[What's more, your attentive service has earned you overwhelming praise from them.]
[Due to the spread of "Rider's Plague," the number of women in Liyue Harbor who had lost their husbands continued to rise. And as always, word travels fast among women. Before long, everyone knew that the "Spirit-Summoning Rite" offered by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was remarkably effective—and the first time was free. As a result, many wives who had lost their husbands entered the Spirit Hall of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with a mindset of "might as well give it a try," thus opening this "Pandora's box."]
[Age 41: The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's "spirit-summoning service" business grew increasingly prosperous, gradually overshadowing its original funeral services. Nearly every day, the number of clients coming for spirit-summoning rites was enough to wear down the doorstep.]
[Interestingly, some women—who somehow caught wind of the extraordinary effects of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's "Spirit-Summoning Rite"—came even though their husbands were still alive and well. They brought "memorial portraits" and tearfully begged to summon their husbands' spirits.]
[Thankfully, Hu Tao is meticulous. Clients must present a death certificate for their husbands in order to perform a summoning. Otherwise, if they accidentally summoned the soul of someone still alive, that would be a serious problem.]
[As for whether there might be some stubborn woman who brings a forged death certificate to summon a soul—that remains to be seen.]
[It's just that, perhaps because the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's service is so exceptional, there hasn't been a single complaint from a client so far.]
[After all, who would refuse a warm, gentle, and hardworking perfect husband?]
[More importantly, the price is incredibly low. For the same amount of Mora, you could only afford a single drink at a host club, but at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, you can spend two unforgettable hours.]
Only now did Lucas finally understand why, in the real world, so many people are so enamored with the paper-thin husbands and wives from otome games.
Those perfect character settings, attractive appearances, and the fact that they're tailored just for you.
And with just a little spending, you can obtain them—it was simply too cost-effective.
[On the surface, everyone claims to be here to "mourn" their late husbands, but among themselves, they often share knowing smiles.]
["How's Brother Wang doing over there lately?" "Still the same. Sigh, I used to find him annoying when he was alive, but now I can't do without him. How's your man?" "Don't even bring it up. Every time we meet, it's like being glued together for hours. We're an old married couple, for goodness' sake."]
[Conversations like these are common among the clients of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Whether their actions are right or wrong, one thing is for certain—Liyue's women are indeed independent and optimistic, never easily crushed by hardship.]
[You even began to suspect that perhaps this is karmic retribution for all the harm you've caused in the past, and now you're making up for it by healing the hearts of these wounded women. Of course, this wasn't a one-sided transaction—you also gained a large amount of Vital Energy through this process, boosting your own strength.]
[Meanwhile, Hu Tao, adhering to her philosophy of "small profits and quick turnover," and with a capitalist mindset of "the dead don't need rest," made a tidy sum for the Funeral Parlor through the summoning service.]
[Fortunately, you're not human. Otherwise, there's no way you could have endured such intensive work.]
[Age 42: Of course, you haven't forgotten your original goal—to uncover the truth behind "Rider's Plague." In fact, you and Hu Tao have gathered quite a few clues. The most important among them is that nearly every man who died from Rider's Plague had some connection to a strange talisman from an exorcist clan.]
[At the same time, due to absorbing large amounts of Yin energy, your strength has grown rapidly. To facilitate your movements, Hu Tao purchased a "puppet" from the Inazuman black market at a high price, to serve as a vessel for your soul, allowing you to possess a physical body.]
[It's said that the craft of creating such puppets was originally developed by the Raiden Shogun. For some reason, the technique eventually spread among commoners. While these puppets can't possess independent consciousness or act on their own like her creations, they are nearly indistinguishable from real humans and can even have their appearance and body customized.]
[Naturally, because your consciousness is still linked to Hu Tao's, even with the puppet vessel, you cannot stray too far from her.]
[Once you fully adapted to the puppet body, the next phase of the investigation began.]
