Dragging my soaking wet, cold, and exhausted body, I stumbled back to the village in the dark. The roosters were almost crowing for the first time. I didn't dare go straight home, afraid that the river water and the evil aura on my body would disturb the strange objects (a Zhongshan suit, a ceramic jar, and a red cloth bag) that were supposed to be "suppressing" the evil spirits in my house, and also afraid that the early risers would see me in this disheveled state and gossip.
I went around to the shed in my family's vegetable garden behind the village, where I found an old cotton-padded coat I wore for work. Shivering, I changed into dry clothes, crumpled up my soaking wet Taoist robe and dirty clothes, stuffed them into a corner, and hastily bandaged the cut on my wrist from the red rope with a clean strip of cloth I had brought—the wound was an unnatural bluish-black, throbbing faintly, a sign of the evil spirits invading my body.
My cold body warmed up slightly, but my heart was heavy. Wu Jinfeng's terrified face, the violent aura from the riverbed, and the mysterious "he" she spoke of—these weighed on my chest like huge rocks.
Village Chief Chen Fugui's wife… she knows the inside story, and is clearly powerless, filled with fear. Could the "he" she speaks of be the village secretary himself? Or the thing in the river? Or… someone else entirely?
Li Xiulian is likely just a pawn being used; the real mastermind is much deeper hidden. What's the purpose? To nourish the evil spirit with the life force, soul, and even lives of the women left behind in the village? Or to perform some kind of wicked ritual? Zhou Xiaohong's disappearance is likely fraught with danger.
I leaned against the cold, mud wall of the shack, cold and hungry, but my mind kept racing. Xiaofen's mark hadn't been cleared, the thing in Liu Yan's belly was still growing, the thing in the river had been provoked by me, Wu Jinfeng's lead had just surfaced and then receded, and the person behind Li Xiulian hadn't been found… a thousand threads, fraught with danger.
Can those women in the "Mutual Aid Association" hold out? Zhang Cai'e is bold but impatient, Aunt Liu is quick-witted but easily swayed, Zhao Xiaomei is timid, and Aunt Wang is feisty but getting on in years… They are my only "allies" now, and also potential victims; I must protect them.
The sky was beginning to lighten. I forced myself to stay alert and quietly slipped back home. First, I used mugwort to fumigate myself at the door to dispel any lingering evil spirits before entering.
Everything at home seemed normal. My grandfather's memorial tablet stood quietly on the table. I bowed to it and whispered, "Grandpa, I think I've stirred up a hornet's nest this time. Please, if you are watching over me from heaven, please protect me."
I quickly washed up, cooked some thin porridge, and drank it; finally, I felt a little warmer. I applied a mixture of incense ash and mugwort ash to the wound on my wrist and then put on a talisman to ward off evil; the stinging pain and bluish-black discoloration slowly subsided.
I needed to talk to the "Mutual Aid Society," especially about the discovery of Wu Jinfeng. But there were too many people around during the day, making a group meeting inconvenient. I decided to go find Aunt Wang first. She was taking care of Xiaofen, so she had more freedom of movement, and she kept her mouth shut.
When I arrived at Aunt Wang's house, Xiaofen was still unconscious. Her complexion had improved somewhat, but the marks on her wrists were still clearly visible. Aunt Wang saw me and immediately pulled me aside, whispering, "You went out last night? Did you find anything?"
I nodded, lowering my voice to briefly recount my encounter with Wu Jinfeng, the evil creature at the bottom of the river, and Wu Jinfeng's warnings, omitting the details of my injuries and the specific battle.
Aunt Wang's face turned pale as she patted her chest. "My God! The village secretary's family? She...she's involved too? And what 'he'? Could it be...Chen Fugui?" Horrified, she cried, "If the village secretary did it...then our village is finished!"
"It's not certain if it's the village secretary, but Wu Jinfeng definitely knows a lot," I said in a low voice. "Aunt Wang, don't tell Cai'e and the others about this yet, lest you frighten them. Keep a close eye on Wu Jinfeng and Li Xiulian's movements, but be very careful not to let them find out. Especially Wu Jinfeng, she seems very scared."
Aunt Wang nodded repeatedly, "I know, I know. Then...then Xiaofen..."
"The mark on Xiaofen's body originates from that thing in the river. Without dealing with it, suppressing it with talismans alone won't work in the long run." I looked at the unconscious Xiaofen on the bed, anxious, but without a better solution for the time being. "Keep her calm. I'll keep thinking of something."
