Paper Man Zhou Family

After closing the door, Xiao Ran sat in the courtyard and thought it over. He couldn't shake the feeling that his grandfather's suggestion that he visit the Zhou family was a little shaky.

After mulling it over, he thought of the reward Micheng had given him this time.

He reached into Micheng Space and took out the contract for the F-class Curse Mark [Trainee].

To be fair, with just [Corpse Stitcher] and [Calamity Suppressing Token], and enough time, he could gradually build up his strength, just like Xu Fu in the TV series The Legend of the Wind and Cloud.

But [Corpse Stitcher] had too many limitations. He might be able to handle ordinary people, but if he actually ran into another envoy holding a [Cursed Object], he was probably no match for them.

Since different Curse Marks and Cursed Objects had such different abilities, he might as well give it a try.

Riiip!

As the yellowed contract tore open, it was as if some kind of seal had been broken. Crimson liquid surged out of it, then curled around Xiao Ran's palm like a mass of earthworms.

"Hiss!"

Though he had already experienced this once, the searing pain was still intense as the power burrowed beneath his skin.

Perhaps because [Trainee] was a lower grade than [Corpse Stitcher], the pain didn't last long. Before Xiao Ran could even get used to it, it had completely merged into his palm, and a second Curse Mark appeared in his mind.

The triangular flame emblem was nowhere near as complicated as Corpse Stitcher's. At the same time, all the information about Trainee appeared before Xiao Ran.

[Curse Mark: Trainee]

F-class (Can devour Curse Marks from other sequences to strengthen itself, or combine with other series to advance.)

Attributes: Physique +3,

Exclusive Specialty: Unforgettable Memory

When the holder uses a Cursed Object, the properties of the Curse Mark will combine with it, giving rise to a unique ability that belongs only to you.

(Note: The abilities produced by the same Cursed Object will differ completely when it comes into contact with different Curse Marks.)

"Huh!"

After taking in the effects of Trainee, Xiao Ran's face twisted with disdain.

He'd known the two Curse Marks were one rank apart, but he hadn't expected the gap to be so huge.

Unforgettable Memory?

Well, that's actually a decent ability. A powerful memory makes a person sharper in their judgments and better able to catch details that others overlook.

A glint flashed in his eyes. He took out the [Black Swan Brooch], set it in his palm, and tried activating it with his new Curse Mark.

F-class Cursed Object: [Black Swan Brooch]

The black swan on the field—you never know what sort of surprise it might bring.

Privilege 1: Tempering

When you are attacked, you have a 30% chance of gaining Tempering Points. At your discretion, these points can temporarily boost your physique, strength, agility, or spirit.

Duration: 20 seconds.

(Note: If the enemy stops attacking for more than three minutes, all accumulated Tempering Points will be reset.)

Privilege 2: Detect Hostility

When you are subjected to hostility, investigation, or a psychic attack, the Black Swan Brooch will alert you in time.

Duration: N

Feeling the information the Black Swan Brooch sent back, Xiao Ran considered it carefully. [Trainee] was an F-class Curse Mark, but combined with the Black Swan, its effects were better than those of the E-class Corpse Stitcher in some respects.

The two privileges of Black Swan Stitcher were controlling corpses and defending against curses.

They were both powerful, but each came with a prerequisite.

By comparison, Trainee was better suited to being worn regularly, and both its privileges offered decent defensive capabilities.

After carefully weighing the two, Xiao Ran made a preliminary assessment.

"The abilities of a Cursed Object aren't fixed, but they do have a general leaning. Still, even if a Cursed Object's abilities lean toward defense, the influence of a Curse Mark might change its original nature."

"But if a Cursed Object and a Curse Mark are naturally compatible, their strength can increase tremendously. Corpse Stitcher and Calamity Suppressing Token, for example, are a match made in heaven."

Even a Micheng envoy with Corpse Stitcher wouldn't be able to take abilities from the dead without Calamity Suppressing Token.

To test his theory, Xiao Ran took out Calamity Suppressing Token and combined it with Trainee.

The results were just as he'd expected.

There were still two privileges.

When stitching a corpse, you may enjoy the following two privileges.

Privilege 1: Margin for Error

When stitching a corpse, you have three chances to avoid being harmed by evil spirits.

Privilege 2: Borrowing

When stitching a corpse, you can activate the Borrowing privilege to draw strength, physique, spirit, and agility from it and turn them into special talismans. When needed, you can tear a talisman to gain a temporary boost.

