Zhou Huan held the infant in his arms and instructed Li Tianxiong to clean the baby with the black and white cotton cloth he had brought. As they looked closer, everyone present could clearly see that the infant’s body was covered in dark blue and black blood threads, its limbs splayed out and unnaturally stiff. When they saw the infant’s face, Zhou Huan froze on the spot; the corners of its mouth were turned up in a faint, eerie smile, and its not-quite-open eyes held an incomparably wicked gleam. Across the baby's forehead, dark blue-black veins intersected to form the character “” (Death).

“This, Master Zhou, this…” Hong Kun, upon seeing the infant’s true face, was also stunned. All his initial arrogance and disdain had vanished. In that moment, Zhou Huan was a master he could rely on.

Li Tianxiong was too shocked to speak, and the old woman seated on the ground had already fainted.

“Tianxiong, get the talisman paper and cinnabar!” Zhou Huan took the cinnabar talismans and then added, “Hurry and check on the old lady, wake her up, or carry her outside.”

Li Tianxiong went to help revive the old woman, while Zhou Huan gripped the infant tightly in one hand and placed the talisman paper over the “” character on the infant’s forehead with the other. Then, dipping his finger in cinnabar, Zhou Huan inscribed the character “” (Life) onto the talisman, immediately drawing a Soul-Sealing Curse beneath it.

“Master Hong, come lend Zhou Huan a hand,” Zhou Huan’s tone was surprisingly calm, as if the preceding terror had long since dissipated.

Hong Kun, startled by being addressed, collected himself and slowly shuffled over to Zhou Huan. “Master Zhou, what might Hong need to assist you with?”

“Help me gather all the shattered pieces of the coffin lid, then find a glass jar. Tianxiong has yellow wine; fill the jar so that it can submerge the infant. Be quick, I fear any delay might lead to unforeseen complications.” While working, Zhou Huan bit his index finger and dotted a bright crimson spot on the infant’s chest with his own blood.

Before long, the old woman awoke, and Hong Kun had gathered all the materials Zhou Huan needed. Zhou Huan slowly lowered the infant into the jar until it was fully steeped in the yellow wine, then casually grabbed a handful of cinnabar and sprinkled it into the liquid.

The infant in the jar shuddered faintly. The eerie smile on its face morphed into an expression of pain, which then smoothed into a look of numb placidity.

Zhou Huan sealed the mouth of the jar and tucked it into his satchel. He then wrapped the coffin pieces Hong Kun had collected in talisman paper and stuffed them into his coat pocket.

“Elderly madam, it is done. Now we must address your grandson’s body. Can you tell us what your grandson was doing before he died?” Zhou Huan asked the old woman with the same placid tone, as if the previous incident had never occurred.

The old woman swallowed hard twice and spoke with difficulty, “Master Zhou, I won’t lie to you. I go hiking in the mountains every day, morning and evening. Last night, he accompanied me up the mountain. I returned, but my grandson had vanished somewhere. Soon after, someone came to my house with the news that something had happened to him, and that’s when they sent his body back.”

“Didn't you call the police at that time?” Zhou Huan asked with sharp vigilance.

The old woman shook her head. “I was stunned at the time. My neighbor suggested calling the police, but I said no need. He was usually fine, always healthy. Who knew this would happen this time? I didn’t believe he died of illness, so I remembered some old tales of the supernatural and called you, Master Zhou.”

“Oh, very well. Here’s what we’ll do: first, we’ll call the police, as they can help investigate many aspects. Meanwhile, I will investigate the cause of your grandson’s death using my own methods. This way, we achieve results with half the effort.” Zhou Huan’s instructions were clear and methodical.

At this, Hong Kun inwardly gave a thumbs-up, genuinely admiring Zhou Huan. Since entering the room, Zhou Huan had displayed the demeanor of a true master, not the street charlatan Hong Kun had initially imagined. However, Hong Kun was notoriously eccentric; unless he was utterly convinced, he tended to press forward, never letting a flicker of admiration show.

“Master Zhou has excellent strategic thinking, but how do you plan to proceed with this matter? Don't fail to deliver a complete answer to the old woman—perfection aside,” Hong Kun’s tone abruptly snapped back to one of extreme arrogance.

Zhou Huan offered a faint smile. “That remains to be seen. Once the police arrive, we will follow official procedure first. Otherwise, we’ll just create trouble for ourselves.”

“Master, what should we do with the corpse?” Li Tianxiong stepped forward to ask Zhou Huan.

“Follow the traditional send-off rites from Mount Wutai, but be certain to handle the deceased’s abdomen carefully, to prevent him from becoming an easy target for other malevolent spirits.”

Outside the house, the sound of vehicles pulling over could be heard, followed by a soft voice inquiring, “Anyone home?”

Hearing the voice, Zhou Huan felt a sense of familiarity. “Little Li Zi, come in! We’re in here!”

