I Am Not a Master - Chapter 72
Zhang Daoist and Minister Li truly didn’t expect to encounter Master Gu in the disaster area. Thanks to Master Gu’s timely assistance, many disaster victims received immediate rescue and treatment, saving countless lives!
They looked at the makeshift rain shelters, the stone-built stoves cooking fragrant white rice, and boiling water for instant noodles. Nearby, there were also bread, water, and some milk. The disaster victims were orderly lining up for food, sharing bowls among families, supporting and caring for each other.
Inside the rain shelters lay many injured people. Although they were mostly wounded and not in great spirits, they were bandaged, having received preliminary treatment. There were even several doctors and nurses, injured themselves, yet still diligently caring for the wounded.
Everything was far better than they had anticipated, especially with more rescued victims continuously flying in from the sky. Though a bizarre scene, it didn’t seem frightening at all at this moment.
Not only were Zhang Daoist and Minister Li moved to tears, but even the soldiers who came along were more touched and awed than panicked.
Minister Li remarked, “I never imagined that Master Gu not only possesses unfathomable skills but also such a compassionate heart. Even in peril, she hasn’t forgotten to help the people. She is a model for us to learn from! Let’s hurry over and help!”
With this thought, they were naturally inspired. Minister Li assigned his colleagues to work, each responsible for a specific area to prevent any changes. The soldiers, with solemn expressions, joined the rescue efforts, distributing the supplies they brought along.
The arrival of the rescue team excited the disaster-stricken people, bringing tears of joy to their eyes as they cried out.
“Thank goodness, thank goodness, we’re saved!”
“Thank goodness, I don’t have to die…”
“Don’t cry, don’t cry. Instead of wasting energy crying, let’s help out and save a few more people.”
Indeed, now was not the time for tears.
…
“Master Gu, Master Gu, Master Gu!”
Huh, this voice sounds familiar. She followed the sound, but unfortunately, it was pitch black in front of her, and she couldn’t see anything. During the day, she could at least see vague shadows, but at night, unless something was right in front of her, she couldn’t see even a shadow.
Zhang Daoist and Minister Li knew that Master Gu had poor eyesight, so they quickly said, “Master Gu, it’s us, Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li!”
“Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li? What a coincidence.” Gu Feiyin found the voices very familiar and was surprised it was indeed them. “How did you guys end up here too?”
“Ah, it’s not a coincidence. There was such a big earthquake here, we were ordered to come and help.” Zhang Daoist used to feel a bit awkward when Master Gu called him “Xiao Zhang,” as if he was a junior to this young girl twenty years his junior. Now, he didn’t feel that way anymore; instead, he felt incredibly close. “Master Gu, I never expected to meet you here and see you save so many people. On behalf of the disaster victims and the organization, I thank you!”
Minister Li widened his small eyes, looking at Master Gu, who wore a nylon strap and appeared somber. He bowed deeply and said, “Master Gu, we truly thank you for finding so many ghosts to help rescue people. Your great kindness will never be forgotten.”
Master Gu, with a cold expression, grinned, looking even more eerie and fierce against the backdrop of collapsed houses. She revealed a missing tooth in her grin, with a hint of seeking credit: “No need to thank me. Look, I’ve caught a lot of little ghosts here. Hehe.”
Zhang Daoist and Minister Li: “…???”
The little ghosts, exhausted to the point of almost dissipating: “…!!!”
Zhang Daoist and Minister Li immediately turned their heads to look at the row of little ghosts squatting in the ruins. The little ghosts, with pale faces, hovered faintly in the air, missing arms and legs, pressing their chins, with blood tears on their faces, also looked eerily at them.
The Daoists and the little ghosts stared at each other in silence: …
Although these little ghosts were captured and brought here by Master Gu, they did save quite a few people this time, which was a merit recorded in the Merit-Sin Ledger. The Underworld would handle it fairly, rewarding merits and adjusting punishments accordingly.
The little ghosts couldn’t take it anymore, shivering involuntarily, standing at attention, worried in their hearts. What did that wicked Long Black Straight Hair mean with such an insidious, treacherous, and malicious smile?
Of course, it meant their value wasn’t fully utilized yet. Use them now, sell them later.
Gu Feiyin’s mind was calculating with a clink. She wouldn’t make a losing deal.