The talismans can be kept for up to 70 days.

The better the stitching, the more power you can draw.

(Note: Cannot draw from corpses above F-class.)

Compared to Corpse Stitcher, the two privileges were nowhere near as good. Still, they had their uses. He could get talismans that enhanced himself, so if he ran into trouble later, he wouldn't have to worry that his abilities would be useless.

But...

Where was he supposed to find so many corpses?

Even a full-time employee at a Funeral Home didn't come across a damaged body that needed restoration every day.

And not every family was willing to spend a fortune to make sure their loved one looked presentable at the end.

"Hmm..."

Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes and pondered for a while. Then a thought suddenly struck him. Wait... it never said the corpse had to be human, did it?

The idea brightened his spirits. In an instant, all his worries seemed to vanish.

"Right. I can't get human corpses, but there are animal carcasses everywhere, aren't there?"

Never mind the stray cats and dogs along the roadside—there were even more carcasses at slaughterhouses. It wouldn't be hard to spend a little money and buy a few animal corpses.

The thought immediately lifted Xiao Ran's mood.

He activated the Black Swan again and pinned the Swan Brooch beneath his clothes, keeping it active.

With the Black Swan's warning, plus the curse on his stomach, he figured he could protect himself as long as he stayed cautious—even against someone else who held a Cursed Object.

Walking into the front room, Xiao Ran skillfully stuffed everything the woman had bought into an extra-large plastic bag.

He looked back at the White Cat. It was still sprawled lazily on the windowsill, licking its paw. Xiao Ran shook his head, no longer expecting the creature to guard the house.

He picked up a shared bicycle by the entrance and rode straight to Panlong Mausoleum.

The breeze was crisp along the way. With the three-point boost to his physique from [Trainee] and the five points from [Corpse Stitcher], Xiao Ran felt better than ever.

Even riding uphill the whole way, he didn't feel the least bit tired.

At the mausoleum, Xiao Ran signed in at the security booth by the entrance, then went to the Incineration Pool and tossed everything inside. He wrote "For Guo Lingfei" on the ground with a piece of chalk, then took out a spirit-money note and lit it.

Before long, black smoke rose from the Incineration Pool.

Xiao Ran filmed a short video on his phone. He waited until everything inside had burned to ash before finally leaving.

Luoshi was an ancient capital with a history of a thousand years.

After enduring several wars, it had long since lost its former splendor. These days, it was merely a third-tier city.

But in just the past couple of years, as tourism gradually recovered, a sudden craze for traditional clothing had swept through the city.

The faux-historical buildings restored in Luoshi over the past few years had meshed perfectly with the trend. Now, young men and women in traditional outfits could be seen everywhere on the streets of the old town.

Even local businesses had joined in the fun, bringing life to the alleys that had once been quiet.

Xiao Ran walked down the street by the Drum Tower. That area was lined with old houses.

Gray bricks and green tiles, flagstone paths.

Every so often, he spotted a photographer outside a doorway taking pictures of tourists.

"This house is so big. I wonder what it looks like inside."

A young couple stood in front of a vermilion gate, gazing at the old mansion with envy.

It might have been an old house, but its high beams and grand entrance were impressive. The stone lions beside the gate were clearly very old.

Unlike other homes, this one's outer wall alone was as large as the walls of three or four houses. Taking a few steps back and standing on the stairs, they could just make out the moss on the roof tiles inside.

That was as far as they could see, though. A sign hung by the entrance that read, "Private Residence. No Entry." Clearly, visitors weren't welcome.

Just as the young couple were lamenting that they couldn't go inside and take a few photos, Xiao Ran walked up to the gate carrying a carton of milk and some fruit.

He set them down, but instead of ringing the bell, he lifted the knocker on the gate.

"Bang! Bang-bang!"

After a light knock followed by two heavier ones, Xiao Ran waited beside the gate.

About ten seconds later, the door opened a crack.

A man in his forties poked his head out. He looked at Xiao Ran in confusion, then glanced him over and noticed the things by his feet. His expression softened. "Who are you looking for?"

"Is this the Zhou family? My grandfather asked me to come by and visit an elder in the family." Xiao Ran didn't explain his real purpose. He wasn't sure how things would go, and could only hope that an elder in the family was still alive and remembered the favor his grandfather had mentioned.

The man nodded and opened the gate wider. "Come in and talk."

