The Agent of Yin and Yang: Fate Manipulator

In the winter of 1995, light snow was falling. At the tender age of seven, I was in the first grade of elementary school. As I sat in the back room of my uncle's teahouse, engrossed in watching cartoons, a peculiar guest entered the small white building, bringing with him the chill of the wind and snow. The room had poor soundproofing, and I could vaguely hear the commotion outside.

"Brother, I cannot accept this item of yours," Uncle Two's voice carried a hint of displeasure. Knowing him well, I could sense his intention to drive the person away.

"Why can't you accept it? I paid a hefty sum for this gourd in Shenyang Dao not long ago. Look at the craftsmanship, the patterns; it's undoubtedly a valuable item. They say you accept fine materials here, so why refuse when it reaches me?" The man in a black raincoat, with a bushy beard, spoke anxiously. Tianjin locals were known for their fast-paced and lively way of speaking, and his urgency only quickened his speech.

"Your item is new. While the gourd's material is excellent, the patterns on it are not crafted. Moreover, there's no base design underneath, and the mouth of the gourd is sealed with these peculiar talismans. Can I accept it?" Uncle Two waved his hand and shouted. Those dealing with antiques were familiar with some peculiarities and had their set of rules. Naturally, they avoided new items, especially those with unclear origins. Moreover, this gourd seemed strange to Uncle Two, making him reluctant to get involved.

However, the man became impatient upon hearing this. He exclaimed, "You don't have the insight. If you're not knowledgeable in this field, it's my mistake to come here." Ready to leave upon uttering these words, Uncle Two, with his quick temper, shouted back, "Don't go! Claiming I'm ignorant? Fine, I'll find someone knowledgeable to have a look at it."

Hearing this, I couldn't resist and walked out, spotting a ginger-colored gourd on the table. At first glance, it seemed no different from an ordinary gourd, with snake-like patterns engraved on it. Unreadable characters were carved on the round belly of the gourd, and the mouth was sealed with two yellow talismans containing mysterious red writings. Beyond the talismans, a layer of wax covered the mouth, not revealing a trace of what was inside.

As I stared for a moment, I suddenly felt that the gourd seemed alive, swaying on the table.

Startled, I quickly rubbed my eyes. When I looked at the gourd again, it was motionless. However, a faint gray smoke lingered around its plump body.

I walked over, tugged at Uncle Two's clothes, and asked, "Uncle Two, what kind of thing is this gourd? It looks strange."

Uncle Two was busy on the phone and didn't pay much attention to me. He casually said, "Wan Lin, stay there and don't make a sound."

After about ten minutes, a thin and tall figure walked into the teahouse, holding a black umbrella and wearing a green cotton coat. After shaking off the snow from his clothes upon entering, he spoke with a strong Northeastern accent, "What's up, kid? I was napping at home!"

Uncle Two hurriedly walked over, smiling, "Someone brought a gourd here. I said it's a new item and refused, but the seller claimed I lack knowledge. So, I invited you to have a look. Brother Three, you have broad knowledge; help me check. I might have missed a valuable item."

I recognized the tall figure as Li San'er. Uncle Two always called him Brother Three. With a bushy beard and being from the Northeast, he seemed quite knowledgeable about antiques and had helped Uncle Two in his business. He had extraordinary strength and used to play with me, lifting me up and down.

This time, seeing me, he greeted me and gestured for me to stand beside him.

Li San'er put on gloves, examined the gourd on the table, and immediately changed his expression. Carefully lifting the gourd, he looked at the talismans on it. Then, suddenly opening his eyes wide, he grabbed my arm, asking in a low voice, "Wan Lin, as you stared at this gourd, did you see anything?"

Uncle Two, unsurprised by the situation, shouted, "You ask a kid? What does he know?"

With a stern expression, Li San'er scolded, "You know nothing! Be quiet! This object might cost you your life!"

The seller, also shocked by Li San'er's reaction, stayed silent. I scratched my head; such occurrences were not new to me. Facing Li San'er, I had nothing to hide. I looked back at the gourd and said, "This gourd seems to have a gray smoke around it. Let me touch it."

Li San'er cautiously placed the gourd in my hands. As soon as I touched it, I let out a startled cry, exclaiming, "Why is it so cold? Colder than the snow!"

The gourd appeared normal, but upon contact, an icy chill, seemingly penetrating my bones, made me almost drop it. The seller, alarmed, took it back, stating, "It's not cold. You kid, stop making a fuss!"

However, having witnessed my unusual reaction, Li San'er understood. He nodded slightly, pushed me aside, and picked up the gourd. Then, with a loud shout, he accused me, "You brat, you've caused trouble!"

Having observed the subtle dimming of the cinnabar hue on the parchment seal attached to the mouth of the gourd after the fleeting crimson radiance a moment ago, a sense of unease settled within me. Startled by Li San's exclamation, I stood there in silence, hesitant to speak. The vendor, on the other hand, proclaimed, "If this item truly possesses the malevolence you just described, I, I want no part in it. The money you gave me earlier, at this price, consider me unlucky! Don't come looking for me again!"

Uttering these words in a state of confusion, the vendor clumsily rushed out, quickly vanishing into the wintry storm outside. Uncle Two shot me a stern look before approaching Li San, offering him a cigarette, and uttered in a hushed tone, "Is it truly that malevolent? You just mentioned that this gourd is a seal..."

Li San shook his head, interrupting Uncle Two's words, then turned to me. Wearing a cold expression, he asked with utmost seriousness, "When the gourd fell, did you see anything?"

I swallowed nervously, foolishly responding, "Just now, I saw a dark figure rushing out from the gourd, then it ran away and disappeared. Third Uncle, is there something strange inside?"

Li San remained silent, reaching into his military coat to retrieve a small piece of dark wood, approximately the size of a fingernail. Igniting it with a lighter, wisps of blue smoke immediately emanated. Li San waved the dark wood in the air while motioning for Uncle Two and me to step back. Positioned behind Uncle Two, I witnessed the blue smoke drifting through the air without dispersing. Gradually, it seemed to coalesce into a vague semblance of a human face. The features were indistinct, and I couldn't be entirely certain, but these wafting smoke rings lingered in the air, continuously circling the gourd. This much I could discern.

"It seems like, there seems to be a face! Why isn't this smoke dissipating?"

Not only was I taken aback, but even Uncle Two beside me was rendered wide-eyed, repeatedly exclaiming, "Incredible, this is truly incredible."

Li San ignored Uncle Two, but cast a profound glance my way. In his gaze, there lurked an enigmatic undertone, sharp as a knife, sending a chill through my heart. His eyebrows knitted tightly, and after a long sigh, he spoke, "I will take this gourd back. In the coming days, refrain from going to school and stay at your Uncle Two's place. If anything unusual occurs, call me immediately. Youngster, you have encountered something extraordinary! Whether you can preserve your life depends on your destiny!"

Having conveyed these words, Li San departed. Uncle Two escorted him to the door, while I anxiously watched the swirling blue smoke before me, feeling truly unsettled.

In the following two days, I abstained from attending school and stayed at Uncle Two's residence. No peculiar incidents transpired, but Uncle Two informed me that Li San had mentioned returning in a few days. Despite this assurance, Uncle Two's demeanor betrayed conside