The night was dark, and the neon lights of the bustling city cast colorful reflections on the glass skyscrapers. In a high-end private gym, a woman worked out alone on the equipment. Clad in a black compression workout suit, her toned arms moved with steady strength, sweat beading on her forehead. Around her, several bodyguards in black stood silently, vigilant and unrelenting in their watch.
Suddenly, one bodyguard's phone vibrated. Glancing at the caller ID, he stiffened, stepped forward, and said respectfully, "Sister Zhang, it's the boss calling."
"Oh?" The woman stopped exercising, grabbed a towel from the rack beside her to wipe her sweat, and answered the phone with a smile. "It's so late? Doesn't Dad usually go to bed early?"
A deep, authoritative voice replied, "Luoluo, I need to tell you something. As you know, this Lunar July, when the Ghost Gate opens, our Zhang family must host the hell guards. I want you to preside over the ceremony this year."
Zhang Luo frowned slightly. "Dad, my grasp of Daoist magic is still limited. Are you certain I should host this?"
"Don't worry. You've mastered 70-80% of the ritual procedures, and others will assist with the rest," her father said firmly. "The Zhang family has handled yin-yang matters for generations. This ceremony affects not just our family's reputation but also our accumulated virtue. Come back in three days to prepare. Don't be late."
"...Alright." Zhang Luo nodded, though a sense of unease crept in. Her magic focused on calming spirits and thunder spells; hosting hell guards, whose habits she barely understood, wasn't her usual role. But as a family duty, she had no choice.
A week later, Lin Yuan's case seemed stuck in limbo.
Though the police reviewed the surveillance footage, it was corrupted at key moments, revealing nothing about his death. The reporter's death was also classified as an unsolved case, with signs indicating a mastermind was deleting evidence.
"Dammit, who's interfering here?" Lin Yuan snapped.
Pan Jie sighed wearily—she had it worse. Her Yin-Yang Eyes had fully unsealed. At first, she only saw vague shadows, but now she could clearly see every wandering spirit: street ghosts, hospital phantoms, even vengeful demons. Worse, they saw her too.
Walking down the street, she felt wandering spirits staring at her and heard little ghosts whispering that her "unstable yang energy" was perfect for "borrowing a host."
As Pan Jie and Lin Yuan approached the police station, a chill ran down her spine. She turned to see two robed figures approaching: one in black robes and an official cap, clutching a black chain; the other in white, his hat inscribed with "Fortune at First Sight," a sinister grin on his face.
Black and White Impermanence?
She sidestepped left—they mirrored her move. She stepped right—they followed.
"Are they here for you?" she whispered.
Lin Yuan tensed but feigned calm. "Nonsense. I haven't broken any rules."
Before he finished, the figures vanished and reappeared before them. The Black Impermanence glared coldly at Lin Yuan. "Strange. An evil ghost like you still maintaining clarity?"
Lin Yuan managed a strained smile. "Sirs, I'm a law-abiding spirit! I only help Ms. Pan investigate my murder, no ill intent."
The Black Impermanence snorted. "Mortals handle mortal affairs. What right does a ghost have to interfere?"
The White Impermanence added, "Best come with us now, to avoid breaking rules."
Pan Jie paled, but before she could speak, the two impermanences exchanged a glance. The White Impermanence murmured, "This ghost is unusual. Can you sense the faint aura of merit on him?"
In truth, Jiuchong had subtly released a wisp of merit energy from Lin Yuan—weak, but enough for the impermanences to detect.
After a moment of silence, the Black Impermanence said, "...We'll overlook this for now. But if you disrupt karma or harm the innocent, we won't show mercy."
Lin Yuan nodded frantically. "Yes, yes! I'll focus only on finding my killer, no innocent blood!"
The White Impermanence stared him down. "Remember your vow."
With a flicker, the two vanished, as if they'd never been there.
Lin Yuan exhaled, turning to mock Pan Jie—only to find her pale and trembling in a corner.
"Hey, don't act tough. Weren't you shaking too?" he teased.
She glared, teeth chattering. "I'M HUMAN! Who's ever seen Black and White Impermanence? "Even you got a warning, of course I'm terrified!"
He shrugged. "It all worked out, didn't it?"
Pan Jie sighed, clutching her head. "Let's just go to the station. I've had enough scares for today."
"Relax," Lin Yuan grinned. "I have a feeling, things are about to get even more thrilling."
Pan Jie: "..."
==================
夜色沉沉,繁华都市的霓虹灯在玻璃幕墙上投下斑斓的倒影.一间高端私人健身房内,只有一个女人在进行器械训练.她穿着黑色紧身运动服,露出的手臂线条流畅,额头上渗出细密的汗珠,动作沉稳有力.
在她四周,几个黑衣保镖静静地站着,警惕地观察四周,不敢有丝毫懈怠.
突然,其中一个黑衣保镖的手机震动了一下,他低头看了一眼来电显示,顿时神色一肃,赶忙走上前,恭敬地说道:"张姐,是老板打来的电话."
