Monitor glow hollowed Feng's eye sockets. At 3 AM, a crimson-titled video autoplayed:
In desolate hills, a Zhong Kui Nuo mask-clad man knelt before a grave, fingers clawing soil. The camera zoomed—black mucus seeped from the mask's lining, dripping off his chin.
"Seventh case." Feng paused, UV light revealing brown spots on the mask's "周" (Zhou) character. Annals flipped open—a Qing-era courtesan plucked zither, ink tears staining her cheeks.
Marginalia specified: Zhou Nuo masks use locust wood soaked in corpse oil; Zhang bronze mirrors smelt yin essence. Both trap souls—yang wood's flexibility vs yin metal's sharpness.
Feng canceled assignments, booking flights to the coordinates.
On the plane, tweezers held charred opera fabric—anonymous "souvenir." Golden threads suddenly formed "亥" (Hai) as flight attendants passed.
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Luotou Village decayed beyond expectation. Wild mugwort split stone paths; faded door gods peeled from gates. The innkeeper's nails held vermillion dust. "West wing reserved," she paused. "Avoid north after dark."
Sunset drowned in mass graves as Feng's boots crushed leaves. A moss-eaten "周" stele leaked mercury-black sludge. Mountain winds carried opera fragments: "...fifth watch...ghost gates..."
UV light revealed fluorescent humus—fungal spore evidence.
Half-buried opera silk twitched in evidence bag, bleeding characters: "亥时吞土，替身入面" (Swallow earth at Hai hour, substitute enters mask).
9:48 PM. The inn bed creaked. Villagers burned robes in threshing yard—green flames licking embroidered pythons, ash forming faces. Feng collected windowsill dust—Nuo man's residue.
Dawn brought an insulated box to county post. Grave soil and ash en route to labs, labeled "folk specimens." Feng's left arm itched—black sludge worming under skin.
Breakfast stall radio warned: "Luotou suspected mushroom poisoning..."
Feng's chopsticks hovered over fermented tofu. The cook's apron bore identical vermillion dust, steamers dangling faded red cords.
