Lady Calico pranced ahead alone with a lively little trot, stopping now and then. Each time she stopped, she would turn back for a quick glance.

Behind her, humans and ghosts walked side by side.

The Daoist asked the ghost beside him, “How many ghosts are there in the city now?”

“Sir, there are over twelve hundred.”

“That many, huh...”

“It’s been this way since last year.”

“Truly fascinating.”

“May I ask... what do you find so fascinating about it?”

“Are they all former garrison soldiers of Yuan’an City?”

“The information you heard, sir, isn’t quite correct,” said the ghost in armor. “Over ten years ago, the northern frontier army invaded southward and indeed captured Yuan’an City. Not only were all the soldiers in the city slaughtered, but many of them were tortured to death. The intense resentment led to some of the three thousand garrison soldiers turning into vengeful spirits and evil ghosts who refused to disperse.

“However, of the current twelve hundred ghosts in the city, the vast majority are not from those original three thousand troops. In fact, only about twenty or thirty of the original garrison became ghosts.”

“Oh?” Song You raised an eyebrow.

“Take us, for example,” the armored ghost said, turning and glancing at the comrades around him. “We died on the northern battlefield over a decade ago and became ghosts. After wandering around for years, we eventually ended up here.”

“I see.” That made much more sense.

Initially, he had thought all the ghosts in Turtle City were transformed from the city’s original garrison. That had genuinely startled him—after all, even now, it was rare for hundreds out of thousands of soldiers to become ghosts, let alone those from over a decade ago.

Song You gave the ghost another few glances, then continued with his curious questioning, “Then why did you all come here?”

“We had no other choice.”

“When you’re dead, there aren’t many places to go?”

“We heard there was a place called Turtle City that had turned into a ghost town. Ever since the northern frontier army massacred the city, the court never sent new troops to reclaim it. We figured it was at least a place to settle, so we gathered here.”

“We also heard that in the past couple of years, Daoists, monks, and ghost officials from the south have been searching everywhere for soldiers who became ghosts after death. Some people are taken away by them, though no one knows what for. It’s said that the fate of the ghosts taken away isn’t good.

“We don’t want to go, so we’ve chosen to stay here instead. With so many ghosts gathered here, even they don’t dare to come.”

“I wonder where all those ghosts were taken...”

“Is it true that a ghost city was built in the underworld down south?”

The ghosts seemed to sense that Song You harbored no ill intent toward them. Besides, they believed a divine immortal of his caliber wouldn’t need to put on a pretense to deceive them, so they began to take turns chat freely. 𝘳ἁ𐌽ỌᛒĘŠ

Song You nodded, signaling that he understood.

Most ghosts actually had thoughts similar to humans, but they were far lonelier than people. Prolonged solitude could make them timid, or even change them. If they had the chance to gather and find some solace in numbers, no ghost would refuse.

“I’ve also heard that the State Preceptor has established a ghost city in Fengzhou,” Song You remarked, pausing for a moment. “However, even though I’ve traveled across the land, I haven’t yet visited Fengzhou myself, so I can’t say for certain.”

He continued, “Still, it’s not good for yin ghosts to gather in the world of the living. It wouldn’t be an issue if you simply stayed here quietly, but instead, you’ve been causing disturbances. From what you mentioned earlier, the Thunder God already struck lightning down a few days ago. It’s likely that this Turtle City won’t be a safe refuge for you all much longer.”

The ghosts were taken aback, visibly alarmed.

They were no longer newly dead spirits. Having gathered here for over a decade, they were different from the ghosts in the south who had been isolated since their transformation. Turtle City frequently faced disruptions from demons and ghosts, and there were often gods who came to subdue them. Even if they only watched from the sidelines, they had picked up a fair bit of understanding.

“It’s all that damned Feng Da'er’ fault!”

“We warned him to behave!”

“And what about General Chang...”

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

“Sigh...”

“What should we do now?”

The ghosts were in a state of mixed emotions—some were shocked and angry, some grumbled, others sighed, while a few were utterly at their wits’ end.

The northern grasslands were not like the south.

In the south, there were villages everywhere, and where there were villages, there were always graves—a place for ghosts to rest. But here, the land was vast and sparsely populated, making graves even harder to find than in the south.

Though these soldiers turned into ghosts, they hadn’t been ghosts for long and so their cultivation skills were nowhere near that of the scholar ghost from Changjing. During the day, they can only hide in places heavy with yin qi. If they were to leave Turtle City and try to find a new place to settle on this vast grassland, it was unlikely they’d find another tumulus[1] within a day. It was far from an easy task.

