Chapter 93: Beef Taco Easter Parade of the Dead
The first sound was the penetrating beats of trumpets and drums that pierced the air, solemnly announcing the start of the Procession of the Dead. People separated to both sides, with a path in the middle paved with golden marigolds, and everyone eagerly anticipated the arrival of the procession.
Emma ate a portion of crispy fried pork skin. "A few days ago, I went to see the Revenant Dance Troupe rehearse. Old Hans, the troupe leader, said he guaranteed it would be an unforgettable experience."
At the front of the parade are dancers wearing colorful feathers and their bodies are painted with various totems. Their dance is primitive and powerful.
Ye Wan thought it was a bit like an ancient Indian dancer, and Youan explained to her, "This dance expresses gratitude to the earth and respect for ancestors."
Then an even more flamboyant and boisterous procession came over. A huge pumpkin ghost car held many people, their faces painted with intricate roses, hour hands, and all sorts of exaggerated sequins, and their hair was filled with all sorts of brightly colored flowers. It seemed to be a traditional Mexican dance, and with the addition of loud trumpets and uplifting saxophones, the whole procession was very lively.
Next came the skull balloon that floated over. It was almost as big as several stories high, with many shiny black butterflies flying around it, their wings sparkling.
"That's the Black Death Butterfly," Youan said. "It's a magical creature that only lives in graves."
The last to appear was the Soul Dance Troupe led by Captain Old Hans. They rode on horses. Old Hans had a full face of skull makeup on, wore a wide-brimmed hat, and dressed in gorgeous retro knight clothes. The horses were also dressed up carefully, with elaborately woven marigold wreaths around their necks and colorful woolen fabrics draped around their bodies.
They tightened the reins in the center of a specific square, stopped the horses with their front hooves raised high, and then made a beautiful big circle in the circular square. The horses were equipped with light bulbs, like a shining light strip.
Then they sprinkled a handful of fluorescent powder from their hands. Under the moonlight, it was like will-o'-the-wishes floating in a cemetery, creating a strange atmosphere among the team, which looked very dreamy.
Ye Wan and the others applauded them on the side of the road: "Captain Hans really put a lot of effort into this. This is really wonderful."
They chose a roadside stall and sat down. It was a barbecue stall. The barbecue was hung on a thick iron rack and then rotated slowly. The slices of meat were cut very thickly and roasted to a shiny finish. The stall owner used a knife to cut the meat for them. Fat and delicious gravy kept dripping. Although the crispy skin of the beef was golden and slightly burnt, the inside was still tender and pink. The stall owner stuffed the barbecue into soft corn tortillas, paired it with juicy tomatoes, onions and lettuce, and poured sour cream and cheese sauce on it.
A plate of beef tacos was brought to Ye Wan. The yellow corn tortilla was folded into a half-moon shape and filled with various fillings. The stall owner said enthusiastically, "If you want devil chili powder, I can get it for you."
Ye Wan picked up a piece. The tortilla was soft and chewy, followed by the deliciousness of the tender and juicy barbecue. There were also rich seasonings, and the fresh vegetables and refreshing cream sauce alleviated the greasiness of the barbecue.
Ye Wan stuffed his mouth full, and he and Pancake and Mouse ate heartily. Suddenly, a man rushed out from the noisy crowd. He was wearing a knight-like uniform and walked directly towards Youan, saying something in his ear.
Youan's expression changed slightly.
"What's wrong?" Ye Wan asked vaguely.
"Dracula took Ophelia out early in the morning. I sent someone to follow them, but they lost them."
"I just lost him. Maybe he just wanted to be alone..."
Mr. Hans finished the parade and came over to greet them: "There will be a cemetery parade tonight, you must come."
Ye Wan smiled and said yes.
As darkness completely enveloped the capital, a large crowd of people flocked to the cemetery. The sounds of laughter and various melodies intertwined. Ye Wan shouted to You An in the crowd, "This is the first time I've seen this kind of scene in a cemetery."
Countless burning candles formed a flowing river in the sky, and the tombstones were covered with brightly colored blankets. The orange halo warmed the cold cemetery.
Emma sat on a mat and waved to Ye Wan and the others: "Hey, this way."
On their blanket were whiskey bottles, candied sweet potatoes, and tripe soup. Emma enthusiastically pointed to the tombstone and said, "This is my grandparents."
Ye Wan still couldn't adapt to the atmosphere of the cemetery. He just nodded stiffly, and then looked at the Undead Dance Troupe in the distance, playing various instruments happily, and people spinning and jumping to the music, like countless blooming marigolds.
Ye Wan picked up a glass of whiskey and toasted with them, jokingly saying, "This really feels like a grand family gathering."
"This is a family gathering." Emma clinked glasses with her.
