Judge of Souls-Chapter 20 - Announcement

That night, all relevant personnel gathered in Lu Quan’s hospital room, including various school leaders and the remaining students on the list. Several fellow Taoist priests were also called to come and wait.

Chu Xuanliang and Officer Ye sat in the only two chairs in the room, while others stood in corners, each holding a yellow talisman.

They had specifically requested the hospital to provide a large ward, but with limited space, it became quite cramped after twenty-some people squeezed in.

Several middle-aged men were actually somewhat afraid – anyone would be unsettled being targeted by a ghost. But with five or six Taoist priests around, they weren’t completely panicked. Still, they were restless, their eyes constantly scanning between people around them, wanting to leave this place quickly.

Huang Yu was studying that piece of white paper.

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Officer Ye tapped the table and said, “Since we still have time, everyone, let’s talk.”

Everyone looked toward the principal in the corner. The man, already past sixty, stepped forward and said, “It was Professor Wu Zhiwei who rejected her graduation thesis. I don’t understand why she’s directing her anger at us.”

“This isn’t about the thesis anymore – she’s here for revenge,” said Officer Ye. “Do you know what revenge means? She didn’t commit suicide – she was murdered.”

Lu Meng, shrunk in her wheelchair, twitched upon hearing this.

The principal frowned. “What murder?”

The school administration truly hadn’t known about the murder before, otherwise they wouldn’t have handled things this way. They were already somewhat dissatisfied with Lu Quan’s actions, but never imagined he could commit murder.

Suddenly, angry glares were directed at the person on the hospital bed whose face was now barely recognizable.

The principal said seriously, “We didn’t know about this! If there’s a murder case and the police have evidence, we’re happy to cooperate with the investigation.”

“It wasn’t him, it was Lu Meng,” said Chu Xuanliang. “Who did it isn’t the key issue right now. The revenge between Lu Quan and Lu Meng – she considers that settled. What really angered her was all of you – you’re the ones who drove her away today. I suggest you make the incident public and apologize. That’s the best way to resolve this.”

“Why?” The principal’s tone was firm, without a hint of weakness. “This has nothing to do with A University. Her grudge is unreasonable. She was the one causing trouble at school first – what’s wrong with us finding Taoist priests to exorcise ghosts?”

Chu Xuanliang: “The harassment incident…”

Principal: “It was harassment.”

Chu Xuanliang nodded. “The harassment incident happened at school, and the student’s death also occurred at school.”

“The school isn’t a prison. Both teachers and students are free. The administration certainly can’t know everything that happens at school – some oversights are inevitable.”

“She submitted a report to the school.”

“That was Vice Dean Lu Quan’s personal matter.”

Several school leaders said together. “Indeed, this is a personal conduct issue. When we handled it, we judged based on student testimonies.”

“Moreover, for harassment-type incidents without absolute evidence, it’s difficult for the school to handle. So regarding Ma Shiluo and Lu Quan, we didn’t issue any punishments, but rather suggested both parties reconcile.”

“As for the delayed graduation, that was also Wu Zhiwei and Lu Quan’s personal actions. The school can’t possibly monitor every student’s thesis.”

“Exactly.”

“Besides, what’s the real truth now? The police have no evidence, none of us do – who knows if this might be another malicious smear campaign?”

A graduate student nearby spoke up. “Before the accusations, it was clearly the school and Lu Quan who guided us to do this! This kind of filthy business wasn’t the first time – how could you possibly not know!”

“May I ask how did the school guide you? Did we promise you any benefits or give you any guarantees? We can’t convict a renowned academic professor just based on some students’ testimonies, can we? Similar tragedies have happened before. Whose life isn’t a life? On this point, the school is like the police – we only accept concrete evidence.”

Chu Xuanliang: “So the school decides not to apologize?”

“Before there’s absolute evidence, what should we apologize for? To avoid danger to ourselves? For the correct direction of public opinion? Apologize and then take responsibility for something that’s not ours? Is that what a good university should do?” the principal asked. “The only thing I would apologize for is to student Ma Shiluo, for not being able to spend a happy and healthy youth at A University. I deeply regret the loss of a vibrant life.”

Taoist Feng nodded beside him.

Many times they couldn’t judge the right and wrong of things, not even Taoist priests could.

