CG - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After Wu Gu fed her a pill, Wei Jinzhi surprisingly found she had the strength to cook. She figured a medicine with such a miraculous effect couldn't be cheap, and felt she was getting the better end of the deal in every way. So, she put extra care into making breakfast.

Wu Gu sat obediently at the dining table, waiting for her food. Wu Yong approached to apologize for his actions the previous night, but she turned her head away, refusing to accept. When Wei Jinzhi emerged with a tray, she saw Wu Gu sitting there in a huff. The dining room was filled with sunlight, and with her back to the floor-to-ceiling windows, Wu Gu was so bright she was almost dazzling. Wei Jinzhi's mood instantly lifted at the sight.

"What happened last night was unexpected. Xiao Wu's duty is to protect me, which is why he overreacted. Ultimately, it's my fault. I apologize to you on his behalf."

Wu Gu turned her head back. "Forget it. I'm not that petty."

"After breakfast, I'll drive you back to school. We're in Changshan, so it's not convenient for you to get a car by yourself."

Wu Gu figured that made sense and nodded in agreement. Halfway through the meal, she got a call from Liu Ningyu. "What's up?" she asked as she answered.

"The dorm advisor did a room check last night. I covered for you, so make sure you don't slip up in front of her later. Also, don't forget the class meeting this afternoon. Get back early."

Wu Gu beamed. "I'll be back soon. Thanks!"

"If you really want to thank me, you can grab me a milk tea on your way back. That's the only way I'll feel your gratitude."

"Okay, no problem."

"You know, you could throw in a slice of cake, too."

Wu Gu laughed. "Alright." After hanging up, she mentally rehearsed how to explain the situation to Wei Jinzhi. Once she had her thoughts in order, she put down her utensils, her expression turning serious. Wei Jinzhi sensed she had something to say, so she did the same and waited.

Wu Gu began, "Wei—" but stopped after the first word. She wanted to say "Miss Wei," but it felt odd. Calling her by her given name seemed too impolite. After a moment's hesitation, she settled on, "Sister," and continued, "Your problem is very tricky. It might take a long time to find a solution."

Wei Jinzhi's expectations had always been tempered by disappointment, so one more letdown didn't matter. She guessed Wu Gu's subtext was that there was no solution. Not wanting to pressure the girl, she kept her tone light. "It's alright." Then, she changed the subject. "Are you heading straight back to school, or do you need to stop anywhere else first?"

Wu Gu named two places, and the matter was dropped. Wei Jinzhi was always considerate. The moment Wu Gu arrived at the milk tea shop, someone delivered the tea and cake to her. Wu Gu was silent for the rest of the drive. It wasn't until she had said her goodbyes and gotten out of the car at the university that she finally let out a heavy sigh.

The milk tea and cake were the shop's most popular items—a perfect choice. Her roommate cheerfully accepted the treats, too excited to notice Wu Gu's listless expression. Wu Gu stared at the milk tea in her hand, her thoughts drifting to the extra ten thousand yuan in her bank account. She took a sip, sighed, and muttered to herself, "Oh, Master, what am I supposed to do?"

Once they'd had their fill, her roommates started chattering, asking where she had been the day before. She lied, saying she'd worked a part-time job too late to come back. Liu Ningyu sounded worried. "You shouldn't take night jobs anymore. It's dangerous for a girl to be out there alone."

Cao Zhenzhen nodded in agreement. "Exactly! If you're short on cash, just come to me." She was the dorm's resident rich girl—generous, easygoing, and well-fed. She often helped Wu Gu out with money. "How much for the tea and cake? I'll transfer it to you."

Wu Gu accepted their kindness. "It's okay, I earned a lot last night." That part was true. She added, "Exams are coming up, so I don't plan on working for a while anyway." She had to maintain her grades while working; losing her scholarship would make any part-time job not worth the effort.

There are always people who like you, and always people who can't stand you. For Wu Gu, that person was Zhao Shu, who slept in the opposite bunk. Though she had reluctantly eaten the dessert, her snide remarks were as sharp as ever. "Earning that much in a single night? Who knows what kind of work that was."

Liu Ningyu's brow furrowed, and she was about to fire back when Wu Gu quickly pulled her back. Wu Gu shook her head. Liu Ningyu rolled her eyes and poked Wu Gu's forehead. "You! Why are you so afraid of her?"

Wu Gu just wanted to keep the peace. She smiled. "A harmonious family prospers, and a harmonious dorm passes."

Cao Zhenzhen, who had her back to them, waited for a retort. When none came, she immediately jumped in. "Some people have such filthy minds they assume everyone else is just as disgusting." She stood up and walked over to Wu Gu. "Little Gu Gu, the air in here is getting a little foul. Perfect timing—your big sister is taking you out for a treat."

