Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 8: Corpse (Nine)
"It's not that I won't help; this Evil Energy isn't harmful to him..." Before Qin Jian and I could return to the village chief's house, the chief had already come looking for us with a strong flashlight. The journey was mostly silent, with only the sound of our footsteps echoing in the damp, muddy fields. The rain had made the ground soggy, and my shoes felt heavy, as if I were wearing straw sandals.
I finally fell asleep after the rooster crowed twice, drifting into a dream I couldn't quite remember, but it didn't feel pleasant. When dawn broke around five or six o'clock, I was in a deep and sweet sleep. It was Qin Jian who woke me up, and the first thing I said was that we needed to go to Tian Baigan's house.
The village chief was always attentive to our whereabouts. Upon hearing we were going to Tian Baigan's house, he naturally asked what we were going there for.
"Nothing much, just asking him to show us the way."
"That kid is a bit eccentric; let me arrange someone to accompany you."
"Village chief, don't worry about us. You focus on your own matters. We're here to investigate, not for sightseeing, so we don't need anyone to accompany us."
After declining the village chief's kind offer, Qin Jian and I stepped out of the door. I felt as if he was watching us from behind. I told Qin Jian not to look back and headed straight for Tian Baigan's house.
Last night, he had pointed out the path. I was familiar with it; we entered the woods via Osmanthus Road and then took a left to reach the back door of Tian Baigan's house. If we continued straight, we would arrive at Zeng Shufen's Haunted House.
I had gotten a good look at Zeng Shufen's Haunted House.
It was a courtyard that felt desolate and cold, with weeds growing on the roof. Seeing this house suddenly reminded me of that nightmare—what did Zeng Shufen's act of disemboweling me in the dream signify? Was it just meant to scare me?
Qin Jian knocked on the door. After quite some time, a woman asked from inside, "Who is it?" Her voice was sweet and likely belonged to someone young. When she opened the door, I saw a face that was somewhat attractive; this was Tian Baigan's Stepmother.
She looked surprised upon seeing us and asked, "Are you looking for Baigan?"
"Yes." Since she recognized us from Baymax, she didn't ask who we were but opened the door and walked inside while calling out, "Baigan, someone is looking for you."
At first glance inside the house, it seemed decent enough—there was a water heater and a gas stove. In rural areas, having these amenities is considered quite good.
Noticing our curiosity, Tian Baigan's Stepmother hurriedly explained, "These are just decorations; they can't be used."
The tags were still on the water heater; it looked brand new. How could it not be used? I leaned in closer to inspect it when Tian Baigan's Stepmother cheerfully asked, "Do you know how to fix this?"
"It can be exchanged if it's new; haven't you replaced it?"
"I did replace it; everything worked fine before swapping it out, but after installation, it just wouldn't work." Tian Baigan's Stepmother wasn't from around here; her accent had a slight twang.
"Oh." I pondered as I stared at the water heater, realizing the faint trace of Evil Energy emanating from Tian Baigan.
"Is there a problem?"
"Yes, not just any problem; the issue lies with Zeng Aixiu." I spoke to Qin Jian, and it seemed that Tian Baigan's Stepmother had overheard us. Her expression changed, but she remained silent, pretending not to hear as she walked inside, continuing to call out for Tian Baigan.
"Tian Baigan, what a peculiar name."
Qin Jian chuckled. Tian Baigan woke up, looking groggy as he asked, "You guys are up early. Have you eaten?"
"We have. Did you not sleep well last night?"
"Not at all; I slept better than ever. It was the most restful night I've had since my mom passed away." It must have been the talisman I applied; it not only calmed his mind but also warded off evil.
Tian Baigan was about to join us when his Stepmother called him for breakfast.
Hearing Tian Baigan call her "Stepmother," Qin Jian and I exchanged amused glances. Then we watched as he grabbed a homemade bun and took a big bite before putting on a jacket and preparing to leave with us.
His Stepmother called out again, "I have something to say to you." Tian Baigan paused in annoyance but eventually turned back under our watchful eyes. He chatted with his Stepmother for a while before finally stepping outside.
When he came out, the bun was gone, so he grabbed another one and led the way out. After walking for less than ten minutes, he suddenly swallowed the last bite of his bun and asked me, "Big Brother, do you know about that matter regarding my family?"
I knew full well what he meant but pretended not to understand. "What matter?"
"My Stepmother mentioned my mom's name. Does that mean you've noticed something wrong at home?"
I felt incredibly careless; I had sensed something unusual last night when I encountered that mysterious entity. I just didn't want anyone to know I was a Mortician, so I feigned ignorance but ended up revealing too much at Tian Baigan's house.
Qin Jian looked at me with reproach in his eyes. Ignoring him, I said seriously, "Your mother was frugal when she was young; she never spent money on herself and focused solely on you. Now that she's gone and your Stepmother is here enjoying various luxuries—do you think your mother would be at peace with that?"
"Yes, my mom has passed away without even a decent outfit to wear. The clothes we found were either torn or too wrinkled to put on. She barely ate anything during her life; her meals were just pickled vegetables and watery rice. Even for electricity, she only spent a few bucks a month while we could barely afford two or three. She wouldn't buy a television or even splurge on soap—she used laundry detergent for bathing. My mom truly suffered; she saved every penny, and now all those tens of thousands are being spent by my Stepmother. The house is newly renovated, and all the furniture is brand new. My Dad is really heartless... Boohoo..."
"Don't cry, it's not good if others see you. Tonight, go to the Paper Effigy Shop and prepare a knife-cut meat and some Hell Money. Kneel at the crossroads, burn the paper for your mother, and pray to reassure her. Your Stepmother treats you well; don't cause trouble at home. There's someone named Ma Qi who cares about her."
"Who is Ma Qi? It can't be you!" Tian Baigan began to question my identity, agreeing to follow my instructions but also curious about who I really was.
Under such pressure, my face flushed crimson. I covered my face with my hands to hide the embarrassment and stammered, "It's not me; it's someone else. I only know these things because of Ma Qi's guidance." I felt truly awkward and had no choice but to lie. Qin Jian was chuckling to himself nearby, his eyes seeming to say, "You deserve it."
After a few steps, Tian Baigan stopped again and asked, "Where are you planning to go?"
"We're going to visit Zeng Shufen's grave." I looked up; the weather was nice with the sun shining. I calculated that from midnight to 1:00 AM is when Yin Qi is at its peak and Yang Qi is at its weakest. From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM is when Yang Qi rises, and 11:40 AM is also known as the ancient noon hour, when Yang Qi is strongest. Between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, Yin and Yang transition again, with Yang Qi at its peak and Yin Qi at its weakest.
The time from 10:00 AM to noon is when Yang Qi is most abundant, so we must arrive at Zeng Shufen's Tomb by 11:40 AM.
Qin Jian supported my understanding; he knew best. His kindness would be repaid in the future. Right now, we needed to investigate the true culprit behind the mysterious creature bites on livestock. If we followed the village chief's lead and that of the local authorities, we would end up with nothing but empty results, leading to further incidents and possibly more deaths.
Comment 0 Comment Count