched deep into the mountains, flanked by thick black mist. Only the glow of the soul-guiding lamp lit the ground beneath their boots. The light spread through the fog in rings of cold blue halos, like a beacon from the underworld.
Sitting quietly on Lin Huai’s shoulder, Dong Xiaobao sucked her thumb. Her big, bright eyes looked around innocently, completely unaffected by the spooky surroundings.
They crossed three mountain ridges before the view suddenly opened up.
Tombstones stood like a vast forest across the hillside, arranged in neat rows that stretched all the way to the horizon. The grass was a deep, somber green, heavy with damp dew. The silence was absolute; it felt as though even the wind had fallen asleep.
Whenever someone needed to be buried, the Funeral Home notified the Cemetery in advance, so a burial plot was already waiting for them.
The little ghosts carried Dong Xiaobao’s coffin straight to an open grave. The dirt piled next to it was still dark and wet, showing it had just been dug.
Lin Huai planted the soul-guiding lamp into the soft earth at the head of the grave. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and began to recite the ancient salvation scripture in a clear, steady voice.
Her tone was calm, but every word carried an invisible weight. The chant pierced through the thick mist, echoing across the silent graveyard:
“At that time, the Heavenly Venerate of Salvation filled the ten directions. With constant divine power, he saves all living beings…”
Following the rhythm of her prayer, the little ghosts stepped forward, steadily carrying the coffin toward the open pit.
The smell of fresh earth and damp, cold grass filled the air. The light from the eight-sided bronze lanterns washed over the wooden casket, their ghostly flames swaying gently in time with the scripture.
“The deceased travels to a peaceful place, liberated without chains. Taking refuge in pure wisdom, quickly ascending to a higher realm…”
The coffin was slowly lowered into the earth. The thick ropes rubbed against the wood with a dull, heavy sound.
Dong Xiaobao pulled her thumb from her mouth. With wide, silent eyes, she watched the coffin sink into the darkness.
Lin Huai scooped up a handful of damp soil and sprinkled it over the grave.
The dirt pattered against the wooden lid with a soft thud, signaling the final farewell.
She kept chanting, her voice growing more ethereal and compassionate:
“Meritorious golden light, gently parting the gloom. The lotus pond flows with true fragrance, lotus blossoms float among the clouds…”
As the prayer reached its peak, the soul-guiding lamp in her hand began to sway without any wind, its glow turning sharp and clear.
The carved words on the surrounding tombstones seemed to flicker in response.
The little ghosts lowered their heads, forming a circle around the grave, and let out low, whimpering hums.
“Forever free from the suffering of the three evil paths, always dwelling in a pure land. Bowing to the Void Emperor, life and death are filled with joy…”
As the final word left her lips, the grave was fully filled with earth. Lin Huai formed a sacred hand seal and softly commanded: “Transcending the three realms, resolving sorrow with a compassionate heart—Rebirth!”
In an instant, the flames of the bronze lanterns flared high. A brilliant flash of blue light washed over the entire hillside.
A massive flock of black crows was startled awake. They burst upward from the surrounding headstones, cawing loudly as they circled the sky.
The heavy mist silently melted away, revealing the dark shapes of the distant mountains.
As the blue light faded, the Cemetery returned to its deep silence. Only the fresh grave remained, blending perfectly with the sea of tombstones, quiet and peaceful.
Lin Huai released her hand seal and let out a long breath. The ritual was complete. From now on, Dong Xiaobao would be able to grow up safely.
What she didn’t realize was that throughout the entire ceremony, a lone black crow had been perched on a nearby tombstone, watching them in absolute silence.
Now that the ritual was over, the crow suddenly took flight. Mid-air, it shifted into a human figure and landed softly on the grass.
Hearing the faint rustle, Lin Huai turned around.
It was the NPC in charge of the Cemetery station—the Tomb Guardian, Crow.
The Tomb Guardian was a very young woman. She wore shattered, blood-stained armor that clinked with a harsh metallic scrape whenever she moved.
A faded yellow talisman was plastered over her right eye. Though the paper was old, the strange runes drawn on it were a bright, wet red, like fresh blood.
As she took a step forward, a heavy stench of decay rolled off her. Lin Huai instinctively held her breath. The crows circling above were drawn to the smell, flocking closely behind the woman—not because she commanded them, but because they hungered for her rotting flesh.
Looking at the healthy, uncorrupted half of her face, Lin Huai could easily imagine how heroic and full of life this woman must have been.
Whether she had died defending her country or was bound here to guard the dead, she was a spirit worthy of deep respect.
Lin Huai offered a slight nod and spoke first. “Are you here to collect the burial plot fee?”
Crow instinctively shook her head. Then, she paused and tilted her head, as if she had forgotten what she was doing.
After a long silence, she nodded slowly. Her voice was nothing more than a hoarse, exhausted whisper. “The plot fee… is thirty thousand underworld coins.”
In her past life, Lin Huai would never have dared to interact casually with these powerful NPCs. She would have simply followed the rules, paid the fee, or fled if she didn’t have the money.
But this time, she had discovered a much better way to play the game.
Taking a step forward, she pulled out ten Yin energy crystals and discreetly slipped them into Crow’s cold hand. Lowering her voice, she asked gently, “Excuse me, but if I ever want to visit the Cemetery station without a token… is there another way in?”
