The wailing of police sirens extinguished Runsheng's passionate spirit in an instant. He pulled out a stick of incense, struck a match to ignite one end, and pressed his lips tightly around the other. His cheeks puffed out as he took a deep drag, drawing in a sense of melancholy.
Li Zhuiyuan watched curiously, waiting to see if he could actually blow out smoke rings.
In the next moment, a wisp of smoke escaped from Runsheng's nostrils.
He was smoking.
For a moment, Li Zhuiyuan began to doubt whether this was truly the correct way to use incense.
He understood why Runsheng felt down. Most of the time, he monopolized the television at home, and the local county channel just loved to air gangster movies.
Every time he went out at night, he could hear the sounds of slashing and gunfire coming from the first floor.
Runsheng had absorbed too much of it, and it had affected him.
In truth, most people at this age would harbor such fantasies and urges. The only difference was that Runsheng's stout physique and strength gave him a good deal of mobility.
Except for a time when he had just learned to observe and read fortunes, doing a reading for his great-grandfather and himself, Li Zhuiyuan had intentionally avoided offering these forecasts to his close ones.
A fate calculation was quite akin to a private matter, infringing upon someone's privacy would seem very unethical and could also affect daily interactions.
However, even if Li Zhuiyuan did not conduct a formal reading, a brief glance at Runsheng's face revealed some things about him. His features were classic, the kind that could be used as examples in textbooks.
Runsheng's face bore the standard traits of a 'Seven Kill' pattern, also known as a 'Bias Official' pattern. He was full of vigor, perseverance, ambition, and courage—like a ferocious tiger in a cage—indicating extreme danger.
However, the Seven Kill pattern could change and transform bad luck into good; it mainly depended on the influences surrounding the individual.
"Runsheng, those movies on TV are just for fun. Make sure not to take them too seriously, and don't try to imitate them."
"Huh?" Runsheng, who had been moping around, nearly dropped the incense in surprise. "Are you saying I can't watch TV anymore?"
"Not at all. You can watch whatever you'd like at home, but don’t immerse yourself completely in it. Liangliang said that society will only become more orderly and stable in the future—fighting and killing won’t lead anywhere."
In ancient times, many generals shared Runsheng's fate; however, in today's peaceful era, individuals with such traits often fell into misfortune.
"Okay, I understand. I’ll follow your advice."
Runsheng scratched his head, relieved that he could still watch TV, and quickly took another drag to calm himself.
Several police cars arrived at the Jiang family’s doorstep, with Tan Yunlong leading the charge. Before he could present his documents to explain their visit, the people inside the Jiang family had already opened the door, welcoming the officers inside.
Tan Yunlong found this unexpected. The real world was not like those TV dramas where everyone hid their true nature beneath a smiling facade. Especially in rural areas, rich newcomers often liked to put on a brave face, even acting tough to demonstrate their courage in front of the authorities.
Once inside, Tan Yunlong overheard the Jiang family members questioning one another about who had called the police. After sharing the information, Tan Yunlong learned that three days ago, Jiang Dongping—the head of the family—had gone missing.
Initially, the family did not think much of it. After all, the Jiang family owned several entertainment establishments in town, and it wasn’t unusual for him to go out for social gatherings. Even if he didn’t come back by night, it was not alarming—they assumed he had ended up at a mistress's place; even Jiang Dongping’s wife understood this.
But yesterday was an important day for the Jiang family, as they were holding an ancestral rite for his grandfather, who had personally raised Jiang Dongping. To their shock, Jiang Dongping had still not returned.
After searching all day yesterday and again today, they thought that the police had arrived because someone had reported him missing.
Tan Yunlong furrowed his brow. His first thought was that Jiang Dongping had fled due to some crime, but observing the family's reaction, they certainly didn’t seem to align with that theory. Besides, if he fled, wouldn’t he have dealt with his property beforehand?
Yet, he remembered the purpose of his visit and ordered a lockdown of the pond while also sending someone to borrow a pump from a nearby construction site.
The Jiang family was perplexed by this. Someone attempted to stop them, but police officers swiftly restrained them.
Tan Yunlong noted down the identities of those trying to obstruct the process.
For the pond they planned to excavate the next day, it was not too deep. After only a brief period of draining, there remained just a shallow puddle, exposing a large patch of silt.
In the center of the area stood a water barrel.
Tan Yunlong approached it—the barrel was full of water, and inside was a large clump of yellow-white fibrous substance, resembling glue or the jelly that his son liked to eat.
“Come on, help me lift this.”
The barrel was heavy, stuck at the bottom with mud. With the help of a few police officers, they managed to move it aside. Then, he grabbed a shovel and pointed downward:
“Dig!”
Less than a meter down, a hand appeared.
