Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The man was taller than Gangzi by a head. He walked over, grasped the barrel of Gangzi's gun, and pressed it down.
The man, who stood over six feet tall, suddenly choked up. "Brother Luo, what happened to Nobleman?"
The man referred to as Brother Luo replied softly, "Nobleman is dead."
Upon hearing this, Gangzi burst into tears. He tore his own clothes apart in anguish. The members of the project team were astonished to see three deep gashes on his chest, resembling claw marks from some fierce beast. The wounds had begun to heal, but the flesh was still raw and exposed, a sight that was truly horrifying.
"If it weren't for Nobleman," Gangzi said, pounding his chest, "I would have been eaten by wolves three years ago. Now that Nobleman is dead, I will avenge him. Whoever killed Nobleman, I will dig up their ancestral grave!"
Brother Luo pulled Gangzi up and surveyed the crowd before saying, "He's already dead; crying won't bring him back. We still don't know who killed Nobleman. Gather the brothers from the mountains and return to the village! Nobleman was not only your savior but also our brother."
Gangzi nodded, holding back his tears as he walked deeper into the forest.
Brother Luo glanced at Wang Mazi's body and then at Li Sanhan. "Li Sanhan, Gangzi is straightforward and blunt, but he wouldn't kill anyone. However, Wang Mazi's wounds were definitely made by a mountain knife. Those knives are sharp and meant for dealing with wolves; even a woman could inflict such wounds!"
"A woman?" Li Sanhan looked apprehensive but didn't want to lose face in front of everyone. He replied, "You can think of anything. In any case, Wang Mazi died from a knife used by you all; there should be some explanation."
Brother Luo said, "There must be an explanation, but it wasn't done by my people. What are these people here for?"
He was referring to the members of the project team. Li Sanhan glanced at them and followed along with the conversation: "Oh, I heard something about archaeology."
The villagers carried the body back on a makeshift wooden frame. According to village customs, a person could not be buried until seven days after death.
Amidst the villagers' chatter and discussions, they realized that Wang Mazi had no family—no father or mother, no siblings—no one came to identify the body. All the men in the village had gathered together, including those hunters who had always lived in the mountains.
The relationship between the villagers and the hunters was clearly strained. Seven or eight hunters sat beside Brother Luo, forming a distinct circle separate from the hundred or so villagers around them. The only woman the project team had seen, Wang Daifeng, was not among these people. Although she was the daughter of the previous village chief, her status as a woman here was evidently not high.
Aside from Er Dan, who wore a broad smile, the others looked troubled. Er Dan was happy because when someone died, the villagers would hold a feast, and he would get to enjoy braised pork. Now that Nobleman was dead and Wang Mazi had also met his end, it was uncertain how many more would die and who would be next.
The project team gathered in a cluster, waiting for the village-wide meeting to commence.
Brother Luo spoke first, keeping his words few: "We’ve discussed this among ourselves. No one can leave until we find the murderer. From now on, we will also be staying in the village. That’s it."
The burly men beside Brother Luo remained silent, seemingly accepting whatever he said.
After a few minutes of silence, whispers began to ripple through the villagers. The sounds gradually coalesced into a buzzing murmur, punctuated by occasional curses and mentions of evil spirits. In contrast, Li Sanhan remained quiet, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket but not lighting it; he merely held it under his nose to smell.
After a while, Li Sanhan finally stood up, drawing everyone's attention.
He tucked the cigarette back into his pocket and said, "I know what you’re all whispering about. Ever since that woman came into the village, there hasn’t been a moment of peace here. Isn’t this just some curse? The High Taoist has performed rituals for our village before; what are you all so afraid of?"
"Not afraid? Who isn’t afraid?" someone retorted from the crowd. "Nobleman had his head cut off; Wang Mazi was disemboweled. The curse has already begun! It’s all because of your actions; it has nothing to do with us! You brought this disaster upon yourselves—why should we have to clean up after you?"
At this point, Li Sanhan suddenly burst into laughter, but it was a chilling and terrifying sound.
"If it's truly a curse involving you and me, then no one in this village can escape its consequences. You all act so innocent; who doesn’t know what you do behind closed doors? Which one of you is blameless? Tell me—who among you is innocent? Step forward!"
