Chapter 8 Skeleton Under The Clothes 01
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After the contract was signed, Chen Yang officially assumed the role of manager of Dafu Branch Office.
It was through Ma Shanfeng’s informative explanation that Chen Yang discovered the origins of Dafu Office—a collaborative effort between the celestial masters, backed by the government, and the underworld. Its purpose was to tackle disturbances caused by troublesome spirits in the mortal realm. Across the country, there were six Dafu Offices, but the one in the capital city was the only branch established.
Presently, Chen Yang held the position of branch manager, and there were a total of four employees working under him.
Currently, Chen Yang was acquainted with the deputy manager, Ma Shanfeng, Mao Xiaoli, and another individual named Zhang Qiudao, who had taken on an assignment and was yet to return. Ma Shanfeng was in the twilight years of his career, receiving a basic salary without actively participating in assignments. Mao Xiaoli possessed a Celestial Master Seal at the sixth level of All Merits, managing to handle two-star assignments with some effort. As for Zhang Qiudao, he held a Celestial Master Seal at the fourth level of Alliance Authority, allowing him to handle three-star assignments.
Three-star assignments posed a certain level of difficulty, typically necessitating a celestial master of rank three or above to handle them independently. Despite Zhang Qiudao’s rank of four, he had previously collaborated with others on three-star assignments. Chen Yang became aware of the diverse sects within the Celestial Master Community, where prominent sects like Zhengyi and Quanzhen didn’t actively take on assignments but were sought after by individuals with genuine wealth, seeking their assistance.
However, these sects had a multitude of disciples, most of whom relied on the Dafu APP to earn a living.
Now, turning back to Dafu Subdistrict Office, despite the dilapidated state and even the struggle to provide a basic salary at the branch where Chen Yang worked, the head office boasted an abundance of talent. Only celestial masters of rank three or higher were barely considered eligible for recruitment, with the majority being exceptional disciples from various sects, possessing remarkable innate abilities.
Chen Yang lifted his gaze and let out a deep sigh as he glanced at Mao Xiaoli, who sat cross-legged on the sofa, nibbling on watermelon while engrossed in watching cartoons.
Mao Xiaoli lacked genuine devotion even in paying homage to her ancestral master. It was no wonder that despite her decent talent and belonging to a family of prestigious celestial masters, she remained at the level of a sixth-ranked celestial master.
Scarcity of talent, lack of networking resources, inability to establish a noteworthy reputation, employees with little ambition—what a messy situation!
A massive pitfall!
Chen Yang rose from his seat and made his way back to his room but Mao Xiaoli called out to him, “Brother Chen, since you’ve just moved in, do you need any help with settling in?”
“No, thank you.”
With those words, he stood up and ascended the stairs.
The Dafu Branch Office was housed in an old six-story building. The lower three floors served as the office space, while the upper three floors accommodated the employees. Among the four individuals, only Ma Shanfeng didn’t reside here as he had a separate home.
Chen Yang had only just moved in that morning and spent the entire day unpacking before finally finding the time to evaluate the current progress of the branch office.
As he opened the door to his room, he positioned himself at the entrance and slipped into a pair of slippers. However, he couldn’t help but notice that the larger-sized slippers on the shoe rack were missing, replaced by a pair of leather shoes.
Chen Yang was well aware of the situation as he made his way towards the small kitchen.
He didn’t catch sight of anyone.
At this moment, the bathroom echoed with the gentle sound of dripping water.
Chen Yang made his way towards the bathroom once again, turning the doorknob. From inside, a hand extended, suddenly grabbing hold of his hand and pulling him in. The pleasantly warm water welcomed him, instantly drenching his clothes.
Chen Yang squinted his eyes, feeling discomfort as the damp fabric clung to his body. Behind him, a large hand gently encircled his waist, guiding him towards a broad and sturdy chest, accompanied by a familiar fragrance.
