Chapter 3 Nine Dragons Maze

I cautiously opened my eyes, only to find the doors and windows of the mysterious house wide open. The once imposing stone lions still stood guard on either side of the entrance; their expressions unchanged. However, the enigmatic tunnel through which we had entered had vanished, leaving us in a desolate, completely enclosed space.

"This resembles the ancestral hall..." I remarked in bewilderment, gazing at the vanished tunnel.

"Hehe, it's more than just a resemblance. This is the Nine Dragons Maze of the ancient Lu family!" Uncle declared, leading my father and me into the stone dwelling. The interior mirrored the living quarters of Grandpa outside, yet the atmosphere felt tinged with an otherworldly aura. Uncle motioned for us to take a seat, then approached a cabinet against the wall. He opened it, producing a box swathed in crimson fabric, placing it before us. A stern expression clouded his face as he spoke, "Xiao Tuo, what I'm about to disclose is a centuries-old family secret. It might seem incredulous, but this is our reality."

I nodded cautiously, my eyes still fixated on the mysterious box before me.

In that moment, Second Uncle drew a deep breath, delicately unveiling the red cloth to reveal an ebony box intricately carved with nine dragons. Simultaneously, a subtle, enticing fragrance wafted into my nostrils. Uncle tapped the wooden box and explained, "Contained within are the remnants your grandfather bequeathed to you." With that, he pushed the box toward me.

I placed my hands on the box, sensing its chilling touch. Glancing at my father, who nodded, I summoned the courage to gingerly open the box. Inside lay a finely crafted finger model, beneath which rested a threadbare book with the title "Eighteen Fragments" written in minuscule characters.

"What is this?" I asked in astonishment, eyeing the box's contents.

"We are not of the Shen lineage; we are of the Mo lineage," Uncle declared solemnly. "Your grandfather is the seventy-second generation descendant of Mozi. However, to evade vengeful adversaries and the entanglements of worldly strife, our family concealed our identity and eventually found refuge in Wufang Store."

"Are you saying we are descendants of Mozi?" I could scarcely believe my ears. If Uncle spoke the truth, then my name should be Mo Tuo, not Shen Tuo.

"Yes," Uncle gently retrieved the book from the box. "These eighteen fragments are lost chapters from the 'Mo Classic,' divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. The lower sections detail 108 formidable mechanical arts, the middle sections record 64 perplexing mechanical enigmas, and the upper sections delve into the arcane arts of puppetry and spirit manipulation. Due to their potent nature, Mozi feared they'd fall into the wrong hands. He thus excised them from the 'Mo Classic,' permitting only designated Mozi descendants to study them."

"What?" I exclaimed.

Uncle looked at me with a mix of conviction and doubt, stood up, and urged, "Xiao Tuo, come with me."

I rose dazedly. Truth be told, since entering this room, my entire being had been suspended in a state of trance. Uncle guided me to the adjoining room, gently parting the door curtain. Gazing inside, I saw Wuling lying motionless on the bed. I stepped into the room, and under the gentle glow of the lamp, Wuling's appearance and stature remained frozen in time, as if he were in a peaceful slumber. I shook Wuling vigorously, yet his body remained cold and unresponsive.

"Is he... dead?" I suddenly felt a piercing ache in my chest.

Uncle approached me, gently patting my shoulder, and uttered, "He has never lived."

His words left me staring at him in disbelief. Uncle nodded solemnly, stating, "Xiao Tuo, haven't you noticed that Wuling has never changed over the years? His appearance, height, and hairstyle have all remained unchanged."

Uncle's revelation shook me to the core. I reached out to touch Wuling's arm, his skin smooth and frigid, mirroring his living self. A daring suspicion formed within me, and I raised my head, uttering in disbelief, "Could it be... Could it be that Wuling, he..."

Uncle seemed to understand my unspoken thoughts and nodded. "You guessed right. Wuling is not a real person; he is a puppet!"

"A puppet?" I stared at Uncle in astonishment.

"Yes, precisely, a wooden puppet or a marionette!" Uncle walked to Wuling's side, gently patting his shoulder, and then dismantled Wuling's arm. I watched everything Uncle did with wide eyes, my mind in turmoil. Finally, Uncle took a small box from Wuling's chest and handed it to me, saying, "Open it and see what's inside."

I took the small wooden box and gently opened it. To my surprise, I found a small section of a finger bone inside. I gasped, looking at Uncle in confusion.

