The small bookstore in the alley
We live in a world where strange things happen every day. The intricate old towns of hutongs and alleys that are gradually swallowed up by modern cities often hide some incredible secrets.
The story takes place in an alley called "Shu Gen Lane" in the old city of a big city in the north. There is a small antique bookstore in this alley, which specializes in selling used books, magazines and some antique books that no one can understand. On the outside, this small shop is as old as the old books in it. The owner of the bookstore is Li Shuming, thirty-one years old. His family has been running this shop since his grandfather's generation. When his father died, in addition to leaving him this bookstore, there was also a rare ancient book, Weak Water Record. The title of this book is written in big seal script. No one knows how old it is because it is locked in a pear box and never let anyone see it.
Li Shuming's father told him before his death that this ancient book could not be sold no matter how high others paid, and no one was allowed to open the box. As for why, I have never made it clear.
After inheriting the bookstore, Li Shuming discovered that it is a miracle that this small bookstore can survive to this day. It is not only located in a sparsely populated alley, but also deals in old books collected by scrap buyers. The only people who can visit are some old pedants, all poor students. Although he is the owner of a shop, his income is only enough to make ends meet. However, Shu Ming is a contented person. Although life is a little hard, he still manages his ancestral old shop seriously.
Out of curiosity, Li Shuming once thought of opening the pear box with the weak water record to see what happened. However, the lock on the box is too old. He found many famous locksmiths, but none of them could open them. Therefore, Li Shuming gradually dismissed this idea.
It was not until one day that he talked about marriage with his girlfriend that he realized that only by selling the book could he make up the wedding expenses. As for my father's dying entrustment, it has long been forgotten by the power of love. As the saying goes, "Where there is a will, there is a way". Shuming finally found an old locksmith who was nearly eighty years old. After careful examination, he said that this lock was repaired when he was an apprentice at the age of fourteen, and maybe it can be opened. The old locksmith kept fiddling with tweezers and bamboo chips all morning. It seems that this lock is really not simple. Shuming was still reading at first, but as time went on, the bookstore had to be neglected and had to take care of its own business first.
At half past five in the afternoon, it was getting late, but the old locksmith had not come out of the back room. Shu Ming went in and took a look, but everything in front of him surprised him. Although the lock was opened, the old locksmith disappeared and there was a pool of water on the ground. There is only one exit in this bookstore. Shuming has been sitting at the checkout counter at the door and has never seen him come out. Where the hell is that old locksmith? Disappear into the air, right? A chill went straight to Shu Ming's back.
"By the way, where are the books?" Li Shuming opened the box containing weak water records. Inside were a few neatly cut sheepskins, all with big seals, and Shu Ming hardly knew a word. Fortunately, the book was not lost. The book clearly thought that he might have left just after finishing his work, but no one noticed.
As the wedding day approaches, Shuming's desire to sell ancient books is becoming more and more urgent. On this day, an old pedant who often appears in bookstores brought an ancient book collector. As soon as he entered the door, he named the book "Weak Water Record", which naturally hit Shuming's heart.
He took each other into the back room and took out the affairs box. Just then, someone outside shouted, "Boss, check out!" " "Shu Ming had to pass the book to the collector, let him read it slowly and go out to collect money himself. Two minutes later, he returned to the back room after collecting the money. As soon as he entered the door, he sat down on the ground.
The back room was empty again. Just like last time, collectors and old pedants have disappeared. There is still a pool of water on the ground, and the sheepskin is still well placed in the affairs box.
"Evil, too evil." Where have they all gone? What the hell happened? Shu Ming recalled various possibilities.
"Really ... this book?" He looked at the affairs box and took a step back. There are three people missing in this shop. If the police know this, the bookstore will have to close. After a fierce ideological struggle, Shuming finally pulled herself together as if nothing had happened.
As the days passed, Shuming kept secretly inquiring about the news of these three people, but there was no news like a sinking sea. He felt uncomfortable and agitated, and his nerves were tortured by waves of unknown premonitions and inexplicable fears.
At this time, it was inevitable that someone was in a hurry to go to the hospital. Shuming hesitated to step into the home of a famous fortune teller.
"What are you?" The fortune teller opened the Book of Changes and took out some fortune-telling tools such as gossip and coins.
"I'm looking for someone."
"Very good." The fortune teller sprinkled a handful of copper coins on gossip.
"This ... this ... I'm sorry, I'm not. I will pay you back the money for divination, so please find someone else to be smart. " The fortune teller said with a big sweat.
"Why? Can't you count everything? "
"No, it's just that it's too evil. I really can't help it. But I can introduce you to a person who lives in Hu Aishu Lane 13. Maybe he can help you. " The fortune teller hurried to pack up his things as he spoke.
"Thank you, then I'll try."
