Chapter 14

After a hearty breakfast, Li Sanjiang and the others prepared to set off.

The family actually owned a human-powered cargo tricycle with a long wooden plank attached to the back, typically used for transporting tables, chairs, and dishes for weddings and funerals. However, Runsheng didn't know how to ride it, and the elders didn't dare let him try to learn on such a day.

Consequently, Runsheng pushed a handcart out from the warehouse. The front was quite spacious; once Li Sanjiang, Liu Jinxia, and Grandpa Shan sat down, Runsheng first gripped the handles to level the cart and then steadily pushed the three elders down the slope.

It had to be said that, having eaten his fill, Runsheng's strength was terrifyingly immense.

Yet, watching their departing backs, Li Zuiyuan still felt a sense of unease. After all, it was undeniable that this was still a very standard... combination of the old, weak, sick, disabled, and young.

At home, peace returned.

Uncle Qin was on the slope chopping wood strips to make paper-craft skeletons; Auntie Liu was on the first floor coloring the newly made paper figures; Liu Yumei sat in front of the east room sipping tea; and on the southeast corner of the second floor, Li Zuiyuan and Qin Li were reading.

He remained the same as the previous two days, keeping track of the time to take Qin Li downstairs for the bathroom, water, or snacks. When passing by Liu Yumei, he would still offer a smile and a greeting.

Liu Yumei also saw that after reading for a long time, the boy performed a set of radio calisthenics with great seriousness.

However, half an hour before lunch, Li Zuiyuan closed his book. Instead of going inside to grab another one, he looked at Qin Li very earnestly

"Ah Li, I'm worried Great-Grandpa and the others might be in danger, so I need to go check on them. Will you wait for me to come back home?"

Qin Li did not respond.

Li Zuiyuan stood up and went downstairs. Qin Li followed him down, but while Li Zuiyuan took his keys and entered the basement, Qin Li walked toward the east room.

Liu Yumei asked in surprise, "What's wrong?"

Her granddaughter had been waking up early these past two days, which in turn meant that she, as the grandmother, had to start the daily routine of grooming and dressing the girl earlier.

All for the sake of reading with that little Zuiyuan Hou early in the morning.

But it was barely noon, so why was her granddaughter heading back to her room alone?

Did the two children have a fight?

No, could her Ah Li even fight?

Immediately after, Liu Yumei saw the little one coming out holding a peach wood sword. Oh, it seemed it wasn't a fight then; if he had truly made his granddaughter angry, the boy wouldn't be skipping along so lively.

Li Zuiyuan walked up to Uncle Qin and said, "Uncle Qin, I want to go to town to buy some things."

"Alright. Tell me what you need, and I'll go buy it for you."

"I want to pick them out myself. Uncle, could you give me a ride on your bike?"

Uncle Qin put down the wood strips, patted his hands, and nodded. "Alright."

However, he asked once more, "Is it Shinan Town?"

"Shinan Town is too small. Let's go to the neighboring Shigang Town instead."

Shinan Town only had a few shops at a single crossroads; it truly couldn't compare to the adjacent Shigang Town, which had department stores, dance halls, and karaoke rooms. Villagers from nearby towns would go to Shigang Town for large purchases or entertainment.

The Niu family lived in a village under Shigang Town, which was also the destination for Li Sanjiang and the others.

Uncle Qin looked at Li Zuiyuan, then suddenly smiled and changed his mind. "We're busy today. If you want to go to Shigang, let's make it tomorrow."

"No, Uncle Qin, I want to go."

"You want to go to your Great-Grandpa's place?"

"Yes, and pick up some things while I'm at it."

"Xiao Yuan, your Great-Grandpa is there to work. My job is farming, helping with paper-crafting, and delivering furniture. I don't touch your Great-Grandpa's work."

"Yes, I know." Li Zuiyuan raised the peach wood sword. "Last night, Great-Grandpa instructed me to remind him to bring this, but I forgot this morning. I just remembered, so please take me to Shigang so I can give it to him. This is his treasure; he can't do without it."

In Li Zuiyuan's description, this peach wood sword seemed to have become a heavy weapon for slaying demons and upholding justice, yet he very carefully covered the base of the hilt with his hand, obscuring the mark—"Linyi Furniture Factory, Shandong."

Uncle Qin froze. Delivering goods was indeed part of his job, but he clearly heard a different intention behind the boy's words.

"Alright. Give the sword to me, and I'll deliver it to your Great-Grandpa."

Li Zuiyuan pulled the sword back and said, "Uncle, you forgot. I still need to buy things, so I have to go with you."

"Then wait a moment."

