Рай — это берег праха смертных

Глава 57

After closing the secret passage door, Ye Lao wrapped his thin arms around the ghost infant, the suction tube, and the large parrot, then his body sank and he floated down into the dark underground palace...

When they reached the pool at the bottom of the underground palace, Ye Lao touched the water with both feet and suddenly flew into the air, landing gracefully on a high stone platform.

Several oil lamps hung on the walls around the high platform, and in the center was a rosewood armchair. Old Master Ye put down his talent and sat down in the armchair, chuckling, "Talent, isn't this place of mine fun?"

Shen Caihua shook his head and said, "It's not fun, Grandpa. Do you live in this dark room?"

"Well, I've lived here for a long time. This is also the headquarters of the Black Witch Sect of the Shamanism. It's a pity that I'm all alone now. By the way, how could Han Sheng let you travel the world alone?" Elder Ye asked, quite puzzled.

"I ran away with Dudu to find Momo," Shen Caihua said truthfully.

"Oh, Momo... that child is the daughter of the shaman Yang Gong and the ancestor of the Black Witch Clan. It's a pity that her parents are both dead, and she has wandered off somewhere alone. It's quite pitiful," Ye Lao said sadly.

"Splash, splash..." Several rats were fighting and tearing at each other in the pool behind them, splashing water everywhere.

Dudu glanced at the pool and stammered, "Cai, Cai, the sucker might be hungry... hungry, it can eat... rats."

Shen Caihua looked down at Xizi, who blinked happily.

So Xiao Caihua walked to the edge of the pool, threw the suction cup into the water, and the suction cup slowly stretched out, then floated up and dived down, using its huge belly to wrap around several mice. In an instant, more than a hundred suction cups sucked them dry, and then went to chase after the remaining mice.

Old Lady Ye called Xiao Caihua to her side and said in a shrill voice, "Caihua, I have something to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Chen Cai chuckled: "You're Old Cuihua!"

“That’s right, I’m Old Cuihua. Is that Hakka nanny your master? But why don’t you learn the ‘Hysteria Divine Skill’ from Hansheng? That’s a peerless martial art that’s unique in the world.” Old Cuihua asked in confusion.

“I don’t want to learn,” Shen Caihua answered decisively.

"Why?" Old Cuihua asked, puzzled.

"I don't know why, I'm just not interested." Shen Caihua didn't reveal the real reason. Deep in his mind, he still vaguely remembered that his biological mother, Shen Caihua, had died at the hands of Han Sheng's father. Although it was unintentional at the time, he had never mentioned it to anyone.

Not long ago, Han Sheng and Wu Chushan went to Yunnan to find Mo Mo. Before leaving, Han Sheng specially took off the 'corpse garment' he was wearing and wanted to put it on Mo Mo, saying that it could protect him and prevent any evil spirits in the world from getting close. However, Chen Caihua resolutely refused. He knew that it was that white and green 'corpse garment' that had killed his mother...

Helpless, Han Sheng had no choice but to leave the shroud to Lan'er, hoping she could slowly persuade Cai Hua, and that he already possessed the "Hysteria Divine Skill," making him absolutely untouchable in the martial arts world.

"Sigh, little talent, what martial arts did that Hakka nanny teach you?" Old Cuihua sighed and asked.

"The Lard Divine Skill," Shen Caihua replied.

“That’s from the same lineage as Granny Wang, but do you know that to learn ‘Zhu You Divine Skill,’ one must be a virgin or a woman, and one’s yang energy must not be leaked out at all throughout one’s life? You will absolutely not be able to get married and have children in the future,” Old Cuihua said solemnly.

"Why get married and have children?" Shen Caihua asked, puzzled.

"Well..." Old Cuihua thought about how to explain this clearly to the little boy. After a while, she gave an example, "Men all grow up and get married, just like Hansheng and Lan'er..."

"But didn't Old Master Ye also not get married and have children?" Shen Caihua asked in return.

"Him? Hmph, what blind woman would want to fall for such an old coffin-like man? He's got no flesh on his bones, just a dried-up corpse," Old Cuihua said disdainfully.

"I don't want to get married or have children. I just want to be with Dudu, Xizi, and the spirit fetus, and then find Momo. After that, we can be together forever. That would be the happiest thing for us," Shen Caihua said earnestly.

"A spirit fetus? What spirit fetus?" Old Cuihua asked in surprise.

“It’s Ling-ge and Ling-jie’s child, but unfortunately it’s a little idiot,” Shen Caihua said regretfully as he pulled the naked little figure out of his pocket. “Not only is it idiot, it’s also blind.”

Jesus reached out and took the spirit embryo, examining it carefully in the lamplight.

The spirit fetus slowly opened its white, vacant eyes, staring blankly ahead. Then, it grinned and began to chuckle foolishly...

Chapter 83 of the main text

Old Ye's eyes lit up as he stared in surprise at the little figure in his palm. It had rosy skin, chubby little hands and feet, and even a little penis growing between its legs. It was so cute that he couldn't bear to put it down.