That made Liu Ningyu feel better. "Am I invited?" she asked.

"This sister isn't short on cash. Hurry up, Little Gu Gu. I can barely breathe in here."

Zhao Shu's face flushed with anger, but not wanting to provoke the others, she said nothing more, and the conflict didn't escalate. Once they were out of the room, Liu Ningyu grabbed Wu Gu, frustrated by her passivity. "What are you so afraid of her for? Zhenzhen and I are on your side! It would be three against one. Why do you always just take it and let her bully you?"

"Exactly," Cao Zhenzhen added.

Wu Gu explained, "I'm not afraid of her. My master always said to steer clear of people who love to wag their tongues. That's Zhao Shu."

The two asked in unison, "Why?"

"Because they'll spin all sorts of nonsense, and dispelling rumors is a pain. You just end up getting dragged through the mud for nothing."

The two nodded in complete agreement. "Your master is a wise man."

The next few days passed peacefully. Wu Gu didn't contact Wei Jinzhi, but Wei Jinzhi sent her messages—simple, daily check-ins that were quite heartwarming. Each time she received one, she would sigh for what felt like an eternity. Just as she was wrestling with her indecision over Wei Jinzhi's case, Liu Ningyu came back from off-campus with an urban legend.

"Did you hear? Something weird happened on Dongle Road the day before yesterday. A few people collapsed in the middle of the street late at night, and they still haven't woken up! They're saying it was a ghost encounter. I heard they even called in a Daoist master to perform a ritual."

Another roommate asked, "Dongle Road is long. Where exactly?"

"The small plaza outside the shopping mall."

Wu Gu, who was especially sensitive to words like "ghost" and "monster," asked, "They just collapsed?"

"Yep. They're all laid up in the hospital. Two guys and a girl, I heard. Right, everyone should stay in at night for a while." Dongle Road was only two streets from the university, and the thought still gave Liu Ningyu the creeps. "Especially you, Wu Gu. You're not allowed out at night."

Wu Gu nodded obediently without asking any more questions. That afternoon, under the pretext of going for a walk, she went to Dongle Road. She opened her Yin-Yang Eyes but saw nothing out of the ordinary. She did, however, spot several men carrying compasses and peach wood swords, their bodies emanating spiritual energy. It seemed Liu Ningyu's rumor was true. She didn't get close, choosing to observe them from a distance.

Falling into a coma like that usually meant a damaged soul. And if even Daoist masters couldn't wake them, it was highly likely a vengeful ghost had devoured their living souls. Once their remaining life force was exhausted, they would die.

She walked the length of the street twice before she found traces of residual ghost qi, confirming her suspicions. To other ghosts, both living souls and the souls of the dead were nourishing supplements that could increase their power. This place was so close to the university, where Song Yang—a ghost dead for thirty years whom she had yet to send on her way—resided. Wu Gu couldn't help but worry.

Late that night, after her roommates were asleep, she slipped out her dorm window and went to the mountain behind the school to look for Song Yang. After searching for a while, she found no trace of her. "She's not here?" Wu Gu left the woods and started back toward the dorms, but a sense of unease washed over her. She stopped, then turned and ran toward the back wall of the campus. Using a tall tree for leverage, she vaulted over it in a few quick movements.

It was late at night on Dongle Road, and a ritual was underway. Three Daoist masters in yellow robes and headscarves stood before a formation. Two held peach wood swords while the third shook a bronze bell. Wu Gu watched from the shadows, keeping her distance. She recognized the formation—it was a Soul-Summoning Formation. It seemed their afternoon investigation had borne fruit.

A moment later, a brilliant yellow light flared from the formation, and several chains shot into the night sky. About five minutes passed before the chains retracted, dragging back a vengeful ghost wreathed in black qi, bound tightly. The ghost was two meters tall and struggled furiously, but the Soul-Summoning Formation was powerful, and the three masters were skilled. The vengeful ghost wouldn't last ten minutes before its soul was obliterated.

Suddenly, a slender chain shot out from the formation. This time, it didn't fly skyward but darted across the street. Wu Gu, who was on that same side, glanced over and was horrified by what she saw. She broke into a sprint toward the chain's target, simultaneously throwing the Soul-Piercing Bell from her waist. The two collided with a loud clang. The three masters' attention snapped in her direction. "Who's there?!" one of them shouted.

The slender chain was not repelled; instead, as if enraged, it began to battle the Soul-Piercing Bell. Wu Gu grabbed the panicked Song Yang. "Quick, get in my backpack!" As soon as Song Yang was inside, Wu Gu recalled the bell and wrapped it around the bag. The moment Song Yang's aura vanished, the chain from the formation dissipated as well.

