Chapter 104: Joyful Wedding, Mourning Cry 35
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Although Yang Tu didn’t understand Yan Shixun’s meaning, he could tell from Yan Shixun’s actions that he had found something very important.
“Brother Yan, what’s this?”
Yang Tu looked up in astonishment as Yan Shixun stood on a chair, reaching out to the rafters, and finally brought down a dusty, tattered notebook.
The notebook was small, perfect for hiding in clothing or some corner. From its worn cover, it looked like something that might have been sold at a market long ago. However, due to the passage of time, the pages had aged and yellowed, becoming a mass of black with moisture and dust.
Yan Shixun carefully opened the notebook in his hand, instinctively lightening his breath, not wanting to further damage the already fragile pages.
Inside the notebook, densely written in pencil, there wasn’t a single gap.
Moreover, each section of text was marked with a timestamp, much like a diary.
But unlike a diary, what Jiang Yanran had written here was just one or two sentences almost every day.
Yan Shixun understood why – Jiang Yanran likely found it difficult to get paper and a pencil, and hiding the notebook was also challenging, so she had to succinctly record all the important things as much as possible.
On the first page of the notebook, Jiang Yanran’s handwriting was neat and tidy, detailing everything.
“If you’re reading this, it means I’m already dead. Though it’s regrettable, for me, it’s also a kind of release. If you’re willing to help me get this notebook outside, I’d be extremely grateful. Or simply listen to this dead person’s last testament, leaving behind some evidence of having lived.
My name is Jiang Yanran, a student at Jingcheng University. I was abducted at the age of twenty and sold to Wangzi Village. Forced to marry Yang Laosan, I’ve been in Wangzi Village for four years now. During this time, I attempted to escape a total of ninety-two times, all ending in failure. I suffered multiple fractures, severe internal injuries, and damage to my internal organs. Every villager in Wangzi Village is complicit.
My uncle, Jiang Cheng, came to find me several times, and even the authorities from our hometown tried to rescue me, but they all failed. My uncle was robbed of all his money by Yang Laosan and died in Wangzi Village. He couldn’t take me home, and I couldn’t save him either. In the end, I’m also going to die in Wangzi Village.
I hope to become a vengeful ghost after I die, and I hope my uncle can forget about me and move on.
I want everyone in Wangzi Village to have no resting place after death.]
Yan Shixun lowered his gaze for a while, his fingers resting lightly on the notebook before he gently began to flip through the pages, starting from the first page.
[September 10th.
I pretended to agree, causing Yang Laosan to relax his guard, allowing me to go to the market with the women of Wangzi Village. They were watching me, so I had to give up on calling for help. I stole a notebook and a pen, I have no money, I’m very sorry, I will repay.]
[September 11th.
I was planning my sixteenth escape attempt, everyone in Wangzi Village was watching me, being caught and having my bones broken was very painful, after breaking my ankle last month, I had to rest for a long time. This time, I won’t trust anyone again.]
[September 20th.
The sixteenth escape attempt failed, and I was locked in the room again. Yang Laosan comes to see me every day and leaves food afterward. He wants me to bear his child, but I refuse to bear the child of a beast. However, in order to return home, I have to endure it.]
[October 2nd.
After getting drunk, Yang Laosan beat me twenty-four times with a shovel. I feel a lot of pain in my stomach, maybe I’m bleeding, but I can’t die yet. The neighbors intervened, saying they spent ten yuan for me, and we have to wait until I give birth before discussing other matters. In their eyes, I’m just a beast giving birth to a child.]
[October 28th.
Because I refused Yang Laosan last time, I haven’t eaten anything for a week. I started to hallucinate, and it seemed like my uncle had a lot more white hair. I miss him. I want to go home.
[November 17th.
I ran to the town and found the official police station, but while I was waiting, they notified Wangzi Village, and I was brought back again. This time the beating was severe, and I vomited blood. I hope I can make it through. It turns out that the people in the town are also surnamed Yang, they are all together.]
[December 3rd.
It’s very cold in the mountains in winter. Yang Laosan threw me here without firewood or blankets. I hope I can survive this winter. I dreamt of my uncle; he was crying. When I tried to wipe his tears, I woke up.
[January 16th.
Wangzi Village is going to the town to buy New Year goods. Taking advantage of Yang Laosan’s happiness, I suggested going together. In town, I met a policeman with a different who kindly helped me pass on some belongings. Hopefully, this time it will work out.]
[February 2nd.
There’s no response. My patience is wearing thin. Could it be that the policeman with a different surname is also in cahoots with the Yang family?]
[February 17th.
I attempted to escape during the Lunar New Year but failed. My leg was broken, and I was thrown back into the room. The iron chains have chafed my hands painfully, even injuring the bones. The cold is intense, making the pain unbearable.]
[March 28th.
During the market day, that policeman with a different surname came to see me. He quietly told me that he had found an opportunity to pass things on. If my uncle sees them, he will know it’s from me. My uncle must be looking for me. I can’t give up. I have to wait until we are reunited.]
[April 6th.
Yang Laosan was very violent. I lost a lot of blood. I’m so cold, and I feel like I’m dying. I’m wondering if death will bring relief. Maybe I shouldn’t continue to persevere. I’m in so much pain.]
[April 20th.
In the eyes of the people in Wangzi Village, the knowledge I spent years learning is useless. I’m just an animal meant for childbearing. This village is rotten, but the children aren’t yet. I’ve started teaching them how to write, hoping they can become better people in the future.]
[May 4th.
Yang Laosan used a knife to cut me. It hurts a lot, and I’m bleeding heavily. My wrists are so chafed that you can see the bones, and the wounds are infected and festering. I have a high fever. Maybe this is my end, dying alone here. I hate every one of them.]
[May 27th.
We got a reply! My uncle found me, and he’s coming!]
[June 29th.
The people from Wangzi Village beat up my uncle!! His leg was injured and he vomited blood. I cried and begged him to leave, fearing that the people from Wangzi Village would kill him.]
