As the common adage goes,
"There will always be someone
better than you out there."
And out there,
those extraordinary people
with extraordinary power
are called
the Outsiders.
OUTSIDERS
It was said
that many years ago,
several Outsiders
discovered the Eight Supremes
in a mysterious place.
Those eight abilities,
endowed with immense power,
tore the Outsiders' world asunder.
To obtain those abilities,
the Outsiders fought and waged war
among each other.
It took place during the Year of Jiashen,
and thus it was called
the Jiashen Calamity.
Following the deaths or disappearances of several legendary figures,
the secret was left buried.
The wheel of time continues to turn.
Peace is about to be broken.
Our story
begins one evening.
What a bunch of jerks!
They look down on me.
They deny me swills of alcohol!
But I have my own alcohol anyway!
And one day,
I…
I'll leave this lousy place!
Hey, buddy.
Don't mind if I do.
A man needs his rest.
Get up.
Let's drink.
Goodness gracious! I'll never drink again!
We have got the body.
Let's go.
On this fateful night,
as this body was unearthed and plundered,
the unfinished business
of the Year of Jiashen
resurfaced.
The Outsiders' world
will receive a reckoning.
ADAPTED FROM THE WEBCOMIC YI REN ZHI XIA
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION
ALL ACTIONS AND ABILITIES PERFORMED SHOULD NOT BE IMITATED
This doesn't make sense.
There are no grave goods
in this forsaken place.
These few are lucky.
That one had it worse.
Just take a look.
Even the body is gone.
I saw it with my own eyes yesterday.
Look.
What kind of grave robbers
take an old body too?
How old is it again?
And whose grave is it?
GRAVE OF ZHANG XILIN
Zhang Xilin.
ZHANG XILIN
XINPU CITY
XINPUKAI UNIVERSITY
My dear juniors,
allow me to introduce
the pride of this university.
In his first year here, he led our gymnastics team
to a group gold medal and a solo gold medal
in the National University Games.
In his second year, he quit the gymnastics team
and became a researcher.
Chulan.
Are you nervous?
No.
Have you been through this before?
I have faith in you.
Go.
…a veritable academic pioneer.
Now, let's welcome
our stellar alumni
to the stage.
Who is this guy?
-What the heck? -Where is Wu?
Where is Wu?
Bring Wu here.
ZHANG CHULAN, MR. NOBODY, PATIENCE 98%
Ladies and gentlemen,
how are you?
Good!
We are young.
We can tolerate diversity
and otherness.
A future of infinite possibilities
lies before us.
And we also have a lot of…
What is it?
Hope!
-Hello? -Yes, hope!
Village Director?
Who?
Someone stole my grandfather's body?
Screw you!
You must be crazy!
LAST STOP, JIULONG VILLAGE
GRAVE OF ZHANG XILIN
Village Director.
What happened here?
If I had the answer,
I wouldn't have called you here.
Chulan, you are your grandfather's only family.
Now that his body is stolen,
I need you to tell us how to proceed.
Don't worry about it.
I will find my grandfather's body.
Your grandfather?
My grandfather is Zhang Xilin.
I am his granddaughter, Zhang Baobao.
I'm your sister.
We've finally met.
You're crazy.
I don't have a sister!
Zhang Yude, son of Zhang Xilin, is my dad.
The Zhangs moved to this village 14 years ago.
The family has three members, one in each generation,
Zhang Xilin, Zhang Yude, and Zhang Chulan.
You're Zhang Chulan, 22 years old, a university student.
Grandpa was killed when you were ten.
Zhang Yude then came to my mom.
I never knew
that the Zhangs had a daughter.
My mom
only told me recently.
She asked me to visit Grandpa's grave.
Liar.
What can a photo prove?
So this is how Zhang Xilin's son looks.
Honestly, she does
take after him.
Right? Look at the eyes.
And the mouth.
I was so wrong!
I always thought that he adopted Chulan.
