Chapter 133: The Black Coffin
The store manager had sent them to a place called Lower Huang Village. It wasn’t exactly in the boonies, just a tad far from the city center and rather behind on the times.
Sitting in the car, Zhao Mingyue was meticulously going through the information sent by the store manager.
To be honest, there wasn’t much to go through. The store manager didn’t know all that much. He mostly just told Zhao Mingyue what to do upon arrival, how to handle the situation, and how to communicate with the locals.
He firmly believed that Zhao Mingyue could handle the ghostly matters, but his worry was that before they could even start, she might already be at odds with the client.
This couldn’t be helped; both Zhao Mingyue and Lu Liangting were basically kids at heart. Just looking at them didn’t inspire much confidence, which made everyone a bit skeptical.
After scanning through the info, Zhao Mingyue stroked her chin thoughtfully.
The store manager had mentioned that he had communicated with the client. She and Lu Liangting were his “disciples,” lacking deep mystical training but had experience, and could definitely handle this commission. The details were vague, but the client had agreed.
Once they arrived, there was no need to don robes or play pretend sorcerers. They just had to act like relatives, ask about the situation, wait until dark, and then deal with the ghost. Simple as pie—wrap it up and head home!
Just keep quiet when necessary, think twice before responding, and let Lu Liangting handle the bulk of the communication.
“I really didn’t expect the store manager to have such connections,” Lu Liangting said, driving the car.
“I didn’t either; I only found out recently.”
“Well, I won’t be a bother this time. I can wait outside for you, or maybe help you and Bai Yu a bit.” Through the rearview mirror, he stole a glance at the backseat. He knew his place.
With Bai Yu around, there was no way it would be his turn to jump into action.
“But the store manager said you should be the one to take the lead,” Zhao Mingyue held up her phone. “You take charge, and I’ll just follow along.”
“Me?”
“Yup! The manager said he’s worried I won’t be able to speak up.”
“Can I really handle that?” Lu Liangting glanced again in the rearview mirror, mostly checking Bai Yu’s profile.
“Absolutely!” Zhao Mingyue clapped her hands, making a decisive call.
She was more than happy for Lu Liangting to take the lead, allowing her to just tag along. They’d finish the task and she wouldn’t have to deal with any strangers. What’s not to love?
As for Bai Yu, she had her own plan. If Lu Liangting missed any key points, she’d jump in to assist.
“Alright, I’ll do my best.”
The car fell silent, and Zhao Mingyue continued whispering with Bai Yu in the back seat, practically glued to her side, just short of being in a bear hug. Bai Yu listened intently, occasionally chiming in.
Lu Liangting could see a bit of this in the rearview mirror, and unconsciously, he pressed the accelerator a bit harder. If it hadn’t been for the navigation keeping him in check, he would’ve been speeding left and right.
By the time they reached the destination, it was half past five in the afternoon. The sun was sinking low, and ominous clouds were starting to gather. As Lu Liangting pulled into the village entrance, they were greeted by a man dressed in mourning attire who came striding over.
He had already communicated over the phone, and since Lu Liangting had given his license plate number, the man clearly recognized them.
He knocked on the car window. “Hello, young man, are you Master Li’s disciple?”
“I am,” Lu Liangting nodded as he rolled down the window. “Li Tianan is my master, but he encountered a small hiccup today, so I’m here to help you out.”
The man, in his forties with sunken, dark skin, didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he pulled out a pack of Chinese cigarettes from his pocket, offering one to Lu Liangting.
It was an old tradition—offering cigarettes when meeting someone new. Although Zhao Mingyue didn’t understand why, she figured it was a way to show goodwill and foster connection.
“No, no, no, thank you, Uncle. I don’t smoke.”
Noticing that Lu Liangting was quite young, the man didn’t press the issue and pocketed the cigarettes. He glanced around and slightly leaned in to drop his voice. “Listen, young master, when we head over, just don’t speak at first. The situation’s a bit complex. The eldest’s family is downplaying things because they don’t want to pay more.”
“Two people have already died. The old man won’t budge, he’s turned into an evil ghost, causing havoc!”
“If your master were here, I wouldn’t have to say much.”
“Trust uncle on this. We can still go back. It’s not too late, or you could just call your master over.”
The middle-aged man spoke earnestly; his serious expression suggested he meant every word.
“Are you the one I spoke with on the phone?” Lu Liangting asked, taking his time to consider the situation.
“No, that was the eldest. I’m second—Huang Laoer.” He rested his hands on the car door. “You can ask around; the villagers know I’m trustworthy. The eldest is a different story—hard to deal with. I’m his brother, but our relationship isn’t great; I have to be cautious around him.”
“So the one on the phone was your elder brother?”
“Yup.”
“Then why didn’t he come?”
“Ah, it’s the little things that are left for us to handle. It’d be weird if he actually showed up.”
“Got it.” Lu Liangting nodded. At that moment, a car honked from behind them, urging Lu Liangting to move on.
“There’s a car behind us. Uncle, let’s chat more at our destination. Do you have a car? Want to ride with me?”
“Let me tell you…” The middle-aged man exchanged glances with Lu Liangting and nodded. “No problem, I have a vehicle. Follow me, I’ll lead the way.”
He turned towards a nearby electric tricycle, started it up, and headed into the village. Lu Liangting shifted gears and gently pressed the accelerator to follow behind.
“Something feels off,” Lu Liangting frowned in the car. “Why is he so eager to prove his reliability without me even asking? And he claims the two families have a bad relationship, yet this guy shows up when I call Huang Hai?”
“He might genuinely be concerned, seeing we’re both young, wanting us to leave. Didn’t he say we could wait for the manager?” Zhao Mingyue suggested.
