Three days later, when the dust settled on the Nan Province incident and Gu Zhisang and others were finally able to leave the area.
She did not buy a return ticket this time. After checking out of the hotel, she walked into the narrow alley under the cover of night.
There was an old lady pushing a cart selling roasted sweet potatoes and roasted corn on this road. When she saw a slender girl walking into the alley, she reminded her:
"Girl, that's a dead end alley, it's walled with cement!"
After calling out for the girl but she still didn't come out, she turned her head and looked into the dead end.
This sight completely stunned her.
With the help of the lights on the roadside at night, the interior of a narrow and short dead end is illuminated, and you can see the bottom at a glance.
Except for some garbage and fallen leaves on the ground in the alley, there was no one in the alley. The girl who just walked in disappeared out of thin air!
The old lady shuddered all over. She was sure that her eyesight was not so dazzled.
Could it be... that I encountered a ghost? !
Gu Zhisang, who walked into the ghost gate, didn't know that he scared the passers-by.
She walked through the quagmire on both sides, ignoring the evil spirits that crawled out of the dark mire and tried to drag her away.
Any ghost hands that approached her legs and feet would bounce back as if they were burned or electrocuted, and disappear after a resentful wail.
As soon as Gu Zhisang stepped into the gate of hell, she alarmed the ghost messenger on duty, as well as a large number of ghosts wandering around the Naihe Bridge, and a dark gray fog rushed towards her.
She paused and saw a number of brightly colored banners and headbands mixed in the ghost fog, which looked particularly eye-catching.
These were the support items that the ghost fans in the underworld asked their living relatives and friends in the world of the living to burn for them during the last collective dream. Printed on them were photos of Gu Zhisang and cartoon characters drawn by fans in the world of the living.
You should know that since Gu Zhisang came to the world, he has not updated Big Eyes or posted any photos, and his fans of Sang Ye are notoriously few.
They can only follow the weekly programs and live broadcasts, capture Gu Zhisang's subtle smile and profile, and then use soft focus and stickers to make them into cheering items.
"Look here, Sangsang. We like you very much. We have already ranked you as the most popular idol in the underworld. We have cut off the Sanzu River for the second place!"
"Thank you for your hard work, Master Envoy. I am willing to be your licker forever!"
Amidst the chatter, Gu Zhisang asked, "How did you know I would come?"
A ghost fan said nonchalantly, "In the past two days, souls who have untied their knots and found the gates of hell have come to report one after another. We just learned that the envoy actually solved the last request for help from abductors on the show and busted all the dens of the abductors. This matter is also closely related to the underworld, and you will definitely come."
"Yes, I have been at the gates of hell for the past two days, and now I am lucky enough to run into this."
"I am the new ghost who died after being abducted and reborn. Sangsang, look at me! I am also involved in the same event with you from a distance. Thank you very much for helping us find our roots and the way home. We lonely ghosts will be grateful to you for the rest of our lives and the next!"
“…”
You should know that the souls of those who died during trafficking or died in a foreign land often have resentment and confusion because they have no graves or tombs, and do not know where their homes and roots are... and other similar problems, and become lonely ghosts floating in the world.
They have no offerings and no very powerful abilities.
Either they lose their nature and maintain the immortality of their souls by harming others, or they become weaker and weaker over the long years and finally completely dissipate between heaven and earth.
After the trafficking case was solved, the Southern Province Police Department compiled the identity information of most people and began to notify their relatives and carry out subsequent search work.
The family members of those who have died will also be informed.
During this process, many rootless ghosts who had wandered around the southern province found their families and hometowns.
The obsession in their hearts dissipated, and they finally realized where their roots were, and they poured into the underworld in waves.
Only after arriving in the underworld did they realize that the young master who solved the case in the world of the living was actually a top star in the underworld.
Therefore, out of gratitude, they all directly became the new batch of Gu Zhisang's ghost fans.
Looking at the gray shadows around him forming a long river, knowing that they had all been at the gates of hell for dozens of hours, Gu Zhisang felt a little moved.
