"Looking back gently on the evening that once belonged to us,
You are still the fiery sun glowing in my heart...
..."
The singing began. Secretary Jin's Cantonese pronunciation was impeccable, her performance polished and professional, her movements on stage far more natural than Little Oriole's.
Little Oriole, as he remembered, had spoken with a thick Nantong accent mixed into her Mandarin whenever she held a microphone.
Yet Li Zhuiyuan still felt Little Oriole's singing was more captivating.
Back then, it was precisely this song from Little Oriole that had set him onto a path he had never once imagined.
Of course, if one insisted on finding a practical reason, there was one.
Little Oriole had poured genuine emotion into the song, while Secretary Jin only wanted to hurry through the daytime routine so she could dig up the grave tonight.
At first, the surface of the fish pond did not show the slightest ripple.
But when Secretary Jin reached the lines:
"Though thousands of songs drift on my path in days to come,
Though thousands of evening stars shine brighter than tonight's moon..."
Li Zhuiyuan swayed. A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and a familiar chill crept across both of his shoulders, much like how old, aching knees could foretell a sudden change in the weather.
He knew Little Oriole was listening—and seemed on the verge of losing control.
Li Zhuiyuan took a deep breath, forcing himself back to full alertness. He could not afford to walk the yin path right now.
*Screeech!—*
A shrill burst of feedback tore through the loudspeakers. Everyone in the crowd clamped their hands over their ears. Children shrieked, and troupe members scrambled forward on stage to fiddle with the equipment. It was obvious that they were both familiar with the gear and oddly out of practice.
They knew how to operate it, but in ordinary times, they clearly rarely touched it.
The equipment was aging, and a real troupe feared nothing more than having their gigs dry up; by all rights, this should not have been the case.
Li Zhuiyuan pressed both hands down slowly, covertly making a gesture for quiet.
He did not know if Little Oriole could see it, nor if she understood what he meant.
Losing control of her emotions now would only alert these water monkeys to the eerie presence and allow them to prepare in advance.
Endure it.
Wait until nightfall, and then settle everything properly.
Soon, the screeching died down, and the equipment resumed normal operation.
Such mishaps were common on local stages nowadays. The villagers, who had just been grimacing and clutching their ears, went right back to chatting and laughing; not a single soul left.
Secretary Jin offered repeated apologies into the microphone. Then the background music swelled again, restarting "Thousands of Songs."
A trace of impatience flickered in her eyes. If she had maintained a shred of professionalism before, she was now merely going through the motions to kill time. During the chorus, she simply stopped singing altogether and extended the microphone toward the audience.
During the first chorus, a few outgoing adults and rowdy kids piped up, singing along in their own makeshift versions of Cantonese. But when she thrust the microphone outward for the second chorus, no one joined in. The crowd fell completely silent.
"Sing! Come on, sing!"
"Hurry up and sing! Keep going!"
Voices from below urged her on.
Secretary Jin maintained a rigid professional smile and muddled her way through the rest of the song, entirely indifferent.
When the song ended, she tossed the microphone to the person beside her, stepped into a corner, and began talking with several others.
A performer in an exaggerated costume took the stage and began a card-magic routine.
Li Zhuiyuan followed a cluster of children closer to the side of the stage and barely managed to catch Secretary Jin and the others grumbling about why this whole farce hadn't ended yet.
He had noticed earlier that all ten members of the troupe spoke Mandarin with the exact same regional accent.
Meanwhile, the cooks, dishwashers, and servers for the feast had all been hired from the village through the village chief.
That meant this band of water monkeys was confined strictly to the troupe itself.
Still, there was another matter to consider: were there sentries posted along the outer perimeter?
When the magic performance ended, Li Zhuiyuan clapped along with the crowd while stepping backward, slipping away from the gathering.
Beside the road in front of Big Beard's house, Runsheng was already waiting on the tricycle.
Li Zhuiyuan climbed aboard. "Runsheng-ge, follow this lane onto the village road and just keep riding straight ahead. Don't stop."
"You got it!"
Runsheng began pedaling. From behind came Tan Wenbin's shouting: "Wait for me! Hey, wait up!"
Along the village road, the tricycle led the way while an older boy sprinted behind.
The sight was full of everyday rural life, ideal for avoiding suspicion.
Atop a transmission tower in the middle of the farmland west of Big Beard's house sat an electrician in an off-white uniform.
It ought to have looked entirely ordinary, but Li Zhuiyuan was working backward from a known conclusion to unearth evidence.
He soon spotted something amiss: hanging from the scaffold beside the electrician were two bags filled with food and water.
This was neither a remote mountain range nor a barren wasteland. Whenever he wanted to eat or drink, he could easily climb down to the ground. There was no need to haul supplies all the way up there.
"Runsheng-ge, turn around. Head the other way."
"Alright!"
As the tricycle turned, Tan Wenbin finally scrambled aboard. Panting hard, he wheezed, "You... don't you dare leave me behind!"
"Binbin-ge, we need you right now."
"Really?"
When the tricycle reached the eastern side of Big Beard's house, another transmission tower appeared in the distance.
"Binbin-ge, jump down and chase after the cart."
"Huh?"
"Come on, hurry."
Seeing that Li Zhuiyuan wasn't joking, Tan Wenbin immediately leaped off the tricycle and resumed his earlier act, flailing his arms exaggeratedly and yelling, "Hey, I'm not on yet!" as he gave chase.
The tricycle drew near the tower. There was an electrician up there as well, though because the western tower overlooked the village road leading to the main highway while this side faced the village interior, he seemed far more relaxed, leaning sideways against a crossbeam with a cigarette pinched between his fingers.
"Runsheng-ge, head south toward Aunt Zhang's store."
"Got it."
On their way south, they spotted another person. This one had drawn the short straw; with no transmission tower available, only a plain utility pole, he had to strap himself to it using a harness and climbing spurs.
Exercising caution, Li Zhuiyuan continued south past him to Aunt Zhang's store and bought a few small items.
Tan Wenbin asked for a pack of Xiao Su cigarettes.
Naturally, he paid out of his own pocket.
He tore off the cellophane with a practiced flick, peeled back a corner of the pack, turned it upside down, and tapped it against his palm until a few cigarettes popped halfway out.
"Runsheng, want one?"
Runsheng glanced back and kept pedaling. "I don't smoke."
"Xiao Yuan-ge, how about you?"
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.
Tan Wenbin had no choice but to clamp one between his lips, strike a match behind cupped hands, and light it.
