The Nightmare Experience of a Useless Person

After the God of Life fell off the bridge, the Hope Tree trembled with anger, and even the Underworld, which was connected to the very end of the Hope Tree's roots, shook violently.

"Lord God, you've really put me in a terrible situation!" Shen Yu said anxiously, her fingers constantly twisting the hem of her clothes.

This oversight is likely a capital offense, no, she's already dead! Now, she's just a weak and small nightmare, will she be thrown into the Abyss of Dreams to be buried with the God of Life?

In an instant, those vengeful spirits with gaping maws appeared in her mind, devouring her scalding heart with her hot blood.

She forgot, she's not human anymore, she doesn't have a heart! Waaah, Shen Yu buried her head in the blankets, pretending to be an ostrich.

The blankets were soft and warm, and the heartless little girl, in this extremely awkward position, drifted off into a hazy sleep.

No, I need to stay alert at all times, but the blanket is so soft. Sigh, I'll think about it later. What punishment, what burial, I'll discuss it after I wake up...

Is she awake? No, her head is still spinning. But who's touching her back? Oh dear, I'm too lazy to move. One touch, hehe, another.

Feeling annoyed, Shen Yu shifted her body, loosening the blanket covering her head, and realized that the person was talking to her.

"...Be honest, is it so hard to be honest? Sigh, although you didn't do anything wrong, blame that Shinto priest. He usually seems so cold, but I didn't expect him to be so crazy, asking for death and dragging a spineless little girl down with him..."

Oh no! It seems to be Lord Hades! But, why is such a cold person muttering to himself? Should I still get up to greet him? But how do I explain this sudden change? Am I pretending to be asleep to eavesdrop on the Lord's confession? I'd be dead if I didn't die then. Oh well, I'll just play dead.

However, the Lord of the Underworld's mutterings didn't last long. Soon, she heard dragging footsteps. Had he left? Shen Yu secretly lifted a corner of the blanket.

It really was Lord of the Underworld, but... he was injured? His figure swayed, his steps were unsteady, and under his brand-new thin shirt, his tattered inner garment had not yet been removed. Shen Yu dared not make a sound as she watched him stagger away.

Who hurt him? Who dares to hurt him? But who can actually hurt him?

So... did Lord Hades take the punishment for her, this little shrimp? Even after being punished, he didn't even have time to change his clothes, just put on an outer robe, and came to see her... to appease the coward.

Thinking of this, Shen Yu felt a pang of sadness. She lifted the blanket and discovered a faint smell of burning and blood in the air.

But what's more noticeable is the fragrance of lotus.

So he deliberately took a detour to the lotus pond and stayed there for a while. Shen Yu wondered if he was afraid that the smell of blood would frighten her.

The strange smell, entering through her nose and penetrating deep into her chest, drove Shen Yu's heart into a gloomy corner. Perhaps, she really should be more obedient...

Guilt is like a chain tied around a puppy's neck; now it's tied around Shen Yu's neck, a chain she fastened herself.

So, for a long time afterward, Shen Yu was very busy, busy being honest, busy sleeping, busy trying to please the annoying guy, well, that's not right, she was busy befriending the Lord of the Underworld.

Thinking back to that deal with the God of Life, Shen Yu counted on her fingers, "Oh dear, I've been daydreaming. If I count again, almost a year has passed."

Actually, she really wanted to meet Jiang Zhiyang. After all, the Lord of Life and Wish was a god even more powerful than the Lord of the Underworld. What kind of person would she be that she couldn't let go of?

When Shen Yu arrived in the human world, Rongcheng was just entering summer, and even the night breeze carried a hint of warmth.

Shen Yu wandered aimlessly through the streets of Rongcheng, looking at the tightly closed doors of every house, feeling somewhat disappointed.

I don't know what the God of Life was thinking. Although the Nightmare has a way to return to the human world, he can only act at night. With all the doors closed so tightly, how can he find anyone?

Wait a minute, Shen Yu tapped her head. Rongcheng's outskirts, what was she looking for in Rongcheng?

The shops were closed and the stalls were packed up. Shen Yu strolled aimlessly, only to find a man sitting under the pavilion by the river.

Is he blind? The man had a silk cloth tied over his eyes and was using a cane. Whose grandfather was out enjoying the cool evening air instead of going home in the middle of the night?

As Shen Yu approached, she realized that the man was not an old man at all. In fact, he had a handsome face and fair skin, but his white hair and worried expression had led her to mistake him for an old man.

"Why aren't you home yet?" Having dealt with spirits and ghosts so often, it was a bit strange to chat with a living person, so Shen Yu took the initiative to speak.

"Oh, I'm waiting for the city gate to open." He wasn't startled at all, as if he had already sensed someone approaching.

Shen Yu sat down beside the old man, keeping a little distance. "What time is it now? Are we waiting for the city gates to open?"

"I..." The old man thought for a moment, then smiled, "It's all the same."

The two fell silent for a while. Shen Yu gazed at the river, where a moon floated.

After a long silence, the old man spoke, "And you? Why aren't you home?"

"I..." This time it was Shen Yu's turn to stammer, "I ran away from home."

Upon hearing this answer, the person turned their head in surprise, their mouth slightly open, but they didn't say anything.

Shen Yu saw that when the man turned his head, his light hair fluttered, and the pale moonlight illuminated his profile. His features were distinct and his eyebrows were like a painting. He was neither an old man nor a little old man, but a handsome and extraordinary young man.

The young master's clothes were thin, which added to his frail appearance.

"Then may I ask you for someone?" He reached into his clothes and pulled out a yellowed piece of drawing paper.

On the drawing paper was a pretty girl with delicate features, but the brushstrokes were a bit clumsy, making the person seem both familiar and unfamiliar. Shen Yu sat closer and her heart suddenly trembled.

"Her name is Yu Qingjun, but that's not her real name. She comes from a wealthy family; she's a young lady from a prominent household. A year ago, she married a top scholar in the imperial examinations, and after the marriage, she moved north with her husband's family. Do you know her?"

The story is unfamiliar, yet the appearances and the time match up.

"Who is she to you?" The question came out awkwardly, tinged with a hint of probing.

It's not that I don't recognize him! It's not that I don't know him! The young man leaned forward excitedly, hurriedly tearing off the silk cloth to reveal his beautiful eyes.

"Are you blind?!" Shen Yu was startled and backed away repeatedly.

"You know her? You know her, don't you?" The handsome young man turned into an agitated madman, rushing closer and trying to grab Shen Yu.

Shen Yu stood up in fright. "Your name is Jiang Zhiyang?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, I am Jiang Zhiyang!" Jiang Zhiyang stood up with her, his eyes shining brightly in the darkness.

"Oh, oh, oh." Shen Yu looked the man up and down. Apart from his strange behavior, he seemed to be in good health.

"Qingjun, where did Qingjun go?" Jiang Zhiyang took another step closer, but was stopped by Shen Yu.

"I only know that she went north with her husband's family, but I don't know exactly where." Shen Yu lied because Jiang Zhiyang didn't seem to know the identity of the God of Life.

"Do you know her real name?"

When I met her, she told me that her name was Yu Qingjun.

Upon hearing this, the thorns that had stood up on Jiang Zhiyang seemed to soften, and the corners of his mouth turned up almost imperceptibly. Crystalline tears, like river water reflecting the moonlight, welled up in his eyes and spilled out.