Uncle Qin walked over to Liu Yumei, who was sitting there drinking tea, and whispered something to her. Liu Yumei looked up at Li Zuiyuan standing in the distance, a smile playing on her lips as she remarked with emotion

"That Li Sanjiang is a rough man who doesn't realize how blessed he is, but this child is a delicate soul. He has seen through our foundation... no, he has seen through our true colors."

Seeing that their family had good conditions was only the first layer; seeing the underlying background was the second.

"So, what should I do?"

Liu Yumei didn't answer immediately; instead, she lifted her teacup and took a sip.

This child had likely made up his mind long ago, yet he could still remain composed and go about his business just as he had the past two days. Even though he was clearly worried about his Great-Grandpa's life, he showed no signs of anxiety or restlessness.

Recalling the image of him leading Ah Li to the bathroom and smiling at her earlier, a ripple suddenly appeared in the tea within Liu Yumei's bowl.

This level of composure... how could he still be just a child?

"Go with him." After a pause, Liu Yumei added, "But be clear with him along the way."

"I understand."

Uncle Qin walked up to Li Zuiyuan and said, "Xiao Yuan, wait here. I'll go get the bike."

"Okay, Uncle."

An old-fashioned "28-inch" bicycle was ridden out by Uncle Qin. Li Zuiyuan tried to sit on the back, but Uncle Qin caught him with one hand and hoisted him onto the front bar.

As the two rode down the slope and left, Qin Li instinctively started walking in that direction, only to be grabbed by Liu Yumei.

The girl's eyelashes began to flutter.

"Ah Li, Grandma knows you want to play with Xiao Yuan, but Xiao Yuan has his own things to do right now. You should stay home and wait for him to finish his business and come back. If you only know how to cling to him, it will make him feel tired and annoyed. Then, it's possible he won't want to play with you anymore."

Hearing this, the girl turned her head to look at her grandmother, a trace of almost imperceptible confusion swirling in her eyes.

But Liu Yumei caught it. She felt both joy and sorrow; it had been a long time since she had detected any other emotion from her granddaughter, and she had finally felt it, albeit while having to say such things to her.

"Ah Li, Grandma doesn't mean Xiao Yuan will truly hate you. When he comes back, Grandma will help you dress up beautifully to go play with him, alright? Actually, Xiao Yuan cares about you very much. This boy is very clever. He could have easily dragged you along, saying he was going to Shigang to find his Great-Grandpa to force us to comply. But he didn't do that. So, Grandma will simply return the favor."

...

The bicycle rode very steadily. Sitting on the front bar, surrounded by the rider's arms, there was a sense of being protected.

Li Zuiyuan held the peach wood sword, his gaze constantly scanning the muscles of Uncle Qin's arms.

Looking at his own small arms and legs, though they were paler than Uncle Qin's, they were clearly all show and no substance.

"Uncle Qin, do you practice martial arts?"

"Yes."

Uncle Qin was somewhat surprised. He had placed the boy on the front bar to find an opportunity to talk, but he hadn't expected the boy to speak first.

"Uncle Qin, can you fight?"

"I can't."

"That's impossible, right?" Li Zuiyuan reached out and pinched Uncle Qin's forearm. It didn't feel as hard as it looked, but it was very firm.

"I'm not lying to you, Xiao Yuan. I don't know how to fight people."

"Do you practice regularly?"

"I have to farm and work, so I'm busy. I don't have time to set aside specific training, but once you've mastered the basics, you can practice while doing anything."

"I want to learn."

"Xiao Yuan, do you think this is like watching *Shaolin Temple*?"

The movie *Shaolin Temple*, starring Jet Li, had long since become a sensation across the country; even now, it was a regular feature in outdoor village cinema screenings.

"Uncle, I know it will be hard, but I'm not afraid."

"It's not just about hardship. Times have changed. No matter how good your kung fu is, can it compete with a bullet?"

"It's still good for physical fitness."

"Heh."

"Uncle Qin, please teach me when you have time."

Although *The Chronicles of Strange Tales* was merely an introductory encyclopedia describing the characteristics of "Dead Divers" (corpse retrievers), through continuous reading, Li Zuiyuan had discovered that many Dead Divers shared the trait of great strength. Furthermore, in special and eerie environments, one truly had to rely on the physical prowess of the corpse retriever to force their way through.

The book also noted many weaknesses and attack methods for Dead Divers. It wasn't a matter of throwing talismans or spells to make them vanish into ash; one truly had to use their hands.

The most frequent and practical methods mentioned were grappling, wrestling, seizing, and leg locks...

From some of the illustrations, Li Zuiyuan could tell that this didn't seem to be traditional close-quarters combat; based on the movements of the figures, it appeared to be kung fu specifically designed to target Dead Divers.