[July 9th.
I’m locked up, surrounded by women who are guarding me. They’re all accomplices. I don’t know how my uncle is doing.]
[July 18th.
I’m vomiting severely, I’m pregnant. Yang Laosan is very happy, he relaxed his restrictions on me, and I can plan another escape.]
[July 27th.
Escape attempt failed, caught again. I deliberately banged into the wall, resulting in a miscarriage. Ha, don’t even dream about it.]
[August 19th.
I don’t know how my uncle is doing, I miss him a lot, I want to go home.]
[August 26th.
Uncle came, he looks much older, I feel sorry for him.]
[August 27th.
They broke Uncle’s leg!! Unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable!!!]
[October 24th.
Once again I’m pregnant. Uncle came. Yang Laosan threatened me, if I dared to have an abortion, he would kill my uncle… I compromised, exchanged for my uncle to leave alive.]
[October 25th.
Uncle, don’t come again, please, forget about me, go home and live well, if you come again, they really will kill you. It’s my unfilial act.]
[June 17th.
I gave birth to a boy, Yang Laosan was very happy, I just felt disgusted.]
[August 23rd.
Uncle came! He brought people from the original official organization! I can go home now!!]
[August 24th.
I curse everyone in the Yang family, none of them will die a peaceful death! People from the town came, they also have the surname Yang, they are in league with the Wangzi village! They drove away the officials, and even injured my uncle!!! That police officer surnamed Chen said he would take me away, but he broke his promise. We were halfway there when we were chased back by the people from Wangzi village. Many officials were injured by the villagers, and the townspeople turned a blind eye, they are accomplices! The Yang family, all accomplices!!!]
As Jiang Yanran wrote these words, her emotions were extremely agitated, the strokes of her pen were so forceful that they tore the paper, the pencil broke several times, leaving heavy black marks on the words.
Yan Shixun’s slender fingers lingered on the page marked August 24th for a long time, his lowered eyelashes trembling slightly.
Tonight, when he spoke with Officer Chen and the official in charge over the phone, he finally got to the bottom of what happened all those years ago from their perspective. But no amount of statements could compare to the angry curses of the victims themselves.
Between the lines, there was nothing but hatred.
Yan Shixun could guess the reason why Jiang Yanran insisted on recording everything.
She had received a good education and had attended school in the clearest city decades ago. So, she believed in the power of the authorities, believing that one day she would be rescued by them, given justice, and returned to a warm home. On that day, everything she recorded in her notebook would serve as evidence to help her identify the criminals.
But in the end, this notebook lost its intended purpose and instead became Jiang Yanran’s record of despair and hatred towards the world, documenting her daily struggles and suffering.
Ultimately, it became her last testament.
Before her death, she carved out a final plea on the wall, hoping that one day someone would discover the secret hidden on that wall. As for the notebook, she hid it in the rafters, hoping that even after her death, it would shed light on what had happened back then.
Even if it was a belated justice and salvation, she wanted to have it.
Jiang Yanran didn’t know who would discover it, or how long it would take after her death, nor did she know if those guilty individuals would still be alive by then.
She simply clung to her final hope, wanting to make one last struggle and resistance against the evil in her life’s final moments.
Unfortunately…
All of Jiang Yanran’s hopes before her death were dashed.
The notebook hidden in the rafters remained undiscovered for decades, covered in thick layers of dust by the end, almost on the brink of being engulfed by dust and moisture. This nearly erased her last traces of goodwill and expectations towards the world.
As Yan Shixun sighed inwardly, he gently closed the notebook in his hand, feeling that at this moment, the weight of what he held suddenly exceeded a thousand pounds.
This was no longer just a notebook.
It was a life, filled with all its hardships and struggles.
It carried the weight of life and justice.
Just as Yan Shixun fell into contemplation while holding the notebook, a loud and piercing sound of a suona suddenly came from outside the room. The sound was so sharp that it almost seemed to tear through the darkness, penetrating through the closed door into the room, causing Yan Shixun’s slender figure to pause, snapping out of his reverie.
He lifted his eyelids slightly, the once gentle gaze turning instantly cold and sharp, as he stared directly in the direction of the door.
Yang Tu stood trembling at the door, slowly moving behind it, peering through the corroded and tattered gaps in the wooden boards into the courtyard.
The villagers, who had been chatting and laughing in the courtyard moments ago, were now all gathered in front of the main house.
They clapped their hands rhythmically, wearing unified smiles filled with joy. Their mouths emitted cheers and congratulations, as if preparing to welcome something grand.
The red fabric adorned the small courtyard with festivity, while windows and walls were covered with red paper cuttings of the word “Double Happiness.” The red lanterns hanging high in front of the house cast a crimson glow, but strangely, the villagers seemed to have no shadows on the ground, instead bathed in a crimson light as if soaked in blood.
Under the shroud of the Blood Moon, the tones of the suona sang high and low. Beneath the festive melody, there lurked a sharpness, like a dagger thrust into the heart of the village.
Yang Tu, shaken by the eerie scene outside, quickly retreated a couple of steps away from the door, casting a frantic glance back at Yan Shixun.
“Brother Yan, something seems off outside,” Yang Tu’s voice trembled, his face pale. He glanced around the room frantically, as if searching for an escape route. “We can’t stay here like this, Brother Yan”
“Yang Tu, some things can’t be solved by running away. Even if you escape this time, it will eventually come back to find you.”
—— The best way to solve a problem is to confront it.
Now, immediately.
Yan Shixun gently placed the notebook in his coat pocket, his delicate movements seemingly concerned about damaging the decades-old, fragile pages.
His fingers brushed against the edges of his phone, and he instinctively pulled it out to check if there was any signal yet.
Unfortunately, the phone’s screen remained static, the signal bars still grayed out.
Yan Shixun’s gaze inadvertently glanced at the time.
Just a few minutes past twelve.
He furrowed his brow and double-checked.
