The cemetery behind the Xuanming Temple was called Li Jiadu Cemetery, about three hundred meters away from the temple in a straight line.
We had two legends about Li Jiadu Cemetery. The first one said that the cemetery was originally a place of disorderly burials, and after it was completed, many solitary souls and wild ghosts wandered outside the cemetery. People passing by the cemetery at night often heard whispers, but they couldn't see anyone. The second one was passed on when Fatty and I were in primary school, because our school was not very far from the cemetery. It was said that there were teachers staying overnight, and they saw faces flashing outside the bathroom when they went in at night, not just once, scaring several teachers, who would rather take three bus trips than stay in the school again.
However, folk legends are mostly not to be taken seriously. There's a saying, right? Every school is built on a burial ground, and every women's restroom is rumored to have people committing suicide.
Fatty and I arrived the next afternoon to mainly scope the area. The gatekeeper was an old man, thin and wiry like a monkey. He asked us hoarsely, "What are you guys doing here?"
The chubby guy was quite lively and said with a smile, "I'm here to accompany my buddy to pay respects to the old man, you smoke a cigarette."
The gatekeepers and security guards in China can generally be persuaded with cigarettes.
I stepped into the gates of the underworld. The whole cemetery was quite large and divided into three sections the left side was the cypress area, the right side was the winter plum area, and the middle was the emerald bamboo area.
According to the records in "Mountain and Wilderness Tales," there was a type of creature called "Square-tailed," which appeared during the Republic of China period and usually operated near the chaotic burial mounds. This creature resembled a bamboo rat, with a round head, very small eyes, showing a pair of front teeth. However, the difference from the bamboo rat was that the "Square-tailed" had a square tail, just as its name suggested.
"The Square-tail is two feet long, black and gray all over, with small elongated eyes, and the tail is square, thus its name. It usually inhabits areas with many corpses and ghosts, feeding on yin energy and favoring the space between corpses. It is naturally timid but will attack when in danger. Capturing it enables the extraction of short bones from its tail, which can be used in magic tools for spiritual communication."
The book introduces it in roughly this way, and that night I discussed with Zhu the price over the phone. The price over there was not low, but it depended on the specific market.
I wandered around the cypress area but didn't find anything unusual; there were hardly any people visiting graves. I saw one person when I came in, but they soon left. At this moment, this vast cemetery was left with just me. I turned and walked into the emerald bamboo area, and during that walk, I made some discoveries.
Some areas in the cemetery still hadn't erected tombstones and were vacant, just covered with a layer of planks. These areas were generally for sale. At that time, cremation was quite common in Shanghai, but the practice of buying cemetery plots hadn't become popular yet, so there were more vacant spots.
What I saw was a vacant graveyard, but the stone covering it had a gap. In fact, this gap was not prominent at all, and I would have missed it if I hadn't been paying attention.
However, what struck me was that several plants around the cemetery were dead, and most notably, the weeds surrounding the grave had also withered! This was quite an unusual phenomenon!
Weeds are usually very resilient, and Shanghai also received plenty of rain. It was just the beginning of spring, so why was nothing growing here?
I found it suspicious, so I leaned forward and saw a hole. It was quite deep. I didn't have any measuring tools, but by eyeballing it, it was at least a meter deep. The opening was a few inches wider than my fist. The walls of the hole looked very smooth, as if they had been dug out. I squatted down, pinched the nearby soil, and felt it was slightly damp. I put it under my nose and sniffed; there was a faint odor.
Wild rats and such also dig holes, and the soil at the entrance would carry the odor of rat droppings. These weren't some kind of wilderness skills; they were things I had naturally learned from playing with friends when I was young.
This hole was likely dug by something similar to a rat, but from the size of the opening, it probably wasn't a rat. I had never seen a rat in Shanghai that was wider than my fist. Perhaps it was dug out by the "Square-tail," but the possibility of other explanations couldn't be excluded.
