Chapter 1546 - 1509: The Blackhearted Coffin Shop
Chapter 1546 - 1509: The Blackhearted Coffin Shop
Yang Jian and Lin Yunhui continued walking along Ghost Street until the shops on both sides vanished, leaving only the old bluestone path, when a solitary building came into view.
"We're almost there; the coffin shop is just ahead. The last time I accidentally came here, I didn't enter the coffin shop, but turned around and left, using it as a destination. So strictly speaking, this will be my first time dealing with this coffin shop."
Yang Jian glanced at Lin Yunhui, "If you have any important information, I suggest you disclose it in advance."
"I've been inside before and bought a coffin, but I didn't stay long. I quickly left without encountering any danger, so I can't provide any useful information. I only know that the coffin cost thirty-six Ghost Money back then. I don't know if it's still the same price now," Lin Yunhui replied.
Yang Jian said, "The thirty-six you mentioned was a long time ago; it's no longer that price. Last time I was here, a voice from the coffin shop said a coffin was eighteen, but time has passed and the price might have changed again."
"If you're just buying a coffin, the money you have is already enough, and you won't have any trouble unless... you have thoughts about this coffin shop," Lin Yunhui said.
"I have the mind to rob the coffin shop," Yang Jian said frankly without hiding it.
Lin Yunhui wasn't surprised, she just pondered slightly, "In the past, some who controlled ghosts thought about robbing coffin shops, but it was very risky because during my time alive, I'd never heard of anyone succeeding."
"Let's understand the situation first," Yang Jian said.
Though he had thoughts, he wasn't impulsive, especially now when he could afford a coffin, he needed to weigh the pros and cons.
Quickly.
The two stood in front of this solitary coffin shop.
The door of the coffin shop was open, with a dim, yellowish oil lamp lit inside.
The oil lamp hung in mid-air, barely illuminating the whole shop.
Inside the shop were coffins of the same size and shape, the only difference being the color. Some had black paint with the word "memorial" written on them, appearing eerie and sinister. Some were painted red, bright as blood, equally creepy.
Others were the color of raw wood, seemingly unfinished, not yet painted.
Yang Jian stood at the door, observed for a while, confirmed the situation of the coffin shop, then walked in cautiously.
From earlier observation, the coffin shop seemed no different from other stores on Ghost Street, all open for business, selling different goods.
But intuition told Yang Jian that there must be something special about a coffin store; otherwise, why would it be alone in such a distant place?
Just as he reached the doorway of the coffin shop, a voice eerily drifted out from the originally deadly silent shop, "Take a look, fine coffins only ten yuan."
Ten yuan?
Yang Jian's expression shifted; this was even cheaper than the last time he came, and much cheaper, a sudden drop by eight yuan.
It seemed business at the coffin shop was getting harder, forcing them to drop prices.
But even with the price drop, ten yuan was not a small fee for Yang Jian at present.
To prevent any unexpected occurrences, Yang Jian took out Ghost Money while entering; this time he was smarter and only took out a seven-yuan and a three-yuan Ghost Money, just enough to buy a coffin, no more, no less.
Holding the Ghost Money, he walked into the coffin shop, feeling a bit more at ease.
The coffin shop, which originally looked eerie and creepy, seemed less frightening now.
"If it's to imprison a fierce ghost, you'd need a black coffin. If it's like before when I dealt with a resurgent fierce ghost, you'd need a red coffin," Lin Yunhui, beside him, reminded.
But even without her reminder, Yang Jian knew the different purposes of the coffins.
So this time, he intended to buy a red coffin.
Perhaps he might not necessarily need this red coffin, but it's better to be prepared.
"I want to buy a red coffin," Yang Jian raised his Ghost Money slightly and said.
He didn't want any trouble now, intending to buy a coffin by the book.
If all went well, he'd complete the transaction and leave Ghost Street, avoiding any additional complications.
The voice within the coffin shop, whose origin couldn't be located, spoke again eerily, "The red coffins have sold out, choose another."
Sold out?
Looking at the several red coffins in the shop, Yang Jian's face showed an odd expression.
So many red coffins, and you're saying they're sold out?
Isn't that just ghost talk?
"I want this coffin," Yang Jian stepped aside, placing his hand on a red coffin lid.
"That coffin is reserved, can't sell it to you," the voice continued echoing within the shop.
"Then this one?" Yang Jian set his sights on another red coffin.
"Also reserved."
"And this one?"
"Reserved."
"..." Yang Jian found that whichever red coffin he picked, the answer was it was reserved.
But ever since Ghost Lake flooded Taiping Ancient Town, no living person came to Ghost Street, so who would specifically reserve red coffins?
Even if someone did, it's impossible for them to buy all the red coffins.
"What do I need to do to buy a red coffin?" Yang Jian asked with a steady face.
"If the second customer's deposit exceeds the first, you can buy the reserved coffin," the voice explained.
"So it means ten yuan can't buy a coffin, need to add more money, right?" Yang Jian realized the coffin shop's intention.
Turns out, they wanted to raise the price on the spot.
Ten yuan for a coffin was just a shout to attract customers in; only when you intended to buy, you find ten yuan can't buy a coffin, each one reserved.
"How much more do I need to add?" Yang Jian, holding back his annoyance, asked patiently.
The voice inside the coffin shop replied, "The previous customer paid a seven-yuan deposit, you need to exceed this amount."
Seven yuan?
Meaning Yang Jian would at least need to add one yuan, bringing the red coffin's price back to eighteen yuan.
Wait a minute.
Yang Jian quickly spotted another issue.
The Ghost Money in his hand was of three and seven denominations; if he added one yuan, he couldn't pay it, only adding three yuan to pay twenty yuan, expecting the coffin shop to give two yuan in change.
But does Ghost Money have two-yuan denominations?
If not, does it mean the coffin shop doesn't intend to give change, pocketing the two extra yuan?
It's all a scheme.
Darn it, completely a scheme; this isn't a decent coffin shop but a downright shady place.
No wonder the owner of the herbal shop suggested, if capable, to rob this coffin shop—it seems even he knew this coffin shop wasn't good. If it were an earnest business like the paper folding shop, treating customers fairly, who would think of robbing it?
Yang Jian most hated deceitful and black-hearted merchants; now he had a burning desire to torch this coffin shop.
But thinking of the looming risk of a resurgent fierce ghost, he decided to hold back for now.
"I'll pay twenty yuan for this red coffin," Yang Jian reluctantly dug out ten yuan more from his pocket.
"Deal..." the voice in the coffin shop promptly replied, seemingly eager.
Yang Jian darkened his face, feeling he'd been thoroughly cheated by the unscrupulous merchant, feeling the meat pain.
He could only console himself that after dealing with the fierce ghost's resurgence, he'd come back to settle things with this coffin shop.
Just as he thought this, the voice inside the coffin shop sounded again, "A red coffin for twenty yuan, but you also need to pay an additional four yuan carrying fee."
Carrying fee?
And four yuan at that?
This coffin shop planned to fleece Yang Jian another six yuan.
Because four yuan couldn't be paid either, only paying with two three-yuan Ghost Money notes.
After becoming one who controls ghosts, Yang Jian's emotions had dulled, but at this moment, a surge of anger was still stirred within him.
He grimly remained silent, retrieving the twenty Ghost Money notes, then gripped the red spear in his hand tighter, and Ghost Flames began appearing around.
This shady shop couldn't be indulged any longer; today it must be taken down.
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