Additionally, Runsheng's appearance yesterday had helped clear the fog of reading in Li Zuiyuan's mind.

Despite Runsheng's large appetite and some strange characteristics, in reality, Runsheng should be the most standard physique for a corpse retriever.

Moreover, his Great-Grandpa's physical condition was also excellent; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to carry corpses all the way from the Shanghai Bund to here, and even at his age, he could still easily carry Li Zuiyuan along country paths.

Seeing that Uncle Qin hadn't replied, Li Zuiyuan pressed further: "Uncle?"

Uncle Qin looked down at Li Zuiyuan. "You'll have to ask the elders if they agree."

"Okay, I'll ask when we get back."

Uncle Qin's use of "elders" was vague, but Li Zuiyuan knew he meant Grandma Liu.

"Xiao Yuan, there's something I need to explain to you in advance."

"Yes, Uncle, please speak."

"I'm a lazy man. I only do what is my duty. Beyond my duty, I will never do anything."

"How can that be? You are clearly very hardworking."

Even by modern rural standards, Uncle Qin was among the most industrious, farming, working, and delivering. Even the village's old workhorses weren't as capable as him.

"I'm telling the truth. If it's not something I'm supposed to do, even if I'm standing right in front of you and a soy sauce bottle falls over, no matter how much spills, I won't reach out to help."

"Really?"

"Really."

Li Zuiyuan fell silent.

Uncle Qin sighed inwardly. Talking to this child felt like talking to a wise man; he could sense that the boy understood his meaning.

After a long time, Li Zuiyuan responded

"Uncle, I understand."

"Mm."

Si Yuan Village was located at the northern end of Shinan Town, right next to Shigang Town. Combined with the fact that Uncle Qin was taking the small paths through the village, it would save more time.

Once they reached the main road belonging to Shigang Town, Uncle Qin continued riding toward their destination.

"Uncle, do you know the location?"

"I do. I've delivered furniture to that village before."

"Oh."

"Or do you want to go to the town's department store first?"

"No, let's go to where Great-Grandpa and the others are first."

"Alright."

As they passed through the town and entered the village, the roads grew narrower.

Before long, a place holding a funeral could be seen in the distance.

"Uncle, you can stop now."

"We're almost there."

"I'm tired."

"Rest when we get there. You can have some water then."

"I need to pee. I can't hold it anymore."

"Fine."

Uncle Qin stopped the bike. Li Zuiyuan jumped off, found a spot sheltered by willow trees to relieve himself, and then squatted by a nearby ditch to wash his hands.

Qin Li originally thought the boy would get back on the bike once he was done, but to his surprise, the boy sat down on a smooth stone by the field ridge and pulled a bottle of a drink, several packs of biscuits, and two books from his coat.

Qin Li remembered that bottle; he had bought it for the boy following Li Sanjiang's instructions.

No wonder the boy's clothes looked bulging when he got on the bike; he had secretly packed all this. He clearly had no intention of leaving, but was preparing for a roadside picnic and reading session.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm tired. Taking a break. Uncle Qin, you sit too."

"Don't you have to give that sword to your Great-Grandpa? It's just ahead. Hurry up and deliver it so I can go back to work. Auntie Liu can't finish everything alone, and the schedule is already very tight. If we don't finish on time, we won't be able to deliver the goods, and your Great-Grandpa will lose his temper and start scolding people."

"He won't. Great-Grandpa said he's writing his inheritance in my name. If something happens to him, I'll be the young master. I won't lose my temper or scold people."

"You little..."

"Uncle, sit. You work so hard all day; let's take a break and balance work with rest."

Qin Li walked up to the boy. He saw through it—the boy was doing this on purpose. As long as the sword wasn't in Li Sanjiang's hands, his mission wasn't complete, and he would still have to stay here and accompany him.

What shocked Qin Li even more was that the boy seemed to have prepared for his "won't even help a fallen soy sauce bottle" attitude long ago.

Was this even a child? This was clearly a monster wearing a child's skin!

Suddenly, Qin Li felt a sense of relief. Yes, no wonder Ah Li was cold to everyone except him.

Qin Li leaned down, intending to use brute force to pick the boy up and force him to complete the task.

"Uncle, it's quite heartwarming that our two families live together. Grandma Liu is a very good person, and Auntie Liu is very gentle."

Qin Li narrowed his eyes.

"The books say that harmonious coexistence between people is built on the foundation of basic respect."

Qin Li: "Heh, aren't we?"

Li Zuiyuan turned around, looked at the unexpectedly close Qin Li, and smiled. "Are we? We are."

