When Jiang Yuqing returned, the five of them had already been standing in front of the funeral home for half an hour.
Shen Huanhuan hadn’t wanted to trouble Jiang Yuqing, but the funeral home was just too remote, and with it being so late at night, not a single driver was willing to take the order. During that time, Shen Xiaoxiao had even tried to flag down several taxis, but each one seemed to ignore them, speeding past as if they hadn’t seen anyone at all.
Some even accelerated as they left.
After everyone watched the fifth empty taxi drive away, Jiang Yuqing finally arrived to pick them up.
As soon as she got out of the car, she pulled out a detector and quickly turned in a circle, but the device remained silent, with not a single warning sound.
“It’s really over…”
So shocked, Jiang Yuqing’s face took on a dazed expression. “That fast?”
From her perspective, it really was.
She had only rested for a bit on the bus when she suddenly received a call from the Supernatural Administration Bureau, saying the mission was complete and telling her to go pick everyone up immediately.
—“You only need to pick them up.”
—“No need to ask how they cleared the field.”
The call was from He Qingyuan. He had woken up in the hospital at nine in the evening, and soon after received a message from Jiang Yan. Once he understood the internal operation of the Cangnan Funeral Home energy field, he quickly contacted the higher-ups to discuss the information, suppressed the details of how it was cleared, and sent the story of Lingren Village to the relevant departments.
Soon, there would be a statement from the highest level of official media, with the utmost credibility.
Jiang Yuqing kept He Qingyuan’s instructions in mind. Once she confirmed the energy field was truly resolved, she didn’t say a word more, only inviting everyone into the car.
“I just bought everyone tickets for an early morning flight. Sleep for a bit and we’ll be back in Jiangcheng.”
“Right now, the psychics at the bureau don’t know you’ve cleared the field. If they did, they’d be over the moon,” Jiang Yuqing said with a smile. “They’d probably line up to treat you to dinner, hug you, and bring you flowers and gifts.”
“It’s really wonderful.”
“This place was like a mountain pressing down on the bureau. Now that it’s resolved, everyone has renewed confidence to race against the resurgence of terror.”
“Really, it’s just wonderful.”
Jiang Yuqing kept repeating “it’s wonderful,” her emotions running high. Even though she wasn’t usually talkative, she couldn’t help but keep chatting with them.
“I’m so happy you’re all alive.”
Jiang Yuqing said, “When the higher-ups voted on whether to let you enter Cangnan Funeral Home, I abstained because I couldn’t decide. Looking back, they were right. They saw things more clearly. You’re all even more outstanding than I imagined.”
“Your team’s ranking is well-deserved. After this, everyone’s ranking will rise sharply. The monetary reward is secondary—the bureau will offer the very best treasures as prizes.”
“I just checked the official backend. Some of the rewards can enhance innate abilities, some can alter your constitution, and some can even adjust your fate.”
“When we get back, you can choose whatever you want.”
No one knew what to say. They all tacitly lowered their heads in silence.
It wasn’t that they were so amazing, nor that those before them weren’t.
Those teams were already outstanding enough.
This energy field had claimed too many excellent psychics: one from the bureau’s top ten, four from the top fifty, eight from the top hundred, and the rest all within the top two hundred.
They died simply because they were psychics.
Shen Huanhuan sighed.
Since the story of Lingren Village would eventually be made public, she skipped over the details of the energy field’s mode and told Jiang Yuqing about its underlying story.
When she finished, she asked, “Based on past experience, to what extent will the public know the details once this is made public?”
Jiang Yuqing hadn’t expected such a tragic and complex story behind this energy field. She pondered for a long time before replying, “The existence of the yingling flower definitely won’t be made public.”
“But the rest can be. The bureau will remove all mention of the yingling flower, but add other details to keep the story logical.”
“The core of the story and the deeds of every martyr will be preserved.”
“They were nameless heroes before, but not anymore. The people will remember them, this land will remember them, and their relics will be sought out as much as possible. For example, Xi Jueyun’s opera costume—it should be placed in a memorial so everyone knows there was once such a brilliant person.”
At these words, Shen Xiaoxiao quickly raised her hand and asked, “What about that middle schooler?”
“And his father, and the village chief? The three of them found the remains in the field but didn’t report it to the authorities. Instead, they destroyed the martyr’s remains, burning them to ashes and bringing shame.”
“Especially that child—he made up stories, turning the martyr and the invader into lovers. If not for that, Xi Jueyun wouldn’t have lingered in the world after returning as a spirit, wouldn’t have lost her chance at reincarnation, and the Cangnan Funeral Home energy field wouldn’t have appeared.”
“So even if the bureau doesn’t punish them directly—” Shen Xiaoxiao looked at Jiang Yuqing, “will they at least be punished by law?”
Jiang Yuqing nodded. “Of course.”
“They’ve committed two crimes.”
“One is the intentional destruction and desecration of remains and ashes. The other is insulting and slandering the reputation of heroic martyrs.”