The little ghosts: … 🙁
Zhuang: Chirp chirp chirp chirp.
…
The situation at Baiyu Temple was also dire. Built halfway up the mountain, the temple experienced a severe tremor during the earthquake. Although the buildings were sturdy enough not to collapse as severely as those in the town, the roof tiles scattered all over the ground, and the Bodhisattva statues toppled over. Many who came to worship were injured, and even the monks within the temple were not spared.
Jingkong had long been called back to the temple by Jingxing to help. Although the Shishu and Senior Brothers were injured, fortunately, none of the injuries were life-threatening, which was a small blessing amidst the misfortune. Seeing the situation in the temple stabilize, Shishu instructed Jingkong to lead the able-bodied Senior and Junior Brothers to the town to assist in the rescue efforts, saving as many as they could.
“And your Shifu, he’s already eighty-nine, yet he insists on not staying put in the temple. This earthquake struck suddenly, and with the phones down, we have no idea how he is. You need to keep an eye out.”
Jingkong reassured, “Don’t worry, Shishu. Senior Brother has already taken people to find Shifu. But I heard Shifu wasn’t home, and the house was empty, so he must be outside.”
Jingxing had taken a few little ghosts to Shifu’s house in the town, but no one was found buried under the rubble. Although the absence of Shifu worried them, it was also a small blessing amidst the misfortune.
Jingkong and dozens of Senior and Junior Brothers went to the town to help.
The sky had darkened, and a light rain was falling, with only the beams of flashlights flickering under the gloomy sky. This undoubtedly increased the difficulty of the rescue efforts, weighing heavily on everyone’s hearts.
However, with the help of the string of ghosts, even though their Soul Power was insufficient, they could still move through the rubble, providing the most complete and clear information about the disaster victims buried underground. Although some soldiers couldn’t see or hear them, there were many people from the Special Unit present. Those who could join the Special Unit were not ordinary people; they were the most exceptional mediums selected from billions in China. The clear division of labor and cooperation among these three groups undoubtedly accelerated the rescue efforts significantly.
Liao Wu stood at the front of the main hall of Baiyu Temple, looking out at the tragic scene in Baiyu Town. Houses had collapsed, and the light from torches flickered as voices could be heard, along with faint cries.
Tears streamed down his wrinkled face as he stood in silence for a long time, letting out a sigh.
At that moment, many injured disaster victims stood with him, tears streaming down their faces, filled with fear and anxiety.
“Junior Brother.”
Liao Wu turned around to see Senior Brother Liao Yuan limping over with the help of a wooden stick. He quickly went over, delighted, “Senior Brother, you’re okay? Jingxing and Jingkong have been looking for you, worried something happened to you.”
Liao Yuan hobbled over. When the earthquake struck, he was outside, and the severe shaking caused him to fall and injure his leg. After finding a place to rest, he finally made his way back with great effort. “I’m fine. At my age, I’ve lived long enough. If I die, it’s a bonus. Those two youngsters shouldn’t worry about me; they should worry about living as long as I have.”
Liao Wu was speechless. “…Senior Brother.”
Liao Yuan: “Hmm?”
Liao Wu: “…”
Never mind, as long as he’s alive and back, that’s all that matters.
Liao Yuan looked down at Baiyu Town and then up at the sky.
…
After a night of rescue efforts, most of the injured buried under the rubble in Baiyu Town had been rescued. Those still trapped below had mostly stopped breathing, and with more resources allocated to saving the living, they could only remain buried.
For breakfast, Liao Yuan received a bowl of rice soup and a bun. After drinking the soup, he wrapped the bun in oiled paper, tucked it into his pocket, and hobbled down the mountain with his cane, much to Liao Wu’s frustration. “It’s still raining outside, and aftershocks continue. Where are you going with that injured leg?”
The only person who could anger the usually composed Liao Wu was his unpredictable Senior Brother.
Liao Yuan replied, “Don’t be mad. I have something to do. Don’t worry unnecessarily.”
Liao Wu scoffed, “Don’t forget you’re eighty-nine! It’s chaotic outside. Stop wandering around!”
“Eighty-nine, so what? Who isn’t still a hero?”
“…”
Liao Wu was so frustrated his head hurt. Seeing his Senior Brother’s determined attitude, he could only call a novice monk to accompany and care for the old monk, hoping nothing would happen to him.
