Li Li was studying to be an interpreter.

  Sure, everyone said language majors were a dead end these days, but she had her own plans. Their temple was in a tourist area, and the number of foreign visitors had noticeably increased in recent years. These tourists were always smiling, tipped generously, and believed whatever they were told—a perfect combination of gullible and wealthy.

  But due to language barriers, her Elder Uncles and fellow disciples had never properly… *catered to*… ah, no, properly *served* them.

  As the 64th-generation heir and a forward-thinking youth, Li Li had to adapt to the times, learn new skills, and strive to elevate the temple to new heights!

  Filled with fighting spirit, Li Li vowed to study hard. Ten minutes into her first class, that fire was drenched in cold water.

  She… couldn’t understand a thing!

  The professor spoke quickly, used specialized vocabulary, complex grammar, and one long, convoluted sentence after another. Li Li was lost in minutes.

  Communicating with Xiao Mei relied on simple phrases. Daily conversation was fine—Li Li just spoke, and Xiao Mei, as a native speaker, could guess the gist.

  But university-level academic lectures were a different beast.

  By the end of the class, Li Li felt dizzy, her temples throbbing. Her already sleep-deprived brain was foggy, her eyelids heavy, her head nodding as if she might pass out any second.

  Finally, during the break, her head tilted to the side, and she fell completely asleep.

  ---

  Li Li walked through a thick mist.

  The light was a cold blue. Underfoot was a narrow cobbled road, flanked by Gothic stone buildings resembling European castles, their black spires faintly visible through the white fog. Every door was shut tight, a dim oil lamp hanging outside each one.

  *Where in the underworld am I now?*

  Squinting, Li Li raised a hand to shield her eyes, utterly confused.

  *Well, keep walking.*

  After walking aimlessly for a while, a turnstile gate appeared ahead, blocking the path. Next to it was a sign in English and traditional Chinese characters:

  **Clearance Fee Required.**

  Scratching her head, Li Li checked all her pockets. Finally, in her pants pocket, she found a few unburned green **Hell Bank Dollars.**

  The bills had "100,000" in the center, an image of Jesus on the right, and a church on the reverse. The top of both sides read: **Western Heaven Bank.**

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  Li Li circled the turnstile, inspecting it carefully.

  *No coin slot.*

  Shrugging, she tentatively slapped a bill against the turnstile. The bill flashed and disappeared. The light on the gate turned from red to green, and it lifted automatically.

  Li Li grinned. *Hey, pretty high-tech.*

  Past the gate, the scenery gradually changed. The cobbled road became a dirt path. The Gothic castles shifted into classic Chinese wooden architecture. The oil lamps transformed into orange-red lanterns hanging under the eaves, swaying slightly despite the lack of wind.

  Suddenly, a harsh, grating sound came from the distance.

  *Clank—scrape—*

  Li Li pricked up her ears, listening closely.

  The sound grew nearer and nearer.

  Finally, she recognized it: the sound of heavy iron chains dragging on the ground.

  Two figures emerged from the fog, wearing tall hats—one black, one white. The Black and White Reapers.

  "Li Li," Black Reaper spoke first.

  Li Li quickly bowed. "This junior is here."

  "What in the underworld did you burn for us?" Black Reaper asked, clearly annoyed.

  Li Li slowly looked up. "...Huh?"

  "The gold ingots you burned were short on weight, poor quality. Practically useless," Black Reaper complained. "We got laughed at by the other Reapers."

  Li Li broke into a cold sweat, stammering, "Th-that… that must be because the gold foil I bought here is low quality…"

  "Burn more next time," White Reaper said. "It was an honest mistake."

  Li Li bowed repeatedly. "Yes, yes! This junior will definitely burn more!"

  Black Reaper snorted but didn't press further. "Those green paper notes, though—quite useful. The guards on this side accept them at the gates. Burn more of those too."

  He must be talking about the spirit "dollars" she'd burned for fun.

  "Yes, yes! This junior will burn more of those too!" Li Li agreed eagerly.

  With the matter settled, White Reaper waved a sleeve. "Go back. You can't stay long in the ghost realm."

  The white sleeve flashed before her eyes. A deep, bone-chilling cold seeped into her. Li Li felt her body grow light and, without any external force, fly backward rapidly. The scenery around her blurred and spun. After a dizzying whirl, she jerked her head up and woke with a start.

  The gentle chime of the class-ending bell was ringing.

  A classmate sitting one seat over gave her a strange look. Seeing her sweating and breathing heavily, they kindly asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

  "I'm fine, fine," Li Li shook her head and waved her hands. "Just a bad dream."

  *Visiting the ghost realm and meeting the Reapers definitely counts as a nightmare.*

  Seeing she'd calmed down, the classmate said, "Okay. The professor posted the assignment on the course portal. Remember to submit it."

  "Thank you! You're a lifesaver!" Li Li thanked them profusely.

  She patted her pockets and realized she'd given away all the protection charms she brought from home. All she fished out of her pants pocket was a handful of black ash.

  Li Li: "..."

  *These pants are going straight to hand-wash.*

  The classmate found this person utterly bizarre. After waking up, she mumbled a bit, then started rummaging through her pockets, pulled out a handful of black ash, and stared at it motionless. Seriously creepy.

  *Maybe she has… psychiatric issues?*

  He quickly waved. "No problem. I'm heading out then. Class is over." He practically fled.

  "Bye!" Li Li called out politely.

  Hearing her voice, the classmate walked even faster.

  After everyone left and the classroom lights turned off, Li Li sat alone in the dark, taking a few deep breaths. Once the chilling sensation faded and her heartbeat steadied, she packed her bag and left.

  The scare from the Reapers had jolted her awake. She suffered through the rest of the day's classes with renewed focus—painful, but no further weirdness.

  She sent a message to Li Chengxian: *When you send the ritual tools, please include some high-quality gold and silver foil paper from home. The stuff here is trash, and the Reapers complained.*

  Li Chengxian didn't reply immediately—probably asleep.

  *Time difference with ghosts abroad, time difference with people back home. Nothing's convenient.* Li Li sighed, a wave of homesickness washing over her.

  A/N:

  Important PSA: When conducting international spiritual transactions, please ensure your offerings meet minimum quality standards. The underworld has regulations, and the Reapers *will* file complaints.

  Schedule: Tue/Thu/Sat at 6:30 PM PST

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