Uncanny Valley - Chapter 8
“There are many of us, it’ll give us courage,” Yue Dongbei said, seemingly jokingly. But he immediately became serious and said, “Although we have very different beliefs, we all have excellent observation and analytical skills, and each of us has our own expertise. I will need your help.”
“Alright! Then I’ll go with you.” Luo Fei was always decisive. After a moment’s thought, he made his decision, then turned to Zhou Liwei and Zhu Xiaohua and asked, “What about you two?”
Zhu Xiaohua shook her head first: "I won't go. My work has always been done in the office and library. On-site investigation is the job of the archaeological department."
Zhou Liwei remained silent, and the eyes of the other three people in the room were now focused on him.
After what seemed like a moment of careful consideration, Zhou Liwei finally spoke.
“Okay. I’ll participate too. But that doesn’t mean I agree with your point of view. On the contrary, I’m going to use science to refute your fallacies.” After a pause, he added, “Your spirit of exploration is admirable, and at this time, as a representative of science, I don’t think I should back down.”
"Okay." Yue Dongbei welcomed Zhou Liwei with a smile. "I've already planned the route. Let's split up and prepare, and we'll set off in a week!"
Chapter 10: The Rain God's Tears
A close look at a map of China reveals a small, protruding corner at the southernmost tip of Yunnan Province, approximately 21 degrees north latitude and 100 degrees east longitude. Administratively, this area is Mengla County, under the jurisdiction of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province.
Mengla County, in addition to being connected to the entire territory of China to the north, borders Myanmar to the west and Laos to the southeast. It has always been known as a "land peninsula" and is a natural international passage to the Indochina Peninsula. It is a national first-class open port.
Mengla means "the place where tea is produced," and "la" means tea. Five of the six major tea mountains of Pu'er tea—Mansa, Manzhuang, Yiwu, Yibang, and Gedeng—are located in Mengla County.
Xishuangbanna is a famous tourist destination, boasting some of the best-preserved tropical rainforests in China. More than 60% of these rainforests are located within Mengla County. Mengla's tropical rainforest is composed of over 4,000 species of higher plants, and is home to more than 4,000 species of birds and over 500 species of terrestrial vertebrates.
It can be said that this place is teeming with vitality, but of course, it also hides many unknown secrets.
Luo Fei, Zhou Liwei, and Yue Dongbei arrived in Mengla County.
These three people were certainly not tourists. They set off from Mengla County and chose a difficult route that ordinary tourists would never take, heading towards the China-Myanmar border in the west.
The rugged path was too narrow for vehicles to pass, so they rode horses for half a day before finally arriving at the village called Mi Hong.
This is a flat area at the foot of Wuliang Mountain. Further west, there are continuous mountains and dense rainforests.
The residents of Mengla County are mostly ethnic minorities, including the Dai, Hani, Yao, Yi, and more than ten other ethnic groups. Mi Hong is perhaps the only village in Mengla County where the majority of residents are Han Chinese.
The villagers speak Mandarin and make a living by farming. Although their clothing is old-fashioned, it is still a clear remnant of Han Chinese tradition.
Yue Dongbei had already briefed Luo Fei and Zhou Liwei on the relevant situation of this village.
"According to historical records, after Li Dingguo died, many of his soldiers were forced to surrender to the Qing army. However, they were unwilling to truly serve the Qing Dynasty, so the leading general asked Wu Sangui to allow them to be stationed on the Yunnan-Myanmar border. Wu Sangui granted their request, and the Han Chinese residents in this village are the descendants of that garrison."
As the three entered the village, dusk was falling. Led by their guide, they walked along a dry riverbed deeper into the village.
The villagers in the mountain village were accustomed to a life of early to bed and early to rise, and at this time, it was rare to see any villagers out and about. Occasionally, one or two men from the village would meet Luo Fei and his group on the path, but they would only glance at them briefly before hurrying on their way.
"Although this village is located in a remote area, the villagers don't seem to find it strange to see outsiders?" Luo Fei said with a slight surprise.
“This village is a camp for jungle explorers,” the guide from Mengla County explained to Luo Fei. “Because it’s the village closest to the jungle in the whole county. Tourists who like challenges and thrills choose this as their base camp for venturing into the jungle and hire villagers as guides. Although there aren’t many of them, there are always a few groups every year, so they’re used to it. Aren’t you also going to explore the jungle?”
