Chapter 081: The Collector of Shadow Debts

The world is vast, yet remarkably small. To think that Song Baoguo had once served under Grandpa Gu, and Grandpa Gu’s connection with my own grandfather was anything but ordinary.

"Uncle Song, there's no need to involve my grandfather; I can handle this myself," I said with a slight smile, though I refrained from mentioning my relationship with Grandpa Gu.

After gathering my thoughts for a moment, I continued, "In fact, the doctor didn't deceive you. Song Chao truly isn't ill. To put it plainly, what’s happening to him is someone coming to your family to collect a debt."

This sort of thing was often said in the past; parents frequently called their children 'debt collectors.' There was a reason behind such talk.

Right and wrong, cause and effect—karma weaves its cycles. Debts of a former life must be repaid in this one. And as for the manner of repayment, it depends on the size of the debt.

As the saying goes, those who are pitiable must have done something to warrant it; some matters cannot be understood by looking only at this life.

Heaven’s justice and karmic laws ensure nothing happens without reason. Take, for example, a neighbor’s child in his thirties who still lives off his parents, draining them dry with no remorse. People might think the child is worthless and unfilial, but what they don’t know is that, perhaps in a previous life, these parents were the very ones who took that child’s life. In this life, he has returned to collect on that debt, to exact vengeance.

Of course, whether you believe this or not is up to you; otherwise, just treat it as an amusing story.

Returning to the matter at hand, I had already formed a rough judgment about Song Chao’s situation.

Pinching my nose, I looked at Song Baoguo. "Uncle Song, may I ask you a few questions?"

"Go ahead," he replied.

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"Of course I have! I fought in a war—have you ever seen a war without death?"

I shook my head. "I understand, but I’m asking if there was ever anyone who shouldn’t have died, but did so because of you—directly or indirectly?"

Song Baoguo’s brow furrowed in anger. "You’d better watch your tongue, boy. Are you accusing me of murder?"

I waved my hands in denial, but Song Baoguo snorted coldly. "Listen, I’ve killed hundreds—if not thousands—of men, but every one of them deserved it!" He paused, then added, "If you’re trying to tell me that my son Chao is the reincarnation of one of my old enemies, I’ll throw you out of my house and make sure your family never sets foot in Jianghuai again!"

Realizing my words could easily be misunderstood, I shook my head repeatedly. "That’s not what I meant at all."

I pursed my lips and went on, "Although there’s talk of reincarnation, everyone is made to drink the Waters of Forgetfulness before rebirth—no one remembers anything from their past life. But if a grudge is deep enough, the resentment lingers, even if the memories are gone. This resentment is directed squarely at you."

I pointed toward Song Chao’s room. "If Song Chao didn’t die at your hands in a previous life, then perhaps you wronged him deeply back then. Now, he’s been reborn into your family to collect that debt."

Though my words sent a chill down Song Baoguo’s spine, every one of them was true.

To consume one’s own flesh, to regrow bone; if resentment is not dispelled, even the dogs and chickens will know no peace. This is a classic case of a shadow debt-collector.

If this debt wasn’t incurred by Song Baoguo in this life, then it must have been in the previous one. The way to resolve this depends on which life the debt originated in, so I needed to be certain before taking action. If I handled this carelessly, I could become entangled in their karmic web myself.

My aim was always to resolve matters thoroughly, not by force. Whether dealing with the living or the dead, communication is key; violence is the last and lowest resort.

"Uncle Song, I know what I’m saying is hard to believe, but if you want Song Chao to be well, think carefully about what I’ve asked. After all, you mentioned earlier that the way Song Chao looks at you seems strangely familiar."

I swallowed hard and, looking Song Baoguo in the eye, made a bold vow I hadn’t even expected to utter: "Uncle Song, if I’m lying to you about this, you won’t need to throw me out—I’ll leave Jianghuai and never return."

Seeing the determination in my eyes, Song Baoguo finally chose to believe me, if only for a moment. His tone softened, and he waved his hand. "Let me think it over."

I wasn’t in a hurry. In cases of shadow debt, the influence of resentment is so strong that even a child’s features will gradually resemble those from their previous life.

Given Song Baoguo’s reaction, I was almost certain the debt had been incurred in this lifetime.

Song Baoguo sat in contemplation for over an hour. I didn’t disturb him, sipping tea and texting Wang Zihao to reassure him.

Suddenly, Song Baoguo stood up and silently walked to the second floor. Before long, he returned with an old, yellowed photograph stained with a trace of blood and set it before me.

He pointed at the photo. "The man on the right is me. The one on the left was my best friend—his name was Wang Sheng."

I picked up the photograph for a closer look. Though faded, the eyes of Wang Sheng in the picture bore an uncanny resemblance to the way Song Chao looked at me.

Song Baoguo then pointed to the scar on his brow. "I got this scar because of Wang Sheng."

Just as Song Baoguo began recounting his story with Wang Sheng, a sudden scream rang out from Song Chao’s room.

Startled, I shot to my feet, but Song Baoguo was even faster.

He threw open the door, and we saw Song Chao on top of the housemaid, his jaws locked around her neck, blood pooling on the floor.

The maid was already limp, her whole body trembling uncontrollably—her breaths growing fainter by the moment.

"What audacity!" I shouted, forming seals with my hands. "By the Four Symbols, break this curse of resentment—let nothing stand in the way! By order of the heavens!"

Thus, the story continues in the next chapter.