“Each of these, if serious, carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. The student’s father and the village chief are adults—they’ll definitely serve time. As for the child…”
Shen Huanhuan added, “He was out of school for a year, but he’s already sixteen.”
Jiang Yuqing nodded. “Then he’ll likely have a criminal record. The rest depends on the specifics—he’s still a student, so he’ll be punished less severely than an adult.”
“It’s just…”
Jiang Yuqing’s expression suddenly grew hesitant. Shen Xiaoxiao quickly pressed, “What is it?”
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Yuqing explained, “It’s just that this family will probably be burdened with strong karmic retribution. I’ll have a colleague look into it now.”
Shen Xiaoxiao nodded eagerly.
A dozen minutes later, Jiang Yuqing put away her phone, her expression tinged with emotion. “Just as I thought.”
Jiang Yan glanced over.
Jiang Yuqing said seriously, “Because Xi Jueyun was the master of the Cangnan Funeral Home energy field, she and the field were symbiotic, each the other’s prison. So her karma with others couldn’t be transmitted out—it was all trapped within her.”
“But now, with the field dissipated, Xi Jueyun’s karma with those three has finally fallen back on them. And because she killed so many after death, her karmic burden is immense. Even a tiny bit passed on is more than ordinary people can bear.”
“Right now, those three are probably feeling awful—their shoulders heavy, breathing difficult, plagued by nightmares, even fever and vomiting.”
“The student bears the most karma.”
Jiang Yuqing said, “His fate will decline sharply. He’ll have frequent nightmares, nothing will go right, his health will suffer, and his family’s luck will collapse. But there’s nothing to be done,” Jiang Yuqing sighed. “Words have consequences, karma is repaid. The bureau won’t help with these sorts of problems.”
“If he can’t pay off this karma in this life, it’ll carry over to future ones.”
“Those unscrupulous media who spread false information will also be punished, but there’s no rush.”
Jiang Yan nodded.
Xi Jueyun’s soul had already scattered. Whatever she did after death, all her fate ended the moment she dissipated. After that, it was up to others to pay the price.
“When the energy field collapsed, the human souls trapped inside could finally line up for reincarnation.”
Jiang Yuqing continued, “Tomorrow, the bureau will organize a soul-summoning ritual to bring back the ordinary people and psychics who died inside, give financial compensation to their families, and improve the next life’s fate of the deceased.”
At this, Shen Huanhuan unlocked her phone and sent a few messages in their private group.
“Money will definitely be paid, but ordinary people’s fate in the next life probably won’t be improved.”
As soon as she saw this, Jiang Yan understood.
Shen Huanhuan’s guess made sense.
Cangnan Funeral Home was special. All the ordinary people who died there had entered knowing the danger, willingly taking the risk.
They could always have left, but their desires were too great, their delusions too many, thinking themselves chosen by fate—so they lost their lives. They weren’t exactly pure, innocent victims.
The psychics, though, truly died unjustly.
They chose to enter for the sake of saving others, so their next life’s fate would be greatly improved—they’d be born into wealthy, kind families and grow up safe and sound.
*
After returning to Jiangcheng, everyone followed Jiang Yuqing back to the bureau.
It had been a busy day. In the morning was the soul-summoning ritual, in the afternoon the official media would release a statement, publishing the names of the Lingren Village martyrs, and afterward, they would collect Xi Jueyun’s ashes to fulfill her last wish.
Now, the sun had just risen above the horizon. Warm sunlight streamed into the third-floor hall, where countless live broadcasts played on giant screens several meters high. Near the center, a few screens were larger than the rest—these belonged to the bureau’s top twenty.
Jiang Yan saw Mu Wang on one of them.
He wore his usual inconspicuous black hoodie, a silver dagger in his mouth, racing through the forest so fast he left afterimages. His teammates were left more than ten meters behind, out of sight, only their voices audible.
—“Damn, Mu Wang, can’t you slow down?”
—“Bro, I know you want to win, but can you at least listen to the team’s plan?”
—“Ahhh, I’m losing my mind—how can you run so fast?!”
Mu Wang turned his head mid-sprint. “There are bees behind us.”
His teammates were speechless. “They’re just bees, gathering nectar from flowers—what’s it got to do with you?!”
Mu Wang, ever laconic: “You don’t understand.”
He shook his clothes, and several bees fell out from behind his hoodie.
The screen went silent.
Mu Wang never had much social sense. He just thought they didn’t get it, so he added plainly, “I smell good.”
The screen fell silent again.
Jiang Yan looked away with a smile in her eyes. Beside her, Shen Xiaoxiao muttered, “How can he be so narcissistic?”
“‘I smell good’—”
She mimicked him in a mocking tone, “I smell good~~”
Shen Huanhuan quickly elbowed her sister. “Watch your mouth. Maybe he really does smell good.”
