Eternal Binding: A Ghostly Agreement

I awoke to an overwhelming sense of disorientation, my mind clouded and my vision blurred. The scene before me was indistinct, like a smear of red in a foggy dream. I blinked, trying to clear the haze, but nothing changed. The surroundings were enveloped in a dense, gray mist. The sky was an endless expanse of dreariness, and the road I stood on was equally bleak. There were no trees, no mountains, no signs of civilization—just an infinite stretch of desolation and gray smoke.

As I struggled to understand my predicament, I saw a few shadowy figures drifting by. Their faces were pale, and their clothing varied from person to person. It struck me that their shoulders remained perfectly still as they floated along. One man passed by and suddenly turned his head towards me. His face was gaunt, devoid of color, and his eyes were cold, lacking any semblance of emotion.

This place was unlike any world I had known. The unsettling thought crept into my mind—was I dead? The realization left me stunned, my soul feeling detached from reality. My confusion was broken by a soft, familiar voice calling out to me, "Darling, what's wrong?"

I turned and saw Pei Xiaoxiao—now known as Emily—standing beside me. She was dressed in wedding attire, smiling at me. However, the stitches on her face were as terrifying as ever. With a gasp, I turned to flee, but she beckoned, and I was pulled back as if by an invisible string.

"Darling, where are you going? We're legally married now. We just need to report to the City God," Emily said with an unsettling calmness. I noticed a red string tied around our wrists, making it impossible for me to escape her grasp.

"Miss, this is a misunderstanding! It was all an act, as your father said—you can't take it seriously!" I pleaded desperately, but she seemed unaffected by my cries. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn't free myself from her grip.

Emily continued to drag me forward with alarming speed. We floated through the ghostly landscape, passing through people from various eras, riding horses, sitting in palanquins, or driving cars—all made of paper, though their appearances were diverse and surreal.

"Don't be envious, darling. My father is wealthy and has already prepared a full set of funerary items for us. Our time here won't be difficult," Emily reassured me, still calling me "darling" with unnerving affection.

I realized I had been tricked by Emily's father. It was evident this was far more than a mere act. I had been deceived into my demise, and now I was at the mercy of the afterlife's whims.

Emily, possibly due to her untimely death, had a frightening amount of strength. I could not break free from her hold. She propelled us at high speed until we reached a city—a towering, gloomy place shrouded in mist. The buildings were a haphazard mix of ancient and modern architecture, creating a bizarre fusion of past and present.

Emily led me to an imposing government office, guarded by spectral enforcers. Red couplets adorned the doorframe, reading: "Good deeds end here without guilt" on the left, and "Evil deeds freeze at my gate" on the right, with the horizontal inscription, "My place is impartial."

The scene resembled a traditional court from historical dramas. Inside, a man in red official robes, middle-aged with a stern face, was busy with documents. Around him stood a row of grim-faced demons, holding chains and fire sticks.

Emily approached the official, saying, "Sir, I am here with my husband to complete our marriage registration." She handed over a red envelope, which I could see was stuffed with ghostly money, further deepening my despair. I had no resources to offer and was completely at their mercy.

The official scrutinized the envelope and then looked at me with a piercing gaze that seemed to weigh my very soul. I shuddered, realizing this might be my final opportunity to plead my case. I dropped to my knees, crying out, "Sir, I am wronged!"

The official's stern face softened slightly, and he said, "This is the City God's office. No loud noises allowed."

I was desperate for any chance to survive, so I shouted louder, "I have grievances to report!"

Emily, seeing my desperate outcry, appeared anxious but dared not disturb the official. She whispered, "Sir, I am his legally married wife. The details are all in the documents. We're just here to complete the procedure." She gestured to the envelope filled with ghostly money.

The official's expression shifted to one of barely concealed excitement. He examined the envelope, his eyes glinting with what seemed like interest. I was puzzled—was this a realm where even officials were subject to such whims?

After a long pause, the official, whose name I learned was Judge Wu, finally spoke, "The details are all in order. The wedding has been conducted, and the paperwork is complete. It seems you are here voluntarily."

"But I was deceived! Please see reason!" I protested, but Judge Wu merely mused, "This is tricky. The paperwork is complete, and I cannot simply ignore the rules."

As someone who had worked in a news office, I recognized the signals of a potential compromise. I hastily replied, "Please tell me what needs to be done."

Judge Wu grinned, his eyes gleaming with a mix of mischief and authority. "Really? You're willing to comply?"

"Absolutely. I'm as sincere as can be," I said, trying to sound earnest.

Judge Wu cleared his throat and said, "I find your case complicated. Therefore, I will need to conduct a personal examination. Miss Emily, please wait outside. I will deal with this matter directly."

Emily, though resistant, was led away by the spectral enforcers. Judge Wu, now alone with me, leaned in and said, "You're not fully dead yet. Do you want to know why I'm keeping you here?"

I was both relieved and apprehensive, unsure of what his intentions might be. Judge Wu continued, "I'm not the City God but rather one of his judges. My name is Wu Lao Liu. I was once a Taoist priest known for my virtuous deeds, and now I hold this position due to my past merits."

I seized the moment to flatter him. "Sir Wu, your esteemed reputation must have earned you this high position. It's truly admirable."

Wu Lao Liu seemed pleased with the compliment. "You see, I've been a judge for over a century, but I've never been promoted due to insufficient merit. As an underworld official, accumulating merit is challenging. I see potential in you. If you help me, I can grant you a chance to return to the living, and your accumulated merit will contribute to my advancement."

"How do I accumulate merit?" I asked carefully.

"There are many lost souls clinging to the mortal world due to their unresolved grudges. If you help me guide them to their next life, you will accumulate the required merit," Wu Lao Liu explained.

"And what's in it for me?" I asked, perhaps too eagerly.

Wu Lao Liu chuckled. "You're brave to ask. If you assist me, I'll grant you an additional ten years of life. Also, I can help you with a difficult hurdle you might face at forty."

I weighed the offer. The extra ten years didn't seem worth much, and the hurdle at forty seemed trivial if I were to live beyond that.

Seeing my hesitation, Wu Lao Liu's expression darkened slightly. "Do you have other conditions?"

I realized that negotiating might be my only chance, so I said, "Are there any other benefits?"

Wu Lao Liu's demeanor became serious. "If you fail to help, you'll be stuck here, and I might have to dispose of you as a failed case."

Understanding the gravity of my situation, I reluctantly agreed to the deal, realizing that this might be my only chance to avoid complete doom. Wu Lao Liu seemed satisfied and began outlining the details of our agreement.

Thus, my fate in the afterlife hung in balance, intertwined with a spectral judge's ambition and my own desperate desire to return to life. The path ahead was uncertain, but I had to navigate it with caution, hoping to fulfill my part of the bargain and perhaps find a way back to the world I once knew.