They were all ordinary people – what right did an ordinary person have to judge the rights and wrongs of human nature?

Chu Xuanliang was speechless. Even now they maintained their superior attitude looking down on everyone – he couldn’t think of how to respond.

At this moment, the wall clock turned to nine.

“The wind’s picking up,” Chu Xuanliang looked outside and said, “She’s here.”

As soon as he spoke, everyone tensed up.

Sure enough, a strong wind blew outside, with the rustling sound of scattered leaves mixed in the howling.

The tightly locked window was suddenly opened, and a slim figure appeared out of nowhere outside the fourth-floor window.

Seeing a ghost in person was still unbearable.

Several middle-aged men felt sudden anxiety, huddling together without regard for appearance, moving closer to the Taoist priests in the room.

Ma Shiluo showed a cold smile. “When you go to hell, will you know how to write the word ‘wrong’?”

Taoist Feng stepped forward, pulled out a talisman and shouted. “Form ranks!”

Ma Shiluo spread her five claws and rushed into the room, chasing after the principal in the crowd.

The principal had nowhere to dodge, and someone even gave him a small push from behind. The principal immediately felt sharp pain in his temples, like his head was about to explode.

” —-Ma Shiluo”

Ma Shiluo heard a distant voice calling her name. However, she couldn’t pay attention to much else now. In the cramped room stood five or six Taoist priests. Apart from Chu Xuanliang and Huang Yu who were temporarily observing and protecting people by the bed, the other priests kept throwing talismans at her.

” —-Ma Shiluo”

Taoist Feng drew the final line on the ground, three people each stood at one point, throwing out Iron Fortress talismans, trying to trap Ma Shiluo in the middle.

“Heaven is vast, Earth is vast, Heaven is spiritual, Earth is spiritual, this disciple respectfully requests the great Lu Ban, foremost teacher, to set up the Iron Fortress, with no form visible in all directions……”

Ma Shiluo’s finger stopped an inch from the principal’s nose, as if hitting an extremely hard iron plate, unable to advance another step. Her extended nail also broke off a section.

She watched the principal stumble away just one step away from her reach, backing up against the door. She frantically scratched at the energy wall in front of her, hatefully opening her mouth to reveal her sharp teeth.

“Command!” Taoist Feng threw out a golden talisman, but Chu Xuanliang promptly pressed down his hand.

Taoist Feng’s spell was interrupted. He urgently said, “Taoist Chu? What are you doing!”

Chu Xuanliang said, “Let’s talk like this first.”

“Can she give up revenge?”

Ma Shiluo’s eyes welled up with blood tears as she roared, “I won’t!”

—-“Ma Shiluo!”

Taoist Feng said, “I won’t kill her. But leaving her outside is too dangerous now. Better to suppress her under the Six Direction Divine Statue to slowly reflect and resolve. After her enemies die, we can release her.”

As he spoke, he pinched the talisman again and started chanting.

Just as the talisman was about to touch Ma Shiluo, an intense golden light appeared in the room, blocking all magic power around her and violently bouncing it back.

The old Taoist sensed something wrong and quickly withdrew his power, but his chest still couldn’t avoid being struck back. A sweet bloody taste immediately rose from his throat.

The appearance of that golden light was like a stone dropping into water – an intense energy wave instantly exploded in the room. Everyone was hit by this energy wave, pressed densely to the ground.

“What the…” Officer Ye sat up from the overturned chair, “What’s going on?”

He was still relatively better off, having hidden further inside and not participating in their ghost-catching event. The Taoist masters were truly hit hard. Fortunately, the people against the wall cushioned their impact, giving them some buffer.

Moans of pain were continuous.

Officer Ye asked, “Where’s Ma Shiluo?”

Chu Xuanliang held his head as he searched. “Gone?”

Ma Shiluo lifted her head to find herself out of the hospital, in some small house she didn’t recognize.

Before her floated a tall spirit wearing purple robes and a golden crown.

“Judge?” Ma Shiluo knelt before him, unable to express her grievances, turning over and over, she complained, “Divine Lord, please tell me! Why can people like them live to old age, while I who did nothing wrong died unjustly, and it’s still my fault!”

Judge: “This lord called you just now, why didn’t you respond?”

