The Corpse Clothes of the Green Bag [Complete] - 25

Chapter 322

"Alas, the dead cannot be brought back to life. You're from China, aren't you?" Amin asked softly, his tone filled with extreme regret and well-intentioned comfort.

Han Sheng nodded, his eyes still fixed on the vast river. Under the pale moonlight, the river water shimmered white, showing no sign of Shen Caihua or the monster sucker. At this moment, he felt immense regret. Why hadn't he thought to put Xiao Caihua in his backpack and carry him on his back?

"Where does the sucker go after it takes someone? Does it have a nest?" Han Sheng asked in a low voice.

Amin thought for a moment and said, "Suckers are amphibians. They don't stay underwater for long; they eventually come ashore. We've almost wiped out all the suckers in this Enmai River; they were all caught on land."

"How do we find it?" Han Sheng continued to ask.

“After the sucker comes ashore, it flips over, lying there with its moss-covered back facing up. To the untrained eye, it looks like a patch of grass. But once a person or animal steps on it, it immediately rolls up and sucks the blood dry. So we searched along both banks of the river, and when we found it, a burst of bullets blew it to pieces,” Amin explained.

“You speak Mandarin, are you overseas Chinese?” Hansheng asked疑惑地问道.

Amin didn’t answer immediately, gazing intently at the night sky for a long time before slowly saying, “Our ancestors were part of the Chinese Expeditionary Force. They’ve lived for decades in Shan State in northern Myanmar, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Luang Namtha in Laos. They can’t go back to their hometown.”

“No wonder you can sing ‘Singing a Folk Song Across Hengpai,’ that’s a folk song from Xingguo in my hometown of Jiangxi,” Hansheng said with sudden realization.

“Are you from Jiangxi? My father and I are both from southern Jiangxi. We’ve lost touch with our hometown for so many years,

and we miss it terribly. Would you be willing to come back with us and tell the elders about our old home?” A-Ming earnestly invited. “Yes, young man, please come back with us. My father would be overjoyed,” Xiao-Qin also urged.

Han-Sheng shook his head and said sadly, “If we can’t find Xiao-Cai, how can I go with you? I will search this entire area, I must find him alive or dead.”

A-Ming and Xiao-Qin looked at each other, unsure how to comfort him.

“You go on, I’m going back into the water to continue the search,” Han-Sheng sighed, preparing to jump back into the water.

“Look! What’s that?” Xiao-Qin, with her sharp eyes, suddenly pointed to the center of the river and exclaimed.

Han Sheng turned his head and opened his tiny eyes to look... Under the moonlight, in the middle of the river, a naked baby sat on a mat-like object, his two little hands tightly gripping two suction cups the size of bowls on the mat, riding the waves... Han Sheng was overjoyed and shouted loudly, "Caihua..."

Shen Caihua was enthusiastically gliding on the water, controlling the suction cup. Hearing the call from the river, he muttered, "Papa Han Sheng," and then turned and sped towards the wooden boat.

At this moment, A Ming and Xiao Qin were already dumbfounded.

When they reached the wooden boat, little Caihua pounded his little fists on the fleshy suction cups of the suction cup, and the monster stopped. "Papa Han Sheng..." he said with a smug smile.

"You scared me to death." Han Sheng leaned out with mixed feelings of joy and surprise and picked up the chubby and strong little Caihua and put him on the wooden boat.

Amin, finally regaining his senses, grabbed his carbine and cocked it, ready to fire at the floating creature.

"I want it..." Shen Caihua screamed.

Han Sheng waved to stop Amin, then said to Shen Caihua with concern, "You want it? It's a blood-sucking monster."

"I'm not afraid," Shen Caihua said happily, reaching into the water to pull the monster onto the boat.

Han Sheng thought about it; little Caihua was exceptionally gifted, able to sink to the bottom unharmed. It seemed he could control this creature, just like on the river earlier, the creature was like a speedboat, completely at the mercy of little Caihua.

"Amin, since the child likes the creature, let him stay. I'm willing to go back with you to meet your ancestors," Han Sheng said.

Amin lowered his gun and nodded mechanically. He was amazed by this father and son from China; this child was too amazing, the people in the village certainly wouldn't believe it.

As Han Sheng pondered how to retrieve the sucker, Shen Caihua waved and uttered several strange notes, as if speaking to the monster. The limp creature covered in suckers wriggled onto the boat. Only then did everyone see that the sucker had two large, round eyes, one on its belly and one on its back. Its broad

, flat body was curled into a long, green tube, its two black eyes fused together. It had no eyebrows, ears, nose, or mouth.

Shen Caihua happily reached out and hugged the sucker, and the monster blinked, seemingly equally pleased.

Xiao Qin curiously poked the sucker with her finger; the monster seemed ticklish, its muscles trembling for a long time.

"We're setting off," A Ming said, rowing the boat, which turned and sailed downstream.

“The Nmai River comes down from the Shan Plateau and joins the Irrawaddy River at Myitkyina. We landed in Kanbaidi, a small town under the control of our 93rd Division. It's not too far away,” Amin explained.

Han Sheng and the others didn't know that two days earlier, Mong La Cha Oon Bing had also landed there with the wrinkled baby girl.

On the wooden boat, Shen Caihua, holding the suction cup, said to Han Sheng, “I want it.”

“But the suction cup is so big, we can't possibly take it with us on the way,” Han Sheng frowned in distress. This thing was soft and slippery, and looked to weigh over a hundred pounds; it would definitely be a burden.

Hearing this, Xiao Caihua turned to the suction cup, muttering something under his breath. The suction cup blinked its large eyes, then with a “plop,” expelled a large amount of water, soaking the deck. Its body then shrank rapidly, eventually becoming as thin as a large umbrella.

Shen Caihua looked at Han Sheng smugly… Han Sheng had seen too many strange things, so he wasn't surprised, and just shook his head with a wry smile.

A little over an hour later, Ganbaidi arrived. The wooden boat docked at the pier on the edge of town. Shen Caihua, his little bottom bare, was fast asleep, hugging a suction cup.

Amin and Xiaoqin, carrying carbines, went into a wooden house on the pier. A short while later, they came out with a burly man with a thick beard.

“You wait here,” the man said, going around to the back of the house. A moment later, the engine roared, and an old American jeep sped out, billowing black smoke.

“Han Sheng, let’s get in,” Amin called to Han Sheng on the boat.

Han Sheng, holding the sleeping Shen Caihua in one arm and grabbing the suction cup in the other, went ashore and got into the jeep. At that moment, Shen Caihua’s nostrils twitched in his sleep, as if he had smelled something, but he still didn’t wake up.

A bearded man drove the jeep, with Amin in the front, Hansheng holding the child and Xiaoqin in the back, and a vacuum cleaner leaning against the door.

The WWII-era American jeep, with only one headlight, bumped along the dirt road beside the Nmaikase River, leaving a trail of thick black smoke in its wake.

The village nestled in a wide valley facing the river, surrounded by tall, dense bamboo forests. In the moonlight, over a hundred stilted bamboo houses were faintly visible, and a small stream flowed gently through the center of the village, its cool moonlight reflecting off the water.

The jeep stopped beside the wooden bridge over the stream. After Amin thanked the driver, he and Hansheng got out, and the jeep drove back.

Amin's bamboo house was right by the stream. Several pigs and two oxen were kept on the ground floor of the stilted bamboo house. An oil lamp shone from upstairs, indicating that the old man was still awake.

"Who's there!" Two armed sentries emerged from the nearby bamboo grove.

"It's me, Amin," Amin replied.

The sentries approached to confirm, seeing Hansheng holding the baby, and asked, "Who are they...?"

"Fellow villagers from Jiangxi, China," Amin said cheerfully, then waved and pulled Xiaoqin, beckoning Hansheng upstairs.

Hansheng, holding a suction cup, caught sight of the stream and blinked excitedly.

Chapter 323

"Jiangxi..." The old man, lying on the bamboo mat, looked haggard and aged. His cheeks trembled constantly, tears streaming down his face, sobbing uncontrollably as he recounted the tragic experiences of the Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers who had left their homes.

One division of the 6th Army of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, numbered 93rd Division, entered Burma in 1940. They were stationed in the China-Myanmar border region for five years and were quite influential in Shan State. After the disastrous defeat of the Chinese Expeditionary Force in the Hukawng Valley, many other scattered units were incorporated into the 93rd Division. Therefore, almost everyone in the various ethnic groups along the China-Myanmar-Thailand-Laos border knew about the 93rd Division. This remnant force was able to establish itself in Myanmar because Myanmar had only been independent for two years, and the government's control had not yet reached northern Myanmar. Later, the Myanmar government launched a two-month campaign to suppress the remnants, but due to the experienced combat skills and unwavering determination of these Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers, the Myanmar government forces suffered a crushing defeat and were forced to negotiate peace with the 93rd Division. The agreement reached was that the Myanmar government allowed the remnants to be stationed in "Mongsa," near the Thai border. Commanders Duan Xiwen and Li Wenhuan led approximately 4,000 men of the 93rd Division to retreat to a place called "Mae Salong" in the northern Thai mountains, adjacent to "Mongsa."

At the time, the Thai government allowed this foreign force to be stationed on its territory under certain conditions. Originally, Thai soldiers were not allowed to fight, so the Thai government wanted to use this Kuomintang force to sever the connections between the Communist Party of Burma, the Communist Party of Thailand, and the Communist Party of Laos, and to help suppress the Communist Party of Thailand guerrillas and the Laotian forces along the Thai-Laos border. To ensure their own survival, the 93rd Division was forced to agree to fight and die for a foreign government on foreign soil, completing the mopping-up operation at the cost of over 1,000 soldiers' lives. From then on, the 93rd Division had a foothold in the Golden Triangle region between Burma, Thailand, and Laos, with its headquarters in the town of Mae Salong, which became a state within a state of Thailand, completely controlled by these Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers. In the spring of 1964, Duan Xiwen led his troops to surrender to the Thai government and were reorganized into the "Northern Thai Mountain People's Self-Defense Force." Regardless of the changes in designation or affiliation, the locals still called them the "93rd Division."

The Chinese Expeditionary Force did not bring their families with them when they entered Burma. In 1949, with the seizure of power by Mao Zedong, their hopes of returning home were completely shattered. Year after year, the hopes and despair of returning home chilled the veterans' hearts. Gradually, they married local Dai and Miao women, settled down, and the number of veterans and their families from the 93rd Division has grown to over 400,000, scattered throughout the Golden Triangle region, but without any citizenship.

The poor Chinese Expeditionary Force: We were victorious in a foreign land, yet still condemned by heaven and earth; we were defeated in a foreign land, facing only death; we died in a foreign land, decaying like grass and trees, never to return to our homeland, never to see our loved ones again, never to see our parents in their final moments… The old man finished recounting his heartbreaking story, tears still streaming down his face.

Han Sheng was also deeply saddened. He had never known this history before; it wasn't in his school textbooks. Only after meeting Lu Taiguan did he learn that during World War II, China had such an army fighting the Japanese in a foreign land, and even today, some still suffer the loss of their country and their homes. This is an army forgotten by the Chinese people today.

"Father, are you ill?" Han Sheng asked with concern, looking at the old man lying on the bamboo mat.

"It's been many years. Since Mother A-Ming passed away, I've been paralyzed. Alas, my only hope was to be able to return to my hometown in Xingguo, Jiangxi, one last time before I die. It seems hopeless now," the old man said sadly.

"Let me take a look." Han Sheng grabbed the old man's wrist and made three incisions.

After a moment, Han Sheng released the old man's arm and said, "Father, this is caused by a cerebral vascular embolism. Of the fourteen meridians in the human body, thirteen pass through the head. External pathogens have invaded the head of all Yang meridians, which is a true stroke. As long as we can unblock the blocked meridians, it can be cured."

"Judging from what you say, my little cousin, do you know medicine?" the old man asked doubtfully.

"I am a barefoot doctor," Han Sheng said truthfully.

"A barefoot doctor? What kind of doctor is that? I've never heard of such a thing before," the old man said in surprise.

Han Sheng smiled and said, "Just a country bumpkin doctor." "

Oh, Jiangxi is a land of hidden talents. If these old bones could move, I'd crawl back to my hometown of Xingguo to see him, and then I could die in peace," the old man sighed wistfully.

"I'll give it a try," Han Sheng said thoughtfully.

"Really? My father's illness can be cured?" A-Ming exclaimed excitedly.

"I'll go gather herbs after dawn," Han Sheng said.

The old man looked at his young cousin with suspicion, seemingly unconvinced. After all, he had been paralyzed for so many years and had long since given up hope.

A-Ming noticed his father's doubt and quickly introduced him, "Father, don't underestimate our little fellow villager. He's an extraordinary person! His son can even ride a sucker across the river!"

"It's true, Uncle," Xiao Qin chimed in from the side.

"A sucker? This monster has appeared again?" the old man asked in surprise.

"Look, it's right there in the child's arms," A-Ming said, pointing to Shen Caihua, who was fast asleep holding the suction tube.

"That's a suction tube?" The old man looked at the suction tube, which was only about the thickness of a large umbrella, with a puzzled expression.

A-Ming nodded and told his father about the strange things that had happened to the baby on the Enmei River.

The old man listened, dumbfounded.

That night, Han Sheng, Shen Caihua, and the suction tube stayed there. A-Ming went downstairs to take Xiao Qin home, which wasn't far from here, and, as his father had instructed, asked Xiao Qin's father to come and meet this young cousin and his son from Jiangxi the next day.

Han Sheng lay on the bamboo floor, pondering his father's treatment plan.

The *Qing Nang Jing* recorded a folk remedy for stroke, which required hundreds of leeches to assist in the treatment. The key was the medicinal guide. It seemed that Hua Tuo's medical skills were most importantly based on those strange and wonderful medicinal guides... In the early morning, while Shen Caihua and the suction tube were still fast asleep, Han Sheng got up.

The old man's bamboo house was a typical Dai stilted house. A large square stone slab was inlaid in the floor of the upstairs hall, with firewood burning on it. A copper kettle hung above, boiling water, and all the smoke and steam rose directly to the ceiling and escaped through the vents. The water in the kettle was now boiling. Amin pulled a section of bamboo from the embers, split it in half with a wood-chopping knife, and handed it to Hansheng. Inside was white rice filled with the fresh aroma of bamboo, along with a bowl of pickled bamboo shoots—this was breakfast.

"What will the child eat after he wakes up?" Amin asked, while brewing tea.

"Don't worry about him, Caihua will find his own food," Hansheng said casually, starting to eat.

The rice had a faint bamboo fragrance, the grains were translucent, and the yellow pickled bamboo shoots were incredibly delicious. Hansheng finished the entire bamboo tube of rice.

"I'll go with you to gather herbs," Amin said, slung his carbine over his shoulder, and picked up a wood-chopping knife.

Han Sheng nodded and said, "Do you still have empty bamboo tubes? We need ones with lids."

A Ming turned around and went down to prepare. There was plenty of bamboo here; it would be very convenient to cut a couple whenever needed.

Han Sheng went down from the bamboo house and looked around. The lush green bamboo forest, the rising sun, the light mist, and the cool air were all invigorating.

Especially the massive, emerald-green bamboo, as thick as a bucket, was something Han Sheng had never seen before. Although Wuyuan was also a bamboo-producing region, the bamboo back home seemed insignificant compared to this.

"Dr. Han, what kind of medicine do you want to collect?" A-Ming asked respectfully, even changing his form of address.

"Leech, not land leeches, but the black kind from the water," Han Sheng said.

"Ha, that's easy, there are plenty in the streams. When I was a kid, I used to play in the streams, and they'd often crawl all over me," A-Ming said with a sigh of relief.

With that, A-Ming went barefoot into the water and indeed caught two, about an inch long, dark brown, wriggling in his hand.

Han Sheng shook his head and said, "There are several kinds of leeches. Those in the water are called water leeches, also known as horse leeches; those living in the mountains are called stone leeches; those in the grass are called grass leeches; and those living in the mud are called mud leeches. They range in size from about an inch to over a foot long. I need large female leeches that are about to give birth. The small leeches in this stream won't work."

A-Ming scratched his head and said, "Oh dear, that's hard to find."

