Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
In 2013, I heard that Sister Roland would be making an appearance at Ocean Park's Halloween event. So, I quickly bought my ticket and prepared to go see her. Sister Roland is one of my favorite elderly ladies from Hong Kong; her performances in horror films are always particularly evocative, reminding me of many old ladies in the industry. I have a fondness for Halloween. To me, the various costumes of ghosts and monsters from both domestic and international sources are quite charming. Especially the haunted houses, even if they are fake, I find them particularly appealing. So, I booked my train tickets and hotel online and set off on my own.
After passing through customs at Guangzhou East Station, I boarded the train. The journey was relatively smooth. Upon arriving at Hung Hom Station in Hong Kong, I still needed to go through another round of border control. While waiting in line, something particularly strange happened that would seem odd to an ordinary person, and it was quite blatant. In front of me stood an elderly local lady from Hong Kong. Since the line was long, I had plenty of time to observe her kind face, which even resembled Sister Roland's a bit. She appeared to be over seventy years old and slightly hunched over; although she was sharp in hearing and sight, her movements were a bit slow. She seemed to be alone, but strangely enough, she occasionally looked down and spoke to her left side in Cantonese, speaking quickly. I heard her say things like "Don't wander off," "I'll buy you something delicious when we get back," and "You need to cheer me on." This puzzled those around us; at first, they thought it was a joke, but as time passed, everyone began to feel it was a bit eerie. People started glancing at the old lady with curiosity. However, she seemed completely unbothered by their attention and continued chatting away with the air beside her as if there were indeed someone there.
Logically speaking, most people would assume that this lady had some mental issues upon witnessing such behavior. However, I sensed that her mind was perfectly fine; even if there truly was someone on her left side, it seemed normal to me—just that this person used to be alive. While those around us believed the old lady was eighty percent likely mentally unstable, I felt she was eighty percent normal because I could indeed sense something unusual on her left side—not that I could see anything; it was just an instinctive feeling, a professional sensitivity. Moreover, I could vaguely see some offerings inside her handbag on the left side. Although I couldn't tell exactly what they were, I recognized some talismans among them. Especially when she mentioned something about "waiting until I get back to refine you and see how mischievous you can be," I became even more certain that something unusual was happening.
Refine? Was she talking about refining a soul?
I suddenly felt uneasy about this situation. This was serious; since I had encountered it, I couldn't just stand by idly. As I contemplated how to approach the old lady, she reached the security checkpoint. When she got to the window, I eagerly pulled out my pass because I wanted to get through security as quickly as possible so that I could ask her questions afterward. As expected, during the border crossing, she still glanced at her left side from time to time as if worried someone might get lost. This action puzzled the customs officers but they didn’t say anything. After she passed through customs, it was my turn.
I respectfully handed over my documents and tried my best to maintain a neutral expression for the customs inspection since the old lady was walking further away. Thankfully, due to my kind appearance, my crossing went unusually fast—within a minute or so—the customs officer returned my documents to me. Without hesitation, I took off running as if I were in a hurry to smuggle baby formula. Fortunately, the old lady remained within my line of sight and hadn’t gone far; I quickly followed after her.
However, when I reached her side, I realized that I couldn't find an appropriate topic to start a conversation with her. As we walked out of the hall together, just when I was racking my brain for a way to approach this elderly lady...
She stepped aside to hail a taxi. At that moment, I couldn’t hold back any longer and hurriedly approached her: "Where are you going? Perhaps we can share a ride." It was indeed difficult to catch a taxi. She seemed not too wary and replied that she was heading to Mong Kok East. Without hesitation, I said, "Yes, I'm going there too."
The distance from Hung Hom to Mong Kok East is only one stop by subway but quite far by road. Once we got into the car, I didn’t say much and naturally took the front passenger seat while the old lady settled into the back seat; I knew she wouldn’t sit in the front even if offered because she wasn’t alone.
Hong Kong's roads are narrow with heavy traffic and winding turns; however, despite this chaos, taxi drivers there drive smoothly without worrying about sudden lane changes. They overtook other vehicles without hesitation—a fact that must be admitted: they do this better than we do back home. In less than half an hour, the old lady asked how much it cost when we arrived at our destination. "I’ll pay," I quickly replied before adding that we could settle up after getting out.
After paying and exiting the taxi, she offered me money again but I insisted: "No need for that; it’s on my way." The old lady shyly thanked me before turning again to speak to her left side: "See? This is a good person." Seeing her so unreserved made me drop any hesitation as well; so I asked: "Elderly lady... did you bring a soul with you?"
She seemed taken aback for a moment before responding: "Do you really believe what I'm doing is real?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
She continued: "People nowadays think I'm crazy." Although they didn’t say it outright, their eyes conveyed that sentiment clearly enough for her not to care anymore—she spoke without reservation.
