C10 Scavengers

Wang Tao asked if I knew anyone skilled in Feng Shui, as he was concerned about me. He grimly noted that my forehead was shrouded in dark energy and my eyes looked troubled, suggesting I was haunted by spirits. He recommended finding someone to cleanse my aura and banish the negativity.

I internally scoffed at his attempt to deceive me, blaming my current state on their actions. I assured Wang Tao that I would give the matter some thought and get back to him soon. Despite my skepticism, his words had begun to unsettle me. However, I questioned the truth behind his urgent advice. He was a natural salesman, speaking with such persuasive flair. I excused myself, citing other commitments, and left.

While walking home, fiddling with my phone, I recalled Wu Yi mentioning a distressing message I supposedly sent the previous night. Checking my messages, I found one stating, "I'm trapped at work, come quickly!!!" Sent at 12:12 am, it was a message I had no memory of sending. As I arrived at school, Wu Yi reached out, asking if I could join him on a trip to Big Ox Village. He was vague about the purpose, suggesting we could skip it if I was busy.

I had mixed feelings about Wu Yi; despite a generally good impression, his close ties to Ms. Liu made me cautious. I owed him for a past favor that cost him dearly, but I was reluctant to be indebted. I explained that I needed to return to school to request leave from my advisor, as my recent absences had put my graduation at risk.

When we met, Wu Yi was driving a Santana. Curious, I inquired about our business in Big Ox Village, but he postponed the explanation. The drive was quiet, and I dozed off in the passenger seat. Upon arrival, Wu Yi advised that we continue on foot due to poor road conditions ahead.

Arriving in the countryside evoked a familiar feeling of returning to my hometown. Wu Yi mentioned he was on a quest to seek out a sage, having heard from a friend that there was someone in Big Ox Village with a deep understanding of haunted houses who might just be able to assist us. I countered, asking if he meant to help himself and Ms. Liu.

Wu Yi paused, then replied that I was trapped in the building just as much as they were. If the building could be calmed, it would benefit everyone.

I figured Ms. Liu must have paid him a handsome sum; otherwise, why would he be so dedicated to her cause, refusing to quit even after an arm injury?

Upon reaching the village entrance, the sound of mooing reached us. An old cow, previously busy licking the bark of a tree, broke free from its rope and bolted. I suspected the cow was mad and was about to warn Wu Yi to steer clear, but the cow took off in the opposite direction. Wu Yi looked concerned and, after examining the tree where the cow had been tied, suggested we make haste before nightfall made it difficult to leave.

The village was peculiar, with plenty of houses but no people in sight. Wu Yi and I knocked on several doors without any response. I questioned whether his friend was trustworthy or if he'd been misled. Wu Yi assured me that wasn't the case; perhaps the villagers were just out working in the fields and would return later.

As evening set in, we sat by the riverbank watching two dogs swim. I marveled at the rural dogs' spirit; city dogs seldom show such eagerness for water. One dog's swimming style was so human-like it took me by surprise. After a long wait, some villagers finally returned, hoes in hand. Wu Yi approached them for information, only to be met with spit and curses telling us to get lost.

I was immediately offended. We had merely asked for directions politely, yet we encountered such rudeness. I was about to confront them when Wu Yi, wiping his face, urged me to leave. I had pegged Wu Yi as stoic, but it seemed he preferred to avoid confrontation. Just as we were about to exit the village, Wu Yi halted and revealed that the two men were actually trying to save us.

I was caught off guard when Wu Yi asked, "Remember that yellow cow? Guess what it was licking?" I replied, "Bark, what else? Surely you know cows lick bark, don't you?"

Wu Yi, with a grave look, shook his head. "That old cow wasn't licking bark; it was licking human blood."

I felt a chill run through me and asked him how he had discovered this. Wu Yi explained that he has an innate allergy to the scent of blood. When he approached the tree, something smelled off, and upon closer inspection, he found bloodstains on the bark. Moreover, he mentioned the two dogs at the dam were acting peculiarly. "Remember how they kept their eyes fixed on us while swimming? It was as if they were surveilling us."

His words resonated with me. Initially, I thought the dogs were just being empathetic, but even the most human-like dog has its limits. On reflection, those dogs were indeed behaving oddly. A thought struck me: when the two men returned from the field and lashed out at Wu Yi, they were looking towards where the dogs were. Subsequently, the dogs that had been lying on the riverbank started swimming towards the path and then slunk away.

Wu Yi remarked, "That high energy is something else. Let's head back to the car for now and return later tonight!"

I suggested, "Maybe we should come back tomorrow instead. The village roads are winding, and it's easy to get lost at night."

