So there I was, staring at this crazy thick forest wrapped in this super dense fog, and man, I got this weird feeling creeping up on me. Like, the only "camping" I'd ever done was this lame high school trip to the hill behind our school. That was nothing compared to this wild, untamed jungle in front of me. This forest just went on forever, hiding who knows what kind of dangers. One wrong move and bam, disaster. And our final stop? The super creepy haunted village of Bābǎo. Looking back, this spooky forest might actually be the safer part of our trip.
"Yo, why are we going to Bābǎo Village? Isn't it supposed to be haunted? And how's it gonna help me get my lifespan back?" I finally blurted out the questions that had been bugging me before we headed in.
"Well, kinda," Menstrual Brother said patiently. "Right now, Bābǎo Village is your best shot at getting your lifespan back. But how it works? Sorry, can't tell you. Family secrets, passed down through generations, not for outsiders. Since you're not my disciple, I can't spill the beans."
While Menstrual Brother was explaining, Cold Brother had already grabbed his pack and marched into the foggy forest. Seeing both brothers moving ahead, I hustled to keep up, thinking, yeah, it's dangerous, but better than certain death.
As soon as we stepped into the forest, the fog got even thicker, like you could barely see five meters ahead. That's when Cold Brother said, "Grab the ropes from your bags."
Following his lead, Cold Brother tied a rope around my waist while Menstrual Brother secured one to my back. It was obvious – these ropes were our lifelines to keep us from getting totally lost in this crazy fog.
"Let's roll!" Cold Brother said casually, taking the lead, with me in the middle and Menstrual Brother bringing up the rear. I gotta admit, I felt a bit grateful for their protective setup.
After about half an hour of trudging through the increasingly thick fog, I could barely see Cold Brother just a few steps ahead. The rope around my waist was my only link to reality in this disorienting mess.
Breaking the silence, Cold Brother said, "I knew there were some nasty spirits here, but I didn't expect that after thirty years, the entities in Bābǎo Village would be this strong. This mission might be way more dangerous than I thought."
Hearing even the usually chill Cold Brother sound worried sent a shiver down my spine.
Menstrual Brother, always the optimist, chimed in, "Enough with the doom and gloom! They're just a bunch of wandering spirits. No matter how powerful these evil entities are, I can handle them!"
His confidence was kinda comforting, but Cold Brother wasn't letting him off the hook. "If you're so tough, why'd you call for my help?"
"Uh, well..." Menstrual Brother chuckled awkwardly and kept following me.
After a while, Cold Brother announced, "We're at the swamp. We'll need to spread out a bit. I'll mark the safe spots. If I fall in, you'll need to pull me out, kid."
"Kid?" I was surprised. Menstrual Brother explained, "It's Sichuan dialect for 'brat'!"
Being called a brat by someone not much older than me was annoying, but considering he was risking his life to lead the way, I kept my mouth shut.
Despite his usually reserved and kinda aloof attitude, Cold Brother's skills were seriously impressive. Even in the limited visibility, I could see his quick moves as he found the safest spots and left glowing markers in the fog. Following his trail, we made it through the swamp without any trouble.
Coming out of the swamp left us all totally wiped, especially me. My feet were covered in blisters, and my whole body felt like I'd been through a beating.
The aloof Cold Brother turned to check on me and said, "We'll rest here for ten minutes before moving on. If we don't reach the Taiyin Palace before nightfall, none of us will make it through the night!"
His serious words snapped me back to attention. Forget the fatigue, I quickly found a spot to sit and took off my boots, confirming the painful blisters on my feet.
Menstrual Brother came over and asked, "Got blisters?"
I nodded.
"Here's what you do," he advised. "Prick them carefully and put on some anti-inflammatory meds. It'll help with the pain and stop infection."
[
Here's the lowdown on all the crazy stuff in Chapter Two of Volume Two, laid out in the order it pops up:
Taiyin Palace
- The Building: The roof's got this octagonal pyramid thing going on, designed to vibe with the Eight Trigrams. Down below, the floor's made of these legendary Nine-Turn Dragon-Returning Bricks—super mystical.
- Cool Features:
- At midnight, this "Subdue Evil Map" shows up on the ground, keeping the bad vibes in check.
- At dawn, the beams and columns start dripping "rootless water," which can zap even the nastiest curses and poisons.
- Death Trap: There are 108 soul-capturing bells hanging from the eaves. If you don't have a protective talisman, they'll scatter your soul at night.
The Ten-Thousand Insect Curse
- How It's Made:
- They pick 999 types of venomous bugs and seal them in a clay jar.
- The jar gets buried in a corpse-nurturing spot for 49 days, soaking up all the resentment.
- The bugs that survive end up with human faces on their backs—creepy, right?
- What Happens if You're Cursed:
- Your insides start rotting, turning into a honeycomb mess.
- Fluorescent green bug eggs start oozing out of your wounds.
Ghost-faced Bug
- Looks:
- These bugs are about three inches long, with a crying face on their backs.
- Their wings flap at a frequency that messes with your brain waves.
- Deadly Stuff:
- Their mouthparts spit out enzymes that can melt through your skull.
- In swarms, they create a field of resentment that fries electronics.
The Eight Outer Sects
- Branches:
- The Sickness Art Sect is all about controlling Corpse Worms.
- The Ancient Nuo Mask Sect bosses around ancient Nuo Masks.
- The Yin Symbol Sect is into Reverse Writing Talismans.
- Rules:
- Stay away from the Talismans and Swords of Dragon Tiger Mountain.
- Don't go north of the Yangtze River.
- Never take blood from kids' hearts.
Nine Palace Soul Locking Step
- High-Cold Brother's Moves:
- Each step lands on the Life Gate spot of the Eight Trigrams.
- Every footprint leaves behind a tiny Eight Trigrams Array.
- Effects:
- Poisonous swamp mists vanish when they hit the golden light from the footwork.
- The steps create infrasound waves that scare off reptiles.
Gloom Condensation
- What's in It:
- Packed with negative oxygen ions that can make you hallucinate.
- Holds onto brainwave images of villagers who died in 1958.
- Dangers:
- Turns corrosive when it's super humid.
- Breathing too much of it makes your blood crystallize.
Baby Wailing Demon
- How It's Made:
- A baby less than a month old is buried at a three-way intersection.
- Corpse oil is poured over the spot at midnight for seven nights straight.
- How It Attacks:
- Its crying can stop your heart through resonance.
- It reaches out with its purple-black baby arm from the fog to grab your ankles.
Three Taboos of the Miao Region
- Rules for "gu" handlers:
- Don't touch copper mirrors—it'll make the "gu" turn on you.
- Avoid menstrual blood—it'll break the "gu's" golden body.
- Stay away from government silver—it'll piss off the "gu" deity.
- What Happens if You Break the Rules:
- The "gu" will leave your body and hunt you down.
- Larvae will start crawling out of every pore on your body.
These notes piece together a whole Miaojiang witchcraft system, mixing biology with some deep, dark rules. Each concept ties into the "insects and souls" thing, setting up the crazy witchcraft battle to come. The mix of science and supernatural hints at a force field in Baobu Village that just doesn't play by the rules.
]