C30 Bone Flute

I paused to think. I had never actually seen a black datura, nor was I certain if one existed in the underground parking lot. My knowledge of it came solely from Uncle Hsiao's mentions. Thus, I couldn't just dive into the middle of the story—it was too chaotic.

The man before me, Ma Ji, wore an expression of intense eagerness, like a predator eyeing its next meal. I wondered if all scholars became this animated when faced with their subjects of interest.

Noticing my hesitation, Ma Ji seemed to realize his own overzealousness. He gestured dismissively and said, "Don't mind me. I've been studying this ancient organism and other rare species for many years. To me, these subjects are even more precious than life itself. That's why I'm particularly intrigued by the black datura you mentioned."

It was only later that I learned Ma Ji was truly an academic zealot. He had married young, but his wife, unable to cope with his relentless scholarly pursuits and the resulting neglect, eventually divorced him. They had no children, and Ma Ji remained single thereafter. Though his insights in paleobiology and ancient architecture were among the nation's leading work, he cared little for recognition. He had published numerous papers, often under his students' names, which meant many of them became more renowned than he.

After listening to Ma Ji, I nodded and posed a question to him, "Prof. Ma, do you believe in Feng Shui?"

Without missing a beat, he answered, "I do."

I pressed on, "And what about ghosts and deities?"

"I believe in them," he affirmed.

His response caught me off guard. Typically, I thought scientists were skeptics of such matters. Was Ma Ji an exception?

Seeing my astonishment, Ma Ji elaborated, "What we call Feng Shui and ghosts and gods are simply different terms. In ancient times, divine matters were part of worship, with people placing their hopes in the deities for favorable weather and good fortune. Feng Shui, evident in the design of many renowned ancient structures, isn't entirely based on superstition. We may not yet fully grasp the ancients' wisdom. Ghosts, in essence, are spirits—an energy that transcends our normal understanding and persists after death. Call them ghosts or spirits; the label doesn't matter. It's all about personal interpretation..."

Ma Ji spoke at length, peppering his speech with a plethora of academic terms. Listening to him was like trying to decipher an arcane text.

A thought struck me. Given Ma Ji's expertise in this area, I decided to share the situation with him. Perhaps he could assist in rescuing Third Uncle and Liang Yue. The black datura might well be hidden somewhere in the underground parking lot, and if he intended to search for it, saving them could be conveniently incidental.

I recounted to Ma Ji the events at Tianyou Square and the details about the black datura that Uncle Hsiao had provided.

Unexpectedly, Ma Ji showed little reaction to the mention of the black datura. His interest was piqued instead by the peculiar flute music.

Once I finished, Ma Ji inquired, "Are you suggesting that the flute's sound can entice people's minds and animate corpses?"

I nodded. "It seems the flute's sound is to blame. It nearly drove me to leap from a building, and I witnessed a corpse walking and attacking people. The flute music was present at the time. Unless it's a mere coincidence, it seems the flute's sound must be controlling the corpses."

Ma Ji lapsed into contemplation.

He strode around the room, pacing dozens of times, which left me feeling quite dizzy. Abruptly, he halted, his face lighting up with excitement as he mused aloud, "Could it be the Bone Flute?"

Perplexed, I quickly asked, "What's the Bone Flute?"

Ma Ji gestured dismissively, "Just wait for me; we're heading to Tianyou Square immediately."

Glancing out the window, I noticed dusk was approaching and cautioned him, "Prof. Ma, the drive there will take nearly an hour, and it'll be dark by the time we arrive."

Seemingly oblivious to my words, Ma Ji was lost in his thoughts. He turned and entered through a door beside him.

I remained outside, not wishing to intrude.

Through a window that separated the rooms, I could see the curtains drawn, but a sliver of light revealed a narrow gap.

Driven by curiosity, I peered through the gap.

It appeared to be a laboratory, with bottles and jars on tables and cabinets, containing specimens of various animals and plants.

After a few glances, I was struck by how unusual the specimens in the jars were. Whether animals or plants, I had never seen or recognized them before. I was reminded of how vast the gap in knowledge can be, and how much I still had to learn.

While looking, I noticed a glass jar at the corner of the table, seemingly just placed there, not grouped with the others.

Inside the jar, was that not a black datura?

Moreover, I was certain that this black datura was the very one that Third Uncle and I had retrieved from the desolate tower. The leaves of the black datura in the jar had been burned away, leaving only the withered branches and dry leaves. We had intended to burn the plant, but as it was ablaze, someone emerged from the shadows and took it.

From behind, the person bore a striking resemblance to Prof. Ma, but at the time, Third Uncle and I hadn't dared to confirm it, and we had planned to ask Prof. Ma about it later. However, we ended up going directly to Tianyou Group and didn't get around to it.