[On a day that could hardly be called auspicious, the wedding of the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was held as scheduled. Hu Tao's husband, however, was an unknown man. Compared to Hu Tao, who was quite famous in Liyue Harbor, her "husband" was someone few had ever seen before.]
[You and Hu Tao were married. The purpose, of course, was to give Hu Tao a reason to become a widow.]
[That's right. In order to uncover the truth behind the talisman, your plan was to use Hu Tao's husband as bait to uncover the secrets of Rider's Plague.]
[Under the pretense of praying for her husband's safety, Hu Tao easily obtained a talisman crafted by the exorcist family. You wore the talisman on your body—specifically, around the puppet's neck—but felt nothing unusual.]
[At night, you and Hu Tao lay in the same bed. The talisman still showed no reaction.]
[Entering Immersive Mode]
[Mission Objective: Uncover the secret of the talisman]
The sensation was rather strange.
Lucas and Hu Tao stared up at the ceiling. Though they had two separate bodies, their consciousness remained linked.
"Do you think we've been wrong all along?" Hu Tao yawned gently and said, "Maybe… there's actually nothing wrong with the talisman."
"Or…" Lucas speculated, "Perhaps activating the talisman requires meeting certain 'conditions'?"
"What kind of conditions?" Hu Tao asked.
"What do you think?" Lucas snorted. "Those men who died from Rider's Plague—what exactly did they do before they died?"
What they did was, of course, self-evident.
Hu Tao's eyes lit up in realization. "You're saying… we have to reenact it?"
"Seems like we'll need to reenact it," Lucas replied seriously. "Those victims all died suddenly. To uncover the truth, this is the only way."
"But…" Surprisingly, Hu Tao, who was usually straightforward, suddenly hesitated.
Because this time, Lucas was no longer just a spirit—he now had a physical body in the true sense.
"What are you hesitating for?" Lucas noticed Hu Tao's unease. "If we don't act soon, it'll be morning."
"Your current body isn't a real human, it's a puppet…" Hu Tao averted her eyes. "It just feels… weird."
"I see," Lucas said with a chuckle. "No problem. Just think of me as a toy. At most… a finely crafted toy."
In truth, due to their exquisite detail and customizable features, these black-market puppets were often purchased at great expense by people with certain peculiar preferences. However, they weren't cheap, were quite heavy, and ultimately were still inanimate objects. So aside from a few customers with specific needs, not many people would buy them for that kind of purpose.
"A toy? What kind of toy feels this real?" Hu Tao rolled her eyes at Lucas, her face slightly flushed as she huffed, "Anyway, I still think it's weird. You're so powerful—can't you come up with another way?"
Lucas immediately understood Hu Tao's concern and smiled, "Don't worry. I'll cover it with my true qi. That way, it won't just be a cold material anymore."
Although this approach was somewhat akin to covering one's ears while stealing a bell, there was really no better solution. Hu Tao nodded and said, "Well… that's all we can do."
Thus, the cold material became a warm one.
Everything proceeded smoothly. As expected, just as Lucas was about to begin the operation, the protective charm hanging from his chest suddenly began to buzz.
Lucas immediately felt a surge of malevolent energy burst forth from the charm and rush into his body.
He was, of course, very familiar with this tactic. Unfortunately for the intruder, trying to possess him was like a minor spellcaster challenging a grand mage.
However, Lucas didn't retaliate immediately. Instead, he chose to observe and see what this possessing spirit intended to do.
Within the space of consciousness—
A blurry figure suddenly appeared in Lucas's consciousness. It looked neither fully beast nor human, with a trunk resembling that of an elephant—though shorter—and was muttering to itself, "Strange… this body feels a little off somehow…"
"I thought it was something powerful…"
Just then, a cold laugh came from behind the figure. "Turns out, you're just a baku."
A baku was a type of demon that fed on the dreams of living beings. Their strength was not particularly formidable, and ones that dared to possess human hosts so brazenly were especially rare.
