"It looks like shes turned around," I said after taking a deep breath.
"Is it because the two of us arent wearing any clothes? This little girl must be in love. Quick, tell her that us two brothers don't like soone who's rotting like that," Fatty said. He then told to keep walking and not make any trouble. He was certain I mustve been mistaken.
Im the one who can see it. You cant see shit, I said to myself. What right do you have to say this?
Even though I was still feeling apprehensive, I quickly moved to follow them. I took a few steps forward, but I couldnt resist the impulse to look back. When I did, I imdiately broke out in a cold sweat.
The leather figurine woman had turned again, and this ti, I could basically confirm that it was moving.
"Run quickly," I said to Fatty.
The three of us got into running stances as we moved forward, but there really wasnt a difference in speed because of the water. We eventually got to a spot where I figured we would hardly see the leather figurine woman. I was just starting to calm down when I looked back again.
It was dark behind , so I moved the candle around to have a look. At that mont, I saw sothing standing so close behind that the candle almost hit it.
My whole body broke out in goosebumps when I realized it was the leather figurine woman. I didnt know when it had co up behind .
It was still in the sa stance as before, but it was really close to . Not to ntion a rotting leather figurine, even a living person wouldve scared to death at this distance.
I quickly stepped back a few ters and ended up bumping into Fatty. At this ti, I noticed that the leather figurine womans hands were different from what I had originally thought. The arms werent hanging down, but held aloft as if making an offering. The hands themselves were gone, and I figured they had probably rotted away or were broken off. I also noticed sothing hanging from the curvature of its elbow.
I leaned closer to get a look at it and found that it was a pair of jade Azure Dragon annulus (1). Both of them had a white jade protective layer around them that had oxidized so badly, it was obvious they had been buried here a long ti. I didnt know why they had appeared on this figurines arm.
Fatty couldn't see it and asked , "What's wrong?"
"That leather figurine just now"I suddenly felt that I shouldnt say anything to irritate the thing in front of , so I changed my tune and said"that beautiful woman figurine is following for so reason. It has sothing on its arm."
"Is it a love token? Does it want to give you sothing? Fatty asked . "Don't take it Mr. Nave. If you do, youll be responsible for it and have to buried here together."
Poker-Face couldnt see it and couldnt help , so all I could do was try and analyze it carefully. When I looked closely, I kept feeling that it wasnt ordinary jade, but more like a pair of ears.
Was it for ? Was the ghost of this buried female figurine acting in good faith and giving us so clues? Or was this female ghost hoping to make so kind of contract with her belongings?
Besides, neither Poker-Face or Fatty could see it. If I did take the proffered items, they might not be able to see what I did.
As I examined the jade carefully, I kept thinking more and more that they really looked like a pair of ears. Maybe they really had sothing to do with listening to thunder? With the exception of the Thunder God worship, we hadnt seen anything related to listening to thunder the entire way. This was the first clue I had seen that was actually related to it.
I believed that everything related to listening to thunder was probably in the main tomb chamber, but it was obvious that no one had been there. Uncle Three and the others must have used a very special skill I had never learned to steal the main coffin.
Were these things that looked like ears related to the main tomb chamber?
I looked at the maid who had been buried here and felt so sadness and pity in my heart. It was said that water was a barrier to the existence of the soul, and the reason why those who died in the water beca water ghosts was because there was no way they could reincarnate through a dium like that.
I didnt know whymaybe I was just being weird or it was my intuitionbut I couldnt shake the feeling that she wanted to get sothing in return for doing this.
After thinking about it, I rubbed my face and gave up on this superstitious idea. My principle was only to apply the appropriate superstition when I couldnt figure sothing out. There were so parts in tombs that couldnt be explained, but most of them did have a plausible explanation. I took a deep breath and said to the leather figurine woman, "I dont want this, I want sothing that can help get out."
With that said, the three of us walked on.
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TN Notes:
(1) Azure Dragon is 1 of the 4 symbols of the Chinese constellations, also known as the Azure Dragon of the East. A jade annulus looks like this:
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Since I can't get onto the stupid VDI at work, here's the chapter I should've posted last night (sorry, I got caught up watching the precious cinnamon rolls in "My Roommate is a Detective" lol)
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