The term 'River Lord' doesn't refer to any specific evil entity, but rather a respectful title used by corpse retrievers for all aquatic demons and spirits.
Retrieving corpses from the river equates to stealing food from the River Lord's domain.
So, corpse fishermen have the tradition of worshipping the River Lord before entering the water.
If the River Lord agrees, one can enter the water with peace of mind.
If not, one must carefully reconsider, as forcing the retrieval might get one's own life claimed by the River Lord.
However, as long as the offerings are proper, things usually don't go wrong.
Particularly dangerous situations are extremely rare exceptions.
Fourth Master Xing, in good spirits now, began telling Lu Fei about the taboos of corpse fishermen.
"But the River Lord in Hulu River isn't a reasonable one. We tried many methods back then, worshipped multiple times, but the offerings kept getting washed away by the water."
"It's like inviting someone to discuss matters over a meal, only to have them flip the table instead of negotiating."
Fourth Master Xing revealed a bitter smile.
"I knew right then this job shouldn't be taken."
"But their offer was too high. That year, Xiao Yan got divorced and was raising the child alone. I thought of risking it to leave more for the mother and child..."
"So in the end, I went into the water alone."
At this point, he seemed exhausted and paused to catch his breath.
Lu Fei stood up to pour a glass of water.
But he shook his head: "If the River Lord is determined to claim you, even drinking water could choke you to death."
"Sorry..." Lu Fei hastily poured the water into the trash bin.
"Not your fault. When the River Lord wants someone, you might escape the first day but never the fifteenth!" Fourth Master Xing waved his hand.
"Back then, I went into the water alone, risked my life to retrieve a corpse, and offended the River Lord there. That's why I've 'washed my hands in the golden basin' since then - no more corpse fishing, avoiding water whenever possible."
"Truth is, you can't really escape it."
He laboriously raised both hands.
The knuckles have become completely deformed.
This is caused by extremely severe rheumatism.
"Even if I avoid water, it seems to follow me. Wherever I stay is always unusually cold and damp." He smiled helplessly. The pillow he leaned against had grown damp, as if soaked with sweat.
"But I have no regrets. If I had to do it over, I'd still go into the water."
"This trade is essentially trading one's life for money. Soaking in water year-round and handling corpses have worn my body to the bone. If I can secure a sum of money for my daughter to build her life in the end, it's worth it."
"Old man, you've really had a hard time!" Hu Zi couldn't help exclaiming.
"Each trade has its own destiny. I've known this day would come since I entered this line of work." Fourth Master Xing looked at Lu Fei. "But you all... there's truly no need to take this risk."
"Once Sinisterium Pawnshop accepts a deal, we can't abandon it halfway. Otherwise, who would dare do business with us again? As you said yourself, senior—each trade has its own destiny." Lu Fei smiled. "Senior, could you tell me what exactly the River Lord in Calabash River is?"
"Young man, you've got quite the bearing of your grandfather."
Fourth Master Xing's eyes showed newfound admiration. Those in their traditional trades always respected people who honored their craft.
He squinted his eyes and inhaled deeply from the cigarette.
"What exactly it was, I can't say. After all these years of corpse retrieval, I've never seen anything so eerie."
"When I dove into the river, I vaguely saw the bus carrying a full load of people sinking toward the riverbed. The vehicle was entangled with countless things—couldn't tell if they were ghostly hands or waterweeds... But the bus had already been salvaged earlier..."
"I chased after the bus, managed to smash a window, and pulled one person out. But then all those people inside crowded over to grab me. I barely broke free and desperately swam upward."
"Only later did I notice—there was a massive face pressed against the rear window of that bus."
"That face kept staring at me. Under its gaze, I felt like I was falling into a black hole, completely paralyzed. I had to bite my tongue bloody to break free."
"It must've been the River Lord. Though I didn't see its full form, just remembering those eyes still chills me to the bone..."
Fourth Master Xing clutched his cigarette with twisted fingers, laboring for breath as his lungs wheezed like broken bellows.
"Holy mother! What the hell was that thing?" Hu Zi muttered, edging closer to Lu Fei with goosebumps rising on his scalp.
"A massive face?"
Lu Fei furrowed his brows, recalling the enormous face they had seen beneath the water when subduing the fish demon at Fuxian Lake.
But these were clearly two separate locations—it couldn't be the same malevolent entity.
"Young Lu," Fourth Master Xing regained his breath and advised, "creatures in the water aren't like those on land. You're still young, not like me. There's no need to risk your life for money. The belly of the gourd-shaped lake is riddled with undercurrents. You might be swept away before you even find the River Lord."
Fourth Master Xing, having caught his breath, looked at Lu Fei and urged.
"Elder, I appreciate your concern. But this isn't just about money. I can't let the reputation of Sinisterium Pawnshop crumble under my watch." Lu Fei's smile was calm yet resolute. "You're the only one who's dealt with the River Lord. Help me figure out how to find it."
Fourth Master Xing fell silent for a long moment before speaking again: "I've heard something that might aid you..."
But at that moment,
the hospital room door suddenly swung open.
Elder Sister Xing strode in, carrying a takeout container, her face glistening with sweat.
"Dad, I brought tofu stew. Eat it while it's hot."
"Xiao Yan, you're back..."
Fourth Master Xing abruptly cut off their conversation. When he looked up at his daughter, he froze.
"Yan... what happened to your face?"
A vivid red palm print marked Elder Sister Xing's cheek.
"It's nothing—just an accidental bump. Weren't you hungry? Eat now." She lowered her head, setting up the bedside tray to tend to her father's meal.
"Did that bastard come for you again?" Fourth Master Xing fixed his daughter with an intense stare, his frail body trembling with rage. "Did he... did he hit you...?"
"Dad, calm down! This is a hospital—he wouldn't dare cause trouble..."
Elder Sister Xing hastily put down the food container, patting her father's back to soothe him.
Just then, a shifty-eyed man slipped into the room. His darting gaze circled the space before landing on the father and daughter, his lips curling into a predatory grin.
"Well, well! So the old man's hiding here!"
At the sight of the man, Sister Xing's face instantly paled, and she stepped in front of her father.
"Qiao Tiejun, what do you think you're doing? This is a hospital! Make one wrong move and I'll call the police!"
"Now now, Yan'er!" The man approached with a greasy smile. "They say one day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of grace, and one day as a father makes you family forever. Isn't Dad sick? I'm here to visit our father..."
"Get out! I-I'm not your father! Our family has no beast like you..." Old Man Xing roared in agitation.
"Well aren't you an ungrateful old bastard! Here I come to visit and you spit in my face. Without this today" - he shamelessly grinned and extended his hand toward the father-daughter pair - "I ain't leaving!"
"You... you..."
Old Man Xing's breath caught in his throat.
Lu Fei frowned and signaled Hu Zi with his eyes.
Hu Zi strode forward and grabbed the man's finger, bending it downward with brutal force.
"My temper can't take this shit! Bullying women and elders - you call yourself a man?!"