Qin Li closed his eyes and stood straight. He felt he was being manipulated—by a child.

After a moment, Qin Li said, "Xiao Yuan, if I hadn't agreed to bring you, would you have come alone?"

Li Zuiyuan shook his head. "I'm just a child; I can't help with anything. I wouldn't come alone, because if I came, I would only cause trouble."

"Alright. Go find your Great-Grandpa. I won't go back, but remember, if a soy sauce bottle falls, I still won't help."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle."

Li Zuiyuan immediately packed his things, walked to the bicycle, and urged

"Uncle, hurry up and get on. We're almost there."

...

"What happened to you?" Li Sanjiang looked at Li Zuiyuan first, then at Qin Li. "Why did you bring the kid here?"

"Great-Grandpa, I missed you, so I begged Uncle Qin to come find you. He couldn't win against me."

"Xiao Zuiyuan Hou, is this a place you should be? Go, go, let Li Hou take you back."

"No, I'm not leaving. I want to stay here."

Li Zuiyuan gripped Li Sanjiang's clothes tightly, a look of grievance appearing on his face.

Li Sanjiang originally wanted to say something harsh to drive him away, but seeing the boy like this, a soft spot deep within the old man—who had never married or had children—was sharply tugged.

When elders dote on children, sometimes... they truly abandon all principles, especially when it's the bond of a great-grandchild.

"Alright, Li Hou, keep an eye on the kid. Don't let him run off."

Qin Li nodded. "Yes, I will."

Li Zuiyuan successfully stayed. He began to observe the ritual.

The ritual was being held on an open slope in the village, which used to be the collective threshing floor. A small-scale funeral troupe had also been hired and was busy at work.

Eight performers dressed in Taoist robes were performing the ceremony, each holding ritual implements and chanting, circling the offering table.

Offerings were laid out on the table, with Old Lady Niu's black-and-white portrait in the center.

The plaque read "Niu Clan."

Because the old lady had been an adopted child bride before marriage, she had no maternal family and no name; later, when the village conducted a census, she registered under her husband's surname.

The filial sons and daughters were kneeling on prayer mats, their heads wrapped in white cords, wearing hemp clothes and black armbands, wailing as they threw paper money into the brazier before them.

Niu Fu and Niu Rui were merely wailing loudly, occasionally wiping tears; they had the movements but lacked the emotion.

The youngest sister, Niu Lian, however, possessed both perfect emotion and movement. Her tears flowed incessantly like a broken faucet, and her lamentations were continuous.

"Oh, Mother! Our father passed away early, and it was you who worked so hard to raise the three of us! *Siyo-wei!*"

"Oh, Mother! In the hard years, you wouldn't even take an extra bite for yourself, feeding it all to us instead! *Siyo-wei!*"

"Oh, Mother! We've only just grown up, and you haven't even had time to enjoy life before you left us! *Siyo-wei!*"

The "*Siyo-wei*" at the end of each sentence served to conclude the previous thought, build the emotion for the next, and provide a moment to catch one's breath.

Though it was a lament, it was delivered with a melodic, singing quality; perhaps this was the earliest form of rap in the country.

Niu Lian's expression drove her two brothers; they would repeat her words at the end of each sentence, wailing in harmony.

Li Zuiyuan found it quite interesting. Setting aside his previous contact with the old lady, the content of the wailing alone was enough to make one laugh and cry at once. What did she mean, "you've only just grown up and she hasn't had time to enjoy life"...

Are you all just adults? You're all clearly grandfathers and grandmothers yourselves; if you truly wanted to show filial piety, it wouldn't be "too late."

Recalling the funeral at the Bearded Man's house last time, the mother had been wailed for during the day like a truly filial child, yet it didn't stop the son from taking his boy to do something beastly that very night.

Thus, no matter how skilled the afternoon session of a funeral troupe might be, it could never compare to the heavy-hitting morning session; that was where the true masters of the craft competed.

However, this ritual was a bit too desolate. Ordinarily, a ritual like this should involve inviting people to eat.

Li Zuiyuan leaned toward Li Sanjiang, who was smoking, and asked, "Great-Grandpa, why are there so few people? Are they not inviting anyone to eat?"

Yet, not far away, he could see a cook busy at work.

Li Sanjiang sneered. "When the old lady passed away six months ago, these three siblings held her funeral, but they didn't even hire a funeral troupe, and they cut corners on the food, serving nothing but watery broth. The villagers came to give their condolences, but the food wasn't good enough to even fill their stomachs. This time, for her memorial birthday, the villagers won't come; they aren't following the proper way."

Li Zuiyuan understood. It turned out the three siblings had simply used their mother's funeral as a way to collect condolence money last time.