Hu Aishu Lane 13, a shabby little house. Shuming came in in fear and trembling. In a dark room, he met the man he wanted to see-an old man with white hair and beard.
"The guest sit down, please. You don't look well. Something strange seems to have happened to you, doesn't it? " The old man spoke bluntly.
"You're right. I have something to ask you. "
"Go ahead."
"Do you know what the weak water record is?"
"It is said that weak water is a kind of water that does not exist on the earth. Its density is so small that even goose feathers can't float; It's extremely cold here, even the stones will freeze and crack, and it's also highly toxic. If people touch it, they will die. "
"Is there such water?"
"Yes, for example, the water in the Santu River is very weak. And "Weak Water Record" must be the history of the Santo River. "
"Then in my bookstore, why did three people who read this book disappear in a row? Where on earth did they go? "
"Do you have this book? ..... I'm afraid that has something to do with this book. I don't think that book is mortal. I'd like to read it, if I may. Maybe we can know what's going on. "
So the old man followed Shuming to the small bookstore deep in the alley. In the back room of the bookstore, Shuming took out the pear box.
"Weak water is recorded in this box." With that, Shu Ming lifted the lid.
The old man gently took out the sheepskin inside and studied it carefully. It was a long time before the old man put the sheepskin back. From the seriousness of his face, Shuming could feel that he was in big trouble.
"Mr. Li, where did you get this book?"
"This is handed down from ancestors. As for how the ancestors got it, I don't know What exactly is written in the book? Is there anything wrong? "
"The book says that' weak water' is also called' Santu River', which is the dividing line between life and death. Just as life and death can only be crossed by reincarnation, there is only one way to cross the' Santu River', that is, the ferry on the' Santu River', and there is no other way. However, the ferry has to pay the fare, and the soul without the toll can't get on the ferry. Even if there is, it will be thrown into the' Santu River' by the boatman. Those souls who can't cross the river, driven by the desire of reincarnation, will wade across the river, but the water of the' Santu River' is not only not buoyant, but also highly toxic and corrosive to the soul. Those souls who enter the water will never have a chance to land, but can only become water ghosts in the' Santu River'. The pain that can never be reincarnated and the cold river water make those water ghosts jealous of other souls with hope of reincarnation. As long as a soul falls into the water, they will rush to it, pull it into the bottom of the river and become a water ghost like them. I think that's why we have to burn paper money for people who just died. " Speaking of which, the old man sighed.
"What does this have to do with the missing person in my shop?"
"Hear me out. This weak water has been gradually injected into life since it was contaminated with the resentment of the first water ghost. As more and more souls full of reincarnation desire become water ghosts in the' Three Rivers', there are more and more grievances about being polluted by weak water. Gradually, weak water will be particularly sensitive to strong desires and grievances, and even take the initiative to swallow it. The more it devours, the stronger the desire to continue to devour, leading to a vicious circle. Weak water is no longer a river, but a demon before the death gate. ..... this is all the contents of the book. " The old man took out his handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat on his forehead.
"This ... this is unbelievable. However, there is still no clue to the missing person in the book. "
"Don't you understand? In my opinion, this book comes from the underworld and is a channel connecting the world with weak water. According to the details you told me on the way, there are some obvious similarities between these three missing people and these two missing cases. First, from the scene, there is no second exit at the scene where the two disappeared, and the missing person seems to have disappeared out of thin air. When they disappeared, they were all watching this "Weak Water Record". What is more noteworthy is that there is an unknown pool of water at the scene of the two disappearances. Secondly, I think the biggest similarity between the three missing people is their strong desire. There is no doubt that in the eyes of ordinary people, this book is a rare antique with high value. Presumably, the locksmith is insatiable about this antique and has a desire to possess it for himself. Antique collectors and old pedants are originally here to get them, so it goes without saying that they have a strong desire. These strong desires met the demand for weak water, so they came from the underworld through this book and swallowed it back, leaving only a pool of weak water. This is the only conclusion we can draw at present. "
"What you said seems to have some truth, but I still feel incredible. Will there be a more scientific explanation? " Shuming seemed to have had a nightmare and sat in a chair blankly.
"I hope it's not true, too." The old man sighed again.
"I have a suggestion. I hope you will take good care of this ancient book in the future and don't let it meet greedy people again. " The old man finished and turned to leave.
Shuming got married as scheduled, but we don't know whether he can sell old books. What we can know is that the local public security organs have been busy with three cases of disappearance for a long time, and there is still no result, so they have to be listed as cold cases.
Although the devil is terrible, he can't tempt the pure-hearted people. As the saying goes, "Don't do anything wrong during the day, and don't be afraid of ghosts knocking at the door at night." If there is no greedy desire in people's hearts, why should they be afraid of those strange things?