Chapter 46: Huang Niangmu

Xia Baokun entered the main hall, and the first thing he saw was Paolongkou; the second thing he saw was an old woman below, also with her hair coiled up and a hairpin inserted. The old woman had a head full of white hair, was short and thin, and her face was covered in wrinkles, yet her eyes were so bright they made one's heart panic.

"Huang Niangmu."

Xia Baokun pressed his palms together and bowed to her once.

The old woman looked at him and asked with a smile, "Officer Xia, here to arrest me again?"

"How could that be? It's not like the past..." Xia Baokun felt a bit embarrassed.

Back when he had just joined the police force for a short time, he had arrested the old woman, the reason being that she was spreading feudal superstition and swindling people out of money.

Later, he had visited a few more times, and each time the other party brought this up.

However, this old woman was also a person with real skills; otherwise, Xia Baokun would not have come to find her.

"Well then, what do you want with me?" the old woman asked, opening her mouth.

In this vast world, there are all sorts of strange things; not everything can be explained by science. Xia Baokun, having been a police officer for so many years, had also encountered a few incidents that science could not explain.

At such times, they would generally seek outside help. Over the years, they had caught many people who were fraudulent and deceitful; some of them did indeed possess real skills. However, beneath the torrent of the human path, no matter how great one's skills, even bullets are feared.

So many people died or fled; of course, some survived, and they lived quite well.

The old woman was such a person. She herself belonged to the local Li ethnic indigenous people, was deeply rooted among the Li, and held immense prestige.

Even back then, the government dared not go too far, as it would affect ethnic unity; this is what allowed the old woman to survive.

Although the Li people worship "Paolongkou," it actually still belongs to ancestor worship.

Even "Paolongkou" was later comprehensively designed by the Li elders based on images circulated in the oral traditions of each village.

At the very beginning, the Li people worshipped the Stone Ancestor. The so-called Stone Ancestor was a long, smooth pebble. This kind of reproductive worship is also one form of ancestor worship. Every Li village would enshrine a Stone Ancestor; this is equivalent to our Han people's Earth God, the Tudigong.

When Xia Baokun first entered, he saw a stone wrapped in a red satin ribbon in the flower bed; that was a Stone Ancestor.

The Li people themselves are a patriarchal society, but the Huang Niangmu before him is quite special. Their bloodline inheritance comes from the matriarchal line; it is passed to daughters, not sons. Only women possess the ability to communicate with ghosts and spirits.

Moreover, after awakening the ability, regardless of what surname one had before, one would change to the surname Huang.

For instance, the little girl who just led Xia Baokun in; if she is truly Huang Niangmu's own niece, then no matter what surname her father has, in the end, she will change her surname to Huang.

Because the bloodline of their branch is inherited from Huang Shengniang. As for who Huang Shengniang was, and what kind of deity she was, even Huang Niangmu herself probably could not say.

Seeing Huang Niangmu open her mouth to ask, Xia Baokun did not beat around the bush and directly opened his mouth to explain the reason for coming here.

Upon hearing this, Huang Niangmu pondered and said, "Ordinary people find it very difficult to see ghosts, unless their three fires are not bright, their lifespan is about to end, and their fortune has decayed to the extreme; only then is it possible to see them."

"So serious?" Xia Baokun heard this and widened his eyes in surprise.

Huang Niangmu nodded and said, "Unless one is extremely special by nature."

While saying this, she glanced at her granddaughter standing aside.

Xia Baokun also noticed, but did not pay attention to it; instead, he said full of worry, "My niece is still very young, and her days ahead are long. Is there a method to save her?"

"What I said is just one possibility. Whether it is specific or not, we will only know after meeting her. You first bring the person here," Huang Niangmu said.

Upon hearing this, Xia Baokun politely said, "Then trouble Huang Niangmu to wait a moment. I will call her over now."

Having said that, he walked straight into the courtyard to make a phone call.

Seeing him go out, the little girl who had been silent aside finally opened her mouth and called out, "Su Apo."