The rural tradition of collecting condolence money was intended for everyone to pool their resources to help the family through the event; even if a few greedy individuals took advantage, the family wouldn't end up in debt.

Who would have thought they would encounter such three shameless people.

Liu Jinxia was currently sitting behind the offering table, occasionally wiping tears caused by the smoke, but she continued to chant the sutras, occasionally taking out specific talismans and handing them to the filial children below to burn.

Her position was for "receiving the Yin and Yang," meaning she acted as a medium to communicate between the deceased and the living.

Grandpa Shan had spread out a worn straw mat and sat in the northwest corner, continuously puffing on a water pipe.

Recalling the contents of the book, with the offering table as the center, Grandpa Shan's position was exactly at the "Evil-Breaking Opening" (Po Sha Kou). If yin winds or evil energy wanted to enter, they would have to pass through there.

Runsheng was not resting either; he moved back and forth continuously, spinning the banners. This was a physical task, as he had to keep the banners spinning without letting them fall.

In contrast, his Great-Grandpa sat under the canopy sipping tea. Li Zuiyuan felt his own knowledge was shallow, as he couldn't tell which direction his Great-Grandpa was facing.

But... it must be extremely important.

They had eaten lunch long ago. During the afternoon session, the performers of the funeral troupe collectively changed into monk's robes, playing the role of monks and beginning to strike wooden fish and chant sutras.

A few of them, who were balding, looked quite convincing.

Runsheng brought over bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen. He was hungry; while others were having afternoon tea, he would eat a full afternoon meal as long as conditions allowed.

He even thoughtfully invited Li Zuiyuan to eat with him. Li Zuiyuan didn't stand on ceremony, took an empty bowl, and began to eat some of the food.

As for Uncle Qin, Li Zuiyuan and Runsheng had called him, but he wouldn't eat.

Since arriving, Uncle Qin had remained standing at the edge of the canopy, barely moving.

While waiting for the incense to burn, Runsheng said to Li Zuiyuan, "I told my Grandpa that you're reading those books. He said you're much smarter than me and told me to talk to you more in the future."

Unlike Li Sanjiang's conviction that his great-grandson must return to the capital for university, Grandpa Shan had seen long ago that Li Zuiyuan was a prime candidate for a corpse retriever.

"That's good. You can come find me to play often."

In Li Zuiyuan's view, Runsheng was the perfect link between theory and practice.

"Really? That's great. Hehe, you have no idea. My Grandpa's health is poor and he often needs medicine, and our family is already struggling, and I'm just a glutton. Sigh. If I come to your house, I can not only eat my fill but also reduce the burden on my Grandpa. When there's work, I can go back to work and retrieve corpses for him, so neither of us is neglected."

"You want to live there long-term?"

"Ah, is that not allowed?" Runsheng scratched his head.

"You'll have to ask my Great-Grandpa."

"Then I'll have my Grandpa talk to your Great-Grandpa. According to my Grandpa, after he passes, I'll be working for your Great-Grandpa."

"Mm." Li Zuiyuan nodded. His Great-Grandpa was old; it wouldn't be bad to have Runsheng take over in the future.

After all, corpse retrieving was his Great-Grandpa's true profession and his most important identity. His Great-Grandpa's other businesses existed only because he was a corpse retriever.

The incense burned out. Runsheng impatiently mixed the food with the ash using his chopsticks and began to eat heartily.

Li Zuiyuan asked curiously, "If you don't light incense, can you really not eat?"

"Mm," Runsheng answered while swallowing. "I can't. If I eat without it, it doesn't just taste like nothing; it makes me feel nauseous."

"Then have you ever..." Li Zuiyuan hesitated before asking, "Have you ever eaten a Dead Diver (corpse)?"

Runsheng froze, then immediately lowered his voice and said

"Grandpa warned me. I can't say I've eaten them when I'm out."

"Then you must remember your Grandpa's warning well."

"Of course, I always remember."

Li Zuiyuan finished eating quickly. Watching Runsheng continue to feast, he thought that if he had arrived two days earlier, he could have caught the old lady's paper-figure banquet and could have eaten an entire table by himself.

The afternoon passed. As dusk approached, everyone began to pack up. Some took flags, some took banners, and others took sutras, quilts, and pillows.

They formed a procession, walking along the field ridges toward Old Lady Niu's grave.

The two people at the very end of the line were continuously setting off firecrackers, looking very relaxed and casual. After lighting them, they would toss them into the fields, and they would shoot off.

Li Zuiyuan helped Runsheng carry a flag. As for Uncle Qin, he didn't join the procession but followed from a distance, maintaining a hundred-meter gap.