"Thank you for your likes."
A ghost fan who was cheering said, "Everyone, please stop crowding. The envoy must have important things to do."
In fact, this is true.
This time, Gu Zhisang came to meet the King of Hell.
After the ghost fog dispersed to make a path, she headed towards the main hall with a hazy ghost fog still following her.
The one on duty in the palace today is none other than King Qin Guang, the first of the Ten Kings of Hell: Jiang Ziwen.
He is in charge of the 'Ghost Judgement Hall', which is responsible for the records of the living and the dead, and for guiding them to be reborn.
After being received into the palace, Gu Zhisang took out a white jade bottle from his pocket.
After opening the bottle, the transparent residual soul inside floated out, trembling with fear due to the eerie ghostly aura surrounding it.
King Qin Guang Jiang Ziwen in the hall stared at him: "What are these?"
Gu Zhisang explained: "These souls were all people who were trafficked in their lifetime. They should have had some luck and fate, but they were robbed of their lives by the vicious hands. After death, their souls were severely damaged. They could not be reincarnated and could not recognize their identity information before death."
"So I can only collect them and see if the underworld has any solution."
King Qin Guang frowned and also felt that the situation was tricky.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "After all, it is an unprovoked disaster. If so, take them to the Soul Nurturing Pool to recuperate for three days. If they are lucky enough to have their souls replenished, it is their own good fortune. If their souls are still incomplete, there is nothing I can do."
The 'Soul Nourishing Pool' is a spiritual pool located beside the Wo Stone in the underworld. It can nourish the soul and gather energy. Only those with great merit can enter it to repair their souls and bodies.
King Qin Guang called out, and immediately a ghost messenger wearing a black shirt and a long hat appeared in the hall. It was the Black Impermanence Fan Wujiu.
Fan Wujiu glanced at Gu Zhisang and suddenly snorted:
"You really like to meddle in other people's business. I have reminded you before that you should just take care of the ghosts in the underworld and not get involved too much in the mundane affairs of the human world, so as to avoid being contaminated by karma."
After saying this, he used the soul lock to hook a group of frightened souls and escaped into the ground.
The majestic and solemn King Qin Guang lowered his eyes and looked at Gu Zhisang who was standing straight in the center of the main hall.
Just as Fan Wujiu said.
This mysterious master from the mortal world with a calm expression and full of aura possesses a very strong power of cause and effect.
According to the laws of heaven and earth, the dead cannot be resurrected, and yin and yang are separated.
It is inevitable that ghosts will stay in the world of the living and come into contact with living people.
Slaying demons and extraditing ghosts may change the fortunes and destinies of the living, but it will not be affected by cause and effect.
Many of the cases that Gu Zhisang handled in the show before had ghosts behind them.
But this case is different. The biggest driving forces behind it are all greedy humans, without any trace of evil spirits.
It is normal to be affected by cause and effect by intervening in such matters and changing the fate of too many people.
King Qin Guang waved his hand, and a large book shining with black and gold light appeared above the main hall, with three large characters "Book of Merits" inscribed on it.
He said, "My dear Gu, now we can reward the merits and punish the crimes."
As he finished speaking, the 'Book of Merits' began to turn on its own.
"On the seventh day of September this year, the handler 'Gu Zhisang' solved a major case in the mortal world, changing the lives of tens of thousands of mortals, helping them change their fate of dying in depression, wandering around, or being abducted in the future;
According to the merit assessment, these good deeds will be awarded 70 points.”
After he finished speaking, the golden light floating out from the "Book of Merits" flew into Gu Zhisang's body.
A small part of it flowed into Gu Zhisang's body, making her cultivation power loosen again, and a large part of it offset the causal force in her body.
Now she no longer felt such a heavy sense of oppression.
But there are still some causes and effects that cannot be offset.
Some of the ghosts watching outside shouted, "The envoy is here to get rid of harm for the people, why should he be affected by those people?"
King Qin Guang explained: "Among the descendants and relatives of those who did evil, some are indeed unaware, but their own destinies will also undergo subtle changes because of the Gu messenger. These changes are the cause and effect that cannot be resolved by merit."