Indeed it seemed true; so I asked where this soul came from.
She casually replied with four words: "Bought from Mainland." Her tone suggested it was as ordinary as discussing any mundane item.
Although I'd heard of places where souls were traded—like Thailand's Guman Child or Amulet businesses—and knew about practices involving infant spirits in regions like Guangdong-Hunan-Sichuan-Hong Kong-Macau for raising small ghosts—I had never actually seen a purchased soul before.
I said: "Elderly lady Liu from Mainland... I've heard you mention refining it. What line of work are you in?"
She suddenly regarded me with suspicion but then relaxed slightly as if sensing no ill intent from me: "I have no other intentions; I'm just curious since I've dealt with spirits myself."
"Then perhaps you can let me accompany you for a look? It would be nice to learn more."
The elderly lady replied: "Since that's the case then we can consider ourselves friends! I've lived alone for many years now; it's always been quiet at home with hardly anyone around for conversation."
"Come along then; let's sit at my place."
Hearing the old lady's permission, I immediately felt relieved. I said, "Thank you, senior. Let me treat you to a meal." At that moment, I was indeed hungry.
I then found a tea restaurant. I took the initiative to set three sets of chopsticks and bowls, and the old lady nodded in appreciation. After we finished eating, I followed her to her house.
During the meal, the old lady talked to me about her current profession. Her surname was Chen, and she was from Shantou, Guangdong. In her youth, she dealt with matters related to spirits. Later, she settled in Hong Kong and continued in this line of work. Now, she helped people summon minor spirits for celebrities and individuals in business and politics to change their fortunes. It was widely known that many stars in Hong Kong raised minor spirits for Guman Child and Amulet purposes; it had almost become common knowledge because such things were indeed very useful. I knew that many people exploited the power of spirits to change their luck recklessly, only to use large sums of money for charity and atonement after achieving success.
This was not inherently wrong. However, once it became a marketable practice and the demand for minor spirits exceeded supply, many morally questionable activities would arise. There were even those who violated ethical standards by forcibly summoning souls.
Entering Granny Chen's house, she turned on the lights, and I realized what true chill felt like. The room was dimly lit, with heavy black curtains blocking the windows, allowing only a sliver of light to seep through. On the right side of the room stood a row of altars; at first glance, they looked like a row of coffins. Each altar had a chair beside it. Opposite the altars was a round table.
The table was covered with various yellow talismans. I couldn't understand the content on them. To be honest, I knew quite a bit about talismans—if not a thousand, at least eight hundred—but over eighty percent of hers were beyond my comprehension. It was truly a case of different schools being separated by mountains.
Granny Chen said, "Make yourself comfortable; I'll handle this soul first." Out of respect for taboos, I replied, "Senior, please go ahead; I'll use the restroom." Granny Chen waved her hand dismissively and said, "No need to avoid it; those are just rules from Mainland China. Here, there are no taboos. If you can learn something, it's your skill; after all, this old lady has no disciples."
I said it would be no trouble at all. After that, Granny Chen spoke to the air: "Go find your own spot." Then she began lighting candles and burning incense. She also took out several bronze mirrors and placed them on three altars. Once she completed this series of actions, she turned to me and said, "Prepare yourself mentally." I nodded, knowing that some rather strange occurrences were about to unfold.
Sure enough, not long after, three childlike spirits slowly materialized on the chairs in front of the altars.
They sat upright on the chairs with their gazes fixed on the round table in front of me as if they were staring directly at me. Although I felt a bit uneasy, I wasn't truly frightened. Seeing that I wasn't scared, Granny Chen called for my help to bring out an offering box and asked me to place the offerings on the table. I complied naturally and completed everything before stepping away from the table.
With a command from Granny Chen, two of the little spirits rushed to the table to begin enjoying the offerings while one remained seated without any intention of moving; it should have been the new soul brought over from Mainland China. Granny Chen hurried over and tapped that little spirit on its head while reciting an incantation I couldn't understand. Instead of moving toward the table, that little spirit began to cry loudly with an expression full of grievance directed at Granny Chen.
At that moment—within just two minutes—the two spirits enjoying their offerings returned to their seats at the altars as Granny Chen put away the two bronze mirrors; they gradually disappeared as well. Only the newly brought little spirit remained unruly. I approached Granny Chen and asked what was going on; she explained that this soul was obtained from a new acquaintance in Mainland China who claimed it had already been processed—but she hadn't checked at that time. Unexpectedly, this soul hadn't been processed at all and seemed unsuitable for refining into Soul Products.
