Chapter 005: The Coffin is Raised

What nonsense! When you usually have me assist you, why don't you treat me like a child? These terrifying corpses, are they something a child of my age should be exposed to?

Still in shock, I recounted the events of the past few days. My uncle furrowed his brow and remained silent. After a long while, he squeezed out a sentence through clenched teeth: "The burial will take place at noon the day after tomorrow"

This time, there is no need for them; I have already found four outsiders. Uncle San said this while concentrating on drawing the burial map, without raising his head.

I still feel a lingering fear when I think back to that time; had it not been for my uncle's timely return, I cannot imagine what terrifying events might have unfolded.

For instance, the female corpse that was buried this time exudes an aura of malevolence both inside and out, clearly indicating that there is an issue. This is not something that can be casually buried and forgotten; it must be handled by experts like us, who will identify a special geomantic location and arrange the burial to resolve the situation

After I finish my work, I will ask Uncle San whether I should notify Zhang Dashan and the others first. Zhang Dashan, Wang Mingbu, and the other two are the pallbearers who have been collaborating with our family. Since the burial is scheduled for noon tomorrow, it is necessary to inform them in advance.

The coffin fell to the ground halfway, which is extremely inauspicious. I felt a bit flustered and did not know what to do for a moment. My third uncle took out seven copper coins and arranged them in a line on the coffin, then he took out three talismans and burned them in front of the coffin, instructing them to continue lifting it up

However, I did not expect that an incident would still occur

However, when the boat reached the middle of the river, an incident occurred

However, my uncle paid no attention to my doubts. I stood beside him watching him draw the map, and after a while, I was suddenly startled, cold sweat streaming down my back.

In summary, my duty is to ensure that the deceased appear as presentable as possible for their final journey, providing some comfort to the bereaved family.

What the hell! Does this matter not concern me? If you have the ability, then don't tell me! It would be much better to handle the matter quietly by yourself!

I asked him if there were any gains from this trip, but he did not say anything. He only mentioned that such matters are not for children to concern themselves with

Since the implementation of cremation in rural areas, we have not been completely devoid of burials. Generally, these are arranged for the night to be conducted discreetly, in order to avoid attracting attention. However, this time, my third uncle has scheduled the burial for noon.

After walking for nearly over a mile, an incident occurred. Four tall and strong pallbearers, their faces pale as they were weighed down by a coffin on their shoulders, ultimately could not endure any longer. Their legs gave way, and they set the coffin down on the ground.

Why is this coffin getting heavier the more we lift it! The four outsiders are panting like oxen, exhausted and howling.

I do not know if it is a psychological effect, but these few people said that the coffin is indeed much lighter, yet it is still heavy and hard to bear. My third uncle instructed me to take a detour towards the dock. Upon arrival, I discovered that a boat was waiting for us, as my third uncle had already anticipated this situation.

Before the coffin was closed, Uncle San recited the Rebirth Mantra once, and then placed a small yellow flag in front of the coffin

I find it somewhat strange that Zhang Dashan and his team have collaborated with our family for many years, developing a strong mutual understanding and possessing solid technical skills. Why is it that this time we chose not to engage them and instead sought out a few outsiders

You old thing... Could it be that you are looking for a scapegoat...

No matter what, with Uncle San at home, I can finally sleep soundly until dawn

The reason why that group of people stealthily delivered the coffin to my home, instead of directly taking it for cremation or finding a place to bury it, is precisely this.

These individuals must have known about the issues with the corpse long ago, yet they chose to conceal it, fearing that we would not accept it

I was in a daze and couldn't recall what had just happened. My third uncle said that as soon as he returned, he found broken bowls and copper coins scattered everywhere in the room. Upon seeing me on top of the female corpse in the coffin, he shouted loudly, waking me up.

In fact, I also understand that the reason my third uncle is so eager to proceed with the burial is likely because he has realized that the deaths of the two of them are related to the female corpse in our home. Our family has been in this line of work for some time, and we are accustomed to some strange occurrences. We know that if we allow this corpse to remain any longer, both my uncle and I, along with the entire village, will inevitably suffer the consequences

I suddenly realized the reasoning behind this. The reason for not inviting familiar faces like Zhang Dashan and Wang Mingbu is likely because Uncle San has already anticipated that this burial is extremely perilous. The bearers of the coffin inherently have the most unclean and inauspicious role; if any mishap occurs during the burial process, the bearers of the coffin will be the first to bear the brunt.