“Haven’t taken a shower yet?”
Upon hearing those words, Chen Yang shot a glare, his sense of displeasure evident.
“You’re not sure if I’ve showered or not, and yet you dragged me in?”
That confirmed he hadn’t taken a shower yet.
“Accompany me.”
Du Shuo rested his chin against Chen Yang’s neck, taking a deep breath before closing his eyes. Chen Yang sensed his exhaustion and couldn’t bring himself to blame him. They both undressed and stepped into the bathtub, facing each other.
The handsome man before him was Chen Yang’s ghostly husband, bound to him in an otherworldly union.
Chen Yang possessed an extraordinary Yin constitution since birth, haunted by ghosts and evil entities. Many had predicted that he wouldn’t survive past the age of fifteen. Throughout his life, he had encountered numerous incidents of being possessed by malevolent ghosts. When Chen Yang was ten years old, his parents sacrificed their lives to protect him from a malevolent ghost. Subsequently, a kind-hearted neighbor became his guardian, teaching him magical arts for a few years. Then, when Chen Yang turned sixteen, the guardian arranged a spiritual marriage for him.
Although the spiritual marriage was only formalized when Chen Yang reached the age of eighteen, he became a partial denizen of the underworld. He found solace in having a husband who served as a ghost official, warding off any spirits with ill intentions towards him.
Sadly, it wasn’t long before the kind-hearted guardian passed away.
From that point onward, Du Shuo remained as the sole remaining family member in Chen Yang’s life.
Chen Yang had just immersed himself in the soothing warmth of the water when Du Shuo, assertive but gentle, pulled him close and engaged their lips in an affectionate entanglement.
Once the water in the bathtub had grown thoroughly cold, Du Shuo carefully lifted Chen Yang out of the bathroom. He settled him on the sofa, weariness etching faint lines on his brow.
Du Shuo fixed his gaze upon Chen Yang. His once icy expression softened with a touch of contentment, his face fulfilled.
“Has your work situation been resolved?”
“Mm.” Chen Yang shifted his body, leaning against Du Shuo as he began to calculate his salary by tapping his fingers. “Once I’ve saved enough for two years, I’ll arrange a ritual for you, performing meritorious deeds on your behalf. It will aid in your promotion, and I’ll also need to burn more joss paper to attend to your needs.”
Chen Yang let out a yawn and meticulously counted the expenses, realizing that the road ahead was both demanding and long.
Du Shuo locked his gaze onto Chen Yang, his eyes brimming with tenderness and a gentle smile. Holding Chen Yang’s hand, he said, “I don’t need rituals and merits.”
“That won’t work.” Chen Yang cast him a sideways glance, sensing a hint of complacency. With a heartfelt tone, he continued, “Are you content to be a ghost envoy for the rest of your existence? Endlessly toiling without respite? In the human realm, at least there are occasional holidays, but you toil ceaselessly all year round. Once you start working, we won’t see each other for three days.”
“Do you miss me?”
“Don’t divert the conversation.”
“Alright, but human rituals and merits hold no sway over me. I don’t depend on them to accumulate merits.”
Du Shuo sealed his lips, faced with Chen Yang’s gaze that conveyed a message of “You’re making it up. I don’t believe you.” He found himself unable to respond.
Chen Yang doubted Du Shuo’s words, assuming they were merely an attempt to spare him from hard work.
The promotion of a ghost envoy hinged upon merits and accomplishments.
Achievements couldn’t offer immediate assistance, but merits could lend a helping hand. In Du Shuo’s name, Chen Yang could accumulate merits. It required funds, and conveniently, the manager of Dafu had a well-paying position.
Another yawn escaped Chen Yang’s lips. Worn out from a day of moving and tidying, returning home only to be tossed around had left him physically fatigued.
“If you’re tired, it’s time to sleep.”
