Chapter 80: Joyful Wedding, Mourning Cry 11 Part 1
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The body hanging from the tree not only shocked the production team but also caused a drastic change in Yang Tu, the guide. He appeared as if he had recalled some unpleasant memories, his face a mixture of pale and dark, his eyes fixed firmly on the suspended corpse, displaying hints of anger and hatred.
However, everyone’s attention was drawn to the body in the tree, and no one noticed Yang Tu’s odd behavior.
Amidst the frantic and fearful cries of the people, Yan Shixun glanced at Yang Tu and noted his reaction.
“W-What is this? Suicide?” one of the guests asked with a pale face.
The guests, facing such a scene for the first time, were rendered speechless and shocked by the grim reality of death. Their minds went blank.
Some were overwhelmed by the putrid stench of decomposing flesh and couldn’t help but gag, moving to a different spot to vomit.
A stifling atmosphere of fear permeated the entire group, and everyone instinctively took several steps backward, trying to get as far away from the body as possible.
“Could it be some kid playing a prank, hanging it there to scare passersby?” one of the crew members said with a forced smile, stumbling over their words. “In my neighborhood, there was once a mischievous child who threw a rubber mannequin in the basement. When people saw it, they thought it was a dead body. Later, they found out it was just a prank.”
When people are faced with events that exceed their limits of endurance, they tend to subconsciously seek excuses, deny the severity of the situation, and do their best to make it more acceptable to themselves.
Upon hearing the staff member’s suggestion, the members of the production team also felt a slight sense of relief and began to hope for a more favorable explanation.
Sure, it’s possible that it’s not a body, but a model that looks like a person.
Under the hopeful gaze of the staff, Zhang Wubing swallowed his saliva and felt a sense of unease creeping over him.
However, since he was in front of the camera and under the watchful eyes of everyone, Zhang Wubing remembered that he had to maintain a “director’s dignity” and couldn’t show his fear in public. So, he had no choice but to muster up his courage and approach to confirm whether it was indeed a body or just a prank.
“Click, click”…
The forest floor was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, as if nature hadn’t been disturbed for a long time. The passage of time had created a layer of leaves several centimeters thick. When Zhang Wubing took a step, he suddenly felt like he was stepping on air and stumbled a few steps, almost spraining his ankle, which looked quite comical.
However, at this moment, no one noticed Zhang Wubing’s absence. Everyone held their breath, watching as Zhang Wubing stepped into the forest. They silently prayed that this was just a false alarm, that it was just a human model.
As Zhang Wubing stepped into the pile of fallen leaves, the strong odor of decomposition, hidden beneath the layers of leaves that had been undisturbed for a long time, was released, emitting a terrible and unpleasant smell. Zhang Wubing quickly covered his nose and mouth, wrinkling his brow, and hastened his pace, hoping to leave as quickly as possible.
But as Zhang Wubing approached, he saw, swaying slightly in the wind, a person who had been hanging from a tree for who knows how long.
As Zhang Wubing squinted to get a better look, he suddenly noticed that the man hanging from the rope in the air had twitched slightly. His head, which had been twisted and facing downward, was now perfectly aligned with Zhang Wubing’s line of sight. The man’s eyes, half-rotted and partly protruding from their sockets, seemed to turn and suddenly fixate on Zhang Wubing.
Zhang Wubing: “!!!”
Startled, Zhang Wubing tried to step back in a hurry, but he tripped over the uneven ground beneath the decaying layer of leaves and fell backward, landing on his bottom amidst the foliage.
Zhang Wubing’s terrified expression infected the others who had been silently watching him with bated breath. Many of them instinctively let out a cry. The brief calm that had settled in their hearts due to the crew’s speculation had now been replaced by a heightened sense of urgency, causing their hearts to beat rapidly.
Yan Shixun, who had been silently observing Zhang Wubing, furrowed his brow. He swiftly walked up to him, grabbed the back of Zhang Wubing’s collar, lifted him up, and then placed him under his arm. He carried him out of the woods like a sack.
Once back on the sunlit mountain path, Yan Shixun casually dropped Zhang Wubing to the ground.
At this point, Zhang Wubing didn’t care about maintaining the director’s dignity. Instead, he clung tightly to Yan Shixun’s leg, looking like he was begging for his life.
“So, what did you see?”
Yan Shixun, who usually preferred to avoid contact with people, moved his long legs and suppressed the urge to kick this guy away. He patiently asked, “You didn’t react like this when you first saw that thing. What happened when you got closer that scared you like this?”
Zhang Wubing knew that Yan Shixun was reminding him to maintain his composure, but he just couldn’t help it. What’s the point of dignity if your life is at stake?
