No one could say for certain exactly how many ghosts were hidden inside Living
"By that ratio, what we've seen is only a small fraction."
The situation for Chen Ge and the other two was far from optimistic. Four filthy garments were drifting toward them, and two children with painted ghost faces were hopping along behind them. Nearby, a door in an old house was pushed open, and what looked like a crooked face peeked out from under a pillow.
Every path was blocked — there was nowhere to go but forward. But ahead lay an eerie glow that looked deeply unsettling.
Chen Ge's Yin Eyes had already made things clear: those were several swaying human heads.
Hammer raised, Chen Ge charged ahead without any intention of slowing down. If he rushed straight through, he'd only have to face a fraction of the ghosts. If he stopped, he'd be besieged by all of them.
"Chen Ge, slow down! It was pitch-black before and now there's suddenly light — there has to be something wrong. That's probably the head lanterns Grandpa Bai mentioned!" Old Wei hadn't lost his wits to fear yet and wanted to warn Chen Ge.
"Don't worry, I can see clearly — those are perfectly ordinary lanterns. Charge through! Don't be afraid!" Chen Ge showed no intention of stopping whatsoever.
The three ran at full speed. The child in Grandpa Bai's arms began to wailing as well, the noise drawing more and more ghosts rushing toward their location.
Using the light from the head lanterns, the surrounding darkness was pushed back, revealing black silhouettes closing in from all sides.
Eerie footsteps echoed through the streets. Looking up, they saw a pitch-black coffin gliding through the alley.
The coffin was hoisted on dragon poles, with four bowheaded figures standing at the front and back.
They were dressed just like ordinary villagers, but their expressions were terrifying — mouths split wide in grinning smiles, as though what they carried wasn't a coffin but ingredients.
"Coffin-bearing ghosts? Xiao Chen! Stop! Chen Ge! Don't go any further!" Grandpa Bai clutched the bamboo basket, his arm still shielding the infant. There was no way he could hold Chen Ge back.
Chen Ge at the front had already spotted the four grotesque figures carrying the coffin, but by now there was no stopping.
The four coffin-bearing ghosts emerged from the alley at precisely that moment, the coffin laid horizontally across the center of the road, seemingly positioned to block Chen Ge and his companions' path. The timing was too perfect — it felt planned in advance.
Chen Ge never underestimated his opponents. Even ghosts, he would not treat lightly. If they didn't want to let him through, then he was all the more determined to push past. Only by disrupting their plan could his side be safe.
"You can't mess with coffin-bearing ghosts!"
Grandpa Bai screamed himself hoarse, but Chen Ge wasn't listening: "We'll talk after we get through!"
His hammer struck dead center of the coffin, sending splinters flying in every direction. All the ghosts around them froze for an instant.
"Move! Now!"
Old Wei took the child from Grandpa Bai's arms and vaulted straight over the coffin. In over twenty years on the force, he had never encountered anyone as savage as Chen Ge.
The four coffin-bearing ghosts slowly raised their bowed heads. Their smiles froze on their faces as they stared at the cracked coffin lid. A sickly greenish hue crept across their deathly pale skin!
Piercing shrieks rang through the narrow street as the four coffin-bearing ghosts gave chase after Chen Ge.
The dragon poles fell away. Several residual spirits inside the coffin slipped out through the cracks, bowed toward Chen Ge's retreating figure, and then dissipated with the wind.
Even now, Chen Ge still hadn't figured out what exactly coffin-bearing ghosts were. He smashed and ran, not once looking back.
The three sprinted on, drawing closer and closer to the light ahead. Old Wei, carrying the child, gradually realized something was wrong — amid that glow, there appeared to be ball-shaped objects drifting along behind them, like lanterns.
"Chen Ge, are you sure those are just ordinary lanterns?" The child in Old Wei's arms was wailing at the top of its lungs, and with a horde of ghosts on their heels, he didn't dare stop.
"I'm sure!" Chen Ge dragged and pulled, catching up to Old Wei together with Grandpa Bai.
The lights swayed. They moved forward another few meters, and even Grandpa Bai, whose eyesight wasn't particularly sharp, could see them — pale, disembodied heads flying toward them.
"Chen Ge! Stop! Those are head lanterns!"