Chapter Nine, The Past of the Hunting Brigade

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The old woman hesitated to speak, her grizzled hair and pained expression revealing her distress as she looked at me in shock. After repeated questioning, she finally spoke up; it turned out she had received a notification to go to the county police station to identify a body, and the deceased was likely her old partner. This was the first time the elderly woman had ventured out, as she had previously lived in the mountains and had only moved down a little over a month ago, so she was not familiar with her new neighbors and had come alone.

What did you say? The old woman's complexion changed suddenly, and her eyes were filled with terror

"You, how did you know?" the old woman stammered as she asked.

So it is, this naked infant statue must have been brought back home by Wu Zitan from Laos

A dull rumbling sound approached, and the passengers beneath the vehicle erupted into a chaotic cheer. A large yellow bulldozer, dispatched by the highway department, was driving down the road. The bulldozer driver quickly assessed the situation and immediately got to work. It seemed that it would not be long before the road could be reopened.

"Who are you?" she asked with a trembling voice

It is unclear from which year the mice began to attack humans. In the village, children are often bitten by mice while they sleep, and some infants have even had their ears and toes bitten off. One autumn, a geologist named Wu Zitan fell ill and returned to his hometown, and it was from that winter onward that the mice began to kill for the first time.

"The wind is howling," the old woman replied.

Not long ago, Old Xiao took advantage of Wu Zitan's wife being away from the house while Wu Zitan was in a deep sleep to secretly take out the ghost baby, intending to destroy and dispose of it. However, he later thought it would be better to mix it in with some fake antiques and sell it for some money instead

The old woman hesitated and nodded slightly, her voice low, beginning to recount events from many years ago

"Grandma, what is wrong with you?" I asked

What on earth is this child? My heart shuddered once again

I have decided to apply a bit more pressure on the old lady

Is your partner's surname Xiao? One of his eyes is not in good condition I suppressed my inner excitement and asked as calmly as possible

The old woman stopped her crying, realizing she had spoken out of turn, and merely kept wiping her swollen eyes, unwilling to say another word

The term "Lielie Pai" is in the Miao language, meaning "Mouse Flat." Since ancient times, the mountain village has been particularly infested with mice, visible everywhere around the houses both day and night. They not only steal food but also frequently kill chickens, ducks, and other poultry. Initially, the villagers raised some cats, believing they could control the rampant mouse population. However, the mice showed no fear; they swarmed and tore the cats apart one by one. The villagers, left with no choice, resorted to poisoning. At first, they did manage to kill a few small mice, but soon the mice refused to eat the poisoned bait. No matter how it was disguised, the mice could detect it with a sniff. The villagers initially raised some cats, believing they could control the rampant mouse population. However, the mice showed no fear; they swarmed and tore the cats apart one by one. The villagers, left with no choice, resorted to poisoning. At first, they did manage to kill a few small mice, but soon the mice refused to eat the poisoned bait. No matter how it was disguised, the mice could detect it with a sniff.

Oh, everyone in the county knows that the matter of Old Man Xiao has long been spread around

In the evening, the bus arrived at the county town

My name is Huangfu Xiaoming, and I am a cultural relic inspector in the county. I know your husband, Old Man Xiao. Last night, I also went to Lielie Pai and met Wu Zitan. I spoke as gently as possible, fearing that I might frighten the old lady.

I got up and walked over, hearing the sound of footsteps. The old woman raised her head, her eyes swollen and red.

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Strangely, ever since the ghost doll was stolen, a large number of owls have suddenly appeared around the hunting grounds...

It seems my inference was correct; this naked infant must have been obtained by Old Xiao from Wu Zitan, because among all those associated with the strange infant, apart from my father, only Wu Zitan has been to Southeast Asia, and he is also acquainted with Pasum

"I have long said that the ghostly doll is inauspicious, but he just wouldn't listen, wuwu..." the old woman said in a soft whimper.

In the village, first some elderly, weak, sick, and disabled individuals died, and later even the young and strong gradually succumbed, mostly bitten to death during their deep sleep at night. Some of the corpses were found partially devoured and mutilated. The villagers were filled with terror, and one household after another moved away from the area. In the end, only the Wu family and Old Man Xiao remained.

Last night, Wu Zitan was bitten to death I said casually

"Mother-in-law, could you tell me about that ghost child?" I said softly

A sudden tightness gripped my heart, and I guessed who she was.

At this moment, the sound of the bus driver shouting could be heard, as passengers boarded the bus one after another. The road had been cleared, and it was possible to continue the journey.

Old man Xiao and his wife suspect that the ghost child is an evil entity, perhaps a rat spirit or something similar. Otherwise, how could it be that ever since Wu Zitan brought the ghost child back to the village, the rats in the village have started to commit murder?

"Oh, how did you know?" The old woman exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise

A faint sound of sobbing caught my attention, emanating from a row of seats to the side and behind me. I looked over and saw an elderly village woman in black clothing, her head bowed as she wiped away her tears. Her sharp shoulders and solitary, helpless figure evoked a sense of pity.

At this moment, it seems that I have gained a bit of understanding in my mind

"Where do you originally live, Grandma?" I asked

The old woman did not understand my meaning, and looked at me in confusion, saying: "It's just one."

"Wu Zitan," I said softly

I sat beside the old woman, continuously comforting her

The discovery of the ghost doll was a chance occurrence. Old Xiao, in a hidden corner of the Wu family home, came across a small shrine, which was usually covered by a cloth curtain. Inside, there was a statue of a ghost doll from Southeast Asia, and the Wu family often burned incense and made offerings at midnight, which was quite eerie

I smiled slightly and said in a lowered voice, "The ghost doll was obtained from Wu Zitan, wasn't it?"

"This is really true." The old woman began to cry again

The old woman recounted up to this point, and could not help but shiver involuntarily

I saw the old woman's complexion gradually returning to normal, and her expression slowly relaxing.

The old woman had a pale complexion, with cold sweat seeping from her temples

Is the doll a single entity, or is it conjoined? I asked