The surrounding officers grew excited. Without needing instruction, they immediately began to secure the entire Jiang family and prevented anyone inside from leaving.
Only Tan Yunlong maintained a look of confusion. The hand looked too fresh; it didn’t appear to have been buried for long.
Moreover, it was adorned with a gold watch, gleaming under the sun—why hadn’t the person who buried him just taken it off?
Yet, they had indeed unearthed a body, and it was a corpse.
Though only a hand emerged, the indication of the prior suffering was clear; it was pointing straight up, meaning the main body lay even deeper below.
The fingers were severely damaged, and the nails had been pulled back. Although the blood had long been diluted by the saturated mud, one could still perceive the desperate struggles for survival.
This person must have been buried alive while still conscious.
But…
Tan Yunlong handed the shovel to a nearby officer and began to step back, pausing at the edge of the pond to deliberately observe the surroundings and the barrel that had been moved.
This pond showed no signs of having been excavated recently, so how had this fresh body been buried here?
When they moved the barrel earlier, the moss and vegetation was clearly integrated with the pond bottom, indicating it had been growing there for many years. Did someone move it and then deliberately restore the area?
Tan Yunlong had heard of restoring artifacts, but to restore a site only to commit murder and hide a body seemed far-fetched; it was easier just to dump it in a nearby sandpit and grind it to dust.
“Everyone besides those digging the grave should stay out of the pond; make sure to protect the site.”
Having given his orders, Tan Yunlong squatted in a corner and pulled out his cigarette box.
In his mind, he recalled his conversation earlier with that boy, Li Zhuiyuan.
It was a very brief exchange, with the child effectively explaining the report. What truly surprised Tan Yunlong was Li Zhuiyuan's reason for seeking him out.
The boy had said: “Because I know you won’t create trouble for my life.”
“Ha.”
Tan Yunlong exhaled a smoke ring. Usually, suspected culprits avoided his gaze, but that child could stare back calmly, daring to take control of the conversation.
“Captain Tan, we have a problem.”
“What’s wrong?”
“This body is hard to dig up; it's sinking further down.”
Tan Yunlong immediately snuffed out his cigarette, tossing it over the wall before stepping into the pond to check on the body.
After digging down another meter, still only the hand appeared.
Tan Yunlong took the shovel back and resumed digging.
As he dug, he realized that, indeed, the body was sinking further, as if there was a drain below.
But that was impossible; this was a pond excavated just the day before. If the condition below was like this, how had it stored water before? Surely no pump had been continuously feeding it water.
“Use the rope.”
A loop was made with the rope and dropped down to the body, snugly wrapping around the wrist. When they tugged upward, the knot tightened immediately, but Tan Yunlong called another officer to join him in pulling up. The lifeless mass would not budge.
It was as if something below was also gripping the corpse, engaging in a tug-of-war.
If they increased the force, it could potentially damage the body.
“Captain Tan, we should call in an excavator.”
“That would ruin the scene,” Tan Yunlong quickly shook his head, “plus, digging at this depth with a machine would certainly cause harm to the body; let’s keep digging a bit longer.”
They continued to dig, but it didn’t help; for every meter they dug around the corpse, it seemed to suck back another meter into the mud. Despite the surrounding mud being relatively dry, the body continued to sink deeper.
Additionally, the officers digging would also be at risk, as they could suddenly find themselves swallowed by the surrounding muck.
Just then, an older officer quietly approached Tan Yunlong and whispered, “Captain Tan, this is rather peculiar.”
“Brother Sun, do you have any suggestions?”
“Perhaps we could call in a body recovery expert? They might have their own methods for ensuring the body is retrieved intact.”
“Anyone you can recommend?”
“There’s a fairly well-known one from Siyuan Village, surnamed Li.”
“Call someone from the precinct, but don’t wear your uniforms when you go. Give them a heads up and see if they can keep it low-key.”
“Got it.”
“Never mind, I’ll make the call.”
“Sure thing, Captain Tan.” The old cop felt a sense of relief, recognizing that the situation could turn sour, and he just intended to provide a suggestion without taking on any responsibility.
Tan Yunlong patted him on the shoulder and walked over to the police car, grabbing the radio to convey his request. After finishing, he leaned against the car door and lit a fresh cigarette:
“Sigh, we can only wait now.”
...
“Little Yuan, how long do we need to wait?”
“I have no idea.”
“Why is it taking so long? They’ve been digging for ages.”
The tricycle parked on a dirt slope, giving a slight height advantage. The Jiang family’s courtyard was surrounded by iron railings, not obstructing their view. Therefore, despite the distance, the two boys could see what was going on inside.
“They must have run into trouble.”
From nearby, they heard a soft gurgling sound.