Although the ghosts understood and could comprehend, they were unwilling to accept this result.
Before Gu Zhisang herself said anything, many ghosts began to plead for her, hoping that King Qin Guang could dissolve the remaining causal power in her body.
Jiang Ziwen frowned and said, "Nonsense! The Merit Book has its own rules for rewards and punishments, how can you change it at will?"
At this moment, a white light appeared in the main hall, and Xie Bian, the White Impermanence, dressed in a white shirt and white hat, appeared and bowed to Jiang Ziwen, who was slightly angry above him.
He did not look in the direction of Gu Zhisang, his voice was calm:
"Your Highness Prince Qin Guang, please listen to me. Gu Zhisang is an envoy from the underworld. She should be considered an official of the underworld. So her travels and work are also official duties, accumulating merit for the underworld."
"If you look at it this way, it is indeed inappropriate for her to bear many of the consequences, but this is indeed the fact, and I am not making excuses for her."
Listening to his right-hand assistant and a group of ghosts shouting bravely below, Jiang Ziwen relaxed his brows for a long while and looked at Gu Zhisang meaningfully.
“顾小友倒颇得鬼心，还有你谢必安，什么时候也开始钻这些规则空子了！不过你说得也有道理，那就再按正使级的鬼差为顾小友减去因果之力……”
他说完这句话，‘功德册’再次翻动。
这一次之后，顾之桑身上的因果之力便被抵消得差不多了。
虽然仍有些许影响，但和她已经做好的准备——花费数年修行来抵消相比，简直算微乎其微！
听着殿外众鬼的欢呼声，顾之桑心中的情绪非常复杂，涩涩的。
她头一次如此清晰感受到，他人的善意和喜爱，是会让人感动的。
当天晚上，顾之桑梦到了上辈子在山中时的场景。
那时她的师父钧鸿道人还没飞升，每天都在感慨自己收了一个绝世徒儿，为此骄傲不已，同时又担心良多，不停地在顾之桑耳边嘟囔。
钧鸿道人：'好徒儿，你不入世修心养性，师父担心等我离开后你会过刚易折，又或是被有心人拿捏住这一点攻击你的心性！要知道天上的‘先天神’们还不是自幼出生在仙庭更是不染七情六欲，可最终都会一些意外流连凡尘、选择去凡尘历练……’
'你这性子倒是适合当个纯神，可感情一事谁说得准呢？要不你还是下山先磨一磨性子吧！’
那时顾之桑并不把钧鸿道人的话放在心上，也从未入世。
她并没觉得自己心性出现了什么问题，反而因为不入世道行飞增。
但现在顾之桑也觉得，入世之后的自己多了点‘人’味儿。
这也没什么不好的。
——
最近一段时间的热搜平静许多。
但今日却因为《灵事》第六期精简版节目没有按时上线，再一次上了热搜。
在本词条内，不少等着重温剪辑版的观众表示不满。
很快就有知情人跳出来解释：
【好友是《灵事》节目组的剪辑师，说点内部消息，南省的人应该都对这两天省内的‘大清扫’有所耳闻吧？不少藏得很深的拐卖犯先后落马，可以说是近二十年来南省最大的动作了。据我所知这件事是节目组的选手们帮助解决的！
所以原本剪辑方只需要剪直播就行，现在要插入相关案件的一些事情，好像还要等官方通知出来，所以才延迟了发布。】
此条爆料一出便被顶成了热贴。
不乏有震惊、怀疑和各种夸耀之声，夹杂在热搜词条中。
【卧槽真的假的？？直播最后不是说没办法找回来么，咋就把犯罪老窝都端了？！】
【如果是真的那我太爱这些选手们了，我一个表姐就是被拐卖到了南省，昨天警方刚刚通知家里说找到了，我姑和姑父兴奋得一晚上都没睡着，反正南省在打击拐卖团伙这件事确实属实。】
【如果是这样的话这一期节目是不是也得重新投票了？这件事造福了太多家庭，真的是件超级大好事，我无条件投破了此案的选手。希望节目组能把经过都放出来。】
