Faced with death for the first time—and such a swift one at that—Chen Ji should have been a little dazed.
But…
【Uh? I’m not dead?】 The yellow-clothed youth opened his eyes. He stared at Chen Ji, who was still holding his phone, and puzzledly reached out to rub his chest. There wasn’t a hint of pain. In fact, he felt more energetic than ever.
【Whoa… You made it seem like I was done for. False alarm, false alarm~ Hey, big bro, thanks a ton. This injury’s pretty bad—I can’t really move. Mind calling the cops and an ambulance for me? Can’t keep blocking the path like this!】
Chen Ji released his grip. With blood-smeared fingers, he fumbled out his own phone and dialed the emergency line. “Hello, this is Little Azure Mountain. A hiker just died right in front of me… No, not exactly. I’m midway up the slope. He fell from higher up… Right, he’s gone. Said a couple words to me and then stopped breathing.”
The yellow-clothed little youth shot upright. 【Hey! Are you seriously that rude? I’m sitting here fine—what do you mean ‘stopped breathing’?!】
Chen Ji didn’t even twitch an eyebrow. He kept talking into the phone. “Bright yellow outdoor jacket—don’t recognize the brand, but it looks pretty high-end. About five foot nine, early twenties… Yeah… Name’s Chen Ji, ID number 320XXX… Yes, I’m originally from Shangyang Village. Came back a month ago and have been living up on the mountain. I don’t know the guy.”
Seeing that Chen Ji was ignoring him, the yellow-clothed little youth reached out to grab his arm. But his hand passed right through, light as air. In disbelief, he stared at the sight, then swung his arm again and again. Each time, it went straight through Chen Ji’s body. He froze stiff, listening to Chen Ji’s words.
“The phone? Yeah, he’s got his phone—it’s right here beside him. He was just about to call for an ambulance himself.” Chen Ji knew the passcode, but things were too coincidental, and he didn’t want trouble. He simply claimed ignorance. He made a show of bending down, rustling his clothes, then said in mild surprise, “Oh? I’ve picked it up already… Got it, leave it there then. Leaving it.”
“Alright, that’s it. I’ll wait here for you.”
The youth jerked his head around stiffly. He stared at the corpse on the ground, his eyes slowly widening. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He gaped at his own body, utterly motionless.
Chen Ji hung up and leaned against a tree. He lit a cigarette and eyed the youth from the corner of his vision. So ghosts could sweat too—how rare.
No telling how the accident happened, but solo hiking in these remote wilds without a guide? Any mishap wasn’t surprising.
Pale white smoke drifted from his thin lips. The youth’s expression remained calm, his posture utterly relaxed—as if the still-warm corpse in front of him was nothing at all.
The yellow-clothed little youth whipped his head back to stare, horror staining his eyes blood-red. 【Why am I the one who’s dead? I’m only twenty-five! My life’s just getting started. I’ve got everything going for me—why me?! Why not you?!】
As he spoke, he rose slowly. Strands of black mist crept from the soil, twining up his ankles. His eyes burned crimson, as if dripping blood. Step by step, he approached Chen Ji, resentment boiling over. 【I wasn’t supposed to die. You didn’t save me, did you? You killed me, didn’t you? I’m so young—I won’t accept this… Come down and join me…】
Chen Ji lowered his head and bit down on the cigarette between his fingers. He pulled out his phone and started scrolling news.
Just then, the White Tiger burst from the woods with a roar that shook the heavens and earth. The little youth jolted in shock. The black mist shrouding him shattered into wisps. He blurted out on instinct, 【Holy shit! A tiger!】
The White Tiger’s icy blue eyes gleamed like frost. Muscles taut, it coiled to strike. Chen Ji casually pressed a hand to its head and pushed it down gently. “Shh… Xiangxiang, good boy.”
Only then did the yellow-clothed little youth snap back to himself. What the hell had he been doing? He stared blankly at the handsome young man before him. The guy had pressed on his wound to stop the bleeding, promptly called the cops, and even stayed put to wait for the police. And he’d nearly tried to drag him down too?
Was he really that rotten a person?!
He’d followed the law his whole life, only to almost commit a crime the moment he died! Good thing there was a tiger… Wait, how was there even a tiger here?!
The White Tiger circled Chen Ji once, herding him into its protective range. It fixed a wary glare on the little youth. Chen Ji stroked its head but still refused to give the youth a proper glance.
The little youth darted looks between Chen Ji and the White Tiger, its entire body screaming ‘take one more step and I’ll rip you apart.’ He pointed at himself and called to the tiger. 【Tiger bro, you can see me, right?】
The White Tiger merely kept staring him down coldly.
Under that icy gaze, the little youth truly didn’t dare take another step. Chen Ji finished his cigarette, tossed the butt, and ground it underfoot. He simply settled back against the White Tiger and sat down. One hand stroked its neck rhythmically while the other held his phone, scrolling short videos.
