Chapter 48: The Forbidden Zone of the Living
Insane…
Qin Ye’s gaze lingered on his wine glass, every fiber of his being taut with vigilance. This man was mad—a lucid madman, a rational madman.
Arthas’s words echoed clearly in his mind: All soul-catchers are spirits of the underworld, governed under the suffocating regime of the Netherworld’s “system.” Once that system collapses, these soul-catchers become far more terrifying than any malicious ghost.
Take Cao Youdao, for instance.
“With all due respect, you are a soul reaper, and so am I. But I have seen cultivators who stand above even the soul reapers of the human world.” Qin Ye chose his words with caution, speaking gently.
Cao Youdao laughed, a genuine, delighted laugh. His pale, cold hand rested lightly atop Qin Ye’s, “That’s why, in this world, only you and I truly understand one another.”
“Never mind the Impermanents—even those at the Judge’s rank, what of them?”
He patted Qin Ye’s hand softly, “Only soul-catchers can see other soul-catchers.”
“No matter if they’re Impermanents, Judges, even the Lords of the Underworld or Yama himself—no one can see us. Only you and I can see each other. In other words… humans will never find me, even if I’m standing right in front of them.”
“We are fundamentally different from those lowly ghosts and spirits.”
Qin Ye drew his hand back with composure, smiling faintly, “But the government will always suppress the supernatural. With enough manpower, wherever a disturbance appears, they’ll wipe it out…”
He hadn’t finished when Cao Youdao waved a finger, interrupting him, “No, rookie. You seem to have forgotten something.”
Cao Youdao’s eyes turned deep, dangerous, and feverishly persuasive, “You forgot… behind us stand hundreds of billions of spirits! Souls beyond counting, swept into the human world with the great collapse of the Netherworld!”
“With the right guidance, they’ll inevitably transform into vengeful spirits, even malicious ghosts. Tell me—how many people does the Special Investigation Division have? Can they handle it all?”
“Every spirit, upon sensing our aura, will instinctively gather in Baoyan City. We’re only at the initial level of underworld officials now, but once we reach Judge, or even Lord status…”
His body trembled with excitement, “Then the souls of every surrounding province will converge here! Imagine—when hundreds of billions of spirits gather, even if there isn’t a single fierce ghost among them, this place will become a forbidden zone for the living!”
He stared at Qin Ye, eyes blazing, “In other words, it will be paradise for the underworld.”
Qin Ye took a deep breath.
Madmen are not frightening.
What is terrifying is a madman with reason and formidable intellect.
He likely didn’t even realize his own madness.
Qin Ye had understood, though the other’s words were veiled. The ambition was all too clear: he wanted to restore the underworld’s order.
If events followed this path, it might well succeed. The only factor was time, but as those whose names no longer appeared in the Book of Life and Death, did they care about time?
Qin Ye’s silence, in Cao Youdao’s eyes, was consideration. Cao rose, gently tapping the glass window, his voice hoarse, “Rookie, it’s not just me. Every ghost lucky enough to survive is doing the same.”
“You must have only joined recently—within the last century? Before you were entered into the Netherworld’s registry, you witnessed its collapse. That’s why Lord Ksitigarbha didn’t take you to the Pure Land. And so… you’ve never truly met your colleagues. You’re completely ignorant of our current society.”
Where his finger touched, the surface rippled, and a map of the entire Anhui Province appeared above. Baoyan City was marked with the largest red dot. Four other red dots were scattered elsewhere. Though they burned more intensely, their expansion was much slower than Baoyan’s.
“Do you know what this is?” he asked leisurely, working to erode Qin Ye’s defenses, “These are called feeding grounds.”
“After the collapse of the Netherworld, I spent the last hundred years traveling the southeast. Every province, every city was the same. The surviving ghosts have divided up their territories, and each territory is a feeding ground. Every feeding ground contains at least one malicious ghost of soul-catcher rank. They’re waiting, afraid that the underworld’s soul-catchers will surge forth in force again. But time erases fear. The recent unrest signals that some ghosts are tired of waiting.”
Without the underworld’s iron rule, the next decade in China will inevitably see the peak of confrontation between the living and the dead. When that time comes… where will you hide?
No matter where you go, the land will be crawling with ghosts. Do you wish to fulfill your duty as a soul-catcher and slay evil spirits? With no disrespect, do you, a mere soul-catcher, truly think you can kill them all?
Of those ghosts who survived the Netherworld, there are not many soul-catchers, but not few either. In fact… I’ve even sensed the aura of an Impermanent in the Pearl River Delta. Right beneath the river. The Netherworld is gone, there’s no way to advance. So when the clash between yin and yang erupts in full—where will you go?
Cao Youdao turned, amusement in his gaze, “Will you join the living? You’d be violating underworld law—the underworld never interferes in the affairs of the living.”
