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墨書 Inktalez
Well, it seems that the last chapter wasn't eerie enough, and some comrades were not satisfied. Hehe, there's nothing I can do; I'm writing in chronological order based on my own experiences, so I remember it clearly. Also, let me explain the background: from now on, the story will take place in the Unit, marking a farewell to the Health Front and a turning point in my life! For those comrades who aren't interested, please bear with me! However, I believe this next story will definitely satisfy you!
The title of this chapter is "Coffin-Settling Bronze Mirror"! A bronze mirror, also known as a bronze mirror, is a mirror made of copper in ancient times. With the emergence of alloy technology in antiquity, people began using copper combined with tin or lead to create bronze mirrors. Bronze mirrors were generally made in circular or square shapes, with inscriptions and decorative patterns cast on the back and a loop for hanging. The front was polished with lead and tin to achieve a clear reflection. In ancient times, bronze mirrors were closely related to people's daily lives; they were essential household items and exquisite crafts. However, I once saw a peculiar bronze mirror that completely subverted these casting concepts! It was a pentagonal mirror that could not reflect any human image—a Coffin-Settling Bronze Mirror!
Thanks to the Commander for valuing me, after New Year's Day in 2000, I was transferred to the First Battalion's First Company as an acting Squad Leader (the orders hadn't come down yet; usually, it takes about a year after graduation for assignments). The veteran had just left, and the new recruits hadn't arrived at the Unit yet, so the troops were in a period of rest. During this rest period, there wasn't much to do; well, that's not entirely true—at least our unit had something to do: Fiber Optic Cable Construction. Many units have probably taken on this task before—digging trenches and laying fiber optic cables at various locations. Digging and digging! And we weren't even getting paid for it! Alright, enough digression; let's get started.
It was a Friday afternoon. Oddly enough, it was sunny during lunch but turned gloomy by the afternoon without any rain—just overcast skies that felt unsettling. It was our battalion's turn to go out for construction; several units were spread out quite far apart. Our company was working under a hilltop. The Company Commander looked at the approaching weekend and thought we still had time left on our schedule; he planned to dig another hundred meters before heading back. Little did we know we would uncover something.
It was the soldiers from Second Squad who dug it up. The Squad Leader hadn't arrived yet; an Old Sergeant was acting as Squad Leader—a Guangdong person with a thick accent—who stumbled over to me and the Company Commander while shouting, "Not good! A coffin! A coffin! It's a coffin!" The Company Commander tossed aside his cigarette and snapped at him, "What are you yelling about? What coffin?" The sergeant looked mournful and said, "We dug up a coffin!" I was startled and glanced at the Company Commander. He remained calm and replied to me that it wasn't unusual to dig up a coffin while excavating; those Guangdong folks were superstitious about such things. "Come on, let's go take a look!"
The coffin they uncovered wasn't very deep—only about a meter from the surface. For our Fiber Optic Cable Construction work, digging down to around one and a half meters was usually sufficient. Perhaps because it was in a depression, it was easier to dig; they accidentally went deeper and hit a Bluestone Slab. The soldiers were curious and dug around the slab only to discover there was something beneath it. As they cleared away more soil around it, they found that underneath lay a coffin larger than the Bluestone Slab itself, pressed down by it. Everyone gathered around in confusion and began discussing what to do next. The Company Commander was meticulous; he walked around inspecting it closely before saying to me that he didn't know which dynasty it belonged to but that it certainly wasn't from any respectable family tomb. I thought to myself that given how decayed the coffin looked and that it wasn't buried in an official graveyard—it would be strange if it belonged to someone of good standing! As he continued examining it, he ordered some people from the side to help uncover it!
The coffin they dug up wasn't very deep either—only about a meter from the surface. For our Fiber Optic Cable Construction work, digging down to around one and a half meters was usually sufficient. Perhaps because it was in a depression, it was easier to dig; they accidentally went deeper and hit a Bluestone Slab. The soldiers were curious and dug around the slab only to discover there was something beneath it. As they cleared away more soil around it, they found that underneath lay a coffin larger than the Bluestone Slab itself pressed down by it.
Everyone gathered around in confusion and began discussing what to do next. The Company Commander was meticulous; he walked around inspecting it closely before saying to me that he didn't know which dynasty it belonged to but that it certainly wasn't from any respectable family tomb. I thought to myself that given how decayed the coffin looked and that it wasn't buried in an official graveyard—it would be strange if it belonged to someone of good standing! As he continued examining it, he ordered some people from the side to help uncover it!