“Just a facade.” Lu Liangting shot back with two words, “He knew the manager wouldn’t be here today, which is why he said that, trying to lower our guard.”
“I can’t figure out if he wants us to go or not.”
Following the man on the tricycle, Lu Liangting squinted at the figure in front of him.
“He’s not wrong about one thing. This situation is far more complicated than we imagined—certainly not as simple as the store manager suggested!”
“Let’s be careful once we get there,” Lu Liangting started but caught sight of Bai Yu sitting quietly in the backseat, saying nothing.
What he meant was not just for everyone to be careful; it was a reminder for himself to keep alert.
Zhao Mingyue had nothing to worry about; with Bai Yu around, what could go wrong?
The one in danger was actually him, and he wasn’t sure if Bai Yu would swoop in to save him in a crisis.
He was starting to connect the dots; perhaps Bai Yu’s feelings for him weren’t as rosy as he imagined.
To be more precise, even if he wasn’t wrong, his standing with Bai Yu was certainly less important than Zhao Mingyue’s. If they both found themselves in danger, Bai Yu would undoubtedly prioritize saving Zhao Mingyue first, while his own fate would rely on whether Zhao Mingyue was in good shape.
As much as he hated to admit it, that was just reality.
“Better safe than sorry,” Lu Liangting finally said, following the middle-aged man through several turns until they reached a large courtyard of a house.
In rural areas, houses typically occupy a lot of land, and from a distance, Lu Liangting could see white funeral banners and black cloth adorning a three-story house.
He parked on the roadside and turned off the engine.
Zhao Mingyue and Bai Yu quietly stood behind him, staring at the small building. From afar, they could already sense a faint cloud of darkness oozing out. Such heavy resentment couldn’t be attributed to just an unwilling old soul.
Keep in mind, it was broad daylight, and the weather was splendid, the sun blazing down during the summer. Such harsh sunlight could easily dispel resentment and suppress ghosts.
If it was truly as the intel suggested, they wouldn’t even need to lift a finger. Just leaving the coffin out in the sun would do the trick; by afternoon, it could be easily carried off for burial.
Upon reaching the house, Zhao Mingyue unexpectedly noticed that the sky seemed to dim slightly—the dark clouds gathering looked like they were about to bring rain.
She knew that no matter how strong a ghost was, it couldn’t affect the weather. Even an evil god showing up wouldn’t change the skies; the evil god of Eternal Life Village only had an impact on the magnetic field, really.
But the overcast sky did amplify the already heavy atmosphere, especially when looking at the household holding a funeral.
It gave off an unmistakable ominous vibe.
Zhao Mingyue was certain a red-clothed entity was present.
She found it puzzling why a rural family like this would be home to such a figure.
“Bai Mei, do you feel that?” Zhao Mingyue whispered to Bai Yu beside her.
“What?”
“The scent of food… Just kidding, it’s the red-clothed evil ghost, but it feels about right.”
“Yeah, I sense something, but I can’t pinpoint the location.”
Bai Yu looked up at the three-story building. It was clear that a grand funeral had taken place not long ago, with plenty of guests over for a banquet. The traces of the flowing banquet tables could be seen all around.
Even the flower wreaths and spirit banners had been mostly taken down, propped against the walls, neglected.
In this half-dismantled funeral scene, many relatives were milling about the courtyard, but the atmosphere was oddly quiet. No one spoke; their faces were either serious or blank. Those wearing mourning clothes looked pale, clearly shaken.
The courtyard was primarily filled with close relatives; many distant acquaintances had left. Even with the promise of a feast later, no one dared to return.
In rural traditions, such matters are always treated superstitiously. The old man of the Huang family refusing to be buried, with a coffin too heavy for thirteen strong youths to lift, quickly spread throughout the village and beyond.
In this incomplete sending off, Bai Yu spotted two coffins in the yard.
Both were dark black, without a hint of red, and each was adorned with talismans at either end.
The color of the coffin holds significance: red coffins usually belong to joyful funerals, signifying an elder passing away peacefully.
Black coffins, on the other hand, are typically for sudden deaths, suicides, or untimely ends.
One coffin looked brand new, while the other was caked with dirt, as if just dug up, with clear signs of decay visible on it—indicating it had been buried for quite some time.
Naturally, the new coffin belonged to the old Huang patriarch; but the burning question was—whose was the other coffin?
If one coffin was hard enough to carry, why was there suddenly another in the house?
Bai Yu narrowed her eyes, scanning her surroundings.
“Hey, we need to go,” Zhao Mingyue tugged at her hand.
The middle-aged man who had escorted them returned briskly from the courtyard, holding three strips of white cloth.
In the customs here, anyone attending a funeral must wear this white cloth around their necks, while the family members need to don mourning garments. Zhao Mingyue and the others, as guests, had to comply too.
He handed the three strips of cloth to Lu Liangting, his expression grave.
“Little master, since you’re determined to come, tonight’s all on you. This is the last night; the coffin must be buried tomorrow, or the family will have bad luck.”
“I’ll do my best.” Receiving the strips, he handed one to Zhao Mingyue and one to Bai Yu, stepping further into the courtyard, ready to take on this heavy responsibility.
For some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with this place, as if he had been here before.
Once in the yard, he tilted his head and asked, “Uncle Huang, is there a child named Feng Er in the family?”
“Feng Er? How do you know? She’s the second daughter of the eldest.” Huang Cheng looked surprised.
“Oh, then I’m sure about it. My sister was close friends with Feng Er back in primary school. I came to pick her up once.”
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Sorry, I got a little delayed today. My bad, my bad~
