"So he's... that guy?" Xin Huohuo asked in surprise, staring at Mr. Hei's empty hands.
"That was him." Mr. Hei's expression was blank. "No one is ugly before they are harmed. All you saw were the many faces of his suffering."
Hearing this, Xin Huohuo felt a pang of sadness. But it was fleeting. She quickly remembered the important matter at hand. "Now, can you tell me what this is all about?"
"You tell her." Mr. Hei floated to the doorway, leaned against the frame with his head down, and put on an expression that screamed, 'It's easier for idiots to talk to each other. I'm staying out of it.' He was clearly not going to answer any questions.
Xin Huohuo's gaze fell on Bai Qi.
He, on the other hand, looked quite friendly. He sat sprawled on the sofa and said, "Let us formally introduce ourselves. We are what are commonly known as the Black and White Impermanence. I am the Seventh Master, Xie Bi'an. He is the Eighth Master, Fan Wujiu. We work as psychopomps, but our status is that of true gods."
"I get it. I believe you," Xin Huohuo nodded, slumping weakly onto the edge of the bed—it was the farthest point in the room from the two of them. Besides, it wasn't like she had a choice. There was no better explanation.
What frustrated her was that plenty of people hoped to meet a god when they stepped out the door or run into an immortal around the corner. But who would want to encounter the Black and White Impermanence while making a delivery? After all, under normal circumstances, she was still a long way from death.
Then she heard the most bizarre story of the year. The unlucky part was, she was the protagonist.
The sequence of events was very simple: she was delivering food, accidentally knocked a true god to the ground, her phone unfortunately fell, and then this stupid phone—worse than any bratty kid—somehow absorbed his powers for some unknown reason. So now, he had to "spend a long time" with her.
'Damn it, is this a phone? This is clearly a karmic curse, and one that knows the Absorption Skill at that!'
To make matters worse, the two great gods said the Road to the Underworld had disappeared! 'Is this going to be blamed on me?!' She was just a humble mortal; there was no way she could bear that responsibility.
"But how is that possible?" she forced herself to express her doubt. "After all, a phone is just a bunch of electronic components, circuit boards, and whatnot."
"I also thought it was impossible, but it happened," Bai Qi said, spreading his hands.
"The reason? What's the reason?"
"It's a mystery."
"Where did you get your phone?" Mr. Hei suddenly interjected.
"Get it? I bought it! With real money, several thousand yuan!" Xin Huohuo felt terribly wronged. She'd had to psych herself up so much before splurging on it, never imagining it would be such a scourge. "I bought it online."
"Then there's no way to trace it. It's too random," Bai Qi frowned. "Besides, I don't think it has much to do with the phone's origin. There must have been some strange celestial timing, or some other reason we haven't thought of yet, that granted a phone such an ability."
"Here, take it! It's yours!" Xin Huohuo said suddenly. She stood up, tossed the phone onto the coffee table right in front of Bai Qi, and then scrambled far away.
Her heart was bleeding; the pain was so intense she almost had a conniption. For someone as pathologically frugal as her, a phone like this was a luxury item. But compared to hanging out with psychopomps every day, she chose to swallow her pain and suffer in silence.
Mr. Hei didn't want it.
Bai Qi added that it was useless even if they took it.
'Why, why, why? Isn't my sacrifice enough? I'm begging you!'
"Why the disgusted look?" Bai Qi blinked. "Little lady, do you have any idea how lucky you are? You're blessed but you don't even know it. Hurry up and serve us good food and drinks. Not everyone is fortunate enough to meet the Ten Great Yin Marshals!"
'Ten of them?!' These two alone were enough to drive her crazy.
"I'd rather see Marshal Tianpeng," she muttered under her breath.
"I heard that." Bai Qi cleaned out his ear. "I know Marshal Tianpeng. It's not impossible for you to meet him. Once you help us restore the order of heaven and earth, it'll count as a great service. When that time comes, I'll grant you one wish."
"I will also grant you one wish," Mr. Hei added sullenly, but his words were firm.
"Can you make me rich?" Xin Huohuo's eyes lit up.
"That... probably not." Bai Qi scratched his head. "Have you ever seen a god carry money? That's too vulgar, unless it's the God of Wealth. Besides, our currencies aren't interchangeable."
"Then I don't need anything!" Xin Huohuo said resentfully. "I've always worked for my own keep. I don't let go of what's mine, and I don't covet what isn't!"
The meaning was clear: No deal!
"You need to understand something, mortal." Just as the negotiations seemed to be reaching a stalemate, Mr. Hei shifted and walked over, looking down at Xin Huohuo. "My patience is limited. Asking for your cooperation in this investigation was merely a courtesy. In other words, don't make me force you or resort to extreme measures."
He spoke every word deliberately. His gaze was resolute, and his icy face seemed to be buffeted by a frigid wind, making Xin Huohuo's heart pound. She subconsciously looked toward Bai Qi, instinctively feeling he was the more reasonable one.
"He's very violent. I'm often abused by him myself," Bai Qi said with a sorrowful expression. "Little lady, you'd better think this through. If you voluntarily agree to help, we'll grant you two wishes, as long as they're within our power. We'll definitely fulfill them afterward. We're gods; we don't break our promises. But if you don't agree... and force him to get rough, it doesn't seem to violate any celestial laws... You'll end up with nothing for your troubles. What a loss that would be."
"So you're using threats and promises?" Xin Huohuo was angry but didn't dare show it.
"Yes." Mr. Hei's admission was brazenly confident. This was, in fact, just bullying.
Xin Huohuo lowered her head in silence.
The night was so quiet.
When people fall into dreams, no matter how many loved ones you have by your side, you are as alone as you are in the moment of life and death.
Many paths must be walked alone.
But in an instant, a thought surged through her mind. It was so intense that it immediately ignited an inextinguishable, phantom flame in the depths of her heart.
A desire she had long suppressed suddenly surfaced without warning.
Since there was no way out, she could only brace herself and move forward. Perhaps she could even seize an opportunity for herself, to quell the pain and regret in her heart that she could never face.
"I want you to help me see someone, someone who has already died." When she looked up, she was calm. "Finding a soul that has entered the underworld... you can do that, right?"
The Black and White Impermanence exchanged a glance. Finally, Mr. Hei spoke. "As long as that person's soul has not yet been reincarnated, we promise you. Generally, souls don't get reincarnated that quickly. So, what is your other wish?"
Xin Huohuo shook her head. "I haven't thought of it yet, so I'll save it for later. Don't worry, I'll cash it in." After a moment's thought, she added, "But I still don't understand. Why don't you just take my phone and investigate yourselves? If you're afraid I'll leak celestial secrets, couldn't you just wipe my memory? Why do you have to bring me along?"