Chapter Fourteen: The Advanced Magic Mirror (Part Two)

Wei Xiaoping’s lingering spirit followed Luo Zhifu’s ghost into a room about twenty square meters in size. The room was furnished with a bed, a stool, and a desk. The desk and stool were placed right beside the bed, and not far in front of the desk, a rectangular mirror, roughly four square meters in area, hung on the wall.

The bed, desk, and stool were all black and white. On the desk sat a crystal ball about the size of a bowl. Unlike the other objects, which were black and white, the crystal ball emitted a faint, shimmering light of subtle colors.

Luo Zhifu walked up to the desk and touched the crystal ball; at once, it radiated a mystical, gentle glow of colored light.

“General Wei, come and sit down,” Luo Zhifu said. “Place your palm on this enchanted sphere, gently stroke it, and then the magical mirror on the wall will reveal the entire story of your previous life.”

Excitement surged in Wei Xiaoping’s heart as he settled into the seat. Guided by Luo Zhifu, he placed his right hand on the enchanted sphere and softly caressed it.

Immediately, the magical mirror on the wall lit up, casting brilliant, colorful light. Wei Xiaoping’s hand trembled with excitement. The ghostly face that had once held an air of solemnity now showed a lively expression, almost like a child’s.

“General Wei, what’s the matter?” Luo Zhifu, standing nearby, asked.

“I’m so happy! It’s the first time I’ve ever touched something so miraculous, and I’m about to see my previous life. I feel thrilled!” Wei Xiaoping replied.

With a teasing tone, Luo Zhifu chuckled. “Ha ha ha, General Wei, you’re easily amazed. We ghosts who work here see these things all the time—nothing surprises us anymore!”

Just then, Luo Zhifu noticed Yang Zhijin beckoning him at the doorway. He nodded in understanding, then turned to Wei Xiaoping. “General Wei, you know how to use the enchanted sphere and magical mirror now, don’t you?”

At that moment, text began to appear in the magical mirror on the wall:

Query: Wei Xiaoping. Query content: Wei Xiaoping’s previous life and history.
Query location: Office of Transmigration Consultation, Human Division.
Subject’s previous life location: Earth. Asia. Country: Republic of Joint Governance by People and Sovereigns. Province and city: Republic Province, Republic City.
Subject’s appearance changes from childhood to adulthood, as well as the appearances of his parents and siblings…

“Amazing! Brother Luo, this magical mirror is incredible! It really can reveal a person’s previous life and show who their parents and siblings were! Astounding!” Wei Xiaoping exclaimed, full of excitement.

Luo Zhifu smiled softly. “You think that’s amazing? There’s something even more wondrous ahead. The magical mirror will display all your experiences in your previous life as moving images, like the television dramas Li Xiaobai told us about from the living world. You’ll be astonished—again and again! Ha ha ha!”

“Television dramas? What are those?” Wei Xiaoping asked skeptically.

“Well, I’m not quite sure myself; I didn’t have those in my own previous life. I only learned about them from Li Xiaobai. Imagine: every path you walked, every word you spoke, every deed, who you did it with, how you did it—everything will be displayed in vivid, animated scenes on the mirror. It’ll feel as though you’ve returned to your former life. Now, I have something to attend to, so I’ll leave you to experience your past quietly. It will make you feel as though you’re really there.”

As Luo Zhifu spoke, he patted Wei Xiaoping’s shoulder and walked toward Yang Zhijin at the door.

“Alright, Brother Luo, thank you. Go ahead, I’ll be fine!” Wei Xiaoping stood and shook Luo Zhifu’s hand, watching him leave. He sat down again, continued stroking the enchanted sphere, and fixed his gaze on the magical mirror.

“So, what did Li Jinluan say? How much are we earning this time?” Luo Zhifu asked, pulling Yang Zhijin aside outside the door.

“We’re charging Wei Xiaoping thirty thousand. Ten thousand goes to the consultation office, the remaining twenty thousand: ten to Li Jinluan, and the last ten for us. As usual, you’re the elder, so you take twenty percent, and we split the rest evenly.”

Luo Zhifu replied, “Not this time. You’ve worked harder for this, so you should take the extra twenty percent. The remainder we’ll split equally.”

Yang Zhijin protested, “Brother Luo, how can I—”

Luo Zhifu patted Yang Zhijin’s shoulder. “Enough, it’s settled. Don’t refuse, or I’ll be angry!”

Yang Zhijin stammered, “Then—alright, Brother Luo, thank you!”

Yang Zhijin continued, “Brother Luo, we’ve always asked consulting ghosts for bribes here. What if King Yama finds out someday?”

Luo Zhifu said, “What’s there to fear? The rules here don’t forbid asking guests for gifts. Even if we’re found out, we haven’t broken any rules. Besides, from what I know, it’s not just us low-level workers who ask for money—those above us probably ask for even more. I learned this from watching senior staff at other offices.”

Yang Zhijin nodded, “That’s true. Just now at Li Jinluan’s, he took ten thousand for himself, and we split only ten thousand between us. If those above aren’t upright, those below won’t be either. We’re just following their example. If it’s against the rules, it’s because they broke them first.”

Luo Zhifu said, “Exactly. Besides, most of those we ask for bribes were officials among the living. Which of them is truly clean? Whose wealth isn’t scraped from the people? They were extorted by their superiors, so they, in turn, asked their subordinates for gifts. When they come here and we ask for gifts, it seems perfectly normal to them!”

Yang Zhijin considered this and agreed. “But we haven’t written the IOU yet. Should we get the paper and have him write it now, or wait until he’s finished consulting?”

Luo Zhifu thought for a moment. “Let’s wait until he’s finished. After all, asking him for gifts has already taken up much of his time, and he seems kind-hearted and honorable—he won’t default. Even if he does, when his mortal body dies and his soul comes here seeking guidance about transmigration or reincarnation, he’ll still have to go through us. So don’t worry.”

Yang Zhijin thought about it and found it reasonable.