Chapter Eleven: The Netherhound Is About to Make a Move

At this moment, more and more villagers emerged, gathering around the two strange dogs, watching them and occasionally engaging in affectionate gestures with them.

Luo Wenguang, the owner of the dogs, noticed the growing crowd and stood up, ceasing his embrace of the creatures.

Even as their master stood, the dogs continued to lick his hands enthusiastically, their tails wagging ceaselessly.

The villagers, observing the dogs’ particular fondness for Luo Wenguang, grew curious and asked him why these two dogs were so attached to him. Luo Wenguang hesitated, then briefly recounted the circumstances of their birth in his home, and mentioned in passing how, not long ago, the dogs had brought half-dead prey back to his doorstep.

Some villagers began to recall these dogs, and felt a bit embarrassed about their previous gossip concerning Luo Wenguang and his animals. They crouched down to stroke the dogs’ heads and backs, gazing at them tenderly, as if a thousand unspoken words lingered on their lips. The dogs responded by licking their hands and whining softly.

From that day on, the villagers began to accept the two strange dogs, and they returned to Luo Wenguang’s household.

Ever since being welcomed by the villagers, the dogs were overjoyed. To win more of their favor and trust, after finishing their chores at Luo Wenguang’s home each day, they would go door to door throughout the village, offering their help.

Because of their impressive size and strength, they eagerly took on all kinds of physical labor—plowing, harrowing, pulling carts and sleds—never shirking from any task. Sometimes, after helping so many villagers, the people felt embarrassed to ask for further assistance.

Since the dogs lived—and were born—at Luo Wenguang’s home, the villagers naturally regarded them as his, even thinking of them at times as members of his family.

Some villagers, grateful for the dogs’ help, not only fed them treats, but also brought grain and other food as payment to Luo Wenguang.

When Luo Wenguang fell ill, the two dogs stayed by his side like devoted children, never leaving him, deeply moving their master.

Seeing how devoted the dogs were to him and the villagers, Luo Wenguang was sometimes overcome with regret, recalling how he had once tried to abandon them as pups. Moved to tears, he would weep, and the dogs would comfort him, gently licking his hands or face.

Thus, Luo Wenguang and his family cherished the two dogs all the more.

So the two strange dogs spent decades in the village, helping with hard labor and bringing much reward to Luo Wenguang, earning the villagers’ praise.

When Luo Wenguang and his wife grew old and passed away, the dogs refused food and water, and soon followed them in death. Afterward, the villagers, mindful of the dogs’ goodness, honored them as heroes, giving them a grand burial and erecting a monument in their memory.

On the day the dogs died, their spirits arrived at the Bureau of Transmigration for All Beings. The King of the Underworld himself came to see them.

He recounted the dogs’ life above to my predecessor at the bureau, who then understood: Luo Wenguang and his wife, whom the dogs had served in this life, were in fact the very couple who, in their previous existence, had suffered neglect from their three sons and daughters-in-law.

When that loving couple died in their former life, the King of the Underworld arranged for them to be husband and wife again in another world. As for the three sons and daughters-in-law, whose debt was too great, he decreed they be reborn as dogs to serve and repay the couple.

The three-headed dogs—those three daughters-in-law—upon learning the truth, broke into loud sobs, pleading with the King to let them be reborn again to serve the elderly couple. But the King replied, “Your bond with them is ended. It is time to let go. Yet your sins for mistreating your elders in your past life have not been fully punished; you cannot yet be reborn as humans. You must remain here and serve your penance.”

“Since part of your punishment is complete, the remainder will be served by guarding the Bureau of Transmigration. When your debt is paid, someone will come to claim you, and you will follow them to accomplish something momentous. After that, you may once more be reborn as humans.”

“Here, your post is as gatekeepers, keeping away unruly spirits. Your shared title is the Hounds of the Netherworld, but your nameplates still bear your human names from lives long ago.”

On hearing this, the Hounds of the Netherworld wept inconsolably for days. It was not because they could not be reborn as humans, but because they had served the elderly couple as dogs, never knowing they were their parents from a past life. If only they had known, they would have served them with even greater devotion.

Wei Xiaoping listened and sighed, “The King of the Underworld’s ways are truly unfathomable! Those three sons and daughters-in-law, repaying their parents as dogs without knowing—what a pity!”

Yang Zhijin echoed, “Indeed, those Hounds of the Netherworld—the three sons and daughters-in-law—are pitiable, never knowing they were serving their own parents and unable to recognize them. Who could bear such a fate? No wonder they wept for days. But at least, being reborn as dogs, they changed and matured greatly. Their reincarnation was not in vain.”

“So now the King allows them to remain here, guarding the gate, awaiting a destined master with whom they will undertake a great endeavor. This suggests their suffering is nearly at an end, and something better awaits them,” Yang said.

Wei Xiaoping asked, “Oh? Did the King hint at who that destined master might be, or what great deed awaits? Do you or Brother Luo Zhifu know anything?”

“Nonsense!” Yang replied. “Matters arranged by the King of the Underworld are not for outsiders to know. If word got out, what meaning would fate have?”

Wei nodded, “True enough. I hope their good fortune comes soon—they’ve suffered so much already, and they deserve it.”

Yang added, “Their lives as dogs were worthwhile—they were honored as heroes, remembered fondly by all!”

At that moment, Luo Zhifu emerged and beckoned to Wei Xiaoping.

Wei approached and asked, “Brother Luo, is it settled?”

“All settled,” Luo replied, “though I don’t know this Li Jinluan well. It took much persuasion, but I got the price down from forty-eight thousand to thirty-eight thousand. It wasn’t easy! But, General Wei, you’re an important man—serving you is an honor.”

Wei smiled, “Thank you, Brother Luo, you’ve worked hard!” Yet inwardly, he thought, They’ve charged me so much just for some information—such greed! Then again, everything above is about money; why should the underworld be any different? I can’t blame them entirely.

Luo Zhifu said, “No need for thanks, it’s our duty. Go on in. Whatever Li Jinluan asks you to write, just do as he says. Yang Zhijin and I will wait outside.”