Li Zhuiyuan glanced over, noticing that Runsheng had looked down, looking a bit embarrassed; he was hungry.
Though he had intermittently munched on incense, to him, incense was merely a garnish, like green onions at a meal. No one had ever heard of someone filling their stomach solely with green onions.
Li Zhuiyuan took out the money given to him that morning by his great-grandfather and handed it to Runsheng. “Brother, there’s a little shop by the roadside up ahead. Go buy something to eat.”
“Ah, that seems wasteful.” Runsheng shook his head. “Those items are just to taste, no way can they serve as a meal!”
“Just buy a bit to tide you over.”
“Can I ride to the village restaurant to buy some food?”
“That’s too far. We need to stay here; you never know when those two items will come over… or leave.”
“That’s true. Then I’ll go buy something now. Little Yuan, what do you want?”
“I’m fine with anything; just get whatever you like.”
“Then wait for me here; I’ll be right back.”
Runsheng grabbed the money, skipped the tricycle, and ran off.
Before long, Runsheng returned, arms loaded with instant noodles and biscuits.
“Here you go, Little Yuan, here’s your change.”
“Why did you buy so little?”
“I couldn’t bear to, this stuff is just for testing flavors; if I had bought rice or flour, it would have bought so much more.”
Li Zhuiyuan nibbled on a few biscuits. He had eaten breakfast rather late, so he wasn’t too hungry yet. Runsheng had worked in the fields that morning, so he had to ensure Runsheng ate first.
After all, Runsheng was his largest ally, and he couldn’t have all the fine tools ready but have the user starve.
Once they finished eating, Runsheng gathered the seasoning packets from the instant noodles.
Li Zhuiyuan had been puzzled earlier; while the conditions didn’t permit boiling or soaking them, wouldn’t it add flavor to crush the noodles with the seasoning and shake them up to enjoy dry?
But Runsheng didn’t pour them out; instead, he ate the instant noodles whole.
Now, Runsheng tore open a seasoning packet, poured the powder into his palm, and then extended his tongue to lick a little off.
As he licked and continued pouring in more seasoning, he wore a satisfied expression, evidently enjoying this method of eating.
Noticing Li Zhuiyuan watching him, Runsheng smiled and asked, “Little Yuan, do you want to join me? It’s delicious!”
“Oh, sure.”
Li Zhuiyuan stretched out his hand, and Runsheng poured some seasoning into his palm. Li Zhuiyuan licked his palm lightly, savoring it with care.
Indeed...
It was a rich flavor from the instant noodle seasoning packet.
“Hehe, this is great! In the past, we’d have to share one seasoning packet, but now it’s all mine!”
At this time, children had limited access to snacks, and the way of enjoying seasoning packets was gradually becoming popular, both tasty and fun.
Li Zhuiyuan felt the change in his pocket that Runsheng had handed over earlier. Although the old carpenter hadn’t asked him for processing fees, it was a matter of face for his great-grandfather, so he could only use it this once.
Moreover, he would need materials and trial costs later, including the potential wear and tear from future use… relying on pocket money would be far from enough.
It seemed he needed to think of some ways to earn some money.
“Runsheng, do you know where people play cards?”
“Play cards? My grandpa does; he likes playing poker, and there are several established card places in the village. If we go, we can sit down to play.”
“How’s Old Man Shan’s card playing?”
At this question, Runsheng looked somewhat embarrassed, muttering softly, “He could’ve had a decent meal in the evening, but whenever he goes out to play cards, my grandpa and I can barely scrape together enough for porridge at night.”
Li Zhuiyuan remembered that his great-grandfather had once mentioned that Old Man Shan often lost money while playing cards.
“Runsheng, do you want to go back and see Old Man Shan?”
“I do.”
“Then let's go visit Old Man Shan in Xiting together tomorrow."
“Okay!”
Runsheng jumped up excitedly, stretching his back while looking around. Soon, however, his smile faded as he pointed at a motorcycle approaching from a distance.
“Hey, Little Yuan, the person sitting at the back of that motorcycle looks like your great-grandfather!”
“It’s definitely him.”
Li Sanjiang sat on the back of a motorcycle, sandwiched between the driver and a wrapped bundle. His hands grasped onto one item while another was tied on the back.
The howling wind blew, his arms trembled—clearly exhausted.
When the officials sent someone to fetch him, he had to go; otherwise, he wouldn’t have the nerve to hold up the plaque the next time.
Unfortunately, their own mule was out for a stroll today, and to make matters worse, it had even ridden off with their tricycle.
“Stop! Just stop!”
The motorcycle halted, and Li Sanjiang looked at the two standing by the roadside with surprise. “What are you two doing here?”
Li Zhuiyuan replied, “Like your great-grandfather, we were called here.”
