Chapter 98: The Mysterious Place

This was the end of my conversation with Uncle Johnny, because there was no need to continue. As a bystander, not only I, but even the thick-skinned kid Hui Gen could feel Johnny’s irritation.

The boat slowed down again, almost giving up its own momentum, drifting with the current. I looked up and saw Singh in the wheelhouse, his face serious, and I could feel that he was being very careful.

I had a thought, and I ran up to him, “Singh, you must know something about the forbidden section of the river, right?”

Singh did not have Johnny’s hot temper, but was a gentle man instead. He looked at me and said with his usual honest expression, “Forbidden river sections refer to those that the gods must not be disturbed. I personally am not a believer, but I have sailed through two forbidden river sections. In my opinion, they are generally sections with fast currents and many reefs, where accidents are more likely to occur.

“What’s ahead? You must have heard about it?” I stood next to Singh and looked out of the wheelhouse. The river ahead was still calm and quiet, but for some reason, I felt like there was a light mist hanging over it, even though it was a bright sunny morning.

I don’t like the fog, and I always think of the deserted village… but obviously this kind of mist is different from the fog in the deserted village.

“Actually, there is nothing wrong with the river section ahead, but after that stretch of riverbank…” Singh took a sip of the wine next to him, then pointed to a riverbank that could be faintly seen in the distance, and said, “There is a tributary there, where a large deep pool has formed due to the difference in terrain… that is the real forbidden place. Even if the boat does not pass through that deep pool, it often happens that something will happen when it passes through the nearby river surface.”

A drop in the terrain, a deep pool? Isn’t this similar to the place where we first went to explore the man-eating catfish? Is this a coincidence? I asked Singh, “You think the previous forbidden sections of the river were due to natural causes. What do you think caused this deep pool?”

“I don’t know the specific reason, but according to the old sailors, you can’t stop by there at all. It’s a place that can easily be confused and be bewitched… There is a legend here that says that the deep pool buried a woman who committed suicide, but the reason for the suicide was taboo, No one dared to talk about it. In short, she wandered around the deep pool day and night, crying. People who weren’t careful would be bewitched by her, and in the end, the ship would be destroyed and people would die…” Singh told me the reason without reservation. Our voices were not small, and even those on the deck below heard something more or less.

I saw Uncle Johnny look up at Singh and wanted to say something, but in the end he just turned back to fishing.

But I sighed inwardly. This is really complicated. Okay, it also involves a female ghost! But why did Uncle Johnny react so strongly?

I was still thinking about it when Singh whispered to me, “Actually, I was sent away by the master to receive a higher education when I was young, and I believe in facts and evidence… I’m not superstitious at all. Although I think that believing in faith is also a right thing, I am also conflicted. The most incredible things happen around me, like our amazing master. In front of him, my insistence will be shattered, and I will think that everything is possible.

When Singh said this, he had already put away his honest expression and became extremely serious.

I didn’t react immediately, and I didn’t understand what Singh meant. Singh suddenly smiled and then said to me in a relaxed tone, “My original view was that the deep pool might have produced some kind of substance, such as a poisonous fog or a special plant that could cause hallucinations. I have never believed in the idea of a female ghost committing suicide. But this time I am following the master, and I am not sure. I have said so much nonsense, just hoping that the place where we finally stop is not the deep pool. No boat that has not gone deep into it will have an accident. If we stop there, I am afraid that someone will have an accident. Everyone is so good, and I don’t want any of you to have an accident.

When Singh said this, I was more or less moved. I also took a sip of Singh’s wine and said, “Singh, in fact, over the past few months, we have learned to drive the Penglai more or less. Otherwise, you can get off the ship here, or we can turn around and take you back to the small town. I don’t know how to explain it to you. You have been with us for so long, you should actually know… we, we are not ordinary people. In my opinion, the end of this voyage will most likely be the deep pool. I don’t think you need to take any more risks… Do you understand? You wait for us in the small town! I will explain to Johnny. He won’t blame you.”

Singh was silent for a moment after hearing my words, then smiled with unusual determination and shook his head to reject me. He said to me, “You don’t understand the domestic servant system here, especially the domestic servants belonging to the Brahmins. It is normal for them to sacrifice their lives for their masters, just like the knights in the West guarding their masters and castles. Moreover, this is not my mission, and I am personally willing to do it… You see, the master did not ask me to leave, and I believe he has confidence.”

I didn’t know what to say to Singh’s words, but I was full of doubts about Johnny’s actions. Why did he let Singh follow him in the end? Didn’t he know the danger? Could an ordinary person follow him and not be able to cope?

So I went down to talk to Johnny about Singh, but I still got a rude answer: “I don’t want to talk about this at all. Singh is my servant. I have the right to decide everything about him. I know what is right.”

I was speechless. In my heart, although Uncle Johnny was hot-tempered, he was not an unreasonable person. Why would he become like this when we were almost at the end of the voyage?

No doubt, this morning was very unpleasant, and I tried to put it out of my mind as much as possible, and could only blame it on Uncle Johnny’s having everything arranged.

Before long, it was afternoon, and no matter how slow the boat was, we finally reached the riverbank. Once we turned the corner, we were in the forbidden land that Johnny had mentioned.

I don’t know if it was my imagination, but as long as I looked into the distance, there was always a light mist around, but when I looked up, it was still a clear blue sky with blinding sunlight… Uncle Johnny, who had been fishing all along, seemed to have had a good catch. I only glanced at him and saw that there were at least dozens of blood-thirsty “crazy fish” in his large fish bucket, but there were no big ones.

