Uncanny Valley

Chapter 21

Even so, no one has ever refused this selection. In fact, becoming a saint is the greatest honor in the hearts of all Hamo women, even though this honor comes with immense suffering.

Luo Fei seemed very interested in these circumstances, and he pressed Bai Jian'e for details about what the so-called suffering referred to. However, Bai Jian'e also didn't know the specifics. Luo Fei had no choice but to put his doubts aside for now and wait for a suitable opportunity to inquire with the Hamo people.

Anmi led Luo Fei and the others directly to his residence. Along the way, the Hamo people all respectfully stepped aside upon their arrival, bowing and greeting the young leader. Anmi mostly gave them only a cursory glance, stopping only to exchange a few hurried words with older members of the tribe.

Although Luo Fei couldn't understand the Hamo language, he could tell from the expressions and eyes of the people he was talking to that the conversation was basically about them, the uninvited guests. After a brief introduction, the tribespeople would usually show awe and bow to them with their chests together.

After this happened two or three times, Luo Fei finally couldn't hold back any longer and whispered to Bai Jian'e, "What did they say?"

"Lord Anmi said that you are a warrior among the Han people who specializes in fighting against darkness." After saying this, Bai Jian'e pointed to Zhou Liwei and Yue Dongbei, "The two of them are priests among the Han people."

Luo Fei couldn't help but chuckle, but then he thought about it and realized that in the social structure of the Hamo people, the descriptions of police, scholars, doctors, warriors, and priests were indeed the closest.

Anmi's residence is located in the center of the village, consisting of three houses. Although they are only made of mud, rough wood and felt, they have wide doors and high walls. There is also a courtyard built with adobe bricks outside the houses, which can be considered "luxurious" in such a remote mountain area.

Upon entering the courtyard, Anmi did not lead everyone into the house, but instead gave instructions to his four attendants. The attendants immediately began to busy themselves. First, they brought out tables, chairs, and benches from the house and arranged them in the courtyard. By this time, it was already dark, so they lit more than a dozen torches and placed them intermittently on the earthen walls. The flickering lights in the small courtyard added a lot of brightness.

“Friends have come from afar, and today I will host you all at my home. Please have a seat!” Anmi said, pointing to the tables and chairs. Although his voice was stiff, his expression was quite sincere.

The Mi Hong Village and the Hamo tribe often interacted. When Anmi took over as chief three years ago, Bai Jian'e personally attended the enthronement ceremony, so the two already knew each other. At this moment, Bai Jian'e took the lead and sat down at the table, then called to Luo Fei and the others, "Come, since Lord Anmi is so hospitable, let's not stand on ceremony."

Luo Fei smiled amicably at An Mi, then sat down with Zhou Yue and the other man. An Mi followed suit. The round table, nearly two meters in diameter, was still spacious enough, with plenty of chairs and stools. Luo Fei gestured to the four attendants beside him and said to An Mi, "Let them sit down too."

Anmi glanced at Luo Fei in surprise: "How can they sit with the guests?" Then he turned his head and spoke in Hamo language, and the attendants responded in unison and dispersed out of the courtyard.

Luo Fei shook his head inwardly, but then he thought that in such a primitive social structure, it would be difficult for the leader to lead the people if he did not maintain a strict hierarchical system.

Yue Dongbei watched the scene unfold with a smug look on his face, seemingly finding it quite amusing. Zhou Liwei, on the other hand, wore a stern expression, lost in thought.

Previously, everyone had been busy traveling and hadn't had a chance to talk in detail. Now that they were all seated, Bai Jian'e spoke first, asking An Mi, "What a coincidence that Lord An Mi has also come to Qingfengkou today?"

“You should already know. Our clan’s sacred object is lost.” Anmi’s expression was grave. “For the past six months, I have often led people out to search for it. Today, we were near Qingfeng Pass when we suddenly heard someone calling out, so we came over.”

"Is it that blood vial?" Bai Jian'e grinned, trying to sound sympathetic. "I've heard rumors about some of your people running away from the mountains and losing the sacred artifact. Did you find any clues while searching in the forest?"