“What?” Li Sanjiang was momentarily stunned but didn’t think much of it. He tossed the package he was holding to Runsheng. “Let’s go!”
Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t believe he could enter the Jiang family courtyard so easily.
As soon as he stepped inside, he felt the gaze of Tan Yunlong upon him, so he purposely avoided eye contact.
To his surprise, Tan Yunlong approached, bent down, and wrapped an arm around him, pretending to ruffle his hair. He whispered into his ear, “Did you report this to get some action for yourself?”
“Then the money earned would be too hard to come by.”
“Haha.” Tan Yunlong laughed, ruffling Li Zhuiyuan’s head again while glancing at Li Sanjiang. “Old man, sorry to trouble you to come all this way; don’t worry, I’ll cover your service fees.”
“Oh no, no.” Li Sanjiang waved his hands quickly. “That’s too formal; it’s what I ought to do—this is just community bonding.”
“That can’t be; we’re sincerely grateful for your cooperation in helping us.”
“Is the body in the pond?”
“Yes, please take a look.” Tan Yunlong accompanied Li Sanjiang toward the pond, speaking softly. “Old man, when we begin our work, we require you to keep it low-key.”
“The people who brought me here have already mentioned that, so don’t worry; I understand.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“Of course.”
He knew exactly why this was necessary. After all, officers in uniforms appearing too close to any feudal superstitions could lead to awkward situations. When he had once fished out a father and son duo from Big Beard’s fishpond, the arriving police had waited alongside their patrol cars by the route.
They cooperated where necessary and kept their distance when required.
Li Sanjiang called out to Runsheng, “Runsheng, grab your tools!”
Runsheng hesitated, turning to look at Li Zhuiyuan, who had stealthily crept to inspect the edge of the pit.
Upon seeing the hand below, Li Zhuiyuan's expression turned puzzled. Why was this hand still so fresh?
According to Brother Leopard, he had helped Jiang Dongping to bury the body here some time ago; that had to have been a while, potentially several years ago.
Given this was the pond's lowest point, which was already wet, it conceivable the corpse would have decomposed rapidly. How could there still be clear flesh and skin visible?
Either this body wasn’t that of Old Zhou—who had been killed—or the current Old Zhou was suspicious.
“Runsheng, why are you standing there like an idiot? Grab your tools!”
Li Zhuiyuan snapped back to the moment and looked at Runsheng. “Runsheng, hold on to yours.”
Just in case, he figured he might as well use his own.
“Okay!”
Runsheng responded and began to throw back the plastic covering from the tricycle, quickly collecting the new set of tools.
Li Sanjiang watched these unfamiliar but strangely similar new tools with confusion. Still, the surrounding officers were watching; he couldn’t question anything further; after all, all tools were the same in his eyes.
“Great-grandpa, let Runsheng give it a try first. If Runsheng can’t retrieve it, then it means that Old Man Shan hasn't imparted the skills properly to his apprentice. You’ll need to demonstrate correctly later on.”
“Sure, that seems reasonable.”
Li Sanjiang agreed, feeling that Little Yuan had a point.
Runsheng took the tools, arranged them at the pit’s edge, excitement evident on his face.
Li Sanjiang then found a small stool, placed simple offerings on it, even bringing two fast-burning white candles.
He had indeed listened to the officer’s request and sought to avoid a grand spectacle, thus everything would be kept low-key.
As he lit the candles and burned the paper offerings, Li Sanjiang chanted prayers, pacing in circles around the pit.
The young officers were all curious, while the more seasoned ones distanced themselves quietly.
Tan Yunlong observed the surroundings. The Jiang residence was substantial and naturally remoter, with few civilian homes nearby. Coupled with the Jiang family's nature as the local power brokers, not many villagers would dare to come and gawk at the spectacle during this time. Among the scattered crowd outside the wall, only about a dozen or so lingered, half of which had probably merely stopped out of curiosity at the sight of police cars parked nearby.
The Jiang family members had already been taken inside by Tan Yunlong for questioning.
The surroundings remained comparatively quiet, allowing minimal chance for gossip.
After completing the rituals, Li Sanjiang pulled out two beer bottles sealed with cloth, filled with a red liquid.
Seeing this, Tan Yunlong hurriedly stepped forward to stop him. “Old man, what are you doing?”
“Black dog blood! First, we must dispel this evil. If it’s stuck in the mud, the body will keep sinking down, indicating resentment.”
“Can we skip the blood?”
“Not pouring it?”
“If you do, the body won’t be viewable anymore.”
“Then let me try—Runsheng, it's your turn now. Let’s see if Old Shan has taught you anything useful.”
Without further ado, Li Sanjiang placed the two bottles of mixed animal blood on the ground.