When the chorus played the next song, there was a sudden commotion in the crowd. A team of guards walked around the gaps between the tombstones looking for someone. Ye Wan looked up and saw the leader, Lassen.
"Hey, Lassen, you look like you've been working hard. Would you like a drink?" Emma asked.
He shook his head with a rare serious expression: "A girl is missing, and we are looking for her."
You An interrupted, "Who's lost?"
"Miss Victoria from Colonel Riskan's family." Lassen said and hurried away.
"Again..." Emma shook her head. "Oh, I've met Victoria before. She's such an arrogant lady. At the Royal Opera House, my father got the tickets, and as our family walked to the box, she looked at me like I was trash, as if we commoners weren't worthy of being on equal terms with her."
Emma grew angrier as she spoke. "Although she has beautiful red hair, and I secretly think she looks like Ophelia, Ophelia is an angel compared to her..."
"What?" Youan frowned: "What did you say?"
"I said Ophelia was an angel..."
"Not this sentence, I mean if they look alike..." Youan fell into deep thought: "I think I know where Dracula is."
When they found Rose, who was dancing and drinking tequila, she was already very drunk. "You asked me about Ophelia's birthday? I don't remember it very well. Can I remember the day she died?"
"Forget it." Youan sighed: "Let's go directly to Ophelia's tombstone. They must be there."
......
Unlike the bustling city, this ancient cemetery outside the city looked pale even under the moonlight. Ophelia was lying on the stone platform wearing a beautiful white wedding dress. Next to her lay another girl wearing a thin petticoat. It was the missing Victoria.
Dracula stood at the edge of the stone platform, his scarlet eyes filled with crazy obsession, his pale cheeks trembling slightly, and he had lost his former elegance.
The mysterious man whispered in her ear: "Only tonight, when the line between the living and the dead is most blurred, can we switch their bodies? Ophelia's soul can be restored and enter this young and vibrant body. She will smile at you again instead of lying in a cold coffin."
His words crawled like a poisonous snake in Dracula's heart. His deepest fear was, of course...
Dracula raised his hand: "All this is for my love."
"Wait a minute!" An anxious voice came from a distance, and fully armed soldiers, members of the Night's Watch riding griffins, and crowds holding torches rushed in from all directions.
The leading knight pointed his sword at Dracula: "It's you, after all! You're the one who did this series of crimes!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill the vampire!"
Angry voices echoed in the cemetery. Dracula turned around angrily. His mind had been controlled by strong desires, and he only released destructive black energy towards the crowd.
When Youan, Ye Wan and Rose arrived on the magic carpet, many soldiers were already lying on the ground wailing.
"How come they came earlier than us?" Ye Wan was surprised.
Rose looked at Ophelia lying there and ran over anxiously, but was stopped by Dracula: "I know you are her descendant. I won't hurt you, but you can't stop me from resurrecting Ophelia."
"Is Ophelia still Ophelia even if she changes her body?" she asked.
Dracula was shocked.
A slight sigh came from the stone platform. Under everyone's shocked gaze, the sleeping Ophelia slowly sat up. A warm orange light emanated from her body, spreading gently like the light of thousands of candles lit in a cemetery.
Dracula froze, and the black evil aura emanating from his body was covered and purified by Ophelia's warm light.
Those beautiful yet sad eyes looked at him: "I remember now, the reason I came back from the underworld was to bring you happiness... Dracula."
Wrapped in such power, Dracula seemed to see the past:
Young Ophelia was standing in front of the mirror in her wedding dress, her beautiful red hair tied up with roses in it. The bridesmaid smoothed the hem of her dress and praised her, "You look so beautiful today."
"It would be great if he could see it." Ophelia sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. The bridesmaid looked up curiously: "What did you say?"
"Nothing." Ophelia looked up at the sky above the town. In the distance was the church roof with a cross on it. "I mean, the weather is nice today."
The wedding was held on a sunny day in early summer. The sky was clear blue without a cloud and had the rich heat that only summer can offer. There was a small white church and the sun made the cross shine.
Ophelia said to the groom, Witt: "We agreed that it would just be a ceremony, but we wouldn't interfere with each other, right?"
Witt nodded: "That's right, just treat it as a business." His beloved girl died of the plague, so it didn't matter who he married.
Dracula was holding a black umbrella and looking at the newlyweds in front of the church from under a tree in the distance.
The priest asked: "Are you willing to marry him, whether he is rich or poor..."
She quietly made a gesture of praying for forgiveness from God under her skirt, and then a tear fell: "Oh yes, I do."
This scene was both warm and pierced Dracula's perception like a needle. The mysterious man's bewitching influence and his obsession with Ophelia all collapsed, and he became the monster that Ophelia hated the most.
Dracula stumbled back a step, his tall body hunched over: "So, you remember everything..."
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