Chapter 16 Yin and Yang eyes

“In that case, I will go all out!” said Cheng Xiaoxiao as she slammed the contract onto the table. Then she turned to ask Bai Wuchang as she smiled proudly, “Do I sign here?” Bai Wuchang curved his lips and said,“ Yes, that’s right.” Cheng Xiaoxiao signed her name, ‘Cheng Xiaoxiao’, with a flourish on the second party's line on the first page and at the end of the contract. Bai Wuchang looked at her with eyes as dark as the night sky and smiled as he said, “Congrats, Miss! You are now a new member of the Netherworld and our colleague from now on.” “Thanks, thanks,” said Cheng Xiaoxiao. She took the jade pendant from Bai Wuchang with an awe-inspiring and fearless look on her face. After getting the jade pendant back, it felt heftier than it used to be. Then she said, “Hurry up and show me the magical instrument used for ghost catching.” Cheng Xiaoxiao’s lips curved into a smile. What on earth was this inexplicable sense of duty and responsibility that gradually rose in her heart? “I’ve already given you the magical instrument,” said Bai Wuchang as he narrowed his eyes and pointed at the jade pendant in Cheng Xiaoxiao’s hands, “This jade pendant will give you the power of Yin and Yang eyes. You just need to chant, ‘Hear my order, jade pendant and open my eyes’, to see things that no one else can,” explained Bai Wuchang patiently to Cheng Xiaoxiao. “And then?” asked Cheng Xiaoxiao as she looked at Bai Wuchang and waited for him to continue. But he shrugged his shoulders and replied, “That’s all.” “Just Yin and Yang eyes? Then how do I catch ghosts when I see them?” asked Cheng Xiaoxiao somewhat worriedly. Did they expect her to catch spirits with her bare hands? No, she didn't have any hands while she was on earth. All she had were four chubby paws! Was the Netherworld so penny-pinching that they didn’t have a single decent magical instrument for her? Cheng Xiaoxiao looked at Bai Wuchang’s office desk, and there was a spirit banner standing next to his desk. Hei Wuchang’s desk was next to his, and there was a mourning stick lying carelessly on his desk. Was she getting differential treatment because she was a part-timer? “When people die, their spirits don’t just return to the Netherworld. Most wandering spirits remain in the earthly realm because they have strong resentment or concerns that make them refuse to come to the Netherworld and reincarnate,” said Bai Wuchang as he sat behind his office desk and looked professional when he explained, “All you have to do, is to neutralize their persistence to stay in the earthly realm. You need to make them want to leave and reincarnate. Then the jade pendant will take care of the rest.” Cheng Xiaoxiao slumped her shoulders listlessly. Then she said dejectedly, “So I have to help them fulfill their final wishes before they are willing to reincarnate? That’s so troublesome.” She immediately realized that she was duped. Cheng Xiaoxiao glanced at the part-timer contract on the table and found the words, ‘Cheng Xiaoxiao’, so jarring to her eyes that they became teary. She just knew that her food obsession would get her into trouble sooner or later. No, in fact, she already died once from eating. If she weren't competing against that bitch, Lu Yao, she wouldn't choke to death on a piece of snack. “Can we forget about the contract?” asked Cheng Xiaoxiao without bearing much hope. Hei Wuchang had taken her signed contract and placed it into a document cabinet. “No way. The contract has taken effect,” said Hei Wuchang as he grinned at Cheng Xiaoxiao with his pearly whites showing. “But under the labor hours section, it clearly states that I can terminate the contract anytime,” retorted Cheng Xiaoxiao as her eyes lit up when she suddenly remembered the contents she read. Fortunately, she had scrutinized it carefully. “But you need to catch a total of 100 ghosts before line comes into effect,” replied Hei Wuchang. Then he took the contract out and floated over to Cheng Xiaoxiao to place a magnifying glass over the contract and said, “See? It says a part-time ghost catcher can terminate the contract any time after catching 100 ghosts.” Cheng Xiaoxiao saw the additional notes for the labor section. But they were so unintelligible without the magnifying glass that she thought it was ink stain previously. “This is a con job!” Catch 100 ghosts? When would she ever get to reincarnate? “Don’t be angry, Miss,” said Hei Wuchang. Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang looked at each other before Bai Wuchang nodded. Then Hei Wuchang carefully placed the contract back into the document cabinet and continued, “There are over 100 wandering spirits in Huangquan Forest alone. If you catch them all, you will more than meet your quota.” “You had all the time to do a headcount, but didn't have time to catch those ghosts? Aren't you worried I might tell the King of Hell about the things that you did?” said Cheng Xiaoxiao angrily. “Without explicit orders from our higher-ups, we wouldn’t have dared to do that!” said Hei Wuchang quickly. “Xiao Hei!” Bai Wuchang glared at Hei Wuchang, and he instantly shut up. Then he floated back to his office desk and buried his head to work on his thick stack of documents. “Calm down, Miss. Indeed, we didn’t make things clear. Since we haven’t submitted the contract to the Netherworld archive department, you are welcome to change your mind,” said Bai Wuchang as he smiled at Cheng Xiaoxiao. “Xiao Bai…” blurted Hei Wuchang as he raised his head from behind the thick stack of documents and looked at Bai Wuchang. Bai Wuchang glanced at Hei Wuchang and shook his head, and indicated for him to shut up. Then Bai Wuchang looked at Cheng Xiaoxiao and continued to wait for her to make up her mind. Cheng Xiaoxiao held the jade pendant tightly as she said, “If I don’t take this job, will you take care of the wandering spirits in Huangquan Forest?” “We are honestly understaffed,” said Bai Wuchang as he smiled awkwardly. “Can