"Is this what the spirit child looks like when it is born? Can it grow up? Can it speak?" Elder Ye asked a series of questions with great joy.

The spirit fetus's dull pupils were covered with a layer of glass-like white film, and its silly little mouth contained only two front teeth, just like a little rabbit.

“He was born looking like this, and he’ll never grow up. It’s a pity he’s blind and can’t talk. He’s a little simpleton (in the Gan dialect, he’s a fool). It’s so pitiful,” Shen Caihua replied with affection.

"Ah, if only I had a child like that, I could play with him every day and even have him do those 'shamanic' dances," the old monk sighed with deep emotion.

"What did you say? Tired of the 'shamanic dance'? If I'm not happy and leave, will you still be able to wander around and play? You good-for-nothing..." Old Cuihua cursed angrily inside Ye Lao's body.

“No,” the old man quickly clarified in a silent voice, “I just want a spiritual embryo as well…”

"Shameless old coffin-stuffer, you actually dared to try and steal a child's toy! Give it back right now!" Old Cuihua scolded angrily.

Ye Lao remained silent, meekly and reluctantly returning the spirit fetus to Chen Caihua. Before leaving, he secretly gave the little figure a light pinch on its chubby bottom...

"Little Caihua, your master doesn't know you're here, does he?" That was Old Cuihua's voice.

“She left with the police, saying she was going to catch ‘Worm-headed Barbarians’,” Shen Caihua replied, then added, “It’s a disgusting, large fleshy worm.”

"'Worm-headed Barbarians'? Hmph, I'm afraid we won't be able to catch many of them." Old Cuihua sneered.

"Old Cuihua, you also know about those big fleshy worms?" Shen Caihua sensed something was off in her words and asked.

"Well, what strange things are happening in Huanglong Prefecture that I, Old Cuihua, don't know?" Old Cuihua chuckled, then sighed and said, "But the immortals can only perform rituals to exorcise evil spirits; they can't cure that 'Worm-Headed Barbarian.' That creature is a kind of spirit from ancient times, temporarily parasitizing a corpse. It will leave the human body on its own after a few decades."

"Will those insects leave on their own? Where do they go?" Shen Caihua asked, puzzled.

"The truly wise live in seclusion in the city," Old Cuihua chuckled. "They need to make a living too, they work and are hardworking and conscientious. In other people's eyes, they are all good comrades."

"Will they become officials?" Shen Caihua asked curiously, recalling the upright-looking Director Wen.

"Yes, and their official positions will only rise higher and higher. I think some of them might even make it to the capital," Old Cuihua speculated.

"Can't others tell that they are insects transformed?" Shen Caihua asked worriedly.

“You wouldn’t guess it, they look exactly like the host, but…” Old Cuihua said.

"But what?" Shen Caihua pressed.

“Sometimes they reveal their true forms on a full moon at midnight…” Old Cuihua replied.

Upon hearing this, Shen Caihua was startled and blurted out, "It has a long neck and can blow bubbles..."

Old Cuihua was taken aback and asked in surprise, "How did you know?"

"What I saw was that in the house of the old lady's demon den, Old Master Li's neck was stretched out so long..." Shen Caihua spread his arms to measure, and said with lingering fear.

"Where is that old man, Mr. Li?" Old Cuihua asked.

“They’ve left. They said they went somewhere in Hedong,” Shen Caihua replied.

"That must be a fully formed 'wriggling barbarian,' so be extra careful next time you encounter one," Old Cuihua warned.

Shen Caihua nodded and said, "I understand, Old Cuihua, we're leaving in a few days."

"Are we going home?" Old Cuihua asked.

“No, that big worm, Master Li, invited Granny and Master to a duel inside some kind of ‘earth navel’,” Shen Caihua told her.

"'Earth's navel'?" Old Cuihua thought for a moment and said, "I've heard of it. 'Earth's navel' is the navel of the earth, the center where the earth's energy gathers. It's extremely rare. Throughout history, countless famous feng shui masters from the Central Plains have traversed mountains and rivers, hoping to see it but never succeeding. However, wherever the earth's energy is at its peak, it often breeds some strange and wonderful things, some benevolent and some evil. We must not be careless, understand?"

"Hmm, so it's the 'Worm-Headed Barbarian'?" Shen Caihua nodded and then asked.

"Yes, there should be, and there will be other things too," Old Cuihua said.

Old Master Ye and Old Cuihua inquired in detail about the living conditions of Han Sheng and his wife and their family over the past six years. When they learned that Lan'er still had not given birth, they were both deeply saddened.

"Why don't you come to Nanshan Village to play?" Shen Caihua asked curiously.

“Look at us, we look neither human nor ghost. We’re used to living in Huanglong Prefecture, and we don’t want to embarrass ourselves in the interior again,” Old Cuihua sighed in reply.

"Old man, old Cuihua, I'm going back now." Shen Caihua bid them farewell, first going to the edge of the pool to catch his breath and get ashore, then draining the water and rolling it into a suction tube.