Huang Niangmu waved her hand and said, "It's nothing. People from the government have backing behind them and confidence in their hearts; naturally, they are not as reverent towards us as ordinary people. You don't need to mind. The times are different; you were born in a good era."

Jiang Wenxin received Xia Baokun's phone call. Although she felt surprised, she obediently rode her motorcycle over.

"Captain Xia."

Seeing Xia Baokun waiting at the door, Jiang Wenxin hurriedly took off her helmet and greeted him.

"I am friends with your father. You can call me Uncle Xia," Xia Baokun said.

Jiang Wenxin readily called out "Uncle Xia," and then asked, "What place is this?"

"Don't ask too much. Come in with me."

Xia Baokun led Jiang Wenxin into the house, and Huang Niangmu immediately rushed over.

"Is this the little girl?"

She suddenly thrust her head close to Jiang Wenxin, frightening Jiang Wenxin to lean her body backward, about to retreat, but her arm was grabbed by Huang Niangmu.

"Don't move. Let me take a careful look," Huang Niangmu said, reaching out to touch and pinch her all over.

Jiang Wenxin turned her gaze towards Xia Baokun beside her.

Xia Baokun said with a calm expression, "Let Huang Niangmu take a good look at you."

Upon hearing the words "Niangmu," Jiang Wenxin knew what kind of person the other party was. In Qionghai, there is only one type of person called "Niangmu," and that is the shaman who communicates with ghosts and spirits.

She also understood why Xia Baokun had brought her here.

Thinking of the little girl she had seen yesterday, she, who did not believe in such things, obediently allowed Huang Niangmu to examine her.

Huang Niangmu examined her very carefully; not only did she touch and pinch her, but she even flipped open her eyes to look.

Then her expression became serious.

This made the hearts of both Xia Baokun and Jiang Wenxin rise up.

"How is it? Is the problem serious?" Xia Baokun pressed on.

"Problem? What problem?" Huang Niangmu said in surprise.

Upon hearing this, Xia Baokun smiled bitterly and said, "Huang Niangmu, don't play games. Just say whatever you have to say directly. I was wrong, okay? Don't keep me in suspense anymore."

Upon hearing this, Huang Niangmu chuckled and said, "She has no problem. She is very good, full of vital energy, a good girl indeed."

"Then she...?" Xia Baokun asked in confusion.

"She has no problem; naturally, that ghost has the problem," Huang Niangmu said. By the end, her expression became serious.

"The ghost has a problem?"

"Ghosts that can manifest their form are very rare," Huang Niangmu said.

Xia Baokun opened his mouth to ask again, but Huang Niangmu directly reached out her hand to interrupt him.

"As long as the people are fine, whether the ghosts are fine is none of your business. Go back."

At this moment, Xia Baokun's phone rang again. He could only helplessly signal to Jiang Xinyue, who was still standing there with a bewildered expression, to leave together.

"Hello, it's me. What is it?"

Xia Baokun walked out while answering the call.

"Another new victim?"

Xia Baokun's head began to ache again. With every new victim that appeared, his pressure increased by a fraction.

"Wait for me. I'll be there immediately."

Xia Baokun pinched the bridge of his nose and walked toward his car, paying no attention at all to Jiang Xinyue following behind him, looking as if he wanted to speak but held back.

"Identity confirmed? It's Fang Yunlou, who has been missing for several days?"

Xia Baokun was somewhat surprised by the news, but not unexpected. Ever since he learned that Fang Yunlou and the previous victims were classmates, he had a premonition that the next victim might be him. Sure enough, his guess was correct.

He stopped his steps and called out to Jiang Xinyue, who had just stepped onto the motorcycle.

"Su Apo, they have left."

Seeing them leave, Ah Mei closed the courtyard gate and returned inside. Huang Niangmu did not speak; she was busy worshipping Pao Longkou.

After she finished worshipping and stood up, she said, "Go ask your Liu Agong if any special people have come to Binhai these past few days."

Ah Mei nodded and walked toward the inner room.

And Ah Mei's Liu Agong had actually passed away many years ago.