Chapter 9 Witnessing the Death of a Loved One

The plump proprietress of the stationery store, upon seeing Liu Shoucai, exclaimed: "Oh my, Shoucai, what have you done?" She quickly grabbed a towel, intending to wipe Liu Shoucai off.

Clang!

Originally, I had planned to go fishing with a few buddies. Strangely enough, the friends who usually rush over at the slightest invitation are all busy today, either one has something to attend to or another has an engagement.

At that moment, a vengeful spirit floating above the surface of the reservoir turned its head. Its eyes, filled with resentment and glowing red, fixed intently on Liu Shoucai, and then it suddenly opened its mouth, unleashing a green thread composed of malice that surged toward Liu Shoucai

Then he pushed the door open and ran out

"Aunt Zhou, hurry up! If you delay any longer, someone might die!" Liu Shoucai swayed his head and urged, grabbing the towel from Aunt Zhou's hand.

In fact, before encountering danger, most people possess such instincts, but very few are able to recognize and value them. For instance, soldiers who have experienced life and death in war utilize this instinct; in their culture, it is referred to as battlefield instinct. They use this instinct to evade incoming bullets and avoid attacks that would otherwise be fatal.

Liu Shoucai pushed the landlady aside and said: "Aunt Zhou, hurry and get me two bottles of ink, the best kind! Also, I saw you knitting a sweater yesterday; give me a ball of the red thread you used for the red sweater for Zhou Hui!"

Second uncle, second uncle and the books, you must not go into the water. I am calling out loudly in my heart, fearing that it may truly be too late.

This is an instinct distilled from Liu Shoucai's years of encountering ghosts too frequently

Soon, the inflatable raft was fully inflated

Two flowers bloom, each expressing its own beauty

But sometimes things are just like this. When Liu Shoucai arrived at the lakeside, he saw from a distance that the towel in his hand had fallen to the ground. His second uncle, Shao Decai, was thrashing on the water's surface, with two groups of green resentful spirits glaring with fierce eyes above his head. In the water, there was a faint green light, controlling the ghostly grass that was entangling Shao Decai's feet, slowly, bit by bit, pulling him down into the water.

This is a gathering of grievances, which can temporarily alter a person's fortune, similar to being haunted by a ghost, causing one to experience bad luck

On this side, Liu Shoucai's second uncle, Shao Decai, had just set up his bicycle. He took off the fishing gear he carried with him, using fragrant oil made from millet rice for bait, which was solidified with dry flour. The fishing float was made from the primary feathers of a large goose he raised. Next to the reservoir, there was a small shed built by Shao Decai and his friends, specifically for storing boats. Inside were several homemade kayaks and a high-pressure air hose. For someone like Shao Decai, these items were treasures in his eyes. Next to the reservoir, there was a small shed built by Shao Decai and his friends, specifically for storing boats. Inside were several homemade kayaks and a high-pressure air hose. For someone like Shao Decai, these items were treasures in his eyes.

If heaven could give Liu Shoucai another chance, he truly would not wish for such an event to occur

When his body came to a halt, Shao Ergou shouted loudly: "It hurts, it hurts, the *picture* book has killed me!" In the moment of rolling on the ground, he saw Liu Shoucai limping towards the stationery store: "Liu Shoucai! I've broken a bone! What should I do!"

This day was unforgettable for Liu Shoucai. In a person's lifetime, how many opportunities are there to witness a loved one die before their eyes

The motorcycle sped along swiftly, and the originally gentle cold rain felt like knives scraping against his face. For some reason, Liu Shoucai felt a surge of heat throughout his body, especially at the spot on his left wrist where the birthmark was, as if it were being seared by fire.

"Just wait there, you won't die!" Liu Shoucai shouted through gritted teeth, feeling the pain himself

Sigh, this child really does not give one peace of mind. With that said, I turned off the television and continued watching that melodramatic TV series "Fences, Women, and Dogs".

... ...

Thud thud thud thud thud ... The heart beats violently, a sense of urgency pressing against the throat

With this thought in mind, Shao Decai felt an inexhaustible strength within him, his body drenched in sweat as he strained his throat, humming the theme song of a television drama.

For the first time in his life, Liu Shoucai witnessed the passing of a loved one, watching helplessly as his relative sank into the depths of the lake.

"Let him go! Second Uncle, hurry up!" Liu Shoucai picked up stones from the edge of the reservoir and threw them towards the center of the lake. However, the center of the lake was at least several hundred meters away from where Liu Shoucai stood. A fifteen-year-old boy, how much strength could he possibly have? Even if a world champion were here, it would still be powerless.