But Wu Yi seemed resolute. He pulled a paper-wrapped bundle from his pocket and handed it to me, saying, "Stay in the car and wait for me tonight. I'll be quick." I marveled at his courage; he seemed utterly fearless. After losing an arm last time, he wasn't deterred from risking his life again! Unwrapping the paper, I found glutinous rice grains. Wu Yi instructed me to scatter them around the car at dusk and keep a handful for emergencies. I knew that glutinous rice was used to ward off evil. Wu Yi advised that if I encountered anything strange, I should throw the rice at it. If he hadn't returned by eleven, he wanted me to drive away on my own.

"Aren't you scared of dying?" I asked Wu Yi incredulously.

Wu Yi gave me an odd look and chuckled, "No worries."

I sighed, "Alright, I'll tag along with you for some company."

Wu Yi hesitated, then declined, "No need. You've got night duty later. What if you're held up? Who's going to shut the spiritual staircase?"

I thought about it; Wu Yi, although aligned with Ms. Liu, had helped me out before. I'm not one to be comfortable with owing favors. "Don't worry about it," I insisted. "I'd be scared here by myself anyway. Let's just go together."

Wu Yi didn't argue further and simply agreed.

As night fell, Wu Yi pulled some items out of his car trunk—runes, cinnabar, and various amulets—all neatly packed. I questioned their effectiveness, and he looked surprised, admitting he wasn't sure as he'd gotten them from a Taoist temple. I joked, "Didn't the temple folks tell you that you have a dark mark on your forehead, a sign you've been encountering ghosts?"

He responded with a wry smile, "Nonsense. I may not be versed in Taoist arts, but I've studied physiognomy. There's no such thing as a dark mark on the forehead—that's just a scam artists' spiel."

Hearing this, I immediately thought of Wang Tao, the master of deception, and realized I'd been duped again!

Wu Yi and I circled Big Ox Village. "If you don't know where to find this person, what's the point? We might as well come back tomorrow," I suggested. Wu Yi explained that the man was elusive, known by few. Given the villagers' reactions earlier, he was convinced the man wouldn't reside within the village but rather on its outskirts.

"Yeah," I agreed, "what times we live in, and yet superstitions still run rampant."

Suddenly, Wu Yi grabbed my shoulder and hushed me, whispering, "Look ahead."

My pulse quickened as I shone my phone light toward the intersection. A figure with a sack over his shoulder and leading an old bull was approaching. Wu Yi urged me to switch off my phone. I nodded, and as I pocketed it, the old bull let out a jubilant bellow.

The man with the sack cursed a few times before the old bull calmed down. Wu Yi hesitated briefly before speaking up, "Big brother, I'm looking for someone. Do you happen to know Cripple Zhou?"

"I don't," the man with the sack replied curtly, his thick accent evident.

Wu Yi chuckled and said, "This bull's got cataracts, and someone's gone and fed it blood meant for a dog, tsk tsk. It got so riled up just now; must've caught sight of something, huh? Anyway, I'll cut to the chase. Ninth Faang sent me to find him. Surely you know him, don't you?"

"Ninth Faang?"

Wu Yi nodded, "We're all part of the same circle. There's a situation that needs his expertise. Once it's resolved, he'll be well compensated."

The man with the sack stepped closer, glaring at Wu Yi. "And who might you be?" His sudden proximity startled me; I hadn't realized before, but up close, his features were jarringly unattractive, with his facial features bunched up and his triangular eyes particularly off-putting.

"Ninth Faang is my cousin," Wu Yi explained. "You owe him a favor from ten years back. Just mention the old temple on the Jiangxi River, and he'll understand."

The man with the sack shuddered slightly, then asked, "What do you need?"

Wu Yi paused, giving the man a measured look for a couple of seconds before replying coolly, "I've got a job that's proving to be a bit too much for me alone. There's a complication at the Dong Cheng Ancient Building."

Turning away, the man with the sack led the bull back the way they came, his voice gravelly, "Understood. I'll come to you."

Wu Yi, clearly anxious, pressed him, "When?" The man didn't respond, but as he walked away, he called back, "If your friend's in trouble, clean it up with old wine dregs and rice water."

Wu Yi glanced at me, then thanked the man over his shoulder.

Once we were in the car, I asked Wu Yi about the man's identity. He suggested that the man might be our ticket out of trouble. On the drive home, Wu Yi opened up about his past. He hailed from Jiangxi, where his grandfather used to assess haunted houses. Tragically, his grandfather was arrested in '67 and died in custody. Their family's sacred texts, including the 'Hundred Foot Tree Scripture' and the complete 'Trigram Book,' were destroyed. Wu Yi had learned the 'Zhou Yi' from his father and had picked up some Feng Shui basics from 'Dongming Hall' texts, which kickstarted his own practice.

Wu Yi spoke with an unsteady voice, "My cousin once helped extend the life of Cripple Zhou's mother."