To maintain the demeanor of an experienced master, he took a few steps back, pulled out a cigarette to light, trying to bolster his formality.
A nearby officer reminded him, “Old man, smoke further away; we will need to search for evidence here shortly.”
“Oh, right.” Li Sanjiang responded, hesitating a moment; given that he had set the mood, it made sense to step back while reaching for his pocket, realizing he’d rushed out without bringing matches.
Thus, now, standing at the edge of the pit, there were only Li Zhuiyuan, Runsheng, and Tan Yunlong left.
“Captain Tan, is the body sinking deeper?”
“Hmm, yes. The deeper we dig, the further it sinks.”
“Captain Tan, can you have someone move the barrel that contains the ‘Tai Sui’ away?”
“That’s important evidence we need to take back for examination.”
“I’m not saying throw it away; just move it outside the doorway. It shouldn’t be within this residence.”
“Is it some sort of taboo?”
“Um.”
“Got it.” Tan Yunlong immediately ordered some officers outside to relocate the barrel to the entrance.
Li Zhuiyuan nodded; this meant that his and Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing’s situation would be tied off, and next, it would all just be about settling the accounts.
Tan Yunlong turned back and noticed Li Zhuiyuan pulling out a rudimentary wooden compass. He couldn’t help but think that even the vendors selling sub-quality toys wouldn’t carry something like this; it was just too ugly to sell.
The boy adjusted his stance and spun the compass in his hands, then settled it firmly while silently counting some numbers.
Tan Yunlong listened closely, expecting him to recite some kind of incantation, yet all he heard were numbers.
Once satisfied with his calculations, Li Zhuiyuan lowered his gaze toward the pit, pointing to six distinct locations. “Use the Yellow River shovel over there, here, and here… dig small downward pits at these six spots first.”
“Okay!”
Runsheng took up the Yellow River shovel and began digging at the designated spots, ignoring the area with the hand and instead creating six small pits along the side walls as instructed by Li Zhuiyuan.
Li Zhuiyuan nodded. The six pits were meant to disrupt the corpse's “sense of direction,” making sure it would lose its balance when panicking, wanting to escape.
Entries in the Records of Strange Tales in the Martial World described similar types of corpses, noting that they had a tendency to burrow into soil and sand.
However, strictly speaking, these bodies wouldn’t be considered dead corpses. Wei Zhengdao had noted specifically that a strange occurrence must surround the vicinity of these bodies.
Li Zhuiyuan pulled out an inkpad, pushing his fingertip on it with force before using the Seven-Star Hook to etch the markings upon it. Each segment he crafted had a corresponding red stamp until all seven segments were marked, finally tossing the Seven-Star Hook into the pit.
“Brother Runsheng, drop the hook in between you and the corpse to block it!”
“Understood!”
Runsheng caught the hook, plunging it into the ground between himself and the hand.
Soon, only the top end remained above ground as Runsheng pressed down upon it and began to twist, causing an audible “crack-crack” sound beneath.
For now, since they had yet to touch the hand, the body hadn’t resumed sinking.
With all five fingers pressed onto the inkpad, Li Zhuiyuan quickly grabbed the items he had touched on the soul-returning basket and the homebound net before throwing them all into the pit.
“Place the basket at the front, while the net goes behind.”
“Alright!” Runsheng caught the items then paused in confusion. “Little Yuan, where is the body’s front?”
“The palm facing upwards is the front.”
“Got it!”
Runsheng positioned the soul-returning basket with its opening on the palm side, which at first glance appeared narrow and shallow, but after releasing the ties, the opening could widen and deepen by its own accord, and was quite resilient.
As for the homebound net, Runsheng laid it over the back of the hand, covering a substantial area almost encompassing the wall of the surrounding pit.
Li Zhuiyuan then picked up the soul-retrieving umbrella, addressing Runsheng. “Brother Runsheng, catch me.”
Saying this, he leaped into the pit, and Tan Yunlong didn’t react in time to stop him.
Runsheng caught him steadily, and once Li Zhuiyuan had secured his footing, he bent down to closely inspect the hand. He then pulled out a talisman he had drawn earlier.
All preparations were now complete, and he wanted to conduct a personal experiment, particularly with the talisman he had crafted himself.
The Records of the Righteous Path Subduing Demons provided few specifics on talismans, just listing a few conditions that needed to be met—knowledge points, similar to prerequisites for studying this topic.
None of the rigid conditions Li Zhuiyuan met; he simply followed the format laid out in the book, focusing his spirit and drawing it in one breath.
Though he knew it was unlikely to work, still... what if?
This distance was just right. Above the palm, he released the talisman, letting it gently descend. Just before it touched that hand, the fingers suddenly spread wide and suddenly snatched the talisman!
