The Underworld's Manager

“Do you know why the lights at Haishi University never go out? Because monsters lurk in the dark, gnawing away at the light.” Lin Chen tosses his milk tea, frozen into an ice sculpture, into the microwave to thaw, then sighs at the red-clad woman flickering in and out of view in the mirror. His life is like an absurd horror movie: vending machines sell carbonated drinks flavored with Meng Po’s soup, corpses in the dissection room tap-dance on full-moon nights, and worst of all, he’s started eyeing the cafeteria lady as if thinking, “That human looks delicious.” When the Seventh Squad of the Paranormal Investigation Bureau bursts in, the scanner explodes like fireworks in Qin Cong’s hands. “Congratulations, you’re now a living rift between yin and yang.” Forced to join this supernatural agency, Lin Chen finds one baffling truth after another coming to light. His parents’ disappearance is linked to the “Reincarnation Project,” which can rewrite the Book of Life and Death; the specter You Chan, who always appears under a blood moon, calls him “Young Master”; and beneath the earth sleeps a colossal bronze gate connecting to the Nine Hells. When Haishi sees its first case of someone having all their yang energy drained, the power struggle between three factions comes to a head. The Paranormal Investigation Bureau wants to turn him into a human nuclear bomb, reclusive clans want to sacrifice him to gain access to a hidden realm of immortality, and a jade slip brought by You Chan reveals that he may be the “Lord of the Nether Palace,” sealed away by his own people in ancient times. From using yin energy to cool his gaming laptop to roasting a Michelin-star-worthy barbecue with ghostfire; from dodging security cameras in everyday life to facing off against a thousand-year-old corpse king in a fight to the death. As Lin Chen stands before the twisted rift between yin and yang, he finally understands the curse that has haunted him for a thousand years: “When you gaze into the Yellow Springs, the Yellow Springs have long been gazing into your eyes.” (Current energy: 15%; next stage, [Nether Eyes], unlock progress: 3/9)