Old Lady Niu's grave was very small. Although cremation had long been implemented in the cities and burial was strictly regulated, earth burial was still popular in the countryside, though the scenes of massive graveyards with cement seals were indeed rare now.

In their place were small houses—some old two-story brick houses with green tiles, some three-story, and some courtyard houses.

An outsider walking into this cemetery might mistake it for a model exhibition themed "Rural Architecture."

Old Lady Niu's grave, however, was just a mound, a "dirt hat" dug out of the adjacent soil with a shovel.

During the grave-visiting ceremony, Niu Fu, as the eldest, first removed the dirt hat, and Niu Rui dug a new one with a shovel. Once the ceremony ended, Niu Lian would place the new hat on top.

Setting incense, candles, burning paper money, and burning blood sutras—everything proceeded in an orderly fashion under Liu Jinxia's direction.

When everything was finished and the new hat was placed, everyone returned. Nothing happened.

But Li Zuiyuan noticed that Liu Jinxia did not look relieved. According to custom, this ritual should last until late at night. In the past, it followed the hours of the zodiac, but now it was standardized to midnight.

Only after midnight was the ritual considered complete, essentially a vigil, though the body had long been buried and was not kept there.

During the day, it was one thing, but once darkness fell, anything could happen.

After dinner, the few villagers who couldn't avoid coming to help also left. The family and children of the three Niu siblings also went home. They should have stayed to keep vigil, but they had been forcibly sent away by the three siblings.

Once the funeral troupe packed up and left, the area around the spirit hall felt exceptionally empty.

The three Niu siblings were still kneeling on the prayer mats. They were no longer wailing, but were silently continuing to burn paper.

Niu Lian's voice was hoarse. Niu Fu and Niu Rui, having lost their sister's creative lead, could only follow her lead in silence.

Liu Jinxia was still in her original position, looking visibly unsettled.

Grandpa Shan was still in the "Evil-Breaking" position, having finished his tobacco and switched to the cigarettes provided by the host.

As for his Great-Grandpa... Li Zuiyuan noticed that the old man had leaned against the railing and fallen asleep, his body jerking slightly with each snore.

Runsheng had found a deck of playing cards from somewhere and said with a smile, "Let's play Fight the Landlord."

"We need four people, right?"

"Then call him?" Runsheng pointed at Uncle Qin.

Li Zuiyuan shook his head. He knew Uncle Qin wouldn't come. In truth, he was quite grateful; although Uncle Qin wouldn't help with a fallen soy sauce bottle, his presence there made him feel much more secure.

Next, Li Zuiyuan and Runsheng played a three-person version of Fight the Landlord.

With one deck of cards divided among three people, it was easy to track the cards.

Runsheng's skill was poor, and the person in the next position was also mediocre, which meant that whether Li Zuiyuan was the peasant or the landlord, he always won.

As they played, time passed unnoticed. Li Zuiyuan asked, "What time is it?"

Runsheng shook his head. "I don't know. Where's a watch?"

The person in the next position said, "It's eleven o'clock."

Li Zuiyuan: "Then it's almost over. One more hour."

Runsheng: "Yeah. I wonder if the host will provide another meal after it's over."

The next person: "They should. They prepared a lot of food today, and not many people came to eat."

Li Zuiyuan drew another good hand as the landlord; this round was quite dull.

However, just as he was about to play a card, Li Zuiyuan glanced at where Uncle Qin was standing and suddenly realized that Uncle Qin was gone.

His pillar of support had suddenly vanished. Li Zuiyuan's heart shuddered, and his mind cleared. Then, as if thinking of something, he sat there dazed, holding his cards.

Runsheng: "What are you thinking about, Xiao Yuan? Hurry up and play."

The next person: "Yeah, hurry up. We know you have good cards."

Li Zuiyuan played a card, a single Big Joker.

Runsheng's eyes widened. "What kind of play is this?"

The next person: "Is the hand so good you're going to lay them all out?"

Li Zuiyuan asked, "Can I lay them out?"

Runsheng said, "If you want to, go ahead. There's nothing you can do if the cards are good."

The next person: "Think carefully. Playing openly makes it easy to capsize."

"Then let me think more." Li Zuiyuan gripped his cards, pretending to contemplate, while his peripheral vision swept over his napping Great-Grandpa, the three Niu siblings on the mats, Liu Jinxia, and Grandpa Shan.

The scene that had seemed perfectly normal moments ago now carried a sudden, burgeoning sense of horror. Even though he could hear various sounds around him, they were all motionless.

Even when his Great-Grandpa snored, his body didn't even jerk in rhythm; the snoring sounded as if it were coming from thin air.