Leaving Aunt Wang's house, I considered my next move. Go directly to Wu Jinfeng? Too rash, it might alert her, and she might not even tell. Test the waters with the village secretary? Even worse, what if he really is the mastermind? That would be walking into a trap.
As I pondered this, I reached the corner of the stone path in the village and almost bumped into someone running towards me.
"Ouch!"
A familiar scent, a mixture of sweat and the faint smell of soap, wafted towards me. I looked up and saw Xiaofen, the village beauty! She seemed to be in better spirits today, wearing clean clothes and her hair combed. Although her face was still a little pale, her eyes had a sparkle. She was carrying a wooden basin filled with several wet clothes, apparently having just returned from washing clothes by the river.
"Brother Cha Nan? Aren't you watching where you're going?" Xiaofen gave me a reproachful look, her cheeks slightly flushed. Her clothes were splashed with water in places, clinging to her skin and outlining the delicate curves of a young woman just coming of age. I quickly took a step back, a little embarrassed. "Sister-in-law Xiaofen, you... why did you go to the river? Didn't I tell you not to go?" Seeing the wet clothes in her hands, my heart tightened.
Xiaofen pouted. "I've been lying in bed for days, I almost smelled bad. I felt a little better today, and since the weather was nice, I went to the river to wash the clothes that had been piling up for days. It's okay, I just washed them where there are lots of people at the village entrance, I didn't go to that backwater upstream."
Hearing her say that, I breathed a slight sigh of relief, but seeing her soaking wet appearance, I still reminded her, "Try not to go next time. If you need to wash, ask your mother-in-law for help, or... go to the well to fetch water and wash them at home."
"I know, I know, you're so nagging like an old man." Xiaofen said this, but her eyes were smiling. She looked me up and down. "Brother Cha Nan, why do you look so pale? Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Not only did I not sleep well, I almost didn't make it back. I muttered to myself, but said casually, "Yeah, I was working on something, so I stayed up late."
"Then you'd better take care of yourself," Xiaofen said, picking up the wooden basin to leave. The stone slabs were slippery from the dampness, and she stumbled. "Ouch!"
I instinctively reached out to steady her arm. My hand touched something warm and smooth—her arm, cool from the water.
Xiaofen steadied herself, her face flushing even more. She gently pulled her hand away and whispered, "Thank you..."
At this slightly awkward and delicate moment, a sarcastic voice rang out from beside me:
"Hey! Who do we have here, pulling and tugging in broad daylight! Chen Chanan, you've got some nerve!"
I turned my head and immediately felt a chill run down my spine.
It was the village secretary, Chen Fugui!
He strolled slowly from another alley, hands behind his back, belly protruding, his triangular eyes scanning back and forth between Xiaofen and me, a half-smile playing on his lips. Behind him followed two villagers who usually hung out with him, also watching the spectacle with amusement.
Xiaofen was terrified, her face pale. She clutched the wooden basin tightly, head bowed, too afraid to speak.
I composed myself, stepped forward, and stood in front of Xiaofen: "Secretary Chen, please don't misunderstand. Sister-in-law Xiaofen almost slipped just now, I helped her up."
"Helped her up?" Chen Fugui took a few steps closer, his gaze slithering over me like a venomous snake, then deliberately scrutinizing Xiaofen's wet clothes and slightly disheveled collar. "Helping her up takes this long? Her clothes are soaked? I think some people, relying on some crooked tricks, are restless, specifically targeting the young wives in the village without husbands!"
These words were extremely malicious! Not only did they confirm my affair with Xiaofen, but they also labeled the skills passed down from my grandfather as "crooked practices"!
"Secretary Chen! Please watch your words!" I retorted, my blood boiling. "Xiaofen and I are completely innocent! My grandfather's skills are for saving lives, not for crooked practices!"
"Saving lives?" Chen Fugui scoffed. "Saving lives on young wives? I've heard you've been sneaking into the homes of women whose husbands aren't home lately! Zhang Cai'e, Widow Liu, and this Li Xiaofen… What, are their houses haunted? Are you the only one who can cure them?"
His two henchmen joined in the laughter, their eyes lewdly lingering on Xiaofen.
Xiaofen was both ashamed and angry, tears welling in her eyes, her body trembling slightly.
