I run a shop selling amulets in Thailand

Ghosts are something that many believe in, while others don't. Before I went to Thailand, I didn't believe in ghosts or gods at all. But as the saying goes, nothing is absolute, and I never thought in my wildest dreams that a shady Thai tour group would completely change my fate. From that moment on, I not only encountered ghosts but also started a business selling them. That's right, not buying, but selling, and I even sold them on Taobao.

During that period, I did make quite a bit of money, but I also made a lot of enemies, including some that weren’t human. Although this all happened years ago, thinking about it still sends shivers down my spine. I've mentioned some of my experiences as a "spirit merchant" before, but never the full story. What finally pushed me to share it all now is the sheer number of people selling amulets these days. At some point, Thai amulets became wildly popular in China, and now many sellers not only deal in legitimate ones but also in dark, cursed amulets, even raising ghost spirits. Some people casually bring these cursed items home without considering the consequences. To prevent more people from being scammed or, like me, getting drawn deeper into this world, I decided to write everything down. To avoid any disputes, all the names in this story, except mine, will be changed, so please don’t try to identify anyone.

Before I begin, I want to offer some advice: never casually bring a ghost home. When you make a deal with a ghost, there’s no way you’ll come out ahead.

My name is Tian, and I used a fake name while doing business, but my real name is Tian Li. I was born and raised in the northeast of China. After graduating from university, I wanted to start a business, so I tried selling phones. In just a few years, I lost all the tens of thousands of yuan my parents had given me, down to the last penny. My parents scolded me for half a month, saying I wasn’t cut out for business and that I should just get a regular job. Given my capabilities, I had no choice but to work at a mobile phone shop. Since I had neither money nor looks, every relationship I had ended before going anywhere, making me the typical "loser."

Because I had no money or prospects, I usually avoided class reunions. The successful ones all spoke with confidence, while I just sat in the corner sipping a drink, often the subject of ridicule. I’d look around the table and find that very few were doing worse than me, making me feel even more bitter.

It was June 2006. The phone shop where I worked wasn’t doing well, and the owner rented it out to someone who opened a hair salon, so I was out of a job. This kind of intermittent unemployment had become normal for me since it wasn’t a formal job anyway. One day, my cousin came over. He worked at some “International Trade and Health Company” and often tried to sell me things—buy this tea and get a Swiss watch, or buy these eye drops and get a TV. This time, he mysteriously pulled out a paper with "Free Two-Day Trip to Thailand" printed on it.

I chuckled bitterly. "Come on, bro, where’s the free lunch? You’re not going to scam me again, are you? I don’t even have the money to go to Tai’an, let alone Thailand. What if they sell me off as a laborer in the mountains? How will Mom get her grandchild?"

“What are you talking about?” He got annoyed. “When have I ever scammed you? It’s only 500 yuan, just for the visa and passport. Everything else, including flights, hotels, and seafood meals, is free! The travel agency has a long-term partnership with our company, and this is their way of giving back to society. Our company only got ten spots, and I had to beg the manager to get one. I was going to use it myself, but since you’re my cousin, I thought I should let you have it.”

Seeing how confident he was, I started to hesitate. A classmate of mine who ran a travel agency once told me that cheap tours and free trips were never good news. I was about to call him when my mom walked in. After chatting with my cousin for a bit, she completely believed him. Of course, she trusted her own nephew. She even offered to pay the 500 yuan so I could go see the world and stop people from calling me inexperienced. That comment hit a sore spot. Thinking back to those class reunions and looking at my cousin's earnest expression, I figured he wasn’t involved in anything shady. It was only 500 yuan, and my parents were footing the bill, so I agreed.

Long story short, I gave my cousin the money and documents, and the travel agency quickly handled my passport and visa. After that, we all gathered at the travel agency. There were about a few dozen of us, led by a young female guide named Xiaomei. We flew out from Taoxian Airport, first landing in Guangzhou, then transferring to Bangkok, Thailand. I was thrilled when we landed. I had never been abroad before and wondered if Thailand’s sun was different from China’s, or if the people had two heads.

As soon as we stepped out of the airport, I realized that Thailand in June was much hotter than the northeast. The sun was so scorching it made me sweat instantly. Xiaomei told us that this wasn’t even the hottest time of the year; July to September was when the real heat would hit. We took a bus into the city, but before we could even get a drink, and right after we got our SIM cards, Xiaomei led us into a jewelry store under the pretense of resting. The doors closed behind us, and Xiaomei smiled sweetly. "Ladies and gentlemen, being a tour guide isn’t easy, and the travel agency is losing money on your 500 yuan. To help me not starve this month, please consider buying something, with a minimum of 5,000 yuan each. The more you buy, the bigger the discount!"

Everyone was dumbfounded and reluctant. That’s when a middle-aged man, with slick hair and a shiny silver suit, walked out. His H-buckled belt gleamed as he said energetically, "Ladies and gents, I’m Huang Chengxin, the manager of this jewelry store. We sell authentic Thai gems and renowned temple amulets. Whether you’re buying them for personal use or as gifts, they’re high-class and even profitable if you resell them to brands like Cartier or Tiffany. Thai gems are much cheaper than those in China. Feel free to call any gem expert back home to verify—I never deceive customers."

Several people made calls and found out he wasn’t lying, so they started buying. By the end, everyone had spent thousands, and one lady even maxed out her card with over 30,000 yuan in purchases. I was the only one who didn’t buy anything, simply because I didn’t have the money. Xiaomei, frustrated by her inability to persuade me, started mocking me for being poor. That really p*ss*d me off. Everywhere I went, people made fun of me. We ended up in a heated argument, with her calling me an embarrassment, and I snapped back, saying she must be frigid. It escalated until the store manager and staff had to break us apart.

As we were getting ready to leave on the bus, Xiaomei, now smiling sweetly again, pulled out a plastic bag filled with small boxes. "Meeting you all is fate, and since I won’t be joining you at the hotel, I’ve personally bought everyone a Thai temple amulet as a gift. These amulets are very powerful and can bring you fortune and protection. I had them specially made for each of you, so please don’t swap them around. Inside is a mantra—just recite it three times tonight, following the phonetic guide, and you’ll be initiated!" She then began handing them out to everyone.

When it was my turn, I thought she wouldn't give me one, considering we almost had a fight earlier. "Brother Tian, don't take yesterday's incident to heart. Here's your amulet, and don't forget about Xiaomei in the future!"

Looking into her watery eyes, I actually felt a bit embarrassed. I hadn’t expected her to be so forgiving, and I thanked her profusely. After Xiaomei left, while on the bus, I opened the box. Inside was a necklace, with a fine metal chain and a rectangular acrylic waterproof casing. It appeared to be made from compressed soil, gray and dull. On the front was a relief of a sitting Buddha in the lotus position. The back had a small piece of gray clay embedded in it. There was also a piece of paper in the box with a few lines of Pinyin, along with instructions that said to hold the amulet in your hands at midnight and recite the mantra three times in a quiet place to complete the initiation ceremony.

Bored, I compared my amulet with the one