Following the direction of the ghosts' dissipating aura, I quickened my pace. After walking about two hundred meters, I emerged from a pine forest to find a large pit ahead, resembling an abandoned mine. The pit was devoid of vegetation, but the excavated parts revealed substances of red and yellow hues, somewhat like rust.
The ghosts were clearly within the pit, but their auras, while not entirely vanished, were so scattered and formless that their numbers were impossible to discern. Could it be magnetite? For only magnetite could possibly interfere with the ghosts' magnetic fields.
I pulled out my phone and, as expected, the signal was extremely unstable. I walked into the mine pit, unbuckled my belt, and tested various spots with the metal buckle. Indeed, magnetic force was present in some areas.
I began to understand why they could evade the Yin Messengers' arrest and remain in the mortal realm. When Yin Messengers arrived, they too would be affected by this strong magnetic field, rendering them unable to carry out arrests. These ghosts occupying this place were akin to Song Jiang and his band occupying Water Margin, where no matter how strong the government or how many soldiers were dispatched, they would be rendered useless here.
However, I was a living Yin Messenger. My body might also be affected by the strong magnetic field, but I felt no physical discomfort or adverse effects.
It was strange. Why were they unaffected?
That wasn't entirely true. Their auras were indeed affected and had fragmented. But since they had deliberately fled here, it meant they undoubtedly had a way to reassemble their scattered auras.
I returned to the edge of the pit, hands on my hips, and shouted loudly, "I am a living man, unafraid of your ghostly haunt! You have nowhere to run! Whoever is in charge, come out and speak, or I will immediately drag you all to the Underworld!"
After speaking, I raised my Soul-Reaping Token to scare them. As for how to actually reap souls, truthfully, Xie Bi'an had never taught me, and I didn't know how. I could only try and see.
Unexpectedly, my words had an effect. Soon, a blurry figure floated out of the pit, slowly forming a human shape before my eyes. It was an indistinct, wavering humanoid form, that of a middle-aged man.
"Please, great one, have mercy!" the man said, cupping his fists.
"I am not here specifically to arrest you," I said, putting away the Soul-Reaping Token and speaking frankly. "I only wish to understand the situation. As ghosts, you should have the awareness to enter the Underworld. Why do you linger here, unwilling to reincarnate?"
The middle-aged man observed me cautiously for a long moment. I guessed he was assessing my strength, trying to determine if I could pose a threat to him.
"Brother, I am a straightforward person. I'll give you only one chance. If you don't speak, I will report this situation directly to His Highness the Junior King of Hell. Do you think the combined might of the Yin Messenger's office cannot eradicate your group of minor ghosts?"
"Hmph, you, a mere banner official..."
"Moshi moshi, please connect me to His Highness the Junior King of Hell. Thank you." I directly pressed the switch.
"Certainly, Lord Wu. Please wait a moment."
The middle-aged man's ethereal face showed a slight change, but he still chose to wait.
"Why are you calling me again?" came the Junior King of Hell's languid voice.
"I'm in Lvshun, investigating a case as ordered. I stumbled upon a group of wandering spirits. Should I apprehend them?"
"Ah, apprehend them. It's such a minor matter, why don't you ask Xie Bi'an?"
"This group of wild ghosts seems rather formidable," I said with a cold laugh. "Your Highness, if I wished to borrow troops from you, would you lend them?"
"How many?" the Junior King of Hell asked.
"Not too many, just send all eight great Yin Messenger commanders." I smiled.
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man immediately made a gesturing motion with his hands.
"Is that necessary?" the Junior King of Hell asked.
"Mmm... They overheard our conversation and have surrendered." I replied.
"Damn it, you audacious ghost, daring to resist arrest! Where are you? I'll come over right now!" The Junior King of Hell, with his exceptional emotional intelligence and cunning, immediately put on a show of support.
Terrified, the middle-aged man knelt to the ground with a thud.
"They've come to their senses, Your Highness. You rest, I'll handle it. If we can avoid annihilating them, let's keep them. You're short on personnel over there, aren't you? That's all, goodbye." I said.
"Alright, if you can't handle it, find me again."