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墨書 Inktalez
In 2011, I first traveled north of the Yellow River, to a place called Xiao Dian in the Beichen District of Tianjin. There was a community there known as Cloud Garden, or at least that was what it seemed to be called.
Xiao Dian was quite suburban, very much so, but within Cloud Garden, there were only standalone villas. Although they weren't particularly luxurious, they were still villas. The environment of the community was decent, with each household having its own small courtyard, but the area lacked vibrancy.
The occupancy rate was low, so the surrounding amenities were not well-developed, and there were few entertainment options. Right outside was a national highway that kicked up quite a bit of dust, which is why I didn't like it there. But enough about that; it sounds as if I could afford a villa.
In 2010, I had just graduated from university. At that time, everyone was busy looking for jobs as if they couldn't wait to contribute to the country's development. Two of my classmates, one surnamed Xie and the other Zhao, went to Tianjin after graduation. They joined a startup team consisting of six people: one boss and five employees. The boss rented a villa in Cloud Garden for office use on the first floor and turned the second floor into bedrooms for the employees.
When they first told me about it, I have to admit I felt envious because it sounded impressive. However, six months later, Xie suddenly called me and said something strange had happened there. When I asked what it was, he mentioned something about ghosts.
I responded, "What do you mean 'something about ghosts'? Is there or isn't there?"
He replied, "How would I know? You should come over and see for yourself. A lot of strange things have happened. By the way, our boss has money." Hearing those last six words made me buy a train ticket to Tianjin that very afternoon. It wasn't that I was greedy; I needed to make a living, and living requires expenses, which in turn require money.
The next morning when I arrived at Tianjin's train station, I saw Xie waiting for me along with a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties—presumably his boss.
Xie briefly introduced him; his boss's surname was Zhang and he was from Tianjin. After working in Japan for some time and saving up some money, he returned to form this startup team focused on game art outsourcing for Japanese clients. Having taken a game art training course myself, I knew quite a bit about the industry and its profits... However, I didn't have much fondness for Japan. Knowing they were making games for Japanese clients made me decide that once this situation was resolved, I would charge them more for my services. After all, they were earning money from Japanese clients. If I charged extra and donated it to the Red Cross later on, it wouldn't be too unreasonable.
Once we got in the car, we started chatting. After exchanging pleasantries with Xie, Zhang interrupted us impatiently. I looked at him curiously; wasn't it said that Japanese people were very polite? Why had he lost even basic manners after spending years in Japan? But I wasn't angry; I quickly engaged Zhang in conversation as he explained the situation.
It turned out that shortly after spring began and everything started to revive, they had a weekend off and decided to clear out the weeds in their yard to plant some flowers and vegetables. However, while digging in one corner of the yard, they unearthed a nest of snakes—about seven or eight of them—with one large snake among them and the rest being smaller ones. The snakes seemed to be still sluggish from hibernation. Feeling uneasy about it, they used a small hoe to kill all the snakes and tossed them into the trash bin at the entrance without giving it much thought.
I felt a chill run down my spine; after spending years in Japan, Zhang had learned nothing good but had fully embraced their cruelty. That very night after killing the snakes, all six members of their team collectively experienced nightmares with similar themes: piles of snakes chasing them and biting them in their dreams. Some even dreamt that colleagues transformed into snakes during work and chased them down.
Though they were just dreams, it felt too coincidental for comfort. They immediately suspected that something was wrong with those snakes. The next morning, they rushed to check the trash bin for the snake carcasses but found it empty; someone had already disposed of them. They thought that since there were no bodies left behind, everything should be fine and continued with their usual activities.
However, things didn't end there. The following night as they finished working late and prepared to head upstairs to sleep, Zhao spotted another snake on the staircase—a rather sizable one—looking up at him defiantly as if unafraid and almost challenging him.
My classmate Zhao is quite reckless. He picked up a broom nearby and was ready to strike at the snake, but just as he took two steps up the stairs, the snake vanished—yes, it simply disappeared. If it had crawled away, he would have seen it, just like in a blink of an eye. The snake was gone, and only Zhao had seen it; no one else had noticed.
