Chapter 81: The Birth of the Ghost Infant

Huang Long gave me a warning: “You’d better not play any tricks, or I won’t be polite with you. Harsh lands breed unruly people—it’s the same everywhere. My village is full of them, and outsiders who come here turn unruly too. But in truth, there are no unruly people—just those who’ve been pushed to desperation by poverty and oppression.”

In the end, Huang Long found me a side room and told me to wait there. Xie Lingyu comforted me, saying, “Huang Shi came back to give birth—she won’t hurt anyone. But what will you do if the child is born?”

I asked, “A ghost infant?” Xie Lingyu nodded.

“A child isn’t at fault, but a ghost infant’s birth is no good omen.”

I replied, “A ghost infant shouldn’t exist in this world. If it’s born, it must be thrown into the fire and burned. It absolutely cannot be allowed to live—it would become something like a Western vampire. You know a ghost infant doesn’t grow by drinking milk—it thrives on blood, especially human blood.”

Xie Lingyu fell silent for a moment. “There might still be room for negotiation. Modern technology is advanced—it could drink purchased blood every day.”

I countered, “What negotiation? If it harms people…”

Xie Lingyu’s voice trailed off as she failed to convince me. “If it has human traits, then don’t kill it. Though ghost infants crave blood, maybe it could still be raised…”

Huang Long had his wife boil water and fetch a midwife. The village was too far from the city, and there was no time to take Huang Shi to the hospital—villagers wouldn’t do that anyway.

Soon, Huang Long’s wife found a pair of scissors freshly used for cutting chili peppers, washed them in clean water, and took them inside—likely to cut the umbilical cord.

Huang Long paced outside the door. I called out, “Brother Huang, has she given birth yet?” Huang Long snapped, “Shut the hell up.”

I said, “Brother Huang, come here—I need to tell you something.” Reluctantly, he approached and asked, “What?”

I replied, “Have your wife check your sister-in-law’s breathing and heartbeat. I’ll explain after.” Huang Long gave me a suspicious look, muttering to himself. His sister had returned without saying a word, her face ghastly pale. Though he recognized her as his own, my words unsettled him.

Could something really be wrong?

Huang Long called out twice, “Wife, wife!”

His wife snapped impatiently, “Your sister’s giving birth—I’m swamped! What do you want? If you’re hungry, there’s leftover rice in the pot—fry it with some lard. If you’re bored, make some sugar water to replenish her strength later.”

Huang Long glared at her and whispered something in her ear.

His wife, visibly annoyed, rushed out two minutes later, her face white with terror. “She… she doesn’t seem to be breathing. Her heart isn’t beating. How can she still give birth…?”

Huang Long looked as if he couldn’t believe his ears. “You’re not mistaken?” His wife nodded firmly, confirming she had felt no pulse.

Huang Long stared at me, then dropped to his knees. “Master, save me.”

I didn’t mince words. “Huang Xiaohua has been dead for a long time. She barely has any consciousness left—she just returned instinctively to give birth in a safe place.”

Sweat poured down Huang Long’s face. “What do we do now?”

I said, “She holds a grudge against me. Pretend nothing’s wrong for now…”

Despite his tough demeanor, Huang Long turned pale at the thought of his sister returning from the dead. Both he and his wife couldn’t hide their fear.

From inside the house, Huang Xiaohua’s screams grew increasingly shrill. The cries lasted until nightfall—hours had passed since her labor began.

I was growing more uneasy.

Huang Long’s wife had boiled water several times, forcing herself to deliver it inside. I began to wonder if the siblings were even related by blood. Huang Long chain-smoked, littering the ground with cigarette butts.

The kitten grew restless, about to meow. Then, a baby’s cry echoed from the room. The ghost infant had arrived. Simultaneously, a chorus of barking erupted across the village.

Night had fallen. I gritted my teeth. Huang Shi would be at her weakest after childbirth—now was the perfect time to strike. Subdue her, then burn the child…

Xie Lingyu grabbed my arm. “Let them stay together a little longer.”

I nodded and waited by the window.

Huang Shi, unaware of the world around her, cradled the baby, stroking it with withered hands. She chuckled—an ugly but maternal smile. My heart wavered.

Her eyes brimmed with love for the child. In that silent moment, I felt like an intruder.