*Hiss... puff... cough, cough, cough... blergh!*
First came a violent coughing fit, then tears welled in his eyes, and finally he gagged.
His flair was magnificent—he had probably rehearsed the motions in his head dozens of times—yet he clearly didn't know how to smoke.
Flustered, Tan Wenbin said sheepishly, "I'm a little nervous, just wanted to take the edge off."
No one had told him what was actually going on, and he didn't have the faintest idea what was happening, yet he managed to throw himself completely into the role.
Heading north was straightforward, as Li Sanjiang's house lay directly north of Big Beard's.
On the way, they passed another utility pole. A man hung from that one as well.
Li Zhuiyuan was now certain that these four electricians were water monkeys in disguise.
Even for regular maintenance on rural electrical infrastructure, they would never dispatch this many workers at once, let alone cluster them so densely. Typically, a single electrician handled a vast territory on his own.
Yet unless one was actively looking for it, most people truly wouldn't notice anything strange. Villagers were long accustomed to seeing electricians occasionally working on poles, and since they almost never came from the local village or township, rarely did anyone go out of their way to greet them.
Back home, they headed to the workshop behind the house. Li Zhuiyuan retrieved paper and pen and sketched a rough layout of the surrounding farmland, river, and utility poles, using Big Beard's house as the center.
Flanking him on the left and right, Runsheng and Tan Wenbin leaned in, studying the drawing intently.
In a flat rural expanse, every high vantage point in all four directions was occupied. And these were merely the ones visible in plain sight; there might be hidden observation posts, or reinforcements added after dark.
Originally, Li Zhuiyuan had planned to slip through the shadows with Runsheng and their gear under the cover of night, sneaking right up to the edge of Big Beard's fish pond.
Now, that seemed impossible. The daytime crowds provided cover, but at night the village roads would be deserted. And while unearthing the tomb, the perimeter lookouts would be on high alert.
Li Zhuiyuan said, "There are ten people in the troupe, at least four stationed on the perimeter, and counting Ding Dalin plus the two currently in the hospital, this gang of water monkeys numbers nearly twenty."
"That many?" Runsheng scratched his head. "I thought this kind of work only took one or two people."
Li Zhuiyuan smiled faintly. Excavating a water burial was inherently far more difficult, and waterways were seldom completely uninhabited. Consequently, water monkey outfits tended to be sizable, operating on the principle of digging fast and fleeing faster.
"Runsheng-ge, the problem now is how we slip in tonight without being spotted."
The measures they had prepared were intended to aid Little Oriole. If they couldn't observe from nearby, they wouldn't know when to strike. They couldn't afford a scenario where Runsheng clashed with the water monkeys before Little Oriole had even made her appearance.
If it came to that, they might as well just call the police right now.
"Um, Xiao Yuan, could we take this route?"
Runsheng reached out and traced his finger along the river on the sketch.
The waterway ran very close to Big Beard's house and the fish pond.
"Through the river?"
"Yeah, Xiao Yuan. We could move underwater, come ashore right here, and duck into the haystack. For air, we could each hold a reed straw in our mouths."
At first, Li Zhuiyuan thought the suggestion utterly impractical, but upon reflection, it was surprisingly viable.
Runsheng possessed immense strength, exceptional swimming ability, and past experience grappling with dead-flippers beneath the surface. The twelve formation flags along with the corpse-retrieving gear would provide just enough ballast to let him walk along the riverbed.
Moreover, the haystack near the bank was indeed right beside the fish pond.
The only downside was that to bring himself along, he would probably have to be lashed to Runsheng's body, which would look rather undignified.
"Runsheng-ge, that's a great idea. Let's make that our tentative plan."
Earning approval brought a grin to Runsheng's face; he knew watching all those movies would pay off.
"Not bad, really not bad at all," Tan Wenbin nodded in agreement. "So, can someone tell me what on earth we're actually doing tonight?"
"Binbin-ge, after we eat the evening banquet, I'll tell you everything."
"Xiao Yuan-ge, you wouldn't lie to me, would you?"
"I won't."
"Fine, I trust you."
The evening feast started early, with guests called to sit at five o'clock, and the dishes arrived in rapid succession.
Li Zhuiyuan led Tan Wenbin back to Li Sanjiang, sitting down together for the meal.
The flush from Li Sanjiang's midday drinking hadn't fully faded. Patting his stomach, not feeling particularly hungry, he asked Ding Dalin beside him, "Why start the banquet so early?"
"Sanjiang-hou, you know how it is. Having lived abroad, my internal clock is still on a different time zone."
"Oh, I see."
It was a clumsy excuse, but with the food already hitting the tables, there was no point pressing further.
Furthermore, the kitchen served the evening courses with astonishing speed, piping-hot dishes arriving one after another.
Li Zhuiyuan knew this was all designed to clear the crowd early, buying more time for the grave-digging tonight.
During the meal, Secretary Jin stepped up to Ding Dalin and whispered into his ear.
Ding Dalin turned to Li Sanjiang. "Sanjiang-hou, do you have any lanterns at home?"
"Lanterns? Sure do."
Li Sanjiang kept a stock of basic paraphernalia for weddings and funerals on hand to rent out.
These were not paper lanterns, but durable ones meant for repeated use.
"Where I come from, there's a custom that on the night of a housewarming, two strings of lanterns—one red, one white—must be hung from the roof. Unfortunately, the ones I ordered got delayed and won't arrive tonight."
"That's no trouble at all." Li Sanjiang turned to Li Zhuiyuan. "Xiao Yuan-hou, run back home and tell Runsheng to bring the lanterns over, and have him give them a hand hanging them up."
"Alright, I'll go right now."
"Finish eating first, no rush."
"I'm not hungry, Great-Grandpa."
Li Zhuiyuan left the table, and Tan Wenbin, having snagged a chicken drumstick, scrambled to follow.
He had spent the afternoon running, so his digestion had moved much faster.
Last time, when Liangliang-ge recounted his experience in Baijia Town, he had mentioned the two strings of lanterns hung from the town's memorial archway.
There was symbolic meaning behind them: red represented mortal affairs, white represented spectral tidings; when red and white lanterns hang high, yin and yang go their separate ways.
Baijia Town displayed them due to its unique nature, as the Lady Bais existed in a state that was neither truly human nor truly ghost.
For the water monkeys, pulling this stunt was simply a tradition of their trade, done in hope of smooth sailing—peace in the mortal realm and no meddling from the underworld.
Yet this sparked a new idea in Li Zhuiyuan's mind.
