Chapter 1 Became a Corpse Carrier

  My name is Wang Hu, I am a police officer.

  Women often say they would rather believe in ghosts than men's words. In fact, I want to say that there are really ghosts in the world.

  In 2013, I went to Changchun City, but it wasn't for work. Instead, I did something very "trendy" - met online friends.

  One deep night, when I first used WeChat, I just happened to shake and got a pretty good-looking girl. After chatting with the girl for two days and two nights, our emotions finally burst out on the third night.

  Ordered train tickets on mobile phone overnight, agreed on a location, and rushed over.

  The two cities are not far apart, a three-hour drive. At that time, the rush hour was 7:20. After getting off the train, the city was still brightly lit, just in time for a date, and it was a time when hormones were surging.

  As agreed, my sister waited for me at Tian Wu Bar. It's said to be a famous bar in Chang Long City and also her most frequent hangout place.

  Sat in a taxi, thinking about his sister all along, and soon arrived outside the bar.

  The two words "Tian Wu" were suspended in mid-air, surrounded by a seven-color neon light that changed colors with each flash, attracting people from all around like a guiding light in the darkness.

  Outside, two strong young men were guarding, and everyone who went in would be looked at for a few moments before being let in.

  I know they're watching the door, preventing trouble and minors from getting in. And these two must be part of some gang or organization, can't be messed with.

  So when I went in, my heart was hanging, afraid that they would bully me as an outsider.

  It's okay, they just gave me a cold look and then let me in. As soon as I entered the bar, I was immediately energized by the deafeningly loud music.

  A familiar feeling, a stunning rhythm gets me excited. I walk in with the rhythm, nodding my head and shaking my body, and as soon as I enter, my eyes widen in shock.

  In front of me are all young boys and girls, especially women with slender beautiful legs. Indeed, summer is a season suitable for showing off one's legs, every woman wants to show off her beautiful legs and figure to men.

  "Hey!" I hadn't even had a chance to take in all the beauties before a figure appeared in front of me, blocking my view and greeting me.

  It's her!

  The whole place was colorful with the rotating laser lights, but I could still see that she had very white skin, was about 165 cm tall, and wore a black mini skirt with black stockings. She's my type, even more beautiful than her WeChat photos.

  "Hello." There are many words in my heart, but ultimately only these two words were spoken.

  After saying that, I couldn't help but want to slap myself twice.

  She was slightly stunned for a moment, then quickly put on a smile and shouted: "Let's go, let's drink!"

  I smiled and nodded, eager to drink with her immediately and get her drunk.

  This encounter is for what I am clearer than anyone else, so my soul tells me, get her drunk, she is yours.

  She took me through the crowd, past a few sisters' gathering places that were emitting enticing fragrances, and then came to a small bar, directly ordered a dozen drinks, and pushed them in front of me.

  "I like men who can drink, but I don't know how good you are at it."

  I laughed, it's just beer, even if it's fake, I can still drink two dozen!

  I picked up a bottle of beer, shook it in front of her, opened the cap, tilted my head and drank it all in a few gulps. Then I turned the bottle upside down to show her that not a single drop was left.

  "Can you blow better than me?" I said proudly.

  By the light, I saw her face clearly, her black long hair, and her spiritual eyes, cherry small mouth. I don't know if she applied lipstick or not, but her lips were tender and tempting, very beautiful, very enticing.

  "Just watch how sister blows."

  Her heroic drinking was beyond my expectation, I only saw her pick up the wine bottle and drink it upside down, finishing it in a few mouthfuls. She also learned from me to turn the bottle upside down, without a single drop of wine left.

  I got excited and thought to myself that I would have to put in some effort tonight to get this woman drunk. At this point, I stopped hesitating and continuously pulled out three bottles of beer, opened them, lined them up, and drank each one straight down in succession.

  Nothing is impossible for a man!

  "You're so cool!" She cheered and gave me a thumbs up as she wiped her mouth after finishing drinking.

  I thought she would also take out three bottles to drink, but I was wrong. She beckoned the waiter to bring two pairs of dice and said let's play craps, the loser drinks.