【感觉黛西、奚海红、荀以顷都有点可能，其他三位选手应该不会是，顾之桑这次有点拉，没看出太多有用信息……】
一时间各家都在猜测，到底是哪个选手提供的关键线索，帮助破案。
因顾之桑最开始被‘黑雾’屏蔽的阶段表现平平，不少人都觉得破案之人不会是她。
网上再次掀开了争执和骂战。
在此期间又有两条热搜先后脚出来，分走了部分流量。
第一个新热搜是有关境外：
#x国边境大桥 童男童女被灌入水泥桥基中，系夏国人#
【？？草这是什么阴间热搜，好残忍！】
【是‘守桥人’吧……以前古时候挺常见的，需要用童子镇在桥基中，据说被灌进去的孩子魂魄会被困在桥的附近，总之是一种糟粕旧俗，没想到新世纪了还存在。】
【看到说作案之人不是夏国人，已被刑拘，我想说就算是外国人犯法也必须一视同仁！】
就在这条热搜之后，又有一条颇为狗血、涉及到男女感情的热搜。
点开之后是一名路人拍摄的一段视频。
路人：[本人是某公司的白领，视频里的女生是我一同事，人美心善又有钱工作能力也很好，妥妥一白富美；男方之前听说是外省的农村户口，但对同事挺好的。]
[之前我们不知道他俩分手了，今天这个男的来公司闹才知道，听说是男方父母被查出是罪犯要被判刑坐牢，女生接受不了单方面提出了分手，但男方不愿意……]
点开视频之后，晃动的画面中是在某公司的大门口。
一名青年男子堵着一个女生，周围围了不少看戏吃瓜的路人。
女生：‘我说了我和我爸妈都接受不了这件事情，和平分手不行吗？你干什么要跑到我公司来闹，烦不烦啊？’
男生：‘这不公平，我又没有参与这件事是不知情的，你为什么要因为我的家庭而迁怒于我？’
女生：‘如果我在乎的是你的家庭，就不会和你在一起了！我在乎的是这件事情本身，我一想到有那么多无辜的女人小孩儿因为你爸妈……我接受不了，你别缠着我了！’
男生：‘呵呵，说到底还不是因为我家倒了，你觉得我没钱供着你了。’
女生：？？？
【……这男的好神经病，女方没问题，别说本来对方家里就出了事情，就是没有出事感情这种你情我愿的事儿，不喜欢了就能分！】
【救命啊，虽然我不觉得罪责一定要累及子女，但是这个男的一看就受到家里的影响了吧？！就他这个三观，我不相信他对家里父母所作所为一点不知情！】
【姐姐分得好，快跑吧！！】
……
顾之桑并不知道今天网上的热闹。
她应了灵组的邀请，来到了容城灵组分部，这也是早就和郑如玉约好的。
到了地方被引进入会客室后，顾之桑看到了屋子里坐着的人目光一顿，而后面色如常走了进去。
屋中除了郑如玉三人之外，首位坐着一个气质周正严肃的暮年男子。
他灰白的头发和服饰细节都打理得一丝不苟，穿着一袭深色制服，最为显眼的是他肩膀上的肩勋。
从上面的图案来看，足以证明此人的军衔等级不低。
顾之桑看了眼郑如玉：“郑姐。”
郑如玉道：“桑桑，这位是我们灵组总部的组长，这次会面他希望和你亲自谈一谈。”
暮年男人站起身，主动伸出手：“你好，我姓严，叫严朗，目前是灵组暂时的负责人。”
顾之桑和这个军官手掌相握的时候，虽然因为年龄大他的手掌有些软，能明显感觉到此人有一身正气。
但更让她略有惊讶的是，这位灵组总部的组长，竟然是一个纯粹的普通人。
她确定严朗没有道行，也没有任何玄学能力或是体质。
后来顾之桑才从郑如玉的口中得知，严朗本人的军衔是中将，已经快七十岁了，是比较老的军中前辈。
当年夏国要组建灵组的时候，因为没有多少玄师、并且官方也怕组建之后会得罪玄门，根本就没有人愿意接手这个烂摊子。
是严老主动站出来，放弃了当时往上升的大好前途，接手了灵组。
这些年他虽然没有一点能力和特殊体质，却异常艰难地把灵组这个摊子越拉越大，现在各个省份都有了分部，初具规模。
所以郑如玉等灵组内部的玄师，也都非常尊敬他。
南省拐卖案中，为抓捕搜查小石村、小岩村两村村民的命令做担保的人，也是严朗。
坐下之后，严朗也不虚与委蛇，直接开口说道：
“顾小姐，我这一次来依然是一个目的，代表灵组全体成员诚挚邀请你加入，希望你可以考虑考虑我们。”
顾之桑微微挑眉，觉得这位老人家有话直说的态度挺令人舒适的。
她稍稍思索片刻，道：“抱歉，我还是拒绝。我说了我是一个不喜欢被束缚管教的人。”
“就像这一次南省之行，如果我是玄门或者是灵组的人，那么我做事情之前就需要瞻前顾后思虑良多，需要考虑你们的规矩，我不喜欢这样。”
灵组也被分到了稽查部门，算是玄学界的警署，办案应该也是需要掌握切实证据的。
但顾之桑就算没证据，她通过算命、共感，就能看到许多别人看不到的东西。
严朗点点头说道：“顾小姐的迟疑我清楚，您先听听听我的意见。”
“其实我们在地府也有一些关系，知道顾小姐是地府的使者，和地府是合作共赢、协助它们查询阳间事物的关系……”
闻言顾之桑略有意外，看了严朗和郑如玉一眼。
虽然对方说得很隐晦，但她还是听明白了。
灵组知道自己和地府正在调查‘黑雾’的事情，这种比较隐私的事如果不是地府核心的管理层，是不会知道的。
他们竟然还有这么一层关系。
Yan Lang said: "To be honest, we have already discovered some anomalies in the metaphysical world in recent years and have begun to investigate. We have achieved some results so far and have discovered some information."
