Thirst.
An unparalleled thirst.
Yin Yang felt as if his throat were a parched desert; no amount of water would be enough.
He rushed straight to the water vat in his home and scooped up a large ladle of cold water, drinking greedily while ignoring the strange looks from his family.
Gulp. Gulp.
The cold water spilled from the corners of his mouth, soaking his blood-stained clothes.
It was only after drinking nearly half the vat that he began to feel a little better.
“Hmm? Dad, Mom, where are you going?”
Yin Yang’s gaze shifted toward the door, where Yin Ming and his wife were cautiously trying to slip away.
Caught by his voice, the two of them couldn't help but tremble, their faces turning deathly pale.
“Aren't you happy I’m back?”
At those words, cold sweat beaded on their foreheads. His father’s legs were knocking together in terror.
The grin on Yin Yang’s face grew wider and wider.
“Or rather, are you afraid of me?”
As he spoke, a light breeze blew in from outside, lifting the hem of his shirt.
Revealed beneath were dense rows of surgical sutures covering Yin Yang’s abdomen, looking like hideous centipedes crawling over his skin!
His father collapsed to the floor with a thud, a large wet patch spreading across his crotch.
“W-we didn't want to! We thought if we sold you, you’d live a better life! We really didn't know they would use you as a sacrifice!”
Beside him, the mother also knelt on the ground, tears and snot streaming down her face.
“Yes, if we had known they would cut out your internal organs, we never would have sold you, no matter what.”
“Yang, I loved you most when you were little.”
“You’ve been dead for thirteen years. Why did you have to come back?”
“Please, I beg you, spare us!”
“Please!!!”
Yin Yang’s grin stretched even further.
“Don't worry, Mom. I don't blame you. If you hadn't sold me, I wouldn't have had the chance to become a transcendent.”
“But... why didn't my little brother have to be sold?”
“Why is he using the money from my sale to go to school?”
“Is it because he’s your biological son?”
The smile on Yin Yang’s face was eerie. Those soulful, almond-shaped eyes that usually looked at even a dog with deep affection were now filled only with madness.
“A family should all be together, right?”
“Mom.”
Hearing this, Yin Ming and his wife fell into deeper despair. His mother kowtowed repeatedly.
“Please, don't hurt him! He’s just a child! He’s still just a child!”
Yin Yang laughed uncontrollably, yet tears unknowingly wetted the beauty mark at the corner of his eye.
“Mom.”
“Back then... I was only six years old.”
...
Wangduan City.
The Mortuary.
“Yin Yang, what are you daydreaming for?”
“You must stay focused during an autopsy. This is the greatest respect we can show the deceased!”
“Yes, Teacher.”
“Don't call me teacher! You are just an apprentice!”
“Yes, Mr. Xu.”
Yin Yang complied, pulling on his gloves to begin examining the corpse.
Beside him, another chubby apprentice rolled his eyes secretly, but when Yin Yang started the examination, he dutifully picked up a pen to record the findings.
“The body was flayed after a sharp instrument was used to make an incision from the neck down to the pubic symphysis.”
“A corrosive agent was likely used on the limbs. The superficial fascia retains some traces of corroded muscle tissue.”
“There are superficial sharp-force injuries on the bone. Preliminary judgment suggests the body was dismantled using a light, sharp blade.”
“Based on the shape of the wounds, it should be an extremely sharp scalpel.”
As he spoke, Yin Yang reached into the human skin, flipping it over to inspect the underside.
“Corrosive chemicals were definitely used. There's a faint scent of black fire; it was likely Wanzhao Potion. That potion can consume muscle without damaging fat or skin.”
“However, there are still some remnants of muscle tissue on this skin. It seems the dosage used wasn't very high.”
“Am I correct, sir?”
“Mhm.”
The old man nearby rose from his chair, a handkerchief pressed firmly against his nose.
“Xiao Zhe.”
“Present.”
“Give me the records.”
“Here.”
The chubby apprentice handed the records to the old man. The man casually signed his name before speaking.
“Deliver this to Lord Mei in a moment. You know what to say, right?”
“Don't worry.”
The old man stood up and hurried out of the mortuary, his eyes full of disdain.
Once he was far enough away, Xiao Zhe spat on the ground.
“Who does he think he’s fooling?”
“If it weren't for Yin Yang these past two years, would a miserable wretch like him have ever become a Sequence 8?”
“A Coroner who wears a sharp suit every day, using handkerchiefs and perfume... has he forgotten what he looked like when he used to cut open bodies himself?”
Still feeling frustrated, he spat twice more toward the door before stopping.
Yin Yang acted as if he hadn't heard a word, walking over to the faucet to wash his gloves.
“What about you? When do you plan to start practicing?”
The chubby boy’s expression froze at the question, and he slumped his shoulders dejectedly.
“I haven't decided if I want to promote yet.”
“Oh?”
Yin Yang rinsed his gloves and placed them in the sterilization cabinet to dry, looking surprised.
“Why? Didn't you tell me before that your family had already prepared the promotion potion for you?”
Xiao Zhe grew even more hesitant.
“Yeah, but you know I only became a transcendent because of an accident.”
“To be honest, I’m not ready to become a Coroner.”
“Dealing with corpses every day... wouldn't my youth be ruined? What girl would ever want me then?”
“Besides, I heard the Coroner pathway only goes up to Sequence 6 at most.”
Yin Yang looked at him speechlessly.
“No kidding. How many complete pathways are there anyway? If you wanted a complete pathway, you should have joined the authorities. They have three of them.”
Xiao Zhe’s expression soured even further.
“I was framed. My bastard of an older brother was afraid I’d fight him for the family inheritance, so he drugged me. I ended up becoming a Sequence 9 Corpse Bearer by mistake!”
“How could someone who reeks of death ever become the head of a family?”
Xiao Zhe adjusted his emotions before continuing.
“Speaking of which, Yin Yang, why are you working here as an apprentice? With your knowledge, you could earn much more anywhere else.”
“Don't tell me you want to become a Coroner too? But I remember you aren't a transcendent.”
“Hey, seriously, if you want to become a Corpse Bearer, I can get the potion ready for you. All you have to do is call me Big Brother Xiao.”
Yin Yang chuckled and shook his head, pushing the human skin on the table back into the cold storage.
“I wouldn't dare dream of it. With my background, I couldn't afford the subsequent potions in this lifetime.”
“I’ll just stick to being a normal person.”
Xiao Zhe sighed.
“I’m not worried about the cost; I’m just afraid of the backlash.”
“Do you remember how the last apprentice died?”
Yin Yang froze for a moment, the memory involuntarily resurfacing.
That thin, small apprentice had, right in front of Yin Yang and Xiao Zhe, flayed himself bit by bit as a sacrifice to an evil god.
Rate on N.U.