This situation became quite complicated, but Zhao didn’t think much of it. He assumed he had just imagined it and continued upstairs to sleep. They had another colleague named Xu, who went into the bathroom to take a shower. As soon as he entered, he screamed. Everyone rushed to the bathroom door to ask what was wrong because there was a bathtub inside. Usually, they stood on the tub while showering. Xu seemed a bit frightened and stammered that there were snakes all over the bathroom. When everyone went to check, there was nothing inside at all. However, unlike Zhao, Xu was timid and decided not to shower; he went straight to his room instead. That night, he couldn’t sleep at all, and even with his eyes closed, he could see piles of snakes crawling in front of him.
The most bizarre part was that Zhao had a dream that night—or perhaps it wasn’t a dream at all. A small snake coiled tighter around his arm while his mind remained clear, yet he couldn't move. He tossed and turned throughout the night but still thought it was just a dream. However, when he woke up the next morning, he realized it wasn’t a dream because there were red marks on his arm, some places even bruised.
That morning, they felt something serious had happened. Xu mentioned me to their boss and called me over...
After listening to their account, I felt uncertain myself because this wasn’t just a case of a mischievous spirit; it was about snakes. I knew that in the north, people believed in Guardian Spirits. There are five types: weasels, snakes, hedgehogs, foxes, and mice. Many families in rural northern areas indeed worship these Guardian Spirits; that much is true. But regarding this incident itself—the nest of snakes was dug up in the yard—could it be that the previous tenants worshipped a Guardian Spirit?
I asked Boss Zhang if they had any Guardian Spirits in their home. He said no; he never believed in such things and thought they were ridiculous.
I replied that some things exist whether you believe in them or not... You might as well call the landlord to see if you can reach the previous tenants for more information. As we talked, we arrived at the place. We got out of the car and entered the house; he started making phone calls while I took a moment to walk around the yard. The soil had indeed been disturbed, and in one corner, there was a pit—clearly where the snakes had been dug out.
Before I could examine it closely, Boss Zhang finished his call and told me that the previous tenant's number had changed and they couldn’t get in touch anymore. I thought about it carefully; all I needed was confirmation of whether or not something existed here. Given the current situation, I assumed it did.
This was my first encounter with an animal spirit; I didn’t know how to handle it. The methods for dealing with Spirit Gods might not work here. I used a compass to check for any reactions but found none. I told them to go ahead with their tasks; I already understood the situation and wanted to explore on my own first. I then entered the villa where they were already sitting at a table getting busy. I headed straight upstairs to see if I could find anything useful.
The second floor had a hall with three bedrooms and a bathroom. In the hall was a pool table and a sofa; next to the sofa was an altar that held nothing at all. I have a habit of examining room layouts when entering unfamiliar houses to see if there are any serious feng shui issues, but this house seemed fine.
I searched through each room hoping to find some sign of spirits or perhaps even encounter the snakes mentioned.
However, things didn’t go as planned. Looking up at a clock in the hall jolted me awake—not because it was particularly exquisite or unique but because its hands indicated just past noon—a time I particularly liked since even if Lin Chih-Ling were beside me at that hour, nothing could stop my desire for food. I decisively went downstairs intending to invite Xu and Zhao out for lunch; I'd heard about Tianjin's famous Goubuli buns and donkey rolls before. After mentioning this to Boss Zhang, I dragged Zhao along with me.
However, the legendary Goubuli buns turned out to be somewhat overrated since my two classmates showed no interest in them at all.
During lunch, my shy nature made me less talkative around them; aside from eating, my mind kept wandering back to thoughts about snakes. I wasn’t sure if they were Guardian Spirits or demons; what I did know for certain was that they weren’t Spirit Gods. Speaking of demons might raise some eyebrows—people would want to rush over with questions about whether demons really existed.
Yes, demons do exist in this world. However, demons are different from souls; they are not merely products of dead animals but rather results of animals cultivating themselves over time. The so-called thousand-year-old turtles or ten-thousand-year-old tortoises—many animals gradually shed their primal instincts after long periods of cultivation and develop certain wisdom while finding suitable methods for self-improvement. At this point, some might question me further: If there are demons, why haven’t they seen any? Just like humans don’t wish to encounter demons; similarly, demons prefer not to meet humans because humans dare to do anything while demons know that harming humans would lead them straight into calamity—there’s no escape from death—let alone continuing their cultivation journey further.
When my master first mentioned the existence of spirits, I was skeptical. However, after he shared a few examples with me, I began to believe. Although I had never encountered such beings before, my faith stemmed from my trust in my master—a trust rooted in respect.
