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墨書 Inktalez
The sudden voice startled me, and I looked around but saw nothing.
There was no one, no soul; it seemed to echo out of thin air. Yet it was true— I couldn't bear to part with these souls.
I gazed ahead, unsure of what I was looking at. At that moment, my heart felt a mix of restlessness and calm.
Ke'er asked me what I was looking at.
I replied that I wasn't looking at anything, but just as the words left my mouth, a "river of stars" appeared before me, formed by the gathering of souls.
Ke'er also saw this river of stars.
Yet these souls gathered quickly and dispersed just as fast.
We returned home, knowing that tomorrow would be the day that determined Chen San's fate.
Suddenly, I thought of my own name. When my grandmother chose it for me, she must have hoped for me to have a peaceful heart, a tranquil spirit, and a serene soul.
But because of my surname, no one had ever called me by my full name.
Even so, I remained in a state of unrest.
By the time we got home, it was already early morning. Ke'er and I quickly fell asleep. The next day when we woke up, Wang Wei seemed to be in a good mood, perhaps because he had made a lot of money recently.
He said he wanted to treat us to a meal outside.
However, when I got up that morning, I felt a sense of unease. While brushing my teeth and looking in the mirror, I noticed there were actually traces of blood at the corner of my eye.
The bloodstains were faint, but I still noticed them and wiped away the traces from the corner of my eye.
A sense of unease began to creep into my heart.
As we walked to the restaurant, Wind Tree held my hand and said, "Brother, what did that sister say to you last night in secret?"
I replied that she said Wind Tree was the cutest girl in the world.
Upon hearing this, Wind Tree's face lit up with a smile as she said, "Brother, you must be teasing me." After saying that, she lifted her gaze to look at me.
I didn't respond immediately, and Wind Tree shook my hand, asking, "Brother, are you really teasing me?"
I admitted that I was, and her smile instantly faded.
Then she said to me, "Brother, Wind Tree suddenly doesn't like you anymore."
I chuckled a few times and said, "Wind Tree, that sister didn't say it. It was Brother who said it."
After hearing this, Wind Tree stopped shaking my hand and stared at me intently, saying, "Are you lying to me?"
I assured her I wasn't.
Wind Tree then burst into laughter again; her laughter was incredibly cute.
At that moment, Clay Bodhisattva leaned in and asked, "Saning Brother, do you think I'm cute?"
I:
"Wang Wei hurriedly chimed in, 'You are the cutest girl in the world.'"
"Get lost," Clay Bodhisattva replied to Wang Wei.
Wang Wei, with a thick skin, leaned in and said, "I'm just speaking the truth." He was met with a swift beating, while Wind Tree found it all quite amusing.
Clay Bodhisattva clapped her hands and walked over to Wind Tree, saying, "Wind Tree, take a lesson from your sister. Never go easy on scoundrels like him."
Wind Tree tightened her grip on my hand a little more.
After finishing our meal, I asked Clay Bodhisattva to take Wind Tree home, and then Wang Wei and I went to find Chen San.
On the way, Wang Wei asked me, "Saning, are you really planning to help him?"
I responded with a quiet "yes."
Wang Wei said, "Bringing Chen San back to life might not be a good thing."
I countered, "Is it a good thing that Chen San is dead?"
Wang Wei fell silent but softly murmured that while it might not be a bad thing, it certainly wasn't a good one.
I heard it, but I didn't say anything.
Wang Wei was driving, and after a while, I told him that we could consider repaying the favor he did for us when he saved us at the dilapidated temple.
I gave the address to Wang Wei.
Wang Wei drove us there. In the car, he said, "Saning, you're a good person in every way, but you're just too kind. You can't be too kind in this world."
I suddenly turned to look at Wang Wei. I wanted to scold him, but in the end, I sighed and held back my words, simply saying, "One must not forget their roots."
If I hadn't been kind back then, would Wang Wei still be alive now?
Everything has its cause and effect; within that effect lies the cycle of karma.
The car soon arrived at our destination.
Chen San and Xiaoru lived in a modest place—a flat-roofed house with a yard.
Once we entered, I was surprised to find Xiaoru chatting with some older women. Seeing this scene caught me off guard for a moment.
It seemed like Xiaoru didn't know I was coming.
When she saw me, she froze for a moment.
Then she shooed the older women away. I nodded at Xiaoru, but she didn't give me a pleasant look in return.
Xiaoru entered the inner room first.
Wang Wei and I followed behind, and Xiaoru asked me, "What are you here for?"
I replied, "Did Chen San not tell you?"
Xiaoru paused for a moment and said, "Did you two make an appointment?" I nodded in response.
I followed Xiaoru directly to Chen San. With his head of graying hair, he appeared somewhat weathered, even giving off a sense of twilight.
I sat down without saying a word.
