The first part, "Miao Village: The Ancestral Shaman," Chapter One, Section One

One day later, on a high-speed train from Jilin to Beijing, five Liberation Army soldiers were seated in the last carriage. Among them, two were none other than the platoon leader Shen Yuanchao and soldier Zhang Zhu, who had just experienced the "strange corpse incident."

The incident had been shrouded in secrecy. Photographs of the monster's corpse had been taken, and on the same day, it was sent to the Institute of Biophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Several academicians specializing in evolutionary biology were amazed by what they saw. This strange corpse could be considered a challenge to Darwin's theory of evolution. In terms of scientific significance, it could even surpass the disappearance of the Beijing skull fossil that had puzzled scientists for half a century.

Learning from the lessons of the missing skull fossil, to eliminate potential risks during transportation, the People's Armed Police instructed that this transportation must be kept classified. They even arranged a special train for this purpose.

As it was a special transport, this military train did not have passenger carriages, only a few cargo carriages hitched in front. Apart from the two train drivers in the locomotive, the only people on the train were the five soldiers in the last carriage.

Shen Yuanchao and Zhang Zhu, being the primary individuals involved, were headed to the Chinese Academy of Sciences to report the details of the incident. They were also the only ones aware of the true nature of the "item" being transported. The other three soldiers had been informed that they were going to the capital to receive commendations for their outstanding bravery in extinguishing a mountain fire. Additionally, there was a "special product" from the Greater Xing'an Mountains that needed to arrive in Beijing with them, and they were asked to assist with its transportation for security reasons.

Now, the strange corpse was securely wrapped in layers of burlap sacks, resting quietly in a corner of the carriage. Shen Yuanchao and Zhang Zhu had a clear view of the corpse's position.

Ever since Shen Yuanchao boarded the train, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw the horrifying scene of his comrades being brutally attacked by the strange corpse. When he opened his eyes, he would see the burlap sacks containing the corpse right in front of him. This left him in a constant state of restlessness, unable to sit, stand, sleep, or stay awake in peace.

Zhang Zhu, on the other hand, was a rougher individual. After getting on the train, aside from some motion sickness initially, he didn't seem to be affected by the situation. After a half-day journey on the train, he had even adjusted to the motion sickness and was now sleeping soundly, eating heartily. Shen Yuanchao couldn't help but grit his teeth, thinking, "You're so carefree; don't you realize what's lying in front of you? Your comrades were killed by it. How can you forget that bloody scene so quickly?" Suddenly, Shen Yuanchao remembered that when Zhang Zhu had gone to find the platoon leader, he had missed that gruesome scene.

"Yuanchao, what are you thinking about again? You look like you've lost your soul as soon as you boarded the train," said Jiang Zida, the platoon leader in the adjacent compartment, and the highest-ranking among the group.

Jiang Zida, a Sichuan native, and Shen Yuanchao had been in the same platoon since they were new recruits. While they weren't inseparable, they got along well.

"What do you mean, lost my soul? Old Jiang, don't talk nonsense," Shen Yuanchao was now sensitive to such phrases. "I haven't slept a wink in the mountains for three days and nights. Try it yourself. I would have collapsed long ago."

"Who hasn't gone without sleep for a few days and nights? Do you think you're the only one tough enough? Besides, it's time to get some shut-eye now. Don't arrive in Beijing looking like a zombie; we represent the People's Armed Police!" Jiang Zida teased.

"Who doesn't want to sleep? It's just... I can't sleep," Shen Yuanchao explained awkwardly.

"If you can't sleep, then don't sleep, Squad Leader Shen. I heard that your platoon encountered ghosts in the mountains? And you even fired a shot that sounded like thunder. What really happened? Tell us," another soldier, who was familiar with Shen Yuanchao, chimed in. Being cooped up in the carriage for a while, they finally found a topic that could perk them up.

"Where did you hear that nonsense from? There weren't any ghosts or gods. Confucius said, 'Silence is a true friend who never betrays.' Don't listen to people talking nonsense. We just encountered a bear, and we shot at the bear," Shen Yuanchao began weaving a tale.

"Forget it. What do you mean by 'Silence is a true friend'? Confucius dared not speak of strange and supernatural things. Besides, our platoon was nearby at the time. Shooting a bear? More like shooting a ghost! Did you really need to fire hundreds of shots for a bear? I heard it for real. It sounded like the fireworks on New Year's. Zhang Zhu, what do you say? What really happened? Zhang Zhu, why are you so quiet?"

Only then did everyone notice that Zhang Zhu's face had turned pale, and he was trembling uncontrollably, pointing at the "special product" from the Greater Xing'an Mountains in front of them. "It... it moved!"