He paused for a moment, smiled bitterly and said:
"It's just that this information involves many major cases in the past and is classified as a state secret. Although our spiritual team hopes to work together with Miss Gu to achieve a win-win situation and uncover the truth behind it, we have to abide by the relevant regulations and cannot disclose it to the outside world."
"If Miss Gu is willing, you can come to the Spirit Group and be our specially appointed instructor. This position is a non-staff member of the Spirit Group, and the rules of the Spirit Group will naturally not affect you. At that time, Miss Gu will not be considered an outsider, and this information can be communicated and shared with Miss Gu."
Gu Zhisang: ...
This team leader at headquarters is really flexible.
Isn't this just copying the underworld and setting up a position of "messenger" in the spirit group?
Gu Zhisang knew without thinking that before this, there was definitely no such thing as a specially appointed instructor in the spiritual group.
But I have to say that Yan Lang’s words and his sincerity made me feel a little moved.
Yan Lang continued, "If Miss Gu has time and is willing to take on some of the metaphysical cases that have been rewarded but no one has answered, we will be very grateful. If Miss Gu has other important matters, she can just spare some time to guide the team members on the issues they don't understand."
"Of course, if you don't want to, we will definitely not force you. But I have another personal request, and I hope you can listen to it."
Gu Zhisang said: "You speak first."
Yan Lang said: "I have a young man named Yan who has been trapped by evil spirits for more than 20 years and is now in critical condition."
"I have a good personal relationship with him. If you are willing, can you help take a look at his situation?"
The author has something to say:
① Specially appointed instructors, non-staff personnel are not restricted
② The relevant files are confidential, such as the details of the serial murder case mentioned later. Yan Lang is stating the facts and did not induce the heroine to join.
③The heroine's character arc has changed. She has a human nature and the desire to experience the world. There is nothing wrong with agreeing to the invitation.