The talisman instantaneously turned black.
“Little Yuan!” The sudden change made Runsheng rush to protect his friend.
Li Zhuiyuan felt helpless; not only had the body ignored his talisman’s threat, it had also provoked him.
“Runsheng, pry it out!”
“Okay!”
Runsheng gripped the Seven-Star hook, crouched down, and pushed down with all his strength.
The hand began to move, and the mud below it rapidly cracked. Yet, this time, it did not continue to sink but rather shifted haphazardly side to side, like a headless fly flitting about.
Runsheng kept exerting force, gritting his teeth as veins bulged on his arms, while both feet sank into mud up to his ankles.
Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t help but remark internally: indeed, recovering a body was a physically demanding task.
Comparing the situation with Uncle Qin’s from that night and now with Runsheng, none of them had a powerful physique; without strength, no fine tools would be of help.
Fortunately, as he was still young, he could gradually build up his strength.
As they continued to push down, the body clearly could not hold on much longer. Suddenly, a rush of mud swirled up with dark mist.
Li Zhuiyuan immediately raised the soul-retrieving umbrella to shield Runsheng and himself. The umbrella vibrated, and Li Zhuiyuan felt a tingling in his hands yet continued to hold firm.
Upon noticing a wisp of black mist emerging around them, Li Zhuiyuan pulled out the Three Purity Fan, pressed the hidden button, and began to fan it, releasing a haze of white incense ash.
In an instant, a scent reminiscent of burning coal filled the air.
“It’s coming out!” Runsheng let out a low growl. “Little Yuan, retreat!”
Li Zhuiyuan quickly retracted the umbrella and stepped back, as the ground cracked open before them, revealing a body dressed in a nightgown. The body had been pried free, secured below by the Seven-Star hook, with each segment extending out like a clasp to keep it in place.
The body appeared motionless, yet in a hazy sense, it seemed to be moving rapidly forward. It slipped into the soul-returning basket, and the basket rapidly enlarged and stretched. The body fell backward and tumbled into the homebound net, which ensnared and enveloped it.
Then the body fell silent.
Li Zhuiyuan sighed in relief and asked, “Runsheng, did the body move on its own just now, or were you using the Seven-Star hook to pull it?”
“It seemed like the body didn’t move but its weight shifted from light to heavy; I nearly lost my grip.”
“Then it wasn’t moving on its own. This body isn't just a dead heap.”
Once the body emerged, a pit about a foot deep formed below. Li Zhuiyuan approached and glanced down to see two pairs of skeletal hands protruding from the earthen walls.
Below these, two more corpses had become mere bones!
It seemed that the old Zhou, whom Brother Leopard had helped bury, was not the first victim Jiang Dongping had concealed in this spot to nurture the Tai Sui.
Carefully observing the positions and angles of the two pairs of skeletal hands, Li Zhuiyuan gestured with his own hands.
“Little Yuan, why are there bones beneath?”
“Runsheng, this body’s continual descent was due to these two hands pulling it down, not allowing it to escape.”
“What now? Can it still move?”
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head in response, “Not a dead heap—just a vengeful spirit. They dissipate in light.”
In areas deprived of sunlight, such vengeful spirits could still act up and create disturbances.
For instance, many people often hear rustlings from the roof, the floor below, or even other rooms at night.
Sometimes, they weren’t caused by neighbors or even the household mice, but by the spirits within the home.
Yet when courage swells and one switches on the lights to investigate, nothing is ever found; those spirits would never allow themselves to be seen. If someone did happen to glimpse them, they would vanish in an instant.
Most spirits could only generate minor ruckus without substantial danger, while a select few potent ones could creep into your bedroom while you slept, posing a minuscule risk of causing sleep paralysis.
Runsheng lamented, “These three people being buried here form bonds; they can't bear to let one another go?”
Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the wrapped body in the homebound net, saying, “I suspect this body isn’t that of a victim.”
“Huh? Whose is it then?”
“What is the opposite of a victim?”
“What is it?”
“Runsheng, hoist me up. I don’t want to climb and dirty my clothes.”
“Okay!”
Runsheng obliged, lifting him up, while Tan Yunlong stretched out a hand to catch Li Zhuiyuan.
“What happened down there?” Tan Yunlong couldn’t help but ask immediately.
He had been hovering above when suddenly, mud had erupted, clouding his vision. It had looked like a large rat sprang out, and after a few rolls, the vision cleared to reveal a body wrapped in a net.
“Wow!”
At that moment, Runsheng hefted the net bearing the body up easily with one hand, and grasped the slope with the other hand as he ascended.
Tan Yunlong’s eyes widened, the strength it took to lift a “living person” was indeed quite startling.
