Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
After experiencing the "Paper Man Night Walk" incident, I became increasingly convinced that someone was secretly sabotaging my efforts. This person was familiar with the old house, knowledgeable about local legends, and was determined to prevent me from uncovering the truth.
The next day, I moved the Old Man Paper Figure back to the Altar Table. Upon careful inspection, I found no obvious threads or mechanisms. This left me even more puzzled—what method could that person have used to control it?
My gaze returned to the Black Lacquered Wooden Box. Since it couldn't be opened through physical means and involved human factors, could it require some sort of… "token" or special "condition"?
I recalled the faint scent emanating from the box, reminiscent of the Ink Fragrance one might encounter during ancient painting restoration. My Granduncle San, in his lifetime, not only guarded the old house but also seemed to enjoy dabbling in literature and ink. Could there be clues hidden among his belongings?
I made my way back to Granduncle San's study. The room was small, with a full wall of bookshelves crammed with various old books on local customs, herbs, and agricultural practices—nothing particularly special. However, on the desk lay the Four Treasures of the Study, with wet ink still visible in the Inkstone.
I picked up the Inkstone and brought it closer to my nose. Indeed, it bore that familiar scent mixed with a hint of herbal fragrance—the same as that emanating from the Lacquer Box!
This was no ordinary ink. As I examined the Inkstone, I noticed a very small, almost imperceptible pattern carved into its bottom—a stylized locust flower.
Locust flower? Huaiyin Town… the Old Huai Tree in the courtyard of the old house… what connection could there be?
A thought struck me, and I immediately began rummaging through the desk drawers. The drawer was cluttered with various odds and ends—some yellowed ledgers and scattered letters. At the very bottom, I discovered an old notebook with a worn cover.
The notebook was handwritten, featuring strong and vigorous characters—it was indeed Granduncle San's handwriting. Most of its entries detailed mundane matters: weather, farming seasons, herb picking and preparation methods, and so on.
I patiently flipped through its pages. Suddenly, one entry caught my attention. It read:
"On the fifteenth day of Huai Moon, during Yin time, take tender leaves from the east of Huaiyin Town, crush them for juice to mix into ink... Can calm the mind, also... Locking Soul."
Locking Soul?!
I gasped in shock. This special ink had a reference to "Locking Soul"? Was this some form of witchcraft or merely a local legend?
Connecting this to the Lacquer Box, could it be that the "key" to opening it was this ink made from Sophora Juice? And those Paper Figurines, that old house, including whatever existed in that attic—all were related to "Locking Soul"?
I continued flipping through; the notes became increasingly hasty and obscure. One passage read:
"… In the end, it was wrong. Feeding ghosts with one's body is not a long-term solution. The method of 'substitute' may offer relief but requires Blood Kin Extradition… I owe an apology to A Yu..."
A Yu? Who was that? Was it that "existence" in the attic? It seemed that Granduncle San was confessing something significant. What did he mean by "feeding ghosts with one's body"? What did he refer to as "substitute"? Did it involve needing a Blood Kin Extradition… could it mean me?!
This notebook revealed only a glimpse of an iceberg while bringing forth more mysteries and an unsettling sense of foreboding. It appeared that Granduncle San had become entangled in something extremely bizarre or even sinister, and all these elements—the Paper Figurines, the Lacquer Box, and "A Yu" in the attic—were connected to it. The person secretly controlling the Paper Figurine might be someone who knew this secret and wanted to stop me or perhaps… use me to achieve some goal?
New clues emerged, pointing toward deeper secrets and potential dangers. I felt myself getting closer to the truth but also possibly… closer to an abyss.
Comment 0 Comment Count