chapter 3

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Chapter Three

Most people have dreams of

falling, and returning to life is pretty similar.

At first, it almost feels like

I’m floating weightlessly in the air, and then my ears pop, and my

body shudders. The next time I open my eyes, I find myself lying on a

bed.

But, when it comes down to it,

returning to life and dreaming are two different things. When I blink

my eyes open, I see a dazzling yellow. My eyes are covered by a piece

of yellow silk, and a cold, hard object is in my mouth. I can hear the

unmistakable sound of keening through the coffin. I wiggle my fingers

and exhale once, and the yellow fabric quivers. I reach for the left

side of my chest feeling the strength of my heartbeat - boom boom

boom. There’s no doubt about it. I’ve landed successfully!

The sensation of air going in

and out of my nostrils puts me at ease. The yellow fabric mushrooms

and deflates along with my breathing. I suppress my excitement as I

wonder how I should declaim my existence to the relevant people in my

second life with a speech that will not raise too much suspicion. But

before I can even start making full use of my brain cells, I begin to

catch bits and pieces of conversation outside the coffin.

“The hour is not yet upon

us…”

“It is nigh. Let us nail the

coffin.”

Nail the coffin?! Did I hear

someone say nailing the coffin?!

“But once that’s been

done…”

“We are going to die anyway.

Is there a need to be so precise about the time? I want to get it

over with quickly. Let’s just nail the coffin.”

To my shock, they’re really

going through with it. Another voice seems to hesitate for a moment,

and then the wooden board above my head is pounded thrice. “The

hour is upon us… Nail the coffin!”

G.o.dd.a.m.n, they’re really

doing it? What the h.e.l.l! I finally manage to find the perfect vessel

to return to life in, and before I get to enjoy anything, I’m going

to suffocate to death in a coffin and become a grudge spirit again? I

shoot up, head pus.h.i.+ng off the lid of the coffin, and pull off the

yellow fabric. I spit out the piece of ceremonial jade from my mouth before I yell, “Don’t do it! I’m alive again!”

Silence all around.

I cling to the edge of the

coffin as I look at the surrounding mortals. They are standing like

wooden poles wrapped in white, mourning attire. One of them who’s

hugging an earthen pot is the quickest to react, the pot clanging as

it drops as he cries, “Oh no! The prince has turned into a zombie!”

The wooden poles instantly

bounce up like fishes in boiling oil, all hightailing out the door,

with b.u.t.ter-fingers in the lead.

“Get the guards! Get the

Taoist priest! The hour was not right! The prince’s corpse has been

reanimated!”

“Help! Zombie! The prince

has become a zombie!”

I stand and make to step out

of the coffin attempting to rea.s.sure everyone that I’ve returned to

life and not turned into a zombie. At the very moment my foot hits

the ground, the few people who have not already darted away are

petrified as they drop to the ground. One of them keeps kowtowing,

his legs trembling as he whimpers, “Milord, Milord… Your slave

knows that you died with many regrets…but every debt has its

debtor. I, Xiao-Shun was the most faithful to you. His Majesty

already issued an edict to execute w.a.n.g Rui by slow slicing before

your very grave. The masters shall be buried along with you, so

please be at ease and leave… Be at ease…”

I laugh hollowly as I reply,

“Don’t be afraid. I haven’t turned into a zombie. I have

returned to life. If you don’t believe me, touch my hand and see if

it’s warm or cold.” I stretch my arm out while I swing my other

leg out of the coffin. Xiao-Shun immediately shrieks and scrambles

away.

A few others who are frozen in

their fear eventually struggle to their feet and make for the door.

There remains only a grandpa with a white beard who is giving me a

spooked stare and pointing at me with a trembling index finger. I

take several steps forward in what I believe to be a friendly manner

and hold the grandpa’s hand. “My hand’s warm.”

The grandpa’s eyes roll back

in his head. White froth spews from his mouth. He faints.

I roll my eyes and can’t

help but rub my nose, “d.a.m.n it, what just happened!”

From behind me, an unhurried

and matter-of-fact voice remarks, “Your Highness has suddenly

returned to life. The servants know very little of the world, so it

is expected that they are afraid. Please don’t blame them, Your

Highness.”

These words make me jump in

fright. The voice sounds similar to that of the person who wanted my

coffin nailed. I turn and look for the source of the voice and find a

fellow standing next to the Taoist banner behind the coffin who, like

the others, wore a white ceremonial robe. I am immediately moved by

the expression on his face.

His gaze is definitely one

aimed at a living person, and he sounds like he is talking to a

living person. Like a guerrilla soldier who has located the Party,

I throw myself at him excitedly and grip his hand. “You believe I’m

a real living person? That’s wonderful! Look, my hand is warm,

which means I’m really alive. Finally someone believes me. May I

know your name?”

The moment the words leave my

mouth, I realize I’m in deep trouble. I can tell from his speech

and white robes that this man clearly belongs to the prince’s

residence. He’s handsome beyond words, and I figure he is way up

there in the pecking order. Thankfully, with my years of experience

handling impromptu situations like this, I can think fast on my feet,

so seeing the slight twitch in his brows, I quickly add with

enthusiasm, “I’m sure you recognize me. Could I trouble you to

tell me who I am?”

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Dairytea: Lol.

another pic from the manhua