A flash of anger crossed Anmi's eyes, as if a fire was burning within him. He took a deep breath, controlled his emotions, and gritted his teeth before saying, "The sacred object was stolen by a young Han Chinese. More than half a year ago, someone saw him still active in the jungle."

Luo Fei and the other two exchanged glances, simultaneously thinking of the phobia patient in the Kunming mental hospital. Luo Fei immediately took out the photo and handed it to An Mi: "Take a look, is this the person?"

Anmi snatched the photo, glanced at it, and his expression changed drastically. He slammed the photo on the table with a "bang" and demanded sharply, "You know him? Where is he?!"

"No, I don't know him." Seeing that the other party was agitated, Luo Fei quickly explained, "Actually, we came here to investigate his situation. He has become a madman, or you could say he has been punished."

"He was scared out of his wits," Zhou Liwei added solemnly.

"Scared out of his mind?" Anmi's face showed a complicated expression. He picked up the photo again, glared at it hatefully, and after a long while, said in a hoarse voice, "That's too good for him!"

His tone carried a chilling glint, as if he wanted to devour the person in the photo alive. Yue Dongbei, recalling that the young man had followed his directions, had initially felt somewhat smug. However, seeing An Mi's gritted teeth expression, he nervously shifted his gaze elsewhere, appearing extremely unnatural.

"Now that you've found him, you must know where the sacred object is!" Anmi raised his head and began to pursue another important question.

"The blood vial is in Longzhou, but—" Luo Fei paused for a moment helplessly, "...it has already been broken."

"What!?" Anmi shouted, jumping up from her seat and slamming a curved knife into the table with her right hand.

The attendants who had been following them returned just then. Seeing their leader's state, they all stood frozen at the courtyard gate, not daring to move. Luo Fei and the others were also terrified, and the courtyard was completely silent, as if the air itself had solidified.

Anmi's chest heaved violently, clearly in a state of extreme emotional turmoil. After a long while, he slowly sat down, his gaze fixed on the scimitar on the table, his face ashen.

Seeing that his followers were in an awkward position, unable to advance or retreat, Bai Jian'e couldn't help but gently nudge Anmi and wink at him. Anmi was startled, as if he had just noticed the group, then he waved and said something in Hamo.

The attendants breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously approached the table. They carried wine jars, earthen basins, or large bowls, having gone to prepare food and wine.

The earthenware basins were filled with steaming dishes, mostly large chunks of meat, presumably wild game from the mountains. Others had already laid out large bowls and filled each one with wine. The courtyard was soon filled with the rich aroma of meat and wine.

After they finished serving him, the attendants withdrew without waiting for Anmi's instructions. Once they were all out of the courtyard, Anmi turned to Luo Fei and asked fiercely, "Did he break the sacred object?"

As he spoke, he pointed to the photo on the table. Only then did Luo Fei realize that the tip of the scimitar had pierced the face of the man in the photo, distorting his features and making him look extremely bizarre.

Luo Fei realized he was the one who had broken the blood vial, and a chill ran down his spine. Just then, he felt someone kicking his toes. Looking up, he saw Yue Dongbei winking and making threatening gestures.

Luo Fei naturally understood what the other party meant, but after hesitating for a while, he still frankly told the truth: "No, I broke that blood bottle."

Anmi's expression changed drastically. After a shout, the four attendants waiting outside the courtyard immediately rushed in. Despite their timid demeanor when serving the food, they were now as fierce as wolves. Wielding curved swords, they moved swiftly and instantly formed an attack stance behind Luo Fei and the others, waiting only for their leader's order.

Anmi grabbed Luo Fei's collar: "Who exactly are you?! Why are you doing this?!"

Zhou Liwei and the others watched Luo Fei nervously, knowing that if he said something inappropriate, it would immediately bring disaster upon them.

Luo Fei remained calm, meeting An Mi's gaze without fear, and slowly said, "This is a misunderstanding. I didn't know what a blood vial was at the time. My actions were simply fulfilling my duty to stop evil."

