Chapter 39
I was listening to Erma recount her experiences in Longmen Village when a bird suddenly flew past and slammed into the windshield. It was so fast, it left a bloody mess on the windshield. I slammed on the brakes, startled by it.
After we stopped the car, Erma and I got out to check. There was a bird carcass in the back, which had been smashed to pieces.
After all this series of events, I didn't believe it was just a coincidence. But to my surprise, Erma didn't feel anything unusual.
I took out paper and mineral water from the car and wiped the glass despite the dirt.
This time, Erma and I didn't chat anymore, but focused on driving. When we got back to my house, Erma put a talisman on the door as soon as she entered.
"Is there a problem?" I asked her.
"I do have a bad feeling." Erma said with a frown.
When I saw Erma's expression, I knew this matter might be a little tricky.
"How about we invite Senior Brother Danyang to come over as well?" I asked.
"Senior brother just came back, let him have a good rest, and then we can see what's going on first." Erma said.
She went around my house, pasting a talisman on the window and another in the bathroom. She explained that the bathroom was a dirty place, associated with yin, and that if one's luck had been bad recently, talismans were needed to suppress the negative energy. The doors and windows, on the other hand, marked the boundary between home and the outside world, and affixing talismans there would block out the negative energy.
After she took care of it, I did feel the room became warmer, but I don't know if it was a psychological effect.
We then went downstairs, and I went to the bakery to get her some of her favorite bread. This had become a regular occurrence. On the way back, though, I kept feeling like someone was following me. My sixth sense is pretty good, and Erma and I both looked back at the same time. But with so many people on the street, even if someone was following us, we couldn't tell who it was.
Erma and I didn't say anything and just walked straight home.
When I got home, I closed the door.
"Did you feel it too?" I asked Erma.
"It seems that what we encountered this time was not a ghost, but someone playing tricks." Erma said.
At this moment, I suddenly remembered that they had asked me if I had offended anyone. It seemed that someone really wanted to deal with me.
"How can we find him?" I asked.
"We can only play along and make him think his conspiracy has succeeded, then he will naturally surface." Erma said.
Next, Erma took off all the talismans she had put on, and the temperature in the house immediately dropped. Even though the sun was shining in, it felt very cold.
Erma and I stayed inside, playing games until the evening. She sprawled on the sofa, playing games on her phone, and I suddenly felt like I was from a different generation. I had no idea how to play those games, so I leaned against the window and watched her play. Just then, I glanced downstairs and noticed someone not far away, watching us from under the streetlight.
He was quite old, probably in his forties or sixties, and he just sat there motionless, like a wooden sculpture.
I felt a little scared when he looked at me, and I said, "Erma, come here quickly."
Erma was still fighting, and when she heard what I said and saw that I looked unhappy, she hurried over. She also saw the man, and then the man suddenly smiled.
He should be looking at Erma.
The two of them stared at each other quietly for two minutes, and then the man suddenly left.
"Is it him?" I asked.
"That should be it." Erma said.
"But I don't know him." I said doubtfully.
I have never met him, and I can't remember when I offended him.
"You haven't seen him, but we have all seen Wu Lianyong," said Erma.
Hearing the name Wu Lianyong jolts me. My first thought is of the children he brutally murdered, and then I remember his dying words that someone would avenge him. If Erma hadn't mentioned it, I'd have forgotten it.
Then the person just now should be someone related to Wu Lianyong.
We were in Hong Kong, and the Hongming Group's acquisition of Jiaheng Real Estate and the memorial service for the children murdered by Wu Lianyong were causing a stir. All major news outlets and newspapers reported on the matter, but at Erma's request, her identity as a disciple of the Tianshi Temple was not revealed. Our photos are easily found, so he must have followed the clues and found me. It now seems that Erma, fearing unnecessary trouble, didn't reveal her identity, which ultimately led to trouble.
I can feel that the days ahead will probably not be peaceful.
I was right. He didn't show up for the first one or two days, and I thought he was scared away by Erma. Then Mao Jianming called and said Zhang Song was unconscious.
When I received Mao Jianming's call, I was stunned. How could he have fallen into a coma?
I hurriedly drove Erma to the hospital. The doctor said Zhang Song's vital signs were normal, but he wouldn't wake up. This wasn't a vegetative state, either. After much discussion, he ultimately recommended transferring us to another hospital, saying there wasn't much treatment available here.
After hearing what the doctor said, Mao Jianming and I felt a pang in our hearts.
When I returned to the ward, I saw Erma frowning at Zhang Song. It suddenly dawned on me that the three of us had gone to Hong Kong together the last time. That man hadn't come to see me in the past two days, and it turned out he had gone to see Zhang Song. And Zhang Song's current condition was definitely related to him.
"Any idea?" I asked.
"This is his declaration of war to me," said Erma.
There's a saying among the esoteric sects: if someone gives you a challenge, you have to solve it. If you can't, it means you're not as good as them. The consequences can be mild or severe, depending on the attitude of the person performing the challenge.
We took Zhang Song back to my house. Judging from his current condition, if Erma can't wake Zhang Song up, his life may be in danger.
"Let's wait until tonight and see what happens." Erma said.
Mao Jianming and I stayed with Zhang Song. Seeing his breathing getting longer and longer, we knew that his condition was getting worse.
At night, Erma asked us to draw the curtains. There's a saying: During the day, whether it's cloudy or sunny, the yang energy is intense, and a person's three souls and seven spirits are usually within the body. At night, the yin energy gradually rises, and once a person falls asleep, the soul and spirit leave the body. Those illogical and chaotic dreams we have at night are actually the experiences of the soul in the spiritual world.
And when they come back, we will wake up.
Another situation is being woken up by external noises, which is very harmful to the human body because the soul is suddenly pulled back into the body, causing mental instability and confusion all day long. If it is serious, it can also lead to drowsiness and eventually coma.
We lit a candle in the room, and Erma chanted, "The three lights of heaven, earth, sun, and moon, interpenetrating with profound wisdom, illuminating my five internal organs, the mystical depths of the eight seas, and reflecting upon my body. I obey the command of the Supreme Lord Lao, and act with all urgency."
This is Erma opening his third eye. As far as I know, those who can perform this kind of magic are basically the uncles of the Tianshi Mansion. I didn't expect that Erma could use it at such a young age. The title of Master Zhang's closed disciple is indeed well-deserved.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