Chen Yang grabbed hold of Du Shuo’s clothes, snuggling into his embrace. With heavy eyelids, he murmured in a drowsy state, “You must stay by my side.”
“I’ll be with you.”
“Don’t disappear tomorrow morning.”
“…Alright.””
With the affirmation he sought, Chen Yang blissfully succumbed to a satisfying slumber.
Du Shuo carried him back to the bedroom, adjusting the air conditioning and tucking him in under the blanket. Afterward, he got up and left, issuing a command on his phone before returning to the room. Sliding back the covers, he nestled inside.
Chen Yang sensed the source of warmth and naturally snuggled closer.
Well-behaved and self-aware.
Du Shuo’s lips curled slightly as he embraced him, refusing to let go throughout the night.
The following morning, Du Shuo indeed didn’t vanish immediately. Instead, he accompanied Chen Yang to finish breakfast and saw him off. This led to Chen Yang’s radiant mood, and upon hearing about an incoming assignment at the door downstairs, his spirits lifted even further.
Mao Xiaoli held the remaining watermelon from the previous night, and with keen eyes, he spotted a faint red mark hidden beneath Chen Yang’s shirt collar. “Brother Chen, I have some mosquito-repellent talismans. Would you like me to give you a stack?”
“Mosquito-repellent talismans?” Chen Yang shook his head. “I haven’t encountered any mosquitoes.”
Mao Xiaoli freed up a finger and pointed to his neck. “Isn’t there a large area bitten here?”
Chen Yang instinctively covered his neck, feeling a bit awkward.
“It’s… nothing.”
“Isn’t it itching?”
“It’s manageable.”
“I have some anti-itch cream and mosquito-repellent talismans. Let me go get them for you.”
Just as Mao Xiaoli turned around, he bumped into Ma Shanfeng. The latter had a cheerful smile and said, hands clasped behind his back, “Xiaoli, there’s no need to trouble yourself. The manager probably just moved in and is experiencing some allergies due to the adjustment. It will improve in a couple of days.”
“Is that so? Brother Chen, you’re quite delicate.” Mao Xiaoli looked at Chen Yang’s skin, realizing that delicacy had its advantages. “Your skin is really good, I’m envious.”
Ma Shanfeng: “Young people have such great physical stamina.”
Chen Yang nearly choked on his own saliva, his face turning crimson. It took him a moment to regain his composure, facing Ma Shanfeng’s seemingly kind but actually probing gaze with a calm demeanor.
“Good morning, Deputy Ma.”
“Ma Shangfeng, you usually start work at eight, and it’s almost nine now. Hehe, are you planning to abandon the lifestyle of the elderly and embrace the youths’ lifestyle?”
Ma Shanfeng smiled warmly. “I arrived at eight in the morning. I just received a business order and had to go out for a couple of hours.”
“A new assignment?”
They already have a business order so quickly?!
Mao Xiaoli leaped up. “Brother Chen, you’re the lucky star of our branch. Before you joined us, the branch office couldn’t secure a single order in three years. But as soon as you arrived, we received an order that can sustain us for three years.”
…once again effortlessly exposing the true situation.
Ma Shanfeng continued to face Chen Yang’s gaze calmly, feeling no remorse for deceiving him.
It was clear that he possessed strong mental resilience.
“The new order came from the head office, a collaboration with our branch. They will assign two people from their team, and we will also contribute two people. The payment is 20 million, to be divided equally between both sides.”
Before Chen Yang could respond, Mao Xiaoli jumped up and exclaimed, “We’ll take it!”
Ma Shanfeng looked at Chen Yang, who suppressed his excitement and declared firmly, “We’ll take it.”
“But why would the head office be willing to split such a large order with us?” Chen Yang raised a question.
Ma Shanfeng fell silent for a moment before finally replying, “Poverty alleviation.”
“…” Chen Yang sighed. “Forget it, as long as we secure the order.”
“Exactly. With Brother Chen alone, we can handle a three-star assignment.”