Is now the time for gossiping?
This is beyond the point!
The point is this woman might be a liar!
Village Director, say something.
I am a Zhang. I will handle Grandpa's affairs.
Thank you, Village Director.
If you need my help,
let me know.
We have already informed the police.
If you find a lead,
do share it with me.
I shall let you two catch up.
Let's go.
-Yes! -Come on!
Enjoy.
Village Director!
She is a stranger!
GRAVE OF ZHANG XILIN
Grandpa.
I made pork knuckles today.
It's a pity that you can't have it.
GRAVE OF ZHANG XILIN
Chulan,
I'm making pork knuckles for you today.
GRAVE OF ZHANG XILIN
For years,
we seemed to be running from something.
But you never told me why.
Your grave was defiled.
Your body was stolen.
Can you visit me in my dream
and tell me
who our enemy is?
GRAVE OF ZHANG XILIN
That impostor.
I bet you stole my grandfather's body.
I have got you now.
This is evidence.
Don't come near me!
What did you kill just now?
Don't worry. I saw nothing.
I will not tell anyone.
Thank you so much. I owe you a meal.
What are you doing?
I saw nothing! I swear!
Help! Somebody!
Don't yell. No one can hear you.
Help!
I'm the only one who can hear you
and I'm not saving you.
You're insane! What do you want?
You've seen too much.
I have no choice
but to bury you.
What did I see for you to bury me?
Are you a thug?
You can't just bury someone!
Baobao,
I'm Zhang Chulan.
Your dear brother!
You won't bury me, will you?
We are family.
Do you know?
When I first saw you,
I felt a connection.
It's like we have met somewhere.
By the way, Baobao, that old prick--
I mean our dad.
Is he all right?
A mad impostor claiming to be my sister
is using a cleaver
to kill sand monsters!
Right.
This must be a fever dream.
That's right. I'm still in my dorm.
I did not go back to my hometown.
The stress must have gotten me.
Wake up.
Wake up!
Wake up to my happy place!
Idiot.
-Bye. -Are you leaving me?
It's your happy place. Face it yourself.
Kill them
and bury me later!
Get away from me!
Help!
How did it go, Baobao?
It's too late.
Zhang Xilin's grave was excavated.
And his body is gone.
We're late.
Also, Xu San, I was ambushed by thralls.
Thralls?
Only the Thrall Masters of Xiangxi practice this craft.
Are they meddling too?
But why are they interested in Zhang Xilin's body?
Help!
Who's there?
Zhang Chulan.
Why is he shouting?
He is surrounded by thralls.
Did you leave him to face them alone?
Don't worry. He won't die.
What do you mean? He's an ordinary person!
I told you.
He won't die.
Don't jinx it, Baobao.
Was all this hassle
just to steal Zhang Xilin's body?
He sure is lucky.
He managed to escape from a group of thralls.
Did someone help him in secret?
Baobao.
Have you been to a university?
University? What's that?
You have a sense of humor now.
I'll get you a student ID.
Get ready to go to school.
So do I have another identity now?
Your name will still be Baobao.
So do I no longer need
to find Zhang Xilin's body?
Xu Si and I will do that.
GRAVE OF ZHANG XILIN
Help!
Go away.
Help!
Stay away!
Help!
Stay away.
Don't come near me!
Is my lecture that repulsive?
Of course not, Mr. Yi.
Your lecture
is captivating and enlightening.
I was supposed to shout that internally,
but it was begging to be let out.
Then tell me
what I was talking about.
You were talking about…
At the origin of time…
-all is simple. -all is simple.
As it evolves, it becomes complex.
What is it now?
She…
When did she come?
When you were dozing off.
Is there a problem?
Mr. Yi, she is not a student here.
This is my student ID.
Her student ID is fake!
Who actually wears their student ID on a lanyard?
I did it so that I won't…
lose it.
Zhang Chulan,
go back to sleep.
