Chapter 10, Ghost Footprints

Just as I was about to give up and let everything fall apart with my eyes closed, a sudden clanging sound emerged from Niu Niu's room, resembling the sound of metal striking metal. The sound was not loud, yet it seemed to possess a captivating power, resonating deep within the soul, compelling one to pay attention.

Moments later, the man in black emerged from the inner hall, nodded slightly at Ghost Chen, who then stood up and lightly instructed everyone not to enter. He then carried Niuniu and walked towards the inner hall.

I quickly recounted the sequence of events. The ghost, Chen, nodded thoughtfully and asked lightly, "What are her symptoms?"

Too, too enthusiastic! I can hardly handle it, thinking to myself with so many people here, how embarrassing this is, they might think I haven't weaned yet

I ran all the way back to Old Wang's house, where an oil lamp was lit, indicating that they had returned. I burst through the door and shouted, "Quick, Uncle, save someone!" Everyone was gathered in the room, and they seemed to have been back for quite some time. Upon seeing me, each of them looked as if they had seen a ghost.

No rush! No rush at all! Do you know that saving a person is like putting out a fire? Even someone as despicable as I am has felt a pang of compassion; your heart must be made of iron! I can't help but want to curse, and before I even open my mouth, the ghost Chen says: "How do we bring a person back?"

I am just an ordinary person, an unemployed psychiatrist. Such an unremarkable background is common on the streets, and encounters like this, reminiscent of a horror film, oh heavens, may it never happen again.

For instance, if a person's blood vessels are moderately flexible and a vibrant green in color, that is considered optimal. Conversely, if the veins are prominent or dark in color, it indicates an excess of toxins in the body. I can identify these minor issues, but this is the first time I have heard about the darkening of the three major acupoints

The little yellow dog curled its lips, lowered its voice, and said to me: "Playing tricks."

Moments later, the man in black somehow procured a pile of glutinous rice. It was the dead of night, and he spread the rice from the inner hall all the way to the door, finally stopping at my feet

After Uncle finished speaking, the ghost Chen squinted his eyes. Just when I thought he was about to fall asleep, the ghost Chen suddenly perked up his ears and said something to the burly man in black beside him. He then added, "I will save the person."

I stood still, stretching my neck to see what was happening inside. Just then, I felt a sudden cool breeze behind me, and immediately, a chill ran down my neck. That sensation instantly reminded me of the feeling when that female corpse had kissed my neck.

The uncle hesitated for a moment, shook his head, and said: "Miss, my medical skills are limited. How about... you try taking her to a major hospital in the city."

I was just about to say, "What business is it of yours?" when my uncle seemed to remember something, kicked me in the backside, and said, "Kid, where did you bring this person from? Hurry up and tell me! We still have a doctor here!"

I understand now; it seems that my uncle is placing his hopes on the Chen family. Although our current situation is urgent, as our ancestors said: "A physician's heart is that of a parent." Even though many of my peers have forgotten this saying, there are still a few who uphold the ancestral philosophy. My uncle is one such person; when it comes to patients, he can become extremely anxious.

I am somewhat confused and cannot figure out what is going on

I hurriedly set the person down and signaled to my uncle that saving the person was urgent. Soon, Niuniu was carried into the room by my uncle, and it was not until half an hour later that he came out, his face ashen. Looking at the room full of silent people, he finally shook his head and said, "This little girl is likely beyond saving." At that moment, the woman also rushed over upon hearing the news. Upon hearing this, she nearly fainted from crying and immediately wanted to kneel before my uncle, pleading, "Elder brother, you are a doctor; you cannot turn a blind eye. Please save her, save her!"

No matter what happens

But then I suddenly realized that something was amiss. Two days? What does that mean?

What on earth will happen

The sound of crying stunned everyone; the uncle was so surprised that he nearly jumped up, murmuring, "She’s awake... she actually woke up!" The woman could no longer contain herself, laughing and crying at the same time, wanting to rush in to see her daughter. However, the burly man in black blocked her with his arm and said with a serious expression, "If you want your daughter to live, just obediently wait outside." The tone he used was not that of a doctor, but rather resembled that of a gangster.

At that moment, Old Wang suddenly exclaimed: "Niu Niu!" He immediately stepped forward, ready to take the person off my back.

But what is the reason for the darkening of the three major acupoints

A twitch at the corner of my mouth made me feel that my worldview, built over more than twenty years, had completely collapsed

The man from the Han dynasty spoke little along the way, but he kept winking at me, saying: "Just stand here and don't move, and don't look back at the picture book. If you move even a little, that little girl will not survive."