Luo Fei and his two companions exchanged glances. Although none of them responded to the guide's words, they each had their own thoughts. In truth, they could indeed be considered explorers, but the perilous journey they faced was beyond anyone's imagination.
Mihong Village is not small, with several hundred households inside and outside. When we reached the center of the village, the guide pointed to a few mud-brick houses not far away and said, "The owner of these houses is surnamed Wang. He has empty rooms in his house, and he is an honest man. Visitors usually stay at his house."
Old Wang is almost sixty years old and a single man. His wife passed away two years ago, and both of his children have gone to the county town to make a living. He seemed rather reserved around strangers. After leading Luo Fei and the others to a side room, he exchanged a few words with the guide before leaving to attend to his own business.
"Accommodation is ten yuan per person per day. Meals are also ten yuan per person per day, but lunch will not be provided tomorrow." The guide relayed Lao Wang's message to Luo Fei and the others.
"Why isn't lunch provided?" Yue Dongbei seemed dissatisfied with the situation, tilting his round head as he asked, "Does it cost extra?"
"It's not about the money," the guide explained with a smile. "The village is holding a ceremony tomorrow to worship the rain god at the Dragon King Temple."
"Worship the rain god?" Luo Fei immediately thought of the dried-up riverbed in the village. "Has it been a long time since it rained here?"
"It's been almost a month," the guide nodded helplessly. "At this time of year, it's really a disaster. If it doesn't rain soon, the whole village's food supply for the rest of the year will be in jeopardy."
That was indeed the truth. Yue Dongbei knew he couldn't make things any harder for himself, so he swallowed hard and waved to the guide, "Alright, alright, we'll handle it ourselves then. But we need to get dinner ready quickly, so go and urge them to hurry up."
The guide readily agreed and turned to leave the side room.
Yue Dongbei lay down on the communal bed in the room, his belly sticking out high. He let out a long sigh, closed his eyes, and exclaimed, "Oh dear, I'm really exhausted today."
"Tired already?" Zhou Liwei chuckled. "What will you do if we really get into the jungle?"
"Don't worry, I won't lose to you." Yue Dongbei responded sarcastically, not even bothering to lift his eyelids, whether out of fatigue or to show his disdain for Zhou Liwei's words.
Luo Fei didn't join in their bickering; he habitually looked around the small room. The room was only about fifteen square meters in size and very simply furnished. There was only a row of bunk beds against the west wall, and no other tables or chairs.
About twenty minutes later, the guide came over to inform them that dinner was ready. After a long day of travel, the three of them were starving and immediately followed the guide to the main house next door.
Upon entering the main house, they were greeted by an enticing aroma, which further fueled their hunger. Several large bowls were laid out on the dining table in the center of the house, and the main dish inside was a white, diamond-shaped dish that appeared to be stir-fried with meat slices, eggs, vegetables, and other ingredients.
"What is this?" Luo Fei had never eaten anything like this before. He was never hesitant to ask questions about things he didn't understand.
Old Wang remained silent, while the guide eagerly answered, "This is a specialty of Yunnan, fried rice cake. It's made from rice, delicate, and has a great texture. It also has another name, 'Da Jiu Jia'?"
"The Great Savior?" Zhou Liwei wasn't particularly curious, but upon hearing this strange name, he couldn't help but ask, "Is there any special meaning behind it?"
The guide, already prepared for this question, answered with a touch of showing off: "There's a legend here. Back then, the Yongli Emperor of the Southern Ming Dynasty was being chased by Wu Sangui and fled to Yunnan. He was exhausted and hungry. The Southern Ming general Li Dingguo ordered the local villagers to fry a bowl of rice cakes for him. The Yongli Emperor ate it with great relish, saying, 'Fried rice cakes saved my life.' From then on, fried rice cakes had another name: 'Great Savior.'"
All three were taken aback. Upon hearing the name "Li Dingguo," the originally lighthearted legend seemed to take on an indescribable air of mystery.
Luo Fei seemed to remember something, so he took a photo out of his bag and handed it to Lao Wang: "Take a look, have you seen this person in the photo before?"
Old Wang took the photo, examined it carefully for a long time, and finally said, "He stayed here with me, for almost a year now."
The man in the photo was naturally the young man from the Kunming Mental Hospital. Yue Dongbei shook his head smugly: "Am I right? His first stop was definitely this village. He followed the directions I gave him."
Luo Fei remained calm and continued to press, "How long did he stay?"
"Two days. He found out how to get to the 'Valley of Uncanny' and then left."
