Translator: CinderTL
Let them be at the mercy of fate.
Only those who survive deserve to serve him.
He was the Demonic Sect Holy Son, not a babysitter.
Xu Sanyan shook his head lightly, dismissing the matter. He looked up and saw a large group of ghosts wandering the long street ahead, living as if they were normal people.
Vendors hawked their wares along the street, while shopkeepers opened their doors to welcome customers. The common folk went about their daily routines, each busy with their own tasks.
If one ignored their eerie appearances and slightly vacant expressions, the scene looked no different from any ordinary town.
His gaze shifted, and he noticed yamen officers patrolling the street, clad in black robes and carrying long sabers at their waists. Their imposing presence filled the air, and a single glance revealed their formidable strength.
As Xu Sanyan strolled down the long street, he pondered his immediate priority: finding a legitimate way to obtain soul crystals to maintain his divine soul and prevent further damage.
How should I acquire soul crystals?
Surely the dignified Holy Son of the Demonic Sect can't hawk goods like those street vendors?
Besides, I don't even know how to steam buns.
Just then, a middle-aged woman dressed as a brothel madam stood before a pavilion, forcing a ghastly smile onto her stiff face. She blocked Xu Sanyan's path.
"Young master, come upstairs and play," she said. "The girls have been dying to see you."
The old madam's listless calls to customers carried a hint of indifference: Come if you want, if not, whatever.
This might not have been her intention; her stiff face simply couldn't convey a wider range of expressions.
Xu Sanyan looked up at the brothel before him. Along the second-floor balcony, a row of flamboyant women leaned against the railing, their crimson eyes fixed intently on him. They didn't look like they wanted to "eat" him, but rather eat him up.
"This..."
How much of a pervert would you have to be to get aroused by this group of "beauties"?
"Excuse me, but is business good here?" Xu Sanyan asked, staring at a piece of vegetable stuck between the old madam's teeth, tempted to reach out and pick it out for her.
The old madam paused, sizing him up before slowly replying, "We only take girls here."
Xu Sanyan's lips twitched violently. What does she mean? Does she think I'm applying for a job?
"I'll come back when I have money to spend," he said, turning to leave. But then he remembered something and turned back. "Just one more question: do you know where I can earn some money?"
If Xu Sanyan wanted to quickly understand the specifics of this secret realm, starting with its currency system was undoubtedly the fastest approach.
The old madam pointed to the end of the long street. "There's a Brokerage Firm there. They also help people find work. You can check it out."
"Thank you," Xu Sanyan said, cupping his hands in a traditional gesture of farewell.
"Young master, remember to come back and play when you've earned some money..."
"I will."
"Ah, life is hard. Female ghosts selling their bodies... all just victims of cruel fate..." Xu Sanyan sighed, recalling the female ghosts he had seen, each with their own tragic end.
If I had enough soul crystals, I'd actually be curious to try different flavors...
"Brother, I'm so hungry..." the girl whispered, swallowing hard as she gazed at the wandering ghosts on the street.
Xu Sanyan reassured her, "I'll buy you something delicious once I earn some money."
"Okay..." The girl was surprisingly well-behaved.
A small flag fluttered outside the Brokerage Firm. Xu Sanyan glanced around to confirm he was in the right place before stepping inside.
An Old Ghost, who had been working at the counter for a year, stared blankly at him without a word.
"Excuse me, is this the Brokerage Firm?" Xu Sanyan asked, looking around the room. The Old Ghost was the only one present.
"Ah, yes."
"I heard you can help find work here?"
"Ah, that's right."
"Could you explain how it works?"
"Ah, sure."
The Old Ghost clumsily tossed a booklet from behind the counter and resumed his blank stare, saying nothing more.
Xu Sanyan frowned. This old geezer doesn't seem too bright, he thought.
Never mind him. Let's just open the booklet.
"Pretend to be a criminal: three pounds of soul spirit per day."
Xu Sanyan's eyes lit up immediately. Three pounds a day?
"May I ask, sir, what does 'pretend to be a criminal' mean?"
"It means taking the blame for someone else. You sign the confession, get arrested by the officials, and go to prison. That's all."
Xu Sanyan was confused. "Can you ever get out?"
"Are you stupid? Once you're in prison, how would you get out?"
Though the Old Ghost's voice remained monotone, Xu Sanyan could sense the mockery in his tone.
"Then what would I need soul spirit for?"
The Old Ghost pondered for a moment. "That's right... but you wouldn't get any soul spirit anyway."
"So it goes to you?" Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow.
The Old Ghost nodded matter-of-factly. "Exactly. What would you need soul spirit for if you can't get out?"
Damn, that makes perfect sense...
Xu Sanyan had no retort. He could only roll his eyes inwardly. This isn't "pretending to be a criminal"—it's just being a real criminal!
He flipped further through the booklet.
"Graveyard Keeper: one pound of soul spirit per night. Responsible for suppressing the ghosts in the mass burial ground outside the city."
"What's the strength of the ghosts in the mass burial grounds?" Xu Sanyan asked, looking up.
Old Ghost glanced at him before silently averting his gaze.
Though he didn't say a word, Xu Sanyan felt a distinct sense of being looked down upon.
Next page:
Night Patrol: 8 liang of soul spirit per night. Teams of two enforce the curfew.
"This..." Xu Sanyan pointed at the booklet, looking at Old Ghost.
"Night watchmen," Old Ghost said succinctly.
"Can I do it?"
Old Ghost didn't answer directly, instead asking, "Are you a fast runner?"
"Decent enough."
"Then you can do it."
"So... it's not very safe here at night?" Xu Sanyan ventured, eager to gather more information.
Old Ghost sighed. "Some people stray from the righteous path in life, and even in death, they refuse to walk the proper way."
Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes. "You know you're a ghost?"
Old Ghost stared at him as if he were an idiot. "Is your brain malfunctioning?"
"Then what do you see me as?"
"A human."
"Aren't you surprised?"
"What's so strange? People come here every day. I'm used to it. But..."
Old Ghost trailed off, and Xu Sanyan pressed him, "But what?"
"I've never seen someone as weak as you before..."
Xu Sanyan blinked, confused.
From this exchange, Xu Sanyan gleaned two key insights. First, all previous trial participants had been at least Soul Refining Realm cultivators. Second, while Old Ghost claimed people came "every day," the secret realm only opened once every fifty years. This suggested that the realm likely remained frozen in time between trials.
When the trials began, the realm's inhabitants regained consciousness, perceiving each new group of participants as if only a day had passed since the last. They remained unaware of the true passage of time.
Xu Sanyan pieced together this understanding and flipped through the booklet again. The remaining jobs were either too dangerous or offered too few soul spirits. After careful comparison, the night watchman position seemed the most suitable.
Without further hesitation, he looked up at Old Ghost. "I want to try this one."
"Alright. Report to the yamen tonight. Come back tomorrow morning for your pay." Old Ghost snatched the booklet, tucked it away, and dismissed him.
As Xu Sanyan reached the door, he turned back. "Old sir, if I bring people who 'volunteer' to pretend to be prisoners, what about the three pounds of soul spirits?"
For the first time, a smile creased Old Ghost's wrinkled face. He held up six fingers.
"Sixty percent for you, forty percent for me. But I only accept 'volunteers.'" He emphasized the word "volunteers" with deliberate weight.
"Heh..."
The old man and the young man exchanged knowing smiles before Xu Sanyan turned and left.
(End of the Chapter)
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