Chapter Sixty-Six: A Heart Torn Asunder

"Ah, how could this have anything to do with me?" I asked.

Wang the Spirit Lady shook her head slightly. "The Lady of the City God only said so much. Who exactly she meant, I can't say. But since we’ll meet him after sunset, all will become clear then. There's no need to ponder now. I'll prepare some offerings—perhaps they'll be useful."

It was just past noon, and there was still some time before the sun would set. I remembered Er Pang and asked Wang Granny if she'd managed to inquire about him. I feared Er Pang and his mother might be taken by the underworld. If it happened locally, the City God Temple would surely record it.

Wang the Spirit Lady was taken aback, sighing as she admitted she'd only asked about my grandfather, worrying over that matter, and had forgotten the second thing I'd asked her to look into.

I told her it was all right; we could ask again if there was another chance.

Time slipped by swiftly, and night descended.

Wang the Spirit Lady led us to the Earth God Temple in Dongwa Village. The temple wasn’t far, about as large as the dilapidated one in our own village, but it had a steady stream of incense offerings. We arrived at its gate, each lighting a stick of incense. Wang the Spirit Lady burned a thick bundle of spirit money, then we stood at the entrance, waiting.

Soon, a cold wind swept through.

Not far off, I saw a figure clad in black burial robes approaching. The air around him was heavy and chilling—clearly not a living soul. He walked with a strange cheer, humming a tune that seemed mismatched to his ghostly identity.

"That’s the Earth God of Dongwa Village, Wang Cheng. He values money above all. Don't reveal your true identities, or he’ll drag you down for reward," Wang the Spirit Lady warned us in a low voice.

Both Niu Dahuang and I nodded.

As Wang Cheng drew closer, he scrutinized us and sneered. "Spirit Lady Wang, what brings you here?"

"How dare I presume, Lord Wang! We’d like to borrow your temple for a discussion. Would you grant us this courtesy?" Wang the Spirit Lady replied, burning her bundle of spirit money before his eyes until Wang Cheng’s gaze was fixated.

"Ah, Spirit Lady Wang, you’re too polite!" Wang Cheng inched closer, lowering his voice. "The Lady of the City God has given instructions; we must comply, mustn’t we?"

"Then thank you, Lord Wang!" Wang the Spirit Lady said, burning all the spirit money in her hands in one go.

Wang Cheng beckoned, and two little ghosts floated out from the temple. "Go, record Spirit Lady Wang’s virtue money!"

Then, Wang Cheng invited us inside.

There was a side hall where we settled, waiting for the executioner to arrive.

The execution was set for the third quarter past midnight; there were still three hours to go. If we could convince the executioner, perhaps my grandfather and Daoist Li could be saved.

But the executioner was nowhere to be seen, and the wait was nerve-wracking.

Luckily, after about fifteen minutes, we heard footsteps outside.

But after a moment, it was Wang Cheng who entered, saying, "The executioner said there are too many of you. He will only meet the youngest among you. There’s a poplar grove east of the temple—he’ll wait for you there!"

I asked why, and Wang Cheng replied that’s simply how it was; as a humble Earth God, he dared not question further. He added that the executioner would wait no more than fifteen minutes—if I didn’t go, he’d leave.

"All right, I’ll go now!" I replied.

I hurried out of the temple toward the poplar grove to the east. The woods were dense; the ground was carpeted in dry leaves, crunching loudly beneath my steps, as though someone followed behind.

Within half a minute, I saw a figure ahead, standing with his back to me.

He was tall and broad, draped in a black cloak, exuding an air of mystery and strangeness. I wondered what was special about him that the underworld would choose him as the executioner. I recalled Wang the Spirit Lady passing on the City God’s words—that this executioner had some connection to me. But I couldn’t imagine who he might be.

Unsure how to address him, I took a few steps closer and said, "Brother..."

But before I could finish, he turned around. Seeing him, the money I held for offerings slipped from my grasp.

My mouth hung open; I was speechless. I couldn’t believe it was him.

How could this be?

After a moment, seeing I didn’t speak, he broke the silence. "Lin Yi, I heard you wanted to see me. If you have something to say, speak."

"Er Pang, how can it be you?" My heart was torn between shock and joy—joy that Er Pang was alive, shock that the executioner charged with killing my grandfather and Daoist Li was Er Pang himself. Moreover, Er Pang had never called me by my name; he always called me 'boss.' Now, hearing him use my name, I felt a chill spread through my heart.

"Lin Yi, my name is Lin Wu. You’d better call me by my name," he said coldly, his demeanor utterly different from the Er Pang I knew.

Something must have happened. How could Er Pang change so suddenly?

"Er Pang, what nonsense is this? How can you say we’re not close? We grew up together, like brothers, how can you say we’re strangers?" I retorted, unable to believe what I’d heard, desperately hoping he was joking and would break into laughter the next moment.

But he didn’t. Er Pang merely sneered. "Lin Yi, I don't have much time. If you mean to waste it, I won’t stay. Farewell!"

"All right, Lin Wu! I came to ask you for a favor. Tonight, at the third quarter past midnight, you will carry out the execution on my grandfather and Daoist Li. Please spare them. Whatever terms you set, I will agree." I rushed forward, bowing deeply.

He sized me up, then burst out laughing.

His laughter began hearty but soon grew dark and sinister. He leaned in, gripping my shoulder, his voice icy. "When the King of Hell orders death at midnight, who dares let you live till dawn? I am sent to execute, not to show mercy."

"You may not know, but killing my grandfather and Daoist Li is an underworld plot. My grandfather is a mountain god, not under the underworld’s jurisdiction. The underworld has no right to execute him. Daoist Li possesses supreme merit and is also untouchable. If you truly carry out their execution, it might bring ill fortune upon yourself!" I pleaded.

Er Pang paused, as if considering my words, but then replied, "I only follow orders. The rest is none of my concern."

"I must go now. If you hinder my duty, I’ll send you to the underworld as well. You should know—the underworld seeks not only your grandfather, but you too!" he said.

With that, he strode off deeper into the woods without looking back.

I was left standing alone, my heart torn to shreds. I would never have imagined that after my wedding days ago and parting from Er Pang, our reunion would be like this.

If he really killed my grandfather and Daoist Li, I didn’t know how I’d ever face him again.

I collapsed onto the ground, my mind in chaos.

After a while, Wang the Spirit Lady and Niu Dahuang arrived.

Seeing me sitting on the ground, Niu Dahuang hurried over to help me up. "Yi, how did it go? Will he agree?"

Wang the Spirit Lady picked up the box of offerings I’d dropped, her brows furrowed. "Old Niu, don’t ask."

I looked at Niu Dahuang and sighed deeply. "Grandpa Niu, the executioner is Er Pang!" The weight of this revelation nearly crushed me.

"What? How can it be Er Pang?" Niu Dahuang was stunned, and so was Wang the Spirit Lady, for Er Pang had told her to look after me before he left.

"What’s the meaning of this?" Wang the Spirit Lady wondered.

Niu Dahuang thought for a moment, then patted my shoulder. "Yi, if it’s Er Pang, shouldn’t it be easier? He may not be blood kin, but you're both Lin family, and he calls your grandfather ‘Grandpa.’ Would he really kill his own grandfather?"

"Besides, Er Pang’s a sensible, dutiful child—he knows his limits..."

I waved my hand, stopping Niu Dahuang. "Grandpa Niu, if it were the old Er Pang, you’d be right—he would never harm my grandfather. But the Er Pang now is no longer the same. He is only the executioner."

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