Chapter 35: The Eve of the College Entrance Examination

“Let’s go.”

Ling Qiu gave the order with a calm indifference.

Skeleton Brother hesitated, “Qiu, we don’t need to intervene, right? With such strong resentment and murderous energy, that Bamboo Rat is as good as dead!”

Ling Qiu replied, “Precisely because the resentment and murderous energy are so intense… we must intervene.”

With that, Ling Qiu strode into the bar.

Skeleton Brother pondered for a moment, then suddenly understood. Yes, such powerful murderous energy and resentment would inevitably harm others! Vengeful ghosts, especially those bent on revenge, are exceptionally savage—often blinded by hatred, losing what little reason remains.

Sure enough…

As Ling Qiu and Skeleton Brother entered the bar, they were met with wildly flickering lights and vibrating tables and chairs. The ghost was rampaging, leaping and darting about, a chilling wind sending shivers down their spines.

Ahead, Bamboo Rat was surrounded by a group, evidently unaware of what was happening.

“What the hell is this?—Is your air conditioning free or what?!” Bamboo Rat, clad in a fur coat, was shivering despite its warmth. “Hurry up! Don’t waste time! Get your boss out here or we’ll wreck this place! Damn, these flashing lights are killing my eyes—this dump should’ve been torn down ages ago!”

“I heard someone’s looking for me.”

Ling Qiu watched as the ghost’s resentment grew heavier, and stepped slowly out of the darkness.

As soon as they saw Ling Qiu, Waist Brother, trailing behind Skeleton Brother, shouted, “Boss! That’s him!! That’s Ling Qiu!!”

“That’s him?” Bamboo Rat glanced at Ling Qiu. “Well, you’ve got guts, actually showing up!”

He raised a hand, and his men brandished rubber clubs, steel pipes, and machetes, each looking more vicious than the last.

Ling Qiu, uninterested in further words, quietly turned the Yanluo Ring.

Buzz!

Yanluo Realm!

Instantly, everything froze, and the surroundings turned black and white. Only the furious ghost and Bamboo Rat remained in color.

“Huh?!” Bamboo Rat was stunned, jumping in fright. “W-what’s happening?!”

Ling Qiu addressed the ghost, “Every debt has its debtor. As long as you do not harm the innocent, I permit you to exact your revenge your way. If you harm others, I will not help you transcend, but will scatter your soul to oblivion.”

His words carried a peculiar, inexplicable authority, instantly awakening the ghost from its rage.

The ghost trembled; its powerful murderous energy and resentment ceased to spread, focusing solely on Bamboo Rat.

A chilling surge of ghostly energy.

The ghost transformed into the form it had when it was killed, appearing before Bamboo Rat.

“Ahhhh!!!” Bamboo Rat, clueless about what was happening, saw this terrifying entity appear before him and screamed in terror, falling to the floor.

“You… you… aren’t you dead?!!”

Bamboo Rat’s face was pale as paper, his already ugly features twisted further with fear.

The ghost spoke with a cold, vengeful tone, “Yes… I am dead… But I cannot rest! Even in death, I will drag you with me!”

With that, the ghost lunged, grabbing Bamboo Rat and began a frenzied, savage attack.

Blood splattered—a scene of horror and terror!

Yet…

Ling Qiu knew well that this was merely an illusion wrought by the soul’s influence on the living. The more terrified the victim, the stronger the hallucination. The more powerful the spirit, the more real the illusion felt.

Judging from this… the deceased’s resentment was not ordinary.

Bamboo Rat’s scream was wrenching, echoing through the bar.

In his mind, every inch of flesh, bone, and skin was torn apart by the ghost—though illusion, the agony felt all too real.

After a while…

Bamboo Rat lay half-dead on the floor, trembling, weakly muttering, “...don’t eat me… don’t eat me…”

The ghost finally relented, turning to Ling Qiu, shifting into the form of a young man. He bowed respectfully, his face bright with a clean, boyish smile. “Thank you, benefactor, for giving me this chance for revenge. This kindness, I, Lin Shuyu, will remember in every life.”

Ling Qiu spoke slowly, “You just shattered two souls and seven spirits from him. Now, only a weakened human soul remains. In three days, he will die. Are you aware that you’ve incurred karmic sin? In the Underworld, you will be punished.”

The young man smiled gently, “I know. But I’m already dead. This is the only thing I can do for my girlfriend. We were together for three years, and I never once gave her a proper gift. She secretly worked in this bar to help pay my tuition for a minor. I owed her this. Now I’m happy—even if I suffer, I’m willing. And with one less villain, maybe there’ll be fewer good girls bullied, fewer poor kids like me tormented…”

Ling Qiu took a deep breath.

In this world, across countless years, how could everyone have their wishes fulfilled, and every deed be good?

“I will give you a talisman. When you enter the Underworld, perhaps your suffering will be lessened.”

