Chapter 222 Gargoyle Guardian

The despair in Peng Guanhai’s eyes gradually turned to shock, and finally, to deep gratitude.

This gentleman hadn’t actually breached their contract at all.

‘If he wanted to use this mirror, I would have gladly let him.’

This was… the gentleman’s compassion for him, a gift bestowed upon him!

Peng Guanhai slammed his head to the floor in a kowtow and shouted like a madman:

“Thank you, sir!”

Peng ZhenNi had no idea what was going on.

But she wasn’t an idiot.

She knew her grandfather had traded something important for her safety.

Helping her grandfather up, Peng ZhenNi echoed his words:

“Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.”

Jiang Chaosheng looked at the grandfather and granddaughter, an indescribable complexity in his eyes.

‘Had he gone soft?’

‘He really had gone soft.’

Ever since spending a New Year with the members of the Taboo Association instead of by himself, he had started to develop a touch of humanity he never had before.

Especially after that dream on Dream Island, this touch of humanity continued to grow. His mother’s song had pried open a crack in his heart of stone.

In the past, he’d thought Li Qinglian was just a foolish traditionalist; that bearing so many curses was just what he deserved.

Li Qinglian himself had even said, “If you want to control Antique Shop Zero, you must never be soft-hearted.”

And yet, Li Qinglian’s soft heart had saved his life.

He would never forget how in the dream, as Li Qinglian descended like a hero, he had muttered, “In the end, I was still too soft.”

How ironic.

Jiang Chaosheng narrowed his eyes, erasing the trace of confusion within them, and said:

“Come find me in the South Sea tomorrow.”

With that, Jiang Chaosheng walked out of the hospital room.

Peng Guanhai looked up. Seeing that Jiang Chaosheng was already gone, he grabbed his granddaughter’s hand and beamed, a wide grin on his face.

“You won’t have to walk the same old path as Grandpa anymore.”

Peng ZhenNi’s lips trembled, her eyes red-rimmed.

Only today did she finally understand what her grandfather had been going through all this time.

The mockery, the misunderstanding, the blame, the danger, and… the loneliness.

Peng Guanhai took a deep breath.

“You must live a good life. Just think of everything that’s happened recently as a nightmare.”

Peng ZhenNi threw herself into Peng Guanhai’s arms, letting out a loud sob.

“Grandpa!”

Peng Guanhai gently patted Peng ZhenNi’s trembling shoulders, his eyes full of tenderness.

“After we go to the South Sea tomorrow, Grandpa will take you traveling. I’ll take you to all the places I’ve been. Over the years, Grandpa has been nearly all over the world.”

Peng ZhenNi didn’t speak, only letting out soft “mhm” sounds through her sobs.

…

Night fell.

The night grew late.

Jiang Chaosheng returned to Antique Shop Zero.

He placed the Dragon Pearl on a shelf and tapped its surface gently.

“The cause of your child’s death will be discovered soon.”

The complete information from the previous era now only existed in Hell. He already had some leads on Hell, so the promise he made to the Old Dragon King would be fulfilled sooner or later.

The Old Dragon King’s weak voice drifted out from the Dragon Pearl, as if from a great distance:

“Thank you, sir.”

After he spoke, the Dragon Pearl fell silent again.

Jiang Chaosheng glanced toward the back courtyard.

The living dead were there, tied up tight.

The family of three from the Vengeful Ghost Vintage Car had gathered around curiously to watch the spectacle.

He was saving these living dead for Liu Weiqian to study.

Apparently, Liu Weiqian had recently become obsessed with researching Supernatural Power.

These eight living dead, possessed by Hell Creatures, would surely be a huge surprise for him.

Jiang Chaosheng muttered to himself:

“I should pay Xia Li a visit in the next couple of days.”

Xia Li’s Divine Peptide Biotechnology Company was about to open for business.

It was, in a way, the Taboo Association’s first business venture. Xia Li had invited him to visit several times, but he’d never had the time.

This time, he would bring them a great gift and have Xia Li start searching for the location of Hell.

Finding the location of Hell was difficult, and the hardest part of the process was getting started.

Going from 0 to 1 is hard, but going from 1 to 10 is much easier.

Peng Guanhai had already completed the beginning, achieving that ‘1.’ The rest was up to Xia Li.

As for why this task should be given to Xia Li…

First, Xia Li was wealthy and had the resources to assemble multiple expeditions to explore Hell.