…Strange. He had just confirmed the time when he left the farmstay. At that moment, it was already a few minutes past twelve.
Although he hadn’t had the chance to check the time since then, just walking from the farmstay to here would take several tens of minutes. Moreover, he had also taken Yang Tu to check over a dozen households, each decorated as a mourning hall, which would have taken at least an hour or so.
Yan Shixun roughly estimated that it had been about two hours since he and Yang Tu were first attacked by the skeletons at the farmstay. Even if this estimate wasn’t precise, it shouldn’t still be just after twelve.
—— No, although it was just a quick glance, Yan Shixun remembered very clearly that the time was consistent with what he was seeing now.
What’s going on? Could it be that it’s not a lack of signal, but rather a problem with the phone itself?
Yan Shixun frowned and looked at his wristwatch, but he quickly realized that it wasn’t the phone’s problem either.
—— The time on the wristwatch was also stuck just past twelve.
Something was wrong with the time, or perhaps… with the world.
Yan Shixun stood still, holding the phone in his hand, his eyes suddenly darkening.
Meanwhile, Yang Tu was already anxious and at a loss, so he could only huddle close to Yan Shixun, trying to stay as far away from the door as possible.
“Brother Yan, we really need to think of a solution, this can’t go on like this!”
“I admit, Brother Yan, you’re really powerful, the most powerful and capable person I’ve ever met, knowing so much that I don’t. But, Brother Yan, you don’t understand Yang Duo, you don’t know what she’s capable of!”
Yang Tu was so desperate he was almost in tears. “For years, we’ve been disturbed by Yang Duo, I know too well what horrible things she’s capable of! And, and the time is almost up, if we can’t find something to calm her spirit, Yang Duo will really kill us!”
“What time is almost up?” Yan Shixun keenly caught the key point in Yang Tu’s words.
“The seventh day.”
Yang Tu, trembling with fear, reached out and hugged his head, curling himself into a small shivering ball.
His voice quivered, “Tomorrow is the seventh day for Yang Duo, decades ago.”
“She will come back for us, and no one can stop her. She will kill us all!”
Tomorrow.
Suddenly, Yan Shixun remembered the words Jiang Yanran had said to him during the day.
—— “Leave the village before dusk tomorrow.”
As the sun sets and the moon rises, it’s time for the dusk ceremony.
The moment Yang Duo got married was at dusk.
So, Jiang Yanran’s intention was to tell him that on Yang Duo’s seventh day, at the moment of her marriage, her power would reach its peak?
In the old house, Yan Shixun furrowed his brows, while Yang Tu continued to tremble with fear.
Outside the house, all the villagers who were clapping their hands rhythmically turned their heads slowly and uniformly towards the side wing of the house.
Their mouths stretched wide, revealing dark cavities, while the rouge on their cheeks was as red as blood.
……
After losing contact with the production team, the official in charge immediately made corresponding arrangements.
Originally, he and Taoist Song Yi rushed from the coastal city to the southern region, intending to investigate the hanging corpse encountered by the production team and to probe into the issues surrounding the local Yang family.
Unexpectedly, this turned out to be beneficial for them, allowing them to depart from the coastal city earlier and to approach the Family Tomb Village.
“Midnight is not the time for divination.”
Taoist Song Yi shook his head solemnly. “I cannot discern the current situation of Junior Brother Yan and the members of the production team, but I trust Junior Brother Yan. He has an innate understanding of evil spirits. If there’s any supernatural entity he can’t handle, then I believe others will be even more helpless. You should also try to trust him. With Junior Brother Yan around, everyone will be safe.”
The official in charge took a moment to catch his breath amidst the incessant flurry of phone calls, then chuckled wryly as he shook his head at Taoist Song Yi. “I don’t know… Taoist Song, I’m afraid the village of the Yang family might indeed be haunted by restless ghosts.”
“I’ve been dealing with abnormal incidents for many years, seen a lot, and I’m considered half an expert in the field. Taoist Song, I know that many ghosts are formed because of unresolved grievances and resentment.”
The official turned his computer screen towards Taoist Song Yi, inviting him to take a look at his page.
Displayed there were the emails he had just received, with a long list of document titles detailing the questionable events that had occurred in the village of the Yang family over the years.
“Because Mr. Yan handed over Officer Chen Rui to me, with his approval, I decided to look into the abduction case of a girl named Jiang Yanran from decades ago, to see if there’s anything in the background check that could help us. But look, Taoist Song, do you see what I found?”
The official’s voice was subdued. “It’s all… abduction cases.”
Taoist Song Yi’s expression turned incredulous as he locked eyes with the official. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, he immediately turned his attention to the densely packed files on the computer screen.
Judging from the timestamps on the titles, not only Jiang Yanran’s case but even earlier records indicated reports of abduction cases within the Yang family lineage, dating back to the earliest documented records.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean that there were no cases before that time. It’s likely due to flaws in the recording methods of the era, expired archival practices, or damage to physical records. When the electronic archiving was conducted, it resulted in the loss of records from that era.
However, in the past few decades alone, there have been as many as hundreds of documented abduction cases.
It was a staggering sight.
All those abducted were young girls, with some as young as twelve.
Without exception, the final traces of these girls led to Wangzi Village and a dozen surrounding villages.
These villages were all part of the Yang clan.
And the most significant commonality was that all these cases were eventually intervened by the local authorities and ended inconclusively.
Beyond abduction cases, the official in charge also looked into incidents involving bodies. He discovered that there were numerous cases of disappearances and deaths, with many people going missing near these villages. However, due to the inability to locate bodies, these cases were classified as disappearances.
For example, several decades ago, there was a middle-aged man named Jiang Cheng.
He was recorded as having gone missing near Wangzi Village.
“Taoist Song, I’ve been working in this department since I was young, and I’ve encountered many cases where the wrongly deceased return as vengeful ghosts. But every time I thought I had seen the darkness, reality always showed me that there are even darker things happening in places I can’t see.”