Old Master Ye led Shen Caihua back to the Liao Pagoda, reluctant to leave. He whispered in Shen Caihua's ear, his face flushed, "Do you know the current situation of that 'hairy corpse'?"

"Which 'hairy corpse'?" Shen Caihua asked, puzzled.

"Chirp chirp chirp..." Old Ye pursed his lips and imitated the chirping sound of a cricket.

"Old Master, you're thinking about that pretty skeleton again! Watch out, I'm clearing the way!" Old Cuihua roared angrily from inside Old Master Ye's body.

"This old monk dares not, dares not..." Ye Lao quickly muttered an explanation.

Shen Caicai walked quite a distance, then looked back and vaguely caught a glimpse of Ye Lao's gaunt and lonely figure standing inside the window of the tenth floor of the Liao Pagoda...

“Actually, they’re both pretty lonely…” Dudu said, standing on Caihua’s shoulder, her tone filled with an endless desolation.

Shen Caihua returned to his room at the guesthouse, but the Hakka nanny had not yet returned.

At this moment, the Nong'an County Party Committee is holding a secret Standing Committee meeting. They have specially invited Taiwanese scholar Sister Li to the meeting to introduce the process of discovering the "Nong'an Insect People" and to study and deploy a special operation to capture the remaining "Insect People".

First, Director Wen gave a detailed report on the murder case of Wang Laonian in Yaowopu Village, Kaoshan Township, and the situation of Captain Qi of the Criminal Police Team who accidentally swallowed "Worm Head Barbarian" and thus fell into a coma and became mentally confused.

County Party Secretary Xing looked sharply at the Hakka woman and slowly said, "Sister-in-law Li, are you from Taiwan?"

“Nanzhuang, Miaoli, Taiwan,” the Hakka woman answered cautiously, glancing at the five portraits of great figures hanging on the wall. She didn't recognize the first four—they were bearded foreigners—but knew the last portrait was of Mao Zedong. Below the portraits hung two red flags with hammers and sickles. Several stern-faced middle-aged and elderly men sat solemnly around the conference table. This was the first time she had ever experienced such a dignified occasion.

"Are you a biologist?" Secretary Xing asked again.

"The old lady is a renowned expert in ancient medicine in Taiwan and has made significant achievements in the field of paleontology," the Hakka woman replied gently. She knew that in official circles, a certain amount of self-presentation was necessary.

"Well, we Bolsheviks are staunch atheists, and we have reservations about what you call 'wild barbarians.' Chairman Mao taught us that 'practice is the sole criterion for testing truth,' so we must see this so-called ancient species with our own eyes before we can be sure..." Secretary Xing coughed, took a small sip of his tea, and then put it down to continue, "However, Director Wen is a veteran comrade who has worked on the public security front for over ten years. He is very meticulous in his work and has always maintained a rigorous style. Therefore, the county committee will definitely take his words seriously. Don't you agree?" He turned his gaze to the other standing committee members.

“Yes, Director Wen, we have always supported your public security work,” the county head said.

"Old Wen, if we really catch the 'Nong'an Insect Man,' it will definitely cause a national sensation, and our Nong'an will become famous, haha..." The speaker was the head of the county propaganda department.

"Thank you for your trust, leaders," Director Wen said humbly.

Secretary Xing raised his hand to signal everyone to stop talking and focus their attention on him.

"Director Wen, do you have any photos to prove that this is a kind of insect called 'Wormhead Man'?" Secretary Xing asked.

Director Wen blushed and said shyly, “Secretary Xing, the little ‘snake’ inside Wang Laonian’s body was thrown into the stove and burned to death by Sister-in-law Li. The body of Section Chief Hu’s brother in the Political Security Section mutated into a large ‘snake.’ Just as our officers were preparing to capture it, Section Chief Hu’s father suddenly poured a bucket of fuel into the coffin and set it on fire, burning it to ashes… Both of these incidents happened so suddenly that there was no time to take pictures. This is a failure on our part, and I humbly accept the blame…”

"Alright, I won't criticize you this time. Director Wen, you said that there are still these 'Worm-headed Barbarians' in Nong'an County, and they are involved in some old cases left over from the Japanese occupation period. So, how many more of these human-shaped 'Worm-headed Barbarians' do you think we can find in this county?" Secretary Xing asked.

Director Wen glanced at the Hakka woman and then answered affirmatively, "One hundred."

Chapter 84 of the main text

The standing committee members in the meeting room began to whisper among themselves, their faces showing expressions of astonishment and excitement.

"One hundred!" the propaganda minister exclaimed. "If we could capture so many humanoid 'wriggling barbarians,' it would be an unprecedented spectacle!"

The county magistrate, whose surname was Shangguan, was a kind and approachable old man. He cleared his throat and said with a mature and composed tone, "Director Wen, who knows about this matter?"

After a moment's thought, Director Wen replied, "Besides Captain Qi of the Criminal Investigation Team, several criminal police officers who were at the scene, and Section Chief Hu of the Political Security Section, there are only the people present here."