The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

Time has passed, and the bamboo forest has changed dramatically.

The once-groomed bamboo grove is now deserted, the shady spots are covered with cobwebs, the once meticulously maintained courtyard is now overgrown with weeds, and the bluestone floor is covered with leaves and dust, with dust faintly visible in the afterglow of the setting sun.

...Well, that's the situation he envisioned.

The truth is that the courtyard is clean and tidy, as if someone comes to clean it regularly, and some damaged or broken parts have even been carefully repaired.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the golden sunlight enveloped the bamboo forest, turning it into a dazzling pale gold.

"Strange, has someone taken care of this place? Shinki and the others...? That shouldn't be possible..."

While pondering these thoughts, Shi Bai walked straight towards his house.

Originally, there was only a small bamboo hut built by Yagokoro Eirin in the bamboo forest. However, with his arrival and the arrival of others, the small bamboo hut gradually evolved into a place similar to a small gathering place.

Surrounding these houses are cleared courtyards and squares.

Shi Bai had assumed that after so much time, this place would be at least dilapidated, if not completely destroyed. However, he hadn't expected it to be in much better condition than when he left…

"It's confirmed now. Someone was here recently because there are still embers from the fire in the kitchen... Strange, who could it be?"

As usual, he moved a rattan chair and sat in the courtyard to bask in the setting sun. The person, who had prematurely entered old age, looked thoughtful.

As the saying goes, the world changes constantly, and during the three years of the celestial realm's lockdown, the changes that occurred in the world were truly numerous.

To give a very simple example, Tsukiyomi and her clan had already moved to the moon... It's a bit of a shame they missed that time...

Wait a minute... if that's the case...

As if he had suddenly thought of something, Shi Bai's expression changed slightly.

Without a second thought, he hurriedly stood up and ran into the room. A moment later, the bamboo forest returned to silence.

Half an hour after Shi Bai left, a girl with shoulder-length blue-purple hair entered the bamboo forest. When she saw the rattan chair that suddenly appeared in the courtyard, she was visibly stunned.

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The underworld is the dwelling place of the dead, and the living are not allowed to enter.

"Phew... It's you. I thought it was some guys trying to force their way into the underworld again."

Having received an alarm that the underworld had been invaded by the living, Heca, who had to rush over, looked at the person in front of him and visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"After all these years, your fashion sense is still terrible."

Looking at the goddess from hell in front of him, dressed in a pink T-shirt and green skirt, Shi Bai looked disgusted.

"This is fashion, do you even understand fashion?"

Heca rolled her eyes and replied rather irritably.

"Can't you just give me a break for once? You've been missing for so many years, and you've caused me so much trouble..."

"You really need to change your extreme aversion to trouble. To be honest, I still have something to settle with you about."

With a slight pursing of his lips, Shi Bai glanced casually at the countless spider lilies covering the hillside.

"You should know why I'm here, right? So please lead the way. I'm completely unfamiliar with places like the Underworld..."

"...So what exactly do you take me for?"

Heca's eyes twitched noticeably after hearing the man's impolite words.

"I am the highest-ranking goddess in charge of the underworld!! You expect me, a goddess of such high status, to lead the way for you!?"

"Hmm...how about I send you a bunch of fashion magazines too?"

After thinking for a moment, Shi Bai offered a very constructive suggestion.

"To be honest, your sense of aesthetics has gone way astray. I'm really afraid you'll end up as a non-mainstream, flamboyant goddess..."

"...Fine, come with me. Remember, this is the last time. I've memorized the power fluctuations emanating from you. Next time, I'll have a Grim Reaper do it for me."

After a moment of silence, faced with an almost rogue-like existence, Heca ultimately chose to compromise in order to avoid further trouble.

"You're here to see Shiki, right? The Hall of Right and Wrong you mentioned before is finished. She and the other Enma work there. She should be... what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just suddenly feel a little concerned about something... The thing you said when you first met me, it means that there were other people who entered the underworld before me, right?"

After thinking for a moment, Shi Bai asked Heca, who was walking ahead of him.

Who was the one who broke into the underworld earlier?

"A powerful god and a green-haired monster."

As if recalling some unbearable past events, Heca's face involuntarily darkened when he talked about them.

"Life and death cannot be confused, and the living cannot enter the underworld. This is the most basic rule of the world, and anyone who tries to break this rule will be severely punished... except for you, of course."

As she said these words, Heca glanced at him with great resentment.

"Even the Dragon God, who represents the will and rules of the world, has appeared, but why hasn't the Dragon God come to punish you, who has committed such a heinous crime?"

"Hmm...maybe the Dragon God is from my family."

After thinking for a moment, the person nodded with a proud look on their face.

"Hmph, just keep showing off with your words."

With a soft hum, Heca turned his head away.

"Those who haven't faced it firsthand will never know the power of the Dragon God, it is..."

"I've faced it before, I've even died many times."

Raising his hand, Shi Bai interrupted Heca's words very seriously.

"Keep bragging, even going so far as to confront the Dragon God..."

Heca looked at her with disdain.

"You may not know the concept that the Dragon God represents. It represents the will and rules of the entire world. How can one person fight against the entire world alone? You'd better pray that the Dragon God doesn't come after you, or your fate will be terrible."

"Anyway, nobody believes me when I tell the truth..."

Rolling his eyes, Shi Bai decisively changed the subject.

