Chapter 4, The Missing Half Bone

I was almost in a daze for a moment, and when I came to my senses, I found my hand was sticky. Instinctively, I rubbed it and discovered that the wound had scabbed over and was no longer bleeding

Immediately after, he surprisingly stood up and left, without asking me for money

I hurried back to the bathroom, fished out the pouch from the clean clothes, and looked at the sealed opening stitched with thread. Gritting my teeth, I tore it open and discovered a piece of yellow talisman paper inscribed with swirling runes, along with half a bone and three thick, stiff black hairs resembling toothpicks

Because I was afraid to face the furious Tai Ge, I sent Xiao Liu to handle the financial reimbursement. I hurriedly took a boat to Zhu City, where I stayed for three days. After finally completing the handover of the medicine, I treated a group of leaders there to a meal and drinks. Due to my experience in Wan City, I was apprehensive about going to entertainment venues, so I did not arrange for a late-night event. I took the last boat back to the Special Economic Zone, and by the time I returned home, it was already past eleven at night

At this moment, there are only a few minutes left before departure, Xiao Liu spoke up, actually intending to remind me not to be deceived, as there were quite a few scammers in the southern region at that time, such as those pretending to be deaf-mutes to solicit donations, selling fake newspapers, and even human traffickers, all of whom were quite rampant. When venturing out, one must always be vigilant against others.

The other party was aware that their sudden approach to strike up a conversation was rather abrupt. They smiled and then said: "Don't get me wrong, I'm not some fortune teller; I just thought your complexion seemed a bit unusual, so I couldn't help but ask."

However, I do not know what it is, but when I heard this person speak, I instinctively began to scrutinize them seriously

At this moment, I was truly frightened. I covered the bleeding area with a towel and rushed to the dressing mirror in the room. Turning around to look, I saw a gaping wound the size of a baby's fist on my coccyx, with blood flowing out like a small fountain, gurgling and unable to stop.

Did you not see it?

Immediately afterwards, he said: "You say you have a wound on your buttocks? Where is it?"

Especially, I recently encountered some very strange occurrences that piqued my interest even more

I fled from the clinic in a state of great disarray, and only upon returning home did I remember that life-saving pouch was still left in the bathroom. I hurried back in to search for it and found the pouch, the yellow talisman paper, and even the three toothpick-like black hairs were there, but the half piece of bone that had helped stop my bleeding was nowhere to be found

Apart from this, there is nothing else

The cry was sharp and mournful, somewhat resembling that of a cat or some similar animal. However, because it was still bleeding, I dared not think too much about it. I glanced at the yellow talisman paper and then looked at other things. At that moment, in a state of desperation, I gritted my teeth and pressed the half bone against the broken area near the tailbone.

That was quite refreshing

I turned the pouch inside out, and saw nothing else; just at that moment, I suddenly heard a sharp scream.

The doctor expressionlessly held up a mirror for me to see, and all I could see on my bare bottom were two pimple-sized spots and a black mole, nothing else

I hesitated, but that person took out something resembling a sachet from their backpack, about the size of a palm, made of yellow cloth with golden silk embroidery along the edges, looking very exquisite

Therefore, I did not ignore him as one would treat a fraud, but instead asked, "What do you mean by saying this?"

To speak frankly, in the years I have spent in the south, I have encountered countless fraudsters, especially those who come up and say, "Benefactor, you have ominous signs." I generally pay them no mind, as I am well aware of their tricks. They typically try to get close to you, saying things that are somewhat ambiguous, and after gaining your trust, they begin to devise ways to swindle money from you.

I am very clear that all of this is true

So much blood, I thought I was about to die. When I arrived at the clinic and explained the situation to the on-duty doctor, they fell into an inexplicable silence for a long time when they asked me to take off my pants for an examination

It is truly remarkable

I thought for five minutes in the bathroom, but I still couldn't figure out where that bone went

At that time, I was actually in despair; what I did was merely a subconscious attempt to comfort myself. I never expected that a blind cat would stumble upon a dead mouse. When that piece of bone touched the wound, a chilling sensation spread throughout my body

He is a man with a calm demeanor, yet he appears very youthful, looking to be around twenty-seven or eight, or in his thirties. His two mustaches, reminiscent of "Lu Xiaofeng," leave a deep impression. In my recollection, men with mustaches were either slovenly or artists. However, this gentleman, dressed in black trousers and a white shirt, exudes a refreshing and sunny aura. His dark, bright eyes and a faint smile on his face evoke little sense of wariness.

Upon seeing the item in the other person's possession, I initially thought it was a sales pitch and felt a sense of caution. However, the individual said: "I usually operate around Yangcheng. If you need to catch a bus and are pressed for time, take this item. Keep it close to you and do not open it lightly; if you encounter any insurmountable problems, you can come to this place to find me"

I read the contents of the note again, committed it to memory, put it away, and then placed the pouch in my pocket. Little Liu beside me laughed and said, "Look at you, do you really take this seriously?"

