Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

A bloody footprint gradually appeared on the edge of the well.

Then comes the second one.

The third.

The footprints were wet, leaving a clear imprint on the bluestone slab.

It walked around the well, one step at a time, at a leisurely pace.

The area gradually expanded, one foot, two feet, three feet...

Old Liu stared wide-eyed as the footprints drew closer and closer, making gurgling sounds in his throat, wanting to shout but unable to.

The footprints stopped abruptly in front of him.

Chen Mo retreated to the top of the steps, squinting and staring intently at the well opening.

The moonlight was still blood red, but he always felt that there was something standing there, looking down at Old Liu on the ground.

A few seconds later, there was a sudden movement on Lao Liu's body.

A bloody footprint appeared on his chest, as if someone had stepped on it.

Old Liu shuddered violently and let out a muffled groan.

Soon, another footprint appeared on his stomach, then on his leg, arm, and face...

One after another, densely packed, as if an unseen person was stepping on him.

His eyes were wide open as if they were about to burst, his body was convulsing violently, but he could only make muffled whimpering sounds.

The ropes binding his limbs dug deep into his flesh, leaving purplish-red marks.

When the last bloody footprint landed on Old Liu's forehead, his body suddenly stiffened and then vanished into thin air.

All that was left was that pile of hemp rope, lying empty on the bluestone slab.

The courtyard was eerily quiet.

A whimpering sound came from the corner. The sharp-beaked guy tried desperately to shrink back, but there was a wall behind him, and he couldn't shrink any further.

Chen Mo frowned, stared at the pile of hemp rope for a moment, and then looked up at the well opening.

He couldn't fathom this bizarre attack method.

After a moment's thought, Chen Mo turned around and walked up to the sharp-mouthed waiter.

The other person's face was covered in tears; this time, they were truly crying.

His face was covered in tears and snot, his body was trembling like a leaf, and he kept banging his head against the ground.

Chen Mo squatted down, looked into his eyes, and comforted him, "Don't be afraid. Look how quickly Old Liu disappeared. He must not have been in any pain."

With a wave of his hand, two paper figures stepped forward, lifted the sharp-mouthed fellow, and placed him a little distance away from the well, about two zhang away.

As soon as the person landed, he tried desperately to arch backward, but his hands and feet were bound, and he couldn't arch more than half a foot. He could only bury his face in the ground and curl up in a ball, trembling uncontrollably.

Chen Mo returned to the stone steps and sat down again.

The moonlight continued to move.

The well seemed to have been saturated; no more footprints appeared.

A night breeze blew by, swirling up a few withered leaves with a rustling sound.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea has passed.

The moonlight over the well dimmed for a moment.

The bloody footprints reappeared, this time not starting from the wellhead, but appearing directly next to the sharp-mouthed fellow.

The first footprint landed next to the back of his head, less than a foot from his face.

The sharp-nosed guy seemed to sense something, and suddenly looked up, then saw the mark.

It was damp, dark red, and slowly seeped in the moonlight.

He let out a scream, but it was muffled by the rag and turned into a muffled whimper.

The second footprint landed on his back.

Then came the third, the fourth...

The situation was exactly the same as Lao Liu's.

Bloody footprints fell one by one, densely packed, covering his entire body from head to toe.

The sharp-tongued waiter's eyes widened, as if his eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets. His body convulsed more and more violently, until finally he stiffened up abruptly...

It disappeared again.

All that remained on the ground was the pile of hemp rope.

The courtyard returned to silence.

"I can't figure out how it happened at all; I can only guess it's related to that footprint..."

Chen Mo pondered for a while on the steps, then walked towards the courtyard gate without looking back.

The four paper figures followed him silently, turning back into paper pieces the moment they stepped out the door and floating back into his sleeve.

He closed the door and walked into the night.

If you can't afford to offend them, then you can only avoid them.

. . . . . .

The next morning, Chen Mo finished breakfast at that inn and prepared to find another place to live.

He ran for the entire morning within a ten-kilometer radius of Zhenyisi.

No suitable one.

It's not that the houses are bad, it's that they're too good; houses in this area are in high demand.

He asked if there were any houses for rent or sale, and people either waved him off, gave him a cold laugh, or simply closed the door.

A steward in a long gown paid him some attention and said there was a secluded courtyard available for rent, priced at two hundred silver dollars a month, with a three-month deposit and one month's rent in advance, and no bargaining.

Chen Mo turned and left.

Two hundred silver dollars is enough for an average family to live on for a year.

These days, an average worker only earns around twenty yuan a month; this is treating him like a sucker and ripping him off.

He seems to have a lot of money, but if he really tries to settle down in a place like this, he won't last more than a few years.

As noon approached, Chen Mo stood on a street lined with plane trees, looking at the villas with gardens on both sides, and decided to change his approach.

The money that should be earned should still be earned by others.

After searching the streets for a while, he chose a dental clinic that looked fairly reputable.

The shop was small, with two rooms facing the street. Several red papers were pasted on the door, with words such as "Auspicious house for rent" and "Small villa for sale" posted on them.

He pushed open the door and went inside. Inside sat a middle-aged man wearing a gray cloth gown. As soon as he saw him come in, the man quickly stood up to greet him.

"Sir, are you here to view or rent a property?"

"Buy a house." Chen Mo placed a few silver dollars on the counter. "It should be a detached house with its own courtyard, preferably close to the town's administrative office, within forty miles is fine."

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up, then he suppressed them, forcing a smile: "Forty li? That's a wide area. What's your budget, sir?"

"Let's look at houses first," Chen Mo said. "We'll talk about the price if it's suitable."

The middle-aged man wasn't annoyed. He pulled a notebook out of the drawer, put on his reading glasses, flipped through it, and then looked up at Chen Mo, as if he was weighing something.

"There is a place on the west bank of the river, about forty miles from Zhenyisi. It is a good location. There is a tram line right outside the door, the concession is three stops to the east, and the dock is five stops to the west."

"A small Western-style house, two stories high, with a small courtyard and a well in the courtyard, but..."

"What is it?"

"It's not cheap," the middle-aged man said, pushing up his glasses. "It costs six thousand yuan, no bargaining."

Chen Mo didn't say anything. He could afford six thousand yuan, but it would be better if it were less.

Seeing that he remained silent, the middle-aged man quickly added, "Of course, the price is negotiable. The original owner instructed that we could discuss it."

"If you're really serious about buying it, you might be able to get it for 5,500. It's a proper villa; a few years ago, you wouldn't even dream of it without 10,000."

"Isn't it because of the bad times? Rich people are all moving south, that's why housing prices have fallen..."

"Take me to see it." Chen Mo interrupted him, deciding to go see the house first.

Now he's a bit traumatized by the mere mention of a well.

The middle-aged man was taken aback for a moment, then beamed with joy: "Alright, alright! I'll call a car right away, let's go now!"