The "Square-tail" had a tendency to attack. Although it was normally timid, in desperate situations, it might attack me. Since this creature feeds on yin energy, it should also consume some insects and rodents, whether its teeth carry some toxin, and whether its body contains bacteria, I didn't know. Proceeding recklessly might lead to more harm than gain.
With this in mind, I pondered for a moment and then pushed the stone back. If the habits of the "Square-tail" were similar to that of a rat, then this hole wouldn't be the only exit. As the saying goes, "A fox has three dens; a rat has several." Rats also had this habit.
I made a small mark beside the stone and then started wandering around nearby. However, to my surprise, even though I observed carefully for a long time, I still didn't find any other holes here.
"That's strange, just one hole?"
I furrowed my brow in confusion.
At this time, the chubby guy walked over from a distance, and the old man on watch behind him seemed a bit wary.
"Any findings yet? The old man is getting suspicious. I think he's starting to see us as thieves trying to steal offerings," the chubby guy said in a low voice.
"I've found something. Let's talk about it when we get back."
With a lot of doubts in my mind, the chubby guy and I left the Li family's cemetery.
We had dinner at a nearby small restaurant. Chubby guy opened two bottles of beer, took a sip, and said, "So you're saying there might be traces of 'Fangwei,' but you're not sure?"
"Yeah, think about it. If it's really a shrewd and timid burrowing animal like 'Fangwei,' would it only dig one hole? If so, why can't I just smoke it out and block the hole with something? Even mice aren't that stupid, let alone a burrowing animal. So, I'm not sure."
After expressing my concerns, Chubby guy chuckled, wiped his mouth and said, "Damn, why don't we just go check it out tonight? If what you're saying about this thing being like a mouse is true, then it's nocturnal. Maybe we'll just catch it in the act when we go. After we're done eating, let's each prepare some tools at our homes. I wouldn't dare go to the cemetery empty-handed."
We agreed on a time, and I went home to prepare the amulet given by Daba and the bell given by Master Han. I also brought along the old flashlight and thick gloves from my house. Around nine o'clock at night, chubby guy and I met on the roadside opposite the Li family's cemetery.
"I brought a rope, half a ladder, a dagger, and a shovel. Hehe, just in case we get into a fight, we can defend ourselves with this."
Chubby guy handed me the dagger. His grandfather was an old Red Army soldier, and they used to have guns at home, but were turned in a few years ago. However, the dagger was still kept. It was a sharp blade, and even had a history of taking lives!
"You're giving me the dagger? And you're taking the shovel?"
I asked, taken aback after receiving it.
"Hehe, you came to help me, that's why we're taking this risk. If by chance you get hurt, how can I explain to your dad? Okay, enough talking. I've already checked during the day, the cemetery is closed now, and the old guy basically falls asleep around eight-thirty. Let's climb over the back wall, quietly get to work, no shooting, hehe..."
Chubby guy finished with a witty remark, and the two of us walked along the street, one after the other.
Stepping over the wall with the ladder, I took a glance inside the cemetery and couldn't help but shiver slightly.
In the past, I wouldn't even dare to think about sneaking into the cemetery at midnight. Although I was brave when I was young, saying I wasn't afraid of anything, but when you really stand in this gloomy graveyard, with poor lighting and only the quiet sound of the wind "whooshing" around, it's pure nonsense to say you're not scared.
"It's really scary. What should we do, split up?"
Chubby guy pulled the rope and brought the ladder inside.
"Let's go see that hole first."
Guided by the flashlight, I led chubby guy to the spot where the stone slab had been marked in the daytime. I looked down and suddenly felt a jolt in my heart!
The stone slab had been moved!
In such a hidden place, no one had come to sweep the tomb during the day, and the guard wouldn't have been foolish enough to push away the heavy stone slab. Who else could have moved it but the "Fangwei" hiding inside?
"What is it?"
Chubby guy asked from behind me.