Just then, the voice of the Daoist came again.

“Earlier, you mentioned that you all come from different northern armies, so I assume you have no direct ties with the ghosts that have been troubling the nearby local people. Let me ask you a direct question.” Song You turned and smiled at the ghost soldiers. “Who exactly is this Feng Da'er you mentioned? And who is General Chang? It seems the recent troubles in this area are related to them, no?”

“This...” The armored ghost, who had been quite talkative earlier, now hesitated to speak.

After a brief pause, one of the ghosts behind him gritted his teeth and spoke up, “What’s there to hide?

“Feng Da'er may have some skills, but he’s greedy by nature and has been wreaking havoc on the common folk. What kind of hero is that? Though we were soldiers and now ghosts, weren’t we all once the sons of ordinary families?

“As for General Chang, he doesn’t engage in such wicked deeds, but he wasn’t our commanding officer when we were in the north! Besides, he’s got a foul temper and often whipped the soldiers under his command. Why should we cover up his crimes?

“Why should we bear the consequences of what these two have done?”

“To answer you, sir! Feng Da'er and General Chang are the only two ghost generals in this city. Many of the ghosts here follow their commands. After we gathered in this place, a decree came from the State Preceptor in Changjing, granting us permission to use this city as a refuge, with strict orders not to cause trouble or harm anyone. We've abided by this and barely managed to survive until now!

“But Feng Da'er, relying on the fact that he was the first to turn into a ghost, with his strong abilities and many followers here, frequently sends people out to steal the common folk’s cattle and sheep, and constantly vying for power with General Chang!”

Song You asked curiously, “What about General Chang?”

“General Chang was originally a cavalry commander from the north, very brave and fierce. Most of the ghosts who came from the north are willing to follow him. In the past, when Feng Da'er caused trouble in the surrounding areas, the local officials in Yanzhou sent people to investigate. Once, a group of them came and threatened to burn the city down again, digging up graves as they went.

“They arrived in the morning and left by the afternoon, burning and digging as they went, causing the souls of several of our brothers to be scattered into oblivion. General Chang has a short temper—when he found out where those people were staying, he immediately gave the order that night to lead a group of people, no, a group of ghosts to confront them...”

“I see...” Song You found the tale quite amusing.

The ghost who spoke was a round-faced young man. Judging by his accent, he seemed to be from Jingzhou.

It was rather poignant to think about—this ghost looked like he died at no more than seventeen or eighteen, losing his life on the battlefield at such a young age.

Looking up, Song You could make out a massive shadow emerging from the distant darkness—it seemed they were approaching Turtle City.

Lady Calico continued to lead the way up ahead, stopping occasionally to turn back and glance at the Daoist, listening in on the conversation between him and the ghosts.

After chatting a bit more with the round-faced ghost, Song You more or less pieced things together.

Feng Da'er and General Chang were both former commanders in the northern border army. In life, they were highly skilled warriors, known for their bravery and countless beheadings in battle. After turning into ghosts, they naturally retained their formidable strength.

Feng Da'er was the first to become a ghost and the first to arrive here. With his powerful abilities and seniority, he often disregarded the State Preceptor’s decrees, going out to drain the qi and lifeforce of cattle, sheep, and horses from the common folk to strengthen himself. As a result, he became very powerful.

However, these ghosts clearly held Feng Da'er in low regard, expressing disdain for his disobedience and frustration over the trouble he brought to Turtle City.

General Chang had an outstanding record in the north, commanding even more respect than Feng Da'er. However, his temper was violent, and he had a bloodthirsty nature. In the absence of battles, he would often bully the ghost soldiers, making him unpopular among these ghosts as well.

Nevertheless, the rules of the military were different after all.

Neither Feng Da'er nor General Chang had been the commanding officer of these ghosts when they were alive. However, being generals, they wielded significant authority in life, and even in death, they held a certain prestige. Since they all sought refuge in Turtle City after death, most of the ghosts, apart from the talkative round-faced one, were reluctant to discuss their affairs.

And neither of these two generals were entirely evil.

This area was close to the border. Over a decade ago, the northern frontier army launched a large-scale invasion southward, pushing as far as Yanzhou and even entering Hezhou, reaching the gates of Beifeng Pass.

Those who died here weren’t just soldiers of the Great Yan, nor were the Great Yan soldiers the only ones worthy of turning into ghosts. In life, the two sides had been mortal enemies, and in death, driven by their deep-seated grudges, they were naturally hostile toward each other.