Second, Xia Li was a Vampire Ancestor. In legends, Vampires have an ambiguous connection to Hell.

Xia Li was better suited for this task than anyone else in the Taboo Association.

Jiang Chaosheng walked back to the main hall and sat down behind the counter.

He took two strands of hair from a drawer, then retrieved the envelope left by the Evil Qilin and placed them all on the Homing Mirror.

The surface of the Homing Mirror rippled like water.

Then, the scene shifted, and the Homing Mirror’s surface displayed a temple.

Inside the temple, the Evil Qilin was kneeling on a meditation cushion, its palms pressed together.

Text appeared on both sides of the mirror.

[Human World, Xia Kingdom, Southern Border, Tianming City, Anshan Temple.]

A smirk touched Jiang Chaosheng’s lips.

“Found you, little mouse.”

…

「The next day.」

That afternoon, Jiang Chaosheng met Peng Guanhai and Peng ZhenNi at the antique shop.

They were both wearing casual clothes and carrying hiking backpacks, looking ready for a long journey.

Peng ZhenNi curiously sized up the shop’s decor—the antique shelves, the old tables and chairs, the dust-covered ornaments.

‘So his public identity is the owner of an antique shop?’

Jiang Chaosheng had been waiting for them.

He took a pendant from behind the counter and pushed it forward.

“Take it. When your life ends, I will come to retrieve it.”

Peng ZhenNi took it and looked down to examine it.

The pendant was a Demon—

Pitch-black and hairless, with a pair of bat-like wings.

Its face was fearsome, yet it gave off a strange sense of security.

“The Guardian Gargoyle.”

Jiang Chaosheng said:

“You’ll be going to Meiqi Country in the future, right? As long as you are in Meiqi Country and have this, Hell cannot harm you.”

Code 3-18, the Guardian Gargoyle.

It can awaken the gargoyles atop churches, protecting the wearer from visitors from Hell.

According to legend, although gargoyles are fearsome in appearance, they are not evil.

They guard gateways, shelter the good, and drive away evil spirits, much like the stone lions at the entrances of solemn places in the Xia Kingdom.

But a Gargoyle will not take the initiative to harm anyone.

It can only passively protect the wearer and deter Hell Creatures.

And only Hell Creatures.

Peng Guanhai stared at the pendant for a long time, then smiled.

“Meiqi Country… That’s enough.”

‘His remaining lifespan wasn’t long enough to take his granddaughter around the world.’

Jiang Chaosheng added,

“You can go to any nation that believes in the Western Emperor.”

Peng Guanhai took two steps back and gave a deep, solemn bow.

“Thank you, sir.”

Peng ZhenNi blinked at Jiang Chaosheng and suddenly asked:

“Does this mean… we won’t have a chance to meet again?”

Jiang Chaosheng raised an eyebrow and shook his head with a smile.

“You wouldn’t want to see me again.”

Peng ZhenNi’s eyes darted about, a playful look on her face.

“Because… your real identity is the Death God?”

She had seen that Giant Scythe.

‘A man who can reap Devils with the Scythe of Death—if he isn’t the Death God, what else could he be?’

Jiang Chaosheng knew what she was thinking.

“That scythe does indeed belong to the Death God. But I’m not him. I’m just a mortal.”

Peng ZhenNi was taken aback.

‘A mere mortal could command such power, could wield the Scythe of Death?’

She wanted to ask more, but she saw that Jiang Chaosheng had already lowered his head and opened the book in front of him.

The gesture was a clear signal—the conversation was over.

She exchanged a look with her grandfather, gave a deep bow, and they turned to leave the antique shop.

…

After the two of them left, the antique shop fell silent.

Jiang Chaosheng tapped the shadowy little person on his wrist.

The little person leaped from his wrist, landed on the floor, and tilted its head to look at him.

“Are you okay?” Jiang Chaosheng asked.

The shadowy little person clutched its head, then its thigh, and finally sat on the floor, using its hands to mime a big, sobbing cry.

It hurt. Everything hurt.

Jiang Chaosheng chuckled.

“Have your people come over, move the things in the backyard, and take them to Xia Li’s place.”

The shadowy little person froze for a moment, then scrambled to its feet with a WHOOSH. It began gesticulating wildly at Jiang Chaosheng, its hands moving so fast it looked like it was in a fight.

Jiang Chaosheng nodded. “That’s right. You’re going to see her.”