"Let's go upstream. The female leeches usually stay in deep pools where few people live, and the baby leeches they give birth to float downstream, spreading throughout the streams and rivers

," Han Sheng said. The two then turned and went upstream, passing through lush bamboo forests and gradually entering dense mixed broadleaf and coniferous forests. After more than an hour, the stream came to an end, but there were no deep pools to be seen. The stream water was flowing out of a cave.

"Let's go into the cave and look for them," Han Sheng said.

Amin hesitated for a moment, then turned back to the forest to find some pine branches, which he tied into a torch. He always carried matches with him for cooking, so after lighting the torch, the two entered the cave.

The stone floor inside the cave was covered in moss, wet and slippery. They proceeded cautiously, and in the clear stream, they could see a few small black leeches swimming about.

"There must be female leeches at the source of this stream," Hansheng said, squatting by the water's edge, observing.

"How big are the female leeches?" Amin felt a little uneasy.

"Maybe two or three inches," Hansheng replied.

A faint sound of water came from ahead, growing louder as they went further. Finally, they came to a waterfall, where more than ten streams cascaded down from the cave ceiling and stone walls, splashing into a small pool.

In the flickering firelight, a large, moss-covered rock protruded from the pool. Crawling atop the rock were two enormous leeches, each over a meter long and as thick as a bucket. Their backs were dark green with five segmented bands, resembling armor. Each segment had a pair of eyes, for a total of ten eyes. At their heads and tails were suckers the size of washbasins.

"Ah! That's terrifying! Did they see us?" Amin gripped his carbine tightly, tense.

"Don't worry, these things can't see much, only their sense of touch is very sensitive. They won't notice us unless we touch them," Hansheng said. He often caught leeches in the rice paddies to feed the chickens as a child, but even so, he had never heard of leeches this large, and he was still terrified.

"Are they the female leeches?" Amin asked cautiously in a low voice.

“Well, leeches are actually hermaphroditic, but they must mate with different sexes, so these two can be considered large female leeches,” Han Sheng explained.

“How can such big creatures be used for treatment?” A-Ming asked doubtfully.

Indeed, Han Sheng was also troubled. The method in the *Qing Nang Jing* was to use a hundred leeches to suck blood from the blocked meridians and acupoints in a person's head, opening up thirteen meridians. But these two creatures' suckers were larger than a person's head; what if they sucked his father's head into his stomach?

“How about we try catching some smaller leeches?” A-Ming said timidly.

Han Sheng pondered silently. Why did the *Qing Nang Jing* insist on female leeches about to lay eggs? Could it be that the saliva of female leeches contains different components…? Western medical books say that the salivary glands of leeches contain an anticoagulant substance called “hirudin,” which might be the liquid that can dissolve blood clots already formed in the blood vessels of the brain. Although Hua Tuo's era lacked a clear understanding of the principles of medicine, he successfully treated strokes by combining them with the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, he recorded leeches in his medical texts, where they were then called "蛭蝚" (zhī lǐ).

However, Han Sheng thought that even Hua Tuo himself probably had never seen such a large leech.

Chapter 324:

Shen Caihua woke up, opened his eyes, looked around, and softly called out, "Han Sheng, Daddy."

He mumbled as he got up, sniffed the air, stretched out his hands, and with a mighty effort, picked up the still-sleeping suction tube, then toddled down from the bamboo house.

In the early morning, smoke rose from the rooftops of the stilted houses in the village, as everyone was busy preparing breakfast.

Little Caihua stood by the stream, his nose twitching, smelling Han Sheng's scent, which was heading upstream. He thought for a moment, then shook the suction tube until it woke up.

The sucker stared wide-eyed at Shen Caihua, blinking sleepily as if somewhat dissatisfied.

Shen Caihua brought his mouth close and babbled a few notes into the sucker's tube before tossing it into the stream.

The sucker immediately expanded upon landing, soaking up water and reverting to its mat-like shape, its grayish-white belly covered in flesh-colored suckers of varying sizes. Little Caihua plopped down on it and quickly crawled upstream. They

passed through a bamboo forest, entered a mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest, and finally arrived at a cave entrance.

Shen Caihua sniffed the air, confirming that Han Sheng's father had already entered the cave, and then steered the sucker along the stream into the cave as well.

The cave was pitch black, so little Caihua, sitting on the soft skin of the sucker, wasn't particularly afraid. The sucker itself could see in the dark and moved freely on the water's surface.

A flash of light appeared ahead, and slowly, it became clear that it was Han Sheng's father and the young man. Little Caihua tugged at the sucker, and like a hovercraft, it leaped out of the water with a "whoosh" and landed with a "plop" in the pool… "Caihua!" Han Sheng exclaimed in surprise.

"Han Sheng's father," Shen Caihua giggled.

"Watch out for the giant leeches!" Han Sheng quickly shouted a warning.

The splashing water landed on the two giant leeches, alerting them. They simultaneously extended their enormous suckers, aiming at the uninvited guest in the water.

Shen Caihua's two dark pupils contracted sharply, and he grinned, revealing two rows of sharp teeth, licking his lips with his little tongue.

Han Sheng thought, "Oh no, this little guy wants to suck everything."

No sooner said than done, Shen Caihua leaped up naked, tilting his head to aim at the spot under the giant leech's sucker and took a bite... Han Sheng shouted, "It has no neck!"

But it was too late. Shen Caihua had already bitten into the bluish-black tough skin under one of the giant leeches' suckers. With a "crack" sound, his sharp teeth cut into the leech's thick and tough skin, but not a drop of blood flowed out.

The soft leech angrily opened its face-sized sucker and swooped down, its three semi-circular, knife-like, hard mandibles instantly slicing towards the chubby little Shen Caihua… The attack was sudden; no one expected Shen Caihua, who was giggling, to suddenly launch a counterattack. A-Ming was utterly stunned, and even the leech in the water blinked in surprise, frozen in place… Han Sheng's fly-like eyes activated instantly. Seeing the mother leech's sucker swing like a gaping maw, its three Y-shaped mandibles slicing sharply towards Shen Caihua, about to splatter blood, Han Sheng's figure blurred with lightning speed. In a split second, he grabbed Shen Caihua with both hands and yanked him back… The massive sucker missed its target, crashing into a large rock. The mandibles struck the hard stone, sparks flying, a metallic sound.

Shen Caihua was furious and was about to pounce again, but Han Sheng held him tightly.

"Caihua, these leeches are cold-blooded creatures, and they don't have blood vessels in their necks. Biting them won't do any good," Han Sheng warned Shen Caihua.

At this moment, the pair of giant female leeches on the large rock seemed to sense the danger. They twisted their plump, soft bodies and leaped into the pool, splashing water everywhere... Under the surface, the sucker unfolded its body, its grayish-white belly covered with over a hundred suckers of various sizes, ready to pounce. With a "plop," the sucker had already grabbed and wrapped around the pair of giant leeches that had landed on it. The dense suckers pressed against the female leech's supple black skin. After struggling for a few moments, they were unable to move.

"This..." A-Ming pointed tremblingly at the thick sucker tube in the water, speechless for a moment.

Han Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and said to Shen Caihua, "Can we use the suction tubes to carry them back to the village?"

Shen Caihua nodded, walked to the pool, leaped up, and mounted the suction tube. He then mumbled something, and the suction tube blinked, floating on the water and drifting downstream along the stream.

"Let's go too," Han Sheng and A Ming said, holding torches and following Shen Caihua out of the cave.

Shen Caihua excitedly rode the moss-covered suction tube downstream, passing through forests and bamboo groves, heading towards the village.

The people washing clothes and drawing water on both sides of the stream were extremely surprised by this strange sight. "Those are suction tubes!" someone finally recognized them and exclaimed, grabbing their guns at the same time.

"Don't shoot! Those are our tamed suction tubes; they won't hurt anyone," A Ming shouted at the top of his lungs.

A group of children ran alongside Shen Caihua, both nervous and curious, their little faces flushed with excitement, following him all the way to the bamboo house of A Ming's family.

On the bank, the leech lazily stretched out, revealing two giant leeches lying on its belly. To everyone's surprise, the leeches' bodies were covered in needle marks, their once robust and plump bodies now shriveled and reduced to just two skins. Their bodily fluids had been completely sucked dry by the leech's more than one hundred suckers… The two giant female leeches were dead.

Han Sheng stood there dumbfounded. This was the leech they had come to treat their illness! Looking at the leech's swollen, grayish-white belly, it was truly a sight to behold.

A Ming reached out and picked up the leech's shrunken sac, asking Han Sheng helplessly, "Dr. Zhu, what do you think of this…?"

"Sigh, all our efforts wasted," Han Sheng said dejectedly.

"Chu chu hu heng hong…" Shen Caihua waved his little hands and called out.

Upon hearing this, the sucker began to drain the fluid, but having absorbed too much of the giant leech's body fluid, even when it stretched out forcefully, it was still much thicker than Caihua's waist, no longer as slender as an umbrella last night. The sucker blinked, indicating that this was all it could do.

"Caihua, do you have a way to get the sucker to participate in Dad's treatment? It only needs to use a few of its smallest suckers," Hansheng pondered thoughtfully.

Upon hearing this, Shen Caihua leaned down and babbled a series of strange notes at the sucker. The sucker kept shaking its body, as if unwilling, but after Shen Caihua's repeated insistence, it finally blinked in agreement.

Shen Caihua turned to Hansheng and nodded.

"Alright, take the sucker upstairs," Hansheng instructed.

The sucker's tube extended and retracted as it followed Shen Caihua up the stairs, leaving a trail of water behind it. Below the bamboo house, the group of children happily pulled on the giant leech's skin and jumped into the stream to play.

Xiaoqin waited for them at the top of the stairs. Inside, a dark-skinned, thin man in his sixties sat cross-legged on the floor, speaking in the local Jiangxi dialect while holding Amin's father's hand. He was Xiaoqin's father, a veteran of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, and a true native of southern Jiangxi.

After exchanging pleasantries, Hansheng began preparing for the treatment. He first instructed Amin to fetch a razor and shave his father's head completely.

"Father, I need to take some 'Shenque Ni' from your body as a medicinal ingredient," Hansheng said.

"'Shenque Ni'... what is that?" the father asked, puzzled.

"Well, let me put it this way, the navel is the Shenque acupoint on the Ren meridian. The Ren meridian is the sea of Yin meridians, and it is internally and externally related to the Du meridian. The navel is also the path of the Chong meridian, which is the sea of the twelve meridians. Therefore, the Shenque acupoint can be called the central hub of the meridians and the sea of Qi, connecting the five internal organs and six bowels internally, and reaching the four limbs, bones, five senses, and nine orifices externally. This 'Shenque mud' is the grime in the navel," Han Sheng explained.

"Is this stuff also medicine?" Xiao Qin's father asked in surprise.

Han Sheng smiled, and reached out to open his father's underwear as he lay supine on the bamboo mat, revealing his shriveled abdomen and the wrinkled navel.

"The shape of a person's navel reflects their health. A navel that points upwards and is triangular at the top indicates stomach, gallbladder, or pancreas problems; one pointing downwards indicates stomach prolapse, intractable constipation, chronic gastroenteritis, or gynecological diseases. A sea snake-shaped navel indicates hepatitis or cirrhosis. A navel leaning to the left indicates stomach and intestinal problems; leaning to the right indicates ulcers; a protruding navel indicates ascites or ovarian cysts; a sunken navel indicates intestinal adhesions or tuberculous peritonitis. If the navel is shallow and small, it indicates hormonal imbalances. It's said that transgender people have navels like this," Han Sheng said.

"And what about normal ones?" A-Ming asked earnestly.

"Round like a full moon. A woman with this navel has excellent ovarian function and many children; a man with this navel has abundant essence and longevity," Han Sheng explained.

Everyone's eyes fell on the old man's navel, but its folds were filled with bluish-black grime, making its shape and depth indistinguishable.

"Please hand me a small bowl," Han Sheng said to A-Ming.

"Dad, please bear with it." Han Sheng blew on his right index fingernail; since disinfection wasn't an option, he skipped it.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Han Sheng forcefully dug his fingernail into his father's navel, scraping out a large chunk of soft, bluish-black grime. He then rolled it into a long strip, brought it to his nose, and smelled it—it had a strong, pungent odor of internal organs. He released it and tossed it into a bowl. Next, he carefully scraped all the grime clinging to the folds of the navel.

"It seems a little too little," Han Sheng said hesitantly.

"I have some," A Ming said, pulling at his shirt to reveal his round navel, which also contained a thick layer of grime.

"It's a full moon shape," Xiao Qin exclaimed happily to herself.

"No, we can only use the patient's own 'Shenque Mud'," Han Sheng shook his head.

"Then what should we do?" A Ming asked, lowering his shirt.

“Looks like we can only replenish some calluses on the soles of our feet,” Han Sheng mused thoughtfully.

“Skin on the soles of our feet?” his father asked, puzzled.

“The soles of our feet develop calluses and calluses. The Yongquan acupoint is the starting point of the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin, a vital point for calming the mind, refreshing the brain, and opening the orifices. The calluses here have a similar effect to the ‘Shenque Mud’ of the Ren Meridian, and can be used as a supplementary medicinal guide.” Han Sheng explained, pulling his father’s feet over. Sure enough, the soles of his feet had a lot of

thick, yellowish calluses. “Give me the razor.” Han Sheng took the razor and, without thinking twice, caught the calluses in a bowl under his feet. He started scraping, the calluses falling into the bowl. In the end, he scraped off half a bowl of yellowish-white calluses from both feet.

“Mix it with warm wine and drink it,” Han Sheng instructed.

Chapter 325

“You have to drink it?” A-Ming looked at Han Sheng in surprise.

“These two medicinal guides must be taken,” Han Sheng said seriously.

Xiaoqin frowned as she stared at the half-bowl of foot skin and belly button grime, her stomach already churning with acid.

Her father laughed heartily and said loudly, "What haven't the soldiers of the Chinese Expeditionary Force experienced? Amin, warm the wine."

Amin had no choice but to warm a pot of liquor, pour it into a small bowl, and stir it incessantly with chopsticks. The room reeked of a strong, sour smell of foot sweat and the stench of internal organs.

"Dad, you have athlete's foot," Amin reminded him.

Xiaoqin's father helped his father sit up, and Amin brought the bowl to his mouth. His father tilted his head back and gulped it down in two mouthfuls. He then rolled his tongue and pulled off two thin pieces of skin from his feet that were stuck to his front teeth, putting them into his mouth

. "Haha, it doesn't taste weird at all," his father nodded trustingly at Hansheng.

"Alright, Caihua, tell the suction cup to use the small suction cup to prick these acupoints, sucking out a little blood while injecting it back in," Hansheng said, as he rummaged through the embers on the stone slab for a small piece of black charcoal. He then drew small black circles on each of the thirteen meridians on his father's bald head, including Baihui, Tongtian, Chengling, Benkun, and the left and right temples.

"So many!" Amin exclaimed in surprise.

"There are 365 acupoints in the human body, and I only selected 13 here," Hansheng replied.

Shen Caihua fiddled with the suction device for a long time, and the device finally understood. It extended some small tentacle-like suction cups and pressed them one by one against the black circles on the old man's head. The thin, hard needles inside the suction cups pierced into the old man's acupoints, first sucking blood, and then slowly injecting biological enzymes with anesthetic and hemolytic functions, such as hirudin, into the capillaries within the acupoints. Judging from the old man's facial expression, there was no pain whatsoever.

The biomagnetic field signals for opening the orifices and clearing the meridians contained in the Shenque mud and the skin on the soles of his feet, under the influence of the warm wine, quickly rose along the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians—Ren, Du, Dai, Chong, Yin Yang Wei, and Yin Yang Qiao—to the head of all Yang meridians, guiding the hirudin to dissolve the blood clots in the capillaries and slowly opening up the meridians that had been blocked for many years.

"Child, are you from northern Jiangxi?" Xiaoqin's father asked Hansheng affectionately.

“Wuyuan in northern Jiangxi,” Hansheng replied.

“Alas, I left home young, and now, as an old man, I have nowhere to return. Only in the quiet of the night do I yearn for my homeland and secretly shed tears. Do you know Xingguo?” Xiaoqin’s father sighed.

“Yes, there are many Hakka people there, and the folk songs of Xingguo are very beautiful,” Hansheng said.

