After the performance, thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the audience. The performers smiled and bowed to express their gratitude. Lin Yu, seizing the perfect moment, stood up and headed backstage, where he found the teahouse owner. He was a man in his seventies, his hair graying and his face lined with wrinkles. But he was in good spirits, his eyes radiating the calmness of someone who had experienced the world.
Lin Yu revealed his identity and asked the owner about the Sichuan Opera face-changing and the teahouse's connection to the mysterious events. After hearing Lin Yu's words, the owner's usually amiable expression changed slightly, a flicker of hesitation and worry in his eyes. He was silent for a moment, as if considering whether to speak up about these long-buried matters.
Seeing this, Lin Yu hurriedly said, "Boss, don't worry. We are from Bureau 749, specializing in investigating mysterious incidents like this. Any information you have could be of great help to us, and perhaps even prevent something bad from happening."
The boss sighed and said slowly, "Ladies and gentlemen, this Sichuan Opera face-changing does have some tricks. But the things involved can't be explained in just a few words. Moreover, this thing is quite unorthodox. I wonder if you have heard that face-changing can sometimes lead to some unclean things..."
Lin Yu and the others exchanged glances, their hearts growing even more certain that something must be going on. "Boss, don't keep us in suspense. Tell us what you know in detail. This might be related to something important," Lin Yu said eagerly, his eyes filled with anticipation.
The boss hesitated again, then finally spoke slowly, "Back in the Republic of China, our teahouse had Sichuan Opera performances. There was a particularly amazing face-changing artist named Zhang Heling. His face-changing skills were so unique that he was well-known throughout Chengdu. It was said that he could create more than a dozen masks in an instant, and each mask seemed to have its own soul and was lifelike. When he performed, the audience was mesmerized, as if he had transported them into another world."
The boss paused, his expression becoming somewhat serious. He continued, "But one day, during a performance, he suddenly had an accident. The facial makeup he was supposed to change into wouldn't work. Instead, a strange, unprecedented facial makeup appeared on his face. The expression on the mask was extremely ferocious, with eyes wide open as if to devour people, and a mouth wide open, revealing a row of sharp teeth. It scared the audience. Since then, strange things have been heard from this teahouse from time to time."
After hearing this, Old Chen frowned and asked, "So what happened next? How did Zhang Heling become?"
The boss shook his head, his expression a little solemn: "Since then, Zhang Heling has disappeared, and no one has seen him since. Some people say that he was taken away by the strange mask, and some say that he hid because of shame, but there is no definite news. And this teahouse has become uneasy since then. At night, you can often hear strange singing sounds on the stage, as if someone is singing a sad tune, but you can't hear the lyrics clearly. Some people have seen blurry masks floating in the air, flashing by, as if looking for something. These things are getting more and more weird, and many people dare not come to this teahouse anymore. I thought these things would pass with time, but I didn't expect..." The boss didn't continue, but just sighed helplessly.
Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Zhang Heling's disappearance, the strange facial makeup, and the ancient mirror might be inextricably linked. "Boss, do you know where Zhang Heling lived before? Also, are there any records or artifacts left behind regarding his face-changing technique?"
The boss thought for a while and said, "Zhang Heling used to live in an old courtyard in the west of the city, but so many years have passed, I don't know if the courtyard is still there. As for his things, I have a notebook he left behind. I wonder if it will be useful to you." As he said that, the boss took out a tattered notebook from behind the counter and handed it to Lin Yu.
Lin Yu took the notebook and saw the words "Sichuan Opera Face-Changing Experience" written on the cover. The paper was yellowed and the edges were slightly worn, as if telling of its long history. He carefully opened the notebook, which was filled with dense records of Zhang Heling's understanding of face-changing and some unique techniques. There were also some strange symbols and patterns that looked very mysterious. The symbols looked like some kind of ancient script, or like random doodles, but upon closer inspection, they seemed to contain some kind of pattern. The patterns included sketches of facial makeup, diagrams of hand gestures, and some mysterious formations that were puzzling.
"Thank you, boss. This is very important to us." Lin Yu said.
"I hope this helps you. But guys, this is a very dangerous matter, so you have to be careful," the boss warned, his eyes revealing sincere concern.
After bidding farewell to their boss, Lin Yu and his companions decided to head west to the city, searching for the courtyard where Zhang Heling once lived. They knew that there might be a key clue to unlocking the mystery of the ancient mirror. However, little did they know that as they delved deeper into their investigation, even more bizarre and terrifying events awaited them. As they exited the teahouse, the sky outside was gradually darkening. The afterglow of the setting sun cast long shadows across the street, casting a veil of mystery and terror over the unknown journey they were about to embark on.
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