Chapter 33: The Devil’s Village

“Let’s go back and talk.” Gao Ning was very calm. He probably expected this result. Since he dared to ask us to investigate, he must not have anything to hide.

So, the three of us, who were originally enjoying ourselves by the Tuo River, followed Brother Chengxin straight back.

In the hallway in front of the house, Brother Cheng Xin directly made a pot of tea and poured a cup for everyone before saying, “Gao Ning, there is really nothing wrong with your identity. You were born in 1963, made your fortune in 1986, and have been a businessman ever since. Right?”

“Yes, my experience is that simple. Have you found out about my grandmother’s identity?” Gao Ning’s tone was somewhat mocking, as if he was confident about this matter.

Cheng Xin Ge said, “We have found out about your grandmother’s identity. Although it seems that she appeared out of thin air, at that time, because of the war, many people in China were wandering around, and in the end, many people were counted as having an identity. This is not enough to explain anything, is it?

“That’s just the surface, don’t you think? I don’t believe you didn’t check it carefully. Also, people who were displaced by the war all had a place of origin. If you were serious, you could find out something. What did you find out about my grandmother?” Gao Ning said confidently.

Chengxin took a sip of tea, smiled gently, stared at Gao Ning, and suddenly said very seriously, “Gao Ning, don’t keep talking about your grandmother. Don’t you think there’s something wrong with your family history? Selling medicine! It’s selling medicine! Since you said your grandmother was a witch, then selling medicine would make people think of her, right?”

Gao Ning shrugged and said, “At that time, many people in China had roundworms in their stomachs, and there were countless people buying worm medicine. I’m not particularly eye-catching, am I?”

“Yes, your medicine is very effective. We don’t need to argue about it. If you want evidence, it’s not difficult for me to give it to you. I think you know what I mean. What I want is your honesty. If you are not honest, I don’t think we need to talk about it.” Chengxin said calmly.

I put my hands behind my head and leaned against the wall, saying, “Gao Ning, actually I knew a man named Gao Ning at that time. He was a Taoist priest and we were in the same boat. In theory, I should have a good impression of you because of your name and be able to cooperate with you. However, if you are not honest, I agree with Brother Chengxin that we have nothing to talk about.

Gao Ning lowered his head and thought for a long time. After a while, he looked up and said with some helplessness, “You are more capable than I thought. That department is even more mysterious than I heard. You have dug it all out. Okay, I’ll say it. My history of getting rich is not very glorious. I used a little bit of witchcraft, but it’s just a little bit of witchcraft that I know. Because I need money, without money I, an ordinary person, can’t find anything, let alone fulfill my grandmother’s last wish and get back that thing. I didn’t harm anyone. Anyway, I released anyone who was under my spell and who didn’t have the money to buy my medicine. Is that honest enough?

At this point, Qin Huai was very curious. He frowned and asked, “Gao Ning, some things can’t be known just because you have money. Now that the country is reforming and opening up, there are many rich people in China, but not many people know about certain departments. Moreover, you can also know a little about Chengxin’s brother and Chengyi’s identity, which is even more complicated.”

Gao Ning shook his head and smiled bitterly: “This is my grandmother’s business, and it’s also something you can’t find out. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, that department has been set up and a group of strange people have been recruited. Among them, there are also some Miao goblins. My grandmother has some connections with one of the Miao goblins who works in that department, and then I was able to learn about that department. As for the identities of Chengxin and Chengyi, I didn’t know originally, but later in Beijing, I saw Chengyi go to see someone, and I knew that person, so I guessed Chengyi’s identity, and I guessed Chengxin’s identity based on that.

“Huh, you’re following me, aren’t you? Tell me more.” My face wasn’t looking good. Being followed was not a pleasant thing after all, and I couldn’t keep a happy mood about it.

Gao Ning still had a wry smile on his face as he talked to us. His expression never looked normal. He said, “I’m not following you. I’m following a few Miao people from that village. It was them who were spying on you, so I also happened to see some things about you. You went to see Li Lihou, didn’t you? His identity is actually not difficult to find out. Apart from that mysterious department, many high-ranking officials who have reached a certain position know that Li Lihou is proficient in divination, so he is a celebrity in his own right. I saw you looking for him, and because of my grandmother, I know a little about Li Lihou. So… you also know that you are his disciple, which is no secret. Many people in the compound know it, and even the nanny who buys the groceries can find out.

