Chapter 192

The fact that Wu Laogou insisted on leaving, tugged at the heartstrings of every listener.

Everyone knew that Lan Qiao would not lie.

The Miao people of that tribe were so simple and honest that they were willing to pay a high compensation for Wu Laogou's telescope.

In their hearts, the concept of lying simply did not exist.

It was precisely because of this simplicity that the Miao of the Mengli tribe felt that marriage could not be betrayed.

But they had calculated everything except for the fact that the son-in-law they had brought in was Wu Laogou.

He was a tomb-raiding grave robber who had run rampant through Old Changsha.

Wu Laogou had raided many tombs and often kept company with the dead; he had long since become immune to threats of life and death from others.

Even when he returned to Changsha and recalled his experience in the Mengli tribe, he still felt it had been nothing more than a romantic encounter.

Going insane? Death?

Impossible!

But what was meant to come would come; since the Miao had said he would go insane, he could not escape it.

"For the first half-year after Wu Laogou returned to Changsha, everything was normal."

"His body showed no abnormalities, and he was still as agile as ever, capable of raiding tombs."

"As for Wu Laogou's worries that Lan Ling's clansmen would come to Changsha to pester him, that did not happen either."

"It seemed Wu Laogou had guessed correctly; the Mengli tribe lived for generations along the Lancang River and remained largely uncivilized."

"For them to suddenly leave the mountains and enter the modern world would be like wild men entering a city—they would be terrified and ill-adapted."

"Thus, for about half a year, Wu Laogou lived happily, until one night, a change occurred!"

"When a Wu family servant went to deliver evening tea to Wu Laogou, he suddenly found Wu Laogou sprawled over the table, trembling, his hands gripping the chair's armrests tightly as if struggling against some terrifying force!"

"The servant was startled, for he seemed to hear a strange, sharp cry coming from Wu Laogou's mouth!"

"Summoning his courage, the servant shouted: 'Young Master, what is wrong with you?'"

"Who would have thought that Wu Laogou, as if suddenly disturbed, would turn his head sharply toward the servant."

"In an instant, the teacup in the servant's hand fell to the floor and shattered into pieces."

"Because he saw that Wu Laogou's eyes were bloodshot and bulging, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing."

"Most terrifying of all was Wu Laogou's gaze; those were not human eyes, but rather like those of a predatory beast!"

"The servant wanted to flee immediately, but was tackled by Wu Laogou, who began to tear at him like a madman."

"When the Wu family heard the commotion and burst into Wu Laogou's room, they witnessed a horrific scene."

"The servant's face had been bitten and clawed beyond recognition, and even his neck was broken and twisted to the side."

"Meanwhile, Wu Laogou was sitting on the floor in a daze, muttering: 'It's true! It's actually true!'"

"Old Mrs. Wu was nearly frightened into a faint, because the servant was already dead—Wu Laogou had killed someone!"

"Fortunately, those were chaotic times, and the servants and laborers the Wu family hired were all homeless people with no surviving relatives."

"No one pursued the matter of an unexplained death, and Old Mrs. Wu had the servants sworn to secrecy and gave the servant a generous burial, which covered the incident up."

"But news of Wu Laogou's madness spread among the Wu family servants!"

"No one dared to serve Wu Laogou anymore, until a few days passed and they found him to be normal again, which caused everyone to lower their guard."

"At the time, some speculated that Wu Laogou might have been secretly smoking opium, following the bad example of Blackie Lao Liu, and was suffering from hallucinations!"

"But a few days later, this conjecture was shattered, as Wu Laogou went mad again and bit another servant to death."

"For a time, the Wu family was in a state of panic, and Old Mrs. Wu had no choice but to close the doors to all visitors."

"After the fourth person died in the house, Wu Laogou himself could no longer take it, and he took the initiative to demand to see a Western doctor!"

"Because the Wu family had already invited every famous doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Changsha, and almost every one of them had said there was nothing wrong with Wu Laogou's body."

"In desperation, Wu Laogou thought of Western medicine. In those years, Western virology and medical tools were relatively advanced and could detect many problems that TCM could not."

"Wu Laogou highly suspected that the so-called Gu art was actually a virus!"

"He felt that he hadn't been cursed with Gu, but had been poisoned!"

At this point, hearing this, Zhang Yueshan in the second-floor box let out a sigh."

"'No wonder...'"

Yin Nanfeng turned around, curious, "'No wonder what?'"

Zhang Yueshan explained, "'During the time the Wu family closed their doors to visitors, the nationally renowned Western doctor, Mr. Li Weisi, was suddenly invited to Changsha!'"

"'At the time, people were asking who could have such influence to invite him over.'"

"'Dr. Li Weisi was a household name in Shanghai, and almost all the high-ranking officials and nobles sought him out for treatment.'"

"'His appointments were hard to get, and his consultation fees were shockingly high! Even then, an appointment wasn't guaranteed.'"

"'But that year, Li Weisi suddenly arrived in Changsha with his medical team. Everyone was guessing: what was he doing in Changsha?'"

"'Now I finally understand; it was the Wu family who invited him, for the purpose of treating Wu Laogou!'"

Hearing this, Yin Nanfeng could not help but click her tongue in surprise."

"She had, of course, heard the name Li Weisi."

"Although many years had passed, he had indeed been a household name in Shanghai back then."

"Whether during the outbreak of the War of Resistance or the subsequent domestic civil strife, Li Weisi had never left China."

"He helped save countless ordinary Chinese people!"

"His portrait still hangs in the history museum of the Shanghai Medical College today!"

"Never would I have thought that such a historical figure could have a connection with the Laojiu Sect?!"

"One has to say, time is truly a marvelous thing."

"However, Yin Nanfeng felt vaguely that even if the Wu family had the financial resources to invite a famous doctor like Li Weisi..."

"... he would still be unable to detect the problem within Wu Laogou!"

"Western medicine is very advanced, but China is even more mysterious!"

"There are still many ancient things in China that cannot be explained by science even today."

"If 'Gu' could be seen and solved by Western medicine, then Gu art would not have persisted until modern times!"