The novice monk followed Abbot Liao Yuan down to Baiyu Town. They wore raincoats and boots, trudging through the mud. Along the way, they saw the desolation and bloodstains on the road, and the novice monk couldn’t help but wipe his tears, thinking about how many lives the disaster had claimed. The old monk looked at the sky, “Life and death are fated, not to be forced.”
The novice monk didn’t understand. He only knew that seeing his once bustling and vibrant home destroyed and so many lives lost made him deeply sad. He lowered his head, thinking that perhaps he hadn’t yet comprehended the teachings of Buddhism and couldn’t reach Abbot Liao Yuan’s level of enlightenment.
As they walked, they saw many rescuers and some people searching through the rubble.
The novice monk asked, “Where are we going?”
Liao Yuan replied, “To find someone.”
The novice monk responded, “Are we looking for Senior Brothers Jingxing and Jingkong?”
Liao Yuan said, “No.”
No? The novice monk was puzzled. If Shifu wasn’t looking for the Senior Brothers, then who was he looking for?
After walking for a long time, the novice monk saw a long-haired Shizhu floating in mid-air, with a nylon bag on her head and a sinister expression. He froze, staring straight at her feet. Was he seeing things? Why was she floating without standing on anything? Could it be that he had seen a ghost?!
He was stunned on the spot, his legs going weak with fear!
Just as he was filled with doubt and shock, he saw the Abbot limping over, waving and calling out excitedly, “Shizhu Gu, I’ve finally found you.” He couldn’t even hold him back.
Gu Feiyin tilted her head, her dark eyes staring ahead. Suddenly, her previously void gaze grew brighter and brighter, as if a strong light pierced into her eyes, forcing her to close them and shield them with her hand.
She blinked several times, and the blurry scene before her gradually became clear and bright. She saw a string of weakly floating little ghosts around her, a collapsed ruin, and people desperately trying to rescue others amidst the debris!
…Huh? She could see? She could actually see!
This was such a surprising turn of events. Gu Feiyin rubbed her eyes. Although she was astonished, she was also quite pleased. After all, the dark and dull world was not pleasant to look at and was quite inconvenient; even eating was a challenge, fearing she might stuff food up her nose. A bright world was much more appealing.
This was also the first time she met her benefactor, the young monk. His face was wrinkled, his head bald, and his eyes squinted with a smile as he looked at her, “Shizhu Gu.”
Gu Feiyin looked at him. Although his appearance was unfamiliar, his voice was not: “Are you so excited to find me because you’ve already helped me regain my prosperous fate?”
Liao Yuan said, “No, I’m worried that if I can’t find you, I won’t have a place to return the three yuan.”
Gu Feiyin was taken aback. That was indeed a big deal. After thinking for a moment, she said, “It’s okay. If I die, you can just donate it for me. If that’s not possible, you can buy some paper money and burn it for me.”
Liao Yuan put his hands together and said, “Amitabha, Shizhu is indeed wise and thoughtful.”
The novice monk beside him was puzzled: “…???”
…
Liao Yuan followed Shizhu Gu everywhere she went, unwavering. This puzzled the novice monk even more. He couldn’t understand why their Abbot would follow a strange long-haired woman. Moreover, the townspeople who saw her were all extremely excited and respectful, as if she were some kind of savior.
How could the surviving townspeople not be excited? They initially thought the mysterious long-haired woman was some kind of demon. Later, they learned from young monk Jingxing that she was actually human, a practitioner of cultivation, which was why she could command ghosts. Then, from the Special Unit, they learned that Master Gu was not only a practitioner but also a great person who had saved many people before rescuing them. Her eyes were injured from saving others!
Given this, how could anyone with a conscience not be grateful to Master Gu? Even if she seemed eerie and was always accompanied by a string of ghosts, making her seem unapproachable, she had saved them and even found food and supplies for them. Even if they were afraid, it was a fear filled with gratitude.
The emotions were complex, but undeniably special.
The novice monk gradually understood that Master Gu was a good person, especially since Senior Brothers Jingxing, Zhen Du, and Jingkong all treated her with great respect.