Ling Qiu turned the Yanluo Ring, and the young man’s soul transformed into a faint blue light, flowing into the ring…

During this, Ling Qiu wrote a large seal character into the air, forming a talisman, which he embedded into the process of transcendence.

Buzzing…

The soul, having fulfilled its wish, was finally absorbed and transcended by Ling Qiu.

He absorbed the spirit’s power, and transcended its essence.

Settling grudges in this life is best; otherwise, even through reincarnation, resentment becomes a karmic burden, entangling generations—a “debtor ghost” born in the family, so the old tales say.

Ling Qiu gently turned the Yanluo Ring, and, in an instant, released the Yanluo Realm.

“Boss?!”

“Boss, are you alright?!”

Everyone came to their senses, only to find Bamboo Rat kneeling on the ground, curled in his fur coat like a giant ball, clutching a sugarcane, gnawing frantically, trembling all over, repeating, “Don’t eat me… don’t eat me… don’t eat me…”

He chewed with manic satisfaction.

No one could drag him away.

Skeleton Brother, knowing exactly what had happened, stepped forward and said coldly, “Your boss is kneeling on the ground. Why haven’t you left?”

Waist Brother and the others shuddered. Without another word, they hoisted the terrified Bamboo Rat and fled.

Ling Qiu turned to Skeleton Brother, “Did you forget what I told you?”

Skeleton Brother blinked, “Qiu, what was it?”

Ling Qiu said, “You’re burdened with heavy karma. I told you to do more good deeds—have you?”

Skeleton Brother realized, quickly replying, “Qiu, I understand… That kid died so tragically. But… the night market is divided into four districts: east, west, south, and north. I only look after the west. Bamboo Rat killed someone in the east… I can’t interfere, right?”

Ling Qiu said, “Then take over the entire night market.”

“What? That’s… a bit much.”

“Step by step. Start with Bamboo Rat’s eastern district.”

Skeleton Brother nodded obediently.

Ling Qiu instructed, “Tomorrow at noon, bring your men to the east, challenge Bamboo Rat to a fight. He will hide and not show himself. In three days, the east will be yours.”

“Huh?” Skeleton Brother was surprised. “Could it really be that easy?”

“If I say it can be, it can.”

“Yes, yes!”

…

The next day.

Noon.

Following Ling Qiu’s instructions, Skeleton Brother led more than twenty men to the door of Midnight Dream Bar.

“Tell your boss to come out and face death!”

Skeleton Brother smashed a bottle of beer at the entrance. His men followed suit, shattering their bottles in unison.

The sharp, coordinated sounds echoed, quite impressive.

Bamboo Rat’s subordinates hurried to fetch him, but he was already out of his wits, left with only a single soul, crouching in a fur coat, gnawing sugarcane, shivering, muttering, “Don’t eat me… don’t eat me…”

They couldn’t get him to show his face.

One subordinate timidly came out, “Uh… our boss… got hurt fighting. He can’t accept the challenge! Come back another day if you dare!”

As expected!

Skeleton Brother’s eyes lit up. Ling Qiu’s prediction was spot on!

“Fine! We’ll let you off today! Tomorrow I’ll be back!”

…

The following day.

Noon, again. Skeleton Brother led his men to the bar.

Once more, they smashed beer bottles in unison.

“Tell Bamboo Rat to come out! I’m going to swallow the east district!” Skeleton Brother shouted.

But…

A few minutes later, the same subordinate emerged, looking miserable. “Our boss… has heatstroke…”

“Fine! Tomorrow is your last chance! If you don’t accept, the east will be leaderless, and I’ll claim it all for myself!”

…

The third day.

Noon.

Skeleton Brother led his men to the bar once more.

He was greeted by the same subordinate, who struggled before producing a new excuse, “Uh… our boss… has depression…”

“Kid, are you messing with me?”

Skeleton Brother glared, “I said today is the final deadline!”

At these words, the subordinate steeled himself, gritted his teeth, “Damn it… I can’t make up any more! Skeleton Brother, Bamboo Rat is finished—he’s just mumbling ‘don’t eat me’ all day. We’ve all had enough!”

“Yeah! Enough!”

A chorus erupted as nearly all of Bamboo Rat’s former men streamed out of the bar.

“Skeleton Brother, you want the east? Good… From now on, all of us in the east will follow you! You’re our boss now!”

Skeleton Brother was delighted.

My god, Qiu is incredible! So shrewd, so prescient!

“Good! Since you brothers trust me, from now on, stick with me!”

“Yes, Boss!!”

“But—there’s one thing you must remember if you’re going to be my crew! It’s very important!”

Suddenly, Skeleton Brother announced.

Everyone asked, “What is it?”

Skeleton Brother grinned, subconsciously touching his belly, “You’re not allowed to ride electric scooters!”