In ancient times, it was said that Bian Que could diagnose illnesses by observing a person's skin and physique. In fact, this is the most fundamental diagnostic theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our traditional medicine holds that every organ and bone in the human body is interconnected; as the saying goes, pulling a single hair can affect the whole body. A disease in the liver may affect the eyes, while a problem with the kidneys can impact the body's vital energy, leading to white hair, premature ejaculation, and various skin disorders.

I was already exhausted and panting, watching this group of people sitting idly, feeling an urge to curse. Just then, my uncle suddenly stood up from his chair, rushed forward, and pulled me into his embrace, his voice sounding as if he were about to cry: "You little rascal, where have you been these past two days! If you don't come back soon, your uncle will slit his throat and go hang himself to apologize to your grandfather!"

To be honest, I have even forgotten what Niu Niu looks like. Although I carried her all the way, I was solely focused on escaping and didn't dare to look back. It was only when I saw the woman's pained expression that I felt a pang of sorrow.

Uncle immediately said: "The pulse seems to be broken yet not broken, the energy from the Ling Tai to the Tan Zhong reaches the Qi Hai and is dark, which is a manifestation of the weakness of the five organs' energy." When I was young, I spent a few years with Uncle, and as the saying goes, the five organs are the place where the vital energy of life circulates. If the energy of the five organs is weak, then the body is weak; if the energy of the five organs is strong, then the body is healthy. According to Uncle, the weakness of the five organs indicates that one is on the verge of death.

Meanwhile, I noticed that everyone was staring intently behind me, their eyes nearly bulging out. I instinctively wanted to turn around, but just as I tilted my head, the burly man rushed forward and straightened my face, gruffly warning, "No matter what happens, do not move!"

When I emerged from the forest, the outside was still shrouded in darkness, and I did not see Wang Laotou and the others; I didn't even hear a single sound of people. I sensed that something was amiss, but at that moment, I was so frightened that my legs felt weak.

The cold sensation of that kiss quickly shifted from the nape of my neck to the position of the carotid artery, causing my mouth to twitch. If I were to bite down, the blood would be difficult to stop, and the risk of infection would be significant. Most importantly, there would be too much blood, and I would faint.

All of us waited in the lobby, and Niu Niu's room was only covered by an extremely simple curtain. Although rudimentary, it was sufficient to block our line of sight. We had no idea what the ghost was doing inside. After standing for a full twenty minutes, suddenly, the sound of a little girl crying came from within.

I was taken aback for a moment, breaking free from my uncle's embrace, and said, "Two days? Uncle, are you joking?" It was then that I noticed my uncle's eyes were truly red; it was not the usual playful hug, but he was genuinely on the verge of tears.

I feel a sense of regret, suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of wanting to cry without tears, and I ask, "Can I change the person?"

He said it is not possible, and it is feared that there is truly no hope for rescue. Sending him to the hospital in the city would likely be just a gamble.

I said, "As long as you have the ability to save people, I can stand until dawn." Although I said this, I felt somewhat uncertain in my heart and couldn't help but glance at my uncle. He sighed deeply and said, "Child, be more resilient; your uncle is here to support you."

In this dialectical theory, viewing illness through the lens of color is merely a small offshoot.

Just as my attention was drawn away by the sound while I was with the picture book, I suddenly realized that the feeling of that kiss had vanished. In front of me, on the glutinous rice path, appeared a series of blood-red footprints, which gradually spread forward step by step, eventually leading into the inner room

Upon hearing what the elder said, the woman collapsed entirely. After a moment, she rushed into the room, picked up Niuniu, and incoherently exclaimed, "Go to a big hospital, go to a big hospital, Uncle Wang, lend me some money..." I could no longer bear to watch and was just about to take out my wallet when suddenly someone blocked my hand. I looked and saw it was the ghost Chen.

Moments later, Niuniu's cries grew louder and more sorrowful. I began to lose my composure and even basely speculated: could it be that the ghost Chen is actually a pervert, using the pretense of saving people to harm the little girl?

The man remained silent, and after adjusting my head, he returned to his original position. Everyone continued to stare behind me, yet I simply could not discern what was there. I could only vaguely speculate whether that woman was standing behind me.

I am also not convinced, on the sidewalk: "Let's see what abilities he has!" I swear, I am not jealous, I am absolutely not jealous!

He spoke in a ghostly, ethereal tone, leisurely saying: "No rush"

I felt a chill in my heart; I am well aware of the methods employed by my uncle. Not to mention that incident with the snake, there have been several special cases. I have heard that several people in the city, who were diagnosed with terminal illnesses, somehow found their way to my uncle. With traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, they were cured in just six months

I looked at my uncle and felt that relying on him was not as dependable as relying on myself; he is the most unreliable person I have ever encountered in my life