Chapter 3, Old Man Xiao

After approximately one hour of walking, as I turned around the foot of a mountain, the flashlight's batteries ran out completely, leaving it entirely dark.

I quietly took a few steps back, reflecting on the fact that this item had cost me twenty yuan, and that this six-fingered infant, who shared my genetic heritage, had passed away before birth... Perhaps its ancestors had some connection to the Huangfu family... I returned, parted the grass, gently brushed off the dirt clinging to the naked infant's body, and ultimately placed it back into my pocket

"Xiao Ming, you are here again?" In the corridor, Director Wang was changing into casual clothes and was about to leave

Ah, let's leave after we have eaten." The father revealed a loving gaze, knowing that working as a cultural relic inspector often requires frequent outings.

"Hmm, your mother is a beauty from the lower Yangtze River, with very fair skin. As the ancients said, the two states of Su and Hang produce beautiful women, and it is indeed true..." Director Wang seemed to be lost in distant memories, softly sighing as he said, "She is from Huzhou, Zhejiang, and speaks with a soft and melodious Wu dialect, which is very pleasant to hear. Back in the day, she could be considered the most beautiful woman in our small county." A faint smile appeared on Director Wang's face.

My mother is very beautiful, isn't she? I asked, as my father always says my mother is stunning; I should hear what outsiders have to say.

It was only about seven or eight miles away. I looked up at the sky; since I was here, I had to get to the bottom of it. My stubbornness kicked in, and so I resolutely walked deeper into the mountains

In the early morning, the fine rain that had persisted throughout the night began to cease, and a mist hung in the air, appearing both vague and elusive. As early risers passed by the dilapidated side hall of the City God Temple, they discovered the lifeless body of the one-eyed old man, who typically rested in that eerie hall during the two days of the temple fair on the first day of each lunar month. The face of the corpse was extremely grotesque, filled with terror, with even the grayish-white blind eye wide open.

I found the address he registered at the time, which is a place called "Lielie Pai" by the banks of the Youshui River in the Wuling Mountains. In the local Miao dialect of Xiangxi, "Lielie" means mouse, and "Pai" means flatland, so in Mandarin it translates to Mouse Flat. As the name suggests, there must be a lot of mice there

In a moment, the moon rises from the eastern mountains, and the earth is enveloped in clarity. The mountain path winds through the area illuminated by ghostly flames. As I approach, the green glow that was once flickering has vanished. Looking down, I find that it is indeed a graveyard, with seventy to eighty mounds of earth of various sizes scattered among the thickets of weeds.

At this moment, a thought suddenly occurred to me; I should inquire with Director Wang about the brainwaves of the naked infant statue. He has been an acquaintance of my father's for many years, and it is said that he was the one who delivered me at birth

I heard there are still one or two households left said the old man as he walked away

"When you come back, your father will definitely cook meat for you." I heard my father's voice behind me, tinged with a sense of apology.

Well, I had no choice but to leave the hospital. Director Wang was carrying a bag and heading to the bus station, which was conveniently on the way.

If we set off at this time, we should be able to reach the banks of the You River by nightfall; as for whether we can find the "Lielie Pai," it will depend on luck.

I quickly found a pen and paper to jot down the address, locked the filing cabinet, and hurriedly left the office with the * map * book

The sky grew darker, and the mountain path became rugged and uneven. The peaks on both sides loomed ominously, as if they were about to collapse. Trees and bamboo groves were concealed in the darkness, and there was not a single passerby on the road, only the sound of one's own footsteps crunching on the gravel.

The long-distance bus jolted through the towering peaks of the Wuling Mountains, with only a few passengers on board, all of whom were short-distance travelers. As dusk approached, we finally arrived by the banks of the Youshui River. I got off at a small station by the provincial road and asked an elderly man squatting by the roadside and smoking a water pipe for directions.

I subconsciously touched the statue in my pocket, increasingly feeling that the origin of this naked infant was somewhat suspicious, an ominous object. No wonder when I saw its small eyes last night, I seemed to sense an inexplicable evil.

"Dad, I need to go on a business trip and will be back in a day or two," I said to my father

I stood there in a daze, while those owls merely stared at me with their bright green eyes, silently observing me.

In the small county town, people are accustomed to disdainfully referring to those involved in tomb raiding as "ghosts". Old man Xiao has been tinkering with some unearthed items such as copper coins and porcelain bowls to sell for many years, and he is naturally regarded as an old ghost

I was taken aback and hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "Old man, is there not a single household over there?"

Since childhood, I have not been afraid of walking at night, but I have never encountered a situation like this before. In an instant, I vaguely felt a chill at the back of my neck, goosebumps rose all over my body, and my heart felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, becoming cold. My legs suddenly became unable to move...

