Chapter 339: Shamanism


    Captain Liang brought us to his office then poured each of us a cup of tea. Allow me to introduce myself again. My names Liang Xiaoyue. Im the captain of the citys Criminal Police Force.


    Li Mazi immediately beamed at him to earn his favor. I really admire you, Officer Liang. Youre this young and already a captain. You are a talented man. My family names Li. Here is my business card. Please take care of meter.


    Then, Li Mazi took out a card and gave it to him with both hands.


    I nced at the card. It read, Geomancy Advisor, Ghost & Monster Hunter, Master of Antiques. There were many titles. I even saw Researcher of Urban Legends written on the card. Li Mazi had polished himself nicely!


    Officer Liang didnt put on airs. He received the business card, took a look at it, then smiled. So youre into this kind of business.


    Dontugh at us. Its just the way we make ends meet. Li Maziughed and patted my shoulder. Anyway, my brothers ancestors all worked as otherworldly merchants. Dont assess him from his young age; hes very skilled. When someone wants him to solve a paranormal case, the result will turn out better than praying to a deity or Buddha.


    Li Mazi was ttering me so much that it made me nauseous.


    Captain Liang smiled. Ive been working as a cop for years, and Ive indeed encountered things that cant be exined by science, so Im not as conservative as you think I am. If we need your help in this case, I do hope that you guys will give us a hand.


    No problem. However, you must follow the principle of our business. The item will belong to us, I said.


    What item? Captain Liang was bewildered.


    I gave him a brief exnation about otherworldly items. After listening to me, Captain Liang nodded. As long as it follows legal procedures, its not a problem to give it to you. All right, we should go now. Lets check the corpses.


    I asked Yin Xinyue to stay and chat with Fengshen Nana, but she wasnt pleased. Its been a long time since Ist encountered something exciting.


    As we walked, Li Mazi whispered to me, What does he mean by legal procedures?


    I shook my head. Lets not talk here. Its not the first time weve got involved with the police. Also, Im not sure if an otherworldly item is behind this.


    We went to the morgue and saw several beds. The corpses of the robbers were covered with sheets of white fabric. The fluorescent lights in the room were on, which were apanied by a gloomy atmosphere all around. Two forensic doctors were chatting andughing. They pulled themselves together when they saw Captain Liang.


    Hows the autopsy going? asked Liang.


    Were still waiting for the test result from theb, but we have the preliminary result One of the doctors handed him a piece of paper. Captain Liang read it then handed it to me.


    The autopsy result reported that all the corpses had been dead for more than forty-eight hours. Livor mortis had appeared on their bodies. Their livers and pancreas had necrosis. The basic conclusion was that they had consumed poison.


    Then, the doctor lifted the white fabric to reveal one of the corpses. The body had been opened at the chest and abdomen.


    We found something in the corpses abdomen, said the forensic doctor.


    He grimaced and kept silent for a long moment before cing a te in front of us.


    Lying dead on the te was a mucus-covered, gray mouse. Its eyes and ears were stitched closed, exactly as I had guessed.


    Mr. Zhang, youre incredible. Captain Liang gave me a thumbs-up. But how did you know that the corpse had a mouse in its stomach?


    Because in this world, only the shamanic Soul Jar Technique can do that, I answered.


    Whats that? asked Captain Liang.


    It dates back to the history of Shamanism.


    The oldest religion in China was Daoism. However, it was just within the Han ethnicity. Strictly speaking, Shamanism was the true oldest religion.


    Shamanism believed that there was a spirit vein underground that had been there for thousands of years. When ones life reached the end, their soul would gather in this spirit vein. The shamans had to absorb energy from this underground spirit vein to perform their magic techniques.


    To perform the Soul Jar Technique, a small-sized animal would be put into the victims body. Snakes or mice would be the best since they had their nest underground, meaning that they had a close rtionship with the earth.


    Once those small animals entered the victims stomach, they would turn the body into a Soul Jar that could absorb the energy from the spirit vein to revive itself. The caster could control the body through the animals.


    I had read this from a book my grandpa left me


    After listening to me, Captain Liang was convinced. Ive always thought that these things were just used to deceive old people. I cant believe theres so much knowledge behind this. Today, my view of the world has truly widened!


    Then, he said, Mr. Zhang, can you trace the ringleader through these corpses?


    It won''t be easy. The culprit is a cautious one and left no clues on the corpses. Officer Liang, could you help me figure out these peoples identities first? I requested. These people must have contacted the murderer when they were alive. If he could trick them into drinking poison, they must have had a close rtionship with the culprit. Moreover, you should investigate children under five years that have gone missing during thest few years.


    Captain Liang believed in my skills now. He nodded and said, Ill send my people to work on it right away.


    Then, well part from here.


    I gave him my contact information and asked him to notify me when he got a lead.


    We left the police station, and Li Mazi drove us home. On the way back, Yin Xinyue told me quietly, Nana seems to like Captain Liang.


    Why didn''t I see that? I didnt expect Yin Xinyue to like gossip this much.


    Its my intuition as a woman. The way she looks at Captain Liang is different from the way she looks at the others, said Yin Xinyue.


    I didnt have a bad first impression of Captain Liang, either. He was capable and efficient, and became captain despite being very young. He was an outstanding young man in the Criminal Police Force.


    Li Mazi was more interested in the otherworldly item. Is this the work of an otherworldly item? How much could it be worth?


    I dont know. But ever since Ive worked in this business, Ive experienced a lot of different cases. My intuition has never been wrong.


    When we returned to the shop, Li Mazi bought two bottles of wine, and Yin Xinyue cooked some dishes.


    After dinner, Li Mazi went home. Yin Xinyue started to watch a Korean drama on myptop, while I carefully took the book my grandpa had left me, which had a chapter about Shamanism. Unexpectedly, I found a Corpse Subduing Talisman inside the book.


    I was excited. Following the instructions that my grandpa had noted down at the corner of the page, I mixed rooster blood, lead powder, and water ink. I then cut a piece of yellow paper that was three inches long and one inch wide, starting to draw on it.


    A spirit talisman was different from a calligraphy drawing. It would work if the one who drew it had some cultivation. If someone with no cultivation drew a talisman, it didnt matter how beautiful the drawing was. It was just an ordinary piece of paper.


    It was also simple to test if the talisman could work or not. I just needed to quietly read the incantation and ce the talisman between my index and middle fingers. If the spirit talisman suddenly turned rigid like a knife, it worked. If not, it was just a piece of ordinary paper.


    I used a few bundles of yellow paper to create around ten Corpse Subduing Talismans. It wasnt a bad result.


    I kept drawing until my shoulders were stiff. When I checked the time, it was 11:00 PM.


    Yin Xinyue was yawning, so I asked her if she wanted to go home. She stretched her arms and wrapped them around my neck. In a seductive voice, she said, No, I wont go home. I want to stay with you tonight.


    I only have a steel spring bed here. You should go home and sleep on your big Simmons bed.


    I want to sleep on your small, steel bed!


    Then, Yin Xinyue buried her head in my chest. I felt a little restless. Honey, this shop is my grandpas inheritance. If we act rashly, we will provoke my grandpa.


    Yin Xinyues voice grew softer. Then, why are you still hugging me?


    Since I had always been busy, I didnt spend quality time with Yin Xinyue as ofte. <em>All right, no matter what, my grandpa has been yearning for a great-grandson. Hes a big man with a big heart. Im sure he wont me us!</em>


    Right when the atmosphere was right, my phone rang.


    I picked up the call, and Captain Liangs hurried voice came from the other end of the line. Mr. Zhang, things are not good. The robbers corpses came back to life!