“That… that was definitely a dead person.”
Zhang Wubing, with a mournful face, quivered as he said, “I felt like he just glanced at me.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the already tense group erupted in a commotion.
Seeing that everyone was on the verge of panic, Yan Shixun decisively took control of the situation on behalf of Zhang Wubing.
“Call the authorities; let them handle this matter.”
Yan Shixun cast an emotionless glance over the people behind him and spoke in a calm tone, “We came to the Family Tomb Village for rural farmstay. The other incidents have nothing to do with us. We were just passing by, and it so happened that we provided information to the authorities as concerned citizens. That’s our primary responsibility.”
“The destination remains unchanged. After the authorities take over, we will continue on our way.”
Yan Shixun assigned tasks to the crew members in a calm and decisive manner, and they each went about their duties.
This calmness also infected the others, gradually pulling them out of their previous state of fear and panic. They watched Yan Shixun’s composed figure and felt their hearts slowly return to their rightful place, regaining a sense of security.
The shock they had just experienced was so intense that it made them forget in the midst of their rapidly changing emotions that Yan Shixun was standing right beside them.
Yan Shixun was like an unshakable pillar. As long as Yan Shixun was there, they believed they wouldn’t be in danger.
The old guests and crew members who had experienced life-and-death situations always remembered Yan Shixun’s presence in Gui Mountain and Wild Wolf Peak. He appeared before them like a god, arriving against the light, protecting everyone from the clutches of ghosts and monsters, saving their lives.
Bai Shuang’s expression subtly changed. The initial fear had faded, and she now looked at Yan Shixun with a hint of excitement and admiration.
The other crew members, after their turbulent emotions, were also reassured by Yan Shixun and began to work methodically.
Some quickly adjusted the angles of the main live stream screen, avoiding the area with the body and focusing on the picturesque autumn scenery of the surrounding mountains.
Some searched for the local authorities’ contact numbers, while others sent event explanations to the video platform, clarifying that this was an unexpected incident during the live broadcast, unrelated to the program, and requesting not to suspend their live streaming privileges.
Some immediately pulled out their computers to draft announcements, ready to publish them on social media as soon as the authorities took over the situation.
The vast majority of these people were seeing a dead body with their own eyes for the first time, and the intense psychological impact wasn’t something that could be easily shaken off in a short time.
So, even though the staff had managed to regain their composure and return to their regular work mode, and the guests were putting on forced smiles while trying to console and explain to their respective screens, everyone’s hands were still trembling. Their voices were mixed with traces of tears.
Among them, only one person remained composed.
As everyone else began to busy themselves on the spot, Yan Shixun handed Zhang Wubing over to a bewildered Lu Xingxing nearby and, with long strides, stepped into the area of fallen leaves where Zhang Wubing had just walked.
The bright sunlight was blocked by layers of tree leaves. As the light filtered through the autumn leaves, which had already turned red, it too took on a crimson hue, casting onto the ground like a sea of blood.
In the blood-red and dim depths of the forest, a man was hanging from a thick tree branch by a hemp rope, his head hanging forward against his chest. His face, facing downward, had already turned bluish-black, making it impossible to discern any specific facial features.
The body was highly decomposed, with bodily fluids seeping through the clothing. Some flesh and body tissue had decomposed to the point where they could no longer be attached to the body. They hung from the skin, emitting a foul and nauseating odor.
Within the area beneath the body, there were not only the decomposed tissues that had fallen off but also some long white maggots wriggling and rolling among the mixture of black and red rotten flesh, standing out starkly in their whiteness.
Yan Shixun wasn’t a professional forensic expert, but he had seen many people killed by vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts. He had escorted souls to the underworld, visited countless spiritual halls, and attended many cremations. With his experience, he could make a rough assessment of the body’s condition.
Judging by the level of decomposition and taking into account the summer heat and local climate, the person had likely been dead for several months. Additionally, when he had inquired about the roadblock issue with the village head yesterday, the village head had mentioned that the roadblock had been set up six months ago, and communication with the neighboring village had been cut off around the same time. Since then, no one from Jia Village had ventured up the mountain.
The villagers of Jia Village have been living here for generations. Before Jia Village developed alongside the highway, they had little say within the clan and often had to cross mountains to visit the ancestral hall and the clan leader. They are much more familiar with this mountain and its paths than the crew members of the program.
If the villagers had come across this body, they would not have ignored it until now.
The only explanation was that this person had hanged themselves here after the two villages had lost contact.
But…..
As Yan Shixun looked around the body, he noticed that besides the dust floating in the blood-red light, there were no flies or scavenging insects in sight.