Hearing the noise, the three masters sent one of their number to investigate. The man ran over but saw nothing out of the ordinary. His tone was harsh. "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

Wu Gu was a natural at feigning panic. "I-I didn't do anything! I was just passing by on my way home from work and saw you all jumping around, like you were performing some ritual, so I hid. And then you ran over here."

An ordinary person wouldn't have been able to see the formation's chains or hear the clash. Besides, Wu Gu looked every bit the young, innocent university student. Though the master was suspicious, he figured someone her age couldn't cause much trouble. "We're conducting a service here," he said. "Leave quickly, before you get hurt."

Wu Gu looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Okay, okay, I'll go right now! Please protect me, Daoist Master!" she stammered, then turned and fled.

After Wu Gu left, the master returned to the formation. The vengeful ghost within was now just a faint shadow on the verge of dissipating completely. The eldest master now had enough spare energy to ask, "What was going on over there?"

"It's strange. Just an ordinary girl."

"Why would the Soul-Summoning Formation attack an ordinary person?" the third master asked, confused. "Are you sure you saw correctly?"

"How could I make a mistake like that? You really underestimate me."

The eldest master quickly interjected, "Let's finish dispersing this vengeful ghost, then we can go take another look. Maybe some small spirit just happened to flash past where the girl was standing." The other two said no more and focused their spiritual energy on the formation, wanting to finish off the vengeful ghost as quickly as possible.

Wu Gu ran all the way back to the mountain behind the school. She removed the Soul-Piercing Bell from her backpack, hauled Song Yang out, and tossed her onto the ground. "When I try to send you on your way, you drag your feet," she said angrily. "But you seem pretty keen on getting yourself obliterated." Song Yang knelt on the ground, her head bowed and shoulders shaking as if she were crying. "Stop the act," Wu Gu snapped. "Is a Soul-Summoning Formation something you can just approach? That thing could have snatched that vengeful ghost from the ends of the earth, and you dared to get that close? You're lucky I was here tonight. Otherwise, your soul would have been scattered to the winds."

When Wu Gu seemed to have finished her tirade, Song Yang looked up, genuine tears streaming down her face. "I had no choice! Lu He knows where Yiqing is. I've been looking for him for days. I had no idea that in such a short time he'd become a soul-devouring vengeful ghost."

"Hold on. Who is Lu He? And who the hell is Yiqing?"

At the mention of Yiqing, Song Yang's sobs intensified. "Yiqing's last name is Chang... she's my future girlfriend," she choked out between sobs. "Lu He... is the ghost... you saw today. He and Yiqing... were good friends. They cultivated together. I went looking for Yiqing a while ago... and discovered she was missing. And Lu He had turned into... that." She lunged forward and clung to Wu Gu's leg. "Waaaah, you have to help me!"

"My name is Wu Gu, not 'Wuwuwu.'"

Song Yang quickly tried to leverage their newfound intimacy. "Gu Gu, my girlfriend is missing, and her best friend has suddenly turned into a vengeful ghost! Don't you think something must have happened to her? Gu Gu, I'm so worried. It's already so hard for her, raising a child all by herself. If something happens to her, what am I going to do?"

"The Lu He you mentioned, is he the one who devoured the living souls of three people on Dongle Road a few days ago?"

"Yes." Song Yang nodded, then hurriedly explained, "He wasn't like this before! Both he and Yiqing were good ghosts; they never harmed anyone. Something must have happened to make him change so suddenly. Gu Gu, you're my only friend. You have to help me!"

Wu Gu had been agitated about Wei Jinzhi's situation for days, and Song Yang's incessant crying was fraying her last nerve. She pulled a paper talisman from her bag and slapped it onto Song Yang's forehead. Song Yang froze for a second before wailing even louder. "I'm not going! I still haven't found Yiqing! She hasn't even agreed to be my girlfriend yet! I can't go! Let me go!"

"Who said anything about sending you on your way? Cry one more time and I really will." Song Yang fell silent instantly. Wu Gu explained, "This is a soul-stabilizing talisman. Haven't you noticed how unstable your spiritual form is? Don't go running around for the next few days. This talisman should last two or three days. Rest up. This business with Yiqing isn't going to be solved overnight. I'm going back to bed. Find me when you've recovered."

Seeing Song Yang open her mouth to speak again, Wu Gu's expression hardened. "Say one more word and I'll send you on your way right now. You and your Yiqing will be separated for eternity." Song Yang pressed her lips together, her face a mask of grievance as she watched Wu Gu leave the woods. Back in her dorm, Wu Gu felt a wave of irritation. She'd told herself she wouldn't meddle in other people's affairs. So why did so many affairs keep landing in her lap?

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