  It wasn't until this moment that I realized this woman was quite cunning, but thinking about it, it makes sense. How could a woman get drunk so easily and let you take advantage of her?

  Playing dice is just playing, I believe she still belongs to me tonight.

  She must be a regular at the bar, playing dice so skillfully. And she always wins me over, by the time I've had my third beer, I start to feel uneasy inside.

  I don't know why, but I always feel like this woman is playing me.

  "Three sixes, you lose, drink!" I lost again, and she laughed, pointing at me to continue drinking.

  Looking at her only drinking six bottles, I drank a lot, and I felt that this wouldn't do. If I continued to drink like this, I wouldn't be able to take it either, but this woman didn't show any signs of intoxication, so tonight I wouldn't get any benefits?

  "No, no way, let's change the rules. I lose and drink a whole bottle, you drink half a bottle; you lose and drink a whole bottle, I drink a whole bottle."

  Although this is a big loss, I guarantee that every time this woman drinks, she will never be able to drink more than me.

  "Okay, okay." I originally thought she wouldn't agree, but unexpectedly she hesitated and then agreed.

  We are all adults, I believe she knows what I mean. Now that she has agreed, doesn't this imply...

  What happened next was just like I imagined, I drank a lot and she also drank a lot. As we drank more, I became dizzy too, I remember that at some point I hugged her and she didn't resist. Then she said she wanted to drink red wine, I agreed, she said she wanted fruit platter and I agreed too.

  It wasn't until we leaned in close and whispered to each other that she said she was sleepy, I knew it was time, so I got up and called the waiter over to pay.

  But when I asked him how much it was, I remembered he said something about tens of thousands. At that time, I was drunk and my mind was muddled, but I vaguely remember not having enough money, and then the waiter's expression changed and he called someone over.

  He jeered at me, scolded me or something, and then we had a fight.

  They were very fierce, originally I had never been bullied since childhood. But later several people held me down, then carried me to an alley or somewhere, speaking loudly to me, snatching my wallet away, and later scolding and saying something, at this time someone kicked me from behind.

  At that time, I really couldn't remember what was happening, it was just a group of people pushing me and beating me, then I didn't know anything anymore.

  When I woke up it was already the next day at noon, I slept behind a trash heap somewhere, and there were still flies licking my face from time to time.

  I sat up, too weak to shoo away the flies, staring blankly at everything in front of me.

  Ignoring the aching head, the enduring body and the bloodstains on the collar, memories of last night linger in mind.

  I know I've been had by a bar girl.

  Now I have nothing on me, nothing at all. They robbed me of my wallet and everything valuable on me.

  This predicament can't be described with just "difficult". It's more like loneliness and desolation, helplessness and being at a loss.

  Anger is useless now. I'm definitely not a match for these people, and I also can't find that "wine tray". So I didn't even think of going to the police to do anything about it. This is the horror of reality.

  Like this, I drifted onto the streets, in this unfamiliar city.

  Wandering around, with an empty stomach, until evening, watching one or two people hurrying home, seeing the lights turned on in every floor of the high-rise buildings in front of me, my heart felt envious and lost, but I also knew I should find a place to spend the night.

  Hotel, inn didn't think about it, finally chose a nearby internet cafe.

  When I was studying, I often went to the internet cafe, so I knew that choosing to stay overnight here would be more reliable. Besides, almost everyone who stays in the internet cafe at midnight is also sleeping, and even if I fall asleep, the internet cafe staff won't bother me.

  The internet cafe is filled with a foul atmosphere, mainly because there are too many smokers and some people have taken off their shoes. As a result, all kinds of smells can be found inside, making it hard to describe.

  Salted fish flavor, rotten egg taste...

  The internet cafe is poorly ventilated, and these smells are not just confined to one internet cafe. It has become everything, the air, a living dependence, a foul odor that "devours" the soul.

  Sat down in a corner location closer to the toilet, based on experience this place is definitely empty. Who would spend money sitting next to the toilet to surf the internet? So finding such a place, first, it won't attract too much attention, second, you can sleep without being disturbed.

