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墨書 Inktalez
Records of this creature can indeed be found in some ancient texts.
In the seventeenth volume of "Youyang Zazu," written by the Tang Dynasty author Duan Chengshi, there is a description of a bloodsucking monster referred to as "strange insect."
The account states that Wen Tinghao was watching fishermen catch fish in Jiangzhou when suddenly a fisherman ran frantically ashore. When Wen Tinghao asked him why he was running, the fisherman could not speak but pointed to his back.
Upon closer inspection, it was found that the fisherman had a creature the size of a yellow leaf biting into his back, which was difficult to remove. Wen Tinghao ordered it to be burned off, and only then did it let go. The creature was covered in small holes, each with a mouth resembling a nail underneath.
The fisherman later died from excessive blood loss, and no one could identify what this creature was.
This story is also recorded in "Night Boat," written by Zhang Dai during the Ming Dynasty, where the creature's name evolved from "strange insect" to "White-Mouthed Bug."
Additionally, in the eighth volume of "Zi Bu Yu," written by the Qing Dynasty literary figure Yuan Mei, there is a record of a bizarre creature called the "Dustpan Turtle."
The original text describes an event in the spring of the Xinmao Year during the Qianlong reign, which corresponds to 1771. Liu Jiyun from Shaoxing was passing through Zhenjiang and witnessed merchant ships capsized by strong winds, with cargo floating on the river.
By the riverside, there were people known as "water ghosts," who made a living by salvaging goods. On that day, they were aware of a wealthy individual from Quzhou and set strict prices before entering the water together. However, when they came ashore, one person was suddenly missing. The others suspected he might be hiding gold and silver underwater and went back to search for him but found nothing.
Instead, they encountered a turtle that was red in color and larger than a jade basin. Its shape was flat like a dustpan, lacking a head, tail, or feet. One of the water ghosts got bitten by it and could not pull away. They then used a large iron hook to drag the turtle ashore. The creature was covered in hundreds of small holes, all serving as mouths. The blood had been completely drained from the water ghost, yet the turtle still held on tightly without releasing its grip. Even when stabbed with sharp blades, it seemed oblivious.
Eventually, they had no choice but to burn both the drained water ghost and the turtle with fire, producing an odor that could be smelled for miles. Some said this was merely an enormous version of the Pot Cover Fish that swam along the Zhejiang River.
By the river, there were some skilled divers known colloquially as "water ghosts," who made their living by salvaging goods. One day, a passenger ship capsized, and the water ghosts all gathered to discuss the price with the sponsor before diving into the water to recover the cargo. However, when they returned to shore, they realized one person was missing.
The others suspected he might have hidden treasure underwater, so they went back to search for him. Yet, they could find no trace of him, only a large red turtle the size of a basin. Its shape was flat and broad, resembling a dustpan, with no head, tail, or feet. The missing water ghost was caught in its grip and could not be pulled free. They then used large iron hooks to drag both the turtle and the man onto the shore.
The turtle was covered in small holes that resembled mouths. The attacked water ghost had already been drained of blood, but the turtle refused to let go. Even when they stabbed it with sharp blades, it showed no reaction.
With no other options, they had to burn both the drained water ghost and the strange turtle together. The stench from the creature as it burned could be smelled from miles away. Some claimed it was the largest pot cover fish, particularly abundant in the rivers of Zhejiang.
This is all that has been recorded about this creature.
There are many speculations regarding this creature, most of which come from public opinion and social media theories.
Firstly, the bloodsucking characteristic easily leads one to think of a nocturnal animal like a bat. However, I find this notion far-fetched.
To date, three species of vampire bats have been discovered, all distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, and they are relatively small; even the largest does not exceed 3.5 inches in length.
In contrast, larger bats such as the Malayan Flying Fox and Golden-Crowned Fruit Bat are herbivorous.
In other words, there are no vampire bats in the Eastern Hemisphere.
Furthermore, the description of the bloodsucking blanket's form and habits differs greatly from that of bats; features like water sounds and suction cups—whether square or round—are not explained by this theory.
The second theory suggests that it is an undiscovered giant leech.
The Leech, commonly referred to as such, is a type of decomposing parasitic or predatory worm that attaches itself to a host using its suction cups to feed on blood. Its body is somewhat cylindrical in shape.
The largest known species is the Giant Amazon Leech, which can reach lengths of up to 12 inches. Most freshwater Leeches tend to inhabit ponds, lakes, and slow-moving shallow waters, leading to a widespread population distribution in Southeast Asia, where they are known for their bloodsucking habits and difficulty in being removed.
The characteristics of the Bloodsucking Blanket are strikingly similar to those of the Leech.
However, the issue with this comparison lies in the fact that Leeches have a limited number of suction cups, typically found only at the front and rear ends of their bodies. Some primitive species even possess just a single suction cup.
Additionally, Leeches do not have a flat body; even when unfed, their backs appear raised. Furthermore, Leeches move extremely slowly, often described as wriggling, which contrasts sharply with the rapid escape described for the Bloodsucking Blanket.
Another hypothesis suggests that this may be a type of cephalopod, such as the Phantom Burn or Blanket Octopus, which could explain the presence of multiple suction cups on these creatures.
This theory remains unconfirmed.
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