"There are many things in this world that cant be explained," Dr. Karen said, "Yuan Xiaobai is very similar to a patient I met when I was young in Africa, also a girl, seemingly weak but three adult men couldnt pin her down. Afraid of light, dizzy, having hallucinations and violent tendencies. In the end, that girl was cured by a local shaman, who said she was possessed by an evil spirit, and after driving it out, there were no more problems."

  At that time, Kaylen had brought this case back to the United States for research, but it ultimately came to nothing because there was an essential gap in faith between theology and science.

  "Miss Yuans condition is far more severe than the case I encountered, her organs are already failing, I suggest administering sedatives and forcibly infusing nutrient solution and oxygen immediately."

  Yuan Xiaobais father asked: "Is there any other way?"

  "Im very sorry, sir. Your daughters organ failure is extremely severe. Perhaps she has only about a month left, unless God intervenes personally, I am really helpless."

  "Didnt you say the witch doctor had saved patients like this before? Where is he? Ill go and ask him to come."

  "Mr. Yuan, I understand what you mean, but that was a long time ago, in an African tribe, and I couldnt find it either, really very sorry. Tang, I have to go, the patients information can be faxed to me every day, I will take a look."

  "Alright teacher, I will arrange for someone to take you to the airport."

  My friend and I walked out of the hospital, not because we didnt want to stay, but because we couldnt bear it. A man who had just endured ten years of unjust imprisonment fell down again in front of his daughter, feeling that he owed her too much.

  "What should we do?" Fatso asked me.

  "I dont know either, maybe we should head back first. That foreign doctor said she only has a month left, this matter needs to be notified to Wenbin. Its been two years since I last left home, I dont know if hes returned or not. Shanghai is relatively close to my place, its just a two-day journey."

  "Alright, lets go find him first."

  The train, the destination is the provincial city. I and Pàngzi (fat boy) lived in a small hotel by the train station. From here to my hometown still need half a days time. That night, neither of us closed our eyes. Time was so abundant for young people like us, but what was left for her was so stingy.

  Zhebei North, Hongcun Village. We went through a bumpy ride on the public bus, minibus and tricycle. When I saw the stone archway at the entrance of Hongcun village again, a funeral procession happened to be coming out of the village in an imposing manner. The sound of gongs, drums and suona filled the air, firecrackers were popping everywhere, yellow and white paper money was blown all over the ground by the wind, and I saw my father in the long funeral procession.

  The deceased was Li Er Ye, who lived to a ripe old age. Since he was a childless five-guarantee household and the oldest person in the village at that time, the village decided to hold a grand funeral for him. It was at this funeral that I met Cha Wenbin.

  Some things cant be explained clearly no matter how hard you try.

  Li Er Ye and my grandfather had a good relationship, and he also knew Ma Su Feng, Cha Wen Bins master. These three were all well-known "superstition heads" in our local area. My grandfather passed away the earliest, and two years after Ma Su Feng was released from the cowshed, he took Cha Wen Bin with him and left. Nobody knows why he wanted to leave or where they went.

  Half a month ago, Ma Suifeng had a dream. In the dream, Li Er Ye was wearing a mourning dress and told him that he was going to die. He wanted Ma Suifeng to return and help with his funeral rites. He said that in his previous life, he had stolen many graves and destroyed many corpses, and he feared that those people would not let him pass when he went down. So, Ma Suifeng brought Cha Wenbin from Shaanxi and managed to rush back to Hongcun the day before. Li Er Ye also held on until Ma Suifeng arrived before his last breath.

  According to the village rules, I am also considered a junior of Li Er Ye. With only so many people in Hong Village, I joined the team as well. The grave mountain was found by Li Er Ye some years ago, and its not bad. Lying there can see the whole view of the village.

  In the evening, the three of us gathered at my home.

  Cha Wenbin is taller and thinner than two years ago, he has matured, surpassing me and Pangzi, especially his eyes, which are clear and bright.

  Ma Suifeng found a Taoist temple in the depths of Qinling Mountains, where countless hermits had left their dwellings. Historically, this place has been flooded with too many cultivators. The pulse originates from Kunlun and is known as the number one blessed land under heaven. Just by its name, you can read out its extraordinary place: also known as Mount Taiyi.

