Chapter 76: The Calamity of Men
A funeral procession ascended the mountain path, solemn and slow. At this sight, the two carriages halted at once, pulling aside to yield the road.
From the foremost carriage, Chairman He stepped out, standing by the roadside as he watched the mourners pass. After a moment, he strode forward, speaking a few quiet words with the elderly among the procession before retreating back to the roadside, hands clasped behind his back, observing as the funeral marched on.
Beside him, Chen Yan and Chu Ke Qing also alighted from their carriage, standing in respectful silence.
The funeral procession advanced, leaving behind trails of gunpowder smoke and the acrid scent of burnt firecrackers in the air. Chen Yan narrowed his eyes at the scene, his expression unreadable.
With a turn of his head, he caught Chu Ke Qing adjusting her glasses, her brows furrowing. “A funeral at this hour?” she murmured. “That is most unusual.”
“Indeed,” Chen Yan replied, his voice carrying a trace of curiosity.
The customs of the Dragon Nation dictated that the deceased should be buried in the morning. Whether in the bustling cities or the remote countryside, funerals followed a strict tradition—an early ascent to the burial ground, the interment completed before noon. But now, as the sky dimmed with the coming of dusk, this funeral procession defied convention.
Chen Yan’s gaze swept over the mourners, and his attention briefly settled upon a young man clutching a small urn—a telltale sign that the deceased had been cremated. After a body had been reduced to ashes, no lingering fate could be divined; his Qi-Observing Technique would reveal nothing.
As the last of the procession faded into the distance, Chen Yan and Chu Ke Qing stepped toward Chairman He. Chu Ke Qing spoke in a low voice. “Chairman He, you seemed familiar with the mourners. Did you know the deceased?”
Chairman He sighed, shaking his head. “A villager from my hometown. The Ding Family, from the western end of He Village, lost a man.”
“The Ding Family?” Chu Ke Qing asked.
“They are outsiders to the He Clan, having migrated here generations ago,” Chairman He explained. “Though they bear a different surname, they have intermarried with the He lineage and taken root in this land. The majority of the village carries the He name, but about a quarter of its people are of the Ding family.”
Pausing for a moment, he let out a weary sigh. “The deceased was named Ding You Quan. By seniority, I ought to call him ‘Distant Uncle.’ He passed seven days ago. My own affairs kept me occupied, but I still paid my respects.”
Chen Yan was silent for a moment, then asked, “Aside from Ding You Quan, has there been any other death in He Village recently?”
It was an audacious question for a mere junior disciple to ask, particularly when Chu Ke Qing, his senior, had yet to speak. By etiquette, he should have deferred to her.
Chairman He glanced at him, a flicker of curiosity crossing his face. He was a man of wealth and influence, yet bore no arrogance. Though puzzled, he answered for Chu Ke Qing’s sake. “The Wang Family also suffered a loss recently. They are another of the village’s outside families, though they share no relation to my household. I did not attend, but I sent my respects.”
Chen Yan nodded, falling silent once more.
The funeral procession vanished beyond the hills, and with its passing, they resumed their journey back to He Village.
—
At the He Family Mansion, just before stepping out of the car, Chen Yan turned to Chu Ke Qing’s assistant, issuing quiet instructions. “Find an excuse to head out—say you need to buy something. While you’re in the village, make discreet inquiries about the deceased: Ding You Quan and the one from the Wang family. Learn how they died and when. And if there have been any other recent deaths, make note of that too.”
The assistant hesitated, her gaze darting to Chu Ke Qing.
Chu Ke Qing’s expression darkened slightly. “What Senior Chen Yan asks is what I ask. Carry it out with care.”
With that, the assistant hurried away.
Chu Ke Qing turned to Chen Yan. “Senior, do you suspect the village deaths to be…?”
Chen Yan gave a small nod. “I have a theory.”
—
Once inside the mansion, they were greeted in the main hall by Madam He, Sun Chen, who had tea brought forth at once. However, the atmosphere remained heavy. Chairman He, his expression grave, wasted no time on pleasantries. He turned to Chu Ke Qing and said, “Master Chu, on the mountain earlier…”
Chu Ke Qing inclined her head. “Chairman He, we should talk. Here, or in your study?”
After a brief moment of thought, Chairman He instructed, “Everyone, leave the room.”
His assistant, Zhao, immediately stepped forward to ensure that the housemaids and guards exited. Even Madam He, after a brief exchange of glances with her husband, left without protest, offering only a parting whisper: “Don’t fret too much. Since Master Chu is here, a solution will be found.”
With the hall now empty save for three people—Chairman He, Chu Ke Qing, and Chen Yan—Chairman He finally broke the silence.
He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with steady hands. His eyes flickered over Chen Yan before settling on Chu Ke Qing. “Master Chu… it’s time to tell me the truth. What in the world is happening to my family’s grave? How did my mother’s remains vanish? Were they stolen?”
Chu Ke Qing shook her head. “Chairman He, I cannot yet answer that with certainty. A single visit to the site is far from enough.”
Chairman He frowned deeply. “You mean to say you saw nothing? Found no clues at all?”
“There are traces,” Chu Ke Qing said, her voice measured. “Some threads of insight.”
Chairman He inhaled sharply, then exhaled, his face darkening. “Then speak. No matter what it takes, I must find my mother’s body. And if I discover the one responsible for its theft… I will make them pay.”
He De Nian was a tycoon whose wealth surpassed billions. In his early days, as he carved his path to success, he had inevitably traversed the gray areas of business. But now, as he clenched his teeth and steeled his resolve, a fearsome aura emanated from him—one that befitted a man accustomed to dominance.
