Chapter 126: The Netherworld Inn

Zhang Shou-zheng chuckled upon hearing this. The little guy, Pudding, didn't seem like a bad sort. He continued, "What is your mother's name? Perhaps this big brother can find a way to rescue her."

"My mother's name is Zi-mei, and I'm Pudding. Big brother, are you really going to help me find my mother? But the ghosts inside are so fierce. I don't have any money, so they won't let me in. Look, they're coming out!"

Pudding hugged his ball, pouting his lips, and pointed angrily in the direction of the Bi-jun Hotel. Following the direction of his finger, Zhang Shou-zheng saw the lights of the Bi-jun Hotel begin to flicker one by one before gradually stabilizing. The hotel was brightly lit as if it were broad daylight, and many stark white paper lanterns were hung above the hotel's front courtyard, with candles flickering inside. White streamers danced in the wind, creating a ghastly, eerie atmosphere.

What infuriated Zhang Shou-zheng the most was that the original hotel sign had been changed; it was no longer the "Bi-jun Hotel," but the "Nether Inn!"

The ghost behind this was certainly bold. Like a cuckoo taking over a magpie's nest, it had not only seized Aunt Bi-jun's hotel but even dared to alter its name, creating such a spectacle in the middle of a bustling city. It had been quite some time; could it be that the practitioners of the Taoist sects in Longdu were just standing by?

Nie Shi-san shivered, clearly having seen the macabre sight as well. At that moment, the hotel doors swung open, and several tall, expressionless men wearing black Zhongshan suits stepped out. They wore round hats and had long, braided pigtails. Each of the four men held a black staff as tall as a person, from which a chilling, ghostly aura emanated.

"Ghost Servants?" Zhang Shou-zheng’s expression shifted slightly as he recognized their attire, and he whispered the words.

"Those are the ones! They won't let me go find my mother. They’re horrible!" Pudding said indignantly, pointing at the black-clad men with staffs.

"Young Master, what are Ghost Servants?" Nie Shi-san asked cautiously, feeling deeply uncomfortable amidst the swirling, chilling winds.

"Ghost Servants aren't true ghosts. You know about paper effigies, right? That is what they are transformed from, only they seem more powerful than ordinary ones. Moreover, these Ghost Servants are absolutely obedient to their master."

Zhang Shou-zheng spoke with a grave expression.

"Ah... I understand what you mean, Young Master. The master behind these Ghost Servants must have come from the Underworld, and their influence must be quite vast." Nie Shi-san looked at the motionless, expressionless Ghost Servants, feeling a sense of dread crawl up his spine.

"There's more!" Pudding pointed again toward the hotel. This time, several ghost women dressed in ornate, flamboyant costumes emerged. Their skin was as pale as if coated in a thick layer of plaster, while their cheeks and lips were a vivid, burning red—a truly eerie sight. They wore loose-fitting robes and held paper flowers, lining up in a row at the hotel entrance.

Besides these female ghosts, a troupe of ghosts dressed in white, wearing pointed hats and playing suonas, appeared, followed by others carrying bells, drums, and other instruments.

"Woo-woo..."

As the mournful sound of the suonas filled the air and the chilling wind intensified, Zhang Shou-zheng’s expression grew even colder. He immediately pulled Nie Shi-san into a secluded corner and said, "The Nether Inn is about to open. Many ghosts will be entering now. We must mask our living aura. Do not speak under any circumstances; if you speak, those ghosts will detect us. Remember that!"

Nie Shi-san knew he was trapped within the influence of the Nether Inn and could not escape alone. Hearing Zhang Shou-zheng’s warning, he nodded repeatedly like a bird pecking at grain. Zhang Shou-zheng pulled out a talisman, chanted an incantation, and slapped it onto Nie Shi-san’s chest. The yellow talisman shimmered with a faint blue light before turning transparent and vanishing. Zhang Shou-zheng then applied a similar talisman to himself to conceal his own aura.

Just then, ghosts began to emerge one after another from a vortex in the distance. They were dressed in all sorts of bizarre attire and made their way toward the Bi-jun Hotel. Zhang Shou-zheng even spotted ghosts dressed in black cloaks, surrounded by black soul-snatching chains—ghost messengers. This Nether Inn was conducting business even with ghost messengers; could it be that the Underworld sanctioned this?

Even if the Underworld allowed it, why hadn't Shen Bi-jun received any official notice from them? No, there was definitely something wrong. Zhang Shou-zheng’s heart grew heavier.

"Let's go. Pudding, you stay outside. We’ll go in," Zhang Shou-zheng said, glancing at the boy hugging his ball.

As he started walking, Nie Shi-san followed closely by his side, handing the black plastic bag to Zhang Shou-zheng. Clutching the bag, Zhang Shou-zheng wore a calm expression as he headed toward the Bi-jun Hotel. No matter what kind of place this was, he had to see it for himself; avoidance would solve nothing.

At the entrance, he specifically observed the Ghost Servants. The surrounding ghosts did not notice anything unusual about them, and just like that, Zhang Shou-zheng and Nie Shi-san entered the hotel.

The hotel lobby was filled with tables, and many ghosts were already seated. Ghost Servants moved about, serving dishes in an orderly, well-trained manner despite the noisy environment. As soon as they entered, a beautiful, jade-like female ghost approached them and asked, "Two distinguished guests, are you here to dine or to stay?"

Zhang Shou-zheng remained silent, and naturally, Nie Shi-san did not speak either. Zhang Shou-zheng simply shook his head and headed inside. There were many ghosts here, and chilling winds swirled everywhere. Zhang Shou-zheng sniffed the air, hoping to catch the scent of a living person, but his sense of smell was not as sharp as Jiu-er's; it was difficult to distinguish a living human among these spectral beings.

The place was filled with the stench of decay, desolation, and death. Some ghosts walked into the inn looking exactly as they did when they died: some were hanging victims with long, protruding tongues; others were victims of car accidents, even more terrifying, with intestines spilling out or heads detached, held in their own hands.

Seeing this, even the worldly-wise Nie Shi-san felt his legs shaking uncontrollably. He gripped Zhang Shou-zheng’s trench coat tightly, not daring to let go for a second.

Zhang Shou-zheng smiled faintly and found a secluded table to sit at, not bothering to look elsewhere. As he surveyed the room, another Ghost Servant approached with a menu. Zhang Shou-zheng had no choice but to cover his mouth, point at a few items, and pull some spirit money from the black plastic bag.

The Ghost Servant smiled and left. These servants were merely paper effigies from the human world that had been burned and transformed; their appearances remained intact unless they were poorly scorched. At the very least, they looked much more pleasant than the other ghosts around.

The items were placed on the table—incense and candles. Zhang Shou-zheng looked at Nie Shi-san, both of them speechless and unable to decide whether to laugh or cry as they stared at the offerings on the table.