Fate Trading System – Chapter 151

Plan A

Red Moon in the Barrier 15

Time

Su Xin raised an eyebrow, thinking how this village had so many affairs. On the surface, it seemed like everyone was getting along without issues, but underneath, there were countless hidden matters.

“Sister, what are you talking about?”

Tong Liu pulled at Tong Xiaoxuan, trying to calm her down.

“Talking about dogs.”

Tong Xiaoxuan retorted sharply, her tongue quick and sharp.

Tong Liu felt awkward, as it seemed like he and his sister were acting in concert.

“My sister is already dead, do you still want to deny her peace?”

Qian Fengqian frowned, glaring fiercely at Tong Xiaoxuan.

“Who’s really denying her peace? You know it in your hearts.”

Tong Xiaoxuan wiped her tears, maintaining a strong presence.

“Then who caused her death? Didn’t you just say it was your fault? How quickly you’ve forgotten your own words! How dare you stand here and accuse me when you’re the one who caused my sister’s death?”

Qian Fengqian pressed hard, claiming both moral high ground and blood ties.

Tong Xiaoxuan choked, left speechless.

Su Xin contemplated their words thoughtfully, finding it even stranger.

Tong Xiaoxuan had claimed responsibility for Qian Fengying’s  death, yet here she was, in front of Qian Fengying’s corpse, accusing her sister Qian Fengqian. What position did she have to stand on? She seemed to have no legitimate grounds, yet she spoke with such righteousness – it was peculiar.

What was also interesting was how Qian Fengqian and Qian Fengying’s mother-in-law behaved – the supposed culprit responsible for their sister’s and daughter-in-law’s death was right before them, yet they showed no intention of pursuing the matter, not even displaying any anger. Qian Fengqian only became angry because Tong Xiaoxuan was accusing her.

The living were constantly using the dead as excuses to attack each other. The original owner didn’t know much about Qian Fengying, only remembering that she liked wearing blue dresses, keeping her hair in a bun, and had an alluring smile.

Qian Fengying’s allure came from her appearance – she had what people typically called a seductive face [yāoyàn jiànhuò, literally meaning ‘bewitchingly beautiful’ but often used derogatorily]. Her status as a lonely young wife added another layer of intrigue. Though she did nothing wrong, others couldn’t help but view her with suspicious eyes.

People harbored dark assumptions – a woman in the prime of her life, with her husband away working, must surely be lonely.

Moreover, Qian Fengying liked to dress up. Even though her husband wasn’t around, it didn’t stop her from making herself look beautiful. Gossips would say she had ulterior motives.

But what’s wrong with wanting to look beautiful? There’s an old saying, “A scholar dies for those who understand him, a woman adorns herself for those who appreciate her”. What nonsense! What’s wrong with putting on makeup for oneself? Nothing at all. The problem lies with those who make wild guesses, projecting their own thoughts onto others, spreading rumors and making things up.

Although Qian Fengying and Qian Fengqian were biological sisters, they didn’t look alike. Perhaps one took after their father, the other after their mother. When they stood together, no one would think they were sisters.

Qian Fengying had captivating looks, while Qian Fengqian wasn’t as attractive – barely passable in appearance. Her face had no striking features; it would get lost in a crowd. Hers was the kind of face that people wouldn’t remember after seeing it once or twice.

“So can you leave now? You’re too noisy.”

Tong Xiaoxuan couldn’t stand her ground anymore. She glanced down at Qian Fengying’s body covered with white cloth, then gritted her teeth and left, pulling Tong Liu along.

Su Xin didn’t interact much with the family, and the two female hosts showed an unwelcoming attitude. She bowed to the deceased and turned to leave.

As she walked past, she brushed shoulders with someone crossing the threshold. The person had difficulty walking, limping as they moved inside.

It was Uncle Yi, an outsider to the village. No one knew where he came from, but he had been here even before the original owner was born.

Su Xin only briefly crossed paths with this person, but she sensed an air of world-weariness about him. This Uncle Yi was someone with a story, and certainly not an ordinary person.

Uncle Yi lived alone. Although he was now in his forties or fifties, his body was still robust. Despite his leg problems, the rest of his body was in good condition.

Uncle Yi was reclusive, rarely communicating with others. In memory, he only visited the village chief’s house. He silently went about his business alone. If anyone asked for his help, he would readily assist, but he never asked others for help. Despite his leg condition, once when the original owner passed by his house and offered to help carry a box, he refused, slowly moving it inside by himself with great effort – he was a proud and stubborn person.

On the way back, Su Xin held Tong Qing’s hand in one hand and Mu Qi’s in the other, not making a sound. It wasn’t the right time to talk; certain matters needed to be discussed away from Tong Qing.