Chu Ke Qing sighed softly. “Chairman He, I…”
She paused for a moment, then slowly said, “I suspect that a Spirit Monster lurks within these mountains.”
He De Nian’s expression stiffened. “A Spirit Monster?”
“Yes. The term encompasses many beings—Demonic Beasts that have cultivated intelligence, as well as primordial spirits like Mountain Fiends and Mountain Imps. Just as the waters harbor their own Spirit Monsters, so too do the mountains conceal their own.”
She met his gaze solemnly. “The disappearance of Old Madam He’s remains—it’s too bizarre to be the work of human hands. No mortal, no matter how skilled, could have silently and seamlessly stolen a body from a sealed coffin.”
He De Nian’s expression grew heavier. He nodded. “After the incident, I had experts examine the coffin. The nails were pried open—but without any signs of repeated tampering.”
“In other words, since the burial, the coffin lid was never disturbed. Only when we attempted to relocate the remains did we first unseal it. The coffin itself remained intact—no signs of dismantling.”
Chu Ke Qing nodded. “Precisely. That is why I say this is beyond human capability. Only a Spirit Monster could achieve such a feat.”
A muscle twitched at the corner of He De Nian’s eye. “Do such things truly exist in this world?”
He was a man of pragmatism, but he was not entirely without superstition—otherwise, he would not have sought the aid of Elder Zi, the identity under which Chu Ke Qing was known. Yet, belief was one thing; truly accepting the existence of such creatures was another.
Chu Ke Qing did not answer. She merely gazed at him in silence. The message in her eyes was clear: If you do not believe me, then why seek me out?
He De Nian was a shrewd man. His wealth was built upon his keen judgment. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded. “Very well. If this was done by a Spirit Monster—can you resolve it, Master Chu?”
“I need time.” Chu Ke Qing shook her head. “This is not a matter that can be resolved overnight. I will remain here in the coming days, and each day, I will lead my people into the mountains to search for traces of the Spirit Monster. Chairman He, I ask for your patience.”
He De Nian hesitated. “You plan to venture into the mountains? If necessary, I can mobilize villagers—one or two hundred men at least. If that is insufficient, I can bring in more from the nearby regions.”
“No need,” Chu Ke Qing declined. “Ordinary people, no matter how many, will be of no help in hunting a Spirit Monster. I will take my own people.”
A weight settled on He De Nian’s face as he mulled over her words. His eyes turned red once more. “Master Chu… these Spirit Monsters—why would one steal my mother’s body? What… what would such a creature want with a human corpse?”
“It is difficult to say,” Chu Ke Qing admitted. “However, the old madam was blessed in life and suffered no misfortune in death. I have long since examined her fate. You need not fear calamity befalling her. Perhaps the Spirit Monster is using her remains for some kind of ritual. Chairman He, I know your mind must be racing with countless dark imaginings, but I swear—I will do all I can to recover Old Madam He’s body.”
“If there is anything I can do to help, please tell me.” He De Nian sighed.
At that moment, Chen Yan, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke. “There is indeed one thing we need Chairman He to assist with.”
He De Nian turned to him, his gaze darkening slightly. He was not particularly fond of this young man, whose sense of decorum seemed somewhat lacking. Still, he steadied himself and said, “Speak. So long as it helps recover my mother’s remains, whatever is needed, just say the word.”
Chen Yan glanced at Chu Ke Qing, then back at He De Nian. “When Old Madam He was buried, the entire village must have come to pay their respects, correct?”
He De Nian frowned slightly, unsure of the relevance of the question. Nevertheless, he replied, “The He family has deep roots here. When my mother passed, every household in the village sent representatives.”
“Then, surely, there must be a guest register?” Chen Yan continued.
A flicker of understanding passed through He De Nian’s eyes, and he turned toward Chu Ke Qing. She remained silent, merely watching him calmly.
After a long moment, he nodded. “Yes, there is a list. My mother valued the bonds of kinship and community. Following her teachings, I recorded the names of all who attended, so that I might one day repay their kindness.”
“We need that list.” Chen Yan’s voice was solemn.
He De Nian’s eyes flashed. He clenched his jaw and spoke in a low voice. “The list?”
He looked at Chu Ke Qing. “Master Chu… are you suggesting that human hands were involved in this?”
Chu Ke Qing remained silent, but Chen Yan said, “Old Madam He’s burial site was a place of exceptional Fortune—a land embraced by mountains and nourished by water, a supreme burial ground. How then, did a sudden downpour cause a landslide that just so happened to collapse only her grave?
A Fortunate Burial Ground carries its own protective fate. How could it suffer such a catastrophe? The logic does not hold.”
He De Nian’s face changed drastically!
He understood the implication. A place imbued with great Fortune should not be struck by random disaster. It was akin to a man blessed with endless luck—how could he, standing safely indoors, suddenly be crushed by a falling chandelier?
Chu Ke Qing exhaled softly. “Chairman He, we inspected the grave site. The Feng Shui is impeccable. It is not a place of misfortune or danger. Even with heavy rain, it should not have collapsed. Even if it did, it should not have been precisely where your mother rested.
“In my years wandering the world, assisting people in geomantic matters, I have never once made an error in my assessments.
“To tell you the truth—before coming here, I had doubts. I wondered if perhaps my own skills had failed you. That maybe I had chosen poorly, and that my error had led to this disaster.
“But after surveying the site today, I am certain. The Feng Shui is sound. The Fate of the site itself should not have invited calamity.”
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