Chapter 548: Ghost Festival Guest

　　Ding-ding dang-dang.

　　The crisp sound of wind chimes echoed at the entrance of Sinisterium Pawnshop.

　　"Boss..." Hu Zi's expression suddenly tensed up.

　　The Ghost Festival was a special occasion.

　　Mid-July, when the Ghost Gate opens.

　　Legend has it that on this day, the underworld would open the Ghost Gate, allowing spirits to return to the mortal realm to reunite with their loved ones. People burned paper offerings on this day to honor their deceased relatives.

　　Those wandering spirits without families could only roam aimlessly.

　　Among them were no shortage of malicious ones.

　　So, there were exceptionally many taboos on this day.

　　No weddings, no wearing red or green, no stepping on paper money, and it's best not to go out after dark.

　　Because what you encounter on the road might not be human at all.

　　Though the sky hadn't completely darkened yet, shops on Antique Street had closed early, with some already burning paper money on the remote streets.

　　The dark shadow outside the door hung its head low, emanating damp, chilly air from its entire body.

　　"Please come in."

　　Lu Fei signaled Hu Zi to keep calm, sat down behind the counter, and softly called out to the shadow.

　　Only then did the shadow enter.

　　His way of walking was strange.

　　As if his legs were entangled by something, each step required extraordinary effort, dragging streams of water with every movement.

　　The stench of sludge wafted through the air as the shadowy figure finally entered the pawnshop.

　　This was a man completely drenched in water.

　　His body was swollen, skin exhibiting a deathly pallor with eerie greenish hues, hair matted with strands of aquatic weeds.

　　Simply standing there, murky water continuously streamed from beneath his feet.

　　A drowned ghost.

　　Hu Zi tried his best not to look directly at the entity.

　　"Hello, how may I assist you?"

　　Lu Fei offered a polite smile.

　　The drowned ghost struggled to open its mouth, immediately releasing turbid icy water as gurgling sounds emanated from its throat, utterly incapable of speech.

　　Lu Fei noticed its oral cavity was packed with silt.

　　It shook its head in pain, reached into its soaked clothes and fumbled through them, finally pulling out a soggy, crumpled ticket, and placed it on the counter.

　　"Just a moment."

　　Lu Fei put on gloves, picked up the ticket, and examined it.

　　It is a bus ticket.

　　The fare is four yuan.

　　Nowadays, with electronic payments everywhere, these manually torn tickets have become a rare sight.

　　'What's wrong with this ticket?' Lu Fei inquired.

　　The drowned ghost used pale, bloated fingers to write two numbers on the counter.

　　44.

　　'Bus Route 44?'

　　The drowned ghost nodded in affirmation.

　　Lu Fei paused, remembering.

　　Bus Route 44 was also one of Jiangcheng's famous supernatural legends.

　　Years ago, the last bus of Route 44, carrying all its passengers, plunged into the river.

　　All 15 people on board drowned.

　　Strangely, only one body was recovered, while the other 14 vanished without a trace.

　　The recovered body was that of a man whose wife and children had also been on the bus, their fates unknown—neither alive nor dead bodies found.

　　"Do you want me to help you find your family?" Lu Fei asked tentatively.

　　The drowned ghost's swollen, featureless face twisted into a look of surprise and delight, nodding vigorously at Lu Fei.

　　"Alright, I can help you. Per the rules, once the task is completed, this bus ticket will be mine," Lu Fei said with a smile.

　　The drowned ghost vanished from the pawnshop, leaving only a puddle of water on the floor.

　　Perhaps it was precisely because of this special moment that it was able to seek help at Sinisterium Pawnshop.

　　Only then did Hu Zi let out a breath.

　　Although he'd seen many evil spirits and foul creatures with Lu Fei, his body still tensed involuntarily whenever deceased customers came calling.

　　"Alright, let's go help Jia Banxian first."

　　Lu Fei calmly put away the ticket and pushed open the door.

　　Hung up the sign.

　　The two humans and dog hurried to Jia Banxian's home.

　　"What took you so long? I've been waiting for ages,"

　　The courtyard was piled high with paper offerings. Jia Banxian paced anxiously, immediately complaining when he saw Lu Fei.

　　"We're not too late," Lu Fei replied unperturbed, smiling. "What do you need us to do?"

　　"I've prepared everything. When the hour comes, I'll astral project to take the little one to the Ghost Gate and hand him to the underworld guards. With so many wandering spirits tonight, we might encounter malicious ones. I need an escort." Jia Banxian held the parrot solemnly.

　　"No problem, I'll go," Lu Fei nodded without hesitation. "Hu Zi can guard our physical bodies."

　　"Thank you, boy!"

　　Jia Banxian looked at them both and gave a firm nod.

　　He lit a candle, tying three red threads to it. The other ends were fastened to himself, Lu Fei, and the parrot's claw.

　　"When the time comes, we depart. After we leave, Hu Zi must burn the spirit money and these paper offerings! Most importantly—keep that candle burning!" Jia Banxian emphasized repeatedly.

　　"Don't worry, I've done this before!"

　　Hu Zi thumped his chest.

　　Jia Banxian then had Lu Fei hold a rooster.

　　"This is a Soul-Guiding Chicken. We're not dead souls—we need it to find the Yellow Spring Road."

　　His expression was complex.

　　"Kid, we must reach the Ghost Gate before the rooster crows. If we fail, the little one will lose its last chance for reincarnation."

　　"Banxian, I'll give my all! This little one is blessed. I believe it won't miss this opportunity." Lu Fei held the rooster and smiled at him.

　　Yet his anxiety remained palpable, fingers constantly performing calculations, worry etched across his face.

　　The little parrot tilted its head, beady eyes observing the night's events. Sensing something extraordinary, it remained unusually quiet.

　　"The time has come!"

　　Jia Banxian abruptly ceased his movements, settling cross-legged with the parrot in his arms.

　　Lu Fei likewise sat down beside him.

　　"Young man, are you ready?"

　　Jia Banxian grasped Lu Fei's hand that was tied with the red thread.

　　"Ready." Lu Fei felt the old man's hand was unusually cold.

　　"Hu Zi, watch closely!"

　　Jia Banxian glanced at Hu Zi, closed his eyes, and began murmuring incantations.

　　Soon after.

　　Lu Fei felt his mind growing hazy as his body floated upward weightlessly.

　　Drawing from previous experience, he knew his soul had left his body. Looking down, he indeed saw his own physical form and Jia Banxian's crouching on the ground.

　　Hu Zi started sprinkling incense ash around them in a circle.

　　The black puppy lay beside his physical body standing guard. Seeing his soul floating mid-air, it gave a soft whimper.

　　After finishing the ash circle, Hu Zi began burning spirit money as instructed by Jia Banxian.

　　Jia Banxian had prepared abundant spirit money - several large sacks full.

　　As soon as the stack of joss paper finished burning, Lu Fei miraculously discovered another stack appearing in his hand.

　　"For the journey. Money makes ghosts turn millstones. These joss papers will ease our troubles on the road," Jia Banxian's voice came from beside him.

　　Lu Fei turned to see him holding the hand of a five or six-year-old boy.

　　However, the little one wore a dazed expression, seemingly unconscious.

　　"Let's go. It's time to send him on his journey."

　　Jia Banxian blew a breath onto the rooster.

　　The rooster leapt from Lu Fei's arms and began striding forward.