The official in charge struggled to suppress his swirling complex emotions, but his trembling voice still betrayed his true feelings. “If there are already so many cases with documented records that I can find, then under the control of the Yang family, how many more incidents have occurred over the years? How many people have died, how many girls have been abducted… Taoist Song, I dare not imagine.”
“How dare they, how dare they!”
A hint of anger flashed across Taoist Song Yi’s face, but his demeanor still kept him calm as he said, “Isn’t our purpose for this trip to ensure that similar incidents never happen again?”
“However…”
Taoist Song Yi’s expression became solemn. “There are likely many girls like Jiang Yanran who have experienced similar situations. If it weren’t for the TV crew going to the rural farmstay in Family Tomb Village to film the show, if they hadn’t seen the hanging body on the mountain, and if they hadn’t promptly contacted us upon sensing something amiss, and if Mr. Chen Rui hadn’t reached out to Junior Brother Yan… Perhaps we would never have known about these incidents, and they would have remained unresolved.”
“Yes, indeed. We’re fortunate to have Mr. Yan. Without him, none of the efforts and work we’re doing now would have happened. The things the Yang family did, hidden in the darkness, wouldn’t have been uncovered by us. Without Mr. Yan’s call, I wouldn’t have been able to make up my mind to handle this across levels.”
The official nodded, sighing with bitterness. “Taoist Song, have you ever been to the southern region? It’s relatively isolated compared to other areas. The villages of the Yang family are particularly insular, with a clan consciousness that outweighs legal consciousness. They are extremely unfriendly to outsiders and have always united to exclude the outside world. Over the years, it has remained a lingering problem in the southern region. However, because it has always been quiet there, no one has ever paid attention to what’s going on.”
“How could the outside world know what happened there in those remote mountain villages?”
The official let out a sigh, feeling as if his heart had been weighed down by a heavy stone, sinking heavily. His throat felt tight and sour, with a choking sensation whenever he spoke. He felt uncomfortable but didn’t know how to alleviate this emotion.
The thought of many girls who had been kidnapped over the decades, waiting hopelessly to be rescued but having their hopes dashed, possibly even dead by now, left the official speechless and deeply troubled.
“Hold on a moment.”
Taoist Song skimmed through the files and suddenly noticed something peculiar. “Have you noticed that the cases of abduction seemed to have abruptly stopped several years ago? Since that year, there hasn’t been a single case related to these villages. But logically speaking, with improved recording and investigative methods, any such incidents should have been discovered.”
“Huh?” The official quickly looked over.
Once the files were sorted by year, indeed, starting from that year, there was a sudden halt in the several cases that occurred annually.
Instead, there was an increase in missing persons and homicide cases.
However, unlike the victims in the previous cases, starting from that year, the victims began to be members of the Yang family.
Especially concentrated in the Family Tomb Village.
The official opened one of the homicide cases.
In the accompanying photos in the file, the scene was covered in blood and gore, a middle-aged man lay dead in a pool of blood on the ground, with blood even splattered on the ceiling.
The gruesome scene evoked a sense of unease, as if it belonged only in hell.
The official also furrowed his brow as he quickly scrolled through. However, upon seeing the forensic report, he was somewhat taken aback. “He died of suffocation.”
With such a large amount of blood loss and such a brutal scene, he initially thought the victim would have died from exsanguination.
According to the case description, the middle-aged man was sleeping at his friend’s house in the same village that night, and his friend was in the next room, completely unaware. The next morning, he discovered the horrifying scene.
The surrounding neighbors also claimed that they hadn’t heard anything unusual throughout the entire night.
However, the villagers seemed to know what had happened.
But they refused to tell the official investigators handling the case.
The villagers looked fearful and kept mentioning a person named “Yang Duo,” saying that Yang Duo killed the man. Even though the circumstances of the man’s death were suspicious, neither the villagers nor his family pursued the matter further. They simply asked the authorities not to intervene, claiming it was an internal village matter and had nothing to do with outsiders.
However, the officials who handled the case at the time also looked into the name “Yang Duo” and found out that this person had died decades ago.
“Could it be a ghost killing people?” The official in charge furrowed his brow, puzzled.
“Yang Duo…” Upon hearing this name, Taoist Song Yi hesitated and fell into deep thought.
The official noticed Taoist Song Yi’s expression and asked, “Do you know this person, Taoist Song?”
“No,” Taoist Song Yi shook his head slowly. “I’m quite certain I’ve heard this name somewhere before.”
Taoist Song Yi furrowed his brow, absentmindedly running his fingers over the leather cushion beside his seat. However, since it was currently an inauspicious time for divination, he reluctantly suppressed his reliance on divination and continued to search his memory.
After a brief pause in his research on the Family Tomb Village and the Yang clan, the official’s phone resumed ringing incessantly. He had no choice but to temporarily set aside his studies and continue coordinating various teams and departments.
Because the program “Heart-Pounding Journey of Ninety-Nine Days” had evolved significantly from its humble beginnings.
Although the show had only aired three episodes, its subscriber count had exploded exponentially with each episode. Today, it had become a top-tier variety show with tens of millions of subscribers and over ten million viewers watching in real-time.
On both video and social media platforms, topics related to the show garnered high levels of engagement. Many prominent influencers and even minor celebrities and internet personalities jumped on the bandwagon to ride the wave of the show’s popularity. Their posts and updates, all tagged with the show’s name, further fueled discussions and increased the program’s visibility.
Therefore, any development or rumor related to the show sparked explosive discussions and attracted a large number of participants.
Even after the program’s screens lost signal for over ten minutes, despite the official taking prompt measures to suppress negative discussions and banning related tags from trending on social media platforms, there were always public opinion control teams monitoring the situation.
However, as the saying goes, it’s better to loosen than to tighten. The authorities couldn’t block all information outlets, as doing so would only trigger more intense backlash and unnecessary suspicion. So, under the regular tags of the show’s production team, many viewers and fans continued to engage in normal discussions.