Back home, Runsheng had already wrapped the formation flags and corpse-retrieving gear in white plastic sheeting, and a strap was looped diagonally across his chest.
Li Zhuiyuan knew that was intended for strapping him to Runsheng's back when they entered the water.
"Runsheng-ge, change of plans. I found a better way in."
"Huh, Xiao Yuan, what are you thinking?"
"The most dangerous place is often the safest. Since there are lookouts on every high point around us, we shouldn't bother trying to leave and sneak back in."
"Still don't get it," Runsheng said, shaking his head.
"I think I get a little of it, but keep going," Tan Wenbin said, resting his chin on his hand with a pensive look.
Li Zhuiyuan tilted his head toward him. Runsheng caught the cue instantly, hoisted Tan Wenbin off his feet, carried him by force to the workshop behind the house, and bound his hands and feet with rope.
"No, no! You can't do this! Xiao Yuan-ge, you promised you'd tell me everything!"
"Yes, and I'll tell you right now."
Li Zhuiyuan squatted in front of Tan Wenbin and laid out everything about the water monkeys and the primary lair, holding nothing back.
When he finished, Tan Wenbin's face lit up with wild excitement. "That's thrilling!"
Then he wriggled his bound limbs. "Wait, then what are you doing this for?"
"Binbin-ge, what does your grandfather do?"
"He's a police officer. My maternal grandfather is one too."
"And what do you plan to be in the future?"
"Anything except a cop!"
"Don't talk in anger. Things said during a rebellious phase don't count. You're definitely going to become a police officer too."
"I don't want to be a—"
"Gag him."
"Mmph, mmph!"
Runsheng deftly stuffed a gag into Tan Wenbin's mouth.
"Runsheng-ge, did you hear what Binbin just said?"
"He said he didn't—"
"He said he will definitely become a police officer in the future."
"Oh, right, exactly."
"A family of lawmen."
Li Zhuiyuan leaned in and wrapped his arms around Tan Wenbin.
There was no time to run to the police station to embrace their plaque; hugging him would serve the same purpose, drawing on good fortune.
When Li Zhuiyuan stepped back, Runsheng stepped forward too, giving Tan Wenbin a fierce squeeze that nearly made his eyes roll back.
"Binbin-ge, this is for your own safety. Next time we run into a gentler dead-flipper, we'll take you along to see it."
"Exactly, exactly," Runsheng chimed in. "Living people are way more dangerous than dead-flippers."
Next, Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng packed the gear into the lantern frames and carried them over to Big Beard's house.
By then, the first seating had concluded, and the second was underway.
Li Sanjiang and Ding Dalin remained at the table, still drinking. Seeing Runsheng arrive, Li Sanjiang waved him on, urging, "Hurry up and help them hang those."
"Right away, Daye."
Runsheng and Li Zhuiyuan went up to the second floor. Near the ceiling was a roof hatch with a ladder standing beside it, leading out to the rooftop.
Setting up the ladder and hauling the gear up, Runsheng braced open the lanterns, strung them together with cord, lit them one by one, and lowered them over the edges.
Red hung on the east side, white on the west.
When it was done, Li Zhuiyuan said, "Runsheng-ge, I'll go down and move the ladder back. Stay up here to pull me up."
"Xiao Yuan, no need for all that trouble."
Runsheng simply dropped over the edge, hooking his feet onto the rim to swing his entire body downward.
Snagging the ladder, he used the momentum of his hips to swing it back against the wall into its original position.
With another surge of core strength, he pulled his upper body back, grabbed the rim with his hands, hoisted himself up inch by inch, and slid the hatch cover back into place—the entire sequence executed in one fluid motion.
Li Zhuiyuan could only marvel once again at Runsheng's terrifying physical prowess.
Yet such gifts were inborn; one couldn't simply envy them.
He wondered whether Uncle Qin's ability to sprout bloody gills underwater was something innate or cultivated through training.
Lately, through consistent breathing exercises and horse-stance training, Li Zhuiyuan felt he had made great strides, yet his painstaking daily accumulation might only amount to reaching someone else's starting line.
For a moment, the boy felt a twinge of resentment toward innate geniuses. Why should it be so?
"Xiao Yuan, what if they come up to check?"
"Runsheng-ge, there's always a risk in anything we do."
"True enough."
Roofs in this region were strictly roofs, not intended as living or recreational spaces, so barring a leak, no one ever climbed onto them.
Most of the surface was covered in sloped red tiles, bordered by a low concrete parapet barely tall enough to crouch behind. Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng had no choice but to lie flat on their stomachs.
Runsheng lay close to the hatch, gripping the Yellow River shovel.
The shovel had been modified by Li Zhuiyuan—larger, heavier, and with an extended sharpened edge.
If the water monkeys didn't check the roof, well and good; but if someone dared push open the hatch and poke their head out, what awaited them was a brutal chop from Runsheng.
Pressing his right hand gently against his chest, Li Zhuiyuan felt the thumping of his heart. He was slightly nervous, but far more exhilarated.
*Binbin-ge, I didn't lie to you. This really is fun.*
*The reason I didn't bring you along is that I didn't want to raise the odds of an accident. I still want to keep playing in the future.*
Occasionally, Li Zhuiyuan lifted his head slightly. Their position faced directly toward the fish pond, with the performance stage right beside it, offering an unobstructed view.
Gradually, the second seating drew to a close, and the guests began to disperse.
Li Zhuiyuan heard Li Sanjiang's voice; he was thoroughly drunk, clutching Ding Dalin's hand and babbling, "Good brothers for life!"
Ding Dalin was visibly brushing him off, taking great effort just to usher Li Sanjiang away.
Normally, the cooks, assistants, and dishwashers would have eaten the tail banquet, but they were given red envelopes and allowed to take home the leftovers, so everyone left in high spirits.
The bustling, noisy gathering quickly fell quiet.
The speakers and horn loudspeakers on the performance stage were cranked up, continuing their clattering and singing.
The troupe members stepped down from the stage. Instead of clearing away the bowls, chopsticks, and tables, they began scouring the house, the courtyard, and the perimeter.
Secretary Jin picked up a flashlight, turned it on, and swung it in a circle above her head.
Soon, six flashes of light blinked in response from high vantage points along the perimeter.
One of those spots was atop the haystack by the river.
Li Zhuiyuan broke into a cold sweat. In their original plan, he and Runsheng would have surfaced from the river and hidden inside that very haystack, which would have been like mice leaping straight into a trap.