Startled, the baku quickly turned around and exclaimed, "You… you're the owner of this body? No… that can't be. With the Soul Suppressing Talisman in place, your consciousness should've already been sealed!"
"So the charm really was suspicious," Lucas stroked his chin and smiled. "The recent cases of sudden illness in Liyue Harbor must be your doing. You possess men at their weakest moments to snatch their souls… But for a baku, a demon of your level, such feats should be impossible."
"I see now. You must be a specially refined variant," Lucas said to himself. "That would explain everything. After all, only exorcist clans are skilled in refining demons."
"I don't owe you an explanation!" the baku shouted, showing no sign of fear. It began chanting an incantation, and in the blink of an eye, dozens of replicas split off from its body, surrounding Lucas. In unison, the clones said, "Surrender and come with us."
"I can't stand you types who rely on brute force to snatch souls. No finesse at all," Lucas said with a snap of his fingers, grinning. "Everyone, teach this little guy a lesson."
As soon as he spoke, thousands of demons suddenly appeared around him. Each one looked vicious and terrifying. The baku's dozens of clones were instantly swallowed up by this sea of monsters.
These demons had all been sealed within the Harmony Hexagram Hat. But ever since Lucas had broken the seal, they could now be summoned at will.
"Wh-why are there so many demons?!"
Faced with the horde of brutish demon warriors, the baku finally showed a look of shock. "Who… who are you really?!"
"I don't owe you an explanation," Lucas repeated the baku's earlier words with a wave of his hand. "This guy just insulted your boss. What do you all think we should do with him?"
"Beat him up!"
"Tear him apart and feed him to the hawks!"
"Break him!"
Seeing the demons drawing closer and closer, the baku immediately caved and fell to its knees, begging for mercy. "I didn't know who I was messing with! Please, Your Majesty, spare me!"
Well, well… so now I'm the Ghost King?
"By most rational standards, I should probably give you a chance," Lucas gently patted the baku's cheek and smiled. "But I'm not a very rational person… so go ahead and have your fun. Just leave one alive."
He gave a subtle signal to the demons, and they immediately sprang into action. Ever since Lucas had gained full control over the Harmony Hexagram Hat, he'd forbidden internal fighting among the demons. These creatures had been itching for a release, and now that they finally had some punching bags, they weren't about to hold back.
The dozens of baku clones were quickly surrounded and subjected to a ruthless beating by the demons in every cruel way imaginable. In the end, only one barely survived, gasping for breath and on the brink of death.
Lucas knew that low-level demons like this one only respected strength. If he didn't assert dominance, it would never obey him.
Sure enough, after the brutal punishment, the remaining baku no longer dared resist and immediately said, "I… I'll tell you everything!"
"You'd better not hide anything," Lucas said coolly. "Even if I cripple you to the brink of death, I can still revive you—again and again—until you wish you were never born."
That was enough to shatter the baku's mental defenses. It quickly confessed, leaving nothing out: "It was the exorcist clans who put me up to this! They sealed us refined baku into protective charms, then sought opportunities to seize the wearer's soul—making it look like sudden death."
Just as I suspected…
Though Lucas had already guessed the exorcist clans were behind this, hearing the truth still left him somewhat surprised.
After all, these clans had always claimed to dedicate themselves to fighting evil. But now, not only were they stealing mortal souls, they were even collaborating with demons. It was truly inconceivable.
"Why would the exorcist clans do this?" Lucas continued to ask.
"I… I don't know," the baku quickly shook its head. "I'm just a tool used to carry out their orders. I only collect fresh souls and send them back to the main clan. As for the rest… I know nothing."
"Oh?" Lucas smiled. "If you know you're being used, why not try to escape? Why go along with their evil deeds?"
Go along with their evil deeds?
Lucas hadn't expected he'd one day use that phrase to describe someone else.
