Chapter 24: Grave Digging Under the Moon

"Drip, drip..."

There was even the sound of liquid dripping onto my head.

I froze instantly.

Damn it! Could those green-bile-spitting walking corpses be back? I swallowed hard, suppressing my mounting anxiety, and slowly looked up...

"Tiangang, can these offerings be eaten?"

Er Pang was hovering above me, drooling as he stared down at me with an expectant look. I realized then that what had dripped onto my head wasn't blood—it was his drool.

I immediately stood up and shoved him away. "Are you looking to die? You scared the hell out of me!"

My gaze then fell upon the offering table at the ancestral grave. There were indeed offerings there; I had been so anxious to find the grave that I hadn't noticed the details. The offerings looked incredibly fresh. The most eye-catching were the chicken legs on a plate; they looked as if they hadn't even lost their warmth yet. No wonder Er Pang was craving them so much.

I was taken aback. How many chickens would it take to make this many drumsticks? Could these be my family's chickens? In our village, almost every household kept chickens, but we were the only ones who had this many. They were part of my mother's dowry, used to lay eggs to sell in the city to help cover our family's expenses, and occasionally, a new brood would bring in extra profit. By the time I returned home, all the chickens were gone, which was exactly why I was suspicious.

Er Pang was already reaching for them, and just as I was about to stop him, I hesitated. Offerings are supposed to be eaten only after the incense has burned out. Usually, offerings that have been presented to the ancestors are bland and tasteless, signifying that the ancestors have already partaken. If they still retain their original flavor, it suggests the ancestor has long since been reincarnated and did not consume them. Spirits feed on the essence of the scent—that is the purpose of burning incense—so they don't literally eat the food. If one eats the offerings before the incense is extinguished, it naturally invites the displeasure of the spirits.

However, I decided against stopping him. We were about to dig up someone's grave and pry open their coffin; following the rules now felt pointless. Better to be well-fed so we'd have the strength to dig. I had only eaten some cold water and flatbread, and seeing the chicken legs made me swallow my own saliva. I joined Er Pang in the feast.

And so, we sat at the head of the grave, greedily tearing into the chicken legs.

"Er Pang, slow down! Your mouth is stuffed full—why are you grabbing one in each hand?"

"Mm—I'll... I'll be done... soon..."

Because his mouth was so full, his words were slurred and unintelligible. I had to admit, these chicken legs were truly delicious; I had no idea who had stewed them.

Once we were full, the sky had turned dark. I stood up and pulled the small iron shovel I had prepared from my bag. It was the short-handled kind—too large a tool wouldn't be easy to run with, but this short one could dig a grave and serve as a weapon in a pinch.

I turned to Er Pang. "We'll take turns. One digs, one keeps watch. If there’s any movement, shout immediately. Understood?"

"What?! Dig a grave?!"

Er Pang, who had been blissfully rubbing his belly, jumped up. He stared at me in disbelief. "Tiangang, are you okay? It's no wonder the village calls us idiots, but you're worse off than me! This Qingqiu Mountain is full of weird occurrences; people in the village burn paper money and sweep with mugwort leaves even when just passing through, and you want to dig a grave here?"

*You're the big idiot!* I wasn't the same fool I used to be. I was a genius of the millennium. If it weren't for the task the female corpse had given me—and the debt I felt I owed her—who would go grave-digging for fun? I couldn't tell Er Pang the truth; the fewer people who knew, the better.

I dodged the question. "If I ask you to help, you help. Don't talk so much. If you don't consider me a friend, then leave. No one is stopping you!"

I said this intentionally. Although he wasn't truly stupid, he was a bit thick-headed. The more I said that, the more stubborn he would become. Sure enough, Er Pang immediately looked displeased. "What kind of talk is that, Tiangang? We grew up together; if we aren't friends, who is?"

I poured more oil on the fire. "Just go! From today on, I don't have a brother like you. I'll just assume I misjudged you all these years!"

As I spoke, I took a candle from my bag and placed it in the southeast corner, lighting it with a lighter. It served for illumination and was also a matter of tradition; many grave robbers did the same. I wasn't sure how much it actually helped, but it provided some peace of mind.

Er Pang grew agitated. "What are you saying? Han Tiangang, do you think I'm afraid?"

I nodded immediately, spreading my hands. "Aren't you?"

"Fine, fine! I'll show you what it means to be bold! You keep watch, I'll dig!"

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his chubby arms, and snatched the short iron shovel from my hand, muttering to himself. "I'll show you if I'm afraid. It's just digging a grave! I'll show you!"

He drove the shovel into the dirt. "Take that!" He tossed a pile of dirt aside. "I'll show you if I'm afraid!" It was as if the grave dirt were me. "Take that!" Another shovel-load.

I quickly said, "Er Pang, wait a second, this—"

"Don't talk! I'm definitely digging this!" the fat man interrupted.

I said helplessly, "No, I meant—"

"Stop talking! I've got enough energy to dig the whole thing myself, no need to switch!"

"Take that!" Another shovel-load.

I shouted, "You're digging in the wrong place! The head of the grave is over there!"

Er Pang swung the shovel so hard he nearly threw out his back. He stumbled, almost falling to the ground. "What? Wrong place? Then what are you standing there for?"

I pointed helplessly at the candle. "I'm lighting the candle! Start digging from the head of the grave, over there!"

Er Pang cursed, "You're playing with me! Why didn't you say so earlier?" He looked at the large pit he had already dug with annoyance.

"You have to give me a chance to speak."

Er Pang waved a hand impatiently. "Fine, fine, go keep watch, don't bother me!" He pushed me away.

I walked to the outer edge of the grave, looking out at the darkening Qingqiu Mountain. For the first time, I felt as if something was staring at me—the same feeling I'd had when I first came up the mountain this morning. Could that giant white rat be back?

Thinking of this, I took a Spirit-Breaking Talisman from my bag and gripped it tightly, scanning my surroundings. It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous; after all, digging a grave at night in the notoriously eerie Qingqiu Mountain was enough to unsettle anyone.

Just then, Er Pang let out a shriek behind me!

"Holy shit! What is this?!"