Footsteps echoed along the second-floor balcony below as someone inspected the rooms one by one.
Li Zhuiyuan glanced sideways at Runsheng, who had his ear pressed to the floor, his Yellow River shovel poised for action.
Before long, the footsteps faded. Peering through a drainage hole in the low parapet before him, Li Zhuiyuan saw them gathering in the courtyard.
It seemed they had finished their sweep and overlooked the roof. The darkest shadow really was beneath the lamp.
Ding Dalin had changed into a bright yellow Taoist robe, holding a peach wood sword.
An offering table was placed before him, set with candles and sacrificial items.
He began performing a ritual, his motions far more brisk than Li Sanjiang's.
After all, he was merely running through the standard water-monkey procedure before unsealing a tomb, whereas Great-Grandpa sometimes had to cater to the host family's expectations, dragging out the performance so they felt they were getting their money's worth.
Still, there was no denying that Ding Dalin's movements and posture were far more polished and orthodox than his great-grandfather's.
It mirrored the contrast between Secretary Jin and Little Oriole's singing earlier that day.
Li Zhuiyuan blinked, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Why was his mind making such wild comparisons?
Once the ritual concluded, Ding Dalin kept the robe on, swapped the peach wood sword for a compass, and rotated on the spot, studying the needle.
The compass was cast in a deep purple, large and densely engraved. Like the world-clock displays in hotels catering to foreigners, a ring of smaller dials surrounded the main face, each indicating the time in different regions.
Li Zhuiyuan pressed his lips together. Compared to that purple compass, his own custom-made one was far cruder, requiring him to calculate corrections in his head each time he used it.
At that moment, led by Secretary Jin, all ten water monkeys dropped to one knee before Ding Dalin.
Staring at the compass, Ding Dalin slowly raised a hand.
"The auspicious hour has arrived. Begin!"
Every person raised a single hand, murmuring something in unison. Once finished, they rose and dispersed to their tasks.
The advantage of a water tomb over a conventional earthen grave was that the odds of coming up empty were low.
Yet water tombs were vastly harder to loot and carried far higher risks. Any trade steeped in such hazards inevitably developed intricate rites and rituals, not only to revere spirits and gods, but also to fortify the nerves of those who practiced it.
Equipment was hauled out from beneath the stage: two water pumps and a diesel generator were immediately visible.
There was also something resembling a winch rig, which two men were methodically assembling.
Times were changing, and the water monkeys' grave-robbing methods had naturally evolved.
The hum of the pumps was masked by the blare of the speakers. Hoses ran into the adjacent river, and before long, the water level in the pond began dropping at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Runsheng crawled closer. Since the roof hatch was no longer an immediate threat, there was no harm in shifting position.
"Xiao Yuan, let me know when you need me to go down and plant the flags."
"Yeah, not yet."
The moment to plant the flags would come when Little Oriole clashed with the water monkeys. Only amid their panic and confusion would he and Runsheng have a chance to slip out to the perimeter to set up the array.
The bottom of the fish pond began to emerge, revealing rotting mud and piles of dead, decaying fish and crabs.
The water monkeys broke into laughter, believing they were drawing closer to their prize.
Yet Li Zhuiyuan knew that wherever a dead-flipper took up residence in a small pond, no aquatic life could ever thrive.
Thus, the gruesome sight at the bottom had nothing to do with the primary lair.
Five water monkeys donned waterproof waders and climbed down into the pond. Armed with telescoping iron rods, they probed downward into the earth, withdrew the rods, and scooped soil samples from the specialized sampling chambers at specific depths.
Ding Dalin sat on the pond's edge. The compass had been set aside, replaced by a large ceramic bowl and a wooden spoon.
The deep-layer soil was brought over in turn and emptied into his bowl. He scooped some up with the wooden spoon and tasted it.
"Holy cow, Xiao Yuan, look! He's eating mud!"
"Yeah, I see it."
Li Zhuiyuan didn't quite understand why Runsheng was so shocked. Odd though it was to eat mud, it was far more normal than eating incense sticks.
Though there were no records of soil-tasting in his texts, Li Zhuiyuan could deduce its purpose: it was likely a technique for determining orientation and depth.
Ding Dalin took a taste and shook his head—five times in a row.
The water monkeys moved to new spots, thrust their rods down, and brought back fresh soil.
Finally, after another taste, Ding Dalin nodded, pointing his finger at that spot.
The men grabbed shovels and began digging. Once a pit was cleared, they hauled out steel plates, hammering them into the ground and interlocking the joints with built-in latches.
Once assembled, cables were attached to the winch rig, and the motor groaned to life.
A massive block of earth was torn out and dragged clear of the pond.
Using an excavator would have drawn too much attention; this apparatus achieved the same result. Furthermore, once they struck the tomb structure, they could use it to tear off the covering by sheer brute force.
Digging traditional robber tunnels took far too much time and labor, unless one planned to host a housewarming feast for an entire month.
Li Zhuiyuan knew that their restraint in not using dynamite was not out of kindness, but simply because the setting didn't permit it.
Even so, continuing with this method would cause catastrophic damage to the tomb.
All they cared about was cracking open the chamber, plundering the most valuable treasures, and fleeing the country to fence their loot abroad.
Between the steel shoring extraction and manual digging, a deep crater was soon revealed.
It was fortunate that Li Zhuiyuan was perched on the roof; from any other angle, it would have been impossible to observe these excavation details.
Runsheng whispered, "Xiao Yuan, could Little Oriole not be home?"
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. "She should be."
Just this afternoon, he had sensed her listening to the singing.
"Xiao Yuan, you think there's any chance she saw so many people coming to her house, got scared, and ran off?"
"That..."
Li Zhuiyuan was no longer certain. The undeniable fact was that the water monkeys had dug this far without the slightest anomaly occurring.
The *Jianghu Zhiguai Lu* noted that while dead-flippers generally acted on raw instinct, high-tier dead-flippers developed genuine intelligence.
Given the water monkeys' sheer numbers and professional coordination, avoiding their initial momentum was entirely plausible.
Yet Li Zhuiyuan still refused to believe Little Oriole would simply flee.
"We hit something! We hit it!"
"Found it! I see it!"
The water monkeys in the pit, wearing hard hats fitted with headlamps, shouted in wild triumph.
Li Zhuiyuan peered down and saw a domed top emerging from the excavated earth.
Because the silt hadn't been cleared, its original color remained hidden, but its shape bore an uncanny resemblance to the spire of a temple pagoda.