They anxiously awaited one outcome.
—— Whether the production team was safe and sound.
Under the tags related to the production team, the number of participants had already reached millions.
“I initially thought it was a problem with my network, so I unplugged the cable and restarted, only to realize later on social media that I wasn’t the only one experiencing this issue.”
“I tried the main screen, split screens… every live feed, but they were all black, couldn’t see a thing. The authorities said it was because the area around Family Tomb Village is remote, and the network base stations are too far, causing weak signal transmission. I don’t know whether to believe it or not. Just before the screen went black, I saw something terrifying.”
“Actually, ever since I found those bodies buried under the flowers with Brother Yan, I’ve been feeling terrified. Think about it, deep in the mountains, with limited communication, isn’t it the perfect place for murder and dumping bodies? When Brother Yan started digging, I was almost crying in fear, afraid that the killer would come out from behind and kill Brother Yan too.”
“As someone who’s always into crime-solving dramas, I was really on edge at that moment. Think about it, the bodies were buried in the farmstay, so wouldn’t the prime suspect be the owner of the farmstay? If he found out that Brother Yan discovered those bodies he buried, I don’t even want to imagine…”
“Wait a minute! According to what you’re saying, could it be that the farmstay owner unplugged the power cord to make the livestream go black, so he could easily attack the people from the production team?”
“Oh my god! It’s possible! Ahhh, the people from the production team must stay safe, this is some terrifying psycho killer stuff!”
“I’m so anxious, I just want to know when the authorities will rescue them.”
“Haven’t they already been dispatched? That’s what the customer service told me when I called just now. Let’s wait a bit longer, we have to trust the authorities!”
The public opinion team quickly noticed that many people were discussing the farmstay owner’s involvement, and they reported this to the official in charge.
At the same time, the official in charge received information about the farmstay owner, Yang Yun, in his email.
In the message that Yan Shixun sent to the official earlier, it was mentioned that Yang Yun was highly likely the perpetrator who killed those six villagers. He urged the official to bring along forensic and detective teams.
The official in charge didn’t ignore Yan Shixun’s conclusion; he immediately enlisted the help of other departments to retrieve Yang Yun’s background information.
However…
“Yang Yun is a very clever person. In a secluded and exclusive place like Family Tomb Village, to have such intelligence and foresight is remarkable.”
After reviewing every decision Yang Yun had made over the years, the official nodded in approval. “He didn’t just impulsively start a farmstay. Nowadays, even good wine fears deep alleys. He enlisted many lifestyle bloggers to promote his farmstay on various platforms, including hotel and guesthouse platforms, which maximized his customer base.”
“However…”
The official in charge found it strange. “He was someone who liked to interact with the outside world, but after his last return to the Family Tomb Village over half a year ago, there’s been no record of him leaving again. Even the operations on the hotel and guesthouse platforms stopped at that time, including promotional activities and ads.”
“What happened? Why does it seem like he no longer values the farmstay and wants to give up?”
The official furrowed his brow, starting to lean towards Yan Shixun’s inference.
However, the number of bodies and the timing, doesn’t it feel off?
It was too many.
First, there was the body found hanging in the woods of Moon Mountain, and then the body discovered at the farmstay.
Moreover, Yan Shixun also mentioned to him that, based on a cursory examination of the bodies, he believed the time of death to be around six months ago.
The peculiar geographical features of Moon Mountain contributed to its extremely yin position, and because the temperature there was two or three degrees lower than outside the mountain, the bodies in the area surrounded by Moon Mountain would decompose much slower than in other places.
Taoist Song Yi also confirmed that Family Tomb Village’s feng shui was extremely yin and gathered qi, making it difficult for the yin energy accumulated in the mountain hollows to dissipate.
Multiple factors came together, and the official in charge of handling special paranormal incidents year-round almost instinctively sensed that something was amiss.
This was likely not just a simple homicide case.
It was… a ghost murder.
The official’s heart trembled, and he could barely hold onto the laptop in his hands.
But just at that moment, the convoy suddenly slammed on the brakes. The official in the back seat was thrown forward, hitting his head hard against the front seat’s headrest. His laptop slipped from his grip and crashed heavily against the car door before hitting the ground.
The computer screen flickered a few times, and cracks quickly spread across it. The once-normal interface began to fill with colorful blocks, and the glaring light blinked a few times before the entire screen turned into an abstract mosaic of colors.
The official felt his brain buzzing with pain and pressure from the impact. Everything before him turned black, and the only sound in his ears was a long, continuous white noise that drowned out all other sounds. He couldn’t even sense the presence of others around him.
His ears and eyes lost their normal function, and his brain felt like a malfunctioning computer. He felt as though he and the normal world were separated by a layer of frosted glass, making everything seem so distant.
“Are you okay？”
“Can you see me?”
The official felt someone shouting at him and someone grabbing his arm, as if trying to do something to him, but the intense impact had left him with a slight concussion. He was now too dizzy to pay attention or respond to those voices.
As Taoist Song Yi subconsciously assuming a protective stance, looked up, he saw the official beside him with a forehead cut, blood trickling down his face.
The official had hit the metal frame of the seat in front of him with considerable force, causing significant injury.
Taoist Song Yi quickly moved closer, pulling out the emergency medical kit from under the seat to stop the bleeding for the official.
Normally, he would use a spell to stop the bleeding, which would be more efficient and straightforward. However, the timing was off—it was exactly midnight, and all his abilities were suppressed to the extreme. Even if he used the spell, it wouldn’t have the intended effect.
While Taoist Song Yi swiftly tended to the official’s wound, he turned to the driver in front with a serious and quick inquiry, “What happened? Why did we suddenly brake so hard?”
The driver, noticing the official’s injury through the rearview mirror, explained in a flustered and apologetic tone, “The car in front suddenly stopped, and we’re on a mountain road. In the emergency, I had to brake hard and couldn’t swerve to avoid it.”