It was time for breakfast. The women had cooked several buckets of food. Since supplies hadn’t been delivered yet, food was still scarce, so they made some rice. Fortunately, there were plenty of cabbages in the fields, so they made some boiled cabbage with a few slices of meat. Each person received a metal bowl, half a bowl of rice, and a few spoonfuls of vegetables. They squatted wherever they could find a spot and shoveled the food into their mouths with chopsticks. After a sleepless night, they were tired, hungry, and cold, so the food warmed them up. However, the meat was not well-received, as it reminded them of the bodies buried under the rubble, making them feel cold. Those with weaker stomachs set their bowls aside and went to vomit, fearing they wouldn’t be able to eat meat for a long time.
The monks were different, being vegetarians, they only ate some rice and drank some hot water, which was enough to fill them.
Gu Feiyin also queued up with her bowl for food, found a spot, and began to eat. Liao Yuan squatted beside her. He had already had breakfast and wasn’t hungry, so he took out a steamed bun from his pocket and shared half with her, “Here, eat.”
Gu Feiyin accepted it without hesitation. With half a bowl of food and half a steamed bun, she was full.
When Jingxing and Zhen Du came over with their bowls, they immediately saw the old monk squatting beside Shizhu Gu. Jingxing was surprised and excitedly approached, “Shifu, you’re okay? We’ve been looking for you for so long…”
Zhen Du had never met Abbot Liao Yuan, but he knew how worried Jingxing was about his Shifu, so he couldn’t help but feel happy too. Liao Yuan looked at them, waved his hand, and said, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”
How could Jingxing not worry? He frowned slightly and said seriously, “Shifu, things have been too chaotic these days. You can’t wander off again.”
Liao Yuan, fearing his disciple would go on and on, agreed readily.
Gu Feiyin was also surprised, then quite satisfied. It turned out her benefactor, the young monk, and Jingxing were master and disciple. That would make collecting debts easier in the future. If the old one didn’t pay, she could ask the young one. She wouldn’t lose out either way.
However, it was the first time she had seen a clear version of Jingxing and Zhen Du. Due to the busy day and night, their monk robes were covered in dirt, even their faces and hair were smudged. Wearing safety helmets, they were filthy all over, except for their eyes, which were deep and dark, like a starry night sky filled with countless tiny stars.
She looked at Jingxing, “Have we met before?”
Jingxing was taken aback for a moment and said, “Shizhu Gu, your eyes are better? You can see now?”
Gu Feiyin nodded, and Jingxing smiled slightly. This might be one of the few pieces of good news amidst such a disaster: “Yes, we have met. We’ve been together these past few days.”
Gu Feiyin shook her head, indicating it wasn’t just these past few days. It seemed like she had seen him before, as he looked somewhat familiar. She scratched her head, but unfortunately, she couldn’t recall where they had met.
Zhen Du leaned forward, “What about me? Do I look familiar to you?”
Gu Feiyin glanced at him. He was also dirty, but his eyes were still bright. She said seriously, “Familiar, like the little monk who lent me ten yuan by the bridge.”
Zhen Du chanted Amitabha, “Shizhu Gu, let me wash my face and then ask you again.”
Gu Feiyin nodded, saying that would work. Once he was clean, she might remember more clearly, unless he had plastic surgery, otherwise, she wouldn’t forget.
Even Liao Yuan joined in the fun, “Shizhu Gu, do I look familiar to you?”
Jingxing and the novice monk looked at him in surprise, not understanding why he asked such a question. But Liao Yuan didn’t care about their opinions; he just stared at Shizhu Gu and asked her, “I should look very familiar.”
Gu Feiyin said, “Yes, after all, you took three yuan from me and promised to help me achieve a prosperous fate.”
Liao Yuan: “…” 🙁
Jingxing: “……??”
Zhen Du: “……what prosperous fate?”
Gu Feiyin then explained the previous events, her face full of anticipation, seemingly fantasizing about the beautiful scenarios after achieving a prosperous fate.
Zhen Du turned to look at Liao Yuan, and Liao Yuan glanced at Zhen Du, suddenly stunned. This person’s demeanor seemed so familiar?
Zhen Du thought this old monk was unreliable, even deceiving people about finding a prosperous fate.
Liao Yuan put his hands together and chanted Amitabha, “Shizhu, you look familiar to me. Have we met somewhere?”
Zhen Du: “No, we haven’t met.”
Liao Yuan: “…” 🙁
Is he really so unlikable? He’s already eighty-nine, don’t people know to respect the elderly and care for the young?!