The ghosts of Turtle City could never tolerate their presence.

Additionally, in the past couple of years, the Eighteen Tribes of the northern grasslands had once again launched military campaigns to the south, with rumors of demons and ghosts joining their ranks.

Previously, minor demons and ghosts often crossed the border, heading south as if making their way to the Snowy Plains. Many of these minor ghosts were intercepted as they attempted to pass through the area near Turtle City.

It was truly a complicated matter.

“Sir...” The armored ghost glanced at Song You, speaking hesitantly, “Yuan’an City is just ahead.”

“Alright.”

Song You had a pretty good idea of what they meant.

Turtle City didn’t really require a guide—it was right on the grasslands, and following the Great Wall would lead you straight to it. From the looks of it, the city gates were indeed long gone, making it accessible to anyone.

It seemed these ghosts had heard of his deeds subduing demons in He Plains, so they felt a mix of fear and admiration, deciding to escort him. But even though he had said he was only here to see the place, there would likely still be conflict with the ghosts inside the city. They also feared that other ghosts might hold a grudge against them, seeing them as traitors or the like.

“You can leave me here. Since there are no gates, and it’s an abandoned official site, I can go in on my own.”

“As you wish, sir,” the armored ghost said, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.

Just as the ghosts were about to leave, they heard the Daoist call out, “Please wait a moment.”

“Sir, is there something else you require?”

The Daoist fixed his gaze intently on the ghost and asked, “Judging by your accent, you sound like someone from Yizhou. Your appearance also seems somewhat familiar. Where was your home when you were alive? What is your family name and given name?”

Judging by its attire, this ghost appeared to be a captain. “Sir, I lived in Yidu when I was alive. My family name is Tang, given name An,” replied the captain ghost.

“Tang An...” A smile had already spread across Song You’s face. It seemed that memories had been stirred up.

“Yes,” the captain ghost replied, momentarily unsure why the Daoist was smiling.

“You may not know this,” Song You said to him, “but before I descended the mountain, I was cultivating in Lingquan County of Yizhou. My first stop after leaving the mountain was Yidu.”

“Then... It must be fate that we’ve met...”

The captain ghost recalled his remark about being “somewhat familiar,” and suddenly felt a sensation akin to a tightening of his chest, just like when he was still alive. If he still had breath, it would have caught in his throat.

“Do you have a younger brother?”

“My brother’s name is Tang Zhong!”

“You look quite similar to him.”

“People have said that since we were children!” The captain ghost’s tone shifted slightly. “Sir... Have you met my brother in Yidu?”

“I have.”

“Is my brother well?”

“I left Yidu five years ago, and he was doing quite well at the time.”

Song You thought of the middle-aged man he met in Yidu and also recalled the lingering soul of the woman.

The lingering soul would often sing and dance in the courtyard, her songs filled with sorrow and her dance graceful. It was her way of longing for the return of her husband, and it had left the deepest impression on Song You during his time in Yidu.

Tang Zhong had initially wanted Song You’s help to dispel the lingering soul and obsession left behind by his sister-in-law so he could reclaim the courtyard of his brother and sister-in-law. However, Song You didn’t grant his wish, and in the end, Tang Zhong seemed to have given up on the idea.

As for how he turned out...

Human nature was complex—each person had their own characters. The matters of the world were equally complicated, and Song You had no intention of making too many judgments.

“As long as he’s well... As long as he’s well,” the captain ghost mumbled, sounding as if he had lost his spirit.

At that moment, the Daoist spoke to him again, “General, you also have a wife, don’t you?”

“Sir! You’ve met my wife as well? How is she? Has she been well all these years? Did news of my death reach her? Before I died, I was promoted to a Yihui Captain[2]. Did they receive any compensation?”

“Perhaps too many died back then. It seems that no word was ever sent back,” Song You replied, shaking his head. “But although there was no news, your wife has been waiting at home for your return.”

“She... She didn’t remarry?”

“No, she did not.”

“She’s still waiting for me?”

“Yes,” Song You said, “she’s waiting, devotedly.”

“…” The captain ghost, clad in armor, stood there in a daze.

If ghosts could shed tears, his armor would have been soaked through long ago.

1. A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. ☜

2. Yihui Captain was an ancient military officer title. It was first established during the Tang Dynasty as a lower-ranking military position (from the lower seventh rank). During the Song Dynasty, it was promoted to the upper seventh rank. The title was abolished during the Yuan Dynasty. ☜