Hu Ma was already numb. He never thought in this lifetime that he would be scolded as a scumbag while trapped in someone's dream. Nor did he ever imagine that he would end up living under the same roof with an eerie granny and a non-human little girl. And, he had even volunteered for it...
When he first woke up, he had thought about escaping, trying to understand this world, but now, he had completely given up. Whatever Granny told him to do, he did it, obediently playing the role of a good grandson. When Granny asked him to eat meat, he devoured it eagerly. Little Hongtang was drooling beside him, practically forming a small stream, yet he finished all the food. Granny told him not to go out at night, so he didn't step beyond the front door. He stayed cooped up in the small house, even relieving himself by skimming the walls. For bigger needs, he held it in.
He really had no choice. The world outside was too dangerous...
Of course, he had his own temperament. There were some things Granny didn't allow, but he did them anyway, like housework.
Even though he couldn't understand that Tai Sui meat, Hu Ma gradually felt its supernatural effects. The wounds on both his shoulders were severe piercing injuries. When Little Hongtang licked them with her tongue, the bleeding stopped, and he didn't feel much pain. However, it wasn't that the injuries healed; it was more like he had been anesthetized. His arms were still weak, and a dull pain would throb at times. Yet after a few days in the village eating Tai Sui meat, his wounds healed at an unbelievable rate. When that Tai Sui meat entered his stomach, he quickly felt a warm sensation spreading from his lower abdomen throughout his body. The wounds also seemed to heal bit by bit under this warmth. When lying quietly, Hu Ma could even feel the granulation tissue at the wound sites slowly growing, connecting. In less than six or seven days, the wounds had already scabbed over and seemed to be filled with new flesh.
As his strength gradually returned, he began to show his diligence. He eagerly swept the floor, chopped wood, wiped tables, and even fetched water, hoping to leave a good impression on Granny. When Granny occasionally woke from a nap and saw Hu Ma's diligent figure working hard, her gaze seemed somewhat complex. She advised Hu Ma to rest more and not tire himself out, but Hu Ma merely agreed. This was the only thing he had any control over right now; why would he listen to her?
Who knew what the future held? He didn't know how long he could hide his true identity. His heart was full of confusion about where to go. Perhaps if he behaved well now, he wouldn't be utterly obliterated when his cover was eventually blown?
Life, amidst these unsettling undercurrents, took on a peculiar calmness. An old woman, a young man, and a little ghost lived together in this cramped house, almost like a family.
Until he was once again startled awake by that dense, dark red fog.
"Have I returned to that bizarre dream again?"
Hu Ma took slow steps forward and once again saw the dilapidated incense table and the Divine Statue shrouded in shadow. After a brief observation, he was certain he wasn't dreaming. The scene in this dream was exactly the same as last time. The red incense he had stuck into the incense burner before was still there, inserted exactly as it had been, with smoke billowing out and slowly dispersing.
If this was a dream, how could it be so real, and how could the scenes connect like this?
If the dream was real, then the call he heard in the dream at that time was real too?
"Huh?"
As he contemplated this question, Hu Ma suddenly noticed a slight change within the incense burner. Last time, he clearly remembered the incense was almost burnt out, yet this time, it had actually grown longer, nearly two fingers in length.
How could it burn for several days only to grow longer?
This faint discovery brought a slight thrill to his heart. He didn't understand the principle, but he knew that with this incense lit, he might still be able to hear the call from before. Indeed, it seemed like a very dangerous thing. In this eerie world, it seemed one should be cautious about everything they encountered. However, the oppressive and gloomy life he was leading was already driving him mad. How could he pass up even the slightest chance?
He calmed his mind and waited patiently. He watched the incense inserted in the burner, its curling smoke drifting and merging into the red fog but not dispersing. Instead, it slowly rotated, like a slender snake meandering through the dark red mist. Vaguely, Hu Ma felt that the smoke from the incense seemed to have a life of its own. It was as if it was searching for something for him. Even though there was clearly no wind, the smoke danced as if blown by a breeze, shifting its dispersal pattern from left to right.