As several brave squad leaders approached with their engineering shovels and picks surrounding the coffin under the Bluestone Slab, they pried at it for some time until suddenly there was a loud bang followed by a cloud of black mist accompanied by an awful stench as one side of the coffin lid burst open!
The onlookers scattered in alarm as darkness enveloped us further; even the light became extremely dimmer. I cautiously stepped back further away while the Company Commander remained crouched down peering into what had just been revealed while holding his nose tight. Just as I was about to approach him again, I saw him suddenly stand up exclaiming about how rotten this coffin had become! I hurried over for a look inside; indeed there was nothing but black water along with some shredded cotton-like material inside—it appeared truly like a pauper's coffin! But why would there be such a large stone slab pressing down on top of it? It seemed odd indeed.
While I pondered this question silently in my mind, one soldier shouted loudly for everyone nearby to look at what seemed like something stuck on an upright board inside—the reflection of a mirror!
I quickly shifted my angle for another look inside—it really was a mirror! A bronze mirror—peculiar indeed—pentagonal in shape with something obscuring its surface making it impossible to see clearly through its foggy appearance. It wasn't very large either—about as big as This Book.
The Company Commander picked up a stick and poked at it several times until finally with one roll of motion—the mirror tumbled out onto the ground! Then he used water from his canteen to rinse off half of its surface before wrapping it up with his clothing carefully picking it up again despite still emanating an awful stench.
As I covered my nose approaching closer for another look—I could finally see clearly now: on its back side there was an embossed figure—a fierce-looking face resembling Yasha or perhaps some malevolent spirit—with horns atop its head and fangs protruding from its mouth! The front appeared like frosted glass—grayish haze obscuring any reflection whatsoever!
"Company Commander," I asked him nervously, "what should we do? Should we report this immediately back to headquarters?" He paused before answering thoughtfully: “I’ll take this home after work today—to show my father-in-law first.” Then he instructed me: “You go back later report everything here back to Company Commander—move aside that stone slab so construction can continue—but as for this coffin… burn it! It’s not worth dealing with here.”
By the way—the Company Commander's family lives locally; his sister-in-law is named Enqi (a special shoutout here as she’s one of This Book’s first loyal readers), her father works at the city Museum—a beautiful Hunan girl who visits often every weekend just to see her brother-in-law at Unit.
Last time she came by while he happened to be showering at Unit when she walked right in asking how I knew about them? Well—I just happened upon being ordered by Company Commander himself standing guard outside their door!!
But enough digression already! After giving instructions—the Company Commander took off back towards base since he needed ride his bicycle back into City later tonight too.
Following his orders—I proceeded alongside Row A handling things at site but little did I expect that seeing him again wouldn’t happen until an entire week later! And oh what an absolute nightmare week this turned out being for him!
The weekend passed uneventfully while troops remained stationed resting until Monday when Company Commander didn’t show up—Instructor informed us he had personal matters requiring leave—and then Tuesday rolled into Wednesday without sighting him either.
I couldn’t shake off feeling something felt wrong knowing how rarely he took leave—even preferring staying within Unit during weekends—it simply wasn’t like him disappearing for so long without notice!
By Friday night—I nearly fell asleep when suddenly Company Headquarters Communicator called summoning me over towards Company Commander's quarters stating he needed urgently find me upon returning home.
What could possibly be going on? I wondered anxiously making my way towards his room.
Upon seeing him again—the change struck me immediately: previously laid-back demeanor replaced now by visible anxiety mixed with panic evident across his face—his eyes darting uncertainly as if hesitating over something important weighing heavily upon him.
Spotting me—the Company Commander jumped up pulling me close asking urgently whether or not I'd mentioned anything regarding copper mirror incident?
I replied honestly: “So many soldiers witnessed—we couldn’t keep quiet about such discovery!”
He nodded gravely adding: “Good! Now listen carefully…”
Then reaching behind himself produced black box roughly magazine-sized sealed tightly shut handing over saying: “Here’s your mission: take two soldiers nearing retirement within your squad complete task.”
I stared perplexed asking what exactly this mission entailed especially considering late hour making leaving Camp impossible?
“Don’t worry,” he insisted anxiously glancing around cautiously before continuing: “Just stay within confines shared training grounds beneath us—digging small pit—not too wide but deep enough three-four meters if possible—to bury this!”
“Remember keep others unaware!”
Before I could inquire further—Company Commander gave me gentle push urging onward saying “Hurry now—we’ll discuss later!”
Exiting Headquarters door without delay—I sought out two honest nearing retirement soldiers gathering tools heading straight towards training field together quietly.
