Chapter 1, The Skinner

The skinner, in the hands of such a craftsman, can strip the skin of any creature with just a few strokes, leaving not a single fraction behind. My grandfather's bone knife, it is said, can successfully strip the skin of any animal with just one and a half strokes. Of course, although I have lived with my grandfather for so many years, I have never dared to watch him perform his skinning skills; it is simply too terrifying

Not far away, I saw the hollow in the mountains ahead, as well as the eerie graveyard within it. Some broken stone tablets lay scattered in disarray. This place has not been visited for offerings in a very long time. It is said that those who died here were executed for crimes during the Qing Dynasty, buried on the spot, and their families were not allowed to pay respects.

It is said that in order to bring Zhao Wensheng some relief from his misfortunes, all his ailments must be dispelled, allowing him to formally become a man of stature. In simpler terms, Zhao Liushun has killed too many prey, and those prey possess a certain spirit, which may seek revenge on his family. This retribution has fallen upon Zhao Wensheng, leading to a life plagued by illness, making it difficult for him to establish a family. Zhao Liushun will also face the extinction of his lineage, and he must endure the suffering of seeking relief through a ritual known as "Chong Yinxi," which involves forming a spiritual bond with a deceased person. After this ritual is completed, he can then find a woman capable of bearing children and marry her, thus achieving a favorable outcome. This retribution has indeed befallen Zhao Wensheng, resulting in a life filled with ailments, making it hard for him to settle down and start a family. Zhao Liushun will also face the extinction of his lineage, and he must endure the suffering of seeking relief through the aforementioned ritual, which involves forming a spiritual bond with a deceased person. After this ritual is completed, he can then find a woman capable of bearing children and marry her, thus achieving a favorable outcome.

I swallowed hard, my legs involuntarily trembling; I had never seen such a strange thing before. Could it be that I would encounter trouble tonight?

Could it be a wild rabbit

A slight cool breeze blew against my face, causing me to shiver inexplicably, my scalp tingling slightly. I steeled myself, thinking, what am I afraid of? I am holding onto my tools precisely to prevent others from being scared, yet here I am, feeling frightened in a chaotic graveyard. If my grandfather knew, he would surely scold me for being so unaccomplished.

It is said that one is focused on the journey, yet the lingering gaze cannot help but wander around. Some stone tablets are broken in half, while others are nearly eroded to the point of being indistinguishable from the earth. Those with stone tablets may have held some status in life.

With a crisp sound of "ka," I was startled and quickly lowered my head to look. It turned out that I had stepped on a dried grass stem, and I inwardly cursed myself for how my courage had diminished.

Am I lost in this graveyard as well

The sound of the "jila jila" of the earthworms echoed around the grass, amidst the desolate surroundings where not a single light or shadow of a person could be seen. Only a faint direction was discernible; the grass ahead was slightly lush. I knew that the cemetery must be near, for the weeds surrounding the cemetery were all growing very vigorously

The bone knife has a thin and short blade, measuring approximately one foot and three inches. When my grandfather skins an animal, he makes the first cut and then gently taps three times, causing the entire skeleton of the animal to fall apart. With a swift motion, he can then easily remove the entire hide. As a result, he is often humorously referred to as "One Cut Three." However, the task I am undertaking tonight has nothing to do with the skills of a skinner, but rather is related to this bone knife.

No, that's not right. Is this what the elderly often refer to as a "ghost hitting the wall"?

The rabbit's tail is not that long, and its running posture is also incorrect. A rabbit moves forward by hopping, while that thing darts straight ahead at a very high speed

I suddenly realized that I had forgotten about this matter. To reach Zhao Village, I must pass through that graveyard; otherwise, I would have to take a long detour. Even if I arrived at Zhao Village then, it would be dawn. I looked up at the dark sky and thought to myself that had I known my grandfather would not return so late tonight, I should have set out before it got dark. Now, I have no choice but to pass through that graveyard.

It is said that Zhao Liushun, in his youth, hunted excessively and killed too many animals, which led to retribution in this life. His son has been frail and sickly from a young age. Now, Zhao Wensheng, his son, is in his thirties and still has not married. He spends his days with a waxy face, either sitting at the west end of the village or leaning at the east end, as quiet as a corpse. Recently, Zhao Liushun mentioned that he sought the services of a renowned fortune teller from the south of the county town to cast a fortune for his son Zhao Wensheng.

