After the Goddess's Tragic Death, I Drew My Sword to Slay Ghosts - Chapter 7 - Do You See Me as Human or Ghost?

“Old man, let me pedal the tricycle. You can rest and just tell me the address.”

I was quick to offer help.

The old man didn’t refuse, likely because he was tired. He settled into the back seat of the tricycle while I took the front to pedal.

“Old man, how should I address you?”

“My surname is Ma. Everyone calls me Old Ma, but you can call me Uncle Ma.”

I pedaled with all my might. “Uncle Ma, thank you for saving me tonight.”

He puffed on his cigarette, exhaling smoke as he spoke. “No need to thank me. The fact that you ran into me tonight means your fate hasn’t run out yet.”

With that, Uncle Ma began recounting the story of the Red-Dressed Female Ghost.

Her name was Lu Xiaona, born into wealth.

The neighborhood where Fatty sells houses is a newly built affluent area. Before that, it was an old villa district, home to wealthy families.

Lu Xiaona was kind-hearted and beautiful.

In her early twenties, she fell in love with a poor young man from the countryside.

The young man was ambitious, hardworking, and seemed honest.

Despite her parents’ objections, she resolutely married him.

Her parents, unwilling to see their daughter suffer, gifted her cash, a company, and even bought a villa, registering it under the couple’s name.

After marriage, Lu Xiaona gave birth to two daughters and a son, dedicating herself to raising the children.

Meanwhile, the young man, with the help of his in-laws, began building his career.

But then tragedy struck-Lu Xiaona’s younger brother died in a car accident, leaving her as her parents’ only child.

Naturally, all of the Lu family’s assets would eventually belong to her and her husband.

But the young man couldn’t wait.

“…One day, while the man was working late at the office, a sudden fire engulfed the house, killing Lu Xiaona, her parents, and her three children. All evidence pointed to it being an accident. The man inherited his late wife’s family fortune. By the end of the year, he married a young, beautiful woman and began living the high life.”

I had a hunch about the truth. “Could it be… her husband? Did he do it for her family’s wealth?”

Uncle Ma nodded. “That area later became haunted, and haunted badly.

The ghost was none other than Lu Xiaona.

Her parents didn’t turn into ghosts, but she and her three children did.

Her resentment ran deep, and she refused to move on, vowing to take revenge on her husband.

Moreover, she wanted to raise her ghost children.

That’s why she harms people-to absorb the Yang Souls of the living and feed her three ghostly children.”

As he spoke, we arrived at Uncle Ma’s home.

He rented a small room on the ground floor of an Urban Village, tucked into a corner.

Inside, the space was less than 30 square meters.

Though simple, it was tidy.

Uncle Ma cheerfully invited me in, offering me a seat and a glass of cool boiled water.

“I have a solitary fate, destined to be childless and alone.

When I was young, I married a wonderful woman, but she passed away early.

Later, I followed my master and learned the art of spirit sending.

That’s when I realized my fate-doomed to bring misfortune to my wife and children.

Since then, I’ve lived alone.

Now, I’m sixty years old. Time flies, doesn’t it? This life of mine is nearing its end…”

He sat on a plastic stool, smiling as he reflected, his gaze fixed on a Black and White Photo hanging on the wall.

The photo, enlarged and framed, was meticulously clean.

It depicted a young couple.

The man wore a white shirt, staring solemnly at the camera.

The woman had braided hair, a floral blouse, and sat upright with her hands neatly on her knees.

It was the typical pose for old-fashioned photos-serious and formal.

Listening to his story, I felt a wave of emotion.

Some people love one person for a lifetime.

Others, driven by greed, can harm their own family.

Uncle Ma turned his attention back to me, continuing to talk about Lu Xiaona.

After the villa district was redeveloped, Lu Xiaona’s ghost remained in that building.

She rarely left because her three ghost children were weak and needed her protection.

Now, she’s fixated on me.

It’s likely because there’s something about me that particularly attracts her.

But Uncle Ma couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

The only thing he could do to help was to create a Substitute Doll.

This would make Lu Xiaona believe I was dead, so she’d stop haunting me.

As he spoke, he pulled out an old box from under the bed.

Opening it revealed a collection of peculiar items.

Scraps of cloth, talisman paper, dried vines, withered roots-an assortment of odds and ends filled the box.

Uncle Ma said, “I’ll make you a substitute now.”

He began pulling out materials.

Using scraps of fabric, he stitched and patched together a figure.

Then he stuffed it with dried roots, shaping it into a vaguely human-like doll.

When it came time to finish, Uncle Ma asked me to cut a lock of my hair and clip my nails, adding them to the doll.

Next, he pricked my finger with a needle to draw blood.

Using my blood, he painted eyes onto the doll.

Then he burned a piece of yellow paper inscribed with my birth date and time.

The ashes were smeared onto the doll, giving it a grimy appearance.

Once finished, Uncle Ma handed the doll to me.

“This Substitute Doll is made from century-old graveyard grass and fabric from the deceased.

Take it to the nearest intersection.

Stand still, close your eyes.

Spin clockwise three times, then counterclockwise seven times.

When you open your eyes, face the direction you’re pointed toward and walk straight ahead.

If you encounter an obstacle, stop and repeat the spinning.

Keep walking until you meet the first person.

Then ask them, ‘Do you see me as human or ghost?’

If they say human, tell them to look again.

Keep asking until they change their answer and say ghost.”

I was bewildered. Asking strangers such a question would likely get me labeled as crazy.

Seeing my hesitation, Uncle Ma patted my shoulder.

“Go. Remember, you must get an answer before dawn.

If you fail, the substitute ritual won’t work, and I won’t be able to help you anymore.”

Holding the Substitute Doll, I felt skeptical but had no other choice. Uncle Ma was the only master I knew.

At this point, I had to try.

I bid Uncle Ma farewell and headed to the nearest intersection outside the Urban Village.

It was four in the morning, with about an hour left before sunrise.

The streets were deserted.

Time was running out.

Closing my eyes, I began spinning.

Three clockwise turns, seven counterclockwise.

Luck was on my side-when I opened my eyes, I faced a straight road.

At least it wasn’t a greenbelt or a neighborhood wall.

I started walking.

Since the road was clear, I didn’t encounter any obstacles.

After nearly half an hour, I finally saw someone.

On the sidewalk, a drunken man staggered toward me, mumbling curses:

“Stupid boss… making me work a 5,000 yuan job for 500 yuan… and still expecting me to drink with them… I’ll drink with your… ugh… I’ll drink with your mother… ugh…”

The stench of alcohol wafted over as he vomited.