I still live if those monsters eat my body?” Chu Yunshen was still in Huangquan Forest, holding the body of the cat she transmigrated into. “Since your reincarnation slot isn’t ready yet, your soul will end up extinguished if your body gets destroyed,” said Bai Wuchang matter of factly. “Then will you safeguard the wellbeing of part-time ghost catchers?” asked Cheng Xiaoxiao as she gazed hesitantly at Bai Wuchang. Bai Wuchang nodded and said, “Yes, if the part-time ghost catchers meet any ghosts that are too tough to catch, we will send a full-time ghost catcher to assist.” “Okay,” said Cheng Xiaoxiao as she held the jade pendant in her hands, “Send me back then.” “Are you sure, Miss?” asked Bai Wuchang as he lifted his brow. Cheng Xiaoxiao nodded firmly. After Cheng Xiaoxiao left the Netherworld, Hei Wuchang turned to look at Bai Wuchang. He pulled out his handkerchief to wipe sweat from his forehead and said anxiously, “Fortunately, she agreed. But I wonder if she is up to the task?” Bai Wuchang narrowed his eyes slightly. Then he looked in the direction Cheng Xiaoxiao left and said, “The King of Hell ordered us to take care of Huangquan Forest, and the deadline is almost up. We were only able to catch pure spirits but not those which had used rotten corpses as hosts. Once Cheng Xiaoxiao forces those spirits from their hosts, things will get easier.” After Cheng Xiaoxiao opened her eyes, she found that she was mostly wet. Then Xiaowu’s anxious voice suddenly came from overhead as he said, “Master, please let me help you with the cat.” “It’s fine,” said Chu Yunshen as his voice rang from his chest into Cheng Xiaoxiao’s ears and seemed to warm her heart. “But more and more zombies are coming, and the rain is getting heavier. If you keep carrying the little fellow, it will endanger you,” said Xiaowu mutedly. “Watch your back!” shouted Chu Yunshen loudly. Xiaowu hastily turned to see a zombie with bulging eyes and thick green fluid oozing from his body lunge towards them. He swiftly dodged before raising his sword to hack him apart.” “Your Highness, I know about a cave in the forest, which is on high ground. Since the zombies aren’t agile, they probably can’t get to it.” “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” said Xiaowu to the old village chief who was placed in between him and the prince for his protection, “Take His Highness, I will bring up the rear!” “Yes, yes!” said the village chief continuously, “Your Highness, please go that way.” The zombies were everywhere. All the fear made the village chief forget that he was an elderly with difficulty walking. He walked so swiftly that he was as good as a 20 to 30 year old youth. There was genuinely a cave when they arrived at the high ground, and it was just enough for three people. “Meow.” The moment they entered the cave, the atmosphere became less intense, so Cheng Xiaoxiao stopped pretending she was asleep. She reached her head out of Chu Yunshen’s arms and grabbed his bloodstained collar. Was he hurt? “Meow.” Cheng Xiaoxiao licked Chu Yunshen’s arm, where it seemed to have gotten grazed by a tree. Then she stared at Chu Yunshen with her limpid eyes. “Have you woken up?” asked Chu Yunshen as he lowered his head to look at the little fellow in his arms. Then he raised his sleeve to wipe her wet head and examine if she had any other wounds. “Meow meow.” Chu Yunshen’s hands stroked Cheng Xiaoxiao everywhere and made her blush. Fortunately, she was a cat now, so her face was covered with cat fur. “Master, we can only wait for the storm to break tomorrow before we make any other moves,” said Xiaowu as he retreated into the cave. Then he watched as the prince stroked the cat and said indignantly, “Your Highness, wouldn’t have ended up endangering yourself if it weren’t for this little fellow.” Chu Yunshen glanced at Xiaowu sideways, and Xiaowu instantly stopped talking. Then he sat down next to the village chief and tore some fabric from his garments to wipe the blood off his sword. After everyone fell asleep leaning against the cave walls, Cheng Xiaoxiao suddenly opened her eyes. Bai Wuchang said she had to neutralize the monsters’ persistence to stay in the earthly realm before they would go to the Netherworld and reincarnate. But how was she to neutralize it? Cheng Xiaoxiao cautiously used her paw to retrieve the jade pendant from her neck. A soft green light was flashing from it. Cheng Xiaoxiao frowned a little. Didn’t Bai Wuchang say he already fixed the jade pendant? So why was the jade pendant still glowing with a green light? Forget it. She didn’t have time to figure it out. Cheng Xiaoxiao closed her eyes and chanted in her heart, “Hear my order, jade pendant and open my eyes.” The moment Cheng Xiaoxiao opened her eyes, she could feel her eyes lighting up. She went out to see that the stones and trees around them had broken into pieces, and all that was left were those zombies as they wandered within the forest. But this time, Cheng Xiaoxiao saw not only the zombies’ rotting fleshly bodies but also a green line pulling each zombie along. Cheng Xiaoxiao followed the lines and spotted a high ground similar to the one they were on, where there was a huge empty space with a sacrificial altar built on it. A strange glow radiated from the sacrificial altar. Regardless of the torrential rain, it didn’t dissipate at all. Was that sacrificial altar the reason these zombies refused to reincarnate? Xiaowu came out of the cave at daybreak to scout out the situation. He went back into the cave moments later and said sadly, “Master, it’s already sunny outside, but those zombies refuse to leave the only way out of the forest.” “Have those zombies surrounded the only way out of the forest? Chu Yunshen’s eyes turned dark. Someone must be controlling those zombies. Or else these bodies which had been dead for so long would never have the consciousness to block their path out of the forest. It appeared that someone didn’t want them to leave the forest.