Tong Qing wasn’t foolish; on the contrary, he was a very perceptive child. While curious by nature, his sensitive personality helped him understand what to ask and what not to ask. He knew that things beyond human capability were happening in the village, and that leaving would be difficult – their very survival was uncertain.

He wasn’t an ignorant child; he understood what death meant. As villagers died one after another and he paid respects to each deceased person, how could he not understand? His previous anxiety and fear stemmed from worrying that his sister might be next – something he couldn’t bear.

Tong Qing noticed his two sisters seemed to have something to discuss. After returning home, he greeted them and, without Su Xin having to say anything, consciously went to his room.

Su Xin felt pity for this obedient young boy. Whether for the sake of her mission or out of compassion, she was determined to get this good child out. If Tong Qing could truly escape and live well, attending school normally, he would definitely become talented. Even if he didn’t become extremely successful, he would certainly make something of himself.

“She was killed by a ghost, wasn’t she?”

“Yes, the house has heavy yin energy, not just from itself – it must be that female ghost’s doing,” Mu Qi said with certainty.

“If ghosts keep harming people like this, won’t they face retribution? Won’t the underworld officials catch them?”

They say karma is unavoidable and humans face retribution for harming others, but what about ghosts harming humans? Though it’s supposed to be karmic, immediate retribution hasn’t come.

“It’s complicated. The world is vast, and there are too many wandering spirits. Many vengeful ghosts can’t calm their fierce energy or let go of their obsessions, making reincarnation impossible. If that female ghost is caught, the worst outcome would be soul dispersion after suffering proper torments in hell, or reincarnation into the animal realm. The severity of her sins will determine how many lifetimes she must cycle through before becoming human again.”

Mu Qi tapped the desk, her expression calm.

“What about you? If you did bad things, would you face these punishments too?”

“I’m different from her. She’s governed by those below, while I’m governed by those above. If I did something that angered heaven and people, I’d probably be struck dead by lightning from above.”

Mu Qi shrugged, unsure herself, as she had never done evil things nor met other supernatural beings.

“I see… But don’t worry, with me here, you won’t need to do bad things – I’ll handle them.”

After all, she would leave once her mission was complete, and the original owner was already experiencing a different kind of soul dispersion, so why fear karmic retribution?

“Pfft, you’re talking as if we’re definitely going to do bad things.”

Mu Qi walked over and playfully tapped Su Xin’s nose, the gesture affectionate.

“Who knows?”

Some things that are bad in nature might produce good results, while some things with good intentions might lead to disaster.

“Do you know what kind of ghost entity is inside Tong Xi’s body?”

“No, it’s very strange. Usually, ghosts can’t possess corpses for reincarnation [literally: borrowing corpse to return soul], because they’re already dead and their physical bodies still exist. Ghost possession is different from corpse reincarnation. With corpse reincarnation, the underworld officials can detect it because the physical body and soul don’t match. The success rate is low, and even if successful, it’s very unstable – they might become walking corpses or be taken away as dead by the underworld officials. But somehow this female ghost used some method to make the ghost and Tong Xi’s body compatible, almost like they’re one person.”

Mu Qi spoke about these matters very professionally, despite being just a locust tree spirit, not some experienced Taoist priest.

“How do you know all these things?”

“Seeing much naturally leads to understanding much.”

Mu Qi half-embraced Su Xin, letting her sit on the bed to think.

“Didn’t you say you only became a spirit a few years ago?”

“But I’ve been conscious for a very, very long time.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know exactly how long, but I once watched a person grow from a child to an adult. He used to climb up and down my branches. Later, when he grew up, I watched him take a wife, his wife bear a son, and that son have a child of his own. I saw him die, his son die, and his grandson die, yet I remained.”

Mu Qi’s sigh was long and deep. Her voice suddenly lost its gentle softness, replaced by an indescribable world-weariness, carrying the subtle flavor of ages past.

“That’s a very long time indeed. Did you exist as a tree the whole time?”

“Yes, unable to move or run, just staying there alone, watching humans come and go beside me.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll have me keeping you company from now on. We’re good friends, aren’t we?”

Su Xin hugged Mu Qi’s shoulders in return, appearing very generous and open-hearted.

“You promised, remember?”

“Of course.”

“You know, one shouldn’t make promises to supernatural beings lightly, because they take such promises very seriously.”

“Now you’re scaring me. Is it too late to take it back?”

Su Xin fell into Mu Qi’s embrace with a laugh, though there was a hint of melancholy – after all, Mu Qi would watch her grow old.

“I didn’t understand loneliness before.”

Mu Qi’s voice was muffled.

“Hm? What? Speak up, I didn’t hear you.”

“Nothing.”

Now I understand.

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