In the narrow bathroom, there was blood all over the floor, and I was taken aback. I turned off the water and looked around, but there was nothing unusual. I quickly examined myself; the front was fine, but there was a burning sensation at my backside. When I reached back to touch it, my hand was covered in blood

That kind of cold is akin to rolling naked in the snow, penetrating to the core, piercing like a needle

Naturally, there are no wounds

When I turned around impatiently and looked up at the doctor, he also looked at me with a gaze that seemed to say "silly boy"

Ga ... ...

I looked down at the note, which read "Ma Yiao, Yangcheng Yuexiu Fourteen Village Heji Grocery Store East." Aside from that, there was nothing else. Little Liu leaned over, took a look, and remarked that this person's handwriting was truly impressive.

I did not hesitate, when life is gone, what is the point of increasing the salary

However, when I was taking a shower, I felt that something was amiss

The place where I live has a water heater; clearly, it is hot water, yet when it flows over my body, I feel a chill.

At this moment, the elderly doctor in his fifties slowly said: "Young man, when venturing out into the world, you must learn to love yourself. Do not associate with dubious friends, and do not recklessly seek novelty and curiosity. Some things, once you get involved with them, can ruin your life forever, do you understand?"

I shook my head, rejecting his scrutiny

Xiao Liu reminded me, saying that it would be best for you to open it and take a look. If there is anything dirty, that would not be good

Upon returning to the company, Xiao Liu and I reported the work situation in Echeng to Old Jin. After listening expressionlessly, Old Jin dismissed Xiao Liu and then quietly asked me: "What exactly happened? Wasn't this a deal that was almost certain? How did it get taken away? This matter has made Tai Ge very angry, so be careful when you encounter him later."

I took a leave of absence and immediately bought a ticket to Yangcheng. Following the original address, after several twists and turns, I found the Heji grocery store in Shisicun. The shop owner laughed when I mentioned I was looking for Ma Yian, saying, "Are you looking for that crazy person? He has gone out and I don't know when he will be back."

Then, as I continued to rush, I discovered that the floor of the restroom was a deep crimson.

Not a single cent was taken, and of course, I am not a fraud. In fact, I have already understood in my heart that the reason this person came over to greet me is likely due to the trouble I stirred up in Guancheng earlier, especially with that long-legged woman who came to the place where I was staying. Although I do not know what she did to me while I was unconscious, it was certainly not anything good

After mentioning the character, he spoke about a person. Xiao Liu asked what this person does, as they do not seem like a fraudster.

I desperately covered my head with a towel, then vigorously shook my head to awaken my alcohol-numbed mind a little

I say that in this world, it is better to believe that things exist than to believe that they do not, don't you agree

I looked at him, my heart filled with hesitation, unsure of how to speak to him properly, while my colleague Xiao Liu beside me said, "Brother Hou, we should leave now"

The next morning, I made a phone call to Lao Jin. In addition to handing over the work from the past two days, I also requested a leave of absence from him

At that moment, I experienced a severe sense of disorientation due to blood loss. After confirming that the wound had stopped bleeding, I instinctively wiped my body, hurriedly put on my clothes, and then rushed to the village clinic.

Lao Jin mentioned that Tai Ge is quite dissatisfied with you at the moment, so you should avoid appearing in front of him these days. How about this: you can go to Zhu Cheng De Li for a couple of days. There happens to be a batch of medicines that need to be procured there, and they are long-time clients. You just need to coordinate a bit and establish a good rapport with the relevant leaders.

He is neither a slovenly person nor an artist living in his own world. Upon meeting, he said to me, "I am a bundle of misfortune," instantly piquing my curiosity

This sudden sound startled me, and I hurriedly looked towards the balcony next to the bathroom, only to find nothing there

The special zone is prosperous, and in the urban village where I live, there are still people everywhere even in the middle of the night. I had previously devoted myself to serving the factory leaders, and after drinking a bit too much, I became somewhat dazed. On my way home, I sobered up a little, but my head still felt heavy and muddled. Therefore, when I returned to my rented room and opened the door, I did not sense anything unusual.

After speaking, he first handed me the sachet, then took out a pen and a piece of paper, and after swiftly writing, he handed them all to me.

Ah, God, lunatic

I nodded and said okay

Old Jin initially disagreed, stating that the impression from above was not very good to begin with, and now that I am requesting leave again, it is very likely to affect my salary increase during the mid-year review

Smelling the metallic scent of blood in the bathroom, along with the blood-soaked towel, I realized that everything that had just occurred was not merely a hallucination brought on by my drinking

That feeling is akin to a person on the verge of dying of thirst in the desert suddenly taking a large gulp of water

I forced a smile and said, "Boss, I don't want this either. The person we were in contact with before was from the procurement department, but they managed to get through to the big boss of that factory. What do you expect me to do?"

Indeed, this man named Ma Yian has a beautiful cursive script; the strokes are vigorous and powerful, clearly indicating that he has put in considerable effort since childhood

Soon, I recalled the peculiar individual named Ma Yian, as well as his pouch.

He probably said this because he thinks I might be a drug addict who has entered a hallucination due to drugs