The Ghost King's Keeper (BL)

Ghost Trade Hub

After having some water from the warm oasis provided by the family's ghost, Ruzen did not stay for long and hurriedly left the settlement's premise, unless he provoked some deity residing somewhere around. He could never be too sure of what might go wrong. He was a bad luck magnate in his previous world, so maybe the attribute would persist?

Dragging along his feet which now hurt from too much walking, Ruzen slowly but surely reached a certain landmark, not far from him, where there were twinkling lights and what one could say... clusters of colorful stalls arrayed underneath the huge awnings.

The evening casted a shadow over the market area and made it pleasant for gathering. He saw many distant structures shaped like squares and cuboids with small openings, that could be considered the houses of dessert. They were crude, plain and simple, no extra work done on them, but in the very least they were promising.

Adjusting himself to face yet another public jury, he marched ahead with fast footsteps, avoiding the bustling crowd that was all around him, chatting among themselves and curiously looking over the stalls in dilemma.

Ruzen was somewhat jealous, they at least had money on them, unlike himself who was worse than a street rag, barely living.

Al'Bae was really pitiable.

Sigh.

Reaching the center of the market, Ruzen became aware of the stares as he came to a stop. He wasn't covered and his forehead was out in the open for everyone to see, but what could he do? He needed to eat something and drink water, he was dying of thirst and hunger. He believed that if left like this, his life would be very miserable and he might die again... or disperse like a lost soul.

Frankly, he feared God, and someone like him who was a God fearing man, he wasn't very keen on revolting and starving himself to death, who knew what fate would bring him next? Maybe he would just transmigrate to another world which was worse than this?

"A cursed one?" Someone loudly whispered, and it attracted the attention of most of the occupants who were entering the building in front from the small gate. The building itself was only a simple two storey, but something was written in bold letters on the front of the gates and he could somewhat read it.

"Ghost Trade Hub."

Previously he was excited to see what was inside, and if someone was kind enough to give him water and such, but now reading the name of the building, which he could read somehow, he felt deflated.

What rubbish luck, maybe he would need to go somewhere else...

"How did a cursed one enter this market? Kick him out!"

The loud shout distracted Ruzen as he flinched. Looking towards the angry shout, he became aware of the crowd that had started to gather around, eyeing him as if he was some experiment.

"Kill him!" another shouted, and from around the corner came an army of ghosts, all of them dressed up in similar uniform. Their neck seemed bruised as if stitched and their eyes were white, pupil-less.

"W-Wait, I just need something to eat, and I will go away." Ruzen wasn't sure how this place had an even stronger reaction to himself than other places. But for now he was stuck here and had nowhere to go.

Until he reacted to the situation, he was already surrounded by the ghost army who did not look like they would take any pity on him. Before he could even open his mouth, the ghosts started to attack him, their spears sharp as they pierced his- well they were about to pierce him when he side stepped the arrowhead and jumped back, meeting another spear which was avoided just in time.

Huffing with exhaustion and annoyance, he hid his fear behind a well maintained veil. "How can you start attacking me? I am not doing you any harm!"

Reasoning with any crowd was useless, but he had to speak up if he wanted to know the answers.

"Your entire existence is a curse, you harbinger of bad luck! Why did you encroach upon our trading route? You will bring us misfortune!"

Ruzen was a bit baffled as he tried to break through the circle of ghosts, which was basically impossible. He was even speared in the shoulder and screamed in pain, which resulted into the crowd cheering.

Whimpering, cursing the crowd of mad people, Ruzen realized why Al'Bae avoided crowd, and had the least reaction when encountering them. Al'Bae had realized long before that giving them face was equivalent to getting killed.

But Ruzen hadn't had the slightest idea, maybe he did not pay attention or he was overconfident in his analysis, so he considered Al'Bae meek, which was wrong. Al'Bae may not have been weak, but rather he might have been tempered according to this society who considered him a curse.

Seeing a small opening from between the ghost people, Ruzen burst with sudden strength and forced his way out even if he got stabbed in the back.

He did get stabbed, on the waist, and felt the piercing pain as another area on his body started to bleed.

But stopping meant he would be harassed again, so running with the last of his efforts, Ruzen raced towards the only safe area he could see, even the crowd was avoiding him like plague, so it was better for him this way.

He entered the Ghost Trade Hub from the side gate, which was slightly unguarded with only two guards outside, both of whom were fearful of him yet also tried to block him with their spears.

Absently he noticed that both ghosts and men had equally harmful attacks, but the ghosts were more powerful and difficult to dodge.

Even now the ghosts followed him inside as he rushed in half dead.

His shoulder was bleeding and so was his waist, but once inside he was even more horrified.

He ended up in a place full of ghosts, all of them sitting or lounging in the lobby, a piece of marked paper stuck on their chests. They all were gloomy, pale and ugly to look at, with only a few being beautiful enough to pass as grade A.

The ghost army who had followed him inside, surrounded him in an instant as soon as he paused, and almost attacked him, however just before he could close his eyes and surrender to his second death, he felt a rush of cold air which gripped his body, making him motionless and even halting the ghosts.

"In my domain you dare to kill?" asked someone coldly from behind them.