My fists clenched tightly, I wanted to punch that fat face. But I knew I couldn't act impulsively. He was the village secretary, powerful and influential; a direct confrontation would only hurt me. "Secretary Chen, I'm just helping the villagers solve some strange problems. These are things my grandfather used to do. If you don't believe me, you can ask around." I suppressed my anger, trying to keep my tone calm.
"Ask around? No need to ask!" Chen Fugui waved his hand, his face suddenly darkening. He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said in a volume only the two of us could hear, "Kid, I'm warning you, don't think you can cause trouble in the village just because you have some shady skills! Some things are not for you to touch! Some people are not for you to save! If you know what's good for you, you'd better keep a low profile. If I see you flirting with these shady women again, or going around asking around… Hmph, don't forget how your grandfather died! 'Accidentally falling into the water'… In this water, anything can drown!"
He spoke the last few words almost into my ear, his voice cold and full of naked threat!
I jolted awake, jerking my head back to stare intently at Chen Fugui's greasy, gloomy face.
He knew there was something fishy about Grandpa's death! He was even using Grandpa's death to threaten me! Could Grandpa's death… be related to him? Related to that thing in the river?
In an instant, Wu Jinfeng's terrified expression from last night, the violent aura from the riverbed, and Chen Fugui's sinister gaze at this moment all intertwined and collided in my mind!
"You…" I gritted my teeth, squeezing out a single word.
Chen Fugui, however, had already reverted to his usual insincere smile, patting my shoulder with considerable force: "Young man, listen to advice, eat your fill. Think it over." With that, he ignored Xiaofen and me, and swaggered away with his two henchmen.
Xiaofen waited until they were far away before bursting into tears, the wooden basin falling to the ground, her wet clothes scattered everywhere.
"Brother Cha Nan… I'm so sorry… I've dragged you into this…" she cried, heartbroken and terrified. I bent down to help her pick up her clothes, my mind a jumbled mess. But seeing Xiaofen crying, I tried to comfort her, "It's not your fault, he's just deliberately causing trouble. Don't be afraid, it'll be alright."
Though I said that, I wasn't entirely sure myself. Chen Fugui had bare his fangs. His threats weren't just directed at me, but also at the women in the "Mutual Aid Society," and might even be implying he knew about my investigation.
What role did he play in this whole affair? Was he merely protecting Wu Jinfeng? Or was he the "he" Wu Jinfeng was talking about? Or was he in cahoots with the evil creature in the river?
I helped Xiaofen gather her scattered clothes and took her home. We were both silent the whole way, the atmosphere heavy with tension.
Back home, I sat in the old wicker chair my grandfather used to sit in, looking at the sunlight streaming through the window, but feeling no warmth whatsoever.
Chen Fugui's threats still echoed in my ears. My grandfather's death was indeed no accident. And I, it seemed, was getting closer and closer to that dangerous truth.
Should I back down? Should I, like Chen Fugui said, tuck my tail between my legs?
I looked at Grandpa's memorial tablet, remembering his sternness when he taught me skills, his earnest admonitions against harming others, and his cold body after his drowning, clutching the compass tightly.
No, I cannot back down.
If I back down, Xiaofen and Liu Yan might die, the aunties in the "Mutual Aid Association" might suffer, Grandpa's death would forever remain a mystery, and this village would continue to be shrouded in evil spirits and dark forces.
I must fight on. But I can no longer be as reckless as before.
Chen Fugui is the local tyrant on the surface, wielding power. Behind the scenes, there are Li Xiulian, Wu Jinfeng, and that unknown, terrifying entity at the bottom of the river.
I need to be more cautious, and I also need… greater strength, more information.
Grandpa's notes must be dug deeper. Perhaps there are things I haven't discovered yet.
Regarding the "Mutual Aid Society," I need to provide them with more specific protection and also find a way to obtain more information from them about the daily lives of Chen Fugui, Wu Jinfeng, and Li Xiulian.
Also… I touched the fading but still faintly aching mark on my wrist. That thing at the bottom of the river, injured by my Thunderfire Talisman, should be quiet for a while, but it definitely won't give up. I need to find a way to restrain or even eliminate it before it recovers or acts again.
As for Chen Fugui, since he has already warned me that he might not directly attack me in the short term, he will definitely increase surveillance and put pressure on the women in the "Mutual Aid Society."
It seems I need to find a way to keep him busy with something else, to divert his attention.