Chapter 36
“Teacher Xue, we don’t need to boost our average score!”
“That’s right, I don’t think we need to retake the exams at all!”
“Totally agree!”
The students chattered excitedly, crowding around Xue Changyi. Wu Mu stood to the side, waiting for him.
“Cough…” A familiar metallic taste rose in Wu Mu’s throat.
He clutched his chest, glancing at Xue Changyi, who was surrounded by students and hadn’t noticed.
Wu Mu quietly turned and left the auditorium, his steps slightly unsteady. He leaned against the wall, bending over slightly, as if to ease the pain.
A hand reached out to steady him.
Wu Mu, always on guard, instinctively shrugged off the hand.
“Sorry,” the other person said with a gentle smile. “I just wanted to help.”
It was a kind-looking man, his gentleness a stark contrast to Wu Mu’s coldness.
It was Li Han, the Second Yama King.
Wu Mu, suppressing the pain in his chest, straightened up. “It’s fine.”
Li Han asked, “Are you alright?”
Wu Mu nodded, not answering. His throat was itchy, and speaking might trigger a coughing fit. They were close to the auditorium, and he didn’t want Xue Changyi to worry.
Li Han seemed to understand his concern. “I know you don’t want Changyi to worry.”
Wu Mu was silent for a moment, then asked, “Second Yama King, do you think… there’s a solution to the encroaching death?”
Li Han smiled. “Yes.”
But he added, “But perhaps in a hundred years, or two hundred years, with human ingenuity, we’ll find a way.”
Wu Mu said softly, “But by then… it’ll be too late, won’t it?”
The pollution was worsening, the encroaching death a constant threat. At this rate, it wouldn’t take a hundred years, it would envelop the world much sooner. The sun would never rise again, all life extinguished.
Wu Mu chuckled self-deprecatingly. “It seems even the Central Office has no solution.”
“There is another way,” Li Han said, his brow furrowing, his voice deep, “Stay away from Changyi… he’s a spirit stone, even if he doesn’t want to, he’ll passively absorb your energy, hastening the Golden Crow’s decline.”
“Xue Changyi…” Wu Mu smiled, a bitter smile. “It seems we truly are incompatible… he’ll always be beyond my reach.”
Wu Mu wasn’t afraid of death, he had always been indifferent, fearless. But the thought of the world plunged into darkness after the sun’s demise, and Xue Changyi, as a spirit stone, needing to absorb energy to survive, disappearing from the world along with him, filled him with dread.
That fear reminded him of his helplessness and despair as a little crow…
A silence fell between them. Li Han changed the subject. “You were that little crow, weren’t you?”
Wu Mu looked at him, surprised.
“Changyi told me, long ago, he saved a little crow.”
Wu Mu was even more surprised. So…
“He remembers?”
Li Han smiled. “Of course. Perhaps you don’t know this, but Changyi’s life was very monotonous before he became a Yama King, facing the chaotic void day after day. You, in that chaotic memory, were the only thing worth remembering. He told me about it many times… just between us, no less than ten times.”
Wu Mu was ecstatic, like a child praised by his teacher, like a child given a sweet treat.
So…
So Xue Changyi remembered him too, it wasn’t just one-sided…
“Second Brother? Wu Mu?”
Xue Changyi approached. “You’re here.”
Wu Mu looked at him, wanting to ask about the little crow, but Li Han’s words stopped him.
The encroaching death, it was all because of the encroaching death…
Xue Changyi glanced at Dong Lan. “Didn’t you have something to say?”
“I… I…” Dong Lan stammered.
Xue Changyi sighed. Now, Dong Lan seemed more like the younger brother, a younger brother who had made a mistake.
Dong Lan fidgeted with his clothes. “Se-Second Brother, welcome back, we wanted to… to have a gathering, a welcome home party for you. I don’t know if you’d like to attend…”
“If!” Dong Lan quickly added, “If you don’t want to see me, I won’t attend, you guys can have the party without me!”
Li Han chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I want to see you?”
“I… I…” Dong Lan lowered his head, his rabbit-ear buns drooping. “Because I… I…”
He was on the verge of tears, not at all like the cold and ruthless former Director General.
“Silly brother.” Li Han gently stroked his hair. “Of course I’d like that. You have to come too, alright?”
“Second Brother?” Dong Lan’s eyes widened, filled with tears.
Li Han sighed again. “Silly brother.”
Xue Changyi breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Wu Mu. “Are you coming too?”
“Me?” Wu Mu pointed at himself.
Wasn’t this a Ten Yama Kings’ family gathering? Xue Changyi was actually inviting him?
“Ew—” Dong Lan protested. “Little Ten, Little Ten! Why are you inviting him? This is a gathering for us brothers, don’t invite outsiders!”
Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t Wu Mu your adopted son? So he’s an outsider?”
Dong Lan: “…”
Xue Changyi asked Wu Mu again, “Are you coming?”
Wu Mu should have refused, he should stay away from Xue Changyi, but he couldn’t. He nodded. “Okay.”
The Ten Yama Kings’ family gathering, celebrating Li Han’s return.
And celebrating Xue Changyi’s retirement. He would officially become the homeroom teacher of Class Nine at Jixia Academy, Underworld High School.
A permanent position, not just a substitute.
Many ghost officers from the Ten Courts were also invited, including Xue Changyi’s trusted subordinates, Leopard Tail and Fish Gills.