…
A pot of rice was quickly finished. Those who could continue with the rescue went back to work, while those who felt exhausted stayed to rest for a while before returning. However, very few chose to rest.
Jingxing pulled his Shifu aside and said, “Shifu, why are you with Shizhu Gu? Is she your destined person for this year?”
Liao Yuan nodded, looking gratified, saying his disciple was still so smart.
Jingxing said, “In the past, with your destined people, you would only give them a reading and then leave them be, never following them around like this. I know Shizhu Gu is special, and she’s a wonderful person. Shifu, are you following Shizhu Gu because of these reasons?”
Liao Yuan’s wrinkled face showed no expression, but his small eyes were bent as he turned to look at the Long-haired Woman standing on the ruins. Perhaps to others, she seemed filled with Yin Energy, but he could see some faint Golden Light of Merit beneath her overwhelming Yin Energy.
It was just that the dense Yin Energy obscured it, making it imperceptible and invisible to others.
Shifu was right; Sis Gu was never scary, only appeared so. If he worked hard in his Cultivation, he could see her true form beneath the veil of Yin Energy.
And she was indeed wonderful.
Liao Yuan patted Jingxing’s arm and said, “You’re tired too. Go back to the temple and rest for a bit.”
Jingxing replied, “I’m not tired. I can still help with the rescue.”
Liao Yuan said, “Don’t overexert yourself, or I won’t be able to explain to your deceased parents.”
Jingxing said helplessly, “Shifu, weren’t I the one you picked up from the trash can? How would my parents care about me?”
Liao Yuan glared at him, “I told you I picked you up from the garbage heap, and you believed it. I also said I was entrusted by your parents to keep you by my side, and you forgot?”
Jingxing: “…”
Did he say that? Why doesn’t he remember? His Shifu’s words were always contradictory, and he never knew what he meant.
Liao Yuan patted his disciple’s little head, squinting his small eyes to look at him more closely, leaving Jingxing bewildered.
It was frustrating; even Sis Gu found this kid familiar, yet she didn’t recognize him. They had spent quite a few years together!
Back then, he was still young. After his parents died, he didn’t live well in the village. The other children loved to bully him, calling him a wild child without parents. They tricked him into going up the mountain and into a trap meant for wild boars. The trap had stakes, and he naturally got hurt, with stakes piercing his arm and knee. Because he was small, it didn’t go through his body, and he narrowly escaped death.
The children, seeing him injured and bleeding, feared he might die and ran away in a panic, not wanting to save him. Perhaps they were afraid of being scolded by their parents for causing trouble, and no one wanted to take responsibility.
That time, he thought he was doomed, never expecting to encounter a sinister and terrifying Long-haired Woman. She drifted down from the sky, hovering around the edge of the pit, her cold, unfriendly eyes fixed on him. He knew for certain he had run into a mountain ghost-he was about to be eaten! Terrified, he wet his pants, tears streaming down his face. Just as he thought his end had come, the Long-haired Woman grabbed him by the neck and pulled him out of the pit.
She tossed him out of the pit in one swift motion, as if disgusted by how unappetizing and filthy he was, then immediately vanished from sight. Clutching his injured arm, he crawled all the way down the mountain, lying there from dawn till dusk. It was Shifu who came up the mountain and brought him down. When he saw Shifu, it was as if he was looking at a divine being.
He had never seen such a handsome person-dressed in white robes, holding a Buddhist staff, bathed in moonlight, looking indescribably graceful. Shifu carried him down the mountain, his blood staining Shifu’s monk robes, but Shifu didn’t mind at all. He even treated his wounds and gave him food.
From that day on, he went nowhere else. Whenever he had time, he would sweep the temple floor and organize scriptures at the village entrance. Eventually, he became a novice monk under Shifu, and no one dared to bully him anymore. Shifu was so highly respected that even the village chief treated him with great courtesy, and would even remind him to study Buddhism well under Shifu’s guidance. For a homeless child like him, it was the best home he could hope for.
But he often thought of the Long-haired Woman who had pulled him out of the trap. She looked so frightening. He once asked Shifu, “Are there any spirits or monsters in these mountains?”
Shifu asked him, “What is a spirit, and what is a monster? Is the one who saved you a spirit or monster, or is the one who pushed you into the trap a spirit or monster?”