“You also like listening to Xingguo folk songs? Can you sing them?” Xiaoqin’s father asked kindly.

Han Sheng nodded, then began humming a familiar Xingguo folk song: "Sending off the Red Army, they descended the mountain, the autumn rain falls softly, the autumn wind is cold. The paulownia trees, their leaves all fallen, a thousand sorrows weigh on my heart, I ask my loved ones, Red Army..." Suddenly,

Han Sheng stopped. He realized this was a song praising the Red Army, and Xiao Qin and A Ming's fathers were White Army soldiers... "Why did you stop singing? The Hakka folk songs from our hometown are much better," Xiao Qin's father said, looking at Han Sheng.

"This...that's a Red Army song..." Han Sheng stammered.

“Sigh,” Xiaoqin’s father laughed, and said loudly, “Who cares if they’re the Red Army or the White Army? As long as it’s a folk song from our hometown, we’ll love it. Besides, we’re the Chinese Expeditionary Force fighting against the Japanese. Child, just sing it.”

Hansheng was deeply moved by the magnanimity of the Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers, so he continued to hum softly with tears in his eyes: “When will the Red Army return to the mountains?

Three times we send off the Red Army to Nashan. The corn on the mountain is golden. The Red Army planted the corn seeds. The corn cobs are carried by us poor people. We hold the Red Army’s hands tightly. The Red Army, the seeds you have sown have turned the sky red.

Seven times we send off the Red Army to Wudou River. Boats on the river are busy shuttling back and forth.

Thousands of soldiers and horses stand on the riverbank, and people from all directions…” Tears welling up, gratitude as deep as the sea, unforgettable. Red Army, may the revolution succeed, and may you return home soon.

Nine times we send off the Red Army, onto the main road, the gongs are silent, the drums are silent, the drums are silent, two hands, calloused and worn, hearts like bitter herbs, faces smiling.

How can we forget this bond of blood and flesh?

Red Army, we long for the day when the news of victory arrives. Ten times we send off the Red Army, to the Moon-Gazing Pavilion. On the Moon-Gazing Pavilion, a high platform is built.

The platform is ten zhang high, with white jade pillars, carved dragons and painted phoenixes, shining brightly. We long for it morning and night, Red Army, this platform is called the Red-Gazing Platform.

The Xingguo folk song was finished, and Xiaoqin's father was already in tears… With a "poof," Old Man Amin let out a loud fart, then his fingers twitched, and the room filled with the aroma of abalone.

Xiaoqin blushed, and Amin looked at her anxiously, "Dad, you can move!" he exclaimed.

Everyone's eyes immediately fell on the old man, and sure enough, his fingers and toes were slowly twitching.

"Hmm, the blood clot is being cleared, and the meridians that have been blocked for many years are opening up. A fart is a sign." Hansheng touched the old man's wrist, and his pulse slowly returned to normal. He finally breathed a sigh of relief. The Qingnang Jing was truly infallible.

Shen Caihua sniffed, quickly covered his nose, frowned, and sneezed loudly.

"How long will it take for my dad to stand up?" Amin asked with great admiration.

"About an hour," Hansheng estimated and replied.

"Little cousin, where did you learn such miraculous medical skills?" Xiaoqin's father said with admiration.

Han Sheng smiled, thinking that the *Qing Nang Jing* was still not something to be casually mentioned, so he blushed and said evasively, "It's a family heirloom."

"Incredible! Jiangxi has always been a land of hidden talents. Take Xingguo, for example, which produced a master of geomancy, Yang Yunsong, whose courtesy name was Jiupin. He was truly a peerless genius in Central Plains geomancy," said Xiaoqin's father.

"Yang Yunsong?" Han Sheng wondered how this person compared to Liu Bowen.

"Legend has it that during the late Tang Dynasty, Lu Guangchou, the warlord who ruled Qianzhou (present-day Ganzhou, Jiangxi), declared himself king and asked Yang Yunsong to divine a site for an emperor. After obtaining the site, Lu Guangchou asked Yang Yunsong if there were any other sites for an emperor. Yang replied: 'One seat, eighteen faces, each face produces an emperor.' Lu Guangchou didn't want others to also obtain such a site, so he poisoned Yang's wine to prevent future trouble. On his way home, Yang Yunsong asked his disciple Zeng Wengong, 'What place is this?' Zeng Wengong said..." Yaokou'. Yang Gong sighed: "If the medicine reaches your mouth, you will die!"

Before his death, Yang Junsong told Zeng Wenzhuang to tell Lu Guangchou Yang's last words to help the poor: install a water tiller at Moche Bay in Ganzhou and dig a well at the intersection, and he will be the emperor from generation to generation. Yang Gongshi used Feng Shui to break Ganzhou's "Emperor Qi" and restrain Lu Guangchou. Soon, Lu Guangchou really developed carbuncle on his back, the pain was unbearable, and he hanged himself. "Xiao Qin's father continued to narrate.

"Is this all true? "Hansheng is always very interested in legends such as Feng Shui.

"I am Yang Muqian, a descendant of Duke Yang. "Xiao Qin's father said seriously.

"Oh..." Han Sheng saw his solemn expression, and he immediately became serious.

"Do you know the "Qing Sang Sutra"? "Yang Mupion asked Han Sheng.

Han Sheng couldn't help but feel shocked when he heard this.

"It is said that it was a medical book written by Hua Tuo, a famous doctor in the Three Kingdoms, and it has been lost. " Han Sheng hesitated.

Yang Mupin shook his head and said, "No, the Qingnang Jing is a strange book on geomancy, written by Huang Shigong at the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty. Do you know what geomancy is?"

Han Sheng simply shook his head, indicating that he did not know.

"The term 'Kanyu' first appeared in the book *Huainanzi* written by Liu An, the King of Huainan, which states, 'Kanyu is the way of Heaven, Yu is the way of Earth,' meaning to understand the way of Heaven and Earth, which is what we now call Feng Shui. Huang Shigong was Zhang Liang's teacher, but he did not pass on the *Qingnang Jing* to him, and its whereabouts became unknown. It was said that Guo Pu obtained the book during the Jin Dynasty, but it was stolen by his student and accidentally burned before he could read it. Later generations could only find some clues about the existence of this book in Guo Pu's writings. As for the *Qingnang Jing* that has been passed down to later generations, it was actually supplemented by Jiang Dahong of the Qing Dynasty," Yang Mupin explained.

"How come it was burned by fire again?" Han Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that it wasn't the *Qingnang Jing* by Hua Tuo that they were talking about.

Yang Mupin, oblivious to the implication in Han Sheng's words, continued, "Our ancestor, Yang Gong, did see this incomplete and wondrous book, which he privately called the *Burial Ruler Classic*."

"Guo Gong's Burial Ruler?" Han Sheng blurted out, caught off guard.

"You've heard of 'Guo Gong's Burial Ruler'?" Yang Mupin asked, surprised.

"I heard it from a centenarian woman; she's passed away now," Han Sheng sighed.

"Oh, that's right. This incomplete *Qing Nang Jing*, also known as the *Burial Ruler Classic*, is as profound and difficult to understand as astronomy. Our ancestor, Yang Gong, died of poisoning before he could decipher it. Unfortunately, the descendants of the Yang family throughout the generations have been dull-witted, and not a single one has been able to discern even a trace of its meaning," Yang Mupin lamented.

"Could it be that the book isn't written in Chinese characters? Perhaps it's because it's incomplete?" Han Sheng tentatively speculated.

"The few pages left after this book was burned contained no words, only some strange hand gestures. Alas, it seems that this is the end of its lineage, passed down to my generation. There are no more talented and learned scholars in the Yang family." Yang Mupin said, looking at Han Sheng.

"This book is in your hands?" Han Sheng asked in confusion.

Yang Mupin nodded and said, "I didn't feel comfortable leaving the family heirloom at home, so I took it with me when I went to fight in Burma more than thirty years ago. If I were to die in battle, I was determined to disappear from the world with it."

Han Sheng asked somewhat uneasily, "Uncle Yang, we're meeting for the first time today, why are you telling me all this?"

Yang Mupin looked at him intently and said solemnly, "Young man, you come from a family of doctors, you are honest and kind, and you must be extremely intelligent to possess such miraculous medical skills. Today you saved my in-laws, and I have no way to repay you. I wish to give you half of the *Qing Nang Jing*. If you can decipher the secrets within the book in the future, as a descendant of the Yang family, you will finally fulfill a wish that has been unfulfilled for generations."

"I..." Han Sheng was shocked, his face flushed, and he felt very guilty for lying just now.

Yang Mupin took out a small cloth bag from his bosom, opened it layer by layer, revealing a thin bamboo tube inside. He removed the lid and carefully poured out a roll of paper.

Everyone in the room silently watched as Xiaoqin's father gently unfolded the several pieces of yellowish-brown paper with scorch marks. Sure enough, there were no words on them, only some strange hand gestures.

People stared blankly, all puzzled.

Only Xiao Caihua, upon seeing these drawings, grinned happily…

Chapter 326

Night deepened, the drizzle stopped, and a crack appeared in the dark clouds, letting the cool moonlight shine on the small town of Myitkyina.

The leader strolled out of the consulate, followed by Feng Sheng.

Since being directly transferred to the leader's mysterious department in Zhongdian, Feng Sheng had secretly infiltrated Myanmar, traveling overnight from Yangon to Myitkyina by train, claiming it was a business trip.

Today, the commander secretly instructed him to accompany him to receive a mysterious figure in the middle of the night. Feng Sheng knew the principles of secret work: never ask questions unless the leader tells you. The commander would give instructions on what to do later.

"Myitkyina, in 1942, the Chinese Expeditionary Force fought a desperate battle here in Burma, holding the line against the Japanese, enabling the Allies to gain control of North Africa. But the 100,000-strong Expeditionary Force paid the price of almost total annihilation," the commander said, gazing at the hazy mountains in the night.

Hearing this, Feng Sheng figured the commander was just expressing his feelings, and it wasn't appropriate for him to answer.

"Feng Sheng, are you familiar with this history?" the commander asked.

"Commander, not very familiar. Most people in China believe that the Kuomintang government under Chiang Kai-shek didn't fire a single shot in the War of Resistance against Japan, hiding in the mountains and reaping the benefits of victory," Feng Sheng said cautiously.

"That's just talk to the common people; they don't care and there's no need for them to know too much," the leader chuckled coldly, walking around the consulate's side wall.

Under the moonlight, a dark thicket of bushes stretched before them, with a clearing in the middle. All was quiet; no one was in sight.

Feng Sheng warily drew his pistol from his waist; protecting the leader was his top priority.

The leader stood in the clearing, raising his wristwatch; the hour hand pointed exactly to midnight.

"Master, you should have arrived by now?" the leader said calmly.

A soft rustling of clothes sounded, and a slender, dark figure emerged from the bushes, silently standing before the leader, hands clasped behind his back.

The pale moonlight illuminated the man's face. Feng Sheng was startled and blurted out, "Master Jin!" Master

Jin's sharp gaze fell on Feng Sheng, inwardly surprised, his suspicious eyes glancing at the leader. How could the two of them be together?

The commander smiled slightly and said, "Feng Sheng has been transferred to work under me. You two met once before, so I brought him along tonight."

Master Jin seemed slightly displeased, but said nothing, only nodding slightly.

"Have you heard about the Geda prophecy?" the commander asked, getting to the point.

"I've got it, but it's just numbers, very profound, extremely difficult to decipher," Master Jin replied.

"Oh, let me see it quickly," the commander eagerly stretched out his hand.

Master Jin glanced at Feng Sheng, took out a sheepskin from his pocket, and solemnly handed it to the commander.

In the moonlight, the writing on the sheepskin was faintly discernible. The commander excitedly read the numbers on it, but he didn't notice that although the sheepskin looked old, it faintly emitted a bloody smell… It was a new sheepskin that had been artificially aged.

Across the street from the consulate, the thick curtains of the house were drawn, making the interior appear pitch black from the outside.

Behind the curtains in the room, a starlight night vision device was mounted, its video cable connected to a high-resolution monitor. The screen glowed green, flickering with grayish-white noise.

Xiaowei sat in a chair, observing the Chinese consulate across the street through the monitor.

"The target has finally emerged." Xiaowei stared nervously at the screen; he recognized the square-faced man who seemed important.

"Strange, what are these two doing in the middle of the night?" Yamura stubbed out his cigarette, looking at the monitor with surprise.

"They've gone behind the consulate wall. Report to Consul Kawashima immediately," Xiaowei said, his eyes still fixed on the screen.

Yamura picked up the telephone, dialed a number, and Consul Kawashima's muffled voice came through the receiver: "What, is there a situation?"

"Yes, the square-faced man has emerged and is now behind the consulate wall," Yamura reported.

"How many are they?" Kawashima asked.

"With one attendant, only two people in total," Yamura replied.

"Continue to observe, I'll inform Mr. Kurosawa immediately." Kawashima hung up the phone.

The door to Kurosawa and Huang Jianguo's room was suddenly pushed open, and Kawashima hurriedly recounted what he had observed.

"He's going to make contact. He'll definitely be meeting with that Taoist priest Jin who left the mark today. Hmm, Jia Shiming was supposed to be with Hansheng, but suddenly he met with the leader late at night. This is very strange. Our main target, Hansheng, hasn't shown up yet. Could Taoist priest Jin be a middleman? Jianguo, could your father-in-law be making some kind of deal with Hansheng through Taoist priest Jin?" Kurosawa speculated as he dressed.

"Logically speaking, Hansheng is stubborn by nature, someone who doesn't understand practical matters, someone who'll stick to one path to the bitter end. He shouldn't compromise easily," Huang Jianguo analyzed.

"In that case, the situation has definitely changed. Kawashima-kun, immediately order your men to follow and observe him. Be careful not to expose him, understand?" Kurosawa instructed.

"Yes, Mr. Kurosawa." Kawashima turned and ran out.

"What do we do now, Master?" Huang Jianguo asked, privately already addressing Kurosawa as Master.

"We should join in the fun too. Let's get a few men together and bring weapons," Kurosawa sneered.

Upon hearing this, Huang Jianguo quickly climbed off the bed, dressed, and left the room with Kurosawa.

At that moment, Yamura and Xiaowei had received instructions from Consul Kawashima. They immediately grabbed their pistols and a portable directional listening device, slipped out of the house, and moved in from another direction to flank the Chinese consulate from behind.

They knew the terrain intimately, quietly hiding on a small hill behind the jungle. They turned on the parabolic reflector fan of the listening device, switched on the battery, and transmitted the amplified audio from a clearing in the woods a few meters away into their headphones.

The directional listening device had an effective range of 150 meters, amplifying distant speech a thousand times, especially clear in the dead of night. Unfortunately, the three people they were targeting spoke Chinese, which Yamura and Xiaowei couldn't understand, so they had no choice but to record it all.

By the moonlight, the commander pondered the numbers on the sheepskin repeatedly, but after a long while, he still couldn't grasp them, completely baffled.

"8341... That's right, it's the set of numbers Han Sheng revealed when he was hypnotized. The only thing I can think of right now is the unit designation of the Central Guard Regiment of the Communist Party of China, which the common people call the Capital Guard Division. Hmph, the Imperial Guard of Beijing." The commander muttered to himself. "Commander

, you also can't figure out the meaning of these numbers?" Master Jin said calmly.

"Yes, the Geda prophecy was actually a few sets of numbers written on a tattered sheepskin... Oh, by the way, Master Jin, have you already eliminated Han Sheng?"

"No." The voice sounded very familiar.

"This is Master Jin." Kurosawa remembered the conversation that night when Master Jin sneaked into his apartment in Beijing to return the "Heavenly Cloud Sword."

Next, Kurosawa and the others quietly listened to the recording a second time.

“The situation is clear now. Master Jin stole the old sheepskin from Han Sheng. The Geda Prophecy is recorded on this sheepskin, consisting of several sets of numbers. The sheepskin is now in the hands of the leader, but as of now, they still haven't been able to decipher it,” Kurosawa analyzed.

Consul Kawashima listened quietly to the scene; he had no right to interfere.