Grandfather cannot return, so I can only take his place on this trip. In these seventeen years of my life, I, Li Ergou, have truly never encountered anything strange or supernatural, no ghosts or monsters; I have never seen them at all, so naturally, I am not afraid. Moreover, with Grandfather's bone-cutting knife in hand, what is there for me to fear

What is this thing

Even this bone knife has gained a bit of fame in the surrounding area; when it comes to grave digging in the West Mountain or kiln opening in the East Mountain, people often borrow this knife from my grandfather to ward off evil spirits. Indeed, tonight there is a transaction related to this knife

Steadying my mind, I continued forward. As long as I crossed this chaotic graveyard and walked a few more miles, I would reach Zhao Village. The people there must be getting anxious, I thought, and my pace quickened. However, in a moment of distraction, I suddenly stopped, as if I had just caught a glimpse of something darting past me from the corner of my eye, something small and white.

The night was very cold, and the sky was overcast, casting a heavy gloom around me that made it slightly difficult to breathe. I shook my collar and gripped the "bone knife" tightly in my hand. Tonight was supposed to be my grandfather's turn for this errand, but he went hunting in the mountains early in the morning and said he would return as soon as possible. However, by late at night, he still had not come back, so I had no choice but to take the knife and go in his stead.

To reach Zhao Village, one must walk about 7 or 8 li, and ahead lies a hollow in the mountains, which is filled with graves

During the War of Resistance, many people died nearby, and this neglected graveyard was particularly overlooked, with no one knowing who was buried within. In short, very few people came here.

On this day in late autumn of 1957, during the night, I walked among the desolate weeds, carrying a knife, more than ten miles north of Hongtong County, Shanxi

I silently affirmed my thoughts and suddenly turned around. I almost cried out; that white thing darted past me again in an instant. This time, I seemed to see it more clearly. Its tail was very long, which assured me that it was definitely not a rabbit

As I stepped onto the ground of the chaotic graveyard, I felt that the soil here was somewhat loose, at least much looser than the soil outside. Perhaps it was because no one had stepped here for a very long time. There were many withered shrubs and weeds, all in disarray. Looking up, it seemed that this chaotic graveyard was quite expansive. I inexplicably felt a chill run down my spine and hurried on my way.

The old hunter, Zhao Liushun, who often went hunting in the mountains with his grandfather, resides in Zhao Village, located five miles north of Hongtong County. This time, he sought out my grandfather because his family recently needed to handle a rather sinister matter that required the use of my grandfather's precious bone-cutting knife

The bone knife is a treasured possession that my grandfather relied on to make a living for decades, as he was a renowned craftsman in the surrounding areas. He was not a butcher or a carpenter, but rather a fearsome skinner!

The day for the ghost marriage is set for tonight at a quarter past midnight. To speak of a living person marrying a deceased one, any normal person would shudder at the thought. Indeed, Zhao Liushun approached my grandfather, hoping that he would carry a skinning and bone-slicing knife to escort their ghostly wedding procession. With such a formidable object present, the neighbors assisting would also feel at ease.

I hurriedly walked past several graves, and just as I was about to reach the edge of the graveyard, I suddenly turned my head and was horrified to see a pair of eerie blue eyes staring at me from behind a half-buried grave mound. The expression in those eyes instantly sent chills down my spine, causing the hair on my body to stand on end, while a cold, sinister aura rushed into my body from above.

I held back my scream, my legs nearly giving way beneath me. I hurriedly turned and ran, but after just a few steps, I stopped in terror once again. Wasn't I about to exit the graveyard? How is it that after running just a few steps, I looked ahead and found myself facing another vast expanse of graveyard?

The sound of "seng" cut through a grass stem as thick as a finger. I shook my shoulders and smiled slightly; my grandfather's knife is indeed sharp. For some reason, I took the knife and made a few swipes around, still trying to bolster my courage!

I am holding my grandfather's bone-cutting knife, so what is there to be afraid of!

Perhaps this knife has skinned countless animals, and it exudes a strong smell of blood throughout the year, which is quite unsettling. However, my grandfather said that it is not merely the smell of blood, but rather a malevolent aura, a sinister energy. This sinister energy not only instills fear in people but also frightens those invisible spirits. Carrying this knife while walking at night ensures that any wandering souls or ghosts must stand aside.

Thinking of this, I can no longer concern myself with what it is. I tightened my grip on my grandfather's bone-cutting knife, and now I have a faint suspicion in my heart that the ominous energy of this knife might truly have the power to ward off evil spirits

If I were to say I am not afraid, as I walk this path, I always feel a chill on my back, and my hand gripping the bone knife is also breaking out in cold sweat. Damn it, could it be that while I say I am not afraid, I still feel a bit apprehensive inside?

I felt a sudden jolt in my heart, forcing myself to find comfort, after all, I have grown up and seen my fair share of strange occurrences... My grandfather once said that this knife exudes a fierce aura, deterring any malevolent spirits from approaching, but... I cannot be certain whether it is true or not, as I have never verified it myself