Safe City Ch.213

Chapter 213: Black and White Impermanence

The Luofeng Youdu Office governs the underworld, determines the merits and transgressions of each life, and decides the reincarnation of the next.

The words spoken by the two black-and-white ghost gods sounded like some heavenly scripture to Pei Shouji, who had only just received the news that the Reincarnation Bureau no longer existed.

He had never heard of the Luofeng Youdu Office when listening to stories in the past, had he?

Pei Shouji hesitated before turning his head to look at the City God of Tianjiang Prefecture, who was lying on the ground.

Compared to him, who had been a ghost for less than half a day, the City God, being a deity, was handling the situation much better.

The main reason was that although the two ghost gods wore black and white robes and tall hats, looking even more like ghosts than ghost cultivators, the divine power emanating from their bodies was the pure, golden kind of divine power one would expect from a proper deity.

The City God examined them carefully and only then noticed the words written on the tall white hat of the white-robed ghost god:

“Fortune at First Sight.”

The tall black hat of the black-robed ghost god bore the words:

“Peace Under Heaven.”

For the divine beings of the Divine Path, who could distinguish friend from foe simply by sensing divine power, the City God might never have heard of the Luofeng Youdu Office, but one look at the color of their divine power told him that these were undoubtedly righteous gods.

Righteous gods who had appeared out of nowhere and effortlessly destroyed that powerful evil ghost. What was there left to hesitate about?

He struggled to his feet and cupped his hands toward the two deities.

“This humble City God of Tianjiang Prefecture pays his respects to the two High Gods. Many thanks for the High Gods’ assistance. This humble deity is ignorant and does not know your honored names. May I boldly ask for your divine titles?”

The black-robed deity cupped his hands in return.

“I am Black Impermanence, a Soul-Seizing Envoy of Luofeng.”

The white-robed deity likewise returned the gesture.

“White Impermanence, also a Soul-Seizing Envoy of Luofeng.”

Neither of them explained what the Luofeng Youdu Office was.

Naturally, this was also part of Blue Sea’s plan.

After all, in Journey to the West, immortals and gods might introduce themselves, but they would hardly launch into lengthy explanations of Heaven’s origins and the fundamental principles behind its workings.

In the world of the gods, sometimes explaining things too clearly was actually counterproductive.

A “newly established Heavenly Court” simply didn’t sound as impressive as “a Heavenly Court that had always existed, only unknown to the gods appointed by imperial decree and those born of Heaven and Earth.”

Besides, everyone’s identity was out in the open. A glance at their divine power was enough to tell which side they belonged to. It was all very convenient.

After introducing themselves with complete composure, the two deities turned their attention to Pei Shouji.

“The appointed time has arrived. Your earthly ties end here. There is no benefit in lingering. We ask that you, virtuous soul, accompany us on our journey without delay, lest you disrupt the schedule of the Netherworld.”

As Black and White Impermanence spoke, they slowly turned around. At some point, a golden light had appeared ahead of them. As the light gradually faded, a long road paved with black stone emerged in the middle of this farmhouse courtyard.

The City God’s respectful attitude had given Pei Shouji a little more confidence in the two ghost gods’ identities.

Moreover, these deities, who called themselves Black and White Impermanence, really did seem reliable. Everything about them suggested a well-established and orderly procedure.

He glanced at the City God once more, then bowed deeply to him before finally stepping forward. Under the watchful eyes of Black and White Impermanence, he set foot on the road.

White Impermanence walked in front. The enormous staff it had used to smash the evil ghost to pieces was now raised in its hand, allowing everyone to see clearly that it was actually a soul-guiding banner.

Long strips of white silk hung down from it, resembling smoke and mist. Right in the center were the two clearly written characters: “Guiding Souls.”

Black Impermanence walked behind Pei Shouji, holding a heavy iron chain.

Its attitude made it clear that it wasn’t merely bringing up the rear; it was also thoroughly experienced in guarding the back of the procession. For Pei Shouji, who had nearly become a meal for an evil ghost, this brought an overwhelming sense of security.

The City God of Tianjiang Prefecture watched the scene as well.

He racked his brains, trying to recall exactly what kind of place the Luofeng Youdu Office was, but he couldn’t remember anything at all.

Yet, just as Blue Sea had anticipated, when faced with a divine system whose procedures were so clear and whose combat strength was so formidable, the City God simply assumed that his own knowledge was too limited.

After all, he was merely a City God appointed by imperial decree. Ask him about court gossip, and he could certainly talk about it with great enthusiasm.

But ask him how many deities existed in this world, and he wouldn’t have an answer.

Now, looking at the golden divine power of the two ghost gods, Black and White Impermanence, the City God couldn’t help calling out to them.

