Chapter 184

I had just entered the door when Li Qingying suddenly tugged my sleeve once, pointing her chin toward the east street.

I looked doubtfully toward the east street and actually saw someone I hadn't seen in a long time… Bai Jingmo.

Bai Jingmo had lost a lot of weight, wearing a light gray sports outfit that seemed unable to hold up.

Bai Jingmo gazed toward the pawnshop.

At the moment our eyes met, Bai Jingmo still stood silently.

There was no intention to greet.

But the gaze was so deep that I could not fathom it at a glance.

Just as I looked away, intending to ignore this, out of the corner of my eye I saw several yellow-skinned creatures standing upright on a nearby rooftop.

Their slightly pale figures were hidden in the afterglow of the setting sun, making them somewhat indistinct.

I furrowed my brows, and the doubt in my heart grew stronger.

What on earth is going on?!

The New Year's Eve feast had been prepared abundantly; everyone ate and drank, and the atmosphere was initially quite lively.

I had originally wanted to take advantage of this liveliness to set up a mahjong table.

After all, it's New Year's Eve, staying up for the new year; tonight there should be no business at the South Study.

The night is long; why not play a game of mahjong to pass the time?

We can't just make paper effigies and fold gold ingots to keep vigil like I usually do with Li Qingying.

In the end, no one supported me.

They all seemed to have something on their minds, waiting for something.

But they weren't sure whether what they were waiting for would actually come, so they didn't speak to me about it.

I privately pulled Liu Junyan aside and asked quietly; he just hugged me and said, "Xiao Jiu, don't ask—when the time comes you'll naturally know."

At eleven o'clock, everyone gathered in the guest room of the back house, leaving me alone behind the counter of the South Study.

The connecting small door was also shut.

The more this happened, the more curious I became, inexplicably feeling a bit uneasy.

I just waited like that.

Waited and waited.

Getting impatient from waiting, I stepped out of the South Study's small door to look outside.

On the eastern street, Bai Jingmo was already gone.

But those few yellow-skinned creatures on the roof were still there.

When I looked again toward the western street entrance, I was startled.

The streetlamp at the western entrance, which is normally fine, was flickering tonight for some unknown reason.

In the darkness, each flicker of the streetlamp made it seem as if I saw shadowy figures over there.

It seemed as if many people were standing there.

And it seemed… I saw Zhao Zixun riding a warhorse.

I silently retreated back behind the counter.

Something is definitely going to happen tonight.

A major event!

I'll just wait honestly.

Having nothing to do, I cleaned the countertop once more, tidying up everything inside it.

Since the pawnshop reopened, I have also organized all the pawn tickets that have been issued.

As I was tidying, I suddenly thought of something.

At the moment I thought of that, my heart pounded like a drum, boom-boom without cease.

Could it be what I think?

At this moment, I finally could empathize with everyone's feelings.

Just past eleven fifty, a wind suddenly rose outside.

That yin wind was not blowing in from the east or west street entrance; it seemed to rise from the ground.

Immediately afterward, a pitch-black door suddenly appeared in midair above the street outside the door.

Upon seeing that illusory door that had appeared out of nowhere, all my guesses fell into place at that moment.

It was the yin officials coming.

Regarding the matter of Old Lady Bai, the yin officials came to lock souls, and before leaving they said that I run the pawnshop, ferry souls, gain merit, and would be rewarded accordingly.

That happened a long time ago.

Furthermore, after they left then, the hexagonal palace lamp gained much more merit light and also acquired lamp oil; I naturally took that to be the reward.

Now it seems, probably not.

And the true reward is tonight.

This should count as a year-end reckoning, right?

In the midst of my thoughts, two yin officials dressed in dark red wide-sleeved robes, with cuffs embroidered with a circle of auspicious clouds, wearing official hats and belts, walked out from the door.

I stood dumbfounded behind the counter, for a moment not knowing what to do.

At that moment, I even wondered whether I should receive it like an ancient imperial edict…

Before I could think it through, the two yin officials were already standing outside the South Study.

A sharp, strange voice rang out: "Wufu Town pawnshop manager Xiao Jiu, who took office on the first day of the eighth month, during your tenure you have been diligent, subdued yin evil, and ferried yin spirits…"

The two yin officials essentially listed every item I had collected since the first day of the eighth month, every spirit I had ferried, and so on, in full.

Then came the awarding of merits.

As the Underworld Official chanted, many items appeared one by one on the counter.

What surprised me most were two pieces of Black Gold Stone.

Grandma had told me about Black Gold Stone; she said it is rarely produced in the Yang Realm, with most coming from rivers in the Yin Realm, and it is hard currency in both yin and yang realms.

It is very valuable.

Even in Gui Shi, it is hard to buy even with money.

Finally, one Underworld Official stepped forward, from his wide sleeve placed a pure black small box on the counter, and said: 'Xiao Jiu Zhanggui has outstanding achievements; besides the regular rewards, this item was specially prepared for Xiao Jiu Zhanggui.'

I bent over and looked closely at the small box, but found that it could not even be called a box.

Because it was a seamless whole, there was no opening to be found.

The Underworld Official continued: 'Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, remember this: if you ever get a chance to enter the Yin Realm, Gui Shi included, be sure to bring it with you.'

I opened my mouth to ask something, but it was exactly midnight.

Two Underworld Officials instantly returned to the Black Door and vanished.

From their appearance to disappearance, everything returned to calm, all in less than ten minutes.

Yet I felt as if I had just had an extraordinarily bizarre dream.

But all this displayed on the counter, and the Merit Light almost overflowing in the Hexagonal Palace Lamp, indicated to me that everything just now was real.

The Nether Realm's awarding of merits, though late, has arrived.

The small door connecting the Rear House to Nan Shu Fang was pulled open, and everyone stood at the doorway looking at me.

Li Qingying ran over first and hugged me tightly: 'Xiao Jiu, congratulations, your identity has been officially recognized!'

Next, Yu Nian also came over, smiling: 'Xiao Jiu, you will only get better.'

Everyone was excited.

The turmoil of the past half year found its best conclusion on the last day of this year.

Jin Wuya, Dou Jinsuo, and others left one after another.

When Hu Yulin left, he gazed deeply at me and said: 'Xiao Jiu, congratulations.'

Regarding Hu Yulin, my feelings had once been complicated.

He had saved me and also harmed me.

But ever since he teamed up with Liu Junyan, everything he has done has been for us, and from now on we will be long‑term allies.

So I replied with a smile: 'Thank you, Brother Hu.'

Hu Yulin laughed and coughed a few times; he had recently activated the Nine Tail Obscure Heaven Formation by overstepping his rank, then used the Phantom Shadow Tracking Technique, exhausting himself greatly, and needs to return to Yin Mountain to recuperate.

'Congratulations, younger sister.' Xiaoye also offered his congratulations, then bumped his fist against Liu Junyan's shoulder, saying: 'Don't forget what you promised me; I'll be waiting for your return.'