Whether it was a Guardian Spirit or a demon, I realized I had no experience dealing with either. It was akin to being a Gynecologist suddenly faced with a Kidney Harvest surgery. While I understood the fundamentals of surgery, I wouldn't be able to perform it effectively. To be safe, I reached out to my master, who I considered all-knowing. After exchanging a few playful remarks, I explained my situation to him. He admitted that he didn't have an immediate solution but could introduce me to someone—a Disciple of the Exorcist—who was an old friend of his. I agreed. My master hung up, and after about ten minutes, he sent me a phone number. Perhaps he had to ask his own master for it.
Speaking of Southern Maos and Northern Horses, broadly speaking, "Mao" refers to Maoshan, while "Horse" refers to the Disciple of the Exorcist. The former is straightforward and brute in exorcising spirits, while the latter employs more refined techniques for dealing with demons, each with its own Method of Feng Shui. Of course, there are countless branches within these practices, but I won't delve into those details here.
After receiving the phone number, I called without hesitation. The phone rang for quite a while without anyone picking up. Just as we returned to the villa and I was about to call again, my phone rang. A deep male voice answered—gruff enough to sound like a thug at first listen. After introducing myself, he said he knew who I was; his master had informed him. I asked if he was in Tianjin so we could meet up. He replied that he was in Nankai. I offered to send him an address and suggested he come over if it was convenient for him. He agreed and said he would come right away.
Logically speaking, this kind of situation shouldn't fall under my responsibility, and even if it did, I might not be able to handle it. If it were now, I would definitely decline such an invitation. However, back then, fueled by youthful curiosity and eagerness to experience everything firsthand, I wanted to give it a try.
About an hour later, my friend arrived—he had a robust build and an imposing presence that suggested he could easily take on two people like me who relied on intellect rather than brawn. Fortunately, he wasn't there to fight me; he was there to help.
After we introduced ourselves briefly—his name was Li and he hailed from Qinhuangdao but now lived in Tianjin—I felt drawn to his outgoing personality and wanted to befriend him. Given his fierce appearance and friendly demeanor, I decided to call him Master Li, which seemed to please him.
After some small talk, I explained the situation in detail. He concluded that it should be a Guardian Spirit.
I asked if it would be easy to resolve. He replied that it should be manageable but suggested we take a look first.
I led him into the villa where we both headed straight upstairs without hesitation. He took out his tools and began examining the room thoroughly while I sat on the sofa without moving; after all, I understood the rules—certain techniques shouldn't be observed casually. Looking down at my hands, I felt an urge to watch but knew better than to intrude.
A few minutes later, he called me over and asked for help moving an Altar. We each took one side and prepared to shift it across the room. From the effort required to lift the Altar, it became clear that he wasn't as strong as me; while I lifted my side high off the ground, his side barely budged from its spot. It seemed like he was trying hard too; perhaps he wouldn't necessarily win in a physical contest against me after all—I felt a surge of confidence.
The Altar was positioned against the wall; when we moved it aside, a plaque fell out from between the Altar and the wall. Master Li picked it up and examined it before telling me this was what we needed. I walked over for a closer look—it was a wooden plaque inscribed with offerings for the Guardian Spirit and adorned with symbols depicting two snakes on either side. It seemed likely that this was dedicated to the Willow Immortal—the Snake Immortal.
I then asked him what we should do next. He replied that we couldn't do anything until nightfall; tonight we would need to sleep together in order to prepare for what lay ahead.
His words startled me, and I instinctively took a step back. He seemed to realize that his statement was ambiguous and then told me that we would sleep on the sofa tonight while waiting for them to arrive.
I asked him if we had to wait until midnight. He replied no, but he needed to go back to get something, and he had other matters to attend to in the afternoon. By the time he got back with what he needed, it would be quite late.
I suggested that he could postpone his afternoon plans and resolve this matter first. He said that wasn't possible, and I couldn't insist further, so I nodded. I asked when we might resolve things in the evening, and he said it was uncertain—maybe at eleven or perhaps before dawn.
He then told me that everyone in the house needed to avoid being present; we couldn't stay here tonight. I asked if they could just stay in their rooms without coming out. He gave a strange smile and said that wouldn't work, sending a shiver down my spine.