“Will you side with the spirits? Then you’d again violate Netherworld law—the underworld exists to assist the world of the living.”
“So, where will you go?”
Qin Ye remained silent. Cao Youdao stepped closer and spoke solemnly, “Rookie… do you understand now? I’m not doing this for myself. Someone must step forward, someone must restore order to the underworld.”
“Spirits can never be eradicated. If the underworld is not revived, one day the power of the dead will overwhelm the living. And the only ones who can restore it are…”
He tapped Qin Ye’s chest, “You and I.”
“Only we are exalted above all others, fundamentally different from those vulgar, pathetic ghosts.”
“As a soul-catcher, can you endure seeing those once under our heel—those who grovel at the sight of us—rise to become overlords?”
There was no denying his eloquence. Qin Ye was almost swayed.
Almost.
“But with the Netherworld’s records gone, how will you become a Judge?” Qin Ye asked calmly. “Without that, your authority can’t even extend beyond the province.”
Cao Youdao smiled again.
He stood, running a hand gently along the glass, “See that?”
He referred to the three-meter pit behind the stage.
Qin Ye nodded.
“That’s why… perhaps the collapse of the Netherworld left hope to me alone…” Cao Youdao’s voice quivered with madness, then stilled, “There is a way, of course.”
But he didn’t elaborate, instead turning to Qin Ye, “Well then, what’s your answer? I sincerely invite you to stand with me, with the Netherworld, to restore order. Rookie… don’t disappoint me…”
Qin Ye swirled his wine glass lightly, “And if I say… ‘no’?”
Cao Youdao smiled, “Do you know why I haven’t asked your name?”
“Because… the dead have no need of names.”
Qin Ye finally took a sip of his wine. To his surprise, it tasted light and smooth.
But the air around them was now as sharp as blades.
A single disagreement, and blood would spill.
After several seconds, Qin Ye smiled, putting down his glass, “Then, what reason do I have to refuse?”
Cao Youdao burst into applause with a hearty laugh, “I knew you’d make the right choice.”
He took a small, exquisitely carved wooden token from his pocket. Shrouded in his own ghostly aura, he placed it on the table, pressing it down with two fingers and raising an eyebrow, “With this, you can see all the feeding grounds in Baoyan City. Take it, and you can command any spirit within. The spirits here aren’t strong, mostly around soul-catcher level. None would dare defy my will.”
Qin Ye reached for the token, but found he could not lift it.
“My friend… words alone can be shallow, don’t you think?” Cao Youdao’s smile was enigmatic, “So… shouldn’t you prove yourself?”
“Prove that both of us stand together, rebuilding the underworld, sharing the same ideals, hmm?”
Qin Ye smiled as well, “And how should I do that?”
Cao Youdao stood, walked to the window, and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the layers of reinforced glass separated, and a tidal wave of pounding music from below surged into the room like a bombing run.
Qin Ye listened. It was Faded…
The moment the window opened, he quietly activated the Seal of Yama.
Yes—he was only “almost” convinced.
He would never stand alongside this madman.
For one simple reason: their worldviews were irreconcilable.
He had his own way of living; he would continue as he always had. True, they had both seen dynasties rise and fall, the warmth and chill of human hearts. But he had always lived among humans, unlike every other soul-catcher.
The other man ruled the world of night from on high—that alone made all the difference.
Qin Ye clung more to humanity. He was lazy, uninterested in power, disdainful of human hypocrisy and greed, yet fond of their honesty and kindness.
Passions and desires—that was his life.
The full spectrum of emotion—that alone made life worthwhile.
Why should he stand with you?
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Cao Youdao’s low voice sounded, and within ten seconds the dance floor below fell silent. Every ghost fixed him with fervent eyes.
He cleared his throat and spoke slowly, “Tonight, we may be welcoming a new colleague—someone who shares our goals and ideals. Then again, perhaps not.”
“In truth, words are weightless. So, I have prepared a special welcoming ceremony.”
“Bring him up.”
Qin Ye watched the ambitious man with interest, but soon his attention was drawn elsewhere. He stood abruptly, barely believing what he saw at the entrance.
The sea of ghosts parted, and two paper effigies escorted a soul into the room.
The new arrival’s hair was disheveled from struggle, his soul flickering violently, wrists bound by handcuffs. A square-jawed face, Zhongshan suit.
It was Zhang Baoguo’s soul!
“You see, with a single stroke, you and I will stand on the same side,” Cao Youdao smiled as he looked below, “You should recognize him, shouldn’t you? The first thing you did in Baoyan City was visit him. But he’s quite hateful, you know?”
“The Special Investigation Division is our greatest enemy, obstructing our grand plans. And he is one of their loyal old dogs. I haven’t killed him yet only because it isn’t time to break with the living. We’re always watching him, and thanks to him, I discovered you—the last of my kind.”
So that was it…
Qin Ye met his gaze with a smile, “And what does this mean?”