The body had been dead for six months, had decomposed to this extent, yet it had remained hanging on the tree without falling down. There were no flies buzzing around the rotting flesh… Could this person’s cause of death really be hanging?
Yan Shixun raised his head again, his gaze calmly fixed on the face of the body facing downward, showing no signs of being frightened by the completely terrifying head that was a deep black-blue.
He still remembered that Zhang Wubing had mentioned that the body had glanced at him earlier.
However, under Yan Shixun’s gaze, the body showed no signs of the strange phenomenon that Zhang Wubing had experienced earlier. It still swayed gently in the breeze that blew through the mountains. The hemp rope that held it high in the tree branches made a creaking sound, amplifying the eerie atmosphere in the dim and cold forest.
“Brother Yan.” A timid voice called out from behind.
The production team member didn’t dare to venture into the forest. They stood trembling on the bare mountain path, bathed in sunlight, and hesitantly addressed Yan Shixun, “We’ve contacted the local authorities, but… but…”
The staff member hesitated and couldn’t bring themselves to directly disclose the situation during the live broadcast.
Yan Shixun understood the hesitation of the staff, so after taking a few more glances at the body, he turned and walked out of the forest.
“What’s going on?”
Lowering their voice, the staff member whispered in Yan Shixun’s ear, “I made a reception call, but the person on the other end told me that they will try to report it, but not to have too much hope.”
“He said…”
The staff member glanced around, making sure that the screens of the guests weren’t nearby, and then whispered, “He said this area used to belong to the Yang clan, and many people in the county are also descendants of the Yang clan. If it’s confirmed that someone from the Yang clan was mistreated by outsiders, it’s manageable. But if it’s an internal issue within the Yang clan, he might be powerless to help.”
“The Yang clan covers more than a dozen villages, and they have their own family rules. They won’t believe the explanations outsiders give. Don’t waste any more time. No matter who you call, it won’t work.”
Out of nowhere, Yang Tu’s voice echoed by Yan Shixun’s side. “Give it up. Pretend you didn’t see this thing and continue your journey. I’ll take you to the Family Tomb Village. I’ll handle this. I’ll go home and inform my grandfather. He is the village head so he will take care of it properly. When you come back, I promise you won’t see this thing again.”
The staff member was taken aback but she was quickly reassured by Yan Shixun. He told her to find other authorities contact methods before turning to face Yang Tu.
This young man, who had always had a smiling face and youthful vitality, now had a cold expression. Yang Tu’s gaze toward the corpse in the forest was filled with disgust and satisfaction, as if a passerby had witnessed a villain receiving their due punishment—an odd mix of emotions that were more complex than one would expect from someone his age.
It was as though he had experienced many stories and challenges in life.
“What do you think?” Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow, his voice magnetic. “I’d like to hear the details.”
Yang Tu pursed his lips but remained silent.
His clenched fist at his side indicated his unease.
Yan Shixun noticed Yang Tu’s lack of trust, so he redirected his gaze away from Yang Tu and together they stared at the swaying corpse.
“Yesterday, you asked me why your Second Uncle let me into his room.”
Mentioning Yang Han, Yang Tu who had initially clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white relaxed a little. He instinctively looked up at Yan Shixun.
Yan Shixun’s wrist rested on his own hip, adopting a relaxed posture as he gazed into the distance. “Since you know what happened to your Second Uncle, you should also be aware of the names Yang Hua and Yang Guang.”
Yang Tu was taken aback and immediately became defensive. “How do you know… who are you people? What are you here for?”
“Others are here for leisure, but I came here at Yang Guang’s request. That’s why I had a long conversation with Yang Han—all in an effort to save his two friends from back then.”
Yan Shixun shifted his gaze back to Yang Tu and continued calmly, “Even if I don’t continue, you should be able to guess what I’ll do, right?”
“So, for the sake of your Second Uncle’s only two surviving friends, help me.”
Yan Shixun deliberately lowered his voice, sounding incredibly sincere. With his tall and imposing figure, he exuded a compelling presence that wasn’t intimidating but rather comforting, as if he possessed a reassuring strength.
For a moment, Yang Tu found himself unable to come up with a reason to refuse.
He looked at Yan Shixun intently for a few moments, then turned his head away. His gaze, now devoid of any concealed hatred, was filled with disgust as he looked at the corpse.
“You’re two years older than me, so I’ll call you Brother Yan.”
Yang Tu took a deep breath, as if calming his anger, before speaking again. “When I told you not to pay any attention and just leave, it wasn’t because I was hiding something. I genuinely wanted what’s best for you. I know you came from the city, so you might not know much about the situation here.”