"While marionettes can move freely, they lack thoughts and souls. However, the index finger of a human can connect with the marionette, allowing it to move like a normal person. So, for the marionette to function properly, it needs its owner's index finger as its 'heart,'" my father explained. "That's your finger; that's why you've always been able to communicate with Wuling."

"I see," I said thoughtfully. "Then... what about the finger in the sandalwood box that Grandpa left for me?"

"Follow me!" Uncle led me to the next room, where he motioned for me to sit down. He took out the finger model from the box, then took my hand, saying, "Your grandfather hoped you would inherit his legacy. So, when you were three years old, he took your finger and made it into Wuling's 'heart.' However, he felt guilty about it, so he spent more than ten years creating this unique finger from the lost sections of the 'Eighteen Fragments.' This finger contains eighty-one mechanisms, and its flexibility can even surpass your original finger!"

"What?" I looked in astonishment at the intricate craftsmanship of the unique finger. It was finely detailed, with tiny thorns at its inner end that looked like small needles—sharp but made of an unknown material.

"But it might hurt a bit at first," Uncle said. With that, he placed the finger model on my severed left index finger. Instantly, I felt a sharp pain, as if something had pierced into my bone and flesh. The pain surged like an electric current, spreading through my entire body. I tried to grit my teeth, but the pain was unbearable. Tremors ran through my body, and eventually, I collapsed on the ground. I wanted to scream, but my throat produced no sound. My father and Uncle looked at me anxiously. I felt dizzy, and finally, everything plunged into profound darkness.

When I woke up, several hours had passed. I found myself outside the stone house, lying on Uncle's bed. My father, seeing me open my eyes, exclaimed, "Big Brother, Xiaotuo is awake!"

Uncle immediately rushed over, touched my forehead, glanced at my left index finger, and nodded slightly. "Xiaotuo, try moving your finger!"

I looked at my left hand, thinking about bending it. Miraculously, the finger bent, although the range of motion was not very large.

My father and Uncle exchanged relieved glances. Uncle said, "It seems there's no problem. With some practice, it should be no different from your original finger!"

I looked at the finger, appearing identical to any other finger, even with clear fingerprints. The only difference was that it remained cold.

Uncle then handed me the box, saying, "Xiaotuo, your grandfather had a wish—to pass on his legacy to you. If you're willing, take this 'Eighteen Fragments.'"

"I..." I glanced at my father beside me, puzzled. "Why me?"

"The designated Mo family descendants are chosen by the previous generation. The chosen one must be able to communicate with the marionette mentally. Before you, your grandfather also tried your elder brother, but he couldn't synchronize with Wuling. That's why..." Uncle explained with a touch of helplessness.

"Can I have some time to think about it?" I asked Uncle.

Uncle looked slightly disappointed, but he put the box away, took a deep breath, and said, "Alright, I'll keep it for you temporarily. Come find me when you've made up your mind."

"Okay. By the way, Uncle, what about Wuling?" I suddenly remembered Wuling, who was still lying in the stone house. "Since he's a marionette, he shouldn't die. Why couldn't he move when we saw him?"

Uncle frowned, sat down beside me, and sighed, "Since you left, Wuling has been hiding in the hollow of that old locust tree. You must have seen the inscription inside, right? He calculated the days until your return every day. But when you didn't come back, and later, your grandfather fell seriously ill, he urgently asked me and your father to come back. When we returned, Wuling was already lying in that hollow and couldn't move. Marionettes are passed down through the generations of the Mo family, and the mechanisms inside are intricate and meticulous, taken from the upper six sections of the 'Eighteen Fragments.' Not only are the designated heirs unable to read the contents, but also they cannot understand them. Moreover, at that time, your grandfather's mind was already unclear, and he couldn't repair Wuling. So..."

"So, to revive Wuling, one must understand the 'Eighteen Fragments,' right?" I asked Uncle.

Uncle nodded.

"And only the designated Mo family heirs can read the 'Eighteen Fragments.' In other words, if I want to revive Wuling, I must inherit Grandpa's legacy and become a designated Mo family heir!" My thoughts became clear in that instant.

"Exactly," Uncle nodded.

"Alright, I understand." I glanced at the box in Uncle's hand, feeling a bit hesitant.

"Oh, by the way, Xiaotuo, what about the friend you brought back?" my father reminded me.