Chen Yifei felt that the latter possibility was more likely, as he didn't think he had any innate talent for acting.
The two boarded the K18 train and finally returned to District Three before it got dark. Han Meng stood on the desolate platform and checked the time.
"It's getting late. Go back and rest... It won't be long before your appointment letter arrives."
"Appointment letter?"
"As an enforcer." Han Meng replied calmly, "All those who embark on the path of the divine are appointed as enforcers by Aurora City. You're the only one this time... They can't not appoint you."
"I offended the Star Commerce Association. Will my appointment be unaffected?"
"This is an appointment from the highest level of Aurora City. The Star Commerce Association can't interfere. If I can become the chief enforcer of District Three, you definitely won't have any issues." Han Meng paused for a moment,
"Moreover, the current situation in the Aurora Territory is special... They need manpower."
Chen Yifei nodded. "Okay."
Chen Yifei's original goal was to become an enforcer. After the Star Commerce Association's intervention, he thought it would be difficult for him to smoothly become an enforcer... Now it seems that the enforcer headquarters are quite resolute in some aspects.
Chen Yifei said goodbye to Han Meng and they parted ways at the platform.
Walking under the night sky filled with auroras, Chen Yifei looked at the approaching outline of the streets, thoughtful.
It's been so long since he went to the Ancient Relic of the Warrior Path. He wondered how Cold Frost Street was doing...
At least, his peach tree should be in place, right?
...
Cold Frost Street.
"Hey! Have you heard?"
"What?"
"This time, there was a group of enforcers who went to the Ancient Relic for trial. I have a friend from Winter Harbor who came to stock up this afternoon... He told me that all those enforcers are dead!"
"Ah?!"
On Cold Frost Street, several residents pricked up their ears and immediately gathered together with their small benches.
"Is it true?"
"Impossible. How could it be so dangerous in the Ancient Relic... I heard that in previous years, only one or two died at most."
The translated sentence is: "I heard that a Fire Manipulator infiltrated this time, stole something, and killed everyone! A large group of people from Aurora City came this afternoon and surrounded the entire harbor."
"I know about the harbor blockade. I've also heard of it... Is it because of this matter?"
"Did Chen Yifei also go?"
"It seems like he did. Speaking of which, I haven't seen him for two days..."
"Does that mean he's also...!??"
As they spoke, everyone's eyes widened. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise!
"Chen Yifei is dead?!?" Xu, the owner of the tailor shop, stood up first, his shocked voice almost audible half a street away.
More and more people stepped out of their homes, chatting and discussing, with looks of doubt, shock, and relief...
Several shop owners gathered together, hurriedly confirmed something, and the gloom on their faces immediately dissipated, and the heavy burden in their hearts finally lifted.
"He's dead? That demon enforcer who ate hearts is dead?!?"
"...I haven't been able to sleep peacefully for these two days. Every time I close my eyes, I see him handing me a heart. It's really scary."
"It seems he won't be coming back... Good, good. Everyone won't have to worry anymore!"
"..."
Relief appeared on everyone's faces. They started patting each other's shoulders and comforting each other.
Only Uncle Zhao, who hurriedly arrived without understanding the situation, heard about it and his face turned pale.
"Dead?" Uncle Zhao muttered, "A good kid, how did he die...?"
"Although Chen Yifei ate hearts, he's still a kid who grew up in our Cold Frost Street. Should we... send him off?"
"Yeah, so after he rests in peace, he won't come back as a ghost to trouble us."
"Can people really become ghosts after death?"
"Ordinary people don't know, but he's a demon who eats hearts. Who knows if he'll come back after death..."
"But we don't even have a body. How can we send him off?"
"Just get a coffin and make a paper doll... Mr. Xu, you're in this business, right? This shouldn't be difficult for you."
"Hey, as long as I don't have to get a heart, it's not a problem."
Mr. Xu waved his hand and immediately led everyone to his shop. He picked a bright red coffin that no one had chosen and took a paper doll from the shelf. In just a few strokes, he made it look about five or six parts similar to Chen Yifei.
"There's no body or clothes, so let's just make do with this."
Mr. Xu also took several bundles of paper money, as well as paper houses and furniture, and put them all in a bag. Then he called two strong young men to carry the coffin and head towards Chen Yifei's house.
Other residents, seeing a group of people carrying a coffin out, were curious and followed behind the procession.
Mr. Xu stood in front of Chen Yifei's house, holding the paper doll in one hand and waving his other hand towards Chen Yifei's house, muttering something... probably words about returning the soul, being buried, and resting in peace.
Seeing this scene, the people behind even felt that Mr. Xu was performing a ritual. However, for this situation without a body or clothes, they really didn't know what to do.
After muttering for a while, Mr. Xu put the paper doll into the coffin and closed the lid.
Just then, he seemed to remember something and said a few words to the butcher shop owner beside him. Soon, the latter came with several large bags filled with chicken and pig hearts, hurrying to catch up with the group.
"These were originally prepared for Chen Yifei... as offerings. We won't need them anymore. It's ominous to keep them, so let's bury them as burial items."
Mr. Xu waved his hand and let two young men carry the coffin and head straight towards the mountain behind in the darkness, with everyone following closely behind.
To be honest, Mr. Xu had been doing this business for so many years, but he had never experienced anything like this. The paper doll substituting for the body, calling the soul from the house, these were just the random mourning process he came up with. Situations like Chen Yifei's were rare.
But so what?
Ultimately, everyone was just afraid that Chen Yifei would come back to trouble them after death. Everything they did was just for peace of mind. So Mr. Xu just had to go through the motions. If they really followed the normal mourning process, they would probably be busy until tomorrow morning.
Because it was dark, everyone carried kerosene lamps and walked towards the mountain behind, by the light of the flames. After the bright red coffin, the crowd followed in a bustle, like countless moving shadows.
As everyone gradually walked away, a figure walked out from the corner of the street in confusion, looking at the departing crowd with bewilderment etched on their face.
"So many people in the middle of the night. Who are they going to mourn for?"
Chen Yifei muttered, seeing the coffin disappearing into the distance.