Twilight Boundary-Chapter 630 - 621: Yin Envoy Constables

Now that both parties had revealed their identities, the secret code wasn't meant to identify whether the other was a Reincarnator, but to affirm the authority to exercise first priority.

Since Hu Ma's priority status was for operational convenience and concerned matters of great importance, Miss Red Wine had suggested that each regional representative privately agree on a code phrase with Hu Ma. They would only feel reassured after verifying it. This way, each region had a different code known only to Hu Ma, making the system much safer.

But now, having already shaken hands, exchanging the secret code felt somewhat peculiar...

Hu Ma reluctantly nodded and said, "Elephant, Elephant!"

Nearby, Er Guotou glanced at the two of them, a smile playing on his lips that he was struggling to contain.

Feeling embarrassed, Hu Ma quickly changed the subject, "Can you help us enter the underworld?"

"I can't."

Five Skin's response was unexpected. He immediately added, "But my master can. She's a natural walker of the underworld, able to act as an underworld official in her dreams, guiding ghosts and hooking souls."

"There are quite a few people like her, scattered in various places. They treat their status as underworld officials as a kind of inheritance and their means of survival. Underworld officials from different regions are interconnected, almost like a sect."

"And believe me, they earn a good amount of Silver Coin. If they know in advance who is going to die, they inform the person so they can prepare for their funeral, earning themselves some money for food and expenses in the process." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"But that's for the common folk. When they encounter the wealthy and powerful, they can even grant them a few extra days before coming to hook their souls..."

"So it wasn't you..." Hu Ma and Er Guotou paused, frowning. "You don't know this skill?"

"Hehe, as for skills, I haven't learned many..." Five Skin replied with a dry laugh, shaking his head. "I wanted to learn at first, but things kept getting delayed..."

"I wanted to learn the Shousui Path, but unfortunately, I had already lost my vital essence by the time I encountered it. I also wanted to learn the Haishou Path, but that required becoming a stonemason first, which was too exhausting. I thought about finding a way to learn from Si Ming, but I simply couldn't memorize all those prescriptions and names of herbal medicines.

"As for things like Negative Spirit or walking ghost, forget it. Being a walking ghost means a life of hardship, constantly running around. And carrying a Negative Spirit... it's completely debilitating..."

Er Guotou looked somewhat displeased. "The Walking Ghost Path isn't as you describe it; there's great skill involved..."

"Yes, yes..." Five Skin suddenly realized his slip. "My apologies, brother, I shouldn't have spoken ill of walking ghosts in front of you."

Hu Ma also found the situation a bit odd. He glanced at Er Guotou, feeling like he was on the verge of understanding something important but couldn't quite grasp it. After a brief pause, he turned to Five Skin. "Brother, as a Reincarnator, you haven't learned any skills at all?"

"It couldn't be helped; none of those Paths suited me..." Five Skin sighed. "But by delaying like this, I eventually met this master of mine and eagerly wanted to learn her Execution Soul Path skill."

"However, I soon discovered that this master didn't possess any real skills. She was merely a Soul-hooking servant ghost by nature. In the earlier years, I took good care of her, and she even said she would pass this identity on to me, but..."

A living person as an underworld official? he thought, shaking his head. Better not.

At this, even Er Guotou found it strange. "Brother, so you learned nothing at all? What have you been doing all these years?"

"Getting married, having children..." Five Skin said. "Would you like to meet my daughter? She's very cute..."

Hu Ma and Er Guotou exchanged a bewildered look. They were speechless. Aren't there very few Reincarnators who settle down and start families?

Though Dazed Donkey had married ten wives...

Do they all have a taste for this in their area?

"Ah, right..." Five Skin seemed a bit embarrassed by their reaction. He lowered his voice and said, "You've seen Ye State City, haven't you? If you ride a fast horse from one side of it, by nightfall, all the fields, shops, and salt and iron businesses you can see along the way..."

Hu Ma was somewhat surprised. "Are all those yours?"

"How could they be?" Five Skin replied. "At most, those make up only about one or two-tenths of my family's land holdings..."

Hu Ma and Er Guotou were utterly dumbfounded.

"And those were all profiteered by my father during the chaos of the last twenty years. That doesn't even include what I earned myself by doing business in my spare time..." Five Skin said with a hint of pride. "My business firms have operations all the way up in Shangjing."

"Of course, these chaotic times require some self-defense skills. However, my family has many ancestors; our ancestral tablets alone outnumber the buildings in Ye State City. Plus, I keep a few guests, so we manage to get by. Today I'm here to meet you two. Normally, without dozens of people by my side, I wouldn't step outside my main gates..."

Hu Ma and Er Guotou were once again at a loss for words.

Damn, if I had reincarnated into such a wealthy family, I wouldn't want to learn those arduous skills either, they thought.