Taoist Song Yi only then noticed that not just their car, but the entire convoy had come to an abrupt halt without any warning.
Due to issues caused by the summer monsoon season on other roads, the quickest route available to them to enter the village was the mountain road.
With the entire convoy now stopped halfway along the mountain road, deep skid marks marred the asphalt. Due to the steep angles of the road’s curves, visibility was limited beyond just one or two cars ahead.
Moreover, it was midnight, and the desolate countryside lacked streetlights, relying solely on the headlights of the vehicles for illumination. With such poor visibility, Taoist Song Yi couldn’t discern what had occurred up ahead.
Fortunately, the communication signals between the convoy vehicles remained intact. Soon, an update on the situation came from the front of the convoy.
But it wasn’t from the lead vehicle; it was from the second one.
“The front car got in a serious traffic accident, as if they hit something. We saw them making evasive maneuvers from behind, then they crashed into the mountainside, causing rocks to fall. We had to brake suddenly to avoid them, we’re sorry!”
The driver of the second car sounded urgent: “But something’s not right. There’s something, something strange coming towards us! Wait, I think I see it… It’s not an animal from the mountains! It’s, it’s skeletons! Many skeletons!”
The driver’s screams came through the phone: “They’re climbing up the cliff! They’re coming, they’re coming! They’re trying to pry open the car door!”
Acting decisively, Taoist Song Yi directly handed the official in charge to the others in the car, then got out and ran straight towards the front of the convoy.
The official in charge of the Special Department had their own team for handling such incidents. These individuals had encountered supernatural occurrences to varying degrees over the years, and they always carried protective talismans from Haiyun Temple. This ensured that if they encountered any sudden events, the team would at least know how to stay safe and remain calm.
However, those accompanying the official today were not part of that team.
The people brought along in the convoy were all normal personnel meant to deal with the situation in Family Tomb Village and the Yang Clan. They were brought along as part of a cross-level operation approved by Yang Binsheng, the safety supervisor of Binhai City, at the request of the official in charge.
Many of them were clerks and officials from the southern region who lived in the normal world, far removed from supernatural events, and they scoffed at the notion of ghosts and spirits.
This meant that if they encountered supernatural events, they would likely be unable to handle them properly.
Even though Taoist Song Yi had practiced for many years, at this moment, he felt the urge to curse.
How could this be happening?
Was it deliberate by the heavens and earth? What was the purpose?
As Taoist Song Yi ran towards the front of the convoy, he shouted loudly for everyone to stay in their vehicles, lock the doors, and refrain from getting out for the time being.
And by now, he had also seen what had frightened the driver so much.
—Skeletons.
It seemed like an endless array of skeletons.
The ghastly white skeletons were climbing up the mountain cliff onto the winding mountain road, emitting faint rustling sounds.
With a stern gaze, Taoist Song Yi immediately ran towards the roadside close to the cliff, leaning over to look down.
Under the bright moonlight, the mountain hollows below were shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see the bottom at a glance.
But on the cliff, the skeletons, one after another, extended their skeletal hands, grabbing onto protrusions on the mountain, slowly and stiffly climbing upwards. In their dark eye sockets, white maggots wriggled.
At no moment had Taoist Song Yi ever wanted to curse more than he did now.
With over a hundred people in the team, he was the only Taoist!
He decisively drew the peach wood sword from behind his back, grabbed the prepared talismans from his Taoist robe, and affixed them to the sword, causing it to burst into flames with a “whoosh!”
With the flaming sword in hand, Taoist Song Yi ran along the mountain road towards the front of the convoy, sweeping the sword along the roadside as he went.
Many skeletons were directly pierced by the peach wood sword, and flames erupted from their white, dismal bones.
They agonizingly opened their jawbones, but without vocal cords, they could only emit sharp hissing sounds, as if wailing and cursing in agony.
They reached out with their bony hands, trying to pat out the flames on their bodies but to no avail. However, they seemed to overlook the fact that they were perched on the mountainside. Letting go meant losing their support.
Suddenly, skeletons tumbled down from the cliff, bringing down many others below, all engulfed in flames. They plummeted into the thick white mist of the mountain hollow, disappearing from view.
Taoist Song Yi didn’t have time to confirm the situation of those skeletons; he could only sprint rapidly towards the front.
Upon seeing the condition of the leading vehicle, Taoist Song Yi’s footsteps halted.
The off-road vehicle had overturned in the middle of the mountain road, almost completely blocking the path, its front end deformed from the impact with the mountainside.
Through the black reflective glass, Taoist Song Yi couldn’t see the situation inside. But outside the vehicle, several skeletons were lying on it, continuously banging their bones against the windows, seemingly attempting to shatter the glass and break in.
Not only that, but in front of the vehicle, there were dozens of pale skeletons, all slowly staggering towards them on the road.
It seemed that from all directions, they blocked all paths forward and backward.
“You damned creatures! Get out of my way!” Taoist Song Yi roared angrily and charged directly at the skeletons leaning against the windows with his peach wood sword. With a swift thrust, he pierced the neck bone of one skeleton, sending its head flying.
Hearing the commotion, the other skeletons turned their heads towards Taoist Song Yi.
In his rage, Taoist Song Yi showed no mercy with his peach wood sword, swiftly clearing out the skeletons near the front of the vehicle, one by one.
Because he needed to confirm the situation inside the car, Taoist Song Yi didn’t have time to deal with the skeletons not far ahead. He hurriedly ran towards the overturned vehicle, loudly asking, “Are the people inside okay? Any injuries?”
It was only then that the people inside the car shakily rolled down the window. “Taoist, we’re mostly fine, just a few scratches. But what are those things? Why are human skeletons moving like that?”
The faint rustling sound reached Taoist Song Yi’s ears, prompting him to quickly glance backward. To his astonishment, even though his peach wood sword had severed the skulls of those skeletons, they didn’t stop moving. Instead, their heads and bodies continued to move separately, as if as long as a bone remained, they would keep going.
