The photograph was an old-fashioned black and white one. Perhaps due to prolonged contact with the bronze mirror, the yellowed image was now speckled with verdigris, making it somewhat blurry.
The background suggested it was taken in front of an old, dilapidated house, as a moss-covered stone lion, typically used as a guardian, stood beside them.
Three figures were visible in the photo, shoulders clasped, gazes fixed straight ahead. As I wiped away some of the verdigris, my hand trembled upon recognizing two of the people. I could never forget them, even if I forgot everyone else.
One was, naturally, my father. The other, though a stranger, I had seen at the Li residence – it was Zhang Dabiao’s father. The third person appeared somewhat unfamiliar, yet there was a vague sense of recognition. After some thought, I realized it was Zhao Defu in his youth.
The three individuals in the photograph displayed different expressions. My father looked somewhat dejected, yet his gaze was firm, giving me the impression of someone facing death with resolve.
Zhang Dabiao’s father wore a somber expression, his lips curled into a slight sneer, his right hand held across his chest.
Logically, friends posing for a photograph would be beaming. Yet, among these three, only one was smiling heartily – Zhao Defu. However, his smile seemed somewhat artificial.
Though his face was smiling, his eyes appeared vacant and numb, conveying a sense of reluctance.
Upon closer inspection, I almost burst out laughing. Of course, he was reluctant! Zhao Defu was positioned in the center, while my father and Zhang Dabiao’s father were slightly taller.
Zhao Defu, typically shorter like most southerners, was standing with his arms around their shoulders, effectively being propped up by them. This resulted in Zhao Defu’s arms being raised, with his hands suspended in the air.
This detail caused my expression to change slightly. My feet were not touching the ground, and my toes were not tensed. In the photograph, Zhao Defu’s feet, suspended in the air, were hanging straight down towards the ground.
If I were an ordinary person, I wouldn't have noticed anything amiss. But as an Yin Gua Shi, I attached great importance to such details. In the practice of Yin Gua, there was a saying: ‘The feet of the living do not hang towards the ground.’ Only when a person is dead do their toes hang towards the ground. Even if done intentionally, the toes would not hang perfectly vertical.
Zhao Defu, as a tomb raider, understood matters of life and death better than anyone. Unless he had retired from his profession, he would never have made such a peculiar gesture, as it would be akin to severing his own path to the underworld.
Yet, not only did he adopt the posture of someone being hanged, but he also wore a smile on his face. This left me utterly perplexed as to his intentions.
Seeing me staring blankly at the photograph, Zhang Dabiao curiously leaned in. After a glance, he snatched the photo from my hand.
“How could this be? How could this be…”
After observing it for a moment, Zhang Dabiao seemed possessed, muttering incoherently. His expression shifted rapidly, one moment wanting to cry, the next wanting to laugh, as if he were being possessed by a vengeful spirit.
He remained in this state for over ten minutes before slumping onto the bed, his body leaning back. The photograph slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor. The man who, moments ago, was as lively as a bull, capable of knocking down an ox with a single punch, had transformed into a puddle of mud.
“Brother Zhang, what’s going on with you…”
Zhang Dabiao seemed not to hear me. He remained lying on the bed. When I moved closer, I noticed that the light in his eyes had vanished, leaving them hollow and staring blankly at the ceiling, like those of a dead man.
I waved my hand in front of his eyes, but he showed no reaction. This left me feeling quite helpless. Zhang Dabiao had always been a man of unwavering strength in my eyes, someone who wouldn’t flinch even when facing death. How could he become so dejected after merely looking at a photograph?
I walked around the head of the bed and picked up the photograph he had dropped. I examined it closely, but found nothing particularly unusual. The smile remained as it was. Just as I was about to hand the photo back and ask him what it meant, my eye caught a change in the three figures in the photograph.
“Hmm?”
I leaned closer to look again, but I couldn't discern any alteration to the figures. I assumed I was mistaken.
Putting the photograph down, I asked the person who had brought it, “Aside from Zhao Defu, the other two people in the photo are my relatives. As for any secrets this photo might hold, I truly cannot see them. And whether Zhao Defu is alive or dead is of no concern to me, so I must ask you to leave!”
I couldn’t recall what had happened in Qingfeng Mountain in the end, but I remembered the events on the journey clearly. As long as mountain spirits existed, Qingfeng Mountain was a place that could not be entered.
Yet, I had a vague recollection of fighting a mountain spirit, though the specific reason remained unclear. Su Dan Novel Network.
Although I had issued a request for them to leave, the person did not move. Instead, their gaze fell upon Zhang Dabiao, who was lying on the bed. It was clear they were waiting for Zhang Dabiao to speak.
This struck me as peculiar. How was it that they all seemed to understand what the photograph was about, while I did not?
“Qingyun, we will likely have to go into the mountains again.”
Zhang Dabiao’s voice was hollow, as if emanating from a deep, ancient forest. He also sat up from the bed, his eyes slightly red, but his expression was remarkably resolute.
Seeing this, I knew it was over. Even if I disagreed now, he was determined to go into the mountains. But why? The photograph was ordinary, just three people on it. The only thing that seemed significant was the bronze mirror, but upon closer inspection, it appeared to be artificially aged and not valuable at all. Why the need to take such a risk again?
However, Zhang Dabiao gave me no opportunity to question him. He stood up and directly grabbed the other person, heading for the door. I was left stunned. By the time I had gathered my things and followed them out into the hall, they had already called for a car and were waiting at the entrance.
Under the surprised gaze of the receptionist, I hastily paid the bill and got into the car. As soon as my backside settled onto the seat, the car sped off.
It was then that I saw clearly that Zhang Dabiao was driving, and the person who had delivered the message was in the passenger seat, his right hand unconsciously gripping the armrest.
“Brother Zhang, slow down, we can…”
My speaking only seemed to fuel his recklessness. The car accelerated like a wild horse, full of passion.
At a normal driving speed, it would take at least two hours to get from the county town to Molu Village. However, with Zhang Dabiao showing no regard for traffic violations or fines, he managed to complete the journey in just over an hour.
The first thing I did upon exiting the car was to lean over and retch. Frankly, I never wanted to ride with him again; it was far too exhilarating.
After getting out of the car, Zhang Dabiao walked directly towards a shop nearby. He led me to the old artifact street in Molu Village. Night was just falling, and the shops were just opening. The shop owner initially thought Zhang Dabiao was there to cause trouble.
“I need…”