Upon hearing this, Ma Shanfeng’s usually composed demeanor turned unusually serious as he cautioned Mao Xiaoli, “It would be best if you don’t harbor any illusions or adopt a careless attitude. If Zhang Qiudao were present, I wouldn’t have assigned you to handle the three-star order.”
Mao Xiaoli grumbled with discontent, “Brother Chen managed to handle the previous three-star order on his own.”
Ma Shanfeng shook his head and advised Chen Yang, “I reviewed the case you took on, and it didn’t truly meet the difficulty level of a three-star order. It was, at most, a two-star case. It only escalated to three stars because the previous celestial master underestimated it and failed to recognize that it was a malevolent ghost that had lingered for nearly a century. Dealing with a genuinely three-star difficult order would be challenging even for a third-grade celestial master.”
“Five people have already lost their lives in this current case.”
Chen Yang’s expression turned grave, and Mao Xiaoli abandoned her complacent mindset.
“Please provide us with the specific details.”
“I have some information here. I’ll share it in our WeChat group later, and you can take a look for yourselves.”
“WeChat group?”
Mao Xiaoli said, “Brother Chen, let me add you to it.”
Chen Yang opened WeChat and found a new group.
‘Committed to Poverty Alleviation and Ending Singlehood.’
Ma Shanfeng chuckled. “Ah, how fitting.”
One pair of single individuals, one pair who have already found love, all dedicated to the cause of poverty alleviation.
Chen Yang remained speechless.
Mao Xiaoli exuded confidence as she said, “With Brother Chen on board, poverty alleviation won’t be an issue.”
Truly, his genuine and pure character was evident at all times.
Ma Shanfeng shared all the details of the case in the WeChat group, allowing Chen Yang and Mao Xiaoli to read through it beforehand. Afterward, they would make necessary preparations and rendezvous with the team from headquarters.
Their upcoming mission required them to venture into a villa area located in Shijingshan District. Their objective was to stealthily investigate and confront the malevolent ghosts responsible for causing harm, with the option of terminating them if required. These spirits had already claimed five lives, and if apprehended, they would be brought to the Luofeng’s Six Palaces for judgement.
Fortunately, the employer had offered the use of their villa for their temporary accommodation.
Chen Yang finished reading the provided information and found the situation quite challenging.
Ma Shanfeng inquired if he had made any discoveries, and Chen Yang responded, “Based on their methods, it doesn’t seem like the work of ordinary spirits. It feels more like the mischief of mischievous spirits.”
Ma Shanfeng agreed, “That’s what I was thinking too.”
Mao Xiaoli finished reading the information and added, “Malevolent ghosts usually seek revenge or find substitutes for a new life. It’s rare for them to solely inflict harm and take lives.”
“Furthermore, these five victims suffered a brutal fate, with their flesh, organs, and innards consumed entirely. Such a method indicates the involvement of mischievous spirits, seeking to mold their own human form,” Chen Yang observed as he compared the victims’ photos and details. “This is one of the discovered victims, and considering the severity of the attacks, there might be others yet to be found.”
Spirits without physical bodies resorted to finding substitutes, skillfully evading detection to reemerge in human guise. Mischievous spirits, on the other hand, already possessed a semblance of physical form, albeit incomplete, and thus strove to obtain a human vessel by any means necessary.
Some mischievous spirits, like fox spirits, absorbed the essence of moonlight through rituals, while yellow weasels extended their assistance to humans, accumulating merits and virtues. However, there were also mischievous spirits that feasted on human organs, seeking to inhabit an empty human shell.
Alternatively, they may consume human blood, assimilating it into their own flesh and acquiring a human appearance.
Such entities were commonly referred to as demonic spirits.
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Thanks for the translation! They’re being so cute hehe
Thank you so much for translating this! It’s so engaging and fun reading it.
We finally see them together in one chapter! They’re very domestic and married! 😳