C5 Fallen Bodhisattva

"It's me." As I instinctively prepared to turn tail and run, Third Uncle's timely voice reached me.

"Damn, Third Uncle, couldn't you have given me a heads up before you came back? You scared the hell out of me!" I grumbled under my breath.

"I just realized something and didn't have time to fill you in," Third Uncle explained succinctly, rising from the bed.

"What crossed your mind?" I inquired.

"Come over here and lie down on this bed," he gestured to me.

That's when I noticed a candle lit on the floor, its flickering light casting shadows around the room.

Confused but compliant, I stretched out on the wooden bed as instructed.

"Lee Yang, which bed do you think that homeless man who died here would have slept in?" Third Uncle posed the question out of the blue.

I hadn't given it much thought when I first lay down. But at Third Uncle's query, a shiver ran through me.

Logically, the homeless man sought shelter in this building just to find a place to rest. He wouldn't have bothered going up to the second floor; for convenience, he'd likely have chosen a room on the ground level.

Meaning, it was entirely possible that the man had died on this very bed.

Realization dawning, I leapt up from the bed, exclaiming, "Damn it, Third Uncle, what are you implying? Why on earth would you have me lie on a dead man's bed?"

Third Uncle gave a dismissive shrug. "Look at you freaking out. It's just a dead body. What's the big deal? Life and death are merely two states of existence. Is the idea of death really that terrifying?"

I gestured impatiently. "Enough with the philosophy. What did you find?"

Third Uncle nodded towards the bed. "That's why I asked you to lie down..."

With a sense of foreboding, I braced myself and lay back down.

Third Uncle pointed at the cabinet across the room and snuffed out the candle with a puff, plunging us back into darkness.

Only then did I realize that from this position on the bed, my gaze naturally fell upon that cabinet.

I grasped Third Uncle's intention. The homeless man, lying here, would have seen the cabinet first. If any misfortune had occurred, it likely originated from that cabinet. Third Uncle must have had this epiphany and returned to uncover whatever secrets the cabinet held.

Third Uncle lifted his flashlight and exchanged a glance with me before approaching the cabinet and grasping its handle.

I held my breath and watched as Third Uncle yanked the cabinet door open with a swift pull.

We shone our flashlights inside and were greeted by a bizarre sight. A small statue, no bigger than a water bottle, was perched inside. Unlike the compassionate Bodhisattvas found in temples, this one bore a malevolent expression, reminiscent of the temple's fierce Vajra deities. In its hands, it clutched a round bundle.

Even more unsettling was the rope dangling from the statue's neck, suspending it within the cabinet. The already ominous appearance of the statue was amplified by the noose, giving it an eerie and frightening aura.

Feeling a chill run down my spine, I quickly asked, "Third... Third Uncle, what's happening here? Who hangs a statue when they're worshiping it?"

Third Uncle seemed just as taken aback, shining his flashlight closer to examine the statue in detail.

After a long moment, he murmured, "This... appears to be a fallen Bodhisattva."

"A fallen Bodhisattva? What kind of Bodhisattva is that? And why does it have such a face?"

"This type of Bodhisattva has its roots in ancient India and was later introduced to the Western Regions. The term 'fallen Bodhisattva' came into use once it reached our country. People who worship this Bodhisattva aren't seeking peace and prosperity, but rather..."

I was stunned by Third Uncle's explanation and couldn't help but interject, "Aren't people supposed to worship Bodhisattvas for peace and prosperity? So why worship this one?"

"There's a rationale behind every act of worship. Each family has its own set of challenges. Take, for instance, some women who become pregnant but, for various reasons, cannot carry the child to term. And if going to the hospital isn't an option, they turn to worshiping this fallen Bodhisattva. They burn incense and pray daily, and after twenty-one days, they can successfully terminate the pregnancy."

Upon hearing Third Uncle's explanation, it dawned on me, "Ah... So, Lee Ximei is the one worshiping this fallen Bodhisattva? She wants to terminate her pregnancy? But then, why is the Bodhisattva hanging by a rope?"

Third Uncle gave a wry smile and said, "How could that be possible? I can't make heads or tails of it either."

I nodded in agreement. "I think I've got it figured out. Lee Ximei probably failed to properly worship the Bodhisattva and never miscarried. Out of anger, she took it out on the Bodhisattva by hanging it up."

A look of sudden understanding crossed Third Uncle's face. "Why didn't I see such a simple explanation? You've got a sharp mind. It has to be that Lee Ximei hung up the Bodhisattva. But regardless, it's still a Bodhisattva. Her actions were inappropriate, and it seems she got her just deserts."