Li Zhuiyuan felt a jolt of shock. This was no ordinary water burial.
Among water burials, there were many classifications, but the most taboo and treacherous of all was the temple tomb.
Such structures were almost always erected by ancients to suppress some malevolent entity.
One could say that with other tombs, the odds of disaster were low; with a tomb like this, the odds of avoiding disaster were practically nonexistent.
Just like the statue of Lady Bai unearthed during the riverbank construction days ago, its purpose had been suppression; the moment its chains were broken, horrifying anomalies began that very night.
And that small shrine housing a life-sized statue of Lady Bai could not begin to compare with the massive dome now emerging before them.
This truly seemed to be a pagoda, and since a pagoda's spire was its narrowest point, just how enormous was the rest of the structure below?
Li Zhuiyuan was not the only one shaken. As the leader on site, Ding Dalin's face darkened instantly.
Ignoring his advanced years, he clambered down into the pit, switched on a flashlight, wiped away the mud, and examined the details.
Suddenly, as if noticing something, his body shuddered. He swept his gaze across the other water monkeys and waved his hands frantically.
Secretary Jin leaped down as well, demanding, "What's wrong?"
"This is a temple tomb. It cannot be opened."
"Why not?"
"I've encountered temple tombs a few times in my life, and not a single one ever ended well. The moment you open this kind of tomb, something sinister is bound to break out."
"Are there good treasures inside?"
"I said, it cannot be opened!"
"We've come all this way, and you want to walk away now? Do you have any idea how much this operation cost? We lost two brothers, and now the police are watching them at the hospital!"
"Listen to me! You all agreed you would listen to me! I'm the leader!"
Secretary Jin reached out, seized Ding Dalin by the throat, and hissed coldly:
"Old bastard, this tomb is getting opened today no matter what. The police already have their eyes on us! We have to finish this job so we have the cash to hide abroad. Without money, what the hell are we going to run with?"
"Are... are you risking your... life... for money?!"
"Without money, what good is a life?"
Secretary Jin drew a dagger, sliding the flat of the blade up and down his weathered cheek. "Old bastard, I'll give you one last chance."
"I'll open it... I'll open it..."
"Very good. What do we do next?"
Secretary Jin released her grip. Clutching his neck and gasping for breath, Ding Dalin answered:
"Small temple tombs rely on chains and shackles; large temple tombs rely on total hermetic sealing. Both are meant to nail whatever is suppressed inside to the spot forever. There are no shortcuts to opening this kind of tomb—we have to pry open a seam along the lower edge first, then wrench it with external force.
"But I urge you, reconsider this. Truly."
"Hmph. If you're so terrified, crawl up and find a corner to hide in. Don't get in our way."
"Good advice falls on deaf ears..." Ding Dalin cast one last look at the pit, then scrambled out of the excavation and dragged himself out of the fish pond.
He scooped up his compass, hugged it tightly to his chest, and bowed his head, murmuring continuously as if in frantic prayer.
"Xiao Yuan, so that old man isn't the boss after all?"
"He's only the boss when he can make them money. When he stands in the way of their profit, he's nothing."
Li Zhuiyuan could tell that Old Ding had recognized the temple tomb, but clearly his words carried no weight anymore.
Hooks were driven into the seam. Once a signal was given, the winch roared to life.
Yet even with the cables stretched taut to their limit, the dome refused to tear free; it merely tilted sideways.
In other words, the pagoda had shifted askew.
"Get down there and pry it!" Secretary Jin had completely assumed command in Ding Dalin's stead.
A crowd of water monkeys attacked the seam with crowbars and sledges, drenched in sweat as the minutes ticked by.
"Xiao Yuan, why haven't they cracked it yet?" Runsheng yawned, growing drowsy.
Li Zhuiyuan felt the dull drag of waiting as well; by rough estimate, the water monkeys had been laboring for nearly two hours.
During that time, some exhausted men left to rest while fresh hands took their places—likely rotating with the sentries on the perimeter.
*Crack...*
At the sound, Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng instantly snapped to attention. Progress was finally being made.
With a gap opened, breaching the seal became far easier. Accompanied by the groaning screeches of the winch, the cable snapped back in a violent jerk, ripping the dome clean off and laying bare the interior.
For now, it was impossible to tell whether it was the top of a pagoda or an entrance corridor to a burial chamber.
Seasoned in their trade, the water monkeys fell back; no one was foolish enough to plunge inside right away.
After waiting a while with no movement from within, Secretary Jin tossed several flares down the opening. Yet the shaft seemed bottomless; the light vanished into the dark almost immediately.
A water monkey brought over a long pole with a live rooster tied to the end, lowering the bird into the depths. A moment later, the pole was reeled back in. The rooster was still alive.
"It's safe down there."
The pole was tossed aside, clattering into the distance.
Secretary Jin nodded. "Send scouts in."
Two water monkeys tied ropes around their waists and ventured down into the tomb.
"Xiao Yuan, what do we do? That dead-flipper hasn't shown up. What if they actually loot the place?"
Li Zhuiyuan sighed. "Then we—"
Just then, Li Zhuiyuan saw Ding Dalin walking toward the rooster, which remained tied to the discarded pole. He crouched down and reached out a hand.
The rooster violently tore free of its bindings and pecked viciously at his palm.
From the roof, Li Zhuiyuan saw the entire scene with crystal clarity, yet even he couldn't comprehend how the rooster had done it.
Feathers and skin still clung to the pole—the bird had practically torn its way out of its own bodily husk to peck the man.
And after striking, it seemed even more frenzied, strutting in circles and crowing maniacally.
The sight was horrifying. Though Li Zhuiyuan ate chicken regularly, he had never seen a raw, flayed mass of meat walking and crowing.
Ignoring the bloody puncture in his palm, Ding Dalin whirled toward Secretary Jin's crew and screamed:
"It's out! It's out! It's out!"
"Old bastard, shut your mouth!" Secretary Jin barked.
The water monkeys were crowded around the edge of the pit, awaiting word from below; from their angle, they couldn't see the rooster.
Secretary Jin pointed at a man. "Go up there and see what's wrong with him."
"On it."
Before the man could climb out, both ropes jerked taut—the two scouts were signaling that they were coming out.
A collective sigh of relief washed through the crowd outside. It was safe. Once the scouts reported what lay below, they could all head down to carry out the spoils.
Secretary Jin ordered, "Haul the ropes!"
The crew began gathering the lines, not dragging them with force, but steadily taking up the slack as the two men made their way out.
Moments later, the pair emerged.