  I soon fell asleep, exhausted in body and mind. During this time, I woke up many times in a daze, being woken by the foul smell of salted fish from the toilet, and by people in the internet cafe who were playing games and got angry and slammed their keyboards while shouting.

  The next day, when I got up and looked in the mirror, my eyes were bloodshot and full of red threads like a vampire, my messy hair made me lose my former glory for a while, I was neither human nor ghost.

  After washing my face and leaving the internet cafe, I walked on the street and found that passersby were avoiding me, covering their noses with one hand while looking at me with strange eyes.

  At first I despised these people and didn't understand why they were staring at me like that, but when I lowered my head and sniffed the foul smell emanating from my body, I finally understood.

  Stinky! Lousy!

  Also because of this, I started to dare not go to crowded places, try to avoid colliding with people, afraid that everyone will look at me with a strange gaze.

  I couldn't stand that kind of gaze, that kind of gaze as if looking at a monster.

  I didn't dare lift my head to see people, my eyes always dodging. I couldn't be seen by others in this state, I just couldn't.

  "Baozi, baozi, dog doesn't care about baozi!"

  Not far away, the aroma of steamed buns and rice dumplings wafts over, teasing my entire body with various fragrances. My mouth keeps secreting saliva, layer after layer, swallowing it down, only to have more come out, swallowing again...

  I haven't eaten anything since last night, I'm hungry but have no money.

  Staring blankly at the steamed bun stall guarded by the aunties not far away, I had the urge to grab buns for the first time.

  Don't care about anything else, fill your belly first!

  The aunt is weak and can't run faster than me. There's no one around, even if she shouts, I'm afraid no one will come to help her? Besides, it's just a few buns, not worth risking her life to chase me, right?

  I got up and walked towards the old lady step by step, watching her swallow saliva while looking at the buns.

  "Nima's, I actually saw a job posting for a corpse carrier this morning, 1600 yuan per day, want to do it?"

  "You're crazy! Carrying a corpse!"

  "Huh? Smells good. Madre, is this person a beggar from Longtong or something? How can they smell so bad?"

  Two tall northerners walked by covering their noses, and their words stopped me in my tracks.

  1600 a day? I need money, I go carry corpses!

  It was just a momentary thing, but I made up my mind. Isn't it just carrying a corpse? 1,600 yuan per day.

  Dry!

  "Man Ge, what would you like?" The old lady looked at me and didn't cover her nose like others did.

  I stood there for a while, and after a long time, I asked: Auntie, how do I get to the crematorium?

  The old lady looked at me with a strange gaze and said to go east, in Rain Flower District, near the Liu Yang River...

  Perhaps she found it strange that I asked about crematoriums, a place that few people mention or even avoid. But life is like this, to live on, one has to get the most basic conditions met. Food and shelter.

  I'm not sure how I ended up at the crematorium, nor do I know if it was due to hunger or despair. Anyway, all along the way, I was in a daze, as if floating on air, until I entered the crematorium and was awakened by the scorching heat and desolation inside.

  Then I was led by an old man who guarded the door to meet the person in charge. The person in charge was a fat middle-aged man, and I heard the doorman call him Liu Pangzi.

  Liu Pangzi told me a lot, saying that I was temporary because the previous porter was sick, so let me take over for a few days. As for not having an ID card and other things, Liu Pangzi said it didn't matter, just carrying corpses, doing it for a few days and then leaving without needing to register.

  Then I was taken away by another pallbearer, a pale and thin 26-year-old young man named Xiang Rihua. He didn't say much, after meeting he only said "follow me" and then shut his mouth.

  I was puzzled on the road, I didn't understand why he would do this kind of job. He's so young and doesn't look very strong either. And I also regret my own decision, wondering why I made up my mind to come here and be a pallbearer in an instant.

  It's gloomy and desolate here, and when I pass by a somewhat dark place, I can even feel someone blowing air on the back of my neck, making me shiver with cold.

  But I kept turning back to look around, where is anyone?

  I silently scolded myself for being too suspicious, but then I heard the sound of laughter coming from behind me, just like a few people who loved to join in on the fun were pointing and laughing at me.

  "Who!" I turned around abruptly, but there was no one, and the voice also stopped suddenly.