https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-922-Boldly-Reforming-Again-and-Again/13132761/
Chapter 921: Nostalgic Skin Modernization
Chapter 921: Nostalgic Skin Modernization
What...
As he gazed at the lifeless mist, the staggering dead souls, and the massive gate faintly visible behind the thick fog, the man, with an axe embedded in the back of his head, froze in place.
Am I...dead?
Struggling to recall his memories from his previous life, he remembered a captivating voice and the sudden sound of breaking wind behind his ear. Only then did he fully confirm his current situation, and he couldn't help but feel dejected.
I must be dead...
After the royal ship of the Kingdom of Saio was towed away, the area near the Bimoon Sea became a habitat for sea sirens. Sailors passing by often went mad from their songs and jumped into the sea, swimming towards the reefs until they exhausted themselves and died.
So, he took on a mission from the Commissioner, carrying the Silent Music Box to drive away the sea siren colony. But halfway through the task, the ship's first mate went insane and started swinging the axe meant for cutting the mooring ropes, while he was distracted by controlling the music box...
Damn it! Is this how I died?
With a soul quality far surpassing that of ordinary people, he temporarily resisted the pull of the Gates of the Departed. The man with the axe embedded in his head hugged his head, his eyes filled with reluctance, and roared,
How could this be? I was a Level 2 Cleanup Agent who once participated in the promotion assessment with the God of Food and returned alive! How could I be chopped to death like this? And such a stupid death? I...I...
"Hey, what are you doing over there?"
Seemingly noticing this special existence, two souls, one black and one white, standing on either side of the Gates of the Departed, immediately stepped forward. They held shackles and hurried over, scolding him harshly:
"Get in there! The souls of the dead cannot linger outside!"
"Move it! Don't block the way for others! Or we'll lock you up!"
"..."
What...what are these two up to?
Seeing the strange souls in front of him, wearing peculiar tall hats, holding sticks and shackles, and demanding that he enter the Gates of the Departed, the man was momentarily bewildered. He asked in surprise:
"Who are you? Isn't the Gates of the Departed under the jurisdiction of the God of Food?"
This person knows about the God of Food...so he must be a deceased Cleanup Agent?
After hearing the man's curious question, the black and white souls' attitudes softened slightly. Then, as if they weren't quite familiar with the procedure, they introduced themselves awkwardly:
"We are the Black...um...Temporary Black and Temporary White...I don't know why we're called that, but that's what we're called. The Ghost Gate is currently unguarded, so we've been tasked with maintaining order here."
"Ghost Gate?"
"It's the original Gates of the Departed."
Considering that the axe-headed man before them was a Cleanup Agent, the 'Temporary White' whispered an explanation, his face covered in falling white ash. He then pointed towards the Gates of the Departed, shrouded in the distant gray mist.
"Look, isn't it written up there?"
"?"
Following the pale finger of the 'Temporary White', the axe-headed man looked towards the Gates of the Departed and couldn't help but gape, standing there in a daze.
A massive archway, constructed from stone pillars, replaced the original split Gates of the Departed, standing tall at the boundary between life and death.
In the center of this peculiar structure, with blue bricks and black tiles, and flying eaves on all four corners, a rectangular plaque was nailed. On it were three strange symbols, roughly resembling letters, emitting a faint red light that sent a shiver down one's spine.
"What do those three symbols mean...?"
"It's the Ghost Gate. Isn't there a translation below?"
A translation?
The axe-headed man was momentarily startled by the words of the black and white souls. He quickly squinted and looked down, noticing that below the three symbols was indeed a corresponding translation. However, before he could examine it closely, the two souls pushed him, urging him with some impatience:
"Hurry up, hurry up! You've lingered long enough. Even as a Cleanup Agent, you can't block the way. Go and register quickly!"
"Huh?
"Now I have to register even after death?"
"Why are you asking me? This is the...cough...the decision made by the higher-ups in your...er...Cleanup Bureau. We're just following orders. Hurry up! Go and register, and then you'll be on your way to the Yellow Springs Road."
"The Yellow Springs Road...isn't that the No Return Path?"
"It's been repainted yellow."
"Huh?!"
"No, that's not what I meant!"
Feeling the need to clarify, he quickly added, "According to the higher-ups, the No Return Path sounds inauspicious, and although the road still exists, it no longer serves its original purpose. So, they decided to rename it. Why are you asking so many questions? Hurry up and go!"
"..."
Although he had a million questions bubbling inside him, Axe Man could only quicken his steps towards the drastically changed Gates of the Departed under the persistent urging of the "Black and White Temporarily." He soon arrived at a table beside the gate and was handed a form.
"Hello."
Axe Man's gaze darted across the form, his eyes widening as he took in the bizarre content.
The woman behind the table, dressed in a black and white suit, her face as beautiful as a painting, smiled and spoke with a radiant smile that revealed eight sparkling white teeth.
"Mr. Deceased, please fill in the mandatory fields for age, gender, address, and cause of death. You can rely on your soul's understanding to complete these fields even if you can't read. This form only accepts the truth from your soul.
Additionally, the optional fields below for regrets in life, social contributions, surviving family members, and special achievements can be filled out if you wish. You may leave them blank if you prefer."
She leaned forward, offering advice, "However, I suggest you fill them out if you have the information. Even though they are optional, they may still influence your post-death employment direction, related job benefits, and even promotion opportunities within the relevant departments."
"..."
Post-death employment...with opportunities for promotion and benefits? Is this still the Netherworld? Where have they sent me?
Axe Man, holding the form with its bizarre content, felt his head spinning. His mouth hung open, and his eyes were filled with bewilderment as he asked, "What...what is this...?"
"We are a branch of the Cleanup Bureau in the Netherworld, recently established. For now, we're tentatively named the Underworld Branch, with Miss Emma as our Commissioner...You can see the bureau's emblem at the top of the form."
"..."
Following the woman's finger, Axe Man glanced at the emblem of a dung...scarab beetle at the top of the form. He finally managed to close his mouth, struggling to accept the surreal reality before him. With eyes wide in disbelief, he asked, "Why is this happening? Has the Bureau taken over the entire Netherworld?"
Bureau? The woman in the suit, sensing the significance of this word, narrowed her eyes slightly, her smile becoming more enthusiastic. She took the initiative to explain, "Respected Mr. Deceased, if you served as a Cleanup Agent in your lifetime, it will be considered a third-level special contribution. After completing the form, you can proceed through the fast lane directly to the Judgment Hall to receive the judgment of the judges."
"Judgment? Did I commit a crime?"
"Sir, judgment doesn't always imply guilt; it can also be for merit."
Glancing quickly at the memo board beside the table and reviewing the work process established by the new ruler of the Netherworld, the woman explained with a hint of envy, "According to the rules...or rather, the established regulations, if you accumulated enough merits during your career as a Cleanup Agent, you will receive corresponding rewards in the Netherworld or redeem benefits for your surviving family members.
Moreover, if you worked diligently enough, accumulated substantial merits, committed no serious crimes, and your soul and physical condition meet the standards, you might even be eligible for the resurrection process, allowing you to live to the age of 150 before returning here."
"Ah?!?!?"
(End of Chapter)
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