I asked her what kind of souls were suitable for refining into Soul Products since I'd never heard of any Spirit God being suitable for such purposes. Granny Chen told me that some infants who died unexpectedly before their lifespan was complete were not collected below; rather than wandering outside as lonely spirits or ghosts, it was better to refine them into Soul Products so they could enjoy offerings from their benefactors and be reincarnated sooner.
After Granny Chen finished speaking, I nodded thoughtfully and casually asked what would happen next.
Granny Chen replied: "Given the current situation, it seems this soul is not one whose lifespan is incomplete but rather one forcibly collected by someone else." That practitioner truly lacked credibility for doing such morally reprehensible things. After saying this, her face showed clear anger.
I asked: "Senior, what do you plan to do?"
She said, "We can only make one more trip to send him back."
I didn't know if it was a coincidence, but after Granny Chen mentioned sending him back, the Little Spirit stopped crying. I took a closer look at the Little Spirit sitting upright in the chair; he seemed to be around three years old. If I ignored his pale, somewhat frightening complexion, he was indeed a very cute little boy.
At that moment, he was looking around anxiously in this unfamiliar place. I crouched down and asked him, "Little friend, do you know where you came from?" He simply shook his head, expressionless, staring at me with hollow eyes. Then he started shouting that he wanted to go home. I picked up a rattle toy from the dining table and shook it rhythmically like a wooden fish drum. The sound was quite jarring. While shaking the rattle, I recited the Soul Requiem. Before long, the Little Spirit actually smiled broadly. Innocent and unaware of his own death, he raised his hand as if wanting to grab the rattle from me. But I knew that even if I gave it to him, he wouldn't be able to hold it. A wave of sorrow washed over me; nothing in this world belonged to him anymore, not even a small toy. He was like a little bird in the forest that had lost its freedom to soar in the sky.
As I played with him, I asked Granny Chen where she had gotten this soul.
Granny Chen replied, "There was originally a Taoist priest I worked with regularly. He always had some souls that couldn't be transcended and were left without anyone to worship them, eventually becoming lonely spirits or wandering ghosts. I usually used those souls to refine Soul Products. But this time when I went over, he didn't have any suitable souls available, so he recommended another colleague instead. Who knew this wasn't just an empty soul? It has resentment, and quite a bit of it too. It's not suitable for refining."
I asked, "So are you going to send him back yourself? Where do we need to go?"
Granny Chen said, "From where he came, back where he belongs. Poor little guy still remembers wanting to go home. It seems he didn't die naturally; if we don't resolve his Obsession, who knows when he'll be able to transcend? And I don't know how that Taoist's colleague got this soul. It's really lacking in professional ethics. Sigh, here I am at my age still having to run around like this. This line of work is exhausting; after another year, I probably won't be able to keep going. It's really too much."
I asked Granny Chen where that Taoist priest was located; she said he was in Shunde. When I heard that, it sounded very close.
I quickly told Granny Chen, "If you trust me, I'll make the trip for you. And I'll help settle this little guy." Granny Chen replied, "I definitely trust you; I'm good at judging people. You're not someone who would go back on your word."
I thanked her and mentioned that I needed to stop by Ocean Park as well; we would come find her tomorrow afternoon. She said she knew I wasn't just here for her but also for the taxi fare. I apologized and explained that I had no other options at that time. She said it was fine and urged me to go enjoy myself since it was getting late. I quickly asked for Granny Chen's phone number and address before leaving her house and hailed a taxi to my destination. Originally excited about attending Halloween festivities, when I saw parents with their children enjoying various activities, my thoughts inevitably drifted back to the Little Spirit waiting at Granny Chen's house. I wondered if he had ever played with or seen such things.
At that moment, what kind of fearful state was he in while trembling in Granny Chen's home? What memories did his longed-for home hold? I knew that whether they were joyful or painful memories, they were undoubtedly the most profound and dear to him. When I reached a Western Count-themed haunted house and saw various plates set on a dining table filled with fake limbs and children figures, it struck me.
Survival of the fittest—if it weren't for encountering someone like Granny Chen who had professional integrity, wouldn't the Little Spirit end up like those props on the table? A being meant to be slaughtered?
With these thoughts weighing on my mind, my enthusiasm waned as I hurried out of the haunted house. The staff thought I'd been scared silly; in truth, those things didn't faze me at all—I was merely there for the spectacle. Once outside the haunted house and out of the amusement park, my restless heart finally found some peace. However, it was already late; I couldn't disturb Granny Chen now.
Back at my hotel room, I took a shower and went to bed early that night. My mind was filled with images of the Little Spirit reaching for the rattle in my hand—his eager expression felt like his last wish in this life. Yet that seemingly simple desire was one I couldn't fulfill for him; all I could do was send him back home—the place filled with his happy memories.
