Little Pink Starfish

Zhang Yushui, out of professional habit, took a longer look at the hill in front of them. The car followed a winding road up, and the more he looked, the better the feng shui seemed. But if living people stayed nearby, they might suffer from misfortunes, such as financial losses.

The hill resembled a coiled dragon, head facing east, tail southward. From the side, it looked rather majestic.

“But it’s a pity,” Zhang Yushui said. “The dragon’s head is broken.”

Villagers often came up here to forage or herd sheep, so they’d built a narrow cement path. But halfway up, it ended. Snow from a few days ago had melted, leaving the dirt road muddy and hard to navigate. Lishu stopped the car when they could go no farther, and everyone got out to walk.

Mud squelched with every step. Zhang Qiu reached out to carry Little Jiang, but Lishu took over first. Jiang Yu was already rushing toward the spot the young girl had pointed to, ignoring the muddy ground. Her husband followed quickly, worried she’d fall. “Careful, don’t slip. We’ll find Dou Dou together.”

“Dou Dou! Dou Dou!” Jiang Yu shouted, wind chapping her face red as her voice cracked with emotion. No one responded.

They climbed up the hill’s ridge toward a more sheltered area where grass still grew—likely where Panpan would be. Just as they reached it, Zhang Qiu faintly heard a child calling for help.

Lishu heard it too. They exchanged a look and quickly moved toward the sound.

“There he is!” Zhang Qiu peered down and saw a child hanging from the roots of a dead tree, shriveled and pitiful, swaying in the cold wind—it was Panpan. As soon as he spoke, Jiang Yu charged forward. Her foot slipped and she tumbled down. Zhang Qiu instinctively grabbed her, but ended up falling with her—only to be yanked back by Lishu.

After steadying themselves, Jiang Yu’s husband descended, pale with fear, and held her tightly. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“Dou Dou! Save Dou Dou first!” she cried.

They were on a gentler slope now, but the child hung lower, caught in angled roots leading into a hollow. He clung there, sobbing hoarsely. “Help! Help!”

“Don’t cry, Dou Dou. Mommy’s here. Mommy will save you,” Jiang Yu choked out, crawling forward.

Lishu handed Little Jiang to Zhang Qiu. “I’ll go.” He disappeared quickly down the slope.

Soon, he reached the bottom and, one-handed, lifted the child. He grabbed Jiang Yu’s coat as she tumbled too close. Her husband came sliding after, unable to stop.

Zhang Qiu and his brother followed behind. Zhang Yushui handed Huai Wang a thermos. “Have some, it’s cold.”

Huai Wang grumbled, “What are you doing handing me water? Go help,” but took the bottle with a smile, staying behind to watch Little Jiang.

The brothers slid down to the tree’s base and noticed a narrow tunnel—clearly a looter’s hole. Zhang Qiu peered into the pitch-black entrance and called out.

“I’m fine,” came Lishu’s voice.

Then: “Jiang Yu’s husband fainted.”

The tunnel was too narrow to carry someone out. Zhang Yushui pulled out a sturdy red rope from his bag, left over from earlier rituals.

“We’ll toss this down. Tie him up and we’ll pull him out,” Zhang Qiu said.

As they lowered the rope, something yanked it hard, pulling it into the hole.

“Hhhhhh—”

Zhang Qiu’s face changed. “Lishu?” he shouted down.

A loud splash echoed, followed by Lishu’s muffled voice. “There’s a Jiangshi. Don’t come down.”

But there was no way Zhang Qiu would stay put. “Are there many? Be careful!”

The brothers slid down the looter’s tunnel, which was steep but not deep, and landed in a foul-smelling passage. A corpse lay by their feet, severed.

“Why did you come down?” Lishu asked.

“I was worried,” Zhang Qiu said, relieved to see him okay.

“He’s a god now. You just panicked,” Zhang Yushui added, though understandingly.

Jiang Yu’s husband had only fainted and scraped his head. Nothing serious. Zhang Yushui made a call to Huai Wang above. “We found a pit. Nothing major. Just a delay. No, don’t come down—he’s unconscious, and it’s cramped down here.”

“Sis-in-law will definitely come anyway,” Zhang Qiu muttered.