"There are treasures down there! So many treasures!"
"Too much to count, but it's all too heavy for just the two of us! There's a coffin—black, wrapped in heavy chains! It looks ancient and noble, there must be priceless relics inside!"
Excitement flared across everyone's faces. Men stepped forward to help untie their ropes.
Yet at that exact moment, the two men freed themselves.
Not with their hands, but by wriggling entirely out of their clothes—no, crawling straight out through their own skulls.
"Treasures inside, so many treasures!"
"Go haul them! Hurry up and haul them!"
Two skinless figures, dripping with gore, danced about in wild glee, shouting and urging their comrades to descend into the tomb.
The grotesque, terrifying spectacle froze every water monkey where they stood.
They were hardened veterans of the trade who had robbed countless graves and faced plenty of dangers, but nothing they had ever witnessed could compare to what was unfolding before their eyes!
No mist, no poison, no dead-flipper in sight—one moment they were sharing in the triumph of discovery, and the next, this nightmare had erupted without warning.
"Tie them down!"
Secretary Jin barked the order, then immediately scrambled back from the edge of the pit, leaping across the pond bed to reach Ding Dalin.
"Something's wrong, boss!"
She found Ding Dalin huddled against a block of excavated earth, his voice hoarse, still muttering, "It's out... it's out..."
"Something's wrong, boss, come look!"
Ding Dalin ignored her, repeating the same words over and over.
"I said something's wrong!"
Secretary Jin kicked Ding Dalin squarely in the back.
*Rrrrip...*
A crisp sound of tearing flesh rang out. Ding Dalin's Taoist robe and his human skin remained where they were, graying hair still clinging to the scalp, while a flayed, bloody figure was kicked out of the casing, tumbling across the dirt. Pebbles and mud embedded themselves into the exposed raw muscle.
Even so, the bloody figure crouched on the ground, still mumbling:
"It's out... it's out..."
Secretary Jin took two steps back, staring in sheer disbelief. She knew Ding Dalin had remained outside the pond the entire time. If even he had succumbed, then the others...
She looked back toward the excavation pit. There, bloody figures were crawling out one after another, running in circles across the drained bed of the fish pond.
Terror consumed her face. She raised a trembling hand and touched her cheek.
The instant her fingers made contact, her skin split.
As if she were shedding an outer garment, her skin and clothes dropped to the earth together.
The night wind slashed like knives into her exposed blood vessels. Collapsing to her knees, she began to shriek.
All of this had unfolded in less than a single minute.
Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng stared wide-eyed, slowly turning their heads to look at each other.
Runsheng had drawn on movies, while Li Zhuiyuan had simulated countless possibilities in his mind. They had imagined every conceivable trajectory for tonight's events, but neither could have envisioned this.
Little Oriole had not appeared, yet the scene below was infinitely more horrific than anything she could have brought about.
Even if these people were water monkeys who deserved their fate, they had been living flesh and blood, and now they were stripped clean as effortlessly as peeling shrimp.
Among all the dead-flippers they had ever encountered, which one could have produced such a calamity?
Below, the flayed Secretary Jin stopped screaming. She staggered to her feet, picked up a flashlight from her discarded clothes, switched it on, raised it above her head, and began waving it in deliberate circles, left and right.
She was transmitting a signal.
Soon, answering beams flickered from the six observation posts on the perimeter, descending steadily.
Li Zhuiyuan realized with a jolt: she was deliberately signaling her comrades to draw them in.
And the moment they arrived...
Why was she doing this?
A thought struck Li Zhuiyuan: *That thing wants everyone who knows what happened here to keep the secret forever.*
Was their current hiding spot still safe?
"Xiao Yuan, what's happening to them? I didn't see anyone attack—"
Below, Secretary Jin, who had been facing away from the house, lowered her arm and began turning her body around.
Li Zhuiyuan hissed, "Run!"
Runsheng froze for a fraction of a second, then lunged toward the roof hatch. As he reached to pull it open, Li Zhuiyuan slapped his back repeatedly.
"No time! Jump straight down—there's a woodpile behind the house!"
"Alright!"
Without hesitation, Runsheng bounded forward and vaulted off the edge.
There was indeed a woodpile below, but it wasn't tall, leaving a substantial drop from the rooftop. Runsheng lost his footing upon landing, crashing down sideways as sharp twigs tore into his skin.
Without a single groan, he forced himself upright and turned his face skyward just as Li Zhuiyuan jumped.
Runsheng threw his arms up and caught the boy.
Even so, Li Zhuiyuan felt the wind knocked out of him, his ribs throbbing with sharp pain. His nose grazed Runsheng's arm, and warm blood began trickling out.
A reckless descent like this was bound to take its toll.
"Xiao Yuan, you alright?"
"Run..."
Li Zhuiyuan pointed forward. Runsheng nodded, hoisted the boy onto his back, leaped off the woodpile, darted across the village road, and plunged into the crops ahead.
They no longer had to worry about being spotted by the perimeter sentries: the lookouts had abandoned their high posts and were rushing toward the pond.
Runsheng sprinted through the rice paddies with the boy on his back. Rice stalks lashed against their faces with stinging, slicing sharpness.
Under the circumstances, that sensation was deeply unnerving—there was no telling whether it was the rice leaves cutting them or their own skin beginning to split.
Li Zhuiyuan was bleeding. He tried tilting his head back to stem the flow, but Runsheng's bounding stride made it impossible.
Runsheng was bleeding too, terrified to the core, not daring to slow down.
In all his years of accompanying his grandfather to retrieve corpses, he had never witnessed anything so horrifying.
At long last, Runsheng broke out of the fields, hit the path, and sprinted non-stop until he reached their home courtyard.
In the workshop, Tan Wenbin had long fallen asleep.
Suddenly the door was shoved open, and two blood-soaked figures stumbled inside, scaring him pale.
Li Zhuiyuan lifted his head, tore some paper to roll into plugs, and jammed them into his nostrils.
With great effort, he finally managed to halt the nosebleed. He massaged his chest; though his ribs still ached, there seemed to be no lasting damage.
Runsheng picked up a pair of tweezers and began pulling out the wooden splinters embedded in his flesh one by one.
Once they had patched themselves up, the two sat facing each other, panting heavily.
Runsheng's eyes were filled with helpless dread; he was thoroughly shaken.
Li Zhuiyuan's gaze was hollow; this was far beyond anything he had prepared for.
Even the havoc wrought by the Lady Bais paled in comparison to the bizarre horror of tonight.