Didn't he hire a guide?
Old Wang shook his head: "He has always been alone."
Luo Fei gave a somewhat disappointed "Oh." If the young man had hired a guide, he could undoubtedly have obtained a wealth of information from them. But now, that route was clearly blocked. However, it seemed the young man had indeed gone to the "Valley of Uncanny Beauty," and their pursuit had not strayed from its intended direction.
The guide noticed something in Luo Fei's expression: "What, are you also going to 'Uncanny Valley'?"
Instead of answering, Luo Fei asked, "Do you know about the 'uncanny valley'?"
“I know about it, but I’ve never been there. The Hamo people have lived in that area for generations. It’s too deep there; most people can’t get in. But the Hamo people and the village should have some contact, right? Old Wang, can you tell me about it?” The guide turned the conversation to Old Wang.
Old Wang replied in a calm voice, "It's best not to go to that place now."
Everyone could tell that Old Wang's words were half-truths, and Luo Fei immediately pressed for an answer: "Why?"
"It's not peaceful there right now. In the last six months, many of our people have fled. They say the demon has returned." Old Wang spoke while keeping a close eye on Luo Fei. It seemed that although he wasn't good at communicating with people, he was genuinely worried about the safety of his guests.
"A demon? What kind of demon?" Yue Dongbei turned towards the hunting dog that had caught a whiff of its presence and excitedly moved closer.
Old Wang shook his head: "I don't know, it's a secret of the Hamo people."
"A secret?" Yue Dongbei chuckled twice, then shrank back and said, "The purpose of a secret is to wait for someone to unravel it."
Luo Fei turned his head and exchanged a helpless look with Zhou Liwei. Whether they wanted to accept it or not, all the facts seemed to confirm Yue Dongbei's absurd academic claims.
The Valley of Fear, the devil has returned to the Valley of Fear!
It seems they are determined to see this through no matter what!
After dinner, it was only a little past seven o'clock. The guide had to rush back to the county town the next day and went to rest early. Luo Fei and the others, however, were used to city life and, even though they were tired from the journey, found it hard to fall asleep at this hour. Taking advantage of the cool evening breeze, the three of them sat idly in the courtyard for a while. Just as they were getting bored, they saw Old Wang carrying a large bamboo basket as he came out of the house, seemingly about to go out.
Luo Fei asked a few simple questions and learned that the basket contained offerings to the Rain God. Old Wang would go to the Dragon King Temple now so that his offerings could be placed in a good spot near the Rain God, hoping to receive special favor from him next year.
"Is the Dragon King Temple far away? Can we go and take a look together?" Luo Fei asked.
"It's just a mile and a half's worth of land. The only thing worth seeing in this village is the Dragon King Temple. Previous visitors have all been there, but none of them were as lucky as you, being able to pray for rain right there." Old Wang said, stopping in the courtyard, clearly waiting for Luo Fei and the others to set off together.
Luo Fei and his two companions immediately stood up. The group of hosts and guests left the courtyard and headed towards the east end of the village.
As they walked along the mountain path, the number of houses gradually decreased, and it seemed they had reached the edge of the village. Seeing that they were going further and further away from the village, Luo Fei was starting to have some doubts when suddenly the path made a sharp turn, and then the view opened up, revealing a small clearing in front of them.
The open space, about four or five acres in size, appeared to have been carefully cultivated, with a smooth surface, giving it the feel of a small plaza. At the eastern end of the plaza, facing south and backing north, stood a temple.
Although the temple was not large, it stood alone in the open space and still exuded a unique aura. The group quickly approached and, judging from the architectural style and the condition of the materials, the temple must have a long history. However, due to proper maintenance, it did not feel old or dilapidated.
"This is the Dragon King Temple. The village's guardian deity is enshrined inside," Old Wang said with extreme respect and piety. He then quietly entered the temple first.
Luo Fei initially thought that although Mi Hong Village was relatively isolated, the so-called worship of the rain god was mostly just a procedural ritual to help the villagers in distress find some spiritual comfort. But judging from Lao Wang's current behavior, things don't seem to be that simple.
Perhaps influenced by Old Wang's emotions, Luo Fei felt a sense of solemnity as he entered the temple. It was already completely dark, and all the light in the temple came from the two ever-burning lamps beside the incense table. The solitary temple in the dark night, with its flickering, dim candlelight, created a somewhat eerie atmosphere.