We went downstairs, and he left. I went to find Boss Zhang and asked if they could stay somewhere else for the night since this matter needed resolving tonight, and they needed to avoid being around. Boss Zhang suddenly became quite agreeable, saying, "You are friends with Xie and Zhao; I trust you. Just tell me what to do." He then turned to his team and said, "Tonight we're going out to have fun." The members of his team nodded silently in agreement, except for Zhao Mengzi, who exclaimed happily, seemingly unfazed by the tension. This was one of the reasons I preferred being friends with him; sometimes, foolish people have their own kind of luck.
They all left before nine o'clock that night. I watched a movie on Zhao Mengzi's computer, and less than half an hour after they left, Master Li arrived with a bag. It looked bulky, and I hoped it didn't contain anything like candles or whips. However, his expression showed no signs of anything unusual, which eased my mind.
We turned off all the lights on the first floor and went up to the second floor. After wiping down the altar, Master Li placed the Guardian Spirit's tablet on it. He lit incense and candles, offered some sacrifices, and then began mumbling softly for a while. I didn't pay attention to his methods; I could only lower my head and watch.
Once he finished his preparations, he sat down across from me. I asked him what we should do next.
He replied that we would wait for the spirit to appear and told me that if I felt tired, I could sleep. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but it seemed like he smiled strangely again.
I immediately said that I wasn't tired and decided to go downstairs to watch a movie instead. He said he would join me downstairs as well. I warned him that if the spirit came while he was downstairs, how would he know? He assured me not to worry; he had his ways.
While we were peacefully watching a movie downstairs without any incidents, he showed no intention of going back upstairs. When I asked him what was going on, he said we were just waiting and that it should be soon. I inquired if I could come up once it arrived; he replied that it was fine as long as I stayed behind him and didn’t get too close. Just as I was about to start another movie, he suddenly stood up and said it had come before turning around and rushing upstairs.
I had no idea how he knew it had arrived, but I wouldn't ask him; even if I did ask, he might not tell me anyway—it would be awkward. Master Li dashed upstairs, and after hesitating for a moment, I quickly followed him up. Once upstairs, I understood why he wanted me there to watch; his broad back blocked most of the altar from view. I couldn't see his methods or any tools—only his silhouette—but even without seeing clearly, I could feel the tense atmosphere along with a hint of Yin Qi in the air.
I could hear Master Li's murmuring voice along with faint responses; they must have been negotiating.
It was similar to how I communicated with Spirit Gods—though they didn't speak human language between them—I still couldn't see the Willow Immortal. After quite some time—around twenty minutes—the communication finally ceased. I thought this level of intensity was almost comparable to what one might encounter in the Underworld. Knowing that Master Li had resolved this matter without seeing the snake spirit made me curious yet anxious about what had transpired.
Afterwards, I asked him if this was the usual process for handling such matters, wondering how they communicated for so long.
He replied that it wasn't typical; usually, they exchanged just a few words. This time, however, the Guardian Spirit was very angry.
I explained for quite a while, trying to persuade it. I skeptically asked how he had explained things to it. He smiled but didn't say anything, and I realized I shouldn't press further. We chatted a bit more about the Guardian Spirit, and he seemed quite tired. I opened the door to the room where Xie and Zhao were staying; they shared a room with two beds and said I didn't need to sleep on the sofa—I could use one of their beds. He walked in without hesitation, not bothering to brush his teeth or wash his face, and simply lay down on the bed. I was also exhausted from the journey and hadn't had a proper rest, so I lay down on the other bed. That night, I slept soundly without dreams or snakes, sleeping straight through until dawn.
The next day, when their team returned, I told them everything had been resolved. Zhang Boss surprisingly didn't question me and just asked for my bank account number to transfer the money. I suggested waiting until after seven days when everything would be settled before transferring it. Then Master Li and I left the villa.
We had breakfast outside, and as a friend, he accompanied me to see the Coastal Aircraft Carrier in Tianjin. He was quite loyal. During that time, we discussed many things regarding the Guardian Spirit and demons, which proved to be quite enlightening.
A week later, I received Zhang Boss's transfer, which was more than expected. I kept my own expenses and divided the remaining amount into a 70-30 split—sending the larger portion to Master Li and donating the smaller portion to a charity account.
The next day, Zhang Boss texted me asking if I had received the money. I replied that I had received it and mentioned that this time it was just luck. I hoped he wouldn't engage in such inhumane actions in the future; every life deserves respect. One shouldn't think that once something is done, it's done without consequence. What goes around comes around. Wishing him prosperity in business and wealth flowing in.
He replied with just two words: Thank you.
I hope he truly understands.
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