Chapter 16: The Darkest Hour
In that instant, the Wu brothers and I nearly jumped out of our skins. Had this stranger really just killed a soul-devouring corpse? The casual display of such overwhelming power sent chills down my spine - if he could so easily dispatch one of the most feared creatures in our world, what else was he capable of?
Before I could process what happened, the white-robed woman let out a piercing shriek that seemed to shake the very foundations of the shop. Her mouth opened impossibly wide, stretching beyond human limits to release a torrent of black miasma. Being a corpse, her anatomy differed from humans - even with her neck twisted 180 degrees, she remained formidable. Though the dark vapor didn't reach us directly, its putrid stench carried the concentrated essence of a thousand rotting corpses, nearly making me vomit where I stood.
The man in black made a soft sound of interest, as casual as if he were examining an interesting insect. "A soul-devouring corpse? My mistake." With practiced grace that spoke of long experience, he drew a small bag from his waist, opening it just a crack. The black miasma was pulled into it like a whale drawing in water, the ancient evil being contained with frightening efficiency.
"All concentrated resentment," he smiled, patting the bag with satisfaction. "Wouldn't want to waste such pure hatred. It has its uses."
The white-robed woman's face contorted in horror, her beautiful features twisting into something inhuman. "A corpse-collecting bag? Who are you people?" As she spoke, her hands gripped her head with supernatural strength, forcibly twisting it back into position with a series of sickening cracks that echoed through the suddenly silent shop. Each pop and snap made my stomach turn.
The shopkeeper's voice remained level, though power thrummed beneath his casual tone. "Friend, using violence in my shop shows poor manners. This is neutral ground, protected by ancient agreements. Take your money back - I won't do business with rule-breakers."
"Old man," the black-clothed figure frowned, menace radiating from his still form, "you've taken the money. Don't be difficult. We all know how this ends."
The shopkeeper tossed the two cases of money back without hesitation, his aged eyes suddenly sharp as steel. "I've run this shop in the Taihang Mountains for decades. Nothing disgusts me more than rule-breakers. I've seen plenty of thugs with more power than you, boy, and I'm still here. So what's it to be? Leave with your pride intact, or try to destroy my shop and learn why I've survived so long?"
The man in black stared at him intensely, measuring the old shopkeeper's resolve. Something in those ancient eyes must have given him pause. "Very well." He snatched up the money cases and strode out without another word, his men following like shadows.
"Trash," the shopkeeper spat, his contempt evident, before turning to Old Wu. "Still want the effigies? If not, the soul-devourer can have them. At least she knows the proper forms."
"Yes!" Old Wu said quickly, clearly wanting to conclude business and escape. "But just regular substitution effigies - we can't afford the soul-division ones!"
The shopkeeper sneered, his earlier power still evident in his bearing. "You? Going after the Ghost-Devouring Mirror? Better arrange your funeral first!" Nevertheless, he tossed six freshly made paper effigies to Old Wu, each one crackling with subtle energy. "120,000. Short me by one yuan and I'll break your bones. I've filled my quota of mercy for the night."
Old Wu didn't dare argue, quickly counting out the money before hurrying us toward the door. I wanted to protest - soul-division effigies were far superior to regular ones, and where we were going, we'd need every advantage. But Old Wu's glare and the gun at his waist reminded me of my position. Captives don't get voting rights.
As we left, Dead Man Qin called out mockingly, his voice dripping with dark amusement: "Brother Wu, if you actually get that mirror, show us! 100,000 for a look!" His laughter followed us into the night, a sound that suggested he didn't expect to ever pay that reward.
The Wu brothers practically dragged me down the mountain steps to their waiting Land Cruiser. Only after we were inside with the doors locked did they finally relax, though tension still radiated from their rigid postures.
"Bad luck!" Old Wu cursed, slamming his hands against the steering wheel. "All sorts of monsters crawling out tonight. Good thing I was quick-witted, or we'd have lost more than our souls! And you!" He rounded on me, his earlier fear transforming into anger. "120,000 for paper dolls! If we don't find that mirror, you're joining the mass grave, and I'll personally ensure you stay there!"
His earlier politeness had vanished like morning dew, revealing his true nature beneath. But what else could you expect in this line of work? His previous courtesy was just a thin veneer to ensure my cooperation, now stripped away by fear and frustration.
I sat silently in the back, knowing any word from me would only fuel his rage, but Old Wu wasn't finished. "What good are these expensive paper things anyway? They better be worth every yuan!"
"They're substitutes," I answered quietly, choosing my words carefully. "When running from danger, you activate them with heart's blood on the eyes - real heart's blood, mind you, not just any drop will do. Dark things will be drawn to them instead of us, buying precious seconds to escape. Those seconds might mean the difference between life and death where we're going."
"They better work! Demanding 480,000 for those fancy ones - you think money grows on trees?" He started the engine with unnecessary force, then asked, "Those men in black - who were they? After the mirror too?"
"I don't know," I answered honestly, though my mind was racing with possibilities. They were incredibly powerful - casually breaking a soul-devouring corpse's neck, carrying bags that could trap death-essence. They were professionals, but not tomb raiders. They walked a different dark path, perhaps one even more dangerous.
"Useless!" Old Wu spat, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. "Why did we even bring you? Brother, if his methods fail, he joins the mass grave - after we've extracted payment for our expenses!"
The shock at the shop had clearly rattled him more than he wanted to admit. He continued cursing as he drove recklessly through the dark mountain roads, but I closed my eyes, trying to conserve energy. We'd need every ounce of strength before this night was through. Eventually, he fell silent, though he kept pushing the speed limit as if trying to outrun his own fears.
"Are we heading to the mass grave now?" I finally asked, watching the moon's position through the window.
Old Wu gave me a cold look in the rearview mirror. "Why wait? Let those black-robed bastards get there first? Waste our 120,000? Besides, the mirror can't face sunlight - we must retrieve it at night! Best to take it before dawn, when the morning light will keep anything from following us!"
I was surprised he knew such lore - perhaps there was more to these mourners than I'd thought. Taking the mirror before dawn was indeed clever, but that time - known as the "darkest hour" in our circles - was when yang energy was weakest and dark forces made their final revelry before sunrise. It was like trying to rob a banquet hall during the peak of the feast.
Plus, we still had some distance to cover on treacherous mountain roads in pitch darkness. Who knew what might await us in these shadowed valleys? But I held my tongue - as their captive, I had no right to advise. Sometimes survival meant knowing when to stay silent.
I had to admit, Old Wu's driving skill was impressive. By 3 AM, we'd reached our destination. He slowed the car as Second Wu produced a square compass, its needle spinning continuously like a dancer possessed.
I nodded inwardly with grudging respect - these Mount Wu mourners weren't completely without skill. That yin-yang positioning technique was no simple trick. Few could read the subtle energies of death and life that flowed through the land. Perhaps we weren't completely doomed after all.