When things have developed to this point, I would be a fool if I didn't understand. The man in front of me is clearly a master of 'disguise'. He has the miraculous ability to change people's faces.
"Do you understand now?" The middle-aged man looked at me as if I had some understanding, and said with a half-smile.
"Understood." I said seriously, but the muscles on my face felt a pain for no reason, so I subconsciously said: "You don't know how to use a knife, right? Can I never change back to the way I used to be?" "
When the middle-aged man heard my question, a look of disdain flashed across his face, and then he said: "Your Taoism has a long history, and many things have been lost now, but at least the Chinese people still know how to recognize Taoism. So, you don't It’s normal to know some folk gadgets. After all, you are a Taoist. To you, folk thaumaturgy is not necessarily just a miraculous skill.”
The middle-aged man's expression combined with his tone made me extremely embarrassed. Even if he didn't answer me anything, I knew how stupid the question I just asked was.
"I'm sorry." I stood up and said solemnly to the middle-aged man.
This middle-aged man probably didn't expect that I would apologize to him. He looked at me in surprise for a long time before the expression on his face softened and there was a hint of friendliness in his eyes. Then he said to me in a soft tone: "That's all. , this is none of your business. Our Chinese culture has been passed down for thousands of years, and many magical and useful things have been lost due to some bad habits, such as passing on to sons rather than daughters. I just inherited the ancient At that time, it was a real form of disguise, but now there is not necessarily a person who puts on make-up that is taken seriously, so maybe one day I will change my career to make-up or something like that.”
As he spoke, there was a wry smile on his face, and then he said: "You just need to trim your beard roughly. Then I will help you shape the beard. Once I have prepared the tools, let's get started."
In the past, I thought that the art of disguise was a magical thing that only appeared in martial arts novels. I even stubbornly thought that the so-called disguise was nothing more than the ancients growing a beard on their face and painting it with color. It was an exaggeration to say that it was a change of appearance. Disguise masks and the like are even more unreliable.
But when that middle-aged man started to disguise me, I realized how shallow I was and how superficial my understanding of Chinese culture was.
"The most profound form of disguise is actually a transformation from beginning to end. It takes a long time. The most important thing is to teach people how to change their temperament. For example, pretending to be a charlatan or a charlatan. Literary people are like literati, which requires the disguise artist to observe the details of these people's movements, conversation habits, etc., and then teach them to the people being disguised." When he said this to me, the middle-aged man was mixing some powder , I don’t know what it is used for.
I didn't speak, just listened quietly, and suddenly realized that every craft is worthy of awe.
"But you don't have to go to so much trouble! After all, you're not going to get in touch with anything in depth, you're just dealing with some people who look familiar to you, so I just need to give you a simple change." As he spoke, the middle-aged man had already put down his hands. powder and began to trim my beard.
"Don't underestimate the role of hair and beard. Sometimes the combined effect will make people who are familiar with you unable to recognize you at a glance. Of course, this is also very particular. Try to have a peaceful image. The effect of conflict is like a person with a loyal face suddenly growing a mustache, which will change it to a great extent." The middle-aged man's craftsmanship was very good, and my beard fell to the ground as he spoke, and Through the mirror not far away, I saw that the beard he trimmed for me was the type of beard that is often seen on TV, the kind that elegant middle-aged people would trim.
After finishing my beard, the middle-aged man began to trim my hair. My hair was always simple, with bangs hanging on my forehead. But under the miraculous craftsmanship of that middle-aged man, my hair became He gave me a steady parting of my hair, then he helped me comb it up, and then handed me a pair of metal flat glasses, and said, "Put them on and let me see?"
I took the glasses and put them on, then took a look in the mirror. I looked older in the mirror, and suddenly I turned into a person with a gentle temperament like Brother Chengxin. At first glance I was a little uncomfortable with it being me, but after I got used to it, I could still see that it was me.
"This is just the most basic change. It gives people a little visual impact and will make you ignore it at first glance. Now we have to make detailed changes." As he spoke, he put the things he put on the coffee table in a small bowl. , I took out a bowl of the mixed powder, and I didn’t know what to add to it, and started to do my hair, eyebrows, and beard.