“Stop evil? You’ve unleashed demons! Do you know how much disaster this will bring to my people?!” Anmi’s eyes were already red with anger.

“I’m sorry,” Luo Fei said sincerely, then his eyes flashed and his expression became resolute. “The ‘demon’ also harmed my people, which is why I came here. No matter what happened in the past, now, subduing the ‘demon’ is our common goal.”

Anmi continued to stare intently at Luo Fei, remaining silent, but her expression slowly softened. Just then, an aged voice was heard from not far away saying, "'The demon' has been released from its imprisonment; it is the arrangement of the gods. The warriors of the Hamo tribe will not fear any danger. Our friends from other races have come to help us; Lord Anmi should treat them as family."

Everyone turned their heads and saw a thin old man who had entered the courtyard at some point. He was wearing a long black robe with flowing sleeves, and although there was a hint of worry between his brows, he could not hide his wise and refined temperament.

Anmi released Luo Fei and looked at the old man, saying, "High Priest Sotulan, you've arrived." Although he was the leader of his tribe, he greeted the old man with great respect.

Sotulan pointed to his men, who were on the verge of attacking, and said, "Tell them to step back."

Anmi waved his hand, and everyone sheathed their scimitars and retreated in an orderly fashion. Zhou Liwei and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. Bai Jian'e then stood up and bowed to the old man: "High Priest, thanks to your timely arrival, the misunderstanding between the two sides has been cleared up."

Sotulan bowed in return: "The Hamo people and the Nihong village have been on good terms for generations, and our deep friendship has been passed down for hundreds of years. Chief Bai, you don't need to be so polite." His Chinese was not only fluent and clear, but his choice of words was also very sophisticated.

As the attendants arranged the tables and chairs, they left an empty seat next to Anmi, presumably for the old man. Sotulan sat down in that empty seat and looked at Luo Fei and the others, saying, "You are all friends brought by Chief Bai, right?"

Bai Jian'e nodded: "They come from a faraway place beyond the mountains, for the secret of that 'demon'."

Sotulan's gaze swept over the three of them, finally settling on Luo Fei. He then said in an approving tone, "You are an honest and courageous person."

“But he made a big mistake.” Anmi seemed not to have completely let go of her feelings, and said with a hint of sarcasm, “Besides, a true warrior will not let someone put a knife to his head.”

Luo Fei didn't care, and simply said, "Once the sword is drawn, its power is greatly reduced."

Anmi frowned, not quite understanding Luo Fei's meaning. Just then, a muffled "bang" was heard, and the curved knife she had stuck in the table suddenly leaped up, flying two or three meters into the air before somersaulting and landing on the ground in the courtyard.

Anmi's expression changed. When she looked at the table again, she saw a round hole in it. The table was still trembling slightly, causing ripples to spread in the wine in everyone's bowls.

Luo Fei smiled faintly and said, "The truly dangerous knife is one whose blade you cannot see."

When the followers entered with knives, Luo Fei had already drawn his gun and cocked it under the table, ready for any eventuality. Although the situation had eased, he realized that the young Hamo chieftain was autocratic and capricious. If he couldn't intimidate him, future cooperation would likely be fraught with trouble. So he fired, knocking the man's scimitar away, as a show of force.

An Mi stared intently at Luo Fei, paused for a moment, and finally said solemnly, "Good, good! He is indeed a man of both courage and wisdom."

"Alright, everyone, put away your weapons and get down to business," Bai Jian'e said, trying to smooth things over.

“Hmm.” Anmi nodded, stepped down the stairs, and said to Luo Fei, “Where is the Dragon State you mentioned? How did the sacred artifact break? Please explain in detail.”

Luo Fei then described how he had cracked those cultural relic smuggling cases, including how the phobia cases occurred in Longzhou and how the young man got from the jungle to the Kunming mental hospital. Although the two Hamo men present were unfamiliar with words like "police" and "smuggling," they could basically understand the general outline of the events.

