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Chapter Seventy: The Enchantment of Paper and Gold
Looking at Master Ma's serious expression, I couldn't help but ask him if he knew something about Liu Family Village.
Master Ma gazed out the window, as if recalling something, and remained silent for a long time. When he finally withdrew his gaze, he sighed and said, "Knowing too much about certain things is not a good thing. In any case, it's best for you to stay out of Liu Family Village to avoid getting into trouble."
Seeing that Master Ma was unwilling to elaborate, I had no choice but to accept it. However, I knew he must know something about Liu Family Village.
Feeling somewhat dejected, I thought that the situation in Liu Family Village was becoming increasingly strange, and my confusion was growing. It was far more complicated than I initially believed; it was not just the Evil Spirit causing trouble.
At that moment, I suddenly remembered the five deceased detectives and their eerie grins before they died. So, I asked Master Ma, "Master Uncle, if a person hangs themselves but their corpse does not show signs of suffocation or pain, instead wearing a grotesque grin, what could that mean?"
Upon hearing this, Master Ma appeared quite surprised and asked me, "What? Did you encounter such a situation?"
I nodded and said, "Yes, just tonight when we went to Liu Family Village, five detectives died. When we found them, they were already hanging from a tree, but their expressions were those strange grins. It was very odd."
Master Ma exclaimed, "That is the Enchantment of Paper and Gold; those five detectives were harmed by someone using soul-binding techniques."
"Ah?" I was taken aback. I had always thought those five detectives were killed by an Evil Spirit and never imagined they could have been harmed by someone using Evil Techniques. I quickly asked Master Ma, "The Enchantment of Paper and Gold? Which sect's Evil Technique is this?"
What surprised me even more was Master Ma's response: "This soul-binding technique is part of our Paper-Offering Sect's methods. Didn't your grandfather ever tell you about it? You don't even know about the Enchantment of Paper and Gold?"
"Our Paper-Offering Sect's methods?" I was astonished. All along, I had thought that the Soul Binding Techniques we used in paper offerings were solely for capturing ghosts and alleviating disasters; I never considered that there could be Evil Techniques involved.
Seeing that I didn't understand anything, Master Ma began to explain the Enchantment of Paper and Gold to me.
It turned out that the Enchantment of Paper and Gold was a harmful technique practiced by the older generation of Paper Effigy Makers. Moreover, only Paper Effigy Makers could perform this technique; ordinary Sorcerers would not be able to do so.
To cast the Enchantment of Paper and Gold, a Paper Effigy Maker must go to a new grave in a cemetery during the midnight hour on an inauspicious day when Yin Qi is at its peak. They would collect Ghost Money scattered around the Tomb Mound. Of course, this Ghost Money is not the yellow straw paper we often see today nor the Hell Money printed with Arabic numerals; it resembles copper coins with a round shape and a square hole in the center.
After collecting this Ghost Money, the Paper Effigy Maker would draw talismans on it. Then they would need to find a Female Corpse that died by hanging and take home the rope used for hanging her. Using that rope from a woman who hanged herself, they would string together the Ghost Money collected from the Tomb Mound and chant spells for seven days and nights to successfully create the Enchantment of Paper and Gold.
After reciting the seven-day, seven-night incantation, the Paper Craftsman can perform this kind of dark magic. If he wants to harm someone, he only needs to throw a string of ghost money on the path that person will take. If that person sees the ghost coins while passing by, they will fall into an illusion. They will see beautiful women, gold, silver, and jewels; everyone has desires within them, whether for beauty, wealth, or power. As long as you have greed, you will be easily lured away by that illusion and end up running to hang yourself with the rope that has the ghost coins.
The ghost coins that have been enchanted represent wealth, and the rope used by women to hang themselves not only carries the vengeful spirit of the woman who hanged herself but also has a strong aura of resentment. This is why it can make people see beauty, while the rope is the very thing that takes their lives.
The Paper Drunkenness Soul Hooking Technique essentially exploits human greed. Since everyone has desires, it is difficult for anyone to escape this soul hooking technique. Because this technique is too sinister and powerful, it has rarely been passed down over time. Those who know about it are all experts in paper crafting, and those who can use this technique are even fewer.
I think my grandfather never taught me this technique, nor did he even mention it, perhaps because he feared I would misuse it to harm others. At the same time, I felt a shock inside; it turned out that paper crafting was far more complex than I had previously thought. Perhaps I had only learned a bit of the surface knowledge of paper crafting.
