Chapter 39 Decision

After this, Uncle Wei Jun began to be silent for a long time, then looked at me and said, “Your name is Chen Chengyi, right? I’ll just call you Chengyi. You’re a Taoist priest. Tell me, was the ghost I saw that night really my father’s ghost?”

I looked at this Liu Er and didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t describe the sadness. I thought I would be able to rely on him when I saw him again ten days later, but I didn’t expect to be separated from my own father.

I could only say to Uncle Weijun, “He has unfinished business and has come to fulfill his obsession.”

“Is his obsession with this town and the safety of everyone in this town?”

“He is a true Taoist. He knows what is right and he understands the right way.” I remembered that the other day, Mr. Liu told me that he was a hero. It seems that he really is. From beginning to end, this little man’s performance was as unwavering as ever, connecting the entire story. You will find that he never considered himself.

“Haha, thank you for your kind words about my father. I’m proud of him. The story I wanted to tell you is over here. What I can tell you is that we who are still in the town are a group of people who have been deprived of their lives. You know that the poor people outside the house can’t live past the age of 50, but in order not to harm their blood relatives with this ‘poison,’ they must stay in the town and wait for the light to come one day! As for me, I have not been deprived of my life, but I have been deprived of my health, and this is still under the so-called “protection”… In short, I pray for a sacrifice once, and I have to pay a price. You know, I have no less than a dozen diseases now. Hehe, I can tell you responsibly that if you take me to the hospital for a checkup, you will find that I have no less than five types of cancer. Uncle Wei Jun said so much that he was exhausted. The last part of the story was especially difficult, and after he finished, he leaned lazily against the chair.

I was shocked and saddened to see this man. I didn’t know how to express my feelings in my heart. He was afflicted with more than ten diseases, but he was still so strong and guarded. Although I didn’t know what he was guarding, and the story ended inexplicably, I still respected this ordinary person from the bottom of my heart.

I can’t even imagine the kind of pain someone suffering from a dozen diseases must endure. You know, in this world, just having one kind of cancer or one kind of disease is already unbearable! But he’s still alive, living just like that, living for the sake of his heart’s guardian.

“You are a hero. Being able to live is sometimes a hero. I think that a life that is not empty is meaningful in some way. You have evolved this meaning to the extreme.” When I said this, it was not a compliment, but an impulse that I had to vent. I was not just being sincere, but also being pious.

In front of him, some people easily gave up their lives, which was a humble contrast.

“Sometimes, the right kind of persistence can make anyone a hero. I’m very happy that people still pursue and dream of heroes. This is the most positive energy in the world. Take a look at this. You can take your time. Tell me your decision tomorrow! I can only explain and answer these things for you. My ability is limited. I can’t completely solve every puzzle. I hope you can.” As he spoke, Uncle Wei Jun took something out of his body with great care and placed it on the table solemnly.

I saw that it was a yellowed letter, and from the creases, it had been read many times.

I knew that this was the obsession of the ghost of Liu Er, the letter that had to be returned within the agreed time, so I also took the letter on the table with a solemn feeling and carefully put it away.

“Any more questions?” Uncle Wei Jun was panting heavily, and it seemed that he had reached his limit.

Although I felt sorry for him, there were some questions I had to ask.

“Uncle Wei Jun, the government of this town…”

“Don’t count on it. Their people actually changed governments once. I always felt that a few of them were not as simple as they seemed, but they later became their people.”

After getting this answer, a key suddenly caught my heart. If the inference is correct, the situation here should have been reported, but… if the people in charge are deceiving the people, then… I frowned and thought about something in my heart, not sure if I should do it.

I paused for a moment and continued, “The situation in this town is so special, won’t the people who come to this town tell others? Also, isn’t it true that some people from this town have left? Won’t they tell others?”