“My father-in-law is truly cunning. Not only did he plant a spy among Han Sheng's people, but he also sent that Menglachaweng Bing,” Huang Jianguo said

, a chill running down his spine. “Mr. Kawashima, the results are in. Xiaowei died from ruptured internal organs, and Yamura's cervical spine was broken.” The consulate clerk who entered from outside handed Consul Kawashima an autopsy report.

“That was Master Jin's Heavenly Gang Qigong,” Kurosawa said.

Consul Kawashima respectfully asked Kurosawa, "Mr. Kurosawa, please instruct us on our next move."

"Hmm, didn't the commander say he'd leave Myitkyina early tomorrow morning? Send men to keep a close watch. Also, take me to the confidential office; I need to immediately contact the consulate in Yangon to make arrangements for the next steps," Kurosawa instructed Consul Kawashima, while smiling at Huang Jianguo, "Jianguo, we'll drive tonight ahead of them and await your father-in-law's arrival in Yangon."

"Yes, Mr. Kurosawa," Huang Jianguo replied.

After watching the two leave, Huang Jianguo slipped into the corridor and quietly made his way to the room where Xiaowei and Yamura's bodies were kept.

The room was empty. Two naked corpses lay side-by-side on the table, their dissected cavities not yet stitched up, their internal organs scattered inside, blood pooling on the table.

Huang Jianguo glanced back down the corridor, seeing no one, then quickly stole a heart and two purplish-red liver lobes, stuffing them into a plastic bag. After a moment's thought, he tore off a piece of duodenum and added it as well, then tucked it into his pocket and returned to his room, secretly hiding it in his backpack. "

Now I'll have a midnight snack on the way," he thought.

Chapter 328:

Watching Master Jin's figure disappear into the darkness, the leader let out a deep sigh of relief. More than ten years of planning had finally yielded results.

"Feng Sheng," the leader said without turning around, looking up at the crescent moon in the clouds.

"Yes, leader," Feng Sheng quickly replied.

"I have an important task for you," the leader said, still silently gazing at the sky.

"Leader, please give your instructions," Feng Sheng straightened his back.

“Hmm, the gunshot just now will definitely attract attention. Let’s go back. You go through the consulate’s main entrance.” The leader said, turning and walking alone towards the back wall of the consulate. With a light leap, he scaled the wall… Feng Sheng was startled. He hadn’t expected the leader to possess such unfathomable martial arts skills. Looking at the high brick wall, he shook his head. Without a ladder, he couldn’t climb it.

He circled back to the main gate, carefully observing his surroundings. Finding nothing unusual, he nodded to the guards in the courtyard and entered the consulate.

The leader was sitting in Consul Wang’s office, assigning him tasks.

“Welcome back to guide our work again, leader,” Consul Wang said sincerely, his face beaming.

“Alright, you can go now. Let Feng Sheng in.” The leader smiled as he watched Consul Wang leave the office.

“Leader.” Feng Sheng walked in straight and stood up.

“Hmm, Comrade Feng Sheng, you’ve been a Party member for over ten years, haven’t you?” the leader asked.

“Yes, leader, twelve years,” Feng Sheng replied.

The commander nodded and continued, "Tell me your opinion of Master Jin."

"This…" Feng Sheng knew in his heart that Master Jin was clearly the commander's mole, someone he absolutely trusted. Asking for his opinion now was simply a test. Although he didn't originally have any ill feelings towards Master Jin, the fact that this man had killed the patriarch to steal Han Sheng's sheepskin made him a truly wicked villain. As a public security officer and a member of the Communist Party, he couldn't betray his conscience to please the commander. Thinking this, he straightened his back and said loudly, "Master Jin is a treacherous villain."

The commander fell silent for a moment, his sharp gaze fixed on Feng Sheng… "Heh heh, Comrade Feng Sheng, you have sharp eyes. Good, well said. Master Jin is indeed a class enemy. His true nature is hard to discern; he cannot be trusted," the commander sneered.

Feng Sheng was stunned; the commander's attitude was completely unexpected.

The commander noticed the doubt in Feng Sheng's eyes and continued, "Comrade Feng Sheng, we are both Communist Party members, and we are engaged in the noble revolutionary cause of liberating all mankind. The organization fully trusts you, so we are going to give you a secret mission. Are you determined to complete it?"

"Please rest assured, Commander, Feng Sheng guarantees to complete the task assigned by the Party," Feng Sheng said resolutely, puffing out his chest. "Please give instructions."

"Kill Master Jin," the commander said calmly.

Feng Sheng's facial muscles froze, a chill running down his spine. He confirmed he hadn't misheard; the commander's task was for him to eliminate Master Jin, to silence him… "Any problems?" The commander's face was ashen, his sharp gaze fixed on Feng Sheng.

"Commander, just now, why didn't you just tell me to take care of him directly?" Feng Sheng composed himself and asked softly.

"That will have to wait until he finds Han Sheng. Right now, only Master Jin knows where Han Sheng is in the rainforest," the commander said coldly.

Caught in a political vortex, Feng Sheng thought, if he didn't do it, he'd most likely be silenced too. Of course, his hometown of Kaiping would receive a martyr's family certificate later, meaning his parents wouldn't have to queue for groceries anymore.

"Where am I supposed to find him?" Feng Sheng straightened his back, his face resolute as if ready to face any danger.

The leader's expression softened, and he said kindly, "Wuyuan, it's the most beautiful countryside in China. Tomorrow morning, we'll take the train to Yangon, then fly back to Beijing. You go to Wuyuan in Jiangxi immediately, stay at the local county government guesthouse, and wait there for Master Jin and Han Sheng. Remember, absolutely do not contact any local government departments. I'll prepare another set of documents for you, understand?"

"Understood, and then?" Feng Sheng asked.

"Keep in touch with me by phone and await instructions," the leader said.

"Please rest assured, leader, I will definitely complete the mission," Feng Sheng replied resolutely.

"Alright, you can go and rest now." The leader stood up, walked over, and patted Feng Sheng on the shoulder.

That night, Feng Sheng tossed and turned in bed, recalling everything, as if it were all because of that Geda prophecy. What exactly did it prophesy? Han Sheng, Han Sheng, how deep a political vortex have you been caught in?

As dawn broke, the leader, Feng Sheng, and several guards boarded the train from Myitkyina to the capital, Yangon.

The Burmese train lines were built during the British occupation; due to aging tracks and insufficient steam power, the train moved very slowly, sometimes struggling even uphill, constantly puffing out plumes of steam. The "climbers" along the line would climb in through the windows as the train went uphill, not buying tickets, just giving the train staff a little change.

Several guards stood close to the leader, their intimidating gazes keeping the mountain people at a distance. Their secret trip couldn't be made public, so they had no choice but to comply.

Feng Sheng looked out the window; the mountains were lush and green, with occasional glimpses of spires of Christian or Catholic churches, likely early 20th-century buildings, exuding an exotic charm.

Inside the carriage, two short men dressed in Shan State attire sat in a distant corner, occasionally glancing coldly at them. These two were agents sent by Consul Kawashima to track and monitor them.

Yangon, the largest city in the Union of Myanmar, is known as the "City of Peace." Located in the Irrawaddy Delta, it is an ancient city full of rich Eastern ethnic characteristics. Traditional white-roofed, black cypress-painted wooden houses are interspersed, the streets are mostly narrow, and pagodas and temples are scattered throughout, with flowers and tropical evergreen plants everywhere. Citizens often wear brightly colored sarongs and flip-flops, and crows, the sacred birds revered by the locals, can be seen everywhere, with passing vehicles giving way to them. Occasionally, British-style buildings can be seen, reminding one of the bygone colonial era.

On May 1, 1949, General Sun Liren led the Chinese Expeditionary Force's New First Army to occupy Yangon, and the entire territory of Myanmar was liberated.

At dusk, the leader, surrounded by guards, hurriedly walked out of Yangon Railway Station, with the two Japanese agents following closely behind in the crowd. At that moment, the setting sun shone brightly on the Shwedagon Pagoda, towering high on the sacred mountain north of the city, its golden light shimmering and gleaming.

"Myanmar is known as the 'Land of Pagodas,' with ninety percent of its population practicing Theravada Buddhism. That Shwedagon Pagoda, along with Borobudur in Indonesia and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, is considered a treasure of Eastern art," the leader said, pointing to the magnificent pagoda atop the city.

Feng Sheng, traveling abroad for the first time, found everything fascinating and eagerly asked, "Sir, do we still have time to visit?"

The leader pondered for a moment and said, "Tonight, you will come with me to the Shwedagon Pagoda to meet someone."

"Sir, you've arrived. Please get in the car," the Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Yangon said, stepping forward and warmly shaking hands with the leader.

The leader and his entourage boarded several Hongqi sedans belonging to the consulate and headed towards the consulate.

The two Japanese agents dressed in Shan State attire who had been following behind watched the departing convoy, then turned and walked towards the lighthouse in the square, where they met their accomplices. One of them was led to a Toyota van with black curtains.

"Did you find anything along the way?" Kurosawa asked from the back seat, next to Huang Jianguo.

"Nothing unusual, except that Takegami-kun overheard the target saying he was going to the Shwedagon Pagoda tonight to meet someone," one agent reported.

"Are you sure?" Kurosawa asked seriously.

"Takegami-kun understands Chinese and heard clearly," the man replied affirmatively.

Kurosawa pondered and said, "Hmm, there's going to be a good show tonight."

Chapter 329

After dusk, Kurosawa had already deployed personnel inside and outside the Shwedagon Pagoda on Mount Tingkutara, on the shore of Inya Lake in northern Yangon, waiting for the leader to fall into the trap. The mission was to try to seize the old sheepskin from the leader, as the leader would not be able to leave it behind due to the importance of the Geda prophecy. However, there was one principle: his life must never be harmed. Kurosawa was unwilling to cause international disputes and diplomatic trouble, especially since China and Japan had only established diplomatic relations three years prior, and the Chinese government had generously waived war reparations; the two countries were currently in a honeymoon period.

The Shwedagon Pagoda, known as the Shwedagon Pagoda by the Burmese, with "Shwe" meaning "gold" and "Dahwang" being the ancient name for Myanmar, is said to have been built by Buddha Shakyamuni after he attained enlightenment. According to Buddhist legend, to repay the Burmese for the honey cakes they had given him, he gifted them eight strands of his hair. These hairs were brought back to Myanmar, where they miraculously rained down golden bricks from the sky. The people then used these bricks to build the pagoda, which has stood for over a thousand years. The Shwedagon Pagoda stands 110 meters tall, its surface coated with 72 tons of gold. The top is inlaid with nearly 3,000 carats of gemstones, and the entire pagoda is gilded. It comprises four medium-sized pagodas and 64 smaller pagodas. A golden umbrella atop the pagoda hangs 1,065 gold bells and 420 silver bells, its upper surface covered in pure gold leaf, and the top adorned with 5,448 diamonds and 2,000 gemstones—truly priceless.

The Shwedagon Pagoda, along with Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia, is hailed as one of the "Three Great Ancient Sites of Southeast Asia." Combined with the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal in India, it is collectively known as one of the "Five Wonders of the East."

Built in the 18th century, the main pagoda is surrounded by walls, with four entrances on the north, south, east, and west sides. The south gate is the main entrance, and in the southeast corner stands a Bodhi tree, said to have originated from a sacred sapling before the Vajrasana (thunderbolt throne) of Buddha in India.

Huang Jianguo, wearing a plain-colored headscarf (also called a "gangbao") favored by the locals, a white jacket, and lantern pants, disguised himself as a local and wandered under the Bodhi tree. Occasionally, Burmese girls

passing by would smile at him. Huang Jianguo smiled back at a pretty girl in a white sheer top and red sarong pants, barefoot. Suddenly, a burp rose in his mouth, releasing a strong, bloody odor—the smell of the two livers and the duodenum he had eaten raw the night before. Heize, on the other hand, had only eaten a heart and was already full.

The girl quickly covered her nose and hurried away.

Huang Jianguo chuckled inwardly. "Hmph," he thought, "this girl's liver and intestines must taste even better. I'll definitely have the chance to sample them more often in the future." In recent days, he had felt a change occurring within his body. Not only was his energy increasing daily, but his blood was constantly surging, as if a powerful force was stirring within him. He guessed that it was likely the bald old woman's incantation magic.

Just then, the leader appeared with Feng Sheng and the guards.

The Shwedagon Pagoda was brightly lit, the night was cool and pleasant, and tourists flocked to pay their respects. The leader enthusiastically climbed the more than 70 marble steps to the base of the pagoda. He turned around, gazing at the night view of Yangon, a gentle breeze caressing his face, making him appear spirited.

"It's been almost twenty years," the leader sighed, "and I've returned to this 'City of Peace.' Time truly flies."

Many people knelt and sat around, worshipping the Shwedagon Pagoda. Among them were monks, nuns, and ordinary people. Burmese people don't burn incense when they worship Buddha; some clasped their hands in prayer, some held prayer beads, and others softly chanted Buddhist scriptures. Nearby, several barefoot women eagerly sprinkled water on a white marble Buddha statue, and the clear sound of bronze bells echoed in the night air.

Feng Sheng's gaze swept over the bustling crowd, catching sight of the handsome Burmese youth who had stood by the Bodhi tree at the foot of the platform. Although his attire was no different from most of the locals, something felt off about him. What was it that was out of place?

The youth was slowly walking up the steps, wearing a plain-colored turban, a white jacket, baggy trousers, and shiny black leather shoes… yes, leather shoes. Locals, both men and women, rarely wear shoes or socks; they're usually barefoot, or wear slippers or perforated sandals. It's said that government officials only wear shoes when receiving foreign guests. Looking at other young men nearby, they were either barefoot or wearing slippers… Feng Sheng silently observed the young man. Years of experience in public security work had instilled in him a keen awareness of any incongruity.

“Feng Sheng, we're going barefoot now,” the leader said, taking off his leather shoes and handing them to the guard behind him. He then stepped onto the polished marble slabs and walked around to one side of the Buddhist hall.

Feng Sheng glanced at the young man one last time, hurriedly took off his shoes, tossed them to the guard, and followed closely behind.

On the southeast corner of the Shwedagon Pagoda stood a small Chinese-style temple with the three large characters “Fushou Palace” inscribed on its plaque.

The leader stood at the temple entrance and instructed Feng Sheng, "This temple was built during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty with donations from overseas Chinese. You stay at the entrance; I'm going inside to meet an old friend."

"Yes," Feng Sheng replied, standing guard to one side of the temple entrance, vigilantly watching the passing tourists and worshippers.

The leader entered the main hall. The red candlelight illuminated the solemn statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. An elderly overseas Chinese couple knelt on prayer cushions, silently praying. Beside the Buddha statue, a middle-aged monk was striking a wooden fish drum.

The leader took out his wallet, pulled out two banknotes, and placed them in the donation box.

"Master, is Elder Anxi here?" the leader asked softly.

The monk bowed and said, "Elder Anxi is in his quarters. May I ask your honorable name and where you come from?"

The leader smiled slightly and said, "Please tell Elder Anxi that an old friend, Red Boy, has come to visit."

"Please wait a moment, benefactor, while I go and inform the elder." The middle-aged monk clasped his hands together and turned to enter the inner hall.

The leader turned around and carefully surveyed the hall, muttering to himself, "So many years have passed, the Buddha is still the same Buddha, the incense is still the same incense stick, but the world has undergone earth-shattering changes."

"Things change, people change, all depends on your mind..." came an aged voice from behind.

The leader turned around and saw an elderly monk standing by a large pillar, smiling at him, while the middle-aged monk supported him.

"Elder Anxi, how have you been..." The leader stepped forward and tightly grasped the old monk's hands.

“Red Boy, it’s been twenty years. You still remember to visit an old monk who’s nearing the end of his life?” the old monk said, his voice clearly weak.

The leader helped the old monk inside and sat him down. The middle-aged monk served him fragrant tea and then bowed before leaving.

“Red Boy, I heard you’ve become a high-ranking official in the Central Plains. What brings you to this small temple of an old monk in Myanmar?” Elder Anxi asked.

“What high-ranking official? I’m still serving the people, aren’t I? It’s been twenty years since we parted ways. This time, I’m revisiting this place simply to see an old friend,” the leader said, taking a sip of his tea.

Elder Anxi smiled slightly and said, “Speak, what brings you here?”