The next morning, after finishing breakfast early, I called Granny Chen. She seemed surprised as she was having her breakfast too and asked why I wasn't coming until afternoon.
I replied that there wasn't anywhere else for me to go and decided it would be better to return early. She agreed and told me to come over now. I quickly checked out of my hotel and headed straight for Granny Chen's house; when I arrived there shortly after 8 AM, she said she had actually been ready for a while now. She handed me a bronze mirror and said the little guy was inside it. "You know how to Call of Souls, right?"
I responded affirmatively, "Yes."
After gently touching the area of pain from my menstrual cramps, I packed the bronze mirror into my bag and asked Granny Chen for the phone number of the colleague. I quickly got up and rushed towards Guangzhou. As soon as I left Hong Kong, I took out my phone and dialed the number of that colleague. It rang twice before connecting.
The other party asked who I was looking for.
I didn’t say much; I directly explained my purpose for calling. He seemed a bit awkward. I introduced myself as Granny Chen's assistant. I told him that his part in this matter was already over. Now it was our responsibility, and he needed to tell me where he had obtained the soul so that I could return it and handle everything properly.
He provided me with an address, located on a mountain, not far from which was a new grave. He had collected the soul from that tomb.
I thanked him and hung up. A few minutes later, he called me back, suggesting that we handle this matter together since it was his karma after all. I replied that it wasn’t necessary; I could manage it on my own, and besides, it was no longer his karma to deal with. After a moment of silence, he agreed, saying, "You're right. Thank you."
I said it was no trouble and hung up. I opened my bag and touched the cold bronze mirror inside, feeling as if it were crying again. Upon arriving in Guangzhou, I went home to grab my living bag and drove straight to the location mentioned by my colleague—a new grave, which turned out to be a solitary tomb.
The stone tablet bore the words "Child's Grave," along with the parents' names. Many customs dictate that a tombstone should not be erected for a deceased child, which makes some sense. However, these parents clearly did not adhere to that taboo; at least two things were evident: first, they did not care about such beliefs but simply wanted to give their child a proper acknowledgment; second, they loved their child dearly. Standing before the tomb, I touched the bronze mirror in my bag. I knew this was not the home it longed for. On the spot, I burned some joss paper as an offering; although it was much smaller than me, paying respects is about expressing reverence.
This ritual was more about honoring life itself. With the parents' names as clues, I quickly found out where they lived—a three-story house in a village. The area showed signs of recently set off firecrackers, indicating a funeral had just taken place. The couple appeared young and weary, seemingly puzzled by my sudden visit. I explained my purpose without hesitation and recounted everything from start to finish, informing them that their child had not yet reincarnated and was still with me in my bag.
They scrutinized me with evident skepticism since this exceeded their understanding. However, when I mentioned their recently deceased child, their expressions turned heavy with grief. Caught between these conflicting emotions, they invited me inside and led me to a child's room. I assumed this must have been their little one’s space.
I instructed them to close all doors and windows and cover everything with cloth. "Whatever you see later, don’t panic," I added. They nodded vigorously; I knew they were eager to see their child again. It seemed presumptuous of me to think they would be afraid—after all, it was their own child, even if transformed into a spirit god. That bond of love transcended any fear.
I said, "You can communicate but cannot touch because it's very fragile; even a slight contact could disperse it, and time will be limited. Cherish this final moment."
Then I called out for the soul.
The little one appeared excitedly wanting to rush into their parents' arms. To prevent them from meeting too soon and ending our time together abruptly, I quickly scattered ash to stabilize the soul. Yet the child still lunged toward his mother. To my surprise, the young mother also prepared to rush forward to embrace her little one without any intention of stopping from her husband either. "Don’t come closer!" I shouted urgently, seemingly waking her from her daze. She halted her steps but continued to cry out for her baby: "Baby! Are you okay? Mommy misses you so much!" Hearing this brought tears to my eyes as well; the child cried incessantly too without any substantial communication taking place—something I should have anticipated.
After several minutes of witnessing this heart-wrenching scene, I finally said, "Alright, it's time to end this."
To my surprise, the conclusion came rather peacefully without reluctance; it seemed they had already accepted this reality.
Half a month ago, the couple had gone out on errands leaving their little one at home for a nap—something that should have taken only two hours but ended up taking nearly four due to various reasons. When the child woke up looking for his mother but found no one at home, he cried out in distress and even opened the door intending to go downstairs in search of her.
When they returned after finishing their business, they found a small creature lying next to the Pointed Shoe Cabinet, surrounded by a pool of bright red that was as shocking as a bolt from the blue.
Life is not always so resilient.
One moment of negligence, one moment of carelessness,
And it could lead to irreversible loss.
What people fear most is not death, but regret.
Comment 0 Comment Count