"I wanted to run, but I couldn't!" the baku cried. "We've all been cursed. If we don't return on time, we die!"
A glimmer of light flickered in Lucas's eyes. Just as he expected, he saw traces of a forbidden curse on the Baku's forehead. Moreover, it was a particularly ruthless one—if this Baku were to delay its return by even a moment, the result would be a catastrophic divine thunderstrike, leaving not even a trace behind.
It seemed the exorcist clan feared this matter would be exposed. If any of these Baku were captured, they would be immediately eliminated, leaving no evidence.
Lucas let out a cold laugh and extended a hand, lightly brushing his finger across the Baku's forehead. The forbidden curse instantly dissipated without a trace. "I've removed the exorcist clan's forbidden curse from you."
"Re... really?" The Baku was instantly overwhelmed with gratitude, kowtowing repeatedly. "Thank you, benefactor! Thank you, benefactor!"
"I removed the exorcist clan's curse, but..." Lucas sneered, "I've placed a new curse on you. If you dare defy me, your fate will be a hundred times more painful than being struck by divine lightning."
The Baku's heart sank. It had thought it had encountered a living Bodhisattva, but it turned out to be a living Yama King instead. It forced a bitter smile and said, "We little yokai were born to be bullied... As long as I can keep my life, I'll serve however you command."
"Relax," Lucas said calmly. "If you help me complete this task, I'll set you free."
The Baku asked quickly, "What task?"
"It's simple," Lucas smiled. "Since you came here to take my soul, then go ahead and take it."
"Your Majesty, please don't joke like that," the Baku said, looking distressed. "To tell you the truth, every human soul we take disappears without a trace. You'd be walking right into a pit of fire."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I want to see what scheme they're really up to," Lucas said confidently. "Don't worry. If I dare to go, I naturally have a way to come back unharmed."
Knowing it couldn't persuade him otherwise, the Baku nodded. "I'll follow your command, Your Majesty."
Lucas didn't act immediately. Instead, he first woke up. When he opened his eyes, he saw Hu Tao staring at him anxiously. When she noticed he was awake, the tension on her face finally relaxed into a smile. "You're finally awake!"
"Oh?" Lucas pinched Hu Tao's cheek and chuckled. "Didn't expect you to worry about me."
Their relationship had always been complicated. By all rights, Lucas had forcibly taken over Hu Tao's body and used countless methods to torment her. The two should've been bitter enemies.
However, perhaps because they had shared a body for so long, a strange bond had formed between them.
After Lucas left her body and possessed a puppet, Hu Tao had unexpectedly felt a strange sense of emptiness.
"I-I wasn't worried about you!" Hu Tao crossed her arms and hastily explained, "But you are Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's money maker. If something happened to you, our spirit-calling services would take a hit too!"
"About the spirit-calling service..." Lucas said thoughtfully, "I'm afraid we'll have to close for a day tomorrow."
"Hm?" Hu Tao blinked in surprise. "What are you planning to do?"
Lucas then briefly explained to her what had just happened in the dream. When she heard that he planned to infiltrate the exorcist clan in soul form, Hu Tao immediately objected. "No way! You're the most notorious of all evil spirits—going into the exorcist clan is like a lamb walking into a tiger's den!"
"That's why I need your help to prepare," Lucas whispered a few words into Hu Tao's ear. "Understand?"
"There's something like that?" Hu Tao seemed a little surprised, but still nodded. "Got it. I'll take care of it. But you must come back. I don't want to end up like those women who come for spirit-calling rituals—becoming a widow."
Only then did Lucas suddenly remember—he and Hu Tao had already held a wedding. Though it was originally to uncover the truth, both in name and in fact, they were now husband and wife.
"I've always been a vengeful spirit," Lucas laughed. "Technically speaking, you were already a widow from the start."
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Author's Note: Sorry for small chapter.. I was kinda tired but dw I'll post a long one soon xd