The leader nodded and said, “Elder, your wisdom remains as sharp as ever. To be honest, I’ve come specifically to show you something.”

“What could be so special that you would travel all the way from the Central Plains to see me?” Elder Anxi asked, puzzled.

The leader took out the old sheepskin from his pocket and respectfully handed it to Elder Anxi.

"What is this?" Elder Anxi asked疑惑地.

"Please take a look, Elder, what do the numbers on this mean?" the leader earnestly inquired.

Elder Anxi examined the old sheepskin carefully, turning it over and over, and asked suspiciously, "Where did this sheepskin come from?"

"This sheepskin was recorded more than forty years ago by a Karma Kagyu lama from Shambhala. It is said that the numbers inside contain a prophecy of the rise and fall of China within the next hundred years," the leader said solemnly.

Elder Anxi chuckled and said, "Red Boy, you've been fooled."

"What did you say?" the leader asked, puzzled.

"This sheepskin smells very bloody; it was slaughtered no more than a month ago. How could it be something from more than forty years ago?" Elder Anxi said seriously.

The commander froze, his body turning ice-cold. After a long while, he slowly said in a dry voice, "Elder, are you sure?"

"Of course, can't you smell that fresh, bloody aura?" Elder Anxi said calmly.

The commander remained silent. "So, this is a new sheepskin that has been deliberately aged."

"Exactly. Therefore, the prophecy of the Living Buddha from over forty years ago that you mentioned could not possibly be recorded on this sheepskin. At that time, this sheep hadn't even been born yet," Elder Anxi said. "

Jia Shiming!" the commander said through gritted teeth.

Chapter 330

"The target entered Fushou Palace alone?" Kurosawa said thoughtfully. The agents of the Myitkyina consulate had overheard that the commander was going to meet someone at the Shwedagon Pagoda, so he had made arrangements in advance. Fushou Palace was a Chinese temple, so it was naturally listed as a key target for surveillance.

"Notify Point One to take action!" Kurosawa gave the order.

Standing behind Kurosawa was Mr. Mizuyu from the Burmese Consulate General. He had a plaster on his throat, seemingly suffering from a cold. His true identity was an overseas intelligence officer from the Japanese Cabinet Research Office, the head of the Burmese intelligence organization, and he was cooperating with Mr. Kurosawa in this operation.

Mizuyu reached up and touched the plaster on his neck, pressed a switch, and mumbled a Japanese word: "Operation." Then he nodded to Kurosawa.

Actually, the small plaster on his neck contained a miniature wireless throat receiver, capable of sensitively sensing vibrations in the vocal cords and emitting wireless signals.

Inside the Fushou Palace, an elderly Chinese Buddhist couple knelt on prayer cushions, both with identical plasters stuck to their necks and miniature wireless receivers concealed in their ears. Upon receiving the command from Shuiyu, they rose from their cushions, clasped their hands in prayer, and devoutly approached the middle-aged monk still striking the wooden fish drum.

The female layperson walked behind the monk, took out a pack of wet wipes soaked in chloroform, tore open the polyethylene seal, and suddenly covered the monk's mouth and nose with it. The male layperson tightly gripped his arms, shoulders, and the wooden mallet. The middle-aged monk struggled a few times but then became still.

The male layperson dragged the monk behind the curtain of the offering table, while the female layperson, contrary to her frail appearance, moved with remarkable agility and stealthily slipped into the inner hall.

The sound of the wooden fish stopped, and Elder Anxi ceased his conversation. He placed the fake sheepskin in his hand on the table, listened intently, and after a moment said, "Red Boy, you have a tail."

The leader was startled and immediately became alert.

At this moment, an elderly female lay Buddhist, her face streaked with tears, appeared at the entrance of the inner hall. She held an unopened pack of wet wipes and walked in with faltering steps.

"Merciful Master, please pray for my child's soul..." the old woman said pitifully.

Elder Anxi looked at her calmly and said, "Amitabha, please tell me your story in detail."

"My child, you died so unjustly..." The woman glanced at the leader, then quickly scanned the old sheepskin on the table. "Master, please accept this old woman's bow." She then bent down.

"No need." Elder Anxi reached out to stop the old woman.

At that very moment, all the lights in the inner hall went out instantly… A sudden gust of wind swept across the table, and Elder Anxi's arm suddenly swelled, his ten fingers like hooks grabbing at something soft and warm, like a woman's breasts… The elder was shocked and quickly withdrew his hand, his inner strength immediately recoiling. With a "ripping" sound, the old woman crashed heavily into his arms. The

ailing elder was emaciated, weighing less than ninety pounds. Although his martial arts were extremely high, the Buddhist principle of compassion dictated that he could not use force against the old woman. As he hesitated, the woman's heavy and plump body had already pressed the elder onto the bed, her two soft, slippery mounds of flesh pressed against his face.

"Ouch…" With a soft moan, her breath sweet as orchids, the elder felt as if he had been electrocuted, his mind going blank. For the first time in his life, he felt powerless.

At the same time, the leader, seated upright in his chair, suddenly heard the rustling of clothes. An object darted in front of him in the darkness, and he smelled a faint, sweet scent. He immediately realized it was the smell of the anesthetic chloroform, chemically known as chloroform or trichloromethane.

The leader pushed off the ground with his feet, his body and chair swaying backward, crashing against the wall with a thud. Unexpectedly, the back of his head hit a light switch—a dual-circuit switch that could be controlled both indoors and outdoors.

In an instant, the lights came on… The elderly male lay Buddhist, dressed as an overseas Chinese, held a torn package of wet wipes in his hand, his eyes fixed on the spot in a daze. The leader followed his gaze and saw that the elderly female lay Buddhist was climbing on top of Elder Anxi, her breasts exposed and pressed against the elder's face, while the elder's raised hand was still tearing at half a piece of his embroidered robe… “Who are you?” The leader sat upright in his chair, his gaze still sharp, his tone calm.

Elder Anxi dared not move at this moment. Skin-to-skin contact with a woman was a major precept in Buddhism, so he could only hold his breath, close his eyes, and silently chant Buddhist mantras to eliminate impure thoughts.

The old woman chuckled and slowly raised herself up. Her snow-white breasts gleamed under the light; she was actually a middle-aged, voluptuous woman.

“Elder, you are a high-ranking Buddhist monk, why did you so cruelly harm a woman?” the female layperson questioned softly.

“Forgive me, forgive me… Amitabha.” Elder Anxi kept muttering, still not daring to open his eyes.

“Elder, you mustn’t have impure thoughts in the future.” The woman covered her torn bodice, secretly stuffing an old sheepskin inside, then stood up and walked shyly toward the door.

“You rascal, what are you standing there for? Let’s go.” As she passed the male layperson, she nudged him with her hips and said angrily.

“Hmph, stop, you think you can just leave like that?” the leader said with a sneer.

The woman touched the plaster stuck to her neck, muttering a Japanese phrase: "Quickly, get in!" Then she turned around, revealing her bare breasts, and smiled at the leader, saying, "Oh, another old lecher."

The leader scoffed, "Leave the thing behind."

The woman giggled, her hips trembling, and said, "How can something that's part of my body be left behind?"

The leader flew into a rage, and without a word, leaped up, his fingers hooking as he reached for the woman's chest, his move identical to that of Elder Anxi.

"Stop him!" the woman shouted urgently, then ran out, colliding head-on with Feng Sheng who rushed in, both falling to the ground outside the inner hall door.

Feng Sheng, who was guarding the entrance of the Fushou Palace Temple, suddenly noticed several men dressed as local Burmese rushing towards them. Sensing something amiss, he rushed into the temple to inform the leader. However, he bumped into a female lay Buddhist hurrying out of the inner hall. In the instant he fell, he caught a glimpse of the leader out of the corner of his eye and shouted, "Something's wrong!"

Inside, a male lay Buddhist stepped forward to stop the leader. With a "thud," the leader's hand pierced the man's chest.

"Ah..." a scream rang out, the man's face paled, and he stared in disbelief at his chest before his legs gave way and he slowly collapsed.

The leader was also stunned. Causing a death at the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar was no laughing matter. He quickly withdrew his hand; under the lamplight, his fingers were already dripping blood.

The woman fell to the ground, scrambled to her feet, and rushed out of the temple without looking back. Unbeknownst to her, the old sheepskin had slipped and fallen to the ground during the collision.

Feng Sheng clutched his chest; the impact was so powerful it nearly shattered his frame. Fortunately, the woman was plump and had some elasticity; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. He slowly got up, his hand landing on something. Lifting his hand, he saw it was an old sheepskin… the Geda prophecy! Feng Sheng was shocked. Yes, it was the same old sheepskin that Master Jin had given to the leader in the jungles of Myitkyina the night before, the one stolen from Han Sheng. He remembered the first set of numbers on it: "8341."

Feng Sheng understood. Many things that had happened recently were related to this old sheepskin, and his ancestor had died for it.

Han Sheng was his family's benefactor… Feng Sheng quietly slipped the old sheepskin into his pocket.

"Commander, are you alright?" Feng Sheng rushed into the inner hall, a pistol in his hand.

The commander didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the table. The old sheepskin was gone… “Amitabha, forgive me, forgive me.” Elder Anxi remained lying on the bed, holding up the tattered embroidered garment, muttering incessantly.

“Elder, get up, that woman is gone,” the commander said helplessly.

Elder Anxi scrambled to his feet, opened his eyes, looked around, and with lingering fear, glanced at the piece of fabric in his hand. He cried out as if it were burning his hand and threw it to the ground.

“That woman stole the old sheepskin,” the commander said, his face ashen.

Elder Anxi was stunned, muttering, “Beauty is a curse.”

"Sir, this man is dead," Feng Sheng said, squatting beside the male lay Buddhist and touching his neck. He then suspiciously touched the raised plaster, ripping it off to reveal a miniature device with a short metal wire attached. He exclaimed in surprise, "What is this?"

The commander took the small device, examined it, and scoffed, "This is a throat receiver used by special agents. It modulates audio signals through the vibration of the vocal cords and transmits them wirelessly. This metal wire is the antenna." Feng Sheng, seeing such sophisticated spy equipment for the first time, clicked his tongue in

amazement. "This agent looks Chinese. Could he be from Taiwan?"

"No, he's Japanese. They've relentlessly pursued us here." The commander, recalling the events of Myitkyina the previous night, confirmed that it was Kurosawa's group who did it.

"What should we do with the body?" Feng Sheng frowned. Killing someone in a foreign country meant the aftermath was quite troublesome.

The leader turned to Elder Anxi apologetically and said, "Elder, this happened so suddenly, I'm truly sorry to have troubled you. This man is a Japanese agent, and Kurosawa will not abandon him. He doesn't want to attract the attention of the Burmese police and cause a diplomatic crisis, so as soon as we leave, the Japanese will come and take the body away."

Elder Anxi smiled bitterly and said, "Red Boy, when your father, a Red Army soldier, sent you to me, you were just a child. You were clever and quick-witted from a young age, with great talent, and now you have indeed become a high-ranking official. But Red Boy, you must remember to always be compassionate and never kill again."

"Elder, I'm sorry, I accidentally injured him just now. You already taught Red Boy those lessons when I came to Burma in the spring of 2005 or 2006," the leader said sincerely.

“Red Boy, in this world, you reap what you sow; cause and effect are cyclical. Take care of yourself, Amitabha…” Elder Anxi said, seeing the leader out of the inner hall. Passing the offering table, he sniffed the air, bent down, and pulled the middle-aged monk out from under the curtain.

“He inhaled chloroform; he’ll wake up soon,” the leader said, looking closer.

“Leader…” Outside the Fushou Palace gate, several guards rushed over, carrying shoes.

“Elder, Red Boy takes his leave. I don’t know when we’ll meet again,” the leader said sadly.

Elder Anxi was already seated on the futon, oblivious to everything, silently chanting the Ksitigarbha Sutra to pray for the soul of the deceased agent.

The leader sighed, waved his hand, and, surrounded by guards, left Fushou Palace, then quickly departed from the Great Golden Pagoda.

Chapter 331

A disheveled, bare-chested female lay Buddhist rushed out of Fushou Palace like a madwoman, running wildly to the corner of the Great Golden Pagoda. She was stopped by Kurosawa, Shuiyu, and the others who emerged from a small door. Everyone watched her silently.

"I got it!" the woman shouted excitedly, panting heavily.

"Michiko, give it to me," Shuiyu said calmly, extending her hand.

Michiko reached into her bosom and touched it, then suddenly trembled, as if frozen. All eyes were fixed on her breasts.

"It's gone..." Michiko stammered, her face pale.

"Gone? Baka!" Shuiyu glared at her angrily.

"I... I think I tripped and the sheepskin slipped out," Michiko said, trembling.

Kurosawa approached Michiko, looking directly into her panicked eyes, and slowly asked, "Where did you fall?"

Michiko stammered, "At the entrance to the inner hall, I bumped into... a man, and we both fell down. He must have taken it!" "

Mr. Mizuyu, the target hastily left Fushou Palace, there were six or seven of them." At this moment, the miniature earpiece in Mizuyu's ear emitted a hurried shout from a surveillance sentry.

"Mr. Kurosawa, the target has left, six or seven people, should we track and intercept them?" Mizuyu asked Kurosawa.

Kurosawa sighed and said, "It's too late. I don't want a bloody battle at the Shwedagon Pagoda and attract the Burmese police. Let's go, let's go to Fushou Palace."

From the shadows outside the gate of Fushou Palace, Huang Jianguo emerged.

"Jianguo-kun, what did you see?" Kurosawa asked.

"That guy named Feng Sheng was guarding the temple gate, I couldn't get inside," Huang Jianguo replied. Inside

the main hall, Elder Anxi was still chanting scriptures with his eyes closed, a middle-aged monk lying beside him.

Kurosawa waved his hand, and the group, led by Michiko, entered the inner room. They found the agent disguised as an elderly Chinese man lying on the ground, his chest stained with blood.

"Nakajima is dead," Mizuyu said, crouching down and glancing at him.

Kurosawa's face was pale. He didn't say a word, but coldly told Michiko, "Repeat the scene."

So, Michiko recounted how she had drugged the middle-aged monk, sneaked into the inner room, and seen the old sheepskin on the table. Nakajima cooperated by turning off the power, and she had taken advantage of the darkness to grab the sheepskin and stuff it into her pocket. At that moment, the lights suddenly came back on, and everything went haywire. The old monk tore his clothes and bumped into someone as he rushed out the door. That's when the old sheepskin fell off. As for how Nakajima was killed, she had no idea.

"Where did you collide? Who was that person?" Kurosawa asked.

Michiko shook her head, simply pointing to the doorway.

“It was Feng Sheng, that detective from the Ministry of Public Security, the one who followed my father-in-law every step of the way. I saw him rush into the temple with my own eyes,” Huang Jianguo said from the side.

Kurosawa nodded and said, “Mr. Shuiyu, get rid of Nakajima’s body immediately. We absolutely cannot let the Burmese police get involved and cause unnecessary diplomatic trouble, understand? Later, we’ll find a way to send Nakajima’s ashes back to the country.”

“That old monk knows about it, should we dispose of him too?” Shuiyu asked for instructions.

“Forget it, let’s not cause any more trouble. There was a bloody incident in the temple, he’d love for us to get rid of the body. Don’t worry, that old monk will definitely not tell anyone,” Kurosawa sneered.

The agents removed the bed sheet, worked together to stuff Nakajima’s body inside, and then carried it out of the temple.

“Let’s go.” Kurosawa waved his hand, and the group filed out of the inner hall.

“Master, I’m sorry, you’ll have to clean the room yourself.” Kurosawa bowed to Elder Anxi, and then strode out of Fushou Palace.

The Japanese Consulate General in Myanmar.

"Jianguo, what kind of person is Feng Sheng?" Kurosawa asked.

"He was originally an officer in the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. During a murder case in Nong'an County, Jilin Province, he met Han Sheng and they traveled south together. Coincidentally, Han Sheng unintentionally saved his father, so he was extremely grateful and regarded Feng Sheng as his family's benefactor. Later, he helped Han Sheng many times, probably out of gratitude. But I don't know why he suddenly ended up working for my father-in-law, and he seems quite loyal," Huang Jianguo said.