"Brother Runsheng?"

"What? Have you decided whether you want to play openly?"

Li Zuiyuan nodded slightly. Runsheng was normal, but that meant they had to play openly. In this group of the old, weak, sick, disabled, and young, Runsheng was the only one they could rely on.

If it weren't for Runsheng, what would those elders do?

"Play openly!"

Li Zuiyuan laid his cards out on the table.

Runsheng asked in confusion, "Hey, your cards aren't even that good. I thought you had a bomb?"

"Play them. Big Joker. Do you want it or not?"

The next person: "You play."

Runsheng: "No."

Li Zuiyuan: "Three sevens with a five."

The next person: "I want it."

Li Zuiyuan: "Three tens with a seven."

Runsheng: "Xiao Yuan, don't rush. The person before me wants it."

Li Zuiyuan slapped the small table and shouted at Runsheng

"Open your eyes and look! Where are the players before and after us?!!!"

Runsheng was stunned by the shout. He instinctively wanted to argue, but when he turned to look left and right, he suddenly jolted awake

"That's right! There are only two of us! How can we be playing three-person Fight the Landlord?"

In the next instant, a cold night wind blew.

Li Zuiyuan and Runsheng both shuddered simultaneously, and then both realized that the two people who had been sitting in the ritual tent playing cards were, at some unknown moment, sitting on top of a grave.

All around them were the red and green two-story and three-story houses under the moonlight. Beside them was Old Lady Niu's grave, still covered by the new dirt hat.

"I want it! Three eights with a three! I want it! Three eights with a three!"

From nearby came the sound of playing cards—a female voice, very shrill and piercing.

Li Zuiyuan and Runsheng exchanged a look. Runsheng shielded Li Zuiyuan behind him, and the two of them circled around the grave to its backside.

There was actually a hole here. The opening was irregular and still had bloody handprints, as if someone had dug it out with their bare hands.

Leaning toward the hole, they could see the interior had been hollowed out. A woman lay inside, her hands covered in blood. Though there was nothing there, her left hand was in a card-holding position, while her right hand looked as if she were throwing cards

"I want it! Three eights with a three!"

She was constantly shaking her face with agitation, causing her hair and the mud to scatter. It was Niu Lian, Old Lady Niu's youngest daughter.

She had used her hands to dig open her mother's grave and crawl inside.

But inside the grave, besides a thick corpse stench and an indescribable pool of murky water, there was only a torn straw mat; there were no traces of Old Lady Niu's bones.

Normally, even in an earth burial, there would be a coffin. It wasn't the era before liberation where people were thrown into mass graves. Since Old Lady Niu had no coffin, she must have rented one for the wake, but it was replaced during the burial. The reason was easy to guess... to save the cost of a coffin.

Li Zuiyuan instinctively covered his nose, suppressing the urge to vomit from the stench. Runsheng, however, seemed to have no aversion at all.

At this moment, as the card game ended, Niu Lian seemed to regain a bit of clarity, but only a little.

"Not playing anymore, huh? Not playing anymore, huh? Then I'll just keep busy."

Niu Lian made a motion as if discarding her cards, then turned around and continued to dig downward with her bare hands.

If she dug for a little longer, the hole might collapse, and she could be buried alive.

"Hey, stop digging! It's dangerous! I'll save you!"

Li Zuiyuan reached out and grabbed Runsheng.

"What's wrong, Xiao Yuan?"

"Go check on your Grandpa first! They might be in danger!"

"Ah, right, but she..."

"Who is more important?"

"Grandpa is more important!"

Runsheng no longer hesitated and pulled Li Zuiyuan, sprinting toward the ritual tent.

By the time they reached the tent, Li Zuiyuan was panting heavily. Inside, the two Niu siblings were gone.

Liu Jinxia was crawling around the offering table, mimicking a cat's meow as she crawled. The old woman's palms were scraped raw, leaving a dense trail of handprints on the ground.

Grandpa Shan was "woofing" like a dog, crouching before a tree with one leg raised, beginning to urinate.

The urine flowed down, soaking his clothes, making him look incredibly filthy.

After urinating, he actually began to dig at the tree roots with his hands and feet.

"Grandpa!" Runsheng called out urgently. "Grandpa, what's happened to you?"

This shout immediately drew the attention of Liu Jinxia and Grandpa Shan.

One crawling like a cat and the other like a dog, both on all fours, they lunged toward Runsheng and Li Zuiyuan with ferocious expressions.

Runsheng spread his arms, shielding Li Zuiyuan, and shouted, "Xiao Yuan, get back!"

Li Zuiyuan obediently took two steps back, then felt it wasn't enough and took two more.