The next morning, I began to apply makeup to the corpse. Generally, the first step is to wash the body with clean water, followed by trimming the hair and nails. For some bodies that have suffered significant damage due to accidents such as car crashes, it is also necessary to perform body repair and suturing.

Uncle San chuckled a few times and remarked that the quality of this flag was too poor, breaking with just a little force. The four outsiders, upon hearing this, did not pay much attention. However, my heart was tightly clenched because I noticed cold sweat forming on Uncle San's forehead

This is also an unavoidable situation. The task we received this time is truly too sinister, and we simply do not dare to travel at night. At noon, when the yang energy is at its peak, we can use this to suppress the malevolent energy of the corpse. Before we set out, my uncle and I made thorough preparations.

This matter was decided by me and has nothing to do with you. Do not waste words; children should not overthink.

That night, I did not sleep a wink. My uncle gave me three options, and as long as I made up my mind, he would do as I said. For the first time in all these years, I felt the difficulty of making a choice

Burial? I was taken aback. The body inside is likely related to the Lin family's girl, and under such unclear circumstances, how can it be buried

We will pack our things and leave overnight. "Uncle San smiled and said to me, 'This way, we can preserve our lives, avoid the torment of conscience, and we won't have to do anything at all. Isn't this a good idea?'"

Uncle San finally glanced at me and said with a cold smile, "Since your mind is so set, this time you shall take charge. If you say we shall bury it, then we shall bury it; if you say we shall not bury it, then we shall not bury it. Is that acceptable?"

Is there really no other way? I am unwilling to accept this

Uncle San waved his hand, urging me to quickly return to bed and prepare for the burial arrangements early tomorrow morning. I did not continue to argue with him; this old fellow is a repressed tyrant. He appears lazy and amiable on the surface, but once he becomes authoritarian, he is utterly inhumane

"The death of a few outsiders is certainly better than the death of Zhang Dashan and the others." Uncle's voice was calm and unperturbed, as if he were discussing something trivial, sending a chill through my entire body

I do not know what is happening, I unexpectedly find myself in a coffin, sitting on top of a female corpse, unaware of what I am doing

I heard the voice of my third uncle, who had returned from outside at some unknown time, standing in the hall with a bag on his back. My face turned pale as I scrambled out of the coffin, and upon looking around the room, I saw that it was flooded with water, and fragments of copper coins and the bowls for the life lamps were scattered everywhere, while the candle flames had long since extinguished

Uncle San called out, "Clear the way!" I went ahead with talismans and paper money to pave the way. The four outsiders joined forces to lift the coffin, and we proceeded towards the burial site that Uncle San had predetermined.

I took a deep breath and said, can we not bury him? Although this outsider is not familiar to us, he is still a human life. Is it not against the principles of morality for us to act this way?

At that moment, I also found it quite novel, as it was my first time witnessing a flag being lowered before a coffin. However, I soon turned pale, for as soon as that small flag was planted, it snapped in half with a crack. Although I did not understand what this meant, I knew it certainly was not a good omen

Uncle San continued to draw, saying there was a way. I felt a surge of joy in my heart and hurriedly asked what the method was

The next day, I woke up with two dark circles under my eyes and found my third uncle, asking, "When are those four people coming? Should I go and urge them?"

Uncle San glanced at me and instructed me to go cook first, while he would take care of the other matters.

Uncle San set down the bag and pulled me over to open my eyes wide and take a closer look

However, the corpse before me requires little effort on my part; it is well-preserved and its appearance is excellent. There is no need for me to embellish it further; I only need to tidy up her hair and dress. Speaking of which, I feel both sympathy and fear for this girl, who is the same age as me, and my emotions are quite complex.

Uncle San was engrossed in drawing the burial map. This involves another aspect of our profession, which is Feng Shui. Feng Shui is quite intricate and varies from person to person. For instance, in ancient times, nobles and high-ranking officials had to be situated near mountains, preferably with water, to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, thereby benefiting their descendants

I was feeling a bit stubborn, just about to say "I will come, I will come," when suddenly I thought of Er Laizi and Wang Bolai

The four outsiders that Uncle San found are said to be drifters who usually do not have proper jobs. This is understandable, as who in their right mind would want to carry a coffin for someone else? Although these individuals had never done coffin-carrying work before, each of them was tall and strong, with robust physiques. Moreover, Uncle San offered a high price, so they worked quite diligently.