Chapter Fifty-Two My Ferrari and Five Billion Left

In the blink of an eye, Old Xie and Old Fan had already made a round through the place. It seemed they hadn’t found the person they were seeking. Being spirits, it didn’t matter how many times they circled—the living could never see them.

Just then, Old Fan pulled a book from a black pouch. I recognized it instantly—it was the Book of Life and Death. Could it really be as powerful as a GPS, able to locate anyone?

Incredibly, Old Fan glanced at the book, then looked toward me, and together with Old Xie, slowly walked over. A cold sweat broke out all over me. Were these two planning to drag my soul away?

The two spectral officials approached. Old Xie wrinkled his nose and said, “Hey, Old Fan, I think I smell someone familiar!”

Old Fan, the Black Warden, declared, “Must die!” Startled, I nearly jumped.

Old Xie merely grunted and said, “Alright, never mind. Let’s get to work!” With that, Old Xie and Old Fan took their places behind the girl I’d been drinking with. The soul-binding cord was cast around her, ready to pull her spirit away. At that moment, I suddenly shouted, “Wait!”

Both Old Xie and Old Fan froze, turning to look at me, clearly wondering if I could actually see them.

My shout didn’t just attract the attention of the spectral wardens—even the girl ensnared by the cord joked, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you yelling?” She raised her glass to me and said, “Come on, keep drinking! No going home until we’re drunk!”

I forced a bitter smile, thinking, “She’s about to die and still wants another drink.” But now was not the time for such thoughts—not with two true ghosts watching me, cold sweat pouring down my back.

Old Xie’s pale form passed through the table, standing directly opposite me, his face barely twenty centimeters from mine. With this, I got a real look at Old Xie’s true visage. His face was ghostly pale, as if dusted in flour, and the baton and tall hat he carried reminded me of the old man in our county who sold paper effigies. Only the long, red tongue was terrifying, dangling like that of a hanged ghost.

He stared at me like that, and I couldn’t take it anymore. Was I, the first generation Golden Corpse King, to be cowed by a mere spirit official? I stared back and muttered, “What the hell do you want?”

That single sentence offended two people. The girl, thinking I’d cursed at her, grew annoyed and was about to retort, but Old Fan behind her swiftly drew her soul from her body. She collapsed across the table like a boneless creature. The other girls laughed, “Xiao Li can’t hold her liquor—three bottles and she’s out cold,” and burst into raucous laughter, their lady-like manners lost. I saw through them completely.

Unable to stand Old Xie’s gaze, I rose and bade farewell to the drunken girls, pushed open the door, and left the noisy Red Heart KTV, lighting a cigarette as I wandered the quiet night streets.

But as soon as I stepped outside, I saw Old Fan herding a group of white-clad spirits away, while Old Xie approached me with his baton.

I didn’t want to confront him head-on, so I turned to walk in another direction. Looking back, I found Old Xie, the White Warden, was relentlessly trailing me, following until I reached a deserted alley.

I’d led him here because I didn’t want anyone witnessing me talking to thin air—who knows, someone might call the hospital, and a van would come to take me straight to the asylum.

In the shadowy alley, Old Xie’s form began to glow green, a faint emerald light enveloping him, his wide eyes fixed on me.

I was speechless, just staring at him, until Old Xie spoke. “Kid, I’ve noticed you. You’ve been to the Underworld with Xiao Mao, and the Infant Ghost King even gave you a Ferrari.” His cold, icy expression melted instantly into a friendlier one.

Seeing Old Xie recognized me, I no longer worried he’d accuse me of revealing celestial secrets. My tension faded into laughter, and I replied, “Yes, the Infant Ghost King did give me a Ferrari. So, Old Xie, is there something you need from me?” I respectfully approached, offering to massage his back and shoulders.

But the old guy shrugged off my hands, turning serious. “Spying on ghosts catching souls—you know what the punishment is? If it weren’t for your connections with Xiao Ma and Xiao Mao, Old Fan and I would have taken you already. So, what do you think should be done?” He let out a sly laugh, rubbing his hands, his eyes blinking rapidly.

How could I not understand his meaning? Rubbing thumb and forefinger together—the universal sign for wanting money.

The old crook must be strapped for cash again. If I revealed my Golden Corpse King status, would he still dare to extort me? But Uncle Mao had warned me never to reveal my identity before ghost officials, saying it would draw heavenly generals down to destroy me.

No choice, I could only force a smile and say, “Old Xie, I understand. Just tell me—how much do you want? I’ll throw in a couple of beauties for you.”

Old Xie’s eyes lit up at the mention of beauties. He nodded, “Alright, you’re a smart kid. Since there are women, I’ll settle for fifty billion. Remember, deliver it by noon tomorrow. I want Korean girls; Old Fan likes Japanese, so burn him a Japanese one. I’ve got work to do, so I’ll be off. Oh, by the way, your Ferrari in the Underworld is confiscated.” With that, Old Xie raised his baton and strode away, covering ten meters with each step.

Damn, this was nothing but extortion. My Ferrari!

The fifty billion wasn’t a big deal, but what hurt most was the loss of that Ferrari, a gift from the Infant Ghost King, so meaningful.

At dawn, I went to the crematorium in the suburbs, bought bundles of banknotes from the Bank of Heaven and Earth in denominations of millions and tens of millions, and before noon, burned them along with three beauties and an accompanying letter for Old Xie.

As the flames consumed them, my corpse eyes clearly saw the ashes swirl and coalesce into three women dressed in short skirts and shorts. Which country they were from, I couldn’t tell. Each picked up a bag of Bank of Heaven and Earth notes and the letter, then vanished into the mortal sky.

I imagined they’d travel from the world of the living to the Underworld’s Bank vaults, and the bank would deliver both the money and the beauties to Old Xie and Old Fan, each with a villa outside the Nether Palace.

As for the letter, Old Xie would surely cough blood when he read it.

...