“It turns out the Burmese wanted to obtain our tribe’s sacred object, and you accidentally destroyed it while trying to stop them.” Sotulan shook his head, looking rather helpless. “Alas, if the sacred object had actually fallen into the hands of the Burmese, the situation wouldn’t have been so bad.”

"How so?" Luo Fei didn't let any questionable details go unnoticed.

"At least the Burmese will keep the sacred object intact. They fear the 'demon' more than we Hamo people do. But how did the Burmese know the sacred object was in Longzhou?"

"It was the thief who stole the sacred object who approached the Burmese. Unfortunately, we haven't found the person who initially brought the blood vial to Longzhou. I have another question: why would the Burmese pay such a high price for this blood vial?"

"When we subdued the 'demon' back then, the Burmese from the southwest also participated. Everyone was terrified by the 'demon's' terrifying power, so after Li Dingguo's death, our Hamo high priest performed a spell to seal the 'demon' in a blood vial. The Hamo people bore the heavy responsibility of guarding the 'demon,' and thus earned the awe and respect of the Burmese. The descendants of these Burmese people are now mostly engaged in special trades, and they have accumulated a lot of money, but the fear of the 'demon' is still passed down from generation to generation."

Although Sotulan didn't say it explicitly, Luo Fei understood that the so-called "special business" was drug trafficking. Therefore, it did make sense: Burmese drug traffickers, due to their numerous crimes, might resort to religious prayers and hold supernatural powers in great awe. Upon learning of the loss of the Hamo tribe's sacred object, they might spare no expense to retrieve it, perhaps to ease their conscience, or even to establish their authority among the local people.

The person behind the blood vial transfer to Lao Hei seems to be very knowledgeable about these matters, which is why they were able to instruct Lao Hei to contact the Burmese. Who could this person be?

The others seemed to be pondering the same question, when Anmi pointed to the tattered photograph on the table and said, "He stole our sacred object. If he didn't leave the jungle, how could the sacred object have ended up so far away? Where are the people who brought him out of the jungle?"

Luo Fei shook his head: "No, it has nothing to do with them." He had contacted the film crew that found the young man, and several members confirmed that the young man was mentally unstable, dressed in tattered clothes, almost naked, and carrying nothing.

"So, before this young man was discovered, someone else had already taken the sacred object and abandoned him in the jungle," Luo Fei speculated based on the above facts. "Who could this person be? Could the young man's madness be related to him?"

“At least two things are certain: this person knows the secret of the blood vial and has information about the young man’s whereabouts,” Zhou Liwei, who hadn’t spoken for a long time, suddenly said. Luo Fei immediately understood his implication and stared intently at Yue Dongbei beside him.

Yue Dongbei shifted uncomfortably, glaring angrily at Zhou Liwei. Fearing that An Mi and the others would find out about his connection with the young man, he dared not openly refute them and could only swallow his anger.

Fortunately, Anmi did not notice the subtle changes in the expressions of the three people. He snorted and said, "No matter who he is, blaspheming a sacred object will only invite the terrifying power of the devil. The fate of that shameful thief has already proven this."

Luo Fei remained silent. Indeed, wherever the blood vial went, a terrifying whirlwind followed. And the strange events of the past few days had made everyone clearly hear the menacing footsteps of the "demon"!

After a moment, Sotulan broke the silence: "Alright, discussing what has already happened is perhaps pointless. Now that the demon has broken free of its restraints, the most urgent matter is how to deal with the current situation. Chief Bai, I heard that your three most trusted subordinates have already fallen victim to the demon?"

Bai Jian'e's face turned deathly pale. After a long, sorrowful silence, he sighed and murmured, "Yes. That 'demon' has followed us all the way here."

"So, 'he' is nearby? Suffering from a curse for hundreds of years, struggling in hell, unable to ascend. If 'he' is looking for someone to take revenge on, then our Hamo tribe will be the first to bear the brunt." Sotulan looked up at the black sky, his voice filled with extreme sorrow.

Although Luo Fei didn't agree with these superstitious beliefs, the idea that the dead should be laid to rest is deeply ingrained in the Chinese psyche. From this perspective, the curse on the blood vial was indeed quite malicious. And when the curse was broken, the caster's fear of revenge was understandable.

