The Fox Spirit Sent Me to Explore the Underworld (Part Two)

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This man, with his fleshy face and large ears, was a true glutton. Beside him stood two underworld bailiffs, both dressed in black uniforms, never taking their eyes off him. He lowered his head to gnaw on some blood-red delicacy, occasionally lifting his gaze to shoot me a vicious glare. His eyes were an unsettling shade of blue, so piercing it sent shivers down my spine. From his appearance alone, it was clear he was far from benevolent.

“Reporting, Lord of the Underworld! The soul of this woman who bought goods without paying has been brought here. Please pass judgment,” announced one of the bailiffs, bowing before the fleshy-faced man, who waved him away without looking up.

“So, you’re the living soul who bought something and didn’t pay for it?” he growled, glaring at me while continuing to eat. Without the slightest courtesy, he spat out, “Where are you from, and what are you doing here?”

He was so absorbed in stuffing his face that he didn’t bother to look me over. “I did pay her, but she claimed my money was fake…” I barely finished before he shot me another menacing look.

“Hmph! I don’t believe it. Is there really such a person? Summon that bun seller!” His face was so ferocious my whole body trembled. The two bailiffs obeyed his order and left. Soon, the plump bun seller woman entered, sobbing as she knelt before the fleshy-faced man.

“Lord Underworld, please uphold justice! This girl bought my buns, then slandered me by giving me counterfeit money to cheat me!” she wailed, placing my money on the table.

But that was real money! How had it turned into counterfeit here? If I needed to use underworld currency, how much would that be? I stared at the two bills on the table, pondering anxiously.

The large-eared man snatched up the money and burst into a rage, slamming his palm on the table. “Audacious! She may not recognize money, but do you think I don’t? Trying to trick me with this scrap of paper? You’re courting death!” he bellowed, rising to his feet.

“Fat woman! You want to lodge a complaint? I’ll see that justice is done for you. However…” he trailed off, grinning at the kneeling woman.

“Oh, my lord! You want the complaint, do you? I have it, I have it!” she cried, producing an enormous silver note from her bosom and handing it to the fleshy-faced man.

“What kind of complaint is this? Isn’t this your underworld silver note? This is a crime, don’t you know that?” I burst out, furious at seeing him accept her bribe. “What you’re doing is disgraceful!”

No sooner had the words left my mouth than the large-eared man erupted in fury. “How dare you! You bought something and didn’t pay, then you dare shout at me! Speak! Where are you from?” His words sent me into a panic.

Could all underworld officials be like this, so quick to condemn someone over a mere silver note? Seeing his savage expression, I began to shake. “I—I’m from the world of the living.”

How could he possibly believe me? At my words, his anger flared even brighter. “Nonsense! The worlds of the living and the dead are separated! If you came here, a ghost escort would have brought you. Why haven’t I seen them?” Did one need such an escort to get here? At this, confusion clouded my mind.

“Speak! Where did you come from?” he asked coldly again, but I truly was from the world of the living! I gave a bitter laugh and replied, “I told you already, I came from the world of the living…”

He gave me a cold, mocking grin. “Heh heh heh, you say you’re from the world of the living—then do you have a pass from the Earth God’s shrine?” A pass? The word made me even more bewildered.

What kind of pass was that, anyway? Wasn’t the Earth God supposed to manage land? What did he have to do with any of this? While I was puzzling over it, the fleshy-faced man broke into uproarious laughter.

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“No pass, I knew you were lying! You clearly don’t know who I am! Won’t speak? Then don’t blame me for what comes next! Bring in the millstone from outside!” A millstone? At his words, I glanced out the door.

The two bailiffs outside were terrifying enough to make any soul flee in terror. One was skin and bones, wearing a white robe open at the chest, his ribcage plainly visible, sending chills down my spine.

Black blood stained his chest, and in the black hollows of his skull, two green lights flickered. He bared bloody white teeth at me and gave a ghastly chuckle.

The other bailiff was bald, not a hair on his head. His face was pitted and scarred as if smashed by something, blood oozing everywhere—a truly horrifying sight.

Together, they lugged in a millstone drenched in fresh blood, fixing me with fierce, wicked stares and unsettling, guttural laughs that made me tremble.