In a moment, the room filled with people. Little Li was the first to spot Zhou Huan. “Brother Huan, you’re here? Looks like there’s another case for you with this death?”

“Well, I couldn't exactly not be here. My part is finished; the rest is for you police officers to handle. This old woman is the relative; ask her if you need to investigate anything. We’re taking our leave; we have many things to attend to back at the hall!” Zhou Huan completed the handover of the scene.

Little Li glanced around the scene, waved his hand, and ordered, “Get to work, and manage the old lady’s emotions—don’t let her grieve too much!”

Zhou Huan left the house with Li Tianxiong, but Hong Kun remained inside, whispering with Little Li. Then, Hong Kun made a call. Zhou Huan faintly heard Hong Kun mentioning something about a supernatural incident to Little Li—likely the matter Hong Kun had mentioned wanting to handle when he first met Zhou Huan.

Hearing this, Zhou Huan waited no longer for Hong Kun, leading Li Tianxiong out of the house and catching a taxi straight back to Fushou Hall.

“Brother Huan, you’re back!” As soon as Zhou Huan entered, Dongzi rushed towards him frantically.

“What’s going on? Have you stirred up trouble at home again?” Seeing Dongzi’s flustered look, Zhou Huan habitually assumed Dongzi had caused a mess.

Dongzi looked at Zhou Huan with an innocent expression. “Brother, Dongzi hasn't caused trouble this time. Mr. Old Wang just dropped off a car and a booklet, saying it’s your driving permit, and you should wait for notification to take the test at the Traffic Police Brigade.”

“Huh? Why did Mr. Old Wang suddenly decide to send me things? And such a valuable thing at that. What should I do? Besides, I’ve only ever driven tractors back home, never a car.”

Dongzi handed Zhou Huan the permit. Zhou Huan opened it and saw that all the stamps and procedures were complete—it was an A2 license.

Zhou Huan then picked up the phone and called Mr. Old Wang. “Mr. Old Wang, why did you send me something again? I won’t be able to repay this debt!”

“Master Zhou, this car is a gift for you; just accept it. Furthermore, this car isn’t free. You owe me a favor tomorrow,” the voice on the other end of the line replied.

Zhou Huan paused. Did Mr. Old Wang have another request? Was it related to the unfinished Red Cloak and Green Sleeves incident? He then asked, “Mr. Old Wang, whatever it is, please tell me. Even if I have to squeeze my schedule, I will come.”

“Hahaha!” A hearty laugh echoed from the phone. “Master Zhou, this matter is minor. Someone passed away in a business friend’s family, and he feels a funeral director should handle the arrangements. I immediately thought of you. I ask Master Zhou to do me this favor and bring me some prestige in front of my friend, giving me some face.”

“That’s easy enough. I’ll come to your place first thing tomorrow morning, and you can take me to handle it.”

“No hurry, the main thing is that you need to rest well first!”

Zhou Huan also let out a rare, hearty laugh. “No problem. I’ll be at your place early tomorrow.”

“Remember to drive the car I sent you. If you do, it means you’ve accepted it. Otherwise, I’ll cancel this favor!” Mr. Old Wang tried to playfully provoke Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan sighed. “Alright, I’ll accept the car, but I must pay you back later; otherwise, I won’t feel at ease!”

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while longer before Zhou Huan hung up. Then, he followed Dongzi to the parking lot to look at the car that had been delivered.

“Master, isn’t this that car they call ‘Ben Shi’—it looks really classy!” Dongzi, surprisingly, managed to recall the car’s trademark and name.

Zhou Huan feigned a frown. “Dongzi, listen to your brother. This car is called a Benz. It consumes a lot of fuel normally, so you need to work hard to help earn money in the future, or we won't just starve, we won't even be able to drive this car.”

“Oh, I understand. I will study the techniques of a Funeral Master diligently in the future—succeed or die trying!” Dongzi said earnestly, though fundamentally, he was not cut out for that line of work. Zhou Huan was helpless about it.

Zhou Huan opened the driver's door and found a card inside the car, with a small note wrapped around it: Master Zhou, this is a credit card. Use it for gas from now on; I will settle the bill afterward. Signed, ‘Your Old Friend, Wang!’

Zhou Huan took the key and turned the ignition. Truthfully, his heart was pounding with excitement. He had wanted a car for a long time, and now he could finally drive one. Although he didn't buy it with his own money, he earned it through his own ability, which provided a degree of psychological balance.

“Let’s go, Tianxiong, Dongzi, get in. Master will take you for a spin and let you see what this car can do!”

“Fantastic, Master!” Dongzi and Li Tianxiong exclaimed in unison, opening the doors and getting in. Zhou Huan pressed the accelerator, shifted into gear, and a brand-new Mercedes-Benz S60 slowly pulled out of the parking lot. On impulse, Zhou Huan drove them to the park the old woman had mentioned—Yuanbaoshan Park, famous in Andong City.