“You know that people who live in a place are mostly friends and relatives of people in that place. Even if there are some who aren’t, they will gradually lose contact and become strangers! Moreover, you have also come to this town. Do you think that people who come to this town will have the opportunity to talk about everything in this town? In the case of government agencies being a protective umbrella? No, even people who have left the town are unable to do so. People are all poisoned, cursed. If you want to live a good life after leaving, it is best not to mention anything about the town, otherwise you will die inexplicably, and everything will be monitored by an invisible pair of eyes.

Hearing Uncle Wei Jun say this, I felt a chill down my spine. I looked at Uncle Wei Jun and realized that the things in this town were really terrifying when you thought about them, and the letter in my arms became extremely important.

“Also, Uncle Wei Jun, will there be people who are different from ordinary people in this town? You know, I mean people like us.”

“Yes, but many of them have the same goal as the people in this town, which is to live for a long time, or even forever. But they all go without returning, do you understand what I mean?”

“Uncle Wei Jun, I will give you an answer tomorrow.” I was silent for a while, and I think I understood what I wanted to know. Then I stood up and said to Uncle Wei Jun solemnly that I didn’t want to read the letter in a hurry. I needed to read it carefully in a completely calm state of mind. Uncle Wei Jun said that he wanted an answer, and it was obviously related to a decision I had to make.

“Well, I expect you to be the one who brings light. I’m waiting for your answer. Also…” Uncle Wei Jun paused for a moment, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face, and then he said to me, “In fact, it was only under the so-called protection of God that I was able to fight until now! To be precise, it was the protection that Uncle Lin left me… This is really ironic.”

“If you are right, it doesn’t matter what the method is.” This is the only comfort I can give Uncle Wei Jun, but it is also sincere. I know that this is his heartache, and he wants to get rid of it.

Uncle Wei Jun waved his hand to indicate that he wanted to rest. It was already a miracle that someone who was suffering so much could talk to me at all.

I left the room with the letter in my hand, feeling inexplicably heavy and sad.

When I walked out of the room, I found that the old people had already dispersed, and the room was still filled with a faint smell of smoke and food.

Mr. Liu, Ru Yue and Cheng Xin were waiting for me. When they saw me come out, they surrounded me. Mr. Liu didn’t say anything. He knew more about the town than I did. Ru Yue and Cheng Xin looked at my heavy face and had an inexplicably worried look.

“Can we stay here tonight?” I asked. From the moment we walked into this old apartment building, it was already clear that the people of this town would not be able to accommodate us.

“Stay here. There are rooms available. Last month, four of our people died of old age, and the rooms were vacated again.” There was a hint of sadness in Mr. Liu’s tone.

The heavy mood made me light a cigarette and walk to the window, looking at the outskirts of the town and the distant Loess Mountains. I couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Liu, how many people are left in this town?”

“Not many, a thousand? Two thousand? In any case, those who can attend the sacrifice are the backbone! Those standing on the high platform are the core.” Grandpa Liu knew what I was going to ask.

I squinted in the smoke and said, “You may have to continue to guard the town for a while. We are leaving.”

“Why?” Liu’s expression involuntarily revealed disappointment.

I took the cigarette out of my mouth, looked at Mr. Liu, and said seriously, “I don’t mean anything by this, because this town is not the source after all.”

“What do you mean…” Liu’s expression suddenly became strange and inexplicably excited.

“What other way is there?” Even if I hadn’t read the letter, it wouldn’t have affected my decision. The letter could at most have given me some answers. The reason I didn’t say that to Uncle Wei Jun in the room just now was because of a kind of respect, respect for Master Liu Er. If I had made a decision without reading his letter carefully, it would always have seemed abrupt.

Mr. Liu was silent, and finally just mumbled, “You are also a true Taoist.”

I smiled and said, “Of course.”

After saying this, I patted Chengxin’s shoulder and said, “If Yue stays here, you find a way to get out of town and notify everyone to gather here.”

Chengxin didn’t ask me anything else. At this point, he had already put aside his worried expression, hugged his chest, and leaned lazily against the wall, saying, “Well, since you’ve already decided, that’s it. I’m actually very curious about what kind of existence the holy village is. Is the ghostly bay we’re looking for there!