“He was clearly wrong, yet spoke so lightly, as if my life, or my death, my existence, was just something trivial.” Ma Shiluo’s fingers gripped tightly, saying resentfully, “I lived so hard, what right does he have to treat me with that attitude!”

The Judge paused. “When this lord asks you questions, why don’t you answer properly?”

Ma Shiluo: “……”

The Judge sighed helplessly, raised his hand and drew a circle in the air. In the circular light screen appeared a glimpse of A University’s campus.

The sky had turned dark, but a group of students still blocked the school gate. They held signs, shone lights, some were eating late-night snacks. Some had even brought out their quilts.

They hadn’t let her down.

Zhang Yangyang pointed to his back and said, “Give me some BGM! A University doesn’t sleep tonight!”

“Which one?”

“Justice Bao!”

“Who has the key to the broadcast station?”

“Don’t make it hard for them. If the school wants to punish someone, this batch of people will be the first targets. Don’t you have phones?”

Ma Shiluo suddenly laughed. She raised her hand to wipe her face.

What a bunch of crazy people.

The Judge withdrew the light screen and said, “If you want to settle scores with your enemies, you’ll never win, because they don’t believe what they did was evil in their hearts. But if you say there’s no justice in this world, that’s not entirely true. There are people who feel indignant and angry on your behalf.”

“It’s not that your life is trivial, it’s just that in some people’s eyes, except for their own lives, everyone else’s is trivial. Why do you want to occupy such importance in these people’s hearts?”

Ma Shiluo quietly sniffled. Then found it somewhat amusing.

The Judge held the Register of Merits and Demerits in one hand and asked, “How do you want to take revenge? Do you want to kill them?”

Ma Shiluo lowered her head, fell into memories, and finally said, “No.”

“Before I was seven, I lived a life of extravagance. Could have whatever I wanted to buy. When I was seven, my father committed suicide due to bankruptcy and debt, then my mother couldn’t bear the pressure and also committed suicide, leaving only me behind.”

“He once told me that people should take responsibility for themselves, but he died without settling anything. After his death, the responsibilities didn’t disappear – they were just transferred to others. I’ve thought about this my whole life. Death is just an escape, it’s not a punishment. There’s never anything in this world that ends with death.”

Ma Shiluo raised her head, facing the Judge and shouted, “I want them to live on! To apologize for their mistakes, to regret, to atone! I want them to live and endure torment! Isn’t that spotless exterior what they value most? I want to let the world see their true faces, let them be ruined, let them live the rest of their lives like rats in the street!”

The Judge wrote several lines in the Register of Merits and Demerits, recording all the events.

His right hand was empty – he still wasn’t quite used to it.

After Ma Shiluo finished speaking, she quietly waited for him to speak.

The Judge closed the Register of Merits and Demerits, raised his hand and waved lightly, and a golden light fell on the female ghost’s chest.

Ma Shiluo picked it up and found it was a small palm-sized tablet.

Ma Shiluo asked, “What is this?”

“The Judge’s Command.” The Judge said, “This lord allows you to go take your revenge. Just these few people.”

Ma Shiluo confirmed the few names in the air – they were exactly the school leaders who had shirked responsibility in the hospital earlier. Plus Lu Meng who took her life, and Lu Quan who was behind everything. As for the several students who had turned back from their misguided ways, a note was made in the Register of Merits and Demerits.

She held the tablet in her hand, carefully peering at the Judge, not daring to believe as she asked, “So I can go?”

“Mm.” The Judge nodded, “This lord will send you on your way.”

****

In the hospital room, everyone sat on the ground, finally catching their breath.

The principal said weakly, “Thank you, Taoist.”

“Don’t thank me.” Taoist Feng had a serious face, “It’s not over yet, we don’t know who took her away just now.”

Chu Xuanliang held his chest, moving away from those people with Officer Ye, silently spitting blood in his heart.

Another Taoist priest said, “Let’s prepare first, she probably won’t come back right away, but everyone should still be careful.”

Just as he finished speaking, as if to contradict him, a bright voice rang out. “I’m back!”

Everyone immediately tensed up, looking vigilantly toward the window.

Ma Shiluo appeared again in that familiar position, her tone unable to hide its lightness. “Heh, a bunch of mortals.”