The little youth knew the White Tiger wouldn’t acknowledge him. He’d heard animals could see unclean things—and right now, he was that unclean thing. Gazing at the utterly chill Chen Ji, he tried greeting him helplessly. 【Hello? Hey? Can you see me?】
【Your White Tiger’s staring right at me—you really can’t see me?】
【No, seriously! I died right in front of you—how are you still scrolling?!】
After chattering endlessly with no response—Chen Ji glued to his phone—the little youth suddenly deflated. He flopped down, curled into a ball hugging his knees, and murmured, 【Why did I have to die… Why did I die…】
Tears streamed silently from his eyes, soaking into the dirt. 【Why did I die… I just slipped once… Why did I die… Should’ve never come… Mom… Mommy…】
Moments ago, he’d tried to kill Chen Ji, and the man hadn’t batted an eye. But hearing these mutters, Chen Ji started feeling a bit sorry for him. A mere breath separated ghosts from the living—and yet that breath might as well be a gulf between worlds.
No reviving the dead, though. Nothing he could do. Instead, he dialed the Taoist from the neighboring City God Temple. The man had released him under duress and bribes, but he still picked up the video call irritably. “What?”
Chen Ji said casually, “Nothing much. Just chatting… Hey, don’t hang up. I just had a hiker die on me—waiting for the cops. Don’t hang up. I’m scared.”
The Taoist eyed Chen Ji’s face, his expression screaming ‘keep spinning your yarn.’
The White Tiger shot Chen Ji a surprised glance, then huddled him closer.
Chen Ji asked, “For real, no joke. Want me to turn the camera? …Hey, aren’t you a Taoist? What happens after death anyway?”
With that, Chen Ji flipped the camera. The Taoist immediately spotted the corpse on the ground and the huddled, sobbing little youth ghost nearby. He choked, but Chen Ji left the view as-is.
The Taoist said, “After death? Pretty much what you’d expect. Ghost messengers come collect you. Normal folks who haven’t done too much evil just go through the motions. There’s a school down there to teach you the ropes. Yanluo Hall hands out living stipends—basics covered. You live your afterlife days till reincarnation rolls around.”
The youth’s sniffling paused. He listened intently too.
“Holidays, you can drop a dream-visit to your family, check in on them.” The Taoist spoke flatly. “Same as living, really—just can’t see loved ones often. Think of it like moving abroad.”
Chen Ji teased, “Reincarnation a lottery these days? Birth rates tanking—good luck getting a slot.”
Though he couldn’t see Chen Ji, the Taoist shot him a glare. “Why you asking so much?!”
“Just curious.” Chen Ji chuckled.
Right then, rumbling echoed from afar. Chen Ji swung the camera back. “Helicopter’s here—no time to chat. Dug up some good herbs here. I’ll drop ’em off next time I head down.”
Before the Taoist could spit his ‘who the hell wants your crap,’ Chen Ji cut the call. The Taoist cursed a blue streak, then paused. What had Chen Ji been leaning on? That pattern, that size…?
Not anything good, that’s for sure.
The Taoist words had chased off most of the youth’s fear. He couldn’t cry anymore and simply sat waiting.
Little Azure Mountain’s terrain was too tricky for a chopper to land. Instead, two SWAT officers and a coroner rappelled down. Faces masked, the SWAT eyed Chen Ji sternly. “You’re Chen Ji?”
Chen Ji handed over his ID ahead of time. They took it and stood at ease. “Yeah, that’s me.”
He answered every question cooperatively. The police had his background on file—it all checked out. Their tone softened. Midway through the Q&A, the coroner finished his prelim exam, nodding to the SWAT: high odds of accident, wounds matched. One said, “Mind coming with us? Need a few more details.”
Chen Ji didn’t hesitate. He grabbed his bamboo basket. “Can’t climb down this way—your lead.”
The SWAT glimpsed the basket brimming with fresh-dug herbs, soil still fragrant. Trust deepened. They strapped him into a harness.
The little youth’s corpse went into a body bag first, winched up. Then a SWAT escorted Chen Ji aboard. The youth ghost trailed alongside. He watched the officer check gear and brief Chen Ji on safety. It hit him. 【Wait, no—Officer, why ignore that White Tiger?!】
He jabbed a finger at it, stunned. 【You can’t seriously miss a massive White Tiger like that?】
The White Tiger gave him a lazy glance.
On reflex, the little youth reached for the officer’s sleeve—but his hand passed through the arm. He paused, lips pressing thin. He gave up yelling. Right then, his eyes met Chen Ji’s.
He was looking right at him.
The little youth said dejectedly, 【Why can’t they see the White Tiger? That’s not scientific! …No, wait—I’m the unscientific one now… This is so weird. You can see me just fine, though?!】
Little Youth suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He bellowed at Chen Ji, 【I got it—you’re a chang ghost, right?!】
The evil tiger turned the people it killed into chang ghosts, forcing them to trail after it and deceive even more victims on its behalf.
Chen Ji laughed.
—What breed of idiot was this?