Once the body was set down, Runsheng swiftly untied the net, packed the basket away, then turned back to jump back into the pit, retrieving the Yellow River shovel and Seven-Star hook to neatly store them away.
This whole setup was extremely useful; he decided to work hard on agriculture for Old Man Sanjiang and save enough money so that he could have his own set made by Little Yuan. He wanted to keep one as a family heirloom.
Tan Yunlong pulled gloves from his pocket, bending down to gently brush away the silt from the body’s face, especially around the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, then his expression became stern.
“Is it Jiang Dongping?”
Tan Yunlong looked up in surprise at Li Zhuiyuan. “Did you already know?”
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. “No, but I do now. There are still two sets of bones below; Captain Tan, please call for more digging. It should be easy to unearth.”
The only person who could hold onto someone tightly enough at the bottom of this sludge, pulling them down alongside themselves, had to be the perpetrator.
“I understand now, thank you, Little Yuan.”
“Could you give me a piece of Tai Sui meat as a token of gratitude?”
“What on earth do you want that for?”
“Captain Tan, you know how it is; children are always curious.”
Tan Yunlong produced a small plastic bag containing a jelly-like substance, leaning closer to obscure it from outside eyes before sliding it into Li Zhuiyuan's pocket.
“Promise me you won’t eat it; it might be poisonous.”
“I won’t, but Captain Tan, you’re quite generous.”
“I still have a huge chunk left in the barrel; giving you a piece is fine.”
“What! It’s already been retrieved?” Just then, Li Sanjiang, who had only just managed to light a cigarette, realized the work was done, grudgingly commenting, “Seems the Shan brat does have some skills there.”
“Great-grandpa, Runsheng and I will ride the tricycle back first.”
“Then if it’s all settled, I’ll go back with you. Riding that motorcycle hurts my butt.”
“Great-grandpa, you can’t leave; Captain Tan needs you to stay and help examine the body. This one has been soaked in mud and water; you have experience.”
Tan Yunlong looked at Li Zhuiyuan with confusion; identifying bodies fell under the jurisdiction of professional forensic doctors.
Still, he removed his gloves and grasped Li Sanjiang’s hand, “Right, old man, could you stay to help us investigate and analyze? Afterward, I’ll drive you home.”
“That sounds fine.”
“Great-grandpa, we’re off now.”
“Watch your step on the way back, both of you; Runsheng, ride slowly so you don’t bump my Little Yuan around.”
Runsheng packed the tools, placing them neatly on the tricycle. After securing them, he couldn’t deny the urge to touch them again.
“Little Yuan, once I save up enough money…”
“Runsheng, don’t make too much noise; take a peek at the little slope we were at earlier.”
Runsheng pretended to continue tidying up, stealing a glance to find two familiar figures standing at a distance.
“I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere.”
“In the video hall, those four loudmouth ruffians.”
Their boss, that man in a suit, had been caught and was now a prisoner doing penance; it was quite fortunate that the suit man hadn’t been able to distribute the goods nor assign tasks to his three goons yet.
Thus, those three ruffians had only spent a single day in custody for "education" before being released.
“Are they nearby, coming to gawk?”
“Shigang is not as lively or fun as Shinan; does someone from Shigang travel over to Shinan to watch video tapes? Runsheng, check their feet again.”
Runsheng again pretended to casually glance over, dropping his gaze. “Little Yuan, they’re standing on tiptoes!”
“It’s them! They’ve finally appeared, the real targets we’ve been after!”
Runsheng quietly gripped the Yellow River shovel. “I’m rushing over now to smash their heads!”
“Runsheng…”
“Don’t worry, Little Yuan; they definitely can’t outrun me, given they’re tiptoeing around.”
“Runsheng, there are so many cops nearby.”
“Huh…”
“Even the gangsters in Hong Kong films wouldn’t be so brazen.”
“I’m sorry, Little Yuan.”
“Let’s get in the car and head in the opposite direction.”
“Understood.”
Li Zhuiyuan hopped onto the tricycle while Runsheng rode off in the other direction. After covering some distance, they turned to glide behind one of the nearby residences.
“Runsheng, come on, drape this homebound net over us; this way they won't see us.”
Runsheng’s eyes gleamed. “This thing can be used this way?”
“Yeah! Otherwise, how else could we deal with a dead heap? If they had to escape using regular nets, they’d shred them easily. Only a net they can’t see will hold them.”
“It’s true, Little Yuan. The set of tools my grandpa has pales in comparison to these; I might as well sell them for scrap!”
“Don’t worry; I’ll make you a set in the future.”
“Um… is it expensive?”
“No worries; tomorrow we’ll pay Old Man Shan a visit, and we should have money then.”