“High Gods, may I ask whether the Luofeng Youdu Office allows ordinary souls, apart from virtuous souls, to enter the cycle of reincarnation as well?”

Black Impermanence stopped walking. Compared to the brutality he had displayed when beating the evil ghost to death earlier, his attitude toward the City God, another deity, was noticeably better. He seemed quite amiable.

“The Netherworld Youdu Office has already begun receiving souls. However, the Reincarnation Bureau has collapsed, and the Youdu Office is short-staffed. We ask that Lord City God hold on a little longer. We will report this matter to our superiors and dispatch ghost officials to guide the souls of Tianjiang across as soon as possible.”

The City God of Tianjiang Prefecture was overjoyed at first, as though rain had finally fallen after a prolonged drought. At last, someone among the gods was taking responsibility for this matter!

But then he heard that the Youdu Office was actually short-staffed and that he would have to hold on a little longer. He couldn’t help wanting to ask just how long this “little longer” was supposed to be.

To preserve the consciousness of as many of his people’s souls as possible, he had even given up his own City God Temple, allowing the souls to nourish themselves with the yin energy inside. By now, the temple was packed with ghosts.

If help didn’t arrive soon, then even without any evil ghosts attacking, the yin energy of the City God of Tianjiang Prefecture would be drained dry.

However, just as he was about to open his mouth and ask, another familiar, dazzling golden light flashed before him.

The City God instinctively closed his eyes. When he opened them again, all he saw was an ordinary little courtyard.

The long road leading to the Netherworld Office was nowhere to be seen. Pei Shouji and Black and White Impermanence had also vanished without a trace.

If not for the ashes of the evil ghost, whose soul had been utterly annihilated, still swirling and drifting slowly through the air, the City God might almost have thought the entire encounter had been a dream.

Pressing a hand against his injured spot, he looked up at the sky. Sure enough, the rampant black mist that had previously represented the evil energy overwhelming righteousness in Tianjiang Prefecture had diminished by more than half.

The faint blue-green official aura of Tianjiang Prefecture, which had been suppressed by the black mist all this time, finally began to show itself again.

——

In an alley somewhere in Tianjiang Prefecture.

“Help!!! Somebody help!!!”

A child had been seized by a human trafficker. He bit the trafficker and desperately cried out for help, but in the next instant, the other party clamped a hand over his mouth and nose and dragged him behind a wall to hide.

Unable to make a sound, the child could only struggle and whimper into the trafficker’s hand, staring intently at the entrance of the alley.

A group of ordinary minor officials passed by the entrance to the alley.

“Did any of you hear something?”

One of the minor officials raised his head, intending to listen more carefully, but a strong gust of wind swept past, leaving him able to hear nothing but the howling wind.

Another minor official yawned. Lately, they had all been feeling unusually listless. No matter how long they slept, it always felt as though they hadn’t gotten enough rest.

“I didn’t hear anything. Don’t linger outside. Judging by this wind, it’s probably going to rain soon. We’d better find somewhere to take shelter.”

“That’s right. Come on, let’s go.”

The minor officials were just about to move on when, with the dispersal of the black mist, the official aura emerged once more. The overcast skies that had hung over Tianjiang Prefecture in recent days finally began to change, and bright sunlight poured down from above.

For some inexplicable reason, the minor officials suddenly felt a weight lift from their bodies.

Under the brilliant sunshine, visibility improved as well. One minor official was about to follow his colleagues onward when his gaze fell upon several fresh drops of blood at the entrance to the alley.

He stopped abruptly and silently waved to his colleagues, making a hand signal that meant something’s wrong.

The other minor officials noticed and immediately grew alert. Without making a sound, they drew the sabers at their waists and slowly approached the narrow alley, moving in to surround it.

Before long, the human trafficker was kicked out of the alley. Before he could even scramble to his feet and flee, a sharp saber was already pressed against his neck.

One minor officials emerged carrying the frightened child in his arms, while another barked sternly:

“You audacious criminal! In broad daylight, you dare abduct a child! Bind him! Take him back to the yamen to await trial!”

——

The outskirts of Tianjiang Prefecture.

A squad of constables had been fighting a demon when its demonic energy bewitched them, causing their movements to grow slower and slower until they were pushed to the brink of death.

Suddenly, their eyes cleared, and their minds became lucid once more.

The lead constable gritted his teeth and pulled a sharp blade hidden inside his official boot. With all his strength, he slashed through the demon’s neck.

The other constables surged forward as well, using their own bodies to restrain the demon and pinning it down with all their might until their leader severed its head.

——

The government offices of Tianjiang Prefecture.

The prefect of Tianjiang was reviewing the transaction ledgers, warehouse registers, and land tax records from the various counties.