  It was said to be a Taoist temple, but in fact it was just two thatched cottages. The master and apprentice relied on each other for survival here. Ma Su told him that this place was blessed with heavenly aura and earthly spirit, making it an ideal place for enlightenment. He didnt say anything else. However, judging from the red thread wind chimes set up by the master outside the house every night, he seemed to be guarding against something. The master didnt speak, so the apprentice didnt ask further.

  I told Cha Wenbin about Yuan Xiaobais situation, and he fell silent for a moment before saying that he would go back and ask Master.

  The next morning, Cha Wenbin came knocking on the door. The sky was just beginning to brighten up. He was wearing a grey Taoist robe and had a big bag slung over his back, with a long sword hanging diagonally from it, looking like he was acting in a movie. As soon as I opened the door, he asked me: "Xiao Yi, my master said that your grandfather used to have a compass, is it still around?"

  "I really didnt know this, I have to ask Dad."

  Actually, I can guess from my fathers and grandfathers relationship that he wouldnt be interested in that thing at all, so after exchanging a few words without any result, I had to think of a way myself.

  I remember when I was young, my grandfather would sit me on his lap and tell me that the compass would one day be mine. And indeed, before he passed away, he gave my father a small box, which was the only inheritance he left behind.

  That trunk I seemed to have seen somewhere before, so I went to ask my father for proof again. As a result, he didnt even look at the trunk after taking it and threw it directly into the corner of the second floor. When I got it, the layer of dust on top was as thick as one finger.

  There was a hook lock on the trunk, and there was no time to find the key. The compass was lying inside with only two words "life" and "death" on it after being pried open with an iron bar.

  Taking the compass, Zhang Wenbins eyes lit up and he said: "My master said this thing is a treasure, lend it to me for a few days, maybe Xiaobai can use it on his side. Lets go to Shanghai immediately."

  "You? Now?" Both I and Pangzi were a bit stunned, dressed like this walking on the bustling streets of Shanghai, I can imagine what kind of scene we would be surrounded by.

  He looked around at his clothes and said, "Whats wrong with that?"

  "Come on, Master Zha, why dont you go back and change into something more suitable? Well wait for you."

  On the way, Cha Wenbin told us that Ma Suifeng said that Yuan Xiaobais symptoms were 80% likely to be caused by evil spirits. In the past two years, Cha Wenbins skills have made rapid progress and he has learned a lot, so Ma Suifeng decided to let him go out and gain some experience.

  "What is used to treat Zhongxie?" I asked.

  "Medicine wont work, the person whos possessed isnt because of physical reasons, but because of their soul. I reckon she either came into contact with something unclean or theres something else going on, well talk about it when we get to that point."

  Shanghai, the Yuan family mansion. Mr. Yuan, Xiaobais father, happened to be at home and was very surprised by our visit. However, at this critical moment, it was a case of making the best of a bad situation. After some consideration, he made a phone call to the hospital, and after some arrangements were made, the car took us to the hospital.

  This is a five-story hospital, the fifth floor is the morgue, and at the end of the morgue there is an empty room. The hospital promised to arrange a completely quiet place, thats it. Because doing this kind of thing in a hospital still has extremely great risks in that era, science and superstition are two opposing sides.

  The person had already been tied to a wheelchair, and Yuan Xiaobais mouth was covered with a strip of cloth. Through her eyes, I saw that she hated everyone, and I had never seen a womans eyes so fierce and terrifying. Her mouth kept making "woo woo woo" sounds, and her body was wrapped in thick bandages like a mummy.

  The iron gate between the fourth and fifth floors has been opened, and the person in charge of the hospital said that we will be given three hours, during which time no one else will appear on the entire fifth floor.

  Pangzi couldnt go with us, because Cha Wenbin said he was in a bad mood that day, and Yuan Xiaobais father didnt make it either. Only I and he went.

  When we arrived at the mountain building, everything was normal. There was a passageway in the middle here, and the white corridor lights were somewhat dim. A long string of corridors led to the innermost part. It wasnt until Dr. Zhang brought us there that Zha Wenbin realized he had left something on the car: a basket containing food.

  "Ill go get it, you wait a moment, should be quick."

  "Alright, go quickly and come back soon."