This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 106 - 105. Newspaper

Chapter 106: Chapter 105. Newspaper

Beichuan Si put down the luggage bag and took Kelian out.

"Shimadu City Public Library..."

Beichuan Si took out Google Maps, quickly confirming the library’s location.

The Shimadu City Public Library wasn’t far from where they were, just two stops away on bus route two.

After about five minutes, they reached the library at two in the afternoon.

Since it was the weekend, the library was busier than usual at this time.

Most of the visitors were university students from nearby campuses and high school students enjoying their weekend.

Beichuan Si, with his small backpack, passed through the library’s security check and followed the signs to the Shimadu City local history section.

This area was divided into two sections, the left for newspapers and the right for books.

There were far fewer people in the local history section compared to others, consisting mainly of history students working on projects and some elderly slowly flipping through newspapers.

"This is the place."

Beichuan Si took out the notebook he had prepared earlier and went over to the book section, picking up "Annals of Major Events in Shimadu City" and "Folk Customs of Shimadu City".

He hoped to find the clues he was searching for in these records.

Placing Nishijou Kelian on the edge of the table, Beichuan Si opened the first book.

In one year, one month, one day, a certain project was constructed in Shimadu City.

On another year, month, and day, a major event took place in Shimadu City.

The oldest record in "Annals of Major Events in Shimadu City" only dated back to the Showa period and was too brief, mostly covering events within Shimadu City and barely mentioning the surrounding villages.

Beichuan Si quickly skimmed through a couple of pages and then abandoned the book to open "Folk Customs of Shimadu City".

While this book did mention many old customs from various villages around Shimadu City, Beichuan Si could not find even a trace of information about Shenzhu Village.

It was rather strange.

Beichuan Si recalled some theories he had read online.

Shenzhu Village, with a population of four to five hundred people, should have been documented somehow.

Even if outsiders were unaware of the village’s customs, there should have been some mention of it in the local gazetteers.

This lack of information was unnaturally suspicious.

But if it was intentional, why would someone deliberately erase all records of Shenzhu Village?

"It seems I can’t get any useful information from the official records."

Beichuan Si’s gaze shifted to the neatly arranged newspaper section.

Newspapers, published by both local and personal media, generally cover a wide range of topics, regardless of whether it’s official or not, if it’s interesting, it is likely included.

He went over to the newspaper section, carrying his notebook, carbon pen, and Nishijou Kelian.

This part of the library had organized the newspapers by era, region, and categories like politics and entertainment.

Beichuan Si quickly found the section dedicated to folk entertainment.

Most of the newspapers here were quite old.

After all, with smartphones nowadays, electronic media is much more convenient than paper.

Moreover, nowadays, young people often prefer novel things and show less interest in traditional stuff, naturally making this section less frequented.

Beichuan Si scanned through, noticing that some newspapers could be traced back to the Meiji era.

He marveled at the library’s impeccable preservation while his hands eagerly reached for the oldest issue of the ’Shimadu Folk News’.

He also took notice of the issue number, finding it intriguing that this particular newspaper was only in its 13th issue.

"It seems there weren’t many papers recording local folklore at that time, lucky me," said Beichuan Si as he skimmed through the newspaper before fully unfolding it.

The ’Shimadu Folk News’ was a broadsheet printed in black and white.

Produced towards the end of the Meiji period, the paper primarily consisted of text with very few images.

Beichuan Si’s eyes scanned the text, identifying many traditional customs of various villages recorded.

Given Shimadu area’s intricate mountain separations, many villages were isolated like pieces on a chessboard, abundant and scattered, and in the past, lacking communication means other than mail, these secluded areas naturally developed many unique traditions hidden from the outside world.

"I see..."

This could mean that the secluded Shenzhu Village might indeed possess some unknown and secretive rituals.

Shrouded on maps, unknown to the world... those ancient, bloody, and brutal ceremonies...

A thought crossed Beichuan Si’s mind, his eyes scanning eagerly.

Regrettably, this 13th issue contained no information about Shenzhu Village.

Beichuan Si moved on to the next issue of the folk news.

This one wasn’t it either, only delving deeper into the topics of the previous issue.

Beichuan Si’s face showed no surprise; if it were that easy to find, the village wouldn’t be considered hidden by the gods.

He reached out and took another newspaper.

Not this one.

Again not this...

Still nothing.

It all seemed to be literal, as if Shenzhu Village had truly been spirited away.

Spirited away, or kamikakushi in romanized Japanese, means to be haunted or to disappear, implying complete vanishing from human society.

So, could it truly be that no trace of it existed in the world?

Yet Beichuan Si looked calm, unbothered by this minor setback.

He continued his routine of checking and changing newspapers until, nearly at the forty-fifth paper, a pleasing change appeared.

On the bottom right corner of the page, the words ’Shenzhu Village’ were noted in tiny print.

It was an extremely small section that could easily be overlooked if not carefully examined.

"Finally," Beichuan Si perked up.

He had meticulously reviewed every part of each newspaper before moving on to the next.

The intense reading had caused Nishijou Kelian to flop down in exhaustion much earlier.

"But the outcome is always rewarding," Beichuan Si spread the newspaper out, his eyes quickly scanning over it.

On the yellowing, faded paper, a line of neatly printed text caught his interest.

’This is a village hidden by the gods, unknown to outsiders, containing mysterious and peculiar customs that are chilling.’

’Shenzhu Village.’

—

That line of text ended there.

It seems it was just a base text for the layout of the next issue, a cunning way to pique the interest of newspaper readers.

Such abrupt cutoffs had an unfinished quality making Beichuan Si frown deeply.

He reached out promptly, pulling out the next newspaper.

Surely, this one should have the record about Shenzhu Village he was keenly interested in.