Poison City

“Woah, this is the first time I see this. ” Standing in front of the entrance under three layers of wooden floorboard: “What the hell?”

“This is because it’s a secret for official watchers of the coffin home. And I don’t think it’s a good secret to keep any way.” Tae Kuo sighed: “This is why your friends shouldn’t come. It’s not that I’m trying to keep them out of it, it’s - things are pretty unclean down there.”

Gloria flared her nostrils and nodded, faint dark mist lingered around this entrance, and an unpleasant smell crept up on her. Both she and Tae Kuo were trained to handle things like this, but it won’t be good for either Sue or Turner Ouyang, not to mention the fact that poor Turner Ouyang was injured.

“Where does this lead to?” Walking along the long, winding and narrow tunnel, Gloria asked.

“To a deserted neighborhood.” Tae Kuo sighed: “And I suspect the reason the neighborhood was deserted was because it’s a hot spot for paranormal phenomena. And what’s worse for them, there’s no temple nearby. The community collective used to send out harmony enforcers with special training to do cleansing and even exorcism. But they might have stopped doing it for certain places.”

“Oh? And what might be the reason for it being a hotspot?” 

“That’s what we’re here for. I’ve never dared to venture far enough inside. But judging by the things I heard, they have some kind of burial site in a not-so-close proximity. It’s not very clear how that came to be, and I never tried to find out.” Tae Kuo stopped and looked down at the road before continuing on his way: “I try not to know too much. As you understand, knowing too much can be dangerous. ”

“Is that because in order to know you’ll need to ask? Or is knowing it in and of itself dangerous?” Gloria chuckled.

“Eh, what’s the difference? There’s no difference. You either have to be there or you’re gonna know it from somewhere. And those who can tell you may lie, or they may turn you in for just asking.” Tae Kuo grunted as he pulled open an ajar door in front of them, behind which was the remainder of the tunnel: “Trust me, I wish I learned that when I was younger. You know, I thought I was so cool, that I was such a rebel by asking all of these questions openly and unashamedly.”

“What - did you get blackballed?”

“Almost. I was expelled from the college I was in. My scholarship to attend the city university got revoked, and for a while I could only find day jobs that paid measly cash. And then my mother got sick, and I had to resort to all kinds of gray area gigs ” Tae Kuo sighed: “Why’d you think I got into this kind of job, huh? ”

“I’m so sorry, Sifu.” Gloria shook her head. This was the first time she heard of this. Maybe she just did not know enough about the Sifu’s personal history.

“Meh, it’s in the past already. Who cares anymore?” Tae Kuo stopped while they were in the midpoint of the second section of the tunnel: “Okay - here’s the furthest I’ve gone. You’re sure?”

“I’m not going back.” Gloria took a deep breath.

Black mist filled the air before them. Traces of condensed smoke floated and intertwined in the air, like tendrils and tentacles. Along the walls, tree root like marks crawled out from the other end of the tunnel.

And in vast contrast was the floor, there was barely any signs of corruption from the same energy.

“Why - ” Gloria pointed at the ground in front of her, but was not sure how to ask.

“Salted ground with carbon and lime layered on top, splashed with blessed oil and wine.” Tae Kuo took out a small dark brown bottle of wine and chugged it down, leaving a few droplets left and smeared them on his forehead: “It only works on the ground - it’s kinda amazing how it’s been working for all these years with no one maintaining it. You want this wine? I still have one bottle.”

“Nah, I’m good for now. Maybe later. How are you sure no one’s maintaining it?” Gloria activated her Qi.

“I wish I had Qi like that.” Tae Kuo shook his head with a wry smile: “Only when in need did one realize they haven’t been working hard enough.”

“Eh, it’s overrated.” Gloria took a step forward. The dark mist and tendrils of smoke dissipated around her.

“Be careful.” Tae Kuo cautioned: “I only know about what lies ahead from maps.”

“It’s fine.” Gloria took one step at a time.

Nothing out of the ordinary came from the rest of the way. And out of the exit, they found themselves in the backyard of another house. The house was similar in structure and interior design to Fuman Coffin Home. The only difference is that the house was completely empty, no furniture of any kind, no decorations or even doors and windows.

“Do you know of this place? Looks like another coffin home.” Gloria walked through the rectangular hole where the door should be and looked around. The walls were darkened and covered in cracks. 

“No. The map only said about an abandoned neighborhood, no description of anything.” Tae Kuo shook his head.