Guo Youning gazed around in bewilderment, rubbing her eyes repeatedly in disbelief. Everything around her made her blood run cold!
A cold moon hung in the gloomy sky, casting a desolate pall over the land. The sights that met her eyes were too horrifying to behold.
Few complete human forms remained among the crowd—some had half their heads missing, others lacked arms or legs, some were reduced to torsos, and there were even those cradling their own severed heads…
She had merely indulged in a few extra drinks in celebration—how could opening her eyes again land her in this living hell? It must be a dream!
Though this dream felt far too real!
Just then, a stern voice rang out: “All you who died untimely deaths, line up quickly and follow me to the Ten Courts of Judgment to await disposition.”
Guo Youning’s heart seized with terror. Summoning her courage, she turned toward the voice and saw two figures standing at the front—one black and one white, one fat and one thin, both wearing tall hats and holding chains and mourning batons.
Weren’t these the legendary Black and White Impermanence from novels and television shows!
Had she really been unlucky enough to drink herself to death?!
Had she actually come to the Netherworld?
Her heart pounding with anxiety, Guo Youning moved stiffly forward with the eerie procession, her body moving as if beyond her control.
Walking ahead of her was a girl with a shattered skull, her face smeared with bloody brain matter. The girl stumbled every few steps, constantly wiping away the gore obstructing her vision.
She muttered complaints, “That damned litterbug deserves to die a thousand deaths! Smashing my head was bad enough, but they had to ruin my glasses too! Eight hundred degrees! How am I supposed to live like this? Oh wait—how am I supposed to die like this!”
Though initially terrified by the girl’s gruesome appearance, Guo Youning found herself torn between amusement and pity at the foolish complaints. She kindly helped support the girl as they walked.
Soon, a ghastly palace emerged before them, bearing five blood-red characters: “Ten Courts of Judgment.” Under the sickly green lighting, the place appeared exceptionally sinister and terrifying.
Had she truly become a ghost?
Recalling her twenty-five years of hardship, resentment welled up in her heart—she couldn’t accept this!
An orphanage upbringing, graduating from a prestigious university’s English department through student loans and work-study programs.
Three years of grueling 996 schedules as an office drone in a foreign company’s business department. After repaying her student loans, barely any coins remained.
Two months ago, fortune had finally smiled upon her—she won a ten-million lottery jackpot. Even after taxes, eight million remained.
Finally singing the song of liberation from serfdom, she quit her job and spent over six million buying a countryside resort, still keeping a million in her bank account.
To celebrate her new blessed life, she’d indulged in drinking—only to regain consciousness here. This was truly encountering ghosts while still alive!
“Wu Fa, deceased at twenty. Guilty of robbery and brawling. Natural lifespan exhausted. Sentenced to the Animal Realm…”
The judge’s icy voice snapped Guo Youning back to reality.
She watched as the named “person” obediently drank a bowl of soup under the ghost officers’ control, then was pushed into various glowing passages.
Some were reincarnated as livestock like pigs, dogs, chickens, or cattle, others transformed into plants—the common theme being the difficulty of returning as humans.
Soon it was Guo Youning’s turn. Her heart trembled with anxiety—whether this was dream or reality, she had no desire to be reborn as livestock, having endured enough as a beast of burden.
The stern-faced judge in gold-trimmed black robes showed a rare softening of his bitter expression upon seeing Guo Youning’s intact human form.
Perhaps after seeing too many deformed souls, encountering someone with complete limbs and regular features gave his tormented eyes some respite—his improved mood was quite understandable.
The voice carried less coldness, “Guo Youning, aged thirty, died from staying up late, transferred to…”
Guo Youning timidly raised her hand like a schoolchild and spoke hesitantly, “Sir, might you have made a mistake? I’m only twenty-five, didn’t stay up late—just had a few too many drinks before ending up here.”
The judge’s expression instantly turned grave. With a tap of his judge’s brush, lines of golden text materialized before Guo Youning’s eyes.
She looked closely and saw the information didn’t match her at all! Though both were from Jing City, “You” (优) differed from “You” (攸), and neither the age nor cause of death aligned.
After confirming the error, the judge left a curt “Wait here,” rolled up the Book of Life and Death with a face dark as ink, and vanished like the wind.
Only a faint roar echoed behind: “White Impermanence, you blundering fool! Get your ass out here now!”
Guo Youning and the other ghosts in the hall exchanged bewildered glances, thinking hell’s leadership wasn’t to be trifled with—their subordinate-bellowing surpassed even the worst earthly bosses.
Before long, Guo Youning was politely escorted by hell guards to a reception-room-like space.
Besides the judge and White Impermanence, there sat a formidable figure on a high-backed chair—sharp-eyed, broad-nosed, thin-lipped, radiating authority—waiting for her.
The moment she entered, White Impermanence scrambled to his feet in terror, all former dignity as a team lead evaporated.
He bowed apologetically: “Miss Guo! I’m the newly appointed White Impermanence of the Hall of Untimely Death. Due to inexperience, I collected the wrong soul. I beg your forgiveness!”
Guo Youning was stunned, but hearing this actually eased her mind. Wrong soul? So be it, she thought. No big deal—just consider it a hell tourism day. This kind of experience is once in a lifetime.
No need to make things hard for another working stiff. She waved dismissively: “No worries, beginners make mistakes. Just send me back—it’s not a huge issue.”
Seeing she not only refrained from blame but showed empathy, White Impermanence’s guilt deepened.
He hung his head mournfully, mumbling: “My deepest apologies… we can’t send you back. Your body was cremated two days ago.”
Guo Youning felt as if struck by lightning. She jumped three feet high, her voice cracking: “What?! I just arrived in the underworld! How could I be cremated already?!”
White Impermanence flinched at her shout, his tall hat toppling to reveal a gleaming bald head.
He hastily snatched it up, crammed it back on, and stammered weakly: “The underworld’s recently launched an anti-corruption campaign… travel reimbursement rules are extremely strict. We must collect fifty souls per trip before returning. That… caused delays. You’ve been dead for four days.”
Guo Youning lacked the energy to complain, her heart bitterer than swallowing coptis root, yet powerless to change anything.
Though she’d initially regarded the judge and senior official with awe, all such feelings evaporated before this devastating blow.
What’s done was done—she had to face it calmly.
Steadying herself, she gathered courage to seek justice: “Honorable leaders, you must uphold my case. I had a happy life—apartment, car, savings—all destroyed now. You must give me a satisfactory resolution, or else I’ll… I’ll file a complaint against you…”
Noticing how both stiffened unnaturally at the word “complaint,” Guo Youning inwardly rejoiced. So the underworld does respect reasoned appeals.
Since death was irreversible, she might as well secure some advantages—forge a brighter future for her next life.
The judge was the first to speak, cutting her off to reassure her: “Don’t be anxious, miss, and please refrain from saying things that might damage our harmony. We are currently carrying out reforms in the underworld to build a civilized, harmonious, free, equal, just, and law-abiding… society. We do not tolerate wrongful convictions, and every ghost is entitled to their legal rights. We will definitely ensure your satisfaction.”
The senior leader also spoke up: “I am the Tenth Hall Master of the Hall of Untimely Death. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by our staff’s negligence. Please feel free to state any requests you may have.”