Shen Xiaoxiao thought about it, then nodded in agreement. “Maybe he put on perfume and the bees liked it.”
Jiang Yan said casually, “It’s natural scent.”
“Animals have sensitive noses.”
Shen Xiaoxiao: “.”
Yu Renwan: “.”
Shen Huanhuan hurriedly pushed the two forward. “Come on, let’s go watch the soul-summoning ceremony.”
At this hour, the bureau was still empty. Thinking about Mu Wang’s ranking, Jiang Yan followed Shen Huanhuan while asking, “I’ve never asked before—who are the bureau’s top two ranked?”
Shen Xiaoxiao blinked. “Huh?”
Jiang Yan saw something odd in her expression. “What is it?”
Shen Xiaoxiao scratched her head. “Well… the top two are both from your sect.”
Shen Huanhuan picked up the thread. “It’s normal not to know.”
She explained to Jiang Yan:
“Second is Abbot He. He hasn’t streamed in seven or eight years, but his age and contributions speak for themselves, and his ability is precognition. So when people rank, no one tries to surpass him—his spot is fixed.”
“First is someone named He Qingfu.”
Shen Huanhuan said, “I heard she passed away years ago. She was Abbot He’s senior sister. Other than the oldest higher-ups, no one’s seen her. I’ve only heard she was incredibly powerful, and was the bureau’s director.”
“Since her death, no one’s been able to take the director’s position. It’s been vacant ever since.”
Yu Renwan chimed in, “And she’s very mysterious—not only did she leave no portraits or videos, no one knows what her ability was. Only Abbot He seems to know.”
“She was supposed to be the bureau’s secret weapon, but then she suddenly died on Penglai.”
Jiang Yan: “Is she still first even after death?”
Shen Huanhuan replied, “Yes. I heard she did so much when she was alive. Sometimes when I look at the rankings, I get this strange feeling,” she paused, then said softly, “like she just has to be first, like she belongs there.”
Jiang Yan nodded.
Half an hour later, the soul-summoning ceremony began. The psychics’ souls were called back first, and those who received the message flooded into the hall, running toward the summoning room.
They had no time to marvel that Cangnan Funeral Home had been resolved so quickly—all their emotions were poured into saying goodbye to family, friends, and colleagues.
The farewell lasted ten minutes.
Zuo Tunan and Chen Xici, those dear friends, were finally reunited across time. Granny Penglai watched everyone with compassionate eyes, then gazed long at Jiang Yan, with both nostalgia and emotion.
After the farewell, it was time for questioning.
All unrelated psychics left, leaving only Jiang Yan and her group. Jiang Yuqing took out a recorder and asked what they had encountered inside, and whether they had any last wishes.
More than twenty psychics told their stories one by one.
From their accounts, Jiang Yan learned that everyone had played different roles inside Cangnan Funeral Home—some as Grandma Lü, some as Lin Xiaotang, others as Chuchu, Ayan—all villagers who had died in Lingren Village.
When the summoning ended, Granny Penglai beckoned Jiang Yan over and took her hand, patting it gently.
“So alike…”
She looked at Jiang Yan and said in her aged voice, “Sister Qingfu didn’t die on Penglai. She’ll come find you—maybe she already has.”
“Don’t forget her. She cared for you most.”
Jiang Yan stared in a daze. Granny Penglai didn’t wait for a reply, just smiled kindly at her again, and her soul left the medium’s body.
A long time later, Jiang Yan let out a breath and turned to leave.
By now, she had nothing left to do at the bureau, but the hall was still crowded with psychics waiting to see them. Many still had jobs to do, but stayed just to catch a glimpse before rushing off to work.
The rest looked at the five of them with eager eyes.
A few breaths later, a high school–aged girl tentatively offered Jiang Yan a bag of cookies. “Do… do you want these?”
Jiang Yan frowned. “What flavor?”
The girl immediately replied, “Cranberry and chocolate!”
Jiang Yan reached out and took them. “I’ll eat them.”
That seemed to open the floodgates—everyone started digging through their bags to offer gifts.
“Do you need this rune?”
“I bought a mousse cake—want some? It’s delicious!”
“You have to try my crispy pork! Everyone says it’s great!”
“This jade pendant is a reward I just got—can I give it to you?”
Within minutes, the five of them were loaded down with gifts. Finally, Jiang Yan raised a hand to stop them. “That’s enough.”
Shen Huanhuan added, “Really, it’s enough. Thank you, everyone.”
Shen Xiaoxiao couldn’t speak, her mouth full of crispy pork, so she just nodded repeatedly.
Seeing they really couldn’t carry any more, the excited crowd finally stopped, regretfully putting away their undelivered gifts.
To prevent another round of gift-giving, Jiang Yan quickly said her goodbyes and strode toward the door.
But after just a few steps, the floor of the bureau’s main hall suddenly trembled lightly.
Jiang Yan stopped in her tracks at once.
A few seconds later, the ground began to shake violently.