Until, about a minute later, Hu Ma suddenly heard a faint voice. The smoke from the incense trembled slightly and then gradually stabilized. It formed a single wisp that pointed towards a direction within the dense fog. At the same time, that voice became clear once again:
"Codename Er Guotou, calling Reincarnator at Old Yin Mountain, can anyone hear me?"
"Repeating, Old Yin Mountain calling Reincarnator, can anyone hear me?"
Hu Ma's spirit trembled. If he had only heard it suddenly last time before waking up, this time it was exceptionally clear.
Clear and real.
It was the same voice as last time, but this time it seemed to sound more fatigued. The voice was calling out urgently, sounding somewhat desperate.
"...Damn it, has everyone died? Can't a single one hear me?"
"The incense is almost burnt out, this is the last call..."
Hearing the words "last call," Hu Ma felt a stirring inside and tentatively spoke, "I received it. You are..."
Having said these few words, he held his breath, unsure if the other party could hear him. But immediately, the voice responded, filled with delight, even the straight wisp of smoke quivered a bit.
"There really is someone! I knew I wasn't the only Reincarnator in this ghost mountain..."
"Brother, help me..."
"?"
Hu Ma never expected such a down-to-earth response. Hesitating, he said, "First, tell me who you are."
"Who else could it be that can make contact?" The other voice seemed somewhat anxious. "Just an unlucky fool who fell into this bizarre world, right?"
"Brother, I'm at Fox Coffin Village in Old Yin Mountain. Are you far from me? Or, if you have a ghost, send me something to save my life—a talisman, Tai Sui, any old item would do..."
"Unlucky fool?" Before he finished speaking, Hu Ma was already somewhat surprised, sensing something significant from his words. "Are there many people who came to this world?"
His instinctive question caused a sudden silence from the other party. After a long pause, the other person replied in a strange tone, "Is this your first connection?"
Hu Ma felt uncertain and chose to remain silent instead of answering.
"Hah..." The other voice suddenly sounded a bit dejected. "I've run into some trouble. I was hoping to find someone to help, but I never expected to connect with a Bai. It looks like I'm doomed this time. It's my fault for being greedy, thinking I could hoard these benefits for myself..."
"No, what's really going on here?" Listening to the other's dejected self-talk, Hu Ma grew a bit anxious. "Just where are we exactly?"
"Brother, we all want to know what's happening and where this is." The other's voice sounded somewhat weary, sighing. "I don't know about you, but the few I've managed to contact all said they just opened their eyes and found themselves in this godforsaken world."
"This place is incredibly dangerous. A Tai Sui has emerged, evil spirits are everywhere, the Hundred Ghosts pass through, and spirits gather in hordes. This place is a goddamn hell! Even hell isn't as terrifying or filled with so many eerie things!"
Hu Ma thought of those white-faced men, upright sheep, and Beauty Snakes he had encountered, and he understood completely. He urgently asked, "So what should we do?"
"What can we do? Keep on living..." The other voice sounded somewhat discouraged. "Worship the gods when you see them, hide from the ghosts. If you have the ability, learn some skills..."
"Of course, the most important thing is never to let anyone discover your true identity. Otherwise, the outcome will be worse than encountering a ghost..."
"True identity?" Hu Ma felt like his mind was a tangled mess, only able to ask mechanically, "What will happen if we're discovered?"
"You're a pure Bai, brother..." Listening to Hu Ma's words, the other person seemed to find it absurd, letting out a couple of bitter laughs. "This world is terrifying, isn't it?"
Did that even need to be asked?
Ever since arriving in this world, he hadn't had a restful sleep; he hadn't even left the village.
"This world is full of evil and terrifying things," the other person continued helplessly, without waiting for Hu Ma to respond. "There's the eerie meat mountain, alluring evil spirits, the soul-snatching Black Wind Calamity, and the legendary Netherworld Road... But can you imagine, the people of this world are most afraid of us!"
"Us?" Hu Ma found it hard to understand for a moment. "Why are they afraid of us?"
"They believe we are Yin Ghosts!" His voice, laced with helplessness and a grim resentment, continued, "They see us as Evil Ghosts who crawled out of hell, possess living people, and hide in the human world."
"They consider us the most terrifying evil spirits!"
"Once they discover our true identities, they will perform soul extraction and strip our bones, refining us until not even a trace is left..."