Abbess Xuanhui shook her head with a bitter smile.
"How could the Underworld be the same as the World of the Living? From what I've seen, the Netherworld is boundless, stretching who knows how many trillions of miles. Above the void, there seems to be endless netherworld astral qi shrouding it, with legendary beings lurking within. Perhaps there are even more wondrous realms above and below it..."
"And the Netherworld lands where ghosts dwell are vast and desolate, deathly silent and hopeless... at least... in the several times my disciple and I have entered the Netherworld, we have seen no sign of any organized system or civilization... nor have Ox-Head and Horse-Face, Black and White Impermanence, or King Yama appeared. As for the supposed Wretched Death City, the Underworld's capital, Naihe Bridge, the Reincarnation Grounds, and so on, we have found no clues to their existence either..."
Hearing Abbess Xuanhui speak so frankly, without any attempt to cultivate an air of mystery, the middle-aged man looked puzzled.
Confusion flashed across his face.
"In that case, why would my father... why would he..."
Abbess Xuanhui fell silent for a moment and exchanged a glance with her disciple.
Their eyes held surprise and confusion too.
"When we spoke with Lay Buddhist Li, before we could ask him about his arrangements for his estate in the World of the Living as you requested, he brought up the matter of his personal assets himself..."
A wry smile appeared on Abbess Xuanhui's face.
Then she seemed to think of something.
She looked toward the two police officers in the corner.
"Officers, now that people can become ghosts after death, and only dissipate entirely when they die as ghosts, does the government have any special provisions for determining ownership of their assets?"
For the past few days, the two officers had huddled in a corner as though they were invisible. Each day, they watched the abbess of Cloudflower Nunnery and her disciple enter the Netherworld and felt that chilling aura surge. Their skepticism had turned into astonishment and awe.
After they reported the situation to their superiors, their superiors had also disclosed something to the two junior officers.
The Underworld really did exist. They were to carefully observe the circumstances and personalities of these two Underworld Walkers, then submit a thorough report upon their return.
Underworld Walkers?
Their awe only deepened.
But upon hearing Abbess Xuanhui's question, both gave bitter smiles.
If the dead could continue existing as souls, there certainly were some contradictions surrounding the disposition of their wealth from life.
Abbess Xuanhui did not wait for their reply.
She knew she had asked an unnecessary question.
She shook her head.
"I'm worrying needlessly. Even if the myths have returned, the worlds of the living and the dead are still separate, and neither can influence the other too greatly. In terms of karma, their previous lives are already over. There's no need to dwell on these issues."
"Master, can they really not influence each other? But what Lay Buddhist Li said..."
Before Abbess Xuanhui could answer her disciple, the others spoke up.
The Li Family members, represented by that middle-aged man, grew even more anxious.
"Master, my father brought it up himself? What did he say?!"
Abbess Xuanhui smiled and stopped keeping them in suspense.
"Then I'll relay Lay Buddhist Li's exact words. What you decide, and whether you follow his wishes, has nothing to do with my disciple and me, or with Cloudflower Nunnery!"
"Please, Master, go ahead."
"Lay Buddhist Li's exact words were: 'Sorry for the trouble, Sister, but please tell those little bastards that if they want to follow the example of that unfilial son who killed his father, I have nothing to say. They can go ahead and split my money.'"
"'If they still acknowledge me as their dead old dad, then keep my money intact. Use some of it to rent me a long-term hotel room from the Gu Group. If the Gu Group has any real estate developments, buying me a property with full ownership rights would be even better. Remember, it has to be a residential complex with proper property management and security!'"
"'Also, remember to be polite and put away your arrogance. Your dead old dad might end up living under someone else's roof. Still, I shouldn't need to tell you that. The Gu Family is the richest family in Yuzhou. You'd treat them politely even without me saying so.'"
"'Keep the rest of my money safe. Don't use it for investments or wealth management. I don't care what you do with your own money, but keep mine safely deposited. What if I need it later? And don't you little bastards call me selfish. It's my money, and I can make my own arrangements. Besides, once I've established myself down here, if you come down someday, won't you have someone to look after you?'"
"'Finally, remember to burn incense and make offerings to me on the important dates. Uh, and remember to have plenty of children. More children and grandchildren mean more offerings!'"
Abbess Xuanhui finished relaying his words.
The Li Family members in the main hall fell quiet.
Even the other nuns wanted to laugh. Though they knew the tragedy of a son killing his father had just come to light, they still felt the urge.
Was he this blunt even after becoming a ghost?
And was he serious about all that?
Some of it just seemed so out of place!
But the Li Family did not laugh.
That included the youngest son, who had been wailing that he had not meant to do it.
Collapsed on the floor, he instead kept muttering.
"Yes, yes, that's Dad's tone. That's exactly how my dad talks!"
"Boohoo... I really didn't mean to kill you, Dad! My company was in trouble. Things were so, so hard for me. Why did you have to be so stubborn? Why?!"
"Hahahaha, hehehehe... even dead, you're still just as hot-tempered when you talk, and you still can't let go of your money. Dad, you really are the dad I know. Fair, though. It really is fair..."
"Hehehe... brothers, sisters, let me see whether you're unfilial children just like me, or whether you really do what you're told. Hahahaha!"
The eldest son of the Li Family fell silent for a moment.
Finally, he said quietly, "That really is Father's tone and way of speaking. He occasionally worshipped the bodhisattvas, and he was always mild-mannered here. The people at the nunnery couldn't possibly know his real personality."
"Uh, Dad, could it really be true? But... but... isn't this ridiculous? Uh, I don't mean Grandpa refusing to divide his assets. I mean all that stuff about booking a hotel room and buying property. Isn't that ridiculous? Has he gone senile?"