After he finished speaking, there was complete silence.
No one stepped forward; no one was innocent. But what exactly had these people done that made them so fearful?
Li Sanhan sighed again and said, "Let's all go back home."
The meeting ended on a sour note, leaving the project team members with even deeper confusion.
Finally, Li Sanhan added, "Nobleman is dead, Wang Mazi is dead. According to the village rules, when someone dies, we must hold a feast. The expenses will come from Nobleman and Wang Mazi's families. As for the belongings of Wang Mazi's family, you can sort that out among yourselves. Especially that one—whoever wants it can take it. Just remember the old rule: if you already have something, don't set your sights on it; otherwise, you know the consequences."
With that, Li Sanhan left.
After he finished speaking, the villagers clearly divided into two groups. One group remained gloomy, while the other suddenly became lively as if they had stumbled upon some great fortune. Before long, this cheerful group gathered and ran off into the distance.
Brother Luo instructed his companions briefly before stepping in front of the project team members. He glanced at Yuan Jun and said, "This brother seems unusual. The calluses on his hands are similar to ours—he's a trained fighter?"
Old Shao remained composed and replied slowly, "We are archaeologists; we might encounter some dangers. He could serve as our bodyguard."
Brother Luo looked at Yuan Jun again and nodded. "You all are outsiders; it's best if you don't get involved in village matters. However, since my brother Nobleman has died, I can't just ignore it. Until we find out how Nobleman died, I hope you won't think about leaving the village. Otherwise, one bodyguard won't be enough to handle all of us."
Following Brother Luo's gaze, they saw several men still standing silently in the distance like mountains.
"Of course, please accept my condolences. But I must ask—I've heard something about a curse multiple times; what’s going on? Otherwise, we won't feel at ease," Old Shao took the opportunity to inquire.
Brother Luo let out a hearty laugh and said, "You don’t need to worry; even if it’s a curse, it’s a matter for our village. But sharing it with you won’t hurt."
From Brother Luo's words, the project team members gleaned bits and pieces of what had happened. However, they also understood that this version still lacked many specifics:
Nobleman married a wife who didn’t know how to serve her husband well. Nobleman was an honest man; he didn’t demand much or force anything. We are hunters who spend most of our time in the mountains; Nobleman and Li Sanhan were neighbors, so Li Sanhan took care of Nobleman's wife more often. In the end, that woman was promiscuous—she wouldn’t let Nobleman touch her but ended up sleeping with Li Sanhan instead.
When the Nobleman sought out Li Sanhan for a discussion, that woman was so frightened she wanted to flee, prompting the villagers to search for her.
In the end, they did not find the living but instead brought back a corpse.
Since then, it has often been heard that a woman sings.
This was exactly like what Qiuju Niu described; it seemed that Qiuju Niu was indeed telling the truth. However, just as Qiuju Niu was about to reveal the content of the song, Li Sanhan arrived with the High Taoist, and naturally, the lyrics were never heard. Now, Brother Luo leisurely sang that cursed song for everyone.
"Little sister sent my beloved, sent him to the gate outside, as soon as I stepped out, I saw my brother without a head. Little sister sent my beloved, sent him to the forest, where strange things abound, my brother's belly is torn. Little sister sent my beloved, sent him to the cornfield, once inside you can't come out, my brother has turned to bones. Little sister sent my beloved, sent him to the hillside, on the hillside picking fruits, my brother fell down the slope. Little sister sent my beloved, sent him to the east of the village, there are wild dogs at the eastern entrance, my brother was bitten several times. Little sister sent my beloved, sent him over that mountain, after crossing over that mountain, my brother is pierced through..."
A long melody accompanied by such terrifying lyrics flowed from Brother Luo's deep voice, carrying a hint of sorrow but more so an eerie quality.
Old Shao suddenly recalled Qiuju Niu's experience in that empty village where even a falling needle could be heard in the silence. The melodious singing unexpectedly drifted through the village with such horrifying lyrics.
Brother Luo paused and said, "I've only heard these few lines before. But from what others say when they listen to it sometimes, the lyrics can change. In any case, it's a very long piece and is always heard when one is alone. However, I don't believe in such things."
Brother Luo tightened his grip on the machete in his hand and said, "What I believe in is this."
Comment 0 Comment Count