Chapter 725: Crows and Humans

Is there a problem... how could this possibly not be a problem?

Although that wasn't the real Third Director, just the obsession left behind because he failed to become the strongest smith, he looked exactly like a living man—and the Director had not only dragged me to dig up graves, but even wanted to steal an old man's coffin lid; it was just plain unsettling to think about.

But... compared to this moral flaw, healing Senior Emma clearly came first, so I'd just have to apologize to the old Director.

After silently apologizing to the Third Director in his heart, Li Ang carried his coffin lid out of the graveyard and ran toward a ruined lakeside cabin... where the Director had left Senior Emma temporarily before digging up the grave.

"Keep an eye on the graveyard! If anything moves, call me!"

After instructing the crocodile lounging by the door, Li Ang carried the Third Director's coffin inside, ready to repair Senior Emma's damaged body using the Director's method—when he suddenly realized the cabin was empty; Senior Emma, who had been lying on an old wooden bed, was gone.

?!!!

Where is she? Wasn't that crocodile supposed to be guarding the door? How did she disappear?

Startled by Senior Emma's sudden disappearance, Li Ang immediately dropped the Third Director's coffin lid and rushed outside to question the crocodile guardian—only to see a familiar silhouette by the lakeside not far from the cabin.

"Li Ang?"

As if sensing the disturbance, the tall, beautiful woman by the lake turned slightly, her light chestnut hair falling gently over her shoulder, revealing a slender, pale neck and a gentle, smiling face.

Even though the background behind her wasn't blue sky and emerald sea, but a pitch-black lake of the dead and a lifeless, gray-hazed sky, Senior Emma's mature, tender smile still made Li Ang's heart suddenly still.

"You're awake..."

After uttering a completely pointless remark, Li Ang set down the struggling crocodile in his arms and walked toward Senior Emma, who sat on a round white stone by the lake.

"Senior Emma."

Arriving beside the white stone where Senior Emma sat, Li Ang spoke urgently:

"The Director found an anomaly that can repair your physical injuries—just sit inside for a while and you'll be fine. I just brought it back; you should hurry and..."

"Look at the birds over the lake."

Interrupting Li Ang, Senior Emma turned back to gaze silently at the circling Death Crows above the black lake, her expression calm as she asked:

"Li Ang, do you know what they represent?"

"..."

Are you... seeing the Death Crows and feeling moved, wanting to talk to me?

Uh... I don't mind listening to you open up—I'd even be happy to be a quiet listener—but isn't now a bad time?

The Director's still holding off the Third Director, waiting for us to return the coffin lid after we're done. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to just start chatting here?

"It seems the Director must have told you."

Seeing Li Ang's face filled with "on the verge of speaking but holding back," Senior Emma smiled again, then softly, with a touch of loneliness:

"These Death Crows aren't mine—they belonged to my clan members who died six years ago. Since that day, when I inherited their lives, I also inherited these Death Crows of theirs."

"Though I've never gone this deep, I've secretly come to the Land of the Dead many times and seen them many times. The more I came, the more I could faintly tell which crow belonged to whom."

"The one flying highest, refusing to land, desperately staying away from me—that must be my grandfather's crow... these birds inherit fragments of the living's consciousness, and like my grandfather, it never turned to look at me even at the end."

"The one resting on the shore—that's my mother's crow. It often watches me silently, but only watches. The moment I move closer, it flies far away, refusing any contact."

"The only one that comes near me—that's my sister's crow. She was a few years younger than your sister, always a mischievous child, always clinging to me..."

"..."

Though reason told Li Ang he should immediately interrupt Senior Emma's story and urge her to lie in the Third Director's coffin for healing,

as he listened to her recount each crow's origin, recalling the loved ones they represented, the words already on his lips felt blocked—as if held back by something—and wouldn't come out, until the crocodile behind him let out a low "gurgle."

No more delays!

Glancing back toward the graveyard and seeing the signal the Red-Haired Woman had agreed upon with him, Li Ang suddenly stood up before Senior Emma's surprised gaze, returned to the half-collapsed lakeside cabin, and carried out the Third Director's coffin lid.

"Senior Emma, I don't mind hearing these stories—but this object is something I stole... uh... I and the Director borrowed it from Third Director, and we didn't even tell him we were taking it."

"So we can't keep using it. We can only use it briefly, then we must quickly return it—stealthily, quietly—before you lie in it, and I'll cover the lid, then we can talk?"

"..."

If you cover the lid, I won't see anything—then what's there to talk about?

Giving Li Ang a slightly reproachful look, knowing he was too shy to interrupt her, Senior Emma shook her head, softly murmured "hmm," then rose from the round stone and lay down inside the empty coffin.

"Li Ang, don't cover it, please?"

Gently pressing her hand against his wrist to stop him from closing the lid, Senior Emma gazed dreamily at the circling crows above, her voice soft and gentle as she asked:

"At the edge of the Land of the Dead, these Death Crows fly so high they're barely black dots. This is the first time they've come this close—I want to watch them a little longer."

"But if you don't cover it, won't it affect the healing? And after we return it, we can come back..."

"It's fine. As long as most of the damage is fixed, I can slowly heal the rest myself."

"Alright then..."

Seeing the faint plea in Senior Emma's clear eyes, Li Ang's resolve softened. He stopped pressing, lifted one side of the coffin, and positioned it at an angle where she could still see the lake and the crows, resting it against his chest.

"..."

"Thank you."

(End of Chapter)