Don't disturb other students.
Xuanxue, also known as Neo-Taoism,
was built upon the philosophy of Zhuangzi.
It interpreted Laozi…
Why are you here at my school?
What do you want?
I'm here to study.
Study what?
Sweet and sour pork ribs.
River snail noodles.
And a braised egg.
This restaurant looks delicious.
PRIVATE DINING BOOTH
Baobao, I bought you so many things.
Shouldn't you do something in return?
My grandfather's body is gone.
We need to find it.
I'm not your sister.
No way.
You are my sister.
When I first saw you,
I was surprised by how similar we looked.
We're like two peas in a pod.
I'm not your sister.
But you said it yesterday.
That was yesterday. This is today.
So today, you are…
"Xu Baobao,
an exchange student from Taiwan.
My dad just started his business on the Mainland,
offering premium resin-related products.
My hometown
is Zhangtai City, Huyan Province.
I'm not sure about my mom."
Taiwan?
Yet, you're rocking a Sanchuan dialect.
Is this how you lie nowadays?
Listen, I don't care who you are and why you're here.
Leave me alone now
because I will bite.
Sorry, I can't do that.
But wait, I'll call to confirm it first.
Hi. Is this Xu San?
Do I get to do whatever I want
with my possessions?
-Okay. -I'm a human, not a possession.
I have got the answer, Zhang Chulan.
From now on,
you're my slave.
Slave?
Slave, my foot!
Mind your manners.
Let's speak outside.
EXIT TO THE MALL
Help!
What's the matter?
Help me.
What's the emergency?
A woman is chasing me
with a knife!
No way.
In broad daylight?
In a peaceful campus?
Don't lie.
I'm serious, sir.
Call the police.
She has a knife!
What police?
I am the security guard.
She's here!
Stop shouting.
You're freaking me out.
Who's there?
Come in!
Hi. Is Zhang Chulan here?
-There she is! -Stop shouting!
You're making me jump.
It's just a girl.
She has a weapon!
Listen, young girl.
Listen to me.
Give me the knife. All right?
Is this a knife?
How can this be?
Trust me, sir.
I saw her use a knife
to slash a door in half.
She carries a knife with her.
Get up!
Be a man.
Look at you.
Stand straight. Lift your chest.
Lift your chin.
Miss.
What's the matter between you two?
-I am his-- -She wants me to be her slave.
Shut up!
Speak.
He is my slave.
I see.
Now, it's your turn.
You heard it, didn't you?
She wants me to be her slave.
How lucky!
Isn't that great?
Young people nowadays
are so open-minded.
Clean this mess up.
-It's so messy. -Let me do it.
See?
She is so sensible.
Wait. Of all people, you're into him?
It's fine. I can train him.
You must take him back
and train him well.
Do you still want to run?
Are you running?
He will stop.
Do you want to talk?
He said yes.
Let's go.
Go.
Go!
Come on. Don't be shy.
Go now.
Take your toy with you.
Go now. Hurry.
Have fun, okay?
You two are lovely.
Find a beautiful place
and talk things out.
What a harmonious couple.
Look at you.
All right.
Go.
Go on.
Speak.
What do you want from me?
Show me how you escaped
from those thralls last night.
Now.
Stop playing dumb.
You're hiding something.
I noticed it yesterday.
I abandoned you there
to see when you would show your true colors.
Who exactly are you?
Hurry up. Show your power.
You're my slave now.
I don't want to use violence.
I swore
not to use my power before just anyone.
You forced me to do this.
PATIENCE
Forgive me, Ms. Bao!
I don't know anything!
PATIENCE
Why are you crying?
Is this shirt very expensive?
Look at how merciful I am.
I only cut your clothes
but not your body.
Say cheese.
What are you doing?
I'm sending it to the village director.
What for?
A seal.
Can she see it?
Isn't that restricting?
Pervert!
You ripped my clothes off.
