So, as I read out the names, my second uncle wrote a name on the yellow paper. During this process, we recorded a total of ninety-nine names. I read, Lin Sanshui guided, and we ended up with exactly fifty male names and forty-nine female names.
These names were all excerpted from the family genealogy and were all of our Lin family ancestors.
I thought of the ninety-nine clay figurines molded by the villagers and suddenly, as if everything made sense, I seemed to understand what Pangzi was actually planning.
After completing all this, we had to go and verify each name. If Grandpa San were still alive, he could have easily helped us, but now, with Grandpa San gone, I had to go to the villagers myself and ask if the people represented by the names were buried in the ancestral hall.
This took until noon. When everything was finally settled and confirmed, we stayed at Lin Sanshui's house and had a meal of his homemade fried sauce noodles, which were surprisingly delicious. Even the lady police officer praised it, unable to stop saying how good it was.
After the meal, my second uncle went home. He still didn't seem willing to reveal himself completely. We stayed at Lin Sanshui's house to plan how to deal with the biggest BOSS at the moment, the red coffin. Although we said we were planning, in fact, we could only follow Pangzi's lead and listen to his orders.
At this point, what we needed to discuss was contrary to mainstream thinking, bordering on feudal superstition. Having a female police officer in uniform around made me feel awkward, and apparently, I wasn't the only one with such thoughts. Pangzi boldly said, "Comrade Police Officer, isn't it better for you to avoid this situation? You're quite familiar with this area, and if you're seen here, they might just come and arrest us all."
The lady police officer glanced at the three of us with an odd look, didn't say anything, but turned her hand expertly and neatly took off her police uniform, leaving only a white camisole, revealing her curvaceous figure in front of the three of us. Pangzi's eyes almost popped out, and he gave a thumbs up, saying, "Sister, you're really open-minded!"
Lin Sanshui blushed at a glance, being the eldest here, but where had he ever seen such a scene? With the female police officer standing next to me, seeing her undressing to reveal her almost explosive figure made me feel hot all over, not to mention the others.
"Now, you don't have to see me as a police officer." The lady police officer said with an expressionless face, shrugging.
With the lady police officer acting like this, what could we say? Even though such a situation made me feel more unnatural.
"In the afternoon, find a few guys to go to the ancestral hall and bring out the red coffin. Then take it to the threshing ground, and remember to lift the wooden frame under the coffin along with it." Pangzi instructed us.
Lin Sanshui nodded and said, "No problem, after this, what should we do next? Mr. Liu, please advise."
"There's no afterwards, let's sort out this matter first, okay?" Pangzi said, his face very wa**ntly blunt.
Lin Sanshui didn't dare to show any displeasure towards Pangzi, and simply nodded and left the room, saying, "Alright, I'll go and take care of this right now."
After Lin Sanshui left the room, Pangzi lit a cigarette. His face, which had been disrespectful seconds ago, immediately turned serious. Taking a drag, he said to me, "Xiaofan, do you know what the biggest variable tonight is?"
"I don't know." I answered honestly.
"It's your father. To be honest, I suspect that the red figure you captured on your phone is the one inside the red coffin. However, the peachwood frame hasn't been damaged, so she can't possibly come out, and there's something unusual about your father. I can't read this situation, and I don't like to go into a battle unprepared. That's why I'm really worried that the problem tonight, might be related to your father." Pangzi said.
After saying this, he looked at me and said, "Since when did your father start acting like this? Little guy, at this point, do you still want to hide something from me?"
After Fatty finished talking, the cigarette was about to burn to the butt, and he extinguished it. He looked at me with burning eyes, waiting for my answer.
"I have never seen my father at night, so I really can't say when this started. But personally, I suspect that he was normal before, and this situation occurred after my grandfather's death. More precisely, it was that night when he went to the ancestral hall alone," I said.
"Go on," Fatty lit another cigarette, and at that moment, he seemed like a doctor, examining and analyzing the situation.
"After my grandfather's death, a series of strange incidents occurred in the village, so my father felt guilty and believed that these incidents were initiated by the defilement of my grandfather's corpse. Therefore, my family naturally had to take responsibility. Coincidentally, it was when Lin Er Egg had an accident that made him feel extremely guilty. So, that night, he went to the ancestral hall alone with an axe to break the situation inside the red coffin," I continued.
"I guess your uncle has more courage than you. Are you saying that your father’s health problems started after that night? But what exactly happened that night?" the policewoman asked me as she moved closer to me.
"I don't know. My mother discovered that my father didn't respond and woke me up. After my second uncle and I arrived at the ancestral hall, my father was already unconscious," I replied.
"Tell me, what exactly happened that night?" Fatty suddenly demanded.
"A female ghost, her body was very supple and she seduced me," I stammered. It was difficult for me to discuss this with others. Should I tell them that I actually quite enjoyed the feeling at the time? This is also why I never mentioned the origin of the dark cloud on my father's face to Fatty.
Because I could easily imagine, and I dared not imagine, what the female ghost did to my father before I arrived.
The seduction by the female ghost was interrupted by my uncle.
So, before I got there, what did my father and the female ghost have time to do in the ancestral hall?
This is the most troubling part for me. I am not afraid of what might have happened between my father and the female ghost, but I am troubled that perhaps after dealing with my father, the female ghost then tried to seduce me!
Upon hearing my words, both Fatty and the policewoman's faces became strange. I knew that they both had sharper minds than I did; could they not think of what I was thinking?
Fatty patted my shoulder and said, "Young man, don't be stressed. As far as I know, ghosts are particularly interested in young men with vigorous energy, especially someone like you, a young virgin with pure yang energy. They both love and fear it. Like the female ghost in the red coffin, she is more interested in you. So, there's no need for you to be afraid of what happened between her and your father."
"Really?" I asked, fearing that Fatty's words were just meant to console me.
"Rest assured, it's absolutely true," he affirmed.
"After I entered the ancestral hall, the female ghost seemed to only target me at first, constantly seducing me. I'll be honest with you, don't laugh at me. I was almost unable to resist falling for her charm. It was only when my uncle shouted at me that I briefly regained my composure, pushed her away, and ran out. Oh, I remember now, the female ghost used her long, greasy hair with surprising strength!" After Fatty helped me release my emotions, I quickly recounted the events.
"What happened next?" Fatty continued as if unwilling to give up.
"There was nothing else. My father fainted, which scared me. After being taken to the hospital, he woke up without any other issues. The doctor said he fainted due to low blood sugar. So, his health problems seemed to have started from that night," I explained.
"That's not logical," Fatty tutted.
"Yes, I know it's not logical," I agreed.
"Do you know what's illogical when you keep talking nonsense? Your father went to fight the female ghost that night, yet he's still alive. That's the most illogical thing!" Fatty stared at me and said.