Chen San was indeed a peculiar person; his soul seemed to be at odds with his body. He had initially intended to nurture his soul through his physical form, but unexpectedly, the body attained enlightenment while the soul drifted away, ultimately leading to decline and nearing death.
Chen San instructed Xiaoru to leave.
I asked Wang Wei to step out as well.
With just the two of us left in the room, I lit a cigarette. Chen San asked me for one, and without hesitation, I handed it over. Even though he looked quite ill at that moment, it was no concern of mine if smoking led to his demise.
Chen San said, "Have you made your decision?"
I nodded again.
"Saning, you've saved me this time. I will definitely repay you in the future."
I told Chen San to wait until we brought him back to life; otherwise, if he died, those words would mean nothing.
Chen San had secrets about the monk.
Because of his Soul Detached condition, Chen San's complexion was always pale, and his hair had turned gray. He was now heading towards death.
If Chen San died, it wouldn't be a simple case of "the body dies but the soul departs," but rather a complete obliteration. I explained to Chen San that if we couldn't defeat the Dead Monk this time and bring him back to life, and if my life were at risk then, I would definitely leave. I told him not to blame me because I had to survive. After all, I had finally found a lead on the River of Despair, and I couldn't afford to die.
Chen San agreed.
We talked for about ten minutes, and that settled tonight's matters.
Afterward, I called out to Wang Wei as I left. Wang Wei asked what we had discussed.
I replied, "Nothing much."
Wang Wei didn't believe me and insisted that we must have talked about something. I told him, "Whatever we talked about is none of your business."
"Saning, I'm not happy with what you just said. What do you mean it's none of my business? Your matters are my matters. I've already considered you a brother and a friend."
I paused for a moment before saying to Wang Wei, "People are going to die this time."
We both knew what kind of person the Dead Monk was. Wang Wei was well aware; he had been terrified by him twenty years ago at the East City Ruined Temple and had only come back to life two decades later.
He had been trapped in the hospital for twenty years. To be honest, it wasn't easy for Wang Wei to survive; valuing one's life was only natural.
So this danger shouldn't be faced by Wang Wei.
I had my own plans in mind. I intended to head to Underworld Road after dealing with Chen San's situation, even though I wasn't sure if I would be able to return from Underworld Road.
I was comparing this to the matter of saving Chen San.
I felt that the mortality rate of going to Underworld Road was higher than that of breaking into the temple to save Chen San.
After leaving Chen San's house, I returned home and waited for nightfall. Just as night began to fall, Ke'er appeared.
Ke'er called me "Husband." Then she handed me a Wooden Box. Ke'er seemed about to speak, but I already knew what she wanted to say.
I told Ke'er, "I won't open this Wooden Box."
Ke'er was taken aback, ultimately hesitating to say anything further.
Around eight o'clock in the evening, I said I was leaving, and Ke'er said she would go too. I nodded, and both Wang Wei and Clay Bodhisattva were going as well, even Wind Tree joined us.
However, once we got outside, I asked them to wait outside.
Xiaoru and Chen San also arrived.
Chen San told Xiaoru to wait outside as well. When Chen San walked inside, I turned around and suddenly noticed that Xiaoru's eyes were actually red.
I thought to myself that this crazy woman must have eaten something spicy today or else she had applied eye drops.
Otherwise, how could it be like this?
“Chen San, you’re going to die. I won’t let you go even as a ghost,” Xiaoru called out.
I told Ke'er that if we couldn’t save Chen San, I would definitely withdraw immediately. Ke'er was initially worried, but in the end, she agreed.
I looked at Ke'er. She bit her lip and said to me, “Husband, I believe in you.”
That night, I told Ke'er to trust me. She believed in me then, and now she actively said those words again, making my heart feel warm.
If Chen San is to live, then I must live too. I want to live because I want Ke'er to live.
Ke'er and I entered the East City Ruined Temple. Zhang Dexin once said I was a fated person; it seems he wasn’t wrong. I truly am fated.
Because I have returned.
Whether in life or death, I must survive.
Chen San can die; I can die too, but now is not the time for me to die. So if something unexpected happens later...
I told Chen San not to blame me.
Chen San said he wouldn’t blame me.
It’s strange that my physical body and soul are actually fighting for the right to live.
As we prepared to descend into the well, Chen San uttered a phrase that made me think he was a fool. He said, "I gave a soul and a spirit to the monk."
I was still at the edge of the well, gripping the rope while Chen San dangled in mid-air. In that moment, I simply let go of the rope.
Chen San fell to the bottom of the well.
Even though he needed my help, he couldn't help but curse at me.
I shouted down into the well, "Chen San, you bastard! You've successfully dragged me into this mess with you."
Chen San paused for a few seconds, then burst out laughing.
After I climbed down, we both took out our flashlights. We had barely taken a few steps when I spotted some souls—just a few lonely souls.
We arrived at the space where the Buddha statues were placed last time.
However, as soon as I reached the spot, I saw the Dead Monk.
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