Under his magical craftsmanship, my hair color has changed, from pure black to slightly yellowish, just like when a person reaches a certain age, his hair naturally becomes less black, and there are still... Some white hair, quite natural.
Any hairdresser can change the hair color, but to achieve the effect I have now is a real test of skills. You can't even tell if it's natural. The color of your hair, eyebrows, and beard has been changed. .
"These discolored things are my unique secret recipe. It doesn't matter if you wash your hair or face. They can last for at least half a month." The middle-aged man said.
Time passed by minute by second, and the middle-aged man carefully did the work of disguising me. From his mouth, I learned a lot about disguising.
He told me that in fact, the difference in appearance between each person is determined by details, just like the slight distance difference between the skulls determines whether a person looks different or good-looking.
What about the distance between the eyebrows, the distance between the eyes, etc... If a person wants to change his appearance, it does not necessarily require surgery. As long as some small changes are made, the whole person's image will change drastically.
And also use color to change some of the light and shadow effects on the face.
He was busy on my face. He used special glue and other things to fiddle with my face, and smeared it on my face. In short, after being busy like this for a few hours, he handed me the mirror again, and I was all Everyone was shocked.
In the mirror, I turned into a middle-aged man with gentle features, fair complexion, and a slightly gloomy but elegant look, probably in his 40s.
At that time, this middle-aged man's technical shock to me was beyond comparison. Even in modern times, many girls have mastered the art of disguise and put on makeup. Taking off makeup is shocking, but to achieve such miraculous skills The means still need to be practiced carefully, that is a real transformation.
When I look at myself in the mirror, I don’t know what to say. The most important thing is that everything is very natural. You can’t tell that your appearance has changed at all, unless you put it on my face and use a magnifying glass to observe.
"The things that are put on your face are all my own special materials. If you insist on washing your face, you may be back to normal in more than a month, but if you want to recover instantly, you still need some potions I prepared." As he spoke, he handed over I was given a bottle and told to put it away.
I felt that all this was really magical, but the middle-aged man said: "The potion is not a magical thing. I don't like to pretend to be magical. In fact, it is just a chemical reaction, just like the water on clothes." Whatever you need to use to wash off the gasoline will have the same effect.”
While he was talking, he came in again and brought out a set of clothes for me. It was a suit, with a matching shirt and tie, and even a briefcase.
"I don't have time to teach you how to change your temperament, but just remember to behave a little more calmly. Only when your face matches this suit of clothes will the effect be perfect, and my work will be completed." The young man said to me.
I took the clothes, looked at the middle-aged man and asked, "Actually, I don't know your name yet?"
"This is not important. You go take a shower, let me apply it on your face and neck, and make the color on your hands more natural. Then put on your clothes and go. Next, the information you may need is here. The department asked me to forward it to you." As he was speaking, he handed me a sealed envelope and returned to the silent, aloof manner I had seen him before.
I took the envelope and didn't know what to say, but he urged me to take a shower, so I could only do what he said.
And when I got out of the shower. After changing clothes and coming out, the whole room had become quiet. Looking carefully, all traces left by the middle-aged man here were gone, including all his tools.
I stood in the room in a daze, realizing that this was a real folk wonder. And how much do I know about the various cultures that have been truly handed down in China? I thought that as a Taoist priest, I had extensive knowledge, but sometimes I felt that I was a real frog in the well.
After being in a daze for a while, I finally remembered the letter that the middle-aged man left for me. I hurriedly picked it up from the coffee table. The seal of the letter was intact. It was just as the middle-aged man said, he didn't read it. Pass.
I opened the letter and found a piece of letter paper inside. It was the same as the piece of paper I had seen. It also had an address written on it. Is that where I want to go next
I frowned slightly, not understanding what that meant. In my mind, finding my senior brothers and sisters in time was the most urgent thing. At least if I found them, I would have some confidence to fight against that force.
But now... I feel like I'm being led around again. You know I don't have complete trust in the department. Just give me those few shots from Jiang Yi. If I'm not careful, I will really die!
So what should I do? Just as I was thinking, there was a knock on the door suddenly. I felt inexplicably creepy. What on earth was I afraid of? Who is outside the door