Kurosawa pondered for a moment, then asked, "In that case, if Feng Sheng obtains that old sheepskin and knows it belongs to his benefactor Han Sheng, do you think he will hand it over to the commander, or will he find a way to return it to Han Sheng?"

Huang Jianguo thought for a moment and replied, "Feng Sheng is a very loyal man. I think if my father-in-law didn't know that the sheepskin was in Feng Sheng's possession, he would still hand it over to Han Sheng."

"Hmm, I understand, Jianguo-jun. We're currently closest to the prophecy of Geda. The old sheepskin is very likely still in Feng Sheng's hands, so we can't give up. Keep an eye on Feng Sheng; it will be much easier to make our move then," Kurosawa said.

"You mean, we're not going back to Japan yet?" Huang Jianguo asked sheepishly.

"That's right, Jianguo-kun. Once we get the Geda Prophecy, we'll go back to Japan to perform the transplant surgery for you. Don't worry, I guarantee I'll give you the strongest black testicles," Kurosawa comforted him.

"Sigh, can you get some black athletes' testicles?" Huang Jianguo asked helplessly.

"Yes," Kurosawa readily agreed.

The next morning, the personnel monitoring Fushou Palace reported that nothing unusual had been found, and the old monk hadn't gone out.

While having breakfast, intelligence from the Chinese Consulate General arrived. The leader had booked a direct international flight from Yangon to Beijing with China Civil Aviation at noon, and the passenger list included Feng Sheng and the guards.

"Hmm, very good. Send someone to follow them. Also, quickly book two tickets for me and Jianguo-kun on other airlines so we can get to Beijing ahead of time," Kurosawa instructed.

The consulate prepared a new Japanese passport for Huang Jianguo, with a rather meaningful name: "Wuyuan Taro."

At 9:00 AM, Kurosawa and "Wuyuan Taro," dressed in black suits, white shirts, and crimson ties, and wearing sunglasses, boarded a SriLankan Airlines Boeing aircraft, bound for Beijing, the capital of China.

A little over four hours later, the leader and his entourage also boarded a China Civil Aviation international flight to Beijing. Thanks to prior arrangements made by the consulate, the firearms were successfully brought on board.

On the plane, the leader remained somber and silent. Feng Sheng knew this was because of the missing old sheepskin, so he also remained cautiously quiet.

At dusk, in the darkness of Beijing Capital International Airport, the leader and Feng Sheng hurriedly exited the terminal through a special passage, where several cars were already waiting.

A man in a Zhongshan suit approached the leader and handed him an envelope.

The commander nodded, beckoned Feng Sheng to his side, and said, "Feng Sheng, take the night flight directly to Guangzhou, land in Nanchang, and then secretly proceed to Wuyuan. Strictly follow my instructions in the subsequent phone call."

Feng Sheng was taken aback, then replied, "Yes, sir."

"These are your new identification documents, plane ticket, and travel expenses." The commander handed the envelope to Feng Sheng, hurriedly got into the car, and the convoy quickly drove away, disappearing into the night.

Feng Sheng stared blankly at the departing convoy, thinking, "The commander is in a hurry.

" "Gurgle," Feng Sheng's stomach started rumbling. He decided to eat something first. He walked back to the terminal, sat down in a chair in the restaurant, and ordered a bowl of shredded chicken noodles—it cost five yuan! Too expensive.

Inside the envelope were a new work permit and a gun license. The name was still Feng Sheng, the photo seemed to be a copy from an archive, and the workplace was listed as a security officer at a military hospital. Besides this, there was also a letter of introduction, requesting permission to escort a mentally ill man named Zhu Hansheng from Wuyuan, Jiangxi, to Beijing. The envelope contained a wad of old ten-yuan bills, estimated to be at least two thousand yuan—a huge sum, considering his monthly salary was a paltry sixty-two yuan and fifty cents.

His flight was at 8:45 PM, still early. He finished his large bowl of noodles and strolled towards the security checkpoint. His documents and letter of introduction worked perfectly, and he passed through security smoothly. "Comrade, we've confirmed you're going to Nanchang. Please keep your firearm safe," the female security officer solemnly instructed.

A middle-aged male passenger stood close behind him, eavesdropping on their conversation.

The plane took off, and the lights of Beijing gradually faded into the darkness.

"Comrade, I'm sorry, this is my first time flying, I'm a little nervous." A young woman in the seat next to him, with two braids, wearing a blue top and a Mao Zedong badge pinned to her chest, looked at him shyly with large eyes.

She was very pretty, that was Feng Sheng's first impression.

"It's alright, your eardrums might feel a little uncomfortable during takeoff and landing, that's due to changes in air pressure. It'll be fine once we're level with the plane. Comrade, are you going to Guangzhou?" Feng Sheng explained warmly, already quite fond of her.

"No, I'm going to Nanchang," the girl replied.

"Oh, I'm going to Nanchang too, we're going the same way," Feng Sheng said happily.

"Do you live in Nanchang? Your accent doesn't sound like you're from Jiangxi," the girl didn't seem to dislike Feng Sheng.

"No, guess where I'm from?" Feng Sheng deliberately tried to get closer to her.

"Hmm... Beijing?" the girl said, then shook her head.

"I'm from Tangshan," Feng Sheng told her.

"Old man?" The girl smiled gently.

Her smile made her even more beautiful, Feng Sheng thought to himself.

Chapter 232

These old pieces of paper recorded the techniques and moves of the ninth to fifteenth forms of the Zhu You Divine Skill. The ghost infant Shen Caihua couldn't read, but the magnetic field of the Guo Gong Burial Ruler within his body reacted immediately. The images were imprinted in his mind through his retina, each move clearly discernible.

"Giggle giggle..." Shen Caihua suddenly burst into manic laughter.

Han Sheng quickly grabbed him, asking in confusion, "Caihua, what's wrong?"

Shen Caihua slowly stopped laughing, his eyes darting around as he looked at Xiao Qin and said, "I want to get dressed."

Yang Mupin, A Ming, and Xiao Qin all laughed upon hearing this. Han Sheng couldn't help but smile, saying, "It seems our little Caihua has grown up and knows how to be shy."

"Qin'er, go find him some small clothes," Yang Mupin instructed his daughter.

"Come on, little Caihua, come with Auntie to find some clothes to wear." Xiao Qin grabbed Shen Caihua's little hand and walked towards the door.

Shen Caihua turned to look at the few pieces of paper, reluctantly following them out.

At that moment, a rustling sound came from behind; it turned out that Old Man Ming was struggling to get up.

"Dad, you can get up!" Old Man Ming shouted excitedly.

Han Sheng quickly pressed down on his father's shoulders, saying, "Dad, your muscles have atrophied a bit. Don't rush to get up; it will put too much pressure on your bones."

Old Man Ming, with tears in his eyes, looked at Han Sheng with gratitude, sobbing, "I never thought that I, a dying man, could stand up again. My dear brother, you are my family's savior..."

Han Sheng's heart was also warmed. Every time he cured a patient using the medical techniques from the *Qing Nang Jing*, he felt a genuine sense of joy; this was probably the compassionate spirit of a healer.

“Father’s illness is cured, he’ll be able to get out of bed in a few days, and we should be leaving,” Han Sheng said. “Little brother, where are you going? Why don’t you stay in the village a few more days so we can show you some hospitality?” Yang Mupin said sincerely.

“No, we still need to find a baby girl,” Han Sheng replied.

“Ah, is she your child too?” Father looked at Han Sheng in surprise.

“No, she’s the orphan of an old man, kidnapped by a sorcerer from Thailand,” Han Sheng explained.

“Little brother, do you know where they went? This place is full of uninhabited primeval forests,” Yang Mupin asked.

“Myitkyina, they might go through Myitkyina to Yangon, and then to Bangkok,” Han Sheng said. He wasn’t sure if Heize’s words were reliable, but he had no other choice.

“I can gather a dozen brothers, bring guns, and go with you,” Amin interjected.

Han Sheng shook his head and said, "More people are useless, and besides, Dad needs someone to take care of him. If it's convenient, please take us to Myitkyina."

After lunch, the dilapidated American jeep, billowing black smoke, arrived at the mountain village. Amin and Xiaoqin, carrying carbines, escorted them to Myitkyina.

Before leaving, Han Sheng repeatedly declined, but finally accepted the half of Huang Shigong's "Qing Nang Jing" and carefully hid the bamboo tube inside his body shroud.

Shen Caihua, beaming with joy, wore a white headscarf, a Shan-style jacket, and black cloth shoes. His lantern pants had no crotch opening, so urinating might be inconvenient. He tightly hugged his now-shrunken sucker and sat upright in the jeep.

Yang Mupin waved from the bamboo house as the jeep gradually drove away and disappeared into the vast jungle.

The mountain road from Ganbaidi to Myitkyina was rugged and winding, mostly passing through primeval jungles. At dusk, they finally emerged from the mountain pass and could see the small town bathed in the setting sun in the distance.

"That's Myitkyina," Amin said to Hansheng, pointing ahead.

"How are you going to start looking? Should we find an inn to stay in first?" Xiaoqin asked with concern, looking at the dozing Shen Caihua.

The road into Myitkyina had a three-way intersection. One road led north to the Shan State mountains, reaching the Hukawng Valley and the Savage Mountain area; the other led east to Ganbaidi, the direction Hansheng and his companions had come from. These two roads converged here and then headed south into Myitkyina.

At the intersection was a thatched hut, a simple place for travelers to rest and shelter from the sun and rain, with two long wooden benches and a well.

A ragged person lay on one of the benches, slowly sitting up after hearing the sound of the jeep's engine.

As the car drew closer, the man's features gradually became clearer.

"Master Jin..." Han Sheng exclaimed in surprise, his eyes widening.

"You know this man?" Amin asked Han Sheng doubtfully.

"I have a score to settle with him..." Han Sheng said through gritted teeth.

Seeing Han Sheng's angry expression, Amin knew this man was definitely Han Sheng's enemy. He quickly adjusted his carbine, ordered the bearded driver to stop, and aimed the gun at the homeless-looking man. Xiao Qin, seeing this, also grabbed her carbine.

This man was indeed Master Jin. Since parting ways with the leader that night, he hadn't left Myitkyina. He knew Han Sheng wouldn't stay in the rainforest for days. In such a vast primeval forest, finding Han Sheng was like finding a needle in a haystack. Since he knew Han Sheng was coming to Myitkyina to intercept Mong La Chaon and rescue the wrinkled baby girl, he decided to wait at this three-way intersection leading into the city. As long as Han Sheng left the rainforest, he would definitely pass through this place.

He had been waiting in this simple thatched hut for three days and nights, and today he finally got his wish.

The jeep stopped, and the first thing Master Jin saw was two dark gun barrels pointed at him. He was startled, then saw Han Sheng jump out of the car and stand there, coldly staring at him.

"Han Sheng! I've finally waited for you..." Master Jin shouted with joy and surprise, tears glistening in his eyes.

"You killed the Ancestor," Han Sheng said through gritted teeth.

"The Ancestor is dead?" Master Jin asked doubtfully, "Wasn't she always with you?"

"You stole my old sheepskin." Han Sheng stared straight at him.

"It wasn't me," Master Jin hurriedly waved his hands to clarify.

"Then who was it?" Han Sheng asked coldly.

"It was Menglachaweng," Master Jin replied.

Master Jin recounted to Han Sheng what had happened that night.

Around 1 AM, Master Jin, who was by the campfire, suddenly woke up groggily and discovered Menglachaweng. Bing was rummaging through Han Sheng's clothes, trying to rouse him. Just as he was about to speak, he found his muscles numb and he couldn't utter a sound. He could only watch helplessly as Bing found an old sheepskin in Han Sheng's undergarments and hurriedly fled into the rainforest.

Master Jin suspected he had been cursed by the Thai sorcerer, so he secretly used his Heavenly Gang Qi Gong to dispel the curse. To his surprise, at that moment, the old ancestor across the campfire rose and quietly followed Meng Lachawong. Bing chased her into the jungle. Although the old ancestor was powerful, she might not be stronger than him with his Heavenly Gang Qi Gong; how could she not be poisoned? It must be Meng Lachawong. Bing hadn't cast the curse on her, or perhaps she had developed some kind of immunity to it. Master

Jin spent a full hour, until the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), before finally dispelling the curse. Seeing Han Sheng and the infant Shen Caihua fast asleep, he didn't disturb them but continued into the rainforest. Relying on his keen senses honed through years of feigned blindness, he moved swiftly in the darkness, finally catching up with Menglachaweng Bing at the banks of a great river at dawn. A fierce battle ensued, wounding him and reclaiming the old sheepskin.

"You said you reclaimed the sheepskin?" Han Sheng asked in surprise after hearing Master Jin's account.

Master Jin smiled slightly, pulled the old sheepskin from his robes, and handed it to Han Sheng, saying, "Now it's returned to its rightful owner. I've been waiting for you here for three days and three nights."

Han Sheng hesitated before taking the sheepskin, examining it carefully. It was indeed the old sheepskin given to him by the old lama Danba; the numbers on it were exactly the same.

"I just heard you say that the patriarch is dead. What happened?" Master Jin asked in astonishment.

"Our ancestor died in the rainforest, his internal organs shattered by an extremely powerful qigong attack. Wasn't it you who did it?" Han Sheng stared intently into his eyes, but he remained cautious, refraining from mentioning the blood-written message his ancestor had left on his body.

Master Jin pondered for a moment, then said, "Powerful qigong isn't limited to the Quanzhen School's Tiangang Qigong. The Northern and Southern Shaolin, Emei, and even Wudang all have their own legendary hard qigong techniques. If I could see our ancestor's body, I would be able to identify it."

Han Sheng thought that his ancestor was already buried deep in the rainforest; not only would it be difficult to find her, but he also didn't want to disturb her any further.

"You said you've already injured Menglachaweng. Bing, so why didn't you bring back the wrinkled baby girl?" Han Sheng asked, still full of suspicion.

"I didn't see our ancestor's daughter?" Master Jin said in surprise.

"What? Mo Mo isn't with Menglachaweng. Bing?" Han Sheng was shocked.

Han Sheng silently gazed at Master Jin, the blood-stained character "Jin" on his ancestor's chest and abdomen flashing through his mind… His ancestor had undoubtedly died from an extremely powerful form of qigong, but there were many schools of qigong in the Central Plains, and directly attributing it to Master Jin's Tiangang qigong was indeed somewhat lacking in evidence. But if she wasn't killed by Master Jin, why did she warn him on her deathbed? What was she trying to tell him?

If it wasn't Master Jin's doing, and what he said was true, then how did Menglachawong Bing know that the Geda prophecy was hidden in his burial clothes? Could it be that Menglachawong overheard him telling the Master about the old sheepskin by the campfire that night? With Master Jin's keen hearing, it shouldn't have been difficult for him to discover it. Also, if the Master didn't see the wrinkled baby girl, then where was the child…? Then again, if Master Jin was lying, his purpose must be the Geda prophecy. Who exactly is he? No, it wasn't the Japanese; he killed Murakami Takeo and Inubushi. It didn't seem like the group of officials in the capital either, because if they received the prophecy from Geda, they would not only kill him to silence him, but there would be no reason for them to send it back.

Master Jin had been waiting here for three days, wanting to return the old sheepskin; could he really be innocent?

Han Sheng pondered, completely baffled.

“This man has a hooked nose and sunken eyes, a treacherous look on his face. He’s definitely not a good person. Brother Hansheng, let’s finish him off.” Amin pulled back the bolt, pointing the gun at Master Jin’s head.

Hansheng waved his hand and said, “Master Jin is one of us.”

Master Jin breathed a sigh of relief and said to Hansheng, “Brother Hansheng, I know you’re still brooding over the death of our ancestor. I’m just as heartbroken. Whoever killed our ancestor, rest assured, I will find out the truth and avenge her.”

Hansheng looked at the sky; night had fallen. He said, “The most urgent thing now is to find Menglachaweng Bing and track down Zumo. I wonder if he will still pass through Myitkyina.”

“He was seriously injured twice by me, so he definitely won’t reach Myitkyina. He’ll probably stay somewhere in the rainforest to recover. I’ll take you to find him,” Master Jin said.

“It’s getting late. Let’s stay in Myitkyina for now and set off early tomorrow morning,” Hansheng said.

