"Keep calm, Shun."

Yeah. I'll try to.

With a deep breath, I open the door and step inside.

All members turned to look at me.

"Yup, those are all the shui gui members alright. All 20 of them. Go ahead, Zhang Shun."

"It's me, Zhang Shun. Ai gave me back my body. She told me about the situation the shui gui are in. I know you have a lot of questions but I have questions of my own too. Can we talk?"

... Everyone just looked at each other, unsure of what to do until the town mayor spoke up. He didn't look angry. He just seemed, regretful.

"Sure thing, Zhang Shun. Take a seat."

"No, I'm fine with standing here."

Like hell, I'm going to take a seat. I plan on keeping a minimum of 5 metres distance between each and every person.

"Zhang Shun... don't get heated before you even start conversing properly."

... I'll try my best.

"I suppose we owe you an apology and an explanation for everything."

"No, you don't need to. The shui gui who replaced me told me everything I needed to know. I just need you to answer one question, why didn't you accept my plan to close up the river? It wouldn't have killed the shui gui and innocent people wouldn't have had to be drowned or replaced."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"We needed more shui gui in the river, as it stands, the negative energy would accumulate faster than the usage rate. The shui gui replacing people is another necessary process to use up the negative energies. Just by existing, the shui gui could not quickly expend enough of the energy. We deeply regret having to allow such a horrendous thing. We suspected you knew about the shui gui. This was the first time someone has survived the shui gui and the river. Tensions were high and we were worried about our secret getting out. I made the decision to throw you in the river. I hope you can forgive us."

"I would have understood the situation if you just explained it normally..."

"No. No you would not have. We could not have continued to deceive you about why we did not wish to close up the river. Only now, after having a long time to think could you possibly accept it. But a few days after being almost drowned by shui gui and then being told the people closest to you were shui gui... You would have been irrational."

I can see where he's coming from. And he's probably right. Right after facing the shui gui and the monster, my mind was in a pretty sorry state. Having this revealed to me probably would have been the last straw.

"I can't say I still agree with this method of dispersing the negative energy. But for now, I'm forced to accept it. I won't get in the way."

"Thank you for understanding, Zhang Shun. We are immensely sorry for the pain we have caused you."

"In the future, I'll definitely find a way for the negative energies to be used up, so both people and shui gui no longer have to suffer. Our town will no longer have to resort to such dreadful things... By the way, before I leave. I'm now sharing my body with the shui gui who possessed it. And she has something to say to you, granny carpenter."

"Zhang Shun... I'm still not ready..."

Ai... just go for it. And good luck to the both of you.

I surrender main control of my body to Ai and I become a mere spectator.

Out of respect for Ai's family's privacy, I won't narrate the events that occured after. All I will say is both mom and daughter seemed to be greatly relieved to have reunited after so long.

Also Ai was right about the feeling of not having main control of a body. It did feel like a super motion picture in here.