Now, seeing the black datura here left me dumbfounded.

At that moment, Ma Ji emerged, dressed in fresh clothes and carrying a leather bag. Noticing my fixed gaze, he too peered through the curtain gap.

It was then that I realized he was standing behind me, and I quickly stepped aside.

Ma Ji, seeing the contents inside, understood what had caught my attention. Unperturbed, he said, "I apologize, that black datura was indeed taken from you. Such a rare plant, it would have been a shame to burn it. I didn't have time for pleasantries then, so I resorted to those measures, which certainly don't befit a scholar. You must find it amusing, young man..."

It was clear that Ma Ji's passion for scholarship was extraordinary. Reflecting on his actions when he took the plant, it even seemed endearing. What could I possibly say to someone like that?

I quickly gestured with my hands and said, "Prof. Ma, Third Uncle and I were concerned about potential dangers if we kept that item. If you have a better way to handle it, we'd gladly hand it over to you."

Ma Ji nodded, understanding. "I get your point. The flower is incredibly valuable, both academically and medically. There's nothing inherently wrong with it; it's just been exploited as a ghost seed. Now it's lost its purpose and can't be revived. In my possession, it's merely a specimen. That's why I was so thrilled to hear about the sighting of another black datura."

My time with Ma Ji had been brief, but I found him to be a fascinating character. His behavior might seem odd at times, but his ultimate focus was always on his scholarly pursuits. His mindset was straightforward, making it hard to hold any animosity towards him, regardless of his actions.

There was no time to waste. Ma Ji appeared even more eager than I was, quickly ushering me out of the office building and pressing me to depart immediately.

I set off in my car, heading from Shenshi to the neighboring city. The route was straightforward enough that I didn't need a GPS to find my way. Ma Ji was lost in thought for most of the journey, speaking very little.

I recalled the strong reaction he had in his office when I brought up the Bone Flute. While driving, I decided to probe further. "Prof. Ma, what exactly is the Bone Flute? It seems to pique your interest quite a bit."

Leaning back in his seat, Ma Ji didn't respond directly. Instead, he recited enigmatically, "When the nation falls, how silent are the flutes and pipes; under the moon, ghosts alone play the flute..."

"What?" I asked, not quite catching his meaning.

Ma Ji clarified, "The Bone Flute is a specific kind of bone flute, a ritual instrument made from human bone, and it's also considered an art object. In Tibetan, it's known as 'astral hole.' Typically, it's crafted from the shinbone of a 16-year-old girl and partially wrapped in silver or copper. The sound it produces is sharp and piercing, akin to a girl's wailing, and it's quite eerie..."

Upon hearing this, I shuddered. The very idea of a flute made from a young girl's leg bones was chilling. Reflecting on the flute sounds I had heard in the basement and on the rooftop, they weren't always sharp and piercing; often, they were deep and resonant.

Before I had the chance to inquire further, Ma Ji elaborated, "The Taklamakan Desert, known as the Sea of Death, was once a thriving region a millennium ago, home to prosperous ancient nations like Tilan, Loulan, and Niya. Legend has it that in the year 1118, a monk from the ancient kingdom of Tilan crafted a mysterious Bone Flute for the king, who was an avid music lover. Once he received the Bone Flute, he was so enamored with it that he played it daily and decreed that all other musical instruments be silenced, leaving only the Bone Flute's sound to be heard. But each night, as the king played the flute, people began to die—first within the palace, then spreading outward. Eventually, not even the king was spared, and the entire population perished, leading to the downfall of Tilan. Yet, under the moonlight, the shrill and piercing sound of the Bone Flute persisted. It wasn't a person playing; it was the lament of countless tormented souls... giving rise to the poetic lines about a silent flute under a ghostly moon."

Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked, "Prof. Ma, are you suggesting that the flute sound I heard was made from a girl's leg bones?"

Ma Ji shook his head, "The Bone Flute is rooted in that legend and is indeed crafted from human leg bones. It's said that flutes made from different individuals' bones produce distinct sounds and serve various purposes. But the eeriness of the Bone Flute isn't just due to the bones; it's also because the spirits of the deceased are bound to it, which is what allows the flute to function. Based on your account, the Bone Flute from Tianyou Square has the power to captivate souls and animate corpses. I'm confident that the spirit attached to this particular flute is ancient and certainly not from a contemporary soul."

"It's not the soul of a modern person?" As I pondered Ma Ji's words, a possibility struck me. I slammed on the brakes, nearly sending Ma Ji flying out of the car. Thankfully, he had buckled his seatbelt in the passenger seat.