"I heard from my father that you were the one who delivered me?" I casually remarked

Yes, Director Wang nodded

Alas, it is a pity that "beauties have short lives since ancient times". To die so young... I cannot help but feel a surge of emotion, my nose slightly tinged with sorrow

I glanced at the simple vegetarian dishes in the bowl again, sighed and said, "Alas, it's again greens and tofu; I won't eat it, I'm in a hurry." I entered the east room, tidied up a bit, and turned to leave with my canvas bag.

I turned and left, walking into the wilds behind the City God Temple. I took out the statue and held it in my palm, observing it. This object was likely excavated from some grave, and it was certainly not very clean. Therefore, I raised my hand and tossed it into the grass.

Someone immediately reported the case, the police cordoned off the area, and after investigating the scene, they removed the body

It is unknown how far we have run, but finally, lights have appeared in the woods ahead.

For a long time, I approached with a breath, trying to move my steps, slowly walking forward. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of those green eyes that showed no reaction, so I stumbled and began to run rapidly.

The roadside and the forest are dotted with flickering green lights, which are fireflies from the mountains. There is an ancient legend about people catching fireflies and putting them in bags to read by their light. I casually caught one and held it in the palm of my hand; the glow was gentle, with the light emanating from the insect's abdomen. However, soon, that faint green light gradually dimmed.

I looked ahead at the dark woods with frustration and was surprised to find several silent, glowing green will-o'-the-wisps moving about. I knew that will-o'-the-wisps are a phenomenon caused by the spontaneous combustion of phosphorus released from decomposing bodies, so I was not afraid and cautiously approached them

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A year ago, Old Man Xiao was found to have been trading several pieces of porcelain from the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, which were discovered by the county's cultural relics office. Since those pieces were not produced by official kilns, he was merely fined and the matter was resolved.

Upon returning home, I saw my father preparing lunch. A glance revealed the same old dish of greens and tofu, with a few boiled eggs tucked under the ceramic bowl.

It is likely that there is a malfunction with the machine. We are still not very familiar with this newly introduced equipment. I have to leave for a business trip immediately, as there is a meeting at the provincial capital organized by the Health Department. Once I return, please bring that statue for a separate scan and conduct a thorough analysis and study.

Director Wang seems to be completely immersed in the memories of the past, with a particularly distant look in his eyes

Old Xiao is not a local, and his death may possibly be related to grave robbing. I just purchased that petrified fetus of a naked infant last night, and this morning he died suddenly. What a coincidence... There is an inexplicable sense of foreboding in my heart.

The public security in this small county town in Xiangxi has always been very good, and there have been no homicide cases for two years; this incident can be considered a major event in the local area.

Under the cold moonlight, on every mound of earth atop the graves, there surprisingly crouches an owl

"Well, I would like to ask you again about that statue," I said

It must have been a case of black eating black that took the old ghost's life, the stall owner muttered to himself

The old man, seeing my hesitation, let out a grunt and stood up. As he was about to leave, he dropped a remark: "The people there have all moved away, leaving only the rats and the graveyard"

Indeed, after traversing mountains and rivers, I now question whether this journey to the You River is worthwhile. Old man Xiao, with one eye, is already dead. Will there be any answers I seek in his home? I am also unsure whether the Public Security Bureau has discovered the deceased's address; I hope I do not encounter them, as it would be difficult to explain then

On the way to the long-distance bus station, I passed by the entrance of the county hospital

"The fierce wind blows, and the mountain road stretches for seven or eight miles. What are you going there for?" The old man gazed at me with a hesitant look and asked slowly.

The world speaks of the mystery of Xiangxi, where the mountains are high and the forests dense, the valleys are deep and the caves numerous. The elevation difference between Xuefeng Mountain and the Wuling Mountain range is significant, with ravines and gorges abounding, and the mountain paths are rugged, blocking out the sun. Since ancient times, this place has been home to those who transport corpses, practice witchcraft, and perform the She opera, as well as a good location for those seeking to retreat from the world and cultivate themselves.

Returning to the cultural relics management office, I walked into the office, and indeed, the old director was not at work. I opened the filing cabinet and quickly found the registration book that recorded the dealings with antique dealers, soon locating the page that documented Old Man Xiao.

Today is the weekend, and since the old director has not come to work until now, he must have gone back to his hometown, and will not return until Monday. This gives me more than two days of time, so I might as well take a trip to Lielie to see if I can find some clues about the origins of the naked baby statue. I always feel that it seems to have some connection with our Huangfu family, as there are not many people in this world with six fingers.

I took out the flashlight, and the faint light barely illuminated the road ahead. Sigh, it should have been replaced with new batteries long ago