Some people had already gotten there first and placed their own offerings on the altar. However, what first caught everyone's attention was the statue of a deity standing behind the altar.
To Luo Fei's surprise, Old Wang had always called this temple "Dragon King Temple," but the statue enshrined inside was not the Dragon King. When he looked closely at the tablet next to the statue, he couldn't help but exclaim "Ah!" even in the solemn environment.
Not only him, but Zhou Liwei and Yue Dongbei also gaped, their expressions filled with astonishment. Yue Dongbei couldn't contain himself and exclaimed, "What? This...this is Li Dingguo?!"
Indeed, on that enormous memorial tablet, five characters were clearly written: "Rain God Li Dingguo"!
Old Wang paid no attention to the unusual reactions of the three guests. He knelt down and kowtowed three times. After that, he got up and respectfully placed the offerings from the basket on the incense table. At the same time, he explained to Luo Fei and the others, "Our village depends on the heavens for its livelihood. The rain god has blessed us with prosperity and peace for generations."
Luo Fei's mind raced. Based on what he knew, the villagers were all descendants of Li Dingguo's subordinates, so it wasn't particularly strange that they worshipped Li Dingguo as a god. However, there was one question that he just couldn't figure out.
"This is the Dragon King Temple, so why is Li Dingguo enshrined here?" Luo Fei hoped that Old Wang could give him an answer.
"Originally, it was also a Dragon King to be worshipped, but the Dragon King only ate the offerings and did not bring blessings to the village." The reason for this was a story passed down in the village for generations, which Old Wang naturally knew, and he told Luo Fei and the others in detail.
Before his defeat and retreat into the jungle, Li Dingguo had stationed his troops in the Mengla area. That year, a drought struck, and the villages faced the danger of a complete crop failure. Villagers flocked to the Dragon King Temple to pray for rain, but the sun remained scorching for days. Li Dingguo happened to be inspecting the villages and, upon learning of the situation, went to the Dragon King Temple and berated them, essentially saying: "You, as the Dragon King, are in charge of rainfall, yet now there is no rain, and the people are suffering; you have failed in your duty. I, as a general, bear the great responsibility of protecting the country and its people; now, I will punish you on behalf of Heaven!"
After cursing, Li Dingguo sent people to dismantle the Dragon King's statue and made a statue of himself, proclaiming himself the "Rain God." He then left behind a general who led the villagers to worship the "Rain God" every day, saying that if the villagers' sincerity could move the "Rain God" to tears, then it would surely rain heavily.
The villagers were initially skeptical, but under Li Dingguo's military might, they had no choice but to comply. After three days of continuous worship, the statue of the "Rain God" actually wept. That very night, a torrential downpour relieved the village's drought.
The villagers were all deeply grateful and from then on worshipped Li Dingguo as the guardian deity of their village, a tradition that has lasted for generations.
Upon hearing this little-known legend, Yue Dongbei was overjoyed, exclaiming repeatedly, "Tearing down the Dragon King statue and proclaiming himself the 'Rain God,' Li Dingguo's demonic nature is on full display! Excellent, this part deserves to be written about in detail, excellent!"
Zhou Liwei reacted completely differently. He chuckled and asked Lao Wang, "The rain god weeps, and the sky pours down rain? Is that even possible? It's just a legend, but do you guys still believe in these things now?"
"Of course I believe it." Old Wang's voice wasn't loud, and he still had an honest demeanor, but his tone was so firm that it left no room for argument. "Every villager in the village for generations has personally witnessed the rain god shedding tears."
Naturally, Zhou Liwei immediately followed up with, "You've seen it too?"
Old Wang nodded silently, his expression so calm that there was no trace of lying.
Zhou Liwei shook his head in disbelief, then looked at Luo Fei, clearly asking for his opinion.
Luo Fei didn't offer any subjective commentary; he simply asked again, "So, will we see the Rain God weep tomorrow?"
“Our hearts are sincere, and the rain god always responds to any worship ceremony organized by the village chief.” Although Old Wang did not answer directly, his words made his attitude clear.
"Then things are simple." Yue Dongbei laughed heartily. "Whether it's true or false, we'll find out tomorrow!"
Luo Fei said nothing more. He absolutely could not accept the idea of the rain god appearing, but there was no use saying anything now; tomorrow, the facts would speak for themselves.
During this brief silence, footsteps were heard at the door, and another person entered the temple. Luo Fei and the others turned to look and saw that the newcomer was a young man in his twenties, not very tall, but he looked quite robust.