Moreover, many skeletons were still burning with flames, swaying unsteadily as they approached, as if all the exorcism methods that were once effective against them had lost their potency.
After a brief moment of shock, Taoist Song Yi made a decision. He quickly opened the door of the leading vehicle and instructed everyone to grab their belongings and get out of the car, heading to the vehicles behind them for safety.
The overturned position of the vehicle was truly inconvenient, blocking the road almost completely. If it wasn’t moved, the vehicles behind wouldn’t be able to pass.
Seeing more and more skeletons climbing up the cliff, unsure of how many would appear on the winding mountain road, Taoist Song Yi, with no other options, had to prioritize escorting the people to the vehicles behind.
With his peach wood sword in hand, he glared at the skeletons, then swiftly closed the doors after everyone got into the car. He dashed back to the front, remaining vigilant against the skeletons’ attacks while quickly figuring out how to move the vehicle aside to clear the way.
Taoist Song Yi dialed the number of the old Taoist, but as soon as the call connected, he was greeted with a barrage of scolding.
“At midnight, you’re calling me? Are you thinking my cultivation isn’t fast enough, so you want to send me directly to ascend immortality!”
The old Taoist wasn’t known for his calm demeanor, and being awakened from deep sleep only made him more irritable.
Usually, Taoist Song Yi would wait for the old Taoist to finish his scolding before speaking. But this time, he interrupted with a wry smile, “Master, we encountered an accident on the way to Family Tomb Village. I’m afraid I can’t handle it alone, so I hurried to ask Master what to do.”
The old Taoist’s scolding ceased for a moment.
Then, he grew even angrier. “Are you a young Taoist who just left the gate? You and your disciple are just the same! When you and Lu Xingxing return, both of you better review your lessons again!”
Taoist Song Yi：…Lu Xingxing!
But there was no time to waste. Taoist Song Yi quickly dispatched the encroaching skeletons while succinctly explaining the current situation to the old Taoist.
After a moment of contemplation, the old Taoist spoke in a solemn tone, “Use talismans and request assistance from Yan Shixun.”
“What?” Taoist Song Yi was taken aback. “But Junior Brother Yan is just an ordinary person!”
Typically, when Taoists used talismans, they would clearly state who they were and for what purpose they were requesting assistance, asking gods or ancestors to lend their power to drive away evil spirits.
But it was unheard of to seek assistance from a living person.
Taoist Song Yi was left bewildered.
The old Taoist remained resolute, “Yan Shixun is currently in Family Tomb Village. I refuse to believe that he wouldn’t notice anything amiss, even if you all can’t. Although the live broadcast signal is down, we can’t see what he’s doing over there, but he wouldn’t just sit idly by. Seeking his help is like forming an alliance with someone familiar with the area.”
“Moreover, Yan Shixun is the most favored miracle I’ve encountered in all my years.”
“Seek his assistance, and ask for a miracle.”
With the old Taoist’s words reaching this point, Taoist Song Yi had no room for rebuttal.
Gritting his teeth, as more and more skeletons surged toward the convoy, Taoist Song Yi forced himself to focus and silently recited the Vajra Mantra.
In over twenty years, Taoist Song Yi had recited the Vajra Mantra countless times, but never had he replaced the name of the deity he sought assistance from with that of Yan Shixun.
As he uttered Yan Shixun’s name, he hesitated for a moment, but quickly regained his composure and completed the recitation.
Yet, Taoist Song Yi harbored no hope for a response.
When he glanced down the cliff earlier, he noticed the peculiar Feng Shui of the area, where the loss of Yang energy gathered Yin energy, as if the cosmic balance had been reversed. Under such circumstances, seeking assistance from gods and deities was exceedingly difficult.
Furthermore, whether drawing symbols or chanting spells, it required uninterrupted concentration, a calm mind, and a strong and unwavering faith, believing firmly in receiving power and faithfully worshiping the deity granting assistance.
However, Taoist Song Yi hesitated just now, and he didn’t accomplish any of it.
…Sorry, Master, it seems I really need to go back to the basics with that rebellious disciple, Lu Xingxing.
Taoist Song Yi tightened his grip on the peach wood sword, ready to rely solely on his own strength to move the obstructing vehicles and protect the entire convoy from the pile of skeletons.
However, the name Yan Shixun caused a slight tremor in the eyes of a certain entity, lifting the thick lashes and casting a cold, indifferent gaze toward the direction of the sound.
Ye Li stood in the silent darkness, his black hair cascading down his shoulders as he lifted his head. His pale, bloodless face remained stern and devoid of warmth, yet there was a hint of a smile when he heard the name Yan Shixun.
Who is it requesting the help of Yan Shixuan?
For thousands of years, countless voices have reached Ye Li, seeking his assistance, wanting to borrow his power.
Yet without exception, Ye Li remained indifferent, watching the happenings of the mortal world with cold detachment.
Disappointment in exorcists and mortals made Ye Li indifferent towards life and hope.
Who does not die? The path leads only to Fengdu. At that time, there will be judgment. So why bother responding to those meaningless requests from mortals?
Until Ye Li encountered Yan Shixun.
He entrusted his true name to Yan Shixun and solemnly made a promise recognized by heaven and earth.
——No matter when Yan Shixun calls his name, he will always appear.
And respond to Yan Shixun.
Call my name more, Yan Shixun. Call it again and again.
Let me help you, let me explore you, let me be relied upon by you.
Then, let our karma entwine even deeper, until you and I can no longer be separated.
So thought Ye Li.
Unfortunately, Yan Shixun was indifferent to the powerful force that others could not solicit.
Yan Shixun never fully relied on the power of spells or divination. To him, supernatural beings were no different from ordinary people. The only thing he relied on was his own power.
Although Ye Li felt regret, it was precisely because of this that, in his eyes, Yan Shixun’s brilliance became even more dazzling and impossible to ignore. It also made him increasingly unable to let go, wanting to see more.
— How far can you go? Yan Shixun.