Now you're concerned about me?
You know what?
Be my slave.
Or I'll upload your photo
to the university forum.
Yes, Ms. Bao.
I am now your slave.
Feel free to use me.
Boss me around.
Don't call me Ms. Bao.
Call me Master.
FENG BAOBAO, AGE: UNKNOWN, IDENTITY: UNKNOWN
Take it.
A Nokia 6310?
Where did you get this ancient relic?
Other phones are too fragile.
Fragile?
What do you want to do with me?
Anyway, Xiaolanzi,
I will contact you by phone.
Xiaolanzi?
Xiaolanzi, my foot…
I'll go and fix the door now.
What about me?
How am I supposed to know?
Give me something to wear!
Darling.
-Let's practice dancing over there. -Okay.
What are you doing?
We're in public.
I don't want you to be cold.
Take my jacket.
Can I have a kiss?
You're naughty.
Xia He,
Zhang Xilin's body is here.
You're very efficient.
We'll meet at the dungeon.
XIA HE, SINISTER PLEASURE
JIASHAN GENERAL HOSPITAL
LYU LIANG, SINISTER PLEASURE
Lyu Liang, come with me.
This dungeon is scary.
Why do we have to meet here?
This is the only place
to hide my thralls.
Others
will only see them
as hyper-realistic NPCs here.
I have the body you want.
Go.
SOUL WHISPERER
It's him.
Well done.
I have brought you Zhang Xilin's body.
As for what I want…
That depends on
whether I can extract what I want from it.
He has been dead for a long time,
but I could still extract so much qi from him.
What a shame.
These isolated particles
aren't going to provide me with any useful info.
As I said,
I already brought Zhang Xilin's body.
Can I join Sinister Pleasure now?
Unfortunately,
the body you brought isn't that useful.
Therefore, we cannot recruit you.
Are you reneging
on your promise?
You know very well
how disorganized our organization is!
You can't join us
after completing one simple task.
You need
to hone your skills.
Xia He,
your Ensorcellment has grown more powerful.
You can even seduce the undead now.
Regardless of what shape or size they come in,
everything is a slave to desire.
If you don't honor promises,
let's forget that we ever met.
Wait!
Leave the body.
I'll give you another chance.
You claimed that you ran into Zhang Xilin's grandson
and a cleaver-wielding madwoman.
Let's leave the woman
out of this.
But Zhang Xilin's grandson,
by right, should be an Outsider too.
Bring him here,
dead or alive.
And then, you'll be one of us.
Why should I believe you?
What if you renege again?
The exit is over there.
You may leave if you don't want to do it.
Besides, it's not my job to convince you anyway.
Fine.
I'll just trust you one last time
and bring you Zhang Xilin's grandson.
This is sick.
They practiced until this late.
Darling,
I think there's someone up there.
A flasher!
He's naked!
Let's take a photo as evidence.
He's running away. Quick.
Quick! He's gone!
XINPUKAI UNIVERSITY FORUM, HEADLINES
UNKNOWN CREATURE ON CAMPUS?
A HORROR STORY OR A PRANK?
BY CAMPUS NEWSGROUP
The thunderstorm lately is the result
of a warm and humid air mass passing by.
It's a normal phenomenon,
so do not worry about it.
Remember to bring an umbrella with you during this rainy season.
WANG YE, WUDANG
Ma'am, how much is this?
Here you go.
I like the quality
of your costume.
Where did you buy it?
Wudang.
Wudang?
Are you a real Taoist?
What is real?
What is unreal?
Dear passengers,
the train to Mount Wudang Station
is arriving soon.
Please stand behind the safety line
and get ready to board.
"The Year of Jiashen"?
How does a phantasmagoria
manifest itself
without the rite of summoning?
It has been so many years,
but his qi still remains.
How strong was he
when he was alive?
I shall dig into his memory.
We must locate his grandson.
Who is this person
in the phantasmagoria?