“Heh heh, girl! Frightened now? Better confess, or you’ll be the one to suffer,” they threatened, making my heart leap in terror as I stared at the millstone, smeared with blood. It seemed strangely familiar—where had I seen it before?

“Ah!” I cried out, suddenly clapping a hand over my mouth. I remembered now: I’d seen it in movies as a child—the little ghosts pushing the millstone in the Eighteen Hells of the underworld. The realization sent a wave of panic through me.

“Could this be the Eighteen Hells?” I muttered. The bailiff beside me cackled, “Heh heh, girl! What are you imagining? You’re not qualified for the Eighteen Hells…”

“Are you going to confess or not!” The fleshy-faced official barked, interrupting the bailiff.

“Why are you shouting? I’ve told you—I’m from the world of the living! Why are you being so fierce?” I snapped back, anger flaring despite my fear.

He only chuckled at my outburst. “Little girl, looks like you won’t give up until you hit rock bottom!”

“The Yellow River? That’s far from my home. I’ve no fortune to visit such a place,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

My words seemed to enrage him further. “Then let me show you what this millstone can do!” With a gesture, he had two bailiffs drag another man inside.

This man’s hair was wild, his face deathly pale, eyes brimming with terror. He knelt, shaking before the fleshy-faced official, one leg streaming blood.

“My lord, I’ve already explained—it wasn’t me, my master wronged me…”

“Wronged you? Why didn’t he wrong me then?” the official roared.

“Zhu Youcai, you really won’t cry until you see the coffin! Someone—grind off his other leg!” The two bailiffs grinned at the order and dragged Zhu Youcai toward the millstone.

He wailed for mercy, but the official paid no heed. The bailiffs shoved his remaining leg into the mill and began to turn it.

“Aaah—!” His scream was cut short as blood gushed out, forming a crimson puddle beneath the millstone. Witnessing such cruel torture, my eyes blurred with tears.

Whether from fear or pity, I didn’t know—my heart felt numb. As I wept for the man who had just been ground to blood and dragged away, despair crept in.

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“Haha… If only I could taste such delicacies every day!” The bailiffs caught the blood streaming from the mill in bowls and handed them to the fleshy-faced official.

“What are you doing? This is a crime!” Outraged, I shouted at them.

“What’s the matter, do you pity Zhu Youcai, or are you just scared? Let me tell you, in this place, I am the law. If I say he’s guilty, he’s guilty!” His words made me realize that in some corners of the underworld, where the Yama Kings had no reach, money really could make the devils turn the mill.

“Hahaha, now I see—even in this realm there are places overlooked. I always thought the Yama’s domain was above reproach, but turns out there are people like you here…”

“Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘The sky is high and the land is wild’? Here, whoever holds the most power makes the rules!” With that, the fleshy-faced man downed the bowl of blood in his hand.

“Heh heh, your blood must be even fresher. I’d like to taste it myself…” He hadn’t finished before the two bailiffs advanced toward me.

“What are you doing? Don’t come any closer!” I cried in panic, stumbling backward. The two bailiffs seized me, pinned me to the ground, then lifted me up and dragged me toward the blood-soaked millstone.

“Let me go! The Yama Kings won’t let you get away with this!” No matter how I screamed, they only laughed wickedly and hauled me to the mill.

“Is my life really so brief? I promised you, Fox Immortal, please come save me!” Staring at the millstone, slick with fresh blood, tears of terror streamed down my face.

These were my last words, my final despair. Zhu Youcai had just been ground to blood before my eyes, his soul scattered—and now it was my turn. The thought brought more tears, and I let out a long sigh, closing my eyes tight.

“What are you waiting for? Start grinding!” came the impatient shout of the fleshy-faced official. But the two bailiffs only stood before the mill, grinning strangely, unmoving. Suddenly, a yellow bolt of lightning split the sky, causing the official to dive for cover behind the table, staring at the yellow sky in terror.

“Stop!” A voice thundered. Two fierce-looking figures strode in from outside, so terrifying that everyone in the courtyard felt their souls quake.

“Well, well, I wondered who it was—it’s the traveling inspectors!” The fleshy-faced man quickly plastered a smile on his face and hurried to greet them.

One of the newcomers looked like an ox, the other resembled a horse. Their eyes, glowing like lanterns with green light, glared at me with a terrifying ferocity.