Xiao Ran picked up the things and went inside. Behind him, the young couple hurriedly craned their necks to peek through the open gate.

Unfortunately, all they saw was a spirit wall just beyond the entrance.

Past the spirit wall, the house had a layout of three main halls and two wings.

The front hall was spacious and bright, with flagstones underfoot, an Eight Immortals table, and redwood chairs. A landscape painting hung behind them.

The two side wings served as the kitchen and bedrooms.

Farther back, there seemed to be two more buildings for the inner quarters.

The house looked old and had only one story, but it was far more comfortable than the brick houses around it.

Xiao Ran couldn't help feeling envious. "No wonder they were once big names who controlled the funeral business. They really do have a substantial family fortune."

After motioning for Xiao Ran to sit, the man asked, "My mother is resting inside. She'll be out soon. May I ask who your elder is?"

"Second Gate of Beijie Hutong. Sheng Guan Di."

Xiao Ran smiled as he spoke in trade jargon, wanting to see if the man was still part of the business.

If he wasn't, Xiao Ran wouldn't bring up his request. He would wait for the Old Woman to come out and talk to her instead.

The man paused, then quickly caught on. He furrowed his brow, and his tone turned unfriendly. "So you're a young fellow from the trade. What a shame—my family has put down its funeral basin and taken up a golden one. Our little temple can't house a great Buddha like you. Please understand. Now, leave."

Xiao Ran had been prepared for some resistance, but he hadn't expected the man to dismiss him after just one sentence. He felt awkward for a moment.

But if he left with his tail between his legs, he'd have failed to get what he came for—and he wouldn't have reclaimed the favor, either. He'd be ashamed to tell the old man about it.

He cleared his throat and said sharply, "It's not even the end of the month, and the spring ice hasn't melted yet."

As the saying went, when the spring ice hadn't melted, people's feelings were thin.

Xiao Ran's words were both a reminder of the favor owed and an insult to the man.

The man gave a cold laugh and reached out to grab Xiao Ran by the shoulder. "What kind of punk are you? You haven't even grown a decent beard, and you're talking to me about favors?"

Xiao Ran moved faster. He raised a hand and used Tiger Fist's seizing technique to block the man's hand. His fingers curled like hooks, and he caught the man's wrist with a twist. Though the man was much older and bigger than Xiao Ran, he'd been caught at the pulse point. He lost his balance and nearly fell to his knees.

If Xiao Ran hadn't held back, he could have dislocated the man's arm.

Xiao Ran shoved him away. The man stumbled and landed on his backside. He stared up at Xiao Ran in astonishment, then scrambled to his feet in a rage, ready to fight the young man.

"Stop!"

Fortunately, just then, the door behind them opened. An Old Woman emerged, leaning on a cane. She glared at the man. "You good-for-nothing! Who treats a guest like that? Get out of the way."

"Mom, this kid..."

The man clutched his arm and glared at Xiao Ran, still indignant. He tried to argue, but the Old Woman only gave him a sidelong glare. At once, he deflated like a punctured ball and lowered his head. "Okay."

"Old Madam, I was out of line. I was only joking around with your son."

Seeing that the person he'd come to see had arrived, Xiao Ran hurried to stand and bowed slightly to her.

"All right, all right. Sit down, child."

The Old Woman waved for Xiao Ran to sit. "I heard what you said just now. I can't make the decision about this. I'll have to ask my husband."

"All right."

The Old Woman turned to her son. "Make sure you look after this young man."

The man reluctantly nodded.

The Old Woman turned and went back into the inner quarters. As soon as she opened the door, her expression cooled, and she began to complain before she'd even gone inside. "I told you back then that you shouldn't have asked the Xiao family for help. And now look—he's come to collect the debt. I'm old, and I still can't have a moment's peace."

She sat down at the dressing table as if in a huff, then kicked the paper man beside it in annoyance.

"We had no choice. Back then, the only person with that skill was that old fellow from the Xiao family."

The voice sounded as hoarse as a knife being sharpened. The Old Woman's face fell. "I'm afraid they didn't come all this way just to collect a favor. It won't be so easy to repay them."

She turned her head toward the mirror on the dressing table and spoke slowly.

"What's there to fear? We'll meet the troops with generals and the floods with earth. We owed them this from a long time ago, so we should have expected this day to come. Isn't that right, old woman?"

As he spoke, he took off the wig on his head and carefully set it on the table...