Ye Li lightly curved his lips, a hint of a smile appearing on his bloodless lips, softening the aloofness and superiority on his handsome and cold face, resembling that of a deity, and taking a step into the mortal world.
“Yan… Shixun,” Ye Li’s deep voice carried a hint of amusement. “Someone is seeking your help.”
Based on your personality, you wouldn’t ignore it, would you?
If that’s the case…
Ye Li lowered his gaze, the imposing presence emanating from his tall and slender figure was overwhelming, without any hint of anger yet exuding an aura of authority.
In that moment, he seemed to stand on a lofty divine platform, judging all sins and karma. Nothing could escape his scrutiny; he was omnipresent.
A deep monotone escaped Ye Li’s lips.
“Alright.”
In an instant, a fierce force swept through the entire courtyard, then surged straight towards the direction of the sound’s origin, an invisible torrent of power rushing like a shooting star into the distance.
Ye Li responded to the voice on behalf of Yan Shixun, lending out his own power.
He blinked lightly, a hint of cold amusement in his sharp and indifferent eyes. “Yan Shixun, you’ve added another debt to me with this karma. Remember to repay it.”
“Repay it with yourself.”
…
Taoist Song Yi waited for a moment, as expected, realizing that his talismans had not taken effect.
As he tightened his grip on the peach wood sword, he spoke solemnly to the old Taoist on the other end of the phone, “Master, something’s not right here. The balance between yin and yang has been completely disrupted, and I’m not sure if it’s man-made or a twist of fate. But there are definitely graves nearby, and these skeletons… are the transformed remains of those corpses. The yang energy lingering in the bodies has been taken away, even their flesh and blood used as nourishment, hence their current state.”
“I’m not sure how many more of these corpses there are, but currently, the entire team of over a hundred people relies solely on me. It might be a bit challenging, so please have the other Taoists from Haiyun Temple come immediately to exorcise evil spirits and ensure no one gets hurt after us.”
“No need for you to say,” grunted the old Taoist in response. He then asked, “And what about you?”
Taoist Song Yi chuckled briefly, then, with a burst of force from his cloth shoes-clad feet, he charged towards the increasing number of skeletons around them, gripping the peach wood sword tightly.
“Don’t worry, Master. We disciples of Haiyun Temple never hide behind the living to evade danger!”
With the peach wood sword aimed straight at the skulls of the skeletons, but they seemed indifferent to pain. Even after being struck by Taoist Song Yi and sent flying, all their shattered bones continued to move, crawling back towards him.
He was like a lone warrior surrounded on all sides, with attacks coming from every direction.
But Taoist Song Yi could only watch helplessly as a nearby skeleton reached out its hand, about to grab his shoulder.
He clenched his teeth and didn’t dodge.
He couldn’t afford to evade; behind him were over a hundred people in the convoy. He would rather die alone than let any harm come to the ordinary people behind him!
Just as Taoist Song Yi was preparing himself for injury, he suddenly felt a powerful yet chilling force surging into the peach wood sword in his hand.
In that moment of divine assistance, the sword’s swing carried a force so formidable and cold that all the skeletons, unable even to scream in agony, were reduced to dust beneath its icy power.
For the deceased, it was an irresistible force, compelling them to bow their heads humbly and confess their lifelong sins with the slightest touch.
The guilty ones would suffer in flames, tormented by a hundred agonies, their souls condemned to eternal torment in hell.
But the innocent could be reincarnated.
In the blink of an eye, the endless skeletons were swept away, leaving no trace on the mountain road, while the thick fog in the valley dissipated, revealing the densely packed graves below.
White powder drifted down in the air, landing on Taoist Song Yi’s shoulders.
He was somewhat bewildered, reaching out to catch the powder in his palm, but with a gust of wind, it vanished without a trace.
It felt like everything that just happened was nothing but an illusion.
“Song Yi? What’s happening on your end?” The old Taoist realized something was amiss.
But Taoist Song Yi’s eyes were fixed, finding it hard to wrap his head around things. “Master, you’re right to let me request power from Junior Brother Yan.”
“But…”
Was this the kind of power that ordinary practitioners or exorcists could possess? To instantly obliterate all the vengeful skeletons of the deceased, this was almost an omnipotent ability, wasn’t it?
Commanding a hundred ghosts, none dared to disobey.
“Is Junior Brother Yan… so powerful, capable of driving away evil spirits to such an extent?”
Taoist Song Yi’s expression was complicated.
He felt the gap between individuals.
Was this talent? The miracles between heaven and earth…
The old Taoist snorted, “Since it’s resolved, let’s hurry up and leave. Are you planning to camp out there?”
Taoist Song Yi suddenly came to his senses, quickly taking advantage of the borrowed power to push aside the obstructing vehicles alone, then loudly urging the convoy to accelerate through the mountain road.
But even after returning to the vehicle, Taoist Song Yi felt the slowly fading power, staring at his outstretched hand in front of him, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.
Had he really just pushed aside a two-ton vehicle with one hand? Was this power real? Why didn’t the Vajra Mantra he borrowed power from earlier have this kind of potency?
Taoist Song Yi felt his mind filled with question marks, unable to figure out what was going on no matter how hard he tried.
But he was very certain about one thing: if Yan Shixun could wield such power even when lending it to him, then Yan Shixun’s own strength was enough to make him the founding ancestor of any major sect.
Junior Brother Yan truly cannot be underestimated.
Taoist Song Yi sighed.
The official in charge, still somewhat groggy, began to regain his senses and askedTaoist Song Yi about what happened, only to be patted on the shoulder by Taoist Song Yi in response.
“With Junior Brother Yan’s help, your future tasks will be a breeze,” Taoist Song Yi said approvingly, adding a touch of humor, “You have a good eye; those who have Junior Brother Yan by their side gain the favor of the supernatural beings.”
The official in charge: “…?”
He had only suffered a mild concussion, so why did he feel like he couldn’t understand the world anymore?
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