The surroundings fell silent. Ruan Mulan sensed something was wrong. Why was there no sound at all?

She held her breath and listened carefully, then she heard a faint, mournful cry carried on the wind.

The sound was very strange. It seemed to be very far away and indistinct, yet it suddenly became much louder.

Accompanied by the cries, gongs and drums sounded in unison, the tune extremely sorrowful. Ruan Mulan realized that this was funeral music, and the cries were for the deceased!

She was a little confused. Who had died? Why was there a funeral so late?

Regardless, encountering a funeral procession late at night is always considered unlucky, so Ruan Mulan dared not wait any longer. She wanted to take the opportunity to leave and go home as soon as possible.

As soon as she peeked out, she saw a funeral procession heading into the alley next door.

Those people were dressed in white, carrying a coffin, and they walked very fast, almost as if... they were floating over.

Ruan Mulan tried to hide, but it was too late. The leader suddenly turned his head stiffly and stared straight at her.

The group stopped, turned around, and headed towards Ruan Mulan.

Ruan Mulan felt alarm bells ringing in her mind. She wanted to turn around and run away, but her body moved uncontrollably toward the group.

As she got closer, she noticed that the people's faces were deathly pale in the moonlight, and they were all staring at her with eerie smiles on their lips.

"Why are you running around like this? Hurry back and stand still, don't be late," the leading elder urged.

Ruan Mulan's heart was pounding in her throat. She heard herself say "okay" and then she was pulled into the line and stood next to the coffin.