Without needing open box—I could guess contents likely held mystery behind copper mirror incident yet curiosity never drove me—I silently worked alongside both men digging deep three-meter hole burying box securely within ground.
Once finished—it had already turned Early Morning hours when intending return back towards Headquarters find Company Commander only discover doors locked lights extinguished completely!
Pondering options—I decided best course action would be seeking out him again asking what exactly transpired since last encounter earlier today… But upon rising next day—Company Commander vanished entirely without trace!
The third time I saw the Company Commander, it had been three days since our last encounter. We were training on the field when the Company Commander sauntered over, looking much like his old self—lazy and squinting against the bright sun as he walked around the entire field. During a break, I noticed him waving at me, so I ran over and asked, "Company Commander, is there something you need?" He smiled at me and said, "I knew you would be reliable. Are you here?"
I nodded in response.
"Not bad; even I couldn't tell. Want to know why?"
"Is it possible?"
The Company Commander sighed. "Damn it, luckily there's an old man from the Museum. That mirror is the Coffin-Settling Bronze Mirror!" The Coffin-Settling Bronze Mirror? The Company Commander continued, "I took the mirror home, intending to let the old man take a look at it. But then he went on a business trip and wouldn't be back until Monday. Unexpectedly, a lot happened at home. If it weren't for that old man, your sister-in-law would have been in big trouble."
I learned that after the Company Commander returned home, for some unknown reason, the dogs and parrots raised by the old man started making a racket all night long, preventing everyone from sleeping. The Company Commander locked the dogs and birds in a closed sunroom, but by midnight, the noise only grew louder. Unable to take it anymore, he went out to check and found that one of the parrots had died—having flown into its cage and killed itself. The black dog was banging against the door trying to get inside, breaking its nose and bleeding! Later, he let the dog inside, which immediately rushed to the room where he had placed the mirror and began barking at it, even though it was still wrapped in several layers of newspaper.
His sister-in-law was unaware of what had happened. When she noticed something was off and asked what he had brought back, he confessed. She panicked and demanded to know why he had brought something from a coffin home. As they struggled over it, the wrapping paper tore open, revealing the mirror. Upon seeing its surface, she screamed and fainted!
Afterward, his sister-in-law was taken to the hospital and remained unconscious despite having normal vital signs; she just wouldn't wake up. The Company Commander called the old man late at night, who rushed back immediately. When he saw the mirror upon his return, his expression changed dramatically as he scolded the Company Commander for being reckless enough to provoke such an object. The Company Commander didn't dare retort; after enduring half of his scolding and seeing how frustrated he looked, the old man sighed in relief that he had returned in time. He explained that this mirror was used to suppress coffins; it was incredibly bold of him to bring it back.
Since the Han Dynasty, it has been customary for people to gift mirrors—men giving them to women and vice versa. This particular mirror had a carving of Shura on its back; Shura represents slaughter and is likely something a woman commissioned as a gift for her husband who served in some military capacity. Over time, it became common practice to bury mirrors with the deceased; generally speaking, mirrors buried with someone could reflect their path to ascension. However, if the surface became foggy, it indicated that the soul of the person in the coffin had not departed but rather attached itself to the mirror.
This coffin was covered with a Bluestone Slab—not only to suppress its contents but also to conceal its existence due to heavy resentment emanating from within that had already seeped into the mirror. Such an object is indeed extremely ominous; animals possess spiritual awareness, and the Company Commander's father-in-law's parrot was particularly sensitive to that aura of death—hence its frantic demise. Women are associated with yin energy; Enqi's constitution has always been weak, making her particularly susceptible to being affected by the malevolent energy of the mirror upon seeing it.
The reason we were unharmed was that our military vigor is strong and our exposure brief. The only way to resolve this situation was to once again suppress this mirror—and there was only one place capable of doing so: within a military camp. The camp's strong yang energy combined with sunlight exposure throughout day and night could counteract any lingering negative forces. Only by re-establishing control over the mirror could Enqi recover. After burying the mirror as instructed by the Company Commander, Enqi gradually woke up in the hospital.
Listening to what he said left me deeply shocked. I wasn't particularly inclined to believe in supernatural phenomena; I would rather think that perhaps some bacteria or radioactive elements within the bronze mirror caused Enqi's fainting spell. But if that were true, then why hadn't anything happened to the Company Commander himself? As I gazed at where we buried the ancient mirror, I pondered: no matter what happens now—it seems fine for now—but years later when it sees daylight again, who will be there to suppress it?
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