At least the Lady Bais' methods were comprehensible and could be countered, but what had just happened at Big Beard's fish pond defied all logic.
Even now, Li Zhuiyuan felt a deep sense of unreality. Why was such a monstrosity buried in Siyuan Village?
Merely unsealing the tomb had stripped an entire crowd of their flesh. Just how terrible was the entity resting within?
Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but wonder: could Auntie Liu even handle this?
Seeing them like this, Tan Wenbin knew something catastrophic had occurred. Burning with curiosity, he tried to catch their attention, but the two seemed to have completely forgotten he was still bound and gagged. He could only writhe in place, wriggling like a delighted maggot.
Finally, their eyes landed on him, both wearing expressions of startled realization.
Tan Wenbin paused, then wriggled even more frantically. *What kind of look is that? You really forgot I was here?!*
Runsheng untied him. Tan Wenbin opened his mouth to ask, but immediately pressed his thighs together and dashed on tiptoe out of the workshop to the latrine.
"Xiao Yuan, my skin feels kind of itchy, but I'm afraid to scratch it."
Li Zhuiyuan looked up and saw that Runsheng's skin was flushed a dull, dark red.
He quickly looked down at himself; his own skin was taking on a reddish tint as well.
"Xiao Yuan, are we going to end up like them?"
"No. If it was going to happen, it would have happened already."
"I'm going to rinse off with well water." Runsheng hurried out of the workshop.
Relieved, Tan Wenbin walked back inside. Harboring no grudge, he leaned in eagerly and asked, "Tell me, what on earth happened?"
"Binbin-ge, wait for Runsheng-ge to tell you."
"Still rattled?"
Li Zhuiyuan nodded.
"That bad?" Tan Wenbin hesitated. "Should we... call the police right now?"
"No, absolutely not. No one can go near that place right now."
Dripping wet and clad only in shorts, a barefoot Runsheng walked back in. "Xiao Yuan, the well water works! The redness on my skin is gone! Come on, let me douse you too."
Though he couldn't fathom the mechanism behind it, Li Zhuiyuan followed him out. Several buckets of cold well water were dumped over his head, making his body shiver uncontrollably.
Yet the red hue suffusing his skin truly did fade away.
"Xiao Yuan, looks like we're fine."
"Yeah. Probably because we were farther away."
"And we ran fast. Good thing you told me to jump straight down. If we'd taken the stairs, we probably would've been cooked too."
Hearing that, an image involuntarily surfaced in Li Zhuiyuan's mind: a large slab of raw meat carrying a smaller slab of raw meat, sprinting through the rice paddies.
"Oh no!" Runsheng's expression changed abruptly.
"What is it?"
"The formation flags are still on the roof! And my corpse-retrieving gear—it's all left up there!"
Seeing Runsheng's crestfallen, pained expression, Li Zhuiyuan could only console him, "It's fine, Runsheng-ge. We can make another set of gear."
Then, to keep Runsheng from doing something reckless, Li Zhuiyuan warned him sternly, "Runsheng-ge, without my permission, you are not allowed to sneak back to get anything."
Runsheng waved his hands hurriedly. "I wouldn't dare! Truly, I'm scared out of my wits this time."
"Let's sleep. Get some rest first."
Li Zhuiyuan walked upstairs. Reaching his bedroom door, he turned and stared in the direction of Big Beard's house. After hesitating for a long time, he finally pushed the door open and went inside.
That night, Li Zhuiyuan had a dream. It was not walking the yin path, but a plain, horrific nightmare.
In the dream, he was still lying on the rooftop, watching the two rows of kneeling water monkeys below.
Over and over, they tore their way out of their skins, turning into bloody beasts;
Over and over, they crawled back into their skins, as if slipping back into clothes they had just discarded.
Throughout it all, his ears were filled with their agonized shrieks.
And from beginning to end, their eyes remained fixed on him perched upon the roof.
Whether it was a single nightmare right before waking or a recurring loop through the night, when Li Zhuiyuan could endure it no longer and leaped from the roof, the fall jolted him awake.
He turned his head anxiously. On a chair by the doorway, Ah Li sat holding a bowl.
Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes and lay back down.
Seeing that he was awake, Ah Li walked over with the bowl. This time, there was a small porcelain spoon inside.
She clearly didn't want to accidentally dump medicine all over his head again.
Li Zhuiyuan sat up and let her feed him. The spoon was large, and mouthful after mouthful, the medicine was quickly drained.
He had lost quite a bit of blood from his nose last night, so he truly needed the nourishment.
Setting the bowl down, the girl tilted her head and studied him, a look of perplexity in her eyes as if sensing his lingering distraction.
"Ah Li, last night, I saw something truly terrifying."
The girl took his hand of her own accord.
Li Zhuiyuan placed her hand over his chest. Feeling that softness and warmth, he closed his eyes and drifted off for a brief nap.
Yawning, Li Sanjiang came down the stairs. Having drunk too much the day before, his head was still somewhat groggy upon waking.
However, upon spotting the two figures sleeping curled up together across a single table,
he couldn't resist raising his voice to bark:
"You little rascals, what kind of sleeping posture is that!"
Tan Wenbin was jolted awake. He tried to squirm out of Runsheng's bear hug, but couldn't budge an inch, looking helplessly toward Li Sanjiang.
Yet Li Sanjiang merely cleared his throat with a scolding and strolled out into the courtyard to stretch his limbs.
"Breakfast is ready!"
Hearing Auntie Liu's call, Runsheng woke up; it was time to eat.
Xiao Yuan-hou had been terrified, and so had he. But while Xiao Yuan-hou had Ah Li, he only had A-Bin beside him.
Li Zhuiyuan led Ah Li downstairs, and everyone took their seats.
This time, Tan Wenbin switched places, going over to sit beside Li Sanjiang.
Liu Yumei studied Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng with curiosity; the two boys clearly hadn't rested well last night.
"Xiao Yuan, come here for a moment. Try some of Grandma's pastries."
Li Zhuiyuan stood up and walked over.
Liu Yumei handed him a pastry. "Did you have fun last night?"
Li Zhuiyuan didn't know how to answer.
Liu Yumei pressed, "Did you see blood?"
"Yes, a lot of blood."
"Your doing?"
"We didn't do anything."
Liu Yumei took a bite of a crisp pastry, mildly surprised. "Then Grandma really misjudged them. Just the tallest among dwarves after all, were they?"
"No, you didn't misjudge. There truly is a lord on the mountain."
"Meaning?"
"They were flayed in a single bite."