"The stone slab has been moved. I suspect whatever was inside has already run out."
I whispered in the chilly wind.
The stone slab had obvious marks of being pried open. Fatty and I looked at each other. Fatty had really hit the nail on the head this time. This thing resembling a "fangwei" had burrowed out from the ground. "What should we do?" Fatty asked me.
"Let's split up and search. I've showed you what a 'fangwei' looks like, so if you come across it, don't startle it. Once we regroup, we'll catch it together."
Catching a earth creature was quite different from catching a mouse, as succinctly put by the first sentence on the first page of "Mountain and Wilderness Tales."
"Spirits in the world are deceitful, it's hard to seek Buddhas and gods. Mortals should not contend with them, but seek to avoid disaster and preserve their lives."
The meaning was clear. No matter how small, an earth creature should not be underestimated.
Fatty and I split up, each going in a different direction. I meandered around the dark cemetery. I don't know if the flashlight's battery was low or if the bulb was malfunctioning, but the light it emitted was dim, making it difficult to see clearly from a distance.
From afar, I would occasionally hear some noises, but overall it was quiet. All the ghost stories I've heard before always set the scene in a dark cemetery or graveyard to add to the atmosphere.
But when you actually stood in a dark cemetery, the fear was several times stronger than when you were just hearing the stories.
There weren't many trees around, giving the area a desolate look. But whenever my eyes fell on an upright tombstone, I couldn't help feel that the photographs on the tombstones were moving, as if the people in the black-and-white photos were staring at me through the tombstones.
As I walked, my nerves were on edge. One tombstone after another appeared before me, as if they were gates closing one after another, leading to the underworld as the old saying goes.
I even felt that if I were to pass a tombstone, I might see a shadow crouching behind it, without a body, showing a grotesque expression like the road-side ghosts I've met.
I've heard that humming can relieve psychological pressure, so I started to hum softly.
"Unity is strength…"
Just as I was singing, a dark shadow ahead moved, startling me into silence. The shadow seemed about the same size as the "fangwei," but the flashlight was still some distance away and couldn't illuminate it clearly. I dared not approach, taking cautious steps to see more clearly. As I got closer, more than half of the shadow was blocked by the tombstone, but it seemed round and dark.
I lifted the flashlight and held a dagger in my other hand. Just as the light fell on the shadow, I suddenly heard a strange cry from it, and it leaped onto the tombstone. Startled, I quickly stepped back and shone the flashlight up, revealing the figure standing on the tombstone, only to find that it was a black cat.
This black cat perched on top of the tombstone, staring at me with its amber-like green eyes. It didn't seem afraid at all, appearing unfriendly. I shook the flashlight to scare it away, but it slowly arched its back and suddenly pounced at me. I dodged to the side and fell to the ground. After landing, the cat turned back and made another strange cry before darting into the bushes and disappearing.
I got up and wondered whether this black cat counted as a supernatural creature. It seemed eerie and didn't flee upon seeing me, but instead attacked me. Its pounce just now seemed like a threat.
Taking a deep breath, I was about to continue forward, but when I looked back, I saw a flashlight waving at me not far away. It was definitely a signal from Fatty, so I hastily ran in the direction of the light. As I got closer, I hid behind a tree and saw Fatty standing a few meters away, with something in front of him.
After taking a closer look, I realized that what was crouching in front of Fatty was the "fangwei" that I was looking for!
The "fangwei" in front of us was about the same length as described in the book, around two feet, or about sixty centimeters. It was pitch black, and its eyes were completely invisible in the dark. Its round body looked like two balls. At this moment, it had spotted Fatty and, rather than fleeing, it was watchful, emitting a "gurgling" sound from its mouth.
"Fatty, Fatty…" I called out to him in a hushed voice. Fatty slowly turned to look at me with his peripheral vision, and I took a net out of my backpack. It was a fishing net my dad used. Once I threw it into the air, as long as it captured the "fangwei," we would be able to catch it. I didn't believe that two grown men couldn't capture such a small earth creature!