"Forget it, everyone has their own destiny..." They exchanged a glance and decided not to pursue the matter, merely asking, "You promised Miss Red Wine you could help us enter the underworld. Does that mean you can convince your master?"

"I can't convince her." Five Skin shook his head. "People like her are very stubborn. Just her status as a constable is enough to ensure she doesn't lack for food and drink."

"Sneaking people down there is risky. If she's discovered, she could lose her position. But don't you two worry, I've already got a plan. I'll definitely make her send you down obediently, and I'll use this opportunity to get rid of her."

"Ah?" This statement surprised Hu Ma and Er Guotou again. "You're going to play it this big right from the start?"

Five Skin began, "It's not that I'm intolerant, but the people in this Path are too cunning." He let out a cold laugh. "Although I'm unwilling to take over her soul-hooking duties, I've provided for her well, calling her Master, but in reality, I just treat her as a guest.

"But this old woman, as she's gotten older, has started to use her Path abilities to try and control me. It was bad enough that she used my 'dear' father's impending death to make demands, but the real problem was, she shouldn't have..." His eyes suddenly turned cold, his expression somewhat chilling as he continued, "...targeted my little girl!

"When I was younger, I didn't want to take over her role as an underworld messenger, but in reality, she didn't want to pass it on either. Now that she's nearing her end and afraid no one will look after her affairs afterward, she secretly checked my girl's birthdate and eight characters, intending to make her a soul-hooking constable too.

"She's my everything! If I don't get rid of her, what else can I do? Don't be surprised, brothers. She has used this status to cause no small amount of trouble. I wouldn't feel any guilt no matter when I decide to dispose of her!"

Hu Ma and Er Guotou exchanged glances and sighed quietly. It's no wonder, they thought. People in the Path sometimes do develop a sense of superiority over ordinary folk, believing they can secretly manipulate matters and showing no regard for nobles or Old Masters.

But whatever about others, Reincarnators are not ones to swallow such an offense. Especially for Reincarnators, perhaps the bonds with parents or siblings aren't held as dearly.

But their own children... that's an absolute red line!

The three of them discussed matters for a while in an unused courtyard within Five Skin's residence. Afterward, Five Skin led Hu Ma and Er Guotou out of the city. They headed west, the landscape growing increasingly desolate the further they went.

When they reached a desolate and eerie location, they found a small courtyard nestled within a grove of locust trees. Five Skin stepped forward, knocked on the simple wooden gate, and called out respectfully towards the inside:

"Old Nanny, I've brought two guests. They are experts in treating poisonous sores..."

As his voice fell, a maidservant dressed in coarse fabric opened the door and led them inside. The dwelling looked rather exquisite from the outside, but the interior was pitch-black. The windows were all sealed, and no lamps were lit. They could only vaguely make out a hunched figure draped in coarse cloth.

The figure didn't turn around, its hoarse voice asking, "Are they just here to treat this old woman's ailment?"

Five Skin laughed. "That's natural, of course. However, these two also have a small matter to ask of you."

"If it's convenient, could you please do them a favor and take them down there for a visit?"

The old nanny in coarse fabric remained silent for a moment, then shook her head. "It's not an easy trip these days!"

"It used to be that no one paid much attention; you just had to serve those underworld official sirs well. But now, the authorities have shown up, and they even manage the affairs of the living!"

Hu Ma and Er Guotou, who were observing, both frowned slightly at this.

Five Skin, however, quickly moved closer and whispered into her ear, "Old Nanny, I've always been concerned about your ailment and have been searching everywhere for medicine for you..."

"These two gentlemen have an excellent ointment that can treat your sores. Moreover, they are very anxious for your help this one time and are offering ten pounds of Golden Silk Tai Sui..."

"…You see, the deposit has already been given to me. Shall I place it in your wicker basket for you?"

As he spoke, he handed over an oil-paper package. The old nanny was visibly taken aback for a moment, then reached out and took it. She squeezed it gently before tucking it into her sleeve. After a long pause, she finally said, "Then wait outside. Come back in after dark!"

Hu Ma and Er Guotou went outside to wait. They exchanged a glance, both realizing just how substantial Five Skin's resources were. That Golden Silk Tai Sui was an extraordinarily precious item within the Path, yet he had produced it so readily...

And he spoke of it in terms of pounds?

Perhaps he could also provide some support to Brother Monkey Wine?

Meanwhile, Five Skin remained inside the room. He muttered something more to the old nanny before finally coming out.

As he passed by Hu Ma and Er Guotou, he simply said, "You two rest for a bit. Our Old Nanny will take care of everything!"

Then, without looking back, he left directly.

Hu Ma and Er Guotou remained in the courtyard. They exchanged another glance, understanding the look Five Skin had given them, and a sense of reassurance settled in their hearts.