After listening to Master Ma explain the Paper Drunkenness Soul Hooking Technique, I finally understood everything. No wonder those five detectives showed no signs of suffocation or pain after death and maintained their grim smiles; they had fallen victim to the Paper Drunkenness Soul Hooking Technique and were trapped in an illusion of intoxication with beauty and power. Thus, even in death, their faces bore that eerie smile.
At this moment, Master Ma seemed to ponder and said, "Could it be that he has returned?"
Upon hearing this, I asked, "Who has returned?"
To be honest, I increasingly felt that Master Ma knew many things. From his tone, it seemed he recognized the evil master who had used the Paper Drunkenness on the detectives; otherwise, why would he say "he has returned"? But who could this "he" be?
However, Master Ma still did not answer me; he only reiterated that we should not meddle in Liu Family Village's affairs anymore.
I shook my head and said, "No way! Since there’s an evil master lurking in the shadows harming people, I cannot turn a blind eye to it. Besides, that person is one of our own in the paper crafting industry."
Master Ma nearly spat blood from anger upon hearing this. He picked up an ancient book beside him and hit me on the head while scolding, "Did a donkey kick your head when you were young? Or were you just born this foolish? I've told you repeatedly that the other party is not an evil ghost but someone you cannot handle! Why do you care so much? Do you really think you're some kind of savior?"
Seeing Master Ma's anxious demeanor made me realize he was concerned for my well-being. However, I had my own considerations. Not to mention that I came out because of trouble caused by the mass grave and was punished to walk the world for atonement; regarding Liu Family Village's situation, I had already promised Team Leader Wang to help him. Moreover, because I went to Liu Family Village tonight, five detectives lost their lives unnecessarily—partly due to my responsibility. Team Leader Wang decided to go to Liu Family Village largely because I was willing to accompany them; if I had refused from the start, they might never have gone there at all.
Now another evil master from our paper crafting industry suddenly appeared causing trouble. If Team Leader Wang and his team continued their investigation, they might face more danger. For all these reasons, I simply could not ignore it.
At this moment, I recalled the female corpse brought back by Team Leader Wang and his team. From the first glance at that corpse, I felt something was off about her. It was hard to describe; it felt as if she wasn't truly dead but rather "alive."
The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became. After all, Team Leader Wang had previously brought that female corpse back to the City Bureau only for it to mysteriously disappear before returning to Liu Family Village's old house number seven. I couldn't help but mutter to myself: "That female corpse won't just run away again tonight or cause some trouble?"
Thinking about this made me restless; I needed to go to the City Bureau immediately. Previously in Liu Family Village due to my negligence, five detectives lost their lives; this time I could not allow anyone else to get hurt. After all, while detectives could handle people well enough, they had no means against such evil entities—their only hope rested on me.
At this moment, I remembered how they always looked towards me for guidance; indeed, in their eyes, I was their mainstay against such matters.
Thinking of this, I stopped listening to Master Ma's persuasion and directly told him, "Master Uncle, I must take care of this matter. Thank you for your concern; I will bear all the consequences myself, and I won't blame anyone."
After saying that, I picked up my bundle again and ran out of the shop.
Just as I left, I heard Master Ma sighing behind me, "What a narrow path for enemies; is this all destined?"
I didn't know who he was talking about, but at that moment, I couldn't care less because I increasingly felt that something would happen with the Female Corpse.
I quickly ran to the main road in the city, and just then a night taxi passed by. I got in and headed straight for the City Bureau.
On the way to the City Bureau, I called Wang Team. When he realized it was me, he seemed surprised and asked why I hadn't slept after being up all night and what was going on at this hour.
I didn't engage in small talk and directly asked him, "Wang Team, where did you place the Female Corpse after you brought her back?"
Hearing me mention the Female Corpse, Wang Team sounded a bit worried and said, "I put her in the Mage's autopsy room. Why do you suddenly ask about the Female Corpse?"
I replied, "I just have a feeling that something isn't right, as if something is about to happen. So, arrange for a few more people to watch over her in the autopsy room. I'm on my way there now. Tell the brothers guarding the Female Corpse to be cautious; if they notice anything unusual, don't force it—escaping is more important."
Wang Team seemed flustered and said, "Is it that serious? Because she went missing last time, I've already assigned two colleagues to guard her. It looks like I'll need to send a few more people over."
I nodded and urged him to make arrangements quickly. Then I hung up the phone and anxiously urged the taxi driver to go faster while continuously praying in my heart that I was just overthinking!
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