Chapter 1: The Weight of the Soul

In 1907, a foreign scientist conducted an experiment and discovered that a person's weight suddenly decreases by 21 grams upon death. This is the so-called "weight of the soul." However, my uncle, a feng shui master, once told me that when a person dies, their soul leaves the body, and this departing soul weighs only four qian (an old Chinese weight unit). Converting the measurement, one qian equals 5 grams. So here comes the question—why is there a 1-gram difference between the Eastern and Western theories about the weight of the soul? It took me years to understand the reason behind this. That missing 1 gram of weight attaches itself to the person or object the deceased cared about most in life. It is precisely within this 1 gram of residual soul that the most crucial memories of the deceased are preserved—especially the moment of their death. This explains why many wandering spirits remain on earth for years yet have no idea how they died. Some even forget the people they loved the most or those they hated the most during their lifetime... My name is Zhang Jinbao, and I am now a professional corpse seeker. But I'm not like those "ransom-seeking corpse retrievers" you hear about in the news—people who already know where a body is and charge a hefty price to recover it. No, my job is different. I help those who know their loved ones have died but have no idea where their bodies are. Naturally, my services don't come cheap! After returning from my uncle's place, I devoted myself wholeheartedly to studying. My hard work paid off, and after two attempts at the college entrance exam, I finally got into North China Normal University, majoring in geography. To my parents, I was studying a field as obscure as archaeology, but only I knew how crucial this knowledge would be for my future path. After graduating, I realized that geography majors had a wide range of career options. I could take the civil service exam, become a teacher, or work in surveying and mapping. But I knew I had no chance of passing the civil service exam. Becoming a teacher or entering the construction industry required further education. However, I had never intended to pursue academic success in this field. I had studied it simply to apply it to my unique skill set. Eventually, I used my abilities to help people locate the remains of their loved ones who had died but whose bodies were missing. At first, I had no clients. Who would trust a young man like me? People preferred to believe older, more experienced-looking frauds rather than listen to me. Those were hard times—I lived in poverty, yet I was too embarrassed to ask my family for money. I ended up making a living by helping people find their lost pets. But this was like using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken. Not only was it an unworthy application of my skills, but I also often failed. If a pet hadn't died or had been taken and eaten, I wouldn't be able to sense it at all. After struggling to make ends meet for a while, I finally caught a break—an opportunity that helped me gain some recognition in this field. I still remember that sunny morning when I accepted an online request to find a lost dog. Following the owner's instructions, I arrived at her home. As per my usual process, I asked her to give me an item the dog frequently used. She handed me a small collar. The moment I touched it, I knew the dog wasn't dead. But here was the problem—if it wasn't dead, I wouldn't be able to find it. So, I had no choice but to be honest with the owner. The owner was a teenage girl. When she heard that I couldn't find her beloved pet, she burst into tears. "Big brother, I can tell you're a good person. Please help me look for my dog. I don't dare go too far on my own. I'll pay you—just come with me, okay?" She pressed 500 yuan into my hands. I couldn't bring myself to refuse this teary-eyed girl, so I agreed to accompany her in searching for her lost corgi. Based on the photo she showed me, the dog was adorable. Because of this, I knew it was unlikely to have become a stray or been eaten. The only plausible explanation for its disappearance was that someone had picked it up. Since I had accepted payment, I had to at least make an effort. Even though I knew my abilities wouldn't help in this case, I still went through the motions. We retraced her usual walking route with her dog, heading north. As we walked, we ended up at a reservoir on the outskirts of the city. The sky was slightly overcast that day, and the cool breeze made it an unlikely time for fishing. Yet, to my surprise, luxury cars were parked all around the reservoir. At first, I assumed they belonged to fishermen. But as we approached, I suddenly felt a familiar sensation—the unmistakable presence of a corpse nearby. The feeling hit me like a thunderclap. I could sense a boy, around ten years old. He had died struggling in the water—he must not have known how to swim. "What are you doing here?" A stern voice called out from a distance. The girl and I were startled and turned to see a group of burly men approaching us with intimidating expressions. Although she was scared, the girl still defiantly retorted, "This isn't private property! Why do you care what I'm doing?" Cold sweat broke out on my forehead. This girl really doesn't know how to talk to people! These guys were clearly not to be messed with. Quickly, I stepped forward with a smile and said, "Gentlemen, I'm just helping my little sister look for her lost dog. We didn't mean any trouble. Is there a problem with us being here?" The leader of the group was a young man with a crew cut. Seeing that I was polite, his expression softened slightly. He pointed toward the reservoir and said, "Something happened here. Three days ago, our boss came here to fish. He turned around for just a moment, and when he looked back, his son was gone. We've been searching for three days, but we can't find him—on land or in the water. Kid, I suggest you take your search elsewhere. If our boss finds out that you're here looking for a dog while he's looking for his son... well, you're not gonna like the outcome." The girl was about to say something, but I quickly pulled her back. The man was right—his boss's son was missing, and they were desperate to find him. Searching for a dog here was indeed inappropriate...