“My grandpa has no money; if it weren’t for the rice and flour not being sellable in the village, I’d worry we might not even have food for tomorrow when we go back.”
“Let’s talk about that tomorrow; we have to catch those two first.”
“Alright.”
Thus, Runsheng resumed pedaling vigorously on the tricycle, and as various vehicles and pedestrians passed them, people gawked in surprise at the duo hidden under the net in the tricycle.
Reaching the original spot, Runsheng furrowed his brow. “Oh no, they're gone.”
“They went ahead; they're walking toward the riverside.”
Indeed, the figures of those two appeared near the riverside, walking along the bank.
“Should I ride down there?”
“Ride along the road first, keep a distance while following; wait for a less populated place to make a move.”
Next, those two continued to stroll toward a more secluded area before veering into a narrow path.
“Should we make a move, Little Yuan?”
“Hold on; let’s see where they’re headed. Those two are just vessels; there's someone controlling them behind the scenes.”
“Isn’t that the Jiang family’s guy?”
“The Jiang family’s already buried in the pond; who else could it be that buried him?”
“Little Yuan, you mean…”
“I suspect one of the three buried by Jiang Dongping has now become a dead heap.”
Li Zhuiyuan retrieved the bag of Tai Sui meat provided earlier by Tan Yunlong, continuing, “This Tai Sui might have some issues.”
Dead heaps don’t just transform easily, especially those capable of controlling spirits were of rare caliber.
Even from several meters away through the plastic, the stench of the Tai Sui meat wafted out, leaving Li Zhuiyuan bewildered about who could dare to consume it for health benefits.
The dusk fell, and twilight descended.
The two figures stepped into a cemetery.
Runsheng lifted the tools and stealthily followed alongside Li Zhuiyuan, both hiding beneath the homebound net.
Finally, those two halted before a gravestone, kneeling before it with a “thud” as they faced the headstone with reverence.
Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng wrapped up in the homebound net, hiding behind one of the gravestones, one on the left and one on the right, cautiously peering out for a clearer look.
Yet, the two remained still, there, kneeling without a motion, for a long time, as darkness increasingly set in.
Runsheng glanced at Li Zhuiyuan, his expression filled with confusion: what were they doing?
Li Zhuiyuan shrugged: I don’t know either.
Runsheng pointed around them, then at his Yellow River shovel. “This spot is secluded; no one’s here; we could strike them!”
Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand, indicating rejection, and then pointed to Runsheng’s arm. Runsheng was somewhat puzzled. But when he saw Li Zhuiyuan lean closer, he raised his arm for him to lean more comfortably.
Regardless, there must have been a reason for Little Yuan’s action.
After some time had passed, those kneeling didn’t shift; even Li Zhuiyuan, leaning against Runsheng’s arm, remained still.
Finally, Runsheng couldn’t hold back any longer. He turned his head to check on Li Zhuiyuan, only to discover that he had his eyes shut and was breathing evenly, leaving Runsheng in shock.
Little Yuan had fallen asleep?
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t actually drift off; he merely tried to catch a quick nap. Yet, within this semi-conscious state, he heard the sounds of shrieks and desperate pleas—Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing’s voices.
He realized he had entered into a trance.
Opening his eyes, Li Zhuiyuan found that Runsheng was no longer there beside him; this was normal; Runsheng had not entered his dream.
The sounds of cries and pleas continued; it seemed they were undergoing horrendous torture.
This wasn’t surprising. The last time Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing had come to find his great-grandfather at the banquet, they didn’t realize Jiang Dongping had been buried alive and had no clue of the person truly controlling them; likely, that victim was always the one named Zhou, whom Brother Leopard had personally buried.
Li Zhuiyuan cautiously leaned over from the gravestone, carefully peeking out. The dwa kneeling had vanished from that spot; like Runsheng, they were no longer part of this dream.
As Li Zhuiyuan shifted his focus, looking further back behind where the two had knelt, he discovered Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing’s forms sprawled on the ground, their bodies fragmenting and peeling away.
In that instant, Li Zhuiyuan froze, his body going cold.
Earlier, concealed from sight, he and Runsheng had assumed those two were kneeling in reverence before a gravestone.
Yet, in reality, those two were merely vessels being used, acting merely as the “shoes” cast aside after they reached here.
When shoes weren’t worn, the direction their tips pointed no longer reflected the direction of the person.
Now Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing were kneeling and wailing toward the very gravestone directly in front of Li Zhuiyuan!
And he and Runsheng had been hiding behind that gravestone all along.
Li Zhuiyuan slowly lowered his head, seeing a long, dark shadow stretching out beneath his feet. It was evident he wasn’t tall enough, thus this shadow could not belong to him.
So,
It was,
Standing right behind him and Runsheng all along.
(End of Chapter)