Chapter 4

The scene before him was filled with ragged refugees, most of whom bore terrible burns, their agonized screams echoing incessantly. The surroundings were deplorable, not far from being a cesspool of filth and excrement. This was what Chi Shangzhen saw.

Chi Shangzhen and the group of refugees spent nearly a day traveling to the refugee relief center in the border city of Okayama Prefecture, Kibi. As he had expected, the environment was dirty and chaotic, but there was no help for it. After all, Japan had just been ravaged by the Western devils, so one couldn't expect much in terms of relief conditions.

However, the dirty and chaotic environment was not the most important issue. What mattered was that Chi Shangzhen detected a sky-high aura of resentment and death above the refugee camp. Since he had been reborn into this body, he discovered he had the ability to see spirits. Normally, he appeared normal, but once there were ghosts, resentment, or negative energies, his eyes would feel a burning sensation. Focusing his spiritual energy, he could clearly see the existence of these entities. The current environment, with its overwhelming resentment and ghostly aura, made Chi Shangzhen feel that the situation in the relief center was far from optimistic.

Initially, when Chi Shangzhen emerged from the basement, he thought that with such a massive disaster in Hiroshima Prefecture, there should be ghosts everywhere and a deep aura of yin. However, he found no ghosts, only a lot of resentment. He initially thought that the ghost officials were diligent, which is why the area was so clean. After further investigation, he realized it wasn't what he had thought. As for whether there was an underworld, Chi Shangzhen speculated that...

The current Earth's surface had no trace of elemental energy. Ghosts, in simple terms, are energy and spiritual aggregates. Newly formed ghosts usually lack consciousness (though there are some exceptions), and most require a long time to develop awareness and thought. Before they develop consciousness, they act on instinct, usually seeking out weak and blood-depleted individuals to possess, as only such people can be approached by these new ghosts. Vigorous adults would disperse them. Despite most new ghosts lacking consciousness, they still seek to avoid danger and find safety. Why do these new ghosts possess weak and blood-depleted individuals?

This is because the current Earth has no energy at all. To survive, these ghosts must find a way to live off living humans. Without energy to replenish themselves, they usually can't last more than seven days. Since these ghosts don't live long, one might ask why the Earth's population is still so large.

Most of the souls of newborns are formed by absorbing the essence of their parents and being nurtured in the mother's womb. (Adults should know that sexual activity is very draining, leaving one exhausted afterward due to the loss of vital energy. Pregnant women need to supplement their bodies, not just physically but also to replenish the spiritual will lost by the mother, as most of the soul and true spirit of newborns come from the mother.) A small number are lucky new ghosts that possess the bodies of newborns in the womb before they develop consciousness.

As Chi Shangzhen looked at the resentment and ghostly aura in the sky, Yamada Kumaichi, who had come to the relief center with him, bowed forward and asked, "What should we do now, sir? Should we go register and get some tents to stay in? And they're about to serve food."

He even swallowed hard. Yamada Kumaichi and his group had only eaten a hard biscuit given by Chi Shangzhen the day before and hadn't eaten since. They didn't dare ask Chi Shangzhen for more. That's why Yamada Kumaichi mentioned the upcoming meal.

Most of the refugees who had come with Chi Shangzhen dispersed upon arriving at the relief center. Why "most"? Because some stayed. Those who stayed were Yamada Kumaichi and the five strong men. They expressed their willingness to follow Chi Shangzhen. Chi Shangzhen was somewhat surprised and asked why. The answers varied, but in summary, they had no home, Japan was at war, and finding food was difficult. They felt that following a respected yin-yang master would ensure they wouldn't starve and had a bright future, willing to serve him faithfully.

Chi Shangzhen, having just arrived in Japan, especially in 1945, was unfamiliar with various matters. Having a few rural followers was not a big deal, just a matter of providing them with food. In 1945, a new Japanese soldier earned 5.5 yen a month, and farmers earned even less. For Chi Shangzhen, with over a million yen in cash, giving his followers a few yen a month was easy. So, he agreed to their allegiance, and the six of them solemnly knelt and swore their loyalty (loyalty and allegiance were highly valued in Japan at the time). Chi Shangzhen also inquired about their backgrounds. Yamada Kumaichi was 22, and the five men were not much older, appearing older due to years of labor. They were Migorou (24), Kojima Masahiro (25), Koi Tetsu (26), Inoue Koji (27), and Miura Masahiro (28). Chi Shangzhen told them he would provide them with a monthly allowance: 4.5 yen for Yamada Kumaichi and 4 yen for the others. This made the six of them extremely grateful. They had only hoped to have enough food, but the respected yin-yang master was even providing them with a monthly allowance, making them even more respectful and cautious, fearing they might anger Chi Shangzhen. After all, life in Japan was tough, and such good treatment was rare.

"Let's register first. After all, we are refugees now. If you're hungry, you can eat something."

He then took out a few hard biscuits from his pocket and gave them to Yamada Kumaichi to distribute. Despite being hungry, Yamada Kumaichi hesitated, as their master hadn't eaten yet. Just as he was about to refuse, Chi Shangzhen suddenly heard a commotion from the crowd.

"Another one died, and it's the same way. It's terrifying. Do you think it's the work of ghosts or gods?"

"I think it's possible. After all, so many people died in Hiroshima Prefecture. It must be the work of ghosts or gods. It's not safe here. Maybe I should leave!"

Hearing this, Chi Shangzhen immediately understood what was happening. It must be a ghost causing harm. Without further ado, he shoved the biscuits into Yamada Kumaichi's hand and walked away, saying, "Let's go see what's happening over there. There must be a problem."

Seeing Chi Shangzhen walk away, Yamada Kumaichi and the others quickly followed, eating as they walked, as they were hungry.

Yamashita Akira's face turned pale as he looked at the four people who had died today. Their deaths were almost identical to those of the previous days, all with smiles on their faces. Seeing such bizarre corpses, Yamashita Akira felt a chill. The first death didn't concern him much, as it was normal for people to die in such a disaster. But the subsequent deaths, with the same expressions, made him think deeply.

Yamashita Akira, a local official from a common background, was in charge of the relief center in Okayama Prefecture. The Western devils' atomic bomb had caused massive civilian casualties, and the relief mission was highly valued by the higher-ups, with the Emperor himself giving instructions. Yamashita Akira took the task very seriously. If it were just a few normal deaths, he wouldn't be so concerned, but these deaths reminded him of a scene from his childhood village.

Back then, people in his village kept dying in bizarre ways. Eventually, the village head invited a yin-yang master to stop the deaths. Later, Yamashita Akira heard that it was the work of ghosts. People possessed by ghosts usually died in bizarre ways. This incident had always stayed with him, making him realize that not everything in the world could be explained by science, and there were mysterious forces beyond the reach of ordinary people.