"Alright," Master Jin replied.

Han Sheng turned to A Ming and Xiao Qin and said, "The Master and I are going back into the rainforest. You two should go back first and take good care of your father. If you have the chance to return to your hometown in Jiangxi in the future, you can come to find me in Nanshan Village, Nanshan Town, Wuyuan."

"You're going back to Wuyuan?" Master Jin suddenly asked from the side.

"That's my home," Han Sheng said quietly.

Chapter 333

A small inn in Myitkyina.

"Han Sheng's father, he's lying to you." In the middle of the night, Shen Caihua quietly climbed onto Han Sheng's bed and whispered.

When checking into the inn, Han Sheng refused Master Jin's request to stay with him so that he could protect him at any time. Instead, he booked two separate rooms, explaining that Xiao Caihua should have his own bed so as not to disturb everyone's rest. Seeing that Han Sheng said this, the Master Jin didn't insist anymore and moved into the room next door. "Call me if there's any trouble," he repeatedly instructed.

"What did you say?" Han Sheng suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Shen Caihua, who had climbed on top of him, in surprise.

“He’s a liar,” Xiao Caihua whispered in Hansheng’s ear.

“Who’s a liar?” Hansheng asked.

“Master Jin,” Xiao Caihua whispered.

“How do you know?” Hansheng looked at him suspiciously.

“Momo and the bad guy went to the water’s edge together, and I smelled it,” Xiao Caihua answered confidently.

“Oh…” Hansheng believed in the ghost baby’s sense of smell, Menglachawong. Since Bing and the wrinkled baby girl left their scent on the banks of the Enmai River, it meant they traveled downstream by water. In that case, the story of Master Jin seeing Menglachawong might be fabricated. Of course, it’s also possible that Menglachawong returned to the shore and went back to the rainforest for some reason.

“I understand. Go to sleep.” Hansheng carried Shen Caihua back to bed and pulled the blanket up for him.

Shen Caihua quickly fell asleep, hugging the suction cup.

Let’s wait and see, Hansheng thought.

The next morning, Han Sheng, along with Shen Caihua, Xi Zi, and Master Jin, first explored the small town of Myitkyina, had breakfast, and purchased a batch of food and other supplies, stuffing them all into their backpacks. After all, Lu Taiguan had given them a considerable amount of US dollars, more than enough.

They traveled north along the N'Mai Hka River, trekking through the rainforest for two days. On the morning of the third day, they discovered something unusual.

A clear stream flowed from the depths of the forest into the N'Mai Hka River. Master Jin noticed several pieces of animal pelt floating downstream and cautiously retrieved them for examination.

"Han Sheng, these animal pelts have knife marks; it seems to be the work of humans," Master Jin said thoughtfully.

"Could it be Mong La Chaon Bing?" Han Sheng asked, his gaze fixed on Master Jin, seemingly casually.

"You rest here; I'll go check," Master Jin said, turning to leave.

"Let's go together." Han Sheng picked up Xiao Caihua, carrying a suction cup in one hand, and started walking upstream along the stream.

They walked for about two miles and saw a cave ahead, from which a wisp of smoke rose quietly into the air. There

really was someone... Could it really be Meng Lacha Weng, who was hiding in these deep mountains to recuperate from his injuries? Bing? Han Sheng's heart began to pound with unease. If so, Master Jin hadn't lied, and perhaps someone else had killed the patriarch.

They crept quietly toward the cave entrance, smelling the aroma of roasted meat and faintly hearing voices, seemingly more than one person.

When they reached the cave entrance, the scene before them astonished Han Sheng.

Several animal hides were spread on the floor of the cave. Mingyue leaned against one of them, her eyes half-closed, watching with loving eyes a group of monkeys scrambling around her. Yuanmu sat on a rock, turning over sizzling, oily meat roasting over a campfire, the aroma filling the air—a heartwarming scene of family bliss… Hansheng and Master Jin were stunned, speechless for a long time. Only Shen Caihua stared intently at the monkeys, unconsciously licking his lips.

Yuanmu noticed them, his wary gaze sweeping over them, a clear hostility on his face.

“Wood, it’s you…” Hansheng was pleasantly surprised and took two steps forward.

Master Jin stood with his hands behind his back, watching coldly from the side, saying nothing.

Apewood glared angrily at Hansheng, warning him hatefully, "Don't come any closer."

Hansheng stopped, pointing at the baby monkeys and asking Apewood, "Wood, what are they...?"

"Wood had a woman, so she had little Wood. That's what the bald old woman said," Apewood said, picking up a baby monkey and gently stroking its reddish-brown neck fur.

"Ah! These were born to Mingyue?" Hansheng was utterly astonished. They had only separated a dozen days ago; how could this be? And these babies were all genuine monkeys.

"I caught them," Apewood said affectionately.

"Caught them?" Hansheng blinked.

"Their mother died, so I went and caught them in the cave. They are little Wood," Apewood explained proudly.

So that's how it is. Apewood had adopted these baby monkeys from the mountains; he had done a good deed. Looking at Mingyue's expression, she seemed not to have recovered from the blood curse; her mind was still somewhat dazed.

“Wood, Mingyue has been cursed for several days now. Please believe me and let me heal her,” Hansheng pleaded with Yuanmu.

“No!” Yuanmu refused decisively, adding angrily, “Wood likes women like this.”

Hansheng thought to himself that there was no reasoning with this inhuman Rama ape, but he absolutely could not stand by and watch Mingyue be ruined. So, he hardened his heart and glanced at Master Jin.

The Taoist priest immediately understood Han Sheng's intention to take action himself. Without a word, he leaped forward, his left hand feigning a slap on Yuan Mu's cheek. As Yuan Mu dodged, his right index finger swiftly struck the Yangguan acupoint, located in the depression below the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra, on Yuan Mu's waist... With a "plop," the Taoist priest's hard finger struck the Yangguan acupoint on Yuan Mu's waist. Logically, the Yangguan acupoint is a vital point in the human body, and with the Taoist priest's skill, it should have caused numbness and loss of sensation in Yuan Mu's lower body. However, the meridians and acupoints of the ancient ape were somewhat different from those of humans. Yuan Mu roared in pain, grabbed the Taoist priest, and bit down hard on his nose.

This was completely unexpected for Master Jin. He had thought subduing a monkey would be a piece of cake, but the creature was unaffected by pressure point techniques and even retaliated instantly. In a panic, he could only turn his head to dodge, hearing the powerful snapping of the monkey's teeth. The monkey attacked relentlessly, and Master Jin dodged left and right. In a moment of carelessness, he felt a piercing pain in his ear—his right earlobe had been bitten off by the monkey.

Master Jin was furious. In an instant, his Heavenly Gang Qi surged, and with a "bang," he launched the monkey, weighing over two hundred pounds, heavily into the air, slamming it against the stone wall.

Seeing the situation was dire, Han Sheng's eyes lit up. He threw Shen Caihua and Xizi to the ground and pounced on the monkey like a shadow. Just as the monkey's head was about to hit the hard stone wall, he forcefully pulled it back and slammed it to the ground.

Chaos erupted inside the cave as baby monkeys screamed and scattered in all directions.

Shen Caihua, overjoyed, seized the opportunity when no one was looking, scooped up a baby monkey, and quietly slipped out of the cave. Hiding in the grass beside the stream, he targeted the monkey's neck vein and bit down hard, severing the baby's carotid artery. Blood gushed out, and the monkey eagerly brought its mouth to the vein, sucking the blood with ravenous hunger.

Inside the cave, Master Jin tore off his robe and covered his ears, his anger blazing.

Han Sheng checked the monkey's breath; it had only fainted. The Rama ape was much stronger than humans and was not in mortal danger.

Mingyue sat up blankly, staring in bewilderment at everything that had happened inside the cave.

Han Sheng sighed, looked at Mingyue, stretched out his arm, forcefully reopened the scabbed wound, and let a trickle of blood seep out. He then pressed the blood to Mingyue's lips.

Mingyue, still dazed, licked and swallowed a few drops of blood containing the white staghorn… Moments later, the blood curse on Menglachaweng Bing was lifted.

Mingyue, her clear eyes wide with shock, stared at Hansheng, Daoist Jin, and the ape lying on the stone ground, completely bewildered.

“Hansheng, where…where are we?” Mingyue finally regained her senses.

“Mingyue, you’ve been under a blood curse for over ten days, and you’ve been delirious,” Hansheng said, recounting what had happened to Mingyue.

Mingyue looked at the ape lying on the ground and murmured, “So I was kidnapped to this cave by the ape. Did you kill it…?”

“No, the ape suffered some internal injuries, but it has a very strong constitution and will recover quickly,” Hansheng said.

“Where are you going?” Mingyue asked, regaining her senses.

"I'm searching for the wrinkled baby girl. The ancestor is dead, and I must rescue her orphan and raise her to adulthood," Han Sheng said, a hint of pain on his face.

"The ancestor is dead?" Mingyue was astonished. After a moment, she said, "Then I'll go with you." She was sincerely grateful to Han Sheng and hoped to lend a helping hand.

Han Sheng shook his head and said, "When I left, Lan'er and Uncle Shanren didn't know, and I can't return to Blue Moon Valley for the time being. I hope you can go to the valley and tell Lan'er to reassure them."

Mingyue thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, I'll eventually return to Tabalin Temple anyway, but how do I get to Blue Moon Valley? I don't know the way."

Master Jin covered his ears and interjected, "Go straight towards Meili Snow Mountain from Tabalin Temple. There's a sapphire-like high-altitude lake there. The road into the valley from the lake only appears in the thick fog at 11:15 on the 15th of the lunar month, and it doesn't last very long. If you miss it, you'll have to wait another month."

Mingyue said "Oh," and then asked, "What's the lunar calendar date today?"

Han Sheng calculated for a moment and said, "It's probably the second or third of the month. If we hurry, we might still be able to get there before the 15th."

"Then I'll set off." Mingyue glanced at the ape-shaped tree on the ground.

"I want to go too!" Yuanmu, who had been lying on the ground, had woken up sometime earlier and said eagerly.

Mingyue gazed at Yuanmu for a long time, then sighed and said, "Alright, Wood, but I must tell you, Mingyue will be becoming a nun at Tabalin Monastery. Do you understand?"

Yuanmu nodded, his eyes brimming with tears.

Mingyue turned to Hansheng and said softly, "Wood is the last remaining Rama ape in the world. He has no other of his kind left. We are, in a way, fellow practitioners of the Zhuyou sect, so I'll take him with me, lest he wander alone in the rainforest day and night."

"You want to become a nun again?" Hansheng asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Mingyue has suffered a lot, enduring this calamity. The only way is to stay with the ancient Buddha and the lamp, forgetting all the grudges and grievances of the world..." Mingyue sighed sadly.

Han Sheng silently handed the backpack to Mingyue: "There's some food and necessities in here. Take it with you. With Mutou traveling with you, you shouldn't get lost. Take care."

Mingyue didn't say anything more, helped Yuanmu up, and said, "Mutou, let's go." Yuanmu

said gratefully, "Mingyue, Mutou will always follow his woman. Our little Mutou needs to be taken with us too." As he spoke, he picked up a long wooden stick, called the little monkeys to climb on it, and then walked out of the cave with Mingyue.

Han Sheng heard Yuanmu muttering and counting: "Huh, why does it seem like two little Mutou are missing?"

Mingyue and Yuanmu walked away, a gentle breeze blew, and some withered leaves rustled down from the air, giving rise to a faint sense of sadness.

"Daoist, let me see your injuries," Han Sheng said.

"The bleeding has stopped, it's nothing serious. Where is Shen Caihua?" the Daoist asked in surprise.

Han Sheng looked around and, sure enough, Shen Caihua was nowhere to be seen. Startled, he rushed out of the cave to search for him.

"I heard a noise from the stream," Jin Daoist said alertly.

Han Sheng and the Daoist ran to the stream and saw the body of a baby monkey lying in the grass, its neck stained with blood. Shen Caihua, his trousers rolled up, was standing in the stream washing his hands and rinsing his mouth… Han Sheng sighed and shook his head, then picked up the baby monkey and returned to the cave with Jin Daoist.

The sucker blinked its two round eyes, comfortably stretching out its body. On its grayish-white belly lay a baby monkey, drained dry… "Daoist, let's eat something and continue our journey," Han Sheng said, taking a piece of charred meat from the campfire stand.

The Daoist nodded, and the two ate their fill. The remaining meat could be taken along the way.

The ghost infant remained bloodthirsty, and that suction tube was no different. Alas, what a pity for those two baby monkeys, Han Sheng thought.

Chapter 334:

The Nujiang River Valley, with its towering cliffs, rushing waters, and utter desolation.

Lu Taiguan breathed a sigh of relief and shouted, "Soldiers, look! The other side is the motherland you've been longing for!"

Lieutenant Dai Bingguo, bare-armed and wearing only a piece of animal skin around his waist, and five other Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers threw down their rifles and knelt on the ground with a "thud," tears streaming down their faces, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Thirty-four years! My parents are at home, and your unfilial son has finally returned..." The lieutenant pounded his chest and wailed, snot and tears streaming down his face.

"Dog's mother, are you still waiting for me..." The soldier from Shaoyang, Hunan, dug his hands into the mud, his gray hair fluttering in the wind, letting out a heart-wrenching cry.

"Build rafts and prepare to cross the river!" Lu Taiguan ordered.

The men quickly set to work, and soon a large raft was erected and pushed into the river. They carried the bald old woman's body aboard, while the kappa, now fully recovered, jumped into the Nu River to propel the raft forward.

"Lieutenant Dai Bingguo," Lu Taiguan called out gravely.

"Yes, sir," Dai Bingguo replied.

"Lieutenant, you can no longer return home with carbines. It would be extremely dangerous. The war ended twenty-six years ago. Therefore, I order you to lay down your weapons," Lu Taiguan said sternly. "

Yes, sir! We've long since given up fighting!" Lieutenant Dai Bingguo shouted, then threw his carbine into the Nu River.

The other expeditionary soldiers also immediately unbuckled their belts, throwing their guns, ammunition, and some grenades into the river.

Once ashore, they were already within the territory of Tengchong, Yunnan Province.

After traversing the continuous Gaoligong Mountains, a small town came into view in the distance through the mist. Lu Taiguan's bodyguards, as ordered, went to the town to buy some clothes, cloth shoes, and razors.

"Boss, our off-road vehicle hidden in the woods is still there; no one has found it," one bodyguard reported.

"Very good, we will split up," Lu Taiguan said with satisfaction.

Lieutenant Dai Bingguo and the other four men all cut their long hair and shaved their beards, changing into new clothes—just some blue-gray clothes, the kind worn by a billion people in those days.

"Alright, now no one will suspect your origins," Lu Taiguan said, appraisingly surveying them.

"Sir, we can't wait to get back home," Lieutenant Dai Bingguo said.

“No, you need to be patient for a while longer. Don’t worry, I will make sure you get home safely.” After saying this, Lu Taiguan ordered his two bodyguards to take the five members of the Chinese Expeditionary Force directly southeast towards Lincang and Honghe, through Guangxi to Guangdong, and then across the sea to Hong Kong from Dapeng Bay. They were to hide at Lu’s villa in the Mid-Levels of Hong Kong Island and wait for Lu Taiguan’s return.

Watching their departing figures, Lu Taiguan and another bodyguard carried the bald old woman, along with the kappa and the white-browed gibbon, to the place where they had hidden the car. They stuffed the old woman’s body into the back of the car and sped off towards Hunan.

Soon, they finally caught sight of the Peach Blossom River in the distance.

"Two clear springs, a wisp of smoke, wolf fangs gleaming, a cave hidden within." Lu Taiguan stood atop the bald-headed stone mountain, the misty mountains and deep ravines below. He recalled the verse his aunt had left him, then looked down at her thin, withered body and sighed deeply.

"Boss, how can we get down such a deep ravine?" the bodyguard asked fearfully, peering down at the cloud-shrouded cliffs.

"Go back to the car by the river and wait for me. The kappa can carry my aunt's body down," Lu Taiguan ordered.

"Yes, boss," the bodyguard replied, hurrying back the way he came.

The kappa was indeed much more agile than humans, carrying the bald old woman's body down the cliff with ease. The gibbon was even more graceful, swinging back and forth on vines.