"Let's stop talking about that and get back to what happened before... What happened to Shinki and the succubus?"

"What else can I do? The rules of the world must be upheld, but they insist on forcibly breaking into the underworld. Naturally, I have no choice but to fight them. Do you know how troublesome fighting is?"

Although a long time has passed since that incident, Heca's words still carried a considerable amount of resentment.

"Especially since that god is incredibly powerful, even though the underworld is supposed to be my home turf... Wait, you know them?"

As if suddenly realizing something, Heca looked at him with great suspicion.

Emperor.jpg

P.S.: Good morning!

Will the exercises in Chapter Two fill your stomach?

"Huh? Didn't they mention my name?"

Upon hearing Heca's question, Shi Bai was quite surprised.

"And the agreement between us still seems to be in effect, right?"

"Yes, she gets three days off a year..."

Heca raised his head, utterly speechless.

"Not at all. Anyway, those two just inexplicably came to the underworld and caused a huge disturbance. It took me a lot of effort to finally get rid of them... Your friends? You've caused me so much trouble, how are you going to compensate me?"

"Hey, hey, hey... She has an older sister who's famous for all four seasons. Is it really appropriate for you to just kick her out like this?"

Shi Bai pressed his forehead hard, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head.

"And over the years, there must have been many holidays throughout the four seasons, right?"

"I didn't withhold any of her vacation days, do you think I would break my promise?"

Heca stopped in her tracks, her face still showing no sign of letting up.

"You promised me before that you wouldn't cause me any trouble, so I need an explanation for your actions this time."

"An explanation? The explanation is that they were out of their minds and didn't say my name."

Rolling his eyes, Shi Bai walked forward on his own.

"Even Hattori Hanzo and Lü Bu could fight over trivial matters like asking for directions and language barriers. The chances of you two fighting under misunderstandings are too high. What can I say?"

"Compensation, compensation, that's what I want."

Heka quickly caught up with the other person, looking unwilling.

"Do you know how much destruction that guy caused in the underworld back then, and how much trouble he brought me... What is this?"

Heca was slightly taken aback when he saw the small wooden sign that had suddenly been placed in his hand.

"Shi Bai Discount Card. With this card, I can give you a 90% discount on fees whenever you ask me for help in the future."

The person waved their hand dismissively.

"This is a very, very valuable item. I've only given away this one so far, so please make sure you keep it safe and don't lose it."

"...Well, it's better than nothing."

After a moment of silence, Heca muttered something under his breath and put away the small wooden plaque with the word "time" engraved on its surface.

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The underworld, as the realm of the dead and the abode of judgment in the cycle of life and death, covers an area of ​​boundless expanse.

Managing such a vast underworld is naturally beyond the capacity of Heca alone. Therefore, the underworld is populated by Yama, as well as Shinigami (gods of death) and other deities responsible for various tasks.

There are many Enma, most of whom are selected based on the characteristics of the souls of the dead. The selection of Shinigami is the same, with some being transformed from human spirits and others from yokai.

However, among the many Enma, Shiki Eiki, as the first Enma in the Underworld, can be said to be the most special one.

Heca kept her promise well, so in the Underworld, although Shiki Eiki herself may not be fully aware of it, her status in the Underworld is actually quite extraordinary.

Not only was she granted a series of privileges and permissions by Heca, but she was also the only Yama allowed to freely enter and leave the realms of life and death. Furthermore, within the Hall of Right and Wrong, she possessed the largest and most luxurious office, specially customized by a certain lolicon...

The Hall of Right and Wrong exists in the underworld as an important building serving as Yama's office. Although it was once shelved due to a lack of manpower, the design blueprint created by a certain person has still survived.

"Alright, I've brought you here. If you have anything to do, go find her yourself. I won't keep you company any longer!"

Upon seeing the massive building of the Hall of Right and Wrong from afar, Heca hurriedly began to say goodbye.

"Huh? Aren't you coming in with me?"

It was quite rare to detect a feeling of fear in Heca, which made Shi Bai feel rather strange.

In the underworld... there are things that could frighten someone?

"I don't want to see her again, so you'd better pray for yourself!!"

After giving him a rather pitying look, Heca waved wildly at him, saying goodbye nine times in one breath.

"Bye-bye-bye-bye-bye-bye-bye-bye-bye-bye-

"Uh……"

Watching the goddess flee as if she were running away, and turning to look at the people entering and leaving the Hall of Trials and Tribulations, Shi Bai suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

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Ten minutes later, Shi Bai found a certain Yama King diligently working in the largest office in the Hall of Right and Wrong.

Half an hour later, the smile on someone's face began to look extremely forced.

Three hours later, the person began to question the meaning of life.

Six hours later, someone lay slumped on the table, looking utterly hopeless.

Twelve hours later, someone finally understood who Heca was afraid of, but unfortunately, he realized it too late.

As the saying goes, good deeds will be rewarded and evil deeds will be punished. It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived yet. Now, I'm experiencing the meaning of this saying firsthand.

From the very first encounter, he was lectured by a certain Yama King for a full twelve hours, thirty-six minutes, and fifty-seven seconds... Don't ask why it was accurate to the second, because he deliberately took out a stopwatch to keep track of the time.

The lecture lasted a full twelve hours, and not a single word was repeated, which was fine, but the problem is... how could the other person see their own dark history in their own sins?!