C5 Zhang Zijin of Dead Shallows

The designated meeting place was known as Dead Shallows.

Lin Xiaoqiang had never come across the name before.

Despite being a long-time resident, this was unfamiliar territory to him.

Curiosity piqued, he entered the name into his GPS and, to his surprise, it actually existed.

Rumor had it that the site was a mass grave for thousands.

Many claimed that countless souls were buried there, though the truth was murky. By the time he was born, the area had been leveled with dirt.

Now called Dead Shallows, he wondered if a shift in climate had brought other changes as well.

Lost in thought, he stoked the fire, adding two logs to the stove and feeling the warmth spread. The quilt was spread out, ready for his return to sleep after completing the upcoming mission.

Patience was key in his line of work—haste had no place in the business of killing.

Once everything was in order, he locked up and followed the GPS's directions.

Half an hour later, he had arrived.

Lin Xiaoqiang surveyed the area, noticing a lake glowing with an eerie red luminescence.

Oddly enough, the lake was unfrozen.

The water was a thick, red substance, reminiscent of plasma, complete with a metallic, blood-like odor.

Beside Dead Shallows stood a straw hut.

Inside, a young woman in red sat veiled, her face obscured.

Yet, there was an undeniable aura of beauty about her.

"You've arrived," she said, her voice chilling, as if echoing from a bygone era.

Lin Xiaoqiang instinctively assessed her combat potential.

But the monitor showed nothing—just a blank screen, which was unsettling.

The air was thick with an ominous vibe.

"Who is my target?"

"I don't kill the innocent," he stated.

A twinge of regret washed over Lin Xiaoqiang for having come to this place.

The girl let out a mocking laugh.

As she turned, her veil fluttered, revealing a glimpse of her stunning beauty—enough to topple empires.

She tossed him a portrait of a man in a suit.

"Tomorrow at noon, he'll be here, in my place. He's heading home and someone will come for him. He's committed unspeakable crimes here. You cannot let him leave."

"He'll arrive early, but the person picking him up will be fifteen minutes late. You've only got fifteen minutes," the girl explained in detail.

Lin Xiaoqiang found the situation intriguing. He attempted to assess the adversary's combat strength, but the screen remained blank.

He suspected a glitch in the system and decided to deal with it once he was home. There was still time.

Upon accepting the mission, he received an advance payment of ten catties of white flour and fifty iron coins before they went their separate ways.

The whole affair seemed peculiar to Lin Xiaoqiang, prompting him to visit Zhang Lili's house.

Zhang Lili hadn't gone to bed yet and was in the midst of storytelling.

Her heart raced at Lin Xiaoqiang's unexpected arrival.

In a sleepy haze, she asked, "Who's there?" Zhang Lili urged, "Go back to sleep, or the big hairy monkey will bite you."

And with that, she drifted off to sleep.

Zhang Lili emerged, her face flushed, her clothing misbuttoned, exposing a swath of pale skin.

She suspected Lin Xiaoqiang wasn't just being charitable with the white flour; surely, he wouldn't help them without expecting something in return.

But now he was back.

Men, she thought, were all alike. Yet, she couldn't help feeling a sense of anticipation.

He was two years her junior, robust and strong. Being with him might not be such a bad thing.

With that thought, she eased up and approached Lin Xiaoqiang with a beaming smile.

Unexpectedly, Lin Xiaoqiang remained seated, impassive, not sparing her a glance. He simply extended a drawing he had in his hand.

Lin Xiaoqiang was skilled at drawing, particularly at capturing the beauty of women.

Something about the woman he met earlier had struck him as odd, so he had sketched her from memory.

"Do you recognize this person?" Lin Xiaoqiang inquired.

As he looked up, he caught a glimpse of her fair skin, and a wave of heat washed over him.

He instinctively stepped back, yet the scent of her perfume lingered.

Zhang Lili's complexion blanched at the sight of the drawing.

"Where did you see her?" she asked, her eyes brimming with deep-seated fear.

Her expression was enough to unnerve Lin Xiaoqiang.

"Hey, what's going on? Don't frighten me; I'm not exactly brave," Lin Xiaoqiang said.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, but it seems you've been duped," Zhang Lili said, her face contorted with concern.

The girl in the painting was named Zhang Zijin. Back in 1937, she was just sixteen years old. By relation, Zhang Lili ought to refer to her as 'aunt.' Zhang Zijin's beauty was ethereal, so much so that the elders claimed she was blessed by the goddess herself. But that year, evil descended upon them.

The devil arrived in their village, encircling it completely. All the men were slaughtered. The women were spared only to serve as cooks for the invaders. The site of the massacre became known as the Ten Thousand People Pit. Amidst the chaos, Zhang Zijin was among the crowd, her face smeared with black ash, which concealed her from the captain's notice.

As the soldiers reveled in their drink, they demanded a performance from the young girls. That's when they discovered the stunning Zhang Zijin. She initially refused to sing for them, but the captain threatened to kill the entire village if she didn't comply. With no other choice, Zhang Zijin acquiesced.

Once she was dressed and the stage set, Zijin performed for the crowd. After the play, the captain insisted she join them for a drink. Zijin played along, "Be patient. I have some aged wine at home, saved for my wedding day. Today, you're in luck—I'll let you have a taste." She then presented thirty jars of sixteen-year-old Daughter's Red Wine.

The entire squadron drank and subsequently perished; Zijin had poisoned the wine. Following the incident, the burial site remained tainted until it was finally cleansed after liberation.

Now, you claim to have seen Aunt Zijin, which is quite peculiar. Lin Xiaoqiang shuddered at the tale. "In that case, I'll head home later and decline this job. It's too unsettling."

Zhang Lili nodded in agreement. "You're telling me—I'm spooked just talking about it. Maybe you should stay, give me some courage."

But Lin Xiaoqiang was adamant. "I'm scared too. I'm going home."

Seeing you only intensified his fear; the more he saw you, the more he longed for your aunt's presence.

Lin Xiaoqiang dashed home like a streak of smoke and bolted the door shut.

After hearing Zhang Lili out, it made sense that the equipment wouldn't display any content—these people were downright inhuman.

Given the situation, he decided to back out of the matter, admitting he was not up to the task.

So, he sent a private message to bow out of the job.

To his surprise, he received an immediate response. The other party insisted that the cause and effect were already set in stone. Reneging now would incur divine punishment, they warned, dooming him to be plagued by ghosts for life.