“Our situation here is quite different from yours,” Yang Tu added with a sardonic smile. “As what the sister said just now, the person who answered the phone also advised her not to interfere. That person is kind, they’re protecting her.”
“For the Yang clan, their family rules are more important than anything else. As for those outside laws and regulations, what are they amount to? The Yang clan never pays attention to them. They have their own way of doing things, believe in their ancestors’ tablets enshrined in their ancestral hall, and worship the land god every year, trusting that they will protect them.”
Yang Tu said with a cold tone. “Don’t bother calling the local or even higher authorities. As long as there are people surnamed Yang there, it won’t work. Here, the Yangs are like gods, and the Yang clan holds all the power.”
“In our Jia Village, we’re located on the outskirts of the Yang clan’s territory. Originally, we were abandoned descendants of the Yang family, left to fend for ourselves beyond the mountains. We started our own businesses along the highway and made a good life for ourselves. That’s why the Yang clan can’t control us much anymore. But Brother Yan, don’t think that just because my grandfather is the village head, every village here has a village head, and that village heads have authority.”
Yang Tu smirked sarcastically and said, “That’s not how it works here. In this place, the clan leader’s word is law – whoever they say should die, dies; whoever they say should make offerings to the god, does. That’s precisely why my grandpa has grown increasingly disillusioned with the clan. He’s always had a fiery temper, and with the good harvests these past few years, he’s gained confidence. So, after repeatedly advising the clan without them listening, he decided to cut ties and split from the clan entirely. The roadblock that stopped you was set up to sever our connections with those people. Grandpa feared they might retaliate due to our decision to break ties, even launching a nighttime attack.”
Even though the owner of the breakfast shop had shared his personal experience from decades ago, mentioning how he had to run hundreds of kilometers in one go, carrying Yang Hua, just to escape the territory of the Yang clan before he dared to stop in the coastal city. He also warned that if he were ever discovered by the Yang clan members from those villages, he would surely be captured and brought back to the village.
But Yan Shixun had only thought of such situations as something from decades ago. Even though the village head and the younger generation at home had shown disdain for the clan just yesterday, he had never expected that, decades later, the Yang clan would still hold onto the same attitudes.
“They don’t trust people from outside the mountains. They think those outsiders have ruined traditions and customs. They think that these people don’t even worship their ancestors anymore, and dared to disobey the clan leader and the dreams passed down by their ancestors. They assumed the outsiders are not good people.”
After hearing Yan Shixun’s inquiry, Yang Tu sneered and said, “But while they think like this, they also want to become officials and amass wealth, all to bring honor to the clan. Since I was born until now, those key positions in the county have always been filled by people from the Yang clan, and they have control over everything. If ‘Heaven’ doesn’t allow you to do something, then you can’t do it.”
“So, just act like you didn’t see anything today.”
Yang Tu turned expressionless and said, “I must apologize to you. I should have climbed up here early in the morning, taken a look around to make sure everything was fine, and then led you up this path. My oversleeping caused this, and I’m sorry for scaring you. So, let’s go. Paying too much attention to this won’t do you any good…”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
Yan Shixun suddenly smiled, tossing his phone up and catching it casually in his palm.
He stood on the village road with one hand in his pocket, his posture relaxed, his back to the sunlight, as if he had merged with the light itself, shining so brightly that it was blinding.
“It is but an insignificant county adn nothing more, what ‘Heaven’ could it be considered? Shadows may lurk under the trees, but beyond them lies the sunshine.”
A phone slid through Yan Shixun’s hand, and then he dialed a number.
Amidst Yang Tu’s bewildered and surprised gaze, the call was quickly answered.
“Good morning, Mr. Yan,” a voice filled with a cheerful tone came through the phone, belonging to the official in charge of the supernatural events department.
“Good morning,” Yan Shixun responded with a smile. “You’ve had people monitoring Zhang Wubing’s program, haven’t you? What did they see?”
The official in charge didn’t deny it. “Since it’s a program in collaboration with us and has received approval from Taoist Li of Haiyun Temple, we naturally pay close attention. As for what they saw… although it flashed briefly on the screen, based on the screenshots, it appears to be a person who committed suicide by hanging.”
“Our country is vast, with many remote areas. Every year, some people choose to spend their final moments in secluded forests, departing quietly. While I personally find it lamentable, such cases are usually handled by the local authorities. I’ve just received a letter of explanation from the program team. Encountering such an incident is indeed a significant blow and disruption to the program. However, it falls under the category of an unexpected live incident. Please rest assured, Mr. Yan, it won’t affect the program’s broadcast.”
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