In the next instant,

Liu Jinxia lunged at Runsheng, her legs clamping around his waist as she began to scratch and bite at his chest;

Grandpa Shan grabbed one of Runsheng's legs and bit down on his thigh. A piece of flesh was instantly torn away, along with two of his old teeth.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, what's happened to you? What's happened to you?!"

Runsheng did not resist; he only looked anxiously at his grandfather, who was continuously biting him.

Seeing this, Li Zuiyuan immediately reminded him, "Fight back! Don't just stand there!"

"But he's my grandfather! How can I strike him?"

Li Zuiyuan immediately said, "Remember the books I read? They say corpse demons have the ability to bewitch the mind, just like when we were playing cards. The way to break the illusion is to slap them in the face—slap them hard!"

In truth, the book offered many more methods, such as pure yang black dog blood, talisman-infused water, or consecrated ritual implements.

But while his Great-Grandpa might have brought black dog blood, whether it was "pure yang" and un-tainted... Li Zuiyuan was skeptical, given that the village dogs were quite free-roaming and messy.

As for the talisman water, Li Zuiyuan didn't even know what that was; he hadn't reached that part of the book yet.

Consecrated implements were those nurtured and refined by enlightened masters—true objects of evil-breaking. Li Zuiyuan didn't believe that the Linyi Furniture Factory would hire a row of masters to collectively consecrate their assembly line when producing these peach wood swords.

Therefore, only the simplest and most brutal method remained. That was what the book said: slap them until they wake up. If one slap didn't work, use more.

Runsheng: "But... can it really work like that?"

Even as he was being continuously harmed by two old people acting like frenzied demons, Runsheng's tone remained calm, as if the one being injured wasn't him.

Li Zuiyuan could only say firmly, "You are saving them! If you don't slap them awake, they will suffer even more damage. Hurry, do it!"

If you don't wake them up, Grandpa Shan is going to bite your leg until all his teeth fall out!

"Okay, I'll do as you say, Xiao Yuan!"

Runsheng nodded forcefully. Once he decided on something, he was resolute and did not hesitate. He first grabbed Liu Jinxia by the neck with one hand and lifted her up.

Liu Jinxia flailed her limbs wildly, but the old woman was short-limbed and could not reach him.

Immediately after, Runsheng began slapping Liu Jinxia's face from both sides.

*Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!*

Liu Jinxia's face swelled visibly, and the corners of her mouth were broken and bleeding, but she finally quieted down, her ferocious eyes once again covered by cataracts.

"Am... I... back... to... normal...?"

"Xiao Yuan, you're amazing!"

After praising Li Zuiyuan, Runsheng lifted his leg and kicked away Grandpa Shan, who had been biting his thigh.

Grandpa Shan landed unluckily, hitting his face first and sliding a short distance.

Once he sat up, Li Zuiyuan saw Grandpa Shan already stroking his face, clearly regaining consciousness. He murmured to himself

"I... I was... not..."

Before he could recover his senses, he saw his foster grandson stepping forward quickly, followed by a massive palm coming toward his face.

*Slap! Slap!*

Out of grandfatherly affection, Runsheng slapped Liu Jinxia four times, but for his own grandfather, he slapped him twice and then stopped to check the effect.

"Grandpa, are you awake?"

"Ptooey!"

Grandpa Shan spat in Runsheng's face and spat out two more teeth—the ones that had just been knocked out by the slaps.

"Still not awake?"

Seeing that his grandfather still possessed aggression, Runsheng raised his palm again.

Grandpa Shan cried out in fear, "Stop! I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"Grandpa, you're finally awake! I was really scared!"

Runsheng pulled Grandpa Shan into a hug.

Grandpa Shan: "..."

Seeing that Liu Jinxia and Grandpa Shan were both conscious, Li Zuiyuan immediately went to look for his Great-Grandpa; he was the one he cared about most.

He found him quickly.

But upon seeing his Great-Grandpa, Li Zuiyuan was somewhat incredulous.

It wasn't because his Great-Grandpa looked miserable or disheveled; on the contrary, Li Sanjiang was still leaning in his original position, dozing off, his snores coming one after another, sleeping quite soundly.

It was as if everything happening around him had nothing to do with him and had not affected him at all.

Although Li Zuiyuan was happy that his Great-Grandpa was safe, this massive disparity in treatment compared to Liu Jinxia and Grandpa Shan left him deeply puzzled.

Then, Li Zuiyuan thought back to what had happened on the first floor of their home, and a suspicion suddenly rose in his mind

Could it be because the Cat-Faced Old Lady was so wary of his Great-Grandpa that she didn't dare lay a hand on him?