For a moment, no one spoke in the small courtyard. Only the howling of the north wind in the mountains could be heard, as if echoing Sotulan's words.

The flickering firelight illuminated Anmi's dark face, creating an eerie atmosphere. His expression was ashen, his gaze deep and unfocused, yet he looked away from everything, clearly lost in thought.

Luo Fei knew that Anmi was under immense pressure at this moment. The grudges of the entire tribe, hidden for hundreds of years, had been reignited on his shoulders. Was this a tragedy for this young Hamo chief?

After a long while, Anmi withdrew his gaze, scanning everyone present one by one. Then, he picked up the bowl of wine in front of him, tilted his head back, and gulped it down in one go. When the bowl was empty, his eyes widened, and there was no trace of confusion or fear in his dark pupils.

Those were the eyes of a warrior, filled with a fierce fighting spirit and an arrogant disdain for everything. Luo Fei was stirred by that gaze, feeling his blood boil.

Anmi flung his hand and smashed the wine bowl to the ground. With a loud "crack," shards flew everywhere. Then he looked up at the sky, laughed wildly for a while, and shouted out a series of words in the Hamo language.

"What is he saying?" Luo Fei asked Bai Jian'e.

"He is thanking the gods of the Hamo tribe for entrusting him with the heavy responsibility of the past hundred years, and for giving him the opportunity to become a legendary hero!" Bai Jian'e translated as he looked at Anmi, his eyes filled with envy and respect.

This shout exhausted almost all of Anmi's strength, and by the end his voice was hoarse. Afterward, he looked at the crowd again and said with great pride, "Come on! Let's eat meat and drink wine to our hearts' content! Let's conserve our strength and await the 'demon'!"

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Curse of Gu

Large chunks of meat, large bowls of wine. No utensils were needed; ten fingers solved everything. The meat was either boiled or roasted, the cooking methods simple, but the ingredients were all freshly hunted game, fresh and delicious. The wine was brewed from ripe mountain fruit, its color slightly reddish, its aroma rich and enticing. Everyone indulged in humanity's most primal desires, temporarily casting aside many worries and anxieties.

The saying "a person's drinking habits reflect their character" may be a bit of an overstatement, but a person's drinking behavior is somewhat related to their personality and mood.

Perhaps due to his advanced age, Sotulan drank the least among those present. In fact, he hardly drank at all; only when everyone was in high spirits and raising their bowls together would he symbolically touch the wine to his lips, and he probably didn't even taste it on his tongue.

Yue Dongbei frequently picked up his wine bowl, but he mostly drank it in small sips, paying no attention to others. When others offered him a toast and wanted to drink with him, he would always make excuses and avoid it if he could, which made him quite unpleasant.

Zhou Liwei, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. He rarely drinks, but if others want to toast, he never hesitates and will drink the bowl to the last drop.

Bai Jian'e had an extremely high alcohol tolerance. He would frequently raise his wine bowl to toast others, and he would drink every time. He was also very strict with others, and even Yue Dongbei was once forced by him to drink two large bowls in a row.

Luo Fei appeared rather casual. He drank when offered a drink, and he drank when others offered him a drink. If you drank it all, I would finish it; if you didn't, I would just take a small sip, making sure not to spoil the atmosphere at the table.

The one who drank the most was undoubtedly Anmi, who sat at the head of the table. He drank bowl after bowl, almost nonstop, and when toasting with others, he always downed his own drink no matter how much the other person drank. This drinking style suited Yue Dongbei's taste quite well, and the few times he took the initiative to offer a toast were all directed at Anmi.

After several rounds of drinks, the night grew dark and the mountain wind picked up. The group, sitting in the courtyard, began to feel a chill. Bai Jian'e looked up at the sky for a moment, then suddenly said, "It's going to rain again."

Hearing this, the others also looked up and saw that the sky above was completely dark, without a single ray of light. As if the weather was deliberately in accordance with Bai Jian'e's words, suddenly, raindrops began to fall.