“You’re very interested in my affairs.” I took a sip of tea and then lit a cigarette. I don’t know why, but I felt a little upset. I said, “Do you know anything about my uncle Li?”

“I know your granduncle, Old Li, and I know that he had four disciples, Li Hou, Li Ren, Li Chun, and Li Pu, all of whom were really capable Taoist priests. At that time, my grandmother met Old Li once, and then later, Old Li disappeared. My grandmother had contact with the Miao people in that department, and then she also knew that Old Li had taken four disciples, all of whom worked in that department. What I know about you is limited to this, and it was all told to me by my grandmother. The rest I paid to find out. For example, I found out that you went to see Li Lihou, so I paid to find out who he was. For example, I found out that those Miao people were spying on you, so I paid to find out who you were. I paid to investigate your relationship with Li Lihou… These… can’t be considered secrets, can they? Gao Ning said very seriously, and it was very logical.

There is only one thing that makes me and Chengxin feel uncomfortable. Gao Ning’s grandmother actually knows Lao Li and has even met him. This is really…

“Why do you care so much about Chengyi? You investigate everything about him?” asked Chengxin.

“It’s not that I care about Chengyi, it’s because those Miao people care about him, and I won’t let go of a single clue! So, I started investigating everything about Chengyi. But don’t ask me anything, I really don’t know why those Miao people care so much about Chengyi. And the reason I know about Chengxin is because I found out about you three…” Gao Ning pointed at me, Qin Huai, and Su Rou and said, “You were poisoned by the blood-thread moth. I originally planned to appear at that time, but you all recovered. So, I surmised that the new man around you was Cheng Xin, who was in the medical lineage. After all, I have investigated you and know that there are four people in your generation who have inherited something.

I and Chengxin looked at each other, then were a bit speechless. I think we both thought the same thing in our hearts: it was time for Uncle Li’s family to change their nanny. Although this was not a secret, after all, it was not a secret which branch it was in, or who the successor was. Naturally, everyone in the circle knew. But this should not be something a nanny would take out and say as something new.

Gao Ning’s explanation was relatively clear. He did have a magical grandmother, and at least the name “Old Li” was not something that an ordinary person could come up with.

At this point, I still had some questions. I asked him, “You were spying on those Miao people. Do you know who drew this mark on my body? What was the purpose? They were already spying on me. Why did they draw this mark on me? And… are they nearby?”

Gao Ning said, “The mark on your body was indeed drawn by one of the three people who were spying on you, but I don’t know the purpose. I only know that with this mark, it can attract bloodline moths, which are a type of insect unique to that village, and can make you die silently. That day, they were in the sleeper next to you. After you fell asleep, they paralyzed everyone in the hard sleeper compartment and then drew this mark on you. I wanted to warn you, but I didn’t dare, for fear of spooking them, but I was also afraid that they had put a curse on you, so after they left, I went to check it out and found that they had put this mark on you.

At this point, Goring paused and then said, “That mark has a special scent that people who don’t know it can’t smell. Although I am very shallow in my knowledge of the art of bewitching, I happen to know about this mark, so I smelled it as soon as I smelled it. But I deserved to be unlucky. Just as I was hesitating whether to wake you up and tell you, someone next to you woke up, so I had to give a perfunctory response and left.

No wonder I heard a familiar voice on the train. So that’s what it was?

“You care so much about those Miao people that you’ve followed them all over the country. I’m sure what your grandmother told you is very important. But I want to ask, why didn’t you show yourself and cooperate with us? Couldn’t you do it yourself? You know, only Chengxin and I are Taoist priests here, and they’re ordinary people. I don’t think a Taoist priest can get any advantage in the Miao village. “I finally asked the question I wanted to ask the most.

“Haha, you don’t know that village. It’s a devil’s village that shouldn’t exist in this world. It’s also a terrifying death village that should be destroyed! But I can’t do it alone! I just want to say that you are Li’s disciples and you are definitely capable. I couldn’t ask you to cooperate with me, but they are after Chengyi, and I think that’s a good enough reason.” Gao Ning’s expression suddenly changed, becoming very angry, angry to the point of being hideous.