"哦?" 女人停下动作,从旁边的架子上拿起毛巾擦了擦汗,接过电话,笑着说道,"这个点了?我爸不是早就睡了吗?"
电话那头传来一个沉稳而略带威严的男声:"洛洛啊,我和你说件事."
"爸,你说." 张洛的态度顿时收敛了一些,语气认真.
"你也知道,今年农历七月,鬼门开,我们张家要负责招待鬼差.今年,我想让你来主持."
张洛微微皱眉:"爸,我对道法的理解还不算太深,您确定让我主持?"
"放心,你该知道的仪式流程已经学了七八成了,其他的到时候会有人协助的." 张父语气不容置疑,"张家世代行阴阳之事,这次的仪式,不仅关乎家族的声誉,也关乎我们的阴德.你三天后回来准备,别耽误了."
"...好吧." 张洛点头答应,心里却莫名有种不安的预感.
她的术法主要偏向镇魂和雷法,招待鬼差这种事,按理说不该是她负责的,毕竟她对鬼差的习性了解有限.但既然是家族安排,她也只能硬着头皮上了.
她挂断电话,深吸了一口气,看向窗外的夜色,眼中闪过一丝思索.
时间转眼来到一周后,林远的案件似乎变成了悬案.
警方虽然调取了那晚的监控,但结果却令人失望,监控录像在关键时刻损坏,根本拍不到林远死亡前的情况.而那位记者的死因也被警方归类为悬案 ,种种迹象表明,幕后黑手已经开始清除一切可能暴露的信息.
林远对此十分不爽:"md,到底是谁动的手脚?"
潘洁无奈地耸了耸肩,她最近比林远还要头痛,因为...
她的阴阳眼彻底解封了.
一开始她只是偶尔能看到一些模糊的影子,但这两天,所有东西都变得清晰无比.路边的孤魂野鬼,医院里的游荡亡魂,甚至有些怨气深重的厉鬼,都能一览无遗.
更可怕的是,她发现那些鬼也能看到她了!
每次走在路上,她都能感觉到有些游魂在盯着自己,甚至还有小鬼跟在她后面嘀嘀咕咕,说她阳气不稳,适合 "借住" 之类的恐怖话语.
潘洁和林远打算再去找找伟叔,刚走到警局门口,突然,她感到后背一阵发凉,仿佛被什么东西盯上了.
她下意识地往后瞥了一眼,只见不远处,两名身穿长袍的男子正朝他们缓缓走来.
左边那人一身黑袍,头戴乌纱帽,脸色阴沉,手中提着一把黑色锁链.右边那人则是一身白袍,帽上写着 "一见生财" 四个大字,脸上带着诡异的微笑.
潘洁眼皮狂跳,心里顿时冒出一个念头.
黑白无常?!
她猛地往左走了一步,结果那两人也同时往左走一步.
她又往右走了两步,他们也跟着走了两步.
潘洁低声问道:"你说... 他们是不是来抓你的?"
林远也有些警惕,但还是强行镇定地说:"乱讲,我都没犯错,他们抓什么抓."
然而话音未落,那两人身影一晃,竟瞬间出现在他们面前,黑无常冷冷地盯着林远:"没道理,你这样的恶鬼还能保持理智,奇了怪了."
林远立刻换上一副笑脸:"两位大人,我可是遵纪守法的良好鬼民,不害人,小的只是和这位潘女士合作,想查出害死我的人而已."
黑无常冷哼一声:"生人事生人管,你一个恶鬼哪能插手生人事?"
白无常也淡淡地说道:"你还是和我们下去吧,免得坏了规矩."
潘洁被吓得脸色发白,正想说些什么,忽然她注意到黑白无常对视了一眼,白无常小声对黑无常说道:"这恶鬼感觉不一般,你看他身上隐约散发出功德之力."
事实上,九重适当地在林远身上,散发出了一点功德之力,虽微弱,但足以让黑白无常感知到.
黑无常沉思片刻,最终缓缓说道:"... 你的事,我们可以不管,但若扰乱因果,乱杀无辜,到时候就别怪我们不客气了."
林远立刻点头哈腰:"是是是,小的一定踏踏实实,只找害死我的人,绝不乱杀无辜!"
白无常盯着他,缓缓道:"记住你的誓言."
说完,两人身影一晃,便消失在空气之中,仿佛从未存在过.
林远松了一口气,扭头看向潘洁,正准备调侃她几句,结果看到她脸色苍白,整个人缩在墙角,瑟瑟发抖.
林远忍不住笑道:"喂,你别笑,刚刚你也不是在一旁抖个不停?"
潘洁猛地瞪了他一眼,牙齿打颤地骂道:"md,我是活人好不好?哪见过黑白无常?!你这种鬼都被警告了,我不怕才有鬼了!"
林远摊手:"这不没事吗?"
潘洁扶着额头,无奈地叹了口气:"算了,赶紧去警局吧,我今天已经被吓够了."
"放心,我感觉,接下来还有更刺激的." 林远笑道.
潘洁:"..."