Chapter 155: The Five Ghosts Carry the Coffin

Page (1/3)

Tu’e looked at me with a confused expression, as if I were some fool.
“Try to pinch—” I was about to repeat myself when suddenly a loud bang exploded!
Bang—
A bright flash of light burst in through the window, illuminating the room. Following that came the crackling sound of firecrackers.
The firecrackers were set off; it was that time already.
Outside, the sounds never ceased—alongside the firecrackers were the excited shouts of children, creating a lively atmosphere.
Yet none of it affected me; my mind was filled only with thoughts of the ocean and Tu’e.
“You…” I leaned toward Tu’e, about to speak loudly. Suddenly, he gestured for me to be silent.
He pointed in a certain direction, signaling me to look.
Following his indication, I saw several mice emerge from beneath the bed, cautiously peering left and right before timidly moving forward.
Those mice were quite bold to strut out so openly. Did they think there were too few cats in this village to stand up to them?
Then I realized something was amiss. More and more mice came out from under the bed, from the footboard to under the cabinet, moving along the corner of the wall toward the door. Their procession was orderly and methodical.
In the middle of the line was a slightly plump mouse, noticeably different from the others. Unlike the others who glanced around nervously, it was remarkably calm, though faint squeaking sounds could be heard from it.
Amid the deafening firecracker blasts, I could faintly hear the beats of drums and gongs—a festive clamor, as if someone were celebrating a wedding!
Could it really be a mouse bride? Such a thing actually exists! How miraculous!
I watched the mice in amazement, completely captivated. They carefully reached the door and stepped outside.
I made a gesture to Tu’e, signaling to follow them and see where they were headed.

Page (2/3)

Once all the mice had gone out the door, we stepped outside. The firecrackers exploded continuously, fireworks lit up the sky, and the atmosphere was vibrant.
We followed the mouse bride procession along the village’s main road. These mice were quite particular—taking the main road for the bride’s departure. Normally, such behavior would be met with a chorus of shouts and beatings.
As the firecracker sounds faded, the drumming and gonging grew clearer, and the night seemed less dark, allowing us to clearly see the mouse wedding party.
The mouse bride’s mournful squeaks gradually became audible, the procession continuing along the road, destination unknown.
They had already gone far beyond the village. Continuing on would bring them to the outer highway. We paused, choosing not to follow further, watching the wedding party slowly vanish into the darkness ahead, along with the increasingly faint drum and gong sounds retreating into the distance.
It seemed the mouse bride had successfully married off this year. The local rodent problem might ease, though they would likely become a nuisance elsewhere.
Ring, ring, ring…
Suddenly, a bell rang, snapping me back to attention. What was that? Where did the sound come from? Had the wedding failed and the mice returned? Impossible—I thought the mouse bride was quite a catch!
Suddenly, my mouth was covered. Before I could react, I was roughly dragged into the nearby woods and pressed behind a bush. Tu’e’s tall frame loomed behind me, one hand restraining me.
I was startled. Could this be the same long-haired man I had seen at sea, now revealing his true form? I struggled to resist.
“Shh…” he whispered close to my ear.
I realized it wasn’t as I feared. Though I didn’t understand the situation fully, something was clearly amiss.
I tapped the hand covering my mouth, signaling him to loosen his grip. Not only was my mouth covered, but my nose was also pressed tightly, making it hard to breathe. When had I noticed he was this strong?
He didn’t release immediately but leaned close and whispered softly, “Don’t breathe.”
I had asked him to let go so I could breathe, yet he warned me not to! So he was deliberately covering my nose, too! This meant something serious was going on—some tricky danger lay ahead.
I tapped his hand again, signaling I understood.
He finally loosened his grip. I covered my own mouth with one hand.

Page (3/3)

I looked at him. Darkness surrounded us; nothing was visible, but I could sense his heightened vigilance—more than I had ever seen in all the time I’d known him.
I followed his gaze. That eerie bell chimed again, drawing closer.
A faint white glow appeared in the darkness, steadily approaching, accompanied by clearer ringing.
Tu’e stared intently at the light without moving. I had never seen him like this, not even when we were near the snake pit. What on earth was coming toward us?
I held my breath, afraid to make a sound or even breathe.
The white glow approached, revealing five pale figures carrying a square “coffin.” In front of it hung a bell, which was the source of the ringing.
These figures were clearly ghosts! Yet, despite their proximity, I sensed no trace of malevolent energy.
Ghosts without such energy generally fall into three categories:
First, peaceful spirits who lived tranquil lives, died without pain or regret, and passed away naturally—these benevolent ghosts pose no threat and are often regarded as ancestral spirits;
Second, extraordinarily powerful beings beyond ordinary ghostly mischief, whose presence cannot be detected by common means—these are extremely dangerous but rare encounters;
Third, ghosts whose yin energy has been dissipated or refined through human intervention or other causes. These are more common than the former type, but a certain old man warned me—if you encounter such ghosts, stay as far away as possible and don’t provoke them, for their masters are not to be trifled with.
Judging by these descriptions, these ghosts were most likely the third type. Even Tu’e was this alert; I definitely did not want to provoke them.
The ghosts drew nearer, clad in white robes resembling ancient attire, heads bowed low, faces hidden.
I watched them, frozen in place. Though no malevolent energy was felt, an overwhelming aura of deadly menace emanated from them.
I studied them, thinking, Could this be the “Five Ghosts Bringing Wealth”? No, that couldn’t be—it looked more like a funeral procession. The coffin certainly didn’t contain riches.
The five ghosts stopped right before us, then synchronously lifted their heads to face us directly.