In recent days, he had constantly felt drowsy and muddleheaded. Whenever he checked the accounts, his vision would blur, and he would struggle to muster enough energy to concentrate.

Now that he was nearly finished reconciling the accounts, the prefect of Tianjiang Prefecture finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He rubbed the space between his eyebrows and tried to make out the characters on the page, but they remained blurry. He could only force his eyes wide open and peer at them carefully.

Looking at them this way, everything seemed fine.

Suppressing his headache, the prefect was about to turn the page when he accidentally knocked over his tea.

The hot tea spilled onto him, making him jolt all over. He hurriedly stood up to wipe his clothes clean. After all that commotion, even his vision, which had been blurred by the headache, became clear again.

And his head didn’t seem to hurt quite so much anymore.

The prefect of Tianjiang Prefecture assumed that the sudden shock had simply roused him. He called someone in to pour him another cup of tea, then carefully picked up the account book to check whether any of the pages had been soaked.

But as soon as he looked, he spotted an inconsistency in the accounts.

The discovery instantly sharpened his mind. Someone had been embezzling funds and even tampering with the account books to cover their tracks!

“Someone! Fetch the Deputy Prefect and the Administrative Assistant! I have matters to discuss with them!”

The prefect carefully set down the account book. As he changed his clothes, he cursed under his breath.

“You filthy scoundrel! You rotten county magistrate! You’ve actually dared to tamper with the accounts right under my nose!”

He continued cursing as he changed in the inner room, growing more alert with every passing word.

Outside, the City God of Tianjiang Prefecture stood smiling as he listened to the prefect’s curses. To him, the sound was sweeter than the most beautiful music.

At long last!!

Evil could not prevail over righteousness, and the official aura had returned.

The officials throughout Tianjiang Prefecture had finally returned to normal!

He no longer had to worry about worldly affairs during the day, then fight evil ghosts at night, running himself ragged like a spinning top that never stopped.

In excellent spirits, the City God of Tianjiang Prefecture made another round of the entire prefecture. Only after confirming that the officials’ official aura had returned, that they were no longer affected by the sinister energy, and that Tianjiang Prefecture as a whole had regained its clarity and vitality did he finally float back to his City God Temple.

The moment he returned, however, he was confronted with a scene of countless souls crammed together in utter chaos—ghost pressed against ghost, ghosts piled atop one another, and ghosts stepping on other ghosts.

The City God of Tianjiang Prefecture: “…”

He could only silently float to the entrance of the City God Temple, where he checked on the injuries of the Day Patrol and Night Patrol Gods, who were still recovering. He also informed them of the wonderful news: “The evil ghost has been eliminated, the official aura has returned, and the Luofeng Youdu Office is now taking in souls.”

The Day Patrol and Night Patrol Gods were delighted as well. But once their initial joy subsided, the two underworld deities began to worry again.

“My lord, if the Youdu Office is short-staffed, who knows how long it will be before they can come to Tianjiang Prefecture again?”

After all, as soon as trouble had broken out in Tianjiang Prefecture, the City God had appealed to the City God of the capital for assistance.

But the capital’s response had also been that they were short-staffed. They could only wait until the situation there improved and enough personnel became available before dispatching reinforcements.

As a result, they had waited for months, and the City God Temple of Tianjiang Prefecture had nearly been wiped out.

The Day Patrol deity wore a troubled expression.

“Even if we can hold out for another few months, my lord, your yin energy won’t be enough to sustain so many souls.”

The City God of Tianjiang Prefecture smiled bitterly. “What else can we do? Are we supposed to abandon all these people’s souls and leave them to fend for themselves?”

“Let’s wait a little longer. Perhaps… perhaps the Luofeng Youdu Office won’t keep us waiting too long.”

——Indeed, they didn’t have to wait long.

That very night, the City God of Tianjiang Prefecture received a visit from an underworld deity of the Luofeng Youdu Office.

And the visitor was someone he knew.

The City God stared in disbelief at Pei Shouji, who now looked completely different. Dressed in an official robe, he floated toward him with an air of dignity.

“Master Pei, you…?”

Pei Shouji bowed to the City God and smiled faintly.

“I am now an underworld official of the Luofeng Youdu Office.”

“Youdu has sent me to escort the souls of Tianjiang Prefecture across. My visit this time is not only for official business, but also to repay you for saving my life.”

He spoke frankly.

“Although the Youdu Office is currently overwhelmed with official duties, anyone appointed to its ranks can hold a permanent position among the underworld officials. With the Reincarnation Bureau having collapsed, there are now many vacancies in Youdu. Given your virtue and ability, your unwavering commitment to righteousness, and your upright character, I specifically requested a recruitment warrant on your behalf.”

“Please, my lord, come with me to Youdu and serve alongside us.”

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