“Of course. She loves me too much not to,” Zhang Yushui boasted before focusing on getting back up.

Then—footsteps. Fast and chaotic.

“Humans,” Lishu identified.

Zhang Qiu expected more Jiangshi, but instead saw three people running toward them, dragging an injured man. Someone—or something—was chasing them.

They were startled to see Zhang Qiu’s group. The middle man was pale, lips purple—clearly poisoned. One of the two others, tall and burly, said, “There’s a Jiangshi behind us. Get Xiao Zhang up first. I’ll hold it off.”

“Boss!” the other protested. “We leave together!”

The Jiangshi rounded the corner—long-haired and snarling. Zhang Yushui murmured, “Mao Jiang.” Hairy ones. Great.

Before Zhang Qiu could react, Lishu struck—two swift blows and the Jiangshi fell.

The men gaped.

“Zhang Yushui!” Huai Wang’s voice echoed from above.

“I’m fine!”

“Let’s go,” Lishu said.

They retrieved the rope, now loosened, and hauled everyone up. Jiang Yu clutched Dou Dou at the mouth of the tunnel, terrified but relieved.

Once everyone was safe, the man who introduced himself as Liu Xuan stepped forward. “Thanks again. I’m Liu Xuan. These are my brothers, Zhang Ruo and Zhang Yan. If you ever need help, just ask.”

“It was nothing,” Lishu said flatly, uninterested in their gratitude.

Zhang Yushui noticed Zhang Yan’s condition. “He’s been poisoned. Any slower and he’ll become the next Jiangshi.”

“What?!” The two brothers panicked.

“You’re taking him to a hospital?” Zhang Yushui snorted. “For Mao Jiang poison?”

He handed them a charm. “Burn this and mix with water. Also apply sticky rice.”

They were deeply thankful and asked for their names. When Zhang Yushui introduced them, they turned to Lishu and stammered, “L-Lishu?!”

Lishu looked over, calm.

“You’re the Lishu! I admire you so much. Your reputation—”

Zhang Qiu rolled his eyes. If Huai Wang hadn’t reminded him, his own brother would be forgotten from this fanboying. He mixed the charm for Zhang Yan, whose complexion quickly improved.

“Good thing we accepted that job,” Zhang Ruo said. “Didn’t get any treasure, but we met the legendary Lishu! That stupid rumor about Qin Shihuang’s tomb though—nothing but hairy Jiangshi!”

“Qin Shihuang’s tomb?” Lishu looked over. “What rumor?”

“You didn’t hear? There’s a bounty—30 million if you find a treasure in Qin Shihuang’s tomb. That’s what we heard.”

Zhang Qiu exchanged looks with the others. This smelled very familiar.

“Let’s head back first,” someone said.

Jiang Yu, clutching her now-asleep son, pleaded, “Can we go straight back? I don’t want to return to the village.”

Zhang Qiu agreed. “But we should still file a report.”

She nodded.

Back in Xi’an, they went to the hospital. Jiang Yu, pregnant and exhausted, held out for her child. Dou Dou had a fever. The police arrived. DNA testing was ordered, and Dou Dou’s current “parents” would be notified.

“They’re traffickers—I’m his mother!” Jiang Yu cried. Her husband tried to calm her.

Until DNA confirmed things, the child would stay under police care.

Back at the villa, Zhang Mama had prepared dinner.

“You’ve been gone all day! I couldn’t even reach you. Did you find the child?” she asked.

Zhang Qiu recounted everything—minus the tomb part.

“So pitiful. But at least he’s safe now,” she said, wiping her eyes.

After dinner, Zhang Qiu put the kids to sleep, showered, and flopped onto the bed. “Do you think Qin Shihuang’s tomb has anything to do with the Fire Phoenix?”

Since they returned from the island, the Fire Phoenix had vanished. According to Yama, it was likely injured and would be seeking ways to recover, especially if it practiced demonic arts.

“Call Liu Xuan,” Lishu suggested.

Just as Zhang Qiu was about to dial, his phone rang.

It was Pei Qing.

“Why are you only picking up now? I just got back from Sanya and heard there’s a 30-million bounty for finding Qin Shihuang’s tomb…”