Why interfere? Let them be.

But what else could I do? I reached for the door.

Suddenly, a burly man leaped down from the roof, cackling. He snatched the baby from Huang Shi’s arms.

Exhausted from childbirth, she had no strength to resist. I shouted, “Put the ghost infant down!”

The man glanced at me, then jumped out the window, shattering wooden beams into splinters.

Huang Shi mustered her last strength to chase after him. I followed.

The darkness made it hard to see, but the noise ahead guided us.

The jade corpse was the fastest, quickly catching up. Behind us, Huang Long and others gave chase. The burly man, still laughing wordlessly, moved swiftly with the ghost infant.

Huang Shi caught up, flailing threateningly. The man reached the main road, hopped onto a parked motorcycle, and roared away.

Huang Shi collapsed, drained. I helped her up. Pleading, she begged me to chase after them.

I said, “Your child was never meant for this world…”

Huang Long yelled, “What are you doing?”

I looked at him. “Get a coffin. Bury your sister.”

Touching Huang Shi’s forehead with the jade ruler, I felt her body stiffen. Huang Long, too afraid to approach, asked, “Is… is my sister really dead this time?”

I left Huang Shi behind and chased up the mountain path. Xie Lingyu followed. Only after we disappeared did Huang Long finally bury his sister.

But the ghost infant was gone, taken by the burly man. Xie Lingyu caught up. “That was Bai Jingren—the old corpse.”

I gaped. “Bai Jingren? That bastard followed us here?”

Bai Jingren had taken Huang Shi’s son. Who knew what madness he’d unleash? The poor ghost infant, orphaned at birth, broke my heart. No matter how powerful, it was still a helpless baby—no match for Bai Jingren.

I chased further, but the motorcycle’s sound faded. Regret gnawed at me—Bai Jingren had outmaneuvered us.

Xie Lingyu said, “Let the jade corpse carry you.”

Seeing no other option, I asked her niece, “Can you help me catch up?” The jade corpse nodded. Mounted on her back, with the kitten and dog in tow, we raced forward.

The jade corpse was fast—even faster under moonlight. We followed the motorcycle’s distant roar. Shadows flickered around us, disorienting me—it felt like that night when I drove Uncle Datan through the dark.

Bai Jingren knew these mountain roads well, but the stolen motorcycle’s engine sputtered, slowing him down.

I spotted him ahead. “Stop, you bastard! That’s your nephew—don’t you dare!”

The jade corpse was fast, but couldn’t match a motor’s endurance.

Then—*clank, clank, clank*—the motorcycle stalled. My heart leaped.

Dismounting, I shouted, “Bai Jingren, you son of a bitch! Let the ghost infant go!”

Bai Jingren cackled. “You want to save the child?”

The ghost infant wailed—piercing, fragile. Like any newborn, its eyes were barely open, a tuft of hair on its head. But when it cried, rows of tiny teeth glinted…

Stranger still—it could breathe.

I demanded, “How did you become an old corpse? Why follow us?”

Bai Jingren grinned. “My savior woke me. I won’t rest until that bitch Huang Shi is dead.”

I scoffed. “She’s already dead, idiot. Who’s your savior? Who turned you into this monstrosity?”

Bai Jingren eyed the jade corpse fearfully. Pressing a sharp dagger to the infant’s throat, he warned, “Stay back.”

He hissed, “Don’t follow me. I won’t kill him—he’s a rare ghost infant. I’ll take him to my savior. Then, I’ll be human again.”

I sighed. “Once an old corpse, always an old corpse. Give up.”

Bai Jingren sneered. “Shut your mouth.”

I asked, “At least give the child a name.”

Bai Jingren hesitated. In that moment, the black cat pounced. Startled, he dropped the dagger.

Rolling away, he bit the infant’s neck. “Don’t move!”

The moon emerged. I held the cat back. “Fine. But the ghost infant needs a name. Let’s call him Bai Yueming—may his life be as bright as the moon.”

Bai Jingren paused, muttering, “Bai Yueming… Bai Yueming…”

Then, clutching the infant, he vanished into the wilderness.

Dejected, I slumped. Xie Lingyu reassured me, “I can find him.”

Her confidence left no room for doubt. Hopeful, I asked, “How?”