“Singh, stop the boat here. And, by the way, burn all these fish! Burn them all! I’m going ashore.” After lunch, Johnny suddenly made this suggestion.

“Get off the boat, sir. Where are you going?” Singh was very surprised to hear Johnny’s words as he was clearing the dishes. It was full of danger here. Wouldn’t it be better to stay on the boat with everyone?

But Johnny was already unhitching one of the small boats tied to the boat. He was still irritable and impatiently said, “Singh, it’s not a good habit to ask about me, but I don’t mind telling you that I’m going to finally determine whether it’s the damn place… No one needs to go with me. Chengyi, if you want to, you can go with me.”

I stood on the deck and looked around. At the end of the riverbank, I could vaguely see a water inlet. If I guessed correctly, the deep pool should be under that inlet.

I naturally didn’t refuse Johnny’s offer. I thought that both he and I should be able to protect ourselves, even if, as Singh said, there was a ghostly woman who was bewitched and wept day and night.

So I jumped into the boat without hesitation and set off with Johnny.

Even a boat for escape has an engine. Johnny never skimped on details like this. After I got on the boat, Johnny started the engine. The boat with only two people was very fast in the wind and waves!

Johnny sat at the stern of the boat, operating the engine and the direction of the boat. He didn’t say a word, but I could clearly see that his expression was melancholy, with an indescribable, oppressive sadness, and he kept drinking.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep drinking at a time like this, but I can’t stop it. After arriving here, Johnny, who had become a bit strange, was in a dull mood. I tried to find a topic of conversation with Johnny: “Why did you choose to explore with me?”

“You have a surging power, and most importantly, you are the descendant of the Mountain Line, aren’t you? You can help me a little bit, and I don’t have to worry about it at all. Chengyi, forgive me, I am very distracted and don’t want to talk right now. Let me be silent.” Johnny sighed, and his expression and appearance seemed to be particularly old.

I didn’t say anything because the kind of old and tired look on Johnny’s face was unbearable.

So, in this oppressive atmosphere, with only the engine roaring and no words exchanged, our little boat with its powerful engine reached the mouth of the tributary in less than half an hour.

We found a place to stop and Jonny got out of the boat first with his fishing gear and headed towards the inlet, followed closely by me.

Since the boat was parked very close, we reached the water inlet in less than a few minutes… I took a look inside. The water here was narrow and the current was relatively fast, but it wasn’t a dangerous fast current. There were three bends in the river in the short distance of less than 100 meters, and after 100 meters there was a huge bend.

Unlike other parts of the Ganges, which are filled with plains and tidal flats, the river here is flanked by mountains, or rather small cliffs. The black cliffs look strangely rocky, with almost no vegetation, except for tufts of wild grass that sway in the wind from time to time.

Overall, apart from my own feelings, the river also seems desolate, with a hint of danger…

My personal feeling is that it is very Chinese and very Taoist. This place is full of negative energy, and the strange mountains on both sides of the river block the flow of energy. With the water flowing through, it forms a deep pool, gathering negative energy… This is basically a completely negative place. To put it simply, it is a place that nurtures ghosts. Ghosts will be very… very “comfortable” here, and become stronger by borrowing negative energy!

The fog that occasionally drifts across the river is different from the kind of hazy, illusory fog I saw before. Here, it is clearly visible, in the form of clouds. It is the result of the overabundance of yin energy, which has taken shape, and is somewhat similar to the situation in the deserted village where the old village chief lives.

In just a minute, I could see the difference here, and I couldn’t help but sigh and say, “This is not a good place.”

At this time, Johnny had already set up his fishing rod and was sitting on a stool, fishing intently. When he heard my sigh, he turned and looked at me, then said in a low voice, “You can see it too, this really isn’t a good place! I don’t want to be here. If I really stay here, it would be too ironic, wouldn’t it? Why did I bother to look for it? Can’t I just guess that this is the place? Or, maybe I don’t want to guess…”

I didn’t understand what Johnny meant, so I just stood behind him in silence with my hands in my pockets.

But then Johnny suddenly took out a stack of things from his fish box and stuffed it into my hand, saying, “As a descendant of the Shan family, you should be able to perform a simple exorcism, right? Just sprinkle the paper money and casually recite a little exorcism prayer… This is the first and last time. After that, it shouldn’t be necessary.”

I looked at my hands and saw that Johnny had given me a stack of paper money. But who was he asking me to liberate? And in the way of Chinese Taoism, it would probably not be appropriate to liberate a Hindu who had faith.

Before I could ask my questions, Johnny said, “No matter what country it is, Taoist exorcism always has a spiritual power. You don’t need to be too cautious. You don’t need to worry about the way you express your feelings. The gods of any place will forgive this sincerity, and you don’t need to ask me who to exorcise. Just think of it as exorcising poor lonely ghosts.”

Johnny’s words were very strange, but I couldn’t refuse, so I waved my hand and a handful of paper money flew into the sky. I began to chant the sacrificial text for the dead, which seemed so sad in this desolate place full of gloomy spirits…

In less than two minutes, just as the paper money in my hand was about to be scattered, I saw Johnny suddenly rushing towards the water, as if being pulled by a huge force…

“Uncle Johnny…” I couldn’t help but shout, and I was about to go over.

“Don’t worry about me. Sprinkle the paper money in your hands and finish the ritual. I can still hold on!” Johnny roared at me. I saw the waves on the water surface surging!