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墨書 Inktalez
"Do you remember what I told you before, Wang Niu?" Uncle Tiger said. "There are many strange creatures in this world, including demons and ghosts." His words struck a chord within me, and I found myself momentarily dazed before muttering that I remembered.
Uncle Tiger seemed to sense my thoughts and reassured me, "You don't need to worry; someone will come to find us tonight." Sure enough, that evening, Aunt Li, who had performed the ritual earlier, rushed over to Uncle Tiger. She immediately spoke of the incident involving a middle-aged man from Cao Family Village, saying that the corpse in the coffin had disappeared. This was something she couldn't handle alone and sought Uncle Tiger's help.
Without hesitation, Uncle Tiger agreed to assist her. The news of the missing corpse had spread throughout Cao Family Village, and every household kept their doors tightly shut. It seemed Uncle Tiger already had an idea of what was going on as he headed straight for the middle-aged man's room.
Upon opening the door, we found the man lying on his bed with his chest exposed, gasping for breath. His face was pale, and his eyes were sunken, completely devoid of the vitality he had during the day. Without a word, Uncle Tiger pulled him up and stripped him of his clothes before dressing him in a set of garments he had prepared.
Soon after, the middle-aged man returned to normal. The shaman was astonished as Uncle Tiger asked, "Where is she?" The man stammered and pointed in a direction. Uncle Tiger immediately moved toward it, with me and the shaman following closely behind.
Before long, we arrived at the ancestral hall in the middle-aged man's house and saw a humanoid Yellow Weasel gnawing on something atop the corpse. I was utterly shocked by this sight.
"Filthy creature, stop at once!" Uncle Tiger shouted suddenly. The Yellow Weasel looked at him and surprisingly spoke back, threatening him: "You'd better not meddle in my affairs; just get lost."
Both the shaman and I were terrified, but Uncle Tiger remained calm. He charged forward and, using some unknown technique, quickly subdued the Yellow Weasel. It soon knelt before him, begging for mercy and promising never to offend again. Uncle Tiger showed it no further malice and simply ordered it to leave.
The middle-aged man witnessed this scene with a look of sorrow on his face. He wanted to say something but was interrupted by Uncle Tiger: "Don't say anything; quickly cremate your wife's body and handle her affairs properly." The man fell to his knees before Uncle Tiger.
Uncle Tiger did not offer assistance but called for me to leave with him. After he dealt with this matter, there were no further incidents in nearby villages. Consequently, Uncle Tiger's reputation soared; many people came seeking his help, and he rarely turned anyone away if he could assist.
My worldview was completely overturned because of this experience. I continued to follow Uncle Tiger to learn his skills; however, he only taught me some basics, saying that there were certain abilities he would teach me when I grew older.
Time passed swiftly. When I turned eighteen, I enrolled in college. However, it was during my freshman year that things took a turn for the worse.
At that time, I was dating a girl named A Yao. I had a habit of boasting about my childhood experiences—claiming that I could handle matters involving the dead and had encountered monsters—initially causing A Yao to express disbelief and call me a liar.
One day, A Yao told me that a relative of hers was having some issues and asked me to take a look. I confidently patted my chest and promised to resolve it. Since A Yao was from City, I followed her home where she introduced me as a master who could assess her aunt's condition.
Upon arrival at her house on a hot day, we found a woman in her forties covered with several layers of blankets while trembling uncontrollably. A Yao's family members doubted my abilities due to my youth and mentioned how they had consulted many masters without success.
Feeling pressured not to boast further, I awkwardly replied that I'd give it a try. Having seen Uncle Tiger drive away evil spirits before, I knew that cutting out clothes was usually sufficient—but Uncle Tiger's methods were far from ordinary.
A Yao held my arm tightly as she urged me to help her aunt. I agreed since I had learned some techniques from Uncle Tiger; although my skills weren't at his level yet, I asked A Yao for scissors and black cloth so I could get started.
I recalled how Uncle Tiger cut clothes with specific incantations accompanying each snip. Having memorized these phrases well enough by now, I began cutting while muttering under my breath: "With this garment as a guide, may no spirit disturb..."
As I chanted softly while cutting away at the fabric—though nowhere near as skilled as Uncle Tiger—I struggled through several cuts instead of one clean slice like he would achieve effortlessly. After much effort and sweat pouring down my face, I finally managed to finish cutting out the outfit.
A Yao asked if everything was alright as I looked pale from exertion. "I'm fine," I replied while instructing her to dress her aunt in the clothes I'd made.
She complied quickly while I watched nervously; after all, it was my first attempt at such a task. However, after about ten minutes passed without any shaking from A Yao's aunt beneath her blankets—the woman finally stirred awake with clarity in her eyes and uttered one simple request: "I want food."
Instantly, A Yao's family erupted into joy and gratitude towards me while I waved them off saying it was no big deal. A Yao expressed her heartfelt thanks even more fervently than before and kissed me on the cheek—a gesture that made me feel quite elated.
Not long after returning to school with A Yao did I think everything would end there. But unexpectedly that night after parting ways with her upon returning to my dormitory—I suddenly felt an intense pressure in my chest followed by an unsettling sweetness in my throat as blood spewed forth from my mouth.
I rushed to look in the mirror only to see my pale face staring back at me—my spirit visibly drained. Initially dismissing it as nothing serious turned out to be a grave mistake; soon after that moment my condition worsened drastically—I felt like I'd contracted a severe illness lying bedridden unable even to attend classes.
As my breathing became shallow nearing collapse—my roommate rushed me to the hospital while also notifying my grandfather about my state.
However doctors couldn't determine any cause for my ailment—they even suggested preparing for end-of-life arrangements when speaking with my grandfather who looked at me tearfully despite being an elderly man in his sixties or seventies saying: "I thought you survived your childhood; surely you'd be fine growing up—what kind of nonsense is this?"
Without delay or hesitation—my grandfather took me back home seeking out Uncle Tiger for help.
Uncle Tiger had aged somewhat too—his hair now streaked with gray—but wore an expression filled with concern upon seeing me laid low like this; over these years he'd treated me like family—almost akin to father-son bonds formed between us.
I wanted desperately to speak but found myself unable; sensing what I wished to convey—Uncle Tiger gestured for silence instead saying: "You stay here Wang Niu; I'll take care of things."
My grandfather expressed profound gratitude before leaving us alone together as he departed from sight—I stared wide-eyed at Uncle Tiger who sighed deeply without uttering much more than leading me into another room whereupon emerging later—he appeared even weaker than before holding out an article of clothing adorned with an intricate red Python design occupying nearly half its surface area resembling blood embroidery.
He approached me silently placing this garment upon myself—and once donned—a peculiar surge coursed through every fiber of my being restoring some strength back into me momentarily allowing breath enough for speech again calling out weakly: "Uncle Tiger..."
"Sorry for causing you trouble again," I murmured apologetically feeling ashamed yet grateful simultaneously.
Uncle Tiger waved dismissively though furrowing brows deeper still: "Wang Niu—it’s alright; tell me what happened."
I nodded slowly recounting everything that transpired leading up until now—after finishing—Uncle Tiger slammed his hand down onto the table startling both myself along with anyone else present nearby!
Seeing him angered prompted immediate defense on behalf of A Yao: "Uncle! This isn't her fault! It’s all because of my own pride!"
Yet Uncle Tiger shook his head firmly replying: "I'm not angry at that girl."
"What then?"
"Wang Niu," he began gravely serious now,"you've been set up; someone intends harm against you."
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