Stepping onto the Naihe Bridge, water flowed beneath it, but it was too turbid to discern its depth. It barely moved, resembling a ditch more than a river.
The arched bridge was high. Standing at its apex, the air here was thin, and the yellow fog lighter, allowing for a broader view. Little King Yama stood by a narrow railway track, waiting with his hands behind his back. Following the track, I saw a small train slowly approaching through the mist, resembling the ore carts used in underground mines. The carriages were bucket-shaped. As it drew closer, I realized the engine had no power (no wonder it was so quiet). Instead, two individuals in long cloth robes were propelling the small cart forward by pushing down one end of a seesaw-like mechanism. The train's speed was roughly that of a human jogging.
I descended the bridge with the judge and stood beside Little King Yama. The small train pulled up and stopped. The two "train drivers" bowed to Little King Yama. I noticed they were both gaunt, middle-aged men in their fifties or sixties, with sunken eyes and hollow cheeks. Their faces were made up, and I surmised this was how normal deceased spirits appeared after being kept at the funeral parlor for three days before burial, their faces having collapsed. The embalmers would then apply makeup to make them appear ruddy and as if merely sleeping, so their relatives wouldn't be too distressed.
Then, the underworld messengers had summoned their spirits to the netherworld, transforming them into this state.
The judge scurried over and opened the door of a bucket-shaped carriage. Little King Yama gracefully stepped in and sat on a small stool inside. I saw a line of faint characters on the carriage door, which I deciphered with effort as "Kailuan Coal Mine Shaft 4." I wondered how physical entities from the mortal realm were brought to the underworld.
The carriage was too small. After Little King Yama sat down, he occupied two-thirds of the space. The stout judge got into the second carriage, filling it completely. As I was about to board the third, I suddenly heard a commotion from the other side of the bridge!
"Oh no, Your Highness, the ginseng demon is attacking!" the stout judge exclaimed in alarm.
"Quick, move!" Little King Yama ordered immediately, turning to me, "Get in the carriage!"
I leaped over the small door and into the carriage. The two ghosts, resembling consumptives, began to push and pull the lever. However, their movements were too slow. Right in front of Little King Yama, she watched impatiently. She stood up, lifted her robes, stepped onto the front of the flatcar, and pushed one of the consumptive ghosts aside. She personally operated the lever, and the speed clearly increased. This caused the other consumptive ghost to fall behind her rhythm, and in his haste, he was struck in the chin by the rising lever, falling to the ground.
The stout judge also started to get up to help, but I grabbed his shoulder. "Old Cui, let me do it!"
I stood up, crossed two carriages, and leaped onto the platform. The platform was narrow. As I brushed past Little King Yama, our bodies inevitably made solid contact. To maintain my balance and avoid falling, I had to place my hands on her waist to reposition myself. Little King Yama, having her waist grabbed, perhaps because her waist was sensitive, shivered and arched her back, nearly shoving me off the carriage. I could only hold on tighter, increasing our contact area, using my sense of touch to feel her figure beneath her robes.
Hmm, she had a truly excellent figure—soft, supple, and firm. Even that quarter-second of contact was unforgettable. The only peculiar thing was how cold her body was, definitely below zero degrees, feeling like ice.
Moving to the other side, Little King Yama was still looking at me in surprise.
"Your Highness, what are you staring at! Hurry up and push!" I urged.
Working together, the small train's speed increased, giving the sensation of a rapid rush.
Finally, after some effort, we were far from the Naihe Bridge, and the commotion faded. I paused and activated my Qi-sensing technique. Indeed, the four of them had attacked the City God's Temple but were still fighting near the Naihe Bridge, not having crossed it. They were about a kilometer from my location.