"Alas! You child, it is raining outside!" By the time Aunt Zhou realized what was happening, Liu Shoucai had already disappeared without a trace. Little did she know that about twenty meters ahead, a motorcycle and a young man rolling on the ground were soaking in the rainwater.

Shao Decai carried the inflatable raft, and in a good mood, he didn't even put on a life jacket. Usually, his friends would remind each other to wear one, but today it was just Shao Decai alone. The gentle breeze and light rain, although a bit chilly, made the surface of the reservoir calm and tranquil. In the eyes of someone like Shao Decai, there was simply no need to do so.

Indeed, while vigorously pushing the air pump into the kayak, he faintly noticed several large fish surfacing in the center of the reservoir. Such a sight was something Shao Decai had not encountered in many years, and he thought to himself how rare it was! It was not impossible that he could catch a big grass carp weighing over ten jin, and if luck was on his side, he might even reel in a few jin of large soft-shelled turtles.

The vengeful thread rushing towards Liu Shoucai was rapidly approaching, and Liu Shoucai instinctively felt that terrifying tremor leaping in his heart

Soon after, the familiar sensation that Liu Shoucai knew so well emerged. It was the manifestation that occurred whenever a scapegoat broke free from the fate of being bound by a spirit, automatically leaping into the underworld. A beam of light rose from the center of the lake, emerald green like jade, and one could faintly hear the call of the underworld

On that side, Liu Shoucai left his cousin Shao Ergou behind and rode his motorcycle straight to the reservoir alone

Little did he know, at this moment, he was already facing a streak of bad luck

Shao Decai thought to himself, well, if you all aren't coming, it's because you lack the fortune. Today, I've caught a big fish, and I must show it off when I return, making those few friends envious.

"What has become of you, child!" Liu Shoucai's wildness is well-known in the family area of the factory. Such incidents have been seen frequently over the years, and seeing this child lively and energetic indeed indicates that nothing serious has happened, which reassures Aunt Zhou. She stepped into the counter, took out two boxes of ink, and then turned back to the back room to find a ball of red thread.

The weather is fine today. When it rains, the atmospheric pressure is low, and the oxygen content in the water is insufficient. Those large fish that usually dwell in the depths are counting on such days to surface.

Once a person has fallen into misfortune, whether they live or die becomes very difficult to predict

... ...

Leaning against the shoulder, he pushed open the door of the stationery store. At this time of year, the shops around the family area are somewhat familiar with the local children. Liu Shoucai had a cut on his face, his knee was scraped, and his arm bore numerous abrasions. Just a moment ago, he had rolled around on the road, leaving no clean spot on his body

"What are you doing, child? Did Accountant Shao hit you?" The boss's wife, Aunt Zhou, was unaware of the situation. She was genuinely warm-hearted, and over the years, the children from the factory had helped her stationery store earn quite a bit. It was not only because of the quality of the goods but also her own warm-heartedness. Furthermore, Aunt Zhou's husband had originally been in the same transport team as Liu Shoucai's father, and he was also one of the casualties in that accident. The two families had a close relationship; Aunt Zhou had even specifically mentioned to Liu Shoucai's mother, Accountant Shao, about arranging a betrothal, but unfortunately, Accountant Shao did not find Aunt Zhou's rather robust daughter suitable.

Liu Shoucai wrapped the ink and the ball of thread in the towel in his hand, thought for a moment, and ran to Aunt Zhou's kitchen. He grabbed a handful of her chopsticks and shouted, "I'll pay you back!"

Life and death! It all happens in an instant

Liu Shoucai knew that his second uncle, Shao Decai, had died. At this moment, he must have been filled with resentment, sinking to the bottom of the water, waiting for the light to disappear before transforming into a water ghost. From then on, he would see no family, and in his eyes, there would only be hatred and slaughter

Just now, he saw the swirling school of fish in the center of the reservoir, yet he could not see the three clumps of green floating objects on the water's surface, which were staring at Shao Decai with vengeful eyes. Waves of green resentment were continuously rising from the three floating objects, one of which was transforming into green threads that slowly wrapped around Shao Decai's neck.

Shao Decai was inadvertently entangled in a web of resentment, ultimately unable to escape the fate of becoming a substitute for the deceased.

He threw the inflatable raft into the water, and with his fishing gear, Shao Decai also jumped onto the raft. Paddling into the water, Shao Decai leisurely rowed towards the center of the lake, inching his way forward.