This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 138 - 137: Silly Magong Tong (Seventh Update)

Chapter 138: Chapter 137: Silly Magong Tong (Seventh Update)

A pale light flashed, and Beichuan Si saw the first scene.

This was a place circled by thick Shimenawa ropes, filled with black water.

In the middle floated a circular platform, accessible directly via four wooden paths.

The platform was divided in half, one side carved with the pattern of white chrysanthemums, the other patterned after the mysteriously bewitching flower found in Shenzhu Shrine.

Carved right at the center of the stone surface was a round, mysterious pattern seemingly stained with spots and streaks of blood.

Rather than call it a mysterious pattern, it would be more accurate to call it a deeply engraved blood groove.

Large pillars stood around the platform, and from some of the exposed and damaged ones, Beichuan Si could almost see pale arms hanging limply out, the wood of the pillars covered in a strange black dew.

From Beichuan Si’s perspective, one could also see the double ancient stone doors facing the screen.

The whole scene was oppressively insane.

Through the blurry vision, one could make out something floating atop the pitch-black liquid.

Beichuan Si’s spirits lifted, just as he was about to hold his breath and focus, the image suddenly flashed and skipped to the next scene.

The next scene was at night.

The villagers silently made their way up the mountain in their rain gear.

That night, the heavy rain fell, lightning thundering across the sky, illuminating each villager’s silent, zombie-like expression.

At the front of the procession was a priest, holding an unquenchable blue flame, solemnly stepping forward.

The pale light flickered once more.

This time the perspective was shaky.

It seemed as if Kikuchi Yu was running.

This scene was all too familiar; Beichuan Si had realized that this was the Divine Wood Forest he had once trekked through.

The densely packed Shimenawa ropes and towering trees, like coffins, were enough to make anyone with claustrophobia feel sick to their stomach.

Accompanying the severe shaking and cries of pain, Beichuan Si could clearly see blood spurting out.

Kikuchi Yu, panting heavily, narrowly escaped under the shovels of the Shenzhu villagers.

The so-called shovels were actually firewood knives, with sharp, sickle-like hooks on the front and thick blades.

"Those first two parts could be something Kikuchi Yu secretly recorded... but these later parts..."

Beichuan Si was more inclined to believe that Kikuchi Yu’s grievances had poured into the tape before his death, adding this final segment of content.

This also revealed just how obsessed Kikuchi Yu was with Shenzhu Village.

Portable tape recorders were invented quite late, and the time of the articles Kikuchi Yu published was three or four decades prior.

In other words, Kikuchi Yu had spent at least thirty years searching for the secrets of Shenzhu Village.

There are not many thirty-year periods in a lifetime.

From youth to middle age and then to the elder...

In the end, his body decayed, dying on Shenzhu Mountain.

Yet Beichuan Si could understand this man.

In his investigations, he left the following words:

"I saw my deceased wife here... that is enough for me."

"Hezi... I have something I must tell you, no matter what... I have given everything for this, but I have no regrets."

He ventured deep into Shenzhu Mountain, just to see his wife’s face through the gate of the underworld, never wavered even when threatened by villagers, officials, even as his body decayed and fused with the mountain itself.

For such a tough man, Beichuan Si could think of no other words but respect.

His ability to conduct such a detailed investigation of Shenzhu Mountain was also thanks to his precious data.

This kindness, Beichuan Si felt, was beyond repaying.

Beichuan Si watched the videotape several times over.

But each time it got to the scene he was most concerned about, where something was floating above the pool, there would be a flicker of grayish light.

Rubbing his eyes, Beichuan Si gave up on the idea of continuing to watch.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the first scene should be the location of the ritual ceremony.

The blood groove was prepared for the blood of the Soul Suppressing Twins to flow.

"So the thing floating on the water is the Soul Summoning Flower...?"

Beichuan Si pondered, then immediately shook his head.

He had not yet clarified these matters, so he could not recklessly jump to conclusions.

At most, this was only a hypothesis.

The second scene should be the ritual named ’Mountain Form.’

A team of that size would indeed be wiped out if they encountered a landslide.

This also indicated that Beichuan Si’s prior judgments were not mistaken.

He put the videotape back into his chest pocket, greeted Hirasaka Ichiro, and then made his way back to the hotel.

As soon as he returned to the hotel, Beichuan Si made his bed and promptly fell asleep.

And what about Nishijou Kurenai?

She switched on the TV again and imitated the gymnastics program.

Beichuan Si didn’t bother her, only asking her to lower the volume and keep the noise down.

And so the night passed.

Between five and six in the morning, Beichuan Si woke up on time.

This sleep was of excellent quality, leaving Beichuan Si feeling completely recovered from the weakness he felt after yesterday’s heavy rain.

Following his usual routine, he went out for exercise, returned for a good breakfast, and by around eight-thirty, he was at the train station waiting for Magong Tong.

At nine o’clock, sitting on the circular bench outside the station, Beichuan Si received a call from Magong Tong.

"Hello? Mr. Temple? I’ve arrived, are you at the hotel?"

Magong Tong sounded meek and listless, seemingly worried that calling Beichuan Si so early would cause him inconvenience.

Beichuan Si was unconcerned and replied straightforwardly,

"I’ve been waiting outside the station for half an hour. Come out, and you’ll see the circular bench; I’m right there."

"Ah... I’m so, so sorry!" Magong Tong immediately apologized upon hearing Beichuan Si had been waiting for half an hour.

Simultaneously, Beichuan Si could hear the sound of a collision from the other end of the phone.

This was followed by a panicked Magong Tong apologizing to someone else:

"I’m terribly sorry! I’ve caused you trouble. My sincerest apologies!"

She must have bowed instinctively and accidentally bumped into someone.

Magong Tong was still like that, and from her current actions, Beichuan Si couldn’t discern even a slight hint of her peculiar childhood personality.

He waited in front of the station for about five minutes before seeing a slightly bewildered girl exit the station.

She was carrying a small suitcase, presumably filled with clothes.

Seeing Magong Tong’s worrisome appearance, Beichuan Si couldn’t help but shake his head and stand up to wave to her.

"Ah, Beichuan!"

Magong Tong, who was still looking around, spotted Beichuan Si and hustled over from the station exit, dragging her suitcase and panting.

Seeing her state, Beichuan Si grew somewhat concerned.

This was simply the image of dragging along a burden.

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