Ding-dong—Ding-dong—
The doorbell rang. Leopard Tail said enthusiastically, “I’ll get it! I’ll get it! Is it Ox-Head and Horse-Face… I—”
The door opened, revealing not the ghost officers of the Yama Courts, but…
Wu Mu, the current Director General of the Supervisory Department.
Leopard Tail stared at him, then bellowed, “What’s the Supervisory Department doing here?!”
Xue Changyi stood up. “I invited him.”
He walked to the door and, in full view of everyone, took Wu Mu’s hand.
Wu Mu instinctively flinched, afraid of burning Xue Changyi, but Xue Changyi was wearing black gloves today.
The thin leather gloves accentuated his long, slender fingers.
With the gloves protecting him, Xue Changyi wasn’t burned.
“Gasp—”
The ghost officers stared at their joined hands.
“Let me introduce you,” Xue Changyi said calmly, “This is my boyfriend.”
“What?!!!!”
A chorus of shocked cries erupted, Leopard Tail’s the loudest.
Dong Lan slammed his hand on the table, his voice full of anguish. “Little Ten! I don’t approve! Wu Mu is my adopted son, your nephew! I absolutely, absolutely, absolutely don’t approve—”
“I don’t approve either,” Wu Mu suddenly said.
Xue Changyi looked at him, puzzled.
Wu Mu’s face was serious as he gazed at Xue Changyi.
Dong Lan held his breath. Everyone present knew Wu Mu was the Golden Crow, and the encroaching death was approaching, the sun would fall. If Wu Mu and Xue Changyi were together, it would hasten the sun’s demise, the arrival of death.
Dong Lan’s heart clenched. This must be why Wu Mu didn’t approve.
As his adoptive father, he knew how much Wu Mu liked Xue Changyi, he had liked him for over a thousand years, silently harboring his feelings.
Dong Lan’s lips tightened, his throat dry, a wave of sympathy washing over him…
Amidst everyone’s speculation, Wu Mu said seriously, “I don’t approve either. I don’t want to be just your boyfriend, I want to be your husband.”
Leopard Tail: “???”
Fish Gills: “…”
Dong Lan: “!!!”
Dong Lan jumped up, his usual image of a cute and delicate young girl forgotten, and shouted, “You brat, don’t push your luck! I’ll pluck your feathers if you don’t stop!”
“Hehe…” Xue Changyi chuckled. “Ambitious, aren’t you?”
Wu Mu didn’t reply, but took out a long, narrow box, opening it with a click—
Everyone craned their necks to look. Inside the dark red box was a scroll, seemingly ancient, with two characters faintly visible—Marriage Certificate.
Wu Mu then took out a square box and opened it, revealing a pair of diamond rings.
He asked seriously, “Do you prefer a Chinese-style wedding or a Western-style one?”
“Good heavens!” Dong Lan couldn’t sit still. “You want both?! I don’t think you’re here for a gathering, you’re here to cause trouble! Where are my ghost officers? Someone is trying to steal your boss!”
Leopard Tail puffed out his chest. “Seventh Yama King is right! The Supervisory Department wanting to marry into the Yama Courts, no one would believe it! You’ve done so many bad things, and now you want to steal our Yama King? No way! You have to get past me first!”
Wu Mu said calmly, “How?”
Leopard Tail rolled up his sleeves. “I, Leopard Tail, might not have many skills, but I’m strong! Let’s have a real fight—Ow!”
He suddenly clutched the back of his head, looking at Fish Gills reproachfully. “Fish Gills, why did you hit me?”
Fish Gills said calmly, “Today is the Second Yama King’s welcome home party, fighting isn’t auspicious.”
“Then, then…” Leopard Tail glared, not to be outdone. “Then let’s… let’s arm wrestle!”
Dong Lan: “…” He shouldn’t have expected anything impressive from Leopard Tail.
Wu Mu raised an eyebrow. “Alright, arm wrestling.”
Leopard Tail pointed at Wu Mu. “If you lose, kneel down, kowtow, and call me grandpa—Ow!”
He clutched the back of his head again, this time hit by Dong Lan.
Dong Lan put his hands on his hips. “Little Leopard, you’re ambitious, aren’t you? Wu Mu is my son, you want him to call you grandpa? Trying to climb over my head?”
Leopard Tail: “…” So wronged! It’s so hard to assert dominance!
He finally said, “Enough talk, let’s arm wrestle! If you lose, just leave!”
Wu Mu didn’t speak, but took off his suit jacket, revealing his crisp white shirt and the well-defined muscles beneath his vest. He loosened his tie, unbuttoned his cuffs, and rolled up his sleeves.
His movements were casual yet sensual, and Xue Changyi chuckled softly.
Others might not notice, but Xue Changyi had completely seen through Wu Mu’s tsundere nature. These seemingly casual gestures were all for his benefit.
He had to admit—it was a nice view.
Wu Mu sat down like a model on a runway, placing his muscular arm on the table. “Let’s begin.”
“Go, Leopard Bro! Go, Leopard Bro!”
“Show the Supervisory Department what we’re made of!”
“Go, Leopard Bro—”
The ghost officers cheered, as if this wasn’t just an arm wrestling match, but a duel to the death!
“Leopard Bro! Push harder!”
“What’s going on, Leopard Bro! You’re losing!”
“Don’t give up, Leopard Bro!”
Thump—
A muffled sound.
Leopard Tail’s face was red with exertion, his hand about to be pinned to the table.
At that moment, the unexpected happened.
The pressure on his wrist suddenly vanished, followed by a thud and the gasps of the ghost officers.
“Gasp—Minister Wu?!”
“What happened to Minister Wu?”
“Wu Mu fainted!”