I nodded again and questioned, "So, the vagrant died from fright after seeing the Bodhisattva? That doesn't quite add up, does it?"

Third Uncle gestured dismissively and shone his flashlight into the area, examining it closely before he suddenly exclaimed, "No, that's not it."

I quickly joined him and caught on to what he had noticed.

The rope suspending the Bodhisattva was red, stained with blood.

A chill ran down my spine as I stammered, "Blood, where... where did it come from?"

"It looks like it dripped down from the floor above. The rope seems to have been tied from up there too. Yang, you stay here and keep watch. I'm going to check upstairs for any signs of activity. If anything happens, I'll give you a call."

"Ah... Third Uncle, shouldn't I come with you?"

"Yang, this house is turning out to be more than I bargained for. If there's a problem, it's likely on the second floor. Down here is relatively safe. Plus, if I find the source of the blood upstairs, we'll need you to see if there's any change with the Bodhisattva here. I'll message you, and if all's clear, then you can come up."

Reluctantly, I agreed to stay put and continued my vigil in the room.

Before leaving, Third Uncle reminded me that in case of an emergency, I should throw the puppet out as a means of self-defense.

With that, he left the room, flashlight in hand, and the sound of his footsteps echoed from the direction of the staircase.

As I gazed at the eerie hanging Bodhisattva, my unease grew. The thought of someone having died on that bed made it impossible for me to relax in the room.

I approached the door, crouched down, and listened intently to the sounds outside.

The steady tread of Third Uncle's footsteps echoed as he moved from the staircase towards the center of the floor, punctuated by a couple of coughs.

His pace varied, quickening and slowing—evidently, he was inspecting a room on the second floor.

Roughly ten minutes passed, and then, without warning, Third Uncle's footsteps ceased.

I assumed Third Uncle had stumbled upon something. After a tense five or six minutes without a sound, the room was engulfed in an eerie silence.

My heart raced, and I hastily pulled out my phone to call Third Uncle.

But when I made the call, all I heard was a crackling static on the line.

Panic-stricken and unable to contain myself, I yelled upstairs, "Third Uncle, are you there?"

My voice echoed through the vacant house, but there was no reply from Third Uncle.

Unable to stay calm any longer, I grabbed my flashlight and stepped out of the room, determined to go upstairs and search for Third Uncle.

As I was about to ascend the stairs, an abrupt thunderous noise from above nearly sent me tumbling to the floor. It sounded like a heavy collapse.

Then, Third Uncle's voice reached me, "Lee Yang, run..."

The fear that gripped me was palpable. Third Uncle's voice was strained and hoarse, as if he had been screaming. He must have encountered something horrific to cry out like that.

Compelled by Third Uncle's alarm, I instinctively bolted up the stairs to rescue him.

But then he shouted again, "Yang, leave me! Run... get out... and don't look back!"

A chilling breeze swept down from the second floor, cutting through the cold sweat on my skin. It felt as though it could penetrate right through my pores, nearly paralyzing me.

I spun around and dashed back down the stairs, realizing that if I froze up, I wouldn't just fail to rescue Third Uncle—I'd likely meet my own end as well.

As I dashed down the stairs, a chilling breeze pursued me relentlessly. Third Uncle remained silent behind me.

An unsettling premonition gripped me, and I bolted to the living room on the ground floor, intent on making a break for it. However, upon reaching the entrance, I was met with the unexpected sight of the previously open door now shut.

I had followed Third Uncle in, never once touching the door. Who could have closed it?

Without time to ponder, I lunged for the door, attempting to yank it open. It might as well have been welded shut; it didn't move an inch.

Then, soft footsteps echoed from behind. They couldn't have been Third Uncle's. The closer they got, the more intense the cold, eerie energy became, enveloping me in an ever-thickening shroud of Yin Qi.

Despite an urge to look back, Third Uncle's stern warning echoed in my mind, and I persisted in my struggle with the door.

The footsteps halted directly behind me. Instinct told me that someone—or something—was now standing there.

A chill ran down my spine, and discomfort washed over me.

Suddenly, my left shoulder dipped as if a hand had been placed upon it.

"Ah..." I let out a sharp cry, my nerves stretched to their limit.

The cry jolted me into remembering the puppet strapped to my waist—the only lifeline Third Uncle had provided.

In a frantic motion, I yanked the puppet out, spat on it, and hurled it behind me.

The tactic worked wonders. The weight on my shoulder lifted, and with renewed force, I finally flung the door open.