He was bewildered, but simply thought that whatever Shifu said was right. The one who saved him was a good person, and the one who harmed him was a bad guy.
Later, one night, he suddenly spotted Shifu coming out of the meditation room, muttering, “Ignorant little ghost.”
He asked in confusion, “What little ghost?”
Shifu gazed at the sky for a while and smiled, “A little ghost who doesn’t know the immensity of the heavens, dares to eat anything.”
He still didn’t understand, and Shifu said no more. The next day, Shifu went up the mountain; he followed, hiding behind a tree. He saw the Long-haired Female Ghost who had saved him, rolling and wailing in pain across the hills. As soon as she saw Shifu, she screamed and fled. The Long-haired Woman who had once seemed so frightening now seemed not scary at all.
“Shifu, Shifu? Shifu, what are you thinking about again?”
Liao Yuan turned around and gave his little disciple a heavy smack on the forehead. “Hurry up, just looking at you annoys me.”
Jingxing: “…??”
Liao Yuan walked off with his hands behind his back. Forget it, forget it. It was already a miracle to have Sis Gu return in his lifetime.
Shifu was right after all-Sis Gu really did come back.
……
The rescue operation lasted a long time. After all, not only Baiyu Town was affected; neighboring towns had suffered heavy casualties as well. It was just that Baiyu Town, thanks to timely rescue, was in relatively better shape.
The more than one hundred little ghost heads in Gu Feiyin’s hands were all handed over to Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li, who took them off to work. Hao-Ge was truly afraid he’d be sold off to the Special Unit. If he ended up in their hands, what good could come of it? Crying, he begged the Long Black Straight Hair, “I’ll behave, really, please don’t sell me! I don’t want to go to the Underworld, and I don’t want to reincarnate. I just want to be a ghost-my career’s only just starting! I don’t want to be an ignorant commoner, ahhh!”
Gu Feiyin curled her lips, her whole aura cold and frightening. “That depends on your performance.”
Hao-Ge swore solemnly, “Don’t worry!”
Gu Feiyin nodded in satisfaction, then turned and took out her phone, opened WeChat, and received the five thousand yuan Xiao Zhang had transferred to her. Five thousand! That was almost two months of her salary. She could have a good meal again. When she got back, she’d buy some ingredients and make Hot Pot at home, and also pick up some beef, beef tripe, mushrooms, lotus root slices, and the like from the market. She’d buy extra garlic, scallions, cilantro, and fish mint, chop them up for dipping oil, and she could eat from dusk till dawn all by herself. Just thinking about it made her drool.
Zhang Daoist and Daoist Li also realized for the first time that ghosts could be used like this. They imitated the process and assigned a hundred or so ghosts to help with rescue. Since these ghosts had all been personally tied up by Master Gu, even if they wanted to escape, they couldn’t. There was no fear of them causing trouble. Besides, the Special Unit was not incompetent-just not quite as formidable as Master Gu.
With a mix of threats and promises, the ghosts naturally lent a hand in the rescue. Meanwhile, Old Master Yu led a team of ghosts to haul rocks off the nearby roads. There were too many fallen rocks, blocking all the routes, making it impossible to access many disaster areas. Clearing the roads became a top priority.
Besides that, members of the Special Unit were sent to Master Gu’s Riverside Villa to invite the good-natured ghosts to help out. When it was all over, they’d just burn more Ghost Money and pig head meat as offerings. After all, they’d discovered that these ghosts didn’t ask for much-just food, drink, and a place to stay. Everything could be negotiated.
Of course, that only worked with good-natured ghosts. If you ran into a Malevolent Ghost, things weren’t so simple. It was either you die, or I do.
Meanwhile, international aid kept arriving, and donations from across the country flowed to the disaster area.
The rescue work proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Gu Feiyin couldn’t do much anymore; after all, she was so fragile. Thinking of the inheritance in the beautiful ghost’s pit, she put on her nylon bag, grabbed Zhuang, and headed up the mountain. But when she reached the entrance, she discovered that the pit was actually blocked by fallen rocks?!
Gu Feiyin: “…??!!”
What the hell does this Goddamn Heaven mean? Cutting off her money like this-how is it any different from destroying her whole family?
It was strange, too. She remembered that the beautiful ghost’s pit wasn’t by the cliff at all, but surrounded by mountains, lush with green trees, the scenery and climate wonderful. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have wanted to move here. And now, a huge pit had appeared-could there have been a serious earthquake before that collapsed the mountains?