"Exactly. Didn't they say Dad is already in the Underworld? The living and the dead are separated, so what's the point of booking a hotel? If we book one, does that give him somewhere to stay in the Underworld? Wouldn't keeping his room at home be the same? If that won't work, I might as well burn him some paper villas, BMWs, and servants!"
"We already burned those for him, Sis. Didn't the abbess say the Underworld was desolate? Does Father want to keep using them after he reincarnates? Is he not going to drink Old Lady Meng's soup? When that happens, are we supposed to acknowledge him or not..."
"And Grandpa doesn't know yet, but that Gu Group in Yuzhou went bankrupt two days after he passed away. There's no Gu Group anymore. Heh, be polite to them? A fallen phoenix is worse off than a chicken!"
"Still, we can burn incense and make offerings. On Grandpa's Forty-Nine-Day Rite, we can burn incense and pray to him, and tell him the Gu Group is gone..."
The eldest son of the Li Family was speechless.
"Quiet! What are you all thinking? Such nonsense. Father wouldn't say those things for no reason!"
He looked toward Abbess Xuanhui.
"Please enlighten us, Master. Some of what he said really is difficult to understand!"
Abbess Xuanhui naturally knew why. She said with a bitter smile:
"According to Lay Buddhist Li, rumors have recently been circulating among the ghosts..."
She hesitated.
"Apparently, the Gu Group has expanded its business into the Netherworld. Something about a Ghostly Apartment and a Grand Hotel. It's all very novel, and there are dubious rumors everywhere. Uh, perhaps they accept money from the World of the Living too!"
Even Abbess Xuanhui found it absurd.
As an Underworld Walker, she could sense that the Netherworld being supposedly "close to the universe of the World of the Living" did not mean close in the usual physical sense.
The worlds of the living and the dead seemed to exist in entirely different dimensions!
These rumors, even if they came from the Underworld, still felt unreliable.
Though those ghosts had become ghosts, that did not necessarily make them any wiser or more knowledgeable.
Everyone else in the main hall was equally dumbfounded.
Had the Gu Family become that badass?
They could meddle even after death?
A little while later.
Someone said tentatively:
"I've heard the Gu Family spent several generations doing business for the dead. The current generation made their fortune in funeral services too. The more you think about it, the scarier it gets!"
"So, the Gu Family went bankrupt in the World of the Living and moved to the Underworld to keep going? Do bankruptcy laws still apply to them? Can the banks still pursue their debts?"
"Could it be a rumor? Judging by Grandpa, ghosts in the Underworld seem to think much like people do. Could it just be nonsense being spread around?"
Watching the paper figure shakily bring him a glass of water, Gu Zhe smiled in satisfaction.
He took out his phone.
He took another selfie with a radiant smile.
"The month is up. Welcome back, Young Master Gu!"
Then he posted another message:
"Your daddy really is back!!"
"???"
"!!!"
"Have you lost it?"
"Gu, don't be like this. Worst case, buckle down and study for the civil service exam! You can still have a stable life. Though with your attitude toward studying... tsk, tsk, tsk!"
"Unfollowed. I must have been blind to confess to you back then. Heh, did you really think it was for your money? Looks like you're still as frivolous as ever!"
"Blocked. You're welcome. Think about it. You turned me down back then. Regretting it now, aren't you? Heh, you called me materialistic. Why didn't I covet anyone else's money? Why only yours? Isn't that enough proof of love?"
"Heh, Young Master Gu is back? You think you're still Young Master Gu? My dad used to bow and scrape before your family, and I've been sick of it for ages. I'm at Heaven on Earth now. You've got your own hand for company, right?"
"Bro, whether you're pretending to take this in stride or really mean it, I've got to say you're badass. Sigh, if my dad hadn't confiscated all my bank cards, I'd definitely give you a hand and bring Young Master Gu back for real!"
"Welcome back, Young Master Gu. No more holding back. We've got an opening for a male escort at Heaven on Earth. Heh!"
"Gu Zhe, have you finished your thesis? A month should be enough time to adjust. Your diploma is still useful to you now. Oh, and the university president said you absolutely mustn't bother him. Everything has to follow the proper procedures, or it'll look bad!"
"Zhou Linlin: Heh, I heard you're hiding in some little shop now. Here's an offer: sign an agreement promising not to bad-mouth me again. Say it was all just a fantasy born of your crush on me, and that we were never boyfriend and girlfriend. How about I give you a hundred thousand yuan? I've just landed a big-budget film, my entertainment career is soaring, and my Zhou Family's business is thriving too... weigh the consequences of bad-mouthing me yourself!"
"Liu Zhaodi: Hehe, Brother Gu, still calling yourself Young Master Gu? You really are funny. Hehe, welcome back, Young Master Gu! And hey, pfft, whose daddy do you think you are? You're clearly a handsome big brother!"
"Keep it up, Gu!"
"You can do it!"
"Speechless. Not a care in the world. What a great attitude..."
Gu Zhe now had the leisure to enjoy himself.
Unlike the past few days, he did not skip over the many messages whose sincerity or schadenfreude he could not discern.
He drank the water the paper figure had brought him.
He read through them one by one.
He felt utterly calm.
In fact, he found them quite entertaining.
These replies revealed the complexity of people's hearts and the many faces of human life.
Sure enough, only after experiencing a low point could one understand life.
Now that Gu Zhe had finally touched the supernatural in reality and made great power his own, his mindset was even steadier.
Praise, slander, mockery, and sarcasm were no more significant than a passing breeze.
Because!
Your daddy really was back!
He wasn't joking!