Chapter Nine: The Tangled Yarn Technique and the Investigation into the Carno Family

Time passed in tranquility, and in the blink of an eye, a week had gone by.

It turned out that while this world might harbor all sorts of strange occurrences and supernatural forces, the established social order of humanity remained the dominant reality. During this period, Louie did not encounter anything sinister.

Because he was trapped in the body of a young child and unable to investigate his own kidnapping, Louie shifted his focus to the occult, diligently practicing the contents of the book he had acquired. Since these were mere folk practices, they were actually quite simple to learn; he had already mastered five of the six techniques, leaving only the "Kitchen God Ash" method. Even the "Life-Borrowing" technique—the most sinister of the six and the one that offered no chance for practical experimentation—was considered mastered simply by familiarizing himself with the procedure and reading it over several times. Perhaps this was the nature of such "sideline" paths: they prioritized speed, simplicity, and ease of understanding.

Of course, it was also possible that the "Folklore Code" deemed this technique unnecessary for Louie, the inheritor, and thus granted him a pass. He was currently trying to find a way to purchase a statue of the Kitchen God to enshrine, so that he might obtain the ritual ash needed to complete the final method. However, for a six-year-old, this task proved difficult, and he had yet to succeed.

His relationship with Emma had also shifted over the week. It had to be said that Emma’s father, David, was a kind man. He seemed to treat Louie like a nephew, providing new clothes, delicious food, and pocket money, and often asking what Louie wanted to play. Except for not reading him bedtime stories, he treated Louie exactly the same as he did Emma.

However, this seemed to provoke some subtle emotions in Emma. Although she did not voice them, Louie sensed them, yet he remained indifferent. He knew Emma was a sociopathic personality who harbored hostility toward anyone who might threaten her survival. But for now, she was not yet ready to make a move against him—not because of any affection, but simply because he did not yet pose enough of a threat.

Half a month later, David finally pulled enough strings with the Community Committee to enroll Louie in the same school as Emma. The Community Committee was a form of grassroots self-governance in the United States with significant power; if one could not navigate their influence, one would find no place in the neighborhood, unable to even purchase a home. They also held sway over local institutions like schools, which was how Louie was finally enrolled.

The school was a public elementary school, yet its facilities and educational resources were surprisingly decent.

"Emma, is this your little brother?"

"Oh, of course," Emma replied with a perfect smile.

Louie offered a polite smile in return. He did not bother to refute her, nor did he have any interest in playing with the other children; he simply sat at his desk, studying the "Yarn-Pulling" technique. Although these folk methods were crude, there was a vast difference between being a novice and reaching mastery. Louie intended to refine the more useful arts to increase his own safety.

The specific origins of the Yarn-Pulling technique were lost to history, but it had appeared extensively during the Ming and Qing dynasties. At that time, children were frequently abducted, and those who performed such acts were known by many names: "Flower-Snatchers," "Human Traffickers," or "Matchmaking Crones." They were the primary users of this dark art.

At the novice level, the Yarn-Pulling technique involved nothing more than preparing snacks laced with hallucinogenic substances, such as certain mushrooms, to lure children; it hardly qualified as a true technique. But once mastered, it was entirely different. Food became merely an auxiliary tool; the focus shifted to language infused with hypnotic suggestion, possessing a sinister efficacy that could affect even adults with weak wills. One could easily see the disparity between the novice and master levels.

Bored, Louie made a deal with a chubby black boy sitting next to him, using a snack as currency. It had to be said that normal children were easily deceived; the chubby boy, coveting the food, agreed readily.

"Alright, let's begin."

Louie patted him on the shoulder, wearing a gentle, kindly smile.

...

While Louie was staying at Emma’s house and having fun with the chubby boy at school, in Miami, an old man who had yet to find his grandson sat in a chair, watching his eldest son—the current heir to their syndicate.

"Max, you know what our Italian Mafia holds as its core principle."

"Of course, I know: family. Nothing is more important than family."

"Good," the old man nodded slowly. "So, today, keep hanging the third one up and beating him. Also, go to the town and find a woman named Elise. She might be helpful in finding little Louie."

Max frowned. "Dad, isn't that Elise a psychic? You believe in that stuff?"

"Cough, cough. Max, you must believe that there are many incredible things in this world. You must hold a sense of awe. Be respectful when you seek her out."

Max did not argue. Although he did not believe it in his heart, he would obey his father’s words. Watching his son depart, Capone Cano leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, lost in thought.

After a long while, he rummaged through a wooden cabinet and pulled out a severed finger, which possessed two joints and a sharp, protruding nail. Looking at it, he hesitated.

In the 1970s, a strange event occurred in Miami. A bizarre creature helped a man hunt down his enemies; even if they were thousands of miles away, it could fly over to find and kill them. However, because the creature was careless and left obvious bloodstains, it was eventually exposed. The man was thrown into prison, and no one believed his story, assuming he had simply hallucinated a monster out of loneliness—that it was all a delusion.

But later, that strange creature actually went to rescue him, only to be blown into fragments by a hail of gunfire. Later, those remains were brought back by a member of their family and handed over to him. Experiments revealed that the claw could absorb nutrients to grow and regenerate. To be safe, he had sealed it away. For all these years, even during violent gang wars, he had never used it.

Now, he was hesitating.

"Mysterious power... is it a demon? Or a vengeful spirit?"

The old man muttered to himself as he placed the severed finger back into the drawer.

...

Time passed quickly, and Christmas arrived.

Louie spent that year's Christmas with Emma’s family. In the living room, the Christmas tree was wrapped in colorful lights. The dining table was set with a steaming roast turkey, a cake woven with white and purple icing, and an array of sumptuous dishes emitting a fragrant aroma.

David looked at Louie and Emma, both dressed in their new outfits, and nodded in satisfaction. It had to be said that Louie looked quite remarkable. His pale blue, crystal-like eyes seemed to shimmer, and his small black suit accentuated his upright posture. Combined with his hair, which was as dark as a silent night, and his sculpted facial features, he looked like a mysterious young gentleman.

Emma, meanwhile, had traded her usual black, white, and gray attire for a red dress. A bow ribbon adorned her shoulder-length hair, and a string of white pearls graced her neck, making her look like a little princess who had just stepped out of a fairy tale.