Gu Feiyin couldn’t figure it out, and now her heart ached, making her furious.
Zhuang covered his mouth and giggled nonstop, until Gu Feiyin gave him a slap that knocked his mouth askew. Zhuang could only rejoice inwardly.
Gu Feiyin thought, it didn’t matter if this place was sealed off. She knew the way; she could always come back after she died. If it belonged to her, it wouldn’t run away!
She looked up and howled at the sky, then grabbed Zhuang and bit him a few times to fill her belly, barely easing the hatred in her heart.
Zhuang: …giggle giggle giggle!!!
……
Since the earthquake in Baiyu Town, most of the news online had revolved around the disaster-like when the rescue teams arrived, which mountain roads finally reopened, and the ever-updating numbers of the dead and injured. The whole nation was moved by the tragedy.
At this moment, some people who had finally escaped the disaster area began to speak out online. Apart from feeling lucky to have survived, they also expressed their gratitude: “This earthquake was really terrifying. I have to thank a benefactor. When I was about to die, she and her people appeared out of nowhere and pulled me from the ruins. My leg’s crippled, but my life was saved. I will live well.”
“Are you from Baiyu Town too? I am! I also want to thank her. If it weren’t for her, my parents and I would have died underground.”
“Me too, me too. My dad runs a pharmacy in Baiyu Town. After the earthquake, I was scared to death. Today I finally got in touch with my dad-he told me a wonderful lady saved him, along with a Monk from Baiyu Temple… But that lady was amazing! She led people to rescue a lot of medicine from the ruins. Because of those medicines, many people survived!”
“I’m also from Baiyu Town. I was waiting in the hospital queue when the earthquake hit. Most of the hospital collapsed, so many people were trapped inside. I was terrified and had no idea what to do. Thankfully, that lady brought people to save us. At that moment, I felt like I was seeing a goddess descend from heaven!”
“I’m from Baiyu Town Middle School. We were also saved by the Monk from Baiyu Temple and people sent by that lady. Thank you for saving so many students…”
“I’m from the neighboring town. I heard that someone from your side cleared away the rocks blocking the road, so the rescue teams could get in. Thank you! They said the people moving the rocks were also sent by that lady… Thank you!”
“Wow, who is this benefactor you’re all talking about? Who is that lady? We want to thank her too!”
“We can’t say. I asked my dad because I wanted to thank her in person, but he said we can’t say. Everyone in our town and the authorities are protecting her and don’t want to reveal her identity. All I know is her surname is Gu.”
“Don’t press too much. Such a good person should be protected. She probably doesn’t like crowds, which is why she avoids showing up. I will always be grateful to her and pray for her at the temple every year.”
At this time, Old Man Wang was at home watching the news with his little grandson in his arms. He had even donated some money and was keeping a close eye on the fate of the people in the disaster area, sighing about how excessive and merciless heaven was, lamenting the loss of so many lives.
Xiao Wang said, “I saw online that some lady saved a lot of people, but they didn’t say her name. I wonder who could be so great.”
Little Wang shook his head, his grape-like eyes blinking: “It’s sister!”
Xiao Wang rolled his eyes, “It’s not sister.”
“It is sister! I think it’s sister!”
Xiao Wang was speechless. Had his son been brainwashed by that sister?
Little Wang counted off on his little fingers, speaking with conviction: “I haven’t seen sister these past few days. She’s so good and kind-she must be a superhero. Whenever someone needs help, she comes down from the sky to save them. Sister is Ultraman!”
Ultraman, really? Xiao Wang not only wanted to roll his eyes, he wanted to spit.
It was obviously just a child’s wild imagination, but somehow the old man of the family thought it made sense: “Maybe it really is? Saving people is a good thing, so why not talk about it? But everyone says with one voice that they can’t say-maybe they signed some confidentiality agreement, so they can’t reveal it. Maybe it was really a ghost who saved them!”
Little Wang exclaimed, “Grandpa, grandpa, let’s go to the riverside! I want to ask uncle and the others if it was really sister who saved people!”
Old Man Wang said, “Sure, sure, let’s go right now!”
Xiao Wang: …
Granny Wang and Xiao Wang’s wife, sitting to the side: …