The fat guy saw me take out the fishing net and immediately understood my intentions, but "Fang Wei" was too wary, and for a time none of us dared to move forward even a step.
However, just as we were deadlocked, "Fang Wei" suddenly made the first move. The guy's body turned sharply to the rear, then it galloped away. I saw it wanted to escape and immediately chased after it. I leapt forward with the fishing net open, but unfortunately, I missed by a hair. "Fang Wei" ran into the grass like a frightened bird.
"Hey, did you catch it?"
The fat guy shouted to me from behind, but I didn't have time to answer him. "Fang Wei" must have been frightened by the chase and surely would run back to its den. I just had to rush ahead of it and block it at the entrance to have a chance to catch this little earth creature!
Dropping my backpack, I ran ahead with the fishing net and dagger. The fat guy couldn't run fast, but I dashed forward as fast as I could.
As I approached the den's entrance, I opened the fishing net again. At that moment, "Fang Wei" darted to the side of the cave faster than me. Without hesitation, I brought the fishing net down on its head. The net expanded in the air, but "Fang Wei" had already half entered the cave and was trying to go down. The fishing net dropped, and I made a leap, pressing my right hand on "Fang Wei's" large square-shaped tail.
"Goo goo…"
I caught "Fang Wei" by the tail, and it kept wailing. It was much stronger than I had imagined, and it took a lot of effort to hold its body. At that moment, the fat guy, panting, ran up from a distance, and I hurriedly shouted, "Come help, I've got its tail!"
The fat guy, shuddering, ran up to me and together we slowly dragged "Fang Wei" out of the den. It was wrapped in the fishing net, unable to move, so I had the fat guy take off his jacket and cover "Fang Wei's" body with it.
"Haha, got you! Let the damn thing run!"
I hoisted "Fang Wei," wrapped in the jacket and fishing net, onto my shoulders. It kept struggling, and I could feel its sharp claws scraping my back, but I had caught it, and I couldn't let it escape.
"Let's go. While there's still a night bus, we better head back soon."
A smile appeared on the fat guy's face. Neither of us had anticipated that capturing this little earth creature would be so successful. Carrying "Fang Wei" felt like carrying a sack of money, and I couldn't help but smile.
After packing up, we prepared to climb over the wall. But as we took a few steps, a strange cry suddenly came from the grass. It sounded familiar, much like the call of the black wild cat we had just heard.
However, this time, the cry contained a sense of despair and suffering, making it even more eerie.
"It's probably just wild cats fighting. Let's not bother and go."
The fat guy didn't like to meddle in other people's business. After being in the ruined cemetery for so long, he also felt uncomfortable and wanted to go back quickly. But I was curious. Wild cats could communicate, but rarely fought, and if they did, it was usually just a few strange cries. The continuous painful cries we heard now were out of the ordinary.
"You take 'Fang Wei' away first. I'll go take a look."
I handed "Fang Wei" over to the fat guy and then, carrying the dagger and backpack on my back, I went in the direction of the sound.
"For heaven's sake, don't go there! Hey…"
The fat guy shouted after me, but I was stubborn. Once I had made up my mind, I wouldn't change it.
Gradually approaching the source of the wild cat's wails, amidst a large tree and shrub in the Cold Plum District, I saw a black shadow almost the size of an adult.
Shining the flashlight slowly over, the wild cat's cries had weakened, and there was a strong odor in the air.
As the flashlight's circle drew closer, what could this large black shadow be? My mind became more and more confused, and my heart raced.
Just as the circle of light landed on the black shadow, my eyes widened abruptly, and I was nearly scared to death!
On the ground lay a black cat, but at this moment, it was already dead, its entire belly had been cut open, blood, bones, and intestines were all over the ground. And next to it, a man with a white face and black eyes was eating the dead cat's flesh!