Chapter 75: Seizing the Ship

I had seen a copy of Master Zhang’s authentic work at the “Grand River Suppression Ceremony.” His method was unique—his runes were inimitable—so I could be one hundred percent sure that it was Master Zhang who had sealed those iron chains. Master Zhang was born in the tenth year of Emperor Guangwu’s reign, the tenth year that Liu Xiu sat on the throne. That tells us something: whatever lies inside this coffin dates back at least more than two thousand years.

The searchlights from the ship barely illuminated the riverbed, their beams murky and dim beneath the water. The coffin, wrapped tightly in heavy iron chains, swayed back and forth in the river under the pale glow, looking even more terrifying. With the sight of this coffin, all the mysteries that had troubled me today suddenly made sense: why the boss had offered over two million for the job, why the draft of the ship didn’t match expectations, why I’d heard the sound of chains on board, why we’d encountered ghostly soldiers seeking passage—all because of this coffin, at least two thousand years old, hidden below deck.

Yet solving these mysteries only brought forth a greater one, casting a deep shadow over my heart. Who lay within that coffin? Who was the boss transporting it? And for what purpose were they taking this ancient, ominous coffin across the river to Duhe City?

I turned to look at Lu Jiu. The poor fellow, having held his breath for too long, had passed out, still bubbling at the mouth. If those ghostly soldiers on the river didn’t leave soon, I feared Lu Jiu would never make it out alive.

At last, as I waited anxiously, the oars of the great ship began to move again. The vessel started to drift, and the battered boats of the spectral soldiers also glided slowly forward. The one-eyed man and his crew on the large ship must have met their end, so who was rowing now? Could it be the ghostly soldiers themselves?

Part of me hoped the ship had indeed been seized by the ghosts. Otherwise, if this sinister ancient coffin reached Duhe City, who knew what chaos might follow?

Once the ghostly soldiers finally departed, I waited a while longer before I could contain myself no longer and quickly swam up to the riverbank. The other sailors surfaced soon after, but a few had already fainted underwater and were swept away by the current.

With the ghosts gone, the river mist faded, and moonlight spilled onto the water, now stained a deep red that would not soon wash away. I knew this was the blood of the one-eyed man and his crew—there was no doubt they’d been slaughtered to the last.

Clambering ashore, I laid Lu Jiu flat, cleared the weeds from his mouth and nose, and pressed twice on his abdomen. The river water spouted from his mouth like a small fountain. He coughed violently, and after a moment, finally sat up, dazed and bewildered.

Seeing that Lu Jiu was no worse for wear, I was able to relax a little and began to count heads. Of the dozen or so sailors who had jumped into the river, only four remained besides Lu Jiu and me. After so long in the cold night water, they were shivering uncontrollably.

A young man nicknamed Flatfish asked me if we’d still get paid for the voyage. To have escaped the hands of the ghostly soldiers at all was fortune enough; as for payment, I told him I couldn’t say. I asked where they were from, surprised by their swimming skills.

Flatfish told me the four of them were all from Henan, childhood friends who grew up on the banks of the Yellow River. I asked for their contact information and added them on WeChat, promising to send them the money if I managed to collect it from our employer.

Once we’d exchanged contacts, I told the men to hurry home before they caught cold. Flatfish reminded me to remember them if the payment came through, then the four of them left, supporting one another as they went. I thought to myself that after tonight’s ordeal, they’d probably never crew a riverboat again.

After Flatfish and his friends departed, I turned to look at Lu Jiu once more. He still sat there, staring blankly, not yet fully recovered. I didn’t disturb him—after nearly drowning, people often took time to come back to themselves. The old folks said that after such an ordeal, a man’s body might return to shore, but his soul still lingered in the water, needing time to find its way back.

Gazing in the direction the ghostly soldiers had vanished, I felt deeply uneasy. The reappearance of a coffin sealed by Master Zhang himself for a thousand years could herald untold trouble in the world of geomancy. What worried me more was that I had personally taken this job. If something were to go wrong because of the ancient, murderous coffin, would the blame be pinned on me?

As my mind churned with these thoughts, Lu Jiu began to cough violently. I knew he was finally coming to his senses.

“The ship—where is it?” he asked the moment he regained his wits, scrambling to the riverbank to peer into the water.

I told him everything that had happened, including what I’d seen beneath the ship: the ancient, murderous coffin sealed by Master Zhang’s own hand.

Lu Jiu’s already pale face turned even whiter. He asked me if I was sure I hadn’t been seeing things.