Lu Taiguan took a deep breath, grabbed a long vine, and slowly descended the cliff.

They lit torches and followed the passageway through the cave, soon arriving at the "Hidden Cave."

"Swordsmanship and chanting, I recall Jia Yi's strategies; sails lowered for a rest, I idly seek out Qu Yuan's writing platform. The Heavenly Questions are silent, Qu Yuan left his stone drum; the boat is fortunate, this humble scholar visits the fishing islet today… Ah, is the visitor the returning Wu family members? This admiral has been waiting here for far too long." A trembling voice suddenly came from within the stone gate.

From the stone coffin in the stone hall, a large, bald head emerged, gray-white pupils gazing in their direction, the wrinkles on his face seemingly even more pronounced, and a wide grin revealing a cluster of uneven, yellow teeth.

"Old sir, it is I, Taiguan. The souls of the 64 Wu family members from Xiushan have been brought back." Taiguan Lu hurriedly stepped forward and knelt before the stone coffin.

"Oh, Grand Master, our Wu family's bald old woman is dead? This Admiral has already caught a whiff." Old Master Wu twitched his nose a few times, then sighed.

"Reporting to you, sir, my aunt has unfortunately passed away," Grand Master Lu said somberly.

"Tell me, how did she die?" Old Master Wu pressed. Grand

Master Lu said bitterly, "My aunt was drained of all her life force by a treacherous villain during her petrification period."

"Ah! I'm furious... Just who is this villain?" Old Master Wu roared angrily.

"The villain's name is Huang Jianguo, from Wuyuan, Jiangxi, and he has now defected to the Japanese," Grand Master Lu briefly recounted the events. "

He actually knows the art of corpse absorption?" Old Master Wu murmured in surprise.

The kappa gently laid down the bald old woman's withered body, then pulled the white-browed gibbon's arm, and together they knelt before the stone coffin.

"Master, the Kappa has finally found a satisfactory wife." It spoke to the stone coffin telepathically.

"Hmm, I think this gibbon is gentle and virtuous, a good match for the Kappa. Very well, I will officiate your wedding tonight. But what about the girl from last time?" Old Master Wu turned his gray-white pupils, staring at the gibbon and nodding.

"Miss Mingyue was abducted by a Rama ape from the rainforest." Official Lu replied respectfully.

"Reporting to you, sir, before my aunt passed away, she asked you to split open her skull and retrieve the Zhuyou relic containing the souls of 64 Wu family members. I couldn't bear it, so I brought her body back from afar. Please decide, sir." Official Lu said.

"Good, Official Lu, the Wu family members should have such filial piety. I have now completed my mission and it is time for me to emerge from the coffin." Old Master Wu said, slowly rising from the stone coffin.

Under the orange glow of the torches, Wu Jiabang, a first-rank official and admiral of the Yangtze River Navy during the Xianfeng era, stepped naked from the stone coffin. His skin below the neck was completely covered in lush, green moss… Lu Taiguan was speechless with astonishment.

“This stone coffin is an excellent place to nurture a corpse. Now, I have cultivated for a hundred years and become the world’s number one ‘flying zombie,’ hahaha…” Old Master Wu laughed shrilly, the piercing whistling echoing through the stone hall.

“Old Master, then you are the legendary ‘ba’ with eyes on the top of its head?” Lu Taiguan exclaimed. In the rainforest, Han Sheng had mentioned that flying zombies were also called ‘ba,’ with eyes on the top of their heads, moving with incredible speed. Throughout history, officials and commoners considered them great pests, searching the countryside for their traces, capturing them, and burning them to ashes.

"Not bad, young man, you do have some insight." Old Master Wu praised, lowering his head. Sure enough, on the top of her bald head were two large eyes, single-lidded, with yellow pupils and white showing.

The old man walked to the bald old woman's side, reaching out to gently stroke her bald head, murmuring, "You are the best daughter-in-law in the Wu family for a hundred years. I can't bear to split your head open. How about this, I'll take you to the top of Shame Mountain tonight and release the Wu family's children to go home."

"Reporting to the old man, my aunt left a will, requesting that the Grand Master bury her remains next to her master in the Poyang Lake Valley of Jiangxi," said Grand Master Lu.

"Alright, so be it," Old Master Wu agreed.

In preparation for the wedding that evening, the kappa first jumped into the pool in the stone hall to bathe, not only washing every single brown hair on its body, but even peeling open its three anuses and rubbing them repeatedly to remove years of grime, instantly feeling incredibly refreshed. After bathing, he reached out and grabbed a fish basket hanging on the wall, then dived to the bottom of the pool and swam to the Peach Blossom River. Before long, he caught some river fish, crabs, and shrimp to serve as a feast for his wedding banquet.

"I'll go and get some food too," Old Master Wu said, and with a swift movement, he vanished from the stone gate of the "Hidden Cave" like a gust of wind.

"Truly, he moves like the wind," Lu Taiguan exclaimed in admiration.

When Old Master Wu returned, he carried a large bundle on his shoulder. Unpacking it, he found not only roast chicken, salted duck, and braised pig's head, but also several bottles of liquor.

"Old Master, where did you get all this? Can you still eat such greasy food?" Lu Taiguan asked doubtfully.

"Of course I can! I just robbed a small shop. Although I haven't eaten for a hundred years, I'm craving it all. I can't resist! Tonight, you and I, grandfather and grandson, will have a big drinking session!" Old Master Wu replied confidently.

Halfway through the banquet, Old Master Wu couldn't hold it in any longer and hurriedly squatted outside the stone door of the "Hidden Cave," suddenly having diarrhea...

Chapter 324

Shen Caihua woke up, opened his eyes, looked around, and softly called out, "Hansheng, Dad."

He mumbled as he got up, sniffed the air purifier, stretched out his hands, and with a mighty effort, picked up the still-sleeping air purifier, then toddled down the bamboo house.

Early in the morning, smoke rose from the chimneys of the stilted houses in the village, as everyone was busy preparing breakfast.

Little Caihua stood by the stream, his nose twitching, smelling Hansheng's scent heading upstream. He thought for a moment, then shook the air purifier until it woke up.

The air purifier opened its eyes wide and looked at Shen Caihua, blinking sleepily, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied.

Shen Caihua brought his mouth close and babbled a few notes into the suction cup before tossing it into the stream.

The suction cup immediately expanded upon landing, soaking up water and reverting to its mat-like shape. Its grayish-white underside was covered with flesh-colored suckers of varying sizes. Little Caihua plopped down on it and quickly crawled upstream. They passed through a

bamboo forest, entered a mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest, and finally arrived at a cave entrance.

Shen Caihua sniffed the air, confirming that Han Sheng's father had already entered the cave, and then rode the suction cup along the stream into the cave as well.

The cave was pitch black, so little Caihua, sitting on the soft skin of the suction cup, wasn't particularly afraid. The suction cup itself could see in the dark and moved freely on the water's surface.

A flash of light appeared ahead, and slowly, it became clear that it was Han Sheng's father and the young man. Little Caihua tugged at the sucker, and like a hovercraft, it leaped out of the water with a "whoosh" and landed with a "plop" in the pool… "Caihua!" Han Sheng exclaimed in surprise.

"Han Sheng's father," Shen Caihua giggled.

"Watch out for the giant leeches!" Han Sheng quickly shouted a warning.

The splashing water landed on the two giant leeches, alerting them. They simultaneously extended their enormous suckers, aiming at the uninvited guest in the water.

Shen Caihua's two dark pupils contracted sharply, and he grinned, revealing two rows of sharp teeth, licking his lips with his little tongue.

Han Sheng thought, "Oh no, this little guy wants to suck everything."

No sooner said than done, Shen Caihua leaped up naked, tilting his head to aim at the spot under the giant leech's sucker and took a bite... Han Sheng shouted, "It has no neck!"

But it was too late. Shen Caihua had already bitten into the bluish-black tough skin under one of the giant leeches' suckers. With a "crack" sound, his sharp teeth cut into the leech's thick and tough skin, but not a drop of blood flowed out.

The soft leech angrily opened its face-sized sucker and swooped down, its three semi-circular, knife-like mandibles instantly slicing towards the chubby little Shen Caihua… The attack was sudden; no one expected Shen Caihua, who had been giggling, to suddenly attack. A-Ming was stunned, and even the leech in the water blinked in surprise, frozen in place… Han Sheng's fly-like eyes activated instantly. Seeing the mother leech's sucker swing like a gaping maw, its three Y-shaped mandibles slicing sharply towards Shen Caihua, about to splatter blood, Han Sheng's figure blurred, fast as lightning, swiftly grabbing Shen Caihua and pulling him back in mid-air… The massive sucker missed its target, crashing into a large rock, the mandibles striking the hard stone with sparks and a metallic sound.

Enraged, Shen Caihua was about to pounce again, but Han Sheng held him tightly.

"Caihua, these leeches are cold-blooded creatures, and they don't have blood vessels in their necks. Biting them won't do any good," Hansheng warned Shen Caihua.

Just then, the pair of giant female leeches on the large rock seemed to sense danger. They twisted their plump, supple bodies and leaped into the pool, splashing water everywhere… Below the surface, the sucker unfolded its body, its grayish-white belly covered with over a hundred large and small suckers, ready for action. With a "plop," the sucker had already grabbed and wrapped around the pair of giant leeches that had landed on it. The densely packed suckers pressed against the female leech's supple black skin. After struggling a few times, they were unable to move.

"This…" Amin stammered, pointing at the thick sucker tube in the water, speechless for a moment.

Han Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and said to Shen Caihua, "Can we use the suction tubes to carry them back to the village?"

Shen Caihua nodded, walked to the pool, leaped up, and mounted the suction tube. He then mumbled something, and the suction tube blinked, floating on the water and drifting downstream along the stream.

"Let's go too," Han Sheng and A Ming said, holding torches and following Shen Caihua out of the cave.

Shen Caihua excitedly rode the moss-covered suction tube downstream, passing through forests and bamboo groves, heading towards the village.

The people washing clothes and drawing water on both sides of the stream were extremely surprised by this strange sight. "Those are suction tubes!" someone finally recognized them and exclaimed, grabbing their guns at the same time.

"Don't shoot! Those are our tamed suction tubes; they won't hurt anyone," A Ming shouted at the top of his lungs.

A group of children ran alongside Shen Caihua, both nervous and curious, their little faces flushed with excitement, following him all the way to the bamboo house of A Ming's family.

On the bank, the leech lazily stretched out, revealing two giant leeches lying on its belly. To everyone's surprise, the leeches' bodies were covered in needle marks, their once robust and plump bodies now shriveled and reduced to just two skins. Their bodily fluids had been completely sucked dry by the leech's more than one hundred suckers… The two giant female leeches were dead.

Han Sheng stood there dumbfounded. This was the leech they had come to treat their illness! Looking at the leech's swollen, grayish-white belly, it was truly a sight to behold.

A Ming reached out and picked up the leech's shrunken sac, asking Han Sheng helplessly, "Dr. Zhu, what do you think of this…?"

"Sigh, all our efforts wasted," Han Sheng said dejectedly.

"Chu chu hu heng hong…" Shen Caihua waved his little hands and called out.

Upon hearing this, the sucker began to drain fluid, but having absorbed too much of the giant leech's body fluid, even when it curled up forcefully, it was still considerably thicker than Caihua's waist, no longer as slender as an umbrella last night. The sucker blinked, indicating that this was all it could do.

"Caihua, do you have a way to get the sucker to participate in Dad's treatment? It only needs to use a few of its smallest suckers," Hansheng pondered thoughtfully.

Upon hearing this, Shen Caihua leaned down and babbled a series of strange notes at the sucker. The sucker kept shaking its body, as if unwilling, but after Shen Caihua's repeated insistence, it finally blinked in agreement.

Shen Caihua turned to Hansheng and nodded.

"Alright, take the sucker upstairs," Hansheng instructed.

The suction tube extended and retracted as it followed Shen Caihua up the stairs, leaving a trail of water behind it. Below the bamboo house, the children happily tugged at the giant leech skin and jumped into the stream to play.

Xiaoqin stood at the top of the stairs waiting for them. Inside, a dark-skinned, thin man in his sixties sat cross-legged on the floor, speaking in the Jiangxi dialect with Old Man Amin

. He was Xiaoqin's father, a veteran of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, a true native of southern Jiangxi. After exchanging pleasantries, Hansheng began preparing for the treatment. First, he instructed Amin to fetch a razor and shave his father's head completely.

"Father, I need to take some 'Shenque Ni' from your body as a medicinal guide," Hansheng said.

"'Shenque Ni'... what is that?" the father asked, puzzled.

"Well, let me put it this way, the navel is the Shenque acupoint on the Ren meridian. The Ren meridian is the sea of Yin meridians, and it is internally and externally related to the Du meridian. The navel is also the path of the Chong meridian, which is the sea of the twelve meridians. Therefore, the Shenque acupoint can be called the central hub of the meridians and the sea of Qi, connecting the five internal organs and six bowels internally, and reaching the four limbs, bones, five senses, and nine orifices externally. This 'Shenque mud' is the grime in the navel," Han Sheng explained.

"Is this stuff also medicine?" Xiao Qin's father asked in surprise.

Han Sheng smiled, and reached out to open his father's underwear as he lay supine on the bamboo mat, revealing his shriveled abdomen and the wrinkled navel.

"The shape of a person's navel reflects their health. A navel that points upwards and is triangular at the top indicates stomach, gallbladder, or pancreas problems; one pointing downwards indicates stomach prolapse, intractable constipation, chronic gastroenteritis, or gynecological diseases. A sea snake-shaped navel indicates hepatitis or cirrhosis. A navel leaning to the left indicates stomach and intestinal problems; leaning to the right indicates ulcers; a protruding navel indicates ascites or ovarian cysts; a sunken navel indicates intestinal adhesions or tuberculous peritonitis. If the navel is shallow and small, it indicates hormonal imbalances. It's said that transgender people have navels like this," Han Sheng said.

"And what about normal ones?" A-Ming asked earnestly.

"Round like a full moon. A woman with this navel has excellent ovarian function and many children; a man with this navel has abundant essence and longevity," Han Sheng explained.

Everyone's eyes fell on the old man's navel, but its folds were filled with bluish-black grime, making its shape and depth indistinguishable.

"Please hand me a small bowl," Han Sheng said to A-Ming.

"Dad, please bear with it." Han Sheng blew on his right index fingernail; since disinfection wasn't an option, he skipped it.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Han Sheng forcefully dug his fingernail into his father's navel, scraping out a large chunk of soft, bluish-black grime. He then rolled it into a long strip, brought it to his nose, and smelled it—it had a strong, pungent odor of internal organs. He released it and tossed it into a bowl. Next, he carefully scraped all the grime clinging to the folds of the navel.

"It seems a little too little," Han Sheng said hesitantly.

"I have some," A Ming said, pulling at his shirt to reveal his round navel, which also contained a thick layer of grime.

"It's a full moon shape," Xiao Qin exclaimed happily to herself.

"No, we can only use the patient's own 'Shenque Mud'," Han Sheng shook his head.

"Then what should we do?" A Ming asked, lowering his shirt.

"Looks like we can only replenish some calluses on the soles of our feet," Han Sheng mused thoughtfully.

"Skin on the soles of our feet?" his father asked, puzzled.

"The soles of our feet develop calluses and calluses. The Yongquan acupoint is the starting point of the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin, a vital point for calming the mind, refreshing the brain, and opening the orifices. The skin flakes from this point have a similar effect to the 'Shenque Mud' of the Ren Meridian, and can be used as a supplementary medicinal guide." Han Sheng explained, pulling his father's feet over. Sure enough, the soles of his feet had a lot of thick, yellowish skin.

"Give me the razor." Han Sheng took the razor, and without thinking twice, he placed a bowl under his feet and began scraping. The skin flakes fell into the bowl, and in the end, he scraped off half a bowl of yellowish-white skin from both feet.

"Mix it with warm wine and drink it," Han Sheng instructed.

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/15086.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=15086&aspx=1

Previous Page : The Corpse Clothes of the Green Bag [Complete] - 24

Next Page : Love and Desire [Complete] - 20

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

The Corpse Clothes of the Green Bag [Complete] - 25

comment Open a new window to view comments