"Flayed?" Liu Yumei struggled to make sense of the word; "swallowed in a single bite" would have been far easier to comprehend.
Li Zhuiyuan dearly wanted to explain everything that had happened last night to Grandma Liu, but in this household, one had to speak in riddles.
"Alright, I'm full." Li Sanjiang set down his bowl of porridge and stood up.
Auntie Liu said, "There's still more in the pot."
"Drank and ate too much yesterday, left me with no appetite today.
"Tomorrow there's a zhaishi in the west village. Runsheng-hou, come with me to Big Beard's... oh, right, to Old Ding's place, to collect our tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks so we can send them over to the west village this afternoon. Oh, and we loaned out a pair of lanterns yesterday—make sure we don't leave those behind."
Cradling a massive basin of porridge in the corner, Runsheng shrank back and pretended not to hear.
"Hey, Runsheng-hou, I'm talking to you! Did you hear me?"
"Daye, I'm not feeling well today."
"Fine, not feeling well, eh? Then I'll go myself. I'm not so old I can't walk."
With that, Li Sanjiang went to wheel out the handcart.
Abandoning their breakfast, Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng rushed over.
"Great-Grandpa, Runsheng-ge and I will go collect them this afternoon. You don't have to go."
Runsheng chimed in, "Yeah, I'll go this afternoon."
Li Sanjiang looked at Runsheng, reaching out to feel his forehead. "No fever. What's hurting?"
"Just a little off, nothing serious."
"Hmph." Li Sanjiang let out a dry laugh, fished some bills from his pocket, and held them out to Runsheng. "After breakfast, go over to Zheng Datong's clinic and get checked properly. If you need a shot, get a shot; if you need pills, take pills."
Runsheng felt too embarrassed to take the money; he was only faking illness.
Li Zhuiyuan took the bills and tucked them into Runsheng's pocket.
"Great-Grandpa, I'll go with Runsheng-ge shortly. Once we see Zheng Datong, we'll collect the bowls, chopsticks, and lanterns."
"Only if you're up to it. If there's any problem, call for me."
Li Sanjiang released the cart handles, took out a cigarette, and lit it. True to his habit, he was ready for a post-meal stroll.
"Great-Grandpa, I'll walk with you."
"You haven't finished your breakfast."
"Just like you, I ate too well and too much yesterday. My stomach feels bloated today, can't eat another bite."
"You hardly ate anything yesterday. It was that Zhuangzhuang who ate like a horse."
Shoveling porridge into his mouth, Tan Wenbin looked up in confusion. "Daye, my name is Binbin."
"Come on, Great-Grandpa, let's take a walk."
"Alright."
Li Sanjiang always enjoyed strolling with Xiao Yuan-hou.
Li Zhuiyuan, however, was terrified that Li Sanjiang's walk would drift toward Big Beard's house; sticking close was the only way to be safe.
Sure enough, the moment they stepped onto the village road, Li Sanjiang headed straight toward Big Beard's place.
"Great-Grandpa, let's go to the convenience store."
"What are you going to the store for this early? It isn't even open yet. I'll take you there later."
"Then how about we visit Grandma Liu?"
"I don't have much to chat about with Blind Liu."
"Then let's walk that way, the scenery's nice."
"Since when does a village have good or bad scenery? Come on, Xiao Yuan-hou, let's go check out your future house."
"My future house..."
"Once Old Ding kicks the bucket, won't that house be yours? Come on, let's see if he's kicked it yet, heh."
"Great-Grandpa, they just had their housewarming. Isn't it inappropriate to disturb them so early?"
"What's inappropriate about it? It's a housewarming, not a wedding night."
After a few more steps, Li Sanjiang halted on his own, pondering:
"Actually, you have a point. God only knows what that secretary of his is really for—probably still tucked under the quilt together right now."
"Exactly."
A grin broke across Li Sanjiang's face, and he picked up his pace. "Ha! Then I definitely have to go take a look!"
Seeing that cajoling wouldn't work, Li Zhuiyuan had no choice but to grab Li Sanjiang's arm and speak the plain truth: "Great-Grandpa, something terrible happened at Big Beard's house last night. The entire opera troupe, including Uncle Ding, were all skinned alive. They died horribly."
"Xiao Yuan-hou, what kind of wild tale are you spinning first thing in the morning?"
"Great-Grandpa, I'm telling the truth."
"Fake as fake can be, haha."
Li Zhuiyuan felt utterly helpless. It was always like this: at the critical moment, Great-Grandpa never believed him.
"Xiao Yuan-hou, look, here come your skinned people."
Li Zhuiyuan looked up in bewilderment. A truck laden with loudspeakers and stage gear was rumbling toward them down the road. Four people sat in the cab, while several others stood in the open bed.
Every single one of them belonged to yesterday's opera troupe. Every single one was completely unharmed.
Seeing Li Sanjiang, the driver honked the horn.
The troupe members in the back waved warmly in greeting:
"Daye Li, out early!"
"Sure am, just taking a stroll! You performed all night, and you're up this early too?"
"Got to rush to the next gig, have to make do with sleeping in the truck!"
"Must be exhausting!"
"See you later, Daye Li!"
"See you!"
Li Sanjiang waved back at the troupe, and soon the truck faded into the distance.
"Xiao Yuan-hou, next time you make up a story, at least make it believable. That's the only way you'll write good essays."
Li Zhuiyuan stared at the dwindling truck, his hands and feet turning ice-cold.
It was impossible. He knew for certain it hadn't been a dream, nor an illusion, nor walking the yin path—he had seen those water monkeys flayed alive with his very own eyes!
Then what in the world was with the living people on that truck?
"Sanjiang-hou, good morning!"
"Morning, Lin-hou! Out for a walk too?"
"Aye, getting old, need less sleep. By the way, I've had your tables, chairs, bowls, and lanterns packed up already. When are you coming to haul them back?"
"This afternoon. The mule at home isn't feeling well, taking him to see the doctor first."
"Oh, I see. My, isn't this Xiao Yuan-hou? What an obedient boy, accompanying his great-grandpa on a morning walk!"
"Of course, my Xiao Yuan-hou is the most filial and well-behaved. Come, Xiao Yuan-hou, say hello to your Uncle Ding."
In truth, the moment he heard that voice, Li Zhuiyuan's body had stiffened.
Now, turning around with great effort, his eyes were filled with sheer disbelief.
Because,
with Secretary Jin supporting Ding Dalin by the arm, the two were standing right before him.
Chapter 39